Category: Nigerian Tribune

Minister of Power, Chief Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, has reaffirmed his commitment to delivering on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s mandate to transform Nigeria’s power sector, assuring Nigerians that ongoing interventions across the country will further improve electricity supply.

Tegbe spoke when he paid a thank-you visit to the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State at the party’s secretariat in Oke-Ado, Ibadan, where he appreciated party leaders and stakeholders for the support that followed his appointment by President Tinubu.

The Minister said the confidence reposed in him by the President had placed a major responsibility on him to contribute to resolving the longstanding challenges in Nigeria’s power sector.

‘President is determined to fix problems in the power sector and we are not leaving any stone unturned to achieve this goal,’ Tegbe said.

‘Nigerians can testify to the considerable improvement in electricity supply nationwide in recent weeks but we have not got to where we want to be as a force to reckon with in the global community.’

He said the Federal Government was implementing several projects across the country, stressing that the completion of the ongoing interventions would significantly improve electricity access.

‘A lot of projects are ongoing in all parts of the country and the time most of them are completed, every part of the country would have constant power supply and we would all be proud of the Tinubu administration,’ he said.

Tegbe disclosed that several projects were also being implemented in Oyo State, including solar-powered street lighting and mini solar grids.

‘In a few weeks from now, the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway will have a full installation of solar-powered street lights while mini solar grids will be constructed in six different locations in the state,’ he said.

On the Ogbomoso project, the Minister said work was nearing completion, assuring residents that challenges encountered by the contractors had been addressed.

‘The project in Ogbomoso is nearing completion and I can say it here that the little challenges being experienced by the contractors handling the project have been addressed and they will deliver the whole project very soon,’ Tegbe said.

He also assured residents of Oke-Ogun and Ibarapa that the Saki project was receiving attention.

‘The one in Saki which is aimed at fixing the age-long problems in Oke-Ogun and Ibarapa axis is equally receiving the right attention and hopefully, the darkness being experienced in those parts of the state will be addressed,’ he said.

Tegbe expressed appreciation to APC leaders, members and supporters in Oyo State for the support that accompanied his appointment, saying the level of enthusiasm demonstrated by the party had exceeded his expectations.

‘I did not expect the degree of support and enthusiasm which my first and second appointments by President Tinubu attracted from all APC leaders, members and supporters,’ he said.

He added: ‘But I have come to realise that nothing is too much to be done for the progressive family and humanity as a whole.’

The Minister particularly thanked the leadership of the Oyo APC for its confidence in his ability to deliver, saying, ‘I appreciate the current leadership of the party in the state for believing in us to deliver the good.’

Beyond his ministerial responsibilities, Tegbe also pledged to contribute to the success of the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections.

‘More importantly, we will spare no efforts to ensure that President Bola Tinubu gets reelected in 2027 and we are not going to stop at that as all the candidates of our great Party will get our full backing,’ he said.

He disclosed that he had opened discussions with aggrieved governorship aspirants in the state as part of efforts to strengthen unity within the party.

‘I have opened talks with most of the aggrieved gubernatorial aspirants and I have no doubt in my mind that everything will be resolved in no time,’ Tegbe said.

He also pledged to work with APC support groups, acknowledging their contribution to the party and the country.

‘We will work with all the Support Groups because we appreciate what they are doing in the interest of our great Party and our dear country as patriots,’ he added.

Earlier, Oyo State APC Chairman, Dr. Moses Alake Adeyemo, commended Tegbe’s performance and commitment to the power sector, attributing recent improvements in electricity supply to the Tinubu administration’s determination to revive critical sectors of the economy.

Adeyemo, a former Deputy Governor of Oyo State, expressed confidence that Tegbe would justify the confidence reposed in him by President Tinubu and deliver on his mandate.

The visit was attended by several APC leaders and stakeholders, including Dr. Taofeek Lamidi, Hon. Fatai Adesina, Alhaji Lateef Ajiboye, Olawale Sadare, Hon. Joshua Oyebamiji, Tunde Oloyede, Comrade Olalekan Oladejo, Sunday Babalola, Alhaji Mojeed Delesolu, Sunday Aborisade, Fatima Hassan, Akanbi Elegbede, Alhaja Tinuade Adigun, Lukman Owonikoko and Comrade Muse Osundara.

The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) said on Thursday that Nigerians did not miss President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during his four-week stay in Europe, arguing that his absence or presence had made little difference to their daily challenges.

Tinubu returned to Lagos from Paris on Tuesday, September 29, after what the Presidency described as a working vacation.

The party made its position known through the National Publicity Secretary, Mr Abubakar Yusuf, on Thursday, saying the President’s return was marked by ‘a lacklustre reception’ compared with the public celebrations often associated with the return of national leaders.

Yusuf, who insisted ‘Nigerians did not miss President Tinubu,’ alleged that the President was received mainly by government officials, members of his political circle and supporters rather than ordinary citizens.

He also claimed that the subdued reception reflected what the APM described as growing public dissatisfaction with the administration, adding that the President’s absence had further reinforced concerns about his handling of the country’s affairs.

The APM spokesperson also referred to videos circulating online which, according to him, showed some Nigerians in Lagos booing the President and chanting ‘ole’ (a Yoruba word for thief) on his arrival.

The party further stated that the scenes reflected ‘deep-seated dissatisfaction’ with the administration.

Yusuf accused the President of spending public funds on expensive foreign trips while Nigerians continued to grapple with economic and security challenges, noting that Tinubu had become ‘completely disconnected’ from issues affecting the well-being of citizens.

Yusuf wrote, ‘Today, in the mouths of the majority of Nigerians and even foreigners, President Tinubu’s government represents national hopelessness and misery.’

The APM further faulted the administration’s policies, alleging that they had weakened productive activities, disrupted livelihoods and increased pressure on families. The party said these issues had strengthened its campaign for a change of government in 2027.

‘The message is clear; Nigerians have rejected the APC-led administration and are ready, as Resetters, to vote in a new leadership as embodied in the Presidential Candidate of the APM and Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde’, the party added.

He recalled the reception accorded Makinde at his engagements across the country lately, which the party said demonstrated growing acceptance of the APM candidate, adding that a Makinde-Lawal Daura administration would seek to provide a more responsive and present leadership.

‘When elected President, Engr. Makinde will be a present and responsive President whose leadership will positively impact every aspect of life in our country’, the APM assured, urging Nigerians to remain committed to its ‘Reset’ agenda and vote for Makinde and Daura in the 2027 presidential election for ‘a new lease of life.’

Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State has directed Julius Berger Nigeria Plc to immediately commence remedial works on the collapsed section of the East-West Road at Agbarho in Ughelli North Local Government Area of the state.

The governor disclosed the intervention on Thursday during the 66th Independence Anniversary celebration at the Cenotaph in Asaba.

Oborevwori said the collapse of the section of the major highway was caused by a natural disaster witnessed in the area a few days earlier.

‘A few days ago, we also witnessed a natural disaster on the East-West Road. I have directed Julius Berger to immediately fix the collapsed portion of the road,’ the governor said.

The governor’s directive has already translated into action as, at the time of filing this report, the construction company had mobilised to the site and commenced reconstruction works on the washed-out section of the highway.

The intervention is expected to restore normal traffic flow and ease the difficulties faced by motorists and commuters along the busy East-West Road corridor.

To tighten access and documentation at the Pilgrims and Cargo Terminal of Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has concluded plans to deploy biometric access control and vehicle tracking at the nation’s gateway.

The move is aimed at reducing congestion, curbing unauthorised access and improving safety and security at the terminal.

The Directorate of Cargo Development and Services, led by its Director, Mr Lekan Thomas, recently engaged key government agencies operating at the terminal to sensitise them to the new access control measures.

The agencies include the Nigeria Customs Service, NDLEA, NAFDAC, Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service, Police EOD, DSS, Standards Organisation of Nigeria and the Federal Produce Inspection Services.

Under the system, only registered, verified and authorised persons, businesses and vehicles will be allowed into designated areas of the terminal.

FAAN’s Integrated Cargo Stakeholder Registry will serve as the main reference for verifying cargo operators, while biometric identification, facial recognition, fingerprint verification and electronic access records will be introduced.

With the arrangements, phase one will also deploy Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras and boom barriers on two of the four lanes at Gate One, while CCTV will support monitoring and investigation.

An X-ray scanner for baggage and parcels is also expected to strengthen security screening.

FAAN said the measures are not intended to restrict legitimate cargo operations, but to eliminate unauthorised access, improve accountability and reduce unnecessary human and vehicular movement.

The directorate called on all stakeholders to complete the required registration and documentation ahead of full enforcement, urging continued cooperation among government agencies operating at the terminal.

Plateau State Governor Barrister Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang has granted absolute pardon to 130 inmates and commuted the death sentences of four others to life imprisonment as part of activities marking Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary.

The governor described the anniversary as an opportunity for Nigerians to reflect on the country’s journey since independence, honor the sacrifices of past leaders, acknowledge existing challenges, and celebrate the nation’s achievements.

In a goodwill message signed by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Dr Gyang Bere, Mutfwang urged Nigerians to preserve the unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the country in honor of its founding fathers.

He stressed that nation-building was a shared responsibility passed from one generation to another, adding that every citizen had a role to play in creating a peaceful, stable, and prosperous country.

The governor said Nigeria’s strength lay in the collective determination of its people to rise above their differences and build a nation where everyone had a sense of belonging and opportunities to fulfill their aspirations.

Mutfwang also acknowledged the efforts of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in sustaining the country’s unity and stability and advancing the Nigerian project.

He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to building a Plateau State where residents could pursue their aspirations in an atmosphere of peace, security, justice, and inclusive development.

The governor commended the people of Plateau State for their resilience, patience, patriotism, and contributions to the development of the state and the country.

He urged them to remain committed to the Nigerian project despite the challenges facing the nation.

The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, on Thursday called on Muslim faithful in Nigeria to uphold their right to practise the religion without any let or hindrance, even as he appealed for unity among Muslims.

Alhaji Abubakar said this at the NSCIA 2026 General Assembly held at the Abuja National Mosque, and emphasised the need for Muslims to uphold their faith.

He further called on Muslims to be proactive instead of passive when issues affecting their faith and welfare arise, and urged them to engage constructively in protecting their religious interests.

While saying Muslims should protect their religious interests, the Sultan, who is the spiritual head of the Nigerian Muslim Ummah, however, emphasised that Islam does not advocate coercion in matters of faith.

According to him, Muslims did not need and must not force anyone to embrace Islam.

‘What we need in this country and anywhere else is for us, as Muslims, to be allowed to practise our religion without hindrance.

‘We do not intend to force anybody to join Islam. But we have seen how many people have been joining Islam on their own free will because Almighty Allah said there is no compulsion in religion,’ he said.

The Sultan, however, appealed to Muslims to support and protect those who voluntarily embraced Islam with a view to helping them live according to the tenets of Islam.

He equally admonished Muslim faithful to demonstrate humility and equality, submitting that all people were equal before Almighty Allah and that piety remained the true measure of a person’s worth.

While appreciating Allah for making it possible to hold the general assembly this year, seven years after the last one, the Sultan described the gathering as significant, as it brought Muslim leaders from across the country together.

According to him, this year’s general assembly did not only serve as an avenue for Muslim faithful in the country to share ideas but also strengthened the existing bond among them as members of the big family of Islam.

‘We are holding this general assembly almost seven years after we had the last one. All of you are aware why we didn’t hold general assembly for some few years,’ he said.

The Sultan said that, despite not holding a general assembly, the NSCIA had been holding expanded general purpose committee meetings, explaining that the inability to hold a general assembly all this while was largely due to financial constraints.

Despite the constraints, the Sultan said the NSCIA had been seeking assistance to enable it to carry out its responsibilities to Islam and the Nigerian Muslim Ummah.

This year’s general assembly, according to the Sultan, was holding at a time when Nigeria and the entire world were facing challenges.

‘This (general assembly) is coming at a time when we should be attentive. We should be a little more conscious because we all know the situation in the country and in the world. We Muslims have a lot of roles to play,’ Sultan Abubakar said.

Swift Telephone Network Limited (STN) has acquired a Unified Access Service Licence (UASL) from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

According to the Communication Adviser, Chief Tajudeen Kareem, ‘This marks the beginning of a new chapter for one of Nigeria’s most resilient indigenous telecom companies.

STN was founded in 1998 under the visionary leadership of late Barr. (Mrs) Clara Adetuyi. He said STN began as a modest umbrella and table calling spot to support the NUGA Games. For Mrs Adetuyi, the word ‘Impossible’ never existed.

‘By 1999-2000, STN introduced voicemail services to the University of Lagos community, the first of its kind.

‘In 2003, STN became the first provider of digital landline services in Yaba, at a time when neither NITEL nor other operators had deployed digital telephony there.

‘That same year, STN helped power WAEC Direct, enabling millions of candidates to check results.

STN went on to provide landline services to the Nigerian Military, World Health Organisation and major government parastatals. In 2005, STN chose independence and secured its own operational licences from the NCC. The name change was approved in 2008.

However, like many Nigerian businesses, STN faced challenges, as its operations ceased in November 2010, following infrastructure loss and boardroom issues.

‘On 22 February 2022, STN formally submitted its application for the Unified Access Service Licence. After years of planning, regulatory engagement, and persistence, the UASL has now been granted by the NCC.

‘This licence is not the destination. It is the bridge. From a small business centre in 1998 to a UASL operator in 2026. The journey has been long. But the journey has never stopped,’ said Managing Director/ CEO, Oluwole Adetuyi.

The statement added that ‘Our ambition is clear. To build a telecommunications company that is proudly Nigerian in its roots, global in its outlook, and transformational in its impact.’

‘We want to connect people to opportunities, businesses to customers, and Nigeria to the possibilities of the digital future’, said STN’S Director, Legal and Regulatory Services, Yetunde Okafor. STN will announce strategic partnerships and roll-out plans in the coming weeks.’

The Ukomu Igala Organization (UIO) Worldwide has called on the Federal Government to take urgent steps to address multidimensional poverty, insecurity and the deterioration of social amenities across the country.

The organisation made the call in a statement signed by its President, Major General James Ataguba (retd.), to commemorate Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary.

The UIO, while congratulating Nigerians on the anniversary, reaffirmed its commitment to the unity, peace and territorial integrity of the country.

It said the Igala people had remained active stakeholders in the Nigerian project through their contributions to national security, public service, commerce, education, culture and nation-building.

The organisation also acknowledged the contributions of past and present leaders to Nigeria’s development, while commending the administration of President Bola Tinubu for its ongoing economic and structural reforms.

According to the group, the reforms are being undertaken amid difficult economic conditions and are aimed at strengthening the economy, public institutions and social infrastructure, as well as attracting investments and laying the foundation for sustainable development.

However, it cautioned that the gains of the reforms could be undermined if the government failed to address the challenges confronting Nigerians, particularly at the grassroots.

‘While appreciating these efforts, however, our organisation will like to humbly observe that the country is still grappling with multidimensional poverty, pervasive insecurity and a progressive deterioration of social amenities in the country, especially at the grassroots,’ the statement said.

The organisation urged the Federal Government to reassure Nigerians of its commitment to improving their welfare through ‘more practical and productive steps’.

It also called on Nigerians to remain united and committed to nation-building, stressing that the responsibility for building a better country could not be left to government alone.

‘The future that we desire for ourselves, our children and generations to come cannot be built by the government alone. Rather, it can only materialise through shared commitment and sacrifices, hard work and patriotism of all citizens of Nigeria,’ it said.

The UIO described Nigeria as a country with significant potential and urged citizens not to lose hope in its future.

It said, ‘Our diversity remains our strength, our unity our shield, while our shared destiny remains our greatest asset.’

The organisation prayed for peace, stability, prosperity and progress in Nigeria and Kogi State, and congratulated Nigerians on the 66th Independence Anniversary.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has felicitated with FCT residents on Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary, urging them to support government reforms and sustain the development drive in the capital territory.

In his independence anniversary message on Wednesday, Wike said the theme of this year’s celebration, ‘From Reforms to Stability: Consolidating Nigeria’s Renewed Hope for Shared Prosperity’, reflects an opportunity for renewal and sustainable growth.

‘We acknowledge the challenges that have faced our nation in the past 66 years, but also see a great opportunity for renewal and sustainable growth. We are very optimistic that the future is brighter. We have a President who is intentional about prioritising the well-being of the citizens and has brought unprecedented development to the FCT,’ he said.

The minister described the FCT as a symbol of national unity where Nigerians from all tribes and faiths live and thrive in peace, noting that the administration’s mission is to transform Abuja into a world-class capital city.

He said the administration has invested heavily in critical infrastructure, road networks, public transportation and tackling urban sprawl to ensure development reaches every part of the territory.

‘This administration has totally transformed the road network of the FCT from the city centre to the remotest rural parts, providing world class roads equipped with drainage and solar lighting, thereby putting an end to both inaccessibility and insecurity in far-flung settlements,’ Wike said.

He added that ultramodern bus terminals have been built in the Abuja Municipal Area Council, with plans to extend to Kuje, Bwari and Gwagwalada to provide safe transportation.

Wike said the FCTA is also improving access to quality healthcare and education across all area councils, revitalising schools and primary health centres.

He assured residents that security remains a top priority, with intensified surveillance, enhanced community policing and deployment of modern technology to combat crime.

The minister urged residents to remain law-abiding, support government initiatives and protect public infrastructure from vandalism.

On the 2027 general elections, Wike enjoined residents to vote for progressive and visionary leaders who will sustain the infrastructural revolution in the FCT.

‘As the nation prepares for the forthcoming general elections in January 2027, I enjoin you all to see it as an opportunity to vote in progressive, visionary leaders that will sustain and expand the infrastructural revolution that has commenced in the FCT,’ he said.

He called for peaceful coexistence and unity, saying the anniversary should remind Nigerians of what can be achieved with shared purpose.

‘Let this anniversary serve as a reminder of what we can achieve when we work with a shared purpose and a unified vision. Together, we will build an FCT that we can all be proud of – a beacon of hope and prosperity for the entire African continent,’ Wike added.

Over the past few months, news of Nigerians dying from cancer has arrived with disturbing regularity. In May, Nollywood actor Alexx Ekubo died at only 40. His family said the cause was complications from advanced metastatic kidney cancer. Then, in August, came the death of veteran Yoruba actor Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, at 66 after a battle with stage-four cancer.

These are prominent names, and prominence can distort perception. For every public figure whose diagnosis becomes news, there are countless Nigerians whose stories remain within families: the colleague who suddenly disappears from work, the relative for whom an urgent fundraising appeal begins to circulate, the friend diagnosed when there is already little that medicine can do.

Ogogo’s case was particularly sobering. His daughters said he had been diagnosed only about three weeks before they made an emotional public appeal for help on 17 August. His condition had initially been treated as an ulcer. By the time further examinations revealed the severity of his illness, the cancer was at stage four. His daughters were desperately searching for treatment options. Six days after the public appeal, their father was dead.

Nobody can say that an earlier diagnosis would necessarily have produced a different outcome. Cancer offers no such guarantees. But there is something deeply unsettling about discovering a disease at stage four and, within weeks, confronting death.

It is tempting, confronted with stories like these, to ask the obvious question: is cancer increasing in Nigeria?

The responsible answer is that we do not know nearly as well as we should.

That is not the same thing as saying there is no problem. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer’s GLOBOCAN 2022 estimates, Nigeria recorded 127,763 new cancer cases and 79,542 cancer deaths that year. Breast cancer accounted for the largest number of new cases, followed by prostate and cervical cancers.

These figures are sobering, but they are estimates. Therein lies part of the story.

For a country of more than 200 million people, Nigeria’s capacity to count cancer remains inadequate. Cancer registries are indispensable because they tell us not simply how many patients arrive at particular hospitals, but how disease is distributed across populations and how that distribution changes over time.

Before asking whether cancer is increasing, therefore, perhaps we should ask something even more basic: would we know if it were?

There are reasons to take the question seriously. On 31 August, *Nigerian Tribune* reported the concerns of clinical oncologist Dr Omolola Salako, who said oncologists were seeing increasing numbers of cancers among Nigerians aged between 18 and 39. Younger patients present a particular difficulty because they often fall below the age at which routine cancer screening would normally be recommended.

Clinical experience is not population-level evidence. But when doctors begin noticing something, a functioning surveillance system should be capable of telling us whether they are seeing an aberration or the beginning of a trend.

Then comes another question. What are Nigerians being exposed to?

I returned to the UK in the first week of September after spending about three weeks in Nigeria in August. Food was, as always, one of the pleasures of the visit: eating in restaurants, enjoying familiar dishes and occasionally buying something by the roadside. One particular favourite of mine is roasted corn. I ate it while I was there. Boiled corn too.

Until recently, I cannot remember looking at a cob of corn and thinking about a risk register.

Perhaps nobody should.

Food is sustenance, culture, memory and pleasure. Nigerians should not approach every meal with suspicion. But a 2025 systematic review published in the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis examined 1,627 Nigerian maize samples drawn from 25 studies across different agroecological zones. Aflatoxins and fumonisins were among the most prevalent mycotoxins identified, with contamination varying considerably by season and location.

That does not mean roadside corn causes cancer. It would be irresponsible to make that leap. Aflatoxin exposure is associated with increased liver cancer risk, but whether any particular cob of corn presents a hazard depends on circumstances extending from cultivation through harvesting, drying and storage.

And therein lies the problem. The person buying roasted corn beside a Nigerian road cannot possibly know its history.

The same applies to much of what we eat.

In March, a systematic review published in Food Science and Nutrition brought together 41 Nigerian food-contamination studies conducted between 2015 and 2025. Across those studies, researchers found microbial hazards, heavy metals, pesticides, mycotoxins and other pollutants. More than four-fifths of the studies examining heavy metals reported concentrations above international regulatory limits, while some assessments produced estimated cancer risks above conventional safety thresholds.

The point is not to frighten Nigerians away from markets, street food or home cooking. It is precisely the opposite. Consumers cannot laboratory-test everything they eat. Food safety is therefore not primarily an exercise in individual vigilance. It is a function of systems.

And the concern does not end at the dinner table.

Recent Nigerian research has raised questions about contaminants in drinking water and food chains in pollution-prone communities. These are local studies and cannot simply be converted into a national diagnosis. But they add to a question that becomes increasingly difficult to avoid.

Who is measuring the cumulative environment in which Nigerians eat, drink, breathe and work?

Think about how much Nigeria has changed in 30 or 40 years. The population has expanded dramatically. Cities have sprawled. Traffic has multiplied. Millions of generators have filled gaps in electricity supply. Plastic consumption and waste have increased. Mining, industrial activity, pesticide use and complex food-distribution networks have expanded. Open burning remains commonplace.

The Nigeria of 2026 is not the physical environment of 1986.

The question is whether our capacity to monitor the health consequences of that transformation has advanced at anything approaching the same speed.

I hasten to say that Nigeria is not starting from zero. The Federal Government’s National Cancer Control Plan 2026-2030 addresses prevention, screening, early detection, treatment, research and cancer surveillance. Eight preventive oncology clinics are now operational in federal tertiary institutions. These are important steps.

But cancer policy cannot begin and end at the hospital door.

It begins much further upstream: with the water people drink, the integrity of food supply chains, the chemicals applied to crops, industrial emissions, mining contamination, petroleum pollution, occupational exposure and the air entering people’s lungs. It requires laboratories that test routinely, regulators that enforce standards, cancer registries capable of detecting changes and researchers able to follow environmental exposure and health outcomes over time.

There is danger at both extremes of this conversation. One is complacency: cancer is complicated, so no connection should be investigated until perfect evidence arrives. The other is alarmism: somebody ate this food, lived in this city or drank this water and later developed cancer, therefore one caused the other.

Neither serves the public interest.

A cluster of heartbreaking deaths is not, by itself, an epidemic. Finding contaminants in particular foods or communities does not establish the cause of an individual’s cancer.

But uncertainty is not ignorance either.

Nigeria already knows enough to know that it needs to know much more.

Perhaps that is the question raised by the recent procession of sad news. Not simply whether more Nigerians are dying from cancer, but whether the country sufficiently understands the changing risks among which its citizens are living.

There is an old management maxim that what gets measured gets managed. The reverse deserves greater attention. What a country fails to measure can quietly accumulate until the consequences become impossible to ignore.

Cancer is too complex for easy explanations. Complexity, however, must never become an excuse for incuriosity.

Before Nigeria can answer the frightening question, ‘What is killing us?’, it must become much better at knowing what is happening to us, what surrounds us, and what is entering our bodies every day.