Author: gqSbgCfmna

WHAT are the lessons you have learned so far in your short span as a politician?

First, although politics should be about improving citizens’ lives, that is not always the case in Nigeria. Many participants are driven by personal or narrow interests.

Second, money plays a decisive role. Political success is often determined by financial capacity or sponsorship. Even at the level of party primaries, the highest bidder typically wins. The 2023 general election offered some exceptions through the Obidient Movement, where some candidates succeeded in winning elections to represent their constituencies at the National Assembly without heavy spending, but those cases remain limited.

Third, truthfulness is often compromised. While there are exceptions, many politicians do not uphold the values they publicly profess.

However, there are also examples of good governance. In Abia State, Governor Alex Otti is making a difference. He is investing in infrastructure, education, and public services. One key factor is that he does not appear to be heavily burdened by political godfathers. That allows him to use public resources more effectively for the people rather than servicing political obligations.

That model should be replicated. We need technocrats-people with proven competence-who can deliver results in governance.

What concrete steps can move Nigeria from its current preoccupation with multiethnic nationalities towards a sense of nationhood?

Unity is essential for development. Nigerians are hardworking and resilient, but leadership must harness these qualities and create a shared sense of identity.

If given the opportunity to lead, I would begin with a period of national reflection-possibly a week of prayer and fasting-because we have serious challenges and need collective introspection.

After that, I would ensure inclusive governance through balanced appointments across geopolitical zones.

I would also convene a constituent assembly made up of representatives from Nigeria’s ethnic groups-whether 250 or 300. They could meet in neutral locations such as Obudu Cattle Ranch or Yankari Game Reserve to deliberate freely.

Their mandate would be to answer fundamental questions: Do we want to remain one country? If yes, under what kind of constitution? If not, what peaceful arrangements can be made?

The idea that Nigeria’s unity is ‘non-negotiable’ should not prevent honest dialogue. People should have a voice in determining how they are governed.

Vote-buying is becoming part and parcel of elections in Nigeria. What would it take to break the monetisation cycle, given that poverty drives vote-buying?

We must address the problem from its roots-starting with party primaries. If candidates emerge through transparent and credible processes, the influence of money will reduce.

Leadership is also critical. When leaders refuse to engage in vote-buying and enforce rules, others will follow. At present, the system often enables and even encourages it.

Given the experience Nigerians are going through at the moment, where do you see the country in the next 10 or 20 years?

I see this from two perspectives-economic and political. Economically, Nigeria appears to be moving in the right direction through reforms such as deregulation. These reforms can reduce distortions, discourage rent-seeking, and encourage productivity.

As the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) chairman, our proposition for many years has been to deregulate the economy, so that we can reward hard work and stop corruption. In the past, people made money through round tripping in foreign exchange or fuel subsidies. That is not possible today.

However, these reforms come with pain and must be matched by fiscal discipline. Government spending must align with revenue. We must reduce waste, tackle corruption, and ensure value for money. More resources should benefit citizens rather than sustaining the political class.

If we sustain these reforms and manage resources prudently, Nigeria could see increased investment, improved revenue, and reduced borrowing over time.

Politically, however, the outlook is less certain. If the current trends continue, Nigeria risks becoming a one-party state, thereby weakening democratic competition and accountability.

For Nigeria to achieve its potential in the next 10 to 20 years, economic reforms must be complemented by political reforms-stronger institutions, credible elections, and leadership committed to national interest.

Only then can the country translate its vast human and natural resources into real development.

In what way did your encounter with an elderly American in 1986 affect your life or shape your worldview? You attended a conference in America, and he asked you why Nigeria is always in the news for the wrong reasons, despite its high educational standards and a pool of very smart people.

The Christian worldview has always dominated my life. I grew up as someone who loves his nation and respects constituted authority. One of the things we are taught is order, hierarchy, and obedience to authority. As a Christian, you are compelled to pray for your nation and your leaders-whether they are good or bad. I also believe strongly that God created each of us with a purpose: to join Him as co-creators, to solve problems, and to continue the good work He began by deploying the wisdom and power He has placed in us.

That belief drives me. Whatever I do, I try to do it as if I am doing it for God, not for men. I do not distinguish between small and big assignments; I take every responsibility seriously.

By the time I attended that conference in the United States in 1986, I was the Group Sales Manager for Pfizer. Within five to six years, I had risen from entry-level to senior management because I was determined to give my best at all times. At that conference, I performed very well and was eventually nominated as the best-performing sales manager among participants from 106 countries.

After the event, an elderly American congratulated me and asked where I studied. I said the University of Ife. He asked, ‘University of where?’ I repeated, ‘University of Ife, in Nigeria.’ He seemed surprised and asked whether Nigeria had good universities. I told him we had many and began to name them. He then said, ‘If you have such universities and someone like you, then there must be many smart people in Nigeria.’ I replied that there were millions.

Then he asked a question that changed my thinking: ‘Why is your country the way it is?’

That question stayed with me. For the first time, I became conscious of the gap between where I was coming from and what I had just experienced.

When I returned to Nigeria and landed at Murtala Muhammed Airport, the contrast hit me immediately. The heat, the poor infrastructure, the dirty toilets with no water, the inability to flush, and the litter scattered around-all these were things I had seen before but taken for granted. The arrival hall was over-crowded, passengers packed tightly, people jostling. I waited about an hour for my luggage on a wobbly conveyor belt. Outside, taxi drivers crowded around, each trying to outdo the other.

In contrast, in the United States or Europe, systems were organised. By the time you reached the baggage hall, your luggage was already there. You exited smoothly and got a taxi without stress.

That experience changed my perspective. I realised that Nigeria cannot remain this way. If we have good universities and intelligent people, then something is fundamentally wrong with how we organise ourselves. I concluded that we must take responsibility for improving our country.

I began to believe that change may not be a one-day or one-man job, but if each person improves their immediate environment, the country will improve. At the Lagos Business School, we talk about building ‘an oasis of sanity’ around us. If many people build such oases, they can eventually merge into something bigger-a force that transforms the nation.

That encounter made me reject mediocrity and inspired my vision of a ‘new Nigeria’-a country that competes with the rest of the world and reflects its true potential.

The most defining moment of your corporate experience came in 1997 when Pfizer International reduced its Nigerian operations, and you became CEO of Neimeth International almost overnight. In what way did the difficulties you experienced initially shape your ideas about leadership?

That period was a major training ground for me. When things are normal, learning is limited. It is when storms come that leadership is tested and refined.

Before 1997, as CEO of Pfizer Nigeria and Regional Manager for West Africa, operations were stable. Funding was readily available. If we needed money, Pfizer International would arrange it through banks, and we didn’t have to worry about the terms or structure.

But after the management buyout on May 14, everything changed. We had to raise about $300 million. I was asked to lead the process, but I personally had very little capital-perhaps about $20,000 at most. Convincing banks and stakeholders became a major challenge.

Once Pfizer exited, the company became a third-party entity, and banks became cautious. The company could have collapsed if all the banks had called in their loans. However, because of the goodwill we had built, some banks were willing to take a risk.

Still, the burden was enormous. We had multiple loans-both operational and those used to acquire shares. We initially performed well and even paid dividends in the first two years. But by the third year, we recorded losses, and the situation became difficult.

That period forced me to learn financial engineering, frugality, and resilience. I learned how to manage scarce resources and make tough decisions. There were times we delayed salaries to clear goods at the port because if production stopped, the company would collapse.

I also learned the importance of sharing leadership. Initially, I was both Chairman and CEO, carrying too much responsibility. When it became overwhelming, I relinquished the chairmanship to someone else. That decision strengthened the organisation.

The experience improved my managerial and leadership capacity significantly. Without going through those stormy waters, I might never have developed the depth of leadership I eventually attained.

At what point did you realise that your advocacy through NESG, Vision 2010, Vision 2020, and as a columnist was not making much impact, and that you must enter politics to effect change?

My journey into advocacy began after a difficult year when my company recorded losses. Until then, I had succeeded consistently, so the experience was unsettling. Later, I discovered that many companies also recorded losses-it was a recession. That made me realise that no business can outperform its environment indefinitely.

That insight drew me into advocacy through platforms like NESG, NECA, and my column writing.

However, a turning point came when former President Muhammadu Buhari removed the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen. To me, it raised fundamental constitutional concerns. How can one arm of government act against another in that manner?

I wrote an article titled ‘To your tent, O Israel,’ but I chose not to publish it because I felt it might worsen tensions. That was when I stopped writing and began to reconsider my approach.

eHealth Africa has rolled out a strategic plan aimed at strengthening public health emergency preparedness and response across the continent.

The Public Health Emergency Management (PHEM) Strategy for 2026-2028 is designed as a comprehensive roadmap to improve emergency readiness, enhance coordination, and enable faster, data-driven responses to public health threats.

The plan seeks to mobilise stakeholders within the public health and emergency response ecosystem to address systemic gaps in Nigeria’s preparedness and response systems. It was unveiled at a stakeholder dissemination event in Abuja, bringing together government partners, donors, academia, and technical experts to align implementation priorities.

According to a statement issued on Saturday by the organisation’s Communications Manager, Favour Oriaku, recent global health crises have underscored the importance of robust emergency management systems, including functional Emergency Operations Centres (EOCs), clear coordination structures, and reliable data flows.

Drawing on over a decade of experience in establishing, upgrading, and managing more than 35 Public Health Emergency Operations Centres across Africa, the strategy aligns national priorities with global best practices to ensure more effective responses to health emergencies.

As part of the initiative, eHealth Africa plans to strengthen EOCs, integrate geospatial tracking systems, improve real-time data visibility, and build a skilled grassroots workforce to support timely interventions. The approach reflects the organisation’s commitment to supporting governments with scalable, technology-driven solutions that enhance health system resilience.

The strategy also prioritises integrated systems, interoperable data, and cross-sector coordination to ensure decision-makers have access to timely and accurate information.

Speaking at the event, the organisation’s Director of Programmes and Partnerships, Ota Akhigbe, stressed the need for coordinated action.

‘Strong national frameworks provide direction, but impact is determined by the capacity of states and local governments to detect, report, and respond effectively. Strengthening these capabilities requires coordinated systems, reliable data, and institutions working with clarity of purpose,’ she said.

Also speaking, the Deputy Director, Supply Chain and Programme Delivery at eHealth Africa, Kazeem Balogun, said the strategy focuses on strengthening community systems to detect diseases early.

‘By improving coordination structures, enhancing data visibility, and investing in workforce capacity at subnational levels, we are enabling more effective responses that ultimately improve health outcomes and save lives,’ he said.

The dissemination event also provided a platform to review implementation strategies, strengthen partner alignment, and identify opportunities for collaboration and co-investment.

In her goodwill message, the National Coordinator at the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Oluyinka Olayemi, emphasised the need for increased self-reliance in Africa’s health systems.

‘At a time when external health aid to Africa is declining and public health emergencies are rising, we must strengthen preparedness, invest in resilient systems, and build capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to health threats,’ she said.

Through the PHEM Strategy 2026-2028, eHealth Africa aims to support countries within and beyond the continent to better anticipate, detect, and respond to public health emergencies, ultimately strengthening health systems and improving health security outcomes.

Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, has eulogised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on his 74th birthday, praying that Almighty God grant him sound health and long life to achieve his aspiration to turn the Federal Republic of Nigeria into a land of prosperity.

Born on March 29, 1952, President Tinubu will be 74 on Sunday, March 29.

Senator Barau, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ismail Mudashir, expressed optimism that Nigerians will overwhelmingly vote for President Tinubu on January 16, 2027, during the presidential election, to continue his reforms and infrastructural development for the country’s progress and prosperity.

‘Happy 74th birthday to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. He is a visionary leader who has been working tirelessly for the past 34 months to reposition our country for the benefit of both present and future generations.

‘By the grace of God, Nigerians will overwhelmingly vote for President Tinubu come January 16, 2027, when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will conduct the presidential election.

‘I have no doubt that by this time next year, when we will be celebrating his 75th birthday, he will be the President-Elect for his second term. The victory will herald his birthday celebration,’ he said.

He urged all citizens to continue praying for the country and to offer their full support to President Tinubu, emphasising that the President has the country’s best interests at heart.

Barau, who is also the First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, reaffirmed the support of the

National Assembly to the President, adding ‘we stand with the President on this journey to address our nation’s challenges for the benefit of our people.’

Victor Hugo, the French philosopher, is absolutely right: the devolution of policing powers to subnational and local governments is long overdue. This is not a radical departure; it was the reality during the colonial era and the First Republic.

It is worth noting that the Office of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) did not even exist until 1964, when Louis Edet became Nigeria’s first indigenous head of the Force. It is, therefore, not surprising that the British avoided creating a centralized IGP during the long stretch following 1829, when Sir Robert Peel established the world’s first modern policing system in London. Even under our former colonial masters, policing has remained fundamentally devolved.

The British could not have invented the Inspector General for themselves, simply because no such office exists in their own country. Instead, Britain relies on 43 independent territorial forces with largely positive results. This devolved model brings a new kind of democracy to the streets, where the police answer to local boards directly on the hook to the voters – putting community needs ahead of party politics. Under this framework, any qualified citizen, from a dentist to an engineer, can oversee the police force. This local accountability remains the hallmark of their domestic security architecture.

Nigeria itself once operated a devolved policing system, with the ‘Akodas’ in the Western Region and the Native Authority Police in the North. The absurdity of military-imposed centralization destroyed this legacy, with disastrous effects that continue to haunt us. Given the current insurgency across the nation, it should be glaringly clear that we cannot secure a territory so vast, multicultural, multi-ethnic, and multi-religious from a single, centralized base. Quite simply, it is not working!

Those members of the political establishment who were educated in the United States are well aware that even university campuses maintain their own highly efficient policing systems. The US utilizes a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to tackle federal crimes and cross-border offenses, but there is no such office as an ‘Inspector General of Police.’ Such a role would be a contradiction in terms for a federation – and a proud one at that!

We must look to the American model to debunk the self-serving proposition that the devolution of policing powers leads inevitably to tyranny by state governors. Common sense dictates that a person can drown while taking a bath, but that is no argument against the necessity of hygiene. Naturally, state policing will require robust oversight, just as there are currently legal avenues and constitutional protections to check the excesses of the Federal Police. In a democracy, no form of policing can exist without checks and balances. To suggest otherwise is to abandon the democratic ideal itself.

We cannot ignore the history of executive overreach and the weaponisation of the police over the last fifty years. They’re excesses that have persisted even under civilian regimes. Even in the United Kingdom, civil society organizations frequently file suits to hold the police accountable. Under a devolved system, the state police must be subjected to the same rigorous statutory rules as the federal police. It must ensure that the scrutiny of civil society remains the ultimate safeguard of our liberties.

The best-known and most cited example of federal intervention in a devolved system comes from the United States. On September 4, 1957, the segregationist governor of Arkansas – the home state of former President Bill Clinton – Orval Faubus, stood before Little Rock Central High School and used the state’s National Guard to defy the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling on school desegregation. The resulting drama was life-threatening. It was a volatile confrontation that teetered on the brink of widespread violence.

Observing the crisis from the White House, President Dwight D. Eisenhower acted decisively! On September 24, 1957, he issued an executive order to wrest control of the Arkansas National Guard from the governor’s hands and, in the American patois, ‘federalised’ the force to ensure the supremacy of constitutional law. This remains the definitive historical rebuttal to the self-serving claim that state policing in a federation inevitably leads to unchecked gubernatorial tyranny. The centre always retains the ultimate authority to step in when the foundational rights of citizens are at stake.

Temporarily, Governor Faubus was no longer the Chief Security Officer of Arkansas. President Eisenhower did the right thing! His intervention demonstrated that even in an advanced federal democracy like the US, if a governor’s actions – or inactions – become a direct threat to internal security and national cohesion, the federal authorities must assert their constitutional prerogative to minimize conflicts that might otherwise threaten the life of the state.

In the Nigerian context, just as the president must approach the National Assembly to proclaim a State of Emergency in any part of the federation, he should be required to obtain legislative consent before taking over a state police force. Without such a safeguard, the process remains vulnerable to partisan abuse. To put it succinctly, the success of such a framework depends on the maturity and institutional development of our political establishment.

Once upon a time in Nigeria, the Defence Industries Corporation (DIC) wasn’t just a government agency, it was a statement of intent. In those days, the DIC was so woven into the fabric of our national pride that even its football club, DIC FC, was a terror on the pitch. It was a period when our institutions had ‘soul’ and a clear sense of mission. But today, as we watch our security bills skyrocket while our borders remain porous, one is forced to ask the bitter question: where did those good old days go? How did we move from being a nation that built things to one that merely bails out of trouble?

With the current security climate, state policing has shifted from a mere suggestion to an absolute, now-or-never inevitability. We are past the point of debate; this is the reality on the ground. Our focus must now move to the actual architecture of these services – perhaps looking at regionally devolved models like the Amotekun framework. This requires more than just new uniforms; it demands specialized, ongoing training for personnel and a serious integration of modern technology. Stripped of the politics and allied abracadabra, the real win for state policing is simple: it puts intelligence gathering back where it belongs – in the community.

Globally, effective intelligence begins at the grassroots. It was the hallmark of the First Republic, an era of localized, community-based security that produced legendary figures like Inspector Patrick Fynecountry. His crime-busting exploits were so storied and his name so synonymous with justice that his life’s work remains the perfect script for a Nollywood blockbuster. It would, without question, be a record-breaking success.

The core issue today, as we are all painfully aware, is that insurgents are exploiting the vacuum created by a weak intelligence network at the grassroots and community levels. To counter this, we must return to a modernized, updated version of the ‘Inspector Fynecountry’ model of localized vigilance.

The flawed logic behind the military-imposed, centralized policing structure has been exposed as pathetically inadequate for a 21st-century federation. The hour has struck to return to a devolved system and, crucially, to transition our mindset and our moniker from the ‘Nigeria Police Force’ to a true ‘Nigeria Police Service’.

May the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, grant us peace in Nigeria!

The late group chief executive officer (GCEO) of Access Holdings Plc, Herbert Wigwe, has been linked to the ownership of 106 properties in London.

A report by The Londoner titled: ‘Revealed: The billionaires who really own London’, unveils the secret overseas owners of 32,000 real estate across the city.

The publication said it was able to uncover the owners of the assets because a ‘recent change in the law is forcing these foreign companies to register their real owners’.

The report said 2,224 of London’s most expensive and recognisable properties are all registered by companies located in St Helier, Jersey, a British Island that has morphed into a notorious tax haven.

The late Wigwe was ranked seventh on the log with 106 properties to his name.

Ahead of Wigwe are John Corless with 246 properties; Sarah Bard 130; Simon Reuben 129; Alexander Bard 122; Rit Thirakomen 120 and Wolfgang Peter Egger 112.

Wigwe, his wife, son and Abimbola Ogunbanjo, the former group chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group Plc (NGX Group), died in a helicopter crash on February 9, 2024 in California near the Nevada border.

All six passengers on board were pronounced dead in the aftermath of the crash.

In the final aviation investigation report of the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) seen by The Cable, the NTSB said the probable cause of the crash was the pilot’s decision to continue the flight under visual flight rules into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC).

Since Wigwe’s passing, his family has reportedly been embroiled in litigation over his estate.

It was reported in February 2025 that Wigwe, father of the late banker; and Christian Wigwe, his cousin; filed an appeal to challenge a ruling by the Lagos State High Court in the dispute over an estate belonging to Wigwe.

Popular social media personality and AI-themed content creator, Amadou Aminata aka Jarvis, has debunked the notion that content creation is easy, stressing that it requires deliberate effort, creativity and strategic thinking.

Jarvis made this known while speaking as a panelist at The Creative Blueprint masterclass hosted by Funke Akindele on Thursday, March 19.

According to her, many people underestimate the work that goes into building engaging digital content, often assuming it only involves recording and posting videos.

‘Creating content is not easy. The misconception people have is that it’s just about picking up your phone, making a video and posting. That’s not what real content creation is,’ she said.

She explained that her journey began as a TikTok streamer, where she initially created casual, conversational content but struggled to retain audience attention.

‘I started as a normal person who came online to talk. It was engaging at first, but my audience wasn’t sticking with me,’ she added.

Jarvis noted that her breakthrough came when she began to rethink her content strategy and identify what could set her apart in a crowded digital space.

‘I asked myself what I could do differently to keep people glued and entertained. That was how the AI robotic content came about,’ she said.

She added that the shift paid off, as audience engagement grew significantly, with viewers actively watching and interacting with her content.

‘It was exciting to see people connect with something new,’ she said.

For the sake of non-Yoruba speakers, ‘bo le mbe’ loosely means ‘come off it’. It is a language of the street to dismiss false or exaggerated claims. Other street boys will say ‘e kayi nah’ . It is the same thing.

Different reviews have trailed the interview that Senator Bukola Saraki granted Channels TV on Thursday night. In an excerpt of it on Facebook, Saraki claimed that Kwara under his watch was better than Kwara today.

The response he got (please see the attached screenshot) was akin to a story of the fabled Saudi Arabia returnee who said the chicken of Mecca is the height of a storey-building. ‘Alhaji e re nle!’ Calm down, Alhaji.

Even the visually impaired knows there is no basis for comparison between Kwara of yesterday and today. It is not a joke that you will miss your way in Kwara today if you last visited in 2022. You will miss your way! That is the easiest test of the pace of infrastructure development in the state, particularly the capital city.

Senator Saraki expectedly found solace in security issues, especially banditry and terrorism. Yes, the dynamics have changed across West Africa and the Sahel as a whole. We readily acknowledge that banditry and terrorism are a serious problem. We do not make any show of whose deaths are more; a human life is priceless. Every soul we have lost is irreplaceable. May God comfort every grieving family and forgive the dead.

Every resource is being channelled to end the madness of the bad faith actors. The security agencies are never left without the support of the state government. And this is in hundreds of millions of naira every month. Kwara was among the pioneer states to recruit forest guards and it contributed immensely to their welfare till date. In a pragmatic search for solutions, the government is supporting communities to build resilience and curtail the evil. Victims are supported within ethical boundaries that do not cause bigger problems.

We acknowledge that Senator Saraki is at liberty to weaponise this national calamity and the pains of everyone for political effect. The consolation is that people of good conscience can see through the bad politics as the comments under the post showed.

In education, workers’ welfare, social security, healthcare, or fiscal prudence, there is no evidence to corroborate Saraki’s claims, which are, with due respect to His Excellency, mere platitudes. And platitudes are not facts. But they can make us happy. _Truthiness._

His Excellency may revisit my response to his similar claims in 2021, titled ‘A note on the Kwara journey’. It remains relevant for this discourse. But a lot has changed for the better since then. For instance, all the salary and pension debts that the Saraki-inspired administration left have been paid by the Otoge government. It was in billions.

Between 2003 and 2019, a period of 16 years, their Excellencies Saraki and Abdulfatai Ahmed hired a total of 6,098 basic school teachers. Between 2019 and 2025, the Otoge administration hired 8,912 basic school teachers. The Teachers Salary Allowance (TSA), which went into coma in 2012 under a government His Excellency inspired, has been revived. In addition, Kwara under Otoge has just approved peculiar allowance for core civil servants.

Today in Nigeria, Kwara is in the top highest salary payers for medical house officers, a strategy to keep doctors in the public health system. More will be done. His Excellency Saraki may also note the creation and accreditation on the first try by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) of the Kwara State University Teaching Hospital. That’s a no mean feat – it means good doctors can be produced and trained whilst serving the people of Kwara State. That’s another legacy of the Otoge administration.

In road construction, institutional memory says the Kwara State Government did a total of 398.73kilometres (including the 120km federal-funded) Chikanda road roads between 2003 and 2019; the Otoge administration has a total of 588.77km to its credit – aside from the 293km tax credit road the Governor facilitated from the Federal Government. The Maths tells the story, even when we look at government’s revenue then and now. A few persons say Kwara now earns more; numbers don’t work that way. It is about what a million naira bought in 2019 and what it buys now.

His Excellency Saraki may also check the current health indices of Kwara State today and yesterday. The latest National Demographic Health Survey (NDHS) released by the Federal Ministry of Health adjudged Kwara as the best State for a child to be born and raised with the lowest under-5 mortality rate in Nigeria. Last week, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has approved the enlistment of a large section of civil servants into the health insurance following an earlier negotiation with the labour.

That is a first in our state. How? Yes, the Ahmed administration passed the health insurance law in 2017, but it didn’t implement it in any way. This administration activated it and we have at least 120,000 already enjoying health insurance this minute – apart from the civil servants who are to be brought into the net.

The Otoge administration is not perfect. No government in the world is. But His Excellency is advised to quit comparing apples with oranges. They are not the same.

And, finally, Your Excellency Saraki: the Otoge administration did not demolish any home called Ile Arugbo. No one lived there. The government removed a shanty UNLAWFULLY erected on a public land. This happened in 2020. Till date, no one has provided a tissue paper which links ownership of the land to your family. The court once struck out the legal challenge mounted by one Asa Investment, an opaque shell firm whose ‘owners’ at the corporate affairs commission did not include a Saraki.

The public may note that the land, owned by KWSG and meant for collective use, was allocated to one Asa Investment in the early 2000s without a kobo paid to the treasury. This is the brief history of the land.

Now, the Senator Oluremi Tinubu Hospital (formerly civil service clinic) is taking a section of the land, while the remaining lot is hosting a civic centre – both of which are part of the many legacies of Otoge. I’m sure that hospital structure (never seen before in our state) must be the envy of Distinguished Senator Saraki!

A new survey of driver-partners on the Bolt platform in Nigeria has revealed that rider behaviour plays a major role in how passengers are rated after trips, with 76% of drivers identifying rudeness or verbal aggression as the leading reason for giving low ratings.

The survey, which gathered responses from more than 1,800 drivers nationwide, highlights the growing importance of respectful interactions in Nigeria’s ride-hailing ecosystem.

According to the findings, payment disputes were the second most common reason for low ratings (49%), followed by safety concerns (42%) and cases where riders left vehicles dirty or caused damage (42%).

The results challenge common assumptions that ratings are primarily influenced by operational issues such as traffic delays or route disagreements. Instead, they suggest that everyday rider behaviour is the strongest determinant of driver feedback.

Commenting on the results, Bolt’s Senior General Manager, West Africa, Teddy Appa-Dankyi said: ‘Many riders are aware they rate drivers after trips, but fewer realise drivers also rate passengers.’

The Enugu Electricity Regulatory Commission (EERC) has commended MainPower Electricity Distribution Limited for launching its Quick Response Team (QRT), describing the initiative as a major step toward improving electricity service delivery across Enugu State.

The customer-focused system, unveiled recently at the company’s corporate headquarters in Enugu, is designed to drastically reduce fault repair time and enhance responsiveness to electricity consumers.

Speaking at the commissioning, EERC lauded MainPower for prioritising service delivery through innovation and proactive planning, noting that the introduction of the QRT aligns with the state’s broader vision for a more efficient and reliable power sector.

The commission particularly praised the Disco for putting in place the necessary logistics and operational structure required to ensure the success of the initiative.

The Niger Delta Ex-Agitators Forum (Phase 3) has expressed concern over sustained attacks against the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Dr. Dennis Brutu Otuaro, and ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, describing the criticisms as baseless and driven by envy.

In a press statement made available to The Nation in Abuja on Saturday, the group said such attacks were unfortunate, particularly at a time when the Niger Delta is experiencing renewed peace and development.

The forum noted that under Dr. Otuaro’s leadership, the Presidential Amnesty Programme has recorded significant strides in education, capacity building, youth empowerment, and regional stability.

Members of the group, drawn from the nine states of the Niger Delta, pointed to a major turnaround in the past two years, attributing the progress to reforms and improved management of the programme.

The statement also highlighted Tompolo’s role in securing oil pipelines through surveillance operations, which it said has not only curbed oil theft but also created employment opportunities for youths, leading to a reduction in violent crimes across the region.

The forum, through its convener, self-styled General Emma Satu, criticised the actions of some Ijaw leaders allegedly working against Dr. Otuaro and Tompolo, accusing them of pursuing personal interests at the expense of regional development.

It also advised the Federal Government against calls to decentralise the pipeline surveillance contract, insisting that such agitations are championed by individuals linked to oil theft and illegal bunkering.

According to the group, the current surveillance arrangement has improved security, boosted oil production, and enhanced stability in the Niger Delta.

The forum reaffirmed its support for both Dr. Otuaro and Tompolo, urging stakeholders to sustain the prevailing peace and development in the region.

Satu described the actions of those behind the attacks as disgraceful, saying they are heading in the wrong direction when leaders of the Niger Delta are focused on the region’s development.

He said, ‘When these same people were in the amnesty office, ex-agitators were suffering, but under the able leadership of Dr Dennis Brutu Otuaro, the past two years have been phenomenal. We are particularly happy to say that he has performed creditably and beyond our expectations when compared to his predecessors.

‘We, the Niger Delta Ex-Agitators Forum (Phase 3), want to make it clear that the 30,000 ex-agitators in the Presidential Amnesty Programme have never had it as good as we are currently experiencing under the stewardship of Dr. Dennis Brutu Otuaro.

‘The Amnesty Programme, which before now was characterized by corruption and other sharp practices, is now on its right path, with targeted policies to effect the desired change and redirect the programme towards the attainment of its core objectives, which are focused on disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration.

‘Dr Dennis Brutu Otuaro’s leadership has focused extensively on enhancing stakeholder engagement, ensuring timely stipend payments, and promoting merit-based education and vocational training for ex-agitators across the Niger Delta region.

‘We want to express our profound gratitude to His Excellency, the President of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for supporting Dr. Dennis Brutu Otuaro to coordinate the affairs of the Amnesty Office. The President has done well by giving us, Niger Delta people, the recognition we deserve in his administration, and we want to assure him of our unalloyed support ahead of the 2027 Presidential election.

‘We equally want to address the several attacks on an illustrious son of the Niger Delta, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo, over the federal government pipeline surveillance contract awarded to his company, Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited.

‘We are emphatic in our condemnation of the allegations of misappropriation of funds, kidnapping, terrorism funding, and several other crimes against humanity leveled against our two illustrious sons, Dr Dennis Brutu Otuaro and High Chief Government Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo, during a sponsored protest in Washington DC in the United States.

‘Those spearheading these wicked and callous allegations are well known to us. The federal government and security agencies know them, and their actions have become a major source of concern to all stakeholders as they portend huge danger to peace in the Niger Delta.

‘We are grateful to the federal government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for giving Dr Dennis Brutu Otuaro and High Chief Government Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo the much-needed support, through the prompt release of funds to the Amnesty Office to carry out various impactful programmes as well as the continued surveillance of pipelines to curb oil theft in the region.

‘We are also unanimous in our decision to continue to promote and support all peace initiatives driven by the Presidential Amnesty Programme under the guidance of Dr Dennis Brutu Otuaro, and well supported by the federal government.

‘We ask all Niger Delta leaders and youths to remain steadfast with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who has shown uncommon love for our people in his government and the development of our region.’