Category: Nigerian Tribune

The 6th edition of the Delta State Strategic Communication Workshop (DELCOM 2025) is to be declared open in Asaba on Monday by the State Governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori.

The workshop, which is expected to attract top government officials and academia, will highlight the importance of strategic communication in governance, enhancing effective media engagements by leveraging artificial intelligence and digital tools, and various techniques to project government policies and programmes in line with the Renewed Hope for MORE Agenda of President Bola Tinubu and Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, the statement added.

A statement on Saturday by the State Coordinator of DELCOM and Director-General, Delta State Bureau for Orientation and Communications, Barr (Dr) Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe, said Governor Oborevwori will deliver a keynote address that would resonate with the workshop theme, ‘Strategic Communication in the Digital Age: Leveraging Artificial Intelligence for Effective Leadership.’

According to the Bureau Chief, DELCOM 2025, in partnership with the Chartered Institute of Information and Strategy Management (CIISM), is designed to equip media appointees, notable social media influencers, professional bloggers and media partners with the necessary skills to project the policies, programmes and achievements of the State Governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, and his administration, leveraging digital tools for effective and result-oriented media engagements.

Dr Oghenesivbe further disclosed that the President of the Chartered Institute of Information and Strategy Management (CIISM), Ambassador (Dr) Mrs Temile Uduogho Oritseweyinmi, will on Day 3 of the workshop induct some participants as members and fellows of the Institute, while certificates of participation duly signed by the Secretary to the Delta State Government, Dr Kingsley Emu, will be presented to the trainers and all DELCOM 2025 participants.

‘Seasoned communication scholar and Head of the Department of Mass Communication at Dennis Osadebay University, Asaba, Professor Joyce Ogwezi, is the Chief Trainer, to be assisted by Professor Presley Obukoadata of Delta State University, Abraka, and Artificial Intelligence/ICT expert, Dr Monday Ashibogwu, a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).

‘DELCOM 2025 is partnering with the Chartered Institute of Information and Strategy Management (CIISM). The Institute’s Council Chairman and President, Ambassador (Dr) Mrs Temile Uduogho Oritseweyinmi, will be assisted by the Council Secretary/CIISM Registrar, Dr Adelanke Oyintoke, to induct new members and fellows of the Institute,’ Oghenesivbe said.

Leading smartphone brand Infinix Nigeria has once again proven its commitment to Nigerians, as over 15 winners emerge from the summer sales promo across Nigeria.

The summer sales promo, which ran from August to September 6, 2025, offered customers lots of benefits, including massive discounts, instant gifts, a chance to win household appliances like washing machines, refrigerators, gas cookers, and the ultimate grand prize of a fully loaded solar system worth ?2.9 million in a nationwide raffle draw. In addition, Infinix hosted live sales events across its social media platforms, where exclusive discount codes were made available to participants, providing them with added savings on flagship devices such as the HOT 60 Pro and HOT 60 Pro+.

Beyond the discounts, Infinix ensured that customers went home with instant gifts like the Infinix Smart Watch, Infinix Xe33 Earbud and Infinix-branded gift items on purchases of the NOTE 50 series, HOT 60 Pro, HOT 60 Pro+, SMART 10, HOT 60i, and other models. In the end, the promo recorded winners from multiple regions in Nigeria, ensuring that customers nationwide felt the impact. From Lagos to Abuja, Ibadan to Kano, Kaduna to Onitsha, and Port Harcourt.

Reflecting on the success of the promo, Oluwayemisi Ode, Integrated Marketing Communications and PR Manager at Infinix Nigeria, said: ”The Summer Sales Promo was designed to show appreciation for our customers nationwide, and the response was overwhelming. We are excited to keep delivering value in innovative ways, creating shared experiences, rewarding loyalty, and building stronger connections with our customers’.

The promo encouraged Nigerians to shop smart, save big, and enjoy exclusive gifts across both physical stores and online platforms. It was more than just a sales promo, but a nationwide experience that blended entertainment, shopping, and community.

For more information and exciting news, follow @infinixnigeria on Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and TikTok.

AS a very critical part of her 65th birthday celebration, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, restructured the usual pomp that attend the birthday celebration of the political class as we know it. Rather than submitting herself to the numerous treats, felicitations and pageantries that would be sure to have been deployed to mark the auspicious occasion, she demanded that anyone who needed to celebrate her should focus their largesse on the furtherance of the National Library project, and possibly its final completion. And that appeal has generated a beautiful sum of N20b. This is all so grand, and noble but unusual. It is an unusual gesture because a member of the political class, rather than the government itself, is the one championing the resuscitation of the National Library project. Maybe it is the government by association, but then the gesture is not the result of an intentional and deliberate policy commitment that enable the government to connect the library to the larger goal of national development. How do we read this strange but commendable gesture into the overall development status of the Nigerian state?

The current state of the Nigerian National Library speaks tremendously to the possibilities and failures of the national development project in Nigeria. In many nations of the world, from the Library of Congress in the United States to the Bibliotheque de France and also the National Library, Singapore, the national library signals the single repository of books, manuscripts, orature, archival materials that connects cultural heritages, knowledge production programmes, critical ideas and paradigms, historical documentation and national memories. Adolf Hitler perfectly understands this fundamental significance of the knowledge base of any nation. And this is why, in a most pernicious manner during the Second World War, he ordered the massive destruction of books and materials that were considered to be subversive of, or even contrary to, the ideals of the German Third Reich project.And quite fortunately and pragmatic enough, the allied forced, led by the United States thought it significant and strategic to fight back by making the book resurgent from their crematorium.

This speaks to the indomitable spirit of ideas, ideals and knowledge that books embody. Knowledge, ideas and books-indeed the entire educational structures-reinvigorate the ways a state keep reengaging its problems, challenges and the solution and resolution frameworks for understanding and undermining them, and how leaders connect with these ideas and knowledge through what they read.When I wrote my op-ed piece on the reading habit ofHE Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima, I opened up the possibilities for a nation that an enlightened leadership embodies.

Unfortunately, Nigeria does not have a national library. Or more precisely, the national library project that was formulated in 1981 has refused to materialize into a symbolic and concrete structural manifestation of Nigeria’s willingness to join the global knowledge society. The idea of the national library was muted in 1981, but it took the next twenty-five years for the idea to get an enabling contract in 2006. And yet forty-three years later, the structure remains a pipedream that refused to take off. And so, while it was all too easy to build the National Ecumenical Centre and the National Mosque within which the dilapidated library structure located, this significant element of Nigeria’s progress has remained uncompleted.

All these dysfunctional issues are surprising given that the Nigerian state is very concerned about both her geopolitical status and credentials as a democratic and developmental state in the world-as the Giant of Africa-and also to achieve a stable and empowering economic growth that measurably improve the life prospect and economic lives of her citizens. And yet, the quality of a nation’s human capital is measurable only to the extent of the place of an enlightened reading culture, symbolized by a functional and efficient library systems.

Thus, a state is instigated not only by the economicresources at its disposal, but by the availability and the rate of access to the information resources and the extensive reading rate per capita are the development indices of a society. The number of published books, journals, libraries, readers, writers, translators and publishers of a country are all indices and fundamental criteria of its development. Extending the culture of studying and book reading, developing libraries, publications and distribution of books and utilizing these unrivaled cultural instruments are therefore the requirements and necessities of each society’s growth.

Thus, a lot is riding on Nigeria’s capacity to build a functional and efficient national library as a repository of local, national, regional and global experiences, histories, ideas, paradigms, ideals, perspectives and creative innovation. So, does it matter who lead the crucial initiative to jumpstart and crystallize the national library project as long as it is done? The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, saw what should be considered a national embarrassment, and responded to it while also ensuring that the gesture is funneled through government institutions, like the Federal Ministry of Education. Having woken up the nation from its slumber on this unarguably defining project with deep essence, it is now an all-stakeholder national challenge to get the noble gesture by the First Lady concluded and put into use.

However, whether we like it or not, the fact that it is an individual and not the government that is pushing for the realization of this project is an indictment of national proportion. This gesture has therefore become an instigator in terms of what the citizenry can do to push the government to implementing the general will. And this is even all the more crucial because it is coming from a bona fide member of the government itself. This then implies that the government is now instigating itself to action on behalf of the Nigeria Project.

Different strokes for different folks, goes the saying. Nothing amplifies this age-long wisecrack more than the visit last Tuesday’s visit of the first daughter of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Mrs. Folashade Ojo-Tinubu, to the palace of Oba Ewuare II, Oba of Benin, where she sought to introduce the ‘Iyaloja of Edo Markets’ to the revered monarch. SUYI AYODELE, Regional Editor, South-East and South-South, captures the moment Oba of Benin took the president’s daughter on a cultural voyage.

You are in Benin, the home of culture. We have our culture here.’ That was the opening response of Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare II, Oba of Benin, to the stranger-than-strange concept of an ‘Iyaloja of all Edo Markets’ which the daughter of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Mrs. Folasade Ojo-Tinubu, presented at the sacred grounds of the ancient palace.

At the palace of the Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba of Benin, a new level of protocol prevails. The Benin Palace is unlike any other. When the Benin monarch sits, the entire kingdom bows in deference. Indeed, Uku Akpolokpolo radiates royalty in every ramification. His carriage and personality are overwhelming-too obvious, too domineering for anyone, even the blind or dumb, not to notice.

Guests to the ancient palace are treated differently. The king and his palace functionaries determine what is to be done at any point in time with any guest. Yes, the level of hospitality and reception may be the same, but the disposition of the king depends on the issue at hand. Ultimately, the oba determines the procedures and proceedings in his court.

When, for instance, the Omo N’Oba considers an issue too frivolous to attract his direct response, he assigns an appropriate chief to reply on his behalf. He is not an Uku Akpolokpolo for the fun of it. His is the Umogun-the Lion of the Benin Kingdom and its subjects, both at home and in the Diaspora. Little wonder the Benin people punctuate every word uttered by the oba with the prayer-wish: Oba Agha Tokpee (may the king live long)!

Oba Ewuare displayed not just the majesty of the Benin monarch at that chance meeting with the president’s daughter, he equally demonstrated that while others may discard their custom, he, as the Omo N’Oba, holds tenaciously to the traditions handed over to him by his forebears.

So, last Tuesday, when the self-styled Iyaloja General of Nigeria and first child of President Tinubu, Folasade Ojo-Tinubu, visited the Benin Palace to present to Oba Ewuare II, Oba of Benin, Pastor Josephine Ivbazebule as the ‘Iyaloja of all markets in Edo State,’ the monarch imposed on the president’s daughter a simple but profound exercise in cultural diversity.

Having reminded Mrs. Ojo-Tinubu that she was on Benin soil, after listening to her, the oba threw a sharp glance at his guest and asked: ‘Do you know the role of Iyeki in Benin culture?’

The guest could only mumble an affirmation. But the king was not impressed. He explained further: ‘Iyaloja is alien to us here in Benin. I have discussed this matter with my chiefs and those who are knowledgeable.’ Then he asked one of his chiefs, Osaro Idah, the Obazelu of Benin, to educate the president’s daughter on the concept of Iyeki-a purely traditional position, distinct from the social and cosmetic Iyaloja General of Nigeria, which Mrs. Ojo-Tinubu parades.

The controversy over the ‘Iyaloja of all Edo markets’ began on April 30, 2024, when, barely 11 months after her father, President Tinubu, was sworn in, Mrs. Ojo-Tinubu wrote an audacious letter to the Oba of Benin, asking him to provide all necessary support for Pastor Isi Ibhaguezejele, as her appointed Iyaloja of all Edo markets.

In the letter, Mrs. Ojo-Tinubu, who had transmuted from Iyaloja of Lagos to Iyaloja General of Nigeria, wrote:

‘Your Majesty, my name is Chief Dr. Mujudat Folasade Tinubu-Ojo (FCIML), the Iyaloja General of Nigeria, and the First Daughter of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR).

‘With greatest sense of responsibility and utmost regards to our Royal Father, His Royal Majesty, Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo Oba Ewuare II, The Oba of Benin, I humbly write to introduce PASTOR MRS. JOSEPHINE ISI IBHAGUEZEJELE as the Edo State Iyeki-Elect.

‘With this development, it is her responsibility to see to the day-to-day affairs of traders in the state (Edo State).

‘Your Majesty, I humbly request that you give your daughter every necessary backing to succeed in this great and noble assignment as I look forward to your fatherly blessing for her to be fruitful in her newly assigned responsibilities,’ Folasade requested.

Expectedly, Benin market women did not allow that apparent aberration to pass unnoticed. From all the markets in Benin-Oba Market, Oliha, Ekiosa, New Benin, and many more-market women trooped in their thousands to the Benin Palace to protest the abnormality.

Leading the protest, the President of the Benin Market Association, Madam Blackey Ogiamen, emphasised that there had never been anything like ‘Iyaloja of Benin Market’ in the history of the kingdom. According to her, what obtains in each Benin market is an Iyeki (leader), who is independent of any other market, and who holds the position in trust for the Omo N’Oba.

Speaking during the protest, Madam Ogiamen said: ‘About three weeks ago, we heard that Folashade Tinubu wanted to impose another leader of the market women in Edo State. So, we are here to say thank you to His Royal Majesty, Oba Ewuare II.’

The gale of protest, many thought, had put paid to the misadventure. But it turned out that Mrs. Folashade Ojo-Tinubu was only biding her time. At the time she first made the move, the government of Edo State was under the leadership of Godwin Obaseki. But with Governor Monday Okpebholo, who incidentally belongs to the same political party as President Tinubu, now in power, the president’s daughter felt that the time had come to install an Iyaloja of all Edo Markets.

So, last Thursday, Saturday Tribune gathered, the self-styled Iyaloja General of Nigeria moved to the Edo State Government House, where, in the company of other women, she pronounced Pastor Josephine Ivbazebule as the Iyaloja of all markets in Edo State.

She then proceeded to the Benin Palace to inform the monarch and ask for his blessings. Accompanied by Mrs. Edesili Okpebholo-Anani, Coordinator of the Edo State First Lady’s Office, Mrs. Ojo-Tinubu told Oba Ewuare II that she was in the state to inaugurate Pastor Josephine Ivbazebule as the Iyaloja of all markets in Edo State and deemed it necessary to call on the monarch.

It was after listening to her that the Omo N’Oba decided to lecture the president’s daughter on the culture of the Benin people and the relationship between Iyeki and the Benin Palace. Hear Chief Idah, who delivered the traditional inaugural lecture on behalf of the Benin monarch:

‘Iyaloja is alien to us here in Benin. Every Iyeki has a special relationship with the palace. Are you aware of that? Do you know that every Iyeki has a cultural role to perform inside every market?

‘The Oba does not interfere so long as the Iyeki does what is expected of her in the shrine of a particular market on behalf of the Oba. We are not going to say much, except to explain to you the concept of Iyeki in Benin.’

Chief Idah went further: ‘Iyeki is independent in every market, like the Oba Market, Ogiso Market, and others. The traders select their leaders from within the market. The Iyeki do more than the role of coordinating traders.

‘There are certain shrines in all the markets. They play roles on behalf of the palace. After their selection, they bring the person to the palace for confirmation.

‘The novelty of a general Iyeki is alien to Benin custom and tradition. We just believe the Iyaloja is your socio-cultural thing, like you have other clubs.

‘It is not in our culture to have a general Iyeki. Iyeki is particular to each market. No one has the right to control another in a different market. The Iyeki in Oba Market has no role to play in Ogiso Market. The Oba established the market for all in society.’

The finality of the oba’s tone may have permanently put paid to the audacious move by the president’s daughter to have a stooge preside over the affairs of market women in Edo State.

A palace source, who pleaded anonymity, hinted: ‘It will be suicidal for either Josephine Ivbazebule, or anybody whatsoever, to go to any market in Benin as Iyaloja. Who will she be talking to? An average Benin person knows that the Omo N’Oba’s words are laws here. Incidentally, Omo N’Oba was not mistaken in his choice of words.’

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has dismissed a suit instituted against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, challenging the legality of the six-month suspension handed to Senator Natasha Uduaghan-Apoti, representing Kogi Central over alleged misconduct.

The suit, which was instituted by one Ovavu Illiyasu and nine others, was thrown out by the trial judge, Justice James Omotosho on the grounds that the plaintiffs lacked locus standi (legal right) to file the matter before the court.

Marked FHC/ABJ/CS/654/2025, the suit challenged the validity of Natasha Uduaghan-Apoti’s suspension for various reasons.

Among other reliefs, the plaintiffs urged the court to void the suspension of Senator Natasha on the ground that their senatorial district would be shortchanged and called for her immediate recall.

They advanced several arguments to support their request for invalidation of the suspension, including the claim that the people of Kogi Central Senatorial District would be deprived of adequate representation in the Senate.

In his judgment on Friday, Justice Omotosho held that the ten plaintiffs had no locus standi to institute the action and subsequently dismissed the suit for lacking in merit.

Flights have resumed at Munich Airport after drone sightings forced Germany’s second-busiest airport to suspend operations for the second time in 24 hours.

The airport said flights were stopped at 21:30 local time (20:30 GMT) on Friday, affecting around 6,500 passengers. At least 17 flights were grounded the previous day after drones were spotted near the airfield.

Munich Airport said on Saturday morning that operations had ‘gradually resumed’ but warned passengers of ongoing delays.

Travellers were urged to check flight updates before heading to the airport.

Authorities have not identified where the drones came from or who operated them. Reports in Belgium said 15 drones were seen above the Elsenborn military site near the German border before crossing into German airspace and being spotted by police in Dren.

Germany’s Interior Minister, Alexander Dobrindt, said he would raise the issue of anti-drone defences at a meeting of European interior ministers and plans to fast-track legislation allowing police to request military help to shoot down drones.

The latest incident comes amid a surge in drone sightings across Europe. Airports in Copenhagen and Oslo have also suspended flights after drones were detected near restricted zones.

European leaders met in Copenhagen this week to discuss a coordinated response, including a proposed ‘drone wall’ to detect and destroy hostile drones.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the frequency of airspace incursions was increasing, calling it ‘reasonable to assume the drones are coming from Russia.’

Moscow has denied involvement, and Danish authorities say there is no evidence linking Russia to the incidents.

Speaking in Sochi on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed the claims with a joke: ‘I won’t do it again. I won’t do it again – not to France or Denmark or Copenhagen.’

The Associate Senior Pastor of The Fountain of Life Church, Toluwanimi Odukoya, has opened up about how her marriage crash and other personal losses have influenced her faith and ministry journey.

In an interview with Truthtable, shared on her YouTube channel on Thursday, Odukoya said her separation happened due to circumstances beyond her control.

She said, ‘I’ll say I’m separated. Most of you don’t know I’m separated and that’s actually defined or has shaped my life. It was circumstances beyond my control.’

Reflecting on the experience, the 40-year-old compared the end of her marriage to ‘a death,’ adding that between 2021 and 2023, she also lost her stepmother, her father’s twin sister, and her father, Pastor Taiwo Odukoya.

Speaking further about the marriage crash, she noted that separation does not always mean either party is at fault.

‘My ex-husband is a great man. but if God doesn’t ordain you guys to be together and you force-fit yourselves, the likelihood of staying together is very low,’ she explained.

Despite the emotional toll, Odukoya said she chose to accept her pastoral calling, even when she struggled with self-doubt.

‘When the call came, I told God, ‘You know all the baggage I’m trying to navigate. But if you call me to serve, then maybe you’ve put something in me.’ I just decided to keep my eyes on Jesus.’

She also credited her family, especially her late father and siblings, for their support during that period.

‘My dad fought for me. My family encouraged me. That embrace added to my self-esteem and self-worth.’

I want to know if it is true that walking can actually lead to weight loss.

– David (by SMS)

Yes, walking is a great form of exercise and an additional way to lose weight. Apart from being low intensity, you don’t have to buy lots of expensive equipment to get the benefits. You simply take on a pair of shoes, put on some comfortable clothes, and get the fresh air.

Luckily, anything that burns calories can help you lose fat, including walking. Although walking doesn’t burn as many calories as running, cycling, or playing sports, consistently getting 7-8k steps (1-1½ hours of walking) daily can help you burn anywhere from 300-400 calories. Combined with a balanced diet, it can make you see massive weight loss.

It was a day of glamour, grace, and heartfelt tributes as Mutiat Yinka Ladoja, former First Lady of Oyo State and one of the wives of the newly-crowned Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rasheed Adewolu Ladoja, celebrated her 70th birthday in grand style.

The septuagenarian is a popular politician and the Maye Iyalode of Ibadanland.

The birthday ceremony, which took place at the prestigious Sunlight Royal Hall, Ibadan, drew an array of guests from politics, business, royalty, and social circles. It was truly a gathering of the ‘who is who,’ as family, friends, and associates turned out in colourful attires to honour the celebrant.

Guests were treated to a day of music, fine dining, and glowing tributes. Speeches poured in celebrating Mutiat Ladoja as a woman of grace, resilience, and generosity whose warmth continues to endear her to many.

The celebrant, radiant in a resplendent attire befitting her natural beauty, was joined by her children, grandchildren, and friends, who all spoke fondly of her nurturing spirit and unwavering faith.

The event also featured musical performances, cutting of the birthday cake, and a lively dance floor that saw dignitaries and socialites alike celebrating with her.

From political heavyweights to captains of industries, Ibadan’s elite came together under one roof to toast to a woman whose life has been defined by service, elegance, and enduring love.

The Military High Command on Saturday confirmed the arrest of 16 of its officers over alleged misconduct related to issues of indiscipline and breach of service regulations.

This was contained in a statement made available to Defence Correspondents in Abuja by the Director of Defence Information, DDI, Brig-Gen Tukur Gusau.

The statement explained that investigations revealed that their grievances stemmed largely from perceived career stagnation caused by repeated failure in promotion examinations, among other issues.

While explaining that the action was being taken as part of routine efforts to maintain order, discipline, and loyalty within the ranks, it warned that It would not tolerate behaviour that undermines the integrity of the institution or threatens its constitutional role under democratic authority, saying that that ‘ the Armed Forces of Nigeria remains fully committed to its constitutional responsibilities and will remain professional at all times.

‘The Armed Forces of Nigeria wishes to inform the public that a routine military exercise has resulted in the arrest of sixteen officers over issues of indiscipline and breach of service regulations. Investigations have revealed that their grievances stemmed largely from perceived career stagnation caused by repeated failure in promotion examinations, among other issues.

‘Some of the apprehended officers had been under jurisdiction for various offences, either awaiting or undergoing trial. Their conduct was deemed incompatible with the standards of military service.

‘Upon completion of the investigation, indicted officers will face the full military disciplinary process in accordance with established procedures to ensure accountability and preserve professionalism within the Armed Forces.

‘The Armed Forces wishes to assure the general public that these actions are strictly disciplinary in nature and part of routine efforts to maintain order, discipline, and loyalty within the ranks.

‘The Armed Forces will not tolerate behaviour that undermines the integrity of the institution or threatens its constitutional role under democratic authority.

‘The Armed Forces of Nigeria remain fully committed to its constitutional responsibilities and will remain professional at all times.’