Author: Nouman Ali

The Southwest Development Commission (SWDC) and Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission have identified railway, agriculture and human capital development as priority areas of focus in coming weeks.

SWDC’s Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Charles ‘Diji Akinola and the Director General (DG) of the DAWN Commission Dr. Seye Oyeleye, disclosed this during the former’s courtesy visit to the DAWN at its Cocoa House, Ibadan office.

The visit offered an opportunity to formalize a strategic working relationship aimed at advancing coordinated regional development across Nigeria’s Southwest region.

Other members of Dr. Akinola’s executive management team are Rt. Hon. AdeFunmilayo Tejuoso (Executive Director, Corporate Services), Hon. Tele Ogunjobi (ED Finance) and Alhaji Fatai Ibikunle (ED Commerce and Environmental Development).

The visit marks the official commencement of symbiotic institutional collaboration between the two commissions.

Under this arrangement, SWDC will leverage DAWN Commission’s 12 years of operational experience, established frameworks, proven methodologies and convening power in regional integration and development.

The approach is designed to accelerate SWDC’s startup of full operations while avoiding the typical challenges associated with new institutional setup.

‘This partnership represents a pragmatic approach to regional development,’ said Dr. Akinola. ‘By building on DAWN Commission’s track record and institutional memory, we can hit the ground running in critical sectors that deliver impact to our people faster and more effectively.’ He added.

The partnership will focus initially on priority sectors including agriculture modernization, railway infrastructure, human and social capital development, industrialization, as well as technology and innovation, with both institutions committed to eliminating duplication of efforts and optimizing resource deployment for maximum regional impact.

The DAWN’s Director General, Dr. Seye Oyeleye, welcomed the collaboration, noting that it exemplifies the spirit of cooperation necessary for meaningful regional transformation. He said: ‘Our 12 years of experience working across Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, and Ekiti states have taught us valuable lessons. We are pleased to share this knowledge with SWDC to ensure the Southwest region benefits from coordinated and efficient development interventions.’

Both institutions expressed profound gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his strategic leadership in integrating regional development as a critical pillar of national development.

Akinola and Oyeleye also commended the Southwest Governors’ Forum, under the chairmanship of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, for its unwavering commitment to prioritizing regional development and fostering enabling environment for institutional collaboration and shared prosperity across the Southwest.

The Nigerian Youths Arising (NIYA) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to grant clemency to the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu.

The group described a political solution as the most viable path to resolving the matter, urging the President to invoke Section 174 of the 1999 Constitution to free Kanu in the wider interest of the country.

In a statement by its President General, Comr..Ben Emeruwa, and Chief Press Secretary, Comrade C. Innocent, NIYA argued that similar clemency had been extended in the past to political actors and agitators across the country.

The group cited the rehabilitation and amnesty granted to some bandits in the North as well as the widely acclaimed amnesty programme for the Niger Delta militants, noting that these measures were implemented to reduce political tension and promote stability.

NIYA warned that failure to resolve the matter politically could heighten tension and the prevailing insecurity in the South-East, where many residents of the region believe Kanu’s is being subject to unfair treatment.

The group said: ‘We must also point out without any form of equivocation that this is not the first time that such similar clemency has been granted to political offenders.

‘For example most of the bandits and terrorists in northern Nigeria who were arrested, instead of being prosecuted in court were given reorientation, amnesty, and in most recent times some of them were recruited into the Nigerian security forces. All of these were done for the sake of peace and to douse down political tensions within the Nigerian polity.

‘Another classical example was the case of the Niger-delta militants who were political agitators aggrieved over the then marginalisation of the niger delta people in Nigeria; a political solution was given to them via amnesty given to thousands of militants across the niger-delta region without any criminal prosecution meted on them.Why must the Kanu case be any different?

It added that granting clemency would give the people of South East a renewed sense of belonging in line with federal character principle enshrined in Section 14 of the 1999 Constitution.

NIYA noted that while Kanu’s outburst in court may have posed challenges for his legal team, they should not be used as grounds for ignoring political solution to the matter.

While acknowledging Kanu’s outburst in court, the group insisted such behaviour which stem from frustration should not be used as grounds to deny a political solution.

‘On this note, our candid advice goes to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, only you can solve this. We recommend that you invoke the provisions of section 174 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria and let Mazi Nnamdi Kanu go. Show yourself to be a true hero of fairness!, show yourself to be a true protector of our fragile democracy!, lead the way like ‘Prophet Moses(Musa) of the holy books’ who led captives into freedom. Free Mazi Nnamdi Kanu !.

‘We must keep preaching unity, we must keep preaching democracy, we must also keep fighting for true practice of equality under the law. Nigeria must succeed,’ it added.

Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Barr. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, marked her birthday on Sunday, with a message to Nigerians, having visited orphanages on Saturday to share in compassionate service rather than hosting lavish celebrations.

‘As I mark another year today, my heart is with every Nigerian facing the uncertainty and pain that these challenging times bring,’ the Minister said.

On Saturday, she visited City of Refuge Orphanage Home in Durumi and Destined Children’s Orphanage at Kado Estate, Abuja, donating food items and welfare materials to vulnerable children.

Onyejeocha spoke directly to the nation’s challenges, acknowledging attempts to undermine collective unity and progress, while issuing a strong call for resilience and hope.

‘While we are confronted by despair and deliberate sabotage of our collective will for unity and progress, we must choose hope over despair, unity over designed fragmentation of our people,’ she stated.

Drawing on Nigeria’s history of overcoming adversity, the Minister expressed confidence in the nation’s future.

‘Nigeria has weathered horrendous storms in times past, we will together do it again and emerge victorious as one nation under God,’ she declared, adding: ‘Peace will indeed return to our land.’

The Minister’s decision to visit orphanages rather than celebrate lavishly has been praised as compassionate leadership that prioritizes service above self.

At both City of Refuge Orphanage Home, Durumi and Destined Children’s Orphanage, Kado Estate, Onyejeocha spent time with the children, distributing food items and welfare materials while offering words of encouragement.

The visits reflected her belief that leadership must be demonstrated through service, especially during challenging times.

Onyejeocha’s message comes as Nigeria continues to address security challenges in various parts of the country.

The Minister urged Nigerians to retain hope in the sincerity and capacity of the Tinubu administration to address and overcome these challenges. She emphasized that the government remains firmly committed to the safety and protection of all citizens.

Her message appears aimed at rallying Nigerians around shared values of unity and resilience, expressing confidence in the administration’s efforts to strengthen peace and security across the country.

The Artiste Managers Association in Nigeria (AMAN) will on Wednesday gather in Lagos to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the association.

The event will be held at the Grand Ballroom of Eko Hotels and suites, VI, Lagos. Nigeria creatives and artiste managers, as well as their international counterparts will converge for the 2025

According to a statement by the association, the red carpet begins at 5pm, while the event starts at 7pm.

The Artiste Managers Association in Nigeria (AMAN) is the body of creatives and artiste managers overseeing the welfare of their artistes including actors, musicians and other creative endeavours, and giving its members a pride of place in the gamut of the entertainment industry.

Already, the state of excellence is abuzz with the arrival of hundreds of AMAN members and distinguished guests from within Nigeria and in the diaspora.

By the way, this year’s AWARDS is the second award ceremony organised by the Artiste Managers Association in Nigeria (AMAN) ‘to publicly recognize, reward and celebrate excellence within the creative industries in Nigeria, Africa and beyond,’ the statement said.

The first edition of the awards was in 2023 and held at the Fantasia Hall of Eko Hotels.

The Edo film landscape is experiencing a cultural and cinematic rebirth as _ÀKÀTÈ_, directed by celebrated filmmaker Ino Moses, continues to make waves across Nigerian cinemas.

The film, which boasts one of the most culturally blended casts in recent years, is being hailed as a defining moment for Edo-based filmmaking and a catalyst for the growing cinema culture within the state.

Speaking on the vision behind the movie, Moses described _ÀKÀTÈ_ as ‘a creative bridge between the mainstream Nollywood veterans and the rising Edo creative force,’ noting that the production intentionally brought together Nollywood legends, Edo-based actors, viral content creators, and national stand-up comedy giants – all united to tell an authentic Edo story with global appeal. ‘We wanted a film that feels like home, looks like home, and sounds like home,’ he said. ‘_ÀKÀTÈ_ is not just a movie; it is a movement – a revitalization of the Edo creative identity.

Working with such a star-studded cast allowed us to merge experience, raw talent, culture, and humor into one powerful narrative.’

The film’s diverse ensemble includes mainstream Nollywood icons such as Charles Inojie, Edo-born film stars like King Zina, and a lineup of popular comedic and content-creation personalities who bring contemporary relatability to the project.

‘One of our biggest goals was to show the world the strength and talent we have here in Edo,’ he said.

Fifth-rate politicians have taken over the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The party is now so fractured that no one is sure how many factions exist anymore. It began casually with three discernible factions before the 2023 elections, then grew to four some two years after, and is now feared to be about five or six factions, some of them so furtive that mutual suspicion is rife in the party. Those who converged on Ibadan on November 15 and reveled till the next day orchestrating what they freeheartedly described as an elective convention affirmed Kabiru Turaki as their chairman. Every other party position appears sinecure and surplus to requirement. Party chieftain Bode George, angry and opinionated as ever, and Oyo State governor Seyi Makinde inspired the revolt that produced Mr Turaki, a former Special Duties minister and senior advocate. Tired of pussyfooting over who were the legitimate leaders of the party, and exasperated by the knot that had shackled the party for years, they simply looked for a judicial sword and cut the restraints.

Weeks before the convention, party chieftains were hopping from one court to another, until they had had enough. Now, in spite of themselves, their legal nightmares have just begun. It is feared that the party is irretrievably fractured. Perhaps. But there are many hardy perennials in the party who will not give up easily; and others who will go down fighting; and yet others who will make sheep’s eyes at the ruling party, hoping for a personal financial and political breakthrough. Admittedly the party was in a very bad spot, constrained by the chicaneries, or more accurately the intransigence, of former Rivers governor Nyesom Wike and his loyalists. For a party unwisely accustomed to breaking its own rules and hopping into bed with sundry political suitors, some of them dressed garishly in hideous robes, it was sadly not difficult to organise the kind of convention they put up in Ibadan two Fridays ago. Some of those who helped them organise the jamboree, including Plateau State governor Caleb Mutfwang and Adamawa State governor Umaru Fintiri, were appalled by the brazenness with which they sacked Mr Wike’s loyalists and enthroned the dour Mr Turaki.

By the time they carried out the assault on the PDP Headquarters in Abuja days later, the apostasy in the party, not to say more factionalisation, was complete. The Wike amputation and the forcible coronation of Mr Turaki mean that mending the party fabric will now be more difficult than before. Not only will they become hopelessly mired in court cases, their depleted ranks will sap their spirit and send survivors scurrying for shelter wherever they can find it. Their only straw which they desperately clutch is the tenuous legitimacy the Ibadan convention conferred on Mr Turaki. But Mr Makinde, who almost singlehandedly inspired the convention and probably underwrote a significant portion of its budget, is not as charismatic as he pretends. Had he possessed the wit and élan, had he brought panache to his fights like the hated Mr Wike, had he acquired the fecundity for dissembling like Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), he would have come out of the convention talced with leadership lavendar of the most exquisite composition.

It is not clear why the Makinde faction of the PDP settled for Mr Turaki; but they did, at great expense and at the risk of destroying the party. On the day their charge of the Wadata Plaza headquarters of the party came to nought, when their cavalry were stopped by violence and tear gas, Mr Makinde and Bauchi State governor Bala Mohammed stood grimly by as Mr Turaki made an ass of himself since his coronation barely a week earlier. Both governors winced as their new chairman made a plaintive appeal to the United States president Donald Trump to save Nigerian democracy. It was a momentous occasion, one which no one in this generation should ever miss. There he stood like a military officer who had just led his troops into an ambush and barely escaped with his life, asking the world’s most narcissistic, dictatorial and uncouth president to come rescue Nigeria from the grip of one-party rule. Was it a slip of tongue? Or had the tear gas still wafting in the air addled his brain and diminished his judgement? No one in the world, except this regular Rip van Winkle, goes to the American president seeking anything properly describable as democracy. No one, not Russia’s Vladimir Putin, nor the corpulent North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, would dare such antics even as a joke. But Mr Turaki, exhumed from some Neolithic crevices, dared.

But someone exceeded all of them in political travesty: the hard talking Chief George. Given the role he played in the mass sacking of Mr Wike’s loyalists and the fracturing of the party, it is no wonder that he appeared drained thereafter, and has barely spoken a word since. Until enterprising reporters give us an account of how the decision was taken among the party’s panjandrums to do the mass sacking in the party leadership without recourse to either their own rules or the law, it can only be conjectured that Chief George was fully convinced that the Gordian knot restraining the party had to be brusquely cut. He was tasked with moving the motion for the decapitation, and he relished the assignment, especially being a former military officer. The job not only suited his unforgiving and tempestuous politics, it accorded with his frigid personality. He failed in Lagos PDP politics to stamp his authority and personality, and has never been known to keep an oath or his word. Fond of shooting first and asking questions later, and surrounded by obsequious party leaders, he led the troops to Golgotha without bothering about the consequences.

It is hard for any Nigerian patriot to reconcile with the diminution of the PDP. The party never really had strategists, not even ones with half the talent of a failed coup plotter. Now they are proving to also lack thinkers, as Mr Tukur is showing so disapprovingly. At their rate of decline, they may soon discover that they will lack the men to help prosecute any electoral war. Hemmed in on all sides by incompetent and querulous men and women, and unable to free themselves from their straitjacket, they will soon join forces with those scheming by propaganda, abductions and subversion to undermine the APC administration.

Aseasoned tech expert and visionary, Kazeem Tewogbade has launched a book, ‘Unlikely’.

Tewogbade, the Group CEO and Co-Founder of Bluechip Technologies, one of Africa’s leading data analytics and enterprise solutions companies and lover of education, said the book ‘is more than a story, as it is a journey of resilience, humble beginnings, vision, and the power of staying committed when the odds are stacked against you.’

With over 25 years of professional experience, Tewogbade has contributed immensely to technological growth, capacity building, and talent development.

A First Class degree holder in Computer Science from the University of Ibadan, Tewogbade explained that he was inspired to write the book because he felt it was important to document his journey in life.

Tewogbade stated that the book was berthed for young people seeking direction, entrepreneurs in need of motivation, professionals aiming for excellence, and any man that believes in the possibility of greatness despite challenges.

‘This book ‘Unlikely’, is about me as much as it is about my mother, Alhaja Adunni, my jewel of inestimable value, who will toil and stoically make sacrifices to ensure she is on ground to raise me well

Reviewing the book, Olumide Soyombo, the author’s partner and co-founder at Bluechip Technologies, said: ‘Unlikely’ is not just a book, it is a mirror for anyone who has ever felt behind. It is a compass for anyone who has ever felt uncertain. It is a reminder that excellence can come from anywhere, and anyone. It is a testimony that the God who gives some people head starts also gives others the stamina to run from behind and finish convincingly.

Kazeem writes as a man who has lived, reflected, and understood. Through this book, you will hear him loud, with wisdom, with humility, and with truth. ‘Unlikely’ is a book worth reading, a life worth studying, and the author a man worth celebrating. My friend, my partner, and one of the most quietly brilliant minds I know.’

The 38 worshippers abducted from the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) Eruku in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State have regained freedom.

Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq announced this in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary Rafiu Ajakaye on Sunday.

He attributed their freedom to the hands-on approach of President Bola Tinubu, who he said personally led the efforts to free the abductees.

The statement reads: ‘The abductees were freed today, November 23. The Governor is immensely grateful to President Bola Tinubu, GCFR, for his direct initiative that made this happen.

‘The President had called off his scheduled trip for the G20 Meeting in South Africa to attend to the breaches in Kwara and Kebbi States. He had also directed heightened security deployments to Kwara, in what underlined his firm commitment to the safety and wellbeing of our people and Nigerians as a whole.

‘The Governor also expresses appreciation to the Office of the National Security Adviser; the Department of State Services (DSS); the Nigerian Army; Nigeria Intelligence Agency; and, of course, the Nigeria Police, which has graciously deployed four new tactical teams to Kwara State on the directive of the President.

‘The Governor also thanks members of the security forces across board, thought leaders, religious institutions, and all Kwarans for their support and goodwill since the unfortunate incident.’

Bellazir Energy Limited, in partnership with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), has successfully concluded a training program on fire alarm, gas detection, and access control technologies in Lagos.

The initiative aimed to equip Nigerian youths with practical skills in these critical areas, enhancing local capacity and employability in the oil and gas sector.

The program focused on imparting industry-relevant skills to strengthen local capacity and enhance employability in the oil and gas sector.

The collaboration between Bellazir Energy Limited and NCDMB underscores their commitment to developing the skills of Nigerian youths and promoting local content development.

Participants received certificates and starter kits to aid in their future endeavors.

The CEO of Bellazir Energy Limited, Christabel Aniamaka, lauded NCDMB for their support and collaboration in making the training program a success.

This partnership highlights the growing emphasis on local content development and capacity building in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board has been actively promoting local content development and capacity building in the oil and gas sector. Their efforts aim to achieve 70% in-country value retention by 2027, aligning with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board’s strategic roadmap.

Renowned lawyer, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), has expressed deep concern over the escalating wave of insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, and other forms of insecurity plaguing the country.

Speaking on Sunday in Ikere-Ekiti during the 29th edition of the Wole Olanipekun Scholarship Scheme, he described the increasing frequency and boldness of criminal activities as a disturbing reflection of Nigeria’s deteriorating security architecture.

Olanipekun noted that kidnapping and banditry, once regarded as isolated incidents, have now evolved into widespread threats, leaving citizens fearful for their safety.

He warned that the worsening situation suggests that some Nigerians are actively undermining the country by sponsoring violent activities, branding them ‘internal saboteurs’ whose actions fuel national instability.

He argued that such conduct would not be tolerated in developed nations where national interest is upheld above personal or political considerations.

Nigeria, he said, must stop overlooking individuals who hide behind regional or political sentiments to promote disorder.

Calling on President Bola Tinubu to demonstrate the political will needed to confront the crisis, Olanipekun urged him to publicly name those he described as ‘enemies within’ who are aiding insecurity.

According to him, exposing them is essential to restoring public trust, strengthening deterrence, and assuring Nigerians of the government’s commitment to ending the menace.

He maintained that the federal government is not unaware of the masterminds behind the insecurity, noting that many perpetrators and their sponsors are already known within security and intelligence circles.

However, he warned that the continued reluctance to expose and prosecute them has created the impression that powerful interests are being shielded, deepening public distrust.

Olanipekun insisted that Nigeria does not require external intervention to resolve its security challenges. Instead, he said, the country must look inward and summon the courage to confront those sabotaging its stability from within.

He further said, ‘We must stop this inhumanity of man to man, we must try to love ourselves, we must try to be kind must try to appreciate the fact that one day we’ll die, whether you’re an abductor, whether you are a killer, whatever you are, you will die one day. Where were the people of yesteryear? Have they not gone?

‘I have been preaching about how we can strengthen Nigeria. I sympathize with President Tinubu. And any time I see him, I will tell him, I say, Mr. President, I don’t envy you. He will say, my lawyer. I applied for this job. So, he will say, Sir, don’t sympathize with me.

‘But I sympathise with him because he is the inheritor of what he didn’t plant. So he should not reap what he didn’t sow. The problems have been there. But we should stop pretending as if we don’t know the problems are there.

‘There are so many individuals who say they are citizens, but they don’t love this country, they are working against the interests of the country, but again, my own suggestion regarding this is to stop pretending as if we don’t know those behind the insecurity.

‘If we know them, like what you said, why can’t we expose them? That is the essence of being a nation. You can’t do it in America and get away with it. You can’t sabotage your country. You can’t work against the interests of your country.

‘You can’t be planting war against your country, and we are living with that country. Why are we deceiving ourselves? Are we pretending as if we don’t know those who are waging war against this country?, he asked.

Offering solutions to the persistent security challenges, Olanipekun renewed his call for regional federalism, insisting that restructuring Nigeria along regional lines remains the most realistic pathway to achieving sustainable stability.

He noted that devolving more powers to the regions while retaining core national responsibilities at the centre would not only strengthen governance architecture but also improve security coordination, reduce tension, and promote healthier competition among the federating units.

Olanipekun maintained that a regional structure would offer a more coherent and efficient framework for managing the country’s diversity and addressing several challenges that differ across the regions.

He said, ‘I want to plead, and I’ve been pleading for it. I’ve been preaching it. It is a time for us to heal wounds. It’s time for us to say, look, how do we live together? How do we create a bridge that will not collapse in the next few years? And that comes back, it takes us to what I’ve been saying.

‘What can save Nigeria today is regional federalism. Through the regions, we can integrate properly, and I have been saying this since Obasanjo was president, and when I was also president of the Nigerian Bar Association. That is the only way out for Nigeria, regional federalism.

‘Let the regions come together and form a strong alliance. Let the residual powers be in the regions, but the powers which are traditionally meant for the centre be donated to the centre. That has been my song’, he added.