Category: Business Day

The agitation by education workers for the removal of Tunji Alausa, the Minister of Education, intensifies over the handling of the King’s College, Lagos, concession, and other issues within the ministry, as experts argue over realities and criticisms.

As the controversy deepens, questions are being raised over the basis of the grievances, the realities on the ground and whether the competing claims accurately reflect the state of the education sector.

Isa Pantami, a professor of Cybersecurity, and former minister of communications and digital economy, argued that removing the minister, who he described as a reform-minded person, will not help Nigeria’s education sector.

‘The evidence of his stewardship is verifiable. Through the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI), the minister has restored focus and transparency to the sector. His most defining reform is the bold shift from certificate to skills.

‘By repositioning Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), as central to national productivity, he has enrolled over 150,000 trainees in more than 1,600 centres, introduced biometric verification to ensure transparency in funding, and expanded training into Artificial Intelligence, robotics, renewable energy and cybersecurity,’ Pantami said.

Other notable achievements of Alausa include the unveiling of the digital academy, and championing digital reforms that tackle age-long problems.

These reforms include the automation of result collection and transcript processes to curb fraud and delays, the launch of the School Safety Portal with the NSCDC for real-time monitoring of schools, the raising of textbook quality standards, the restoration of History as a core subject, and the facilitation of transnational education partnerships.

Besides, the minister placed teachers at the centre of reform through the National Teacher Summit, the Edurevamp professional development platform, the extension of retirement age to 65, and the commitment to pay TRCN licensing fees for public school teachers.

Isaiah Ogundele, an administrator, described the agitation as bigotry, tribalism or animosity.

‘The issue is not farfetched, the people agitating are the antiprogress people that a feeding fat on the calamity befallen educational system every day.

‘There should be a committee that the government might have put in place to sample the opinion of the people where they are for or against the ideas,’ he said.

Some stakeholders, however, argue that since the appointment of Alausa as minister of education in October 2024, the federal government has announced a series of measures aimed at restructuring Nigeria’s education system, improving access to tertiary institutions, expanding technical education and addressing infrastructure deficits.

However, they fear that several of the policies have generated strong opposition from workers, parents, teachers, academics, school proprietors and education rights advocates.

Beyond the King’s College controversy, Alausa’s tenure has been marked by reforms and policies in basic education, tertiary admissions, technical education, examinations, teacher development, digital learning and education financing that sparked controversies.

The increase in secondary school examination fees generated is another policy that stirred major controversy.

In some quarters, the minister is being accused of neglecting workers welfare, promotions and funding.

The federal government had raised the registration fees for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination and the National Examinations Council Senior School Certificate Examination to N50,000. The proposed charge represented an 82 percent increase over the previous N27,500 fee.

Other arguments against the minister include the decision to cancel the 2022 National Language Policy, which generated debate. The previous policy prescribed the use of the mother tongue or language of the immediate community as the medium of instruction at the foundational level.

But his administration reversed the policy and retained English as the principal medium of instruction. This, the minister defended by pointing to implementation difficulties and poor examination outcomes.

Moreover, the minister sparked controversy when he said the government was working with universities to phase out courses considered poorly aligned with labour market needs.

This decision attracted attention because he warned students against investing in programmes he considered unlikely to lead to meaningful employment.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities warned the government against scrapping university courses it considered ‘irrelevant’.

ASUU’s Bauchi Zone described the proposal as ‘bizarre’ and argued that academic disciplines cannot simply be judged by their immediate employment prospects.

For Christopher Nmeribe, a teacher, the most useful way to look at the agitation is to separate the criticisms from his achievements.

According to the educationist, the King’s College concession is a legitimate basis for serious criticism, but that, by itself, does not establish that the minister should be removed despite the broader record of his administration.

‘The controversy is real and substantial. The Federal Government says King’s College has not been sold, that government retains legal ownership and oversight, while the proposed 35-year concession would give the Old Boys’ Association responsibility for financing, rehabilitation, operation and maintenance. The arrangement has nevertheless triggered strong opposition from workers, parents and other stakeholders, including calls for Alausa’s removal.

‘Interestingly, the government and unions have now agreed to a two-week suspension of implementation and a committee to review/negotiate the agreement. That creates an opportunity to examine the substance rather than allow the controversy to become a simple personality battle,’ he noted.

Nmeribe recommended some yardsticks determine either the minister stays or removed; policy outcomes, not policy announcements. How much have reforms actually improved learning, access, skills acquisition, infrastructure and educational quality?

‘His ministry points to initiatives such as TVET expansion, STEMM investment, NELFUND, teacher development, digitalisation and measures addressing out-of-school children. These should be assessed against measurable results rather than merely counting programmes.

‘The King’s College question is important here. Was the concession transparently negotiated? Were stakeholders adequately consulted? Is value for money demonstrable? Are staff protected? Are there enforceable performance indicators and termination/step-in provisions?’ he queried.

Above all, he said the strongest test is not how many policies have been launched but whether the Nigerian child is learning better, staying in school, acquiring useful skills and graduating into meaningful opportunities.

Historically, visual narratives of African cities were often shaped by external media and interests.

Through projects like Eyes of a Lagos Boy and now Lagos Then and Now, Bolaji Alonge, visual historian and documentary photographer, uses rephotography to build a local archive centered on the perspectives of the people who know the city best.

Rephotography, the practice of taking a modern picture of a site from the exact location used in an archival photograph is rapidly transforming how we record urban history.

His Lagos Then and Now collection brings these past and present perspectives together allowing people experience the city’s ongoing transformation firsthand.

For a rapidly evolving metropolise like Lagos, Alonge, uses rephotography to offer an essential framework to document history as it happens, creating a locally grounded visual record of urban growth.

Rather than simply taking pictures of a city as it stands today, this approach turns everyday photography into a tool for tracking physical and social transformation over time.

The Art of ‘Then and Now’

Creating these before-and-after visual records requires considerable patience and historical research such as sourcing old archival photographs, locating the precise spot where the original photographer stood, matching the exact camera angle, and capturing the contemporary view.

He uses this technique to directly track how the city’s streets and neighborhoods have evolved across generations.

Placing historical and modern photos side-by-side reveals the rapid pace of urban development. Old landmarks disappear to make way for modern high-rises, and quiet streets turn into busy thoroughfares. In some areas, concrete has completely replaced green spaces, while in others, trees have surprisingly grown where there used to be none.

Generating nostalgia and public debate

Reactions to these comparative photos show how deeply residents care about their city’s past.

However, nostalgia often shapes how these changes are perceived.

When an old photo shows a quiet, leafy street that has since become a crowded business area, people usually complain about what was lost.

On the other hand, when modern improvements make a location cleaner or more functional, few people notice.

This highlights how collective memory often leans on romanticized impressions of the past rather than objective physical shifts.

According to Alonge, ‘These visual pairings regularly spark lively debates online. Viewers share personal memories, discuss city planning policies, and debate government decisions, using the images to evaluate where Lagos came from, who directed its changes, and what its future development should prioritize’.

Preserving visual history from within

Applying this method locally, and in global cities like London, New York, Marseille, and Barcelona, it highlights a broader truth, which is that sustained urban photography is fundamentally a way of capturing time.

For instance, a simple photo of a normal street corner today might seem ordinary now, but in twenty or thirty years, it could serve as the only surviving evidence of a neighborhood that no longer exists.

While these visual comparisons have gained widespread engagement online, the project is set to expand beyond digital space.

From KPMG Nigeria to building a household name in Nigeria’s event industry, Michael-Ojo continues to shape the business of experiences, hospitality and event culture across Nigeria and beyond.

From consulting to building one of Nigeria’s most recognised cocktail and experiential hospitality businesses, Jumoke Michael-Ojo has spent 14 years navigating the realities of entrepreneurship. As Mandies Cocktails earns its fourth Cocktail Company of the Year recognition and Michael-Ojo is named to the Event Industry Power List for a second consecutive year, she reflects on building a business, reading a changing consumer, reinventing herself and thinking beyond the next milestone.

You left a career at KPMG to build Mandies at a time when entrepreneurship was a very different proposition in Nigeria. What did you see that others perhaps didn’t?

I saw an opportunity to build something that didn’t yet have a fully defined category. At the time, cocktails were largely treated as one component of an event rather than as an experience or a specialised business in their own right. I believed there was room to change that.

But I also think entrepreneurship requires you to see beyond what currently exists.

If you only build around what the market already understands, you may create a good business, but you may not create a category.

Leaving KPMG was therefore not simply a decision to become an entrepreneur. It was a decision to bet on my ability to identify an opportunity, build around it and educate the market along the way.

That was a very different kind of risk from what I was used to in consulting.

In Consulting, you advise businesses. With Mandies, I became responsible for building one. And that distinction changed me.

Fourteen years is long enough for an entire market to change. What has changed most dramatically in the Nigerian consumer?

The Nigerian consumer has become far more sophisticated. People are more exposed, more informed and more willing to question what they are paying for. But sophistication doesn’t necessarily mean people will spend more across the board. It means they are becoming more selective about where they spend. That distinction matters.

People will pay a premium when they perceive meaningful value whether that value is quality, convenience, status, emotional connection, experience or simply the feeling that something has been thoughtfully designed for them.

This is why I don’t believe Nigerian businesses should approach the consumer simply through the lens of price. The more interesting question is: What makes your offering worth choosing ? That is where many businesses still have work to do.

Mandies has won Cocktail Company of the Year four times, across different economic and industry cycles. What has allowed the business to remain relevant?

We have never assumed that what made us relevant yesterday automatically makes us relevant tomorrow. That mindset is important. A business has to be willing to examine itself repeatedly.

What are customers expecting now? What has changed? What are we doing because it still creates value, and what are we doing simply because it is familiar?

That last question is particularly difficult for established businesses.

Success can create its own form of complacency. The danger is that you become attached to the formula that made you successful rather than the principles that made you successful.

For us, the principle has always been to create a strong experience and remain responsive to the market.

The expression of that principle can change. The principle itself shouldn’t.

What is the difference between surviving for 14 years and actually building something enduring?

Survival is largely about resilience. Endurance requires relevance. You can survive difficult years by cutting costs, working harder and waiting for conditions to improve. But if you want a business to endure, you have to keep earning the right to exist in the market.

That requires reinvention. It also requires accepting that the business you started may not be the business you eventually become. I think founders sometimes become emotionally attached to their original idea. But businesses have lives of their own. Your responsibility is not necessarily to preserve the first version of the company. Your responsibility is to preserve the value it creates while allowing the organisation to evolve.That has been one of the biggest lessons of my journey.

You have spoken about reinvention. What has had to change most the business, the market or you?

Me.

The business can only evolve as far as the person leading it is willing to evolve.

In the early years, entrepreneurship is often about proving that the idea works.

You are doing everything, selling, managing clients, solving operational problems, building the team and protecting cash flow. But there comes a point when the founder has to ask a different question:

What does the business need from me now that it didn’t need from me five years ago? That requires personal reinvention.

I had to move from being primarily an operator to becoming more intentional about leadership, strategy, people and the long-term direction of the business.

And I continue to evolve. I don’t think a founder ever really arrives.

What has entrepreneurship taught you that no corporate position could have taught you?

Consequences. In corporate life, you can make an excellent recommendation and someone else ultimately owns the execution. As an entrepreneur, the decision comes back to you.

If you hire the wrong person, you deal with it.

If you misread the market, you pay for it.

If you invest at the wrong time, you learn from it. If you make the right decision, you also have to build the systems to make that decision valuable.

That experience has made me much more comfortable with uncertainty. I have learned that leadership isn’t about always knowing the answer. It is about being able to make a decision with incomplete information, learn quickly and take responsibility for the outcome.

What do you think Nigerian entrepreneurs sometimes misunderstand about growth?

We sometimes confuse visibility with growth. Because social media has made visibility measurable, it is easy to start believing that attention is the same thing as business performance.

It isn’t. A business can have enormous visibility and weak economics. It can have a large audience and poor customer retention. It can be culturally relevant and operationally fragile.

Real growth has to eventually show up in the fundamentals, the strength of the product, customer relationships, people, systems, margins and ability to create value repeatedly. I think the next generation of Nigerian businesses has to become much more sophisticated about that distinction. We shouldn’t just be trying to build brands people know.

We should be building organisations that can last.

What does the evolution of Nigeria’s event industry tell you about the country’s wider economy?

It tells me that there is a significant economy around experiences that deserves to be taken more seriously.

Events are often dismissed because people associate them with celebration and entertainment.

But behind a major event is an entire network of businesses and professionals in hospitality, food and beverage, fashion, production, technology, logistics, design, media, entertainment and creative services.

What we are seeing is the gradual professionalisation of that ecosystem.

People are specialising. Consumers are demanding more. Businesses are developing clearer propositions. And there is increasing recognition that experience itself has economic value.

I think the opportunity now is to move from an industry that is largely relationship-driven and personality-driven into one that is also increasingly system-driven, knowledge-driven and institutionally stronger. There is enormous room for that.

You are now recognised on the Event Industry Power List for a second consecutive year. What does recognition mean to you at this stage of your career?

At this stage, recognition means less to me as a personal achievement and more as an indication of contribution. I am grateful for it, of course. But after 14 years, what matters to me is the body of work behind the recognition.

I entered this industry in 2012. I have watched businesses emerge, disappear, evolve and reinvent themselves. I have watched consumer expectations change and I have had to change with them.

So being recognised again is a reminder that longevity itself has value.

There is something powerful about remaining committed to a craft long enough to see an industry transform around you. I also think recognition comes with responsibility. If you have accumulated experience, you should be thinking about what you can contribute with that experience, not simply what you can gain from it.

What does being an industry builder mean to you?

It means understanding that your success does not exist in isolation.

Every business contributes, in some way, to the environment in which other businesses operate.You create standards. You train people. You influence consumers. You introduce ideas. You create opportunities.

And eventually, people who entered the industry after you may build on something you helped establish.

That is what industry building means to me. It is not about being the loudest person in the room. It is about leaving the room different from how you found it.

You have spent 14 years building Mandies. Do you think founders should build one thing deeply or pursue multiple opportunities?

I don’t think there is a universal answer.

The more important question is whether the opportunity is connected to your capabilities, your resources and the stage of your life.

There is a temptation today to build many things because entrepreneurship is often presented as a portfolio of exciting ideas. But focus has enormous value. You need enough time with a business to understand its economics, its customers and its potential.

At the same time, founders should not be afraid of evolution. Sometimes the next opportunity emerges from the capabilities you developed while building the first business. So I don’t think the choice is necessarily between focus and diversification. It is about sequencing.

You don’t have to build everything at once.

What does ambition look like to you now, compared with when you started?

When I started, ambition was largely about achievement.I wanted to prove that I could build something.

Today, ambition is more expansive.

I think about influence, institutions, people, ideas and the kind of opportunities I can create.

There is a point in entrepreneurship where the question changes you think about legacy, but not legacy in the abstract sense.

It makes you think about what remains when you are no longer the person doing everything.

What would you say to a young Nigerian woman contemplating the leap from a secure career into entrepreneurship?

I would tell her not to romanticise entrepreneurship. It can be incredibly rewarding, but it is also demanding.

Don’t leave a job simply because entrepreneurship looks glamorous from the outside. Leave because you have developed a conviction about something you want to build and then prepare yourself for the work required to make that conviction real. Build your financial understanding. Learn how businesses actually make money. Understand your customer. Develop a skill that gives you leverage. Build relationships.

And perhaps most importantly, don’t measure your journey only against other people’s timelines. There is no prize for becoming successful quickly and burning out. The real opportunity is to build a life and a business that can compound.

After 14 years, what are you building toward now?

I am building toward significance, and I don’t mean that in terms of being famous. I mean building businesses, ideas and platforms that have a life beyond a particular moment. Mandies is one chapter of that journey.

The experience has given me capabilities, relationships, perspective and a much deeper understanding of business and people. I want to take those lessons into the next chapter.

I am interested in building things that solve meaningful problems, developing people, contributing to industries and creating opportunities that did not exist before.

The first 14 years taught me how to build a business but I think the next chapter is about asking a bigger question: What can I build with everything I now know?

If you could distil 14 years of entrepreneurship into one lesson, what would it be?

Don’t confuse the version of yourself that started the journey with the person you need to become to finish it. Your original vision may get you started, but your ability to learn, adapt and grow will determine how far you can go. And I think that is where the most exciting part of the journey begins.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has warned politicians participating in the 2027 general elections against manipulating the electoral process or engaging in misconduct in the pursuit of victory.

Jonathan gave the warning at a public lecture organised to mark the 80th birthday of Kanu Agabi (SAN), former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.

His remarks came as political parties and candidates intensify preparations for the 2027 elections, with the presidential campaign season already underway.

The former president, who conceded defeat to the opposition in the 2015 presidential election, said politics has established rules that must be respected by all contestants.

Jonathan said, ‘In politics, it is a disaster. People do stupid things, also even criminal things, and they will tell you it is politics. It is not politics. Politics has rules.’

He likened electoral contests to a football match, stressing that candidates must operate within the rules governing elections.

‘Politics is like a soccer match. You play according to the rules, and that is why the courts step in to mediate if you go against the rules. Otherwise, you can do anything and win an election and walk away,’ he said.

Jonathan also spoke on corruption, saying Nigeria’s anti-corruption challenge cannot be solved solely through legislation or the activities of law-enforcement agencies.

According to him, the country must develop a culture in which ethical conduct is valued and public office is regarded as a trust.

‘The challenge before Nigeria is not simply to make laws against corruption. It is to build a culture in which ethical conduct becomes the norm, where public office is treated as a trust, and where institutions are strong enough to uphold accountability,’ he said.

Recalling his experience in Rwanda, Jonathan said social norms in the country discourage public officials from accepting gifts that could compromise public trust.

Jonathan further urged Nigerians to take collective responsibility for fighting corruption, stressing that the task should not be left solely to statutory agencies.

‘All of us Nigerians have a major role to play if we want to suppress corruption, not just the bodies established by law to discipline and punish those who do it,’ he said.

He also underscored the role of the judiciary and other institutions in enforcing accountability and ensuring that violations of established rules attract appropriate consequences.

Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, minister of Interior, has again found accolades from a section of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State on his performance in office.

The commendation came from some members of the Rivers’ APC who said Tunji-Ojo was some of silent achievers in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration whose performance has ramped up credit and respect for the President.

Darlington Nwauju, a Rivers’ APC stalwart, declared the Interior Ministry under Tunji-Ojo as the most dedicated, visionary and committed organ of the present administration to the service of Nigeria and Nigerians in the past three years.

This assessment was said to be based on the first three years for the first batch of Ministers appointed by President Tinubu after the ministers marked three years in office by August 2026.

Nwauju recalled that President Tinubu had appointed 45 Ministers into cabinet including Tunji-Ojo who hails from Ondo State, and assigned him to a once unpopular Ministry, a Ministry consigned to making announcement of national public holidays.

In the last three years, however, the Interior Ministry underwent measurable reforms and even in a particular instance in 2025, received parliamentary commendations for surpassing the revenue generation target set for it by the National Assembly for the 2024/25 fiscal year.

Nwauju said: ‘For those of us who believe that there is a serious need to deliberately inject fresh blood into every leadership stratum in this country, Dr Tunji-Ojo stands as empirical evidence, having been tried and having delivered beyond the imaginations of naysayers.

‘The Interior Minister remains a pride to the people of Ondo, the youth demographic in the country, and a silver lining for visionary and impactful leadership.’

Nwauju recalled that this Minister hit the ground running as soon as Tunji-Ojo got appointed, by mobilising funds through corporate social responsibility to the tune of N585 million to pay court fines and compensations for 4,068 indigent inmates in November 2023, as part of measures to decongest Nigeria’s custodial centres nationwide.

‘Besides, in furtherance of prison reforms, several Masters, undergraduate and PhD candidates have successfully completed their studies with numerous others enrolling for NABTEB/NECO exams.

‘Other empirically verifiable projects/policies like the remodeling/upgrade of the National Fire Academy; launch of ECOWAS national biometric identity card (ENBIC); a new NIMC Act 2026 empowering NIMC as the mother certification authority for Nigeria’s National Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI).’

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has denied allegations that it issued a fresh international passport to Rebecca Godwin-Isaac while she was facing trial before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

It stated that the document was issued about four months before her arraignment.

The Service said the passport, number B51450551, was issued to Godwin-Isaac on February 15, 2025, following her application for renewal, while she was arraigned before the Federal High Court, Abuja, on June 18, 2025.

The NIS, in a statement signed by Akinsola Akinlabi, its Public Relations Officer, described reports suggesting that the passport was issued during her trial as ‘false and misleading.’

According to the Service, Godwin-Isaac had previously been issued Nigerian Passport No. B00485650 on August 13, 2021. The passport was valid until August 12, 2026.

The NIS explained that the issuance of the new passport in February 2025 followed her application for renewal and was consistent with regulations governing the issuance of another passport before the expiration of an existing one under certain circumstances.

‘In line with extant laws and regulations which empower the Service to issue a person with another passport before the expiration of a valid passport on account of loss, damage, destruction and exhaustion of passport pages among other reasons, and sequel to her application for renewal, the Service issued passport number B51450551 to Mrs. Rebecca Omokamo Godwin-Isaac on February 15, 2025,’ the statement said.

The Service further clarified that the issuance of the new passport automatically rendered the previous passport invalid.

‘It is important for the public to know, that the issuance of Passport No. B51450551 to Mrs. Rebecca Omokamo Godwin-Isaac on February 15, 2025, automatically voided and invalidated Passport No. B00485650,’ it said.

The NIS said that, at the time the new passport was issued, it had not received any court order restricting Godwin-Isaac from obtaining a passport or travelling outside Nigeria.

It said the development was significant because Godwin-Isaac was not arraigned before the Federal High Court until June 18, 2025, approximately four months after the issuance of the new passport.

According to the Service, Godwin-Isaac was arraigned before Justice Joyce Obehi Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja, in Charge Nos. FHC/ABJ/CR/76/2025 and FHC/ABJ/CR/77/2025.

The NIS said the court subsequently made an order requiring her to deposit her passport, but that the order was made about four months after the issuance of Passport No. B51450551.

It was in the late 90s. I had gone to school in the UK and was living with my aunt. Her elderly neighbours, Mr and Mrs Campbell, lived alone. A carer came in twice a week to take care of them and cater to their needs.

The Campbells were already close to my aunt when I arrived, but their friendship had an unusual beginning. One day, they knocked on her door after the aroma of food coming from her kitchen became too tempting to resist. They had smelled what she was cooking and could no longer bear the torture on their palates. They asked for whatever she was making that day, and that simple encounter became the beginning of a friendship that lasted for years.

Whenever my aunt cooked, she often made a little extra for them. Before long, she realised they preferred coming over to eat with her family rather than taking the food home. Her door became permanently open to them, and over years of shared meals, we got to know the Campbells and their story.

They had four sons before Adiel was born. They were perfectly content with their boys and had no plans of having another child. Then, ten years after their last son, Adiel arrived.

She was not planned, and her parents were not excited about her birth. They did not even try to hide it.

One would have expected an only daughter to become the centre of attention, especially in a family of four boys. But the opposite happened. The Campbells showered love, attention and opportunities on their sons while giving Adiel the bare minimum.

Yet Adiel loved her parents so much that she did not seem to notice.

It was only as she grew older that the differences became impossible to ignore. Her brothers had attended private schools. When it was her turn, her parents could afford the same education, but simply decided it was unnecessary.

Her brothers received brand-new cars when they turned eighteen. When Adiel got to college, she had to work extra jobs to afford a second-hand car.

Still, she remained devoted to her parents.

After college, she moved out of their home but deliberately settled in a nearby city so she could visit them whenever she wanted. By then, her brothers had become successful and moved to different cities. They were all married, had demanding jobs and families, and somehow became too busy to visit home.

They could send money when they remembered or when they felt like it, but calling their parents or making the journey home became increasingly difficult. At some point, they even suggested moving their parents into an elderly home because it would make things easier for everyone.

Adiel refused.

Instead, she arranged for a carer to look after them and continued visiting as often as she could.

Eventually, the Campbells began to understand something painful. The boys they had spent their entire lives raising had little time for them, while the daughter they had once considered a mistake had become the person they could depend on.

The irony was not lost on them.

They had spent years making Adiel feel less important than her brothers, only to discover that she was the one who stayed.

By then, they tried to repair the damage. They became more affectionate. They tried to give Adiel the love they had withheld from her for years. But she was not interested in receiving a love that had arrived as an afterthought.

She loved them anyway.

They were her parents.

That was enough for her.

One Sunday, after visiting her parents, Adiel came to my aunt’s house for brunch. She complained about her brothers and how none of them had visited their parents in almost two years.

My aunt came up with an idea.

Adiel would tell her brothers that their father had died.

The plan was carried out with her father’s full knowledge and permission.

The moment the message was sent, Adiel’s phone began to buzz.

Her brothers suddenly had time.

They called repeatedly. They began discussing the burial almost immediately. They talked about arrangements, logistics, guests and how to give their father a befitting burial.

They suddenly had time to make calls and plans.

Time they had never found to call their living father.

They wanted no expense spared. Their father’s burial had to be impressive. Their friends would be attending. People who mattered to them would be watching.

They spent money freely on a father they had barely visited.

Not one of them came to see their mom to check how she was holding up. Not until the day before the supposed burial.

They all managed to travel down, arriving a day before the funeral, ready to give their dead father the grand farewell they believed he deserved.

Then came the shock.

Their father walked into the house.

Alive. The man they had already buried in their minds stood before them.

He was angry. Deeply angry. But beneath that anger was relief that he had finally been given an opportunity to tell his sons exactly what he thought of them.

Mr and Mrs Campbell had spent their lives raising their children, but their sons had become strangers.

Now, the only thing that seemed to matter to them was organising an event worthy of their status. Their father’s presence had never mattered as much as his funeral.

They bowed their heads in shame and apologised. But their father was not interested in excuses. He told them to leave his house and wait for a refund of every penny they had sent towards the burial that never was.

They left feeling bad.

But feeling bad did not immediately make them change.

Life continued, and so did the distance.

Eventually, the day their father truly died came. This time, Adiel did not bother informing her brothers.

There was no announcement. No frantic phone calls. No elaborate plans.

The first person among them to hear about their father’s death did not find out until four months after he had been buried.

By then, there was nothing left to organise.

No impressive ceremony.

No friends to impress.

No status to protect.

Just a father who had died and a daughter who had quietly buried him.

Perhaps the greatest lesson in the Campbells’ story is that parents sometimes create the very wounds they later spend their lives trying to heal.

Some parents have a favourite child. Some place the male child above the female child. Some invest more in one child while making another feel like an unwanted addition to the family.

They may do it casually, believing that children will eventually understand.

But children remember.

And sometimes, the child they overlook becomes the one who stands beside them when everyone else has gone.

The Campbells called Adiel a mistake.

In the end, she became their blessing.

And the sons they had spent their lives raising became the lesson they never expected to learn.

Africa’s next generation of agripreneurs must combine agricultural expertise with financial literacy, technology, marketing and business management to build competitive and sustainable enterprises, Fidelis Danjuma, a mentor with the 2026 Leading Change Accelerator Program (LCAP) Blueprint, has said.

Danjuma said cross-disciplinary mentorship and integrated entrepreneurial training were increasingly necessary to help young Africans transform innovative ideas into viable businesses capable of creating jobs and contributing to economic development.

Speaking with newsmen on the role of mentorship and interdisciplinary collaboration in developing young entrepreneurs, Danjuma said traditional professional silos could no longer adequately prepare innovators for the demands of modern business.

‘Building sustainable businesses requires more than specialised technical knowledge. It demands an integrated, cross-disciplinary ecosystem where ideas, skills, experience and resources can converge to create lasting value,’ he said.

According to him, the agriculture sector illustrates the need for such an integrated approach, given its importance to Africa’s food security, employment and climate resilience.

Danjuma said knowledge of agronomy alone was insufficient to build competitive agribusinesses, urging young agripreneurs to acquire skills in financial management, value-chain operations, digital technology, strategic marketing and risk management.

‘When young innovators combine knowledge of primary-sector practices with modern business principles, agriculture can evolve from a predominantly subsistence activity into a dynamic, competitive and high-growth sector capable of creating jobs and generating sustainable economic value,’ he said.

He identified mentorship as a critical bridge between theoretical knowledge and practical business execution, particularly as young entrepreneurs move from developing an idea to producing a minimum viable product, validating the market and building scalable business models.

‘As mentors, our responsibility is not simply to provide answers. It is to help young innovators ask the right questions, test their assumptions, learn from setbacks and develop the confidence required to execute their ideas,’ Danjuma said.

He said the 10-week LCAP Blueprint programme was designed to equip its 2026 cohort with practical skills, knowledge, networks and confidence to develop sustainable ventures.

Danjuma said the programme’s objective went beyond creating businesses, stressing that it also sought to develop entrepreneurs capable of identifying problems in their communities and designing solutions with measurable economic and social impact.

‘With the right mentorship, ecosystem and opportunities, Africa’s young innovators can move from being participants in the continent’s economic transformation to becoming some of its most important drivers,’ he said.

The Okanlomo Oodua and Gbonka Olubadan of Ibadanland, Jubril Dotun Sanusi, has described the recognition of Amb. Kunle Yusuff and representation of Nigeria at the United Nations Headquarters in New York as a source of pride for the people of Oyo State.

While congratulating an illustrious son of Oyo State on this recognition, Sanusi stressed that the achievement carries a message for young people across the state: their backgrounds and communities should never limit the height of their dreams or aspirations.

While noting that Amb. Kunle Yusuff’s journey from Arulogun in Ibadan to the global stage is a reflection of service, perseverance, dedication and excellence, saying, ‘When one of our sons stands on an international platform, the hopes, values and aspirations of the people who raised him travel with him,’.

According to him, Amb. Kunle Yusuff’s recognition reflects values for which the people of Oyo State are widely known, including knowledge, courage, hard work, service, perseverance and commitment to humanity.

Sanusi also acknowledged the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and his administration for providing opportunities for capable Nigerians to contribute to national and international service.

He noted that when Nigerians from different communities are given opportunities to serve, their achievements can become a source of inspiration for younger generations and demonstrate that excellence can emerge from every part of the country.

The Okanlomo Oodua urged Amb. Kunle Yusuff to regard the international recognition not as a destination, but as another beginning for greater service to Oyo State, Nigeria, Africa and humanity.

He encouraged him to use the platform and experience gained through international engagement to open doors for others, contribute to sustainable development and empower young Nigerians.

Sanusi further noted that the journey of Amb. Kunle Yusuff should inspire young people across Ibadan, Oyo, Ogbomoso, Iseyin, Saki, Eruwa and other communities across the state to continue pursuing knowledge, developing their talents and preparing themselves for opportunities that may come their way.

He also acknowledged the sacrifices of parents, families and communities that continue to invest in the education and development of younger generations.

Jubril Dotun Sanusi therefore called on the people of Oyo State to celebrate and encourage excellence wherever it is found, stressing the importance of producing more men and women capable of representing the state and Nigeria with dignity on the global stage.

He congratulated Amb. Kunle Yusuff on the milestone and expressed hope that his continued journey would create greater opportunities for service and positive impact.

‘From Arulogun to Ibadan, from Oyo State to Nigeria, and from Nigeria to the global stage, may the journey continue,’ he said.

Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, and Johannes Lehne, Deputy Head of Mission at the German Embassy, have led renewed efforts by Nigeria and Germany to deepen industrial cooperation, as German machinery manufacturers and Nigerian industrialists converged in Abuja to unlock new investments in cement, mining, steel and building materials.

The high-level engagement, which brought together what organisers described as the largest German industry-focused delegation to Nigeria, was held in Abuja, under the German-Nigeria Cement, Building Materials and Mining Technology Conference.

Chux Onaa, convener and head of the German delegation, said the partnership must move beyond conventional trade to long-term industrial cooperation anchored on technology, investment and trust.

‘The strongest commercial relationships are built not only on technology and investment, but also on trust and a shared vision,’ Onaa said.

Bagudu highlighted Nigeria’s recent pound 364 million export credit guarantee agreement with Germany, saying it would strengthen the financial framework for industrial ventures and support private-sector-led growth under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

In his remarks, Lehne said Germany was seeking a durable partnership with Nigeria rather than short-term commercial opportunities.

‘We are not looking for one-off solutions. We want long-term partnerships; we want to develop the future together,’ he said. He disclosed that Germany’s portfolio in Nigeria had exceeded pound 600 million, while bilateral trade had risen from about $2.5 billion to more than $3.5 billion.

The German delegation also met Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, Minister of Steel Development, to explore cooperation in steel production, mineral processing, technology transfer and equipment manufacturing.

The conference featured German technology presentations, a panel on export and trade finance involving DEG, Access Bank and German Desk, and a business-to-business session linking Nigerian industrialists directly with German original equipment manufacturers.

The organisers said the initiative could accelerate technology-driven industrialisation as Nigeria pursues its $1 trillion economy ambition.