The deposed Apetumodu of Ipetumodu in Osun State, Oba Joseph Oloyede, has gone to court to stop Governor Ademola Adeleke from appointing a new traditional ruler for the town.

The case

According to reports, Oloyede filed a motion at the Osun State High Court in Ile-Ife asking the court to restrain the governor and other officials from filling the stool until his main case is decided. In the application, dated 16 September 2026, he argued that he was not formally told of any wrongdoing before he was removed, and challenged the legality of his deposition. Members of a branch of the town's ruling house joined him as claimants. The defendants include the governor, the state Attorney-General, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, local chiefs and Ife North Local Government.

What happened in court

Proceedings stalled on Monday, 2 November, after some defendants said they had not received hearing notices. Justice Dapo Adeniji adjourned the case to 21 January 2027 and ordered that fresh notices be served.

Background

Oloyede was removed from the throne after he was convicted in the United States on charges related to tax fraud and money laundering. Governor Adeleke reportedly signed the order removing him in May 2026.

What happens next

The court will hear the case in January. Until then, it is not clear whether the state will go ahead with appointing a new monarch.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been seen kissing the sacred Black Stone, known as Al-Hajar Al-Aswad, while performing Umrah in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

Photos from the visit show the President, dressed in white, leaning into the silver frame that holds the stone as Saudi security officers stand by. Another photo shows him with members of his delegation in the courtyard of the Grand Mosque.

About the Black Stone

The Black Stone sits at the eastern corner of the Kaaba, inside the Grand Mosque, and holds deep religious significance for Muslims around the world.

Kissing the stone is a practice associated with Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and many pilgrims seek the chance to do so whenever they visit the holy site.

A spiritual journey

For Muslims, Umrah is a spiritual journey marked by prayer, worship and personal reflection.

The moment has also drawn attention to the religious side of Nigeria's leader as he performs one of Islam's important acts of worship.

Over to you

What are your thoughts on this moment from President Tinubu's visit to Makkah?

The National Assembly is considering a constitutional amendment that would create 74 new legislative seats reserved for women, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele has said.

The proposal

Speaking on Monday, 2 November 2026, at a Law Week event organised by the Ekiti State branch of the International Federation of Women Lawyers, Bamidele reportedly said the plan would add 37 seats in the Senate and 37 in the House of Representatives, giving each state and the Federal Capital Territory one extra women-only seat in each chamber. He said the constitution review committee has also proposed three extra seats for women in each state house of assembly, and stressed that the new seats would be added to the existing ones rather than replacing any.

How long it would last

Bamidele, who is vice-chairman of the Senate committee reviewing the 1999 Constitution, said the arrangement would run for 16 years, or four election cycles, before a full review. He described this as a sunset clause meant to allow a more inclusive political culture to develop.

What happens next

Constitutional amendments need the approval of two-thirds of members of both chambers of the National Assembly and of at least 24 of the 36 state houses of assembly. Bamidele said the National Assembly was engaging state lawmakers to secure their support.

Background

Women hold only a small share of seats in Nigeria's National Assembly, one of the lowest rates in Africa. A similar bill on special seats for women failed in 2022, which led to protests by women's groups. Supporters say reserved seats would give women a stronger voice in law-making, while critics argue they would add to the cost of governance.

Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, has made it clear that opposition political parties should be allowed to use government-owned facilities in the state, provided they follow the proper procedures and pay the required fees.

The directive

According to the governor, he has already given instructions that no political party should be prevented from using public facilities, including the stadium, simply because it belongs to the opposition.

A message of political tolerance

Otti's position sends an important message about tolerance and fairness. Government facilities are maintained with public resources, and access to them should not depend on which party someone supports.

This is one area where Nigerian politicians need to learn to separate governance from party politics. You can disagree with your opponents and campaign against them, and still respect their right to operate within the law.

Governor Otti appears to be making that distinction clear in Abia State.

The big question

How many Nigerian governors would willingly allow opposition parties to use government facilities for their political activities?

Politics should never be an excuse to deny citizens their rights.