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Why Sir Kessington Adebukunola Adebutu Remains An Epitome Of Grace At 88 By Seun Oloketuyi

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Born on October 24, 1935, into a humble family, Sir Kessington Adebukunola Adebutu CON, KJW, FISM is the Odole-Oodua, Balogun of Remoland and the founder of Premier Lotto, the company many now know as Baba Ijebu.

But this is not the most interesting thing about the man whose gaming company offers lotto services and betting in Nigeria and has become Nigeria’s most popular and oldest gaming company since it was registered in 2001.

Baba Ijebu as a name has become synonymous with betting in Nigeria, and like homonyms, Chief Kessington Adebutu’s moniker has many other meanings. To the millions of Nigerians who have benefitted from his generosity and goodness of heart, Adebutu is the man of courage who meets people at the point of their need without prejudice.

Long before philanthropy and humanitarian acts became ‘sexy’ and the PR go-to for every average millionaire, the revered industrialist and astute businessman had begun to cater for the less privileged, while also supporting indigent students and hospital patients who had no means to help themselves. He did this all through his Kessington Adebukola Adebutu Foundation.

Today, by whatever yardstick you choose to measure, Baba Ijebu numbers among Nigeria’s leading philanthropists whose benevolence has spanned over decades. His path to philanthropy can be traced back to his days as a young student thirsty for knowledge.

From Ijero Baptist School, Apapa Road, Ebute-Meta in Lagos where he had his primary education, he was admitted into Baptist Academy, Lagos, for his secondary education in 1951. He eventually completed his secondary education at Remo Secondary School (ESS), Sagamu, Ogun state in 1955, topping his class in the School Leaving Certificate Examination.

His brilliant educational background, no doubt, is a precursor to his love for education, and can be proven by his countless philanthropic gestures to scores of educational institutions and citadels of learnings across the country.

His principle that an educated and healthy soul can never be hungry was the drive behind the establishment of the foundation and he has maintained that drive since.

According to calculatable statistics, his charity foundation spends an average of N150 million monthly on humanitarian activities, and through this, his business continues to touch lives against odds.

As a true philanthropist, Sir Kessington Adebutu does not discriminate in his charitable deeds. He is kind-hearted, socially responsible and continually uses his wealth for human capital development.

This generosity and enviable works earned him titles like ‘Babalaje of Lagos’, and the ‘Asoju Oba of Lagos’.

In October 2015, Chief Kessington Adebutu was decorated with a honorary title of Doctor of Business Administration by the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), for his invaluable contribution to the nation’s economy.

At 88, Baba Ijebu has shown no signs of stopping or resting on past laurels. This is probably why successive governments are constantly seeking his good graces in recognition of his matchless support to the populace.

Sir Kessigngton Adebutu is also the epitome of grace, he is the model of a man who has achieved excellence through the sweat of his brow. He has been named great because of his defiance against all forms of evil, staying true to his vision to offer assistance to every needy person he can, even in the midst of despair and harsh economic realities.

Not one to surrender, it is no wonder that at this 88th birthday, people of influence all over the world have chosen to celebrate him massively.

Fear they say makes a man stingy, but courageous is the one who gives and keeps on giving despite the odds. Baba Ijebu has stood for decades as a symbol of the true spirit of the Ijebus of Ogun State, and it is the hope of many that his legacy lives on forever.

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“My NGO Account Has Been Hacked, N160Million Diverted” — VeryDarkMan

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Popular activist and social critic, VeryDarkMan, has raised concerns about the hacking of his NGO account, which led to the diversion of N160 million.

In a video shared on his verified Instagram account on Friday, he revealed that the incident had left him feeling distressed in recent days.

He explained that the funds were stolen after hackers allegedly gained access to the NGO’s website. The compromised account, which initially contained N180 million, now holds only N20 million.

He mentioned that law enforcement agencies had tracked one of the suspects, resulting in an arrest.

To address the situation, he stated that the NGO’s app had been temporarily taken offline for maintenance to prevent further vulnerabilities.

He said, “For the past few days, I’ve not been myself. I am here with Officer Joe, and we are going to Jos. NGO money—somebody stole the money. Somebody hacked into the NGO website, and I don’t know how they did it. N180 million is missing, but thank God we have tracked the person, and we are on our way to Jos.

“They have arrested one person, and that is why I’m even saying it now. I’m excited, and the account has been put on PND. The account now has N20 million, while N160 million has been diverted to another account. We are currently going there to see how we can get the money back. I just want to update you people.

“I even had to shut down the app and put it on maintenance so that people will not really see what is going on, but let me just come out plain and tell everyone what is going on. Hopefully, we will get the money back.”

The NGO, which launched in October, gained significant attention after raising over N21 million within 24 hours of its inception.

The initiative, aimed at transforming Nigeria’s public education system, attracted support from prominent figures, including music producer Don Jazzy.

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Christmas Celebrations: Police Arrest 23 Suspected Armed Robbers, Hoodlums, Kidnapper, Recover Dangerous Weapons [PHOTOS]

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  • As IGP Commends Officers For Vigilance, Commitment To Safety

 

In furtherance of the directive of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM., to commands and formations to emplace unalloyed anti crime strategies towards ensuring adequate safety and security during this festive period, operatives of the Nigeria Police Force across several states in the country have successfully apprehended multiple groups of armed robbers, cultists and hoodlums targeting fun seekers and engaging in gangsterism during Christmas celebrations.

On the 25th of December 2024, at about 1am, the police operatives attached to Lagos State Command, received a distress call that a group of hoodlums armed with dangerous weapons was operating around the Safejo area of Amukoko, Lagos State. The swift response by the police operatives to the scene led to the arrest of 3 of the suspected hoodlums identified as Emmanuel Okoli ‘m’, 20 years, Ogunde Tejiri ‘m’, 20 years, and Emmanuel Orji ‘m’, 18 years, and also the recovery of the weapons they had used in carrying out robbery attacks on innocent funseekers in the area. The police have emplaced intensified searches to apprehend the fleeing members of the gang.

In a similar development, Police Operatives attached to Saminaka Division of the Kaduna State Command on 25th December 2024, at about 8pm, successfully apprehended one Sule Muhammad ‘m’, 25 years, who has been actively involved in multiple kidnapping incidents within the Saminaka area. Further investigation led to the recovery of a fabricated AK-47 rifle from the suspect. The suspect confessed to being a member of a notorious kidnapping gang who had been evading arrest since the arrest of other gang members on August 16, 2024, until his recent arrest on 25th December 2024. Following cooperation received from Muhammad, efforts are in top gear to apprehend other members of his gang and recover more arms and ammunition in their identified camp. Commendable efforts of the Nigeria Police Operatives have also been witnessed in states including Delta, Ogun Katsina, Benue, FCT and Imo, leading to the arrests of several suspects in various locations during the Christmas celebration period.

The IGP has commended the officers involved in these operations for their vigilance and commitment to public safety, highlighting their display of exemplary dedication in safeguarding our communities, especially during this joyful season. The IGP urges the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the authorities.

The IGP further assures citizens that the Force is fully committed to creating a safe environment for everyone as they partake in the joy and cheer of the holiday season. As the celebrations continue, the Nigeria Police Force remains steadfast in its mission to protect all citizens and ensure that the spirit of festivities during this period remains unmarred by criminal activities.

 

ACP OLUMUYIWA ADEJOBI, mnipr, mipra, fCAI,

FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER

FORCE HEADQUARTERS,

ABUJA.

27TH DECEMBER 2024.

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Road To 2027: We’ll Ensure APC Gets Less Than 15k Votes — Kwankwaso

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Rabiu Kwankwaso, the former governor of Kano state, stated that the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) will reduce the influence of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

Speaking on Wednesday at a meeting with party stakeholders in Tsanyawa LGA of the state, Kwankwaso mentioned that the NNPP aims to ensure the APC receives fewer than 15,000 votes in the 2027 elections.

In the 2023 governorship election, the NNPP garnered 1,019,602 votes, the APC secured 890,705 votes, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) came third with 15,957 votes.

Kwankwaso emphasized that the NNPP achieved the “remarkable feat” of over one million votes despite being a new political platform and starting its campaign late.

“Now, it’s our turn to diminish APC’s influence. We will work tirelessly to ensure their votes are reduced to less than 15,000 in Kano come 2027,” Kwankwaso stated.

Kwankwaso, who was the NNPP’s presidential candidate in 2023, urged his supporters to stay united and focused to ensure the party’s success in future elections.

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