Category: The Nation – Nigeria

Last Wednesday, the ancient town of Iperu-Remo in Ikenne Local Government Area (LGA) of Remo Federal Constituency in Ogun State, paused for hours, soaked in glitz and glamour, as Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, his siblings and the entire Abiodun family hosted the 90th birthday celebration of their jewel of a mother, Chief Mrs. Victoria Olaitan Abiodun, in grand style.

From the hallowed hall of St. James Anglican Church, Iperu, where dignitaries from across the world converged for a commemoration service in celebration of Mama Abiodun’s life of service and devotion, to the streets of Iperu, where the jubilant people of Remoland, across all social and economic divides, celebrated Mama Victoria Olaitan Abiodun’s birthday as a remarkable milestone, and all the way to the grand reception in honour of the celebrant, held within the alluring confines of a tastefully constructed marque on the premises of the Christ Apostolic Grammar School, Iperu-Remo, prayers, joy, music, and heartfelt tributes honouring a deserving matriarch, filled the air.

Truth be told, the 90th birthday events of Governor Dapo Abiodun’s mother were heartwarming celebrations of her life and legacy. Family, friends, and loved ones gathered to rejoice over a life that has touched numerous others for good. The day teed off at the beautiful and historic St. James Anglican Church with stunning stained-glass windows, elegant chandeliers, and a warm, inviting atmosphere. The wooden pews showed as if freshly polished, and the altar was decorated with a special 90th birthday arrangement. All in honour of a devoted and revered member of the congregation, Mama Victoria Olaitan.

Sitting pretty and radiating joy, the ninety-year-old birthday-girl looked around her to see a church hall filled to the brim and pouring out, into the expansive compound and beyond. Her expressions were those of happiness and fulfilment. Adorned beautifully in sparkling white iro and buba, with glittering royal blue gele and ipele, and stable blue shoes to match, mama caught the picture of the day’s special guest of honour.

Behind her and her children with their immediate families, family members, friends, guests and church members, all dressed in the eye-catching green and orange aso ebi, gather to celebrate this milestone birthday. The congregation sang hymns and songs of praise, accompanied by the church choir. The music – uplifting and celebratory, and the mood was simply joyous. The choir sang, the congregation danced, and the celebrant beamed with appreciative smiles at dignitaries from across the country, including a strong delegation from the presidency that had Vice President Kashim Shettima; Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume; Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, and others. Their presence showed how important the event was to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Also present were former President Olusegun Obasanjo; the incumbent Senate President, Godswill Akpabio; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas; Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde; Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke; Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji; Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq; Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma; Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele; Senator Olamilekan Solomon, Senator Tokunbo Abiru, Senator Adams Oshiomhole; former governors Aremo Olusegun Osoba, Olusegun Mimiko, James Ibori, Ibikunle Amosun, Kayode Fayemi, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, Senator Lekan Mustapha, Senator Dave Umahi and numerous other members of the National Assembly.

Corporate Nigeria also poured into Iperu to celebrate Mama Abiodun, as business giants like Dr Deji Adeleke, Sayuu Dantata, Chief Toyin Okeowo, Dr Taiwo Afolabi, Dr Zacheus Adedeji, Dr Tunde Lemo, Aig-Imoukhuede Aigboje, led numerous other giant players to the birthday celebration.

An impressive array of traditional rulers, including the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi; Akarigbo of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Adewale Ajayi; Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo; Olowu of Owu, Oba Prof Adelola Matemilola; Soun of Ogbomosho, Oba Ghandi Afolabi; Eleposo of Eposo-Remo, Oba Mukaila Olabinjo; Elegushi of Ikate, Oba Saheed Ademola Elegushi; Oniru of Iru land, Oba Abdulwasiu Omogbolahan; Olorogun Sunny Kuku, Ogbeni Oja and Adele Awujale of Ijebuland, among scores of other monarchs, regaled the gathering with royalty.

From the host state, the attendance was simply huge. Everybody who mattered was joyously present. Engineer Noimot Salako-Oyedele, the Deputy Governor; Rt. Hon. Oludaisi Elemide, Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly; Chief Judge of the state, Hon. Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu; Mr Tokunbo Talabi, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG); Dr Oluwatoyin Taiwo, the Chief of Staff; Mr Dapo Okubadejo, Chief Economic Adviser and Finance Commissioner; and Chief Yemi Sanusi, Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), led all other state and ruling party functionaries to Iperu.

In his sermon during the church service, the Bishop of Remo Anglican Diocese, Most Reverend Olusina Fape, who described the celebrant as a devoted and committed Christian who had done a lot in the vineyard of God, while speaking on the theme, ‘The grateful heart receives more blessings from God,’ urged the celebrant to continue her life of service to God. Reading from Luke Chapter 1, verse 46 to 49, he likened Mama Abiodun’s life to that of Holy Mary, who gave birth to Jesus, as Prince Dapo Abiodun has raised the name of the family as the performing governor of Ogun State.

The clergyman used the opportunity to eulogise Governor Abiodun for the massive infrastructural development in the state, adding that the construction of the Gateway International Airport at Iperu-Remo is a big relief, not just for Ogun state but the entire southwest geo-political zone.

Once upon a time in the Republic of Renewed Hope, the people awaited a miracle – not the biblical kind, but something even rarer: an increase in oil production.

Every week, the palace couriers announced new ‘strategies,’ ‘frameworks,’ and ‘optimization blueprints.’ Each came with glossy PowerPoints, expensive consultants, and carefully worded optimism. Yet, the oil barrels refused to appear.

At the center of it all was the palace’s Energy Whisperer – a well-spoken, self-declared ‘reform-minded’ visionary with a fondness for roundtables and buzzwords. Her mission? ‘Unlock value from legacy assets.’ Her method? Endless committees, task forces, and memos promoting block level divestments.

She spoke of transformation, restructuring, and sustainable optimization. But in the oilfields, the wells yawned in boredom. Rigs sat idle, workers sighed, and the only thing growing was the stack of memos evocating a personal (not national) agenda.

Meanwhile, the nation’s Chief Barrel Keeper, a seasoned hand who understood the gritty mechanics of the industry – the pipelines, the reservoirs, the corrosion, the crude realities – watched helplessly as committee meetings replaced drilling plans.

‘Madam Whisperer,’ he once muttered, ‘barrels only appear by well-work, get out of the way and let the work be done.’

But the Energy Whisperer was undeterred. She launched Project Hope 2.0, followed by The Petroleum Cost-Effectiveness Initiative (PCEI), and then the crowd favorite, National Asset Protection and Regulatory Summit (NAPRS). Each launch came with a fresh logo and a new promise that ‘production will soar.’

And yet, two years in, production remained flat – not from sabotage or OPEC cuts, but from pure neglect and self-interest disguised as reform.

Soon, whispers began to spread across the land: perhaps the Whisperer’s energy was better spent whispering than producing energy. Her PowerPoint slides and memos had become the new oil – endlessly refined but never sold.

The Chief Barrel Keeper grew tired of the noise. ‘Let’s drill,’ he said. ‘Let’s maintain. Let’s produce.’ But every time he tried, a new ‘presidential directive’ arrived from the palace, signed in gold ink and filled with buzzwords like ‘synergy,’ ‘stakeholder realignment,’ and ‘value unlocking.’

But in the time, the kingdom had achieved something extraordinary: the greatest missed opportunity for oil production growth in the land’s history raged unfettered.

When the Energy Whisperer stood before the press, she smiled proudly. ‘We are repositioning for sustainable value creation,’ she declared, as the production graph quietly slid down the page behind her.

In the villages, the people nodded politely. They had learned long ago that in the Republic of Renewed Hope, under the aegis of the Energy Whisperer, words flow faster than oil.

And so, new barrels remain elusive – not underground, but under bureaucracy and unnecessary distractions.

Moral: In a land where strategy replaces substance, and directives replace drilling, the ground may be full of oil – but the treasury will keep running on empty.

Detectives from the Ondo State Police Command have apprehended a notorious cultist, identified as Abdul Boluwatife, for allegedly terrorising residents of Akungba-Akoko and neighbouring communities in Akoko South-West Local Government Area of the state.

The arrest was confirmed in a statement on Sunday by the Command’s spokesperson, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, in Akure.

According to Ayanlade, the suspect was arrested on October 15 during a cult initiation ceremony at A.U.D. Secondary School, Akungba-Akoko, following credible intelligence from vigilant residents of the community.

‘Upon receiving information that a group of young men were holding a secret meeting and chanting cult-related slogans within the school premises, police operatives swiftly mobilised to the scene,’ Ayanlade said.

He added that on sighting the police, the suspects fled but Boluwatife was pursued and apprehended.

During interrogation, the suspect reportedly confessed to being a member and leader of a cult group operating within Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA).

Ayanlade noted that Boluwatife had long been on the command’s watchlist for alleged involvement in a series of cult-related activities in the area.

Items recovered from the suspect include a locally made pistol, five cutlasses, a battle axe, a shisha box, two cult berets, five bottles of Squadron gin, a red knife, and a black glove.

The police spokesman confirmed that the suspect remains in custody as investigations continue, adding that efforts are ongoing to track down other fleeing members of the cult group.

He, however, further disclosed that the Anti-Cultism Squad has launched a discreet operation to uncover the full network of the syndicate operating around Akungba-Akoko.

Abia Governor Alex Otti has stated that he doesn’t hold any grudge against Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu over his (Kalu’s) recent statement about his (Otti’s) administration in the State.

Otti, who stated this while reacting to a question during the media chat with journalists at the Banquet Hall, Government, Umuahia, the state capital, however cautioned Kalu and other politicians to refrain from making statements that would heat up the state’s political space.

On Kalu’s allegation of not using the money that the State Government receives as monthly allocations from the Federal Government judiciously, Otti said ‘You will find out that this is the second time that he (Benjamin Kalu) has come out publicly to berate the administration and myself. I think that I want to forgive him.

‘Do I feel threatened, absolutely No. but then, you know that people are different. I guessed that what happened is that, he was a bit terrified because he was there in Aba and saw what happened. He saw the organic show of love that Aba people showed and it also happened in Umuahia.

‘I think that he has a few challenges; one of them is hubris and closely related to that challenge is Information Deficiency Syndrome where you are supposed to be in a place that you are supposed to have information, but you don’t have the real information.

‘The first time that he did a video, early this year, I was asked here and I said that, I have no response. The only response that I gave was that I don’t have the anointing to speak about what will happen in 2027 by 2025 and I still maintain that I don’t have that anointing.

‘I have a mandate and that mandate, runs till 2027. If someone can stand up and say that, this is what can happen in 2027, who am I to question him?

‘But there a few things that I know; I know that power belongs to God. And I know that He gives it to who he wants. Those I can assure you that I know.

‘And like I told them the other day in the church service, I also know about what is written in the Book of Lamentations; that we should not speak when the Lord has not spoken. I am saying this because we are all Christians.

‘It will be sad for someone to come out and say that the State Government receives up to N38bn. Whatever that person said should be taken very seriously. Those who know better know that we receive just about half of that.

‘For me, I think people should focus on the jobs that they have been given. I heard that he (Kalu) wants to run for governorship position in 2027; that is fine. It is his fundamental human right, nobody should stop him.

‘ But again, we must respect the law. If INEC releases the time table and say that, this is the time that campaigns start, if he starts campaigning before then, you put yourself in harm sway. He can even be disqualified before the election.

‘He is campaigning by telling people that they are going to take over the state in 2027 and it is not right. If he wants to campaign, I will plead with him to hold his fire and wait. Once INEC blows the whistle, he can go and pick up the form and begin to campaign.

‘It is for Abia people to decide who will be their Governor. It is also important that the APC that he s talking about which has leadership to know that they are being de-marketed in Abia State. But I will call on our people to still hold their peace and calm. We have managed in the last two years plus to keep the state peaceful and we should continue to maintain the peace.’

The Ondo State Government and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have clashed over what the government described as a ‘coordinated attack’ on the administration of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

The State Government had declared zero tolerance for what it called a ‘disturbing wave of blackmail, cyberbullying, and coordinated misinformation’ allegedly targeted at Mr Aiyedatiwa and some senior officials.

According to the government, a group of individuals – including two legal practitioners – allegedly launched a smear campaign after their attempts to extract political and financial favours from the governor failed.

However, the PDP accused the government of seeking to weaponise the Cybercrime Act to ‘gag critics and silence dissent.’

In a statement in Akure at the weekend, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Idowu Ajanaku, described the group as unregistered, fraudulent, and driven by greed rather than patriotism.

Ajanaku said the group’s actions were aimed at discrediting and destabilising the current administration.

‘These individuals demanded a staggering N200 million, claiming it was for ‘activism in support of the governor.’ When their fraudulent request was turned down, they launched a barrage of falsehoods and blackmail online,’ Ajanaku alleged.

He added that Governor Aiyedatiwa welcomed constructive criticism but would not tolerate blackmailers ‘masquerading as activists.’

‘The government will use every lawful means to ensure such individuals face justice,’ he said, reiterating the administration’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and people-centred governance.

Ajanaku warned that any further attacks on public officials would attract ‘swift legal and public consequences.’

‘Enough is enough. Ondo State belongs to all of us, and we will not stand by while a few desperate individuals attempt to destroy its image for selfish gain,’ he added.

In a swift response, the opposition PDP said the Aiyedatiwa administration was merely hiding behind allegations of blackmail and cyber extortion to avoid public scrutiny.

In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Mr Wande Ajayi, the party described the government’s claims as infantile, accusing the governor of attempting to silence dissenting voices in the state.

‘We are aware that the government’s plan is to criminalise criticism and hound voices of accountability. That plan will fail. Ondo people are no longer afraid,’ the PDP stated.

The party alleged that the government was ‘more interested in chasing shadows than addressing hunger, unemployment, and infrastructural decay ravaging the state.’

‘Obviously, the only people blackmailing Ondo State today are those occupying Alagbaka who have reduced governance to a bazaar of deceit, propaganda, and self-glorification,’ the statement read.

The PDP challenged the Aiyedatiwa-led administration to publish the list of contractors, payment records, and the true status of the 2025 budget implementation instead of what it called ‘cosmetic figures cooked up for the press.’

‘A government drowning in scandals, opacity, and waste has no moral right to lecture anyone on integrity. When citizens demand accountability, the usual response from this administration is to cry ‘blackmail.’ It is the tactic of the guilty to play the victim when cornered by truth,’ the party added.

‘Governor Aiyedatiwa and his handlers should stop dragging the name of Ondo State into their petty propaganda circus. The people are not fooled – they see through the grandstanding and fake moral outrage,’ the statement added.

Nigeria, the most populous Black nation on Earth with over 200 million people, has in recent years struggled with rising food inflation. This crisis is largely driven by outdated farming techniques, inefficient food processing, and storage challenges all of which have limited productivity and increased food scarcity. As prices soar, the average Nigerian finds it increasingly difficult to afford daily meals.

This article explores how solar energy can revolutionize agriculture and food processing in Nigeria, ultimately boosting food supply and reducing inflation.

Outdated Farming Methods

For decades, Nigerian farmers have practiced seasonal farming, dictated by the country’s two main seasons: the rainy season and the dry season. Crops that require significant rainfall are planted only during the wet season, while drought-resistant varieties are reserved for the dry months.

However, this limited window of cultivation reduces year-round food availability. Despite Nigeria having over 3 million hectares of irrigation potential, only around 90,000 hectares were utilized as of 2020. This underutilization leads to crop scarcity during off-seasons and, consequently, inflated prices.

Inefficient Food Processing Techniques

Traditionally, food drying in Nigeria involves spreading produce like yam flour, cassava, and pepper on roadsides or open fields. While common, this method poses serious health risks due to exposure to dust, dirt, and contamination. Additionally, unpredictable weather conditions slow down the drying process and reduce product quality.

In today’s world, such outdated practices hamper food safety, reduce output, and limit scalability.

Primitive Food Storage Practices

Food storage continues to be a major challenge, especially for smallholder farmers. Many still rely on smoking fish or storing crops in open spaces to preserve them. Unfortunately, these methods often lead to significant post-harvest losses and reduce the availability of food during off-seasons further contributing to inflation.

Solar Energy: A Catalyst for Agricultural Transformation

1. Solar-Powered Irrigation

Large-scale, all-year-round farming is impossible without reliable irrigation. Solar energy offers a sustainable solution, especially in rural areas lacking access to the national grid. With solar-powered water pumps, farmers can irrigate their fields efficiently and consistently, regardless of the season.

This reduces dependency on rainfall, increases crop yields, and lowers the cost of food production.

2. Solar Dryers for Food Processing

Modern solar dryers are revolutionizing food drying by offering cleaner, faster, and more controlled processes. Unlike traditional sun-drying methods, solar dryers protect food from contamination, pests, and unpredictable weather. They also drastically reduce drying time, allowing farmers to process more produce in less time, with higher quality and less waste.

3. Solar Cold Storage Facilities

In 2025, food storage is taking a new turn with the emergence of solar-powered cold rooms. At DVS Reliable Energy, we deploy commercial and industrial solar solutions to power cold storage facilities helping reduce electricity costs and minimize spoilage of perishable goods like fish and vegetables.

These facilities enable farmers to store their harvests longer, sell when market conditions are favorable, and avoid losses caused by inadequate storage infrastructure.

Governments can play a significant role by investing in solar-powered storage hubs in rural areas. These centers can be leased to farmers at subsidized rates creating a win-win scenario by both reducing food waste and generating revenue.

Conclusion

According to Save the Children, around 33 million Nigerians may face food insecurity in 2025, uncertain of where their next meal will come from. Much of the country’s food inflation can be traced to the outdated farming, processing, and storage methods discussed above.

Food should be one of the most accessible necessities for every citizen, but in Nigeria, it’s increasingly becoming a luxury.

Solar energy provides a viable, sustainable path forward. With strategic investments in solar-powered irrigation, drying, and storage solutions, the government and private sector can help increase food production, reduce losses, and ultimately bring down the cost of food across the country.

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has expressed reservations over the seven days warning strike action declared by the Edo State Council of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN).

Governor Okpebholo said the strike action was ill-timed, unpatriotic, and wholly unjustified.

He said the warning strike began at a time when meaningful negotiations between the Union and the government were ongoing.

The governor who spoke in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, said leadership of the Union has been in constant engagement with his administration on their demands.

He said issues raised by the Union were largely inherited from the past administration of Godwin Obaseki.

Governor Okpebholo said his administration has shown genuine commitment to addressing these inherited concerns in a phased, transparent, and responsible manner.

Okpebholo noted that one of the demands of the Union was the renovation of the Doctors’ Quarters, which was already receiving the attention of the state government, alongside other welfare-related matters.

According to him, ‘It is therefore shocking and disappointing that the leadership of the union would hastily declare a strike, claiming government insensitivity, when, in fact, the present administration has demonstrated open-mindedness, good faith, and a proactive resolve to improve the health sector.

‘This abrupt decision by the Union leadership does not only undermine ongoing dialogue but also exposes a lack of sincerity and respect for the negotiation process.

‘The Edo state government finds no merit in the call for this strike. The action appears driven by ulterior motives and extra financial demands known only to a few individuals in the Union’s leadership, to the detriment of the general membership.

‘Failure to yield to these unlawful financial demands from officials of the state government by a few greedy members of the leadership of the Union, birt less Edo citizens-especially those in need of urgent medical attention-at grave risk.

‘Such actions amount to a betrayal of the noble principles and ethics of the medical profession, particularly the Hippocratic Oath, which places the preservation of human life above all else. No responsible government can fold its arms while a few individuals hold the lives of its citizens hostage for personal gratification.

‘The Edo state government remains committed to dialogue and partnership with all stakeholders in the health sector to ensure industrial harmony and better service delivery to the people. However, it will not condone any act that jeopardizes the health and wellbeing of its citizens under any guise.’

When the history of that era is written, Gen. Alani Akinrinade would be one of its guiding lights.Home and abroad, Gen. Akinrinade fought the military regime for the soul of Nigeria as entrenched in the democratic rights of Nigerians. For that, he paid heavily.

The general had a thriving large-scale farm before the crisis. To get back at him for his effrontery to confront the military roughnecks, the Abacha regime went for the general’s economic jugular. They ruined his farm. His shipping business too was fair game. If he had tarried at home, they most probably would have sent a killer gang after him. That is the only logical deduction from the arson agents of the state committed on his house.

But after all the trauma, Gen. Akinrinade stands firm and formidable in his beliefs. Whatever he had lost in that struggle, he gained in the estimation and affection of the grateful Nigerian masses, who were not only tired of military rule but were also irked by the arrogant cancellation of a mandate they freely gave Basorun Abiola.

Gen. Akinrinade may have been disillusioned at 70, seeing the gulf between his vision of what the Nigerian military should be when he signed up; and what it was when he left. But history will bear him testimony that despite all the rot of his generation, he maintained his personal honour and integrity; and remained the quintessential officer and gentleman.

No one could wish for more, in a generally traumatised era, when honour had gone to the dogs and debauchery was the new high point of state culture – Olakunle Abimbola in: Akinrinade – An officer and gentleman at 70″.

This piece, simpli cita, is not a biography of, definitely, one of the most outstanding generals ever produced by the Nigerian Army.

Lt. Gen. Akinrinade who turned 86 on October 3, 2025 was, as usual, more than generously celebrated by the high and mighty.

One of those who congratulated him, appropriately the Executive Governor of his Osun State, Senator Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke,

fulsomely celebrated the elder statesman, describing him as ‘a patriot of the highest order, a military legend, and a shining example of statesmanship whose life is defined by service, sacrifice, and courage.’

This article, therefore, deals with only one of the General’s post military engagements, namely, his always very courageously, providing communal leadership for both country and the Yoruba race which explains his multi – pronged roles in NADECO, the group that provided a dignified escape route for Yorubas of Southwest Nigeria when the ruthless General Sanni Abacha was intent on annihilating the entire race.

This then leads me to my review of the General’s ALAROYE LECTURE of 3 December, 2006, now definitively

etched in history on pages 313 – 315 of my book: ‘Simply a Citizen Journalist’ ( Amazon link:https://a.co/d/dXnfY77

Happy reading.

Yoruba Nation Politics, Irridentism And Issues Arising

Until I read an in- depth analysis of General Alani Akinrinade’s lecture delivered on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of Alaroye, Thisday, 28 NOV.2006, by Philip Ogunmade, I had almost concluded that there was a press conspiracy to black it out.

All I had seen of the event, before then, consisted only of the photographs of politicians and Kabiyesis, and it would have been a great dis-service if the lecture, entitled ‘Yoruba and Their Neighbours After 2007’, had been reduced to nothing more than a photo opportunity.

First, a word about the guest lecturer.

Lt. Gen. Alani Akinrinade, one time Nigerian Chief of Army Staff, was a twotime Minister of the Federal Republic. An officer and a gentleman, if ever there was one, Gen. Akinrinade was run out of town during the reign of the goggled one with his house literally bombed out of existence whilst on exile with his ‘co-conspirators’in NADECO.

As God would have it, he and his associates saw the end of Abacha and returned home to Nigeria.

Since coming back, Gen. Akinrinade has resumed where he left off in the service of Nigeria and the Yoruba race in particular. Around him, and at his great inspiration, an organisation is in the works to which every Yoruba man and woman would be only too happy to register his/her unborn child as member.

Modelled after the Jewish council, the organisation, unlike extant Pan – Yoruba groupings, will be all-inclusive, non-partisan and there would be no joiners, but co-equals, despite the many months of ground work the General and his associates have invested in the project. It will suffice for now, that I am jumping the gun, to say only that the organization will have as its primary duty, the re-invention, reinvigoration and nurture of Yoruba culture, language and the Arts, as well as the ‘gathering’ together of all Yorubas, whether here at home in Nigeria, in Brazil, Cuba or the United States and wherever on earth our compatriots practice IFA in its pristine originality; an institution which happily, has now become a UNESCO responsibility.

Given the above background, Lt. Gen. Akinrinade is eminently qualified to give the ‘Alaroye’ lecture which he concluded to a rapturous applause from the audience which included the high and mighty in society.

Highly respected across board, General Akinrinade, with neither airs nor ego, is a deep and very committed Yoruba leader. Indeed, a natural Yoruba leader, almost of the old school, very accommodating and tolerant of others’ views. General Akinrinade spares nothing, not time, nor resources, in the service of motherland.

May his tribe increase.

The General, in his lecture under review, went down memory lane; traversed centuries of the history of various Nigerian nationalities, emphasizing how British imperialism undermined local authorities and completely vaporised all.

He concluded this section with how the South came to be unequally yoked with the North.

In his view, the principal job of the Yoruba in the post-Obasanjo era will be the need to ‘see to the promotion of a true peoples’ constitution which will reflect the aggregated wishes of our various nationalities’.

As long as the status quo remains, he continued, the death struggle which our politics has become can only intensify.

The Yoruba, continued the General, ‘must now find a unity that transcends politics, religion, social status, gender etc’. He believes that Yorubas must show the way for they it is who have a tradition for reform, decency and abhorrence of cheating and hegemony over others.

Finally said the general, ‘we must rise to the struggle to entrench a constitution that can bring good governance, return power to the people, remove career politicians whose only contribution is looting; entrench the rule of law and repudiate majoritarian democracy in a heterogeneous society like Nigeria’.

This is no doubt a laudable road map for the Yoruba and it will only be in our tradition to lead the way.

However, I believe that the audience at the Alaroye lecture would have been better served if General Akinrinade had been given the luxury of choosing his topic or, alternatively, if he was asked to appraise the place of the Yoruba in these ‘our’ – read as Obasanjo’s two terms of almost eight years.

A critical examination of what Yorubas suffered during the Obasanjo administration – 1999-2007′, would have better made their day as it was a ruinous era for the entire race.

Traditionally, Yorubas have always belonged in opposition to the

Federal government of the federation. This has largely resulted from a hard-headed, consensus- based preference for our own political leaders who know exactly what we want as a people.

Beginning with Chief Obafemi Awolowo, through Chief Adekunle Ajasin; from Chief Adesanya to Late Chief Bola Ige, the Yoruba has come to be well served by their ‘opposition’ governments until 2003 when Obasanjo started his so – called mainstreaming against our wishes.

Things have since gotten so bad that only this past week, the Yoruba Council of Elders, a body that owed its birth, and life-line, for quite a while, to the Obasanjo regime, railed unrepentantly about the misfortune that has befallen education in the South West since 2003.

I was amazed to hear members of the Parents/Teachers Association of Queen’s College, Lagos, assert painfully, on an AIT Kaakaki programme, that they saw a copy of the Federal government’s letter inviting Chevron to come and buy the School. Even NEPA may have been invited by Obasanjo’s dutiful daughter, as Minister of Education, to buy King’s college.

This would practically have had the down-side of taking quality secondary education beyond most Nigerians.

Not too long ago, Agbajo decided to set up a rapid response committee of three, under the leadership of Professor Jide Osuntokun when it became obvious that rarely was any of the multibillion naira road and water projects announced routinely after Executive Council meetings meant for the South West.

Not many would now remember when the uncompleted Ibadan -Ilorin road was awarded nor when the Ilorin-Ado-Ekiti road project which has become a perennial, would be completed. The least said about the Lagos-Ota road, in his own neck of wood, the better. A documentary on the Benin-Ore road, brought tears to many eyes even in this era of multibillion petrol dollars.

The case is probably worse in the Federal Ministry of Water Resources where the Obasanjo government , with Muktar Shagari as minister, has out-spent every other government in the history of the nation, weekly announcing multi- billion irrigation projects for only the North.

Meanwhile, Obasanjo expects Ekiti State to be industrialised even when, like Bayelsa, it is yet to be connected to the national grid. This is not to mention the Lagos state experience during this ‘our’ tenure, when ‘our president’ cruelly seized all Local Government funds.

In conclusion I believe that Yoruba is in a double jeopardy if, during ‘our tenure’ we have been treated as shown above, only God knows what lies -in wait for Yorubas in a new administration headed by a Northerner. Therefore, the need for a Yoruba leaders to rigorously interface with the various party presidential candidates, whenever they emerge, to agree minimum parameters to have our electoral support, should be considered a must.

In Nigeria, where breast cancer has quietly become one of the deadliest diseases facing women, and where our public health infrastructure continues to buckle under the weight of growing demand, one small group of women has spent a decade showing what quiet commitment can achieve.

FrendzUnite is not a foundation. It is not a donor-backed non-governmental organization (NGO), nor is it a government-sponsored programme. It is something far more organic and, in many ways, more powerful because of the commitment of the members. At its heart is a group of committed twenty professional women, but its roots go back to just six friends who shared more than just social ties. These were women who had grown up together, navigated life side by side, and who, over time, began dreaming of using their bond for something greater than socializing.

They made a conscious decision from the beginning that the group would remain small, intimate, and intentional. Membership was capped at twenty women, and new members would only be admitted when someone exited either due to relocation or death. This wasn’t exclusivity for its own sake. It was to preserve unity, trust, and focus. Each new member undergoes a vigorous vetting process not just to assess competence or enthusiasm, but to ensure alignment with the core values that defines the group, selfless service to humanity, integrity, and sisterhood.

What began as friendship has quickly deepened into a shared sense of responsibility. Over time, a deeper question emerged; what if their friendship could become a platform to give back? From this question, FrendzUnite was born. Recognizing the pain and suffering that breast cancer inflicts on Nigerian women especially those without access to timely care and the resources they made a collective decision, to act. And without waiting for outside help.

Over time, their circle expanded, as they carefully welcomed others who shared their values of empathy, commitment, and community involvement. And from this small, deeply connected group emerged a purpose-driven association determined to confront breast cancer head-on and not with noise, but with practical, life-saving actions.

But FrendzUnite didn’t stop there. As they worked with patients and visited communities, they saw that the illness was often compounded by extreme poverty. In response, they extended their mission to include the economic empowerment of women in two poverty-stricken areas. Through small but impactful interventions- from seed capital to micro-support initiatives- they’ve helped the women of Down Quarters and Raffin Guza communities to become financially independent, and more aware of the importance of seeking care when it matters most.Like they say, early detection is key.

They have also gone a step further by engaging in youth empowerment initiatives, equipping young people with life skills like sewing and other practical training programmes that will prepare them for a self-reliant future. This hands-on approach to empowerment ensures that the impact of FrendzUnite is both immediate and generational.

What started as friendship has evolved into a movement rooted in compassion and powered by personal sacrifice.

For ten years, they have walked alongside women battling the disease, offering awareness, emotional support, and crucial financial assistance. In a society where too many have been left to suffer in silence, FrendzUnite has stood by victims of the scourge without discrimination whatsoever.

They have certainly accomplished what many larger, louder, and better-funded organizations have not been able to achieve because of their commitment and dedication to the cause.

Since 2009, FrendzUnite has invested more than #8 million of their own money and with some support from friends and kind hearted individuals directly into the lives of breast cancer patients and struggling families. This includes sponsoring surgeries, diagnostic tests, follow-up care, and short-term financial aid that often means the difference between life and death. They’ve empowered women in communities like Down Quarters and Rafin Guza with seed capital to start or grow their small businesses.

This year alone, they have supported six women with financial assistance modest amounts, perhaps, but life-saving in the context of a broken healthcare system where even basic consumables are unaffordable for many.

At Barau Dikko Hospital, FrendzUnite maintains a #600,000 imprest account to pay for essential items such as gloves, syringes, IV fluids, and dressings. They used to maintain a similar imprest account at the Ahmadu Bello Teaching University Hospital, Zaria. These are items that, when unavailable, can delay or deny treatment altogether. This fund has become a lifeline, quietly covering gaps that should never have existed in the first place and ensuring that no woman is turned away because of her poverty.

These are not the kinds of gestures that make headlines. They are not ‘sponsored by’ anyone. Theirs are quiet acts of mercy, repeated consistently, year after year, because twenty women have made a promise to show up and have kept the promise.

But the work is not without pain. FrendzUnite has unfortunately lost two of its own members to breast cancer. These were women who fought not just for others, but were eventually diagnosed and had to fight for themselves. The members have an intimate understanding of what it means to live with fear and to hope for healing. Their deaths were devastating. But the group didn’t fall apart. Instead, they found deeper resolve. Now, each life they touch, each walk they organize, each patient they help, is a tribute to those sisters who are no longer with them.

And this work has and would never be easy. Nigeria’s cancer crisis is worsening. According to the Global Cancer Observatory, Nigeria recorded over 269,000 new cancer cases in 2022. Breast cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women. Late presentation is common. Cultural stigma prevents early disclosure. Access to diagnosis and treatment is often delayed or denied.

In addition to the fragmented healthcare system is the absence of insurance coverage and insufficient investment by the government. The result is predictable: lives lost not to cancer, but to a system that has no capacity to respond.

This is why FrendzUnite matters. They have stepped into a void and not to replace government or other global actors, but to remind us all that we don’t have to wait for help to come from abroad or from Abuja. That we can and must act locally, with what we have.

What sets FrendzUnite apart is not just what they do, but how they do it. No donor dependence. No internal chaos. No mission creep. They are self-funded and impact-driven. In a society where doubts still linger about women’s ability to lead long-term initiatives without division or collapse, FrendzUnite has quietly disproved the stereotype.

They have also transcended the divisions that have long bedeviled Nigeria- religion and tribe. You have a Hurary from Katsina State, the Aminas’ from Bauchi and Edo states working hand in hand and building deep bonds with Faith, Agnes, and Mary from Anambra, Kaduna, and Delta states. In a country where such unity is rare, FrendzUnite offers a powerful counter-narrative one of shared humanity and purpose.

For ten years, they have walked. Literally. Every October, during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, they organize their annual walk through the streets of Kaduna to educate, advocate, and mobilize. They’ve also gone door to door and spoken with women from all walks of life and have taught them breast self-examination in local languages. They’ve walked in the sun, the rain, and through fatigue to make sure that more women hear the message.

And now, ten years in, they’re thinking ahead. They know they won’t be here forever, so they’re laying the foundation for the future. They’ve started planning the formation of ‘Frendz of FrendzUnite’,a broader support network that will allow friends, family members, professionals, and well-wishers to contribute financially, volunteer their time, and keep the flag flying. They’re also exploring new partnerships with schools, where they hope to begin early health education and instill the value of community service among younger generations.

Because for them, this work is more than cancer. It’s about community. It’s about building a Nigeria where people do not suffer alone, where women lift each other up, and where friendship is not just about celebrating,but for doing something worthwhile.

FrendzUnite have shown us that it’s possible to do great things when citizens are determined. They remind us that the fight against breast cancer is not just a medical challenge but also a moral one. It calls on each of us to ask: what am I doing to help, to ease another’s burden, and to make sure that the woman next door doesn’t suffer in silence?

FrendzUnite have shown that breast cancer does not have to be a death sentence. That with early awareness, timely diagnosis, accessible treatment and above all with the compassion of a community that cares. And for ten years, FrendzUnite has embodied that compassion, walking it out one step at a time.

They’ve given their time, their money, their energy, and their hearts. Now they are inviting the rest of us to do the same.

It’s important that ten years later, they’re still walking. Let us walk with them.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has said that innovation alone cannot replace the foundational importance of ethics in building a credible and transformative capital market.

Director General of the SEC, Dr. Emomotimi Agama, stated this at the weekend during the 29th annual conference of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS) held in Abuja.

He maintained that a truly transformative capital market must be built on ‘integrity, transparency, and accountability.’

According to him: ‘No amount of innovation can replace the foundational importance of ethics. A truly transformative capital market must be built on integrity, transparency, and accountability.’

Agama urged stockbrokers to uphold the highest levels of professionalism and ethical conduct in their operations, noting that the credibility of the market depends on trust and fairness.

‘In every thriving market, investors must have full confidence that the intermediaries who manage their wealth are guided by the highest standards of honesty and competence,’ he said.

Speaking on the theme of this year’s conference, ‘Capital Markets in a Digital, Ethical, Sustainable Era: Pathways for Economic Transformation,’ Agama described it as timely and reflective of global trends.

He explained that the world is currently witnessing a transition where technology drives innovation, ethics anchor trust, and sustainability defines the future of finance.

‘These three dimensions-digitalization, ethics, and sustainability-are not separate pillars; they form the foundation of a modern, inclusive, and resilient capital market,’ he said.

The SEC boss pointed out that technological innovation is reshaping capital markets globally, citing the emergence of online trading platforms, digital assets, data analytics, blockchain, and artificial intelligence as examples of tools revolutionizing how capital is raised, invested, and supervised.

Agama noted that the Commission has embraced digital transformation as an opportunity to enhance efficiency, transparency, and investor protection in the Nigerian market.

‘We are strengthening our market surveillance systems, automating regulatory processes, and introducing risk-based supervision frameworks-all aimed at positioning the Nigerian capital market for the realities of a digital economy,’ he said.

He added that the SEC is working closely with market stakeholders, including the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, to promote digital literacy and build capacity across the market.

‘As technology evolves, so must our skills, our ethics, and our shared commitment to fairness and professionalism,’ Agama stated.

He described the CIS as a key partner in promoting professionalism, setting standards, and enforcing ethical codes that define the stockbroking profession.

‘As regulators, we continue to emphasize that professionalism and ethical conduct are non-negotiable,’ he said. ‘Together, the SEC and the CIS must continue to strengthen ethics education, continuous professional development, and disciplinary frameworks to ensure that the market remains a place of trust.’

Agama’s remarks reflect the Commission’s broader commitment to positioning the Nigerian capital market as a transparent, innovative, and investor-friendly environment capable of driving sustainable economic growth.