Category: The Nation – Nigeria

African Union institutions must move beyond describing young people as ‘the leaders of tomorrow’ and give them a meaningful role in shaping the continent today, President of the Abdou Samb Foundation and Honorary Ambassador to the Pan-African Parliament for the Diaspora, Abdou Samb, has argued.

Samb is pushing for the formal recognition of African youth as the ‘seventh region’ of Africa, a proposal he says would give young Africans a stronger voice in the decisions and policies that affect their future.

The idea follows the African Union’s 2003 decision to recognise the African diaspora as the continent’s sixth region.

According to Samb, that decision acknowledged Africans who live outside the continent, but a similar step is now needed to address what he describes as the exclusion of Africa’s young population from important institutions.

He said the proposal gained fresh momentum on June 16 in Johannesburg, where more than 1,000 young Africans reportedly supported the call for youth to be formally recognised as the seventh region.

The campaign was later taken to Bujumbura during celebrations marking the 20th anniversary of the African Youth Charter, where it also received a favourable response.

For Samb, however, simply giving young people a new title or place on paper would not solve the problem.

He said the experience of the diaspora, which was recognised as the sixth region more than two decades ago, shows that recognition can remain largely symbolic if it does not come with real influence, funding and decision-making powers.

Africa has one of the youngest populations in the world, with a median age of about 19, yet Samb argues that young people remain poorly represented in the institutions responsible for making decisions about the continent. He believes this creates a serious gap between the people who will live longest with today’s decisions and those making them.

He also rejected the argument that young Africans are not experienced enough to participate in leadership.

According to him, such arguments have been used for years to justify keeping younger generations away from positions of responsibility. What matters, he said, should be ability, competence and merit, rather than age, political connections or personal networks.

Samb therefore wants the proposed seventh region to be more than another platform where young Africans are invited to speak without being heard.

He wants it to have the resources to act, the ability to propose initiatives and a system through which its impact can be publicly measured.

He also warned against allowing the initiative to become another avenue for favouritism and political patronage. In his view, talented young Africans should be able to gain access to opportunities based on what they can contribute, rather than who they know.

The proposal, therefore, is not simply about giving African youth another seat at the table.

It is about changing the way the continent makes decisions and ensuring that its largest generation has a genuine stake in shaping Africa’s future.

For Samb, the seventh region will only succeed if it becomes a tool for real change rather than another symbolic recognition.

Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, has levelled a direct broadside at Kogi State communities, accusing local elders and council functionaries of active connivance and dangerous complacency in shielding illegal miners from the law.

He spoke during a protest visit by the Concerned Kogi Youths Against Environmental Degradation at the Ministry’s headquarters on Thursday.

Alake pulled back the curtain on government findings, revealing that the individuals destroying local ecosystems are not foreign invaders but indigenes harboured by their own leaders.

‘Investigations have revealed that illegal miners are not aliens, but indigenes involved in illegitimate livelihoods with the support of elders, traditional rulers, and local government functionaries,’ Alake stated firmly.

Expressing frustration over community-backed sabotage that undermines legitimate operators, the Minister highlighted how local complicity directly starves the national economy while enriching a select few at the public’s expense.

‘Their illegal activities are killing the mining companies,’ Alake warned. ‘In the coal fields, they are stealing the minerals of mining companies which have paid money to obtain licences and will still pay royalties… Illegal miners don’t pay for licences. They don’t pay royalties. They enrich themselves at the expense of the Nigerian people.’

Represented by a delegation of senior officials led by Director of Mining Inspectorate, Engr. Imam Ganiyu, and Mining Marshals Commander, John Attah Onoja, the Minister urged the youth delegation to redirect their activism towards their own backyards and challenge the protective cover provided by local elites.

‘This ministry has a message for them and their collaborators: time is running out,’ he declared. ‘If, as you claim, you are Kogi youths, take this message to the stakeholders in your communities. Consult your elders. Convince community leaders and local authorities to back off and allow the machinery of enforcement to work.’

The Minister highlighted that, despite local resistance, federal enforcement is making headway, noting that, ‘We have arrested 743 suspects; we are prosecuting 165 cases involving 430 accused persons. So far, we have secured five convictions,’ Alake said, warning collaborators that ‘time is running out’ as advanced technology and expanded marshal operations roll out.

‘Consult your elders. Convince community leaders and local authorities to back off and allow the machinery of enforcement to work diligently and effectively,’ he urged the youths.

Earlier, leader of the youth group, Comrade Isaiah Davies Ijele, had lamented the severe ecological ruin in Kogi East-specifically across Ankpa and Omala communities-where unregulated operators have wrecked roads, poisoned water sources, and decimated farmlands.

Responding to the grievances, Director of Mining Environmental Compliance, Dr. Vivian Okono, assured the delegation that the government is compiling a comprehensive list of defaulting mining firms violating their Community Development Agreements, promising that sanctions and public exposure are imminent.

The Elero of Ilero, His Royal Majesty Oba Wasiu Oyedele Saka Olokolonigi II, has congratulated Prof. Oladimeji Oladepo on his appointment as Professor Emeritus by the University of Ibadan.

The monarch, in a congratulatory message issued on behalf of the traditional council, chiefs, elders and people of Ilero Kingdom, described the honour as a source of pride for the community.

He said Oladepo’s elevation reflected his years of scholarship, professional excellence, integrity, mentorship and service to humanity.

According to the monarch, the recognition by the University of Ibadan, Nigeria’s premier university, was a testament to Oladepo’s contributions to academia and the advancement of knowledge.

‘This remarkable honour is not only a personal achievement but also a moment of immense pride and celebration for the entire Ilero Kingdom,’ Oba Oyedele said.

He added that the appointment had brought further recognition to the community and demonstrated the capacity of indigenes of Ilero to contribute to national and global development.

The monarch described Oladepo as a scholar of ‘towering intellect’ whose career and achievements had brought honour to his ancestral home.

He also said the emeritus professorship would serve as an inspiration to younger people in the community, urging them to embrace dedication, discipline, hard work, integrity and perseverance in their pursuit of excellence.

‘Your elevation as Professor Emeritus has further placed Ilero Kingdom in the spotlight of academic excellence and has become a source of inspiration to our younger generation,’ he said.

Oba Oyedele expressed confidence that Oladepo would continue to deploy his academic experience and knowledge towards mentoring younger scholars and contributing to intellectual and national development.

He prayed for the professor’s continued good health, long life, wisdom and strength to sustain his service to humanity.

The monarch concluded by describing the appointment as an ‘exceptional and well-deserved honour’ and reaffirmed the pride of Ilero Kingdom in the academic achievement.

Former Attorney General (A-G) and Commissioner for Justice in Oyo State, Adebayo Ojo, has said most people praising Governor Seyi Makinde are waiting for the appropriate time to dump him, especially as 2027 general election is around the corner.

Adebayo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), said by December, many of Makinde’s supporters would come out openly to oppose his anointed governorship candidate, Bimbo Adekanmbi.

Speaking on the latest edition of OpenForum360, a political podcast in Ibadan, Adebayo, who said Makinde’s popularity was his greatest strength and asset, added that the popularity was also his greatest albatross.

He said: ‘So, because the man will inherit both the asset and ability. Bimbo will inherit Makinde’s enemies too because they are Siamese twins. It would have been otherwise if Governor Makinde had allowed the candidate of his party to emerge through a transparent, free and fair primary.’

According to him, unlike in the All Progressives Congress (APC) where people are speaking out about the crisis, a lot of people who are with Makinde are just deceiving the governor and are marking their time.

‘Believe me, by December, you will see what will happen. Most of them will leave him. And they will come out to oppose his candidate openly. You see, in APC, they are talking.

‘They are voicing out their opposition. This is why they’ve set up a committee, which is trying to

reconcile them. It is led by Senator Femi Lanlehin. Former minister Adebayo Adelabu may not be speaking, but they know he’s not happy. Senator Buhari is also there. But nobody in the Allied People’s Movement (APM) and the government is voicing out his/her grievances, except those who are courageous enough to say no, I can’t stand it.

‘Only people like Comrade Bayo Titilola-Sodo, Babs Oduyoye and former police commissioner Fatai Owoseni are few, who have said no, you can’t just write rough results on us and treat us any way you like.

‘But some people will say, no, I will tag along with him. Till the end. And likewise, some people did it in Osun. They tagged along with APC. And we all saw the results.

‘So likewise, a lot of them are in APM today. They are just pretending. When they see their candidate, they say ‘incoming’. But they are deceiving him. Bimbo is my good brother and my friend. They are deceiving him.

‘I can’t be mentioning names. I know them. I know you know what is happening. They are deceiving him. There are lots of intrigues in politics. It’s not a straightforward enterprise. They are not playing. They deceive a lot. They deceive themselves a lot in politics.’

Former Big Brother Naija Season 10 housemate Daniel Olatunji, popularly known as Danboskid, has spoken publicly about his current struggles and plans to rebuild his life after his early eviction from the show.

In an Instagram video, the reality star said he had returned to his family home and was sleeping in his sister’s room.

‘I don’t really know what to say, but I know I have so many things in mind. And I know I don’t know what’s going on with me. But I know I have to change what’s going on,’ he said.

‘I know I have to start being intentional. I know I have to start altering my own reality. Because I have to make things work regardless.’

Danboskid said his family was facing difficulties but was not going hungry.

‘As I said, we’re not suffering. My dad is a tenant. So yeah, we’re just suffering mentally,’ he said.

He added that he considered selling his laptop but decided against it, saying he needed it to work on his career.

The actor, model and entrepreneur outlined several projects he is working on to get back on his feet.

‘I have a script going on. I’m going to produce my movie. I’m going to become a movie producer and a world-class top actor,’ he said.

He also disclosed plans to launch an accessories brand and to start driving for Uber.

‘I also want to start my accessory brand. Oh yeah, I know how to select good accessories. So yeah, you all know I’m going to put it on my business page to patronise me because that’s how I want to kick-start myself,’ he said.

He added that he was considering driving cars that people no longer wanted.

His immediate goals, he said, include: ‘Get something done for myself. Start doing Uber. Start my accessory brand. Get a house for myself. Fix my family, and become a meaningful user. That’s the plan.’

Danboskid said he wants to move beyond public perception and show people ‘who he really is.’

He also stressed that he was not seeking pity, but advice and support as he tries to turn his situation around.

The reality star was among the housemates on the 2025 edition of BBNaija and became the first to be evicted after 12 days.

He received the lowest percentage of viewer votes during the first live eviction show.

Following his eviction, Danboskid attributed his early exit to a name change in the house, saying it made it difficult for fans to identify and support him.

Big Brother Naija has launched several careers since 2006, but conversations about post-show struggles and financial sustainability have continued to trend among fans and former housemates.

The City Boy Movement has appointed aviation entrepreneur and political mobiliser, Isaac Balami, as an executive board member of its organisation and its National Director on Special Duty.

Balami, who recently left the Obidient Movement, has been actively mobilising support groups and political associates towards the All Progressives Congress (APC), with indications of a broader political realignment ahead of the 2027 general elections.

His appointment letter was formally presented to him by the Director-General of the City Boy Movement, Hon. Francis Oluwatosin Shoga, and the National Secretary, Hon. Tosin Odufuwa, alongside other board members.

The development was also confirmed by Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The executive board is the highest decision-making body of the City Boy Movement and is responsible for providing strategic direction and overseeing the activities of the moment.

Balami’s inclusion in the board is being viewed by supporters as significant because of his growing influence among young political and support groups across the country.

His coming on board is also expected to give a boost to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 campaign mobilisation in the North and Middle Belt, particularly with Balami’s growing network of support groups and political associates in the regions.

He is also described by associates as the first Christian from Northern Nigeria to serve on the board, a development they believe would strengthen the representation of different ethnic, religious and regional interests within the movement.

The appointment comes amid Balami’s increasing political activities following his reported departure from the Obidient Movement.

In recent months, he has led several support groups and political platforms in moves towards the APC, as part of preparations for what has been described as a larger national political crossover.

The City Boy Movement has also appointed Ahmad Abdulaziz Yari, the son of former Zamfara State Governor and Director-General of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 Presidential Campaign Council, Governor and Senator Abdul’aziz Yari, to its board.

The latest appointments are expected to further strengthen the movement’s political structure and broaden its reach among young Nigerians and political support groups ahead of the 2027 elections.

Balami, who has built a profile in Nigeria’s aviation sector, has in recent years combined his professional activities with youth mobilisation, political advocacy and support for political movements. He was the Deputy Campaign Manager for the Obi/Datti campaign organisation in 2023.

His latest role is expected to place him at the centre of the City Boy Movement’s efforts to coordinate political mobilisation and expand its network across different regions of the country.

Nigerian Army has warned officers and soldiers that ignorance of the law will not excuse misconduct during the 2027 general election.

The warning came as the service began efforts to tighten discipline and professionalism around its role in election security.

Speaking yesterday at a sensitisation seminar at the Nigerian Army School of Finance and Administration (NASFA) Auditorium, Arakan Barracks, Apapa, Lagos, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division, Maj.-Gen. Adebayo Babalola, urged commanders to ensure personnel deployed for election duties understood the legal limits governing searches, arrests, use of force and treatment of civilians.

He said participants should ask lecturers for clarification on legal and operational grey areas likely to arise during internal security operations tied to the elections.

The seminar, organised less than six months to the 2027 polls, signalled early efforts by the Army to pre-empt the conduct complaints that have trailed troop deployments during past elections, including allegations of intimidation and excessive use of force at checkpoints.

Two lectures anchored the programme: ‘Democracy and National Security: The Role of the Nigerian Military in a Democratic Dispensation,’ delivered by Colonel Olusegun Oladuntoye (rtd), and ‘The Soldier and the Ballot: Legal Pitfalls, Human Rights and Security Duties,’ delivered by a lawyer, Murshadi Yahaya.

The Commander, Corps of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Maj.-Gen. Adeyinka Adereti, reminded troops that the Nigeria Police Force, not the military, was the lead agency for election security and public order, stressing political neutrality, discipline and inter-agency coordination as non-negotiable standards for deployed personnel.

The Army said in a statement that the seminar drew senior officers and representatives of sister security agencies, among them the Air Officer Commanding (AOC) Logistics Command, Air Vice Marshal Abubakar Suleh; Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG Olohundare Jimoh, and representatives of other security chiefs in Lagos.

The Director-General of the National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC), Hon. Fatuhu Muhammed has identified a strong and reliable seed system as the foundation for Nigeria’s food security, saying seed accounts for about 50 per cent of agricultural production.

The NASC boss stated this in Kigali, Rwanda, on the sidelines of the 2026 Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF), where African governments, development partners, private investors and other stakeholders are discussing strategies to accelerate food systems transformation across the continent.

Speaking on key takeaways from the forum for Nigeria, he said the discussions had reinforced the importance of investing in the seed sector as part of efforts to strengthen agricultural productivity and attract investment.

‘Anything in food security starts with seed, which takes 50 per cent of agri-production. The other 50 per cent you can share within fertilisation, irrigation, fishery and mechanisation,’ he said.

He said the AFSF had also provided an opportunity for Nigeria to engage development partners, non-governmental organisations and international institutions on investment and collaboration opportunities in the country’s seed industry.

He said discussions with the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), a long-standing partner, focused on strengthening the seed system and regulatory framework.

He added that Nigeria’s seed regulatory system had received recognition within the West African region, describing this as an opportunity to attract more international organisations and investors into certified seed production.

‘We are meeting a lot of partners, collaborating with a lot of international organisations who are willing and eager to come to Nigeria to partner with NASC towards seed production and certified seed in the Nigerian agricultural system,’ he said.

The NASC DG also identified digitalisation as a priority area for the council, saying the sector must embrace technology to meet the demands of modern agriculture.

‘I want to go to digitalisation. Let us go digital. This is for the 21st century,’ he said.

He noted that NASC had evolved from a seed unit established in 1975 into the National Agricultural Seed Council, marking about 50 years of institutional development.

He listed some achievements recorded under his leadership over the past year and three months, including Nigeria’s membership of UPOV, the gazetting of three regulations, including those relating to plant varieties, and the securing of a N50 billion catalyst fund from the Federal Government for the seed industry.

The council also used the opportunity to highlight efforts to tackle counterfeit and adulterated seeds, which remain a major challenge to agricultural productivity.

The NASC boss disclosed that the council had prosecuted about three persons for dealing in adulterated and counterfeit seeds, with one already convicted and sentenced to 18 months in prison.

He recalled that the issue of counterfeit onion seeds had previously been raised at the Federal Executive Council level, leading to further action by the council.

To strengthen consumer protection, NASC introduced the Seed Codex, a scratch-card-like identification system that enables farmers to verify the authenticity and obtain details of certified seeds.

He said the Seed Codex provides information about the breeder, expected yield per hectare and year of production.

‘Any seed that doesn’t have that tag of Seed Codex is a counterfeit,’ he said.

The NASC DG expressed concern that Nigeria still has a significant gap in the use of certified seeds, noting that only about 12 per cent of seeds used in the country are certified.

He said closing the gap was critical to achieving the food security objectives being discussed at the AFSF.

He further disclosed that Nigeria has a deficit of nearly 12.7 million metric tonnes of certified rice seed required to make the country self-sufficient in rice production.

He said increased investment, stronger partnerships, digitalisation and greater adoption of certified seeds would be critical to translating the commitments and investment opportunities discussed at AFSF into tangible improvements in Nigeria’s food system.

The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has called on facilitators of the Ogoni Dialogue Committee (ODC) to disclose the names of beneficiaries of over 40 employment slots reportedly offered to indigenes by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).

In a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Stephen Nmane, MOSOP also demanded a probe into alleged oil production activities ongoing in parts of Ogoni without the community’s consent.

The group was reacting to an ODC statement titled ‘Setting the Record Straight on the Ogoni Dialogue Process,’ which it said failed to address concerns over secrecy and accountability in the dialogue process, and had instead deepened suspicion among the Ogoni people.

MOSOP said the ODC’s failure to publish the NNPCL-approved list of beneficiaries had fuelled speculation that most of those selected were nominees of influential committee leaders and their loyalists, and it queried the alleged inclusion of non-indigenes at a time many qualified Ogoni graduates were unemployed.

The group argued that jobs offered as part of a confidence-building arrangement for an oil-producing community should not be treated like ordinary national recruitment, and questioned the ODC’s claim that NNPCL insisted on selecting beneficiaries from its national merit pool.

MOSOP further alleged that oil production was continuing in Ban-Ogoi and Alesa-Eleme without the community’s consent, faulting the ODC for reportedly investigating only the Alesa-Eleme case while ignoring reports from Ban-Ogoi. It claimed youths who protested at drilling sites were advised by engineers to approach an ODC official instead.

On contracts for confidence-building projects, the group said its concern was not the ODC’s mandate but the identities and competence of contractors, demanding disclosure of project scope, specifications and milestones.

MOSOP said it was not opposed to the resumption of oil production in Ogoni, provided the process was transparent and protected the people’s interests, urging the ODC to address these concerns before confidence in the dialogue process eroded further.

The Rivers State Police Command has arraigned two of the four policemen who allegedly shot and killed Anthony Nwobodo, a graduate of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), before a magistrate’s court sitting in Port Harcourt.

Nwobodo was shot dead on August 27, 2026, around Ada George Junction in Port Harcourt by policemen who accused him of refusing to stop when they flagged down his vehicle.

Those arraigned on remand were Corporal Alfred Louis and PC Michael Ejekwu; ASP Fabian Kpeanabari and Inspector Solomon Nworgu were not arraigned.

When the case was mentioned, the trial Chief Magistrate, Helen Hardy, did not allow the charge to be read, took no plea, and ordered that the accused be remanded in Port Harcourt Correctional Centre.

Hardy directed that the case file be referred to the Chief Registrar for reassignment and adjourned the case to the 22nd of September for plea and possible trial.