SATURDAY 9TH AUGUST 2025

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to Members: Those Endorsing Tinubu for 2027 Face Sanctions

Again, Bala Muhammed appeals to Peter Obi to return to PDP Former LP presidential candidate donates N15m to College of Nursing, Islamic School in Bauchi

Chuks Okocha in Abuja and Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reviewed the anti-party activities of certain members of the party, particularly those endorsing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for re-election in 2027. Equally yesterday, the

Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, openly invited Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, to return to the PDP. Mohammed, who is the Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, stated that the opposition must unite to rescue Nigeria from the current

Ogundare The West African Examinations Council (WAEC), yesterday,

Rewane: Populace Getting Uncomfortable with Unintended Reforms’ Consequences

Nume Ekeghe and Dike Onwuamaeze

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Financial Derivative Company Limited (FDC), Mr. Bismarck Rewane, has warned that Nigerians were getting restive and uncomfortable with the unintended consequences of the federal government’s reforms.

He also stated that Nigeria’s growth was being slowed down by “reform fatigue,” a situation where people and businesses are tired of constant changes in government policies.

This emerged as checks by THISDAY, showed that Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves increased to $39.99 billion as at August 6, 2025, marking a 9.9

Aremo, Ibadan…yesterday

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde (right) and son of Late Olubadan, Prince Sumbo Olakulehin, during the burial service of Late Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, held St Peter's Cathedral,
L-R: Mrs. Shiela Enaboifo; Ehi Enaboifo; his wife, Caterina Enaboifo and Mr. Lulu Enaboifo, at the wedding of their son Ehi to Caterina, held at the Hackney Town Hall in London…yesterday

Real Estate Developers Kick as Lagos Vows to Seal 176 Estates after 21-day Ultimatum

Bennett Oghifo

Real estate developers in Lagos, under the aegis of the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN), have condemned the move by the State government to strictly enforce planning regulations and seal off 176 estates that had allegedly flouted approval requirements.

REDAN stated this yesterday, in reaction to a comment by the Director,

Public Affairs, Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr. Mukaila Sanusi, that the State Government would take action at the expiration of the 21 days given to developers to perfect the estates’ documentation.

REDAN President, Mr. Akintoye Adeoye, told THISDAY, that labelling the estates “illegal” portrayed the Lagos State property market as toxic.

“It sends shock waves and

fear to the investing community, particularly those in the diaspora. I want to caution government representatives to choose their words carefully while sending messages to the public.

“In the future, the government must deepen the culture of transparency in their services. There are trust and confidence issues to be addressed.

“Excessive requirements for planning approvals and

exorbitant rates must be looked into. REDAN is engaging with the government on the challenges of developers in this matter,” he added.

Last week, the Lagos State Government had identified 176 estates, it said were built illegally, predominantly located in the Eti-Osa, Ajah, Ibeju-Lekki, and Epe axis of the state, and gave their owners a 21-day ultimatum to process their layout approvals.

The estates, deemed illegal

due to their failure to obtain layout approvals from the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, were listed in a document published by the Ministry on Monday. However, responding to a THISDAY question on how the estate developers built without getting approval, and if it was a case of regulatory failure, Sanusi said, “It is part of the pervasive disregard for regulation in the country. However, that some of them have built does not

make it right. Government must act in the interest of a livable, organised and sustainable physical environment.”

He advised people who intend to buy property in Lagos to do proper checks before making payment. According to him, “People should ask for the Layout Plan Approval of the estate. Planning Permit. They can check with the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development for verification.”

REWANE: POPULACE GETTING UNCOMFORTABLE WITH UNINTENDED REFORMS’ CONSEQUENCES

per cent increase from the $36.39 billion recorded on same date in 2024, according to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) data.

Rewane stated his view in a presentation he made at the Lagos Business School’s (LBS) monthly breakfast session for August, titled “Two Years After: Reform Fatigue and Ideological Backsliding Sets in ...,” a copy of which was made available to THISDAY yesterday.

Since taking office in May 2023, President Bola Tinubu has rolled out sweeping economic measures, including the removal of fuel subsidies, which led to a sharp rise in petrol prices. He also unified the foreign exchange market, allowing the naira to float freely, a move that triggered significant currency depreciation. In addition, his administration introduced fiscal and tax reforms aimed at boosting revenue, but these have added pressure on households and businesses already struggling with high

admitted a grading error in the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates.

The examination body attributed the error to a technical fault in its new paper serialisation system, which affected the English Language objective paper.

The Council has since corrected the anomaly and released revised results.

The Head of National Office (HNO), Dr. Amos Dangut, who briefed journalists in Lagos, explained that the issue arose when a wrong serialised code file was used during the printing of the English Language paper three (objective), causing candidates' answers to be scored using incorrect answer keys. The error, he

administration’s failings.

The PDP in a statement yesterday, by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba said, ''Of serious concern is the persistent public media outbursts against our party by some prominent members whose actions and utterances including their public declaration of support and willingness to work for the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 presidential election in violation of the provision of the PDP’s constitution (as amended in 2017) constitute a serious threat to the stability and sustenance of our Party.''

Some of the party’s members,

inflation.

Rewane argued that while reforms are meant to improve things, too many shifts without quick or clear results could make citizens and investors lose trust, leading to weaker economic performance.

He said: “Nigeria is exactly two years into the sweeping reform of 2023. The populace is getting restive and uncomfortable with the unintended consequences of the policies.

“The federal and state governments are holding the line but are showing some signs of economic backsliding.

“The most evident reversal of the reform is in the aviation sector. Nigeria has 33 airports, of which only four are viable.

“Whilst it is normal for stateowned airlines to be privatised, we are now witnessing an obsession of the state government with building new airports and establishing airlines.”

He added that empirical

noted, was discovered during its internal post-examination review.

“This regrettable situation contributed to the earlier observed drop in performance,” Dangut stated.

“However, we have now resolved the issue, and candidates can access their accurate results via the official portal: www. waecdirect.org.”

Importantly, schools that took the exam using the computerbased mode, he said, were unaffected by the scoring error.

Dangut, explained that out of the 1,969,313 candidates who sat for the 2025 WASSCE, 1,794,821 representing 91.14 per cent, obtained credit and above in at least five subjects (with or without English and Mathematics), while

including those in the Southwest, had variously endorsed Tinubu for re-election in 2027. Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, is also in the forefront of PDP members canvassing for the President’s re-election.

Reacting to this development, the PDP in the latest statement added: "Specifically, Section 10 (6) of the PDP Constitution provides that, “No member of the party shall align with other parties or groups to undermine the party or any of its elected government.”

Ologunagba further noted: ''Such anti-party activities have continued to impact negatively on the PDP leading to

evidence from similar reforms in some countries that had embarked on bold reforms, like the United Kingdom under late Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, as well as countries like Myanmar, and Moldova in Eastern Europe, the unintended consequences of reform policies have blighted the populace.

He said: “The people bear the brunt of the policies. Typically, two years later, reform fatigue sets in. Countries usually embark on palliative distribution and other subsidies again.”

According to him, subsidy removal as part of the reform has increased government revenue and reduced citizens’ disposal income.

Rewane noted that, “commercialisation and privatisation are key economic reform policies in Nigeria to improve efficiency and reduce the fiscal burden on the government,” in line with property rights theory that posited that private

1,239,884 candidates representing 62.96 per cent obtained five credits including English Language and Mathematics.

"Female candidates outperformed their male counterparts in the key benchmark, 53. 05 per cent of successful candidates in this category were female, while males accounted for 46.95 per cent," he said.

The HNO, however, noted a 9.16 per cent decline in this performance metric compared to 2024, when 72.12 per cent of candidates achieved credit in five subjects, including English and Mathematics.

He said the results of 1,763,470 candidates representing 89.55 per cent have been fully processed and released, while the remaining

division, disaffection and heavy hemorrhaging of members with the capacity to diminish our Party’s electoral fortune if not immediately checked.

''In the light of the foregoing and the instancy of protecting and preserving the existence of our party and its electoral fortune, the NWC, pursuant to the provisions of Section 59 (1) of the PDP constitution hereby issues a strong reprimand against such anti-party activities and cautions those involved to retrace their steps or face stiffer sanctions as provided in the PDP Constitution.''

The NWC charged all members of the party to remain loyal, focused and continue to

ownership leads to efficient resource allocation.

He said the key takeaways of the reform include economic indicators that have remained positive, though “the people's pain and hardship persist,” adding that “the economy is passing through the worst of the reform-adjustment phase.”

According to Rewane, Nigeria’s new Gross Domestic Product (GDP) numbers of $243 billion are authentic, but not flattering, stating that the economic growth recorded was backed up by expanding activities.

He further noted that inflation has been on a downtrend since March, but remained stubbornly high at 22.2 per cent in June, while “fuel costs are coming down (PMS N865/$), but growth in food prices is rising.”

He predicted that “currency volatility will ease, but the Naira will remain under pressure, owing to inflation, and low

205,916 candidates representing 10.45 per cent have pending results due to unresolved issues.

He assured that the issues would be finalised within a few days.

The council, Dangut noted, also catered to 12,178 candidates with special needs, including the visually and hearing impaired, mentally and physically challenged.

"Their results have also been released," he added.

The council, he said, was withholding the results of 191,053 candidates representing 9.7 per cent over allegations of examination malpractice, adding that there is a slight decrease from the 11.92 per cent recorded in 2024.

work assiduously towards the successful conduct of the PDP National Convention scheduled to hold on the 15th and 16th of November, 2025, in Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital.

Meanwhile, Bala Mohammed, has appealed to Peter Obi, to return to the PDP.

The Bauchi Governor commended the former Anambra State Governor for what he described as a, “new brand of politics” centered on constructive engagement, people-focused governance and oversight.

“Your Excellency, my brother, we are really delighted by the new lease of life you bring to Nigerian politics,” the

confidence in the currency.”

Stating that the new GDP numbers of $243 billion are authentic but not flattering, Rewane said that “we expect the growth in Q2 to be 3.36 per cent or higher, surpassing the growth rate in Q1.

“One of the significant growth catalysts is the oil refining sector, which is driven by massive investments and production from the Dangote Refinery.

“Oil refining contracted by 14.67 per cent in 2024 and is expected to achieve a growth rate exceeding 20 per cent.

Another interesting indicator is the expectation that inflation will taper towards 20 per cent in Q4,” he added. Meanwhile, Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves have increased to $39.99 billion as at August 6, 2025, marking a 9.9 per cent rise from $36.39 billion on the same date in 2024.

The upward trend reflects improved foreign exchange

"Investigations are ongoing, and final decisions will be communicated to candidates through their schools. Affected candidates have been invited to seek redress via https:// waecinternational.org/ complaints," he said.

The HNO stated that the council has commenced uploading the corrected results of candidates who have fulfilled their financial obligations, adding that they could check their results within the next 12 hours via its official portal: www.waecdirect. org.

He urged candidates to apply for their digital certificates, which will be available 48 hours after checking their results online.

"Hard copies of certificates

governor said in the presence of journalists, stakeholders, and members of Obi’s Obidient Movement.

Commending Obi’s legacy in healthcare and education, Mohammed acknowledged his past performance as a Governor and the clarity of his vision for Nigeria.

According to Mohammed, “You have spoken on two critical areas — health and education. We know your passion and what you did in Anambra. This is the kind of insight and roadmap we need for Nigeria.”

Mohammed stressed that leadership must go beyond seasonal politics and lip service,

inflows and ongoing reforms aimed at rebuilding macroeconomic confidence. Analysts forecast that the external reserves would likely continue this momentum, supported by high crude oil prices, steady remittance flows, and renewed foreign portfolio investor (FPI) interest in Nigerian assets. Over the past year, reserve levels showed steady growth, with notable gains in late 2024 and early 2025, despite occasional pressures.

This positive trend continued in January 2025, with external reserves hitting $40.90 billion by January 5, before declining to $39.72 billion by January 31. February and March saw a slight dip to around $38.3 billion. As of April 30, 2025, the stock was $37.93 billion, indicating stability amid oil price volatility. In May and June, reserves slowly increased again, crossing the $38.5 billion mark by June 30.

will be ready within 90 days for candidates whose results have been fully processed," he said. He emphasised that the results of candidates sponsored by indebted state governments would remain withheld until the outstanding debts are settled, while appealing to the affected state governments to act promptly so that candidates from those schools can access their results without further delay.

"Candidates are reminded that the result checker PIN and serial number, required to access their results, are printed on the Smart Identity cards they used during the examination. Additionally, new Result listings will be sent to schools shortly for official records," Dangut said.

insisting that Nigerian politicians must demonstrate knowledge, empathy, and planning.

“Politics is not about sharing rice during Sallah or Christmas. It is about understanding where the shoe pinches and acting accordingly,” he added. Mohammed further stressed the need for the opposition to come together, warning that disunity only serves the interests of the ruling party.

“Nigerian politics cannot be done with ego, differences, or personal interests. The opposition — PDP, ADC, SDP, LP — must come together. We must harmonise our interests in the interest of the people of Nigeria,” he declared.

AKPABIO HALE AND HEARTY…

held in London...yesterday

Makinde, COAS, Others Bid Late Olubadan, Oba Olakulehin Farewell

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, yesterday in Ibadan, led prominent Nigerians to the final burial ceremony of the 43rd Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Akinloye Owolabi Olakulehin.

Others at the event included the Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Bayo Lawal; the Chief of Army Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, represented by the General Officer Commanding, 2 Div. Major General Obinna Onubogun; members of the Olubadan-inCouncil led by the Balogun of Ibadanland, Oba Tajudeen Ajibola, executives of Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII) led by President General, Ajeniyi Ajewole, and a host of others.

A week-long burial ceremony for the late monarch who died on July 7 at the age of 90 years was rounded off with a church service at the Cathedral of Saint Peters Aremo in Ibadan North

East Local Government Area.

The deceased, having retired as a Major in the Nigerian Army was given a befitting Military honour with the presentation of the Nigeria flag as well as firing of gunshots signalling his final departure.

The Diocesan Bishop, Anglican Communion, Ibadan North Diocese, Right Rev. Williams Aladekugbe, in his sermon, admonished congregants to be mindful of the life they live, noting that on the last day all mortals will give account of their stewardship.

The cleric while quoting copiously from 2. Cor 5:10, said, “Let us be careful of the life we live as well be weary of judging others especially when you don't have all the facts.

''Take heed that you don't spend your today in any way that may ruin your tomorrow but remember that all of us will give account to our creator."

Gunmen Kill Three Policemen, One Other in Kwara

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

Gunmen suspected to be bandits yesterday killed four persons including three policemen at Babanla community in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.

The incident according to THISDAY checks happened during a routine meeting of the Babanla's vigilante group. It was gathered that the armed bandits were said to have reportedly targeted the local police station, attempted to loot grocery shops and a hotel, and fired indiscriminately.

The development it was further learnt forced the residents of the town to flee into nearby bushes for safety.

Sources close to the community told journalists yesterday that, during the attack, three policemen and one other were reportedly killed by the

suspected bandits before they escaped into the bush.

Sources added that men of the Nigerian Army who were on security mission to the town were said to have responded swiftly, repelling the attackers and mounting a security cordon around the community.

Contacted, a senior police officer at the Divisional Police Headquarters at Share town who sought anonymity confirmed the incident.

He however said that, "We have notified the state police command on the ugly incident and the command would give further details on it soon."

Also, a Government House statement issued in Ilorin yesterday signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Rafiu Ajakaye, commended the army, police, and community vigilante members for their quick intervention.

In his eulogies, Rev. Aladekugbe described the late monarch as a leader of grace with a heart full of compassion.

He said, ''His Imperial majesty, Oba Akinloye Owolabi Olakulehin, was a leader of grace with a heart full of compassion. He was a great

father of all in Ibadanland and he stood tall as a harbinger of inclusiveness and fatherhood.

''Kabiyesi was a devoted Christian and had been a powerful force in every of his subject's life, imparting strong values and generosity.

''During his reign, he ensured that all residents within his domain enjoyed very peaceful co-existence. Ibadanland and environs similarly witnessed unprecedented development.

''The traditional institution in the land also experienced transformation that has moved the institution to greater height.

''Kabiyesi's departure is certainly an irreparable loss but our conviction is that he lived well a life full of legacies, a life dedicated to the service of God and humanity."

Aviation Unions Issue Strike Notice, Direct NAMA Workers to Down Tools August 11

Aviation unions have directed all workers of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) to get ready to down tools on Monday, August 11, 2025, at 5:00am, in response to an earlier notice issued by labour to the federal government on withdrawal of service on July 30, 2025.

The unions comprising

the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUCPTRE) issued the letter to its members in the agency, a copy of which was seen by THISDAY yesterday.

In the letter dated August 7, 2025, and signed by Abdulrasaq Said, Secretary General of ANAP; Odinaka J. Igbokwe, Deputy General Secretary (NUATE); Frances Akinjole, Principal Deputy General Secretary (ATSSSAN), and Alo Lawrence O., General Secretary (AUPCRE), the unions wrote,

“As you are all aware, the notice of withdrawal of services given on 30th July, 2025, expires at

the end of today.

“Therefore, all workers of NAMA are hereby directed to stop all services with effect from Monday, 11th August, 2025, at 05hrs indefinitely.

“All airlines and allied companies, as well as the flying public, are hereby informed of the above-stated action and advised to make alternative travel arrangements,” the statement read.

Obaseki Headlines Diaspora Dialogue at York University, Calls for Urgent Rethink of Nigerian Statecraft

The former governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has called for urgent rethink of Nigeria’s statecraft, noting that entrenched elite capture and systemic dysfunction was threatening the country’s future.

Obaseki made the call while delivering a keynote address at York University’s

Harriet Tubman Institute, during a high-level public dialogue titled, ‘From Edo to the Diaspora: Power, Policy, and the Politics of Statecraft in Nigeria’.

The session convened policymakers, academics, students, and members of the Edo Diaspora community in Canada for a rigorous

examination of the systemic crises facing Nigeria and the opportunities for reform.

Hosted in partnership with the Tubman Institute and local diaspora groups, the event featured Obaseki as the keynote speaker in a wide-ranging discussion that traversed Africa’s demographic shifts, Nigeria’s

governance dilemmas, and the transformative efforts he led in Edo State between 2016 and 2024.

In his remarks, Obaseki decried Nigeria’s deep structural dysfunction, adding, “Nigeria’s statecraft is caught in a web of elite capture, patronage networks, and ethno-regional fissures."

Pharmacists Demand Definitive Law on Roles of NAFDAC, PSN in Drug Matters

Pharmacists under the aegis of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) have called for a clear-cut definition of the roles of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in the control and regulation of drug marketing and distribution in the country.

ACPN contended that lawful delineation of statutory roles of the principal agencies in Pharmacy practice to avoid conflict of interest, as well as create the desired harmony in the pharmaceutical sector. This latest position by the ACPN is coming on the heels of a recent controversy over a directive by NAFDAC to operators in sealed drug markets in Lagos, Aba and Onitsha to register with the agency for ‘national database. The National Chairman of ACPN, Pharm. Eze Ambrose Igwekamma, had argued that the action was an attempt by NAFDAC to usurp the constitutional powers of PSN.

L-R: APC Cross River State Chairman, Ogar Eba; President of the Senate Godswill Akpabio; Commissioner of Information, Cross River State, Erasmus Ekpang; Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong and wife, Nela, at the birthday dinner in honour of Mrs. Ekpenyong
Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan

COURTESY VISIT...

David Mark: ADC Will Start Rebuilding Nigeria from Anambra

Nwosu: I'm credible alternative to Soludo ADC faction rejects former senate president, David Mark Forum of ADC chairmen reaffirms confidence in national chairman Sule describes ADC a split party that will get weaker No power can stop me from contesting 2027 presidential election, Kachikwu declares

Chuks Okocha, Sunday Aborisade in Abuja and DavidChyddy Eleke in Awka

National Chairman of African Democratic Congress (ADC), David Mark, has said that the party will form the next government in Anambra State.

Also, Anambra State governorship candidate of the party, John Nwosu who addressed supporters insisted that he is the only credible alternative to the current governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, adding that Anambra under Soludo is badly shattered.

But the leadership crisis in the coalition party continues to fester as a faction of the ADC, has dismissed recent claims to its leadership by former Senate President, Mark and his associates in the opposition coalition.

However, members of the Forum of State Chairmen of ADC have reaffirmed confidence in the leadership of the party at the national level led by former Senate President, Mark.

This was as Governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Sule has described the ADC as a split party that can only get weaker.

The ADC crisis deepened yesterday when Dumebi Kachikwu, the 2023 presidential candidate of the party, declared unequivocally in Abuja that he would contest the 2027 presidential election.

Mark stated that the party was poised to rebuild Nigeria, and that the onerous assignment will begin with Anambra State, where the governorship candidate of the party, Mr. Nwosu will be elected on November 8.

Sowore Regains Freedom, Says Detention ‘Illegal’

Chuks Okocha in Abuja and Sunday Ehigiator inLagos

Human rights activist and 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, has been released from police custody.

Sowore had been detained at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory since Wednesday when he honoured an invitation from the Inspector General of Police Monitoring Unit.

The activist confirmed his release in a Facebook post.

He described his detention as “illegal and unjust.”

“The Nigeria Police Force has capitulated to the demands of the revolutionary movement.

I have been released from unjust, illegal and unwarranted detention.

“However, it is nothing to celebrate, but thank you for not giving up!” he wrote. His release comes hours after his supporters had staged protests in about five different states yesterday. Before his release, former governor of Anambra State and the Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, berated the Nigeria Police over the arrest and continued detention of Sowore, describing it as “a miscarriage of justice and an abuse of state power.”

A development the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Special Intervention Squad, CP Abayomi Shogunle, defended Sowore’s continued detention, saying it followed due legal procedure.

The national chairman was represented by the founder of the party, Mr. Okey Ralphs Nwosu, during the flag off of the governorship campaign of the

party's candidate in Anambra, which took place at All Saints Cathedral in Onitsha.

He said, "ADC is the new coalition party and it

is happening strongly in the North and South, but Anambra is the birth place of ADC and the founder is from here, and I want to believe that the ADC

will even be stronger here.

"We want to bring a candidate that has business sense and will use it to turn around Anambra State.

NCDC Issues Public Health Advisory on New Mosquito-borne Disease - Chikungunya

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

Amid global outbreak and flood risks, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has released a public health advisory on Chikungunya, following reports of outbreaks across multiple countries.

Although no confirmed cases have been reported in Nigeria, the NCDC said it is strengthening surveillance and preparedness due to heightened

risk from increased flooding and mosquito breeding, which also elevate the threat of yellow fever and dengue fever.

A statement by the Centre, gave information on symptoms, form of transmission and key prevention tips for individuals and communities.

The Centre also details actions being taken along with partners across the One Health spectrum.

NCDC said it is closely monitoring the global

epidemiological situation following recent reports of the Chikungunya virus outbreak.

According to the World Health Organisation and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, over 240,000 cases and 90 deaths have been reported across at least 16 countries so far this year.

Notably, China has recorded nearly 5,000 cases since early July 2025, with Guangdong Province alone reporting close to 3,000

cases in a week.

Chikungunya is a mosquitoborne viral disease transmitted primarily by the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, the same vectors responsible for Dengue and Yellow Fever. Unlike the Malaria causing Anopheles mosquitoes, Aedes mosquitoes bite during the day, especially early mornings and late afternoons. Therefore, preventive efforts must extend beyond night-time protection.

29 Countries to Phase-out Passport Stamps

In Europe, 29 countries would soon replace passport stamps with a new Entry/Exist System (EES).

The policy that had been delayed for years, according to a travel and leisure online news platform, would now go into effect starting October 12. It would be introduced gradually, with the full implementation expected to be complete by April 10, 2026.

Countries where the EES would be implemented on a gradual basis include Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, and Netherlands. Others are Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

The electronic authorisation is an "automated IT system for registering non-EU nationals travelling for a short stay, each time they cross the external borders of any of the following European countries using the system," according to the European Union. The policy, aimed at modernising borders, would collect data listed in travelers' documents, the date and place of each entry and exit,

a facial image, and fingerprints. Europe isn't alone in moving toward a digital border. In January, the United Kingdom had implemented its own electronic travel authorisation (ETA) fee, which is now required for most travelers arriving in the country, including from the United States. At the time, the long-anticipated fee was called a step toward "a modern immigration system."

Okpebholo Nominates Kassim Afegbua, Three Others Commissioner-designates

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has nominated four commissioner designates among them Prince Kassim Afegbua. Three others are Ohimai

Ehijimetor, Eugenia Abdullah and Godwin Afokokhe Eshieshi. This was contained in a message signed by Secretary to State Government (SSG), Musa Ikhilor and made available to journalists in Benin City, yesterday

Governor Okpebholo also approved the appointment of Aigbogun Collins, the immediate past Chairman of Esan West Local Government Council as Special Adviser to the Governor on Youth Mobilisation and Osobase Oboaguina as Senior Special

Assistant to the Governor on Youth Mobilisation, Edo Central. According to the statement, the nominations of the above-listed individuals will be forwarded to the Edo State House of Assembly for consideration and confirmation.

Controller General, Nigerian Correctional Service, Sylvester Nwakuche (left) and Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mammud Yakubu, during a meeting to
in future elections in Nigeria, held at INEC head office in Abuja…yesterday

ADC ANAMBRA GUBER CAMPAIGN FLAG OFF...

INEC: We’ll Engage N’Assembly to Clear Legal Provision on Inmate Voting

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that it would engage with the National Assembly for a clear legal provision on

inmate voting. It added that thereafter, it could now address the specific issues that might arise in the course of implementation.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made

this known yesterday in Abuja during a courtesy call by the Controller General of Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Sylvester Nwakuche, that centred on the voting rights for inmates of correctional facilities

who, at the moment, do not vote during elections and are therefore disenfranchised.

He stressed that the commission was aware that the right to vote is a human right which cannot be taken away

NAFDAC Destroys Medicines, Foods Worth N1trn

FG warns against compromising war on fake drugs, others

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The Director General of National Agency For Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has revealed that recent enforcement carried out at major drug markets in Lagos, Onitsha and Ariaria in Aba markets resulted in the evacuation and destruction of over 100 trucks of counterfeit and substandard medicines and food products valued at over N1 trillion.

This was as the federal government has cautioned

all agencies and departments responsible for regulation and enforcement of standards for food and health related products not to undermine efforts to prevent influx of fake and substandard products into the country.

On her part, Adeyeye highlighted recent efforts by NAFDAC to enforce regulatory compliance in the food and drugs sectors.

She said between February and March 2025, NAFDAC conducted coordinated operations at major drug markets, notably Onitsha and

Ariaria markets.

"These operations resulted in the evacuation and destruction of over 100 trucks of counterfeit and substandard products, valued at over 1 trillion naira.

“This massive seizure not only removed dangerous products from circulation but also sent a strong message that Nigeria is serious about protecting its citizens," she said.

Adeyeye said that the enforcement operations led to the arrest of numerous illegal traders and the seizure of a wide range of fake medicines, unregistered drugs, and

unwholesome processed foods.

The DG said that establishment of the federal and state task forces were necessitated by the proliferation of counterfeit and substandard medicines, as well as unsafe processed foods, "that demands our immediate and unwavering attention".

According to her, the Task Force is constitutionally empowered by the provisions of Cap C 34, of the NAFDAC's Establishment Act, adding that both the federal and state task forces are expected to collaborate and operate within stipulated guidelines.

from a citizen on account of time served in a correctional facility.

Yakubu noted that in many parts of the world, including some African countries such as Ghana, Kenya and South Africa where INEC officials observed elections, inmates exercised their rights to vote.

He noted that the Commission was aware of the judgements of the Federal High Court in Benin delivered on 16th December 2014 and the Court of Appeal, also in Benin, delivered on 7th December 2018 pertaining to the right to vote by five plaintiffs awaiting trial.

The chairman added that based on the combined provisions of Article 25 of the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights (1966) and Section 25 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) on citizenship, the court affirmed the rights of plaintiffs who were inmates awaiting trial to vote in elections.

Yakubu said, however, the judges ruled that the right to vote was only excisable when asserted as it is a choice to be exercised voluntarily by a citizen and not a duty to be imposed by force of authority. According to him, “You may recall that in recognition of this situation, the Commission had several discussions with the correctional service on how inmates who wish to register and vote in elections can do so.”

Yakubu emphasised that the electoral body even set up a joint technical committee to review all the issues involved and advise on the way forward. He said the correctional service even availed them of data on the locations and types of federal correctional facilities nationwide.

According to Yakubu, “You also provided us with statistics on the various categories of inmates, the majority of whom are on remand awaiting trial and who may actually be registered voters.

Abductors of Ondo Varsity Staff Demand N7m Ransom

Religious Discrimination

Alleged Land Grabbing: Group Cries Out Over Human Rights Violations,

Onuminya Innocent

The Hausa Christian Development Initiative (HACDI) has raised the alarm over an alleged escalating land dispute in Ikara Local Government Area of Kaduna State, which has degenerated into human rights violations and religious discrimination. At the centre of the controversy is a protracted

land dispute between Mr. Ishaya Jarmai, a Hausa Christian farmer, and the village head, Sani Sambo Mohammed, who is allegedly using his position to seize Mr. Jarmai's farm lands.

According to a statement by the President of HACDI, Dr. Daniel Musa, the village head has been making unlawful and forceful attempts to seize four of Jarmai's farm lands, totalling

over 40 hectares.

Despite investigations by the Department of State Services (DSS) and court rulings affirming Jarmai's land rights, the village head allegedly continues to harass and intimidate the farmers.

The situation has taken a turn for the worse, with reports of armed thugs attacking the farmlands, destroying crops, and assaulting Jarmai's family

members.

The police had been accused of inaction and bribery, further exacerbating the situation.

HACDI is demanding immediate intervention from state and federal authorities to address the crisis.

"We are calling on the Kaduna State Government and the federal government to intervene immediately and put an end to this injustice.

AYITI Trains 10 Children on Computer Programming

A graduate of Pure and Applied Mathematics from the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akinyele Olubodun, through his Access for Youths to Information Technology Initiate (AYITI), has trained 10 vulnerable children in

computer programming.

According to a statement, they all graduated on Saturday. The training, tagged ‘AYITI 4.0’, was to facilitate ethical computer programming for social impact and prepare the trainees for immediate

employment opportunities.

AYITI is a training programme dedicated to nurturing vulnerable children into ethical and skilled technology creators.

In attendance was the guest speaker, Babatope Olosunde,

a Senior IT Project Manager, Cybersecurity Specialist and Independent Researcher, who flew in from the United Kingdom.

He encouraged the trainees to use their skills to drive positive changes.

The abductors of Omoniyi Eleyinmi, a staff of the Ondo State-owned Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), have demanded a ransom of N7 million for the release of the victim.

Eleyinmi, a faculty officer in the institution’s Faculty of Education, was abducted five days ago while returning to his residence in Supare-Akoko, Akoko South West Local Government Area of the state.

According to a family source, the kidnappers, who made contact with Eleyinmi's family on Thursday for the ransom, had on Wednesday allowed the wife of the victim to briefly speak with him to confirm that he's alive.

The source disclosed that the kidnappers had initially demanded N100 million ransom,

but it was later reduced to N7 million after a series of pleas and negotiations.

Following the development, the Alumni Association of AAUA, where Eleyinmi also graduated from, has called for donations from Nigerians in order to raise the demanded ransom and immediately secure the release of the victim from captivity.

In a statement issued by the Global Publicity Secretary of the association, O'Seun Ogunsakin appealed that timely donations will go a long way in ensuring that Eleyinmi reunites with his family hale and hearty. The statement reads in parts, "Distinguished Alumni, I am sure that the majority of you must have heard the news of the kidnap of one of us, Niyi Eleyinmi, who is the Faculty Officer of the Faculty of Education, AAUA.

Fidelis David in Akure
Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
L-R: Deputy Governorship candidate of African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dr. Ndubuisi Nwobu; Governorship candidate, Mr. John Nwosu and Founder of ADC/representative of National Chairman of the party, Chief Okey Ralph Nwosu, during the flag off of the party’s governorship campaign in Onitsha... yesterday.

Super Falcons, Wafcon Rewards, And Stricken Golden Goose

In recent times I have watched with some amusement as the government and big corporate organisations fall over themselves to celebrate the Super Falcons after they conquered Africa and brought home a record-extending 10th CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title.

Victory has many friends indeed. Yesterday’s forgotten players and team officials are now everyone’s darlings; splashed with cash and non-cash gifts from all angles. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu led the tributes, hailing the team for inspiring all Nigerians, and, of course, “renewing hope” for their struggling compatriots.

He gifted each of the 24 players a whopping $100,000, while the 11-man technical team got $50,000 each. That added up to a largesse of $2.95m (N4.53b).

The governor of Kwara State and chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, also on hand to toast the girls with the president, announced a further N10m for each player on behalf of all the governors.

Corporate Nigeria has not been left behind. Telecoms giants MTN gifted the team N150m, while Nigerian Breweries Plc recommitted to sponsoring the national teams. Premium Trust Bank promised N5m for each player while coach Justin Magudu would get N10m.

Apart from the cash rewards, each of the players and officials was awarded the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) national honours in addition to getting a three-bedroom flat at the Renewed Hope Estate in Abuja.

We Nigerians are notoriously unsupportive of anyone who has not hit it big. What we do in spades is to identify with you if you manage to succeed. For context, 16 of the 24 players in the current Super Falcons launched their careers in the Nigeria Women’s Football League. The NWFL is instrumental in developing these players yet it is neglected by the government and corporate Nigeria.

Virtually all of our most celebrated Super Falcons ever have come through the NWFL. Of the current crop, captain Rasheedat Ajibade played for FC Robo Queens of Lagos, while vice-captain Chiamaka Nnadozie won the league title with Rivers Angels. If despite receiving minimal support and funding the NWFL is still a reasonably successful breeding ground for many of our future Super Falcons,

imagine what can happen if we are intentional about supporting and developing it.

The NWFL is that proverbial goose laying the golden eggs and we have refused to nourish it. Consider this, NWFL prize money for the 2024-25 season was a RECORD N25.5m! The champions Bayelsa Queens got N10m. Meanwhile, there are 12 clubs in the NWFL with a combined total of over 300 players!

N25.5m is just $15,993!!! The Super Falcons got almost N5b in cash alone! Do not misunderstand me, the Falcons deserve their reward, but it is mystifying that we see such value in them and not support the pipeline that brings them to us? This disingenuous approach to sports by the government and corporate Nigeria is why an industry that can contribute 3% to our GDP is still comatose in a world of booming sports commerce.

While the national team is glamourous and good for nationhood, it is the NWFL that creates and sustains jobs for thousands of young girls, administrative staff, kit manufacturers, journalists, content creators, coaches, medical firms, physiotherapists, facility managers, cameramen and camerawomen, petty traders on matchdays, etc.

For all the beauty of their victory in Morocco, the WAFCON comes once every two years and is played over just three weeks. In contrast, the NWFL is played every year, over several months and across many states.

This is why in the countries with thriving sports industries, their leagues attract far more investments than their national teams. In the USA for instance, the least valued of the NBA’s 30 teams, Memphis Grizzlies, has a valuation of $3b according to Sportico, while the USA national team is valued at just $500m by the Wall Street Journal. Each of the top clubs in the English Premier League has considerably higher market valuations than the national team.

IIF DESPITE RECEIVING MINIMAL SUPPORT AND FUNDING THE NWFL IS STILL A REASONABLY SUCCESSFUL BREEDING GROUND FOR MANY OF OUR FUTURE SUPER FALCONS, IMAGINE WHAT CAN HAPPEN IF WE ARE INTENTIONAL ABOUT SUPPORTING AND DEVELOPING IT

If we are to achieve our goal of rising above Africa to become a global force, the NWFL would need major government and private sector investments and support. I would like to see the MTNs, NB Plcs, Premier Trust Banks, provide strong financial and maybe even corporate leadership and process management support to the NWFL. Ezaga is Sports business consultant, Presenter, Sports Business with Orufuo Ezaga

Patrick Okpomo: 21 Years On

t’s been an incredible 21 years since one of Nigeria’s foremost football technocrats, Patrick Okpomo, a former Secretary General of Nigeria Football Association (NFA), died. He died in Lagos on August 1, 2004. ‘Secto’ as yours sincerely fondly called him was a panache of sports administration with a panacea for its challenges to the envy of his colleagues who couldn’t match his suave administrative attributes. No wonder CAF and FIFA quickly grabbed him the moment the Nigeria factor dumped him. And like the star that he was locally, he soared globally, so much so that Nigeria had to shamefully recall him in 1999 to head the Technical Committee of the U-20 World Cup which the country hosted.

Okpomo’s showcase of international football competence was courtesy of CAF President, Issa Hayatou who saw at close quarters the immense administrative expertise in him ,having

learned soccer administration under him when his Cameroonian government seconded him to Nigeria for training years earlier before his CAF presidency. It was Hayatou who God thereafter used to elevate him to CAF and FIFA platform the moment Nigeria sidelined him. Leveraging on Hayatou’s goodwill and magnanimity, the rejected soccer technocrat suddenly became Nigeria’s unofficial soccer ambassador as he quietly climbed CAF hierarchy. And with grit and benevolence, he singlehandedly got CAF to name Chief MKO Abiola the Pillar of Sports in Africa, a novelty title unheard of in the annals of sports diplomacy to the envy of his detractors.

An award which was to herald MKO’s popularity to an international level which even his Abiola Babes FC couldn’t fetch him in their hey days.But in all of this, the unassuming facilitator of this momentous award remained humble, modest, humane and germane

to all and sundry.

Remaining in the background, unseen and unheard, in line with the civil service ethos that moulded him outside of his academic attainment at the University of Lagos and later University of Alberta, Canada, Okpomo valued his integrity to the admiration of those close to him.

Though he was NFA Secretary General at three different times, namely 1984-1987,1989-1990 & 2001- 2002, our paths never really crossed until 1989 in Bauchi during that year’s FA Cup final between BCC Lions and Iwuanyanwu Nationale.

Earlier in Lagos yours sincerely had written a story in Prime People/ Vintage People which he took offence to, and the moment I ran unto him at Zaranda Hotel Bauchi in company with then NFA Chairman, Group Captain Anthony Ikazoboh and then Captain Emmanuel Okaro, he told Ikazoboh “Oga be careful with Gbenga “, to which the once provost marshal of the

Nigeria AirForce replied as he came to stand by my side “Pat, this one no fit do me anything”.

With that Bauchi meeting resolving our differences, the stage was set for a robust and brotherly relationship with the trio of Okpomo, Okaro and Ikazoboh, so much that Ikazoboh was chairman at my wedding in Ibadan and till date, General Okaro (rtd) and I are still friends.

‘Secto’ and I became so close that I could order his wife, who shares same Mary name with my Iya Eleja mom, to cook for me in their house, and whenever he was packing from one house to another, I was always around to help move items.

In continuation of our relationship, it wasn’t long before he started inviting me to join him at Ikoyi Club 1938 and Sagamu Golf Club to play golf, walking the length and breath of the courses teeing and putting.

Gbadesire is Publisher of The Session

ORUFUO EZAGA argues for major investment in the Nigeria Women’s Football League

In Praise of President Buhari

Hate, Intolerance, and Discrimination in Africa

WTruth And UNIMAID Mass Comm

Then 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.

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.

intolerance, and discrimination against Africans by Africans in Africa. It has disregarded the rising tide of ethnicism and xenophobic politics/ attacks in different parts of the region. African countries are multi ethnic and multicultural. In many African states, some ethnic groups are in the majority while others are in the minority. These ethnic communities have coexisted, and the constituents have intermarried for centuries and millennia. However, hate, prejudice, and discrimination are pervasive and feature in their relationships. Ethnic clashes and violence often erupt, resulting in unimaginable carnage and bloodshed.

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.

he Say No To Racism campaign has overwhelmingly focused on the West, emphasizing prejudice and discrimination against Blacks or Africans living in Europe and America, and in some cases, Africans in Asia and Australia. The campaign has used educational initiatives, community engagements, and efforts to raise awareness and promote action against racial discrimination in these places. Social media, sporting events, and cultural activities have drawn attention to xenophobic attacks, hate crimes, and other acts of intolerance that Africans suffer, or have suffered, in different parts of the world. Versions of this campaign, such as “FIFA says No To Racism”, “UEFA Says No To Racism”, “No Room for Racism”, “Monash Says No To Racism”, “Give Nothing To Racism” have been used to rally against hate, inequity, and exclusion.

by 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.

FAfter 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.

And, 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.

Leo Igwe is a board member of the Humanist Association of Nigeria and Humanists International, UK.

What is most admirable about President Buhari and his government is its frugal management of scarce national resources to attain optimum goals. 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.

Stop Ritual Attacks and Killings

The 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.

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).

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.

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.

The Say No To Racism campaign has created the impression that racial discrimination, xenophobia, and other intolerance happen mainly in the West; that racism is a Western issue or only a ‘crime’ by non-Africans, white Westerners, against Africans. The campaign seems to frame Africans as victims, and never as victimizers; as always at the receiving end of racial hate, prejudice, and disrespect. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Racism and xenophobic attacks feature in other parts of the world, including Africa. Africans have been victims as well as villains. The Say No To Racism campaign has overlooked, ignored, or barely paid attention to acts of hate,

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

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.

THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

EDITOR OBINNA CHIMA

Ainofenokhai Ojeifo, Abuja

DEPUTY EDITOR AHAMEFULA OGBU

MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO

DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR ISRAEL IWEGBU

CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI

EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN

THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

THE OMBUDSMAN KAYODE KOMOLAFE

EDITOR YEMI ADEBOWALE

DEPUTY EDITOR AHAMEFULA OGBU

or years, the Department of Mass Communication at the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) has stood tall as one of the most vibrant and respected in Northern Nigeria. It has consistently produced competent journalists, media scholars, public relations experts, broadcasters, and communication officers who serve both within and outside the country. But in recent months, whispers have grown louder: Is the department truly becoming a faculty, or is it just another university corridor rumor? While no official public announcement has been made by the university’s top management, strong signs suggest that the transition is very much in motion. Staff and students alike have noticed internal restructuring efforts, introduction of new courses, and expanded teaching staff — all of which align with the requirements needed for a full faculty upgrade. Zainab Odunayo Haruna, Dept of Mass Comm, University of Maiduguri

The Best Person for the Job?

MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO

DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR ISRAEL IWEGBU

CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI

THISDAY NEWSPAPERS LIMITED

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DMANAGING EDITOR BOLAJI ADEBIYI THE OMBUDSMAN KAYODE KOMOLAFE

GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, ISRAEL IWEGBU

DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS SHAKA MOMODU, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE

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SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH

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TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com

DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS SHAKA MOMODU, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI SNR.

onald Trump has announced that he will meet his friend/ enemy Vladimir Putin and then Volodymyr Zelensky will be joining them for a three way talk, hopefully in the same room rather than via Zoom or its equivalent.

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.

Although one can’t be certain of how leaders regard each other, a number of people suggests that Putin sees Trump as a ‘useful fool’ and it’s unlikely that he will be happy with Zelensky.

Dennis Fitzgerald, Melbourne, Australia

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

The Prize of hard work...

YOUTH ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVE...

Dangote Refinery Debunks Shutdown Rumour, Says Petrol Gantry Price Remains N850

India looks to Nigeria, others amid US pressure to jettison Russian oil

Emmanuel

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery yesterday dismissed recent reports alleging a shutdown of its operations, reassuring the public and market stakeholders that its activities remain fully active and stable.

This emerged as India's biggest state refiners, Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and Bharat Petroleum have bought at least 22 million barrels of non-Russian crude for delivery in September and October from Nigeria and other countries, trade sources have told Reuters.

Dangote Refinery’s management, in an official statement by its Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer, Anthony Chiejina,

categorically denied claims that truck loading had been suspended or that production had been interrupted at its facility.

“The Dangote Petroleum Refinery is fully operational. There has been no shutdown, nor has there been any suspension of truck loading activities” the statement read.

The refinery also clarified that the intermittent sale of Residual Catalytic Oil (RCO) was part of normal business operations, often involving large parcel sales, which explains the recent fuel oil tender.

According to the management, Dangote Petroleum Refinery consistently supplies over 40 million litres of PMS daily, alongside steady volumes of

Court Jails Man 5 Years for $42,000, Bitcoin, N37m Money Laundering

Wale Igbintade

Justice Dehinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court in Lagos has sentenced Emmanuel Elegbenosa Aitanu to five years in prison for money laundering involving $42,000, cryptocurrency, and assets worth over N37 million, all traced to cybercrime proceeds.

Aitanu was convicted on a six-count charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Charge No: FHC/L/416685/25.

Prosecution counsel Bilkisu Buhari-Bala, assisted by Zenat Atiku, told the court that in 2017, Aitanu conspired with accomplices, including one Peter Cruz (still at large),

to fraudulently re-route funds into a fake account, “DLP Designs East Coast,” domiciled with Citibank.

The EFCC said the defendant converted the illicit funds into cryptocurrency, stashed part in Nigerian bank accounts, and used some to buy luxury vehicles and landed property in Lagos.

The charges included retaining 265.8269 BTC in a crypto wallet, N20 million in a Zenith Bank account, and purchasing a white 2015 Mercedes Benz C300 worth N17 million.

He also bought a grey Toyota Corolla (Chassis No. JTDBU4EE6AJ086693) and a plot of land at Ineh Oil, Ikota Village (Ojomu Chieftaincy Family Land) in Eti-Osa Local Government Area.

The offences contravened Sections 18(2)(a) and 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, as well as Sections 27 and 36 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.

Automotive Gas Oil (diesel).

These supplies continue unabated, despite speculation suggesting otherwise.

“As the world’s largest single-train petroleum refinery, the facility employs advanced predictive and preventive maintenance protocols to

ensure uninterrupted operations. Routine maintenance activities are standard and do not impact the overall fuel supply” the statement further clarified.

In response to speculation about potential supply shortages and price increases, the refinery challenged those sponsoring the

rumour to place orders for daily deliveries of up to 40 million litres of PMS and 15 million litres of diesel for the next 90 days.

“To those who believe this misinformation and anticipate a bullish market, we extend a challenge: We invite interested buyers to place immediate orders for up to 40 million litres of PMS daily and 15 million litres of AGO daily, for the next 90 days, with full upfront payment. Should any supposed supply shortage occur, these buyers would be well-positioned to benefit from the predicted market rise,” it added.

Drama at NERC as New Chair Nominee Resumes in Defiance of Presidential Directive

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The nominee for the chairmanship of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Garba Ramat, yesterday stormed the Abuja office of the power sector regulator with tens of loyalists and supporters to resume official duties.

However, the action of Ramat, a staunch supporter of President Bola Tinubu and ex-Chairman of Ungogo Local Government in Kano, appeared to be a clear breach of a directive by the President in a public statement announcing his nomination on Thursday.

Following 9mobile’s recent announcement of its partnership with MTN Nigeria, the telecoms company, the fourth entrant into the Nigerian telecoms space, yesterday, changed its brand identity from 9mobile to T2mobile.

It also changed its logo and colour identity from green to orange colour.

The colour change, according to the telecons company, was

essential to reflect its tenacity and resilience after passing through market challenges.

The new orange colour, the company said, stood for ripe arrival after a tough green growth that the company passed through since inception in 2008.

“Our new identity depicts Boldness, Innovation and Strength. We were in a formative stage when were green, but now we have arose and ripe with our new orange colour,”

Although the presidential statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, initially instructed Ramat to resume in acting capacity until he would be confirmed by the Senate in accordance with the law, another statement later corrected and re-issued by the presidential spokesman, asked the acting chair within the organisation, to continue to act.

“All nominations are subject to Senate confirmation. The commission's acting chairman will continue to hold his position until the confirmation of the new chairman-designate,” the reworked version of the statement noted.

9mobile Rebrands to T2mobile, Changes Logo, Colour

the telecoms company declared.

Speaking at the rebranding event, the CEO of T2mobile, Obafemi Banigbe, said the brand went through turbulent times but survived it through its resilience, boldness and innovation.

“As we begin this new journey, our promise is to serve you boldly. Our promise is to serve you with clarity. Our promise is to serve you with speed.

Our promise is to serve you

with heartfelt passion. That is the business that we want to present to you. And to our customers, we want to thank you for staying the course with us.

We want to thank you for opening with us. We want to thank you for holding us accountable and that is the reason why we exist. To our partners, we want to thank you for believing in the vision and building alongside with us.’ Banigbe said.

Ugochinyere Demands Urgent Rehabilitation of Erosion Challenges in Ideato

The member representing Ideato North and South federal constituency of Imo State, Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, has cried out to the authorities over the state-of-erosion menace in the area, demanding the

urgent rehabilitation of their roads to avoid the extinction of the communities in the area.

Ugochinyere also called on the Imo State government to step up efforts to arrest the rate of insecurity in the area, especially in Arondizuogu and its neighbouring communities,

noting that for the last two weeks over 26 innocent people have been killed in cold blood by unidentified hoodlums.

Disclosing his worries yesterday during a briefing with journalists in Owerri, capital of Imo State, Ugochinyere expressed anger over the attitude of the state and local governments that decided not to bother about the welfare of the people, adding that the major constitutional responsibility of government is the protection of lives and property, as well as the welfare of the people.

Addeh in Abuja
L-R: BOT Chairman, Youth Alive Sport Initiative, Rear Admiral Hamza Ibrahim; Managing Director, Bet9ja, Rowland Akintunde; Senior Marketing Manager, Alberto Cuomo; Founder, Youth Alive Sport Initiative, Jennifer Olatunji; Olatona Gbadegeshin, and Member BOT, Youth Alive Sport Initiative, Barbara Atinuke Harper at the final march of the maiden edition of ‘Bet9ja Youth Alive Elite Super 4’ Championship Cup held in Lagos … recently

The Big Kahuna: Lanre Alfred Celebrates Abdulsamad Rabiu at 65 with Literary Milestone

Sunday Ehigiator

Not all men born of the soil walk with the hush of royalty. Fewer still leave behind a trail so luminous, it sings. Abdulsamad Rabiu, at 65, is one such man, less a tycoon, more a quiet cartographer of fortunes, laying down the railroads of Nigeria’s industrial renaissance with the calm of a sage and the grace of a patriarch who sees farther than most.

The Big Kahuna: Triumphs of Abdulsamad Rabiu at 65 is both a commemorative book and cultural artefact. A literary sculpture. A long, glinting river of prose, archiving in gilded ink the labours, values, and triumphs of a man who has given more than he has ever taken from his Pennedcountry. by renowned prose stylist and biographer, Dr. Lanre Alfred, the book is a richly layered literary masterpiece of the Chairman of BUA Group, Abdulsamad Rabiu. The release of the book marks a heartfelt tribute to the magnate’s 65th birthday, which held on August 4, 2025.

Alfred, often hailed as the “Doctor of Letters” for his lyrical style and meticulous documentation of contempo- rary Nigerian history, has once again delivered a compel- ling account of leadership and entrepreneurship.

This new title, which stands as his ninth book, joins a distinguished collection of works such as ‘The Man Who Carried a City,” a richly layered 60th birthday special publication on Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, Titans…The Amazing Exploits of Nigeria’s Greatest Achievers, Pacemaker – Triumphs of Igho Sanomi at 40, and Dapo Abiodun: The State House As His Pulpit, among others.

The Big Kahuna becomes necessary, argued Alfred, not just because Rabiu has turned 65, but because rarely do we find in our national story a man who has lived so generously without fanfare, who has built so monumen- tally without ever needing the world to applaud. He is a study in balance: between wealth and wisdom, legacy and humility, commerce and conscience. At a time when Nigeria teeters between chaos and potential, Rabiu’s life becomes the very compass we need, a living testimony that prosperity can be built without plunder, that success can be quiet, dignified, and communal.

The book opens with a Prologue that doesn’t merely set the tone, it casts a spell. Here, the reader is drawn into the allegorical depths of Rabiu’s essence: not as a billionaire in the conventional sense, but as a custodian of values, a steward of fortune tasked with nurturing not only the empire of BUA, but the dreams of a continent. It offers an invitation into a narrative woven with silk and steel, where the vocabulary of legacy is not shouted, but whispered through deeds and decades of devotion.

The first chapter, Born with the Flag, steps back into the soil from which Rabiu sprouted. It chronicles his origin in Kano, a city both ancient and bustling with trade, showing how the son of Khalifah Rabiu was destined to inherit both enterprise and empathy. It draws a vivid portrait of a childhood where the values of hard work, humility, and cultural rootedness were instilled like sacred hymns. Rabiu is shown not as a product of luck but of lineage and labour, a man born not just into wealth, but intoTheresponsibility. Quiet Tycoon, the next chapter, strips away the noise that usually follows billionaires. It is here that the reader encounters the soul of the man, an entrepreneur whose genius is eclipsed only by his gentleness. Rabiu’s rise through the industrial ladders is not recounted as a conquest, but as an offering; each milestone achieved not for self-glorification, but for national elevation. He is cast in stark contrast to the brash, performative elite of today. Here is a man who built BUA into one of Africa’s most respected conglomerates without ever demanding a spotlight.

Then comes Empire in Motion, a panoramic sweep of Rabiu’s industries, the flour mills, the cement factories, the sugar refineries, the ports and pipelines. But it isn’t just a ledger of assets; it is an ode to vision. The chapter illustrates how Rabiu moves not just money, but meaning.

It celebrates his foresight in backward integration, his insistence on local production, his employment of thousands, ordinary Nigerians whose lives are elevated because one man dared to build.

This dovetails into The Power in the Pipes, where Rabiu’s infrastructural audacity is laid bare. His ports. His pipelines. His refinery dreams. Each project becomes an artery through which Nigeria’s industrial future might beat. In a nation where infrastructural decay has become scripture, Rabiu’s vision is revolu- tionary, less about profit, more about providence.

The Green Gospel of Self-Sufficiency is perhaps the most didactic of the chapters, celebrating Rabiu’s intervention in agriculture, not as a billionaire’s CSR project, but as a patriotic crusade. It narrates how he has plowed his wealth into rice, sugar, and flour production not merely to turn a profit, but to feed a nation. The reader is reminded that food is sovereignty, and that Rabiu’s quest for self-sufficiency is one of the most selfless acts of nation-building in modern Africa. , Markets and Morality asks an uncomfortable question: Can capitalism be kind? In Rabiu’s world, the answer is yes. This chapter explores the moral scaffold- ing of his business decisions, such as his groundbreak- ing move to crash the price of rice at a time when inflation gnawed at the entrails of the nation. The billionaire is not presented here as a saviour, but as a steward, one who knows that the truest profit is dignity restored.

Torchbearer’s Salute: When Rabiu Hailed Tinubu offers a politically textured portrait. It recounts how Rabiu, a man known for his reticence in politics, broke protocol to endorse President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic reforms. His praise was not partisan, but principled, an act rooted in shared vision. The chapter becomes a

subtle meditation on leadership and alignment, showing that sometimes, a country’s turnaround requires not just a great president, but great patriots willing to affirm what is right. From there, the book veers into the realm of philanthropy with The Samaritan Blueprint: A Titan’s Philanthropic Labours. It is an emotive chronicle of Rabiu’s interventions in healthcare, education, security, and infrastructure through the ASR Africa initiative. But what stands out is not just the quantum of his giving, but the discretion with which he gives. Rabiu’s style of philanthropy: silent, strategic, and widespread, contrasts the noisy performativity of others. He builds hospitals without press conferences, donates billions without hashtags. In a world obsessed with optics, his is a refreshing gospel of quietThenimpact.comes The Global Citizen, which traces his influence beyond Nigeria’s borders. Here, Rabiu is framed not just as an industrialist, but as a statesman without a title, one whose cross-border partnerships, global diplomacy, and international presence make him one of Africa’s most respected private citizens. The chapter paints Rabiu as a man fluent in both the boardroom and the banquet hall of international affairs, proving that soft power need not shout to be heard.

But perhaps the most poignant of all is Letters to the Future. This chapter is constructed as a philosophical archive, distilling the man’s thoughts into twenty-six meditative quotes, one for each letter of the alphabet. Each quote is paired with context, showing the moral, spiritual, or entrepreneurial soil from which it sprouted. In this chapter, Rabiu becomes a teacher, a mentor from afar, offering young Africans a manual for living, leading, and lasting. It is not mere quote-peddling; it is legacy engraving.

The final chapter, The Quintessential Father, is a moving meditation on Rabiu’s fatherhood. Inspired by the billion- aire’s rare public appearance at his son Khalifa’s graduation at Georgetown University, it demolishes the tired stereotype of the absentee rich dad. Rabiu, it argues, is that rare tycoon who shows up, not just in boardrooms, but in bedrooms, school halls, and vacation dinners. The chapter exalts father- hood not as duty but as devotion, showing how Rabiu’s greatest legacy may not be his empire, but the character of his children, polite, dignified, unseen, yet deeply rooted. Then comes the Epilogue, which does not close the book so much as open the reader’s eyes. It circles back to the metaphor of the fortunemaker, not just as one who makes wealth, but one who bestows fortune: to his family, to his country, to his time. Rabiu, it concludes, is not just a man of his age, but a man for all ages, a lighthouse, not just for Nigeria, but for the African dream.

Why, then, is this book necessary?

Because Rabiu is a mirror in which the best of Nigeria might see itself. Because the story of Nigeria must not be written only in blood and corruption, but in the ink of builders and givers. Because our children must know that greatness does not always roar, it sometimes whispers. And because in celebrating Rabiu, we are not elevating a man; we are enshrining a philosophy: that wealth must serve, that dignity can prosper, that silence can thunder, and that to make a fortune is to be entrusted with the sacred task of fortifying others.

The Big Kahuna is thus a bridge between history and hope, between commerce and conscience, between one man’s triumphs and a nation’s possibilities. Through its pages, Abdulsamad Rabiu stands immortal, not because he asked for it, but because he earned it. And through its words, the reader is reminded that even in a land riddled with noise and failure, a quiet legacy can still rise, glorious and evergreen.

This book, ornately penned by Dr. Alfredresonates as a national gratitude in literary form. It reasserts the value of honouring our builders while they are still among us. In celebrating Rabiu, we are reminded that wealth is not the final word, what you do with it, and how it reshapes the world around you, is what counts.

At 65, Abdulsamad Rabiu remains a paradox: titan and teacher, empire-builder and silent giver, boardroom strategist and barefoot philanthropist. And this book, crafted with elegance and editorial integrity, gives him the tribute he never asked for but so deeply deserves.

Alex-Duduyemi: Celebrating Nine Decades of Excellence

The life and legacy of Chief Oyekunle

Aremu Alex-Duduyemi, the Asiwaju of Ile-Ife and distinguished statesman, is being celebrated as he marks his 90th birthday on Saturday, August 9, 2025.

A revered elder, accomplished businessman, and respected political leader, Alex-Duduyemi has spent the last nine decades dedicated to the growth and transformation of his community, state, and nation.

His milestone birthday is not just a celebration of longevity but a reflection of a life defined by vision, service, and unwavering dedication to the values of integrity, excellence, and heritage.

Born in 1935, Chief Alex-Duduyemi’s achievements span the fields of governance, business, philanthropy, and traditional leadership. A prominent figure in Nigeria’s Second Republic, Chief Alex-Duduyemi was elected to the Federal House of Representatives

from 1964 to 1966 and was a Parliamentary Secretary - Cabinet Office, Lagos, from 1965 to 1966. He built a successful career in commerce and industry, contributing to economic growth through ventures in real estate, oil and gas, and other key sectors. His business acumen earned him widespread respect across the nation and beyond.

As the Asiwaju of Ile-Ife and Aro of the Source, Alex-Duduyemi holds one of the most prestigious chieftaincy titles in Yorubaland. He has played a pivotal role in promoting Yoruba culture, unity, and tradition, serving as a bridge between modern governance and ancestral heritage.

Known for his generosity, he has made significant contributions to education, health, and youth empowerment initiatives, touching countless lives through scholarships, infrastructure development, and mentorship.

Beyond his public achievements, AlexDuduyemi is also the pillar of a close-knit, loving family. As a father, grandfather, and

great-grandfather, he is cherished for his wisdom, guidance, and unwavering commitment to family values. His home is one of unity, warmth, and moral grounding, a place where generations have been nurtured by his strength, discipline, and deep affection. He instills in his children and grandchildren the importance of honour, service, and legacy, and continues to be a source of light and inspiration to his entire lineage.

In celebration of this significant occasion, a series of activities have been planned, bringing together family, dignitaries, traditional rulers, community leaders, and well-wishers from across the country and beyond. These events aim not only to honor his life but to inspire younger generations with the legacy of a man who has lived with purpose, honour, and a passion for nation-building.

Alex-Duduyemi’s 90th birthday is a testament to a life well-lived, one that continues to inspire hope, unity, and progress. Happy 90th Birthday, Chief. May your years ahead be filled with

continued strength, good health, and the joy of seeing the seeds you’ve sown blossom for generations to come.

Rabiu
Esther Oluku
Alex-Duduyemi

How Student Unionism Redirected My Dream of Becoming a Priest Charles Nwodo:

The story of the Founder and Executive Chairman of XL Africa Group, Charles Nwodo Jr., who leads a diversified services group with operations in Nigeria and West Africa, is one of reinvention, conviction, and purpose. A business leader, philanthropist, and public policy advocate, Nwodo has navigated a life path marked by deep faith, political activism, and a relentless desire to make a difference. Born into a devout Catholic family, he was once an altar boy whose life revolved around the church. In those early years, he dreamt only of becoming a priest. But student unionism and the ideological fires of the 1980s ignited in him a new passion, which was the pursuit of justice, equity, and national transformation. That youthful exposure to activism eventually redirected his path from the pulpit to the public square, and then into the boardroom. Today, Nwodo leads one of Nigeria’s thriving conglomerates, but insists that his deepest fulfilment came not from profits or market dominance, but from impact, especially in the lives of young people. Through the Knowledge Exchange Centre, the CSR arm of his business, he has helped thousands of Nigerian graduates become employable or start their ventures. His guiding philosophy is simple yet profound - business is only meaningful when it transforms lives. Nwodo reflects on the turning points of his life: From his formative years in the church to his fiery days as a student activist, from navigating Nigeria’s harsh economic realities to discovering his true calling in nation-building. He also talks about the plan by his company to list its shares on the Nigerian stock market. Obinna Chima brings the excerpts:

Nwodo

Charles Nwodo: Real Joy Came When I Stopped Chasing Profit, Started Changing Lives

Howdoyoubalanceyourrolesasa business leader, philanthropist, and family man?

My approach to life is simple and uncomplicated. I am also blessed with a wife and children who are pure gifts from God. and then I love my work as CeO of our Group, and believe me when I say I can do the job for free. so every day at work is like an entrepreneurial adventure, and it has been like this since we started in 2003. Because I enjoy my work tremendously, the long hours at work do not feel tedious and back-breaking at all. My strong Christian faith informs my attitude to Charity to the extent that I identify with the scriptural principle that our lives are a gift from God and we should acknowledge this truth by offering as much of ourselves, our time, talent, and resources in service of God’s purpose on earth. the combination of these factors enable me to balance the demands of a hectic work schedule, a dutiful and committed family head, and a devoted, faithful tool in God’s hands, doing my best for His kingdom purposes, which you call philanthropy.

What core values guide your decisions in business and life?

absolute integrity and belief in God are the foundations upon which all my life decisions are anchored, including business decisions, and nonbusiness choices and preferences. some people I know often ask what will happen if it turns out that there is no God and no Heaven, and no hell? a particular swiss friend of mine who is an atheist never tires of telling me this each time I try to evangelise him. But my answer is always: What if it is true? God is real and Heaven is real, and hell is real. Where would you rather spend eternity? so for me, it’s an absolute no-brainer to live a life of purpose guided by God’s words and purpose.

Who or what inspires you during challenging times?

God’s words and His faithfulness inspire me during challenging times, but also encourage me to be constantly grateful for such blessings that we often take for granted, like waking up to a new day, having food to eat, and being able to eat the food, etc. God demands and delights in a heart full of gratitude.

Looking back, what’s one defining moment that shaped your worldview?

I would say there are chapters in my life that influenced my worldview and attitude to life. the first was my early life as an altar boy and mass server whose life revolved around morning masses and all the masses on sundays, starting with the 6 am mass and ending with the 11 am mass. and spending my holidays with priests while my mates were up to the usual pranks and antics associated with young boys. at this point, all I wanted was just to be a priest and do God’s work. the second chapter was as a student activist influenced by reading communist literature, listening to propaganda radio broadcasts, and witnessing the struggles for liberation in south africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and the elements of the Cold War years. I ended up becoming the students’ union president of my university and the Zonal Coordinator for NaNs in the south-east. I was so consumed by the struggle for a better society that I applied to join the armed wing of the aNC as a foreign volunteer and was detained in various police stations across Nigeria as part of the Nigerian students’ defiance of the then Government of Gen Buhari and Idiagbon in the eighties. the next chapter was the sap era when I finished my National youth service Corps and discovered that instead of pursuing my dream of traveling to the Middle east to participate in the engineering marvels that were transforming dubai, Qatar, riyadh, Bahrain from desert enclaves to modern cities, the structural adjustment program (sap) meant that I had to switch course and study for an MBa and train as a stockbroker to enable me pursue an investment banking and stockbroking career in response to the realities of the time. so this transition informed my career interests and pursuits subsequently. the fourth chapter is what I call the discovery. after a sizzling and interesting career in banking and resigning to start my own business, I realised that the drive for profit and market share dominance didn’t motivate me as they used to. In my search for answers, I took time off to study development policies and practices at the university of Geneva. part of the field work for the program involved interacting with uN organs and uN-affiliated development agencies in the city

Nwodo

and non-profit entities. I saw ex-CeOs of Global corporations who operate NGOs and confessed that they finally found their life calling and personal fulfillment in the life-changing activities of the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) which were involved in activities like the rescue of babies from illegal migrants, resettlement of ex-convicts, and drug addicts, teenage pregnancy victims etc etc. When I finished the program, I set up the Knowledge exchange Centre (KeC), the Csr vehicle of our Group. through this vehicle, we are in the forefront of addressing graduate unemployment and unemployability in Nigeria through various targeted interventions. the testimonials from the thousands of graduates of our programs who have secured employment or set up thriving businesses after our programs, give me the type of joy and fulfillment which I never experienced in my years of employment and entrepreneurship. and this is the experience that I represent at this stage of my life. My greatest motivation is to use my time, talents, and resources to impact lives and make the world better, one program and one young person at a time. I feel like I have come full circle to my early years but isn’t that what the scripture says in the book of ecclesiastics about things seeming to change but actually remaining the same in reality.

What’s the most important leadership lesson you’ve learnt as chairman of XL Africa Group?

One lesson I can share is that the success of a business rises or falls on the team. so while exceptional individual talents are good, the determinant for sustainable success is the quality of the team. that is, the shared vision, common passion, and accepted values. this fact may be surprising to many, but my experience at executive Management and entrepreneurship reinforces this view, which, by the way, is supported by lots of organisational research data. We have internalised this lesson in our Group and reflect this principle in our hiring and performance management

did with MaMser under prof Gana when he launched the structural adjustment program (sap) in the eighties.

The Senate recently had a public hearing on the review of the 1999 Constitution. What are those aspects of the Constitution you will want to see reviewed?

My first observation on the current Constitution is that it was written by a group of coup plotters and imposed on the Nigerian people. so the starting point should be for the people of Nigeria to give themselves a constitution, and this can be done by approving a new constitution or simply subjecting the current one with necessary amendments to a referendum. the other changes I like to see would be to decentralise our political administration by devolving most of the powers to the six zones while retaining a few common services like defense, economic Management, Foreign affairs, Immigration at the centre. I also recommend that the presidency be a collegiate Council with representatives from the six zones taking turns to act as president. every other activity should be ceded to the six zones, including full control of resources while paying specific taxes to the federal government. a truly federal system of administration will unleash the full potential of the Nigerian Federation, and the internal competition among the zones will transform Nigeria into a position of global leadership in a short period. If you look at countries like switzerland, australia and the usa that practice the same system of federalism like Nigeria, they all have most of the elements of economic development and political administration at the states ( in the case of usa and australia) or Cantons or regions ( in the case of switzerland). the present structure of the Nigerian federation constrains socio-economic development and alienates the citizens from the political administration of the country save as voters in the cycle of general elections.

If you could advise Nigeria’s leaders on one priority today, what would it be?

decisions.

How do you identify and groom leaders within your businesses?

In our Group, we succeed or fail together. so, every member of the XL africa Group family is hired and inducted based on this principle. We hire for fit and not for extraordinary abilities, and this system is designed to organically throw up leaders who then progress to executive management positions. I cannot recall the last time we filled an executive management position from outside, and this is deliberate and is the logical extension of our organisational culture.

What excites you most about the future of entrepreneurship in Africa?

I don’t know about excitement to be honest but I am incredibly optimistic about the opportunities that Nigeria and africa present for young people who are prepared to seize the moment. With a large youthful population, abundance of natural resources and a huge unmet technological and infrastructure gap, africa presents a paradox of under development side by side with unrivaled opportunities in multiple sectors ways above any other continent. I invite young people to beam their sights not on the half-empty glasses in our continent’s development trajectory but on the half-full glasses of abundant opportunities to develop innovative solutions targeting different populations, age, and occupational demographics. Improved and affordable internet, the force of globalization and advances in artificial Intelligence offer unprecedented opportunities to this generation.

What are your thoughts on the current state of the Nigerian economy?

as I revealed earlier, I am optimistic about the potential of the Nigerian economy because I think the worst days are behind us, and some of the most debilitating structural impediments to economic growth have been dismantled. Obviously the short-term effects of fundamental reforms like the current administration is implementing in oil and gas revenue management, forex administration, and tax reforms are typically painful, and that should be understandable. the only problem I see is that the government has done a poor job of explaining the reforms and seeking the buy-in and support of the public through a sustained and professionally delivered communication plan, like what Gen Babangida

I am not qualified to advise the leaders of Nigeria ooh. Myself I am even looking for someone to advise me. But seriously, I think president tinubu and his team are trying their best to recalibrate the foundations of our country, one executive Order and one Legislation at a time. they inherited a very challenging situation across nearly all sectors of Nigeria, and it is a very tough job they are doing, and my verdict is that they are doing a very good job. I don’t think there is any of the other politicians or political parties that is capable of doing a better job than president tinubu and his team. this is a statement of fact devoid of emotion or sentiment.

What is your take on the future of cash management and logistics business in Nigeria? the cash management sub-sector is still evolving in Nigeria, and after the initial regulatory impetus that birthed the sub-sector in 2007/2008, so many factors have combined to undermine the growth and orderly development of the sub-sector as a critical component of the financial services ecosystem. Without boring you with the technicalities that define the cash value chain, permit me to just say that Nigeria is a cash-dominant economy and will likely remain so for the lifetime of our generation. there is the Cashless policy of successive CBN administrations and the rapid exponential growth of digital payments and Internet banking, but many factors support the resilience of cash as a means of exchange and increasing value as a store of value in Nigeria, as depicted in official CBN reports. I hope that the current CBN administration will allow their own data (and not their wish or mere speculation) to inform their actions and policy formulations in regulating the Cash Management sub-sector.

What’s your strategy for staying ahead in a constantly changing global economy?

We are not afraid to question our strategies and challenge our decisions, and this allows us to innovate effortlessly and regularly. In the rapidly changing world, the sure alternative to innovation is atrophy, and in the case of any business organisation that means certain failure!!! I don’t know if this a strategy in that sense or just a survival instinct because the world failure doesn’t exist in our organisation!

What should stakeholders expect from XL Africa in the short to medium term?

In the next two to three years, we plan to transition to the next chapter in our evolution, where we will offer our shares to the public through an Initial public Offer. so watch this space.

Muda Yusuf Some Stumbling Blocks in My Life Turned Out to Be Stepping Stones

Dr. Muda Yusuf is one of Nigeria’s most respected economists and policy analyst, known for his bold insights, pragmatic views, and deep understanding of the Nigerian economy. With a career spanning over three decades across public policy, economic advocacy, and institutional leadership, he has earned his place as a prominent voice in national discourse. From his tenure as Director-General of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry to founding the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise, Yusuf has consistently championed the role of the private sector in driving sustainable economic growth. In this exclusive interview, Yusuf opens up about the less glamorous side of his path, the missteps, the detours, and the disappointments that surprisingly paved the way for some of his biggest breakthroughs. He reflects on the highs and lows that have shaped both his career and character. Dike Onwuamaeze presents the excerpts:

Muda Yusuf

Behind Every Successful Man Is a Strong Home Front

Can you share some early experiences that helped shape the way you see the world today?

It has been a very bumpy road. But one thing that became clear after going through a rather bumpy ride till date is that what will be will be and that all things work together for good. Because I have seen instances where I had my eyes in different kinds of dreams or visions, but for some reason, I ran into obstacles that stirred me away from those aspirations. But at the end of the day, I had cause to say perhaps this is what God wants for me. I learnt to avoid desperation about achieving anything, while ensuring that I have put in my best. Some of the stumbling blocks in my journey had turned out to be stepping stones. Some of the detours turned out to be driving me in the direction that has been destined for me, and for good. I have seen this in the course of my journey through academics, career, and life generally. Of course, I did not realise these immediately, but over time. The lesson there is that when disappointments come, and they will always come, especially in a situation where you have put in your best to achieve a particular objective, we should learn to accept that it is the will of God. We should avoid desperation. This aligns with the Yoruba proverb that the water that you would drink would not flow past you.

What values did your parents instill in you that remain your compass today?

The key values are that of fear of God, love, honesty, contentment, loving your neighbour as yourself, and being your brother’s keeper, amongst others. My parents had so many people living with us when I was growing up who were not my biological brothers or sisters. I grew up learning that the values of care and love, not only for the immediate family, but extended family as well. I remembered my dad warning me seriously when I had my first official car (because he could not understand the difference between a company’s car and a government car) that this is a government’s property and that I should make sure I take good care of it. It showed the kind of psychology that he has about things that are not yours and how you should take care of things that are put in your custody or in your trust.

Who is the one person that you always turn to when making big decisions in your life?

Not just one person. It depends on the nature of the decision being taken. Of course, I consult my wife because of our collective journey through life. I also consulted my parents when they were alive. And I have an uncle who has been a major inspiration and who played a big role in shaping my journey through life. I consult him as well. Professionally, I had Amb. Adekunle Olumide, who recruited me to the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) in 1993 as a Principal Research Officer, after a screening exercise by the then Peat Marwick. He was my mentor. Before joining the LCCI, I was a journalist with the Nigeria Economist Magazine, my editor was Mr. Kunle Fagbemi at the time. He was also my mentor in journalism since my days at the University of Ilorin, where he set up a press club named Society of the Moderns. My publisher was Dr. Haroun Adamu. He was a major inspiration because he gave us all the necessary tools to work as journalists. Different people have different influences on me in my journey through life.

What does a perfect Sunday looks like in your house?

A perfect Sunday is for us to relax and bond as a family. It is also the day that my wife does fresh cooking of all manner of stews and soups for the week. But basically, Sundays are days for bonding for my family, although it is also a day for occasional social visits, being always a traffic-free day.

What lessons are you passing on to your children and the younger generation?

They are lessons of hard work, honesty, love and not being too dependent on either your parents or others. It is the lessons of striving to be independent. It is lessons of love and respect for other people’s dignity, honesty, and

fear of God.

How does your wife help you to navigate the highs and lows of public life?

Well, the home front is very important for the success of any man. My wife is not an economist or a research person; she is an entrepreneur. So, professionally we do not have much in common. But she makes the home front comfortable, peaceful and relaxing in a manner that enhances my productivity in many other endeavours.

How do you prioritise your health and wellness amid your professional pursuits?

I must confess that I have been rather negligent in this regard because I only go to the hospital when I am sick. However, as I get older, I am beginning to appreciate the need for periodic medical checkups for my wife and myself. So, my attitude is beginning to change.

Which Nigerian city do you like to escape to when you want to unplug?

Well, I am not a vacation or travelling person. Occasionally, I travel during major holidays and festivities. For me, there is no place like home. And switching off completely from my daily routine for weeks can be very boring for me. I cannot just be somewhere sleeping and waking up and looking at the sun and the sea. I do not know how to enjoy it. I have to be busy doing something I enjoy doing, and it can be fun for me, as long as I am not under any kind of pressure.

Who is a national figure that you admire and wish to emulate?

The personality I admire a great deal is the former governor of Lagos State, late Alhaji Lateef Jakande. He was a very simple man. He had clear ideas as to what to do when he was seeking for power as governor of Lagos State. He spent only four years as Governor of Lagos State, but his achievements were incredible. As Governor of Lagos State, he was living in his own house. His modest house was in Ilupeju and until he died, I do not think he built any other house for himself. He was riding his own personal vehicle that he had been using before he became governor. His selflessness and commitment to uplifting the ordinary people was unrivalled. Many people who never dreamt of owning their own houses became homeowners through the mass housing programme he embarked upon.

He aggressively pursued the free and compulsory education programme of the then Unity Party of Nigeria. He was also a man of foresight. He was the one that established Lagos State University and acquired large expanse of land for the university, which today has become a great asset for the university. You will see his footprints practically everywhere in the state.

What geographical destination is still in your pocket list?

None! My preference is my country. I just want this country to be better. I do not need any other destination. Let us fix this country to be good enough so that we do not need to be travelling and going to places where we face the risk of all manner of embarrassments as a foreigner. Let us just fix our own country and enjoy it. For me, the best place to stay is home, which is my own country. So, let us fix our country and this is my special appeal to all our leaders: they should make us feel very comfortable at home in our country.

What book changed your perspective or stayed with you long after the final page?

I am not a great reader of books. I have more of an analytical disposition, not much of a literary bias. Although I read about current affairs, domestic and global economy, and on how countries are managed. But some of the books that inspired me are autobiographies like the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s autobiography and the ups and downs he went through; his “Thoughts on Nigerian Constitution” and the kind of vision he had for his country and his people. Also, there are inspirational write-ups online that strengthen one’s philosophy about life. So those are the kind of writings that inspires me.

When the pressure adds on, what mantra or philosophy keeps you steady?

Once I have satisfied myself that I have done my best, I leave the rest to God. I remind myself that I cannot fix every problem, and I cannot have a perfect outcome. I just do my best and move on. That way, I am not overstretched and do not put myself under unnecessary pressure.

What advice will you give to your 25-yearold self?

The advice is the need to be focused, know myself, avoid perfectionist tendencies, do my

best at all times, and avoid peer pressure. God has designed life in such a way that everybody has his own track. We should not be running another person’s race or crossing into other people’s tracks. The plan for every individual by God is unique to that person. That for me will be the kind of philosophical framework that should guide my younger self. The most important is for me to be myself.

What do you consider your proudest achievement when you reflect at your time as the Director General of LCCI?

I was able to build on the laudable legacies of my esteemed predecessors, especially Amb. Adekunle Olumide and late Sir Remi Omotoso. They were the two directors general of LCCI that I worked with before I became the director general. I did my best to elevate the level and effectiveness of the chamber’s advocacy programmes and stakeholder engagements. The focus of the advocacy engagements was to improve the business environment and deepen public-private sector dialogue. Under my leadership, we also deepened the chamber’s impact in business development services, relations with the diplomatic community and trade promotions, at both domestic and international levels.

What is your motivation in establishing the CPPE?

The motivation actually flowed from what I was doing at the LCCI where I was relating with business owners and managers at various levels: small, medium, large, conglomerates, multinationals, foreign investors and so on. I also had to lead series of economic analyses and policy engagements at various levels of government. These are things I had great passion for. I had to engage on macroeconomic issues, regulatory issues and other structural issues impacting the business environment. So, it was a natural progression for me because it is better and easier for me to continue in what I have passion for and enjoying doing. So, the transition was much easier for me where I will continue to relate with issues on business environment whether it is policies, regulations, monetary, fiscal, macroeconomic issues etc. And I thank the media for their support, which has made it much easier for me. So, it is a question of passion and leveraging the experience I already acquired. I hope that I will be able to strengthen this and also build younger people to step in to business advocacy.

How much relief has the tax reform brought to low-income earners?

Well, it is too early to say because the implementation of the reform is going to kick off next year. But from what we have seen so far, I think that there is a lot that we need to do to actually enable the poor to benefit more from the reform. For instance, the threshold for exemption from Personal Income Tax is fixed at N800,000 income per annum is very low. Even the minimum wage is more than N800,000 per annum. I think that threshold should be increased significantly to N1.5 million. We also need to do a lot more in terms of the allowances that are in the tax reform. The allowances are too small when compared to the cost of living – cost of accommodation, payment of school fees, cost of transportation, coast of healthcare etc. These costs have risen astronomically in the past two years. The allowances in the in the new tax law do not reflect this reality, especially for the middleclass who resides in the major cities. What I am saying is that the pressure on the middleclass is likely to be very, heavy under the new tax reform environment. I think that we need to review the tax laws in the near term to make allowances for personal income tax more realistic taking into the prohibitive cost of housing, cost of education for the children of tax payers, health services, transportation, electricity provision and water supply. However, I believe that the reform itself is a journey and that the laws would be fine-tuned as we progress with the implementation. It is also important to be mindful of the fact that 2026 is a pre-election year and therefore the tax reform implementation should be done strategically to minimise the political cost to the government.

Yusuf

Fela: The Legend They Couldn’t Kill

He didn’t just live - he happened. Like thunder on a silent night. Like a stubborn virus in a system built on silence and fear.

Fela Anikulapo Kuti was not merely an entertainer, he was a living provocation. From his self-christened name (‘Anikulapo’, the one who holds death in his pouch) to the lyrical shrapnel in his music, Fela dared death long before it came calling in August 1997. And when it did, it didn’t conquer him - it merely gave him a final standing ovation.

Twenty-eight years later, we are still grappling with the enormity of what we lost, and the haunting fact that we didn’t deserve him. Yes, we clapped when he sang, we danced to the fire of his sax, we giggled at his yabis, and hissed at his mockery of our revered hypocrisies. But when he needed a following, a critical mass to elevate his gospel beyond Kalakuta, we hid. Behind pulpits, behind uniforms, behind poverty, and the cowardice of careerism.

Let’s not deceive ourselves: Fela was no saint. He didn’t pretend to be, and he had a long, open disdain for those who weaponised religion to control the docile and deepen societal neurosis. His flamboyance, his rituals, his bold use of substances, his polygamous Kalakuta commune - all of it scandalised the colonial hangover in us. Yet, behind the smokescreen of rebellion was a man on a mission, a man who screamed when others whispered, who stood tall when others crouched behind holy books and military decrees.

Fela’s music wasn’t just a genre - it was a theatre of protest, an audio newspaper chronicling the darkness in high places. From Obasanjo to Gowon, Idi Amin to Mobutu, the mighty were not spared. He had the rare nerve to call a spade not just a spade, but a shovel of shame. In a continent where sycophancy is currency and courage is punishment, Fela chose exile within his own country. And he paid for it - beaten, jailed, stripped, battered. But never broken.

It is the height of irony that the same Nigeria which hounded Fela to the edge of life, became a stage of theatrical mourning the day he died. The lying-in-state at Tafawa Balewa Square was like a national confessional - mourners, media, ministers and misfits all scrambling to rewrite history with sobs and press releases. Even the government, that same notorious entity whose agents had torched his home and tormented his being, seized the moment for international optics. The hypocrisy was suffocating. And the people? The so-called masses? They wept. Oh, how they wept. But they had already failed him. Fela wanted more than applause - he wanted revolution, reform, resistance. He wanted the people to stop genuflecting before oppressors and pastors alike. He wanted the musician not to merely entertain, but to educate. But our musicians misunderstood the assignment. They thought Afrobeat was all basslines and congas - forgetting that inside those rhythms were blood, satire, and resistance. He even rejected the tokenism of industry

awards. The Nigerian Music Awards, in all their self-congratulatory pomp, tried to hand him an Afrobeat category plaque - as if you give the inventor of fire a plastic lighter. He rebuffed them, unapologetically. And rightly so. Because Fela didn’t need validation from institutions built on mimicry and mediocrity. He was already the template, the benchmark, the bar none. Unlike Makeba or Masekela who protested from foreign comfort, Fela fought from within. He didn’t need asylum; Kalakuta was his resistance camp. For 25 relentless years, he confronted military regimes, spiritual opportunists, and the middle-class hypocrisy that baptised cowardice as wisdom. His art, his life, even his death was rebellion on full volume. Yet, what have we done with his legacy? Did we carry his torch or bury it beneath the noise of commercial jingles and vanity lyrics? Did we internalise his message or distort it into a cult of eccentricity? Today, we sample his beats, remix his classics, and wear his face on T-shirts. But how many have the audacity to wear his conscience?

Fela’s death was not a full stop - it was an ellipsis. A continuation. His children, both biological and ideological, have tried in various degrees to keep the spirit alive. But it is not enough to play his vinyls or parade his statue at Allen Avenue (is that still there?). The true homage to Fela is to confront what he confronted: impunity, ignorance, inequality.

His prophecy still stings: sorrow, tears and blood remain our regular trademark. The very ills he screamed about - official thievery, ritualised religion, suffering and smiling - still choke our national airspace. And the people? Still docile. Still worshipping at the altars of those who loot them in daylight and bless them at night.

If there’s anything more tragic than Fela’s death, it is our continued failure to hear him, truly hear him. Not just the beat, not just the melody, but the message: “Teacher no teach me nonsense.” We keep repeating classes we should have long graduated from. Our leaders

keep looting, our pastors and imams keep cashing out, and our people keep hoping - on empty stomachs.

But in spite of us, Fela lives. In every chant for justice, in every lone voice calling out hypocrisy, in every saxophone that bleeds truth, he echoes. Not just in the Shrine, or in the October Afrobeat playlists, but in every street corner where resistance stirs quietly like smoke before fire.

Fela was here. A prophet with a horn. A soldier without uniform. A teacher without a classroom. He didn’t just make music - he made meaning. He didn’t just sing truth - he sang danger. And for that, he will never die.

So, light up the sax, not the weed; raise your voice, not just your cup. For as long as Africa still groans, as long as justice still limps, and power still mocks the powerless, Fela Anikulapo Kuti will remain a haunting, vital, necessary presence. He was here. And we? We are still trying to catch up.

“...Mypeopleselfdeyfeartoomuch Wefearforthethingwenosee

Wefearfortheairaroundus

Wefeartofightforfreedom

Wefeartofightforliberty

Wefeartofightforjustice

Wefeartofightforhappiness Wealwaysgetreasontofear Wenowandie Wenowanwound Wenowanquench Wenowango Igetonechild Mamadeyforhouse Papadeyforhouse…”.

(“sorrow, tears, and Blood” - 1977).

The Tarmac and Throne: Case Study in ‘Bigmanism’ in Nigeria

ola Belgore

Afew days ago, at one of Nigeria’s busiest airports, a controversial incident reportedly occurred: a well-known public figure is said to have delayed the departure of a commercial flight following a disagreement with airport officials. According to multiple reports, what began as a dispute over a personal item allegedly escalated to the point where the individual walked onto the tarmac to prevent the aircraft from taking off.

While some details remain unclear, and the facts continue to emerge, the broader conversation should go beyond this specific event. It invites us to reflect on deeper questions about power, privilege, and public accountability in Nigeria.

understanding ‘Bigmannism’

What some refer to as “Bigmannism” is a cultural dynamic seen across many societies — especially in Nigeria — where influence, wealth, or status can appear to override laws and procedures. It manifests in various ways:

• Siren-blaring convoys ignoring traffic laws

• VIPs skipping airport security checks

• Celebrities bypassing queues or standard protocols

•Public figures disregarding invitations to legal or administrative panels

This airport incident, whether isolated or symptomatic, provides a lens through which we can examine how entrenched this dynamic has become.

status at 30,000 feet

The individual involved in this situation is a respected professional with longstanding ties to political and cultural institutions. That status may have influenced how events unfolded — not necessarily through intent, but through the assumptions and expectations often placed on, or by, people in positions of influence.

Reports suggest that protocol was not followed, and that the situation escalated in ways that raised

safety and procedural concerns. In many jurisdictions, interfering with airport operations is treated as a serious matter — not necessarily because of who is involved, but because of the implications for public safety.

“do You know Who i Am?”: A Broader Reflection

This now-familiar phrase has become emblematic of the perceived divide between the influential and the ordinary in Nigeria. But perhaps it is less about arrogance and more about the social structures that make such expressions feel effective — and, at times, necessary to assert one’s place in the hierarchy.

When institutions appear flexible for some and rigid for others, people begin to equate authority with exemption. This is less a personal failing and more a systemic issue — one that rewards status over process, and access over equity.

state Power and Personal Privilege

We increasingly see public resources, such as law enforcement personnel, used in ways that blur the lines between official duty and personal service — from escorts for non-governmental errands to ceremonial displays of status. While these acts may seem minor, they gradually erode the credibility of public institutions.

The question isn’t whether individuals should be respected — they should. But when that respect turns into preferential treatment that others cannot access, it chips away at the rule of law and public trust.

What might happen elsewhere?

In other contexts — particularly in Europe or North America — obstructing the operations of a commercial aircraft could trigger swift and serious legal responses. These responses are typically institutional, not personal, and serve as signals of systemic resilience. They communicate that no one is above the law — not out of hostility, but out of commitment to safety and fairness.

In Nigeria, responses to similar situations are often inconsistent — not necessarily out of negligence, but perhaps due to cultural, institutional, or political

complexity. This inconsistency, however, leads to a deeper issue: the perception that accountability is negotiable.

two standards, one society

At the heart of this issue is a perceived duality in governance:

• One set of rules for the everyday citizen

• Another for those with status or connections

While many Nigerians are held strictly to account for minor infractions, others seem to navigate the system with greater flexibility. This isn’t always the result of malice — sometimes it’s inertia, sometimes it’s fear, and sometimes it’s simply how things have always worked.

But the consequences are real. It sends the message that compliance is optional for some — and mandatory for others.

the impact on Young nigerians

In environments where social capital appears more powerful than moral capital, young people

receive clear — and concerning — signals:

• That success is about who you know, not how you behave

• That status brings freedom, and humility invites hardship

• That following the rules might make you invisible, while breaking them could make you celebrated

These messages shape ambition in ways that may not serve the long-term health of the society.

Looking Beyond the incident

The incident on the tarmac is not just about one person or one moment — it points to a broader national challenge. When the mechanisms of accountability are inconsistent, it affects not just airports, but hospitals, schools, courtrooms, and even the ballot box.

Where do We Go from here?

The goal is not to shame or single out individuals, but to ask: How can we collectively strengthen our institutions so that respect for rules becomes the norm, regardless of status?

solutions could include:

• Strengthening the independence of public agencies

• Creating clearer boundaries between personal privilege and public responsibility

• Fostering a civic culture where influence comes with higher — not lower — expectations Perhaps it’s time we shift the narrative from “Do you know who I am?” to “What kind of country do we want to build?”

A final Word

If we want a Nigeria where justice is not a function of identity — but of principle — we must start holding ourselves and our systems to higher standards. Bigmannism, whether at the airport or in politics, is not a fixed trait. It’s a learned behavior — and, with collective will, it can be unlearned.

Let’s begin not with outrage, but with introspection. Belgore is the CEO of Utica Capital.

Fela
Kwam 1

Ferdinand Ekechukwu - 08035011394

Email: ferdi_adthisday@yahoo.com

Ibinabo Fiberesima: There Are Inconsistencies with Depiction of Culture on Screen by Filmmakers

In ‘Amanyanabo:the Eagle King,’ a historical epic set in 1892 Niger Delta, King Ibanichuka battles colonial threats and internal betrayal to protect Okrika’s sovereignty. Produced by Ibinabo Fiberesima and directed by Fred Amata, this cinematic work of art, a couple of years after completion, is scheduled for premiere in London, Manchester, and Birmingham on August 29, 2025, with a Nigerian release soon in cinemas nationwide. Fiberesima spoke to Ferdinand Ekechukwu about the movie, which is a powerful celebration of a legacy of pride and resilience, and more. Excerpts:

Amanyanabo: The Eagle Kingismostanticipated, can you tell us about it and how relevant is it to itspeople,history?

Amanyanabo - The Eagle King is an epic drama based on a real character, a king of Okrika, Ibanichuka, Ado the VI, Amanyanabo of Okrika. He was one of the great monarchs of Okrika who reigned over an era of prosperity, sterling diplomacy, astute trade relations and security. Ibanichuka is fondly referred to as the overlord of Okrika and the last of Okrikas grand potentates. The movie is a fitting tribute to his reign, which was characterised by a lot of events that outline some of his conquests, alliances, and even a civil war. He weathers these storms while trying to unite a people already divided by the incursion of a foreign religion and finding a solution to colonial encroachment led by a sadistic British consul.

What’s it about the story that pulled you toitandwhatistheessenceofbringingthis historicepicatthistime?

First of all, the story is inspired by a book written by Dr. Alfred S. Abam, Ado the IX, Amanyanabo of Okrika. A lot of people rightly haven’t heard about Ibanichuka. I dare say a lot of Ijaws, especially the present generation who aren’t in touch with their roots have not. Personally, I grew up reading about the great Bini monarch, Oba Ovonramwen Nogbaisi in a play written by the legendary Ola Rotimi. I read about the flamboyant Jaja Jubogha of Opobo and Nana Olomu of Itsekiri. But there were other leaders too, who reigned around the time. King Ibanichuka was one of them. I was awed to discover about his exploits and challenges even in his household. I was pulled to the story because Africa has a lot of Ibanichukas whose stories have never been told. The Niger-Delta and even Nigeria as a whole has come to the point where it is necessary to look back in order to move forward. We have a proud history of honest, strong, and wise leaders who inspired

our people through tough times. We need to remember who we are as a people and return back to our principles.

Thestoryhasbeenretoldthroughoraland writtenmedia.Whatdifferencedoesitmake throughthemediumoffilm?

Film is about entertainment, and whoever pays to watch a film wants to be entertained. This singular fact was not lost on me. Indeed, even if you have a sermon, it is prudent to enshroud it in an entertaining form or you lose the largest part of your audience. Amanyanabo The Eagle King has been packaged with every ingredient one can imagine. There is action, drama, comedy, tragedy and factual reality bordering on history. It is something you will want to pay money to watch and that is the difference.

You produced and also featured in the movie. Can you share some of the choices andfactorsyouconsideredbeforetakingup theproductionreins?

To tell you the truth, when the script was written, the first factor I considered was its achievability with regard to funding. But you see, even with all the funds being bandied about, it is a very tedious and almost impossible feat to source funds for production, and a lot of practitioners can bear me witness. The industry is in large parts self-sustained, albeit inadequately. I had to source funds by meeting old friends and liquidating assets. I had the choice to water the script down, but I also have a mission to challenge the very best in Hollywood just as some of my colleagues are doing presently. I want to continue shifting the paradigm, to aim for the best. The technology to shoot any movie of one’s imagination is here with us, including the personnel to make it happen. I mean look at a movie like Avatar: The Way of Water. So why are we not achieving same? Funding gets you the best from scriptwriters all the way to post-production and marketing. My goal is to compete so I considered the best hands to work with. Acclaimed filmmaker, Izu Ojukwu was

my Production Consultant along with Zeb Ejiro and the movie was directed by Fred Amata. I also had to assemble trusted hands as cast and crew and the result was more than I had imagined.

Whatroledidyouplayinthemovie?

I played Tamunoba, the goddess, a very minimal but impactful role in the movie as you will see. It was by choice. As a producer, I knew I would have my hands full on the project and I didn’t want to compromise my films quality because of ample screen time. I believe I’m already accomplished for that. I’m not looking for fame.

Speaktousaboutthecastofthisproduction, which appears to be mostly old hands; any newbies?

Like I stated earlier, I needed trusted hands first and foremost. The dialogue of the movie was not the run-of-the-mill, and no actor was permitted to improvise my lines, which is a quietly celebrated norm on a lot of Nollywood sets. I required experience and those who had discipline for the craft. I did try to get one or two newbies, but they had conflicting schedules. However, I had some budding actors on set who under my strict observation as Casting Director were fit to play the roles allotted to them, including Oluwatunmise Emmanuel Akinbo, the son of costume expert, Millicent Jack and Izuchukwu Ezeokoli. I left no room for errors as a lot was invested in this. The knowledge, respect and discipline for your craft are key factors. Nkem Owoh, Monalisa Chinda Coker, Walter Anga etal turned in dramatic monologues for my audition and when contracted were never late to my set. They never disrespected the cast or crew and were always standing by. I had two PhD holders in the persons of Columbus Irosanga and Ovunda Ihunwo who comported themselves and even helped the younger actors. Gentle Jack shuttled Delta and Okrika to ensure he delivered the script in precise words. That’s discipline and professionalism.

What do you make of the African stories

beingtold,lookingatsomeoftheNollywood films that have been churned out in recent times?

Nollywood is trying its bit in the aspect of telling real African stories, but more can be done. A lot still gets lost based on budget available. There are a lot of inconsistencies with the depiction of our culture on screen, and this is because, unlike our foreign counterparts, most of our filmmakers work without consultants. For my film, we had a culture consultant. ‘Abeg, I didn’t want wahala’ with my people, so I ensured I stayed within the border of acceptable plausibility. I find some of our epic movies funny especially the depiction of royalty which seems like a pale imitation of the British monarchy, or comically copied excerpts from the fictitious Zamunda of Coming to America. No offence but some of those productions cannot be classified as true African stories. There’s a thin line in trying to balance fact and fiction, but we need to be more cautious so we do not lose the basic ingredients that make up our identity in the telling of our stories.

What’sthemajorinfluenceinyourcareer as an actor?

The major influence on my career is the passion to tell stories. To tell stories, you sometimes need to play a character. It’s a form of escapism. I love that part of it all, when I have to drop the person Ibinabo Fiberesima and assume the persona of another character, either lovable or terrible. I cherish the honour to play someone else and in that regard make a positive impact on people’s lives.

Burna Boy, Asake Top Africa Nominees at 2025 MTV

The 2025 MTV Video Music Award nominations, announced August 5, have placed African stars firmly in the spotlight. Seven artists from across the continent received nods in the Best Afrobeats category, with Nigerian talent dominating the field.

Burna Boy and Asake are the most nominated African artists this year, with two mentions each. Burna Boy’s second nomination comes in the Video for Good category for his track “Higher.”

Others are Asake and Travis Scott’s collaborative hit “Active,” Burna Boy’s “TaTaTa” with Travis Scott, Rema’s emotional “Baby (Is It a Crime),” Tems and Asake’s “Get It Right,” and Wizkid and Brent Faiyaz’s “Piece of My Heart” among the standout nominees.

Singer Ayra Starr also received recognition with a nomination for MTV PUSH Performance of the Year, thanks to her stirring live version of “Last Heartbreak Song.”

Ghanaian artist Moliy also earned a nomination for her viral remix “Shake It to the Max (Fly),” featuring Jamaican acts Silent Addy, Skillibeng and Shenseea.

South African pop sensation Tyla rounds out the category with “Push 2 Start,” a song that earned her not only a nod for Best Afrobeats but also a nomination for

Best Choreography.

Globally, this year’s VMAs are stacked with heavyweights. Lady Gaga leads with 12 nominations, including Artist of the Year and Best Album for “Mayhem.” Bruno Mars follows closely with 11 nods, Kendrick Lamar has 10, and Sabrina Carpenter comes in with eight, boosted by the success of “Espresso.”

While neither Beyoncé nor Taylor Swift released new music videos this past year, they remain up for Artist of the Year, a category that honors overall impact rather than a specific visual.

The 2025 edition of the MTV VMAs which will air live from UBS Arena in New York on September 7 introduces two new categories, Best Country and Best Pop Artist, reflecting the show’s evolving reach. International genres continue to thrive, with Best Afrobeats, Best Latin and Best K-Pop firmly on the roster.

This year’s list also celebrates 33 first-time nominees. They range from rising stars like Alex Warren, Role Model and Sombr to legacy artists stepping into new genres. Other artists earning their first-ever nods include Mac Miller, Brent Faiyaz, Leon Thomas, Freddie Gibbs, Jordan Adetunji, Lay Bankz, Megan Moroney, and Zach Hood.

Ibinabo
Ferdinand ekechukwu
Burna Boy

•Tourism •Arts&Culture

Chuks Akamadu: Africa Needs to See Tourism as Business, Not Leisure

Managing Director, Afrocultour Limited, Chuks Akamadu, believes Africa needs to redefine its perception of tourism, from mere leisure and sightseeing to a viable economic growth driver. He challenges policymakers across the continent to shift focus and invest in tourism as a strategic business sector capable of creating jobs, attracting foreign exchange, and boosting infrastructure development. Charles Ajunwa brings the excerpts:

Some experts are calling for partnerships and collaborations to boost tourism in Africa. While others are advocating home-grown models. What is your take on this?

I do not see the conflict between the two. I am for partnerships and collaboration where countries interface bilaterally and multilaterally within the precincts of mutual gain. On the other hand, I find home-grown models desirable where they best suit the peculiar tourism realities of individual nations. For instance, the five tourism clusters we have in Nigeria namely the Tropical Rainforest, Conference Capital, Atlantic Gateway, Scenic Nature and Sahara Gateway, with their distinctive features. There is nothing stopping say the Tropical Rainforest cluster from partnering Atlantic Gateway provided there is profit to share and at the same time paying adequate attention to home-grown models that would enable it to outperform its peers including its partner-Atlantic Gateway. I am for healthy competition and profitable collaboration if they are embraced for the ultimate purpose of gain, growth and sustainable development. I do not see them as being mutually exclusive.

The World Tourism Council recently gave a list of top 10 tourism economies in the world and there was no African country on that list. What are the key lessons, and what do

you think can be done to ensure that African countries become part of that list? Africa has to first of all see tourism as a business as opposed to leisure, then realise that it has a comparative and competitive advantage in it. That would pave the way for us to interrogate the reason our performance has consistently been suboptimal. At that point issues such as deficit in tourism infrastructure would pop up and

perhaps, we would also begin to ask ourselves why “holiday” to the average African necessarily means overseas trips. Rather more importantly, we need the requisite political will and commitment on the part of our leaders to achieve this. We must cherish and patronise what we have. The truth of the matter is that we treat our tourism resources with undeserved scorn; so, how would others then live their regions to come experience our rich culture and savour our unique heritage sites. Yes, we have had the misfortune of being defined by others in the past, but it’s high time we dropped those false tags. We need to project ourselves and our heritage positively, so as to attract the envy of Asians, North Americans Europeans and Australians. That’s where the marketing and branding starts from. As for the key lessons, I think that Africa not being amongst the world’s 10 foremost tourism economies harshly reminds one that the economic problem of Africa is neither ancestral nor spiritual. It is on the contrary the direct outcome of our choices as a people. Put differently, it is an indictment on us for failing or refusing or neglecting to deploy that which we are lavishly blessed with to improve our socio-economic conditions. What this means if that future is in our hands. We are at liberty to preserve or squander it. Yes, we might not be early birds, but we do have an opportunity in the Expo to look ourselves in the mirror and embrace home truths, with a

NATOP President, Mustapha Woos Beninese Tour Operators

The President of Nigerian Association of Tour Operators (NATOP), Mrs. Bolaji Mustapha, has called on Beninese operators in tourism, travel and hospitality industry to bring tourists from Benin to Nigeria, saying Nigeria is rich in tourism products and one of the safest tourists’ destinations in the world.

Mustapha made this call during a cocktail organised for 20 NATOP members who were on a three-day farm trip to Benin, held at Benin Royal Hotel, Cotonou, Benin.

The three-day farm trip put together by NATOP and Consortium Tourism by Millions of Benin (CTMB) in collaboration with Azalai Hotel and Benin Royal Hotel, was part of efforts at deepening the relationship between Nigerian tour operators and their Beninese counterparts.

The NATOP boss said the “historical farm trip to Benin, is an initiative to boost tourism within the West African Coast.

“We need to burn the barriers against tourism. And we need to target Summer in Africa instead of going to Europe, America and Asia,” adding that the farm trip would help both countries to explore packaging strategies and deepen their understanding of local tourism destinations.

“The essence of farm trip is to know well

L-r: Financial Secretary, NATOp, Gugua Anobili; president, CTMB, Mr. Dine Bouraima, NATOp president; Mrs. Bolaji Mustapha; and co-founder and Managing Director of GOTA International Group, Dr. Olanma Ojukwu, at cocktail organised for NATOp members, held at Benin royal Hotel, Cotonou, Benin...recently

about the products you want to sell, not just selling on the phone.

“You need to experience what you want to give to others,” Mustapha added.

She appreciated the President of CTMB and owner of Benin Royal Hotel, Mr. Dine Bouraima, co-founder and Managing Director of GOTA International Group, a travel and tourism company, Dr. Olanma Ojukwu, Hotel Manager, Azalai Hotel, Cotonou, Mariam Posset, and others who made the farm trip a huge success.

CTMB President, Bouraima, in his welcome address, said he wanted to start something big with Nigeria, assuring tour operators of his commitment to ensuring that tourism within Africa, especially West Africa gets a big boost through partnerships and collaborations.

On collaboration between both countries, Bouraima said, “We need Nigeria. We want relationship good for Nigeria, and good for Benin.

“Come to Benin. It’s safe. We have many hotels in Benin. We have something in both countries.”

BUAF Sets New Standard with 2025 Beeta Playwright Competition

The Beeta Playwright Competition (BPC), one of Africa’s most prestigious platforms for emerging playwrights, is back with its seventh edition. This year’s theme, “Connected Realities: A Closer World in a Digital Age,” challenges writers to explore the nuances of human connection in our fast-evolving digital world.

A major update to the competition: all interested participants must attend a mandatory virtual pre-submission workshop.

Spearheaded by internationally acclaimed playwright Dipo Agboluaje, the workshop ensures that every applicant is equipped with the tools to succeed in today’s theatrical landscape. The workshop registration closes on the 30th of August 2025 (Midnight) and the deadline for the play

submission is on the 30th of September 2025.

“This is more than a competition, it’s a platform for growth, for learning, and for launching careers.

“Every year, we see incredible stories that have the potential to impact the world. With the digital age opening new frontiers for storytelling, the 2025 theme challenges writers to imagine bolder, connect deeper, and think globally,” a statement quoted the Founder, Beeta Arts Universal Foundation (BAUF), Bikiya Graham- Douglas, to have said.

This year’s edition of the BPC was made possible by the collective efforts of all stakeholders, especially the sponsors: Chairborne, MTN Foundation, Five2Media, and Paperworth Books who have remained able partners of the vision.

Judging the competition this year are Prof. Ahmed Yerima as the Chairman; Dr Shaibu Husseini, Deputy Chairman and DG Film and Video Censors Board Nigeria; Ego Boyo, Veteran Actress/Producer; Ibiso

Graham-Douglas, Publisher/CEO of PaperWorth Books Limited; Kenneth Uphopho, Director and Founder of Paw Studios Africa, and Ayo Jaiyesimi, Theatremaker and Founder Thespian Family Theatre and Productions.

Winners would receive a cash prize, play publication, and a professional stage production; a launchpad for careers in the arts.

“At BUAF, we are raising the bar for theatrical excellence by placing equal value on creative expression and intellectual depth. The introduction of a mandatory pre-submission workshop ensures that every aspiring playwright has access to professional guidance, industry insights, and artistic structure. It’s a powerful leveller that not only improves the quality of submissions but also enriches the entire ecosystem of African theatre,” Folakemi Philips, Brand Communications Lead, Beeta Universal Arts Foundation said.

view to taking our economic destiny in our own hands, and on the tourism superhighway.

Can you tell us what the Africa Tourism and Creative Economy Expo (AFTCREE) coming up in Abuja this November is all about?

The AFTCREE is a timely response to the deplorable disparity in global trade, where the entire continent, regardless of our tourism and creative industry assets and potential, contributes less than three per cent. This is beneath us. The expo is likewise designed to address the concerns of African nations and industry leaders who lament the current situation where the continent boasts of a paltry five per cent share of global tourism revenue valued at over $11 trillion. But without looking too far, the theme of the Expo captures its very essence: ‘Optimising Africa’s Comparative and Competitive Advantage for Accelerated Trade and Economic Growth’. From Nigeria to Algeria; from Egypt to Tanzania, and from Rwanda to Kenya, Africa boasts of unique tourism resources that can be harnessed to give other regions of the world a good run for their money. If you also come to the creative industry, we are no longer in the 70s, 80s and 90s when Africa was more or less under the yoke of Western music and motion picture industry.

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Cleopatre Kougniazinde, the tourism consultant to the Beninese government, said though Benin is a small country in terms of size, but is key in authenticity, culture, history and others. According to Kougniazinde, “In life you need to find balance. So God decided to give us this small land because we are too great in terms of men and women that build this country. “When you look at the shape on the map, we are key to authenticity. We are a key to culture. We are a key to history. And to everything that you can find in a country. So what we are trying to look at this for the past 10 years. Benin has had this opportunity to have our current president, who has decided as one of the major moves to identify one of the development priority sectors as tourism. And so we have been working in order to make Benin an even greater experience for people to come regardless of what you like. Whether it’s culture, whether it’s history, whether it’s just chilling out or whether it’s just coming to see people coming and going and enjoying yourself and relaxing.”

Kougniazinde, the CEO of TOURA, a tourism company, added, “We are working on our identity. We are taking ownership of our identity for us, first of all, as a community. And then, to allow people to understand the heritage. Because if Africans don’t start telling the story themselves, we’re never going to get these rights back to their people. So this was something that the government really took to heart and decided to work on that.”

Charles Ajunwa
Akamadu
Graham- Douglas

Setting Boundaries on ‘Black Tax’

Nigerians across all economic classes face increasing pressure to pay black tax, amid a tough economic terrain, an unemployment crisis and rising cost of living Black tax, a term which originated from South Africa, is defined according to Investopedia as the financial burden borne by black people who have achieved a level of success, hence, obliged to provide support to less financially secure family members.

According to a 2024 PiggyVest Savings Report, almost one in two Nigerians earning income pay black tax.

The ideology behind black tax also presupposes that a young adult who is well-to-do contributes financially to the family’s upkeep, including paying bills, providing for basic needs and assisting with educational expenses.

Though not a bad gesture considering also its social and cultural import, financial advisors reckon that black tax, an age-long practice that is fast ingrained in society, can be a threat to an individual’s financial fulfilment. No wonder the popular saying is that a rich man among many poor is automatically a poor man.

An average Nigerian breadwinner within and abroad, is pressured by financial demands from non-family members too. Extended family members, friends, colleagues, neighbours and even fellow church or mosque members, amongst others, somehow find their way into one’s budget, automatically extending the circle of the black box.

The PiggyVest Savings report analysed further that of the 70 percent Nigerian income earners who pay black tax, 46% pay it monthly, while 25% do so occasionally.

A check of recent Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) data on remittance flows to the country further proves Nigerians growing dependence on black tax to sustain livelihood. The data indicates a jump in remittance flows to the economy by nine percent, totaling $20.98 billion in 2024, reaching a five-year high.

Another report recognises diasporans as being the largest revenue-generating constituency in

Africa and other parts of the world, citing World Bank records that over $80 billion was sent to Africa in 2020.

Though exciting to receivers, this gesture most times takes a huge mental and emotional toll on the payer, no doubt, leads to financial depletion and abandoned financial ambitions.

PiggyVest report highlighted how the black tax could frustrate man’s savings intention, noting that 43 percent of Nigerians failed to save due to pressure of black tax hindering their ability to build a secure financial foundation.

Findings have also linked man’s desperation to make more money to black tax, given the burden of responsibilities and entitlements scaring closely at a supposed burden lifter.

Interestingly too, it is not uncommon to hear criminals caught in money-related offences cite reason as black tax obligations as their driving force.

A 29-year-old armed robber, Ajibola Alao, once caught by the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the Lagos State Police Command, confessed he was into crime to secure the future of his siblings.

“I went into crime to take care of my siblings. I am the first child and the breadwinner of the family. Since the death of my mother, I have

OTH er Bu SIN e SS STO r I e S

been taking care of my brothers. That was my promise to my mom before her death,” Alao told law enforcement agents.

Describing black tax as burdensome, a Financial Analyst, Opeoluwa Dapo-Thomas, submitted, “Individuals living abroad, most times, must work extra hard and work extra hours just to pay their bills and other expenses. For some, working extra hours is a way to cover up for black tax at the end of the month, as there’s a general notion that people who move abroad are always rich.”

Recounting his unpleasant experience, a Civil Engineer, Roland Ugiangbe, said, “My late father worked in a bank for 25 years but never owned a house before he died. Though he earned well, he spent most of it on his extended family, leaving us with little. I’ve vowed not to repeat similar mistakes, which make me now invest a larger chunk of my income and reserve only a small portion for black tax and others. If you keep too much money on hand, people will always be around to help you spend it”.

Financial experts recognise the place of wisdom in paying black tax, maintaining also that helping others should not lead to hurting oneself. To avoid the likely cost of this act, including delayed or inability to build wealth, increased

risk of debt, financial stagnancy, inability to save and increased risk of old-age poverty, which potentially continue the cycle, deliberate setting of boundaries is strongly advised.

A South African Financial Author and Consultant, Sylvia Walker, submitted, “Black tax isn’t necessarily bad, it reflects cultural solidarity. The danger lies in the absence of boundaries. Without intentional planning, it can sabotage one’s financial future.”

THISDAY presents tips below to politely navigate black tax obligations, as drawn from financial experts:

Understand Your Financial Limits

In the word of Founder, Money Africa, Nimi Akinkugbe, “You can’t pour from an empty cup, financial self-care must come first”. Therefore, before giving, first assess your monthly income, essential expenses, savings goals, and investment plans. Create a realistic budget that includes a “giving” category, without compromising your financial health.

Communicate with Compassion

Set expectations early. Explain your financial goals to your dependents, which may be repaying a loan or planning for retirement. Use we-focused language to avoid sounding self-centered.

Propose Alternatives

If direct financial support isn’t sustainable, offer other types of non-monetary assistance like job referrals, help with tasks or skills, shortterm accommodations and suggest alternative financial resources amongst others. This keeps one supportive without overcommitting.

Learn to Say “No” Gracefully

It is okay to decline if a request isn’t feasible. Saying “no” doesn’t mean turning your back; it means protecting your future ability to give. Financial Analyst, Dapo-Thomas argued thus, “In some instances, black tax is used for things that don’t add value to the individual and the receiver; some persons only want money because the giver lives abroad. When you learn to say no to some things as an individual, it helps you to save and invest your money”.

IHS Empowers over 500 Ilorin Teens with Tech Skills

Foremost telecom service provider, IHS Nigeria Limited, has stepped up efforts to drive Nigeria’s digital adoption by equipping children with emerging technology skills via the STEM Africa Fest initiative.

Over 500 youngsters, including educators, benefited from the two-day exercise that was held at Ilorin Innovation Hub, with IHS partnering with STEAM UP Kwara and the Kwara State Government to execute the exercise for maximum result.

Themed, “AI for Good”, the training, which spans public and private institutions ignited curiosity among the beneficiaries, while furnishing them with future-ready skills ranging from artificial intelligence to robotics, drone Technology, coding, 3D printing, virtual reality, and science experiments, amongst others.

The exercise fulfils the objective of STEM Africa festival, which sought to ignite passion for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEAM) disciplines in African youth and foster a brighter future through hands-on learning and real-world problem-solving.

Speaking, Special Adviser to the Minister of Education on STEMM and Corporate Sector Engagement, Dr. Adetola Salau, stated that the initiative underscored how innovation and education unite to create opportunities.

“It’s more than just an event, it’s a launchpad for transformation”, she declared.

Also, the Director of Sustainability at IHS Nigeria, Titilope Oguntuga reiterated the company’s continued readiness to

support innovation and development of Nigeria’s digital economy. “From using AI to assist the visually impaired, to improving healthcare and education, our children must be active contributors to the development of technology, not just consumers in this evolving digital economy,” she said.

The Director of Human Resources at IHS Nigeria, Ejemen Okojie, remarked further on the initiative as one that the company promotes toward growth across strata, in alignment with its core values.

Commenting, a co-organisers of STEM Africa Fest and founder of STEM METS, Jadesola Adedeji stated, “We believe the future of Africa is rooted in what we do with our children today. This festival is about equipping them with the tools and mindset to thrive in a world shaped by technology.”

Firm Champions Efficient Food System in New Partnership Jamara Leverages Social Bonds to Deepen Market Ties

Crown Flour Mill (CFM) Limited, a subsidiary of Olam Agri has devoted efforts to improving the country’s food system as part of initiatives to promote food sufficiency and bridge nutritional gaps.

The company, which recently struck a new deal with culinary expert and global food influencer, Ify Mogekwu, as its Brand Ambassador, reiterated that the move was intended to promote food efficiency, nutrition, and accessibility.

The new partnership followed the company’s relaunch of one of its brands, Supreme Semolina in the previous year, enhancing the experience of food lovers with the product’s added qualities, including enhanced texture and extended shelf life. Mogekwu, was ceremoniously crowned at an event in Lagos graced by cultural figures and dignitaries from different ethnic backgrounds across the country.

Vice President and Business Head at CFM, Siddharth Suri, said the presence of such diverse figures underscored the company’s cultural significance and national appeal that further affirms its Supreme Semolina as a product that transcends ethnic boundaries but unites consumers through quality, trust, and tradition.

“At Olam Agri, we believe food is about more than sustenance, it’s about culture, connection, and wellbeing. Ify’s passion for quality and authenticity mirrors our mission. This partnership is a natural fit as we work together to enrich the everyday dining experience and deepen our impact across homes in Nigeria,” he, said.

Also speaking, the company’s Managing Director and Business Head, Nitin Mehta, stated that the collaboration was an intentional one aiming at overall innovation in the food system.

Indigenous retail hub for electronics and home appliances, Jamara Home has concluded its weeklong userdriven marketing campaign tagged ‘Jamaralovesfriendship’, marking a strategic milestone in the brand’s ongoing digital engagement and customer retention push.

Held in commemoration of the United Nations International Day of Friendship, the campaign saw Nigerians take to social media to share compelling stories, photos, and videos celebrating friendship and familial bonds.

Participants competed for the chance to win a premium home appliance gift, with the winning entry determined by number of likes.

The just-concluded campaign not

only amplified the brand’s visibility across major social media platforms, it underscored its growing focus on emotional branding and value-led customer interactions.

Managing Director of Jamara Home, Tolu Adediran reiterated the organ- isation’s value in true friendship. He said, “This contest is our way of celebrating the special bonds we share with our friends and family, as well as rewarding our loyal customers.

“This is more than a giveaway; it is a celebration of connection, the very essence of home. We wanted to allow our audience to express what friendship means to them, and the responses were overwhelming, he stated.

Igniting Young Minds for Future Built on Innovation, Impact

The Landmark Event Centre, Oniru, Lagos, was transformed into a technological playground, buzzing with innovation, creativity, and the infectious curiosity of over 3,000 children recently at the fifth edition of STEM Africa Fest, an annual event that has rapidly evolved into one of Africa’s most impactful educational platforms, championing the future of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics. Sunday Ehigiator reports

This year’s theme, ‘AI for Good: Solving Real-World Problems’, could not have been more timely; in a world rapidly shifting under the weight of artificial intelligence and digital transformation, the need to bridge the skills gap among Africa’s youth is no longer a matter of if, but when.

The answer, it seems, is now, and Access Bank, the major sponsor of the STEM Africa Fest, stood solidly behind that vision.

In an almost choreographed flow, the participating schools rotated through multiple thematic zones, each a microcosm of a STEMpowered future.

At the AI Corner, a group from Gracefield International listened intently as facilitators explained how chatbots work. At the same time, another set of students from Olumide Community School laughed joyfully as they used generative AI to create their animated avatars.

Meanwhile, at the Robotics Lab, students from Unity Secondary School, Ikeja, took turns manoeuvring a robotic arm to move small metallic blocks into position, replicating a mock-surgery simulation. “It’s like playing video games, but it’s real science!” one student exclaimed, eyes gleaming.

Elsewhere, under the cool canopies of the renewable energy pavilion, pupils from Kingdom Kids Academy huddled around solar panel prototypes, asking sharp questions about converting sunlight into electricity.

“So if I put this on my roof, I won’t need NEPA again?” a boy asked seriously. The facilitator smiled, nodded, and launched into an explanation about energy storage and independence.

Not far from there, the Electric Vehicle

Showcase drew in another group from St. Theresa’s Model School. They surrounded an engineer who explained the inner workings of a battery-powered car.

Children took selfies beside the vehicle, and others scribbled furiously in their notepads, perhaps future Tesla challengers in the making.

The Flight Simulator Zone was a showstopper. Here, queues snaked around the corner as students from Redeemers High School and Ebute Elefun Secondary waited eagerly for their turn in the cockpit.

As the simulator chair moved with precision and the controls came alive, gasps of excitement echoed. “Captain Omotayo requesting permission for takeoff!” one boy announced with mock-seriousness, prompting applause from his classmates.

Inside the creatively designed science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) Studio, a colourful, aroma-rich area bustled with activity. Students from Little Lights School dabbled in candle-making, while others from Odogbolu Grammar School tried their hands at tie-dye, creating vivid patterns with practised fingers.

One instructor challenged them to think about how traditional crafts could be turned into profitable digital enterprises.

The Coding Bootcamp zone was a whirlwind of discovery. Laptops lined the desks as students from Brainpower Junior College created basic games in Scratch. Next to them, El-Shaddai Academy learners explored auto-drawing AI tools, watching amazed as the software guessed and improved their sketches.

Everywhere you turned, learning was happening. Not in silence or rows, but in movement, in laughter, in questions, in experiments gone wrong and right again.

School groups moved in time slots, ensuring each child had an immersive, focused experience. Volunteers, coordinators, and facilitators used whistles, smiles, and laminated maps to direct traffic smoothly. No one was idle. No one left untouched.

“It’s like Disney World for tech!” a teacher from Ajegunle Unity School declared as she guided her students toward the Virtual Reality Lounge, where children took turns exploring the solar system, ancient Egypt, and underwater coral reefs, all without leaving the building.

By midday, a gentle hum filled the venue, the kind of sound that comes not from machines, but from minds unlocking. The kind of hum you get when a generation begins to imagine something

bigger than themselves.

As students filtered from one experience to the next, trading stories and comparing projects, one thing became clear: this wasn’t just an event, it was a living curriculum, more impactful than any textbook or blackboard could dream to be.

Access Bank and the Power of Early Investment

According to the Group Head of Africa FinTech Foundry, Daniel Awe, the innovation and incubation arm of Access Bank, sponsoring STEM Africa Fest is a strategic investment into the future of the continent.

How Abia Community Welcomed Road Project with Celebration

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

It was an unusual spectacle seeing a group of women erupt in jubilation at the sight of a crawler excavator on a village road. But in a clime where provision of basic social amenities such as good roads, is never taken for granted, a joyous celebration of social amenity by a benefitting community cannot be a remote possibility.

The women of Umuobasiukwu Kingdom, Ozuitem in Bende Local Government of Abia State proved it when they erupted in joyous celebration at the sight of an earthmoving, heavy-duty vehicle gliding on chain tracks, grading and landscaping their village road.

The road has existed in its pristine form, and it was the first time construction equipment would be seen on this particular road, which leads to Ndiambe, a village that has not been accessible to cars and bigger vehicles over the ages. Hence, the jubilant women have every reason to celebrate the flagging off of the emergency construction of the Umuikwuoma - Ozu road and emergency construction of Ozuitem road with solar street lights.

The Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC) organised the flagging-off ceremony in conjunction with Karm Offshore Services Limited, the contractor handling the road project.

The road project meant so much to the benefitting communities, hence the celebration. Cannons boomed to herald the flagging-off ceremony. A group of joyous women sang and danced, moving in a procession from the road junction where the flag-off ceremony was staged to the palace of the traditional ruler, Eze John O. Akaliro, Obasiukwu II of Umuobasiukwu Kingdom.

The merry women chanted “Chineke, ihe I mere di nma”, which translates that what God has done for the community is good. It was an acknowledgement that it could only have be through divine intervention that the community was remembered and considered a beneficiary for the NDDC’s emergency road project.

This divine intervention was accentuated by the tradional ruler of Ndiagho, Eze Hardy O. Ejikeme, who declared that “after many years God has heard our cries and raised up” the person that attracted a road project to the community. “This is the development we have been yearning

for,” he said. The royal father stated that the construction of the road leading to Ndiambe would definitely change the social and economic life of the community.

Ndiambe has remained inaccessible for decades and it has been tales of deprivations and hard life for the apparently forgotten community and its inhabitants. Burial of the dead in the community pose challenges of its own due to the difficult terrain. Mrs. Comfort Ewelike said that ambulances “can’t enter our community because there is no road” hence body of a deceased person would usually be conveyed to the junction leading to the community. From there, youths would take over and carry the corpse into the community for the funeral ceremony and internment. Mrs. Ngozi Eke, a trader, said that conveying goods to her shop is a herculean task.

According to her, whenever she went to buy goods in the city, the vehicle that would bring her home would stop and discharge her goods at the junction “because there is no road into our community. “I would carry the goods on my head to my shop and it’s not an easy thing for me to do at all,” she said.

Iheoma Anyalechi noted that the commencement of construction

work on the road was enough cause of joy as “nothing like this has ever happened here before”. The roaring of the excavator signalling commencement of work was greeted with cheers by the crowd of people that came for the flagging-off ceremony.

The NDDC awarded the road contract categorised it as “emergency road construction”. The interventional agency is currently driving accelerated connection of the rural communities with good roads in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration.

During the site handover at the royal father’s palace, which preceded the flagging-off ceremony, Eze Akaliro expressed his people’s gratitude to the NDDC. “We are happy that we are now being remembered as part of NDDC,” he said.

The traditional ruler recalled that in the past, NDDC projects were concentrated in the riverine areas, mostly in the South-South zone component of the coverage area of NDDC.

Akaliro stated that his people have accepted the road project wholeheartedly

and assured the NDDC team led by a director, Engr. Joy Eucharia that the community would provide every assistance needed to ensure the completion of the road project. He also thanked NDDC for awarding the contract to Karm Offshore Services Limited, a firm owned by an indigene of Ozuitem, Mark James.

Participants at the STEM Africa Fest 2025

AirSmat, Nigeria’s leading climate-tech company, has been awarded a prestigious and landmark contract by the United Nations’ International Labour Organisation (ILO) to spearhead a groundbreaking carbon project with cocoa growers in Côte d’Ivoire.

This high-impact project will ignite a new era of sustainable farming by turning agricultural waste into high-quality biochar, generating verifiable carbon credits, and deploying AirSmat’s powerful digital MRV technology to bring full transparency, traceability, and profitability to every step. It’s not just climate action, its economic empowerment, rural innovation, and a bold leap toward Africa-led carbon finance

The project will fully rely on AirSmat’s proprietary AnyFarm dMRV (digital Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification) platform, a robust, end-to-end system certified by Carbon Standards International, to deliver unmatched traceability and accountability across the entire carbon value chain.

From the moment cocoa pod waste is collected from smallholder farms, through its transformation into biochar via pyrolysis, to its application on farmlands to restore soil health, every step will be meticulously tracked. This data-backed process will culminate in the issuance of high-integrity, verifiable carbon credits, ensuring transparency, compliance, and impact at scale for all stakeholders—farmers, financiers, and regulators alike.

Commenting on the feat, the CEO of AirSmat, Soji Sanyaolu said: “We are honoured to collaborate with the United Nations’ ILO to introduce this transformative model to cocoa-farming communities in Côte d’Ivoire.

“This carbon project is more than just an agricultural intervention, it represents a climate and economic breakthrough for Africa’s smallholder farmers. By unlocking the power of agriculture to combat climate change, we’re creating new pathways for sustainable livelihoods, environmental restoration, and inclusive growth across the continent.”

This milestone builds upon AirSmat’s groundbreaking achievements in Nigeria, where the company made history by issuing the very first carbon credit to a smallholder farmer, a unique and practical turning point for Nigeria’s carbon economy.

Since that pioneering moment, AirSmat has rapidly scaled its carbon projects across the country, onboarding over one million smallholder farmers, facilitating the sustainable production of thousands of tonnes of biochar from agricultural waste, and delivering verified, measurable carbon sequestration that directly contributes to global climate goals.

By combining deep agricultural knowledge, advanced digital infrastructure, and unwavering commitment to farmer livelihoods, AirSmat is not just participating in climate finance, it is boldly redefining it from the ground up, proving that African-led innovation can drive global carbon removal efforts at scale.

As part of this transformative project, AirSmat will engage directly with 1,000 cocoa farmers in Sobre, Côte d’Ivoire, supporting them with the tools, training, and technology needed to transition toward more sustainable farming practices.

Central to this effort is AirSmat’s proprietary AnyFarm dMRV application, a robust digital platform that empowers users to track and verify every step

As AirSmat Expands to Côte d’Ivoire After Carbon Credit Success in Nigeria

of the carbon credit lifecycle, from cocoa pod waste collection to biochar production and final application on farmland. Available in multiple local and international languages on both Android and iOS, the app enables real-time data capture, GPS geotagging of activities, automated compliance checks, and end-toend traceability.

Through this platform, participating farmers and stakeholders can generate high-integrity carbon credits aligned with globally recognized standards, ensuring that every tonne of carbon sequestered is both verifiable and market-ready.

This seamless integration of climate-smart agriculture with advanced digital monitoring represents a bold step forward for Côte d’Ivoire’s sustainability agenda and AirSmat’s broader mission to unlock the full potential of Africa’s carbon economy.

Through this strategic partnership with the ILO, AirSmat is embarking on a bold mission to transform agriculture and climate action in Côte d’Ivoire.

The project is anchored on four key objectives that underscore AirSmat’s impact-driven philosophy which includes to Improve soil health and boost crop productivity by introducing biochar, an organic, carbon-rich soil amendment proven to enhance water retention, nutrient availability, and long-term soil fertility and drive measurable and permanent carbon removal through the scalable production and field application of biochar, helping to combat climate change at the root level while restoring degraded farmlands.

Others are to create an entirely new income stream for smallholder farmers by enabling participation in the voluntary carbon market, where verified carbon credits offer financial returns for climate-positive farming

practices, and empower rural communities with world-class technology, hands-on training, and transparent, traceable outcomes using AirSmat’s proprietary AnyFarm dMRV app and carbon tracking ecosystem.

Côte d’Ivoire, the world’s largest cocoa-producing country, is now poised to become a beacon of climate-smart agricultural innovation. AirSmat is proud to play a catalytic role in this transformation by bridging traditional agriculture with frontier climate finance tools. This expansion into West Africa marks more than just geographic growth; it signals a deeper, continent-wide commitment to harnessing the untapped power of Africa’s agricultural systems to reverse climate change. From the farm to the global carbon market, AirSmat is turning carbon into capital and potential into prosperity.

AirSmat’s foray into Côte d’Ivoire marks more than just a geographical expansion; it signals the company’s growing influence in Africa. Building on its landmark success in Nigeria, the move underscores AirSmat’s commitment to leveraging innovation, data intelligence, and sustainable practices to help West African nations tackle pressing environmental challenges. By replicating its proven model in new markets, the company is positioning itself as a key enabler of Africa’s green economy. With Côte d’Ivoire offering fertile ground for climate-smart solutions, AirSmat’s expansion comes at a critical time for the continent’s climate action agenda. The company’s track record in delivering measurable impact, coupled with its expertise in carbon credit generation, could open fresh opportunities for both local communities and international partners.

As global demand for credible carbon credits continues to rise, AirSmat’s success story may well inspire a wave of African-led innovation in sustainability—turning environmental responsibility into both an economic driver and a legacy for future generations.

How Strong Maintenance Culture Boosts NAF’s Air Power

A robust maintenance culture within the Nigerian Air Force formations plays a pivotal role in recalibrating the effective employment of air power, writes Linus Aleke

In today’s unpredictable security landscape and modern warfare, characterised by the regular employment of air power, a corresponding strong culture of maintenance that ensures that aircraft and equipment are consistently airworthy and operational enables the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to optimise its air power capabilities, respond swiftly to dynamic security threats, and ultimately achieve its mission objectives with heightened precision and efficacy.

Just recently, the NAF stressed that institutionalising an effective and robust maintenance framework across its engineering units is crucial for minimising unscheduled downtime, prudent resource allocation, and informed operational planning. These outcomes, it added, enable the NAF to maintain a continuous operational presence, project airpower effectively, and respond swiftly to meet the demands of national security in all operational environments.

In a keynote address at the NAF Aircraft Engineering Conference 2025 in Abuja recently, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, postulated that while the recent accomplishments of NAF’s aircraft and armament engineers and technicians have shown that the Service is on track, there is always room for improvement, and the NAF must continually seek to

do things better.

The Air Chief averred that the theme of the Conference, “Enhancing Aircraft Serviceability in the NAF through Strong Maintenance Culture and Strategic Partnerships,” is not only apt and timely but also aligns with key elements of the third and fourth key enablers of his Command Philosophy, which are “Proactive logistics support and strong maintenance culture” as well as “prioritising research and development, leveraging cuttingedge technology, strategic partnerships, and lessons learnt.”

He stated that a strong maintenance culture directly contributes to the high serviceability rates necessary to enhance the Service’s operational effectiveness for sustained air power delivery in furtherance of national security objectives.

The CAS also posited that strategic partnerships play a key role in enhancing aircraft serviceability by bridging capability gaps, accelerating technical capacity development, and ensuring the timely availability of critical spares.

Outlining the number of platforms acquired in the past two years to strengthen the air capability of the NAF not only to defend the nation’s territorial integrity via the air but also to bring to an end to the murderous activities of terrorists, bandits, and the criminal enterprise of kidnappers

Abubakar and other emerging criminal syndicates, Abubakar assured that the NAF has reached new heights in operational capability. According to him, “15 brand new aircraft were received by the NAF, including six T-129 ATAK helicopters, two AW-109 Trekker Type A helicopters, three Beechcraft King Air aircraft, and four Diamond 62 aircraft. An additional 49 platforms are expected before the end of 2026. They include three CASA 295 aircraft, 10 AW 109 Trekker Type B helicopters, 12 AH 1Z helicopters, and 24 M 346 fighter aircraft.”

Having outlined the numbers of aircraft types the Service has taken delivery of and those that are expected before the end of 2026, the

Air Chief stressed that these aircraft are all hightech platforms that require very sophisticated maintenance activities to operate effectively.

“Therefore, while taking proactive logistics actions and providing the needed maintenance resources, we must implement advanced, innovative, and data-driven aircraft and armament maintenance practices that ensure the optimal serviceability of all our aircraft. To this end, the NAF in April last year adopted the predictive maintenance culture,” he stated.

The Chief of the Air Staff said the predictive maintenance culture would enable the Service to anticipate and schedule maintenance ahead of time, while also preventing unexpected equipment failures. Noting that the NAF has continued to commit significant resources towards increasing its serviceability rates, Air Marshal Abubakar stated that funds are now provided for the purchase of consumables required for the quarterly maintenance of all NAF aircraft fleets.

“Similarly, we have been relentless in ensuring the timely provision of critical spares as well as the provision of up-to-date technical publications, ground support equipment, tools, and specialized equipment. Through these efforts, we have achieved an average serviceability rate of about 72 per cent. However, the target is a 90 per cent serviceability rate across all our platforms. In this regard, significant investments have been made to ensure that every operable aircraft in the NAF inventory becomes serviceable by the fourth quarter of 2025.

L-R: Chief Technical Officer, AirSmat, Adeoluwa Ibikunle; Chief Solution Architect, Evidence Rex Osikhena, and Chief Executive Officer, Soji Sanyaolu

Jetour Records Highest SUV Launches, Sales in Nigeria, S’Africa

Jetour automobile has said it made history as one of the brands to have introduced the highest number of sport utility vehicles in Nigeria in three years and recorded the highest SUVs sale figures in South Africa.

Parading an array of SUVs, the brand has stunned competitions with its best-in-class features, outstanding designs, and comfort amenities in all its models.

A statement from Kemi Adeola of Jetour Nigeria said no new auto brand in the country had ever turned out the number of SUV models Jetour rolled out in less than three years, covering various segments.

“In all, Jetour has more than seven models of SUVs in the Nigerian market and is still counting,” she said.

The models are Jetour X50, X70 hydrid, X70, X70 Plus, X90 Plus, Dashing, T2, and T2 hydrid.

The brand initially stormed the market with four models - Jetour X70, X70 Plus, Dashing, and X90 Plus.

Jetour has not relented in churning new models, the latest this year being the X50, X70 hydrid, T2, and T2 hybrid.

the likes of Mercedes-Benz and Honda.

Jetour officially launched in South Africa in late September 2024, introducing two SUV models: the Jetour Dashing and the Jetour X70 Plus.

Within weeks of the launch, it sold 568 units across its Dashing and X70 Plus models, quickly

Carloha, the exclusive distributor of Chery vehicles in Nigeria, and global automotive brand Chery, have been officially unveiled as the automobile sponsors of the 2025 Oluyole Amateur Golf Tournament, scheduled to take place from August 22nd to 24th at the prestigious Ibadan Golf Club, Ibadan.

The announcement was made during a press conference recently held at the Ibadan Golf Club, with Government representatives, media representatives, golf professionals, and tournament stakeholders in attendance.

Making the announcement, the Convener of the press conference, Mr. Folarin Laosun, expressed his utmost gratitude to Carloha Nigeria for sponsoring the tournament. According to Mr. Laosun: “If we have more public-spirited corporate organisations like Carloha Nigeria, golf and other developmental sports will not only thrive but also become a key channel for youth engagement, community building, and national development. Carloha’s support demonstrates a commendable commitment to corporate social responsibility and the growth of grassroots sports in Nigeria.” He further emphasised that such partnerships are essential for nurturing

approaching its year-end target of 1,500 units.

By end of January 2025, Jetour had sold over 2,000 vehicles in South Africa since the launch in September 2024.

The National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa’s (Naamsa) latest

ment... recently

local talent, enhancing the visibility of emerging sports, and fostering a culture of excellence and inclusion in the sporting landscape.

Speaking at the event, Felix Mahan, General Manager, Marketing at Carloha, expressed the brand’s excitement in supporting one of Nigeria’s premier amateur golf tournaments. Highlighting the significance of the sponsorship and Carloha’s broader commitment to sports development and

community engagement across Nigeria, Mahan said, “At Carloha, we believe in the power of sports to bring people together, inspire excellence, and uplift communities. Our sponsorship of this prestigious tournament is a reflection of our ongoing commitment to supporting sports development and community engagement here in Nigeria.”

In a move that is set to raise the stakes for this year’s tournament, Carloha also announced that

vehicle sales statistics revealed that Jetour sold 620 passenger cars in May 2025. This is more than what well-known brands such as Mercedes-Benz, Honda, Jaguar Land Rover, Mazda, Mitsubishi and Volvo did.

In June 2025, Jetour sold 683 units, cementing its place among South Africa’s top 15 automotive brands—outperforming many long-established players.

“We are excited to mirror Jetour’s worldwide success in South Africa and become the top choice for travel vehicles amongst local customers,” Jetour SA MD Johnny Fang said.

The Nigeria Auto Journalists Association (NAJA) early last year spotted it as the brand to watch, having seen the qualities of the models.

These qualities, with the performance of the first models, earned the brand an award as the fastest growing auto brand in 2024 at the NAJA Awards, held in Lagos.

Jetour said it had taken the Nigerian environment into cognisance before bringing in their models into the market. This, it said, made it possible for the vehicles to navigate through the rough roads across the country.

It stated, “Another edge that the Jetour brand has in Nigeria is that it has keyed into the Federal Government’s call for automakers to make vehicles environmentally friendly.

“Apart from Jetour’s range of combustible engines, renowned for fuel efficiency, the company recently introduced two powerful hybrid models, the Jetour T2 hybrid and X70 hybrid, into the Nigerian market.

Jetour’s exploits are not only in Nigeria. In South Africa, reports show Jetour has maintained the lead in different market segments, beating Carloha, Chery Present Tiggo 8 Pro as Grand Prize at 2025 Oluyole Golf Tournament NFF President Hails Carloha Role in

Advancing Sports in Nigeria

As Carloha Hosts Super Falcons to Celebrate WAFCON Victory

In a resounding display of national pride and support for Nigerian sports, Carloha Nigeria, the exclusive distributor and assembler of Chery vehicles in Nigeria, hosted the victorious Super Falcons at its state-of-the-art showroom in Alapere, Lagos. The celebratory event followed the Falcons’ historic triumph at the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), where they clinched their 10th continental title in a dramatic 3–2 win over host nation Morocco.

Speaking at the event, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), commended Carloha for its unwavering commitment to the advancement of sports in Nigeria. “We are proud to partner with Carloha and Chery towards the development of sports in Nigeria,” Gusau stated. “The Super Falcons’ victory reinforces the importance of investing in our national teams. Carloha’s support exemplifies corporate patriotism, and we believe this partnership marks the beginning of a fruitful and impactful relationship.”

The Media Parley, held in honour of the Super Falcons’ outstanding performance, welcomed players, fans, auto journalists, influencers, and

distinguished guests from the entertainment, sports, and automobile sectors. The Chery showroom was beautifully decorated in national colours and Chery insignia, creating an atmosphere of joy, patriotism, and celebration.

Guests were received by Mr. Sola Adigun, Managing Director of Carloha Nigeria, alongside the Carloha leadership team and staff. In his remarks, Mr. Adigun noted, “It is a great honour to welcome our champions, the Super Falcons, whose victory is a source of inspiration to all Nigerians. Our partnership with the NFF is built on shared values—excellence, resilience, and national pride.

RT. Briscoe (Nigeria) Plc has once again reemphasised the crucial need for corporate fleet owners, ministries, departments and agencies to take proper care of their investments in the face of rising cost of vehicles and spare parts hitting the roof tops.

Speaking at the just concluded driver’s forum organised by the automotive dealership inside the conglomerate’s Training Room corporate headquarters in Lagos, Dr Femi Eguakhide, the group deputy managing director of R.T. Briscoe Nigeria Plc stated that, the one day drivers’ refresher engagement was organized to engage and enlighten participants further on modern driving habits and the essentials of taking proper care of vehicles under their custody.

According to him, “We are doing this as a value added service to our fleet customers to continue to refresh the drivers on modern driving habits and vehicle care which supports asset integrity and preservation for all our customers.”

Essentially, the drivers forum was specifically designed to create awareness on the importance of routine maintenance, benefits of genuine spare parts, engine oil, modern vehicle features and it’s use, vehicle safety features, vehicle system control and other basic attention to details.

“These two models, already market leaders in their segments, are attracting new class of customers to the brand, especially with the rising costs of fuel in the country.”

a Chery Tiggo 8 Pro SUV will be presented as the grand prize for the hole-in-one challenge. The award-winning SUV represents one of the best in Chery’s design and technology, and reflects Carloha’s growing confidence in and commitment to the Nigerian market.

The Oluyole Golf Tournament is expected to draw top amateur and professional players, and continues to serve as a platform for promoting sports tourism and investment opportunities in Oyo State.

“We are especially honoured to partner with the Oluyole Amateur Golf Tournament — a platform that unites both amateur and professional players in a spirit of competition and camaraderie. This event not only showcases talent, but also positions Oyo State as a premier destination for golf and investment,” Mahan added.

Attendees at the tournament will have the opportunity to explore the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro vehicle, which will be on display, engage directly with Carloha representatives on-site, and schedule test drives. The company also highlighted its Carloha Care 667 after-sales programme — which offers 6 years of free service, 6 years of warranty, and a 7-day repair guarantee — as part of its dedication to delivering top-tier customer experiences.

According to the deputy managing director, the event was strategically timed to re-enforce the conglomerate’s brand presence in Nigeria’s increasingly competitive automotive industry.

The Drivers’ Forum was attended by business unit heads as well as drivers under the company’s pay roll and external drivers, including representatives from other fleet-owning organisations.

The event provided very strong value proposition to R.T. Briscoe (Nigeria) Plc as a publicly quoted company by reinforcing its commitment to safety, operational excellence, and stakeholder engagement within the transport and logistics ecosystem.

The unveiling of Carloha and Chery as the official sponsors of the 2025 oluyole Amateur Golf Tourna-
Carloha management staff and Super Falcons, during their visit to the auto company… recently
r.T. Briscoe staff and participants at the Drivers’ Forum
Jetour Dashing

The ChUMMIeS

From Dust to Digital: Wale Adegoke’s Journey Through Concrete, Code, Curiosity

In the restless sprawl of Lagos, where stories flicker as fast as the traffic lights, one man has quietly rewritten the skyline — not with concrete, but with screens. Wale Adegoke, founder of Nimbus Media, didn’t set out to change the face of advertising. Yet today, his digital billboards speak to millions daily, turning public spaces into storytelling canvases and redefining what it means to be seen in a city constantly in motion. Adedayo Adejobi writes

In the teeming metropolis of Lagos, amidst the hum of impatient traffic and the glitter of high-rises reaching for the smog-laced sky, a quiet revolution has taken place — not in tech, not in oil, but on the pavements, in the malls, and across the skyline itself. For over a decade, digital billboards and LED screens have become an invisible yet omnipresent force guiding the city’s visual rhythm. At the centre of this transformation stands Wale Adegoke, the unassuming founder and CEO of Nimbus Media, a company that has reimagined the face of Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising in Nigeria.

Yet Adegoke’s journey into the world of media was neither pre— ordained nor paved with venture capital. It is, in fact, a tale rooted in Lagos grit, familial values, late-night dreaming, and a defiant sense of curiosity — the kind that has led him from construction sites to the corridors of mall managers and boardrooms of global brands.

“I’m a Lagos boy,” Adegoke declares with a glint of pride. Born and bred in Nigeria’s commercial capital, his accent still bears the polite cadence of King’s College Lagos, where he received his secondary education.

From Surulere to Magodo, from the mainland to the Island, Wale’s boyhood traversed the urban palette of Lagos life. His father, a doctor, and his mother, a banker-turned-public servant with an MBA, laid the intellectual groundwork. Yet, Wale’s imagination roamed far beyond the city’s bounds.

He recalls fondly the family Christmases spent in Surulere, cousins and uncles in tow, fizzy drinks in hand, playing money games and sprinting through the streets.

“If I knew it would end, I’d have savoured it more,” he

says with a wistful smile. It is perhaps this sentiment — the instinct to preserve moments, to elevate the fleeting into the lasting — that later found its way into his work with media and memory.

Despite the influence of a scientifically inclined family, Wale gravitated toward storytelling.

“I think in English,” he quips.

A lover of world cultures, he devoured literature and documentaries, from Japanese animation to Arabic poetry.

“Curious, adventurous, and a softy,” is how he describes himself. That last word — softy — is no throwaway adjective. It reflects a deeply human, even vulnerable side of a businessman who has built an empire of screens yet remains keenly attuned to human feeling.

His route into entrepreneurship was as tangled as Lagos traffic. After earning stellar grades in secondary school, Adegoke sought to study marketing. His father, unimpressed, pushed him toward engineering. A failed civil engineering diploma, a missed American visa for computer engineering, and a host of last-minute pivots later, he found himself enrolled at the University of Lagos studying Building Technology — a course chosen less out of passion than practicality.

But even this unplanned detour laid the foundation for what was to come. By the time he graduated, Wale was already knee-deep in construction projects. He interned on building sites, juggled site supervision, and hustled lemonade to his mother’s colleagues in Alausa.

“I’ve always had a bit of the entrepreneurial itch,” he admits. Slippers, shirts, soft drinks — no idea was too small to try.

Yet it was during his second formal job, at a project management firm, that an observation sparked the big idea. Unlike retail spaces in the UK and US, Nigerian malls and supermarkets lacked integrated digital advertising. The gap was glaring, and Wale — with his co-founder, a real estate agent he had recently met — set about building a business to fill it.

Nimbus Media was born in 2010, without capital, without an office, and without a single screen. But it had a vision — and a proposal. After an early heartbreak with the Tejuosho redevelopment project, which collapsed under the weight of bank repossession, the duo turned their eyes to Ikeja City Mall.

They pitched a bold idea: sleek digital screens positioned within the mall’s walkways, replacing bare benches and bins with freestanding LED installations. The mall agreed. There was only one problem — the screens didn’t exist yet. Scraping together support from friends, family, and a well-timed angel investment, they purchased and installed the equipment. When the screens finally came alive in 2012, Lagosians noticed. The phones rang off the hook. “We didn’t even have salespeople at first,” Adegoke says.

The Uncommon Renaissance in 10th Senate

In the kaleidoscopic turbulence of Nigerian politics, where discord often drowns out dialogue and egos flare like Harmattan wildfires, the 10th Senate under Senate President Godswill Akpabio has emerged as a lighthouse of stability, reform, and nation-building. Since its inauguration on 13th June 2023, following the proclamation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Red Chamber has not merely occupied its hallowed halls; it has transformed them into a crucible of progress and a bastion of democratic resilience.

Akpabio, once christened the Uncommon Transformer for his transformative achievements as Governor of Akwa Ibom State, has brought the same audacity of vision into national legislative leadership. With strategic foresight, inclusive diplomacy, and a Nigerian pragmatism that can coax cooperation even from the most unlikely quarters, he has wielded the gavel with conviction.

As the 10th Senate marked its second anniversary on 13th June 2025, the record spoke for itself: 844 bills introduced, 96 passed, and 55 assented to by the President. This output is not merely arithmetic; it is the living pulse of a democracy that works when guided by vision, courage, and resolve.

Navigating Crisis: Fuel Subsidy Removal

The emergence of Akpabio as Senate President was not a gentle procession but a contest of wills. His victory, forged in the crucible of democratic competition against seasoned heavyweights such as Senators Abdulaziz Yari and Orji Uzor Kalu, testified to his mastery of coalitionbuilding. Partnering Senator Barau Jibrin as Deputy Senate President, Akpabio wove together the allegiance of over 65 senators from across political divides. That foundation of unity, painstakingly crafted, became indispensable in the months that followed.

The first test came swiftly. President Tinubu’s declaration of fuel subsidy removal in June 2023 threatened to ignite a national inferno. Overnight, the pump price of fuel tripled. Families groaned, transport fares skyrocketed, and anger simmered across the land. Nigeria stood on the brink of upheaval. Many feared a collapse into chaos.

Yet it was in this cauldron of crisis that the 10th Senate under Akpabio showed its mettle. Through open plenary debates, robust committee briefings, and nationwide media engagements, the Senate demystified the policy. Akpabio, speaking with the calm authority of a village elder settling a quarrel in the marketplace, reminded Nigerians that

the subsidy had become a millstone choking the nation’s future.

Crucially, the Senate did not stop at rhetoric. Working with the Executive, it ensured that the savings, over N4 trillion within the first year, were redirected into measures with immediate and visible impact. The Student Loan Scheme opened doors for young Nigerians previously locked out of higher education. Infrastructure projects sprang up from Lagos to Maiduguri, stitching together the nation’s geography. Social welfare programmes, including conditional cash transfers, put money directly into the hands of the most vulnerable.

The results, though still unfolding, are undeniable. Deregulation unleashed price warrant competition, allowing market forces to spur efficiency in the petroleum sector. Supply chains once broken began to stabilise. Private investment, long wary of Nigeria’s fiscal unpredictability, began to return. What could have been a national conflagration instead became a bold step towards renewal, all thanks to a Senate that chose dialogue and decisiveness over dithering.

Legislative Achievements: Reforming Nigeria’s Economy

If the Senate’s role in stabilising the polity earned respect,

its legislative record secured admiration. Within two years, the chamber introduced 844 bills, passed 96, and saw 55 assented to by the President. This legislative tempo, unmatched in recent Nigerian history, reflected not only productivity but purpose.

The handling of the Tax Reform Bills exemplifies this. Greeted with widespread scepticism and outright rejection when first introduced, they could have derailed public trust. Instead of ramming them through, Akpabio’s Senate paused, listened, and recalibrated.

Extensive consultations with stakeholders, from business leaders to labour unions, produced refined legislation now hailed as a cornerstone of Nigeria’s business-friendly fiscal environment. Today, tax laws are streamlined to encourage enterprise, attract foreign direct investment, and boost government revenue without stifling growth.

The Senate’s oversight responsibilities have also been exercised with unusual vigour. The visit to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Ibeju-Lekki was not a ceremonial photo opportunity but a substantive fact-finding mission. Lawmakers scrutinised tax incentives, assessed operational hurdles, and engaged with management on how best to support industrial growth while safeguarding public interest. This pragmatic approach ensured that Nigeria’s legislative framework reflects not only theoretical ideals but the lived realities of its industrial champions.

To be clear, reform has cut across sectors. The Central Bank Act (Amendment) brought stability to the volatile forex market, restoring investor confidence. The National Steel Development Act revived the long-neglected dream of industrial self-reliance, promising jobs, infrastructure, and renewed national pride. The Social Security for Unemployed Graduates Bill, designed to address youth disillusionment, sent a powerful signal that the Senate recognises and responds to the anxieties of Nigeria’s ambitious young population.

In every case, Akpabio’s Senate has shown that reform is not about ticking boxes but about weaving policies that speak to Nigeria’s heartbeat: its people, their aspirations, and their struggles.

Tackling Insecurity: A New Approach

No democracy can thrive if its citizens live in fear. Nigeria’s struggle with insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, and farmer-herder clashes has long cast a shadow over national progress.

Adegoke
Akpabio

GLOBAL SOCCER GLOBAL SOCCER

wI lfre D N DIDI Trudging to Vodafone park

Whenattheendof2022-23PremierLeagueLeicesterCitywererelegatedtotheEFL Championship,thelastplayeranyonewouldhavethoughtwouldsinkwiththeFoxeswas WilfredNdidi,consideringhewasoneofthemostsought-afterplayersbytopEuropean clubs.But,againstallodds,theNigerianwentonrelegationwithLeicester.Thefollowing season,theKingPowerStadiumlandlordwerebackintheEnglishfootballtoptier. However,attheendofthelastseasontheFoxeswererelegatedagain,andthebigquestion waswhethertheirmidfieldenforcerwouldagainsinkwiththem.Interestingly,theformer NathBoysofLagosstarhasdecidedtopitchtentswithTurkishside,Besiktasaftereightyears attheKingPowerStadium

Super Eagles midfielder, Wilfred Ndidi is set to begin a new chapter in Turkey, after agreeing to a move to Besiktas, and undergoing his medical on Thursday.

The Nigerian international arrived Istanbul on Thursday to complete his medical and sign a three-year contract, with an option for a fourth.

Besiktas have reportedly agreed to pay Leicester City €9.5 million for the 28-year-old midfielder, who departs the East Midlands club after eight seasons and more than 240 appearances.

The move brings an end to weeks of speculation about Ndidi’s future, following Leicester’s relegation from the Premier League.

While Manchester United, Everton, Borussia Dortmund, Real Betis and even Juventus were linked with a move for Ndidi, Besiktas were always in pole position to secure the signing.

José Mourinho’s Fenerbahce were also keen at some point after European clubs were made aware of the exit clause in Ndidi’s contract with Leicester.

However, La Liga side, Valencia made a dramatic last-minute push in an attempt to hijack the deal, only to see their offer rejected outright by Leicester, as per Ben Jacobs.

Per Sky Sport Germany, Ndidi has already agreed to personal terms with the Turkish giants and made it clear he wanted to continue playing top-tier football after Leicester’s brief drop into the Championship.

The opportunity to play under former Manchester United boss, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who has managed Besiktas since the start of the year, was reportedly a key factor in Ndidi’s decision.

Besiktas have moved swiftly to conclude the final details, while the player undergoes his medical on Thursday. The deal is expected to be officially announced within the next few days.

Ndidi leaves Leicester as one of their longest-serving players in recent years, having arrived from Genk in 2017 and played a key role in their FA Cup triumph and Premier League campaigns.

Ndidi had his medical done ahead of his €9.5m move to Turkish club Besiktas after Leicester City and Besiktas reached an agreement for his transfer earlier this week, bringing an end to a protracted pursuit by the Istanbul club.

The 28-year-old has agreed to a threeyear contract, with an option for a fourth.

Sky Germany reporter, Florian Plettenberg, confirmed the booking of the medical on Wednesday. He landed at the Atatürk Airport General

Aviation Terminal on a private jet and was welcomed by club officials and an excited group of fans and he is expected to undergo a routine medical before being officially unveiled by the Istanbul-based club.

Ndidi reportedly had offers from European clubs, including Everton, Valencia and Real Betis. But the 28-year-old defensive midfielder chose to join Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s project in Istanbul.

The breakthrough comes after Besiktas had initially struggled to meet Leicester’s valuation, with their first bid of €7m— spread over three years—being turned down by the English club. The Turkish side had made the defensive midfielder their primary target.

Ndidi, who is in the final year of his contract at the King Power Stadium, decided not to renew his deal following Leicester’s relegation from the Premier League. The midfielder has been a key figure for the Foxes since his arrival in 2017, making over 240 appearances and establishing himself as one of the most effective ball-winning midfielders in England.

He featured in 30 matches for Leicester last season, scoring once and providing five assists, a performance that attracted interest from top European clubs.

The Nigerian’s move is seen as a morale booster for Besiktas, who are on a rebuilding process under newly-appointed manager Solskjaer.

He is leaving Leicester City after eight years and over 250 appearances, including their historic FA Cup win in 2021.

Ndidi’s arrival will provide the muchneeded steel in midfield for Besiktas, who

finished fourth in the Turkish Super Lig last season and are looking to bounce back stronger.

However, Solskjaer’s position at the club remains uncertain following a 4-2 loss to Shakhtar Donetsk in the first leg of the Europa League second qualifying round.

The former Manchester United manager was appointed in January 2025, but reports in Turkey suggest the club is already weighing up other managerial options, with Nuri Sahin and former manager Sergen Yalcin as potential candidates. Meanwhile, as part of the transfer

process, Ndidi did a comprehensive medical assessment in Istanbul earlier on Thursday.

“Wilfred Onyinye Ndidi undergoes medical examination,” the club said.

“Professional footballer Wilfred Onyinye Ndidi, with whom we have begun transfer negotiations, underwent a medical examination this morning at Acıbadem Altunizade Hospital.”

“Ndidi underwent comprehensive blood tests and was examined in the orthopaedics, internal medicine, ophthalmology, ear-nose-throat (ENT), general surgery, and cardiology departments. His medical checks were completed with lung and endurance tests.”

In his reaction Ndidi expressed his delight to be in Turkey.

“It’s really amazing; this is my second time in Turkey. I feel really great, joining Besiktas is really amazing for me,” he told the club’s official website.

“I want them to enjoy the season, we will see what comes out of the season. I will try my best to help the team win more games because the more games we win, the better our chances of winning a trophy.”

Ndidi is expected to earn €4 million per season, excluding bonuses and image rights. Over the first three years, that amounts to €12 million, and should he stay for the fourth year, the total would rise to €16 million.

The move also ends Ndidi’s eight-year spell in England, where he became one of the Premier League’s most consistent defensive midfielders.

Ndidi beseiged by Besiktas fans after his medicals in Instanbul
Ndidi going through his medicals processes

to p unish Lookman for Going Aw OL Amid Inter Milan Deadlock

Super Eagles winger, Ade- mola Lookman has refused to attend training at Atalanta and has reportedly left Italy in protest after the club rejected Inter Milan’s bid for his transfer last week.

Lookman’s transfer situation has continued to boil over in the past week. Recall that last week, he deleted posts about Atalanta from his social media and shared a message to fans, informing them of his decision to tender a transfer request after the club rejected Inter Milan’s bid for him.

The 27-year-old winger com- plained about a breach of trust as he had a verbal agreement in place with them.

Now, Lookman has left Italy in protest, to force Atalanta to sell him. He has also refused to communicate with the club.

However, Atalanta are not taking the matter lightly. Ac- cording to Football Italia, the former Europa League cham- pions are looking to take legal action against Lookman which could see him get a heavy fine. Generally when players go away without leave (AWOL), their clubs fine them multiple weeks wages, and this is what Lookman could get. Coming into this summer, Ademola Lookman already had an agreement in place with Atalanta that he could leave this summer.

But despite being linked to multiple clubs like Manchester United, Atletico Madrid, and Arsenal, Inter Milan are the only club that have made a move. In fact, they have already agreed on personal terms. However, their first bid was

€42 million guaranteed plus €3 million variables. This is signifi- cantly lower than Atalanta’s €50 million valuation.

Also, La Dea are not intrigued about selling their best player to a direct rival. As such, they are also playing the waiting game, just in case another big club tables an offer for Lookman.

Unfortunately for them, none of the other clubs linked to Lookman appear to be willing to make an approach yet, as they are still dealing with other targets.

Atalanta have the upper hand in this situation, as Lookman still has two years left on his contract. So even if they refuse to sell, the Nigerian attacker will have to re- turn to play for them next season.

But they will hope that the issue is resolved soon so that they can focus on the football, as the Serie A resumes in two weeks.

Joshua Set for Jake Paul Clash Since Losing to Dubois

Anthony Joshua’s Promoter, Eddie Hearn, has said Jake Paul is absolutely the “front-runner” to fight the Anglo-Nigerian next, saying it is “bizarre” Paul and his “merry men” think he can beat heavyweight AJ.

Joshua, who has not fought since losing to Daniel Dubois in September last year, underwent elbow surgery in May but is targeting a return to the ring later in 2025.

Since then, YouTuberturned-professional boxer Paul has beaten veterans Mike Tyson and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr at heavyweight and cruiserweight respectively.

Hearn told Sky Sports News: “This bizarre world

that we live in, I think Jake Paul is absolutely the front-runner to fight Anthony Joshua next. “I’m here in New York for a meeting about that fight. There’s open dialogue between myself and Nakisa (Bidarian, Paul’s manager) and MVP (Most Valuable Promotions).

“I can’t sit here and tell you this is a 50/50 match-up. The whole thing is bizarre. I think it’s extremely dangerous for Jake Paul.

“The boxing world are saying, ‘please AJ, go in and evaporate this young man from the boxing world so we can all get on as normal’.

“You got Jake Paul fans thinking, bizarrely, they can beat Anthony Joshua, and the most bizarre thing out of

everything is that Jake Paul genuinely believes he will beat Anthony Joshua.

“I think it’s the only reason we’re going to see this fight because Jake Paul and his merry men are telling him that AJ’s punch resistance is gone, ‘this is a great time to fight him’.

“I’m telling you, be careful for what you wish for because this is the most dangerous thing. This is like tuning in to watch [magician] David Blaine. You know when he’s in a box and you’re wondering whether he’s going to get out in time, I’ve told Nakisa, this ain’t David Blaine. This is going in with one of the fiercest punchers of our generation and if you go in there thinking you’re going to win, that’s even more dangerous.

West Brom Boss Passes Vote of Confidence on Super Eagles Striker, Maja

West Bromwich Albion manager, Ryan Mason has expressed strong confidence in forward Josh Maja, affirming the club’s commitment to the striker.

Mason emphasised the importance of carefully managing Maja’s return to full fitness after an extended period on the sidelines, underlining the club’s belief in his potential impact.

The Nigeria international, who ended last season as the club’s top scorer, sustained an injury during thecampaignthatrequiredsurgery

in January.

Despite struggling with fitness, the Baggies boss remains optimistic about the Nigerian international’s contribution ahead of the start of the Championship against Blackburn.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Mason said: “I think I mentioned it a week ago that he’s had a hell of a long time out, and we have to get it right with him.

“We value him, and we know what he can bring to the table in

terms of when he’s fit, but also understanding it’s a really long season, it’s intense, it’s relentless, and we want to make sure that when he’s on the pitch, he stays on the pitch.

“He trained today so he’s available for selection along with plenty of other players, so we’ll assess that after this, and we’ll see going into tomorrow.”

Maja, who endured a difficult second half of the 2024/2025 campaign, will be hoping to rediscover the form that saw him finish as the team’s top scorer.

Nwaneri Signs Arsenal New Long-term Deal

Through a statement on the official website, Arsenal have confirmed that Ethan Nwaneri has signed a new long-term contract.

The Gunners have ensured one of their standout youngsters remains at the Emirates, putting an end to speculation over a potential move to other leading European clubs.

Nwaneri, who joined Arsenal’s Hale End Academy

at the age of eight, has risen rapidly through the youth ranks to establish himself as a first-team player.

The 18-year-old enjoyed an impressive 2024/2025 season, scoring nine goals and providing two assists in 37 appearances across all competitions.

His breakthrough moment came in September 2022 when, at just 15 years and 181

Nigerian Football Talents Thrill FCV Academy in u K

The athleticism and football artistry of Nigerian youth are captivating the management of FCV International FootballAcademy in the United Kingdom, who believe Nigeria is richly en- dowed with raw talents that simply need refining to reach world-class standards.

Currently, over 18 young Nigerian footballers are participating in a two-week intensive training programme at the Academy, under the expert guidance of Coach Grant Brown and Jack Hobbs—both former English Premier League players.

Grant Brown, Head of Football at FCV Academy and a key figure during the 2024 FCV Gladiators Camp held in Lagos, shared his “Nigerianimpressions: players have im- mense talent. Many possess the physical attributes needed to

excel in sports, combined with strong technical ability. It’s a complete package. We have a significant number of Nigerian players here, and Dynaspro Sports Promotion, led by Oluseyi Oyebode, plays a major role in that. Having visited our academy, Oyebode understands the environment and is confident in sending Ni- gerian players here, knowing they’ll be well cared for, well coached, and receive quality education.”

Neil Hilliard, Head of Recruitment and Admissions at FCV Academy, echoed similar sentiments:

“Nigerian players are a de- light for our coaches. They’re passionate, physically strong, often tall, and incredibly athletic. They’re also polite, dedicated, and fun to work with. Our residential staff enjoy

having them around—they’re engaging and confident. On average, we consistently have a high percentage of Nigerian players at the academy, which adds a vibrant cultural dynamic that our coaches truly appreciate.” With Nigerians forming a significant portion of the student- athletes at FCV Academy, Neil emphasised the institution’s commitment to supporting their holistic development:

“On average, we host around 65 players at any given time. Some are enrolled in full-year educational programmes, while others participate in elite football training at various intervals. Historically, we’ve always had a strong Nigerian presence, thanks to our long-standing relationship with Dynaspro and the country itself. Our goal is to ensure that education and football progress hand in hand.”

NBA Africa Launches Second Edition of Triple-Double Startup Accelerator

NBA Africa has announced the second edition of the startup accelerator programme that the league launched last year to support the continent’s technology ecosystem and the next generation of African entrepreneurs. NBA Africa Triple-Double Accelerator, which awards financial support and mentorship to early-stage African startup companies that develop solutions in the sport and creative industries, will once again be operated by ALX Ventures, a leading technology incubator that provides the continent’s tech leaders with access to the

skills and tools to launch and scale their startups. NBAAfrica also announced ServiceNow, an AI platform for business transformation whose Now Assist and AI agents help organisations deliver faster and smarter experiences at scale, as an Official Partner of the programme.

Beginning now through Friday, August 29, startups can apply to participate atripledoubleaccelerator.nba.com, after which the submissions will be narrowed down to a top 10. The shortlisted startups will then participate in a 10-

week mentorship programme where they will be paired with mentors comprised of NBA Africa, ServiceNow and ALX leadership, as well as other corporate stakeholders, who will provide guidance to the companies with a focus on product development, business growth and go-to-market strategy. The startups will then pitch their products to international industry leaders at the programme’ssecondDemoDay in December, where the top five prize-winning companies will be selected to receive financial support and mentorship.

150 Golfers to Participate in 4th Oluyole Golf Tournament

Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan

No fewer than 150 golfers across the country are expected to participate in the 4th edition of Oluyole Amateur Golf Tournament 2025, scheduled for Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

This is just as the Oyo State government said sports tourism occupies a prime place in the agenda of the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde to expand the state’s economy through tourism and hospitality

The initiator of the tournament, Mr. Folarin Laosun, while addressing journalists at the Ibadan Golf Club, described Oyo State as a fertile ground

for industrial growth and expressed his intent to expand his business operations into the state, disclosing that the tournament is scheduled to tee off from August 22 to 24.

He said, “We started this tournament four years ago and we are expecting between 120 and 150 players from all over the country in this edition.

“This tournament started like a dream about four years ago and right now we are having the fourth edition.

The first three editions we had in the past were just a day tournament and what we are having now is an open tournament, which means

that we are going to have the amateur testing over two days and in the golfing community; that makes it a bigger event.

“I am happy today that the Ministry of Culture and Tourism is joining hands with us to do this and I want to assure you that this will go a long way to boost tourism in Ibadan.

“So, we are looking at opportunities also in Oyo State; maybe to come in and set up our factory, probably an assembly plant as well, to expand our business into Oyo State. This is because we believe that Oyo State is a fertile ground for industries, and that is yet to be tapped.”

Community Shield Kicks off English Football Season on GOtv

days old, he became the youngest player to feature for Arsenal first team, and the youngest in English top-flight history.

His progress continued last term, playing a pivotal role in England’s U21 side that won the 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Slovenia.

Nwaneri’s performances have not gone unnoticed, with Chelsea showing strong interest in securing his services.

The 2025/26 season officially starts on Sunday as Crystal Palace and Liverpool meet at Wembley for the FA Community Shield. The match will be aired live on GOtv at 3 PM.

Since 1974, Wembley Stadium has served as the traditional home of the Community Shield. While often perceived as a glorified friendly, the match provides a competitive stage to test summer signings and mark the start of new campaigns. Palace earned their place as FA Cup winners,

while Liverpool are in it as Premier League champions. Liverpool under Arne Slot, who has reshaped the squad over summer with key signings like Hugo Ekitike Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz,. Though they lost stars such as Trent AlexanderArnold and the late Diogo Jota, their revamped side looks to continue the momentum from last season’s title-winning form. Crystal Palace, competing

for the Shield for the first time, earned their debut through a remarkable FA Cup victory over Manchester City, the club’s first major trophy. Managed by Oliver Glasner, Palace have the opportunity to test their preparation for the new season.

While the Shield may not be the most prestigious trophy, it can signal intent. For Liverpool, it is an early statement of leadership and form. For Palace, it is a chance to continue their historic rise and seize momentum.

Lookman
participants from Nigeria at the FCV Academy in united Kingdom
Atalanta

PAYING FINAL RESPECTS…

OBINNA CHIMA

The ‘Governor Amuneke’ in All of Us

He is known for abuse of power, notorious for embezzling and diverting public funds. His leadership is marked by double standards, hypocrisy, and a blatant disregard for the rule of law. He thrives on election rigging and voter suppression and lacks transparency. That is the character of ‘Governor Amuneke’ in the widely circulating comedy skits by comedian and content creator, Kevin Chinedu Arua, popularly known as Kevinblak.

While it is easy to laugh at these trending skits on social media, especially the “let’s see the edit” section, the character of ‘Governor Amuneke’ is more than just satire. He is a mirror. A crude reflection of a culture that tolerates, sometimes even rewards, corruption, mediocrity, impunity, and greed.

From failed and unfulfilled promises, to clinging onto power till death, embezzling of funds meant to provide healthcare, voter inducements, and commissioning of incomplete and non-existing projects, the character of ‘Governor Amuneke’ is a reflection of the rot, impunity, and moral bankruptcy that have come to define much of political leadership in Nigeria, as well as in other countries in Africa.

At this moment, an example that readily comes to mind is the recent allegation by the Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, that his predecessor, Okezie Ikpeazu, committed fraud by commissioning an uncompleted Government House—one of several deceptive legacies his administration claims to have inherited and is working to correct. Similarly, civic tech organisation, BudgIT Nigeria, a few months ago revealed that it uncovered over 11,000 projects worth N6.93 trillion inserted by the National Assembly in the 2025 budget, which underscored growing concerns about transparency and fiscal discipline. BudgIT had described the development as a deeply entrenched culture of exploitation and abuse, which it had alleged was led by top-ranking members of the National Assembly as a means of frittering public funds meant to support national development.

This trend is not just a failure of governance, but a deep betrayal of public trust. When leaders prioritise optics over outcomes and personal gains over public good, the result is a vicious cycle of underdevelopment, disillusionment, and systemic decay that robs future generations of hope and progress. It is what happens when a society lowers its standards and

surrenders to cynicism.

This concern was aptly captured by the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, during an interview on Channels Television three days ago. The former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor noted that the absence of proper upbringing is a major factor affecting the quality of leadership in Nigeria.

He stated: “A society in which material wealth—no matter how it is acquired—is respected and glorified, where people known to have stolen public funds are rewarded with ministerial appointments, will continue to reproduce itself.

“We don’t have a sense of disgust for people who hold public office and amass wealth. Instead, we reward them with more appointments and opportunities to enrich themselves, and this is what Nigeria has become.

“We have been ruled by people who have no values, no respectable legacy, and no desire to leave one. These are individuals who define themselves by what they own—how many houses, private jets, or billions they have in the bank.

“It doesn't matter to them that people see them as thieves and criminals who have looted the commonwealth. For them, values simply do not matter.”

We mock the ‘Governor Amuneke’ in our local governments, legislature, judiciary and executives, but in many ways, we made them. We elected them. We excused their excesses based on our nepotistic or tribalistic lenses. We

accepted “something for the boys” as political normalcy and we praised their “generosity” when they threw money at events, never asking where it came from. And now, we wonder why our nation is adrift. Interestingly, whenever the conversation about Nigeria’s dysfunction begins, we, the followers, point our fingers at the ‘Governor Amunekes’ among us, that is, the political and public office holders. They are the usual suspects. But while it's easy and often justified to criticise political leaders, the harder truth is that corruption in Nigeria is not just a top-down problem; it is also bottom-up. It is also woven into our daily lives as followers. In short, there is corruption in all of us, both political leaders and followers. Yes, even me.

From the civil servant who demands “something for the boys” before processing a file, to the job seeker who falsifies credentials, to the parent who pays to get a child into school even when the child is not qualified, and the voter who sells their conscience for as low as N5,000 or some bowls of garri, are all cogs in the wheel of progress. Likewise, from those parents who accept and celebrate proceeds from internet fraud from their children; the pastors, prophets or even priests who deliver fake and misleading messages that have destroyed families and misled many; those who take delight in beating traffic LIGHT and also insult those who chose to stop when the red light is on; the kidnappers, agents of destabilisation in the society, dealers in illicit drugs, traders who sell fake wares or market women who use wrong measuring bowls, we are all ‘Governor Amuneke.’ We hail those who jump queues as being “sharp” and celebrate those who rig union elections and manipulate religious influence for personal gains.

We often decry the looting at the top, yet we applaud or envy those who “hammer” overnight, no matter how dubious the source of their wealth. Many who criticise ‘Governor Amuneke’ for looting would themselves loot if handed the same opportunity.

What makes the situation worse is our selective morality. We condemn a politician for stealing public funds, but cheer when our relative gets a government job through “connection.” We accuse leaders of nepotism, yet promote only people from our tribe when given authority. In reflection of Peter Ekeh’s ‘Two Publics,’ we apply different moral standards to each public, as stealing from our village is unacceptable, but stealing from the “government” is tolerated and even praised if it benefits the community. A kinsman who diverts public resources

is often seen as a hero bringing benefits home. We offer them front seats in our local churches and shower chieftaincy titles on them. These double standards weaken our moral foundation and reinforce the very system we claim to oppose.

Indeed, this normalisation of corruption has had devastating consequences on societal development. It has crippled our institutions, degraded our values, and destroyed public trust.

Just as under ‘Governor Amuneke,’ schools are underfunded, hospitals lack equipment, roads remain death traps, not merely because leaders steal, but because the society has grown to tolerate and, in many cases, participate in the same rot. And we all suffer as a result of these maladies.

For a long time, the Founder of the Lux Terra Leadership Foundation, Rev. Fr. George Ehusani, has consistently used his weekly Sunday homilies to emphasise the need for behavioural change among Nigerians. According to him, no amount of economic reform or political restructuring will yield lasting results unless citizens transform their attitudes, values, and actions.

Ehusani argues strongly that achieving the Nigeria of our dreams requires more than just good governance, but demands a cultural and moral renewal driven by individual responsibility and collective conscience. In his view, true national transformation begins with the choices we make daily, from the family level to the highest levels of public office.

Clearly, our country requires a moral revolution that calls for accountability not only from those who govern, but also from the governed. Leaders emerge from society. They are not aliens. A corrupt society will, almost inevitably, produce corrupt leaders. If we hope to end the era of impunity and recklessness, then the change must start beyond those in Abuja and the corridors of power. It must begin in homes, schools, religious institutions, marketplaces, and, above all, the mind.

We must stop treating corruption as a political phenomenon and begin to see it as a personal choice. True reform, therefore, cannot be achieved by merely changing the faces of those in power. It begins with personal integrity in the little things. From refusing to accept money to vote, holding power to account, demanding competence, and not being complicit in everyday fraud. We must embrace cultural reset, collective awakening, refuse to laugh off or normalise failure and, above all, see integrity not as an exception, but as a norm so as to progress as a country.

R-L: Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori; Mr. Tuoyo Omatsuli, and Mr. Oludewa Jemide, during the funeral mass for the late Mr. Temi Lawrence Jemide, at St. Malachy’s Catholic Church, Sapele …yesterday
BRIPIN ENARUSAI
Governor Amuneke

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