Category: Nigerian Tribune

The paramount ruler of Ikom Local Government Area of Cross River State, Minen Takon Atangba Nkpa, has called for a centralised New Yam Festival to unite the people and attract investment, tourism and development to the area.

The monarch made the call during an interaction with the Nigerian Tribune, following the conclusion of the Ekpache Nkome new yam festival, held at the Ikom Stadium.

Nkpa described the festival as an important part of Ikom’s cultural identity and economic life, saying a coordinated celebration would provide an opportunity to showcase the area’s agricultural and cultural potential to investors and development partners.

According to him, the festival was not merely a cultural event but also an occasion for communities to appreciate God for the harvest and celebrate the contributions of farmers to the local economy.

‘The New Yam festival is more than a cultural celebration. It is our way of thanking God for the bountiful harvest He has granted to the people of Ekpache Nkome in particular,’ the monarch said.

He added that yam remain central to the livelihood and cultural identity of farmers in the area.

‘For our farmers, the yam is not just food. It is life, wealth and identity,’ he said.

The traditional ruler expressed concern over what he described as the fragmented manner in which communities and units in Ikom celebrate their new yam festivals on different dates and different formats.

He argued that such fragmentation diminished the potential economic and developmental benefits of the celebrations.

‘Today, we see that various units and communities in Ikom Local Government Area celebrate the New Yam on different days and in different styles. When we celebrate in fragments, our impact is scattered,’ he noted.

He said a unified festival will enable the government, investors and development partners to view Ikom as a united and potentially viable destination for investment rather than as a collection of smaller communities.

Nkpa urged the people of Ikom to emulate the annual Leboku festival in Yakurr Local Government Area, which he said had grown beyond a local cultural celebration to become a major tourism and development event.

‘Take the example of Yakurr Local Government Area. Yakurr comes together as one people to celebrate the Leboku New Yam in a grand and centralised manner,’ he said.

To achieve the objective, the monarch proposed the harmonisation of New Yam festival dates across Ikom, with communities agreeing on a central date or week for the celebration.

He also called for the establishment of a central planning committee comprising representatives of the various clans and communities to coordinate the festival and liaise with government agencies, corporate organisations and potential sponsors.

The traditional ruler further advocated the strategic packaging of Ikom’s cultural heritage, cuisine, music, dance and agricultural produce as part of the festival’s attractions.

Nkpa expressed optimism that a unified festival will increase government and private-sector attention to the area and stimulate investment in infrastructure, markets, tourism and other sectors.

The Olusegun Obasanjo Leadership Institute (OOLI) on Tuesday hosted Amina Mohammed, the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, for a high-level visit that underscored the Institute’s growing global relevance in leadership development and governance discourse across Africa.

During her visit, Mrs Mohammed held strategic discussions with Prof Samuel Adedeji Daramola, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Board of Trustees member of the institute.

Founded by former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, OOLI, located in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, is dedicated to cultivating ethical, visionary, and transformational leaders through research, training, dialogue, and strategic partnerships.

Prof Daramola plays a central role in driving the institute’s continental leadership initiatives, working alongside former African presidents, diplomats, and global scholars to advance its mission.

Lauding OOLI as a unique platform for leadership reflection and continuity, Mrs Mohammed stated: ‘OOLI is a place for leadership to be discussed and remembered. It is important for us to stand on the shoulders of those who have been there. For us, this is a demonstration of a legacy of a life that is not yet done, but is still leading-and this is really important.’

In a statement released by Professor Elvis Otobo, the UN Deputy Chief’s remarks highlighted OOLI as both a living archive of African leadership and a forward-looking engine for nurturing the next generation of visionary leaders.

Following her interaction with Prof Daramola, the UN Deputy Secretary-General proceeded to a closed-door meeting with Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.

The closed-door session between Mrs Mohammed and Chief Obasanjo focused on shared priorities, including peacebuilding, sustainable development, youth leadership, and strengthening governance institutions across Africa.

The meeting reaffirmed the alignment between OOLI’s vision and the United Nations’ broader agenda for inclusive, accountable leadership and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Speaking on behalf of the Director of the Institute, General Martin Luther Agwai (rtd), Prof Daramola described the visit as a significant milestone in OOLI’s international partnerships.

‘Having the UN Deputy Secretary-General at OOLI is both an honour and a validation of our work,’ Prof Daramola said.

‘Her reflections on legacy, continuity, and standing on the shoulders of proven leaders speak directly to why OOLI exists. We are committed to translating these values into concrete programmes that impact communities, institutions, and future leaders across Africa and beyond.’

In his remarks, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo reiterated OOLI’s commitment to serving as a continental hub for leadership excellence.

‘Our goal at OOLI is to ensure that leadership in Africa is not left to chance,’ Chief Obasanjo said. ‘We are building a space where experience, scholarship, and practice meet-so that future leaders do not start from zero, but from a foundation of tested wisdom and global engagement.’

The high-level visit further positions OOLI as a strategic partner in global conversations on governance and development, opening new avenues for collaboration with multilateral institutions, universities, and civil society organisations worldwide.

Prince Gbemileke Alagbe, also known as Eleniyan, is a governorship aspirant on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), in this interview with RUKIYAT OGUNWADE, he speaks about the deepening crisis rocking the party over its governorship candidate in Oyo State, his political ambition among other issues. Excerpts;

There is currently confusion in the ADC in Oyo State over who the authentic governorship candidate is but INEC uploaded Chief Adegboyega’s name last Saturday. How did we get to this point?

At no time did INEC upload the name of Adegoke . What they basically did was to just display his name in one of the notice boards, which we know, is illegal, it’s criminal, and it is undemocratic. Number one, I’m the authentic candidate of the party. I contested the election, the primary election on May 22nd, 2026.

The primary election was conducted in the 351 wards of the Oyo State, and the final collation was done at the University of Ibadan and INEC was present throughout, both at the ward, at the local government, and at the state collation. After the primaries, I was declared a winner with over 15, 000 votes.

Two weeks later, we applied to INEC for a Certified True Copy of the report of the primaries. So they gave us a certified true copy report, and that to us is sufficient as the true winner of the primary.

That is actually the only certified true copy that was issued by INEC. INEC has not issued any other certified true copy report of the primaries ever since.

So I am the authentic candidate of the party. Whoever smuggles Adegoke’s name into the INEC portal is just a joker. If INEC monitor primaries, if INEC issues certified true copy of the report of the primaries in line with Section 4(i) of the Electoral Act, I don’t think INEC has any right to publish any other person’s name.

My name had been uploaded already, and you can listen to him in one of the short videos that was going viral, where he admitted that he and God knows how they get their names into the INEC portal.

The party leadership at the national level seems divided. What is your relationship with the ADC National Working Committee right now, and whose directive are you following?

For now, we have the presidential candidate and the vice presidential candidate, we have the party executives, in person of the chairman and the secretary, we are totally good, except the national secretary who seems to be insisting on imposing a candidate on us but he must have been living in the past because the present reality shows that you cannot impose a candidate on anybody, except you want to lose the election, not only the lose the election, you want to invalidate your candidacy because Section 29(i) of the electoral act is very clear that the party shall nominate the name of the duly elected candidate of the party to the INEC. So, the party has no option but to send the name of the person who truly won the primaries to INEC. So, if one person out of 1000 wants to impose an unpopular candidate on us in Oyo state, it’s not going to work. What happened in Osun and the Ekiti, cannot work in Oyo State. Oyo State is cosmopolitan, Oyo state is dynamic, and our state is a cradle of the Yorùbá politics.

Many party members say this crisis is about money and godfatherism. Is that true?

What? Well, I don’t understand because I’m hearing that for the first time. Yes, if you say godfatherism, God, the father is my own God father, and he, on the other hand, Aregbesola, is his God father. I understand. If you say money, well, I don’t think any of us is poor. You are in my house, everybody knows that nobody will be at this stage and be poor. So I don’t see how money comes into it. But maybe you can enlighten me because I really don’t understand the idea of money, but godfatherism will not work in Oyo state politics. We are more sophisticated than that, especially when you want to come from Osun to impose a candidate on us in Oyo state. It will fail flatly.

Also, there is a lot of allegation of bribery, some people were alleging that some party executives must have been compromised, that is, criminal. Maybe, himself and the people who put his name to INEC should tell us how they are able to do it without bribery. I understand why some people are alleging bribery because they must have been used. They must have been bribed. But we will look onto it eventually. If they actually go ahead with that threat to impose or to substitute me, I am going to call for a criminal investigation to the whole process because I know some people must have been compromised or induced using money because how else a political party would wants to substitute a candidate without informing the candidate? How else would you substitute a candidate without even following due process? Because the constitution says that the candidate needs to sworn an affidavit and if INEC are out of this, who compromised who

Chief Adegoke’s name is currently on the INEC portal. Does that mean the battle is already lost for you, or do you have other option?

I don’t see his name being on the portal. If INEC confirms his name is on the portal, that means we need to sue them and claim damages. They did not confirm to me that his name was on the portal. What they are telling us is that, the matter is still in court, that his name is nowhere. So as at today, I remain the validly elected candidate of ADC in Oyo State, the authentic, and whatever he is doing, all that he is parading to get a ticket of somebody attempting to submit his name somewhere, which to me is a waste of time and energy. So, if INEC do so, they should let us know so that we can sue them for damages.

There is a court case coming up in a few weeks regarding the authentic ADC candidate. What exactly are you asking the court to determine?

We are just asking the court to preserve our mandates. We told the court that we are the winner of the primaries, and we know that these people are desperate, and they can go to whatever extent to change or manipulate our mandates, so we are asking the courts to preserve the mandate. We are seeking the court to protect our mandate. We are asking the courts not to allow anybody to do otherwise. So we are asking for an injunction that no other name should be recognised, either by the party or by INEC, except my name, which I think is a normal thing in politics and a normal thing in litigation.

How confident are you that the judgment will go in your favour?

We will not tell you our strategy but will tell you things that we can tell the public, let me tell you one point. The electoral act is with us because I have quoted section 29 and section 84 during the course of this interview, and I can bet you I can put over 10 constitutional electoral act provisions that are strongly in our favour. The constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 amended, is strongly in our favour because it is an abuse of the right to be voted for, and for anybody to want to substitute your name without your consent. So it’s a violation of my fundamental rights for anybody, be it INEC, the party, be it Aregbesola, or whatever, want to substitute my name without my consent, having been truly voted for by the people, it is a violation of my rights. Number three, it is an abuse of the court process for any other person to claim to have been a candidate of the party, because before the primaries there has been a ruling by Justice Malik of Federal High Court, Abuja stating that it is only my group that is recognised by law, and they still appeal that judgment. The court of appeal still ruled that it is only my group that is recognised by law in Oyo State.

If the court rule against you, what will be your next line of action, will you support the party’s candidate?

Number one, the court will not rule against me. Number two, I have told you that this battle is going up to the Supreme Court. As far as I am concerned, there must be a case in the analogue of Nigerian history called Gbemileke vs INEC and ADC. There must be that case that the world will cites, and I am ready to pursue the case up to Supreme Court. So, they should not make the mess of themselves by thinking the court will rule against me because the court will not rule against me, and even if that was done, we are appealing up to Supreme Court. Nobody should think he has a monopoly of instrumentality of law. We have over 32 lawyers, and we are going to use those lawyers to our maximum benefit. We are going to use the law to our maximum advantage.

Beyond the legal battle, how is this crisis affecting the party unity and the morale of ADC members in Oyo?

Well, I have been going around to tell our members to continue to support our presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and the vice presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi. We are campaigning every day, a day before yesterday, I was campaigning for House of Representatives and Senates in Ibadan Southwest, and we are going round to mobilise for our presidential candidate and our National Assembly candidates. And I can bet you when they lift ban on campaign for governorship, I’m going out with my campaign. If he likes he should be campaigning. That is his own business. But eventually, we know that he will be campaigning for us because we are the ones standing by the law. No court of law will rule in favour of somebody who conducted his primary in contravention with a court pronouncement, a court judgement. No courts of law. We have not descended into the abysmal of corruption and abysmal of illegality to that extent, we are a country of law, we are a country of rule and regulation, and we are a country of law and order. So whatever they are trying to do is impunity, and impunity will not stand.

Living and working while the rest of the world is asleep sounds like an impossible task. In major global hubs like London, New York, Tokyo, or Dubai, millions of people clock in when the sun goes down to keep essential services, healthcare, logistics, and global finance moving without pause.

While the night shift often comes with quiet commutes and fewer office interruptions, it puts a heavy burden on your physical health, mental focus, and social life if handled carelessly.

In this article, Tribune Online examines the five fundamental codes every worker needs to master to stay healthy, sharp, and in control while working graveyard shifts across the world’s largest cities.

Master your internal clock with light control

Your body is naturally built to stay awake during daylight and rest when it is dark. When you flip this cycle, your brain gets confused and struggles to release the right hormones at the right time.

According to medical guidance from the Sleep Foundation, manipulating your exposure to light is the single most effective way to reset your circadian rhythm. You should keep your workspace brightly lit during your shift to promote alertness, but wear UV-blocking dark sunglasses on your commute back home in the morning. This simple step prevents sunlight from tricking your brain into thinking it is daytime.

Once you get home, install blackout curtains in your bedroom and switch off all digital screens at least 30 minutes before lying down. This creates the artificial darkness your brain requires to produce melatonin and guarantee deep, uninterrupted daytime rest.

Plan your transit and route safety in advance

Navigating large cities at odd hours comes with unique safety challenges, even in regions with well-developed infrastructure. Public transit schedules run less frequently after midnight, leaving commuters vulnerable at empty bus stops or train platforms.

Safety experts at the National Safety Council (NSC) recommend establishing fixed, pre-vetted travel routes rather than taking shortcuts through poorly lit streets or empty alleys. Always check transit tracking apps before leaving the office to minimize waiting times outdoors in the cold or dark.

If you use rideshare services or drive personal vehicles, park under active security lights and keep emergency contacts pinned to your phone’s speed dial. Sharing your live trip status with a colleague or family member ensures someone always knows your whereabouts during quiet hours.

Eat light meals and stop caffeine early

Digestion slows down dramatically at night, making heavy, oily foods sit in your stomach like lead. Many night workers fall into the trap of eating fast food and drinking energy drinks to stay awake, which leads to sluggishness and long-term metabolic issues.

Shift workers should stick to protein-packed, easily digestible meals such as grilled chicken, boiled eggs, fruits, and nuts during their shift. These provide steady energy without causing sudden blood sugar crashes.

More importantly, monitor your caffeine intake carefully. While a cup of coffee at the start of your shift can boost concentration, drinking coffee or energy drinks during the second half of your work hours prevents you from falling asleep when you get home. A good rule of thumb is to cut off all caffeine at least five to six hours before your shift ends.

Protect your sleep schedule on off-days

One of the biggest mistakes night workers make is switching back to a normal daytime schedule on their weekends. Constantly shifting your sleeping hours back and forth creates severe ‘social jet lag,’ leaving you permanently exhausted and mentally drained.

Health reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that consistency is vital for shift workers. While you may want to spend time with family during the day on your days off, shifting your bedtime by more than two hours disrupts your hormonal balance and makes returning to work on Monday miserable.

Try adopting an anchor sleep schedule where you maintain a consistent 4-hour core sleep window every single day, whether you are on duty or on break. This keeps your biological rhythm stable while giving you enough daytime hours to handle personal errands.

Set firm boundaries with family and friends

Because you are at home during the day, people often assume you are free to run errands, attend long meetings, or take casual phone calls. This constant interruption fragments your sleep and leads to burnout.

Overcoming this requires clear, honest communication with the people in your life. Inform your household, friends, and neighbors of your exact sleeping hours, and treat your sleep time as strictly as regular office hours.

Put your phone on ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode, allowing only emergency calls from selected contacts to ring through. By teaching those around you to respect your rest schedule, you protect your peace of mind and maintain the energy required to thrive in a demanding night-shift career.

Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, has inaugurated the All Progressives Congress (APC) Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee with a charge to its members to reconcile aggrieved party members, restore unity and strengthen the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The Governor gave the charge while inaugurating the 17-member committee headed by former Governor of the State, His Excellency Capt Idris Ichala Wada.

Governor Ododo described the assignment as historic, stressing that the strength of the APC in Kogi State would depend largely on its ability to remain united and accommodate members with diverse interests and perspectives.

‘I am a man of peace. I am a man of consultation and engagement. I have never believed in violence as a means of resolving political differences. I believe that where there is disagreement, there must always be room for dialogue, understanding and reconciliation,’ he said.

The Governor recalled that after emerging as the APC candidate in the 2023 governorship election, he reached out to political leaders across the State irrespective of their political parties, ethnic or religious backgrounds, because of his belief that every Kogite should have a voice in the affairs of the State.

He said the same spirit of consultation and inclusiveness informed the establishment of the Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee, urging members to reach out to aggrieved leaders and members, listen to their concerns and encourage everyone to forgive the misgivings of the past for the greater interest of the party and the State.

‘We are members of the same family. Whatever differences we have had must give way to the greater interest of the party and the state. The timing of this assignment is also important. We are preparing for the 2027 elections,’ Governor Ododo said.

He noted that the APC had dominated the political landscape of Kogi State since 2015, expressing confidence that the party could achieve an even stronger performance in 2027 if its members remained united.

The Governor also highlighted the support Kogi State had received from the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, citing major projects approved for the State, including the Kogi International Airport and the Ajaokuta Economic City.

According to him, the economic reforms of the Tinubu administration have increased the resources available to state governments and created greater opportunities for states to undertake projects that directly affect the lives of their people.

‘We cannot afford to fail a President who has given so much attention and support to Kogi State. We must therefore continue to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Renewed Hope Agenda. I believe he is the best person to take Nigeria forward, and Kogi State must remain firmly behind him,’ he declared.

Governor Ododo charged the committee to determine the underlying causes of disputes within the party, identify aggrieved members and others affected by such disputes, and develop lasting and mutually acceptable solutions.

He further mandated the committee to identify inactive founding members of the APC with a view to bringing them back into the fold and make recommendations for promoting mutual understanding, sustainable unity, peace and development within the party.

The committee, which has three weeks to complete its assignment, is expected to produce a Statewide Grievance and Stakeholder Mapping Report, develop an APC Continuous Reconciliation Action Plan, produce a register of unresolved internal disputes and proposed solutions, and develop a framework for reintegrating returning members and accommodating new entrants.

It is also expected to submit a Final Reconciliation and Political Harmonisation Report containing recommendations for sustaining unity, expanding the party’s support base and strengthening its grassroots structure.

Responding on behalf of the committee, its Chairman and former Governor of Kogi State, His Excellency Capt Idris Wada, thanked Governor Ododo for the confidence reposed in the members and assured him that the committee would hit the ground running.

Capt Wada said the committee would work diligently to reconcile aggrieved members and strengthen the party ahead of the 2027 elections.

He commended Governor Ododo’s peaceful disposition and commitment to dialogue, noting that his approach to leadership had contributed significantly to the peace in the State and strengthened the APC.

Also speaking, the Second Vice Chairman of the committee and former Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Chief Edward Onoja, assured the Governor of the commitment of all members to the assignment.

He pledged that the committee would strictly follow its terms of reference and work with all stakeholders to achieve meaningful reconciliation and lasting unity within the party.

The committee comprises former Governor Capt Idris Ichala Wada as Chairman; former Deputy Governor His Excellency Yomi Awoniyi as First Vice Chairman; former Deputy Governor Chief Edward David Onoja as Second Vice Chairman; and Pharm Mohammed Jamiu Asuku as Third Vice Chairman.

Other members are Chief Dr Sani Teidi, Hajiya Ramatu Tijani Aliyu, Hajiya Salamatu Baiwa Umar-Eluma, Hon Dan Okolo, Prince Kolawole Mathew, His Excellency Alh Abubakar Sanusi Gamji, Alh Abubakar Sadiq Amodu, Alhaji Ado Shuaibu, Hon Abdulkareem Salihu, Hajiya Ramatu Shehu Atta, ASP Aurelus Adejoh Yusuf and Hon Bode Ogunmola, while Arc Mohammed Suleiman serves as Secretary.

With the inauguration of the committee, there is renewed optimism among APC stakeholders across Kogi State that the reconciliation process will further strengthen internal cohesion and position the party for a resounding victory in the 2027 elections.

For a remote worker, internet connectivity is more than a utility. A dropped video call can interrupt a client meeting, a slow upload can delay a deadline, and an unstable connection can turn a normal workday into a frustrating one. In Nigeria, where fixed broadband is improving but service quality still varies by location, choosing the right connection means looking beyond advertised download speeds.

Recent Ookla data shows why the market deserves attention. Nigeria’s median fixed broadband download speed rose from 13.50 Mbps in 2023 to 34.47 Mbps in the first half of 2026, while median upload speed reached 25.17 Mbps and latency fell to 35.8 milliseconds. The improvement coincided with a threefold increase in fiber-to-the-premises subscriptions between the end of 2024 and June 2026.

For remote workers, that combination matters. Video meetings, cloud applications, large file transfers and real-time collaboration depend not only on speed, but also on upload performance, latency, consistency and adequate data allowances. Based on current provider offerings and network technology, these five options stand out for Nigerian home-based professionals.

MTN FibreX

MTN FibreX is one of the strongest choices where fiber coverage is available. Its current plans range from 50 Mbps to 1 Gbps, with unlimited data, free installation and dedicated customer support advertised on its official broadband page.

For someone handling frequent Zoom or Google Meet calls, cloud backups, large downloads and multiple connected devices, fiber has a major advantage: the physical connection is less dependent on mobile network congestion than cellular broadband. MTN also specifically markets FibreX for home and office use, including online meetings and large-file transfers.

The catch is availability. A fast fiber plan is only useful if MTN has service at your address, so coverage should be confirmed before paying for installation.

ipNX Fibre Optic Service

ipNX is another serious contender for professionals who need high-capacity fixed internet. Its current FOS portfolio includes plans reaching 200 Mbps, while the company also markets gigabit-speed fiber connectivity in Nigeria.

The service is particularly attractive for households where work is not the only demand on the connection. Multiple people can stream, attend meetings, upload files or use cloud services without relying on a single mobile connection.

However, remote workers should read the plan conditions carefully. Some ipNX packages have peak-period fair-use thresholds after which speeds are reduced, while higher-tier plans have different allowances. That makes the fine print just as important as the headline speed.

FiberOne Broadband

FiberOne deserves consideration for workers who want high-speed fiber connectivity. Its listed plans include speeds reaching 150 Mbps, 200 Mbps, 300 Mbps and 500 Mbps, with unlimited data on the referenced packages and symmetrical download/upload ratios on some plans.

That upload capability can be valuable for video editors, designers, developers and anyone regularly sending large files to clients or cloud platforms. It is also useful for professionals who spend much of the day on video conferencing, where upload stability matters alongside download speed.

The Nigerian Communications Commission’s approved-plan listings also show FiberOne packages reaching 650 Mbps, demonstrating the range of high-speed options available. Still, availability and real-world performance can vary by location, so advertised speeds should not be treated as guaranteed everyday results.

Airtel SmartConnect 5G

If fiber isn’t available, Airtel SmartConnect 5G is a practical alternative. Airtel offers home broadband through 5G and 4G networks, with its SmartConnect Outdoor Unit offering unlimited plans of up to 50 Mbps and 100 Mbps.

The attraction is flexibility. Because the connection uses the mobile network rather than a fixed fiber line, installation can be easier in locations where fiber infrastructure has not reached the street. Airtel also says SmartConnect is designed for collaborative work, including Zoom, Skype, Teams and Google Meet.

The important caveat is network conditions. Airtel states that the experience depends on coverage at the location, while wireless performance can be affected by network availability and the number of connected devices. A coverage check and local speed test should come before making it a primary work connection.

Starlink

Starlink remains the standout option for remote workers in areas where terrestrial broadband is weak or unavailable. Its Nigerian residential service currently starts at ?57,000 per month, while Starlink says its service can deliver speeds of up to 400+ Mbps in most places globally.

Starlink’s specifications state that users typically experience download speeds of 45-280 Mbps, uploads of 10-30 Mbps and land latency of 25-60 milliseconds, although performance is not guaranteed. The service requires an unobstructed view of the sky and performance can vary with congestion.

That makes Starlink particularly useful for workers outside strong fiber footprints, including professionals working from locations with limited terrestrial broadband. It can also serve as an important backup when conventional networks fail.

How to choose the right internet for remote work

The fastest package isn’t automatically the best. Remote workers should prioritize stable connectivity, low latency, strong upload performance and enough monthly data for meetings, cloud tools and file transfers.

Upwork’s 2026 Future Workforce Index reinforces the scale of remote professional work.

The report says 38% of skilled workers were freelancing in 2026, up from 28% in 2025, while 28% of freelancers work entirely remotely compared with 5% of full-time employees.

For most urban Nigerian workers, a good fiber connection should be the first choice when available.

MTN FibreX, ipNX and FiberOne are strong options to investigate, while Airtel SmartConnect 5G makes sense where wireless coverage is stronger than fiber availability. Starlink is the better fallback for underserved locations.

Nonetheless, whatever you choose, keep a backup connection. A secondary 4G/5G router or mobile hotspot can be the difference between a minor outage and a missed client deadline.

ABOUT 18,149 oil spill incidents were recorded in Nigeria between 2006 and 2024, with devastating consequences for communities, human health and the environment, former Vice Chancellor of Lagos State University (LASU), Professor Olanrewaju Fagbohun, has disclosed.

Fagbohun made the disclosed this in a keynote paper at the unveiling of the state of the Nigerian Environment Report: ‘Voices from the communities,’ in Benin, the Edo State capital

The event, organised by the Environmental Defenders Network (EDEN), also featured the celebration of environmental heroes, and was attended by environmental activists, lawyers, civil society organisations and other stakeholders.

He said the figures, obtained from the National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), offered a grim picture of the environmental crisis confronting the country.

Fagbohun said the report provides disturbing evidence of the devastating consequences of environmental degradation, particularly in the Niger Delta, where communities have continued to bear the burden of pollution arising from oil exploration and other extractive activities.

He said data and findings contained in the report showed that the crisis had gone beyond environmental damage, warning that polluted water, degraded farmlands and other ecological hazards were increasingly threatening the health, livelihoods and future of affected communities.

He cited Ogoniland as one of the worst affected areas, as groundwater contamination in parts of the region had exceeded World Health Organisation (WHO) limits by as much as 900 times, leaving affected communities exposed to potentially carcinogenic water.

Fagbohun further disclosed that in Bayelsa State, exposure to oil spills had been linked to rising infant mortality and pregnancy losses, while unregulated mining and mineral extraction had compounded the environmental and public health challenges confronting communities.

He lamented that heavy-metal contamination of critical water bodies, extensive land degradation and hazardous child labour had become increasingly associated with poorly regulated extractive activities, describing the situation as a crisis requiring urgent collective action.

Fagbohun therefore called on governments, communities, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to confront the worsening environmental challenges, declaring the programme open.

Earlier, the Executive Director of EDEN, Comrade Chima Williams, said the 56-page report was the first of its kind by civil society organisations in Nigeria to comprehensively document environmental challenges across the country from the perspective of affected communities.

The Federal Government has raised the alarm over massive illegal admissions into Nigerian tertiary institutions, disclosing that more than 258,000 students were admitted outside approved processes by universities and colleges of education.

Minister of Education, Dr Olatunji Alausa, who disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja, said about 58,000 students were illegally admitted into colleges of education, while the number in universities was estimated at not less than 200,000.

Alausa spoke at the inauguration of the Ministerial Committee on Strengthening the Accreditation and Quality Assurance System for Tertiary Institutions, chaired by the immediate past Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, Prof Is-haq Oloyede.

The minister described the scale of illegal admissions as a ‘shame’, warning that the Federal Government would no longer legitimise irregularities through repeated amnesty or ‘condonement’.

He said the government had initially expected a proposed one-off amnesty for illegally admitted students in colleges of education to cover about 5,600 beneficiaries, but the exercise eventually revealed 58,000 affected students nationwide.

According to him, the situation was even more alarming in some institutions.

Alausa cited one institution where 8,593 students were legally admitted, while 9,872 others were illegally admitted, meaning that the number of students admitted outside the approved process exceeded those admitted through the legitimate channel.

‘The estimate of students illegally admitted to our universities today are in the hundreds of thousands. It might not even be less than 200,000. It’s more than that,’ he said.

The minister said the development reflected a deeper crisis in the tertiary education system, particularly the practice of admitting students beyond approved institutional capacities and programmes.

He warned that the consequences of such practices extended beyond the universities to the labour market, where employers increasingly struggle to find suitably qualified graduates despite receiving hundreds of applications for advertised positions.

‘We cannot continue to deceive our citizens,’ Alausa said, stressing that the government was determined to restore integrity and quality to Nigeria’s tertiary education system.

Alausa also issued a strong warning to heads of tertiary institutions and officials involved in manipulating accreditation exercises, saying those who fail to comply with the new measures risk losing their jobs, while private institutions could have their licences withdrawn.

He said the era of institutions presenting an inflated or temporary picture of their capacity solely for accreditation visits was over.

‘An institution should not be able to prepare a temporary picture of itself simply for the purpose of an accreditation visit. Sadly, this is what persists in the majority of instances,’ he said.

The minister said the Federal Government would also end the practice of institutions temporarily borrowing academic staff, laboratory equipment, workshop resources, library materials and other facilities from other institutions to meet accreditation requirements.

According to him, whatever an accreditation team sees and verifies must represent the institution’s genuine and sustainable capacity.

‘An institution should not meet prescribed standards only when the NUC, NBTE or NCCE accreditation team is expected to visit. Those standards should be met every day of the year,’ he said.

He warned that failure to address the problem would have serious consequences for institutions and officials.

‘Other presidents, other governments may have allowed this to continue, but we are not going to let this continue.

‘And at the end of this, there will be consequences. You will lose your job if you don’t act on time. Private institutions will lose their licences,’ Alausa warned.

His position comes amid concerns over the accreditation of programmes in some tertiary institutions, including the Law programme at Atiba University, Oyo State.

In August, the Council of Legal Education imposed a 10-year moratorium on the university’s Law programme, citing inadequate facilities as well as the admission and graduation of students without the requisite approval.

The development has left affected students and their parents seeking government intervention, including possible transfers to accredited institutions.

Alausa said the government would transform the accreditation system from a largely manual and periodic exercise into a digital, data-driven and continuously verifiable process.

He said the National Universities Commission, National Board for Technical Education and National Commission for Colleges of Education would be required to strengthen their mechanisms for verifying institutional staff, facilities and equipment.

‘With a robust digital accreditation platform, much of the institutional information required for accreditation can be continuously maintained and periodically verified.

‘Before an accreditation team arrives, the accrediting agency should already have reliable information on institutional staffing, facilities, laboratories, workshops and other equipment,’ he said.

According to him, physical accreditation visits would remain necessary but should increasingly serve to validate verified data rather than begin the verification process from scratch.

He directed the committee to develop mechanisms for verifying the authenticity and continuous availability of academic and non-academic staff presented for accreditation.

The committee is also expected to establish systems for verifying the ownership, functionality, adequacy, accessibility and sustained availability of facilities and equipment presented by institutions.

The minister advocated the use of geospatial mapping, geotagging and other digital identification technologies to track physical infrastructure, laboratories, workshops and major equipment.

‘Critical equipment presented for accreditation should be capable of being digitally identified and linked to a specific institution and physical location,’ he said.

Alausa further called for a comprehensive digital identity and staff verification framework to establish the presence and institutional affiliation of personnel presented during accreditation exercises.

He said the system should, subject to applicable laws and data protection requirements, leverage national identity infrastructure and interoperable government databases.

He said collaboration with the National Identity Management Commission should be explored to utilise the National Identification Number, alongside the appropriate use of Bank Verification Number infrastructure and other secure technologies.

According to him, the framework would establish the principle of ‘one individual, one verifiable identity and an accurately declared institutional affiliation’ and help detect cases where an individual is improperly presented as full-time staff in multiple institutions.

The minister said the committee’s mandate was not to weaken the existing accreditation system but to modernise and strengthen it through transparent, evidence-based and difficult-to-manipulate processes.

Responding, Chairman of the committee and former JAMB Registrar, Prof Is-haq Oloyede, pledged the panel’s commitment to addressing abuses in the accreditation system.

Oloyede said accreditation should not be treated as an exercise for which institutions temporarily prepare, stressing that continuous monitoring was necessary to ensure that approved standards were maintained throughout the year.

He said the committee would also examine how regulatory and professional bodies could better integrate their accreditation processes and harmonise relevant criteria.

According to him, this would help prevent situations where students complete academic programmes but are unable to proceed to professional training or obtain registration because of accreditation-related problems.

Earlier, the Director of Polytechnic Education in the Ministry of Education, Mrs Kalau Igwe, said the inauguration demonstrated the Federal Government’s commitment to building a more transparent and integrity-driven accreditation system.

Igwe noted that the practice of borrowing or temporarily moving resources, staff and facilities for accreditation was not limited to universities but also occurred in other tertiary institutions.

The committee’s terms of reference include reviewing existing accreditation policies, standards, guidelines, procedures and operational practices across the tertiary education regulatory framework.

The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Ondo State, Dr Kayode Ajulo, has said the correction of long-standing distortions in the representation of Africa on world maps must go beyond cartography to address the deeper inequalities confronting the continent.

Ajulo, in a piece titled ‘Africa Was Never Small: When the United Nations Finally Corrects the Map,’ said the development was a reminder that the way Africa had been represented over the years had influenced global perceptions of its size, importance and possibilities.

He noted that the Mercator projection, although developed principally for navigation, created a misleading impression of the relative size of territories, with Greenland appearing comparable to Africa despite Africa being about 14 times larger.

‘Africa did not change when that image became familiar. The representation did,’ he said.

Ajulo argued that repeated images in classrooms, atlases and public institutions could shape how people perceived the world, stressing that accurate representation mattered because it carried meaning.

He, however, maintained that Africa’s worth did not depend on how it was depicted, pointing to the continent’s ancient civilisations, intellectual traditions, cultural diversity, natural resources and human capital.

According to him, Africa must now move beyond a global narrative centred largely on poverty, conflict, disease and corruption to one that recognises its enormous potential.

‘Africa is not merely a continent with problems. It is a continent with possibilities of global consequence,’ he said.

Ajulo said the challenge was to convert those possibilities into shared prosperity by tackling inequalities in education, access to capital, technology, healthcare, employment and governance.

He argued that an egalitarian Africa should be one where ‘birth does not predetermine destiny,’ saying children in rural communities should have access to quality education, farmers should have finance and technology, entrepreneurs should be able to access capital without political connections, while African scientists should have the facilities to conduct research at home.

‘These are not demands for privilege. They are demands for fairness,’ he stated.

The Ondo Attorney-General also urged the international community to treat Africa as a partner rather than merely a recipient of aid, calling for greater African representation in decisions on global finance, trade, technology, climate policy and security.

He equally challenged African governments to strengthen institutions, uphold the rule of law and ensure that the continent’s vast natural resources translate into public value.

‘The world must treat Africa more fairly. Africans must govern themselves more effectively. Both are necessary,’ Ajulo said.

He maintained that the real test of progress was not the number of skyscrapers or the wealth of a few individuals, but whether ordinary Africans could access quality education, healthcare, decent employment, justice and the freedom to pursue meaningful lives.

Ajulo said Africa should neither seek pity nor permission, but partnership among equals, adding that the continent’s future was inseparable from that of the global community.

He concluded that the real significance of correcting the map would be realised only when recognition was translated into reform, resources into prosperity, and potential into opportunity.

‘The world owes Africa fairness. Africa owes her children excellence,’ he said.

Oyo south senatorial candidate of the Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM), Hon. Adedeji Dhikrullahi Olajide Odidiomo, has rolled out a series of recently completed constituency projects, valued at over ?1 billion, spanning education, digital technology, water supply, healthcare and community development.

The projects, which cut across different communities within the Oyo south senatorial district, include 10 digital learning centres in secondary schools, multiple borehole projects, an ICT centre, a proposed 50 bed health centre and other development interventions, reinforcing Odidiomo’s growing reputation for translating political representation into visible projects and measurable benefits for constituents.

According to a statement by Tolu Mustapha, Special Adviser, Media and Public Affairs to Olajide Odidiomo, the latest interventions represent a further demonstration of the lawmaker’s commitment to expanding access to opportunities and addressing basic needs through targeted constituency development.

Among the flagship projects are 10 digital learning centres established in secondary schools across parts of Ibadan, with the facilities designed to expose students to modern digital learning tools and enhance access to technology driven education.

The beneficiary schools include, Baptist Secondary School, Liberty Road, Oke-Ado; Eleyele Grammar School, Fan Milk Road, Eleyele; Adifase High School, Apata; Bashorun Ogunmola Grammar School, behind Iister Building, Ring Road; Community High School, Ekotedo, Ibadan; Peoples Girls Grammar School, Molete; Ibadan Boys High School, Oke-Bola; Army Barracks Grammar School, Eleyele; Our Lady of Apostles, Odo-Ona/Apata; and African Church Grammar School, Apata, Ibadan.

The statement said the digital centres were conceived as strategic investments in the future of students, particularly against the backdrop of the increasing role of technology in education, skills acquisition, entrepreneurship and employment.

It said Odidiomo’s intervention in the education sector went beyond conventional infrastructure, focusing increasingly on equipping young people with the digital skills and resources required to compete in a rapidly changing economy.

Speaking on the rationale behind the digital learning centres, Odidiomo through his media aide said the investment is in line with his determination to prioritize the future of young people, noting: ‘While others are busy in the market, I am busy building the future of your children.’

Another major component of the intervention is the provision of boreholes in communities across Oyo South senatorial district, with projects completed in ward 10 of Ido local government area, ward 9 of Ibadan south-west local government area, including, Imalefalafia area of Oke-Ado and the Anfaani House/Ring Road axis of Ibadan.

The water projects, according to the statement, were targeted at communities where access to reliable potable water remained a pressing concern, with the interventions expected to provide direct relief to residents and reduce dependence on inadequate water sources.

The statement further disclosed that Hon. Olajide Odidiomo had expanded his constituency development programme to include major healthcare and technology infrastructure, with the turning of the sod for a 50 bed health centre in Ido local government area scheduled for the coming week.

Also lined up is the construction of an ICT centre at Bako, in Ido local government area of Oyo south senatorial district, while another ICT intervention is nearing completion at Anfaani, valued at over 200 million naira.

Mustapha said the Anfaani project highlights the scale of the Hon. Adedeji Olajide Odidiomo’s technology driven development agenda, describing the facility as a major investment in digital inclusion, skills development and youth empowerment.

He said the combined value of the projects and interventions already completed, ongoing and lined up for implementation is to the tune of over one billion naira, reflecting the scale of resources being channelled into constituency development by the lawmaker.

According to him, the projects were not conceived as isolated interventions but as part of a development framework aimed at improving the quality of life of constituents while opening new pathways for education, healthcare, digital skills and economic empowerment.

He said the projects also demonstrated Odidiomo’s determination to ensure that representation was measured not merely by legislative presence but by its ability to produce visible and functional benefits for the people.

Mustapha further disclosed that a special committee constituted to review projects previously facilitated by Odidiomo had completed an audit of the existing interventions to determine their condition, functionality and areas requiring rehabilitation or further attention.

He said the exercise was designed to ensure that constituency projects remained useful to the people long after commissioning, rather than becoming abandoned or underutilised infrastructure.

‘The essence of representation is impact. It is about identifying the needs of the people, deploying resources strategically and ensuring that the benefits get directly to the communities,’ Mustapha said.

He added that more projects were expected to be unveiled as Odidiomo continued to expand his intervention across the senatorial district.

The projects, he stated, were part of Odidiomo’s Oyo South development agenda, with a framework of doing more, reaching more communities and transforming representation into measurable impact.

Mustapha said the agenda would give greater attention to communities outside the immediate urban centres of Ibadan, down to Ibarapaland, while ensuring that rural and underserved communities within Oyo South were not left behind.

He maintained that Odidiomo’s experience in public representation had strengthened his understanding of the challenges confronting constituents and positioned him to pursue a strategic development agenda at the Senate, with a focus on expanding opportunities, improving infrastructure and enhancing the well-being of the people of Oyo south as he seeks to represent the district in the 2027 general election.