Alhaja (Princess) Rafatu Ademinure Awofisayo, the last surviving child of the 48th Ooni of Ife, Oba Ademiluyi Ajagun Lawarikan I, has passed away at the age of 102.

It was reports that she died peacefully in early April 2026, according to family sources.

Reacting to her death, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Ogunwusi, described her passing as the close of a long chapter in the town’s history. In a statement through his media office, he spoke about her role in preserving her father’s legacy and her efforts in promoting unity among people of different beliefs in the community.

Princess Awofisayo was born into the Otutu Royal Compound of the Lafogido Ruling House in Ile-Ife.

She remained the only surviving direct child of her father, who ruled between 1910 and June 1930.

With her passing, many see it as the end of a living link between present-day Ile-Ife and its early 20th-century royal history.

She started her education at Salvation Army Elementary School in Ile-Ife and later continued at Saint Paul’s Anglican Church Elementary School in Aiyegbaju, Olopo, after her father’s death. She was raised by her mother, Olori Elizabeth Odunlade Ige Ademiluyi, and became involved in small-scale trading from a young age, dealing in items such as mats, kolanuts and palm oil.

In 1942, she got married to the late Alhaji Jimoh Elutide Awofisayo, a farmer and cocoa trader from Ilode in Ile-Ife. Over time, she became well known within the Muslim community in Ifeland and held several titles, including Iya Adinni, which was her most recognised position.

She is survived by six children, along with many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The family has not yet announced details of her burial.

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US Vice President and leader of the American delegation to the US-Iran peace negotiations, JD Vance, has shared updates regarding the discussions that have taken place so far.

He indicated that Iran has dismissed the conditions proposed by the United States.

Numerous media outlets report that neither side has made progress despite engaging in talks for over 21 hours in the capital of Pakistan.

While Iran’s foreign ministry has accused the US of imposing unreasonable demands and illegal requests, the US has stated that it has been ‘quite flexible, quite accommodating,’ yet Iran has refused to accept the terms.

“I won’t delve into all the specifics because I prefer not to negotiate in public after we have spent 21 hours negotiating privately,” the US Vice President informed reporters.

“However, the fundamental requirement is that we need to see a clear commitment from them that they will not pursue a nuclear weapon, nor will they seek the means to rapidly develop one.

“This is the primary objective of the President of the United States, and it is what we have aimed to accomplish through these negotiations.

“Once more, their nuclear program, as it stands – the enrichment facilities they previously possessed – have been dismantled.

“The essential question remains, do we observe a genuine commitment from the Iranians to refrain from developing a nuclear weapon, not just at this moment, not merely two years from now, but in the long term? We have yet to witness that. We remain hopeful that we will.”

When asked if the discussions yielded any form of framework, and whether the matter of Iranian frozen assets was addressed, Vance responded, “Certainly those topics were discussed.”

“However, we simply could not reach a point where the Iranians were prepared to accept our conditions.

“I believe we were quite flexible. We were very accommodating.

“The President instructed us to approach this with good faith and to make our utmost effort to secure a deal. We adhered to that, and regrettably, we were unable to make any progress.”

Discussions between both countries will resume on Sunday as Pakistan endeavors to facilitate a successful resolution among them.

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Attempts to enforce a temporary Easter ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine broke down on Saturday, as both sides traded accusations of breaches in a war that has now stretched into its fourth year.

Russian President Vladimir Putin had announced the truce on Thursday, following an earlier proposal by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The ceasefire was scheduled to last 32 hours, beginning at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday and ending late Sunday.

However, the agreement quickly unraveled. Ukrainian military authorities reported at least 469 violations of the ceasefire, citing continued air raids, drone strikes, artillery shelling, and attacks on both military positions and civilian areas.

According to Ukrainian officials, Russian operations during the period resulted in at least four fatalities and dozens of injuries.

In response, Ukraine also launched drone attacks that reportedly ignited a fire at an oil storage facility and caused structural damage in parts of southern Russia.

Despite the renewed hostilities, both countries carried out a limited humanitarian exchange, with each side releasing 175 prisoners of war, along with 14 civilians. One of the freed Ukrainian soldiers, Maksym, who had spent four years in captivity, described his release as surreal, expressing relief at regaining his freedom after years of detention.

Efforts to reach a diplomatic resolution remain stalled, complicated by ongoing geopolitical tensions and disagreements over territorial control.

Ukraine has indicated willingness to consider freezing the conflict along existing frontlines, while Russia insists on full control of the Donetsk region, a demand Kyiv continues to reject.

The protracted conflict has led to massive human and material losses, with hundreds of thousands of casualties and millions displaced. It remains the most deadly war in Europe since the Second World War.

While Russia made rapid territorial gains in the early stages of the invasion, its advances have slowed significantly since late 2025, with Moscow currently holding just over 19 percent of Ukrainian territory.

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