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Lagos State played host to ICT stakeholders recently, when Commissioners for Innovation, Science and Technology and senior state delegates gathered during GITEX in Lagos for the ICT Commissioners Roundtable.

Conceived as a national platform to align sub-national digital priorities with federal strategy, strengthen inter-state collaboration and accelerate the drive toward a digital economy that is inclusive and locally-led, the roundtable boasted attendance from key stakeholders across states in the country.

The Lagos Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, Olatunbosun Alake highlighted Lagos’s sustained investment in digital infrastructure, talent development and regulatory reform, saying Lagos must lead by example so that states across the federation can adapt and scale what works. He also outlined the state’s recent programmes and reiterated its willingness to support inter-state exchange programmes and technical partnerships.

In his closing address, Senator Shuaib advised participants to link ICT initiatives closely to each state’s broader development priorities to ensure political buy-in and sustainable funding.

He called for stronger cross-ministry collaboration, pointing out that the success of ICT initiatives is often dependent on synergy with education, health and finance ministries, and flagged that new ICT bills are being developed in the National Assembly to strengthen legal and policy frameworks for innovation and cybersecurity. He also emphasized the need for national coherence so that state efforts can integrate seamlessly into the national digital architecture.

Also speaking at the occasion, Enugu’s Commissioner, Ezeh, updated the roundtable about Enugu’s smart-schools and smart-city ambitions and referenced the success of Enugu Tech Festival held earlier in the year as a vehicle for talent discovery and industry partnerships. Cross River’s Justin gave an update on that state’s science and technology initiatives while reinforcing the need for linkages between state innovation programmes and private sector capacity.

Other states reported concrete steps toward operationalizing local digital strategies.

While states are clearly moving forward, the roundtable surfaced recurring obstacles. Delegates cited insufficient inter-state collaboration and limited alignment with federal priorities as barriers to scaling successful programmes. Funding gaps, bureaucratic delays and the challenge of recruiting and retaining skilled digital talent were consistently raised. Participants agreed that formalized exchange programmes, joint projects and routine peer reviews could help close those gaps and accelerate implementation across the federation.

The roundtable also recognized the private sector and development partners as important enablers. While international tech firms were invited to share insights, particularly around opportunities in open-source AI and developer ecosystems, the commissioners were clear the forum’s mandate is to priorities Nigerian state ownership and homegrown solutions.

From Lagos to Somerset: Why Nikki May’s This Motherless Land Should Top the NLNG list

Some books entertain you. Some books move you. And then there are the ones that take you by the hand, drag you across the pages, and leave you feeling rearranged. Nikki May’s This Motherless Land belongs firmly in that last category.

This Motherless Land is not just a novel; it’s an entire journey. It’s Lagos traffic and Somerset rain; it’s cousins who become each other’s lifeline; it’s grief, jealousy, inheritance, identity, and that complicated kind of love that isn’t romantic but still feels world-shaking. May gave us Wahala, and now she’s back – bigger, bolder, and, dare I say, even better.

At the centre of the story are two cousins: Funke, a Lagos girl whose world shatters when a car crash kills her mother and brother. Liv, her English cousin, grows up in The Ring, their family’s ancestral estate in Somerset, England, with a mother who is more formidable than affectionate. On paper, these girls could not be more different. Funke is shaped by loss, rejection, and superstition; Liv is deprived of love and yearns for connection.

When they finally find each other, what unfolds isn’t polite cousinly bonding. It’s messy, magnetic, and life-changing; the kind of bond that both saves and ruins you.

May writes with bite and with heart. The dialogue sparkles, the tensions simmer, and the pages almost turn by themselves. She can roast class hypocrisy in one sharp sentence, then turn around and break your heart with a single image: a girl clutching a Guinness bottle top salvaged from the wreck that killed her family.

What makes This Motherless Land stand out is how it refuses to simplify the complexity of real life, even though it’s fiction. Families love you and hurt you, cultures steady you as well as cage you, and identity is a fight you never quite finish. Funke and Liv’s paths wind through betrayals and reconciliations, but through decades of highs, lows, and everything in between, the one truth that doesn’t shift is this: it’s a love story. Not boy-meets-girl love, but the stubborn, bone-deep affection of family who love each other even when they hate each other.

I have to pause here and gush about the cover. The riot of colours, that bold splash of red and orange against the green, and of course, the African Grey Parrot perched front and centre. It’s stunning. But it’s not just a pretty design for design’s sake. The bird is a nod to Billy, the parrot in the novel who spends his days calling out ‘Hello, Lizzie!’ long after Lizzie (Funke’s mom) is gone. It’s a small but haunting detail in the book; an echo of grief that lingers.

I love a cover that doubles as a clue and rewards you with a secret symbol you recognise only after you’ve stepped inside the story. And I’ll be honest: I’m not usually the biggest fan of Nigerian literature. Too often, it leans heavily into tragedy; beautifully written tragedy, sure, but still heavy and draining. I’m a sucker for sappy escapism; the kind of book that lets me float away on a fluffy cloud of make-believe and suspend my disbelief, because life is already heavy enough. But This Motherless Land was a refreshing change of pace. Yes, there’s plenty of pain here – death, betrayal, estrangement, indignation – but it doesn’t drown you in despair. Instead, it touches on something healing and quietly satisfying.

And that’s why it resonates. There are truths every Nigerian will recognise regardless of class: the weight of family expectations, inheritance dramas, the scars of loss, and the way parents’ choices ripple down to their children. Funke’s search for belonging, feeling never fully Nigerian and never fully British, reflects the reality of many of us living between identities in one way or another. Liv’s complicated love-hate relationship with her mother is painfully familiar in a culture where tenderness is often sacrificed at the altar of respectability and discipline. Even the superstitions, like the whispered ‘child of a witch,’ will hit close to home if you’ve ever grown up with the harsh, unfiltered gossip that older family members sometimes throw around like fact.

So sure, the stage is set with heirlooms and mansions, but the emotions are the great equaliser. They’re raw, they’re real, and they’re ours. That’s why the novel doesn’t just speak to Nigerians who share its settings; it speaks to Nigerians who share its truths.

Big Questions the Book Asks: What does it mean to belong when you straddle two cultures? Can love between family members survive betrayal? How do women navigate patriarchal and racial issues?

If you’re the kind of reader who likes books that can both slap and hug you in equal measure, this one is it. I closed the last page and thought, ‘This deserves a prize.’ And while it’s not written for prizes (and I can usually spot those), it feels destined for one. Because what Nikki May has given us is precisely what Nigerian literature needs more of: stories that cross borders but stay rooted, stories that honour our messy, complicated families, stories that shout ‘we are global’ while still saying ‘we are Nigerian.’

The NLNG Prize for Literature has, over the years, established itself as more than just the most valuable literary award on this continent. It now serves as a beacon for excellent Nigerian writing, highlighting works that combine technical skill with authentic lived experiences. Its past winners range from the intimate to the grand, from the experimental to the traditional. But the common thread binding them is resonance; stories that don’t merely conclude when the book ends, but linger in your heart. In this light, Nikki May’s second novel is an ideal contender: a story grounded in Lagos and Somerset, yet resonant anywhere families face loss, legacy, and love.

This Motherless Land is a stunning, moving, funny, and unforgettable work.

Buy it. Please read it. Lend it out. Snatch it back before your friend ‘forgets.’ And if it does go on to claim the NLNG Prize, you’ll be able to say you knew before the judges did.

As Nigeria marked its 65th Independence Anniversary, Anayo Onwuegbu, member representing Aninri/Awgu/Oji River Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, has called on Nigerians to consolidate on the sacrifices of the nation’s founding fathers in the collective task of nation building.

In a goodwill message to his constituents and Nigerians at large, Onwuegbu emphasized the importance of unity, peace, and shared responsibility in building a prosperous Nigeria.

‘This milestone reminds us of the sacrifices of our heroes past and strengthens our commitment to building a united, prosperous Nigeria,’ he said.

He further urged citizens to remain steadfast and hopeful despite the nation’s challenges, noting that resilience and cooperation are key to achieving national progress. ‘Let us continue working together to uplift our community and nation through dedication and resilience. I urge everyone to remain hopeful as we strive for a brighter future,’ he added.

Reaffirming his dedication to service, the federal lawmaker restated that the development of his constituency and the advancement of the country remain his top priorities.

Onwuegbu also prayed for continued peace, unity, and strength for the nation, expressing optimism that Nigeria’s best days lie ahead.

Fasagba Femi, provost, Kogi State College of Education Ankpa, has commended the federal government for allowing College of Education to run degree programmes alongside with the training of National Certificate of Education (NCE) teachers.

Fasagba gave the commendation while speaking with journalists shortly after receiving the award of excellence by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kofi State Council in Lokoja over the weekend. He disclosed the importance of the College of Education in educational system cannot be over emphasized, adding that the college have been saddled with responsibility of training the teachers.

He equally noted that although some specific colleges of education have been selected to pilot the federal government’s new directives, noting that the state governments are not leaving any stone unturned to enable them key into the new policy.

Vinicius Junior scored twice, while Kylian Mbappé provided an assist and a goal as Real Madrid beat Villarreal 3-1 at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu to move top of ghe LaLiga on Saturday night.

Madrid top the table on 21 points from eight matches, while title rival Barcelona move the second position with 19 points.

Villarreal remain third with 16 points.

However, Barcelona who travel to the Estadio R. Sanchez Pizjuan on Sunday afternoon could top the LaLiga again if they beat Sevilla.

Real Madrid bounced back from their humiliating thrashing by neighbours Atletico Madrid last weekend.

After a frustrating first half which saw the Real players whistled off the pitch at the break, it took Vinicius just 90 seconds to break the deadlock at the start of the second period.

The Brazilian forward collected a flick-on from Kylian Mbappe, cut inside from the left flank and hit a shot that took a significant deflection off Santi Comesana and flew past Villarreal goalkeeper Arnau Tenas at the near post. Vinicius was Real’s main threat and in the 69th minute he squeezed a penalty under the dive of Tenas after being bundled over in the box by Rafa Marin.

But Villarreal posed a threat on the break all evening and, seconds after England midfielder Jude Bellingham – who started on the bench – was denied one on one by Tenas, Georgia striker Georges Mikautadze halved the deficit with a vicious strike past Thibaut Courtois into the bottom corner.

Villareal full-back Santiago Mourino was shown a second yellow card for pulling back Vinicius, and three minutes later Mbappe made the victory safe for Real by converting Brahim Diaz’s selfless cut-back.

The sight of Mbappe limping off the pitch moments later with what appeared to be a foot injury took a little shine off the win.

The Real Madrid forward was recently received the LaLiga player of the Month trophy for September added to

five goals scored last month before existing the game.

Mbappé found the net in all four of September’s LaLiga matches: against Real Sociedad, Espanyol, Levante (scoring twice) and Atlético. He also provided an assist for Arda Gler against Real Sociedad.

Dikko Radda, governor of Katsina State has been conferred with the Golden Award of Excellence for Education and Teacher Friendliness by the national leadership of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT).

The honour was presented to the Governor on Sunday at the 2025 World Teachers’ Day celebration held at Eagle Square, Abuja, in recognition of his administration’s transformative reforms in education and commitment to teachers’ welfare.

This was contained in a statement by Ibrahim Mohammed, the chief press secretary to the Governor.

The statement read, ‘Receiving the award, Governor Radda stated that his administration has committed over 25% of the state budget in the last two years to the education sector, demonstrating unprecedented prioritisation of education development.

‘We have conducted a major recruitment exercise that was never done in this country, recruiting over 7,000 teachers at once. We are now introducing rural incentives for our rural teachers to encourage them and give them the most needed attention for the development of our nation. ‘We commend you, we encourage you, and we will try to do everything we are able to do to make your lives better.

‘On behalf of our government, our colleagues and all the students of our state, we thank the union, we thank the Nigerian teachers, and we wish you well.’ On his part, Audu Titus Amba, the NUT president, commended President Bola Tinubu for sustaining the President’s Teachers and Schools Excellence Award and expressed gratitude to state governors who have identified with teachers by supporting the observance of World Teachers’ Day.

The 2025 World Teachers’ Day, themed ‘Recasting Teaching as a Collaborative Profession,’ brought together education stakeholders from across Nigeria to celebrate teachers’ contributions to national development.

Governor Umo Eno is expanding access to healthcare services to rural communities of Akwa Ibom State. One of the ways this is being achieved is through the state health insurance agency, a social security system that guarantees the provision of needed health services to persons on the payment of a token contribution at regular intervals.

The latest beneficiaries are the people from the pristine communities of Amadaka, Elele and Kampa located at the tip of the Atlantic Ocean tributary in Eastern Obolo local government area of the state who trouped in large numbers to the Primary Healthcare Centre located at Amadaka to get enrolled for the exercise under the facility-based registration exercise.

Launched last year, the state health insurance scheme, since its establishment was informed by the inadequate condition of the state’s health healthcare services, the excessive dependence and pressure on government provided health-facilities and the dwindling funding of healthcare in the face of rising costs.

The poor state of the healthcare services has seen the state government declare a state of emergency in the health sector to fix it within a year and turn things around with plans to recruit over 2000 health workers, ongoing renovation of health facilities and the decision to recall healthcare professionals who have retired from service but have the eagerness to continue to contribute in the state. It has also moved to stop government-owned hospitals from being turned into theatres for social media content creation, an ugly development which had been a recurring decimal of late with people sharing videos of patients online over alleged negligence. The state government has now warned that ‘any individual who violates the rights and privacy of patients or staff members or disrupts public peace, will be held accountable.”

So, analysts believe the health insurance scheme has come at the right time to enable people have access to efficient and effective healthcare services to reduce ‘catastrophic health expenditure by pooling funds for strategic health care purchasing.”

According to community leaders in Amadaka, the scheme has brought healthcare closer to the people and has helped to cut down their expenditure on healthcare while lauding Governor Umo Eno for the vision over the health insurance scheme.

Gogo Owen Adaka, the village head of Amadaka, believes taking healthcare services to the people at the grassroots as seen in the health insurance registration exercise taking place at the community’s health centre is a remarkable achievement by the governor noting that members of his community would no longer have to worry about high cost of healthcare, ”we are happy that we can access healthcare with minimum cost in our community,” he said.

Echoing the sentiments expressed by Amadaka’s traditional ruler, another community leader, Benjamin Adolphus, a royal father in Kampa said the good intentions of the governor have been seen in the health insurance scheme adding that by bringing the registration exercise the community’s healthcare facility, the governor has shown his large heartedness and brought healthcare nearer to the people.

‘I have benefitted from the scheme, it is a commendable effort, he has brought development to the rural communities, we have seen the intention of the governor, he has a good heart,” he said. The royal father was however quick to remind the governor about the Okoroette-Elele-Kampa road whose contract has been re-awarded adding that the completion of the road would open up the once thriving community known for fishing and its rich maritime resources.

‘In addition to healthcare , the governor should do well to continue the work on the road linking the riverine communities with the different parts of the local government area,” he said..

Igbemi Arthur Igbemi, a medical doctor and an indigene of the community notes the peculiar topography of the area which is in the thick of the mangrove swamp forest region but expressed delight that despite the challenging topography the governor was after excellence in service and people who can deliver on his promises who could be found anywhere.

According to him, the governor has raised many people and ‘I am one of them,” promising to do whatever is needed to support the governor’s development agenda particularly in the health sector.

Igbemi, who is the Executive Secretary of the state Health Insurance Agency, noted the idea of facility-based enrolment was his contribution to the community who may not be in a position to travel to the agency’s head office in Uyo, the state capital for the registration adding that the response by the people has shown their readiness to embrace the scheme and their demonstration to support the governor’s development agenda.

‘I would not be somewhere and something is happening that would positively affect the people of my community, I would certainly bring it to my community,” he said.

Indeed, the health insurance has had tremendous patronage across the state since its inauguration with thousands of people registering for the scheme including pregnant women, the elderly and many others.

During its launch, the governor announced the subscription for all the junior workers in the state’s civil service, paying for them and later the senior civil servants have been enrolled bringing the formal sector into the scheme.

After the registration, contributors and their dependents are issued with identity cards with Personal Identification Numbers which will be presented to the chosen primary healthcare provider for treatment.

For the people of Amadaka, Elele and Kampa in Eastern Obolo and Iko clan of Eastern Obolo Local Government Area, it is a golden opportunity which they have embraced wholeheartedly.

The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani will lead a conversation on AI and Nigeria’s digital future at the grand award night of the NLNG Nigeria Prize for Literature and Science.

The 10 October event will dwell on the theme of inspire, drawing from the new NLNG tag line ‘Inspiring a sustainable future.’

‘All the Shortlisted will show up to be honoured at the Grand AWARD Night’, an NLNG organising committee member informed BusinessDay. He added, ‘We are also looking forward to receiving past winners.’ Shortlisted books are This Motherless Land by Nikki May, The Road to the Country by Chigozie Obioma, and Sanya by Oyin Olugbile.

The winner takes home $100 000, the highest prize money in Africa. The Advisory Committee ruled that none of the entries it received merited the Science prize.

Akwa Ibom State Government has explained why it has relocated its CNG bus terminal site from Odiok Itam in Itu Local Government Area to Obio Offot and Ikot Akpe communities in Uyo Local Government Area, saying it is for enhanced accessibility.

Governor Uno Eno noted that the decision to relocate the terminal after much consideration was made would ensure better accessibility for residents of the state.

He disclosed that the CNG Bus Terminal would consist of a gas station, Training School, repair workshop to train engineers, CNG technology and a maintenance unit. The governor who made this known during an inspection of the new site commended the host community for their cooperation in ensuring the success of the project, urged youths in the area to participate in the construction and protection of the facility from vandalism.

It would be recalled that in 2023, the Federal Government launched the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses through the Presidential CNG Initiative to reduce fuel costs, create jobs, and promote environmental sustainability by transitioning from petrol and diesel to CNG-powered vehicles.

To ensure that Akwa Ibom benefits from the initiative, the State Government through the Ministry of Transportation in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria ordered 50 CNG buses to improve transportation in the state.

With the governor on the inspection were the Deputy Governor, Senator Akon Eyakenyi; Secretary to the State Government, Enobong Uwah, and other members of the State Executive Council including the Commissioner for Transport, Anthony Luke.

Amidst crumbling infrastructure, meagre salaries, overwhelming workloads, and a lack of professional support, Nigerian teachers continue to carry the weight of the country’s future on their shoulders.

Despite their critical role in shaping minds and driving national development, they are often treated as afterthoughts in policy and public discourse.

In the 2025 budget, President Bola Tinubu allocated N3.52 trillion to education; and earmarked N1.64 trillion for personnel costs, teacher salaries included.

However, that was not enough, because to meet the requirement of paying all 2.3 million registered teachers at a N70,000 minimum monthly wage, the government would need about N1.93 trillion just for salaries.

That leaves a shortfall of N290 billion, which simply suggests the government intentionally had planned that some teachers would not be paid fully and/or on time.

Many teachers receive salaries that are not commensurate with their workloads or qualifications; there are reports of months of unpaid salaries. Some teachers are paid a monthly salary as low as N25,000 to N50,000, in a country where the national minimum wage is N70,000 and the cost-of-living-crisis has deepened and made a nonsense of the minimum wage.

Worst still, these teachers live in societies where the cost-of-living is at 20.12 percent as shown in August CPI numbers. A loaf of bread is at N1,500 in many Nigerian cities, and house rents have tripled, among other cost-of- living crises.

Jessica Osuere, chief executive officer at RubiesHub Educational Services, reflecting on the fate of teachers in Nigeria, said, despite the many challenges teachers continue to demonstrate resilience, creativity, and an unwavering commitment to their students.

Unfortunately, she emphasised that many teachers still work under very difficult conditions, such as low pay, poor welfare support, overcrowded classrooms, and limited opportunities for professional growth.

Gift Osikoya, a teacher, said October 5, being World Teachers’ Day is a reminder of how central teachers are to the progress of any nation; but in Nigeria, this noble profession is often undervalued. ‘Teachers are nation-builders, they shape young minds, instill values, and equip future leaders with the knowledge and skills to thrive.

‘Unfortunately, the reality for many Nigerian teachers is discouraging. Low remuneration, delayed salaries, overcrowded classrooms, lack of modern teaching aids, and limited opportunities for career growth have weakened the profession and, in turn, our education system,’ she said.

Similarly, Isaiah Ogundele, a school administrator, describes teaching in Nigeria as discouraging due to the government and societal attitudes towards the profession.

‘The government is not paying teachers well, and they’re not recongised as professionals like doctors, lawyers, and engineers, among others, unlike in advanced countries where teachers are held in high esteem,’ he noted. In 2023, UNICEF reported an average pupil teacher ratio of 124:1, especially in states such as Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa. In many public primary schools in Ogun State, the average pupils’ teaching ratio exceeds the national average.

Many primary schools in Nigeria, especially in rural communities suffer teaching input deficits as only about 54.8 percent of primary schools have the minimum teaching materials, 38.2 percent of pupils had a Mathematics or English textbook. About 38.3 percent had accessible toilets, 27.4 percent had clean ones.

Teachers’ roles in sustainable development

Experts believe that Nigeria needs to enhance its education quality in order to achieve sustainable development goals in 2030. And to achieve that, teachers’ roles cannot be overemphsised.

Ogundele had this to say, ‘Teaching job is the root of all other professions in the world. Teachers should maintain their dignity; they should not get involved in corruption.

‘Besides, the government should prioritise teachers’ welfare and treat them like doctors and lawyers.’

The way forward

Experts believe that the government should prioritise teachers’ welfare, and continuous training, among other things.

Elizabeth Ohaka, a school owner, speaking on the need for teachers’ welfare, said, ‘A happy teacher builds a happy student; it is a wholesome teacher who will build a wholesome student. If a teacher is not satisfied with her job, her output will be below average, and when it is below average, it will tell on the output of the students; they won’t be able to be the best.’

Mary Udenta, a teacher, emphasised the need for continuous professional development and retraining for teachers in a fast-changing world. ‘Access to modern tools from digital resources to well-equipped classrooms, would make teaching more effective.

‘Beyond welfare, there must be a cultural shift where teachers are respected, celebrated, and given the honour they deserve,’ she said.

She said that for Nigeria to achieve a sustainable educational system that produces graduates with the requisite skills to tackle challenges with its economy, more attention needs to be paid to teacher training.

Chris Nmeribe, a teacher, said, ‘Training gives teachers the greatest chance of success and sustains them in the face of new challenges. Education is a learning cycle without an end. It is not going to stop after graduation and starting a career. Continuing training helps individuals to continually improve their skills and become more professional at their work.’

A number of other concerned Nigerians who spoke with BusinessDay on condition of anonymity said that the government must endeavour to change the age-long demeaning aphorism that ‘teachers’ reward is in heaven.’

‘We grew up to hear people say that teachers’ reward was in heaven. That cliché as I can call it has continued in Nigeria up till now. Until the government takes a deliberate step to change that, the nation’s education would continue to totter,’ a woman, who introduced herself simply as Rhoda, said.