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Take the Ruto directive threat to EAC seriously

The East African Community (EAC) Common Market Protocol has come under renewed focus after a September 2 directive from Kenyan president, William Ruto, targeting small-scale trade left foreign traders in the country on tenterhooks.

The vast bulk of the foreign traders affected hail from EAC member countries that are legally required to follow and implement the EAC Common Market Protocol.

While the Common Market Protocol, which came into force on July 1, 2010, remains a work in progress, with full compliance still some way off, images of Burundians queuing at the Embassy of Burundi Chancery in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, have given many a severe jolt.

Burundi is among the eight EAC partner states. Whereas the EAC Common Market Protocol makes it abundantly clear that free movement of workers ‘is subject to limitations imposed by the host Partner State on grounds of public policy, public security or public health’, the Ruto directive is widely expected to blunt the EAC’s integration plans.

The legality of the directive is also being called into question, with the East Africa Law Society (EALS) warning this week that a foray into uncharted territory could ensue if ‘nationality […], in itself, [is] treated as evidence of illegality.’

We wholeheartedly agree with the EALS that it is imperative that Nairobi squarely addresses ambiguities whose silences are potentially very dangerous.

As the EALS succinctly put it, the clarity of purpose should show itself the legal basis, scope and procedures governing the Ruto directive.

The latest threat to what was an already floundering Common Market in the EAC has to be decisively dealt with if anything because it is a double whammy.

One part of the twofold blow is decipherable in the obstacles presented to intra-community trade. Simply put, they are enormous.

The EAC Common Market Protocol is quite coherent and intelligible about the rich benefits of integrating into a single market typified by free movement of capital, labour, goods and services.

The second part of the twofold blow can be made out from the impact on democracy in the EAC. Kenya is a paragon for liberal democracy in the EAC, and could not be allowed to turn into a Wild West where an imperial presidency and its inequities reign supreme.

It is also important to note that protectionism and economic nationalism-both of which President Ruto’s September 2 directive are either wittingly or unwittingly promoting-are deeply intertwined with the global retreat of liberal democracy.

This populist backlash to integration, which often rears an ugly head during an election cycle, should be treated with the contempt that it merits.

A rules-based framework that cherishes cooperation, transparency, and shared legal standards, the like of which the EAC is holding out, should not be placed on the metaphorical back-burner by so-called ‘orders from above.’

If this pain point is paid insufficient attention, as currently appears to be the case, we yet could be witnessing the creation of a hybrid regime in a country that is supposed to be-as previously stated- the paragon of liberal democracy in the EAC.

CRICKET-ZIM/WIS-INNINGS West Indies Women 139 (39.3 overs) vs Zimbabwe Women – 2nd WODI

West Indies Women were dismissed for 139 in 39.3 overs after electing to bat against Zimbabwe Women in the second Women’s One Day International at the Harare Sports Club here on Sunday.

WEST INDIES WOMEN 139 in 39.3 overs (Stafanie Taylor 47, Hayley Matthews 26, Ashmini Munisar 20 not out, Afy Fletcher 15; Nyasha Gwanzura 4-33, Michelle Mavunga 3-36, Francisca Chipare 2-16).

Supreme Court ruling puts 2027 candidates, party primaries under fresh legal scrutiny

The Supreme Court’s decision restoring key provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 has reopened a potentially consequential legal front for political parties and candidates preparing for the 2027 general election, particularly those whose nominations, membership status or party primaries could be challenged on grounds of non-compliance with the law.

In a unanimous judgment delivered on Thursday, a seven-member panel of the apex court allowed the appeal filed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against the Court of Appeal judgment that had voided Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7) and 84(2) of the Electoral Act. The Supreme Court held that the provisions were not inconsistent with the Constitution and restored the earlier judgment of the Federal High Court.

The ruling is significant because political parties have already conducted most of their primaries for the 2027 election. It means that requirements governing party membership registers and nomination procedures remain legally enforceable as parties move from the primary stage towards the general election.

At the centre of the judgment is the principle that parties cannot freely depart from the membership register submitted to INEC when conducting their primaries, congresses and conventions.

Section 77(5) provides that only members whose names are contained in the register submitted to INEC, at least 21 days before a primary, congress or convention, can vote or be voted for. Section 77(6) requires parties to use that submitted register for the exercise, while Section 77(7) prescribes a serious consequence for failure to submit the register within the stipulated period: the party cannot field a candidate for that election.

The immediate implication is that disputes over who was legitimately a member of a party at the relevant time, which register was used for a primary and whether the statutory deadline was observed could now become central to pre-election litigation.

This could particularly affect politicians who changed parties after their original party registers or primaries had been submitted to INEC, although the legal effect will depend on the specific facts and timing of each case.

The concern is already being raised around candidates produced by political alliances and factions that emerged after the formal party processes.

In Kwara, for instance, the nomination of Saliu Mustapha and other candidates associated with the Bukola Saraki-backed G15 alliance could attract scrutiny if their circumstances involve questions about when they became members of the sponsoring party, when their names entered the relevant register and whether the party complied with the statutory requirements.

Similar questions could arise around candidates produced through the Nyesom Wike-backed Rainbow Coalition in Rivers State and other states where politicians moved across party lines or entered new political arrangements after established party processes.

A new battlefield for 2027 litigation

The ruling could therefore shift the focus of 2027 electoral litigation from the broad question of whether the provisions are constitutional to the more factual question of whether individual parties complied with them.

Already, Nigeria’s elections are characterised by extensive pre-election litigation, with disputes over party membership, primaries, delegates, nomination and substitution frequently reaching the courts.

The restored provisions could add another layer.

Candidates who believe they were unlawfully excluded from a primary could challenge the process. Rival aspirants could question whether the correct membership register was used. Parties could face suits over whether their registers were submitted within the statutory timeframe. And candidates who emerged from disputed or factional processes could face challenges from opponents relying on the restored provisions.

For INEC, the judgment strengthens its statutory role in receiving and maintaining party membership registers and overseeing compliance with electoral requirements. It also gives the commission a clearer statutory basis for applying the consequences prescribed by Section 77(7).

For political parties, however, the ruling is a reminder that internal party processes now carry consequences beyond the parties themselves.

The central question heading into 2027 may therefore no longer simply be who won a party primary, but whether the person was legally entitled to participate in it, whether the correct register was used, whether the nomination method complied with the law and whether the sponsoring party satisfied all statutory requirements.

Ruling stirs confusion in Rivers

Rivers State politics looks completely fractured, and every single political ruling of the Supreme Court causes more fracture and greater confusion in the state, whether the case emanated from the state or not.

The latest ruling is on the electoral timetable by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Rivers State is totally fractured again, with confusion ruling the air.

Many claim the ruling has thrown out Ogundu Kingsley Chinda (OK Chinda), the guber arrowhead of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who was believed to have been single-handedly installed from his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) high position of Minority Leader at the National Assembly to pick the APC form and muscle everybody else out, including the sitting governor, to pick the ticket.

Many have quoted parts of the judgment to agree or disagree with Chinda.

What the Supreme Court said

The Supreme Court judgment on INEC’s appeal delivered in September 2026 upheld the appeal by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), setting aside lower rulings and affirming the constitutionality of Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7), and 84(2) of the Electoral Act governing party primaries and membership registers.

Appeal outcome

A seven-member panel led by Justice Adamu Jauro upheld INEC’s appeal, overturning previous interpretations that had challenged the commission’s regulatory authority.

· Statutory Validity: The apex court ruled that Sections 77 and 84 of the Electoral Act do not conflict with the 1999 Constitution, validating the statutory requirements surrounding membership registers and candidate nomination methods.

· Dismissal of Opposition Suits: Separate appeals filed by the Youth Party and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) against INEC’s framework were dismissed by the court.

· Cost Award: The Supreme Court awarded N2 million in costs against the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) in the primary appeal

The bottom line of the ruling is that INEC had the right to issue deadlines, and they remain valid. By this, parties that obeyed the timetable are protected.

Those who think Ok Chinda is okay with the SC ruling have called attention to the fact that INEC has since published a list of candidates including Chinda’s name. By this, it can only take a court case to remove his name.

A political commentator, Iwor Romgbo, said, ‘For anyone asking whether a published candidate can simply be disqualified, the answer is: not by mere allegations. Under the current electoral framework, a challenge to a candidate’s qualification or emergence through a party primary must be pursued through the appropriate legal process. It is primarily a matter for pre-election litigation by the appropriate aspirant, subject to the specific facts and grounds of the case.

‘So, unless there is a competent court judgment affecting a candidate’s nomination or qualification, a name published by INEC remains on the ballot.

His current status, however, is subject to several ongoing court processes, as reports indicate that while his name has been published, ongoing legal and electoral discussions surrounding party registers and compliance with the Electoral Act have emerged regarding the candidate’s documentation status.

His detractors argue that the Supreme Court Judgment had implications for OK Chinda’s candidacy. One source said: ‘Based on the latest Supreme Court ruling, O.K. Chinda is looking at a disqualification because he supposedly registered as an APC member on April 23, 2026. Sources claim he joined the party a few days after the party had already submitted its membership register to INEC.

‘By the Supreme Court’s recent judgment, O.K. Chinda risks losing his APC governorship ticket should the party’s leadership want to abide by the Supreme Court judgment and if truly he joined APC after the party had submitted its register to INEC.’

Another political commentator said anyone who wants to deceive themselves can go ahead and do so, but if Nigeria were a country of laws, O.K. Chinda’s candidacy of the APC has no legs to stand because it falls short of section 77 subsection 4 of the Electoral Act 2026 signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on 18 February 2026.

‘The aforementioned section mandated all parties to submit their membership register not later than 21 days before the commencement of their primaries. It then means that if the APC that conducted its first primaries on Saturday, 16 May 2026, had waited for the last day to submit their register to INEC, they submitted it on April 25 2026, while OK Chinda registered two days later (see his membership slip below dated 27/4/2026). That is to say that OK Chinda’s name was not in the register submitted to INEC.

‘Having realised the mistake he made with that candidacy in a bid to block Governor Fubara from getting the ticket, not with any competent person from RIPCO who were already registered members, but someone from his ethnicity, he ensured that he made two other governorship candidates from his ethnicity, governorship candidates of the PDP and the Labour, should the law catch up with OK Chinda post-election.

‘With that, he came out to tell his supporters that he has not ‘anointed’ any of the candidates, evoking the confusion that has enveloped his supporters, many of whom have stopped posting ‘Rivers will be Ok’, unlike in 2022 when Wike did not make any mistakes and there was no need for pussyfooting, and many of us who believed in him started selling the candidacy of Sim Fubara after he emerged as the Rivers State PDP Governorship Candidate on Thursday, 25 May 2022. That’s it, and that’s all. No saccharine, no sugar, no spice.’

Alwell Ene, another political commentator, said only lawyers can say if Ok Chinda was ok or not because the Supreme Court-endorsed timetable means that Chinda did not meet up the submission date if they are to count from the start of all primaries, but would be ok if they are to start from guber primaries only.

Some others argued that Chinda’s matter may be beyond meeting the submission deadline for the APC register to INEC, but the issue is his proper resignation from the PDP before qualifying to pick up the nomination form from the APC. The source further pointed out that Chinda’s last salary as Minority Leader may be raised to confirm if he left properly because he is being accused of staying on as Minority Leader and also joining the APC within the same material time.

The problem may be that the case would need to be a pre-election case. Only those who contested with him in the primaries can qualify to raise it in court, but where would they get such persons to come to court?

Did the Supreme Court rule on APC factions?

Darlington Nwauju weighs in:

Darlington Nwauju, publicity secretary of the Emeka Beke faction of the APC, responding to inquiries, said the arguments on the ground should not be about Rivers APC executives. It’s about Kingsley Chinda and the rest. ‘And like I said, it will be taken on a case-by-case basis. Some registered before he did, others registered soon after, etc.

‘The SC has reinforced the INEC rules, so all that is required to nail him would be to further prove that between 23 April and the day he participated in the APC primaries, he still had something to do with House Minority leadership.’

On OK Chinda, he said: ‘I don’t know how those who want the court to help them disqualify him can succeed because APC will help him clean up his records and INEC will readily acquiesce. So, I don’t see anything blocking him.’

Many immediately recalled how a Wike aide was exposed for accessing INEC’s backend. Now, they say, it is becoming clear what they went to clean up.

Did the Supreme Court rule on the APC exco matter as rumoured afresh over the two factions and the two court rulings nullifying the Wike-backed Tony Okocha faction?

Nwauju said: ‘I don’t know where they are getting their stories from. After the May 29th Appeal Court decision, which Okocha and his crew lost, they refused to appeal further. So, I don’t know which Supreme Court and who took the matter to the apex court. But such stories will trend because, of course, you know people want to get rid of Wike and his shenanigans.

Conclusion:

Confusion will continue to rule the political waves of Rivers State even if Fubara claims they have reconciled. Many have also claimed that Fubara is saying he would stay on till November 2026 because of his six-month suspension, which they dub unconstitutional. Fubara is in the UN and has not issued any statement on politics.

This shows how much rumours now rule Rivers State, and the level of confusion in the political life of the oil-rich state. These things affect investment confidence and set back the hand of economic development.

Tegbe’s 100 days: A modest start to Nigeria’s power-sector overhaul

The title Joseph Olasunkami Tegbe gave his 100-day account of stewardship is instructive: ‘100 Days of Modest Achievements.’

In an environment where public officials often celebrate intentions as achievements, the word ‘modest’ matters. It suggests an understanding that Nigeria’s power crisis is too deep, too structural and too consequential to be solved through rhetoric or a few headline projects.

It also offers a useful lens for examining the Minister’s first 100 days in office.

Tegbe did not present his report as a declaration of victory. He acknowledged that many Nigerians continue to face unreliable electricity and the high cost of self-generation, while improvements recorded in some locations have yet to reach others. He described the period as one of diagnosis and stabilisation, arguing that enduring structures can only be built on foundations capable of supporting them.

That distinction matters.

Nigeria’s power sector has not suffered from a shortage of announcements. It has suffered from decades of interconnected structural problems: inadequate gas supply, ageing generation assets, transmission constraints, vandalism, distribution losses, inadequate metering, weak collections, accumulated debt, regulatory uncertainty and inconsistent data.

Tegbe’s diagnosis puts the challenge starkly. Generation companies received only about 27 per cent of their bills, while distribution companies faced technical, commercial, and collection losses of between 30 and 40 per cent. Government arrears exceeded N100 billion, even as inflation and foreign-exchange pressures increased operating costs.

These are not problems you can wish away in 100 days.

They require first understanding the system, identifying where it is failing, repairing what can be repaired, restoring financial discipline and establishing mechanisms through which future investment can produce sustainable outcomes.

That appears to be the direction of the current intervention.

HOME FREE | James Reid reveals vulnerable side on new album

‘What if nothing was really missing in the first place? What if I just wasn’t home with myself?’

The words of James Reid struck a chord as he shared the story behind his third studio album, Honey I’m Home, during an intimate listening party with members of the media at Careless Music Studio in Makati.

His words resonated with me as a trentahin who also got caught up in the tiresome cycle of chasing deadlines, only to find myself with a lingering sense that something is still missing. It was only when I began finding peace within myself that realizations started to sink in.

Perhaps that is why the lyrics in his new album feel particularly comforting and relatable, reflecting the quiet clarity that comes with finally learning to be at home with oneself.

James is finally home

After years of being known as a television heartthrob while navigating his ambitions, expectations, controversies, and his own identity, Reid seems to have arrived somewhere quieter. Honey, I’m Home reflects that shift. The 10-track album explores surrender, intimacy, moments of joy, and the people who make him feel at home.

‘As I was finishing the album, it became something different. My idea of home became more about learning to be just comfortable in my own skin. At first I thought home was a person, and then I found that home was myself,’ Reid shares.

Some of the songs were written during a songwriting camp Reid attended in 2024. And just like our thoughts of a ‘home,’ the album feels warm, cozy, and soulful. The sound is honestly a perfect background in the mundane.

Instead of elaborate wordplay or lyrics meant to impress, Reid’s lyricism relied on nuanced simplicity and honest songwriting. He wanted the words to sound conversational, like something he would genuinely say to another person.

Reid adds, ‘It feels warm and easy on the surface, but there’s something deeper underneath if you pay attention.’

Sonically, Honey, I’m Home draws from Reid’s love of RandB and soul while folding in funk, soft rock, yacht rock, and classic pop influences, recorded with an emphasis on warmth and human imperfection over polish.

The album is also his most collaborative project to date, featuring Arthur Nery, Luke April from PLAYERTWO, and Issa Pressman, each lending a distinct voice to different tracks.

On ‘All Night,’ Nery’s wispy RandB vocal style complements the song’s nocturnal atmosphere, adding dimension to its beat switch, while April’s laid-back rap and RandB flow bring an irreverent, carefree energy to ‘Sunny Side.’ Pressman’s sultry, textured vocals create a natural contrast with Reid’s clean and precise singing on ‘On My Way.’ He proudly mentioned that Pressman wrote the song and loved it so much he convinced her to include it in the album.

For what it’s worth, Honey, I’m Home represents a different kind of emotional maturity in Reid’s discography. It shows an artist who is less concerned with proving himself or conforming to a particular sound, and more willing to follow what feels honest.

‘I think this is probably the most comfortable I’ve ever sounded in my music,’ Reid shares. ‘A lot of my older projects were me exploring and figuring out what kind of artist I wanted to be. With this one, I don’t feel like I’m trying to prove anything or chase a certain sound. It just feels more instinctive.’

The album’s exciting arc expands through ‘Sunny Side’ and ‘Blessed,’ both produced by Luke April (who also produced most of the record), which contribute to the album’s warmth and sense of gratitude. Reid shares that ‘Sunny Side’ is a fun track where he experimented a bit with his genre, with a simple message about not letting anyone mess with your peace.

‘The haters can keep on hating, and I’ll just be here on the sunny side,’ Reid quips.

He shares a time when the demands of showbiz and bashing on social media had affected his well-being, but figuring himself out and being surrounded by loved ones had helped him through that phase.

A standout is ‘Indiana,’ one of the album’s most personal songs with a touch of folk and country vibe. The song is co-written with his girlfriend, Issa Pressman, and it’s about their future child.

Reid opens up about their plans on starting a family, which is a topic that gets him vulnerable when sharing it with others. He says the song was meant to convey the love that transcends through generations.

‘It’s a very emotional song for me,’ he admits.

Reid’s tone softens when he talks about Pressman, whom he describes as the album’s main inspiration. ‘She made my music mean something more than myself.’

For Reid, the final track ‘Unbecoming’ completed the whole concept of the album.

‘I feel like this whole journey of self-discovery became less about trying to be more, but actually becoming less. To undo a lot of ideas and roles I had to play in my life. This was kind of undoing everything to realize that nothing is missing in the first place,’ he adds.

His aura just radiates as he explains the song’s message, revealing how deeply personal the album has become. More than a collection of songs, Honey, I’m Home became a therapeutic channel for Reid to return to himself.

Even the album’s launch reflected that intimacy. Instead of a huge press conference, he opened his creative space at Careless Music Studio to select media guests, while the listening party at Open House World brought together people close to his heart.

James Reid’s new album Honey, I’m Home under Careless Music is out now on all digital music platforms worldwide via Sony Music Entertainment.

Payment firms capital raised up to Sh250m in new Treasury Bill

Payment service providers and system operators will now be required to keep five times as much capital as the minimum capital requirement is raised to Sh250 million.

The National Payments Bill, 2026, sponsored by the Treasury proposes to expand licence categories under payment service providers (PSPs) and payment service operators, acknowledging the evolution of the payments landscape since 2014 when the respective laws were last set.

Under the PSPs licence, payment initiation service providers and account information service providers will be required to have Sh5 million in minimum capital.

Electronic money issuers will be obligated to hold the highest minimum capital at Sh250 million from Sh50 million previously.

Electronic money issuers are entities like mobile network operators or non-bank firms which convert cash into digital money.

Payment system operators including payment gateways, messaging system operators, card scheme operators and switching and clearing system operators must keep between Sh20 million and 50 million minimum capital.

Previously, the scope of payment service providers was narrow and covered only four license categories; electronic retail payment service providers, designated payment instrument issuers, e-money issuers and small e-money issuers.

The players, who are regulated by the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) have until now been required to keep between Sh1 million and Sh20 million in core capital.

The proposed changes seek to address gaps and challenges identified in Kenya’s national payment system including the legal framework, limited interoperability across payment platforms, insufficient payment system resilience, data fragmentation and real-time visibility, cybersecurity and emerging technology risks.

‘Kenya’s National Payment System continues to evolve rapidly, supported by technological innovation, digital financial services and increasing adoption of electronic payments,’ reads the draft National Payments Policy published alongside the payments bill.

‘However, gaps and challenges remain in the legal and regulatory framework, interoperability, resilience, data and information sharing, cybersecurity, consumer protection, participation in payment infrastructure, cross-border payments, financial literacy, governance and coordination.’

The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has currently authorised 40 payment service providers including Safaricom Plc and Airtel Money Kenya Limited who are both approved to issue, process, store, send and facilitate mobile money payments.

The pair is also approved to provide platforms that facilitate the processing of payments on behalf of merchants.

Other approved PSPs include Web Tribe Limited, Cellulant Kenya Limited, Pesapal Limited, Craft Silicon, Direct Pay and Paystack Payments.

The National Payment System (NPS) forms the backbone of Kenya’s financial sector and facilitates the smooth, secure and efficient transfer of funds across the economy.

The payment system has undergone significant transformation, driven primarily by mobile money, fintech innovation and progressive regulation.

In the 1990s, payments in Kenya relied heavily on cash and cheques, with slow and inefficient manual clearing processes.

At the end of the decade in 1998, the Nairobi Automated Clearing House was automated, serving as a catalyst for the modernisation and laying the groundwork for faster and more reliable electronic clearing of cheques and electronic funds transfers.

CBK introduced the Kenya Electronic Payment and Settlement System, a real-time gross settlement system that facilitates high-value interbank transfers.

The launch of mobile money services in 2007 served to revolutionise retail payments by enabling secure, affordable, and accessible digital transactions.

Most recently, Kenya has witnessed rapid digital transformation of its NPS, characterised by mobile-money interoperability, regional payment integration, and expansion of payment solutions, including the integration of digital payment systems in government platforms such as eCitizen.

‘The current phase of NPS reforms focuses on enhancing interoperability, security and regional integration, building on CBK’s National Payment Strategy (2022-2025) , which promoted the principles of trust, security, usefulness, choice and innovation,’ the draft NPS policy adds.

‘As the eco-system continues to mature, the country is now pursuing a modern, unified and adaptive framework for payments to ensure a resilient, interoperable, and inclusive national payment system that enables real-time, secure and affordable transactions while promoting innovation, regional payment integration and consumer protection.’

CBK holds the primary responsibility of regulating and supervising payment systems and PSPs including the authorisation for entities that carry on payment services.

The CBK also holds powers to issue directives and impose supervisory requirements and provide the legal basis for oversight of retail and wholesale payment infrastructure.

In ‘Avengers: Endgame Encore,’ we all travel back in time

When I was assigned a media trip to Iloilo in April 2019, my first concern was finding a local movie house.

The tour’s official agenda was to experience a property of a growing hotel chain in its hometown, including having a taste of the province’s rich offerings, from its treasure trove of culinary wonders to its captivating cultural stops and tourist spots. Exciting stuff, sure, especially for a first-time visitor, but the schedule happened to fall right smack of Avengers: Endgame’sopening day. I was locked in to watch and thought no amount of authentic, steamy batchoy in La Paz market could keep my mind off the epic conclusion of Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)’s Infinity Saga.

It was serious business, to say the least. Since 2008, I tried to catch each one of MCU’s past 22 films on opening day, so it would almost feel unholy to miss Endgame-THE Endgame-on Day 1.

When I asked our tour organizer if I could excuse myself early from the welcome dinner, he instantly caught my drift. He knew that I was going to run to the cinemas because, apparently, he was an MCU fan, too. He got excited and asked to tag along, and we instantly felt a strong bond over catching some movie, despite only having met each other at the airport earlier that day.

And that’s how my first watch of Endgame went: In a far-away movie theater without the company of familiar people, I didn’t feel alone. There was a strong, beautiful, pulsating sense of camaraderie, where it felt like we were all as animated as we had ever been in a cinema. We all gasped audibly when a web-swinging Spider-Man fumbled the Infinity Gauntlet, and cheered with air fists when Tony Stark managed to steal the Infinity Stones in the nick of time from a surprised Thanos.

All these years later, we get a do-over of the experience with Avengers: Endgame Encore. Directors Joe and Anthony Russo labeled the extended cut, now showing in cinemas, as required viewing for Avengers: Doomsday, one of the most anticipated MCU movies in years that’s slated for this December. Critics, however, view the re-release as nothing more than a cynical cash grab for a title that’s already second on the all-time worldwide box office chart, with a gross of approximately $2.8 billion, next only to 2009’s Avatar.

Whatever the case may be, lines need to be drawn and expectations set for the Encore audience.

Are the four minutes of additional scenes intended to bridge the two Avengers films seven years apart worth the full ticket price on IMAX® and Infinity Vision-certified screens? Probably not, since those scenes are already-and unfortunately-uploaded online anyway, despite recent anti-spoiler pleas by the Russo brothers on their social media pages. That said, Avengers: Endgame Encore, in all its glorious three-plus-hour entirety, especially on today’s modern big screens, proves to be quite the visual spectacle and cinematic experience that’s well worth anyone’s time and money.

The difference lies in the intention. It’s best not to go into Avengers: Endgame Encore expecting it to be a full-blown, fleshed-out preview of Doomsday, because it’s not, despite the additional scenes. Rather, one should enjoy the ride for what it really is: an encore, a rerun of what for many was an unforgettable movie experience. Encore’s value lies in getting to relive that magic on the big screen once again, seven years later, seven years wiser, with a fresh perspective.

It’s almost poetic, then, that a major plot for Endgame is time travel. In Encore, it feels like there are two teams traversing time simultaneously. First, the heroes we see on screen, out to retrieve the Infinity Stones at different points in time. Second, is us watching them from our cinema seats all over again. Encore takes us back to the first time we saw Endgame, somehow reminding us what life was like in 2019, and how it has progressed since.

That includes the meteoric rise of AI in recent years that has made Tony Stark’s F.R.I.D.A.Y. less sci-fi and more ‘coming soon.’ Or how the emotional climax of Chadwick Boseman’s Black Panther walking through the portal on Cap’s left means infinitely more, following the beloved actor’s demise, only a year after Endgame premiered.

From a personal standpoint, watching Encore brought me back to that Iloilo cinema, among a crowd of not-so-strangers. That media trip became one of the most memorable in my career, not because of the agenda, but because of that Avengers side quest, and I’m sure most of us have our own Endgame stories.

The Russo brothers acknowledged as much on their social media post, sharing a video of a crowd reaction at an Endgame premiere in a cinema they snuck in.

‘We stood in the back and watched a thousand strangers react-the gasps, the cheers, the tears. We got chills,’ they wrote in the caption. ‘Just so you know, we’ll be sneaking into theaters again for Avengers: Endgame Encore. There’s a generation that only ever saw this movie in their living room. And we want to hear what it sounds like when they finally get to see it in a theater.’

Cattle value chain: Stakeholders say cows business could be next wealth spinner if well planned

Organised stakeholders in the cattle business have described the cattle value chain within the livestock economy as another gold mine and a critical huge contributor to Nigeria’s economy if properly harnessed.

They told BusinessDay in Port Harcourt that cattle could replace oil/gas because of its vast value chain from cattle rearing to meat industry and the trade from it.

This is as the head of the Fulani in Rivers State has said they lost so far over four million cows to rustlers and thieves in transit from north to the south, with loss of human lives as well as extortion at checkpoints.

This is coming from the organised body called the National Association of Cattle Dealers, Processors and Marketers of Nigeria (NACDPAMN), as its members announced their resolve to strengthen the body for collective interest of Nigeria and its citizens.

Over the years, no doubt, the oil sector took the centre stage in Nigeria’s economy contributing huge revenue to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and became a big employer of labour over and above the agricultural economy.

Most analysts however believe that the Agric sector remains critical to the livelihood of Nigerians. That could be why every government at all levels is committed to promoting the sector and its vast potentials.

Both individuals, corporate institutions or organizations appear to be in the farm business, from grains to livestock production.

This seems to inform the resolve of NACDPAMN to strengthen its members and position the association as the umbrella body of all associations/groups in the cattle value chain. These include dealers, butchers, breeders or rearers, among others.

In his inaugural speech recently, Godspower Eke, a chief and first chairman of the association in Rivers State chapter, revealed that the association, established in 2021 and inaugurated in 2024 by president Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was poised to diversify the country’s economy and reduce its over-dependence on oil.

He noted that livestock is seen as key area with its growth, and its vast grazing land and large cattle population.

According to Eke, the mission of the association includes to transform the livestock sector from its current subsistence level to a thriving, commercialised industry; and to provide jobs and sustain vast livelihoods for Nigeria’s growing population.

Eke also recalled that President Tinubu had made several key statements by highlighting the economic potentials of the cattle value chain, noting that it could boost agricultural productivity, enhance export opportunities, and also enhance the establishment of livestock development (now established) to unlock immense economic potentials. It is also intended to stop what he termed wanton killings between the herders and farmers.

Also, the National President of NACDPAMN, Iliyasu Bulama, in his speech in September, 2026, noted that: ‘The association is the voice, the bridge, and umbrella platform of Nigeria’s cattle value chain representing the commercial heart of national food system, the dealers, marketers, processors, and others.’

Bulama said the association was a strong institution that would ensure that it strengthens multi-stakeholders’ collaboration for secured livestock and traceability, verification and prevention of cattle theft or rustling in Nigeria.

Baba Othman Ngezarma, the National president of cattle breeders under the name ‘Myeltti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN)’, had disclosed last year in Eleme, River State, that so far breeders had lost 4m cows to rustlers from 2014 to 2025 while Nigeria spends over $2bn on milk importation.

The stakeholders including Eke, Othman, and Bulama who commended President Tinubu for creating the new Livestock Development Ministry, said NACDPAMN would not relent in their resolve to upscale the huge potentials in the cattle value chain.

They added that the new ministry was a critical issue to herders and farmers. Sarki Yau Mogodi, Paramount Chief of the Fulani’s in Rivers State, who also spoke to this medium, has described the Nigeria cattle value chain as another gold mine next to the oil and gas economy.

Mogodi who is also a frontline cattle breeder in the country disclosed this is an interview recently with our correspondent in Port-Harcourt, said the value chain has enormous potentials that need to be properly harnessed to boost the livestock industry and revenue of the country.

The royal father observed that Nigeria is in a new dawn of growth and development being driven by the National Association of Cattle Dealers, processors and markets of Nigeria (NACDPAMN) with mission and commitment to harness abundant but untapped opportunities, huge foreign revenue earnings, meat, hides and skin, leather, by-products, logistics, cold chain and export chain, among others.

He noted that the association being the major driver of the value chain faced perennial challenges ranging from farmers-herdsmen clashes, cattle rustling, security, obnoxious taxation and criminal attacks among others.

He however said the members were resolute with determination to revolutionise the sector to greater height.

Mogodi who highlighted four major challenges confronting Fulani herdsmen advocated education, job opportunities, entrepreneurship, empowerment for Fulani youths across the country and access to cattle ranches for the herders.

He emphasised: ‘Fulani youth are very talented and industrious in any aspect of life. They can study any course in any institution in the world.’

He strongly noted that in this 21st century, any child who is denied education is denied life because education is the key and bed-rock of socio-economic development and growth all over the world.’

The Sarki also lamented thus: ‘We have lots of out-of-school children. Some have lost their parents and thousands of cows to criminals across the country. We go through a lot of challenges while transporting our cows from the North to the South-South, South-East and South-West due to criminal attacks, killing, rustling and extortion at checking points’.

Mogodi cited some instances: ‘During the end SARS protests on October 22, 2020, some hoodlums raided our Fulani camp in Eteo-Eleme Community of Rivers State and killed 21 cows, killed two in Obigbo Local Government and killed some more in Etche Local Government Area. Nothing was done by relevant authorities in the state’.

The Sarki appealed to the Federal Government to help his people out from this sympathetic situation because: ‘Some elements in the society are now bent on destroying our business and image despite our commitment and contribution to the socio-economic development of Nigeria.’

He also called on the Federal Government to create Fulani Youth Development Commission (FYDC) or Danfodio Youth Development Commission (DYDC) like other commissions such as the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in the south to enhance their socio-economic lives, wondering where Fulani youth would find themselves in the next 30 years based on the global challenges, if nothing was done.

September 27: Azerbaijan remembers heroes of 44-day Patriotic War

September 27 is observed in Azerbaijan as Remembrance Day, a date dedicated to honoring the memory of servicemen who lost their lives during the 44-day Patriotic War of 2020.

Across Azerbaijan, the day is marked by commemorative ceremonies, visits to martyrs’ cemeteries and memorial sites, and tributes held at public institutions and communities. Citizens gather to remember those who died during the war, lay flowers at graves and monuments, and express respect for their sacrifice.

Remembrance Day was established by a presidential decree on December 2, 2020, several weeks after the end of the war. September 27 was chosen as the date because it marks the beginning of the hostilities in 2020.

The day has become an important part of Azerbaijan’s public commemorative calendar. Government institutions, local authorities, educational establishments, cultural organizations and civil society groups organize events dedicated to preserving the memory of the fallen. Exhibitions, conferences, tree-planting campaigns, commemorative gatherings and other initiatives are held in different parts of the country.

One of the central elements of the commemoration is the nationwide one-minute silence observed at noon. At 12:00, people across the country stop to honor the memory of those who died during the war. The national flag is displayed on streets, avenues, squares and residential buildings, creating a visible expression of the country’s collective remembrance.

Commemorative events are also held in Azerbaijan’s liberated territories. These ceremonies carry particular significance as the territories where the war took place are now undergoing extensive reconstruction and development. The return of residents to their native settlements and the restoration of infrastructure have also become part of the country’s post-war agenda.

Remembrance Day is observed beyond Azerbaijan’s borders as well. Azerbaijani communities and diaspora organizations in different countries hold commemorative ceremonies, bringing together members of the community to honor the fallen and preserve their memory.

The day also provides an opportunity to reflect on the human consequences of armed conflict. Alongside remembering those who died, commemorative events draw attention to the importance of protecting civilians, supporting war-affected families and addressing the humanitarian consequences of conflict.

For families of the fallen, Remembrance Day carries a deeply personal significance. The annual commemorations provide an opportunity to keep the memory of their loved ones alive and to recognize the sacrifices made by those who died during the war.

Over the years, September 27 has come to represent both remembrance and reflection in Azerbaijan.

Through ceremonies held across the country and by Azerbaijani communities abroad, the day keeps the memory of the fallen at the center of public attention while emphasizing the value of peace, security and a stable future for coming generations.

In their words: From across the world, leaders call for action on climate change at the UN

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the world cannot ‘allow countries and cultures to vanish beneath the waves’ on Thursday as the General Assembly approved its first declaration on sea-level rise.

This statement is meant to shift the international response to the rise in sea level driven by humans from fragmented initiatives to sustained, coordinated and adequately-funded action. It comes as country after country has lamented the toll of climate change in speeches this week and called for collective action.

Contrarily, US President Donald Trump repeatedly calls climate change a hoax, a con job or a scam.

Here are the world leaders in their own words:

‘Until recently, the response to climate change was firmly established at the center of the international agenda. This year, however, the topic disappeared from the debates of the G7 and G20, forums that bring together the largest carbon emitters. It is time to resume the offensive and inflict a defeat on denialism. Nature reminds us every day that we live on one planet. The glaciers in the Himalayas are melting. The super El Nino may cause torrential rains, droughts and forest fires in different parts of the globe.’- Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, president of BrazilTHE SITUATION: Climate change and deforestation threaten the Amazon. A strong El Nino, a cyclic warming of the equatorial Pacific, causes higher temperatures and drier weather in the rainforest, conditions that worsen wildfires.

‘What we experienced in Nepal was Himalayan tsunami. But the larger looming threat is even more consequential. It is not only the devastation we mourn today; it is for greater danger that lies ahead if the world continues to look away… I call upon you to treat climate action not as a charity, but as a matter of justice.’ – Shisir Khanal, minister of foreign affairs for Nepal

THE SITUATION: Human-caused global warming thinned glaciers and thawed mountain permafrost, likely helping to destabilize the Himalayan slope that collapsed last month and unleashed catastrophic flooding across Nepal, according to a World Weather Attribution report. More than 1,300 people were killed and over 5,000 remain missing.

‘To protect the lives of present and future generations, all states must take serious action to tackle global warming. I believe that climate action and economic growth can go hand-in-hand.’- Sanae Takaichi, prime minister of Japan

THE SITUATION: Japan is working to protect communities from warming and has pledged to slash emissions, but extreme heat remains a threat in the short term.

‘I think this summer was a summer of truth. The recent summer months have been, as we heard from the scientists, the hottest on record, but may be the coolest for the years to come.’ – Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission

THE SITUATION: Europe is heating up twice as fast as the global rate, making it the fastest-warming continent.

‘By the end of this century, 12 to 18% of our coastal areas could be submerged by sea level rise, affecting the livelihoods of tens of millions. Climate change has caused loss and damage equivalent to 1% of our GDP. And our food security is at serious risk.’ – Tarique Rahman, prime minister of Bangladesh

THE SITUATION: The low-lying geography of Bangladesh makes it one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change.

‘Cabo Verde speaks with the same voice as other countries that are also living the climate crisis every day. For us, climate change is not a distant risk. It is an existential reality affecting our economies, our food and water security, our coastlines and ultimately our people’s future.’- Francisco Carvalho, prime minister of Cape Verde

THE SITUATION: Cape Verde, like other small island developing states, is grappling with rising sea levels and increasingly powerful storms that erode shorelines, submerge land and threaten homes and livelihoods.

‘Nearly a third of the world’s tuna is caught in Pacific waters. And it’s moving east into the high seas. More than a quarter of our people live within a kilometer of the shore. Six of our communities have already moved. Two more are moving now. And half a degree is not a rounding error. For us, it is the difference between adaptation and relocation.’ – Naiqama Lalabalavu, president of Fiji

THE SITUATION: Lalabalavu cited projections that by 2050, the fish available to each Fijian is projected to fall by nearly a quarter, from 41 kilograms (90 pounds) a year to about 31. And more than half of that loss comes from climate change, he said.

‘The climate crisis is often referred to as a ‘global group project shared by all 8 billion people on Earth.’ A single country cannot tackle this challenge alone. At the same time, abandoning growth cannot bring everyone on board.’- Lee Jae Myung, president of Korea

THE SITUATION: The impact of extreme weather worsened by climate change is far-reaching in South Korea. Farmers face higher costs and must use more labor to produce the same or lower yields.

‘We live in a fragmented world. Nations are turning inward. Promises are made loudly and kept quietly, if at all. Each country is tempted to say: It is not my storm, not my coastline, not my problem. The ocean does not recognize that thinking. It is one body of water. What warms in one hemisphere breaks upon another. The sea has never been fragmented. Only we are.’ – Philip Davis, prime minister of the Bahamas

THE SITUATION: Like many other countries in the Global South, Bahamas has a lot of debt from warming-connected weather disasters. Hurricane Dorian, the strongest storm to hit the country on record, caused $3.4 billion in damage in 2019.

‘For those who have declared climate change a hoax perpetrated by geopolitical opponents, the warnings of recent times cannot have been clearer. Melting glaciers, flash flooding, droughts, record-breaking heatwaves, brush fires, hurricanes and other extreme weather phenomena are unmistakable signals of an overburdened planet. Climate change is the ultimate test of global equity.’ – John Dramani Mahama, president of Ghana

THE SITUATION: Ghana faces erratic rainfall, erosion of its coastal towns and accelerating desertification. In June, Mahama said Ghana and coastal West Africa were hit with unprecedented torrential rain that killed 39 people.