Category: Nigerian Tribune

The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) said on Saturday that it had disengaged some street sweepers, supervisors and a service provider over alleged indiscriminate waste dumping along the Oworonshoki-Berger axis of the state.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the authority, Dr MuyiwaGbadegesin, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday.

Gbadegesin said the action followed sustained investigations and surveillance of the median, which had been identified as a recurring waste hotspot.

He said investigations established the involvement of the affected sweepers in indiscriminate dumping, with the workers also confessing to the act.

He said the disengagement was aimed at reinforcing the authority’s commitment to maintaining high standards among personnel and service providers.

He warned that anyone involved in waste management must not contribute to the environmental challenges they were engaged to address.

‘Our responsibility is to keep Lagos clean, and everyone involved in that responsibility must play their part.

‘Where our investigations establish that anyone is contributing to the problem, appropriate action will be taken. There will be no exceptions,’ he said.

The LAWMA boss said the authority would continue to investigate recurring waste hotspots and sanction anyone found contributing to indiscriminate waste disposal.

He said the enforcement would be carried out irrespective of the status or role of those involved in the waste management system.

Gbadegesin urged residents, businesses and waste collectors to dispose of waste through approved channels.

He also advised residents to patronise only assigned Private Sector Participants authorised to collect waste.

The LAWMA chief stressed that waste management personnel and service providers must uphold the same standards expected of other stakeholders.

He said surveillance would be sustained along the Berger-Oworonshoki axis and other identified waste hotspots.

Gbadegesin added that further enforcement action would be taken whenever investigations established violations.

In a related development, LAWMA enforcement officials arrested two suspected illegal waste dumpers around the Berger-Oworonshoki axis.

‘One of the suspects, identified as TimileyinOjo, a load carrier, allegedly used a wheelbarrow to dump waste on the road median.

‘The second suspect, identified as a suspected cart pusher, was allegedly involved in unauthorised waste collection within the area.

‘The suspects were taken to the Oshodi Task Force Office (Mobile Court) for further investigation and prosecution under relevant environmental laws,’ he said.

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has promised to tackle the housing deficit confronting police personnel, particularly officers in the rank and file.

Disu made the commitment during an inspection tour of police barracks and housing projects in Lagos State over the weekend, where he said the Nigeria Police Force would maximise funds available through the Police Mortgage Bank and the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria to address the accommodation needs of its personnel.

The IGP said the Force was already engaging strategic partners to unlock mortgage financing and other funding opportunities for the construction of affordable and decent homes for police officers.

‘We have a lot of money in the Police Mortgage, in the Federal Mortgage Bank, and we should take full advantage of it,’ he told journalists.

Disu said priority would be given to junior officers because they constitute the bulk of personnel deployed daily for policing duties across the country.

He explained that access to decent accommodation was not merely a welfare issue but also an important component of police effectiveness, noting that officers needed a stable environment where they could rest and prepare for the demanding task of protecting lives and property.

The IGP said the Force would work with private developers and other partners to convert available financing opportunities into actual housing projects rather than allow funds earmarked for police accommodation to remain underutilised.

During the inspection tour, Disu expressed concern over the condition of some police barracks visited, noting that several structures had become severely dilapidated after decades of use and would need to be demolished to pave the way for modern developments.

The inspection covered parts of Ikeja and Lagos Island, with the IGP saying the condition and pace of some projects required urgent attention.

He said the visit was aimed at personally assessing the projects, engaging development partners and identifying the challenges responsible for delays in their completion.

Disu acknowledged the support of the Lagos State Government, describing the partnership as critical to ongoing efforts to improve police accommodation in the state.

He also disclosed plans to redevelop the Falomo Police Hospital by upgrading its facilities and equipment as part of a broader effort to improve welfare infrastructure for police personnel.

According to him, some abandoned portions of former barracks had become occupied by unauthorised persons following the demolition of old structures and delays in commencing redevelopment.

The IGP said the Force would immediately take steps to reclaim its properties and prevent further encroachment, invoking the Broken Windows Theory to explain how neglected public facilities could become vulnerable to further deterioration and illegal occupation.

On the relocation of officers and their families during reconstruction, Disu said the Force would conduct a comprehensive headcount and provide appropriate relocation allowances to affected occupants.

He explained that the strategy would also involve phased construction in large barracks, allowing new buildings to be developed in available spaces while existing occupants remain nearby before eventually moving into completed units.

According to him, the approach would help build confidence among personnel and reassure them that the barracks were being redeveloped for their benefit rather than being sold or converted to other uses.

The IGP expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of some projects but said he was optimistic that portions of the Ikeja development could become habitable by December or January, subject to the completion schedule agreed with the developers.

He promised to make regular visits to Lagos to monitor progress and ensure that contractors and development partners remained focused on delivering the projects.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Toke Benson-Awoyinka, said the state’s partnership with the police was designed to combine government support with private sector equity to deliver modern accommodation for police personnel.

Benson-Awoyinka, who said the initiative began while she was Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Housing, explained that the state decided to extend its housing intervention to police officers because of their critical role in maintaining security.

She said the project had experienced delays arising from headcounts, relocation, demolition, illegal shops and other challenges associated with securing vacant possession.

However, she disclosed that full possession had now been secured at Ijeh Barracks.

The commissioner said the Lagos State Government was working with private developers to accelerate the redevelopment, adding that the swampy nature of some project sites had also required land reclamation and careful engineering to prevent structural failures.

Benson-Awoyinka expressed optimism that about 1,000 housing units could be ready for police officers at Ijeh Barracks by February 2027.

She assured that the state government would continue to work closely with the police and private developers to deliver the housing project.

Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has warned that some politicians may resort to human sacrifice in a bid to influence the outcome of the 2027 general elections.

Ayodele, in a statement issued by his media aide, Osho Oluwatosin, said such acts would attract God’s judgment, warning politicians involved in them that their plans would ultimately fail.

According to the cleric, the 2027 elections would be different from previous polls, insisting that politicians who engage in practices capable of causing harms to innocent Nigerians would face divine consequences.

‘Several politicians are already planning to carry out human sacrifices towards the upcoming election, but they will fail woefully, and God will be angry towards them; they will not succeed,’ he said.

Ayodele further predicted that the 2027 election period would bring significant changes to Nigeria’s political system, describing the period as a time of ‘pruning’ during which some political actors could lose their positions and influence.

‘2027 will be a year of pruning for Nigeria’s political system. Politicians must be careful of what they are doing because the hand of God is ready to sweep across the nation. Anyone found wanting will be made to pay heavily for it,’ he stated.

The cleric also said the hardship and suffering experienced by ordinary Nigerians had reached the attention of God, particularly the loss of lives allegedly associated with political activities and elections.

‘God has heard the cry of ordinary Nigerians who have been made to suffer by politicians. He has seen the blood of innocent souls wasted all in the name of election, and He is ready to act.

‘2027 will be a time for judgment, and anyone found guilty will experience the mighty wrath of God. It’s better politicians change their ways now before it is too late,’ Ayodele added.

Meanwhile, the cleric warned President Bola Tinubu to be cautious in his dealings with the United States government, alleging that Washington could eventually turn against his administration.

Ayodele advised the President not to assume that the American government was a dependable ally, warning that its relationship with Nigeria could be driven by interests that may not favour his administration.

‘Tinubu must be careful about his involvement with the American government. They are not his friends; they are only pretending to be his ally. He must be careful so they won’t embarrass and disgrace him,’ he said.

Jigawa Governor, Malam Umar Namadi, has approved the appointment of Dr Lawan Ahmed Muhammad Sani as the 17th Emir of Gumel.

Lawan succeeds his father, the late Emir of Gumel, Alhaji (Dr) Ahmed Muhammad Sani II, who died in Cairo, Egypt, on Thursday, September 3, 2026, after 46 years on the throne.

The appointment followed the recommendations of the Gumel Emirate Council kingmakers and the Jigawa State Council of Chiefs.

Announcing the appointment, the Secretary to the Jigawa State Government (SSG), Malam Bala Ibrahim, said the governor approved the appointment after carefully considering the recommendations of the traditional institutions.

Bala said, ‘Upon the recommendation of both the Gumel Emirate Council Kingmakers and the Jigawa State Council of Chiefs, His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Jigawa, Malam (Dr.) Umar A. Namadi, FCA, has approved the appointment of Dr. Lawan Ahmed Muhammad Sani as the 17th Emir of Gumel.’

Until his appointment, the new emir served as the Chiroman Gumel and was the Director of Cyber Security at the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

Governor Namadi commended the Gumel Emirate Council kingmakers, led by the Wazirin Gumel, Alhaji Adamu Muhammad Nasoro, for their role in the selection process.

He also appreciated the Emirs of Hadejia, Kazaure, Ringim and Dutse, who make up the Jigawa State Council of Chiefs, for their counsel and contribution to the selection.

The governor congratulated the new Emir and wished him a successful reign, as well as many years of service to the Gumel Emirate, Jigawa State and Nigeria.

My 50-year-old uncle has a hoarse voice which is increasingly getting worse. Kindly let me know what to do about this.

Jerome (by SMS)

The vocal cords are like tiny, magical strings that produce sound every time you speak, sing, or shout. When they’re irritated or inflamed, things can get messy-cue hoarseness! Here are some common culprits: Acute Laryngitis: Often caused by a viral infection (like a cold or flu), laryngitis is one of the top reasons for a hoarse voice.

Vocal Overuse: Ever feel like your voice is ‘done’ after a karaoke night or teaching all day? Yelling, singing, or even talking too much can strain your vocal cords. Acid Reflux (GERD): Stomach acid sneaking up into your throat can irritate your vocal cords and lead to a raspy voice.

Allergies: Seasonal allergies can leave your throat irritated, making your voice sound anything but smooth. Serious Conditions: While rare, persistent hoarseness can sometimes signal more serious issues, like vocal cord nodules or even throat cancer. Hoarseness might seem like a minor annoyance, but sometimes it’s a sign that something more serious is going on.

So, how do you know when to stop waiting for your voice to come back and start seeking medical advice? Persistent hoarseness can be a symptom of an underlying issue that requires professional attention. ENT specialists are trained to diagnose voice disorders and throat conditions. They might use a laryngoscope (a small camera) to look at your vocal cords and see what’s causing the problem.

The sooner you get checked out, the better the chances of catching any issues early and preventing further damage to your voice. Ignoring persistent hoarseness might not just affect your ability to speak-it could mean overlooking a treatable condition that’s silently worsening. If something feels off, don’t wait. Your voice is worth protecting!

The Borno State Government has presented a cheque of N622,308,300 to the National Examinations Council (NECO) office in Maiduguri, covering 2026 Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) fees for 27,599 final-year students in public schools across the state.

Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Engr Lawan Abba Wakilbe, made the presentation on behalf of Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, in continuation of a state policy in place since 2019 that subsidises 75 per cent of WASSCE, SSCE and NABTEB fees for eligible students.

According to the Commissioner, a total of N1,195,661,872.50 has been committed in 2026 alone toward WASSCE, SSCE, SISE and NABTEB fees, bringing the state’s cumulative investment in external examination fees since 2019 to N5,987,567,125.00, benefiting 193,396 students.

Lawan Wakilbe said the 2026 SSCE, held across the state’s 24 Local Government Areas, proceeded largely smoothly, despite a security incident in Lassa on 29 June, in which 36 learners and one teacher, including a candidate who was sitting the examination at the time, were abducted; he prayed for their safe and swift return.

‘This gesture reflects Governor Babagana Umara Zulum’s unwavering commitment to ensuring that no child in Borno State is denied the opportunity to sit for their final examinations because of financial hardship,’ Lawan Wakilbe said.

According to him, ‘Since 2019, we have invested nearly ?6 billion to keep our children in school and in the examination hall, and we will not relent until every eligible student benefits from this policy.’

‘Our thoughts remain with the affected learners and their teacher from Lassa, and we continue to pray fervently for their safe and immediate return to their families and classrooms,’ he added.

The Commissioner commended NECO officials, local government chairmen, education secretaries, school principals, teachers, parents and security agencies for their roles in ensuring the successful conduct of the examination.

He further pledged the state government’s continued support toward the planned rollout of Computer-Based Test (CBT) examinations in 2027.

In February 2025, Senator Natasha Uduaghan-Akpoti, one of the four female senators in the Nigerian Senate, faced an intense social media backlash not just from her Senatorial District but also from citizens alike, with the sole reason being her accusation of the sitting Senate President of Nigeria, Senator Godwin Akpabio of sexual harassment. Instead of support, she was insulted and cyberbullied for months nonstop.

A year later, in March 2026, strands of videos popped up on the social media platform X(Twitter) of a certain ‘raping festival’ in Ozoro town of Delta state. Women caught walking on the streets that day were randomly grappled by some men, who did not only strip them half naked but also sexually assaulted them in public while others made videos of these extremely vile acts and posted them across social media platforms.

What do these two events have in common? From the elites to the masses, gender-based violence against women has transcended beyond the streets into our screens. Technology Facilitated Gender Based Violence (TFGBV) has become an increasing bane in the existence of Nigerian women.

Despite manifesting in diverse forms within the Nigerian populace, there is an absence of a sole policy that addresses TFGBV in the country. This absence, despite various triggering events, manifests how policy absence has failed women in digital spaces, and its failure to protect them from all forms of TFGBV targeted at them at all levels.

Evidently, the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act, enacted in 2015, with the goal to prohibit all forms of violence against persons and ensure utmost protection of survivors and punishment of perpetrators was an impressive step in the right direction. However, the gray area is still in its widespread implementation and enforcement.

Slightly similar to a TFGBV policy is the Cybercrimes Act, with only three sections of the law addressing cases of child pornography, cyberstalking, and cyberbullying, but it does not address specific gender related online violence like the spread of non-consensual intimate images (NCIIs), doxxing (revealing identifying personal information of an individual online), and deepfakes (altering of a person’s image or video saying or doing what they did not).

Records from Digital Reportal, a portal that provides reports on global digital trends, show an internet usage of 45.5% in Nigeria, with 109 million internet users at the end of 2025 and 47.8 million social media user identities as of October 2025, representing 20% of the population. This impressive development also signals a steady increase in TFGBV cases in Nigeria.

Despite limited data on other forms of TFGBV on Nigeria women due to limited reporting owing to stigmatization and inaction, recent insights from the Nigerian Ministry of Women Affairs mentioning how 45% of Nigerian women have experienced cyberstalking shows how concerning and saddening TFGBV has become.

Due to the stigma related to GBV at large and TFGBV, victims usually opt to keep these cases to themselves. Beyond stigma, the near absence of structured legal channels to address it also puts them at risk, even if they report it. Similarly, the absence of ascribing these offenses to the perpetrators and employing ‘name-shaming’ leads the perpetrators to believe they won’t be held accountable despite committing these offenses on several occasions.

Moreover, TFGBV has been viewed largely through the lens of ‘social media drama’ because it primarily occurs on social media platforms. It has been seen as ‘Twitter or Instagram drama’ which people can log out of since it will be covered by another trending topic the next day. The frivolity in handling this pressing issue will cause more harm to the victims than the support they need.

The first step towards a sole policy focused on TFGBV is to recognize it as a problem that needs the government’s attention. This is where problem brokers, who provide structure and form to the problem, come into play. Coordinators of NGOs and civil society should continually campaign for the recognition of TFGBV as an inherent problem requiring policymakers’ attention.

After recognition, policy entrepreneurs should leverage windows of opportunity, which would draw massive attention to the issue from the public glare. Also, if a new administration emerges after the 2027 election inclined to issues pertaining to women and vulnerable populations, then it is a perfect time to introduce it to their agenda and push for it to be signed into a policy, although this requires ministers that would champion it.

Beyond the policy enforcing the identification of perpetrators of these offenses and imposing appropriate punishments aligned with the weight of their offenses, it should also mandate the establishment of functioning legal reporting channels for victims from the ground up; channels that are discrete and efficient enough to make them feel safe to report without being dismissed.

Importantly, it should also make provisions for adequate funding to NGOs and civil societies in the GBV space to create more avenues for women to feel safe; from providing pro bono legal support to psychological support through therapy sessions to aid their healing journey from TFGBV.

It should also address more regulations on digital privacy on social media platforms. From content moderation laws focused on ensuring they have efficient reporting mechanisms to fully address instances of TFGBV, like NCIIs, child pornography, deepfakes, among others, while mandating that these posts are taken down within 24 hours of reporting.

Since online violence spills into the street and vice versa, the policy should address proper reorientation of security agencies and government ministries already handling GBV cases on ways to handle TFGBV cases.

On a final note, TFGBV should not be shoved aside because it is a glaring issue with massive consequences like psychological trauma, resignation from jobs, physical hurt, and even death. From the masses to the elites, it’s a cankerworm rapidly eating deep into our society, and it should not be taken with levity, because at the end, online violence is still violence, and digital abuse is still abuse!

Victoria Akinro sent this opinion piece from the University of Oklahoma, USA.

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has said the Lateef Jakande Leadership Academy (LJLA) was established not as a project of his administration, but as an enduring institution designed to prepare the next generation of leaders for the state.

Sanwo-Olu stated this on Friday at the graduation ceremony of the third cohort of the academy and the induction of the 2026/2027 fellows at the Balmoral Convention Centre, Ikeja GRA, Lagos.

The Governor, who described the occasion as the last graduation ceremony of the academy he would attend as governor, said the institution had been deliberately backed by law to ensure its survival beyond his tenure.

‘This is the last graduation of the Lateef Jakande Leadership Academy that I will attend as Governor of Lagos State. By this time next year, someone else will hold this office, and someone else will stand at this lectern,’ he said.

According to him, the continuity of the academy beyond his administration was one of the achievements he considered most important.

‘We did not build this Academy for a Governor. We built it for a State. We wrote it into law so that it would not depend on my goodwill, or my successor’s, or on anyone’s mood in a budget season.

‘An initiative belongs to an administration. An institution belongs to the people. The Lateef Jakande Leadership Academy is now the second kind of thing, and of everything we have done in these years, that is among the achievements I hold closest.’

Sanwo-Olu said the academy was conceived around a fundamental question: ‘Who will run Lagos after us?’

He explained that the question went beyond electoral succession to encompass the people who would manage the state’s public institutions, negotiate concessions, run hospitals, administer budgets and engage communities in the years ahead.

‘A city can survive a bad year. A city cannot survive a generation of leaders it did not prepare,’ the Governor said.

Reflecting on his administration’s infrastructure projects, Sanwo-Olu said physical infrastructure alone could not guarantee sustainable development without capable people to manage it.

‘I have spent seven years building things you can see. Roads. Rail. Hospitals. Schools. Bridges. I am proud of every one of them. But I learned early in this office that concrete does not lead itself,’ he said.

‘Every asset we commission is handed, on the day of commissioning, to a human being. Whether it serves this city for fifty years or falls apart in five depends far more on the quality of that person than on the quality of the cement.’

The Governor said this was why his administration had embraced the philosophy that ‘leadership is infrastructure’, stressing that the academy represented a deliberate investment in human capital and institutional continuity.

He also invoked the legacy of former Lagos State Governor, the late Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande, after whom the academy was named.

Sanwo-Olu noted that although Jakande governed Lagos for only four years, his policies and projects continued to impact residents more than four decades after his tenure.

‘Baba Kekere proved that what a leader leaves behind is measured not by the length of his stay, but by how long the work outlasts him,’ he said.

Addressing the graduating fellows, whom he described as the ‘Class of Catalysts’, Sanwo-Olu urged them to become agents of positive change while retaining their integrity and resilience.

He challenged them to apply the lessons acquired during their fellowship to real-life public service situations, particularly when confronted with pressure to compromise their principles.

‘Lagos has enough certificates. What Lagos is short of is people who will do the right thing at the moment it costs them something,’ he said.

He asked the graduates what they would do when faced with opportunities to take shortcuts, wield power over others or inherit weak institutions.

‘That is the only examination that matters now. It has no invigilator. It lasts the rest of your life. And I expect every one of you to pass it,’ he said.

The Governor also welcomed the 2026/2027 cohort, revealing that more than 16,000 Nigerians had applied for places in the programme.

He urged the new fellows to justify the opportunity given to them, warning that the expansion of the programme must not result in a dilution of its standards.

‘We will grow this Fellowship, but we will not dilute it. Bigger is not the goal. Better is,’ he said.

Sanwo-Olu disclosed that the academy would also expand its leadership initiatives beyond the fellowship programme to reach young people in schools, communities and other platforms.

He said the state could not build the future of Lagos by investing in only a few hundred people annually, stressing the need to create ‘many doors’ through which young people could access leadership development opportunities.

The Governor also announced the institutionalisation of the LJLA Excellence Pathway, which he described as one of the most important developments in the academy’s future.

Under the initiative, he said, fellows who choose to serve in the Lagos State Civil Service and meet applicable requirements would have a clear and recognised route for their talents to be brought into the public service and retained.

‘For too long, the best of our young people have looked at public service and seen a closed door, a place where merit waits in line behind everything else. If we train leaders and then give them no way in, we have trained them for somebody else,’ he said.

Sanwo-Olu said the pathway would transform the fellowship from a one-year leadership experience into a talent pipeline for government.

‘It is how a Fellowship stops being a year of experiences and becomes a pipeline into the machinery of government itself. It is how an idea becomes a system. And a system is the only thing that survives its founder,’ he said.

The Governor commended the Executive Secretary and staff of the academy, as well as its mentors, facilitators, partners and the various ministries, departments and agencies that provided opportunities for the fellows to gain practical experience.

He also acknowledged the support of parents, spouses, families and friends of the graduating fellows.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Abbas Tajudeen, on Saturday sacked the Chairman and members of the Ad hoc Committee investigating controversies surrounding the inclusion of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), Hon Yusuf Gagdi, and other ad hoc committees constituted by the 10th Assembly.

The memo, titled ‘Dissolution of all Ad hoc Committees of the House of Representatives’ and addressed to all Chairmen and Members of Ad Hoc Committees of the House of Representatives, was signed by the Clerk of the House, Sidi Ibrahim.

According to the memo, all ad hoc committees of the House stand dissolved, and activities being carried out in the name of such committees shall cease forthwith, effective from Friday, 28 August 2026.

He said: ‘I am directed by the Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D., GCON, to inform all Honourable Members that all Ad Hoc Committees of the House stand dissolved with immediate effect.

‘This directive is sequel to earlier announcements urging Ad Hoc Committees to conclude their assignments and submit their reports in line with the Rules and established practice of the House. Following those announcements, only two Ad Hoc Committees sought and were granted extension of time in compliance with Order Eighteen Rule 5 of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives. The two-week extension granted has since elapsed.

‘For the avoidance of doubt, Honourable Members are reminded that Ad Hoc Committees are temporary Committees of the House established for specific and time-bound mandates. They are not intended to subsist indefinitely beyond the purpose and period for which they were constituted.

‘In accordance with Order Eighteen, Rule 11, Paragraph 5, of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives which provides for ‘Limitations as to time of Reports’, Committees are required to submit their reports within the time allotted. Having exceeded the time allotted, the continued existence of the Ad Hoc Committees is no longer tenable.

‘Consequently, with effect from Friday 28th August 2026, all Ad Hoc Committees of the House stand dissolved; and activities being carried out in the name of such Committees shall cease forthwith.

‘Chairmen of the affected Committees are directed to forward all outstanding reports, working documents, records, and other materials relating to their assignments to the Office of the Clerk, House of Representatives for safekeeping,

‘Honourable Members are kindly requested to take note and ensure strict compliance, please.’

Arise Television anchor Oseni Rufai has said he will not be deterred from holding those in authority to account despite criticism and opposition.

Rufai stated this while reacting to the controversy that followed a heated exchange between him and Lere Olayinka, media aide to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, during a live edition of Arise Television’s ‘The Morning Show’ on Friday.

In a post on his verified X handle, the journalist thanked Nigerians who reached out with messages of support and calls following the incident.

The controversy started when Rufai asked Olayinka to comment on the inclusion of former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Betta Edu, in a presidential campaign council despite corruption allegations against her.

Olayinka, however, declined to respond to the question, instead taking issue with Rufai over his previous use of the Yoruba expression, ‘Gbewudani’.

He subsequently told the anchor that he would not respond to any question directed at him by Rufai.

‘I don’t want to answer any question from you, Oseni Rufai. I want this conversation to be among reasonable human beings,’ Olayinka said.

His refusal led to an intervention by another anchor on the programme, Ayo Mairo-Ese, who pointed out that ‘The Morning Show’ has three anchors and that guests should be prepared to take questions from any of them.

Despite the intervention, Olayinka remained unwilling to engage Rufai, forcing the programme to be cut short and the interview brought to an end.

Reflecting on the incident, Rufai said his commitment to speaking against perceived injustice was not dependent on whether his position was popular.

He drew a comparison with the experience of the late labour leader, Pa Michael Imoudu, during the 1945 general strike, noting that Imoudu faced resistance from both the colonial authorities and some Nigerians who benefited from the system at the time.

According to Rufai, the example showed how individuals who benefit from an oppressive system may defend it rather than challenge it.

‘It takes a trained mind to see oppression. I will continue to speak truth to power despite opposition from people benefiting from the ruination of Nigeria.

‘For those benefiting from the ruination of Nigeria, we will never agree, and we ought not to,’ Rufai said.