Category: Nigerian Tribune

Yeah, you can lose belly fat just by walking. You can lose belly fat by doing any type of exercise/physical activity. Based on science, here’s how weight loss really works in the human body. Energy balance is the balance of energy you consume (calories you eat) versus the amount of calories you expend (through daily activity). If you consume fewer calories than you need to maintain your daily activities, then you’ll lose weight. If you consume more calories than you need to maintain your daily activities, then you’ll gain weight. Any exercise or physical activity causes you to burn extra calories, which will make the amount of calories burned greater, putting you at a greater caloric deficit. If all other things are in order, you’ll cut that belly fat.

Across cities, towns and villages, darkness now defines daily life as epileptic power supply continues to cripple businesses, frustrate households and deepen economic hardship. Many Nigerians need electrical appliances to run their daily businesses: artisans like welders, printers, photographers, cyber café operators, barbers, hairdressers, tailors or even petty traders, who also sell soft drinks and water, groan.

From Lagos to Ibadan, Kano to Port Harcourt, countless business owners wake up each day uncertain whether they will have enough electricity to survive another working day. This is to say that the problem is a general one affecting almost every part of Nigeria.

Those without alternative power sources are gradually shutting down, while others who still want to struggle through it all spend huge amounts on fuel and generators just to stay afloat.

For small-scale entrepreneur, Mrs. Boladale Adeyemi, who runs a frozen food business at Monatan, via Iwo Road, Ibadan, the electricity crisis has become a nightmare.

‘There are days we only get light for two or three hours,’ she lamented.

‘Sometimes we stay in darkness for two straight days, yet they still bring heavy electricity bills every month. I spend more money buying fuel than making profit.’

According to her, several cartons of fish and chicken had gone bad repeatedly due to unstable power supply.

‘I have had to throw some of these goods away when they go bad. I am running this business on loans and that is what makes me sad every time,’ she lamented.

‘Customers do not care whether there was electricity supply or not. Once your goods spoil, you lose your money,’ she added.

Like Mrs Adeyemi, thousands of Nigerians now depend almost entirely on generators to power their homes and businesses. However, the soaring cost of petrol and diesel has made generator usage nearly unbearable. Some people are turning to inverters and solar energy which are not cheap at all.

The average solar bulb costs nothing less than N10,000. The inverter prices vary widely depending on the capacity, brand, and whether it’s a basic or a hybrid solar inverter. The least is N250,000 while the highest can go for over N2million.

Not many Nigerians are buoyant enough to get these, which makes the situation more devastating.

Mr Khalid Adewale, a welder in Lagos State, spoke via the telephone on how the erratic power supply affects him, said inconsistent electricity has drastically reduced his income.

‘I cannot work without power because my machines require electricity. They are heavy machines,’ he explained.

‘Fuel is too expensive now. Some customers even complain when you increase charges because they too are suffering.

‘Making doors now is expensive due to the costs of iron rods and imagine using petrol to do the job. You can imagine how much I will have to add so as to make small profit. People complain that our prices are too high but what can we do?’ he said in Yoruba.

He disclosed that many artisans around him have either reduced operations or abandoned their businesses entirely.

Nigeria’s electricity crisis is not new, but many citizens believe conditions have worsened in recent years. Despite repeated promises by successive governments to improve power generation and distribution, millions of Nigerians still live in darkness. Nigerians are still paying for services that are not rendered. Ironically, many households without prepaid metres continue to receive estimated bills monthly, a situation that has generated widespread anger among consumers.

Residents complain that electricity distribution companies often issue arbitrary bills even when there is little or no supply. Citizens frequently lament and electricity providers are always accused of prioritising billing over service delivery.

The situation has become more painful amid rising electricity tariffs, poor service delivery and the continued absence of prepaid metres in many homes.

Nigerians are increasingly being forced to pay outrageous estimated bills despite receiving little or no electricity supply. In some communities, people contribute money to repair transformers, purchase poles and fix damaged electrical equipment themselves, despite paying electricity bills.

Mr Ugochukwu Eze, a resident of Oke Bola in Ìbàdàn, said he has applied for a prepaid metre for over three years without success.

‘They keep promising us metres, but nothing happens,’ he said. ‘Every month they bring estimated bills higher than my house rent. Sometimes there is no light for weeks.

‘I heard recently that it is cheaper now, I think around #50,000. I will try and apply again. Still, it doesn’t mean they will bring light regularly but at least I won’t be paying for what I didn’t use anymore,’ he said.

Many Nigerians, like Mr Eze, see prepaid meters as a solution to exploitative billing, but the slow pace of meter distribution continues to frustrate consumers nationwide.

The absence of stable electricity is also taking a heavy toll on students and education. Many students struggle to read at night or charge devices needed for academic work. For undergraduate student Esther Afolabi, studying has become increasingly difficult. Esther is a nursing student.

‘We spend more time in darkness than with electricity,’ she said. ‘Sometimes I have assignments to submit, but my phone and laptop are dead because there is no power.’

Still, parents expect excellence from these children,

Healthcare delivery is also under pressure. Small hospitals and clinics now spend huge amounts running generators to preserve drugs, power medical equipment and attend to patients. These are organisations that have received no government support.

Experts warn that the worsening electricity crisis is contributing significantly to unemployment and poverty.

Economic analysts have emphasised that unreliable electricity will discourage investment and weaken productivity. No economy in the world can thrive without stable power.

Businesses will always rely on electricity for production, communication and operations. When power fails consistently, production costs will automatically rise and many companies will definitely collapse.

There is no gainsaying that foreign investors are often discouraged by Nigeria’s unstable electricity supply. Many manufacturers have relocated to neighbouring countries where electricity is more stable and affordable. This can only mean one thing if it is not addressed: collapse of the economy

Over the years, successive administrations have announced reforms, privatisation programmes, and interventions aimed at improving electricity supply. Yet millions of Nigerians still rely on rechargeable lamps, and noisy generators.

The power sector privatisation introduced with high expectations has not delivered the desired transformation. Distribution companies continue to face criticism over poor infrastructure, inadequate metering and inability to supply consistent electricity.

The hardship caused by poor electricity supply extends beyond economics. It also affects mental health, family life and general wellbeing.

Many Nigerians now sleep in uncomfortable heat due to lack of electricity to power fans and air conditioners. The change in climate all over the world has made the heat in the country unbearable for many. Food preservation has become difficult, leading to waste and financial losses. Parents worry about children having heat-related illnesses.

In rural communities, the situation is often worse. Some villages remain disconnected from the national grid entirely even in the 21st century!

Despite the widespread frustration, many Nigerians still hold onto hope that the country’s electricity sector can improve. Stakeholders have repeatedly called for urgent investment in power infrastructure, transparent regulation and accelerated meter distribution.

The citizens are also demanding an end to estimated billing and improved accountability from electricity distribution companies.

Some energy experts believe that diversifying Nigeria’s energy sources through solar and renewable energy investments could help reduce dependence on the struggling national grid.

For ordinary Nigerians struggling daily under the weight of darkness, promises alone are no longer enough.

Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has attributed the progress recorded in the state’s education sector to deliberate policy reforms, sustained investment, and a strong commitment to improving access to quality education.

The governor made the remarks through his Technical Adviser on Education Reform, Haladu Muhammad, who represented him at the International Parliamentary Roundtable on Reading Revolution held at the House of Lords, Westminster, in the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

His position was contained in a statement issued on Friday by the governor’s spokesperson, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa.

According to Yusuf, his administration declared a state of emergency in the education sector immediately after assuming office, describing education as the foundation for sustainable development and prosperity.

‘It is not just a coincidence that Kano is currently leading in education reform. It is a deliberate policy choice of our administration. We have consistently maintained that education is our number one priority, and we are walking the talk,’ he said.

The governor said the state government had consistently allocated about 30 per cent of its annual budget to education for three consecutive years, describing Kano as one of the highest investors in education in Nigeria, with spending above the internationally recommended benchmark.

He also said his administration had intensified efforts to address teacher shortages and improve the quality of teaching through recruitment and continuous professional development.

According to him, the government has recruited 16,000 teachers within its first three years in office to strengthen teaching and learning across public schools while also investing in regular training to enhance classroom instruction.

Yusuf further disclosed that the administration had launched large-scale interventions to reduce the number of out-of-school children and had invested heavily in the construction, rehabilitation, and expansion of school infrastructure across the state.

He added that the government had introduced reforms aimed at strengthening teachers’ professional development, promoting girls’ education, and improving gender equality and equitable access to quality education.

The governor said the international recognition being accorded to Kano’s education reforms validates the administration’s strategy for rebuilding the sector and serves as encouragement to sustain the momentum.

He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to ensuring that every child in Kano has access to quality education, expressing confidence that the state would continue to serve as a model for education reform in Nigeria and across Africa.

The Presidency has again reacted to the petition filed in the United States by the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, against incumbent President and All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Atiku, through a lobbying firm based in the United States, submitted petitions to President Donald Trump and the US State Department concerning a 1993 civil forfeiture case involving President Bola Tinubu.

Hon Sunday Dare, Special Adviser on Media and Public Communications to President Tinubu, in a statement titled ‘Atiku Abubakar’s Flight of Fancy and an Ambition on Crutches’, described the action of the former Vice President as ‘an affront to Nigeria’s sovereignty and a vote of no confidence in its democratic institutions’.

The presidential spokesperson maintained that the engagement of the Washington-based lobbying firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C., by Atiku Abubakar showed a lack of statecraft and an abdication of responsibility.

‘The mandate of the foreign lobbyists was explicit: to counter the Nigerian Government’s reform narrative in the United States, lobby American lawmakers and executive officials, and manage Atiku’s international reputation.

‘Seeking to internationalise domestic political disagreements by petitioning foreign authorities over decades-old domestic disputes is not statecraft; it is an abdication of home-grown political responsibility.

‘For a man who presents himself as Nigeria’s most experienced statesman, seeking the Presidency for a record sixth time across four decades, outsourcing his political advocacy to foreign consultants is an affront to Nigeria’s sovereign dignity.

‘It bypasses the vibrant, highly capable domestic press, civil society organisations and local intellectuals who have devoted decades to analysing the complexities of the Nigerian project.

‘Atiku Abubakar’s political journey is a study in relentless ambition unmoored from ideological grounding. From his formative years in the Customs Service and his tenure as Vice President to his endless marathon of presidential bids, his trajectory has been defined by polarising rhetoric, enduring financial controversies and an intractable disconnect from the evolving aspirations of a multi-ethnic nation.’

The Presidency, which dismissed Atiku’s 2027 presidential bid as a continuation of a doomed voyage spanning more than three decades, further declared that President Tinubu’s achievements placed him above other contenders for the country’s highest office.

‘As President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration continues to implement the Renewed Hope Agenda – stabilising the economy, expanding infrastructure, institutionalising a new national minimum wage and delivering landmark social programmes such as NELFUND – Atiku remains trapped in the past.

‘His latest foreign-backed manoeuvres appear less like the conduct of a visionary statesman and more like what they truly are: a desperate flight of fancy, haunted by the unexorcised ghosts of a long and controversial political history.’

A woman, Rokibat, has prayed Grade A Customary Court, sitting Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, to end the union between her and her husband, Busari, as a result of the strain in their relationship.

Rokibat stated that there was no more love between her and her husband as a result of the seed of discord his family members sowed in their relationship because they were jealous of her.

Rokibat also said that Busari cheated her in the sale of a property they jointly owned and sold.

She further explained that Busari took to beating her, most especially in the middle of the night.

The plaintiff pleaded for the custody of their four children, whom the defendant had put in the care of three of his siblings.

Rokibat demanded for N50, 000 per for their children’s feeding.

She also begged the court to mandate her husband to be responsible for their education and health service.

Busari was absent in court despite being served court summonses.

Rokibat, in her evidence, said, ‘My husband and I did not perform any traditional or formal marital rites.

‘He never met with my parents and did not pay my bride price.

‘My husband and I shared a blissful relationship.

‘We always enjoyed each other’s company and showered each other with affection.

‘Our marriage was heaven on earth.

‘But all these stopped as a result of my husband’s family’s interference in our marriage.

‘His family, most especially his sisters, were not happy with the closeness between my husband and me, and therefore did everything they could to drive us apart.

‘My husband once took ill and was in a terrible state for months.

‘I took him to my hometown, where he was attended to and restored back to health.

‘None of his family members checked on him at the initial stage of the sickness, and even when it got worse and I had to seek further medical attention for him in my town.

‘My husband and I started experiencing more strain in our relationship after we both contributed money to buy half a plot piece of land, which we later sold for N500,000.

‘My husband, instead of sharing the money equally between us, gave me only N100, 000.

‘I felt cheated and made this known to him.

‘He refused to acknowledge his wrong and tried to lord it over me.

‘We gradually started drifting apart, and this led to a gap in our communication.

‘My husband started picking faults in all that I did and would fight me.

He cultivated the habit of beating me every now and then, and this most especially in the middle of the night.

‘My lord, I got fed up with the hostility I receive from my husband and his family members, and I packed out of his home.

‘I am no longer happy in our marriage.

‘I pray the court to dissolve our union.

‘I also plead for our children’s custody.

‘My husband has distributed our children among his siblings.

‘Our first and second children are with his elder sister.

‘The third is with another of his sister.

‘I entreat the court to mandate him to give our children N50, 000 per month for food, while he should also be responsible for their education and health care.’

The court president, Mrs S.M Akintayo, adjourned the case until April 8 and ordered a fresh hearing notice to be issued and served on the defendant.

Art and culture narratives of Ibadan and Yorubaland remain incomplete without the legendary Oloolu masquerade, a tradition deeply embedded within the Aje family of Ode Aje in Ibadan.

Chief Oyerinde, head of the Aje lineage, according to report, had recounted how their forebear Áy?rinde Aje-a celebrated warrior, confronted and overcame Oloolu during a fierce conflict in Ogbagi, Ondo State.

After defeating the war spirit, Áy?rinde seized its sacred regalia and even the infamous skull of the captive’s wife, which now crowns the masquerade, bringing all both to Ibadan as spiritual assets.

The name Oloolu-meaning ‘you will put your life in peril’-aptly reflects the grave danger associated with acquiring such powerful spiritual authority.

Ahead of the Oloolu festival coming up in the ancient city of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, here is what you should know about this dreaded masquerade:

1.Origins and Meaning

Oloolu traces back to a war in Ogbagi, Ondo State, where the fierce masquerade was finally subdued by warrior Ayorinde Aje. After his victory, Ayorinde brought Oloolu to Ibadan, with the name meaning ‘you will put your life in peril,’ signaling the danger involved in acquiring its regalia.

On the journey, Ayorinde ordered the beheading of the captive bearer’s wife for refusing to continue; her skull remains attached to Oloolu’s attire as a chilling emblem of authority and sacrifice.

2. Cultural Power and Reverence

In Yoruba belief, Oloolu is a key ancestral masquerade-an Egungun-that connects the community to spiritual forebears and brings blessings like rain, prosperity, fertility, and protection during times of crisis.

It is widely considered the most feared and respected masquerade in Ibadan and across Yorubaland, with a reputation that evokes awe and reverence.

3. Sacred Ritual Protocols

The masquerade is bound by strict taboos: The bearer must abstain from his wife for 30 days before the festival. He must remain barefoot and carry no loads except his costume, which includes a female skull and human thigh bone.

It is forbidden to challenge Oloolu. An attempt by another masquerade, Iponri-Iku, led to its demise when it bent to pick up a mystical cowry dropped by Oloolu, broke its spine, and died, reinforcing Oloolu’s dominance.

4. Appearance and Festival Practices

Performed annually in July, Oloolu visits key Ibadan districts such as Popo-Yemoja, Beere, and Oja’ba. No other masquerade may appear during its procession.

As it dances, the bearing of a real female skull atop a pyramid-like layered costume creates a haunting presence. The ensemble is made from cloth layers, nets, and often human bone artifacts, each adding to its spiritual weight.

5. Taboos and Supernatural Beliefs

It is believed that the first person seen by Oloolu at its emergence may fall gravely ill or die if not appeased with ritual rites.

Women are strictly forbidden from seeing Oloolu. It is thought that any woman who glimpses it will lose her menstrual cycle, and in extreme cases, face death or paralysis.

6. Role in Community Life

Governed by the Aje family in the Ode Aje compound, the custodian of Oloolu holds significant ceremonial authority and social status in Ibadan.

The masquerade is seen as both a guardian spirit and a conduit for blessings-commonly invoked for fertility, business success, and protection in times of trouble.

Nigeria’s first professor of linguistics and scholar, Emeritus Professor Ay? Bamgbose, is dead.

The 94-year-old professor of linguistics, who was credited with establishing linguistics as an academic discipline in Nigeria, passed away in the early hours of Saturday, ending an era of groundbreaking work in Yoruba language development, bilingual education and African language policy.

Born on 27 January 1932, Bamgbose was widely regarded as Nigeria’s first Professor of Linguistics and one of Africa’s most influential scholars in language studies.

He received his early education in Nigeria before proceeding to the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, where he obtained a doctorate in linguistics in 1963.

He subsequently joined the University of Ibadan, where he built a distinguished academic career and played a pivotal role in establishing linguistics as a recognised discipline in Nigeria.

Over more than six decades, Bamgbose made significant contributions to language policy, bilingual education, sociolinguistics, orthography development and the promotion of indigenous African languages, particularly Yoruba.

The late professor’s research and publications became authoritative reference materials in universities across Africa and beyond, while his advocacy for mother-tongue education influenced educational policies aimed at preserving indigenous languages and strengthening cultural identity.

Beyond academia, Bamgbose served in several leadership positions within national, regional and international professional bodies. He mentored generations of linguists and researchers, many of whom have continued to advance scholarship on African languages.

Throughout his career, he received numerous honours in recognition of his contributions to linguistics and African scholarship. In 2022, he was celebrated on his 90th birthday by the Yoruba World Centre and other academic institutions for his enduring impact on Yoruba language development and African intellectual discourse.

Tributes poured in shortly after news of his death, with academics, universities, cultural organisations, former students and admirers describing him as an intellectual giant, an exceptional teacher and a tireless advocate for indigenous languages.

Many noted that his lifelong conviction that African languages were indispensable to education, cultural preservation and national development reshaped scholarly discourse and public policy, leaving a legacy that will continue to influence generations of researchers and policymakers.

His death marks the end of an era in Nigerian and African linguistics, but his contributions to scholarship, language policy and the preservation of indigenous languages are expected to endure for years to come.

Funeral arrangements are yet to be announced by the family.

It was a celebration of discipline, sacrifice and exemplary character at the 2026 Passing Out Parade and Graduation Ceremony of the Nigerian Navy Secondary School (NNSS), Calabar, as the Commandant, Captain Muhammad Nura Dalhatu, singled out graduating student Zainab Opeyemi Zubair for outstanding conduct, describing her as one of the institution’s finest ambassadors.

The colourful ceremony drew officers, instructors, parents and distinguished guests, many of whom paid glowing tributes to the young graduate whose six-year journey at the military institution culminated in a remarkable record of academic excellence, discipline, humility, leadership and selfless service.

Addressing the gathering, Captain Dalhatu recalled that shortly after assuming command in February 2025, he began identifying students whose conduct embodied the ideals of the institution, noting that Zainab immediately stood out.

‘When I came to this school in February 2025, I started identifying exceptional students, and Zainab was one of them because of her discipline.

‘You will never find her name among the culprits. She was always reading her books and remained focused. Even among the girls, who are generally disciplined, Zainab is one of the best students we have in this school. I am happy that our paths crossed,’ he said.

The Commandant also praised her devotion to God and willingness to support fellow students.

‘She was always in the mosque, assisting fellow students, and she extended the same kindness in the hostel. She led by example, and that is the hallmark of true leadership,’ he added.

Also speaking, the Base Accounts and Budget Officer of the Nigerian Navy Secondary School, Lieutenant Commander Aquila Ojomoni Akagwu, described Zainab as an all-round student who excelled academically and displayed exceptional moral character.

According to him, she consistently distinguished herself in the cognitive, psychomotor and affective domains while exemplifying dedication, diligence and a strong sense of duty.

He urged the graduating students to remain humble and never lose sight of the sacrifices made by their parents.

‘Whether you attend Harvard University or any other institution in the world, if you do not honour your parents, there will be no blessing. Always honour them, and God will bless your future,’ he said.

An emotional moment came when Zainab’s father, Alhaji Rasheed Olanrewaju Zubair, reflected on the day he enrolled his daughter in the school six years ago.

He recalled that she cried when he left her at the military institution but said he remained convinced that the environment would mould her into a disciplined and responsible young woman.

‘Today, officers, instructors and every stakeholder have testified that she is disciplined, deeply religious, compassionate and a good leader.

‘There is no greater joy for any parent than hearing others testify to the good character of their child,’ he said.

The proud father disclosed that many junior students became emotional after the graduation ceremony because of the close bond they had developed with Zainab during her years in the school.

He also revealed that instead of taking her belongings home, she donated all her military and non-military uniforms, jungle boots, mattress, bedding and other personal effects to her junior colleagues.

‘When I asked why she gave everything away, she simply said, ‘Daddy, I have given them to my junior ones.’ That touched me deeply because it reflected the values of compassion and selflessness the school has instilled in her,’ he said.

In her farewell remarks, Zainab expressed gratitude to God, her parents, siblings, family members, officers, instructors, civilian staff and friends for supporting her throughout her stay at the institution.

‘I came, I saw and I conquered. I will miss the officers, instructors, civilian staff and my junior colleagues. This school has taught me discipline, patriotism, hard work, teamwork and selfless service. I will continue to uphold these values wherever I go. My morale is still high. Onward together,’ she said.

She also expressed hope of attending the graduation ceremony of her younger siblings, particularly one currently studying at the Nigerian Air Force Military School, Jos.

Among the dignitaries who attended the ceremony were the representative of the Sarki Hausa/Fulani and Head of the Muslim Community in Cross River State, the Chief Missioner of NASFAT Calabar, Sheikh Abdulkadir Bature; the Chief Imam of the University of Calabar and Secretary of the Council of Imams and Scholars, Ustaz Kazeem Lawal; Mukadam Taofiq Lawal Nurul-Hakim of Ilorin; Dr Kola Ahmed; the Chairperson of FOMWAN, Hajia Lateefah Yahaya Idinye; Zainab’s mother, Hajia Zainab Zubair; and Hajia Shukrat Abisola Muhammed, who travelled from Abuja and Ilorin to witness the event.

For many parents and guests, Zainab’s story symbolised the rewards of discipline, faith, resilience and good parenting, reinforcing the belief that academic success is most meaningful when accompanied by integrity, compassion and service to humanity.

A disturbing pattern of unending, self-destructive administrative chaos in appointments to consequential public office positions is defining President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government, which signposts Tinubu’s lack of control of his government and the reality of a shadowy, disorganised, feuding and mercenary cabal of conscienceless influence peddlers in the Presidential Villa.

Muhammadu Buhari pioneered this sort of disabling administrative anarchy, but Tinubu has upped it a notch, to the point that no one can be certain of the validity or even legitimacy of appointments announced by the presidential spokesperson.

As I’ll elaborate shortly, there is now a recurring pattern of the Presidency repeatedly announcing appointments before verifying the legal office, the incumbent’s status, the supervising minister’s knowledge and the SGF’s capacity or willingness to implement the decision. The result is a government in which press releases conflict with appointment letters, agencies announce presidential decisions of doubtful origin and incumbents disregard publicly announced replacements.

In this atmosphere of administrative anomie, it’s no surprise that someone can forge, or be assisted to forge, presidential instruments to establish a fraudulent presidential council that can pass through multiple layers of the Nigerian federal bureaucracy.

Buhari’s administrative infirmity expressed itself chiefly through lethargy, vacancy and spectacular absent-mindedness. He took more than five months to constitute his first cabinet in 2015. After dissolving the boards of federal agencies in July 2015, he waited until December 2017 to announce 209 chairpersons and 1,258 board members. At least eight of the appointees had died. In 2020, Buhari appointed Tobias Chukwuemeka Okwuru to the Federal Character Commission two months after Okwuru’s death. By August 2020, reports counted about 80 federal agencies without substantive heads or governing boards or both.

Buhari’s major weakness was that he forgot to appoint people when he needed to, which I used to characterise as ‘ungovernance’, but Tinubu’s is a different hue. He appoints, unappoints and reappoints people with the nervous rapidity of a man changing television channels during a thunderstorm.

The examples have become too numerous to ignore. Maryam Shetty arrived at the National Assembly for ministerial screening in 2023 and discovered that her nomination had vanished. Tinubu replaced Niger Delta Development Commission nominees within 24 hours of naming them. Kashim Imam’s appointment as chairman of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency lasted less than a week.

In August 2025, the presidency reappointed Muheeba Dankaka as chair of the Federal Character Commission at 6:35 p.m. and announced Ayo Omidiran as chair at 10:44 p.m. One commission acquired two presidentially appointed chairs within four hours.

The Nigerian Television Authority provided an even more dramatic case. Tinubu, through his official spokesman, appointed Rotimi Pedro as director-general in August 2025 while Salihu Dembos still had an uncompleted tenure. Two weeks later, the presidency reversed itself and restored the incumbents. Premium Times reported that the supervising information minister learned of the original appointments through the media. Its investigation traced the upheaval to a presidential aide who had bypassed the minister and supplied allegations that an official review found spurious.

That episode illuminates the anatomy of the disorder. Access appears to have become authority. An aide can insinuate an allegation into the presidential bloodstream, procure a consequential announcement and leave ministers scrambling to discover what their own government has done.

Then came NIPOST. In October 2023, the presidency appointed Tola Odeyemi postmaster-general with immediate effect. But NIPOST’s own communications channels subsequently announced the reinstatement of Sunday Adepoju. Workers barricaded the headquarters against Odeyemi. She eventually assumed office.

The current imbroglio at the Border Communities Development Agency perfects the absurdity. On June 27, 2026, the presidency announced Abdulrazak Sa’ad Namdas as the agency’s new director-general, replacing Dakorinama Alabo George, who it said had resigned to run for an election in Rivers State.

Namdas reportedly still awaits the formal appointment letter from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. George says he never resigned, claims his announced replacement was an error and continues to act as head. On July 9, he met the finance minister to discuss agency funding. Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga answered with two words: ‘Namdas stays.’

Who, then, leads BCDA? The man announced by the presidency, the man recognised by the bureaucracy or the man exercising operational control? Trust TV’s analysis sharpened the question by pointing out that the BCDA Act creates the office of executive secretary, while the presidency calls the office director-general. The Act also makes clear that the executive secretary is the accounting officer who controls contracts, staff and public property. This semantic confusion therefore carries fiscal consequences. One agency now has two titles, two claimants and three divergent sources of authority: public announcement, formal instrument and administrative possession.

A president has the prerogative to hire and fire appointees. State authority, however, requires legible procedure. An appointment exists in law and administration through an authenticated instrument, a clear effective date, a lawful office and an orderly transfer of power. A press release floating free of these elements is risible political theatre. Repeated reversals convert presidential words into provisional rumours.

The suspicion of a cabal arises here. ‘Cabal’ often functions in Nigerian discourse as an all-purpose name for invisible conclave of devils in the seat of power, an informal constellation of aides, patrons, bureaucratic gatekeepers and political financiers who can insert a name into a presidential announcement, withhold the letter that activates it, reverse the decision after resistance or sustain an incumbent against a published presidential directive.

The observable pattern establishes that Tinubu has lost the monopoly over the voice and force of his own presidency and that a cabal rules on his behalf. Competing nodes around him appear able to originate, obstruct and annul decisions. His government speaks in tongues, with each tongue claiming the presidential seal.

The scandal of the so-called Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, or PFIPC, becomes intelligible within this administrative Babel. The presidency says Adeniyi Adeyemi fabricated an appointment as director-general of a fictitious presidential agency. Yet this phantom acquired a ?1.3 billion line in the 2026 budget, occupied federal office space, met foreign diplomats and secured an approved staff establishment after official verification failed. The Central Bank opened dollar and pound accounts for it on the Accountant-General’s mandate, although the accounts remained empty and inactive.

Calling Adeyemi a con man explains his intention, but his success diagnoses the sad, cabal-infested, fraud-prone, dysfunctional pathology of the Tinubu government.

A solitary impostor cannot travel through the Office of the SGF, Head of Service, Budget Office, Accountant-General, Central Bank and diplomatic system unless verification gates have collapsed or helpful insiders have opened them. PFIPC became a government agency through serial bureaucratic authentication. Fiction accumulated official stamps until it acquired the material attributes of fact.

How do we reverse this? We can learn from our former coloniser. Britain subjects many public appointments to a published Governance Code and oversight by an independent Commissioner for Public Appointments. Nigeria needs a publicly searchable presidential appointments register showing the statutory office, appointee, tenure, effective date, instrument number and current status.

Every presidential council and every entity in the federal budget since 2023 deserves a forensic audit. The National Assembly should trace who inserted PFIPC into the budget and who validated each stage of its bureaucratic incarnation.

PFIPC surfaced because its counterfeit authority collided with the real Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission. How many silent phantoms flourish because they have avoided such a collision? How many presidential appointments originate from people Tinubu cannot identify? How many announced decisions die inside the SGF’s office while their ghosts roam the news?

A government that cannot authenticate its own voice invites impostors to speak for it. A president whose appointees cannot tell whether they have been hired, fired or duplicated presides over a dysfunctional, self-dealing banana republic. His authority has become divisible, tradable and deniable.

The Kebbi State Government has debunked an allegation by the opposition that some communities in the state have been abandoned to attacks by bandits and terrorists.

In a press statement issued by the Press Secretary to the State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Idris, and made available to newsmen on Saturday, the government described the narrative as misleading.

‘Attention of the Kebbi State Government has been drawn to a misleading narrative being circulated by some members of the opposition, alleging that certain communities have been abandoned to bandits and terrorists.

‘It is important to correct this false impression regarding the government’s efforts to address insecurity in the state, as security matters are highly sensitive, and not every strategic intelligence-gathering effort or operational action undertaken by the government should be discussed publicly.

‘The fact that certain actions are not publicly announced does not mean that nothing is being done. His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kebbi State, Nasir Idris, remains deeply committed to the safety and well-being of the people, working tirelessly every day to address security challenges across the state.

‘The Governor is not standing on the sidelines; he is actively leading the state’s efforts against insecurity, working closely with the relevant security agencies and other critical stakeholders to safeguard lives and property.

‘The government’s efforts are also focused on creating an enabling environment where residents can go about their lawful daily activities, farmers can safely access their farmlands and communities can live and work with greater confidence.

‘Those who seek to reduce the complex security situation in the state to political talking points should exercise greater responsibility in their public commentary. Addressing insecurity requires cooperation, intelligence, strategic planning and, at times, confidentiality – not the unnecessary public disclosure of every government action,’ he stated.