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IN 1922 the Nigerian Council and the Legislative Council for Lagos were abolished. By the Nigeria (Legislative Council) Order-in-Council of the same year, a Legislative Council for Nigeria was established. Subject to the Governor’s reserved power, this Council had authority to make laws for the Colony of Lagos and the Western and Eastern Provinces of Nigeria; while the Governor alone was empowered to make laws for the Northern Provinces. There were 31 official, and 21 unofficial members of this Council. Of the latter, only 10 were Nigerians. Three and one of them, respectively, represented Lagos and Calabar, and were elected on the basis of a franchise limited by property and income qualifications. The remaining six were nominated by the Governor to represent Egba, Colony, Rivers, Warri-Benin, Oyo, and Ibo Divisions. The 11 expatriate unofficial members represented banking, shipping, mining, and commercial interests.

Lugard’s Executive Council of 1914 was also abolished in 1922, and in the same year another body of the same name was set up by Royal Letters Patent. The composition, jurisdiction, functions, and powers of this Council were exactly the same as those of its predecessor, save that the Director of Education was an ‘appointed member’. Two other officials were appointed to the Council in 1941, as well as two European unofficial members representing business interests and one unofficial Nigerian member.

The Nigeria (Legislative Council) Orders-in-Council, 1922, were repealed, and replaced in 1946. The new Order-in-Council made provisions for a Legislative Council with powers to make laws for the whole of Nigeria, subject to the usual reserved powers of the Governor. In addition, there were a House of Chiefs and a House of Assembly for the Northern Provinces, and a Houses of Assembly each for the Western and Eastern Provinces. The Houses of Chiefs and Assembly only had deliberative and advisory jurisdiction vis-à-vis the Nigerian Legislative council. The principles which governed the provisions of this new constitution were stated in the White Paper introducing it as follows: to promote the unity of Nigeria, to provide within that unity for the diverse elements which make up the country; and to secure greater participation by Africans in the discussion of their own affairs.’

The President of the Northern House of Chiefs was the Chief Commissioner, Northern Provinces. He had an original and a casting vote. The other members of the House were:

(1) all the First-Class Chiefs – there were 15 of them in 1947;

(2) 10 Second-Class Chiefs nominated by the Chief Commissioner from among a total of 29 Second-Class Chiefs;

(3) The Senior Resident;

(4) 11 Residents for the remaining 11 Provinces of Northern Nigeria;

(5) Secretary, Northern Provinces;

(6) Deputy Financial Secretary;

(7) Deputy Director of Education;

(8) Deputy Director of Agriculture;

(9) Deputy Director of Medical Services;

(10) Deputy Director of Public Works;

(11) Crown Counsel.

It will be seen that the House of Chiefs consisted of 25 Chiefs and 19 officials.

The composition of each of the Houses of Assembly and of the Nigerian Legislative Council was as follows:

NORTHERN PROVINCES

Official Members – 19 in all.

(1) The Senior Resident who was President of the House with original and casting votes;

(2) 18 other officials who were also members of the House of Chiefs, as set out above.

Unofficial Members – 20 in all.

(1) 14 Provincial Members selected by Native Authorities from their members, other than major Chiefs;

(2) 6 Members nominated by the Governor, on the advice of the Chief Commissioner, for the purpose of securing adequate representation of the Pagan Community, smaller Native Authorities, the SabonGari communities, industry and commerce or any other important aspects of life not otherwise adequately represented.

WESTERN PROVINCES

Official Members – 14 in all:

(1) The Chief Commissioner who was President, with original and casting votes;

(2) 6 Residents;

(3) Secretary, Western Provinces;

(4) Deputy Financial Secretary;

(5) Deputy Director of Education;

(6) Deputy Director of Agriculture;

(7) Deputy Director of Medical Services;

(8) Deputy Director of Public Works;

(9) Crown Counsel.

Unofficial Members- 15 in all:

(1) 3 Chiefs nominated by the Governor, after consultation with the Western Provinces Chiefs;

(2) 7 Provincial Members selected by the Native Authorities from their members, other than major chiefs;

(5) 5 Members nominated by the Governor, on the advice of the Chief Commissioner, from among prominent citizens of the Provinces who were considered to represent important aspects of life not otherwise adequately represented.

EASTERN PROVINCES

Official Members- 13 in all:

(1) The Chief Commissioner who was President, with original and casting votes;

(2) 5 Residents;

(3) Secretary, Eastern Provinces;

(4) 6 other officials as under Western Provinces above.

Unofficial Members – 14 in all:

(1) 9 Provincial Members selected by the Native Authorities from their members, (NOTE: Before this time, the offices of the Warrant Chiefs had been abolished).

(2) 5 Members nominated by the Governor, on the advice of the Chief Commissioner from among prominent citizens who were deemed to represent important aspects of life not otherwise adequately represented

I had thought the Presidency would respond to Jingir more ferociously than it had done to Cardinal John Onaiyekan, but days after the provocative and incendiary vituperations of Jingir, mum has been the word from the Presidency! How come? Who is afraid of rabid attack dogs pretending to defend Islam? I read another rabid so-called defender of the North accusing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of stripping the North and giving what belongs to it to the South! And what are those, if I may ask? They are national institutions that have long been monopolised for decades by the North to the total exclusion of the South. Now that just a few of them are also being extended to the South, bedlam!

But why is the Presidency quick to respond to critics from the South – and everyone condemning genocidal acts against Nigerian Christians – but take flight when the critics are of Northern origin? Is it fright? Or is it a display of Biblical wisdom? Proverbs 26: 4 says: ‘Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.’ I consider this Bible verse apt for the two so-called Northern folks mentioned above. But for the purpose of the general public, I think the Presidency should also consider the next verse, Proverbs 26: 5, which says: ‘Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.’

I therefore think it appropriate to bring this reader’s viewpoint to the attention of the President’s media minders: ‘…The deafening silence of the Presidency to the undisguised hate speech by the National Chairman of the Council of Ulama of Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa’Iqamatis Sunnah, Sheikh Sona Jingir, sends an unequivocal message of Federal Government’s tacit approval of his dangerous views.

‘This is in addition to the fact that at the event where Jingir gave his incendiary speech, the governor of Kano State, Abba Kabir Yusuf, and Jigawa’s Gov. Umar Namadi, were present and were caught on camera cheering.

‘Jingir infamously said: ‘I urge you to prepare your votes. Let us show the world that the infidels are lying when they say they outnumber us. Show the infidels their limit. Nigeria is a Muslim country, and if you don’t want to accept a Muslim-Muslim ticket, you should leave Nigeria because it belongs to us. If not for the Muslim-Muslim ticket, Christians in Nigeria would think they are more than us. This is why we must make sure the Muslim-Muslim ticket continues to succeed so that our dominance remains sustained.

‘With a Quranic injunction such as Surah At-Tawbah 9:5 that categorically specifies harsh treatment for infidels, and based on the several extra-judicial deaths that Islamists have meted out to Christians in Nigeria, including Deborah Samuel Yakubu who was falsely accused of blasphemy and killed by a Muslim mob on May 12, 2022, it is really of utmost concern that President Bola Tinubu and the Presidency’s media aides have not deemed it necessary to openly call Jingir to order the way they had Onaiyekan…

‘Of course, Nigeria is not an Islamic country, however hard Muslims like Jingir might try to make it one. Nor is there any census whatsoever to support the acrimonious lie that Muslims are the majority in Nigeria. But assuming for a moment that the atrocious and often-repeated lie is true, should that be a reason for attempting to subjugate the country under a religion that brooks no personal liberty?

‘Here’s a reminder: When Nigeria’s founding fathers fought for independence, the idea included freedom from fear. But fear-mongering is one weapon Islamists have not only continued to use against the rest of the country; they have also carried out pogroms against people of other faiths and ethnicities living among them in the region where Jingir made his criminal speech against Nigerian Christians.

‘This is not just a fight for the eternal and unstoppable continuation of Christianity in Nigeria. Rather, it is also a call to all well-meaning citizens and the international community to ensure that Nigeria is not made another Sudan or Somalia just because of the vaulting ambition of hate-mongering creatures like Jingir.’

My comments: Jingir is neither a supporter of Tinubu nor of his so-called Muslim-Muslim ticket. Jingir (or ‘jiga’, as my people would call it!) is an enemy (that must be extricated like the ‘jiga’ that he is!). He is only trying ingeniously to incite Christians against Tinubu. Why? Because he knows – and his ilk know – that Muslim votes alone cannot make or mar Tinubu’s electoral chances or those of his Muslim-Muslim ticket! Christians hold the aces!

For generations, breastfeeding has been regarded primarily as the natural way to feed a newborn. But breast milk represents much more than nourishment; it is the foundation for healthier children, stronger families, improved national productivity and sustainable development.

The President of the Paediatric Association of Nigeria (PAN), Prof. Petronila Tabansi, said breastfeeding is far more than child nutrition but the first investment in building the country’s future.

She said the conversation must move beyond viewing breastfeeding simply as a maternal responsibility. Instead, she believes it should be recognised as one of the country’s most valuable investments in human capital.

According to her, this year’s World Breastfeeding Week theme, ‘Breastfeeding for a Sustainable Start in Life: Strengthen What Works,’ speaks directly to that reality.

‘It is true that investing in breastfeeding by doing whatever it takes to make sure it is happening can yield enormous returns in human capital development,’ she said.

The paediatrician noted that the cost of not breastfeeding is enormous, with far-reaching health, economic and environmental consequences.

Although many people associate breastfeeding with simply satisfying a baby’s hunger, Prof. Tabansi argued that breast milk offers far more than nutrition.

She explained that exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of life, followed by continued breastfeeding for up to two years or beyond, strengthens immunity, supports brain development and protects children against common childhood illnesses.

According to her, the benefits of breastfeeding extend well beyond infancy. Children who are breastfed are less likely to develop obesity and other lifestyle-related diseases such as hypertension and diabetes later in life. They are also less prone to allergies and recurrent infections.

‘Breast milk is best. The components of breast milk cannot be overemphasised. It improves cognition, and once cognition is improved, you are going to have good quality human beings. People become productive members of society,’ she explained.

For Prof. Tabansi, better nutrition during infancy ultimately translates into stronger economic development. Healthier children require fewer hospital visits, perform better academically and grow into adults who contribute more effectively to the nation’s workforce.

Rather than introducing entirely new programmes, Prof. Tabansi believes Nigeria should focus on strengthening interventions that have already proven successful, particularly breastfeeding counselling during antenatal care.

She explained that pregnancy provides healthcare workers with an important opportunity to prepare expectant mothers for exclusive breastfeeding before delivery.

Doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals remain trusted sources of health information, making antenatal clinics ideal settings for educating women on the benefits of breastfeeding.

According to her, consistent counselling has significantly improved the uptake of exclusive breastfeeding among mothers.

She also identified the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) as another indispensable intervention. The initiative encourages hospitals to ensure babies are breastfed shortly after birth, remain with their mothers, feed on demand and are protected from unnecessary exposure to breast milk substitutes.

For years, these practices were standard in many Nigerian hospitals. Medical students were taught the ten successful steps to breastfeeding, while hospitals actively promoted exclusive breastfeeding from the delivery room.

Today, however, Prof. Tabansi said the programme has gradually lost momentum.

‘It is not that we have stopped. But awareness has not been sustained. New workers are coming into the system, and many may not have the same level of awareness,’ she said.

She urged hospitals to renew their commitment to breastfeeding promotion through continuous staff education, regular orientation and stronger institutional support.

One of the greatest challenges facing many mothers today, she observed, is balancing work with breastfeeding because returning to work shortly after childbirth often disrupts exclusive breastfeeding, particularly where employers provide little or no support.

Prof. Tabansi stressed that effective maternity protection remains essential and therefore advocated six months of paid maternity leave, breastfeeding breaks and dedicated breastfeeding rooms in workplaces to enable mothers to continue breastfeeding after resuming work.

She added that such policies should not be limited to public institutions but extended to private organisations, where many Nigerian women are employed.

‘If mothers are given paid maternity leave, they can focus on giving their babies the best nutrition without worrying about their jobs,’ she said.

She further insisted that successful breastfeeding is not solely the responsibility of mothers, noting that family support-especially from fathers-often determines whether exclusive breastfeeding succeeds.

Prof. Tabansi explained that counselling should involve both parents so families understand not only the health benefits of breastfeeding but also its economic advantages.

With infant formula becoming increasingly expensive, she said breastfeeding remains the most affordable option for many households.

‘All they have to do is ensure the breastfeeding mother has good nutrition. The rest is free,’ she added.

Another challenge frequently encountered by healthcare workers is the belief among new mothers that they are not producing enough milk immediately after childbirth. This anxiety often leads to the premature introduction of water, glucose or infant formula.

However, she said such fears are misplaced because the first breast milk is naturally thick and highly concentrated with nutrients specifically designed for newborns.

Rather than introducing other feeds, mothers should be reassured and supported until breastfeeding becomes fully established.

Prof. Tabansi also drew attention to the growing influence of social media on infant feeding decisions.

While breast milk substitutes are increasingly promoted online, she urged healthcare professionals to become more active in providing evidence-based information through digital platforms.

‘The younger generation gets much of its information online. We need to be there with the right information,’ she said.

For Prof. Tabansi, protecting breastfeeding requires consistency, advocacy and leadership from healthcare professionals. She emphasised that breastfeeding is not merely a personal decision made by mothers but a national investment.

Every exclusively breastfed child, she argued, represents healthier families, lower healthcare costs and greater economic productivity.

Everything required to improve breastfeeding already exists: policies, programmes, evidence and professional expertise. The challenge, she said, is sustaining and effectively implementing them.

‘If we strengthen what already works, we will produce healthier, more intelligent and more productive children who will contribute positively to their families and to the nation,’ she said.

A member of the House of Representatives representing Kiru/Bebeji Federal Constituency of Kano State, Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin, has said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has rewarded Kano State with more than 40 key political appointments in the Federal Government.

The lawmaker stated this on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday.

Jibrin said the appointments demonstrated the president’s commitment to Kano and should encourage residents of the state to support his administration.

‘He has done excellently well, and you know what, he has given Kano over 40, underline the word, 40 – political appointments, key appointments in the Federal Government. Why will Kano people not vote for him?’ Jibrin said.

Several prominent Kano indigenes have been appointed to federal positions under the Tinubu administration, including Mariya Bunkure as Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Yusuf Abdullahi Ata as Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, former Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje as Chairman of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria board, and former Kano State Deputy Governor Nasiru Gawuna as Chairman of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria.

However, the claim that the administration has made more than 40 such key appointments could not be independently confirmed from publicly available records.

Addressing concerns over the hardship faced by ordinary Nigerians, particularly the talakawa, Jibrin argued that inadequate communication had made it difficult for citizens to appreciate some of the Federal Government’s achievements.

He cited the completion of the Bichi railway station and activities at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital as examples of projects and services that he said residents were only beginning to appreciate.

‘I told you the last time when I was having a gathering, that people were shocked to hear that the Bichi station has been completed. They were shocked to hear the volume of occupants that were in Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital,’ he said.

According to him, some beneficiaries of government services were unaware of the source of the interventions because adequate information had not reached them.

Jibrin also commended the Kano State Government for its infrastructure projects, particularly the construction of rural roads, schools and healthcare facilities across the state.

‘They are seeing the roads, and particularly the governor in Kano, he’s also doing a lot of rural roads. Every local government is completing about five kilometres of road. He’s building classes, he’s renovating classes, he’s building health centres, he’s renovating existing health centres. He’s turned Kano to a construction site,’ he said.

On persistent concerns about poverty and hunger, Jibrin acknowledged that the challenges remained serious but argued that they had affected Nigerians under successive administrations.

He said governments should be assessed based on their efforts to address the challenges rather than solely on whether poverty and hunger had been completely eliminated.

‘Yesterday it was Buhari, people are hungry. The day before yesterday it was Jonathan, people are hungry. Before then it was Yar’Adua, people are hungry. Before then it was Obasanjo, people are hungry. Before then it was Abacha, people are hungry,’ Jibrin said.

He maintained that successive governments had faced similar economic and social challenges, stressing the need to assess the current administration based on the measures it was taking to address them.

No fewer than three shops were destroyed by an early morning fire at the Nigerian Railway shopping complex along Aleshinloye Market Road in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Saturday.

The fire, which started at about 4am, spread from one shop to another before firefighters arrived and contained the blaze.

One of the affected shop owners, Busari Olayemi, told Tribune Online that people living around Quarters 4 alerted them about the fire at about 6am.

Olayemi, who runs an interior decoration business with his partner, Adebola Sunday Adeniyi, said the fire destroyed window blinds, curtain fabrics, industrial sewing machines and other equipment.

He estimated the value of the items destroyed in their shop at about N21 million.

‘What happened here destroyed a lot of things. Our customers’ fabrics were burnt-you can see them over there. Our industrial sewing machines and tools were burnt right there,’ Olayemi said.

‘All the items we brought in for the past two years, or a year, that were stored there are gone. Everything destroyed in our shop is worth up to 21 million Naira.’

Olayemi said the shop owners could not immediately determine the cause of the fire.

‘We can’t say a particular thing caused it because it had already happened before we arrived. We haven’t been able to trace where it started from,’ he said.

CFS Akinleye of the Aleshinloye Fire Station, Ibadan said carelessness and ignorance remained major causes of fire outbreaks.

He urged traders to disconnect electrical appliances before leaving their shops, particularly given the irregular power supply and sudden restoration of electricity.

‘So, let us be careful with what we plug into electricity. Some leave freezers on overnight to keep items cold, and then when power returns, a surge occurs, causing a spark and then a fire,’ Akinleye said.

He also advised shop owners to keep fire extinguishers within easy reach, noting that they could help contain a fire at its early stage.

‘A fire extinguisher, that small device used to fight fire, is not a small thing. If you have it handy when a fire starts, your job is to extinguish the fire at its incipient stage,’ he said.

Akinleye urged residents and traders to remain vigilant, particularly as the festive period approaches.

‘Fire is a good servant and a bad master. So we must not play with fire,’ he said.

The Chairman of Ibadan South-West Local Government, Kehinde Adeyemi Akande, commended law enforcement officers and firefighters for responding to the incident.

He said fire officials would investigate the cause of the outbreak after containing the blaze and preventing it from spreading further.

Akande also urged traders to take basic fire safety precautions, including keeping fire extinguishers in their shops and switching off electrical appliances before leaving.

‘We must ensure our refrigerators, freezers, fans, and light points are all turned off before leaving and locking up our shops,’ he said.

The chairman added that the Oyo State Government would take steps to provide relief to those affected by the incident.

‘So, regarding this unexpected incident, the government will certainly take steps to relieve the burden on those affected by the fire disaster, to whatever extent possible,’ Akande said.

The Federal Government has warned motorists and residents against allowing livestock and abandoned vehicles on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road, as authorities intensify efforts to prevent activities capable of disrupting traffic and damaging the highway.

The Federal Controller of Works, Lagos, Engr. Olufemi Dare, gave the warning while representing the Minister of Works, David Umahi, at a joint press briefing with the Lagos State Police Command in Lagos.

Dare said the government had prohibited the rearing of goats, sheep and cattle along the coastal highway, while motorists whose vehicles develop faults are expected to promptly seek assistance instead of leaving them on the road.

He warned that vehicles abandoned after breaking down on the Coastal Road would be towed away, advising affected motorists to contact the police or road safety officials for assistance.

The Federal Government also warned against the use of the Coastal Road for activities unrelated to its purpose as a major highway, including the parking of trailers and the operation of tricycles and bicycles.

The warning came as Dare disclosed that 12 suspects had been arrested over alleged vandalism and other illegal activities on the road.

According to him, nine of the suspects were arrested over alleged vandalism of infrastructure, while three others were apprehended for allegedly creating unauthorised U-turns and demanding money from motorists who used them.

Dare said five suspects had already been charged to court, while investigations were continuing into the others to establish the wider network allegedly involved in receiving and disposing of vandalised government property.

He said the authorities would continue to pursue those allegedly involved in the vandalism of government infrastructure, including individuals who receive stolen materials.

The government also reiterated that the Coastal Road is not a trailer park and warned that unauthorised activities along the highway would not be tolerated.

He said, ‘We have another three, three of them here that created illegal U-turns on the Coastal Road. They were like collecting money. They give U-turns to people and then they collect money from them.

‘All of this is not tolerated on the Coastal Road. And let me use this medium also to announce to Lagosians and Nigerians. We don’t want trailers to park on Coastal Road.

‘Coastal Road is not a trailer park. It is a superhighway. You enter it from Eko Atlantic and you go straight to Calabar.

‘If you are dropping in Ogun State, you stop. You are dropping in Akwa-Ibom, you are dropping in all directions qthe nine states that this road is going to pass. So there’s no keke on the Coastal Road.

‘It’s very, very important. If you drive bicycle, if you drive tricycles, you will be arrested. You will be arrested and it will be confiscated and you will never see it again.

‘Destitutes, we don’t want them on Coastal Road. Rearing of animals, rearing of goats and sheep and cows is banned on Coastal Road. These are all that we don’t want.

‘If your vehicle breaks down, call on the police. They can easily help us. We have road safety there that will help you.

‘But if you leave it there, that vehicle will be towed away.’