Kayode Tokede
Despite the threat posed by Fintech companies, which entice customers with zero charges on cash deposits and transfers, Access Holdings Plc, United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA), and six other top Nigerian banks were able to generate N165.27 billion from electronic-banking income in the first quarter of 2025. This represents an increase of 22.3 per cent from the N135.08 billion the eight banks reported in the first quarter of 2024. The six other banks are: Zenith Bank Plc, FBN
Ruling party offers North-west govs automatic tickets Barau, Ganduje insist no vacancy in Aso Rock Says
The South-east Senate Caucus has expressed worry over what it described as a ‘curious and highly suspicious’ JAMB examination glitch in some centres in Lagos State and the whole of South-east in the last exam circle.
They blamed it on “injecting hateful politics and narrow parochial considerations in both policy enunciation and its implementations”.
In a statement issued yesterday in Abuja by its Chairman, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (APGA, Abia South), the caucus said it would be disheartening and hopes not to contemplate such conspiracy theory “that there is a narrow agenda being pursued to deliberately shortchange and harm the future of our children”.
Though the caucus, after a careful assessment of the reports of the ugly incident, noted with cautious optimism the efforts being made to mitigate the near disaster, particularly the rescheduling of the examination, it, however, warned that a future recurrence would be unacceptable.
John Shiklam in Kaduna
The re-election bid of President Bola Tinubu yesterday received a major boost as the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the North-west endorsed him as its only preferred candidate for the 2027 presidential election.
The ruling APC governors in the North-west Zone were also offered automatic tickets for a second term in the 2027 governorship elections, just as the National Chairman of the ruling party, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, and the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin insisted that there is no vacancy in Aso Rock in 2027.
The endorsement of President Tinubu took place at the meeting, themed: ‘Consolidating on our gains, facing the future together,’ which was held at the Indoor Sports Hall of the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Hall, Murtala Square, Kaduna.
The Speaker of the House
Pidgin Wike refuted claims of a feud between him and Fubara, describing the suspended governor as his political son, adding also that he cannot fight his son.
The FCT minister stated the battle was not against Fubara, but against those he claimed had been pushing the suspended governor against him.
Wike said: “That one is not a battle. He (Fubara) is my boy; he is my son; why will I fight with him?
“I’m only fighting against people
Opay, Palmpay, and others that operate zero charges on fund transfer to another Fintech company or banks.
As technology evolves, customer demands continue to affect how businesses operate especially in the banking sector.
In recent times, fintech startups have raised the bar, offering customers easier, faster, and cheaper financial services, particularly in areas such as zero transfer fees, attractive interest rates on savings, full online banking experience, speed, and simplicity.
These competitive advantages endear them to an increasing number of customers and strengthen their position in the industry.
In the period under review, Access Holdings reported N48.35billion, about a 44.8 per cent increase over the N33.4billion reported in Q1 2024,
South-east senators, he added, welcomed the timely acceptance of fault as expressed through the open declaration of regrets and tearful apology by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) management, particularly its registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede.
According to Senator Abaribe, the South-east lawmakers warned that such a display of penitence in public would not be an effort to mask a future sinister agenda aimed at harming the educational advancement of children of the South-east region.
Abaribe said: “The so-called glitch, as curious and suspicious as it was, is enough to erode confidence and dangerously lower national pride among the future generation.
“The relevant national education drivers must recognise the inherent danger of injecting hateful politics and narrow parochial considerations in both policy enunciation and its implementations.
“That the glitch happened in the whole of South-east raises pertinent questions that must be answered by JAMB to assuage the growing frustrations and fears among the
of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, moved the motion for the endorsement, while Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, seconded the motion, passing a vote of confidence on Tinubu for the second term in 2027.
This was after the Kaduna State Governor and APC North-West Coordinating Governor, Senator Uba Sani, called on Abbas to step forward before the gathering to move a motion for the endorsement.
Abbas said: “Ladies and gentlemen, we are about to witness history. My name is Abbas Tajudeen, the Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives and I move on behalf of the entire APC family of the North-West Zone Stakeholders emphatically a motion of a vote of confidence in our dear President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu (GCFR), for his progressive governance, improving leadership
who want to steal what they did not work for.
“When you don’t defeat them; they will think you….. Defeat them to the final stage.
“Now, they are ashamed because they are being defeated. They are the ones pushing Fubara.”
Wike and Fubara have been engaged in a political rift since 2023, fueling an unending political crisis in the state.
There were reports that Fubara, who was suspended by President
while UBA generated N47.8 billion from e-banking income, representing an increase of nearly eight per cent from the N44.4 billion in Q1 2024.
Zenith Bank declared N16.17 billion E-banking income in Q1 2025, a decline of 19 per cent from N19.97billion in Q1 2024, GTCO posted N17.06 billion in Q1 2025, a growth of 51 per cent from N11.3billion reported in Q1 2024.
First Holdco closed Q1 2025 with N20.14 billion E-banking income in Q1 2025, representing an increase of 19 per cent from N16.9billion in Q1 2024, as Wema bank announced N10.85billion income from E-banking income in Q1 2025, up by 259.9 per cent from N3.02 billion in Q1 2024.
In addition, Stanbic IBTC Holdings posted N1.09 billion in Q1 2025, gaining 1.11 per cent from N1.08 billion in Q1 2024 and FCMB Group declared N3.8 billion
people of the region, particularly the children who are directly at the receiving end. We must pursue a Nigerian agenda and not a narrow one that will ultimately injure national unity.
“Education remains one of the most important bedrocks of any society’s advancement. It is one major index of development in every facet of life that can never be faulted. Education is a major pivot
that triggers national development. Every child is entitled to it; therefore, we must not play roulette with it,” he explained.
He said that the South-east Senate Caucus was on alert and
under pressure and demanded firm assurance from JAMB and other relevant national educational policy drivers that there would never be a recurrence of such a scandalous glitch in the future.
Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi
The Minister for State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Lokpobiri Heineken, has reiterated the federal government's commitment to drilling oil wells in the country, saying this commitment necessitated the renewal of exploration in the Kolmani areas of Bauchi and Gombe states.
It would be recalled that the Bauchi Oil and Gas Academy, Alkaleri was established in 2021, to provide the skilled manpower to fast-track the exploration in the Kolmani Oil Field.
The minister, who was in Bauchi yesterday for the official groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the permanent site of Bauchi Oil and Gas Academy Alkaleri in Alkaleri Local
and his unwavering support for the socio-economic development of the North-West geo-political.
“In so doing, unequivocally, we endorse him as our only preferred candidate for the 2027 elections. I so do!”
The Speaker later put the motion to a voice vote for the stakeholders, where they all overwhelmingly affirmed the endorsement of the president for continuity in 2027
In return, announced automatic tickets for a second term in the 2027 governorship elections for all the APC governors in the North-west Zone.
Ganduje also insisted that there is “no vacancy” in Aso Rock in 2027.
Thereafter, a communique was read on behalf of the APC stakeholders by the Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani.
In the communique read by Governor Sani, the APC North-west zone reaffirmed its loyalty to the ruling party and pledged “full support for President Tinubu’s vision to deliver
Tinubu following the declaration of a state of emergency in the state, had visited Wike and tendered apologies to his former boss.
A member of the Rivers State Elders and Leaders Council and pioneer spokesman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, had described Fubara’s visit to Wike, as a sacrifice made in the interest of peace in Rivers State.
Speaking in reaction to the meeting, Sara-Igbe said the suspended governor had consistently
E-banking income in Q1 2025, a decline of 26 per cent from N5.09 billion reported in Q1 2024.
In the period under review, THISDAY learnt that these eight banks reported N643.9 billion in fees and commission income in Q1 2025, about 31 per cent increase over the 491.72 billion reported in Q1 2024.
Financial market analysts said the management of some of the banks before now lacked ideas on how to find alternative sources of fees and commissions.
They expressed that many commercial banks were engaging in exorbitant charges of customers and noted that the Central Bank of Nigeria had failed to sanction such banks.
Commenting, Investment Banker & Stockbroker, Mr. Tajudeen Olayinka stated that the growth
Government Area (LGA) of the state, pointed out that the federal government was looking forward to drilling more wells.
"When I became minister, my attention was drawn to the fact that the oil licence for the Kolmani has expired and so the company couldn't do anything. When my attention was drawn to it by one of your sons, Bala Wunti who was the team lead of the Kolmani project, I consulted Mr. President and he gave immediate order for me to renew all the licences for the Kolmani project," the minister explained.
He added that: "And what we want to see is to ensure that the Kolmani region too, also contributes to our own barrels. And that is why we are totally in support of what you are doing here today."
prosperity, equity, and lasting change for all Nigerians.
“We thank and commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his purposeful leadership, bold reforms, and unwavering commitment to Nigeria’s progress, especially in the North-west zone.
“Under President Tinubu, security in the North West has significantly improved, enabling farmers to return to their fields and communities to regain peace and stability.
“Our zone enjoys unprecedented federal representation with 12 ministers, key National Assembly positions, and top security appointments — a clear sign of inclusiveness and recognition.
“Major infrastructure projects are being completed or are underway across the North West, marking a new era of development in our region,” the communique added.
The foundation for the endorsement of the president was laid when the
shown a desire for peace, contrary to what he described as Wike’s combative stance.
“That discussion is not for public consumption, except the FCT Minister wants to make it public,” Sara-Igbe stated. “At the end of the day, we’ll hear the result.”
He lauded Governor Fubara’s move, emphasising that peace often requires personal sacrifices.
In another development, Wike has debunked insinuations that he would pick the presidential ticket of the PDP
in these nine banks' fees and commissions was largely underlined by income from increased transaction velocity across all channels and other e-businesses as well as credit-related fees and commissions.
According to him, “banks gain traction on income from these lines as they extend retail and loan offerings. These banks witnessed increased transactions in Q1 2025 and it is expected to impact their fees and commission.’’
Aside from E-banking income, the eight banks generated N73.92 billion for maintaining customers' current accounts in Q1 2025, representing an increase of 14.4 per cent from N64.64 billion in Q1 2024.
The CBN had indirectly reintroduced the Commission on Turnover fee as the Current Account Maintenance fee. The apex bank in 2013 commenced
While commenting on the Oil and Gas Academy, the minister stated that establishing the institute is timely in thinking ahead for the foreseeable future.
He expressed confidence that the institution is significant in shaping the future of the Nigeria energy industry.
Also speaking at the occasion, Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Abdukadir Mohammed, acknowledged the support of the federal government in developing oil and gas manpower in the state.
The governor while appreciating former President Muhammadu Buhari for the discovery and flagging of exploration of oil and gas in Bauchi, also noted the commitment of the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
According to him, "this school
Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin while addressing the stakeholders, asked: “Aso Rock”? with the stakeholders responding by saying” No vacancy.”
With the response from the gathering, Barau said, “So it is clear in 2027, we are going to have a landslide victory, inshallah. So let us continue on the way we are going. Let us continue to cooperate, work with the president, work with everybody, cooperate amongst ourselves so that we have the desired victory.”
He said the defection of stalwarts of the opposition political parties to the party (APC) was a result of the performance of Tinubu in addressing the challenges bedevilling the country.
The party leaders including Ganduje, three governors of Kaduna, Uba Sani; Jigawa, Umar Namadi and Kebbi, Nasir and Speaker of the House of Representatives, ministers as well as party executives, overwhelmingly declared their support for the president
to battle against President Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
There have been speculations that Wike was nursing the ambition to pick the presidential ticket of the PDP if the main opposition party zones its presidential ticket to southern Nigeria.
However, the former Rivers State governor said he would not contest against his boss.
we are building today, we have gotten a lot of support from the NATAL resources account of the federal government. Where the last administration approved N17 billion for us and this administration released the N17 billion. And it is out of it that we are using N6 billion to build this school." The governor emphasised that the contributions of the federal government in the project is enormous.
While highlighting the status of the Bauchi Oil And Gas Academy, Governor Mohammed said since the institution's inception in its temporary site at Abubakar Tatari Polytechnic Bauchi, the state government has approved the recruitment of 43 non-teaching staff to support the operations.
during the APC North-west Zone Stakeholders meeting.
Governors of Katsina and Sokoto states sent their representatives. Among other party faithful at the gathering are Deputy Senate President, Jibrin; Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Abubakar Bagudu; and Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal.
Others are a former Speaker and exgovernor of Katsina State, Bello Aminu Masari; a former senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial, Shehu Sani; a former Governor of Zamfara State, Senator Ahmed Yerima; former House of Representatives members from the zone; former governor of Zamfara State, Mahmud Shinkafi; and former governor of Kebbi State, Senator Adamu Aliero. The chairman of state chapters, state and federal legislators, as well as ministers, and heads of federal agencies, including senior political appointees, were also at the meeting.
Asked if he would contest if the main opposition party zones its ticket to the South, Wike simply said: “I will not contest.
the phased reduction of the CoT, which terminated with the zero CoT charge this year.
But in a circular to banks recently, the CBN replaced the CoT with CAM but subject to a maximum of N1 per N1,000 mille.
The circular was titled, “Introduction of Negotiable Current Account Maintenance Fee Not Exceeding N1/mille.
It stated, “The revised guide to bank charges which came into effect on April 1, 2013, provides for a phased elimination of the COT charges in the Nigerian banking industry. Under the guidelines, a zero COT regime was to come into effect from January 2016.”
The CBN noted that while the gradual phase-out was being observed, some banks continued to charge account maintenance fees in addition to the reduced COT
“Why will I contest against someone I’m working for?” Wike queried.
When the interviewer further asked him if he believed that President Tinubu would win the 2027 election, Wike said there was nobody in the opposition to challenge the President.
“They said they will zone it to the South; let them zone first. When we get to the bridge, we will know how to cross it,” he added.
rate, which in effect amounted to a double coincidence of charges. It stated, “The CBN is not oblivious of the impact of declining crude oil prices, operation of Treasury Single Account, and other market turbulence on the viability and stability of the banking system. “In furtherance of the mandate to promote and safeguard a sound financial system in Nigeria, banks are by this circular reminded that the 2016 Zero COT regime as jointly agreed during the 311th Bankers Committee meeting of February 12, 2013, has come into effect. In the interest of the stability of the banking system, a Negotiable Current Account Maintenance Fee not exceeding N1 per mille may be charged in respect of all customer-induced debit transactions. Please ensure strict compliance.”
Former Vice President of Nigeria and founder of the American University of Nigeria (AUN), Atiku Abubakar, has reaffirmed his belief that education is the most transformative force for personal and national development.
Addressing the graduating Class of 2025 at AUN at the weekend, Atiku described the university as a “world-class citadel of learning” and a legacy that will endure for generations.
Speaking on Deep Dive with Akachukwu, a podcast series produced by AUN’s Communications and Multimedia Design department, Atiku gave a riveting account of his formative years — an upbringing marked by hardship, resilience, and an unwavering hunger for education.
“My father was jailed for resisting my enrollment in school,” he revealed.
“We started from nothing — sitting on the bare ground, writing with our
fingers. That’s how far I’ve come.”
Contrary to popular assumptions, Atiku stated that AUN was not a direct response to his childhood struggle. “The AUN story is different,” he said.
“It was the American Peace Corps who taught me in 1961 that truly ignited the vision.”
The podcast paints a vivid picture of a young boy from Jada, Adamawa State, who defied every odd, fought his way through adversity, and rose to establish Africa’s first development university — a testament to sheer willpower and vision.
Earlier, in an emotionally charged mentoring session with the graduating students, Atiku shared deeply personal stories underscoring the values of patience and courage — qualities he described as fundamental to his journey through persecution, trials, and leadership.
“I’ve faced tribulations. I’ve been hunted, but I never wavered,” he
John Shiklam in Kaduna
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, has said that the College of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Kaduna (CPESK), was ready for inauguration by President Bola Tinubu.
Ekpo stated this at the weekend after inspecting facilities at the college.
He said he was impressed by the state-of-the-art facilities in the college, describing them as "world standard".
“I am impressed with what I have seen in this place. So, kudos to the Executive Secretary of PTDF and his team.
“From the look of things, I want to believe the place is ready for commissioning. We should not continue to delay any longer”, the minister said.
He said: “Under the present administration, everything should be done within speed so that we move and restore the hope of Nigerians that the President has been promising since assumption of office."
He, however, advised the institution to consider the use of gas in generating electricity and reduce the high use of diesel.
Ekpo said: "In this era of the energy transition, we should play down on utilisation of diesel and move to gas”.
He urged the PTDF to liaise with the Energy Commission and Rural Electrification Agency (REA) to see how solar power could be provided to assist the college.
He noted that from explanations by the Executive Secretary of the PTDF, the college will promote local content and save the country a lot of foreign exchange spent on training abroad.
“This place is world standard from what I have seen. The international conference centre, the library - it gives me hope that Nigeria is heading somewhere..." he said.
According to him, Nigeria has the highest quantity of gas in Africa stressing that "this will help to take us from the level we are today to another level. We need to be decisive in what we are doing.
"I want us to continue and make sure this place is commissioned by Mr. President very soon so that we start academic activities by 2025 to add value to our country, "he emphasised.
Earlier, while briefing the minister, the Executive Secretary of the PTDF, Mr. Ahmed Aminu, explained that CPESK was established by the PTDF to train senior technical, management, and executive personnel for Nigeria's energy sector in collaboration with reputable local and international institutions.
declared.
“Patience is not weakness. It is a weapon of the wise. When we resisted military dictatorship, they offered me a governorship without an election — I rejected it. In 1999, I earned it the right way and became Vice President.”
He recounted learning courage from his mentor, the late General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, who faced a death sentence with unflinching bravery. “His blood pressure was normal on the day of his scheduled
execution. That’s a soldier. That’s courage,” Atiku said.
In a chilling anecdote, Atiku detailed surviving an assassination attempt in Kaduna. “I hid my wife and children in a wardrobe and stepped forward to confront the attackers. They shot at me but missed. I stood up and demanded, ‘Why did you fire?’ That’s what courage looks like,” he said.
To aspiring entrepreneurs among the graduates, Atiku offered a clear directive: “Build with integrity. Keep
your business independent. Don’t rely on government. Avoid unnecessary confrontation, but never compromise your values.”
When asked about writing a memoir, he confirmed plans to publish an in-depth account of his life’s journey—from civil service and business to politics.
Senator Ben Obi, Chairman of AUN’s Board of Trustees, lauded Atiku’s vision and integrity, calling him “a true nationalist” who was instrumental in assembling the
formidable team that drove the success of the Obasanjo administration. Also present was former Governor of Adamawa, Senator Bindow Jibrilla, who reaffirmed Atiku’s commitment to education and national development.
Atiku capped the event with a symbolic gesture — personally decorating 12-year-old global chess prodigy Mary Zira, an Adamawa native discovered at the Queen V Chess Academy. She is now a proud student of AUN Academy.
The Debt Management Office (DMO) has reported a total allotment of N4.28 billion as the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) Savings Bonds auction for May 2025.
The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) Savings Bond programme, introduced in 2017, was designed to deepen the domestic bond market, promote financial inclusion, and offer retail investors access to secure and low-risk government securities.
The May 2025 allotment is slightly lower than the N4.34 billion recorded in April 2025.
In April 2025, DMO allotted a total of N397.898 billion across two re-opening issues—the 19.30%
FGN APR 2029 (5-Year Bond) and the 19.89% FGN MAY 2033 (9-Year Bond).
According to data published on the DMO’s official website on Friday, the bonds were offered between May 5 and 9, 2025.
Investors subscribed to two tenors: a 2-year bond maturing on May 14, 2027, and a 3-year bond maturing on May 14, 2028.
Both series are scheduled to settle on May 14, 2025, with interest payments to be made quarterly on August 14, November 14, February 14, and May 14 throughout the bonds.
The DMO revealed that the 2-year FGN Savings Bond was offered at an interest rate of 16.173% and recorded
a total allotment of N840.43 million across 994 successful subscriptions. Meanwhile, the three-year FGN Savings Bond, offered at 17.173%, attracted a total allotment of N3.45 billion from 1,537 successful subscriptions.
The bonds were issued at N1,000 per unit, with a minimum subscription requirement of N5,000 and in multiples of N1,000 thereafter, up to a maximum subscription of N50 million.
The FGN Savings Bond qualifies as an approved investment under the Trustee Investment Act and is also recognised as a government security under both the Company Income Tax Act (CITA) and the Personal Income Tax Act (PITA). This makes it eligible for tax exemption by pension funds and other qualified institutional investors. Furthermore, the bonds are listed on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), providing investors with the option to trade them on the secondary market and enhancing overall liquidity. They also qualify as liquid assets to compute banks’ liquidity ratios.
Over the years, FGN Savings Bonds have become increasingly popular among Nigerians looking for safe and predictable investment options. Amid concerns over inflation and volatile interest rates in traditional savings products, these government-backed bonds offer stability and consistent returns.
It has taken nearly 80 years, but a Nigerian movie will finally be screened in a hallowed official slot at the Cannes Film Festival today.
After decades of being written off for its cheap and cheerful crowdpleasers, Nollywood — the frenetic film industry based in Lagos, which churns out up to five films a day — is basking in the reflected glory.
A report said Nigerian producers admit that they are still struggling to reach audiences outside Africa beyond the diaspora, despite making way more films every year than Hollywood.
Nigerians have long lapped up Nollywood’s never-ending deluge of low-budget dramas about love, poverty, religion, and corruption, often spiced with the supernatural and the clash between modern and
traditional values.
Not exactly known for their quality, many are shot at breakneck speed on shoestring budgets.
But that image — which producers insist is a hangover from the days when most were shot on video camcorders — may be about to change with “My Father’s Shadow”, the first film to make the grade at Cannes, the temple of arthouse cinema.
“Getting into competition for the first time shows that Nigerian cinema has come of age,” insisted Prince Baba Agba, a cultural advisor to President Bola Tinubu, who is in Cannes for the premiere.
Akinola Davies’s first feature is set during the 1993 coup, a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s recent history, when the military annulled the
election and General Sani Abacha eventually took power.
This “lost chance” when Akinola said the “rug was pulled away and everyone’s dreams of democracy were just taken away”, still marks the country.
The semi-autobiographical story, featuring “Gangs of London” actor Sope Dirisu, has two small boys following their father through Lagos as the coup unfolds.
And the film is no one-off “unicorn”, Agba argued.
Editi Effiong’s crime thriller “The Black Book” topped the global lists on Netflix last year, including being number one in South Korea.
“We have had films going to major festivals and we have won prizes at Sundance,” he said, pointing to “Shine Your Eyes” — a hit at the
Berlin film festival.
“Eyimofe (This Is My Desire)” has been picked up by the prestigious streaming and distribution network Criterion Collection.
“It was fully shot in Nigeria, with Nigerian producers, Nigerian finance, everything,” Agba added.
“We are still making an awful lot of films, but now in all the strata, from the bottom to the top,” he added.
“You have people doing milliondollar productions, and you have people doing $10,000 films… all telling unique stories with the soul and heart and spirit of Nigeria,” he added.
Tax breaks for filmmakers — now passing through parliament — could be a game-changer, he said, boosting Nollywood’s new “penetration internationally thanks to streaming and co-productions”.
The 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, has debunked reaching agreement with any individual on the trending rumour of defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC), or any other political party.
This is just as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has predicted more defections of high-profile opposition figures to the ruling APC in the months ahead.
Kwankwaso, who was reacting to a recent statement suggesting that he has taken a position, said it was the imagination of falsehood and fragmentation of political mischief against him.
The former Kano State governor, who took to his official X handle @KwankwasoRM, insisted he has since refrained from commenting
on contemporary political events, and will continue to do so for the time being.
Responding to a statement purportedly signed by one Ibrahim Rabiu, Kwankwaso insisted he had never signed or authorised any statement to be issued on his behalf.
He said: “My attention has been drawn to a statement purportedly stating my position on the recurring political realignments. I wish to categorically state that such statements are false, unfounded, and products of political mischief.
“I have refrained from commenting on contemporary political events, and I will continue to do so for the time being.
“I urge the public to only engage statements that come from my public handles and other official sources.”
Meanwhile, the author of the
purported statement, Rabiu, has denounced the statement as a work of the devil.
He said: “I Ibrahim Rabiu, wish to inform the general public that I was never authorised by Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso to issue and release a statement on his behalf.
“I therefore wish to tender a public apology to his person with a promise that such childish act will never be repeated in the future, please find a space in your heart to forgive me, I was misled by fake news and agents of misinformation.”
Meanwhile, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas, has predicted more defections of high-profile opposition figures to the ruling APC in the months ahead.
This, the Speaker said, is an indication of the growing confidence Nigerians have in
the ruling party.
Abbas disclosed this yesterday in Kaduna at the North-West Zonal Stakeholders Meeting of the party.
He said, since the 2023 general election, the APC has secured governorships in 19 states and maintains the largest presence in both chambers of the National Assembly.
According to him, the momentum has been further bolstered by the recent defections of federal lawmakers from Kano, Osun, Kebbi, Delta, and Edo states, bringing the total number of defections in the House to 25.
A statement issued by the Special Adviser to the Speaker, Musa Krishi quoted Abbas as saying, “At the gubernatorial level, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and his predecessor, Ifeanyi Okowa, have decamped to our party, and we anticipate many more high-
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has said that Nigeria will advocate increased global collaboration and solidarity in addressing shared health challenges and building resilient health systems at the 78th World Health Assembly taking place from 19 to 27 May in Geneva, Switzerland.
Convened annually by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the World Health Assembly serves as a premier platform for shaping international health policy and advancing global health priorities.
Member States would deliberate on critical issues such as sustainable health financing,
workforce development, and accelerating progress toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC) all of which are central to Nigeria’s ongoing health sector reforms.
A statement signed by Deputy Director Information and Public Relations, Alaba Balogun, said the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, would lead Nigeria’s official delegation to the Assembly.
Balogun added that Nigeria's engagements at the event would align with this year’s WHA theme, “One World for Health,” which underscores the importance of global solidarity in addressing shared health challenges and building resilient
health systems.
"Nigeria’s participation is expected to provide valuable insights to inform policy review, planning, and implementation, while reinforcing alignment with global best practices.
The delegation would engage in high-level discussions and contribute to agenda items of particular significance to Nigeria and the African region.
As part its engagement at work forum, the statement said that the delegation would restate the country's commitment to sustainable healthcare financing strengthening human resources for health prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including Diabetes.
In addition , the delegation would highlight efforts at Poliomyelitis Eradication, UHC, mental health and social connection, global strategy for cervical cancer elimination, advancing oral health, enhancing local production of medicines and health technologies
"As Nigeria advances implementation of the Health Sector Strategic Blueprint under the Renewed Hope Agenda, the outcomes of WHA78 are expected to strengthen evidencebased decision-making, deepen multilateral partnerships, and inform national strategies that enhance health security, equity, and service delivery," said Balogun.
Deji Elumoye in Abuja
President Bola Tinubu yesterday arrived in Rome, Italy, to join other world leaders at the solemn mass marking the beginning of the Pontificate of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, the 267th Bishop of Rome and the new leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
profile defections in the coming months, reflecting the growing confidence of Nigerians in our party and President Tinubu.
“Furthermore, we celebrate the APC’s victory in the 2024 Edo State gubernatorial election, where Senator Monday Okpebholo secured a decisive win for our party.
“Since the last National Working Committee (NWC) meeting, our internal reforms have deepened democracy within the party, enhanced candidate selection processes, and strengthened grassroots structures.
“With these improvements, we have made significant strides regionally through targeted policy dialogues and development partnerships, revitalising our presence in Zamfara and Sokoto. Simultaneously, our accomplishments in the SouthSouth have been reinforced by strategic realignments validated at the polls in Rivers and Bayelsa.” The speaker described the North-West geopolitical zone as a voting power bloc in Nigerian elections, adding that it is “a decisive force in shaping electoral outcomes.”
Michael Olugbode in Abuja
Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has declared Monday a day of voluntary fasting and prayer across the state.
The decision, announced during a statewide broadcast yesterday in Maiduguri, the state capital, aims to seek divine intervention and strengthen public resolve against the ongoing security threats.
“In light of our current security challenges, I am calling on all residents of Borno State to unite in a collective act of faith and solidarity.
“This Monday, I am inviting you to join me in a voluntary day of fasting and prayer for peace to reign in Borno State, the Northeast and indeed the entire country.
“Let us come together to seek divine guidance, healing, and peace for our state,” Zulum said.
Zulum described the fast as a spiritual yet communal demonstration of resilience.
“Fasting is more than a personal spiritual act; it is a communal expression of our shared hope.
“Through prayer and reflection, we can strengthen our unity, renew our resilience, and restore our collective purpose,” he added.
“I am pleased to inform you that the collaboration between Borno State and the Federal Government is stronger than ever.
“Together, we are working on comprehensive strategies to strengthen our security architecture, enhance intelligence sharing, and equip our security agents with the necessary tools to confront the threats before us,” the governor stated.
Zulum reiterated President Bola Tinubu’s assurance of federal backing in overcoming the recent surge in attacks.
“Indeed the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and all the Service Chiefs have given us assurances that they will do everything possible within their reach to bring to an end the current insecurity that we are facing in the state,” he said.
He also pledged to reinforce local security initiatives, saying: “We shall also strengthen our volunteer forces, comprising the CJTF, hunters, and vigilantes, and bolster our community intelligence gathering and early warning systems as part of our commitment to supporting the security agencies.
President Tinubu was received at the Mario De Bernardo Military Airport by Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu and officials from Vatican City and the Nigerian Embassy after the presidential plane, Nigeria Air Force 1, touched down at 6 pm local time.
According to a statement issued by the presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, the new Pope's installation mass will take place today, May 18.
The President is in Rome to honour the new Pope's invitation, conveyed by the Vatican's Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
The Papal invitation underscored the need for President Tinubu's physical presence "at this moment of particular importance for the Catholic Church and the world afflicted by many tensions and conflicts."
"Your great nation is particularly
dear to me as I worked in the Apostolic Nunciature in Lagos during the 1980s," Pope Leo XIV further said in the invitation.
On the President's entourage are the Archbishop of Owerri and President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria, Archbishop Lucius Ugorji, Archbishops Ignatius Kaigama of Abuja, Alfred Martins of Lagos and Mathew Hassan Kukah of Sokoto Diocese.
While calling for public participation in the fast, Zulum emphasized that the state government is not relenting on concrete steps to counter insecurity.
He revealed ongoing efforts with federal authorities to revamp the security framework and provide better support for personnel.
“In recent months, I have held extensive consultations with our federal partners and the leadership of various security agencies.
“Let me warn against colluding with these armed groups, either individually or as a community, as they are our collective enemy.”
The governor expressed deep condolences to the Nigerian Armed Forces over the loss of personnel in recent operations and prayed for comfort for the bereaved families.
Beyond security, Zulum acknowledged the ongoing water crisis affecting parts of Maiduguri, which he attributed to infrastructure damage caused by the September 10, 2023 floods.
Linus Aleke in Abuja
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, has vowed that the enemies of Nigeria
would soon be brought to their knees, for peace and stability to be restored across the country.
Oluyede stated this at the closing ceremony of the Nigerian
Princess Opeyemi Bright has been inaugurated as the youngest mayor in the United Kingdom after assuming office as the First Citizen of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham.
At 29, Bright’s appointment marks a historic milestone for both the Nigerian diaspora and youth representation in British politics.
Her inauguration on Friday, May 16, drew widespread attention as a symbol of diversity and the increasing global footprint of Nigerians in public service.
“This is nothing short of God’s grace,” Bright said in her acceptance speech. “I’m proud to serve my borough, and as a proud Nigerian, I will represent my heritage with humility and excellence. May this journey inspire others to lead, serve, and rise.”
Born in the United Kingdom to
Nigerian parents, Bright began her political career at the age of 22 when she was elected as a councillor.
Over the past seven years, she has focused on youth empowerment, social inclusion and economic opportunity within her local community.
She follows in the footsteps of her mother, Dr. Councillor Afolasade Bright, who served as Civic Mayor of Hackney between 2006 and 2007. Her father, Pastor Gbolahan Bright MBE, is a senior minister in the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
Bright’s achievement is the latest in a growing list of Nigerians making waves in global politics.
Other prominent figures include UK Secretary of State, Kemi Badenoch, Labour MP, Chi Onwurah, Canadian Minister Uzoma Asagwara, and U.S. Congresswoman, Esther Agbaje.
Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt
Hundreds of women in Rivers State under the aegis of Rivers Women Unite for Sim (RWUS) have called for genuine reconciliation and lasting peace in the state.
Led by their leader, Sotonye Toby Fulton, the women insisted that development can only thrive in a peaceful environment.
The women who are supporters of the suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, made the call yesterday during their weekly prayer session with the theme: ‘O Lord, Unite Rivers State and All Her People in Peace, Harmony, and Love.’
Demonstrating deep solidarity and shared purpose, the women appeared in white attire, representing peace and purity of intent.
It would be recalled that recently at a service of song held in honour of the late Pa Edwin Clark, in Port Harcourt, Governor Fubara who
claimed that he was against his supporters’ style of seeking peace in the state, remarked that his heart had left the state government, saying that he was at peace out of government. Meanwhile, the women have insisted that the governor should be reinstated, alongside other suspended elected public officers of the state.
The women lifted heartfelt prayers, calling on God for genuine reconciliation, love, lasting peace, and true harmony across the state.
They prayed for all political and community leaders to embrace forgiveness, unity, and dialogue for the common good of all.
They pleaded with President Bola Tinubu to end the emergency rule in the state, while seeking democratic stability in the state.
Some of the women who spoke with journalists pointed out that peace was vital for the development and economic prosperity of the state.
Army Inter-Formation Ball Games 2025, held at the old site of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Ribadu Cantonment, Kaduna.
The week-long sporting events had 250 athletes who competed in handball, basketball, football and volleyball.
Oluyede vowed that the Nigerian Army would continue to discharge its constitutional responsibilities to the best of its ability, and that the enemies of the country would soon be brought to their knees.
The COAS, who was represented by the academy’s Commandant, Maj. Gen. Abdul Ibrahim, commended the participants for the sportsmanship and team spirit displayed during the games.
He stated that the objectives of enhancing physical fitness and companionship among participants had been achieved.
Oluyede charged the participants to take the attributes of team spirit, respect, discipline, courage, and esprit-de-corps to their formations and units.
He said: “As an Army, we
shall continue to discharge our constitutional responsibilities to the best of our ability, and with bright prospects that the enemies of our country will soon be brought to their knees.
“I believe that the Directorate of Army Physical Training has identified talents that can represent the Nigerian Army and the country in ball game events.”
He expressed gratitude to the government and people of Kaduna State, the commandant of the academy, and other officials for their invaluable support.
Oluyede also commended President Bola Tinubu for his untiring support to the Nigerian Army.
The athletes were drawn from 1 Division, 2 Division, 3 Division, 6 Division, 8 Division, 81 Division, 82 Division, Army Headquarters Garrison and the Special Forces Command.
The 1 Division emerged winner of the competition with five golds, Army Headquarters Garrison came 2nd with two golds and 6 Division came 3rd with one gold.
No fewer than 100 inmates from the four correctional centres in Ogun State, regained their freedom in Jail Delivery Exercise, carried out by the state judiciary.
The inmates were released from Sagamu Correctional Centre; New Abeokuta Correctional Centre in Oba; Old Abeokuta Correctional Centre, in Ibara; Ilaro Correctional; and Ijebu Ode Correctional Centre.
The lucky inmates were set free following a review of their cases by the Chief Judge of Ogun State, Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu.
The review process commenced on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, with 36 inmates regaining their freedom in Sagamu while 20 inmates were
released at the new Abeokuta Centre, Oba last Thursday, along with 12 at Ibara.
The final day, Friday, saw the liberation of 16 inmates in Ilaro and an additional 16 in Ijebu-Ode Correctional centres.
The state’s Chief Judge, who was at the various facilities accompanied by some judges and magistrates, said that the jail delivery exercises were in line with the state government’s efforts to decongest correctional centres in the state.
She explained that some were released due to old age while others were based on health issues and for being in detention for long years without any ongoing proceedings.
Dipeolu said: “It’s part of the duty of the honourable Chief Judge to go on jail delivery exercises once in a while and decongest the prisons.
“Only one was released here in Oba due to old age and of course, DPP says he has no case to answer, while the others have been in custody for many years.
“It’s either their case files cannot be located or witnesses are not forthcoming, for as far back as 2017, 2019, 2020 they’ve been in custody and their cases are not going on. So, there’s no point keeping them here and feeding them on taxpayers' money."
She advised the freed inmates to reintegrate into society and
Festus Akanbi
The Federal Ministry of Education yesterday debunked an alleged plan by the federal government to repatriate scholars under the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) abroad and reintegrate them into Nigerian universities following the government’s cancellation of the programme.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa had announced the cancellation of the scholarship programme, explaining however, that the cancellation would not affect students who were already running the programme in various countries abroad.
But the parents of the scholars were shocked last Friday when an X account that cloned that of the Federal Scholarship Board of Nigeria, indicated that the education minister, had finalised discussions with the Joint Admissions
and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the National Universities Commission (NUC) on the placement of BEA scholars in various institutions abroad into the Nigerian system following the cancellation of the programme.
The report also announced the submission of the report of a six-man committee which recommended the immediate repatriation of the students.
However, in a swift reaction, the education ministry in a statement titled: “Re: False Claim on Return of BEA Scholars to Nigerian Universities,” described the report as false and misleading, advising Nigerians to disregard the information.
The ministry’s statement, which was sent to THISDAY and signed by the Director, Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Education, Boriowo
Folasade said at no time did the minister constitute any committee to review the purported plan to withdraw the existing students under the BEA programme.
According to the statement by the ministry, the false report claimed that Alausa, inaugurated a committee to oversee the reintegration of returning BEA scholars into Nigerian universities following the alleged cancellation of the BEA programme.
“The ministry categorically states that no such committee was inaugurated, and no reintegration plan for BEA scholars is in place. The public is advised to disregard this misinformation in its entirety.
“As clearly communicated in the official press release dated 07/05/2025, the federal government has discontinued the BEA Scholarship Programme as part of a strategic policy shift to prioritise and strengthen domestic
become good citizens, warning that if they returned to their old ways, they would not be lucky again.
“They should go back into the society and be good citizens, we have their records, and we always tell them, ‘If you come back, you would not be lucky the second time’ so we implore them to be of good behaviour.
“Let them go back into the society and find something tangible to do with their lives."
Meanwhile, the State Controller of Correctional Services, Abioye Adesina expressed satisfaction over the decongestion and appealed to the state government for more operational vehicles for the movement of inmates.
tertiary education. This decision followed a comprehensive policy review, recognising that all courses previously studied abroad through the BEA are now available—and often of higher quality—within Nigeria’s universities and polytechnics.
“However, the ministry reiterates that all ongoing BEA scholars will continue to receive full government support until the completion of their academic programmes. This includes tuition, stipends, and all approved entitlements.
“The public is strongly advised to rely only on verified information from the Ministry's official communication channels.”
Meanwhile, some concerned parents have called on the minister to meet with the parents of the affected students, for the two parties to discuss the outstanding allowances of the scholars.
US President Donald Trump yesterday said he would speak by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the “bloodbath” in Ukraine, a day after the first direct talks between Russia and Ukraine in more than three years.
Trump, who has been pressing Russia to agree a 30-day unconditional ceasefire, said he would speak with him by phone on Monday. Kremlin spokesman
Dmitri Peskov told the state TASS news agency the call was “being prepared”.
Earlier yesterday, the Kremlin had said that a meeting between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would be possible only after both sides reach an agreement.
That came a day after the first direct talks between the two countries in more than three years led to an agreement for
another exchange of prisoners.
Early yesterday, a Russian drone attack on a minibus carrying evacuated civilians in Ukraine’s eastern Sumy region killed nine people and wounded five, local authorities said.
Zelensky, denouncing the attack and Russia’s refusal so far to agree a ceasefire, repeated his call for reinforced sanctions against Moscow.
“Without stronger sanctions, without stronger pressure on Russia,
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the personal particulars of candidates contesting the November 8, 2025, Anambra State governorship election.
This followed the conclusion of party primaries and the submission of nomination forms by 16 political parties ahead of the Monday, May 12, 2025 deadline.
This was contained in a statement issued yesterday by the National Commissioner and Chairman, of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun.
According to INEC, the
documents were uploaded via its dedicated portal, which automatically closed at the deadline.
“In line with Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act 2022, the Commission has displayed the EC9 forms, academic credentials, and other relevant documents of all candidates and their running mates at its state headquarters and the 21 local government offices in Anambra State.
“Following the conclusion of party primaries, 16 Political Parties have uploaded their candidates’ nomination forms for the Anambra State Governorship Election by the deadline of 6.00 pm on Monday, 12th May 2025, when the dedicated
portal automatically shuts down.
“As provided in Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act 2022 and listed as item 4 on the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the election, the Commission has published the personal particulars of each candidate and his running mate by displaying copies of the Form EC9, along with all the accompanying academic credentials and other documents submitted by them, at our State Headquarters and the 21 Local Government offices across Anambra State,” the statement read in part.
The commission has called on members of the public to scrutinise the documents.
there will be no real diplomacy there,” he insisted.
On Friday in Istanbul, the first direct Ukraine-Russia talks since the spring of 2022 — shortly after Moscow’s full-scale invasion that February — led to an agreement to exchange 1,000 prisoners each.
Ukraine’s top negotiator, Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, said the “next step” would be a meeting between Zelensky and Putin.
Russia said it had taken note of the request.
“We consider it possible, but only as a result of the work and upon achieving certain results in the form of an agreement between the two sides,” the Kremlin’s spokesman said.
Russia’s top negotiator Vladimir Medinsky said that Moscow and Kyiv would “present their vision of a possible future ceasefire”, without saying when. The Kremlin said that first the POW swap had to be completed and both sides need to present their visions for a ceasefire before fixing the next round of talks.
“For now, we need to do what the delegations agreed on yesterday” in Turkey, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, which meant “first and foremost to complete a 1,000 for 1,000 swap”.
Abia State Labour Party leader and youth advocate, Mr. Nwabueze Onwuneme, has condemned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its refusal to implement the Supreme Court’s ruling that nullified Julius Abure’s chairmanship of the Labour Party.
Onwuneme urged INEC to immediately enforce the apex court’s judgment.
He noted that Abia State Governor, Mr. Alex Otti, submitted a Certified True Copy (CTC) of the ruling to INEC more than three weeks ago, yet no action has been taken.
He expressed concern over the ongoing confusion within the party, highlighting Lagos
State where members remain unsure which faction’s candidates to present ahead of upcoming local government elections.
“INEC must not fold its arms. The commission must act swiftly to uphold the court’s decision and restore order within the party,” Onwuneme stressed.
The youth leader stressed that obedience to the rule of law is the foundation of any functioning democracy, warning that selective compliance with court decisions undermines public confidence in the justice system.
“When a judgment of the Supreme Court is ignored, it sets a dangerous precedent and weakens the authority of the judiciary,” he said.
He further noted that INEC, as a statutory body, is duty-bound to uphold the Constitution and decisions of superior courts. Failure to do so, he warned, could fuel impunity and internal anarchy within political parties, eroding democratic norms and threatening electoral integrity.
“INEC cannot afford to appear complicit or indifferent. The Supreme Court is the final arbiter in legal disputes, and its decisions must be implemented fully and without delay,” Onwuneme added. His comments came after Abure’s recent threats at what Onwuneme described as an “illegal stakeholders meeting” at the Labour Party’s national secretariat in Utako.
Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has urged Nigerians to buy goods manufactured in the country, describing it as an “act of national pride”
Akume stated that patronising Made-in-Nigeria goods was not just an economic strategy.
The former governor of Benue State, who made the observations in Abuja yesterday when a delegation of the Innoson Group of Companies
As part of its efforts to efforts to promote access to clean energy in Nigeria, 11 Plc (formerly Mobil Oil Nigeria plc) has made significant advancements in the distribution of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), better known as cooking gas, and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) for domestic and vehicular fuels, respectively.
Speaking at the company’s 47th Annual General Meeting held at Abuja Continental Hotel, Abuja, the Chairman of 11 Plc, Mr Ramesh Kansagra highlighted the company’s commitment to sustainability and reducing its environmental footprint.
Kansagra, who spoke through
led by its Chairman, Chief Innocent Chukwuma, paid a courtesy visit to his office, noted that the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government was fully committed to creating an enabling environment where indigenous businesses can thrive.
Noting the importance of strengthening Nigeria’s industrial base and scaling up local manufacturing across key sectors of the economy, Akume said the government’s Renewed Hope Agenda encapsulates every aspect needed for Nigeria’s dream of realising one trillion-dollar
economy in the foreseeable future. The SGF called on Nigerians not just to support the government’s programmes for economic development and growth but also to make conscious efforts to patronise products made in Nigeria as they can compete favourably with any other products made elsewhere. He commended Chukwuma for his efforts in the Nigerian car manufacturing industry, adding that the government will continue patronising the products made by the company and encourage other people to do so to grow the local manufacturing sector.
the company’s Non- Executive Director, Aminu Abdulkadir noted that the company has inaugurated several prime CNG stations in Lagos and Oyo states in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope initiative.
This move, he noted, underscores the company’s commitment to promoting cleaner energy sources and reducing dependence on traditional dirty fuels.
Kansagra said that the company’s LPG marketing skid presence has also been increased nationwide, providing meaningful access to cooking gas - a clean fuel for domestic cooking, stressing that this initiative has enhanced the lives of customers and contributed to the reduction
of greenhouse gas emissions. He emphasized the company’s dedication to innovation and sustainability, stating that 11 Plc aims to make clean energy sources available to most parts of the country in the coming years.
According to him, the company’s expanded clean energy initiatives are a testament to its commitment to sustainability and reducing its environmental footprint.
“The company’s clean energy initiatives have also created new opportunities for growth and development. By investing in CNG and LPG infrastructure, 11 Plc is creating jobs and stimulating economic activity in the communities it serves,” he explained.
Amid the World Bank’s call for accountability, Nigeria must urgently review the deployment of fuel subsidy savings to improve citizens’ lives, writes Festus Akanbi
There is no doubt that Nigerians are not smiling, although both federal and state governments are ‘parroting’ that life is getting better. However, the reality is that stripped of fuel subsidy, ordinary Nigerians now stagger under rising transport fares and soaring food prices, their dreams crushed beneath relentless hardship.
The government promised to channel savings from fuel subsidy removal to infrastructure development, education, healthcare, and job creation, using these funds to improve public services and stimulate economic growth.
It added that measures were being considered to mitigate the impact of rising fuel costs on vulnerable populations through cash transfer programmes and targeted subsidies.
Today, however, the promised relief from subsidy savings remains a cruel mirage, as state governments, swollen with increased federal allocations, offer no trace of tangible progress, no better schools, no improved healthcare, and no stable power. Instead, funds vanish into opaque bureaucracies, while families ration meals, students study in darkness, and the sick die in neglected hospitals.
In this bleak reality, the masses, once hopeful for a better life, are left to wonder if the sacrifice they were forced to make was merely fuel for another cycle of betrayal.
In other words, the subsidy removal, which was initially intended to allevi- ate the financial burden on citizens, has become unbearable and harsh.
The rise in fuel prices triggers inflationary pressures, erasing the purchasing power of citizens and reducing their standard of living. Due to the hike in fuel prices, there is an automatic increment in transport fares, which many transporters have taken advantage of, causing inconvenience for Nigerians, despite the harsh living conditions.
The media is awash with reports of an increase in the federal allocations to states in the wake of the 2023 removal of the fuel subsidy. Although the process began gradually, however, in October 2024, the federal government fully removed the petrol subsidy, a move expected to save approximately 2.6% of the country’s GDP in 2024.
However, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) began transferring the resulting revenue gains to the Federation Account only in January 2025 and has since been remitting only about 50% of these gains. The remaining funds are being used to offset past arrears and other obligations.
Despite the increase in revenue as a result of the savings from subsidy removal, Nigeria’s infrastructure stands as a tragic portrait of neglect and decay as a flickering power supply plunges homes and businesses into darkness, while energy costs cripple industries struggling to survive. Roads, the lifelines of commerce, are riddled with death traps-cratered, waterlogged, and haunted by armed bandits preying on helpless travellers. Hospitals, mere shells of healing centres, are choked with rusted equipment, exhausted staff, and medicine shortages, leaving the sick to suffer or die in despair. Security is a faint promise, with citizens at the mercy of kidnappers and robbers who strike at will.
Despite the billions saved from fuel subsidy removal, funds that should have
revived these critical sectors, the nation’s infrastructure remains a brutal testament to mismanagement and betrayal, leaving the masses to grope through the ruins of broken promises.
This has continued to raise a fundamental question about what has happened to the savings from the subsidy removal so far, from the camp of economic analysts.
Full Disclosure
It was under this disappointing scenario that the call by the World Bank for the complete transfer of revenue gains from the total removal of fuel subsidy into the Federation Account came as a sad reminder of the state of things in theThecountry.multilateral institution recalled that despite the full subsidy removal in October 2024, the NNPCL started transferring the revenue gains to the federation only in January 2025. The bank stated that resolving any remaining net arrears and channelling the full benefits of subsidy reform to the Federation Account was critical for sound fiscal management.
The recommendations were contained in the World Bank Nigeria Development Update (NDU), which was launched in Abuja last Monday.
Analysts believe the full remittance of subsidy savings to the Federation Account would allow for transparent tracking and equitable distribution of funds among the federal, state, and local govern- ments. This transparency is crucial for sound fiscal management and for building public trust in government financial operations.
With the report that the NNPCL was only declaring 50 per cent of the savings to the Federation Account, there are concerns that the opacity in the disclosure will hurt the economy and make the implementation of
the 2025 budget difficult, especially in the current circumstances.
Budget 2025
According to the World Bank report, the Nigerian government’s revenue for 2025 is expected to be about 70% from oil and 30% from non-oil sources if full remittance of the fiscal savings from petrol subsidy removal is implemented, pointing out that retaining a portion of the subsidy savings outside the Federation Account undermines the fiscal benefits of the subsidy removal. Full transfer of these funds is essential to support a healthy fiscal position, reduce the fiscal deficit, and maintain macroeconomic stability.
“But as of January, NNPC was still only transferring about half of the resulting revenue gains from the subsidy elimina- tion to the federation, and that’s because of arrears and counter-arrears and what have you.
“It’s just going to be important in the coming months to keep tracking this, and ultimately that all revenue gains from the difficult job of eliminating the subsidy do flow to the federation so that that can support a continued healthy fiscal picture, and in turn stand in on the government priorities for Nigeria,” the World Bank said.
The bank believes that a full remittance of the subsidy savings is going to be a determining factor in the successful implementation of the 2025 budget, which it described as very ambitious in the face of emerging realities. The World Bank expressed concerns that Nigeria’s 2025 budget is based on ambitious revenue assumptions, including daily oil production of 2.1 million barrels and an average crude price of $75 per barrel. It warned that failure to realise full remittance of subsidy savings could lead to revenue shortfalls, increased borrowing, or renewed deficit financing through means the government has pledged to avoid.
Improving Fiscal Situation
Analysts believe that what is more impor-
tant at this point is for Nigerians to begin to enjoy the full dividend of savings from fuel subsidy removal. As the cost of living is rising, the best the government can do is to cut down frivolities and concentrate on policies that will put smiles on the faces of the people of Nigeria. This, they believe, will make whatever gains the current administration has registered visible to allThisNigerians. was corroborated by the Acting World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Taimur Samar, who said, “Nigeria has made impressive strides to restore macroeco- nomic stability. With the improvement in the fiscal situation, Nigeria now has a historic opportunity to improve the quantity and quality of development spending, investing more in human capital, social protection, and infrastructure.”
Nigeria’s
He, however, explained that the allocation of public resources can begin to shift away from the past unsustainable pattern and rather towards meeting Nigeria’s large development needs, including the government playing its essential role of providing basic public services and serving as an enabler of the private sector–led growth.
“The allocation of public resources can begin to shift away from the past unsustainable pattern and rather towards meeting Nigeria’s large development needs, including the government playing its essential role of providing basic public services and serving as an enabler of the private sector–led growth.”
In light of the World Bank’s call for accountability, Nigeria must urgently reassess how savings from fuel subsidy removal are managed. These funds must be transparently deployed to revitalise critical sectors like healthcare, education, infrastructure, and security, ensuring that ordinary Nigerians, who bear the brunt of subsidy removal, can finally experience the improved standard of living they were promised.
Festus Akanbi writes that the current foreign exchange market reforms being implemented by the monetary authorities are raising the hope of lasting macroeconomic stability in Nigeria
The economy recorded its fastest growth in about a decade in the fourth quarter of 2024 on the back of key reforms, especially the exchange rate reforms instituted by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The World Bank says Nigeria is also making strides in restoring macroeconomic stability and helping channel more resources towards human capital, social protection, and infrastructure development. Analysts said CBN’s inflation-fighting measures and transparency instituted in the FX markets are key in achieving lasting macroeconomic stability.
The World Bank tipped exchange rate reforms as one of the key elements that drove Nigeria’s fastest economic growth in 2024.
The reforms, driven by the Olayemi Cardosoled Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) unified all exchange rates into the Investors and Exporters (I&E) forex window. One of the gains of the move was a strong 4.6 per cent year-on-year growth in the fourth quarter of last year.
Based on the exchange rate reforms, all applications for medicals, school fees, Business Travel Allowance/Personal Travel Allowance, and SMEs are not processed through the I&E window. The operational changes to the foreign exchange market also include the reintroduction of the “Willing Buyer, Willing Seller” model at the I&E Window.
While these reforms have delivered progress, the apex bank has continued to assure domestic and global investors that it will continue to rebuild Nigeria’s economic buffers and strengthen resilience.
For instance, to tackle the pressing challenge of inflation, the CBN acted decisively by raising the Monetary Policy Rate by 875 basis points to 27.5 per cent in 2024—an essential move to contain inflation and restore stability.
In the foreign exchange market, over $7 billion in unfulfilled commitments and a fragmented FX regime characterised by multiple forex rates had encouraged arbitrage opportunities. The apex bank not only cleared the backlogs but instituted transparent measures that made it difficult for such to build up again.
At the unveiling of the unveiling of the Nigeria Development Update (NDU) titled “Building Momentum for Inclusive Growth, in Abuja, the World Bank’s lead economist for Nigeria, Alex Sienaert, disclosed that there was a 4.6 per cent year-on-year growth in the fourth quarter, including continued expansion in early 2025 based on high-frequency business indicators. The World Bank expects Nigeria’s economy to grow 3.6 per cent this year.
Sienaert commended the Nigerian government for implementing macroeconomic reforms that have stabilised the economy.
However, he pointed out that more efforts are needed to ensure that this growth is inclusive, particularly through expanding cash transfer programmes for the vulnerable populations in the country.
Sienaert added that international experience shows that the public sector alone cannot generate sustainable economic growth and jobs. He stressed that public resources remain limited and that a successful strategy for Nigeria would involve positioning the public sector to both provide essential services, such as human capital development and infrastructure, and create an enabling environment for the private sector to thrive.
“Nigeria is no exception, particularly since public resources remain constrained. A useful strategy is to position the public sector to play a dual role as a provider of essential public services, especially to build human capital and infrastructure, and as an enabler for the private sector to invest, innovate, and grow the economy,” Sienaert added.
Nigeria’s foreign exchange reforms have created a market-reflective, unified, and stable exchange rate, allowing the central bank to rebuild official reserves, now exceeding $37
billion, Sienaert said.
On his part, Cardoso addressed the role of the Central Bank in safeguarding economic stability, particularly in the foreign exchange market. “We will continue to protect the economy. With that comes a need to be proactive,” he remarked.
He expressed confidence that the ongoing policies will lead to a moderation of inflation and interest rates over time.
He also stressed the importance of financial inclusion, noting that the CBN is committed to supporting the fintech sector and improving access to finance for all Nigerians.
Upon assuming office in October 2023, the apex bank under Cardoso’s leadership prioritised reforms to rebuild Nigeria’s economic buffers and strengthen resilience.
Inflation, which had surged to 27 per cent, was one of the most pressing challenges, partly driven by excessive money supply growth. While the GDP growth had stagnated at a meagre 1.8 per cent over the previous eight years, money supply expanded rapidly, averaging about 13 per cent growth annually.
This imbalance not only fueled inflation but also contributed to a significant depreciation of the naira.
Besides, inflation creates uncertainty for households and businesses, acting as a silent tax by eroding purchasing power and driving up living costs.
To tackle the pressing challenge of inflation, the CBN acted decisively by raising the Monetary Policy Rate by 875 basis points to 27.5 per cent in 2024, an essential move to contain inflation and restore stability.
In the foreign exchange market, the country faced a backlog of over $7 billion in unfulfilled commitments and a fragmented FX regime characterized by multiple forex rates, which had encouraged arbitrage opportunities.
This regime stifled much-needed foreign investment and led to the depletion of our external reserves, which fell to $33.22 billion in December 2023. It must also be understood that the cost of the FX subsidy regime is estimated to far exceed that of fuel subsidies.
The apex bank has also undertaken critical reforms to unify Nigeria’s exchange rate, eliminating distortions and restoring transparency. This unification has enabled it to clear the outstanding foreign exchange obligations, giving businesses, ranging from manufacturers to airlines, the confidence to plan and invest in the future.
To further enhance the functionality of the foreign exchange market, the CBN introduced an electronic FX matching system, which has proven effective in other markets.
With these developments came positive Fitch Ratings on Nigeria’s economy, signaling a positive fallout from the reforms.
The global rating agency said that from exchange rate unification to reduce arbitrage in the markets, introduction of an electronic FX matching platform and a new FX code to enhance transparency and efficiency in the market as well as deployment of monetary policy tightening to keep inflation on check, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has demonstrated commitment to achieving sustainable economy growth and exchange rate stability.
Already, the latest Fitch rating moved Nigeria’s long-term foreign-currency issuer default rating (IDR) from negative to stable, meaning that the country stands a better chance of attracting foreign investment, borrowing money on international markets at better interest rates, and boosting investor confidence.
Fitch also applauded the government’s commitment to policy reforms implemented since its move to orthodox economic policies in June 2023, including exchange rate liberalisation, monetary policy tightening, and steps to end deficit monetisation as well as fuel subsidies removal.
“These have improved policy coherence and credibility and reduced economic distortions and near-term risks to macroeconomic stability, enhancing resilience in the context of persistent domestic challenges and heightened external risks,” the agency stated.
The apex bank recently took a strategic step to enhance transparency and boost market confidence with the inauguration of the Nigeria Foreign Exchange Code (FX Code) in Abuja. The FX Code has so far ignited naira stability
at both official and parallel markets.
Cardoso recently launched the FX Code, emphasising integrity, fairness, transparency, and efficiency as critical pillars for driving Nigeria’s economic growth and stability.
He emphasized that the FX Code was built on six core principles: ethics, governance, execution, information sharing, risk management, and compliance, as well as confirmation and settlement processes.
These principles, he explained, aligned with international standards while addressing the unique challenges within Nigeria’s foreign exchange market.
According to Cardoso, “The FX Code represents a decisive step forward, setting clear and enforceable Governor Cardoso also noted that the journey towards market reform is already yielding results. He stated, “The year 2024 was marked by structural reforms that sought to return the naira to a freely determined market price and ease volatility as several distortions were removed from the market.”
Beyond the foreign exchange market, the FX Code forms part of the CBN’s renewed focus on compliance across the financial sector. Its six guiding principles, alongside 52 sub-principles, were designed to become the benchmark for conduct across all participating institutions.
As part of its efforts to boost diaspora remittances and support naira stability, the CBN recently introduced two new financial products designed for Nigerians living abroad.
The Non-Resident Nigerian Ordinary Account and the Non-Resident Nigerian Investment Account were created to streamline remittances, encourage investments, and foster financial inclusion among Nigerians in the diaspora.
Since the beginning of this year, eligible NRNs have continued to have the opportunity to own any of the non-resident Nigerian accounts. The Non-Resident Nigerian Ordinary Account was designed to facilitate remittances by allowing nonresident Nigerians to remit foreign earnings into Nigeria and manage funds in foreign currency or naira.
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TWO YEARS ON Delta State is making steady progress in governance and infrastructure development, reckons CHINEDU CHIZEA
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SONALA UZOR MAXIM UZOATU pays tribute to Sonala Olumhense, Journalist of repute, at 70
See Page 20
opinion@thisdaylive.com
RAJENDRA ANEJA urges Pope Leo XIV to help build a world, where political and land boundaries do not partition our heads and hearts
The late Pope Francis’s voice was of humaneness, in an increasingly self-obsessed world. He believed in a world of peace. A world, in which the weapons of mass-destruction are not deployed against our fellow-men, but are gradually deactivated and dismantled.
The Pope travelled to various countries, including the Middle East, to build bridges between people and cultures. He believed in a borderless world, where people respect each other, irrespective of whether they are Christians, Moslems, Hindus or Buddhists. The Pope believed in the dignity of a human being, irrespective of religion or creed. We should strive towards this goal; however idealistic it is.
The Pope also enjoyed a game of football too, especially when Argentina was playing. He was well-grounded, among the people.
The Pope’s composure was remarkable, considering that the world is becoming a very topsy-turvy place. Terrorist attacks on innocent civilians continue; the latest being on 26 dead tourists in India. A young bride’s husband was shot, with a valley of flowers stretching behind her. She was a poignant picture, her devastation and anguish painful. The loneliest girl in the world.
Gunmen shoot innocents in schools and shopping malls indiscriminately, the latest episode being in Florida. Examples of roadrage violence abound. Everyone is becoming impatient, short-tempered and rude. Earlier, youngsters took pride in becoming doctors, engineers and scientists. Now, unemployed youngsters’ pride in becoming terrorists or gangsters.
The horrifying wars in Ukraine and the Gaza strip continue. There is no end to these battles. There is also a terrible war raging in Sudan. However, away from the media glare, its misery is ignored. Lamentable indeed.
For the last few decades, countries have been collaborating on technology and medical research. The Covid-19 vaccines were discovered in Europe and America. Then, they were produced in factories across the world, including India. Those vaccines rescued mankind. People and goods moved effortlessly between nations.
Free thought, research and scholarship, strengthened knowledge and wisdom. Thus, we reaped the fruits of globalisation. Now, every country safeguards its boundaries. People do not trust each other. Nations are insulating. We could lose the benefits of globalisation and progress.
Various nations are negotiating tariff rates. Everyone knows, that incremental tariffs will be passed to consumers. People across the world have been suffering from high inflation, after Covid-19 and the Ukraine war. Tariffs will escalate prices further. The salaried classes and the poor will suffer. The sales of many products, are declining in many countries, for fear of a recession. There is also panic-buying of everyday products like toilet paper and mineral water in some supermarkets.
Respect for senior citizens is eroding, even in traditional societies like India. Older citizens are increasingly ill-treated. There is a recent incident of an old gentlemen, being dragged by a doctor in India. Unless the youth of today respect their elders, they themselves
will be maltreated by their own children. Children see what is happening around them and emulate it.
Yet, however bleak the world looks today, we should aspire for an era, where poetry and reason, overflow the man-made boundaries created by history, wars and strong leaders.
The new Pope Leo XIV, is the leader of 1.4 billion catholic, across the world. The Pope always enjoys great respect. His word is revered. The new Pope can help to build a world, where political and land boundaries do not partition our heads and hearts. We should hope for a world, where religion does not divide us, but provides us a rationale for respecting all human beings. A world, where the strong are just and the frail are cared for. We can hope for an era, where ships do not carry warheads, but food for the needy. A world which is not divided by nuclear weapons, but is unified by arts, music and literature from various cultures.
We should aim for a world, where we take pride in building, not in destroying. People flock to see the Empire State Building in New York, the Statue of Christ in Rio de Janeiro, the Taj Mahal in Agra, India, etc. These gorgeous monuments are a tribute to man’s ingenuity and creativity. We need more such works of art and less drone-killings.
Sure, we can have a world of gourmet and Michelin-star restaurants, but we must also build a world without hunger. We can have high-fashion, so that a branded jacket sells for 10,000 USD. However, we should also ensure a simple sweater for everyone in winter. A world where the sick can get medicines easily. Perhaps, even free.
We need to build a world, where we use dialogue and words, not guns, to resolve
conflicts. Words are better than bullets to build a safer world. Bullets destroy lives. However, the right words can resolve conflicts and save humans. We must build a community, where all of us scattered in the 195 countries in the world, can persuade a few countries like Russia, Ukraine, Israel and Palestine, to bury their wretched hatchets. A truly borderless world is possible, if we reduce the disparities in the world. Every man should have a home and a job, especially in Africa and South Asia. Lack of these basics, drive many people to crime and violence. If the fruits of technology are shared, we could have an egalitarian world. As Mahatma Gandhi said, “There is enough for everyone’s need, but not everyone’s greed.”
These hopes may be utopian. However, there is no harm, in hoping for a world without wars, egos, tariffs and hunger. We need to reflect, the world, we are creating for future generations. Every generation should leave a better world, than it inherited.
And, lest we forget the tears and anguish of the orphans and widows in the Ukraine and Gaza wars. History will not forgive us. Pope Leo XIV has already raised the issue of the return of Ukrainian children in Russia. The world must heed.
Aneja was the Managing Director of Unilever Tanzania. He is an alumnus of Harvard Business School and the author of “Rural Marketing Across Countries.” He writes from Mumbai, India
Aneja was the Managing Director of Unilever Tanzania. He is an alumnus of Harvard Business School and the author of “Rural Marketing Across Countries.” He writes from Mumbai, India
Delta State is making steady progress in governance and infrastructure development, reckons CHINEDU CHIZEA
In the last two years, oil-rich Delta State has experienced remarkable transformation, expanded infrastructure, deepened rural engagement, and improved governance under the watch of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori. In an era defined by economic uncertainty and political challenges, the Oborevwori administration has steadily delivered on its promise of “MORE Agenda”—Meaningful Development, Opportunities for All, Realistic Reforms, and Enhanced Peace and Security.
Taking over the reins of power in May 2023, Oborevwori, a grassroots politician and seasoned lawmaker, inherited a legacy of infrastructural momentum from his predecessor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa. But rather than merely continue from where the past government stopped, he recalibrated governance in Delta, bringing in a new wave of pragmatic engagement focused on unity, peacebuilding, inclusivity, and economic revival.
Perhaps the most defining trait of Governor Oborevwori’s leadership so far is his deliberate commitment to peace and inclusion, especially in the oil-producing riverine communities of Delta State. This approach has not only ensured sustained oil production, making Delta Nigeria’s top oilproducing state, but has also dramatically reduced incidents of pipeline vandalism, youth restiveness, and insecurity.
Speaking recently on national television, Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, noted that the state’s investment in the development of historically neglected creek communities like Ogulagha, Burutu, Gbaramatu, and Odimodi has directly contributed to peace in the Niger Delta.
“You can’t talk about national revenue without peace in oil-producing communities,” Aniagwu said. “We took development to the creeks, to the homes of the people, where oil is extracted, not just along pipelines—and that’s why we’re seeing results today.”
Governor Oborevwori has continued this legacy with the ongoing construction of the Ogulaha–Okonti–Odimodi Road, as well as the 47km Ohoror–Bomadi Road, critical lifelines for remote communities once cut off from mainstream development.
One of the pillars of Oborevwori’s governance has been massive infrastructural investment in both urban centers and hardto-reach rural areas. From Warri to Burutu, Asaba to Bomadi, the transformation is both visible and impactful.
The much-celebrated Ayakoromo Bridge, long stalled under previous administrations, is now under full-scale construction. Urban transportation corridors in Effurun, Enerhen, and PTI Junction have received major facelift projects including three new bridges and expanded roadways to decongest traffic and boost commerce in Delta Central and South Senatorial Districts.
Despite claims from critics that the bridges are within short range, Mr. Aniagwu swiftly refuted these as misinformation, clarifying that each bridge spans significant distances and serves a broader transport strategy.
“There is logic behind every kilometer being built. These are not cosmetic projects—they are economic enablers,” Aniagwu emphasized.
In the state capital Asaba, Governor Oborevwori has completed and commissioned multiple internal roads, upgraded drainage systems, and initiated beautification projects to enhance the city’s appeal as both a tourism and business hub.
Central to the MORE Agenda is the empowerment of Delta’s young population. The administration has expanded job creation initiatives, vocational training programs, and microcredit schemes.
Over 5,000 youths have been trained and supported with starter packs under the Skills
Training and Entrepreneurship Programme (STEP) and the Youth Agricultural Entrepreneurs Programme (YAGEP).
A newly launched Delta State Job Creation Bureau now tracks employment metrics and ensures that government-supported youth initiatives are sustainable and performancedriven. Additionally, Oborevwori has opened up opportunities in ICT, creative industries, and renewable energy through partnerships with private investors and international development agencies.
The Oborevwori administration recognizes that education and health are the backbone of human capital development. In the last two years, over 230 classroom blocks have been rehabilitated or newly built, and more than 4,000 teachers trained in digital and inclusive education models.
The state’s higher institutions—including Delta State University (DELSU), Delta Polytechnic Ogwashi-Uku, and the newly upgraded University of Science and Technology, Ozoro—have witnessed infrastructure upgrades, increased funding, and curriculum expansion.
In healthcare, the state has invested in new primary health centres, refurbished general hospitals, and launched maternal and child health programs in rural LGAs. The Delta State Contributory Health Commission (DSCHC) has increased health insurance enrollment for informal sector workers, civil servants, and the vulnerable population, achieving some of the highest enrollment figures in Southern Nigeria.
One of the lesser-known achievements of Governor Oborevwori’s administration is his push for transparency and debt reduction.
Contrary to claims that Delta owes over N400 billion, the government has clarified that it has not borrowed a single kobo since taking office. Rather, it has repaid over N280 billion in debts and contractual obligations inherited from previous administrations—many tied to the controversial bridging finance loans.
“Our governor is fiscally prudent. He’s not borrowing for the sake of politics. Every naira spent is linked to tangible results,” said Aniagwu. The state has also improved its internal revenue mechanisms through digital tax systems and efficient property data collection, reducing leakages and corruption at the local government level.
Two years into his tenure, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has shown that governance can be inclusive, humble, pragmatic, and deeply impactful. With a vision rooted in the realities of the ordinary Deltan and a commitment to build on existing strengths while correcting past mistakes, his administration is setting a new standard for public service in Delta State.
As he begins the second half of his term, expectations are high, but so too is the momentum. From creek to city, bridge to borehole, school to surgery room, the MORE Agenda is no longer a campaign promise; it is a living, breathing reality transforming lives across Delta State.
UZOR MAXIM UZOATU pays tribute to Sonala Olumhense, Journalist of repute, at 70
hursday, May 15, marked the 70th birthday of the inimitable journalist’s journalist Sonala Olumhense.
I doubt that I would ever have become a journalist if not for my eventful meeting with the man called SO, or to put it in a more hip and contemporary vein, Ess-Oh! It was at Rutam House in Lagos that I appeared in the dying months of 1985 to gun for a place as a journalist in The Guardian, and then met the man.
My only recommendation was that I had published some articles on the esteemed OP-ED pages of The Guardian which Sonala edited.
The then newly-employed Krees Imodibie, who was later murdered by Charles Taylor in Liberia, led me to the office of the Editorial Page Editor, Sonala Olumhense.
When I got introduced to Sonala, whom I was meeting for the very first time, he queried me like an accused person thus: “So you are the one?” In a mumbled rush I told him I had come to look for a job. He just waved for me to sit on the settee to his right and threw the bunch of the newspapers of the day on my lap.
Sonala’s entire office table was stacked up with articles asking to be published on the OPED pages - some typed and many written in longhand.
People came and left the office at will, calling him “Ess-Oh” whilst he assessed the articles and I was engrossed with reading the newspapers. Whenever he read a particularly pathetic article, he would scream and toss the piece to me for my perusal. He was so free with me, treating me as though he had known me all his life. I kept wondering if he still remembered that I had come to look for a job.
It was well into the evening that he suddenly stood up and said to me: “Let’s go.”
I followed him to the office of the then Guardian editor, Lade Bonuola, the renowned Ladbone, who explained that the management had ended all recruitment such that no spaces were left for wannabes like me.
Then Sonala took me upstairs to the about-tobe-established African Guardian magazine. He had a brief chat with the proposed magazine’s editor, Ted Iwere, who said he needed to set a test for me to know if I was up to par for the job.
Sonala looked at me and at Ted, and then smiled as though somewhat assured they were wasting their time by putting me to a test!
“When you are through with their test I’m downstairs waiting,” Sonala said and left.
Ted Iwere asked me if I knew anything about the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting then holding in Nassau, Bahamas.
I told him an instant “Yes” because news of the meeting was on the front pages of all the newspapers I had been reading downstairs in Sonala’s office.
“Do a report of the meeting,” Ted said, adding that I should go to the library downstairs to do the writing. He graciously gave me off-cut paper and pen, and went back into his office.
I could not understand it all. How do you ask someone to do an examination inside a library, and without an invigilator? Especially as Sonala in my suspicion had already surreptitiously made me to read up the material in question in his office?
This simply amounted to “expo” in popular parlance. I decided there and then to write the assignment under “newsroom temperature” by refusing the advantage of going to the library given to me by Ted Iwere.
I made noises while writing in the African Guardian newsroom to show that I had not gone to any library to cheat by spying through the newspapers. I submitted the assignment in under an hour and left. When I came back the next day Sonala made no mention of the test, or the result, which left me confused. I ran up to the African Guardian section, and nobody was forthcoming with the result of my test.
I settled inside the newsroom, waiting for
the worst, until the Editor-in-Chief, Andy Akporugo, strolled in and stared fixedly at me, saying: “Don’t think you are too hot? I will simply chuck you out!”
Now this was beyond my understanding: I had not even been employed, yet the boss was already talking of sending me packing. I was still in a daze when the magazine’s artists, Femi Jolaosho (now Jolaolu) and Jide Fatogun (now deceased), told me that the test I did the day before had already been pasted up for publication in the maiden edition of the magazine.
Thanks to Sonala, my first test as a journalist ended up being published in the first edition of the African Guardian where I had great company in the assembled eminent staff, notably Pini Jason, Ashikiwe AdioneEgom the Motor-Park Economist, Greg Obong-Oshotse, Okey Ndibe, Emmanuel Aguariavwedo, Seun Sonoiki, Kingsley Osadolor, Fred Ohwahwa, Joni Akpederi, Ada Momah, Ngozi Ojidoh, George OlaDavies, Ola Alakija, Stanley Amah, Jossey Ogbuanoh, etc
When Nduka Obaigbena started out with his magazine THISWEEK, with Sonala as the founding Editor, there was no need for me to write a test before being signed up as a pioneer staff.
Sonala wanted me on board, and when I met the publisher Nduka Obaigbena he was talking of negotiating my salary only for me to just ask him: “When are we getting started?” “You are a believer,” Nduka said and signed me on the spot.
It was a happy time in which Sonala always put me up in a hotel with lofty supply of booze on the nights I had to write the cover stories.
I got a promotion from Sonala and his great friend Tunji Lardner, my head of department, when I wrote a story on one worse-than-useless superman called Super Dee, even as I had originally been sent out to the National Stadium to write big sports stories on worthy stars.
Incidentally, one of the sports stories I wrote entitled “The Match That Broke The Myth” was included in the Intensive English textbookforWASCstudents.
When Nduka Obaigbena came up with dreams like “Nigeria in the next 100 years”, Sonala replied that he was more interested in “THISWEEK in the next one week than Nigeria in the next 100 years”! After leaving THISWEEK, Sonala blazed the trail of publishing a for-Lagos-only city newspaper called City Tempo in which I was equally a pioneer staff. But for paucity of support funds we would have shaken awake the world of publishing with inflammably exclusive stories like asking celebrities such as Fela, Sunny Ade, Christy Essien-Igbokwe, etc., the pointed question: “Where do you like to do?”
Editor, Editorial Page PETER ISHAKA
Email peter.ishaka@thisdaylive.com
JAMB must act with dispatch to restore confidence in its operations
When in 2015 the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) phased out the Paper Pencil Test (PPT) and fully embraced the Computer Based Test (CBT) for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), there were some hitches. For starters, many candidates had difficulties printing their slips before the examinations at the designated centres. There were also reported instances where the biometric machines failed to capture the candidates’ data from their thumbprints. Over the years, JAMB has successfully dealt with most of these problems faced by candidates seeking admission into tertiary institutions. But in a monumental scandal that has put a question mark on the integrity of its operations, JAMB has admitted to “a combination of human error and technology” that affected no fewer than 379,997 candidates in the just concluded 2025 UMTE examination.
Although many of these candidates were allowed to retake the examinations in Lagos and the Southeast states at the weekend, pertinent issues remain. JAMB Registrar, Ishaq Oloyede has been commended by many Nigerians for his uncommon humility in admitting the grave human errors that led to the failures that have dominated the headlines. But while his emotional acknowledgement of the gaps is commendable, even inspiring, it cannot be the priority issue at the moment. Far more important is the impact of the unfortunate development on the affected candidates and their fate going forward. Therefore, identifying the gaps is not enough; sustainable solutions to prevent this kind of serious mishap is critical. Besides, the fact that Oloyede’s press conference was preceded by a public outcry by many candidates, parents and advocates reduces the positive significance of his well-advertised transparency.
the exams at a preferred location at a future date. JAMB has also set up an additional mechanism to respond expeditiously to the complaints and queries of candidates. While these steps are positive and reassuring, they are not enough. The full ramifications of the disastrous 2025 UTME examinations will require rigorous self-evaluation by JAMB as well as serious, targeted action going forward.
The fact that Oloyede’s press conference was preceded by a public outcry by many candidates, parents and advocates reduces the positive significance of his welladvertised transparency
SUNDAY NEWSPAPER
editor DAviDSoN iriekpeN
deputy editors FeSTUS AkANBi eJioFor ALike
Managing director eNioLA BeLLo
deputy Managing director iSrAeL iwegBU
chairMan editorial Board oLUSegUN ADeNiYi
editor nation s capital iYoBoSA UwUgiAreN the oMBudsMan kAYoDe komoLAFe
THISDAY NEWSPAPERS LIMITED
editor-in-chief/chairMan NDUkA oBAigBeNA
group executive directors eNioLA BeLLo, kAYoDe komoLAFe, iSrAeL iwegBU divisional directors SHAkA momoDU, peTer iwegBU ANTHoNY ogeDeNgBe deputy divisional director oJogUN viCTor DANBoYi
snr. associate director eriC oJeH
Meanwhile, we understand that JAMB has made provision for candidates who were absent for ‘genuine reasons’ to submit their complaints through a new support platform that is designed to complement the existing one to give more options for redress. This will give those candidates the opportunity to retake
associate director pATriCk eimiUHi controllers ABimBoLA TAiwo UCHeNNA DiBiAgwU, NDUkA moSeri director, printing production CHUkS oNwUDiNJo to send eMail: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com
For JAMB and the entire education sector in the country, there is an urgent need for a root-andbranch review of relevant processes with a view to making necessary changes. Part of this must be technical. Advocates and professionals in the sector have talked about the need for JAMB and other examination bodies to update their technology, processes and systems. The responsibility is more on JAMB that annually generates billions of Naira from candidates. Part of the resources should be invested in that direction. But such internal reforms must be implemented with a value for money mindset. Indeed, what happens next at JAMB will be critical. Available reports indicate that the 2025 UMTE fiasco is already taking a heavy toll on the mental health of some candidates. It has also greatly disrupted individual and family plans, and led to wasted financial investment at a time many Nigerians are grappling with economic challenges. What has invariably become clear is that public faith in JAMB – an academic rite of passage for Nigerian youths and a key pillar of higher education in the country - has been seriously dented. The management will work to regain the trust of Nigerians.
We do not support the call for JAMB to jettison the CBT or for the examination body to be scrapped. What happened is not peculiar to Nigeria. The major advantage of the CBT is that the testing mode has reduced examination malpractices thereby restoring the confidence of most Nigerians in the UTME. It has also removed the logistic problems associated with transporting question papers from JAMB headquarters to examination centres within and outside the country. But considering what has just happened, the Board must act with dispatch to restore confidence in the integrity of its operations and the sanctity of its processes.
Letters in response to specific publications in THiSDAY should be brief(150-200 words) and straight to the point. interested readers may send such letters along with their contact details to opinion@thisdaylive.com. we also welcome comments and opinions on topical local, national and international issues provided they are well-written and should also not be longer than (950- 1000 words). They should be sent to opinion@thisdaylive. com along with the email address and phone numbers of the writer
By the time this essay is published, candidates from Lagos and Southeast Nigeria billed to rewrite the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Exam would probably have started receiving their result notifications and have some relief from Prof. Ishaq Oloyede’s initial ‘human error’ that has left most of them traumatized and suicidal; an error with longlasting effects on its victims but which Oloyede hoped to wash away with his tears of forced penitence.
This ugly episode which would have denied otherwise qualified candidates, especially those from the southeast, admission to higher institutions of learning would have been more easily pardonable if it was the first time Oloyede’s JAMB was showing inexplicable bias against candidates of southeast origin. With Oloyede’s past outbursts about candidates from the southeast, it suggests that the JAMB Registrar is on a mission to help those envious of the educational exploits of
NdIgbo obliterate one of their greatest assets and strengths in a country where the system has already been deliberately orchestrated to stunt their growth and development.
In my May 22 2017 article titled “Exam Malpractice and JAMB’s Futile Attempt to Tarnish Igbo Image,” I had observed with consternation how this same Prof. Oloyede was quick to have accused UTME candidates of Anambra State of mass cheating with a no-fear-of-God claim that JAMB had caught a whopping 10,000 candidates cheating in Anambra State alone and handed same to the authorities only for the same JAMB to turn around the next day to issue statements to counter Oloyede’s claims.
Consider the following excerpts from that article of May 22 2017: “Like an already well rehearsed script, no sooner had the exams ended than JAMB came up with a wild and ludicrous claim that more than 10,000 candidates were caught in exam malpractices
in Anambra State, one of the nation’s leading lights and foremost fulcrum of the nation’s academic excellence.
“How could JAMB have so flagrantly claimed it caught about 10,000 students in Anambra alone cheating at the examinations and handed them over to the authorities?
“Unfortunately, while the Anambra announcement was released so much in a hurry in a bid to crucify Igbo sons and daughters and consequently deny them admission to universities, a more considered statement was released by the same JAMB 24 hours after where it said it would watch CCTV cameras to know centres where cheating took place and those involved.
“If JAMB would need to watch the cameras to ascertain those involved in malpractices before taking appropriate action, why did it not wait to do that before declaring Anambra State candidates guilty en masse? Or is it only CCTV from Anambra centres that would be
watched and reviewed? We are watching the watchers and we are reviewing the reviewers. Time shall tell!
”The said statement also remarked that the candidates ‘adhered strictly to the requirements of the examination.’ If the candidates did adhere strictly to the requirements of the examination, then, where did the 10,000 “cheats” come from?
Something is obviously fishy here!”
The question then arises, where did Oloyede get his basis for accusing the Anambra candidates of mass cheating, and what happened to that issue till date? Nothing! It is a lack of accountability and responsibility as this that makes Oloyede and others persist in working so aggressively against Igbo interests. Those who are sympathetic to him because of his recent forced tears of penitence had better smelled the coffee!
Jude Ndukwe, Abuja, stjudendukwe@ gmail.com
Vanessa Obioha revisits FCMB’s powerful and visually arresting TV commercial, The Power of the Group, which brings together notable voices like Cobhams Asuquo and Laila Johnson-Salami to explore the strength of unity, not just within the brand’s structure but across the broader Nigerian society.
Two months after its release, the FCMB Group’s television commercial titled ‘The Power of the Group’ continues to resonate deeply with Nigerians.
The 60-second ad, released in March, remains a powerful tribute to the spirit of collaboration, promoting the idea of oneness achieved through individual contributions.
As a brand, FCMB lives this message. Far from being just another financial institution, the Group embodies a multifaceted structure comprising pensions, asset management, microfinance, investment banking, and international operations. Each business unit plays a distinct role, but together they pursue a common goal: building a better society through financial empowerment and inclusive growth.
And indeed it has done so over the years, receiving numerous accolades for its commitment to building inclusive ecosystems and driving national development. At the 2024 Annual Lecture Series and Awards organised by the Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN), the Group won awards for “Best Bank with the Highest Impact on MSMEs Accessing Credit for the First Time in Nigeria” and “Highest Disbursement to Sustainability Projects.” In 2023, FCMB also clinched the “Excellence in FinTech – Payment” award at the Finnovex West Africa Summit, while First City Asset Management Limited (FCAM) was named “Best Managed Fund in Equity” at the 2017 BusinessDay Banking Awards.
These honours speak volumes. However, Power of the Group campaign takes it further with its message of unity which could not be more timely, especially against a backdrop of political division and rising social tension. It stands out as a clarion call for national cohesion, a subtle reminder that collaboration is key to building a better future.
In its latest TVC, the Group displayed these ethos of unity and inclusivity. Though it took four months to produce, the campaign’s real beauty lies in its execution: a convergence of over 1,000 professionals across different sectors, from musicians and athletes to dancers, visual artists, and media professionals, working together to deliver a singular, resonant message.
From the coordinated movements of a basketball team to the rhythmic beats of a drum ensemble, to the energetic dance steps of a troupe and the harmonious blend of a choir, each scene in the commercial illustrates the power of working together. These everyday activities, seemingly simple, underscore how collaboration turns ordinary moments into meaningful achievements. Veteran musician Cobhams Asuquo who scored the soundtrack exemplifies how one can turn their dreams into reality. Despite his challenge, his success story reminds us that limitations can be transcended when community and creativity converge. The beautiful piece he created for the ad crescendos into the campaign’s powerful conclusion, voiced
by
journalist
Laila
Johnson-Salami: “It’s not just one, but the power of the group that delivers the future we all desire.”
“Whilst this is a truly Nigerian story that showcases the talent, skill, textures and beauty of such a vast nation, its concept and production value is worldclass, presenting FCMB as a global player with its roots truly embedded in Nigeria,” added Director of the TVC, Greg Francois.
Visually, the ad celebrates Nigeria’s diversity: from the imposing Zuma Rock in Abuja to the serene Mambilla Plateau in Taraba, and the urban pulse of Lagos’ skyline. Each location grounds the campaign’s message in geography, culture, and people, showing FCMB’s commitment to inclusivity, particularly in underserved areas.
The Power of the Group also shines in its choice of sets. The backdrops of the Zuma Rock in Abuja, the Mambilla Plateau in Taraba and the high-rise buildings in Lagos speaks of the inclusivity the Group is known for. It is dedicated to empowering
communities, particularly those who are in the underserved areas.
While the TVC underscores synergy within FCMB’s internal operations, it also gently nudges Nigerians to reflect on their own lives and shows how collaboration is more than just a strategy but a way of life. Be it in neighbourhoods where residents organise a sanitation exercise or in classrooms where students huddle over projects, or in families navigating daily life with shared responsibilities, the spirit of “the power of the group” Perhaps, it explains why two months on, the campaign, though celebrated for its marketing communication, is still seen as a cultural statement. One that reminds us that only through collaboration can we create the future we truly desire.
Perhaps, while the FCMB campaign drives the synergy between its different business units, it brings to light It is seen in our daily activities.. Thus, FCMB through its campaign reminds us all that indeed it takes a collaborative effort to build the
future we desire. And that subtle reminder is perhaps, the true power of the group.
Dame Ochuko Momoh is a woman of influence who prefers the quiet power of impact over the noise of visibility. A serial entrepreneur with ventures spanning construction, real estate, agriculture, and fashion, she is also the founder of the Nook International Fashion Weekend, a show committed to decency in fashion. In a recent encounter, she offers Vanessa Obioha a glimpse into her elegant yet resilient world.
edited by: VAN e SSA o BI o HA/vanessa.obioha@thisdaylive.com.
Dame Ochuko Momoh is one of those wealthy and influential women who shun the spotlightthe kind that puts her in your face constantly. She prefers to work behind the scenes, letting her businesses speak for her. But in an age where visibility often defines relevance, Momoh cannot afford to stay entirely away from public attention. Even so, it took some convincing to get her to sit down for this interview.
“I’m a private person. I like my quiet life. I want to be able to walk on the streets without people easily identifying me,” she said.
At her Ikoyi residence, Momoh welcomed me alongside her brother and younger sister. I would later learn that they are a close-knit family. So close that they even do business together.
Dressed in a yellow flowered gown with her hair neatly styled, Momoh radiated elegance and poise. Her flair for fashion, she explained, came from her parents. Born in Nigeria to a Barbadian mother and a Nigerian father from Delta State, she was raised with a strong sense of style and discipline. Her father, Justice Victor Modupe Okor, was a respected judge in Rivers State and was fondly called “the judge with the shiny shoes.”
“Because his shoes were always shining. Oh, he used to be always spickand-span,” she recalled affectionately.
“My parents were awesome, but at the same time, they pushed us to be hardworking,” she continued. “They had money, but they didn’t spoil us with money. They made us understand that you must work for what you get. And then my father used to remind us always that your name is very important. You know, the fathers of those days. Basically, my siblings and I are grateful to God for that. We had a fantastic growing up, we didn’t have issues.”
Fashion, she said, was a constant in her household as her parents were keen on looking and appearing good.
“My father was very cautious of how we looked. I keep saying that I did not own my first pair of jeans until I entered university. Even at the university, I couldn’t wear jeans at home, because he had that philosophy that it was only irresponsible people who wore jeans. So jeans were not part of our wardrobes, but he allowed us to wear pants.”
“My parents were very fashionconscious. They were very conscious about how they looked once they stepped out. It doesn’t have to be very loud. But it had to be decent, you know, well-dressed. We grew up making sure that we always looked decent and well dressed.”
This ethos of decency would later inspire the launch of Nook International Fashion Weekend, a fashion show held in Abuja that champions modest fashion. For three days, fashion lovers gather to witness innovative designs that celebrate creativity without compromising modesty. The event also serves as a mentoring platform, having trained over 400 emerging talents through a onemonth etiquette program.
Her Christian background also played a role in founding the event.
“As a Christian woman, I began to get very irritated when I saw that fashion these days just has to do with nakedness,” she said. “I was on a flight one day, coming from Abuja to Lagos, and there was this girl who entered the plane. Even as a woman, I was very embarrassed. And then I heard two men sitting behind me, saying how in our days, we used to beg women to even see their legs. Now they just show it to us, and I melted on my chair. I was so embarrassed. That was when I started really taking interest.”
She continued: “In fashion shows
today, the men are clothed and the women are naked, and I’m like, Why? Why must we be naked?”
Naked fashion has been a major attraction not only on runways but also on Hollywood red carpets of major events like the Met Gala, Oscars and Grammys. These influences have sometimes found their way into Nigerian pop culture. Momoh partly attributes this has played a role in the kind of apparel displayed at fashion shows. But she believes that designers can and should do better.
“To be honest, we didn’t use to dress this way, especially our girls. And like I said, growing up, my mother would not allow you to leave the house like that. We had been taught and nurtured that our body is our pride, especially for a woman. But you see, everybody’s naked
on the streets, and the one that kills me is especially on the runway. So I decided that we can also do a fashion show and have decency as our key. And let the designers begin to understand that.”
Changing minds was not easy. At inception, Momoh recalled that one designer told her that it is nudity that attracts people to fashion shows. She quickly corrected her.
“I told her that it’s because of what she’d put in her head. Nakedness will actually make some people revolt. Why not try decent dresses and see the effect?”
Many designers didn’t turn up in that first edition held in 2022, but as the years rolled by, she won not a few converts. Now, Nook International Fashion Weekend has become one of the anticipated fashion shows in Abuja,
especially during the Valentine’s Day season, a strategic move by Momoh to align it with commercial opportunities.
“I am someone who has always loved to take an unfinished product and turn it around, and it gives me that excitement when I see what I have created at the end of the day,” she enthused.
A serial entrepreneur, Momoh knew from a young age that she wanted to run her own businesses. As a teen, she often brought clothes and jewellery from her travels to sell to friends. That continued even after marriage.
“And most of the time I embarked on these trips, I was heavily pregnant.”
Her entrepreneurial journey began with construction before she married. A graduate of accounting from the University of Science and Technology in Port Harcourt, her first foray into real estate started with building her own home.
“I remember the first time my father called my husband. My husband had just bought a Mercedes 200. My father called us and asked my husband, ‘Where’s your house?’ He made us understand that one can never go wrong with real estate. A car can be stolen, broken down, or involved in an accident, and all the money invested in it would be gone. But real estate is always a better investment. So that was how the real estate company started.”
From there, she branched into property supervision. When interest in real estate waned around 2015, she diversified into agriculture. On a friend’s advice, she turned her fallow land into a productive farm. A visit to Israel, renowned for smart farming, enabled her to get superior seeds, setting her farm apart. Insecurity has since forced her to scale back, but she remains active in the sector. Today, under the Blaid Group, Momoh runs six subsidiaries: Blaid Construction, Blaid Properties, Blaid Engineering, Blaid Farm, Solar Blaid, and the Nook Apartments (from which the fashion show gets its name).
She is also the founder of The Praying Women, a Christian ministry she began 17 years ago with two friends as a spiritual alternative to idle gatherings.
“Instead of women gathering to gossip, why not gather to pray?”
What began in Rivers State has grown into a global network of women who meet every Thursday for prayer and hold an annual convention every November. A devoted Methodist, Momoh credits her husband, Haruna Momoh, former Managing Director of Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC), for allowing her to practice her faith freely.
“My husband is wonderful. He has allowed me to practice my Christianity. He practices his Islam, and we get on very well.”
Still, life hasn’t been without challenges. Years ago, her husband was implicated in a corruption case, and she, too, was accused. Though later acquitted, the experience was deeply painful. It’s not a comfortable topic for her, yet she shared her experience during that harrowing period.
“I remembered the first press that was published about me. A lot of things were said about me, and for a moment, I wondered where all of this was coming from. I asked the Lord what was going on, and the response I got was, ‘Everything is happening for your good.’ Then, switching to Pidgin, she said: “How I wan take understand that one na?” meaning “How do I understand that?”
Her husband encouraged her, reminding her that she owed no one but God an explanation. Her children also reassured her of their unwavering faith in her innocence. That belief gave her peace. “I know who I am, what I did and did not do, and I know that God’s mercy will vindicate me.” She lost some friends during that time, but has chosen to forgive them. In the end, she draws strength from the one constant in her life, her family.
By all accounts, Tokunbo Wahab was never meant to be ordinary. Born on May 17, 1972, in the heart of Lagos, he has danced across decades with the poise of a man always several steps ahead: equal parts barrister, reformer, and urban tactician.
At 53, Wahab wears his public office not as a title, but as a calling. As Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, he has become something of a mythic figure in the city’s landscape wars: clearing, reclaiming, restoring. Shanties have bowed to his will. Flyovers have found their breath again. He has been called many things—unflinching, clinical, relentless—but always effective.
Take Oshodi, that once-maddening knot of chaos. Under Wahab, it now whispers a different tune: of order. Of purpose. Of spaces that remember what they were meant to be. The same tale unfolds at Elegbata, Oja Oba, and Adeniji Adele, where makeshift markets and crumbling shelters have been swept into memory.
Some cry foul. Others, especially those tired of the city’s slow decay, call it long overdue. Wahab hears both but bends to neither. “Sentiment does not govern cities,” he would have quipped. “Structure does.” And structure is what he delivers— ruthlessly at times, but with an endgame, only the brave can pursue.
Before the bulldozers, there was the barrister. A Harvard-trained lawyer with roots in Epe and credentials from Wharton to Benin, Wahab built his legacy in courtrooms and lecture halls. As Special Adviser on Education, he pushed data-led reforms across Lagos tertiary institutions. Today, he shapes the city’s physical ecosystem with the same strategic nerve.
Behind the fierce policies is a family man, a communicator, and a scholar with Mass Comm. and Law degrees, and a deep sense of Lagos as both a place and an idea.
Fifty-three candles later, Wahab isn’t just ageing—he’s advancing. And for a city like Lagos, ever in need of brave hands, that might just be the greatest gift.
On a sun-dappled morning in Nigeria, the tributes came in waves. State leaders, CEOs, and even a handful of monarchs took a moment to raise a glass, pen a note, or simply pause in admiration for Igho Charles Sanomi II, who just turned 50.
From the oil-laced creeks of Delta State to the parquet floors of Davos, Sanomi has written a different kind of Nigerian story. Born in Agbor in 1975 to a police chief and a nurse, the geologistturned-mogul forged a path that would confound economists and poets alike. At 50, he has led Taleveras into the upper echelons of global energy trade, orchestrating deals in petroleum, gas, and power with the elegance of a maestro and the precision of a miner.
Yet what makes Sanomi a darling of world leaders isn’t just his mastery of markets, it’s his ministry of meaning. UK Prime Ministerial aides recall his pivotal role in funding prostate cancer research; West African leaders praise his model for indigenous investment and corporate patriotism. Even a casual observer who pays little attention to these things would have to conclude that Sanomi is a bridge between ambition and altruism.
His Dickens Sanomi Foundation remains a quiet engine of transformation. It funds education for girls in Bayelsa, rebuilds clinics in Jos, and, in one
Abuja has a political ballet. In this place, loyalty is currency and proximity to power is everything. Also in this place, a curious squabble
unforgettable year, fed thousands displaced by Nigeria’s worst floods. In more ways than one, the man simply gives like he breathes—naturally, invisibly, and constantly.
has broken out—not over ideology, nor policy—but over a single name on a board list. At the heart of it are Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State and Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele of Ekiti who are locked in what insiders are calling a simmering supremacy tango.
The trigger? A substitution.
One Rasak Obe—Aiyedatiwa’s trusted former Commissioner for Energy—was reportedly dropped from the board of the South West Development Commission (SWDC) and replaced with Olugbenga Olufehinti. Not by accident, say sources, but by Bamidele’s quiet manoeuvre.
Cue in outrage in Ondo. The governor’s camp is livid, calling it an affront not just to their principal but to the entire state. Aiyedatiwa himself reportedly dashed to Abuja for a subtle showdown. Yet, what muscle can he flex when all three senators from his state—each with their own scores to settle—have, diplomatically, stepped aside?
There is irony here. Bamidele, once a backstage supporter of
In the seismic world of steel and stone, where concrete meets consecration, Olalekan Adebiyi builds with a blueprint drawn in faith. Not just any faith, but the kind forged in the fire of long nights and louder prayers—the kind preached, lived, and commanded by Bishop David Oyedepo, founder of the Living Faith Church.
To the world, Oyedepo is a preacher with a global pulpit. To Adebiyi, he is Baba—a spiritual compass, a construction partner, and a father in destiny.
Their story is not a sermon—it’s
an architecture of loyalty. Adebiyi is the man behind the iron and soul of The Ark, a 100,000-seat cathedral-in-the-making in Ota, Nigeria. Slated for dedication on November 29, 2025, The Ark will eclipse the iconic Faith Tabernacle and usher in a new Shiloh.
But the marvel isn’t just the sheer scale—though it does boast diagrid engineering, subterranean car parks, and enough restrooms to rival an airport. The marvel is who Oyedepo trusted with it. In a country where loyalty is often performative and power transactional, Adebiyi’s reverence runs deeper than contracts. He doesn’t just work for the
Aiyedatiwa’s primary win, now appears to be the hand behind the curtain undoing it. Politics, after all, is not a memory game but a momentum game. And Aiyedatiwa, in trying to replace those he deems unfaithful, may have underestimated just how many people in his orbit remember everything.
Meanwhile, party officials are scrambling to paint over the cracks. There’s no feud, they insist. Just a democratic process. Just routine appointments. Just... coincidence?
But the real question, whispered in Abuja’s corridors and shouted in Akure’s backrooms, remains: who will settle this spat between a governor eager to consolidate and a Senate leader determined not to be sidelined?
In Nigeria’s politics, egos are big and fences are paper-thin, so even a swapped name can start a civil war. And unless someone, somewhere, plays peacemaker soon, Ondo’s rift may ripple far beyond a development commission.
church—he kneels with it. Observers say Adebiyi’s deference borders on worship. He’d say it’s Yoruba wisdom: “The child who washes his hands eats with elders.” And oh, how his hands are washed— washed in service, gratitude, and unshaken belief.
Yet in a world of megachurches and mega-scandals, what does this devotion mean? To some, it may seem naive. But within the church’s orbit, it is a covenant—a living testimony that in Oyedepo’s vision, faith is not separate from excellence, and loyalty is not a transaction but a creed.
So when the Ark opens its gates and thunder meets hallelujah, Adebiyi won’t just be the builder behind the curtain. He’ll be the believer who stayed—loyal to the bones.
It was a Monday evening of sighs and side-eyes. The kind where the walls of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) headquarters leaned in, trying to eavesdrop. Defections had rocked
the party like a leaky canoe in the rainy season, and the question hung thick in the air: can this sinking ship be saved?
Enter Bukola Saraki, stage left. With the poise of a political medic and the timing of a seasoned chess master, Nigeria’s former Senate President reappeared not with slogans or spectacles, but with strategy. Tasked by PDP governors— both present and past—to lead the newly reconstituted Reconciliation Committee, Saraki assumed his role not with fanfare but with folded sleeves and whispered resolve. His mission: stem the exodus, resolve the National Secretary standoff, and—why not—calm a party teetering on the edge of irrelevance.
Insiders say the meeting was tense. Rivers’ ever-dramatic Nyesom Wike defended his loyalty, swearing he never turned coat—just didn’t clap for Atiku Abubakar. Governors grumbled. Former governors speculated. Yet in the middle sat Saraki, listening, convening, calculating. His style, not flamboyant but fluent in the language of influence, may
Some politicians march into their birthdays with stiff press statements and awkward protocol. Ademola Adeleke moonwalked into 65. The Osun State Governor, part politician, part performer, all heart, turned 65 on May 13, and the tributes came in like confetti from every corner of Nigeria and far beyond. President Bola Tinubu, no stranger to rivalry, called him a “pan-Nigerian leader.” But Nigerians know: he’s the pan-Nigerian dancer.
Few governors are instantly recognisable by their two steps. Fewer still can win an election, beat a court case, and go viral on TikTok, without saying a word. Adeleke’s story is Nigeria’s own remix of charisma and controversy: from the Senate floor to the dance floor, from Jackson State to Ede Grammar, he’s
Siminalayi Fubara has always cut a reluctant figure in power: measured, soft-spoken, a man seemingly caught in a political orbit he neither charted nor desires.
Now, in a twist both inevitable and revealing, the embattled Governor of Rivers State appears to have chosen the path of truce, reaching out to his estranged
moved with rhythm even when politics got rough.
There was the forgery allegation that danced through courtrooms and headlines. There was the heartbreak of a lost election in 2018, and the footwork of a comeback in 2022, when he swept 17 local governments and retired an incumbent. Each setback, it seems, only tightened his groove.
But behind the jollof beats and agbada spins is a politician reshaping Osun State with surprising seriousness. Teachers speak of salaries paid on time. Civil servants whisper that the bureaucracy feels less clogged. And when floods threaten, it’s not just umbrellas that open, Adeleke’s government has too, with drainage projects and urban plans that suggest his cabinet meetings may have less music, more metrics.
Still, the man moves. And as he clocked 65,
just be the balm PDP didn’t know it needed.
The stakes? Existential. With defections multiplying faster than campaign promises and 2027 already humming on the horizon, the PDP faces an identity crisis. Someone called it ICU-level critical. Others call it turbulence. Either way, Saraki’s panel is the party’s latest—and perhaps last—hope to course-correct.
Yet, Saraki is playing the long game. Away from the klieg lights, he’s been hosting quiet dinners with 8th Assembly alumni, sidestepping APC whispers, and avoiding merger fantasies he deems too fragile to fly. He’s not jumping ship. He’s patching one. Call it a comeback. Call it choreography. But make no mistake: Saraki, once muted, now moves with a plan. And in the stage of Nigerian politics, that may be the most dangerous position of all: underestimated.
isn’t unserious—it’s human.
Will Fubara Finally Find His Missing ‘Sim’… As He Reaches Out to Wike for Settlement?
political godfather, Nyesom Wike, in what may be the last act in a high-stakes political theatre.
The setting was neither secret nor subtle. Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, publicly confirmed what many had only whispered—Fubara, accompanied by two APC governors, had come to him to sue for peace. “He said he wants peace, and I also want peace,” Wike declared with a calculated blend of candour and control. Yet, peace, in Wike’s lexicon, comes with preconditions. The subtext was clear: reconciliation requires humility—and perhaps capitulation.
To the casual observer, the Rivers drama is Shakespearean in its architecture: betrayal, loyalty, ambition, and tragedy. But at its core lies a more contemporary Nigerian theme—the price of political inheritance. Fubara, once a loyal technocrat, was elevated by Wike’s machinery to the governorship. The expectation was simple: continuity, not confrontation. But power, as it often does, altered the dynamics.
President Bola Tinubu’s controversial decision to declare a state of emergency in Rivers, suspend Fubara, and appoint a sole administrator, signalled how far the rift had festered. With protesters on both sides and the state’s democratic institutions in limbo, Rivers became a national concern.
Yet Fubara’s latest remarks betray a man unburdened, if not indifferent. “If I have my way, I don’t wish to go back there,” he said recently at a service of songs for the late Edwin Clark. “My spirit has left that place long ago.” It was more confession than defiance—a rare moment of political honesty. So, what changed?
Perhaps it was a political survival instinct. Perhaps it was exhaustion. Perhaps it was clarity. Whatever it was, reaching out to Wike suggests Fubara knows the game isn’t about who wins, but who endures. In Rivers politics, that difference is everything.
In the understated corridors of Nigeria’s Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Zacch Adedeji walks with the ease of a man who knows he was built for this moment. But power, for Adedeji, is not in theatrics—it’s in numbers, systems, and the quiet confidence of a technocrat reshaping the country’s tax narrative one reform at a time.
Adedeji, 47, holds a PhD in Accounting and a résumé laced with milestones— Harvard-trained, first-class graduate, Procter & Gamble veteran, former Finance Commissioner of Oyo State, and ex-boss of the National Sugar Development Council. But it is his current role, as Executive Chairman of FIRS and Special Adviser to the President on Revenue, that has thrust him squarely into the core of Nigeria’s power grid. And yet, he doesn’t shout. He recalibrates. His blueprint? Reduce dependence on consultants. Build capacity from within.
By 2025, Adedeji aims for 80% of FIRS
tasks to be executed internally—a sharp detour from years of costly outsourcing. He’s simultaneously leading a meritdriven recruitment wave and embedding performance-driven leadership. The mantra is simple: self-reliance as national policy.
But Adedeji is more than reform. He is rhythm. A man who governs with the poise of a choir conductor, steady in tempo, clear in purpose. His leadership style — data-forward, systems-minded, people-conscious — has already yielded a 144% leap in tax revenue, not by coercion, but by building trust in the tax system.
The common crowd may know him as “Tinubu’s quiet technocrat,” but within Abuja’s circles of consequence, Adedeji is the man who whispers—and things move. He’s not flashy. He doesn’t need to be. His power lies in precision, in crafting fiscal policy as deftly as a jazz solo—improvised, but never accidental.
From Iwo-Ate’s red soil to the glass
Once a figure of quiet ambition in Nigeria’s engineering and consultancy sectors, Aisha Achimugu’s name now sings across headlines with a mix of reverence, intrigue, and scandal. The Managing Director of Felak Concept Group and the first female consultant on Nigeria’s Deep Sea Port initiative, Achimugu was, until recently, better known for breaking barriers than making front-page news. Today, her legacy hangs delicately between boardroom triumph and courtroom drama.
The turning point came not in a business meeting, but on a sundrenched Caribbean island. In January, Achimugu marked her 50th birthday with a celebration that was equal parts Hollywood and high society. Guests - who arrived via chartered jets - sipped champagne beneath the stars of Calivigny Island, serenaded by international acts, while rumour trails followed the Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu back to Nigeria. The party ignited controversy over its extravagance and timing, drawing sharp commentary about public perception and elite indulgence.
But the glitter faded fast. By March, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) declared Achimugu wanted in connection with a sprawling money laundering and Ponzi scheme probe. Her arrest in Abuja in early April marked the beginning of a legal saga involving over 136 bank accounts, 21 companies, and multi-billion naira transactions allegedly linked to unlicensed financial activities. Her name surfaced alongside that of Maxwell Odum, the embattled promoter of MBA Trading and Capital Limited.
While Achimugu was granted administrative bail under court order, the case remains very much alive. The presiding judge has since been suspended, casting a further veil over the proceedings. Meanwhile, EFCC investigators continue to link her to suspicious flows of funds between her businesses and companies under investigation for fraudulent investments.
So, who is Achimugu? Visionary entrepreneur or financial operator in designer heels? Perhaps both. In the court of public opinion - and eventually of law - her story is still unfolding. One thing is certain: from opulence in Grenada to interrogations in Abuja, Achimugu’s tale is no longer just about influence. It is now about accountability.
At first, I pitied this baba. I said to myself, kai this is a very passionate public official. See as he is crying because people failed and then I started getting other details- ahhhh this no be tears o, this worse pass crocodile tears o.
This na tears of shame, incompetence and possible failure to deliver on an evil mandate. I have just read something about how the whole thing was skewed against candidates from the South-east. Mbok how can everybody in the University of Nigeria Secondary School fail?
Aaaaahhhhh! This is throwing up something that our Igbo brothers have been shouting against and I have been saying it’s not true – institutional tribalism.
How can you now plan a re-sitting of the exam and now put 65 centres in Lagos and 92 centres in Owerri for everybody in the South-east? This baba’s incompetence will even shame those who sent him.
Now the comments section is the vilest, wildest and most obnoxious place you can find yourself. The toxicity is out of the world as it is not regulated, so the abuse and carnage there is premium.
Well, that was how my aunty, Ruth Osime, invited me to her popular show ‘Perspective’ to discuss VDM who was just released by the EFCC after about five days in their custody. That was how I just said my mind o - what exactly are the fundamental issues VDM is fighting for? That was the simple question I asked o. To come and put fuel in the petrol, I advised him to better educate himself on the fundamental issues that is Nigeria, surround himself with quality advice so that he could engage better. I wondered how his first comment after coming out was “GTBank, I dey come… EFCC, una never see anything… una papa…”
My argument was simple: bro, you have used rants to achieve sufficient placement on the
How can he mess up such a tiny assignment – make sure a few Igbo people gain admission.
My prayer is that my assertion is wrong and that it was just a normal virus that attacked their system because if it is the institutional thing I just mentioned is the case, then we are pulling in Armageddon.
Mbok, what glitches are they talking about o because I am used to glitches o, especially the type that used to affect my system when I am watching porn- the thing will just collapse my computer at the most critical point. Whatever it is, Prof should just go.
Tears cannot solve this one, the man with his incompetence is about to scatter a whole generation of Nigerian youths – 1.5m fail?
His incompetence has caused the death of a young JAMBite now. Will the glitches or re-sit bring him back?
This man is a perfect candidate for the comments section and not pure innocent me wey carry “dada” go ARISE TV.
table of national discourse, oya engage much more strategically. You had the opportunity to be invited to the National Assembly and you blew it with rants. Enough of the rants, start engaging holistically, abeg. My people, over 5,000 comments on the comments section tearing me o. None of them addressed my point, na how big my head is was their concern. “Who be this mumu?” one asked. “See him rough head,” another said. He no even bath, see as he ugly. Ashawo man. Him mama na ashawo. No be that boy for Shomolu wey dey smoke igbo, God go punish you. And many more insults.
My people when scallywags talk, you just brush it and waka pass. The sad thing is that if these are the leaders of tomorrow, then we are in worse trouble than we already are.
If people like VDM and his rants with his horde of vermin are the hope for a future revival of this country, make I kuku go beg Kemi Badenoch make she calm down so that I can go and be washing corpse for Peckham because the incoming army of zombies coming, I no get power. Irritants.
This is the APC Chairman in Lagos who will soon enter the Guinness Book of World Records for superintending the worst-ever party primaries since democracy was invented in Greece.
The stories are horrendous. The Ikoyi-Obalende own was one of the worst from reports that I have seen. They say one former Deputy Governor just called candidates and asked them all to withdraw before a set time otherwise they would lose their money.
All over Lagos it’s the same cry of imposition, rigging, thuggery and the rest. What has emerged now in Lagos APC is an incestuous imposition of second generation biological offspring of the paymasters and chosen fingerlings, leading to the question my father used to ask me when I come home with the same poor results – can anything good come out of a worshipper of Baal?
My people, when a plane is about to
crash, there is nothing you can do but to hunker down, fold your head and brace for impact.
Na the best advice that I have given all the aggrieved candidates who have besieged my phone with lamentations – what can you do, just honker down and brace for impact because the implosion is near. Very near, I swear. Thank you.
pATIeNce JoNATHAN: THe pANTomIme reTUrNS
Please remind me of that thing that Prof. Wole Soyinka used to label this Mummy. Mbok, I have been laughing since the statement came out that she will campaign alongside First Lady, Remi Tinubu during the upcoming elections.
One group has tried to tie this her position to the recent “returning of her properties by the EFCC.”
The one that really intrigued me was the group saying that – President Jonathan can parley his goodwill to win the Presidency but that they know that Patience will not be First Lady
and that they preferred the other wife as First Lady.
You see how person is wearing a bowler cap and drinking his “kai kai” jejelly and minding his business, stray bullet come hit am.
Why do they want to put confusion in Jonathan’s house? Mbok, I didn’t even know that there was a second wife somewhere o and now busy bodies are now trying to prop up a second wife who would have been just managing herself and staying out of the way.
Mbok, can you imagine the life of a junior wife under this person? This Mummy “P” that Wole Soyinka had labelled…….
The barn door has been unlocked so all sorts of characters will file out to dance under the sun. Mummy “P” must also dance, after all, it’s her pantomime. Na wa.
roTImI AmAecHI, I DoN’T Agree wITH YoU
This latter-day activist is boring me abeg. Since he fell out of power and has a lot of time in his hands, he has been pontificating. His latest umbrage is the one saying that if he was still in power, he and Lamido would have given Tinubu constructive opposition. Mbok, that is a big lie. All we have to do to puncture this assertion is to look at the recent past. If Google is your friend, oya use it.
Amaechi played a sycophantic role in the last administration which took Nigerians to the cleaners. He was the poster boy of the Buhari administration and even took a university to the man’s village in Daura. If he could not be constructive in opposition then when they were allegedly printing cash, chasing the Guinness Book of Records at the level of official impunity and corruption, then is it here where these ones have mastered the art of getting people to decamp in their thousands?
The more I listen to Mr. Amaechi, I see two things – either a cry for help or the regrets of a yesterday’s man. Mbok, Oga, shebi you have gone to law school, go and be lecturing somewhere or go and open school in Rivers State abi have you not seen the JAMB result from your state? Come and beat me.
This one has carried big eyes and betrayed the movement. Shebi I told my brother Scott Tomei that his bobo has gone to beg and he doubted me. It is clear that he not only went to beg but even grovelled while doing it. Shebi we all saw that Wike statement that he told him that he cannot be suing for peace and his people are everywhere abusing and walking out on people.
Bobo just went to church to say his spirit has left the government house and that people are still routing for him and just doing that one for themselves. I just hissed, said to myself “see efulefu”.
People are out there risking their lives, rooting for you and fighting for democracy. You are supposed to be the symbol, see what you are saying. I just weak. It is not your fault, it is our fault who thought that we were backing a solid soldier not knowing that this one is a yellow cowardly custard. Do not worry, our leader is nearby. Things will be ok, there is nothing to worry about. We have hope and we will see true democracy
in our lifetimes. It only gets darker just when the light wants to come. Sim, go and look for “kpalasa” phone and chook yourself inside as you no get network. Na wa.
USoro AkpAbIo: beAUTY From THe
SoUTH
“Duke, send me a proposal for a
roving theatre festival across all southern states that will push for unity and engage youths.” That was Usoro Akpabio’s message to me early last week.
Then as soon as I landed Abuja, I saw the reports. Usoro has been appointed MD of the recently established SouthSouth “commission.”
The great warrior, Adams Oshiomhole has challenged new comer, Dr. Rueben Abati to a fight anywhere and at any time at his convenience. World renowned fight promoter, the Duke of Shomolu, has stepped in to promote the fight and ensure worldwide coverage.
According to a press statement recently released by the Duke’s promotions outfit, the fight is expected to take place at Hotel Rosie, a disused brothel on Bajulaiye road in Shomolu. The prayer is for the combatants not to be distracted by the inmates of the brothel as they seek to redefine their position within the fight circuit. Oshiomhole is the pundits’ favourite. A well-known marathoner, a gym buff and husband of a very young wife which ensures that he remains fit. Armed with the gift of the gab, a veteran of street fights and a wellknown chief priest in his village shrine. Dr. Abati on the other hand is a little bit out of sorts. Recently married to a tall and internationally acclaimed beauty whose mesmerising figure keeps him constantly distracted. The bald-headed Dr. Abati since his new wedding has not gone near the gym, but has been spotted wearing new bowties with extravagant butterfly colours. He is a strong verbal pugilist who is hoping his sagacity will come to use in the ring as he hopes to defeat that loudmouth of Edo.
Dr. Abati is relying on the international prowess of his trainer and partner, Rufai Oseni, who was recently spotted in faraway Abidjan with Dr. Ebose
shopping for first aid boxes which they hope to use on Oshio Baba by the time Dr. Abati finishes with him. This is a much-anticipated fight as each pugilist comes with amazing records. Oshio was credited with holding fierce OBJ down to a 15-round bloody battle which was decided by a split decision by the judges in favour of OBJ but left Oshio with a heightened reputation as a pound-forpound fighter.
Dr. Abati on the other hand is a veteran with a long line of conquest under his belt. His victims include EFCC, National Assembly and a host of others. He famously lost a fight in his hometown in Ogun when in a rare tactical error partnered a scandal-stained figure in a fight that saw him beaten blue and black with scars all over his face and plasters on his baldhead. The promoter – the greatest fight promoter alive – Duke of Shomolu has left no stone unturned in ensuring that spectators enjoy their money – ambulances are on standby, top celebrities like Akpabio, Natasha and Prophet Odumeje have been invited and the fight would be beamed live globally by TVC and Maddtimes.
Finally, the Duke, in ensuring he gets his return on investment, will be holding the two extremely beautiful wives in custody with plans of releasing the wife of the victor and marrying the wife of the loser, so this is not a fight for national prestige but a fight for their wives. Let’s rumble. Lol
I quickly placed a call. “Adiaghaeka, is it true?” And she smiled, “Yes ooo I did not want to tell you when we chatted last week until it came through.”
Congrats my sister, you truly deserve this appointment even though I am a little bit confused as to the difference between this your new commission and the already existing Niger Delta Development Commission. Well as long as una no fight, it is ok. Well done and have a swell time contributing to the region. Beauty and brains are my death, I swear.
A QUIeT momeNT wITH opeYemI bAmIDele
I have met this influential Senator three times. One in his Ekiti village, the other at my brother Lekan Ajisafe’s birthday party in Lagos and the third and most impactful, in his house in Abuja.
Lekan had mentioned that I should join them for a sit out with the senator and I went o.
He walked in a moment later just after I had finished my plate of ofada and drank tiger nut. You guys know what tiger nut does to the libido. If you don’t, please ask Davidson, my editor -na him introduce me. He called and said, “Edgar, if you drink tiger nut, your madam will thank you.” So, you can imagine my small confusion when I saw tiger nuts being shared in the place.
Sorry for my digression, I sat with the very influential Senate Majority Leader with so many questions to ask that I could not ask – make he no drive me commot for him house. Anyway, we discussed very politely and he mentioned his love for theatre and what we were doing. He accepted to be the grand patron of the Ekiti theatre festival and talked very brilliantly about theatre as a strong vehicle for national cohesion. I thanked him and left but not before taking two bottles of tiger nut. You know how these things are. Kai.
ANIekAN UkpANAH: AN elegANT AND brIllIANT geNTlemAN
Aniekan is my brother even though I am closer to his wife, the extremely brilliant Uto Ukpanah who is the Company Secretary at giant MTN. However, during the week, I stumbled on a press release announcing Aniekan’s international appointment. He was recently appointed Chairman of Lex Mundi, the world’s leading network of independent law firms.
Aniekan, who is already a Senior Partner at the prestigious Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie law firm, has over the years built a reputation of being astute and stupendously professional in his approach to work
Let me dimension the import of this appointment in case bad bele people will be asking wetin concern us with this Akwa Ibom man.
Lex Mundi has 150 plus member firms globally and 23,000 plus lawyers in 125 jurisdictions, meaning that Aniekan can help you get bail almost anywhere in the world. Kai!
See my brother, see why we are all very very proud of him? This is a milestone achievement which shows that Nigeria still has some brilliant ones.
Congratulations my brother even as I wish you the very best and more in this new assignment. Well done and well deserved.
Nigerian politicians are indeed a rare breed. They practice the game differently from others around the world. In fact, they are known for their waggish political ideology, with self-interest and ambition prioritised over service.
The story of Valentine Ozigbo, who lost the governorship aspiration on the All Progressives Congress (APC) platform in Anambra State for the upcoming November guber election will make an interesting read and a box office success.
Why would it be that interesting, you may want to ask? His is a story of a man whose desperation for power and political relevance has turned him into a laughingstock while tongues continue to wag about the former banker’s political ideology.
The former staff of the United Bank for Africa, UBA, launched his name into the mind of the Anambra people when he contested under the umbrella of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2021 gubernatorial election but lost to
Charles Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). A few months after his disgraceful loss, he ran to Labour Party, where he worked with the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi. During his stay at the party, he told whoever cared to listen to him that the LP aligned with his ideology. But no one knew at the time that he had no clear-cut political philosophy.
But because of his desperation for political significance, he couldn’t stay too long in the party and has since moved to the APC, where he has also failed to emerge as the party’s governorship candidate for the November election. Since then, he has become a disgruntled man running around like a headless fowl. He lost to Nicholas Ukachukwu, who scored 1,455 votes against his 67 votes.
He has since shredded to pieces LP, the party he once cherished and praised to the high heavens since the party also did not allow him to be their candidate.
In the wake of this recent development, the talk around the state is that the move
has further confirmed his desperation for power and political relevance. This, indeed, has given his compatriots cause to confirm that an average Nigerian politician is capable of spewing surprises. In the thinking of many, his actions reek of desperation for power, political relevance and a lack of clear-cut ideology.
It started with whispers and hushed tones but has now grown into a full-blown debate among the elite and the masses, as well as those in the political circles of Ogun State.
The major topic on the lips of many in the state is the governorship ambition of Wale Edun, the current Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy in the President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Although the man at the centre of it all has been mum and is yet to make his intentions known to a soul, a reliable source revealed to Society Watch that he may have received the blessing of Mr. President and inherited a structure that made the incumbent governor, Dapo Abiodun.
The source maintained that work is currently going underground for the coming of the Abeokuta-born minister as a successor to Governor Abiodun.
However, another source hinted that whatever is going on is a mere ruse, insisting that Edun is not interested in the number one job of Ogun. It was further revealed that Senator Solomon Adeola ‘Yayi’ is a leading contender for the position on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
It was also gathered that the story linking Edun to the Ogun guber election is the handiwork of a relatively unknown sociopolitical organization, Advocates for Ogun Development and Innovations, a group urging the minister to contest in the upcoming governorship race.
The group emphasised that Edun possesses the unique qualifications necessary to lead Ogun at this pivotal time. They encouraged him to “answer the call of history” by declaring his intention to run for governor in the forthcoming election.
“Beyond his impressive professional background, Mr. Edun is recognised for his strong dedication to empowering communities, fostering sustainable development, and creating lasting prosperity,” the group stated.
In a world often clouded by self-interest and material pursuits, Chief Sunday Ajileye stands out as a radiant beacon of compassion and service.
As the President of the Lion’s Club, Abeokuta Branch and founder of the SIB Foundation, Ajileye is touching countless lives across Nigeria with unwavering dedication and a heart full of generosity.
From students to widows, market women to children, his mission is simple yet profound: to uplift the underserved and restore hope where it once flickered. Through the SIB Foundation, a nonprofit organisation committed to reaching people in need, he has championed numerous initiatives, including hunger relief projects and support for the Nigeria Correctional Service, providing essentials and inspiration to those often forgotten by society.
Ajileye’s philanthropic spirit is backed not just by his passion but also by his thriving business ventures. He is into oil and gas and owns a couple of fuel stations, an event centre,
Allen Onyema, boss of Air Peace, is indeed a rare breed in Nigeria’s business sector.
The Anambra-born aviation guru is a colossus in the sector. No doubt, he is a pride to his fatherland.
Over the years, Onyema has succeeded in positioning Air Peace among the top airlines in the world. Undoubtedly, his emergence in the aviation sector has been a blessing and a great inspiration to aspiring businessmen across the globe. As proof of his success stories, he has won several awards and has been rated among the best CEOs in Africa.
However, one thing that has consistently stood Onyema out among other business moguls in the country is his unprecedented love for Nigeria and Nigerians which he
For 75-year-old oil mogul, Chief Tunde Afolabi, too much exposure, he believes, leads to tainted glitz.
That may be the reason the businessman has managed to stay almost invisible among the elite class of Nigeria’s urban society. Despite his status as one of Nigeria’s wealthiest men, Afolabi loves his quiet lifestyle. He is not gregarious. The quiet billionaire is not an overnight sensation. He achieved success the old-fashioned way.
As far back as the eighties, the graduate of Geology from Franklin & Marshall College, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, has been a wealthy oil baron. He became even richer in the 90s when he began investing in the Nigerian oil industry. He, however, became renowned for his influential role in various other businesses across the energy, finance, and real estate sectors.
Many have found his avuncular leadership helpful in the oil and gas industry. He was the founding Managing Director/CEO of Amni International Petroleum Development
Company in 1993, now the Chairman/CEO of the company. With sheer determination and surefooted decisions, he has extended Amni Petroleum’s grip on the oil sector beyond the shores of Africa, while it continues to compete favourably with other world-class oil firms.
Like a colossus, this leading business mogul stands head and shoulders above his peers. Some even see him as sensational of sorts. Despite this, the indisputably influential businessman has refused to relax in his comfort zone. Rather, he continues to aim for the skies and is ready to conquer his world. Perhaps, this is the reason some describe him as an evolving phenomenon.
The billionaire business mogul has shown that he is not just about making money, but making it available as a resource for advancing humanity. He has also been a pillar, and only a few can match his dedicated commitment to the survival and success of this nation.
gas plants, and several other enterprises. Yet, despite his success, he remains deeply grounded
shows through his unwavering patriotism and selfless public service.
Onyema is never tired of rendering his goodwill and service whenever the situation arises. Even when many lack faith in the country, Onyema sees a country with much potential and strives to place it among the best in the global map.
In April, he pledged to repatriate 78 trafficked Nigerian women stranded in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, free of charge. True to his word, he not only fulfilled his promise but also offered medical and psychosocial support for the victims. This charitable act once again shows the depth of his love for his country. Indeed, he is inspiring as he is influential.
and community-focused.
“I’m always happy to help people,” he says with a warm smile when asked what drives his relentless outreach. His sincerity resonates deeply, especially in an age where genuine altruism is rare.
His message to the youth and others facing educational or financial barriers is equally inspiring: “Don’t write yourself off, even when you don’t have the opportunity to be educated.” It’s a powerful call to resilience and self-belief, coming from a man who has walked the path of service with humility and grace.
Under Chief Ajileye’s leadership, the SIB Foundation continues to grow, breaking new ground and bringing light to dark corners of society. Whether feeding the hungry or encouraging the forgotten, his life’s work reflects the true meaning of leadership, serving others.
Nigerian-Irish artist Ben Nwosa, known for his work as an artist, curator, and educator, is set for another homecoming show, bringing his restless creative energy to the Nigerian art scene once again. Yinka olatunbosun reports
AvisittoBenNwosa'ssecluded studio, tucked away from the bustling Lagos-Ibadan expressway, offered no insight into his thoughts.
With an aura of mystery and firmness surrounding him, he hovered around his cluttered workspace, where painting materials and mounted canvases on easels seemed to be everywhere. A 20-year age gap between the painter and the journalist made bridging the generational divide essential.
With the patience of an experienced teacher, Nwosa carefully brought out a folder that served as a window into his past. The well-kept folder was a treasure trove of memories, filled with pictures, exhibition catalogues, and other articles of history.
As the journalist flipped through the pages, Nwosa’s interest was piqued by a photo of he took with the Brazilian ambassador to Nigeria in 1995. The image seemed to freeze a moment in time. Despite the camaraderie that had developed between them over a short time, his interviewer felt compelled to ask permission to continue browsing through the folder, out of respect for his boundaries. The folder’s contents were likely related to his solo show, Feelings, a painting exhibition sponsored by The Lagos Heritage in collaboration with the Brazilian Embassy.
As the journalist's gaze returned to Nwosa's canvases, now beautifully lit, a sense of déjà vu became palpable, likely influenced by his early training under Yusuf Grillo and Kolade Oshinowo at the Yaba College of Technology. Nwosa's strength in abstract paintings lies in their ability to evoke multiple interpretations, allowing viewers to bring their own perspectives to the artwork.
“I like to leave my paintings untitled so that I don’t restrict the viewer into a line of thinking,” he said as he guided his guest to some of his earlier paintings dating back to the early 80s. One piece in particular caught attention, its timeless quality transcending the decades. Despite being framed in a style reflective of its era, the painting itself seemed ageless – a reflection of Nwosa’s enduring talent.
Nwosa’s lines, gestures, and textures articulate the emotions buried under the layers of his paintings, often created in isolation. As he spoke with his curious guest, he effortlessly discussed his black and white series, a departure from his earlier use of colors. Although he didn’t elaborate on his reasons for this shift, it seemed to reflect the gloomy socio-economic realities that followed the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Nigerian-Irish artist’s ability to weave together art and language was impressive, drawing on Yoruba proverbs to explain complex concepts in a way that resonated with his listener. His childhood in Oyo and the influences of his parents – his father a sculptor and his mother a weaver of aso oke fabric – had a lasting impact on his art. Upon his return to Nigeria, Nwosa showcased his work in a 2024 solo exhibition at Didi Museum titled Curtains of Memories, a reflection of his journey and experiences. For 2025, Nwosa has a rich collection of pulsating and evocative paintings. Sometimes,
midday into conversations he would often grab his sketchpad to make an illustration. Perhaps, an idea struck him.
The former art teacher at Corona School, Gbagada, Lagos, who also ran an art gallery alongside his job as a curator at Didi Museum, once described himself as restless. Though he’s gained a few grey hairs, his creative energy remains unchanged, reflected in his latest paintings, which predominantly feature grey, black, and white hues.
“Nwosa’s oeuvre is a collation of paintings done with soft-coloured backgrounds, often spiced with earth colours upon which the artist laid his contrasting stroke of grays of and blacks, making bold, deliberate and dynamic statements with deft spatial balancing skills,” Tunde Soyinka once observed about Nwosa’s abstract paintings.
Nwosa's masterly collection of monochrome paintings showcases distinct pieces infused with elements of cubism, exuding an imposing and impressive presence. As his journalist guest helped lift the largest piece, Nwosa quickly grabbed a charcoal and made some marks to jog his memory later.
Upon returning to Nigeria for a homecoming show last year, he discovered a significantly changed art scene: new collectors, more galleries, museums, and art fairs had emerged, but expertise had declined.
“The drive to get rich quick, and then the sense of let-me-do-work and just sell it quickly do not allow artists to pay attention to the rudiments,” he observes.
“For instance, I have gone to exhibitions where I see works that the surfaces are not well treated before the rendering. So in effect, if you treat it like that, ten years down the line, the artworks will not be artworks again. The collector who bought the art pieces from you will come after your head. The idea of methods and material is very lacking.”
After his postgraduate studies in Ireland, Nwosa drew inspiration from the original works of Caravaggio and Picasso, among other masters, to fuel his own creativity. He fondly recalled his one-minute drawing days in Dublin, where the exercise sparked his imagination and ability to capture fleeting moments. Beyond his formal training in illustration and animation, Nwosa was fascinated by the depth of professionalism associated with modelling for portrait artists.
The interview soon veered towards the role of illustrators in the criminal justice system, highlighting the artist's responsibility to society. Nwosa explained how sketches can help authorities resolve crimes by documenting suspects.
In his studio, surrounded by paintings, Nwosa's intricate patterns evoke curiosity and sometimes perplexity, keeping the viewer engaged. His art, like a perfectly balanced dish, is satisfying and thoughtprovoking.
Barely a year into Dr. Dayo Mobereola’s tenure as Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), the nation’s maritime sector is undergoing a bold and unarguably overdue transformation.
Appointed in March 2024 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Mobereola brought with him a reputation for disciplined leadership and digital reform, shaped by over a decade of exemplary service at the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), where he oversaw the launch of Nigeria’s first BRT system and the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Blue and Red lines.
Now, that legacy of change is being brought to bear on Nigerian waters. While recent weeks have seen some internal pushback against one of his flagship initiatives, the Maritime Enhanced Monitoring System (MEMS), the broader picture reveals a DG focused on modernization, transparency, and indigenous maritime development.
Since assuming office, Mobereola has spearheaded reforms that address long-standing inefficiencies and systemic bottlenecks within NIMASA.
Chief among these is the eradication of piracy within Nigerian waters, a feat that had eluded previous administrations despite extensive investment.
Under his leadership, the agency has significantly enhanced Nigeria’s maritime security profile, particularly through the full activation of the Deep Blue Project—a high-tech security initiative combining air, land, and sea assets to monitor and protect Nigeria’s maritime domain.
This effort has not gone un- noticed.
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) recently commended Nigeria for its high compliance with the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, ranking it among the top-performing maritime nations globally.
For a country long stigmatised by piracy and port insecurity, this is a reputational win with strategic implications.
Mobereola’s reform agenda also includes improvements in staff welfare. Promotions previously stalled under a top-heavy structure have been addressed through a merit-based system that recognizes performance and simplifies the agency’s hierarchy. Employees now report clearer lines of accountability, more equitable advancement opportunities, and a rejuvenated organizational culture.
One of the most significant milestones under his leadership is the near-completion of the long-awaited Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) disbursement process.
Valued at $700 million, the fund is a vital step toward empowering indigenous ship owners in a sector historically dominated by foreign firms.
12 Primary Lending Institutions (PLIs) have been selected to oversee the disbursement, and the application process has already been finalized. During a recent stakeholders’ forum in Lagos, Mobereola reiterated the strategic importance of the CVFF, stating: “This is not merely vessel financing, it is an investment in national capacity. With this fund, we aim to reshape the participation of Nigerians in our coastal and offshore operations, generating jobs, preserving foreign exchange, and strengthening our GDP.”
The CVFF, once disbursed, will serve as a long-term enabler of local content in the maritime industry, aligning with broader government objectives around economic diversification and self-reliance.
Push for Transparency
Another early reform by Mobereola was the
automation of key NIMASA systems, aimed at enhancing transparency and reducing opportunities for corruption or administrative bottlenecks.
This reform has digitised licensing, registration, and inspection processes, significantly cutting wait times and making compliance more accessible for stakeholders.
Through these early wins, NIMASA has begun to reassert its relevance in the global maritime community.
Stakeholders across government and industry now speak of a more proactive, responsive, and tech-savvy regulator. But like all structural overhauls, this transformation has not come without resistance.
The most heated point of contention so far in Mobereola’s tenure is the Maritime Enhanced Monitoring System (MEMS), an ambitious, integrated digital platform designed to consolidate NIMASA’s data, automate enforcement, streamline billing, and provide real-time vessel monitoring.
Developed through a proposed public-private partnership with Royal Diadem Consults Ltd, the MEMS is set to cost N7.54 billion, with 75% financed through debt and 25% equity.
In exchange, Royal Diadem is expected to receive 13.5% of NIMASA’s revenue over a 15-year period, pending Federal Executive Council (FEC) approval.
This revenue-sharing model has triggered internal concerns, with some staff calling it excessive for what they describe as “a glorified ERP system.”
Critics have questioned the project’s cost-benefit balance, citing NIMASA’s annual revenues, estimated at N497 billion in recent years, and projecting that Royal Diadem could earn several times its initial investment within a
few years.
Others lament what they perceive as a lack of transparency in the proposal’s review process, stating that there was no cross-departmental vetting before the agreement was submitted to FEC.
In response, NIMASA issued a detailed statement defending the MEMS initiative and debunking the claims of secrecy or financial impropriety.
“The MEMS platform introduces digital traceability at the core of our maritime operations”, the agency said.
“With real-time visibility into vessel movements, smart invoicing, incident management, and environmental compliance, the system will not only eliminate leakages but enhance revenue capture across the board.”
NIMASA further emphasized that each waste offload, compliance violation, or inspection log would now be traceable and billable, converting what was previously lost revenue into consistent income for the government.
Additionally, MEMS is projected to boost revenue by 30% within three years; increase regulatory compliance to 95%; reduce maritime pollution by 20%; and create up to 1,000 jobs.
While some staff members remain skeptical, independent analysts argue that such outcomes justify a performance-based partnership.
Unlike fixed contracts where vendors are paid regardless of outcomes, this model ties Royal Diadem’s earnings directly to NIMASA’s success.
A Global Trend
Globally, maritime agencies are racing to implement digital systems.
From Singapore’s Smart Port initiative to the EU’s Port Community System, the fourth industrial revolution is reshaping maritime logistics and governance. Nigeria, as Africa’s largest economy and a key regional shipping hub, cannot afford to fall behind.
By investing in MEMS, NIMASA is positioning itself for long-term relevance in global maritime trade.
Critics focused on short-term revenuesharing figures may be missing the forest for the trees.
In a world moving toward digitization, manual systems are not only outdated, they are dangerous to national competitiveness.
If there is one consistent theme throughout Mobereola’s public service career, it is courageous, technocratic leadership in the face of institutional inertia.
At LAMATA, skeptics once questioned the viability of the BRT and rail systems. Today, those systems are part of Lagos’ DNA.
At NIMASA, he is pursuing a similar trajectory, laying down a foundation of efficiency and accountability.
Notably, Mobereola has not engaged in personal attacks or media battles. Instead, he has stayed focused on facts, encouraged internal dialogue, and relied on empirical projections to defend his policies.
He has emphasized that reforms must be inclusive but also uncompromising in pursuit of national interest.
While the MEMS debate may continue for some time, it is clear that NIMASA under Mobereola is headed in a direction consistent with global best practices: data-driven decision-making, automation, and stakeholder accountability.
There is room for fine-tuning the MEMS proposal, and stakeholders, including agency staff, deserve a seat at the table.
But rejecting the initiative outright would risk derailing a much-needed transformation.
As Nigeria seeks to grow its blue economy, enhance trade logistics, and expand indigenous participation, a reformed NIMASA is not optional, it is essential.
And with Mobereola at the helm, that reform is well underway.
While last week’s meeting of the 19 northern governors and their traditional rulers on the insecurity ravaging the region was commendable, they overlooked other critical issues that must also be tackled to achieve lasting peace and progress, Davidson Iriekpen writes
Troubled by the massive insecurity in their region, the 19 northern governors and their traditional rulers last weekend held a meeting in Kaduna where they demanded an immediate review of Nigeria’s security strategies and the creation of state police to tackle the escalating crisis.
The leaders, who acknowledged the role of non-partisan cooperation and collaboration in addressing the numerous developmental challenges confronting the North, deliberated on the ways to improve the security apparatus of the region and Nigeria at large.
Since 2016, the North has literally been torn apart by crisis, with thousands abducted for ransom, others killed or maimed, and their homes destroyed. Hardly can people go to their farms or be involved in economic activities without fear of being kidnapped or killed.
Though the recent meeting was not the first time northern leaders would gather to discuss the state of insecurity in the region, many believe that if they continue to bring these issues to the fore, a solution will be in sight.
Not a few have wondered why Northern Nigeria, which produced more heads of state, civilian presidents, top business leaders, military generals and top paramilitary officers, from independence till date, is plagued by massive poverty, illiteracy and educational backwardness.
A recent survey conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed that 63 per cent (about 133 million) of persons in Nigeria are multidimensionally poor. It went further to say that 65 per cent (86 million) of the poor live in the North, while 35 per cent (nearly 47 million) live in the South.
The North is not faring any better in the area of education. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) puts the number of out-of-school children in Nigeria at 18.3 million. Of this outrageous number, about 70 per cent are in northern Nigeria. The same is the case with child and maternal mortality rates, which are increasing, as well as infrastructure rot.
Persistent insecurity has exacerbated the situation, disrupting agricultural activities and livelihoods, undermining economic progress. Several moves to address infrastructural deficits were equally threatened by insecurity which has slowed down developments in the critical sectors. While many have commended the governors and their traditional rulers for the recent meet-
ing, they however feel that they overlooked other critical issues that must also be tackled to achieve lasting peace and progress in the region.
Those who spoke to THISDAY attributed the root causes of the challenges confronting the region to factors such as poverty, uncontrolled population growth, illiteracy, unemployment and social inequality, which provided the fertile ground for violence and extremism.
According to security experts, without access to quality education and economic opportunities, young northerners become willing tools in the hands of extremist organisations.
The rise of Boko Haram and banditry has also shown how ideological indoctrination can exploit the marginalised youth.
The inability of the governments at all levels to provide basic services and security has led to a crisis of trust, where citizens feel abandoned and resort to self-help measures.
Education has often been touted as a powerful tool for breaking the cycles of poverty and violence. It is generally believed that improving educational access and quality can serve as a crucial strategy for tackling insecurity. But this is hardly exploited by the governments.
For the leaders in the region, this is supposed to be disturbing and a cause for concern. But this problem is hardly discussed or addressed by the northern leaders, particularly the political class, who are being accused of using the growing popu-
lation of uneducated and suffering masses as human capital to win elections.
Surprisingly, since the return of democracy in 1999 to date, 19 states in the North have received multi-trillion naira from the federation account and internally generated revenue, yet nothing has changed considerably in the lives of the people.
To effectively tackle these challenges, northern governors and local government chairmen must be more accountable to their people.
Ironically, some of the terriorists were thugs used by politicians during the elections and later abandone.
Additionally, the state governors should seriously consider the option of granting amnesty to terrorists and bandits and in the process, recover their weapons. Thereafter, they can rehabilitate, train, empower and integrate them into the society with meaningful means of livelihood.
Experience has shown that because many rehabilitated and de-radicalised Boko Haram members by the military were not properly empowered and resettled, they went back to rejoin the group for their nefarious activities.
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, captured the situation succinctly when he urged the political class to tackle the high rate of unemployment, poverty, hunger, and illiteracy in the land, saying this would go a long way in reducing the spate of insecurity in the
The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, recently used the floor of the Senate to throw jabs at the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in 2023, Mr. Peter Obi, urging him to focus on resolving the internal crises within his party before aspiring to lead Nigeria.
Obi incurred Akpabio’s wrath when he spoke at a memorial lecture held in honour of the late Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark, where he claimed that the sacrifices of Nigeria’s past heroes had been in vain.
Hecitedtheworseningeconomicandsocialconditions in the country as evidence.
But Akpabio accused Obi of being disrespectful and dishonouring the legacy of Nigeria’s founding fathers, cautioning him against making divisive comments that could cause confusion in the country.
He suggested that Obi’s fixation on national issues would be better grounded if he first demonstrated leadership within his own party, which is enmeshed in protracted leadership crises.
It has become a troubling trend for members of the current administration to frequently target Obi, despite his consistent focus on Nigeria’s dire socio-economic realities rather than on personalities.
ThePresidency;theGovernorofLagosState,Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and Akpabio have targeted Obi in recent months.
Sanwo-Olu had lashed out at Obi, in a reaction to the comments the former Anambra State governor made during a recent foreign engagement, where he critiqued the country’s economic trajectory.
The presidency, too, had earlier dismissed Obi and his
country.
Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, re-echoed the same sentiments, saying that northern leaders had failed woefully to address and implement programmes to tackle the illiteracy, infrastructure gap, poverty and unemployment bedevilling the region.
Speaking as a panelist at the Stakeholders’ Roundtable on Northern Nigeria Youth Development, organised by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation in Kaduna, Sani noted that the leaders must apologise to the people. He argued that while other regions were busy addressing developmental challenges and making life better for their people, terrorism, kidnapping, banditry, insurgency, and communal conflicts have left northern communities desolate. He, therefore, urged past and present leaders from the North to come up with plans for youth development to make progress in the region’s rescue mission.
“For us to make progress as a region, we must stop living in denial. We must look at ourselves in the mirror and accept that we have failed our people. Blaming others for our predicament will not take us anywhere. If we fail to retrace our steps and tackle our security and developmental challenges with all the energy and resources we can muster, we may not be able to sleep in our houses in the next five years,” Sani said.
Also, a public affairs analyst, Saleh Shehu Ashaka, said the security challenges facing northern Nigeria were caused by socio-economic factors and educational deficits. He noted that a comprehensive approach that prioritises education and economic stability holds promise for breaking these cycles of violence in the region.
“By investing in accessible education, vocational training, job creation, and community engagement, stakeholders can empower individuals, foster economic resilience, and ultimately contribute to lasting peace in the region. It is only through these concerted efforts that Northern Nigeria can move towards a future free from the shackles of insecurity and instability.
“Given the predominance of agriculture in northern Nigeria, investing in agricultural development can significantly impact economic stability. Programmes aimed at improving farming techniques, providing access to markets, and supporting agro-based industries will not only boost food security but also create jobs and enhance livelihoods, reducing the appeal of extremist activities,” he said.
ideasandproposalsongovernanceandeconomicreform.
WhenthePresidentoftheAfricanDevelopmentBank (AfDB),Dr. AkinwumiAdesinaraisedthealarmthatthings were better for Nigerians in the 1960s than now, the Presidency dismissed his claims, saying that he spoke like Obi.
Whilethepoliticalelitedissipatetheirenergyattacking Obi,themanhimselfremainsresolutelyfocusedondrawing global and national attention to Nigeria’s structural challenges and the urgent need for reform.
Manyanalystsbelievethatitwouldbebetterforthese government officials to focus their energy on how to tackle the pressing challenges being identified regularly by Obi, which are responsible for the current hardship in the country, rather than vilifying the former Anambra State governor and other opposition voices.
The recent attacks by Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province on 27 Task Force Brigade of the Nigerian Army in Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State, and the 153 Task Force Battalion in Marte LGA of Borno State, have vindicated the Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum, on the alarm he raised that the terrorists were regrouping and had renewed attacks in the North-east, ejiofor Alike reports
Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State has endeared himself to many Nigerians by providing good governance, exemplary leadership and demonstrating unwavering commitment to the war against Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists in his state and the North-east at large.
At the risk of his life and personal safety, he has shown uncommon love for the people affected by insurgency by venturing into the terrorists’ den on several occasions.
No governor in the terrorist-ravaged states could hardly leave his heavily-guarded comfort zone and venture into the den of bandits and terrorists, no matter the level of security around him.
But the video footage of Governor Zulum and his aides taking cover and lying flat on the ground while his security details exchanged gunfire with the terrorists at the war zones in his state was all over the internet.
Governor Zulum has also demonstrated that he is not a typical Nigerian political leader, who plays politics with the security of the masses.
It was, therefore, a rude shock to many Nigerians when the agents of the federal government, who were not on ground to know the correct security situation in the state, countered the governor when he raised the alarm on the resurgence of Boko Haram attacks in his state.
Speaking at a Special Expanded Security Meeting (ESM), attended by the heads of all the security agencies, and traditional rulers, including the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar ElKanemi; Shehu of Bama; as well as emirs of Biu, Uba, Askira and Gwoza, the governor had expressed frustrations that the attacks were becoming frequent.
The security meeting took place a few days after the terrorists killed an unspecified number of soldiers, including an army captain and a corporal, in an attack on Igze community in Gwoza Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.
The Boko Haram commander in Gwoza, Ali Ngulde, is believed to be operating from his Mandara Mountain hideout
A credible online medium reported that no fewer than 12 soldiers were earlier killed during an attack on a military formation in Wulgo village in March.
In the same month, another attack claimed the lives of four soldiers in Wajiroko near Sabon-Gari in Damboa LGA.
Earlier in January, the terrorists slaughtered
about 40 farmers in the Dumba community near Baga.
Speaking at the security meeting, the governor also cited the attacks and dislodgement of military formations in Wajirko, Sabon Gari in Damboa LGA; Wulgo in Gamboru Ngala LGA; and Izge in Gwoza LGA.
Also speaking, the Shehu of Borno, El-Kanemi told the stakeholders that three LGAs — Guzamala, Marte, Abbadam and parts of Mobbar — were still under the control of Boko Haram.
Many security analysts were shocked when the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, was quoted as downplaying the concerns raised by the governor.
Though the minister later denied saying that Zulum should be ignored and that Boko Haram was not taking over Borno State, the governor, in his reaction, insisted that the minister was “naive” about the country’s security realities.
Zulum replied to the minister while reacting to a deadly Boko Haram attack on the Damboa-Maiduguri Road, which
killed at least eight people, severely injured seven others, and left 14 more with minor injuries.
During a visit by the Minister of Defence, Badaru Abubakar; Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, and other top military commanders to Borno State, the undeterred Zulum reiterated his claims on the regrouping of Boko Haram insurgents in the Tumbus areas of Lake Chad and the Mandara Hills within the Sambisa Forest in the state.
He told the defence minister and the CDS that Boko Haram terrorists were freely breeding in Tumbus water areas on Lake Chad without much effort by the military to dislodge them.
Zulum said: “What we are facing now is, we do military exercises/operations, and after some time, we disengage. The Boko Haram and ISWAP members will again come and take over those areas that were hitherto regained.
“There was never a time since the insurgency started that operations were conducted on the shores of the Tumbus in Lake Chad. And, it has been a breeding ground for the insurgents. They can get money, livelihoods, and everything in that water.”
The governor urged the military to conduct operations in the waterway, stressing that all
the terrorists that are operating in the Northwest, North- central, and North-east normally return to the Sahel and Tumbus in Lake Chad for their livelihoods.
Zulum has been vindicated with the recent devastating attacks on the 27 Task Force Brigade of the Nigerian Army in Buni Yadi, Gujba LGA of Yobe State, and the 153 Task Force Battalion in Marte LGA of Borno State, where Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters killed several soldiers, destroyed many military equipment and carted away others.
According to a soldier, who escaped the Buni Yadi attack, which claimed the lives of four soldiers, the terrorists had stormed the military location in the town around 2a.m. and “ransacked the armoury, looted what they could and burnt it down; they set ablaze the artillery, five MRAPs, anti-aircraft carriers, and over 20 Hilux vans.”
The Nigerian Army also confirmed the attack via its verified Facebook page but didn’t give further details.
In less than two weeks, several military formations have been targeted by the terrorists in Goneri, Wajirko, Sabongari, Izge and Wulgo, with many soldiers killed and military equipment looted or destroyed.
Between May 12 and 13, ISWAP fighters reportedly launched its most sophisticated assault in recent years, targeting Marte, Dikwa, and Rann, the headquarters of Kala-Balge LGA, and the Damboa–Maiduguri Road, where they dislodged the military, and captured equipment.
ISWAP also deployed drones in Rann, forcing the civilian population to flee to the Cameroonian border.
A member of the House of Representatives from Plateau State, Hon. Yusuf Gagdi, claimed that the terrorists carted away 40 tanks and military platforms in these attacks.
Speaking last Tuesday at a media briefing in Maiduguri, the Theatre Commander of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, also confirmed the series of attacks on military bases in Borno State, but reassured the residents of the capacity of the military to subdue the terrorists.
He blamed the deteriorating security situation in the greater Sahel region as a major factor contributing to the resurgence of attacks. Whatever might have caused the recent attacks, the reality is that Governor Zulum has demonstrated that his knowledge of the security situation and operations of terrorists in his state and the North-east cannot be challenged.
For the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Umar Ganduje, it seems his fight with his former boss and ex-governor of Kano State, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso is eternal. This is why at every given opportunity, Ganduje would mock him publicly.
Ganduje recently countered APC supporters in Kano who were against the defection of Kwankwaso to the party, insisting that he should be rehabilitated and rescued from his current homelessness.
The APC chairman spoke at a meeting with APC leaders from Kano State where the Minister of State, Housing and Urban Development, Yusuf Ata, openly rejected the alleged moves by
Kwankwaso to return to the APC from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).
Ganduje, who was once Kwankwaso’s follower, having served as his deputy while Kwankwaso was governor and also his special assistant when Kwankwaso was Minister of Defence, described his former boss as a fish running out of water that needs to be saved.
He also said: “When you see your son running to where he would get shelter and you are a big brother in a big home, I think it is morally right to accommodate him. So, we cannot say we cannot accommodate him because a friend in need is a friend indeed. Somebody who has been abandoned - we should not allow him to wallow in darkness.”
Earlier, the minister had claimed that
Kwankwaso was no longer a viable and relevant political force in Kano.
According to him, the NNPP leader was only coming to APC because he was dying politically.
Kwankwaso should realise that all the gratuitous insults being heaped on him on a daily basis show that they do not want him in their fold.
If sitting governors, former governors, senators and leaders whether formerly in the APC or not could be allowed to move to the party, why not Kwankwaso who was a foundation member of the party?
Are these not the same people always saying the more the merrier? Why are they constantly denigrating and insulting Kwankwaso because he wants to move back to the party?
Between Kwankwaso and his opponents, who has more electoral value in Kano?
The Julius Abure-led faction of the Labour Party may have given itself away by calling on President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the party’s internal crisis instead of seeking the interpretation of the Supreme Court’s judgment or relying on the Independent National Electoral Commission, which regulates political parties in Nigeria, wale Igbintade writes
Signs that the crisis rocking the Labour Party (LP) are about to end soon except the Independent National Electoral Commission urgently intervenes emerged last week when the Julius Abure-led faction of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene in the party’s internal crisis by restraining the Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, whom it accused of threatening the party’s National Chairman, Julius Abure, with arrest.
Recall that the Supreme Court recently sacked Abure as the National Chairman of LP when it set aside the earlier decisions of the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal that recognised him in the position.
But since the judgment was delivered, Abure and his NWC have consistently denied that he was sacked.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, the factional National Secretary, Alhaji Umar Farouk, claimed that Governor Otti recently called for the arrest of Abure, an action he described as an overreach and a blatant disregard for party authority.
Farouk accused Otti of orchestrating multiple threats against party leaders over the past few months, and appealed to President Tinubu to rein in the governor to prevent what they described as “tyranny in a democratic system.”
He also called on well-meaning Nigerians to support their cause in preserving the party’s leadership and safeguarding its future ahead of the 2027 elections.
Penultimate week, the same faction of LP announced the purported suspension of Governor Otti and other key members of the party, including the senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ireti Kingibe; Darlington Nwokocha, Victor Afam Ogene, Amobi Ogah, and Seyi Sowunmi, from the party indefinitely for what it called anti-party activities.
Since Abure took over the leadership of the party, he has faced multiple crises. In February 2024, the LP National Treasurer accused Abure of misappropriating N3.5 billion, a claim which
he denied and threatened legal action.
Earlier in April 2023, the FCT High Court issued an order restraining Abure from parading himself as the national chairman of the party. While ruling on an ex parte application, Justice Hamza Muazu, also restrained Farouk Ibrahim, national secretary; Clement Ojukwu, national organising secretary; and Mr. Opara from parading themselves as national officers of the party.
However, the biggest threat to Abure’s position was when INEC refused to recognise the party’s national congress held in Nnewi, where he reportedly re-emerged as the national chairman of the party.
The electoral body said the party failed to meet legal requirements for holding the convention, insisting that Abure’s tenure as LP national chair expired in June 2024.
In the absence of a validly elected national leadership, and to restore confidence in the party, Governor Otti; the presidential candidate of the party in 2023 general election, Mr. Peter Obi; his running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed and other members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) convened a meeting in Umuahia on September 4, 2024, where they sacked the entire Abure-led NWC and appointed Nenadi Usman, a former Minister of Finance and ex-senator representing Kaduna South, to lead a 29-member caretaker committee and facilitate the election of a new party leadership within 90 days.
This led Abure to file a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja, which, in a judgment delivered on October 8, 2024, affirmed his leadership and the March 2024 Nnewi convention that produced the party executives.
The judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, ordered INEC to recognise Abure as the legitimate chairman of the party.
Upon an appeal on January 17, 2025, the Court of Appeal ruled that its earlier decision in November 2024, recognising Abure as the party’s chairman, remained valid and had not been overturned by any court.
Justice Hamma Barka, who read the lead judgment, held that the appellate court did
not consider the two separate appeals filed by the appellants since they centred on party leadership, on which the court lacked jurisdiction to adjudicate.
The Appeal Court voided the judgment of the Federal High Court delivered on October 8, 2024 on the grounds that the lower court lacked jurisdiction to hear the suit.
But Usman vehemently faulted the decision and challenged it at the Supreme Court. While the appeal was pending at the apex court, Abure filed a cross-appeal.
But in its judgment, the Supreme Court set aside the verdict of the Court of Appeal and held that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the case, being an issue of internal affairs of the party.
The court, which resolved three issues submitted for determination in favour of the appellant, held that both the trial court and the Appeal Court had no jurisdiction to entertain the suit of this first respondent.
Specifically referring to Abure, the apex court warned political parties to respect their constitutions and internal processes, urging party officers whose tenures had expired to vacate their positions.
“In summary, both the trial court and the court below lacked jurisdiction to entertain the 1st respondent’s suit, whose main relief, as observed, was relief number five (5), treated as an appendage. As a result, the decisions of both the trial court and the court below, which recognised Barrister Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the 1st respondent, are set aside, and Suit No. FHC/ ABJ/CS/1271/2024 is struck out for want of jurisdiction.
“In the same vein, the 1st respondent’s crossappeal in Appeal No. SC/CV/564/2025, stemming from the same judgment of the court below, is hereby dismissed.
“Before I am done, may I admonish political parties and their members to endeavor to always allow their constitutions, rules, regulations and guidelines to guide them in choosing their officers as well as candidates. That way, incessant internal rifts, which always find their way to court, would be reduced. If the constitution of a political party
has prescribed duration for tenure of office of an officer, such officer should be humble enough to at the expiration of the tenure.
“In the final analysis, the appeal (filed by Usman) is meritorious and is hereby allowed,” Justice Okoro declared.
INeC response
Surprisingly, despite being in possession of the certified true copy of the Supreme Court judgment, INEC, which oversights political parties in Nigeria, has remained silent.
Last week, the commission, despite the heating of the polity by Abure, said it was yet to take a decision concerning the crisis rocking the party.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, noted that as a law-abiding institution, they were carefully studying the judgment and would communicate its decision to the public in due course. When the “due course” is, nobody knows.
Perhaps, this was why, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr. Joe Ajaero, wrote the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, demanding the withdrawal of recognition for the Abure-led leadership of the party.
The NLC’s position aligns with INEC’s which feels that Abure’s tenure as LP national chairman had since expired.
Ajaero also revealed plans to launch a surprise takeover of party secretariats across the states— currently under the control of Abure loyalists.
“We have written to INEC, and on the day of our NEC meeting, every other thing will be decided there,” he said. “We are going to do that because that’s the way it is. Labour Party is an institutional party, owned by the trade unions.”
Many political analysts are shocked that the Abure-faction called on Tinubu, who is the national leader of a rival political party, to intervene in the opposition party’s internal crisis instead of seeking the interpretation of the Supreme Court’s judgment or relying on INEC, which regulates political parties in Nigeria.
The question agitating the minds of Nigerians is: Has the Abure-led faction not confirmed speculations in some quarters that external forces are behind the crisis in the LP, with this appeal to Tinubu to intervene?
NIIA is Nigerian Institute of International Affairs. It was established in 1961 as a foreign policy think-tank, as an International Institute in Africa, an African Institute in Nigeria, and a Nigerian Institute in Lagos. More important, it was given a non-dependent status and mandate to promote the scientific study of international politics, economics, and jurisprudence, with emphasis on research, educating the general public, training, and advising Government.
The KAS is the acronym for Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, a German political foundation with two main headquarters, one in Berlin and the other in Sankt Augustin near Bonn, which plays host to the Archives for Christian-Democratic Politics. It was created from the Society for Christian Democratic Educational Work which was established in 1955 and which adopted the name of the first Federal Chancellor, Konrad Adenauer, whose principles guide the conduct and management of KAS affairs. In fact, the KAS is an affiliation of the Christian Democratic Union of Germany, but has financial and organisational autonomy. More important, the KAS has offices in many countries of the world, including Nigeria and generally promotes liberal democracy, social market economy, transatlantic relations and European unity.
The GIZ is the synonym for Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit. It is also a German organisation with headquarters in Bonn and Eschborn. It is owned by the Federal Republic of Germany and provides various services to facilitate international cooperation for sustainable development and international educational work. The GIZ works ‘to shape a future worth living around the world. This is GIZ vision and long-term goal. GIZ provides tailor-made, cost-efficient and effective services for sustainable development.
The NIIA, KAS and GIZ are holding an international conference to mark ECOWAS at 50 on Tuesday, 20th and Wednesday, 21st May, 2025 at the NIIA.
A Preview of the Conference
A conference on ECOWAS at 50 is a desideratum at this material time, and particularly because of the current challenges of disintegration faced by the ECOWAS. The importance attached to the ECOWAS at 50 is to the extent that it has become a major concern for the foreign affairs community at home and abroad. For instance, the Association of the Retired Career Ambassadors of Nigeria (ARCAN) has devoted the current edition of its Journal to the ECOWAS at 50. The African Association of Political Science (AAPS) similarly has a special book edition on ECOWAS at 50. And more interestingly, and consistent with its tradition, the NIIA, is also organising a special international conference in collaboration with the KAS and the GIZ.
In the words of the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Professor Femi Otubanjo, a seasoned scholar on his own right, the conference is designed to be ‘a landmark international conference… to examine ECOWAS as a regional organisation in general and comparative perspective, especially in light of the global tendency of regional organisations to transform from conventional economic organisation to political, social, security, military, governance and all-purpose organisations.’ In this regard, the international conference wants ‘to examine the past, present, and future of ECOWAS, in view of the recent threats to its survival and the changing global order.’
Without any jot of doubt, the KAI and GIZ appear to be much interested in what future is awaiting the ECOWAS after fifty years of recidivist challenges. When the ECOWAS was conceived, it first faced the challenge of the CEAO (Communauté Economique de l’Afrique de l’Ouest), meaning West African Economic Community. The initial objective was basically economic, to have a common market and integration. And perhaps most significantly, the 1991 Abuja Treaty that established the African Economic Community was much concerned with continental politico-economic integration that it had to redefine Africa as a continent of five regions (vide article 1(d) of the Treaty). The
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Treaty not only consciously rejected the international definition of Africa as just one region, its Article 1(e) also provides for the possible establishment of sub-regions to be carved out in a region or out of more than one regions. Today, it is this notion of one region that is actually the issue when investigating the past, present and the future of the ECOWAS at 50.
And most interestingly, the international conference is scheduled to assess the performance, successes and failure of the ECOWAS; to examine the non-state interfaces of the organisation; and ‘to examine the regional and international partnerships and collaboration of ECOWAS in the search for increased visibility.’ It is against this background that the conference has been structured into two main parts: ceremonial and working. The ceremonial aspect is synonymous with the opening session during which the dynamics and methodological frameworks are expected to be given to guide the general discussions. The working aspect is divided into six sessions. The opening ceremony and the first three working sessions are to be held on Tuesday, 20th May. The other sessions are to hold the following day.
The structure of the conference is particularly noteworthy. First, the whole conference will be shared by a veteran of Nigeria’s foreign relations, Professor Akinwande Bolaji Akinyemi. He was not only a former Foreign Minister, but a notable architect of several foreign policy innovations in Nigeria’s foreign policy. It is on record that he came up with what is known as the 1986 ‘Akinyemi Consultation Doctrine’ in Nigeria’s foreign policy. The Technical Aid Corps scheme is also his brain child. The same
And true enough, there are many pointers to more membership withdrawal from the ECOWAS. What happens if Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire also withdraw? If they do not withdraw but opt to join the AES, which allegiance will have primacy by way of effectiveness: AES or the ECOWAS? Will the future not witness a restoration of the old rivalry between the Francophone and the Anglophone countries? Will France be or not be happier than ever before if there is a new misunderstanding? How will Morocco take the development since Morocco wanted to join the ECOWAS but rejected? What will be the place of Africa in the US foreign policy recalculations of President Donald Trump? Has the ECOWAS at 50 a policy on the possible relocation of the French and American military bases to its region? Has it a position on the expansion of Sino-Russian influence in the ECOWAS region? Is ECOWAS at 50 not in a carrefour of confusion and therefore must make haste slowly in forging ahead? ECOWAS must look before it leaps, investigate the dynamics of the various assassination attempts on the life of Ibrahim Traore in Burkina Faso. African youths are increasingly supporting him. Any miscalculation by the ECOWAS Authority may warrant the hostility of the youth, in which case the arrow of God may be struck, things may fall apart, and there may be no longer at ease, to borrow from Chinua Achebe. This is why the NIIA-KAS-GIZ international conference beginning in the next two days is most welcome
is true of the Concert of Medium Powers, which was renamed Lagos Forum. What about his idea of black bomb? What about his founding of the Academy of International Affairs of which he is the incumbent President in Nigeria? Bringing such a man of impeccable experience to oversee the whole conference cannot but reflect a seriousness of purpose on the part of the organisers. Professor Akinyemi is the incumbent Chairman of the Governing Council of the NIIA.
Secondly, the official theme of the conference is “International Conference on ECOWAS at 50: A Story of Resilience and Integration.’ This theme is loaded with many implications because the theme does not see any manifestation of failure. It only sees the ECOWAS as bathing in resilience and continued hope in integration. There is nothing wrong with this perception especially that it clearly shows that the organisers have constituted themselves into a positive school of thought on the ECOWAS at 50.
Thirdly, German involvement cannot but be noteworthy because Marija Peran, the Resident Representative of the KAS, will be making a policy statement, and so will the Consul General of the German Consulate General in Lagos, His Excellency Weert Boerner. They expectedly will explain the rationales for their interest in and support for the conference.
Fourthly, and perhaps most interestingly, General Gowon or Mr ‘Go On With One Nigeria’, is billed to give some reminisces. Every session will have 3- or 4-paper presentations, each presentation not exceeding 10 minutes. The implication is that presenters are not required to read, but to talk to their papers. Some of the presentations have the potential to be very thought-provoking: Professor Ibrahim Abdulla of the University of Sierra Leone, Logo, Freetown, will be talking about “Cities, Citizenship and Marginal Others: Reimagining ECOWAS after 50 Years.” Professor Camara Bakary, the Honorary Dean, University of São Paulo Legal and Political Sciences in Bamako, Mali, will also be talking about “Democratic Reversals in West Africa: Reassessing ECOWAS’ Response Mechanism. How will their papers impact on the restoration of better entente with the AES countries?
Put differently, the first working session, which is scheduled to last for thirty minutes only, will focus on ‘regional integration and economic development’ and will be chaired by Professor Adele Jinadu of the Political Science Department of University of Lagos. Three papers are expected to be presented at this session: while Professor Abayomi Akinyeye of the Department of History and Strategic Studies of the University of Lagos, will be discussing the “ECOWAS at 50: Achievements, Failures and Challenges of Regional Integration,” and Dr Adesuwa Erediauwa, an NIIA Senior Research Fellow, will be focusing on “ECOWAS and the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA): Synergies and Challenges,” Professor Eghosa Osagie, a former Director of Research at the NIPSS and former Vice Chancellor of Benson Idahosa University in Benin City, will be addressing “ECOWAS and ECO Currency: Can the West Africa Monetary Zone (WAMZ) be achieved?”
Very interesting a question. No feasible answer can be given. This shows the beauty in the organisation of the conference: address the many issues involved. We contend here that all the themes of the scheduled working sessions cannot but be largely defined by democracy, governance and political stability which is the theme of working Session III. This is so because the most critical challenge of the ECOWAS at 50 is how to manage democracy, ensure good governance and regional security. All the other themes are secondary definienda.
Democracy, Governance and Political Stability
Democracy, governance, and political stability are three concepts that are much interconnected. For instance, democracy is an important instrument of good governance, especially if democracy is allowed to function well. A well-functioning democracy cannot but guarantee accountability, transparency, and the observation of the rule of law. If, for instance, the KAS and the GIZ are much interested in the conference, it cannot but be because of their concerns for the promotion of liberal democracy. And true enough, political instability can easily weaken democracy and political institutions both of which can also catalyse instability. It was because of the need for democracy that unconstitutional change of government was barred. The same reason is valid for the introduction of democratisation as a conditionality for development aid to African countries at the Franco-African Summit held in La Baule in 1990. And true enough again, it is the non-acceptability of the coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger that led to the current misunderstanding between the AES and the ECOWAS.
The issue of governance is even more critical. The ECOWAS is not able to easily bring back the AES countries to its fold because of bad governance of which many elected governments have been accused in Africa. Elected governments in the AES countries have been accused of institutional corruption, ineptitude, and incapacity to guarantee security. In the specific case of Niger, the ousted President, Mohammed Bazoum, is seen in Niger as a stooge of France, hence the much public animosity. He was also accused of having much delight in sanctioning opposition elements on the basis of the whims and caprices of France. He frequently dealt with Nigeriens that are seen to be anti-French.
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After reading the article entitled “Blessed Are The Crooked Judges’ by Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, a legal mind for whom I have nothing but respect, I can’t but agree that the article aptly captures the decisions reached at the 108th Meeting of the National Judiciary Commission (NJC) held on April 29 and 30, 2025.
However, the issues raised in the said article compelled one to do a little more research, and also make some enquiries, on the subject matter. It is based on my findings from these enquiries that, as a lawyer myself, I must disagree with Odinkalu on his inferences and conclusions, especially as they relate to the case of Justice Jane Inyang, JCA. And my areas of disagreement are as follows:
In that article, the highly respected Odinkalu, a former chairman of the Nigerian Human Rights Commission (NHRC), lamented the decay in the nation’s judiciary and how corrupt judges were daily allowed to get away with hardly a slap on the wrist, recycled and then promoted into even higher offices to continue with their rape of the judiciary, and by extension, the country.
As deep and well-researched as Prof. Odinkalu’s submission is, however, it fell into the trap of not only generalisation, but wrong narrative which the NJC decision appears to have conveyed on the matter, and which the media and public commentators have since latched upon.
That narrative is this wrong propensity to deliberately portray a properly and professionally granted order of Justice Jane Inyang, an ex parte order, as being out of order, simply because it was manipulated, way beyond its scope, by persons with a hidden agenda to achieve a selfish end. And the judge, who in no way benefitted from this malfeasance, was made to carry the can.
And the result? An action that could, at worst, be an honest professional misinterpretation of the law by a judge, was approximated to corruption by those who should, and indeed do, know better. And who have subsequently gone ahead to malign the judex as corrupt.
From his article, Odinkalu also got sold this false narrative that has no basis in the facts of the matter. For the facts of the matter, which actually speak for themselves, would have led to a completely different conclusion if there were no extraneous influences brought to bear on the matter.
On the surface, it accuses Justice Inyang of granting an ex parte order to a receiver manager to sell a property in dispute, even when the matter was still at the interlocutory stage.
But nothing can be farther from the truth. Inyang did not grant an ordinary ex parte order for the sale of the said property. Her order was made alongside other orders in aid of the receivership in line with the provisions of Sections 555 to 563 of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 2020.
So, to start with, it wa-#s not an illegal order. And court records are replete with precedents of similar orders.
But that is not the only detail the NJC elected to look away from in its dizzying verdict on Justice Inyang.
To begin with, the said order was made on June 14, 2023, in a matter, Suit No. FHC/UY/ CS/46/2023, before Justice Inyang at the Federal High Court Uyo Judiciary Division.
Two days later, on June 16, 2023, Justice Inyang’s name was published as a nominee for elevation to the Court of Appeal.
By convention, she was directed to stop sitting and return all files to the Administrative Judge for reassignment. She did just that, effectively taking her hands off the case.
She was not, therefore, in a position to know that her order, which, by the way, was not in finality, was not even served on the Respondent, as she directed.
As every diligent judge handling a receiver manager matter, she granted the order to protect the properties from being destroyed by the debtor, and directed that it be served by publication in a national daily to put everyone on notice.
That service, in fact, is the responsibility of the court bailiff and other court officials, supported by security personnel.
She further adjourned the matter for report of compliance, where all parties, if served would appear before the court to make their respective cases.
That was what was expected of a diligent judge, and was exactly what she did. And two days latter, she was promoted to the Appeal Court.
But the verdict of the NJC and the deliberate media spin and misinterpretation thereof tend to paint the picture that there was something
fishy about the ex parte order granted by Justice Inyang. Ironically, what Justice Inyang did is professionally sound, and in keeping with global best practice.
The case which basically arose from a mortgage transaction that went sour, was brought by a Receiver Manager. In matters of this nature, the process is usually to grant an Ex parte order to protect the asset, in this case, Udeme Essiet’s companies, petrol stations and other businesses, from being plundered and dissipated, pending the final determination of the matter.
Since the order was interim, it is usually served on the Respondent, who on receipt files his own case and objections on the adjourned date. On the adjourned date, the court can decide to revoke or vary the interim order. This, Justice Inyang had no opportunity of doing because she had moved on.
The company affected, we hear, is on appeal, which is its right remedy.
But, for the avoidance of doubt, after Justice Inyang made the order, handed over the case file and moved on to assume duty at the Court of Appeal, the Federal High Court system, either by omission or commission, failed to serve the order on the respondent, while the applicants, the bailiffs and all we went on to sell the said property, using this same temporary order – all these, without the knowledge of Justice Inyang who had since moved on.
We hear that the hearing of the substantive matter of the case, as well as all other related issues is still pending before the same court, while the respondent has gone on appeal. So, why the hurry to move against Justice Inyang?
Curiously, the case/petition against this alleged offence of Justice Inyang was filed long after the matter had become statute barred. That petition should have been filed within six months of the order, but the petition which the NJC acted upon to indict Justice Inyang came a clear nine months after the said order. This is against NJC’s established regulations.
It gets even curiouser when the buyer of the property in dispute, Justice S. Essien, a judge of the National Industrial Court, who’s not known to Inyang, and who claimed to have bought it for an uncle, was let off the hook, while Inyang was put on trial, using the same facts and evidence. Similarly, neither the court officials, bailiffs, security operatives and all who facilitated this back-door sale was disciplined.
Justice Essien, we gathered, told another panel that he had never met Justice Inyang all his life. That it was, in fact, an uncle of his in the United States ofAmerica who saw an auction sales advert and asked him to represent him. He subsequently put in a bid, and was successful. All this while, Justice Inyang was at the Court of Appeal and did not know what was going on.
We gathered that this was why the petitioner apologized to Justice Inyang before the Mary Odili-chaired NJC panel, and withdrew his allegation of bribery, saying that he was now convinced that the order was not induced by any bribe to justice Inyang. In fact, this exchange was actually said to have been recorded by the NJC panel, which still went ahead to indict Inyang. Even more curious, is the fact that even with the
a victim of her independence and impartial interpretation and administration of the law?
Finally how much of Justice Inyang’s travails can be put down to the insinuations of gossips and petty jealously, especially among female judges, whereby judges instigate, sometimes baseless, petitions against fellow judges to get rid of them? Did the recent recognition of Justice Inyang by a national newspaper, and the award that came with that recognition, play any part in winning her new enemies among envious female colleagues?
And, to think of it, why are women oftentimes the biggest obstacles to the advancement of fellow women?
With a woman as Chief Justice of Nigeria, and another woman as President of the Court of Appeal, one would have expected more protection for female judges – or in the least, fair hearing. But the reverse appears to be the case.
This writer recalls that it was also under the CJNship of another woman, Justice Aloma Muktar, that the duo of Justices Glady Olotu and Rita Ajumogobia were unfairly treated and dismissed as judges of the Federal High Court by the same NJC.
Thankfully, the courts would eventually void the decisions of the NJC on these two judges and reinstate them. It is gratifying, therefore, to learn that Justice Inyang has already filed to appeal the decision of the NJC.
recording of these, the full NJC panel chaired by the CJN still went ahead to uphold the indictment of Justice Inyang, despite that the owner of the said businesses withdrew his allegation of bribery and corruption against Justice Inyang, insisting that the vexatious order was not bribe-induced, and that he only made the accusation out of anger.
In our opinion, once there’s no proof of bribery, corruption and undue influence, the decision of a judge cannot amount to a misconduct. The remedy is appeal.
Our view is that since both the Justice Odili panel and the full panel chaired by the CJN could not establish a case of corruption and bribery against Justice Inyang, the petition should have been struck out or, at the very worst, issue a warning or mild caution.
The NJC’s decisions in this circumstance have done incalculable damage to the name and reputation of Justice Inyang, who, like all of them on the panels, also has a name to protect.
For she has every right to be proud of, and jealously guard, her ancestry. After all, she is the granddaughter of the late Barr. Asuquo Etim Inyang of Ikono Ito, in the Odukpani area of Cross River State. Her grandfather, is the first lawyer from the old Eastern Region (and the South) to be called to bar in both the England and Nigerian. He was admitted to the Inner Temple in 1921 and called to bar in 1924 – in both England and Nigeria.
Of course, it is these and several other inconsistencies between evidence and conclusions that now seem to give grain to the speculations that Justice Inyang may indeed be a victim of conspiracy in high places. For instance, could it be true that Justice Inyang, who was appointed to the Court of Appeal barely two years ago, was not the preferred choice of the establishment? Is this seeming plot to rubbish her part of a bigger plot to take her out and nominate this other preferred judge?
How much of this has got to do with her well known independent and uncompromising stance on several cases where extraneous pressures have allegedly been mounted on judges? For Justice Jane Inyang it was, who gave a dissenting judgment in the Ogun State election petition that upheld Gov. Dapo Abiodun’s election. She had insisted that the Electoral laws were not substantially complied with in the governorship election and had called for a fresh election.
Justice Inyang also delivered the lead judgement which upheld the death sentence passed on Chief Rahman Adedoyin, the Ile-Ife hotelier convicted for the murder, in his hotel, of a post graduate student of the Obafemi Awolowo University who had lodged in the hotel.
Are we now stranded with a judiciary where career progression is directly related to the willingness to bend the rule and comply with the whims of politicians and those who wield political powers?
When did it become a crime for Appeal Court judges to differ on matters involving the ruling party? Must they always tow the official line of protecting persons in office?
Does it mean that the Nigerian judiciary no longer has a place for independent judges who stand by their conviction? Is Justice Inyang now
But, if indeed the NJC has finally woken up to the yelling need to cleanse the judiciary and the corruption that stinks to high heaven therein, the Justice Jane Inyang case is the wrong place to start from, especially when several judges who have clearly compromised on election petitions and other partisan political matters have been allowed to go scot-free, even as they daily jeopardise Nigeria’s democracy and the country at large. Wrongfully a nd mischievously scapegoating Justice Jane Iyang, cannot wipe out the mess. It only worsens it.
Who, for instance, would sanction (or petition against) a certain Kekere-Ekun who sat on the panel that, against all conventional reasoning, awarded the Imo State governorship election to the candidate who finished fourth at the polls? Or a Justice Monica Bolna’an Dongban-Mensem if she is accused, for instance, of having been backed by the local APC establishment to indirectly oversee the curious judicial annihilation of the PDP and its elected officers in her home state of Plateau? Would these jurists also be the ones who should now sit in judgement over these and other allegations if and when the petitions do come?
To begin with, that several decisions of the NJC have been unable to stand the test of dispassionate interrogation before a competent court calls to question the constitution and the composition of the NJC, as well as the process of arriving at its verdicts. It also calls to question, the idea of allowing serving judges/Justices to sit on the NJC panels, as instances abound whereby these jurists are allowed to sit in judgement over matters in which they have verifiable pecuniary interests. Moreover, it can sometimes be difficult for some serving judges to be completely independent in matters that concern officials of the same government of the day, who are their employers.
It would not be out of place, therefore, to remove the CJN and serving judges from sitting on the NJC and also to thoroughly review and overhaul the powers of the NJC.
Increasingly, the NJC, instead of serving to help maintain the highest level of professionalism among judicial officers, has become a burial ground for some judges to intimidate colleagues and beat them into line whenever they show the slightest sign of independent mindedness.
Yes, this writer may not know Jane Iyang personally, but if her clearly outstanding footprints in the judiciary are anything to go by, it then means that this unmasked injustice against the Justice must not be allowed to stand. If the NJC has a differing opinion from her understanding and/or interpretation of the law, the petitioner should have been encouraged to appeal the decision – an option that is already being explored. However, to insinuate corruption, and to go ahead and selectively punish the judge for this raises a lot of questions as to ulterior motives. A warning or caution should have sufficed in this instance. However, making it look like a case of corruption is like working towards a predetermined outcome: to indict Inyang by any means possible.
When Donald Trump first peeped into the Presidential wagon to say he wanted to run, the reception was mixed. America was united nonethelessbywhatwecan call ‘Washington fatigue.’ People were tired of the bureaucratic gridlock, the diplomatic rigmarole and the congressional multi speak that yielded little or no progress. The boredom was palpable just as the hunger for novelty was everywhere. The consensus was thatsomethingdifferentneededtobeinjectedinto the political culture and governmental methods of Washington to get America out of its overall decline. America was fast degenerating into a museum of liberal democracy and a rusty showpiece of bureaucratic humdrum. The political drama was jaded just as the institutions were beginning to fray at the limits.
Donald Trump, long known for his disruptive behavior and public opinion outbursts and disturbing cultural insinuations was still very much a television presence better known for his disruptive interviews and business series “The Apprentice” patented for the cliché ‘You are fired’! When he showed up at a Republican political event in Atlanta to indicate he might be seekingtheforthcomingpresidentialticketforthe presidency, there was a stir.The media went agog with a mixture of excitement and concern. People were excited that something different was about to disturb the political peace of Washington as it had become known.The majority were concerned that a major cultural disruption was in the making given Mr. Trump’s long held racist overtones. He had discriminated against some of his workers on grounds of skin colour; had taken worrisome sides in a much publicized case against black youth wrongly accused and convicted in a much publicized Central Park murder case. In the midst of the popular appeal of the Obama presidency, Trump had challenged Obama’s United States nationality by insisting that he was not a US citizen until his birther argument fell flat on its nose. For one thing, people looked forward to a replacement of the clow pace of government with a faster pace usually associated with the private sector. The poorer rural and rust belt Americans glorifiedTrump as one of their own who had made good and could create an atmosphere in which ordinary Americans could aspire to and attain the American dream if only they could chase off immigrants and ‘strangers’.
Time has since passed.Trump has been elected President once before. He had inaugurated and presided over a divided America, promoted divisive policies that discriminated against blacks, Muslims and immigants especially from the rest of Latin America and the world. Stiff opposition to his divisive policies and stance has yielded the emergence of separatist movements including whitesupremacistfactionslikeProudBoys,MAGA. Black Lives Matter etc. His illiterate opposition to Covid-19 vaccinations and mask mandate facilitated his defeat by Joe Biden and the Democrats. In turn, a rather tepid and unimpressive tenure by theDemocratshasusheredMr.Trumpbackintothe White House with a rousing mandate dominated by mostly white supremacist Americans and a hostile atmosphere against immigrants and a more diverse nation.
Armedwithafundamentalistagendaandfanatical hostility to immigrants, diversity, equality and integrative policies,Trump has in the last over 100 days presided over an isolationist, divisive and belligerent America, mistaking his new mandate for a vote for his extremist positions. His aggressive hostility towards individual nations-Mexico, Canada, Panama, Greenland, Denmark and other selected destinations has attracted to America the hostility and danger of erstwhile allies and presumed friends. In a thoughtless sweep of tariff wars against virtually every imaginable nation, Trump was in the process of upending the American economy when common sense pulled him back from the brinks. The Chines wrestled him to the ground and taught him the wisdom of discernment.
In an attempt to regain the acclaim which his ego values over and above basic common sense, he seems to have stumbled back to the original appeal of his presidential template. Trump was first admired for bringing the “can do” spirit of a businessmogulto‘draintheswamp’ofWashington.
People looked forward to a new ethos, the ethos of a business culture and deal making to drive the stalled business of American governance. While the cultural and diplomatic hostilities that he has ignited glow in the background, Trump has reawakened the art of ‘deal making’ as his original primary appeal. In addition, he is dangling global salesmanship of America asasubstituteforconventionaldiplomacy and foreign relations. To the American business community, he is dangling the prospect of heavy financial returns in the form of mega investments in the US economy to speed up economic growth and recovery.
In the last one week or more, this note of self rediscovery has turned Mr.Trump’s attention to salesmanship and marketing of America more as a merchandise than as a global power leader. When reminded that his tariff blunders were beginning to drive the American economy to tank and isolate the United States into an isolated cubicle, Mr.Trump has revised his rhetoric into a desire to lure major partners to negotiate and make a deal. Predictably, the language of deal making as a strategy can only appeal to countries with large resource base and with an eye on leveraging the United States’ strategic and economic advantages.
Like the business man that he is, Mr. Trumphaspredictablysurroundedhimself with the major pillars of American finance andcapital.Rightfromhisinauguration,he has deliberately surrounded himself with the richest names in the United States. He even offered Elon Musk a slot in his cabinet to help him reduce the costs of governmentthroughaconsciousdisorganization of the machinery of government in Washington. In the process, the basic infrastructure of American soft power both at home and globally has been disoriented. Worldwide, American is being weakened progressively. Mr. Musk has beaten an untidy retreat to tend the business of Tesla and other matters.
Lacking the capacity to conduct diplomacy as the time honoured language of
international relations, Mr. Trump has taken to hectoring allies and seeking to entice new allies into profitable deals. In this pursuit to replace diplomacy with transactional deals, Mr. Trump decided to head to carefully chosen Middle East countries in quest of new alliances and deals. He just returned from a four day trip to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. During the trips, Mr. Trip signed over 250 deals on a wide range of transactions covering investment, defense, technology, Artificial Intelligence etc.
In all of these deal making encounters, Mr. Trump, the quintessential business man and real estate wheeler dealer, did not forget his personal interests. In all the countries he chose to visit, there is a thinly disguised Trump mega investment and private project.These range from luxury resorts to Golf Courses, high rise towers to vast real estate ventures.
Easily the most conspicuous spin-off of these deal making ventures was the offer of a $450 million Boeing 747 clone jet Air Force One to Mr. Trump from the government of Qatar, a wealthy known financier of Hamas and other terrorist squads in the Middle East. This offer left Mr. Trump gasping for moral breadth as he was reminded of the constitutional, ethical and security barriers to his acceptance of such an unusual grandiose gift.
Beyond this hasty reversion to deal making in place of diplomacy, Mr. Trump has returned to Washingtontofacetherealchallengesofpresiding over the United States as the lead nation of the worldwithreallifechallenges athomeandabroad. The calamity of Israel’s atrocious war in Gaza is festering. The prospect of a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine remains as untidy and in tatters as ever. No one knows how the stand off between India and Pakistan will end.
A good number of the tariff wars set off by Mr. Trump remain smoldering and largely unresolved and may now return to haunt him.
There is a limit to deal making and deliberate provocation as strategies of national leadership. National and international leadership by a major global power remains a task of grit and grind demanding the old arts of governance and bureaucratic due process at home and diplomatic nuance abroad.The ways of government are as a long and winding as the corridors and hallways of the offices in which the business of state is run. Sometimes, governments work best with
crowds of employees milling around numerous questionable offices unlike a private corporation in which each occupied seat or cubicle is accounted for. One of the unexplored secrets of governments all over the world is that of why governments build foolish structures, observe stupid ceremonies and say foolish things. Sometimes, what is called the wisdom of state is elementary idiocy. That is government 101!
In the post 100-day period, Mr. trump and his handlers will come to grips with the reality that governance is still an ancient madness. It has its methods, its peculiar language and body language. Even more peculiar are the demands of diplomacy and the demands of international relations. Nations bend and bow for each other in a peculiar manner that also has its language , demands and expectations. Wars are not commanded to end in 24 hours. Long held treaties do not just end abruptly. International boundaries drawn up after centuries old negotiations and treaties do not just end because some tyrant desires it to be so. Above all, the sovereignty of nations is not a function of the size of their territories or armies but the sanctity of their national histories and the reciprocal respect to which such history entitles each nation.
Back at home, Mr. Trump will have to decide whether presidential power is all about Trump and his billionaire friends or the welfare of the common American whose life circumstances are determined by prices in the grocery shop. Matters like gasoline prices, price of eggs, basic medications, rents, access to food etc. will come to override the movements of figures on Wall Street. Trump now has to make a deal with ordinary Americans over these issues of bread and butter.
By the mid term, the footprints of what may become the Trump legacy will have been firmly imprinted on the American landscape. The rough and tumble of the Trump era will have become something to prolong or forever discard as a bad dream. The hour is coming when Trump’s trade mark rhetoric will no longer appeal to anyone. The insults will be directed at himself. America will by then have come to decide whether it opted for positive reform of its democratic heritage or the institution of a pseudo monarchy of the Trump family and friends.
Like Trump is right now telling Iran: the United States can never ever have a king or a monarchy!
Eberechi Eze was Crystal Palace’s hero on Saturday evening as his lone goal won the first major trophy in the club’s history with a 1-0 victory against Manchester City in the FACup final at Wembley. He crowned a superb counter-attack by sweeping home Daniel Munoz’s cross
after 16 minutes into the net for the only goal of the night.
Manchester City, meanwhile, endured a day of total frustration as they failed to win a trophy in a season for the first time since manager Pep Guardiola’s first campaign in charge in 2016-17.
They were furious when Palace keeper Dean Henderson was not shown a red card when he handled outside his area under pressure from
Abiodun Promises N2.5m Cash Reward for Ogun Athletes’ Gold Medal Winners
Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has promised a reward of N2.5 million for each gold medal won by the state’s athletes at the National Sports Festival officially kicking off today in the state.
The governor also promised the sum of N1.5 million and N1 million, respectively, for each silver and bronze medal won at the competition.
Governor Abiodun made the promise when he visited the Athletics Camp at Bab-
cock University, Ilisan-Remo, Ikenne Local Government Area of the state.
Addressing the state contingents at the camp, Governor Abiodun further promised the sum of N50,000 to each participating Ogun State athlete within 24 hours, urging them to go and make the state proud.
“I understand that when you win a medal, there is an instant award. Once you get a medal, you get a reward, a huge one.
“Anyone who wins a gold medal in this festival will receive from me the sum of N2.5 million.
“For every silver medal, I will give that medalist N1.5 million.
Erling Haaland in the first half, the video assistant referee (VAR) adjudging that City’s striker was moving away from goal and therefore not denied a clear opportunity.
Henderson then emerged
as Palace’s hero when he saved Omar Marmoush’s penalty after 36 minutes following Tyrick Mitchell’s foul on Bernardo Silva, Haaland stepping aside from spot-kick duties after failing with three
of his past seven attempts. City dominated possession but Oliver Glasner’s side defended magnificently, with Henderson outstanding, saving from Haaland, Josko Gvardiol and Jeremy Doku
in the first half, then denying Claudio Echeverri after the break.
The final whistle sparked scenes of ecstasy among Palace fans as the long wait for success was over for the Eagles.
Duro Ikhazuagbein doha
Africa’s top male player, Quadri Aruna, opened his 2025
ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Men’s Singles campaign inside the Qatar University Sports Complex here in Doha with a commanding 4-0 (11-9, 11-7, 11-7, 11-9) victory over Brazil’s Victor Ishiy.
The 2024 African champion is one of the top contenders here for the title.
Other Nigerian players who also began their opening games in flying starts include Olajide Omotayo and Kabirat Ayoola
who delivered a gripping performance in the Mixed Doubles.
The duo edged out Egypt’s Mahmoud Helmy and Hend Fathy in a five-game thriller, winning 3-2 (9-11, 11-6, 11-7, 10-12, 11-7) to advance to the second round.
Despite a rocky start, dropping the first game, Omotayo and Ayoola showed resilience and tactical brilliance to turn the match around and secure a hard-fought victory.
However, it was a tough day for several African players in the Singles events. Nigeria’s Hope Udoaka fell to Brazil’s Giulia Takahashi in straight sets (3-11, 1-11, 6-11, 8-11), while Egypt’s Aly Ghallab, Ethiopia’s Darara Dufera, and Madagascar’s Fabio Rakotoari-
manana also exited early after 4-0 defeats to their respective opponents. There was better news for Egypt’s Yousra Helmy, who impressed with a 4-1 (11-7, 11-7, 11-8, 9-11, 11-6) win over
Nigerian sprinter, Favour Ofili, has raced into track & field history as she sets a world record in the women’s 150m event with a new 15.85secs (2.0m/s wind gauge) at the 2025 Adidas Atlanta City Games on Saturday evening. Bahamas’ Olympic champion, Shaunae
Miller-Uibo, set the previous 16.23s world record in 2018.
Ofili, the same 22-year-old sprinter who was denied competing in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games 100m event due to non entry of her name for the event she duly qualified for by the Athletic Federation of Nigeria (AFN), became the first woman to dip under 16 secs in the 150m race. She also became the second Nigerian, male or female to also hold a world record. Tobi Amusan became the first Nigerian ever to break a world record when she erased
Keni Harrison previous record of 12.20secs to set a new 12.12 secs in one of the semi final races of the 2022 World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, USA.
TheAdidasAtlanta City Games yesterday is a unique street-style athletics event held outside traditional stadium settings. It brings both athletes and fans closer. Also at the event, Nigerian male sprinter, Udodi Onwuzurike, impressed, running a season’s best of 10.20 seconds to finish second in the sprint heat behind South Africa’s Akani Simbine, who won in 10.13s.
Australia’s Jocelyn Lam to move into the second round of the Women’s Singles. Elsewhere, the tournament saw its first major upset as unseeded Italians Mihai Bobocica and Niagol Stoyanov stunned 12th seeds Eduard Ionescu and Bernadette Szőcs with a dominant 3-0 (15-13, 11-7, 11-3) win in the Mixed Doubles. This prestigious global tournament features over 300 athletes from more than 70 member associations, competing across five categories: Men’s Singles, Women’s Singles, Men’s Doubles, Women’s Doubles, and Mixed Doubles. Action will continue over nine thrilling days at the Lusail Multipurpose Hall and Qatar University Sports Complex in Doha here.
May I confess upfront that I am a fan of Prof Ish’aq Oloyede, the registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). I have been genuinely impressed with the energy, commitment and innovation that he has brought to the organisation since he was appointed as the CEO in 2016. It very much reminds me of the oomph Prof Dora Akunyili brought to the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) when she was appointed as the director-general in 2001. Within a short period, Akunyili had vigorously made NAFDAC’s impact felt all over the country. Till today, many Nigerians, including NAFDAC staff, reminisce over her tenure with smiles on their faces.
Oloyede, as the man charged with leading the body that conducts entrance examinations into higher institutions of learning in Nigeria, also started making his impact felt as soon as he assumed office, confronting the corrosion in the ecosystem — from JAMB itself to the conduct of examinations. The fraud, particularly in the conduct of examinations, was of monumental proportions. The introduction of computer-based test (CBT) improved the process, with JAMB leveraging on technology to tackle malpractices, facilitate assessment and shorten the turnaround time. Oloyede has also, to a considerable extent, cut down on wastes and improved staff welfare since mounting the saddle.
However, things seem to be unravelling with the fiasco surrounding the 2025 unified tertiary matriculation examination (UTME). When the results were released, 78 percent of candidates scored less than 200 out of the 400 obtainable points. Amid the public outcry, Oloyede said the results reflected the “true academic abilities” of the students because JAMB had clamped down on cheating. Dr Tunji Alausa, minister of education, said advanced anti-examination malpractice technologies had made cheating “nearly impossible”. Government officials often talk down on us. They always blame the victims. This rush for self-justification is uncharitable and unfortunate.
I sadly remember when 20 young Nigerians died in a stampede at the NIS recruitment centre in Abuja in 2014. Comrade Abba Moro, then minister of interior, callously accused them of being “unruly”. He is now a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and pro-chancellor and chairman of the governing council of the University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Benue state. Rather than the resort to victim-blaming, the first question should have been around what crowd control measures the recruitment consultants put in place when thousands of applicants were invited to write the test. As it is our custom and tradition in Nigeria, human life hardly matters in our overall consideration.
Back to JAMB. An emotional Oloyede addressed the media on Wednesday, admitting that there was a technical glitch with the marking system which distorted the results of nearly 380,000 candidates in 157 centres across Lagos and Owerri. He took personal responsibility, tendered an apology and accepted that the board’s reputation had taken a hit “despite rigorous quality assurance measures put in place before the examination”. As an anti-cheating measure, answer options were scrambled so that students sitting next to each other would not successfully do “giraffe” since a candidate’s option A may be the neighbour’s option B. Sadly, something went wrong with the technology.
I would like to express my reaction to the shambles through a series of posers. My first line of questioning is: why is JAMB always in a hurry to release results? This might sound contradictory because I just praised Oloyede for leveraging on technology to improve the process. In our days, students used to wait for months to get the results of what used to be called university matriculation examination (UME). These days, the results are ready within the twinkle of an eye — thanks to
technology. Candidates do not need to live with the anxiety of checking newspapers daily to know when results will be released. It is great progress but we can now see that it has its own downside.
And this is my point. Technology, as divine as it looks, is not infallible. It would not hurt to subject the work of technology to human review because of possible bugs and breaches. This year, students complained about being unable to log in to their systems. Also, some questions did not appear on the screen. “Up NEPA” (power cuts) also meant some could not write the test at all. These are issues that can be addressed if a review is carried out immediately after the exam — and before the results are released. However, JAMB only does reviews months after the results are released, thereby presenting a fait accompli to the candidates. I want to believe a lesson has been learnt from this.
My second question is: why reschedule exam for so soon?
Oloyede announced the technological failure on Wednesday and fixed Friday for resit. We are dealing with hundreds of thousands of probably disoriented teenagers being asked to study for, and re-write, four papers within 48 hours. I am obviously not a good example of a smart student — I was this type that did not want to touch my books for a long period after writing an exam. I just wanted to exhale. (By the way, I hated — and still hate — exams.) It always took a lot for me to prepare mentally and emotionally to write an exam. I hope none of the affected 380,000 candidates is like me, otherwise this is not going to be pretty.
Third question: maybe this is not the first technological glitch? Maybe it has been happening all along and JAMB only papered over it and put up a strong face? Technological failures are universal. I run an online newspaper and technology regularly injures us. There is nothing peculiar to Nigeria about that. However, for years, candidates had been complaining that their UTME results did not reflect what they thought they deserved. Of course, students would always look for an excuse for failing an exam (the blame is always on the examiner), but maybe some of the complainants have a good case. We cannot afford to dismiss every complaint if we really and truly want to progress the system.
Although JAMB acted honourably by owning up to its error this time, there is a risk. I hope it will not become a weapon in the hands of candidates to start questioning
the integrity of every result in the future. If I know us well, candidates who actually fail may start saying it is because of a glitch. People write and fail exams on a normal day, technology or no technology. Unfortunately, some react badly. My heart goes to the family of 19-year-old Miss Timilehin Faith Opesusi, who wrote the exam in Ikorodu, Lagos state, and reportedly committed suicide on seeing her score — said to be 146. There is no evidence she was affected by the glitch but nobody should die this way. This is so, so tragic.
My second to the last question: why does JAMB take joy in sending candidates to exam centres that are many miles from home? In this age of technology and cost of living crisis — not to forget insecurity — why should students be sent so far away? The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) spoke to parents in Cross River state. They were full of lamentations. Mr Jonas Achi, a parent, said the process was complicated for his family — from the registration to writing the examination. “To make matters worse, many children were posted to Akwa Ibom from Cross River for their examination, others to local governments like Obudu, which can take up to eight hours of travelling from Calabar,” he said. Achi said another challenge was the examination starting at 6:30am. He asked: “How does JAMB expect the candidates to make it to the centre by such time to write their examination?”
Johnson Etim, another parent, told NAN: “After going through the pains of registering my daughter, she was still posted to Akamkpa LGA which is a two to three hours journey from Calabar without minding that many of these children are just teenagers. My neighbour’s son was posted to Ikom, which is a four to five-hour journey from Calabar for the same examination. This is a place the boy had never been to before.” This was a common experience nationwide. Now, imagine having to do that all over again!
My last question, which actually should be the only one, is the continued relevance of UTME in the scheme of things. To be sure, this question has nothing to do with the current fiasco. It has been on my mind for a while. Now that we are here, maybe we should now start having an open, sincere conversation over this. The purpose of JAMB when it was established in 1978 was to unify university entrance exams. Before then, universities individually handled admissions. Candidates would apply to universities and each institution would apply its own criteria in picking intakes. JAMB thereafter became the central body conducting entrance examinations and offering places to candidates. Over time, the quality of candidates being offered admissions by JAMB began to fall, amid reports of exam fraud. Candidates were hiring exam writers to do the heavy lifting for them, while some centres were notorious for aiding and abetting cheating. I recall the story of a lady who got the highest score in UME but could barely write her name! Worried by the menace, universities succeeded in getting a reluctant JAMB to let them organise what they called post-UTME tests as another layer of filtering candidates. Some candidates who were scoring high hundreds in UTME suddenly found themselves struggling to get decent scores in post-UTME tests. This helped the weeding process enormously. As time went by, universities toughened up. Today, UTME score is just one of the three items in the basket. A candidate’s O-Level result now goes into the basket, weighed along with UTME score and post-UTME result. This has helped to address the gaming of UTME. But maybe we should take a step further by taking the function of conducting entrance exams from JAMB? As suggested by some commentators, JAMB could still be the central body co-ordinating admissions and setting policy standards, but the schools can offer admissions based on O-Level results and their own tests. Maybe JAMB is no longer fit for purpose? Maybe the time has come to debate this matter more seriously?
BOKO BOUNCE
Nigeria has been recording a reverse in the war against terror. Lt Gen Olufemi Oluyede, who succeeded the highly efficient late Lt Gen Taoreed Lagbaja as the army chief, has carried out extensive shuffles but maybe they are yet to bed in — assuming square pegs are in square holes. What we can see is that Boko Haram is in resurgence and the gains of recent years are fast disappearing. Gen Chris Musa, the chief of defence staff, thinks the upsurge is a spillover from the onslaught on terrorists in the Sahel region. He also blamed porous borders. We need to look inward as much as we look outward. We cannot afford renewed terrorism and insurgency. Distressing.
‘JAPA JANTIS’
Mr Afolabi Ayantayo, the Lagos state commissioner for establishments and training, revealed last week that three in 10 civil servants sent on foreign training did not return to Nigeria. In simple English, they opted to “japa”. This is not completely new — for decades, African athletes have regularly disappeared during international competitions in advanced countries. Ayantayo said it is undermining Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s programme of international training to improve the state’s civil service. Maybe Lagos should start patronising local institutions. I won’t be surprised if these defectors are still being paid in full. We shouldn’t be losing on both sides, should we? Ghosts.
CUT AND PASTE
Here we go again — trying to create a solution to solve a problem without understanding its root. The house of reps is cooking a bill to impose a six-month jail term on qualified Nigerians who fail to vote. That means 68 million Nigerians might have gone to jail for not voting in the 2023 elections. Pray, what is Nigeria’s prison capacity? How many judges do we have? What is the feeding budget for prison? But why are we proposing a law on compulsory voting? According to Hon Benjamin Kalu, the deputy speaker, it is because that is what obtains in Australia! Can you beat that? I find the process of lawmaking (and policymaking) in Nigeria not only very shallow but incredibly bemusing. Cruise.
Wait for this: Nigeria is about to establish an agency to “eradicate” malaria. The name? NAME! Yes, the National Agency for Malaria Eradication (NAME). You mean it is so easy to “eradicate” malaria and we haven’t created an agency to do the job since 1914? I’m sure it’s some smart guys at work. Meanwhile, we did not create any agency to eradicate polio. And there is now a malaria vaccine. Since President Bola Tinubu ordered “immediate” implementation of the Oronsaye report to reduce the size of government, we have been busy creating more agencies weekly. What next? A bill to establish the Bureau for the Repression and Eradication of Acne and Diarrhoea (BREAD)? Hahahaha.