Category: PM News

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has directed its members in all federal and state universities to withdraw their services for two weeks, beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Monday.

The union’s national president, Prof. Chris Piwuna, announced the ‘total and comprehensive’ warning strike at a press briefing in Abuja after a 14-day ultimatum to the federal government expired.

ASUU told journalists that the industrial action became unavoidable because the government had failed to take ‘meaningful steps’ to meet the union’s long-standing demands.

The union warned that unless concrete action is taken within the two-week period it will not hesitate to extend the strike indefinitely.

ASUU’s leadership called on civil society, the media and well-meaning Nigerians to press the government to resolve the dispute.

The union’s statement lists a package of grievances and demands, including the re-negotiation and full implementation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN agreement, sustainable funding and revitalisation of public universities, payment of promotion and salary arrears, resolution of outstanding earned academic allowances, and concerns about alleged victimisation of members at specific institutions.

Ahead of the strike, the Federal Government appealed to ASUU to shelve the planned action, insisting it was taking steps to address issues raised by university staff.

The Education Minister, Tunji Alausa, has pointed to government measures including releases for earned allowances and budgetary provisions for revitalisation, and said a reconstituted negotiation committee was preparing a counter-offer.

Nonetheless, ASUU said the state of play remained insufficient to avert the two-week warning strike.

The strike will halt lectures, examinations and many campus services in public universities nationwide – disrupting the academic calendar for hundreds of thousands of students and affecting research, postgraduate programmes and international collaborations.

Observers warn that even a short warning strike can cascade into longer closures if negotiations break down, as occurred in past disputes.

ASUU itself has signalled that the period is intended as a window for the government to take decisive action; failure to do so could see the action extended.

ASUU and the federal government have a long history of protracted disputes over funding, conditions of service and implementation of agreements.

The union’s most recent nationwide stoppage of such magnitude lasted several months in 2022, and that lengthy disruption remains a reference point for students and policymakers worried about repeated stoppages that undermine higher education outputs and graduate timelines.

Whether the government’s negotiation committee produces a package that ASUU’s National Executive Council deems satisfactory before the two-week period ends.

Possible interventions from labour mediation bodies, civil society or state governors to bridge the divide.

Minister of Works, David Umahi, has urged Nigerians to stop speaking ill of their country, warning that constant negativity is destroying national morale and undermining progress.

Speaking in Abuja on Sunday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Umahi lamented what he described as a growing culture of negativity and public condemnation of Nigeria, warning that such behaviour harms national progress.

‘I feel so sad when people demarket the country both outside and inside Nigeria, cursing without knowledge,’ the minister said. ‘This is because a job is very easy when you are not the one doing it. Let there be a rethink.’

He advised citizens to put Nigeria first and act with a sense of responsibility. ‘We are all journeying through this life, and there is a need to have lasting treasures beyond this life by putting Nigeria first, by being your brother’s keeper, by doing things with the fear of God,’ he added.

Umahi criticised Nigerians who obey every rule abroad but disregard laws at home. ‘I wonder that when our people go outside the country, they suffer more; they pass through all kinds of humiliations and oppressions; they work sometimes for 19 hours, and they obey all the rules.

‘But when they come here, they break all the rules. That is not good; let us have hope here. This is the only country you can make 100 per cent doing a job, whereas you can’t make more than 10 per cent outside the country,’ he said.

According to him, Nigeria remains a land of opportunity, but many people fail to see it because of their mindset. ‘There are lots of opportunities in Nigeria,’ Umahi stressed. ‘However, people would not see the light if they decided to close their eyes.’

He urged Nigerians to embrace forgiveness and constructive criticism instead of bitterness and despair. ‘There is a saying that ‘forgiveness sets the captive free,’ and when you are forgiven, you will find out that you were the captive. So let us work with the fear of God and support our government, and of course, engage in constructive criticism. Nigeria is great again.’

Umahi also commended President Bola Tinubu’s courage and silence in the face of inherited economic difficulties, describing it as a mark of true leadership.

‘As a former governor, I know what the Tinubu administration inherited,’ he said. ‘Everything became a priority, and the burden of debt became so terrible. When I saw the capital projects, I never knew that debt servicing is drawn from capital projects, and that is where the problem is.’

He continued, ‘So there have been a lot of debts that were kept, and these debts were not used for infrastructure development; otherwise, it would have been a catalyst for development. What we inherited was terrible. But it is a matter of courage, and that is why the president is not complaining – we shall overcome it.’

Umahi expressed optimism that the economy is on a recovery path.

‘All the indices show that the reforms are breathing very well. Inflation has dropped, GDP growth is over 4.23 per cent, and the foreign reserve has climbed over 42 per cent. The worst is over, by the words of the president, and the darkest part of the morning is the dawn,’ he said.

‘The macroeconomy is doing very well. The commitment to infrastructure development will cure the seeming hunger because it will trickle down to the macroeconomy, and that will be a win-win for this nation.’

‘For me, the president has taken back the nation for us. So forget about the noisemakers. There will always be people making noise. I suggest that our generation should work even harder than our forefathers. Hard work pays; it is very important. Even the Bible professes that he that doesn’t work should not eat,’ Umahi stated.

Nigerian reality TV star and entrepreneur Natasha Akide, also known as Tacha, has opened up on her choice of country for her ongoing Guinness world record attempt.

Tacha, in an interview with Egungun at the event, stated that she was motivated by the Nigerian entrepreneurial spirit.

She added that the aim of her attempt was to showcase the Nigerian beauty industry and its talents. She revealed that conducting such an event in the UK will not feel like home.

‘London won’t give me the vibes I want. I had sponsorship offers from international brands and we initially planned to do it in London. But it always makes sense to carry your country along,’ she said.

The GWR attempt started on Saturday morning and by Sunday morning Tacha had achieved 115 makeovers.

There are men who leave office and disappear into quiet retirement. And then there are those who leave office but really never leave power. They hover like Wi-Fi, like the very parasite that feasts on your left-over Sunday jollof rice – very invisible, but connected to every controversy.

Once hailed as the ‘architect of modern governance,’ our beloved former reformer now preaches morality from the mountain of self-righteousness. Ohhh, he speaks of integrity like an evangelist who misplaced his Bible somewhere between Abuja-Kaduna expressway.

These days, his followers call him ‘the conscience of the nation.’ Yet the nation remembers his demolition sites, his midnight evictions, his holy wars against ‘hypocrisy’, his relegation to a sect of persons with different faith, all carried out with swords and blessings.

He tweets like a prophet, quotes scriptures between subtle jabs, and calls out corruption as though he wasn’t on first-name terms with the system itself. It is laughable and a beautiful sermon, if you close your eyes and choose to forget who’s talking.

Nigeria has many orators, but only a few who can insult you with scripture and still collect applause. He’s one of them. The kind who can set the forest on fire and then deliver a TED Talk on reforestation.

And now, as the nation debates loyalty, betrayal and good governance, some men are quietly rewriting their own roles oo. But history is quite a stubborn creature, very unedited, doesn’t rate anyone, unarguebaly patient, but remembers all!

Because when a man spends years building a wall between himself and the people, he shouldn’t be surprised when applause sounds faint.

So as our moral architects return to the pulpit of public opinion, perhaps it’s time to ask:

Are they preaching redemption or just rehearsing relevance?

The Super Eagles have safely returned to Nigeria ahead of their crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against the Benin Republic.

The team arrived at the Obong Victor Attah International Airport in Uyo on Sunday morning at 8:05 a.m. after a delay caused by a technical issue.

While flying from Luanda, Angola, to Nigeria, the ValueJet aircraft carrying the team had to return to the Luanda airport when a crack was discovered on the pilot’s windscreen.

The issue was quickly resolved as another ValueJet plane was sent from Lagos to pick up the team. The new aircraft took about two hours and 20 minutes to arrive in Uyo.

Players and officials are now lodged at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel in Ikot-Ekpene.

The team will hold its first training session at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium at 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Group C leaders, the Cheetahs of Benin Republic Nigeria’s opponents in Tuesday’s decisive game arrived in Uyo on Saturday and are staying at the Ibom Icon and Golf Resort. They trained at the stadium’s practice pitch on Sunday morning.

The Cheetahs will train on the main pitch of the Godswill Akpabio Stadium at 5 p.m. on Monday, while the Super Eagles will train at 6:15 p.m.

The much-anticipated match between Nigeria and Benin Republic will kick off at 5 p.m. on Tuesday. At the same time, South Africa will face Rwanda in Nelspruit a game that could also determine who tops Group C and qualifies automatically for the 2026 World Cup in North America.

I came back from church today, refreshed and thoughtful only to open X (Twitter) and see three back-to-back posts from Atiku Abubakar. Three!

I had to pause and ask myself, ‘When did this start?’ Because honestly, it’s beginning to look like Atiku has turned his notifications into a national alert system. Every time I scroll, it’s ‘Atiku said. Atiku wrote. Atiku posted.’ Like, sir, when did you become this fast on X? Even Elon would be proud.

Anyway, that’s not the gist.

In church today, my pastor spoke about ‘Unmatched Success and Greatness.’

The first question he asked was: ‘Do you love the Lord?’

Simple question, right? But then he added: ‘What is your biggest motivation in life? What is that one thing you’d give anything for?’

I pondered deeply. Because everyone wants greatness, but nobody talks about the source of it.

Then came the punchline that glued everything together:

‘When you truly love the Lord, your pride becomes what God achieves through you on earth.’

And it hit me.

We have a president who ticks all those boxes. Name it. Discipline. Vision. Determination. The grit to build, even when critics are busy tweeting. He doesn’t just talk, he executes.

Another line from the sermon stuck with me:

‘The journey to success and unmatched greatness begins with the knowledge of the truth.’

Tell me that doesn’t mirror the core of Tinubu’s leadership style. His policies might not always trend well, but they’re rooted in tough truths, truths that are reshaping the nation’s future.

Then my pastor dropped something that silenced the whole church:

‘The choices of God are not in alignment with human reasons.’

Boom.

People think God’s choices must be logical or rational, but are they?

When He told Moses to strike a rock for water. logical? No.

When He told Hosea to marry a harlot? Definitely not.

When He told Ezekiel to bake bread with human waste? Unthinkable.

Yet every one of those divine instructions delivered results beyond reason.

That’s the same way Tinubu’s choices sometimes appear strange at first glance, unconventional, maybe even controversial. But time after time, they deliver splendid results.

So while some men tweet to trend, others work to transform.

And between the noise and the nation’s progress, I’d rather follow the man building quietly than the ones tweeting loudly.

Coco Gauff became the first player to win her first nine hard-court finals as she defeated Jessica Pegula in straight sets to claim the Wuhan Open title.

The 21-year-old world number three triumphed 6-4, 7-5 against her American compatriot, earning her 11th career singles title.

‘I’d like to thank my team-it was a great Asian swing,’ Gauff said during her victory speech.

‘I’m going to call JC [her coach Jean-Christophe Faurel] out here; he originally didn’t want me to come because I had a tough US Open, but I had to prove him wrong. I’m a very stubborn person, so maybe he said that on purpose to motivate me.’

The French Open champion, making her second appearance at the Wuhan Open, trailed 3-0 in the second set but fought back to level and eventually won four straight games to seal the match.

At 5-4, Pegula had the chance to force a deciding set on serve but was broken emphatically by a determined Gauff.

‘You’re the three-set queen,’ Gauff told Pegula on court. ‘I was determined not to let you get there today because I felt the odds would be in your favour in the third set.’

Pegula had played final-set deciders in all eight of her previous matches at the Wuhan Open, while Gauff maintained her flawless record of straight-set victories.

‘It’s an honour to play you as a friend and fellow American in the final,’ Pegula said graciously. ‘It was our first final together, and it was a lot of fun to share that moment.’

Mr Olayemi Cardoso, the Governor of the Central Bank, will lead Nigeria’s delegation to the World Bank and International Monetary Fund Annual Meeting in Washington DC, which opens on Monday, October 13.

Cardoso, as the alternate Governor, replaces the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, who is indisposed.

The Nigerian team will also comprise the Minister of State for Finance, Doris Uzoka-Anete.

According to the World Bank, key elements of the Annual Meetings include the Development Committee Plenary session on October 16 and the International Monetary and Financial Committee meetings on October 17.

Other featured events include regional briefings, press conferences, and fora focused on international development, the global economy, and financial markets.

Cameroon began voting on Sunday in a presidential election widely expected to keep 92-year-old President Paul Biya in power for an eighth term.

Biya, the world’s oldest serving head of state, has ruled the country for 43 years.

He faces 11 opponents, including Issa Tchiroma Bakary, 79, a former employment minister who has attracted surprising support especially among young people.

About eight million Cameroonians are eligible to vote in this one-round election.

For most, Biya is the only leader they have ever known.

Polling stations opened at 8 a.m. and will close at 6 p.m. local time.

Biya has won every election over the past two decades with more than 70% of the vote.

However, some observers say this year’s campaign has been more energetic than usual, suggesting a chance for surprises.

Political analyst Stephane Akoa said: ‘We know the ruling system has all it needs to secure victory, but this campaign has been livelier. That’s a sign things might be changing.’

Despite his age, Biya appeared in good health during a rare public appearance last week at a rally in Maroua, a key northern region with 1.2 million voters.

Once considered a Biya stronghold, the area now includes several candidates who were once his allies.

Many of Biya’s rivals are appealing to young voters. Bakary, who left Biya’s government in June after 20 years, has become the leading opposition candidate after Maurice Kamto runner-up in the 2018 election was barred from running this year.

Rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, criticized the move as unfair.

Biya, in power since 1982, is only Cameroon’s second president since independence from France in 1960.

Cameroon is one of central Africa’s most resource-rich economies, yet 40% of its people live in poverty, and urban unemployment stands at 35%, according to the World Bank.

Many citizens are frustrated with the high cost of living, lack of clean water, poor healthcare, and weak education.

Although many young people want change, few are willing to protest openly.

‘There’s a sign of change,’ Akoa said, ‘but not enough yet for mass demonstrations like we’ve seen in other countries.’

Election Monitoring

About 55,000 local and international observers, including those from the African Union, are monitoring the vote. The Constitutional Council will announce final results by October 26.

Meanwhile, some online platforms plan to publish their own vote tallies, which the government has condemned as attempts to ‘manipulate public opinion.’

Voting is also affected by ongoing conflict in the English-speaking regions, where separatist violence has continued since 2016.

Turnout there was low in the 2018 election and is expected to remain so this year.

In an era where many drift through life unaware of their innate potential, Nigerian talent coach and transformation leader, Oluchi Madu, is redefining what it means to live with purpose.

Through her organization, Oluchi Madu International (OMI), she has dedicated her career to helping individuals, families, and organizations discover, develop, and maximize their unique gifts.

A Talent Maximization Coach, author, and speaker, Oluchi has become a global voice in purpose-driven living. Her mission is clear, to help people uncover the treasures within, align with their divine purpose, and transform their talents into tools for impact, fulfillment, and prosperity.

‘Your talent is the key to your destiny. Leave it dormant, and your future waits in silence,’ Oluchi often says. This belief underpins her life’s work and the foundation of her organization, which she describes as ‘a movement of people discovering the power within.’

Under Oluchi Madu International, she established two major initiatives, the Talent Maximization Academy (TMA) and the Purpose Driven Champs Academy (PDCA), both designed to nurture potential at different life stages.

Through the Talent Maximization Academy, Oluchi has trained and coached hundreds of individuals across the globe, guiding them to transform their innate abilities into wealth-creating ventures and impactful enterprises. Many of her mentees have gone on to build legacy projects, sustainable businesses, and platforms that reflect their personal and professional calling.

The Purpose Driven Champs Academy, on the other hand, focuses on children, preteens, teenagers, and young adults. The academy helps them discover their identities, understand their values, and harness their talents early in life. Its curriculum has been adopted by several schools and educational institutions, offering young learners a foundation in purpose-driven education, leadership, and character development.

Through partnerships with schools and corporate organizations, Oluchi continues to influence both the education and business sectors. Her corporate collaborations involve helping institutions identify and recruit the right talents to enhance productivity and organizational harmony.

A seasoned public speaker and prolific author, Oluchi Madu has written nine books and three empowering journals, all centered on self-discovery, purpose, and intentional living. Her works have become essential resources for individuals seeking clarity, confidence, and fulfillment.

Today, Oluchi Madu International has evolved into a global hub for transformation, impacting lives across continents through coaching, teaching, and mentorship.

With a vision anchored on faith, excellence, and service, Oluchi Madu is not just inspiring people to succeed; she is raising a generation of purpose-driven changemakers,one talent at a time.