In a significant development for the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and political organization, Afenifere, renowned lawyer and activist Dele Farotimi has been appointed as its National Organising Secretary.

The appointment was ratified during a general meeting held at the residence of Afenifere leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, in Isanya Ogbo, Ogun State, on Tuesday.

Farotimi’s appointment comes on the heels of a legal dispute with respected legal luminary Aare Afe Babalola, who had sued the activist for alleged defamatory content in his book, Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System.

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The Ekiti State High Court in Ado-Ekiti had granted Farotimi bail of N30 million. However, just 24 hours after Afe Babalola agreed to withdraw the lawsuit, Afenifere announced Farotimi’s new position.

A communiqué jointly signed by Afenifere Deputy Leader, Oba Oladipo Olaitan, and National Publicity Secretary, Justice Faloye, confirmed the appointment.

“The General Meeting considered and approved the appointment of Barrister Dele Farotimi as the National Organising Secretary of Afenifere,” the communiqué read.

The meeting, chaired by Oba Oladipo Olaitan, witnessed the participation of representatives from the six South-West states, as well as Kogi and Kwara.

Notable attendees included former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Senator Kofoworola Akerele, Secretary-General Chief Sola Ebiseni, Chief Akin Osuntokun, Professor Akin Onigbinde, Elder Tola Mobolurin, Dr. Gbola Adetuji, and Olorogun Pop Ayo-Banjo.

Alex Ikwechegh, a House of Representatives member representing Aba North/South in Abia State, has addressed the viral altercation he had with e-hailing driver Stephen Abuwatseya in October 2024, playfully noting that the incident significantly raised his profile across Nigeria.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday, Ikwechegh, who was seen in a viral video assaulting Abuwatseya outside his Maitama residence, remarked that the altercation, which occurred during a dispute over a package delivery, has earned him the tongue-in-cheek title of “the man that makes things disappear.”

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Ikwechegh described the incident as unfortunate, but one that ultimately helped him build a positive relationship with the driver.

“What happened was quite unfortunate but I take it as an avenue for me as a person to also build a relationship with the young man. Today, we are friends,” he said.

The lawmaker also addressed the video that captured the assault, in which he was seen slapping and insulting the driver.

He explained that the public only saw the aftermath, missing the events that led to the confrontation.

“The video that everybody saw was a low moment. I felt the sanctity of my home was being desecrated. The part of the video where you people saw was the part that people saw; people do not know what happened before that reaction. Like they say, actions pre-empt reactions.”

Ikwechegh, who has maintained a scandal-free reputation in his long public career, insisted that the viral video was not indicative of his character.

“But whatever anybody has seen is not indicative of who I am. I’ve been in the public space for a very long time and there has never been any scandal about me,” he remarked.

Despite the controversy, Ikwechegh stated that he has moved past the incident, even forming close ties with Abuwatseya and his pastor. “The young man is my friend now and I am very close to his bishop, his pastor, and I’ve made a bunch of new friends.”

The incident, which initially led to Ikwechegh being charged with abuse of office, assault, and threat to life, was eventually resolved through the legal system.

Ikwechegh was arraigned at a Kuje Magistrates’ Court, where he was granted ₦500,000 bail. However, the case was struck out after the court found no merit in the charges.

Ikwechegh admitted that his behavior during the altercation fell short of expectations for a public official, and he publicly apologized for his actions.

In an Instagram post, he apologized to Abuwatseya, the Nigerian Police Force, and the National Assembly, admitting that his response to the situation was inappropriate, regardless of the provocation.

In a surprising turn of events, Abuwatseya later issued a public apology, acknowledging his role in provoking the altercation and asking for forgiveness from Ikwechegh and the Nigerian public.

With the matter now behind them, Ikwechegh reflected on the unexpected outcome of the incident, noting that while it began as a controversial moment, it has helped him form new friendships and, in a lighter vein, increased his visibility across the nation.

Basil Ilobi Lawrence, a Nigerian inmate at the Kaliti maximum-security prison in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, has died.

Lawrence, who hailed from Delta State, passed away on Sunday night, January 25, after battling deteriorating health conditions that inmates claim were ignored by prison authorities.

Lawrence’s death highlights ongoing concerns about the treatment of Nigerian prisoners in the facility, which houses approximately 300 Nigerians.

Inmates allege that Lawrence was left untreated despite suffering from high blood pressure, which eventually led to a stroke.

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One inmate described the harsh conditions they endure: “Several inmates in the facility have fallen ill due to malnourishment. We’re fed once a day with white rice, without sauce, all year round.”

The inmate revealed that Lawrence’s declining health was previously reported but no medical assistance was provided. “One of our Nigerian brothers, Basil Lawrence Ilobi, is still down with a stroke, yet no treatment,” the source said last week.

On Monday, the same source confirmed Lawrence’s death, attributing it to neglect.

“Basil Lawrence Ilobi, our Nigerian brother who you reported was sick last week, is dead. He died in the Ethiopian prison on Sunday, January 25. He died as a result of untreated HBP (high blood pressure) which he developed in prison. The high blood pressure degenerated into a stroke. No food, no medicine, no treatment,” the inmate lamented.

This marks the third reported death of a Nigerian inmate at Kaliti Prison in two years. In 2023, two Nigerians, Chizoba Eze and Uchenna Nwanneneme, also died under controversial circumstances involving alleged physical aggression and lack of adequate medical care.

Inmates are appealing to the Nigerian government to intervene and improve their conditions. “Our government should please come to our rescue,” the source pleaded.

The Nigerian government is yet to comment on Lawrence’s death.