Category: Daily Trust

The Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) has commenced a three-day professional training programme aimed at strengthening synergy, interpersonal relationship skills, protocol etiquettes and attitudinal change among its officers.

The training, which was declared opened on Friday at the NRS Corporate Headquarters in Abuja, was organized under the Platinum Protocol and Verity Consultants Ltd and sponsored by the Nigeria Revenue Services following approval by the Executive Chairman, Dr. Zacch Adedeji.

Speaking at the opening session, the Chief Consultant of Platinum Protocol and Verity Consultants Ltd, Ambassador Ibrahim M. Bashir, OFR, said the programme was designed to improve the efficiency, effectiveness and professionalism of officers in service delivery.

According to him, participants would be equipped with practical knowledge on synergy among security personnel, protocol staff, media officers and other key officials, as well as interpersonal relationships, personal diplomacy, protocol etiquettes, ceremonies, order of precedence and attitudinal change in the workplace.

He explained that the training also feature interactive sessions where participants engaged in discussions, ask questions and share experiences to ensure maximum benefit from the programme.

Ambassador Bashir expressed appreciation to the Executive Chairman of the NRS for creating what he described as an enabling environment and committing resources towards staff development.

He also noted that the NRS remains one of the leading organisations in the country to organize such a comprehensive training programme for a cluster of officials in a single forum.

The consultant urged participants to see the training as a rare opportunity to improve their professional competence and workplace relationships.

He also shared several motivational quotes during his remarks, including one by former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill which says, ‘Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.’

Also speaking at opening the Executive Director, Finance and Corporate Service of the NRS, said the training was organized to address the growing need for stronger collaboration, cooperation and coordination among the various security units within the organisation.

The Executive Director acknowledged the sacrifices and critical contributions of security personnel in safeguarding the leadership, facilities, information and operational environment of the service.

According to him, operational overlaps among security units had sometimes resulted in duplication of efforts, communication gaps, misunderstandings and delays in response.

He stated that the training was intended to strengthen collaboration, improve interpersonal relationships, promote attitudinal change and establish a more coordinated and efficient security structure within the NRS.

The Executive Director encouraged participants to engage openly, professionally and constructively throughout the programme in line with the goals and values of the organisation.

The training is expected to end with renewed commitment among officers toward improved teamwork, professionalism and effective service delivery within the Nigeria Revenue Service.

The defunct New Nigerian first appeared on the streets on January 1, 1966. Two weeks later Nigeria experienced its first military coup which shook the country to its very foundation. Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Northern Premier who had launched the newspaper as his region’s mouthpiece, was assassinated in his residence in Kaduna in the early hours of January 15.

He was assassinated along with the country’s first and only Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, the number two man in the ruling Northern Peoples Congress {NPC). His assassination took place in Lagos, then Nigeria’s capital.

The two, of course not the only casualties. The rather flambouyant Minister of Finance, Chief Festus Okotieboh, the Premier of Western Region, Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola, and virtually all the Northern military top brass were also killed. But clearly the Sardauna was the greatest casualty.

Perhaps because of its proximity to the Premier’s residence, the New Nigerian was able to give the most accurate and factual account of his killing the following day. And before long the newspaper acquired a great reputation for the high standard and reliability of its reporting, the quality of its production and, above all, the eloquence and fearlessness of its editorials.

You can hardly have a better testimonial to the greatness of the newspaper at the time than the words of the first Premier of Western Region and, subsequently, the Leader of the country’s leading opposition party, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

Seven years after its first appearance, the New Nigerian became the first newspaper in the country to be printed simultaneously at two locations, first in Kaduna and then at Ijora, Lagos, from February 28, 1973 with what was then the country’s most modern printing press. It was to Chief Awolowo that the newspaper’s management gave the honour of formally opening the plant.

‘The New Nigerian from day to day’, the Chief said in the course of his speech, ‘consistently deals with contemporary issues as they arise with candour, constructiveness and detachment unexcelled in the annals of Nigerian Journalism.’

‘There is,’ he added, ‘not the slightest trace of government or official influence in the news, views and editorials’ which the newspaper published.

It was at this newspaper that my colleague, friend and brother, the late Yakubu Mohammed, in whose memory we are gathered here this morning, cut his journalistic teeth professionally. He and I joined the newspaper on the same day in 1976 after our youth service the year before. However, even though we started work on the same day, it was obvious that he was head, if not shoulders as well, above me.

First, he had the advantage of being a student of Mass Communications while I read Politics, he at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), and I at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria. Second, even as a journalism student, he had demonstrated great journalistic potential if only by the exclusive headline news in New Nigerian that carried his byline, most notably the expulsion in May 1974 of about 200 UNILAG students, some of them in their final year, for certificate forgery to gain admission, and the drama in February 1975 in which UNILAG students held several policemen hostage as a bargaining chip for the release of their own colleagues who had been detained by the police following a student riot in Ibadan.

Third, Yakubu had his primary assignment as a corper at the newspaper at its own request. Both of us had been regular contributors of news and views on campus affairs as undergraduates, he from UNILAG and I from ABU.

Not surprisingly, my friend became the first to be promoted Associate Editor (South) among the lot of us who had joined the newspaper at about the same time as university graduates, the late Rufa’i Ibrahim, Sully Abu, Clem Baiye, Mvendaga Jibo, Sule Iyaji, Musa Shafi’i and myself. In time he soon rose to become its Managing Editor and head of its operations in Lagos and next in line to the Editor.

Then his troubles began. By this time, the late Malam Turi Muhammadu who had mentored all of us, first as Editor and then as Managing Director, had been succeeded by the late Malam Tukur Usman, himself a veteran of the newspaper. It soon became apparent that Malam Tukur was hardly as fond of Yakubu – or for that matter, the rest of us – as Malam Turi. In any case, he seemed to have a different idea from those of his illustrious predecessors – Malams Adamu Ciroma, Mamman Daura and Turi – on how to run the newspaper.

Soon enough it became obvious that some of us – Yakubu especially – were no longer wanted in the newspaper. However, unlike me, Yakubu eventually decided to jump instead of waiting to be pushed. He had been offered the position of pioneer Deputy Editor by Chief MKO Abiola at the newspaper he had decided to float and he was aware of Yakubu’s travails at the New Nigerian. Yakubu accepted the Chief’s offer. He, the late Dele Giwa and Ray Ekpu both of whom had joined Abiola’s Concord from Daily Times soon became the superstars of the new newspaper. Quickly, it overtook Daily Times as the country’s widest circulating newspaper.

Envy soon set in. For some inexplicable reason, the publisher allowed himself to be convinced by other senior staff that all three superstars were living it off at his expense. Worse still in the eyes of these envious staff, all three were not even Yoruba in a newspaper owned by a Yoruba.

Pretty soon, it became obvious to the three that their days at the Concord were numbered. Once again, Yakubu decided to jump instead of wait to be pushed, and in doing so, managed to persuade Dele and Ray to jump with him. This time, however, it was truly a leap of faith; their decision was to start and own the first weekly newsmagazine in the country similar to the American Time or Newsweek when all they had to their names was their reputation as three of the country’s best journalists and columnists.

As we all know, their gamble paid off, at least for a long while; Newswatch quickly became the platinum standard of Nigeria’s journalism and although it lasted all of only 26 years, it remains the country’s longest running weekly newsmagazine, winning prestigious awards at home and abroad.

As a friend and brother, Yakubu, I can reveal today, wanted me to be part of this history; long before he invited the late Dan Agbese, who was then editing the New Nigerian, to join the three of them, he had invited me, knowing as he did, that I too was facing my own share of frustrations at the newspaper. Fortunately or unfortunately, I was too much in love with the newspaper, and more importantly, I was too much in love with Kaduna as my second home town- Bida in Niger State being the first – to accept his offer.

Yakubu was not only a true friend in need, for me he is one of the most humble and modest human beings one can come across. It is a mark of his humility and modesty that, for example, even though Newswatch was his idea, he decided to take the back seat and let his older and more experienced partners run the show.

Such a gentlemen was he that he was simply incapable of envy and malice against anyone.

Needless to say, his death on January 13 this year came to be as a big shock, especially as we had even exchanged texts just a few hours before he passed on.

May Allah forgive his short comings, reward his good deeds and grant him Aljanna firdaus. May He also grant those of us he has left behind, especially the members of his family, the strength to bear his great loss. Amin.

Mohammed Haruna, INEC’s National Commissioner, wrote from Abuja

On Saturday, April 18, 2026, the football fraternity in Nigeria was thrown into another round of mourning following the sudden passing of Pa Ibrahim Galadima, a fine gentleman who lived all his life serving the round leather game. He didn’t only serve football. He made immense contributions in extraordinary ways. One thing that stood him out was his uncompromising integrity and commitment to meritocracy in sports governance.

Talking about his integrity and incorruptibility, Galadima was the first and still the only Nigerian sports administrator who refunded money to government coffers after an international tournament. This rare incident of transparency and accountability is well known in Nigerian sports circles. He was the head of the Kano Centre during the 1999 FIFA U-20 World Championship and reportedly returned all unspent funds to the federal government. That was widely reported, and nobody has come out to deny that uncommon display of integrity and accountability.

Apart from his fiscal prudence, which stood him out among his contemporaries, Alhaji Galadima was known for being remarkably unassuming. Although a decent man in appearance and character, he didn’t live a flamboyant lifestyle. No wonder, despite his status, he preferred to live all his life in his community. He successfully balanced his modern sports career with deep roots in his community as the Galadiman Fagge, a prestigious traditional title in Kano.

Another thing worthy of note about the life of Galadima was his realistic nature and bluntness, especially when it had to do with getting results in sports. He famously made a controversial remark after Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2006 World Cup, stating that the ticket wasn’t a ‘birthright.’ While it angered many at the time, it only showed he was a fearless, upright and realistic man by nature.

When I had the opportunity to interview him in his house in Fagge, I asked if he actually made that controversial statement. He confidently repeated the ‘offensive’ remark, and I reported accordingly. Heavens didn’t fall even as it kind of reopened old wounds.

Indeed, Galadima was the face of sports, especially football, in Kano State. Before he served as Chairman of the then Nigeria Football Association from 2002 to 2006, he had served meritoriously as Chairman of Kano State Football Association, Executive Chairman of the Kano State Sports Council, 1st vice president of the Nigeria Olympics Committee, member of the Presidential Monitoring Committee for Stadia Development for the FIFA World Youth Championship, and as Commissioner for Social Welfare, Youth and Sports in Kano State. He was also the founder of Kano Pillars football club.

It was, therefore, not surprising that he became an encyclopedia of sports in Kano State and Nigeria in general. Highly respected and revered in sports circles, his house in Fagge, a sprawling community in Kano, became a ‘temple’ for young sports administrators who visited him regularly to tap from his fountain of knowledge and experience. That was why many of the new generation sports administrators idolized and referred to Galadima as their mentor even as they consistently refused to imbibe the virtues that made him an uncommon leader.

Sadly, our mentor is gone, but the history of sports and football in particular, in Kano State, and Nigeria in general would remain incomplete without a mention of his name. Therefore, the good legacies he left behind after decades of unwavering dedication and selfless contributions to sports in Kano and Nigeria must not be forgotten.

One thing that gladdened the hearts of his followers was the solemn pledge by the Kano State government to immortalise him. The Secretary to the State Government, Umar Farouk Ibrahim, who spoke during Galadima’s funeral on behalf of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, hinted that the iconic sports figure would be immortalised in a special way. That was a moment of deep reflection and acknowledgement of the invaluable contributions of the Galadiman Fagge to sports development in the state.

Even as Nigerian politicians are known for grandstanding and bogus promises that are usually abandoned as quickly as they are made, most of us are praying fervently for the Kano State Government to act fast to immortalise this extraordinary sports administrator.

I learnt from a credible source in Kano that even as he became less active due to his fragile health, the government was planning to saddle Galadima with a responsibility to draw another blueprint for sports development in the state. He was always the one to fix sports in Kano because, apart from his proven integrity and deep understanding of administration, he was courageous enough to make hard decisions.

While we wait for the Kano state government to redeem its pledge to immortalise Galadima, I have decided to offer these unsolicited suggestions borne out of my love for the state and the man who deserves to be remembered forever. Nothing should be too much as we seek to confer ‘immortality’on the father of sports in Kano State. Therefore, the state should first consider renaming after him a major sports facility, such as a stand at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano or the Kano Institute for Sports. It would be a befitting recognition for his enormous contributions to sports in the state.

A sports management foundation could be established in his name. Such a foundation could offer scholarships or training for aspiring sports administrators, reflecting his reputation as a mentor and father figure in the industry.

Institutionalising an annual lecture on integrity in sports administration or a youth football tournament in Kano would keep his principles and passion alive. Through the Ramat Cup – a grassroots football tournament – the name of one of Nigeria’s most admired former leaders, Late General Murtala Ramat Mohammed, is immortalised. The same thing should be done in honour of Galadima, who personified sports.

Since he was also a revered leader of the Fagge community, the Kano State government should consider establishing or naming a landmark or community centre in Kano in his honour to celebrate his transition from sports to traditional leadership.

Galadima’s unflinching support to sports was felt beyond his state to the national level. The national assignments he performed creditably are well documented. Therefore, while he held the Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) for rendering meritorious services to the country, a higher posthumous award could be considered by the Federal Government to reflect the breadth of his service. He was indeed a national figure whose image loomed large over the entire Nigerian sports ecosystem.

So, to conclude this tribute to my mentor – a man who was above reproach in many ways, let me remind the people and government of kano state that anything worth doing is worth doing well. Whatever is delaying the eagerly awaited immortalisation of Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima should be stopped immediately for the good intentions of the government of Kano state to manifest for all to see. Our mentor of inestimable value must not end like another prophet without honour at home.

Professor Sadiq Umar Abubakar Gombe has emerged as the new National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

His emergence, alongside other members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), was announced on Saturday during the SDP 2026 National Convention held at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium, Bauchi.

Other elected national officers include Dr Olu Agunloye as National Secretary; Sen. Dr Ugochukwu Uba as Deputy National Chairman (South); Hajiya Mariam Maggie Batube, National Treasurer; and Barr. Joseph Achille Abu, National Organising Secretary.

Others are Araba Rufus Aiyenigha as National Publicity Secretary; Barr. Aderemi Ahimbela as National Legal Adviser; Bello Ado Hussaini as National Financial Secretary; Hajiya Sa’adatu Abdullahi as National Woman Leader; Hon. Daniel Ibe as National Youth Leader; Mrs Rosemary A. Effiong; and Chief Lekan Alabi as Leader of Persons with Disabilities.

Eku Edewor, the British-Nigerian actress and television presenter, has publicly praised Oasis Medspa’s newly launched premium skincare line, saying the products have left her skin ‘smooth, healthy and absolutely radiant.’

In a post shared to her social channels, Edewor described her experience using the collection as visibly transformative, positioning the products as an effective at-home complement to professional aesthetic treatments. Oasis Medspa recently rolled out the range for online sale, marketing it as a medical-grade option designed to extend the results of in-clinic procedures.

Celebrity endorsements such as Edewor’s can boost visibility for emerging beauty lines and influence consumer interest, particularly for brands connected to established clinics. Oasis Medspa has highlighted quality and clinical oversight as selling points for the collection, though full ingredient lists and clinical data have not been widely publicized in the initial rollout.

Dermatologists generally recommend that consumers review product ingredient lists and consult a skincare professional if they have sensitive skin or underlying conditions, especially when introducing a new medical-grade regimen. Prospective buyers can find Oasis Medspa’s products through the spa’s official online storefront and verified social accounts.

Malam Murtala Aliyu, a former minister and Matawallen Gombe, is the embattled Secretary-General of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF). In this interview, he faulted the claim by the Board of Trustees (BoT) that his tenure has ended, stating that while he is not bothered about leaving, it would be unfair to embarrass him out of office.

The BoT said your tenure has ended. What is your take on that? And where did the NEC get its powers to suspend the BoT chairman?

Well, let’s take it one by one. The issue of my tenure has been under discussion for some time. Some people wrote petitions that my tenure had ended in March 2026, based on the consideration that three years plus another three-year tenure would add up to six years.

There have been arguments here and there, but the truth is that the constitution is very clear: the two tenures are separate.

You have to serve for three years, which is renewable at the pleasure of the ACF. And as secretary-general, the engine room and the accounting officer, even when your tenure finishes, you do not just walk away. You wait until another secretary-general is either appointed or somebody is brought in on an interim basis to hand over to.

That had not happened, and I was holding forth until July 25, 2023, when a letter of appointment was given to me for another term. It did not say ‘reappointment.’ That letter, dated the 25th, was signed by the then chairman of the selection committee of ACF and the secretary of that committee: General Akilu, the chairman, and Malam Bukar Zarma, secretary of the committee. They signed the letter, and a copy of the letter is here.

They said that my tenure begins on my inauguration, and I was not inaugurated until December 12, 2023, together with all other members of the National Working Committee and the chairman of the Board of Trustees, who was appointed to complete the tenure of Alhaji Shehu Malami, Sarkin Sudan.

Now, the petition was sent to the chairman of the BoT, which was wrong. A petition on leadership should go to the chairman of NEC, and instead of the chairman of the BoT passing it to the chairman of NEC, he erroneously just gave it to me, saying there was a petition against me and that I should go and answer it.

My initial reaction was to disregard that, but then I thought, since I had said okay in front of him, I answered the petition. The petition was regarding the tenure of the secretary-general. This was the answer I gave because this is the letter he wrote and signed, and this was my answer to him.

Then, after that, he sent another letter saying that I should vacate the office and hand over to the administrative secretary. Now, probably he did not understand the importance of the secretary-general.

But even if I am to hand over, I am not going to hand over to the administrative secretary. I will probably hand over to the chairman of NEC and tell him, ‘Okay, look, get somebody to handle this.’

So, I replied to him in very detailed terms. I told him about the infraction he was committing and so on. After this, I went to meet General Akilu, who was the chairman of the then Leadership Selection Committee. But I also made him understand that their own tenure, or rather their own mandate, is also terminated at the same time as the secretary-general’s. And I gave him a letter stating that this was an issue under his responsibility. He acknowledged it, and I have copies of this letter.

So, now they came – the Elders Committee – that is, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, Anthony Sani, who was the previous secretary-general, the one I took over from, and Malam Bukar, who was the secretary of the committee. Anthony Sani was one of the petitioners.

So, when we sat down, initially I wanted to protest that Anthony Sani should not be there in the first place, since he was one of the petitioners. But I said, okay, since the elders are there, let’s talk.

Then the chairman of the Board of Trustees looked at me in the face and said, ‘I cannot work with you.’

Now, it is not for him to tell me that he is not going to work with me because both of us were appointed through the same procedure. He has a constitutional mandate, which is to chair the BoT, and I have a constitutional mandate as the secretary-general and chief accounting officer.

Anyway, the elders said, ‘Okay, look, since you have served for this long and you have done very well, do you still want to continue?’

I said, ‘No, but I don’t want to be just walked out of this place because somebody doesn’t like my face. I’ve served diligently. I’ve faced some challenges. There was no salary, no allowance. I used my own resources, so I need some respect.’

And the elders said, ‘Okay, fine. Would you want to take time to prepare your handover notes and so on?’

I said, ‘I have no problem with that, as long as it is done respectfully.’

Then he said, ‘Okay, maybe till when?’

I said, ‘My son was getting married on April 25, and between now and that time, I will not be available. After that, we will look at what time I will be back to put things together.’

The man said he could not give me beyond the middle of May.

Well, I said, ‘Okay, go ahead and do whatever you want. I will also do the needful.’

Then the National Executive Council chairman, the NWC chairman, called me and said, ‘Look, summon a meeting for the 5th and 6th.’

The next thing I saw after summoning the meeting was a statement from Bashir Dalhatu, the BoT chairman, saying that the meeting should not hold because I was no longer the secretary-general. And even by their own calculation, I was supposed to remain secretary-general till May 15. So I said, ‘Okay, fine. Please, Chairman, some people think I am not the secretary-general. You are the one to summon the meeting. Call the meeting yourself.’

So the chairman called the meeting.

The working committee met on the 5th. But before the meeting, we wrote to the Commissioner of Police and the Director of DSS to inform them that we were going to hold the meeting on the 5th and 6th.

And, of course, after our meeting on the 5th, there was another letter again signed by Bashir Dalhatu stating that people should keep off from that meeting because the person who called the meeting was an ex-secretary-general.

And the chairman again wrote and said, ‘Look, I am the one calling for the meeting.’

The next thing we saw, the police came in and took over the building.

And so we called the members and said, ‘Let’s meet at another venue.’

Even while we were meeting at that venue, the police came and said we could not meet. I think we had already started, so they left us.

And that was when other developments took place.

Some people are contesting the powers of NEC to suspend the BoT chairman. Or was it an arbitrary decision?

The NEC is the executive. Just like somebody wrote a petition that my tenure had finished, somebody also wrote a petition pointing out the infractions or improprieties committed by the BoT chairman.

These improprieties included unilaterally determining the tenure of an official and also opening an account for the ACF, of which he is a signatory.

The mandate of the chairman of the Board of Trustees is only to chair the BoT and not to perform executive functions. So they were questioning that, and then also instructing the movement of funds unilaterally from the main account to an investment account of the ACF.

Before we get deep into his suspension, you are the chief accounting officer of ACF. Where did he derive the power to actually open the account?

Yes, there was an error from my own side. Because when he came and told me that we should open an account with the bank, I said, okay. So he brought the forms. I should have raised an alarm then. But he said it was just to open the account so that immediately after the launch of the endowment, the proper committee would be put together to manage the funds, and then we would transfer the responsibility to them. So I agreed.

But then subsequent events happened. They requested that the account be moved to Kano from Kaduna, and that made me a little uncomfortable. But I just cautioned him, and he said, ‘No, no problem.’

You cautioned him?

I cautioned him against moving the account because all our accounts are in Kaduna. Why would this one be in Kano, and then to a specific branch? So this was the thing that frightened the leadership. Like I said, the Board of Trustees has no executive power and has no mandate to manage finances. Again, what became curious to the leadership was that when he called an emergency board meeting, he unilaterally set up a committee to manage the funds and another committee to advise the management committee.

Those two committees were set up by him and presented to the Board of Trustees. But by the Constitution, the Board of Trustees cannot set up committees like these. So ordinarily, the NEC should set up those committees and confer with the Board.

Why were you not suspended also, if he was suspended, because it was the two of you who opened the account?

Yes, I did, first of all, take responsibility. But like I said, the money is still intact; nothing is missing. But the procedure was wrong. And it was based on the respect we have for elders in the North. So when he gave the instruction, I obliged, erroneously. I accept responsibility for that.

And, for instance, the Ethics Committee also believed that I did that, especially because I explained the situation to them. But if the account had been transferred back, then there would have been no problem.

But I can also tell you that the NEC had instructed, and we had written to the bank to restrict the account to the proper location and also with the proper signatures.

Then where are the financial infractions, because you just said that the money is intact?

The bank told us that our average expected return was about 8%, and he agreed. He told the meeting that, look, since the bank is majorly ours, we should accept that, even if another bank gives us more. So, the finance committee said, no, there is no emotion about that. Either we discuss with Jaiz Bank and get the appropriate return, or we can decide what to do with the bank. And we communicated that to the bank.

And when we finished the procedure for the proper appropriation of the account, then we would go into that. So that is one of the issues. They said, look, why would he negotiate on behalf of ACF and also just accept that?

Secondly, just a few days before the meeting, N19.4 million dropped into the account as proceeds.

Now, if you put N2.5 billion in an account and, three months later, N19 million comes in, people will ask, ‘What is happening?’ So who will negotiate on behalf of ACF?

So these are things that are just to be investigated. Nobody is accusing him. They are to be investigated to determine what happened, what was discussed with them, who is in charge of what, and so on. And he did not respond.

The BoT chairman has accused you of not managing the funds raised for the 25th anniversary the way expected. What would you say?

In the first place, the approved budget for the whole anniversary was N742 million, which included N176 million for football and golf tournaments. I did not spend a kobo outside of the budget. As the accounting officer and the engine room of the Forum, I do not need piecemeal approval to carry out any task that has already been approved by the necessary approving authority.

All monies received for the event were from donors and sponsors. The total amount spent was N641 million and not N700 million. The budget included items that were added to the event, like the furnishing of the ACF main conference hall, the ACF documentary, both totalling over N60 million.

Additional events like cultural display, security, and women’s pavilion were added. Despite that, we made a saving of over N100 million from the budgeted sum. Details are with the accounting department and can be audited.

So there was nothing that I did, as the accounting officer, that was outside the budget. Moreover, the issues that he claimed he instructed me not to go ahead with, such as sports without sponsors, were not disregarded since the whole monies received for the event were from sponsors and donors, for which I personally had played a more than significant role in raising.

Furthermore, the directive as to what should be added or dropped from the programme should come from the main organising committee and not from individuals. Let us get it clear. He is not an approving authority in the ACF; approval of expenditure is by the Secretary-General (with a limit), the Chairman (with a limit), the Chairman on the advice of the Finance and General Purposes Committee, and then the National Executive Council. The Board of Trustees or its Chairman have nothing to do with approval.

The BoT chairman also explained that he proposed that the endowment money should be kept separately to avoid tampering with it for the day-to-day running of the ACF…

Regarding the monies for the endowment, first of all, the account was opened before the event. The bank was Jaiz Bank. That means that preparation and expenses were still ongoing. And I, as the accounting officer of the Forum, am the co-signatory. So who is the money being kept away from?

The Chairman of the Board of Trustees should have nothing to do with opening or operations of accounts. At the time the account was opened, no member of the management was aware of it. Everyone saw it for the first time when it was flashed on the screen for the benefit of donors.

What was disturbing, however, was that he relocated the account to a particular branch in Kano to a specific person who, curiously, was also his bank relationship officer. Not trusting the Secretary-General (who is a co-signatory), the National Working Committee, but especially the National Executive Council, or even the Board of Trustees with monies belonging to the Forum is curious. ACF is not a personal estate.

So far, all accounts are audited by external auditors, and right now they are at work. Will it not be sensible to await the outcome of the external audit report before making insinuations? I have worked in private and public institutions, and till today there is never a time I have been accused of or invited for financial or any other impropriety.

All documents concerning the budget, donors, and expenses are available should you require them to verify.

Can we now conclude that the crisis in the ACF is about money?

No. It is true that the fund may have contributed to it, but the whole issue started with getting rid of the Secretary-General, who is the accounting officer and the other signatory, the co-signatory.

Who are actually the signatories to ACF accounts?

In all accounts, I am Category A. The treasurer, the financial secretary, and the assistant treasurer are Category B. Two people have to sign.

Then why the concern? Is it because Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu gave approval for another account to be opened?

That shows a little concern. Secondly, he also gave a unilateral instruction because when additional money came in, N1.4 billion, it was moved to the investment account without the co-signatory.

So now people became concerned, saying, ‘Ah! So this can happen.’

If he can unilaterally give instructions and money can be moved, who knows what can happen in the future? These are the things that frightened the leadership in ACF. So now, to correct the aberration, we have written to Jaiz to say, ‘Look, these are the statutory signatories of the ACF from now on.’ Secondly, the money should be allocated to Kaduna. These are the two instructions we gave.

It is like the misunderstanding has escalated from between you and the BoT chairman to now between the BoT chairman and the NEC chairman?

Yes, I will tell you why. If the BoT chairman had not signed the release stating that the Secretary-General who called for the meeting was no longer there and was an ex-Secretary-General, okay, the NEC chairman would not have gotten involved in all these exchanges.

But when he instructed me to call for a meeting, and I did, that was fine. But it is not for him to say the NEC cannot call for a meeting because somebody is an executive.

In fact, he told the press that the meeting should not hold because he was not supposed to be there. It is not for him to say the NEC meeting cannot hold because somebody is an ex-Secretary-General.

Can we now say that the issue is personal now, or maybe you can to explain to our readers whether you are fixated about your office or are you willing to go?

No, no. Look, like I said, this office is actually a burden; I am only serving the North. There is no salary, no allowance. It is not as if I am getting any benefits, okay. But I have served for six years. This is my sixth year.

What I expect, and I can say with all sense of modesty, is that since I became Secretary-General, there have been considerable changes in terms of structure, in terms of membership, and in terms of the quality of people that come in, and so on.

What I expect is a little more appreciation, to say, ‘Oh, thank you,’ and not to be disgraced out just because somebody does not like my face.

How can we now find maybe a middle ground between the responsibilities of the BoT chairman and the responsibility of the NEC chairman, because it is like there are two captains?

The BoT chairman has no role at all by the Constitution apart from chairing BoT meetings.

And what do they do?

The role of the BoT is clearly spelled out in the Constitution, and I can give you a copy of the Constitution.

But do you think the organogram of ACF is structurally defective and where does the secretary-general fit in?

The Secretary-General is the secretary to the Board, secretary to NEC, and secretary to NWC, and is an ex-officio member of all committees of the Forum, as stated in the Constitution.

What would you say is the solution to this quagmire?

Well, put the ACF itself ahead of any personal interest. That is it, and for everybody to know the limits of his position. If you are the BoT Chairman, remain the BoT Chairman. If you are not comfortable being BoT Chairman and you feel you want to play another role, then wait until there is a vacancy for NEC Chairman and contest for it.

From whichever angle it is viewed, the matter of state police in Nigeria is one that attracts different reactions from many Nigerians. Against the backdrop of the currently ravaging wave of insecurity across the country, hardly would any other consideration soothe the psyche of Nigerians other than initiatives that strengthen the country’s capacity to contain such contingencies. With these contingencies literally featuring daily bloodletting as is the case presently, the nation is seemingly running with a firing gun pointed at its head. From Sokoto to Calabar and Lagos to Maiduguri, the country is literally at war with criminally- minded assailants who hold the citizens to ransom, as on a daily basis, they kidnap, abuse and kill their victims mindlessly. The situation has placed every security agency in the country, as well as the citizenry on edge, with the police being the primary security agency contending with the ever-increasing public scrutiny on its operational circumstances.

It is in this context that the recent operationalisation of Nigeria’s state police scheme by the newly appointed Inspector General of Police (IGP) Tunji Disu, through the inauguration of a committee to drive the process, remains noteworthy. Recently, the IGP set up a committee to operationalise the state police scheme after so much back and forward swings on the matter by the country.

Speaking during the inauguration, Disu asked the committee to propose an operational framework for the establishment and coordination of state police structures. He asked the committee to review issues pertaining to training, recruitment, resource allocation and oversight mechanisms necessary for the state police structures. According to him, the decentralisation of the police will enable state government and local authorities to respond to specific security challenges within their jurisdictions.

He said, ‘It is my greatest privilege to formally inaugurate this committee on state policing. The task before this committee is both significant and timely as it speaks to our reflective demand to strengthen Nigeria’s security. The committee we are inaugurating today has a critical responsibility. Your work will help shape the framework through which state policing may operate in Nigeria in a manner that strengthens rather than fragments our national security system. In carrying out this assignment, your deliberations must be guided by professionalism, objectivity and a clear appreciation of the unique complexities of policing a diverse nation such as ours.’

Among other responsibilities, the committee is expected to review existing policing models within and outside Nigeria; assess community security needs and emerging risks across the country; propose an operational framework for the establishment and coordination of state police structures; address issues relating to recruitment, training, standards and resource allocation. Also included in its brief is the critical task of developing robust accountability and oversight mechanisms to ensure professionalism and public trust.

Disu further said, ‘If thoughtfully designed and effectively implemented, state policing holds significant potential benefits for our country. By bringing law enforcement closer to communities, state police institutions can deepen local knowledge of security dynamics and enable quicker and more targeted responses to emerging threats.’ Hence, he joins the deluge of proponents of state police to see it as a worthy new deal for the country.

Incidentally, Disu’s take on the issue of state police in Nigeria has offered a breathing space for the scheme, which had been cocooned for so long in the garb of mixed feelings among generations of public officials, both within and outside the Nigeria Police Force establishment. Specifically, this note of optimism had driven the advocacy for the scheme by various parties interested in state police for Nigeria. Beside the foregoing, Disu’s take also tallies with the oft expressed intentions of President Bola Tinubu on the establishment of state police in Nigeria.

However, on the flip side of the note of optimism lie the harsh lessons of history, which feature in the main, the numerous instances of systemic abuse of the powers of the police by regional potentates, who willfully and easily personalised the assets of the establishment, comprising personnel and facilities for their personal aggrandisement and to the detriment of the public weal. This singular factor remains so deeply entrenched in the minds of Nigerians all through the years – to the extent of counterweighing the manifest advantages of state police.

However, considering the reality that all through the history of the Nigerian police establishment, its operations had featured in the main a blend of shared control and provision of operational resources by both the federal and sub-national authorities, the prospects of evolving sustainable safeguards for formal establishment of state police, exit. This is where the inauguration of the committee for operationalising the state police agenda by the IGP falls into context.

However, in the light of the prevailing circumstances, the need for caution by the IGP remains sacrosanct as the exercise seems to be running without adequate safeguards and assurances for the Nigerian public, especially given the absence of clear-cut legal provisions. Nigerians will not accept as a mere oversight by the government that the state police dispensation would be without a formal, duly processed legal framework. The minimum that Nigerians will accept is the enactment of a distinct law, including the amendment of the constitution, pursuant to creating the state police dispensation.

This contention remains justified by the trending situation, where virtually most public institutions are now adopting in domino style, the mantra of ‘standing on the mandate’ of President Bola Tinubu instead of the legal framework that prescribes their operational circumstances. In that context, therefore, lies the question of which mandate the envisaged state police dispensation is running.

Even as the National Assembly may be working towards amending the constitution to provide a constitutional and legal framework for the state police dispensation, its full operationalisation should not precede the coming of a law prescribing its operational circumstances. That is a trap the new IGP should not allow himself to be sucked into.

World table tennis stars are gearing up to compete for a total prize purse of $100,000 and valuable 400 International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) ranking points at the WTT Contender Lagos 2026, as Nigeria prepares to host the prestigious tournament for the fourth consecutive year.

The competition, which first arrived on African soil in 2023, will hold from May 19 to 24, 2026, at the iconic Sir Molade Okoya-Thomas Indoor Sports Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

What started three years ago as an ambitious effort by World Table Tennis (WTT) to establish a world-class event in Sub-Saharan Africa has now grown into one of the continent’s most significant annual sporting attractions, drawing elite players from Europe, Asia and beyond, while giving Nigerian and African stars the chance to compete at the highest level on home soil.

This year’s edition promises another thrilling week of elite competition, ranking battles and intense rivalries, with many of the game’s biggest names already confirmed.

The Men’s Singles draw features 21 players ranked inside the world Top 100, further evidence of how highly Lagos is now regarded on the global circuit.

Leading the men’s field is Denmark’s Anders Lind, the defending champion and current World No.16. Lind dazzled spectators last year with his creativity, fearless attacking play and superb touch around the table, and he returned determined to retain the title he won impressively.

Also expected to challenge strongly is Japan’s Shunsuke Togami, the current World No.18, whose explosive pace and aggressive style have made him one of the most exciting young players in world table tennis.

South Korea’s An Jaehyun, ranked World No.21, adds further quality to the field. A former World Championship bronze medallist, An possesses the experience and consistency required to thrive in a tournament of this level.

The women’s singles event is equally strong, with Japan’s Satsuki Odo arriving as the top seed after a brilliant start to the season.

Odo has already claimed titles at WTT Star Contender Chennai 2026 and WTT Contender Taiyuan 2026, confirming her place among the most in-form players in the women’s game. In Taiyuan, she defeated compatriot Honoka Hashimoto in the semi-finals before overcoming Hitomi Sato in the final.

Both Hashimoto and Sato are expected in Lagos, setting the stage for another fascinating Japanese rivalry. Hashimoto, who lifted the women’s singles title in Lagos last year, remains one of the finest defensive players in the sport, while Sato’s unique chopping style can trouble even the strongest attackers.

South Korea’s Joo Cheonhui, runner-up in Tunis earlier this year, is another player expected to challenge strongly, while Welsh teenager Anna Hursey continues her rapid rise after reaching the final of WTT Feeder Dsseldorf and earning her first Grand Smash victory in Singapore.

While none of Nigeria’s players qualified for the main draw, Matthew Kuti, ranked 190 topped the list of players from the local front. Next to him are Abdulbasit Abdulfatai, ranked 207, Olajide Omotayo 208, Taiwo Mati 232, Muiz Adegoke 326, Kolasi Wasiu, 371, Riliwan Akanbi 408, Matthew Fabunmi 430, Usman Ayoola 481, Sultan Agunbiade 483, Mustapha Bello 781, Hussein Adeoye 805, Abdulraheem Sanni 809, Joshua Oladiran, 810 and Qudus Oladejo 811.

Also, in the female category, none of Nigeria’s players qualified for the main draw. However, Ajoke Ojomu ranked 171 headlined the players. She is followed by Fatimo Bello 175, Sukurat Aiyelabegan 217, Favour Ojo 237, Kabirat Ayoola 303, Aziza Sezuo 308, Aishat Rabiu 321, Kadijat Okanlawon 387, Joy Emmanuel 388, Iyanu Oluwa Falana 389 and Oniyeychi Mbah 390.

Others include Maryam Ahmed 392, Abosede Odunsanya 418, Anuoluwapo Ajuwon 525, Abosede Akinsete 420, Halima Hussain 421, Hope Udoaka 525, Aminat Fashola 618, Sadiat Alimat Akeem 680, Deborah Faleye 786, Fatimoh Ahmed 787, Rofiat Jimoh 788, Khajida Musa, Elizabeth Emenike and Emmanuella Shuiabu

It is quite unfortunate that since the tournament began in 2023, Nigeria’s poster boy, Quadri Aruna is yet to participate. Yet beyond the stars and rankings, the deeper story of WTT Lagos is how the event has become a major force in African sport.

How it started: 2023

The inaugural edition in 2023 was a landmark moment for the sport on the continent. Packed stands, vibrant support and smooth organisation gave the tournament instant credibility. China’s Zhou Qihao claimed the men’s singles title, while South Korea’s Shin Yubin won the women’s crown. Korea also dominated the doubles events through Jang Woojin, Lim Jonghoon and Jeon Jihee, while China took the mixed doubles title through Xiang Peng and Liu Weishan.

Nigeria’s player Omotayo lost to India’s Manav Thakkar, 1-3, while Taiwo Mati fell to Germany’s Patrick Franziska, 0-3, in the round of 32 of the men’s singles, while Ajoke Ojomu, Fatimo Bello and Offiong Edem failed to progress to the round of 16 in the women’s singles.

2024

In 2024, the level of participation rose sharply, and the tournament attracted even greater international attention. Germany’s Dimitrij Ovtcharov, a former world No.1 and Olympic medallist, captured the men’s singles title, while India’s Sreeja Akula won the women’s title after a superb campaign.

Ovtcharov’s presence and eventual triumph were symbolic. When a player of that stature wins in Lagos, it signals to the rest of the world that the event is no novelty stop, but a respected title on the calendar.

Nigeria’s player Adegoke emerged as the first player to reach the round of 16 which he lost 0-3 to India’s Lim Jonghoon in the men’s single while Fatimo Bello, Aishat Rabiu, Aminat Fashola fell in the women’s single.

It was a moment of joy when Omotayo and Solanke received a podium finish after losing to India’s Manav Thakkar and Harmeet Desei in the final of the men’s double.

2025

By 2025, the prize purse increased to $100,000, entries deepened and the tournament looked every bit a mature international event. Denmark’s Anders Lind produced a series of brilliant performances to win the men’s singles title, while Japan’s Honoka Hashimoto delighted fans with her resilience and tactical excellence on her way to the women’s crown.

During this tournament, Nigeria’s player Taiwo Mati was the last man standing who reached the round of 16 in the men’s singles but fell to Germany’s Steffen Mangel, 3-1 while, in the women’s single Ajoke Ojomu lost to Portugal’s Jieni Shao 3-1, signalling progress in the country’s performance.

In the men’s double Abdulbasit Abdulafatai, who paired with Matthew Fabumi lost to Mundit Dani and Anirban Ghosh in the quarterfinals, while Abosede Akinsete and Abosede Odusanya fell to Kim Nayeong and RYU Hanan. Also, Fatimo Bello and Aminat Fashola lost to Krittwika Roy and Poymantte Baisya, 1-3 while Kabirat Ayoola and Aishat Rabiu lost to Fu yu and Jeini Shao, 3-1.

WTT Lagos has served as a crucial event for African players, offering the opportunity to cut travel expenses abroad and gain exposure, ranking points and elite competition. Now, world-class players come to Nigeria, allowing local stars to compete at home in front of passionate supporters.

The availability of 400 ranking points to winners adds another layer of importance. Those points can affect qualification for major WTT tournaments, world championship seedings and Olympic pathways.

As the fourth edition is about to commence, all eyes will be on the Nigerian players to produce a breakthrough run in front of home supporters, challenging the defending champion Anders Lind in the men’s singles category.

When President Bola Ahmed Tinubu came into office in May 2023, his policy blueprint framed as the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’- an audacious attempt to reset Nigeria’s economy, restore investor confidence, and tackle long-standing structural problems – kicked off boldly, signalling a determination to take very bold decisions. If anything, since inauguration, the Tinubu administration has been highly decisive in pivoting the country towards a more desirable future.

The Renewed Hope Agenda as an overarching policy framework has unleashed a raft of reforms targeted at Nigeria’s long-standing challenges in economic stability, security, infrastructure, agriculture, education, health, and social inclusion, while fostering sustainable growth and shared prosperity.

At present, the Agenda has moved past the honeymoon phase into the more critical phase of a massive governance overhaul. For decades, Nigeria’s economy was like a house built on sand and propped up by unsustainable policies that distorted the fiscal base and benefited only a tiny elite, while the nation hemorraghed greatly.

Now, the focus is hinged on fiscal discipline, market-oriented transformations, and infrastructure-led growth. The Agenda operates along eight defined priority areas including: reforming the economy for sustained inclusive growth; strengthening national security; boosting agriculture for food security; enhancing infrastructure and transportation; improving education, health, and social investment; expanding energy, oil and gas investments; reinforcing the digital economy; and enabling related sectors.

The courageous macroeconomic reforms that have been emplaced have seen to the removal of fuel subsidies and unification of exchange rates, thereby ending decades of unsustainable market distortions, while freeing up resources for purposeful development and improving greater levels of financial accountability and transparency in the country.

Restoring Fiscal Sanity and Revenue Growth

Before these reforms, fuel subsidies alone consumed over ?4 trillion annually – a sum larger than the combined national budgets for health and education. Consequently, the savings accruing are now being redirected towards the building of infrastructure, education, and social programmes. Equally, more prudent debt management has became prioritised, with the debt servicing ratio, which stood at a dangerous 98 per cent in 2023 before President Tinubu’s assumption of office, was reduced to 68 per cent by mid-2024.

The liberalisation of the foreign exchange market narrowed the parallel market premium from nearly 100 per cent to less than 2 per cent by 2024, thereby signposting macroeconomic stabilisation and growth. While real GDP growth accelerated from 2.9 per cent in 2023 to 3.84 per cent in 2024 – the fastest in three years. And, the country’s foreign reserves rose from $32.9 billion at the end of 2023 to over $38.8 billion by mid-2024.

Some of the most notable indicators of progress were not only in the fiscal but also the tax reforms. The government moved to streamline Nigeria’s chaotic tax system by reducing overlapping levies and digitising revenue collection. Early results suggest improved non-oil revenue performance, a critical shift for a country long dependent on crude oil income.

With the modernisation of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (now Nigeria Revenue Service) and NIN integration, over three million new taxpayers were registered by March 2025, improving the tax-to-GDP ratio from 10 per cent to over 13.5 per cent. And the bold economic reforms saw Nigeria raise, in December 2024, $2.2 billion through its first Eurobond placement in nearly three years, signaling the return of international market confidence.

Closely tied to the foregoing has been the broader attempt at fiscal discipline. Budget restructuring efforts – such as plans to align Nigeria’s fiscal cycle and eliminate overlapping budgets – signal a seriousness about governance that previous administrations often lacked. And, at this juncture in 2026 (over 2 years in), both local and international sources are highlighting measurable progress, despite adjustment pains, and the trending down of inflation, now at 15.38 per cent, as at March.

As a long-term vision, the Renewed Hope Agenda drives towards an integration with the 2026-2030 National Development Plan targets of ambitious goals like attaining a $1 trillion economy, with focus on private sector participation, and regional projects, with crucial anchors like the need for energy security, such as the CNG transition, etc. It equally centres

people-oriented programmes, through initiatives like National Education Fund (NELFUND), housing programmes (Renewed Hope Cities/Estates), and minimum wage adjustments.

Key Economic Indices

As alluded to above, there have been several areas of progress, including economic stabilisation and growth, with annualised GDP growth around 4.2%+, and the strengthening of the external reserves to $45.4 billion+, which is the strongest in recent history. There have been non-oil revenue records over ?20 trillion reported in some periods, the clearing of the forex backlog that makes Nigerian banking instruments return to global acceptability, and rising FDI pledges of about $50 billion+, according to some reports. Equally, inflation has been easing, with disinflation in food and energy prices, alongside improved balance of trade and reduced petrol imports via local refining.

In terms of energy, power generation rose to as much as 6,000+ MW, and there have been

improvements in oil production to between 1.6-1.7 mbpd and the launch of CNG initiatives. Also, major infrastructure projects are advancing, such as the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, rail expansions, port upgrades, and construction of other major roads.

Also, as mentioned, on social investment and education, NELFUND disbursed significant funds estimated at over ?206 billion to 1.1 million students, while there have been expanded safety nets, presidential loans/grants, the skills programme for youths, and women empowerment initiatives, etc.

While insecurity remains an ongoing concern, still the situation has been impacted with the reductions in banditry, insurgency, and related incidents through kinetic and non-kinetic approaches. Thousands of terrorists have been neutralised or have surrendered, with huge caches of weapons recovered. In places like the Niger Delta, the improved security environment is enabling projects like the resumption of oil exploration in certain areas, etc.

Consolidating an Architecture of Resilience

The Renewed Hope Agenda was never going to be an easy project. It attempts to fix deep-rooted structural problems such as subsidy dependence, weak institutions, low productivity, and fiscal leakages, were inevitably going to come with short-term pain.

However, to ensure this agenda ultimately succeeds, the government must:

1. Humanise the Reform: Scale the Social Protection Response, and the current cash transfers are too small and slow to offset the ‘inflationary shock’. Hence, targeted cash transfers must be scaled to better cushion the impact of inflation on the most vulnerable.

2. Prioritise Security: No economic pillar can stand if the ‘farming belt’ remains insecure. Insecurity is not just a defence issue; it is a direct driver of food inflation.

3. Transparency Dashboards: A public ‘Reform Progress Dashboard’ should be designed, as this would build citizens’ trust by showing real-time project milestones.

4. Hold the Line: As the 2027 election approaches, the temptation to return to populist, ‘crowd-pleasing’ spending will be high. Reversing these reforms now would mean the pain of the last

The Renewed Hope Agenda has been a significant attempt to transition Nigeria from an ‘arbitrage economy’ to a productive one. While the macroeconomic indicators and infrastructure projects represent significant high points, the ultimate success of the agenda depends on whether these structural foundations ultimately translate into improved household welfare and sustained per-capita growth over the coming years. This is the next stage of the task ahead.

Overall, while there is mixed public sentiment towards the Agenda, with many noting that it is ‘working,’ though there is need for faster household-level impact, its long-term legacy will depend on sustained implementation (which makes a strong case for continuity in governance), the inclusive distribution of benefits, and deeper dive into resolving persistent security/poverty challenges.

Mark Odigie is a technology, media entrepreneur and publisher of Zeal News Africa based in Lagos.

In a heartwarming celebration filled with love, prayers, and admiration, one of the strongest members of Team Makinde and the Chief Executive Officer of Bullion Records, Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, has celebrated his beloved wife, Mrs. Oyindamola Ajadi, on the occasion of her birthday today, Saturday, May 9, 2026.

Speaking during a private prayer session held in the early hours of the morning at his residence, Ambassador Ajadi described his wife as a rare gem whose unwavering love, support, and devotion have remained a pillar of strength in his personal and professional journey.

‘Behind a successful man, there must be a good woman,’ Ambassador Ajadi said while expressing gratitude to God for the gift of his wife. ‘Oyindamola embodies kindness, passion, patience, loyalty, and perseverance. Today, as she celebrates another beautiful year of life, I am reminded once again of how blessed I am to have her beside me.’

The businessman and politician further poured out emotional and romantic birthday wishes to his wife, appreciating the joy and peace she has brought into his life.

‘Happy birthday to you, my darling,’ he said. ‘I celebrate your special day with my heartfelt, romantic, and sweet wishes that make you feel cherished and deeply loved. My love, every year with you is better than the last. Happy birthday to the one who makes my heart skip a beat. Love you forever.’

Ambassador Ajadi also offered fervent prayers for his wife, asking God to continually guide, protect, and prosper her in all areas of life.

‘Oyindamola is not just a wife and a mother; she is a beacon of love, wisdom, and support. I vow to always celebrate her and cherish every precious moment we share together. May Almighty God bless her with long life, sound health, endless joy, divine wisdom, peace of mind, and abundant prosperity. May her days be filled with happiness, favor, grace, and fulfillment beyond expectations,’ he prayed.

He added, ‘I celebrate a beautiful soul today. On your special day, I want to shower you with all the love and affection in my heart. May your light never dim, may sorrow never come near your dwelling, and may God continue to uplift and strengthen you in all you do.’

The birthday celebration attracted goodwill messages and prayers from family members, friends, political associates, colleagues, and admirers, many of whom described Mrs. Ajadi as a humble, supportive, and virtuous woman whose kindness and warmth continue to positively impact lives around her.

As she marks another milestone, Mrs. Oyindamola Ajadi remains a source of inspiration to many, with loved ones joining Ambassador Ajadi in praying for greater accomplishments, divine protection, and many more fruitful years ahead.