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Meet Nigerian Professor Who Drove Peugeot 504 From London To Kano In 24 days

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Professor Aminu Mohammed Dorayi is a renowned educationist and adventurer that drove from London to Kano with his car.

The elder statesman is a Record-breaker, who broke a world record by driving his Peugeot 504 over a distance of about 4,000miles, in 24 days.

Prof Dorayi is a distinguished Abusite (Ahmadu Bello University) and respected professor of Chemistry. He doubled as a former president of the ABU Students Union Government (SUG) for 1966/1967. Dorayi set up the Sharada Industrial Estate in Kano. He is also the first to organize trade fair in Nigeria.

He is called The Adventurous Chemist because of his passion for adventure. While in the UK, his journey was inspired by several adventure books he had read. For instance, he read about the Marcopolos, the Mungo Parks, these adventurous stories fascinated him.

Dorayi, therefore proceded to make a record-breaking trip by driving his Peugeot 504 over a distance of about 4,000miles in 24 days.

According to the elder statesman, “England is an Island. So when you reach Southampton you have to take a boat, you and your car, to Calais, France. I drove through Paris and so on through Madrid, Gibraltar. So when you reach Gibraltar, you reach the Mediterranean Sea, where you also take a ferry to Algeria.

“From there you enter the road all through, though there is no road, in the desert, you’re guided by your compass, your map.”

Speaking further on the trip, Prof disclosed that ”I became very keen during my PhD in the US. I had a Volkswagen which I bought for about 600 dollars at that time. I used it to drive across the desert over there.” He added that he is highly adventurous, that is why even his autobiography is titled, The Adventurous Chemist.

Dorayi disclosed that as he bought the Peugeot 504 for 1000 pounds and hit the road immediately.

He said, ”I was assisted by the British Automobile Association (AA). They gave me the guidelines, the map, the route. They told me what to do in crossing the desert, and what not to do. So, I was quite prepared.

Speaking of his preparedness, Doriya said, ”Since I went to secondary technical school, I was technically inclined and I could service my car. I came from a technical background. Going back to Zango in Kano and hanging out with friends, they taught me confidence. So this thing has been in me for years. I enjoyed reading about trans-Sahara.

In his encounter, Doriya noted that ”There was a place I passed in Algeria, and the day I arrived, it was raining heavily. Little children of 13 years and below were running helter-skelter and crying. When I asked the elders why they said those children had never seen rain before. No rain for 14 years, so they thought heaven was falling. They had to be counselled by their elders.”

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Alaafin: How selection process turned controversial

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After the death of Oba Adeyemi on April 22, 2022, about 198 contenders signified their interest to assume the revered throne.

But, the number was pruned from 65 to 10 by the Oyo Mesi, a council of kingmakers after a rigorous interview and consultation with Ifa Oracle.

Then, the kingmakers were reported to have nominated Prince Gbadegesin.

After the nomination of Prince Gbadegesin by the estranged kingmakers, there was a row among the kingmakers over the sharing formula for the sum of money allegedly offered them for the selection.

It was gathered that it was the sharing formula that sowed the seed of discord. It was alleged that two of the kingmakers felt the larger portion of the cake was taken by one of them.

Inundated with complaints and alleged monetisation of the process that led to the selection, the‘greased palms’, the governor restrained himself from giving approval to the name forwarded to him by the kingmakers.

The governor insisted that due process must be strictly adhered to.

The governor, as reliably gathered instructed the kingmakers to go back to the drawing board by re-consulting Ifa Oracle without being induced by any one of the princes which the kingmakers rejected.

  • Ifa Oracle consulted outside Oyo;
    In what could be termed an unprecedented move, the state government reportedly went and sought the services of a neutral ifa priest, Professor Wande Abimbola, the former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ife and the head of all Ifa oracle diviners to ask Ifa Oracle which of the aspirants he preferred.

Ifa picked Prince Owoade — Prof Abimbola
In a viral video last weekend, Prof Abimbola was heard saying that the Oyo State government contacted him on the divination process.

According to the Ifa diviner, the Oyo State Governor called him to ask Ifa who the right choice would be.
The Professor of Yoruba explained the rigour he went through before picking the new Alaafin.

He said: ”I spent ten days seeking the face of Ifá oracle and Ifá made its choice. Ifá chose Prince Owoade.”

The Ifa representative also alleged that the Oyo kingmakers tried to monetarily influence him by persuading him to stick to their initial nomination to which he said no.

This was how Oba Akeem Abimbola Owoade became the 46th Alaafin of Oyo.

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The Alaafin’s throne is not to be rubbished. Don’t play with me – Late Alaafin of Oyo’s daughter drags Queen Dami, exposes her over paternity of her child

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Adeyemi Adebisi Aminat, the daughter of the late Alaafin of Oyo State, has dragged his ex-wife, Queen Dami over her social media shenanigans

In a series of posts on her Instagram story, she pointed out the irony of how Dami was shaming someone over paternity of their child, yet, doesn’t know the father of her child. She claimed the former Queen bought the child from Port Harcourt.

Adebisi stated that the fact that this palace isn’t talking doesn’t mean they don’t know what to say.

She further stated that the Alaafin’s throne is not to be rubbished as she admonished Dami not to play with her.

Adebisi revealed that she had all the blood tests and evidence before the King passed away.

Dammy you are insulting someone that they don’t know the father of their child. Do you know the father of your own child? The child you went to buy in Port Harcourt.

The fact that we are not talking doesn’t mean we don’t know what to say.

The Alaafin’s throne is not to be rubbished. Don’t play with me. I have all the blood tests and evidence before the king passed away. Go and give the child to the rightful owner”

Recall that Queen Dami was married to the late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyeye but the marriage crashed after she allegedly broke a palace rule, an act that prompted her to leave her marriage and run away from the palace.

She later blamed the whole act on frustration and wrong advice from friends. Unfortunately, her relationship with the monarch was never repaired before his demise last year.

Following the death of the King, Dami publicly moved on with Portable, who confirmed their relationship in an interview in 2023.

Portable stated that Queen Dami was only a fan before the death of her husband, the King, but things switched up from there as he wasn’t one to have an affair with people’s wives.

Dami later went public with their affair o Valentine’s Day. She shared an adorable message for Portable, on her Instagram, as she excitedly expressed that Portable was her man, while also stating that he had her whole heart.

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Condolences poured as Nigeria Fuji music star Kwam1 loses wife to illness

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Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde Marsha popularly known as Kwam1 or K1 de Ultimate, has lost one of his wives, Alhaja Hafsat Anifowoshe

According to reports, the singer’s wife died in the early hours of today from an undisclosed illness.

The 65-years-old has been laid to rest at Abari Cemetery, Lagos in line with Islamic traditions.

Speaking on her death, the Chief Press Secretary to the LIEL CDA chairman, described the deceased as an excellent woman and loving mother. He noted how her time spent on earth was a good service to God and humanity

Addressing the family and her supporters, he said their prayers were with them and urged them to find the strength to continue where she stopped.

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