Category: Nigerian Tribune

‘When I set out to join the race to become the Olubadan, I was focusing on how to become the Olubadan and the only crown I want to wear is that of Olubadan of Ibadanland.’

Oba Rasidi Adewolu Ladoja, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, spoke these immortal words on June 28, 2023. Two years, two months and two days later, Oba Ladoja was crowned the Olubadan, on Friday, September 26, 2025.

The elders of our land say when the snail sticks tenaciously to the tree, it will climb it to the top (Ìgbín tenu mó igi, ó gùn ún d’ókè). Oba Ladoja, who in 2017 fought the late Governor Ajibola Ajimobi of Oyo State to a standstill over the balkanisation of the Olubadan throne, equally rose in 2023 to challenge the crowning of Ibadan High Chiefs as obas by the government of Governor Seyi Makinde.

Governor Makinde, a fellow Ibadan man like the late Ajimobi, had, through the Amended Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration, approved the elevation of 11 Ibadan High Chiefs to beaded-crown obas. Ladoja, who then was the Otun Olubadan, saw the matter differently.

Holding on to the ancient tradition of Ibadanland, the then Otun Olubadan, who was also a former governor of the state and a former senator, quipped: ‘You don’t mend what is not broken. I don’t think it is right to make high chiefs Obas. The only crown I want to wear is the Olubadan crown. Everybody knows that it is God who makes one an Oba. As far as I am concerned, it is not proper for high chiefs to wear crowns. My intention is to become Olubadan.’

He held to that position and boycotted the July 7, 2023, crowning of the remaining 10 chiefs, namely; Balogun of Ibadanland, Owolabi Olakulehin; Otun Balogun, Tajudeen Ajibola; Osi Olubadan, Eddy Oyewole; Osi Balogun, Lateef Adebimpe; Ashipa Olubadan, Biodun Kola-Daisi; Ashipa Balogun, Kola Adegbola; Ekerin Olubadan, Hamidu Ajibade; Ekerin Balogun, Olubunmi Isioye; Ekarun Olubadan; Bayo Akande and Ekarun Balogun, Abiodun Azeez, by the then Olubadan, Oba Lekan Balogun.

That action by Oba Ladoja, set Ibadan on the edge. The debate was severe in the public place. Those who know Governor Makinde very well vouched for his stubbornness. They were ready to swear that nothing would make the governor shift ground.

A senior journalist told me then that ‘Seyi Makinde kìí se eran rírò (he is not a soft meat). You see, when he tells you: òrò yìí ò dè rí béè (this matter is not as you think), forget it; he has made up his mind. Ladoja will have to accept the crown if he wants to be Olubadan.’ I was alarmed.

I asked another Ibadan man about the solution. His response was not encouraging. According to him: ‘Baba Ladoja is not being stubborn, as many people believe. He is just trying to say, ‘don’t let us bastardise Ibadan culture’. I pray that he will listen to those who are close to him because Baba himself is as stubborn as Seyi Makinde.’

The die was cast. Oba Lekan Balogun joined his ancestors on March 14, 2024. Oba Owolabi Olakulehin was crowned Olubadan on July 12, 2024. Ladoja moved up to the second-in rank as the Otun Olubadan. Then Governor Makinde, true to his identikit as a man of strong will, decided to make public the published Amended Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration at the coronation of Oba Olakulehin on July 12, 2024.

The tension at the arena heightened; it was palpable. Nobody was in doubt that Ladoja was the target. The Declaration is a simple matter. For anyone to become Olubadan, he must have been a beaded crown-wearing oba. The gazetted paper was freely shared at Olakulehin’s coronation. The implication is that Ladoja could no longer claim ignorance of its existence.

Who would blink first? Ibadan is a city which answers the name, Agbotikuyo (he who rejoices at the death of another). They are not wicked people, mind you. It is just their tradition. When an Olubadan passes on, all the chiefs on the line to the throne are happy. Why? The death of an Olubadan is a promotion for each of the remaining chiefs. Ladoja had waited for over three decades to be Olubadan. Oba Olakulehin was old and frail at his coronation. But for the tenacity of Ladoja himself, the ascension of Olakulehin was almost truncated. Now, an amended chieftaincy declaration stood between him and his ambition!

Many were worried. Yours sincerely, inclusive. I am not from Ibadan. But I wanted Ladoja as Olubadan. Not for any other reason but for the fact that he stood to be counted among those who wanted our culture preserved. The late Ajimobi, I stand to be corrected, had no reason to do what he did in 2017 over the Olubadan throne.

Ibadan, in the entire Yorubaland, I dare say, is the only town that upholds the tradition of seamless succession procedure. Though conservative compared to the ‘modern-day’ thinking, the Olubadan chieftaincy legacy is a demonstration that Africans have a perfect sense of what is right and just, and uncommon fidelity with justice and fairness. Once a man joins the line to the Olubadan throne either through the Balogun or the civilian line, only death can stand in his way. So, why would anybody tamper with that smooth process? We will never understand how our politicians think!

Will Ladoja ever become Olubadan of Ibadanland given the new law in place and his promise not to wear any other crown apart from that of Olubadan? If he failed to, Ibadan’s smooth process of ascension would be gone forever. Ibadan being the last man standing, so to say, in matters of enthronement, and with Ifa and other kingmakers dancing ijo yoyo all over the place, the sanctity of thrones in Yorubaland was gravely threatened!

The Igbo say: ‘When a man says yes, his chi says yes also’ (Onye kwe chi ya ekewe). The saying is a testament to the power of positive thinking. The legend, Chinua Achebe, projected the saying in his classic, Things Fall Apart, to demonstrate that with the tenacity of purpose, a man can achieve anything he desires. Fortunes don’t come cheap. Achebe was both right and great in the imagery of a man’s willpower and the approval of the Cosmic in terms of the man’s destiny.

Did the literary icon, Achebe, have Ladoja in mind when he used the above saying to depict the character of Okonkwo, the tragic hero of Things Fall Apart in 1958? Will Ladoja ever become Olubadan if he held on to his stance of not accepting a crown before the crown? Yet, the multi-billionaire politician insisted that he would be Olubadan! As how, in the manner of our street lingo?

Reason prevailed. The Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, High Chief Ladoja, on Sunday, August 4, 2024, announced that he would accept the beaded crown. He said so while appearing on the Ibadan-based Fresh FM Radio programme, Agbami Oselu, He added that he would be doing that in deference to prominent Ibadan sons and daughters and other well-meaning Nigerians who appealed to him. There again, he declared: ‘By the grace of God, I will become Olubadan. Anyone God destined to become Olubadan will become Olubadan, no matter the obstacles placed in their way.’ We heaved a sigh of relief!

On August 12, 2024, Ladoja ended the seven-year-old controversy over the Olubadan chieftaincy matter as he was elevated to a beaded-crown wearing oba by the late Oba Olakulehin. Incidentally, the elevation of Ladoja was the first official duty of Oba Olakulehin. The relief across Yorubaland after that historical event was palpable! Ibadan, once again, rose to the occasion as the defender of Yoruba unity.

So, when on Friday, September, 26, 2025, all the people of Ibadan gathered at the historic Mapo Hill to crown Oba Rasidi Adewolu Ladoja, the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland, the entire Yoruba race rose to salute the courage, the goodwill and the strength of Ibadan people at upholding the culture of fairness and justice handed over to them by the founders of the west Africa’s largest city!

As a Yoruba man, if anyone had ridden a horse in my stomach last Friday, there would have been no stumbling. I was not just happy for Oba Ladoja and the people of Ibadan; I was happy for the entire Yoruba Race. A ségun òtá, a r’éhìn odì (we conquered the enemy; we prevailed against perversity)!

Ibadan people would never appreciate what they have done to the Yoruba race by preserving that age-long culture of succession to the Olubadan throne. Governor Makinde, who had to cut short his annual leave to attend the ceremony and personally perform the tradition of presentation of staff of office to the new monarch has equally recorded his name in the history of the race. The owners of the day and night will endow him with the wisdom to review that needless declaration.

Oba Ladoja’s tenacity of purpose is a study in self-worth. It is an act and art commended to everyone who desires that which is good. For a man who had waited for over three decades and almost lost the precious prize, one needs no further evidence to show that power, of a truth, belongs to God! We have no doubt that the new Olubadan of Ibadanland understands what Kim Tan The Heirs, the wealthy heir to the Korean conglomerate, Jeguk Group, means, when he posits: ‘The one who wants to wear the crown, must bear its weight.’

In all the battles he has fought in politics, business and in upholding the tradition of his people, Olubadan Ladoja has demonstrated that William Shakespear was right in his postulation that, ‘My crown is in my heart, not my head’ (Henry VI). It is indeed the content of the heart that makes a monarch who he is. In and out, Oba Ladoja has demonstrated that his is a heart of gold.

At his coronation on Friday, he told the entire world that he would not be an Olubadan for the people of Ibadanland alone. The entire Yorubaland, nay, the Black Race, he assured, would be his constituency. Looking back at his journey in life, Oba Ladoja declared: ‘There is nothing else I am looking for in life. Yesterday, I clocked 81. Some people do not have this privilege. So, I recognise that the fact that God spared me till date, what remains is to serve every resident of Ibadan, serve Oyo State, serve Yorubaland, serve Nigeria and Africa, to the best of my ability.’

I believe Kabiyesi Olubadan will pursue that goal with the same tenacity of purpose. He is, like Robert Greene, the American author, who says great men ‘Do not wait for a coronation; the greatest emperors crown themselves.’ Indeed, Oba Ladoja crowned himself long ago through his fidelity with the tradition of his people. We hope, again, like Greene posits that as the king has placed the crown upon his head, he has assumed, ‘a different post-tranquil yet radiating assurance. Never show doubt, never lose your dignity beneath the crown..’

Olubadan Ladoja cannot but radiate joy. He cannot but demonstrate confidence. He is a man who has seen it all. From the classrooms to the boardrooms, from the legislative chamber to the Government House; from the Government House to the courtrooms and from the courtrooms back to the government House and finally the Palace of Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rasidi Adewolu Ladoja is the quintessential figure of the English writer and theologian, William Penn (October 14, 1644-July 30, 1718), who says: ‘No pain, no palm; no thorns, no throne; no gall, no glory; no cross, no crown.’ That is Oba Ladoja in words!

Kabiyesi, now that you have obtained that which you most desired, holding on to your abiding faith in your creator and the triumph of good over evil, we can only pray as Oodua Atewonro decreed in the ancient Ode Aro, at the coronation of their oba thus: Kí e gbó gbó Olúyèyèntuyè/Kí e gbó gbó Olúyèyèntuyè/Kí e gbó gbó Olúogbó/Ìrùkèrè á di abéré/ Èé je ju ará iwájú?/ Èé je kù f’érò èhín. May your reign be peaceful! Àse!!

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), in collaboration with the British Standards Institution (BSI), on Tuesday unveiled ISO 37003:2025 to curb fraudulent practices in both the private and public sectors in Nigeria.

While launching the document in Abuja, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, said:

*’This is not merely a ceremony to unveil a new document; it is a declaration of our collective commitment to transparency and accountability, fortifying the foundations of our national economy on the bedrock of integrity.

‘We recognize that fraud, in all its forms, is a corrosive agent that eats away at the very fabric of our economic progress. It increases the cost of doing business, erodes investor confidence, and stifles innovation.’*

Represented by Mrs. Agu Jachnma, Deputy Director of Reforms, the Minister explained that corruption is a hidden tax on development and *’we must confront it decisively. To build a truly resilient and competitive economy, we must move beyond reactive measures.

‘This is where the ISO 37003:2025 standard comes in. This is not just another regulation. It is a comprehensive framework, a globally recognized benchmark that provides organizations, both in the public and private sectors, with the tools and guidance to establish, implement, and continually improve a robust fraud control management system.

‘The beauty of this standard lies in its proactive approach. It guides organizations to assess their unique fraud risks, implement proportionate controls to prevent and detect fraudulent activities, and respond effectively and decisively when incidents occur.

‘By adopting this standard, Nigerian companies and government agencies signal to the world that they are committed to global best practices. It tells potential investors and trading partners that Nigeria is a serious and transparent place to do business. This standard transforms fraud control from a matter of chance to a matter of choice and systematic design,’* she stated.

In his welcome address, the Director-General of SON, Dr. Ifeanyi Okeke, emphasized that *’we are not merely unveiling another international standard, but a powerful instrument to strengthen transparency, accountability, and good governance in Nigeria.

‘This launch is the culmination of a process that began with yesterday’s pre-launch workshop, which provided a platform for robust deliberations on strategies for effective implementation of the standard. Both the workshop and today’s launch mark a watershed moment in Nigeria’s journey in international standardization.

‘We take immense pride in the fact that Nigeria, through the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), played an active role from conception to publication of this standard, serving first as Co-Convenor and eventually as Convenor of ISO/Technical Committee 309 Working Group 8. This singular achievement places our nation at the forefront of global efforts in developing frameworks that address fraud in all its manifestations.’*

Okeke acknowledged SON’s invaluable partnership with the British Standards Institution (BSI), *’whose collaboration under our twinning arrangement has been instrumental in making this standard a reality.

‘Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, fraud remains a pervasive obstacle to our national development. It erodes trust, increases the cost of doing business, discourages foreign investment, and deprives our citizens of the resources needed for infrastructure and social services.’*

The DG said that for too long, responses had been fragmented and reactive. *’With ISO 37003:2025, we now embrace a proactive and structured framework for fraud prevention, detection, and response.

‘This standard provides a globally recognized framework for preventing fraudulent activities before they occur, detecting fraud efficiently when it arises, and responding decisively to ensure accountability and minimize damage. More importantly, it fosters a culture of integrity by embedding fraud prevention into the very DNA of organisational operations.

‘For the public sector, adoption of this standard will enhance transparency and accountability, reduce leakages, and rebuild public confidence. For the private sector, it will serve as a mark of integrity, signalling to partners and investors that Nigerian companies operate with the highest standards of governance.’*

Okeke stated that the Standards Organisation of Nigeria is fully committed to ensuring that this standard does not remain on paper but is implemented effectively.

‘SON will roll out awareness campaigns, provide training for implementers and auditors, and establish a credible certification scheme. However, this is not a task for SON alone. It requires the active commitment of leaders in the public sector, captains of industry, professional bodies, and civil society organisations. Together, we must build a formidable wall of integrity against fraud,’ he stated.

On his part, the representative of the British Standards Institution (BSI) said the launch of ISO 37003:2025 will go a long way in boosting investor confidence and growing Nigeria’s economy.

Stakeholders from both the private and public sectors graced the occasion.

Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, has disclosed that sex workers are liable to pay tax under the new reform laws recently signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Oyedele stated this during a lecture on tax education at a Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) church in Lagos.

In a video sighted by Tribune Online, the Fiscal committee boss was explaining and giving an example on whether money paid into someone’s account as upkeep is taxable, noting that there has to be value exchange, especially services rendered, before tax payment can be applicable, citing a sex worker being liable to pay tax as long as they are rendering services.

‘If somebody is doing run girl, they go and look for men to sleep with; you know that’s a service, they will pay tax on it.’

He further explained aspects of tax law, stating that it does not care whether the service rendered is legitimate or illegitimate.

‘One thing about the tax law is, it does not separate between whether what you’re doing is legitimate or not, it just asks you whether you have an income,’ Oyedele added.

Tribune Online reports Tinubu signed four bills into law on June 26, 2025, which includes the Nigeria Tax Act, Nigeria Tax Administration Act, Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Act, and the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Act. Together, these laws, known as the Tax Acts quartet, aim to broaden the tax base and improve compliance across federal, state, and local governments.

Earlier, Tinubu, aimed at guiding the reforms, appointed Taiwo Oyedele, Fiscal Policy Partner and Africa Tax Leader at PricewaterhouseCoopers, as chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms. The committee includes experts from both the private and public sectors.

New research has found that one inhaler containing two drugs can cut the risk of asthma attacks by almost half, giving hope to an estimated millions of families worldwide.

This new study, termed the CARE (Children’s Anti-inflammatory REliever) trial, the first randomised controlled investigation to directly compare the effectiveness of a budesonide-formoterol 2-in-1 inhaler against traditional salbutamol, revealed that this 2-in-1 inhaler is not only safe but also works for five-year-olds and younger.

The results show that using a single 2-in-1 anti-inflammatory reliever inhaler, which combines the inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) budesonide and the fast-acting bronchodilator formoterol, reduced children’s asthma attacks by an average of 45%, compared to the widely used salbutamol inhaler.

Asthma is the most prevalent long-term childhood illness, with around 113 million young people worldwide thought to be affected. The attacks can be fatal, so preventing them is as vital as alleviating them.

For decades, salbutamol inhalers have been the cornerstone of asthma symptom relief for children aged five to fifteen, despite increasingly compelling evidence supporting alternative treatments in adults. It rapidly expands the airways but doesn’t do much to stop swelling.

The CARE study was undertaken by the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand in collaboration with Imperial College London, University of Otago, Wellington, Starship Children’s Hospital, and the University of Auckland.

Researchers followed 360 New Zealand children aged between 5 and 15 years for a year. Half of them were told to take the combined budesonide-formoterol inhaler every time they experienced symptoms. The control group utilised the standard salbutamol inhaler.

Children on the combined inhaler, on average, experienced 0.23 attacks per year, while children on salbutamol experienced 0.41 attacks. Simply put, if 100 children made the change from salbutamol to the new alternative, 18 attacks would be prevented per year.

Equally as important, no other safety problems were found in the study. Side effect rates were effectively identical in both groups, and there were no differences in lung function, growth, or overall asthma control.

Researchers say the findings, published today in The Lancet, provide the evidence needed to bring children’s global asthma guidelines into line with adults’, which could benefit millions of children around the world with mild-to-moderate asthma.

Dr. Lee Hatter, first author of the study and Senior Clinical Research Fellow at Medical Research Institute of New Zealand, called the results a breakthrough.

Hatter declared: ‘For the first time, we have demonstrated that the budesonide-formoterol 2-in-1 inhaler, used as needed for relief of symptoms, can markedly prevent asthma attacks in children with mild asthma. This evidence-based treatment has the potential to lead to improved asthma outcomes in children globally.’

In a remark, Dr Andrew Bush, a senior respiratory paediatrics consultant at Imperial College London and one of the researchers behind the study, said: ‘I am thrilled that we have been able to show that an inhaler that significantly halves attacks-a breakthrough in itself for adults-is safe for children with mild asthma too. We believe this will transform the management of asthma worldwide.’

The CARE study has the potential to alter the way asthma in children is treated across the world. By proving that a single inhaler can both treat symptoms and prevent attacks, the study supports combining pediatric with adult recommendations.

The Umo Eno-led administration in Akwa Ibom State has launched a N100 million Creative Industry Fund to boost the state’s entertainment and film sector, in a fresh push to empower young people and expand opportunities under his ARISE Agenda.

The fund, announced during the Ibom Entertainers Week in Uyo, is targeted at building capacity, supporting practitioners, and positioning Akwa Ibom as a creative hub in Nigeria.

Briefing newsmen on Tuesday, Commissioner for Information, Hon. Aniekan Umanah, said the initiative was one of the administration’s most significant interventions in September 2025.

‘This is not just about entertainment, it is about building an economy around the talents of our young people, giving them the tools to compete nationally and globally,’ he stressed.

The Commissioner also highlighted the inauguration of the fourth batch of the Ibom-LED Entrepreneur Accelerator Programme and the continued distribution of ARISE food packages across the 31 local government areas.

‘In just one month, more than 10,000 youths and SMEs have benefitted from training and empowerment schemes,’ he said. ‘Our governor is deliberate in creating jobs and giving hope to young people.’

On infrastructure, Umanah noted that over 771 kilometres of roads and 31 bridges are at various stages of completion, while Ibom Air has acquired four new aircraft, with work ongoing at the new Terminal Building and MRO facility at Victor Attah International Airport.

Workers’ welfare, he said, has remained a top priority. ‘Over ?78 billion has been paid in pensions and gratuities. Teachers have received N1.2 billion in wardrobe allowance. We have implemented the ?80,000 minimum wage, introduced a 13th-month salary, and approved the recruitment of 4,000 new workers,’ Umanah declared.

On social welfare, he revealed that more than 500,000 vulnerable households have benefitted from interventions, while in housing, 267 Compassionate Homes have been delivered, with 150 free houses for public servants already underway.

The health sector has equally recorded progress with the expansion of health centres, an emergency ambulance service, a medical oxygen plant, and the ongoing construction of a 350-bed International Hospital.

To secure lives and property, the governor launched the State Security Trust Fund, recruited 4,500 community watch personnel, and established a Ministry of Internal Security and Waterways. ‘We are reinforcing Akwa Ibom’s status as one of the safest states in Nigeria,’ Umanah added.

In tourism, projects such as the ARISE Resort, Ibom International Convention Centre, ARISE Shopping City, and a 2,000-capacity amphitheatre are ongoing. The ecological remediation of 70 hectares of gullies has also commenced.

The governor also partnered with FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to commission 17.33 km of roads in Ika Local Government Area, while presenting new vehicles to all former deputy governors of the state.

Sports development received a boost with the successful return of the Ibom Sports Festival after 14 years, alongside the revival of inter-house sports and the Governor’s Cup, and plans for a Sports Academy.

Summing up, Umanah said: ‘These achievements are not happenstance. They are the deliberate outcomes of a governance strategy anchored on the ARISE Agenda. Akwa Ibom is on a steady path of growth, innovation, and transformation under Governor Umo Eno.’

As Nigeria marks its 65th independence anniversary, the National Orientation Agency (NOA) has called on citizens to foster unity and embrace the country’s diversity as a strength for national progress.

The State Director of NOA in Akwa Ibom, Mr. Mkpoutom Mkpoutom, made the call in Uyo while addressing journalists and stakeholders on the significance of the milestone.

‘Our strength lies in our diversity. With over 250 ethnic groups and an array of languages, Nigeria embodies a unique heritage that should be seen not as a dividing line but as a unifying force that propels us towards progress,’ Mr. Mkpoutom said.

He stressed that as the nation embarks on another year, it was important for citizens to foster a sense of unity and shared purpose by embracing dialogue, understanding, and collaboration in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

According to him, addressing pressing issues like poverty, security, education, and healthcare requires collective effort and commitment from all Nigerians.

‘This anniversary should serve as a reminder of the collective strength that lies in every citizen. Let us contribute positively to society and commit to building a prosperous, peaceful, and equitable nation,’ he urged.

The NOA Director further appealed to Akwa Ibom people and Nigerians at large to honour the labours of past heroes while working diligently toward a brighter future for generations to come.

He prayed that Nigeria’s journey ahead would be ‘filled with unity, peace, and progress.’

Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo has warned that Nigeria faces the risk of instability, insecurity and economic hardship if urgent steps are not taken to invest in education, skill acquisition, and national unity.

Speaking at the commissioning of the Bakhita ICT Centre in Sokoto on Tuesday, Obasanjo said the neglect of millions of out-of-school children poses a direct threat to national stability.

‘Twenty-four million children who should be in school are not in school,’ he said. ‘You don’t need an oracle to know they will become the recruiting ground for Boko Haram of tomorrow.’

The centre was built by Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah with the support of legal luminary, Aare Afe Babalola.

Obasanjo, who has remained one of Nigeria’s most outspoken elder statesmen, urged the nation to prioritise ‘human development, skill acquisition, empowerment and employment,’ stressing that the country’s diversity should be harnessed as a strength rather than a division.

‘It is not unity in diversity alone, but unity of purpose for our country, in spite of our diversity,’ he said.

He commended the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, and Bishop Kukah for promoting dialogue across faiths and cultures. Describing Kukah as ‘a different sort of Bishop,’ he added: ‘When he talks, he talks sense; when he shouts, he shouts against evil, misconduct and oppression.’

Obasanjo warned that Nigeria’s rapidly growing population, projected to reach 400 million by 2050, could become unmanageable if leaders fail to plan ahead. ‘If we fail to prepare now, Boko Haram of today will be child’s play compared with what we may face in the future,’ he cautioned.

The former president also highlighted the impact of technology and artificial intelligence, which he said would displace many jobs unless Nigeria equips its people with the right digital skills. ‘AI will take over many jobs. We must prepare our people with the right knowledge and skills,’ he said.

On the economy, he lamented the nation’s dependence on food imports despite vast agricultural potential. ‘Why should we import our staple food? If farmers cannot make a profit, they will stop planting,’ he warned.

Reflecting on Nigeria’s democratic journey, Obasanjo recalled how the late Sultan of Sokoto supported universal adult suffrage in 1979 by encouraging women to vote – a move he described as a milestone in the country’s political history.

He concluded with a message to current leaders: ‘Nigeria is not a difficult country to govern if we are honest with ourselves, with God, and with the people.’

CAMEROON is heading toward its October 2025 presidential election, but what is unfolding feels less like a campaign and more like a tragic play. At the centre of this spectacle is President Paul Biya, one of the world’s longest-serving leaders, who is barely present. Instead of the man himself, his supporters display giant portraits of his face. These posters are not just unusual campaign tools; they are a shameless admission of reality. At 92, Biya is largely absent from the daily life of his nation, and his portrait has become the ultimate symbol of a government that clings to the image of power while abandoning the real work of leadership.

The sight of campaigners waving his posters through dusty streets raises more questions than answers. Where is the president? Why does he not appear before his people to share his vision for the future? The truth is an open secret. Biya spends long stretches in Geneva, Switzerland, and rarely appears in public at home. His rare appearances are tightly controlled, serving only to remind citizens of his absence. He is now the world’s oldest Head of State, and his campaign by proxy shouts the question his regime refuses to answer: if he cannot campaign, how can he govern?

This silence is no accident. The ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) treats the president’s health as a state secret, forbidding open discussion. This censorship is not about protecting Biya but about protecting the system around him. By avoiding public debate, the regime prevents any real conversation about succession. The campaign, run through sanitised social media posts and official statements, is less about engaging citizens than about instructing them to accept the status quo. In Cameroon’s tightly controlled political space, the people are expected to obey rather than be heard. The real force behind Biya’s re-election bid is fear, not hope. His inner circle, who have benefited from his 42 years in power, know that only his presence keeps their competing ambitions in check. By keeping him in office, they delay an inevitable power struggle. The portrait campaign is therefore less about the future of Cameroon and more about preserving the privileges of a small elite. For the country’s youth, who have never known another leader, it is a painful message that their future must remain on hold for the sake of an aging regime.

The cost of this long rule is visible everywhere. Important decisions are delayed, state institutions stagnate, and frustration grows among citizens who live with the consequences of an absentee president. Leadership demands presence, and Biya’s absence has crippled governance and slowed national development. Yet this campaign of portraits may also be exposing cracks in the regime’s armor. Former allies and ministers have begun to break away, and in a dramatic gesture, Biya’s own daughter, Brenda Biya, has reportedly denounced his endless hold on power on social media, urging Cameroonians to reject him. This is not the behaviour of a confident political dynasty but of one unraveling under the weight of its own excess.

For the opposition, this moment is a rare chance. If they can put aside personal rivalries and unite, they can rally citizens around a simple but powerful contrast: the choice between a living, accountable leader and the rule of a portrait. Ultimately, Cameroon must face a question it has avoided for decades: has the presidency become a lifetime throne? The endless cycle of re-election, now reduced to campaigning with posters instead of a candidate, makes a mockery of democracy. It turns the sacred act of voting into a hollow ritual.

The image of Paul Biya held high in the streets is more than a campaign tool. It is a mirror reflecting a country at a crossroads. It shows a system that has traded vitality for frailty, engagement for silence, and the future for the past. This campaign of portraits is a campaign of shame. The time for illusions is over. Cameroon must now choose reality over a picture.

Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has revealed that the controversy surrounding President Bola Tinubu’s Muslim-Muslim ticket in the 2023 election caused a division in her church and tested her Christian faith.

In her new memoir, ‘The Journey of Grace: Giving Thanks in All Things’, Mrs Tinubu described the episode as a ‘bitter pill’ that created discord in her parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).

The 52-page book, released to mark her 65th birthday, chronicles her journey between 2021 and 2025.

Reflecting on the Muslim-Muslim ticket, she wrote: ‘One of such decisions was the unpopular ‘Muslim-Muslim ticket’. My being a Christian did not matter. My local assembly, Redeemed Christian Church of God, was split.’

The former Lagos Central senator recalled that church opposition was not new to her. During her 2011 senatorial campaign, she said her posters were rejected by the parish.

‘I later realised that we are a church like other churches with members of all political parties in attendance. I experienced this during my campaign in 2011 for the senate, when I took my campaign posters to the church, and it was rebuffed. After that, I never tried again,’ she explained.

Mrs. Tinubu noted that while some parishioners showed hostility, many elders and members supported her with prayers, which kept her steadfast in her faith.

‘But I kept attending church, and I thank God I have grown from being a baby to a mature Christian. So the little resentment I witnessed from a few was met with the peace of God.

‘All the same, despite a few who showed hostility, many were encouraging, especially our elders, who would encourage me from time to time with prayers,’ she wrote.

She expressed gratitude to her local assembly for standing by her, adding that many of them lived to witness her husband’s inauguration as president.

‘To this end, I am grateful to God and every one of them, especially those who lived to watch the presidential inauguration when the time came. I thank the pastorate also for making arrangements for them.

‘I thank my local assembly because most of them made me feel welcome and comfortable enough to come to church whenever I was home from Abuja, where I was still serving as a senator representing Lagos central senatorial district.’

Notable personalities who have made significant contributions towards the development of democratic governance are set to be conferred with awards of recognition at the 2025 edition of the Democracy Heroes Award Africa.

Organised by the Face of Democracy Nigeria projects (FDN projects), among those expected to be honoured include FCT Minister, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, members of the Nigerian Senate, Sani Musa, Opeyemi Bamidele, President of Botswana, Duma Gideon Boko, former Nigerian President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, Governors of Borno, Cross River, Ondo, Oyo, and Katsina.

Others include the governors of Delta, Ebonyi, Kaduna, Kebbi, and other notable individuals from the political, business, and entertainment world.

With the theme, ‘Legacy of leadership: Powering Africa’s future’, Democracy Heroes Award Africa 2025 will hold on the 16th of October at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.

Democracy Heroes Award recognises political leaders for their contributions in deepening the culture of democracy in the country through impactful projects.

It also recognizes entrepreneurs, businesspeople, and entertainers whose contributions have helped in entrenching stability through job creation, youth empowerment, and poverty alleviation measures.

The Project Director FDN, Olufunsho Ajagbonna, while congratulating winners of the awards, said the organization will continue to encourage excellent performance by recognising those who have distinguished themselves in serving the people.