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Navy not yet finished investigating death of its trainee

The Philippine Navy on Wednesday said it has not yet finished conducting its own investigation into the death of a 25-year-old Navy Officer candidate last July.

Philippine Navy spokesperson Marissa Martinez issued this statement after the parents of Aldwayne Agnaonao Dulnuan sought the help of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to probe his death last July 22 during a training in Zambales.

‘The Philippine Navy confirms that investigations of the incident remain ongoing, through its own internal proceedings and the independent probe conducted by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the Philippine National Police,’ Martinez said in a statement sent to the Inquirer.

Dulnuan’s parents, Stella and Arnold, said that the Philippine Navy committed to them to launch its investigation into the incident, but they noted that they have not received any updates even 49 days after their son died.

In response, Martinez said that the results are not yet available, ‘since the Navy wants to ensure that the findings are sound and comprehensive and that nothing and no one has been overlooked.’

Martinez also said the Navy respects Aldwayne’s family’s decision to seek another independent investigation into the incident. It then committed to coordinate with the CIDG and other concerned agencies to ensure that proper procedures will lead to the resolution of the case.

Cause of death

Atty. Dwight Dangilan, Aldwayne’s family’s legal counsel, said that they sought the help of the NBI on Wednesday to determine whether there was foul play in his death.

Citing Aldwayne’s death certificate issued by Ulticare Medical Center in Olongapo City, the spokesperson detailed that his cause of death was septic shock with antecedent central nervous system infection and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, which is an underlying cause of pulmonary hemorrhage and acute kidney injury.

‘No autopsy was performed, and the Certificate of Death makes no finding as to the manner of death. Records reviewed to date contain no documented findings of trauma,’ Martinez added.

In an interview with the media, Stella narrated how she found out what happened to her son, noting that she received a message that her son was brought to the hospital due to dehydration. She said that she was wondering why her son was already intubated when they visited him at the hospital.

‘Kung kinakailangan na hukayin ulit kung ire-require ng NBI, gagawin po namin para lalabas ang katotohanan sa pagkamatay ng anak ko,’ she said.

(If his remains need to be exhumed if the NBI requires it, we will do it for the truth behind his death to come out.)

Further, when asked why the family took over a month to ask for help from another agency, Arnold said that they were waiting for updates from the Philippine Navy on its independent probe.

‘Wala pang feedback sa amin, sa family, kung ano na ang sitwasyon, ano na ang nangyari. We cannot wait anymore. Maybe they will conduct their investigation but now we want to seek the help of other institutions,’ Arnold said in the same interview.

(There is no feedback to us yet on what happened. We cannot wait anymore. Maybe they will conduct their investigation, but now we want to seek the help of other institutions.)

An Indian Defence Minister after 38 years: Partnership without capture

Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh landed in Colombo earlier this week for a three-day official visit, the first by an Indian Defence Minister in 38 years. The last such call was by K. C. Pant in 1988. That long silence itself tells a story.

For nearly four decades, defence business between the two neighbours was handled by service chiefs, training colleges and quiet staff talks. New Delhi has now chosen to put a political minister at the centre of the relationship, and to do so immediately after a dense sequence of Indian visits and against a harder contest in the Indian Ocean.

The visit will be read, in Delhi, Beijing and Washington, as a signal. Our task in Colombo is narrower and more serious: to convert the signal into national capability without converting the island into a platform.

Not an isolated visit

Singh’s program is the latest layer in an unusually concentrated Indian engagement since President Anura Kumara Dissanayake assumed office in September 2024. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s State Visit in April 2025 was the first by any foreign Head of Government after the new presidency. Seven documents were signed. Among them was the first comprehensive India-Sri Lanka Defence Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding, a five-year umbrella covering joint exercises, training, port calls, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, information exchange and possible defence-industry cooperation. Either side may terminate it with three months’ notice. That exit clause is not a detail. It is the difference between a structured partnership and a treaty alliance.

What followed was a rhythm, not a one-off. The eighth Annual Defence Dialogue was held in Colombo in June 2025. The Indian Navy Chief called in September 2025. After Cyclone Ditwah, India arrived as a first responder and later announced a reconstruction package of some $ 450 million; External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar came as Special Envoy. In January 2026 the Indian Army Chief, General Upendra Dwivedi, handed over vehicles and training aids, opened a friendship corner at the Defence Services Command and Staff College, and laid a wreath at the IPKF memorial in Battaramulla. The Indian Vice-President visited in April. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri was in Colombo on 5 August with rupee lines of credit for railways and other priorities. Later that month, Sri Lanka’s Navy Commander, Vice-Admiral Damian Fernando, made his first overseas visit in command, to New Delhi, and met the Chief of Defence Staff, the Defence Secretary and the Navy Chief.

Singh therefore arrives not as a stranger opening a file, but as the political seal on work already in motion. He is scheduled to call on the President, who holds the defence portfolio, the Prime Minister and the Defence Secretary. The itinerary also takes in the IPKF memorial, the Defence Ministry, the parliamentary precincts, Gangaramaya Temple, a likely reception on an Indian Navy ship, the National Defence College, and the Sita Amman Kovil in Nuwara Eliya. Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha has said relations have ‘never been better’ in decades. The visit calendar, at least, is not an invention.

What already stands on defence floor

It is important to be precise about what already exists, so that we do not mistake institutionalisation for a sudden tilt.

Training is the deepest bond. India is the largest foreign trainer of the Sri Lankan armed forces, offering on the order of a thousand to twelve hundred vacancies a year. One naval accounting records more than two thousand Sri Lankan naval personnel passing through Indian courses over nine years. Shared classrooms produce shared language, shared drills and personal networks that outlast any single Government. Reports ahead of this visit point to three new memoranda, one likely on air-defence guns, one on cadet-corps links, and one on cooperation between the Sri Lanka Defence College and Indian defence institutions. If signed, those instruments would push the relationship into the next generation of officers, not only today’s operators.

Exercises are now routine rather than ceremonial. The twelfth edition of SLINEX, the bilateral naval exercise, was held in Colombo from 14 to 18 August 2025, with a harbour phase of professional exchanges and a sea phase of gunnery, boarding, replenishment and communications. MITRA SHAKTI, the army exercise with air elements, held its eleventh edition in Belagavi last November. A fourth bilateral diving exercise was conducted in Colombo in April 2026. The two navies and coast guards continue International Maritime Boundary Line meetings. An Indian Navy Dornier was based here for maritime surveillance from August 2022 to August 2025. A Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre was commissioned with an Indian grant of about $ 6 million. INS Vikrant and INS Udaygiri took part in the International Fleet Review marking the Sri Lanka Navy’s 75th anniversary.

None of this is trivial. None of it, by itself, is alignment. Hardware, hours at sea and staff-college seats are instruments. What they become depends on command, data and political purpose.

National security questions that matter

Three questions should govern Colombo’s handling of the next 72 hours.

The first is maritime domain awareness. Sri Lanka’s core security geography is not a land frontier. It is the exclusive economic zone and the sea lanes that pass our shores. The live threats are narcotics, people-smuggling, illegal fishing, and the possible relocation of cyber-fraud compounds. Conventional naval war is not on this year’s operational list. Indian help with sensors, hydrography, diving, boarding drills and search-and-rescue is therefore rational. The test is who owns the picture. Shared awareness is useful. Exclusive dependence on one partner’s fusion centre is a vulnerability. Australia’s Disi Rela program against irregular maritime movement, Japanese passage exercises, and United States capacity support, cutters, aircraft, humanitarian exercises, already exist. They should remain in the mix. Maritime security should be a Sri Lankan-led coalition of convenience, not an Indian franchise.

The second is the air and coastal defence gap. Talk of Indian air-defence guns is not abstract after the 2026 conflict in West Asia reached our own waters, the sinking of the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena off Galle, and later Iranian hulls lingering near the exclusive economic zone. The Government’s public line was the correct one: no combat use of our territory, airspace or waters by any party; humanity first; sailors rescued. That posture only works if the State can see, and if necessary contest, its approaches. Accepting guns, radars or training is compatible with an independent foreign policy if command, basing and rules of engagement remain Sri Lankan. Integrating them into another country’s kill-chain would not be.

The third is internal security. Easter Sunday accountability, narcotics networks that run through ports and prisons, and communal peace are not separate from geopolitics. Partners price political risk. A State that cannot govern its harbours, its financial system and its extremist ecosystems will be offered ‘help’ that looks like tutelage. India’s interest in counter-terror coordination and drugs overlaps with genuine Sri Lankan needs. The discipline required is the same as in any sound intelligence relationship: cooperate on targets; do not outsource the service.

The wreath at the IPKF memorial will be watched, as it was when the Indian Army Chief stood there in January. The years 1987 to 1990 remain raw in our political memory. The only stable line is professional honour to the dead, not a political rehabilitation of an intervention that divided this country.

How the region will read Colombo

India’s motive is not mysterious. Sri Lanka sits on the approaches to India’s southern seaboard. Chinese commercial and dual-use presence at Hambantota and Colombo Port City, and continuing engagement with the People’s Liberation Army Navy, is the backdrop. Pakistani naval units calling at Colombo, including a Chinese-built Hangor-class submarine earlier this year, only sharpen New Delhi’s preference for a denser security habit with us. Neighbourhood First and MAHASAGAR, Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions, are the language. The operational aim is that extra-regional navies do not treat Sri Lankan harbours as a default logistics base against Indian interests.

Our motive should be equally clear, and different. Geography makes India the permanent neighbour. Crisis behaviour, liquidity and fuel in 2022, the cyclone in 2025, the energy and remittance shock of 2026, has already shifted public sentiment. That is a political fact. It does not require Colombo to adopt India’s threat picture of China, or to freeze other relationships.

A workable posture is polyalignment with a spine. India is the deepest security and connectivity partner, domain awareness, disaster response, training, Trincomalee energy cooperation, grid links and rupee credit, on the condition that ports, exclusive economic zone access and intelligence fusion remain under Sri Lankan law. China remains a major economic and infrastructure partner; new exclusive strategic footholds should not be created, and debt and operational control must stay visible. The United States, Japan, Australia and Europe matter for markets, green shipping, extra training pipelines and non-traditional maritime threats. Ordinary naval diplomacy with Pakistan and others is manners, not signalling.

The Government’s stated doctrine, an independent policy that does not favour any country, and territory that will not be used against a third party, is the right public frame. This week will test whether that frame can coexist with deeper, more structured Indian defence cooperation. It can, if the new memoranda are capability contracts with exit clauses, not political alignment documents.

Take help. Keep the choice

Colombo should treat the expected instruments as a capability audit.

On air defence, welcome sensors and guns that Sri Lanka can man, maintain and switch off. Reject any arrangement that requires foreign crews, foreign rules of engagement, or data that only flows one way. In cadet corps and staff colleges, take the training and keep a parallel pipeline with other professional schools so that the officer corps is not a single-source product. On the 2025 Defence Memorandum, measure implementation by Sri Lankan readiness, hours of maritime coverage, time-to-rescue, interdiction rates in the exclusive economic zone, disaster lift, not by the number of Indian ship-days in harbour.

Joint training should emphasise humanitarian assistance, counter-narcotics, hydrography, diving and lawful boarding. Those are the missions that serve the public and do not lock us into someone else’s contingency. Scenarios that only make sense in an India-China or India-Pakistan crisis should be declined politely and firmly.

Defence talks must also be bound to the prosperity agenda. Trincomalee as an energy and industrial node, electricity interconnection, port productivity and cyclone reconstruction are where security cooperation either pays the citizen or looks like militarisation. A Defence Minister’s visit that produces only wreaths and signed paper will be read in the region as alignment. A visit that also moves energy storage, disaster systems and maritime safety will be read as statecraft.

I write as a former Police officer who spent a working lifetime on intelligence, counter-terrorism and the unglamorous work of keeping a multi-religious island in one piece. Geography gave us a seat at the table of Indian Ocean commerce and security. Institutions, energy policy, port performance and social cohesion will decide whether that seat produces prosperity, or merely more invitations to other people’s contests.

Singh’s visit should be received with courtesy, used with discipline, and remembered for what it adds to Sri Lanka’s ability to stand on its own water. Take the neighbour’s hand. Keep the island’s choices. Make sure every exercise, every gun and every training slot leaves us more able to say no the next time a great power asks to use our sea, our air or our soil.

(This analysis is offered in the interest of national security, institutional reform, and public safety)

The Unfinished Tragedy Of Jos, 25 Years After

This September 7 marks the 25th anniversary of the outbreak of civil unrest in the city of Jos, the capital of Plateau State. Those terrible six days in September 2001 ushered in recurrent violence that has reshaped the social map and architecture of not only Jos, but Plateau State as a whole.

Twenty-five years is a long time. In that timeframe, a whole generation of Nigerians born in Jos have known nothing but violence, fear and hate. Their entire lives have been shaped by one word: crisis.

One of these Nigerians was Babawo Ilyasu. I knew his parents well. I remember first meeting his mother when she was still wrapped in her bridal veil. I knew when she had her first two children, during which time our families grew close. By the time Babawo was born, the vicissitudes of life forced many to move, some internally displaced when their parts of town were no longer safe.

The last time I saw Babawo, he was still a child clinging to his mother’s hand. Our families stayed in touch, visited each other to celebrate or commiserate, and caught up on old times. Babawo grew up to be a responsible young man, a hard worker who supported his parents with his earnings from the Keke Napep he rode. He eventually got married and had a child of his own.

The day after the March 29, 2026 shooting at Angwan Rukuba, after the curfew had been lifted, Babawo started his Keke Napep, bade farewell to his wife and child, and went to work. Neither he nor his tricycle has been seen since.

Everyone familiar with Jos would know what that means. In the course of his work, he must have strayed into an unsafe part of town, been set upon, murdered and disappeared. His father, his bewildered mother, his waiting wife and little child will not even have a corpse to bury. They have no hope for closure or justice. He would be just one of the many hundreds who have been lost this way.

Across the divides, there are hundreds of Babawos, or Promise Gideon Ayuba, born in 2003, murdered a day before by the gunmen who opened fire at Angwa Rukuba and murdered over 20 people.

Since September 2001, there have been thousands of families left grieving like the Ayubas or the Ilyasus, some with corpses to bury, some with nothing, just a haunting emptiness over children born post-2001 who have known neither peace nor justice their entire lives.

Those six days of murderous lawlessness in September 2001 epitomised a monumental government failure that has persisted for 25 years now. Several governments, at state and national levels, have failed to address the cause of the crisis and to stop the haemorrhaging because they have continued applying duct tape to a bursting water tank. The leaks will continue; the threat of a complete explosion remains.

While the government has preoccupied itself with cosmetic approaches to dealing with the crises, Human Rights Watch and the Plateau State Peace Building Agency have documented between 6,000 and 7,000 fatalities.

No society could be losing this number of people in unrecompensed deaths and expect to be normal. The social and economic impact cannot be quantified in terms of the billions worth of goods and property fed to the flames of rage, but crucially in the billions worth of investments that were withdrawn from the state or diverted elsewhere. Before 2001, Jos was growing into a tourism and commerce hub. Post-2001, Jos has become the fractured capital of a fractured state that once was genuinely the home of peace and tourism. For people in the generation of Babawo and Promise, that motto, stamped on licence plates and government banners, must ring hollow, like the requiem to a dream that died before they were born.

With an ageing population and a growing younger population, the memories of what Jos and Plateau State used to be and represented are fast fading and getting lost in the mists of time. A less charitable person might even say it is now the capital of Nigeria’s ethno-religious violence map.

The evidence of the devastation scars the face of the state. There were once thriving streets in Jos that are just ghostly reminders of themselves, deserted, overgrown with weeds growing in the middle of the streets and hiding the demolished, blackened ruins of houses where people once lived, loved and laughed.

In the centre of the city, the ruin of the Jos Main Market stands as the greatest monument to the history of violence and loss. A market that was once a pride of the state, drawing local and international tourists, consumed in the inferno and hate, and now just a painful reminder of what was and could have been. It stands as the symbolic economic ruination that has plagued the state since 2001.

The government’s approach to rebuilding the market has mimicked its approach to dealing with the crisis-tenuous, weak and lacking political will.

While in the last few days there have been some reflections on what has been happening in the state over the last 25 years to commemorate this sad, long tragedy-some civil society interventions, some prayer sessions and the like-it is pertinent that the authorities reflect deeply on how political ambition and avarice triggered this crisis and have sustained it, how badly the government has managed it and its aftermath, and how poor its strategy of addressing it remains.

There is an urgent need for decisive measures to put a permanent end to the recurring violence-measures that must be practical, logical, unbiased, sincerely aimed at restoring lasting peace, instead of transient reprieve.

Clearly turning Plateau into a garrison state, dotted by now permanent military posts and checkpoints, having soldiers guard towns and villagers while they sleep is not only impractical and unsustainable but has failed as often as it has succeeded. The recent massacre of some 20 villagers in Mangu despite the presence of soldiers in the area demonstrates this. The protest by the residents over the effectiveness of these military deployments evidences growing frustrations over this enduring crisis. This approach suggests a lack of commitment to peacebuilding and shows that the approach has always been to patch the cracks before passing the buck to the next government.

There has to be a decided deliberateness to peacebuilding, as John Kennedy proclaimed: ‘Peace is a daily, a weekly, a monthly process, gradually changing opinions, slowly eroding old barriers, quietly building new structures.’

While the populace needs these massive changes in opinions about what peaceful coexistence is and should look like on the Plateau, the government must first change its opinion on how it will achieve this peace.

Plateau must choose peace and peaceful coexistence. The temporary solutions that have been put in place, which are now dangerously at risk of becoming permanent, do not address the real issues.

Martin Luther King proclaimed that ‘peace is not the absence of tension, it is the presence of justice.’ On the streets and hills and villages of the Plateau, there has been no justice since September 2001. Neither for Alhaji Hamza who was murdered on September 8, 2001 on the Ring Road around Tina Junction, and his burnt corpse left on the street for days, nor for Mr Pam who was murdered in Angwan Rogo the night before and his burnt corpse left to rot in the ruins of his house. Neither for Promise Ayuba who was shot dead alongside dozens of others on March 29, 2026 nor Babawo Ilyasu who was lost the day after, and the hundreds of others whose remains will most likely never be found.

Azerbaijan’s MFA confirms deaths of two citizens in Black Sea

On September 9, the foreign cargo ship “TEDY,” which had Azerbaijani citizens among its crew, came under drone attacks in the Black Sea. This was reflected in the statement published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

According to the statement, Azerbaijani citizens Aslan Aliyev and Asim Gasimov were killed in the attack, while Imran Novruzov and Rauf Aliyev sustained injuries. The injured crew members were taken to a hospital in Chornomorsk, Ukraine.

At present, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is coordinating the matter with Azerbaijan’s diplomatic missions, as well as with the relevant authorities of the countries concerned. Measures are being taken to ensure the repatriation of our injured citizens following their medical examination and treatment, provide them with the necessary consular assistance, and carry out the procedures related to the deceased.

“We extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives and wish those injured a speedy recovery,” the ministry said.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs once again urged Azerbaijani citizens to refrain from travelling to areas where military operations are ongoing or where the security situation remains unstable, from engaging in work activities in such areas, or from working on transport vehicles operating along these routes, including vessels.

Baku Climate Action Week focuses on climate action, biodiversity and energy transition

The fourth day of Baku Climate Action Week will feature three roundtable discussions focusing on climate action, the protection of cultural heritage and biodiversity, and the transition to sustainable energy.

The first roundtable will focus on the theme ‘Impact Dialogue: Subnational Entities.’

The discussion will examine the role of institutions operating at the local and regional levels in climate action, the implementation of climate commitments, and opportunities for cooperation on sustainable development.

Another roundtable during the day will address the protection of cultural heritage and biodiversity in the Turkic civilization.

The event, titled ‘Protecting Cultural Heritage and Biodiversity in the Turkic Civilization: From Shared Traditions to Joint Action,’ will explore ways to preserve common cultural heritage, maintain traditional practices, protect biodiversity, and expand opportunities for joint initiatives in these areas.

The third major event of the day will focus on the role of sustainable energy hubs in promoting climate resilience, innovation, and the energy transition.

As part of a regional dialogue titled ‘The Role of Sustainable Energy Hubs in Promoting Climate Resilience, Innovation and the Energy Transition,’ participants will discuss ways to accelerate the energy transition and strengthen regional cooperation.

Events organized by partner institutions will also take place as part of Baku Climate Action Week.

One of these events will be a roundtable titled ‘Green and Digital Social Services Model: The DOST Experience.’ The discussion will focus on the application of green and digital approaches in the delivery of social services, innovations in the sector, and the experience of Azerbaijan’s DOST agency.

In addition, a tree-planting campaign titled ‘Green Ball’ is scheduled to take place.

Baku Climate Action Week is being held from September 7 to 11. The event brings together discussions on climate action, the energy transition, climate finance, sustainable cities, water resources, agriculture, digital technologies, and other related areas.

Weather Temperature for Cyprus

Today’s weather and temperatures for Cyprus according to the Department of Meteorology

Date 10/09/2026

Station

TEMPERATURE (C) (FROM 20:00 PC of the previous one until the time of the show)

Humidity at

1200 UTC

Highest

Lowest

Nicosia (Athalassa)

Larnaka Airport

Limassol (New Port)

Pafos Airport

Frenaros

Prodromos

Polis Pafos

The Taremwas’ long road from friendship to love

Jane Asiimwe and Kansiime Mukama Taremwa met at Makerere University when she was just 18. What began as a friendship grew slowly into love, endured long-distance and uncertainty, and eventually led them to the altar.

When Jane Asiimwe first met Kansiime Mukama Taremwa at Makerere University in April 2021, marriage was the last thing on her mind. At just 18 years old and a first-year student, she was on her way to a fellowship meeting when she encountered the man who would eventually become her husband.

Jane vividly recalls their first meeting. She wore a green T-shirt and black leggings, while Taremwa wore a navy-blue suit. During their conversation, the name of Christian author and teacher Kenneth E. Hagin came up. Taremwa asked Jane if she had read any of his work.

‘I said no,’ she remembers, to which he confidently replied, ‘You are a woman of God, Jane; you should read Hagin.’

She found his confidence both amusing and slightly irritating, but also recognised the wisdom in his suggestion. Taremwa, for his part, noticed how young and innocent Jane appeared.

At the time, Taremwa had returned to the university environment only to accompany a friend to the fellowship gathering, having left university back in 2019. Neither of them knew that this brief encounter would eventually lead to marriage.

The friendship begins

They did not communicate again until July 2021, when their mutual friend, Natalie Kengonzi, informed Taremwa that a first-year student named Jane wanted to talk to him about spiritual matters. Jane had requested his number after seeing his screenshot on Natalie’s status.

As their conversations continued, so did their friendship. About a week after they started talking, they discussed the qualities they each desired in a future partner. When Taremwa listed his preferred qualities, Jane realised he was describing her.

‘I asked him if he was talking about me,’ she recalls, laughing.

The feelings were mutual, but they did not immediately start a romantic relationship. Instead, their friendship deepened, allowing them to understand each other beyond mere attraction. Taremwa’s brother, Atwine Tayebwa, was the first to notice that something had changed.

‘He told me, ‘Kansiime, I have been with you for many years, but I have never seen you this excited about talking to someone on the phone for this long.’ It then registered. I was happy,’ he recalls.

Still, Taremwa remained cautious. Having faced challenges in previous relationships, he was reluctant to commit until he felt certain. By 2023, however, he had made up his mind. He told his parents that he believed he had found the woman he wanted to marry and asked them to pray for him.

When friendship became love

Jane says they dated for about four years, although neither of them can pinpoint exactly when their friendship turned romantic. ‘There were many occasions when we would say in a conversation, ‘I would like to talk to my friend,’ because we were still figuring out the romantic aspect, but we knew the friendship was solid, and we could count on each other no matter what,’ she explains.

This strong foundation was crucial because Jane met Taremwa during a formative stage in her life when she was still discovering who she was and what she wanted. ‘I was ‘turbulent,” she says with a laugh.

There were periods of uncertainty, especially when Taremwa left for South Africa in 2024 to pursue his Master’s degree. The long distance tested their relationship but also provided opportunities for individual growth. During this time, Jane leaned heavily on her Christian faith. ‘I found reassurance in the belief that God would complete what He had begun,’ she shares.

For both Jane and Taremwa, faith and the guidance of trusted individuals became vital when facing difficult moments. Their support system included pastors, parents, siblings, and others whose marriages and life experiences they respected.

Taremwa describes their relationship as being guided by mutual agreement and divine counsel: they communicate openly, ground their decisions in their Christian beliefs, and seek wisdom when they cannot resolve an issue on their own.

Their relationship has also taught them that commitment requires personal change. ‘The biggest lesson I learnt was to take God at His Word and to die to self,’ Taremwa explains. ‘I did not realise how much selflessness is needed to lead a fulfilled life until I committed to Jane.’

Jane’s lessons have focused on humility, patience, and the importance of asking for help. ‘If your partner is flawed, so are you. Extend the grace you expect,’ she advises.

Marriage

On August 15, 2026, their years of friendship, dating, and preparation culminated in marriage. For Jane, becoming Taremwa’s wife still feels surreal. ‘I think I tell him every single day how happy and excited I am to be his wife,’ she shares. ‘There is also a part of me that feels like we must be dreaming.’

She had not anticipated feeling more loved after marriage than she had during their years of dating, but the early days of married life have pleasantly surprised her. Taremwa describes their wedding as the most beautiful day of his life so far; however, marriage has also brought him a deeper sense of responsibility. ‘I wake up every day realising that I am no longer my own person,’ he explains. ‘I cannot think only about my activities without considering how they align with Jane’s day and mindset.’

One of the most meaningful moments of the wedding occurred during a sermon by Apostle Emma Mawejje, who described marriage as a journey of faith. For Taremwa, this message captured the essence of their relationship. ‘Even during the toughest days of our dating journey, I always told Jane, ‘We began in faith, and we shall finish in faith,” he remarks.

Jane remembers another intimate moment from their wedding. During the celebrations, the couple took a brief break to freshen up and spent about 20 to 30 minutes alone. They talked about the day, expressed their feelings, and discussed the life they hoped to build. For Jane, that quiet conversation amidst the excitement was one of the day’s most beautiful moments.

Keeping the friendship alive

For a couple whose relationship started with friendship, neither of them wants marriage to alter that strong foundation. Jane desires for them to keep dating, complimenting each other, sharing laughter, expressing gratitude, and praying together.

‘I will kiss him goodbye whenever he leaves the house. We will pray together, talk about our day, and fall in love with each other anew every morning,’ she says. Above all, she hopes they will never lose their sense of wonder about one another.

Taremwa shares that desire but adds the element of playfulness. ‘We want to approach marriage with the innocence of a child,’ he says.

For Jane and Taremwa, marriage is not the end of their journey but the beginning of a new chapter in a friendship they hope will keep growing. As they fill their ’empty pages’ with adventures, laughter, faith and shared memories, they are choosing to keep learning, loving and walking through life together.

Learning marriage together

Now, as newlyweds, Jane and Taremwa are discovering what life together looks like beyond the wedding. They pray together, try to share at least one meal each day, express gratitude and make room for affection. They also prioritise honest conversations, particularly when navigating difficult situations.

Taremwa says their communication is guided by a simple principle: ‘We talk to each other honestly, not with the intention to wound or to win,’ he says.

Jane looks forward to serving God alongside her husband and filling what she describes as a new chapter of ’empty pages’ with adventures, photographs and stories. Taremwa similarly sees marriage as an opportunity to build something of their own while learning from couples who have gone before them.

Ossiomo Power ownership crisis deepens as management denies CCETC 75% stake

The ownership crisis rocking Ossiomo Power Company, located in Ologbo, Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State, has taken a new twist, with the management declaring that its alleged Chinese partner, Jiangsu Communication Clean Energy Technology Co. Ltd (CCETC), is not a co-owner of the company.

BusinessDay reports that the ownership crisis resulted in the shutdown of the company and prevented the management of Ossiomo from operating the company by the Chinese since September 2025.

The dispute has also led to litigation both at the Edo State High Court sitting in Benin City and the Singapore International Centre for Arbitration.

It would be recalled that a top director of CCETC, who simply gave his name as Mr. W, had alleged that Uwa Igiehon, the managing director of the company, has 25 percent equity shares, which was for the land and licences, while CCETC had 75 percent.

However, speaking with newsmen in Benin City, Uwa Igiehon revealed that the relationship that existed between Ossiomo Power Company and CCETC was that of an owner (Ossiomo) and a contractor (CCETC).

Igiehon insisted that CCETC was a contractor to Ossiomo Power Company (COPC), the project company, until it switched off its engines.

He said the company is 100 percent owned by Ossiomo Power, adding that there is no direct relationship between Ossiomo Power and CCETC.

He described the alleged claim by CCETC that it has 75 percent of the shares of the power company as ’tissues of lies.’

He added that the Ossiomo Power Company is one of the corporate players within the Ossiomo Industrial Park, which acquired the landed property in Ologbo.

Igiehon explained that Ossiomo Power facilities are within the Ossiomo Industrial Park, which comprises the energy, oil and gas, metals, marine and agricultural sectors.

According to him, in 2008, Ossiomo Industrial Park acquired the site in Ologbo from Oba Erediauwa. In 2013, Ossiomo Power was incorporated as a special purpose company for power generation and transmission, and in 2015, NERC granted the company electricity generation, transmission and distribution licences.

‘In 2017, Ossiomo Power executed the Power Purchase Agreement with the Edo State government on a ‘Willing Buyer-Willing Seller’ basis.

‘In 2018, Ossiomo Power signed a Joint Venture Agreement with CCETC following the introduction of CCETC to Ossiomo Power by Sinohydro/Power China, and in 2020, Ossiomo Power commenced 24/7 power supply to its customers.

‘Between the year 2020 and 2025, Ossiomo Power supplied 24/7 electricity to millions of customers around the Benin metropolis before CCETC abruptly and violently switched off its engines, thereby stopping power production and supply.

‘But on September 5, 2025, Ossiomo Power started power supply from Ossiomo’s 100 percent-owned IPP2. Again, on October 5, 2025, CCETC used local thugs to shut down Ossiomo IPP2 and disconnected it from Ossiomo’s 33KV line.

‘Since then, our efforts to restart generation, transmission and distribution of power to our customers have been thwarted by the CCETC and its paid local thugs,’ he said.

The managing director of the company further added that CCETC has never owned any shares in the power company, stating that in 2017/2018, CCETC applied to join the project, but Ossiomo Power refused to have a direct relationship with CCETC because of lack of trust.

He further stated that the Chinese firm was supposed to contribute USD750,000 and USD53 million in equity and debt capital to the project company (COPC), but alleged that, true to the management’s suspicion, CCETC failed to meet its conditions precedent, which excluded it from being a shareholder of the company.

‘The documentation at the CAC duly confirmed Ossiomo Power as the 100 percent shareholder of COPC since August 2022.

‘The issue is that CCETC failed to fulfil its obligations and breached all the agreements. CCETC was supposed to construct a 50MW power plant for COPC, but it never constructed any power plant and, as of today, COPC does not own any power plant.

‘It’s because CCETC is aware it cannot construct a power plant of its own that they are using force to occupy Ossiomo Power facilities and using thugs to attack and vandalise our facilities,’ he alleged.

Igiehon, who also spoke on the company’s relationship with its Ologbo host community, described the relationship as cordial.

He said the relationship resulted in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the community, stressing that the MoU led to the supply of free electricity to the residents from 2021/2022 after more than six years of being in total darkness.

He said the darkness was occasioned by the disconnection of power supply by the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) over alleged non-payment of bills and vandalism.

He also added that in 2025 alone, Ossiomo Industrial Park contributed over N182 million as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to the Ologbo community.

Mbah unveils over 10,000 milestone achievements, says Enugu on course to greatness

Peter Mbah, governor of Enugu State, has unveiled a compendium of more than 10,000 milestones recorded in the first term of his administration across critical sectors of the Enugu State economy.

The compendium, entitled ‘A Thousand and One Reasons Why Mbah Should be Re-elected as Governor of Enugu State,’ was presented to the public at the International Conference Centre, Enugu.

The compendium of milestones records, among others, over 1,521 kilometres of constructed and reconstructed roads, over 7,000 classrooms, 260 Type-2 Primary Healthcare Centres, Enugu Air, the New Enugu Smart City, and the revamp of moribund assets.

Represented by Ifeanyi Ossai, deputy governor, Mbah said the compendium aligned with the Citizens Charter, also known as Executive Order 001, which he executed immediately he was sworn into office on May 29, 2023 to emphasize his administration’s commitment to accountability, traceability and transparency.

He, however, said the compendium highlighted the administration’s philosophy of disruptive innovation and its focus on large-scale infrastructure, noting that it did not contain all that had been done up to the day of unveiling.

‘Our assignment today is not just to unveil the Citizens Charter via the compendium. It is a lot more than that. It is a conversation on the sacrosanct duty and responsibility you gave to us to midwife and preside over your resources.

‘But above all, it is important to note that the document we are about to unveil does not entirely capture everything this government has done because, given the time it took to prepare this document, there was a cut-off point running months behind.

‘So, this document that we shall unveil shortly does not in any particular material represent the actual successful modest achievements of this government as at 9th of September 2026.’

He thanked those who believed in his vision and worked for his election in 2023 and urged those affected in any way by the tough decisions the administration had to make to bear with the government, assuring them that Enugu was on its way to greatness as a $30bn economy and the preferred destination for investment, business, tourism, and living.

‘I also want to thank all those who made sacrifices, who lost their friends because they felt supporting us was the right thing to do. I want to thank all those who invested their resources. I want to thank all those who took pains in very unimaginable circumstances to ensure that Enugu moves to the next level.

‘But what you must take home with you is that our intentions are noble. What we try to do is to put Enugu on a reversible path of greatness. What we try to do is to ensure that Enugu will not compete with Nigeria or within Nigeria,’ he added.

He added that the State’s fiscal architecture had undergone significant reform through revenue automation, reforms at the Enugu State Internal Revenue Service, improved financial management, the Treasury Single Account, enterprise resource planning and broader institutional restructuring.

According to him, the administration had also sustained investments in youth empowerment, women development, technology, skills acquisition, social protection, tourism, environmental sustainability and community development.

He said the ultimate goal is to improve the lives of the people.

‘Behind every project is a community; behind every policy is a citizen; and behind every statistic is a human being whose life government seeks to improve,’ he concluded.

He also stressed the importance of institutional reforms in sustaining government programmes, stating: ‘Sustainable development requires not only projects that citizens can see, but institutions and systems that can sustain those projects.’

Ben Nwoye, deputy national chairman (South) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), commended the administration for its development record and the scale of projects executed across the State.

Also, Samuel Asadu, chairman of the Enugu State Council of Traditional Rulers, equally spoke glowingly about the administration’s performance, saying a performing government should be supported to continue till 2031.

‘We have never had it so good. It is not about party. But let us give the job to those who understand the job. The governor wants to move the Enugu State economy to a $30bn economy and that is exactly what he is doing,’ he stated.

Victor Udeh, Chief of Staff to the governor, described the compendium as an evidence-based publication and a commitment to accountability.

The event brought together political leaders, traditional and religious leaders, captains of industry, professionals, public servants and other stakeholders, who commended the administration for the scale and spread of its interventions across the state.

80% of Bauchi population depends on agriculture – Governor Bala Mohammed

Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir, has said that 80 percent of the state’s population depends on agriculture for their livelihood.

The governor disclosed this during the commissioning of the Soil, Water, and Plant Science Laboratory at the State College of Agriculture along Tafawa-Balewa Road.

The facility was constructed and handed over to the Bauchi State Government by the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project.

Governor Mohammed expressed his gratitude to the ACReSAL Task Team Leader for trusting the state’s capacity to handle the procurement process.

‘Although the procurement process experienced some hiccups, suspicion, and mistrust due to the initial capacity of the contractors, I am ultimately proud of them.

‘They have done well and have gone the extra mile to ensure the work meets the required quality and expectations,’ he said.

He described the laboratory as a bastion of knowledge that would serve multiple purposes. Beyond agriculture, noted that the facility would benefit the real estate and construction sectors through advanced soil testing.

‘We have made it a policy that our infrastructure development must be guided by scientific tests to improve the structural integrity and quality of our projects,’ Governor Mohammed added.

He also extended his appreciation to the Federal Government, the World Bank, and ACReSAL for bringing the project to fruition in Bauchi State.

Also speaking at the event, the ACReSAL Task Team Leader, Joy Iganya Agene, commended the project team for establishing the laboratory.

She emphasised that the facility was created for the direct benefit of the people and to help restore agricultural productivity in the region.

‘We just inspected the greenhouse facility, where you can see the healthy nature of the vegetation and produce,’ Agene said.

She further said that ‘The foundation of successful agriculture begins with physical and chemical analysis, which is exactly what this laboratory is equipped to conduct.’