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Legendary Nollywood actor, Pete Edochie, has paid glowing tribute to late colleague, Olu Jacobs, describing him as a peaceful and humorous personality.

NAN reports that Edochie, in an emotional video tribute to the late legend, also commiserated with his wife, Joke Silva, over the challenges she endured during his prolonged illness.

‘Olu, my brother, you fought like a man. You fought like the soldier I have always known you to be. Rest in peace, my brother.

‘Joke, I commiserate with you for what you had to endure over a period of six years,’ he said.

Pete Edochie described Olu Jacobs as a very humorous and peaceful colleague, recalling his distinctive personality and the impact he had on those around him.

He said although Jacobs’ death was painful, his life should also be celebrated.

‘While we must mourn that Olu has gone, we should also be glad and celebrate Olu’s life.

‘Of all our senior colleagues who have gone, Olu was the only person who got up to 80 and beyond.

‘The Good Book allows us three scores and 10, that is 70. Olu earned 14 years on top of that,’ he said.

Edochie, however, acknowledged that the final six years of Jacobs’ life had not been what they had expected.

‘Unfortunately, the past six years were not what we had projected or expected in any way.

‘Like I said a thousand times, if God says it is time, then it is time,’ he said.

The veteran actor expressed hope that one of Jacobs’ children would take up acting, saying this would help preserve the memory and legacy of the late actor.

‘My one prayer is that one of Olu’s children takes to acting, so that whenever we look at him, we remember what Olu meant to all of us,’ Edochie said.

He described Jacobs as the most senior among their colleagues, adding that the late actor treated everyone he interacted with accordingly.

Edochie also recalled words Jacobs had shared with his wife, urging Silva to hold on to them as she navigated life after his death.

‘Joke, I want you to remember Olu’s words. Your problems are firmly behind you,’ he said.

He ended the tribute with a reflection on the possibility of meeting Jacobs again after death.

‘Joke, take care. Olu, well, if it is true that people recognise one another after they have gone, then there is a possibility that we will meet again,’ Edochie said.

NAN reports that Jacobs died on Sept.16 at the age of 84, with his passing prompting tributes from colleagues, political leaders and other Nigerians who acknowledged his contributions to theatre, television and the Nigerian film industry.

Among other feats, he was a recipient of several awards, including the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR).

Persons Living With Disabilities (PLWDs) in Ogun State, under the aegis of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) and the Spinal Cord Injuries Association of Nigeria (SCIAN), have appealed to Governor Dapo Abiodun to ensure the full implementation of the Ogun State Disability Law before the expiration of his administration.

The bodies made the plea on Wednesday at a joint press briefing held at the NUJ Hall, Iwe Iroyin House, Abeokuta, describing the situation as a case of moving the law ‘from paper to action.’

Tribune Online recalled that the Ogun State Disability Law was assented to by former governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, in 2017.

The groups lamented that almost nine years after its enactment, the law had yet to reach the stage of full operational implementation.

The National President of the Spinal Cord Injuries Association of Nigeria, Abdulwahab Matepo, said the delay had left persons with disabilities waiting for the legal framework to translate into functioning institutions, enforceable protections, accessible systems and practical opportunities.

Matepo explained that JONAPWD’s estimated data put the number of persons living with disabilities in Ogun State at 1,032,221, based on a 15 per cent benchmark applied to the National Population Commission’s 2025 population projection.

He stressed that behind the figures were people seeking access to education, healthcare, employment, transportation, infrastructure, economic opportunities and political participation without discrimination.

Similarly, the state chairman of JONAPWD, Ayo Awobona, said the groups had previously engaged with the Ogun State House of Assembly, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, traditional rulers and other stakeholders since 2025, including proposals for amendments to address identified gaps in the existing law.

Awobona also disclosed that a delegation of the disability community met with the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Oluwasina Olanrewaju Ogungbade, SAN, a few months ago, during which he assured them that he would work on the law and provide an update within two weeks.

The JONAPWD chairman acknowledged that the existing law might require amendments and urged the government to operationalise the law in accordance with due process while pursuing any necessary amendments simultaneously.

He further explained that the non-implementation of the law had practical consequences for PLWDs, including inaccessible public institutions, inadequate inclusive education and transportation, discrimination, harmful practices and limited participation in governance and decision-making.

JONAPWD and SCIAN emphasised that persons with disabilities were not seeking charity, but ‘rights, dignity, equality, accessibility, participation and inclusion,’ calling on Governor Abiodun to provide the necessary political direction to ensure that the process of implementing the law was concluded before the expiration of his tenure.

The groups also charged political parties and governorship candidates to make disability inclusion part of their policy agenda, while calling on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure accessible polling units, voting materials and appropriate assistance for persons with disabilities.

The Police Public Relations Officer for the Benue State Command, DSP Peter Aondongu, has stated that the Chief Medical Director of Multicare Hospital, Makurdi, Dr Jonah Ogbaji, was arrested by operatives of the Special Tactical Squad attached to the Force Intelligence Department in Abuja.

Aondongu was reacting to the alleged abduction of the medical doctor, which had gone viral on social media across the state.

However, the PPRO said in a terse statement issued on Thursday that the medical doctor was arrested by operatives of the Special Tactical Squad attached to the Force Intelligence Department, Abuja, in connection with an undisclosed investigation.

Social media platforms in the state had been awash with reports of the suspected abduction of the medical doctor around 9pm on Wednesday while he was attending to patients at his hospital along Ankpa Road, Makurdi.

Aondongu, in the statement, described the alleged abduction as ‘false’.

According to the PPRO, ‘The Command has received enquiries regarding reports of the alleged abduction of a medical doctor and owner of a hospital in Makurdi.

‘Upon verification, the report is false. The doctor was not abducted. He was arrested yesterday at his hospital by operatives of the Special Tactical Squad (STS) attached to the Force Intelligence Department (FID), Abuja, in connection with an ongoing investigation.

Aondongu said the specific circumstances surrounding the investigation were yet to be known to the Command.

The command, however, advised the people of the state to disregard reports of the medical doctor’s alleged abduction or kidnapping.

The arrested medical doctor was a two-term ex-officio member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), North Central.

Group Chairman of Heirs Holdings, Tony Elumelu, CFR, has called for a fundamental shift in Africa’s development model-from dependence on foreign aid to trade, investment, entrepreneurship and private sector-led growth.

Elumelu, who made the call during a fireside chat on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), argued that Africans must increasingly drive Africa’s economic transformation.

The session, titled the ‘Darryl G. Behrman Lecture on Africa Policy’, was moderated by Michael Froman, President of the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). It examined Africa’s changing role in the global economy, entrepreneurship, energy security, private sector development and the future of US-Africa relations.

He stated that global institutional investors and international policy partners must move beyond outdated perceptions of Africa as an aid-dependent continent and instead engage with it as a lucrative, high-return destination for commercial investment and private-sector partnerships.

Elumelu also challenged international investors to close the stark gap between perceived risk and operational reality when assessing African markets.

He stressed that treating Africa as a monolithic, high-risk entity overlooks the immense economic dynamism across its 54 distinct nations.

The businessman also maintained that industrialists and global capital seeking growth can find some of the world’s highest investment returns on the continent, provided foreign investors form strategic co-investment partnerships with credible local business leaders who understand the terrain.

Elumelu reaffirmed his core economic philosophy of Africapitalism, arguing that Africa’s long-term economic transformation must be driven primarily by its own private sector.

He noted that while aid programs can provide short-term relief, they cannot build sustainable industries or replace the structural impact of deploying domestic capital.

He called on foreign venture capital firms, pension funds, and development finance institutions to work directly with local financial institutions to fund critical infrastructure and power key trade corridors.

Turning to youth demographic trends, Elumelu described young African entrepreneurs not merely as economic actors, but as a crucial pillar of continental security and global stability.

He argued that addressing youth unemployment is an urgent priority to stem irregular migration and prevent social instability.

Drawing on the work of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, which committed $100 million to empower young African entrepreneurs, Elumelu showed how providing $5,000 in non-refundable seed capital alongside business training can catalyse organic job creation across rural and urban communities.

He urged international philanthropies, multilateral agencies, and corporations to help scale these youth-led micro, small, and medium enterprises.

Addressing energy security and climate policy, Elumelu advocated a pragmatic and equitable approach to the global green transition.

He pointed out that with more than 600 million Africans still lacking basic access to electricity, discussions of industrial growth or digital transformation remain difficult without reliable baseline power.

Elumelu asserted that Africa must be allowed to use its abundant natural gas reserves as a critical transition fuel to power local industries and stabilise electricity grids today, while simultaneously developing long-term renewable power infrastructure for tomorrow.

Regarding trade partnerships, particularly between the United States and African economies, Elumelu insisted that future engagement must move beyond traditional concessionary frameworks. He encouraged the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) while emphasising the need to directly address the cost of getting African products produced and delivered to U.S. markets.

He said that as the African Continental Free Trade Area continues to gain momentum, bilateral trade arrangements should prioritise supply-chain integration, domestic manufacturing capacity, and the removal of regulatory bottlenecks that hinder intra-African commerce.

Concluding the session, Elumelu reminded the audience that fostering economic prosperity across Africa is ultimately a shared global interest, stating that poverty anywhere remains a direct threat to economic peace and security everywhere.

Following a directive from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) over reported cases of under-dispensing of petroleum products nationwide, the Petroleum Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has mandated its members to immediately inspect, calibrate and verify dispensing pumps and totalizers at their retail outlets,

A circular signed by PETROAN national president, Dr Billy Gillis-Harry, and the National Secretary, Adedibu Aderibigbe, said the Association was acting on an industry circular from NMDPRA, which described under-dispensing as a breach of consumer trust that will not be tolerated.

The circular added that all petroleum retail outlet operators are required to carry out immediate calibration and verification of their dispensing equipment to ensure accurate measurement and guarantee that consumers receive full value for the products they purchase.

According to PETROAN, NMDPRA has intensified inspection and enforcement activities across the country, saying outlets found under-dispensing, using improperly calibrated equipment, or otherwise compromising dispensing accuracy would be required to take immediate corrective action.

While warning that persistent or serious violations could attract sanctions, including revocation of operating licenses, PETROAN urged its members to conduct immediate inspection and calibration of equipment, maintain accurate records of calibration and maintenance activities, cooperate fully with regulatory inspection teams, and uphold transparency and consumer protection standards across their operations.

‘Your prompt action and full compliance with this directive are highly appreciated as this require utmost seriousness from members,’ the circular read in part.

The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) has urged the Federal Government to deploy community pharmacies as strategic frontline healthcare providers to improve access to care and help decongest secondary and tertiary hospitals.

The association also called for government investment in the Pharmacy First Initiative (PFI), saying the model could accelerate Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by bringing essential healthcare services closer to Nigerians.

National chairman of the ACPN, Pharm. Ezeh Ambrose, made the call in a statement signed by him and the association’s National Secretary, Pharm. [Mrs] Omokhafe Ashore.

The pharmacists said community pharmacies, because of their proximity to patients, could provide Primary Health Care services and manage uncomplicated diseases, thereby reducing the burden on hospitals.

The ACPN urged the Federal Government and state governments to create an enabling policy environment for community pharmacies to expand their role beyond dispensing medicines.

It called on pharmacists to provide basic screening services, including blood pressure and blood sugar checks for uncomplicated cases of hypertension and diabetes.

The association also advocated pharmacy-based clinics offering counselling and advocacy on malaria, antenatal care, family planning, smoking cessation, and wellness within the scope of professional competence.

It said proper documentation of these services and systematic data collection were essential to generate evidence for policymaking and strengthen advocacy for pharmacy practice.

According to the ACPN, Nigeria’s health sector must confront critical gaps in policy and political leadership, evidence and digital transformation, quality improvement, and collaboration.

The association said the future of pharmacy practice should be built around a common vision, quality that inspires trust, digital and data-driven systems, stronger primary-care partnerships, and collaboration with health insurers.

The association cited the United Kingdom’s experience with community pharmacy as evidence of the potential of the Pharmacy First model.

It said UK community pharmacies played a significant role in maintaining access to healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic when general practice services were disrupted.

The ACPN further cited a £340 million investment deal announced in May 2026 to expand NHS walk-in pharmacy treatments in England, saying the investment builds on the Pharmacy First Initiative and is intended to strengthen the role of community pharmacies as primary clinical care hubs.

The association contrasted this with Nigeria’s COVID-19 experience, claiming that community pharmacies continued providing accessible and affordable services despite the risks but received neither financial support nor formal acknowledgement for their contribution.

The ACPN called on the Federal Government to establish a Presidential Committee on the Pharmaceutical Sector to examine the Pharmacy First model and other reforms needed to strengthen the pharmaceutical industry.

It said the committee should explore investment opportunities, appropriate regulatory frameworks, and stronger public-private partnerships that would allow community pharmacies to expand quality healthcare services.

The association also urged pharmacists to embrace modern practice models and invest in services that advance Good Pharmacy Practice (GPP) and patient-centred care.

It maintained that stronger governance, resilient drug supply chains, digital technology, sustainable financing, and effective public-private collaboration were essential to transforming Nigeria’s health system.

‘Community pharmacists must continue to be a trusted and low-cost first-contact workforce in the quest for the true growth and development of the health sector in Nigeria,’ the association said.

The ACPN said strengthening community pharmacy practice would improve access to healthcare while contributing to Nigeria’s pursuit of universal health coverage.

The Oyo State Government has announced the commencement of the Nigerian Army 92 Regular Recruits Intake (RRI) for Tradesmen and Women, urging qualified indigenes of the state to take advantage of the recruitment opportunity.

The announcement was contained in a public service announcement signed by the Secretary to the Oyo State Government, Prof. Musibau Babatunde, on Thursday.

The government said the recruitment exercise, which commenced on September 9, 2026, would run until October 21, 2026, and was open to qualified male and female indigenes of Oyo State.

According to the statement, ‘the recruitment exercise commenced on September 9 and will run until October 21, 2026, for interested and qualified male and female indigenes of Oyo State.’

It stated that the application was free of charge and could be completed online through the Nigerian Army recruitment portal.

The government said, ‘all applications would be screened, while qualified applicants would be shortlisted for the physical screening exercise at the State Recruitment Centre, Adekunle Fajuyi Cantonment, Ojoo, Odogbo, Ibadan.’

It also advised applicants who are indigenes of Oyo State to obtain an Oyo State Indigeneship Certificate as evidence of their indigene status.

According to the government, the certificate could be obtained from Room 53, Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Ibadan, or the state’s liaison offices in Abuja and Lagos.

The statement urged qualified indigenes to take advantage of the opportunity, while appealing to members of the public to circulate the information to eligible applicants across the state.

The government emphasised that the application process was free and urged prospective applicants to use only the official Nigerian Army recruitment portal for their applications.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Sen George Akume, has said that the security of lives and property of Nigerians is not solely the responsibility of the security agencies.

He said that security rather requires the active participation and cooperation of communities, traditional rulers, religious bodies, civil society organisations, the private sector and other relevant sectors.

Sen Akume, represented at the South East Peace and Stability Summit held in Owerri by a management staff of the Political and Economic Affairs Office of the SGF, Mrs Olisa Stella Marries, said that sustainable peace can only be achieved through collective action and inclusive dialogue.

He said that the office, as the coordinating arm of the Federal Government, has remained committed to facilitating inter-agency collaboration and supporting initiatives that contribute to national peace, security, stability and development.

The SGF expressed optimism for continued engagement with relevant stakeholders towards building a more peaceful, secure South East.

While commending the organisers of the programme for convening such an important summit towards the promotion of peace and stability, Akume said that the theme, ‘Building Sustainable Peace for a Prosperous Future’, and the objective of the summit, were relevant at a time when peace and security remain critical to the socio-economic development of the country.

According to him, the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President lays strong emphasis on strengthening national security, promoting economic development, creating opportunities for young Nigerians and fostering an environment in which all citizens can contribute meaningfully to national development.

He recalled that the South East geopolitical zone occupies an important position in the socio-economic development of Nigeria, adding that a peaceful and stable South East is critical to the prosperity of the people of the region and for the overall development and stability of the country.

Earlier in his keynote address, the Executive Director of Orlu Progressive Initiative (OPI), Ikechukwu Nwabueze, advocated for the creation of the South East Peace Commission (SEPC).

He said that the South East needs a permanent, credible and professionally structured regional peace institution.

He described the commission as a practical institution dedicated to conflict prevention, early warning, peacebuilding, mediation, social cohesion, community reconciliation and peace education across the South East zone.

According to him, the South East Commission would work collaboratively with the South East Development Commission, the Federal Government, the South East state governments, local government authorities, security agencies and traditional institutions, among others.

The Executive Director said that the SEPC, when established, would develop a regional early warning and early response system that should support community peacebuilding structures and facilitate dialogue between conflict communities, among others.

Speaking on the theme, ‘Building Sustainable Peace for a Prosperous Future’, Nwabueze said that its purpose was to foster dialogue, unity, peace and actionable solutions to the challenges facing the South East region.

He said that the gathering would enable stakeholders, irrespective of political, ethnic or social affiliation, to come together, think and reflect on the history and chart a sustainable course for the future of their region.

While acknowledging the enormous sacrifices being made by security agencies, he frowned at the security situation confronting the region.

He lamented that insecurity has actually destroyed livelihoods, displaced families, disrupted education, weakened local economies and created fear in communities.

He said: ‘We must equally recognise that security cannot be achieved through military and law-enforcement measures alone.’

The Executive Director appealed to all non-state actors, armed groups and other actors operating outside the formal structures of government, adding that the future of their people cannot be built on perpetual confrontation.

He said: ‘Whatever grievances exist, whatever injustices have been experienced, whatever historical wounds remain, we must create peaceful avenues for dialogue and negotiation.’

Ikechukwu Nwabueze called on government, as part of its primary responsibility, to protect lives, uphold the rule of law and create an environment in which citizens can live and prosper.

Mrs Olisa Stella Marries had also represented the Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs Office of the SGF, Mrs Augusta William, at the event.

Other dignitaries present to honour the summit included traditional rulers, religious leaders, leaders of youth body organisations, members of civil society organisations and members of the media, among others.

Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Guinea-Bissau have called for stronger laws, institutions and sustainable financing to confront Africa’s growing waste-management crisis and accelerate the transition to a circular economy.

The call was made in Abuja at the Final Regional Closing Workshop of the ‘Environmentally Sounder and Safer Waste Management Frameworks in Africa’ project, which brought together policymakers, regulators, development partners and representatives of participating countries to review the project’s findings and agree on pathways for implementation.

Hosted by the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), the workshop was held under a United Nations Development Account (UNDA)-funded initiative led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), in collaboration with other UN agencies.

The project, which covered Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Guinea-Bissau, was designed to strengthen national and regional systems for environmentally sound and safer waste management.

Speaking at the workshop, NESREA Director-General, Professor Innocent Barikor, said Africa could no longer afford to treat waste management as a peripheral environmental issue, given its implications for development and public wellbeing.

He said the workshop provided an opportunity to validate the project’s findings, legislative proposals and recommendations, while developing practical roadmaps for implementation, resource mobilisation and sustainability beyond the project’s closure.

According to Barikor, inadequate infrastructure, insufficient funding and limited public awareness remained major obstacles to effective waste management across many African countries.

He said the project recommendations would help strengthen legislative and institutional frameworks while promoting the inclusion and protection of informal waste workers.

‘Together we shall produce a set of concrete post-project implementation and sustainability roadmaps that will inform policy and legislative reforms, strengthen institutional capacity, ensure gender inclusion, protect the rights of children and improve overall waste management outcomes,’ he said.

The NESREA boss said the initiative was consistent with Nigeria’s drive towards a circular economy and resource efficiency, stressing that improved waste management could deliver economic, social and environmental benefits simultaneously.

He urged participants to ensure that the project’s recommendations translated into concrete and sustainable actions rather than remaining policy proposals.

Representing the Government of Sierra Leone, Deputy Minister of Environment, Mrs Yeama-Mimi Sobba-Stephens, said the workshop provided an opportunity to assess the project’s achievements and determine how the gains could be sustained after its formal conclusion.

She commended UNEP for its technical leadership and support, as well as the Nigerian Government and NESREA for hosting the regional event.

The Deputy Minister said the project was particularly relevant to Sierra Leone, where rapid urbanisation, population growth, changing consumption patterns and inadequate infrastructure were putting increasing pressure on waste-management services in Freetown and other growing municipalities.

She said the initiative had enabled Sierra Leone to examine waste management as part of an integrated waste-governance system.

According to her, the country had identified the need for a comprehensive and harmonised legal framework covering the entire waste hierarchy – prevention, reduction, reuse, recycling, recovery and environmentally sound disposal as a last resort.

She said this approach would help shift African countries from systems largely centred on waste collection and dumping towards circular economies in which materials could remain in productive use for as long as possible.

Sobba-Stephens also highlighted the role of informal waste workers in collection, sorting, recycling and maintaining community cleanliness.

However, she noted that many of the workers continued to operate without adequate recognition, occupational health and safety protection, social protection and appropriate equipment.

She called on UNEP and regional partners to sustain technical exchanges, peer learning and resource mobilisation to support implementation of the project’s recommendations.

Also speaking, Legal Specialist, UNEP Law Division, Valentina Ricca, said the initiative was designed to help participating countries strengthen their waste-management systems and address challenges confronting informal workers.

Ricca said the project began in 2023 and was being concluded this year, adding that it was implemented by UNEP’s Law Division in partnership with the UN-Habitat waste-management team, with a focus on Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.

She explained that the initiative was developed in response to requests from the three countries through their national focal points under UNEP’s Fifth Montevideo Environmental Law Programme.

The project’s recommendations are expected to provide a basis for participating countries to strengthen their legal and institutional systems, improve protection for waste workers and build more sustainable approaches to managing waste across the region.

The crisis within the Jigawa State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has persisted despite an intervention by the party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to reconcile the two factions ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Atiku reportedly presided over a reconciliation meeting on Tuesday night involving the ADC governorship candidate in Jigawa State, Senator Sabo Mohammed Nakudu, and a former governorship aspirant, Hon. Bashir Adamu Jimbo, where he called for unity and cooperation among party members.

However, fresh disagreement has emerged over claims about the outcome of the meeting, particularly regarding pending court cases, the party’s candidate list, and the status quo.

In a statement made available to journalists in Dutse, the Jigawa State capital, Nakudu’s Head of Media/Publicity, Comrade Mati Ali, said the governorship candidate had reaffirmed Atiku’s position on unity, reconciliation, and cooperation.

According to the statement, Nakudu described Atiku’s published account of the meeting as the authoritative position on the reconciliation effort.

Atiku was quoted as saying, ‘Today, we have chosen unity over division and cooperation over acrimony.’

He reportedly added, ‘The contest is behind us. The task ahead is greater than any individual ambition.’

The statement, however, disputed reports attributed to an ADC stalwart, Ali Tukur Gantsa, which reportedly referred to court cases, the candidate list, and maintaining the status quo.

It maintained that those issues were not contained in Atiku’s published statement on the reconciliation meeting.

The statement therefore urged the media and members of the public to attribute such claims to their sources rather than to the ADC presidential candidate.

It further clarified that Gantsa was not part of the substantive reconciliation meeting involving Atiku, Nakudu, and Jimbo.

According to the statement, his appearance in a wider group photograph did not establish that he participated in the discussions.

Nakudu, it said, welcomed Atiku’s intervention and reiterated his commitment to reconciliation, party unity, mutual respect, and cooperation among members.

The statement added that the clarification was intended to protect the integrity of the public record and prevent Atiku’s position from being conflated with subsequent accounts of the reconciliation meeting.