SUNDAY 19TH OCTOBER 2025 by THISDAY Newspapers Ltd

Cardoso: $8bn New Investments in Energy Sector Evidence of Improved Security, Success of Tinubu’s Reforms

Eromosele Abiodun and Nume Ekeghe in Washington DC The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr.

Seriki Adinoyi in Jos and Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, has described the ruling party as the new

bride, disclosing that several prominent members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) will join the ruling

party next week.

But in a counter reaction, the National Secretary of the ADC and former Governor of

Yilwatda: APC is the New Bride, Key ADC Figures Will Join Ruling Party Next Week Democracy is Forever, Military Declares, Dismisses Rumour of Coup Plot

Linus

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) yesterday declared that the current democracy in Nigeria is forever, promising that the military would not tolerate any behaviour that undermines its integrity or threatens its constitutional role under democratic authority.

The clarification by the DHQ comes amidst a fresh revelation that a Brigadier General, a Colonel, and a Lieutenant Colonel were among the 16 military officers in detention for what the military described as misconduct.

There were speculations that the officers were arrested

Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, declared that the ruling APC has failed to deliver on its promises to Nigerians and would be replaced by ADC in 2027. Continued on page 5

Aleke in Abuja

Despite Competition from Fintech, Banks’ Fee Income Soars 23% to N986.5bn in Half-year 2025

By Kayode Tokede

Despite mounting competition from fintech operators, Nigeria’s tier one and mid tier banks have strengthened their non interest income streams, posting a combined N986.5 billion in fees and commission income in the first half of 2025, representing a 23 per cent surge from the N805.3 billion

over a failed coup attempt that was to be executed on October 1, 2025.

But the DHQ has dismissed the claim that some top generals were being held at the underground detention facility of the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) in Abuja, insisting that its October 4 statement on the arrest of the 16 officers for professional misconduct never mentioned a coup.

A statement issued yesterday by the Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, also described as false and

In recent weeks, the APC has seen a wave of new entrants from opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The Governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah, recently joined the party, while Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State is reportedly set to formalise his defection soon.

Speaking during a meeting with APC stakeholders in Jos, Plateau State, Yilwatda said: “Next week, I will be receiving some notable figures from the ADC. Some of those who had earlier defected from the Peoples Democratic Party

of State for Finance, Doris Uzoka‑Anite, revealed that Nigeria has joined a new agricultural innovation programme spearheaded by the World Bank, aimed at scaling agribusiness development through blended finance support for women and youth led enterprises.

The federal government, Cardoso stressed, has ensured improved security in oil producing regions and sustained policy reforms over the past two years.

He stated this while addressing journalists at the conclusion of the International Monetary Fund (IMF)/World Bank Annual Meetings in Washington, D.C. Nigeria is set to assume the chairmanship of the

recorded in the corresponding period of 2024.

A THISDAY analysis of financial statements from seven leading banks, including Zenith Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA), Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO), Stanbic IBTC Holdings, FCMB Group, and Wema Bank, revealed that transactions across PoS, USSD, ATM, and internet

misleading, an insinuation that the cancellation of activities marking Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary on October 1 was linked to an alleged attempted military coup.

While describing the viral report as entirely false and malicious, DHQ said it was intended to cause unnecessary tension and distrust among the populace.

The DHQ explained that the decision to cancel the 65th Independence anniversary parade was taken to allow President Bola Tinubu to attend a strategic bilateral

(PDP) to the ADC are now returning to the APC.”

The APC chairman added that many of the incoming members “have completed their medicals” and will be formally unveiled next week.

“In another two weeks, we will unveil yet another big figure who just finished his own medicals. He tried to unveil himself the day before yesterday, and you may have seen it in the news. But officially, we’ll be receiving him soon,” Yilwatda continued.

Yilwatda described the APC as “the bride of the moment,” noting that more politicians —

Intergovernmental Group of 24 (G 24) on November 1.

The apex governor explained that the reforms implemented over the last two years, ranging from foreign exchange unification and monetary tightening to fiscal consolidation, have started yielding tangible outcomes, including moderating inflation, stabilising the exchange rate, and restoring investor trust.

Cardoso said: “Reduced insecurity in oil producing areas and targeted incentives have increased production and attracted over $8 billion in new energy investments. Public finances are in better shape, with rising non oil revenues providing much needed diversification and fiscal stability.”

He reaffirmed the apex

banking platforms drove the impressive rise, underscoring the resilience of traditional lenders in defending their turf amid the fintech onslaught.

The growth was fuelled largely by a widening customer base and higher fees from credit related services, account maintenance, foreign currency transactions, and electronic product commissions.

meeting outside the country and for members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) to sustain momentum in the fight against terrorism, insurgency, and banditry.

“Furthermore, the DHQ wishes to reassure Nigerians that the ongoing investigation involving the sixteen officers is a routine internal process aimed at ensuring that discipline and professionalism are maintained within the ranks. An investigative panel has been duly constituted, and its findings will be made public,” the statement added.

The DHQ called on all

including senators, governors, and members of the National Assembly — were preparing to join the party.

“The beauty of the APC is that it welcomes everyone, regardless of when they join,” he said.

“You don’t have to be in the APC from the beginning to rise. I am a testimony to that. If you join today, you are a full member with full rights and privileges. That’s the spirit of our party’s constitution.”

ADC will Replace APC in 2027, Aregbesola Insists

Meanwhile, the National

bank’s commitment to sustaining ongoing economic reforms, warning against the dangers of “reform fatigue” that could erode recent policy gains.

The CBN governor emphasised the importance of policy consistency and clear communication as inflation begins to trend downward.

He said the CBN remains focused on consolidating the progress achieved so far in restoring macroeconomic stability.

“We want to ensure that the policies we have already applied stay the course and that we don’t allow reform fatigue to set in. The risk and danger of allowing reform fatigue is that we may lose all the gains we have already benefited from. So,

However, digital only banks such as Opay, Moniepoint, Palmpay, and Kuda continue to woo customers with zero charges on deposits and transfers.

While fintech firms gained traction with no charge models, the federal government’s decision to enforce a N50 Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL) on all transactions from

peace loving citizens to continue to provide necessary support to security agencies.

It stated that the federal government, the legislature, and the judiciary are working closely together to ensure the safety, development, and well being of the nation.

While noting that democracy is forever, the DHQ added that the Armed Forces of Nigeria remain firmly loyal to the Constitution and to the federal government, under the leadership of the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Secretary of the ADC, Aregbesola, has declared that the ADC has emerged as the credible alternative to rescue the country in 2027.

Speaking yesterday in Ilorin, Kwara State capital during the official inauguration of the party’s new state secretariat, Aregbesola said the nation was suffering the consequences of leadership failure and policy inconsistencies under the current administration.

“Under the APC, governance has lost its essence and purpose. Hunger, insecurity and infrastructural decay have become the order of the day. Nigerians deserve better, and

we must continue to show results, because this is not a short dash, it’s a marathon. As inflation begins to trend down, which it will, people must see and feel the benefits to know that better days lie ahead.”

Cardoso, who was the leader of the Nigerian delegation, highlighted the CBN’s growing engagement with fintech companies, saying innovation and regulation must progress together to ensure inclusion and responsible growth.

He said, “The Fintech meeting and its outcomes were, frankly, more of a meeting for us to hear from them. We had already held several engagements at different levels of the bank with fintech operators, where

N10,000 and above, effective December 1, 2024, narrowed the competitive gap.

The levy, introduced under the 2020 Finance Act, ensured that both banks and fintechs now operate on a more level fiscal field.

Analysts noted that fintechs’ aggressive pricing has created a new savings and withdrawal behaviour among

The military had, on October 4, informed the public that a routine military exercise had resulted in the arrest of 16 officers over issues of indiscipline and breach of service regulations.

It revealed that some of the apprehended officers had already been under military jurisdiction for various offences, either awaiting or undergoing trial, adding that their conduct was deemed incompatible with the standards of military service.

However, quoting unnamed military sources, reports had claimed that the detained

that is what the ADC stands to offer,” he said.

He accused the ruling party of promoting political intolerance and undermining democratic space by harassing opposition members.

“If the APC were confident in its popularity, it wouldn’t resort to intimidation and fear,” he said.

The ADC national scribe added that his party was preparing strategically for the 2027 general election to ensure that “the will of the people prevails.”

Also speaking at the ceremony, former Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed,

we called them in, listened to their concerns, and developed what I would describe as a draft blueprint. It summarised the discussions, their pain points, and our understanding of where the road of travel should be.”

Speaking on events that occurred at the meetings, Uzoka Anite said: “Nigeria is also participating in the human capital and conclave, where the theme for this annual meeting is from sectors to systems, building drawbridge, economies to scale, and this resonates very strongly with Nigeria's developmental priorities, particularly in our commitment to structural reforms, job creation, and resilient infrastructure.

"So, basically, at this event, we were also able to

bank customers, compelling traditional banks to innovate around loyalty, convenience, and reliability.

UBA led the industry with N253.6 billion in fees and commission income for H1 2025, a modest 1.2 per cent rise from N250.7 billion in 2024, with N100.5 billion coming from electronic banking alone, nearly 40 per cent of the total.

officers were involved in a coup plot, which was to be executed on October 1.

“Their grievances were that they were not promoted and that even their juniors were promoted above them.

“They were to execute their plan on October 1. They were to target some areas for bombing, including the Presidential Villa and the Abuja airport,” one of the sources explained.

Another source explained that the military officers had a civilian accomplice, who was a player in the oil and gas sector.

described the unveiling as the beginning of a new political movement in Kwara.

“The ADC represents a new direction in our political trajectory. We are building a people driven platform that will reflect the collective aspirations of Kwarans,” he said.

The National Publicity Secretary of the ADC and former Minister of Youth and Sports, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, echoed similar sentiments, asserting that the PDP had become politically irrelevant.

“The PDP is a dead party waiting for its formal obituary. The ADC is now the only real opposition in Nigeria", he said.

enumerate the effect of the reforms of the government in sustaining macroeconomic stability. First of all, you know, after stability, then we now start looking at growth, and in our fiscal management now, we are prioritising investments into infrastructure, into the digital economy, into agriculture.

“And Nigeria also joined the World Bank in the agriculture programme that is going to scale innovation in the Agri space, including the use of blended finance to support women and youth led businesses in the agric sector. This is actually some of the initiatives of the World Bank that we think will catalyse the sort of good job creation and job growth that we are seeing.”

UBA’S WHITE PAPER PRESENTATION…

Family, Peter Obi, Others Mourn as ARISE NEWS Anchor, Sommie Maduagwu is Laid to Rest

Deceased’s uncle commends TV management for supporting the family

David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

The family of ARISE NEWS Channel anchor, Somtochukwu Christelle Maduagwu, fondly called Sommie, the presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general election, Mr. Peter Obi and many other dignitaries yesterday mourned as she was interred in her father's compound.

Sommie was interred at around 1:30 pm at Agulu, Anaocha Local Government Area (LGA) of Anambra State, which incidentally is Obi’s hometown.

Delivering a homily at the burial mass at St Theresa Catholic Church, Agulu,

a priest from the parish, Reverend Father Peter Ezewuzie, consoled the family, urging them to take solace in the fact that Sommie lived a quality life.

He said: "The Lord who created us knows the beginning from the end. He is all-knowing, and some of you may be unhappy that a life has been cut short, but you won't know if that is how God planned it.

"He (God) is an all-knowing father; so, I urge you to grieve less. God, who gave Christelle Somtoo Maduagwu to your family, loves her more than you do. The only thing you owe her is to continue to remember her in your prayers.

PDP’s Chances of Regaining Power

Dwindle as Former Jonathan’s Aide, Dudafa Announces Defection to APC

Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa

The political fortune of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has continued to dwindle as a former Senior Special Assistant to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan on Domestic Matters and Social Events, Dr. Waripamo-owei Dudafa, formally announced his defection from the main opposition party to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Dudafa, who also previously served as a member of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, announced in a statement issued yesterday in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital. In a letter of resignation addressed to the Chairman of PDP in Southern Opokuma/

Ayibabiri Ward 8 in Kolokuma Opukuma Local Government Area (LGA), he stated that his decision to quit the PDP followed a period of deep reflection and consultation with his political associates, supporters, and family members.

"Throughout my time with the party, I have been deeply committed to our shared values and goals, and it has been an honour to work with so many dedicated individuals."

He stated that the unresolved disputes, particularly at the national level, have significantly impeded the country’s ability to move forward, rather it creates an environment of conflict that's no longer conducive to advancing the shared values and objectives.

She is in a better place today and will always remember us, too.

"The maturity of life is the quality of life lived and not how long, and we can be sure that our sister lived a quality life. Let us strive to live our lives well. We are not here by chance; there is someone who brought us here, and he expects that you will live a good life because no

one knows when it will be their time."

Obi, who also addressed those in attendance after Mass, said: "We cannot question God. When I heard of her death, I didn't know that she was Agulu even before I tweeted about it.

"Our coming here will help to console you, but we know that this loss is a huge one. It is the wish of God, and

none of us can question God. Please do remember her and her immediate family in your prayers.

"Before I left Birmingham yesterday, I told some people who were with me that I was rushing back to Nigeria for the burial of one of my daughters. I told them to remember to pray for her all the time as she will be buried today,” Obi added.

The late Sommie’s uncle, Mr. Obi Maduagwu, who is the elder brother of her dad, praised ARISE NEWS Channel for standing by the family from the moment the news of her death broke. He said: "We thank the management of ARISE NEWS. They have been with us right from the beginning. We thank all who journeyed all the way to be with us."

Nigeria’s Population to Grow By 130m in 2050, Says World Bank President

Eromosele Abiodun in Washington DC

President of the World Bank Group, Ajay Banga, has projected that Nigeria’s population will grow by about 130 million by the year 2050.

Banga made the projection during the 2025 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.

According to data

from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Nigeria’s current population is estimated at 237.5 million.

The anticipated increase, Banga said, would firmly position Nigeria among the most populous nations in the world.

“Nigeria will swell by about 130 million, firmly establishing itself as one of the most populous nations in the world,” he stated.

Banga also highlighted demographic trends across

Africa, noting that Zambia is expected to add 700,000 people annually, while Mozambique’s population is projected to double by 2050.

“We are living through one of the great demographic shifts in human history,” he said.

The World Bank chief emphasised that by 2050, over 85 percent of the global population will reside in countries currently classified as developing. He

further noted that within the next 10 to 15 years, around 1.2 billion young people will enter the global workforce, competing for only about 400 million available jobs.

“That leaves a very large gap,” Banga warned. He added that over the next decade, four young people will join the global workforce every second.

“With their energy and ideas, they will shape the century ahead,” he said.

South-east Seeks over N200bn to Resuscitate Region’s Economy

The South-east geopolitical zone is seeking over N200 billion to resuscitate its economy, accelerate development, and incentivise Ndi-Igbo across the world to "think home" in their investment choices.

The South-East Business and Investment Summit Group, in collaboration with the Enugu State Government, multilateral organisations,

traditional institutions in the region, as well as political and religious leaders, is spearheading efforts to re-energise the region’s economy.

Speaking during a roadshow/town hall meeting organised by SEBIS in Abuja, its Executive Secretary, Dr Ifedi Okwenna, revealed that the organisation is set to launch the first phase of a N50 billion Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises

(MSME) Fund to revitalise small businesses in the region.

The former Anambra State Commissioner for Environment further revealed that the second phase, which involves bankable projects, requires no fewer than N200 billion for successful implementation. He, however, regretted that the Igbo apprenticeship scheme, which has been recognised by the Harvard

School of Economics and the United Nations as one of the most effective models for poverty alleviation, is dying out in the South-east. He stated: “We are launching a N50 billion MSME fund, which will take place on 26th October. The fund will be a dedicated one, which we plan to use to re-energise MSMEs in the Southeast. We are the hub of MSMEs, but we are no longer doing well.”

Linus Aleke in Abuja

L-R: Minister of Finance and Budget, Chad, Hon. Tahir Hamid Nguilin; Assistant Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School, Prof. Marlous van Waijenburg; Group Chairman, United Bank for Africa, and Heirs Holdings, Mr. Tony O. Elumelu; Minister of State for Finance, Nigeria, Hon. Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite; Minister of Finance and Budget, Central African Republic, Hon. Hervé Ndoba, at the UBA Roundtable marking the formal presentation of its white paper, held at the World Bank Headquarters, Washington DC….recently

Transition to Glory

With great sadness but with total submission to the will of God, the Ikimi family of Igueben, Edo State, regret to announce the passing of our Brother, Uncle and Father

Chief Chief IGHODARO IKIMI BEN

July 18, 1952 - October 9, 2025 (73 Years)

We love and miss him and thank God for a life well spent. May his gentle and creative soul rest in perfect peace.

WEDNESDAY 29 OCTOBER 2025 TH THURSDAY 30 OCTOBER 2025 TH

SERVICE OF SONGS/MULTI-DIMENSIONAL

PRAISE WORSHIP TRIBUTES NIGHT

Venue: MADONNA EVENT CENTER 30, Airport Road, Benin City, Edo State

Time: 5.00pm

WAKE KEEPING

Venue: CHIEF BEN IKIMI’S RESIDENCE Igueben Town, Igueben Local Government, Igueben, Edo State. Time: 6.00pm

FRIDAY 31 OCTOBER 2025 ST

FUNERAL MASS FOLLOWED BY PRIVATE INTERMENT

Venue: ST. JOSEPH’S CATHOLIC CHURCH, Igueben Town, Igueben Local Government, Igueben, Edo State | Time: 12.00pm

Reception for Guests in Celebration of Ben’s Life follows thereafter at his residence

BROTHER:

HIGH CHIEF TOM IKIMI FNIA KSG CON THE ODUMA OF ESANLAND

BROTHER-IN-LAW : DR. ALAN FATAYI-WILLIAMS

SISTERS:

MADAME GRACE CONDE

MS ROSELINE IKIMI

DAME MARIE FATAYI-WILLIAMS

NEPHEWS, NIECES, COUSINS & GODSONS

Signed : Dame Marie Fatayi-Williams (For the Ikimi Family)

GIVING ACCOUNT OF STEWARDSHIP…

Our National Legal Adviser, Ajibade is Working with Allied External Forces against Our Interest, PDP Tells Court

Alex Enumah in Abuja

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged that its National Legal Adviser, Adeyemi Kamaldeen Ajibade, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), is working alongside other persons to undermine the interest of the party in the suit against its planned national convention.

The party made the allegations in its counteraffidavit in opposition to Ajibade's objection to the appearance of the counsel

appointed by the Chairman and National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP.

In a 20-paragraph affidavit deposed to in support of the counter, the party also argued that Ajibade "cannot appear in court to represent the PDP because in the instant case, he is a defendant in this matter, being the national officer of the party, and part of the 2nd defendant sued; and because he is an interested party, with his interest adverse to that of the PDP.

Two PDP state chairmen

and the Secretary of the Southsouth geopolitical zone, Hon Austine Nwachukwu, Hon Amah Abraham Nanna, and Turnah George, respectively, had dragged the PDP to court over its planned convention slated for November 15 and 16, 2025.

Other defendants are the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Senator Samuel Anyanwu, Hon. Umar Bature, National Working Committee (NWC) of the party, National Executive Committee (NEC), Umar Iliya Damagum

(National Chairman, PDP), Chief Ali Odefa, and Chief Emmanuel Ogidi. However, Ajibade has continued to battle with the party over the appointment of Chief Chris Uche (SAN) as counsel by the party to represent it in the suit.

Ajibade argued that he is the one who is saddled with the responsibility of representing or appointing a counsel for the party in the event of a court case.

But, the PDP in its counter filed on October 16, told the

Buy Made-in-Nigeria Products to Build Our Economy, Dangote Urges Nigerians

The President and Chief Executive Officer of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has urged Nigerians to embrace homegrown products as a way of strengthening the nation’s economy and creating jobs.

Speaking in a video message shared by

former presidential aide, Reno Omokri on X yesterday, the billionaire industrialist appealed to citizens to prioritise locally manufactured goods over imported alternatives, stressing that doing so would help build a selfreliant economy.

Dangote said, “I want to

encourage all Nigerians to buy only Made-in-Nigeria. When you buy anything made in Nigeria, you are helping to create jobs.

“And the only way for us to be a stronger nation is to patronise ourselves and buy made in Nigeria only so that we can create jobs and prosperity. Thank you.

Thank you for watching, and may God bless you.”

Dangote has consistently championed local production and industrialisation, with his conglomerate expanding into sectors such as cement, sugar, salt, and oil refining in a bid to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imports.

After Mbah’s Defection, PDP Stakeholders Regroup as APC's Agballah Vows to Challenge Dissolution of SEC

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

Following the recent defection of Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to the All Progressives Congress (APC), some leaders of the main opposition party under the aegis of Concerned Enugu State PDP Stakeholders, at the weekend restated their resolve to remain in the party to rebuild it ahead of the 2027 elections.

This is coming on the heels of the declaration by members of the dissolved State Working Committee (SWC) of the APC under the leadership of Ugochukwu Agballah, to seek legal redress over their dissolution by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.

At its 179th meeting held on October 9, 2025, the NWC of the APC dissolved the Enugu SWC and appointed a seven-man

caretaker committee headed by a former state chairman, Dr. Ben Nwoye.

Governor Mbah on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, officially dumped PDP for APC, citing the unjust treatment of the South-east by the PDP leadership.

The defection has, however, continued to generate mixed reactions, with some members of PDP criticising Mbah’s decision, insisting that it was driven by personal interest

rather than the welfare of the people.

Addressing journalists in Enugu at the weekend, a former PDP State Youth Leader and ex-vice chairman Enugu West senatorial district, Dr. Okey Ozoani, and a former executive Chairman of Udi Local Government Area (LGA) in the state, Nick Ozonsi, expressed the resolve of other PDP members to remain in the party to rebuild it after Mbah’s exit.

court that contrary to Ajibade's claim, he does not have "exclusive right or independent power to appoint or instruct external solicitors for the party".

Damagum, who deposed to the counter affidavit, noted that as Legal Adviser, Ajibade's duty is to merely oversee legal matters of the party "under the instruction of the National Chairman and the NWC", adding that even in cases where the National Legal Adviser will appoint or instruct external counsel, he cannot do so on his own but must bring the memorandum of request to the National Working

Committee for approval, "as he did not too long ago as shown in the Minutes of the National Working Committee of July 24".

While disclosing that the NWC has 18 members, out of which 15 are with the PDP and are supportive of the holding of the National Convention on November 15 and 16, 2025, at Ibadan, Oyo State, the deponent claimed that the remaining three "are supporting external forces seeking to destroy the party by blocking the holding of the scheduled National Convention.”

Obasanjo: Nigeria Deserves Truthful, Transparent, Transformational, Selfless Political Leadership

James Sowole in Abeokuta

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said adults and societal leaders owe it as an obligation to the youths to provide truthful, transparent, transformational, and selfless leadership.

Obasanjo spoke yesterday in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, at the grand reunion and maiden lecture series of the Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS), United Kingdom Alumni Association, Nigerian chapter.

RCDS was established in 1927 in the United Kingdom. Obasanjo, represented by the Deputy Director, Olusegun Obasanjo Leadership Institute, Prof. Samuel Daramola, defined youth as a period between childhood and adulthood marked by vitality, idealism, hope, expectation, dreams, and a touch of adventure and naivety. He observed that today’s leaders once passed through

these phases marked by fancy, energy, beauty and fantasy, but now the youth face numerous challenges in a fractured world.

“Some of us were youth immediately after the Second World War; I was. Most of you were youths at the height of the Cold War.

“The world was not perfect, but there was some order, respect for international law, rules and regulations.

“There were threats, but no impunity. They talked of the balance of terror in those days with reasonable stability, predictability, peace and common security with shared responsibility and prosperity among the leading nations of the world.

“The developing nations could breathe reasonably freely. The superpowers negotiated and consulted among themselves. Today, the youth face herculean challenges which they must not be left to handle alone,” he said.

L-R: Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Hon. Adeoye Aribasoye; President, League of Imam and Alfas South-west, Edo and Delta States; Sheikh Jamiu Kewulere Bello; and Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, at the special Jumat thanksgiving service commemorating the third anniversary of the Oyebanji administration at the Central Mosque, Ado-Ekiti…weekend

Happy BirthdayJustice Victoria Okobi

A Love Letter

Dear Maman,

Today we celebrate a remarkable woman. Our mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, guide, and guard. To your quartet, though, you are simply 'Maman.'

From social advocate to Judge; devoted wife of 52 years to steady family anchor, you have lived a life of purpose and strength. You lead with empathy, live with conviction, and love unconditionally.

A tireless professional, you still managed to raise a close-knit family, instilling in your children and grandchildren the values of loyalty, resilience, and excellence. Your wisdom is sought across generations, from advice on navigating life to college applications, and everything in between.

Thank you, Maman. For your strength. For your love. For your support. For… everything!

May God continue to bless you with love, joy, peace and good health on this day and always.

Happy 80th birthday, Maman.

With love from every child who called you Maman, every grandchild who ran into your arms, and every heart forever touched by your light.

WE SHARE IN YOUR GRIEF...

Italian Appeal Court Upholds Conviction of Prosecutors for Withholding Evidence in Nigeria’s OPL 245 Case

Wale Igbintade

An Italian Appeal Court has upheld an eight-month prison sentence for two Milan prosecutors, Fabio De Pasquale and Sergio Spadaro, for failing to file documents that would have supported energy group, Eni's position in an international corruption case.

Reuters reported that Judges in the northern city of Brescia upheld the verdict handed down last year, which ruled that prosecutors, De Pasquale and Spadaro, failed in their legal obligation to file documents that could have helped the defence.

Before the verdict, Spadaro read a lengthy statement to the court in which he said "there was no refusal, there

was no omission," and that the prosecutors had acted "according to conscience and law".

Their two prosecutors' lawyer, Massimo Dinoia, said they would appeal to the Court of Cassation, Italy's top court.

The Milan court that acquitted the defendants in the Eni and Shell trial said the prosecutors had failed to file among the trial documents a video shot by a former external lawyer for Eni, which the court said was relevant to the case.

De Pasquale and Spadaro were in October last year sentenced to eight months in prison for hiding vital evidence in the trial of Shell and Eni over the OPL 245 affair

Osinbajo, Nwachukwu, Bago,

Others Hail Peterside’s Books on Leadership

Wale Igbintade

Prominent Nigerians, including a former Vice President, Prof. Professor Yemi Osinbajo; former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Major General Ike Nwachukwu (rtd); Niger State Governor, Mohammed Bago; and others, have praised the former Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside’s two new books, Leading in a Storm, and Beneath the Surface.

They described the works as essential reads for current and aspiring leaders, as well as for all those interested in Nigeria’s socio-economic development.

In his remarks at the public presentation of the books in Lagos, Osinbajo characterised Peterside as a participant-observer deeply involved in reform efforts rather than a detached critic.

He praised the books for combining rigorous analysis with practical solutions.

Highlighting Dakuku’s commentary on the judiciary, Osinbajo commended the author’s courage in addressing sensitive topics without sensationalism, while proposing reforms that are both principled and feasible.

He concluded that these books serve not merely as essays but as operational manuals to guide leaders in thoughtful decisionmaking.

The case was another episode in the OPL 245 saga which the Italian prosecutors lost in the Court of Milan after failing to provide evidence of fraud in the sale of the oil block to Shell and Eni by Malabu Oil and Gas Limited, a Nigerian company, in 2011.

All the cases alleging fraud in the OPL 245 transaction failed in Italy, the UK and in Nigeria.

In March 2021 all the defendants were nevertheless acquitted in what was described by activists as the industry's biggest corruption case involving the $1.3 billion acquisition of a Nigerian

oilfield a decade ago.

The Brescia court, chaired by Roberto Spanò, ruled that De Pascale and Spadaro as state attorneys had a legal obligation to present all documents during the trial in Italy. These documents include those that could have helped the case of the defence.

The judges ruled that the prosecutors had infringed the rights of the defendants by failing to provide them. Their lawyers had asked the magistrates to acquit them on the ground that they were not under obligation to present the documents to the Milan court.

Court Stops CAC from Withdrawing NYCN’s Registration Certificate, Directs all Parties to Maintain Status quo

Kuni Tyessi in Abuja

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and its RegistrarGeneral (RG), Hussaini Ishaq Magaji (SAN), to maintain the status quo in a suit before it over the purported withdrawal of the Certificate of Incorporated Trustees of the National Youth Council of Nigeria and appointment of the Interim Management Committee of NYCN by the commission.

Recall that a few days

after Sukubo was re-elected as President of the NYCN, despite ongoing court cases.

However, the CAC, through the Ministry of Youth Development, announced the deregistration of the apex youth organisation on October 7.

Following this development, the NYCN President sought legal redress.

The court presided over by Justice Binta Nyako also ordered the Federal Ministry of Youth Development and the Minister for Youth

Development, who were listed as defendants in the suit, to also maintain the status quo in the matter.

The order is pending the hearing and determination of a motion on notice for an interlocutory injunction sought by the NYCN.

The Incorporated Trustees of NYCN, Ambassador Sukubo Sara-Igbe Sukubo, President of NYCN, and Secretary of the Board of Trustees, had approached the Federal High Court, Abuja, as claimants and applicants seeking an interim injunction.

The injunction seeks to restrain the RegistrarGeneral of the CAC and the commission from withdrawing the Certificate of Registration of NYCN or de-recognising its existing claims to leadership.

The claimants and applicants are also seeking an interim injunction restraining the Minister of Youth Development and the Ministry from acting on or giving any effect to the purported withdrawal of the Certificate of Registration of NYCN by the CAC.

Tension Heightens as Death Toll in Bandits-Miners Clash Over Gold in Kaduna Hits 17, Scores Injured

There is heightened tension in Kaduna as the death toll in the bandits/illegal miners clash over gold hit 17, while several others were injured.

AFP had reported that seven deaths were earlier recorded.

The clashes took place on Thursday in Kaduna, one of the states that for years has been terrorised by criminal gangs of cattle thieves and kidnapping for ransom by bandits.

he gangs maintain camps

in a vast forest straddling Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, Sokoto, Kebbi, and Niger states from where they launch attacks on communities.

Violence erupted at an illegal mining site in Birnin Gwari district when a bandit kingpin “extorted gold from miners at gunpoint”, the report quoted by AFP said.

Miners mobilised and killed the bandit leader, prompting reprisals from his comrades who raided the mining site, “shooting and killing seven

miners”, according to the report.

Later the same day, bandits raided nearby Layin Danauta village, where they killed nine people, wounded 13 others, kidnapped several residents, and destroyed property, the report said.

Birnin Gwari, a mineral-rich agricultural hub, had seen a sharp drop in bandit violence since the Kaduna State government brokered a peace agreement between bandits and residents in

November last year. The district has seen an influx since 2021 of bandits and Al-Qaeda-aligned Ansaru jihadists, who forged a close alliance with the bandits and took control of most of the district, enforcing a strict interpretation of Islamic Sharia law.

Resident Muhammad Kabir told AFP the latest clashes had caused panic in the community over a potential resumption of violence in the area after a lull.

L-R: Father of the late ARISE NEWS Anchor, Somtochukwu Maduagwu, Ifeanyi Maduagwu; her siblings, Divine Maduagwu; Ossy Maduagwu; cousins, Obaro Krubu-Enuekwe; Eluemunor Enuekwe; and aunt, Ifeoma Enuekwe, during her funeral mass at the St. Theresa Catholic Church in Agulu, Anambra State…yesterday

E N G R . O L I C E K E M E N A N A B O

2 0 Y E A R S O F D I V I N E M E R C Y, G R A C E A N D P R O F F E S I O N A L R E S I L I E N C E Our heartfelt gratitude goes to:

Twenty years ago, precisely on the 19th of October 2005, our world almost fell apart What began as an ordinary day suddenly turned into a moment of unimaginable fear -the day our husband, father, brother, friend, and hero, Engr Olice D Kemenanabo, Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, and 12th Distinguished Electrical and Electronics Engineers Annual Lecturer, was involved in a tragic electric fire accident that nearly claimed his life

It was a day that could have rewritten our story into one of sorrow and loss

But God, in His infinite mercy, chose otherwise He stepped in and preserved his life He turned our tears into testimonies and our fears into faith

Today, twenty years after that life-changing incident, we wish to return all glory to God Almighty, the Healer, the Protector, and the Restorer of Life We thank Him for sparing our husband, father, brother, friend and hero; for keeping our home intact; and for proving that with Him, nothing is impossible

Had God not intervened, this could have been the heartbreaking story of a widow, fatherless children, and a family left without its pillar of strength It would also have left behind siblings, relations, friends, and many others including fatherless children and many others who continue to benefit from his kindness, generosity, and compassion

We also use this occasion to appreciate the many people who stood by us during those trying times those who prayed, visited, gave, encouraged, and believed that life would triumph over tragedy Your kindness and love became the very hands and heart of God to us

medical team whose skill and compassion sustained him through recovery Our extended family members and friends who rallied around us when it mattered most especially the following who played various and varying roles during the trying moments The likes of Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan who then was the acting governor of Bayelsa State His Excellency Sen Douye Diri Chief ‘Timi Alaibe Engr Gesi Asamaowei Dr Waripamo-owei Dudafa Mr A T Francis Mr Andy Dawodu, Gen SW Diriyai (rtd) Gen JM Ogidi (rtd), Chief Ridge Koripamo, Mr Anthony Yakie Bar Onome, Mr Richard Korpamo, Dr Diseye Akene Dr Isaac Abasi Bar Bumiegha Christ Olokumo, Mr Syndoph Edoni Engr Matthew Edevbie, Former Governor Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, who played a pivotal role in advancing our father to a new level in his professional journey

Others are Professor and Mrs Donbebe Wankasi; Mrs Tari Lari and her late husband; Pastor and Pastor (Mrs ) Yemi Oyenubi; Elder Godsday Peter Orubebe; Mr Ineye Dudafa; Perekiye John Buruboyefe Uncle K K Kemenanabo; Major Akpan; Mr Ken Edward Etete; DCP Bolou Etete; Hon Chief Fredrick Agbedi the Gagarigas the

SAFETY ON THEIR MINDS…

Clamour for Diri’s Resignation over Non-membership of Any Political Party Divides Senior Lawyers

Chuks Okocha, Alex Enumah in Abuja and Wale Igbintade in Lagos

Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri’s nonmembership of any political party following his last week’s resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party

(PDP) that brought him to office has divided senior lawyers in the country. Diri had announced his resignation but did not indicate he would be moving to any political party, unlike some PDP governors who recently resigned from the party

and moved to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

While some of the lawyers interviewed by THISDAY questioned the constitutionality of his nonmembership of any political party, insisting that the governor has lost the right

to remain in office, others argue that the governor broke no law by not joining any party immediately after his resignation.

However, many described the governor’s action as a new challenge for the country's jurisprudence, as well as the legislature, given

Nigerian Army: Sustained Counter-terrorism Operations, Stronger Synergy Have Improved Security in North-east

Troops rescue four Chinese nationals, 17 other kidnapped victims in Kwara, Kogi

Linus Aleke in Abuja

The Nigerian Army has said the security situation in the North-east region has improved significantly following sustained counterterrorism operations and stronger synergy among security agencies.

The Theatre Commander, Joint Task Force, Northeast Operation Hadin Kai, Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, stated this yesterday in an interview with the News

Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri, Borno State.

This is just as the Nigerian Army has revealed that troops of 2 Division/ Sector 3, Operation Fansan Yamma, rescued 21 kidnapped victims as part of its sustained efforts to eliminate bandits and other criminal elements operating in Kwara and neighbouring states.

Abubakar said the Armed Forces of Nigeria had maintained operational initiative

across the theatre, denying terrorists freedom of movement and access to logistics that once fueled their campaign of terror.

According to him, the lingering insecurity in the North-east is closely linked to broader regional and global developments, including instability in the Sahel, the Middle East, and the Russia–Ukraine war.

“Since November last year, we have observed an increase in the use of armed drones and radio-

controlled improvised explosive devices by the terrorists. These trends are direct consequences of global technological proliferation linked to conflicts elsewhere.

“However, our forces continue to retain the initiative. The goal of the armed forces remains to flush out the terrorists from their remaining strongholds in Sambisa Forest, the Mandara Mountains, the Tumbuns, and the Lake Chad Islands,” he said.

Defence Minister Inspects NAF Helicopters, Fighter Jets Production in Italy

Linus Aleke in Abuja

AThe Minister of Defense, Mohammed Badaru, has inspected the ongoing production of Nigerian Air Force aircraft and helicopters at Leonardo SpA’s defence manufacturing facilities in northern Italy.

Badaru, who was part of President Bola Tinubu’s delegation to the AQABA Process meeting, visited

Leonardo’s Helicopters Division in Vergiate and Aircraft Division in Venegono, where key platforms for the NAF are being assembled.

According to a statement issued yesterday in Abuja by the Personal Assistant to the Minister on Media and Publicity, Mati Ali, the minister, at the helicopter division, reviewed progress on ten AW109 Trekker attack helicopters being

built for Nigeria.

According to the statement, three have been completed and are ready for delivery, another three will be ready before the end of 2025, while the remaining four are expected in early 2026.

He said the minister also inspected the production of M-346 Fighter Attack Jets, six of which were at advanced stages.

According to him, three

are already undergoing flight tests, while the next three are due for testing soon.

“The 24 aircraft will be delivered in four batches, complete with weapons, tools, spare parts, and logistics support,” he said.

In his remarks, Badaru expressed satisfaction with the quality of work and praised Leonardo’s engineers for their professionalism.

the fact that the framers of the constitution did not envisage such development.

Elected public officials, including governors, are products of political parties since the Nigerian Constitution does not recognise independent candidacy.

Speaking on the issue, some lawyers explained that under the 1999 Constitution (as amended), party membership is only required at the point of contesting an election and not as a continuing condition for holding the office of governor.

Rev John Olusola Baiyeshea (SAN), in his reaction, argued that Diri must align with another political party immediately or risk forfeiting his office.

He noted that the constitutional framework on these emerging issues did not envisage a situation in which elected officials of the calibre of a governor would resign from the political party that sponsored him and stay without a party.

"There is no provision for independent candidacy in our constitution and electoral laws. Therefore, he must align with another political party immediately or risk forfeiting his office.

"We always say in our electoral jurisprudence that election matters are 'sui generis', that is, novel in nature and special legal considerations (out of the books or you think out of the box), to deal with such special or 'strange' situations like this one", he said.

It’s Sad Nigeria is Among Nations Hardest Hit by Poverty, Says Atiku

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has described poverty as the greatest enemy that humanity has ever known.

In a statement on his X handle commemorating the International Day for Poverty Eradication, Atiku noted that it is sad that Nigeria is among the nations hardest hit by poverty.

He described poverty as a major factor breeding diseases, ignorance and insecurity, urging government and all stakeholders to join hands in the fight against the scourge.

Atiku, a leading opposition figure in Nigeria, wrote: “Poverty is the greatest enemy that humanity has ever known. Wherever it takes root, whether in the life of an individual or across a society,

it breeds other troubles like disease, ignorance, insecurity, and hopelessness.

“The declaration of this day as the International Day for Poverty Eradication is a timely reminder and a call to action. It urges governments, civil society, and every stakeholder to join hands in the fight against poverty in all its forms.

“In Nigeria, we have sadly earned the label of being among the nations hardest hit by poverty. That is why my advocacy for deliberate, people-centred solutions to end poverty remains strong and consistent.

“At both government and community levels, we must take the fight against poverty to every home, every community, and every school so that the ordinary Nigerian becomes part of the solution.

L-R: Deputy National Chairman, Nigerian Institution of Safety Engineers, Dr Andrew Abanum; National Chairman of NISE, Mr. Seun Faluyi; Immediate Past National Chairman, Prof. Akaninyene Ekong; 2nd National Chairman, Mr. Azuka Emeasoba; and Pioneer National Chairman, Mr. Prince. Biodun Oyedepo, at the just concluded Annual General Meeting of the NISafety in Ibadan…recently

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT…

Queen of Apomu Kingdom, Olori Janet Afolabi (middle) in a group photograph with Apomu Women at the launch of

Women at the Alapomu Palace Hall, Apomu, headquarters of Isokan Local Government Area of Osun State…recently

of Women in Rural Areas organised by the

INEC: Collection of PVCs for Anambra Governorship Election Begins Wednesday

Ahead of the November 8 Anambra State governorship election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that the collection of Permanent Voter Card (PVC) for those who registered during the recent Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise will begin on Wednesday, October 22.

Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Mrs. Victoria Eta-Messi, in a statement issued yesterday said registered voters who participated in the recently concluded CVR exercise are encouraged to visit the Registration Area where they originally registered to collect their PVCs.

She said: “The Independent National Electoral Commission

(INEC) wishes to inform the public that Permanent Voter Card (PVC) collection for those who registered during the recent Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise in Anambra State will take place: from Wednesday, 22nd to Sunday, 26th October 2025.”

The commission emphasised that PVC collection is strictly in person, adding that there would be no collection by proxy under any circumstances.

Etta-Messi said all registered voters are urged to ensure they collect their PVCs within the specified period to be eligible to vote in the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra State.

In addition, the commission said it would conduct a Mock Accreditation Exercise

Benin Writers Society Mourns THISDAY Correspondent, Austin Adibe Emenyonu

Sunday Ehigiator

The literary and journalistic community in Benin City has been thrown into mourning following the sudden death of Edo State Correspondent of THISDAY Newspapers, Mr. Adibe Emenyonu.

In a statement issued by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Edo State Council, and signed by Chairman Dr. Festus Alenkhe and Secretary Mr. Andy Egbon, the union confirmed that Mr. Emenyonu passed away on the night of Friday, October 17, 2025.

Members of the Benin Writers Society described Emenyonu as a principled journalist who embodied integrity and truth in his craft. They recalled that he was widely respected for his commitment to ethical journalism and his rejection of the “brown envelope” culture often associated with the profession.

“Just hours before his passing, he was seen at the Press Centre in Benin City, full of life and camaraderie, engaging warmly with colleagues and friends,” the statement noted.

In a tribute signed by the Provost and Director of Protocol of the Benin Writers Society, Mr. Nosa Onaghise, the group celebrated

Emeyonu as a truth-seeker in the mold of Socrates, describing his journalistic practice as “a medicine to the soul.”

Quoting the words of Usman Dan Fodio—“Conscience is an open wound; only the truth can heal it,” Onaghise said Emeyonu’s legacy would continue to inspire future generations of journalists and writers.

“He will be sorely missed for his accurate reportage, his principled stance on issues, and his desire to build an egalitarian society through his work,” Onaghise added. The Society concluded its tribute with the words: “To live in the hearts of those who love you is not to die.”

on Saturday, October 25, 2025 in selected polling units across the three senatorial districts of the state.

She stressed that this exercise would allow INEC to test the upgraded Bimodal

Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), assess its response time, and test the uploading of results on the INEC Result Viewing Portal ahead of the main election at designated polling units.

Etta-Messi said registered voters in these polling units are encouraged to participate actively.

She noted: “Their involvement will help INEC fine-tune operational and technological processes ahead of the governorship election.

“INEC remains committed to operational efficiency, transparency, and the confidence of all stakeholders as preparations for the 2025 Anambra State governorship election continue.”

Tinubu Returns to Abuja After Attending Aqaba Process Security Summit in Rome

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

President Bola Tinubu yesterday returned to Abuja after participating in the Aqaba Process Heads of State and Government-level Security Meeting in Rome, Italy.

President Tinubu, whose official aircraft, Nigeria Air Force 1, touched down at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport at about 7:30pm, had participated in the high-level meeting aimed at strengthening regional and

international collaboration in combating terrorism and violent extremism, with special focus on West Africa.

He was received on arrival by top government officials, including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume; Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

The Aqaba Process, a counterterrorism initiative launched by

His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan in 2015, is co-chaired by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Government of Italy.

The Rome edition focused on strengthening regional and international collaboration in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism, with particular attention to West Africa.

The high-level meeting was held on Wednesday, October 15, 2025 at the National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rome.

Many heads of State and Government attended, including King Abdullah II of Jordan, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and the Presidents of Nigeria, Chad, Paraguay, Sierra Leone, and Togo.

Azouz Nasri, President of Algeria’s Upper House, delegations from Côte d’Ivoire, Kazakhstan, Mauritania, Senegal, and Uzbekistan, special envoys, and security experts also attended the closed-door meeting.

NiMet Predicts Three-day Sunshine, Haziness Nationwide

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted sunshine and haziness from Sunday to Tuesday across the country.

NiMet’s weather outlook released on Saturday in Abuja envisaged sunny skies in a hazy atmosphere over parts of Katsina, Yobe, Kano and Jigawa states in the northern region on Sunday.

The agency anticipated the

remaining parts of the region to be sunny during the morning hours.

Later in the afternoon or evening hours, isolated thunderstorms are expected over parts of southern Taraba.

”For the central region, sunny skies with patches of clouds are expected over the region during the morning hours.

In the afternoon or evening

hours, isolated thunderstorms with moderate rains are expected over parts of Benue and Kogi,” it said.

According to NiMet, a cloudy atmosphere is anticipated over the southern region with prospects of morning thunderstorms with light rains over parts of Ebonyi, Ogun, Ondo, Imo, Abia, Lagos, Rivers, Bayelsa, Cross River and Akwa Ibom.

The agency predicted thunderstorms with moderate rains over most parts of the region later in the day.

According to NiMet, sunny skies are expected over the northern region during the morning hours on Monday. It anticipated isolated thunderstorms over parts of southern Kaduna and southern Taraba later in the day.

Olori Afolabi Launches Network of Rural Women, Offers Financial Support to Boost Small Businesses

In commemoration of the International Day of Rural Women, Olori Janet Afolabi, a CNN award-winning journalist and Queen of Apomu Kingdom, has launched the Network of Women in Rural Areas, an initiative designed to empower rural women through access to financial support and economic opportunities.

The launch event, held recently at the Alapomu Palace Hall in Apomu, headquarters of Isokan Local Government Area of Osun State, brought together women from various com-

munities to celebrate their contributions and provide them with resources to grow their businesses.

In her welcome address, Olori Afolabi said the initiative aims to provide interest-free loans to help women expand their small-scale ventures, increase their income, and contribute more effectively to local development.

“I am committed to supporting women in rural areas. This Network is a testament to my dedication to promoting women’s economic

empowerment and reducing poverty in rural communities,” she stated.

Speaking at the event, the Otun Iyalode of Apomu and a member of the Apomu Market Development Committee, Chief ChristianaAkinlabu, described the initiative as a timely intervention for women who often struggle to access formal financial support.

“This is a significant step in promoting women’s enterprise. It will have a positive impact on the lives of women and their families,”

she said. Several women at the event received interest-free loans and gift items to support their livelihoods.

In his goodwill message, the Alapomu of Apomu Kingdom, Oba Kayode Adenekan Afolabi, urged beneficiaries to make judicious use of the funds and ensure prompt repayment when due.

“Use the money for the purpose for which you received it and do not default when it’s time to pay back,” the monarch advised.

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

Network

Olori to mark International Day of Rural

Late Emenyonu

CORPORATE SPONSORS…

L–R: Senior Manager, Project Management, Sunbeth Global Concepts, Mr. Frank Onwuzuka; Senior Manager, Corporate Finance, Mr. Victoria Jonah; Deputy Chief Operating Officer,

Treasury Operations, Adeyemi Aduwo; Head, Legal and Compliance,

Lagos…recently.

Nnamdi Kanu: Court Bars Sowore, Others from Protesting

Anywhere Near Aso Rock Villa, N’Assembly, Others

Enumah in Abuja

A Federal High Court in Abuja has barred politician and online publisher, Omoyele Sowore and others behind the planned protest for the release on Nnamdi Kanu of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) from taking their activities anywhere close to the Presidential Villa, Abuja and other important national institutions.

Justice Mohammed Umar, in a ruling on Friday, also barred Sowore and his associates in the protest planned for October 20 to also steer clear of National Assembly, Force Headquarters, Court of Appeal, Eagle Square and Shehu Shagari Way, pending the hearing of the motion on notice filed by the police, on behalf of the Federal Government.

In a Certified True Copy

Zugloolhomes Expands to Dubai with Luxury Real Estate

Zugloolhomes, one of Nigeria’s fastest-growing leaders in luxury real estate, last Thursday announced its official expansion into Dubai’s booming property market. This strategic move aims to bring world-class architecture, smart home technology, and sustainable luxury designs to Nigeria’s evolving premium housing landscape.

Zugloolhomes’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Faisal Sanusi Zuglool, made the announcement in Lagos, during a visit by his foreign -based clients.

According to him, the launch marks a defining step toward transforming the future of urban

living in Lagos.

He said, “Our goal is to merge Dubai’s sophistication with Nigeria’s dynamic energy,” Zuglool stated.

“We’re building homes that define comfort, quality, and lasting investment value for our clients.”

Also speaking, the company’s Senior Property Consultant and Portfolio Manager, Meriem Issalmane, expressed enthusiasm about upcoming collaborations with Dubai’s renowned developers including Emaar, Meraas, Nakheel, and Damac emphasising the shared vision of excellence and innovation driving the initiative.

e buy old original Afrobeat and highlife vinyl records. We buy local music from Nigeria and Africa only. Records must be in good condition with original cover.

If you have records to sell, please call us on 09135239816, or send pictures on WhatsApp. Top prices paid.

(CTC) of the order, signed yesterday, Justice Umar said: “The respondents are hereby restrained in the interim from protesting in the following Areas; Aso Rock Villa, or anywhere close to Villa, National Assembly, Force Headquarters, Court of Appeal, Eagle Square and on Shehu Shagari way pending the hearing of the motion on notice.

“The court hereby abridged time within which the respondents will respond to the application on notice to cause this ex-parte order be set aside on Monday, the 20th of October, 2025 at 9.00am.

“The order of this court together with the motion on notice be served on the respondents

today, Friday, the 17th day of October, 2025.”

Justice Umar adjourned till October 20 for hearing of the motion on notice. The ruling was on a motion ex-parte, filed in the suit, marked: FHC/ABJ/ CS/2202/2025 filed by the police.

Listed as respondents are Sowore, Sahara Reporters Ltd, Sahara Reporters’ Media Foundation, Take It Back Movement (TIB) for the Transformation of Nigeria or any form of organisation or any other person(s) acting, either express or implied instruction or any other organisation or group with the like intention and unknown persons.

Sowore, the presidential candidate of African Action Congress

(ACC) in 2019 and 2023 recently announced plan a protest to compel the Federal Government to release Kanu, who being tried on a terrorism charge.

The prosecution, in the case before a Federal High Court in Abuja, has sincled closed its case after calling five witnesses and rendering evidence including video a d audio recordings of Kanu’s activities as IPOB leader.

On October 16, the presiding judge Kanu’s terrorism trial, Justice James Omotosho, read the concluding part of the report in the open court after Agabi confirmed that he received and read the report of the medical examination of his client by the NMA team.

The report concluded that the ailments that Kanu complained about were not life threatening and that he was fit to continue to stand trial.

When asked by the judge whether he had seen the report, Agabi confirmed receiving a copy, which he said he read and shared with members of his team. Agabi told the court that the defence team had nothing against the report.

It was at the point that Justice Omotosho announced that, in view of the accelerated hearing earlier granted in the case, he would adjourned for six consecutive days for the defence to open and close its case.

Yahaya Bello Hails Tinubu as Angel Sent by God to Fix Nigeria

A former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has described President Bola Tinubu as the “angel” sent by God to fix Nigeria.

He said this yesterday during an endorsement rally for President Tinubu and Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo, which was broadcast by TVC.

Bello said, “We will not wait for God to send an angel with wings to fly into Nigeria to fix it. Did I tell you who the angel is? The angel is President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. If you are waiting for that animation on the television, see an angel flying with a wing to come to Nigeria to come and fix it, you wait forever.”

Bello told supporters that

Nigerians had long craved a “new Nigeria,” citing achievements such as the removal of oil subsidy, the introduction of student loans, the floating of the exchange rate, and policies that increased both government and individual wealth. He urged citizens not to wait for miracles, saying the “angel” tasked with fixing the country was President Tinubu himself.

He said, “Everybody continues to crave a new Nigeria, new Nigeria, new Nigeria. Before 2015, we said we wanted a new Nigeria where there would be no oil subsidy. We want a new Nigeria where there will be student loans.

“We said we want a new Nigeria where the exchange rate will be

Ethnic Politics Can’t Stop

Peter Uzoho

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State has stated that ethnic politics cannot stop the re-election of President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

The Lagos State’s APC Spokesman, Seye Oladejo, said this in a statement issued yesterday in reaction to comments credited to a former chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party

(PDP), Dele Momodu. Momodu was quoted as advising opposition parties to come together and play the ethnic card in 2027 to defeat Tinubu.

Reacting, Oladejo commended Momodu for admitting what he described as the obvious that President Bola Tinubu remains politically unstoppable.

“Let it be known that the

floated. We said we want a new Nigeria where there will be more money in the pockets of both the government and individuals. We said wewantanewNigeriawhereforeign investment will continue to flow in.”

The former governor acknowledged that the government cannot fix everything immediately. He noted that years of systemic decay make the process gradual.

He also promised continued support for Tinubu’s administration to ensure infrastructure and reforms are sustained.

He said, “Those of us and those of you who recognise that we are already in the new Nigeria, infrastructures are being fixed. Yes, no government can fix everything all at once because of the long years of

days of weaponising ethnicity as a shortcut to power are long gone.

“The Nigerian electorate has evolved. They are now focused on who can deliver results, not who can divide the nation.

“Nigerians know better. They know that leadership is earned through vision, performance, and consistency – not through editorials written from the sidelines of social gigs,” he said.

decay in the system. It will take a while for anybody to be able to fix it. And Mr. President is fixing it, and he will fix it. We will support him to fix it.” Bello emphasised the importance of legacy, stating that leadership without a lasting impact is meaningless. He said, “Going into the future, not only the 2027 election, not just his second term, we want a situation where Mr. President will leave his legacy behind, and people like us, people like you, and other well-meaning Nigerians will continue to uphold his legacy because leadership without legacy is zero. It’s as good as you never come to power.”

Replies Momodu

The APC image maker stated further that under Tinubu, Nigeria is being rebuilt on the foundation of equity, inclusion, and reform.

According to him, the reform cuts across infrastructural renewal to economic stabilisation and social investment. He urged Momodu to focus on rediscovering his own political direction before attempting to offer others advice.

Alex

Ibukun Opeke; Head,

Omotayo Mampouya; and Manager, Communications and Corporate Affairs, Abdussamad Abdurrahman, during the E1 Lagos GP in

Editor: Festus Akanbi

08038588469 Email:festus.akanbi@thisdaylive.com

Turning Nigeria’s Youth Population into Engine for Global Competitiveness

Nigeria’s 200 million youthful, entrepreneurial citizens can vault the nation from demographic promise to global competitiveness if bold, synchronised reforms now turn their talent, trade, and technology into a seamless, predictable engine of prosperity. This was the submission of the Chief Executive Officer of DHL Express, John Pearson in an interaction with Festus Akanbi on the sidelines of a media event- Global Trade Shifts- Spotlights Africa, and launch of DHL’s 2025 Global Connectedness Tracker in Johannesburg, South Africa, last week

Figeria sits on a rare conﬂuence of promise — a young, restless population, vast entrepreneurial energy, a swelling workforce, and a strategic position at the heart of Africa. Yet, in the view of John Pearson, Chief Executive Oﬃcer of DHL Express, the country’s demographic blessing will only translate into prosperity if the right policies, partnerships, and infrastructure align to unlock its immense potential.

Speaking in Johannesburg at the unveiling of DHL’s 2025 Global Connectedness Tracker, Pearson told THISDAY that Nigeria’s future will depend on how it converts its people into productivity.

“You have over 200 million people, that’s not a challenge, it’s a superpower,” he declared. “But for that power to work, the systems, from education to logistics and regulation, have to move in the same direction.”

Human Capital: The Real Gold- mine

At the centre of Pearson’s argument lies Nigeria’s human capital. With over 200 million citizens, half of them under 30, the country stands on a demographic goldmine. Pearson explained that DHL’s experience in Nigeria has shown the quality and competitiveness of local talent.

“We’ve been able to attract, retain, and grow fantastic Nigerian professionals,” adding that “Some of them have gone on to lead teams in other African countries. That tells you the calibre of people you have here.”

He pointed to DHL’s Certiﬁed International Specialist (CIS) programme, a leadership and training model applied consistently across all its global operations. “In Nigeria, our people go through the same training and development as their colleagues in Germany or India. It’s not watered down. That’s how we build global competence locally.”

However, Pearson noted that the wider Nigerian economy has yet to connect education to market realities. He emphasised that reforms must bridge the gap between academic training and industrial demand.

“The world of logistics, trade, and digital commerce is changing so fast. Nigeria’s universities and vocational institutions need to reﬂect that,” he said, pointing out that “We need to revive technical and apprenticeship programmes, bring industries into classrooms, and ensure graduates have practical skills, not just certiﬁcates.”

The DHL boss also underscored the importance of retention. “The continuous brain drain is a symptom, saying people leave when they can’t ﬁnd stability or predictability at home. Salaries matter, but so do security, infrastructure, and a clear sense of direction.

Trade, Borders, and Bottlenecks

Few companies understand the pulse of trade like DHL. Pearson’s perspective on cross-border eﬃciency is blunt: Nigeria’s logistics arteries are clogged, and it’s costing the nation dearly.

“As a logistics company, our goal is to make the movement of goods seamless,” he said. “We work closely with customs; in some cases, oﬃcials even operate from our premises to speed up clearance. But many of the deeper challenges are systemic. No private company can ﬁx them alone,” he said.

From congested ports to crumbling roads, Nigeria’s trade routes continue to be a source of frustration. Clearing goods from Apapa or Tin Can Island can take days, sometimes weeks,

A truck waiting to offload containers from a port

adding heavy costs that erode competitiveness. Pearson believes a “national logistics overhaul” is overdue.

“What Nigeria needs is simplicity and consistency,” he explained. “Simplify customs procedures, harmonise agency roles, digitise documentation, and you’ll see trade volumes and investor conﬁdence rise almost immediately.”

He advocates the full activation of inland dry ports to relieve Lagos of its overwhelming cargo burden, as well as the creation of logistics hubs and cold-chain networks nationwide.

“Improving rail and road connectivity to neighbouring countries will also let Nigeria take real advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area,” he added.

E-Commerce: The New Frontier

In Pearson’s view, the digital revolution is redeﬁning logistics as much as it is redeﬁning business. “The click-and-ship culture is exploding,” he said. “We’re helping Nigerian merchants go global, optimising their websites, setting transparent pricing, and ensuring reliable delivery timelines.”

DHL, he explained, is building the infrastructure and advisory systems that enable local businesses to plug directly into global markets. Yet, the e-commerce ecosystem remains underdeveloped.

“Too many small businesses are still manual,” he observed. “No digital tracking, no online payment integration. And with poor internet, unreliable electricity, and chaotic address systems, last-mile delivery becomes a nightmare.”

For Nigeria to truly beneﬁt, Pearson believes, the government must make broadband access and digital literacy national priorities. “Once small businesses can operate conﬁdently online, their market stops being their neighbourhood; it becomes the world.”

Sustainability: Delivering the Future Responsibly

Pearson’s passion for sustainability is unmistakable. DHL, he said, has made global commitments to reducing its carbon footprint, investing heavily in sustainable aviation fuel and electric vehicles.

“In Nigeria, we’re already deploying solar-powered facilities and carbon-neutral warehouses,” he noted. “Our global goal is zero emissions by 2050, and that includes every

market where we operate.”

However, Pearson acknowledged that Nigeria’s broader ecosystem remains far behind.

“You can’t scale electric vehicles without reliable power or charging infrastructure,” he said. “Government incentives, like tax breaks for clean energy and partnerships for renewable grids, would accelerate adoption.”

DHL’s eﬀorts, he argued, can serve as a template for others. “Sustainability shouldn’t be an afterthought. It’s part of competitiveness now. Customers want to know that their logistics partners care about the planet.”

Infrastructure: The Missing Link

Without physical infrastructure, even the best talent and technology falter. Pearson described infrastructure as the “circulatory system” of any modern economy, and Nigeria’s, he said, is weak.

“Ports are congested, roads are deteriorating, rail is underutilised, and warehouses are often outdated,” he said. “You can’t talk about eﬃcient logistics without reliable arteries.”

He called for a National Logistics Master Plan, one that integrates roads, rail, ports, and production zones into a single coordinated framework. “Every delay on the road, every broken bridge, adds cost,” he said. “Fixing these

things doesn’t just make trade faster; it makes businesses more competitive.”

Regulatory Consistency and Predictability

One of Pearson’s most persistent themes is predictability. “Investors can handle high costs,” he said, “but what they can’t handle is unpredictability.”

Frequent policy shifts, overlapping regulations, and opaque bureaucracy, he warned, remain Nigeria’s biggest deterrents to foreign investment. “If a business can’t predict clearance times, tariﬀ levels, or regulatory changes, it can’t plan,” he said. “Predictability is the real investment incentive.”

Still, Pearson acknowledged positive examples. “Our collaboration with customs shows that private-public cooperation is possible,” he said. “It just needs to happen more often, with transparency, professionalism, and mutual trust.”

Empowering the SMEs

Beyond the large corporates, Pearson sees small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as the heart of Nigeria’s growth story. DHL’s GoTrade Initiative, he explained, was designed to help small exporters understand international standards, packaging, and logistics.

“We’re helping Nigerian SMEs connect directly to global buyers,” he said. “When small producers can access export finance, proper packaging, and reliable delivery, the entire economy benefits.” He suggested that banks and government agencies complement such initiatives with affordable trade finance and insurance products. “Clusters of small producers can share logistics costs,” he said. “Incubators and mentorship programmes can also improve business management and export readiness.”

Digitalisation and Data: The Game Changer

To tie all these threads together, Pearson believes in data transparency. “Data is the new oil,” he said. “When you can measure port dwell times, clearance durations, and delivery success rates, you can ﬁx ineﬃciencies.”

DHL’s use of route optimisation, scanner tracking, and real-time courier communication has signiﬁcantly improved delivery performance. Nigeria, he argued, should adopt a similar culture of measurement and accountability.

“With reliable data, decisions become smarter, waste is reduced, and customers are happier,” he said.

The Path Forward

Pearson’s insights return to one central truth: predictability fuels prosperity. Investors, entrepreneurs, and workers all thrive when systems are stable and transparent. “Uncertainty kills momentum,” he said. “Predictability builds conﬁdence and conﬁdence drives growth.”

As Nigeria stands at the crossroads of potential and performance, the building blocks are visible: a youthful population, a vast market, creative entrepreneurs, and growing global attention. DHL’s experience, Pearson believes, is proof that progress is possible, with the right reforms.

“Education, infrastructure, digitalisation, sustainability, and regulatory stability, those are the ﬁve pillars,” he summarised. “If Nigeria focuses on these, it will move from a story of potential to one of performance.”

He paused, then added with a smile: “At DHL, we don’t just move parcels; we move economies. Nigeria can do the same, not just move goods, but move the entire continent forward.”

CEO of DHL Express, John Pearson

WhO W I ll S AVE Ch INEDu Agu?

ChARlES Ogbu writes on the prolonged detention of a human rights lawyer, Chinedu Agu, in Imo State

Ahuman rights lawyer and former Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Owerri Branch, Chinedu Agu, is currently facing at the hands of Imo State government ofﬁcials, over an issue that should ordinarily spur the government to act in the people’s interest, exposes how intolerant some state governments have recently become.

Upon his return from the annual convention of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Enugu, Agu did an innocuous travelogue in which he compared Imo State and Enugu State.

In the travelogue, he commended Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State for massive infrastructural development, but thumbed down Governor Hope Uzodimma for not doing much, even when the state collects billions of naira monthly from federal allocation and oil derivation fund.

Rather than simply countering Agu’s claims point-by-point, with a superior argument, making public the report card of the Imo State government in the past ﬁve years, he was arrested on September 23, 2025, by the Nigeria Police Force, Imo State Command following a petition by the state government

His prolonged detention further speaks to how far the Nigerian judiciary is willing to go in its dishonourable role of serving as KEPT-MEN ever at the service of the executive arm in exchange for intestinal considerations even at the expense of their sacred duty as the guardian of the justice system.

The lawyer was ﬁrst arraigned in Owerri before Chief Magistrate Obinna Njemanze who, despite acknowledging lack of jurisdiction over the federal cybercrime charges, went ahead to remand Agu in Owerri Correctional Centre and adjourned the case to October 29, 2025, (over a whole month) for the ﬁle to be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions (a common tactic regularly used by the police in conjunction with crooked magistrates to keep many innocent Nigerians in jail, at the behest of politicians, of course)

Agu’s legal team ﬁled a fundamental rights application before a Federal High Court in Owerri which was granted but along came a new twist borne of technicality. The correctional service refused to release Agu on the grounds that the court pronoucement was directed at the police which initially arrested and detained the lawyer and not the correctional service currently holding him.

A new bail application was ﬁled by Agu’s legal team to address the correctional service directly. Hearings were adjourned multiple times. Today, October 16, 2025, the Owerri Federal High Court judge threw out Agu’s bail application on the grounds that no formal charge has been ﬁled against the human

rights lawyer in any court. Please note that the bail application was not opposed by the prosecuting team. In the ‘wisdom’ of the Judge, Agu cannot be granted bail because no formal charges have been ﬁled against him.

And so, the ex-secretary of the NBA, Owerri branch remains detained over a mere criticism of Governor Uzodimma who is nothing but an employee of the same man. All for an offence that is clearly bailable.

This is exactly how the compromised judiciary in Enugu has kept BarristerBright Emeka Ngene behind bars for over two years by deliberately refusing to rule on his appeal. The ﬁrst judge recused himself from the matter. The second judge sat on the case, heard all the arguments from both parties and even set a date for ruling only to recuse himself on that very date he himself was set to deliver his ruling. Another judge recently recused himself yet again from the case. These are supposed “honourable” judges, men and women people address as “my lord”…… but here they are, playing Russian roulette with a fellow man’s freedom which ought not to be denied him except when it is legally justiﬁed.

The most important fight facing not just the Afam Osigwe-led Nigerian Bar Association but the entire Nigerian masses, is the fight to save the Nigerian judiciary from itself. This fight is of existential importance to every Nigeria. A society without an independent judiciary is a society destined for Golgotha.

I am not a lawyer but I am a smart enough to know that if a lawyer who is a co-worker in the same temple of justice where these judges work, can be treated beneath the law, there is really no hope for justice for an ordinary citizen like myself. So make no mistake, this is not about Agu or Ngene. This is about you and I, ordinary Nigerians.

NANRE

NAFZIgER argues the need to honour the dead by remembering them

#ENDSARS: FIVE YEARS ON

As the ﬁve-year anniversary of the historic #EndSARS protests and the Lekki killings of October 2020 approaches, the stillness and silence across the country is deafening. Many front liners who participated in the protests have moved on with their lives. At the same time, a few continue activism and advocacy through civil society work in government accountability and youth leadership.

However, for the families of the dead, the imprisoned and the permanently injured or maimed, the pain continues.

Paradoxically, a movement that celebrated its excellence and uniqueness in history as the‘soro soke’ and ‘coconut head’ generation, differentiating itself from generations past for its willingness to stand up for its rights, has fallen prey to the same historical amnesia that bolstered its ahistorical claims.

Many protesters harshly criticised past generations for their apathy and silence, falsely asserting that they were the ﬁrst generation that rebelled against government ineptitude and violence, distinguishing themselves from their parents, whom they accused of betrayal. Perhaps unknown to them, these were acts of historical forgetting, an amnesia that draws its breath from the air of ignorance, of lack of knowledge of past struggles that had both birthed the nation and enthroned democratic rule, all of which they claimed to promote and protect. Surely, the collective trauma and its aftermath, inﬂicted by the government, the lack of justice for the injured, jailed and dead, are all contributing factors to the death of the movement and the historical amnesia that follows.

But what contributes to this unwillingness to remember, to valorise the martyrs of the movement, and to make sacred the day in which they laid down their lives for all of us? Why have we not shown recognition of their names, care for their families, and attention to the battle wounds of those still suffering permanent disabilities from the hail of bullets on that dark night of October 20, 2020? One may point to the lack of history education as it was removed from the school curriculum as general knowledge for decades, depriving generations of historical knowledge and consciousness. Or one may blame the deradicalisation of the student movement, which in its radical heyday was enriched by study groups, lectures, pamphlets, radical publications, and informal learning spaces.

democracy forces, students beneﬁted from an intergenerational passing of knowledge and paid homage to past heroes of movement struggle. Yet, even with the reintroduction of history education and new efforts to strengthen student organising, the attempt to enshrine #EndSARS into the annals of history remains a tall - if not impossible - task.

Historical consciousness connects the past with the present to redeem and guide a collective future. Understanding the history of social movements can give guidance to our actions today and our visualisations of future movement building. History is a powerful tool for citizenship engagement and rebellion, and as such is often a highly contested, heavily politicised subject, as we note from the militarised presence at the tollgate each October 20th.

The government wants to erase the story of #EndSARS and disappear the bodies, much like those 103 bodies that were found in the morgue over two years after the massacre, because history teaches us what they do not want us to know. It teaches us that the history of mankind is that of struggle, and that those who dare to struggle, who gather courage and face death, will always be on the right side of history, no matter the outcome of their struggle.

As we approach the ﬁfth anniversary of #EndSARS and the Lekki Massacre, the struggle for justice for the victims remains unrealised. While the small group under the umbrella of #EndSARS United may not fully achieve this quest for justice, we still hold one power - the power to remember, to write the story, to retell it, to make songs of it, and to tell it to our children and their children. It is in our hands to deﬁne the historical narrative and ensure that it lives on in our hearts, minds, and souls forever.

Only through remembering can we truly honour the dead and ensure that their lives were not lost in vain. We carry this obligation, this responsibility, as a sacred task, one that we must bear and carry, always. –

Dr Nafziger is a Pan-Africanist educator, organizer and scholar. She is the co-convenor of the Pan Africanist Activist Collective and a member of #EndSARSUnited. She is currently an Assistant Professor of African/ Black Studies at McGill University where she studies Black social movements and history education. Ogbu writes from Abuja.

Through collaboration with other pro-

Editor, Editorial Page PETER ISHAKA

Email peter.ishaka@thisdaylive.com

AMUPITAN AND THE TASK BEFORE INEC

INEC should consider the option of holding all elections in one day

The Senate on Thursday conﬁrmed Professor Joash Amupitan as chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). A professor of law at the University of Jos and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Amupitan succeeds Professor Mahmood Yakubu who served for two terms of ten years. “Our ultimate goal is to make elections so credible that even the loser will be able to congratulate the winner in good faith just as a judge delivers judgment and both sides accept it as fair and just,” Amupitan told the lawmakers while also promising to conduct an audit of the INEC results viewing (IReV) portal to address glitches that undermined public conﬁdence during the 2023 general election.

While we congratulate Amupitan who comes to the job as the ﬁrst professor with a background in law, it is fortuitous that the National Assembly is currently considering amendments to the Electoral Act (Repeal and Amendment) Bill 2025. We hope Amupitan will take advantage of the current exercise to dialogue with the lawmakers on how to address some of the legal constraints that hamper the work of the commission. He highlighted some of them at his conﬁrmation hearing where he also admitted working with the National Assembly in the past on the Electoral Act 2018 that was vetoed by the late President Muhammadu Buhari.

current democratic dispensation.

The existing arrangement of staggered elections is fraught with many drawbacks just as it is wasteful in terms of energy, time and money

We understand that the single major complaint against holding all elections in one day is that the ballot paper could be bulky in the case of Nigeria where there are many political parties taking part in any elections. The argument goes that the illiterate voters in the rural areas might get confused to the point that they would render their ballot papers invalid. Or that some may vote against their choices if given four different ballot papers at the same time. While there may be merit in this argument, we do not believe it is sufﬁcient enough a reason not to try what has been perfected even in smaller West African countries where elections are usually held in one day with many parties competing. There are also those who argue that since INEC still has difﬁculties in holding crisisfree elections under the existing staggered formula, there is no assurance that the electoral body would get it right if all elections are held in one day. That may be a legitimate concern. But in lending support to the single-day voting, we have weighed all the negatives that the extant staggered elections present against what the country stands to gain from the proposed one.

Meanwhile, one of the issues that the new INEC boss should consider taking up is the idea of holding all elections in the country on the same day. The existing arrangement of staggered elections is fraught with many drawbacks just as it is wasteful in terms of energy, time and money. Under the prevailing electoral system, it could sometimes take between three and four weeks to conduct the various elections (Presidential, National Assembly, Governorship and House of Assembly) during which all economic–and sometimes even academic–activities are usually grounded throughout the country.

Added to this is the fact that staggered elections do not necessarily guarantee free and fair polls as we have witnessed over the past 26 years of the

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First and foremost, the current system is not cost effective as the country was almost always shut down for several days whenever elections were held in the past with all the attendant economic implications.

is also the issue of voter fatigue as turnout of electorate usually declined after the first major poll. Furthermore, and perhaps more fundamental, is the notorious fact that once the presidential or governorship elections were held first and results declared, subsequent elections tended to reflect the so-called bandwagon effect.

Given the foregoing, we endorse single day voting because it will be less wasteful, while also stemming the manipulation often associated with staggered polls. It is therefore our hope that Amupitan will consider this proposal alongside other reform efforts to further the electoral development of the country.

We wish him success in his new assignment.

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

LETTERS RE: ROTATION HOLDS THE KEY TO NASARAWA’S UNITY

The recently published article titled “Rotation Holds the Key to Nasarawa’s Unity” argues that political rotation among the three senatorial districts of Nasarawa State is essential for equity, peace, and stability. While the argument is emotionally appealing, it is, at its core, anti-democratic and counterproductive to the ideals of progress and good governance that the people of Nasarawa truly deserve.

In a democracy, the true foundation of political stability and equity is not rotation or zoning , it is the power of the people to choose their leaders freely based on competence, experience, and connection to the grassroots. Democracy thrives when merit, performance, and the will of the people drive leadership selection, not when leadership is conﬁned to a rotational formula that reduces governance to a turnby-turn arrangement.

Let us be clear: no senatorial district in Nasarawa State has been marginalized. The North, South, and West have all produced governors, each emerging not by the dictate of zoning but by the collective will of the electorate. From Senator Abdullahi Adamu (West) to the late Alhaji Aliyu Akwe Doma and Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura (South), and now Engr Abdullahi A. Sule (North), the people have always exercised their right to choose who they believe can best serve them. That is the essence of democracy.

It is therefore misleading to claim that unity can only be achieved through rotation. Unity, in its truest sense, comes from justice, fairness, inclusion, and purposeful governance, not from artiﬁcially limiting the democratic process. A state that insists on rotation risks discouraging qualiﬁed leaders from other zones and promoting

mediocrity over merit.

What Nasarawa needs at this critical stage of its development is a competent, grassroots-connected, and experienced leader, one who can consolidate on the developments the state witnessed since it creation in October 1, 1996.

A leader that will bring new ideas and forward-looking strategies that prepare the state for tomorrow’s challenges.

As the state continues to grow economically and politically, the next phase requires a leader with proven capacity, not one chosen simply because “it is our turn.” Governance is not an inheritance; it is a responsibility.

For the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the 2027 elections must not be approached with sentiment or emotion. The 2023 gubernatorial election

should serve as a sober reminder: the APC won with 347,209 votes against the PDP’s 283,016, a narrow margin of just 9.3%. That slim victory margin shows that the people are increasingly voting on performance, not on where a candidate comes from. To maintain public conﬁdence and strengthen its hold, the APC must ﬁeld its most capable and widely accepted candidate, not one chosen merely for balancing rotation.

If the APC, or any party for that matter, replaces merit with zoning sentiment, it risks alienating voters who are more concerned about effective governance, youth empowerment, infrastructure, and job creation than about geographical rotation. The people of Nasarawa deserve the best, and they should not be denied that right under the guise of rotation.

Zayyad I. Muhammad, Abuja

How Ananse is Stitching Africa’s Fashion Dreams into Global Reality

In Lagos, Africa’s bustling fashion capital, a new kind of creative revolution just launched. The Ananse Centre for Design is not just another training hub, it is a bold experiment in transforming African creativity into a global enterprise, writes Sunday Ehigiator

At the intersection of creativity, technology, and opportunity, a quiet, yet extraordinary industry revolution is unfolding in Lagos.

The Ananse Centre for Design, recently launched by Ananse Africa in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation and supported by Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, is redefining what it means to build a sustainable creative economy in Africa.

For decades, African fashion has inspired the world. From the Kampala and Ankara prints that grace global runways to the traditional craftsmanship that defines high-end couture. Yet, African designers have long been constrained by systemic gaps, which include a lack of infrastructure, inadequate training, poor market access, and limited digital adoption. It is precisely these gaps that the Ananse Centre for Design Lagos is designed to close.

A Vision Born from the Continent’s Creative Struggles

For Samuel Mensah, the Ghanaian-born entrepreneur and brain behind Ananse, this initiative is personal and deeply strategic. A former investment banker turned creative economy evangelist, Mensah understands both the art and the economics of creativity.

“The inspiration came directly from the African creatives we work with,” he said in an interview with THISDAY.

“Across Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, and South Africa, we noticed similar challenges, limited access to resources, quality equipment, and skills training.

“These gaps affect product quality and restrict access to higher-value markets. Nigeria, being our largest market and the heart of African creativity, was the natural choice for our first centre.”

This vision is ambitious: to empower over 5,000 emerging fashion and designfocused creatives and generate up to 50,000 jobs, with women accounting for about 70 per cent of participants. But beyond the numbers, the Centre aims to build an ecosystem, one that turns raw talent into sustainable enterprise, a one-stop shop for the fashion creative and commerce ecosystem.

Why Lagos? The Beating Heart of African Fashion

Few cities encapsulate Africa’s creative pulse quite like Lagos. The city’s blend of grit, glamour, and ambition has made it a breeding ground for designers, artists, and cultural innovators. “Lagos is Nigeria’s fashion capital and arguably Africa’s,” Mensah explained. “It made perfect sense. There’s a critical mass of young creatives here who need the kind of ecosystem we’re building.”

The Ananse Centre, located at 10A Nike Art Gallery Road, is a 1,200-squaremetre innovation hub. It houses dedicated studios for clothing, leather goods, footwear, accessories, photography, and content creation, as well as training and co-working spaces designed to foster collaboration. The setup is reminiscent of creative campuses in London or Milan, but built with Africa in mind.

It’s a place where, as Mensah puts it, “technology meets tradition, and creativity

meets commerce.”

Bridging Gaps: From Training to Trade

One of the most significant challenges in the African fashion value chain is fragmentation. Designers often operate in isolation, with no access to modern equipment, standardised production facilities, or reliable logistics. The result is inconsistency in quality and limited scalability.

The Ananse Centre was designed to tackle this head-on. In partnership with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), the centre offers formal certification in fashion and design, blending hands-on training with business and digital skills.

“We have five core modules that blend creativity with entrepreneurship,” Mensah said. “Beyond sewing and design, we teach marketing, accounting, intellectual property, and pricing. Many designers don’t know how to cost or calculate margins properly, which affects profitability. We help them understand their business, not just their craft.”

Technology as the Great Equaliser

Mensah’s background in tech is evident throughout the Centre. Long before it had a physical presence, Ananse.com functioned as an e-commerce platform helping African designers sell globally. That digital-first DNA now extends into training, with modules on Computer-Aided Design (CAD), AI-assisted production, and digital fashion illustration.

Through a partnership with Clo3D, a global CAD software company, the Centre is certified to train designers in virtual garment design and pattern-making, skills that allow them to serve clients anywhere in the world, without shipping a single sample.

“With these tools,” Mensah explained, “a Lagos-based designer can design for a client in New York or Paris. They can earn in dollars or euros without ever leaving Nigeria. That’s what digital inclusion really means.”

This marriage of technology and craftsmanship, he believes, is Africa’s competitive edge. “We’re not trying to

replace artisanal skills with machines,” he said. “We’re enhancing them. Technology should amplify handcraft, not erase it.”

Public–Private Collaboration: The Key to Scale

The Ananse Centre for Design is a product of collaboration between the private sector, development partners, and government; an approach Mensah calls “essential for systemic change.”

“The problems we’re solving are too big for one company,” he explained. “Many creatives are stuck in a vicious cycle; lack of funding leads to poor quality, poor quality limits sales, and limited sales mean no growth. Breaking that cycle requires partnerships and institutional support.”

The Mastercard Foundation’s Young Africa Works strategy aligns perfectly with this vision. “Our partnership with Ananse reflects our commitment to youth opportunity and inclusive growth,” said the Country Director of Mastercard Foundation Nigeria, Rosy Fynn, at the centre’s launch.

The Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, and Creative Economy, led by Hon. Hannatu Musa Musawa, also signed a five-year memorandum of understanding to replicate the model nationwide. “By investing in skills, facilities, and global visibility for our designers, we’re creating jobs and ensuring Nigerian creativity is recognised on the world stage,” Musawa said.

In a world where fast fashion dominates, the Ananse model emphasises sustainability and small-scale production. Designers can use shared facilities to produce between 10 and 100 units per style; a scalable, cost-effective model that encourages quality and reduces waste.

This approach aligns with global sustainability trends, giving African designers a competitive advantage in eco-conscious markets. “We’re teaching responsible sourcing, dyeing, and material use,” Mensah noted. “Sustainability isn’t just about the environment; it’s about building a business that can last.”

The centre’s potential impact goes far beyond fashion. By formalising skills,

improving product standards, and linking creatives to global markets, it could catalyse a new wave of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across Africa.

Impact modelling projects that the Ananse ecosystem could create tens of thousands of direct and indirect jobs, boost exports, and enhance foreign exchange earnings. Already, collaborations with logistics giant DHL and Ecobank are streamlining cross-border shipping and payments for designers.

Changing the Narrative

Perhaps the most profound impact of the Ananse Centre lies in shifting perceptions. For decades, African creativity has been celebrated but undervalued. Mensah believes that the narrative is finally changing.

“Africa has always led creatively; our ideas are borrowed globally. What’s been missing is execution and scale. With better infrastructure, mentorship, and partnerships, we can now transform creativity into enterprise and wealth.”

To that end, Ananse is nurturing partnerships with legendary artisans like Nike Davies-Okundaye, blending traditional craft with modern design and ensuring that cultural heritage remains central to the continent’s fashion renaissance.

A Model for the Future

In five years, Mensah envisioned at least ten Ananse Centres across Nigeria, from Lagos to Kano, Port Harcourt, and Abuja; each catalysing innovation and entrepreneurship.

“I want to see thousands of thriving fashion entrepreneurs and African creatives earning in foreign currencies,” he said. “Our goal isn’t just to create jobs, but to create value, to make Africa not just creatively rich, but economically competitive.”

For an industry that has too often struggled to translate inspiration into income, the Ananse Centre for Design represents a new kind of infrastructure, one built not just of bricks and machines, but of belief; belief that African fashion can be world-class, belief that creativity can be profitable, and belief that when technology meets tradition, Africa’s design future will not just be bright; it will be unstoppable.

L-r: Country Director, Mastercard Foundation, rosy Fynn; Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, and Chief executive Officer/Founder, Ananse Centre for Design, Lagos, Sam Mensah, during the inauguration of Ananse Centre for Design in Lagos…recently

e buy old original Afrobeat and highlife vinyl records. We buy local music from Nigeria and Africa only. Records must be in good condition with original cover. If you have records to sell, please call us on 09135239816, or send pictures on WhatsApp. Top prices paid.

Blessing Amidu Burrowing the Beauty in Animation

The first time she pursued her passion for animation, she made history by producing Nigeria’s first feature-length animated film, ‘Lady Buckit and Motley Mopsters.’ Now, she is back again with another project, hoping to raise the bar.

Blessing Amidu, a veteran in the oil and gas industry, is keen to put the Nigerian animation industry on the global map, writes Vanessa Obioha

Burrowing the Beauty in Animation

It doesn’t take long to realise that Blessing Amidu is passionate about animation. The cadence of her voice, the way she buttresses her points, and how effortlessly she reels off facts all speak to her deep love for the creative arts. Although she has spent most of her career in the oil and gas industry, Amidu’s knowledge shows that she is sure-footed in the world of animation. Her love for animation dates back to childhood when she was an avid fan of cartoons. Her favourites included ‘Bigfoot and Wildboy,’ ‘Voltron: The Defender of the Universe,’ and ‘Deadman.’

Although she excelled at art subjects, she chose to study sciences at the university. Coming from a family of lawyers, she was keen to stand apart and initially opted for Medicine. When she didn’t meet the requirements, she opted for Geology.

Yet her mind still tugged at the creative arts. She wrote and produced

animation. This time a sequel to LBMM, a 13-episode series titled ‘Secrets of the Multiverse (SOTM).’ The LBMM spinoff tells the story of two children who, upon accidentally entering a multiverse, are thrust into a perilous realm where their choices could determine the fate of their world.

“It’s a world of danger that challenges not just their survival, but their sense of morality,” said Amidu in a recent chat. “The kids must stop an extinction-level event from destroying everything they hold dear.”

For Amidu, the story goes deeper than adventure.

“This particular story is about leadership and all the sides to it,” she explained. “It depends on how one wants to look at it. It can be fear, a threat to life, maybe scarcity and aggravation. It basically looks at how far a leader is willing to go to protect his people and the choices that may stare him in the face.”

The animated series, she added, also weighs on the morality of the people. “Their actions, their choices, and the benefits of their citizens. And then it also bears critical thinking to determine the value of life and the extent of morality necessary to justify a wrong. Is it good to commit a crime as long as you know it benefits your people? Is that said crime justifiable? Is it unpunishable?”

Like LBMM, Amidu is passing a message of resilience and determination to young audiences.

“The aim of this project is to remind teenagers and young adults that they can go on to do or to achieve anything they set their minds to. You will always achieve more with a little bit more determination and resilience,” she said.

“SOTM will show them that they can do a lot more than they have set their minds to achieve, and also, with collaboration and relationships, with teamwork, they can always exceed their limits.”

It’s a mother and daughter affair as Amidu revealed that her daughter, Emmanuella penned the sequel.

different,” said the 19-year-old Emmanuella. “I wanted something that kids wouldn’t be able to forget about, something that would blow their minds away, something that would go viral. Touch the hearts of children all over the world, and not just children, but also adults.”

While the Nigerian animation industry is steadily growing, with international projects like ‘Iwájú’ and studios such as Magic Carpet and Spoof Animation gaining recognition, major challenges persist: access to the right talent, technical limitations, funding, and distribution.

“And, of course, the environment. Was the Nigerian environment ready for animation? For foreign animation, we probably were. But prior to 2020, we weren’t sure if Nigerians could produce something of great quality, such as we did with LBMM,”Amidu said.

She added that funding remains one of the biggest hurdles.

“Funding is still a challenge, except you’re going to get grants. Otherwise, you still need to meet the minimum requirements to raise funding for animation. Even with the Bank of Industry (BOI), you still need to meet a certain requirement to get the funding. Animation is very expensive when compared to regular live action.”

Animation budgets, she revealed, could start from N500 million and go far higher.

“Depending on what you want to put in there. And when I say N500 million, that’s a small budget. Outside of the country, animation can cost as much as $10 million, $20 million, or even $1 billion.”

Distribution also poses a hurdle.

“With strong distribution comes strong quality. Platforms like Netflix have strict standards for animation, and LBMM exceeded those criteria—that’s why it was accepted. But many creators have finished projects sitting in their studios because they don’t know where to sell them or who will pay for them. Without proper distribution channels, profitability is impossible. Some studios end up selling to small platforms for peanuts. We need to invest in distribution so our stories can truly go global.”

plays, often taking lead or supporting roles.

Only five years ago, she forayed into the animation world with ‘Lady Buckit and the Motley Mopsters (LBMM).’ The animated feature film became Nigeria’s first cinematic release but it didn’t end there. It went on to win awards, including Best Feature-Length Animated Film at the 2021Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA), Best Animated Feature at the 2021 Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), and Best Feature-Length Animation at the Kwetu International Animation Film Festival (KIAFF) in 2022.

LBMM was also officially selected at several global film festivals, including Annecy International Animation Film Festival (France, 2021), Animatiba (Brazil, 2021), PanAfrican Film Festival (USA, 2021) and Maoriland Film Festival (New Zealand, 2021).

Now, Amidu is back with another

“After the premiere of LBMM, we knew we were going to have a sequel,” she explained but getting the right story proved more difficult than finding a needle in a haystack.

“I began looking for writers to get us a story. Apart from the fact that it was quite expensive, I wasn’t getting what I thought would be a good story. One of the things that set me off, actually, was when somebody told me that to write an episode of an animated series would be about $3,000 per episode. This was about three years ago. I was shocked. I began to look inwards. I could write it, but I’ve been quite busy.”

In the midst of this frustration, she remembered that her daughter wrote short stories.

“I stumbled on my daughter’s talents. I had asked her to write a few short stories, and as God would have it, one of the short stories she wrote added so much potential for expansion that I just asked her to write six episodes.”

“I just wanted something

To overcome these barriers, Amidu is reuniting with Adebisi Adetayo who directed LBMM. Adetayo is the cofounder and technical director of 32AD Animation Studio. He also worked on the HBO critically acclaimed series ‘Game of Thrones.’ Co-directing with him is famed Hollywood animation expert Robert Sledge, whose career spans major studios including Warner Bros., Disney, and DreamWorks Animation.

“I think collaboration is the way to go,” she said of the partnership. “It is about forging relationships and partnerships and expanding new frontiers, and getting to do more than planned. When you work together in partnerships, relationships or collaborations, it often tends to take you farther than expected. You tend to achieve much more than if you had journeyed alone originally. So I see it as an opportunity for both sides to learn from each other; knowledge sharing, technology sharing, so the creative synergy overflows easily.”

Amidu has lofty plans for SOTM which will be released in two parts: the first in 2026 and the second in early 2027. There is a bake-off competition in the works, and plans to cast notable local and international actors.

For now, Amidu, an entrepreneur, certified management consultant, and humanitarian, is ready to shake the industry again with SOTM, just as she did with LBMM.

Amidu

HighLife

Hope Lives in Maiduguri with Yetunde Abimbola-Alebiosu

They used to beg for coins on the streets of Maiduguri. Today, they line up for morning assembly, reciting the alphabet in voices that stumble but do not break. Their uniforms may be worn, their classrooms bare, yet there’s a quiet rhythm of order here, a discipline born of hunger, now gently fed.

The Feed for Life Foundation began with a simple, stubborn idea: no child should have to choose between food and learning. From a few bowls of rice, it has grown into an institution serving over 800 children, each one a survivor of a war that tried to erase their future. Based in the North-east, where insurgency once silenced laughter, the Orphan Academy now hums with it.

Yetunde Abimbola-Alebiosu, the founder, speaks with the calm conviction of someone who has seen both despair and defiance. She started Feed for Life in 2014, when displaced families filled the camps and children scavenged for food. Her answer was to build a space where the mind could feed as well as the body. Since then, the foundation has served more than 800,000 meals and opened a secondary school to keep hope alive beyond the basics.

The Orphan Academy sits in the dust and heat, without enough desks, sometimes without a roof. But every morning, the children still come. They sit on mats, clutching borrowed books, their faces bright with questions. One teacher said they no longer run when they hear loud sounds; they have learned to stay put, to trust that the world won’t always fall apart.

Feed for Life now hopes to raise funds for new classrooms, for proper shelter and furniture. It’s a modest goal in global terms, just £30,000. But in this corner of Borno, it could mean the difference between learning in the rain and learning in safety.

And perhaps that’s the quiet miracle of Maiduguri: that amid the wreckage, someone, namely, Abimbola-Alebiosu, still believes in blackboards, in rice, in the slow, radical act of teaching a child to dream.

with KAYoDe ALFreD 08116759807, E-mail: kayflex2@yahoo.com

...Amazing lifestyles of Nigeria’s rich and famous

Governor Okpebholo’s Sycophancy

In Edo State, a new rule of office fashion has taken flight. Governor Monday Okpebholo, barely a year into his tenure, has turned the simple act of wearing a cap into a loyalty test. Not just any cap, President Bola Tinubu’s signature headgear, the unmistakable “Asiwaju cap.”

On Tuesday, October 14, the governor swore in 20 commissioners and members of state boards in Benin City. Before they could settle into their seats, he laid down a curious commandment: no commissioner, no matter how well-dressed, would be allowed into the Executive Council meetings without the presidential cap perched firmly on his or her head.

“I will not forgive any commissioner who is not wearing it,” he warned.

The Asiwaju cap was once a cultural accessory. Now, it stands as a political badge.

For Okpebholo, it is more than a nod to the President; it is gratitude stitched in fabric. He credits Tinubu’s “responsible leadership”

They call

the Gas

Julius Rone speaks more like an engineer than a monarch. At a recent energy conference in Cape Town, he stood before a sea of suits

for his administration’s stability and the state’s electoral revival. In his telling, past elections faltered because the President wasn’t “with us.”

The irony is hard to miss. While the governor insists his appointees were chosen on merit, his opening decree seemed to favour uniformity over individuality. Those who come in agbada without the prescribed cap, he said, “are going back.” The message rang less like a call to serve and more like a hymn to hierarchy.

Yet, beneath the theatre, there lingers a question about power and belonging. Is political success in Nigeria now measured by policy or by wardrobe? Perhaps both. Nigeria’s political corner is clearly a place where allegiance consistently trumps action. So it isn’t so surprising that the Asiwaju cap has become a shorthand for safety and a fabric of conformity.

Okpebholo promises service delivery, integrity, and results. But if his commissioners must first prove loyalty through headwear, one wonders: how much room is left for independent thought beneath the cap?

The Gas King’s Next Flame

and said calmly, “We just need to get the gas right.” It was a modest sentence for an ambitious dream: Nigeria’s first floating liquefied natural gas project.

Rone, 51, leads UTM Offshore Limited, the Nigerian firm building the FLNG facility off the coast of Akwa Ibom. The project, backed by Japan Gas Corporation, France’s Technip Energies, and KBR in the United Kingdom, aims to turn “stranded gas” into export-ready energy. It is, in essence, Nigeria’s attempt to catch up with the world’s pivot to cleaner fuels.

He has been building toward this moment for years. A graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University and the University of Calabar, Rone cut his teeth in public service before steering UTM into a cluster of ventures, from energy to dredging, construction to logistics. The man who now leads a consortium of global engineers once began as a civil servant with a hunger for relevance.

Payback Time: Why Tinubu Should Give Omisore Massive Support

Gratitude wears a politician’s smile in Nigeria. Lately, that smile belongs to Senator Iyiola Omisore, the mathematician who helped tilt the All Progressives Congress (APC) toward President Bola Tinubu’s victory in 2022. Now, with Osun 2026 drawing near, the senator seems ready to collect what he believes he’s owed.

Omisore said the president himself asked him to run. “When President Bola Tinubu called me last year to contest for the governorship position, I told him former governor Oyetola would come back for a second term,” he told party ward chairmen recently. “But he said he wasn’t sure.” That uncertainty has since become Omisore’s opportunity.

He has begun rallying Osun’s APC network, urging ward leaders to dust off registers and prepare for the primaries slated for late 2025. His message is simple: loyalty deserves reward, and he won’t disappoint.

Yet, Osun’s politics is rarely so neat. Behind the handshakes and pledges lie shifting alliances, quiet rivalries, and memories of who backed

whom when the chips were down.

It was Omisore, then the party’s national secretary, who steadied the APC ship during the turbulent 2022 primary. When some party leaders floated Ahmad Lawan as a consensus candidate, Omisore stayed fixed on the SouthWest project. “My mission,” he later said, “was to deliver the South-West for the Presidency. Which we are today.”

That mission succeeded, but politics, unlike mathematics, has no fixed formulas. Shortly after Tinubu took office, Omisore resigned his party post. Critics read it as a fallout; loyalists called it a strategy. Either way, the senator now seeks a return to Osun’s top seat under the same banner he once helped stabilise.

Whether Tinubu repays that loyalty with full backing remains the quiet drama beneath the surface. Endorsing Omisore could ignite old tensions within the APC, but ignoring him could appear ungrateful. Memory seems to fade fast in Nigeria; that is true. But it would be abnormal if Omisore is not betting that Tinubu

Yet what sets him apart is not his portfolio, but his persistence. He speaks of “upstream, midstream, and downstream” as if describing a living organism, every part feeding the next. “You must have all the segments in one piece,” he tells anyone who will listen, “and the gas supply is the heart.” For him, the FLNG project is less a technical triumph than a national awakening.

Outside the boardroom, Rone’s other empire runs on goodwill. Through the Julius and Yutee Rone Foundation, he funds scholarships, health programs, and community drives. When the pandemic struck, he sent N20 million to Delta State’s relief efforts. On his 51st birthday, he gave instead of receiving.

It is easy to see why the industry calls him a changemaker. But for Rone, the title means little. He seems more preoccupied with the gas still trapped beneath the sea, waiting, like an idea, to take form and fire.

still remembers who carried the numbers when it mattered most.

The Last Assignment for Dr. Omar Ibrahim at APPO

For Dr. Omar Ibrahim, the clock is ticking in a measured, unhurried rhythm. In a few months, his tenure as Secretary General of the African Petroleum Producers’ Organisation (APPO) will end. Before it does, he hopes to leave behind something solid: the long-promised Africa Energy Bank.

The project has lingered in the corridors of African oil diplomacy for years, a plan to help the continent fund its own energy infrastructure without leaning too heavily on Western lenders. Ibrahim, a Nigerian with a scholar’s patience and a reporter’s instinct for stories behind systems, has made it his final mission.

He knows institutions take shape

slowly. Before APPO, he spent years in the oil world’s inner chambers: Nigeria’s Governor at OPEC, board member at the Gas Exporting Countries Forum, and a bridge between Abuja and Vienna. But his path began far from the boardrooms of oil ministers.

Once, he was a lecturer at Bayero University, parsing theories of state and power. Then a journalist, climbing from columnist to editor at the Daily Times and eventually Managing Director of New Nigerian Newspapers. Those years honed his language for persuasion, useful later, when managing the egos of oil states.

By the time he joined NNPC and then OPEC’s Secretariat, Ibrahim had become that rare hybrid: part academic, part bureaucrat, part storyteller. At APPO, his tone has been less about slogans and

more about coherence, how Africa can speak as one in a shifting energy order.

The Energy Bank, if it launches, will be his punctuation mark. A regional institution that could give African nations more control over the financing of pipelines, refineries, and renewables. “We must take ownership of our resources,” you can expect him to frequently say, quietly but firmly, as if still lecturing a class that doesn’t quite realise its own potential.

When he steps away in January, the headlines will move on. But somewhere between the conference halls of Luanda and Abuja, the story he started may yet keep running, powered by the same steady conviction that a continent should learn to fund its own future.

him

King, though

okpebhole

Abimbola-Alebiosu

omisore

What’s Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa Busy Doing?

Quiet efficiency rarely makes the news. In Nigeria’s current climate of noise and outrage, it almost feels suspicious. That may explain why some whisper that Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the Governor of Ondo State, is “too quiet.” As if diligence without drama must be hiding something.

Since stepping fully into the seat once held by the late Rotimi Akeredolu, Aiyedatiwa has governed with a steadiness that borders on invisible. He flags off projects, visits communities, signs cheques for pensioners, and leaves. There are no theatrics. No viral moments. Just receipts, literal ones, for N1.6 billion in unpaid gratuities and a trail of fulfilled promises to retirees and local government workers.

In September, he approved payments for hundreds of pensioners who had long given up hope of full benefits. The initiative, which began while he was deputy governor, now runs like a quiet clockwork: save a little, pay a little, until no one is left waiting. Even his party, the APC, sounds slightly amazed at his

consistency, calling his attention to civil servants’ welfare “uncommon.”

There are occasional flares of governance tension.

Aiyedatiwa has faced pressure from Akoko leaders to dissolve local councils declared illegal by the courts, and he has set up panels to probe communal clashes in Ose Local Government. These, however, have unfolded with the same unhurried calm that marks his administration. No chest-thumping, no open defiance, just slow procedural steps toward resolution.

It’s an unusual rhythm in Nigerian politics: a governor who seems to prefer doing the job to talking about it. The irony is that such stillness invites suspicion. Critics search for mischief in his silences, as though competence, too, requires a scandal to prove it exists.

So far, they’ve found none. Aiyedatiwa remains what his name suggests: lucky, steady, and, to some, at least, frustratingly uneventful.

Innocent Chukwuma: The Man Who Built His Own Road

Some people inherit roads; others build theirs from scratch. Innocent Chukwuma belongs firmly to the second kind. When he recently walked into Government House in Yenagoa to announce a new Innoson assembly plant for compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles, it was more than a business pitch; it was the sound of a man still carving paths across Nigeria’s industrial map.

The Bayelsa project, he said, will produce buses, ambulances, and utility vehicles powered by CNG, a cleaner and cheaper alternative to petrol. 1,000 direct jobs are on the line, with many more expected to ripple out through logistics and parts supply chains. Governor Douye Diri, eager to turn his state from consumer to producer, promised infrastructure support and policy incentives to make it real.

Chukwuma, it’s the latest turn in a long, improbable journey that began in Nnewi in the late 1970s. He never got into engineering school. Instead, he learned commerce under a

motorcycle parts dealer and later struck out on his own. He built Innoson from a spare-parts shop into Nigeria’s first indigenous automaker, a company that now builds buses for cities, trucks for factories, and even vehicles for the army.

His genius lies in a kind of industrial stubbornness. Where others saw import dependency as inevitable, he saw an opening. He made plastics when parts cost too much, manufactured tyres when suppliers fell short, and now, as fuel prices squeeze Nigerians, he turns to gas-powered engines.

It is tempting to read his story as a parable of self-made grit, yet it also mirrors the slow, uneven rise of Nigerian manufacturing: full of fits, pauses, and bursts of defiance. Even with Nigeria’s long addiction to imports, Innoson’s quiet rebellion has been to stay put and build.

The new plant in Bayelsa may seem a small thing in the global order of factories and emissions targets. But somewhere between the creak of a new assembly line and the hum of

a gas-powered bus, a deeper story unfolds: of a man who keeps inventing what Nigeria seems to have forgotten to build for itself.

Adama and the Prince: A Royal Rift in Designer Clothes

hashtags sparkled across Instagram; even cynics paused to admire the match. Four years later, the story has soured into something quieter, colder, and distinctly human.

By October 28, 2025, both will appear before the Sharia Court of Appeal in Abuja, where their disagreement has taken legal shape. Adama wants full custody of their child, as Islamic law generally grants to mothers. She also wants monthly support to match her station: $2,000 for feeding, clothing, and other things for the child; and extra for a nanny, school fees, and others.

The Prince, by his lawyer’s account, has offered less: N1 million for the child’s upkeep, and school fees made directly to the school. It is all very dramatic.

The marriage itself was brief. Their divorce was finalised in August 2024, closing a union that had promised modern glamour with a touch of northern tradition. Social media, predictably, treated it like a lost national dream. Fans confessed heartbreak. Some mourned the beauty of the wedding photos more than the marriage itself.

The legal back-and-forth has grown complex, with both sides filing motions and appeals. Adama’s team says the Prince has stalled proceedings; his camp says the lower court was biased. The Sharia Court will decide who must pay what and who gets to raise the child. Behind the grandeur of their surnames, the fight has the same old ache: love undone, money in question, a child between them.

Adama, for all her pedigree, comes across as strikingly determined. She runs her travel company, Kauna Solutions, and her cosmetics brand, Reign by Adama, both still active despite the turmoil. The Prince, too, carries his title with an air of reserve, rarely addressing the scandal publicly.

The rest of us will watch from our screens, equal parts fascinated and weary. In the end, the Indimi-Prince story is no royal tragedy; only another Nigerian tale where wealth promises insulation and delivers exposure instead.

How Dapo Abiodun Became One of Nigeria’s Best Governors

There is a kind of quiet confidence that trails Governor Dapo Abiodun these days. The man once mocked for building an airport “in the middle of nowhere” now watches commercial flights lift off from that same runway in IlishanRemo, Ogun State. The sceptics have gone silent, replaced by applause.

In less than six years, Abiodun’s administration has stretched Ogun’s economic skin. According to the governor, the state’s GDP has swelled from N3.5 trillion to N16 trillion, making it one of Nigeria’s fastestgrowing economies.

The numbers are no accident. Roads have multiplied, industrial parks are rising, and power projects are lighting up communities once forgotten.

The Gateway International Airport, completed within his term, now carries symbolic weight. Its first flight, a ValueJet plane to Abuja, was proof that an idea dismissed as fanciful could find ground and take off. Within forty-eight hours of operation, the airport had already boosted Ogun’s profile in the

federation’s competitive hierarchy. Abiodun’s handprint extends beyond aviation. A newly signed Memorandum of Understanding with the Rural Electrification Agency and Renew Power Limited will birth a 500-megawatt solar photovoltaic manufacturing plant. The project, the first of its scale in West Africa, positions Ogun as a hub for renewable energy and local capacity building.

Then there is tourism: long overlooked, now quietly lucrative. The renovation of Olumo Rock has turned the ancient site into a cash machine, generating about N20 million weekly after years of dormancy. Investors have noticed. A Dubaibased group has pledged up to $2.5 billion for leisure and hospitality, including what could be Africa’s first Disneyland-style resort.

The governor’s secret, perhaps, is consistency. No bluster, no endless ribbon cuttings. Just a methodical pursuit of infrastructure that works and an economy that rewards patience.

In an era when governance often collapses under its own noise, Abiodun seems to have

discovered something rare: that real progress doesn’t announce itself; it accumulates until everyone starts to notice.

Nasiru

Staying Behind The Curtain

When power loses its echo, it often finds its grace. Nasiru Danu, once a fixture in the front row of Nigeria’s power circuit, now seems content to stay behind the curtain. His polo mallets still rest on manicured lawns, but his name, once whispered around the corridors of Aso Rock, travels more softly these days.

Since the passing of Muhammadu Buhari, the man to whom he owed much of his ascent, Danu has been operating in quieter tones. He appears at ceremonies, commissions projects, funds mosques and museums, then recedes, leaving only the architecture of generosity behind.

In 2025 alone, he financed an imam’s residence worth over N150 million in Abuja, and handed the Department of State Services a museum of national security, built and donated at no cost.

Once the “polo-loving insider” whose company, Casiva Limited, became a major player in oil, logistics, and construction, Danu now wears his wealth more like a duty than a decoration. His speeches have turned devotional, often laced with gratitude, humility, and the language of faith. “One of the greatest acts of worship,” he said in May, “is giving and spending for the sake of Allah.”

It is easy to forget how steep his climb was. Before Buhari’s presidency, Danu was known mostly in elite sporting circles and the social margins of Abuja. The political years transformed him into a mogul, an operator in industries where influence and access determine the air one breathes. That kind of ascent rarely ends gently, yet Danu seems to be attempting exactly that, a soft landing built on philanthropy and faith.

Maybe he has discovered a quieter ambition: to build without fanfare, to serve without headlines. Against the normal way of power, often demanding visibility, Danu’s new silence is almost radical. The Sardauna of Dutse seems to have traded the noise of proximity for something rarer: the calm of relevance without presence.

Aiyedatiwa

Danu

Chukwuma

Abiodun

Adama and prince

It began like a fairy tale: Abuja shimmered in gold when Adama Indimi married Prince Abdulmalik Ibrahim in 2020. Billionaire daughter meets royal heir. The wedding

g et well Soonest, wale e dun

It was Sir Shina Peters who said “Soonest Recover” and entered Nigeria’s database of “ibon shooters”. They said Baba had a stroke; that he could not lift his legs or hands. They added that he had been flown abroad. Another source said it is not true that Baba was purging and that he was recuperating in his house, and then Baba appeared in London dressed like Simon Templar, inspecting paintings with one young man. I was very happy to see the footage of Baba Edun in that gallery. Sources said he suffered fatique. Apparently, in his effort to fix the economy, Baba broke down. My immediate concern on the matter is the effect of his indisposition on the stabilising economy. We seem to be turning the bend; inflation has dropped to about 18%, and GDP is showing an upward trajectory quarter on quarter.

Naira is strengthening, and the IMF just reviewed our growth projections from about

4% to about 6%. His continued safe handling of this process is very much needed, and as such, if he has any plans of falling sick, he should postpone it immediately. You know me, I am an opportunist and can be easily compromised - his handling of the fiscal side of the economy has begun to show very strong signs of positive recovery to the point that even foreign investors have started rushing back amongst other brave economic occurrences, thus making me shift ground from looking at him with “bad eyes” from afar to rushing to his corner and calling him “egbon”. All prayers for Wale Edun - may the evil of debilitating illness not be his portion; may he gather strength to continue on this trajectory, and may he be granted a long and healthy life in the name of everything we worship in Nigeria. Thank you.

It was not by mistake that he was named ‘government.’ Now, I do not know if that is his real name or a moniker because when the Delta State Governor was talking about him at the launch of the Delta State Security Trust Fund, he called a long name that I cannot even begin to spell.

Anyways, what we have heard is that this deity, who, according to the governor, was appearing in public for the first time in 10 years, was said to have donated a whopping N10 billion at the event. Even the man who was recording was heard in confusion asking – shey na N10 million or na N10 billion? It can never be N10 million; N10 million that cannot even buy a wig for my side chick, talk less of buying three bullets for the police. So, my people, it is N10 billion and you now see why they call him Government, because na only government that can do this type of thing.

You now see that Aliko Dangote was correct when he said that there are people with more liquidity in this country than him. Coming from the adjudged richest black man in the world, we took it with a pinch of salt. Now, Tompolo has come out to prove him right. If the man can just come out of whichever estuary of the Delta he was nestling with his mermaids and just casually drop N10 billion, you can begin to imagine his true net worth. Mbok, the man should just buy Delta State and turn the place into Dubai. It is not only to be donating to the Security Trust Fund- he should just tell the governor to go and be doing Nollywood movies while he systematically deploys his money to transform the state abeg. The thing that pains me the most in the whole thing is the trousers he wore to the event. The thing was so thin that it was very tight and brought out his small bum. Be like say na Mudi

A brIllIANT poSITIoN from SerIAke DIckSoN

If you look at this Bobo from afar, you will not believe he can speak so intelligently o. Don’t come and beat me, o. But seriously, he looks like my mother’s elder brother that we used to call “bro”. Both, however, were policemen, but my own uncle died after retiring as a sergeant. This one grew to become a governor and now a senator. I listened to him the other day talking about the incredulous move for a second-term governor to decide to cross-carpet. Senator Dickson’s speech was just so beautiful. He talked about pluralism and other such terms that even the Senate President does not know the meaning. Multi-plural democracy is a phrase I last heard in Prof. Rotimi Suberu’s Political Science class at the University of Ibadan in the 80s. Even Prof. Suberu was still a

graduate assistant when he uttered the phrase.

So, a senator coming to talk about it in the face of a yellow cowardly governor’s slimy and cowardly move was very impressive and must be encouraged. This is very rare because all we hear from our senators these days is -he touched my hand; no, I did not touch her hand, type of talk. My brother, I, however, will be very shocked if, after all these big English, you do not know the reason why a second-term governor is rushing to the ruling party. It is called “run to refuge”. That is post service immunity, if you “gerrit, you gerrit and if you don’t gerrit, forget abourrit”. Thanks

pAT AkpAbIo: A rUmblINg empTY STomAcH

Have you seen the reports? This is supposed to be our Senate President’s obviously very bitter sister-in-law, Pat, railing against our bumbling Senate President

THAT Tompolo’S HUmoNgoUS DoNATIoN

sew am. That is Mudi’s signature style – tight trousers. Kai, full rehabilitation.

edun

Dickson Akpabio

Tompolo murray-bruce

Godswill Akpabio. She is said to be the wife of that one’s brother, Ibanga. As expected, her tirade is very tedious with all sorts of accusations – killings, corruption, etc, the usual things.

You see, anybody who knows the woman should send me her number, let me tell her what I am about to write here, face to face – get out. Common “gerraway” and slide back to your murky and descript hole.

I really hate people like this. If the report is true, then this is the usual belly-aching that comes with a disenfranchised, spoilt relation. We all knew how this family reigned when Godswill was the Governor in Akwa Ibom. That his brother was the deputy emperor, and yes, they reigned. They were a very strong cabal, and you could not get anything done in the state if you did not take kola nut through this cabal.

Now things have changed, and this woman is shouting all over the place. Please “getat”, really “getaway you” as they say in Igbo trader parlance. I am so angry right now. Please, someone send me her number. There is something I want to tell her. When I finish with her, she will run back to her village and cover her frumpy nakedness. Such utter rubbish.

BeN MUrrAY-BrUce: A TIpple AND A DropleT

I was looking for an English phrase to describe just how inconsequential this “joining APC” is to our system and politics. It is not even a drop in the ocean. Mbok, anybody that can help me with a phrase that will describe the very tiniest in consequentialism, if there is any word like that to describe this announcement.

Everybody that have a lot to lose, who has voting blocs that are very relevant in their space, is relocating to APC. Our man with only one black suit to his name is also doing the same. Maybe for rehabilitation, sha, then one would be keen to understand, but putting it on the reasons he gave in a report that I have seen is predisposing that all the drug lords recently pardoned have started dropping products in our food, thereby turning us into a nation of gullible dregs.

It is this thing that is making me begin to see people like Atiku, Aregbesola and El-Rufai in garbs that they don’t really have because of their principled stance on this matter.

This oga just irritated me big time with this self-serving move. He may come and beat me for this because I know he really has a very thin skin for strong criticisms like this, but this is well-deserved, if you ask my mother. I am waiting. Thanks.

NYeSoM wIke: clIppINg of THe

BUTTerflY

They say that because the butterfly can fly, it thinks it is a bird. I am ready to bet my N4.9m retirement pension that after the 2027 elections, this our oga will be in the labour market faster than a damsel loses her virginity when she strays into -you know where. N4.9m? You will ask. Yes, o that is what my pension manager told me is my retirement benefit after over 20 years in investment banking- so they pay me

N30,000 every month, and I will be begging them to give me all let me take to one brothel in Shomolu and they say no. So, instead, I am ready to bet with it that Nyesom Wike will be the first to be thrown overboard once the second term is secured. If the report I just saw is correct and there is nothing about it that says it is not true, then the process of the inevitability has begun. The report

that I have read and that is widely circulated is that his monthly press briefing may have been banned by the Presidency, ostensibly to allow for a fragile peace in Rivers. If this is true, then it is a major slap on his face and ego. Oga is no longer an elected person but an appointee with clear terms of service and with stated codes of conduct. Press briefings should be on

preSIDeNT TINUBU’S

UNpArDoNABle gAffe

Mbok, I will have to apologise to my dear sister, Cynthia, on the BGL WhatsApp group. I hadn’t gone through the list of those pardoned by our magnanimous President when I ran to his defence. It is his prerogative as President to grant a pardon, I screamed. I added – it is his constitutional right o and he can and must do it upon recommendations, I screamed as loud as I could.

My people, when we all went through the list, we got dumb-founded and I particularly went back to the group to apologise.

Mbok, when I saw the list and the numbers of drugrelated people that were pardoned, one would think that an alumni meeting had been held and a strong

presentation was made ooo. Mamman Vatsa and Herbert Macaulay were strong moves, but the positivity of those two people was quickly dimmed by the madness of the rest of the list, and one could immediately see that Macaulay and Vatsa were just cannon fodder to sweeten the bitterness of that exercise. If I were Marwa, the passionate head of the NDLEA, I would resign as this just makes a nonsense of all the efforts and progress the agency has been recording.

Mbok, while we are still on this matter, let’s not forget Evans, the billionaire kidnapper. We should be considering his state pardon in time for the elections, just in case he has ambitions. Na wa, I swear. Kai.

activities of his ministry, if at all, but mainly reports to his employer and not state-of-the-nation address. His press briefings are usually cringeworthy as they come with the features of a pantomime – from proverbs to dance, to abuses, to threats, it all just makes it look like a drunken sailor on the loose. Well, the man did not get to where he has gotten to without understanding the system and how to navigate it. My own is that he should just try and be calm for a bit. Na beg.

cHrISTopHer kolADe: A lIfe well lIveD

The news of the passing of this colossus hit while I was out of the country. Dr Kolade was an epitome of integrity and results-oriented leadership. From his job at the NBC through corporate Nigeria and academia, he carried himself with elegance that won so many admirers. I had met him twice, and I must say that he left a lasting impact on me. I met him at the Lagos Business School once, and then when Chief Obasanjo sent me to him, on the back of my stage play ‘Aremu.’ That he schooled me is an understatement.

I met up with him at his Ogudu GRA residence and we spoke for hours on end. He was frail but looked well. His hair was silver gray, and he had a cup of tea. He offered me a cup, and I asked for afang. Obviously, they didn’t have, and I gave him my waiver. He was grateful for that. We talked about leadership, integrity, vision and all of those things that were dear to him and that seem to be missing in today’s Nigeria. He talked about his work at the Chief Obasanjo Library – he was Chairman Board of Trustees, I think, and we also talked about his family life and all.

At the end of the conversation, I was more than satiated and did not need to eat any more. Today, he has gone, but his legacy remains. He was a beautiful man.

DAkUkU peTerSIDe: leADINg IN A STorM

I am writing this column in a hurry because I have to choose what to wear to attend my brother and fellow columnist Dakuku Peterside’s book launch. Dakuku, who is one of Nigeria’s most prolific columnists and essayists, has just written a book he has titled “Leading in a Storm.” I see that a lot of world leaders have endorsed the book, as it talks about pure leadership during stormy weather. I have not read the book, but I have to attend the book launch if not the oga can beat me o. The way he storms my “DP” with stories, letters, the cover of the book, and so many details about the book, if I don’t attend, he can beat me o.

I have called him to ask what the dress code is, and he says, “Edgar, wear anything you want to wear.” I have decided to wear my shorts and enter the place.

Dakuku and Magnus Onyibe are two extremely prolific thinkers. Their positions on issues, especially on leadership and the economy, always come out very profound. This is why I am looking forward to reading just the summary of this book. You will say why summary? Well, na wetin my attention span can hold be that, but for the rest of you, read the book ooooo. Thanks.

Tinubu

O J Awa-Ibraheem R ecreates Haute Perfumery

In the haute perfumery ecosystem, one Nigerian who is fast creating a revolution with a daring spirit of modern perfumery is Omotayo Jamilah Awa-Ibraheem. Through her brand, Perfectscent Niche Emporium, the beauty entrepreneur, fondly called OJ, is at the forefront of introducing various curated collections of rare fragrances.

Recently, OJ upped the notch as she unveiled a new set of haute fragrances: Ideo Parfumeurs. On Sunday, October 5, these exquisitely composed perfumes were launched at an exquisite event in Lagos, where connoisseurs of fragrance and perfumistas were in attendance.

Ideo Parfumeurs, a brand that embodies the heritage and artistry of modern perfumery, was founded in Beirut in 2016 by Ludmila Bitar. The Parfumeurs were born from a vision of making refned perfumery both elegant and accessible, crafting scents that whisper stories, capture memories, and leave a trail of bold sophistication.

The journey, however, was interrupted by the tragic Beirut port explosion, which forced the brand into silence for nearly three years. Today, a luminous new chapter has unfolded.

Born in Lebanon, perfected in France, Ideo Parfumeurs has been reborn under new guardianship in France, uniting its Lebanese soul with the mastery of celebrated French perfumers. The result is a collection that honours its roots while ascending to new heights of refnement and global acclaim.

OJ said the new brand is more than fragrances but creations that are timeless narratives, bottled in luxury. “It’s a testament to resilience, artistry, and the eternal allure of scent,” she said.

Is AbdulRazaq Jitery over Saraki’s Growing Inﬂuence?

Former Senate President Bukola Saraki, in his halcyon days as a top player in Kwara State politics, commanded a lot of respect and was seen as ruthless.

Many dreaded him; his words were law. When he sneezed, the whole state caught a cold. Several literally worshipped the ground he stepped on. He made many politicians, and at the same time marred the political career of others.

Simply put, that was how powerful Saraki was. This was the legacy he inherited from his late father, Olusola Saraki, famously known as Baba Oloye. His father, until his death, was an indomitable political gladiator who ruled the political climate of the state for many years.

However, Saraki’s political dynasty crumbled in 2019 during the O’tooge (Enough is Enough) revolution. He not only lost his political signi f cance, but he also lost his seat in the Senate. The man who was regarded as a champion suddenly became a paper tiger, while his political dynasty caved in from the base.

The state governor, Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq, has enjoyed a huge following since he became the number one citizen of the state. Apart from that, he gradually became a major factor in the state as well as a gladiator, with many concluding that the Saraki era in Kwara politics was dead and

But just as AbdulRazaq began to consolidate on the belief that he has

totally taken control of the state, Saraki is gradually getting back his groove and fghting back to regain his political dominance in Kwara. A source revealed that the former Senate President, who is also a twoterm governor of the state, has now regained his political supremacy, and this is no doubt, has put the governor in a compromised position as he is reportedly jittery that he may lose his political relevance soon, especially after his tenure in 2027.

“Saraki, as we all know, has reportedly rebuilt the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) into a formidable opposition, working discreetly and effectively, while he is also believed to be brokering strategic alliances to consolidate his position ahead of the next election,” the source stated.

Many who stood with AbdulRazaq in 2019 and 2023 are now jumping ship and embracing Saraki, while voices are exploiting every issue, especially the worsening security situation.

Indeed, he is said to be making frantic efforts within his power to “save his political career from nosediving when he fnally leaves offce in 2027,” our source added.

When the World Stood Still to C elebrate Seyi T inubu at 40

Being a son to the President of Nigeria is definitely a privilege many would love to have. It carries incredible privileges, immense

Again,

Happy

expectations, and numerous luxuries, opportunities, and huge prospects. But at the same time, it comes with a cost, and if you don’t tread softly, you could step on banana peels that could make you miss your step and fall.

For Oluwaseyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Tinubu, it seems he has prepared for the job of being the president’s son. The young man, often referred to as ST or the “King of Boys,” embodies the idea of being born under a fortunate star. His entry into the world as a member of the illustrious Tinubu family may not have been his personal choice, but he recognises it as a fortuitous twist of fate for which he is eternally grateful to his Creator.

As he celebrates his 40th birthday, Seyi’s life story transcends mere chronology; it is a modern Nigerian parable steeped in legacy, entrepreneurship, and the delicate skill of establishing a meaningful presence within the realms of infuence and power.

Many of his contemporaries would have struggled to navigate such a landscape or may have lost their way. But Seyi has carved a distinct path for himself. While many of his peers born with silver spoons in their mouths become spoiled kids leveraging on the deep pockets of their father and pocket money from their mother, Seyi has defed all odds and has kept working on himself.

Born into a family with a name that resonates with tremendous significance, and being the son of Tinubu, a renowned political

strategist, philanthropist, Seyi is acutely aware that to truly honour that legacy, he must uphold the family name and excel beyond it.

The challenges of being Tinubu’s son are manifold; there’s no room for mediocrity, and he cannot afford to lag. Thus, the weight of expectation has propelled him on a journey that is less about passive inheritance and more about active engagement with his destiny.

Instead of resting on the laurels typically associated with the saying, “in the name of the father,” Seyi has chosen to draft his own blueprint for success. He leverages his unique abilities, insights, and determination to forge a path defined by his own accomplishments and values.

His story is a testament to the power of resilience and the importance of crafting one’s own narrative, making him a prominent figure in his own right, distinct from the expectations that come with his surname.

In doing so, Seyi has become not just a son of a powerful politician but a formidable architect of his future, shaping his identity and influence in modern Nigeria.

When he celebrated his 40th birthday last Monday, he was celebrated far and wide with glowing tributes, not because he was the son of the President alone, but because of his genuine concern for the youth and his continuous empowerment efforts have endeared him to many across the nation. His influence goes beyond privilege, as he has used his platform to touch lives, bridge generational gaps, and inspire a new wave of leadership driven by purpose and service.

Time for Ex-Lawmaker, Farouk

Perhaps, it is only those who were born yesterday who would not remember Farouk Lawan. He is one Nigerian politician many would not forget in a hurry, especially for his bold stance on issues, for his vocal fght against corruption.

The lawmaker who served four terms at the Lower Chamber of the National Assembly was always in the news for these laudable reasons. To many, he was a warrior and a hero.

Sadly, Lawan, famously described as Mr Integrity, fell and exited the exalted chamber in a very controversial circumstance. He got greedy, covetous, and deep his hands into the cookie jar and was involved in the same corruption many thought he detested and fought against.

His indictment for demanding and collecting a $500,000 bribe from oil and gas magnate, Femi Otedola, was nothing but a huge disappointment to those who

had hailed him for seeming ‘anti-corruption’ stance.

The ugly incident became a big blot on his political career, exposed his Achilles’ heel and maybe confirmed that, after all, he had a price tag. He strived very hard to burnish his dented image and revive his political career. However, the more he tried, the more he literally got stuck in the mud and sank deeper. He was jailed, but was released last October.

Since he returned, he has tried to pick up the pieces of what’s left of his political career, but he has been shunned by those he thought were his loyalists, while many no longer reckon with him.

But it seems the former lawmaker may have a reason to smile again. Last week, his name was among the 175 persons Presidential Pardon list.

What a happy time for the former Mr. integrity.

Lawan

Saraki

Tinubu

Awa-Ibraheem

buried.

Lawan

Chike Aniakor’s Ancestral Lines and the Art of Enduring Wonder

a forthcoming exhibition in abuja evokes

the legacy of chike aniakor, who in his twilight years turns reflection into revelation — proof that art, like spirit, never grows old. okechukwu Uwaezuoke writes

There are artists who paint, and there are artists who think in pigment. Professor Chike Aniakor, unmistakably of the latter persuasion, wields a brush dipped not so much in colour as in consciousness. As he moves with unhurried grace (for Aniakor doesn’t simply walk; he glides, like someone on ﬁrst-name terms with Time itself) into the twilight of his eighties, his forthcoming exhibition Thoughts & Reﬂections in Abuja this November feels less like a retrospective and more like a cosmic remix — an encore from a man who has never quite left the stage. Forty works — part confession, part meditation, part painterly improvisation — gather into an ode to a mind still wired for wonder, still blissfully incapable of retirement. To speak ofAniakor without invoking Uli would be like describing Fela Kuti without mentioning rhythm — possible, perhaps, but woefully incomplete. Uli, that ancient Igbo art of body and wall drawing, has long been his philosophical compass, his shorthand for the inexpressible — a way of saying in a single line what others take paragraphs to fumble through. Since the 1970s, Aniakor has been the high priest of its modern reincarnation, wielding the line

like a scholar-sorcerer at the height of his powers. In his hands, the line doesn’t just divide space; it breathes. Thick, thin, spiral, or angular, his marks drift through dark expanses as though liberated from the tyranny of form. They ﬂoat, they whisper, occasionally sulk — and always, somehow, think. The result? Works that feel both stripped and complete, minimal yet lush in implication. His mastery lies in what he withholds: that rare artistic bravado to let silence do the talking — and to make it reverberate.

Aniakor calls his drawings “visual epitaphs,” which is, naturally, a very Aniakor thing to say — solemn with a sly undertone, as if he is eulogising form while teasing its essence. For him, each mark is both memorial and myth, each composition a “mythogenic enclosure” where human ﬁgures, often with upraised arms, seem to plead innocence before the tribunal of existence. They are dancers in a ritual of endurance, mid-gesture between despair and deﬁance — choreography as philosophy.

“I can’t forget Igbo dance,” he once said. “I can’t forget the masquerade.” And truly, his art remembers for all: the shimmer of ritual, the pulse of drums, the eloquence of gesture. His canvases are the body’s own archive — memory rendered visible, rhythm made line.

The exhibition unfolds like a symphony in four movements — Introspection, Womanhood, Couples, and Landscapes — each suite riffing on the theme of becoming. Introspection, the titular suite, dives headlong into the mind’s interior corridors, where thoughts echo and emotions sediment. Works like “Inner Pains” (2010) and “The Emotion of Expression” (2022) are less drawings than excavations — archaeology with charcoal. Here, the human head doubles as a cosmic chamber, its interior carved into labyrinths: half-mind, half-map, entirely mystery. In “Thoughts and Reflections” (2013), a face peers toward an unseen horizon, its contours riddled with flickers of humanity. It is less a portrait than a philosophy lecture delivered in pastel and line — one that hums softly with meditative rhythm.

Womanhood, the exhibition’s largest suite, oﬀers a counterpoint — gentler, yes, but no less charged. Eleven works meditate on the feminine not as ornament but as force — resilient, graceful, inﬁnitely renewable. Aniakor’s women are not muses so much as mythmakers, their contours drawn with the patience of someone who understands that strength and tenderness are not opposites but twins. They occupy the page the way memory does the mind — quietly, completely.

The Couples suite continues the dialogue, this time staging that age-old duet of intimacy — part harmony, part negotiation. Here, love is rendered not as the sentimental shorthand of social media tributes but as a choreography of balance and tension. Two ﬁgures lean into, and sometimes away from, each other — the visual equivalent of a musical call and response, except this time the melody is made of line and longing.

And then come the Landscapes — though “landscapes” feels almost too literal for what Aniakor is up to. Works like “Organs of Landscape” (2009) and “The Scorched Landscape” (2022) belong less to geography than to the psyche. These are terrains of thought, cloud banks of emotion, ﬁelds that stretch not across the earth but across the artist’s inner weather. They pulse with metaphor — the earth as body, the horizon as memory, the colours as moods caught mid-evolution. In them, Aniakor turns the external world inward, translating it into pure sensation: the topography of a mind still restlessly charting new ground.

In this way, Thoughts & Reflections doubles as both exhibition and autobiography — a visual memoir of a mind in motion. To speak of Aniakor, of course, is to summon the broader cosmos of the Nsukka School, that remarkable crucible where tradition and experimentation first struck sparks. He remains one of its towering figures, a scholar-artist whose influence hums through generations like a tuning fork. While others merely borrowed from heritage, Aniakor inhabited it — reworking uli not as nostalgia, but as a living, thinking language. His line became an idiom, his idiom a philosophy, his philosophy a way of seeing.

Alongside Uche Okeke and Obiora Udechukwu,Aniakor helped redraw the contours of postwar Nigerian art, turning Nsukka into both refuge and renaissance. If Okeke was the architect and Udechukwu the lyricist, Aniakor was the philosopher-poet — the one who asked not just how art could heal, but why it must. Together, they fashioned uli into an act of cultural rearmament: ﬁne art as balm, as manifesto, as quiet insurgency.

His studio, like his classroom, was never merely a space but an atmosphere — a place where apprentices inhaled history and exhaled possibility. He lectured on traditional African architecture with the same ardour he reserved for the curvature of a line, and he mentored with the patience of one who understood that genius, like uli, thrives in repetition and restraint.

Aniakor’s scholarly plume was as potent as his brush. His 1984 Igbo Arts: Community and Cosmos survives as a foundational scripture in the gospel of Igbo aesthetics — part art history, part spiritual treatise, part manifesto. Between drawing, teaching, and writing, he built not just a career but a cosmology — a framework where art, philosophy, and ancestry dance to the same heartbeat.

So, when the charcoal settles and the brush stills, Thoughts & Reflections feels less like a curtain call than a continuation — proof that Aniakor’s dialogue with line, memory, and myth remains gloriously unfinished. His works do not simply hang on walls; they hover, pulse, and breathe, charged with the quiet voltage of lived wisdom. In his eighties, he paints not to remember but to remain — an artist still in lucid conversation with the cosmos. To stand before his drawings is to witness an archive quickened into flesh, an ancestral presence unfolding in real time. The wonder, perhaps, is not that he endures, but that he still astonishes — line by line, thought by thought.

Inner Reflections, pastel on paper, 2007

A woman of Substance, acrylic on paper, 2014

The Solicitor, acrylic on paper, 2009

The Climate Change II, acrylic on canvas, 2002

At Tate Modern, the World Rediscovers Nigeria’s Modernist Soul

this October, tate Modern reintroduces Nigerian Modernism to the world. the exhibition secures Nigeria’s rightful place in the global history of modernism—alongside Paris, London, and New York. Spanning ﬁve decades from the 1940s onward, this landmark show features 250 works by 50 artists, tracing a vibrant, often-overlooked narrative of creativity, resilience, and reinvention.

For too long, the story of modern art has been told through a eurocentric lens. this exhibition decisively challenges that notion, presenting compelling evidence that Nigerian modernism was every bit as radical, inventive, and self-aware as its Western counterparts. It grew from a deﬁant synthesis of inherited traditions and global contemporary thought, producing a visual language at once local and universal.

curated by Osei bonsu, with bilal Akkouche as assistant curator, the show oﬀers a richly layered entry into art history—one that expands the canon by revealing a dynamic web of artistic exchange and intellectual ferment.

Modernism, broadly deﬁned, was a global movement built on ideals of progress and experimentation from the late nineteenth century through the mid-twentieth. It encompassed

styles such as Impressionism, Fauvism, Cubism, and Dadaism. Yet, as this exhibition shows, modernism was never a purely European enterprise—it was a global conversation.

Just as artists across the world responded to political upheavals such as the World Wars, Nigerian artists forged their own modernisms amid colonial rule, independence, and diaspora. their works confront imposed hierarchies of value, transforming borrowed forms into powerful assertions of cultural sovereignty. the exhibition unfolds across nine rooms, each conceived as a time capsule of themes and ideas. Together, they reveal the multi-dimensionality of Nigeria itself—an amalgam of cultures, languages, and histories whose artistic output mirrors the nation’s own complex evolution.

The narrative opens with Aina Onabolu and Akinola Lasekan, pioneers who used european techniques to celebrate local subjects. Onabolu’s reﬁned portraiture digniﬁed Lagos society, while Lasekan reimagined Yoruba history and legend, reclaiming narrative agency from colonial representation.

the second gallery focuses on ben enwonwu, known primarily as a sculptor but equally proliﬁc as a painter. His depictions of masquerade dancers and cultural icons are shown alongside his dialogues with sculptor

Ben Epstein—notably, wooden ﬁgures reading newspapers that spread like wings, suggesting the ﬂight of ideas.

The third room is devoted to the legendary potter Ladi Kwali, whose practice fused traditional Gwari techniques with european studio methods learned under Michael cardew. Her vessels elevated pottery from craft to high art—symbols of continuity and transformation within Nigerian modernism.

A Reel Politics of Shadows

Anation’s democratic dream crumbled when the June 12, 1993 elections—hailed as Nigeria’s freest and fairest— were stalled and ultimately annulled by the military. that historic fracture, long etched in the country’s consciousness, finds fresh emotional depth in My Father’s Shadow, the debut feature from Akinola-Davies Jnr., written by Wale Davies. Released in Nigeria on 19 September 2025 by FilmOne Distribution, My Father’s Shadow has already made history as the first Nigerian film to be selected for the Cannes Film Festival’s Official Selection (Un Certain Regard), where it received the coveted Caméra d’Or Special Mention for best Debut Feature. expectations at home, understandably, were sky-high—and the film largely delivers.

Akinola-Davies Jnr. approaches history not through grand statements but through intimate detail. His storytelling adheres to the golden rule of cinema—show, don’t tell—crafting a visually arresting portrait of Lagos in the 1990s.

through the eyes of an estranged father and his two young sons, the audience journeys from the rural outskirts to the city’s chaotic heart, reliving the uncertainties that followed the election annulment. the sparse dialogue and measured silences give the ﬁlm a meditative texture, drawing viewers into a world where absence speaks louder than words.

While the political backdrop is unmistakable,

My Father’s Shadow is less a polemic than a human study—of love, loss, and the fragile notion of nationhood. beneath its quiet surfaces lie questions about identity, poverty, and the urge to escape. Its political charge is all the more potent for being understated, revealed through the friction between a father’s ideals and the hard truths of his world.

In the lead role, Nigerian-British actor Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù delivers a measured, quietly powerful performance as Folarin. He is ably supported by first-time child actors Chibuike Marvellous Egbo and Godwin Egbo, discovered through a Lagos street casting campaign—both bringing an unvarnished authenticity to their roles. Shot entirely in Nigeria, the film is rich in visual texture. Akinola-Davies Jnr. turns the city into both character and commentary: leaking roofs, choking traffic, and the fractured beauty of Lagos’s skyline become metaphors for a nation’s decay and resilience. the two boys, drifting through overheard conversations about fuel scarcity, elections, and the bonny camp Massacre, serve as quiet witnesses to a country coming undone.

Blending realism and dreamlike reverie, the ﬁlm situates Folarin as both man and myth. Archival footage of M.K.O. Abiola and stylised

the fourth room bursts with the energy of the Zaria Art Society, whose members—Uche Okeke, Yusuf Grillo, and others—founded the doctrine of Natural Synthesis in 1958. rejecting the eurocentric curriculum of their college, they merged indigenous motifs with modernist principles, forging a distinctly Nigerian aesthetic. Dr bruce Onobrakpeya, a later member and now nonagenarian, continues this lineage through his Harmattan Workshop, a creative rite of passage for generations of artists. this section also connects to Jimo Akolo and to the black Orpheus literary magazine of the Mbari club, where writers and artists intersected. Its covers—some designed by Onobrakpeya—hang beside works by international peers such as Avinash Chandra, Naoko Matsubara, Ahmad Shibrain, and Ibrahim el-Salahi, embodying what Bonsu calls “polyphonic networks” of transnational collaboration.

Room Five, titled Eko (Lagos), captures the city’s post-independence vibrancy through archival photographs, album covers, and eight iconic portraits by J.D. Okhai Ojeikere, whose lens immortalised the sculptural beauty of Nigerian women’s hairstyles. the soundtrack—Bobby Benson’s Taxi Driver—revives the exuberance of Lagos’s 1960s nightlife.

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recreations of military broadcasts merge seamlessly, creating an atmosphere that is at once nostalgic and haunting—a cinematic séance with Nigeria’s past.

At the Lagos premiere—supported by the Glenlivet Single Malt Whisky and Guinness Foreign Extra Stout—Akinola-Davies Jnr. reflected on his creative vision: “I hope audiences will connect with the same things I love in the film – the family, politics, spirituality, and psychology. Navigating all these layers within a mid-nineties Nigerian setting is what makes this story unique. We wanted to make something accessible, where people see reflections of themselves and experiences they recognise.”

More than a debut, My Father’s Shadow is a cultural statement—a reclamation of memory and a reckoning with the ghosts of a nation.

Kene Okwuosa, Group ceO of Filmhouse Group, captured this sentiment aptly: “My Father’s Shadow has received remarkable recognition on the international stage, and we believe it’s important for audiences in Nigeria, Ghana, and Liberia to share in this landmark achievement. Our decision to distribute it across these territories reﬂects our commitment to showcasing African stories at the highest level, both globally and regionally.”

Subtle, ambitious, and deeply humane, My Father’s Shadow doesn’t just revisit history—it reimagines how Nigeria remembers

In Damola Adepoju’s World, Light Becomes Revelation

One evening, while walking through the streets of Isale eko, Lagos, Nigerian artist Damola Adepoju found himself enveloped in sudden darkness as a power outage plunged the neighbourhood into silence. What might have been a moment of despair became instead a moment of revelation — a spark that would ignite his creative vision. Out of the blue, a beam of light from a neighbour’s torch cut through the gloom, illuminating the street. that simple, human gesture inspired Adepoju’s latest exhibition, Light: A beacon from Isale eko, a profound meditation on illumination as both metaphor and mission. Born from this ﬂeeting yet transformative experience, Light explores how a single act of illumination can pierce collective darkness — a metaphor for individual responsibility and the power to inspire change. Showing at Mydrim Gallery, the exhibition embodies resilience and hope amid the chaos and challenges of urban Lagos.

through his signature mixed-media collages of clipped newsprint, Adepoju reconstructs Lagos’s

skyline — its high-rise buildings emerging from layers of shared stories and public memory. these textured compositions invite viewers into a metaphysical conversation about identity, resilience, and the collective fabric of the city.

“This collection reﬂects my artistic journey since 2015, celebrating 50 years of life,” the artist said during a preview. “Thirty curated paintings trace my evolution and invite viewers to reﬂect on the human experience. Light symbolises a brighter tomorrow — a tribute to Lagos’s indomitable spirit.”

Comprising 30 works, the exhibition blends monochromatic and mixed-media pieces with bursts of colour in vibrant impasto scenes of markets and city life. Adepoju’s elevated perspectives capture the rhythm and geometry of Lagos’s architecture, distilling the city into visual music steeped in cultural memory.

by integrating newspaper clippings and collage into works like Helping Hand and Self-Motivation, Adepoju preserves fragments of civic discourse and everyday history.

“this technique is a deliberate strategy to embed

public memory into my art,” he explained. “It allows me to weave personal identity and collective experience together, both materially and symbolically.”

Women, depicted as vessels of endurance and history in works such as commercial centre, the thousand Lanterns, and Stock Keeper, embody the quiet resilience that sustains family and community.

Other paintings probe the spiritual dimension of light. In Master Key (2024), Seek and You Shall Find (2020), and Unspoken (2020), Adepoju channels light as divine revelation — a metaphor for enlightenment and communion with the creator. these works echo philosophical traditions from Plato to Augustine, who viewed light as a bridge between the material and the transcendent.

Across three interwoven themes — knowledge, spirituality, and landscape —Adepoju’s art positions light as a universal symbol of hope, direction, and renewal: the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel.

His Eko Series — including Light, Golden Hour, Waves of Lights, Action Spot, Christmas Eve, Evening Light, and Isale Eko — captures the pulse, texture, and atmosphere of Lagos streets. Meanwhile, Waiting turns its gaze toward the education sector, confronting questions of governance, neglect, and accountability.

“This body of work captures the visual honesty of the streets,” Adepoju reﬂected. “The exaggerated light in my paintings isn’t a denial of shadow but a command of illumination — a metaphor for national consciousness aware of its ﬂaws yet striving toward clarity.”

Segun Ade-martins

Yinka Olatunbosun

Adepoju

One of the exhibition rooms

IN THE ARENA

Presidential Pardon Gone Awry

Following the backlash over the list of beneficiaries of the presidential pardon and clemency, the federal government is now considering a review. However, a mere review is not enough. The list must be thoroughly vetted to ensure that no names were smuggled in, Davidson Iriekpen writes

Amid growing public outcry over the inclusion of certain high-profile and violent offenders in the list of those pardoned by president Bola Tinubu, the federal government last Thursday made a U-turn, stating that the process is still undergoing final administrative review.

Shock and outrage had greeted the release of the full list of the 175 Nigerians granted presidential pardon by president Tinubu with the backing of the National Council of State.

But in a statement, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), said no inmate approved for clemency under the exercise of Tinubu’s power of prerogative of mercy has been released from custody.

According to him, the review phase is part of standard protocol and demonstrates the government’s commitment to transparency, due diligence, and the rule of law. He commended the public for its interest and scrutiny of the exercise, describing such engagement as evidence of Nigerians’ commitment to justice and good governance.

The minister noted that the issuance of the instrument of implementation marks the last phase of the process, after which the ControllerGeneral of the Nigerian Correctional Service will be authorised to act. He assured that the public would be duly informed once all legal and procedural checks are completed.

“The Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice appreciates the public’s vigilance and constructive feedback, which continue to strengthen institutional integrity. public engagement is always welcome, as it demonstrates that Nigerians care deeply about justice and good governance.

“There is no delay in the process; it is simply following the law to the letter to ensure that only those duly qualified benefit from the president’s mercy. As soon as all legal and procedural checks are concluded, the public will be duly informed. The rule of law does not rush; it ensures fairness,” the statement stated.

The presidency had penultimate Saturday mounted a strong defence of the action. It argued that some beneficiaries had demonstrated remorse and good conduct, while others were pardoned on the grounds of old age or the acquisition of new vocational skills.

Among those pardoned were individuals convicted of serious offences ranging from drug trafficking to murder, armed robbery and illegal mining. Some were already serving long prison sentences, including death sentences.

with the nationwide insecurity, moral decay, and a surge in drug-related offences, many were shocked that the presidency would prioritise clemency for those whose actions have directly undermined national stability and social order.

particularly outrageous is the fact that 70 drug lords were granted pardon, prompting many to demand the scrapping of the NDLeA.

Many Nigerians also queried the clemency granted to Maryam Sanda, who was sentenced to death for killing her husband in 2017.

Tinubu’s action was said to be a mockery of the criminal justice system, an affront to victims, a demoralisation of law enforcement, and a grave injury to the conscience of the nation.

THISDAY gathered that the eFCC, ICpC, NDLeA and other security agencies had raised strong objections to the list, insisting that some of the names were “smuggled in” and not part of those recommended by the presidential committee that screened applicants for clemency.

They added that anti-graft agencies warned that releasing some of the convicts could undermine the ongoing fight against corruption and organised crime.

Many had argued that Fagbemi, as the AGF, bore a huge share of the blame for the pardon and clemency.

As the Chairman of the presidential Advisory Committee on the prerogative of Mercy and Chief Law Officer of the country, it was Fagbemi’s duty to carefully weigh those up for clemency and pardon before presenting them.

Those who spoke to THISDAY said the pardon was contrary to the avowed government’s position against drug trafficking.

Others were also concerned about Nigeria’s international image, questioning how the country would present itself as a trading hub while appearing to be a safe haven for drug traffickers.

They described the president’s action as morally indefensible, saying that it also undermined justice and emboldened criminality.

Many also wondered where Fagbemi was when the full list was released to the public.

“Is it that the AGF did not see or vet the list thoroughly before it was released?”, asked an analyst who didn’t want her name mentioned.

On his part, formerVice president Atiku Abubakar, former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-rufai, civil society organisations and opposition political parties have all condemned the president’s action and warned of its dire consequences for the country.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC), in a statement by its interim National publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said the president’s action undermines the country’s anti-drug efforts and encourages crime, as well as further tarnishes Nigeria’s image in the international community.

It stated that what president Tinubu did was an abuse of his prerogative of mercy to grant clemency to persons serving prison terms for drug-related offences, especially when most of them have barely served two years.

Describing the pardon as pathetic and an act of immense national disgrace, it noted that officials of the NDLeA and other security agencies have taken

p OLITICAL NOT e S

grave risks to prosecute and secure convictions for drug offenders. It argued that granting clemency to such convicts was nothing but a mockery of the efforts of gallant officers in the fight against narcotics and illicit drugs.

Similarly, in a post on his social media platforms, Atiku said “the decision to extend clemency to individuals convicted of grave crimes, such as drug trafficking, kidnapping, murder and corruption, not only diminishes the sanctity of justice but also sends a dangerous signal to the public and the international community about the values this government upholds.”

For el-rufai, the president’s action was not that of compassion, as many would think, but that of a reunion of people of like minds.

writing on his X (formerly Twitter) handle, he said: “For a president once accused of forfeiting $460,000 to the US authority in a drug-linked investigation, pardoning drug dealers feels less like compassion and more like a class reunion of cartel alumni association.”

The Leader of INrI evangelical Spiritual Church, primate elijah Ayodele, on Tuesday, faulted Tinubu’s pardon, describing the action as wasting the efforts of the NDLeA and security operatives who arrested and convicted the criminals.

Amnesty International said the manner president Tinubu carried out the exercise seemed to prioritise the perpetrators instead of access to justice and effective remedies for the victims and their families.

In a statement signed by its Director in Nigeria, Isa Sanusi, the global watchdog stated that the actions of the government have the potential of undermining the rule of law, preventing the emergence of the truth, the determination of guilt or innocence by a court and reparations for victims, as well as entrenching impunity for human rights crimes.

while a lawyer, Mr. Daniel Okon, said the president abused the prerogative of mercy power with his action, a social policy analyst, emmanuel Olufemi, called on president Tinubu to revoke the pardon, particularly that of Maryam Sanda, who killed her husband and other convicted drug traffickers. He argued that pardoning Sanda undermines the intrinsic value of human life and the principle of accountability, while granting clemency to drug traffickers signals a moral abdication that normalises predation on society’s most fragile members.

It is expected that the promised review of the exercise will address the concerns of Nigerians and ensure that justice is served.

Most importantly, the AGF needs to thoroughly investigate whether the names of some persons who were not part of those recommended by the presidential committee that screened applicants for clemency were smuggled into the list. If this is the case, they should be fished out and dealt with.

Too Late for Makinde to Cry over pDp’s Fate

It was an irony for the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde to caution some members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja last week against plans to disrupt the upcoming national convention of the party.

The governor, who is also the Chairman of the PDP National Convention Transportation Sub-committee, gave the warning while speaking with journalists after the inaugural meeting of the sub-committee.

The elective national convention of the opposition party holds in Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital, from 15 to 16 November.

Makinde said that since 1999, the PDP had gone through different challenges and experiences, the lowest of which was losing

power in 2015.

Ironically, the same Makinde who alongside the Minister of the Federal Capital (FCT), Nyesom Wike; former governors Samuel Ortom, Okezie Ikpeazu and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, weakened the PDP and ensured that it lost the 2023 presidential election is now cautioning others who are working against the party.

When they were busy moving from one place to the other in aso-ebi and campaigning against their presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and leaders of the party, they didn’t realise that their actions and inactions would come back to haunt him.

Today, Wike, Ortom, Ikpeazu and Ugwuanyi have abandoned Makinde.

Atiku and others have also left the PDP for the Oyo State governor.

Barely 24 hours after Makinde’s warning, there was an open drama at the Federal High Court in Abuja between the National Chairman of the party, Umar Damagum and the National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, over who holds the authority to appoint lawyers for the party.

PDP is suffering from the consequences of the role played by members of the G-5 governors. They are all reaping the fruits of their previous role and should enjoy the drama.

Fagbemi

Makinde

BRIEFING NOTES

As Defections Spark Fear of One-party State

With the recent defection of Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State from the Peoples Democratic Party to the ruling All Progressives Congress and the resignation of Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State from the main opposition party, the ruling APC will effectively take control of 26 states in the coming weeks, triggering the fear of Nigeria’s descent to a one-party state, e jiofor Alike writes

The reign of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), once a ruling behemoth in the South-east, ended last Tuesday with the defection of Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah; his deputy, Ifeanyi Ossai; and the entire party structure in the state, to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Enugu was the last PDP state in the Southeast as Imo and Ebonyi states had since been taken by the APC, while Anambra and Abia states have been under the control of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the Labour Party (LP), respectively.

Mbah’s defection was long-expected, given the protracted leadership crisis in the PDP, and the failure of the party to meet his demands, coupled with his association with leaders and agents of the APC.

Earlier in May, the South-east PDP led by Mbah gave the former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki-led reconciliation panel of the party a list of conditions that would stop the defections of its leaders and members from the party.

One of the conditions was that the then National Youth Leader of the party, Sunday Ude-Okoye, should be retained as the party’s National Secretary.

Following the retention of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the National Secretary of the party, it was not surprising that Mbah and his supporters dumped the main opposition party.

Addressing a mammoth crowd of supporters, who thronged the Michael Okpara Square, Enugu, to solidarise with Mbah, Vice President Kashim Shettima stated that Mbah had always been a part of the APC fold, even before he joined the governing party.

Barely 24 hours after Mbah’s defection, the Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri also resigned his membership of the main opposition party.

Though Diri was mum on his next political move, it is believed that his formal defection to APC is a matter of days.

With Diri on his way to the APC, the main opposition party has also lost the South-south geopolitical zone as the body language of PDP’s Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State, reveals loss of interest in the activities of the PDP.

Governors Sheriff Oborevwori and Umo Eno of Delta and Akwa Ibom states, respectively, have since dumped the PDP for the APC.

With Mbah’s defection to the APC and Diri’s resignation from the PDP, the ruling APC has 24 governors, while the main opposition

party has eight governors.

APGA, LP, NNPP produced only one governor each.

However, with Fubara being regarded as an APC governor-in-waiting and Diri’s imminent defection to APC in the coming days, the ruling party will be in firm control of 26 states – three in South-east, three in North-east, four in South-west, five in North-west, five in North-central, and six in South-south.

The shift in the political calculus of the country is believed to have made the 2027 elections a walk in the park for APC.

Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose has disclosed that three PDP governors out of the remaining eight will soon leave the party to APC, adding also that one of the five that will remain is targeting to clinch the party’s presidential ticket and use it to negotiate so that he won’t be probed after his tenure as governor.

Many Nigerians believe that the PDP governors are defecting to the APC to avoid a probe by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The spokesperson for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Mr. Paul Ibe,

Notes

had reportedly claimed during a television interview, that the Chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede and the Solicitor General of the Federation held a meeting with a current and former governor from a South-South state at a government lodge in the state, 48 hours before their defection to the APC.

But the EFCC’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, in a statement, dismissed the allegations as “unfounded” and “based on conjectures.”

Oyewale reiterated that Olukoyede is “apolitical” and that the EFCC is “totally wired against partisan tendencies.”

However, the gale of defections has raised concerns about the country’s descent to a one-party state.

While describing the defections to APC by his colleagues as act of cowardice, the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed had accused the APC-led federal government of using coercive tactics to weaken the opposition, saying the ruling party was bent on turning Nigeria into a one-party state.

“You know the style of leadership of the APC-led federal government in trying to

for file

make this country a one-party state. They have the power of coercion; they have the power of everything,” he said.

In its reaction, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) stated that the recent defections of some state governors to the APC had confirmed its claim on President Bola Tinubu’s plan to turn Nigeria into a one-party state.

National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, in a statement, said, “The recent defections by the governors of Enugu and Bayelsa States to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) validate the African Democratic Congress (ADC)’s long-standing warning that President Bola Tinubu is determined to turn Nigeria into a one-party state, no matter the cost to democracy or national stability.”

But Vice President Shettima, who represented Tinubu, during Mbah’s reception into APC, described his defection as an extraordinary endorsement of APC’s collective vision.

Shettima stated: “Much has been said about the ongoing wave of defections to our great party. What the opposition has failed to do is look into the mirror to ask why the APC remains the preferred destination of Nigeria’s most visionary political actors.

“Their departures are not accidents; they reveal the cracks in the walls they built and the strength of the bridges we have constructed,” Shettima argued.

On his part, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, said the governors and leaders of the PDP were joining the ruling APC because of President Tinubu’s capability and performance.

However, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, Mr. Peter Obi, has dismissed fears of Nigeria sliding into a one-party state, insisting that no political party could “capture” any region simply because a governor defected to it.

Reacting to Governor Mbah’s defection to the ruling APC, Obi said the idea that a state can be “captured” by a political party through the defection of its leader belongs to Nigeria’s military past.

“The people will decide where to go, not governors or senators. No party will capture or win any state just because it has a governor,” Obi said.

Obi dismissed the notion that the South-east could be “captured” politically, insisting that leadership in a democracy is about persuasion, not coercion.

IMF’s Open Challenge to eFCC, NFIU

TheInternationalMonetaryFund(IMF)lastweek decried the adverse effects of Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs) out of Nigeria, lamenting its contributions to the worsening revenue problem of the country.

Its Managing Director, Ms. Kristalina Georgieva, who stated this at the ongoing 2025 Annual Meetings of the IMF and World Bank in Washington DC, promised renewed focus on tracing such flows to plug fiscal leakages.

She said: “We believe that for countries like Nigeria, the IMF’s renewed focus on tracing Illicit Financial Flows could provide a blueprint for plugging the fiscal leakages that have long undermined revenue generation and sustainable growth”.

Georgieva warned of the growing threat of IFFs, a phenomenon which, she said, had become a major

factor undermining the economic and financial stability of nations across the globe.

According to her, IFF which include stolen public funds, proceeds from criminal activities, and untraceable digital transactions, continue to erode governance systems, drain public resources, and cripple developmental efforts, especially in developing economies.

In a recent policy briefing, IMF officials had noted that IFFs now come in “multiple dimensions.”These range from outright embezzlement of taxpayers’ money to private funds channelled into illegal ventures that threaten national welfare.

This revelation is a big challenge to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offence Commission (ICPC) and Nigeria Financial

Intelligence Unit (NFIU). The question is: Where were these agencies when these illicit monies were leaving this country?

Last week, a whopping sum of $6.1million was seized at the local wing of the airport in Lagos. With unregulated operations of Bureau de Change agents, it is easy for public officials to move money around in the country.

Some governors and other public officials and their agents frequently travel out of the country and connive with dubious local and international partnersofunknownantecedentstousefraudulent investment schemes to launder money and acquire properties abroad.

IMF’s revelation should be a wake up call on anticorruption agencies to redouble their efforts and stem the tide of illicit financial flows.

Damagum

Yilwatda

Olukoyede

Lagos will Become a Model for Sustainable Transport in Africa, Says EU Ambassador

recently, the Lagos State Government launched the Òmi Èkó Project, an ambitious initiative aimed at transforming the state’s water transport system. In this in-depth conversation, the european Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Gautier Mignot, speaks on the eU’s commitment to supporting the state’s transport transformation, the signiﬁcance of the inland water transport project, and broader cooperation in culture, education, and digital innovation. the Ambassador explains how this initiative aligns with the eU’s Global Gateway strategy and why Lagos is central to the partnership between europe and Nigeria, Wale Igbintade brings excerpts

Ambassador, Lagos State recently launched the Òmi Èkó Project, which aims to transform water transportation through the introduction of electric ferries and upgraded infrastructure. Why did the European Union decide to support this initiative?

This project represents a tangible demonstration of the Federal and Lagos State Governments’ commitment to improving the quality of life of Lagos residents through a sustainable development model. For us in the EU, supporting initiatives that promote green, efficient, and inclusive transport aligns perfectly with our Global Gateway investment strategy.

We see this not just as a transport project but as an investment in people, communities, and the environment. Lagos is a city of more than 20 million people and is growing rapidly. Projects like Òmi Èkó are essential for easing urban congestion, improving connectivity, and supporting inclusive economic growth.

What exactly is the EU contributing to the Òmi Èkó initiative?

Through the European Investment Bank (EIB) and other European partners, Team Europe is contributing €300 million in subsidised loans (about ₦540 billion) and €16 million in grants, equivalent to approximately $110 million. This support is part of our broader commitment to the Global Gateway investment strategy, which seeks to mobilise sustainable infrastructure investments that address climate challenges, drive economic growth, and improve living standards. This level of financing demonstrates the confidence we have in Lagos and in Nigeria’s capacity to implement transformative projects.

How does this project fit into the EU’s Global Gateway strategy?

The Global Gateway strategy focuses on enhancing global connectivity and building resilient, sustainable infrastructure. Across Africa, we have identified 12 strategic transport corridors, four of which are in West Africa. The Lagos initiative contributes directly to the Abidjan–Lagos Corridor, a major regional transport route.

This corridor is central to improving trade, mobility, and regional integration. By supporting Lagos, we are contributing to a broader vision that links cities, creates opportunities, and drives sustainable development.

Lagos is already a bustling megacity. What kind of impact do you expect this project to have on ordinary residents?

The impact will be significant. Lagos is one of the fastest-growing cities in the world, and that growth puts enormous pressure on existing transport systems. This project will help ease congestion by scaling up from fragmented, small-scale transport networks to efficient and sustainable systems.

We expect CO₂ emissions to drop by 41,000 tonnes annually, and about 25 million passengers will save an average of three hours of travel time daily. That is time people can spend with their families, at work, or building businesses.

Crucially, the project is designed to be inclusive. It will ensure that women, children, persons with disabilities, and vulnerable groups have safe and affordable access to public transport. This is not just infrastructure, it is social investment.

Who will handle the construction and implementation of this project?

European companies are ready to bring their

technical expertise and innovation to the table, but the selection of contractors is entirely the responsibility of Nigerian authorities. The process will follow transparent and competitive tenders, ensuring that the best possible partners are chosen. This reflects the Global Gateway approach, a partnership based on mutual respect for national leadership and sovereignty. We provide support, expertise, and financing, but the project remains owned and led by Nigeria.

How does this initiative align with the Lagos State Transport Master Plan?

Perfectly. This is not just a transport intervention; it is a transformative initiative. It will connect previously isolated communities to economic opportunities and complement other modes of transportation such as roads, buses, and rail.

The Lagos StateTransport Master Plan is a visionary document. By investing in inland water transportation, Lagos is expanding mobility choices and reducing reliance on road traffic, which is often congested. This multimodal approach is exactly what modern cities around the world are embracing.

Beyond physical infrastructure, is the EU also supporting the development of skills and local capacity for this project?

Absolutely. For projects like this to be sustainable, we must build local capacity. The EU is working closely with relevant agencies to provide technical assistance and training. We want Nigerian professionals to be equipped with the skills to manage, maintain, and expand these systems. Our goal is to ensure that, in the years to come, this project will be operated and maintained efficiently by local expertise, creating jobs and stimulating local industries.

Environmental sustainability seems to be a key element of this project. Why is that important

to the EU?

Climate change is one of the defining challenges of our time. We must act urgently, and transportation is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. By supporting electric ferries and modern, green infrastructure, we are reducing carbon emissions and improving air quality.

We are proud to support projects that help cities transition towards net-zero carbon pathways. Lagos, with its size and economic significance, can become a model for other African cities.

How do you see this project improving economic opportunities for Lagosians?

Reliable and efficient transportation is an engine for economic growth. By improving connectivity across the city, we are reducing travel time and costs for workers and businesses. This increases productivity and encourages investment. Furthermore, new transport infrastructure often attracts additional development such as housing, commerce, and services. We expect this project to stimulate economic activities along the waterways and in surrounding communities.

Beyond transport, the EU has also expressed interest in Nigeria’s digital economy. Can you tell us more about this?

Certainly. Nigeria is a global creative and digital powerhouse. That is why we have committed €820 million to support its digital economy. This includes the deployment of 90,000 kilometres of optic fibre infrastructure, establishing digital hubs in Lagos, developing digital skills, and supporting innovation. We believe the future of economic growth lies at the intersection of sustainable infrastructure, digital transformation, and human capital development. Supporting Nigeria in this transition is a strategic priority for us.

How is the EU engaging with Nigeria’s youth through these initiatives?

Youth are at the heart of our engagement. Through Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe, we are offering scholarships, research grants, and exchange opportunities to Nigerian students, researchers, and creative talents. We also support major cultural and creative festivals across the country, from Kaduna and Jos to Enugu and Abuja. These programmes are designed to give young Nigerians global exposure, build their skills, and strengthen people-to-people ties between our regions.

How does cultural diplomacy fit into the EU’s broader relationship with Nigeria?

Culture is a powerful connector. It builds understanding, respect, and shared values. Nigeria’s creative industries, including music, film, and fashion, are world-renowned. By supporting cultural exchanges, festivals, and collaborations, we are deepening our partnership beyond economics and politics. Our cultural diplomacy efforts are aimed at supporting Nigeria’s immense creative potential and giving young people opportunities to thrive globally.

From your perspective, what makes Lagos a strategic city for this kind of investment?

Lagos is Nigeria’s economic powerhouse and one of Africa’s most dynamic cities. It has a young, vibrant population and enormous potential for innovation and growth. Investing in Lagos has a ripple effect economically, socially, and regionally. Lagos can serve as a model for other cities in West Africa. If we can make sustainable urban transport work here, it will inspire similar projects across the continent.

What challenges do you anticipate in implementing a project of this scale, and how can they be overcome?

Every large infrastructure project faces challenges, whether technical, financial, or institutional. The key is strong governance, transparency, and consistent political will. We are confident that with the commitment shown by the Lagos State Government and the support of international partners, these challenges can be managed effectively. Continuous dialogue, stakeholder engagement, and accountability are essential.

The EU has often stressed the importance of local ownership in development projects. How is that principle reflected in this initiative?

Local ownership is at the core of our approach. This is not an EU project; it is a Lagos State project supported by the EU. The vision, leadership, and execution are Nigerian. Our role is to bring in financing, technical expertise, and global best practices to support that vision. This ensures the project is sustainable, relevant, and responsive to local needs.

How will this project benefit vulnerable groups, including women and persons with disabilities?

This is an important point. We believe that infrastructure must serve everyone. The project includes measures to ensure accessibility and safety for all users, including women, children, and persons with disabilities. Inclusive design features, affordable fares, and well-designed stations will help ensure that no one is left behind. Equity and accessibility are as important as economic efficiency.

• Migno

came together under the United Progressive Grand Alliance (UPGA). The NCNC was the senior partner.

But the NPC alone won 162 seats — more than the 132 it won at Independence — and could form government by itself. Along with its NNA partners, some of whom switched allegiance from rival parties, it gained control of 198 seats. The UPGA boycotted elections in many constituencies in the East, Lagos and Mid-West. When the polls were eventually concluded in March 1965, the UPGA had a grand total of 108 seats. The overall picture was that the NPC became bigger, also helped by UPGA’s boycott which saw many of NNA’s candidates returned unopposed. The UPGA alleged rigging, violence, forgery and bribery, and the resultant violence led to loss of lives and property in the West.

The tradition of ruling parties snatching rival politicians and expanding their bases through alliances and defections continued in the second republic. In 1979, Alhaji Shehu Shagari of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) won the presidential election by the skin of his teeth and needed an alliance with Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe’s Nigeria Peoples Nigeria (NPP) to gain full control of the national assembly. The NPP got house speakership for its sweat. Governorship was well spread: the NPN had eight states, the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) five, and the NPP three, while the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and the Great Nigeria Peoples Nigeria (GNPP) got two each. It was very close to my idea of competition.

But as the 1983 elections approached, the NPN became very aggressive, using federal might and patronage to secure defections and expand its base. It claimed governorships in Anambra and Imo from the NPP, Oyo, Bendel and Ondo from the UPN, and Gongola from the GNPP. The tribunals would later upturn Imo in favour of the NPP and Ondo in favour of the UPN. In the presidential election, the NPN claimed a “moon slide” victory. It polled 12 million

RIP MRS OLANIYONU

I was shocked to the marrow on Tuesday when I was informed of the death of Mrs Aisha Odunayo Olaniyonu, wife of Alhaji Yusuph Olaniyonu, former Sunday editor of THISDAY whom many know as spokesman to former senate president, Dr Bukola Saraki. Sure, we know that life is short and we can exit this world suddenly, but nothing adequately prepares one for the death of someone who woke up looking hale and hearty, who received visitors, who left the living room to attend to one thing or another — only to drop dead. Just like that! Olaniyonu himself survived a terrible ailment last year and his wife played a crucial role in nursing him back to life. My condolences to the family. Painful.

votes, more than double the 5.7 million of 1979. Chief Obafemi Awolowo/UPN got 7.9 million (up from 4.9 million) and Zik had 3.6 million (up from 2.8 million). The opposition accused the NPN of rigging and voter suppression.

The third republic was annulled, so we would never know if the Social Democratic Party (SDP), which won the presidential election in 1993, would have engineered defections ahead of re-election. With the structure and culture of our politics, maybe. However, when Gen Sani Abacha started his own transition programme in 1997, the United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP) was seen as the favoured party and most politicians flooded there. In the national assembly elections of April 1998, the UNCP won more than 70 percent of the 469 seats. There was, however, no inauguration as the transition died with Abacha, who had been adopted by all the five parties as their sole presidential candidate Enter the fourth republic, starting from 1999. Many saw the PDP as the favoured party — the new UNCP, as it were. It was not a surprise that the party won 21 out of the 36 governorship elections, leaving the All Peoples Party (APP) with nine and the Alliance for Democracy (AD) with six. The PDP won 59 of the 109 senate seats and 206 of the 360 seats in the house of reps. That the PDP candidate, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, was going to win the presidential election was obvious, but Chief Olu Falae, candidate of the AD/APP alliance, tells himself till today that he, and not Obasanjo, won. In other news, defections to the ruling party became a fad and the PDP became a monster.

In the 2003 elections, Obasanjo got re-elected by another “moon slide”, netting 24 million votes, compared to 18.7 million in 1999. In the governorship elections, the PDP claimed the entire south, leaving only Lagos for the AD. It took two of the states held by the re-christened All Nigeria Peoples Party

(ANPP) but lost Kano. In all, the PDP had 29 states. The ANPP would later shrink to three states through defections while the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) — founded by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu after the AD had been infiltrated by the PDP — snatched a few states from the PDP through the tribunals. Tinubu accused the PDP of leading Nigeria to “one-party dictatorship”. Sounds familiar?

In the end, the PDP became too big for its own good. Implosion was inevitable. The beneficiaries were the opposition parties, which finally came together under the APC flag through defections and realignments. I find it amusing that the ADC is crying hard today that Nigeria is sliding towards “one-party dictatorship”. If I recall, some of ADC’s top leaders were part and parcel of the PDP “one-party dictatorship”. If I recall too, some of APC’s leaders were the ones raising the alarm over “one-party dictatorship” when the PDP was in power. It is now their turn and “one-party dictatorship” is fine! If the ADC wins power in 2027, I expect the “one-party dictatorship” game to continue. It is all politics.

But this begs the question. Why do Nigerian politicians defect to, or align with, ruling parties? This would be a good research topic. From the comfort of my room, however, I would hazard a few guesses. One, the fear of federal might. As Obasanjo demonstrated, state institutions can be used to control and cajole politicians to fall “in line”. In the US, President Donald Trump is openly threatening to withdraw federal funding from New York City if Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic candidate, is elected mayor. Trump is a Republican. He is also threatening to take the 2026 World Cup matches from cities controlled by the Democrats. Federal might and presidential powers could be intoxicating.

Two, the allure of federal patronage. In the first republic, Chief Ladoke Akintola reportedly told Awolowo that he was tired of being in opposition, that Igbo were getting a

And Four Other Things…

TAINTED TINT

I must necessarily commend Dr Kayode Egbetokun, the inspector-general of police, for listening to the voice of reason by suspending the enforcement of the controversial tinted glass permit. I confess that I did not know there was a law from the military era requiring vehicles to have the permit. I think we can reach a middle ground on this matter: the law should be amended to exclude vehicles with factory-fitted tinted glasses. Those who added the feature after purchase are the ones that need a permit, in my view. I am curious though: what problem are we trying to solve with this tinted glass permit? Will it stop terrorists, bandits, yahoo boys, robbers and kidnappers from getting it? Pointless.

MUCH ADO ABOUT A PRESIDENTIAL PARDON

civil war. Public outrage also greeted the full and unconditional pardon granted in 2013 by former President Goodluck Jonathan to his former boss and ally, the late Bayelsa governor Diepreye Alamieyesiegha, who was convicted of stealing millions of dollars.

The presidential pardon and the response it usually elicits are no different internationally, particularly in the United States. President Bill Clinton reportedly signed 140 pardons on January 20, 2001, his last day in office. This included one for his younger half-brother, Roger Clinton, who was convicted in 1985 for cocaine possession and drug trafficking.

According to Newsweek, such was Roger Clinton’s notoriety that the US Secret Service codenamed him “Headache” because of the constant trouble he gave President Clinton in office.

Former US President Biden pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, after he had publicly pledged not to do so. Hunter Biden was convicted between January 1, 2014, and December 1, 2024, of offences, including gun running. President Biden also reportedly pardoned his other relatives who were convicted of sundry offences.

In his first term, President Donald Trump, in December 2020, pardoned

RIP, CHRIS KOLADE

I was pleasantly surprised the way the Super Eagles of Nigeria tore the Cheetahs of Benin into pieces in the last match of their World Cup qualifying group. They were so clinical, crushing arguably the best team in the group 4-0 — thanks largely to Victor Osimhen’s ruthlessness in front of goal. We still have a long way to go as we now head into a potentially gruelling play-off. If we had not conceded that last-minute equaliser to Zimbabwe in Uyo in March, we would have qualified for the World Cup finals automatically ahead of South Africa. But something still has to be said about the way we woke up at the last minute when all hope looked lost — and the fact that we are still in the race. Half-full.

Charles Kushner, the father of Jared Kushner, who is married to his daughter, Ivanka Trump. Jared Kushner was convicted of illegal campaign funding, tax evasion and witness tampering. All the pardons were intensely controversial.

Back home, the present clemency for some drug offenders, along with that of Maryam Sanda, has emerged as the most contentious. For instance, in his seeming desperation to nail the government over Maryam Sanda’s pardon, last Tuesday, October 14, a columnist in Leadership newspaper, Abdulrauf Aliyu, went overboard in an article centred on Sanda’s pardon. It was titled “The Theatre of

lot of federal juice by aligning with the north (the NPC). Awo’s preferred route to power was an alliance with northern minorities. Akintola eventually left the AG, founded the Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP) and aligned with the north. He was demonised for this, but Obasanjo and Tinubu only became presidents by following the same route. In the second republic, Chief Sam Mbakwe was nicknamed the “crying governor” because he was literally crying openly over the lack of federal projects in Imo.

Three, the need for insurance. Many politicians want to be double sure that they are in the right gathering. They don’t want to be vulnerable. Indeed, when defection becomes a fad, some politicians will have the fear of missing out (FOMO). They want to be in the “happening” circle. Four, intraparty crisis. The PDP, for instance, is in a mess. Nobody wants the courts to nullify their candidature after the elections. Five, many politicians defect when they feel sidelined or stifled in their current parties. In 1983, Chief Akin Omoboriowo, deputy governor of Ondo state, angrily left for the NPN when he felt the UPN was unfairly determined to give the incumbent, Chief Michael Ajasin, the party’s ticket.

Above all, some politicians see political parties as mere vehicles to win or retain power. They cannot be bothered with ideology and allegiance. They can be in the APC in the morning, the PDP at noon and the ADC at bedtime. They are one tribe, one community. We should not be deceived when they mouth democracy and dictatorship. That is the least of their worries. It is all about winning power, to continue from where their rivals stopped. Those who defended PDP’s “one-party dictatorship” not too long ago are now criticising it, and those who criticised it are now the proponents. Those of us watching from the stands should simply smile and silently say: haven’t we seen this before?

NO COMMENT

There has been a public outcry over the profiles of some of the convicts granted pardon by President Bola Tinubu. Presidential pardons are usually controversial but some are indefensible. There is something unpardonable about the thresholds and the vetting process. How do you pardon somebody for murder — a crime against the state — because the bereaved father-in-law wanted it? What precedent are we setting? How can a convicted kidnapper who murdered state agents and innocent citizens be granted pardon because he enrolled at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN)? Are we telling Evans to get admission into NOUN so that he too can get a pardon? Hmmm.

Presidential Pardon.” The columnist lied that the pardon was granted to Sanda before the final determination of the case, claiming that the case was still pending before the Supreme Court. He proceeded on that wrong premise and argued that the government tempered the law for mercy. Nothing can be further from the truth! This is a rather sad commentary for a columnist who should know better. The Supreme Court has since affirmed the judgment of the Appeal Court confirming Sanda’s conviction.

Permissible Lawlessness: Recidivism of Unconstitutional Changes of Government and International Law

One major reason that might have informed the choice of the theme of the 46th Annual Conference of the Nigerian Society of International Law, holding on Tuesday, 21st and Wednesday, 22nd October, 2025 at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, cannot but be permissible lawlessness in international relations. The theme of the Conference is “State Sovereignty and Security in a Challenging Era: Interrogating the Efficiency of International Law.” Many issues are raised in the theme: what is state sovereignty? What is implied by security in a challenging era? When is an era challenging? More important what is the relationship between state sovereignty and security? How does the conduct and management of security impact on the exercise of state sovereignty and vice versa?

Without doubt, interrogating the efficiency of international law is another way of raising the question of use of force in international relations. It is another way of asking the extent to which international law is respected. And true enough, it is another way of talking about the lawlessness that has come to characterise the conduct and management of international relations in contemporary times and the extent to which it is being condoned in international life.

Put differently, global governance is largely fraught with permissible lawlessness. Lawlessness is considered permissible because it is condoned. The African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have zero tolerance for unconstitutional changes of government in Africa. The zero tolerance has been to the extent of threatening the use of military force against Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger whose governments came to power by military coups. The ECOWAS threats prompted the three countries to withdraw their membership of the ECOWAS and to form the Alliance des Etats du Sahel (Alliance of Sahel States). In spite of this development, the military still took over power in Madagascar. How do we explain the recidivist character of this unconstitutional changes of government in Africa? The establishment of the AES countries is a good case of permissible lawlessness because lawlessness has become a fait accompli.

Cases of Permissible Lawlessness

First, cases of permissible lawlessness can be explicated at the municipal and international levels. For example, at the municipal or national level, in their analysis of the “Executive Lawlessness and Implications for the Rule of Law, Okey Oparaku, Izim Okechukwu Declan, Stanley Nwaneri and Uchenna Njoku,” observed that ‘the enormous powers wielded by the executive branch of government, especially under a presidential system of government as practised in Nigeria, are being abused through acts of executive lawlessness.’ In their view, therefore, the immunity clause in the 1999 Constitution as amended should be expunged (vide their article in International Journal of Scientific Research in Humanities, Legal Studies and International Relations, Vol. 5, No.1, 2020, pp. 144-154).

In the same vein, as explicated by Kayode Esho, J.S.C, as he was then known, ‘executive lawlessness is tantamount to a deliberate violation of the Constitution. When the executive is the military which blends both the executive and the legislature together to co-exist it in the administration of the country, then it is more serious than imagined’ (vide JohnKennedy T. Ikyase and Ibrahim Nuaimu Danbala, “Summarising Diplomatic Lawlessness in International System: Issue and Dilemmas,” International Journal of Operational Research in Management, Social Sciences & Education, Vol. 10, No. 1, May 2024, pp. 371-381). In other words, it is not simply the violation of the constitution that largely explains the lawlessness, but the act of deliberateness in violating it. Most unfortunately in this case, many Constitutions and international agreements also provide a legitimate foundation for the lawlessness.

More interestingly at the non-governmental level, Lagos State of Nigeria is a terra cognita for permissible recklessness.

•Omorogbe

Traffic code, there is, but the code does not apply uniformly to everyone. Commercial vehicles drive against the flow of traffic at will and the traffic wardens open their eyes not to see. Owners of contrabands only need to recruit the services of a soldier or policeman to sit in front of their vehicles to clear the way and prevent lawful official checking. On the major Yaba-Ikorodu road, commercial vehicles prefer to use the expressway for disembarkation rather than plying the service lanes. There is no respect for the rule of Zebra crossing in Nigeria. The percentage of people respecting traffic light in Lagos State is at best about 10%. Yet the traffic regulations exist but traffic lawlessness is condoned. This is permissible lawlessness.

At the international level, and particularly at the level of the UN Charter, Article 2(4) prohibits the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of another state in international relations. However, every sovereign state still has the right of legitimate self-defence, that is, every sovereign state can use force in self-defence but subject to the clearance of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). This raises again the aspect of peace enforcement provided for under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter for which the UNSC was purposely established. The UNSC has the mandate to maintain international peace and security. More significantly, the UNSC has the power to investigate all disputes, recommend peaceful settlements, as well

Will there ever be an end to coup-making in Africa? The AU and the ECOWAS were fed up with coupmaking, hence the threatening of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger with sanctions that had little impact. Niger was even threatened with the use of military force against it. The threats prompted their withdrawal from the ECOWAS and the signing of the Alliance of Sahel States. Thus, the problem is a priori not the coupists but the democratically-elected leaders that gave room for coup-making. After the case of the AES, Gabon still played host on 30 August, 2023 to a coup that removed President Ali Bongo who had been ruling since 2009 after he took over power from his father. Ali Bongo manipulated the parliamentary houses to discard all limitations to re-election in or to make him qualify for third-term election. He qualified, contested the election and won, but controversially. In April 2025, there was the reported case of coup attempt in Burkina Faso. What about the coup d’état in Madagascar last week? What can international law do to forestall coup-making in Africa when there is very little regard for respect for international law? This a preliminary view of what should be expected at the 46th Annual Conference of the Nigerian Society of International Law in the next two and three days at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs. If unconstitutional changes of government have become recidivist in character because of non-respect for rule of law, international law cannot be efficient or effective in the conduct and management of international relations

as take sanctions, including military action against belligerents, and threats to the maintenance of global peace.

Perhaps most importantly, in order to ensure continued maintenance of international peace and security, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) came up with the Uniting for Peace resolution 377(V) on November 3, 1950 to address the Korean War when the UNSC could not mediate the conflict as a result of the use of veto. The resolution enabled the UNGA to make recommendations for collective measures to maintain or restore international peace and security in the event the UNSC cannot act as a result of the application of veto power by any of the Permanent Members.

Even though Article 99 of the UN Charter enables the UN Secretary-General to bring up any matter that has the potential to threaten the maintenance of peace and security, there is no disputing the fact that compliance with the UN Charter has been more in the breach than in the respect. This is why the interest of the Nigerian Society of International Law in seeking to interrogate the extent of efficiency of international law is quite apt and worth examining. However, the focus of analysis today is not the efficiency or inefficiency of international law per se, but permissible lawlessness which is one of the dynamics of international insecurity and an abuse of state sovereignty. From the foregoing, lawlessness in international relations often occurs at the level of the executive arm of government in various sovereign states.

If we are talking about the linkages between state sovereignty and security in a challenging era, we are also raising questions about the attitudinal disposition of national governments towards international law. Some countries like Nigeria expressly declare zero tolerance for lawlessness in their foreign policy attitude. For example, Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution as amended provides that one of Nigeria’s foreign policy objectives shall be the respect for international law and treaty obligation. Even though the act of respecting international law being an objective is quite controversial, there is no denying the fact that Nigeria’s policy stand is consistent with the principle of pacta sunt servanda (sanctity of agreement, meaning an agreement consciously negotiated and done must also be respected). It is when freely-signed agreements are not respected that situations of disagreement not only arise, but also that insecurity becomes an issue to contend with.

Grosso modo, we simply observe here that international law does not have the potential to be efficient in the foreseeable future because it is only the less powerful countries that are eager to respect international law in self-protection while the more powerful states respect international law when it serves their national interest. The whole world is not unaware of this situation. The world takes abnormality as normal and therefore has been condoning impermissible lawlessness. It is from this consideration that we discuss permissible lawlessness in international relations with emphasis on cases of unconstitutional governments that have come to power by non-democratic means. They are perceived by the AU and the ECOWAS as unconstitutional but they enjoy the support of majority of their people.

Thus, what is illegal for the AU-ECOWAS supranational authorities is quite legitimate at the level of the people. As a result, we can begin to talk about the people’s coups. While the act of unconstitutional change of government is not lawful and, therefore, unacceptable, it is still acceptable to the people governed, meaning that such unconstitutionality of the change of government is permissible. This factor largely explains the recidivist character of unconstitutional changes of government in Africa.

The Recidivist Character: From the AES to Madagascar

Several definienda help to understand the recidivist character of unconstitutional changes of government in Africa and why there is little regard for the law of nations, and by implication why it cannot but be difficult to have an efficient international law. These defining criteria include alleged abuses of political power, deliberate corruption and sharp practices by democratically-elected leaders, incapacity to contain Islamic insurgencies, sit-tightism in power through constitutional manipulations, turning state business into family business, and invited or uninvited foreign initiatives seeking to influence domestic politics.

As clearly shown from the more than fifteen coups d’état that had taken place between 2000 and 2025 in Africa, the reasons often given for the coups are all very thought-provoking. First of all, most of the coups occurred in Francophone West and Central Africa. Interrogatively put, why is it mainly in Francophone countries that majority of the coups occurred?

Secondly, on March 15, 2003, General François Bozizé toppled President Ange-Félix Patasse after two unsuccessful ones in 2001 and 2002. In this case, how do we explain the first coup in 2001? Why did measures or sanctions taken in 2001 not prevent the coup attempt in 2002? The rationales given for coups, successful and failed, were allegations of human rights abuses and corruption. In this regard, had the coup plotters respected the human rights and refrained from engaging in acts of corruption?

ENGAGEMENTS

Return to the Barber’s Shop 2

When I arrived the Barber’s shop, there was excitement. Recitations of my past heroic exploits in the realm of journalism and contacts with the high and mighty in government and power filled the air. I had always gone and returned to the folks at the Barber’s shop. They are my people. Among us over the years had grown a fellow feeling, a bond of mutual trust and confidence. In good and bad times, we stand together on the same side of the road of life’s turbulence. Each time duty takes me away, I say to them my farewells like family. We hold hands as they pray their farewells ad later drift into popularity street songs:

Every good thing that goes away

Must return to source

Go and return a part of us

The river never goes away

It returns to its source

The source

Our source and convergence …

My frequent departures and returns are greeted with excitement and anticipation. When duty calls, the pull of informal solidarity must yield to the stronger pull of professional survival or family emergencies. You end up in the Barber’s shop when time allows for the informality of Group think and creative reflection. The anticipation of your return is always there: some new gist must flow. In times of excitement, the Barber’s shop graduates into an emergency beer parlour, a place of free Booze for all!!!

That was always one of my ways of announcing my return after a long absence. I watch them with pleasure as they drain the last drops of the rare cold beer. One of them we fondly call “Alhaji” delights in pointing out to the others that my generosity in providing the rare cans of beer should not make them forget to ask me why I provide the booze but artfully never drink any alcohol! Everyone believes Alhaji is like me, never drinking alcohol out of choice. In this place, no one cares what faith you are. Then one day, I sauntered into the bathroom to pee. And there was Alhaji struggling to sneak back his small storage can of whiskey into the pocket of his voluminous robe. He smiled at me knowingly. In the silent exchange of smiles of conspiracy between us, volumes of things not sayable had been said between us. What manner of kindness makes a man feed others what he will not eat? We are Nigerians. What you eat does not make me fat!

My return journey to the Barber’s shop always begins with an early morning call to the Ikeja Underbridge. There is one of the headquarters of our unregistered “Free Readers Association”. It is the gathering point of all news vendors in the area. We all as prospective newspaper buyers are allowed the rare privilege of ‘free reading’ to sample the day’s news. This place is unique. It is a parliament without the without the splendor of pompous architecture. It has method, not the foolishness of officialdom. It contains the most avid patriots. They are knowledgeable without much schooling. They are politicians without party card. Professors with neither Chair nor specialized accreditation. We are journalists with global expanse of knowledge. Secret agents of unregistered agencies and free rangers specializing in interminable areas. We know the solutions to all the nation’s problems except that the voters are so foolish they keep voting for the wrong people called politicians. Or they vote and go home, allowing INEC to announce fake results.

They are ready to start another argument any time. Are politicians born, trained or bred? How do great leaders emerge? Why do some nations have the best leaders and the rest of us are left in the hell hole of Armageddon and the fire pits of burning Babylon?

In the last six months, I noticed that our numbers have increased as the cover prices of newspapers have increased. Hardly any of us on an honest income can afford to buy newspapers daily for a whole month. But something else that is ‘good’ has happened. Most of us are now clutching cheap cell phones.The news comes into our phones, stares us in the face and taunts us all day long. Rumour has it that the old cunning

President General from Owu thought it was better to license cell phones, arm every Tom and Dick with a phone. They will recharge the phones, buy accessories, pay subscriptions, set up phone accessory kiosks, transfer money via the phones etc. It will all come to a lot of money swimming around the economy, some of which could have been stolen by officialdom and politicians without the owner noticing. It is more decent tasking a million thieves than allowing a few access into the till of public money. Enter the era of digital robbery! Thieves need to work a bit harder!

Initially, I was troubled by the fear of the coming of digital online news and journalism. Don’t even talk of digital marketing, merchandising and advertising. The mixture of fake news, false advertising and plain crookedness is the herald of Armageddon! Nigeria without digitalization is one of the most dangerous places in the world. Arm the Nigerian with digital tools and you have the making of hell: cybercrimes, 419, disinformation, weaponized lies dancing as the ‘gospel truth’. God save your people, if there are still some of us left by the time of the Second Coming! Online instantaneous journalism was going to kill editors as a power bloc. It was going to remove the exclusivity of the media as the fourth estate of the realm and return power where it rightly belongs- to the three estates of the realm, the abode of those who contested and won elections. The coming of Everyman as an editor, commentator, Op-Ed writer and advocate- are some of the liabilities of the digital news era. It marks the coming of the Idiot as Editor, an illiterate who feels entitled to a say in the things that concern everyone else. The new media kills off the circulation agent, the newspaper bulk transporter, the crooks that run the circulation rackets of newspaper houses and even the street vendor. No need to carry piles of wet newspapers in the rain, chasing after motorists that are all wound up in cars with tinted glass windows, sometimes hiding decorated criminals. Let the news go straight to

the readers or let the readers tap the touch screen and lo and behold. News is breaking in America. A bad marksman did not aim correctly and merely grazed Mr. Trump’s right ear at that rally. World history was almost fatally altered by that shift of the hand. God saved the idiot king so that America can taste dictatorship and decide on the way forward.

But in spite of this ‘direct entry’ newsfeed by the wonders of technology, our Free Readers Association is alive and well, growing in numbers. The news updates may be spoon-fed into your phone. No technology can create the sense of shared relief, grief or betrayal that initially brought us together as one ‘freereading community, a people, bound in shared betrayal and unending disappointments. No technology can replace the fellow feeling among us at the Bus Stop under bridge. We are unemployed; we are owing the Landlord many months rent in arrears, we can no longer travel to the village to collect free food from the farms because the bandits have taken over the highways and narrow farm paths and our very brothers who used to wait for handouts from us have found it more enterprising and lucrative to kidnap us for ransom instead of waiting for miserable handouts.

This morning under the Bridge, people are admiring each other’s cell phones. Some are American, Swiss, Japanese. Most are Chinese! Most good things these days are made in China! Then someone brought out some lovely but garish looking ones. Guess where they are made? Vietnam! Someone screamed. An old lady among us sighed as she admired the Vietnamese phone. “These days, every country makes things to sell to others except us!” “ But we make something also! We make Innoson cars and trucks! Yes and Dangote makes petrol to sell at N1000 a litre to people who buy a liter of blood at the General Hospital for N500. We also make trouble. We manufacture Yahoo Yahoo Boys! We make crooks and thieves and put them in charge of government coffers! We place goats in charge of barns of yams. The South Africans are coming with their own cell phones, somebody added from the crowd. I hear their own is intuitive phone-IP-. If I think of you, it dials your number. If you refuse to answer, it knows why. I am owing you N10,000 which is long overdue. If you lie about your location, its own version of Siri

will whisper your actual whereabouts to me without calling you a liar! Humanity will destroy itself with technology one of these days! I quickly scan the front pages, back pages and editorial cartoon pages of major national dailies. Free Readers hace rues. Don’t study the papers. Just scan quickly without showing interest. Someone in the crowd informs us that the then new President - Alhaji General Ibrahim Bukari- only reads the cartoon pages after which he laughs to himself, to those around or laughs at himself while waiting for the verdict of the courts on why his school certificates are still missing many years after he started serving in various governments as a wise man of the land. Among we ordinary folk, the things that ignite excitement and celebration are not lofty. They are little things that touch the heart. The brief absence of a fellow traveler on the road of ordinary life. The recovery of a friend from unforeseen illness. The return of a loved one from a distant journey.

From the morning parliament of Free Readers, I try to see if much has changed in the neighbourhood. A great deal but more remains the same. Not much to gladden the heart. Government agents have visited the area with bulldozers. They showed up suddenly after many months of notice to demolish shops, buildings, shanties etc. Weeks afterwards, a gale of speculations follow the demolitions. It was Town Planning. It was targeted at one ethnic group who thrive on shop-based retail trade. They keep voting the wrong party, not showing enough gratitude to their ‘hosts’, the owners of the land upon which they trade and make fortunes. Ingratitude is a heinous sin forgotten by God during the final editing of the Ten Commandments. When I fully settle at my corner of the shop, a hailstorm of new stories is unleashed, competing for prominence. The President has travelled again to some Island, I believe St. Lucia, in search of ‘investors’! The biggest investor on the Island is also the leader who owns a coffee shop at the airport but is also a renowned money changer who helps international thieves and drug lords to hide their loot in off shore havens. Another person adds that the Big Man has just exercised the ‘prerogative of mercy’ by pardoning most big criminals in all prisons in the country. He injected a sense of historical curiosity by adding Herbert Macauley, thus informing most people that one of our favourite nationalists is a state offender. Then followed a cascade of drug lords, husband killers, wife beaters, bandits, confessed train hijackers, Boko Haram funders and repentants etc. This was the first time in recent history that the president of the republic would exercise the prerogative of mercy through an industrial scale state pardon of criminals.

Someone at the corner hinted that the newly released criminals are the ones who will lead the army of infamy during the forthcoming 2027 presidential elections. After all, the president has never asked you people for a seat on the honour roll. He has never applied to be Pope! He knows himself and his people. The tussle for political leadership is not a beauty contest; it is a pageant of ugliness. Nor is it a search for moral beacons. Otherwise, we should have just called upon the Pope to give unto us a leader. The President has done what men of power do. Search the swamp of ingloriousness to swell the ranks of bad men and women , those who understand power and its laws. Those who seek earthly power must patronize the agents of the devil. By the time I looked through the window, there was a trickle of regular customers coming in. It was time to take my leave from the Shop, having announced my return to the Shop. I reluctantly took my leave, leaving behind me the solidarity and unconditional love of the indomitable people of the shop. I was glad to leave the Shop and return to my real world duty where I just learnt that the President had taken off to Rome; he had also granted pardon to a gamut of criminals and sundry miscreants, including ambitious soldiers contemned and executed by duly constituted military tribunals many decades ago. More excitingly, nearly every state governor in the opposition PDP had recently decamped to the ruling APC wagon.

•Tinubu

Edited by: Duro Ikhazuagbe

email:duro.Ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

S’African Sports Minister Wishes Nigeria Not to Qualify for World Cup

Duro Ikhazuagbe

South African Sports Minister, Gayton McKenzie, is wishing Nigeria’s Super e agles not to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World cup through the playoﬀs starting with the African round next month in Morocco.

Speaking on Marawa Sports Worldwideanchored by influential South African sports journalist, robert Marawa, McKenzie insisted that he would rather see another African team pick one of the two tickets on offer from the final playoffs and not Nigeria.

McKenzie remains very bitter by what he called Nigeria’s “behind the scene” moves that led FIFA to duck South Africa three points and three goals for ﬁelding an ineligible teboho Mokoena against Lesotho in a World c up qualiﬁer last March.

t he Sports Minister didn’t appreciate the fact that it was Nigeria’s 4-0 victory over leaders benin republic in the last match in Uyo last tuesday that paved the way for South Africa to come from behind to pick the only Group c ticket to the World c up. bafana bafana’s 3-0 defeat

of r wanda would have been useless had e agles allowed b enin to win by any margin.

“I want to make it very clear: I wish for the (Nigeria) not to qualify. I just want to make that one clear. they tried… I knew what they did behind the scenes for us not to get there (to the World c up).

“I want them to lose. t hey must not go to the World c up. Another African country must go,” observed the South African minister whose compatriots sang appreciative songs in praise of Victor Osimhen who scored three of Nigeria’s four goals against b enin.

When asked if he has a disdain for Nigeria, McKenzie replied: “No, It’s not that. I give you the energy you give me. t hey don’t like us, we don’t like them. And it’s not personal.”

Super e agles advanced to the African playoﬀs as one of the four best-ranked runners-up across the nine groups. t hey will face Gabon on November 13 for a spot in the interconfederation playoﬀs in Mexico March next year. McKenzie is praying that the Panthers will come out on top as he wants the NFF to pay for the role it played in bafana bafana’s sanction.

day. Win for Benin

Postecoglou’s Rein over Aina, Awoniyi at Nottingham Forest Over

Duro Ikhazuagbe

When Super e agles

Ola Aina returns from the hamstring injury he copped in September on international

Premier League

Nottingham 0-3 chelsea

brighton 2-1 Newcastle burnley 2-0 Leeds

cry’Palace 3-3 bo’mouth

Man city 2-0 everton

Sunderland 2-0 Wolves Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

NPFL

(Today)

barau Fc v K’Pillars

bayelsa v Khalifa

el Kanemi v Wikki

enyimba v W’Wolves

Ikorodu v Nasarawa

Kwara v Katsina

tornadoes v Plateau

Shooting v Abia War

remo v rangers (PP)

duty for Nigeria, he will not meet Ange Postecoglou as Nottingham Forest Manager. the Australian’s 39 days in charge of Nottingham Forest has been nothing but disaster. His 3-0 defeat by chelsea yesterday was the immediate nail to his coﬃn at city Ground.And was rightly sacked by Forest on Saturday. And so, both Aina and his Super eagles teammate, taiwo Awoniyi, will pray their stocks grow under the new manager to take over from the former tottenham Hotspur coach.

Awoniyi who had a near fatal injury at the tail end of last season is just worming his way back to the heart of Forest’s forward line after spending couple of months on the sideline. He was yesterday replaced by Igor Jesus at the start of the second half. Aina is not due back until December.

Postecoglou’s dismissal - 39 days after his appointment on 9 September - means his stint at Forest is the shortest permanent managerial reign in Premier League history.

He failed to win any of his eight matches in charge of Forest,

with two draws and six defeats across all competitions.

Forest collected just one point from Postecoglou’s ﬁve Premier League matches in charge, leaving the side one point above the relegation zone in 17th on his departure and in the bottom three following the day’s later games.

“Nottingham Forest Football Club can conﬁrm that after a series of disappointing results and performances, Ange Postecoglou, has been relieved of his duties as head coach with immediate eﬀect,” a Forest statement read.

Rivers Utd Slip in Maputo, Remo Lay Ambush for Mam elodi in Abeokuta

Despite losing 1-0 to Mozambican champions black bulls in Maputo on Saturday evening, one of Nigeria’s entrants in the cAF champions League, rivers United stand the chance of upturning the defeat in the second leg, second round reverse ﬁxture in Uyo.

Black Bulls had their breakthrough ﬁve minutes after the ﬁrst half break when Moctar Diallo pounced to slot home for the hosts, after breaching rivers United’s defence line. Despite late pressure from the Nigerian side,

Black Bulls held ﬁrm to protect their narrow advantage, giving themselves a crucial edge ahead of the return leg.

rivers United will now need to overturn the deﬁcit when the teams meet again in Uyo where a win by at least two clear goals will be required to advance to the group stage of Africa’s premier club competition.

today in Abeokuta, Nigeria’s other entrants, Remo Stars will be hoping to benefit from the significant injury concerns ravaging South African giants, Mamelodi Sundowns in the first leg of their cAF champions League secondround fixture.

Caverton-powered Drone Soccer Holds Inaugural Training Event

Drone Soccer, a new sporting activity which combines the excitement of sports with technology and aspects of aeronautical engineering, made its debut in Lagos on Friday, Friday, October 17, 2025.

Sponsored by caverton Helicopters, a subsidiary of Caverton Oﬀshore Support Group under the banner of the Federation of International Drone Soccer Association (FIDA Nigeria), the event created an exciting buzz in the Indoor Sports Hall of the teslim balogun Stadium, Surulere.

According to Mr. Lekan Fatodu, Director-General of the Lagos State Sports commission, who was represented by Ifeoluwa Ogunlaja, Deputy Director of Sports, drone soccer is a unique sport which combines elements of community engagement, SteM and inclusion.

In his opening remarks, President of FIDANigeria, Mr. rotimi Makanjuola, welcomed participants to the inauguration of Drone Soccer in Lagos State and training of oﬃcials, describing it as the beginning of a new era.

“today marks a new chapter in the intersection of sports, science, and innovation in Nigeria. Drone Soccer is not just another game —it is a fusion of technology, teamwork, and talent, where players control ﬂying drones enclosed in protective cages to compete in a goal-based, high-energy sport. beyond the excitement of competition, Drone Soccer introduces young people to SteM education (Science, technology, engineering, and Mathematics) through sports. It challenges the mind, builds conﬁdence, and ignites curiosity about robotics, programming, and aeronautics.”

According to Makanjuola, it is instructive that the sport is taking oﬀ in Lagos, which he described as Nigeria’s centre of excellence, innovation, and youth development while praising the visionary leadership of the Lagos State Sports commission under Mr. Lekan Fatodu.

He posited that the collaboration between FIDA Nigeria Drone Soccer and the Lagos State Sports commission represents a strategic partnership that will empower youth, enhance digital literacy, and open pathways to new global opportunities, he stated.

Victor Osimhen scored three of Nigeria’s 4-0 defeat of Benin Republic in the last Group C match in Uyo last Tues-

against Nigeria would have denied South Africa the ticket to the World Cup next year

CELEBRATING A GREAT WOMAN...

SIMO N KOLAWOLE

simon.kolawole@thisdaylive.com, sms: 0805 500 1961

Democracy, Defection and Deception

It is gratifying, I must admit, to be counted among Nigerians who are hardly surprised by happenings in the political stratosphere. I would love to be astonished, at least for the fun of it, but political excitement left me many years ago. Whenever I hear that a politician has defected from one party to the other, or that Nigeria is about to become a one-party dictatorship, or that some politicians say they are trying to rescue Nigeria from misrule and poverty, I smile quizzically and walk away, silently asking myself: haven’t I seen or heard this before? Nigerian politics is permanently on auto replay. It is the same old song and dance, just that the singers and the dancers change from time to time.

Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu state has just defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). For the first time in the fourth

republic, the PDP no longer holds any south-eastern state. By contrast, the PDP held all the five states in 1999, before losing Anambra to the All Progressives Grand

Alliance (APGA) in 2006. The APC now controls three south-eastern states while the APGA and the Labour Party (LP) have one each. We were still trying to digest it when Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa state resigned from the PDP. He appears headed for the APC. There are fresh cries about Nigeria becoming a one-party state and our democracy needing to be saved. However, any keen follower of Nigerian politics would have discovered long, long ago that defections, alliances and realignments are part of our political culture. There is the tradition of massing behind the ruling party, or the establishment party. There is also the more pronounced tradition of the ruling party doing everything, foul and fair, to maintain its hold on power through alliances and defections. Ahead of every election, it is not unusual for the ruling party and the opposition to restrategise and realign, but

TUNDE RAHMAN

the ruling party gets all the flak. The APC is a product of alliances and defections. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) was also from defections and alliances, tagged as a “coalition”.

In 1960, three major parties dominated at the national level: the Northern Peoples Congress (NPC), the National Council for Nigerian Citizens (NCNC), and the Action Group (AG). Whereas the NPC and its allies won 148 of the 312 parliamentary seats, it still needed a coalition with the NCNC and its allies, which had 89 seats, to control business. The marriage between the NPC and the NCNC had hit the rocks by 1964 when another general election was due. The NPC formed a new partnership with smaller parties, called the Nigerian National Alliance (NNA). The NCNC, the AG, and others

Much Ado About a Presidential Pardon

The past week showed how people can easily misconstrue well-intentioned actions of the government. After the presidential pardon and clemency were handed down to some Nigerians and a few foreigners, intense controversy had erupted. Indeed, some commentators and analysts have been so vocal against the clemency, particularly as it relates to drug trafficking and capital offence convicts.

Following the consultation with the Council of State on Thursday, October 11, President Bola Tinubu granted some reprieve to 175 persons. The reprieve was based on the recommendations of the Presidential Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, headed by the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi.

Pardoned posthumously by President Tinubu were foremost nationalist Sir Herbert Macaulay; poet and soldier Major-General Mamman Vatsa; the writer and environmentalist, Ken Saro-Wiwa and his eight fellow Ogoni activists, as well as the four Ogoni leaders considered his antagonists. Also pardoned were some jailed illegal miners, public officials found guilty of corruption, remorseful drug offenders and capital offence convicts, including Maryam Sanda, who is on death row for killing her husband in 2017 in a matrimonial row. The last two categories are the most controversial. I will dwell on them shortly.

The list of beneficiaries of the presidential reprieve is long and comprehensive. The committee went as far back as what transpired during the pre-independence era. For instance, the pardon granted to

Macaulay corrected the historic injustice done to him by the British Colonialists.

The case of the Ogoni 4 and Ogoni 9 killings that occurred in November 1995 during the military dictatorship of late General Sani Abacha was to engender complete reconciliation in Ogoniland. This presidential gesture has been widely applauded in Ogoniland and the entire South-South geopolitical zone.

Presidential Spokesman Bayo Onanuga had explained in the statement announcing the pardon that President Tinubu granted the clemency because most of the convicts had shown sufficient remorse and good conduct. Others were due to old age, acute medical conditions, acquisition of new vocational skills or enrolment in the National Open University.

It must be pointed out that the presidency fully disclosed the pardon as a

matter of full disclosure and transparency. Some other governments will typically mask the complete list, knowing it would generate controversy. This open gesture signifies that the Tinubu government has nothing to hide. Contrary to the erroneous suggestions by some people, there was no ulterior or political motive to the pardon.

However, whether in Nigeria or other jurisdictions where presidents have the power to exercise the prerogative of mercy, the exercise is always controversial.

A similar storm was ignited during the Second Republic when President Shehu Shagari pardoned former warlord Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu for his role in the country’s 30-month

Gov Mbah

Continued on page 60

L-R: Chairman of Odu’a Investment Company Limited, Otunba Bimbo Ashiru; Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola; former Governor Ogun State, Aremo Segun Osoba; his wife, Derin Osoba; and Senator Gbolahan Dada, at the 90 birthday of the mother of Governor Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, Mrs. Victoria Olaitan Abiodun, in lperu Remo, Ogun State...recently