Category: Nigerian Tribune

In a coordinated sweep across the country, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a convicted cocaine trafficker who disguised himself as a herbal tea merchant.

The agency also intercepted a 20,000-litre fuel tanker fitted with a concealed compartment for illicit drugs, and recovered several other consignments of cannabis, tramadol, methamphetamine and other psychotropic substances in Lagos, Adamawa, Ondo, Kaduna, Bauchi, Ekiti, Kogi, Taraba and Enugu states.

Following the interception of a 1.2kg cocaine consignment concealed in phone chargers and destined for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, at a courier company in Lagos on 31st July 2026, operatives of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) in NDLEA successfully tracked the mastermind through painstaking intelligence-led operations.

A statement by the Director, Media and Advocacy of the NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi, on Sunday said,

the suspect, arrested in a sting operation at Article Market, opposite Trade Fair Market, Ojo area of Lagos, on 4th September 2026 while posing as a herbal tea businessman, was identified as 34-year-old Dunu Bethel Ebubechukwu.

In his statement, he admitted being the mastermind of some illicit drug shipments in the past, while stating that he discarded his telephone SIM card once he learnt his latest consignment had been intercepted by the NDLEA.

Further investigation revealed the suspect is no stranger to the Agency: he was first arrested in 2011 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja, Lagos, after ingesting 900grams of cocaine and 130grams of heroin in an attempt to fly to Austria under the name Dunu Chukwuyenre Enoch. He was prosecuted for the crime, convicted, and sentenced to five years in jail. He thereafter changed his name to Dunu Bethel Ebubechukwu and returned to the criminal trade.

A search of his residence located at 6 Yemishola Street, Ejigbo, Lagos, on 4th September led to the recovery of phone chargers similar to those used to conceal the intercepted cocaine, with their internal components removed to create space for drugs.

At the Lagos airport, operatives recovered 966,200 tablets of Tramadol 225mg worth over N1.1 billion concealed among thrift trousers in a 21-carton consignment from Pakistan, and 57.80kg of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, worth over N173 million in street value, hidden inside cartons of disposable hand gloves in a shipment from Singapore that had lain unclaimed for weeks before a joint examination by NDLEA officers, Customs and other security agencies was conducted on 3rd September.

In one of the week’s most brazen discoveries, a 20,000-litre fuel tanker marked MKA 960 XC, and notorious for evading arrest in the past, was chased down by NDLEA officers along the Akoko/Lokoja expressway in Ondo State on Friday after its driver refused to stop. The driver later abandoned the vehicle at a church premises in Ugbe Akoko and fled into the bush.

A search of the tanker revealed a false compartment concealing 165 bags of cannabis weighing 2,145kg alongside its legitimate fuel cargo destined for Jos, Plateau State.

Barely a month after three suspects: Yashim Dauji, Larry Ifeanyi, and Joseph Moji were arrested at Tincan Port in Lagos over the seizure of 842.54kg of cannabis-laced cookies, another 598.08kg (890 packets) of similarly infused cookies and gummies were intercepted on 2nd September in a 40-foot container at the port and linked to the suspects already in custody.

In Adamawa State, NDLEA operatives on patrol along the Damilu and Jambutu axis in Jimeta, Yola North LGA, on Friday, recovered 864,000 pills of opioids, especially tramadol, from a residence linked to a fleeing suspect, Patrick KC Frank, whose Honda Civic car rammed an NDLEA patrol vehicle before he escaped.

In another interdiction operation in

Michika area of the state, a major methamphetamine supplier from Lagos to Mubi and Michika axis, Calistus Ebubechukwu, 35, was arrested on Friday, 4th September, with a total of 2kg of the dangerous substance, while Attahiru Hussaini was intercepted with 750,027,530 pills of tramadol and other opioids concealed in a soap-laden Ford Galaxy bus marked JJM-953XD at Namtari checkpoint in Mubi on 31st August.

In Lagos, NDLEA operatives on Friday recovered 2,386.9kg of cannabis, 350grams of cocaine, over 100kg of assorted tramadol grades, 9.7 litres of codeine syrup and 4kg of rohypnol at Gbaji area of the state, while two suspects, Damilare Francis and Emeh Emmanuel, were arrested with 720kg of cannabis at Agbara area.

Three suspects: Saidu Mustapha, Zaharadeen Salisu and AbdulSalam Abdullahi were nabbed with 636kg of cannabis concealed in chicken manure aboard a bus travelling from Owo, Ondo State to Jos, Plateau State along Okene/Lokoja highway in Kogi.

In Taraba, 58-year-old Kelechi Unachukwu was arrested along Zaki-Biam road, Wukari LGA, with a cocktail of over 109kg of tramadol, diazepam, pentazocine, phenobarbital, exol-5, nitrazepam, bromazepam and pregabalin being conveyed in his Toyota Corolla car marked KUJ-333BT from Onitsha, Anambra to Yola, Adamawa.

A truck loaded with bags of cement was intercepted by NDLEA operatives along the Zaria-Kano expressway, Kaduna, with 1,179kg of skunk recovered, while a suspect, Hamza Dahiru, was arrested by NDLEA operatives in Bauchi in a follow-up operation following the seizure of 322.5kg of cannabis at Deba town, Gombe State, on Tuesday, 1st September.

In Ekiti State, two suspects, Chuks Alex and Asafa Adekunle, were arrested after NDLEA operatives uncovered and destroyed a 4-hectare cannabis farm in Efon-Alaaye forest, recovering 117kg of already-harvested skunk, just as a 20-year-old Obinna David was arrested at Ugbema Junction, Enugu, with 40,590 capsules of tramadol on Saturday, 5th September.

With the same vigour, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, workplaces, and communities, among others, in the past week.

While commending the officers and men of DOGI, MMIA, Ondo, Tincan, Lagos, Adamawa, Kaduna, Bauchi, Ekiti, Kogi, Taraba and Enugu Commands for their professionalism and intelligence-driven approach to the various successful operations, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig-Gen. Mohamed Marwa (rtd) enjoined them and their colleagues across the country to continue with the current balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the Agency.

He reiterated that traffickers who believe they can reinvent themselves under new identities or legitimate business fronts will continue to be tracked down.

A 13-year-old boy, Mubarak Mohammed, of Udubo village in Gamawa Local Government Area of Bauchi State, has died following a firearm incident involving a loaded Dane gun.

The Bauchi State Police Command confirmed the incident in a statement issued by its Police Public Relations Officer, SP Nafiu Habib, on Sunday.

The Command said a 35-year-old hunter, Suleiman Hamza, had allegedly returned from hunting at about 4:30 p.m. on Saturday and left his loaded Dane gun inside his room before going out.

According to the police, the teenager subsequently entered the room and suffered fatal injuries in an accidental discharge involving the firearm.

The PPRO said detectives attached to the Gamawa Division were immediately mobilised to the scene to commence a preliminary investigation.

‘The victim was evacuated to the General Hospital, Gamawa, for post-mortem examination, where the medical doctor on duty confirmed him dead,’ Nafiu Habib stated.

He added that photographs were taken before the remains were released to the victim’s relatives for burial in accordance with Islamic rites.

‘The suspect has been arrested, preliminary investigation was concluded, and the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for discreet investigation,’ the statement added.

The police said the investigation was aimed at establishing the circumstances surrounding the incident and determining responsibility.

Police foil robbery attempt

Meanwhile, the Command said its operatives had foiled an armed robbery attempt along the Kajala-Kere Road and recovered two stolen motorcycles.

Nafiu Habib said the incident occurred on Saturday at about 9:45 p.m. after suspected hoodlums armed with cutlasses and sticks reportedly blocked the road and dispossessed four residents of Kere village of their belongings.

He said, ‘On 5th September, 2026 at about 2145hrs, a report received from the Officer-in-Charge, Kajala Police Outstation, on the outskirts of Burra, indicated that yet-to-be-identified hoodlums armed with cutlasses and sticks blocked the Kajala-Kere road and dispossessed one Mr Ado and three others, all male of Kere village, of two Bajaj motorcycles, two Android phones and a power bank.’

According to him, a combined team of policemen from the Burra Division and vigilantes was immediately mobilised to the scene following the report.

‘The hoodlums, on sighting the team, abandoned the stolen motorcycles, aborted their mission and fled to an unknown destination,’ he stated.

The PPRO said the operatives recovered the motorcycles and searched the surrounding bushes in an effort to apprehend the fleeing suspects and recover the remaining stolen items.

The Commissioner of Police, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, commended the operatives for their prompt response, which he said foiled the robbery attempt.

He also expressed sadness over the death of the teenager in Gamawa and cautioned hunters and other firearm owners to exercise utmost care in handling weapons.

According to Nafiu Habib, Sani-Omolori Aliyu urged firearm owners to keep their weapons securely and out of children’s reach to prevent avoidable loss of lives.

The Commissioner reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to protecting lives and property and urged members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information to the police.

Many people believe that combining two strong cleaning products will double their cleaning strength and remove tough grease faster. In reality, mixing everyday household cleaners can trigger dangerous chemical reactions right inside your kitchen or bathroom.

Simple substances like bleach, vinegar, and rubbing alcohol are safe when used alone. However, combining them produces toxic gases, corrosive acids, and skin-burning solutions.

According to safety alerts from the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC), thousands of accidental poisonings happen every year because homeowners mix common household disinfectants.

In this article, Tribune Online examines five common kitchen and household chemicals you should never combine, explaining the exact science and risks behind each mixture.

Bleach and vinegar

Bleach contains sodium hypochlorite, while common cooking or cleaning vinegar contains acetic acid. When you pour these two liquids into the same bucket, the acid strips the oxygen from the bleach and instantly releases chlorine gas.

Chlorine gas is a pungent, yellow-green gas that severely irritates your eyes, nose, throat, and lungs. Even brief exposure can trigger severe coughing fits, breathing difficulties, and chemical burns along your airway.

If you need to disinfect a surface with bleach after descaling with vinegar, always rinse the area thoroughly with plain water and allow it to dry completely before applying the next cleaner.

Bleach and ammonia

Ammonia is commonly found in glass cleaners, window sprays, and certain toilet bowl solutions. Mixing bleach with any cleaner containing ammonia triggers a fast reaction that produces toxic chloramine vapors.

Inhaling chloramine fumes causes immediate chest tightness, nausea, wheezing, and fluid buildup in the lungs. At higher concentrations, this mixture can even produce dangerous hydrazine, which poses severe explosion and respiratory hazards.

Always read product ingredient labels before cleaning. If your glass cleaner contains ammonia, keep it far away from bleach-based disinfectant sprays.

Bleach and rubbing alcohol

Rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol or ethanol) mixed with household bleach produces chloroform alongside toxic hydrochloric acid.

Chloroform fumes quickly depress the central nervous system. Inhaling these fumes causes sudden dizziness, headaches, loss of consciousness, and long-term damage to the kidneys and liver.

Stick to using diluted alcohol on electronics and smooth surfaces, and reserve bleach strictly for diluted mopping or laundry sanitization with plain water.

Hydrogen peroxide and vinegar

Many online DIY cleaning hacks suggest combining hydrogen peroxide and vinegar in a spray bottle to create a potent sanitizer. However, mixing these two in one container creates peracetic acid.

Peracetic acid is a highly corrosive substance that severely burns skin and permanently damages your eyes. It also produces sharp, irritating vapors that harm mucous membranes and degrade sensitive kitchen countertops.

Health agencies recommend using vinegar and hydrogen peroxide in separate steps rather than blending them together. Spray one, wipe the surface down, and then apply the other.

Two different drain cleaners

Commercial drain uncloggers rely on completely different, powerful active ingredients, such as concentrated sulfuric acid or caustic sodium hydroxide (lye).

When you pour one drain cleaner down a blocked sink and immediately follow it with a different brand, the acid and base react violently. This sudden reaction produces intense heat that can crack PVC pipes or spray boiling chemicals directly back out of the drain into your face.

If a commercial drain opener fails to clear your clog, do not pour another chemical down the drain. Instead, use a mechanical drain snake, plunge the sink, or call a plumber.

Former Vice President and Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has said that targeted support for domestic production is necessary to ease the current cost-of-living pressures on Nigerians.

Reacting on Sunday through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said economic indicators announced by the government must be matched with improvements in the daily realities of citizens, including the prices of fuel, food and transportation.

Atiku noted that the Crude Oil Refinery Owners Association of Nigeria (CORAN) has called for support for domestic refining, while policies in other countries, including recent energy measures in the United States under President Donald Trump, have focused on strengthening local petroleum production and refining capacity.

‘Tinubu’s policies removed the fuel subsidy, and since then Nigerians have experienced higher costs for fuel, transport and food. Now that there is a proposal to provide targeted support to production, it is important that we look at models that work and apply them here,’ Atiku said.

He cited examples of rising input costs affecting households and businesses, noting that increases in the prices of fertiliser, petrol, cement and foreign exchange have put pressure on family budgets and business operations.

‘A woman selling frozen food in Kubwa, for instance, now pays more for transportation, more to power her freezer, and more to restock. Her customers also have less to spend, which affects sales and the entire supply chain,’ he stated.

Atiku said his proposed ‘Production Subsidy’ is designed to support what Nigeria produces and refines locally, increase supply, and ensure that the benefit reflects in lower prices for consumers.

‘CORAN is asking for support for domestic production. The United States is also investing in strategic energy production. The question is: why should similar support for Nigerian producers and consumers be treated differently?’ he asked.

He argued that government already provides waivers, incentives and concessions to large companies, including oil majors, and that a similar approach can be applied to support local refining and reduce the burden on households.

‘What Nigerians need now is not just statistics, but relief in their daily expenses. We must support production, refine more in Nigeria, create jobs, and lower the cost of living,’ Atiku said.

He added that the choice before the country is between continuing with policies that increase costs for citizens, or adopting measures that restore purchasing power.

‘Nigeria must produce more, so that Nigerians can pay less. Families should have more money left to meet their needs,’ he added.

The Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM) USA Mega Region 2 is set to take its evangelical outreach to a new level with major church property dedications and deliverance crusades scheduled for North Carolina and Florida in September.

The programmes, which will feature the General Overseer of MFM, Dr D.K. Olukoya, are expected to attract worshippers, Nigerians in the diaspora and other Christian faithful from across the United States.

Principal Regional Overseer of MFM USA Mega Region 2, Pastor Olumide Oni, said the programmes were designed to impact positively on the spiritual lives of Christians in the United States and, in the language of the ministry, ‘depopulate the kingdom of darkness.’

Oni said the crusades would provide an opportunity for people burdened by what he described as satanic yokes to seek deliverance, while many others would encounter what he called ‘the God of uncommon power.’

He said the programmes were open to people of all nationalities, including Nigerians both at home and abroad, particularly those residing in or travelling to the United States during the period.

According to him, the events would also provide an opportunity to rally prayers and support for the continued expansion of the ministry’s evangelistic work in the United States.

The North Carolina Church Property Dedication and the Great North Carolina Deliverance Crusade will hold on Thursday, September 17, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. at The Alliance Convention Center, 1214 Turrentine Street, Burlington, North Carolina.

The Florida Church Property Dedication and the Great Florida Deliverance Crusade will follow on Sunday, September 20, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. at the Yuengling Center, Entrance Gates A and C, University of South Florida (USF), 12499 USF Bull Run Drive, Tampa, Florida.

Oni described the two events as significant milestones in the expansion of MFM’s ministry and its evangelistic mission in the United States, urging members and Christian faithful to support the programmes with prayers.

He said the crusades would feature worship, prayers and deliverance ministrations, with participants expected from different parts of the United States and beyond.

The events, he added, underscore the ministry’s continuing commitment to advancing the Gospel and providing spiritual support to people seeking freedom, restoration and a deeper relationship with God.

Former Senator and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ayo Arise, has called for urgent reforms in Nigeria’s political parties, warning that democracy cannot thrive when parties seeking to govern the country fail to practise democracy within their own ranks.

Arise made the call at the 2026 Annual Lecture, Awards and Launching of Digital Journalism Tools organised by the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ekiti State Council, in Ado-Ekiti at the weekend.

Speaking on the topic, ‘Internal Party Democracy, Good Governance, the Media, and the Future of Nigerian Democracy’, the former lawmaker said the survival of Nigeria’s democracy depended not only on periodic elections but also on what happens between elections, particularly the quality of political parties, governance and the media.

According to him, internal party democracy must guarantee members genuine opportunities to participate in the selection of party officials, candidates and policies.

He warned that the manipulation of party primaries by powerful individuals was undermining democratic development.

Arise identified godfatherism, money politics, weak party institutions, lack of transparency and political defections as some of the major challenges confronting internal democracy in the country.

He argued that political parties should not become personal properties of influential individuals, stressing that politics must create opportunities for competent young people, women and professionals who might lack enormous financial resources but possess the capacity to contribute meaningfully to governance.

On good governance, Arise said democracy would remain largely theoretical if citizens could not feel its impact in their daily lives.

He identified access to quality education, healthcare, security, employment, infrastructure, electricity and affordable food as some of the practical indicators through which citizens judged the success or failure of democratic governance.

The former senator also charged the media to remain independent, professional and courageous in performing its watchdog role.

He urged journalists to continue investigating public affairs, exposing wrongdoing and providing citizens with credible information without fear or favour.

Arise, however, warned of the growing danger of misinformation and political propaganda on social media, urging journalists and citizens to verify information before publishing or sharing it.

‘Freedom of expression does not eliminate the responsibility to tell the truth,’ he said, stressing that an uninformed electorate was vulnerable to manipulation.

Arise said internal party democracy, good governance and a strong media were interconnected pillars of a healthy democracy, adding that credible parties were more likely to produce better candidates while responsible governance would strengthen public trust.

He called on political parties to respect their constitutions, maintain credible membership registers, conduct transparent primaries and create greater opportunities for young people, women and persons with disabilities to participate in politics.

He also urged citizens to reject vote-buying and political violence, participate actively in democratic processes and seek information from credible sources.

The former senator, who was honoured with an Award of Excellence at the event, maintained that despite its shortcomings, democracy remained Nigeria’s most viable system of government because it provided room for adjustment, improvement and constant vigilance by citizens and the media.

He said the future of Nigerian democracy would ultimately depend on whether political parties could respect their members, governments could respond to citizens, institutions could uphold the rule of law and the media could perform its responsibilities independently.

‘Democracy does not promise perfection, but it is surely a system that gives room to adjustments, improvements and eternal vigilance from citizens and the media,’ Arise said.

Arise acknowledged the hardship being experienced by Nigerians but said there were positive economic indices suggesting that the country was moving in the right direction, citing the declining inflation rate and growing confidence in the economy.

‘Despite the hardship Nigerians are experiencing, there are positive indices showing that the economy is on a positive trajectory. Inflation is coming down and Nigeria is gradually regaining the confidence of the international community.

‘President Bola Tinubu has fulfilled about 95 per cent of his campaign promises and deserves another four years term to consolidate on these achievements for the overall benefit of Nigerians’, he added

The Chairman of the Ekiti State NUJ, Kayode Babatuyi, commended Arise for accepting the invitation to speak at the event, describing his tenure as a significant period in the development of legislative activities in the state.

He said Arise had continued to support media practitioners after leaving political office, noting that his contributions to journalism had extended beyond his tenure in the Senate.

Babatuyi called on governments at all levels and private organisations to improve journalists’ remuneration, welfare and access to working tools, stressing that adequate support was necessary for media practitioners to effectively discharge their responsibilities to society.

On his part, the Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel, Raphael Ogbonnaiye, said the event provided an avenue to examine issues affecting society and discuss possible solutions.

Ogbonnaiye also called for greater support for journalists, stressing that access to adequate resources and improved working conditions would enable media practitioners to discharge their responsibilities and contribute meaningfully to addressing societal challenges.

The Planter of the Christ Apostolic Church Adamimogo, Grace of Mercy Prayer Mountain Worldwide, Prophet Sam Olu-Alo, reaffirmed his support for journalists, describing the media as an indispensable partner in the development of society.

Olu-Alo, who is the Patron of the Chapel, said his association with the chapel had been anchored on his appreciation of the sacrifices journalists make in informing the public, holding leaders accountable and giving voice to issues affecting society.

The founder of Adamimogo FM, represented by Deji Ogunbusuyi, said he had consistently identified with the Correspondents’ Chapel and supported journalists in their professional and personal growth.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Yinka Oyebode, lauded members of the Correspondents’ Chapel for their support for the administration of Governor Biodun Oyebanji in projecting the activities of the government positively to the public.

Represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media (Print), Odunayo Ogunmola, the governor’s spokesman reiterated the administration’s commitment to press freedom and the provision of an enabling environment for media practitioners to thrive in the state.

Troops of the COAS Special Intervention Battalion 7, Sector 2, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, have dislodged terrorists from their hideouts in Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State, recovering a PKT machine gun, AK-47 rifles, ammunition and motorcycles.

The operation, according to a statement issued on Sunday, was carried out as part of sustained military offensives aimed at clearing terrorist enclaves across the North-West.

The troops reportedly moved through suspected terrorist strongholds around Manu, Alkasim and Kandam villages before advancing towards the Magarya forest.

The statement said the troops encountered the terrorists in the forest, where they engaged them with superior firepower.

‘Upon making contact with the terrorists within the Magarya forest enclave, troops engaged the terrorist elements with superior firepower, forcing them to abandon their positions and flee into the deep forest,’ the statement said.

Following the encounter, the troops conducted a follow-up operation and searched the surrounding areas, recovering one PKT machine gun, AK-47 rifles and a large quantity of 7.62 x 54mm belted ammunition.

Several motorcycles and other logistical and miscellaneous items were also recovered during the operation.

The military said the operation had disrupted the terrorists’ activities in the area, while troops remained deployed to prevent them from regrouping.

It added that the troops were maintaining a strong operational presence and continued to dominate the area ‘to ensure the total security of surrounding communities.’

The Gethsemane Prayer Ministries International (GPMI) is set to host the 33rd edition of its annual International Prayer Academy (IPA), a six-day programme aimed at deepening believers’ understanding of prayer and equipping them with biblical insights for overcoming life’s challenges.

The 2026 edition, with the theme, ‘Prayer Insights to Move From Frustration to Jubilation,’ will hold from September 14 to19, at the Gethsemane World Prayer Center, Eleyele, Ibadan, Oyo State, while it will culminate in a thanksgiving service on September 20.

The opening ceremony will hold by 5 p.m. on September 14 as the president of the Prayer School and General Overseer of GPMI, Reverend (Dr) Moses Olanrewaju Aransiola, expected to declare the programme open.

The academy is expected to attract prayer ministers, church leaders, Christian workers, intercessors, prayer teachers and other believers from across Nigeria.

Speaking on the theme, Aransiola said the focus was not merely on teaching participants how to pray but on helping them understand the principles and dimensions of effective prayer.

He said prayer remained a fundamental means through which Christians communicate with God, seek divine direction, overcome challenges and strengthen their relationship with Him.

According to him, the 2026 Academy was designed to provide deeper insights into effective prayer and equip believers to navigate seasons of uncertainty, disappointment, delay and adversity with renewed faith, hope and thanksgiving.

Among the ministers billed to speak at the academy are Apostle Emmanuel Kure, Apostle Leke Sanusi, Pastor Kayode Pitan, Bishop Theodore Effiong and Apostle (Dr) Seth Akhilele.

The programme will feature teaching sessions, intensive prayers, spiritual impartation and other activities designed to strengthen participants in their Christian walk and prayer lives.

Also speaking, the Director of the Prayer School, Pastor Bayo Owoseni, urged participants to take full advantage of the 33rd edition to deepen their understanding and practice of prayer.

‘I want to encourage our participants in the 2026 International Prayer Academy to seize the opportunity of the 33rd edition to acquire prayer insights to move from frustration to jubilation,’ Owoseni said.

The International Prayer Academy, which has over the years served as a platform for prayer training and spiritual development, is also committed to raising prayer leaders and teachers within the Nigerian Christian community and beyond.

As believers converge on the Gethsemane World Prayer Center from September 14, the Academy is expected to provide an avenue for spiritual renewal, fellowship and practical prayer training, with the theme pointing participants towards a journey from adversity to hope and ultimately from frustration to jubilation.

One of the easiest mistakes in political communication is to begin a politician’s story from the day he receives an appointment.

It creates an obvious credibility problem. Suddenly, every previous action is repackaged as evidence that the individual was always destined for the new responsibility.

The stronger case is chronology. In the case of Senator Abdulaziz Abubakar Yari, that chronology is particularly relevant to his appointment as Director-General of President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 campaign.

Months before the Presidential Campaign Council was announced, Yari had already publicly associated himself with political mobilisation for Tinubu.

In March 2026, reports announced the establishment of the Renewed Hope Network, a political movement associated with Yari and designed to mobilise support across different constituencies for the administration and the President’s re-election project.

According to reports at the time, the organisation emerged following consultations with political stakeholders, youth organisations, women’s groups, grassroots leaders and former elected officials across the country.

Later that month, the Yari-backed organisation mobilised supporters around the APC national convention in Abuja.

These developments occurred well before August 22, when Yari was formally announced as Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council.

That sequence matters. It provides a factual basis for discussing continuity rather than manufacturing retrospective loyalty after an appointment.

Politics inevitably generates friendships of convenience. Individuals who had displayed little interest in a political project can suddenly discover extraordinary enthusiasm once appointments become available.

Consequently, one useful measure of political commitment is what happened before there was an office to occupy.

This does not mean loyalty should replace competence as the defining consideration for an important campaign position. Indeed, unquestioning loyalty without organisational ability can become a liability.

But the combination of prior political identification and relevant organisational experience is legitimately worthy of examination.

Yari’s own position is particularly interesting because he is not coming into the campaign organisation exclusively as a presidential loyalist.

His political CV predates the Tinubu presidency by many years. He has been a party administrator, federal legislator, two-term governor, Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and senator.

The significance of his pre-appointment mobilisation, therefore, lies in how it intersects with this longer political experience. Campaigns require trust because substantial political authority must be delegated.

A director-general will interact with governors, senators, ministers, party leaders, regional coordinators and support organisations, often taking decisions or resolving disagreements without the presidential candidate being personally involved.

The candidate must consequently have confidence not only in the DG’s competence but also in his commitment to the political enterprise. This is where the chronology of Yari’s recent political activities becomes important.

His association with the Renewed Hope mobilisation effort offers documentary material for a credential-based examination of that relationship.

Rather than repeatedly proclaim that Yari is ‘loyal’, a credible communication strategy should simply put the timeline before the public.

Dates are more persuasive than adjectives. Photographs are stronger than slogans. Contemporaneous newspaper reports carry more credibility than retrospective testimonies.

Statements made before an appointment are usually more useful than extravagant declarations made afterwards. That should be the governing philosophy in documenting this aspect of Yari’s political story.

Nigeria already has enough personality cults. What serious political communication requires is an accessible record from which citizens can draw their own conclusions.

The case for documenting Yari’s relationship with the Tinubu political project should therefore not be built around emotional declarations of devotion.

It should rest on evidence of what he supported, when he supported it, the organisations he established or backed, the engagements he undertook and the political resources he committed.

In political communication, chronology can be a formidable witness. And in Yari’s case, the chronology began speaking before the appointment arrived.

Dolly Parton was just simply a singer, a country musician; she was a force of nature that held her own niche against the most formidable of stars. At 80, she had lived a most meaningful and significant life. And that significance will be measured in the imprint her life, and most importantly her music, have left in the lives of millions all across the world. She was not a musician that was constrained by the limitation of country music, compared to, say, hip-hop or rap in the American music scene. Dolly Parton had a space of influence that reached far and wide.

The root of country music provides the beginning reflection about the depth of connection anyone could have with a country musician and the contents of her songs. With many traditional elements ranging from American folk music and African-American spirituals, to Irish gospel music and vaquero western music, country music combined critical components that make it a unique genre all by itself. It is a genre that is well-suited to the elevation of family values which Dolly Parton benefitted from. She grew up within a family that took music seriously as both a valuable and spiritual endeavour. She grew up singing folk songs that carry the burdens of family and communal aspirations and virtues, as well as the reckoning of what life means and brings. And yet, she had to make a decision to stay grounded in country music that does not appeal to the vast majority of people the same way other genres do. And yet, Parton not only stayed with that genre, but also revolutionised how people will take her own brand of country music.

That brand had to undermine not just the baggage of racism that country music was initially made for. It also had to challenge the thematic trope of love and the patriarchal perception of women that the male-dominated genre was working with. Dolly Parton changed all that. From her first album, Hello, I’m Dolly to ‘Jolene,’ Parton began to systematically design her own understanding of country music that would make her one of its biggest stars. Indeed, she became so successful that millions who did not like country music love Dolly Parton’s version of it. And this is in no small measure due to her dogged commitment to deepening the scope and nuances of the thematic issues that characterise country music. She consistently reconfigured the image of the woman as exemplified in one of her evergreens, ‘Just Because I’m a Woman.’ With ‘Jolene,’ one of Dolly Parton’s most memorable songs, we come face to face not only with Parton’s creativity and humour, but also her ability to turn normal feeling-of joy, jealousy, envy, fear and anxiety-into universal concerns that everyone listens to in song and can relate with. There was actually a red-haired bank teller who became interested in Dolly Parton’s husband, but her name was not Jolene. That name belonged to an eight-year-old red-haired girl who asked for Parton’s autograph. The combination of the girl’s name, the bank teller flirting with her husband, and the similarity in red hair gave birth to one powerful song that many women-and men-could understand as not just an uncommon experience in love affairs but as an emotional burden that must be endured.

I arrived at Dolly Parton from a deep connection with her lyrical narration of faith, family, country life, love and root. I had reasons to relate with memorable hit tracks like ‘The Seeker,’ ‘Sacred Memories,’ ‘Don’t Make Me Have to Come Down There,’ ‘Hello God,’ ‘In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad),’ ‘Poor Folks’ Town,’ ‘9 to 5,’ ‘Coat of Many Colors,’ ‘Jolene,’ and more. My favourites are definitely ‘Coat of Many Colors,’ ‘Hello God,’ ‘Sacred Memories,’ and her many ballads to love and loving. These were songs that resonate with my own trajectory of coming of age in a small town like Aáwé and my abiding connection with it; my sense of the deep awareness of my parents raising us as children; their determination to give us the best education rooted in values despite their grounding poverty, and my own attempts to understand the emotion of love, and more. There is also the rhythmic angle that Dolly Parton added to my search for the mystery of God and the Christian faith.

From her music, her background, her faith and other trajectories of living, Dolly Parton demonstrated the struggles of a woman who would make something tangible out of her life and become a success against all the odds that life could put on her path. From the context of crippling poverty and a lowly family upbringing in Tennessee, Parton began life with a deficit. Music could have become not just a measure of temporary joy but the framework for future aspirations that has God as a constant source of hope. Poverty and destitution would inevitably not be too significant a challenge to override her dignity and capacity to keep surging forward.

When I first heard ‘Coat of Many Colors,’ I had a moment of instant connection with Dolly Parton’s poor background and the deep philosophical essence of the track. Wealth, joy and worth are not what we often think them to be, says the song. The worth of that coat, for Parton, derives from the care, affection and love with which her mother weaves and lightens an old rag with many colours. Wealth is not due to the economic scale that society places on material possessions and the validation that comes with it; rather, for her, it derives from the state of one’s spirit, and the choice one has to make about one’s state and status in life: ‘One is only poor if they choose to be.’ And with this core message, it does not matter anymore whether her friends at school made fun of her or created a framework of social exclusion. It was sufficient for her that her mother sewed the rags of many colours into a suitable garment with love and devotion.

The universal theme of marginalisation is one I found relatable, especially growing up as I did in a small town and not having the best that the world and one’s parents could possibly want to offer. With the track titled ‘My Tennessee Mountain Home,’ it feels like I could swap childhood stories of a humble beginning with Dolly Parton. My homes at Okeho and Aáwé were both similar to her family’s small cabin apartment in the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee. Her humble beginning mirrors my own postcolonial upbringing in a town that suffered huge infrastructural deficits with reliable electricity, modern highway, good water system and other significant elements that could have made the growing up of a child memorable in a different way. And yet, that growing up for me, and for her, was as memorable as what an idyllic country environment could afford in terms of peace, pure joy and an environment to develop mental, physical, spiritual and cultural characteristics without the ills of urbanisation and modernity.

I suspect that Dolly Parton’s sense of the divine emerged from her rural coming of age. ‘Sacred Memories’ and ‘Letter to Heaven’ are just two of some of Parton’s memorable articulations of her awareness of divine influence and direction. The beauty of this awareness, expressed in ‘The Seeker,’ is her ability to find the divine in a spiritual commitment to self, family and community. Dolly Parton’s understanding of the divine and the spiritual finds resonance in her commitment to her roots and the philosophical insights that such a commitment brings. You will look in vain for any hard theology about faith, heaven, hell, sacrament, etc. that clutter the mind. Sacredness is not a function of organised religious and institutional dogmas. On the contrary, it comes from a life imbued with humaneness, empathy, compassion and communal spirit of oneness and service. In other words, Parton’s spiritual songs connect to a secular vision of the relationship between an individual and the community that enables us to see how her religious upbringing allowed her to grow her own understanding of what it means to be a spiritual being growing up within a family and communal setting where love, devotion, dignity and commitment constitute the hallmark of the manifestation of God’s presence and move.

In Dolly Parton’s corpus of singles and albums that spans over six decades, we have been blessed with a songwriter-or more precisely a songteller, to copy the title of her autobiography-whose songs and tracks chart several ‘simple little songs’ that tell simple stories about the life, death, joy, emotions, family, religion, God, love and other crucial events and incidences in the everyday life of humans. With the guitars, banjos, fiddles, mandolins and a great voice and charismatic personality, Dolly Parton turned songs into stories and spoke to the challenges, aspirations and experiences of millions of people across continents. She challenged us all to live simply, spiritually and with a deep sense of our commitment to parents and community. This, for me, constitutes her truest legacy, beyond the millions of copies that her many songs and albums sold over the decades she was active in music. She did not only cling to country music in defiance of its rejection, she forces us into an intimate consciousness of its capacity to force us to reflect about life, about death and about the afterlife. Rest well, dear Dolly.