Kayode Tokede
The shareholders of Dangote Cement Plc, BUA Cement, Transcorp Power, Lafarge Cement, and three other big firms on the Nigerian Exchange
these
For
Chuks Okocha in Abuja
Former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, has described the current situation in Rivers State as a clear case of abuse of office and power by the executive, legislative, and judicial arms of government.
This is just as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice-Admiral Ibok Ete Ekwe Ibas (rtd) has vowed to complete the ongoing reconstruction of the state House of Assembly Complex project.
The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has also strongly condemned the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, calling it an unconstitutional move that undermines democracy and destabilises the Niger Delta.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has explained that it chose to be silent on the Rivers State political crisis to avoid taking positions
L-R: Publisher of The Guardian Newspapers,
to the State Government,
the
Salu-Hundeyin; and the Author/Celebrant, Mrs. Cecilia Ibru, at the public presentation of the books: Cecilia, The Autobiography of Cecilia Ibru and Oceanic Odyssey, in Lagos...yesterday.
Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said 1.3 million children under five suffering from severe acute malnutrition could lose access to treatment over the course of the year – leaving them at heightened risk of death.
UNICEF Deputy Executive Director, Kitty van der Heijden Palais, made the remarks on Ethiopia, Nigeria, and the global funding crisis at the Palais des Nations in Geneva at the weekend.
In recent years, international donors have reduced their contributions to UN agencies, including UNICEF.
The situation worsened when the United States, its largest donor, imposed a 90-day suspension on all foreign aid on the first day of President Donald Trump’s return in January.
This decision, along with subsequent
that may alienate members with varying political interests.
Following a protracted crisis in Rivers State, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in the oil-rich state, and then suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara; his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the state House of Assembly for six months.
Tinubu had stated that the decision was taken to restore stability in the state that had been witnessing political turmoil as a result of the disagreement between the state governor and the state lawmakers.
Reacting to the development, Jonathan accused the three arms of the government of pretending to sleep and refusing to do the right thing.
Jonathan stated this yesterday in his speech as chairman of the annual colloquium organised by the Haske Satumari Foundation in Abuja, with the theme: ‘Promoting social change and development through diversity, equity, and inclusion.’
He said: “As a former president and also from the Niger Delta when the issue of suspending the Governor of Rivers State came up, I think people called on me, and ex-President Obasanjo to say something.
“People expected us to say something about what is happening. Of course, people don’t even know that traditionally all over the world,
The group’s profit before tax increased to N732.5 billion, from N553.1 billion recorded in 2023. With a net tax expense of N229.3 billion, the group’s net profit was N503.2 billion
“On Monday, June 23, 2025, the dividends will be paid electronically to shareholders whose names appear in the Register of Members as of Monday, June 9, 2025, and who have completed the e-dividend registration and mandated the Registrar to pay their dividends directly into their bank accounts,” the company said in a statement posted on NGX.
Similarly, the management of BUA Cement recommended for the approval of shareholders a payment of N2.05 dividend per one ordinary share of 50 kobo each, out of the profits declared in the financial year ended 2024 from N2.00 paid in 2023.
Court, has disclosed that the war waged against him by some leaders of the party was due to his closeness to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Nyesom Wike. Anyanwu, who described his challenges as “mere proxy wars” insisted that he would not abandon his friends because of politics.
While ruling out the merger of the PDP with other political parties, Anyanwu argued that the party is too big to be part of any coalition.
Meanwhile, the camps of the Acting National Chairman of the PDP,
orders halting numerous programmes of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) worldwide, has put life-saving food and medical aid at risk, disrupting global humanitarian relief efforts.
Heijden, according to an online report, said in the last 25 years, there has been significant progress in tackling the global malnutrition crisis for children and since the year 2000, the number of stunted children has decreased by 55 million, or one third.
“In 2024, UNICEF and our partners reached 441 million children under five with services to prevent all forms of malnutrition, while 9.3 million children received treatment for severe wasting and other forms of severe acute malnutrition.
“This progress was made possible through the efforts of governments and the generosity of donors –including those in government, the
former presidents hardly make statements about what the current presidents are doing because of the tension it could create in the country.”
Speaking on the situation in Rivers State, Jonathan said: “What is happening in Nigeria today regarding the situation in Rivers State is like an Indian proverb that says that if somebody is sleeping - really sleeping, you can easily wake up that person.
“But if that person is pretending to sleep, you will find it difficult to wake up that person.
“The key actors in Nigeria, from the executive to the legislature, judiciary and the Senate and others are here.
“They know the correct thing to do. But they are refusing to do it.
“They are pretending to sleep and waking such a person is extremely difficult because the person knows the right thing - a clear abuse of office and a clear abuse of power cutting across from the three arms of government, from the executive to the parliament and the judiciary.
“And I always plead with our people that whatever we do affects everybody and sometimes we do things and we think that it doesn’t affect us.
“Why is it that our passport is not valued that much? Why is it that Nigerians are not given the kind of treatment we’re supposed to receive at international airports?
In terms of value, BUA Cement is paying shareholders N69.42 billion as dividends in 2024, up by 2.5 per cent from the N67.73 billion paid in 2023.
Transnational Corporation Plc (Transcorp) and two other listed subsidiaries quoted on the Exchange have also proposed a total N55.24 billion dividend in 2024, up from N29.57 billion proposed in 2023.
The breakdown showed that Transcorp Hotel Plc dividend payout moved from N2.05 billion in 2023 to N7.6 billion in 2024, while Transcorp Power proposed a dividend of N37.5 billion in 2024, up by 59.8 per cent from N23.46 billion in 2023.
In addition, the management of Transnational Corporation proposed a dividend of N10.16 billion in 2024, an increase of 150 per cent from N4.06 billion in 2023.
Ambassador Umar Damagum, and the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, in the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) have disagreed over the Supreme Court judgment.
Addressing journalists yesterday in Abuja, Anyanwu said: “Those who appear to be against me are only fighting a proxy war because of my relationship with the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike who is my bosom friend and remains my friend. I cannot jettison my friends because of politics.
''Where we are coming from is long
private sector and philanthropic organisations – whose unwavering support was critical to the prevention and treatment of child malnutrition at a global scale.
“Today, those hard-earned gains are being rolled back because humanitarian and nutrition partners face a different, deepening crisis – namely the sharp decline in funding support for our lifesaving work. But it is more than the quantity of the reductions … the problem is also how they have been made – in some cases, suddenly and without warning, leaving us with no time to mitigate their impact on our programmes for children.
“Earlier this week, I saw the consequences of the funding crisis firsthand when I visited the Afar region in the north of Ethiopia and Maiduguri in northeast Nigeria. Due to funding gaps in both countries, nearly 1.3 million children under
“Sometimes, we think it’s because of ‘yahoo’ boys or 419. Not only them; yes, they are part of the problem. But whatever happens in the country; decisions that are taken by the executive arm of government; decisions that are taken by the parliament and judicial decisions affect everybody.
“For example, no businessman can bring his money to invest in a country where the judiciary is compromised; where government functionaries can dictate to judges what judgment they will give.
“No man brings his money to invest in that economy because we are taking a big risk. So, whatever we do affects everybody and if we want to build a nation where children and grandchildren will live, no matter how painful it is, we must strive to do what is right.
“Whether you are holding an executive office as a president, a minister, or a governor, or a civil servant, an executive, whether you are holding an office in the parliament, Senate, or House of Representatives, whether you are a judicial officer at the High Courts or appellate courts, we must strive to do what is right. If we want to build a nation that our children would be proud of.”
In a statement later issued by his media aide, Ikechukwu Eze, the former president noted that the
In the year under review, Geregu Power proposed N21.25 billion as a dividend to shareholders, up by 6.25 per cent from N20 billion in 2023, while Lafarge Cement Plc management recommended N19.33 billion dividend payout to shareholders in 2024, down by 36.8 per cent from N30.6 billion paid in i2023.
“The Board of Directors has proposed a gross dividend of 120k (2023: 190k) on every ordinary share in issue, amounting to N19,329,354,315.78 (2023: N30,604,811,869.90). The proposed dividend is subject to approval by the Shareholders at the Annual General Meeting,” the management of Lafarge Cement disclosed in the 2024 financial statement posted on NGX.
Meanwhile, capital market stakeholders have lauded these blue-chip companies for maintaining
before politics. Before politics, we were friends; I never knew that I was going to become a National Secretary of PDP. And when he (Wike) needed me the most to support him while he was running as a presidential aspirant in PDP, I was not there for him. So now, what have I done to injure the party or anyone in it? It’s just mere speculation,'' Anyanwu stated.
Anyanwu said his victory at the Supreme Court was a victory for the people and the party, pointing out that he was elected as National Secretary of this party in October 2021, while
five suffering from severe acute malnutrition could lose access to treatment over the course of the year – leaving them at heightened risk of death.
“In Afar, a region that is prone to recurrent drought and floods, I visited a mobile health and nutrition team providing life-saving services to pastoralist communities in remote areas without health clinics. These teams are critical to supporting children with vital assistance, including treatment of severe wasting, vaccinations and essential medicines,” she noted.
She emphasised that without these critical interventions, children’s lives are in peril as only seven of the 30 mobile health and nutrition units that UNICEF supports in Afar are currently operational, and this is a direct result of the global funding crisis.
“We estimate that without new sources of funding, UNICEF will run
placing of a country in the eyes of the international community and how much investments it could attract depended on the positive actions of its leaders towards advancing democracy and good governance.
Jonathan added that the key actors in Nigeria know the correct thing to do but they are refusing to do it, saying: “They are pretending to sleep, and waking up such a person is extremely difficult.”
PANDEF Condemns State of Emergency in Rivers, Says It’s a Betrayal
Meanwhile, PANDEF has strongly condemned the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State. In a communiqué issued after an emergency meeting of its Board of Trustees and National Executive Committee in Abuja, signed by Ambassador God knows Igali, PANDEF described President Tinubu’s action as a “betrayal” of the region, particularly given recent peace efforts led by prominent South-South leaders. PANDEF argued that the action was not only unnecessary but also politically- motivated, raising concerns about the impartiality of the federal government in the ongoing crisis in the state.
effectiveness in growing revenue that impacted profit and dividend payout.
They noted that these companies have proven to remain key fundamental stocks on the bourse.
The National Coordinator, Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria, Mr. Boniface Okezie expressed satisfaction with the listed companies that have declared the 2024 financial year and proposed dividend payout, stressing that Nigerian companies remain resilient amid challenges.
On his part, an Investment Banker and Stockbroker, Mr. Tajudeen Olayinka, said the dividend payout should be commended, stressing that Nigeria’s economy in 2024 was not favourable amid a double-digit inflation rate, unstable foreign exchange, among other macroeconomic indicators.
his tenure will end in December 2025.
On how he felt after the Supreme Court judgment, he said, ''As for me today, I am not celebrating but I am happy that God has vindicated me such that even tomorrow if I decide to resign or leave, I will always feel justified that I have fought for a good cause. I fought a battle for the truth, and that's just the truth. As for those who assume or believe that I'm their enemy, I'm not anyone’s enemy.
''I know that many of my friends who appear to be fighting me have only been fighting a proxy war. But
out of Ready-to-Use-Therapeutic-Food to treat children suffering from severe wasting in May – which could have dire consequences for the nearly an estimated 74,500 children in Ethiopia who require treatment each month.
“In Nigeria, where around 80,000 children per month require treatment, we could run out of RUTF supplies sometime between this month and the end of May. But the focus cannot just be on RUTF – or treating a child once they become severely malnourished. Programmes must deliver services to prevent children from becoming malnourished in the first place – this includes support for breastfeeding, access to micronutrient supplementation such as Vitamin A and ensuring they get the health services they need for other illnesses.
“The funding crisis goes far beyond Ethiopia and Nigeria … this is happening around the world,
The group noted barely a week before the declaration, President Tinubu had hosted a high-profile South-South delegation at the Presidential Villa, where he commended PANDEF’s Peace and Reconciliation Committee, led by former Akwa Ibom State Governor Obong Victor Attah.
The communique said that the meeting had encouraged the committee to continue its mediation efforts and ensure that the nowsuspended Rivers State governor complied with a Supreme Court ruling directing him to present the 2025 budget to the House of Assembly.
However, the communique said that despite these assurances, the political crisis escalated shortly after the meeting, with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, making disparaging remarks about PANDEF and its leadership, without the presidency cautioning him.
PANDEF recalled that ''On March 13, Governor Fubara formally wrote to the State House of Assembly, expressing his readiness to present the budget as instructed,” but “the Assembly, dominated by lawmakers loyal to Wike, abruptly adjourned indefinitely the following day. Shortly thereafter, impeachment proceedings were initiated against the governor and his deputy.
''In response to these developments, PANDEF said it formally wrote to President Tinubu on March 17, 2025, urging him to intervene and ensure adherence to his directives. Instead, the next day, the president imposed a State of Emergency, effectively removing the elected leadership of the state,'' the communique stated.
PANDEF questioned the justification for the emergency rule, arguing that security concerns cited by the Presidency, particularly a recent pipeline explosion, did not warrant such drastic measures.
“This is not the first time a pipeline explosion has occurred in Nigeria, even under this administration,” the communiqué stated.
The group pointed out that several states in the North-east, North-west, and North-central regions have faced persistent security threats, including terrorist attacks, but no state of emergency has been declared in those areas.
The declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, PANDEF
let me emphasise this: what is most important is the party,'' Anyanwu explained.
On the way forward, he said, ''The way forward is for us all to come back together. I work for the party.
As I said to my friends in the PDP NWC, we were all elected to serve the party; we may have our differences, but it's understandable.
“I still believe that we are family, and we came here together, and we shall continue to co-exist together. Our tenure ends on December 9, 2025; so, in the little time ahead of us, we should
and the most vulnerable children are bearing the brunt,” he highlighted. She stated that UNICEF’s immediate concern is that any disruption to its life-saving activities could endanger millions of children, as over 213 million children in 146 countries will need humanitarian aid in 2025.
She, however, said despite this, UNICEF remains committed to delivering support and working with partners to ensure efficient, effective, and accountable efforts.
“While reviews of foreign assistance are ongoing in capitals around the world, I want to remind government leaders that delaying action doesn’t just harm children—it drives up the cost for us all. Investing in children’s survival and wellbeing is not only the right thing to do, it’s also the most economically sound choice any government can make,” she added.
warned, has set a troubling precedent for Nigerian democracy.
The group recalled that in 2013, then-opposition leader Tinubu had strongly criticized former President Jonathan for imposing a similar measure in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa states without removing their governors, pointing out that now, as President, Tinubu had taken an even more extreme step.
“The Niger Delta will not accept this betrayal,” PANDEF’s communiqué said.
“We will stand firm in defence of democracy, justice, and the rights of our people,” it added.
NGF Explains Silence on Rivers Political Crisis
Meanwhile, NGF’s Director General, Abdulateef Shittu has explained that “as a technical and policy hub, comprising governors elected on different platforms, NGF elects to steer clear of taking positions that may alienate members with varying political interests.”
Shittu explained his organisation’s position in a statement issued yesterday.
The statement read: “As a technical and policy hub comprising Governors elected on different platforms, the body elects to steer clear of taking positions that may alienate members with varying political interests.
“In whatever language it is written, taking positions on contentious partisan issues would mean a poor sense of history — just a few years after the Forum survived a fundamental division following political differences among its members.
“Regardless, the Forum is reputed for its bold positions on governance and general policy matters of profound consequences, such as wages, taxes, education, and universal healthcare, among others.
“We call for the understanding of the public and the media, confident that appropriate platforms and crisis management mechanisms would take care of any such issues.”
all work together, stay together, and put the party together.'' On the revocation of the PDP's new national secretariat by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), he said, ''I'm the National Secretary and I’m just the chief administrator. The fact is that it is not just the PDP that is affected; similar problems affect even INEC, CBN, and NNPC’s buildings and so many others. Let us not make a big issue out of it as if it is all about PDP.
Education Technology and Creatives, UK’s
for
Francis Ndubuisi in Abuja
The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has shared N1.678 trillion among the federal government, states, and local government areas (LGAs) for February 2025.
This represents a decrease of N25 billion from a total of N1.703 trillion shared for January 2025.
The distributable revenue in January was a notable 19.6 per cent increase, or N279 billion, compared to the N1.424 trillion shared by the three tiers of
government in December 2024.
The February revenue was distributed at the March 2025 FAAC meeting held in Abuja, which was chaired by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun.
The meeting was attended by the Accountant General of the Federation, Shamseldeen Ogunjimi, according to a communiqué issued by FAAC and made available by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Office of the Accountant-General of the
Following the raging communal clash between the Ifon community in Orolu Local Government Area (LGA) and Ilobu in Irepodun council area of Osun State, Governor Ademola Adeleke, has declared a 24-hour curfew in the two local government areas of the state.
The communities have been at loggerheads over land disputes, which resulted in killings and razing of houses.
On Friday, three people were reportedly killed, including an ex-councillor, while several others sustained gunshot wounds, leading to the displacement of women and children in the area.
Osun State Government, in a statement issued yesterday through the Commissioner for Information, Kolapo Alimi, said: “Adeleke has approved that the curfew be extended to Erin-Osun town. The curfew time is now 24 hours daily.”
“Governor directs all security agencies such as the military, Nigeria Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Immigration, NDLEA, and Amotekun among others to extend its security surveillance to the community.
“All the security agencies are to ensure strict compliance to the curfew, which is now 24 hours daily until peace is restored. The imposed curfew was necessary to forestall the escalation of the crisis and breakdown of law and order
due to the communal clashes in the communities.”
Similarly, in a statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, Governor Adeleke assured the people of the affected communities that speedy conflict resolution steps were being taken to restore peace even as he directed the emergency services agency to activate its operations.
The governor said his administration had re-strategised on resolving the conflict with multiple peacebuilding options, which were being unveiled and implemented.
“I assure the people of Ilobu and Ifon that I am committed to securing their lives and properties. I have updated the presidency of the development in the state. We are on top of the situation,” the governor said.
“Meanwhile, we seek to bring to the attention of the public that old videos of communal conflicts in some parts of Osun State are being circulated by opposition elements to spread false pictures of insecurity in Osun State.
“While the ongoing conflict is regrettable and while all hands are on deck to stop the violence, we inform the public to take note of the activities of fake news merchants who are digging up old videos to discredit the state government.
“The videos being circulated of violence in other towns and villages in Osun are fake news and should be disregarded by the members of the public.”
Federation (OAGF), Bawa Mokwa.
The communique showed that the total distributable revenue of N1.678 trillion comprised distributable statutory revenue of N827.633 billion, distributable Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue of N609.430 billion, Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL) revenue of N35.171 billion, Solid Minerals revenue of N28.218 billion, and Augmentation of N178 billion.
The communiqué stated that a total gross revenue of N2.344 trillion was available in February.
“Total deduction for the cost of collection was N89.092 billion while total transfers, interventions, refunds, and savings was N577.097 billion,'” it said.
The communiqué said that gross statutory revenue of N1.653 trillion was received for February, which was lower than the sum of N1.848 trillion received in January by N194.664 billion.
It said that gross revenue of N654.456 billion was available from VAT in February, lower than the N771.886 billion available in January by N117.430 billion.
The communiqué said that from the total distributable revenue of N1.678 trillion, the Federal Government received a total sum of N569.656 billion and the state governments received a total sum of N562.195 billion.
It said that the LGAs received total sum of N410.559 billion, and a total sum of N136.042 billion (13 per cent of mineral
revenue) was shared to the benefiting states as derivation revenue.
“On the N827.633 billion statutory revenue, the federal government received N366.262 billion and the state governments received N185.773 billion.
“The LGAs received N143.223 billion and the sum of N132.374 billion (13 per cent of mineral revenue) was shared to the benefiting states as derivation revenue,” the communiqué said.
It said that from the N609.430 billion VAT revenue, the federal government received N91.415 billion, the state governments received N304.715 billion and the LGAs received N213.301 billion.
“A total sum of N5.276 billion was received by the
federal government from the N35.171 billion EMTL. The state governments received N17.585 billion and the LGAs received N12.310 billion.
“From the N28.218 billion Solid Minerals revenue, the federal government received N12.933 billion and the state governments received N6.560 billion.
“The LGAs received N5.057 billion and a total sum of N3.668 billion (13 per cent of mineral revenue) was shared to the benefiting States as derivation revenue,'” it said. It said that Oil and Gas Royalty and EMTL, increased significantly while VAT, Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT), Companies Income Tax, Excise Duty, Import Duty, and CET Levies recorded a decrease.
Wale Igbintade
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has begun investigating one Mr Okorie Sunday, arrested by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, with $578,000.
EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, confirmed this in a statement yesterday in Abuja, saying that the suspect would be charged to court following the investigation’s conclusion.
Oyewale explained that the Area Comptroller of Customs at the airport, Effiong Harrison, handed the suspect over to the EFCC on Friday for falsely declaring currency.
He said Sunday arrived from Johannesburg, South Africa, on Wednesday and declared $279,000 at the Currency Declaration Desk upon entry into the country.
However, customs officials discovered an additional $299,000 concealed in separate packages, bringing the total undeclared amount to $578,000, which led to his arrest.
Further inspection revealed the suspect also hid €100 and a counterfeit $250 note, further aggravating the breach of currency declaration laws.
Harrison condemned the act, citing that it violates the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011, which mandates declaring sums above $10,000
or equivalent upon entry or exit.
Speaking for the Comptroller-General, Adewale Adeniyi, Harrison confirmed that the $578,000 would be formally handed over to the EFCC for continued investigation.
Receiving the suspect, EFCC’s Acting Zonal Director, Lagos, Ahmed Ghali, commended Customs for their cooperation and emphasised the importance of inter-agency collaboration.
“We are here to take over a passenger from South Africa who falsely declared the cash he was carrying into the country,” Ghali stated.
He urged the public to declare any amount above $10,000 when
entering or leaving Nigeria, in line with the country’s money laundering regulations.
Ghali appealed to citizens to avoid false declarations, warning that the law will catch up with those attempting to undermine financial transparency.
“We will not permit any action that sabotages the economy or financial system, as such conduct increases the risk of money laundering and economic instability,” he said.
According to him, such actions tarnish Nigeria’s image, making it seem a haven for fraud.
He pledged continued cooperation to strengthen the economy and financial systems.
Gunmen have abducted a female Nigerian Navy officer attached to the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), along with two others in Abuja.
The victims were kidnapped from their residence in the Mpape area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Friday night.
A source, who spoke on condition of anonymity for
security reasons, confirmed the development.
According to the source, who craved anonymity, the kidnappers have reached out to the victims’ families, demanding N100 million for their release.
“Three individuals were abducted on Friday night in the Mpape area, including a DHQ
official. The kidnappers have contacted their families and are insisting on a N100 million ransom,” the source said.
Attempts to get a response from the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Markus Kangye, and the Director of Defence Information, Brig. Gen. Tukur Gusau were unsuccessful, as they had yet to respond to messages as of the time of filing this report. When contacted, the spokesperson for the Federal Capital Territory Police Command, Josephine Adeh, said she would confirm and provide further details. “I will confirm and get back to you shortly,” she simply stated
Deji Elumoye in Abuja
The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, yesterday charged children to utilise every available opportunity to learn, grow and become the best version of themselves.
Speaking while inaugurating Nana Berry Orphanage and Children’s Home in New Nyanya, Nasarawa State, the First Lady told the children: “you are special; you are loved, and you have a bright future ahead of you.
“This home is a stepping stone towards your dreams, and I encourage you to embrace every opportunity to learn, grow, and become the best version of yourselves".
While acknowledging the efforts of the orphanage home’s founder, Mrs. Aishatu Kwalmi, and the caregivers, Mrs Tinubu charged them to continue their work with kindness, compassion, and discipline to ensure that every
child grows into a responsible citizen.
She, however, firmly objected to a request for additional land for farming, emphasizing that the orphanage should focus on innovative agricultural practices rather than land expansion.
According to her: "Mrs. Kwalmi was telling me that they needed another land for farming, and I said no. This place is big enough. Nowadays, we have something called smart gardening. You can grow in your bucket, and this is the time to introduce this to the children".
She encouraged the orphanage to adopt smart farming techniques using buckets and used tires to grow crops like yams and potatoes.
“If you don’t know, we’re going to send people to you, and they will teach you what to do. But it’s very, very easy,” she said.
Reflecting on the inspiration behind
the project, the First Lady recalled how she first learned about the orphanage in early 2023 through a television interview with Mrs. Kwalmi.
Deeply moved by the conditions of over 200 children living there, she said she mobilised immediate assistance and later spearheaded the construction of the new facility.
“This project also reflects the commitment of President Bola Tinubu, to the well-being and development of all children, irrespective of their background".
She expressed gratitude to Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, for donating the land and ensuring the swift provision of a Certificate of Occupancy.
She also commended the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, Hon Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire for overseeing the project's execution.
Mrs Tinubu also highlighted the
broader vision of the administration to ensure decent housing for vulnerable children across Nigeria.
She thanked the Nasarawa State Government for pledging continued support, noting that while many orphanages exist, not all have such facilities.
“So, we’ve started with this one, and it’s the responsibility of the government to do that. Mr. President is very keen on this,” she stated.
With the inauguration of the Nana Berry Orphanage and Children’s Home, the First Lady reaffirmed the government's commitment to providing a brighter future for every Nigerian child, ensuring that they are nurtured in love and given the tools to succeed.
Meanwhile, the Nasarawa State Government has pledged continued support for the new orphanage and children’s home, vowing to sustain
The Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) has commended the progress made by the federal government on the implementation of the Supreme Court’s judgment that granted financial autonomy to local governments in Nigeria.
The commendation was given during the association’s meeting in Abuja at the weekend.
“The federal government’s implementation committee has made significant strides despite encountering challenges,” the Chairman of ALGON’s Board of Trustees, Odunayo Ategbero, stated.
During the meeting, the implementation committee reminded the local government councils to open accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for seamless financial operations.
ALGON said the autonomy would address critical issues such as security, health, and education at the grassroots level.
“With over 80 per cent of Nigerians residing in local government areas, it is important to empower the third tier of government to rapidly drive social, political, economic, and infrastructural development at the grassroots.
“This includes implementing
developmental issues, such as security, health, education, and more, to better the lives of citizens at the grassroots level,” Ategbero said.
The association noted that, with the autonomy, democracy has returned to the local government level, which will compel state governors to conduct genuine elections a departure from the past where tickets were handed out to favourable candidates.
Meanwhile, the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice-Admiral Ibok Ete Ekwe Ibas (rtd) has vowed to complete the ongoing reconstruction of the state House of Assembly Complex project.
Ibas advised the contractor handling the project to speed up work and deliver it as mutually agreed.
He insisted that part of his mandate included restoring full and effective legislative activities in the state.
The Sole Administrator spoke when he visited the area yesterday to inspect
the ongoing reconstruction work on the new Assembly Complex, located along Moscow Road in Port Harcourt Local Government Area (LGA).
The project was awarded to Monitor Construction Company (MCC) Limited and work has advanced on the facility that has 34 offices on a two-storey building with an elevator, gallery, meeting rooms and conference hall.
Ibas, who was accompanied by the Head of Rivers State Civil Service, Dr. George Nwaeke, was conducted
round the site by the General Manager of MCC, Mr. Omaka Oko.
The Sole Administrator explained that in the last two days of assumption of duties, he noticed a missing pillar in the state governance structure, and was determined to ensure that there was a place for effective legislative activities after six months.
Ibas said: “I have been at the Executive arm of the State governance structure and one of the pillars that is missing for now is the legislature and for them to function effectively,
they also need a place to work from.
“And perhaps, I am yet to be sure that work is going on as expected, so that by the end of the six months, this place will be ready for those who need to use it. I think basically that is what it is.
“They (contractors) have a schedule and they have timelines that I believe they will like to adhere to. I think the state has done its own bit by providing the necessary funds, I was brief. So, the onus is on them to make sure that they keep to the terms.”
its mission of providing care for vulnerable children.
Speaking at the occasion, Governor Abdullahi Sule, who was represented by the state deputy governor, Dr. Emmanuel Akabe, assured that the state would partner with the orphanage’s founder, Mrs. Kwalmi, to maintain its standard and purpose.
Earlier in her welcome address, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, described the project as "a sanctuary of care, a beacon of hope, and a safe haven for vulnerable children."
Represented by Head of the Conditional Grant Scheme at the Office of the Senior Special Assistant
to the President on SDGs (OSSAPSDGs), Dr Ifeanyiwa Ukaegbu, the SSA stressed that the project aligns with the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“This project is not merely about bricks and mortar; it is a testament to the unwavering commitment of President Bola Tinubu to ensuring that no one is left behind, especially our vulnerable children,” she said. Orelope-Adefulire commended Mrs Tinubu for her lifelong dedication to supporting the less privileged.
Designed to house 118 girls and 118 boys, the orphanage features hostel blocks, a dormitory, a multipurpose hall, classrooms, and living quarters for staff.
Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto
The Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, Aliero (KSUSTA), has confirmed the death of six students due to an outbreak of cerebrospinal meningitis.
In a statement made available to journalists in the state yesterday, the university’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mustapha Ango, conveyed the institution’s sorrow over the tragic loss.
In the statement issued on behalf of the management, Ango extended heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased students, stating that the Vice-Chancellor, B. G. Danshehu was deeply saddened by the unfortunate incident.
He said, “Upon detecting the initial signs of the outbreak, KSUSTA took immediate and decisive action to mitigate the spread of the disease.
“A specialised committee, led by the Provost of the College of Health Sciences, Prof. Balarabe Adamu Isah, was formed to conduct a thorough investigation.
“We promptly reported the outbreak to the Kebbi State Ministry of Health and the Ministry for Higher Education. A stakeholders’ meeting was convened, bringing together key health sector experts, including representatives from the
World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), Médecins Sans Frontières, and other medical professionals.” He explained that several critical measures have been implemented to control the situation, which include enhanced medical support, sanitation and preventative efforts as well as Health awareness and immunisation in collaboration with WHO, UNICEF, and MSF.
“Despite the best efforts of the university and health authorities, six students have succumbed to the disease.
“We deeply regret these losses, and our thoughts and prayers are with the affected families,” Ango said.
The university management, however, reassured parents, guardians, and the public of its unwavering commitment to safeguarding student welfare.
The management encouraged those seeking further information to contact the University’s Public Relations Office for updates.
“We appreciate the continued support and cooperation of our university community and stakeholders as we work tirelessly to overcome this crisis,” Ango concluded.
Deji Elumoye in Abuja
The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio and the House of Representatives have denied the allegations that the federal lawmakers received bribes to endorse the state of emergency declaration in Rivers State.
It was alleged that 45 senators were offered $5,000 each, while another 42 received $10,000 each, ahead of the National Assembly’s approval of the emergency rule.
But Akpabio, in a statement issued yesterday by his spokesperson, Eseme Eyiboh, described the bribery allegation as an attempt to blackmail lawmakers.
Akpabio said he hosted senators at his guest house for an Iftar meal but insisted that no money was shared.
“It is true that I confirmed the Iftar meeting and further asserted that the Distinguished Senate President has always hosted his colleagues of both religious faiths in every season of spiritual rebirth,” the statement reads.
“There has never existed any reason to share any money in such a solemn meeting, and no money in any currency was shared.
“I have vehemently denied this spurious rumour of sharing any
money. The rumour in itself is peddled by the merchants of blackmail enterprise to add flavour to their subsisting hate and malice campaign.”
Similarly, the House of Representatives has denied allegations that each member was induced with $5,000 to ratify the state of emergency declaration in Rivers State.
Deputy spokesman of the House, Hon. Philip Agbese, while responding to the issue in an interview with journalists in Abuja yesterday, described the allegation as false, malicious and emanating from “the pit of hell.”
According to Agbese, Thursday’s resolution of the House on the State of Emergency declaration in Rivers was done out of patriotism and in the interest of restoring lasting peace to River State.
He said: “The allegation that members of the House of Representatives were induced with $5,000 to pass a resolution, is unfair to the parliament - very, very unfair to the parliament. What we did on Thursday was to align ourselves with what I call the wisdom of King Solomon.
“All insinuations that any individual was given money to give to members is nothing
Segun James
Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka has condemned the suspension of elected officers in Rivers State, saying the declaration of state of emergency in the state was against the spirit of federalism.
The Nobel laureate, who spoke to an international news outlet, maintained that the 1999 constitution gives too much power to the president, saying there was the need for a national discussion on the matter.
He said, “If it is constitutionally right, then I think it is about time we sat down and amended the constitution to make sure that it operates as a genuine federal entity.
“The government is overcentralised. The debate will go on whether this (state of
emergency) was, in the first place, a wise decision but in terms of fundamental principles, I believe that this is against the federal spirit of association.
“I find that the constitution has put too much power in the hands of the president. The system we are operating right now is not the best for a pluralistic society like ours. That is a fundamental principle I have always held.”
He stated that Nigeria must hold a national conference to change the country’s foundation, adding, “The federal spirit of association is a cardinal principle and, for that reason, some of us have called again and again for a national conference to really accord ourselves an authentic people’s constitution. Right now, in principle, this action is against the federal imperative.”
but lies from the pit of hell. The opposition should see the good things that we are doing day and night for the country.
“At no point did members of the House engage in any financial inducement in relation to the state of emergency declaration. The decision was taken after extensive deliberations on the security and political situation in Rivers State, in line with our constitutional responsibilities to safeguard national stability. Any suggestion that lawmakers were bribed is pure fiction, designed to serve the interests of those
who seek to distort facts and create unnecessary tension in the country.
“The House of Representatives remains an independent institution guided by democratic principles, the rule of law, and the collective will of the Nigerian people. Our duty is to make decisions that align with the national interest, not to succumb to baseless distractions aimed at eroding public trust.
The allegations of bribery are a desperate attempt to discredit the House and must be dismissed as the political comedy that it is.
“What the President did was
like what King Solomon did when the two women who were fighting over the propriety of a child came to him. These people in Rivers, are all interested in the progress and development of Rivers State. They love the state, and they are working hard for it. But one way or the other, disagreements arose among the parties which escalated, and Mr. President, in his wisdom, decided to impose a state of emergency for a period of time so as to allow the two parties to come together, in order to further deepen our democracy.”
He said the lawmakers
approved the State of Emergency declaration in Rivers State out of patriotism and not for any pecuniary consideration as being alleged.
“We have seen some of the developments in River State. The government is not doing badly. But what we are saying is that we don’t want the breakdown of institutions as far as River State is concerned,” said Agbese. He said the parliament in its wisdom made some key adjustments to the president’s emergency proclamation before ratifying it.
The Federal High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, has set aside an interim injunction restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from accepting petitions to recall of the senator representing Kogi central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Last Thursday, the court granted an ex-parte application seeking to stop the electoral umpire from acting on the recall process
initiated by the constituents of Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The application was filed by Anebe Ogirima and four other registered voters from Kogi central. They were represented by Smart Nwachimere of West-Idahosa SAN & Co.
The court prohibited INEC and its representatives from accepting or acting on petitions linked to the recall, which the
applicants claimed contain fictitious signatures.
The order also barred the electoral commission from conducting a referendum on the matter until the substantive case is resolved.
However, on Friday, the court vacated the order, saying it is the civic right of the constituents to recall any lawmaker.
It said the constituents can exercise their right to recall orderly and peacefully.
The case has been adjourned to May 6, for further hearing. Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended from the Senate on March 6 for “gross misconduct” following a seating arrangement altercation with Senate President Godswill Akpabio. She had earlier accused Akpabio of sexual harassment.
According to Anyanwu, ''Before now, even before we came in as members of PDP NWC, we had been having issues over our new national secretariat with someone who claimed that the land is his own. I know that the lawyers of the FCT stood by us. Before the current issues began, our National Legal Adviser wrote a letter to the FCT minister, which the National Chairman and I delivered by hand to the FCT minister and he assured us that nobody will claim what belongs to PDP. ''But you cannot be a tenant, with my rent expiring and when you can’t renew it, you then start fighting your landlord. It’s either one pleads and looks for a way to pay to remain a tenant or expects that something else would happen. That is what is going on.''
On what becomes of the PDP in the future, Anyanwu said: “As far as I’m concerned, PDP will become stronger and on the issue of a coalition, I have not been informed. I am yet to be
informed as the National Secretary and I’d like to know of the genesis of such ideas about forming a coalition with other political parties. PDP is too strong and too big to be drawn into being a mere part of any coalition; rather, people should empty their platforms and come into PDP.''
Meanwhile, the disagreement between the camps of the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Damagum, and the National Publicity Secretary, Ologunagba, over the Supreme Court judgment deepened yesterday.
The Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Ibrahim Abdullahi has debunked a statement attributed to him, calling on Nigerians and PDP
members to discountenance the statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Ologunagba that the Supreme Court judgment had confirmed Sunday Ude-Okoye as the National Secretary of the party.
The statement that was purportedly issued by Abdullahi, reads: "I am directed by the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagun, to refute a misleading statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba shortly after the Supreme Court delivered judgment in the case of Samuel Anyanwu Vs. Emmanuel Aniagu on Friday, March 21, 2025.
''For the avoidance of doubt, the statement of Debo Olagunagba does not reflect the position of the PDP and the NWC respectively. The public should please disregard the falsehood. It is pertinent to inform the public that at no time did the Supreme Court recognise Hon Udeh Okoye as National Secretary, but only
described him as an "impostor" while the appellant, Emmanuel Aniagu as a "meddlesome Interloper" respectively.” But in a statement issued yesterday, Abdullahi described the press release attributed to him as fraudulent.
“Of late, I have maintained a studied silence in the face of this legal imbroglio leading to the Supreme Court judgment of yesterday, Friday, March 21, 2025. This is in deference to the court, as the matter was then sub-judiced. I had figured out the need to maintain a political ambience devoid of contradictions, rancour, violence, and outrage.
“For the avoidance of doubt, I neither received nor was I directed by the Ag National Chairman to issue such a disclaimer.
“I hereby outrightly dissociate myself and the office of the DNPS from the release already making the rounds. It did not originate from me, and I did not sanction it,” Abdullahi explained.
Authorities of RUSAL and managers of the Aluminum Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON) have expressed optimism that the company will reopen soon for normal business operation.
This was disclosed at a quiz competition to boost the academic growth of the host communities held in Ikot Abasi Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
“RUSAL’s management and ALSCON are firmly committed to the goal of resuming ALSCON’s operations after resolving the key issues like the legal dispute over ownership and stable gas supply after a feasible price has been agreed on.
“We are confident that through joint efforts with the support of the community and their leaders at the local and regional levels, as well as with the participation of the federal government, it will be possible to resolve all existing
obstacles,” the General Manager Public Relations of ALSCON, Mr. Alexander Ashkinazi, said.
The quiz tournament tagged: ‘Rusal Educational Summit 2025’, was organised by the community’s Education Development Initiative (CEDI) with support from RUSAL, managers of ALSCON.
The competition, which took place at the ALSCON Staff Secondary School, was aimed at boosting the educational growth and development of students of the company’s host communities.
Ashkinazi, who declared the quiz tournament open, said the quiz competition was part of the company’s community social responsibility (CSR) to its host communities.
Apart from the quiz tournament, Ashkinazi said ALSCON has initiated several educational and skills empowerment programmes within and outside the company for indigenes of the Ikot Abasi Local Government Area and its environs.
“RUSAL’s management pays
Akpabio’s Wife Pledges to Work With Wike, Others to Provide Infrastructure at UNICAL, Bag Honorary Doctoral Degrees
Sunday Aborisade in Abuja
Wife of the Senate President, Mrs. Ekaette Unoma Akpabio, has promised to work with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Nyesom Wike to provide infrastructural assistance to the University of Calabar.
She made the pledge during an event to celebrate the golden anniversary of the university.
The wife of the President of the Senate, was, on the occasion, conferred with an honorary doctorate degree in Education Management.
The ceremony held at the main campus of the institution in Calabar, Cross River State also saw Wike awarded the honorary doctorate in Law.
Other awardees included Major General Moses Bisong
Obi (rtd) (Doctor of Peace and Conflict Studies) and Supreme Court Justice, Emmanuel Akomaye Obi (Doctor of Law).
Akpabio’s wife, according to a statement by the Senate President Media Office yesterday, spoke after the conferment by the 15th Emir of Kano and Chancellor of the University, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero.
The wife of the Senate President thanked the Governing Council and management of the university for finding her worthy of the honour.
The statement quoted Mrs Akpabio as saying: “I am happy to be honoured with this award from the prestigious University of Calabar that I have heard so much about from my dear husband, an alumnus of this great institution.”
great attention to the educational process and everything related to increasing students’ motivation and RUSAL Optimistic of ALSCON Reopening Again for Business useful practical skills.
“We have initiated a series of essential processes for the community, including: Assisting in the Russia-Nigeria bilateral educational programme.
“Currently, 10 sons and
daughters of Ikot Abasi are already involved in it. In 2024, seven students were sent. In 2025, five candidates, of which three are already studying, and two are preparing to be sent. Currently, 11 are undergoing pre-training for dispatch at the end of 2025,” he stated.
On skills acquisition training, Ashkinazi said, “As part of the Fork Lift initiative, which is an
active form of the industrial attachment, 5 young men have been trained and acquired the skills to operate a Forklift truck.
“Computer classes are conducted based on our laboratory, in which two groups of 17 students have already graduated.
The third group of nine people is being trained.
“We have initiated the second round of Industrial attachment in
the areas of welder and mechanic - this is a pilot programme that started on March 03, 2025, and involves two representatives of Ikot Abasi.
“The Ikot Abasi Skills Acquisition Centre for girls was opened in November 2024. Now children have the opportunity to acquire practical skills by studying hairdressing, modeling, manicure and pedicure, tailoring and shoemaking.
The Association of Niger Delta Monarchs of Nigeria (ANDMON) has called on stakeholders to support the federal government in curbing pipeline vandalism and oil theft in the region.
Chairman of the association, HM Frank Okurakpo, Odhe II, made the call in a statement yesterday.
He said this during an interactive meeting between ANDMON and stakeholders in the Amnesty, Pipeline Surveillance, and Energy sectors in Port Harcourt.
The traditional ruler stated that the association was committed to accelerating development in all towns and villages in the Niger Delta.
“The association is willing to collaborate and partner with the federal govern -
ment, multinational organisations, and other critical stakeholders to restore peace in the region.
“We are keen to achieve the federal government’s desire to meet and exceed the OPEC production quota,” he said.
Okurakpo commended President Bola Tinubu for appointing a “grassroots mobiliser” from the Niger Delta, Dr Dennis Otuaro, as the
head of the Presidential Amnesty Programme.
“This is one appointment that gladdens the heart of our people. No doubt, the programme is recording remarkable success across the Niger Delta region.
“We, therefore, lend our voice to the demand for increased budgetary provisions and the timely release of appropriated funds,” he said.
Wale Igbintade
A chieftain of the Labour Party in Abia State and youth advocate, Mr. Nwabueze Onwuneme, has called on Mr. Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Tinubu, to shift his focus from humanitarian handouts to pressing his father for urgent economic reforms.
In a statement made available to newsmen, Onwuneme argued
that while Seyi Tinubu’s charitable efforts are commendable, they have little impact on the vast majority of Nigerians struggling with hunger and economic hardship.
Instead, he urged Seyi to influence his father to revive the economy and create sustainable employment opportunities, particularly for the youth population.
“If Seyi prevails on his father to prioritise economic reforms, there
would be no need for him to run around distributing handouts,” Onwuneme stated.
“A strong and viable economy will naturally improve Nigerians’ quality of life, as seen in other developed nations.” He
acknowledged Seyi Tinubu’s past humanitarian contributions, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic through the Noella Foundation, but emphasized that
circumstances have changed.
“Back then, both he and his father were private citizens. Now, they are in positions to drive real change that can uplift millions,” Onwuneme noted.
While recognising that President Tinubu inherited a struggling economy, Onwuneme insisted that after nearly two years in office, Nigerians should not just see promises but also feel tangible improvements in their daily lives.
Glo Foundation, Lagos Food Bank, Partners, Distribute Food Items to Lagos Community
In a bid to alleviate hunger and support vulnerable individuals in Nigeria Glo Foundation, in collaboration with Lagos Food Bank, yesterday, distributed food relief packs to over 1,500 members of Bariga, Lagos State. The initiative which is the first of many others to come from the partnership, was held at the Love Lagos Jetty, providing succour
to low-income families, widows, orphans, and other vulnerable members of society.
Speaking about the initiative, the Manager of CSR, Glo Foundation, Ufoma Dogun, noted that the initiative was inspired by the current economic situation of the country.
According to him, “Hunger isn’t something that should be toyed with. It’s one of the major issues that the world is
dealing with and one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) initiatives that the United Nations (UN) itself is focused on.
“This is why at Glo Foundation, we thought of reaching out to the most vulnerable people in the community.
These are people who have partnered with Glo and supported us since our inception
as a business.
“So we decided to give back to them, which is why our slogan is giving back together. Not just the management, but every single staff of Glo is involved in this initiative.
“We are reaching out to the most vulnerable communities not just in Lagos but across the country to give to the needy and succour to as many people as possible.
Editor: Festus Akanbi
08038588469
Email:festus.akanbi@thisdaylive.com
The federal government set an ambitious target of getting the economy to a $1trillion size by 2030. Achieving this goal requires significant input from the financial services sector. Already, the Central Bank of Nigeria has instituted key policy measures from the recapitalisation of banks, FX reforms, and the fight against inflation to regulatory oversight to realise the goal, which many stakeholders described as ambitious but possible, writes Festus Akanbi
When nearly two years ago, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, asked banks to brace up for a new round of banking sector recapitalisation to secure enough capital to serve the $1 trillion Gross Domestic Product (GDP) target set by the Federal Government, many took the directive with skepticism.
Cardoso reaffirmed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic plan, is to achieve a $1 trillion GDP size by 2030, adding that the current capitalisation of banks cannot handle such economic size.
He asked: “Will Nigerian banks have sufficient capital relative to the financial system’s needs in servicing a $1.0 trillion economy shortly? In my opinion, the answer is “No!” unless we take action. Therefore, we must make difficult decisions regarding capital adequacy. As a first step, we will be directing banks to increase their capital”.
Continuing, he said: “The administration, as outlined in the widely circulated Policy Advisory Council report on the national economy, had set an ambitious goal of achieving a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $1.0 trillion, with clearly defined priority areas and strategies.
According to him, attaining this substantial target necessitates sustainable and inclusive economic growth at a significantly higher pace than current levels.
“The administration has already commenced this journey through fiscal reforms, including the removal of petrol subsidy and the unification of the foreign exchange market rate,” he said. Today, many banks have recapitalised while others are seeking mergers and acquisitions to shore up their capital bases.
The CBN boss said it was in line with its efforts to deepen financial inclusion and support economic growth, the apex bank introduced new minimum capital requirements for banks.
He said: “This strategic move ensures that banks are well-capitalized, enabling them to take on greater risks, particularly in underserved markets. With stronger capital bases, banks can provide more loans and financial products to Micro Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), rural communities, and other vulnerable segments that have previously struggled to access formal financial services”.
On March, 28, last year, CBN unveiled a two-year bank recapitalisation exercise which commenced on April 1, 2024 and is expected to end on March 31, 2026.
The recapitalisation plan requires a minimum capital of N500 billion, N200 billion, and N50 billion for Commercial Banks with International, National, and Regional licenses respectively.
Cardoso said the recapitalisation policy not only strengthens financial stability but also serves as a catalyst for inclusive growth.
“By enabling banks to extend more credit to MSMEs, we enhance job creation and productivity. Furthermore, with increased capital, banks can invest in technology and innovation, crucial for driving digital financial services such as mobile money and agent banking. These technologies are key to breaking down geographic and economic barriers, bringing financial services to even the most remote areas,” he stated.
The CBN is the final signatory in a tripartite capital verification committee that includes the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC).
Under the guidelines for recapitalisation,
capital verification is a major requirement before the clearance of the allotment proposal and release of the funds to the bank for onward completion of the offer process and addition of the new capital to its capital base.
Experts had estimated that banks could raise about N5 trillion within the two-year recapitalisation period.
About one year after recapitalisation deadline, banks have stepped up preliminary consultations on the prospect of business combinations.
Analysts said there have been “more talks around mergers and acquisitions” as banks consider alternative options to fresh capital raising.
The CBN approved the first merger and acquisition deal between Providus Bank and Unity Bank in 2024. Access Holdings Plc, Ecobank Nigeria, and Jaiz Bank Plc have met the new minimum capital requirements.
Afrinvest banking sector report on the bank’s recapitalisation, explained that the CBN had in its March 2024 capital requirement guideline, announced a new capital structure for banks under different licenses to strengthen the financial system and aid the government’s target of a $1 trillion economy by 2032.
The recapitalisation exercise was also triggered by the clear erosion of banks’ capital buffer post-2010 from a real and FX perspective compared to 2010 levels.
“Using the 2023 average, the existing minimum capital size has lost 77.1 per cent and 76.5 per cent in FX and real terms, respectively. To shore up the capital gap, the CBN considered the impact of macroeconomic headwinds on banks’ risk profiles and financial position in defining the new threshold,” the report said.
Views from Stakeholders
The Chairman of Parthian Group, Adedotun Sulaiman emphasised the essential role of investments in economic development, stating, “Capital is the oxygen of the economy, and without capital, we can’t go very far.”
Speaking during the launch of the company’s two investment funds in Lagos, he said the products are its own modest contribution, in mobilising the capital needed to achieve the President’s audacious goal of creating a
$1 trillion economy.
He said: “I will say, we have a huge capital deficit in Nigeria, and other developing countries. We need enough capital to build infrastructure and support economic growth. So, what we are doing is set up these products, mobilize the capital from small savers, individuals, and corporate and then deploy the capital to people that need it can use the funds to build roads, schools, healthcare among others,” he said.
Sulaiman added: “So, that is what we are doing, it is our modest contribution to grow the Nigerian economy. The $1 trillion economy target is ambitious and audacious. The thing about life is that one should challenge oneself. Is it possible? Yes, it is possible but requires a lot of hard work and resources. And can we rise to the occasion as a country? Yes, I think so”.
Other analysts said the government’s goal of achieving a $1 economy would require the institutionalisation of corporate governance in Nigeria’s public sector to foster transformation within the sector.
They urged Nigeria to adopt good governance practices to align better with international business standards. She also called for a legal framework to support this institutionalization and structures to drive national transformation.
More FX Inflows Via Remittances
Already, remittances through International Money Transfer Operators (IMTOs) rose 79.4 per cent to US$4.18 billion in the first three quarters of 2024, demonstrating the positive impact of FX reforms.
Additionally, the CBN lifted the 2015 restriction barring 41 items from accessing FX at the official market to enhance trade and investment.
These reforms and developments reflect the bank’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for inclusive economic development. However, achieving macroeconomic stability requires sustained vigilance and a proactive monetary policy stance.
“As we shift from unorthodox to orthodox monetary policy, the CBN remains committed to restoring confidence, strengthening policy credibility, and staying focused on its core mandate of price stability,” Cardoso reaffirmed.
To tackle the pressing challenge of infla-
tion, the CBN acted decisively by raising the Monetary Policy Rate by 875 basis points to 27.5 per cent in 2024—an essential move to contain inflation and restore stability.
Analysts insist that these measures under Cardoso have not only lifted the forex market and entrenched long-lasting stability but laid the foundation for sustainable economic growth.
Very significantly, the resilience of the domestic economy, bolstered by a strong financial system with robust soundness indicators, instills confidence in the economic structure.
Major prudential ratios, such as capital adequacy, liquidity, and Non-Performing Loans ratios, were within prudential limits, reflecting proactive regulatory oversight and strong industry risk management practices. Significant credit was extended to growthenhancing sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, and general commerce, as well as individuals and households.
The credit played a crucial role in stimulating economic activities and supporting output performance, emphasizing the role of financial institutions and sound regulation led by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Besides, the CBN has also taken strategic steps to tackle inflation. The apex bank recently hosted the Monetary Policy Forum 2025, featuring fiscal authorities, legislative, private sector, development partners, subject-matter experts, and scholars with the theme: “Managing the Disinflation Process”.
Cardoso explained that the apex bank’s focus is to sustain price stability, the planned transition to an inflation-targeting framework, and strategies to restore purchasing power and ease economic hardship.
The CBN is continuing its disciplined approach to monetary policy, aimed at curbing inflation and stabilizing the economy.
“These actions have yielded measurable progress: relative stability in the FX market, narrowing exchange rate disparities, and a rise in external reserves to over $40 billion as of December 2024.
The CBN also focused on strengthening the banking sector, introducing new minimum capital requirements for banks (effective March 2026) to ensure resilience and position Nigeria’s banking industry for a $1 trillion economy,” he said.
The Regional President of Middle East, Near East, Africa, and Turkey, at Japan Tobacco International, Mr. Akhil Bhardwaj, was in Nigeria recently as the head of a team from its Geneva, Switzerland headquarters that included the Global Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs & Communications, Lucine Ovumyan. JTI is a leading international tobacco, e-cigarette, and nicotine pouch company operating in 130 countries with 46,000 employees worldwide. At the end of his visit, he spoke with some select journalists including Festus Akanbi on why his company decided to focus on growth in Nigeria at a period when some other manufacturers are taking their exit, among other issues
With some multinationals now exitingNigeriaasa resultofeconomic challenges from forex,andinflation toinsecurity,what isyourviewoftheNigerianmarketandhow importantisitforyou?Areyouoptimistic aboutdoingbusinessinNigeria?
We have witnessed this exodus of some global companies that have been here for a long time and some of us have been surprised by these moves. But I look after a region known as MENEAT, which is the abbreviation for Middle East, Near East, Africa, and Turkey. And in this region, it’s not uncommon to face some of these challenges. In fact, around the world, we have economic challenges in one way or another. Although I think it’s quite deep in Nigeria at this moment and in recent years. But we are used to this volatility, and if you look around the world, even in the West, you see some volatility economically. People everywhere are feeling the pinch. So, if you ask me why haven’t you exited or why are you staying? I want you to understand that we have a view of what the future looks like for Nigeria. When we make any investment, we understand that there will be good times and there will be bad times in any economy. We try to take the long path in terms of thinking about what the next 10, 15, 20, or even 30 years look like. It’s part of our Japanese heritage, that we can take a long-term view.
What we are seeing is that Nigeria needs reform. It was very clear that you are facing several pressures and fundamentally your government is trying to drive economic recovery and growth. That is easy to say but quite difficult to achieve. We are encouraged by the policies put in place by the current government and encouraged, because they are driving a reform agenda. And all those decisions that have been taken are not easy. There will be some pains in the short term, but we have a cautiously optimistic view that these changes will manifest in a recovery of growth in the midterm. Now will it be a straight line? Maybe not for us as an organization, but we have this positive feeling that the longer-term horizon for Nigeria is still one of growth. When I say growth, we are looking at foreign exchange, inflation, GDP, and other economic fundamentals. Will society feel better in the future than it does today? We have an optimistic view on that and therefore we are here for the long term, you know, you must be able to ride the waves.
JTIhasbeenoperatinginNigeriaforabout 16years.Whatwouldyousayhavebeenyour contributionstotheeconomyandwhatis yourinvestmentplaninNigeria?
I would say we have been in an investment phase over the last 16 years while trying to fundamentally understand Nigeria better. And 16 years in the history of Nigeria is not very long, but it’s long enough to get a good picture of how we should be operating here. So, we are the second largest in the tobacco industry here. We are the second largest excise taxpayer,
which is a huge contribution to government revenue.
But more importantly, we contribute to the employment of more than 3,000 people directly and indirectly, which is critical for a thriving economy. We have spent 16 years investing in building our business, our people, and our brands. So, we feel pretty good about that side of it. But also, what encourages me the most is that Nigeria is, for several reasons, a source of talent for us. We have lots of talents that we export to other parts of the world to develop their careers, to help us in those parts of our business, and then to bring all that knowledge back to Nigeria in the future. And that’s an important part of our strategy.
Iseeyouhavedonequiteabitalready. Anyfutureinvestmentsthatweshouldtake noteof?
Well, we continue to invest every year and that’s not abating at this moment. As others are thinking about exiting, we are constantly having conversations of growth, and how we can drive the business forward and ride on some of the turbulent waves that we’ve had in the past.
So, the business is in the investment phase. But generally, in other parts of the world where we operate, we also make community investments, which is very important to us. We feel very strongly about ensuring we operate in countries as a responsible corporate citizen. And I think we can talk about the millions of dollars that we invest every year to support our communities. In 2023, JTI invested over USD42 million in community development initiatives. The JTI Foundation has helped
communities around the globe to become safer and more resilient to natural and man-made disasters. But, unfortunately, in Nigeria, we are not allowed to do so at this moment due to regulation, but if that were to change, we would be very keen to do the same here.
AsRegionalPresident,youoverseeJTI’s operations across several markets. If you were to advise the Nigerian government, what would be your recommendations on improving the business environment, drawingfromyourexperienceacrossvarious jurisdictions?
That’s a very tough question. In the MENEAT region, we have about 40 countries and 40 operations. So, it’s very different as everyone faces diverse issues. But the position that I take is that governments are elected on a mandate. And it’s the responsibility of the government to set that mandate. We believe we can make an important contribution, once a government has set its direction if we are invited to the table on a consultation basis to see how we can move that policy agenda forward in the best way for sustainable growth, and that’s usually the posture that I take in any country.
As with any business, a predictable and stable operating environment ensures we can plan better and more sustainably. This is why we are always keen to engage with governments to offer our views on proposed policy decisions, based on our experiences of doing business across a diverse range of countries. We always do this openly and transparently. It is the role of governments to set their agendas to secure the future success of their countries,
but certainly the Nigerian government’s focus on reforming the economy and investing in a robust, innovative infrastructure will help create an environment in which businesses like ours can grow.
Idon’tthinkthereisanindustrythatismore regulatedthanyours.HowisJTIresponding tothetobaccoindustry’sglobalscrutiny,from stiffregulationstohightaxation,andother operationalrestrictions?
Regulations and taxation are not new to our business, and JTI has continued to demonstrate strong, sustained growth whilst also ensuring we comply with any legislative requirements. The tobacco industry shares common goals with regulators: everyone should be informed about potential health risks, and children should not smoke or vape. Balanced and proportionate regulation of the industry is therefore necessary and right.
Our industry is changing, but our commitment to consumer choice remains. We are transforming to provide a wider portfolio of quality products, including those with the potential to reduce the risks associated with smoking such as heated tobacco, nicotine pouches, and e-cigarettes. Across the globe, we strive to provide fulfilling moments by delivering scientifically substantiated reduced-risk propositions to our consumers. Good regulation is based on a fair consultative process, where all points of view are considered, even if some are ultimately rejected. This is what we continue to advocate for our industry. Our commitment to compliance is total and we will continue to play by the rules and operate responsibly while contributing meaningfully to society in line with our purpose of creating a better future.
FromyourvisitandinteractionsinNigeria, what strikes you most about Nigerians as a people and Nigeria as a country and an investmentdestination?
When I became Regional President of MENEAT in 2023, the first market I visited was Nigeria. I had a great time here. The tradition now is that every year, the first visit is to Nigeria and to be honest, the reason is because you get this boost of energy. With 40 countries, I try to visit quite a few of them every year, which means almost every week you are travelling to one. But when we are here, we indulge ourselves in trying to understand how people are feeling, how society is feeling, and how our employees are feeling. I live in Geneva, Switzerland, which has a very different feel to Nigeria. And it’s interesting that despite the economic hardship that people are facing here, there is a high level of optimism. I feel so welcome when I come here. The energy levels are so high. The music is incredible. The food is incredible. The long conversations about soccer teams are incredible and you leave energized. You never leave Nigeria feeling deflated, you feel a spring in your step.
Our faith and confidence in this country remain very strong and we will continue to support our business here to grow in a very sustainable way. I am excited to see our future success in this market.
One year ago, Lady Uchenna Ngozi Okwodu (née Isichei) was called home to be with the Lord. Though she is no longer with us, her unwavering faith, boundless love, and generous spirit continue to guide and inspire us
She was a woman of deep devotion, whose life reflected God’s grace in every way Her kindness, wisdom, and strength remain imprinted in our hearts, and we give thanks for the beautiful life she lived. We remember her today and always, trusting that she rests in eternal peace in the presence of her Maker
REMEMBERING OUR BELOVED
12 DECEMBER 1964 - 23 MARCH 2024
Survived by
Husband
Sir Nnaemeka Okwodu Mother
Children
Moyo & Adaobi Onanuga
Obinna & Dara Okwodu
Onyema Okwodu
Grandchildren
Tito Onanuga
Aanu Onanuga
Mrs Matilda Isichei
Siblings & Siblings-in-love
Osy & Emmanuela Isichei Emmanuel & Yvonne Isichei Clement & Chibogwu Awaji Onwukwe & Gloria Abaeze Nwachukwu & Ngozi Nzegwu Abdulrazaq & Kate Isa Chukwuma Okwodu
Sweet words may not hold true while true words are usually not sweet, and that is the conundrum that tears the mind being a juncture where morality and reasoning meet.
While it may not be justification for certain behaviours of leaders, it is apt to still put out those words as guiding lights to those who seek mentorship under leaders.
According to the bible of leadership,”battle against a leader is a lost battle”. The piece whose author remains anonymous counsels that you should in spite of the fault of your leader, not go to battle with him and for you to overlook and endure certain failures in expectation and practices from your leader as doing otherwise will spell doom.
“The battle against your leader is a battle you can never win no matter who is backing you, don’t even attempt it, you can never win it. You may be annointed to kill Goliath, but forever not being annointed and permitted to kill Saul. Ask David wherever you see him.
“You cannot erase the man who raised you. You cannot dishonour the man who made people honour you. You cannot bring embarrassment to the man who gave you endorsement. Never become a problem to the man who gave you a platform to rise,” the anonymous writer admonished.
The writer didn’t consider the motivation for going against your leader or mentor but is relying on natural principles of growth and leadership. Bear with the man who shone the light for you to see the way because there is no perfection with humanity. When your leader errs, it should not be a handle to discard him or put him down, remember the roles he played to put you where you are; those are obligations to mentorship.
Continuing, the writer who obviously must have lived in the time of knowledge said, “why become a warfare to the man who took care of your welfare? Determine not to become a disappointment to the man who gave you appointment. How can a man put so much investments into your life and
your thank you to him is to put so much sorrow into his own life?
“In most cases, leader may be the one who wronged you, but still remember the God who annointed David to kill Goliath will not allow him to kill Saul”.
The implication of the counsel is that once in leadership position, it is no longer of straight thoughts and action, nature becomes involved and steer the affairs of man so that should man want to take the driver’s seat, his judgment will come short of expectations.
The sage who penned the counsel also said, “the drunkenness of Noah is not a licence to expose his nakedness. That will be wickedness and foolishness in the sight of God. One of the sons of Noah exposed his father’s nakedness forgetting it was his father’s righteousness that once saved him from the flood. Remember Noah found grace with God yet he found disgrace with his son”.
For a leader to draw you close into his inner circle, the counsellor says it is a privilege that should not be abused or used to the detriment of the leader since such exposure to his weakness is based on trust of drawing you close. The writer continued, “if you know the weakness of your leader, it is because he gave you access you don’t deserve. I am not here to defend the errors of a leader.
Never forget this statement for the rest of your life. The person who came to tell King David that they have finally killed Saul his enemy was also killed by David as a reward for killing a backslidden prophet. Think about it.
“For those going through pain of betrayal, heal them and bring them out stronger. Words of elders are words of wisdom.”
Does this treatise mean you have to see no fault in a leader or calls for circumspection while dealing with them? Look around and see where those rules outlined were breached and with what consequences, and when adhered to with what decorum. These are definitely ageless thoughts.
SOLOMON E. LEGGJACK pays tribute to Parradang, former Comptroller General of Immigration Service
It is certainly for nothing that William Shakespeare acquainted humanity with the obnoxious phrase “Be Ware of the ides of March” - famously attributed to a soothsayer, who forewarned the Legendary Julius Caesar of a clear and present danger to his person. This found expression on the 15th of March, ending his life abruptly and has ever since made the month of March synonymous with being a forerunner of misfortunes, ill luck or even death at the very worst.
It is the case that Monday the 3rd of March, 2025 established itself as a veritable day of infamy in the apocalyptical breath of the “ides of March” - as satanic warriors took away the life of Daivd S. Parradang in a rest house - and next day Tuesday 4th March 2025 deviously presented his lifeless body - as a “moral felon” to the public and to the grief of his immediate family and loved ones in particular.
David Shikfu Parradang OFR, mni was born on 6th September, 1959, obtained his First School Leaving Certificate Examination (FSLC) with “Distinction” in 1972. He proceeded to Government College, Keffi for his Secondary Education and obtained the coveted “Division One” in June, 1977. He read Sociology at the University of Jos where he obtained his B.SC, Second Class Upper Division. He then proceeded for his National Youth Service (NYSC) in Anambra State and upon his discharge, enlisted into the Immigration Department - (as it was then known) as Assistant Superintendent of Immigration (ASI) and later trained as a member of the Second Basic Course - Batch that passed out from ITSK -Kano in October, 1983.
His career progression equally followed a steady and upward path from the “Superintendent Cadre in 1982 up to the Comptroller’s Cadre in 1992 - and his duty tours spanned across several commands and work stations. His career development also followed a similar upward course as he pursued and earned a Master Degree in Public Administration from the University of Lagos in 1997. He was thereafter admitted as a Comptroller of Immigration into the Senior Executive Course (SEC) 29 of the National Institute of Policy and Sategic Studies (NIPSS) Kuru from February - November, 2007 - earning for him the sobriquet of Distinguished Member of the National Institute (mni). He was appointed by President Goodluck E. Jonathan to become the 14th Comptroller General of Immigration Service (CGIS) on 10th June, 2013.
Late Mr. David Parradang’s appointment as CGIS broke the icy-calm atmosphere that pervaded NIS formations, beating frontline contenders to the post which occasioned a shocking but much needed break with the conventional practice of appointing the most Senior Officer to succeed a retiring CGIS. It must be added that he had the distinction of being the only officer in the history of the NIS to have served three successive CGIS as their SA - Operations in a row.
His appointment marked a generational shift and the sheer of scale of applause, joy and rejoicing by NIS personnel across all commands and formations over his appointment was amazing and unprecedented. The congratulatory dances, smiles, huggings and the like by NIS rank and file who trooped out to welcome him upon his return from the Minister of Interior’s Office after his decoration with the insignia of his new rank remains arguably the grandest ever accorded any CGI either before or after him.
Parradang - upon assumption of office became an Avant Garde of a policy shift and directional focus for proper management of the NIS in particular and effective Migration Management strategy in general. He enunciated a four - point development Blue Print viz:- Border Patrol, Internal Monitoring and Control, use of ICT and General Staff Welfare which he subjected to an NIS - wide plebiscite - across all Commands and formations with a time frame for the State Commands Comptrollers and
Heads of formations to turn - in suggestions and recommendations from personnel serving under them. He thereafter empanelled a 13-man “Blue Print Steering Committee of Senior Officers” headed by the immensely cerebral Mr. Joseph O. Olaitan (DCG / rtd, but now deceased) as Chairman. The Committee did a damned good job of their terms of reference and submitted her report to an elated CGI Parrandang, who received same in a very formal session of officers and man of the Service and presented it the to the generality of NIS personnel as a working document. This idea was new and the approach novel - but worked like magic- even to the amazement of a few sceptics, who doubted the workability of this new approach to policy formulation and implementation. The changes that followed were multidirectional and came in torrents anyway. The first was the creation of a Border Patrol Corps in September 2013 and the Training of Personnel for Patrols along the nations expansive border areas with renewed vigor. He also established 30 new land border control posts and 27 additional border patrol bases - with equipment- all in September 2013. The icing of the cake was the establishment of the Border Patrol Command and Control - ICT driven Centre at the SHQ.
The Administrative, Operational and ICT related changes came next and progressed apace. He directed the Secret Registry to undertake the verification of staff’s dates of birth and the genuiness of their academic credentials which unearthed anembarrassingly Service - wide abuses of these two components of personal data information.
He acted without fanfare and swiftly sanctioned those affected. The operations area witnessed the abolition of re-entry permits for resident expatriates in line with global best practices, cleared passport backlogs and ensured integration of passport issuance with payments to block revenue leakages. He also cleared Cerpabacklogs with special task teams appointed for this purpose.
The NIS under him and for the first time was clothed with eight Directorates by the new Act - each headed by a DCG. He created Special Commands such as Onne - Command, Idi-roko CP - Command, etc., and increased the number of foreign missions where NIS Personnel were posted for foreign service from 28 to 44.
He also established additional Cerpac Producing Centres and Passport Offices in State Commands that had a high incidence of applicants with emphasis on “Zero Tolerance” for bribe - taking in exchange for Service delivery to the public. No officers or personnel ever dared to make any form of “returns” to him - throughout is tenure.
Editor, Editorial Page PETER ISHAKA
Email peter.ishaka@thisdaylive.com
The authorities should ensure that emergency rule does not bring with it bigger problems
In a national broadcast last Tuesday, President Bola Tinubu suspended the governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all members of the state House of Assembly for a period of six months in the first instance. In place of the elected officials, he appointed a retired naval officer, Ibok-Ette Ibas as the sole administrator in a replay of similar actions by former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo in Plateau and Ekiti States, and to some extent President Goodluck Jonathan on Yobe, Adamawa and Borno State. Remarkably in the latter case, which was a response to the activities of insurgents in the Northeast of the country, all the democratic institutions were left intact.
President Tinubu predicated his action partly on “disturbing” security reports detailing incidents of vandalism of pipelines by some militants without the governor taking any action to curtail them. Even though the accusation has been rejected by Fubara, the crisis in the state has been simmering. Since the February 28 judgment of the Supreme Court which affirmed the legitimacy of the Martins Amaewhule-led faction of 27 members in the State House of Assembly and nullified the local government election held on 5th October 2024, both camps have heightened tension in the state. A recent viral video on social media showed some militants armed with AK-47s and other assorted rifles in a forested area, chanting war songs and vowing to attack oil installations and disrupt production. Meanwhile, in a matter requiring a two-thirds majority, the National Assembly adopted a voice vote to give a sweeping approval to the state of emergency imposed on Rivers State by the president. That has drawn the ire of many stakeholders, including the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the South-South Governors’ Forum. While we understand that precedent favours the president even when there may be contention about the position of the law on the issue, there is also the matter of leadership discretion regarding how best to proceed in the current context.
Whatever
The president can simultaneously be on the right side of the law and on the wrong side of good judgment, especially considering his own position on this same issue in the past as an opposition politician. Besides, the impression that he has taken sides with one actor in the crisis rather than with the people of Rivers State is one that he will struggle to extricate himself from. His poorly articulated statement while declaring the state of emergency and the subsequent allegation against the suspended governor by his Attorney General and Justice Minister, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, do not help matters.
the president needs to do in the state must end quickly so that the political structure is restored and the people can return to normal social, political and economic life
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However, we acknowledge the strategic necessity of the emergency declaration. The critical minefield and challenge is how to navigate the treacherous borderline between impunity and political expediency. That is why we need to caution on a number of things that this emergency rule must not mean in Rivers State. One, the influx of soldiers and personnel must not lead to human rights violations in the state. Two, emergency rule must not bring with it a curtailment of media freedom to report on whatever the sole administrator does in the state. Three, deploying the military to instill law and order must not lead to a takeover by the federal government of the political space in the state by subterfuge.
The foregoing points are important not only as critical success-factors in restoring peace to Rivers State but also to ensure that the declaration of emergency does not bring with it bigger problems. It must also be clearly stated that there should be accountability on the part of the administrator in the management of resources now that the federal government is releasing the earlier withheld allocations due to the state from the federation account. Finally, and most importantly, the state of emergency in Rivers State should not dovetail to the campaigns for the 2027 general election. As a military/security operation, whatever the president needs to do in the state must end quickly so that the political structure is restored and the people can return to normal social, political and economic life.
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
The ongoing political quagmire in Rivers State has elicited a wide range of reactions from various quarters. Loyalists, aggrieved individuals with personal grievances, opportunists masking selfinterest as intervention, as well as both friends and foes, have all weighed in. Some arguments are rational, some biased, and others outright absurd. Yet, everyone is entitled to their opinion.
A significant point of contention has been President Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency and suspension of the Governor, his deputy and the house of assembly members. Some argue that he overstepped, while others contend that the legal basis for such a move remains ambiguous.
The reality is that Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, which governs the declaration of a state of emergency, remains unclear and requires further judicial interpretation. This debate is further complicated by historical precedents, such as the 2004 suspension of Plateau State
Governor Joshua Dariye by then-President Olusegun Obasanjo. When Governor Dariye challenged his suspension in the Supreme Court, the case was struck out on technical grounds rather than on the constitutionality of his removal. Justice Idris Kutigi and other justices ruled that the plaintiffs lacked the standing to sue, effectively leaving the legal question unresolved. This highlights the need for further judicial interpretation of the President’s power to suspend a governor under a state of emergency.
Amidst the cacophony of opinions, Professor Okey Ikechukwu’s analysis stands out for its balance and depth. He rightly pointed out the potential for opportunistic criminality in such crises, particularly following the pipeline explosions. He also highlighted the extreme positions taken by the parties involved, with neither side willing to compromise. Professor Ikechukwu referenced the concept of inherent
presidential powers, as outlined in a publication by the U.S. Congress, to justify certain executive actions in times of crisis. His perspective aligns with the view that President Tinubu was not going to remain passive and not do what was necessary to prevent further escalation of the crisis, which was clearly spiralling out of control. That said, no one emerges from this crisis looking good. From a governor who, after failing to install his preferred speaker, resorted to demolishing the legislative complex and relocating proceedings to Government House, to his unilateral decision to conduct local government elections in defiance of court orders. He further presented an N800 billion budget to just four legislators (technically three, as one was appointed Chief of Staff), without a properly constituted House, yet proceeded to implement it. On the other hand, his predecessor and political mentor, along with loyalists, have continually fuelled the standoff. Then came the reckless statement: “At
the appropriate time, I will give the signal.” Not long after, pipelines started getting blown up. It’s a complete mess. Governor Fubara, the House members, and Wike-all should be ashamed. At no point did any of them consider the welfare of the people of Rivers State. Now that the legislature has aligned with the executive on the declaration of a state of emergency and the appointment of a sole administrator, it is time to allow Rivers State to heal. The situation calls for less emotion and selective outrage.
I hope all parties involved have learned their lessons and are engaged in serious introspection. This crisis has been brewing since 2023 - two years wasted when reconciliation could have been achieved. But egos prevailed, and here we are.
Chiechefulam Ikebuiro, Chiechefulamikebuiro@gmail.com
The conduct and management of diplomacy in international relations is largely driven by the protection of core national interests, and particularly by the principles of selfpreservation. Self-preservation is essentially about national identity and national identity is sustained through defence and maintenance of territorial integrity, ensuring national unity and security, and promoting economic growth and development. Whenever there are any threats to the protection of the national interest, several tools are resorted to. They include the use of foreign policy if the threats are externally driven. In all cases, Cold War and Hot War can be engaged in. Whatever can be done to undermine the enemy is normally the choice.
For instance, several governments easily engage in citizen diplomacy to attract empathy and sympathy when there are misunderstandings. In situations where the people are perceived to be antagonistic, concerned Governments often prevent such antagonists from being given entry visas to their countries. They use whatever means at their disposal to prevent the survival of such antagonists. It is in this context that the principle of persona non-grata is often adopted and the threats to destabilise the European Union (UN), if not to compel the EU to disintegrate is a serious matter. This is why the affirmation of national sovereignty and protectionism to the detriment of supranational authority has become a desideratum.
It was in consonance with the claim to the right of sovereignty that the United States under President Donald Trump declared the South African Ambassador to the United States persona non-grata. It is the same rationale for Rwanda’s notification of severance of diplomatic relations with Belgium. And perhaps more disturbingly, the holding of meetings by the Heritage Foundation to probably destabilise the EU is a challenge to the collective EU sovereignty. The Heritage Foundation is against collectivised sovereignty and wants the return to national sovereignty à l’Americana.
Sovereignty and Persona Non-grata
Sovereignty is, at best, a very controversial concept in political science and international law. It used to be synonymous with supreme power or supreme authority. It is a derivative from superanus (Latin) through souveraineté (French). The historical development of the concept is quite interesting. It was Jean Bodin (1530-1596) who first used the concept to promote ‘the power of the French King over the rebellious feudal lords, facilitating the transition from feudalism to nationalism.’
Thereafter, Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679), an English philosopher, posited that a true state or group of persons cannot but have the ultimate and absolute authority to declare the law and that the moment this absolute authority is divided, the unity of the State is also unnecessarily destroyed. In fact, another English philosopher, John Locke (1632-1704), and Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) see sovereignty as a social contract. It was considered that the state is a resultant from citizens or a social contract that enabled the entrustment of power by the citizens to the government. This is generally considered as popular sovereignty.
What is particularly noteworthy here is the definition of sovereignty in the 1791 Constitution of France: ‘Sovereignty is one, indivisible, unalienable and imprescriptible; it belongs to the Nation; no group can attribute sovereignty to itself nor can an individual arrogate it to himself.’ But who actually exercise the right of sovereignty? In the eyes of John Austin (1790-1859), it is vested in a nation’s parliament, hence we are talking about legislative sovereignty which may be arguable in the context of a semi-presidential or a full presidential system. In a nutshell, sovereignty can be of various types. There is the most talked about sovereignty, state sovereignty, the origin of which has been traced to the 1648 Westphalian Treaty which concluded the 30-year old European War between the Catholic and Protestant States in Europe. More than 8 million people lost their lives in the war. It was the Treaty of Westphalia that
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not only established state sovereignty but also established sovereign equality according to which all states were to have sole authority over their domestic affairs. It was the foreign religious interferences in the domestic affairs of the Protestant churches that partly originated the war.
Apart from state sovereignty, there are also plural, parliamentary, popular, etc., sovereignty. All of them have always been subject of abuse. One rationale for the abuse is the consideration that sovereignty is the ultimate overseer in political theory. Every state does what it considers of interest, thereby creating a situation of conflict of interest. As such, the right of sovereignty is abused.
When the concept of sovereignty is related to the application of persona non grata, a school of thought has argued that sovereigns who make laws cannot be bound by the laws they enact. This absolutist character of sovereignty was interrogated and brought to an end with the advent of The Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907. The two Conventions came up with rules to guide the conduct of wars on land and on sea.
In fact, the Covenant of the League of Nations not only restricted the right to go to war, the 1928 Kellogg-Briand Pact totally condemned the use of war as an instrument of solution-finding when there are disputes. Today, the story is a different kettle of fish. The use force is condoned in the context of collective defence and legitimate self-defence. All these are made possible as a result of the right to sovereignty which the United Nations says all States have equally. It is precisely
The current world of globalisation has the potential to witness the use of application of sovereignty and declaration of Ambassadors as persona non grata in diplomatic relations as future instruments of challenge to big power politics. They may not only challenge the domination by big powers in global governance, but may also intensify the use of sovereignty and persona non grata to strengthen self-reliance in the making of a new global order. We believe, and strongly too, that the declaration of Ambassador Rasool as persona non grata cannot suppress the South African new nationalism, but has the potential to harden their resolve in the quest for justice. There is therefore the need to look beyond the United States who is ordinarily looking down on South Africa. In the same vein, Belgium must learn that her neo-colonialism in Rwanda cannot thrive by using a manu militari or stick and carrot diplomacy. And perhaps most disturbingly, the idea of the Heritage Foundation that the European Union can be destabilised to the advantage of returning to nationalism cannot but be a dream too far-fetched. Regionalism has been until now a major tool of global governance and maintenance of peace and security, as well as economic growth and development in Africa, and Nigeria in particular. If anyone is kick-starting a war on regional integration ECOWAS leaders cannot but take notice of the new trend
because every state is believed, rightly or wrongly, to have equal sovereignty that, whenever a state feels offended by another state, the right of revenge or reciprocity becomes applicable. One major manifestation of this is always the declaring of the Principal Representative of the offending state persona non grata. The expression persona non grata is of Latin origin, meaning unwelcomed or unwanted person. Persona means ‘person,’ non means ‘not,’ and grata means ‘acceptable.’ With the prefix non placed before grata, a person becomes unwanted. It is a reactive policy in international diplomatic practice. It is generally adopted in furtherance of the exercise of the right of sovereignty. More importantly, it is mostly used as an open protest and disapproval. The exercise of this right of disapproval is not in any way peculiar to the disapproving or protesting State, the State against which the protest is targeted also has the same right to react, hence the issue of sovereign reciprocity.
A reciprocal treatment can be likened to a reaction in physics in which we talk about every action being equal and opposite as posited by Isaac Newton. In diplomacy, reciprocity may not be commensurate with the originating act. It is important to note that reciprocity in this context is not the type of reciprocity in international economic relations in which there can be mutual exchange of benefits or in which we talk about the most favoured nation clause or in which there is an obligation to return one expression of favour and kindness. Reciprocity in the context of diplomacy may not be positive like it is in the case of commercial relations. When there is reciprocity and force is used, we talk about reprisals and when it is done without the use of force, we talk about retorsion. And without whiff of doubt, reciprocity has a biblical foundation that preaches doing unto others what one wants others to do unto us. As provided in Luke 6:31, ‘do to others as you would have them do to you.’ This is generally considered ‘The Golden Rule,’ in inter-personal relationships. In the same vein, Mathew 7:12 says ‘so whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the law and the Prophets.’ In other words, if an act of kindness is visited with unkindness, should the unkindness also be compensated with unkindness? Biblically, this may not be so. In diplomacy, there is no room for godliness or moralism. This is why reciprocity in diplomacy is different.
Put differently, the declaration of the South African Ambassador by the US government is a case of retorsion and not that of reprisal Cases of retorsion abound in international relations especially in cases in which diplomatic agents have been accused of engaging in acts that are considered to be incompatible with the status of a diplomatic agent. Such cases are mostly related to espionage. The case of the South African ambassador is quite far from spying. The definienda are more critical.
US, Rwanda, and EU Threats
As noted earlier, the right of sovereignty is always abused by countries that have the means to do so. In fact, as observed in “The Uses and Abuses of Sovereignty (Foreign Policy, October 09) by Shaun Tan, a Hong Kong based writer, ‘Donald Trump seems to like the term sovereignty so much so that in his recent UN speech, he used it, or the word sovereign twenty-one times…’ As Shaun Tan further put it, ‘around the world, sovereignty is used by every crude nationalist and tin pot dictator to defend the indefensible,’ and that sovereignty ‘precludes argument, ignoring facts, logic, and morality. It refuses to engage in debate… It is mind your own business.’ It is against this background of right to sovereignty and its abuse that the cases of the United States, Rwanda and the EU threats are hereto explained. First, at the level of the United States, as much as sovereignty implies minding one’s own business, it is also a right to interfere and intervene. While President Trump uses sovereignty to justify his ‘America First Policy,’ China uses it to defend the allegations of human rights violations. As Shaun Tan put it again, ‘Saudi Arabia invokes sovereignty to deflect criticism of its barbaric domestic practices. Vladimir Putin invokes it to defend his purging of dissidents. Even the DPRK invokes it to defend its totalitarian rule.’ Consequently, there cannot be any big deal in the United States of Donald Trump declaring the South African Ambassador to the US, Ebrahim Rasool, persona non grata. Every country tries to avoid resolutions or agreements that have the potential to infringe on their sovereignty or freedom to act.
At the level of US-South African relations, the declaration of the South African ambassador as unacceptable cannot be rightly said to be in pursuit of America First policy but in defence of the interests of the white South Africans. This observation is made clear in the text of the declaration of persona non grata: ‘the Department of State, in accordance with Article 9 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, wishes to inform the Embassy of the Republic of South Africa that Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool is declared persona non grata. The Department of State will no longer recognise Ambassador Rasool as a Member of the Mission as of Monday, Mar 17, at which point his privileges and immunities will cease. He and his dependents are required to depart the US no later than March 21.’
These partnerships will ensure that Lagos remains at the forefront of waste recovery, recycling, and energy generation.
LAWMA Marine Operations: Cleaning Lagos' Waterways Water pollution remains a major urban challenge. To combat this, LAWMA Marine Waste Operations has implemented:
Ÿ Daily dredging and waste removal from lagoons, canals, and waterways.
Ÿ F o
desilting of drainage systems and removal of structures built on drainage setbacks, are conducted routinely by the Office of Drainage Services in the Ministry of Environment & Water Resources).
Ÿ Deployment of waste-collection boats to remove floating debris before it washes ashore.
Ÿ Installation of river booms in critical water channels to intercept waste before it reaches the ocean, in partnership with key stakeholders like NIMASA.
Ÿ Pub i
proper waste disposal.
LASEPA'S Management Of Effluents and Industrial WasteWater Marine pollution in Lagos takes a variety of forms, from raw sewage, oil spills, garbage dump to industrial effluents. Storm water is one of the major ways of transporting wastes into agoons cana s and r vers and this eventually causes significant environmental damage to the ecology of the water bodies.
In the past 2 years, industrial effluent discharge into the Lagos Waterways have reduced by 25%, owing to the consistency of LASEPA in regulating their discharge through permits, fines, penalties and outright publicized seals.
To promote self regulation in industrial facilities and to ensure proper management of their wastewater before discharge into the drains across
Lagos, LA
handlers in industries. This is to ensure that these handlers are up to date on the current trends of wastewater treatment and operation of the plants.
Remediation is currently ongoing in our water bodies and vast oceans; however, bottom feeders are not expedient in our specific case. Lagos State is already implement ng bioremed at on techn ques to mprove surface water quality through:
leveraging natural purification processes to improve the quality of water in the lagoon and canals.
Ÿ Ecosystem-Based Wastewater Treatment: The Lagos Climate Action Plan integrates wastewater treatment with ecosystem restoration, and is targeted at revitalizing aquatic life. Ÿ
businesses and residential areas comply with wastewater management policies to reduce pollutants in waterways.
Dumping
Management Office (LSWMO) deployed three (3) Modular Septage Pretreatment Plants (MSPP), enabling efficient treatment of fecal sludge before discharge into the Odo Iyalaro water body. Additionally, the State
cleansing nature of the lagoon, and monitoring polluters' facilities to
minimize pollution.
In order to accelerate the development of the sanitation value chain, the government is in partnership with private sector investors, who have
treatment of generated sewage in the State.
Mr. Governor, in the bid to improve the efficiency of the Water and Sanitation sector, has also approved the Water Sanitation and Hygiene ( WA
encourage public-private partnerships and improved sanitation services. This is the road map for addressing sanitation issues in Lagos State via 4
Environmental sustainability, Enhanced Service Delivery, and Improved Regulatory Framework.
Other Key initiatives include:
Ÿ Improving Water Supply: Construction of the additional 70 MDG Adiyan Water Treatment P ant and development of the To u Wastewater Treatment Plant to support riverine communities.
Ÿ Oversight of Private Wastewater Treatment Facilities: The Lagos State Wastewater Management Office (LSWMO) monitors over 300 privately owned wastewater treatment plants across Lagos to ensure compliance with environmental standards. Ÿ
analysis of effluent samples from these private facilities to ensure compliance with the State's wastewater regulations.
Ÿ Regulation of Sewage Evacuation Services: The Lagos State Wastewater
members of the Sewage and Wastewater Dislodgers' Association of Nigeria (SWADAN) to prevent indiscriminate dumping of wastewater and ensure best practices in sewage evacuation.
Street Sanitation: Keeping Lagos Clean, Every Day
A clean city requires structured street sanitation efforts, including:
Ÿ 15,000 street sweepers deployed daily across highways, inner roads, and markets.
Ÿ Expansion of the Adopt-A-Street Program, allow ng corporate and community sponsorship of street sweeping.
Ÿ Establishment of road camps for sanitation workers to improve their welfare and efficiency.
Ÿ S
dumping and indiscriminate waste disposal.
Addressing Open Defecation and Public Sanitation
The problem of open defecation is a significant public health concern in Lagos State, and the government has been proactive and putting measures in place to address it. Continuous sensitization of members of the public on the need to stop open defecation is ongoing, and the government has continued to put adequate facilities and public toilets in strategic locations to cater to the needs of the public in this regard. Measures are also in place t
Ministry of Environment and Water Resources and other relevant agencies, including public health officers from the local government.
Expanding Public Toilets and Sanitation Infrastructure
To address open defecation, the government is:
Ÿ Constructing modern public toilets in markets, transport hubs, and informal settlements. The 20 LGAs and 37LCDAs have built public toilets, in addition to the ones by the state and privately owned ones, over 4,000 filling stations also have accessible toilets to the public. The construction PAGE 2 OF 4
of additional 150 public toilets this year and an additional 250 toilets being executed through public-private partnership Under the WASH initiative, these facilities will improve access to proper sanitation across Lagos.
Ÿ Introducing solar-powered, self-cleaning toilets in strategic locations.
Ÿ Strictly enforcing penalties for open defecation, while providing viable s a n
championed the enforcement of open defecation, arresting offenders and charging them to court.
Ÿ Partnering with local governments and the private sector to maintain public toilets sustainably. Lagos State Government currently has over 1710 public toilets across parks, markets and residential areas in the 20 LGAs and 37 LCDAs.
Ÿ Introduction of Composting Toilets: As part of the waste-to-energy circular economy, the Lagos State Government is exploring composting toilet technology to promote environmental sustainability and resource recovery.
Ÿ Integration with Lagos Climate Resilience Strategies: The Lagos Climate
sanitation as part of flood prevention and disease control efforts in riverine settlements.
DISTRIBUTION OF PUBLIC TOILETS IN LAGOS STATE
Building a Climate-Resilient Lagos
Lagos is actively investing in climate resilience measures, including: Ÿ Urban greening programs, enhancing air quality and reducing urban heat.
Ÿ Expansion of air quality monitoring systems to track pollution levels.
Air quality and emissions are at the centrepoint of environmental advocacy in Lagos State. Through LASEPA, the strategy has been to promote clean cooking (which makes up 25% of emissions), cleaner energy sources (solar energy) and reducing transport emissions (in partnership with LAMATA, and LACVIS).
Lagos State currently has over 50 Air Quality monitors installed across Lagos (the highest in any African city), in strategic locations to capture industrial, transport and household emissions. Data obtained from this is p u b
research and specific interventions.
Some of these Interventions among others include the provision of Fish proce ssing kilns for women in fishing communitie s of Ago Egun and
sufficiently converting
significantly improving
from
Also, Lagos has over 500 registered 'Agege' bread bakeries, and the Government is currently collaborating with financial partners to raise funds to convert them from firewood/charcoal ovens to gas-powered ovens. These are clear measurable impact points for emission reduction. AS an EPA, all our 21 zonal offices run on solar powered systems. Our ISO certified laboratories and office complex run on the same.
Tree Planting and Restoration of the Greenery in Lagos Trees are an essential part of Life; the Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency is making Lagos greener and healthier by creating and maintaining parks and gardens, while planting trees to promote recreation and leisure and fighting the negative effects of climate change.
Since 2019,
Ÿ LASPARK has planted 54,386 trees in various parts of Lagos; these trees contribute in no small measure to environmental sustainability – cleaner air and a healthier environment, as well as improving the ambience and aesthetics of the environment.
Ÿ The Agency has also recently launched a “Trees for Lagos” campaign that will accelerate tree planting efforts through cluster planting and
creation of urban forest gardens; the target for this campaign is an additional 50,000 trees in two years. The trees will be planted in carefully selected locations on major highways, railway routes, industrial areas, public and private estates, schools and hospitals.
Ÿ Lagosians have a part to play to ensure that a greener and healthier L
individuals, corporations, local authorities and community development associations heeding our call for partnership and collaboration.
Ÿ It is not enough to just plant trees, maintenance is a crucial part of the process therefore the aim is to achieve 90% survival rate; a team of Green Hands are being specially trained on the benefits of trees and how to care for them and will be provided with tools (shovels, diggers, watering cans, hoses, wheelbarrows etc.) to aid their work. This is a form of economic empowerment and job creation that may possibly enable them to set up small tree care businesses in future.
Tree Planting and Restoration of the Greenery in Lagos
In addition, each tree planted will be photographed and geotagged; a publicly-accessible online Tree Register will be created where pictures and location coordinates of each tree will be uploaded. Geotagging enables us to guarantee that each tree has actually been planted, ensuring precise tracking and transparency. This information is crucial for data gathering that can be used in a myriad of ways including access to green funding opportunities and global endorsements.
Lagosians are also enjoying the benefits of Public Recreational Parks across L a g o s ; n
renovated and upgraded The Lagos Encourage BMX and Skate Park established in 2023 has provided a home for the BMX and Skate community i n L a g o s ; T h e N d u
recreational sporting facilities including a football court under construction in Ijora are keeping Lagosians of all ages active and encouraging healthy lifestyles.
Parks and gardens help curb unlawful waste disposal, unauthorized trading and drive down crime rate while promoting community engagement, b
communities.
Solar Power Use in Captive Markets
Green energy transition has undergone popular adoption across various market clusters in Lagos; computer village, Daleko, Ladipo, etc, reducing the dependence on grid electricity, noise and generator emissions.
computer village market showing solar
Shared Responsibility: The Role of Lagos Residents
Government investment in waste management and enforcement alone is not enough. A cleaner Lagos requires public cooperation:
Ÿ Households and businesses must subscribe to waste collection services and stop illegal dumping.
Ÿ Community leaders must drive sanitation awareness at the grassroots level.
Ÿ M a r k e t s , t r a n s p o r
environmental laws to prevent pollution.
Ÿ Public participation is essential for environmental sustainability—it is not just about what the government does, but how communities engage in keeping Lagos clean.
The Lagos State Government, through the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources and its Agencies like LAWMA, LASEPA, LSWMO, LASPARK among others, is implementing structured, forward-thinking strategies to create a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable city.
Environmental challenges are not unique to Lagos but are common to
London, and Cairo due to their vibrant and diverse populations, cultural attractions, and economic opportunities, making them a go-to center for innovation and progress.
As more people flock to Lagos in search of better economic opportunities, t h
administration continues to put measures in place to strike
between the needs of the growing population and the preservation of the environment.
Rather than engaging in political soundbites, we are taking action—closing outdated landfills, banning Styrofoam, expanding marine waste cleanup operations, building waste-to-energy plants, and investing in plastic and ewaste recycling.
A clean, resilient Lagos is not just a vision; it is a structured, well-executed plan.
A c l e a n e r L a g o s i s p o s s
collective action. Let's work together to keep Lagos clean, safe, and sustainable.
Signed:
Adetokunbo Wahab Honorable Commissioner
for the Environment and Water Resources Lagos State
A google earth image
Born with a desire to bring beauty back to the Niger Delta, the fashion brand
CelinaRob recently launched a new lookbook titled Ọngọ Nímí, which aims at reviving and celebrating the region’s traditional textiles, reports Vanessa Obioha
CelinaRob, the fashion brand known for providing women a means of expressing their femininity with confidence and glamour recently unveiled a stunning new lookbook, ng Nímí, dedicated to reviving and celebrating the rich textile heritage of Nigeria Delta.
The driving force behind ng Nímí—which means “Know Yourself” in Ijaw—was the Ikaki fabric, a traditional textile deeply rooted in Ijaw culture. The word Ikaki translates to “tortoise,” and the fabric’s intricate, tortoiseshell-like patterns symbolize resilience, longevity, and wisdom. For CelinaRob, Ikaki was a natural choice for this collection due to its historical significance and personal connection.
“The inspiration behind this choice comes from the powerful women of the Niger Delta, including my mother and the generations before her,” said the creative director, Rebecca Owotorufa.
Despite its similarities to Akwete weaving from Abia State, the Ikaki fabric’s motifs and meaning have remained largely unexplored in mainstream fashion, which is something CelinaRob is intent on changing.
Creating ng Nímí was a journey that began with extensive research, delving into the region’s textile traditions. CelinaRob’s team pored over old photographs, spoke with elders about the fabrics they cherished, and studied how these textiles were traditionally worn. This deep understanding of the past informed the design process, blending nostalgia with modern elements to make the textiles wearable while staying true to their roots.
“Each image in the lookbook is carefully curated to reflect the essence of the women who came before us, their strength, elegance, and deep connection to the land and water. The settings, poses, and styling all evoke a sense of heritage, with elements like canoes, periwinkle shells and rivers subtly referenced in the storytelling,” explained Owotorufa.
The result is a powerful visual narrative, reclaiming indigenous craftsmanship and showcasing it in a way that feels both timeless and relevant today.
While Ikaki takes centre stage in ng Nímí, it’s not the only fabric CelinaRob has rediscovered. The collection also highlights other traditional Niger Delta textiles, such as Feni, George, and Kukrubite. Feni, known for its bold patterns and regal appeal, has been a symbol of wealth and status for generations, while George is a more delicate fabric, often reserved for special ceremonies. Kukrubite, a lesser-known gem, showcases the artistry of handwoven textiles and deserves greater recognition in the fashion world.
“These fabrics deserve a place in modern fashion, and CelinaRob is working to bring them into contemporary wardrobes,” emphasised Owotorufa.
As the fashion industry pushes for sustainability and cultural preservation, CelinaRob’s latest collection ties perfectly into the theme of Women’s Month, ‘Accelerate Action,’ particularly for textile weavers. “Many indigenous women weavers in Nigeria, like our weaver Mrs Joy Joseph, have been practising their craft for decades. Yet, they face economic and social barriers that threaten the survival of their art,” said Owotorufa.
ng Nímí shines a spotlight on these artisans, promoting sustainability through the use of locally woven fabrics and providing economic empowerment by creating a market for these handwoven textiles. The collection, in essence, is about driving a movement that ensures indigenous weaving traditions continue to thrive in the modern fashion landscape.
To complement the Ikaki fabric, CelinaRob also incorporated other iconic Nigerian textiles in the lookbook, including Akwete, Classic Vlisco 100% Cotton Ankara, Organza, and Vintage Lace.
Akwete, a handwoven textile from southeastern Nigeria, is renowned for its intricate craftsmanship and cultural history. The vibrant patterns of Classic Vlisco Ankara inject boldness and energy, adding a modern touch to the collection’s narrative. Organza offers a delicate contrast with its sheer elegance, while the Vintage Lace evokes a sense of nostalgia, reminding us of the timeless beauty of traditional
Nigerian fashion. Together, these fabrics celebrate the intersection of heritage and contemporary style, showcasing Nigeria’s rich textile legacy in an exciting new light.
Over the nearly six years of its existence, the brand has come to see Nigerian textiles not merely as fabrics, but as living histories. Each weave, dye, and motif holds stories
of identity and craftsmanship, as the collection demonstrates.“Through our work, we’ve learned that many indigenous textiles, like the Ikaki fabric of the Ijaw people, are at risk of fading away due to industrialization and changing fashion trends. Yet, there is a growing global appreciation for these fabrics when presented in modern, wearable forms,” concluded Owotorufa.
In celebration of International Women’s Day 2025, Segilola Resources Operating Limited (SROL) hosted beneficiaries of its Segilola Women’s Initiative Programme (SWIP) and Livelihood Restoration Programme (LRP) in Osun State. In collaboration with Ilesa Business School, the business training session equipped over 200 women with essential entrepreneurial and digital skills to strengthen their businesses and improve their economic standing.
Launched in 2021, SWIPis an annual initiative designed to empower women in host communities by providing business equipment and basic financial literacy training to support their entrepreneurial ventures. The LRP, implemented on top of paid compensation to projectaffectedpersons,ensurestheyhavesustainablelivelihoods. Through this training, SROL aims to continuously build
participants’ capacity and equip them with the tools to thrive in today’s economy.
The engaging training sessions focused on business decision-making, marketing strategies, digital literacy, and financial management, providing participants with practical knowledge to successfully navigate and grow their enterprises.
“At SROL, we believe in providing an environment where women, particularly in our host communities, are not just supported but are empowered to succeed,” said Assistant Community Relations Administrator at SROL, Omolade Onileke. “We are equipping women with the right skills, resources, and confidence to take their businesses to the next level.”
The event also featured practical sessions
where women were introduced to using social media for business visibility, digital payment systems for seamless transactions, and strategies to enhance business operations using technology. Beyond the training, attendees received essential business equipment to help them immediately implement their newly acquired knowledge, ensuring sustainable business growth.
Dr. Olu Olujide, President of the Ilesa Business School, lauded SROL, saying, “Kudos to Segilola for this impactful initiative. Providing ongoing support, training, and mentorship is key to helping these women build sustainable businesses and stand out in the market. At Ilesa Business School, we are proud to have partnered with Segilola to develop the capacities of their SWIP and LRP beneficiaries.”
Labode fits the bill of one who can be described as wearing many caps rolled into one that fits snuggly on his head. A serial entrepreneur with footprints in many sectors including entertainment, game-of-chance, tech, strategy and finance, Labode’s milestone as Vanessa Obioha discovers, hinges on his deliberately-curated fashion ensemble to attract attention anywhere he goes.
edited by: VAN e SSA o BI o HA/vanessa.obioha@thisdaylive.com.
As we stepped into the office of Chief Lai Labode, the founder and chairman of Cash Token Africa, his towering presence greeted us warmly. At over six feet tall, he carries a princely aura, but it is his elegant style that immediately captivates. Dressed in a pristine white kembe ensemble, accessorised with a multicoloured cap and beaded jewellery, Labode’s regal appearance reflected his deep-rooted love for Yoruba culture, particularly his Egba heritage. Recently, he’s been gaining widespread appeal for his fashionable outfits.
Just last year, he was named the chairman of the African Fashion Week Nigeria, where he led other CEOs to walk the runway. Also in 2024, he walked the runway for the fashion brand Ugo Monye. At a meeting in New York, he purposely went fashionably late, dressed in an African regalia. He received a standing ovation for his attire. At the Africa CEO forum in Kigali, he challenged President William Ruto of Kenya for not adequately representing Africa through his fashion choices.
“Do you know what it means for a president to dress like an African? Do you see how good-looking OkonjoIweala is? And proudly so? It doesn’t mean that you’ll never wear suits, but there is something about you being able to express that.” He commended President Bola Tinubu for representing Africa through his attire, adding that his regalia often invites engagement. “I don’t need to speak; you will talk to me; you will want to engage. And it makes you so proud of what Africa really is. So, fashion is not just a way to look good; it’s also a way to express your independence as an African.”
His ultimate plan is to have a select few African Heads of State walk the runway in a fashion show, possibly next year or in 2027.
“I’ll tell you why that’s important— Africa only accounts for 1.2 per cent of the global fashion market, roughly $31 billion, which is abysmal. How do we change that? The countries with large market shares made investments. It’s not just wishful thinking. We have to invest and be deliberate, which is why we’re building brands like Egbaliganza.”
Egbaliganza loosely translates to ‘Egba the Great.’ According to Labode, it represents the fashion and arts of the Egba people. A fashion event celebrating Egba culture is planned for April in Abeokuta, followed by a winter collection later in the year.
Labode, who proudly identifies as an Egba man from Ogun State, has a broader vision for Yoruba culture. His focus is not only on gaining global recognition but also on reconnecting the younger generation with their heritage.
“People coming behind us are more disconnected from the traditional institute. But what we’re doing now is to bridge that gap.”
Labode believes that arts and fashion are the keys to closing this cultural disconnect. An avid art collector, his office resembles a mini gallery. Wherever you look, the artwork captures your attention—from the reception area to the stairway, boardroom, and office, art and cultural artefacts are beautifully displayed on the walls and tables. His collection reflects not just his passion but also his desire to support Nigerian artists. This passion has led him to collaborate with the Egba Museum to usher in a new era of modern Egba art, where quality and standards are prioritized.
“You travel around the world and see art that was done about 400 years ago, and you wonder how they were able to do this. When I visit palaces across Africa, not just Nigeria, I see some art where the value is based on age, but in terms of technique, some techniques are still very poor. But then we have brilliant artists around the country, trust me, we have artists—Nigerians in Azerbaijan selling art for $3 million.”
“We should set the standard,” he continued. “If you are doing mediocre stuff, you can be trained. The fact that you are doing mediocre stuff is also philosophical. Anybody who does something mediocre has the chance to be trained. So, you don’t just see the mediocrity, you see the opportunity in that mediocrity.”
Another grand project Labode is spearheading is the designation of three Egba history and heritage sites.
“For the first time in this country, we’re going to be able to tell the story of a people using an established estate,” he said.
“Imagine an entire housing estate in Abeokuta. From the entrance, we’re going to be able to do art all around the estate so that when you enter, you can actually understand the story of Egbaland, walking through the estate— new monuments, paintings, all of that around the place. It’s an estate where we’re able to tell our story.”
Additional landmark undertakings include the Egbaliganza Dome, which will house the modern art of Egba heroes such as Madam Tinubu and former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
The more he spoke, the more his philosophical side became evident. When asked about any other innate talents he might have, Labode responded: “The good thing about versatility is it is founded on openmindedness. If you are not openminded, there are things you don’t know you are capable of doing until you discover it yourself.”
Labode considers himself a 21st-century philosopher. “Being a 21st-century philosopher means adapting to the times. The depth and substance remain the same, but the way we deliver those ideas evolves,” he explained, noting that we live in an age of short attention spans, driven by the overload of information on digital platforms. Despite the quick pace of communication, Labode is convinced that Nigeria is not short of critical thinkers.
“There are lots of critical thinkers in Nigeria, but then it takes a lot to be able to sit back and express what we genuinely think about society. If your vision is more about how history remembers you, it allows you to behave in another way. It also depends on the level of comfort that you have.”
He cited an example of what he calls “poverty-induced humility,” where people defer to those they need something from. In contrast, others are brutally honest, regardless of status. While these kinds of people are needed in our society to guide leadership, Labode gave a caveat.
“The ability to combine deep philosophical nuance with the practicality of what can impact society is very delicate. So, you have done all the deep thinking. If you are a strategic person, you need to understand that this governor is very short-fused. If you know that, then how you deliver your message— even though you are saying the truth—also matters, so they can get results, which brings us to practicality.”
In essence, Labode argued that Nigeria needs deep thinkers who understand the importance of delivering their message effectively.
Many of his reflections are documented in an upcoming book which captures his musings over the past 16 years. Labode’s analytical approach also extends to his business ventures. His concept of “sustainable generosity” forms the foundation of his company, Cash Token Africa, which rewards customers for supporting Nigerian businesses.
“Our business model is built around the principle of a socially smart business,” Labode explained. “It’s the marriage of successful enterprises and social development.”
He elaborated: “Imagine that MTN knows that you spend ₦1,000 every week buying airtime. And then they say, ‘If you can spend ₦1,200 a week—that’s a 20% increase—we will give you something that gives you a chance to change your life.’ That’s what we do. We offer what is called cash tokens. It’s a reward for patronage.”
Labode pointed out that this form of generosity is also in the business’s self-interest: “The company earns revenue from your purchase, but you get something back too.”
For the past eight years, Labode and his team have been helping businesses reward customer loyalty. They host a national consumer draw each week, where consumers can win cash prizes, with the highest prize to date being ₦10 million. Labode envisions this model transforming into a national reward system, a concept he is actively working on with the federal government.
“Every time you make a purchase in this country, you are rewarded through the national reward. Every Nigerian will now carry one reward wallet which
works for all businesses,” he explained. He also noted that Nigerians prefer cash over points.
“Nigerians don’t understand points; they prefer cash,” Labode said. “But they’re not just looking for any cash. What Nigerians really want is an opportunity for a life-changing cash reward at the point of patronage.”
If implemented, Labode believes the National Reward System would position the government as practical and forwardthinking, with potential benefits for the economy, including wealth redistribution.
“It’s like a new social contract,” he said, “where the people buy from Nigerian businesses. The businesses—agents of government—reward them for patronage. The people that also receive the money take care of their family, take off some burden, and prosperity has been spread sustainably.”
Cash Token Africa is just one of Labode’s many ventures. A serial entrepreneur, he has never worked for anyone else. As an accounting undergraduate at the University of Abuja, Labode learned to be self-reliant. He recalled travelling to Lagos to purchase second-hand clothes, which he would dry clean and resell to fellow students. During his university years, he was also appointed Vice President of a friend’s company, which required him to liaise with the Anambra State government. Over the years, Labode has ventured into showbiz and publishing.
Ever reflective, when asked about his legacy, Labode, who holds a PhD in entrepreneurship, said he would love to be remembered as “a very gifted man who was very conscious of the needs and the responsibility that comes with being talented.
“We need to share it, and that should cut across so many factors of life. And I think that no matter how long anyone lives, if you can do that, you will live forever. And I hope I live forever.”
Politics in Nigeria is considered by many an unpredictable terrain. However, some figures have risen above the fray and are setting the pace for others to follow. Enter Senator Solomon Adeola, widely known as Yayi, whose career reads like a well-executed strategy game where every move is calculated, every victory hard-earned. From Lagos to Ogun, his legislative footprint is one that many have studied but few have successfully replicated.
When it comes to fiscal policy, Yayi doesn’t just participate—he rewrites the rules. His tenure as Chairman of Lagos State’s Finance Committee saw revenue generation skyrocket from N5 billion to N60 billion monthly, a transformation that secured Lagos’ financial independence.
In Abuja, he carried that same precision into the Senate, where he helmed the Public Accounts Committee and later, the powerful Appropriations Committee. The Audit Act of 2014, which he spearheaded, modernized Nigeria’s financial oversight, proving that real power isn’t just in making noise—it’s in making change.
Yayi’s move from Lagos West to Ogun West in 2023 was another masterstroke. Critics speculated; supporters rallied. The result? He secured yet another electoral victory, further cementing his reputation as a politician whose appeal transcends geography.
Education remains a cornerstone of his leadership. From sponsoring GCE forms to funding ICT training, Yayi has created pathways for young Nigerians to thrive in a digital economy. Some politicians campaign with slogans about investing in the future; Yayi actually does it. And for the students whose aspirations have been fuelled by his initiatives, that difference isn’t theoretical but it’s life-changing.
Yayi’s philanthropy is equally strategic. Rather than one-off giveaways, his interventions—from free medical services to road rehabilitations—are structured for lasting impact. In the game of politics, optics matter, but for Yayi, tangible results matter more. When boreholes supply clean water and transformers bring electricity to communities, those aren’t photo opportunities; they are practical solutions.
with KAYoDe ALFreD 08116759807, E-mail:
lifestyles of Nigeria’s rich and famous
In one of the best moments for Nigerians this year, Kenya’s President William Ruto bestowed the Chief of the Order of the Golden Heart (CGH) upon Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), at Nairobi’s State House. The award, being the highest honour in Kenya, places Adesina among global icons such as Nelson Mandela and Queen Elizabeth II.
The ceremony proves that the man’s work in shaping economies is still being recognised. This time, Ruto showed how, through his and Adesina’s shared vision in agricultural transformation and a two-decade-long bond with the Nigerian economist, Kenya’s food production is reaching a record high.
Of course, not a few understand that Adesina’s impact is extensive, thorough, and potent. Since taking the helm at the AfDB in 2015, he has propelled the institution’s capital from $93 billion to $318
Rivers State has been thrust into an unprecedented political storm. On Tuesday, March 18, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy and appointing in their place Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (rtd). The move rolled off widespread debate,
billion, driving investments in infrastructure, energy, and food security. Under his leadership, Kenya alone has benefited from $4.44 billion in financing, transforming roads, water systems, and electrification projects.
It should be clear that Kenya’s recognition speaks to the broader importance of Africanled solutions. Adesina has championed financial innovation tailored to the continent, making sure that investments address real needs instead of imposed frameworks. His upcoming initiative, the Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Bank of Kenya, is set to inject capital and technical support into young businesses, tackling unemployment head-on.
For Nigeria, Adesina’s journey is an intimidating but gloriously colourful blueprint. His rise points to the power of expertise, strategic leadership, and an unwavering commitment to African progress. As a twotime Forbes Africa Person of the Year and recipient of numerous global honours, the man exemplifies how focused leadership can shift economic narratives.
with analysts questioning whether Ibas will operate independently or fall under the influence of Nyesom Wike, the state’s former governor and a dominant force in its politics.
Rivers’ troubles began in 2023 when a rift between Fubara and Wike erupted into open conflict. The former governor, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), allegedly sought to maintain his grip on state politics, while Fubara attempted to assert his authority.
This struggle quickly escalated, going from the bombing of the Rivers House of Assembly complex, to defections among lawmakers, and repeated legal battles. As impeachment threats loomed over Fubara, the crisis reached its peak, leading to Tinubu’s intervention and the appointment of Ibas.
While Tinubu justified his decision by citing security concerns, critics argue that the move selectively removed Fubara while leaving Wike untouched. The absence of consequences for Wike raises questions about whether the federal government is entrenching his influence rather than restoring
For Tein Jack-Rich, it does not seem as if oil was ever just about crude but about legacy. From founding BelemaOil in 2015 to securing a rare crude export terminal, his rise mirrored Nigeria’s hopes of indigenous oil dominance. But ambition alone does not fill pipelines, and today, BelemaOil seems to be at a crossroads.
After years of expansion, allegedly, BelemaOil now seeks a buyer. Reports have been on and off that the junior oil producer, which operates OML 55, has been struggling with declining production due to oil theft, operational setbacks, and financial strain. It really is the classic Nigerian story: promise meets reality, and reality demands cash flow, not just vision.
Jack-Rich, once a presidential hopeful, handed over the reins to NNPC-veteran Ahmadu Sambo. The move spoke volumes at the time. In an industry where connections often matter as much as competence, bringing in a technocrat with state-oil pedigree is
a signal that one is no longer running on aspiration but survival mode.
OML 55’s troubled past looms large. After a three-year shutdown due to rampant theft, BelemaOil only recently resumed production. The arrival of a floating storage vessel was meant to mark a new beginning, but questions linger. Can the company generate enough revenue before potential buyers start picking at its assets?
The oil sector in Nigeria is unforgiving. Theft and sabotage have driven major players offshore, leaving onshore blocks like OML 55 to those willing to play the long game. BelemaOil, despite its community-driven origins, faces the same brutal arithmetic: without financial stability, goodwill means little.
Jack-Rich’s philanthropy and ambitious rhetoric once set him apart. Scholarships, clean water projects, and job creation made him a rare kind of oilman—one who spoke the
order.
Ibas, a seasoned military officer and former Chief of Naval Staff, now faces a political minefield. His appointment brings a layer of federal oversight to Rivers, but it remains unclear whether he will act as a stabilising force or an enforcer of external interests.
Military administrators have historically been viewed as neutral arbiters in Nigerian politics, yet history shows that even the most disciplined officers can become political pawns when the stakes are high. According to analysts, if Ibas aligns with Wike, the cycle of dominance will continue; if he resists, he risks being undermined by entrenched forces.
For the people of Rivers, governance remains a distant concept overshadowed by political intrigue. Roads, schools, and hospitals do not benefit from endless power struggles. If Ibas is to justify his appointment, he must prioritise governance over allegiance. Anything less would prove that Rivers has merely exchanged one battlefront for another, with little hope for lasting peace.
Jack-rich language of development. But with BelemaOil on the auction block, his legacy now hinges on whether his company can find a buyer before creditors come knocking.
For an airline that once packed flights to the brim with Nigerian travellers, Emirates Airlines now faces an unusual dilemma—empty seats. The Dubai-based carrier is reportedly reconsidering its decision to resume Lagos-Dubai flights, not due to unpaid funds but because its own visa policies have thinned out the crowd.
Months ago, the Nigerian government and the UAE reached a diplomatic handshake, paving the way for Emirates’ return. But when the airline finally touched down in Lagos, there was no water cannon salute, no celebration—just rows of unclaimed seats. The reason was clear: many of the Nigerians who once
filled those flights were still struggling to secure UAE visas.
For years, Dubai was a favourite for Nigerian business travellers, tourists, and the occasional big spender looking to unwind in luxury. But the visa restrictions—tightened after years of diplomatic friction—have shut out a significant portion of that market. The result? Planes departing Dubai without the usual rush of Nigerian passengers, an awkward contrast to the days when flights were overbooked.
The airline’s struggle to maintain full flights raises an uncomfortable question: Did Emirates misjudge the demand? A few years ago, LagosDubai flights were a goldmine. Now, strict visa policies mean potential customers are stuck on the ground, and Emirates is left reconsidering whether
the route is worth the effort.
There’s also the matter of competition. Nigeria’s Air Peace has fought to expand its presence on the route, and with new bilateral agreements in place, it may finally get a fair shot. If Emirates steps back, Air Peace could gain ground, providing Nigerian travellers with an alternative that does not require jumping through visa hoops.
For now, Emirates remains in a bind. Keeping the route means flying half-empty planes while shutting it down again would make future negotiations with Nigeria even trickier. Either way, the airline is learning a hard lesson: When customers feel unwelcome, they find other places to go.
For nearly a decade, Oluwatomi Somefun steered Unity Bank with a mix of grit and vision. Her leadership turned the bank into a battleground for innovation and resilience.
Now, Ebenezer Kolawole steps in. The question is simple: can he keep the momentum or will the centre wobble?
Kolawole is no stranger to banking. His résumé, adorned with stints at Ecobank, UBA, and Mainstreet Bank, paints the picture of a man who understands financial trenches. But banking is not just about crunching numbers; it is about inspiring confidence. Somefun had that in abundance. Kolawole must prove he does too.
His arrival comes at a crucial time. Unity Bank, having posted N59.3 billion in gross earnings last year, has shown signs of resilience. But markets are fickle, and customers even more so. Kolawole needs more than technical expertise—he needs to convince investors and clients that the bank’s trajectory remains upward. Leadership transitions in banking are tricky. Somefun was a pioneer, pushing Unity Bank beyond traditional boundaries. She launched digital products, courted the entrepreneurial sector, and rebranded the institution’s image.
Business and politics often make uneasy companions, but in Ogun State, they sometimes collide like a fully loaded cement truck skidding on a wet road. Former Governor Ibikunle Amosun, never one to back down from a fight, has now fired back at Aliko Dangote’s claim that his administration twice demolished the billionaire’s cement factory in Itori.
The former governor’s media office dismissed Dangote’s complaints as “obvious mischief” and accused him of seeking to operate “above the law.” The argument is simple: the state government enforces regulations, and even Africa’s richest man is not exempt. If structures were demolished, Amosun insists, it was because they were built without proper approvals. If Dangote has evidence to the contrary, he is welcome to present it.
Previously, many reports praised the incumbent governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun for bringing back Dangote to the state. Some of these praises, being at the expense of Amosun, might have hurt.
In their response, Amosun’s camp was keen to remind everyone that under his leadership, Ogun became Nigeria’s “Industrial Capital,”
New York has seen its fair share of power players, but last week, a different kind of leader took centre stage. Katsina’s First Lady, Zulaihat Dikko, arrived at the 69th UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69), pushing forward her lifelong mission of elevating women and ensuring they have a seat at every
attracting over 500 companies and earning top rankings for ease of doing business. Even former President Goodluck Jonathan, they noted, visited the state five times to commission projects.
This is all well and good. It’s just that these accomplishments now stand awkwardly beside the image of a state government locked in a dispute with the very industrialists it was supposedly welcoming.
Of course, it does not seem as if Amosun is giving excuses. Instead, the former governor probably wants to make it clear: he follows principles, not pressure. But for Dangote, the matter is less about political philosophy and more about economic certainty. Investors, whether local or foreign, crave stability. The idea that a state government might demolish multimillion-dollar facilities over paperwork disputes is hardly an advertisement for Ogun as an investment destination. It raises uncomfortable questions about how secure business interests really are in Nigeria’s economic hubs.
This spat is unlikely to end here. Both men are known for their tenacity, and neither seems
Will Kolawole continue this legacy or take a more conservative approach? That remains to be seen.
Beyond strategy, there is reputation. Somefun was celebrated for her role in strengthening the bank’s credibility. She left with her head high. Kolawole’s appointment may be interim, but perception in finance is everything. If he stumbles, even briefly, questions about stability will follow.
His credentials are solid—a first-class degree, executive training at Columbia and Wharton, and years of experience. But banking in Nigeria is not just about degrees or past titles; it is about playing the long game, outmanoeuvring crises, and proving, day after day, that you belong in the seat. Kolawole has the job for now. Whether he keeps it will depend on more than his past achievements. A banker is judged not by where he has been, but by where he takes his institution. If he hopes to fill Somefun’s shoes, he must first prove they fit.
inclined to concede ground. In the grander scheme of Nigerian politics and business, this is yet another reminder that even billionaires must tread carefully when dealing with those who wield state power. Sometimes, the real battle is not about money but about who gets to decide the rules of the game.
decision-making table.
For many, global conferences are about speeches and photo ops. For Mrs. Dikko, this was just another day doing the work. Whether in the villages of Katsina or the halls of the United Nations, she has built a reputation for action, for championing education for girls, and for spearheading programs that equip orphans with life-changing skills.
While Mrs. Dikko sat among global leaders, it is possible that her mind remained on the lives of those who rarely make the headlines. For example, teachers and students participating in her Safe Space Humanitarian Initiative (SASHIN) training in matters of emergency response, so that schools are not just places of learning but sanctuaries of safety.
The woman’s advocacy is indeed personal. It seems that because education changed her life, she has made it her mission to return the favour. Scholarships, mentorship programs, and capacity-building workshops for women
There is a way someone like Oyindamola Lami Adeyemi is celebrated. The air would be thick as business leaders, policymakers, and close associates gather around her, fully committed to enjoying with her an evening of refined elegance, marked by heartfelt tributes, fine dining, and animated conversations about this woman whose influence transcends industries.
The guest list would read like a who-is-who of Nigeria’s elite, including living legends from construction magnates to financial tycoons. And these individuals would all share in common an unmistakable sense of admiration for Adeyemi.
For those who may not know, Adeyemi’s ability to thrive in traditionally male-dominated sectors has earned her a rare kind of respect. Unlike many who inherit influence, she carved her own path—first in banking, then in real estate, before establishing Still Earth Holdings. Even now, every venture she touches takes
on her peculiar charm and blazes across the horizon. But it was not always like that.
In the early years, Adeyemi stepped into many waters and juggled many roles. Then she moved sideways, sliding into the construction sector. Since then, her career has taken on a sharper, glinted edge.
She is best known today for Still Earth Holdings. With landmark projects spanning infrastructure, finance, and real estate, the company has become synonymous with integrity and innovation. This is all because Adeyemi cultivated a corporate culture where professionalism meets purpose, all so her legacy would not just be in structures but in opportunities created for others.
It is why, beyond boardrooms and business deals, Adeyemi is a firm believer in empowering women. She has been vocal about gender equity, pushing for policies that bring women into leadership positions. At Still Earth, inclusivity is more than a corporate principle—it is a lived
Dahiru Mangal’s ascent is the stuff of entrepreneurial dreams and legends. From the dusty roads of Katsina, where he once drove a truck for a living, to the towering boardrooms of billion-dollar industries, his rise is the trailer to a riveting tale: an unmatched instinct for opportunity, others seeing obstacles but only this man seeing stepping stones.
Mangal started to build a reputation for reliability with a single car hire business. He then expanded into transportation and oil. By the time he founded Max Air in 2008, he had already mastered the art of calculated risks—turning a small airline into a dominant force in Nigerian aviation.
have become the pillars of her work. And when she speaks of equality, it’s not just about policies—it’s about real opportunities that turn potential into success.
Some First Ladies are known for extravagant charity balls. Mrs. Dikko prefers results. Whether it’s distributing relief materials to displaced communities or collaborating with international agencies to improve healthcare, she has built a legacy that speaks for itself. The orphans who call her “Garkuwar Marayu”—the protector of orphans—do so because they have seen, firsthand, the doors she has opened.
At the UN, she reminded the world that women’s empowerment is not a slogan but a necessity. If women in Katsina can thrive, so can women anywhere. It’s no surprise that her voice resonated in New York. After all, when a person dedicates themselves to lifting others, the world eventually takes notice.
reality, where women are encouraged to lead and excel.
All of these reasons are responsible for Adeyemi’s halo. They are why, every March 19, super individuals gather around to toast to a woman who is defying norms, redefining leadership, and inspiring a generation in her own unique way.
Currently, Mangal’s ventures stretch from horizon to horizon. Even the $1.5 billion cement plant he launched in Kogi State is just one of his business moves, one that is a seismic shift in Nigeria’s industrial landscape. With a capacity of 6,000 tons per day, the project is set to redefine infrastructure, create jobs, and reduce Nigeria’s reliance on imports.
Mangal is not just an investor. Here is someone who understands the power of partnerships. His stake in Oando Plc and role at MRS Oil Nigeria Plc is proof that boardroom influence can be as powerful as physical assets. Even corporate conflicts, such as his Oando dispute, only reinforced his stature as a businessman who commands respect.
Wealth alone does not define Mangal. Philanthropy runs deep in his veins, from funding education to supporting displaced persons in northern Nigeria. In Katsina, Kano and Kaduna, his initiatives provide food, scholarships, and relief to those in need. For many, his name is synonymous with generosity, not just financial success.
It is not surprising that recognition follows him naturally. But awards are fleeting; his real legacy lies in the industries he built, the people he empowered, and the economic impact that will outlive any plaque or medal.
At 66, Mangal has little left to prove, yet his empire keeps growing. For those willing to bet on themselves, the road from truck driver to billionaire is not just a fantasy—it’s a possibility.
Aburo has had enough. He was visibly angry and irritated as he railed on stage: “Oh, they come after my family, they come after your father, oh Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the best, he has brought snow to Nigeria and turned Lagos into New York. He even got a royal visit from the Almighty Jesus the other day and has turned Nigerians to super billionaires, and what does he get for all his miracles and effort? Abuse and heckling.” Enough!!!
My brother, laugh wan kill me as I watched the video. You never start o. If this is how thin-skinned you are, you never start o. Rush back to daddy and let him teach you how to handle criticisms. He is an expert. He once said, “Oh, I don’t read social media, the abuse is too much.” That is the strategy.
But wait, if it is just abuse that is making you lose your cool like this, then what do you now want the man who has just seen his wife die from childbirth because of the dilapidated state of healthcare, while you are busy touring the country in very long motorcades with security that will make Trump’s security green with envy.
Mbok, I am not a lawyer and like most Nigerians, have lost tremendous respect in the legal profession. In matters like this, you will see lawyers arguing for and against, throwing more confusion into the space.
On the heels of the declaration, the Attorney General came on air to justify and “better” explain what just happened.
All of his efforts and that of his principals have fallen to naught just the way water dribbles down the feathers of the legendary chicken. What is happening is very glaring. The need to capture Rivers is obvious and anybody in their shoes will do that. The reason is very obvious. It is Chief Obasanjo that once said, to win the presidential election, you must hold Lagos, Delta, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Kano and maybe Abuja. The reason is very obvious, oil wealth
How would the man who is watching his kids sit at home because he has been laid off and can no longer pay school fees, while you are wearing a face cap running around the place sharing rice with no meat?
My brother, as we say in Shomolu, na different things dey do us. While you are busy railing against the “coming for your father,” the rest of us are scavenging for food in dump sites and getting burnt beyond recognition trying to scoop fuel from overturned tankers to sell and eat. My brother, they are yabbing your father? Come and let’s exchange life for one day because even if they call my papa “efulefu,” I will not mind o. This suffering is just too much aburo mi, calm down abeg. You have no problem – you dey buy fuel? Kai!
Tope FASUA: THAT wAS ‘TerrIble’
Dr Fasua, the economic adviser to the President, is a friend and brother and that is why I will yab him with some restraint. I have just seen his response to the beautiful lass who called our president “Terrible.” In that response which I am hoping he was misquoted; he was said to have leaned on the report that
and population.
Oya, let’s look at Tinubu’s chances in this state of affairs as we head towards 2027 and you will see what I am saying – it took him 45 days to quell a revolt in Lagos Assembly, and in the last presidential election, he lost to Peter Obi. Lagos is shaky, he knows and we all know. Akwa Ibom is PDP today no matter any permutation you want to calculate, Kano is somewhere else, Delta although PDP, is still shaky.
So, you see why Rivers is imperative, but using this kind of strategy only ramps up their unpopularity and risks the economic health of the nation.
This is why some of us will just shrug our shoulders, hiss and watch end their political careers by themselves. The end of Wike? Inevitable. Go write it down, thanks.
Lagosians have spent over N60 billion on “runs” girls. “Runs” for the uninitiated like my Editor, is a fun name for prostitutes. So for him to allegedly say that the girl came to Lagos, to collect her own share of that money only to be calling the president “terrible” is kind of insensitive and rude – remember say Tope na my brother, so the yabs will be measured and calculated. If it is that other one that they say asked for capital punishment, I would have given him his bath in public. Thankfully, he has recanted. My brother Tope, if that report was true, then that was beneath you as a scholar of international repute. Why go that low when the woman was expressing her genuine pain? Mbok, my brother, how the cost of a crate of egg moves from N800 to over N6,000 within two years will not lead to worse name calling than “terrible”. Granted the girl is still under NYSC and as such has no moral or legal justification to do the same, my brother hunger no get regards for by-laws.
Maybe the “attack” came at your office directly since it is your job to advise the president on economic matters, and as such you must have felt that it could be used against
you at the next appraisal and you decided to move.
But my brother, your movement na crab movement, opening you up to public scorching. Please, if you really made that statement, kindly retract abeg. I like you too much for that kind behaviour. You are a gentleman o, not a bus stop political operative. What happened?
Umo eNo: I prAY IT’S ‘AI’
In these days of high technology, someone must be careful before firing. I saw a clip of my Governor saying something to the effect that jobs should be kept for only Akwa Ibom people in the state. I watched it like three times to see if it was artificially generated or that he meant to say that Akwa Ibomites should be given preference or something.
My people, assuming this was not AI, then my impressions of my Governor as not too far-sighted has been strengthened. This is all shades of wrong. A state that is in bad need of technological transfer, with a poor educational infrastructure, low capacity utilisation, extremely poor commercialisation and although
of underdevelopment, that you now want to turn to North Korea. Can’t he see the way Lagos is growing? Did he just see the GDP just announced making it number two in Africa after Cairo? Does he think it is only natural Lagosians that have made this happen? Lagos has broken the barriers and opened itself up to investments with its attendant pluses which includes increased infrastructure, technology transfer, human capital explosion amongst others. Instead of you to emulate that one, you are bringing an afang-induced policy that will cripple the state and turn us into a state of cavemen . Mbok, who is this guy o?
ASAke: A pADDY problem
If I talk now, they will say I don’t like women but can’t we all see what is happening? During the week, the father of the mega successful musician Asake, cried out that his son hadn’t picked his calls for two years. He lamented his state and begged Nigerians to assist in getting his son to look at his side. I really do not care about the details of this matter but would like to use the matter to talk to men generally. Three out of five men will suffer this fate. The world is skewed against us. The mothers have captured the children and get the better from them. They are the ones that are well taken care of and that is one of the reasons the male mortality rate for the average Nigerian male is 52 years, with abandonment being a major cause. My brothers, no need to indulge in self-pity. Do something. Start planning for your old age without these people – wife and children in your plans. Work hard, invest well so you can afford a better life with or without them. Once you are 50, forget you have children and wife o, just be doing your own things, save, invest and much more importantly, marry a new wife. I am telling you. Once you see the signs, never enter your 60s with the wife o, if not, Asake father’s condition will be far better than yours. Look for a nice young new wife and let her take care of you. You no see Senator Nwoko, you no see how he fresh? My brother, listen to me o and live a long life o.
God will not let you cry to Nigerians to come and help you feed after spending millions on some ungrateful bunch who label themselves wives and children. Do you abeg.
The lovely city state that is Kano has lost its peace. Today, the rich heritage that is the Kano emirate system has been riddled with sharp practices throwing up a bitter struggle for the highly revered throne.
Growing up, the Emir of Kano was seen with very deep respect. The throne was held in extremely high esteem and the occupant was seen as a god-like figure.
Today, the throne and its institutions are being dragged on the floor as a result of the interference of politics. The immediate past governor went in, dethroned the Emir but before then had cannibalised it by forming four sub emirates and installing his own mini emirs.
Today, the original Emir was given
back his rightful throne and the usurper Emir has gone to court. He seems to have won at the Appeal Court level which has asked for a return to status quo and which the state government is looking to ignore and of which counsel to the other side has threatened to sue for contempt if the Emir on the throne keeps parading himself as Emir. All of these are just very sad. All of these is a destruction of our heritage, the watering down of centuries old traditions and throwing the whole well-curated ethos down the drain on the slab of personal avarice and ambition
My own is that why is the family itself allowing outsiders“commoners” to come in-between them to scatter their family and by extension the enviable dynasty? I pray the royal family come to
their senses and rally round and throw away meaningless ambition and begin the rebuilding of their heritage for the betterment of our traditions. My two kobo.
kolA ADeSINA blowS mY mIND
You know my attention span is very brittle. Within seconds I will start losing interest except if it is sex, fashion or theatre, any other thing is five minutes and I’ve moved on. The podcast, don they tire me and I was feeling one kind because my sister Tosh had put in so much to make sure the thing was world class, so I did not want to let her feel that she had worked for nothing That was how gentleman Kola Adeshina, the Sahara Group honcho and Axa Mansard Chairman landed on the podcast. Oh, my God the conversation blew my mind. It was
The slightly drunk First Lady sashayed across the podium in a dress that made her look sluttish instead of the grand dame she should have been, and walked up to the most elegant and gracious beauty ever created on the African continent and said “you are a bitch.”
For her efforts, she got a slap. The slap resonated nationwide and Nigerians laughed with pride that the nation’s Rose was not humiliated, and that she came out of that encounter with her grace intact.
During the week, Nigerians on social media threw up the episode again as they celebrated the third year anniversary of the “slap.” The clip was circulated across social media
and millions ogled and commented on it.
Bianca Ojukwu retains a very strategic Petch in Nigeria’s pedestal of elegant and respected queens. She has transmuted from a supremely beautiful beauty queen to a wellrespected leader. As Nigeria’s current Minister of State for Foreign Affairs she is holding her own in international fora, making us proud and inspiring young girls, showing that you can be extremely beautiful and be taken seriously if you also show a brilliant aptitude and capacity. It is no wonder that a major multimedia stage play ‘Bianca’ is being planned in her honour this May. Shhhhhh.
philosophical, it engaged, exposed, challenged me to the point that I didn’t even want it to end.
When the podcast was released, come and see feedback. Mr Adesina is cerebrally brilliant and humble to boot. His take on the economy, faith, humanity, philanthropy is just something else. Last time I heard something so profound was when I was trying to convince a woman not to leave me- that is when I am at my philosophical best.
Let me just say that Mr Adesina is a gift to Nigeria and luckily, unlike most gifts like me, Nigeria is recognising him and rewarding him at the same time. Great guy and great mind. Wow, I have listened to that recording like five times so far. Kai.
omoNI obolI’S SUperb oUTINg
That is how I stumbled on this beautiful work of art. Omoni Oboli’s love in many words. That movie is perfect. From the casting to its lines, to settings, to costumes, these artists really delivered a masterpiece. See me that cannot even sit in one place for more than five minutes and here I was watching one movie that is not porn like five times.
Wow! The lead actors Uzor and Bamike were just so powerful in their interpretation. The whole movie looked so healthy, neat and a very good portrayal of Nigeria. Although I have a problem with the stereotypes, we were easily won over with the humour which made accepting it very easy. Mbok, they really tried and I do not hesitate to recommend the movie to all true lovers.
I think Seyi Tinubu should go and see it. It will make him calm down abeg if he has not just yet. Well done my sister and also congrats to the cast and crew. It was a beautiful outing.
mAkINDe ADeNIrAN: A VeTerAN THeSpIAN percHeS
Makinde carries hair like Wole Soyinka and like the sage, has been in theatre and the arts forever. He was recently elected President of NANTAP. NANTAP is the umbrella body of all thespians in the nation. Makinde comes well qualified for his job having served NANTAP and the industry in varied capacities. He is also a gifted writer who wrote ‘Awo’ for me, the play we took to London. Makinde’s job as President of NANTAP is cut out for him, because he needs to very quickly look at the issues like welfare, capacity, funding amongst others that affect the industry and its players.
Very importantly, he must look at much core involvement of the private sector in building the space and this is very imperative because of its capacity for youth engagement, job creation and its effects on other sectors of the economy like media, hospitality, tourism to mention a few.
I have sent him a message to pay me a courtesy call as a major stakeholder, he is doing like he has not received my message. Me that I will soon orchestrate a state of emergency in the place and suspend him and his whole team if he does not come and visit me. Be watching, shebi that is how we were watching Rivers State, see what is happening, na NANTAP remain. Kai. Congrats bro.
When Leno Adesanya conceived the idea of Mambilla Hydropower project, it was meant to bring succour to Nigerians who have for decades grappled with an inconsistent power supply. If the project had seen the light of day, the issue of erratic power supply would have probably been a thing of the past in the country.
Although it was first conceived in 1982, it was only in 2003, during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, that Nigeria approved the $6 billion contract to Sunrise and a consortium of Chinese companies to construct what was to be Africa’s largest hydroelectric power plant.
The project, upon completion, was expected to boost the country’s power generation capacity by 3,050MW. The entire cost of the project was to be borne by Sunrise and its partners, which would then transfer ownership to the Nigerian government after the agreed period.
However, just days before Obasanjo left office, the contract was revoked and awarded to
China Gezhouba Group Corporation/China GeoEngineering Corporation (CGGC/CGC) at the modified cost of $1.46 billion, as the project was scaled down.
Sunrise, which felt aggrieved, wrote a petition to Obasanjo’s successor, the late President Umaru Musa-Yar’Adua, accusing some officials of the Obasanjo administration of revoking the contract after the new contractors had paid a bribe of $15 million. Yar’Adua subsequently reinstated Sunrise’s contract. In 2012, the Nigerian government followed up by signing an agreement with Sunrise, authorising the firm and its Chinese partners to proceed with the project. However, in 2017, the Muhammadu Buhari administration signed a separate $5.8 billion contract with another Chinese group, Sinohydro Consortium. To date, the project has been hampered due to legal scuffles.
With a few months away from the ruling on the popular Paris arbitration, which witnessed two ex-presidents, three former ministers, and top-tier lawyers representing Nigeria and Sunrise Power,
there seems to be unrest in the Nigerian camp. Those privy to the arbitration revealed that it was not a smooth sail for the witnesses representing Nigeria.
The human heart is said to be an incredible machine, capable of enduring immense pain.
Given the closeness and affection shared by Dr Tunji Olowolafe and his beloved wife, Mrs Gbemisola Olowolafe, one would wonder how the business magnate would cope after losing the most cherished person in his life.
The late Mrs Olowolafe died on Tuesday, March 11, in the US, at 64, after a brief illness. She reportedly passed peacefully surrounded by her husband and children.
A statement signed by the deceased’s daughter, Mrs Olanike Anani, confirmed the passing of the family’s matriarch.
As the wife of a renowned industrialist, businessman, and philanthropist, the late Gbemisola was a constant source of support and encouragement. Together, they built a life of service, philanthropy, and entrepreneurship, leaving an enduring impact on Nigeria’s business, education, and healthcare landscapes.
Olowolafe —the Chairman of Deux Project and Chancellor of Ekiti State University— remembered his beloved wife as “a woman of extraordinary strength, wisdom, and compassion. Her passing leaves a void in our lives that can never be filled. She was my rock, my partner, and my best friend. I am grateful for the time we shared, and I will miss her dearly.”
Her demise has sent shockwaves of grief and sadness to her family, friends, and the countless lives she impacted. There has been an outpouring of support, prayers and condolences from friends and well-wishers across the world — including President Bola Tinubu, who is a friend of the bereaved businessman— offering solace and comfort to the family during this difficult time.
Indeed, Mrs Olowolafe’s impact on her community was immense. She was a devoted philanthropist, supporting various charitable causes and organisations throughout her life. Her generosity and kindness inspired countless individuals, and her legacy will continue to inspire future generations.
This annual event, endorsed by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), is a key highlight on the nation’s entrepreneurial calendar. It aims to recognise and celebrate the unyielding entrepreneurial spirit that drives both the public and private sectors of the Nigerian economy.
Amid global challenges, such as inflation, geopolitical instability, and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Nigerians have continued to demonstrate exceptional resilience. Their efforts have not only contributed to job creation, but also driven economic growth and prosperity.
The awards will spotlight governors who have played critical roles in boosting the SME sector in their states. “Governors Mbah of Enugu, Ododo of Kogi, Uba Sani of Kaduna, Oyebanji of Ekiti and Elia of Benue states have all spearheaded transformative initiatives that have greatly benefited local enterprises,” said Adedayo Olalekan, the visionary convener of Nigeria SMEs Awards 2025. “Their
In his book, ‘The Price of Creation,’ US author and writer, Lance Conrad wrote:
“I can imagine no heroism greater than motherhood.” To say renowned lawyer and Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of Ondo State, Dr. Kayode Ajulo believes so much in the deathless quote is stating the obvious. This, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria showcased last week when his mother, Princess Christianah Ajulo clocked 90.
Showing his love and excitement for his mother, Ajulo penned a lengthy tribute for his beloved mother, whom he described as the very fabric of his being, the divine architect of his destiny, his unwavering compass through life’s storms.
“Her existence is my greatest blessing, her love my eternal shield, her wisdom my guiding light through the labyrinth of life.”
The famous lawyer further wrote: “There is a song that, when sung, feels timeless, as if it has existed since the dawn of time: “Iya ni wura
National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) would have given a
iye biye, Iya ko se f’owo ra” (A mother is precious gold, priceless beyond measure). This song unveils its deepest meanings as one journeys through life within the boundless, glowing care of a mother, the first Òrìà, the unshakable pillar of existence, the child’s safest haven in a world of uncertainties. A mother’s love is a fortress, unseen yet invincible, soft yet stronger than the weight of mountains.
“As I reflect on the remarkable life of my mother, who turns 90 today, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the guiding light she has been on my journey. She is my angelic guide, a master strategist, and a beacon of wisdom and strength, illuminating my path with her unwavering love and support. Indeed, as Proverbs 31:26 reminds us, ‘She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.’ Her words, like a soothing balm, have healed my wounds. Her voice, like a clarion call, has stirred me to greatness.
“From her modest but eventful beginnings, Maami has captured the hearts and admiration of all who are privileged to know her. She embodies
from the grave for the avalanche of awards, recognitions and honours since her demise ten years ago.
While some die and their names go into oblivion, it is not so for Akunyili as her sweet memories continue to linger.
Last weekend, the Silverbird Group, led by Sen. Ben Murray Bruce, in a unanimous decision with Nigerians’ votes, conferred the late senator with Silverbird Posthumous Award, alongside other past fallen heroes, such as Alex Akinyele,Ahmed Joda and Professor Tam David West.
As gathered, the audience at the prestigious Eko Hotel and Suites went into deft silence as the video of the citation relayed the lives and times of those who had fallen in the service to humanity
contributions will be celebrated as a beacon of inspiration for the entire nation.”
During a recent press conference in Lagos, Adedayo emphasized that this year’s event would break away from tradition, embodying a fresh and unique approach.
“Despite the harsh economic climate, Nigerians continue to demonstrate an unwavering can-do spirit, propelling the nation forward,” he said. The awards are not only about honouring these trailblazers but also rewarding their relentless commitment to progress. Adedayo further highlighted the vital role state governments have played in nurturing vibrant SMEs, enriching local economies, and fostering a climate of progress.
“It is a win-win for both the awardees and the system they are operating, creating a mutually beneficial cycle of support and growth,” he added.
The Nigeria SMEs Awards promises to be a night of celebration, recognizing those who have made exceptional contributions to the country’s SMEs landscape.
the very essence of humility, grace, and warmth, her elevated sense of style a true reflection of her modesty and decency. She is a rare gem, a queen robed in dignity, a woman whose presence alone commands reverence and admiration.
and Nigeria.
The award was received by her son, Obumneme, now a Director General at Anambra State Project Management and Monitoring Office (PMMO).
Speaking about his mother, Obumneme extolled her as a giant who built a shade for the youths of this country to live. Akunyili fought against illicit drugs and fake substances, and later became the Minister of Information and Communication.
“I feel like a giant because of the shade that my mother had planted,” he said. In 2005, Professor Akunyili was awarded Silverbird Person of the Year. She was the first woman to have been so honoured by the Silverbird Group.
with brushes that speak louder than words, 19-year-old autistic artist christine Mike-Nnaji makes a boundaryshattering solo debut, celebrating the transformative power of art, Yinka olatunbosun reports
Everyparentdreamsofwatching their child grow and flourish into a capable and confident individual. But for some families, this journey is marked by unexpected twists and turns, revealing new depths of love, patience, and understanding. For Nonye MikeNnaji, her daughter Christine’s remarkable story is the inspiration behind a powerful new solo exhibition at Mydrim Gallery “Seen, Heard, Understood.”
As a 19-year-old autistic artist, Christine makes her solo debut on March 29, showcasing the transformative power of art to heal, uplift and connect us all. Coinciding with the UN’s World Autism Day on April 2, this poignant exhibition celebrates the boundless potential of individuals with autism and the profound impact of art on our lives.
With a heart full of joy, Christine’s mom, Nonye, reminisced about her daughter’s remarkable journey. Diagnosed with autism at a young age, Christine had to navigate a world that often seemed daunting and unforgiving. From the darkest depths of denial and depression, Christine emerged with courage and resilience, gradually embracing her true self. And Nonye, her doting mother, has been her rock every step of the way.
As Nonye reflected on this year’s powerful theme, “Moving from Surviving to Striving,” she shared a remarkable breakthrough in Christine’s journey. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Christine discovered her voice –literally – through the healing power of art. As she began to paint, words began to flow, and a new world of communication opened up. “In her first three years, she had actually achieved all her milestones but when we came back to Nigeria from Dublin, everything changed,” she recalled. “She first started staring at the wall.”
But that wasn’t the end of the story. How did her paintings end up on the walls she was once staring at? Nonye narrated how wide consultations with doctors and therapists pointed her in the right direction. As a trained lawyer, Nonye never encountered autism nor did she interact with any one with special needs. Having to raise a neurodivergent child came with a huge responsibility to constantly learn, care and nurture. There’s no holiday when raising an autistic child, she said. She kept seeking education for her child who could hardly fit any class. And art came to the rescue. “In social studies, instead of doing what other people do with social studies, she would just draw. I was thinking it was art and crafts.”
But during the COVID-19 lockdown, her siblings were taking online classes and she was restless. “I asked my husband, ‘Can we get an art teacher?’”
Nonye’s request was granted and Christian started to paint while enjoying art tutelage. She was so committed that she would spend the whole day on a painting. At first, Nonye didn’t believe the paintings were her work. She thought
the teacher only wanted to impress her. But she stayed back to watch a session and was completely overwhelmed by the magic in her daughter’s hands.
“I cried,” she let on, holding back the tears. “My crying was that all those years of going around for intervention; if only I had invested more time for art…”
In quick response to this discovery, she ordered 20 canvases for Christine. But she wasn’t thinking about any exhibition of sorts at that moment. “I actually ordered them for her to be happy, because I saw that she was now being engaged,” Nonye continued.
The breakthrough now came some three weeks into drawing: Christine started speaking. Somebody that would just do phrases; phrases started joining phrases. “There is always ability in every disability. In fact, can we actually say that someone is really disabled, or are we saying that they live in a different world altogether?
Christine is trying, the way she began to function, to relate, just because she started doing something that she loves.”
Christine’s remarkable artistry has garnered significant media attention, featuring on esteemed platforms such as BBC and a GT Bank series on autism. Building on this momentum, she made a notable debut in a group show at Terra Kulture, a renowned art space located in the heart of Victoria Island, Lagos. Here, she emerged as the best-selling artist, a testament to her talent and dedication. Now, with her solo show, Christine is taking her artistic journey to the next level. Notably, the proceeds from this exhibition will be channelled towards funding Christine’s education, as well as supporting the educational needs of other autistic children in slums across select African cities, including Kenya and Nigeria. This initiative underscores the importance of inclusive education and the transformative power of art in uplifting marginalised communities.
Hence, Nonye called on the government to institute policies that would make the educational system more inclusive for children with special needs to thrive.
The founder and director, Mydrim Gallery, Sinmidele Adesanya said that the show was a crucial one at the heart of humanity. While reflecting on the harsh economic climate for art business in Nigeria, she said that the gallery was repositioning for a more profitable outlook this year until Christine’s story as well as paintings were shared. “The objective is to discover new artists,” she said. “I had to go back to the objectives to see if it was within our framework.”
As it turned out, Christine’s pieces weren’t just a good fit for the gallery but beautifully framed, showcasing vibrancy of colours as well as urban city life.
It is certainly for nothing that William Shakespeare acquainted humanity with the obnoxious phrase “Beware of the ides of March” – famously attributed to a soothsayer, who forewarned the Legendary Julius Caesar of a clear and present danger to his person. This found expression on the 15th of March, ending his life abruptly and has ever since made the month of March synonymous with being a forerunner of misfortunes, ill luck or even death at the very worst.
It is the case that Monday, March 3, 2025 established itself as a veritable day of infamy in the apocalyptical breath of the “ides of March” – as satanic warriors took away the life of David S. Parradang in a rest house – and the next day, Tuesday, 4th March, 2025 deviously presented his lifeless body - as a “moral felon” to the public and to the grief of his immediate family and loved ones in particular.
David Shikfu Parradang OFR, mni (CGI/ RTD) was born on September 6, 1959, obtained his First School Leaving Certificate (FSLC) with “Distinction” in 1972. He proceeded to Government College, Keffi for his secondary education and obtained the coveted “Division One” in June 1977. He further read Sociology at the University of Jos where he obtained his B.Sc, Second Class “Upper Division” (often referred to as the other side of First Class). He then undertook his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Anambra State. Upon completing service, he enlisted into the Immigration Department – (as it was then known) as Assistant Superintendent of Immigration (ASI) and later trained as a member of the Second Basic Course batch that passed out from ITSK -Kano in October 1983.
His career progression followed a steady and upward path from the “Superintendent Cadre” in 1982 to the “Comptroller’s Cadre” in 1992 – and his duty tours spanned several commands and workstations. His career development also followed a similar upward course as he pursued and earned a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Lagos 1995 to 1997. He was thereafter admitted as a Comptroller of Immigration, into the Senior Executive Course (SEC) 29 of the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) Kuru from February - November 2007 – earning for him the sobriquet of Distinguished Member of the National Institute (mni). He was appointed by President Goodluck Jonathan to become the 14th Comptroller General of Immigration Service (CGIS) on June 10, 2013.
Late Mr. David Parradang’s appointment as CGIS broke the icy-calm atmosphere that pervaded NIS formations, beating frontline contenders to the post which occasioned a shocking but much needed break with the conventional practice of appointing the most senior officer to succeed a retiring CGIS. It must be added that he had the distinction of being the only officer in the history of the NIS to have served three successive CGIS as their SA – Operations.
His appointment marked a generational shift and the sheer scale of applause, joy and rejoicing by NIS personnel across all commands and formations over his appointment was amazing and unprecedented. The congratulatory dances, smiles, huggings and the like by NIS rank-andfile officers, who trooped out to welcome him upon his return from the Honourable Minister of Interior’s Office after his decoration with the insignia of his new rank remains arguably the grandest ever accorded any CGI either before or after him.
Parradang - upon assumption of office, became an Avant-Garde of a policy shift and directional focus for proper management of the NIS in particular and effective migration management strategy in general. He enunciated a four-point development blueprint namely:Border Patrol, Internal Monitoring and Control, use of ICT and General Staff Welfare which he subjected to an NIS-wide plebiscite – across all
Commands and formations with a time frame for the State Commands Comptrollers and heads of formations to submit suggestions and recommendations from personnel serving under them.
He thereafter empanelled a 13-man “Blueprint Steering Committee of Senior Officers” headed by the immensely cerebral Mr. Joseph O. Olaitan as Chairman. The Committee did an excellent job of their terms of reference and submitted its report to an elated CGI Parradang, who received same in a very formal session of officers and men of the service and presented it to the generality of NIS personnel as a working document.
This idea was new and the approach novel – but itworked like magic- even to the amazement of a few sceptics, who doubted the workability of this new approach to policy formulation and implementation. The changes that followed were multi-directional and came in torrents anyway. The first was the creation of a Border Patrol Corps in September 2013 and the training of personnel for Patrols along the nation’s expansive border areas with renewed Vigour. He also established 30 new land Border Control Posts and 27 additional border patrol bases – with equipment, all in September 2013. The icing of the cake was the establishment of the Border Patrol Command and Control-ICT driven centre at the SHQ.
The administrative, operational, and ICTrelated changes came next and progressed apace. He directed the Secret Registry to undertake the verification of staff’s dates of birth and the genuineness of their academic credentials which unearthed an embarrassingly service-wide abuse of these two components of personal data. He acted without fanfare and swiftly sanctioned those affected. The operations area witnessed the abolition of re-entry permits for resident expatriates in line with global best practices, cleared passport backlogs and ensured integration of passport issuance with payments to block revenue leakages. He also cleared CERPAC backlogs with special task teams appointed for this purpose.
The NIS under him and for the first time was clothed with eight directorates by the new Act – each headed by a DCG. He created special commands such as Onne – Command, Idi-roko CP – Command, etc and increased
the number of foreign missions where NIS personnel were posted for foreign service from 28 to 44. He also established additional CERPAC producing centres and passport offices in state commands that had a high incidence of applicants with emphasis on “Zero Tolerance” for bribe-taking in exchange for service delivery to the public. No officer or personnel ever dared to make any form of “returns” to him – throughout his tenure.
He made good his pledge on staff welfare and became the first CGI to pay Christmas bonuses to staff and regularly selected staff from the four NIS training institutions for preferential postings – both domestically and internationally – as both a motivation and a reward for hard work.
He took up the issue of the amendment of the Establishment Act of 1963, which was pending before the National Assembly and secured its passage into law as the new Immigration Act of May 2015. He subsequently constituted another panel headed by the amiable DCG J.O. Olaitan (of blessed memory) to draft a new Immigration Regulation in line with the Immigration Act, 2015 - which assignment was completed but could not be forwarded to the HMI before his removal from office.
However, we shall not forget to mention the unfortunate and failed nationwide recruitment exercise in the fall of 2014 during which some applicants lost their lives. This sparked public outrage – however, the public eventually later understood that there was no act of omission or commission by Mr. Parradang that caused this avoidable tragedy. Nonetheless, he was well loved by his officers and personnel for his humility of spirit, honesty of purpose, compassion and respect for all-accessibility and prodigious energy for work.
Mr. Parradang, even in retirement, remained active and visible to his community, state and NIS family – providing visionary relevance, invaluable advice, mentorship and serving as a resource person in various Immigration/Migra-
tion related conferences within and outside the country. ECOWAS Commission had him engaged as a resource person and had a planned engagement with them the week he died. He had unsuccessfully run for two elective political offices in his home state of Plateau but remained active on other fronts. It was a month ago, precisely on the 6th February 2025, that he stood with other dignitaries to launch a book written by this writer, whom he had graciously appointed as his Special Assistant (on Operation) while in office at the SHQ, Abuja.
He was a sports-loving Comptroller–General who personally led the officers and men in a general workout on Fridays at the SHQ. He was an avid Golfer and member of the prestigious IBB Golf Club, Abuja – whose ambience is even more suited for any form of Social Liaison which his cryptic undertakers – laboriously and contumely sought to attribute as causative of the morbid state he was found.
We are still in a state of shock concerning Mr Parradang’s sudden and inexplicable demise – a man of honour, ever cheerful with an unbelievable sense of humour - who would have rallied support for anyone in need but hadn’t that opportunity for others to rally round for him – in his moment of distress. We can say there is no Immigration Officer – dead or alive who was more loved than late Parradang -as more than a thousand men and women would have risen for him.
We remain united in our quest for a proper and thorough enquiry into the circumstances surrounding his demise – as we know him beyond the widely circulated graphic image of him on social media. His testimonial and service records to his country tells a story of man with high ethical standards and impeccable morals. The avalanche of eulogies from his constituency, Nigerians and the National Assembly members who had brief sessions in his honour speaks volumes about his legacy. Sir – the harmony you have built in your lifetime is indestructible and no circumstance can change our opinion of your life and times. May God rest your gentle and sweet soul in his bossom. Adieu, Adieu, Adieu.
•Leggjack is a retired Comptroller of Immigration.
Davidson Iriekpen examines the potential drawbacks of President Bola Tinubu’s decision to declare a state of emergency in
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara; his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly. He has also appointed and sworn in a former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd) as the Sole Administrator of the state.
The president hinged his decision on Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, saying he could not continue to watch the political situation in the state escalate without taking any measures.
Buttressing his point, the president, in a live broadcast, stated that he had received security reports in the last two days of “disturbing incidents of vandalism of pipelines by some militants without the governor taking any action to curtail them.”
The unfolding insecurity, he warned, if left unchecked, can precipitate anarchy and a collapse of law and order.
Section 305 of the Nigerian constitution interprets a state of emergency as a situation of “national danger, disaster or terrorist attacks in which a government suspends normal constitutional procedures to regain control.”
A state of emergency allows the president to immediately make any desired regulations to secure public order and safety.
The president has the constitutional power to declare a state of emergency in any part of Nigeria. However, this proclamation must be published in the official government gazette and ratified by the National Assembly, requiring approval from two-thirds of its members. This was not the case.
Tinubu has now joined the ranks of presidents in the country who took such actions while in office. Others who have done so since the return to democratic rule in 1999 are former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan. Obasanjo imposed a state of emergency on Plateau State on May 18, 2004, suspending Governor Joshua Dariye, his deputy, and members of the state assembly.
He also imposed a state of emergency on Ekiti State on October 18, 2006, after state lawmakers removed the then-governor, Ayo Fayose.
On his part, former President Jonathan declared a state of emergency in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe States on May 14, 2013, in response to the rampant bombings and escalating violence by Boko Haram.
While Obasanjo suspended the two governors during the emergency period, Jonathan, however, didn’t suspend any governor in his proclamation of a state of emergency.
Ironically, Tinubu was one of the critics who condemned Jonathan’s action in 2013, saying it was a dangerous assault on democracy and a ploy to rig the 2015 election.
“It is now abundantly clear that President Jonathan has finally bared his fangs confirming what was widely speculated,” he said at the time.
“By declaring a state of emergency in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa, he has intimidated and emasculated the governors of these states. We are witnessing a dangerous trend in the art of governance and a deliberate ploy to subvert constitutional democracy.”
He went on further to suggest that the body language of the former president and his administration was a “disguised intention to muzzle the elected governments of these states for what is clearly a display of unpardonable mediocrity and diabolic partisanship geared towards 2015.
“Borno and Yobe states have been literally under armies of occupation with the attendant excruciating hardship experienced daily by the indigenes and residents of these areas. This government now wants to use the excuse of the security challenges faced by the governors to remove them from the states considered hostile to the 2015 PDP/Jonathan project,” Tinubu continued.
In his assertions, any security measures put in
place that “alienate the people, in particular their elected representatives, should be considered as fundamentally defective by every right-thinking person in the country.”
Incidentally, all that he accused the President Jonathan-led government of doing is what is playing out today.
Beyond the constitutional breaches President Tinubu is being accused of, in a move that has raised eyebrows and fuelled speculations, he squarely laid the blame at the feet of Governor Fubara, while studiously exonerating his Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and his co-travellers from any complicity in the crisis.
Many feel that this glaring disparity in the allocation of culpability has lent credence to the perception that Wike was, in fact, acting in concert with the presidency, designed to wrestle control of Rivers State from the opposition and seamlessly integrate it into the All Progressives Congress (APC) fold, thereby further consolidating the party’s stranglehold on power and incrementally annihilating the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
After all, troubles in the state began in 2023 when the FCT minister allegedly sought to maintain his grip on state politics, while Fubara attempted to assert his authority.
Fubara’s supporters, who accused Tinubu of taking sides with Wike to fight the governor, argued that on many occasions, the president had
the opportunity to call the minister to order but remained silent.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, also exonerated Wike, insisting that Tinubu saved Fubara from impeachment.
But Fubara’s political enemy and former governor of the state, Rotimi Amaechi, stated that Tinubu’s declaration of an emergency rule in the state was a “brazen attempt at power grab in the state.”
Amaechi, also a former Minister of Transportation, said the crisis was being “orchestrated” to serve the interests of certain individuals seeking to impose themselves on the state.
Also, the state’s information commissioner, Warisenibo Johnson, in a statement, questioned why the president suspended Fubara from office but did not suspend Wike as FCT minister despite what he said was the governor’s efforts to implement the Supreme Court’s ruling and maintain peace in the state.
Many lawyers, civil society organisations, and members of the opposition accused the president of acting beyond his powers by suspending elected officials in states.
For instance, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has condemned the suspension, describing it as unconstitutional and an assault on democracy.
In a statement on Tuesday, NBA President, Mr Afam Osigwe said the move violates Section 305 of the Nigerian constitution, which outlines strict conditions for emergency rule.
Osigwe, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), said Section 305 grants the president the power to declare a state of emergency but with procedural safeguards to prevent abuses.
“The 1999 Constitution does not grant the president the power to remove an elected governor, deputy governor, or members of a state’s legislature under the guise of a state of emergency. Such actions amount to an unconstitutional usurpation of power and a fundamental breach of Nigeria’s federal structure,” he said.
Osigwe also questioned whether the political crisis in Rivers met the constitutional threshold for emergency rule, noting that political disagreements and legislative conflicts should be resolved through legal means, not executive intervention.
The NBA vowed to challenge the president’s decision, warning that it undermines Nigeria’s democracy and sets a troubling precedent for future political conflicts.
Since he lost ministerial appointment in President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet, the former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, has remained inconsolable, unleashing verbal attacks on Tinubu’s administration.
No details of the said security report that robbed him of ministerial appointment were made available by the Senate.
However,manyNigerianshadexpectedthesecurity agencies to prosecute him, if indeed, there was any security report that indicted him.
Kaduna State turned into a killing field under the el-Rufai administration to the extent that the major function of his Commissioner for Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, was to brief journalists almost on a daily basis on the number of killings in the southern parts of the state.
El-Rufai had in December 2016, admitted that
his government had traced some violent, aggrieved Fulani to Niger, Cameroon, Chad, Mali and Senegal, and paid them to stop the killings of Southern Kaduna natives due to their grievances arising from the killing of their cattle in the 2011 post-election violence.
He claimed that Fulanis are in 14 African countries and they traverse Nigeria with their cattle.
“So many of these people were killed, cattle lost and they organised themselves and came back to revenge,” el-Rufai reportedly said, raising suspicions that his government knew the identities of the killer herdsmen, who have been ravaging Nigeria since 2015.
The killings in Southern Kaduna have since abated under the administration of Governor Ubah Sani.
It is believed that el-Rufai’s utterances as governor did not encourage peaceful co-existence among the different religions and ethnic groups in the state.
Under his administration, the Nigerian military massacred at least 347 members of the Shi’a Muslim group in Zaria in December 2015, though unofficial figures put the death toll at about 1,000.
He once threatened that foreign election observers and monitors who interfered in the 2019 general election would return to their countries in body bags.
At the peak of his glory as governor, el-Rufai established a notoriety for making divisive utterances and disparaging remarks about past and present Nigerian leaders, including his perceived benefactors. On several occasions, he had declared publicly that President Tinubu was not his man because he did not like his style of politics.
With el-Rufai’s antecedents, it is evident that his current move to mobilise politicians he had despised in the past to unseat Tinubu in 2027 as a revenge for losing ministerial position is dead on arrival.
After a short break following the end of the tenure of the past administration, armed herdsmen have resumed their reign of terror in the southern parts of Nigeria and the Middle Belt, as recently manifested in their attacks in Nasarawa, Benue, Ondo, Edo, Bayelsa and Enugu states, ejiofor Alike reports
Nigerians had witnessed the influx of heavily-armed criminal herdsmen from the neighbouring Niger Republic, Mali and Senegal who unleashed terror across the country as soon as former President Muhammadu Buhari assumed power in 2015.
The preferential treatment given to these criminal herders by the government apparently lent credence to the claims that the killers were invited by the agents of the administration shortly before the 2015 general election.
While the herdsmen were unleashing terror on indigenous communities, the leaders of the herdsmen were freely boasting publicly that the attacks were reprisals for the killing of their cattle by the affected communities.
On its part, the Buhari government was plotting different official strategies to force these traumatised communities to cede their ancestral lands to the invaders.
The proposed creation of cattle colonies, Ruga settlements, as well as the enactment of the Water Resources Bill were some of the failed efforts to force indigenous communities to cede their lands for the permanent settlement of these foreign herders.
The late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State had mobilised the 16 other southern governors to successfully resist this landgrabbing mission.
Following the obvious backing of the foreign herders by the federal security agencies, Southwest governors created a local security outfit, Amotekun Corps, while their counterparts in the South-east created Ebubeagu to tackle the rising insecurity in their states.
In the Middle Belt, former Governor Samuel Ortom created the Benue State Livestock Guards, which brought him on a collision course with Buhari’s government.
While armed herdsmen carried sophisticated AK-47 rifles freely, security agencies clamped down on communities that procured smaller arms to protect themselves.
Apparently due to the official support enjoyed by the killer herdsmen under the Buhari administration, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, in one of his two new books, ‘Nigeria: Past and Future,’ alleged that Buhari shielded and provided cover for certain criminal elements that terrorised the nation when he was in power.
In chapter 11 of the book, which was unveiled recently, Obasanjo disclosed that Buhari was selective in determining the criminal groups the military must fight, adding that this to a large extent exacerbated the nation’s insecurity challenge.
Obasanjo wrote: “The Commander-in-Chief
of the Nigerian Armed Forces and all the paramilitary is the President.
“Under President Buhari, serious and seemingly undeniable allegations were made that the military were not even-handed in dealing with criminals and criminal groups in the country.
“There were favourite criminals and criminal groups of the President Buhari administration who must be treated with velvet knuckles and those who must be treated with hammer knuckles.”
Obasanjo, who cited the allegations made by General T. Y. Danjuma (rtd) that terrorists and criminal elements freely committed heinous crimes while the military did nothing to stop them, wrote: “That would be the greatest undermining of peace and security from the highest level and that would make all other exercises fruitless and abortive.
What a great and monumental tragedy!”
Indeed, Buhari politicised insecurity to the extent that the appointment of heads of security agencies was characterised by incompetence and nepotism.
However, with President Bola Tinubu’s assumption of office, herdsmen suspended their attacks as it was obvious
to them that the new administration was not going to condone their atrocities.
To address some of the challenges facing the legitimate Nigerian herders, President Tinubu created the Ministry of Livestock Development on July 9, 2024, and also improved security nationwide.
Though the herders sustained their criminal attacks in Benue State, forcing Governor Hyacinth Alia to launch a 5,000-man new security outfit known as the Benue State Civil Protection Guards (BSCPG), and a Joint Security Task Force named “Operation Anyam Nyor”, the attacks abated in the southern parts of the country.
However, recent incidents across some southern states and the Middle Belt showed that the blood-sucking demons have resumed their atrocities.
For instance, angry protesters carrying dead bodies of five slain farmers last Wednesday shut down Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State’s office at Alagbaka, Akure, the state capital, over the killing of the five farmers by armed herdsmen at Aba Oyinbo in Akure North Local Government Area (LGA).
Armed herders had in the previous week attacked four communities in the dead of the night in the same Akure North LGA of the state, slaughtering 20 people.
Nine surveyors were also abducted by herdsmen at a building site at Ilu Abo Community in the same LGA, fueling protests by hundreds of women, who took to the streets of Akure, calling the state governor, Aiyedatiwa, to intervene.
No fewer than 20 persons were also reportedly killed this month during an attack by herders that left scores wounded, houses, motorcycles, and a police operational vehicle set ablaze in Nasarawa LGA of Nasarawa State.
On March 9, two residents of Dantata Life Camp in Aviele, Etsako West LGA of Edo State, were reportedly abducted, one was hospitalised, and three others suffered machete wounds when herders invaded the camp at about 8 pm.
In Bayelsa State, the Leader of the Supreme Egbesu Congress, Comrade Teimowei Ebi had on Tuesday, led aggrieved women of Yenizue-Gene and Okutukutu communities in Yenagoa LGA of the state to barricade the Melford Okilo Road, in protest against alleged rape, harassment and destruction of crops and farmlands by the Fulani herdsmen. The criminal herders have also sustained their attacks in Benue, with the latest incident being the recent ambush and killing of three personnel of the Civil Protection Guards in Naka, the headquarters of Gwer West LGA, which ignited protests and burning down of parts of the LG secretariat and the Palace of the Chairman of Gwer West traditional council, HRH Daniel Abomtse, by angry youths.
In Enugu State, angry women and youths also took to the streets in protests after herdsmen invaded Eha-Amufu community in Isi-Uzo LGA of the state, killing one Donatus Okafor, a university student and only child of his widowed mother, who was assisting his mother in the farm.
Isi-Uzo and Uzo-Uwani LGAs are the worst-hit LGAs in Enugu State by armed invaders, who use cattle rearing as a cover to gain easy access to communities.
It is now difficult to identify law-abiding herders as criminal herders also rear cattle while engaging in kidnapping, destruction of farmlands, rape, killing and other atrocities. In recent weeks, videos of armed herdsmen guarding their cattle to graze on maize farms, and separate videos of armed herders harvesting cassava on farmlands for their cattle, have gone viral on social media.
To end these atrocities, state governors should enforce the ban on open grazing and implement their various anti-open grazing laws.
Gone are the days when state commissioners of police (CPs)and divisional police officers (DPOs) were scared of arresting herdsmen due to fear of punitive transfer and other forms of official victimisation.
It was surprising to hear that the now suspended Martin Amaewhuleled Rivers State House of Assembly that was equally affected by the state of emergency declared by President Bola Tinubu last week following the protracted political crisis that gripped the state, supported the president’s action.
In a statement by its suspended speaker, the assembly blamed the equally suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara for his “despotic and tyrannical actions”, including serial disobedience of court judgments and orders, failure to govern in line with his oath of office, and unconstitutional obstruction of the legislative arm of government which precipitated the crisis.
“The governor’s despotic and tyrannical actions, as confirmed by the courts, have unconstitutionally hindered the Rivers State House of Assembly from functioning, underlies the situation,” Amaewhule said.
He described the president’s decision as being in the “best interest of the country” and urged residents to remain calm as the sole administrator takes charge. Parliament, whether at the federal or state level is supposed to be the bastion of democracy.
For the lawmakers to support the state of emergency that suspended them in a democracy is not only curious and suspicious but also questioned the sincerity of their motive in the year-long struggle with
the suspended governor.
The irony of the political crisis in Rivers State is that those who allegedly engineered the crisis by plotting unsuccessfully to impeach the governor on Monday, October 30, 2023 and Monday, March 17, 2025 ended up getting themselves ‘impeached’ for six months by the president‘s declaration of a state of emergency in the state.
It is really laughable that the same “democrats” who were suspended in the course of their championing for democracy and good governance came out to say that they supported what the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) viewed as an undemocratic action.
One would have thought that those lawmakers who claimed to be fighting for democracy should not welcome the sacking of all democratic institutions.
Abdulkareem Bisriyu
In Kaduna State, Governor Uba Sani continues to break barriers and defy huge odds to literally and metaphorically unify and inter-connect the people and their communities. Beyond the widely acclaimed restoration of peace, safety and security across the state, Governor Uba Sani is ramping up an unprecedented mission of linking the entire state - all 23 local government areas - with first class infrastructure network.
Pursuant to the governor’s solemn promise to accelerate development by extending infrastructure to all local governments in the state, the Uba Sani administration has since inauguration in May 2023, initiated over 78 road projects across the state, totalling about 775km. Several of these projects have since been completed and commissioned by the workaholic governor.
Others are progressing well, with contractors adequately funded to meet project deadlines. Governor Sani remains unequivocal that the overarching goal of his administration is to connect and interlink local communities to urban centres in the bid to seamlessly provide social and economic benefits to all persons. For Governor Sani, the watchword and guiding philosophy is that no person or community in Kaduna State will remain underserved.
Interestingly, the wave of infrastructure revolution in the state under Governor Sani began in mostly rural communities across the State. In these previously overlooked communities, well designed and built road networks now connect farmers and their farms to several markets across the state and beyond. Other than good roads, schools, health and medical facilities as well as public water projects are either being built or rehabilitated.
“We are simultaneously transforming rural and urban poor communities that have often been overlooked. We understand that infrastructure is the backbone of development, and we will continue to prioritise projects that uplift our citizens and improve their quality of life,”
Governor Sani explained recently about the thrust of his administration.
“We are determined to deliver on our promises to the people. We are ramping up the implementation of our Rural Transformation Programme and accelerating the execution of projects in critical sectors like education, health and agriculture. We are determined to leave Kaduna State better than we met it,” the governor added.
Indeed, with rural communities in the state receiving the requisite attention, Governor Sani
is concurrently revving up infrastructure upgrade in Kaduna’s urban centres. The governor believes that previously neglected poor urban communities deserve attention. To this end, Governor Sani has, typically, been running a very busy schedule – flagging off major urban infrastructure projects.
On Tuesday, March 6, Governor Sani performed the groundbreaking for the reconstruction and upgrading of Zaria Township Roads (from Magajiya Junction to Kasuwan Amaru, with a link to Unguwan Liman/Albarkawa Road Intersection and Audi to Kako Roads), Zaria LGA.
In the state, this project is generally regarded as a lifeline for the residents of Zaria City and the surrounding communities. The road from Audi to Kako on the outskirts of Zaria City connects the predominantly farming communities.
“Our administration is committed to massive infrastructure upgrades in rural and urban areas, supporting our communities in achieving rapid economic growth, addressing infrastructure deficits, curbing rural-urban migration, and improving the quality of life of our people,” the Governor said at the groundbreaking event.
The governor reckons that when completed, these Zaria Township Roads will serve a significant population of Zaria City, predominantly the urban poor and that job opportunities would be created. “Commercial activities will significantly improve, while security will be enhanced in the city and its surroundings,” he intoned.
Also in Zaria, Governor Sani inspected the ongoing rehabilitation and retrofitting work at the 150mld and 10mld water treatment plants in Zaria city. The plants are among the 12 water treatment plants that are currently being rehabilitated across the state. The water treatment plant in Kakuri, Kaduna is also being retrofitted and expanded to meet the increasing water needs in Kaduna metro. The Uba Sani administration has tenaciously increased water production rate from 5% to over 25% in the last 20 months. The administration’s target, according to the governor, is to reach 100% water production rate by the last quarter of 2025.
Similarly, in a move aimed at alleviating the suffering of residents of Kabala Constain and connecting communities in Kaduna North and Kaduna South, Governor Sani on Wednesday, March 12, flagging off the completion of the abandoned Kabala Costain to Aliyu Makama Link Dual Carriage Road. For residents of Kaduna, this road is more than a mere infrastructure project; it is a lifeline for the people, a channel for commerce, and a pathway to opportunity. Once completed, it will serve a substantial population
within Kaduna City, especially the masses.
The road will also serve as an alternative route for long distance travellers in the event of traffic congestion on other roads. It will therefore enhance easy movement for those travelling from the northeastern and northwestern parts of the country to Abuja, the nation’s Federal Capital Territory and beyond. The Kaduna State governor is unwavering in his belief that mobility and accessibility are essential for economic growth and social integration.
For most discerning Kaduna residents, Governor Sani’s resolve to complete the abandoned Kabala Costain to Aliyu Makama Link Dual Carriage Road clearly underscored his oftenheld position that his administration would not be bugged down by errors of previous administrations in the state. The link road is one of the many abandoned projects that the administration inherited. The road was only 30% completed when when Governor Sani took office in May 2023. To ensure that the remaining 70% is completed in record time, the Uba Sani administration had to mobilise the contractor with more than half of the funds to complete this great project. In fact, there were huge debt overhang arising from the 30% of the job done by the contractor under the previous administration in the state.
“These projects are not just numbers; they represent the dreams and aspirations of our people. We are ensuring that contractors are adequately funded and that they adhere to project deadlines. Our focus is clear: we are dedicated to connecting local communities and providing social and economic benefits to all. I urge all stakeholders, including the contractors and community leaders, to work collaboratively and diligently. Let us ensure that we deliver this project on time and to the highest standards for the benefit of our people, ” the Governor admonished as he flagged off the link road’s completion.
Even more profound was Governor Sani’s audacious official project launch of the Kaduna Bus Rapid Transit (KBRT) System (a 24Km corridor from Kawo to Sabon Tasha) and the groundbreaking for the construction of the Southern Terminal, an ultra - modern central motor park that will serve as a vital hub for transportation network on the southern axis of the state.
The KBRT, which is the first of its kind in Northern Nigeria and second in Nigeria (after Lagos) marks a significant milestone in Governor Uba Sani’s commitment to enhancing public transportation, fostering sustainable urban development, and improving the quality of
life of the citizens of Kaduna State.
The KBRT and Southern Terminal projects are the latest initiatives geared towards realizing the administration’s vision for a more connected and efficient transportation system in Kaduna State. Governor Sani said the projects were conceived given the strategic position of Kaduna as a transportation and business hub. The governor disclosed that prior to the approval of the projects, he consulted wildly and rigorously with key stakeholders in the public and private sectors to garner their support and commitments towards the smooth implementation of an enhanced masterplan on transportation in the state. An elated Governor Sani, at the launch of the two huge projects announced that President Ahmed Bola Tinubu is one of the biggest champions of this colossal urban renewal effort in Kaduna State.
“I consulted our dear President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on our plan. He was not only impressed with our vision and comprehensive implementation strategy, he promised the full support of the federal government. True to Mr. President’s words, the sum of 100 Billion Naira was provided in the 2025 Budget of the federal government for the construction of the Kaduna Light Rail Transit (KLRT). This gesture is indeed heartwarming. President Tinubu has always been there for Kaduna State. We owe him a debt of gratitude,” the governor disclosed.
Governor Sani also specially extended his administration’s appreciation and gratitude to key project partners, especially the French Development Agency (AFD) and the French Ambassador to Nigeria for their unwavering support and collaboration in making the project a reality. “Your commitment to sustainable development and investment in our infrastructure has been invaluable,” the very appreciative governor told the partners.
The Governor lauded several other stakeholders for their support towards the realization of the huge transportation initiatives in Kaduna. “We appreciate our transport unions, NURTW, NARTO, RTEAN and other relevant stakeholders. To the dedicated teams who worked tirelessly to bring this project to fruition, thank you for your commitment and perseverance. Your hardwork is reflected in today’s achievement. We are confident that the KBRT and Southern Terminal will serve our communities well for generations to come,” he said, excitedly.
Bisriyu resides in Kawo, Kaduna Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com
Linus Aleke in Abuja
The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, has directed troops of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to intensify air offensives against bandits while ensuring maximum protection of civilians.
Abubakar remarked in a statement issued by the Deputy Director, Public Relations and Information, NAF, Group Capt. Kabiru Ali, was in Abuja yesterday.
The CAS, according to the statement, had visited the Air Component Headquarters of Operation Fansam Yamma in Katsina and Sokoto states.
He said his directive aligned with NAF’s Civilian Harm
Mitigation Action Plan and reinforced its commitment to precision air operations that prioritise civilian safety.
He commended the unwavering dedication of the troops in combating banditry and urged them to sustain the momentum.
Abubakar emphasised that air power had remained a decisive force in dismantling criminal strongholds and providing crucial support to ground troops in the ongoing counter-banditry campaign.
He reassured the personnel of continuous support in the areas of intelligence, logistics, and welfare to ensure operational success.
According to him, timely
intelligence, well-maintained equipment, and high troop morale are fundamental to achieving lasting security in the
region. The CAS used the visit to conduct a first-hand assessment of operational aircraft and ongoing infrastructure projects
in the two states. He promised that the NAF would be resolute in its mission to safeguard the nation and
protect its citizens, leveraging air superiority and strategic coordination to combat threats to national security.
John Shiklam in Kaduna
Workers of Daewoo Construction Limited engaged at the Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemical Company (KRPC), have staged a protest within the refinery premises against what they described as suppression and denial of their rights by the company’s management.
The workers, under the aegis of the National Union of
Civil Engineering, Construction, Furniture, and Wood Workers (NUCECFWW) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), accused Daewoo of preventing them from unionising, depriving them of employment benefits, and unfairly terminating contracts without recourse to due process.
The workers are also protesting the sack of 30 of their colleagues without justification, raising the alarm of imminent
Regarding Plateau State emergency proclamation, the Supreme Court that would have set a clear precedent in the matter failed to determine the constitutionality or otherwise of the dissolution of democratic structures on the grounds that the suit was procedurally incompetent because it was instituted at the time by the suspended legislators in the name of Plateau without the authorisation of the state.
Some legal minds have referred to the Emergency Powers Act of 1961, which though no longer in use in the country but which provided justification for the dissolution of democratic structures and suspension of the fundamental human rights when emergency rule was declared on the Western Region in 1962 by the late Tafawa Balewa Government. It was in respect of two cases, namely Adegbenro vs. Attorney-General of the Federation (1962) NLR 338 and F.R.A.Williams vs Dr. M.A. Majekodunmi (1962) NLR 328, where the apex court in its judgment validated the Emergency Powers Act 1961 to justify the dissolution.
The logic in the Supreme Court verdict in the matter of Plateau State emergency proclamation is unquestionable going by the argument of legal icon Professor Koyinsola Ajayi (SAN), who spoke on Arise Television last Wednesday. According to him, “the justices of the Supreme Court in that judgement were of the view that they were never eager to review the decision of the President when confronted with a present and imminent danger to lives and property and acted to restore public order and public safety.”
Beyond the legal rigmarole, it would appear that what is germane in determining what happens to the democratic structures in a state during emergency rule period is the circumstance or situation in the
state, the magnitude of the threat to public order and security of citizens and property in such a state. After all, no one remembers the provision of the law in an atmosphere of violence and disorder.
Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) put the matter succinctly when he fielded questions from State House Correspondents on Wednesday. He said: “The government stands on the tripod: the Executive, the Legislature, and the Judiciary, and you (the governor) have made the functioning of government impossible. It is not enough for the Executive, to say, we are spending money, even the money you want to spend, the State Assembly must have appropriated it. These are some of the findings that the Supreme Court made. And at the end of the day, the Supreme Court said, or came to a decision, that the governor’s behaviour was like a despot, and that as the situation was, there was no government in Rivers. If there was no government in Rivers, what would we be looking for?”
Fubara overreached and outplayed himself. He got carried away by the sentimental support he enjoys, and not strategy. He felt that violence would give him what he threw away by not stooping low to win. When some militants issued threats to destroy oil pipelines and other critical infrastructure, the governor failed to dissuade them. In fact, he had said openly that he would tell the people when to act. And a week after, some oil installations went up in flames. No one needs a soothsayer to understand what enabled the destruction. The governor also prevented 27 lawmakers from performing their work and even demolished the state assembly complex. He moved the four lawmakers loyal to him to the Government House, where they usurped the
job losses if unionisation is not enforced.
Speaking during the protest, the Senior Deputy General Secretary and Head of Industrial Relations at NUCECFWW, Comrade Ayo Balogun, said the union had made several attempts to engage Daewoo on the matter but received no response.
“We have been trying to unionise these workers for nearly four years, but the management
legislative functions of the 32-member assembly. Declaring emergency rule on Rivers, President Tinubu had said, among other things, in his address: “Some militants had threatened fire and brimstone against their perceived enemy of the governor who has up till now not disowned them. Apart from that, both the House and the governor have not been able to work together. Both of them do not realise that they are in office to work together for the peace and good governance of the state.”
Those criticising the declaration of emergency rule in Rivers on the grounds that President Tinubu, while in opposition, strongly condemned the emergency declaration by former President Jonathan in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states conveniently forgot to mention Tinubu’s opposition to former Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki who muscled the state assembly and particularly refused to inaugurate the 14 lawmakers who were duly elected by their constituents till the end of his tenure. Tinubu called out Obaseki, labeling him a despot who emasculated the legislature, which is pivotal to the functioning of democracy, the same way he has condemned Governor Fubara.
Again, the National Assembly, particularly the House of Representatives, has added democratic components to the emergency proclamation by announcing regular oversight on the work of the administrator and the National Assembly performing the law-making functions of the Rivers State Assembly as provided for in the constitution. The emergency declaration also helped to save Fubara, despite his imprudence, from the seemingly-imminent impeachment, which would have taken him out completely for the duration of his tenure and rendered him ineligible for any election going forward.
has ignored our letters, even when we copied all relevant authorities,” he said. Balogun added that unlike Daewoo workers in Bonny and Port Harcourt, who have collective bargaining agreements, those in Kaduna lack conditions of service.
“Most of them do not even have employment letters; they are treated as casual workers,” he said.
In the final analysis, the President has demonstrated courage and exemplary leadership by acting to save the nation from what would have adversely affected her economic fortunes and reverse the gains already made. Oil production, which some years ago went as low 900, 000 bpd, is today hovering around 1.6 million bpd. Important governmental initiatives such as NELFUND for indigent students and CREDICORP, vital infrastructure projects being embarked upon by the government like road networks as well as monthly hefty receipts by state governors from the federal allocation accounts would have all been imperilled if the President had delayed taking that decisive action. What is required now, in my view, is for political stakeholders in the country, particularly Niger Delta leaders, to rally round, rein in the feuding parties - suspended Governor Fubara, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike and the state House of Assembly members - and ensure a quick return to normalcy in Rivers State and a final resolution of the political crisis. Minister Wike must come down from his high horse and suspended Governor Fubara must eat the humble pie. Already, the National Assembly has moved to take an important step in this direction by indicating it would set up a body of eminent leaders to help resolve the crisis among the contending parties and return the state to the path of peace and tranquillity. The federal lawmakers deserve commendation for acting expeditiously to approve the emergency declaration and for their resolve to ensure a quick resolution of the crisis.
• Rahman is Senior Special Assistant to President Tinubu on Media, Publicity & Special
PDP’s Funsho Williams had been declared the winner even before the votes had been collated. Obasanjo and the PDP had taken the governorships of the other five south-west states in an operation executed with military precision. How Tinubu survived the blitzkrieg is a story to be told another day, preferably by him. The long and short of it was that Obasanjo could not take him out.
But Tinubu still felt very vulnerable with the Plateau development. He condemned Obasanjo, declared the suspension of the governor as illegal and unconstitutional, and raised the alarm that he was also a target. AD leaders condemned Obasanjo’s action as well. The “progressives” rose up against Obasanjo. Respected constitutional experts, including the late Prof Ben Nwabueze, told Obasanjo he did not have the right to suspend an elected governor. Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi, representing Lagos West, told reporters in Abuja: “This is a sad day for democracy. It’s a day we should hang our heads, not celebrate.” However, Obasanjo’s men and lapdogs supported the action.
It’s been well recounted how President Goodluck Jonathan came under fire from Tinubu in May 2013 for declaring emergency rule in three north-eastern states — Adamawa, Borno and Yobe — to tackle Boko Haram. Jonathan did not even suspend any governor, yet Tinubu took him to the cleaners, describing the action as “a deliberate ploy to subvert constitutional democracy”. Yes, he said it. Hear him: “The body language of the Jonathan administration
‘AYE’
Someone said if they explain Nigeria to you and you understand, then they didn’t explain it well. Aware that it was going to be difficult or even impossible to get the constitutionally stipulated two-thirds majority to approve the emergency rule in Rivers, the leadership of the national assembly chose to do “voice vote”. Did they even form quorum? Why not do a headcount for the sake of transparency if they were really sure of themselves? Then, how will saying “aye” and “nay” give us the accurate figure of those who voted for and against the motion? Our lawmakers have never covered themselves in glory but they took duplicity to a higher level on Thursday. Abracadabra.
leads any keen watcher of events with unmistakable conclusion of the existence of a surreptitious but barely disguised intention to muzzle [these] elected governments for… diabolic partisanship geared towards 2015.” It was all politics!
Mr Mohammed Bello Adoke, then attorney-general, said he had advised against suspending the governors because no single constitutional provision gives the president such powers. If the framers wanted the governor suspended, they would have so stated. Suspending a governor is too weighty to skip the minds of the framers. A basic interpretation principle is that what the law does not provide for, you cannot import into it. Adoke said what Obasanjo did in Plateau in 2004 — and repeated in Ekiti in 2006 — was unconstitutional. They don’t make attorneys-general like Adoke anymore. He was hated by the PDP hawks for this but he stood his ground. Credit to Jonathan for standing by him.
Well, the PDP is long gone — since May 29, 2015, to be precise — but the APC that fought “for democracy” is now doing the same things they used to criticise. All the acidic statements issued against the PDP back in the day by the APC, usually signed by Alhaji Lai Mohammed, are still valid — all you have to do is delete anywhere “PDP” appears and replace it with “APC”. Bizarrely, it is now the turn of PDP (or SDP or whoever) “to rescue Nigeria from dictatorship” and “save our democracy”. I laugh! I am not saying our politicians should not talk a good
game. I am only saying I’ve seen enough not to be deceived into seeing it as a game between saints and sinners. The APC is my witness.
After the protracted face-off between Governor Simi Fubara and Chief Nyesom Wike, Tinubu finally gave Rivers the Obasanjo treatment on Tuesday by declaring emergency rule. He suspended Fubara and the house of assembly for six months. First, let it be on record that I am against the fact that Fubara started fighting with Wike so early. He was naïve to think he could take out Wike so easily. That was tactless. A Yoruba proverb says a child does not start investigating his father’s death until he can handle the sword. Let it also be on record that I am against how Fubara bulldozed the assembly complex and started presenting bills to just four out of 31 lawmakers. What is wrong is wrong. That said, Wike himself is too intense in his desire to control his political base. I know that no politician wants to be muscled out in the game. He will be aware that the day Tinubu drops him from the cabinet, he will become stark naked without controlling his Rivers’ base the same way the president sits on top of Lagos state. So, I can smell Wike’s anxiety and insecurity. But he has been picking fights with too many of his friends and allies. He needs to pause at some point and rethink his politics. No doubt, he is an achiever: nobody can go to Port Harcourt or Abuja and deny his footprints on those cities. But he risks sacrificing
Some commentators have tried to justify the emergency rule in Rivers by referring to the Emergency Powers Act 1961 that the Balewa government used to suspend the Western Region government in 1962. They contend that the law is still valid. The late Prof Ben Nwabueze addressed this issue as far back as 2004 by explaining that the law lapsed under section 65(2) of the 1960 Constitution which defined its lifespan. It was no longer in force thereafter, he wrote, and it was not even reproduced in the Laws of Nigeria 1990. That apart, I think the framers of the 1979/1999 Constitutions would have incorporated the provisions under section 305 if they wanted the laws and regulations retained. Easy.
When you think it is all calm and quiet, then another eruption. The naira-for-crude deal between the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd and local refineries seemed to be going well, at least in my reckoning. Then we woke up one day to learn that it had ended and a renewal was being negotiated. In the meantime, the Dangote refinery has stopped loading products for local markets, a situation that could cause shortages and hurt the economy. I have lost interest in the underlying politics but whatever the issues are, they have to be sorted out. Why do we wait till the end of a deal before renegotiating? Why create an avoidable lacuna? Why are we always like this? Ridiculous.
in Plateau State. That was the first in this dispensation. Plateau State had been rocked by ethno-religious violence that, by some account, led to the death of about 5000 people. In his broadcast, Obasanjo savaged the governor of the state, Mr. (later Senator) Joshua Dariye: “As at today, there is nothing on ground and no evidence whatsoever to show that the state governor has the interest, desire, commitment, credibility and capacity to promote reconciliation, rehabilitation, forgiveness, peace, harmony and stability. If anything, some of his utterances, his lackadaisical attitude and seeming uneven-handedness over the salient and contending issues present him as not just part of the problem, but also as an instigator and a threat to peace.”
Obasanjo suspended Dariye and the members of the state’s House of Assembly. (He initially didn’t suspend the deputy governor, but the National Assembly included this in their approval.) Obasanjo appointed General M.C. Alli (rtd.) as the sole administrator for a period of six months.
It was the turn of Ekiti State on 18th October 2006. Prior to the proclamation of emergency rule in the state by President Obasanjo, three people were claiming to be the governor of the state: Mr. Ayo Fayose, who had been impeached in a controversial manner by the state legislators on 16th October 2006; Mrs. (later Senator) Abiodun Olujimi, the state’s deputy governor, who was impeached alongside the governor; and Chief Friday Aderemi, the speaker of the House of Assembly, who had upgraded himself to acting governor.
It is worth adding that 24 of the 26 legislators started the move to impeach Fayose after they were repeatedly quizzed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The legislators sacked the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Kayode Bamisile, when he set up a seven-member investigatory panel that they thought was loyal to Fayose. They appointed an acting chief judge who did their bidding; then they proceeded to impeach Fayose and his deputy to make the speaker the acting governor. Obasanjo said there was a breakdown of constitutional order which could lead to further violence and instability. He came hard on the state legislators for their overreach. He suspended the governor, the deputy governor, the acting governor and the state legislators for six months. He appointed Brig-Gen Tunji Olurin (rtd.) as administrator for the same period.
On 14th May 2013, President Goodluck Jonathan proclaimed a state of emergency in three states in the North East after an escalation of attacks by Boko Haram on government targets and security forces in the affected states. The emergency was to ensure a surge in military deployment and to give the troops and other security agencies the latitude “to take all necessary action... to put an end to the impunity of insurgents and terrorists.” The governors and state legislators were not suspended, and rightly so—probably because they were not evidently part of the crisis (unlike the way Dariye and Fayose were in their respective states).
However, part of the approval that President Jonathan got was for the three governors and the legislators to take instructions on security issues from him or whoever he designated and to have power over the allocations to the states only for compensation and rehabilitation of those affected by the order. These too were extra-ordinary measures not expressly allowed in the constitution. If the gazetted proclamation had not been amended by the National Assembly, Jonathan wanted the governors and legislators to take instructions from him on all matters while their states were under emergency rule and for him to have the liberty to expend the allocations due to the states. The state of emergency in these states
was extended twice but denied the third time. This was the only emergency that went beyond six months.
Now, to the patterns. The first is that there is always a sharp and strong difference of opinion anytime a state of emergency is declared. There has not been any time that a proclamation met with universal approval. Or disapproval. No matter the proximate cause and no matter how light or harsh the extraordinary measures deployed are, the declaration of emergency rule usually surfaces division. This division can take interesting turns. Obasanjo suspended Dariye and Fayose, both of whom are Christians, one from the North Central and the other from the South West. And both were governors produced from the same party as Obasanjo, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). That didn’t make the suspensions less controversial.
The leadership of PDP supported and lobbied for both suspensions. The opposition was divided on Dariye’s: the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) supported the suspension while the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) strongly opposed it. The Conference of Nigerian Political Party (CNPP) accused Obasanjo of having a hidden agenda. The north was divided: the Christian north was against; while most from the Muslim north were in support. Middle Belt Forum described the emergency as hasty and unjust. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) not only condemned the state of emergency as unfair but also called for same treatment for Kano State where there had been reprisal attacks.
The emergency in Ekiti was opposed not just by the opposition parties but also by the Nigeria Governors Forum (then headed by Governor Lucky Igbinedion) and a group of parliamentarians mostly from PDP under the aegis of the 2007 Movement who alleged that Obasanjo was trying to resuscitate the defeated Third Term Agenda by moving to declare emergency in states and possibly in the whole country. This was the time when a legislative approval of the proclamation looked most unlikely. The states affected by Jonathan’s state of emergency in 2013 were opposition and northern states; and all Muslims while he is Christian. The fact that he didn’t remove the governors should have minimised the division. But most northerners, especially those from the North East, condemned the action. The main opposition parties, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), naturally opposed Jonathan.
The second pattern, which is related to the first, is that political parties and prominent individuals pitch their tent based on their political alignments or interests. All Progressives Congress (APC) whose legacy parties stridently opposed earlier iterations of emergency rule and suspension of governors is now the leading advocate of what it used to oppose. In the same vein, PDP is now the leading antagonist of what it used to actively promote. There are also individuals who have taken interesting positions. The case of a certain Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as governor of Lagos State, is well known. On 19 May 2004, he issued a statement declaring the suspension of Dariye as unconstitutional: “there is no doubt that the proclamation…is a brazen breach of the constitution and portends grave danger to the republic.” He is now the same person who, as president, has imposed emergency rule in Rivers State and has suspended the governor, deputy governor and the state legislators.
Late Gani Fawehinmi, SAN, condemned Dariye’s suspension as wrong and “a violation of the constitution” and a throwback to 1962 (when the first state of emergency was declared in the Western
everything and everyone on the altar of political nerves. Are we really surprised at Tinubu’s action? He is a godfather himself and has quenched every rebellion in Lagos, including the recent attempt to remove the speaker without his express approval. Wike is not only his minister but also played a key role in weakening his own party, the PDP, in the 2023 presidential election to help Tinubu. Wike is also holding down the party ahead of 2027, so there are no prizes for guessing why Tinubu is in his corner. And as Olusegun Adeniyi, the frontline columnist, wrote, Fubara and his advisers failed to reckon with federal might in picking this fight. In the words of Bolaji Abdullahi, the former youth and sports minister, “Nigeria will always defeat you.”
I am aware of the argument that there was a breakdown of law and order in Rivers. But it was a crisis that could have been resolved with sincerity and without a state of emergency. Fubara had started retracing his steps after the Supreme Court ruling. There were no other issues that could not have been resolved over dinner. I am also aware of the news that a pipeline was “bombed” supposedly by militants loyal to Fubara — a perfect setting to justify the declaration of emergency rule a few hours later. We know all these things. With all the huffing and puffing, we know that the whole drama is not about food, shelter and clothing for the poor people of Rivers. Fellow Nigerians, it is all politics.
Has anybody heard former president Olusegun Obasanjo comment on the state of emergency declared in Rivers state by President Bola Tinubu? Did I miss it? I have been googling without success. This is very unlike Obasanjo. He usually has an opinion on every national issue. He is not known to be a fan of Tinubu and they have been having a cat-and-mouse game for as long as I can remember. You would expect Obasanjo to be the first to comment on such a critical matter. Let me be fair to him: what would he say? Let me guess: “What Tinubu has done by declaring a state of emergency and suspending the governor is unconstitutional and an act of dictatorship.” Hahaha.
Region). He asked Obasanjo himself to resign. But Fawehinmi expressly supported Fayose’s suspension, urged the National Assembly to ratify the presidential proclamation and called on EFCC to arrest and try Fayose for alleged corrupt practices. It is possible to square Fawehinmi’s position: he probably believed the president (and not the governors) should have overall responsibility for security in states but he would support any means to fight corruption. But how is one suspension inferior to another suspension?
The 2013 emergency in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states had an unusual critic: Chief E.K. Clark. He said there was nothing like a partial state of emergency and that the three governors and the state legislators should be suspended. On 24th April 2014, Chief Clark issued a statement that: “There is nothing like partial declaration of a state of emergency in the 1999 Constitution; what section 305(c) of the 1999 Constitution contemplates is the recourse to ‘...extraordinary measures to restore peace and security’ where there is ‘breakdown of public order and public safety.’ This in effect means that all democratic institutions should be suspended to permit the military exercise full control until peace and order returns.”
It is conceivable that, were he alive, Chief Clark would have (for obvious reasons) decried the state of emergency in Rivers State.
The third pattern is that despite the strident opposition, within and outside the political space, National Assembly members have always approved presidential proclamations of state of emergency.
In some instances, there would be open debate; but in all instances, they go into executive sessions (including sometimes into more than one such session in a day) where they are possibly briefed on and where they likely discuss intelligence reports that cannot be put in the open. I don’t know if they find such intelligence reports convincing. But I reckon that legislators concede that whoever is the president has overall responsibility for national security and has more information than they could possibly have and they would therefore not want to second-guess him or stand in his way or give him an excuse.
I think this applies even when the president and the legislators are at loggerheads or have a cold relationship as in 2006 (when they threw out Third Term but still approved a state of emergency in Ekiti) and in 2013 (when Sen. Aminu Tambuwal as speaker and Jonathan were not the best of buddies and the House still approved emergency in the three North East states). This may also be the reason why the Supreme Court that found against the Federal Government on many issues would decline to rule that the suspension of governors is illegal.
Sometimes, there are other considerations such as small opposition parties going along with their bigger parties because of the day they would need them. Quid pro quo is part of parliamentary politics. Some of the legislators can also be conflicted: having openly supported state of emergency while in the ruling party, some may find it difficult to oppose just because they are now in opposition. So, after the huffing and puffing, the approval process usually becomes a way to fulfil all righteousness: the minority have their say while the majority have their way. Those opposed put their position on record and for those who look up to them. This is also probably why they don’t insist on division or actual counting of votes. Also, members pick their battles, as it is not every hill that is worth dying on. Only three members were seen on record to have spoken against the approval on Thursday and largely they focused on process issues: Senator Seriake Dickson and Hon. Fred Agbedi, both Ijaws from Bayelsa State; and Hon.
Obi Aguocha, a Labour Party (LP) member from Abia State. Another pattern is that though the constitution specifically prescribes ratification by two-thirds of all members of each of the two chambers, the voting is mostly done through consensus or results announced without actual tallying done. The closest to a vote was in 2004 when 95 senators were present on the day the proclamation was approved. After the executive session it was announced that 90 senators voted for and five voted against. The then Senate President, Senator Adolphus Wabara, asked those against to move to a side of the chambers reserved for minority parties: four from AD and one from PDP (Sen. Uche Chukwumerije). Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi, one of the four AD senators, protested, asking for a proper division where each senator would stand up, mention their name and signify how they vote. He was overruled. In the House of Reps, it was reported that 261 members voted in favour and 30 against. But there was no record of actual tallying. In fact, Hon. John Longhor, spokesperson of the Plateau State caucus they had a list of 59 people against. The situation was the same in 2006 and 2013: either those opposed failed to turn up or just allowed the majority to have their way. Sometimes, a number would be announced (as in the total of members that signed the attendance register that day). In 2013, for example, it was announced that 100 senators and 253 members were in attendance when the harmonised version of the proclamation was passed in the two chambers on 24th May 2013. Sometimes, these numbers are contested, but feebly. Even for constitutional amendment, which equally requires two-thirds of all members, there is no evidence that actual rollcall or headcount takes place even when there are mechanisms for electronic voting in the chambers now.
There is a special buzz about inappropriateness/inadequacy of voice vote/community voting for approval of the state of emergency in Rivers State. A solid case can be made for this. The fact that approval was done unanimously/collectively in the past does not mean such a practice should become the norm. The fact that questions were not asked before does not nullify the need for the current questions. Today should be better than yesterday. Especially on contested issues, the threshold for transparency and accountability should consistently be high. I have gathered that some of those opposed to the state of emergency believed that the supporters did not have the numbers for legislative approval. They may or may not be right.
The way to check that would have been to actually test it by doing the heavy lifting of mobilising the applicable party and zonal caucuses before and during the vote for approval. You can’t change a system if you don’t understand its workings or you are not ready to do the work that can move the needle. Imagine if the leadership of the opposition parties had met with their parties members (and even sympathisers in the ruling party) and taken a unified positions before Thursday, had secured a list of those who would be voting against, had all gathered in the gallery to monitor proceedings and to provide guidance and support to their members, and if the opposition parties had insisted on division or actual headcount or had threatened to walk out en masse if that was not done. That is the realm of real politick. The majority could still have had its way, but would have had to sweat really hard for it. Such an approach would have been more meaningful than vacuous and performative acts like addressing the press while the voting was going on or releasing statements or sowing threads on social media after the fact.
PresidentBolaTinubuhasdealtafatal punch on Nigeria’s democratic prospects. As the head of the executive branch, he has injured the judiciary andsubvertedthelegislatureinwhat promises to be a dangerous drift towards authoritarianism. On the Rivers crisis, the Supreme Court ruled on the side of deployingdemocraticmethodstoresolveoutstanding issues in the crisis.The embattled Governor, Mr. SiminalayiFubara,wasintheprocessofobeyingthe SupremeCourtwhenTinubustruckalethalpolitical blow. The path of democratic resolution was shut in preference for the President’s preference for authoritarian fiat.
AnuntidyStateofEmergencywasdeclaredtothe astonishment of the nation. The President hastily announced a suspension of the governor and his deputy as well as all democratic structures in the state.Heappointedasoleadministratorforthestate and inaugurated Mr. Ebas, a retired Navy Chief to run the oil rich State as he deems fit for the next six months.Withliterallynoimmediatenationalsecurity concern, the Attorney General of the federation tacitly admitted that the presidential action may have been somewhat hasty but was in a bid to avert an anticipated ugly security situation in the future; thefearofwhathadnotyettakenplace.Buttheconstitution provides for real credible security threats or real insecurity, not speculative fears of dangers lurking in the unknown future. You cannot invoke a constitutionalmeasureagainstananticipatoryrisk!
The expectation that the National Assembly could overturn the strange emergency declaration has also been dubiously subverted. Instead of a straightforward electronic or manual vote count followed by a numerical count to determine two thirds majority on either side of the proposition, the two arms of the National Assembly adopted a nebulous voice vote to hastily and sheepishly approve the presidential declaration of an emergency over Rivers state. There was hardly any informed debate on such a serious matter took place on the floor of the National Assembly.There was scarcely any review of the security situation in the state to necessitatetheemergencydeclaration.Justarobotic rubber stamp “yes” in a manner that has become signature for theTinubu era legislature. No one has yet verified the veracity of beer parlor rumours that the parliamentary rubber stamp came at a prices ranging from $25,000(for senators) and $10,000 (for representatives)!
Prior to this sorry rubberstamp endorsement, national outcry against the declaration of the emergencyhadgoneviralandwidespread.Informed voices in Rivers State had cried out. So also had the leaders of the South South region, the Ijaw ethnic nationality and opposition political figures in the state. Governors of the South South zone had unanimously opposed the president’s declaration and suspension of Fubara and his Deputy. Notable lawyers in the nation have either as individuals or associations punched legal holes on the process and substance of the emergency declaration. Moresignificantly,keynationaloppositionfigures have since been screaming themselves hoarse on the illegality of the path taken by the president to arriveatthiscuriousemergencydeclaration.Messrs AtikuAbubakarofthePDP,PeterObioftheLP,Nasir El-RufaioftheSDPandahostofothersmallerparty voices have screamed out at the illegality and unconstitutionality of the entire process. It has been reported that the main opposition PDP has headed to court to challenge the emergency imposition. Ordinarily,asecuritydeteriorationinanypartofthe nationthatcouldwarrantaStateofEmergencyought to be self evident. The danger to national security oughttobesoself-evidentthatthepublicmoodwould in fact demand that the president declare a state of emergency.NoneofthatwasevidentinRiversstate in the last one week. But the president went ahead tomakehiscuriousdeclaration,givingthejudgment of the Supreme Court or the democratic process no room to resolve the issues in question through dialogue.Instead,thePresidentassumedtheroleof grandarbiterbydeclaringgovernorFubaraguiltyon allcounts.Heaccusedthegovernorofwillfuldamage topublicpropertythroughthemaliciousdemolition oftheStateHouseofAssembly.Heequallyaccused the governor of single-handedly precipitating the politicalcrisisinthestateandrebuffingearlierpeace overtures towards a resolution.
In its totality, the presidential broadcast making the emergency declaration was anything but statesmanlike. It was one-sided. It failed to balance theblamesbetweenFubaraandhistraducers,espe-
ciallythebullishFCTMinister,NyesomWike. It hardly mentioned Mr. Wike who is clearly the architect of the entire Rivers crisis. In assumingthatWikeisinnocent,thepresident was taking on a partisan stance that vilified the PDP and exonerated his own APC. The troublethoughisthathismanWikeisneither in PDP nor in APC. He is a political bat that can only happen in the Nigerian political landscape. It is a matter of serious concern that the president of the federal republic of Nigeria seemed too afraid to mention the name of Mr. Wike who is commonly known as the author of the crisis in Rivers State.
Not in one instance did the president mention the nefarious role of his Minister of the FCT and de facto Warrant Chief, Mr. Nyesom Wike, who has made the political destabilization of Rivers State an adjunct of his role as FCT Minister. It is road side knowledge that since he was appointed FCTMinister, Mr.Wike has spent more time fomenting political trouble in Rivers state than ensuring tolerable governance in the disorderly Federal Capital Territory which hasrecentlybecomethecrimeheadquarters of the nation.
On a political scale, the entire declaration of an unwarranted State of Emergency in Rivers State flies in the face of all sensible definitions of statesmanship or adherence to constitutional democracy. Its political undertone is implicit in Tinubu’s inclusions and exclusions in the text of the broadcast.
Themoveincreasinglyresonateswiththe President’s anxiety about his political future in2027.Itiscommonknowledgethatinorder to win a presidential election in Nigeria, a candidate needs to win the majority vote in a number of key population centres and
states:Lagos,River/PortHarcourt,KanoandAbuja. In2023,Tinubunearlylostthepresidentialelection because he was trounced in his Lagos home base, AbujaandKano.Heonly‘won’inRiversbecauseWike was on ground to allegedly manipulate the votes in his home Obio Akpor Local Government area of Port Harcourt to deliver Rivers toTinubu.This feat and fiat byWike added to what soldWike toTinubu as a political contractor of immense value coupled with his use value as a permanent destabilizer of the opposition PDP and neutralizer of the Atiku Abubakar threat.
As things stand today, Wike remains Tinubu’s mostvaluablepolitical assetoutsidehisSouthWest home base where his stronghold has narrowed to the Lagos and Ogun areas from where the majority of his political appointees have been drawn. The other major vote catchment centres are all up for grabs by strong political opponents.
Beyond this nefarious investment in Wike as a dangerous geo political capital,Tinubu recognizes the strategic importance of the Niger Delta in the nation’seconomicsandpolitics.Itisazoneofsleeping instability that can alter –for good or ill- the context of the nation’s economy and security architecture. The heavily armed miscreants in the Ijaw creeks cannegatethebillionsofdollarsannuallybudgeted on defence spending by the Nigerian state Those rough kids in dugout wooden boats can alter the calculations about the global energy outlook and even determine oil prices in far away Vienna. It is therefore quite possible that Mr.Tinubu may have erred on the side of political caution by this hasty declarationtoavoidsecurityembarrassmentshould the Rivers situation get out of hand.
Whatevermaybehispromptingonthisdisastrous State of Emergency declaration, Mr. Tinubu has walked into a political minefield of multiple bad possibilities. By failing to name Wike as a wrong egg in the pack, he has consecrated the man into
a political Warrant Chief of sorts who can hardly be touched without grave harm coming to the political calculationsofthepresidenttowards2027.Bysinglehandedly suspending or impeaching Fubara,Tinubu has made himself a partisan in the political fight in Rivers. And to the best of my knowledge, Rivers is a precarious place to declare your partisanship so early in a brewing political fight.
Asthingsnowstand,itwouldbedifficulttodissuade the common people of Rivers state from feeling a sense of victimhood.The Supreme Court had ruled against their entitlement to their constitutionally guaranteed federal revenue because of disagreements among politicians. Now the president has declared an emergency garrison rule over them thus placing them under an implicit military rule, thereby reducing further their freedoms and rights as Nigerian citizens. The ordinary Rivers person in Port Harcourt or Bonny is bound to ask: “What have wedonetodeservethistreatment?” Do the peoples of the South South region have a right to feel that Tinubu is treating them like a zone of conquered people? Such a feeling of alienation has political consequences which I am sure both Tinubu and his handlers fully understand.
Worse still, by taking unconstitutional steps to declare and sustain his State of Emergency, Tinubu may have walked in the direction of early steps towards unconstitutional and authoritarian rule. On that route, his highly informed opponents in the race for 2027 are waiting with a public that is already weaponized and angry against him for reasons of economic desperation and hardship. A largely unpopular president would be taking a big risk by taking actions that alienate significant populations.
A slide towards naked authoritarianism and unconstitutional rule cannot possibly enhance the re-election chances of an unpopular president who is merely surviving on a tenuous mandate.
Edited by: Duro Ikhazuagbe
email:duro.Ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com
Duro Ikhazuagbe
Super Eagles’ Captain, William Ekong, has said that the three-time African champions have made a statement with the 2-0 victory over Rwanda in Kigali last Friday. The Al Kholood FC of Saudi
Arabia Pro League central defender, said before departing Kigali International Airport on Saturday morning for Uyo that Super Eagles have started the recovery process in the 2026 World Cup qualifying process after a dismal start to the campaign.
“It was important to make the statement that we did, and we’re all happy about it, and the way
Castle Lite, a flagship premium beer brand of International Breweries PLC (IBPLC), has announced its groundbreaking partnership with the National Basketball Association (NBA).
This historic collaboration positions Castle Lite as the Official Beer Partner of the NBA in Africa, underscoring its dedication to fostering active lifestyles, connections, and unforgettable entertainment experiences for basketball fans.
Speaking on the partnership, Route-to-Market and Trade Marketing Director, International Breweries Plc, Yvonne Onyejiaka, stated, “Castle Lite’s partnership with the NBA stems from our commitment to offering a unique experience that blends sports, culture, and entertainment. The NBA brand resonates strongly with the Castle Lite target audience in Nigeria; a youthful demography that values active lifestyle, entertainment, and fashion. This partnership enables us to bring these
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Continuing, Onyejiaka noted that Castle Lite is not just about refreshment; it’s about celebrating vibrant lifestyles and fostering connections. Through Lite Side of the Court, the brand aims to elevate the consumer experience by offering an exciting mix of NBA games, fashion showcases, live music, and unparalleled fun. The dynamic platform will allow Castle Lite to engage with its audience on a deeper level, creating lasting memories and strong brand connections.
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we did it. Of course, we have not qualified and there’s still a lot of work, but we have started the recovery in a good way and we just have to keep working hard.
“I don’t want to go into the circumstances that made the first four matches go the way they went. The good thing is we can still recover and revive the campaign, and we have done that.”
Ekong’s firm leadership, and Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman and Simon Moses’ zest at the fore, were all too evident and impactful as the Eagles coasted to a 2-0 win over hosts Rwanda at the Amahoro Stadium, throwing up nostalgia of the strong squad that wowed all and came within 23 minutes of lifting the Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire early last year.
As the chartered ValueJet Airline’s CRJ-900 aircraft touched down at the Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo at exactly 2pm on Saturday, Ekong told thenff.comthat he would be rallying the troops ahead of Tuesday’s Match- day 6 encounter against the Warriors of Zimbabwe.
“We read somewhere that the Zimbabweans are being
motivated to come to Uyo and get a result. They should forget it. We are hugely motivated by the ambition to play at the FIFA World Cup. Apart from myself and Alex (Iwobi) and perhaps a couple others, who were part of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, this generation is hungry to play at the highest level. We want to make Nigeria proud and at the same time, do ourselves proud.”
NBA legend, Charles Barkley, was amongst early sports icons that paid tributes to late boxing heavyweight champion, George Foreman, who died late Friday evening.
Similarly, other NBA stars like Magic Johnson and Scottie Pippen took to their X accounts to speak about the departed boxing icon. Mike Tyson also sent in his condolence
Speaking on CBS Sports, Barkley said he got to know Foreman and always “picked his brain about trying to be an entrepreneur when your career is over.”
The former basketball player said Foreman’s death “hurts a lot.”
“He was obviously one of the greatest boxers ever, but just a
gentle man, he was a pastor - and it just hurts man, plain and simple”, he adds.
“I’m shook up right now, that caught me so off guard,” concludes Barkley.
Magic Johnson on the other hand said he was sad to hear of the death of one of his “boxing heroes”, adding that he attended many of Foreman’s fights throughout his career.
“He was a knockout artist in the ring, and it was a pleasure getting to know him not only as a boxer but as a man”, stressed Johnson . Alongside a picture of Foreman during one of his wins, Pippen writes: “Rest in peace, George Foreman. Your legacy lives on, champ.”
Heavyweight champion and Olympian Mike Tyson shared some old photos with George Foreman, as the boxer posts his condolences to social media.
“Condolences to George Foreman’s family. His contribution to boxing and beyond will never be forgotten,” Tyson noted.
Along with his remarkable comeback, George Foreman’s boxing career is most associated with a fight which he lost against Muhammed Ali - but which is now regarded as possibly the most iconic bout in the sport’s history.
Pesident of the Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria (YSFON), Dr. Nasiru Gawuna, has congratulated the Super Eagles of Nigeria for their impressive performance against Rwanda in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in Kigali.
Nigeria edged Rwanda 2-0 through a first half brace by Victor Osimhen in the match played at theAmahoro Stadium on Friday.
In a statement, signed by Chairman, YSFON Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Johnson Akinsehinwa, Gawuna commended the Eagles for igniting the hopes of the citi-
zens on the road to World Cup 2026. He praised the players and their handlers for the team spirit which he urged them to sustain.
Gawuna noted that sports remain a unifying factor in Nigeria, saying: “At YSFON , we are determined to make sports the centre of attraction. We will meaningfully engage
our youths through various sporting activities.
“Nigeria has enormous talents waiting to be harnessed into meaningful venture. Sports is the way to go”. He also urged governments at all levels to be intentional and deliberate about sports development for the good of the nation.
Jonathan to Three Arms of Govt
“No businessman can bring his money to invest in a country where the judiciary is compromised; where government functionaries can dictate to judges what judgment they will give” – Former President Jonathan berating the three arms of government for abusing their powers on Rivers State crisis
simon.kolawole@thisdaylive.com,
If anyone had told me in 2004 that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu would one day, as president of Nigeria, declare emergency rule in a state and suspend a governor because of a squabble between a godfather and his godson, I would have said: “Stop it! Tinubu would never do that!”
But you should forgive me: those were the days I still vehemently believed the battle for the soul of Nigeria was between the good guys and the bad guys, the forces of good and the forces of evil, the progressives and the reactionaries, the heroes and the villains. I was a sympathiser of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and Afenifere. I loved their rhetoric about “principles”, democracy, rule of law, justice and all.
But I gained my freedom from the fantasy sometime in 2006 when I saw the “progressives” and the “reactionaries” romancing each other on the podium “to fight President Olusegun Obasanjo’s dictatorship” and “rescue our democracy”. In an article titled ‘Ladies and Gentlemen, It’s All Politics’ (THISDAY, 15/04/2007),
“Each time I see Tom Ikimi and Lam
Adesina stand by each other on the Action Congress soap box, something
President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State has whipped up a lot of passion and even some tension. This is not unexpected. Apart from oft-raised questions about constitutionality, process and partisanship, a state of emergency is an intervention that has far-reaching implications beyond the immediate actors, and can produce significant unintended consequences. Such consequences could include the needless widening of ethnic, regional and religious fault-lines, and even the seeding of future and more consequential instability. Since a lot depends on the judgement call of one man—the president, who can also be an interested party—this is a highly sensitive tool. The declaration of a state of emergency should only be a last resort, invoked after all other good-faith interventions have evidently failed, and its use should be seriously circumscribed. There are some safeguards erected in Section 305 of the 1999
was formed in 2013 “to rescue Nigeria from bad governance” and “save our democracy”, I chuckled — but I was still happy that the opposition was finally getting its act together to take on the PDP. In an article titled ‘Every Reason to Cheer’ (THISDAY, 01/12/2013), I wrote: “I do not believe PDP is a party of sinners and APC is a party of saints. I do not believe only PDP rigs or only PDP is filled with corrupt and inept leaders. I would love to say that in order to earn some applause, but my conscience will not allow me. Nigerian politicians, no matter their party, language and religion, are basically the same. Let’s not kid ourselves.” Let’s now travel back to May 2004 when Obasanjo declared emergency rule in Plateau state and suspended Governor Joshua Dariye. Tinubu, then governor of Lagos state, was politically opposed to Obasanjo and had survived the 2003 governorship election by the skin of his teeth. In fact, on the INEC website, I wrote:
dies in me. I easily remember the Sani Abacha era when Chief MKO Abiola was clamped into detention and Lam was taken as ‘prisoner of war’ by the military. Ikimi, then foreign minister, went around the world justifying the murderous reign of Abacha…” That was when I gained my freedom — both as a political animal and a writer. Many people who used to read me before and after 2007 started accusing me of “sitting on the fence”. I laughed. No, I wasn’t sitting on the fence: I only stopped being an idiot. I only overcame deceit and naïvety. As Igbo elders would say, what a dog saw and is barking is the same thing a goat saw and merely grunted. If you want to fool yourself, keep propagating the belief that the battle in Nigerian politics is between the good guys and the bad guys. I started seeing clearly a very long time ago. People will commend something today and condemn the same thing tomorrow depending on their biases. So it goes. That was why when the All Progressives Congress (APC)
Constitution. But it appears these may not be sturdy enough. There is the latitude about actual breakdown and potential breakdown of public order “requiring extraordinary measures to avert such danger.”
Emergency rule, whether mild or maximum, by itself suggests the suspension of normalcy. The window to take unusual measures deemed necessary to restore order is, in my view, too much room. My sense is that the drafters of the constitution intended the legislative arm to provide appropriate and adequate checks. The threshold for legislative approval for emergency is deliberately set high, same as what is needed to approve changes to our rigid constitution: two-thirds of all members of each of the two chambers of our parliament (plus 2/3 of the states for constitutional amendment). However, the drafters obviously did not envisage the various ways in which these could play out in practice.
This is the fourth time emergency rule that will be proclaimed in almost 26 years of uninterrupted civil rule. Without fail, though not
without some drama and minor amendments, the parliamentarians have always approved the requests by the different presidents. This is not necessarily because the legislators have been compromised or because they are always in bed with the executive but may be due to some other reasons that I will get to later. Many speak authoritatively that the emergency powers granted the president in the constitution do not include the suspension of governors, deputy governors and state legislators. They may well be right. But in three out of four times, the governors and legislators have been suspended in the affected states, with approval by the National Assembly, because such suspensions were deemed by their promoters to have fallen within the scope of “extraordinary measures” required to restore order. The final authority on this should be the Supreme Court, and on two occasions the highest court in the land has dismissed suits brought by suspended governors, albeit on technical grounds: that the Supreme Court has original
jurisdiction only in matters instituted by the states or the Federal Government and those governors were not in a position to institute cases for the states when they were under suspension.
To refresh my memory, I have gone back to read media coverage of the three previous proclamations of emergency rule in the Fourth Republic: Plateau State in 2004; Ekiti State in 2006; and Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states in 2013. The details are different, illustrating the point that no two emergencies are the same. Taken together with the current case and the reactions to all of them, I can see some broad patterns. I will use relevant examples from the three cases to illustrate these patterns, without getting into the weeds of the present case.
Before doing this, a quick recap of the contexts. On 18th May 2004, President Olusegun Obasanjo declared a state of emergency
Continued on page 37
s the leadership crisis rocking Rivers State escalated into the destruction of vital oil and gas infrastructure amid looming impeachment threats against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy Ngozi Odu, President Bola Tinubu wielded the big stick last Tuesday imposing a state of emergency on the oil rich state. He suspended the governor, his deputy and the inflexible state House of Assembly for a period of six months, and appointed former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), as the administrator of the state. Following his inauguration on Wednesday, Ibas has begun the critical assignment. The ex-Naval chief has his job cut out for him. He has been called out of retirement to take charge of the affairs of the state and return Rivers to normalcy within six months. This is not a mean task. The
retired Vice Admiral will have to summon all his courage as a soldier and be at his wits’ end to restore order and normalcy.
Expectedly, the declaration of emergency rule on Rivers sparked debate. It elicited criticisms from opposition elements, including the Peoples Democratic Party, and a motley crowd of disgruntled politicians being put together as a coalition group by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. Being opposition politicians that they are, they failed to see the wisdom in President Tinubu acting promptly to save the state and the national economic infrastructure in Rivers. Though many know they are out to promote self-interests, they claim, however, that their grouse is the suspension of the governor, his deputy and the state assembly, contending that the President lacks such powers.
Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which
is the operative provision for the declaration of a state of emergency, to be fair, is silent on the fate of the governor in the face of emergency declaration. Notably, the precedent set in our clime with respect to the fate of the governor during emergency rule is varied. When former President Olusegun Obasanjo imposed emergency rule on Plateau State in May 2004 following a surge in ethno-religious violence that led to widespread killings and destruction, he suspended then Governor Joshua Dariye and the state assembly for six months, and appointed MajorGeneral Chris Alli (rtd) as administrator to restore order in the state. The same thing happened in Ekiti two years later when the state was engulfed in a protracted political crisis. President Obasanjo suspended then Governor Ayo Fayose, his deputy Mrs. Biodun Olujinmi, the state House of Assembly as well as Hon. Friday Aderemi, the then Speaker
of the legislature who was claiming to be acting governor. He appointed retired Brigadier General Tunji Olurin to administer the affairs of the state and maintain security for the next six months.
In the case of former President Goodluck Jonathan, he declared emergency rule in selected local governments most impacted by Boko Haram terrorist attacks in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States in 2013 without upending the political and democratic structures in the affected three states. President Jonathan also retained the chairmen in the impacted local government areas. Jonathan might have spared the three governors then and their houses of assembly because the emergency rule declared in the three states was limited to the most-impacted councils.