The tranquillity and calmness of the sleepy, but rustic community of Oke Imesi, Ekiti West Local Government, Ekiti State, were ruptured early Sunday morning when four young boys were mysteriously drowned in the River Osun, along the Oke Imesi, Ido Ile and Ikoro road.

The four young boys, aged between 24 and 27, were said to be in the town to attend the final funeral rites of the grandmother of two of them.
When www.focusmagazineonline.com correspondent visited the town, people were seen in groups discussing the ugly incident in hushed tones.
Generally, silence and unease calm pervaded the atmosphere, even up to the Palace of the traditional ruler, Owa Ooye.

Eye witnesses disclosed to www.focusmagazineonline.com that two of the boys, Mr. Gabare and an unidentified friend, had followed their friends, Mr. Samson Anisere and his cousin, Mr. Leye Adeoti, to celebrate the final funeral rites for late Mrs. Anisere, who hailed from Obanla Compound, Oke Imesi.

Our correspondent learnt that the boys decided to go and swim in the river around 11:45 am, since they had decided not to embark on the journey back to Lagos on Sunday. The funerals were done on Saturday, November 9.
All through Monday, the traditional institution of the town were busy with offering of sacrifices and performing all necessary rituals to appease the god of river and to prevent a reoccurring of such ugly incident.

According to tradition, the corpses must be bury by the bank 0f the river and must be done without delay.
Meanwhile, the remains of the four boys were buried by the river’s bank on Monday evening, after consultation with all the families of the bereaved and necessary police report obtained by the community.

www.focusmagazineonline.com ©November, 2024

The passing of the immediate past Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoheed Abiodun Lagbaja has thrown the ancient community of Ilobu, in Irepodun local Government area of Osun State into deep mourning.

“We are downcast and in sorrow. He is not just the son of the soil, but one of the shinning stars of the entire Yoruba race. If you go round the community, you will see a community that is in deep sorrow”, Oba Olaniyan muttered.
The community was in the thick of hosting the 2024 Ilobu Day celebration slated for November 9, when the sad news filtered in that their most prominent son, General Lagbaja has passed in in a private hospital in Lagos, Lagos State.

“Ilobu is a very happy town, but this morning, the sun suddenly snatched away from our sky.”
But in a twist, Oba Olaniyan told newsmen that the Ilobu Development Union executives had an emergency meeting, where they decided that Ilobu Day 2024 celebration be suspended indefinitely.
www.focusmagazineonline.com gathered authoritatively that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu spared nothing to save the live of the gallant infant Officer. He was said to have instructed that all necessary medical facilities should extended to him while on sick bed.

The traditional ruler of Ilobuland, Oba Ashiru Olaniyan, the hometown of late Lt. Gen. Lagbaja, was short of words when a correspondent of the Nigerian News Agency (NAN) visited his palace Tuesday afternoon, shortly after the confirmation of his passing by the Federal Government.

The traditional, who was seen in a deep mourning mood when the NAN correspondent visited his palace in Ilobu, directed the National President of the Ilobu-Asake Development Union, Oluremi Salako, to speak on his behalf.
He said that the town was planning its annual “Ilobu 2024 Day” slated for this coming Saturday (November 9) before the sad news of Lagabaja’s death filtered in.

www.focusmagazineonline.com © November 2024

….Lt Gen. Lagbaja still Indisposed. 
With a huge cloudy of uncertainties currently surrounding the state of health of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Major General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede as hold forth for him pending his arrival.

According to Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser Information and Strategy to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the 56-year-old Major General Oluyede, however, will act in the position pending the return of the indisposed substantive Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Lagbaja.
Until his appointment, Oluyede served as the 56th Commander of the elite Infantry Corps of the Nigerian Army, based in Jaji, Kaduna.
Oluyede and Lagbaja were coursemates and members of the 39th Regular Course.
He was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1992, effective from 1987. He rose to Major-General in September 2020.
Oluyede has held many commands since his commissioning as an officer. He was Platoon Commander and adjutant at 65 Battalion, Company Commander at 177 Guards Battalion, Staff Officer Guards Brigade, Commandant Amphibious Training School.
General Oluyede participated in several operations, including the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) Mission in Liberia, Operation HARMONY IV in Bakassi, and Operation HADIN KAI in the North East theatre of operations, where he commanded 27 Task Force Brigade.
Oluyede has earned many honours for his meritorious service in various fields of operations. These include the Corps Medal of Honour, the Grand Service Star, Passing the Staff Course, and Membership in the National Institute.
Others are the Field Command Medal, the Field Command Medal of Honour, and the Field Training Medal.
Oluyede also received the coveted Chief of Army Staff Commendation Award.
He is married and has three children.