Category: Nigerian Tribune

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has directed all its offices nationwide to fly the party’s flags at half-mast for three days in honour of its late National Vice-Chairman (South-South), Chief Dr Dan Orbih, who died in London after a brief illness.

The party, in a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Honourable Jungudo Haruna Mohammed, described Orbih’s death as a ‘great loss’ to the PDP, his family and the wider democratic community.

The PDP said Orbih was a ‘loyal, committed and dependable’ member who devoted himself to the ideals of democracy and the advancement of the party, adding that his dedication, wisdom and contributions to its growth and stability would remain deeply appreciated and remembered.

‘Dr Dan Orbih may have departed this world, but his service, loyalty and contributions to the PDP, as well as to our democratic journey, will not be forgotten,’ the statement said.

The party particularly commiserated with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, describing the late Orbih as a very strong ally, close confidant, trusted associate and friend of the minister.

It said, ‘The party particularly commiserates with the Hon. Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Barrister Nyesom Wike, over the loss of his close confidant, trusted associate and friend. We share in his grief at this difficult moment and pray that Almighty God grants him the strength to bear this painful loss.’

The PDP extended its condolences to Orbih’s immediate family, relatives, friends and associates, as well as members and supporters of the party.

‘As a mark of honour and respect for the late National Vice Chairman, the National Working Committee hereby directs all Peoples Democratic Party offices to fly the party flag at half-mast for a period of three days,’ it added.

The party said it stood firmly with Orbih’s family and all those who had the privilege of knowing and working with him, while praying that Almighty God would grant the bereaved family and his loved ones the strength and fortitude to bear the ‘painful and irreparable loss.’

The Federal Government of Nigeria and the Kingdom of Thailand have deepened bilateral cooperation with the signing of new agreements focused on agriculture, cooperatives and innovation, in a move to drive implementation of the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme, RH-CRRP 2030.

The agreements were signed in Lagos, during a high-level engagement on the theme: Building Sustainable Partnerships: Connecting Youth, Innovation and Business between Thailand and Nigeria.

Speaking during the event, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security and Supervising Minister of Cooperative Affairs, Senator. Dr. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, said the signing marked the transition of RH-CRRP 2030 from policy formulation to practical implementation.

The agreements included a Record of Discussions involving the Thailand International Cooperation Agency, TICA, Kasetsart University and the Federal Cooperative College, Oji-River, Enugu, as well as a Memorandum of Understanding between Kasetsart University and the Federal Cooperative College, Oji-River.

‘Today, we have not merely witnessed the signing of documents; we have witnessed the strengthening of a partnership founded on knowledge, capacity development, innovation, institutional cooperation and shared prosperity,’ the Minister said.

Senator. Abdullahi added that the partnership directly supports *Pillar 2 of RH-CRRP 2030 institutional Strengthening, Professionalization and Capacity Building.

‘At the heart of this pillar is a simple but fundamental principle: we cannot build strong and sustainable cooperatives without strong institutions and well-trained people,’ he said.

The minister noted that the reform places emphasis on developing the knowledge, professional competence and leadership capacity of cooperative leaders, managers, regulators and members.

He referenced an earlier milestone on August 12, in Abuja, where the ministry, the Cooperative Federation of Nigeria, CFN, and Seamfix Limited, signed an MoU on the Cooperative Digitalisation pillar of the reform.

‘This demonstrates that RH-CRRP 2030 is moving beyond policy formulation towards implementation, institutional action and measurable impact,’ Abdullahi said.

Linking the partnership to the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, the Minister affirmed that the administration is determined to reposition cooperatives as stronger instruments for agricultural transformation, enterprise development, job and wealth creation, financial inclusion and sustainable livelihoods.

‘As we work towards Mr. President’s aspiration of building a one-trillion-dollar Nigerian economy within this decade, strengthening the capacity, professionalism and productivity of our cooperative institutions and the millions of Nigerians they serve will be critical,’ he stated.

Abdullahi added that Thailand’s experience in agriculture, cooperative development, research and innovation presents important opportunities for mutual learning, while Nigeria brings enormous agricultural potential, a vibrant youthful population and significant opportunities for investment.

He charged all institutions involved to move ‘deliberately from agreement to implementation’ with practical programmes, clear timelines and measurable deliverables.

‘May today’s signing mark not the conclusion of a process, but the beginning of a stronger and more productive chapter in Nigeria-Thailand cooperation,’ the Minister added.

In attendance were the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand; Nigeria’s Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca OdumegwuOjukwu, the Ambassador of Thailand to Nigeria; the Ambassador of Nigeria to the Kingdom of Thailand; the Director-General of TICA; the Executive Secretary of the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria, ARCN; the President of Kasetsart University; and the Provost of the Federal Cooperative College, Oji-River.

RH-CRRP 2030 is a seven-pillar reform framework designed to reposition the Nigerian cooperative sector as an instrument for inclusive economic growth and distributed prosperity.

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Mr Donald Duke, has said Nigeria’s challenges are not only about poor leadership but also the absence of a clear vision among successive administrations.

Duke, who is a former governor of Cross River State, said the country had gradually lost its pathway and was underperforming, stressing that Nigeria required leaders with a clearly articulated long-term vision to get it out of the woods.

He spoke at a news conference in Abuja on Tuesday, where he explained his decision to contest the 2027 presidential election, saying he wanted to contribute to the national conversation and offer an alternative to the current political leadership.

Duke said, ‘Nigeria’s problem is a leadership one. Yes, fundamentally, but it’s also a vision one. There have been too many successive governments without any vision.’

According to him, the country had failed to adequately prepare younger generations for leadership, unlike systems where prospective leaders are exposed to the workings of government before assuming top positions.

He recalled his involvement in identifying young Nigerians who could serve in government during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, saying the country must deliberately prepare the next generation of leaders.

Explaining his renewed ambition, the former governor said he wanted to be ‘part of the discussion’ and contribute to finding solutions to the country’s problems rather than merely criticising those in power.

‘I want the conversation, not mudslinging or abusing the President (Bola Tinubu). There is nothing you’ll say about the President that is not already out there. So why are you rehashing it?’ he asked.

Duke challenged the Federal Government to articulate where it intended to take Nigeria in the next 10, 20 or 50 years, arguing that every administration should be building for the future rather than embarking on projects without a clearly-defined national development plan.

‘My challenge with the current administration is that there is no articulated vision of where we’re going, and there’s no growth in the system,’ he said, adding that Nigerians should be able to look forward to a tomorrow that was better than today.

He suggested that opposition presidential candidates should sit around a table and agree that one person should take the lead, although he said he was uncertain when such an agreement could be reached. Duke nevertheless maintained that a collaborative opposition ticket offered a more hopeful route to producing a new government in 2027.

Duke also argued that the ruling APC should not feel too comfortable with the assumption that because it had over 30 governors, it would automatically win the elections.

According to him, while some of the governors align with the APC, they will neither campaign for the party openly or work with the determination to retain it in powers beyond 2027.

Duke claimed that most northern states would most likely work for the emergence of a new leadership than continuing with the Tinubu administration ‘because they are the most affected by the policies of this government.’

However, he admitted that the opposition, in its current ‘fragmented’ state, would have a tough huddle unseating the APC unless they resolved to collaborate.

Asked when such a discussion and agreement could be reached, Duke replied that he was unsure, though he admitted that a collaborative ticket by the opposition remained a more hopeful approach to birth a new government in 2027.

Some supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have expressed frustration after allegedly receiving N1,500 each for participating in a full-day campaign exercise.

In a video making the rounds on social media, the supporters, dressed in green APC campaign T-shirts bearing the image of President Bola Tinubu, were seen lamenting the amount they claimed to have received.

One of the men said they spent the day walking, dancing and campaigning for the party before allegedly receiving N1,500 each.

The supporter complained that they had spent several hours walking and campaigning under the sun, yet allegedly received only N1,500 each.

‘With all the running around, N1,500 since morning. We have been sweating and walking with our legs. It would have been better to have stayed at home.’

He said they had actively participated in the campaign by dancing and mobilising support for the party but claimed they received no additional payment for their efforts.

‘With all the work and dancing, we campaigned for them. We did everything, but no shishi. Two of us were given N3,000, N1,500 each.’

The man also questioned the role of the campaign chairman, suggesting that the chairman might have been short-changed or that the funds provided for the exercise were insufficient.

‘We don’t even understand our chairman, if he is even cheating us. If they didn’t give him money, how will he spend? And he brought his own people.’

He further lamented that the alleged N1,500 payment was inadequate for someone with family responsibilities, particularly as his wife is pregnant.

‘N1,500 for all the hustle and running around since morning. For a family man, we are in trouble. My wife is pregnant. Even my other friend joined with me also has a pregnant wife.’

Holding up the money, he questioned whether the amount would be enough to provide the necessities needed for his expected baby.

‘Is this what we will use to buy baby items?’

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has dismissed more than 40 of its personnel for corruption and financial malpractice since Ola Olukoyede became chairman of the anti-graft agency.

Olukoyede disclosed this on Monday during a briefing on the activities of the commission under his leadership at its headquarters in Abuja.

He said more than five of the dismissed officers were currently facing prosecution, while the EFCC was preparing case files against other personnel for possible prosecution.

‘In the past two and a half years or three years of my service, I’ve asked them to dismiss over 40 staff on account of corruption and financial malpractice. More than five of them are being prosecuted at the moment,’ Olukoyede said.

The EFCC chairman said the commission would apply the same anti-corruption standards to its personnel that it applies to members of the public accused of financial crimes.

He questioned why officers dismissed for corruption should escape prosecution when the commission routinely investigates and prosecutes people outside the agency for similar offences.

‘Because if that is what people do in other agencies and I arrest them, I investigate them, I prosecute them, why must I just dismiss you if you do it within our own system and I’m not prosecuting you?’ he asked.

Olukoyede added that some of the affected officers were already standing trial, while proceedings against others were being prepared.

‘You can follow those cases in court; they are public knowledge,’ he said.

As part of efforts to tighten internal accountability, the commission has also changed the name of its former Department of Internal Affairs to the Department of Ethics and Integrity.

Olukoyede said the restructuring was designed to reinforce what he described as ‘internal cleansing’ within the agency.

The EFCC chairman also announced the introduction of a gift policy for personnel as part of measures to improve transparency and accountability.

Under the policy, officers would be expected to declare assets above a specified threshold, including gifts received from relatives living abroad.

The commission will also establish the categories of gifts its personnel are permitted to accept, with Olukoyede saying the measures would help ensure officers can explain their sources of livelihood and standards of living.

‘You must be sure that your hands are clean. You can’t be fighting corruption when your hands are soiled with corrupt practices.’

The African Democratic Congress has said the absence of its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, from Monday’s G100 opposition summit in Abuja did not affect the purpose of the meeting.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, explained that the summit was mainly organised for political parties to discuss possible areas of cooperation ahead of the 2027 elections.

Abdullahi made this known on Tuesday while speaking on Arise Television’s Day Break.

According to him, the meeting was not centred on individual presidential candidates.

‘The summit-the way we understand it, the summit is more about conversation between political parties, rather than conversation among candidates.

‘It’s more about exploring cooperation opportunities among political parties. So, it’s not consequential that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar was not present,’ he said.

Abdullahi also said the ADC had enough representatives at the meeting, including himself and four of the party’s vice chairmen.

‘I was there, the party was highly represented-we had like four Vice Chairmen there at the G100 Summit. So, ADC was fully represented, and we participated in the process,’ he said.

The summit took place at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja and had representatives of six opposition parties in attendance.

The parties used the meeting to discuss possible cooperation as they consider ways to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress in the 2027 elections.

Several opposition figures were absent from the meeting, including Atiku, Peter Obi, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and representatives of some other political groups.

Those who attended as presidential candidates included Donald Duke of the Peoples Redemption Party, Adewole Adebayo of the Social Democratic Party and Moses Adebisi of the Democratic Leadership Alliance.

The ADC spokesperson further said the party would continue to participate in discussions on opposition cooperation, whether or not the parties eventually agree on one presidential candidate.

‘We in the African Democratic Congress, we are happy to have this conversation, but everything we are doing is not dependent on whether we are able to produce a single presidential candidate.

‘We are saying that on our own, as the ADC, we can defeat President Bola Tinubu in 2027. But if we are able to negotiate this cooperation, then it makes the job easier,’ he said.

Abdullahi also pointed to fuel subsidy as one issue that could create differences among opposition parties seeking to work together.

He said the ADC’s position on subsidy was firm, describing its return as ‘the ideological pillar’ of the party’s plan to reduce the cost of living.

‘So, that’s a question that the promoters of this grand coalition will have to answer, because it will now be: does the other party-like you mentioned the candidate, His Excellency Peter Obi-if he doesn’t believe in the return of subsidy, and we believe in the return of subsidy, then what will be the basis for the merger?

‘So for us, it is non-negotiable. We are convinced, our economists are working day and night looking at some of the numbers in greater detail than I can give you-I’m not an economist-but for us, it is something that we are not going back on,’ he said.

He added that cooperation could still be possible among opposition politicians who support the ADC’s position on subsidy.

‘You’ve heard Olawepo-Hashim saying that he believes in subsidy, giving subsidy to Nigerians; you’ve heard Sowore saying that he believes in giving subsidy to Nigerians-so, if they all agree, those of us who agree on subsidy, that can be a basis for cooperation,’ he said.

What kind of leader first makes survival unbearable, waits until elections approach, and then presents relief from that suffering as evidence of compassion?

How do we say thank you to the one who afflicts, then cures? How?

The elders of my place are masters of simile. When situations or things are similar, they go philosophical. Proverbs and metaphors are the languages of the elders. I pour libation to operate in their orbit today. My earthworm has venerated the soil, may the earth open to me. À??!

The shell of a peanut resembles the tiny coffin of the smallest mouse èlírí (Ohun tó j? ohun la fi n wé ohun; èpo ?`pà j? pósí èlírí). Objects are compared on the basis of their similarities. The elders knew the power of comparison long before literary scholars gave us names for its devices. They knew that one thing could illuminate another; that an image from one age could expose the absurdity of another.

Did they have the Nigeria of today in mind when they made that postulation? Did those who have gone beyond know that a day would come when men would play God, punish the people with severe hunger and then turn round to offer relief?

Elections are around the corner. In less than five months, Nigerians will be on the streets to elect new locusts or retain old ones to torment them for another four years. Will our case be like that of people who learn nothing and forget nothing? Or are we going to break the yoke of hunger, deprivation and poverty that those we elected to lead have tied around our necks?

Why do we allow the same people to lead us repeatedly down the same bush paths? What blocks our sense of recognition each time? Greed? Ignorance? Fear? Or have we simply resigned ourselves to fate and told our tormentors to do with us whatever they wish?

A video was posted last week. The narration that introduces the video reads: ‘The person who invented the word ‘wonders shall never end’ had Nigeria in mind!!! Senator Peter Onyekachi Nwaebonyi went to campaign in Izzi, Ebonyi State, but there was no bridge connecting him to the town. So, he stood on the other side of the river to solicit votes. I’m speechless.’

The senator involved, represents Ebonyi North Senatorial District and is the Senate Deputy Chief Whip – a principal officer of the upper chamber! He is.one of those defending this government and its economic waywardness. Incidentally, he won his party’s ticket to run for a second term as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the January 2027 National Assembly election! Will he win? Will the same people he spoke to across the river like a wretched dibia line up to vote for him?

I hazard a guess. Between now and January, there will be a makeshift ‘gada’ (girder) over the river to enable the people from the other end of the river to ‘exercise their civic responsibility. The ‘gada’ will be ‘commissioned’ and the people will be told to vote for the ruling party’s candidate for a better tomorrow. The argument will be that the senator needs to consolidate so that he can bring the goodies of the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the people. Doomed!

Senator Nwaebonyi is not alone in this perfidy. Aso Rock Villa ‘himself’ has entered the same panic mode. Nine months into the expiration of the first term, the Villa suddenly realised that Nigerians are hungry and suffering.

Then it decided that something must be done to ameliorate the situation. So, the Villa went for the kill. It set aside a whopping sum of $1 billion for palliative care. But the Villa got ‘smarter’ this time around.

Realising that the noun, palliative, has become useless in the lexicography of Nigerians, the Villa opted for something more descriptive and bombastic: Household Prosperity and Empowerment Social Protection Project (HOPE-SP)!

Now we should clap. Our husband has suddenly realised that there are poor families (households), and there is the need to make life easier for them (prosperity). The man with the torturing phallus knows now that the poor families need to have something in their hands (empowerment) to secure their members against the ills that accompany acute poverty (social protection). Hence the programme (project) that will ensure that the people remain hopeful while the Villa perfects the outcome of the 2027 general election. Welcome hopeless HOPE-SP!

Why do men play God? And why do gods punish humans? We answer with the simile of our elders: ‘Ohun tó j? ohun la fi n wé ohun; èpo ?`pà j? pósí èlírí’

Ancient Greek has a god named Limos. Limos personifies hunger, starvation, famine and anything that deprives humanity of basic needs. The ‘father of Greek didactic poetry’, Hesiod (700 BC), says that Limos, though considered the son of Eris, the Greek goddess of strife, has no known father.

That was not all about the god of hunger. Like a typical bat that is neither a bird nor an animal, Limos has no specific gender. The god is not hermaphrodite too. In some Greek mythologies, he is depicted as a man and in some cases as a woman. The Greek’s god’s life is shrouded in mysteries from ancestry to gender and laced with pathological sadism!

The best description of Limos was given by the Greek poet, Semonides of Amorgos (seventeen century BC), who says that the god is ‘a hostile housemate, enemy of the gods’, who has the capacity to creep into the people’s homes, unnoticed!

One Greek myth says that when the goddess of plenty, Demeter, set out to punish King Erysichthon for cutting down a sacred tree to build a storage barn, Limos was readily available and he inflicted Erysichthon with insatiable hunger and appetite.

The situation got so deplorable that Erysichthon spent his entire fortune on food, sold his daughter for food and when the hunger would not abate, devoured his own flesh and died subsequently!

A sadist of no mean repute, the greatest pastime of Limos is to afflict the people with hunger, create a small farming environment and tie the people’s hand behind them so that they could not assess the crops in the field!

Hasn’t Nigeria gotten to the state of Erysichthon? What is the level of man-imposed hunger in the land? Are parents not already selling their children for food? How many have died because they could not afford the basic necessities of life – food, medication, and housing? How many have turned to beggars because the Villa and ‘his’ voodoo economic policies have turned poverty to State art?

In the face of the aforementioned calamities, what effect is the Villa’s HOPE-SP? Why is the project coming now that electioneering has kicked off? How many households will be covered? Where is the National Data Bank to regulate the disbursement? ‘Is this’, as a multi-billionaire I know is wont to ask, ‘not a case of someone helping someone?’

What is HOPE-SP in the face of hunger in the land? Thinking about this, my mind takes me to the small rat èlírí, and its nature of biting one’s feet before blowing air to soothe the pain! Why would a government inflict so much pain on the people and then turn around to introduce palliative measures?

The Villa has played too much God in our lives. Those who should have told the god in the rock that the streets are not smiling are the very ones who praise every economic misstep of the god as the stride to El Dorado! Now the chickens have come home to roost. The days of reckoning approach fast. The only answer the Villa has is for the people to queue up for HOPE-SP peanuts.

Sadly, the Villa expects us to clap as if we had not been on this same path in the past. Our now ‘compassionate’ husband thinks that Nigerians will never remember that there was once a ‘TraderMoni scheme’? To date, we don’t know who collected what, who paid back what, how much was given out and how much was spent in total! Those who handled the project have since retired to enjoy their lives.

The villa, again, thinks we will not recollect that a government once spent billions of naira feeding school children who were at home during COVID-19! How about the money claimed to have been credited to citizens’ bank accounts directly? Who has this government asked questions about those day-light robberies? And if we may ask, how much has the Villa saved from oil subsidy removal?

We must call a spade a spade. The Villa must stop thinking that we are ‘as stupid as we look (someone else owns the copyright to those words). The god in the rock should not call the dog monkey because the two squat. We are not the proverbial obo Idanre (monkeys of Idanre). Nigerians are wiser now than the leaders think.

Pulling out $1 billion from our treasury during electioneering in the name of HOPE-SP is suspect. The Villa should come clean on what it intends to do with the money instead of hiding behind one finger called Household Prosperity and Empowerment Social Protection Project (HOPE-SP)!

Nothing surprises Nigerians anymore. We are home and dry with ‘stomach infrastructure, the Ekiti euphemism for politics of tokenism. We have heard the same Ekiti cliché of dibo ko se’be (vote and cook soup), the voters’ shadowing slogan for electoral bribery.

If my people in Ekiti could run after lorries conveying loaves of bread and packets of spaghetti as prices for their votes, nothing stops a Sule Igbira from collecting the Villa’s handout in place of his vote! Enough of dressing economic malfeasance in the borrowed robe of empowerment. No prosperity will ever come from the $1 billion HOPE-SP token, half of which will end up in individual pockets!

We have been told, several times, that the Villa equals Orunmila in wisdom. We have stopped arguing with them on that falsehood. When a man deceives himself, it is better he is left to swim in his own man-made ocean of delusion.

Truth is that only the Villa can explain why he elected to punish the people so much, perpetually. He alone can explain how he believes that the token handed over to a few people is the way to ward off the looming political crisis as the next round of elections approaches.

I asked those who are knowledgeable if Orunmila, the Villa-acclaimed mate, ever weaponised hunger against his people the way the Villa does. The men of wisdom directed me to the palace of the third principal Ifa Corpus (Odu Ifa Keta), Iwori Meji, where Agboniregun only punished the people with famine, temporarily, for the rudeness of the last of his eight sons, Olowo.

The lesson Ifa teaches here is that no wise god waits for the decimation of his devotees before he acts and halts their suffering. The sixteen Iyerosun Orunmila handed over to those who came pleading are the saviours of humanity in Yoruba mythology, to date.

I wish those close by would tell the Villa that the deliberate hunger of over three years would not be placated by mere sharing of our patrimony in a way that accountability will be akin to the proverbial bat trying to find its way in the daytime. I hope they will tell their god that this panic measure will be counter-productive because nobody trusts the administration again.

On May 30, 2023, I wrote under the title: ‘May Tinubu never need our pity.’ Permit me to reproduce here the first three sentences of that piece because of their relevance to the HOPE-SP panic measure:

‘From tomorrow, don’t pity me. I applied for the job, I campaigned for it, and I got the job, no excuses, I must deliver….’ I chose to begin today’s piece with the words of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was sworn in yesterday as the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces. He spoke at the Presidential Inauguration Banquet and Gala Night held at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja on Sunday, May 28, 2023, a few hours to his inauguration.’

Almost three and half years after those words were uttered, I would like to repeat here, the concluding sentences of the same May 30, 2023 column: ‘The steps Tinubu takes or fails to take in days ahead will decide if indeed we have any hope of getting out of the present wood of despair. One can only hope that he would not one day in his presidency throw a pity party and expect Nigerians to dance to the rueful tunes therefrom. I bet, that will be in short supply!’

I hope that HOPE-SP will save the Villa the agony of an empty pity party given that Nigerians have long sold their dancing shoes for a measure of rice in the face of the excruciating Villa-imposed hunger!

The Oyo State government has commenced the training of 880 farmers and agricultural extension officers drawn from across the state on Climate-Smart Agriculture, as part of efforts to boost food production, enhance resilience to climate change and reduce post-harvest losses.

The training, which commenced on, August 26, at the Fertiliser Store, Oyo, is being implemented under the 2025 Business Enabling Reform Action Plan (BERAP), through the State Action on Business Enabling Reforms (SABER) programme, which seeks to improve the ease of doing business and create more business opportunities in the State.

Declaring the training ceremony, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Olasunkanmi Olaleye, described Climate-Smart Agriculture as critical to the future of food production, the economy and society, particularly in the face of climate change, soil degradation, unpredictable weather patterns and a growing population.

The commissioner noted that with the global population projected to approach 10 billion by 2050, there was an urgent need to produce more food with fewer resources, stressing that traditional farming methods alone might not be sufficient to meet the increasing demand for food. According to him, Climate-Smart Agriculture involves the application of modern technologies, innovation and scientific knowledge to improve farming efficiency, productivity and sustainability while protecting the environment.

Olaleye explained that technologies such as satellite monitoring, sensors, mobile applications, artificial intelligence, drones, automated irrigation systems and data analytics could help farmers monitor crop health, manage soil fertility, control pests and optimise the use of water and other agricultural inputs.

He added that the adoption of smart agricultural practices would enable farmers to apply fertilisers and pesticides more efficiently, reduce waste and production costs, increase profitability and minimise environmental pollution.

Olaleye stressed that the adoption of modern agricultural technologies would help transform farming from a largely labour-intensive activity into a technology-driven sector, while creating opportunities for young people and generating new jobs in agricultural technology.

He, however, emphasised that achieving a successful transition to smart agriculture required strong collaboration among government, research institutions, private sector partners, extension personnel and farmers.

He called for continuous investment in rural infrastructure, supportive policies, access to digital technology, agricultural education and training, as well as financial support for smallholder farmers.

Olaleye assured that the State Government would ensure that farmers were adequately equipped with the knowledge and tools required to participate in the transformation, stressing that ‘no farmer should be left behind.’

The Commissioner urged participants to take full advantage of the training and apply the knowledge gained to improve agricultural production and extension services across the State. He emphasised that Climate-Smart Agriculture was not merely about technology but about building a resilient, sustainable and profitable agricultural sector capable of feeding the growing population while preserving natural resources for future generations.

Olaleye said: ‘The future of agriculture lies not only in the soil but also in innovation, technology and collaboration,’ adding that effective deployment of modern agricultural tools would create a thriving agricultural sector that benefits farmers, consumers and the entire nation.

In his remarks, the SABER Focal Person, Mr. Kilanko Olayemi, who spoke through Mr. Roland Adekunle, said the project would train 880 participants across the geopolitical zones in the State. He noted that the initiative was designed to reduce post-harvest losses in the agricultural sector.

Speaking on behalf of the President of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), the AFAN Zonal Coordinator, Oyo, Mr. Debo Fakayode, commended the Oyo State Government under the leadership of governor Seyi Makinde for its commitment to building a vibrant and sustainable agricultural ecosystem in the State, noting that the training for extension personnel and selected farmers across the State was another demonstration of the government’s commitment to improving food security and strengthening the agricultural sector.

Borno Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has directed the immediate removal of all Village and Ward Heads in Mallam-Fatori and ordered that the process for appointing new representatives to serve the returning population begin without delay.

The Governor made the pronouncement on Monday during a working visit to the border community, where he assessed the condition of public facilities and engaged directly with residents on their immediate needs.

The directive came amid renewed government efforts to rebuild Mallam-Fatori, a community heavily affected by years of insurgency and displacement.

The Governor expressed concern over the absence of Village and Ward Heads during his visit, describing it as unacceptable at a time when residents are returning, and communities are beginning the difficult task of rebuilding their lives.

According to him, ‘Traditional leaders have a critical role to play in stabilising communities emerging from conflict. Their presence is essential not only for maintaining communication between government and residents but also for strengthening community resilience and providing leadership as returnees settle into their ancestral homes.’

The Governor directed the Commissioner for Local Government and Emirate Affairs, Hon. Sugun Mai Mele, to work closely with His Royal Highness, the Shehu of Borno, to commence the process of appointing new Village and Ward Heads for Mallam-Fatori without delay.

Babagana Zulum emphasised that the new appointees must be persons of proven integrity, competence, commitment, and ingenuity capable of understanding the realities confronting residents and working with government and security agencies to restore stability and development.

Furthermore, the Governor pledged the accelerated reconstruction of critical public infrastructure in Mallam-Fatori, headquarters of Abadam Local Government Area, as part of efforts to support residents returning to communities liberated from insurgency.

He inspected destroyed schools, government buildings, and housing facilities across the town.

Mallam-Fatori, a war-ravaged border town, remains one of the communities hardest hit by years of insurgency, with dilapidated buildings, abandoned facilities, and damaged public infrastructure standing as visible reminders of a community whose development was interrupted by conflict.

At the end of the inspection, Babagana Zulum directed the immediate construction of an Islamiyya (Islamic) school, primary and secondary schools, as well as a hospital, to restore essential services and improve access to education and healthcare for residents.

‘Provision of basic amenities is critical to enabling returnees to rebuild their lives, restore livelihoods, and give their children a stronger foundation for the future,’ Babagana Zulum said.

The Governor also met with residents, as the engagement gave residents an opportunity to speak directly with government officials about the challenges confronting them and the support required to fully restore normal life.

At the headquarters of the 68 Battalion Nigerian Army, in Mallam-Fatori, Governor Zulum met with the Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel D. Y. Chuwar, along with senior officers and troops deployed to the area.

He commended their courage, resilience, and commitment to maintaining security and facilitating the return of civilian life, and assured them of his administration’s continued support, particularly in providing essential needs to enhance their operational effectiveness.

The Governor was accompanied on the visit by the Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno; the member representing Abadam Constituency in the State House of Assembly, Hon. Jamna Bong; the Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Professor Usman Tar; the Commissioner for Local Government and Emirate Affairs, Hon. Sugun Mai Mele; the Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Lawan Abba Wakilbe; and other government officials.

Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has pledged to release local government allocations directly to councils immediately after being sworn in as President in 2027.

In a statement signed by his official spokesperson, Kenneth Okonkwo, Atiku said the move is necessary to uphold the rule of law and guarantee constitutional independence for all tiers of government.

‘Atiku Abubakar believes that Nigeria should be governed by the rule of law, and as President, he will uphold the rule of law and build a truly federal Nigeria where every tier of government enjoys the constitutional independence it deserves,’ the statement said.

Atiku faulted the current administration for failing to implement the Supreme Court ruling of July 2024, which ordered that local government funds be paid directly to local governments.

‘Atiku acknowledges that the Supreme Court had ruled in July 2024 that local government funds should be paid directly to local governments. Yet, the current administration of President Tinubu has failed to enforce this judgment, seemingly to avoid confronting the gluttonous APC State Governors who previously controlled these funds, as an enticement to them to use the Local Government funds to buy votes for Tinubu in 2027 presidential election,’ Okonkwo stated.

‘This is not the Nigeria we should accept.’

According to the statement, Atiku said direct funding of local governments would bring development closer to the people and strengthen security at the grassroots.

‘My administration will respect court judgments, protect local government autonomy, ensure that public funds reach the people for whom they are meant, and restore true federalism,’ Atiku was quoted as saying.

‘This move will ensure that development is brought to the grassroots, reduce poverty at the level of government nearest to the people, and guarantee financial independence to the local governments, which will increase their capacity to fight crimes and terrorism at that level.’

He added: ‘Nigeria must be governed by laws, not by political convenience.’

Atiku said his commitment to local government autonomy forms part of his broader agenda to make governance more accountable and responsive to citizens.