Lokpobiri: FG wooing global oil firms with new
American firm eyes investment in OML 145
Says his administration desirous of institutions’ strengthening Optimistic about renewed confidence in Nigeria’s
President Bola Tinubu yesterday vowed to scale up local production of arms and ammunition as part of his renewed push to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture. He said boosting homegrown
Despite visible cracks and growing disharmony within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the party’s leaders are intensifying efforts to restore calm and strengthen cohesion ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Concerned about the implications of prolonged internal strife, PDP Governors, key stakeholders, and national executives are rallying to ensure that differences do not derail the party’s relevance as Nigeria’s main opposition force.
The renewed push for reconciliation is coming at a time when the PDP is under pressure to present a united front against the ruling party. Leaders say the latest round of consultations will focus on bridging factional
Alex Enumah in Abuja
The legal team of Adamawaborn entrepreneur, Abdullahi Bashir Haske, yesterday faulted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for declaring the investor wanted in connection with allegation of money laundering.
Earlier yesterday, the EFCC had declared Haske, a son-inlaw of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, wanted, over allegations bordering on criminal conspiracy and money laundering.
The declaration was
contained in a notice issued by the Head, Media and Publicity, EFCC, Mr Dele Oyewale.
The commission in the notice dated August 21, 2025, urged members of the public to provide useful information that could lead to the arrest of Haske.
“The public is hereby notified that Abdullahi Bashir Haske, whose photograph appears above, is wanted by the EFCC in an alleged case of criminal conspiracy and money laundering,” the notice read in part.
Adding that the defendant, who is 38 years old, was last
traced to No. 6 Mosley Road, Ikoyi, and 952/953 Idejo Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. Members of the public were
urged to reach out to any of its offices nationwide, including those in Ibadan, Uyo, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Benin, Makurdi,
Kaduna, Ilorin, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt, and Abuja with useful information.
The information, EFCC added, could also be shared via the EFCC’s dedicated telephone line and email address.
Deji Elumoye in Abuja
President Bola Tinubu has called on working Nigerians to use the newly launched Personal Income Tax calculator to estimate how much they would pay under the tax reforms his administration
recently signed into law.
In a post on his official X account, @PBAT yesterday, the President explained the Personal income tax calculator, which could be accessed via: https:// fiscalreforms.ng/index.php/ pit-calculator/, allows citizens
DESPITE DISHARMONY, PDP LEADERS SEEK TO CALM TENSION AHEAD OF 2027
divides, harmonising interests, and designing a clear strategy to reposition the party, rebuild public confidence, and boost its chances of reclaiming power in 2027.
To this end, PDP Governors and key stakeholders are converging on Zamfara State today, for a strategic meeting expected to set the tone for the party’s forthcoming national convention.
Party sources said the Zamfara strategic meeting, which would be hosted by Governor Dauda Lawal, would focus on shaping the party’s direction ahead of its national convention, seek reconciliation, harmonisation of interests, and the design of a robust electoral strategy aimed at reviving the PDP’s fortunes and energising its base ahead of 2027.
Some of the PDP Governors, led by the Chairman and Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, arrived Gusau, Zamfara State,
yesterday.
This comes as it was gathered that the Zoning Committee of the party, headed by Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has recommended that the presidential candidate should be zoned to reflect the mood of the nation.
Also, a chieftain of the party and elder statesman, Chief Bode George, yesterday, warned that the party must take decisive action against members undermining its unity if it was to remain a credible opposition force ahead of its next national convention.
Speaking in an interview with ARISE NEWS, on the outcome of a recent consultative meeting, George stressed that the PDP cannot continue to tolerate internal sabotage.
It was also learnt that the PDP has continued to mount pressure on former President, Goodluck Jonathan to join the 2027 presidential race.
There is currently division in the PDP with some members loyal to the current leadership and Governors, while there is another camp loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
The Wike’s camp has rejected the Southern Leaders’ Zoning Consultative meeting held in Lagos on Wednesday, urging stakeholders to reject the resolutions from the meeting.
However, two members of the Zoning Committee told THISDAY, in separate interviews, that the committee decided that zoning of the presidential candidate of the party in 2027 would reflect the mood of the nation, which indicates that they may look towards the southern part of the country for their pick.
According to a source in the committee, ''it is almost near consensus that the presidential candidate of the PDP for the 2027 should reflect the mood of the nation. 'We have competent
presidential material from the South. Once this decision is adopted by the National Executive Committee, (NEC) meeting on Monday, you will start to see the calibre of the presidential materials gradually coming out,” he added.
Asked whether any of the current members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party is qualified to contest for the new membership of the leadership, he said it depends on the further micro zonings that would be approved by the NEC, expected to hold Monday.
Meanwhile, in a statement, a spokesperson to the Zamfara State Governor, Sulaiman Bala Idris, stated that the meeting would be a pivotal gathering to deliberate on key political strategies and foster unity within the party.
“Governor Dauda Lawal extends a warm welcome to his counterparts, the governors of the Peoples Democratic Party
to compare their estimated tax under the proposed reforms with current rates, and ensure a clear understanding of the impact on individual incomes.
According to him, the tax reforms, which take effect from January 2026, are intended to
(PDP),” the statement read.
The governors are convening today (Friday) for an important session of the PDP Governors Forum. Governor Lawal will host a dinner this evening, ahead of tomorrow’s strategic meeting.”
The statement further noted that the meeting would provide an opportunity for party leaders to address pressing political issues, strengthen internal cohesion, and collaborate on developmental initiatives across their respective states.
Additionally, the Governors would discuss preparations for the upcoming national convention, organised by the PDP National Executive Committee (NEC), scheduled to take place in Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15 and 16, 2025.
In the meantime, Chief Bode George, has warned that the party must take decisive action against members undermining its unity if it was to remain a credible opposition force ahead of its
establish a fair tax system, one that never punishes poverty or weighs down the most vulnerable.
Tinubu stated: “A fair tax system must never punish poverty or weigh down the most vulnerable.
next national convention.
Speaking in an interview with ARISE NEWS yesterday on the outcome of a recent consultative meeting, George stressed that the PDP cannot continue to tolerate internal sabotage.
“In life, you have those that can be termed as progress terminators, and also success accelerators,” he said.
“If you want to be a progress terminator, please ship yourself out. And the party must be strong enough to take that decision. Period.”
George explained that the zoning committee, established by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), was mandated to review leadership arrangements across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones.
He noted that what was initially planned as a non-elective convention had been converted to an elective one because of internal crises and the resignation of some key officials.
TINUBU PUSHES FOR LOCAL ARMS, AMMUNITION PRODUCTION TO ENHANCE INSURGENCY FIGHT
Defence College, the President, who was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, described the College as a vivid representation of his administration's commitment to building human capital in areas critical to our national survival.
Tinubu stressed that strengthening indigenous manufacturing of military hardware was crucial in enhancing Nigeria's security and development.
He applauded the culture of excellence in research at the National Defence College (NDC), citing the Presidential Treaties on Harnessing Indigenous Manufacturing for Enhanced National Security and Development: Strategic Options for Nigeria by 2040, as
Tinubu remains committed to ensuring that oil companies that once exited the country are compelled to return, given the recent incentives provided in the sector by the government.
The 20-year agreements, with extension options between the NNPC and GSAs, were signed in Abuja, by the NLNG and Amni International Petroleum Development Company Limited; Sunlink Energies and Resources Limited; First Exploration & Petroleum Development Company Limited; SNEPCo;
an affirmation of the strength of such a tradition in the country.
"I must also commend the tradition of research excellence in this College. Your Presidential Treaties on Harnessing Indigenous Manufacturing for Enhanced National Security and Development: Strategic Options for Nigeria by 2040 is a clear demonstration of this strength.
"I have directed that relevant stakeholders study your recommendations and harvest the strategies you proposed, because strengthening indigenous manufacturing is indispensable to our nation’s security and development," the President stated.
He expressed delight at the theme for the College's Course 33, "Strengthening Institutions for National Security and
NNPC Gas Marketing Limited; NNPC E&P Limited; Shell Nigeria Gas Solutions Limited; Oando Group; and Aradel Holdings.
The agreements, a statement from the NNPC said, aims at bridging the prolonged shortfall in upstream gas availability, and marks a major boost for Nigeria’s energy transition agenda and the federal government’s gas reforms aimed at strengthening the nation's economic prosperity and energy security.
Speaking at the signing
Development in Nigeria," pointing out that the foundation of every successful society was strong and resilient institutions.
Noting that his administration has since made strong institutions a national priority, Tinubu said, "They uphold the rule of law, safeguard citizens’ rights, promote accountability, and deliver essential services. In national security, they are the framework for managing conflict, countering threats, and building resilience against instability.
"In development, they ensure sound governance, effective planning, and the delivery of policies that serve the common good. This is why this administration has made institutional strengthening a national priority, and I trust
ceremony, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC, Bayo Ojulari, commended NLNG’s shareholders and the government for their long-term commitment to value delivery despite the challenges faced over the years.
He described the agreements as a giant step towards value creation and sustainable gas supply.
“These GSAs have opened up opportunities for the growth of our industry both for local and international development.
that the knowledge you have acquired here will be deployed to fortify the institutions of Nigeria and of your respective nations."
The President expressed firm belief that "without strong institutions there can be no lasting democracy," stating that in pursuit of this conviction, his administration has taken bold steps to reposition the nation's "economy for growth and shared prosperity.
"Today, there is renewed confidence in our economy, reflected in the nation’s rising business outlook. Today, even the stock market has grown by over forty-eight percent year on year, the best performance in almost three decades.
"While this reflects investor faith in our reforms, I
They’re hinged on collaboration, synergies and opportunities. We need to leverage economies of scale, share risk and opportunities for us to attain Mr. President’s Decade of Gas vision,” he said.
Ojulari lauded the enabling environment and private sector support fostered by Tinubu.
“It is important to commend the President’s tremendous effort that has enabled the business through the issuance of Executive Orders targeted at gas developments and ease of doing business,” he added.
acknowledge that we must continue to tackle inflation and food insecurity to ensure that this growth translates into real prosperity for every Nigerian," he declared.
Tinubu also reiterated his administration's resolve to complete construction at the permanent site of the National Defence College in Piwoyi, saying that while it is a matter close to the heart of the College, he had been briefed on the state of infrastructure at the site.
According to him: "While progress has been made, much remains to be done. I assure you that this administration is committed to completing the permanent site, to ensure that the College continues to deliver strategic training not
The GCEO reaffirmed NNPC’s readiness to accelerate the realisation of the Presidential Executive Orders for the industry, pledging to work with partners to unlock opportunities for collective prosperity, in line with the national gas development targets for incremental production.
In his remarks, NLNG Managing Director, Philip Mshelbila, who hailed the GSAs as a game-changer for Nigeria’s gas industry, said they will enhance local gas production capacity, improve
only for Nigeria but also for allied nations. When fully equipped, this College can, and should, evolve into a Defence Postgraduate University.
"I have therefore directed the Commandant to work closely with the Minister of Defence to develop a clear strategy to upgrade the facilities, while government explores further interventions to enhance the infrastructure," he assured.
The President implored the Course 33 graduands to join hands in delivering his administration's renewed hope to Nigerians, just as he recalled that his pledge to the people is "to provide effective and creative leadership, and I call on you to be partners in the task of birthing the new Nigeria we all dream of.
supply reliability, and advance the nation’s energy security, industrialisation aspirations, and economic growth.
"We could not have achieved this sooner without the deliberate and concerted efforts of our shareholders and stakeholders in the energy industry in Nigeria. These agreements are a turning point in NLNG’s journey, restoring reliability of supply and ensuring we remain firmly on the path of growth and expansion," Mshelbila noted.
For two consecutive months, gross revenue from the Federation Account surpassed N3 trillion threshold as the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) shared a total of N2.001 trillion to the three tiers of government from gross receipts of N3,836.980 trillion generated in the month of July.
FAAC had announced an unprecedented gross Federation Account Revenue of N4.232 trillion for the month of June, out of which N1.818 trillion was shared among relevant stakeholders.
After its monthly meeting in Abuja, yesterday, FACC disclosed that it disbursed a total sum of N2.001 trillion, being Federation Account revenue to the three tiers of government for the month of July.
The N2.001 trillion total distributable revenue comprised distributable statutory revenue of N1,282.872 trillion, distributable Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue of
N640.610 billion, Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL) revenue of N37.601 billion, and Exchange Difference of N39.745 billion.
Citing a communiqué issued by the FAAC, the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) disclosed that total gross revenue of N3,836.980 trillion was available in the month of July 2025.
Total deduction for cost of collection stood at N152,681 billion while total transfers, interventions, refunds and savings was N1,683.471 trillion.
According to the statement which was issued by the Director (Press and Public Relations), Bawa Mokwa, gross statutory revenue of N3,070.127 trillion was received for the month of July 2025, which was less than the sum of N3,485.235 trillion received in the month of June 2025 by N415.108 billion.
Gross revenue of N687.940 billion was available from VAT in July 2025.
This was higher than the N678.165 billion available in the
Deji Elumoye in Abuja
Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, has hailed President Bola Tinubu for leading Nigeria's diplomatic initiatives aimed at repositioning it within the global space. This was as the Japanese government has designated the city of Kisarazu as the hometown for Nigerians willing to live and work in the country as part of its strategic efforts to deepen cultural diplomacy, promote economic growth and enhance workforce productivity.
Under the new partnership, announced on the sidelines of the 9th Tokyo International Conference for African Development in Yokohama, the Japanese government, according to a release issued yesterday by Director of Information at the State House, Mr.
Abiodun Oladunjoye, will create a special visa category for highly skilled, innovative, and talented young Nigerians who want to move to Kisarazu to live and work.
Speaking with journalists in Yokohama shortly after the conference yesterday, Bagudu commended President Tinubu’s leadership at the recently concluded Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9), describing it as exemplary. According to him, the President’s presence and active participation underscored his commitment to restoring Nigeria’s pride on the global stage.
He said, “The first thing we should appreciate is the tremendous capacity Mr. President, is bringing to bear to diplomacy. He came to Japan to participate in TICAD9, and from here he is going to Brazil.
month of June 2025 by N9.775 billion.
The communiqué stated that from the N2,000.828 trillion total distributable revenue, the federal government received a total sum of N735.081 billion while the states got N660.349 billion.
Local government councils received N485.039 billion, while
the sum of N120.359 billion (being 13 per cent of mineral revenue) was shared to the benefiting State as derivation revenue.
Similarly, from the N1,282.872 trillion distributable statutory revenue, the federal government received N613.805 billion and the state governments got N311.330 billion.
Local government councils received N240.023 billion and the sum of N117.714 billion (13 per cent of mineral revenue) was shared to the benefiting States as derivation revenue.
Also, from the N640.610 billion distributable VAT revenue, the federal government received N96.092 billion, states received
N320.305 billion and the local governments received N224.214 billion.
From the N39.745 billion Exchange Difference, the communiqué stated that the federal government received N19.544 billion, the states received N9.913 billion while the local government councils got N7.643 billion.
Chuks Okocha and Kasim Sumaina in Abuja
The leader of the Labour Party (LP) and 2023 Presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has again questioned the rationale behind budgeting the sum of N142b for bus terminals in the country by the federal government when teaching and psychiatric hospitals in the country have less than N100b.
This was as the Minister of Transportation, Senator Said Alkali, has revealed government plans to build bus terminals and CNG stations in the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.
Alkali, who revealed this
when he met with members of the Abuja Transport and Aviation Correspondent Association (ATACA) in Abuja, also noted that the newly approved National land Transport Policy by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) will improve regulations of the road sector and ensure safety.
On the budgeting the sum of N142b for bus terminals in the country, Obi described it as clear evidence of misplaced priority, while neglecting critical engines of development like healthcare.
Writing on his official X handle yesterday, Obi said that "The difference between the success and failure of development in
any nation is how you prioritise your scarce resources.
"The recent announcement that a sum of N142 billion has been approved by the federal government for the construction of one bus terminal in each of our six geopolitical zones further affirms the lack of competence, lack of focus and poor leadership.
"In the 2024 budget, which is the operational budget today, the entire budget of all the teaching hospitals across all the federal universities in the country, as well as the federal psychiatric centres, is under N100 billion, yet the government has approved N142 billion for bus terminals.
"This is disturbing, considering that Health is one of the most critical areas of development, which is deteriorating and remains grossly underfunded. WHO recently reported that over 20 million Nigerians are living with mental health issues.
"This is not only a misplaced priority but a tragic irony of our country.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Transportation, Alkali, stressed that the policy is the first of its kind in the history of the country even as he said that the transport sector is the most burden mode of transportation in any part of the world.
Michael Olugbode in Abuja and David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka
The Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Dr. Tony Ojukwu, has strongly condemned the disturbing viral video showing operatives of the Agunechemba Vigilante Group physically assaulting a youth corps member, Ms. Jennifer Edema Elohor.
A group, Make Anambra Great Again (MAGA), joined
by the governorship candidate of Young Progressives Party (YPP), Mr. Paul Chukwuma and his supporters, said the protest which was held in the form of a peaceful walk was necessitated by both the insecurity in the state and the activities of operatives of Agunechemba; a local security outfit controlled by the state government.
Ojukwu while reacting to the video described the incident as a gross violation of human dignity and a clear
breach of the provisions of Nigeria’s Anti-Torture Act, 2017, which expressly prohibits and criminalises torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment under any circumstance.
He noted with concern that acts of brutality, particularly against women, are becoming an alarming trend that must not be allowed to take root in the society.
“It is most disturbing that a group established to protect
lives and property could turn around to dehumanize innocent citizens. This inhuman and degrading treatment is unacceptable, unlawful, and should be condemned in all ramifications,” he stated. Ojukwu noted that the Commission’s investigation revealed that the incident occurred in July at Oba, Anambra State and that the perpetrators had attempted to ensure that it’s swept under the carpet until the video fortunately leaked.
L-R: Head, Bancassurance and Retail Liabilities, United Bank for Africa(UBA), Uche
Banking, Shamsideen Fashola, and Group Head, Marketing and Corporate
The military high command yesterday stated that troops of Joint Task Force SouthEast Operation Udo Ka, in collaboration with operatives of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), busted a baby factory in Imo State and rescued no fewer than 20 victims, including pregnant women, infants, and children.
The military also revealed that it handed over 220 arms and 1,874 rounds of ammunition, recovered during operations, to the Director General of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, Mr. Abdul Adamu, in Jos, Plateau State.
This development comes as the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, denied urging citizens to take up arms for any reason.
General Musa clarified that he merely called for self-protection with requisite skills such as taekwondo, judo and boxing, during an interview with a national televsion.
In his weekly update on military operations across all theatres, the Director of Defence
Media Operations, Major General Markus Kangye, said: “Troops, in conjunction with NAPTIP officials, conducted an operation at an orphanage home identified as Dennis Divine Favour in Owerri West LGA of Imo State on 18 August 2025. During the operation, nine pregnant women, seven infants, and four children were rescued and handed over to NAPTIP officials for further investigation.”
He also stated that during the week under review, troops of Operation Safe Haven responded to several distress calls regarding terrorist activities in some sectors.
According to him, “Relatedly, the General Officer Commanding, Major General E.F. Oyinlola, handed over 220 arms and 1,874 rounds of ammunition to the DG, National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, Mr. Abdul Adamu, on 17 August 2025 in Jos, Plateau State.
“Additionally, troops arrested a wanted and notorious criminal identified as Adamu Buba (a.k.a ‘Mai Pankshin’) and 13 others in Riyom, Barkin Ladi, Jos South, Bassa, and Jos North LGAs of Plateau State, as well as in Jaba and Zangon Kataf LGAs of Kaduna State. Arms, ammunition,
Oil Production: Renaissance Targets
300,000bpd Output by Jan 2026
Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited has disclosed that its oil production has increased from 100,000bpd to 230,000bpd since handover, adding that it targets 300,000bpd by January 2026.
The company said it has achieved great progress within a short period of transition from the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and is poised to achieve more despite some challenges before it.
Chief Production Officer (CPO) of Renaissance, Dr. Mesh Maichibi who made the assertion during his lecture at the 20th annual lecture and awards ceremony organised by the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Port Harcourt
Branch, said the firm has improved in national ownership, job retention, communities’ relations and leadership stability.
Speaking on the topic:
‘Transition ManagementRenaissance Case Study’, at the event held in Port Harcourt, capital of Rivers State, Maichibi said the company is currently stabilising the gains while at the same time aggressively pursuing the safe and responsible delivery of values to the key stakeholders.
The CPO who noted that the vision of the company is to be Africa's leading energy company enabling energy security and industrialisation in a sustainable manner, explained that Renaissance vision is "partnering for prosperity, empowering the people, integrating value chains and securing energy future."
and motorcycles were recovered from them. The recovered items are in the custody of the troops, while interrogation is ongoing.”
He further disclosed that troops of Joint Task Force South-South Operation Delta Safe apprehended no fewer than 33 oil thieves and other criminals, and recovered assorted arms, ammunition, and some explosives from them.
“Additionally, on 17 August 2025, troops responded to information about kidnappers attempting to collect ransom from
victims’ relatives in Aniocha LGA of Delta State. The troops laid an ambush for the kidnappers, killed three of them, and rescued the victim. Arms and ammunition, as well as the sum of N2,336,000.00 intended for ransom payment, were recovered from the scene,” Kangye said.
He assured that the gallant troops, in conjunction with other security agencies and hybrid forces, will continue to work together, in line with global best practices, to ensure peace and security are restored to all
troubled parts of the country.
Meanwhile, the Acting Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, in a separate statement, expressed concern over what he described as deliberate attempts to misrepresent comments made by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, during a television interview on the evening of Thursday, 20 August 2025.
He said, “In that interview, the CDS encouraged Nigerians to develop basic survival and
self-protection skills—likening such training to widely accepted life skills such as driving, taekwondo, judo, swimming, and boxing, amongst others.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the CDS did not call for citizens to bear arms or to engage in the unlawful possession of firearms. He is fully aware of Nigerian laws prohibiting the unauthorised carrying of weapons. His message was intended to promote personal resilience, situational awareness, and lawful preparedness—not to encourage illegal activity.
The Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Marcelle Ruth Cancer & Specialist Hospital, Dr. Modupe Elebute-Odunsi, has been appointed a Distinguished Fellow, with the rank of Associate Professor, in the Department of Haematology & Blood Transfusion at Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).
Elebute-Odunsi, who is also the Founder/Chair, Board of Trustees, Women In Healthcare Network (WIHCN), disclosed this on her LinkedIn page yesterday.
She wrote: “I am truly excited to
Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday, revealed that no fewer than 505,906 eligible Nigerians have registered online for the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise within just five days.
The commission described the turnout as a strong indication that
share that I have been appointed Distinguished Fellow, with the rank of Associate Professor, in the Department of Haematology & Blood Transfusion at Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).
“With this appointment, I feel like I have come ‘full circle’! It feels particularly meaningful not only because teaching has always been a passion of mine but also because it continues a family connection – my late father, Prof. Adeyemo Elebute, served as Professor of Surgery and my mother, Prof. Oyinade Elebute,
as Professor of Physiology; both contributing to teaching several generations of students at LUTH. It is indeed an honour and a privilege to be given the opportunity to follow in their footsteps.
“It also feels like ‘full circle’ to be appointed by my alma mater: I qualified with the class of 1986 (just before my 21st birthday) and proceeded to postgraduate training in Internal Medicine and Haematology-Oncology in the UK.”
She added: “Five years ago, following plenty of planning and
with enormous support from my husband and children, I made the very bold step to relocate to Nigeria to co-found the Marcelle Ruth Cancer Centre & Specialist Hospital (MRCC), a trusted one-stop centre for cancer care and specialist medicine in West Africa, serving over 5,000 patients to date. MRCC was accredited last year by the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria to offer a residency programme in Clinical and Radiation Oncology, in partnership with LUTH.
Nigerians remain eager to participate in the democratic process. The electoral body added that it was impressed by the response of Nigerians who visited the online platform to pre-register.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made this known in Abuja, at the official flag-off of the commission’s nationwide sensitisation campaign aimed at
boosting public participation in the voter registration process. Yakubu, who was represented by the National Commissioner, May Agbamuche-Mbu said the commission launched a vibrant roadshow that kicked off at INEC Headquarters in Maitama, passed through Banex Plaza in Wuse, and terminated at the bustling Wuse Market.
The chairman noted that similar campaigns would be held in states across the nation to further mobilise the public,
He stated: “As of midnight of August 22, 505,906 citizens have preregistered. This is a testament that Nigerians believe in our democracy and the effort of the commission to further strengthen the electoral process.”
The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has hailed the federal government for taking a bold step to solve the lingering issues amongst trade unions and associations in the health sector, which got to a boiling point recently, by inaugurating a
committee Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs), saying it was timely and logical.
According to PSN, the initiative would decisively deal with matters arising from “grievances by non-physician health workers against the overbearing effects
of physicians’ oppressive domination of the health sector.”
In a document signed by the President of PSN President, Ayuba Ibrahim Tanko, the body applauded the government “for setting up a Committee on CBAs for trade unions and
associations in the Health Sector against the background of the boiling point the Health Sector attained in recent weeks with various strike ultimatum being threatened, declared and warning strikes actualised by at least one of the various groups.”
In Kano, a quiet revolution is unfolding. It is not the kind that makes headlines or captures international attention, but it may well prove to be one of the most significant democratic developments in contemporary Nigeria. Through a three-year initiative funded by the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Foundation in partnership with Partners West Africa-Nigeria (PWAN) is systematically dismantling the barriers that have kept Nigerian women on the periphery of political power for decades.
Titled, ‘Promoting Effective Participation of Women in Governance & Combating Gender-Based Violence in Nigeria,’ the project represents something rare in development work: a comprehensive approach that tackles both the symptoms and root causes of women’s political exclusion. As Nigeria grapples with unprecedented security challenges, economic uncertainty, and social fragmentation, this initiative offers a compelling argument that sustainable solutions require the full participation of all citizens, including the 50% who happen to be women.
The choice of Kano as a primary focus area was both strategic and symbolic. If meaningful change in women’s political participation could take root in Nigeria’s most conservative northern state, it could flourish anywhere. The early results suggest this calculated gamble is paying dividends that extend far beyond state boundaries.
When the project teams visited the Kano State Ministry of Women Affairs in June 2025, they found in Commissioner Hajiya Amina Abdullahi a passionate advocate whose enthusiasm for women’s rights reflected a broader institutional transformation. More revealing were conversations with grassroots organizations like the Women, Peace and Security Network, where project staff encountered both persistent challenges and emerging opportunities that define this struggle.
Network members spoke candidly about husbands discouraging wives from political
involvement, tokenistic appointments that provide titles without power, and the troubling phenomenon of women voters failing to support female candidates despite forming the electoral majority. Yet these same conversations revealed innovative strategies perfectly aligned with the project’s objectives: leveraging UN Resolution 1325 to advance gender inclusion, engaging religious leaders through the Council of Ulama to secure faith-based endorsement for women’s political participation, and strengthening grassroots women’s organizations across all 44 Local Government Areas of Kano State.
The most striking evidence of the project’s success lies in the remarkable increase in women holding government and political positions in Kano State. History was made with the appointment of Hon. Justice Dije Abdu Aboki as the first female Chief Judge, a breakthrough that would have seemed impossible when the project began. This milestone was followed by a surge in female High Court judges and magistrates, signaling a systematic shift in judicial representation. The executive branch witnessed equally significant developments. Perhaps most symbolically, Kano witnessed the appointment of its first female caretaker local government chairperson from Wudil LGA, a position that brings women’s leadership directly to the grassroots level. These appointments reflect a fundamental shift in how political leadership is conceptualized in Nigeria’s most conservative northern state. When women occupy positions of real authority, from the Chief Judge’s chambers to local government chairperson offices, they reshape institutional culture and create pathways for other women to follow.
THE PROJECT OFFERS MORE THAN HOPE FOR WOMEN INCREASED POLITICAL PARTICIPATION; IT PROVIDES A ROAD MAP FOR DEMOCRATIC RENEWAL
The Swiss-funded project has achieved something remarkable in Nigerian development work: measurable policy impact that extends from grassroots advocacy to structural institutional change.
Alachi is the Programme Lead, Social Justice and Equity Programme at the Yar’Adua Foundation
OLUDAYO TADE argues that politics, power, and proximity to corridors of power shape the reach of the law
The airport lawbreaking behaviours exhibited by Fuji musician Wasiu Omogbolahan Olasunkanmi Adewale also known as KWAM 1 and Comfort Emmanson revealed how the discretionary powers of enforcers of the law determines who gets arrested, punished and the limit of such punishment. When analysing criminal behaviours and the social reaction to it, criminologists use four frames – the act, the actor, the social situation during which an act occurred and those who define the act as criminal or as mere deviation. The act refers to the unlawful action that runs afoul of extant laws. The actor is the person who violates the law. But the actor may have a social capital that may influence how he or she is treated in relation to the act committed. Then, the social context of the lawbreaking behavior is also important. It helps to know ‘how’ and where the infraction occurred. The audience of definers (the state or the general public) are those who observe the lawbreaking behavior in context and subject it to their own interpretations either as a security threat or as a forgivable misstep of
a beloved insider. In Nigeria’s airports, these frames reveal a troubling pattern. The act may be the same, but the actor’s social capital tilts the scales of justice. The situation is a crowded tarmac, a viral video which becomes theatre.
The handling of these two cases exposed a familiar truth: Nigeria does not lack laws, it lacks the will to enforce them equally. When the violator is powerful or well-connected, punishment becomes negotiable. When the offender is ordinary, the system moves swiftly and harshly. Take the role of Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo, SAN. His public response was praised for its speed and decisiveness, yet beneath the performance lay a carefully staged “soft landing.” For KWAM 1 who is a musician with close ties to President Bola Tinubu and the ruling party, sanctions melted from a six-month no-fly ban to a mere one month. Before that period was even complete, he was unveiled as an “airport security ambassador.” Comfort Emmanson, meanwhile, received no velvet cushion. Stripped of privilege and unconnected to power, her case became the textbook example of full enforcement: arrest, prosecution, detention, and a flying
ban in quick succession. In theory, both cases were about aviation security. In practice, they revealed how politics, power, and proximity to corridors of power shape the law’s reach.
‘Airport security ambassador’ has been conferred on Wasiu Omogbolahan as a form of community service without pay according to Minister Keyamo. He maintained that it is a global practice. I agree. We have granted amnesty to militants, cultists and the latest are those we call ‘repentant terrorists’. So, granting Fuji musician Wasiu, a repentant airport security breach status is in order. What is however new is that the ‘offender’ ought to have been allowed to serve the period of his sanction before such appointment is announced. But it is understandable with the speed with which the six-month no-fly ban was reduced to one month and before the one month is over, an ambassadorial community service was announced. It shows that when the State desires to punish you, you are thoroughly punished and your situation may be framed as a national security threat. But when the state is in ‘love’ with you owing to your affinitive relationship such as being close to men in
the corridors of power, a soft landing will be prepared.
It was as if the airport staff knew what would eventually happen in the case. They looked so helpless while KWAM 1 performed defiantly on the tarmac in the viral video while obstructing the aircraft. They could not go all out to enforce the law or restrain him. They must have learnt from previous cases on how not to touch a Nigerian big man. Their proprietor and the ‘defiant passenger’ would later resolve the issue as members of the upper social class in the society but the workers may be sanctioned for embarrassing a big man publicly. That partially explains the braggadocio or swagger of the Fuji musician on the tarmac and when he was being interrogated in the ‘situation room’. However, Comfort who does not know the president or known to be a member of the ruling party, was treated as an ordinary Nigerian with swift arrest, arraignment, detention and ban from flying in rapid succession. All men are born equal but some are more equal than others.
Tade, a professor of criminology and security studies writes via dotad2003@ yahoo.com
One too many...
WIhen President Muhammadu Buhari took over the reins of power on May 29, 2015, Nigeria was sadly a broken state in many respects. As a result of many other factors including bad governance and untold level of corruption, government could not live up to its financial obligations to citizens and service providers at both the federal and state levels.
ritual attacks if it wills. Ekiti can become witch hunting free if Ekiti wills. We can, and will end witch hunts in Ekiti and Nigeria within a decade.
Indeed one of the first official assignments that President Buhari carried out was the approval of billions of Naira in bailout funds to enable state governors pay something as basic as workers’ salaries. Granting those bailout funds was a huge boost to national security because the pressure of arrears of unpaid monthly salaries building dangerously all over the country was a ticking bomb.
Ask the naysayers and they would readily remind you of how long it took President Buhari to appoint his ministers and how that contributed to collapse of the economy as if, without ministers, governance was frozen. But buying that narrative would amount to what a famous Nigerian writer, Chimamanda Adichie, termed “the danger of a single story”. Yet the whole story was that many of our citizens did not know how decrepit a state President Buhari inherited in 2015.
t was a delight to welcome all leaders and representatives of state and non-state agencies to the stakeholders’ meeting on witch hunts and ritual attacks in Ekiti State. The Advocacy for Alleged Witches, founded in 2020, sponsored the event to address the problem of witch hunts in the state, and also to mark this year’s world day against witch hunts. AfAW was meant to be a movement, not another NGO. The aim is to realize a critical mass of advocates in cities and communities. Witch hunting has not been treated with the sense of urgency it deserves. So, as a movement, the advocacy group supplies the missing links in the campaign to end witch hunts in Africa, starting from Nigeria. The vision is to help make witch hunts and ritual attacks history in Africa by 2030.
It was therefore necessary for him to take stock against the background of the fact that the departing government did not, reportedly, cooperate full well with the incoming government in terms of leaving workable handover notes. Although President Goodluck Jonathan was gracious in defeat, many of his appointees were still sulking over what they saw as their personal losses and therefore pulled all the stops to make things difficult for the Buhari government.
Many people think this goal is a pipe dream and that it is not realistic. But many despair or are cynical because they rate Africa and Africans very low. With a low reckoning and expectation, which many Africans have internalized, there is little commitment; there is a lack of urgency in addressing the matter. And this is unfortunate.
The TSA policy, interestingly, was mooted by the PDP government but its penchant for imprudence and lack of accountability denied it the courage of implementing the policy. What the President literally did was to gather all the nation’s money into one box and locked it up with a big padlock and watched for any thief to come close.
This generation of people in Ekiti, in Nigeria, and in Africa should make efforts so that it will be said of us that witch hunting started to diminish and disappear at our time, at this time. That we initiated and ended this campaign of violence and abuse.
Aby the EFCC, President Buhari by his action has successfully brought back to the public consciousness the need to treat public funds with the highest level of transparency and accountability.
After keeping treasury looters on their toes and at bay through the EFCC, particularly, President Buhari moved to curb unnecessary spending habits of the nation on what economists call articles of ostentation. Part of the disclosures of the President’s stock taking was how the country frittered away billions in foreign currency by importing goods, which can be produced at home. One of such items was rice, a major staple among Nigerians. By banning rice importation into the country, the President on one hand had saved the nation billions in foreign currency annually.
Witch hunting has persisted because of the tradition of passing the buck, not taking responsibility. Let us make it clear to all who care to know: The buck stops here. The buck stops at the table of this generation of people in Ekiti, Nigeria, and Africa.
lhaji Musa Aliyu (Sarkin Shanun Lafia Bare-Bari) is a billionaire business mogul, and the owner of Turaki Gamji Oil and Gas Ltd. He stands out among his contemporaries in the oil and gas business because he has made an indelible marks in the business.
TAnd, on the other hand, the President has boosted domestic production of rice and in the process had nudged the country into self sufficiency in food production. He also created millions of jobs for young people in the rice value chain.
What is most admirable about President Buhari and his government is its frugal management of scarce national resources to attain optimum goals.
Leo Igwe directs the Advocacy for Alleged Witches
Even with the obvious and unpatriotic obscurantist behaviour of the PDP appointees and their supporters still in government hell-bent on making things difficult for Buhari, the President moved on with his methodical repair of a broken country. The first thing he did was to identify all possible sources of income to the nation and directed that all inflows be paid into one single account in line with the policy of Single Treasury Account (TSA).
he Advocacy for Alleged Witches (AfAW) urges the Nigerian public to stop ritual attacks and killings because the notion of ritual money and wealth is completely baseless. AfAW is making this call following the reported arrest of suspected ritualists in Oyo State in southern Nigeria. The local media reported that members of the Western Nigeria Security Network, Amotekun, arrested suspected ritualists with the body parts of a 73-year-old man.
He is of an exemplary character, and imbued with leadership style worthy of emulation. In his effort to reduce unemployment in Nasarawa and its environs, he has empowered the youths by donating tricycles, sewing and grinding machines, among other things, to guarantee means of livelihood for the indigenes and non-indigenes.
Recall that since President Buhari stepped in the saddle, oil revenue dropped abysmally as if to sabotage him knowing all the big promises he made to citizens during his campaigns. But with the little resources that trickle in, the President is achieving what governments that received oil windfalls could not dream of.
He is humble, down to earth, and accommodating. In appreciation, the people of his constituency has given him the title ‘Sarkin Shanun Lafia BareBeri’.
Today, the trains are up and running daily from Abuja to Kaduna. And from Lagos to Ibadan a brand new rail track was started and completed; citizens are already commuting daily to and fro these two major cities in the country seamlessly as they reap from the dividends of democracy. And with the way this government is going, before 2023 when the President would leave, the entire country would be linked by rail with all of its economic advantages.
Ainofenokhai Ojeifo, Abuja
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He is detribalized, and has single-handedly sponsored many children for Qur’anic school because he belongs to the school of thought that says, “if you train your child in the way of God, he won’t depart from it”. He also sponsored 100 children to theological school because he doesn’t discriminate between Muslims and Christians.
Look, if the world could contain the COVID-19 pandemic in two years, then the world can contain and end the hunting pandemic within a decade. The world can end witch hunts in Africa and the rest of the globe if it wills. Africa can end witch hunts if Africa wills. Nigeria can stop abuses linked to witchcraft beliefs and
Who can blame the President for almost developing paranoia over the safeguard of the national treasury with revelations and reports of mind-boggling looting that took place in the 16 years of the PDP? With such disclosures of how billions meant for fighting insurgency in the Northeast ended up in the pockets of a few individuals while our gallant soldiers fought with bare hands and on empty stomach, President Buhari was duty bound to bring sanity and accountability back in national spending.
Thus, under President Buhari, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which had remained comatose for years, was woken up to resume its duties. Apart from the trillions of Naira of looted funds and property recovered from corrupt politicians
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Alhaji Musa Aliyu believes in one indivisible entity called Nigeria. He is instrumental to many achievements of Governor A. A. Sule because of his vital advice in Nasarawa State. He also gives useful advice to our president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Alhaji Musa Aliyu has done a lot in the area of infrastructure in Lafia and its environs. He constructed many roads, built many heathcare centres, schools, and recreational centres for the youths. He is an achiever of our time Adeolu Anjorin, Lafia, Nasarawa State
The suspects, who were apprehended in the Boluwaji area in Ibadan, said that a Muslim cleric asked them to procure some human body parts for rituals. Ritual attacks are widespread in Nigeria. Irrational conceptions of how to make money or become wealthy and successful undergird these atrocities. Many Nigerians strongly believe in blood money, known in some local languages as Ogun Owo (Yoruba) or Ogwu ego (Igbo). They think that they could become rich, or successful through ritual sacrifice. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Ritual wealth has no basis in reason, science, or reality. Home movies known as Africa magic or Nollywood films have not helped matters. These movies continue to reinforce these mistaken notions and other superstitions. Families, churches, mosques, and other public institutions do not encourage the interrogation of these traditional occult beliefs. There are no robust efforts to criticize or dispel these irrational and paranormal claims in schools, colleges, and universities. So millions of Nigerians grow up blindly believing that they could make money through ritual sacrifice of human body parts. The belief has led many Nigerians to commit crimes and perpetrate atrocities. Many Nigerians have been jailed or are undergoing court trials due to ritualrelated attacks and murder.
Not too long ago, the police arrested some young Nigerians for stealing female pants, which they intended to use for ritual sacrifice. AfAW is asking all Nigerians to desist from ritual-related abuses because ritual money beliefs are baseless superstitions. Nigerian media, schools, and colleges should help educate and reorient the public. They should assist in reasoning Nigerians out of this killer-superstitious absurdity and nonsense. Leo Igwe directs the Advocacy for Alleged Witches (AfAW)
L-R: Apex Community Health Officer Iru-Victoria LCDA, Oduwoga Adedoyin; Director of Planning, Research & Statistics, Health District 3, Dr. Akintayo Akintoba; Lagos State Permanent Secretary, Health District 3, Dr. (Mrs.) Monsurat Adeleke; Apex Nurse, Ikoyi-Obalende LCDA, Mrs. Shofolahan Eunice; and Assistant Chief Pharmacist, Ikoyi Obalende LCDA, Oduyebo Olalekan, during the post-inauguration monitoring of the Senator Oluremi Tinubu PHC at Ikoyi-Obalende LCDA... recently
Boluwatife Enome
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appealed to Nigerians in the Diaspora not to “stay away” from home, declaring that Nigeria is on the rise again under his leadership and needs the contributions of its citizens abroad to drive development.
Speaking on Thursday at Kahala Hotel and Resort, Yokohama, Japan, during an interactive session with members of the Nigerian
community on the sidelines of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9), the President said his administration is committed to creating an environment where all citizens can thrive.
“I am happy to listen to you. I’m happy to report that many of our people are returning home,” Tinubu said. “Yes, for economic reasons, some people might decide to stay away; it’s a fundamental right of the individual, but for the economic
growth and opportunity available in Nigeria, don’t stay away. Your contribution is very much needed. If you stay away, who will build it?”
The President stressed that national development cannot be left to government alone, but must be a shared responsibility between citizens at home and those abroad.
“If we don’t join hands and work together, then we’ve lost the hope of being the leaders we are supposed to be,” he warned, urging Nigerians abroad to remain
ambassadors of the country and project a positive image in their engagements.
Tinubu reminded his audience that true citizenship goes beyond holding a Nigerian passport. “It is about character and commitment to the nation’s progress,” he said, adding that negative portrayals of Nigeria discourage investment and partnerships needed for growth.
Highlighting reforms, the President pointed to improved passport issuance processes,
Michael Olugbode in Abuja
Nigeria has officially launched the Carbon Offsetting Rice Emissions (CORE) project, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from rice production while boosting yields and strengthening food security.
The project is the result of a long-standing agricultural cooperation between Nigeria
and Germany, supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and in partnership with Olam Agri Nigeria Ltd.
The high-profile launch, held at the Nigerian Army Conference Centre in Abuja, brought together key stakeholders including the Minister of Agriculture and Food
Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari; the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal; the Deputy Head of Mission of the German Embassy, Johannes Lehne; representatives of Olam Agri Nigeria; development partners; and senior government officials.
Speaking at the event, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Kyari, described agriculture as a pillar of Nigeria’s economy and a lifeline for millions of families.
He stressed that the CORE project comes at a critical moment as climate change continues to threaten food production systems.
“This initiative will empower smallholder farmers in Kano, Benue, and Nasarawa with scalable, climate-smart farming practices. By reducing methane emissions from rice paddies, we are not only safeguarding livelihoods but also contributing to Nigeria’s climate goals,” he said.
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has threatened to embark on strike if the federal government fails to meet its demands at the expiration of a 21-day ultimatum.
The Zonal Coordinator of ASUP Zone B, Innocent Simji who disclosed this during a press briefing in Bauchi yesterday, emphasised that the union’s position aligned with
the resolution of its national headquarters.
Simji explained that the ultimatum, issued after an emergency National Executive Council meeting held on August 14 in Abuja, was borne out of the government’s failure to address pressing issues threatening the survival of the polytechnic sector.
According to him, “The Union at her last emergency National Executive Council meeting
resolved to issue a 21-day ultimatum to the government to address some germane issues threatening the survival of the polytechnic sector.”
The Zonal Coordinator listed the pending issues to include: non-release of circulars by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission to cover peculiar academic allowances, non-payment of arrears of the 25/35 per cent salary review, and non-implementation of
the review in state-owned polytechnics.
Others are the delay in granting a dual mandate structure to eliminate the dichotomy between polytechnic and university graduates, the non-release of approved needs assessment funds for infrastructure, and the outsourcing of the National Board for Technical Education’s quality assurance mandate to unqualified vendors.
Mkobo Microfinance Bank has announced its 10-year anniversary, celebrating a decade of inclusive, techdriven financial solutions for Nigeria’s economically active population.
In line with this celebration, Mkobo is relaunching its digital banking app, the Mkobo App, featuring EarlyPay, an earned wage access product that allows users to withdraw up to 50 per cent of their salary before payday at 0 per cent interest. The app also enables transfers, bill payments, savings, and salary loans. Most importantly is that you earn interest on
your sitting or available balance daily.
“This 10-year milestone is not just about our history - it’s about our future,” said Habeeb Adeokun, Managing Director of Mkobo MFB. “With our new digital platform, we’re deepening our commitment to financial wellbeing and giving
every Nigerian worker tools they need to thrive.”
Since its inception in 2015, Mkobo has served over 250,000 individuals and businesses, delivering emergency credit, savings products, and asset financing solutions tailored to Nigeria’s working class and small business community.
stabilised economic fundamentals, and investments in healthcare to reverse medical tourism. He also said government programmes were expanding opportunities for businesses, attracting investment, and boosting the stock market.
“Leadership is about thinking and doing — blending visionary ideas with practical actions to drive stability, unity, and growth,” he said. “Nigeria is on the rise again.”
Members of the Nigerian community in Japan, including professionals, entrepreneurs, and students, pledged their support for the administration’s reforms and expressed readiness to explore ways of contributing to Nigeria’s transformation.
Mr. Emeka Ebogota, President of the Nigerian Union in Japan, thanked Tinubu for engaging directly with them and affirmed the Union’s support for the government’s efforts to reposition the country. Also in attendance were top government officials, including Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar; Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake; Minister of Regional Development, Abubakar Momoh; Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji; Minister of Budget, Atiku Bagudu; and Minister of State for Finance, Doris UzokaAnite, alongside private sector leaders.
UNILAG, UNICEF, Others Inaugurate BIRD Lab to Drive Behavioural Research, Others
Funmi Ogundare
The University of Lagos (UNILAG), through its College of Medicine, yesterday inaugurated a new Behavioural Insights Research and Design Laboratory (BIRD Lab) aimed at shaping policies and programmes across Nigeria; and advancing child and maternal well-being.
The initiative, hosted in partnership with the Network of Behavioural Research for Child Survival in Nigeria (NETBRECSIN), United Nations Children's
Obaseki Mourns
Fund (UNICEF), Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and other development partners, is designed as a collaborative hub for generating evidence, testing innovations, and scaling behavioural science solutions.
Speaking at the launch, in Lagos, the Chairperson of NETBRECSIN, Prof. Bayo Onajole, described the lab as an inclusive, collaborative space to share experiences, connect, and inspire others through innovative behavioural science.
Death of Edo Pioneer PDP Chairman, Chief Solomon Aguele
Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City
Former Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has expressed deep sorrow over the passing of Chief Solomon Aguele, the pioneer Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State.
In a condolence message, Obaseki described the late Aguele as an astute politician, visionary leader, and devoted party man who played a pivotal role in laying the solid foundation of the PDP in the state.
“Chief Aguele’s steadfastness, wisdom, and exemplary service were instrumental to the growth and stability of the PDP in Edo State. His immense contributions remain indelible in our political history,” Obaseki stated.
The former governor recalled the deceased’s unwavering commitment to unity within the party, noting that despite his age and frail health, Aguele made tireless efforts to rally members for the presidential and governorship elections.
Bassey Inyang in Calabar and Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi
The federal government has descriibed Nigeria’s malnutrition crisis as a national emergency that has resulted in a loss of over $1.5 billion annually.
Also, as part of efforts to commemorate the World Humanitarian Day, the Bauchi State Government has donated the sum of N2.6 million to five residents of the state who are in dire need of help.
The Special Assistant to the President on Public Health, Mrs. Uju Rochas-Anwuka, who stated this when she paid an official visit to the Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Otu, on Thursday, said at the moment Nigeria ranks as the first in Africa, and second globally in child malnutrition.
While briefing the governor of the Nutrition 774 Initiative
and related issues, the Special Assistant to the President said the malnutrition crisis was undermining human capital and national development.
She said, “The Nutrition 774 Initiative was conceived to provide a unified response to Nigeria’s malnutrition crisis, elevating nutrition as a national priority.
"It is a multi-sectoral, community-based framework established to improve nutritional outcomes across the 774 Local Government Areas of the country.”
Rochas-Anwuka said the initiative is anchored on a five-phase Strategic Plan that prioritises actions to strengthen governance structures, ensure accountability, and guarantee long-term sustainability.
She said that each state council on nutrition is expected to
provide overall leadership, policy direction, and oversight to drive the implementation of the N774 initiative.
The Special Assistant to the President commended the Cross River State government for making budgetary provisions for nutrition, noting that such commitment would strengthen local systems and align with national priorities.
“The vision is to achieve a well-nourished and healthy Nigerian population through strengthened local systems and coordinated national action on nutrition,” she said.
In his response, Otu said his administration remains committed to a people-centred government, with a special focus on nutrition, preventive healthcare, and education, while calling for greater federal support to sustain reforms.
Sunday Okobi
The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, yesterday commended Origin Tech Group on the over 90 per cent completion of their facility, with finishing works now ongoing, which he said would aid the state's food security programme. The governor made the commendation alongside his Deputy, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, Bimbola SaluHundeyin, Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and
the Executive Chairman of Origin Tech Group, Prince Samuel Jospeh Samuel, when they toured the mid-Level Agro Food Hub under construction at Abijo in Sangotedo, Eti-Osa. According to Sanwo-Olu, “This hub, built on 23, 000 square metres of land, will provide storage facilities, trading floors, and parking, helping residents in this corridor to access fresh food more easily. It is a part of our broader plan to decentralise food distribution across Lagos.”
Prince Samuel, who is the technical partner for the development of the project, said similar hubs are underway in Agege, Lagos Island, Oregun, and Ikorodu, which have reached various completion stages. “While plans have already been put in place for more of such hubs in Epe and Badagry all of which will connect to the main logistics hub in KetuEreyun, which will serve as the backbone of the food distribution network.”
Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia
The immediate past President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria(PSN), Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, has warned politicians against owing allegiance to godfathers and idols. He said that elected and appointed political office holders clinging to such allegiance had always ended up with woeful performances in governance, noting that many past state governors left such dismal records.
drop baggage of godfathers in order to serve.
Speaking at the state banquet organised by the Abia State Government to mark his 75th birthday anniversary at the International Conference Centre Umuahia, Ohuabunwa said that political leaders should
"A lot of things that kill politicians and make them unable to perform are their godfathers, or when they vow to shrines, and to their gods and goddesses, who will suck the money. They have to keep sacrificing for them, whether they are men, spirit, or idols," he said.
Dike Onwuamaeze
The Nigeria British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) and Moniepoint are collaborating to chart new paths of inclusive growth for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) by unlocking their access to finance, strengthening business capacity and driving them to prosperity.
Speaking on Thursday during the NBCC and Moniepoint Inc. SME Event with the theme: ‘Money in Motion:
Unlocking Capital, Driving SME Prosperity”, the President and Chairman of Council of NBCC, Mr. Abimbola Olashore, said that the chamber’s commitment to growing the SMEs is based on its belief that “when small businesses thrive, communities flourish, and nations prosper.”
Olashore said: “Today’s theme reflects that mission at its core: a commitment to unlocking access to finance, strengthening business capacity, and driving prosperity for SMEs. At NBCC, we believe
that when small businesses thrive, communities flourish, and nations prosper.
“To our SME participants, today is about you. This platform has been designed to give you practical tools, access to networks, and insights that will help you grow beyond limits.
“Through exhibitions, conversations, and knowledge sharing, you will engage directly with partners, financiers, and industry stakeholders who are eager to support your journey.”
Today’s conferment of the Royal Order of Iwere on Mr. Oti Ikomi, the founder, CEO and Executive Vice-Chairman of Proton Energy by His Majesty, Ogiame Atuwatse III, the Olu of Warri, is more than a personal honor. It is a recognition of decades of professional excellence, integrity, and service. The Royal Order of Iwere, regarded as one of the most prestigious honours within the Warri Kingdom, is reserved for individuals whose accomplishments reflect the highest ideals of the Itsekiri nation and contribute meaningfully to society. For Ikomi, a former /CEO of Keystone Bank, who has built a career spanning over four decades across manufacturing, banking, and now energy, the investiture represents both a celebration of his heritage and a renewed call to service. As founder and CEO of Proton Energy, he continues to drive investment and innovation in Nigeria’s power sector, while also spearheading socio-cultural initiatives such as the Itsekiri Renaissance Group, which focuses on youth empowerment and community development. Ikomi, in this conversation, reflects on the personal significance of the award, the deep cultural heritage of the Iwere Kingdom, and his ongoing commitment to excellence in both professional and communal life. Obinna Chima provides the excerpts:
The Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III has described the Royal Order of Iwere (ROI) as being reserved for individuals whose achievements reflect the highest ideals of excellence, integrity, and service. How does your personal and professional journey align with these core values?
It is a high privilege and esteemed honour for our King, Ogiame Atuwatse III, to confer the investiture on me at the Aghofen (the Palace of the Olu of Warri). I have had a professional career of over four decades, starting from manufacturing, to banking, where I excelled at the most senior level as a Chief Executive Officer (CEO), and into industry and business presently, where I am the founder, promoter, and CEO of Proton Energy. It is a pleasure that our king deemed it worthwhile to invite me to the investiture of the ROI, which is a member of the Royal Iwere Society. In the Itsekiri nation and Warri kingdom, we have only one king, we speak one language, and we are one people. Our King is the one who appoints the Chiefs. So, we
only have one set of Chiefs, called the Ojoyes. They are known as the Warri Council of Chiefs. So, next to the Warri Council of Chiefs is the Royal Iwere Society. It is for those who have exhibited extreme competence and professionalism and the values of the Warri kingdom and Itsekiri nation that the King is conferring this investiture on. So, I am quite elated.
The ROI is described as the most prestigious honor, what does this recognition mean to you on a personal level, particularly given its deep cultural significance? I will like to link it up with our people. If you look at Iwere land, it is what was corrupted and became Warri. The Europeans could not pronounce it properly, that was how it became Warri. It is a huge land mass and we are an ethnic group of over 500 years. We were one of the first to associate with the then missionaries, and so we were exposed. It is blessed with abundant natural resources, and our crude oil contributes significantly to the Nigerian economy. So, for me, this will encourage me. It is a recognition and appreciation of the work
we have been doing over the past decades. It is not like I went out to seek for it. I should also mention that in addition to my professional work, I am also the chairman of a group called the Itsekiri Renaissance Group (IRG). This is a socio-cultural group that lives for the advancement of the Itsekiri nation. So, we support the progress of the Itsekiri people, and one of the projects we are working on is the construction of an Information Technology (IT) centre for youth development in Itsekiri. So, I am quite elated and this is a call to duty for me to do more and I look forward to doing more.
The Iwere Kingdom has a rich history and culture. Can you share any personal connections or stories you have with the Itsekiri people or Warri specifically that have shaped your understanding and appreciation of the kingdom? We are in the Westernmost part of the Niger Delta region. So, we have a vibrant cultural heritage. One of the things I would like to say is that I give a lot of credence and tribute to our King, Ogiame Atuwatse III, because he has now brought in
a new sense of dynamism and progressiveness to the Itsekiri nation and the Warri Kingdom. My interest in cultural affairs and the progress of my people has increased significantly since the coming of our current King. In my earlier years, I was more involved in my profession and professional excellence. so, with the King coming in now, I have been more involved in communal activities. For example, when we wanted to set up the ICt centre, the IrG met with him and he gave us four plots of land as his support for the project to take off. We have commenced, and we are almost approaching the roofing stage. that is the kind of person he is. In addition to the royal Iwerre society which I will belong, there is also the royal Iwerre Foundation, which Ogiame atuwatse III has been involved in since he came into office. they are involved in many areas, which include healthcare, educational development and all kinds of social impact across the over 200 communities. He also travels to several countries, from the united Kingdom to Canada, and others, as an ambassador of Nigeria and the Itsekiri Kingdom.
As a recipient, you are now an esteemed member of the Royal Iwere Society, a body devoted to fostering excellence. What is your vision for your role within this society, and how do you plan to contribute to its mission?
I will continue to support the Kingdom. also, there will be a mix and interplay of my professional journey. as we speak, my company, proton energy, will start construction next year. We are located in sapele, which is very close to the Warri Kingdom. We are sure that this will bring in employment to the region and I look to further contributing with employment supporting the Kingdom and I will continue to be an obedient servant to Ogiame atuwatse III, and in any area he wants my assistance, I won’t hesitate to do so.
What role should culture play in shaping society’s values and identity?
It is interesting because I see the younger generation, not just in Iwere Kingdom, but all over the country, as not fully appreciating some of the cultures in our great country. Culture is important, but I think it has not been fully appreciated. We are doing very well in the creative business - from Hollywood, to fashion, and other areas of arts and culture, but there is need for more synchronisation, domestication, awareness and sensitization. so, to the extent that an individual like myself who schooled in the united states, I have worked in several industries in Nigeria, Kenya, Johannesburg and people seeing someone like myself being involved in activities like this, it will be a good model for others to begin to associate with us. so, I will proudly wear our wrapper and the Itsekiri top, which is called Kemeje on the day of the investiture. so, I think we all need to be proud of our various cultures as Nigerians.
Do you think there a clash between culture and religion and how can this be addressed? there is potentially a clash between culture and religion. But people should begin to see things from the positive aspects. I will give you an example. this royal Iwere society, there are seven individuals that are going to receive this award from His Majesty, Ogiame atuwatse III, the Olu of Warri. do you who is number one on the list? pastor ayo Oritsejafor, a respected religious leader. that is the wisdom of His Majesty, Ogiame atuwatse III, the Olu of Warri. He has transcended the domain of religion. even His Majesty, Ogiame atuwatse III, the Olu of Warri, he comes from a very rich Christian background. I have seen him attending pastor Jerry eze’s programmes. We must ensure that culture and religion do not clash. the government also needs to do more to support culture and the arts. In addition, the process of appointing kings and traditional rulers should be free from politics.
Many people know you for your work in the energy and banking sectors. How do you reconcile your professional life in the corporate world with your new role as a cultural custodian and recipient of a royal honor?
We are already involved in philanthropy and other activities in Warri Kingdom. But more importantly my focus as a power generator,
Ikomi
what we are looking at now, with the proton energy project. It will provide 10,000 direct and indirect jobs. this is something that will assist delta state, Iwere nation and the larger Nigeria. also, importantly, for Lagos, we are looking at the opportunity of turbining up to 25 per cent of the on-grid power generation in Lagos. this is something that we think will be very useful and contribute to the Nigerian society. We support power generation, energy independence and energy access, and also support job and wealth creation.
For young people in Nigeria who look up to you, what message would you have for them about integrity, excellence, and service, which are the virtues this award celebrates?
Integrity and hard work are very important. sometimes I see some young people who say they want to retire in their 30s, and I just wonder, if they retire at 30, what are they going to be doing for the rest of their lives? there has to be some dimensioning of the values on social media. sometimes there is an extreme understanding of social media. I would like to see a situation where people see the real world. young people must embrace hard work, integrity, and resilience. For example, the power project we are involved in, we have been on it for close to a decade. these things come with hard work. about a year ago, one of our senior contemporaries in the business, Barth Nnaji, who started Geometrics, went live with Geometrics power in aba. do you know how long he was on that project? Over 20 years. so, hard work, resilience, integrity and of course, a trust in God. Overall, we have high hopes for Nigeria as a nation. We believe that some of the challenges we are seeing now would bottom out. some of micro issues around exchange rate liberalisation, subsidy removal are very painful, but I believe we are beginning to see the positive effects. also, the international community is now beginning to look at us much more positively. so, I think we
need to be proud of our country Nigeria, support the administration and of course lets criticise them where we feel they are not doing well. But lets not just run Nigeria down as some people like to do.
Talk to us about Proton Energy, few weeks ago you got support from Afreximbank, where are you now on your Sapele project?
Like I mentioned, this project is a total of 500 megawatts power plant. the first phase is 150 megawatts, located in sapele. the reason we are located in sapele is that we are close to the gas hub in the Niger delta. this project was conceived by my partner and I. running power projects requires a lot of capital. We have seen also the fact that the electricity act of 2023, updated in 2024, has enabled power generation within the states for generation, transmission and distribution. there is some expectation management. Most people just think that because the states are now licenced they are going to see plants coming up in the states. yes, you will see some of the smaller plants, maybe a solar plant, a renewable plant, or a gas-powered plant. But power is a very expensive business and it must be priced adequately. so, my stakeholders are quite pleased with afreximbank, which is a leading development finance institution in africa and we congratulate their management led by prof. Benedict Oramah, who is the outgoing president, as well as their incoming president, George elombi and the executive Vice president, Kanayo awani and other members of their team. My partners and stakeholders are all very excited and we hope that early next year, construction will start and there would be a lot of economic activities in sapele, delta state and Nigeria. I must also say that we are very pleased to support the renewed Hope agenda of the federal government and we are very pleased to support them.
What do you think is the challenge with the power sector and how can it be addressed? the major challenge that we face is liquidity, which is a mix of improper pricing. We have been investing in that sector for close to a decade and even though it is not something nice to say, we haven’t gotten our investment back. so, we are patient. But the main issue is liquidity. Now, they have introduced cost-reflective
tariffs, which is the Band a and I know that there is plan in place for even Band B and C to gradually move into cost-reflective tariffs. you have to be able to sell your product for a higher landing cost. that is the fundamental. so, I must commend the current administration for pushing us towards a cost-reflective tariff. so, we have gotten to a point now where the industry is getting more liquid and bankable. there are still some challenges. Of course, we still have the technical loses. the aggregate technical transmission and Collection losses in our industry is close to 40 per percent, which is the national average is unacceptable. people like eko disco and other have about 20 per cent loss. that means if you generate N100, you only get N60, while N40 is lost. But one of the key things is this recent challenge with enugu disco. you will need to be able to price adequately. I think there was some form of misunderstanding by the enugu regulators in their ability to price power that they receive from the national grid. I hope that better judgement will come in. that is because what we have in Nigeria is that while you have state generation and licensing in Nigeria, we are not asking for a fragmentation of the system. so, it is expected that enugu regulators would do the right price model. already, because of the mismatch, enugu Band a , which was getting over 20 hours, now gets less than 50 percent power supply. they are now redirecting that power to Band a customers in ebonyi and other states who are going to pay. so, you cannot have a price that is below the cost. We must not be sentimental about this, and we must be very careful not to reverse the gains we have made. I would like this issue addressed within the next few weeks. the other that is a very important, from the enugu experience, is that as states are getting their licensing independence, they have to know that there should not be any recklessness. It has taken the National electricity regulatory Commission and its predecessors close to 20 years to develop the expertise to regulate the power industry. so, we need to have bankable cost-reflective tariffs, bankable agreements and at the same time there must be a bit of the large on-grid projects like proton energy and of course smaller projects. Overall, once you get that right, it will be good for the industry.
Tunde Olusunle
He was already a household name in the old Kwara State by the time I first heard of him. “Old Kwara State” within this context will include the sprawling Borgu part of contemporary Niger State, and the Okun- Yoruba and Ebira sections of today’s Kogi State. The August 27, 1991 states creation exercise carried out by the administration of former military President Ibrahim Babangida, detached the aforementioned parts of the original Kwara State, and realigned them with their present geo- political entities. Raised in the former North Central, (now Kaduna) and Midwestern, (now Edo), my first ever visit to Ilorin the capital of Kwara State was in 1980. My parents took a decision to seek new opportunities in what was then their home state, Kwara, which necessitated the wholesale relocation of the family. I had completed secondary school education in Benin City and tertiary education was on the cards.
Chief Cornelius Olatunji Adebayo, more popularly known as C O Adebayo, was already a prominent public figure by this time, having served in the administrations of a string of military governors in the state. Notably, he served under Colonel Ibrahim Taiwo who was assassinated in the February 13, 1976 coup in which the then Head of State, General Murtala Ramat Mohammed was also murdered. Colonel George Agbazika Innih who succeeded Taiwo retained Adebayo, whose versatility saw him serve in the ministries of Education, Information and Economic Development, at various times. It was in the Ministry of Education, however, where he made the greatest mark, facilitating the abolition of the “shift system” in primary schools in the state. This saw a set of students resume in the mornings and close from school in the afternoons, while another batch resumed in the afternoons and returned home in the evenings. He found this inconveniencing for toddlers and young teenagers. He equally contributed towards increasing the stock of classrooms in secondary schools in the vast old Kwara State.
I was admitted into the School of Basic Studies, (SBS), of the erstwhile Kwara State College of Technology, (Kwaratech), late 1980, and would find out that Chief CO Adebayo occupied a folkloric place in regular discourse within the institution’s community. English, History and Economics were my subjects, and he was the pioneer head of the Department of English back in 1973, when the SBS was established. His colleagues spoke very fondly about him, especially about the creditable manner he ac- quitted himself in political office. His altruism earned him popular nomination as Senator representing present day Kwara South Senatorial District, at the outset of the Second Republic in 1979. As the race for Government House, Ilorin, heated up ahead of the gubernatorial election of 1983, CO Adebayo who flew the flag of the Unity Party of Nigeria, (UPN), was the clear favourite in popular discourse. He eventually upstaged the incumbent, Alhaji Adamu Atta and was inaugurated on October 1, 1983. As he settled down to infuse the governance progressivism characteristic of the
UPN governments in Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Bendel and Oyo states, known by the acronym LOOBO states, however, the military struck December 31, 1983.
Baba CO was at the forefront of the clamour for the revalidation of the mandate of Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, who won the June 12, 1993 presidential election, annulled by General Babangida. He was indeed targeted by General Sani Abacha, who shoved aside the Interim National Government, (ING), hurriedly emplaced by a departing Babangida in August 1993, under the leadership of Chief Ernest Shonekan. Baba CO, who turned down Abacha’s ministerial offer, was a prominent member of the National Democratic Coalition, (NADECO), a broad-based group of pro-democracy advocates, considered insufferable irritants by the Abacha junta. Many members of the coalition were hounded, harassed and hunted like game by Abacha agents. Fleeing danger was being alive to fight another day, even as Baba CO followed the wise precedence of other activists like Prof Wole Soyinka, incumbent President Bola Tinubu, and so on, who fled to safety in foreign lands.
It was the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo who would eventually bring me face to face with Baba CO a precursor I had revered from a distance through the years. I had already been on the staff of the erstwhile President, when Baba CO was appointed Minister for Communications in 2003. He joined the Federal Executive Council on the same day with Prof Eyitayo Lambo, who was Minister for Health. I had heard so much about Emeritus Prof Lambo as a student of the University of Ilorin, where he was before moving around the world in the service of the World Health Organisation, (WHO). Prof Albert Anjorin, Emeritus Professor of Clinical Pathology at my alma mater, Unilorin, a respected mentor, spoke ever so often about “my good friend Eyitayo Lambo” in our frequent meetings during my years in Kwara State. Coincidentally, Prof Lambo and I, both come from the same community, Isanlu, Yagba East council area in Kogi State. He did immensely for health and overall wellbeing of our people in Yagbaland and Okunland in general, during and after his sojourn in government. Baba CO and Prof Lambo had a very long relationship dating back to the old Kwara State, and now found themselves serving in the same federal cabinet.
Away from the quasi-mythical mental picture I had of him for his looming profile, Baba CO was so very disarm- ingly humble, unassuming, down-to-earth and accessible when I eventually met him. For a man who was already a university student at the famous Ahmadu Bello University, (ABU), even before I was born, not for once did he call me by my first name. Indeed, I was always uncomfortable whenever he grabbed my hands and called me “my brother.” How can I be this much older man’s brother and not son, I would wonder, deep inside of me. At the berthing of mobile telephony under his watch as Minis- ter for Communications, I engaged him on a number of occasions, on the sidelines of the federal cabinet meetings, about the thirst of rural communities for integration with the global communications highway. He knew
Late Adebayo
my subtle advocacy took into account the desires of our people in Kogi West and Okunland, and would always remind me about the travails of the Igbomina people of Kwara State in the hands of successive governments.
“The fates of our people, our areas, are tied,” he would tell me. “Extending communications services to Igbomina, is ensuring services in Okunland. It is an objective that must be achieved by the grace of God.” He had a stint in the Federal Ministry of Works in the concluding months of the Obasanjo administration. Baba CO graciously honoured my invitation to be one of the special guests at the public presentation of my volume of essays which documented the Obasanjo presidency titled: On The Trail Of History: A Reporter’s Notebook On Olusegun Obasanjo. Typically, he was one of the earliest arrivals, never given to duplicitous “African” timing. Prof Lambo represented President Obasanjo at the event, which held in December 2006.
Baba CO was built of steel and mortar. Not many people would have survived as long as he did, against the backdrop of some discomforting experiences he had in life. September 12, 2014, he lost his wife, Mrs Funmilayo Adebayo, after a protracted illness. Six years thereafter, his daughter, Mrs Diekola Osa Avielele, passed on July 16, 2020, just about a week after having her son, in Virginia, United States.
Charles Ajunwa
• 08064268968 • ajunwacharles@gmail.com
With its location along the coastline, Azalai Hotel, Cotonou, Benin, offers tourists a serene environment to relax and unwind. Hotel Manager, Mariam Posset, speaks on how the hotel promotes tourism, what makes it a safe haven for tourists, among other salient issues. Charles Ajunwa brings excerpts:
Azalaï Hotel is one of the hotels in Cotonou that promotes tourism in Benin. What has the experience been like over the years?
Over the years, Azalaï Hotel Cotonou has played a pivotal role in promoting tourism in Benin by offering high-quality hospitality services that reflect both international standards and local cultural richness. We’ve had the privilege of welcoming guests from all over the world, and our commitment to excellence has helped position Cotonou as a vibrant and welcoming destination. The journey has been both rewarding and challenging, but our passion for showcasing Benin’s beauty and hospitality remains unwavering.
The majority of tourists in Cotonou prefer to lodge at Azalaï Hotel. Why is that?
Azalaï Hotel is known for its strategic location, exceptional service, and consistent quality. Tourists appreciate the comfort of our rooms, the professionalism of our staff, and the safety of our environment. We also offer a unique blend of African elegance and modern amenities, which makes every stay memorable. Our reputation for reliability and warmth has made us a preferred choice for both leisure and business travelers.
Can you tell us about some of the facilities you have that make guests want to come back again?
We offer a wide range of facilities designed to enhance the guest experience, including: Spacious and well-appointed rooms, gourmet restaurant serving local and international cuisine, a modern fitness center and spa, conference and meeting rooms equipped with the latest technology, a serene
posset
swimming pool area, high-speed internet and business services. These amenities, combined with our personalized service, create an environment where guests feel valued and at home.
Why are you investing so much in artworks such as paintings, sculptures, and carvings?
Art is a powerful medium for storytelling and cultural expression. At Azalaï, we believe in celebrating African heritage through visual arts. Our investment in paintings, sculptures, and carvings is a way to honor local artists and
immerse our guests in the richness of Beninese and African culture. It transforms the hotel into more than just a place to stay—it becomes a cultural experience.
Are there plans to expand the hotel? If yes, in what areas?
Yes, we are exploring expansion opportunities to better serve our growing clientele. These plans include renovating our rooms, all public spaces, conférence rooms, enhancing our wellness and
Group General Manager, Continental Hotels, Karl Hala, speaks about the building of the Continental Academy, which focuses on the training of youths to provide all needed services in the hospitality value chain within Africa, and even beyond. Hala also says that reputable local and international organisations are already collaborating to ensure that the Academy changes the face of tourism in the world by the time it becomes fully operational, among other issues. Charles Ajunwa brings excerpts.
Continental Academy
For us, we want to build a solid foundation that will create a sustainable growth in the hospitality industry. Our infrastructure, be it roads or local flight networks, all need improvement. And even our so-called tourism attractions need improvement. The Continental Academy, we want to build it on levels internationally respected, and must be seen from Nigeria’s perspective. The vision is to ensure that youths drive the Academy. You don’t have to send your kids to Lausanne to be trained in a tourism school. Instead, you send them to Lagos and Abuja, where they have world-class facilities. We have the lecturers. We have a growth path. We know where we want to be there. We want to build a structured growth, a structured career path to attract the youths to our industry.
Collaboration With
Regarding the Continental Academy, I had an amazing response from Nigeria’s Minister of Education, including bodies like IOM, UNHCR, UNICEF, Lagos Business School and more, already collaborating with us not only to see areas of possibilities to build on, but to make sure the100
million people below 20 years have a future. This is where the youths come in as major drivers of our Academy.
A big project like the Academy, we need private and public partners to come in. Everybody has to work together to achieve one goal - make tourism thrive in Nigeria. By doing so, this will bring in many jobs into the industry. This will add to potential GDP growth of X, Y, Z. I got mind-boggled at the 45,000-seater stadium in Kigali, built for MICE and multi-sector sports events. In Nigeria, we need to start telling our story. At the Continental Academy, we have had our first two sessions with the Ministry of Education, local and international bodies. I must say, the commitment we have gotten from these bodies is encouraging. Everything needs money.
You are familiar with the Alpha, the Millennials, the X generation and others. Have you ever heard about Gen U? That’s a UNICEF initiative since three years ago. It is Generation Unlimited. I saw this, because of these discussions. I’m talking to the head of UNICEF, the head of UNHCR, the head of IOM and the Minister of Education. the PM, all this. There’s eagerness to work, and put everybody together, because they have sources we’ll never haven’t. This is amazing. So that means, you want this
unlimited potential of the youths, aided, helped, to get the skills, the opportunities, to find and get into workforces, and into society because that’s the key. So, when we refer to sustainability in tourism, we’re simply referring to youths. That’s what we’re focusing on. At Continental Hotels, that’s where we want to go. Start with the basics, the kitchens, housekeeping, laundry, IT and other services. At the moment we’re doing the groundwork on that.
Own The Narrative
The cultures in Africa, especially the tradition of family in Nigeria, any celebration, whichever area, city, village, region in Nigeria, talking about the sisters and brothers. This is a togetherness you don’t find so often. Nigeria has got strength. It’s here. Forget the rest. This, we build on. The energy levels, the vibes, Nigerians have it. I’m 25 years old in and out of Africa. We have to go into this point and make sure we become ambassadors of Nigeria. As Nigerians, we need to be our own best ambassadors. Not to say, ah, this is bad and that is bad. Who cares outside? That’s the picture we have. They’re unhappy, et cetera. The Turks don’t do it. The Egyptians don’t do it. And they’re being terrorised and bombarded a hundred times more than here. But their tourism is flocking and flowing.
recreational facilities, and developing new event spaces to accommodate larger conferences and social gatherings. We are also considering partnerships that will allow us to expand more hotels in central and West Africa. Currently, our presence spans seven countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, and Mauritania. We are planning to open new hotels in Cameroon, Guinea Conakry, and Nigeria, further strengthening our footprint across West and Central Africa.
Recently, you hosted tour operators from Nigeria on a fam trip. Are you in partnership with some of them?
The fam trip was part of our strategic initiative to strengthen regional tourism collaboration. We are actively building partnerships with Nigerian tour operators to create cross-border travel packages and promote West African tourism. These collaborations are essential for boosting visitor numbers and creating shared value across the region.
You attended the 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Nigerian Association of Tour Operators (NATOP) held in Ondo State. What were the takeaways from the tourism event?
The NATOP AGM was a valuable experience. It highlighted the importance of regional integration in tourism and the need for stronger public-private partnerships. Key takeaways included the potential for eco-tourism development, the role of digital platforms in promoting destinations, and the importance of storytelling in attracting international visitors. It was also a great opportunity to network and explore collaborative projects that can benefit both Nigeria and Benin.
We can do much better. But we have to become ambassadors and be proud Nigerians. So we have to write a story. I challenge you. Write a story. Get this together. The highlights of this amazing Nigerian history. The culture, traditions. They’re mind-boggling. They’re so strong. I don’t see this often in Africa. I’m proud of Nigerians. We shouldn’t take hook, line and sinker all the narratives about Nigeria, especially in the area of insecurity. I strongly believe Nigeria is a safe destination thriving on tourism and business hubs. For example, Lagos and Abuja. If you really think about it, you can take this or not. With 230 million people, statistically the crime is minimal. The people’s drive is energetic and vibrant. There’s no comparison with other African countries.
Creative Sector
In the creative sector, fashion is number one. It’s about 2-3 leads. It might have risen. Hair is number two with about 1.5. And hospitality is actually number three, around 1.2-3. So these numbers you can verify, but these numbers I have on the highest level verified. But it might have been two years out there. But it just shows you there’s growth.
Contrary to insinuations that the military is recruiting repentant insurgents into its ranks, the Coordinator of Operation safe Corridor, Brigadier general Yusuf Ali, has insisted that they have not been recruited into the military. general Ali explains that the military recruitment process is highly structured, with clear and strict eligibility criteria. He also provided a general overview of the operation and affirmed that there is no possibility of anyone with a criminal background being recruited into the Armed Forces of Nigeria. Linus Aleke brings the excerpts:
You are the Commander of Operation Safe Corridor. Can you give us an overview of the operation?
Operation Safe Corridor began around 2015, when President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office and was keen to explore every possible strategy to reduce the threat posed by insurgents. The idea was not solely to rely on kinetic force but to also introduce non-kinetic approaches. One such approach was to create a pathway for individuals who were not deeply involved in insurgency to surrender voluntarily, thereby reducing the number of active fighters.
How do you identify those who are not hardcore or fanatical insurgents?
You may recall that several local government areas in the Northeast—such as Madagali, Bama, and Gwoza—were once controlled by insurgents. As military operations intensified and these areas were cleared, many insurgents were forced to flee. In the process, they abducted and coerced able-bodied youths from local communities into joining their ranks. Over time, many of these individuals, who did not join the insurgency willingly, began to escape as military pressure mounted. Upon escape, they would surrender to the armed forces, who would take them to designated holding centres for screening and interrogation. During this process, the circumstances under which they joined the group become clearer. Based on these findings, some are categorised as low-risk. On the other hand, the hardcore ideologues rarely surrender unless captured in battle. During their interrogation, it becomes evident that their ideological commitment is deeply rooted.
There are two key pathways for dealing with them. The transitional justice system is applied to low-risk individuals. These are reconciled and reintegrated into their communities after being deradicalised at our centre, rehabilitated, trained in vocational skills, and offered psychosocial therapy. They also receive ideological and religious counselling to help them understand their responsibilities as good citizens.
A combination of therapies is administered before reintegration. The reintegration process is led by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), an independent, non-governmental body that works with local communities, traditional rulers, community leaders, and even victims of insurgency. These stakeholders are brought together to help them understand that some of their sons and daughters, who were coerced into insurgency, have shown genuine remorse and undergone rehabilitation. After a series of consultations and meetings, a reunion is arranged by the IOM, often in collaboration with youth leaders, religious figures, market women, and other key community influencers. Once their buy-in is secured, the reintegration proceeds. In essence, Operation Safe Corridor is a platform for low-risk former insurgents—those coerced into insurgency, who voluntarily surrendered—to be deradicalised, rehabilitated, and reintegrated. Some were even kidnapped while travelling, forced into the bush, and conscripted into the insurgency.
Now to a common question, which often arises with emotion: Why should individuals who participated in the destruction of communities and the killing of innocent people be rehabilitated and reintegrated into society, rather than being subjected to the criminal justice system?
This question stems largely from a misunderstanding of the process. The criminal justice system does apply to individuals who, during interrogation, are identified as ideologues—the masterminds of the insurgency. Many of them have already been prosecuted and sentenced to various prison terms. It is after serving those sentences that some of them may pass through the Operation Safe Corridor programme, having undergone significant therapy and ideological reorientation.
The transitional justice system is reserved for low-risk individuals. The criminal justice system is for high-risk individuals confirmed through multiple sources, including databases, community testimony, and intelligence. In Maiduguri, for example, we have the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), made up of local youth and community members who identify insurgents and hand them over to security agencies.
When individuals are brought into Operation Safe Corridor, the same CJTF members help verify them. For some, they say, “This one was forced into insurgency; he’s not a member.” But for others, they confirm, “He was a commander; he led a camp.” Those identified as high-risk are prosecuted accordingly, and many are currently facing trial. Contrary to public perception, this is not about leniency. Nation-states operate under humanitarian law and are guided by legal and moral obligations. We cannot reduce ourselves to the lawlessness of insurgents. Operation Safe Corridor is a humanitarian effort designed to distinguish between actual insurgents and those who were victims of circumstance.
It could happen to anyone—you or me. One could be kidnapped while travelling, forced into the bush, and coerced into insurgency under the threat of death. Internally, you reject it, but compliance becomes a matter of survival. If such a person later escapes, should they be criminalised by the very society they were taken from? That would be double jeopardy. Operation Safe Corridor exists to prevent such secondary victimisation—giving low-risk individuals a chance to be reformed,
reoriented, and reintegrated into society. This is a window of mercy, not for the guilty, but for the victims caught in the crossfire of terrorism.
Do we have statistics on how many of these repentant insurgents have been reintegrated into society? Secondly, are there policies in place to ensure they are monitored after reintegration?
Good question. There are thousands who have been reintegrated and, as I told you, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) monitors their activities. This is because they are the ones who link them with their communities after rehabilitation, using the support of traditional rulers, youth leaders, community leaders, and other key stakeholders within those communities. They are the ones who actually carry out the integration. We only facilitate the process through which they are reconnected with their families after deradicalisation and rehabilitation. However, the monitoring and the broader aspect of ensuring that they live peacefully within their respective communities is handled by the IOM, and so far, there have been no adverse reports concerning them.
We have two models of rehabilitation and reintegration. The Borno model, which is run by the Borno State Government, is not as structured as the federal government’s programme. The federal initiative is known as Operation Safe Corridor, which covers deradicalisation, rehabilitation, and reintegration. However, under the Borno model, the numbers are even higher because insurgents surrender directly to the state government, which then handles their rehabilitation. Since the state is closer to the communities, it’s often more accessible for them. In fact, the number of individuals going through the Borno model is greater than those under Operation Safe Corridor. From the feedback we’ve received, those who pass through Operation Safe Corridor cannot even return to the bush. This is because the insurgents still in the bush view them as people who have been deradicalised by the government and turned
against the group. If they are seen, they risk being killed, as the insurgents believe the government has released them to act as spies. So, the likelihood of them returning to insurgency is practically zero—they wouldn’t survive it.
On the other hand, those under the Borno model do not go through the same close-knit process as Operation Safe Corridor. They have more freedom of movement, and if they feel neglected or unsupported, there’s a possibility that some of them could relapse.
Is the military really recruiting some of them into the service after deradicalisation and rehabilitation, as is being insinuated in some quarters?
There is absolutely nothing like that. To the best of my knowledge, no insurgents are being recruited into the military. The military recruitment process is highly structured, with clear and strict eligibility criteria. You can’t alter the process to accommodate a specific group of people. There are social and legal qualifications that every applicant must meet to be eligible for recruitment into any of the services. If an applicant has any criminal record, they are automatically disqualified. There is no way anyone with a criminal background can be recruited into the Armed Forces of Nigeria. It’s simply not done.
But why is the military keeping quiet while the rumour is spreading?
The military is not keeping quiet. I am aware that the military has spoken out several times to debunk those rumours. Anybody you see in the military is someone who has followed the strict and structured process of joining. The military does not waive its recruitment policy to accommodate anything that would be inimical to the security of this country.
As the coordinator of the operation, what are some of the challenges you encounter in the process of discharging your statutory duty?
One of the major challenges I face is the press. If you ask me how, I’ve had a lot of discussions with people from the press. It’s just like what the coordinator of the National Counterterrorism Centre was saying the other day—we seem to thrive on sensationalism without considering the fact that we are all working hand-in-glove on issues of national security and cohesion.
We are having this conversation, but you and I know that no activity, whether social or economic, can thrive in an atmosphere of chaos. If there were total chaos now, we wouldn’t even be able to be here, let alone conduct this interview. We are all partners in this. We should be a little less emotional and less sensational when discussing security matters.
The press is one of my biggest challenges because all efforts to make them understand the structured system of conducting deradicalisation, rehabilitation, and reintegration processes seem to be overshadowed by emotion. They do not want to see reason. As I often say, it’s important to sometimes turn the coin a little—try to see things from the other side. Any of us, as I’ve said before, could be victims. We could be travelling, a vehicle could be stopped, and we might be kidnapped and taken into the bush. It is not our will to be there. After being forced into criminality, if we are then given the opportunity to turn over a new leaf, to change, and society chooses to stigmatise us and refuse reintegration, how would we feel? That is the problem.
Ebelechukwu Enemchukwu, the CEO of WABIO International Limited, wears many hats as wife, mother, corporate professional, beauty queen, and women’s advocate. But beyond the glamour and achievements lies a woman deeply grounded in values, faith, and a clear sense of purpose. she speaks candidly about marriage, noting that what works for her may not work for another person, a reminder that every relationship has its unique rhythm and should not be judged by societal templates. Her perspective underscores the importance of individuality, respect, and understanding in building lasting unions. Beyond her personal life, Enemchukwu reflects on her journey through pageantry, which she insists is not just about physical beauty. For her, the crown offered a platform and a stronger voice to inspire women, promote causes close to her heart, and challenge stereotypes. Charles Ajunwa brings the excerpts:
Canyoutellusaboutgrowingup?
My family was a close-knit one. There was I, my father, mother, five siblings, the first boy, then four girls. So I’m the second child. So growing up was beautiful. I was very close to my brother. In fact, if you notice, I always wear baseball caps. This was my brother because we’re that close. He always had a baseball cap on. He always had something on and I picked that up from my first year in school. Growing up we didn’t have people coming to live with us. The best we had was maybe going on family vacations and for such family vacations, it would be a total family movement. But we’re really close. I remember sometimes people ask me, where did you get your diction, your love for English language from? I always say to them, I’ll attribute it to two people. One, my dad. My dad was a believer in newspapers and their impact in shaping, not just people’s thoughts, but in improving your vocabulary. Sadly, we’ve lost a lot of that. We’re not even going to lie about it as of today. So that was my dad. As per the diction, the elocution, the clarity of words, effective communication, I’ll give it to my mum. That was her. My mum was a mathematics teacher. She grew, of course, through the ranks, became a guidance counsellor, vice principal, then retired as a permanent secretary in the Ministry of Education Enugu State. My dad is a pharmacist. He still practices pharmacy. I mean, he has his own line of business, he makes his own drugs. So in my family, we were that close. My primary education was in Abia State. I was born in Enugu, I’m from Enugu, Udi Local Government Area, and raised in Aba in Abia State. My first degree was from Abia State University, Uturu. My secondary education, before getting to university was in Akwa Ibom, Federal Government College Ikot Ekpene. So that was my upbringing. So I had my Master’s at the University of Lagos, and I’m back in school now actually running a couple of programmes. I keep saying learning is an ongoing thing.
You talk with so much energy, were you a stubborn child growing up?
I have people who will always tell me you have different personalities. Those who have been close to me and now understand me would say, ‘she is quiet, she is just to herself.’ That same person will encounter me on the stage hosting an event and will not believe this is the same person with a heavy dose of humour and professionalism. That same person will see me taking a corporate class, teaching emotional intelligence, or team building or interpersonal relationship skills and the person would wonder, ‘hold a minute, is it the same person?’ Basically, I wouldn’t call it different personalities. It’s like having a quiver full of arrows. You know when to pull out each and shoot. I’m a thoughtful person. I’m big on thoughtfulness, mindfulness, and intentionality. Sometimes I tell myself not to suffer from analysis paralysis. I’m also not somebody who rushes on a trend. No. I’m not a trend person. I will set it, and I will set it at my own pace. So I know when to activate whichever part, I have different capacities. Somebody who has never encountered me would think I’m a quiet person. So, I’m not a stubborn person, but I’m too confident. In fact, if there’s such a thing as taming it or reducing it, that is probably what I started doing at some point. Once upon a time, people would say, ‘she is a snub.’
And that is because I’m too sure of myself. I’m too sure of what I want, and I’m never forceful about it. I feel the pulse of everyone and everything, really. I’m never in a hurry. One day, my husband asked me, ‘why is it that people find it too comfortable sharing things with you, even unsolicited?’ And I told him that it is because they know it would never be heard anywhere. They know this woman would rather die than divulge information. That has always been in me. The confidence has always been there. I would say I’m confident, but I’m cautious because I know there’s a fine line between confidence and arrogance. I’m pressed by what people think about me. Good perception is good. That’s what I teach. At times, you can’t undo it. Present yourself well. Present the best version of yourself every time.
How did you become a queen?
I competed in the Mrs. category of the United Nations pageant and I won Mrs. Nigeria. Having won Mrs. Nigeria United Nations, I represented Nigeria on the international stage and won the Mrs. Tourism United Nations world title. So for those who usually would say, Miss, I keep correcting them saying, Mrs., not Miss. It’s a Mrs. I competed as Mrs. I already had my last child before competing. So it wasn’t a case of Miss, then you became Mrs. No. So, having won Mrs. Nigeria, I also won Mrs. Tourism, and that’s in a nutshell what introduced me to the business of tourism. And that’s how I got here. And yes, I’ve done it for over a decade now, and it’s been an interesting journey. Yes, that’s how I got here. And I operate in various capacities. Professionally, I may compare. That’s both in my corporate life and beyond. That’s on the one hand, beyond the other things I do. I serve in the tourism industry, not just professionally
as a compere, but in other capacities, including of course, ambassadorial roles and influencing roles. I’m currently Carnival Calabar consultant and adjudicator. Well, I started as an adjudicator for both the national and international Carnival Calabar, but now it has gone beyond that. And I’m almost like, some people will say, the face of DSTV for Carnival Calabar. I also co-authored the book, which I would say was all over the place or has gained deep penetration titled ‘Carnival Calabar, 15 Years and Counting’. So the Carnival is in its 21st year now, even though we just marked the 20th celebration. So we’re looking at doing an updated version of that. Those are some capacities in which I constantly contribute in the tourism industry, but yes, becoming Mrs. Tourism was my favourite. That’s the avenue through which I made my tourism debut. And it’s been amazing ever since then.
Howdidyourhusbandreacttoyourinvolvement in a beauty contest, knowing that some men are possessive when it comes to their wives?
Some people say, ‘you’re just a woman of many parts.’ And I agree with them. I never argue that because another part I didn’t tell you is, I have not just a foundation. In fact, my company, WABIO International, is an acronym. WABIO is, Women Are Beautiful Inside and Out. So most people just say WABIO, but it’s actually an acronym. So it’s a reminder to women and girls that you can be everything you wish to be and more. Now speaking of my husband, the first question he was asked when I won on the national stage, before going to represent Nigeria in Kingston, Jamaica, was ‘you’re not just an Igbo man, you’re an Nnewi man, Anambra to the core. How in the world will you let your wife do this?’ On the stage, this was after I got crowned. And he told them ‘she doesn’t stop me, she doesn’t prevent
me from achieving my dreams, so why should I stop her?’ Now, it takes a man of high internal security to be able to hold that position. But then a lot of women have come to me. I mean, it’s been 10 years since I won Nigeria Mrs. Tourism. A lot of women come to me and they say, ‘you’re lucky your husband allowed you, I really want to do it.’ So I shut them down immediately. No two marriages are the same, no two couples are the same. So you can’t sit and say because my own husband allowed me, so that makes him a better man. No, darling. So what works for me may not necessarily work for you. The reason, or whatever it is that has given him that confidence that don’t worry. In fact, let me even say something really interesting. I learnt this much later after I had won. His friends at that time told him, ‘I hope you know you’ve lost your wife, forget it.’ So did he have that fear? Maybe, but it was never shared. But the man himself, from whom I already mentioned, okay, see what I’m trying to do, who okayed it from the get-go, had his reasons. So I’ll always remind other women to say, your husband saying, no, you can’t do that. Go over my dead body. He probably has his reasons. I’m not about to get into that conversation with you. Mr. Enemchukwu himself had complete reasons as to why he says, darling wife, go ahead. You have my hundred per cent support. So, I don’t need to start dismantling or dissecting that part, talking about the reasons. But whatever it is you wish to do, go for it. That’s usually my charge. Go for it. Have a strong conviction. Be clear on it. When the vision is clear, decisions become easier. And that was the story for me. My husband is God-fearing. As a matter of fact, he would have been a Reverend Father. He was an altar boy for a long time. He has a strong sense of self, a strong sense of internal security, a focused man, and he knows where he’s going. I am a Catholic as well and some would even say I almost became a Reverend Sister as well.
What made you drop the idea of becoming a reverend sister?
It was not that deep. It’s just that those on the outside would say she is from a family of strong Catholic background. So it wasn’t exactly what I would call a dream. For me, it’s been 17 years of blissful marriage.
What inspired you to go into pageantry?
When I was younger, maybe as a teenager, I was blessed with a good body. Let’s put it that way. Don’t worry about my shape now because I am a mother with three teenagers.
Tellusmoreaboutbeingalearninganddevelopment expert?
For 19 years and counting, I’ve been in the field of soft skills. And by that, I mean, for those who wonder, what exactly are soft skills, and how do they differ from hard skills? So it’s my job to ensure that I help people relate better with others. No one operates in a vacuum. No one operates in isolation. You interact with people. So, beyond having the technical skills, technical competencies, being able to handle the hard stuff, there are things that oil that wheel of every relationship. That’s where I come in as a soft skills expert. So if you’re talking about emotional intelligence, time management principles, stress management, and achieving service excellence.
The recent revelation that Nigerians have been consuming genetically modified beans since 2019 has sparked widespread concern and outrage. The Bt-cowpea, a variety of beans, a genetically engineered variety of beans, has been commercialised and widely adopted without public discourse, labelling, or transparency. Sunday ehigiator explores the state of GMO regulation in Nigeria, the controversies surrounding Btcowpea, and the implications of a food system where millions unknowingly consume genetically engineered foods, raising questions about informed consent and the right to know what we eat.
On a typical morning in Lagos, Zainab heads to Mile 12 Market, clutching a faded shopping bag and mentally ticking off her grocery list: rice, beans, tomatoes, palm oil.
Like many Nigerians, she is mindful of her spending, juggling high food prices with feeding her family of five. But what Zainab, like millions of Nigerians, is completely unaware of is that she may be feeding her family genetically modified organisms (GMOs), without ever being told.
Genetically modified organisms have steadily and quietly entered Nigeria’s food supply over the last decade. Driven by promises of increased yield, pest resistance, and food security, GMO crops such as Bt-cowpea (a variety of beans) and genetically engineered maize have been adopted in limited but expanding capacities.
Yet, the fundamental question remains: do Nigerians know what they’re eating? The answer, grounded in regulatory loopholes, poor labelling laws, and limited public awareness, is a resounding no!
What Are GMOs?
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are plants, animals, or microorganisms whose genetic makeup has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally through mating or natural recombination. In agriculture, GMOs are typically engineered to enhance certain traits, such as resistance to pests or herbicides, improved nutritional content, or greater yield.
Globally, GM crops have been in commercial use since the 1990s, with countries like the United States, Brazil, Argentina, and India leading in cultivation. Common GM crops include maize, soybeans, cotton, and canola.
In theory, GMOs offer powerful solutions to agricultural challenges, particularly for countries like Nigeria, where food insecurity, pest infestations, and climate change pose serious threats to food production.
However, the issue is far more complex than science and yield. It touches on ethics, corporate power, sovereignty, and perhaps most crucially, consumer choice.
Nigeria’s Food Insecurity and Technological Hope
Nigeria, with over 200 million people, is Africa’s most populous nation. The country has long struggled with food insecurity. In 2023, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimated that over 26.5 million Nigerians were food insecure, with millions facing crisis levels of hunger.
The reasons are multifaceted: climate change-induced droughts and floods, insurgency and farmer-herder clashes, inflation, poor infrastructure, and a lack of access to credit and technology.
Against this backdrop, agricultural biotechnology has been marketed by some as the silver bullet that could rescue Nigeria from its perpetual food crisis.
GMOs as Solution?
In 2015, Nigeria passed the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) Act, which established the NBMA as the regulatory agency to oversee GMO approvals, imports, trials, and commercialisation.
By 2019, Nigeria approved the commercial release of its first genetically modified crop, Bt-cowpea (beans), genetically engineered to resist the Maruca vitrata pest, a notorious insect that causes up to 80 per cent yield loss in traditional cowpea farms.
The GMO Beans Controversy: Bt-cowpea (SAMPEA 20-T)
Cowpea (popularly called “beans” in Nigeria) is a staple food across the country, consumed by millions in various forms; from moi-moi to akara, and beans porridge, etc.
In 2019, the NBMA approved the commercial release of Bt- cowpea (marketed as SAMPEA 20-T), developed by Nigeria’s Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR) in partnership with the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF). The beans were engineered to contain a gene from the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) bacterium that kills the Maruca pest.
The developers touted the beans as a victory for Nigerian science and food security. Farmers reportedly observed reduced use of pesticides, better yield, and improved income. Yet, the approval was met with stiff resistance from several civil society groups, environmentalists, and food safety advocates. Some of their main concerns included issues around insufficient testing of these crops, with many arguing that food safety assessments were rushed and lacked transparency. Furthermore, the development of the cowpea in collaboration with foreign biotech interests also sparked fears about seed sovereignty and corporate control.
Another concern is the lack of labelling and traceability of GM beans. Without a mandate to label or segregate these crops from conventional varieties, consumers are unable to make informed choices about what they eat. This lack of transparency
Beans on sale
also raises cultural and religious concerns, particularly in a deeply religious society where the origin of genetic material matters.
Ecological risks are also a major worry, with activists warn- ing that the modified beans could lead to pest resistance, affect non-target insects, or crossbreed with local varieties. It also sparked cultural and religious concerns; for a deeply religious society like Nigeria, the origin of genetic material matters. For instance, genes from pigs would be unaccept- able to Muslims. Without proper labelling, such concerns are impossible to address.
In the same year, 2019, a coalition of 50 civil society organisations, including the Health of Mother Earth Founda- tion (HoMEF), filed a lawsuit at the Federal High Court in Abuja to halt the release of Bt-cowpea. While the case is still in court, the beans are already on Nigerian farms, and possibly on dinner plates.
Perhaps the most troubling issue with GMOs in Nigeria is the lack of clear labelling.
According to Section 43 of the NBMA Act, labelling is only required “as may be prescribed.” This gives the NBMA discretionary power to decide whether labelling is necessary. However, the NBMA Regulations of 2017 explicitly state that foods containing Genetically Modified (GM) ingredients must be labelled.
Additionally, the Pre-Packaged Food (Labelling) Regula- tions 2022 by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) also require the declaration of GMOs on the label.
Despite this regulation, there is currently no robust labelling framework for GM products in Nigeria. The NBMA Regulations set a 4 per cent GMO threshold for labelling, which means that foods containing less than 4 per cent GMOs do not require labelling.
In practice, this means that genetically modified beans, maize, or processed foods made from GM ingredients can be sold without informing consumers.
There are also concerns about the level of compliance with these labelling requirements in Nigeria. Some studies have indicated a lack of sufficient information on GMO labelling, highlighting the need for stronger enforcement and monitor- ing of labelling regulations to ensure consumer protection. Compare this with the European Union, where labelling is mandatory for any food or feed containing more than 0.9% GM content. In Nigeria, people unknowingly consume GM foods, with no way of opting out.
Food vendors don’t know. Traders don’t know. Farmers often aren’t told the full story, and regulators are over- whelmed or complicit; the big question is, how then would the consumers know what they are eating?
Street Food, Supermarkets, and School Meals: The Unseen Web In Nigeria, food flows through highly informal and complex channels. Beans bought at Mile 12 may end up as akara in a street corner in Enugu or moi-moi in a Lagos school meal program. Due to the lack of product traceability, it is impos- sible to tell whether that akara ball is made from traditional beans or genetically modified Bt-cowpea.
Supermarkets are no better. Imported processed foods, egg, cow-meat, cornflakes, oils, and snacks often contain GM soy or maize, yet labelling is inconsistent or nonexistent.
Some foreign products do carry labels, but Nigerian-made
goods rarely do. In a 2022 study by the Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology (NIFST), over 60 per cent of tested supermarket items contained ingredients likely sourced from GM crops, yet fewer than 10 per cent were labelled.
Specifically, the study revealed that a large proportion of food products, particularly those made from maize, soy, and wheat, contained GM ingredients.
For example, one study detected GM sequences in 11 out of 15 samples tested, but only two were properly labelled. Another study showed that six out of 15 samples (40 per cent) were non- compliant with labelling guidelines, indicating that a substantial number of items were not labelled as containing GM ingredients. This opacity undermines consumer rights and violates the principle of informed consent.
What Do Nigerians Think About GMOs?
A recent survey conducted by the University of Ibadan’s Department of Agricultural Extension in 2023 revealed a significant knowledge gap among Nigerians regarding genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
The survey found that a staggering 74 per cent of respondents had never even heard of GMOs, while 19 per cent had heard the term but couldn’t define it.
Only a tiny fraction, 7 per cent, could provide a clear explana- tion of what GMOs are and how they differ from traditional crops. This lack of awareness is alarming, especially considering the widespread presence of GMOs in the country’s food supply. Despite the knowledge gap, the survey revealed a strong demand for transparency. When informed about GMOs, a whopping 82% of respondents expressed a desire to be told if the food they’re eating is genetically modified. This clear preference for transparency highlights the need for better education and labelling of GMO products in Nigeria.
The global scientific community remains divided on the long-term health and environmental implications of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). While numerous studies suggest that currently approved GM crops are safe for consumption, others caution that many of these studies are either too short-term, too narrow in scope, or influenced by the biotech industry itself.
Major institutions like the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), and the U.S. Na- tional Academy of Sciences have stated that GM foods approved through proper regulatory frameworks are unlikely to pose health risks. However, this is conditional on stringent and transparent safety assessments, something that is often lacking or inconsistently applied, especially in developing nations like Nigeria.
Speaking in an interview with THISDAY, Norwegian-Nigerian Scientist, Cynthia Uwalaka, noted that, “A key issue is the absence of long-term, independent research, particularly in African contexts where dietary patterns, environmental factors, and genetic diversity differ significantly from the regions where most GMO testing is done.
“In Nigeria, for instance, there is little to no publicly available data on how GM foods like Bt-cowpea interact with local health conditions, gut microbiota, or nutrient absorption.
“Most of the safety assessments used in Nigerian approvals rely on data generated by the developers of the crops themselves or from foreign studies, which may not account for region-specific variables such as exposure levels, cooking methods, or concurrent dietary deficiencies.
At the age of twenty-six, he was a deliberate choice of youth to the crown. This was in 1960. The kingmakers may have looked ahead to their assignment for vitality, creativity and modernity. They were looking for transformation. He carried the assignment with aplomb, and the good Lord blessed him with longevity so that he was not only transformational but he was also reformative and consequential. At his death at 91, he had been in office as the Awujale of Ijebuland for sixty-five years; long enough to have combined office with service and controversies, colour with regal splendour, and deliver performance on high nodes. He was born to rule and died a deity.
Nigeria in 1960 was laden with activities. At the top of the list was the spirit of liberation. Independence hung thick in the air. Men of various colours, on the stump, assured that the future was bright in our hands. The Ijebus caught the bug. A new king, encircled by a rejuvenated kith and kin, was going to be around to gallantly carry the land with pride and dignity. With a new king, the Ijebus were ready to be borne aloft into a new and higher realm.
As soon as Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona assumed office, the Chiefs around him, men old enough to be his father or grandfather, immediately tested his mettle. The Chiefs had thought that being young, they could pocket him, hold him by his nose, push him around and direct his path. They soon found out that there was only one king and the king was young, firm, clear-sighted, independent and audacious. Youthfulness and courage had coalesced to provide the Ijebus with an instant icon, which was the beginning of his people’s affection for him. For that courageous act, the national interest in him also grew. He took command of his crown from the start and held the reins to the end. A new king was in town, and this is where his story began.
Growing up as a young boy in Ijebu-Ode, Oba Daniel Adesanya, Gbelegbuwa II, his predecessor, used to visit the Chief Imam of Ijebuland, Alhaji Kadiri Borokinni, who lived opposite my grandfather’s residence at Ita Ntebo. I noticed that all men around went flat on the ground and the women on their knees at the presence of the king. That was respect and power. It was a spectacle to experience the deference with which the king was held and treated. In those days, it was a rarity to see the king. So, it was a singular fortune for me as a young boy to see the king when he came around. More often, the city’s contact with the king was with the town crier who sounded the gong to say what the king said in private or summoned the town for a king’s assignment, usually communal repairs or road building. The king lived in his palace in the centre of town, and his sphere of influence spread across the city. I was a very, very distant dot to the king.
Coincidentally for me, Oba Adetona took temporary accommodation directly opposite my parents’ house at Adeniji Street, Ibadan, anytime he came for cabinet or House of Chiefs meetings or some social functions in Ibadan. I was never privy to what transpired in the house other than knowing that my parents, by duty and custom, would go to pay obeisance to the king anytime he was around. All I saw was that the king always walked stridently to his car and carried an elegant look even from afar. He stood tall, dignified and handsome. There was just that aura about him. His carriage made you look at him with respect, admiration and appreciation. I aped his carriage from afar.
In addition to the statutory Chieftaincy councils available to him to provide support and counsel while in office, Oba Adetona had around him a ring of loyal young men; an inner court to provide ideas, or as business acolytes, and or to provide play, a bon viveur, a schoolboyish atmosphere as a vent for youthful exuberances. Remember, he came to the crown at twenty-six, and youthfulness would come through no matter the shield to the crown. There was a bit of Las Vegas in their midst. Whatever they did remained where it was done. Occasionally, their excesses leaked to the town, and the town frowned at them, taking a very dour view of their conduct. But they could not do much other than frown and grumble. The land did not like it, but he weathered through. He saw from the early stages that the crown carried enormous responsibilities and prestige but was acutely lacking in financial support to drive and sustain the office. Things had changed. For example, the people longed to see the king, and the king desired to step out to bring the crown closer to the people. This required an extensive wardrobe. That alone was expensive and was modestly catered for. For financial support, he was either going to go cap in hand begging the state or fend for himself. He chose the latter. The land revolted against his running a business. It was anathema to the office, totally demeaning of the king, an Awujale for that matter, to be engaged in business. The noise was loud to the king’s unorthodoxy, and the opposition to him tumultuous, but there was no going back. The young king was defiant. He engaged successfully in business, and in later years, his success may have created his financial independence and laid the foundation for his golden era, which lay ahead. The Oyo Kingdom may have drawn some lessons from the
Awujale’s ascension to the throne. They, too, like the Ijebus, chose a young and educated man, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, as king in 1970. Behind the scenes, Oba Adetona summoned late Chief Emmanuel Oyedele Ashamu, the Maye of Oyo, a leading force and businessman in Oyo, for some advice. He was to take the lead, to rally prominent men in Oyo to establish a discrete and supportive account for the young Alaafin to draw from. This fund was to provide the Alaafin with additional sustenance and help his independence. This counsel and the prosecution of the idea endeared Oba Adeyemi to Awujale Adetona. The powerful forces of their crowns never publicly disagreed on issues. The keen observer may have noticed that the Alaafin and the Awujale never openly bickered over territorial supremacy.
Having forged his financial independence, his character could now show through. He was not going to be beholden to the state. His voice would cut through boldly in thick, thin and ice. He was going to be a man of his own making, a fearless speaker, a king of his own destiny, a bold leader of his people, a modern and progressive king. To the office, he was not just going to be living the crown day-by-day, he was going to conscientiously think, address and mould his responsibilities to serve his people.
It is often said that royal fathers are apolitical, or disguisedly political, but it was open knowledge that Oba S.K. Adetona had a foot in politics, and often, his political stance was not in alignment with his kingdom’s generality. But here was his unique mark. He was ready to stand alone and to take a stand against the land’s grain. For this, the political forces were determined to tame him, and he just managed to escape their vice by the scruff of his neck. Fate saved his deposition. In later years, he would rise to mend forces within and between state and national political rivalries or encourage coalitions of parties to help victories and progress, or assuage egos to help compromises, or build bridges across the country. He was a powerful man behind the scenes, and powerful enough to foray into politics without blemish. He was really a man to go to when there was tension in the land. Often, when politicians or citizens were persecuted, they found refuge under his wings. Some hid in his palace, and to some, the Awujale stood protectively erect, daring the powers that be to effect arrest under him. They dared not. The Awujale had no army or police force, but by sheer moral force of personality and office, he could not be trampled upon. Whereas General Abacha had cowed many traditional and opinion leaders into accepting a dodgy video over trumped-up ‘coup’ charges against his deputy, General Oladipo Diya, Awujale was not persuaded. Not only was he not persuaded, but he also did not mince words in the presence of the Head of State that Diya’s life be spared. Awujale was a lone, courageous voice in this regard. The late Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Oloyede Ashanike, had once looked at a diminutive Abacha on his visit to his palace, and in the salty Ibadan tongue had laughed out loud that, ‘it is you, this small man, that is so tormenting and fearsome’. Awujale must have felt the same, seeing Abacha as a featherweight. No Boxing Council would dare pair a
featherweight and a heavyweight in a physical duel. Awujale was a heavyweight literally and figuratively. Diya’s execution was paused, and he, too, was saved by fate.
With financial independence, he tackled the issue of his residence. He found the palace that he occupied old-fashioned, dilapidated, inadequate and uncomfortable. It does not take a great stretch to see that his overseas exposure and his cabinet experience would have combined to reveal the inadequacies of the palace. The land was slow to act, so he went ahead, given his means and independence, and built a residential house at Igbeba, Ijebu-Ode, to match his taste and to serve as his administrative office, in place of a palace. He had sown a seed. Many years later, the land caught on, rallied to tear down the old palace and built a modern palace for the Awujale. For this new palace, he was involved in its design, the planning, the building and its decoration. He was a man of distinct taste with an eye for details, and this came across. He built into the future. He wanted something majestic, beautiful to fulfill its historical presence in the centre of the town—a befitting landmark. He determined that those after him would find a great place of residence and office without extensive financial recourse to the future occupants. He set out to build a place of power and prestige. The Awujale’s Palace in Ijebu-Ode is an edifice of reference. In his twilight years, Oba Adetona moved again to another residence of his, suited for his immobility, compact and functional for his duties. Here, he breathed his last.
He confessed, looking back, when he said that he had to mature into the role of Oba. “There was first, the formative years, then the turbulent years and finally, the years of steady sail and growth,” as he summarized his reign in his autobiography. As he entered his years of steady sail and achievements, he had to strategize and operate with wisdom. He was going to recreate the crown and define the highest ideals for duty. He started with the Ijebu Traditional Council, the leadership of the kingdom. He was going to galvanize the Ijebu dominions held by history, culture and space by good leadership into one indissoluble Council.
Members of the Council offer upper-crust communal leadership and, at the same time, grassroots rally. The members of the Council are the kings of their respective Ijebu domains, and the Awujale stood on top of that group and was linked with all of them.
In spite of his absolute powers, he held the Council together through democratic norms; forged an enduring bond amongst them; created a peer assembly to share experiences and values; encouraged a growth territory through healthy rivalry; bolstered their treasury and extended financial support to them from a constantly growing financial purse. By custom and tact, this formidable group lined up behind the leadership, preservation and pre-eminence of the Awujale. They remain the upper stratum of leadership of Ijebuland, a symbol of unity and a united group to reach out to the government. The Ijebu Traditional Council is looked upon as an exemplar among the traditional councils in Nigeria. Clearly, the man behind the Council was the Awujale. Next for the Awujale were the age-groups within the land, otherwise known as the Regberegbe. The Regberegbe is a community hierarchical chain of cohorts. The Regberegbe has always been because it is an age band, which is time-related, but Awujale Adetona gave it a new recovery and reinvention, making its annual assembly at Ojude-Oba, an international carnival. When the cohorts splendidly turn out once a year at the Ojude-Oba, we see glamour. But a lot more goes behind the annual showpiece. The various groups gather to enrich their bond of citizenship; they gather to support the development of the land; they remain a pride of the land and line up squarely behind their monarch. There is even some healthy rivalry amongst them in their service to the land.
About two years ago, when his health was failing and as the Ojude-Oba was approaching, the Awujale found renewed strength. The Ojude-Oba, like an elixir, offered a rejuvenating shot. He ordered that his outfit, usually an annual gratis fabric from late Otunba Subomi Balogun, be stitched. He was going to attend. He went through the event beaming, radiating joy. You would never have known that he was gravely ill.
And so, once every year, men and women, all gaily dressed, swaying to music, offering a swagger, come to pay homage to the Awujale. They all together provide a special character, a kaleidoscope of colour and style, that brings hordes of visitors to Ijebu-Ode annually to witness.
The Awujale sits at the centre of the event, connecting to them, urging them to a communal purpose and encouraging them to give back to the community. There, like the Pope’s urbi et orbi, he addresses the world because he recognizes that the world has come to see and celebrate with the Ijebus. Awujale Adetona was jolly, and Ijebu is home to merry-making. On this day, they put up a show.
When the late Prof Akin Mabogunje floated the idea of a poverty alleviation scheme in Ijebuland, the Awujale embraced it wholeheartedly and drove it to fruition. He assigned good leadership to it, the first being late Chief A.K. Degun, former Head of Service, Ogun State and then later Chief Olu Okuboyejo, another administrative stalwart.
“I…heartily convey a profound felicitations….” Why the boyish blunder?
“Among other numerous reasons, the faces of Ebonyi people are beaming with smiles….” A rewrite: Ebonyi people are beaming. You beam with only your face and it is never with a frown! Check out the meaning of ‘beam’ for elucidation.
“…Your Excellency has shown that his administration is people centred (sic)….” Would it have been object-centred? Please avoid mechanistic and trite expressions!
“…the soon to be reconstituted (the soon-tobe-reconstituted) exco would (will—it is not a probability) still accommodate those who….”
“South East battles with unknown gunmen….” Worsening insecurity in Nigeria: this fad about ‘unknown gunmen’ must stop! How do you know gunmen? Just say ‘gunmen’—this kindergartner goof should not be found in an Editorial!
“…and destroyed properties worth millions of naira in communities in….” ‘Property’ can only be inflected in real estate communication—not household items or other infrastructural elements.
“Government should also consider decentralising (decentralizing, preferably) the police to make it (them) more effective for them (take note of this curious correct entry as opposed to the preceding usage) to apprehend criminals.”
“Our black brothers in (on) other continents….”
You are welcome to stateside English:
“Unknown assassins last week pulled the trigger on Imo-born US-based show biz (showbiz) promoter in Owerri.” How on earth will assassins be known in Owerri of all places? Let it just be ‘assassins’ for reportorial purposes.
“The Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Movement invites you to a 2-day annual power packed (power-packed) crusade”
“TUC, private firm partner to build 100,000 house (100,000-house) project” Or, loosely:
100,000 house projects
“Benin murder: Cop arraigned, remanded in prison” The cop would not have been remanded without being arraigned and when remanded it is in prison! So, a rewrite: Benin murder: Cop remanded
“Burial rites of (for) Oba of…begin July 10”
“Police nabs (nab) 3 robbery suspects in Ondo”
“Nigeria-China relations: The issue of oil for infrastructure (oil-for-infrastructure) deals (1)”
“Hisbah cops, hoteliers (hoteliers’) association at war in Kano”
“Maintain your culture and tradition, Igbos (Igbo) in Zamfara, (needless comma) urged”
“If you have seen him or have information on his whereabout (whereabouts), kindly call or contact the nearest police station or any office of the Federal Inland Revenue Service”
“IBM to invest $100m on (in) system development”
“JOGS 1974/1979 set elects new excos” People & Events: The school elected an executive. ‘Executives’ (excos) here will connote different groups of executives—this is different from the use of ‘officials’. Furthermore, ‘new’ is otiose! ‘Election’ means inauguration of new officials, while re-election means re-endorsement of the existing (old) officials (excos).
“...and a sense of purpose in consolidating our 120 year (120-year) heritage as a Bank that puts her (its) customers first.” No feminization of language!
“The people of Offa in Kwara State appeal to banks to re-open (reopen) their branches....”
“Our society has not yet ravenously demanded for justice for those raped.” Yank away the first redundant ‘for’!
“Lagos set to provide homes for first time (first-time) buyers”
“Advocating for specialization for estate surveyors and valuers” Just like ‘demand’, ‘advocate’ does not admit ‘for’ when used as a verb or as a gerund. Again, delete the first ‘for’.
“In 2003, our public universities were closed for five months because universities (university) lecturers employed wildcat’s measure (wildcat strike) to agitate for improved welfare conditions.”
“...on this great occasion of his 49th Birthday Anniversary” ‘Birthday’ and ‘anniversary’ cannot co-function!
“Yet, he emerged from prison without bitterness, extending an olive branch of peace to his erstwhile oppressors and helping to lay a solid foundation for a peaceful multiracial South Africa.” Mandela’s example: ‘Olive branch’ does not require adumbration (‘of peace’)”
“This comprises of a house in Johannesburg....” Take away ‘of’ because of its awkwardness here....
“This speaks volume (volumes) of the sheer compassion and humanity of the man.”
“In doing so, they under-develop their countries, impoverish majority (a majority) of their people....”
“The wealthy among us also have something to emulate in (from) Mandela’s generosity of spirit....”
“Afenifere leader says Yorubas (Yoruba) not opposed to conference”
“We celebrate your illustrious life, your inspiring leadership which has culminated into (in) monumental transformation of....”
“Association of Local Government (Governments) of Nigeria (ALGON) Ekiti State Chapter”
“Edo: Court remands killer cop in prison” Where else would the cop have been remanded?
“CBN said money is (was) missing from federation account (the federation account).”
“Hope dims for Nigeria, Cameroun cross border (cross-border) oil wells exploration”
“DISCOs blame TCN over (for) power”
“Congratulations, (needless comma) Your Excellency and more grease (power) to your elbow.”
“Again, Anambra PDP leadership tussle
We have been here before - only now, the music is louder, the dance steps uglier, and the dancers far more shameless.
In the last few weeks, our public squares and social media spaces have been besmirched by a new depth of barbarity: stripping women naked in public over petty quarrels, recording the humiliation, and gleefully circulating it online as though shame is now a form of entertainment. It began to gain national traction with the Comfort Emmanson saga at Lagos Airport, when a fellow Nigerian woman - an air hostess of Akwa Ibom airline, no less - and others at large, allegedly yanked her clothes in the name of superiority contest. Weeks later, another spectacle splashed across our screens: Jennifer Elobor, a young corps member, publicly debased by members of the Anambra State Vigilante Group in Oba, Idemili South, her dignity shredded while the so-called guardians of society filmed their cruelty like Nollywood extras.
This is not merely “bad behaviour.” These are signposts. They confirm what I lamented in 2021, in that long eight-week series that tried (foolishly, perhaps) to prod us into recognising the poisonous slope we were happily sliding down. The slope has since turned into a cliff, and the lemmings are gathering speed.
Ordinary Nigerians no longer wait for the courts. They do not even trust the police to bungle their cases properly. Instead, they take the law into their own hands - not against the grandees who loot billions, but against their fellow sufferers, neighbours, market women, street urchins, anyone unlucky enough to be at the centre of an altercation. It is jungle justice, now rebranded as “content creation.”
Our phones have become theatres of cruelty. Where our parents would rush to separate fighters, today’s crowd whips out Samsung and iPhone, shouting “Give am hot-hot!” and “Remove im pant!” as if decency is the enemy
of entertainment. The videos are uploaded instantly, accompanied by emoji and banter. Tomorrow, when another case of mob stripping emerges, the same crowd will cluck their tongues on radio call-in shows: “Nigeria has lost values o!” Hypocrisy in HD.
But what exactly is fuelling this madness? It is the enthronement of violence and humiliation as acceptable tools of power. Bandits abduct schoolchildren in hundreds, post video proofs, demand ransom like legitimate businessmen. Yahoo-boys, once internet pests, now parade openly with convoys of cars while mothers pray their sons join “the work.” Politicians loot and sneer, judges adjourn and slumber, policemen mount checkpoints as personal POS terminals. Is it any wonder that the powerless take cues from the powerful - that ordinary Nigerians replicate cruelty in their small spheres since the big men model it daily?
We say ours is a nation where “anything goes.” Well, congratulations: everything now
resurrects” The first and last words in the extract cannot function in the same environment.
“6 students remanded in Osun prisons for alleged illegal possession of arms” Where else would they have been remanded? In the shrine! “Herbalist bags 14 years (years’) jail term for fraud”
“Kano to revive young farmers (farmers’) clubs in schools”
“Police arrest Zuma’s son over (for) fatal crash”
“…where three deaf and dumb bothers (boarders) are students”
“Works across all data enabled (data-enabled) feature phones” (Full-page advertisement by MTN)
“Investors’ interest shift (shifts)…”
“I won four golds as a nursing mother…” ‘The most widely-read newspaper’: four gold medals “The privilege (privileged) class has taken over virtually everything….”
“…power show in the country is choking the common man on the street….” My own view: the man/woman in the street (also the man/ woman on the street) ‘Commonness’ is implied! “...and that these have the potential to trigger off crisis (a crisis) the end of which nobody could fathom.”
Next is a special extract from the edition under review: “Reports said no fewer than 44 people were slaughtered penultimate Tuesday night by some unknown gunmen (we can never know the gunmen—so spare readers the ‘unknown’ trite!) at Dumba village on the outskirt (outskirts) of Baga town in the Kukawa Local Government Area of the state.”
“Our members have earned the allowances by working for the money and therefore we are not begging for crump (crumbs) from government.”
“She said the motive is (was) still unknown….”
goes. Strip a woman in public? Record it. Burn a thief with petrol? Post it. Snatch ballot boxes? Broadcast it. Loot COVID-19 palliatives meant for the poor? Hide behind a committee report. Nobody is punished, so everybody tries a hand. We have perfected impunity as culture.
What makes this descent even more tragic is the selectivity of our outrage. We will tear the clothes off a petty debtor, or flog a hawker for stealing Maggi cubes, while those who disappear pension funds or oil revenues are escorted by police sirens and praised for their “generosity.” The mob is brave only when the target is helpless. When the thieves wear agbada and arrive in convoys, the mob become photographers, praise singers, and ushers.
This nakedness epidemic is more than the act itself. It is symbolic of the wider stripping of Nigeria’s dignity. We have been reduced to a country where women’s bodies are weapons of humiliation, where young men boast of atrocities, and where vigilante groups appointed to “protect” communities now debase them. These are not isolated episodes. They are windows into the rot: homes where violence is normalised, schools where ethics are absent, governments that reward thuggery, and a people so numbed by survival that nothing shocks anymore.
The scary part? We are globalising our shame. Once upon a time, the lynching of suspected robbers was whispered about in beer parlours. Now it trends on TikTok and Instagram Reels. Foreigners shake their heads, journalists archive the evidence, and our own youths remix the horrors with dance tracks. We are exporting our savagery, branded “Naija-style.”
Yet, in all this, the true architects of our misery remain untouchable. The politicians who arm thugs during elections, the warlords who collect “security votes” while villages burn, the kleptocrats who loot health budgets while corps members serve without protectionthese are the invisible gods of impunity. They will never be stripped naked. The mob dare
not. Because their crimes are too massive, too sophisticated, and too well-guarded. The poor imitate only what is within reach.
So, what shall we say then? The season of anomie is full-blown. Our nation has become a carnival of cruelty. Unless government wakes up “sharply” (to borrow Lagos slang) and punishes both the small-time vigilante abusers and the big-time looters with equal seriousness, we may soon reach a point where nakedness and lynching are the first instincts in every dispute. At that point, no constitution, no security summit, no conference of elders can stitch together the tatters of our common humanity.
We once asked rhetorically: what sort of Nigeria shall we see in 2023? Well, 2023 has come and gone. The elections were another festival of violence and ballot snatching, livestreamed for the world. Our youths dance to Afrobeats under neon lights, but behind the glitter, kidnappers, bandits, and Yahoo-boys rule the night. Women are stripped and flogged on camera. Governors negotiate with terrorists. Police stations are sacked by criminals. And the average Nigerian has learnt to mind his own business - unless, of course, there is a chance to record another person’s shame.
The question now is harsher: what sort of Nigeria shall we see in 2030? At this rate, perhaps a reality show where lynching is televised, with sponsors and jingles. “This public humiliation is brought to you by your favourite malt drink!” Absurd? Maybe. But who imagined, ten years ago, that we would be here - watching viral videos of women stripped naked while the crowd cheers?
The end is not only near. It is knocking at the door, wrapped in the laughter of a mob, armed with a smartphone, ready to go live.
will let the two of you out of this place, and out of my sight, is that you will leave here resolved never to quarrel or fight again”.
Presto! The thunder and lightning stopped and Wike made it clear that no one should try to upstage any endeavour that serves the long-term interests of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under the FCT. Now everyone is working well and peacefully with everyone else.
That things are looking and sounding very different today is the result of the determined leadership/management team of Centenary City PLC (CCPLC), the committed stakeholders and the most recent government interventions of the last two years have made all the difference.
The news on the table at the moment, that the Abuja Centenary City Project has got some fillip and new momentum, with the award of a contract to Julius Berger, is also because of the foregoing. The construction company is to provide primary infrastructure for the Smart City. And that is because there are no outstanding issues about the status of CCPLC as an Economic Free Zone, under NEPZA.
It also would not have gotten off the ground, to the point of signing a contract with Julius Berger for the provision of primary infrastructure if there were still any cases of unpaid compensations to the original inhabitants of the area it has taken over; or if there were any lingering disputes with
BYE BYE
inflation driven by food shortages, energy price hikes, exchange rate instability, and policy inconsistencies, this development naturally raises the question many are asking: Is Nigeria finally turning the corner on inflation?
The answer, however, is not so straightforward. While the numbers may show a downward movement, the daily reality in markets and households across the country suggests otherwise. Tomatoes, rice, tubers of yam, bread, and other staples remain painfully expensive, transport fares continue to consume a disproportionate share of workers’ incomes, and housing costs are as high as ever.
Nigerians still struggle to cope with the rising cost of living, which suggests that the decline in official inflation figures has yet to translate into real relief for the ordinary citizen. This disconnect between data and daily life is where the real challenge lies, and is what the government and policymakers must focus their attention.
A fall in inflation, it must be noted, does not mean that prices are coming down. Rather, it means they are rising more slowly than before. For Nigerians who have seen prices more than double in the past decade, a moderation in inflation is welcome but insufficient to restore purchasing power.
However, a sustained downward trend signals that some level of macroeconomic stability is beginning
either FCDA or FCTA, or both of them combined.
The first phase of Primary Infrastructure, which will be executed in lots, will cost N750 billion.
The First lot of Phase 1 includes the Plot Access Road of 4.3 km and the Secondary Infrastructure of The Grove Residences. The Safari Park Residences and the Ridge Villas are also included here. But these details are not really our concern here. Also, purely ancillary to the issues of concern here is the fact that Messrs Dar Al-Handasah Consultants (DAR), coordinators of the master plan of the city, is retained to execute the Detailed Engineering Design of the entire project.
The major issue, or part of it at least, is that Centenary City was conceptualised as the foremost Abuja Urban Renewable Project and is now in the process of being developed as such. The very idea of engaging reputable companies, partners and consultancy firms is to ensure that the development of the city accords with the originating vision that informed, and is reflected in, the original master plan.
This fact alone clothes the Project as probably one of the greatest opportunities to create new cosmopolitan value for Abuja. This will raise its profile among exceptional capital cities of the world and encourage international investments in real estate development and tourism in Abuja.
A close look at the master plan and project design shows that the city is structured in such a way that it is to harmonise with nature, both
to take root. No doubt, the exchange rate reforms and the hawkish monetary policy stance of the Mr. Olayemi Cardoso-led Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) contributed to this development. If carefully managed, the trend could mark the beginning of a more stable economic environment.
Still, Nigerians are justified in asking why they do not feel this improvement. One reason for this is that food inflation remains extremely high, and food constitutes the largest share of household spending. Persistent insecurity in farming communities, poor logistics, and weak investment in agricultural infrastructure continue to drive prices upward despite the slowing pace of overall inflation.
Another reason is the high cost of energy and transportation. The removal of fuel subsidies and an increase in electricity tariffs raised production costs across industries, which in turn pushed consumer prices higher.
Additionally, while inflation figures may be easing, wages have not kept pace with rising prices, leaving citizens worse off. To many, therefore, the official reports feel detached from their everyday struggles.
It is worthy to note that Nigeria’s inflationary pressures are deeply rooted in structural weaknesses that require long-term solutions. Poor infrastructure, insecurity in food-producing regions, and overdependence on imports, among others, have
Our gratitude, also, to the contractors – Dilworth – for their attention to detail; the Commissioners of Works, Culture and Tourism who worked through long days and nights; and our dear citizens for their patience, feedback, and faith.
We stand here today, proof that promises kept are better than promises made. Today, we match word with deed – like we did last week with the launch of our five transport terminals and CNG mass transit buses. This hotel is a strategic enabler of our growth plan, comprising the ambitious target to grow Enugu’s economy sevenfold to at least $30 billion and to achieve a zero percent poverty headcount rate.
To do that, we must unlock sectors that create jobs at scale, deepen our tax base through growth – not higher rates – and crowd in private capital. Our hospitality ecosystem today is simply inspiring: the 5,000-seat International Conference Centre (ICC) now anchors Enugu’s conferencing ambitions; the adjacent 5-star, 345-room ICC Hotel under construction will deliver premium “keys” for large events; Enugu Air, which has given wings to our dreams and announced the scale of our vision to the world; and now, the renewed Hotel Presidential adds a full-service icon back into the mix.
None of this is a whimsical project; they are connecting dots on a large canvas. These assets are crucial to our aim to welcome up to three million annual tourist visits and to make Enugu the Conferencing Capital of Africa. Together, they give organizers and airlines the comfort that Enugu can host large-scale events, support crew layovers, and keep visitors in our city for longer stays. Longer stays mean more spending, restaurants, retail, culture, transport, more jobs for our youths,
in layout and landscaping. The districts and communities are designed to fit in among the natural landscape. This promises a remarkable downtown skyline and peaceful suburban living that is almost a dream to behold.
But that is only to be expected when a city is conceptualised in such a way that it would warehouse a multifunctional development perspective that offers a well-rounded contemporary cosmopolitan lifestyle to its residents. When, in addition, the design concept also encapsulates the infrastructure and outlay for it to be a tourism hub for the wider community, you are talking about a human ecosystem that is at once avant-garde and homely.
We are looking at a project and City that will most likely redefine sub-Saharan Africa’s skyline and enhance Nigeria’s global standing in urban development.
Which takes us back, yet again, to how on July 12, 2015, the Abuja centenary City Project was greeted with some enthusiasm on this page. Under the title, “Inside Centenary City”, we enthused: “It is easy to believe that the Centenary City Project will be a major national success story. Following the incorporation of the Special Purpose Company (SPC) that will promote and drive the investment in the city, a total of 19 companies subscribed to the company’s Articles and Memorandum of Understanding, having met the initial capital call.
kept the economy vulnerable. If these issues are not addressed, any current improvement could be temporary, with inflation re-emerging in even more aggressive forms when the next global or domestic shock hits.
The task before the government is to ensure that the declining inflation figures are not just statistical but meaningful. Nigerians must be able to feel it in their pockets.
To achieve this, the government must focus on food security. It must become a national emergency. It must ensure that it ends insecurity in rural communities so that farmers can return to their fields. Reducing post-harvest losses by investing in storage and logistics would also lower food costs significantly.
Also, energy costs must be stabilised. Another priority is policy coordination. The CBN cannot fight inflation alone by tightening monetary supply. Fiscal authorities must complement this with prudent spending, targeted subsidies, and investments that expand production.
On the wage front, the government must not shy away from conversations around income adjustments. Real wages are declining sharply, and without measures to boost incomes, Nigerians will not experience relief even if inflation keeps falling.
Equally important is rebuilding public trust.
and more opportunities for our MSMEs.
The economic value is already visible. This hotel alone supports hundreds of direct jobs, culinary and events teams, engineering, landscaping, suppliers, and several other opportunities. Every conference day books our taxis and CNG buses; every visiting family discovers our art, our music, our cuisine, and our warmth. And the signal to investors is even bigger: when government shows it can recover assets, fix the fundamentals, and protect investments, private capital follows. That is why you see momentum across other moribund assets like UPPL, Sunrise Flour Mill, Nigergas; International Conference Centre, and a host of others.
What you will experience here is not nostalgia repainted; it is heritage re-engineered. The Hotel Presidential now meets the expectations of today’s
traveler: modern rooms and suites, efficient lifts and safety systems, contemporary conference and events spaces, improved culinary offerings, reliable power and water, and digital comfort. But the soul of hospitality is people. We have prioritized training and service culture. Our objective is that a guest who spends two nights in Enugu leaves with a lifetime desire to return, because of how they were treated, how efficiently things worked, and how beautiful our city felt.
The commission of a key project such as this offers a huge sense of satisfaction. But it is not the finish line; it signals the beginning of another phase in the journey. It’s important to implement an aggressive but sustainable occupancy strategy, bundling conference packages with the ICC, partnering airlines for crew contracts, and curating regular cultural and culinary festivals that keep
… The Board of Directors of the company was inaugurated by President Goodluck Jonathan”. Once we realise that a Free Zone is established by a Presidential Directive, which defines an area under special administration designed to attract foreign direct investment (FDI), create jobs, and enhance competitiveness, it becomes clear that this area should not be tampered with by any wayfarer. Wike hosted the FCDA/FCTA) and Abuja Centenary City Plc, then he enquired into the issues that were considered to be bottlenecks on both sides.
He got an earful. The narratives and narrations were legion. In the end, there emerged solutions that everyone could live with. Wike took time to explain the overarching concept of a Free Zone as an inviolable Presidential Directive. To that extent, and for that reason, neither the minister nor any institution of state can meaningfully contest the primacy of the President’s powers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as custodian.
The misunderstanding regarding the legal identity, and administrative autonomy, of a Freezone within an overarching umbrella of national sovereignty that still allows it to voluntarily outsource some municipal and other services it feels inclined to do, were also clarified.
NOTE: Read full article online on www.thisdaylive.com
Nigerians are often skeptical of government statistics, preferring to judge inflation by what they pay in the markets. For reforms to succeed, communication and transparency are crucial. Government agencies must engage citizens and keep explaining what the data means, and ensure that the benefits of macroeconomic policies are not just on paper but visible in real life.
Only when the price of garri, rice, or fuel drops would people believe that inflation is truly being tamed.
From the foregoing, therefore, the government must see simmering down inflation as an opening to deepen reforms, address structural bottlenecks, and ensure that macroeconomic gains reach the grassroots. Inflation is not just a number; it is about people’s ability to afford food, pay rent, and school fees for their children and wards. If this downward trend in inflation does not translate into fuller market baskets, affordable transport, and better living standards, then it risks being dismissed as another abstract statistics. If managed with discipline and foresight, this trend could mark the beginning of a new era of stability and prosperity. But until then, the average Nigerian remains cautiously hopeful, waiting for the day when inflation’s grip truly loosens and life becomes more affordable again.
our rooms warm through seasons.
We will continue to strengthen local expertise in hospitality so that Enugu youths can compete for jobs in this sector. This dream has been enhanced through the full accreditation of hospitality programmes granted to the Institute of Management and Technology. IMT’s collaboration with Dewdrop Hospitality Academy is also a significant boost. Graduates of the programme would be certified by UK’s City and Guilds. This means they can be employed by the most prestigious hotels anywhere in the world.
We will strive to foster the blossoming of local content, farm-to-table supply chains that give our farmers predictable demand and fair prices, and procurement policies that favour MSMEs that meet quality standards. My dear young people, the most valuable suite in this hotel is the opportunity it creates for you. Learn the craft, build the discipline, start the small businesses that supply the big businesses, and keep pushing your ideas. We are building an economy where talent and hard work – not connections – determine outcomes.
To our elders for whom the Presidential Hotel represents a slice of nostalgia: thank you for keeping the memory alive. We dedicate this rebirth to you.
To our guests, welcome home. To Ndi Enugu everywhere, hold your heads high, your state is rising.
It is therefore with pride that I unveil the reconstructed Hotel Presidential to the glory of God and the prosperity of our people. Everything of which we dream is indeed within our grasp because tomorrow is her.
Mbah, Governor of Enugu State, delivered this address at the unveiling of the newly reconstructed Hotel Presidential, Enugu, recently
Oluchi Chibuzor
Nigeria’s foreign reserves hit $40.72 billion on August 13, 2025. The increase in reserves was driven largely by rising forex inflows and marginal increase in crude oil output. According to the latest figures published on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) website, the gross reserves moving average stood at $39.3 billion on August 1, and reached $39.5 billion on August 6, and hit $40.2 billion on August 8 before the present milestone. The sustained reserves accretion, decline in inflation rate, commodities prices dip as well as long-term naira stability are all positive fallout of the ongoing economic reforms instituted by the federal government.
The stability being witnessed in the economy comes with multiple benefits to businesses, households and the overall economy.
One of the biggest beneficiaries is the foreign reserves, which have stayed above $40 billion for nearly two weeks. The gross reserves closed at $40.72 billion on August 13, with capacity to cover over 10 months imports for the economy.
The moving average of the gross reserves showed $39.3 billion position on August 1, reached $39.5 billion on August 6, grew to $40.2 billion on August 8. By August 11, the gross reserves stood at $40.65 billion before hitting $40.72 billion on August 13.
Aside the reserves, the naira has also seen sustained stability while the inflation rate has continued to decline, closing July at 21.88 per cent.
The July figure represents the fourth consecutive month of decline, compared with 22.22 per cent posted in June, according to figures from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
The latest Consumer Price Index report showed that the July figure was 0.34 percentage points lower than the June rate and 11.52 percentage points below the 33.40 per cent recorded in July 2024.
The NBS said, “The Consumer Price Index rose to 125.9 in July 2025, reflecting a 2.5-point increase from the preceding month (123.4). In July 2025, the headline inflation rate eased to 21.88 per cent relative to the June 2025 headline inflation rate of 22.22 per cent”.
On economic stability, the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, recently attested that economic reforms instituted by the Federal Government have helped to stabilize the economy.
Dr. Okonjo-Iweala said: “We think that the President and his team have worked hard to stabilise the economy, and you cannot improve an economy unless it’s stable. “So, he has to be given the credit for the stability of the economy. The reforms have been in the right direction.
“What is needed next is growth. We now need to grow the economy, and we need to put in social safety nets so that people who are feeling the pinch of the reforms can also have some support to weather the hardship.”
Oil output rises
Nigeria’s oil output rose 0.67 per cent in July to 1.51 million barrel per day (mbpd), meeting OPEC+’s 1.5 mbpd quota for the third time this year. Although, production still falls below the 2025 benchmark target of 2.06 mbpd, a slight increase is anticipated in August, and higher contributions to the reserves are expected.
Part of the reserves accretion was triggered by the FX reforms, instituted by the Olayemi Cardoso-led Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), new policies instituted by the Federal Government to boost local production, reduce forex demand pressure, and lessen domestic prices have been instrumental to macroeconomic stability.The expectations are that the apex bank sustains the forex reforms while the fiscal authority strengthens efforts at enhancing FX earnings, especially from gas, oil and non-oil exports.
The CBN under Cardoso is cultivating multiple FX sources to increase dollar inflows, boost dollar access to manufacturers and retail end users.
From moves to improve diaspora remittances through new product development, the granting licenses to new International Money Transfer Operators (IMTOs), implementing a willing buyer-willing seller FX model, and enabling timely access to naira liquidity for IMTOs, the apex bank has simplified dollar-inflow channels for authorized dealers and other players in the value chain.
The move has led to substantial accretion to the gross FX reserves and supported the stability of the naira.
Given that FX inflows to the economy are strategic in achieving monetary and fiscal policy stability, the CBN under Cardoso puts in a lot of efforts in attracting more inflows into the economy.
Diaspora remittances to Nigeria, estimated at $23 billion annually remain a reliable source of forex to the
domestic economy. There are also other sources and policies that are being explored by the apex bank to keep dollar inflows coming.
The CBN’s initiatives have supported continued growth in these inflows, aligning with the institution’s objective of doubling formal remittance receipts within a year.
The remittances in the economy is expected to increase based on CBN’s ongoing efforts to bolster public confidence in the foreign exchange market, strengthen a robust and inclusive banking system, and promote price stability, which is essential for sustained economic growth.
Average cost of living has continued to improve as stability in the foreign exchange (forex) market, improved agricultural productivity and security reduced inflationary pressure for the fourth consecutive period.
Economic and finance firms including Financial Derivatives Company (FDC), Coronation Group, Arthur Steven Asset Management, Cordros Capital Group and HighCap Securities among others cited improved macroeconomic stability as a major driver of continuing decline in average costs of goods and services.
Most analysts expected the disinflation trend to continue in the period ahead, a situation that could lead to the first cut in benchmark interest rate by the CBN
Experts however identified possible spike in demand for forex, flood forecast, security challenges and decline in global crude oil price as downside risks that could undermine the disinflationary trend.
Bismarck Rewane’s FDC had projected inflation rate to drop by 88 basis points to 21.34 per cent in July 2025, citing a boost in food production and stability in the forex market.
According to FDC, the decline in headline inflation broadly reflected a reduction in basic food items such as tomatoes, yams, beans, onions, pepper and garri among others.
FDC expected all inflation sub-indices to fall “in line with the ongoing price moderation momentum”, underlining a broad decline in inflationary pressure, rather than a narrow base.
“During our survey in July, we noticed that the prices of most essential commodities declined. Meanwhile, 68.57 per cent of items remained stable, including rice, wheat flour, semovita, eggs, Irish potatoes, basmati rice, and vegetable oil. Notably, several importdependent staples, such as titus fish, basmati rice, and beverages, maintained price stability,” FDC stated.
“With the commencement of the harvest season, we expect a further decline in commodity prices in the coming months. This should help ease inflationary pressures arising from increased liquidity due to higher FAAC allocations. The major risk to our projections remains security challenges in the food-producing states, falling oil prices and the hike in PMS price,” FDC stated.
Coronation Group expected headline inflation rate to
drop by about 70 basis points to 21.52 per cent in July 2025.
Analysts at Coronation Group identified four key factors driving down inflation, including the passthrough effect of the CBN’s foreign exchange (forex) policy reforms which has continued to support naira stability, decline in domestic energy costs, decline in some farm produce prices on the back of early harvests and favourable base effects.
“The inflation outlook for August points to a potential moderation, supported by continued foreign exchange stability and a slight easing in food prices from the ongoing early harvest season. If the current forex stability persists and early harvest gains are sustained, headline inflation could remain broadly in line with July’s level.
“However, risks to this outlook include a sharp depreciation of the naira from external shocks, an increase in fuel prices from potential global geo-political risks, and upward pressure on food prices stemming from recent flooding in Nigeria, which has impacted farmlands and disrupted transportational nodes needed for logistics. These factors could reverse the current disinflationary trend and move inflation above 22 per cent or limit the pace of moderation relative to the previous month,” Coronation Group stated.
Analysts at Cordros Capital Group said disinflation and improved macroeconomic stability as noticed in improvements in oil production, a relatively stable currency and better financial conditions, could stimulate stronger economic activity.
“Food inflation is expected to moderate in July, driven by the improved supply of seasonal farm produce, such as green maize, groundnuts, pumpkins, and vegetables, from the early green harvest. This increased availability is likely to ease price pressures on domestically produced food items, particularly in the southern and middle-belt regions”.
“Nonetheless, persistent insecurity in key foodproducing zones in the North continues to disrupt farming and transportation, keeping the broader food supply tight. Imported food inflation may also decelerate, supported by the relative stability of the naira. The reduced exchange rate volatility is expected to lower import costs for processed and packaged food products, helping to contain price increases in that segment,” Cordros Capital stated.
Analysts at Arthur Steven Asset Management stated that prices could continue to fall due to lower energy costs and stability in the forex market.
HighCap Securities noted that reduced currency volatility, improved food supply and logistics cost were perfect combination for continued decline in inflation rate.
With improvement in exchange rate, comes reduced cost for import. The naira appreciated significantly last week, strengthening from N1,580 to N1,530 per dollar, a gain of about 3.25 per cent at the parallel markets. The local currency exchanged at N1,536 per dollar at the official markets, creating N6 per dollar rate gaps between both markets.
Importation costs in Nigeria include various taxes and charges, primarily import duties, VAT, and other levies. These costs are calculated based on the CIF value (Cost, Insurance, and Freight) of the goods, which includes the cost of the goods, insurance, and shipping.
The cost, insurance and freight (CIF) price is the price of a good delivered at the frontier of the importing country, or the price of a service delivered to a resident, before the payment of any import duties or other taxes on imports or trade and transport margins within the country.
Changes in exchange rate can significantly impact the cost of imports, as duties and other charges are often calculated based on the prevailing exchange rate.
Nigeria’s total Imports in 2024 were valued at $40.97 billion, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade. Nigeria’s main import partners were: China, Belgium and India.
New figures from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reveal that Nigerian imported food and beverages worth N1.67 trillion ($1 billion) during the first quarter of 2025 (January–March), reflecting a five per cent increase from the N1.59 trillion recorded over the same period in 2024.
Analysts from Cordros Securities said the naira appreciation helped cushion the impact of the spike in imported fuel prices triggered by tensions in the Middle East.
“We expect FX liquidity to remain robust, supported by reduced global pressures and stronger market confidence, which continues to attract inflows from foreign portfolio investors (FPIs). Additionally, a stronger net FX reserve position enhances the CBN’s capacity to intervene when necessary. Barring any unexpected shocks, we anticipate that the naira will remain stable in the near term,” they said.
SincemovingtoSouthamptonfromGlasgowRangersthreeyearsago,lifeatSt.Mary’s Stadiumhasbeennothingbutatopsy-turvyrideforSuperEaglesmidfielder,JoeAribo.The 29-year-oldhashadtobattlewithirregularplayingtimeandtheclubhasbeenrelegated twiceinthreeseasons.Thelastsrelegationhasseentopstars,includingAribo’scompatriot, PaulOnuachudumptheclub.Withlessthantwoweekstotheclosureofthesummer transferwindow,andtheAfricanCupofNationsjustfewmonthsaway,theEuropaLeague silvermedalistisdefinitelyracingagainsttime
Super Eagles midfielder, Joe Aribo left Rangers for St. Mary’s Stadium three seasons ago, but he struggled for minutes, as the club dropped down to the Championship.
However, he grew into the team last season and became a starter, featuring in 35 of Southampton’s games. Aribo has even had to play out of position at times.
Unfortunately for him, his performances was not enough to save the Saints from condemnation to Championship football this season.
Before Southampton was finally relegated, Aribo had expressed his determination to solidify his place as a Premier League player.
The 29-year-old, who began his journey in English football in the Championship before a successful stint in Scotland with Glasgow Rangers, which ultimately led to his move to Southampton said: “I want to mark my stamp as a Premier League footballer—that’s a dream of mine. I just want to be acknowledged as a very good player, nothing too crazy, but I know what I am capable of.”
The Nigerian international added, “I know the abilities I have, and I believe my purpose is to showcase them for the world to see.”
With Aribo’s contract running until the summer of 2026, Southampton face a challenge to keep hold of a player of his calibre in the second tier of English football.
Meanwhile, Southampton are willing to sell Aribo, but they would prefer that he stays and help them fight for Premier League promotion this season.
Aribo has been at Southampton since 2022, joining the club from Rangers in a deal worth €8.2 million.
However, it has been a topsy-turvy ride for the 29-year-old midfielder. His time at the club has been characterised with spells on the bench, managerial changes, and relegation battles.
Last season, Aribo and his Southampton side got relegated from the Premier League for the second time in three years, and that put the future of many players at the club on the balance.
Star players like Aaron Ramsdale, Jan Bednarek, Kyle Walker-Peters, Kamaldeen Sulemana, and Paul Onuachu, who were at the club last season, have left for top-flight clubs.
However, other players are yet to sort out their future even though the 2025/26 season has started, and Aribo is one of them.
The Super Eagles star has been linked to the Turkish Super Lig and his former
club Rangers. But nothing concrete has come up yet.
With the transfer window in most European leagues set to close in a couple of weeks, Aribo is in a race against time to decide his future.
Meanwhile, the Saints Centre reports that Southampton want to keep the Super Eagles star. But they will sell him if a decent offer comes.
Since Aribo joined Southampton, it has been a yo-yo situation. It just hasn’t worked out well, as the club has been unstable.
However, Spanish club Villarreal are now interested in signing Aribo, joining RB Leipzig in the race to get his signature.
The 29-year-old wants to move away from the English Championship and return to playing top-level football.
According to reports, RB Leipzig have already made a €10 million offer for Aribo. The Nigerian international, who has played 34 times for his country and scored two goals, is valued for his versatility and experience in European competitions.
But now Villarreal have entered the race, making things more competitive for Leipzig. Villarreal are said to be seriously interested in bringing Aribo to La Liga.
Aribo had a strong spell in Europe
with Rangers, including scoring in the 2022 Europa League final.
A move to Spain could suit him well as he looks to restart his career at a higher level.
Sources close to Aribo say he is not happy at Southampton and wants to join a club with European football and a clear plan for the future.
There were rumours about a return to Rangers, but that seems unlikely due to financial issues and changes under their new manager, Russell Martin.
Trabzonspor, a top Turkish club, are also reportedly interested and have contacted Southampton about a possible deal.
No official statement has been made by the player or the clubs yet, but with interest from Spain, Germany, and Turkey, Joe Aribo could soon be back playing in top-flight football.
Interestingly, Aribo is open to leaving Southampton following the club’s relegation from the Premier League last season.
It was Aribo’s second relegation from the Premier League, and the player is now seeking a move where he can play top-flight football and get regular game time.
With no official bids from Rangers or RB Leipzig, Aribo is likely to start the EFL Championship season with
Saints.
The club’s first game is against newly promoted side Wrexham.
Newly appointed head coach Will Still is said to have Aribo in his plans for the upcoming season.
Last season, Aribo played 32 league matches for Southampton, scoring three goals.
He primarily operates as a central midfielder but can also be deployed in a more defensive roles.
The 29-year-old has earned 34 caps for Nigeria and was part of the squad that reached the Africa Cup of Nations final, where they lost to Ivory Coast.
The Super Eagles star has to weigh his options well before deciding on his next move.
If Aribo has offers from top clubs abroad, he should seriously consider them now. He is already 29 years and is nearing the twilight of his career. Moreover, he has to move to a club where he will play regularly, as the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations is very close.
Though he started his English football career in the Championship and had once sunk with Southampton to play in the English second tier, but what Nigerian international, Aribo would not want again is another life in the EFL after Southampton was relegated after one season in the Premier League.
e kong, Iwobi, Osimhen, 28 Others in p rovisional
List of 31 for r wanda, South Africa Showdown
Super Eagles Head Coach, Eric Sekou Chelle has selected team captain William Ekong, first-choice goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, defenders Olaoluwa Aina and Calvin Bassey, midfielders Alex Iwobi and Wilfred Ndidi, and forwards Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman and Simon Moses in a provisional list of 31 for next month’s 2026 FIFAWorld Cup qualifying matches against Rwanda and South Africa.
There are also youth- ful goalkeeper Ebenezer Harcourt, defenders Bright Osayi-Samuel and Bruno Onyemaechi, midfielders Raphael Onyedika, Frank Onyeka and Fisayo Dele- Bashiru, and forwards Sadiq Umar and Nathan Tella.
Young defender Benjamin Fredericks, rearguard mates Felix Agu and Igoh Ogbu, midfielder Christantus Uche and forward, Cyriel Dessers, who impressed at the 2025 Unity Cup Tournament that Nigeria won in London in the summer, are also invited, with returns for goalkeeper Adeleye Adebayo, defender Chidozie Awaziem and forward Terem Moffi.
Fourth-placed Nigeria take on Rwanda at the GodswillAkpabio Stadium on Saturday, September 6, in a Matchday 7 encounter, before flying to Bloemfontein to confront South Africa in a potentially-explosive Match- day 8 encounter on Tuesday, September 9.
Nigeria’s camp for the two crucial matches will open in Uyo on Monday, September 1.
Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali; Amas Obasogie; Adeleye Ade- bayo; Ebenezer Harcourt.
Defenders: William Ekong; Calvin Bassey; Olaoluwa Aina; Bright Osayi-Samuel; Bruno Ony- emaechi; Igoh Ogbu; Chidozie Awaziem; Felix Agu; Benjamin Fredericks.
Midfielders: Alex Iwobi; Frank Onyeka; Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi; Wilfred Ndidi; Fisayo Dele-Bashiru; Raphael Onyedika; Christantus Uche’
Forwards: Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze, Victor Osimhen; Simon Moses; Victor Boniface; Cyriel Dessers; Sadiq Umar; Nathan Tella; Tolu Arokodare; Terem Moffi; Adams Akor.
Fabio Capello believes that Milan are taking a gamble by signing Victor Boniface from Bayer Leverkusen rather than Rasmus Hojlund from Manchester United, as despite being ‘technically gifted’, the Nigerian’s injury record and lack of familiarity with Serie A could be an issue.
Milan have a deal in place with Bayer Leverkusen and are expecting to welcome Boniface tothecity yesterdaytoundergoa medical.Ifthedealgoesthrough, theRossoneriwillpaya€5mloan fee and will have an option to buy for an additional €24m. MultipleoutletsinItalybelieve,
however,thatBoniface’sinjuryrecord is a cause for concern for Milan. The Nigeria international suffered two cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries during his time with Bodo/Glimt and has spent extended periods on the sidelines in each of the last two seasons with Leverkusen.
Additionally,Bonifaceisexpected to be unavailable for several weeks midway through the season for AFCON, which will limit Massimiliano Allegri’s options up front in December and January.
Capello, writing in his La Gazzetta dello Sport column, believes that this makes Boniface a slightly risky signing for Milan. Capello also used Napoli as a
comparison to show how Milan should have operated in their search for a new striker.
“Conte was put in a position to be able to fight for the title: Targeted signings, and a whole new spine. From Buongiorno to McTominay to Lukaku, a guarantee at centreforward,” Capello wrote.
“Milanshould do the same with Allegri. But the move for a new centre-forward has gone down a different route. Because, after a long negotiation with Hojlund, the Rossoneri have turned to Boniface, gambling on a technically gifted striker, but one that has been stopped too often due to physical problems.
The 2025–26 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season opened with a gripping contest in Abeokuta, where champions, Remo Stars were held to a 1-1 draw by last season’s runners-up Rivers United.
With their Ikenne home ground still under renovation, Remo Stars began their title defence at the MKO Abiola Stadium.
The match had the air of a heavyweight clash, with Rivers United historically dominant in this fixture, winning seven and drawing three of the last 11 league meetings.
It was Rivers United, led by Super Eagles legend Finidi George, who struck first.
Barely three minutes in, winger Aniekeme Okon punished his former club with a smart headed finish from Timothy Zachariah’s deflected cross.
The effort etched his name into NPFL history as the scorer of the league’s first goal of the new season.
Remo Stars, however, responded swiftly through returning striker Victor Mbaoma.
Making his first NPFL appearance for the club in over
six years, the two-cap Nigeria international levelled matters in the ninth minute with a clinical strike — his 52nd career NPFL goal and 16th for Remo Stars.
The champions nearly completed the turnaround when Michael Ibe’s curling free-kick rattled the crossbar on 20 minutes. But their momentum was checked by Mbaoma’s injury, forcing him off for summer signing Adama Goita of Mali.
Samuel Anakwe twice came close to giving Remo Stars the lead before the break, only to be denied by the crossbar and a sharp save from Rivers goalkeeper Victor Sochima.
The Local Organising Committee (LOC) for Asaba 2025 National Youth Games (NYG) has lined up top music stars and traditional dancers to entertain athletes and spectators at the opening ceremony of the Games holding at the Stephen Keshi Stadium this week.
The Games, which is in its 9th edition, is expected to be declared open by chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Mallam Shehu Dikko, on behalf of President Bola Tinubu.
Delta is hosting the NYG for the third time in a row, after Kwara State hosted it five times. This 9th edition will run from August 26 to September 6 in Asaba As at yesterday, the actual number of athletes and officials for the Games was yet to be made public, however, according to a member of the LOC, Festus Ohwojero, the number is likely to surpass the contingents that attended the last edition
“We are waiting for the Delegation Registration
Meeting (DRM) to determine the actual number of athletes and officials later today (yesterday),” he said. “But from the information we are getting from the various states, the number is expected to be higher than what we had at the 8th edition because more states are identifying with the Games, and they have seen the need to build solid foundation for sports at the youth level. Ohwojero revealed that Dikko is expected to declare the Games open on behalf of President Bola Tinubu, just as he disclosed that all the facilities needed for the Games had been put in place
Former Super Eagles goal- keeper, Peter Rufai, was yesterday laid to rest by members of his family, colleagues and friends, barely two months after the demise of the former goalkeeper.
Rufai, who passed on at the age of 61 after losing the battle with a prolonged illness, has been described by colleagues and friends as an upright man whose absence would be greatly missed.
He was laid to rest yesterday at the Ikoyi cemetery with his colleagues accusing the Federal and Lagos State Government as well as the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) for not spon- soring the burial rites.
A former Super Eagles defender, Taribo West, who expressed displeasure over the development, disclosed that he won’t advise his son to play for Nigeria.“What kind of nation is this? With the type of example that they have shown with Yisa Shofoluwe, Stephen Keshi, Thompson Oliha, RashidiYekini, I’ll never advise my son to put his feet for this country,” he fumed.
The ex-defender accused football authorities of doing little to support Rufai’s family following the death of the goalkeeper, who was Nigeria’s first choice at the 1994 World Cup.
“It’s disheartening that you have Lagos State, you have the Nigerian Football Association. They drop the bulk on the family. I felt in my spirit that there is nothing to put your life on the line for. That’s why I say I have to shift back so that I will not implode. It’s grieving.
“My mother passed on. I never shed tears. My father passed on in my hands. I never shed tears,” he said. “When Rufai passed on, I had goose pimples on my body. And every individual I’m speak- ing to, there were tears rolling down my cheeks. What kind of nation is this?”
“Do we have a Football Federation or do we have a Football Association in this Lagos State? That this hero, this soldier, this football evangelist, has to be treated this way, and his family.
“Could you imagine that the family would be crying just to solicit within our groups to ask for money? That is madness. Look, please let me go. I don’t want to pour my heart,” he said angrily before abandoning the interview.
Speaking emotionally at Rufai’s service of songs, former teammate of the goalkeeper, Austin Eguavoen admitted that the country has failed to honour and support its ex-internationals.
He described Rufai as a national hero whose contributions
to Nigerian football should have commanded greater recognition.
“I don’t think we’ve done enough, honestly speaking. I don’t care what anybody thinks of me right now, but Peter Rufai is too big a name for the government and those in charge not to take responsibility for his burial,” Eguavoen said.
“It’s so sad. Maybe I’m speaking out of emotions, but this is how I feel. Peter Rufai is a legend who deserves to be immortalized.”
Meanwhile, a Stationary Stores of Lagos former player, Taiwo Afinnih, in an interview with newsmen after the burial, described the deceased goal- keeper as a gentleman who never get involve in any argu- ment with colleagues. Afinnih, who attended same secondary school with Rufai, said that scoring against the former goalkeeper was the dream of every young foot- baller considering that he was hard to beat in the goal post as a teenager.
United States President, Donald Trump announced yesterday that the draw for the 2026 World Cup will hold in Washington on December 5 -- and got a rare chance to hold the coveted football trophy.
The 48-team event is being hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico next year, and Trump has made a big deal about it happening during his presidency.
The draw was reportedly due to be held in Las Vegas but Trump, accompanied by FIFA chief, Gianni Infantino, said it would now be held at the Kennedy Center in the US capital.
“It’s the biggest, probably the
biggest event in sports,” added the 79-year-old US president, who was wearing a red hat saying “Trump Was RightAbout Everything.”
Trump also suggested that Russian President Vladimir Putin may attend the World Cup -- saying that he “wants to be there very badly,” but that he “may be coming and he may not” depending on the outcome of Ukraine peace efforts.
Infantino allowed Trump to get his hands on the trophy, which is presented to winners of football’s global tournament.
“Only the FIFA president, presidents of countries, and then those who win can touch
it, because it’s for winners only. And since you are a winner, of course you can as well touch it,” Infantino said.
“Can I keep it?” joked Trump, who won a second term in the White House in the 2024 US presidential election.
Former NBA Players Kittles, William Top African Prospects at First Basketball Without Borders Camp in East Africa
The National Basketball Association (NBA) and the International BasketballFederation(FIBA)yesterdayannounced the top 60 high-school-age boys andgirlsfrom21countriesacross Africa who will participate in the 21st Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Africa camp, which will be held at Petit Stade and BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda, from
today, August 23 – Tuesday, August 26, marking the first time that the NBA and FIBA’s global basketball development and community outreach program will be held in East Africa after previous editions in Angola, Egypt, Senegal and South Africa.
The campers,whoincludetwo NBAAcademyAfricaprospects, will be coached by Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Tamika Catchings,1996-97NBAAll-Rookie Second Team member Kerry Kittles, 2005-06 NBAAll-Rookie Second Team member Marvin Williams,CharlotteHornetshead coachCharlesLee,IndianaPacers assistant coach Lloyd Pierce, and MinnesotaTimberwolvesassistant coach Micah Nori.
This is what was said about the Abuja Centenary City Project on this page, about one year ago: " … a good project mired in totally avoidable controversies. Months drew on. Then years flew by, while some low-grade quibbling went on in recondite corners. While that lasted, an investor who was ready to bring an inflow of 18 billion dollars into the country, as the biggest ever single Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), left the country in frustration".
For the record, this was one of the Legacy Projects initiated by the Federal Government
and approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) in 2014. Its conceptualisation and emergence dovetailed into the programmes and activities for Nigeria’s Centenary celebration in 2014, and the plan revolved around the vision of a Smart Green City that would rank among the most modern cities in the world.
The concept was patterned after such model cities as Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, Songdo in South Korea, and Shenzen in the People's Republic of China. Part of the expectation was that the Abuja Centenary would signpost the Nigeria of the future, by leveraging world-class urban
For the first time in many years, inflation figures have been showing signs of moderation, which is a somewhat comforting trend.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which reflects the growth rate of prices for goods and services, eased further to 21.88 percent in July, compared to 22.22 percent in the preceding month.
Year-on-year, headline inflation stood at 33.40 per cent in July 2024, representing 11.52 per cent drop, though using a different base year, of November 2009.
The CPI figures for July released by the statistical agency last week also showed that, month-on-month, the inflation rate was higher at 1.99 per cent in the period under review compared to 1.68 per cent in June. In July, food inflation dropped to 22.74 per cent, year-on-year, compared to 39.53 per cent.
Month-on-month, the food inflation stood at 3.12 per cent, compared to 3.25 per cent in June. The NBS attributed the decrease in the food index to the rate of decrease in the average prices of vegetable oil, beans, local rice, maize flour, guinea corn, wheat flour, and millet whole grain, among others.
Equally, a recent report by Nairametrics revealed
that for the first time in nearly a decade, the country is witnessing a meaningful and sustained slowdown in consumer prices. According to 10-year inflation data as analysed by Nairametrics Research, headline inflation has dropped by 10.7 percent, the sharpest mid-year slowdown in over a decade. The data showed that, unlike 2020 to 2024, when inflation accelerated, 2025 stands out alongside 2017 and 2018 as one of the few disinflationary years. Inflation, indeed, means different things to different people. To the man on the street, inflation occurs when he spends more money to purchase the same quantity of goods. On the other hand, to an
development as a tool for securing Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and catalysing various aspects of social and economic indices in the country. Then there was a ten-year lull. Then came Nyesom Wike as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. His action on the matter was reminiscent of the mythical story of a king who was said to have summoned a perpetually quarrelling couple (CCPLC and the allied forces around the FCDA and FCTA), locked them up in a big house and told them: “The only condition under which I
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economist, it is the general increase in price level over a period of time.
Certainly, high inflation distorts consumer behaviour. It also destabilises markets by creating unnecessary shortages. Likewise, high inflation, which is not the desire of any economy, leads to income redistribution and brings about weak purchasing power. That is why central banks globally are never comfortable with a rising inflation rate, usually seen by them as ‘evil.’
For an economy long battered by double-digit
Today is a homecoming for history.
Sixty-two years ago, our forebears under the visionary leadership of Dr. Michael Okpara built this landmark as a symbol of Eastern Region’s resilience, elegance and enterprise. But over the decades, time and neglect dimmed that light. For about 15 years, this glorious edifice stood as an affront to our pride, as something contrary to what we represent.
We came into office with a strong pledge: to recover what belongs to our people, to revive what is moribund, and to make Enugu the preferred destination for investment, tourism, living and leisure. We made a deliberate decision: to convert dormant assets into productive assets; turn liabilities into engines of growth. That is why this unveiling is more than opening the doors of a hotel; it is the reopening of Enugu’s confidence. It is a tangible sign that when we say Enugu is open for business,
we mean business. The standards for this hotel’s revamp were truly world-class. We insisted on this so that when Enugu says “welcome” to its investors, our hospitality infrastructure speaks with the same credibility as our policies.
We thank the managers and concessionaire – Amber Hospitality – for believing in Enugu’s potential. They bring on board an enviable pedigree, earned through the efficient management of about 12 successful
brands in the hospitality sector – from Lagos to Abuja and Port Harcourt. There’s no doubt that some cynics would be thinking a similar fate that plagued the old Hotel Presidential will befall the new Hotel Presidential. That’s why we left no room for error; that’s why we ensured that the managers emerged through a very competitive process.