Category: Nigerian Tribune

I deliberately titled an intellectual paper I delivered recently, ‘Rhythm of Value,’ to demonstrate the nuanced pattern of distinctive variation in an organisation’s ability to deliver value-associated outcomes or customer-satisfaction advantage.

Nuggets of a performing organisation include relevance to outcome-based values, regular improvements, customer delight, and commitment to fully fulfilling the promise.

Sales pitches must follow this sequence and be human-psychology-based because consumer behaviour is more dynamic and unpredictable today than ever. The consumer landscape is regularly shifting, with persistent cost pressures, increasingly value-consciousness and loads of valuable information from AI.

Emotion plays a significant role in how consumers discover, evaluate and make purchases. Human beings are biologically programmed, and we must therefore utilise the knowledge of neuroeconomics to understand how the brain makes these purchase decisions. Neuroeconomics combines insights from neuroscience, psychology and economics.

The HUMAN has undeniably proved to be the greatest advantage for positioning, perception and creative thinking. To dominate the marketplace, it is not just visible skills that matter, but the ‘hidden leverage’ required for short- and long-term moves.

As I mentioned earlier, artificial intelligence (among other factors) is shifting the consumer landscape. We now solve problems through data analysis. AI can generate creative content, and it can even adapt. AI expedites execution and enables short-term exchanges for convenience.

But humans do the work and ‘think’ for the work. Pace cannot be prioritised over prudence, nor convenience over comprehension. Cognitive biases can even distort our perception of risks and rewards. You cannot achieve balanced deductions without human connection.

The human mind enables us to think creatively. It is the indispensable tool for craftsmanship, comprehension and mastery.

The human mind enables us to discern and think deeply, critically and creatively. AI is no doubt, simplifying our lives, but the human mind is what helps us to differentiate ourselves and remain distinguishable.

In sales and marketing, AI tries to achieve cadence or rhythm in leveraging the 4Cs framework, but it is definitely inadequate in answering many questions around consumer behaviour, preferences and barriers to entry. AI’s execution efforts in this area are often superficial and shallow.

Smart selling must pivot on psychology and other insights in neuroeconomics. The tools for today’s smart selling engage all the five senses of the human being: taste, smell, touch, hearing and sight. These also include psychological benefits such as headline framing, pricing, communication, simplicity, credibility and specificity.

Others include tapping into human desires, social proof and strength, the creative deadline factor, mental images, powerful visual adjectives and visualisation, as well as the psychology of simplicity.

A good example is Mutual Benefits Group’s unique strategy of pattern recognition and strategic engagement for outcome-based sales. As I said in the recent presentation I mentioned earlier: ‘A key enabler of our Smart Retail Initiative is pattern recognition that uses mental models to support strategic prospecting and expanding the depth and breadth of engagement as well as loyalty. This approach allows sales teams to anticipate needs, identify opportunities, build and sustain meaningful relationships.’

This strategy has repositioned insurance as a productorial value enhancer, effectively demonstrating its role as the catalyst for economic stability, growth, progress and prosperity.

Human ability definitely trumps AI in decision-making and in the decision-making loop. AI cannot connect the subconscious and the conscious in the same way humans can, bringing together facts and information that we have absorbed, processed and reflected upon. It cannot combine cross-disciplinary fields in the way the human mind does. It cannot strengthen the ability to stand apart and be remarkable rather than merely relevant and routine.

Do you know that there are biased data, incorrect data and conflicting data.

Also, a key concept in decision-making is Recursive Thinking. This concept is a powerful mental framework that follows chains of reactions, consequences and decisions before it unfolds in reality.

It enables us to build mental models of human behaviour, understand that incentives matter more than motivation, and anticipate reactions.

There is a big difference between reacting and anticipating. Prediction is about probabilities, not certainty. Emotions can destroy even the best predictions and risk assessments.

Human behaviour is complex and cannot be predicted with certainty. We therefore definitely need critical and creative thinking in decision-making processes.

Real benefits-oriented progress that is enduring cannot be achieved by machines alone, but through the power of the Human Mind. We cannot abandon learning, understanding and comprehension if we are to succeed.

We should always remember that leadership and styles of leaders stem from learning and continuous learning.

Learning increases the value of value-adding contributions. We need to continually learn more, take in more and advance in knowledge. The leader can only thrive in today’s dynamic world if he keeps exploring and drawing valuable insights from the five ‘buckets’ of knowledge, skill, connectedness and reputation.

RECENTLY, Nigerians heaved a huge sigh of relief as 308 victims abducted during multiple attacks in Niger and Kwara states were released. One hundred and sixty-three of these rescued persons were abducted from Woro community in Kaiama, Kwara State, and 145 from Niger State. According to security reports, the victims were rescued from the Kainji Lake National Park forest in New Bussa Local Government Area of Niger State. The Federal Government said this was the outcome of a coordinated, intelligence-driven operation conducted by the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC). According to it, this was done in concert with personnel of the Armed Forces, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force. Security agencies further said that this operation was the largest rescue operation ever carried out on the same day by the joint security team.

Characteristically, President Bola Tinubu warmly welcomed the rescue, expressing deep appreciation to the combined leadership and personnel of the security agencies for their bravery, seamless inter-agency collaboration, and dedication. He said: ‘The successful execution of this intelligence-led operation demonstrates the growing efficiency and collaboration among our security services. I commend our gallant men and women in uniform for their bravery and unwavering commitment to safeguarding Nigerian lives.’ The President also emphasised the urgency and imperative of bolstering national security infrastructure to prevent future occurrences. He urged security agencies and relevant stakeholders to immediately strengthen early warning mechanisms, enhance community-level intelligence gathering, and improve rapid response capabilities. The President also canvassed the need for vigilance and security alertness across the country. He said that his administration remained steadfast in its resolve to contain security threats, protect vulnerable communities, and restore lasting peace across all nooks and crannies of the country.

The rescue of the abductees, who had experienced horror in the den of kidnappers for months, is a welcome development. It is indeed gladsome that even though the rescue took a long time, a great percentage of the abducted victims eventually regained their freedom. In this regard, we give kudos to the President and the security agencies. Their efforts led to the abductees reuniting with their families. We also commiserate with the families of victims who died in the abductors’ dens.

That said, however, we urge that more efforts be made to achieve the President’s clearly outlined goals. One of the things that must be done is to ensure an overall national security measure that would make abduction of Nigerians impossible in the first instance. Good as it is that Nigerians, the government and the families of the recently freed abductees are rejoicing at their release, there is nothing to cheer about the cycle of abductions and releases of hapless Nigerians. The joy of Nigerians would be fuller if the incubus of abduction is totally banished from the land. For how long will the authorities celebrate releases that should not have happened in the first place?

The government must expedite action on the state police bill that is currently going through the mill of legislation. A state police architecture, where each state is master of its territory and its challenges, would make it easier to address crime cases. State policing would allow each state to articulate its own indigenous and ingenuous methods of combating insecurity, and they would be taken to account on this. To be sure, abduction cases deserve close examination. This is also why the country must not treat the abduction and rescue/release of the abducted victims in Oriire, Oyo State, as a bygone issue. It should be an eye-opener to both states and the Federal Governments. They should not allow outlaws to prey on law-abiding citizens and make them go through hell in thick forests. Shedding light on what transpired in that grueling abduction episode will help the country to handle security cases better and equip it with the tools to prevent or address future incidents.

Nigeria must drill deeper into the roots of the menace of abductions. Already, they are mired in controversy, and there is the troubling argument that selective handling of kidnapping cases by the Federal Government allows them to fester. The government must counter this narrative through prompt and decisive action on all cases. It should learn from previous cases, and carry out a holistic postmortem. The point is that Nigeria must move away from celebrating rescues. Nigerians need to be better protected. Prevention, as they say, is better than cure. The government’s responsibility to protect the people is sacrosanct.

Last Sunday, Senator Iyiola Omisore and I had a fairly lengthy conversation about Nigeria and her politics. He had read my column of penultimate Sunday on the political crisis in Kaduna between House of Representatives Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, and Governor Uba Sani and engaged with me on the issues.

Political crisis of any magnitude and shades can’t be extraordinary to a politician with the kind of history behind the Ife-prince, mostly referenced as Otunba by his own. You can even say his political odyssey is practically forged in the vicissitude of political and electoral adversities as well as the resilience in fortitude that has become the hallmark of his national and local politicking. When you think he’s irretrievably gone, he suddenly surfaces.

A sampler. He made a president who ditched him even before swearing-in. He is still there.

A kicker. He was an impeached deputy governor. He didn’t evaporate though almost eviscerated.

As history maker, he famously won a senatorial election with outsized national significance and global attention, from prison.

He was imprisoned in the first place for an alleged crime which those who railroaded him into gaol would turn around, decades later, to say he didn’t commit.

Well, the judiciary was a step ahead, vindicating him before his accusers’ turnaround.

It would seem adversity in politics always has a vacant spot for him, anytime he shows up for electoral participation. The last time, he was viciously kicked to the curb in a nomination exercise he was almost certain to win, by the same people he once helped into various offices.

He is one Nigerian politician who has had a lived experience, to last a lifetime, relating with practically all the ideological spectrums (though many would argue there aren’t distinguishable ideological lines in Nigeria’s political ecosystem), in the electoral space.

He had been Afenifere, the ideologues of South West politics; was of PDP, believed to mirror more of the conservative North and at present, a once-ingrained but now largely-peripheral chieftain of the assumed progressive clan anchored in Bourdillionism, the political belief of President Bola Tinubu.

Of course we discussed Osun. He had tried severally to become her governor. By the time you are reading this, someone not named Omisore would have been announced the state governor for the next four years. He is not on the ballot but he was largely the main issue throughout the campaign.

Like Maradona too, he managed to leave everyone guessing. Is he in or out? Was he playing against the run of play or not? Hopefully, there won’t be a supplementary election requiring him to take sides again.

Even for his harshest critics, there is no denying him as arguably, the biggest political name in the state whether on ballot or not. He knows a lot of political giants of this dispensation, particularly of his ruling party. It would seem being the national secretary of the ruling party for just one year and three months enriched his political network even much more than when he was the chair of Senate Appropriations Committee, considered as one of the most powerful legislative positions anyone could attain outside of the core principal offices.

As the national scribe for the 15 months, the ruling party’s secretariat he headed coordinated the nomination process for thousands of aspirants and the eventual hundreds of candidates for all elective posts for the 2023 general elections, including the emergence of today’s president, who has now done him what the libidinous minstrel, Tuface, would call ‘strong things’, twice.

He first kicked the Ife strongman out of the party secretariat, then blocked him from contesting the party’s ticket for yesterday’s Osun election. God forbid the party would need his ‘supplementary’ help this time.

In Ecclesiastes 3, Solomon spoke of times and seasons of life. He contrasted issues of life in polar formula. Time to laugh, time to weep.

Otunba, who has maintained a studied silence since the obvious coordinated efforts to silence him in Osun politics, says to me, it is now story time.

If Solomon were to include the emerging moment, it would sound like; time to be silent and time to talk.

The somewhat-unsung engineer is set for his memoir and mentioned my likely participation in what I foresee would be a collegial arrangement. The publishers he mentioned to me, clinging to his neck for it, are big-timers. But the 6th Assembly lawmaker seemed settled on how to proceed, being a multiple-book author himself.

He then whetted my appetite with some stories of political nocturnalism involving him and many A-listers in the political space.

Of course, the president came up. I will leave the substantial part of the gist for the memoir and I’m only mentioning it here because he already said the narrations would be included in the package.

Of course, the Bola Ige controversy is a sure staple. But readers may be in for a shocker trying to predict how the saga would be presented from the writer’s perspective. I assure movie producers some of the told stories would be box office blockbusters, if adapted and screened at theatres.

Was the president aware of the plot to disqualify and jail him ahead of his participation in APC’s presidential primaries in 2022?

If yes, did he know how he was let off the hook and the personalities who intervened for him? Was he aware of someone in his predecessor’s cabinet whose memos the then president hardly vetted and the disposition of the fellow towards him (Tinubu) and his presidential project?

Was the president aware the fellow was almost done with the dismantle-Tinubu project before a desperate plea from someone the president is ‘punishing’ today, saved the day?

Let me pause before I end up writing the memoir here before its actual package by the owner of the story.

But even with the little I heard from Otunba, his planned memoir is going to be on the front row of the most controversial in Nigeria’s contemporary history. I will place it side-by-side with El-Rufai and IBB’s.

And I’m sure he’s gutsy enough for the expected fallout. One thing that hasn’t come to be associated with him is serially lying in the matters of material facts. Beyond politics, I’m yet to read a call-out, tagging him a revisionist. But if he makes good on his promise to spill so much with names and places, he should expect a lot of fightbacks that may want to cast his claims, maybe not as outright falsehood, but more like alternative facts.

Politics and his plenty grey hair aside, Otunba is already an elder. A month from today, he would be 69. By next year, he would be 70.

23 years ago, when he turned 70, the Biafran hero, now-late Odumegwu Ojukwu, joked that one of the perks of old age is the society giving worrying behaviours of the elderly a pass, as a mark of respect for the wisdom that comes with advancing age.

Yes, Otunba is still likely eyeing another shot at the Abere Government House (though he insists that engineering is his primary focus now) and writing a memoir dripping with politics, better-kept stories and named personalities, may be considered not in the best interest of his long-standing and long-running aspiration, but an elder, according to a Yoruba proverb, has a way of keeping what he is combining to eat agidi (cold, wrapped pap), under the layers of the wrapping leaves.

There is nothing I will be writing here as assumptive political consequences of writing the memoir, even when in a self-imposed political hiatus, that he would not have considered; like the president still the leader of his party and his boys, still controlling the party structure in Osogbo, regardless of yesterday’s results.

But I’m excited for the project. If Otunba is truly documenting the political happenings he mentioned, especially the shenanigans that preceded the making of the Tinubu presidency, the public will no doubt be served a bombshell and our national politics should benefit from it.

I really look forward to it.

Same way I look forward to a copy of ‘BOLA TINUBU: Road to Government House’, written by Femi Babafemi, who, of course, needs no introduction. He’s arguably the best-performing public relations manager in Nigeria today.

The book is 27 years old and not currently on any bookshelf; physical or digital. But personal arrangement is on to get the 1999 book, detailing the bruising campaign that got today’s president into Alausa office as Lagos governor. My interest in it is its prophetic nature. Maybe the one we call FB will one day wear the cassock. Who knows.

Consider this: ‘Having said this, it is equally important to say that Senator Tinubu has to bear in mind that it is yet no time to rest, every stage of human endeavours represents fresh, and sometimes tougher challenges, tasks and temptations. If eventually he remains committed to his and his party’s populist programmes, the man, who is today addressed as governor and first citizen of Lagos State, may in the nearest future become the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.’

Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has explained why he is backing President Bola Tinubu’s bid for a second term in 2027, saying he believes the President should be given another opportunity to continue ongoing reforms and infrastructure projects, particularly in the South-West region.

Adeleke spoke during an interview with Channels Television on Sunday, hours after securing victory in the August 15 Osun State governorship election and earning a fresh mandate for another term in office.

The governor rejected claims that his endorsement of Tinubu was linked to any political understanding surrounding the governorship election, insisting that no agreement existed between him and the President.

Responding to a question on whether there was any arrangement with Tinubu ahead of the election, Adeleke said, ‘No, I never reached an agreement with Mr President.’

Giving reasons for his support, the governor said, ‘My support is just based on… he’s a Yoruba man, and he’s from the Southwest. And I believe that all the federal roads that he has started, I want to encourage him, you know, not to forget Southwest too.’

He added, ‘Since a Yoruba man has won the first term, maybe we should give him another chance to develop his reform.’

When asked if he would play an active role in Tinubu’s 2027 presidential campaign, Adeleke replied, ‘Big time, I will.’

He also indicated readiness to collaborate with members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), including loyalists of former Osun State Governor Gboyega Oyetola, in advancing support for the President’s re-election effort.

‘Well, as long as it’s… I’m doing it for Mr. President. So I won’t mind. I will work with them,’ he said.

Adeleke further stated that he would participate in the President’s campaign in whatever role Tinubu considered appropriate.

‘And of course, whatever Mr. President… when it’s time for him to campaign and all that, whatever how he wants me to come in, I will do it,’ he said.

Earlier, the Imole Campaign Council also denied reports suggesting that Adeleke’s endorsement of Tinubu was connected to any political bargain.

The council maintained that the governor’s support for the President was driven by his assessment of Tinubu’s performance and economic reforms rather than any prior arrangement.

In a statement posted on X on Sunday, the council’s spokesperson, Pelumi Olajengbesi, reacted to comments made by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo.

Congratulating Adeleke on his governorship election victory, Keyamo had written, ‘Thank you, Governor Ademola Adeleke, for the public and unequivocal endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu @officialABAT for the 2027 Presidential Election. You are a man of integrity and honour. ‘Agreement is agreement.”

The remark sparked debate across social media platforms, with some users interpreting it as confirmation of a behind-the-scenes political deal between both leaders.

However, Olajengbesi dismissed the speculation, arguing that Adeleke’s re-election was solely the result of the mandate given to him by voters in Osun State.

‘Do not undermine the resilience of Osun people. There is no agreement,’ he said.

He added, ‘Our support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, @officialABAT, is based on his performance and reforms that have strengthened states economically.’

Olajengbesi also stressed that the governor’s victory was determined by the electorate, while the President’s contribution was ensuring that democratic processes were respected.

‘Osun people voted @AAdeleke_01. President Tinubu simply ensured democratic rules were respected,’ he said.

Dr Seun Ajayi is a senior academic at Harper Adams University, United Kingdom with extensive teaching, research and industry experience spanning Nigeria, South Africa, Germany and the UK. In this interview with YETUNDE AJANAKU, he spoke on the future of higher education, research, innovation and youth development in Nigeria.

Nigeria has one of the largest youth populations in the world, yet many young Nigerians struggle with access to economic opportunities, what policies do you think the Nigerian government should prioritise to harness the potential of its young population?

Nigeria’s youth population should be treated as productive infrastructure, not as a social constituency. With roughly six in ten Nigerians under 25, government must connect education, enterprise, housing and infrastructure policy. I would prioritise apprenticeships linked to employers, digital and green-skills academies, youth enterprise finance tied to plans, and employment zones around transport, housing, agriculture and technology. The 2025 National Employment Policy is useful, but implementation must be measurable. Every public project should report how many young Nigerians it trains, employs and helps into sustainable businesses.

What role can the government play in making housing more affordable and accessible to young Nigerians in light of the increasing housing deficit?

Government should stop defining affordable housing only by the selling price of a unit. Affordability is the relationship between income, deposit, mortgage cost, transport and services. Nigeria needs serviced land, faster title registration, standardised approvals, long-term mortgage funding and more rental housing at scale. States can contribute land and infrastructure, while developers deliver mixed-income schemes transparently. The National Housing Fund should reach informal workers through flexible contribution records. We also need rent-to-own, shared-equity and housing microfinance products, because conventional mortgages remain unrealistic for many early-career Nigerians.

How do economic challenges, including inflation and the rising cost of living affect the real estate sector and the ability of young Nigerians to own or access decent housing?

Inflation affects housing twice. It raises the cost of cement, steel, transport, labour and imported fittings, while reducing household purchasing power. Nigeria’s headline inflation was 15.91 per cent in June 2026, with food inflation at 17.52 per cent, so essentials absorb more income. High interest rates make construction finance and mortgages expensive. The resultant effect of that is delayed projects, smaller units, higher rents and overcrowding. Policy must deepen local building-material production and expand fixed-rate housing finance rather than rely on short-term commercial lending.

Because government policies and regulations have a significant impact on the property and real estate sector, what reforms do you believe the Nigerian government should introduce to make the sector more sustainable?

The first reform is searchable land information. Investors should verify ownership, encumbrances, planning status and transaction history without opaque networks. Second, states should publish approval timelines, fees and reasons for refusal, with applications tracked. Third, Nigeria needs stronger valuation, building-safety and property-management enforcement, including sanctions for misleading promotions. The SEC’s warnings about unregistered schemes show why investor protection matters. Reform of the Land Use Act should reduce delay while preserving oversight. Transparency will reduce uncertainty premiums and attract serious, long-term capital.

Following your experience in Nigeria, South Africa, Germany and the United Kingdom, what lessons can Nigeria learn from promoting national development?

Nigeria should not copy another country wholesale. Germany shows the value of training, applied research and institutions that survive political cycles. The United Kingdom demonstrates how professional standards, data and long-term planning support investment, although affordability remains difficult. South Africa shows sophisticated capital markets and the consequences of spatial inequality. Nigeria can combine these lessons locally: strengthen vocational and university-industry pathways, build property data, fund research around national problems and ensure urban development connects people to employment rather than pushing them further from opportunity.

You have built a career in real estate education, research and academia across different countries. What exactly does your current research focus on, and why is it important to society?

My research examines how risk, information and institutional quality affect property values and investment decisions. A strand focuses on climate risk, whether flooding and adaptation infrastructure are reflected in valuations,transactions and portfolio strategy. I use spatial analysis, econometrics and machine learning to study property records rather than treating sustainability as a slogan. I also research listed real estate, corporate governance and market behaviour. This matters because property is where household wealth, pension capital, bank lending and urban resilience meet. When risk is mispriced, losses reach institutions and communities over time.

Your PhD research examined the performance of listed Real Estate Investment Trusts on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. How can the Nigerian real estate market benefit from research and investment models such as REITs?

REITs allow people to invest in income-producing property without buying an entire building. Properly structured, they pool capital, provide management, distribute income and channel pension and retail money into housing, logistics, healthcare and commercial assets. Nigeria has a regulatory framework, but the market needs scale, liquidity, tax clarity, credible valuations and disclosure. REITs should not become another label for opaque fundraising. Assets, leases, debt, fees and related-party transactions must be visible. With those protections, REITs can widen participation and finance productive real estate rather than concentrate ownership.

You have received several prestigious research grants and awards, including the 2025 Emeritus Professor Sarah Sayce Sustainability Research Award. What are some of the key issues you are currently researching, particularly regarding sustainability and the future of real estate?

My present work asks a question: how should investors value property when future climate conditions differ from the past? The research behind the 2025 Sarah Sayce Award examines flood exposure, adaptation and downside risk in the Thames Estuary. I am extending this into climate-adjusted valuation, insurance availability, infrastructure credibility and stranded assets. I am also exploring data centres, energy constraints, rural assets and battery-recycling infrastructure, because real estate will be shaped by power, climate, technology and circular-economy requirements.

Sustainability must become a financial calculation, not a decorative paragraph.

As a senior academic, what do you believe needs to change in the way universities prepare young people for the demands of the modern job market?

Universities must move beyond the assumption that knowledge transfer ends with a lecture and examination. Students need depth, but also evidence that they can solve unfamiliar problems, interrogate AI-generated material, analyse data, communicate with decision-makers and exercise ethical judgement. Programmes should include industry briefs, placements, simulations, fieldwork and assessed portfolios showing what graduates can do. Career development should begin in the first year.

Universities should reward lecturers who build employer partnerships, because employability improves when curriculum, research and professional practice inform one another.

What are the major differences you have observed in the way research, innovation and academic development are approached in these countries you’ve worked and studied in?

Nigeria has energy and entrepreneurial improvisation, but research is weakened by unstable funding, limited data access and promotion systems that reward volume more than influence. South Africa gave me exposure to methodological rigour and continental networks, although inequality shapes participation. Germany impressed me through structured collaboration between universities, industry and applied research institutions. The United Kingdom has funding, ethics and impact systems, but can become bureaucratic. The best model combines Nigerian creativity, South African analytical depth, German institutional discipline and British standards, while avoiding exclusions and rigidities present in each system.

Before becoming an internationally recognised academic and researcher, where did your journey begin, and what inspired you to study Estate Management?

My journey began in Ile-Ife, where I studied Estate Management at Obafemi Awolowo University. My exposure came through my father, Emeritus Professor Cyril Ayodele Ajayi, but I still had to develop my own reason for choosing it. I became fascinated that land is never merely physical; it carries finance, law, politics, culture and aspiration. Estate Management offered a way to understand why some cities create opportunity while others reproduce exclusion. That curiosity later took me into investment analysis, REITs, sustainability, climate risk and university teaching across countries.

What were some of the biggest challenges you faced while building your career and how did you overcome them?

The hardest part was rebuilding credibility. Moving across countries meant learning new academic cultures, funding systems, professional expectations and communication styles. My PhD took five and a half years, with periods of financial pressure, rejection and uncertainty. I progressed through disciplined routines, mentors, collaboration and a willingness to improve without losing my identity. I learnt to separate rejection from self-worth. A rejected paper, application or idea contains information, but it should not become a verdict on your future. International careers are built through competence, resilience and relationships.

Was there a particular moment, person or experience that changed the direction of your career?

Professor Omokolade Akinsomi changed my career by helping me see that completing a PhD was not the destination; I needed a distinctive research identity. Another turning point was my 2019 DAAD-supported period at the International Real Estate Business School in Germany. It expanded my horizon and showed me that an African scholar could contribute to global real estate debates. Mentors, including Emeritus Professor Andrew Baum, reinforced professional usefulness. The lesson was simple: excellence grows when rigorous work is matched by exposure, generosity and strategic relationships.

What advice would you give to a young person who wants to build an international career?

Do not wait for confidence before moving; confidence often arrives after evidence. Become competent at something the market values, then document it through projects, publications, certifications or measurable results. Build relationships before you need recommendations, introductions or employment. International mobility requires humility; so, learn how the destination market communicates value, but do not erase your background. Expect rejection, visa complications, financial pressure and loneliness, then prepare. The objective is not merely to leave Nigeria. It is to create value across borders and transfer knowledge and opportunity back.

If you could speak directly to young Nigerians today, particularly those interested in academia, research, real estate and professional development, what three things would you tell them to start doing now?

First, build proof, not only ambition. Produce work another person can inspect: a portfolio, research paper, market analysis, project or professional contribution. Second, cultivate relationships. Identify people whose work you respect, engage intelligently and become useful before asking for favours. Third, choose problems larger than your circumstances. Nigeria needs better housing data, climate-resilient cities, transparent investment vehicles and universities that translate knowledge into development. Learn the tools required to address such problems. Your background may affect your starting point, but disciplined skill, integrity and strategic visibility can change where you are.

A mother can want the best for her child, trust a health worker and still be unable to make the final decision about whether that child receives medicine.

That finding from a sentiment study across 11 northern Nigerian states offers an important lesson for policymakers working to improve child survival, that reaching caregivers is not always the same as reaching decision-makers.

The finding is contained in Earning Public Confidence and Household Trust in the Reduction of Child Mortality in Northern Nigeria, a white paper examining what it will take to translate the promise of proven child-survival interventions into sustained participation at household level.

The SARMAAN/REACH programme provides approved dosage in the mass administration of azithromycin to children aged one to 59 months across 11 northern states. Evidence from the MORDOR trial found that the intervention reduced all-cause child mortality by 13.5% in high-mortality settings.

The opportunity is significant, but getting a proven intervention to children requires more than making the medicine available. It requires households to trust the programme enough to participate.

The sentiments study found an overall Emotional Sentiment Index (ESI) score of 48 out of 100 across the exposed states; meaning that caregivers are participating in the programme but their confidence of understanding of the programme is fragile.

. The index measures caregiver confidence and readiness to participate in and advocate for the programme.

The state-level picture varies considerably. Kano recorded an ESI of 73, while Yobe and Kaduna recorded 36 and 28 respectively. The white paper describes these findings as baselines, rather than permanent judgments and that distinction is important as trust can change, and governments have an opportunity to influence how it changes.

There is another finding policymakers should pay particular attention to. Only 16% of mothers surveyed said they had sole authority over whether their child receives the medicine. In 51% of households, the decision is made jointly, while in 33%, the husband has sole authority.

This means a programme can successfully reach a mother and still fail to secure household participation.

It also changes how health communication should be designed. If the people receiving information are not always the people making the final decision, communication cannot stop with mothers. Fathers, male elders and other household decision-makers need to be part of the conversation, particularly in communities where they hold significant influence.

There is an encouraging tension in the findings. Across the states, 96% of caregivers said they intend to participate in SARMAAN again.

The white paper recommends that states establish year-round relationships with trusted community messengers, including frontline health workers, religious leaders and women’s networks, rather than activating them only when medicines are being distributed. It also recommends building the capacity to identify and respond to emerging concerns before they become entrenched.

Nigeria has seen the value of this approach before. When distrust disrupted polio vaccination across three northern states in 2003, structured investment in credible community messengers contributed to a dramatic reduction in new cases, from 384 to 21 in a single year.

The lesson is not that communication can substitute for functioning health systems. It cannot. Financing, health workers, supply chains and service delivery remain fundamental. But trust is part of that infrastructure. Without it, even effective interventions can struggle to reach the children they were designed to protect.

For policymakers, the actions are practical. We need a budget for trust-building, maintain credible community networks between programme rounds, engage household decision-makers, establish mechanisms to track and respond to concerns, and make child survival a visible public accountability priority.

These investments can also extend beyond programmes like SARMAAN/REACH to ensure that stronger relationships between citizens, communities and health systems can support future health interventions as well.

Nigeria’s child-survival challenge remains enormous, but the findings point to encouraging insights that some of the barriers to participation are identifiable, measurable and actionable. The question now is whether policymakers will use that knowledge.

Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party has won Ife Central Local Government Area in Saturday’s Osun State governorship election, defeating the All Progressives Congress (APC) by over 5,000 votes.

The result, announced at the Ife Central Local Government Area collation centre at about 10:43 pm on Saturday, showed that the Accord Party polled 21,171 votes, while the APC secured 15,913 votes.

The result is subject to review at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) central collation centre in Osogbo before final ratification.

A total of 39,330 votes were cast from the 39,990 accredited voters in the local government area. Of the votes cast, 38,380 were declared valid, while 950 were rejected.

Other parties recorded the following results: AA, 137 votes; AAC, 90; ADC, 747; ADP, 86; APGA, 71; APM, three; BP, eight; NNPP, five; PRP, three; SDP, 12; YPP, 25; ZLP, 102, while APP recorded no vote.

The local government has 122,454 registered voters, with 39,990 accredited for the election.

The result gives the Accord Party candidate and incumbent governor, Ademola Adeleke, a significant advantage in the local government over his APC challenger, Bola Oyebamiji.

Results from the state’s 30 local government areas are being announced at their respective collation centres as the process continues.

For years, the internet was awash with mockery, gossip and rumours surrounding popular Nollywood couple, Abdulateef Adedimeji and Adebimpe, particularly over their inability to have children after marriage.

But the same internet that witnessed years of speculation and unkind remarks has now celebrated a remarkable turnaround, as the couple proudly welcomed their triplets and hosted a naming and thanksgiving ceremony in Lagos.

Adedimeji and Adebimpe got married in December 2021 and welcomed their triplets in May 2026, marking a new and joyous chapter in their journey as a couple.

The thanksgiving and naming ceremony, held on Wednesday at the Monarch Event Centre in Lekki, Lagos State, was a star-studded affair, attracting colleagues, friends and some of the biggest names in Nollywood and the country’s entertainment industry.

The couple, who have now put the years of mockery, gossip and hurtful speculation behind them, were full of joy as the heavyweights of the entertainment industry turned up in their numbers to celebrate their long-awaited blessing.

The proud father, who recently opened up about the shame and painful experiences he endured over the years, including rumours questioning whether he was the biological father of the children, could barely contain his joy at the event as he danced to the admiration of all.

Rather than dwell on the painful past, the couple embraced the moment with gratitude and happiness, basking in the love and support of their colleagues, friends and well-wishers.

The couple became the cynosure of all eyes as celebrities and industry stakeholders converged on the venue to share in their joy and celebrate the new chapter in their lives.

One of the most emotional moments of the ceremony was when veteran actress, Iya Rainbow, dressed in a white garment, offered prayers for the couple, their triplets and everyone present.

The atmosphere later became enlivened as musician, Segun Johnson, took the stage and thrilled the gathering with his performance. His rendition of ‘Baba meta, ti e o ni ta’ particularly stirred the joy of the father and sent guests into excitement.

Fuji icon, K1 De Ultimate, also added colour to the occasion, lighting up the venue with his classic Fuji tunes and keeping the guests entertained.

For Abdulateef and Adebimpe, however, the celebration was far bigger than a glamorous celebrity gathering. It was a testimony of patience, resilience and triumph over years of public scrutiny.

Former deputy governor of Imo State, Eze Madumere, has urged Nigerian youths to acquire relevant skills and embrace education, entrepreneurship, technology and innovation to remain relevant in the evolving economy.

Madumere, who is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senatorial candidate for Imo East, gave the advice in a message to youths in Imo East and across the state to mark the 2026 International Youth Day.

He described young people as critical drivers of sustainable development, stressing that the progress of Imo State and Nigeria depended on meaningful investment in the youth population.

The former deputy governor called on political leaders and other stakeholders to move beyond celebrating young people and create opportunities for their participation, empowerment and leadership.

According to him, International Youth Day provides an opportunity to celebrate the creativity, resilience and ingenuity of young people while highlighting the responsibility of government and society to create an environment where they can thrive.

Madumere said his commitment to youth development predated his political career and was driven by his belief in the ability of young people to lead and transform society.

‘I have always been a youth person. My commitment to young people did not begin when I became Deputy Governor, nor is it tied to any political position. Long before I served the people of Imo State, I believed strongly in the capacity of young people to lead, create, innovate and transform society,’ he said.

He said public office only provided him with a wider platform to advance his conviction, adding that young people could achieve extraordinary things when given opportunities, responsibilities and the right environment.

Madumere said the future of Imo State should be deliberately built around a generation of young people who are equipped and empowered to contribute to governance and economic development.

He also pledged to continue advocating for a society where youths are regarded not merely as followers or electoral statistics, but as partners, stakeholders and leaders in the development of the state and country.

‘To every young person in Owerri Zone and across Imo State, I celebrate you today. Your dreams matter, your ideas matter. Your voice resonates loud and clear. Your future is assured. Never underestimate what you can become and keep hope alive,’ he said.

He urged young people to remain focused and resilient while making deliberate efforts to develop themselves and contribute positively to their communities.

Madumere reaffirmed his commitment to supporting a generation of young Imolites capable of actively shaping the future of the state and the nation.

The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Sunday said the leadership of the party is currently studying the results of the governorship election in each of the 332 wards across the state, with a view to exploring the available constitutional window of opportunity in this regard.

According to a statement by the party’s spokesperson, Chief Kola Olabisi, ‘We are not unaware of the fact that an election is a process which begins with the registration of voters, through the primary election to the election proper, and extends to the Tribunal, the Court of Appeal and terminates at the Supreme Court.’

‘An election cannot be said to have been concluded without exploring all these constitutionally allowed legal opportunities to correct anomalies observed in the process of the election, as enshrined in the Electoral Act 2026, as amended.’

‘We commend the steadfastness, sagacity and loyalty of the numerous members and supporters of our party for their contributions in getting to this juncture in the political history of the state.’

‘We make bold to state categorically that, as a progressive party founded on the unalloyed principles of the rule of law, fairness and justice, we shall not hesitate to explore, without further delay, the window allowed by the extant Electoral Act after due consultation with our team of lawyers and based on their professional advice.’

‘The new development is a beauty of democracy, with reference to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s declared governorship election results in the state, which would not propel us to deviate from embracing the culture of the rule of law.’

‘As a result of the foregoing, we are imploring our ever-loyal members and supporters to remain cool and calm while they carry on with their businesses and refuse to respond to any provocative action or inaction from any members of the ruling party across the state.’

‘It is necessary to assure our members and supporters not to despair about the current situation and to have it in mind that it is not over until it is over.’

‘While we are appealing to the Nigeria Police Force to come to the aid and rescue of our members and supporters who are being needlessly molested by the ruling party, we are assuring them that we will not have any cause or reason to abandon them.’

‘The current situation in the political history of the state is a passing phase which will soon become part of history, as justice shall be done accordingly,’ he concluded.