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How Kijanangoma was chosen as King of Tooro

The Babiito have revealed that the new Omukama of Tooro, Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma, was selected through a lengthy process of nomination, selection, and intensive vetting by a 21-member committee appointed by the Babiito royal clan to handle the succession of the late King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV.

Fr Charles Oyo, a member of the Babiito royal clan, a member of the 21-member succession committee and head of communications under the Office of Omujwera Musuuga, said the committee did not use a voting system to determine the next king.

Instead, the committee developed criteria that guided the identification and assessment of potential candidates from different generations of the royal family.

‘The process was quite long because we were given responsibility by the Babiito clan. There were 21 people, and we sat down and had a lot of discussions,’ Fr Oyo said.

He said the committee first established criteria to provide a basis for identifying a suitable successor before considering candidates from different generations of the royal family.

‘We looked at different generations. We did not have any child to put into consideration. Then we went to Kaboyo’s generation and to Rukidi’s generation,’ he said.

Prince Edward Kijanangoma, he explained, is a grandson of the late Omukama Rukidi III, while his father, Christopher Paul Kijanangoma, was a son of Rukidi III.

Fr Oyo said the committee considered leadership competence, education, experience and the candidates’ understanding of Tooro’s culture, rituals, customs and traditions.

‘We looked at the skills required for someone to become a leader. We considered the competencies and experience this person has, their acquaintance with the culture of Tooro, and their acquaintance with the rituals, customs and traditions of the Tooro Kingdom.’

He said the committee also assessed the ability of each candidate to listen to the people, articulate their concerns, engage the government and other stakeholders and deliver results.

The committee, he added, considered the broader social needs of the kingdom, including the need for strong families, disciplined children and culturally grounded citizens.

‘We need good families, we need good children, we need discipline, and we need cultured citizens. We cannot have cultured citizens if we do not have good families,’ Fr Oyo said.

No voting

Fr Oyo said the selection was not conducted through an election or a simple vote among members of the committee. Instead, candidates were nominated, selected and then subjected to a detailed vetting process.

‘No, no, no. We had nomination. After nomination, there was a criterion that we followed to pick out someone who is going to another stage. After nomination, we did selections. After selections, we followed with vetting,’ he said.

He said the candidates were vetted ‘seriously and critically’ before the committee arrived at a priority list; some potential candidates, he said, were contacted but declined the responsibility because of other commitments.

‘Someone has to accept and say, ‘Yes, I will, and I am going to make this happen,” he said.

According to Fr Oyo, the committee ranked the candidates in order of priority and subsequently engaged them individually.

‘The first one said, ‘No, I have responsibilities, and I am not able to be the king.’ The next one, good enough, accepted the responsibility and we allowed him to be our next king,’ he said.

This process culminated in the proclamation of Prince Edward Kijanangoma as the new Omukama of Tooro at Karuziika Palace in Fort Portal City on Wednesday evening.

Child heir

Fr Oyo also addressed claims that the late King Oyo had left a child who was destined to succeed him, saying as Babiito royal clan could not base the succession process on information circulating outside the established cultural procedures.

Fr Oyo explained that, under Tooro cultural practice, a child born into the royal family is introduced to elders, who perform ceremonies and rituals, including naming and celebration.

‘When a child is born, this child is introduced to the elders. The elders perform a number of ceremonies and rituals. They name the child; they have a celebration,’ he said.

‘When this child is destined for leadership in the kingdom, they will take this child out of the palace and bring up this child with formal training so that this child will be able to understand what the kingdom is, but also to have this child grow from one stage to another to reach a mature adult who has the capacity to make a difference.’

The late king, who ascended the throne as a three-year-old in 1995, died aged 34 after more than three decades on the throne.

Mourning continues

Fr Oyo said the proclamation of a new king does not bring mourning for the late Omukama to an end, saying the cultural system allows the kingdom to mourn its fallen king while simultaneously beginning preparations for the next reign.

‘It is a very big challenge. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be doing it if it was an ordinary family at home. We are going to continue with mourning. Yes, we have brought in a new king, but we have lost our king, and we loved him.’

He described the late Oyo as ‘a gentleman’ who was able to bring together many people and said his death at a young age had left the kingdom deeply saddened.

Fr Oyo said the kingdom would now begin consultations with different stakeholders to prepare for the coronation of the new Omukama.

He said the coronation date had not yet been fixed, but indicated that cultural preparations would follow the kingdom’s traditional counting of nine.

Algeria closes airspace to UAE aircraft after severing diplomatic ties

Following Algeria’s decision to sever diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates, the country has decided to close its airspace to all aircraft registered in the UAE, Algeria’s Ministry of National Defence said.

According to the information, the ban applies to both civilian and military aircraft.

The restrictions will not affect UAE commercial passenger flights operating to and from Algiers’ Houari Boumediene International Airport. These flights will continue to operate until the end of 2026, when the relevant contract expires.

On September 10, Algeria decided to sever diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates.

“Algeria has decided to sever diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates after all means of maintaining them had been exhausted,” the statement said.

The country’s authorities said they took the step “after all options for maintaining bilateral ties had been exhausted.”

The official reasons for the decision have not yet been disclosed.

How islamic ethical finance could unlock funding for Nigeria’s SMEs – Experts

Stakeholders in Nigeria’s financial sector have identified Islamic and ethical finance as a potential alternative funding channel for small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs), saying asset-backed and risk-sharing financing could help businesses overcome persistent access-to-capital challenges.

They spoke in Abuja on Tuesday at a press conference by OpenSpace on Islamic and ethical finance, where they highlighted the potential of non-interest finance to support business expansion, asset acquisition, investment and broader financial inclusion.

Shariah Adviser to OpenSpace Financial Services, Zubair Mughal, said Islamic finance could provide SMEs with financing linked directly to productive economic activities rather than purely financial transactions.

He said the approach could help businesses secure funds for equipment, inventory, vehicles and other productive assets required for expansion.

‘Islamic/ethical finance can help bridge this gap by offering asset-backed banking, Sukuk, Takaful, microfinance, leasing, partnership-based financing and fintech-enabled solutions that are connected to real economic activity,’ Mughal said.

Industry figures cited at the event showed that Nigeria’s non-interest finance industry reached N5.77 trillion in 2025, while sovereign Sukuk accounted for N1.19 trillion. EnterpriseNGR was identified as the source of the N5.77 trillion industry figure.

Mughal said the figures demonstrated the growing scale of the sector and the opportunity to develop more financing instruments targeted at businesses and Nigerians who remain underserved by conventional financial services.

He stressed that Islamic finance should not be viewed as a financing system exclusively for Muslims, noting that principles of fairness, transparency, responsible investment and risk-sharing could appeal to Nigerians across religious and social backgrounds.

Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of OpenSpace Financial Services, Titus Adakole Ike, said genuine financial inclusion should go beyond opening bank accounts or providing access to digital platforms.

He said inclusion should enable people and businesses to participate more fully in economic life by providing access to productive capital, asset ownership and opportunities to build wealth.

Ike said SMEs and entrepreneurs requiring productive equipment and expansion capital remained among those who could benefit from a broader ethical finance ecosystem.

He argued that the next phase of financial innovation should not be limited to digitising existing financial services but should also address the barriers preventing businesses and individuals from accessing capital and investment opportunities.

Mughal said technology could play an important role in expanding access to Islamic finance by reducing costs, simplifying processes and making financing available to a wider pool of businesses and individuals.

He also identified Sukuk as an important instrument for mobilising long-term capital, particularly for infrastructure and other productive investments.

However, industry data show that Nigeria’s non-interest capital market remains heavily concentrated in sovereign Sukuk, with corporate Sukuk still largely untapped.

Mughal, therefore, called for stronger regulatory support, effective Shariah governance, investor education, professional capacity building and greater awareness to deepen the market.

Court Remands 3 Over Alleged Conspiracy, Armed Robbery In Kano

A Kano State Magistrate’s Court No. 27 sitting in Nomansland, Kano, has ordered the remand of three men over alleged conspiracy to commit an offence and armed robbery.

The accused, AbdulAziz Kabir, Ibrahim Salisu and Sham’unu Abdu, were arraigned before the court.

The prosecutor, Maryam Halilu Dantiye, told the court that a fresh charge had been filed and asked the court to allow the defendants to hear the allegations against them.

The court granted the request, after which its clerk, Muhammad Tudun Wada, read the charge to the defendants.

The three men were accused of stopping a man along the Gwarzo Road, also known as BUK Road, while he was riding a motorcycle with his wife.

They allegedly robbed the couple at gunpoint and took away the motorcycle, said to be worth more than N1 million.

Following the reading of the charge, the court ordered that the defendants be remanded in a correctional facility until September 20, 2026, when they will be brought before the court for further hearing.

Katz warns Tehran against attacking Israel

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Iran again on Thursday against attacking Israel, claiming that any strike would trigger a “powerful response.”

“Any attack against Israel, for any reason and from any location, will be met with a powerful response that will inflict severe damage on Iran on a scale it has not experienced to date, including strikes on key energy facilities,” Katz said in a video statement.

Moreover, the Israeli minister said that such an attack on Iran would set the country back “for decades” and further undermine Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei’s regime, “which the Iranian people deeply despise and long to see fall.”

Actress Tope Osoba laid to rest in Ogun

Actress Tope Osoba was laid to rest on Thursday in her hometown of Iperu Remo, Ogun State, weeks after her death was announced.

The burial service was held at Akesan Club, Iperu Remo, after her remains were evacuated from the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Sagamu.

She was later interred at the Iperu Remo Cemetery.

Colleagues, friends and family, all dressed in white, gathered to pay their last respects to the actress.

Osoba’s death was announced on August 5, months after she underwent breast cancer surgery.

Following her passing, the family initially set August 13, 2026, for the burial, following a candlelight procession and an artistes’ tribute night in her honour on August 11.

However, the burial was postponed to allow further arrangements and the resolution of outstanding matters.

Prominent Nollywood figures present at the funeral included Foluke Daramola, Kunle Afod and Joke Jigan.

Osoba was known for her roles in Yoruba movies.

Her passing drew tributes from colleagues, who described her as dedicated and passionate about the industry.

City orders checks on 47 data centres

Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt has ordered inspections of 47 data centres to assess their energy use, safety systems and potential environmental impact on nearby residents.

Mr Chadchart said on Wednesday that the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) had instructed district offices to inspect the facilities, focusing on electricity consumption, backup fuel storage, emergency power systems, noise, heat and other potential nuisances.

The facilities are located inside commercial buildings and did not apply for licences specifically identifying them as data centres, he said. The inspections would help the BMA better understand their operations and determine how the industry should be regulated.

Mr Chadchart said six standalone data centres had applied to the BMA for operating permits. Three applications had been approved and the facilities were operating, while the remaining three had been put on hold pending clearer guidelines.

Most data centres in Bangkok are not hyperscale facilities and consume about 20 megawatts of electricity, he said. They are regulated by energy authorities and required to store 500,000 litres of backup fuel.

Mr Chadchart said any revisions to the requirements should take into account evolving technologies and operating practices.

Meanwhile, the Pollution Control Department (PCD) has investigated a complaint about the illegal dumping of industrial waste linked to the construction of a data centre in Rayong’s Ban Chang district.

Inspectors found an estimated 20 tonnes of construction waste, including bricks, stones, concrete, plastic and fibreglass, dumped across one to two rai of land. Officials said they found no evidence of the 100,000 tonnes of waste previously reported.

Ban Chang Municipality has ordered the company responsible to remove the waste and have it disposed of by a licensed operator. The removal is expected to begin today and be completed within seven days.

Going bananas over bananas

Going bananas means getting excited in a positive or negative sense. This happened in both ways for the banana industry.

Last year’s banana exports generated positive excitement. Our exports increased by 37 percent from $1.07 billion to $1.37 billion from 2024 to 2025. But given a five-year perspective, that excitement will be negative. Compared to our $3.6 billion in 2020, our exports decreased by a devastating 54 percent.

DA’s action

What is the Department of Agriculture (DA) doing about this? Plenty. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. created the Export Development Office in 2024, three months after he assumed office. Undersecretary Philip Young helped him carry out three strategic moves.

First, since there was no clear direction for the banana industry, Tiu Laurel ordered the formulation of a Banana Industry Revitalization and Export Development Plan. This was led by the private sector. Its main participants were the Philippine Banana Growers and Exporters Association (PBGEA), representing large Cavendish banana companies and the Mindanao Banana Farmers and Exporters Association, or MBFEA, representing small- and medium-sized banana growers and exporters.

Second, growers bought their costly input requirements largely on an individual basis. The DA mobilized the Food Terminal Inc. (FTI) to consolidate inputs such as fertilizer for bulk buying, with great cost savings. FTI was also harnessed to help in the other parts of the value chain.

Third, Fusarium wilt, otherwise known as the Panama disease, was the major factor in the damaging decrease in banana production. Not much was done to address this.

There is now a proposed memorandum of agreement (MOA) between Tropic and PBGEA regarding planting materials of gene-edited, disease-resistant banana varieties.

There is also a proposed MOA between the DA and the Taiwan Banana Research Institute, the main focus of which is developing banana varieties that are resistant to the Panama disease. It will also strengthen our banana industry through technology transfer, capacity development and the promotion of a sustainable and climate-resilient production system.

From almost no DA action in the past, there is now much activity. A first shipment of fresh Córdoba to New Zealand was sent out last July 11. Banana demo farms have been established in the major banana producing regions.

Revitalization

Banana Industry Export Revitalization Bill, now on its third reading in Congress, is aimed at increasing banana production to meet domestic and export requirements, strengthening cooperatives and farmer organizations and diversifying markets to regain the Philippines’ position as a leading banana exporter.

The bill provides for a banana industry development roadmap, a Banana Industry Development Council, trade and development promotion and a Banana Research Center.

While the bill awaits approval, most of its features can already be implemented with strong political will. The bill’s submission is an indication that the Executive Branch, though it has vastly improved in the last two years, can still make several more proactive moves for the banana industry.

Today, Philippine banana farmers face serious challenges. One example is market access to major markets. Japan’s tariff for Philippine bananas is 8 percent from April to September and 18 percent from October to March. This puts us at a great disadvantage compared to Vietnam and Cambodia. The tariffs for these countries are only 3.6 percent and 4.5 percent for the same periods.

Our government must now accelerate the commendable support it has given our banana industry in the last two years. It must also provide the structure and budget to support this strategy. This way, the next time we go bananas over bananas, it will definitely be in the positive, rather than the negative, direction. INQ

The author is Agriwatch chair, former secretary of Presidential flagship programs and projects and former undersecretary of the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Trade and Industry.

TotalEnergies targets 6,000bpd from new Angola oil discovery

TotalEnergies, a French major energy company, has announced a new oil discovery in Angola and signed agreements to acquire a 40 percent operating interest in two exploration blocks in the country.

The Acacia-5 discovery, located in Block 17, is expected to add 6,000 barrels per day to the company’s production, TotalEnergies said in a statement on Thursday.

The company said it plans to fast-track development of the discovery, with first oil expected within three months of the discovery made in June 2026.

The discovery comes as the company seeks to sustain and grow its oil production in Angola, one of its key upstream markets in Africa. Block 17, operated by the French company, is one of the country’s major producing assets.

TotalEnergies has also signed agreements with Angola’s petroleum regulator, Agência Nacional de Petróleo, Gás e Biocombustíveis (ANPG), to enter exploration Blocks 17/25 and 32/21 in the Lower Congo Basin.

Under the agreements, the energy company will hold a 40 percent operating interest in both blocks.

Patrick Pouyanné, chief executive officer of TotalEnergies, said on Wednesday that the company and its partners planned to invest $10 billion in Angola over the next five years.

The investment is expected to support further exploration and development of the country’s oil and gas resources.

Lassa: Oyo warns health workers, ‘treat every patient as infectious’

Oyo State government has raised the alarm over the spread of Lassa fever, warning healthcare workers to treat every patient as potentially infectious, as the state recorded five confirmed cases and one death between January and September 8, 2025.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, gave the warning while outlining the government’s preparedness and response measures against Lassa fever and other viral haemorrhagic fevers.

Ajetunmobi said Lassa fever remained endemic in some parts of the state, noting that suspected cases were now being detected beyond the period traditionally associated with outbreaks.

According to her, although Lassa fever cases are usually more common between October or November and March or April, the state continues to record suspected cases during the rainy season.

She attributed the continued risk partly to poor environmental hygiene and the presence of multimammate rats, urging residents to properly dispose of waste, seal openings in their homes, and keep food securely covered.

The commissioner disclosed that Oyo had recorded cumulatively 131 suspected Lassa fever cases between January and September 8, 2026.

She said one recent confirmed case involved a patient who tested positive for Lassa fever but had already been taken to the Republic of Benin before the result was released and health officials could intervene.

She said contact tracing was immediately initiated and extended to the port authority, with officials manning the borders urged to remain proactive and vigilant.

Another recent case involving a deceased person, she said, remained classified as suspected because there was no laboratory confirmation.

Ajetunmobi stressed that the early symptoms of Lassa fever could resemble common febrile illnesses such as malaria, making early detection and a high index of suspicion critical.

She urged residents experiencing persistent fever, headache, sore throat, vomiting, or other unusual symptoms to seek medical attention promptly and disclose relevant travel history.

The commissioner said Oyo had activated its Public Health Emergency Operations Centre to strengthen coordination and preparedness for possible outbreaks of Lassa fever, Ebola, and other infectious diseases.

She added that the state had conducted facility-level preparedness assessments to identify gaps in infection prevention and control, screening, isolation, and case management.

Ajetunmobi, however, said healthcare workers must remain particularly vigilant because of their exposure to potentially infectious patients.

‘We must not let down our own guard,’ she warned, urging health workers to use gloves, face masks, and other personal protective equipment where necessary.

‘Treat every patient as infectious,’ she said, explaining that some patients with infectious diseases might not initially present with fever.

She also stressed the importance of proper hand hygiene before and after patient contact, particularly when healthcare workers may be exposed to bodily fluids.

Beyond health facilities, Ajetunmobi said the state had strengthened community surveillance through disease surveillance officers, facility heads, and community informants.

She urged residents to ‘see something and say something,’ noting that early reporting would enable health authorities to investigate suspected cases and commence contact tracing promptly.

The commissioner said the state was also preparing public education materials in Yoruba and English, alongside billboards and other sensitisation campaigns, to promote prevention, early detection, and prompt reporting.

She further urged residents to maintain clean surroundings, protect drinking water from contamination, store food properly, and take measures to keep rodents away from their homes.

Ajetunmobi said sustained vigilance, community participation, and strict infection-control practices remained essential to protecting residents and healthcare workers from Lassa fever and other infectious diseases.