SATURDAY 12TH SEPTEMBER 2026

FG Begins Payment of N18bn Severance Benefits to Defunct Nigeria Airways Workers After 22 Years Pays additional N1.1bn exit benefits to 175 civil service retirees Earmarks N32.9bn for 2026

Ndubuisi Francis and James Emejo in Abuja

The federal government yesterday

announced the commencement of payment of N18 billion,

being outstanding severance benefits to 2,700 ex-workers of

the defunct national air carrier, Nigeria Airways.

This comes as the National Continued on page 5

Businesses, Tax Professionals Raise Fresh Concerns Over Implementation of Nigeria’s New Tax Regime...

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Saturday September 12, 2026 Vol 31. No 11479

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At 25th Anniversary Tribute, Trump Links Iran War to 9/11...

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ADC To INEC: Don’t Turn PVC Delays in North-west into Voter Suppression Commission asks court to dismiss Atiku’s suit over Tinubu's certificates

Chuks Okocha and Alex Enumah in Abuja

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on the Independent National

Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately publish a clear nationwide timetable for the

production, distribution and collection of Permanent Voter Cards, warning that no Nigerian

who has successfully registered should be disenfranchised by administrative delays.

The comes as INEC faulted Continued on page 5

26 Months After Judgement, Governors Continue to Strangle LGs, Fuelling Insecurity NULGE: No local govt currently receives allocation directly from federation account State control of funds weakens service delivery, CSO declares RULAAC: Councils should be allowed to control their accounts, statutory allocations

Sunday Ehigiator Twenty-six months after the Supreme Court affirmed financial autonomy for Nigeria’s 774 local government councils, governors are still holding councils in a stranglehold, with labour government workers and civil society groups warning that continued state control of funds meant for the third-tier of government was undermining grassroots development and fuelling insecurity. Despite the landmark judgment, stakeholders say genuine autonomy remains largely elusive, with no local L-R: Father of the 12-year-old artist who recently presented a portrait of First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, to her in Abeokuta, Mr. Bosun Morenikeji; Senior Special Assistant, Public Administration, Office

FIRST LADY REWARDS 12-YEAR-OLD ARTIST...

Continued on page 5

of the First Lady of Nigeria, Mrs. Adeola Bali; Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun; Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs and Strategy, Office of the First Lady of Nigeria, Hon. Wahab Alawiye-King; the artist’s mother, Mrs. Taiwo Morenikeji, and the young artist, Ebunoluwa Morenikeji, holding a dummy cheque of N10 million, being the cash gift promised her by the First Lady in Abeokuta…recently

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At 25th Anniversary Tribute, Trump Links Iran War to 9/11

Sunday Ehigiator with agency report

President Donald Trump yesterday hailed 9/11 victims, survivors and first responders in a poignant Pentagon ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the attacks, but also invoked the tragedy to defend his controversial war with Iran. Trump, who skipped the

main memorial at Ground Zero, eloquently paid tribute to a long and varied list of those who perished in the worst terror attack on United States soil at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and on board a hijacked plane that crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. “When future generations come here in 25, 100 or 250 years, they will stand in a nation

that is free and unyielding in the face of evil,” US-based Daily News quoted Trump to have said. “They will still honor the heroes of 9/11, 2001 who no age will erase from the memory of time. It will never ever be forgotten,” he added. Hewing closely to a somber script, he recalled a young family that were headed to California

and all died in the American Airlines jet that hijackers crashed into the Pentagon. Trump also called on the family of slain FDNY Capt. Timothy Stackpole, who perished while trying to rescue others at the World Trade Center, to stand and accept applause from the crowd. The president struck what some might consider a

discordant note when he used the attacks to bolster his rationale for attacking Iran earlier this year, even though Tehran had no known links to 9/11. “Today we renew the sacred oath that we first swore in their names a quarter of a century ago, we will never, ever forget.,” Trump said. “That’s why we fight today,” “We salute the service

members working right now to ensure the world’s No. 1 sponsor of terror, the Islamic Republic of Iran, will never, ever have a nuclear weapon,” he added. Trump was joined on stage by First Lady Melania Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine and former National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice.

26 MONTHS AFTER JUDGEMENT, GOVERNORS CONTINUE TO STRANGLE LGS, FUELLING INSECURITY government currently receiving its allocation directly from the Federation Account, while governors continue to wield significant influence over council finances, leadership and elections. Speaking with THISDAY, the President-General of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) and National Treasurer of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Aliyu Haruna Kankara, described the situation as unfortunate, while also revealing that no local government currently receives funds directly from the Federation Account. “It’s very unfortunate that after Supreme Court judgment we are still unable to direct for the implementation of the local government autonomy. “As I’m speaking to you now, no local government in Nigeria is receiving funds directly from the Federation Account. And as you know, a Supreme Court pronouncement is a law. So that means 26 months after, the federal

government is still violating the law by not implementing the judgment. “It is very unfortunate, but here we are. That’s why we have been calling on the federal government to implement the judgment. We expect a democratically elected government that has respect for the rule of law, and that’s why we are still calling on the government to do that.” The Supreme Court had in July 2024 ruled in favour of financial autonomy for local governments, in a case instituted by the Federal Government against the 36 state governors. The judgment was widely hailed as a major constitutional intervention aimed at strengthening the third tier of government and ending what critics described as the longstanding practice of state governments controlling funds allocated to local councils. However, Kankara said the implementation gap remained a major concern.

He disclosed that NULGE had written to relevant federal authorities to draw their attention to the need to enforce the judgment. He added: “Yes, we have written to the Minister of Justice. We have written to the Minister of Finance to draw their attention to the fact that this has become a law. It’s no longer about somebody who wants to grant local government autonomy or not. Now it’s a matter of law. So, we have written to them. We are still expecting to hear from them.” Kankara, however, acknowledged that there had been some progress on the political aspect of local government administration, noting that caretaker committees were no longer operating in the states, following the federal government’s earlier decision to withhold allocations from states without elected councils. “However, you could remember some time back,

the prior government decided to withhold allocation in any state that was having caretaker committees administering local government. So, at that time, most of the states that were having caretaker committees, they decided to rush and conduct local government elections. At the moment, we don’t have caretaker committees at the local government,” he said. He stressed that the Supreme Court judgment was primarily concerned with financial autonomy, while administrative and political autonomy would require further constitutional changes. “You see, the Supreme Court judgment, it’s more on financial autonomy. As a union based in the local government, we have been campaigning for financial, administrative and political autonomy to local government councils. “We are yet to get political autonomy and administrative autonomy because it requires

constitutional amendment. “But thank God the Supreme Court had passed judgment on financial autonomy, and they have also done so much to ensure they protect the political leadership at the local government level by ensuring that the provision of Section 7 of the Constitution must always be respected. That is ensuring a democratically elected council at the local government at all times. “My standpoint is that we need full autonomy. When I say full autonomy, I mean financial autonomy, administrative autonomy and political autonomy. And if we really want our local government system to work efficiently and effectively, we have to grant them full autonomy. “Without full autonomy, there is no way the local government system can function effectively. We, as people that are working at the local government level, know very well that it is only full autonomy that can make our local government system work

ADC TO INEC: DON’T TURN PVC DELAYS IN NORTH-WEST INTO VOTER SUPPRESSION a suit by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, accusing President Bola Tinubu of forging his academic certificates as a gross abuse of court process hence should be dismissed. In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said millions of Nigerians who participated in the voter registration exercise deserve certainty about when and where their PVCs will be available. “You cannot register Nigerians to vote and then make them run from office to

office searching for the card that enables them to exercise that right. Registration without access to a PVC is disenfranchisement by another route,” the ADC said. The party called on INEC to immediately publish, state by state, the number of newly registered voters, PVCs produced, cards distributed, outstanding cards and designated collection centres. According to the ADC, the commission must also intensify public information campaigns and decentralise collection

wherever practicable to ensure that distance, bureaucracy and poor communication do not become barriers to participation. “With the general election approaching, Nigerians should not be left wondering whether their cards will arrive in time. This is not a logistical footnote. It goes to the heart of the credibility of the election itself.” The ADC said it would mobilise its structures nationwide to monitor PVC distribution and document complaints from registered

voters unable to obtain their cards. “We do not want an election-eve scramble, excuses or emergency promises. INEC has the opportunity to resolve this matter now, transparently and comprehensively. “Every PVC that remains unnecessarily unavailable represents a citizen whose constitutional voice is at risk of being silenced. That must not be allowed to happen.”

2027: Atiku’s Suit

over Tinubu's Certificates Constitutes Gross Abuse, INEC Tells Court INEC has described the suit by Atiku Abubakar, accusing Tinubu of forging his academic certificates as a gross abuse of court process hence should be dismissed. INEC made the prayers in its counter affidavit it filed in response to Atiku's suit seeking the disqualification of Tinubu from the forthcoming

very well.” Also speaking, the Executive Director, Citizens Center for Integrated Development and Social Rights, Dr. Emeka Ononamadu, described the situation as a serious governance failure, arguing that Nigerians were being deprived of the benefits that should accrue from resources allocated to local governments. “First is that Nigerians are being cruelly cheated and robbed, just completely,” Ononamadu said. He cited the example of a local government which he said received an average of N500 million monthly but had little to show for the huge resources reportedly accruing to it. “I know a local government where community members are challenging the government accounts for over 10 months that has come to that. A local government that gets an average Continued on page 16

presidential election on account of alleged forgery. The reply filed on behalf of INEC by its team of lawyers led by Dr. Alex Izinyon, SAN, noted that the suit did not disclose any reasonable cause and should be dismissed in its entirety. The electoral umpire besides argued that the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) lacked the locus standi (legal right) to institute the action in the first place, adding that the issues raised in the suit were hypothetical and academic.

FG BEGINS PAYMENT OF N18BN SEVERANCE BENEFITS TO DEFUNCT NIGERIA AIRWAYS WORKERS AFTER 22 YEARS Pension Commission (PenCom) yesterday also disclosed that payment of additional exit benefits to retiring civil servants had commenced with N1.1 billion already disbursed to 175 retirees who exited the Federal Public Service between January 1 and August 31, 2026. The airline was liquidated in 2004 by the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo contrary to the recommendation of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank Group for a privatisation option. The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele who briefed journalists in Abuja, disclosed that 2,100 former employees had been paid.

Another 600 beneficiaries in batches eight and nine had been cleared for payment, he said, adding that "altogether, this represents N18 billion in benefits for 2,700 former workers." The minister explained that payments were being made in batches to avoid already verified beneficiaries to continue waiting while outstanding claims were being validated. The benefits, he added, covered different categories of former Nigeria Airways employees, devoid of distinction between junior and senior workers. On beneficiaries who died before receiving their entitlements, the minister said payments would be made to their documented next of kin or other beneficiaries after the required legal processes had been completed.

According to Oyedele, some of the affected workers were already old while waiting for their benefits, while others died, leaving their families to pursue the outstanding entitlements. He stated, “For more than two decades, following the liquidation of Nigeria Airways, many former employees have waited for their outstanding severance benefits. Some have grown old waiting. Some have sadly passed away, leaving their families to pursue what was legitimately due to them.” The minister attributed the payment to a directive by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to resolve the long-standing obligation. He noted that although the severance benefits could not compensate for the over two

decades-long waiting endured by the beneficiaries, the federal government considered it necessary to resolve inherited obligations rather than allow them to linger. “We recognise that no payment today can fully compensate for more than two decades of waiting, but it is important that government confronts these long-standing obligations rather than allowing them to remain unresolved for another generation,” he said. The minister apologised to the former employees of the defunct Air carrier for the long delay before their entitlements were settled, noting that the payments were entitlements rather than favours from the government. He further explained that the settlement was part of the

government’s broader efforts to clear verified inherited obligations, including outstanding payments to pensioners and indigenous contractors. Oyedele stated that the payment to the defunct airline employees was preceded by extensive verification, including biometric capture and validation of personal and banking information, to prevent fraudulent claims. According to him, further verification would be undertaken to address cases involving outdated information, incorrect bank details and deceased beneficiaries who’s next of kin or estates were required to complete the relevant processes. But the minister noted that the government was settling the obligations based on the

amounts documented and verified, in response to a question on whether or not the payments had been adjusted to factor in the current inflation after over 20 years. Inflation, he admitted, had substantially shrunk the value of money over the period, but explained that there was no provision for inflationary adjustments in the settlement. On indigenous contractors, he also disclosed that the federal government had paid outstanding obligations to over 12,000 of them as part of efforts to clear accumulated debts. The government, he disclosed, initially prioritised smaller contractors owed N50 million or less before those with verified claims of up to N100 million.

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NEWS

News Editor: Charles Ajunwa 09157401421 (sms only) Email charles.ajunwa@thisdaylive.com

UNVEILING REMODELLED PREMIER HOTEL IBADAN... L-R: Secretary to the Ekiti State Government (SSG), Prof. Abibat Adubiaro; SSG to Oyo State Government, Prof. Musibau Babatunde; Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa; Secretary to the Government of the COURTESY VISIT... VICTORY ON THEIR MINDS... Federation, Senator George Akume; Group Director, Odu’a Investment Company Limited/Chairman Planning Committee, Mr. Seni Adio, SAN; Chairman, Odu’a Investment Company Limited, Bimbo Ashiru and SSG to the STrATeGIC TO SANITISe FXandInvestors MArKeT… L-R: Director-General of theALLIANCe Budget Office Salu-Hundeyin, of the Federation, Tanimu Yakubu; CEO, Impact Foundation, Etemore Glover; Chair ofin GSG Nigeria and Vice Chair of GSG Impact, Mrs. Ibukun Awosika; Minister of Lagos StateState Government, Abimbola during theOba inauguration of newly remodelled andof redeveloped Premier Hotel Ibadan, OyoPartner State…recently PHOTO: ABIODUN AJALA L-R: Lagos Governor, Mrs. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Kabiru Shotobi, Deputy Governor Lagos State and the State’ s 2027 APC Governorship Candidate, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, during a visit to the traditional leader Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Bagudu; CEO ofEconomy GSG Impact, Elizabeth Boggs Davidsen, and Market Development Manager at GSG Impact, Ms. Atieno Otonglo, at the courtesy the Federal Ministry RAPID TEST PRODUCTION FACILITY INAUGURATION... L-R: Minister of Finance andSenator Coordinating Minister of the ofMs. Nigeria, Wale Edun; Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede andvisit thetoGovernor, Central in his palace inDIAGNOSTIC Lagos…recently

Bloomberg: Nigeria Draws First Tranche Businesses, Tax Professionals Raise Fresh Concerns Edo APC, State Govt Trade Words Idris: Nigeria on Path of Economic President Tinubu Welcomes New of $5 Billion Swap With UAE Bank Over Implementation of Nigeria’s New Tax Regime over N9bn Fresh Loan Approval Renewal,Initiatives Globalfrom Respect Qatar Investment of Budget andand Economic Planning Abuja… recently Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Olayemi Cardoso, in aBabatunde StrategicAjayi; Alliance to Stimulate the forex market Abuja…yesterday L-R: Akarigbo Paramount RulerinOf Remoland, representative of Minister of Trade andin Investment, Dr. Rabiu Olowo; Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun; Group Managing Director, Codic Pharm Ltd, Sammy

Ogunjimi; Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate Muhammad, and Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, during the inauguration of Codix Bio Limited held along the Sagamu-Benin expressway, Ogun State…yesterday

Nume Ekeghe with agency Dike Onwuamaeze reports

tranche of a $5 billion derivatives press time.was that revenue drawn attention from market closing at N1,380.9/$ at the inflows, despite mounting ICAN also recommended of LCCI, Mr. Leye Kupoluyi, compliance, and reduce leakages.” included the institute dealThe withgroups United Arab Emirates' The $5 billion facility, participants because of the yesterday, pressure fromcontribution, investors chasing mobilisation must go hand-in- that, “tax commencement and official said theremarket was a fundamental In his the Chartered Institute of Taxation largest lender, pressing ahead captured. approved by the National limited public disclosure compared with N1,380.1/$ dollar-denominated assets, “In his infertile rambling, Tenebe the state Governor, Mr. Godwin stupendous as N9 billion for has been swindled by Obaseki-led Adibe emenyonu in Benin City hand with economic productivity, transition provisions should be Obaseki distinction between increasing President of CITN, Mr. Innocent of Nigeria (CITN), Institute of Nigeria’s new tax regime is facing made wild and completely off-theacross allwhile sectors of the falling projects only "Information at the this behest of theis fathom with a transaction has been Assembly earlier year, surrounding its which terms. The the day, holding international oil prices Nigeria has accessed the first administration withthat an unassailinvestment, employment, business expressly stated in legislation, taxprevious revenue and increasing the mark C. Ohagwa, whosuggesting was represented Chartered Accountants of Nigeria fresh scrutiny from businesses and comments that state over the federal paston seven years.” in the imagination of online members of1,700 the Edo State House of existed able, humongous debt profile of scrutinized for being opaque. part of the federal government's International Monetary Fund firm at N1,390/$ the parallel and a pullback in the domestic tranche of a proposed $5 span over kilometres aimed The minister reiterated that the that the government is about 85 per cent complete projects reform Chartered agenda, which includedof Assembly Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja and bold growth and voluntary compliance. with noreforms retrospective application. tax burdenhas onmore existing by aState Fellow of the CITN, Dr. (ICAN), Institute Edo is owing $35 billion. “Tenebe been ontaxpayers. a frenzy the governor, it was discovered is to the effect that they tax professionals, who have called Edo State chapter of the All ProN135 billion and $35.6 billion, at unlocking economic activity and ongoing by the Tinubu is concentrating projects in the handled by Rock Result along Ahoada planCommenting to diversify external (IMF) and gains Fitch recently market for thelies thirdtoconsecutive equities market. billion derivatives the“The removalWest of fuelAfrican subsidies nation and the were Blessing Ibunge in Portfinancing Harcourt Even if that was what was written looking for tell since that the facility was not even N9 recalled from their holiday on small and “Capital provisions Kupoluyi added: “The first Titilayo Fowokan, said for the gressives Congress (APC), yesterday, Directors Nigeria (CIoD) and the governor is unyielding and for clearer guidelines, harmonised Nigeria. Thesources Ambassador knows administration stability tothat thewere world. I seeabout your South Nigeria's tax system, Nigeria's readiness to build in on the- bridging end of the tunnel."You find Deji Elumoye in Abuja regional divides. not just than northern areas ofasmaking theActing nation.it section ofnaira East West is can't atknown 60 per unification of foreign exchange rates drew about $1.5 billion the financing andcliff reduce cautioned while derivativeweek. The hasRoad come under arrangement with the United for him, he should have assumed office a figure wrapped in he leave bycompany’s the Speaker oneffect, the billion urged Governor Godwin Obaseki to unstoppable insignificant his characteristic medium shouldbut provide clearer should our objective. topartner deliver their intended Lagos Chamber of by Commerce regulations and greater certainty that I take Qatar very seriously. efforts in much human development, easier forbe foreign investors toThe do cent momentum generated his shifts state or areforms better than Nigeria. “The aimthe iscosts. not just connectivity, economic arithmetic, but about Chairman. Responding to questions from completion, adding that RCC, two of the most policy Minister of Information and National that the figure is wrong and can't Rather than focus secrecy as as N17.5 billion request of state governor for last couple of weeks from a borrowing Structured as based financing can improve Analysts attributed pressure in recent sessions as Arab Emirates' largest lender, stop securing loans, noting the design to leave State inhistory. ruin, but economic opportunity,” he said. creating aand new foundation forLike inclusive who his inspection have follow shown commitment in theimmediate president said reinvestment rules, appropriate second should become the Setraco its implementation We are willing toofgoICAN, further in to peace prosperity. business in observed the not country. visit toIndustry Qatar inEdo 2024, pledging to the Ioutcomes, always global issues President Bola Tinubu yesterday and (LCCI). inbillion its implementation tothat prevent in Nigeria’s recent economic Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has said by be true. on reawakening histo completely which the opposition in you, the journalists approval ofFirst the N9 loan recently approved asking for a facility of N17.5 total return swap transaction a Total Return Swap with liquidity, such arrangements the resilience strong investors reposition ahead of the according to a Bloomberg “Nigeria really retracing steps. growth, the Zarama section of theefforts Westto their our bilateral relations." we areaccountability, sandwiched between the of implement all difficult bilateraldecisions agreements "We are making and your efforts. have to welcomed new initiatives by billion “These were that said thethe country was on Assembly the path towards that “a isbusiness that itscrosses transitional arrangements and default strategy. should provide clear They expressed their views reforms from undermining "Injobs. reality, our debtYou stock is and not comatose party, which isEast unable rejected andand orsustainable refused facility which according to house by the House of was few days ago, which was with First Abu Dhabi Bank Dhabi proceeds are should be macroeconomic fundamentals, dollar-denominated fundraising report, marking theexplore first ItAbu isThe becoming anBank, important nation once development. rehabilitation Bayelsa State, Addressing the journalists, Umahi President said the Qatari challenge terrorism and helping Road between the countries. reform our tax in system. Going more inguidelines Nigeria toare help fight had to They caused some them Qatari investors togrowth economic recovery, restating ado secret and in fact, we ‘under to provide constructive criticisms to be partofof the transparently approval. isN100 said to be N9 billion the million threshold, adequate multi-year capital-loss “If we repeatedly increase accessible and rules; during the “2026 LCCI’s-OPS investment, business and said needless and will plunge thefederal state tobe bemade. N9two billion." again the comity of nations. In another development, who Umahi expressed satisfaction withstill the said, "We havein just inspected thewould work PJSC, according to people earmarked for refinancing debt managed toreaction, minimise fiscal healthy external by Dangote Refinery and but anisaircraft taking reported under turbulence, government’s commitment to restoring government had demonstrated our neighbours. We areUmahi conscious He directed the Minister of but by ofreserves the past and poverty the humanitarian opportunities in the agricultural borrowed’. Emperor Tenebe expected of aon viable opposition, But in its the Edo asamong event unfolded, after into financialdrawdown distress. Tenebe, saidlike "It important even marginally, moves from disclosed carry forward. theexperiences burden the same formal give reasonable certainty Stakeholders’ Forum on Emerging competitiveness. The respect thatforesight Nigeria used to have this yesterday while inspecting ongoing projects across Rivers, Delta ofPetrochemicals, Rocktaxpayers Result where we have multiple off, we are now reaching stability. The investors’ confidence and deepening maturity and in working of who is our friend and those Budget and Economic Planning, the need to depart from old area. You have done well have known this if he understood he has resorted to spreading State Government stated that sector and assured that Nigeria the mammoth request by the familiar with the transaction, and supporting infrastructure and debt risks. on a steadily upward trajectory prompting ain aBut facility that has attracted in a swift reaction, the to state, that it is now in public a zero Companies Income Tax She warned that a business that businesses that already pay about their obligations; make Taxpolitical Matters.” At a stakeholders’ forum in World isfor now gradually returning. Investors the ongoing of federal Bayelsa. culvertsaofover the East West Bank has noted our returnthe to opposition democratic the economics governance, fiscal misinformation in a have desperate Edo APC “obviously in the House as to the global peace and deserves helping usconstruction towas ameliorate the and Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu; ways, our reforms been concrete developing knowledge-based remains open to structure strategic Edo State values. Government said it and space that who asked not to be identified financing. Meanwhile, the naira has at $51.2 billion and sustained rotation of capital from naira scrutiny over its have more country,” roads in by Rivers, Bayelsa Delta He said that the Bodo-Bonny Road Road failure in between Rivers and (CIT) rateconfidence to afor significantly higher is “overwhelmed byand excessive their taxes, wetough risk weakening compliance asQatar, straightforward President ofEdo ICAN, Mrs. Lagos, business and fiscal growth levels not seen in over a the This wasleading as his to counterpart, responsibility and debt-to-GDP ratio. curry cheap popularity. the achievements of attempt rationale ain our facility as pained commendation. problems." Minister of of Information and hard. Itomade decisions economy but what partnerships. was perplexed learn ofMinister what budget State was because they aren't authorised This transaction has, however, remained relatively resilient, foreign portfolio investment assets into dollars. and transparency. he said. states, dismissed the claims trending construction handled by Julius Berger Bayelsa. decade,” Idris told Forbes Africa. Works, David Umahi, has disclosed tax burden, including 30 per cent tax administration burden and their capacity to invest, employ as reasonably possible; apply Sofuratu Seghosime, who was professional bodies warned itoftermed “laughable and incredibly passed few weeks ago before the According to him, "I am proud President Tinubu also noted National Orientation, Mohammed so that we could grow. We are about Nigeria?", the President The President gave the torepresented speak to the Bloomberg reported that He noted this year’s observance that the unresolved federal is investing ridiculous tantrums attributed to Edo and development levy.and ongoing compliance costs will eventually gradually workers, expand requirements proportionately to State House of Assembly by themedia." Second Deputy ofCIT your efforts to bring peace reforms to streamline Idris; and that Minister of Foreign seeingproduction, the light atand the explained. that issues around assurance atgovernment the State House, of the Democracy Day notYusuf just trillions ofacting naira in the construction Efforts by THISDAY to Nigeria drew about $1.5 billion the new chairman of the proceeded on leave without the Affairs, Ambassador “This may discourage produce neither employment nor compete internationally. taxpayer size and capacity and use Abuja while receiving a special Vice President of ICAN, Mr. VAT refunds, working capital, warranted celebration, buttogether sober and rehabilitation ofof roads across the commencement Edo State chapter APC, Jarret of the execution independently confirm the growth or encourage artificial sustainable tax revenue.” over the past two weeks through Maitama Tuggar, to work envoy from the Amir of the State “The more sustainable strategy technology to make compliance Tajudeen Adewale Olayinka, capital gains tax, compliance reflection on the journey democratic country. Tenebe where he made baseless of the budget by theofexecutive. reported drawdown from arequirements Total Return Swap (TRS) to ensure the timely execution of Qatar, Dr. allegations Mohammed bin fragmentation of businesses.” For his part, the President is to expand the tax base, improve easier and more efficient. said ICAN supports reforms that and the tax Itconsolidation and economic renewal. Idris reaffirmed this yesterday in and spurious on the isthese mostagreements. disheartening that the of Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Rescue workers from around the trapped under rubble before the buildings. Heavy machinery reported severe shortages of transaction with First Abu Dhabi Idris explained that funds recovered an interview with Forbes Africa to Edo fiscal management of our dear State Government now is broaden the tax base, improve threshold for small and mediumworld yesterday intensified efforts critical 72-hour "golden window" arrived in some of the hardest-hit essential supplies, years was told that he would not board the would clear the air on what really every passenger hassaying a right, yourof Hethe said, "To the members of Chinedu Eze Qatar's Minister of celebration State for requesting Finance were unsuccessful. Bank PJSC, citing people familiar from fuelfor subsidy removal were mark the Democracy Day state by the Governor Godwin aallfacility of N17.5 administration and strengthen sized companies could increase to locate survivors trapped beneath for finding survivors begins to close, areas nearly two days after the underfunding had left the country' flight because boarding had closed. happened, since the Senator and the right is limited to what is within thes the delegation, Idirectly want tointo asent big Foreign Affairs, Dr. Al-Khulaifi, being reinvested critical Obaseki-led government.” and unbroken 26 years ofrequested democratic billion with corollary ofsay project Calls andno text messages with the deal who government revenue. lid Operators Minerals the burden on existing taxpayers formalisation of artisanal miners also want tobegin be available part of the move d'Affairs, US Embassy, InBBC another development, the airline have made their own ICAO (International Civil Aviation Airline ofDevelopment, Nigeria (AON) Charge collapsed buildings in Venezuela the reported. disaster to clearing massive healthcare system ill-prepared for a thank you for coming to Nigeria. conveyed Amir's strong interest in Addressing a press conference attached there to the said facility infrastructure projects including two rule in Nigeria. to the Ministertoof Finance and anonymity because they were Dele hasthe described into cooperatives amongst others. to reduce global emissions and put David Greene, in his include officewith on Minister of Aviation and Aerospace videos that covered the incident. Organisation) regulation and the said that byAlake, disrupting operations that the Dr. and discourage businesses from and We Seghosime are God for expanding bilateral cooperation, yesterday, Tenebe had said state alsograteful that thenoted facility iswhat not after two powerful earthquakes The worst-hit areas the piles of debris. disaster of such magnitude. expansive highway corridors that will He defended President Bolathe Tinubu’s a temporary arrangement counterpart, Badr al-Busaidi, are $2.44, or 2.38 per cent, to $100.04 Peter Uzoho with agency report United States Nigeria’s "Theindustry. miningThere sector mining sector on the global aviation Coordinating of Alake lauded the United not authorised to speak publicly. Development, Festus has our Okonkwo stated the operators’ is noprovides amount of Air when itasdenied him Thursday, was already suffering a debt contained as loanMinister to be in we have experienced astaken partners fundamental position of the her the announcing that aunder high-level expanding. killed Peace more than 900 and States’ capital, Caracas, theKeyamo, coastal state Among those anxiously awaiting Thedisappointment, tragedy has also reignited Iran tocommitment manage shipping through expected tothebrief government barrel. Both benchmarks had ally andpeople strategic veritable avenue for map. We on have critical minerals to fostering ordered that a probe should be viewpoint incident and said ofaaany if atincreased all, from boarding for the Lagos-Abuja flight, Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, According to Bloomberg, profile of N135 billion and $35.6 2024 fiscal budget recently in progress. I am also just glad that the longstanding Qatari business delegation will the left thousands injured in one of the of La Guaira and neighbouring rescue efforts is Natacha Diaz, criticism of Venezuela's fragile partner forin the nation’s mining the strategic waterway. representatives on the state of earlier reached their highest levels trade between Nigeria and the United that are in commercial demand cooperation with Nigeria in diverse Iran and several Gulf states are conducted on the incident. that passengers have their rights but any airline that gives you any right former governor of Edo State and billion. passed. A cursory perusal of the are under scrutiny and processing," Penta M &Amp; Centre 2, Tambuwal one of them was also involved in Kuni Tyessi Abuja wereofnot responded to as of sector development. "Nigeria has accessed first Amir Qatar greatly remembers visit Nigeria in the the coming States, especially in thebeen area of value globally,"Alake said. the economy, stating that country' sSenator deadliest natural disasters communities, where hundreds whose two daughters are believed emergency response system, with Spokesman ofForeign AON and theof airline operations guided by for self-help. We have talking TheofIranian Ministry negotiations, thearereport said. since mid-May. representing Edo sectors set to meet in Oman on Monday He said, a monumen- entire budgetdiscussed does not reveal where Oloyede said. LGA, Sokoto, Sokoto State. impersonation. the issues during my currently weeks to "While exploreit isopportunities Speaking receiving addition, which implies processing The minister partner- about underscores significance of the Chairman ofthe Unitedshowed Nigeria and itawelcomed isshopping the responsibility unruly behaviour. So,toprices what District, Adams Oshiohole, tal that Edo State patrimony for the facility is ever North infor more than awhile century. buildings were reduced tobetween piles of regulations trapped inside complex residents urging authorities allow confirmed yesterday that the The talks come amid The retreat insaid oil talks aimed at addressing the itsmooth “Thebilateral 2025 UTME the Oloyede added 80growing suspects The registrar also due to The Joint Admissions and visitproject last year. in disaster agriculture, food security, and the of extracted minerals andthat setting up ship with the US onthat investments in you relations Airlines, Obiora Okonkwo, in a press of airlines and passengers to abide saw was a typical case of unruly violated aviation regulation. meeting be hosted efforts to establish a mechanism followed a sharp rally on According to Venezuelan concrete and twisted steel. where they worked. Holding more civilian volunteers to participate escalating crisis around the Strait prevalence of would some particular types of the were being interrogated bytheir the factories substandard performance, four centres Board (JAMB) has both "Let me commend the brotherly Matriculation other critical sectors. here. We would also require mining value chain, expanding countries. in Lagos yesterday called by those regulations. behaviour. It is not acceptable. Air Senator Oshiomhole who had conference infractions, suggests systemic police fortechnology their involvement in the had been delisted and blacklisted for officially announced the of on by Oman, with theAuthority foreign to“AON regulate shipping through Thursday, when Brent and WTI authorities, ataAbuja leastglobal 920release people ofwhich grief unfolded acrossI access photograph, the distraught mother in rescue operations as thousands of Hormuz, key energy financing from multilateral institutions to extracting “IScenes you for your visit. President Tinubu emphasised relations between Qatar and 6:30a.m. thethank Federal Airports had had theinfull brief of Peace is a respected airline. No matter Lagosflight on Air Hope” and improving the lives of Fidelis David in Akure defined by integrity, patriotism, Blessing Ibunge in Port vulnerabilities or gaps in registration examination malpractices and most technical deficiencies. He listed the the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation for our local operators. We are providand processing minerals and met the US Assistant Secretary of ministers of Iran, Iraq, Oman, the Strait of Hormuz, through gained more than six per cent artery whose disruption has have been confirmed dead, while affected communities as desperate said they were "all I have." remain displaced. Peace last Wednesday was denied of Nigeria (FAAN) to bring out the Air Peace on this incident. And as what you think about it, they carry the people Ondo State. Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan among theof youthful population. “Wethan are establishing, this State ing incentives for investments like mining areas. forvideo Energy Resources, Geoffrey and examination administration or/ of them awould beas prosecuted. centres as: Adventure Associate, Behind Examination (UTME) results. wisdom and selfless service. boarding Harcourt CCTV of the incident, saying matter of fact, much as weof 40 to 50an percent of all the domestic Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the asecuring which substantial volume after escalation in attacks on when he arrived at 6:05a.m., fuelled concerns over prolonged more 3,300 others sustained families waited near collapsed Another resident, Andreina Meanwhile, international “Today, wethe takegovernment yet another bold The Governor of Ondo State, tax waivers for mining equipment, Throwing light on reforms Pyatt, on thevideo sidelines ofFAAN the Mines He said is year, 37,000to Citizens’ Brigade and monitoring. “The Board has identified the Sheshe Supermarket, Kano, Saadatu Following poor performance the numerous challenges The statement read, “It is Olawale Ajimotokan in that it is the from that appreciate and understand that passengers in Nigeria. 25 minutes departure time and United Arab Emirates and global oil, gas and fertiliser trade shipping in the region. oil supply disruptions. injuries after the twin earthquakes, structures, hoping for news of Valerio, appealed for help to rescue assistance has begun pouring into step in our ongoing commitment to Lucky Aiyedatiwa, hasNational said his worried policy of full repatriation of profits embarked upon by the federal govThe Director General, and Money conference in London that about 72 per cent inofPrimary School. each “The new trends observed were presence of extraneous fingers in Rimi College of Education, Zaria. candidates in the1,000 2025inUTME, with profound gratitude confronting theof country, The Horsfall has Abuja improving the youthful welfare our people,to state, administration will family continue to of Saudi Arabia expected attend, ernment, passes. The latest diplomatic initiative The development comes as past measuring magnitudes 7.2 and missing loved Many survivors her one-and-a-half-year-old thehome country. Rescue teams from countries amongst others," the minister year, andones. weand hadExamination ato fruitful Orientation Agency (NOA), the nation’s population including FCT, Abuja. These in the Registration the registration detailshighlighted of someson, of to On how to check the UTME results, telecommunications and digital ensuring social inclusion and fulfilling the Almighty God for a life prioritise socialIssa-Onilu, andof urging them to intensify 7.5, announced theinclusion passing Alake emphasised. revised Community Development engagement. I did analyse all our according to Iran Nuances, a Brent crude futures fell $2.46, offered some relief to traders, Brent crude prices fell yesterday struck barely a minute apart have also been forced to sleep Santiago, who remains trapped Switzerland and Mexico have Mallam Lanre has have become foreigners through Citizens’ Brigade are going to be processes and they were mainly in the these candidates. This raises concerns Oloyede said: "To check the 2025 solutions company, Globacom, said the of Renewed Hope for economic empowerment vulnerable In his remarks, thewarned US Ambas(CDA) guidelines issues, and fundamentally, we just Agreement ofpromise remarkable service and like Chief federal Albert Korubo prayers for President Bola The government announced plans toofHorsfall, launch a the news portal. or 2.29 per cent, to $105.17 a although analysts that to $105 a barrel, as markets on Wednesday night. The second outdoors after their homes were alongside other family members joined local emergency responders, influence of cartoons and Boys’ Scout and Girls’ Guild following categories: Identity Fraud, regarding potential strategies for UTME results, candidates should send its Examination Preparatory Service Tinubu for the support given to the all,” he declared. Kuni Tyessi in Abuja citizens through strategic partnerships sador commended the renewed geared towards reducing friction in want to diversify our economy accomplishments thata total the ofAlex pioneer Director General Tinubu andand histhe administration. has asserted its unwavering awith 37,000 Citizens’ Brigadeofinthe movies Foreign Minister barrel, while US West Texas the market remained vulnerable which are foreign in theEnumah olden days. and Biometric Fraud of Combined impersonation. by text message “UTMERESULT” as reacted toinreports Middle was specifically designed to help from quake is believed to bethat the strongest destroyed or declared unsafe. beneath the rubble. while the United States military is AIranian statement posted on the anti-graft's prosecution to proceed with the trial described the May 27, 2025 bail application Abuja According to Aiyedatiwa, the federal government. interest of Nigeria in solid minerals, commission Humanitarian host communities; on-going plans oil. Not just for our own primary schools across country . contents, Horsfall family announces the students National Intelligence Agency He255 also expressed optimism resolve togovernment securing freedom values and cultures. “Across the in world, Nigerians Thumbprint of Candidate,” he lDoctors of 3,656 candidates fall hearing within this one word to disruption. 55019 or 66019has using the Computer-Based Abbas and Omani Intermediate crude declined tothefurther social handle X, noted that thesaid. duo prayed for of defendants as incompetent, given countries were seeking of 16, beneficiaries across all 18 toEastern hit theexcel South American nation economic Inmedia La Araghchi Guaira, residents described inaccelerated the disaster zone participating inthe humanitarian rescue that sector huge Also, Aiyedatiwa hasthe forwarded to for new security architecture to ofstressing survival buthis also to and Affairs Ministry. The federal yesterday He made disclosure whilea Local passing of our patriarch, Other he trends said, were category. Consequently, the results of that same they had used Issa-Onilu saidbeloved as a in way out are known beFinancial the smartest (NIA), atarethe the age 84. examinations. were arraigned onglobal a six-count case. natural thephone defendants neither underto that ongoing security The Economic Crimes be for Nigerians held captive potentials tonumber rivalwere the contribution Areas the state secure efforts in tuneinfractions, with for the the Ondo State House ofofAssembly HeGovernment revealed that Nigeria said there ongoing discussion since 1900. toand widespread devastation ascharge, rescue warned that resources; hospitals were operations despite longstanding speaking with journalists in Ibadan bordering on toWe the defence J.J. arrest, inthe detention, nor have appeared impersonators at laundering the point of to theResponding, candidatesthe have beencounsel, withheld.” register the registration process. of the malaise, NOA would on earth. is abriefing positive Commission (EFCC), yesterday, arraigned Speaking at workers aThis press in reduction of oilnortoduring nation's economy. generate big geo-data; the inmoney global warming. will receive N75, 000 each, disbursed Chief Albert Korubo Horsfall, list of 12 nominees for the position of Horsfall, who died peacefully operations and coordinated byhow bandits. has concluded plans to soon host people on 15,000 Nigerians stranded Emergency are racing teams, police officers and military struggling to cope with the influx tensions between Washington during aa working visit to Oyo launch of $12 with million. SAN, on on underage his part reminded the before court,will being the grounds the Managing Director/Chief Executive registration the active involvement Usman, Speaking candidates, Resultthe printing be available later." aleaders Mobile App containing but someof people Abuja yesterday, Registrar JAMB, tune monthly installments of occurred N25, 000 development commissioners theand State Executive whose transition after fulfilled impactful interventions would yield global to discuss issues Secretary toinNiger, the Government in Cameroon, Chad and in against time to rescue those feared personnel searched damaged of casualties. personnel andMeanwhile, Caracas. State. The defendants according to the court of subsistingMedical bail following applications of provided by thereacting Administration of Officer of SunTrust Bank Ltd, Halima for three months, directly through Council for confirmation. of few CBT centres, double registration, he explained that the to the poor indigenous cartoons through mischievously tend to portray Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, revealed that the of migration and how it affects peacefully after ainfulfilled and Buba and the bank's Executive Director/ EFCC's statement, however, pleaded the defendants, dated May 27, 2025 and Criminal Justice Act, (ACJA) that should other parts of the world would life, was described by his family positive results the fight ofHe the Federation, Senator said 1,000 Citizens’ Brigade their debit cards. The governor made this which and attempted substitution of self by Ministry of Education’s decision performance of students in the 2025 Board withheld the results of 39,834 local contents, national us in negative light. But this is countries under the membership be returned to Nigeria safety. impactful life dedicated to God, as a be man whose lifetime against kidnapping andinjected other George Akume, gave theof values guilty” to all the charges when they prayed that the acourt should uphold a bail application but rather Chief Compliance Officer, He said theculture total amount commitment during the official would set up in each of the candidates. to enforce minimum age theof precipitate UTME, the company explained that candidates outare of the over 1.9Innocent million “not and would be who we as a people. of the on not Federal Commissioner, National family, community, Rivers State, service was dedicated to God, promoted. readOloyede to themadded following which the lead applications and admit thegranted defendants applied for bail from the comfort of their Mbagwu, before Justice Emeka Nwite criminal activities. assurance yesterday when into theEuro-African scheme is N1,Dialogue 219,125, 000, flag-off ceremony ofFederal the second phase 36 states and the Capital that 244 candidates 16, an exception was for the Glo Examination Preparatory applicants that sat for the exam. “To change the negative narMigration and Development. Commission for Refugees, Migrants Rotimi Oyedepo, bail. ortrains offices when noron action has of Linus the Federal High Court,boss, Abuja for direct economic support and Nigeria. of thehosted Conditional Cash Transfer family, community, Rivers State Operation Fansan Yamma, to“exceptionally recovered six firearms more homes Katsina State.students Troops confiscated Tand erritory (FCT) toDisplaced promote national "Our mission Aleke in Abuja he members of providing were caughtcounsel, engaging in “WhatsApp gifted” and underage Service practical According to the JAMB of prosecution According to him, "These vari- ratives, we are setting upout the Popularly known asontheearth, Rabat Internally Persons SAN, announced thetoreadiness of the The prosecution counsel inammunition his response, been taken againstinthem. alleged fraud. to thousands ofonhouseholds. disbursement to beneficiaries in Ondo “Chief A.K. Horsfall was an and Nigeria. values as of old, stating that the runs,” subscribing rogue groups students. ways to excel Computer-Based rejected a financial inducement than 300 rounds of four motorcycles concealed within the figure 96 candidates' results were our goal earth is to ous policies are geared towards Citizens’ Brigade to produce the Federation of Muslim Process, the meeting would be (NCFRMI), Alhaji Tijani Ahmed, The governor recalled thatDelta, in young State,Inheld atstatement theBrigade Akure South Local essence the was toin that on terrorism and murder. enumah Abuja illustrious son of theofNiger promising leaked questions.terrorist bordering The registrar said that of the 41,027 Fagbemi, examinations such assubmitted Joint Admissions withheld over examhas malpractices, aofthis signed by changing the and the and disclosed createa Alex offered by a in suspected during the period under review. fuel and oilSAN, consignments destined The Nigerians military promote, tonarratives preserve, and Women's Associations the first thematic dialogue under disclosed at a media briefing November 2024, a total 8,637 debit Government Secretariat yesterday. the charge having been filed by Although, they pleaded not revive and rebuild the national He said their results had also been underage candidates who registered, and Matriculation Board (JAMB), decrease from 123 in the previous year. wrong impression that the outside positive models to rebuild the a distinguished public servant, his son, Chief Donald Albert in an attempt to evade arrest He added thatcharges, troops also rescued forInspector Zamfara State.ofThe driver that no fewer than 17 terrorist spy to prolong life. toIt's not to Nigeria’s chairmanship, which Nigeria (FOMWAN), led cards in Abuja. were distributed beneficiaries, At the event, Governor Aiyedatiwa Justice Bolaji Olajuwon of a Fed- guilty the General Police, was to all the the judge the values and create positive models withheld to set a stern example. only 467 met the high-performance Junior and Senior West African Oloyede said the Board remained world is having about the country . national values." conveyed government' s approval stakeholder participation in health federal government’s Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja statesman, administrator, and Horsfall, on behalf of the family, is being co-chaired by Nigeria Ahmed revealed that no in Sokoto State. a female victim of terrorist was arrested and is currently fighters, accompanied by their amounting to N647,775,000, making launched the distribution of the by its National Amirah, Dr. shorten it. The government resolute in its commitment to eralInHigh Court inhe Abuja, yesterday, incompetent and askedexaminations the court to however, ordered that they some cases, said,Oversight the entire and criteria, with onedefendant. disqualified duebe to and Examination Council High Court which had dismissed onegovernance. other unreliable witness testimonies, Igbintade at the 5th the Ministerial sector commitment to1,3,4,5,6, strengthening and the Kingdom ofa Spain, and Wale fewer thanHope sixwas million people current phaserespected significant of the most figures Renewed Debit Cards to the the deceased remembered The Director ofCBT Defence abduction who hadCorrectional reportedly undergoing investigation. Followfamily members, surrendered dismissed application by two remanded strike out counts and 7 of isone doing everything to secure at malpractice. the Kuje Sumaye Fadimatu Hamza. syndicates colluded with centres examination as well as IELTS. eliminating any form of examination his no-case and quashed At lower court, Justice Raliatu those of PW9, PW10, ofon theof social safety net. thousands of beneficiaries aseffort part expansion isthe youth, education were inthat Nigeria, while Committee (MOC) held in Abuja Astheforced ofpending efforts to reinforce health sector governance, The federal government has Rivers Statesubmission, indigenes challenging infocusing the history ofallRivers State the charge or strike strike outand the Center, the hearing of including asHe andisplaced illustrious son ofnothe Niger Media Operations, Major been into child marriage, up exploitation on 7 September to troops of Joint Task Force release who are vowed to register usingcharge multiple fingerprints. He bail said that the Board remained Theas 2025 UTME results released malpractice, addingLagos that 1,957,000 the 12-count filed against had ruled that the EFCC well as Exhibits P59–P61. Court of Appeal, Division, the “We understand the economic The ofDelta the federal innovation. thousands ofgovernment’s refugees areNational living and jurisdiction of the court tomade try Adebiyi entire suit for been incompetent. their application fixed for PW11, yesterday, said that the committee state financing compliance, deepening accountability across approved N32,880,443,906.25 and Nigeria at Large. who made significant General Michael Onoja, alongside her one-year-old child, 2026 led to the arrest of 12 suspects North-East Operation Hadin Kai captured," he said. will be spared to facilitate the that regard, has approved your indicated that Governor Seyi Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan According to him, as a result of committed to providing the necessary by JAMB on May 5 had elicited candidates were verified to sit for him by the Economic and Financial had established a prima facie case The Court of Appeal agreed, has discharged and acquitted a that many of holds our people Social Investment Programme (NSIP), challenges over alleged complicity in the Responding, Policeinstitutions, Mr. February 2, as well directed as the motion The meeting, which May under the second quarter, 2026 them elsewhere across the development world. has so farthe disbursed ahis total of the Committee the holding implementing “Throughout hissuspension contributions the as the Onido ofof Ido in burning Makinde approved the the3,656 disclosures during weekly insome Borno State. and the recovery ofaslawyer, additional one week, citing harsh this, with “extraneous support for persons with disabilities widespread concerns morenot than Crimes Commission (EFCC). of the counts and ordered that the appellant was a He lauded FOMWAN for thewithin examDirector while 71,705 were absent. former General the safe return oftocollaboration captives, and this programme islifetime, a clear implemented in with face ofcandidates Rivers State House of on Simon Lough, SAN, urged the of the 1st and 2nd defendants 13th toof 14th, 2025, is2024. expected to suspension “We haveState 15,000 Nigerianswhile who The Oyo Government, yesthe area of authority of Ido Local on 1st February, N290 under thetheir initiative. MOC Secretariat to issue formal improving coordination among BHCPF disbursement memo he steadfast served thecontributions with Nigerian ofOndo Rivers State and thecountry nation. demonstration The billion EFCC accused andtertiary his co-defendant the VIMSAS Maritime fingerprints” had results aspiring to pursue education. 1.5 million out of million candidates briefing onhave the operational gains Akpobolokemi Giving details of the operations, exhibits. On 81.9September 2026, According to him,Administration 2,157 candidates living conditions, hunger and a Assembly that thenation government the State Government through complex in Port Harcourt, court toofdismiss the Committee; application challenging the jurisdiction of member its reaffirming the government's feature discussions that would want to return to the terday, suspended Oba Investment Gbolagade Area ofrejections Oyo State." Thewith letteryou,” read ingovernor part, "I integrity, wish to Government Akpobolokemi of conspiracy, open their notresults aarrested signatory to any of the and Safety Agency (NIMASA), TheState. meeting alsoof approved communication tothe all2025 36said: states to6 and stakeholders, and accelerating the added. withheld, and some CBT He said that forOnoja UTME, whose released scored dedication, tolack sustain implementation of Rivers the National Social experienced fingerprint due The family their stands for lacking in were merit. the court to defence. entertain the suit recorded by troops the centres Armed to Major General “On troops a suspect spying of basic inhand their touncommon national development, commitment todescribed strengthening guide policy direction, shape voluntarily, and we alsoOnido have Muritala Babalola, as the Itsuspected directed Obaprovisions Babalola to inform you that His Excellency, the Patrick stealing, and forgery in connection Akpobolokemi, through his Committee’s accounts. Akpobolokemi, of alleged He further disclosed that efforts Chime Eguma Ezebalike and Programme Agency (NSIPA). According to Lough, besides against them. implicated will face sanctions. a total of 501 candidates were below 200. A breakdown of the results to registration infractions, modalities to commence inclusion reiterate responsibilities relating to implementation of ongoing and patriotism, leaving behind healthcare services nationwide. father as a distinguished Forces ofillegal Nigeria (AFN) across September 2026, troopsand intercepted on troops’further location at Dange enclaves. efforts among not lessinthan 100,000 foreigners cooperative describing association as of Ido Ido Local Government national security. all million government properties in Prince Executive Governor of Oyo State of over with alleged transfers from the Collinsexamined Ogbonna Kunle The court held he N754.8 fraud. Lukman Oladele, were ongoing tothe expand the state’s Sections and 66Monday of thethat Police and Oladele had health Addressing the statesman gathering, the He identified the within centres as lawyers successfully byalong JAMB released by4in JAMB on showed figure, hesaid said, was far above enduring legacy of leadership, ofthe private sector actors the counterpart obligations sector reforms under the public servant, and are The Coordinating Minister countries origin, transit and a In living in the this country asand refugees. Area of state. country. aEzebalike truckthat at appealed afunding checkpoint the neither Market Dange Shuni LGA possession tothat the Chairman Nigeria, inof exercise the powers Ita unanimous also troops of the among aan vital partner inofpromoting The SGF underscored account of the VIMSAS Committee. Gbolahan, the ruling, signed nor approved any decision delivered five persons charged with Acts that empower them to bring argued by the provisions social register to accommodate more his governor expressed joy a deep Tigh Technologies Limited, Sascon Equal Opportunity Group (JEOG) that 983,187 candidates (50.29 per cent) acceptable margins and currently The government, in a letter dated Ido local government. Incourt the terrorism conferred onand him by stressing Sub-section destination, explore inclusive All these are theof responsibilities wisdom, selfless service. Ministerial Oversight Committee and fund commitments. national agenda towarddefendants, achieving administrator whose life that was vulnerable ofJoint Health and Social Welfare, further disclosed that troops Gurbi-Zurmi Road initJibia LGA of charge Sokoto State. Taskthe Force North-West, HeHe was originally arraigned with arguing the EFCC toof withdrawal instructions internal yesterday, appellate and murder. The others the against of theequity Terrorism Act, isfailed only the peace, advocacy, unity and the vital role faith-based households, that of sense ofFebruary, responsibility, noting International School, Maitama, across 11that centres nationwide. scored between 160the andor199, while under investigation. 2nd of 2024 and signed meantime, the stateAli government 1&2 of Section 26 ofcooperation the Chiefs policies, stronger of the commission, tostep give them no framework to strengthen broader In his remarks, Pate reaffirmed Universal Health Coverage. Prof. Muhammad Pate who several others, but the charges were link him to any wrongdoing and memos related to the alleged are Kenneth Goodluck Kpasa, Osiga allowed Akpobolokemi’s appeal, Section 5 and 99 of the Terrorism Attorney General of the Federation vulnerable household should be the initiative is a bold towards social progress. organisations in addressing According to Oloyede, the results 488,197 candidates (24.97 per cent) "A total of 39, 834 results remain Abuja, Wudil Computer Information by the Commissioner for Local

Umahi says FG investing trillions in construction of roads across Nigeria Affirms Nigeria's readiness for strategic partnership

Air Peace Incident: Oshiomhole Violated Aviation Mining Development: Nigeria, USto 920 Death Toll in Venezuela Earthquakes Rises Regulation, AON Alleges, Minister Orders Probe UTME: JAMB Releases Results, Withholds 39,834 Explore Areas of Strategic Partnership Iran, States toscrutiny Meet in Oman for Hormuz Talks PlacesGulf 1,426 results under Globacom: how our product can help students excel in JAMB, other exams

Aiyedatiwa Launches FG's N1.2bn Albert Horsfall, Conditional Cash TransferFormer in Ondo, Akume Assures Nigerians Nominates DSS Dies37,000 at Citizens' 84 Brigade Nationwide NOA DG:DG FGCommissioners to Launch

in Captivity of Freedom

FG to Repatriate 15,000 Nigerians Stranded Abroad

Alleged Money Laundering: EFCC Arraigns SunTrust Bank CEO, Executive

17 Terrorist Fighters, Family Members Surrender, Burning ofRiversAssembly Complex: CourtDismisses Troops Reject Inducement from Suspected Spy Pate: FG Has Disbursed N32.88bn Application Challenging Competence of Charge

Basic for Q2Fraud 2026 Appeal CourtHealthcare Acquits Ex-NIMASA DGFund Akpobolokemi in N754.8m Case

Oyo Govt Suspends Monarch in Ibadan

support,” hepromise said. of “Renewed fulfilling the Government andPresident Chieftaincy Ahmed thanked Bola Matters, Hon. Olusegun Olayiwola,

Law,sustained Cap. 28 Vol I, Lawsthat of Oyo and dialogue can left Statebehind. of Nigeria 2000positively. and by virtue reshape migration of all other enabling powers in

has vowedthe to hit hard atthe anyone, set aside Ikeja unreleased. Ofruling these, of 1,426 results no matter how highly placed, who contravenes the law.

Donald and Ochueja Thankgod. later amended to include only him Technology. Kano State and They wereWudil, last week arraigned on a seven-count criminal charge

relied onfileinadmissible evidence transfers. Act, shows that theand police have that any released charge ofbut terrorism are can also being sadly, fraudulent scored between powers to also 140 initiate 159. terrorism against them. Their lawyer, Mr. Lukman charges against the defendant.

7

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 12, 2026 • T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R

NEWS

RENEWED HOPE INITIATIVE OFFERING SUPPORT...

L-R: Anambra State Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo; First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and wife of Anambra Governor, Nonye Soludo, during the presentation of Renewed Hope Initiative financial support for 5000 petty traders in Anambra State…recently

Xenophobia: N’Assembly Suspends S’Africa Visits as Two Nigerians Are Killed

Sunday Aborisade and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The National Assembly has suspended all official visits to South Africa and directed its lawmakers, committees, officials and staff to boycott legislative activities hosted or organised by South African authorities over reported persistent xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and other African nationals in the country. The decision came amid reports of the killing of two Nigerians, Bishop Michael Taiwo Fakunle and James Uchechukwu Nwankwo, in separate incidents in Johannesburg. The suspension followed consultations between the leaderships of the Senate and

the House of Representatives property following recurring and will remain in force until violent attacks. further notice, according to a The lawmakers noted that the statement signed yesterday reported incidents had continued by the Clerk to the National despite repeated appeals by the Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana. Nigerian government and other The National Assembly stakeholders to South African leadership expressed “grave authorities to take decisive concern” over reports of measures to protect Nigerians xenophobic attacks, killings, and other foreign nationals violence, intimidation, and ensure that perpetrators destruction of property and of xenophobic violence were other forms of hostility directed brought to justice. at Nigerians and other African nationals resident in South Africa. It said it was particularly disturbed by reports that Nigerians had been killed, injured and displaced, while others had been forced to George Okoh in Makurdi abandon their businesses, investments, homes and other At least four Mobile Police officers and eight residents have been killed following an attack by suspected armed bandits on Ayilamo community in Tombo Ward, Logo Local Government applicable salary adjustments Area of Benue State. The attack reportedly and allowances.’’ occurred in the early hours The university lecturers had earlier embarked on a two-week of yesterday when the warning strike, prompting the assailants invaded the farming state government to set up the community, located along the negotiating committee headed Abinsi-Tyulen-Anyiin-Wukari by the Secretary to the State road. Residents said that Ayilamo Government (SSG), Dr. AbdulKadir has suffered repeated attacks Meyere. However, as negotiations were going on, the lecturers embarked on an indefinite strike on Wednesday. Sambo said the governor had also approved a one-off payment of N300 million Earned Academic Linus Aleke in Abuja Allowance (EAA) to address a backlog of over N800 million in The Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), accumulated entitlements and Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, has urged allowances dating back to 2016. political and military leaders in According to him, the decision the Economic Community of to implement the 2025 FGN– West African States (ECOWAS) ASUU agreement ‘’is consistent to strengthen the ECOWAS with Governor Sani’s sustained Standby Force to ensure that it commitment to education human- remains operationally ready and rapidly deployable against shared capital development.’’ He said that since assuming transnational threats, including office, at least 25 per cent of the terrorism, insurgency and other Kaduna State annual budget had forms of organised cross-border crime. been allocated to education.

KASU Strike: Sani Approves 2025 Salary Agreement for Lecturers John Shiklam in Kaduna

Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, has approved the implementation of the 2025 federal government and Academic Staff Union of Universities (FGN ASUU) Salary Agreement for academic staff of Kaduna State University (KASU), effective from October 2026. The Commissioner for Education, Prof. Abubakar Sani Sambo, disclosed this at a press conference in Kaduna yesterday. He said the ‘’approval follows the report and recommendations of the nine-member Government–KASU/ ASUU negotiation committee.’’ Sambo explained that the committee was ‘’constituted by the governor "to consider the demands of the union and develop a fair and sustainable framework for implementation." He said the ‘’approved package gives effect to the provisions of the 2025 FGN–ASUU Agreement, including the revised CONUASS, Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA) and other

Under the resolution, official visits to South Africa by the National Assembly, its committees, lawmakers, officials and staff have been suspended. The boycott also covers conferences, seminars, workshops, parliamentary meetings, legislative exchanges and other activities organised or hosted by South African legislative authorities. The National Assembly further

resolved that its lawmakers and officials should not participate physically or virtually in South African-hosted legislative programmes. The Clerk to the National Assembly was consequently directed to communicate the decision to senators, members of the House of Representatives, committees, departments, directorates, officials and staff for strict compliance.

The National Assembly said the decision was not intended to undermine the longstanding diplomatic, historical and peopleto-people relations between Nigeria and South Africa. Rather, it described the suspension and boycott as an expression of concern over the safety, dignity and welfare of Nigerians living and conducting legitimate businesses in South Africa.

Bloody Weekend in Benue as Bandits Kill Four Policemen, Eight Residents by armed groups in recent times, raising concerns over the security of lives and property in the area. An eyewitness and resident, Tyolumun Ugande, said more than 200 armed men allegedly entered the community through the Amafu Road axis from neighbouring Taraba State at about 2a.m., shooting sporadically and setting houses ablaze. According to him, Mobile Police officers deployed to the community confronted the attackers in a gun battle that lasted several hours.

“The bandits invaded the community at about 2 a.m., and the policemen engaged them in a gun duel. After several hours of exchange of gunfire, the bandits were repelled, but this morning, the lifeless bodies of four Mobile Police officers were found in the bush,” Ugande said. “We also discovered the bodies of eight residents of Ayilamo who were killed by the bandits.” The Divisional Police Officer in charge of the area confirmed the killings and said reinforcement was being

deployed to the community to strengthen security. Another resident, James Udough, said that the incident was the second attack within a month in which Mobile Police personnel deployed to Ayilamo had been killed. Udough alleged that the attackers had intended to set the entire community ablaze before security personnel confronted them. He appealed to the Benue State and federal governments to deploy additional security personnel to the area to protect residents and their property.

Strengthen ECOWAS Standby Force to Tackle Terrorism, Transnational Threats, Naval Chief Urges Subregional Leaders He stressed that, as Africa’s security challenges become increasingly interconnected, no nation can confront them effectively in isolation. Vice Admiral Abbas also called for stronger regional maritime cooperation, while urging more African militaries to participate in regional efforts to combat common security challenges. The CNS made the call while receiving the Chief of Staff of the ECOWAS Standby Force, Brigadier General Sheikh

Sulaiman Massaquoi, who paid him a courtesy visit at the Naval Headquarters, Abuja. Referencing the recently launched Combined Maritime Task Force–Gulf of Guinea (CMTF-GoG), Vice Admiral Abbas stressed that broader regional participation would strengthen collective capacity to respond to Africa’s security challenges. “Accordingly, a coordinated regional response, anchored on shared intelligence, interoperable forces, joint operations, and

sustained political commitment, represents the future of African security and the most effective means of protecting the continent’s people, resources, and development aspirations,” he said. According to a statement by the Director of Naval Information, Nigerian Navy, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, the CNS highlighted Nigeria’s growing contribution to regional security through practical maritime and strategic sealift support.

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NEWS

MTN-SAIL TEACHERS' FELLOWSHIP...

L-R: Non-Executive Director, MTN Foundation, Etim Amana; Co-founder SAIL Innovation Lab, Mrs. Feyisola Abiru; Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technologies, Olatunbosun Alake; Executive Director MTN Foundation, Mrs Odunayo Sanya; Director MTN foundation, Simon Aranonu, and Lagos State Commissioner for Education, Jamiu Tolani Alli- Balogun, during the graduation ceremony marking the close of Phase 2 of the MTN-SAIL Teachers' Fellowship in Lagos…recently PHOTO: KUNLE OGUNFUYI

2027: Fresh Trouble Hits Bauchi APC Over Candidates’ Substitution Dogara-led reconciliation efforts falter

Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi Fresh crisis has erupted within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bauchi State following allegations by some State House of Assembly candidates that their names were substituted after they emerged victorious in the party's primary elections. The allegations are coming barely months after the APC appointed former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, to head a reconciliation committee charged with resolving grievances among party members in the state. The development has further widened the cracks within

the party, coming amid the resignation of prominent chieftains and aspirants and growing complaints over alleged imposition of candidates and lack of internal democracy ahead of the 2027 general elections. of the affected candidates, Hon. Abdulhamid Rufai, who is seeking to return to the Bauchi State House of Assembly to represent Zungur/Galambi/ Miri Constituency, alleged that his name was replaced despite being declared winner of the party's primary. Rufai, a former member of the state legislature, said the primary election was conducted on May 21, 2026, while the

result was announced on May 23 by the Chairman of the APC Governorship and House of Assembly Primaries Committee, retired Assistant Inspector General of Police, John Bassey Abang. According to him, he was formally declared the winner of the Zungur/Galambi/ Miri Constituency and subsequently proceeded with other candidates to complete

the necessary documentation for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). He said all the 31 State House of Assembly candidates were issued forms by INEC, which they completed and submitted, adding that the forms were subsequently taken to the APC National Secretariat. Rufai said he was therefore surprised when the list of

candidates released by INEC did not contain his name. "After the list was released, my name was changed, it had been replaced by another person's name," he alleged. He said he remained a member of the APC despite losing his re-election bid in 2019 and could not understand why his name was removed after winning the latest primary.

Rufai alleged that the substitution might have been connected to attempts by some influential party figures to accommodate their loyalists. "I do not know the reason for the removal of my name, though I heard rumours that it was done to allow an aspirant who lost the gubernatorial race to bring in his own loyalists," he said.

Shettima Arrives New Delhi for 18th BRICS Leadership Summit Nigeria seeks to deepen $14bn trade relationship with India

member and partner countries Lawal, among others. agriculture, technology, industrial Onyema: Tinubu’s Intervention Deji ElumoyeinAbuja of the bloc. At the summit, Shettima will development and other areas of The summit is being held under join leaders of BRICS member mutual benefit. Vice President Kashim Shettima Will Save Nigeria’s Airlines Nigeria became a BRICS yesterday arrived in New Delhi, the theme: ‘Building Resilience, and partner countries, as well as

Chinedu Eze

The Chairman and CEO of Air Peace Limited, Dr. Allen Onyema, declared that the designation of Nigeria by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) as the worst place in the world to establish airline business would be a thing of the past the minute the President gets to know the factors that led to such designation. He expressed belief that the financial crisis bedevilling the airlines over the 5 per cent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) will be solved by the intervention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. In his Keynote speech at the 30th annual conference of the League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) held in Lagos yesterday, with theme: ‘Towards a Sustainable Aviation Industry: Balancing Government Revenue Demands with Sector Growth’, Onyema

said that what will put to an end the high mortality rate of Nigerian operators is when there is amicable tax and charges system that protects the airlines, aviation agencies and the travelling public in a win-win situation. He noted that the current system where airlines pay 5 per cent of the cost of each flight ticket to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) is fiscally constricting the operators and advocated that government should introduce a fixed flat rate on the ticket to make it easy for the airlines to pay and also save them from going under. He said that this is why the airlines yearn for the intervention of President Tinubu who is a listening President and recalled how the President waived 4 per cent Free on Board (FOB) levy, a statutory charge introduced by the Nigeria Customs Service, for the airlines.

India, to represent President Bola Tinubu at the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit. The summit, according to a release issued yesterday by Media Assistant to the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, is part of Nigeria’s efforts to deepen bilateral relations, expand trade and investment opportunities, and strengthen cooperation with

Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability’. Shettima is leading a high-level Nigerian delegation comprising the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Bianca OdumegwuOjukwu; Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole; Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani; Environment, Balarabe Abbas

invited international organisations, for high-level discussions on inclusive global growth, resilience, innovation and sustainable development. The Vice President will also participate in bilateral engagements aimed at advancing Nigeria’s economic and diplomatic interests, particularly in trade, investment,

partner country in January 2025 and has since engaged the platform to strengthen South-South cooperation and broaden its relations with major emerging economies. The Nigerian delegation will also participate in the BRICS open session and other activities scheduled on the sidelines of the summit.

Flutterwave Offers Seamless Digital Participation in Dangote IPO Flutterwave, Africa’s leading payments technology company, is enabling Nigerians at home and abroad to participate in the initial public offering (IPO) of Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals, providing digital payment infrastructure for retail and diaspora investors to fund

their share subscriptions. A statement explained that Flutterwave’s role in facilitating access to the Dangote IPO builds on its experience supporting public offerings in Nigeria, including facilitating payments for MTN Nigeria’s public offering in 2021. The experience highlights

Flutterwave’s role in using digital payment infrastructure to make participation in public offerings more accessible to investors. The Dangote IPO allows investors to purchase shares in Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals. With a refining capacity of 650,000

barrels per day, the Dangote Refinery is the world’s largest single-train refinery. The refinery is part of ongoing efforts to expand domestic refining capacity and reduce reliance on imported petroleum products, while offering investors an opportunity to participate in the offer.

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NEWS

ABIA PDP CAMPAIGN COUNCIL INAUGURATION...

L-R: Chairman, Abia PDP Campaign Council/former Nigeria's Ambassador to Argentina, Empire Kanu; PDP Governorship Candidate, Dr. Kelechi Anosike; State Chairman/Deputy Governorship Candidate, Abraham Amah; Director General, Abia PDP Campaign Council, Obinna Nwachukwu, and Secretary of the Campaign Council, Ukpai Ukairo, during the inauguration of the Campaign Council in Umuahia...recently

Obi Convoy Attack: OK Movement Warns of ‘Lawful Countermeasures’ Group demands Gov Alia’s apology to Nigerians, says action undemocratic

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja and Amby Uneze in Owerri The OK Movement, a political group supporting the 2027 presidential bid of former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, has warned against further attempts to intimidate or disrupt the activities of its members, saying it would deploy

“every lawful and necessary countermeasure” if the safety of its leaders and supporters were threatened. This was as the Nigeria Patriotic Youths Forum (NPYF) has condemned Tuesday’s attack, blockade and obstruction of the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Peter Obi, during

his humanitarian visit to Yelwata in Benue State, describing the incident as an abuse of power and a “constitutional and democratic rape.” The OK Movement, however, said it remained committed to peaceful democratic participation and would not allow political provocation to push its supporters into confrontation.

In a statement issued yesterday by its National Director General, Hon. John Ughulu, the group alleged that individuals “mobilised by elements within the state government” were responsible for the incident. It stressed that the allegation had to be established, calling on the security agencies to conduct a thorough, impartial

National Theatre to Boost Northern Artists with Creative Economy, Financial Literacy Drive Ahmad Sorondinki in Kano

The National Theatre moved to integrate artists from Northern Nigeria into the mainstream of the country’s creative economy through a deliberate push focused on funding, financial literacy, and practical skills. The General Manager of the National Theatre, Tola Akerele, stated this at the Kano Creative Summit for Kano artists on Thursday, saying the programme was conceived to address the imbalance in access to

opportunities for the arts. According to Akerele, "The summit exists because some energy and creativity live in every corner of this country, not only in Lagos, to decentralise access to the tools, knowledge and opportunities the creative economy runs on, and to put them within reach of practitioners far beyond the cities where they are usually concentrated.” She noted that the decision to cite the engagement in Kano was intentional and not symbolic, adding, "the North has long contributed

to Nigeria’s cultural life and deserves the same infrastructure and support systems available in other hubs.” “This belongs here as much as anywhere in the country, not as an afterthought but as a recognition of what this city has always contributed to Nigeria's creative life,” she added. “Kano is the home of Kannywood, one of Nigeria’s greatest film industries, bringing financial literacy and market structures to the region would help practitioners convert talent into sustainable careers.

During his presentation on intellectual property, Audu Maikori, Chief Strategic Advisor on Intergovernmental Affairs to the Governor of Kaduna State and Chairman of Chocolate City Group, walked participants through practical steps to protect their creative work. “Your work is not protected because you made it. It is protected because you can prove you made it, and when,” Maikori said. “Most creatives lose their rights long before anyone infringes on them, simply by never documenting the work in the first place.”

FG: King’s College Lagos Not Sold, Remains Publicly Owned Funmi Ogundare

The federal government yesterday clarified that King’s College, Lagos, has not been sold or privatised. It stressed that the school remains publicly owned with legal title retained by the government. This was as the Joint Congress of Unions of the Federal Ministry of Education has suspended the resumption of students for the first term academic session in all Federal Unity Colleges nationwide, citing the proposed

concession of King’s College, Lagos. The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, in a statement by the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Folasade Boriowo, clarified the PublicPrivate Partnership concession involving the King’s College Old Boys’ Association (KCOBA), following concerns over the ownership and management of the 117-year-old institution. The minister explained that under the concession agreement, KCOBA would be responsible

for financing, rehabilitating, modernising, operating and maintaining the school, while the Federal Government would retain legal title and its statutory, regulatory, monitoring, inspection and enforcement powers. He explained, “Let me assure Nigerians, particularly the King’s College community, that this concession is not a sale of King’s College. Government has retained legal title to the institution and will continue to exercise its oversight responsibilities. “The purpose of the

arrangement is to mobilise the investment and management capacity required to strengthen this important national institution.” Alausa said the concession was developed under the established PPP framework and subjected to technical, economic, financial, legal, environmental and social assessments, value-for-money analysis, fiscal-impact assessment, risk allocation and commercial structuring before securing the necessary regulatory and Federal Executive Council approvals.

and transparent investigation into what transpired. The development comes amid growing political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections, with opposition political movements increasingly stepping up engagements across the country. The OK Movement said Obi, like every other presidential aspirant and political leader, had a constitutional right to visit and campaign in any part of Nigeria. It warned that political violence, intimidation and thuggery should not be allowed to replace democratic competition. “Restraint is not weakness. Restraint is discipline,” the group stated, explaining that members of its security team deliberately refrained from confrontation during the incident. It added, “We chose peace because we understand that Nigeria belongs to all of us,

and we will not allow political provocation to push our supporters into unnecessary confrontation. “However, we will not tolerate a situation where such restraint is repeatedly tested or exploited. “The OK Movement has the capacity and organisational structures necessary to protect its members and maintain order within the limits of the law. "We will continue to act responsibly, but we will also take every lawful and necessary countermeasure available to us whenever the safety of our leaders and members is threatened.” The group said any attempt to use political thuggery or intimidation to frustrate its activities would be unacceptable, stressing that political parties and movements should compete through ideas, competence and persuasion.

Yesterday’s Solutions Cannot Address Tomorrow’s Security Threats, COAS Asserts

Linus Aleke in Abuja

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, said the contemporary security environment would continue to change and that yesterday’s solutions might not adequately address tomorrow’s challenges. Lieutenant General Shaibu made this assertion during the graduation ceremony of the Leadership and Strategic Studies Course 4/25 at the prestigious Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC) in Abuja. The Special Guest of Honour told the graduands that their graduation came at a time when the demands on military leadership were becoming increasingly complex. According to him, “Today’s security environment is characterised by terrorism, insurgency, banditry, transnational organised crime, cyber threats, information warfare and the growing influence of emerging technologies. These threats intersect

with wider political, economic and social dynamics, making military problems increasingly difficult to address through military means alone.” The Army Chief noted that the Nigerian Army required officers who could look beyond immediate tactical problems, understand their wider implications and develop innovative responses that integrated both kinetic and non-kinetic instruments. He said, “This is precisely where the relevance of your course becomes evident. The combination of leadership studies, strategy, research, policy analysis and experience-sharing should enable you to approach complex problems with greater intellectual rigour and strategic awareness. You must therefore bring these competencies to bear to complement ongoing efforts to anticipate, prevent and counter threats to our national security.

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NEWS XTRA

CAPACITY BUILDING...

L-R: CEO, TDB Media Ventures, Bisi Kazeem; Director General, Voice of Nigeria (VON), Jubril Baba Ndace; Corps Marshal FRSC, Shehu Mohammed; Managing Director, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Alli Mohammed Alli, and General Manager, Nigeria Television Authority 24, Ibrahim Wadda, at the opening ceremony of a two day capacity building programme facilitated by CEO TDB Media Ventures, in Abuja…recently

FCC Moves to End Opacity in Federal Recruitment, Orders Job Adverts

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Enugu

The Federal Character Commission(FCC) has taken steps to put an end to the perceived secrecy that usually

surround federal job placements when vacancies open up. To stamp out the opacity in job recruitment in public service, FCC said that it's now mandatory for ministries, departments, and agencies of

Bala Wunti Support Organisation Targets 500,000 Votes for Tinubu in Bauchi

Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi and Francis Sardauna in Katsina

The Chief Executive Officer of the Bala Wunti Support Organisation (BWSO), Muktar Ahmad Jarmajo, has disclosed that with the appointment of Dr. Bala Maijama’a Wunti as a member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, the organisation has set a target of mobilising at least 500,000 votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Bauchi State. Also, traders across the 34 local government areas of Katsina State have endorsed President Bola Tinubu and Governor Dikko Umaru Radda for second terms in office in 2027. Jarmajo has also directed all local government coordinators of the organisation across Bauchi State to immediately activate and strengthen the political structures of the Bala Wunti movement ahead of the commencement of campaign activities. He gave the directive after a weekly management meeting of the organisation yesterday in Bauchi, where he charged the coordinators to intensify grassroots mobilisation, strengthen existing structures and expand the membership base of the organisation across the state. This is contained in a statement issued by Abubakar Al-Sadique, Chief

Communication Officer, Bala Wunti Support Organisation which was made available to journalists on Wednesday. The BWSO CEO described the target of 500,000 votes for President Tinubu as achievable through coordinated grassroots mobilisation and the effective activation of the organisation’s structures across the 20 local government areas of the state. “We must activate every structure across the state—from local government areas to wards and polling units—within the Bala Wunti political ecosystem, based on the strong and coordinated grassroots network built over time that will position Bauchi to deliver the strongest electoral performance in the northeast geopolitical zone," Jarmajo said Jarmajo stressed that the political strength of Bauchi State within the APC-led federal government would be measured significantly by the support and votes the state delivers to the party and its candidates. He emphasised that the number of votes Bauchi State gives to the APC will have a direct bearing on the level of federal attention, development and government projects the state can attract, urging residents and APC supporters to recognise the importance of their votes in securing greater opportunities and development for Bauchi.

government to advertise vacant positions before hiring. The Executive Chairman of FCC, Hon. Hulayat Motunrayo Omidiran, made known this initiative in a keynote address she delivered at the Peter Eze Youth Connect 2026, an empowerment programme held at the International Conference Centre Enugu. The programme themed, ‘Beyond Quotas: Unlocking Opportunities for Enugu Youths Through the Federal Character Commission’ was organised by, Hon. Peter Eze, the Commissioner representing Enugu State at FCC. Omidiran stated that at the commission, "we have decided that more and more agencies should advertise when they have vacancies for employment." "The reason why we do this,"

she explained "is because we feel that there is no area in Nigeria that you will not find people capable to do any job. You just need to search further and wider." The Chairman frowned at the practice in MDAs whereby jobs meant for a particular zone were shifted to another zone in the pretext that the concerned zone lacked qualified persons or that the people failed to apply for the vacant positions. According to her, sharp practices in job placements in MDAs deprive Nigeria of the chance to recruit best minds into public service, adding that FCC has now widened opportunities for all Nigerians and was determined to keep the door open permanently. Omidiran, who is also an accomplished football

administrator, vowed that under her leadership, the FCC would ensure that public service jobs would no longer be reserved for select few, noting that "what we have done is to bring opportunities closer to everyone." "We do not want a closed gap (system of recruitment) whereby when we have opportunities, only a few people who also know influential people will be able to have the opportunities," the Executive Chairman said. She lauded Hon. Eze for the Youth Connect programme, saying that "this initiative demonstrates commendable foresight and a genuine commitment to empowering young people through dialogue, knowledge sharing, networking and access to opportunities." The FCC boss advised Enugu youths to stop harbouring the

notion that federal jobs, even when advertised, would eventually be given to select people, adding that they should always apply for public service jobs. She said, "We are making that opportunity available to all in our country, I want to beg you to seize the moment. Do not say, 'they are giving it to their children'. We are making it open for everybody to apply. "Apply. That's my number one message. Apply. You never can tell." In his goodwill message, Governor Peter Mbah, who also represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, commended Hon. Eze for using his representation of Enugu at FCC to create opportunities for youths

IPCR: Nigeria’s Economic Renewal at Risk Without Peace Investment Michael Olugbode in Abuja

Nigeria’s efforts to revive its economy and strengthen democratic institutions could remain vulnerable unless peacebuilding is treated as a core development investment, the Director General of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Dr. Joseph Ochogwu, has warned. Ochogwu said that the country could not achieve

sustainable economic renewal while communities remained exposed to violent extremism, banditry, farmer-herder conflicts, separatist agitation and other forms of insecurity that destroy livelihoods, weaken institutions and deepen social grievances. He spoke in Abuja while delivering a lecture titled ‘Investing in Peace: A Collective Responsibility for Everyone’ at the 2026 Peace and Dialogue Awards organised by the Ufuk

Dialogue Foundation Nigeria in collaboration with the IPCR. The IPCR boss argued that peacebuilding must move beyond ceremonial declarations and become an integral part of national budgeting, economic planning and community development. “Economic renewal is not a separate track; it is the bedrock on which peace is sustained,” he said. His intervention came against the backdrop of Nigeria’s

continuing struggle with the economic consequences of insecurity, including displacement, destruction of infrastructure, disrupted agriculture, reduced investment and the erosion of public confidence in state institutions. Ochogwu said the challenge was not simply the absence of security operations but the failure to invest adequately in the conditions that prevent conflict from emerging or escalating.

Sanwo-Olu Leads Campaign Team to Ikorodu Bennett Oghifo

As the campaign train of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State commences in full swing, the Ikorodu Division was the first point of call yesterday. The team, led by the Lagos

State Governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, Lagos' APC Chairman, Cornelius Ojelabi, the Director-General of the KOH Campaign Team, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, alongside other prominent party leaders, were welcomed at the Palace of

the Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Oba Kabir Shotobi, where thousands of party faithfuls gathered to receive them. The leadership of the Ikorodu Division, comprising traditional rulers, political leaders, (men and women), assured the campaign team

of their readiness to vote en masse for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the APC Governorship Candidates, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat and her Running mate, Princess Damilola Sonayon-James, in the January 2027 elections.

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SEPTEMBER 12, 2026 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

INSIGHT 13

SEPTEMBER 25, 2021 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

INSIGHT

Agony commuters... What of a waste!

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Nigerian we play dominant role in shea delivery and freight transport (MAN) and Nigeria Employers’ habits of the nation on what economists call articles of ostentation. Part federal and state levels. attacks and killings because the notion of the disclosures of the President’s stock taking wasunder how the the country Indeed onefrom of the first official assignments Buhari carried Association of ritual money andindustry wealth is completely government leadership butter processing without company Nigeria has againthat President Consultative (NECA), billions in foreign of currency by importing goods, which can AfAW is making this call following the out was the approval of billions of Naira in bailout fundsestimated to enable state President Bola Ahmed Tinubu baseless. export ban? necessitated among other things that thefrittered exit, away restructuring, reported arrest of suspected ritualists in Oyo State governors pay something as basic as workers’ salaries. Granting those bailout be produced at home. One of such items was rice, a major staple among the take atbecause the and scaling downNigerians. of multinational introduced a measure against The questions above By banning rice importation into the country, the President on one in southern Nigeria. The raised local media reported fundsneed was a to huge boostanother to nationallook security pressure of arrears the economic of the currentall overcorporations manufacturers in billions raw Sheacurrency butterannually. export in 2025 should keySecurity issues had saved the nation in foreign that membersbe of determining the Western Nigeria of unpaid monthly policies salaries building dangerously the country was aand hand And, ondirect the otherjobs hand, the President has ban boosted domestic extended production to Network, Amotekun, arrested ritualists ticking bomb. administration. Uber has operated Nigeria that over 20,000 and the further leading the Shea nutsuspected trade policy. of rice and in the process had nudged the country into self sufficiency in with the body parts of a 73-year-old man. Ask the naysayers and they would readily remind you of how long it100,000 in Nigeria for 12 years, since the and nearly indirect jobs February 25, 2027. It is also fundamental to note that food production. He also created millions of jobs for young people in the rice The suspects, who were apprehended in the took President Buhari to appoint his ministers and how that contributed to time ofofPresident Goodluck Ebele governance have the broader The rationale behind the ban Underarea Article XI of value chain. Boluwaji in Ibadan, saidthe thatGeneral a Muslim collapse the economy as if, without ministers, wasbeen frozen.lost across Jonathan. The company operates value chain. And with loss of jobaboutisPresident What the is most admirable Buhari and his encourage government is cleric asked them on to procure But buying that narrative would amount to what a famous Nigerian writer, to deepen and Agreement Tariffssome andhuman Tradebody frugal management of scarce national resources toexports attain optimum goals. parts for rituals. Ritual attacksmembers are widespread Chimamanda termed “thein danger of a single story”. Yet the whole initsdependency in over 70 Adichie, countries and 15,000 comes increase ratio value-added and enable (GATT) 1994, "WTO that since President Buhari stepped in the saddle, oil revenue dropped in Nigeria. Irrational conceptions of how to story was that many of our did not know how decrepit cities worldwide. Butcitizens on September and itsa state attendant Recall problems. Nigeria catch up he with cannot quantitative abysmally as if to sabotage him knowing all to the big promises madethe to make moneyuse or become wealthy restrictions and successful President Buhari inherited in 2015. 2, It2026 the company left the country The second obvious multi-billion dollar such asthese bans, quotas, orNigerians permits to citizensunsavory during his campaigns. But with the little resources thatvalue-addition trickle in, the undergird atrocities. Many was therefore necessary for him to take stock against the background due operating condition effect of thefulldivestment ofachieving foreignwhat governments President is that received oil windfalls could strongly in blood money, known in of theto factthe that poor the departing government did not, reportedly, cooperate Shea butter sector. Processed limit believe exports or imports. The goal not dream some local languages as Ogun Owo (Yoruba) well with the in incoming government in terms of leaving workable handover prevalent Nigeria. concerns in Nigeria is theof.issue of shea products are mostly used is to keep international trade open Today, the trains are up and running daily from Abuja to Kaduna. And or Ogwu ego (Igbo). They think that they notes. Although President Goodluck Jonathan was gracious in defeat, many Since the coming of the APC capital flight. Vanguard Newspaper in rail food cosmet- could andbecome predictable." from Lagos to Ibadan a brand new trackmanufacturing, was started and completed; rich, or successful through ritual of his appointees were still sulking over what they saw as their personal regime 2015pulled overall70thedifferent forof September 8, 2026 reported citizens are already commuting daily and fro these two majoretc. cities The in the sacrifice. Unfortunately, is not theand case. losses andin therefore stops to make things difficult for the ics, topharmaceuticals, Dada-Kadri is this a Lawyer seamlessly as they reap from the dividends of democracy. And with eign have shut down that the expected country foreign portfolio Ritual wealth has no basis in reason, science, Buhariconglomerates government. intention is positive but how Economic Policy Analyst way this government is going, before 2023 when the President would or reality. Home movies known as Africa Evenoperations with the obvious andleft unpatriotic obscurantist behaviour of the PDP their and Nigeria. withdrawals fromtheNigeria in the last productive andallpragmatic leave, the entire country would be linked by rail with of its economic in magic or Nollywood filmsFamily? have not helped appointees and their supporters still in government hell-bent on making All in the And in the last three years of Bola three years is over N266 billion. matters. These movies continue to reinforce things difficult for Buhari, the President moved on with his methodical repair advantages. global trade dynamics? Do we Ahmed administration about actress, Ainofenokhai Ojeifo, Abuja have the technical know-how to these mistaken notions and or other of a brokenTinubu country. The first thing he did was to identify allHajia possibleHadiza sources Mohammed, he latest thought, lacksuperstitions. of thought, Families, churches, mosques, andisother of income to the nation and directed that all inflows 20 multinationals have divested and be social activist, politician, London, UK from the Trump team that public some institutions do not encourage the interrogation paid the into one single of account in line with the policy of left shores Nigeria. care occult subsidies are only of thesechild traditional beliefs. There arefor Single Treasury Account (TSA). And that is worrisome coming T H E S AT U R DAY N E W S PA P E R children ofcriticize married couples. no robust efforts to or dispel these The TSA policy, interestingly, was mooted by the EDITOR YEMI ADEBOWALE in a government regime that irrational and paranormal claims in schools, PDP but itsclaims penchantto forhave imprudence It would seem obvious that the group DEPUTY EDITOR AHAMEFULA OGBU colleges, and universities. Sowould millions contain of and lack of accountability denied it the courage initiated reforms that would rejig of T HMANAGING E SAT U RDIRECTOR DAY N EENIOLA W S PABELLO PER who need the subsidies EDITOR OBINNA CHIMA Nigerians grow up blindly believing that they implementing the policy. What the President DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR ISRAEL IWEGBU the economy. Unfortunately, theliterally more parents thanritual would be the CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN OGBU ADENIYI DEPUTY EDITOR AHAMEFULA couldsingle make money through sacrifice of did was to gather all the nation’s money into one box so-called EDITOR NATION’SDIRECTOR CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN MANAGING ENIOLA BELLO average for the general public, so again human body parts. The belief has led many and locked itreform up with ais bigsuffocating padlock and watched for MANAGING EDITOR BOLAJI ADEBIYI DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR ISRAEL IWEGBU business conglomerates out of the to well-off commit crimes any thief to come close. it Nigerians is the less who and willperpetrate miss out. THE EDITORIAL OMBUDSMAN KAYODE KOMOLAFE CHAIRMAN BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI atrocities. Many Nigerians have been jailed Who can with blame the President of for almost developing country, majority our local EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN The other concern is that definition of a or are undergoing court trials due to ritualparanoiagoing over theinto safeguard of the national treasury THE OMBUDSMAN KAYODE KOMOLAFE firms extinction. So far, 'married couple' being the only legitimate related attacks and murder. with revelations and reports of mind-boggling looting only two companies: Not is too longout ago,of the police arrested some family long date, inaccurate and that took place in the 16 yearsStarlink, of the PDP?an With T H I S DAY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D internet service company, and Spiro, young Nigerians for stealing pants, such disclosures of how billions meant for fighting EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA plain offensive. I was raised female in a time when which they intended to use for ritual sacrifice. in the Northeast endedcompany up in the pockets of GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, ainsurgency battery-swap business a two-parent family was more common but TH I S DAY N E WNWOGWUGWU, S PA P E R S LEMMANUEL I M I T E D EFENI ISRAEL IWEGBU, IJEOMA AfAW is asking all Nigerians to desist from a few individuals while our gallant soldiers fought with have found their way into Nigeria EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS SHAKA MOMODU, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE even the concept ofbecause familyritual thenmoney included ritual-related abuses bare hands and on empty stomach, President Buhari GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLAOJOGUN BELLO, KAYODE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR VICTORKOMOLAFE, DANBOYI since the advent ofsanity Tinubu regime inback beliefs are baseless superstitions. Nigerian was duty bound to bring and accountability uncles, aunts, trusted neighbours and ISRAEL IWEGBU SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH 2023. media,friends. schools, and colleges should help in national spending. family DIRECTOR PATRICK EIMIUHI DIVISIONAL DIRECTORSASSOCIATE SHAKA MOMODU, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE educate and reorient the public. They should Thus, effects under President Buhari, the Economic and CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI The and the collateral DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI Whatinofreasoning changing circumstances, assist Nigerians out of thisdeath, Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which had DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH damage to the economy by the mass divorce, families where one person might killer-superstitious absurdity and nonsense. remained comatose for years, was woken up to resume ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR PATRICK EIMIUHI TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com exodus of these foreign Igwe overseas, directs the for Alleged its duties. Apart from the trillions conglomerof Naira of looted beLeo serving orAdvocacy where a parent may CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI Witches (AfAW) funds cannot and property from corrupt The politicians ates be recovered fully estimated. DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO have never been a part of the child's life? first direct effect is job loss. Experts, TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com Dennis Fitzgerald, 28 Landale St Box including institutions and professionHill, Vic Australia

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T H I S D AY, Th e S ATURDAY, N e w S PA P e r •September 12, 2026

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hen retired General and top politician in the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Senator Tunde Ogbeha turned 79 September 1st, his wife, Lady Esther, organised a prayer/breakfastbirthdaysessionintheirApoLegislative Quarters, Abuja home garden. National Chairman of ADC, Senator David Mark, who is Ogbeha's long time friend and comrade-in-arms, led other political associates and friends to the prayer breakfast celebration PHOTOS: Julius Atoi

Senator David Mark; Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal; and Honorable Emeka Ihedioha

L-R: Senator Tunde Ogbeha and Wife, Lady Esther

L-R: Mrs Tumini Akogun and Honorable Tunde Akogun

L-R: Ibrahim Ismael, Ibrahim Shwuibi and Graij Abdullahi

L-R: Chika Egwuatu and wife, Dr. Uche

L-R: Senator Chris Adighije and Prince Olusola Akanmode

L-R: Alhaji Rajab Naibi, and Alhaji Suleiman Baba Ali

T H I S D AY, Th e S ATURDAY, N e w S PA P e r •September 12, 2026

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L-R: Mrs Paulina Balat and Atinuke Taiwo

L-R: Mrs Lola Ologbondiyan and husband, Kola

L-R: Lady Esther Ogbeha with celebrant-husband, Senator Tunde

L-R: Sir Ben Ezeamacheche with wife, Dr. Ngozi

L-R: Senator Oserheimen Osunbor with wife, Lady Ussiel

L-R: Rev. Isaiah Oluwaniyi and wife, Ugochi

L-R: Venerable and Mrs Titus Adeboye

L-R: Senator Anthony Manzo, and Senator Dino Melaye

L-R: Senator Ugochukwu Uba and wife, Dr. Uchenna

L-R: Hajiya Aisha Ahmadu and Honorable Musa Ahmadu

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T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R • SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 12, 2026

NEWS XTRA

COURTESY VISIT...

Tax Ombud/Chief Executive, Office of the Tax Ombud, Dr. John Nwabueze (left) and Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, during a courtesy visit to the Kaduna State Government House… recently

Atiku Insists Production Subsidy Will Protect Refineries, Cut Fuel Costs Chuks Okocha in Abuja

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar yesterday accused the Tinubu Presidency of deliberately distorting concerns raised by Dangote Refinery in what it termed a desperate attempt to discredit his production subsidy proposal. He argued that the refinery’s warning against arbitrary pumpprice controls actually exposes the dishonesty of the government’s argument. In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said Dangote Refinery was right to insist that a private refinery cannot be forced to carry losses created by government-imposed prices, but said the Presidency was being deliberately dishonest by pretending that this was what his plan proposed. According to Atiku, “Dangote raised a legitimate business concern. The Presidency turned it into a campaign of fear.

“A refinery that has invested billions of dollars cannot be commanded to sell indefinitely below cost and absorb the losses. That would be reckless, economically destructive and unfair to any private investor. “But that is precisely why our proposal is different. “We are restoring subsidy through a production subsidy model, not an import subsidy model. “The difference is simple enough for every Nigerian to understand. Import subsidy spends public money supporting petrol refined abroad and brought into Nigeria. Production subsidy supports crude refined here in Nigeria so that Nigerian refineries can produce fuel more cheaply and Nigerians can pay less. “Think of it like rice. If government wants rice to become cheaper, it has two choices: spend money making imported rice cheaper, or help Nigerian farmers reduce the cost of producing rice at home. The second option lowers prices while

also creating jobs, strengthening local businesses and keeping economic activity in Nigeria. “That is exactly what we are proposing for fuel. “We are restoring subsidy, but moving it from importation to production. “The subsidy follows the barrel refined in Nigeria.” Atiku said his proposal would reduce the cost of crude feedstock supplied to qualifying domestic

refineries through a transparent, capped and independently verified mechanism. “If the crude entering a refinery becomes cheaper, the cost of producing petrol should also come down. That reduction should then reach the average Nigerian while preserving legitimate refining costs and a reasonable commercial margin. “There is a clear difference between helping a producer

reduce costs and forcing that producer to sell at a loss. “The Tinubu Presidency knows this. If it pretends otherwise, then it is not confused. It is deliberately misleading Nigerians.” Atiku further stressed that the government’s attempt to equate every subsidy with import dependence was a brazen, dishonest and crude distortion designed to mislead Nigerians on the policy debate.

Mowe Residents Seek NERC Help PAGEAfter 16 18 Months Without Power Sunday Ehigiator

Residents of Itesiwaju Omu Arogun Area Community Development Committee (IOAACDC), a community near Mowe in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State, have appealed to the Minister of Power, Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe and the

National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to intervene in the prolonged power outage affecting the community. The residents said the area has been without electricity for more than 18 months, forcing some residents to relocate to Lagos, Abeokuta and neighbouring communities in search of better

living and working conditions. According to residents who spoke with THISDAY, the prolonged blackout has made life difficult, with several businesses shutting down because of the high cost of alternative sources of power. The Owode Egba feeder, which supplies electricity to the

26 MONTHS AFTER JUDGEMENT, GOVERNORS CONTINUE TO STRANGLE LGS, FUELLING INSECURITY of N500 million monthly, a local government that gets about N500 million monthly, you know that he gets about N6 billion. “And that local government has stayed there for two years, but you cannot see a single project of just N115 million in that local government. “And this is something that is replicated across the 774 local government areas.” Ononamadu said the autonomy question went beyond finances, identifying three critical areas that needed to be addressed. “One is the fiscal autonomy they require. The second is the administrative autonomy which they require. The third is the political autonomy. They need to conduct their elections and set themselves free. But it is not happening anywhere,” he said. He argued that excessive state control over local governments had weakened the councils

“Under our plan, support will be tied strictly to crude refined in Nigeria. Nigerian refineries will benefit. Nigerian workers will benefit. Nigerian businesses will benefit. Nigerian consumers will benefit. “If you do not refine in Nigeria, you do not qualify. “This is not a subsidy for foreign refineries. It is not a subsidy for importers. It is not a subsidy for middlemen.

and contributed to poor service delivery. “Ninety per cent of the local government agencies are in the pocket of the government that is moving that space, and that is why it appears that governors are even more powerful than the President of the Republic,” he said. Ononamadu further alleged that local governments had been unable to undertake significant projects independently because of the level of state influence over their finances. “During our campaign, we did a research and discovered that you cannot find a single project of more than N100 million in any local government across the country being sponsored by the local government itself. “Rather, what you will see is local government having some criminal partnership which they say through which the governor siphons them, and then a little

either white elephant project or overpriced project and projects that don’t mean anything to the people.” He maintained that stronger local government autonomy could also help address insecurity. “Every local government now has the capacity to fund their local government police effectively and stop this corruption and stop this insecurity. “We have said it that if you allow local government to use their money, insecurity will disappear from Nigeria overnight. It will, because there is no local government now that is formed based on what they receive monthly.” Asked whether he had evidence that allocations were being returned to governors after reaching local government accounts, Ononamadu said forensic audits would reveal the movement of funds.

“It goes to the local government, but they go and pack the money and send it in dollars and send back to governors. And that is why the dollar is still where it is,” he alleged further. “That is why the primary health centres are not working. That is why basic education is not working,” he said. He called for a forensic examination of local government finances, arguing that such an exercise would expose financial irregularities. “If you do a forensic audit, all the governors will go to prison,” he alleged. He also advocated stronger political and administrative autonomy, alongside fiscal independence. “The local government autonomy that has to do with their political autonomy should be handed over to them. Two, the

local government administrative autonomy should be handed over to them. The governors have no business. “And number three, I talked about fiscal autonomy. The fiscal autonomy should be that the local government should not be forced to go into audit matters, to go into alliance with the governors on how to spend local government money.” Ononamadu insisted that local government autonomy was central to addressing Nigeria’s development challenges. “If any politician wants this country to be free from the present adversity, to be free from the present insecurity, to be free from the present abject poverty, it is simply to ensure that the local government autonomy takes place,” he said. For the Executive Director, New Ethics for Empowerment and Development Initiatives

community, has reportedly been operating below the capacity required to adequately serve residents. Residents said officials of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) had attributed the poor supply to inadequate electricity from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN). (NEEDIN), Kano, Peter Hassan Tijani, the lack of clear information on how local government allocations are currently being disbursed was itself a major problem. Tijani said civil society organisations had not done enough to follow up on the Supreme Court judgment and demand answers from government authorities. “For me, it’s an issue of concern because according to the rulings of the Supreme Court, by now we should have gotten reasonable improvements, but actually nothing is happening.”

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as MISS. BOLUWATIFE OJESOLA VICTORIA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. BOLUWATIFE OLUWATOYIN VICTORIA. All former documents remain valid, the general public should please take note.

T H I S D AY, Th e S ATURDAY, N e w S PA P e r •September 12, 2026

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SHOWBIZ

Ferdinand Ekechukwu- 08035011394 Email: ferdi_adthisday@yahoo.com

Maria Chike: How I Quit Law to Chase My Acting Dream Stories by Ferdinand Ekechukwu

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eality TV star, Maria Chike Benjamin has shared her first film set experience, describing it as challenging and intimidating. Maria, in a chat with THISDAY, recalled her transition from air hostess to reality TV star and now actress, saying that her first experience on a film set was completely different from anything she had learned in the UK or anywhere during her studies as an actor. Maria decried the standard of getting actors to set on short notice without proper preparation before filming. Reflecting on her journey and time in Los Angeles hustling, Maria, born to a Nigerian father and an Austrian mum, recounted fatherhood influence, studying law before acting. She shared her biggest lesson through the journey, believing in herself when people outside didn’t believe in her. She said “That has to be the biggest lesson ever throughout having moved back to Nigeria since 2021 transitioning from being an airhostess with Emerald Airlines to a reality TV star to now being an actress. I think the biggest lesson ever would be that I have consistently believed in myself,” she said recalling her dad’s influence on her life and career. “My dad has been such a great influence in regards to my life and my career. I mean he always wanted me to be a lawyer back in college days in Manchester, in the United Kingdom. I actually studied law because that’s who my dad wanted me to be. But I didn’t like law and kind of failed some years and went in to do what I actually loved. And he was quite upset but we

squashed things afterwards. “He wanted me to be a lawyer but from law I moved on to acting. I went to a performance school in Sanford University, studying strictly acting and script writing. I have been mostly in front of the cameras. Even some journey in my life after I finished university, you know l lived in Los Angeles in America for three months and I was going for acting auditions and stuff like that.” She added: “The high cost of living in LA chased me away and I moved back to the UK. I just went for a short period to get acting jobs and it never really happened for me. So I have been in front of the cameras, in front of so many auditions, so as much as my first ever time being on an actual real movie set that was going to feature, it was exciting but it was also intimidating. “Abroad or when I was in acting school, they would give you weeks, months, they would give you script ahead of time. But Nigerians we do things completely different. They give you a script today and they expect you to be on set tomorrow morning. Or you are on set the first time you will see your script, all you doing is just quickly learning the script not even going into character. “So, it’s very intimidating in the terms like it wasn’t what I studied, it wasn’t how I perceived acting and it was quite challenging to just come on set and have to quickly just read my script and then they expect you to just be in character straight away, it’s extremely challenging. I’m like wait... I’m I supposed to read this script right now?! And you are supposed to film me?!” “I wish I was given my script weeks in advance to submerge into this character, to own my character, to be that character, to come on set and give a different type of standard acting. I haven’t been in a lot of movies in this industry or in any industry. I have just been in a few. But I do hope that someday the film industry in Nigeria or Africa would actually change.”

Maria Chike

Moses Inwang Premieres ‘Ordinary People,’ SIS Drives Creavity, Fashion with 'UrbanStreetFashion' Calls It Most Ambitious Project Yet

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Moses Inwang

hree years of filming across two continents has finally birthed an eight-episode action thriller series, 'Ordinary People', by multiple award winning producer, director and screenwriter, Moses Inwang. The film which premiered on Netflix recently brings together wholesome ensemble of Ghanaian and Nigerian cast in a story combining high-stakes action with intimate human drama. The series features Ramsey Nouah, Adunni Ade, Chidi Mokeme, Michelle Dede, Lasisi Elenu, Eddy Watson and Shawn Faqua. Also appearing are Sharon Ooja, Jackie Appiah, Adjetey Anang, Gbenga Titiloye, Bimbo Manuel, Aproko Doctor, Randa Eissa, Stanley Evans and Margaret Echeghe. Ordinary People is about the masks we wear and the

truths we hide,” Inwang said. “I wanted to tell a story about people who look like us, live next door to us, and yet are capable of the extraordinary when pushed to the edge. This has been a labour of love, and I’m proud to finally share it with the world on Netflix.” Inwang disclosed the project took three years to make after he first conceived the idea six years ago. He described Ordinary People as the most star-studded film or television series ever produced in Nigeria. He describes ‘Ordinary People’ as his most ambitious project yet, following years of development and production. At the heart of the series are the residents of Mirage Estate, whose apparently ordinary lives begin to unravel as secrets from their past collide with dangers in the present.

Sonma Nwoko Showcases Creative Journey, Artistic Growth at Solo Exhibition, UNBOUND

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onma Chinye Nwoko, a talented 13-year-old visual artist officially launched her creative storytelling journey with her debut solo art exhibition titled UNBOUND. The landmark exhibition, featuring an intimate evening of art works took place last Sunday at Soto Gallery, a vibrant cultural hub in

Ikoyi, Lagos. Billed as “the first chapter” of her creative storytelling, UNBOUND offers a close look at Sonma’s artistic growth, illustrating the transition from a single spark of an idea into fully realized masterpieces, showcasing 60 works inspired by nature, emotions, and experiences of young people. UNBOUND captures an important beginning: her

journey as an artist in Nigeria and beyond. All to her idea, Sonma’s solo exhibition bears significant to her creative ingenuity. According to her, the exhibition explores the pressure young people face to conform and encourage self-awareness and creative expression. Through a mixture of layered techniques, bold brushstrokes, and deliberate visual narratives, Sonma uses her art to reflect a journey of faith, confidence, and resilience. Through her art, she experiments with visual storytelling and explores the relationship between memory, emotions and the world around and within her. As one of the youngest contemporary voices entering the thriving Nigeria art landscape, Sonma’s debut marks a significant moment for the teen creative and the next generation of West African fine art. Sonma Nwoko

From Lagos to London: Nojolie Brings Stories Of Migration, Heritage to Renaissance 2026

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or Angela, fashion has never been simply about what the body wears. It is also about what the body remembers. That idea took on another dimension in London on Saturday, as Angela’s contemporary fashion label, Nojolie, joined emerging designers and artists at Renaissance 2026: Global Origins – Stories Untold, a fashion and art showcase exploring culture, heritage and identity. Held at Devonshire Square’s Western Courtyard, the one-night event brought together 11 designers and 10 artists from countries including Nigeria, Indonesia,

Taiwan, Canada, Norway, England, North Macedonia and Greece. The programme combined runway presentations with an art exhibition, music and live performance. The invitation offered Angela an opportunity to place her work within a wider London creative setting while drawing on experiences that have shaped her approach to design. Born in Newham, London, to Delta and Yoruba parents and raised in Surulere, Lagos, Angela grew up between two countries and cultural environments. That experience would later become an important reference point in the development of Nojolie. Her route into fashion was grounded in making. She began with a menswear apprenticeship in Ajah, Lagos,

before working as a store manager for Design for Love in Ikoyi and later studying Industrial Fashion Design at Yaba College of Technology. She is currently furthering her education in Fashion and Fashion Business at the University of Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom. Her experience has also extended beyond her independent label. In 2025, Angela worked as a stylist for the Graduate Fashion Foundation’s Talent of Tomorrow photoshoot, contributing to the development of looks and the visual direction of the project. The campaign featured 54 emerging graduate designers and was created, styled and photographed by 49 graduating creatives from across the United Kingdom.

Fiesta 3.0

Oluchi Chibuzor

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he ‘UrbanStreetFashion’ Fiesta has continued to provide a platform for fashion, entertainment, and creative expression, following the successful hosting of its third edition in Akoka, Lagos. The annual event is an initiative of Oluwakemi Senami Ezekiel, the Creative Director of SenamImage Signatures, a media and photography company based in Akoka, Lagos. The project was created to drive brand publicity and visibility, promote corporate social responsibility, and provide an avenue for collaboration and partnerships across the fashion, entertainment, and wider creative industries. Now in its third edition, the fiesta has continued to evolve into a platform where fashion brands, models, artistes and other creatives can showcase their talents, connect with new audiences and explore opportunities for growth and collaboration. The 2026 edition was proudly supported by Passion Fort Limited, Q4 International, SenamImage Signatures, and SDelbira Company, with Zuch Collections, Project Kici and TI model agency coming on board as partners. Prime Time Africa, Temmyteemedia, among others, provided media support for the event. Fashion brands that participated as exhibitors include Hypno Clothing, Dr Suit Lagos, Jeks Clothing, and Layet Signatures. Senami said one of the major improvements recorded at this year's edition was in the trade fair and exhibition experience. "Compared with previous editions, this year's fiesta provided a better-organised and more suitable trade fair space, giving exhibitors improved options to display their products, engage attendees and promote their brands, which created a more professional environment for the fashion presentations," she said. Project Manager of ‘UrbanStreetFashion’, Ayobami Adelawal, popularly known as Bam Bam, said the initiative, which is managed by SenamImage Signatures, was conceived to give young talents in the community access to opportunities they would otherwise not have. Bam Bam said the platform currently works with 13 emerging artists, some are undergraduates and one of whom she disclosed was set to be signed by YBNL, in addition to several models and fashion brands that have benefited from the initiative.

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T H I S D AY, Th e S ATURDAY, N e w S PA P e r • September 12, 2026

Super SATURDAY

Adewale Ayuba: If Not Fuji, I Would Have Been a Teacher

For more than four decades, Adewale Ayuba has made an indelible mark on Nigeria’s Fuji music scene, rising from a young artiste to one of the genre’s most distinctive and influential voices. Yet, behind the fame, Bonsue Fuji and decades of musical success lies a different path Ayuba believes he could have taken. The veteran artiste says if not for Fuji music, he would have been a teacher, a profession he continues to hold in high regard and one that reflects his enduring belief that music, like teaching, should educate, inspire and leave a lasting impact. In this exclusive interview with Tosin Clegg, Ayuba reflects on his musical journey, the evolution of Fuji, his passion for teaching through music, the challenges facing Nigeria’s entertainment industry and the legacy he hopes to leave behind. Excerpts

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hat informed your style of Fuji and how did you come about it? My style of Fuji is my decision. And I give glory to God about that. Everybody wants to be different so as to have a niche. So, for me, I just want when people hear about Bonsue Fuji music, this is what you would hear from me. You know we have a lot of Fuji artistes, and if you want to be in a position you desire to be, you have to work hard to make a difference for people to know that this is your own style. You are distinct from other Fuji artistes. What informed that? You see, we are all different, and particularly, our back-

grounds are different too. I see my job as a Fuji artiste professionally, as it is what I do for a living. And I have had a lot of teachings from my parents that if you decide to do this music, you can’t do this or that because they believe that being a musician can turn your life to a different level, so it wasn’t easy for me to start singing. But we had a round-table meeting, like a contractual agreement between me and my parents, before I could do this. So, I had a rule I followed, which is probably what is setting me apart. When you look back at your journey in Fuji music, what do you believe the younger generation may never fully understand about the sacrifices and struggles it took to build

the genre? There was a time I decided not to sing Fuji music after releasing five albums, and I realised these albums were not being played in the universities, disco halls, and more people didn’t listen to them. So, anytime my friends were doing parties, they would be telling me I was doing ‘Arugbo’ music, as they didn’t know how to dance to it. The background of Fuji music is from Sakara and not really fast tempo, but then I met a producer who guided me. He said if you want your music to be played by the Igbos, Hausas and particularly in the universities, you need to change your style, and that was the beginning. And from there, anytime I want to write my songs, I ensure it is 50 percent English and 50 percent Yoruba, then I changed the tempo a bit. How important has cultural identity been to your

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T H I S D AY, Th e S ATURDAY, N e w S PA P e r • September 12, 2026

Super saturday

Adewale Ayuba: If Not Fuji, I Would Have Been a Teacher music, and do you worry that some of its original essence could be lost with changing times? It’s not a mistake for God to have me in Nigeria, and if God wanted me to be an American citizen, no doubt I would be born there. I cherish my culture a lot, and to me, music has no language, just good rhythm and knowing what you are talking about. So, being a Yoruba really influenced my career.

you come from Oluwagbenga to Gbengus because you think that Oluwagbenga is not funkified enough, which are the things that don’t make people appreciate us enough. If you could sit down with the pioneers and legends who helped shape the path before you, what conversation would you most want to have with them today? To me, I can say I give them 85 percent pass; why the other 15 is personal and a part of our lives. I would love Fuji artistes to be settled men who believe that marriage is part of life’s blessing. On the other side, you can’t see Fuji musicians smoking, drinking or doing some kind of things openly. We are so calm and humble, but the other side is staying with a wife. So, I always advise: don’t let your stardom come after your marriage.

At this stage of your life and career, what does success truly mean to you? Success for me is legacy, with what you leave behind and even while you are still living. To me, success isn’t the money you have in the bank but more of what you have done to people, especially the impact of your works and behaviour. Your voice and sound have become part of your identity. How difficult was it to remain original in an industry where artistes are often pressured to follow trends? Talent was given by God, and how the voice came about, I don’t know, but I do know I was born with it. You know, some people, because of the haste to become popular, start copying other musicians that are well known. But my parents always told me to stay in your lane, and that really has helped me. What are some of the biggest personal sacrifices you have made for music that your fans may not know about? It’s been a lot of sacrifices. For example, I was in America for some time because of the Abacha crisis, and after he died in 1998, I came back that same year. I was there for years, and I had left because of the song I did for MKO Abiola about the need for the release of the political detainees. Later, they said they were looking for me then, but I know what I went through with my band boys, and it wasn’t only me because they had to eat and survive. Secondly, people try to put religion with what you do, and it’s in this world we met religion. You can always choose what you want and how to worship your God. Also, playing music in the university was also a lot of price as well as taking it to the disco hall too, but today I give God the glory that I was able to achieve it all. Do you believe today’s generation of Fuji artistes truly understand the history and responsibility that comes with carrying the genre forward? To me, they are really tiring, and you can see a lot of Gen Zs coming into Fuji music. But what I want them to know is that what makes Fuji music is the rhythm, which is the drum behind it, and not the voice. They shouldn’t shy away from that, as Sakara, Omele and Apala are the food of Fuji. Beyond the music, what life experiences have had the greatest influence on the messages you put into your songs? Since I started working with a producer, he had let me know that your music must say something, as lyrics shouldn’t be for people to just dance to, but you have to lecture, as there must be something there for people to go back and say, I want to listen to this music again. Or a scenario where spouses want to talk to each other or parents want to talk to their children: “Don’t you see what Ayuba said in that album, that if you don’t finish your schooling, this could happen?” So, for me, music is a lecture that you give your audience. Is there anything you would have done differently in your career if you had the opportunity to start all over again? I love what I am doing, no doubt, but aside from doing this, I would have been a teacher. For me, Jesus Christ was a teacher. And the level and grace God has given to teachers, you can’t comprehend it. I love to be known as someone that people say, “Ayuba taught me this or that.” It’s only in Nigeria we don’t appreciate teachers that much, as they are the ones who help people to become good persons in Nigeria and the world at large. What is your relationship with fame today, compared to when you first became

What informed your decision of one woman only, or is it part of your policies? For me, I don’t know why you have to marry up to three women because right from the beginning, it was Adam and Eve, which is what God did. See, we have two legs, two hands and everything in twos, so I believe things must be in twos. I’m the last born of my parents, and I never set my eyes on another woman with my father, so it’s what they are doing in my home I focus upon and follow. I believe that is the way, and my music shouldn’t come and affect that. Tell us about your new album, Arise, and what informed the title? When I say Arise, it’s centred on doing something different. All the albums I have been doing, we do longer versions, which is 22 minutes on this side and on the other side, as we are not really into singles. I experimented with singles with JazzMan Olofin with Koloba Koloba, so I realised it was good for me to go into that. Arise, that is coming out, is just six songs, which is what they want in the Western world, and this would be the first time I would have an album that is in singles.

•Ayuba

Success for me is legacy with what you leave behind and even while you are still living. To me success isn’t the money you have in the bank but more of what you have done to people especially the impact of your works and behavior successful? Has it changed the way you see people and the world around you? Before now, you are just praying to ‘blow’ and want people to know your music. After that, you would think you have arrived. Even at times, ego can come into your life, thinking they play me on TV and I’m a superstar. But I thank God I had parents who always cautioned me, and now I think I am mature. You know, some people think that being a superstar, you are too much to have just a single wife in your home, or if they are with one, they are doing her a favour, with talks about other women that want them. So, they look down on these women, but once you start that, your career is gone because it’s not about music and money only, as you still have to be responsible. Many young artistes are focused on becoming famous quickly. What is the difference, in your view, between achieving popularity and building a legacy? If you are too much in a haste to get popular

or be known, then you can never achieve a good legacy. That is what I know. Because slow and steady wins the race, they say. Firstly, you have to own your own style so that when they play your music, they can connect it to you. If you can achieve that, which isn’t easy to come by, then you have done a lot. Also, your lyrics matter a lot, where people can gain from it and not just dancing to it. What concerns you most about the future of Fuji music, and what gives you hope? What gives me hope is that we have just started opening to the Western world, and we are like 5 percent in, and they are looking forward to Fuji music. I just want people in Nigeria, especially the musicians, to quickly grab it, as the door has been opened. Also, they should do the right thing to promote it, and it’s not by your song alone, as character matters. Once you know what you are doing and keep on bearing our name, not that

Can you give us more insight into your track list on the album? At times, I start something and don’t know where it’s going to end, but at the end of the day, it’s going to end well. But if you hear the lyrics very well, you would see the poetic flow in my songs. Anytime I take my pen to write a song, I think of what people would gain from the music and not just to listen to it. I have been trying to promote Fuji music all over the world for ages because Fuji is my pride. I digitalised Fuji music to go into singles so it can enter the club world. And I want other Fuji musicians to embrace this, as a tree cannot make a forest. Was there any reason you didn’t have collaborations on this album? I would tell you the truth: it’s not that easy to collaborate with people, particularly the Gen Z artistes. When they have their names in bold, thinking they have made it, it’s difficult, as they would think you want them to raise you. Which is what I’m saying about the music industry on the need to be humble and help, because a time would come when God would ask you who did you help, as it is not about you alone. So, we need something that the government can establish to help artistes do things rightly. On this project, we tried two to three people, then realised they were reluctant and taking their time to come on board, so we had to leave them aside. If you could help refine the industry, what would you like done differently? I think I want the government to do something that would have coaches talk to people on the positive and negative of being a musician, as well as the dos and don’ts. Also, on what cigarette or Igbo would do in your life, because you are no more a talented artiste if you feel that if you don’t smoke, you can’t sing, which are some of the things that ruin their lives. There is a blessing in the entertainment world, especially music, and they are not tapping anything in Nigeria at all. And I don’t know why the government isn’t looking towards that area but rather focusing on just oil and gas. But hopefully, we would get there.

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MEMORABLE MILESTONE

Tony Elumelu: From Sales Executive to Global Business Icon

An old business card shared by Tony Elumelu has brought his remarkable journey into sharp focus, reminding young Africans that extraordinary success can grow from humble beginnings, resilience and perseverance, writes Obinna Chima

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he old business card of a young Tony Elumelu, which he recently shared on social media, offers a fascinating glimpse into a chapter of his life far removed from the boardrooms, billion-naira investments, global business networks and philanthropic ventures that define him today. It is a reminder that behind every remarkable success story lies a beginning. For Elumelu, that beginning was the hustle of a young Nigerian selling photocopiers. The founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), shared the card with his millions of followers on Facebook, posting an old business card from his early days as a sales executive with Precissa Sales Limited, a company located on Bode Thomas Street, Surulere, Lagos. The card, with a telephone number and address that have long disappeared into history, offers a glimpse into a chapter of his life that preceded his emergence as one of Africa’s most prominent businessmen and investors. For Elumelu, however, the significance of the card was a reminder of the values he acquired when he was still far removed from the heights of corporate success. “Stumbled upon my old business card from my early days as a photocopier salesperson,” he wrote. “It brought back memories of being a young, hungry sales rep—learning the fundamentals of resilience, negotiation, and grit. Those lessons have stayed with me over the years and continue to shape how I approach business and engage with customers today,” he added The message is striking because the man looking back at that young salesman today occupies a very different world. Elumelu is now the founder and chairman of Heirs Holdings, chairman of United Bank for Africa, chairman of Transcorp and founder of the TEF, among other business and philanthropic interests. The investments of the promoter of Africapitalism today span critical sectors including financial services, energy, power, hospitality, healthcare and technology. But the old business card tells a story that the journey to the top did not begin at the top. Indeed, there is something deeply human about seeing the business card of a man who is now widely recognised as one of Africa’s leading investors and philanthropists. For a young person looking at Elumelu today, it can be tempting to see only the finished product—the wealth, influence, companies, awards and global recognition. But that old business card offers a corrective. It takes the story back to a young man whose job required him to sell photocopiers, meet customers,

persuade people and probably endure the many disappointments that come with sales. His official biography confirms that he began his career as a copier salesman before spending much of his professional life in banking. Elumelu’s career later moved into banking, where his appetite for opportunity and willingness to take risks became more evident. After earning a master’s degree in economics from the University of Lagos, he applied to Allstates Trust Bank despite not meeting all the stated qualification requirements. The bank’s chief executive came across his application and invited him for an interview. He got the job. At 26, he became a branch manager and was the youngest bank branch manager in Nigeria at the time. That episode offers the lesson for young Nigerians that sometimes the difference between opportunity and missed opportunity is the courage to knock on a door even when you are unsure whether you qualify. Elumelu’s rise in banking was remarkable. At 34, he became chief executive of Crystal Bank, a distressed financial institution that he and a group of investors acquired and transformed into Standard Trust Bank. The turnaround helped establish his reputation as a banker capable of taking on seemingly difficult challenges. In 2005, he led the merger of Standard Trust Bank with the much older United Bank for Africa, creating a larger institution and beginning another chapter in the transformation of UBA into a pan-African financial services group.

2027: Tinubu’s Daughter, Folashade, Rallies Market Leaders, Artisans for President’s Re-election

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head of the 2027 general elections, the Iyaloja-General of Nigeria, Chief Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, is setting up a grassroots political machinery across trading hubs to campaign for her father, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid. The mobilisation drive, under the banner of Market Women and Men, is scheduled for a formal rollout this month. The initiative aims to lock down support across traditional trade associations, artisan guilds, student bodies, and transport operators for the President and all candidates on the All Progressives Congress

ticket. Beyond the presidency, the group will run ground operations backing Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, as well as ruling party candidates contesting legislative seats across the state, a statement disclosed. The Director-General of the group’s Lagos chapter, Omofunmilewa AdeJombo, confirmed the campaign would draw delegates from transport unions like the NURTW, civil society organisations, and trade groups across all 57 local government and council development areas in Lagos. “The goal is to take the message directly to the stalls, workshops, and motor

parks,” AdeJombo said, noting that the campaign will lean on Tinubu-Ojo’s deep network among market leaders to explain federal economic programs, credit access for micro-retailers, and targeted support for women. “The early campaign comes at a sensitive time, as traders across major urban centers grapple with the rising cost of goods and commercial overheads. Political observers note that using the institutional office of the Iyaloja-General gives the ruling party a battle-tested network capable of turning commercial trade hubs into high-turnout polling units on election day,” it added.

His reflection on the business card captures a man who was resilient and had grit. Through the TEF, the foremost champion of entrepreneurship in Africa, Elumelu has empowered a new generation of African entrepreneurs, driving poverty eradication, catalysing job creation across all 54 African countries, and ensuring inclusive economic empowerment. TEF’s mission is rooted in Africapitalism, which positions the private sector, and most importantly, entrepreneurs, as the catalyst for the social and economic development of the African continent. Since its launch in 2010, TEF has empowered over 2.5 million young Africans with access to business management training on its proprietary digital hub, TEFConnect, and disbursed over US$100 million in seed capital to more than 27,000 selected entrepreneurs on the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme. Collectively, reports have it that these entrepreneurs have generated $4.2 billion in revenue and created more than 1.5 million direct and indirect jobs. Through its support for African entrepreneurs, TEF has lifted 2.1 million Africans above the poverty line, and positively impacted more than four million African households, with 46 percent of supported entrepreneurs being African women. “Wherever I travel, I meet our entrepreneurs—individuals who share stories of growth, expansion, and dreams realised. Each encounter reaffirms that our work

Elumelu

is an investment in Africa’s most renewable resource: its people. “For a long time, I believed luck was something that simply happened to you. Then I came to understand: luck can be engineered. Opportunity can be democratised. Hope is not just a feeling — it is a system we can build,” Elumelu said in a recent interview. He knows what it means to start small, that is why he believes so strongly in creating opportunities for young Africans. The entrepreneur you meet today with a small idea, a modest business or an untested dream may be building the foundation for something much bigger tomorrow. The old business card reminds everyone that where you start does not have to determine where you end. What matters is the foundation you lay, the lessons you learn and what you choose to do with the opportunities that come your way.

Hamzat Promises Decentralised Govt. Services, Stronger Economic Devt in Lagos infrastructure closer to their communities.

Bennett Oghifo

Lagos State Deputy Governor and All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Candidate, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, has assured to build a more interconnected Lagos, decentralise government services, and develop the distinctive economic advantages of the five divisions of the state, namely: Ikeja, Badagry, Ikorodu, Lagos Island and Epe (IBILE). Speaking during an interview at a radio station in Ikorodu, Hamzat said the growth of the State must be driven by a deliberate effort to harness the comparative advantages of each division, adding that his vision is to create a Lagos where residents would not have to travel to Alausa for services that could be provided within their respective divisions. The Deputy Governor stated that strategic government presence in Ikorodu, Epe, and other divisions would bring governance closer to the people and make public services more accessible, elucidating that residents must have easier access to government services, efficient transportation, and other essential

“We must decentralise Lagos. Alausa should not be the only place where people can access government services. We should have mini-secretariats in Ikorodu, Badagry, and Epe, so that perhaps 80 per cent of the services people need can be resolved within their divisions, while matters requiring further attention can be escalated to Alausa. Also, each division of the state needs to develop around its unique economic strengths, and government must deliberately “plug into” the opportunities available in different parts of Lagos,” Hamzat said. Furthermore, Hamzat identifaied Ikorodu’s potential in agriculture, food processing and transportation, promising to develop infrastructure around emerging institutions and economic activities in other divisions. He emphasised the importance of organisation within the state, noting that reorganisation of local government administration must cover both physical and financial structures, with effective systems put in place to improve accountability, eliminate leakages and identify issues such as ghost workers.

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•Tourism •Arts&Culture

Charles Ajunwa

• 08064268968 • ajunwacharles@gmail.com

NIHOTOUR, FTAN Move to End Rift, Strengthen Nigeria’s Tourism Sector Charles Ajunwa

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he National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) and the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN) have reaffirmed their commitment to work closely in order to strengthen Nigeria’s hospitality, tourism and travel industry. In a statement jointly signed by Dr. Abisoye Fagade, Director General, NIHOTOUR and FTAN President, Dr Aliyu Badaki, after a meeting in Abuja, both leaders agreed to continue working closely together to strengthen professionalism and standards across the hospitality, tourism and travel sectors; deepen consultation by establishing a joint committee comprising representatives of both organisations. They also agreed to further deliberate on the issues raised, examine areas requiring clarification in the NIHOTOUR Act 2022, and develop practical recommendations and a mutually agreed pathway for moving forward. The committee will provide a structured platform for continued consultation and engagement between NIHOTOUR and the industry; address areas of concern through continuous dialogue and mutually constructive engagement; support skills development, employment and opportunities for Nigerian professionals; and create a more predictable and investment-friendly tourism environment. These commitments followed a strategic engagement between the leadership of NIHOTOUR and FTAN to discuss issues surrounding the NIHOTOUR Act 2022, and the professionalisation of the sector.

Both organisations agreed that matters are best addressed through continuous dialogue, mutual respect, evidence-based engagement and constructive collaboration. The parties further agreed that all pending litigations relating to the implementation of the NIHOTOUR Act 2022 will be addressed amicably through dialogue and due process, in the interest of industry unity. NIHOTOUR reaffirmed that its responsibilities are intended to promote professional standards, competence, accountability and the orderly development of the sector. The Institute also recognised the important role played by FTAN as the umbrella body representing the organised private-sector in shaping a vibrant tourism economy. On its part, FTAN reaffirmed its commitment to constructive engagement with NIHOTOUR in advancing the interests of tourism businesses, professionals and practitioners across Nigeria. Both parties further recognise that Nigeria’s tourism industry has enormous potential to contribute to job creation, skills development, investment, economic diversification, cultural preservation and national development. Achieving this potential requires government institutions and the private sector to work as partners with a shared vision. “NIHOTOUR and FTAN therefore consider today’s engagement an important step towards a new era of partnership and shared responsibility. “We are united in the belief that the success of Nigeria’s tourism industry is bigger than any individual institution or association. “Together, we will continue to engage, collaborate and forge ahead in building the tourism industry that Nigeria deserves,” the statement noted.

Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa

THISDAY Travel Journalist, Charles Ajunwa Wins Award Boniface Okoro in Umuahia

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Ajunwa exploring Ikogosi warm and cold springs resort in Ekiti State

ravel journalist, Mr. Charles Ajunwa, has been named ‘Top Travel Communicator in Nigeria’ for 2025/2026 by the Board of ATQ News/ Travellers Magazine. Ajunwa, who doubles as News Editor, THISDAY (Saturday), was selected following a public voting process as one of the Top 100 Travel and Tourism Icons in Nigeria for 2025/2026. The award will be presented to him tomorrow, during the 22nd Akwaaba African Travel Market at Eko Hotels and Suites, Lagos. In a letter signed by Ikechi Uko, Publisher of ATQ News/Travellers Magazine, the board said the award recognises Ajunwa’s “outstanding contribution to the country’s travel and tourism industry. “The recognition honours your commitment to effectively communicating and promoting travel, tourism, destinations, and experiences, while informing, inspiring, and connecting travellers with the

opportunities within Nigeria’s tourism landscape,” the letter stated. “Your work continues to contribute significantly to the growth, visibility, and development of Nigeria’s travel and tourism sector.” The Travellers Awards, instituted in 1996, annually celebrate outstanding individuals and organisations that have excelled in Aviation, Travel, Hospitality and Tourism across Nigeria and Africa. Travellers Magazine, first published in 1993, is the first travel magazine in West Africa, while ATQNews.com, launched in 2014, is a leading travel news platform on the continent. Ajunwa’s selection is backed by more than two decades of reporting, editing and advocacy in the tourism space. As Editor, Arts, Culture and Tourism, THISDAY Saturday Newspapers and News Editor, he has shaped national conversations around destination marketing, aviation, hospitality and cultural tourism. His global footprint in tourism journalism is extensive. Some of the key international conferences and familiarisation trips he has attended or covered include: ITB Berlin, Germany (2012) – The world’s largest

tourism trade fair, World Travel Market, London, UK (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 & 2012) – 6 consecutive editions at ExCel London, 21st Akwaaba African Travel Market, Lagos (2025) and 8th Accra Weizo Conference, Ghana (2025) – West Africa’s leading travel exhibitions, Explore Uganda Familiarisation Trip (2023) – Organised by Uganda Tourism Board, Benin Republic Familiarisation Tour (2025) – Organised by Nigerian Association of Tour Operators, ANJET Conference and Awards, Sheraton Lagos (2025) – Association of Nigerian Journalists and Writers of Tourism, Best of British Press Trip, London (2013) – For the unveiling of British Airways A380 and others. Beyond tourism, Ajunwa has also covered high-level global meetings including World Bank/IMF Annual Meetings in Washington D.C. and Dubai, African Development Bank Meetings in Abuja, Kampala and Addis Ababa, OPEC Meetings, and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Abuja*. He is a member of ANJET and FTAN, and currently serves as PRO, South-East Zone, Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria.

St. Ange Pushes Tourism at Oxford Summit Charles Ajunwa

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eychelles Ambassador At Large, Dr. Alain St.Ange, has challenged the world to measure tourism by more than arrival numbers, calling it one of humanity’s largest and most underrated forms of exchange St.Ange gave the challenge to delegates as he delivered the keynote address at the Oxford Global Diplomat Summit and Dialogue at the Lord Mayor’s Cabinet Office, in the presence of the Lord Mayor of Oxford. The former Seychelles Minister of Tourism and Culture asked: What if the most powerful diplomacy of our time happens not in embassies or at summit tables, but over a shared meal? Speaking on the theme ‘Tourism as

a Bridge Between Nations’, St. Ange made the case that tourism deserves to be understood as far more than an economic sector. It is, he argued, a daily act of human connection that can challenge prejudice, strengthen peace, and reshape how nations see one another. “At its best, tourism allows us to meet each other as people,” St.Ange told the gathering. “And at a time when the world is more connected than ever, but also deeply divided in many ways, that matters.” St. Ange opened with figures that few in the room could ignore. The World Travel and Tourism Council forecasts that in 2026, travel and tourism will contribute around $12 trillion to the global economy — almost 10 per cent of global GDP. The sector is expected to support roughly 376 million jobs, or about one in every

nine jobs worldwide. Yet he was quick to push past the statistics. Why, he asked, do we so often reduce tourism to a scoreboard of arrivals? “Behind every international arrival is a person crossing a border, a culture being encountered, and a community being seen. And sometimes, a prejudice being challenged,” he said. The difference between knowing about a country and actually knowing its people, he argued, is the difference tourism can make. According to him, a nation becomes the home of the taxi driver who spoke about his children, and an unfamiliar culture becomes the family who welcomed a visitor to their table. “That is cultural diplomacy,” St.Ange said. “Not governments telling people to understand one another. But people discovering one another for themselves.”

St. Ange

T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R S E P T E M B E R 12, 2026

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TRIBUTE

From Youngest SAN to AGF: Celebrating Lateef Fagbemi’s 30 Years at the Bar Kehinde Ogunwumiju

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here are moments in the life of a law firm that remain etched in gold, not merely in the annals of its history but in the very soul of its existence. The year 1996 was one such moment for us at Afe Babalola & Co., it was the year one of our own, a young man who had walked through our doors as a fresh-faced corp member, mounted the pinnacle of the Nigerian legal profession, clothed in the distinguished silk of the Inner Bar, at just 36 years of age; the youngest ever at the time. Today, we gather not just to mark a date on the calendar, but to celebrate a towering milestone: 30 illustrious years since Prince Lateef Olasunkanmi Fagbemi was conferred with the prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). Three decades of excellence, three decades of advocacy, three decades of service to the law, and three decades of making the firm of Afe Babalola & Co. proud. His journey with us began not as a partner, not as a silk, but as a young, eager corp member serving his nation during the National Youth Service Corps programme. He walked into our chambers with a quiet determination that belied his years. Little did anyone know that this young man, fresh from the university, would not only complete his youth service with distinction but would become an indelible part of the Afe Babalola & Co. legacy. After his service year, Fagbemi did not leave. He stayed. He became a full staff member of the firm, and from that moment, his rise was meteoric. What was seen in those early days was a mind that refused to be ordinary, an almost obsessive diligence, a brilliance that was impossible to ignore, and a work ethic that set him apart from his peers. He was not merely hardworking; he was brilliant. He was not merely diligent; he was relentless. In 1996, at exactly 10 years at the Bar, Fagbemi made history. From the chambers of Afe Babalola & Co., he was conferred with the prestigious rank of SAN. He was 36 years old, and he was a bachelor. He became the youngest SAN in 1996, a record that spoke volumes about his extraordinary intellect, his fearless advocacy, and his relentless pursuit of excellence. Our Founding Principal, Aare Afe Babalola, the legendary advocate under whom Fagbemi trained and flourished, once described him in words that captured the essence of the man: “Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN is a highly talented, intelligent and industrious young man who made the record of being the youngest Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 1996 at the age of 37. And he was a bachelor! As a lawyer, Prince Fagbemi, SAN is fearless, daring and adventurous.”

Fagbemi These words, coming from a man who himself is a colossus of the legal profession, remain the most fitting tribute to a protégé who has not only justified the confidence reposed in him but has surpassed every expectation. To describe Fagbemi as merely hardworking would be an understatement. His fearlessness in the courtroom became his trademark. He never shied away from the difficult case, the impossible brief, or the formidable opponent. He approached every matter with the precision of a surgeon and the heart of a warrior. He was not just a lawyer; he was a legal architect, construct-

MultiChoice Talent Factory: Eight Years of Investment in Africa’s Creative

Uchechukwu Orji

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n African film can be well written, beautifully shot and well-received at home, yet still struggle to find its way to audiences beyond its immediate market. As the continent’s film industry becomes more ambitious about reaching global audiences, the conversation is increasingly moving beyond the quality of the stories being told to the systems that determine how those stories travel. This question was at the heart of the International Sales and Distribution Executive (ISDE) Masterclass and Microdrama Masterclass organised by Nigerian International Film Summit (NIFS) in partnership with MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) on 24 August and 26 August 2026. The session, themed “From Script to Market: The Future of Cinema in Africa,” brought together filmmakers, producers and other industry professionals to examine a part of the film business that is often less visible than production itself: what happens after a film is made. For many creatives, completing a film can feel like the finish line. In reality, it marks the beginning of another process involving positioning, sales, distribution, audience develop-

ment and commercial decisions. These factors can determine whether a film remains within its original market or reaches new audiences and generates value for the people who created it. MTF Academy Director, Akaoma Onyeonoru, captured this during the masterclass when she said, “It is one thing to make a movie and another thing for that movie to travel for the world to see.” She emphasised that a film should also be understood as a product, requiring the right positioning, market strategy and distribution approach to reach its intended audience. For her, this makes an understanding of the business of film an important part of the work of today’s filmmaker, particularly as African content increasingly seeks audiences beyond its immediate markets. The distinction is particularly relevant for African cinema, where filmmakers are producing stories with the potential to connect with audiences across the continent and internationally, but need the knowledge and networks to navigate the markets beyond production. The ISDE Masterclass brought that business side of filmmaking into focus. Industry experts including Kene Mkparu, President/CEO of KOMWORLD Cinemas and Studio KOM

Film Production and Distribution; Funmi Onuma, Cinema Expert and Thought Leader; and Ijeoma Onah, Founder of NIFS and Film and TV Industry Leader, shared perspectives on the commercial journey of film, giving participants an opportunity to examine how decisions around sales and distribution can affect the reach and value of their work. For NIFS, the partnership with MTF provided an opportunity to bring an important industry conversation to the centre of the summit. Ijeoma Onah, Founder of NIFS, commended MTF for its continued investment in developing professionals across the creative industry, noting that partnerships of this nature are important to giving practitioners access to the knowledge and expertise needed to navigate a changing industry. She highlighted the value of having MTF contribute to conversations around sales, distribution and other areas of the film business that can help professionals better understand the full value chain. The partnership also extended into conversations about the changing nature of African content, with the NIFS Summit featuring a dedicated discussion on Microdrama and its place in the future of the industry. The session examined the rise of short-form storytelling, changing audience habits

ing arguments that were as beautiful as they were unassailable. His brilliance is not the loud, boastful kind; it is the quiet, penetrating brilliance that leaves opponents scrambling for answers and judges reaching for their pens in admiration. His prose was elegant, his logic devastating. The courts regularly commended him for his industry, and even when they disagreed, they did so with deference to his craftsmanship. His language, always apt and graphic, never relied on unnecessary flourish. His colleagues at Afe Babalola & Co., past and present, speak of him with a reverence that transcends professional admiration. He was not just a colleague; he was a brother, a mentor, and a standard-bearer. He set the bar so high that we all had to stretch to reach it, and in stretching, we became better lawyers and better people. As the years passed, Fagbemi grew not only in stature but in service. He became a mentor, an unknowing teacher to countless young lawyers who never had the privilege of sitting in his chambers but who read his judgments and his briefs with the reverence of disciples. He became a senior colleague who gave every counsel in the firm ownership of their files, empowering them to argue matters with confidence. He did not hoard knowledge; he shared it freely. He did not create followers; he created leaders. Today, Fagbemi serves as the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This position places him at the helm of the nation’s legal affairs. It is a role that demands the very qualities that have defined him from the very beginning: courage, integrity, intellect, and an unshakable commitment to the rule of law. We at Afe Babalola & Co. could not be prouder. To see one of our own, ascend to the highest legal office in the land is not just a personal triumph for Prince Fagbemi; it is a validation of the values we hold dear: hard work, merit, and uncompromising excellence. It is a testament to the culture of greatness that our founder, Afe Babalola, instilled in this firm from its very inception. As we mark this 30th anniversary of his elevation to the Inner Bar, we do so with hearts full of gratitude to God for the grace that has attended his life and career. We pray that the good Lord will continue to grant him wisdom, strength, and good health as he serves our great nation. Fagbemi, you have made Afe Babalola & Co. proud. You have made the legal profession proud. And you have made Nigeria proud. Here’s to 30 glorious years on the silk and to many more years of excellence, service, and groundbreaking achievements. With deepest respect and admiration. Ogunwumiju, is a Managing Partner at Afe Babalola & Co.

and the opportunities emerging from new ways of creating and consuming content. For MTF, engaging in these conversations is part of understanding the skills and knowledge that creative professionals will need as the industry continues to evolve. The focus is not only on helping practitioners navigate the industry as it exists today, but also on preparing them to respond to new formats, platforms and business models shaping the future of African storytelling. As more content is produced and more platforms compete for African stories, creative professionals increasingly have to understand the ecosystem around their craft. A filmmaker who understands the market can approach a project with a clearer sense of its audience, potential routes to market and commercial possibilities. For producers, knowledge of distribution can influence decisions long before a film is completed. This is where MTF’s role in the industry extends beyond training filmmakers in the traditional sense. For eight years, the MultiChoice Talent Factory has invested in developing creative professionals and strengthening the skills required to support Africa’s film and television ecosystem. More than 100 young filmmakers have been trained through the MTF Academy, while its masterclasses and other industry development programmes have reached more than 10,000 creatives and film and

television professionals over the years. The emphasis on professional knowledge has become particularly important as the industry continues to change. New formats, platforms and audience behaviours are creating opportunities, but they are also requiring professionals to understand a wider range of disciplines. The NIFS programme, which also featured conversations around Microdrama and the future of African film, reflects some of the changes reshaping how African content is created, distributed and consumed. MTF’s decision to partner with NIFS for the ISDE Masterclass, therefore, goes beyond putting another training session on the industry calendar. NIFS provides a platform for conversations around the business and future of film, while MTF brings its experience in talent development and industry training. Onyeonoru described the partnership as an important one for MTF, particularly because of the opportunity to expose more professionals to the business side of filmmaking and encourage them to invest in developing themselves beyond their primary areas of expertise. Together, the partnership creates space for professionals to engage with areas of the industry that can directly affect the commercial life of their work. Read full article online www.thisdaylive.com

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T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R S E P T E M B E R 12,

POLITICS

The Making of Mbah’s Vision That Propelled Enugu’s Quantum Leap Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Enugu

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o much has been happening in every sector of Enugu’s economy over the past three years. Development has been taking place at an unprecedented fast pace with modern infrastructures doting the landscape of the Coal City State. That much was affirmed in the recently released 2026 Phillips Consulting State Performance Momentum Index where Enugu State was ranked as the fastest improving state among the 33 states assessed. The reputable consulting firm explained that the Momentum Index measures the rate at which states improved relative to the national average during the review period. Positive scores indicate above-average progress, while negative scores reflect slower-than-average improvement. According to the Phillips Consulting State Performance Momentum Index, Enugu outperformed 32 other states across the country in governance and development. It recorded the highest Momentum Score of +1.15 to stay at the peak among the 33 states assessed, confining Jigawa and Abia to distant second and third with scores of +0.77 and 0.67, respectively. To the residents of Enugu State and those that have visited the state in recent time, the top position occupied by the state did not come as a surprise. It is an apt reflection of the reality on ground. In fact, they needed no outside assessor to tell them what they see and feel on daily basis. The level of infrastructural development is unprecedented in the 35-year history of the state. But the man turning the wheel of the holistic development is not seeing it as a big deal. Governor Peter Mbah thinks big and acts even bigger. In fact, he is already thinking beyond what he has achieved so far, saying that greater things lie ahead. He has very big dream for Enugu hence he reckons that what he has achieved so far is just a tip of the iceberg. When he mounted the podium on July 23, 2026 and delivered the 55th Convocation Lecture of the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), he exuded the confidence of a man who came prepared for governance. In the lecture entitled “Restoring the Dignity of Man: Enugu’s Quantum Leap in Human Development and Inclusive Prosperity Through Experiential Learning”, Mbah gave himself out as a master planner, revealing his ultimate dream for Enugu. He touched on what has been the major inhibitor of development in nations still struggling to find their feet: the “poverty of imagination”. Many political leaders parade this deficit not only in Nigeria, but in many other countries still floundering on the path of development. It is a common phenomenon in Nigeria’s governance space that many governors have manifested poverty of imagination. Since the commencement of the present democratic dispensation in 1999 there has been instances of governors that found their ways to government houses and became clueless after. In most cases the clueless ones got power through the anointing of their godfathers. There was usually no vision, no blueprint or action plan, not even personal aspiration propelled them to the exalted office hence the colossal failures in governance that have occurred in many states. More often than not, unprepared visionless governors merely walked through government houses without adding values to the states they were elected to pilot their affairs. But Mbah has demonstrated that, unlike those that found themselves on the seat of power unexpectedly, he came to Enugu’s Lion Building well prepared. He has demonstrated over and over that he came to governance to make a huge difference. Mbah came with a well laid out blueprint of the path he intended to take Enugu. He was brimming with ideas so much that his ideas and plans for the state sounded utopianistic during the electioneering for the 2023 general election. Mbah recalled with a sense of triumph that people were

skeptical and didn’t believe he could do the things he was promising in his manifesto during the campaigns. “When I stood before the people of Enugu in 2023, I did not offer a larger version of the status quo, or incremental improvement. Instead, I asked them to believe in a different future”. But it was a tall order for Enugu people to connect to Mbah’s dreams given their lived experience. So, it was a hard sell for him when “we committed ourselves to eradicate poverty, make Enugu the preferred destination for living, working, investing, business, tourism, and leisure, and grow our economy from approximately 4.4 billion dollars to 30 billion dollars”. To the less ambitious, it was outlandish for a governorship candidate to be speaking with such assurance without pointing to any concrete achievement in the public domain. According to Mbah, after listening to his campaign promises “some believed that ambitions of this scale belonged before a commission on lunacy rather than in an election manifesto”. Yet, he remained resolute in his ideas, Mbah convinced that “the greatest danger was never thinking too big. It was thinking too small”. Mbah kept pushing with his ideas after he eventually became the governor and three years down the line Enugu has taken the Quantum Leap. In the convocation lecture, he explained that “the Quantum Leap is not a longer jump within the old development model”. Rather, “it is a different way of seeing, questioning, connecting, and acting. It is what I have called Disruptive Innovation”. According to Mbah, Enugu’s Quantum Leap is therefore “a paradigm shift: from projects to systems; from inputs to human outcomes; from inherited assumptions to purposeful design; from isolated sectors to connected development; and from managing scarcity to activating possibility”. He tied this positive outcome to the inner workings of his mind, saying that “every paradigm shift begins in the imagination”. This is where he leaves no trace of doubt on the fact that he is flying on a higher altitude compared to the average state chief executive. Mbah argued that “before we can build differently, we must first believe differently - and confront the constraint that makes inherited limitations appear permanent – what we call the Poverty of Imagination”. It could be gleamed from his postulation that he loathes governance devoid of vision. From Mbah’s own narratives, it was evident that Enugu’s Quantum Leap was not a product of the “Big Bang” theory of Cosmologists. It was carefully planned and being meticulously executed. This should be a lesson for those that suddenly find themselves in governorship positions due to the benevolence of godfathers. Mbah developed his ambition without external promptings. And so from the onset, he knew what he was coming to do as a governor and how he would go about it. To him, vision matters a lot for successful leadership as it sets

the goal for aspiration and concretization of ideas. From his body language, Mbah loathes “poverty of imagination” as it keeps a society stagnant and condemned to motion without movement. He said: By Poverty of Imagination, I mean the inability of individuals, institutions, and societies to conceive, design, and build possibilities beyond inherited constraints. It is the condition in which yesterday’s limitations become today’s expectations and tomorrow’s assumptions; when what has not yet been achieved is treated as what cannot be achieved; and when past experience becomes the boundary of public ambition”. Mbah went ahead to make a distinction between poverty of imagination and other variables, saying that it has nothing to do with poverty of intelligence, talent, determination, natural resources, or, in the first instance, money. To substantiate his claims, he gave an instance of a situation where a people may possess extraordinary intelligence, entrepreneurial energy, cultural resilience, and immense potential, yet remain poor. The resultant poverty, he stated, would be inevitable “if they cannot organize these endowments into institutions that create knowledge, protect health, enable productivity, reward innovation, and extend opportunity”. Mbah subtly encouraged his fellow political leaders in Nigeria to dream big for the country and should not shy away from envisioning a bright future and how it could be achieved. “The future is built twice—first in the imagination, and then in law, budgets, concrete, technology, and practice,” he said. “If the first construction is timid, the second will be limited. Poverty of imagination begins when a condition becomes a conclusion”.

Premier Plantations Provides Free Eye Care Services to Over 150 Edo Residents

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remier Plantations Limited, a subsidiary of Nosak Group, in collaboration with the African Cataract & Eye Foundation, has successfully concluded the second edition of its three-day Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, providing free eye care services to more than 150 residents of the Irrua-Usugbenu community in Esan Central Local Government Area of Edo State. The initiative featured more than 25 free cataract surgeries, helping beneficiaries regain their sight and improve their quality of life. In addition, free reading glasses were distributed to individuals with visual impairments, while community members received a range of eye care consultations and treatments. As part of the broader health intervention,

children also received free deworming medication. Speaking on behalf of Nosak Group, the Project Manager of Premier Plantations Limited, Mr. Boniface Iyengunmwena, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to improving the wellbeing of its host communities through impactful healthcare and development initiatives. “This initiative is designed to improve the quality of life of people within our host communities by restoring sight through free cataract surgeries and the provision of reading glasses. Through our partnership with the African Cataract & Eye Foundation, we are contributing to the prevention of avoidable blindness and other eye-related conditions, while bringing hope and renewed confidence to beneficiaries,” he said. Also speaking, the Founder and Director of the African Cataract & Eye Foundation, Dr. Gabriel Okorodudu,

expressed appreciation for the partnership and its lifechanging impact on beneficiaries. “When you restore a person’s sight, you give them a new opportunity to experience life. It is a transformative gift that restores hope, independence, and dignity. We are delighted to partner with Premier Plantations in making this possible for members of the community,” he stated. The outreach highlights the shared commitment of Premier Plantations Limited and the African Cataract & Eye Foundation to promoting accessible healthcare, preventing avoidable vision impairment, and improving the wellbeing of underserved populations. Through initiatives such as this, Premier Plantations continues to demonstrate its commitment to sustainable community development and creating lasting social impact within its host communities.

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People

T H I S D AY, Th e S ATURDAY, N e w S PA P e r •September 12, 2026

Joe-Kyari Gadzama:

The Man Whose CaseCould Reform Nigeria’s Legal Profession Adegoke Philip

Arbitrators and pioneering leadership of the Association of CEDR Accredited Mediators of Nigeria.

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hereissomethingrevealingabout a man who has spent nearly four decades in the law and is still going back to school. For many professionals, the accumulation of titles eventually becomes a destination. For Joe-Kyari Gadzama, it appears to have been a reason to keep going. He is already a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. A Life Bencher. An Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic. A Fellow of several professional institutions.Afounding principal partner of a law firm he established in 1989. A former chairman of professional bodies and committees. A lecturer. An arbitrator and mediator. Auniversity chancellor. Aman who has received traditional titles from Borno to Ondo and Anambra. And yet, in his current chapter, he is also a PhD student. That detail may tell us more about Joe-Kyari Gadzama than the long procession of honours attached to his name because behind the formidable professional identity is a man who has spent much of his adult life pursuing something that cannot easily be captured on a CV: the development of himself, his profession and, increasingly, the people coming behind him. Gadzama was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1986, and in 1989, he founded the practice that would become J-K Gadzama LLP. Nigeria’s legal profession has changed dramatically since the 1980s. The country has passed through military and democratic transitions, economic reforms, privatisation, financial-sector transformation, constitutional disputes, electoral upheavals, and the rapid internationalisation of commercial practice. Gadzama’s career has moved through many of those chapters, but perhaps the more interesting story is not the number of cases he has argued or the organisations with which he has been associated. It is the remarkable range of spaces in which he has chosen to participate. A life larger than the courtroom The popular image of a Senior Advocate is usually built around the courtroom: wig, gown, briefs, arguments and judgements. Gadzama’s professional life has never been confined to that image. His practice has covered litigation, constitutional and public law, election petitions, corporate and commercial law, capital markets, project finance, environmental law, professional discipline, arbitration and mediation. He has advised banks, multinational companies, indigenous businesses and institutions. He has worked in areas connected with Nigeria’s privatisation and public-private partnership architecture and served as a legal consultant to the Bureau of Public Enterprises. He has also occupied positions that placed him at the intersection of law and public policy, including service on the board of the InfrastructureConcessionRegulatoryCommissionunder the chairmanship of Chief Ernest Shonekan, former Head of Nigeria’s Interim National Government. His public service record includes membership of presidential committees and advisory bodies, including the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy and a presidential committee on the security challenges confronting North-Eastern Nigeria. None of this is particularly unusual in isolation, but what is remarkable is the accumulation. Over four decades, the courtroom advocate became an institutional participant, a policy contributor, an educator, an arbitrator, a mentor and a bridge between different professional worlds.

Gadzama

The lawyer who kept returning to the classroom There is another thread running through Gadzama’s story: education. His first legal education was at the University of Maiduguri, followed by the Nigerian Law School. But the learning did not stop with his admission to practice. He subsequently pursued professional training and education in institutions including Oxford University, the London School of Economics and Political Science, and the Institute for Public-Private Partnerships in the United States. He was called to the English Bar at Lincoln’s Inn in 2008, and now, after decades of professional practice, he is pursuing a PhD while serving as a part-time lecturer at Nile University of Nigeria. It is tempting to view this simply as another impressive line on an impressive résumé, but it is probably more meaningful than that. There is a difference between a professional who has acquired knowledge and one who remains curious enough to continue acquiring it, and Gadzama’s record suggests the latter. His academic and professional engagements have ranged from energy and natural resources law to regulation, arbitration, governance and the future of legal practice. He has attended international legal conferences across Africa, Europe, North America and Asia. But more importantly, he has repeatedly returned to Nigeria to share what he has learned. Looking through the subjects Gadzama has addressed over the years, a pattern emerges. He has spoken about the ethics of the legal profession; he has spoken about men-

torship. He has addressed young lawyers on attaining greatness in the profession, and he has spoken about the generational gap and the need for change within the Nigerian Bar. He has addressed legal education, governance, technology, democracy, insecurity and the responsibility of lawyers to society, and in 2025, he presented a paper on transforming law-firm culture through innovation, mentorship and professional excellence because, eventually, every successful lawyer has to confront a question that no courtroom victory can answer: What happens to the knowledge when you are gone? Gadzama’s service as former Chairman of the Body of Benchers Mentoring Committee for Young Lawyers is significant in this regard. So is his long record of speaking to young lawyers and participating in continuing legal education. Mentorship is often discussed as an abstract virtue, but for a profession as demanding as law, it is actually infrastructure. Young lawyers do not simply need statutes and textbooks; they need to understand judgement, professional conduct, advocacy, resilience, relationships, negotiation and the unwritten responsibilities that come with representing other people’s interests. Those things are transmitted from one generation to another, and Gadzama has spent years participating in that transmission by building institutions and not merely occupying them. Perhaps one of the strongest ways to understand Gadzama is to look at the institutions around him. He was Pioneer Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association’s Section on Public Interest and Development Law. He served as Chairman of the NBA Continuing Legal Education programme and Chairman of the NBA Abuja Branch. In alternative dispute resolution, his record includes pioneer involvement with the Lagos Court of Arbitration, leadership of the Abuja Chapter of the Chartered Institute of

A Nigerian in the broadest sense There is another fascinating dimension to the Gadzama story: the geography of his relationships. His traditional titles include Shettima Ilmuye of Borno, Sardauna of Uba, Bobajiro of Akure and Okwuluora of Ukpo and Igboland. One does not ordinarily collect such titles across such different parts of Nigeria by accident. They speak to relationships built over time and offer an interesting counterpoint to the tendency to understand prominent Nigerians primarily through the places from which they originate. Gadzama’s roots are unmistakably northern. His professional and social relationships, however, have extended across Nigeria and far beyond it. His affiliations include Nigerian, African, British and international legal organisations, and his professional engagements have taken him across the continent and to cities including London, New York, Tokyo, Vienna, Miami, Toronto and Washington. His career has therefore been Nigerian in origin but international in outlook. The Nigerian state has twice recognised him with national honours. He was conferred with the Member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2004 and later the Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2014. He has received awards for professional service, integrity, leadership and contribution to nationbuilding, but the most interesting recognition may be the one that cannot be printed on a certificate. It is found in the continued willingness of institutions to invite him to teach, advise, chair, speak, arbitrate, mentor and serve. There is also a human being behind the professional architecture. Gadzama has been deeply involved in golf, serving as Captain and Vice-Captain of the IBB International Golf & Country Club and participating in golf institutions in Nigeria and the United States. In 2005, he won the International Bar Association’s Golf Tournament in Prague. The lawyer who appears in court is also a teacher. The arbitrator, who we know, is also a golfer. The Life Bencher is also a student, and the Senior Advocate is also a mentor. There is now a significant legal chapter unfolding around Gadzama, and it would be easy to make that chapter the entire story, but doing so would be to confuse an episode with a life. Whatever one’s position on the issues currently before the relevant institutions and courts, the larger professional history cannot be wished away, and there is a reason his present circumstances may ultimately matter beyond him. The legal profession, like every serious institution, must periodically examine its own processes. Questions about professional accountability, disciplinary mechanisms, procedural fairness and avenues for review are not merely questions for the individual who happens to be before a disciplinary body at a particular moment. They are questions about the profession itself. If the present legal chapter involving Gadzama ultimately contributes to a broader reconsideration of how professional discipline operates in Nigeria, then its significance may extend far beyond the man at its centre. His current case may or may not become a catalyst for reform; history will decide that, but one thing is already clear. Joe-Kyari Gadzama has spent nearly four decades building a professional life and a profession, and perhaps that is the part of his story Nigerians ought to know.

T H I S D AY, Th e S ATURDAY, N e w S PA P e r •September 12, 2026

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FoCUS After Decade of Terror, Maiduguri Finds Its Nightlife Again For nearly a decade, darkness in Maiduguri meant fear, curfews and empty streets as insurgency dictated life after sunset. Today, the Borno State capital is witnessing a remarkable revival, with traders, food vendors, students and residents reclaiming the night. Across once-feared hotspots, businesses now stay open late, reflecting a growing confidence in security and a return to normalcy and optimism, writes Muhammad Sabiru

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or nearly ten years, the setting sun in the Borno State capital was not a cue to relax, but a chilling signal for terror. Darkness brought strict uncertainty, the heavy burden of curfews, and the constant fear of insurgent attacks that forced residents into locked-down silence. Today, however, the rhythm of daily life in Maiduguri is undergoing a dramatic transformation. Residents are stepping out of the shadows, and the once-dreaded night hours are now alive with commerce, social interaction, and a hard-won sense of normalcy. A tour through Maiduguri’s former hotspots—including the Post Office area, Monday market, Custom area and Damboa road—reveals a bustling urban landscape. Food vendors, tea sellers, small shop owners, and roasted fish operators now keep their shutters rolled up well past dusk, welcoming a steady stream of customers that increasingly grow confident in their safety. “Before, everyone rushes home before Isha prayer time (7:30pm) because darkness meant danger,” said Ladi Ishaku, who operates a popular roasted fish joint. “Now, I stay open late because people are out. They are sitting, eating, and talking. We haven’t seen this kind of peace in a very long time.” The emotional and economic shift is profound. For small business owners, the return of nightlife has served as a vital economic lifeline, helping traders recover from years of stifled growth and recent natural challenges, such as the September 11, 2024 devastating floods. Dashwet Balami, a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member who arrived in Maiduguri with deep trepidation due to terrifying stories of Boko Haram, found a reality entirely at odds with her expectations. Encouraged by locals, she started a potato chips business that now funds her expenses and supports her parents. “Before I came to Maiduguri, my feeling was that Boko Haram were everywhere and they kill people at will. I never thought I would see bars where beer is sold at night,” Balami said. “I found the town bubbling like any other city without restrictions.” Chief Emmanuel Ogochukwu, leader of the Igbo Community in Maiduguri, echoed similar sentiments, noting that the town has regained its lost peace and that businesses are flourishing. “Maiduguri people accommodate many of the Igbos here, and we do our businesses peacefully. There is a lot of money. With the way things are going, I must say that peace has finally returned,” he stated. Even students at the University of Maiduguri have experienced the shifting tides. Emmanuel Toma, a student, noted that the university never had to close its doors throughout the insurgency, and the growing safety outside the campus walls has further integrated student life with the wider city. Another lady, Asiya Muhammad, who fries Akara and sweet potatoes for sale, said the relative peace recorded has changed the perception of people about the town. “I now sell Akara in the morning and evening and people are coming to buy from me. I must thank God for the peace

Night scene in Maiduguri

Babagana Zulum

we have regained. I am very happy that Maiduguri night life has returned. I must say that my business flourishes during the night,” she said. Also, Abigail Maxwell, who operates a roasted fish business along Damboa road said, “We give thanks to God for the return of peace in Maiduguri. At the peak of the insurgency, when curfew was imposed, all streets were empty by this time. But we thank God that we can do good business now. “I fled this town more than two times because many people believe that a day like this will not come. There were no busi-

nesses let alone the night sales. “Now we are enjoying the relative peace, businesses and social life are now thriving everywhere in the town. As you can see, even the uniform men are relaxed now; for the past three years, there has been no Boko Haram invasion. Maiduguri is now safe,” she said Traders along the city’s main corridors report soaring nighttime sales. Abdullahi Maikano, who sells suya at Airport Junction, marveled at the change, saying, “It always seems to me like a dream each time I compare the life under the curfew and the security checks we faced in the past. I now sell meat at night. “Three years back, by 7:00pm everyone

would be locked home until the following morning. Today, we sell my suya up to 11pm and the security will not disturb you,” he added. The story is not different from Ibrahim Goza, a gas meat seller at Damboa road. “The only thing I can tell you is that I sell more at night and I make more money. I thank God, that’s all. “Two years ago, you could only see people on the street in the afternoon but disappeared in the night, but today, business booms at night because of the confidence they have in security,” he said. Driving through the town at night, THISDAY observed that commodities sold include fruits, soft drinks and other provisions at different parts of the town. Also, in some corners of the town, THISDAY further noticed local tea and noodles sellers, popularly called “Maishayi da Indomie,” bean cake sellers and even smoked fish sellers. Adama Margi, who works as a waitress at Hadiza Balangu, a restaurant where local dishes are being sold, said they make huge profits at night rather than in the day. “Our major sales are at night. That is when people troop in to buy and we have not had any security breach since we open this place over ten years ago,” she said Many residents attribute this newfound peace to the dedicated efforts of leadership at the local level. Mala Yusuf, a trader in Gomari area, also commended the Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum and the Shehu of Borno, for their unwavering commitment and personal sacrifices toward ending the insurgency. As streets grow better lit and families walk freely under the night sky, the pervasive anxiety that once dictated every daily decision is slowly being replaced by cautious optimism. For the people of Maiduguri, the return of the night market is not just a convenience—it is the triumphant resurrection of their city’s spirit.

T H I S D AY, Th e S ATURDAY, N e w S PA P e r •September 12, 2026

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Expression

Fit, Not Feat, of Anger

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0U are welcome to this edition: “Ministerial list: Some immediate past (immediatepast) ministers to return” “Following recent setbacks by (to) the Nigerian Army in the war against insurgency….” THISDAY PLUS did not give me joy at all last week: “Seeing lives transformed from simple things I teach give (gives) me joy” “In fact, some parents, in a feat (fit/ outburst) of anger, place curses on their children.” “The eight (eighth) House will be remembered as one assembly with ambitious initiatives….” “We’re investing sustainably into (in) Nigeria’s future…” (Tech & Gadgets Banner, June 19) The next two headline errors are from THISDAY of June 22: “FG directs immediate resumption of History study to (in) schools” “Osun Assembly press (presses) for security summit for strategy against criminals” “13 killed in soldiers, insurgents (insurgents’) gun battle” “Super Falcons protest over (against) unpaid bonuses” The headline is even better without ‘against’. “We’re determined to end herders, farmers (farmers’) clashes—Tinubu” “If vigilante (vigilance) groups are allowed to be established across the country.…” ”Senate may review BPE Act, says no witch-hunting” (witch-hunt) From the above edition comes the next juvenile word error: “President Bola Tinubu said there is (was) no political undertone to the move.” Reporters who do not know the rudiments of reported speech writing

have not begun intellectual journalism. I recommend celebrity genre of the profession for such neophytes! “Trees as antidote against flood” (DAILY INDEPENDENT Online Headline, August 18) My antidote to (not against) lexical slipshoddiness is carefulness in collocation. Another spelling interlude: “NASS seeks funds for excercise” (DAILY TRUST Headline, August 18) Spell-check: exercise. “And the electorate has (have) been taken for a ride because….” THE NATION SPORT of June 16 boldly advertised illiteracy in just one inarticulate and lengthy paragraph that unfortunately was lifted as the centre-spread quote. You can deduce the character of the two-page article from this extract: “This year’s edition of the National Sports Festival was marred with (marred by) series (a series) of protests by many states against the medal haul (medals haul or the haul of medals) by the host which they believe was achieved by dubious means. States like Bayelsa, Edo and Kaduna could not hide their feelings as they pointed accusing fingers on (they pointed the finger at) the ways and manner (ways and means) by which Team Rivers dominated every event they partake (partook in).” What a scandalous and utterly embarrassing piece of sports journalism! “Kano athletes poise for war over NSF reward” I am not poised for war. This reminds me of one of the titles in the heyday of Daily Times, Poise, which was edited by vivacious Medline Tador in the 90s. “Bereaved Nigerian mother lashes Austria over son’s death” Fixed expression: lashes out at Austria. “South African minister to clampdown on guns” Noun: clampdown; phrasal verb: clamp down (which applies here). “Rediscovering the African idiom at World Music Day” Art and Life: on World Music Day.

“Otherwise, somewhere down the line with their loots, these men would continue to come back to rape the polity.” ‘Loot’ is uncountable. “Resident doctors in neighbouring Ghana went on strike less than a week before our own strike and theirs have (has) since been resolved.” “Perhaps, Akinwunmi Ambode’s roads was (were) never meant to withstand ‘satanic’ rains, the type that has been tormenting Lagos.” “Others are outrightly ugly.” This is American corruption of language. British Standard English: Others are outright ugly. “Kidnapped people were turned into beasts of burden to cart away all RUF booties (booty).” “They point accusing fingers towards female prostitutes who are girlfriends to the armed robbers and provide those anti-social miscreants accommodation and succour to perpetuate their despicable crimes.” Delete ‘accusing’ and point the finger at (not towards) prostitutes. And this: anti-social miscreants? Miscreants are naturally anti-social. This is the summit of illiteracy and loose thinking! “It will present events in the two chambers, record achievements, gossips and behind-the-scene moves of the assemblymen.” ‘Gossip’, in this context, is uncountable. “Shoot-at-sight order in Borno State” Get it right: shoot-on-sight order “The last but not the least is about corruption” No task: the last but not least. “These children disappeared atimes from home after their parents had gone to search for daily bread.” Children for sale: at times. “No sooner had the morning papers commenced at (on) the main campus of the university at about 10 a.m.” Either at or about 10 a.m. ‘At about’ smacks of thoughtlessness and uncertainty. “Having shown that he means business,

all shades of people are quickly jumping into (on or aboard) the ‘anti-corruption’ bandwagon.” “Another feather to (in) Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s cap” “Following reports of molestation and harassment of law-abiding citizens by members of vigilante groups supposedly in anti-robbery patrol….” Get it right: vigilance committees. “I literarily (literally) saw the yoke of military rule.” “…the officials who would be carrying files from Abuja to Lagos to treat in the morning and return them back in the evening. No linguistic sabotage: delete ‘back’. “…several universities from across the universe were practically falling over themselves (one another) to give Mandela one honorary award or the other (another).” “Staff correspondent x-rays the government White Paper on the two organizations…and related companies in the industry. ‘White Papers’ are issued exclusively by governments. So, delete ‘government’. Wrong: non-challance; right: nonchalance. “…the desire by the president to utilize best hands available in the running of government in these trying times....” Just an aside: do you utilize what is unavailable? “It is heartening that the probe committee, comprising of (why?) officials of the ICPC and the supporting bodies have (has, for goodness’ sake!) visited the sites of projects….” Delete the ‘of’ after ‘comprising’. ‘Committee’ can take a plural verb, but not in this technical case. “…it’ll resolve farmers/herders (herders’) conflicts—Presidency”

Of Politicians Threatening Voters

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here was a time when Nigerian politicians threatened one another with defeat at the polls. It was part of the theatre: “We will send you home.” “We will retire your party.” “We will bury you politically.” The language could be colourful, sometimes outrageous, but everybody understood the metaphor. Increasingly, however, the metaphor seems to be losing its protective cover. We are beginning to hear words about killing, flogging, cutting fingers, driving opponents away, sacking officials for failing to deliver votes and even breaking up marriages in the name of political loyalty. At some point, the joke stops being funny. The politician may be laughing; the voter would be checking the exits. Consider the sequence of recent incidents. In Osun, Senator Francis Fadahunsi was summoned by the police after a viral video in which he appeared to tell APC supporters to “kill” members of the Accord Party. He later insisted that he meant killing the party with votes and that the video had been edited to distort his meaning. Context and intent certainly matter. But when the word used is “kill”, in a country with a long and unhappy history of political violence, the burden should not be placed entirely on the listener to decode the joke. Then came Kuje, where the area council chairman, Danjuma Samuel Shekwolo, was reported to have told residents, in effect, to support the APC or leave the area. In Borno, Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development Sainna Buba was reported threatening to flog opponents and cut off the fingers of those who opposed the APC. In Ebonyi, Governor Francis Nwifuru reportedly told newly inaugurated local government chairmen that those who failed to deliver their councils to the APC in 2027 would be removed from office. These are not identical statements, and intellectual honesty requires us not to lump them together as if they carry precisely the same meaning or legal consequence. But taken together, they reveal a political atmosphere in which coercive language is becoming remarkably casual. And now Yobe has joined the procession. The state APC chairman, Muhammad Gadaka, reportedly told women that if their husbands prevented them from voting for the APC, they should leave their marriages, offering

to pay their bride price and marry them. After the predictable backlash, he apologised and said the comment was merely joking banter. Again, perhaps he intended humour. But there is something revealing about a political culture in which virtually every offensive political utterance can be retrofitted as “just a joke” after Nigerians become angry. Politics is apparently the only profession where the punchline regularly requires a public apology. The larger issue is not whether every offending politician actually intended to inflict physical harm. It is whether political leaders understand the peculiar danger of their microphones. A careless remark from an ordinary citizen may disappear into the evening air. A governor, senator, commissioner, council chairman or party chairman speaks with an amplifier. Supporters hear him. Political thugs may hear him. Young men looking for validation may hear him. Social media preserves and multiplies the words long after the speaker has forgotten them. The politician may mean metaphor; somebody else may hear permission. This is not merely a matter of taste or good manners. Nigeria now has a new Electoral Act, 2026, and it could not be clearer about the principle involved. Section 97 prohibits parties, candidates, aspirants and others from directly or indirectly threatening people with force or violence during political campaigns in order to compel support or discourage opposition. Section 132 separately makes threats, force, violence, injury, damage or harm intended to induce or compel a person to vote or refrain from voting an offence, carrying substantial penalties upon conviction. The law therefore recognises something politicians sometimes pretend not to understand: intimidation is not campaign language merely because it is delivered from a political platform. The Ebonyi episode deserves particular attention for another reason. When an elected local

government chairman is told that his survival in office depends upon delivering his council to the governor’s political party, the issue goes beyond campaign rhetoric. It raises fundamental questions about the independence and democratic purpose of local government. The Supreme Court has repeatedly affirmed the constitutional status of democratically elected local government councils and rejected the notion that they are simply extensions of state governors’ political machinery. If a chairman’s primary political test becomes the production of votes for the governor’s party rather than the quality of administration delivered to citizens, then the local government begins to look less like the grassroots tier of government and more like a grassroots campaign office. But let us resist the temptation to make this an APC-only sermon. Political intimidation did not arrive in Nigeria with the APC, and it will not disappear if another party occupies Government House or Aso Rock. Every major political party has its collection of political bruisers, boastful campaigners and professional intimidators. Tomorrow’s opposition may become tomorrow’s government, and yesterday’s victim may suddenly discover the joys of wielding power. The standard must therefore be larger than partisan convenience. If threatening the voter is wrong when APC does it, it is wrong when PDP, Labour Party, NNPP, NDP or any other party does it. Democracy cannot have one morality for the ruling party and another for its opponents. There is also a responsibility on the media, which must resist turning every inflammatory utterance into political entertainment. Reporting such statements is legitimate; becoming their distribution network is another matter. We should provide context, ask whether the words violate electoral law, seek clarification, pursue the official response and, importantly, follow up. The Nigerian political ecosystem has perfected the art of producing outrage on Monday and forgetting it by Wednesday. Summon the politician, issue a statement, apologise, declare the matter closed - and wait for the next microphone. The security agencies must equally resist selective enforcement. A politician should not be investigated merely because his opponent is noisier on social media. Nor should politically connected individuals enjoy

the protective umbrella of “political speech” when their words cross into credible threats or intimidation. Where an offence is alleged, investigate it fairly; where evidence exists, prosecute according to law; where there is no case, say so. Justice should neither be a weapon of political persecution nor a luxury reserved for people without political connections. And perhaps the most important responsibility belongs to us, the voters. We must stop confusing menace with strength. A politician who frightens opponents is not necessarily powerful. A politician who threatens dissenters is not necessarily courageous. Sometimes he is merely announcing, rather loudly, that he has run out of arguments or ideas. The real test of political strength is the ability to persuade people who are free to disagree with you. An election is supposed to be a peaceful argument conducted with ballots. I make my case; you make yours. Your candidate promises one thing; mine promises another. We argue, campaign, persuade and eventually vote. Nobody should have to wonder whether voting against the incumbent could cost him a job, a contract, a government benefit, his home, his safety or his fingers. Nobody should be told that political disagreement is grounds for exile from his own community. And no woman should be invited to choose between her marriage and her ballot because a party chairman has temporarily forgotten that a voter is not party property. As 2027 approaches, we should therefore be asking a more uncomfortable question than “Who are you voting for?” We should ask: what kind of political behaviour are we prepared to reward with our votes? Because today the threat may be directed at the opposition. Tomorrow it may be directed at you. And if citizens must first calculate the possible consequences of their political choice before exercising it, then the ballot may still be physically available - but democracy has already begun to lose its meaning. God forbid.

T H I S D AY, Th e S ATURDAY, N e w S PA P e r •September 12, 2026

AUTOWORLD

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Bennett Oghifo

• 07052343083 •Email: benett.oghifo@thisdaylive.com

Mercedes-AMG CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung: Purist High-Performance Coupe

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he Mercedes‑AMG CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung was developed with one clear focus: driving dynamics. This roadlegal high-performance coupe delivers an uncompromising driving experience on winding roads and closed race circuits. The auto manufacturer said, “To achieve this, the vehicle combines a 637-hp V8 biturbo engine with pure rear wheel drive, significantly reduced weight and a chassis setup engineered for precision. A unique wide-body concept with wider tracks, numerous carbon fiber components and purposedeveloped aerodynamics further enhances the vehicle's dynamic potential. To enable this, each Mercedes‑AMG CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung is meticulously hand-built to the highest standards at AMG's headquarters in Affalterbach.” According to Dr. Stefan Weckbach, Chairman of the Management Board of Mercedes‑AMG GmbH and Head of the Mercedes‑Benz G‑Class & Mercedes‑Maybach Business Units, ”For me, the Mercedes‑AMG CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung represents the very

essence of AMG. This vehicle came to life because highly rational engineers dreamed of a highly irrational car. We turned that dream into reality in the form of maximum driving dynamics and an unparalleled driving experience.” Bastian Baudy, Chief Design Officer Mercedes-Benz Group AG Limited, said "The Mercedes-AMG CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung sets new benchmarks with its uncompromising presence and driving dynamics. Through the extensive use of carbon fiber, we were able to create a particularly distinctive appearance. Its bold proportions and the sheer size of the grille underscore the ambition to present a vehicle of extremes. The result is a masterpiece, full of performance and character." The Mercedes‑AMG CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung is the second model in the highly exclusive Mercedes‑Benz Mythos Series, dedicated to exceptionally rare collector vehicles produced in strictly limited numbers. Following the Mercedes-AMG PureSpeed, limited to just 250 examples worldwide and featuring an open two-seat configuration without

The Mercedes‑AMG CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung a roof or windscreen, the Mercedes-AMG CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung now joins the series as a road-legal vehicle limited to only 30 examples, with an uncompromising focus on racetrack performance.

It combines a distinctive appearance, outstanding performance and an exceptionally direct driving experience, creating a highly desirable product, so much so that the vehicle was already sold out before its world premiere.

Jetour T2 PHEV Set for Abuja Showcase

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etour Nigeria has announced plans to showcase the Jetour T2 Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) at the forthcoming Jetour Experience Abuja, scheduled for September 22 to 24, 2026, as the fast-growing automotive brand continues to strengthen its presence in the Nigerian market. The Abuja edition follows the impressive success of the Lagos Jetour Experience held earlier this year, which attracted strong customer participation, vehicle test drives and significant sales enquiries. According to the company, the strong response in Lagos, coupled with sustained demand from customers in the Federal Capital Territory, prompted the decision to take the experiential event to Abuja. Jetour Nigeria, the sole distributor of the brand in Nigeria, is supported by a nationwide network of accredited dealers, including Elizade Nigeria Limited, New Era AutoVehicle Services Limited, Kojo Motors, Germaine Auto Centre, TAB Autos Limited, R.T. Briscoe Motors and Mandilas Autos. The network continues to strengthen the brand's customer reach by providing sales, after-sales support, genuine spare parts and technical services across key markets. The company said the decision to stage the Abuja experience was also driven by requests from patrons and prospective customers in the capital who want an opportunity to experience Jetour's latest products, including the

Jetour T2 PHEV technologically advanced T2 PHEV. The Jetour T2 PHEV combines rugged SUV capability with hybrid efficiency, advanced technology and comprehensive safety features,

positioning it as an attractive option for Nigerian motorists seeking performance, comfort and improved fuel economy. Since its entry into the Nigerian market,

Jetour has recorded growing acceptance, with its SUV range gaining popularity among families, professionals and adventure enthusiasts. The brand's expanding customer base has been supported by competitive pricing, after-sales service and vehicles engineered to cope with diverse road and driving conditions across Nigeria. Jetour's growing reputation has also been reinforced by a number of local and international recognitions spanning product quality, design, innovation and customer satisfaction. Its vehicles have also earned strong global safety ratings, with the T2 achieving a 5-Star NCAP safety rating, placing it among vehicles meeting high benchmarks for occupant safety. The Abuja event is expected to feature test drives, product demonstrations and direct interactions with Jetour's technical and sales teams, giving visitors an opportunity to experience the brand's products and understand the technology behind the T2 PHEV. Beyond showcasing its expanding SUV lineup, Jetour said the Abuja activation reflects its commitment to bringing the brand's ownership and customer experience closer to motorists across Nigeria. With the Federal Capital Territory as its next destination, Jetour is looking to build on the momentum generated in Lagos while deepening its footprint in one of Nigeria's most important automotive markets.

Toyota, IVECO Collaborate to Advance Hydrogen Fuel Cell Heavy-duty Trucks

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oyota and IVECO have announced a new collaboration under EMPOWER – the EU-funded Horizon Europe project dedicated to advancing zero-emission heavy-duty transport – marking a significant milestone in the development of next-generation fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) for the heavyduty transport sector. Under the EMPOWER project, Toyota will provide the fuel cell system for IVECO’s newgeneration FCEVs. Leveraging the complementary strengths of the two companies, Toyota contributes its most advanced fuel cell technology, built on more than three decades of innovation, development and commercialization across mobility and industrial applications. IVECO leads the overall vehicle development, integration and validation activities, drawing on its pioneering role in sustainable transport and the experience gained through landmark hydrogen projects and real-world demonstrations, said Toyota UK. The new FCEVs represent a major technological

leap, delivering significant improvements across key performance indicators compared with IVECO’s first-generation fuel cell trucks deployed as part of the H2Haul project. Building on the valuable operational insights gained through this programme, the new vehicle advances the maturity, efficiency and scalability of hydrogenpowered solutions. Powered by Toyota fuel cell systems with a total output of 300 kW, the IVECO S-eWay Fuel Cell combines increased performance with improved efficiency, extending driving range beyond 900 km while significantly enhancing durability to more than 25,000 operating hours. In parallel, vehicle weight has been reduced, and the overall architecture has been simplified through a more efficient energy management strategy, requiring only half the battery capacity of the previous generation. Together, these improvements bring fuel cell technology closer to the operational, economic and durability requirements of large-scale commercial transport. These advancements are aligned with the latest progress in Toyota fuel cell technology,

which is increasingly focused on meeting the demanding requirements of commercial vehicle applications through higher reliability, improved efficiency and extended operational life. Validation and testing activities are scheduled

to begin in the fourth quarter of this year. The project aims to demonstrate the technology under demanding real-world operating conditions, with on-road trials planned to start in the first half of 2027.

Toyota, IVECO Collaborate to Advance Hydrogen Fuel Cell Heavy-duty Trucks

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T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R S E P T E M B E R 12, 2026

EMPOWERMENT

As Oluremi Tinubu, Uzodimma Join Forces to Empower 2,500 Imo Women

The federal government and Imo State have deepened their partnership through a major women empowerment initiative, with 2,500 women and vulnerable persons receiving business-support equipment and cash grants to boost livelihoods, create sustainable enterprises and strengthen household incomes, writes Dike Onwuamaeze

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or years, the relationship between the federal government and states has often been viewed through the prism of politics, competing interests and the perennial struggle over who gets the credit for development. But occasionally, an event comes along in which political leadership gives way to partnership, institutions work together and the ultimate beneficiary is the ordinary citizen. That was the picture painted in Owerri, Imo State, this week, when Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, joined Governor Hope Uzodimma in an empowerment programme that brought together the federal government, the state government, women, vulnerable persons, traditional rulers and development-focused institutions. At the heart of the gathering was the message that government works best when its different layers cooperate to improve the lives of the people. The event, organised under the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) Women Economic Empowerment Programme in partnership with the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), provided empowerment items to women across the Southeast. In Imo State, however, the intervention was significantly expanded through additional support from the state government. The result was an empowerment package that saw 2,500 women and vulnerable persons in the state benefit from various forms of support designed to improve their livelihoods and strengthen their economic wellbeing. For Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the occasion was also an opportunity to acknowledge what she saw as the transformation taking place in Imo State under Governor Uzodimma. “I want to commend the Governor. I don’t flatter. He has brought the world to Imo. Imo is bubbling. The transformation I have met on ground, I am pleased,” she declared. The statement was significant not only because it came from the First Lady of the nation but also because it strengthens the bridge between the federal government and the Southeast through development, engagement and shared interests.

Empowerment as a Bridge

The decision to make women and vulnerable groups central to the programme was important. Across Nigeria, women play a crucial role in household economies, small businesses, food production, petty trading, services and community development. Yet many women who have the willingness and entrepreneurial ability to improve their circumstances lack the basic equipment or capital required to expand their businesses. The RHI’s intervention sought to address part of that gap by providing practical equipment capable of supporting new and existing businesses. Among the items distributed were freezers, gas cookers with ovens, generators and industrial grinding machines. These are not simply household possessions. In the right hands, they can become productive assets capable of generating income and supporting families. The Southeast leg of the programme selected 500 women across the region for the federal component. In Imo, Governor Uzodimma provided an additional 2,000 empowerment items, bringing the number of beneficiaries in the state to 2,500. It was this additional intervention that prompted Senator Tinubu to announce another layer of support. “Because of what the Governor has done, I have decided to add N100,000 to each of the beneficiaries,” she said. The gesture demonstrated how federal and state interventions can complement rather than duplicate one another. Rather than restricting the programme to the original number of beneficiaries, the state government expanded its reach, while the First Lady responded with additional financial support. The philosophy shows that when governments collaborate, the size of the impact increases.

Uzodimma’s Development Proposition

For Governor Uzodimma, the empowerment programme was part of a broader development philosophy centred on improving livelihoods and ensuring that vulnerable citizens are not excluded from economic opportunities. Describing the empowerment items as “startup gifts and economic lifelines” for poor and vulnerable women, the governor stressed that supporting women has consequences beyond the individual beneficiary. “When you empower a woman, you have empowered an entire household, improved livelihoods and strengthened small businesses,” Uzodimma said. That argument goes to the heart of why women-focused economic interventions have become an important part of development policy. A woman who receives equipment to establish or expand a small business potentially becomes better positioned to contribute to household income, support the education of her children, meet

L-R Uzodimma, Mrs. Tinubu and Mrs. Uzodimma

family needs and participate more actively in the local economy. In that sense, the intervention is not simply about distributing equipment. It is about creating opportunities for self-reliance. The governor also commended the RHI and the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, for what he described as a significant intervention aimed at reducing poverty and improving household livelihoods. He assured the organisers of the state government’s continued support for programmes designed to improve the economic wellbeing of women. That commitment provides another indication of the importance attached to the partnership between the federal and state governments. The governor said Imo had benefited from policies and programmes of President Bola Tinubu’s administration and expressed confidence that the people of the state would continue to support the President.

Oluremi Tinubu’s Bridge-Building Role

Beyond the empowerment component, Senator Oluremi Tinubu’s visit carried a symbolic significance. The Southeast has historically occupied an important place in Nigeria’s political and economic conversation. Against that background, every opportunity for constructive engagement between national leadership and communities in the region carries significance. Rather than making the visit solely about political differences, the First Lady used the platform to speak about empowerment, development, peace and cooperation. She also conveyed President Bola Tinubu’s appreciation to traditional rulers and people of the region for their support for his administration, particularly during the difficult period surrounding the removal of fuel subsidy. Her appeal for continued support was accompanied by a prayer for lasting peace and development in the Southeast. That combination of engagement and development is important. Political relationships are strengthened not only through speeches and promises but also through sustained interaction and programmes that touch people’s lives. One of the most striking moments of the visit came at the Eze Imo Palace, Owerri, where the First Lady was honoured by the traditional rulers of Imo State with the chieftaincy title “Oso Di Eme,” literally translated as “a supportive wife.” The conferment brought together prominent traditional rulers from across the country, including the Ooni of Ife, HRM Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II; the Obi of Onitsha, HRM Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe (Agbogidi); the Dein of Agbor Kingdom, Keagborekuzi I, HRM Benjamin Ikenchukwu; Igwe Obosi, HRM Dr. Chidubem Iweka; and HRM Eze Dr. Cletus Ilomuanya, among others. The honour was more than a ceremonial conclusion to the visit. It reinforced the role traditional institutions can play in fostering dialogue, cultural understanding and social cohesion. For Senator Tinubu, the recognition was a humbling experience. She attributed her strength to serve to the grace of God and expressed appreciation to the traditional rulers and people of the Southeast for the honour. The presence of traditional rulers from different parts of the country also gave the occasion a national character, reflecting the potential of traditional institutions to serve as bridges between communities and the broader national leadership

Chioma Uzodimma’s Complementary Role

The role played by the First Lady of Imo State, Barrister Chioma Uzodimma, also deserves attention. As the RHI State Coordinator, she occupies a position that can facilitate the implementation of women-focused programmes at the state level. She applauded the RHI and the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs for their sustained support for women and vulnerable groups. More importantly, she explained that the 2,500 empowerment items would be distributed across the three senatorial zones of Imo State — Okigwe, Orlu and Owerri. The distribution model gives the intervention a statewide reach and demonstrates an attempt to ensure that the benefits are not concentrated in one part of the state. Her appeal to beneficiaries to use the items judiciously was equally significant. The ultimate success of empowerment programmes cannot be measured solely by the number of items distributed. It must also be assessed by whether those items translate into sustainable businesses, increased incomes and improved household welfare.

A New Conversation About the Southeast

Perhaps the most important takeaway from the visit is the opportunity it presents for a new conversation about the relationship between the Southeast and the Federal Government. That conversation cannot be reduced to politics. It must include investment, infrastructure, employment, entrepreneurship, tourism, education, skills development, women empowerment, youth opportunities and peace. The First Lady’s assessment that Governor Uzodimma had “brought the world to Imo” was, in this context, an acknowledgement of the state’s effort to position itself for greater visibility and investment. For Imo, greater federal engagement can potentially support its development ambitions. For the Federal Government, deeper engagement with the state and the wider Southeast can strengthen confidence in its programmes and create more opportunities for national integration. The empowerment programme therefore became a practical meeting point between these two objectives. The significance of the Owerri gathering ultimately extends beyond the empowerment items presented to beneficiaries. It represents an approach to governance in which institutions can find common ground around the needs of citizens. Senator Oluremi Tinubu’s commendation of Governor Uzodimma, the governor’s appreciation of the federal government, the involvement of the Imo State First Lady, the work of the RHI and the Office of the SSAP on SDGs, and the participation of traditional rulers all combined to produce an image of cooperation. For a country as diverse as Nigeria, bridge-building is not a luxury. It is an essential component of national development. And for a region as economically and politically significant as the Southeast, sustained engagement with the federal government can open new possibilities for investment, infrastructure, entrepreneurship and social development.

GLOBAL SOCCER

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • APRIL 24, 2011

NEWS

NEWSPAPER

A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

12.9.2026

NEWS

CHELLE ‘S HEADACHE PAGE. 29

KELECHI IHEANACHO

REDISCOVERING HIS GROOVE IN TURKEY

Once regarded as one of Nigeria’s brightest prospects, Kelechi Iheanacho’s career had begun to dwindle after inconsistent spells in Sevilla, Middlesbrough and Scotland. However,hissummermovetoTurkey’sBursasporhastriggeredastunningrenaissance. With eight goals in six games, the forward is brilliantly bouncing back, proving he still possesses elite,match-winning quality,Kunle Adewale reports

NEWS

T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R S E P T E M B E R 12, 2026

30

GLOBAL SOCCER

KELECHI IHEANACHO

Rediscovering His Groove in Turkey The Weight of a Prodigy

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he narrative of Kelechi Iheanacho’s career has always been a complex combination of immense talent waiting for the perfect alignment of environment, confidence, and system. When he burst onto the global scene at the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup, claiming the Golden Ball, football enthusiasts predicted a straightforward trajectory to the absolute pinnacle of European football. His early days at Manchester City showcased an extraordinary goals-to-minutes ratio, proving that his instincts in the penalty box were undeniably elite. Yet, the years that followed often featured a frustrating, cyclical pattern. Spells at Leicester City, Sevilla, and Middlesbrough frequently lacked continuity—moments of unplayable brilliance were too often followed by long periods of stagnation on the bench, or deployment out of his natural position. To many outsiders, a career that promised the world was quietly starting to dwindle. A brief stay at Celtic in the Scottish Premiership offered a glimpse of a renaissance. Coming off the bench or starting in crucial domestic ties, “Seniorman Kels”—as he is affectionately dubbed by fans—seemed to rediscover the joy of scoring. He played a pivotal role in Celtic’s late-season surge, hitting a purple patch that made a contract extension in Glasgow look like an absolute certainty. The Celtic faithful appreciated his big-game temperament, unique spatial awareness, and lethal left foot. The Green and White Awakening Yet, when the summer transfer window opened, the football landscape shifted beneath his feet. Bursaspor, a historic Turkish club with a passionate fanbase and a top-flight pedigree, entered the frame. Despite currently residing in the TFF First League, the club’s board presented Iheanacho with a vision that went far beyond the second tier. They sold him on an ambitious multi-year project built entirely around his strengths, combined with a highly lucrative financial package that Celtic simply could not match. For a striker entering his peak years at 29, the promise of being the undisputed focal point of a historic club’s revival was too compelling to turn down. “For a player whose form has historically fluctuated based on management trust, knowing he was the main man before even kicking a ball changed everything.” Upon landing in Bursa, the atmosphere was electric. Turkish football fans are renowned worldwide for their fierce loyalty and theatrical welcomes, and the reception for the Nigerian international was no exception. Green-and-white flares illuminated the airport tarmac, and chants of his name echoed through the terminals. This immediate outpouring of love acted as a massive psychological catalyst for the forward. Unlocking the System The tactical layout implemented by Bursaspor’s coaching staff has uniquely unlocked his potential. Rather than forcing him to play as an isolated target man or shunting him out to the wings, the system utilises him as a dynamic, modern forward. He is given the tactical license to drop deep into the half-spaces, link

up with the midfield, and drive forward with the ball at his feet. This freedom was on full display during his debut match against Bodrum FK, where he recorded both a goal and an assist, instantly validating the manager’s tactical blueprint. As the weeks progressed, the scoring streak transformed from a good run of form into a historic campaign. Against Idır FK and Fatih Karagümrük, Iheanacho showcased his poaching instincts, scoring vital goals that underlined his positional intelligence. By the time Bursaspor faced Kayserispor and stanbulspor, opposing managers began adjusting their entire defensive structures specifically to contain him. Double-teams and low defensive blocks became the standard protocol, but Iheanacho simply adapted. If he wasn’t finding the space to shoot, his vision allowed him to turn provider, as demonstrated by his crucial assists that unpicked stubborn backlines. Monday Night Magic The pinnacle of this opening month arrived on Monday evening at the Manisa 19 Mayıs Stadium. Trailing 1-1 late into the second half, the match looked destined to end in a frustrating draw for the promotion hopefuls. Manisa’s defense had physicalised the game, frustrating Bursaspor’s midfield. In moments of collective paralysis, truly elite players take matters into their own hands: Iheanacho dropped deep to receive the ball, turning his marker with a swift, subtle touch and initiated a direct, aggressive run toward the penalty area, forcing the backline backward. As three defenders closed in to restrict his angles, he executed a signature drop of the shoulder, created a fraction of a yard, and bent a precise, low curler around the reach of goalkeeper Vedat Karaku. The ball kissed the inside of the post before settling into the bottom corner. Beyond securing three points, that strike marked a major milestone. According to OptaCan, it was the first time in Iheanacho’s entire professional career that he has scored in six consecutive matches. The Road Back to the Super Eagles The statistical reality of what Iheanacho is achieving in Turkey cannot be overstated. Leading the TFF First League scoring charts sitting two goals clear of second-placed Rey Manaj shows that he is operating at a level far superior to the division itself. Averaging more than a goal per game across the opening stretch, he has turned Bursaspor into one of the most feared attacking units in the country. The club currently sits just a solitary point behind Batman Petrolspor, and the race for automatic promotion is already shaping up to be an intense, season-long drama. Crucially, this Turkish expedition carries massive implications for his international standing with the Nigerian national team. The Super Eagles boast one of the most star-studded attacking pools in African football, with elite talents competing in Europe’s top five leagues. Consequently, players operating outside the traditional elite divisions often face an uphill battle to secure call-ups. However, national team selectors cannot ignore consistent scoring output, regardless of geography. Iheanacho’s ability to handle immense pressure, deliver match-winning performances week after week, and maintain peak physical fitness sends a clear message to

Iheanacho

the technical crew. His unique profile—a forward who can seamlessly bridge the gap between midfield creativity and frontline execution—offers a tactical variation that the Super Eagles frequently lack during tight, defensive international matches. As Bursaspor prepares for the grueling stretch of the remaining 32 league matches, the burden of expectation on Iheanacho will only multiply. Opponents will analyse his movements with greater scrutiny, and the physical demands of the Turkish league will test his resilience.

Yet, for the man they call “Seniorman,” this chapter feels fundamentally different. He is no longer an afterthought in a mega-squad or a tactical chess piece used sparingly from the bench. He is the standard-bearer for a football club on a mission of redemption. If Kelechi Iheanacho can maintain this extraordinary level of focus and execution, his journey will not only guarantee Bursaspor a return to the Süper Lig but will also cement his status as one of Nigeria’s most resilient footballing sons.

NEWS

T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R S E P T E M B E R 12, 2026

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GLOBAL SOCCER

Chaos in the Ring... Godday Appah and Seth ‘ Freezy Macbones gave the audience inside the Balmoral Event Centre, Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos an insight of what to expect on October 1 Amusan

Tobi Amusan Wins Silver, $75,000 at Inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship

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obi Amusan secured a silver medal and $75,000 prize money on the opening day of the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest, Hungary. The former world record holder in the women’s 100m hurdles clocked 12.34secs behind the same American Masai Russell who erased her record barely a fortnight ago. Russell took the gold in the historic final with 12.22 secs. Dutch sprint hurdler Nadine Visser completed the podium after crossing the line in 12.39 seconds. Although Amusan missed out on the gold medal, her runner-up finish earned her a

substantial $75,000 prize and gave Nigeria its first major result of the championships. Amusan had earlier secured her place in the final after finishing second in her semi-final in 12.49 seconds. In the women’s 400m, Nigeria’s Ella Onojuvwevwo was unable to progress to the final after competing in the opening rounds of the event. Despite missing out on the championship race, the Nigerian quarter-miler ended her season on an encouraging note, having broken the 50-second barrier and gained valuable experience competing against some of the world’s leading athletes. Nigeria’s opening-day

campaign also suffered disappointment after the country was left out of the final start list for the mixed 4x100m relay. Team Nigeria had secured automatic qualification for the event at the World Relays in Botswana, but the country was not included among the final confirmed entries in Budapest. Consequently, Nigeria did not take part in the mixed relay on the opening evening of the championships. With Amusan’s silver medal providing a positive start, Team Nigeria will now turn its attention to the remaining events as the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championships continue in Budapest.

Chelle Sweat Over Dele-Bashiru Ahead of AFCON 2027 Super Eagles coach, Éric Chelle faces a fresh headache over midfielder Fisayo DeleBashiru ahead of the upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau. T he 25-year-old mid​ fielder has been a regular for Nigeria since Chelle took over as coach, whether as a starter or coming off the bench. He was expected to be ​ called up to camp for Nigeria’s games during the upcoming

international break. However, Dele-Bashiru is set to spend he suffered a thigh injury in extra time on the sidelines due Lazio’s first game of the season to his injury. As such, he will against Bologna, raising fears not be involved in Lazio’s clash that he could be sidelined for against high-flying AC Milan this weekend. a few weeks. ​This is a big blow for manH ​ e remained sidelined until Wednesday, when news broke ager Gennaro Gattuso, as Delethat he could soon return to Bashiru offers an impressive full training with his team- work rate in the middle of the mates and potentially make park. Against a Milan side full the bench for Lazio’s big Serie of confidence after taking seven A clash against AC Milan this points from their first three weekend. But that no longer games, his presence would have been key. Now, Lazio will have appears to be the case. A ​ ccording to Radio Sei Lazio, to manage without him.

Rybakina Set up Blockbuster Final with Sabalenka

American hearts were broken as Elena Rybakina silenced Coco Gauff and the New York crowd to set up a blockbuster US Open final against Aryna Sabalenka, who defeated Jessica Pegula to move a win away from her third straight title at Flushing Meadows. Rybakina battled back to upset home favourite Gauff 3-6 6-4 6-4 in a fierce semi-final showdown to secure a t​itle showdown with defending champion, Sabalenka and stay ​on course for a ‌third Grand Slam crown. Sabalenka had beaten Gauff’s American compatriot Jessica Pegula

sixth game and taking the opening US OPEN 7-5 6-2 ‌earlier in the night to close in on set in front of a passionate crowd ‌that included former first lady a ​rare three-peat in New York. “Of course there were nerves,” Michelle Obama. Rybakina capitalised on some admitted Rybakina in her on-court sloppy play ‌by the fourth-seeded interview. “Coco is a great player. It’s always tough to play her. Even if American in the second set to sometimes her first serve doesn’t go level the match. Rybakina, the Australian Open the second one is so heavy it’s difficult ​ ith to dictate the rallies. I took a deep champion, gained control w her power and broke t ​ o go 5-3 breath, tried to talk positive with myself and just told myself I need to ahead in ​the decider. Gauff hit fight and try to show good tennis.” back with a break of her own Gauff absorbed relentless pressure​ but her comeback bid faltered ​ old serve, but stayed strong to draw errors when she could not h from the Kazakh, ​breaking in the as Rybakina broke ​to close out the win.

Nathaniel Idowu U-16 League: Rivalry,Revenge on the Cards as Week 2 Gets Underway The Nathaniel Idowu U-16 Football League enters Week 2 today, with five fixtures scheduled across two venues, as teams return to action following an entertaining opening weekend that produced 22 goals. Week 1 provided plenty of drama, with early goals, big wins, comebacks and hardfought draws setting the tone for what promises to be another exciting round of matches.

With valuable points at stake, the teams will be looking to build on their opening-day performances, correct their mistakes and strengthen their positions on the table. Fortune FA announced their intentions in Week 1 with a remarkable comeback victory over St. Petersburg FA after

conceding just 42 seconds into the match. Their substitutes, Lateef Wasiu, Ibrahim Olaoye and Odesola Odunayo, made a significant impact and demonstrated the strength of the team’s bench. Divinely Blessed FAalso made headlines on the opening day whenUgwuokolieChidalufound the net after just six seconds. They will now be hoping to turn their blistering start into a first victory of the campaign.

Appah, Gyimah Face-off Sparks Pre-fight Brawls Ahead of Independence Day Showdown Kunle Adewale

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igeria and Ghana are set for an explosive sports entertainment showdown on October 1 after the official Chaos in the Ring press conference degenerated into chaos, forcing security personnel to their absolute limits to prevent multiple pre-fight brawls. The event, which doubles as a celebration of Nigeria’s Independence Day, is scheduled to take place at The Balmoral, Federal Palace Hotel in Lagos. It will feature a mix of elite professional boxers and high-profile celebrities, creating a highstakes environment where cross-border rivalries have already boiled over.

Main Event Face-off Ignites Bitter Rivalry

The defining moment of the press conference came when Nigeria’s Godday Appah and Ghana’s Seth “Freezy Macbones” Gyimah met for their official face-off. What began as a tense verbal exchange quickly turned physical as both fighters tried to breach the security line.

CHAOS IN THE RING

Gyimah aggressively ducked past operatives to close the distance, while Appah shoved a security guard out of the way as the team struggled to keep them apart. The two fighters are scheduled to headline the night in a highly anticipated clash for the WBO African Light.

The friction spread across the rest of the professional card, notably during the face-off between Basit “Jokerboy” Adebayo and Fatiu Jomoni. Adebayo launched into a heated argument, seamlessly switching into Yoruba to issue threats to his opponent. Jomoni matched the exact same energy, ensuring that their upcoming lightweight bout will be settled with deep personal animosity inside the ring.

Celebrity Undercard A Global Stage for African Descends Into Bedlam Boxing The tension escalated further during the promotional face-off for the celebrity attraction bout between popular streamer Oderhohwo Joseph Efe, known as Carter Efe, and controversial rapper Darlington Okoye, known widely as Speed Darlington. In a bizarre turn of events, Carter Efe stripped down to his boxers and launched himself across the stage, leaping over the press table to charge at his opponent. Speed Darlington reacted by reaching for a stack of nearby chairs to defend himself, forcing security to intervene heavily once again to prevent a full-scale riot.

Undercard Fighters Exchange Heated Words

For Dr. Ezekiel Adamu, the founder of Chaos in the Ring and Balmoral Group Promotions, the event represents a broader mission to build a sustainable home for African boxing. He noted that the platform is designed to give local fighters direct access to major international titles on African soil while showcasing continental talent to the world. The extensive fight card also features notable matchups, including Eworitse “African King” Arenyeka vs. Lekan “The Engine” Muibi, Yusuf ‘Swaggu’Adeniji vs. Tagoe, Israel Makinde vs.Abiodun Muyideen, and Rimpassakde “The King Cobra” Kinda vs. Rosnov. The entire event will be broadcast to a global audience via international sports networks SuperSport and DAZN.

Afreximbank, TopTier Sports Management Unveils Plans for 2026 Legends Football Match in Lagos

African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), through its Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) programme,andTopTierSports Management—What Media Group,onWednesdayatapress conference in Lagos, unveiled plans for a landmark Legends Football Match. Scheduled for November 8, 2026 at Onikan Stadium in Lagos, the match will serve as a cornerstone event for the CANEX WKND 2026 programme. The event is designed to bring together football icons from across Africa and around the world to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the mid-1990s

Super Eagles squad. The match media. During the press conference, honours that generation’s historic achievements, including Temwa Gondwe, Director of the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations Creatives and Diaspora atAfrex(AFCON) victory, their memo- imbank, spoke on the global rable 1994 FIFAWorld Cup run, impact of the 1996 team. “The and the 1996 Olympic Gold 1996 Super Eagles did more than win Olympic gold; they re-wrote medal victory in Atlanta. As part of CANEX WKND the global narrative, proving to 2026—Afreximbank’s primary the world that African talent is platform for supportingAfrica’s an unstoppable force,” Gondwe creative and cultural sectors— stated. He noted that the intersecthe game intends to highlight the tion of sports, entertainment, and economic links between sports, culture drives Africa’s creative entertainment, and the creative economy, describing the game industries. Organisers expect as a strategic platform to address high turnout from football fans, the future commercialization the creative sector, the public, and empowerment of African and both local and international athletes and creatives globally.

Manchester Derby Tops Weekend Broadcast on DStv, GOtv Manchester United and air live on SS Premier League Chelsea host a recently proMan City meet in the first (DStv Ch. 203, GOtv Ch. 65). moted Hull City at 3:00 pm, with Manchester derby of the Liverpool begin the weekend the game also available on SS season on Sunday at 4:30 at home to Fulham today at 3:00 Football Plus HD (DStv Ch. 202). pm, in what is the weekend’s pm, looking to build on their Tottenham welcome Everton biggest fixture. Both sides will 2-0 win over Ipswich and mid- at 5:30 pm, whileArsenal travel to be looking to make an early week 2-1 Champions League Sunderland at 8:00 pm, with the statement and strengthen their victory over Atlético Madrid. defending champions arriving title credentials. Fulham will be looking to after a 2-1 win over Chelsea and The derby, alongside all respond after losing 3-2 to a 1-0 Champions League victory Premier League matches, will Crystal Palace. away to Napoli.

Debutants, SC Heritage showed

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DEEPENING NIGERIA-INDIA RELATIONS...

L–R: Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu -Ojukwu; Vice President Kashim Shettima, and Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Indian, Ambassador Saidu Dahiru Muhammed, on arrival in New Delhi, India…yesterday

OBINNACHIMA EDGY OPTIMIST obinna.chima@thisdaylive.com

Dangote Refinery IPO: Why Investors Can’t Afford to Look Away

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or many Nigerians, the Initial Public Offering (IPO) of Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals may sound like another complicated transaction meant for wealthy investors, bankers and professionals in suits. But it is not. In simple terms, the proposed IPO, which opens on Monday, September 14, 2026, for subscription, and closes on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, is an invitation to Nigerians and other investors to buy a small piece of one of Africa’s largest and most ambitious industrial projects. For the first time, ordinary Nigerians will have an opportunity to become shareholders in the refinery, which has already become a major feature of Nigeria’s economic landscape. Through the IPO, its ownership is being opened to a much wider group of investors. The proposed offer comprises 4.1 billion ordinary shares at N525 each, with a minimum subscription of 10 shares. This means that, at the offer price, an investor can start with N5,250, excluding any applicable transaction charges. Some of the issuing houses for the offer are Vetiva Advisory Services Limited, CardinalStone Partners Limited, Comercio Partners, among several others. Subscriptions to the Dangote Refinery IPO is also available through approved channels, including i-invest, the digital investment platform backed by Parthian Securities Limited, a joint stockbroker to the issue. The relatively low entry point of the offer is central to the promoters’ claim that this is an “IPO for the people.” The IPO will widen ownership of the refinery built by Africa’s richest man and bring more investors into the company. The President of the Dangote Industries Limited, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, described it as an opportunity to democratise ownership. “This offer presents Nigerians with a unique opportunity to become co-owners of a world-class refinery that is transforming Africa’s energy landscape,” he said. Speaking at the signing ceremony in Lagos, Dangote noted that, “Today’s signing ceremony marks another defining milestone in the evolution of Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals. We set out to build a world-class refinery capable of transforming Nigeria’s energy landscape and strengthening Africa’s energy security. “Through this IPO, we are opening ownership of this strategic asset to a broader community

Dangote

of investors and creating an opportunity for Nigerians to participate directly in its future growth and value creation.” Dangote added, “This offer presents Nigerians with a unique opportunity to become co-owners of a world-class refinery that is transforming Africa’s energy landscape. By simplifying the subscription process through BVN integration and digital application channels, we are opening the door for millions of citizens to participate in the growth story of this strategic national asset. “There is no segregation on who can own these shares. We want every human being living on the continent to be part of this action, and I’m sure they will continue to be happy now, future, and forever.” Beyond individual investment opportunities, the IPO is also expected to have an important effect on the Nigerian capital market. For years, one of the challenges confronting Nigeria's capital market has been the need to attract more companies, more investors and more long-term capital. A successful listing of the Dangote Refinery will bring significant attention to the Nigerian Exchange and potentially encourage other large Nigerian companies to consider the market as a viable source of capital. The sheer size of the transaction makes it particularly important. It is also expected to deepen the market, increase trading activity and give institutional and retail investors another major company in which to invest.

More importantly, it will reinforce the idea that Nigerian businesses can grow into large enterprises capable of accessing substantial pools of domestic and international capital through the local capital market. That matters because a strong capital market is one of the foundations of a strong economy. The Dangote Petroleum Refinery is a worldscale refining and petrochemicals facility in the Lekki Free Zone in Lagos. Designed with advanced technology and built to the most stringent environmental, safety and product quality standards, it is among the world’s youngest, most modern and energy-efficient refineries — and Africa’s most ambitious industrial project. With a current Crude Distillation Unit capacity of 700,000 barrels per day — and an expansion pathway to 1.4 million bpd — it is the largest single-train refinery in the world. It produces Euro V–standard fuels (PMS, AGO and Jet A-1; ≤10 ppm sulphur; MMT-free), high-grade petrochemicals, and other essential products for domestic and international markets. Against the backdrop of ongoing instability in the Middle East and its implications for global energy supply and price volatility, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery has emerged as a stabilising force and an African-led solution to global energy challenges. The private sector-led refinery stands as a monumental demonstration of strategic foresight, industrial courage and African self-reliance. It has also shown that the continent is not short of resources or talent, but of coordinated vision and execution. Managing Director of Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals, Mr. David Bird, noted that, “This is not just a refinery in a crude producing nation sitting on the end of a pipeline processing one crude and only serving a domestic market. This is the world’s most modern, youngest, most energy efficient, most automated, most data rich refinery. And our business model is merchant refining, we process a wide variety of crude and feedstocks and we serve a wide variety of markets with a wide variety of products.” The company also plans to expand refining capacity to 1.4 million barrels per day by 2028. Additionally, the Dangote Group plans to invest $40 billion across sectors, including refining, petrochemicals, fertiliser, and manufacturing, by 2030.

The prospectus shows for the six-month period ended 30 June 2026, the issuer reported exceptional financial performance, generating a revenue of N19.13 trillion ($13.9 billion), driven primarily by the ramp-up to full-capacity production and strong sales of PMS, AGO, and Jet fuel. During the review period, the company achieved a gross profit of N3.43 trillion and a robust profit after tax of N2.50 trillion. The company maintains a healthy balance sheet with total assets reaching N29.07 trillion as of June 2026, and a highly manageable Net Debt-to-EBITDA ratio of 0.27x, underscoring strong cash flow generation and operational efficiency. Aliko Dangote currently has a disclosed beneficial interest of 87.27 per cent through Dangote Oil Refining Company Limited (DORCL), Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), Greenview International Corporation and a beneficial interest in Salamad Ventures Limited. The refinery currently has 120.13 billion issued and fully paid ordinary shares. DORCL holds 65.835 per cent, DIL 14.904 per cent, Greenview 6.496 per cent, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC(L) 6.815 per cent, while other shareholders account for 5.950 per cent. The refinery’s total debt fell from $6.24 billion at the end of December 2025 to $5.67 billion by the end of June 2026, representing a reduction of $570 million, equivalent to about N798 billion at an exchange rate of N1,400 to the dollar. Clearly, the Dangote Refinery IPO is an opportunity for investors of all class to own a piece of a major Nigerian industrial enterprise. But potential investors must read the prospectus to understand what they are investing in. Investors must understand that the stock market is not a casino and should not be looked at from a short-term view. This is because history has shown that investors who go into the stock market without understanding what it is all about get their fingers burnt. The sensible approach is to understand exactly WHAT they are buying, read the prospectus and consider their financial circumstances. If successfully executed, the offer would do more than broaden ownership of the refinery. It will deepen the Nigerian capital market, attract a new generation of investors and demonstrate that the market can mobilise Nigerians’ savings to finance the growth of world-class African businesses

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