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Ogun TESCOM restates commitment to academic excellence

The Ogun State Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) has restated its commitment to ensuring that school administrators and teachers in public secondary schools remain efficient and effective in sustaining the State’s standard of academic excellence.

The Chairman of the Commission, Apostle Biodun Sanyaolu, stated this during a school resumption monitoring visit to Abeokuta Grammar School, Idi-Aba, and African Church Grammar School, Ita-Eko, both in Abeokuta, in the Egba Division.

Sanyaolu, in company of Board and Ex-officio members, Permanent Secretary, and other officials of the agency, said the Ogun State education system was known for its high standard, urging teachers across various subjects to intensify efforts towards improving students’ academic performance and moral development.

He explained that the ongoing redistribution of teachers by the Commission was aimed at addressing imbalances in teachers’ deployment and ensuring that schools in urban, semi-urban, and rural areas had adequate subject teachers.

‘The present Commission is embarking on transformative reforms to complement Ogun’s standard education system, and we will not condone any nonchalant attitude from teachers that will lead to underperformance of learners,’ Sanyaolu warned.

He also charged teachers to maintain professionalism and embrace technology to enhance the quality of teaching and learning in public schools.

Responding, the Principals of Abeokuta Grammar School, Idi-Aba and African, Church Grammar School, Ita-Eko, Mr. Olusola John and Mr. Samson Adekunte, respectively, commended TESCOM for the visit, pledging to continue to discharge their responsibilities diligently and support the Commission’s efforts to improve the quality of education in the state.

Buratai: Military battles may be lost without timely information

Former Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai (Rtd.), has warned that the military could lose battles if it fails to provide timely and credible information to the public.

He stressed that effective communication had become a critical component of modern warfare, urging the military to take control of the information space to counter terrorist propaganda and misinformation.

Buratai spoke in Abuja when he hosted the Conference and Award Committee of the Defence Correspondents’ Association of Nigeria (DECAN).

‘In modern defence and security, if you don’t protect yourself, if you don’t get your information out as timely as possible, then be rest assured that even your battle will be lost,’ Buratai said.

‘Your strategy will be ineffective, which by implication, your operational execution will also be affected,’ he added.

He said timely dissemination of credible information was essential to the success of military strategies and operations, noting that terrorists and insurgents had continued to exploit the media and information space to propagate their ideology and demoralise troops and civilians.

‘The terrorists, the insurgents, use the media, use information very strongly to propagate their ideas, to demoralise the citizens and even demoralise the military,’ Buratai said.

The former Army Chief described defence journalism as a critical component of national security, saying journalists had an important role to play in communicating the challenges, prospects and achievements of the defence sector.

‘The importance of journalism, especially defence journalism, is that it is a very important tool in disseminating the challenges and, of course, even the prospects, the achievements of the defence sector,’ he said.

Buratai recalled that, as Army Chief, he deliberately opened up military operations to journalists by allowing defence correspondents to accompany troops to the battlefield as part of efforts to counter terrorist propaganda.

‘The best way to counter it, as we did, was to carry the press along and they report right on the scene,’ he said.

He said the policy helped to break what he described as the ‘jinx’ of not allowing journalists to report military operations while they were ongoing.

Buratai recalled an operation during which his convoy came under attack while troops were advancing towards Gamboru Ngala in Borno State.

‘As we started moving, they (terrorists) ambushed the convoy, the leading convoy and unfortunately they killed one soldier, injured one general and then injured another soldier,’ he said.

According to him, the troops nevertheless continued their advance, eventually capturing terrorists and linking up with troops that had already advanced towards the area.

Buratai said the presence of journalists during the operation ensured that the military’s account of events was reported promptly, preventing Boko Haram from controlling the narrative.

‘And those issues were reported live and we now broke the Boko Haram information and media propaganda, and so they could no longer have the monopoly to tell lies or to spread rumour,’ he said.

He said the experience demonstrated the strategic value of journalists embedded with troops during military operations.

‘That was a very important role of the journalists that we saw, we appreciate you,’ Buratai said.

The former Army Chief commended DECAN for its contribution to defence journalism and its efforts to promote a stronger relationship between the military and the media.

He urged journalists, particularly defence correspondents, to uphold professionalism while providing the public with accurate information on national security issues.

Buratai also called for greater confidence in the journalism profession and urged journalists to pay greater attention to defence and security reporting, stressing that the media had an important role to play in shaping public understanding of military operations and national security challenges.

He confirmed his readiness to attend the forthcoming DECAN conference, where he is expected to deliver the keynote address.

The conference, themed ‘Beyond Kinetic Warfare: Harnessing Technology and Intelligence-Led Operations for Nigeria’s National Security,’ is expected to focus on emerging technologies, intelligence-led operations and evolving approaches to national security.

House prosecutors to present records of VP Duterte’s business interests

House prosecutors will present corporate and government records to support allegations that Vice President Sara Duterte retained financial interests and continued participating in private businesses after assuming office in 2022, prosecution legal spokesperson and counsel Benjamin ‘Jay’ Tolosa Jr. said Saturday.’

Isa sa mga points raised in the articles of impeachment, ‘yung hindi pag-divest sa mga businesses and participating in those businesses kahit na noong panahon na naging vice president na siya,’ Tolosa said at the Saturday News Forum at Dapo Restaurant in Quezon City.

(One of the points raised in the articles of impeachment is the failure to divest from businesses and continuing to participate in those businesses even after she became vice president.)

The allegation is included in Article II of the Articles of Impeachment, which accuses Duterte of unexplained wealth, inaccurate wealth declarations and failure to divest from business interests while in office.Prosecutors have begun presenting Duterte’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs) as part of their case.

Retired Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang testified on the legal requirements governing SALN disclosures, financial interests and divestment by public officials.

The prosecution then presented lawyer Karen Batu, officer-in-charge of the Office of the Ombudsman’s Central Records Division, who authenticated and reviewed Duterte’s SALNs from her years in public office.Batu testified that Duterte continued to list several business interests after assuming the vice presidency in 2022, including Davao New Royal Taipan Corp., Metro City Chow Foods Corp., Timesquare Bee Foods Corp. and Tapang at Malasakit Alliance for the Philippines Inc.

Additional business interests appeared in subsequent SALNs. Batu said Duterte’s 2024 and 2025 declarations continued to list business interests but did not indicate corresponding shares of stock or acquisition costs.The issue also appeared in earlier SALNs.

Batu testified that several declarations dating back to 2007 identified business interests or financial connections without corresponding declarations of shares of stock or acquisition costs.Cabotaje-Tang had testified that investments such as shares of stock are considered personal property and should be declared in SALNs together with their acquisition costs.

Prosecutors are now preparing to present Securities and Exchange Commission records involving companies in which Duterte declared interests, as well as other government documents intended to establish the nature and extent of those financial connections.

They also plan to examine government procurement records to determine whether the companies under scrutiny had transactions with government agencies.The Constitution provides that the president, vice president and Cabinet members, among other officials, may not directly or indirectly participate in any business or hold a financial interest in any government contract, franchise or special privilege during their tenure.

Tolosa said prosecutors would present evidence concerning Duterte’s financial interests and leave its legal significance to the senator-judges.’After naming mailatag ‘yung ebidensya namin kung anong makikita na may mga financial interest siya sa mga negosyo, then it will be up to the senator-judges to consider that as well,’ he said.

(After we lay down the evidence showing what financial interests she has in the businesses, it will be up to the senator-judges to consider that as well.)

The corporate and government records are expected to allow prosecutors to compare Duterte’s SALN declarations with records of ownership, financial interests and possible government transactions involving the companies.

Calabar youths rally support for Tinubu, Otu ahead of 2027

The streets of Calabar came alive on Saturday as youths, women, elders and political supporters took part in a solidarity walk organised by the Evidence Group in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Cross River State Governor Bassey Edet Otu.

The procession, which organisers described as a one-million-man solidarity walk, passed through major routes in the state capital amid music, dancing, colourful displays and political chants.

Participants were heard chanting, ‘Four More Years for the Sweetest Prince!’ while others chorused, ‘No Vacancy in Diamond Hill!’, a reference to the governor’s official residence.

The organisers said the mobilisation brought together supporters from different communities and sections of the state as political activities gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections.

They said the walk was also aimed at encouraging citizens, particularly youths, to participate actively in the democratic process and contribute to determining the leadership and direction of government through the ballot.

The Director-General of the Evidence Group, Bassey Eyoma, said the turnout demonstrated the level of community support for the movement.

‘You can see the level of community support we are witnessing here. This is one of the largest we have ever seen. We have only just started, and this is the first major activity of this group,’ Eyoma said.

He said the Calabar walk was the first phase of a wider mobilisation programme that would extend to the Northern and Central Senatorial Districts and eventually all 18 local government areas of the state.

Eyoma said the group would mobilise support for Tinubu, Otu and other APC candidates in the 2027 elections.

‘We must deliver five over five. We are looking at giving the President about four million votes, and we must achieve that by mobilising the people and taking the votes to the polling units,’ he said.

He also urged youths to translate their numerical strength into constructive civic participation and play an active role in shaping the future of the state and country.

Representing Governor Otu, the Deputy Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Hon. Sylvester Agabi, commended the participants for their confidence in what he described as the administration’s People First philosophy.

Agabi highlighted the government’s emphasis on security and youth engagement, attributing the reported reduction in cult-related clashes in the state to the administration’s security measures.

‘The Governor has done his best to ensure that security is given top priority in Cross River State. We no longer have the kind of cult clashes that were previously experienced in the State,’ he said.

He urged the youths to sustain their unity and channel their collective energy towards constructive civic engagement and the development of the state.

‘When the youths are united, we will be able to contribute meaningfully to the development of the State and support the efforts of the government,’ Agabi said.

Also speaking, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Ironbar, described the mammoth turnout as evidence of the enthusiasm generated by the movement and what he characterised as the positive impact of the administration on residents.

‘Evidence, in the first place, is evidence of good living and evidence of the performance of our Governor, as well as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,’ Ironbar said.

Ironbar noted that participants had travelled from different parts of the state to identify with the mobilisation, saying the procession provided an opportunity for supporters to express their views while also showcasing Calabar, its distinctive ambience and some of the routes associated with the city’s celebrated Carnival.

The procession repeatedly reverberated with chants of ‘Four More Years for the Sweetest Prince!’, ‘No Vacancy in Diamond Hill!’ and other slogans expressing support for Governor Otu, as participants danced and waved banners and insignia of the movement.

For the organisers, however, the spectacle was intended to be more than a colourful political procession. It was presented as the opening chapter of a wider grassroots campaign to awaken political consciousness, strengthen community organisation and encourage young people to move from being passive spectators to active participants in the democratic process as Nigeria approaches the 2027 elections.

With plans to replicate the mobilisation across the three senatorial districts and the 18 Local Government Areas, the Evidence Group said the Calabar exercise was the beginning of a sustained engagement designed to take its message directly to communities and polling units across Cross River State.

Why praying is good in late age

There is a famous painting that I love. It’s called ‘The Praying Hands’ by the German artist Albrecht Drer, whose fondest dream was to be an artist. He had a friend, an older man, who also had an ambition to be a painter. In their early years, the two of them struggled together to stay alive by selling their works. The older painter probably realized that Drer was the more gifted and skilled artist so he proposed an arrangement – he would go out to work to earn for both of them while Drer continued to paint.

When they had saved enough funds from selling Drer’s paintings, the friend said that he wanted to take up painting again. Alas, by that time, he could no longer do it. He had developed enlarged joints and twisted fingers, which made it impossible for him to hold a paintbrush. One day, Drer saw his friend kneeling in prayer. He said, ‘I can never give back the skill in those hands, but I can show the world the feeling of love and gratitude which is in my heart for his noble deed.’ He did it by painting those hands clasped in prayer.

That work of art has inspired people all over the world and continues to serve as a touching homily on the virtues of sacrifice and gratitude.

‘Do you still pray?’ One of my close friends suddenly asked me out of the blue.

‘Yes, I still pray,’ I replied, but a little wary.

The truth is I wasn’t ready or in the mood to explain. For one, I never really reflected on the question, which caught me off guard. I had a feeling that he was really fishing.

Then I turned the tables. ‘How about you, do you still pray?’

My friend revealed that he was re-learning to pray the rosary. It was then that I sensed he was more interested in finding a reason or a justification to pray. He was mildly depressed about the current state of his life, having been abandoned by his wife while being estranged from his youngest son who was staying with him. I could understand he was seeking some sort of spiritual comfort.

My friend is not alone. I’ve noted that more and more seniors I’ve known are becoming prayerful. Is it because being in retirement, they now have more time on their hands and want to devote the remaining years to the salvation of their souls? It’s turning out that for those at the end of life, idleness is the workshop of the Sacred and not of the devil.

But it’s a good thing to reflect on. Praying. And from what I’ve learned it’s a healthful practice.

In childhood, like most of those who went to Catholic schools, I learned to pray the Hail Mary, the Angelus, the Rosary, Guardian Angel prayer, and so forth. I even memorized some prayer-songs and chants in Latin, such as Salve Regina, Tantum Ergo and O Salutaris Hostia.

But now in my septuagenarian years, my perspective on praying has evolved. I still recite some of the familiar prayers I learned in a grade school run by Benedictine nuns. They are embedded in my mind. However, they are now a means to an end or pegs for higher spirituality. Like the ‘om’ mantra recited by Eastern mystics, they set the mood, so to speak, enabling me to calm my mind and slow down my pulse for what the late Trappist monk Thomas Merton calls ‘our daily appointment with Mystery.’

When I recite the Rosary, which I still know by heart, I use the moments to contemplate mindfully on the virtues of humility and forgiveness, mystery of suffering, the continuity of life after death, and other deeper messages that spring from the ‘mysteries’ of the rosary.

Praying is a way to slow down and enter a space where you can listen more deeply to your life and recognize the Divine presence in the details of our everyday lives and be grateful for just being alive. From waking up to going to sleep, from eating and drinking to noticing beauty and natural wonders, praying is a way to say thank you – for breath, for food, for love, for life.

You don’t have to be religious to benefit from praying. All you need is an open heart, a moment of quiet, and a willingness to engage.

But here’s the good news about praying. One study, published in the Journal of Aging and Health, concludes that as people grow older, the more frequently they pray, the greater their sense of well-being.

Scientific research has recently discovered praying doesn’t just provide spiritual benefits, it can also be one of the simplest, most powerful habits for improving mental health, especially in late age.

There is an indication that praying protects our brain. How? Praying tends to lower stress and cortisol, which over the years can help protect brain regions like the hippocampus. It is actually a mental exercise, drawing on memory, language, and focus. For an older adult, this is hopeful. It means praying as a daily practice may be doing more for the mind than we realized.

For many seniors already living with creeping dementia, prayer is often one of the last things to remain reachable, a source of calm and identity when so much else has slipped away. There are reports of people with advanced dementia who can no longer hold an ordinary conversation but can still recite a familiar prayer learned in childhood. Such experiences are not necessarily medical miracles, a neurologist says. They may reflect the durability of deeply learned and repeatedly practiced memories.

I don’t want to go much into the science of it but the good thing that researchers have found out is that old people want their praying to be more personal, more private and an intimate direct relationship with a God Himself or a revered saint. Praying for them is spending time sharing their feelings, thoughts and dreams with Someone who loves them unconditionally.

Indeed, like the good old apple a day, a prayer a day is good medicine.

Let me end with a simple prayer, a keepsake, which sums up my life as an offering of gratitude, similar in tone to the ‘Praying Hands’ painting of Albrecht Drer. It was composed by my brother DOM Carlos, a Benedictine monk, who offered his life for the poor and downtrodden and became a Martial Law ‘desaparecido.’ It was his ‘mi ultimo adios.’

‘Lord, my Tax-collector

Here I am Your tax-payer

Now it’s your turn

To ask for the just tax

Let me pay these

Till the end of my life

Daily piling up

So that in the end

I may pay You all…’

The POS stand where Nigerians are becoming Dangote shareholders

Every morning, Mrs Oyin Alade has the same routine. She walks to a Point-of-Sale (POS) stand close to her home in Ojota, Lagos, withdraws N5,000 and heads back home.

‘The money has a purpose,’ she told BusinessDay, adding that She has four children in school, and the N5,000 is divided between them. Each child gets N1,000 for transport and snacks during the school day.

But on a Tuesday morning, when she stood in front of the familiar POS terminal and prepared to enter her PIN, the agent asked her a question.

Had she heard about the Dangote Petroleum Refinery initial public offering (IPO)?

She had heard people talking about Dangote shares, but never imagined the offer was meant for someone like her.

The agent explained that she could buy 10 shares for N5,250.

For Mrs Alade, the idea was startling. ‘I have always associated shares with stockbrokers, banks, wealthy people and financial experts. The thought that i could walk into the same kiosk where i normally withdrew money and leave as a shareholder was difficult to believe,’ she stated.

But she knew the agent. ‘He is someone i had used repeatedly for transfers and withdrawals. He is a trusted person, so there is no need to doubt him,’ she affirmed.

So she decided to try. Within minutes, the transaction was completed. The money had left her account, but this time she was not simply taking cash home. She had subscribed for Dangote Refinery shares. For the first time, the mother of four had a small ownership stake in one of Nigeria’s most talked-about industrial projects.

The experience illustrates what is beginning to happen at POS stands across the country: a place Nigerians traditionally use to move money is becoming a place where they can begin to own assets.

Hundreds of kilometres away in Sapele, Delta State, Ese Oghenekome, a 400 level student of Abraka University encountered the same possibility through a neighbourhood POS agent.

Oghenekome said he had gone to the POS stand for a routine transaction. Then came the conversation about Dangote shares.

The agent explained the offer, the N525 price per share and the minimum subscription of 10 shares.

‘For someone who had never bought shares before, the idea was initially unfamiliar. But the process did not require a visit to a stockbroker.

There was no need to search for an investment office. The transaction could be initiated at the same POS terminal used for ordinary financial transactions.

So Oghenekome decided to give it a try. ‘A few minutes later, the process was completed. What started as an ordinary trip to a neighbourhood POS stand ended with me being a shareholder,’ he stated.

That is the quiet human story behind the Dangote IPO. The refinery may be one of Africa’s biggest industrial projects, but the people buying into it are not necessarily wealthy investors sitting behind computers.

Some are people who save in small amounts, run businesses from kiosks, work for salaries or depend on daily income.

For them, the significance is not simply the number of shares they have bought. It is the feeling of being included.

‘You can buy it here’

That message is increasingly being delivered by POS agents.

One of them, popularly known as Papa Ada, wanted to understand exactly how the Dangote IPO could be sold through a POS terminal.

Rather than guess, the agent contacted Moniepoint for clarification.

The process was explained: a customer could approach the agent, select the investment option on the terminal, provide the required details, choose the number of shares and make payment.

Once Papa Ada understood how it worked, the agent began talking to customers.

The conversations started with people who came to withdraw cash. Then those making transfers. Then people paying bills.

Instead of ending every transaction with a goodbye, the agent began asking customers whether they had heard about the Dangote IPO.

‘Some were curious. Some asked how much they needed. Others wanted to know whether they needed an investment app or had to visit a broker,’ Papa Ada told BusinessDay.

The agent could now explain that the subscription was available through the POS terminal. The response was bigger than expected.

‘By the following day, 10 customers had expressed interest in buying the shares,’ he disclosed.

For Papa Ada, the experience showed that the biggest barrier may not always be the amount required to invest. Sometimes, people simply need someone they trust to tell them that they can participate.

The first-time investor effect

That same feeling is visible in conversations among Nigerians on social media.

One user, Kosisochi, posted on the day the IPO opened that she had bought Dangote shares through the Moniepoint app and was seeking reassurance about the transaction.

For a first-time investor, the question was understandable. The money had left her account. Had she really just bought shares?

Another user described the attraction of being able to participate without what Nigerians often call ‘dogon turenchi’ – complicated procedures and unfamiliar financial language.

The appeal is straightforward. You do not necessarily need to understand the entire architecture of the Nigerian capital market before making your first investment.

You need to know what you are buying, how much it costs and how to complete the transaction.

For people who have spent years watching the stock market from the outside, that can be the difference between thinking about investing and actually becoming an investor.

This is where the story becomes bigger than one IPO. For years, Nigeria’s POS network has been one of the most visible signs of financial access.

The terminals are everywhere, outside markets, beside roads, in neighbourhood shops and near residential areas.

People use them to withdraw cash, transfer money and make payments.

The Dangote IPO is adding another function. The same infrastructure that helps Nigerians move money is now helping some of them put money into ownership.

Moniepoint Microfinance Bank and TeamApt Ltd. have collaborated to make the Dangote Petroleum Refinery IPO available through Moniepoint’s banking applications and nationwide POS network.

The offer gives Nigerians the opportunity to subscribe at N525 per share, with a minimum of 10 shares, or N5,250, and a maximum of 500 shares per transaction.

Moniepoint says its POS network spans all 774 local government areas in Nigeria.

Babatunde Olofin, managing director and chief executive officer of Moniepoint Microfinance Bank, said the model reflects the company’s belief that financial services should extend beyond transactions to opportunities to grow and build wealth.

‘Moments like this are exactly why we built Moniepoint the way we did,’ Olofin said.

Dennis Ajalie, managing director and chief executive officer of TeamApt Ltd., said the company’s payment infrastructure was connecting a capital-markets opportunity with a distribution network that reaches millions of Nigerians.

The technology matters. But on the ground, the human connection may matter even more.

For Mrs Alade, the stock market did not begin with a financial newspaper or a trading screen. It began with a familiar face at a POS stand.

For the customer in Sapele, it began with a routine visit to an agent. For the customers who responded to Papa Ada’s questions, it began with a conversation while they were carrying out an everyday financial transaction.

That is what makes the development different. The capital market has traditionally asked Nigerians to come to it. This time, an investment opportunity is being taken to where Nigerians already are.

At the roadside kiosk. At the neighbourhood shop. At the POS terminal around the corner. And for someone buying shares for the first time, that small change in location can feel enormous.

The journey from withdrawing N5,000 to owning 10 Dangote shares may take only a few minutes.

But for the person holding the receipt afterwards, it can represent the first time the stock market feels like it belongs to them too.

Nwifuru woos investors to Ebonyi as NADDC opens auto training centre

The commissioning of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) Automotive Training Centre along Ogoja Road, Abakaliki, has provided another platform for Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, to showcase the state’s growing emphasis on skills development, productive enterprise and industrialisation.

At the commissioning ceremony, Nwifuru used the occasion to send a clear message to investors, manufacturers, automobile companies, financial institutions, development agencies and indigenous entrepreneurs that Ebonyi is ready to welcome investments capable of creating jobs, transferring technology and developing local capacity.

The governor specifically invited investors in automotive services, component manufacturing, fabrication, vehicle maintenance, diagnostics, electric mobility and technical education to explore opportunities in the state.

According to him, the state government is deliberately creating an environment where industries can thrive while equipping its young population with the skills required to participate meaningfully in the emerging economy.

‘This is an investment in the future in the automotive technology context. It is a deliberate investment in the hands that will repair our vehicles, the minds that will diagnose sophisticated automotive systems, the engineers who will design solutions, and the entrepreneurs who will establish businesses and create employment,’ Nwifuru said.

The new centre, according to the governor, represents more than another infrastructure project. It is part of what he described as an interface between the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda and his administration’s People’s Charter of Needs Agenda, particularly in the areas of human capital development, technical capacity and productive enterprise.

He said Ebonyi’s development must rest on the combination of infrastructure, skilled manpower, technology and enterprise, stressing that infrastructure without skilled manpower cannot achieve its full potential, just as skilled manpower without appropriate infrastructure cannot operate at the required scale.

The governor therefore urged young Ebonyians to discard the perception that technical education is inferior to conventional academic education.

He noted that a properly trained automobile technician could become an entrepreneur and employer of labour, while automotive engineers, fabricators and young innovators in automotive electronics could create businesses and develop solutions for an increasingly technology-driven transportation system.

‘This is how we create an economy driven by production rather than consumption, transform skills into businesses, transform businesses into industries and transform industries into sustainable sources of employment and prosperity,’ he said.

John Eno (Senator), the Federal Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, who commissioned the centre, also underscored the importance of skills development to Nigeria’s industrialisation agenda.

Eno said the Federal Government was placing premium on skills and manpower development as part of its efforts to strengthen the country’s industrial sector, noting that the automotive industry was capable of driving growth in other areas of goods and services.

He said the new facility should not be viewed merely as a physical structure but as a centre designed to train young Nigerians for opportunities in the automotive industry, including emerging technologies such as electric vehicles and improved energy-management systems.

The minister commended Ebonyi State for its cooperation in bringing the facility to the state, describing Ebonyi as a land of entrepreneurship with people willing to create opportunities rather than depend solely on government for employment.

The commissioning was also significant because, according to Eno, it marked the first NADDC automotive training centre to be commissioned in the South-East geopolitical zone.

That development places Ebonyi in a position to serve as a training and skills-development hub for young people seeking practical knowledge in the automotive sector.

For Nwifuru, however, the ultimate measure of the facility will not be the beauty of the building but what it enables Ebonyi’s young people to achieve.

He challenged them to take advantage of the opportunities provided by the centre, acquire practical skills and convert their knowledge into businesses capable of creating employment and contributing to the state’s economic growth.

The governor’s investment invitation also fits into his administration’s broader push to position Ebonyi as a productive and technologically competitive state.

‘We particularly encourage investors in automotive services, component manufacturing, fabrication, vehicle maintenance, diagnostics, electric mobility, technical education and related industries to explore the opportunities available in our state,’ he said.

As Nigeria seeks to deepen local production, reduce dependence on imported goods and create employment opportunities for its growing youth population, the new automotive training centre offers Ebonyi an opportunity to connect skills development with industrial enterprise.

For a state traditionally recognised for entrepreneurship, the challenge now is to convert the availability of trained manpower and infrastructure into sustainable businesses, investment and employment.

And as the governor put it, the automobile symbolises movement. For Ebonyi, the hope is that the new centre will move its young people beyond job seeking into enterprise creation, while moving the state closer to the industrial economy it seeks to build.

Masari: Tinubu’s Point Man

The Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Political Affairs, Alhaji Ibrahim Kabir Masari, has become one of the most influential politicians in the country.

Moving from the backseat of political engagements since his role as a temporary running mate to Tinubu in the buildup to the 2023 elections, where he was termed ‘Place holder’, he has become the prime mover of political events that have to do with the president, attracting attention and capturing the essence of the presidential campaign.

Investigation by our correspondents has shown that he is undoubtedly the closest politician to the president in northern Nigeria.

Sources, however, told Weekend Trust that not long ago, such political influence belonged to Senator Abu Ibrahim, who Tinubu got acquainted with when both served as senators in 1992 and have remained close since thenThere are others who served as governors with the president between 1999 and 2007, such as George Akume, Joshua Dariye, Ali Modu Sheriff, who also enjoy various degrees of closeness to him. But according to various sources, Masari has become the new political point man of President Tinubu in the North.

After the former Lagos governor emerged as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Masari’s name was submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as his running mate in a placeholder arrangement. The ticket was later changed with Kashim Shettima as the substantive running mate.

Masari stepped aside, saying the decision would allow Tinubu greater flexibility to accommodate wider interests, an act that placed him in the national spotlight.

Following Tinubu’s victory in 2023, Masari was appointed a Senior Special Assistant on Political Affairs; and three years later, elevated to Special Adviser on Political Affairs.

Between rise in fortune and controversies

Masari’s public image peaked when recently, President Tinubu addressed him as ‘My Waziri’ to the hearing of many political leaders in the northern part of Nigeria.

The Waziri title amongst Hausa speakers refers to a position akin to that of a prime minister in a western setting and is usually regarded as the next in hierarchy to a king.

By referring to Masari as Waziri in that manner, many say it was deliberate on the part of the president to accord him more clout and confirm his unofficial position as the closest person to him in northern Nigeria as he is now being called ‘Wazirin Tinubu.’

Many said Masari had indeed done well to sustain the perception that he is no ordinary person in the Tinubu government, as for some time now, he has been seen moving around with the full compliments of one who enjoys the direct support and blessing of the president.

A man who strongly believes that Masari enjoys the full support of the president, but does not want his name mentioned, told our correspondent that: ‘Wherever he goes on campaign he moves with governors, ministers and top government officials striving to appear with him at public functions. And he usually moves in long motorcades, complemented by the vehicles of other public officeholders that move with him.’

Weekend Trust learnt that it is being whispered among political leaders in the North that Masari is the go-to person for anyone seeking favour from President Tinubu.

A source reliably informed our correspondent that a certain governor from the northwestern part of the country was said to have told a prominent leader in the North that it is in their best interest to cooperate with Masari and do according to his wish for peace to reign.

‘He is held in awe because of the power he wields. Some say he promised to replace a certain minister with another person, and before long, the change was effected as he had said,’ the source who wants his identity shielded said.

Many political observers said all these had made him to be feared and respected, such that whenever he went to any state, political leaders, lobbyists and others would flock around him.

In one of his recent visits to his home state of Katsina, he was said to have used a chopper to transport himself and his close associates. The glitz and razzmatazz displayed became the talk of the town for a while.

Rise in APC and relationship with Tinubu

Masari’s rise within the APC began with his involvement in the party’s national structure. He served as a national welfare secretary during Adams Oshiomhole’s tenure as the national chairman of the party, gaining exposure to the party’s national machinery and building relationship with governors and legislators.

That experience positioned him as a political organiser rather than a conventional officeholder.

His relationship with President Bola Tinubu became prominent during the 2022 presidential election.

According to Ahmad Mohammad of the Democratic Sustainability Forum, Masari’s trajectory has been less about elective office and more about influence through organisation and proximity to national leadership, as well as top power holders.

‘Masari is more visible in activities promoting the Tinubu-Radda political agenda and has engaged different groups across states, including Katsina.

‘Such activities have reinforced his position as a link between Abuja and the state’s political networks. That same position has also generated speculation about whether a separate power centre is developing around him,’ he said.

As the campaigns for the 2027 elections commence, Masari has arguably overtaken others to be at the forefront of rallying political leaders in the North; and has been doing it with all the controversies that could go with it.

Earlier in the month, he brought together 500 Islamic scholars and religious leaders across the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory to Katsina, after which it was said that they endorsed President Tinubu for re-election in 2027.

In a statement issued by his media office, Masari noted that participants expressed satisfaction with what they described as the Tinubu administration’s efforts to tackle insecurity and address infrastructure and economic challenges in the region.

Among dignitaries who attended the meeting were the Jigawa State governor, Umar Namadi; Kano State governor, Abba Yusuf; Yobe State governor, Mai Mala Buni; Sokoto State governor, Ahmad Aliyu and Kaduna State governor, Uba Sani.

Also present were Deputy President of the Senate Barau Jibrin and the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Muttaka Darma.

Not long after that, Masari also engineered the coming together of more than 600 senior university lecturers from all the public universities in northern Nigeria to endorse the second term bid of President Tinubu.

At the meeting, which held behind closed doors at the Umaru Musa Yar’adua Centre, Kaduna, those who attended included the Kaduna State governor, Uba Sani; that of Zamfara, Dauda Lawal; Yobe State governor, Mai Mala Buni; Borno State governor, Babagana Zulum and that of Gombe, Inuwa Yahaya. Others include the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle; Minister of Housing, Muttaqha Rabe Darma and former governor of Katsina State, Aminu Bello Masari.

The next day, Masari also met female Islamic scholars from the 19 northern states along with Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State.

Speaking at the event, the presidential aide questioned what he described as the basis for opposition to Tinubu, arguing that the president’s major ‘fault’ in the eyes of some northerners was that he was not Hausa.

It is also said that for many observers, his penchant for doling out money at such occasions has proved that he is not acting alone. He is said to have donated not less than N300 million at a meeting with clerics. At the meeting with lecturers, various amounts have been quoted as reaching some of the participants.

The Radda-Masari feud

The reported differences between Radda and Masari attracted attention because of their political history. Radda’s rise was closely associated with former Governor Aminu Bello Masari, having served as chief of staff before heading the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) and later winning the 2023 governorship election.

Ibrahim Kabir Masari, on the other hand, developed his influence through APC structures and relationship with Tinubu. According to a source close to the state APC leadership, the two men occupy different but overlapping spaces. Radda controls the machinery of the state government and APC structures in Katsina, while Masari has direct access to the Presidency and a prominent role in the national campaign.

‘One incident that intensified speculation was the controversy surrounding alleged destruction of billboards bearing images of Tinubu and Masari along Modoji junction to Government House Road in Katsina. Two senior security aides attached to Radda were invited to the Nigeria Police Force headquarters in Abuja for questioning over the incident. It subsequently became part of wider speculation about the relationship between Radda and Masari,’ the source revealed.

The source, however, stressed that the billboard controversy alone did not establish a political feud as supporters of both sides rejected suggestions of a disagreement.

But a political analyst, Malam Bashir Gambo Matazu, said the Katsina APC situation was more complicated than a simple rivalry.

‘Both Radda and Masari remain associated with the APC and the Tinubu re-election project. The question is whether their different platforms can operate together without producing competing interests over party organisation, mobilisation and influence.

‘For Radda, the challenge is maintaining the control of APC structure in Katsina while defending his administration’s record and seeking another term. For Masari, his growing proximity to Tinubu places him within the federal establishment, while his Katsina roots give him grassroots access.

‘Distinction matters. Influence is not always determined by an elective office. A politician with access to the Presidency, national party structures and grassroots networks can wield considerable influence even without appearing on a ballot,’ he said.

For now, there is no clear evidence that alleged differences between the two political players have developed into open confrontation. What is evident is that both men can influence APC’s calculations differently: Radda as the incumbent governor and leader of the state and Masari as a presidential adviser with senior responsibility in the 2027 campaign structure.

More on relationship between Masari and Tinubu

Multiple sources told the Weekend Trust that the relationship between President Tinubu and Ibrahim Kabir Masari, predates Asiwaju’s ambition of becoming president.

One of the sources, who lives in Katsina, said: ‘From what I know, Kabir Masari, who Tinubu now calls Waziri, got to know the president through two prominent personalities; Senator Abu Ibrahim as well as former governor of Katsina State, Aminu Bello Masari.’

The source said Tinubu and Abu Ibrahim came a long way and Masari was there.

‘They (Tinubu and Abu Ibrahim) share a political history that stretches from Nigeria’s aborted Third Republic to the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) with their association linked to opposition politics and efforts to build a political alternative to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

‘Although both men served in the Senate during the Third Republic, their political connection extends beyond their legislative careers, particularly through the opposition merger efforts that preceded the establishment of the APC in 2013.

‘Throughout the struggle, Ibrahim Kabir Masari, was very close to Senator Abu Ibrahim, who I can call his mentor or god-father and was privy to some of the talks, even though he is younger than Tinubu or the former Katsina Senator in terms of age and political dexterity.

‘I am sure those who know the relationship will not dismiss my claim, which I also got to know from credible sources. So, I would not be wrong if I say Senator Abu Ibrahim was instrumental to Masari getting to know Tinubu,’ he said.

Abu Ibrahim and Tinubu were elected to the Senate in 1992 during Nigeria’s Third Republic. Ibrahim represented Katsina South Senatorial District, while Tinubu represented Lagos West.

The Third Republic was terminated following the political crisis surrounding the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election. Both men subsequently pursued different political paths during the years of military rule and the return to civilian government in 1999.

Abu Ibrahim later returned to the Senate, representing Katsina South from 2003 to 2007 and again from 2011. Tinubu, meanwhile, became governor of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007 and subsequently emerged as a leading figure in the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

It was learnt that all the while, Masari maintained affinity with both Tinubu and Abu Ibrahim.

Another source said, ‘A significant link between Abu Ibrahim and Tinubu emerged through the political negotiations that sought to unite opposition forces ahead of the 2015 general elections and Masari was closely following them.

‘Abu Ibrahim served as one of the intermediaries between Tinubu, who led the ACN, and former military head of state, Muhammadu Buhari, who led the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).

‘The negotiations eventually contributed to the broader merger of the ACN, CPC, All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), resulting in the formation of the APC. The truth is that Kabir Masari was not far from the picture of what was happening,’ the source said.

Sources said the other route through which Ibrahim Kabir Masari got closer to Tinubu was the former Katsina State governor, Aminu Bello Masari.

Bello Masari, who had served as Speaker of the House of Representatives between 2003 and 2007, is currently the Chairman of TETFund. He was appointed by Tinubu.

Our source, who knows the relationship, said, ‘Aminu Masari and Tinubu have come a long way. Also, Aminu Masari and Ibrahim Kabir Masari come a long way.

‘When the former governor came to the House of Representatives, the younger Masari was with him in Abuja. He was also partly with him in Katsina when he became governor while strengthening his footing in Abuja.

‘Even though I might not be able to tell you how the former Katsina governor linked the younger Masari with Tinubu, what is obvious is that Tinubu is a headhunter, he knows how to poach people because he can easily identify their potential.

‘And considering that the president had been building bridges of friendships in the North for a long time, probably because of his ambition, he also spread his tentacles in identifying younger talents that came his way through his contemporaries, such as the senior Masari and Abu Ibrahim. Junior Masari falls in this category,’ he said.

The source added that Kabir Masari’s ‘aggressive’ nature when it comes to political negotiations might have drawn him much closer to Tinubu.

‘He has been a die hard supporter of Asiwaju for a very long time and he never hides it.

‘I recall how he once called out a certain governor during a meeting in his bid to make a case for Tinubu who was nursing ambition for the presidency at the time,’ the source said.

Another source added that Kabir Masari has now ‘overtaken’ all other people in terms of closeness to the president.

From Nabanje village to the Presidency

Alhaji Ibrahim Kabir Masari was born and raised in Nabanje village, a quiet agrarian community in Kafur Local Government Area of Katsina State.

Like many children in rural northern Nigeria, Masari’s early life revolved around farming, family and communal routines. He started his education with Qur’anic studies, enrolling in a local Qur’anic school in Nabanje before proceeding to western education.

After attaining the required age, Masari was enrolled at Fammariya Primary School, where he began his formal education. The current headmaster of the school, Malam Yusuf Tanimu, said he was excited that Masari had continued to remember the institution despite rising to a prominent political position.

For Tanimu, the significance is not merely that a former pupil has attained national prominence, but he has remained connected to where his educational journey began. He said the school had witnessed significant improvement through federal government’s intervention with better facilities and a more conducive learning environment.

According to him, the two blocks of four classrooms have witnessed considerable transformation, including provision of furniture, water supply and other facilities supporting teaching and learning.

He said, ‘These changes have substantially altered the appearance and functionality of the school.’

For the assistant headmaster, Malam Muntari Adamu, the transformation is particularly meaningful because the presidential aide is an old pupil.

‘The school has never experienced this level of transformation. I urge politicians who rose to positions of influence to remember their communities and the institutions that ,nurtured them.

Weekend Trust gathered that from Fammariya Primary School, Masari proceeded to Government Day Secondary School, Malumfashi in Malumfashi Local Government Area of the state.

His secondary school years took him beyond his immediate rural environment into a larger urban setting, a progression that residents said shaped the man he would later become, a journey defined by humble beginnings, education and exposure before his eventual entry into business, farming, and later, politics.

Childhood friends recount memories

For those who knew him before political prominence, Masari’s story is as much about personal relationships as it is about public office.

His ward head, Alhaji Muhammad Ayuba Umar, described him as a ‘no-nonsense person’ and recalled growing up with him.

‘Kabir Masari is my childhood friend. We grew up together in this community and have remained close till date. Although he has attained a high position in life, Masari has never forgotten his old friends. He has been kind to us. He never looks down on us because of our status,’ he said.

Similarly, Alhaji Labiru Musa Kafur, the current Wazirin Kafur and Talban Danejin Katsina, said he had known Masari since childhood, noting: ‘Though I am older than Masari, we shared schools, markets, political parties and other social activities. Our political journey started during the days of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC). We were inducted into politics when Aminu Bello Masari was serving as a commissioner in Katsina State.

‘What distinguishes Masari among his peers is his trustworthiness. He grew up as a man of the people who could spend all he has to build a formidable bridge between the masses and the government at all levels.

‘Masari has proven his trustworthiness among his peers. Perhaps that is what gave him special consideration in the eyes of President Tinubu. His hospitality, dedication and concern is known everywhere in Nigeria. I heard that some states are naming newly constructed streets after him,’ Kafur said.

From farmer and contractor to politician

Although recently known as a politician, Masari had been into farming and business from childhood. He played a significant role in agriculture, not only in Nabanje but across Katsina State.

Weekend Trust also gathered that Masari was into construction business for several years before joining politics.

Muhammadu Sagir Umar Nabanje, who identified himself as Masari’s elder brother, recalled working under him at Mubel Integrated Construction Company.

He said: ‘Masari was involved in major construction projects, including about 1,000 housing units in Bauchi State. It was through construction that he met highly influential politicians across the country, which paved the way into politics.’

Haruna Umar Nabanje, his younger brother, recalled: ‘There was a time Masari sold his farmland to print posters for some politicians, including Aminu Bello Masari, former governor of Katsina State. He told me to sell the farm and bring the money. He said he would use it to produce posters for Aminu Bello Masari and other politicians.’

Haruna described him as ‘Gyare tsohon nama’ – an expression suggesting a man with deep political experience and resilience.

Among the pioneer politicians Masari associated with were former Governor Aminu Masari, Alhaji Bature Umar Masari, the late former President Umaru Musa Yar’adua and Alhaji Kabiru Dandada.

The presidential aide also supported many less privileged, not only within his immediate community but across Kafur Local Government and Katsina State as a whole. He had supported local business women and men in both cash and kinds. Recently, he gave a cash support of N300,000 each to hundreds of traders across Kafur Local Government, it was gathered.

Many women, especially producers of local groundnut cake (kuli-kuli) and other local foods have benefitted from the gesture, a resident, Muhammad Auwal, said, adding: ‘The man has also sponsored the education of scores of youths in this community. He has built several feeder roads in the community.

The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Muttaqa Rabe Darma, an engineer, who has known Masari for over 25 years, also said: ‘We have been associates in social life, politics, business and agricultural activities.

‘Masari has been in the public domain since 1987, when we were in Kungiyar Manoman Arewa. He was a central figure in Kafur at that time. He was in the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and later served as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) State Working Committee in 1999.

‘Ibrahim is a person who takes any responsibility assigned to him very seriously. Despite this, he never held a position as heavy as the one he is holding now, which is why many did not know him then.

‘Masari is a simple and kind person who never places himself above others because he is holding a high position or because he is rich. If you see him mingling with friends, you will never believe that he is the Masari.

‘His commitment, honesty and dedication made him one of the closest people to President Tinubu. When we were in Kungiyar Manoman Arewa, the late Umaru Musa Yar’adua was president and I saw the commitment Masari gave to him. It is the same commitment he is giving to President Tinubu today. These are the qualities Mr President saw in him.’

Senator Ibrahim Ida, who said he had known Masari for over 30 years, noted: ‘In my knowledge of him, he is a good man, always ready to help others achieve their visions irrespective of where they come from. Whatever he says comes from his mind and is genuine. There is nothing artificial about him. If Masari kept for himself what goes to him, he would have been a multi-billionaire by now.

‘He is someone you can trust when you need help. If he promises to do something, you don’t need to remind him, he will surely do it.’

The ward head of Nabanje and Masari’s uncle, Alhaji Ayuba Umar, also said, ‘Kabir is a very humble person. His humility knows no bounds. Despite the position he occupies today, he has not forgotten his people, his roots or this community.’

He attributed several developments to Masari’s efforts, including the Federal College of Agriculture, a divisional police headquarters, road projects, solar-powered electricity facilities and an Islamic centre comprising a modern mosque, school, library, imam’s accommodation and shops.

Another resident, Malam Ibrahim Shehu Nabanje said: ‘For a long time, we wanted development here. today, we can point to projects that have changed the face of the community.’

Malam Kabir Ayuba, whose father is a childhood friend of the presidential aide, said over 40 graduates secured jobs as forest guards, while others got positions in organisations through him, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

Also, Badiya Lawal Gidan Lumo, a primary school teacher at Fammariya, said her experience with Masari convinced her that he does not discriminate on the basis of religion, recalling Masari’s contribution to peace-building efforts on the current insecurity in the area, saying his involvement showed concern for all residents, regardless of faith.

Beyond the Nabanje community, politicians and traditional authorities in Katsina State also offered a broader assessment of Masari’s contributions to the state and country.

For the district head of Kafur, Alhaji Abdulrahman Rabe Abdullahi, Masari’s contributions to the fight against insecurity cannot be overlooked, saying he supported recruitment of local vigilantes and provision of security equipment at a time when insecurity is affecting communities and farming. The College of Agriculture he attracted is expected to commence academic activities soon..

NUJP elects new leadership at 2026 national congress

Veteran broadcaster Lourdes Escaros has been elected chairperson of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), taking the helm of the country’s frontline media guild alongside a diverse bench of leaders chosen during its 2026 national congress in Quezon City.

Escaros leads a newly minted national executive committee and directorate composed of community journalists, broadcast reporters, and independent media practitioners tasked with steering the organization through persistent challenges to press freedom, safety, and media workers’ rights. Mindanao-based journalist Kath Cortez was elected vice chairperson.

The complete slate of the new executive committee is as follows: Lourdes Escaros, Chairperson; Kath Cortez, Vice Chairperson; Paul Soriano, Secretary-General; John Sitchon, Deputy Secretary-General; Alyssa Mae Clarin, Treasurer: and Zorayda Eva Lim Mustaril, Auditor.

The Board of Directors is composed of nine representing print, broadcast, and digital newsrooms across the country: Sherwin De Vera, Gina Dean, Edito Mapayo, Jervis Manahan, Aireen Jaymalin, Janvic Mateo, Joyce Panares, Marc Abila and Mara Cepeda.

The incoming leadership is tasked with executing the NUJP’s mandate to safeguard free expression, provide legal and safety support to embattled reporters, and push for equitable labor protections for media workers across the archipelago.

Peter Obi disowns fake letter allegedly sent to Onitsha monarch

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has disowned a purported letter circulating on social media in his name and allegedly addressed to the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Ugochukwu Achebe.

Obi, in a statement posted on his social media platforms, described the document as fake and said it was designed to mislead members of the public.

According to him, the purported letter, which touched on political and financial matters in Anambra State, did not emanate from him.

‘My attention has been drawn to a fake letter circulating on social media, purportedly written by me to His Majesty, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Ugochukwu Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha, concerning political and financial matters in Anambra State,’ Obi said.

He described the document as ‘entirely false, malicious, and a fabrication by mischievous elements aimed at misleading the public.’

Obi also rejected the signature appended to the letter, saying it had been forged.

‘Furthermore, the signature appended to the letter is completely forged,’ he said. The former Anambra State governor urged members of the public and the media to disregard the document and refrain from treating it as an authentic communication from him.

He said his attention remained focused on issues of national development and accountability.

‘I urge the public and media to disregard this spurious publication. My focus remains steadfastly on issues of national development, accountability, and building a better future for our people – never on cheap fabrications,’ Obi said.

The disclaimer comes amid heightened political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections, with political actors and support groups increasingly using social media to circulate statements and other materials attributed to public figures.