The Special Adviser on Education, Policy Formulation, and Human Capital Development to the Kwara State Governor, Dr. Adetola Ariyike Salau, has paid a condolence visit to the Palace of the Olofa of Offa, His Royal Majesty Oba Mufutau Muhammad Gbadamosi Okikiola Esuwoye II, Ajagungbade I, following the demise of his beloved mother, Alhaja Hawawu Awele Gbadamosi (Iya Ijebu), who passed away at the age of 94.
Dr. Salau was received at the palace by the monarch in his inner chamber, where she expressed her heartfelt condolences and prayers for the peaceful repose of the late matriarch.
She described Alhaja Hawawu as “a gracious and impactful woman whose life was marked by devotion to family, faith, and community service.”
During the visit, Dr. Salau had the rare privilege of meeting other notable dignitaries who were also at the palace to commiserate with the royal family. These included the Onijagbo of Ijagbo land, Oba Sarafadeen Adeniyi Buhari Babalola I (Ilufemiloye I); Dr. Alimi AbdulRazaq (DAA), the Mutawalli of Ilorin Emirate and elder brother to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq; Counsellor Alhaji Sa’adu Salaudeen, and Barrister Segun Olawoyin, the Akinrogun of Offaland, among others.
In a touching twist, the Special Adviser also coincidentally reunited with her ancestral brothers and sisters from the Olugbense Ruling House, who visited the palace under the aegis of the Olugbense Ruling House Youths Movement for the same purpose of condolence.
The Youth Movement was represented by: Prince Abdulyekeen Idrees, Prince Abdulwahab Keji, Prince Oyedimeji Lukman, Prince Musbahu Raji Ayekoto, Prince Nurudeen Adekola Alabi, Prince Zakariyahu Kokoro Asiko, Prince Abdullateef, Princess Rasheedat Olatunji, Princess, Princess Balikis Lawal, and Princess Asaba.
Dr. Salau, who proudly identifies as a princess of Offa, described the visit as both a solemn responsibility and a deeply personal moment.
She commended the unity and dignity displayed by the Youth Movement and reaffirmed her commitment to preserving the cultural heritage and values of Offa.
“Offa is not just home—it is my heritage. The legacy of our elders, like the late Iya Ijebu, continues to guide and inspire our paths,” she said.
![UK Supreme Court Declares Transgender Women Not Legally 'Woman' Under Equality Act The United Kingdom Supreme Court has declared that transgender women, even those with Gender Recognition Certificates, do not fall under the legal definition of "woman" as set out in the landmark Equality Act 2010. The judgment, delivered by five justices on Wednesday could upend years of hard-fought progress by the trans rights movement and is already fuelling calls for a redraft of the Equality Act. The case, a flashpoint in an increasingly polarised gender rights war, was triggered by a challenge from gender-critical campaign group For Women Scotland (FWS). Backed in part by author J.K. Rowling and the advocacy group Sex Matters, FWS argued that the term "woman" in the Equality Act must be understood biologically, and not through self-identification or legal paperwork. The Scottish government, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with trans rights advocates, defended its stance. Its lawyers leaned heavily on the Gender Recognition Act 2004, which states that individuals issued a GRC have legally changed their sex “for all purposes.” That, they argued, should include legal protections reserved for women. The Supreme Court’s central concern in its ruling was that treating trans women as women would create insurmountable “practical problems”. “The meaning of the terms ‘sex’, ‘man’ and ‘woman’ in the [Equality Act] 2010 refer to biological sex, as any other interpretation would render the EA 2010 incoherent and impracticable to operate,” the court ruled. The judges noted that protections for pregnant women would collapse unless “man” and “woman” had a biological meaning. They also found that considering trans women with gender recognition certificates as having a female “certificated sex” created further issues. Lord Hodge said that “interpreting sex as certificated sex would cut across the definitions of ‘man’ and ‘woman’ in the [Equality Act 2010] – and thus the protected characteristic of sex – in an incoherent way.” In its reasons, the Supreme Court found that the notion of “certificated sex” would also “weaken the protections given to those with the protected characteristic of sexual orientation,” for example by “interfering with their ability to have lesbian-only spaces and associations”. The justices also found that blurring the boundary of sex would also create “confusion and impracticability” around the provision of “single sex characteristic associations and charities, women’s fair participation in sport, the operation of the public sector equality duty, and the armed forces”. Reacting, the UK Government hailed the “clarity” provided by the Supreme Court’s ruling. “We have always supported the protection of single sex spaces based on biological sex,” a spokesman said. “This ruling brings clarity and confidence, for women and service providers such as hospitals, refuges, and sports clubs. “Single sex spaces are protected in law and will always be protected by this Government.”](https://newsbulletin.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1744804310668-300x169.jpg)
