Asianet Pakistan Private Limited

Founder and Chancellor of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to personally visit the deplorable Ado-ABUAD-Ijan-Ikole federal road in Ekiti State, saying such a visit would enable the President to appreciate the hardship experienced daily by students, patients, workers, parents and other road users.

Former presidential aide, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, had on Monday raised the alarm over the poor condition of the road, calling the attention of the Federal Government to the plight of road users.

The Federal Executive Council, a few weeks ago, announced a fresh award of the road to a new contractor, with a promise that the project would be financed through the Renewed Hope Initiative.

Babalola, in an open letter on Wednesday made available to Tribune Online, also expressed appreciation to Senator Ojudu for his recent publication on the highway. He said the condition of the road had become unbearable despite repeated appeals to successive Federal Governments, Ministers of Works and other relevant agencies for its reconstruction.

The legal luminary described Senator Ojudu’s persistent advocacy on the road as timely and commendable, noting that his intervention had provided another strong voice to the long-standing campaign for the Federal Government to urgently rehabilitate the road.

According to him, Ekiti State, which will mark 30 years since its creation on October 1, 1996, has remained largely disadvantaged by its poor road infrastructure and lack of adequate transportation links, describing the state as ‘landlocked, motorway-locked, railway-locked, industry-locked, power-locked and airport-locked’.

Babalola, however, commended Governor Biodun Oyebanji for his efforts in attracting goodwill and support towards the development of the state, particularly the commencement of commercial flight operations at the Ekiti Agro-Allied International Cargo Airport on December 10, 2025.

He recalled that he contributed $1.6 million towards the provision of navigational aids and control tower equipment for the airport, in addition to spending N356,795,039.18 to construct a 100-car-capacity park opposite the terminal building.

Turning specifically to the Ado-Ijan-Ilumoba-Ikole Road, Babalola said the road was originally constructed by the colonial authorities more than 100 years ago and had remained substantially unchanged in terms of its winding and inadequate alignment.

He said the road, which once served as a major link between Lagos, Abeokuta, Ibadan, Ilesa, Ado-Ekiti, Ikare and Lokoja, had over the years suffered prolonged neglect, resulting in its current deplorable and almost impassable condition.

According to him, ‘This all-important road has been neglected for several years, a development which has rendered it impassable. This compelled me to make several representations to the Federal Government and its agencies to fix the road. But it would appear that all my representations were ignored.’

Babalola disclosed that ABUAD had, as part of its corporate social responsibility, spent billions of naira between 2010 and 2019 to repair and maintain portions of the road and the old Ureje Bridge before the Federal Government awarded repair works to a local contractor.

He lamented that the contractor not only failed to resolve the problem but allegedly worsened the condition of the road before abandoning the project.

According to him, another contractor was awarded the road about two years ago, but the situation has similarly deteriorated, leaving motorists and other users to contend with severe hardship.

He said the condition of the road had become so bad that some lecturers who live outside the university campus could no longer drive their vehicles to work, leading to lateness and other disruptions to academic activities.

Babalola stressed that the strategic importance of the road could not be overemphasised, pointing out that it provides access to several important institutions, including ABUAD, the university’s 400-bed multi-system hospital, the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, the Ado-Ekiti campus of the National Open University of Nigeria, a Federal Government-owned silo; and the Ekiti Agro-Allied International Cargo Airport.

He noted that ABUAD had continued to attract national and international recognition, citing its ranking by the Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Ratings as the number one university in Nigeria for five consecutive years between 2022 and 2026, second in Africa and 72nd globally.

Babalola recalled that he had written several letters to successive Presidents, Ministers of Works and Housing, Ministers of Transport, the leadership of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) and successive Ekiti State governors, drawing their attention to the condition of roads across the state.

He said that on January 24, 2022, he specifically wrote to the then Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, requesting permission for ABUAD to deploy the expertise and resources of its College of Engineering to repair the road and construct a new bridge, with the Federal Government reimbursing the cost.

He regretted that the proposal received neither acknowledgement nor response.

The elder statesman said the urgency of fixing the road had become even more compelling ahead of a major international event scheduled for October 21, 2026, when Trinity Western University, Canada, and Trinity International University, USA, are expected to confer honorary Doctor of Laws degrees on him.

He questioned whether the deplorable condition of the road was the image Nigeria wanted to present to international visitors, particularly given that ABUAD has students from all 36 states of the federation, the Federal Capital Territory and some foreign countries.

‘Something must be done about this road, and the time is now,’ he stressed.

Babalola therefore backed Ojudu’s appeal to the Minister of Works, David Umahi, to personally tour the road during his inspection of federal roads in Ekiti State and interact with him over the challenges confronting the road.

He urged President Tinubu to go beyond reports and personally inspect the road, saying it appeared that the President had not been given the true picture of its deplorable condition.

‘In support of Senator Ojudu’s well-appreciated position, may I humbly appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, to personally visit the road because it would appear that he has not been given the true picture of the deplorable and impassable nature of the road,’ he said.

He also called on Ekiti indigenes, particularly professors, professionals and opinion leaders, to join the campaign for the reconstruction of the state’s federal roads.

‘I equally call on all the people of Ekiti State, particularly our numerous professors and opinion leaders, to join Senator Ojudu and my humble self in this crusade to make Ekiti roads motorable. It can be done, and it should be done,’ Babalola said.

The nonagenarian said the development of Ekiti could be accelerated if its road infrastructure was given the attention it deserved, stressing that ‘it can be done and it should be done.’

Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, has inaugurated the Director-General and more than 600 members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Campaign Council in Kebbi State.

Malami, while inaugurating the council, charged its members to unite and work collectively towards strengthening the party’s grassroots structures ahead of the forthcoming elections.

He said the campaign council was established to provide a coordinated platform for all ADC candidates across the state, rather than serve the interests of individual aspirants.

‘This Campaign Council represents our collective ADC campaign. It is not about one candidate or one elective position. From the governorship to the Senate, House of Representatives and State House of Assembly, we must work as one political family,’ he said.

The former minister said the council comprised members from different communities, local government areas and senatorial districts, describing its composition as a reflection of the diversity of Kebbi State.

He called on party leaders and supporters to avoid tribalism, sectionalism and internal rivalry, warning that such tendencies could undermine the party’s chances at the polls.

Malami also urged members to prioritise reconciliation and dialogue whenever disagreements arise within the party.

‘Where there are disagreements, let us reconcile. Where there are grievances, let us listen. Where there is suspicion, let us rebuild trust. Our diversity must become our strength,’ he said.

He particularly acknowledged the ADC senatorial candidates, including Gen. Aminu Bande for Kebbi Central, Garba Maidoki for Kebbi South and Chiroman Kabi, Alhaji Mera, for Kebbi North, as well as candidates contesting seats in the House of Representatives and State House of Assembly.

According to Malami, the success of individual candidates should be regarded as a collective victory for the ADC, stressing the need for cooperation among all campaign structures.

‘Different candidates, one ADC. Different communities, one Kebbi State. Different responsibilities, one common purpose,’ he declared.

He further tasked the campaign council with ensuring that the ADC campaign remained peaceful, lawful and issue-based, while discouraging hate speech, ethnic provocation and personal attacks against political opponents.

Malami reminded supporters that political contests would end, but relationships among members of the communities would continue beyond elections.

‘After the elections, we will still worship together, attend the same markets, celebrate together, mourn together and raise our children together. No political ambition is worth destroying those bonds,’ he said.

He described the appointments to the campaign council as a responsibility to serve rather than a reward, urging members to mobilise supporters, resolve grievances and take the party’s message to every local government, ward and community in the state.

Malami concluded by calling on the council members to rise above personal and sectional interests in pursuit of what he described as a collective vision for Kebbi State.

‘Let us rise above our differences. Let us rise above tribalism and sectionalism. Let us rise together in service to our people. And together, let us make Kebbi State shine. Arise and Shine!’ he said.

Workers at the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) in Nigeria have demanded that management immediately respect ongoing legal processes, warning that continued disregard for the law, poor welfare, and unfair labour practices are driving the organisation toward a nationwide industrial crisis

The workers, under the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), WAEC Nigeria branch, gave this position on Monday during an emergency general meeting at the National Office in Yaba, Lagos.

In a speech delivered at the congress and made available to Nigerian Tribune by the NASU branch chairman, Comrade Matthew Kayode Ogunyade, the union accused the WAEC management, led by the Head of National Office (HNO), Dr Amos Josiah Dangut, of committing contempt of court and deliberately provoking an industrial crisis.

According to the NASU branch chairman, WAEC management approached the National Industrial Court of Nigeria on July 17, 2026, to secure an interim injunction restraining the union from embarking on a planned strike. However, the union claimed that management had continued to make pronouncements and alter structures on issues currently pending before the judge.

‘Management has continued to engage in activities that contravene the spirit of that court process,’ Ogunyade stated. ‘This constitutes a direct violation of the principle of lis pendens and amounts to contempt of court. We, therefore, demand that Dr Dangut and the entire management immediately retrace their steps, obey the court process, and allow the law to take its course.’

The union revealed that it had previously issued a 14-day ultimatum to down tools across all WAEC offices nationwide over nine critical grievances.

Chief among the grievances is a controversial reduction of the 2026 WASSCE (School Candidate) packing duration to a 24-hour schedule. NASU disclosed that the pressure from the tight timeline allegedly resulted in the deaths of three staff members due to extreme fatigue.

According to the union, management reverted to the original 48-hour schedule only after the fatalities occurred.

Other unresolved issues fueling the crisis include:

Suspension of the staff upgrade programme after workers had spent personal resources preparing for it.

Imposition of the Minimum Net Pay Balance Policy.

Unilateral constitution of disciplinary panels without union representation, which the union said led to the allegedly unfair dismissal of workers, including Mr Sanni Moshood, Mr Olaniyan Adewale Ezekiel and five staff members in the Benin office.

Denial of promotions, with the union specifically citing NASU branch treasurer, Miss Elizabeth Okolie, who was allegedly denied promotion following a minor incident at the WAEC Press House in Lagos.

Indiscriminate recruitment of contract staff and structural manipulation to poach members from the Examination Administrative Officers Cadre in an attempt to weaken collective bargaining.

NASU noted that although management called several conciliatory meetings, including a session that lasted from 3:00 pm to 1:00 am the following day, the engagements yielded no progress due to management’s ‘evasiveness and resistance.’

The breakdown of the talks originally set the stage for a nationwide shutdown on July 22, 2026, before the court intervention.

In a bid to safeguard Nigerian students and preserve the credibility of regional examinations, NASU called on the Federal Ministry of Education, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, and the Administrative and Finance Committee (AandF) of WAEC to intervene.

The union maintained that while it did not want to disrupt council activities, it would not compromise on the dignity of its workforce.

‘A peaceful, motivated, and fairly treated workforce is the bedrock of credible examinations,’ Ogunyade concluded. ‘Management must choose dialogue over dictatorship and law over impunity.’

When reached for comment on the development, WAEC Nigeria spokesperson, Mrs Moyosola Adesina, stated that the matter was currently before the court.

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Budget Office of the Federation (BOF) have inaugurated a Joint Technical Committee for the National Sovereign Cloud Initiative (JTC-NSCI) to address critical fiscal, procurement, financing, investment and infrastructure issues required for the successful implementation of the initiative.

The committee is chaired by the Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation, Tanimu Yakubu, while the Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, serves as co-chair.

Its membership comprises key government institutions with responsibilities spanning public finance, procurement, investment, connectivity, power and energy, cybersecurity and data governance, among other areas.

Speaking at the inauguration, Yakubu said the committee was addressing an increasingly important issue of state capacity, particularly as government spending on digital infrastructure continues to rise in response to growing public reliance on digital services.

According to him, the committee’s central responsibility is to ensure that investments in digital infrastructure are properly planned, prioritised and supervised to deliver efficiency, resilience and value for public funds.

‘Our challenge is to ensure that these investments are properly planned, appropriately prioritised, fiscally sustainable, and capable of delivering greater value from public resources. Exploring Public Finance Advisory Services

‘The National Sovereign Cloud Initiative should therefore help us to improve efficiency and resilience, reduce avoidable duplication, optimise existing capacity, and make better-informed investment decisions,’ Yakubu said.

He noted, however, that government does not necessarily need to finance or own every component of the country’s digital infrastructure ecosystem.

Yakubu called for an approach that would mobilise private capital, encourage competitive markets and create credible long-term demand to complement public investment.

According to him, sovereign cloud implementation extends beyond technology, cutting across public finance, budgeting, procurement, investment, power, connectivity, cybersecurity, data governance and regulation.

‘No single institution can address these issues in isolation,’ he said, stressing the importance of collaboration among the various ministries, departments and agencies represented on the committee. Monitoring Federal Legislative Bills

Yakubu said the committee’s work would be practical, evidence-driven and result-oriented, with progress measured by improved utilisation of existing assets, reduced duplication, stronger resilience, better value for public expenditure and increased private-sector investment.

In his remarks, Inuwa described the inauguration of the committee as a defining step towards strengthening Nigeria’s digital sovereignty and securing the future of its digital economy.

He warned that continued dependence on foreign digital infrastructure could leave Nigeria’s critical digital future in the hands of foreign companies.

‘Anything about the fourth industrial revolution relies on our digital infrastructure, connectivity, and computing power.

‘Relying on foreign services for all this digital infrastructure means we are putting our future in the hands of these foreign companies. So, digital sovereignty is about building our capacity for digital self-determination,’ Inuwa said.

The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Dr. Chibuzo Okereke, has rejected the idea of an opposition consensus presidential candidate formed merely to defeat President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election, describing such an arrangement as strategically weak and potentially harmful to Nigeria’s democratic development.

Okereke, who spoke in an exclusive interview with Nigerian Tribune, said any genuine opposition collaboration should be anchored on a clearly defined policy agenda, measurable manifesto and governance vision, rather than an attempt by political actors to gang up against the incumbent.

He said the proposed G100 initiative should instead mobilise Nigerians to participate actively in the electoral process and make informed choices.

According to him, ‘We should not subscribe to forming consensus merely to defeat someone else. That itself is not strategic.’

He added that if G100 exists, its focus should be on ‘championing credible policy alternatives with a manifesto that is measurable and costed’ while mobilising Nigerians to participate in politics.

The LP candidate expressed reservations about selecting one candidate from the 21 presidential candidates already nominated by different political parties, arguing that each party has constitutional structures and rights that must be respected.

‘Twenty-one presidential candidates means 21 political parties and 21 different National Working Committees, National Executive Committees and other critical structures of parties that are based on constitutionalism,’ he said.

While warning that any attempt to use an undemocratic process for political advantage could result in distrust and betrayal among participating parties, Dr. Okereke, however observed that parties could reach out to one another and make individual cases for support, noting that a formal merger was no longer possible at this stage of the electoral process.

Dr. Okereke maintained that the Nigerian electorate should ultimately determine which candidate or political arrangement succeeds. ‘The aggregate of Nigerian voters would be the ultimate decider of any arrangements,’ he said, while positioning the Labour Party as a platform focused on human capital development, social justice and equal opportunity.

On reconciling competing presidential ambitions, he said political parties and candidates could voluntarily agree to support another candidate on patriotic or compassionate grounds, noting that there had been instances where parties agreed to zone tickets or support candidates from other political platforms.

He, however, insisted that such decisions must be driven by the interests of Nigerians, saying ‘Where we are in our democratic journey, we must put people first before politics and power,’ he said.

The Labour Party Presidential candidate also dismissed the possibility of legally compelling presidential candidates to withdraw from the 2027 race in favour of a consensus candidate, saying such an arrangement could only amount to a political or ‘gentlemen’s agreement’ with no basis in law. He noted that the deadline for withdrawal and substitution of candidates under the Independent National Electoral Commission timetable had elapsed on August 22, 2026.

‘No presidential candidate can legally withdraw now,’ Okereke said, adding that there would be no legally binding guarantee for any political arrangement reached after the deadline.

He also questioned the sustainability of a coalition of opposition parties after an election, citing the experience of the All Progressives Congress, which emerged from several political tendencies, including elements of the APGA, CPC, ACN, New PDP and ANPP.

He recalled the subsequent disputes and allegations of marginalisation among some of the groups, arguing that alliances should be founded on a shared developmental vision rather than the sharing of political offices.

‘Sometimes how to share the spoils of victory causes more division than nursing the pain of loss, which can unify sometimes better,’ he said, insisting that Nigeria’s multiparty democracy should provide citizens with variety and choice.

On concerns that a coalition formed primarily to defeat the ruling party could reproduce the same governance problems once in power, Okereke said the promoters of the proposed coalition should provide answers. He reiterated that no meaningful coalition should be established simply to remove an incumbent, insisting that Nigerians must remain the central consideration.

He said Nigerians should be empowered to make informed electoral decisions rather than allowing political elites to determine the country’s political direction. Describing himself as representing ‘a new chapter’ in Nigerian politics, Okereke said his ‘Nigerians First Vision’ would focus on innovation, expanding opportunities, improving areas where the current administration had recorded successes and addressing existing gaps.

He therefore urged Nigerians to embrace what he called ‘a breath of fresh air’ and use the 2027 election to choose a new direction for the country.

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun Central, on Wednesday, flagged off its campaigns for the presidential and National Assembly elections, ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Members of the party trooped out in large numbers from the three federal constituencies at the Ake Palace Pavilion, Abeokuta, for the event, which had in attendance the governorship and deputy governorship candidates of the party, Hon Oladipupo Adebutu and Alhaja Yemi Sowunmi -Kolapo; the senatorial candidate, Professor Iyabo Obasanjo, among others.

The party’s governorship candidate urged supporters and indigenes to vote for a tested and trusted candidate in Senator Obasanjo, saying that her track record while she represented them had not been matched.

Adebutu said Ogun Central must bid farewell to non-performance and vote for liberation.

He urged residents and party supporters to come out en masse to vote for PDP on January 16, 2027; stand by their votes, and resist intimidation.

Senator Obasanjo, in her address, said she was glad that everywhere she went, people, on their own, pointed at the work she did when she represented the district and how many people were liberated from poverty.

She promised to do even more to make the people benefit from the dividends of democracy.

Residents and supporters who took turns to speak pledged their unflinching loyalty to the PDP candidates and assured them of their votes in January.

‘We will vote and stand by our votes for PDP,’ they said.

In Abeokuta North Federal Constituency, where Dele Olaleye is the House of Representatives candidate, the campaign train was also greeted by a massive crowd that had waited passionately from about 10am to receive the PDP team at NTA Junction in Totoro.

Residents and party supporters trooped out to welcome the team, chanting different solidarity songs as the senatorial and governorship candidates assured them of purposeful representation at both the senatorial and Federal Constituency levels.

The campaign was also well-received at the Abeokuta South Senatorial District, where Hon. Toyin Amuzu is the House of Representatives candidate of the party.

The supporters who had trooped out to receive the campaign train followed the convoy to Ake Pavillion where the Ogun Central flag-off rally was held.

Adebutu, the party’s governorship candidate, urged supporters and the citizens of Ogun State to vote for a tested and trusted candidate in Senator Obasanjo, saying that her track record when she represented the district had not been matched.

The PDP governorship candidate added that Ogun Central must bid farewell to non-performance and vote for liberation.

He urged residents and party supporters to come out en masse to vote for PDP on January 16, 2027; stand by their votes, and resist intimidation.

From Isale Eko on Lagos Island to Lagos State University, twin brothers Taiwo and Kehinde Ajitokewu have recorded a major academic achievement, with Taiwo graduating with First-Class honours and Kehinde emerging as the Best Graduating Student in his department.

The brothers graduated from the Department of Science and Technology Education, Faculty of Education, during LASU’s 29th and 30th combined convocation ceremonies.

While Taiwo studied Biology Education and graduated with First-Class honours, Kehinde studied Computer Science Education and emerged as the Best Graduating Student in the department.

Their achievement came as LASU graduated 20,604 students from the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 academic sessions, with 494 students earning First-Class honours.

The university said 262 students obtained First-Class honours in the 2024/2025 session, while 232 achieved the feat in the 2025/2026 session.

Sharing his story on LinkedIn, Taiwo said their journey started with uncertainty but was sustained by determination and consistency.

He said some people considered their choice of courses less valuable, but they saw opportunities where others saw limitations.

‘Excellence is the reward of steadfastness and consistency,’ Taiwo wrote.

Reintroducing himself, he said, ‘I’m Taiwo Ajitokewu, a First-Class Graduate in Biology Education, Department of Science and Technology Education, Faculty of Education.’

He added, ‘My twin brother, Ajitokewu Kehinde, is the Best Graduating Student in Computer Science Education, Department of Science and Technology Education, Faculty of Education.’

The brothers also recorded other achievements during their undergraduate years, including two national scholarships, more than four local scholarships, international recognitions and two professional mentorships.

They were also selected as Millennium Fellows for the Class of 2025 at LASU.

The Millennium Fellowship is a global leadership programme organised by United Nations Academic Impact and the Millennium Campus Network.

For the 2025 class, more than 60,000 young leaders applied from 7,000 campuses across 170 nations, while more than 4,500 fellows were selected from over 290 campuses worldwide.

Taiwo, whose fellowship profile identifies him as Ajitokewu Muhaimin Taiwo, studied Biology Education and worked on a waste-management sustainability project focused on biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste.

The project promoted sustainable waste management through recycling, reuse, composting and reducing waste generation.

His fellowship profile also identified him as a LASU SDGs Youth Ambassador and Cowrywise Campus Ambassador. He also held leadership roles at Dolphin High School, Lagos Island.

He earned the Bronze Standard of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award in 2020.

Kehinde, identified on the fellowship platform as Ajitokewu Mutmohinu Kehinde, studied Computer Science Education and developed a project on digital infrastructure for sustainable development.

His project focused on digital literacy training, community-based digital hubs and capacity building for educators, with the aim of reducing the digital divide and promoting innovation and entrepreneurship.

His fellowship profile also records leadership roles, including Assistant Senior Prefect and Science Lab Prefect at Dolphin High School. He also served as a LASU SDG Youth Ambassador, Cowrywise Campus Ambassador and Assistant General Secretary of the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria, LASU.

‘Our environment did not determine who we became’

Reflecting on their childhood, Kehinde said the twins were raised in Isale Eko, a historic Lagos Island community known for its culture and heritage but also associated with congestion and social challenges.

He said their environment did not determine the men they would become, adding that they allowed their values, discipline, faith and vision to shape their future.

‘From the very community many underestimated emerged a First Class graduate in Biology Education (Taiye) and the Best Graduating Student in Computer Science Education (K?´hìndé) from one of the most demanding departments in the Faculty of Education, the Department of Science and Technology Education (STEM), Lagos State University,’ Kehinde wrote.

He said their achievements came from dedication, resilience and faith rather than talent alone.

According to Kehinde, their undergraduate journey saw them receive two national scholarships, four local scholarships, three international award recognitions and two mentorships.

He said the milestones represented more than personal success, describing them as proof that excellence could emerge from any environment.

For Kehinde, their success was also a lesson in refusing to allow their background to determine their future.

‘Never allow your environment to place a limit on your potential. Your background may shape your story, but it does not have the authority to write your future,’ he said.

He urged young people to dream boldly, work diligently, remain humble and trust God, stressing that circumstances should not become a limitation to their aspirations.

Taiwo, meanwhile, attributed their achievement to steadfastness and consistency.

The brothers thanked their parents, siblings, teachers, lecturers, mentors and friends for supporting them throughout their academic journey.

They said the achievement was a celebration not only for them but also for everyone who supported them.

The twins are now open to local and international opportunities.

The programme, which is currently ongoing, marks an important investment in parents and caregivers and in stronger protection for children.

Implementation of the two-day intensive training for Community facilitators in Ekiti started today, Wednesday, August 26, and will end tomorrow, Thursday, August 27, 2026.

According to UNICEF and VFN Africa, the trained facilitators will thereafter lead a 10-week community parenting school across selected communities, directly reaching approximately 800 parents and caregivers.

‘Through household engagement, peer learning and community knowledge sharing, the programme is expected to extend key parenting and child protection messages to an estimated wider reach of more than 16,000 parents and caregivers.

Participants will build practical knowledge and skills in positive parenting, child development, emotional connection, parent-child communication, positive discipline, gender equitable caregiving, positive fatherhood, adolescent supervision, digital safety, safeguarding, prevention of sexual

violence, prevention of female genital mutilation and child marriage, birth registration, community-based child protection structures and referral pathways.

Bringing these themes together reflects the reality that the risks affecting children are interconnected. Positive parenting provides a unique platform for parents and caregivers to understand those risks within one coherent framework, prevent harm early, recognise warning signs, challenge harmful practices and know where to seek support.

The programme recognises the home is one of the earliest and most influential environments in a child’s life and therefore, the home unit must be leveraged to strengthen families and create safer communities,’ the organisation stated.

Speaking on the programme, Mr Denis Onose of UNICEF, UNICEF Child Protection Specialist, Lagos Field Office, identified parents and caregivers as central figures to an effective child protection system because they are often the first to see a child’s needs and the first able to act.

‘By combining practical parenting skills with information on prevention, referral pathways and community protection structures, this programme will help families respond earlier and more confidently. UNICEF is pleased to support the State Government, together with Value Female Network Africa, to strengthen the protective environment around children,’ he said.

Also speaking, Dr Costly Aderibigbe Saba, Executive Director of Value Female Network Africa, described the initiative as a landmark opportunity for parents and caregivers, saying, ‘Children are often described as leaders of tomorrow, but they are also learners, innovators and contributors today. We must therefore pay careful attention to the environments in which they are raised, the values they learn and the protection they receive. This programme gives parents practical tools to raise children with care,

confidence and dignity while equipping families with the information they need to prevent violence and harmful practices.’

She added, ‘Positive parenting also gives us the right opportunity to make child protection more connected and practical for families. A parent should not have to understand positive discipline in one programme, female genital mutilation in another, child marriage somewhere else and referral pathways only when a crisis occurs.

Bringing these issues together helps parents understand the whole child and strengthens their role as the first protective environment around every child.’

The Ekiti State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development will support state-level coordination, community mobilisation and linkages with relevant child protection and gender based violence response structures.

According to them, the programme will also strengthen awareness and use of referral pathways so that children and families requiring additional support can access appropriate services in a timely and safe manner.

They said over the 10-week parenting school, parents and caregivers will participate in practical sessions that encourage reflection on everyday parenting challenges, strengthen positive caregiving practices and build confidence to respond to child protection concerns within their homes and communities.

The Gender Transformative Positive Parenting Programme 1.0 represents a shared investment in stronger families and a brighter future for children. Through strengthened parenting knowledge, skills and access to support, the programme seeks to build safer homes, stronger families and a brighter future where children are protected, respected and supported to realise their full potential.

Despite their critical role in Nigeria’s food production and agribusiness value chains, women farmers in Edo State continue to face major obstacles, including limited access to land, affordable finance, improved inputs, markets and modern agricultural technology.

This was the concern raised by the Special Project Coordinator, Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprise-Niger Delta (LIFE-ND), Mr John Omoruyi, at the 2026 International Year of the Woman Farmer (IYWF) celebration in Benin City.

Omoruyi said the challenges were preventing many women from maximising their productive potential, despite their enormous contributions as producers, processors, marketers and entrepreneurs.

He disclosed that the LIFE-ND project, supported by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and other partners, was designed to improve livelihoods, strengthen family enterprises and develop agricultural value chains.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Mrs Osedebame Bamayi, said women are central to the agricultural economy, describing them as producers, processors, marketers, entrepreneurs, employers and custodians of food and nutrition security.

Governor Uba Sani is determined to ensure that every child of school age gets access to basic education in Kaduna State, before the end of his administration.

This was disclosed by the Executive Chairman of Kaduna State Universal Basic Education Board, Malam Mubarak Mohammed, at the Sheikh Abubakar Gumi Market on Wednesday.

The Executive Chairman said that ‘education is a right in Kaduna State under the Governor Uba Sani administration. Basic education is free, and it is not a privilege. So, it is an offence for children of school age to roam the streets during school hours.’

Mubarak, who bemoaned the high rate of out-of-school children in Northern Nigeria, commended the Governor for the giant strides recorded in reducing the number in Kaduna State.

‘Governor Uba Sani has successfully returned more than 360,000 children back to schools,’ he said, adding that ‘this effort has reduced the over 500,000 out-of-school children that were previously in the streets.’

He called on parents and guardians to enrol their children and wards in schools, as ‘education is the greatest leveller which can elevate children of humble backgrounds to enviable heights.’

The Executive Chairman disclosed that SUBEB has built over 2,000 classrooms to accommodate the influx of new pupils.

Last Wednesday, SUBEB launched the 2026/2027 School Enrolment Campaign, where senior government officials, education stakeholders and staff of the Board embarked on a road walk from the State Secretariat to Sheikh Abubakar Gumi market, where speeches were made to raise awareness on the importance of basic education.

Five children presented themselves for enrolment during the advocacy, and the Executive Chairman mandated the relevant officials to ensure their enrolment into primary school.