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The Department of State Services (DSS), Ogun State Command, has reportedly invited the three principal officers of the Fusengbuwa ruling house over the alleged sale of expression of interest forms to aspirants seeking to become the next Awujale of Ijebuland.

The selection process for the vacant stool, which became vacant in July 2025 following the death of 91-year-old Oba Sikiru Adetona, who reigned for 65 years, has been marred by controversy, litigation and repeated postponements.

Our correspondent gathered that those invited by the DSS include Otunba Abdulateef Owoyemi, chairman of the ruling house; Otunba Dokun Ajidagba, deputy chairman; and Prof. Fassy Yusuf, vice chairman.

In its letter, the three family heads were directed to appear at the DSS state office in Abeokuta at 4 p.m. on Thursday, October 29, 2026.

The letter partly read: ‘I am directed to invite you for a meeting with the State Director of Security (SDS), Department of State Services (DSS), Ogun State, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, today, 29th October, 2026, at 1600 hours (4 p.m.).

‘The meeting is in furtherance of investigations into activities relating to the sale of expression of interest forms to princes interested in contesting for the vacant stool of Awujale of Ijebuland.

‘Kindly note that an officer has been designated at the main gate to facilitate your entrance clearance into the premises. Accept the Director’s best wishes, please.’

Yusuf, when contacted, confirmed receiving the letter of invitation but said he was attending to a matter at the Supreme Court in Abuja and could not honour the invitation.

The professor of mass communication and lawyer said, ‘I just received the letter from the DSS not long ago, but I am in Abuja attending to a matter at the Supreme Court. I have discountenanced their letter.’

The deputy chairman of the ruling house, Otunba Dokun Ajidagba, also confirmed receiving the DSS invitation at about 2:30 p.m. on Thursday.

Ajidagba said, ‘I received the DSS invitation on Thursday at about 2:30 p.m. and was told to report at their office by 4:30 p.m. There was, however, no way I could honour such an invitation when all these matters are already in court. The status quo must be allowed to remain; that is the position of the law.’

Daily Trust reports that security agencies, including the Ogun State Police Command, had twice summoned nine Ijebu-Ode kingmakers and the three ruling house officials to appear at the police headquarters in Eleweran, Abeokuta, over allegations of bribery and financial inducement in connection with the selection of a new Awujale and paramount ruler of Ijebuland.

Owoyemi has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in the selection process during media engagements.

He, alongside Ajidagba and Yusuf, has also instituted legal action against the state government over its decision to halt the selection process in January.

The Fusengbuwa ruling house had also dragged Governor Dapo Abiodun, the Awujale kingmakers and five others before the High Court sitting in Ijebu-Ode, seeking orders compelling the completion of the process for selecting the next Awujale and paramount ruler of Ijebuland.

The suit, numbered HCJ/149/2026 and dated August 21, 2026, was filed by Owoyemi, Ajidagba and Yusuf.

Also joined as defendants were the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Oluwasina Ogungbade (SAN); the Ogun State Executive Council; the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ganiyu Hamzat; and the Secretary of Ijebu-Ode Local Government.

Other defendants include members of the Awujale Afobaje/Kingmakers Council: Olorogun Sonny Kuku, Chief Rasheed Adesanya, Chief Oluwaranti Lekan Osifeso, Chief Jimi Lawal, Chief Abimbola Okenla, Chief Kunle Ogunade, Chief Agboola Alausa, Chief Adebisi Adaran and Chief Ayotunde Ola Odulaja.

The claimants are asking the court to determine whether the state government had the legal authority to order or facilitate the alleged entry into and locking of the Awujale Palace on January 20, 2026, ‘to physically prevent’ the kingmakers from convening and concluding the statutory selection process for the new Awujale.

On Tuesday, Governor Abiodun reassured the people of Ijebuland that a new Awujale would emerge before May 29, 2027.

According to a statement issued on Wednesday, the governor gave the assurance on Tuesday at the Ogun East Senatorial District stakeholders’ meeting in Ijebu-Ode, where he engaged representatives of various interest groups on traditional affairs, governance and the district’s economic prospects.

He was quoted as saying, ‘On the succession process for the revered Awujale stool, my administration is committed to facilitating a smooth, peaceful and widely acceptable process leading to the emergence of a new monarch.’

The governor acknowledged the importance of the Awujale institution to the cultural heritage, identity and unity of Ijebuland, appealing to the people to remain calm and patient while the necessary processes were being concluded.

He said his administration was giving the matter the attention it deserved to ensure that the process was concluded peacefully and that the emergence of a new Awujale enjoyed the acceptance and support of the people.

The Awujale stool became vacant in July 2025 following the death of Oba Sikiru Adetona at the age of 91, after 65 years on the throne.

The Ogun State Government halted the selection process in January 2026, citing petitions from security agencies and stakeholders, following an earlier suspension in December 2025 over procedural concerns.

A total of 95 aspirants-94 princes and one princess-emerged from the ruling house’s nomination process held in Ijebu-Ode in December 2025 before the government halted the selection process.

When President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, appointed General Shaibu Waidi as the Chief of Army Staff on 30 October 2025 and other Service Chiefs, security analysts recognized the choice of Shaibu as a deliberate pivot toward frontline-tested doctrine. For adversaries lurking in the Sambisa forest, the Mandara mountains, and the ungoverned spaces across the country, the message was unmistakable: a proven adversary had assumed command. Twelve months later, General Waidi’s stewardship has earned widespread praise; from the Presidency and Nigerian citizens to international defense bodies and global peace advocates. His one-year tenure reflects a transition from orthodox administrative oversight to dynamic, operational excellence.

A thoroughbred officer of the Nigerian Army Armoured Corps, General Waidi’s career was defined long before his ascension to the apex of army command. From his early days in tactical command at platoon and company levels to high-level staff responsibilities at both Army Headquarters and Defence Headquarters, he established a track record grounded in rigor and execution.

Unlike commanders who settle into the quiet routine of administrative life, Waidi built his reputation in combat zones. His operational footprints run deep through vital internal security and counter-insurgency operations, notably Operation Lafiya Dole and Operation Hadin Kai in the North-East.

Beyond Nigeria’s borders, he distinguished himself internationally on peacekeeping deployments, including the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS).

His senior leadership tenures; first as General Officer Commanding 7 Division and Commander Sector 1, and subsequently as Theatre Commander of the Joint Task Force (North East) Operation Hadin Kai marked an aggressive period for adversary networks. Under his watch, territory was systematically reclaimed, supply lines were severed, and Boko Haram and ISWAP strongholds faced unrelenting combat pressure.

When his transfer from the North-East was announced, local communities openly mourned the departure of an officer who had restored stability to their towns and villages. To an emotional populace, the tall, composed general offered a quiet, prophetic pledge: ‘I will always be with you.’

Following a strategic posting in April 2025 as Director of Armour Research at the Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre where he contributed to technological integration and doctrine formulation destiny called on 30 October 2025. Adversaries who assumed the Army Chief role would confine him to a desk in Abuja quickly learned that his operational tempo would remain as direct and engaged as ever.

Over the past year, General Waidi translated his operational experience into systemic military reforms. Recognizing Nigeria’s vast territorial expanse, he moved away from overly bureaucratic command architectures. He championed the practical decentralization of military formations, devolving operational decision-making power down to forward-operating units, field sectors, and rapid-response detachments. This decentralization cut reaction times, eliminated procedural delays during hostile flare-ups, and allowed theater commanders to launch swift tactical interdictions without waiting for bureaucratic clearance from the capital.

At the same time, General Waidi broke the traditional mold of executive distance. Refusing to lead by proxy, he has consistently spent his weekends, festive seasons, and operational pauses on the frontlines; from forward operational bases in Borno, Yobe, and Kaduna to crisis centers across the North-West and the Niger Delta. By standing shoulder-to-shoulder with troops under live operational conditions, he transformed combat morale, inspiring an aggressive posture throughout the ranks.

Central to this doctrine is the principle that tactical effectiveness starts with personnel welfare. Over the past twelve months, the Army instituted comprehensive overhauls of field allowances, combat insurance schemes, and primary healthcare delivery for frontline soldiers and their dependents. Housing revamps across major barracks and swift medical evacuations for wounded personnel reinforced trust between the military leadership and troops in the field. To match this internal rejuvenation, General Waidi re-anchored army recruitment and promotions entirely on professional competence,mental fortitude, and merit. By enforcing transparent screening systems and ending extraneous influence in enlistment, he ensured that incoming personnel possess both the discipline and aptitude required for modern combined arms operations.

Operational friction among security branches also gave way to seamless institutional collaboration. Working closely with the Chief of Defence Staff, the Nigerian Navy, the Nigerian Air Force, and intelligence services, General Waidi institutionalized joint intelligence-fusion cells. Real-time air-to-ground synchronization turned complex joint operations into efficient, coordinated engagements.

Equally transformative has been his recognition that asymmetric warfare cannot be won solely through kinetic force.General Waidi prioritized the bond between the Army and civilian communities, moving civil-military cooperation past simple public relations into active partnership. Stringent standard operating procedures were reinforced to ensure zero tolerance for civilian rights infractions during operations.

Meanwhile, the engineering and medical corps executed civic interventions, including clean-water boreholes, primary health camps, and access road rehabilitation in conflict-affected zones. This rebuilt community trust directly improved actionable, real-time intelligence from local populations,transforming everyday citizens into cooperative allies in the fight against crime and terror.

One year since taking office, General Shaibu Waidi’s tenure demonstrates what clear vision and decisive leadership can achieve. He has maintained his promise to the Nigerian people: that wherever national security is tested, their Army Chief stands actively on the frontlines alongside his troops. With presidential backing, broad domestic goodwill, and the respect of international partners, General Waidi has laid a solid foundation for long-term operational success, steering the Nigerian Army into another year with sharpened combat readiness, renewed moral clarity, and an unshakable resolve to safeguard the nation.

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, has dismissed claims that Nigeria sold $700bn worth of solid minerals to the United States, insisting that the bilateral agreement was designed to attract investment and facilitate cooperation, not transfer ownership of the country’s mineral assets.

Alake said no Nigerian asset was sold under the agreement, describing reports suggesting that the United States was taking over Nigeria’s mineral resources and security architecture as false.

The minister spoke in a statement on Wednesday after inaugurating the Nigeria-United States Committee on Strategic Cooperation in the Solid Minerals Sector.

‘There is no sale of any Nigerian asset. There’s nothing exchanging hands,’ Alake declared.

‘We created a platform to facilitate mingling of US investment ventures with Nigeria’s local operators. It is in the public domain. We signed it in public and published it in four or five national newspapers,’ he said.

The committee was established following a strategic cooperation framework between Nigeria and the United States during the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Alake said that the Memorandum of Understanding signed by both countries was a government-to-government arrangement intended to facilitate business-to-business engagements between American investors and Nigerian mining operators.

He said the partnership would attract investment, promote technology transfer, strengthen local mineral processing and create employment opportunities.

The minister also dismissed reports suggesting that the United States would take control of Nigeria’s mineral resources and security architecture, describing such claims as products of misinformation.

Explaining the rationale for the partnership, Alake said Nigeria was determined to change the pattern of international economic transactions in which African countries often received little value from their natural resources.

He noted that Nigeria had long depended heavily on oil revenues, while much of its solid minerals sector operated informally, with mineral ores extracted and exported without adequate local processing.

According to him, the Federal Government has introduced policies requiring investors to demonstrate clear plans for processing minerals locally before obtaining mineral titles.

Alake said the policy had encouraged the establishment of processing factories across the country, including what he described as West Africa’s largest lithium processing plant, recently commissioned in Nasarawa State by Vice-President Kashim Shettima.

The Economic Officer at the US Embassy, Jonathan Baas, said President Donald Trump had prioritised energy, artificial intelligence and superintelligence, as well as critical minerals, as key areas of focus for US embassies.

Baas said the United States was interested in working with partner countries to secure critical supply chains while ensuring that they also benefited from the value generated.

‘We just signed a contract today on looking into building AI data centres in Nigeria at the Nigerian Economic Summit. That’s the direction Washington wants us to go,’ he said.

Skyline International Tourism and Hospitality Ltd, operators of Pizza Hut and Movenpick Ice Cream in Nigeria, says it reaches more than 1,000 vulnerable children annually through its feeding initiative and other community support programmes.

The company said its Feed the Child Initiative, launched on October 4, 2021, at Pizza Hut Garki, Abuja, provides meals, clothing, toys and educational materials to children affected by displacement, conflict, insurgency and other difficult circumstances.

According to the company, the initiative has expanded into a bi-monthly programme at selected Pizza Hut outlets in Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt.

Beyond providing meals, the programme also supports beneficiaries with school fees, books and other learning materials through partnerships with stakeholders.

The company said the initiative also provides recreational activities, including games, music and dancing, for participating children.

Skyline’s Managing Director, Mr Nitin Anand, said the programme was designed to address some of the needs of vulnerable children beyond food provision.

He said the initiative also seeks to support children’s education and provide opportunities for social interaction.

The company said it also works with schools and educational institutions through activities such as school tours, a Junior Pizza Maker Programme, internships, summer programmes and participation in cultural days and inter-house sports competitions.

It said the activities expose young people to the hospitality industry and provide opportunities to develop practical skills.

On employment and inclusion, Skyline said it operates an all-women store as part of efforts to create more opportunities for women in the hospitality sector.

The company also said it was increasing its focus on employment opportunities for persons with disabilities, whom it refers to as People of Determination.

Its community interventions also include support for children living with cancer through a partnership with the Okapi Children Cancer Foundation.

According to the company, the partnership supports awareness and fundraising activities aimed at assisting children affected by the disease.

Other organisations it identified as partners in its community engagement activities include the United States Marines in Nigeria, the Pen Foundation and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

Anand said the company intended to sustain its involvement in education, youth development and support for vulnerable groups as its operations expanded.

However, the company did not provide a breakdown of the number of children reached in each location or the total funds committed to the various initiatives.

FirstBank of Nigeria Limited has partnered with technology retailer Pointek to expand access to smartphones, laptops, tablets and other essential electronic devices through its FirstEase Buy-Now-Pay-Later digital lending solution.

The partnership enables eligible customers to purchase products from Pointek outlets and spread payments over flexible repayment periods of up to 180 days.

Under the arrangement, customers can access the FirstEase solution through FirstBank’s FirstMobile and LIT applications, with the initiative designed to make essential gadgets more affordable for salary earners, professionals, entrepreneurs and other eligible customers.

Speaking at the partnership announcement in Lagos on Wednesday, FirstBank’s Group Head, e-Business and Retail Products, Abednego Ugwueke, said the collaboration was aimed at addressing the financial challenges customers face when purchasing electronic devices.

He explained that many people require smartphones and other gadgets with improved storage capacity, memory and functionality for their work and daily activities but may struggle to pay the full cost upfront.

According to him, FirstEase allows customers to acquire the products they need immediately while spreading payments over an agreed period.

Ugwueke said the partnership would make the lending solution more accessible by integrating it into customers’ shopping experience.

He added that the initiative reflected FirstBank’s commitment to innovation, financial inclusion and responsible access to financial services.

‘Our objective is to help customers access products they need in a responsible and sustainable manner,’ he said, adding that customers would receive transparent information about eligibility requirements and repayment terms to enable informed decisions.

Also speaking, FirstBank’s Head of Personal Banking, Chukwuka Okonkwo, said the partnership built on the bank’s experience in digital lending and its investment in platforms designed to simplify access to credit.

He said the solution was developed to provide a seamless digital lending experience, with access available through the bank’s mobile applications and Pointek’s online platform.

Okonkwo explained that the service was initially being tested among salaried customers, with plans to expand its reach as the initiative develops.

He said the arrangement would allow eligible customers to obtain products when needed and repay at their convenience, subject to the applicable terms.

The bank said the initiative complemented its broader efforts to use digital technology to improve access to financial services and provide customers with more flexible payment options.

Director of Business at Pointek, Dr Godwin Ajala, said access to mobile devices had become increasingly important because of their role in education, employment, entrepreneurship and everyday communication.

He noted that smartphones had evolved beyond communication tools to become essential instruments for acquiring skills, discovering employment opportunities and connecting people to economic activities.

However, he said affordability remained a barrier for many Nigerians seeking to own suitable devices.

Ajala said the partnership would help address this challenge by combining Pointek’s access to technology products with FirstBank’s financing capabilities.

He explained that Pointek’s role extended beyond selling electronic devices to connecting Nigerians with tools that could support their personal and professional development.

According to him, the initiative’s broader value lies in the opportunities that access to technology can create, particularly for individuals and businesses seeking to expand their economic activities.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has responded to criticism from opposition leaders over the Federal Government efforts to access fresh loans from international institutions and banks.

In a piece entitled ‘From reforms to delivery: Our infrastructure investment and growth strategy’, Tinubu said, ‘The real question is not how much we borrow, but what we build, what value we create and what future we leave behind.’

Tinubu identified the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, Trans-Sahara Superhighway, electricity grid upgrades and the modernisation of key commercial ports in Lagos as major projects expected to strengthen Nigeria’s productive capacity.

He said the projects, alongside investments in healthcare, education and vocational training, would connect economic regions, reduce logistics costs, unlock agricultural and industrial potential and attract private investment.

According to the piece made available to journalists on Thursday, the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is expected to cut logistics costs along its corridor by 15 to 20 per cent. ‘

It could add up to two per cent to Nigeria’s GDP through expanded trade, tourism, and industrial activity.

‘The project is also projected to generate about 100,000 direct jobs in construction and engineering, alongside more than 150,000 indirect jobs in logistics, materials and related services.’

‘We are not simply building highways. We are opening economic corridors, connecting markets, unlocking industries and reshaping Nigeria’s economic geography,’ the President said.

He said the administration’s ambition to build a $1 trillion economy by 2030 would require sustained infrastructure investment to support higher productivity, industrialisation and trade.

‘We cannot build a USD 1 trillion economy with infrastructure designed for an economy a fraction of that size,’ Tinubu said.

He said improving economic indicators and growing international investor confidence are creating opportunities for Nigeria to attract long-term investment and expand critical infrastructure.

The President said the economic reforms his administration introduced in May 2023 helped restore macroeconomic stability, strengthen public finances, and improve the country’s standing in international financial markets.

He said a $1 trillion economy would not emerge by declaration alone but must be built through sustained investment, higher productivity, industrialisation, and trade, stressing that infrastructure development would be critical to achieving the target by 2030.

Tinubu said real Gross Domestic Product growth reached 4.43 per cent in the second quarter of 2026, while headline inflation fell to 14.63 per cent in September from 20.98 per cent a year earlier.

He also said gross external reserves rose to $55.1 billion as of October 9, 2026, including about $46 billion in net reserves, while the tax-to-GDP ratio increased to 12.5 per cent from seven per cent.

Tinubu said real Gross Domestic Product growth reached 4.43 per cent in the second quarter of 2026, while headline inflation fell to 14.63 per cent in September from 20.98 per cent a year earlier.

The President attributed the improvements to measures including petrol subsidy removal, exchange rate unification, tax reforms and coordinated efforts to tackle inflation.

The House of Representatives on Wednesday urged the Federal Government to rename the Federal University, Wukari, Taraba State, after retired Lt. General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma.

The proposed name is T.Y. Danjuma Federal University, Wukari (TYDFUW), subject to an amendment of the university’s enabling Act.

The resolution followed a motion sponsored by Gaza Gbefwi, Mark Useni and Ayuba Zaku Dampar during Wednesday’s plenary session.

The lawmakers noted that the university was established in 2011 to expand access to higher education, promote research and contribute to national development.

They also recognised Danjuma’s contributions to Nigeria through military and public service, philanthropy, and support for education, healthcare and vulnerable communities.

The House said renaming the institution after the retired general would honour his contributions to national development and preserve his legacy of service for future generations.

The lawmakers urged the Federal Government to take the necessary steps to effect the proposed renaming, subject to the required amendment of the university’s enabling legislation.

The House also mandated its Committee on University Education to engage relevant stakeholders and facilitate the legislative measures required to give effect to the proposal.