Category: Nigerian Tribune

The order will remain in force until tomorrow, Friday, October 10, 2025, when the matter is scheduled for further hearing.

Justice Akintola said the extension became necessary to ensure that all parties in the case were granted the right to fair hearing in line with Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

‘The case is adjourned till Friday, October 10, 2025, for further hearing, while the interim injunction shall continue to subsist,’ the judge ruled.

Earlier, counsel to the plaintiff, Chief Musibau Adetunmbi (SAN), informed the court that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had filed an application seeking to be joined in the suit.

He, however, disclosed that his team would oppose the application.

‘Even though the PDP has a constitutional right to fair hearing under Section 36, we shall oppose their application for joinder. The case is narrow and straightforward; there is no need for multiple parties,’ Adetunmbi said.

The senior advocate also noted that Mr. Kasim Gbadamosi (SAN), who holds the brief of Kunle Adegoke, SAN, for the APC ex-council chairmen, had filed a fresh application in addition to an earlier one on the same matter of joinder.

Responding, Gbadamosi stated that he intended to withdraw the new application, arguing that the issue of jurisdiction did not require a formal application. ‘I will withdraw the application. The issue before the court is jurisdictional, and as such, it doesn’t require a formal application,’ he said.

He further argued that the case before the High Court amounted to an abuse of judicial process since a similar matter was already pending before the Supreme Court.

‘The matter is premised on a case already before the Supreme Court and should therefore be struck out,’ he added.

Also addressing the court, counsel to UBA Plc, Mutalib Adebayo Ojo (SAN), aligned with the argument, urging the court to adjourn the case sine die (indefinitely) pending the determination of the matter at the apex court.

‘We observe that this suit is predicated upon a case already before the Supreme Court. Consequently, it should be adjourned sine die until the determination of that matter. UBA is not a party to the Supreme Court case; we are merely a neutral party in this process,’ Ojo submitted.

After hearing all arguments, Justice Akintola adjourned the case till Friday for ruling.

It will be recalled that the court had earlier granted the following interim orders as sought by the claimants:

1. An order of interim injunction restraining UBA from paying, releasing, disbursing, or tampering with funds in the disputed local government accounts.

2. An order of mandatory injunction directing UBA to place a ‘Post No Debit’ (PND) restriction on all affected accounts pending the hearing of the substantive motion on notice.

The affected accounts include those of the 30 local government areas of Osun State from Atakumosa East to Osogbo each identified by name and account number with UBA.

The suit, filed as Suit No. 1/1167/2025 before Court No. 5 of the Ibadan Judicial Division, is being handled by Olalekan Adeoye, Esq., on behalf of the claimants.

A second case on the same matter filed by the local government chairmen elected under the PDP was also adjourned for hearing tomorrow.

His first wife was married for him by the whole community. Everybody contributed one thing or the other, from encouragement to tubers of yam and cowries for the bride price. He was ripe and ready but the number of people working against Toosa were many. The beautiful girl he wanted was wanted by a dozen and one other men. Well, that wa normal, even. It was the wicked elders and envious youths running him down that was the big problem

Toosa too wants a wife, in which world?

Don’t mind him, his butterfly wants to fly like a bird.

Does he have what it takes?

Can he feed a woman and take care of her needs.

He must think being able to sleep with a woman is all it takes to be a husband.

I heard his small hut is even leaking.

Ah, does he want the poor girl to be swept away by flood during rainy season?

He is too young.

No, he is too old.

It is not his turn.

Because the evil voices were loud and cacophonous, it felt like the naysayers were many. But no, they were a few, really, just loud and strident. Those who wanted Toosa married were more and they eventually won. They mustered courage and resources and the wedding took place, followed by 16 years of marriage. In the very presence of Toosa’s enemies, Toosa became a father of six and his slim bride became robust and rounded in all the right places. The enemies’ eyes bulged in envy and disbelief. Yes. Then one day, the marriage ended. Toosa’s wife left him.

Fight for her.

Threaten her parents.

Take thugs and waylay her before she reaches her father’s compound.

Let your labourers go and destroy her father’s compound.

How can you let her go after 16 years? Will you now be sweeping your compound and cooking for yourself?

But Toosa just sat there and said: Let her go. If she is truly mine, she would not leave me. I don’t want anybody to be injured or killed just to keep my wife. No, let her go.

It was a really dark and lonely moment for him. And for years he lived his wife-less life without groaning. Until his friends started showing up and telling him about a particular woman who had everything a woman should have: beauty, brain, good manners and she came from a rich and influential family. Of course, Toosa resisted. He had grown accustomed to living his life on his terms, no pressure, no nagging, no in-law troubles. But eventually, he agreed to go and look at the woman and what he saw was a mouth-watering total package. It was a sneak peek but the backside of that woman when she walked past had Toosa rubbing his palms together and smacking his lips. Indeed, the image of the backside of Aponbepore (fair like palm oil) kept Toosa tossing and turning all night . By morning he was ready to do anything to get this beautiful woman. That was when his friends cleared their throats and told him the Balogun (the leader of all the warriors )of their town was also interested in Aponbepore. Toosa gasped and this song came to his mind. Don’t ask me how.

E ma na omo Balogun

Bi e ba na omo Balogun

Idagiri a w’olu

Ese giri a w’ode

Translation

Do not beat Balogun’s child

If you beat Balogun’s child

It will lead to confusion

It will precipitate running helter skelter

Skip several years to today’s Nigeria.

There is a Nigerian Toosa who does not just want to beat Balogun’s son, he wants to ‘snatch’ Balogun’s woman instead of looking further afield for his new wife. Here is a shy personable gentleman that the whole community had to rally round to get his first and former wife. Why does he think he can swing this hard task of ‘snatching’ a reigning Balogun’s woman?

Okay, Balogun has not paid the fine lady’s bride price but the bebe (waist beads), according to the grapevine, was bought by Balogun. That is a deep investment, seriously. Toosa’s friends are many and so are his foes posing as friends. They know Balogun will fight whoever contends with him for anything, woman or war, and he is a warrior. This good man with good reputation could lose to Balogun and people will forget Toosa’s reputation as a meek and mild man and start talking about the ‘man who took on a fight he knew he could not win, a man who Balogun battered like a snake not fit for the soup pot (ejo aije), a man whose beloved is now in Balogun’s bed, making babies every year.’

Abomination. It should not be, must not be and by the grace of the ancestors, will not be.

Backing up a little, what exactly is my point here?

That song from Ebenezer Obey’s album has been playing on my mind too for about three days now. So, I asked my mind, why are you dancing to this particular song, please. My mind replied, ‘I am not dancing to the song, I am thinking of the song.’ My forehead furrowed. There must be a message in there that my mind is trying to impress on me. I shook my head, smiled as it cleared. My mind must have discovered my wrapped thought about former President Goodluck Jonathan and all the talk about him throwing his hat in the presidential race ring come 2027.

Don’t misunderstand me. I like Jonathan’s hat. I just don’t like it in any ring. For me, the man has won all the belts there is to be won. He has proved that when God is on your side, it does not matter how long you go shoeless, you will eventually sit on a horse. The Jonathan story has shown that when you are standing on the shoulder of the God of all gods and godfathers, you will arrive your divine destination, no matter how many stumbling blocks are mounted on your path. The cabals won’t matter. Indeed, they will bow or fall or do both when you arrive.

We have not forgotten how Dr Jonathan became President, have we? He was Vice President to President Yar’ Adua, remember, the good President who came into office ill? The road was rough for all of us until the storm was calmed by death and something called ‘Doctrine of Necessity’. The nation’s already uneven lines went further jagged. The Federal Executive Council was polarized. There was high drama. After all the muffled noise and whispers of conspiracy, the mantle of leadership fell on Goodluck Jonathan. And it wasn’t the first time too. Way back in faraway Yenagoa, the shoeless boy had become a university don and later a Deputy Governor in Bayelsa State. Then fate showed up for him and his boss, DSP Alamieyeseigha did something bad and had to leave town in the dead of the night (dramatic details are available in different versions). That was how a man went to bed as Deputy Governor and was woken up to be sworn in as a Governor.

I like former President Jonathan. Most Nigerians will forever applaud his courage in the face of defeat, defeat as sitting President at a presidential polls his government fully funded too. Who was not shocked? It was so un-Nigerian thing to do. Come on, Jonathan could have had himself declared winner. What would have happened? Maybe three days or so of blood, gore and innocent lives cut short. There would have been noise, plenty of noise but it would all have eventually died down and the President would have done his second term whether we liked it or not. Not Jonathan. He walked the path of honour home. He wanted peace. He wanted no part in human sacrifice and bloody electoral victory. To the chagrin of his party and followers, Jonathan gave everything up. The world clapped, called him a good man, unusual politician and he became star speaker at international political events.

It was also the beginning of the end of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its 16-year reign. I am not sure that party can ever forgive Jonathan. The number of politicians who are still seething with rage, reeling in pain of aborted ambitions is huge.

In 2027, the Presidential boxing ring can do with four serious hats. That would make the sitting government sit straighter up. But Jonathan’s hat should not be there. Why? One, those who betrayed him that other time are still very much around, greedier, meaner and more ferocious. They are within his party PDP and in other parties pretending to be born-again now. They are not. Two, the merchants of candidates and election retailers are waiting for that hat to land in the ring. He should remember those who collected millions of naira for all kinds of things including prayers on mountains and in holy lands so Jonathan could win. They will convince him, assure him and then trade him. Three, when PDP had 22 governors, he lost the election, how does he want to reach the states and grassroots now that almost all the governors have done deals, made pacts to secure their second terms? Four, this is Nigeria where politicking, campaigning and elections are heavily monetized. This girl has been directly close to two election day spending and trust me, it is eye-popping. Where will all that funds come from? Five, is Jonathan even sure that those courting him are not working for APC, somehow? With politicians, nothing is as it seems. Six, an Abuja Federal High Court has been approached to issue a perpetual injunction restraining Dr Jonathan from participating in the 2027 presidential election and also barring INEC from listing him as a candidate. Ah, court matters in this season is both time-wasting and money-guzzling.

And finally to my own personal point, I want to forever remember Jonathan as the one clean President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who chose decency over office, refused to do human sacrifice to get a second term. I do not want to remember him as the Nigerian President who was defeated twice, first as incumbent President and then former president by the same political party. It will pain me too much.

THE Chartered Institute of Educational Practitioners, United Kingdom (CIEPUK), has said it will launch a Global Southern Studies/Research Centre (GSSRC) at Paul University, Awka, in partnership with Soochow University, China.

The unveiling of the centre is scheduled for October 17 at the Nwawka Auditorium, Paul University.

According to CIEPUK, the centre aims to enhance academic collaboration, innovation, and sustainable development across the Global South.

It will also serve as a hub for research, knowledge exchange, and international partnerships.

CIEPUK’s African regional office is located at Paul University, where the centre will be based.

Key research areas include technology, climate change, agriculture, health sciences, social development, and cultural exchange.

Officials from the three partner institutions described the initiative as a milestone in academic diplomacy and a model for South-South cooperation and sustainable progress.

The Consular Representative of China in Nigeria is expected to attend the launch.

Professor Marcel Ezenwoye, CIEPUK Global President, who also serves as Director of the Pre-degree Programme at Paul University, signed the formal announcement.

Ezenwoye said the centre would support cross-border collaboration and foster innovative solutions to development challenges.

He added that it would also promote cultural understanding through academic exchange.

Organisers said the centre would facilitate joint publications, patents, policy research, and scholarships, in addition to offering training and exchange opportunities for Nigerian students and researchers.

Stakeholders said the initiative would strengthen Nigeria’s role in global research partnerships and aligns with both national and regional development goals.

The event is expected to attract dignitaries, academics, students, and international guests.

In compliance with the Lagos State Government’s regulatory directives, Eko Electricity Distribution Company Plc (Eko DisCo) has registered Excel Electricity Distribution Company Limited as a 100 per cent subsidiary to manage its electricity distribution business in Lagos State.

The company said the restructuring aligns with the provisions of the Electricity Act 2023, which devolved regulatory authority in the power sector to state governments.

According to a statement issued by the management of Eko DisCo on Tuesday, the move became necessary following the directive of the Lagos State Electricity Regulatory Commission (LASERC), which required distribution companies operating across multiple states to register distinct entities for each state.

‘Eko DisCo, which operates in Lagos and Ogun States, therefore established Excel Electricity Distribution Limited to operate under the joint regulatory oversight of LASERC and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC),’ the company explained.

The management clarified that Eko Electricity Distribution Company Plc has not been sold, taken over, or dissolved, stressing that there has been no transfer of ownership or change in control.

It stated that Eko DisCo remains a duly incorporated and fully operational entity, with West Power and Gas Limited (WPG) retaining its 60 per cent shareholding and the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) holding the remaining 40 per cent on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Eko DisCo added that Excel Electricity Distribution Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary that will continue all distribution activities previously managed by Eko DisCo. Customers, it assured, will retain the same service channels, personnel, and payment systems.

‘As we transition, customers may notice the name change from Eko DisCo to Excel DisCo, but all service operations remain uninterrupted,’ the statement read.

The company further revealed that Eko DisCo has now transmuted into a holding company, in compliance with regulatory requirements.

It reiterated its commitment to delivering reliable, efficient, and sustainable electricity to all customers in Lagos, describing the development as a regulatory and structural transition, not a takeover or divestment.

‘Eko Electricity Distribution Company Plc remains a key player and investor in the Lagos electricity ecosystem, fully committed to improving service delivery through Excel DisCo,’ the statement added.

The worsening security situation in Kwara State, particularly in the Kwara South Senatorial District, dominated discussions in the Senate on Wednesday as lawmakers called on the Federal Government to establish a permanent military base in the area.

The Senate’s resolution followed a motion of urgent national importance moved by the Senator representing Kwara South, Oyelola Ashiru.

In his motion titled ‘Urgent Need to Address Insecurity in Kwara South Senatorial District, Particularly Ifelodun Local Government Area: Call for Immediate and Comprehensive Federal Intervention,’ the Senator recalled ‘that within the last month, no fewer than twelve (12) forest guards and local vigilante members were killed in an ambush by armed bandits in Oke-Ode, including Baale of Ogba-Ayo community, and several other traditional and community leaders were among those slain in separate incidents in Babanla, Sagbe, Oro Ago, Ganmu-Alheri, etc., in Ifelodun, Isin, Ekiti and Oke Ero Local Government Areas.’

He also informed his colleagues that ‘at least 142 persons have been kidnapped and over 70 killed in the last twelve months across Kwara South, with no fewer than 25 communities deserted due to recurring attacks-leading to severe humanitarian displacement and disruption of social and economic life. Farms have been abandoned, roads have become unsafe, local economies are paralyzed, and schools have closed, thereby worsening poverty and increasing youth vulnerability to crime.’

The lawmaker raised the alarm that farms have been abandoned, roads rendered unsafe, schools shut down, and local economies paralysed.

He cautioned that the sustained insecurity in Kwara South, if not urgently addressed, poses a potential threat to national stability, as it could spread to other states in the North Central and South West geopolitical zones.

He noted that most local security volunteers have been overwhelmed as they ‘lack adequate equipment, mobility, protection, or insurance, yet continue to sacrifice their lives in defence of their communities.’

While adopting the motion, the Senate urged the Federal Government to establish a permanent military base in Kwara South, particularly near the forest belts of Ifelodun Local Government Area, to serve as a rapid response hub.

The lawmakers also mandated the Chief of Defence Staff, Christopher Musa, and the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to deploy additional troops and special units to comb the forests for bandits.

They further directed the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to immediately provide humanitarian relief to displaced persons in the affected areas and urged the government to compensate the families of forest guards and vigilantes who lost their lives.

The Senate also instructed security agencies to identify and prosecute local collaborators aiding the bandits’ operations and mandated its Committees on Defence, Police Affairs, and National Security and Intelligence to carry out an on-the-spot assessment of the affected communities within two weeks.

The Minister of Defence, Chief of Army Staff, and Inspector-General of Police were also invited to brief lawmakers on coordinated federal responses.

Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has expressed concern over the persistent wave of violence and insecurity across the country, especially the targeted attacks on Christian communities in parts of Northern Nigeria.

In a statement signed by its President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, CAN said the ongoing violence and destruction of lives and worship centres have become painful reminders of the urgent need for government and security agencies to act decisively to protect every citizen, regardless of region or religion.

CAN affirmed that Christian communities have continued to bear the brunt of religiously motivated attacks, leading to widespread displacement, trauma, and destruction of places of worship.

It lamented that despite several appeals for justice and protection, the response from relevant authorities has often been met with delay or denial.

‘Our concern remains that these cries for justice and protection are too often met with delay or denial. We therefore renew our call on government and security agencies to take urgent, transparent, and equitable action to end the killings,’ Okoh said.

According to the statement, CAN has consistently worked to draw both national and international attention to the plight of persecuted Christians in Nigeria.

The Christian apex body noted that it has established mechanisms for documenting religiously motivated killings, engaged with international partners, petitioned the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, and collaborated with global Christian organisations such as the World Evangelical Alliance and the Lausanne Movement.

‘These sustained efforts, demonstrate our consistent advocacy for justice, peace, and the protection of Christian communities under threat’, CAN noted.

While acknowledging the ongoing efforts of government and security agencies in responding to security challenges, CAN urged authorities to redouble their efforts toward ensuring equitable protection for all citizens and bringing perpetrators of violence swiftly to justice.

‘The pain of Christian families torn apart by violence must never be treated as mere statistics,’ Okoh stressed, emphasizing the need for accountability and transparency in the handling of security matters.

CAN also appealed to Christian leaders across the country to continue to speak and act with wisdom, unity, and faith, warning that peace remains too fragile to be taken for granted.

CAN, therefore, called for national courage and honesty in addressing Nigeria’s deep-rooted divisions, insisting that healing and peace will only emerge when Nigerians confront their collective failures and rebuild trust within their communities.

‘Nigeria’s healing will not come from denial or blame, but from courage, the courage to face our collective failures, to grieve together, and to rebuild trust. Only then can our nation rise from its wounds and embrace a future of genuine peace,’ the statement added.

Nigerians are groaning under yet another hike in the price of cooking gas, with a kilogram now selling for as high as ?2,000 – and in some locations up to ?3,000 – sparking widespread concern over the cost of living.

But gas marketers say the situation is not the result of any official price adjustment.

Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday, the National President of the Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM), Oladapo Olatunbosun, attributed the price surge to temporary supply disruptions and market exploitation by opportunistic dealers.

‘I sympathise with Nigerians as the President of NALPGAM because we never intended to have a situation like this.

‘I must say categorically that the price of cooking gas has not gone up. No increment has been done officially.

‘What is happening is that some marketers are taking advantage of the shortage in supply and market forces that have increased demand. They are cashing in to make quick money, which is wrong,’ Olatunbosun said.

He assured that the situation is artificial and temporary, and that normalcy is expected to return within days.

Channels TV had earlier reported that LPG prices, which averaged between ?1,200 and ?1,300 per kilogram, have recently jumped to between ?1,700 and ?2,000, depending on location.

According to Olatunbosun, the problem began when Dangote Refinery – a key player in improving local supply – embarked on maintenance that slowed truck loading, creating a shortfall in distribution.

‘Before the strike, Dangote loaded about 50 trucks per day, which served the South-West and some parts of the North. But when renovation started, trucks began spending up to 14 days at the refinery yard before getting products.

‘Marketers then switched to Apapa for supply, and when the PENGASSAN strike hit, vessel discharges and inspections were disrupted, drying up stocks nationwide.’

He explained that although Dangote Refinery did not completely halt production, the strike prevented inspectors from clearing vessels for discharge, causing a backlog that severely affected supply across the country – especially in the South-West, which consumes the largest volume of LPG in Nigeria.

Olatunbosun disclosed that Nigeria’s LPG consumption had risen from 1.2 million metric tonnes three years ago to nearly two million metric tonnes, making the market more sensitive to disruptions.

To cushion the impact, he advised consumers to buy directly from registered gas plants, warning that those purchasing through middlemen were likely to pay inflated prices.

‘If you buy from a third or fourth party, the chain extends and the price rises – just like buying petrol from black market vendors.

‘At gas bottling plants operated by our members, the price is between ?1,000 and ?1,300, depending on the area and cost of transportation,’ he clarified.

He added that before the recent disruption, prices were as low as ?950 to ?1,050 in some areas, assuring that supply and pricing will stabilise soon.

‘We are working with relevant authorities to ensure steady supply and normal pricing in the coming days,’ Olatunbosun concluded.

Becoming a first time parent has its moments, the magical ones and the bittersweet ones, but every moment will definitely be one you’ll treasure forever. From when you get to hold them in your arms and feel them on your chest, you know you’ll do everything for this little one. Holding them by your chest or most commonly known as skin-to-skin contact has a fair share of scientifically proven benefits for both the parents and the child, from emotional, physical, and psychological well-being.

Many parents often thought that this is just a delivery-room tradition, but this practice can be extended beyond those precious first hours. Some simple tools like wraps and carriers or even those with infant carrier head support can be of help in maintaining closeness. They also provide the warmth and security that skin to skin contact gives. In this article we’ll talk about how the parents and child benefits from skin-to-skin contact

What Exactly Is Skin-to-Skin Contact?

As the name of this practice suggests, skin to skin contact means gently holding your baby naked (except for a diaper or a hat) directly onto your bare chest. To keep your baby warm you can also drape a blanket or cloth over the both of you.

You might think that this is just a simple act to provide heat for your child and establish a bond. But it has far greater benefits, it helps regulate your baby’s temperature, their heart rate, and even their breathing. Aside from this it also provides comfort from your familiar smell and heartbeat. This practice is highly encouraged after birth, but it can and should be also continued at home in the early months.

The Incredible Benefits for Your Baby

A lot of babies can be seen thriving when given more frequent skin to skin contact, according to numerous research. Here are some notable benefits that babies get:

Improved breastfeeding – more successful feedings are observed when babies are more frequently held skin-to-skin.

Temperature regulation – Holding your baby by your chest helps them adjust temperature as your body acts as a natural warmer for them.

Enhanced sleep – Babies tend to fall asleep faster and for longer hours after skin-to-skin sessions.

Stabilized breathing and heart rates – skin-to-skin sessions help the baby’s transition to the outside world more smoothly.

For babies who were born pre-term or with low-birth weight, skin-to-skin contact is even more critical, this supports their development more than any machine could do.

The Positive Impact on Parents

The benefits of skin-to-skin contact are commonly focused on the advantages for babies, but it is equally powerful for parents. Whenever a parent holds their child this way, it encourages the release of oxytocin that strengthens the emotional bonds and reduces stress for parents.

Some mothers also notice an improved milk production and faster postpartum recovery; on the other hand, it also provides confidence for fathers or partners with caregiving. This is more than just about nurturing the baby but about really building a family connection.

A Step-by-Step Guide on How to Do It

Skin-to-skin contact can be safely done at home as well and not only in a hospital environment. If you’re ready to start today, we’ll share tips to safely do it at home:

Prepare a safe and comfortable space – a warm, quiet area at home is ideal. A place where you won’t be easily interrupted or distracted.

Undress your baby – you can leave on their diaper and a soft hat.

Remove your shirt or expose your chest area – place your baby in an upright position between your breasts or against your chest.

Cover up – to maintain warmth, drape a blanket or cloth on both of you.

Relax and enjoy – this time focus on your baby’s gentle movement and calm your breathing.

Sessions can last from 20 minutes to an hour but will still depend on your baby’s needs and your comfort.

Beyond the Delivery Room: Making It a Regular Practice

Skin-to-skin contact magic doesn’t need to stop after the first day of childbirth. It’s ideal for parents to weave this into daily routines, like times before naps, after feedings, or just during quiet bonding time.

Carriers with breathable fabric and infant carrier with head support makes it possible to extend these benefits even while moving around. Technically, it isn’t really skin-to-skin, but it gives that closeness and the similar emotional comfort that babies feel in skin-to-skin contact. But the key here is consistency, making this as a practice that naturally fits into your family’s lifestyle and needs helps a lot in continuing the practice in the early months.

The Science Behind the Magic

You may still wonder why does skin to skin contact works so well? The answer lies deep in biology. The warmth and the pressure that your body provides help stimulate your baby’s vagus nerve, this regulates critical functions of your child’s body like heart rate, digestion and your stress response.

In turn, for parents, oxytocin helps lower cortisol levels and deepens attachment, skin to skin contact also creates a calming effect. The provided hormonal harmony reinforces the strengthening of the natural bond between parent and child; this paves the way for your child’s healthier development.

Kangaroo Care: A Lifeline for Premature Babies

Skin to skin contact becomes more vital when it comes with preterm infants. Commonly known as ‘Kangaroo care,’ this prolonged chest-to-chest holding, supports fragile babies who cannot self-regulate their body systems yet.

This method is highly encouraged around a lot of hospitals for preterm babies because of these reasons:

Help in boosting weight gain and growth rates.

Enhances bonding despite some medical intervention

Reduced time in neonatal intensive care

In these cases, the power of healing and touch is truly lifesaving.

Building a Lasting Bond: The Emotional Connection

Undeniably, the greatest gift of skin-to-skin contact is the bond that it helps form and strengthen. Babies who get to experience being carried this way feel safe, secured, and loved. This is a great foundation that helps shape the emotional development well into their childhood. These calming moments are also grounding for parents, especially in this whole whirlwind of new parenthood.

As babies grow, the definition of strengthening the bond becomes different, it evolves into cuddles, play and conversations. But the trust and connection are deeply rooted from the skin-to-skin contact in early childhood.

Conclusion

From creating and strengthening the emotional bond, to regulating your baby’s body temperature, skin to skin contact is the simplest yet most powerful tool and practice that provides lifelong benefits. From the delivery room, at home, or through ongoing routines supported by carriers and accessories like infant carrier head support, the power of touch is something that can never be underestimated.

Nigeria’s House of Representatives on Wednesday kicked against the resolution passed by the US Senate, which seeks to designate Nigeria as ‘Country of Particular Concern’ and impose sanctions on Nigerian officials under Executive Order 13818 (Global Magnitsky) and related authorities.

The resolution was passed in sequence to the adoption of a motion on the ‘Urgent need for a coordinated Diplomatic and Domestic response to the proposed Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025 (U.S. Senate Bill S.2747) and to Mischaracterisations of Nigeria’s Security and Religious-Freedom Landscape’, sponsored by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Benjamin Kalu and others.

The Deputy Speaker specifically frowned at the negative narratives that frame Nigeria’s security crisis as a singularly religious conflict or as State-sponsored persecution; however reaffirmed Nigeria’s constitutional protections for freedom of religion and belief.

In his lead debate, Hon. Kalu noted that on 9th September 2025 a bill titled the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025 (S.2747) was introduced in the United States Senate seeking to require the U.S. Secretary of State to designate Nigeria a ‘Country of Particular Concern’ (CPC) and to impose sanctions on Nigerian officials under Executive Order 13818 (Global Magnitsky) and related authorities.

‘The House further notes that the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has in recent Annual Reports, recommended Nigeria for CPC designation, citing persistent violations and state failures to protect against non-state actor abuses.

‘The House recognises that Nigeria’s Constitution guarantees freedom of thought, conscience and religion and bars adoption of a State religion, and that successive administrations, security agencies, faith leaders and civil society continue to undertake measures to protect all worshippers and prosecute offenders, as reflected in the U.S. Department of State’s 2023 country chapter and prior reports.

‘The House observes that insecurity in Nigeria is complex and multi-causal, driven by insurgency, criminal banditry, farmer-herder conflict, separatist violence and communal disputes, affecting Citizens of all faiths; international reporting attributes a significant share of fatalities to terrorist groups and criminal gangs rather than State policy or a single religious dynamic.

‘The House is concerned that external legislative actions based on incomplete or decontextualised assessments risk undermining Nigeria’s sovereignty, misrepresenting facts, straining strategic relations, and unintentionally emboldening violent actors.

‘The House is mindful of Nigeria’s longstanding partnership with the United States on counter-terrorism, human rights, democratic governance and inter-faith dialogue, and the African Union’s emphasis on tolerance and inclusive societies.’

To this end, the House condemned all forms of violence and persecution against any person or group on the basis of religion or belief and commiserates with all victims irrespective of faith.

The lawmakers also rejected outrightly narratives that frame Nigeria’s security crisis as a singularly religious conflict or as state-sponsored persecution, and reaffirmed Nigeria’s constitutional protections for freedom of religion and belief.

The House also mandated the Committees on Foreign Affairs, National Security, and Intelligence, Interior, and Information, National Orientation and Values, Police Affairs, Civil Society, Human Rights to within 21 days coordinate the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Nigerian Embassy in Washington, D.C. to lodge a formal diplomatic demarche to the sponsors of S.2747 and relevant U.S. committees, transmitting empirical data and Nigeria’s official position.

The joint committees are also expected to lodge a formal diplomatic demarche to the U.S. Mission in Nigeria and interested U.S. legislators to propose a Nigeria-U.S. Joint Fact-Finding and Dialogue Mechanism on freedom of religion or belief (FoRB), with participation from Faith Leaders and independent experts, and to invite USCIRF to a hearing/briefing of this House to examine sources, methodology and remedies.

The House further mandated the Committee on Legislative Compliance to ensure execution of these resolutions and to report back to the House within 28 days.

The lawmakers also ordered that this resolution be transmitted to the Presidency, Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Heads of Security Agencies; as well as the United States Congress leadership (Senate Foreign Relations; House Foreign Affairs), the U.S. Department of State, and USCIRF, The African Union and ECOWAS Commissions.

THE massive crowds that welcomed him to the Town Hall Meetings/Citizens’ Engagement in preparation for the 2026 Budget and the attendant excitement told the story and they were both visible to the blind and audible to the deaf. These are tell-tale indications that the people of Ekiti State are truly in love with Governor Biodun Oyebanji and they are ready to reward him with a new term in office if his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), fields him as its candidate for the June 20, 2026 governorship election. From 24th to 25th of September, 2025, across the three senatorial districts- Ekiti South, Ekiti North and Ekiti Central- the Governor once again reached out to the people in the grassroots to ask for their requests in terms of projects and other forms of empowerment to be incorporated into the 2026 Budget as it is his usual practice every year. Apart from asking for the requests of the communities, Oyebanji used the opportunity of the forum to give account on how his administration had spent their resources that accrued to the state on projects and also shed more light on the policy thrust of his administration. At Ise Ekiti, where Oyebanji met communities from the six local government areas of Ekiti South Senatorial District; Otun Ekiti where he interfaced with communities from the five local government areas of Ekiti North and Ijero Ekiti where he interacted with communities from Ekiti Central, the consensus was that the Governor has done well and he deserves a re-election.

In all the three locations, it was a carnival of approval and more endorsement for a Governor who had worked hard in the last three years to scale up the development of Ekiti in virtually all key sectors and the hard work to ensure an Ekiti the founding fathers envisaged is still on the full throttle. Through the town hall meetings, Oyebanji has involved the citizenry in running the affairs of the state; he has positively engaged them in contributing to the making of decisions that affect them; through the interactive forum, the views and the opinions of the people have counted. Rather than being ensconced in his cosy office in Ado Ekiti and ram policies and projects down the throats of the citizens, Oyebanji has taken governance to the people in their natural habitats, in their places of residence and the people feel wanted, feel loved and feel appreciated. Why won’t they root for him to continue? These appreciative people include traditional rulers, their chiefs, community leaders, religious leaders, labour leaders, youth organizations, student bodies, civil servants, market women, artisans, people living with disabilities, retirees, transporters and the ordinary men and women on the streets.

During the tour, they were given voice to speak and to interact with their Governor who directly felt their pulse. He raptly listened to them, fixed his gaze on them, conscientiously took down notes by himself as they spoke, made a sense of what they were saying and accurately and sincerely provided the answers they needed. The interface served as a festival of appreciation of what the previous budgets (2022, 2023 and 2024) had achieved and a means of charting a direction and seeking the opinion of the people on the projects that are of priority to them. The Ekiti publics really showed gratitude to Oyebanji and pointed to projects they had advocated in the previous projects which had been executed, completed and inaugurated for public use and for the benefit of this present and coming generations.

Such projects include neighbourhood, community, rural, township and state roads, general hospitals and community health centers, primary and secondary schools, electricity, potable water, civic centres, town halls and palaces, security posts and installations, farm settlements and clusters for commercial agriculture etc. It offered an opportunity to review ongoing projects and policies, suggestions on collaboration between local governments, local council development areas and the state government on governance, security and boosting of the grassroots economy. The forum also gave the locals the opportunity of celebrating the highest budget transparency rating received by Ekiti under the watch of Oyebanji from BudgIT, which rated the state as number one in Nigeria for Quarter 2, an award it has scooped for six times in a row. This is an indication that Ekiti is in safe hands and that is why the communities also demanded continuity of the Oyebanji administration from 2026 to 2030. There was a consensus that the governor has so far used the mandate he received in 2022 to better their lots.

Ahead of the APC governorship primary slated for October 27, 2025 and the governorship election scheduled for June 20, 2026, the communities have spoken loud and clear in support of an Oyebanji candidacy. The citizens’ engagement/town hall meetings was a referendum for Oyebanji’s continuity for sustained development of Ekiti State and they are ready to speak with their votes to make it a reality.