TheNewsGuru

Tag: Afe Babalola

  • JUST IN: SAN canvasses tenure extension for Buhari

    JUST IN: SAN canvasses tenure extension for Buhari

    A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Robert Clarke has said President Muhammadu Buhari has the constitutional empowerment to stay in office for more than 8 years.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Clarke to have said in view of the security situation of the country, stressing that President Buhari can extend his tenure if the security situation of the country does not allow for elections to hold.

    The elder statesman and senior lawyer made this known when he appeared on an Arise Television programme.

    Clarke noted that the Constitution provided the President to extend his tenure for six months in the first instance if conditions were not ripe for an election.

    He, however, warned that the nation may not scale through 2023 if nothing was done before the elections.

    “The Constitution provides that the President can stay longer than eight years. I’ve always said it. It is in the Constitution.

    “If the situation in which we’re in now continues, and it is impossible to vote in the 2023 elections, the Constitution says if a situation persists, the President can stay.

    “Given all insurgencies, kidnappings, and Boko Haram, I don’t think in these areas of Nigeria, we can have a good election.

    “So, the fact that the Constitution says the president cannot stay for more than eight years is wrong. Because the same constitution says he can be given six months if those conditions persist.

    “Now, I don’t see any green light. I don’t see how what is happening today can be stopped within six months from today or before February next year when the elections will be held.

    “The alternative then is for Mr. President to continue as president, allow the security watches to carry up the mopping up and Nigeria will become stable.

    “Because I swear to God Almighty, without stability in Nigeria, without security, Nigeria is going nowhere.

    “No foreigner will bring his money and put in any business in Nigeria when he knows that any of his expatriates who are sent to Nigeria can be kidnapped at any time.

    “So, until all these things are sorted out, I don’t see any green light. If nothing happens before the elections, God forbid, this country will go down in flames,” Clark said.

    TNG reports this is coming after legal luminary, Afe Babalola had called for the suspension of the 2023 elections and for an interim government to be installed after Buhari’s tenure.

  • BREAKING: Alaafin of Oyo, Lamidi Adeyemi III joins his ancestors

    BREAKING: Alaafin of Oyo, Lamidi Adeyemi III joins his ancestors

    The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba (Dr) Lamidi Adeyemi III, third from the Alowodu Ruling House, has joined his ancestors.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Oba Adeyemi III died at the Afe Babalola University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti in the late hours of Friday.

    His remains were taken to Oyo in the early hours of Saturday and traditional rites were said to have begun.

    Born on 15 October 1938, Adeyemi III, who is the 45th Alaafin of Oyo, celebrated his 50th year on the throne in 2021. He ascended the throne, succeeding Alaafin Gbadegesin Ladigbolu II on 18 November 1970.

    He was married to Ayaba Abibat Adeyemi, his senior wife, whom the late Oba attended most events with.

    He also had twelve junior wives that he’s also married to. The junior wives are Ayaba Rahmat Adedayo Adeyemi, Ayaba Mujidat Adeyemi, Ayaba Rukayat Adeyemi, Ayaba Folashade Adeyemi and Ayaba Badirat Ajoke Adeyemi.

    Others are Ayaba Memunat Omowunmi Adeyemi, Ayaba Omobolanle Adeyemi, Ayaba Moji Adeyemi, Ayaba Anuoluwapo Adeyemi, and Ayaba Damilola Adeyemi.

    He was a lover of boxing, as he was a boxer before ascending the throne of his Fathers.

  • Suspend 2023 elections, install interim government after Buhari’s tenure – Afe Babalola

    Suspend 2023 elections, install interim government after Buhari’s tenure – Afe Babalola

    Legal icon and elder statesman, Chief Afe Babalola, says an interim government should replace the current administration at the expiration of President Muhammadu Buhari tenure in 2023.

    Babalola told a news conference in Ado-Ekiti on Monday that the interim government should be in office for six months to chart a new course for Nigeria.

    He stressed that the 2023 elections should be suspended until Nigeria has “a new-look peoples’ Constitution which should provide for part-time legislators and non-executive president’’.

    Babalola said that members of the interim government should be drawn from all living former presidents and vice-presidents; some selected ministers and governors and delegates of prominent professional associations.

    The professional associations could be the Nigeria Medical Association, Nigeria Bar Association, Nigeria Labour Congress, Nigeria Union of Journalists, Academic Staff Union of Universities and Civil Society Organisations.

    The elder statesman noted that such delegates should be elected on zero party bases.

    He said it was regrettable that the current 1999 Constitution, foisted on Nigerians by the military was no longer in tune with realities of the day.

    “The same Constitution has made politics become not only very attractive, but the only lucrative business in Nigeria today.

    “What this means is that any election that holds under the present scenario will end up producing transactional and recycled leaders, with no ability to turn things around,’’ he said.

    The university proprietor advised that the new Constitution which should be coordinated by the interim government, should spell out rules and regulations on improved qualifications of those contesting elections.

    He added that the new Constitution should provide for part-time legislators and not full-time legislators, considering the attendant waste of resources.

    “The new Constitution should also provide that there shall be no salary, but sitting allowances only for lawmakers.

    “It should provide a true federal system of government, instead of the expensive presidential system of government. I suggest a parliamentary system of government, with a unicameral legislature.

    “The new Constitution should also provide a body at the local, state and federal levels to screen all aspirants on the sources of their wealth and means of livelihood, criminal record which includes pending suits,’’ he said.

    The legal luminary added that any person that would become the president of Nigeria should not be older than 60 years of age and must have a varsity degree.

  • Qualities Nigerians must look for in electing next President – Afe Babalola

    Qualities Nigerians must look for in electing next President – Afe Babalola

    A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Aare Afe Babalola, on Thursday educated the political parties and voters on qualities to look out for before adopting or voting anyone to become the next Nigeria’s President.

    Babalola, in a three-page statement he personally signed and made available to newsmen in Ado-Ekiti, said that the parties must search for the very best, without mundane considerations in picking their candidates.

    The legal practitioner, who is also the Founder, Afe Babalola University (ABUA), Ado-Ekiti, said that the country needed a candidate who would go beyond politics and embrace principle of a stronger Nigeria.

    According to him, such candidate must be highly educated, up to at least, degree level and must not have history of penchant for corrupt practices.

    Babalola, in the statement entitled: “The Presidency: When a Candidate Is or Not Qualified”, said that such a candidate must not be too old and must be of sound health.

    He said the candidate must also be extra-ordinarily brilliant and have sound knowledge of the current affairs, work ethics, leadership experience, good human relations and also have clear cut vision and mission for Nigeria.

    The notable legal practitioner said that the presidential candidate should be fluent in spoken English, such that he would possess the ability to write a speech all by himself.

    According to him, in addition, he must possess the ability to speak off-the-cuff.

    Babalola said: “The candidate must produce evidence that he possesses unquestionable means of livelihood.

    “He should not just be seeking election as a means of securing employment or to offset outstanding indebtedness or use his position as the President to divert government’s funds into his offshore accounts.”

    He further advised that the candidate must demonstrate that “he is willing and prepared to serve the nation without earning salaries, as it was the case between 1960 and Jan. 15, 1966.

    “The sum total of the qualities those who deserve to be voted for as Nigeria’s President are age, health, education, sound knowledge of current affairs, work ethics, experience, human relations, vision and mission for Nigeria.

    “Others are; belief in the need for a new Constitution, oratory power, kindness, friendliness and firmness, previous contributions to development, economic standing and readiness to serve as well as proven ability to solve problems,” Babalola said.

    On age, he explained that any candidate for the post of Nigeria’s President should not be more than 60 years old, so that if he has the opportunity of serving two terms of four years each, he would still be leaving office before he turns 70.

    Babalola, commenting on health, said the candidate must be physically, mentally and medically fit.

    “The President should not be a person who will be looking for medical treatment from hospital to hospital around the world.

    “He must be so healthy that he should be able to work for a minimum of 14 hours a da.

    “It is normal that the aspirant for the post of Nigeria’s President must have a minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree, obtained from a reputable university.

    “Sound knowledge of current affairs must also be considered.

    “A person aspiring for the post of Nigeria’s President should possess a sound knowledge of Nigerian, African and world affairs for him to be able to speak and debate convincingly on any of them,” he said.

    On work ethics, he said that the occupant of that exalted seat should be able and ready to work for a minimum of 14 hours a day, based on his personal knowledge of the volume of documents, petitions and applications that daily flooded the office of the President, most of which would require his personal and urgent attention.

    “I know, as a fact that former President Olusegun Obasanjo worked for a minimum of 18 hours a day when he was at the saddle as Nigeria’s President without leaving any file till the next day.

    “That is how anyone aspiring to be Nigeria’s next President should work.

    “Concerning personal attributes, the aspirant should not be arrogant or opinionated. He should be a good listener, respectful and humble.

    “He must be law abiding and a respecter of the Rule of Law, vision and mission for Nigeria:

    “The aspirant must be someone who is totally detribalised and who appreciates that the country, Niger Area, now called Nigeria was brought together by Europeans during the 1884 Berlin Conference without consulting the locals and without their consent.

    “He must appreciate that the over 400 ethnic nationalities that make up Nigeria have their different languages, cultures, religions, customs and values.

    “He must, therefore, demonstrate to the voters that he believes in the evolution of nation-Nigeria from these various ethnic nationalities,” Babalola further stated.

    He, however, called for a brand new Constitution for the country, in which he said the presidential candidate must be a strong believer.

  • Afe Babalola to FG: Address dearth of cash in banks

    Afe Babalola to FG: Address dearth of cash in banks

    A legal luminary, Chief Afe Babalola, has called on the Federal Government to address the dearth of cash currently being experienced in the banking sector.

    Babalola, who is also the Founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD) made the call in a statement issued on Monday in Ado-Ekiti.

    According to him, the development can lead to hunger, high mortality rate, uncontrolled crimes and increased insecurity, if not effectively tackled.

    “In recent time, the Central Bank of Nigeria and commercial banks have inflicted cash crunch on customers across the country.

    “The cash crunch is being felt in virtually all parts of the country. Many banks have turned customers back for lack of funds, while those who gained entrance into the banking halls went home disappointed.

    “Customers can not withdraw cash from the ATM machines in my university. The banks operating in the institution also have no cash to pay to customers.

    “The saving grace is that the students who rely on ATM machines are on holiday,” he said.

    The legal luminary said the nation’s economic growth was known to be basically trade-by-barter dependent, whereby traders exchanged goods for cash.

    He said that presently, most Nigerians earned their living from daily sales.

    “These include market women, transporters, hawkers, vulcanizers, plumbers, roadside mechanics, hair-dressers and so on.

    “In the absence of sales through cash, this large proportion of Nigerians suffers more than the few wealthy Nigerians by the cash crunch imposed by CBN and commercial banks.

    “The popular African adage is that “when hunger is eliminated from one’s problems, the remaining problems become easier to solve.

    “A man without cash will certainly go without food; he becomes hungry. Of course, a hungry man becomes an angry man, and an angry man becomes violent,” he said.

    The legal luminary further said that a violent man could kill, behave irrationally and even commit suicide.

    “COVID-19 is regarded as a dangerous and dreaded epidemic which kills its victims but I dare say that cash crunch kills faster and certainly can kill more people than the pandemic,” he said.

    Babalola acknowledged the fact that cashless policy thrived in developed countries, adding, however, that much cash might not be in high demand in Nigeria because of the policy.

    ”Yes, it only works because their governments have created enabling environment for such technology to thrive.

    “Even if the motive is to fully implement a cashless policy, then a robust change management policy must have been put in place in order not to inflict hardship on the masses.

    “Although cashless payments are becoming increasingly common, the demand for cash is rising in many advanced economies,” he said.

    The university founder noted that cash was useful for payment and for other transactions.

    ”It is favoured by the elderly, the marginalised and the low-income people. Cash becomes especially useful when natural disasters cause power shortage and destroy computers.

    “Cash is the safest of payment and financial instrument for the public in developing countries like Nigeria,” Babalola said.

  • Afe Babalola’s ABUAD performs first kidney transplant

    Afe Babalola’s ABUAD performs first kidney transplant

    Afe Babalola University Multi-System Hospital, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), has recorded its first kidney transplant after a procedure that lasted five hours, fifteen minutes, thus making the successful transplant the first of its kind in Ekiti/Ondo axis of the country.

    The procedure was carried out on a 46-year-old player in the entertainment industry (name withheld) who was diagnosed to be hypertensive as far back as 2017 had not been passing urine in the last six months as a result of which he has had difficulty breathing. He also required regular dialysis to keep him alive.

    A statement by the Director of Corporate Affairs of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Mr. Tunde Olofintila, said the patient who came entirely on his own to the Hospital on April 12, became critically ill in February, almost at the point of death.

    Before coming to ABUAD Multi-system Hospital, the patient had been taken to a healthcare facility in Ekiti State where he was being treated until there was an industrial action as a result of which he could no longer be dialyzed.

    Out of sympathy for his critical condition, one of the doctors at the facility gave him two options: either to proceed to another healthcare facility in Ekiti State or go to India for a kidney transplantation.

    Convinced that there was no need to go as far as India, another doctor advised the patient to try ABUAD.

    When the patient got to ABUAD Multi-System Hospital in April, he was impressed with the way he was attended to after which he proceeded to make enquiries about kidney transplantation in ABUAD Hospital which commenced operation about three-and-half years ago.

    Convinced that his case would be resolved in ABUAD Multi-System Hospital, he started looking for kidney donors, but was not immediately lucky to get one.

    According to Dr. Stephen Olawale Oguntola, the Coordinator of the Transplant Programme and Lead Nephrologist with the ABUAD Multi-System Hospital, “the transplant was done simultaneously on Wednesday, October 13, using a dedicated twin-transplant theatre right here in this Hospital, thus making it the first successful kidney transplant in Ekiti/Ondo axis of the country”.

    Narrating his experience, the lucky patient who had been to the Indian Embassy thrice but could not get a visa because of COVID-19 was full of gratitude for the founder and Chancellor of Afe Babalola University, Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, and the medical team that attended to him.

    Commenting on the successful kidney transplant, Babalola said: “This is a milestone for ABUAD but I am not surprised because we have quality equipment that are not available in most parts of Africa. No wonder then that major health stakeholders have acknowledged our Hospital as the most well-equipped in Sub-Saharan Africa.”

  • Why Nigeria needs new constitution before 2023 polls – Afe Babalola

    Why Nigeria needs new constitution before 2023 polls – Afe Babalola

    Legal icon and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Afe Babalola, has challenged Nigerians to move away from the tradition of recycling those he described as ‘same failed leaders’ for meaningful developments to be recorded in the country.

    In a bid to achieve this, he recommended that a new constitution be put in place ahead of the general elections in 2023.

    “It is my considered view that a new constitution must be in place before the next election, otherwise we will be recycling the same failed leaders that have brought Nigeria to where it is today,” said the legal luminary who highlighted the 1999 Constitution as the major problem of the nation.

    He made the remarks on Monday in his goodwill message as the special guest of honour at the Fifth Ife Institute of Advanced Studies, Summer Institute Programme.

    “I have said it over and over again that the problem with Nigeria is the 1999 Constitution foisted on us by the military when it wanted to exit the reigns of governance in 1999, instead of reverting to the 1963 constitution which Nigeria’s founding fathers bequeathed to us.

    “After all, the military merely suspended the 1963 constitution when it seized power on January 15, 1996, it did not abolish it,” the senior advocate who founded the Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, added.

    According to him, it is lamentable that instead of bringing back the 1963 Constitution which was suspended, the military went to America to import “the presidential system of government to install an all-powerful President and weakened the constituent regions (now states)”.

    The ‘all-powerful President’, he stated, wielded so much power to the extent that when the National Assembly invited him on security matters, he ignored the wish of the representatives of the people by refusing to honour the invitation.

    Babalola decried that the present Constitution allowed Nigeria to run the most expensive democracy in the world, with government functionaries earning exorbitant salaries and allowances in a country riddled with unemployment, poverty, and insecurity, among other challenges.

    He also noted that the constitution bred those he described as transactional leaders rather than transformational leaders.

    On the way out, the legal icon asked those who wish Nigeria to remain an indivisible entity to ensure the 1999 constitution was replaced with a truly federal constitution and a parliamentary system of government.

    “The proposed constitution will discourage politics from being the most lucrative business in Nigeria; the constitution must make provision for independent candidates to contest and win elections.

    “The constitution must prevent transactional businessmen from contesting elections,” he suggested.

  • Decay in education to blame for nation’s crisis – Afe Babalola

    Decay in education to blame for nation’s crisis – Afe Babalola

    Chief Afe Babalola, Founder, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, (ABUAD) has blamed the decay in the education sector for the various challenges confronting the nation.

    Babalola made the assertion in Ado-Ekiti on Wednesday when he received the Executives of Bursars’ Association of Polytechnics and Colleges of

    Technology (BURSCON) and that of the Federal Government’s Gas Expansion Committee.

    The ABUAD founder said that the slide in quality of education had negative effect on the growth, progress of Nigeria’s socio-economic development.

    According to him, that was why after turning down ministerial appointments thrice, I agreed to go to University of Lagos as Pro Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council.

    “That is where I had an insight into what was happening to our education system.

    “At times, they used to close down the schools under the guise of strike action for almost a year, this is criminal.

    “I want to be an example of a leader committed to the transformation of education and that was why I established ABUAD.

    “Added to the foregoing was also our leaders who are very selfish.

    “There are many Nigerians that are expected to set up a university like this to give functional education to Nigerians at affordable fees, but they never did,” he said.

    Babalola described the position of Bursar in any institution as strategic, urging the financial administrators to commit themselves to transparency in the management of finances in their respective institutions.

    “I want you to be committed to financial discipline, but the problem has been that some want to be Bursars to steal, because money is there.

    “Government is not doing enough to fund education. UNESCO directed governments to set aside 26 per cent to fund education, but what have they done?

    “During the Western region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo set aside 22 per cent, military came and reduced to nothing; Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999 budgeted 12 per cent and now just six per cent.

    “Looking at all these, we are not serious with education in this country. What are we doing about endowments? We must set up endowments in our schools.

    Endowment is main source of funding for universities. If you check American universities, they are being majorly funded through endowments,”Babalola said.

    Earlier, Chief Adolphus Obi, the BURSCON President, and leader of the FG’s Gas Expansion Committee, Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim, applauded Babalola for laying a solid foundation for the growth of education in Nigeria.
    Obi, who decried poor funding of polytechnic education, said this was responsible for the slow pace of technological development in Nigeria.

  • #ENDSARs: Use of bullets, curfew will fail – Afe Babalola warns Buhari

    #ENDSARs: Use of bullets, curfew will fail – Afe Babalola warns Buhari

    Afe Babalola, a frontline legal practitioner and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has warned that the imposition of curfew and deployment of soldiers to stop the protests by the youths will not yield fruits.

    He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to rather address Nigerians.

    The senior lawyer stated this on Wednesday while reacting to the recent shootings, killings and crisis rocking various states in the country due to the declaration of curfew by some Governors.

    “Protests against the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, otherwise known as SARS or FSARS, have spread to all parts of Nigeria and beyond.

    “The deployment of soldiers to the streets is not the answer. The imposition of curfews is certainly not the answer,” Babalola said in a statement.

    He said that he had before now appealed to President Buhari to please address the issue at that time.

    “I now again plead with him to address the root causes of the pain which the youths are complaining about,” he said..

    It was a black Tuesday on October 20, 2020, when men of the Nigerian military opened fire on peaceful protesters in the Lekki Toll Gate axis of Lagos State killing at least two young people and leaving many others with injuries.

    NEWS: End SARS: Nigerian pastor rains curses on Buhari, APC, killer soldiers over Lekki killings
    “The use of live bullets and other lethal weapons against protesting youths is not the answer. The killing of protesting youths is also not the answer.

    “A protest both in fact and in law is analogous to a message which an injured toe sends to the brain complaining about unbearable pain,” said Babalola in his reaction to the shooting of the protesters.

    He added, “The response by the brain and the head is normally to take steps to treat the pain to the toe.

    “Any injured person who refuses to take steps to treat pains to any part of the body does so at his own peril.”

  • Bayelsa: Afe Babalola, Olanipekun kick against Supreme Court judgement, N60m penalty

    Legal giants, Afe Babalola, SAN, and Wole Olanipekun, SAN, have protested the N60 million fine imposed on them by the Supreme Court over their bid for Bayelsa governorship judgment review.

    The legal luminaries also condemned the harsh comments in the leading ruling of Justice Amina Augie.

    According to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, the two formally protested in letters written to the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

    Olanipekun in a letter dated March 10, Olanipekun and Babalola dated March 11, 2020, addressed to the NBA President, Paul Usoro , SAN, insisted that they did no wrong by asking the court to take a second look at its earlier judgment.

    Both lawyers represented All Progressives Congresses (APC) and its candidates in the last governorship election in Bayelsa State David Lyon Pereworinmin and Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo seeking the apex court to set aside its judgment which voided their victory in the election.

    The Supreme Court, in a ruling by a seven-man panel on Feb. 26, dismissed the applications by the APC and its candidates.

    Justice Amina Augie, in that lead ruling, rebuked both lawyers and awarding N30M punitive cost against each of them.

    The Legal Luminaries while seeking NBA’s intervention argued that they did nothing unlawful and unprofessional to warrant the harsh words used on them and the unprecedented cost awarded against them for merely carrying out their professional responsibilities as lawyers.

    They warned that the decision of the Supreme Court, as it relates to them, was capable of laying wrong precedence that lawyers could be penalised for merely seeking to explore the justice administration process for the benefit of his/her client.

    In his letter, to which he attached all processes in respect of the case, Olanipekun said “I and the team of lawyers that I lead in the matter did no wrong.

    ” Either in terms of our presentation through the filling of the application or during the oral argument in court.

    “I repeat again, with every emphasis at my disposal and all sense of responsibility that we did no wrong, committed no error and do not deserve the harsh comments in the leading ruling of Justice Amina Augie.

    “It might interest you to note that there is no nexus or proximity or even bearing between the processes filed by us and the most unfair and least expected stern expressions of her lordship, Amina Augie”.

    Babalola in his letter said, “I write to bring to the formal attention of the NEC of the Nigerian Bar Association, the unfortunate events which occurred on February 26.

    “More importantly, we protest and draw the attention of NBA to the danger posed to the due administration of justice by the disparaging remarks made in the ruling of the court concerning our principal, Afe Babalola SAN, CON and the imposition on him of the unprecedented costs of N30 million.

    “The action of the Court, aside from being unfair and totally unwarranted, is, if not urgently addressed, capable of sending a wrong signal to judges of courts, lower in hierarchy to the Supreme Court about how they can and should relate with lawyers, who appear before them to plead the case of their clients”.

    He said the action in the long run will be inimical to the development of trust and respect between the bar and the bench and will ultimately hamper the smooth operation of the justice delivery sector in Nigeria.

    “It is with respect to their Lordships of the Supreme Court, who sat on Feb. 27, 2020 that we state that the award of cost of N30 million against Aare Afe Babalola SAN, CON failed to meet the standard set by that very court concerning the award of costs.

    “Costs have never been imposed to intimidate counsel as is apparent in the cost orders made by the Supreme Court in this instance.

    “The cost order lost sight of the fact that Babalola like every other lawyer, has a duty under the rules of professional conduct to devote his attention, energy and expertise and subject to any rule of law, to act in manner consistent with the best interest of his client.

    “It is in the light of the above that we most respectfully request the ‘Nigerian Bar Association, through the National Executive Council, to look into this matter with a view to preventing a situation where the courts would seek to intimidate counsel and prevent them from either adequately presenting the cases of their clients or punishing them for doing so in a manner required of them under the rules of professional conduct.

    “This situation, at the risk of repetition, if allowed to persist and gain footing, will do incalculable damage to the administration of justice in Nigeria.”