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The opposition camp in Ondo State became weakened yesterday, following the defection of prominent figures from the parties to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Notable leaders from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Action Alliance (AA), under the umbrella of Nigeria Workstation, have formally joined the APC.

Among the defectors are the former publicity secretary of PDP, Kennedy Peretei; ex-chairman of Akoko North-West Local Government and SDP chieftain, Olutope Adebambo; and Mrs Rachael Ajayi, the 2020 deputy governorship candidate of SDP.

Others include Blessing Ologun, ex-assistant state treasurer of the PDP, and Omotayo Obolo, popularly called Mitchel, a former special assistant to ex-governor Olusegun Mimiko.

In a statement issued in Akure yesterday, Mr Adebambo, who serves as the director of Mobilisation of Nigeria Workstation, confirmed the final arrangements for the defection.

He said APC state Chairman, Ade Adetimehin, along with members of the state Executive Committee, would formally receive the defectors into the ruling party.

He added that Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa would receive the ‘instrument of surrender” from the grassroots politicians, many of whom had posed a formidable challenge to his administration and APC in past elections.

The development is viewed as a significant political realignment expected to further strengthen APC’s dominance ahead of future elections in the state.

Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike yesterday decried what he called the pervasive culture of transactional and mediocre leadership across Africa.

He warned that the continent’s persistent underdevelopment, despite its vast resources, is a direct consequence of poor governance and self-serving politics.

Wike said this in a keynote address, titled: Reimagining Africa’s Leadership and Investment, he delivered at this year’s edition of Innovate Africa Conference held at the ECOWAS Conference Hall in Abuja.

The minister regretted that Africa’s leadership trajectory under military and civilian dispensations has for decades been shaped by ‘self-serving conspiracies that bear little or no relation to national interest or development priorities’.

He said: ‘Africa today stands at a historic crossroads. On one hand, we are blessed with immense natural wealth, youthful energy, and creative potential; yet, we continue to grapple with weak institutions, infrastructural decay, poverty, and widespread unemployment. This is the paradox of our age. How can a continent so richly endowed remain so constrained?’ he queried.

The minister, who was honoured with the Innovate Africa Leadership Award 2025 at the event, stressed that the decisive factor at the heart of the continent’s paradox lies in leadership, the kind that defines whether abundance becomes prosperity or stagnation.

‘Leadership remains the fulcrum upon which the destinies of nations turn. When leadership is visionary, accountable, and courageous, even the most daunting obstacles can be transformed into opportunities,’ he said.

Wike called for a deliberate shift from ‘transactional leadership’ which he described as one driven by personal gain, patronage, and short-term calculations to transformational leadership anchored on vision, service, accountability, and courage.

He said: ‘The time has come to move beyond transactional leadership to embrace transformational governance that empowers rather than exploits, serves rather than rules, and builds rather than blames.’

The former Rivers State governor noted that Africa’s post-independence experience has largely been one of ‘groping in the dark,’ as many leaders have emerged unprepared for the magnitude of national challenges before them.

He added: ‘Consequently, we keep experimenting with the fundamentals of development basic infrastructure, primary healthcare, credible institutions, and functional economies. The result has been decades of missed opportunities.’

Wike urged African leaders to rediscover the ethos of servant-leadership, noting that true leadership is defined by empathy, humility, and a shared sense of responsibility.

‘Africa needs servant-leaders, not bosses who command, but mentors who inspire. Leadership is not about power or position; it is about trust, service, and shared purpose,’ he said.

Drawing parallels between effective leadership and infrastructural renewal, the FCT minister cited ongoing transformations in Abuja as proof that vision backed by a political will can translate aspirations into tangible outcomes.

‘In Abuja, we have seen how infrastructural renewal, anchored on commitment and accountability, can redefine a city’s identity and inspire public confidence. Roads once impassable now connect communities, and abandoned spaces now thrive with enterprise,’ he said.

Wike praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ‘courageous and reform-driven leadership,’ especially the removal of fuel subsidy, which he said previous administrations lacked the political will to implement.

He maintained that the President’s efforts to decentralize governance, devolve development through regional commissions, and strengthen security institutions are laying the foundation for national transformation.

‘President Tinubu demonstrated uncommon courage by confronting Nigeria’s toughest challenge, subsidy removal a decision that is already yielding dividends in increased revenue for development and economic stability,’ Wike said.

A property owner and traditional leader of the Otumara community, High Chief Kehinde Kalejaiye, has condemned the demolition of the popular Costain Market in Lagos by the state government, describing it as unlawful, excessive, and insensitive to the plight of struggling citizens.

Kalejaiye said the demolished land had valid Federal Government allocation papers, questioning the legality of the operation carried out by the Lagos State Task Force, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), and the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI).

According to him, the destruction, which displaced dozens of traders and destroyed properties worth millions of naira, reflected a growing disregard for due process and human welfare.

‘This demolition is not only unjust but also heartless,’ Kalejaiye said. ‘Many of these traders have nowhere else to go. They are breadwinners who invested their life savings here. The government should have considered a humane alternative.’

Eyewitnesses said officials stormed the market in the early afternoon, dispersing traders and passersby with teargas before bulldozing rows of shops, stalls, and even a mosque.

A snack producer, Alfred Wisdom, who claimed to have lost over ?5 million in goods and cash, lamented that the demolition occurred without prior notice.

‘Before I could return from a delivery, they had broken into my shop and taken everything. They said my business was illegal. This is disheartening,’ he said.

Similarly, the Imam of the demolished Markaz-ul-Mahani Mosque, Ustadz Abdulsallam Olawale, confirmed that religious centers were also affected.

‘They said they were clearing commercial buses, but then turned on traders and worshippers. Many victims of the earlier Otumara demolition had stored their belongings here – all gone now,’ he lamented.

Olawale appealed to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to show compassion and reconsider the human cost of such operations. ‘We are pleading with the government to act with empathy. People are suffering,’ he said.

‘The officials came in a commando manner, unleashing terror on innocent traders,’ he said. ‘When I tried to ask for an explanation, I was verbally assaulted. This must stop. It was when I challenged him and query why him, being an S.A to the Governor on Transport would meddle into property demolition that he called in officials of the Lagos State Task Force and KAI into the scene to embark on the demolition. This is nothing but misuse and abuse of government power and authority.’

As of press time, the Lagos State Government had yet to issue an official statement explaining the reason for the demolition or whether affected traders would receive any form of compensation.

The Future Awards Africa, an awards platform celebrating young African excellence, has announced nominees for its 19th edition.

The event: ‘Threads of Legacy,’ honours young changemakers whose work is shaping Africa’s tomorrow.

Nominees represent Africa’s brightest minds and talents – creators, tech enthusiasts, entrepreneurs, advocates, innovators, educators, and leaders breaking boundaries and weaving legacies.

In recognition of the diversity of young African achievement, this year features 25 categories, the most in its history. Arts and Literature have been split into two.

Performing arts has been introduced to celebrate expressions on stage, and Service to Young People (an honorary category) has been added to recognise individuals championing youth causes.

Ayodeji Razaq, awards executive director, said: ‘The story of Africa’s future is written today, thread by thread, through the work of these nominees.

They are artists, tech enthusiasts, entrepreneurs, advocates, and innovators whose achievements inspire and create legacies others can build on. Each name on this list is proof young Africans are not waiting for the future; they are shaping it. This is what the awards celebrate. We spotlight their stories, preserve their contributions as part of Africa’s collective memory, and excited for the mark they will leave on generations to come.’

This year’s list includes Rasheedat Ajibade, Fola David, Akinyemi Oluwaseun Omotayo (Asherkine), Victor Ugo, Poco Lee, Gbubemi Ejeye, Tomike Adeoye, Kelvin Umechukwu, Hauwa Shaffii Nuhu, and Dongio Casil (Djec fashion) from Cameroon, each representing the spirit of youth-led impact.

In Creativity and Innovation are Chiamaka Iwenofu, Umearigolu Casmir Chukwuebuka (Ianumeh), Taiwo Joel, Daniel Obasi (AMAH Studios) and Julie Godwin.

In Photography, there are Ayo Makinwa, Amazing Klef, Emeka Amafor, Thompson Ekong and Chika Onuu.

More categories are Education, Journalism, Content creation, Health and wellness, Community action, Arts, Literature, Activism and advocacy, Fashion and Law.

The list includes Film, Professional service, Entrepreneurship, Technology, Professional arts, Intrapreneurship, On air personality, Agriculture, Governance, Music, Sport, Acting, Service to young people and Young Person of the Year.

The judges will ensure a rigorous and transparent selection that reflects excellence.

It will celebrate innovation, courage, legacy; a reminder the future is here, and African.

Nigerian engineer and fintech expert, Raphael Obodugo, is leading a quiet revolution in Africa’s digital economy with his innovation, GistPool, a platform that transforms everyday conversations into tradable data and measurable value.

In just a few months, GistPool has hosted over 500 live markets, recorded more than $780,000 in trading volume, and attracted thousands of active users across categories such as politics, sports, and entertainment.

The startup is redefining how Africans engage online, turning social chatter into a structured, knowledge-based trading system.

According to him, ‘Africa’s real market isn’t just its economy; it’s its people. Our conversations drive culture, politics, and even finance. We speculate naturally, on elections, sports, and trends, without realizing we’re constantly pricing in emotion and expectation.’

For Obodugo, the journey to building one of Africa’s most talked-about digital prediction platforms began in an unlikely place, a seminary high school. Admitted as the top candidate among over 700 applicants, he spent six years there on scholarship, learning discipline, reflection, and the power of influence through ideas.

‘It was a place that taught silence and intellectual rigor,’ he recalled. ‘I learned that ideas could command respect without a raised voice, a lesson that still shapes how I build and communicate.’

A naturally gifted learner, Obodugo’s teenage years were marked by a deep curiosity about patterns and systems. He and a close group of friends often gathered to solve problems and debate concepts – a self-made think tank he now describes as his ‘local Vienna Circle.’

By the time he entered university to study mechanical engineering, he had already taught himself software programming. ‘I realised what fascinated me most wasn’t machinery but systems that mirrored human behavior, the interplay between structure and spontaneity,’ he said.

Over the past decade, Obodugo has built and led engineering teams across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, gaining the cross-cultural experience that would later define GistPool’s architecture.

He currently leads engineering at Derayah Finance in Saudi Arabia, overseeing large-scale trading systems. Previously, he served as a Founding Engineer at HitPay, a Singapore-based payment platform now used across Southeast Asia, and at Rollee Finance in Europe, where he helped design open-banking and income verification systems for clients across the EU.

In West Africa, he built MySub, a group-payments platform that scaled to tens of thousands of users without venture capital funding. ‘That experience taught me agility and cultural fit,’ he said. ‘We grew on trust and word of mouth, not marketing spend.’

His admission into Toptal, the global network for the top 3% of engineers, gave him access to high-calibre global projects and further shaped his engineering discipline. ‘It exposed me to standards that made reliability my most important feature,’ he said.

Obodugo’s years in fintech gave him one enduring insight, that Africa’s most valuable marketplace isn’t only in goods or currency, but in people’s thoughts.

‘Fintech is about psychology,’ he explained. ‘It’s about how people perceive value and risk, how they save, share, and speculate. The infrastructure matters, but the instincts matter more.’

With that philosophy, he built GistPool, a platform that turns Africa’s natural culture of debate into a structured, transparent, and rewarding system.

Yet, introducing such a new concept wasn’t easy. ‘Our biggest challenge was comprehension, not competition,’ he said. ‘At first, people mistook it for gambling. We had to show it was about knowledge and prediction, not luck.’

By focusing on culturally familiar topics, elections, sports, entertainment, and even gossip, GistPool bridged the gap between curiosity and commerce. Its early success, entirely organic, proved that Africans were ready for a platform that monetised insight and opinion.

Asked how he stays motivated amid skepticism, Obodugo smiled. ‘Every transformative idea looks absurd before it looks brilliant,’ he said. ‘When people doubt you, it means you’re working ahead of consensus.’

He credits Nigeria’s resilience for shaping his entrepreneurial spirit. ‘This country teaches you to build structure where none exists. You keep moving because the alternative is stagnation.’

For Obodugo, GistPool is not just a tech product but an evolving experiment in data and collective intelligence. His long-term goal is to make GistPool the pulse of Africa’s digital sentiment, a living mirror of what people are thinking, feeling, and predicting in real time.

‘In the future, we want conversation itself to become a measurable asset class,’ he said. ‘Imagine knowing national mood not through surveys, but through live trading sentiment. Imagine governments, brands, and institutions using that intelligence to make better decisions.’

Already, GistPool is in talks to establish regional data partnerships that will position it as Africa’s leading index for digital sentiment. The platform’s next phase includes scaling to over one million active users and integrating real-time analytics for businesses and policy institutions.

‘If we can prove that Africa’s chatter can move markets,’ Obodugo said, ‘then GistPool won’t just be a company, it will be a landmark in how the continent turns culture into capital.’

For the third consecutive edition, the Golden Eaglets – once synonymous with global dominance – have failed to qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup. The Flying Eagles’ struggles are equally glaring, as nations like Ghana and Morocco have overtaken Nigeria in the youth hierarchy, with Morocco recently crowned U-20 world champions in 2025.

On the women’s side, the Flamingos and Falconets, who once offered glimmers of hope, have also faltered – their consistent podium dreams now reduced to occasional flashes of potential.

What went wrong? How did a country that once groomed future legends like Nwankwo Kanu, Emmanuel Amuneke, Victor Osimhen and Asisat Oshoala lose its footing so dramatically?

A top official of Golden Eaglets, who served during Nigeria’s triumphant campaigns in 2013 and 2015, believes complacency and poor planning have crippled the youth football system.

‘It’s quite unfortunate that we have found ourselves in this position,’ he lamented. ‘Winning used to be our birth-right. All we had to do was show up and take the trophy.’

He recalled how the Golden Eaglets’ past glories were built on meticulous long-term preparation and clear developmental pathways.

‘In 2013, we began preparations as early as December 2011 in Calabar, and our first competitive match didn’t come until almost a year later. That’s how teams were moulded,’ he explained. ‘But these days, camps are opened barely a month to qualifiers, leaving coaches scrambling to select and train players. That’s not how champions are built.’

He argued that Nigeria’s failure is not about a lack of talent but the absence of structure and consistency.

‘Talent has never been our problem – preparation is. Those 2013 and 2015 squads had structure, motivation, and discipline. Today, we’ve replaced planning with fire-brigade approaches.’

The official also lamented the disappearance of incentive systems that once kept young players motivated.

‘Back then, little gestures like showing the players their bonuses before games made them fight harder. These boys come from humble backgrounds; motivation matters. Today, that human touch is gone.’

Former Golden Eaglets and Flying Eagles player Taiwo Enegwea readily admitted that the decline stems from the shrinking window for preparation and grooming.

‘During our era, we used at least a year, sometimes more, to prepare. Now, they have one month – or even less. That’s not enough time to build a cohesive team,’ Enegwea who currently work as an assistant to Coach Emmanuel Amuneke at Heartland FC of Owerri, told Nation Sport.

Enegwea emphasized that consistent preparation creates familiarity and chemistry among players, which can’t be achieved through hurried camps.

‘We must start early and keep these boys together long enough to understand each other. If not, every set comes in as strangers, and we expect miracles,’ he stated.

He called on the NFF to return to the model of structured, year-round development programmes that feed directly into the youth national teams: ‘We need to plan ahead, so by the time qualifiers come, the team already understands the philosophy. That’s how we can revive the Golden Eaglets legacy.’

Erstwhile Super Eagles defender Ifeanyi Udeze who first came into international limelight at the inaugural UEFA-CAF Meridian Cup held in Portugal in 1997, echoed similar sentiments, stressing that the problem is not only about time but integrity in player selection.

‘The players must see the national team as a platform to make a name for themselves,’ the former PAOK Thessaloniki and West Bromwich Albion defender said. ‘The coaches, too, must be honest in their selection. Pick players with hunger and determination to excel, not those brought in through influence.’

The Super Eagles left back at Japan/Korea 2002 World Cup warned that Nigeria’s youth football will continue to falter unless merit and commitment become the only yardsticks for national team invitations.

‘You can’t win with politics. We used to have players who would fight for the badge. That passion has to return,’ quipped Udeze.

Meanwhile, Nigeria Football Federation President Mallam Ibrahim Gusau has admitted that the current state of youth football development is worrisome but insists that the federation is taking concrete steps to rebuild from the ground up.

‘I must be worried because the future of our football starts from the youth level,’ Gusau stated. ‘The good news is that the NFF and FIFA have come up with talent development programmes for Under-15 boys and girls. We’re very high on it – we’re starting afresh.’

Gusau revealed that the federation is ending the era of ad-hoc screening exercises that assemble teams from scratch weeks before major competitions.

‘In the near future, it won’t be business as usual. We’re creating structured development centres in every zone. Our Under-15 players will be groomed from these centres, ensuring continuity and proper monitoring.’

To support the new framework, Gusau disclosed plans for new infrastructure, including a dedicated hostel facility where young players will train and live during school holidays.

‘We must create an enabling environment to allow our young players stay together long enough to understand themselves and the coaches’ philosophies. That’s why we’re building this hostel. From there, they can grow through the ranks into the U-17, U-20, and beyond.’

He also emphasized the need for coaches to have more time with their teams:’ They need time to instil tactical understanding and build team spirit. The days of assembling players randomly before tournaments must end. With this new plan, our future stars will be nurtured systematically.’

Nigeria’s youth football system stands today at a critical juncture – between nostalgia for past glory and the reality of present decay. The Golden Eaglets’ absence from consecutive World Cups, the Flying Eagles’ inconsistency, and the underwhelming returns from the Falconets and Flamingos all point to a system that needs rebuilding, not patchwork solutions.

Yet, amid the gloom, there are glimmers of hope. With Gusau’s renewed grassroots focus and FIFA-backed initiatives in motion, the country might just be taking its first real steps toward reclaiming its lost dominance.

As the Golden Eaglets top official aptly summarized :’Our talent has never been in doubt. All we need is proper planning, structure, and the will to do things right. Once we get that right, Nigeria will rise again.’

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has congratulated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on election of two Nigerians as secretary-general and president of the 2026 Ministerial Meeting at the 27th Ministerial Meeting of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) in Doha, Qatar.

At the meeting, Managing Director of Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG), Dr. Philip Mshelbila, was elected as Secretary-General of the GECF and Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, emerged as President of the 2026 GECF Ministerial Meeting.

Ambassador Tuggar, in a statement yesterday, described these dual milestones as Nigeria’s historic diplomatic achievement and clear testaments to President Tinubu’s proactive foreign policy engagements and his strategic vision to restore Nigeria’s influence in global energy diplomacy under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

He further highlighted the pivotal diplomatic efforts undertaken by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in support of Nigeria’s candidature through Nigeria’s missions to GECF member states, formally launching the campaign, and its engagement with African member states requesting unified support for Nigeria’s candidature.

‘In addition, Nigeria’s missions were activated to engage and lobby voting members, in close coordination with bilateral engagements conducted at key summits such as the BRICS Summit (Brazil) and the African Union 7th Mid-Year Coordination Meeting (Malabo, Equatorial Guinea). The process also benefited from high-level political backing from the Presidency, ensuring Nigeria’s candidature received broad-based support,’ the minister said.

Ambassador Tuggar also hailed Mshelbila and Ekpo for bringing stellar credentials and experience to their new international roles, describing their elections as ‘victories not only for Nigeria, but for Africa’s collective voice in global energy governance’.

The minister was confident that both men will strengthen the GECF’s role in driving global energy transition, promoting equitable resource management, and advancing sustainable development.

The minister reaffirmed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ commitment to continue aligning diplomatic engagements with President Tinubu’s broader vision of a reformed, respected, and economically vibrant Nigeria, whose foreign policy continues to deliver tangible benefits for its citizens.

Sporting Lagos are through to the final of the 13th Gold Cup pre-season tournament after a close 1-0 victory over former champions, Lobi Stars of Makurdi and will face FC Ebedei on Saturday in the grand finale.

The star semi-final game was a true test of tactical maturity and attacking depth, as both teams fought hard to get the opening goal.

It was a goalless first 45 minutes, with no clear-cut chance at scoring, but the play was an entertaining one, as they kept fans spellbound.

The second half was as entertaining as the first, but the tactical genius of Coach Jeffrey Buter was the tonic for Sporting Lagos.

The introduction of the duo of Shola Oladunjoye and Ibrahim Abdulganniyu in the 70th minute was the game-changer for Sporting Lagos, as they increased the intensity of the game with their high pressing.

No sooner had Shola Oladunjoiye come in, the first real chance for Sporting Lagos came. Abdulganniyu dazzled into the Lobi Stars box to set up an inviting assist for Oladunjoye to slice into the net for the only goal.

The win ensured Sporting Lagos their first final, and will now slug it out with Ebedei FC who eliminated Crown FC 4-2 on penalties after a goalless full time.

First Bank’s sponsored Python Amateur Golf Open Championship has attracted 300 players from within and outside the country to Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Speaking at the Port Harcourt Golf Course, the Chief Executive Officer of First Bank Group, Olusegun Alebiosu, said the bank would also host the 65th edition of its Lagos Open Golf Tournament on 20th November.

He underscored the bank’s commitment to supporting sports development in the country emphasising the importance of sports in nation-building and societal development.

Alebiosu said apart from golf, the bank was also sponsoring other sporting events such as football, basketball, tennis and polo.

He said: ‘Golf is not about being rich. I started playing golf when I was a nobody. The basic thing is buying the club, and some of us started with second-hand clubs.

‘It’s about sport and golf. At First Bank, we support sports across the country. Today is about golf, next week Sunday it will be about polo in Kaduna . We have been doing that for over a century.

‘In November we are going to see golf in Lagos specifically that is about on the 20th where we are doing the 65th edition of our golf tournament in Lagos. It is called Lagos Open, players come all over the world to come and play in Lagos Open’.

Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC), Dr Raphael Onoshakpo, said the Port Harcourt Open was a seven-day competition produced winners, who received various gifts.

Onoshakpo attributed the growing interest in golf to the lockdown period, saying it saw a surge in people taking up the sport.

He noted that the Python Golf Club had become a major hub for golfing, with a full training facility that had churned out over 200 new golfers in the past.

Kessington Adebutu’s Wish At the remarkable age of 90, High Chief Kessington Adebukunola Adebutu KJW stands as a paragon of success and resilience, widely regarded as one of the most favored individuals by his creator. His life has been characterized by not only immense wealth but also exceptional health, surpassing Nigeria’s average life expectancy of just 54 years. From an early age, Adebutu exhibited the qualities of a promising young man with a future brimming with potential. Through a combination of hard work, fortuitous circumstances, and unwavering determination, he transformed his gaming business into an industry leader, earning him widespread recognition.

A hallmark of Adebutu’s business philosophy has been his commitment to integrity. Even while overseeing high-stakes gaming, he demonstrated his dedication to fairness by taking bank overdrafts to settle winnings, prioritizing his players’ satisfaction over his immediate financial concerns. This steadfast approach has allowed his premier lottery business to become one of the longest-standing gaming platforms in Nigeria, evolving over the years and expanding its reach beyond the nation’s borders.

As he approaches his milestone birthday, many are celebrating Adebutu’s legacy with a series of activities, including significant charitable donations. His wealth has been built not only on business acumen but also through a profound commitment to philanthropy. Adebutu has made substantial investments in transformative projects that have significantly impacted many lives throughout Nigeria. His initiatives have included donating buildings, funding research, promoting entrepreneurship, supporting royal institutions, and fostering economic sustainability. These endeavors have earned him a well-deserved reputation as one of Nigeria’s most noteworthy philanthropists, often without seeking public recognition for his contributions.

At 90, the title of Odole Oodua resonates deeply with Adebutu, who expresses gratitude for his life experiences. He lives fully, savoring the richness that life offers, while remaining dedicated to leaving an enduring legacy. Known for his love of vintage cars and timeless watches, he exemplifies a refined sense of style that belies his advanced age. Adebutu is a true fashion connoisseur, always presenting himself as sharp, classy, and impeccably groomed.

Throughout his life, Adebutu has harbored silent wishes, some of which he has seen come to fruition while others remain unfulfilled. He has resolved, before meeting his creator, to see his remaining aspirations realized. As he nears 90, he fervently wishes to be called ‘Father of the Governor of Ogun State’ and yearns for his youngest twin children to celebrate their wedding while he is still alive to witness it. Sources close to him indicate that he has consistently prayed for these two desires to be granted, and with a faith rooted in a lifetime of experience, he believes that, just as his creator has always listened to his prayers, these two wishes will also come to pass while he continues to thrive on this earth.