Category: Business Day

Barcelona have reportedly reached an agreement with Manchester City to sign Spain captain Rodri for a fee worth £65 million, with the midfielder set to move to Camp Nou on a four-year contract.

The 30-year-old, who won the Ballon d’Or in 2024, is expected to complete his transfer to the Spanish champions in the coming days after Barcelona beat off competition from Real Madrid for his signature.

Rodri emerged as a key target for Barcelona following Frenkie de Jong’s injury, with the Dutch midfielder expected to spend several months on the sidelines.

The Spanish international has been one of Manchester City’s most influential players since joining the club from Atletico Madrid in 2019 for a then club-record £62.8 million.

Rodri leaves City after trophy-laden spell

Rodri made 298 appearances for City during seven seasons at the Etihad Stadium, helping Pep Guardiola’s side win 12 major trophies.

His honours include four Premier League titles, two FA Cups, three EFL Cups and the Champions League, which City won in the 2022/23 season.

The midfielder’s time in Manchester was disrupted by injuries during the past two seasons. He missed much of the 2024/25 campaign after suffering a serious knee injury before later dealing with a hamstring problem.

However, Rodri returned to his best form at the World Cup, where he captained Spain to their second title and was named the tournament’s best player.

Barcelona strengthen midfield

Barcelona had reportedly seen two bids for Rodri rejected before reaching an agreement with City on Sunday.

The midfielder is expected to become one of several major additions at Camp Nou this summer as Barcelona look to strengthen their squad for the new campaign.

The Catalan club are also expected to complete a deal for Joao Cancelo after his loan spell at Barcelona last season from Al Hilal.

Rodri’s arrival would mark the latest chapter in a decorated career that has seen him establish himself as one of the world’s leading defensive midfielders and a central figure in Spain’s success.

Babafemi Ojudu, All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain has outlined 15 critical factors and individuals responsible for the party’s defeat in the Osun State governorship election.

In a detailed analysis following the poll, Babafemi Ojudu identified economic hardship, strategic errors, internal discord, and the widespread popularity of Governor Ademola Adeleke as key elements that undermined APC’s performance.

Ojudu specifically highlighted prevailing economic pressures, noting that those responsible for the widespread hunger in the land directly hurt the party’s chances at the polls.

He also pointed to external political interference, citing controversial outbursts by the Edo State Governor against Adeleke. According to Ojudu, these statements alienated local voters and strengthened support for the incumbent.

Internal management and controversial administrative decisions further eroded voter trust. Ojudu criticized the decision to freeze the Osun State Government’s accounts, stating that the move severely damaged the APC’s standing among the electorate.

He also listed controversial public statements made by party figures, including Senator Fadahunsi regarding Accord Party members, and repeated political boasting by Wole Oke. Additionally, Ojudu targeted Ero Arike for engaging in persistent public rants that harmed the party’s image.

Gboyega Oyetola, Former Osun State Governor drew significant criticism in Ojudu’s assessment. Ojudu accused Oyetola of imposing an unpopular candidate and denying APC members the opportunity to freely choose their preferred flag-bearer.

Furthermore, Ojudu argued that visiting APC governors and national leaders adopted an overbearing approach that made them appear as though they had come to conquer the state.

Beyond internal party failures, Ojudu acknowledged the opposition’s campaign strengths. He noted that Governor Adeleke’s personal charm and irrepressible dancing ability resonated strongly with the electorate.

The campaign was further bolstered by Nigerian music star Davido, whose widespread influence provided a crowd-pulling magic that mobilized massive voter support.

The Nigerian tourism industry has once again proved its resilience at this year’s edition of the annual Osun Osogbo Festival, where a mammoth crowd stormed the ancient city for 11-day cultural fiesta and religious pilgrimage.

This year’s festival, according to observers, surpassed other editions across board, especially in participation as over 500,000 people, including pilgrims, tourists, scholars, diplomats, and cultural enthusiasts from within and across the world, thronged Osogbo, the Osun State capital, on August 7, 2026, for the grand finale.

With over 50,000 foreign guests, many tourism and security experts were excited that the festival drew more foreigners this year than in the previous editions, especially South Americans, Europeans and Nigerian Diasporas, who came to celebrate a 600-year-old tradition at the Osun Sacred Grove, the second World Heritage Site in Nigeria, after Sukur in Adamawa State.

According to the observers, the mammoth crowd, especially the impressive number of foreign guests at the festival, spoke volumes on the resilience of the tourism industry, despite the many reports on the country’s insecurity challenge, which are often over exaggerated.

They also noted that the foreign guests braved the many insecurity reports, post elections violence and probably, ignored their various country’s travel advisory to attend the festival this year.

‘We keep talking down on our country, while others see potential here. I lost count of many foreigners at the festival this year, who braved security reports and their country’s travel advisory to attend. That is resilience,’ Jimoh Adigun, a tourism expert, said.

He explained further that at every election in Nigeria, there is usually uncertainty, with businesses and corporate organisations being cautious. ‘So, the festival faced that challenge too because it held a week to the Osun State gubernatorial election, with many calling to confirm if the festival will still hold,’ he said.

Bamidele Tiri-Oye, an Osogbo-based hotel manager, noted that bookings for the festival were initially very low, but picked when the government started assuring and reassuring visitors of safety during the festival.

‘We learnt that some foreigners who booked accommodation at Ibadan, canceled and moved to Osogbo a day before the grand finale of the festival. The government and the media helped in convincing them because the election is not a general one and Osun people are peaceful,’ he said.

According to Tiri-Oye, the huge turnout of attendees at the festival was so impressive that many thought it was a miracle, considering the campaigns that went violent, and actions and inactions of politicians and their supporters few days to the festival.

But Ganiyat Lukmon, a senior government official, noted that the government reached out to embassies, foreign delegations and Nigerian Diasporas to assure them of safety and peace during the festival.

‘We also reached out to royal fathers, community, women and youth leaders to ensure peaceful outing at Osun festival because the government believed that a peaceful festival on August 7th, would calm nerves in the state during the election on August15th,’ Lukmon said.

As well, Ehis Iyase, a tour operator, commended the impressive turnout at the festival, attributing it to the safety, innovations and new offerings at this year’s festival.

‘In the past five years, I have led some foreign clients from a few embassies to the festival. But, this year, the embassies were reluctant at releasing their people due to the reports on our escalating insecurity. But I went there earlier to see things myself and reported back to them. I think, that situation report convinced them, and Osun State is not an insecurity hotbed,’ he explained.

He also thinks that the organisers and their partners did well in repacking the festival this year with specific highlights for potential visitors.

‘I think Princess Alimot Moredeke Ajoke Osunbunmi was the highlight for many. The 10-year-old girl is the new Arugba. She succeeded Osuntomi Ewatomi, who served as Arugba for about 12 years before getting married,’ he said.

‘Many were eager to see her for the first time, carrying the sacred calabash of offerings and leading other devotees along the traditional mile-long procession from the Ataoja’s Palace to the sacred Osun Shrine.

‘So, the young ritual bearer, who was selected through the traditional Ifa divination process in March 2025, was top among the reason many came, especially foreigners’.

Many also think that the many corporate and cultural events pulled the local crowd, especially vibrant community villages, musical performances, and contemporary cultural exchanges.

But the visit to Nike Art Gallery at Osogbo for artifacts was a good reason to visit this year, according to Antonio Luiz, a Brazilian doctor, who has visited thrice since 2021.

For Luiz, the Osun festival reiterates Nigeria’s position as the hub of culture and entertainment in Africa.

‘We hear stories about Nigeria, but when you visit, you see a different thing. Nigeria is a great country and root of many of us in the Americas. We will keep coming to identify with our roots,’ he assured.

Lukmon urged the like of Luiz and more African Diasporas to visit even after the festival as safety is assured, while politics has never disrupted the Osun festival in its 600 years history.

I have followed with concern the national conversation generated by the reported comments of Sheikh Yahaya Jingir regarding Christians, the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket, and the religious composition of Nigeria.

As a Christian leader, public intellectual, Professor of Cybersecurity and Information Technology Management, and a patriotic Nigerian, I consider it necessary to contribute to this discussion in a manner that promotes truth, peace, constitutional order, and national unity.

First, let me state unequivocally that Nigeria belongs neither to Christians nor Muslims exclusively. Nigeria belongs to all Nigerians. Every citizen, irrespective of faith, ethnicity, region, or political affiliation, possesses equal rights and equal ownership in the Nigerian project.

Any statement that seeks to portray one religious community as superior to another, or suggests that members of another faith should ‘know their limit’ or ‘leave Nigeria,’ is contrary to the spirit of nationhood, peaceful coexistence, and constitutional democracy.

What makes this matter even more important is the fact that Nigeria remains one of the world’s most religiously diverse nations. Such diversity is not a weakness. It is a strength that must be nurtured and protected.

My position has been consistent.

It is important to remind Nigerians that I was among the earliest Christian leaders and public commentators to publicly support the Tinubu-Shettima Muslim-Muslim ticket before the 2023 general election.

On July 24, 2022, in my article titled ‘2023: My Views on Tinubu-Shettima Ticket’, I argued that religion should not be the primary criterion for selecting political leaders and that Nigerians should place greater emphasis on competence, character, capacity, leadership experience, and commitment to national development.

In that article, I wrote: ‘Religion is a spiritual affair that should not become a political tool.’

I further stated that: ‘The time has come for all Nigerians to rise to the urgent imperative to detoxify the religious content wrongly built into our politics and governance.’

I also argued that: ‘During elections, we are not required to elect leaders that will lead us to heaven but leaders that will employ all indices to chart our progress as citizens and the growth of Nigeria.’

Furthermore, I maintained that: ‘Christian, Muslim, Traditionalist or any other belief should not matter in leadership selection.’

And I concluded by urging Nigerians to vote based on competence rather than religious affiliations.

My position then was based on principle, and my position today remains based on the same principle.

The Nigerian people spoke in 2023

The outcome of the 2023 presidential election demonstrated that millions of Nigerians were willing to look beyond religious sentiments and support candidates based on broader political considerations.

The Tinubu-Shettima ticket secured victory in a highly competitive election and attracted votes from Christians, Muslims, northerners, southerners, youths, professionals, traders, and diverse segments of society. The electoral outcome showed that many Nigerians were prepared to place national leadership considerations above narrow sectarian calculations.

However, it is important to emphasize that the public support received by a Muslim-Muslim ticket must never be interpreted as public endorsement of religious superiority, religious domination, or exclusionary rhetoric.

The Nigerian electorate voted for candidates. They did not vote for religious supremacy.

Support for a Muslim-Muslim ticket is not support for religious domination

This distinction is critical.

A person may support a Muslim-Muslim ticket because of perceived competence. A person may support a Christian-Christian ticket because of perceived competence. A person may support a Muslim-Christian ticket because of perceived competence.

What must never happen is for any political arrangement to become a platform for declaring ownership of Nigeria by one faith over another.

The moment politics becomes a contest of religious domination, democracy loses its soul.

Encouraging reactions from responsible leaders

I am encouraged that numerous voices across religious and political divides have spoken against divisive rhetoric. Recent reports indicate that Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso publicly condemned the comments attributed to Sheikh Jingir, describing them as divisive and stressing that statements capable of promoting disunity must be discouraged. He further emphasised that the people of Kano do not support rhetoric that threatens national cohesion.

Reports also indicate that the comments generated criticism from Christian leaders, civil society groups, political commentators, and many Muslims who expressed concern that such statements could deepen religious tensions and undermine national unity.

Significantly, Sheikh Jingir himself has reportedly clarified that his views represented his personal opinion and not an official position of JIBWIS, one of Nigeria’s largest Islamic organisations.

These reactions demonstrate that extremist views do not represent the majority of either Christians or Muslims in Nigeria.

What Nigeria needs now

Nigeria needs bridge-builders, not wall-builders.

Nigeria needs statesmen, not provocateurs.

Nigeria needs responsible religious leaders who understand the enormous weight of their words.

Both Christianity and Islam teach accountability before God, love for neighbour, compassion, justice, and peaceful coexistence.

Neither Christianity nor Islam teaches hatred, contempt, intimidation, or the dehumanisation of others. Any interpretation of religion that promotes hatred, contempt, exclusion, or superiority over fellow human beings should find no place in any civilised society.

Neither faith teaches religious arrogance, and no faith gains honour by insulting, denigrating, or provoking another faith. At the same time, we cannot ignore the painful reality that many communities in Nigeria have suffered religiously motivated violence over the years, with substantial evidence and widespread concerns about the killing, displacement, and persecution of Christians in several parts of the country.

These painful realities should compel us to speak with greater responsibility, promote justice for all victims, and strengthen interfaith harmony rather than inflame existing tensions. The appropriate response to historical grievances is not religious triumphalism or retaliatory rhetoric, but a renewed commitment to justice, security, mutual respect, and the sanctity of every human life.

Religious leaders must therefore use their influence to heal wounds, foster reconciliation, and build bridges of understanding, not deepen divisions.

No faith gains honour by insulting another faith, and no nation prospers when its citizens are divided along religious lines.

My appeal

I respectfully call on all religious leaders, political actors, and public commentators to exercise wisdom, restraint, and responsibility in their public engagements.

I urge Nigerians to reject narratives of religious conquest, religious superiority, and religious intimidation.

Our challenge is not whether Nigeria is a Muslim country or a Christian country.

Our challenge is whether Nigeria can become a more secure, prosperous, just, technologically advanced, and united nation.

As someone who publicly supported the Tinubu-Shettima ticket before the election, despite being a Christian leader, I cannot be accused of religious prejudice. My record is clear. My convictions are well documented.

I supported the ticket because I believed leadership should be judged by competence, capacity, and vision.

I reject, however, any suggestion that support for a political ticket should be used to justify claims of religious dominance or ownership of Nigeria by any group.

Nigeria belongs equally to Christians. Nigeria belongs equally to Muslims. Nigeria belongs equally to every law-abiding citizen. We must therefore, choose unity over division, dialogue over hostility, constitutional equality over religious triumphalism, and nation-building over sectarian politics.

May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria and grant us the wisdom to preserve our unity in diversity.

The Edo State Government has said that it was currently handling more than 72 child abuse cases, with many of the reported sexual abuse cases allegedly involving fathers and their minor daughters.

The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Eugenia Abdallah, disclosed this in Benin while reviewing the ministry’s activities between October 2025 and August 2026.

Abdallah said the government was focused on protecting and rehabilitating victims while ensuring that alleged offenders were investigated and prosecuted.

She said the ministry had responded to serious cases, including allegations involving two sisters and an 11-year-old girl, providing medical and psychosocial support before referring the cases for investigation and prosecution.

The commissioner said a Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) had been inaugurated in Uromi, Edo Central, in partnership with the International Organisation for Migration, while another was being established in Auchi to ensure coverage across the state’s three senatorial districts.

She said the ministry had also intensified efforts against technology-facilitated abuse through campaigns on cyberbullying, online harassment and digital exploitation, leading to the validation of the Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence Policy Framework in June 2026.

Abdallah said a digital child welfare case management system had been introduced to improve documentation, tracking and monitoring of vulnerable children, including those in orphanages.

She added that the 2026 Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy was reviewed to address online exploitation, artificial intelligence risks and institutional abuse, while a school monitoring subcommittee was established following the incident at Igbenedion Primary and Secondary School.

The commissioner further disclosed that the ministry shut down an allegedly illegal children’s home in Owan East Local Government Area in April and handed its operator over to law enforcement.

She said the ministry also rescued a newborn in Ubiaja and reunited three children with their families, as part of its broader efforts to strengthen child protection and welfare in Edo State.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) chapter has declared a two-week warning strike over unpaid allowances and alleged failure to implement the government’s agreement with the union.

Andrew Apeh, the acting chairperson of the ASUU-ESUT branch, who announced the strike over the weekend during a media briefing at the end of the union’s congress, said the lecturers have been pushed to the wall by what it described as continued non-implementation of the FGN-ASUU agreement.

‘You will recall that this union issued a one-month ultimatum on June 30, demanding the immediate implementation of the FGN-ASUU renegotiated 2025 agreement in ESUT on or before July 31, 2026.

‘ Today, August 14, there has been zero reflection of that agreement in ESUT. Management has chosen misinformation, confusion and inaction over genuine dialogues and proper solutions,’ Apeh said.

Besides, he explained that after several approaches towards dialogue have failed, and exhaustive deliberations at the union’s congress held July 14 to 25, 2026, and pursuant to the directives and approval of the National Executive Council (NEC), of the union, the lecturers were left with no other option than to down tools.

Apeh, directed that all academic activities in ESUT should be shut down from Friday, August 14, 2026 till the expiration of the warning strike, warning that the union would not hesitate to sanction any member who violates the directive.

The ASUU-ESUT leader warned that during the warning strike, there would be no lectures, examinations, supervision or project defense, statutory meetings, and departmental activities.

Hence, he called on all the ASUU members and lecturers in ESUT to stay away from the university campuses both at Agbani and Enugu during the duration of the strike.

To ensure effective implementation, Apeh said that the union had inaugurated a monitoring team to ensure full compliance, and warned that any member of the union found within the school premises or engaging in any academic activity during this period shall be recorded as an enemy and dealt with in accordance with the union’s disciplinary provisions.

He emphasised that ASUU members in ESUT were not on strike because the lecturers love it, but because they have been pushed to the wall.

Apeh, however, appealed to Peter Mbah, Enugu State governor’s administration, ESUT council, and management to understand that their patience has expired, and called on all stakeholders to intervene immediately to save ESUT from total collapse.

Citing some of the unfulfilled promises, he mentioned the unpaid earned academic allowance (EAA) since 2009, and over 17 years of unpaid arrears, among others, as the reasons for the industrial action.

These, he said, have continued to make life unbearable for ASUU-ESUT members.

Hidden attractions in the water-locked Bonny in Rivers State are now being turned into investment. The attractions are said to have brought huge goodwill over the decades, but the Bonny Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (BonnyChamber), says it is set to convert the goodwill to investment.

Bonny is also being linked to the Caribbean zone, a link said to have been created in the slave trade era. Whereas the Caribbean zone has turned into a huge global tourism economy, Bonny has not.

Now, BonnyChamber says it is launching an ‘Orange Economy’ to boost Bonny’s 4% ($16bn) contribution to the national gross domestic product (GDP). This is because they believe that tourism is next to oil along the pipeline.

BonnyChamber is set thus to unveil what it calls ‘Discover Bonny Initiative’ which would begin on August 18 and end on 20, 2026.

Constance Nwokejiobi, President of BonnyChamber, said piloting a ‘visitor-experience’ has already begun.

Addressing newsmen in the week, Nwokejiobi said the test-running involves hiking tours along the new Bonny-Bodo Road; heritage walks through St Stephens Cathedral, tracing Bishop Ajayi Crowther’s boat hymns and ministry and the work of Bishop Holy Johnson, and the introduction of Christianity to Bonny under King George Pepple.

She named others as ecotourism excursions at Finima Nature Park, including a boardwalk rail walk and our Bio-Conservation Hub, home to two whale bones recovered from Finima Beach.

She talked on efforts to create a link between Bonny and the Caribbean, saying: ‘Our international outreach is already bearing fruit. Through Afreximbank’s support for a Caribbean corridor and bankability review, and through our participation at ACTIF alongside CAIPA representing twenty-five Caribbean nations, the Bonny Chamber has already begun attracting Caribbean investment and tourism interest to Bonny Island, turning years of research into active trade and tourism diplomacy between Nigeria and the Caribbean.’

She said the Chamber was building this for two audiences at once. ‘For Nigerians, we say: come discover Bonny, support domestic tourism, and see for yourself what our Kingdom offers.

‘For the international community, we say: Bonny Island is open, for investment, for partnership, and for visitors seeking an authentic, well managed West African destination.

‘Over the next three years, through the ‘Discover Bonny Initiative’, we will keep pushing our heritage, our hospitality and our products onto the global stage.’

The summit:

The summit has huge recognition and space for the office of the governor of Rivers State (Sim Fubara), who is known for big interest in tourism development and ecosystem. The summit would also host representatives of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy; the Rivers State Ministry of Tourism; and the Nigeria Tourism Development Authority.

It is being anchored around royalty, with the King, Asimini William Dappa Pepple III, who is Perekule XI and the Amanyanabo of Grand Bonny Kingdom.

The summit has recognition for a category termed Tier 1 partners mainly NLNG and Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited (operator of the NNPC/Renaissance Joint Venture, comprising the National Petroleum Company Limited(NNPCL), Renaissance, TotalEnergies and Agip Energy and Natural Resources (AENR). There are top investors, Tourism experts, Amenity providers, chiefs and community leaders.

Open arms:

At the media briefing, the BonnyChamber President said it was a time to through its arms open to mark a defining moment in the story of Bonny Island, a story the BonnyChamber walking with its people from inception. The story has opens onto its most ambitious chapter yet: the Bonny Island Tourism and Investment Summit 2026, taking place from 18 to 20 August 2026.

Nwokejiobi described BonnyChamber as the economic advocacy arm of Bonny Kingdom, affiliated with NACCIMA and the International Chamber of Commerce, and a consortium partner of Sealink, an SPV of NEXIM Bank.

‘Since its founding, the Chamber has stood as the private-sector voice for Bonny Island’s development, and it is the Chamber that created two of the ideas now driving this Summit: the Free Trade Zone for our Island, and the Asimini Line, now expanding beyond river cruising into light cargo vessel operations.’

She said both visions come into play within the ‘Discover Bonny’ plan being unveiled. ‘We have also worked with NLNG and Renaissance JV, which carries forward the vital JIC project, and kept faith with the Master Plan project, ensuring that as Bonny grows, it grows with structure, sustainability, and dignity for its people.

‘These efforts converge today in the ‘Discover Bonny Initiative’, our integrated, three-year strategic programme to transform Bonny Island into a premier tourism destination.’

The President said ‘Discover Bonny’ is not a slogan but a framework: ‘A Tourism Concierge Platform, a Partnership Framework spanning Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze, Community Tourism and International partnership tiers, and critically, a dedicated Tourism Centre driven by the private sector.

‘That last point deserves emphasis: sustainable tourism cannot be built by government alone. A private sector anchored Tourism Centre ensures Bonny’s tourism economy is entrepreneurial, investable, and built to outlast any single administration or partnership cycle. This matters beyond Bonny.’

Tourism is Nigeria’s Orange Economy:

She said the Orange Economy is a creative, service-driven growth engine capable of diversifying and expanding our national GDP well beyond oil and gas. ‘Bonny Local Government Area alone already contributes an estimated 4% of Nigeria’s national GDP, largely from oil and gas; our task now is to build a second, sustainable pillar alongside it, one rooted in tourism, heritage and hospitality, capable of outlasting any single resource cycle.

‘As this Summit unveils Bonny’s ecotourism, industrial, cultural and heritage sites for development, we are not only opening our Kingdom to visitors, we are opening a new front for Nigeria’s economic diversification.’

On royalty and investment appeal, she mentioned a ‘A King’s Vision, A Nation’s Endorsement’, saying the drive would be possible without the vision of the King and Amanyanabo of Bonny. ‘It is His Majesty who first saw Bonny not only as an energy and industrial hub, but as a Kingdom of heritage, hospitality and history deserving global recognition. That vision is now backed in practice, with NLNG and Renaissance standing as anchor partners translating royal vision into funded reality. We are equally honoured that the Federal Ministry of Tourism, the Rivers State Ministry of Tourism, and the Nigeria Tourism Development Authority have assessed and recognised Bonny Island’s potential as a Premier Tourism Destination in Nigeria, and we thank His Excellency the Governor of Rivers State for making tourism development a genuine pillar of his administration, alongside the continued support of the NDDC.’

The statement said the Summit also arrives at a historic moment for the Kingdom, when the King is marking his 30 years on the throne, December 21, 2026. ‘It is three decades of steady, visionary leadership that have carried Bonny from strength to strength. It is fitting that this Summit, and the Discover Bonny Initiative it launches, stand as an early tribute to that milestone, a testament in bricks, partnerships and heritage sites to a reign that has always looked toward Bonny’s future.’

The objectives of the summit were listed as four: ‘to formally launch the Discover Bonny brand and strategy to the world; to sign Tourism Partnership MOUs across every level, from Platinum anchor partners to community and international partners, turning goodwill into binding commitment; to present our three-year roadmap for infrastructure and tourism development; and to bring investors, tourism experts, government officials, amenity providers, our Chiefs and community leaders into one room, aligned on one future.’

For three days, Bonny island would be agog bringing together royal tradition, investment dialogue and the living culture of Bonny. It would be marked by courtesy visits round the island, plenary sessions, golf tournament, tours, and the famous Okoloama Fungumini Festival. This would be mounted by the Hart House Owo-Ogbo, as a special highlight. ‘It is a living showcase of Bonny’s masquerade tradition and communal celebration, and a reminder that the heritage we are asking the world to invest in is not archival, it is practised, performed and passed down among the people to this today.’

Bonny’s heritage sites, which have just been endorsed by the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), include the Perekule Royal Palace, the Ikuba Nungo ancestral square, St Stephens Cathedral, the New Bonny Consulate Building, Finima Beach and Finima Nature Park, the Old Market Square, and the Commonwealth Cemetery; alongside products including the Okoloama Fungumini Festival, the Bonny Boat Regatta, the Bonny Island Marathon, and the Ukemkpa Festival.

Investments:

BonnyChamber seeks investments in the island beyond NLNG. ‘Three Gateways to Bonny Connectivity is advancing alongside heritage. The new Bonny-Bodo Road, temporarily opened by the Honourable Minister of Works on 8 December 2025, links Bonny to the Nigerian mainland by road for the first time in roughly 600 years, completing three major gateways to the Island: by road, by air, and by sea.’

It was gathered that the explosive summit may be followed by investment plans that investors can buy into, hoping to ignite the Bonny investment avenue beyond oil and gas.

The 2026 World Conference of Zion Prayer Movement Outreach will be held next week at Zion City, the permanent site of the ministry at Mgbichi, Ngor Okpala, Imo State.

A press statement released by Zion Ministry in Lagos on Friday disclosed that the three-day crusade will begin on Friday, August 21, and end on Sunday, August 23, 2026.

The World Conference is the largest annual gathering organised by Zion Prayer Movement Outreach and attracts participants from across Nigeria, Africa, Europe, North America, Asia, the Middle East and others parts of the world.

It is the Third time the annual conference will be held outside Lagos, and the crusade will mark the end of the 100 Days Fasting and Prayer started in May by the ministry. Like in previous editions, hundreds of thousands of Zionites from across the world are expected to attend this year’ conference.

The Annual 100 Days Fasting and Prayers is one of the ministry’s most significant spiritual programmes during which members engage in a season of prayers, fasting, worship, Biblical reflection, thanksgiving and fellowship. The programme culminates in the closing World Conference drawing worshippers, pilgrims, clergy, volunteers and media representatives.

The Spiritual Director of Zion, Evangelist Chukwuebuka Anozie Obi, said that the crusade is expected to record thousands of people giving up their lives to Christ, awesome miracles, instant healings, deliverance from bondage, salvation of souls and verifiable testimonies.

Religion has always shaped societies. It has inspired hope, built schools, established hospitals and brought communities together. Yet history also shows that religion has, at times, intersected with politics, diplomacy and the strategic interests of powerful states.

In today’s increasingly interconnected world, that intersection of state, politics, and religion deserve thoughtful public discussion rather than emotional reactions.

Nigeria is one of the world’s most religious countries, with millions of practicing Christians. Also, the constitution guarantees freedom of religion, which remains one of the country’s greatest democratic strengths.

However, protecting religious freedom does not mean avoiding legitimate conversations about the broader context in which some foreign religious institutions operate. As global competition increasingly extends beyond trade, military cooperation and diplomacy, analysts say religion, culture, education and humanitarian engagement have become important instruments of international influence.

This debate has gained renewed attention following the expansion of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) across Africa.

The Orthodox churches are geographically organised into patriarchates, with Africa considered part of the Patriarchate of Alexandria and thus belonged to the Greek Orthodox. It also consists of autocephalous (independent) churches, each of which has its own local tradition and are distinguished by language of worship.

In December 2021, the Moscow Patriarchate established the Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa after breaking with the ancient Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria over the latter’s recognition of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

What initially appeared to be an internal dispute within global Orthodoxy has since developed into a geopolitical contest that seeks expansion into Sub-Saharan Africa. today, the ROC is slowly gaining inroads into Africa, overseeing hundreds of parishes across more than 30 African countries, including Nigeria.

‘In Africa, the Russian Orthodox Church has been present for many years, primarily within Russian diplomatic missions,’ Regina Elsner, a Roman Catholic theologian and professor of Eastern Church Studies and Ecumenism at the Ecumenical Institute, Faculty of Catholic Theology at the University of Munster, told DW in a recent published article.

Since gaining inroad into Africa, ROC has established churches, recruited African clergy, and launched humanitarian projects, expanded theological education by sending African seminarians to Russia for training.

In Nigeria, the Church has begun constructing its first church building in Benue State as part of its growing presence on the continent. For many observers, these developments may simply represent another Christian denomination carrying out missionary work.

According to Elsner, the influence of the Orthodox Church was less of direct Russian propaganda and more of a subtle promotion of Russian interests. ‘Since 2022, this presence has been expanded with its own ecclesiastical structure and the claim to be the only true Orthodox Church for the African continent.’

Elsner added that Russia and the ROC have been active defenders of the persecuted Christians in many African countries for many years, which has earned the Russian Orthodox Church great sympathy among persecuted Christians.

The debate, however, extends beyond theology

Researchers, governance and policy institutes are currently examining whether the Russian Orthodox Church also functions as an element of Russia’s broader soft power strategy in Africa. Soft power refers to a country’s ability to influence other nations through attraction, culture, education, religion and values rather than through military or economic pressure.

Several international studies have highlighted the close relationship between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian state. Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Church, has publicly supported many policies of President Vladimir Putin, including Russia’s actions in Ukraine.

Analysts argue that this relationship makes it difficult to separate some of the Church’s international activities from Russia’s wider foreign policy objectives.

The Church, however, strongly rejects suggestions that it acts on behalf of the Russian government. Its leaders maintain that their mission in Africa is pastoral, humanitarian and educational.

These differing perspectives underline why the issue deserves careful examination rather than sweeping conclusions. Russia is not unique in employing soft power.

The question for Nigeria, therefore, is not whether foreign countries seek influence, they all do, but whether existing transparency mechanisms are sufficient whenever foreign organisations, including religious ones, establish long-term operations within the country.

This question becomes particularly important because religious institutions enjoy exceptional public trust – that influence carries responsibility. Churches educate children, provide healthcare, respond to humanitarian emergencies and influence public opinion.

Transparency should not be viewed as hostility towards any faith or denomination. Rather, it is an essential feature of democratic governance. Nigerians have a legitimate interest in understanding how foreign-funded organisations operate, where funding originates, how leadership structures function and what international partnerships exist.

Importantly, this conversation should not be interpreted as questioning the sincerity of believers who worship in Russian Orthodox churches or any other denomination. Faith remains a deeply personal matter protected by Nigeria’s Constitution.

Instead, the discussion concerns institutions and the increasingly complex ways international influence operates in the twenty-first century.

Modern competition increasingly relies not only on military alliances or economic investments but also on education, media, culture, humanitarian assistance and religious engagement.

Nigeria’s response should be measured rather than emotional

Nigeria should continue to protect religious freedom without reservation while encouraging transparency, accountability and public understanding wherever foreign organisations establish a lasting presence.

These objectives are not contradictory. In fact, transparency strengthens trust by reassuring citizens that institutions operate openly and in accordance with Nigerian laws. A mature democracy does not fear difficult conversations. It welcomes informed debate supported by evidence rather than speculation.

As Nigeria deepens its engagement with partners from around the world; policymakers, religious leaders, academics and civil society organisations all have roles to play in ensuring that foreign partnerships, whether commercial, educational, cultural or religious, serve the country’s long-term interests.

The issue today is not whether Nigeria should welcome foreign religious organisations. It should – provided they respect the country’s laws, values and constitutional protections.

The more important question is whether Nigeria is prepared to understand the wider geopolitical environment in which such organisations operate.

Religious freedom and national sovereignty need not compete. Both can be protected through openness, accountability and consistent standards that apply to everyone.

When faith meets geopolitics, asking thoughtful questions is not an act of suspicion. It is an act of responsible citizenship.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the rapid spread of deepfakes are emerging as a new threat to Nigeria’s 2027 general election, with experts warning that synthetic audio, videos and images could distort political narratives, inflame tensions and undermine public confidence in the electoral process.

The warning comes as the country prepares for another highly contested election in an environment where millions of Nigerians rely heavily on social media platforms, particularly WhatsApp, Facebook and X, for political information.

From cloned voices to fake INEC notices, artificial intelligence could turn millions of mobile-phone screens into a new battleground for electoral trust.

Nigeria’s 2027 election is shaping up to have a new battlefield: artificial intelligence.

Deepfake videos, cloned voices, fabricated photographs and bogus Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) notices could flood social media and messaging platforms, confusing voters and deepening distrust in the electoral process.

INEC has identified AI-driven disinformation, social-media volatility and foreign information manipulation among emerging threats to the election.

The danger lies in speed. A fake video showing an INEC official announcing a change in voting arrangements could reach millions before the commission responds. A fabricated result sheet could trigger rigging allegations, while a cloned voice could falsely appear to belong to a candidate or electoral officer.

Candidates are also vulnerable. AI-generated recordings could falsely depict a politician withdrawing from the race, endorsing an opponent or making inflammatory statements.

Experts warn of the ‘liar’s dividend’, when genuine evidence is dismissed as fake because deepfakes have become commonplace.

The challenge for INEC, therefore, extends beyond counting votes. It must win the information war quickly enough to remain the most trusted source of election information.

News organisations and political parties face a similar responsibility. Publishing unverified AI-generated material could transform falsehoods into national headlines, while parties that weaponise deepfakes against rivals could eventually become targets themselves.

The greatest danger may emerge on election day, when fake messages claiming polling has been suspended, fabricated images of violence or false results could spread rapidly.

AI can also provide part of the defence through tools that detect manipulated content, identify coordinated campaigns and accelerate the distribution of verified information.

Nigeria’s 2027 election may be decided at polling units, but the battle for public trust could begin much earlier on millions of mobile-phone screens.

A recent report by SBM Intelligence found that 66.5 percent of Nigerians are concerned that AI-generated misinformation could undermine the credibility of the 2027 election.

Unlike traditional misinformation, deepfakes can make fabricated material appear remarkably authentic.

A cloned voice can be made to sound like a presidential candidate, while AI-generated video can depict a politician or electoral official saying or doing something that never happened.

Experts say the danger may be greatest in the final hours before voting, when false information can spread faster than election authorities and fact-checkers can respond.

Ethnic and political tensions

One major concern is the use of AI-generated material to inflame existing political, ethnic or religious divisions.

A fabricated audio recording in which a candidate appears to insult a particular ethnic group, for instance, could be circulated through WhatsApp groups shortly before voters head to polling units.

Even if the recording is later proven false, analysts warn that the damage may already have been done.

The technology could also be used to impersonate political parties, candidates, journalists and community leaders, making it increasingly difficult for voters to distinguish genuine statements from fabricated ones.

Fake results, fake officials

Another potential threat is the creation of fake election results.

AI-generated videos or images could be used to impersonate officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), falsely announce results or claim that a particular candidate has been declared winner.

Such material could create confusion at a time when Nigerians are already waiting anxiously for official results.

The danger extends beyond fabricated videos. Altered screenshots, fake result sheets and manipulated images could circulate online and give the impression that official electoral records have been changed.

The ‘liar’s dividend’

There is also a more subtle danger: the possibility that genuine evidence will be dismissed as artificial.

This phenomenon, often described as the ‘liar’s dividend,’ occurs when people exploit widespread awareness of deepfakes to deny authentic recordings or evidence.

As synthetic media becomes more common, a politician facing a genuine recording could simply claim that the material was AI-generated.

That could turn the 2027 election into a contest not only over political facts but also over what voters believe is real.

INEC’s response

INEC has acknowledged the growing threat posed by artificial intelligence and disinformation and has taken steps to strengthen its technological capacity.

The commission has approved an Artificial Intelligence Division within its ICT structure, with the aim of using technology and data to detect emerging threats and possible electoral manipulation.

However, analysts say the effectiveness of such a unit will depend on how quickly INEC can acquire sophisticated detection tools and develop the expertise required to monitor rapidly evolving AI-generated content.

Nigeria’s existing digital electoral infrastructure could also become a target for misinformation.

Systems such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the IReV portal are central to the country’s electronic electoral processes. While these systems are designed to support election administration and transparency, fabricated screenshots or misleading claims about their operations could spread rapidly online.

A race against time

The challenge facing election authorities is that fact-checking often takes longer than misinformation takes to spread.

A fake video posted minutes before voting could be viewed thousands or even millions of times before authorities issue a correction. By then, the correction may reach only a fraction of those exposed to the original claim.

This has prompted calls for closer cooperation between INEC, telecommunications companies, social media platforms, civil society groups and fact-checking organisations.

Analysts have also recommended monitoring unusual surges in coordinated messaging and bot activity, particularly during sensitive periods of the election.

Voters as the first line of defence

Beyond technology, experts say public awareness will be critical.

Voters will need to develop the habit of checking the source of sensational political material before sharing it, particularly when a message appears designed to provoke anger, fear or ethnic hostility.

Digital literacy campaigns could help citizens recognise common warning signs, including suspicious accounts, manipulated images, unverifiable claims and videos that appear without an identifiable original source.

The 2027 election, therefore, may present a new kind of electoral contest, one in which the battle for votes is accompanied by a parallel battle over digital reality.

Artificial intelligence itself is not inherently a threat to democracy. The same technology can assist election monitoring, information analysis and the detection of coordinated disinformation.

The challenge for INEC and other stakeholders will be ensuring that those legitimate uses of AI are not overwhelmed by its misuse.

With the election approaching, the question may no longer be whether deepfakes will appear in Nigeria’s political space, but whether electoral institutions and voters can identify and contain them before they influence events on the ground.