Bayo Adelabu Celebrates Birthday in Style, Commissions Adelabu Penkelemesi Political Headquarters in Ibadan

It was double celebration for Bayo Adelabu, the Oyo State APC candidates in the last guber election, as he celebrates his birthday in grand style. He amplified the celebration of his 49th year on earth with the grand opening of the Adelabu Penkelemesi Political Headquarters in Jericho, Ibadan. The event was well graced with important dignitaries who came to shower their greetings and well wishes towards the celebrant.

Many important party leaders of the APC and political giants in the country were in attendance. Former governor of Lagos State and the national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Dr. Bola Tinubu was ably represented by Tunde Rahman, his media adviser was also in attendance, the Oyo State APC leaders and party exceutives led by Oloye Akin Oke, represented by Chief Adeyemo, were all in attendance including Hon. Dapo Lam-Adeshina, the son of the late former governor of the state and party leader Lamidi Adesina.

They all shared their goodwill messages to the former deputy governor of CBN and express their huge respect for his courage to join politics amid the intrigues and murky waters. They wished him well in the nearest future to rightfully assume the role of the governor of the state. They subsequently joined hands to open the huge political edifice that have been a sight to behold in Jericho, Ibadan - the capital of the state.

After moving round to see the interior of the monument, the celebrant then went ahead to cut his cake amid merry praises and songs with his wife, Chief Mrs Seyi Adelabu by his side and there was enough for everyone to eat and drink to celebrate the birthday of the Agbaakin Parakoyi of Ibadanland.

Bayo Adelabu: A Quintessential at 49

Happy Birthday to perhaps one of the most gifted and by far the most intelligent person I've come across in my entire life, very detailed and most importantly; he was (and still) the best brain - that could have led Oyo State into a better atmosphere and living condition with his rich plan for a complete revitalisation of the state's economy; Oloye Bayo Adelabu Penkelemesi.

The Almighty Allah does His will in miraculous ways and so we are certain that #OyoSiMaaPenkele because it is the will of God that Oyo State returns to its old glory as the nations pacesetter. Rich minds who have a knack for reading the future, knows that it is only an intelligent mind that can achieve these landmarks. The Agbaakin Parakoyi of Ibadanland will tower above his contemporaries and rivals to become the Governor of Oyo State in the nearest future.

A real family man who has the love and care of his wife, children and extended relatives directly at heart. A true leader and philanthropist who sees the developmental process and social wellbeing of his followers and entire populace as prime, with a living legacy for a better tomorrow. A business magnate/tycoon who sees capital investment as a basis for total freedom, glowing economy and wealth creation. A social activist who with his humble background has an innate desire to impact social, economic, and environmental reforms to alter and elevate the present status quo of the common man.

As you mark a new beginning in your glorious, eventful and unparalleled life, I wish you more invaluable accomplishments and landmark successes in divine wellbeing and health. As you edge closest to your golden jubilee, may your goodnews and living testimonies never cease to come in large numbers and may you ultimately cling on your life goals and innermost desire.

Happy Birthday once again Sir.
Igba odun, odun kan.

Oluwo of Owu-Kuta Decorates Sarafadeen Oiler with the Rising Leader Award at Paronure Day 2019

It was all joy and laughter at the Paronure Day 2019 Celebration organised by the Ajede Bi Enijede Production sponsored by Impact African Television (IATV) and Impact Business Radio (IBR) to celebrate and award important dignitaries who have made remarkable impact in Oyo State.

Among the dignitaries recognised on the day include: Hon Shina Peller, honourable member of the Federal House of Representative, Olayiwola Rasaq (Ojopagogo), Hon Quazeem Olayanju, Chief Banjo Akinlabi, Mr. Gbenga Dina, Alhaja Saulat Olaniyi and Hon. Abiola Sarafadeen (Oiler). Special guest on honour on the day was the Olowu of Owu Kuta himself, Oba Adekunle Oyelude, who was on hand to share from his wealth of experience on promoting our cultural value and social security.

The Royal Majesty, Olowu Kuta was specifically requested to present to the special awardees including the person whose name is on the lips of everyone in Akinyele Local Government in Ibadan, Hon Abiola Sarafadeen Oiler. Oba Adekunle Oyelude presented the award to Oiler and thank him for his contribution to the development of his local government and the entire Oyo State as his name reverberate all round the state. There was photo session afterwards with the monarch and other dignitaries present at the special occasion.

Abiola Sarafadeen Oiler in his words thanked the organisers of the program for the beautiful initiative that have witnessed a promotion of our cultural heritage.

"I want to appreciate the brain behind this program for the promotion of our cultural heritage, which further propagates sincere philanthropy, contribution to the growth of developing talents and future leaders. I want to thank the sponsors of the program too for the promotion of our culture and value. Finally, I wholeheartedly appreciate the brains behind this program for appreciating me and deeming me worthy as an award recipient, I promise to continue doing what I enjoy doing the most and that is contributing my quota to the development of the society. Special greetings goes to the entire make-up of the Oiler Foundation for their wonderful support and contribution to the growth of the foundation, this award is for you all."

Who Sold Nigeria To The British For £865k In 1899?

This is the story of the first oil war, which was fought in the 19th century, in the area that became Nigeria.

All through the 19th century, palm oil was highly sought-after by the British, for use as an industrial lubricant for machinery. Remember that Britain was the world’s first industrialised nation, so they needed resources such as palm oil to maintain that.

Palm oil, of course, is a tropical plant, which is native to the Niger Delta. Malaysia’s dominance came a century later. By 1870, palm oil had replaced slaves as the main export of the Niger Delta, the area which was once known as the Slave Coast. At first, most of the trade in the oil palm was uncoordinated, with natives selling to those who gave them the best deals. Native chiefs such as former slave, Jaja of Opobo became immensely wealthy because of oil palm. With this wealth came influence.

However, among the Europeans, there was competition for who would get preferential access to the lucrative oil palm trade. In 1879, George Goldie formed the United African Company (UAC), which was modelled on the former East India Company. Goldie effectively took control of the Lower Niger River. By 1884, his company had 30 trading posts along the Lower Niger. This monopoly gave the British a strong hand against the French and Germans in the 1884 Berlin Conference. The British got the area that the UAC operated in, included in their sphere of influence after the Berlin Conference.

When the Brits got the terms they wanted from other Europeans, they began to deal with the African chiefs. Within two years of 1886, Goldie had signed treaties with tribal chiefs along the Benue and Niger Rivers whilst also penetrating inland. This move inland was against the spirit of verbal agreements that had been made to restrict the organisation’s activities to coastal regions.


Sir George Dashwood Taubman Goldie. Photo Sir Hubert von Herkomer
By 1886, the company name changed to The National Africa Company and was granted a royal charter (incorporated). The charter authorised the company to administer the Niger Delta and all lands around the banks of the Benue and Niger Rivers. Soon after, the company was again renamed. The new name was Royal Niger Company, which survives, as Unilever, till this day.

To local chiefs, the Royal Niger Company negotiators had pledged free trade in the region. Behind, they entered private contracts on their terms. Because the (deceitful) private contracts were often written in English and signed by the local chiefs, the British government enforced them. So for example, Jaja of Opobo, when he tried to export palm oil on his own, was forced into exile for “obstructing commerce”. As an aside, Jaja was “forgiven” in 1891 and allowed to return home, but he died on the way back, poisoned with a cup of tea.

Seeing what happened to Jaja, some other native rulers began to look more closely at the deals they were getting from the Royal Nigeria Company. One of such kingdoms was Nembe, whose king, Koko Mingi VIII, ascended the throne in 1889 after being a Christian schoolteacher. Koko Mingi VIII, King Koko for short, like most rulers in the yard, was faced with the Royal Nigeria Company encroachment. He also resented the monopoly enjoyed by the Royal Nigeria Company and tried to seek out favourable trading terms, with particularly the Germans in Kamerun (Cameroon).

By 1894, the Royal Nigeria Company increasingly dictated whom the natives could trade with, and denied them direct access to their former markets. In late 1894, King Koko renounced Christianity and tried to form an alliance with Bonny and Okpoma against the Royal Nigeria Company to take back the trade. This is significant because while Okpoma joined up, Bonny refused. A harbinger of the successful “divide and rule” tactic.

On 29 January 1895, King Koko led an attack on the Royal Niger Company’s headquarters, which was in Akassa in today’s Bayelsa state. The pre-dawn raid had more than a thousand men involved. King Koko’s attack succeeded in capturing the base. Losing 40 of his men, King Koko captured 60 white men as hostages, as well as a lot of goods, ammunition and a Maxim gun. Koko then attempted to negotiate a release of the hostages in exchange for being allowed to chose his trading partners. The British refused to negotiate with Koko, and he had forty of the hostages killed. A British report claimed that the Nembe people ate them. On 20 February 1895, Britain’s Royal Navy, under Admiral Bedford attacked Brass and burned it to the ground. Many Nembe people died and smallpox finished off a lot of others.

By April 1895, business had returned to “normal”, normal being the conditions that the British wanted, and King Koko was on the run. Brass was fined £500 by the British, £62,494 (NGN29 million) in today’s money, and the looted weapons were returned as well as the surviving prisoners. After a British Parliamentary Commission sat, King Koko was offered terms of settlement by the British, which he rejected and disappeared. The British promptly declared him an outlaw and offered a reward of £200 (£26,000; NGN12 million today) for him. He committed suicide in exile in 1898.

About that time, another “recalcitrant King”, the Oba of Benin, was run out of town. The pacification of the Lower Niger was well and truly underway. The immediate effect of the Brass Oil War was that public opinion in Britain turned against the Royal Nigeria Company, so its charter was revoked in 1899. Following the revoking of its charter, the Royal Niger Company sold its holdings to the British government for £865,000 (£108 million today). That amount, £46,407,250 (NGN  50,386,455,032,400, at today’s exchange rate) was effectively the price Britain paid, to buy the territory which was to become known as Nigeria.