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Ifa Religion Council calls on Tinubu to declare national holidays for Isese Festival

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The International Council for Ifa Religion (ICIR) has called on President Bola Tinubu to formally recognise Isese adherents by declaring August 20 and 21 as national public holidays.

Fayemi Fakayode, President of the council, made the appeal in a statement issued on Wednesday, August 20, in Ibadan, Oyo State, ahead of the 2025 Isese Day celebration.

Fakayode said, “We call for national recognition from President Tinubu through the declaration of August 20th and 21st as public holidays for Isese across Nigeria.”

The statement noted that Oyo, Lagos, Ogun, and Osun state governments had already declared Wednesday a work-free day to mark this year’s Isese Day.

Fakayode urged governors in Ekiti, Ondo, Kwara, Kogi, Edo, and Delta states to follow suit by recognising August 20 as an Isese holiday.

Fakayode also requested government support for cultural preservation.

He said: “We also want the government to fund cultural festivals, protect shrines and sacred lands and integrate practitioners into cultural councils like it is being done for Muslims and Christians.”

He further called on the Federal Government to address inequality among the country’s three major religions by granting formal recognition to Isese practitioners.

Fakayode described Isese as a central element of Yoruba and African identity, noting its role in promoting morality, unity, and communal living.

“Isese represents the foundation of Yoruba and African identity; it embodies morality, unity, reverence for nature and communal living. Celebrating Isese safeguards our heritage, promotes pride in our culture and strengthens enduring values, such as honesty, respect and hard work,” he added.

The ICIR president commended South-West governors for supporting the festival and encouraged the federal government to invest in cultural sites nationwide to boost both revenue and community development.

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Uganda reaches agreement with US Govt to take in migrants

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Uganda has entered an agreement with the United States to take in nationals from third countries who may not get asylum in the U.S. but are reluctant to return to their countries of origin, the foreign affairs ministry said on Thursday, August 21.

President Donald Trump aims to deport millions of immigrants who entered the U.S. illegally, and his administration has sought to increase removals to third countries, including by sending convicted criminals to South Sudan and Eswatini.

“This is a temporary arrangement with conditions including that individuals with criminal records and unaccompanied minors will not be accepted,” Vincent Bagiire Waiswa, the ministry’s permanent secretary, said in a statement.

Waiswa added that Uganda would prefer to receive people from African nationalities under the agreement.

“The two parties are working out the detailed modalities on how the agreement shall be implemented,” he said.

On Wednesday, another Ugandan foreign affairs official had denied a U.S. media report that the East African country had agreed to take in people deported from the United States, saying it lacked the facilities to accommodate them.

Uganda, a U.S. ally in East Africa, also hosts nearly two million refugees and asylum-seekers, who mostly hail from countries in the region such as Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and Sudan.

In July, five immigrants from Vietnam, Jamaica, Laos, Yemen and Cuba, who Washington said had been convicted of serious crimes, were flown to Eswatini, where they are now in a high-security prison. The deportations are being challenged by a group of Swazi and southern African NGOs, with a high court hearing scheduled for Friday.

Also in July, eight men from various countries were deported by the US to South Sudan, via Djibouti, where they were held for weeks in a shipping container. Meanwhile, more than 250 Venezuelans were repatriated to Venezuela after being sent to a notorious El Salvador prison in March without due process.

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FRSC rewards officer for rejecting 104 bribes in one month

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The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) has honoured Assistant Route Commander Babatunde Owoeye of the Osun State Sector Command for his exemplary integrity in July 2025.

The commendation was held during a ceremony on Wednesday, August 20, 2025 at the Osun State Command headquarters.

Records show that Owoeye rejected bribes from traffic offenders on 104 separate occasions.

He also turned down bribe attempts 18 times in May and 38 times in June, reflecting a consistent commitment to ethical conduct in service.

Speaking during the ceremony, Sector Commander Leye Adegboyega lauded Owoeye, stating that his conduct mirrors the FRSC’s long-standing policy against corruption and extortion among its personnel.

Adegboyega added that the recognition aligns with the anti-corruption agenda of the Corps Marshal, Sheu Mohammed, as well as the commission’s broader efforts to promote professionalism and accountability.

“For his exceptional integrity, Assistant Route Commander Babatunde J. Owoeye has been awarded a commendation and a cash gift of N250,000. He recorded 104 ‘Attempt to Corrupt Marshal on Duty’ (ACS) cases in July alone — a feat that is unprecedented in the command’s history,” Adegboyega said.

The FRSC reiterated its zero-tolerance stance on bribery and assured the public that honesty and discipline within its ranks would continue to be recognised and rewarded.

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Africa could become a renewable superpower – UN chief

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United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has called for greater investment in green energy across the Africa, saying the continent has everything it takes to become a “renewable superpower.”

Speaking at the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), Guterres stressed the need to mobilize finance and technology to ensure Africa’s natural wealth benefits its people and to build a thriving renewable energy and manufacturing base.

“Green power in Africa lowers energy costs, diversifies supply chains, and accelerates decarbonization for everyone,” he said.

Guterres warned that mounting debt should not hinder development and urged increased concessional finance and greater lending capacity from multilateral development banks.

He added, “Africa has everything it takes to become a renewable superpower, from solar and wind to the critical minerals that power new technology.”

The conference brought together African leaders and Japanese officials, with discussions on clean energy, economic partnerships, and long-term investment opportunities.

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