Author: user user

Fire destroys 13 houses in Samar; cemetery incidents reported in Leyte

A fire that destroyed 13 houses and displaced 19 families in Catbalogan City, Samar along with a smaller cemetery fire in Tanauan and a structurally damaged mausoleum in Jaro, both in Leyte, were among the incidents reported in Eastern Visayas during the observance of Undas.

In Catbalogan City, a fire hit Barangay Canlapwas at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 1, destroying 13 houses and damaging another before it was declared out at 1:50 p.m.

An initial Rapid Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis conducted by the City Engineering Office and the City Social Welfare and Development Office, in coordination with the barangay government, recorded 19 affected families.

Of these, 13 were homeowners whose houses were totally destroyed, four were families sharing homes with the owners, one was renting a destroyed house, and one owned the partially damaged house.

Mayor Dexter Uy personally led the distribution of initial relief packs to affected residents, together with social welfare personnel. Families needing temporary shelter were evacuated to the Payao Evacuation Center.

The city government, in coordination with the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, mobilized emergency responders and relief teams to assist the displaced families.

Meanwhile, a small fire broke out at the Tanauan Catholic Cemetery in Tanauan, Leyte, on Nov. 1, amid the influx of visitors observing All Saints’ Day.

Personnel from the Tanauan Fire Station immediately responded and contained the fire. No injuries were reported.

FO2 Crisley Leonido, an investigator at the Tanauan Fire Station, attributed the incident to accumulated candle wax and strong winds.

Leonido said the buildup of melted candle wax, combined with the strong winds, contributed to the fire.

Fire personnel reminded cemetery visitors to exercise caution when lighting candles, avoid leaving them unattended, and properly dispose of used candles to prevent similar incidents.

In another cemetery-related incident, the Jaro municipal government in Leyte cordoned off a mausoleum at the Jaro Catholic Cemetery after it developed cracks and was in danger of collapsing beside an irrigation canal.

The local government placed caution tape around the structure as an immediate safety measure to prevent visitors from approaching or entering the hazardous area.

Authorities also reminded those visiting the cemetery for All Souls’ Day to stay away from the damaged mausoleum, avoid touching or stepping on it, and refrain from crossing or entering the restricted area.

House panel proposes 20% investment cap to protect trust funds expand investment options

The House of Representatives Committee on Capital Market and Institutions has proposed a 20 per cent investment limit on exposure to a single issuer as part of efforts to strengthen the management of trust funds and protect beneficiaries from financial losses.

The proposal is contained in the Trustee Investment Bill 2026 (HB 2762) which seeks to repeal and re-enact the existing Trustee Investment Act with provisions expanding permissible investment opportunities while introducing stricter safeguards against excessive investment risks.

The Chairman of the Committee Hon. Solomon T. Bob disclosed this on Monday during the public hearing on the bill at the National Assembly Abuja describing the proposed diversification requirement as a critical measure to prevent excessive concentration of trust assets in one investment.

Bob said the existing Trustee Investment Act which dates back to 1957 was enacted when Nigeria’s financial system was considerably less developed and the country’s investment opportunities were limited.

He noted that the financial landscape had changed significantly with Nigeria now having a capital market valued at over N80 trillion pension assets exceeding N30 trillion and several emerging investment opportunities including Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) infrastructure funds and green bonds.

‘Today we have a sophisticated capital market worth over N80 trillion pension assets over N30 trillion and new asset classes from REITs to Infrastructure Funds to Green Bonds. The world has moved. Our law has not. This hearing is to correct that’ he said.

According to him the proposed legislation is designed to bring the legal framework governing trust investments in line with contemporary financial realities while ensuring that trustees operate within clearly defined investment and accountability standards.

Under Clause 3 of the proposed bill the committee chairman said the investment universe would be expanded to accommodate corporate bonds equities collective investment schemes including Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) and REITs infrastructure funds real property foreign investments through licensed custodians private equity regulated virtual assets and environmental social and governance (ESG)-compliant bonds.

He explained that the proposed expansion would provide trustees with a wider range of investment opportunities allowing them to diversify portfolios and potentially improve returns for beneficiaries.

However Bob said the proposed 20 per cent limit on investment in a single issuer under Clause 4 was intended to minimise concentration risk and prevent the exposure of entire trust portfolios to the financial difficulties of one institution.

The bill also seeks to strengthen the fiduciary obligations of trustees through Clause 5 by expressly incorporating the principles of loyalty prudence care and impartiality.

Under the proposed provision trustees would be required to exercise the same level of prudence expected of individuals managing their own financial affairs while prioritising the interests of beneficiaries.

The committee chairman further disclosed that Clause 6 would allow trustees to delegate certain investment responsibilities to professionals including fund managers and custodians while retaining responsibility for their selection supervision and performance.

He said the proposed arrangement was intended to accommodate the growing complexity of modern financial markets and enable trustees to benefit from specialised investment expertise without weakening accountability.

On transparency and accountability Bob said Clauses 7 and 8 would introduce requirements for fair valuation of trust assets and annual reporting to beneficiaries.

He explained that the provisions were designed to address possible abuses and ensure that beneficiaries had access to information about the management and performance of assets held on their behalf.

The proposed legislation also seeks to prohibit speculative dealings futures contracts and investments in unregulated schemes under Clause 10.

In addition Clause 11 would empower the Minister of Finance in consultation with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and other relevant regulatory authorities to make regulations necessary for implementing the Act.

Bob said the provision would allow the legal framework to respond to emerging developments in the financial market without requiring the law to be repeatedly amended whenever new investment products emerge.

Explaining the importance of the public hearing the committee chairman said the committee deliberately invited 12 key institutions whose activities involve the management regulation and advocacy of trust assets.

The institutions included the Ministries of Justice and Finance the Securities and Exchange Commission the National Pension Commission the Debt Management Office the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation as well as representatives of financial market operators estate administrators and civil society organisations.

He said their participation was necessary to ensure that the proposed law reflected the realities of the institutions expected to implement it and the interests of the individuals and organisations whose assets would be affected.

According to him the Securities and Exchange Commission was particularly important to the process because it was proposed as the host regulator under Clauses 2(2) and 11 of the bill.

He added that the National Pension Commission would provide perspectives on pension assets while the Debt Management Office and Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation would contribute their expertise on public debt and financial stability.

Market operators estate administrators and civil society organisations were also expected to provide technical and practical recommendations on the proposed investment framework.

Bob disclosed that the committee had received eight memoranda ahead of the public hearing expressing the expectation that additional submissions would be made by stakeholders during the engagement.

He urged participants to focus their presentations on the appropriateness of the proposed expansion of investment categories the 20 per cent diversification threshold and whether lower limits should apply to higher-risk assets.

The committee also sought stakeholders’ views on whether the proposed fiduciary obligations were sufficiently robust whether trustees should have an explicit environmental social and governance duty and how the law could distinguish between the protection needs of small family trusts and large institutional trusts.

Participants were equally asked to identify possible areas of conflict between the proposed legislation and existing regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the National Pension Commission.

The chairman assured stakeholders that the committee would consider all submissions objectively stressing that the interests of ordinary beneficiaries must receive the same attention as those of large institutional investors.

‘I assure you this Committee will be fair transparent and thorough. No interest is too small. The widow in Sokoto whose husband left N2 million in trust deserves same protection as billion-naira pension fund’ he said.

He thanked the Speaker and leadership of the House members of the committee and its secretariat for their support in advancing the legislative process.

However Bob expressed displeasure over the poor attendance of government agencies and other institutions invited to a public hearing.

He lamented that only three of the approximately 12 institutions invited by the committee attended the public hearing accusing the absent institutions of failing to take the lawmaking process seriously.

The institutions that attended were the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) the Debt Management Office (DMO) and the Association of Corporate Trustees. They made submissions and offered recommendations towards the proposed legislation.

The committee chairman said he was disappointed that most of the invited institutions ignored the invitation despite the importance of their contributions to the legislative process.

He stressed that lawmaking remained central to any meaningful effort aimed at advancing advocacy introducing reforms and improving the lives of Nigerians.

According to him initiatives aimed at addressing national challenges and improving citizens’ welfare would amount to ‘blowing hot air’ if lawmaking was not placed at their centre.

Bob emphasised that relevant institutions must take legislative engagements seriously noting that the National Assembly provides the platform for translating policy ideas advocacy and reform proposals into laws capable of delivering lasting change.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen called for a comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s trustee investment legal framework describing the existing law as outdated and inadequate to address the realities of the country’s evolving financial and capital markets.

Abbas said the investment landscape had changed considerably since the enactment of Nigeria’s Trustee Investments Act of 1957 with the expansion of capital markets the emergence of sophisticated financial instruments and new opportunities for investment and wealth creation making a review of the legislation necessary.

The Speaker who was represented by Hon. Dahiru Abubakar Sarki representing Lafia/Obi Federal Constituency of Nasarawa State said the proposed legislation presented an opportunity to establish a modern legal framework that would accommodate contemporary investment opportunities while strengthening the protection of trust assets and the interests of beneficiaries.

According to him the law governing the investment of trust funds carries responsibilities that extend beyond financial management as it concerns the protection of property preservation of family wealth and the security of individuals and institutions whose interests depend on the prudent management of entrusted assets.

‘Behind every trust may be the inheritance of a child the security of a widow the resources of a charitable institution or the accumulated wealth of a family. The law must ensure that these interests are adequately protected’ he said.

Abbas observed that the existing legal framework had failed to keep pace with developments in the financial sector stressing that reform was both necessary and timely.

He however cautioned that the proposed reform must strike a balance between protecting trust assets and allowing trustees to generate reasonable returns for beneficiaries.

He warned that an excessively restrictive investment framework could deny beneficiaries legitimate opportunities for wealth creation while inadequate regulation could expose their assets to imprudent investment decisions and avoidable risks.

‘The challenge is to strike the right balance between preserving trust assets and enabling reasonable returns on investment. An excessively restrictive framework may deny beneficiaries legitimate opportunities for growth while an inadequately regulated one may expose their assets to imprudent decisions and avoidable risks’ he said.

The Speaker said HB 2762 sought to address these concerns by replacing the existing framework with a more comprehensive regime for the investment of trust funds including an expansion of permissible investment opportunities to reflect contemporary financial realities and the need for greater diversification.

He nevertheless insisted that increased investment flexibility must be accompanied by stronger safeguards clearly defined fiduciary responsibilities effective risk management and appropriate regulatory oversight.

Abbas emphasised that trustees must remain accountable to the beneficiaries whose assets they manage warning against any attempt to use the proposed expansion of investment opportunities to justify reckless financial decisions.

‘The governing principle must remain unmistakable: trustees hold assets for the benefit of others not for their personal advantage. Their decisions must therefore be guided by prudence integrity transparency and an overriding commitment to the interests of beneficiaries’ he said.

He added: ‘Modernisation must never become a licence for speculation or a justification for exposing trust property to unreasonable risks.’

Beyond protecting individual and institutional beneficiaries the Speaker said the proposed reform also had significant implications for Nigeria’s economic development particularly in mobilising long-term domestic capital for infrastructure development expansion of productive capacity and enterprise growth.

He noted that Nigeria required substantial long-term capital to address its infrastructure deficit and stimulate economic activities adding that a credible framework for managing trust investments could contribute to deeper capital markets and more effective mobilisation of domestic resources.

However he maintained that the economic benefits of the proposed legislation must not come at the expense of the rights and financial security of beneficiaries.

‘Nigeria needs substantial long-term capital to address its infrastructure deficit expand productive capacity and stimulate enterprise. A credible framework for managing trust investments can contribute to deeper capital markets and more effective mobilisation of domestic resources. But this economic objective must always be pursued without compromising the rights and security of beneficiaries’ he said.

Abbas urged stakeholders participating in the public hearing to bring their professional experience and technical knowledge to bear on the proposed legislation identifying investment categories diversification requirements fiduciary obligations professional delegation regulatory oversight and beneficiary protection as critical areas requiring the committee’s attention.

He said the objective should be to produce legislation that was contemporary in outlook practical enforceable and capable of standing the test of time.

The Speaker also reaffirmed the commitment of the 10th House of Representatives to reforming Nigeria’s legal and institutional framework to support national development noting that effective lawmaking required rigorous scrutiny informed debate and meaningful engagement with stakeholders.

‘Effective lawmaking requires more than good intentions. It demands rigorous scrutiny informed debate and meaningful engagement with those who will implement the law and those whose interests it is intended to protect’ he said.

He commended the sponsor of the bill and the Committee on Capital Market and Institutions for advancing the legislative process assuring participants that their submissions and recommendations would receive the attention they deserved.

Abbas said the success of the proposed reform would ultimately depend on its ability to inspire confidence protect assets and deliver lasting value to beneficiaries.

‘Ultimately the success of this reform should be measured not simply by the investment opportunities it creates but by the confidence it inspires the assets it protects and the lasting value it delivers to beneficiaries’ he said.

Professor Àmúpìtàn: Can INEC successfully deploy AI for the 2027 elections?

WHEN the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced on May 22, 2025, that it had established an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Division to introduce the technology into its electoral activities ahead of the 2027 general elections, I received the news with unease. Not because I opposed the technology.

As a technology leader who has developed and deployed intelligent systems, with patented innovations involving AI applications in vehicle safety and energy optimisation, I recognise AI’s potential to improve efficiency, detect irregularities and strengthen accountability. My concern was the deployment of AI in a sensitive electoral environment without independent validation and robust safeguards. Elections are not ordinary administrative exercises. Failures can undermine democratic legitimacy. INEC already faces a trust deficit following previous electoral controversies. I was unconvinced that INEC could establish and independently validate safeguards within the timeframe.

The voter register: A warning sign

My concerns deepened when INEC announced in October 2026 that Nigeria’s voter register had surpassed 103 million names. The figure was not necessarily fraudulent, but a database of such electoral significance should not be accepted solely on the compiling institution’s assurances. Even in technologically advanced democracies such as the United States, AI deployment in consequential election administration remains cautious and limited. AI influencing voter eligibility, counting or results verification raises distinct questions of accuracy, transparency and accountability.

Following INEC’s publication of its preliminary voter register online on October 26, Nigerians discovered suspicious photographs and entries. Social media user Decosule circulated screenshots of apparently AI-generated photographs attached to voter records in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State. The discovery is particularly troubling in Edo State, where Governor Okpebholo has repeatedly promised to deliver 2.5 million votes for President Tinubu in 2027, compared with the 144,471 votes Tinubu received there in 2023. Governors Bago of Niger State and Abiodun of Ogun State have each promised two million votes, exceeding Tinubu’s 2023 performance in their states. APC National Chairman Professor Yilwatda claims that the party has approximately 12.9 million digitally verified members nationwide.

Although these political declarations do not establish electoral wrongdoing, when considered alongside the latest revelations about the voter register, they reinforce the need for independent verification ahead of the 2027 elections. Nigerians deserve to know that every registered voter is genuine and that electoral databases cannot be manipulated by those entrusted with maintaining them.

On October 30, INEC’s Director of ICT, Dr Lawrence Bayode, confirmed on ARISE News that some photographs were AI-generated. More disturbing was his explanation that certain registration officers, using authorised access credentials, had introduced questionable records into the system.

INEC maintains that its Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) had already flagged suspicious records and that the register is undergoing verification before certification. Nevertheless, how could artificially generated photographs enter a system supposedly designed to capture and verify real voters? How many questionable records exist? If INEC had already identified these irregularities, why did it not proactively disclose their nature, scale and potential implications before citizens exposed them on social media? The discovery does not establish that INEC’s proposed AI systems generated the photographs or that every affected registration represents a fictitious voter. But it does raise questions about access controls and registration integrity.

Where are INEC’s AI governance safeguards?

During a recent edition of ARISE News’ The Morning Show, Vimbai Mutinhiri recounted her interview with INEC Chairman Professor Joash Amupitan. She said she had questioned him about the commission’s AI governance safeguards, and he responded that INEC was continually refining its processes. However, assurances of continuous improvement cannot substitute for a transparent, independently verifiable governance framework. Responsible governance does not promise perfection; it establishes measurable standards, independent verification, accountability mechanisms and procedures for managing failures.

On October 6, INEC announced that automated AI auditing tools had already been integrated into its results-verification process. Yet its comprehensive AI governance policy was reportedly still being finalised.Why introduce technology capable of influencing sensitive electoral processes before its governance framework is completed and independently scrutinised?

Former INEC National Commissioner Professor Okechukwu Ibeanu has questioned the proposed use of AI to extract election results from physical Form EC8A documents. What happens when electronically extracted figures differ from the polling-unit result sheets? Which record prevails? Who investigates discrepancies? INEC should publish a comprehensive AI governance document identifying every proposed system, its purpose, data sources, operational boundaries, validation procedures and responsible officials. It should explain how the commission prevents unauthorised modifications, maintains tamper-evident audit trails and investigates suspicious outputs.

Independent technical auditors, including appropriately accredited representatives of political parties and civil society, should examine consequential systems under controlled conditions. Such oversight must protect sensitive voter data and cybersecurity.

INEC must establish a Human-in-the-Loop (HITL) framework ensuring that AI supports, rather than determines, consequential electoral decisions. When an algorithm flags discrepancies in election results, who makes the final determination? Can political parties challenge the findings? Will every automated recommendation and subsequent human decision be documented for independent scrutiny?

The controversy also demands forensic investigation. INEC should disclose the number of confirmed AI-generated photographs, affected registration centres, periods of creation and measures taken against responsible personnel. It must also demonstrate that legitimate voters will not be wrongly deleted during database cleansing.

The 2027 elections: Too critical, too close for experimentation

The presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, followed by governorship and state assembly elections on February 6. Responsible AI deployment demands clear specifications, data-quality assessment, model validation, cybersecurity testing, independent auditing, personnel training and contingency planning.

The United States Election Assistance Commission has emphasised data protection, verification of AI-generated information, documentation and human review. These principles are particularly relevant to Nigeria’s voter register, containing sensitive information on more than 103 million registered voter entries. Political parties must also possess the technical capacity, personnel and time to independently scrutinise any AI system capable of influencing electoral outcomes. An audit framework published shortly before an election is of limited democratic value if the parties expected to challenge its findings have neither the expertise nor the opportunity to examine it. Electoral transparency must be practical, not merely procedural.

The appropriate response is neither wholesale rejection of technology nor unquestioning acceptance of INEC’s assurances. Biometric authentication, electronic results transmission and artificial intelligence are not interchangeable technologies; each presents different risks and requires appropriate safeguards. Established electoral technologies should continue under proper oversight. However, new AI capabilities that could affect voter eligibility, accreditation, result interpretation, collation or verification should be withheld until their governance arrangements have been published, independently audited and demonstrated to be fit for purpose.

INEC should convene an independent technical review involving AI specialists, cybersecurity professionals, political parties, civil society and electoral-law experts. Where systems cannot satisfy the necessary requirements before January 16, their deployment should be deferred.

Ultimately, Nigeria’s electoral credibility will depend not on sophisticated algorithms but on the integrity of the institutions operating them. AI can detect suspicious patterns and expose manipulation, but it cannot manufacture institutional honesty. Without effective governance, it can also conceal wrongdoing. The revelation of AI-generated voter photographs is a warning that cannot be ignored. Unless INEC can demonstrate a transparent, independently audited and credible AI governance framework before the 2027 elections, it should suspend all new AI deployments capable of influencing electoral outcomes.

Final Admonition

The name Àmúpìtàn can be interpreted as one associated with the recounting of history. That history may tell a story of honour or one of failure. I would like to imagine the INEC Chairman’s name as Àmúpìtàn-rere-one whose story is remembered for good. Nigeria’s 2027 general elections are crucial, and history will not hold AI technology accountable for any electoral failure. Rather, it will hold accountable those who deployed it without adequate safeguards. Professor Joash Amupitan, Sir, may history remember you for good.

Court restrains EFCC from arresting Honda executives dealers

The High Court of Lagos State Lagos Judicial Division has restrained the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from arresting or detaining Honda Manufacturing (Nigeria) Limited Honda Automobile Western Africa Limited executives and over 200 other applicants in connection with a pending investigation.

Justice Olukayode Ogunjobi granted the interim injunction on October 28 this year after the applicants’ counsel Chief Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN) leading Akinwale Irokosu A. Apara and T. Aluko moved the application.

The applicants comprise the two Honda companies their officers dealers distributors business associates and other individuals and businesses.

They approached the court seeking protection of their fundamental rights in connection with the EFCC investigation citing concerns over invitations for questioning threats of arrest and detention and alleged interference with their personal liberty freedom of movement and privacy.

The court granted the first prayer in the applicants’ motion for interim injunction holding that the relief covered prayers two to six.

The applicants had sought an order restraining the EFCC its officers agents and anyone acting on its behalf from arresting detaining or otherwise depriving them or their officers of their personal liberty in connection with the investigation pending the determination of the substantive suit.

They also sought orders restraining the commission from compelling them or their officers to report for questioning issuing further invitations to certain applicants dealers distributors and business associates or harassing intimidating and threatening them with arrest.

ýThe applicants further asked the court to restrain the EFCC from arresting or detaining certain individuals solely because they failed or were unable to honour further invitations issued in connection with the investigation.

ýThey also sought an order preventing the commission from taking steps to restrict their liberty without complying with the Constitution the Administration of Criminal Justice Act and other applicable laws.

ýThe suit was instituted under Sections 34 35 37 40 43 and 46 of the 1999 Constitution as amended and relevant provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act.

ýThe matter was adjourned until November 13.

Embracing the brighter side of life after niece’s miscarriage

An unexpected loss did not faze Lilia Vargas when her balikbayan niece arrived from Ireland on Monday after suffering a miscarriage.

On Monday, All Souls’ Day, Vargas waited for the arrival of her niece and three nephews at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.

The four of them work in Ireland.

Lilia was hoping to meet her three-month-pregnant niece Lilith, who, unfortunately, had a miscarriage a month prior.

‘We were surprised… We thought we were going to have a grandchild. It turns out she had a miscarriage,’ Lilia told the Inquirer in an interview.

Despite the tragic news, Lilia kept a wide smile on her face, excited that she finally got to spend time with family, whom she had not seen in four years.

Homecoming

‘Let’s just leave it at that. We’re happy that, because of the Lord, they got home. The flight was okay. The trip was okay. They arrived safely. Everything was okay,’ she said.

Lilia also noted the importance of spending time with family, excitedly sharing that she would be taking her niece and nephews to Bacolod City.

‘It’s important for me and my family to meet up to bond. Let’s get together because there will come a time when you want to see each other, but then you can’t… So while there’s time to go, go ahead, go, go,’ she explained.

It was apparent that Lilia was the type to see the bright side of things, even in difficult times.

Support system

Talking to the Inquirer, Lilith said she was 11 weeks pregnant when she ended up at the hospital due to bleeding.

The cause is unknown, she was told. But with a month-long visit to her home country already set in stone, Lilith said that being close to family is the support she needed.

The Doom Loop

Most of the time, I reflect on this very profound rhetorical question: Why would an otherwise thriving business enterprise end up in distress? Also, what explanation can one offer when a business leader whom we all look up to falls from a towering position?

Let us examine this systemic cascade which we refer to as the ‘Doom Loop.’ It is the result of an unchecked chain reaction in an organisation. It unfolds gradually from the failure of a company and its leadership to regularly discharge their watchdog responsibilities of ensuring an all-encompassing accountability. Every unit and interaction within an organisation is interconnected and failure of a unit (or units) affects the others (it is a cascading effect).

The Doom Loop starts with a crack, and once the cycle begins, the entire system starts pulling itself apart from within.

A business leader must therefore operate with the awareness that the business environment is evolving daily. You must identify emerging threats and discover emerging profitable opportunities. The organisation must strive always to expand beyond its existing business model through continuous adaptation and innovation. There must be collaboration through strategic partnerships because we must move beyond limitations and conventional thinking. The leader must operate with the entrepreneurial capabilities of agility and agency.

CEOs must regularly translate bold strategic choices into sustained performance and recognise employee mobilisation as the critical differentiator for strategic success. They must measure the quality of their strategies and always move up the power curve.

Today, we have innovative business models that business leaders should adopt. These include redefining customer engagement, transforming the value delivered to customers.

Do not remain on plateaus for the sake of stability and convenience. The flywheel concept is a strategic principle that mandates leaders to build all-involving momentum in the workplace. Consistently engage and energise your people. Small wins accumulate and eventually become visible results. Keep turning the flywheel and ensure that its momentum remains consistent with your organisation’s values and principles.

Creative leadership intentionally drives energised team development.

John D. Rockefeller successfully used four (4) powerful people skills to build one of the largest business empires. He encouraged and developed talented employees; retained good employees and clients; disagreed without creating enemies; and aligned colleagues’ ideas and perspectives.

I challenged my colleagues and team members at our recent two-day brainstorming retreat to be committed to recalibrating, realigning and reinventing ourselves. The adoption of (our version of) the Agency Theory must always encourage selflessness and not the prosperity of favourites. We are all significant contributors to the growth of the organisation. We must exemplify optimism, energy, courage, dignity, integrity and high standards of complementary work ethics.

My charge was that ‘we must not melt from the heat of change and the tough business environment.’

I recommended our unique ‘Corporate Ladder.’ It is not about hierarchy but human dignity, ownership and impact.

We use hierarchy for coordination, not control; equity over titles; and agency over status. The top is not a position. It is the person you become through purpose, responsibility and influence.

We work as teams, not as individuals defined by titles. Every day, we must ask ourselves: Why am I doing what I do? Who am I impacting? What am I changing? And, in a constantly shifting market, how are we using our knowledge to create meaningful change?

We do not climb the ladder to rise above others. We climb to become better, create greater impact and move the organisation forward.

To stay completely clear of the Doom Loop, organisations must constantly evaluate and monitor performance. The Results-Based Management (RBM) method is particularly useful in this regard. It is made up of an array of objective performance dimensions, namely production measures and quality measures. These measures incorporate two (2) primary results-based approaches: the Direct Methods Approach (DMA) and Management by Objectives (MBO).

Through these approaches, a company assesses the outcomes of work and quantifiable results such as sales and productivity. Sales revenue is clearly an important indicator. Management by Objectives (MBO) involves setting specific goals to be accomplished within a particular period.

The Results-Based Management (RBM) approach has distinct advantages. These include roadmap setting, monitoring and evaluation, and feedback. RBM integrates strategy, resources, processes and measurements to improve decision-making, transparency and accountability.

Performance measurement is the continuous process of collecting, collating and analysing information on key indicators and comparing actual results with expected results. This enables organisations to determine how effectively projects and policies are being implemented.

It is very important that organisations do not suddenly become aware of changes in the marketplace after those changes have already occurred. You must monitor causal relationships rather than rely solely on expectations and assumptions. There are multiple levels of causality that determine daily outputs, outcomes and impact.

The questions you must constantly ask when tracking performance are: Are our decisions achieving the expected results? Is our workforce aligned?

Companies must deliberately and consistently ensure that they operate at the right pace and in perfect rhythm to successfully avert the Doom Loop. Everyone in the workplace must work at the right tempo, remain synchronised with one another and stay aligned with the operating environment. Organisations must always maintain the right level of organisational entrainment to remain responsive, cohesive and effective in navigating change.

Wike’ll be remembered alongside Awolowo Sardauna others – Monarch

The Aguma of Gwagwalada His Royal Highness Muhammadu Magaji has said the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike will be remembered in Nigeria’s history alongside prominent national figures such as Sir Ahmadu Bello Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe and Chief Obafemi Awolowo for his contributions to the development of the territory.

Magaji said Wike’s interventions in the FCT particularly the revival and completion of the Gwagwalada Civic Centre after more than 16 years of abandonment would remain part of his legacy.

The traditional ruler spoke on Monday during the commissioning of the Gwagwalada Civic Centre and an interactive session with stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Gwagwalada Area Council Abuja.

He commended the minister for directing the resumption of work on abandoned projects across the FCT noting that the administration’s focus on completing inherited projects had brought renewed attention to public infrastructure in the territory.

According to him the completion of the Civic Centre is a significant milestone for Gwagwalada and a lasting benefit to residents irrespective of their political affiliations.

Magaji also applauded the convergence of APC and PDP leaders at the event describing it as a demonstration that political differences could be set aside for the common good.

He said the Rainbow Coalition had provided a platform for politicians from different parties to work together in pursuit of peace unity and development.

The monarch expressed hope that the emerging political cooperation would translate into more development projects and improved welfare for residents of Gwagwalada and the wider FCT.

He urged residents and political stakeholders to sustain the spirit of unity and support initiatives aimed at advancing the development of the territory.

Scorecard: Otu cites debt reduction asset recovery

Cross River State Governor Bassey Otu at the weekend presented his administration’s record of debt reduction asset recovery infrastructure renewal and public service reforms as evidence of progress under the People First Agenda.

He said a second term would propel the state from economic recovery to wealth creation and shared prosperity.

Otu spoke in Calabar while inaugurating the state All Progressives Congress (APC) Campaign Council for next year’s general election.

He urged party leaders and campaign officials to take the administration’s achievements to the electorate noting that continuity was essential to consolidating the foundations already laid for sustainable development.

Reflecting on the circumstances surrounding his assumption of office in May 2023 the governor recalled that the state was grappling with insecurity a demoralised public service and underutilised public assets.

‘We did not promise all things in one year but we covenanted to stop the bleeding clear the ground recover the losses and restore abandonments’ he said describing the administration’s first phase as one of recovery and restoration.

On fiscal management Otu disclosed that his government had reduced the inherited domestic debt of more than N204 billion by over N70 billion without taking fresh loans bringing the outstanding debt to approximately N132.3 billion as of March 2026.

He also revealed that internally generated revenue increased from N21.1 billion in 2022 to N46.3 billion in 2024.

‘Every debt retired is freedom for our children and house-cleaning for fresh fiscal air’ he said adding that improved revenue and financial discipline would strengthen investment in public services.

The governor identified the recovery of strategic public assets as another major achievement citing reclamation of Tinapa from the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) recovery of nearly N1 billion from Etung Cocoa Estates and other public assets and efforts to reclaim the state’s oil wells and secure its interests in the Bakassi axis and proposed Deep Seaport.

He also highlighted improvements in security lifting of employment embargo restoration of more than 3000 local government workers to the payroll and payment of first tranche of gratuities after nearly two decades.

‘The government is not just concrete – it is the people’ he said.

On infrastructure and economic revitalisation Otu cited reconstruction of Obudu Cargo Airport runway revival of Teachers Continuous Training Institute in Biase transformation of Akamkpa College into University of Entrepreneurship and concessioning of Garment Factory and Obudu Ranch through public-private partnerships.

He also pointed to road construction and rehabilitation increased and expanded Cally Air fleet and operations as well as growing economic impact of Carnival Calabar.

‘Continuity is an attitude of maturity’ he said noting that completing inherited projects and sustaining viable investments were critical to the state’s progress.

Otu highlighted agriculture and digital transformation as key drivers of future growth noting investments in cocoa rice potatoes palm fruits and cassava to strengthen food security and rural livelihoods.

He said more than 200 kilometres of fibre infrastructure had been deployed across Calabar over 600 residents had received ICT training and digital platforms were improving revenue collection and public service delivery.

He further cited Cross River’s selection by the World Bank GovTech Team for its 2026 AI in Governance and Public Administration Bootcamp in Seoul South Korea as international recognition of the state’s technological advancement.

Outlining his second-term priorities the governor pledged to turn recovered assets into productive enterprises complete major infrastructure projects expand youth and agricultural enterprise programmes establish industrial parks across the three senatorial districts and improve workers’ welfare.

Urging the campaign council to engage voters across the state’s 18 local governments and 196 wards with facts and decorum he said: ‘You do not change a farmer who has cleared the farm just when it is time to plant. You do not abandon a builder who has laid the foundation when it is time to raise the roof.’

He inaugurated the council declaring that the campaign must be fought not for an individual but for the future of Cross River and its people.

Prosecution: Bank records prompted dropping of 3 impeachment charges

The prosecution could not have decided at the beginning of Vice President Sara Z. Duterte’s impeachment trial to concentrate exclusively on unexplained wealth because the financial documents that ultimately convinced prosecutors to narrow down the case became available only after lengthy legal disputes and compliance with court-issued subpoenas.

House private prosecutor and trial spokesperson Benjamin ‘Jay’ Tolosa Jr. explained that the decision to withdraw three impeachment articles followed the prosecution’s examination of banking records and other financial documents that had not been available when the proceedings began.

‘But we have to explain, it was not possible to make that decision at the start,’ he said.

Tolosa responded to criticism that prosecutors should have concentrated on Article II from the outset instead of spending several months presenting evidence on charges they eventually withdrew.

‘Kasi remember, itong mga dokumento na ito, hindi namin nakuha kaagad ito,’ Tolosa explained.

The prosecution initially pursued four impeachment articles involving confidential funds, unexplained wealth, bribery and grave threats before withdrawing three charges on October 13, leaving only Article II for the Senate impeachment court to decide.

‘The defense really tried to block this,’ Toloa said, referring to the objections raised against the production of financial records.

The defense had challenged requests for banking documents and other financial information, prompting arguments before the impeachment court over whether the prosecution could compel their disclosure.

‘After ma-subpoena yan, medyo matagal na time ‘yan bago sila nag-present,’ Tolosa recalled.

The court eventually authorized the production of records from banking institutions and other agencies, with the prosecution receiving substantial volumes of documents that required examination and comparison with Duterte’s official declarations.

‘At kailangan hintayin ‘yan sabay-sabay bago i-release,’ Tolosa explained.

‘We all saw the boxes of documents. Doon lang namin napag-aaralan,’ Tolosa added, recalling how prosecutors reviewed the materials after receiving them.

The resulting analysis by forensic accountant Alexander Cabrera identified approximately P817.87 million in allegedly unexplained wealth, while prosecutors also cited broader financial discrepancies reaching about P1.5 billion, figures disputed by Duterte’s defense.

‘Doon lang lumabas itong figure na ito na napakalinaw as explained by Attorney Cabrera na 817 to 1.5 billion,’ Tolosa said.

Why monetary interests continue to blind schools

This last week has seen hundreds of schools holding dedication days for their primary leaving candidates. This relatively new practice – less than 12 years in the making, looks innocent on the surface, but a lot has been going on behind the scenes.

To the average parent, it looks like a call to go and pray for one’s child and hopefully enable them to succeed in the coming exams. I attended a dedication ceremony recently and realized that much more is at play.

After the formal prayers were concluded, there were school heads from schools parents had never even heard of, or dreamed of sending their learners to. These school heads were laden with gifts, success cards and a speech for the candidates, at which they were being encouraged to consider these their new homes, after January 2027, when the PLE results are in.

The students had been rehearsing for a performance, which they put on to great effect. Two of the headteachers then picked out some of the students and offered them bursaries for senior one to senior four.

Quite the attractive package for parents hustling to find the tuition fees to pay for learners, in this economically bleak times.

But who are these school heads, and why were they at the primary school in the first place? The answer lies far from the amphitheater where all these events were happening. The secondary schools, mostly private entities, are using some of these primary schools as hunting grounds for candidates.

The primary schools appreciate the gesture, as it comes with some revenue from the visitors. The dedication ceremonies represents much needed revenue from the secondary schools in exchange for a platform to lure students for the next learning level.

In some secondary schools, this practice is even more pronounced where some unknown high schools tend to assure senior four candidates of all manner of treasured learning and sports facilities, as well as affordable tuition at these campuses, if the candidates agree to join them for senior five.

This unregulated practice among school heads started over a decade ago as a measure of moving away from the archaic practice, where parents ‘cautioned’ their children against failing their exams, often with threats of severe punishment, if they don’t meet the expected outcome – success. It was reasoned that the students needed more divine help, rather than threats of pain and regret, if they don’t pass.

Dedication days seemed to be going well in the beginning, but when opportunity meets need, a lot of issues can go sideways, if unregulated.

Right now schools looking for students to fill their classrooms at the next learning level have met institutions looking to send their candidates to next academic journey. And some have decided that those in need must pay for the opportunity offered.

Right in the middle are the parents and their children who have no idea that they are part of a lucrative annual transaction. For now, it is too early to worry about who benefits or loses out in this transaction.