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Yari: Yoruba Youths Oppose Conferment of Prestigious Titles on Figures Linked to Banditry and Corruption

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*Yari: Yoruba Youths Oppose Conferment of Prestigious Titles on Figures Linked to Banditry and Corruption

 

The Yoruba Youth Council (YYC), a foremost organization advocating for the interests, unity, and cultural integrity of Yoruba youth, has vehemently opposed the planned conferment of the Obaloyin of Yorubaland title on former Zamfara State Governor and current Senator Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar by the Alaafin of Oyo.

In a statement released today, YYC President Dr. Adebayo Ogunleye described the decision as a grave misstep that risks undermining the cherished Yoruba values of integrity, moral uprightness, and communal responsibility.

He said: “Yorubaland has always honoured individuals who embody the spirit of omoluabi – those whose character and actions reflect excellence, accountability, and the protection of life and property.

“Bestowing a title as exalted as Obaloyin, which signifies guardianship and military command, on someone with a deeply controversial record sends a dangerous signal to our youth and communities.”

The Council highlighted the unprecedented escalation of banditry and insecurity in Zamfara State during Senator Yari’s governorship from 2011 to 2019.

The group said this period saw thousands of lives lost, widespread displacement, and communities living in constant fear.

It added that persistent allegations have linked Yari to some of the very elements responsible for the violence, including claims of meetings with notorious bandits and allegations of political protection or complicity.

“Banditry did not emerge in a vacuum,” Dr. Ogunleye stated. “It thrived in an atmosphere where questions of oversight and accountability at the highest levels were raised repeatedly.

” We cannot ignore this history when considering someone for a title that represents the guardian of the realm.”

The YYC also drew attention to the numerous corruption allegations that have trailed Senator Yari, including probes by anti-graft agencies, property forfeitures, and claims of misappropriation of billions of naira during his tenure.

According to the group, such accusations, involving alleged fraud, illegal resource exploitation, and mismanagement of public funds, stand in direct opposition to the Yoruba philosophy of transparency, equity, and selfless leadership.

“How can we, as a people who value hard work and moral rectitude, celebrate wealth and power whose origins are shrouded in controversy?” Ogunleye asked.

“This does not reflect the Yoruba ideal of leadership that uplifts the community rather than exploits it.”

The Council further warned that the Southwest is already facing serious security challenges from herdsmen-related violence, including killings, kidnappings, and destruction of farmlands.

“Honouring individuals whose leadership is associated with the rise of similar banditry in other parts of the country risks sending a message that such conduct is tolerable,” the statement read.

“We must not normalize or glorify behavior that endangers lives and livelihoods. Our youth deserve role models who protect and unite, not those whose legacies are stained by insecurity and ethical questions.”

The Yoruba Youth Council called on the Alaafin of Oyo and all Yoruba traditional leaders to reconsider the conferment of these titles.

“True cultural bridge-building must be rooted in unimpeachable character and a proven commitment to peace, justice, and the welfare of the people,” Dr. Ogunleye concluded.

The Council urged Yoruba youth across the country to remain vigilant and united in defending the sanctity of their cultural heritage.

“We will continue to advocate peacefully for values that reflect our proud identity. Titles should inspire, not divide or endanger.”

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Rt Hon Treasure Edwin Inyang Appointed Secretary General to the Government of UKA (Worldwide)

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Rt Hon Treasure Edwin Inyang Appointed Secretary General to the Government of UKA (Worldwide)*

Rt Hon Treasure Edwin Inyang Appointed Secretary General to the Government of UKA (Worldwide)*

 

January 29, 2026 – A prestigious appointment has been announced in the reign of Emperor Solomon Wining 1st, recognizing Rt Hon Treasure Edwin Inyang as the *Secretary General to the Government of UKA (Worldwide)*. The official certificate, designated STE.001-1 E, was presented to Rt Hon Inyang during a ceremonial investiture.

 

As Secretary General, Rt Hon Treasure Edwin Inyang will *monitor and coordinate* the implementation of government policies and programmes, serve as an advisory institution to the Government, drive policy formulation, harmonization, and implementation, and oversee the activities of ministries, agencies, and departments.

 

The appointment was proclaimed by *Emperor Prof. Dr. Solomon Wining*, Emperor of the United Kingdom of Atlantics and Empire Worldwide, and co-signed by *Empress Prof. Dr. Sriwan Kingjun*, Empress of Attica Empire, under the auspices of the 5 Billions Humanitarian Projects Incorporated.

 

The ceremony underscores the commitment to strengthening governance and humanitarian initiatives within the UKA (Worldwide) jurisdiction, effective immediately in the reign of Emperor Solomon Wining 1st.

Rt Hon Treasure Edwin Inyang Appointed Secretary General to the Government of UKA (Worldwide)*

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GENERAL BULAMA BIU MOURNS BOKO HARAM VICTIMS, CALLS FOR UNITY AND RENEWED EFFORTS FOR PEACE

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GENERAL BULAMA BIU MOURNS BOKO HARAM VICTIMS, CALLS FOR UNITY AND RENEWED EFFORTS FOR PEACE

 

In a solemn message of condolence and resolve, Major General Abdulmalik Bulama Biu mni (Rtd), the Sarkin Yakin of Biu Emirate, has expressed profound grief over a recent deadly attack by Boko Haram insurgents on citizens at a work site. The attack, which resulted in the loss of innocent lives, has been condemned as a senseless and barbaric act of inhumanity.

 

The revered traditional and military leader extended his heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved families, the entire people of Biu Emirate, Borno State, and all patriotic Nigerians affected by the tragedy. He described the victims as “innocent, peaceful, hardworking and committed citizens,” whose lives were tragically cut short.

 

General Biu lamented that the assault represents “one too many” such ruthless attacks, occurring at a time when communities are already engaged in immense personal and collective sacrifices to support government efforts in rebuilding devastated infrastructure and restoring hope.

 

In his statement, he offered prayers for the departed, saying, “May Almighty Allah forgive their souls and grant them Aljannan Firdaus.” He further urged the living to be encouraged by and uphold the spirit of sacrifice demonstrated by the victims.

 

Emphasizing the need for collective action, the retired Major General called on all citizens to redouble their efforts in building a virile community that future generations can be proud of. He specifically commended the “silent efforts” of some patriotic leaders working behind the scenes to end the security menace and encouraged all well-meaning Nigerians to join the cause for a better society.

 

“Together we can surmount the troubles,” he asserted, concluding with a prayer for divine intervention: “May Allah guide and protect us, free us from this terrible situation and restore an enduring peace, security, unity and prosperity. Amin.”

 

The statement serves as both a poignant tribute to the fallen and a clarion call for national solidarity in the face of persistent security challenges.

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When a Nation Outgrows Its Care

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When a Nation Outgrows Its Care.

By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by SaharaWeeklyNG.com

“Population Pressure, Poverty and the Politics of Responsibility.”

Nigeria is not merely growing. It is swelling and faster than its institutions, faster than its conscience and far faster than its capacity to care for those it produces. In a world already straining under inequality, climate stress and fragile governance, Nigeria has become a living paradox: immense human potential multiplied without the social, economic or political scaffolding required to sustain it.

This is not a demographic miracle. It is a governance failure colliding with cultural denial.

Across the globe, societies facing economic hardship typically respond by slowing population growth through education, access to healthcare and deliberate family planning. Nigeria, by contrast, expands relentlessly, even as schools decay, hospitals collapse, power grids fail and public trust erodes. The contradiction is jarring: a country that struggles to FEED, EDUCATE and EMPLOY its people continues to produce more lives than it can dignify.

And when the inevitable consequences arrive (unemployment, crime, desperation, migration) the blame is conveniently outsourced to government alone, as though citizens bear no agency, no RESPONSIBILITY, no ROLE in shaping their collective destiny.

This evasion is at the heart of Nigeria’s crisis.

The political economist Amartya Sen has long said that development is not merely about economic growth but about expanding human capabilities. Nigeria does the opposite. It multiplies human beings while shrinking the space in which they can thrive. The result is a society where life is abundant but opportunity is scarce, where children are born into structural neglect rather than possibility.

Governments matter. Bad governments destroy nations. Though no government, however competent, can sustainably provide for a population expanding without restraint in an environment devoid of planning, infrastructure and accountability.

This is where the conversation becomes uncomfortable and therefore necessary.

For decades, Nigerian leaders have failed spectacularly. Public education has been HOLLOWED out. Healthcare has become a LUXURY. Electricity remains UNRELIABLE. Social safety nets are virtually NONEXISTENT. Public funds vanish into PRIVATE POCKETS with brazen regularity. These are not disputed facts; they are lived realities acknowledged by development agencies, scholars and ordinary citizens alike.

Yet amid this collapse, REPRODUCTION continues unchecked, often CELEBRATED rather than QUESTIONED. Large families persist not as a strategy of hope but as a cultural reflex, untouched by economic logic or future consequence. Children are brought into circumstances where hunger is normalized, schooling is uncertain and survival is a daily contest.

The philosopher Hannah Arendt warned that irresponsibility flourishes where accountability is diffused. In Nigeria, responsibility has become a political orphan. The state blames history, colonialism or global systems. Citizens blame the state. Meanwhile, children inherit the cost of this mutual abdication.

International development scholars consistently emphasize that education (especially of girls) correlates strongly with smaller, healthier families and better economic outcomes. Nigeria has ignored this lesson at scale. Where education is weak, fertility remains high. Where healthcare is absent, birth becomes both risk and ritual. Where women lack autonomy, choice disappears.

This is not destiny. It is policy failure reinforced by social silence.

Religious and cultural institutions, which wield enormous influence, have largely avoided confronting the economic implications of unchecked population growth. Instead, they often frame reproduction as a moral absolute divorced from material reality. The result is a dangerous romanticism that sanctifies birth while neglecting life after birth.

The Kenyan scholar Ali Mazrui once observed that Africa’s tragedy is not lack of resources but lack of responsibility in managing abundance. Nigeria exemplifies this truth painfully. Rich in land, talent and natural wealth, the country behaves as though human life is an infinite resource requiring no investment beyond conception.

This mindset is unsustainable.

Around the world, nations that escaped mass poverty did so by aligning population growth with state capacity. They invested in people before multiplying them. They built systems before expanding demand. They treated citizens not as numbers but as future contributors whose welfare was essential to national survival.

Nigeria has inverted this logic. It produces demand without supply, citizens without systems, lives without ladders.

To say this is not to absolve government. It is to indict both leadership and followership in equal measure. Governance is not a one-way transaction. A society that demands accountability must also practice responsibility. Family planning is not a foreign conspiracy. It is a survival strategy. Reproductive choice is not moral decay. It is economic realism.

The Nigerian sociologist Adebayo Olukoshi has argued that development fails where political elites and social norms reinforce each other’s worst tendencies. In Nigeria, elite corruption meets popular denial, and the outcome is demographic pressure without developmental intent.

This pressure manifests everywhere: overcrowded classrooms, collapsing cities, rising youth unemployment and a mass exodus of talent seeking dignity elsewhere. Migration is not a dream; it is an indictment. People leave not because they hate their country, but because their country has failed to imagine a future with them in it.

And still, the cycle continues.

At some point, honesty must replace sentiment. A nation cannot endlessly reproduce its way out of poverty. Children are not economic policy. Birth is not development. Hope without planning is cruelty.

True patriotism requires difficult conversations. It demands confronting cultural habits that no longer serve collective survival. It insists on shared responsibility between state and citizen. It recognizes that bringing life into the world carries obligations that extend far beyond celebration.

Nigeria does not lack people. It lacks care, coordination and courage. The courage to align birth with dignity, growth with governance and culture with reality.

Until that reckoning occurs, complaints will continue, governments will rotate and generations will be born into a system that apologizes for its failures while reproducing them.

A nation that refuses to plan its future cannot complain when the future overwhelms it.

 

When a Nation Outgrows Its Care.
By George Omagbemi Sylvester

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