2027: Ex-PDP members back Kwara gov, APC guber candidate

Former members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State, under the aegis of the Kwara Solidarity Movement (KSM), on Friday restated their support for Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq and the ruling party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Speaking with journalists in Ilorin, the coordinator of the movement, Architect Akanbi Lamidi, flanked by other members, described the APC as the only veritable platform capable of securing victory in the 2027 elections in the state.

The ex-PDP stalwarts, however, appealed to one of the governorship aspirants, Ambassador Yahaya Seriki, and other aggrieved APC members to reconcile their differences with the party’s leadership.

Lamidi said the group comprised former PDP members who joined the APC between 2023 and 2026 and embraced what it described as the ‘vision, inclusiveness and leadership’ of Governor AbdulRazaq.

He said although some APC members might have become aggrieved following the outcome of the party’s primaries, the supremacy of the party must be respected.

‘It is natural that in a contest, some members will feel aggrieved and agitated. But I say to you today and I say it boldly: the supremacy of the party remains constant’, he said.

He urged all APC members to work for the success of the party’s candidates in the 2027 elections, including the party’s governorship candidate and Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Engr. Yakubu Danladi-Salihu.

Lamidi said his group had endorsed AbdulRazaq for the Kwara Central senatorial seat, Mahmud Umar Muhammad for Kwara North and Lekan Adewoye for Kwara South, while pledging support for other APC candidates for the National and State Houses of Assembly.

While acknowledging Amb. Yahaya Seriki’s contributions to the APC, Lamidi, however, appealed to the former APC governorship aspirant to return to the party’s fold and work for its unity.

‘We, therefore, call on all progressive Kwarans to join us in appealing to him (Seriki) in the interest of oneness and unity of Kwara State which Ambassador Yahaya Seriki yearns for’, he said.

Atiku to Tinubu: Nigerians need cheaper fuel, not last-minute transport promises

Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has dismissed President Bola Tinubu’s latest promise to work with governors to reduce public transport fares as a desperate and belated response to a cost-of-living crisis created by his own government.

In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku described the Federal Government’s CNG conversion figures as a damning reflection of the Tinubu administration’s performance, saying the government has unwittingly published its own scorecard of failure.

‘If Tinubu’s grand strategy for cushioning the consequences of his reckless and poorly thought-out subsidy removal is CNG conversion, then the admission that only about 120,000 vehicles have been converted in more than three years is not an achievement. It is an advertisement of policy failure.’

‘Against widely cited estimates of roughly 14 million vehicles on Nigerian roads, 120,000 conversions amount to less than one per cent.

‘That is the government’s own number. That is Tinubu marking his own examination script.

‘If a student returned less than one per cent in his core subject, WAEC would not call it progress. No university would call it excellent performance. Yet Tinubu wants Nigerians to reward the political equivalent of that catastrophic score with another four years.

‘The truth is simple: Nigeria cannot afford another four years of monumental failure.’

Atiku said Tinubu’s declaration that ‘cheaper fuel should result in cheaper fares’ is equally a confession that the administration’s energy policy has been fundamentally disconnected from the daily survival of Nigerians.

‘For more than three years, Nigerians begged this government for relief. Tinubu removed subsidy without a credible cushioning framework, watched transport costs explode, watched food prices follow, watched businesses suffocate under crushing energy costs, and repeatedly told Nigerians that their suffering was the unavoidable price of reform.

‘Now that elections are approaching, and Nigerians are rallying behind Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s proposal for a production-based subsidy to immediately tackle the cost-of-living crisis created by Tinubu, the same government that ridiculed and criticised Atiku’s plan has suddenly discovered that Nigerians need cheaper transportation.

‘This is medicine after death. You cannot break a man’s leg, abandon him in pain for three and a half years, then return with crutches and demand applause for compassion. Tinubu created the transport crisis; CNG cannot now be packaged as heroism.’

Atiku said CNG expansion may be desirable, but warned that an alternative fuel cannot be presented as the solution to a purchasing-power crisis.

‘CNG can make a converted bus cheaper to operate. It cannot make a poor Nigerian richer.

‘That distinction demolishes the propaganda. Go to the motor parks. Nigerians are travelling less because they cannot afford to travel. Workers calculate whether transport to work will swallow their wages. Traders are buying less because transportation is eating into their capital. Students struggle with daily fares. Farmers pay heavily to move food from farms to markets.

‘So what exactly has Tinubu solved if the bus becomes cheaper to operate but the passenger has become too poor to enter it? ‘A cheaper bus without an affordable passenger is not economic recovery.’

Atiku said the government’s celebration of 120,000 conversions in a country with millions of vehicles is the mathematical equivalent of celebrating a bucket of water while the house is still burning.

‘A bus driver does not buy tyres with a presidential statement. A market woman does not transport tomatoes with a government committee. A farmer does not move yam, rice and maize with promises. Spare parts, maintenance, food, rent and virtually every other operating cost have risen.

‘And now Nigerians are being told to wait until October 1 before they may begin to feel relief from a crisis they are suffering today.

‘Nigerians are hungry today. Transport is expensive today. Food is expensive today. Businesses are dying today. Why must relief arrive by appointment?’

Atiku said the deeper failure of the administration is its refusal to understand that Nigeria’s transportation crisis is ultimately a cost-of-living and purchasing-power crisis.

‘You cannot solve a purchasing-power crisis simply by changing the fuel inside a bus. What matters to the Nigerian worker is not merely whether the bus runs cheaply, but whether his salary can still afford the fare, food, rent, medicine, school fees and the basic dignity of life.

‘When fuel rises, transport rises. When transport rises, food rises. When food rises, the household shrinks. That is the economic chain Tinubu broke, and that is the chain Atiku intends to repair.’

Atiku said Nigeria needs a targeted, transparent and fiscally capped subsidy linked to domestic production, deliberately designed to attack the cost-of-living crisis at its source.

‘Fuel subsidy must return for struggling Nigerians, not the rich friends of the President and multinational companies but a targeted production intervention that is transparently budgeted, independently audited and guarantees that the benefit reaches consumers.

‘We will support domestic refining. We will track every barrel. We will cap the cost. We will reduce energy costs. And we will ensure that money and relief reaches the commuter, farmer, worker, trader and small business owner – not politically connected middlemen.

‘That is the difference between Tinubu and Atiku: Tinubu manufactures hardship and distributes palliatives. Atiku will attack hardship at its source.’

Society mourns pioneer president

The Innovative Media Partners Cooperative Multipurpose Society (IMPCMS) has mourned its pioneer President, Mr Dotun Oladipo, who died on Tuesday in Lagos.

IMPCMS described Oladipo’s death as a huge loss to Nigeria’s media industry.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Oladipo, 56, died suddenly after taking ill at his office.

He was the Founder and Publisher of The Eagle Online.as well as the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Premium Eagle Media Ltd.

He also served as President of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) from 2017 to 2021 and remained an Emeritus President of the guild.

In a statement yesterday , the Secretary of IMPCMS, Mr Nkanu Egbe, said Oladipo led the cooperative with dedication and vision, contributing significantly to media collaboration and professional development.

Egbe said Oladipo’s contributions would leave an enduring legacy that would continue to guide the operations of the organisation.

He said Oladipo was instrumental to the establishment of IMPCMS to promote collaboration, training and investment among Nigerian media professionals.

Egbe said that Oladipo’s journalism career spanned nearly three decades, during which he worked with some leading Nigerian newspapers, including Newswatch, Punch, Nigerian Tribune, Nigerian Compass and The Sun.

Egbe noted that Oladipo rose to become Punch’s Politics Editor before venturing into digital publishing and establishing The Eagle Online.

He condoled with Oladipo’s widow , children and other family members, management and staff members of The Eagle Online and Premium Eagle Media Ltd., and his colleagues across the media industry.

Troops kill several terrorists, recover AK-47s in Sokoto

Troops of Sector 2, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, have killed several suspected terrorists and recovered arms, motorcycles and rustled livestock during an encounter in Rabah Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

The operation was conducted in the Maikujera general area following intelligence indicating that suspected terrorists were moving through the area with rustled livestock.

The troops swiftly mobilised to intercept the group but came under an attempted ambush while advancing towards the area.

However, the troops reportedly responded with superior firepower and tactical manoeuvres, overpowering the attackers and killing several of them.

A statement on the operation said the surviving terrorists fled into the surrounding bush after coming under sustained pressure from the troops.

‘Demonstrating high tactical readiness, the troops immediately engaged the terrorists with superior firepower, breaking through the ambush to neutralise several terrorists and forcing the remaining to retreat into the surrounding bush,’ the statement said.

Items recovered during the exploitation of the area included AK-47 rifles, motorcycles allegedly used by the terrorists, and the recovered rustled livestock.

The military said the situation in Rabah and Maikujera remained calm and stable following the operation, assuring residents that troops were maintaining a strong presence in the area.

‘Troops remain firmly in position, maintaining high morale and conducting routine patrols to ensure the continued safety and security of local residents,’ the statement added.

BPSR Targets AI Adoption as 80% of MDAs Get Functional Websites

The Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR) is targeting the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in public service, as more than 80 per cent of federal ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) now have functional websites.

Director-General of the bureau, Dr Dasuki Ibrahim Arabi, disclosed this yesterday in Abuja at the inauguration of the Inter-Ministerial Technical Team (IMTT) for the 2026 Federal Government Websites Ranking Exercise.

Arabi said the proportion of MDAs with functional websites had risen from less than 30 per cent when the ranking began, adding that the bureau was targeting 100 per cent within the next one to two years.

‘We are not looking at only paperless. We are looking at the adoption of the use of AI in delivering public service,’ he said.

He added: ‘We’re hoping that in the next one or two years, all of us will be there. So everybody’s going to score 100 per cent.’

Arabi explained that the website ranking exercise was introduced to make government information and services more accessible to citizens.

‘The quickest and the easiest way for citizens to engage with government is through their website,’ he said.

He noted that MDAs were expected to provide accurate information, working telephone numbers and email addresses, as well as platforms for citizens to make Freedom of Information requests electronically.

Arabi said the government also wanted Nigerians to transact business with MDAs online without travelling to government offices.

He explained that the 2026 ranking would use automated technology to assess MDA websites, adding that the exercise would also help government generate data on its activities, achievements and plans.

He noted that the exercise, now in its seventh edition, would involve private-sector participation in the assessment process.

Director of GovTech Africa, Mr Fortune Toma, said the automation would allow MDA websites to be assessed continuously over several weeks rather than through a one-off manual assessment.

He explained that the system would record findings while allowing IMTT members to review areas requiring human judgment.

Toma noted that increased digitisation also required stronger cybersecurity measures to protect government infrastructure.

‘Obviously, the attacks will now move from physical attacks to cyber attacks,’ he said.

He added that MDAs needed to set standards, monitor their digital infrastructure and conduct compliance checks to protect government systems.

Edo: Owan West stakeholders condemn alleged conversion of Agbebaku’s resignation to impeachment

Owan West stakeholders and concerned citizens of Edo State have strongly condemned the purported conversion of the resignation of the former Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Blessing Agbebaku, to impeachment, describing the action as a brazen abuse of legislative power and a dangerous assault on constitutional democracy.

The stakeholders, in a strongly worded legal protest issued by Barrister Gordie Aigbodion on their behalf, said the development was not only procedurally defective but also raised serious questions about the integrity of the Edo State legislature and its commitment to the rule of law.

Aigbodion said the stakeholders were particularly disturbed that Agbebaku’s voluntary resignation from the speakership, which reportedly preceded the subsequent action of the House, could later be recast as an impeachment, viewing the development as an attempt to rewrite the circumstances of his departure for political purposes.

They argued that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria provides separate and unmistakable procedures for resignation and impeachment, stressing that a voluntary relinquishment of office could not be retrospectively transformed into involuntary removal simply because political circumstances had changed.

The Owan West stakeholders consequently challenged the Edo Assembly to explain the constitutional foundation of its action, asking pointedly what office the former Speaker was allegedly impeached from if his resignation had already taken legal effect.

The group said the controversy could not be dismissed as another internal political disagreement within the Assembly, insisting that it had become a direct test of whether elected lawmakers in Edo State would submit themselves to constitutional restraints or deploy legislative power as an instrument of political retribution.

According to them, the development was particularly offensive to Owan West because Agbebaku’s political mandate was tied to the people of the constituency, warning that any attempt to attach the stigma of impeachment to his departure could amount to an assault on the dignity and political standing of the people he represented.

He recalled that Owan stakeholders had earlier raised strong objections to the circumstances surrounding Agbebaku’s exit from the speakership, averring the latest action as another disturbing chapter in what they perceived as a sustained attempt to undermine the political interests of Owan West.

The stakeholders warned that the precedent being created was dangerous, arguing that if a valid resignation could subsequently be labelled impeachment, then no elected public officer could be certain that his or her voluntary exit from office would not later be politically weaponised.

They therefore demanded that the Assembly immediately publish Agbebaku’s resignation letter, disclose the date and time it was received, make public the proceedings surrounding his resignation and state clearly the constitutional provision relied upon in subsequently declaring him impeached.

The group also demanded an immediate review and correction of the Hansard and every other official legislative record relating to the matter, insisting that the records of the House must preserve the truth and chronology of events rather than serve as instruments for political revisionism.

The people warned that Owan West would resist any attempt to manipulate constitutional processes to humiliate its representative or diminish the voice of its people, declaring that the constituency was neither politically disposable nor voiceless and would continue to demand justice, transparency and respect for the Constitution.

The stakeholders consequently called on the Edo Assembly to retrace its steps and submit the controversial action to proper constitutional scrutiny, stressing that no political calculation, legislative majority or individual interest could be placed above the Constitution, the rule of law and the democratic rights of the people of Owan West.

Akande questions Tinubu, Atiku’s subsidy policy On Inside Sources

Former presidential aide and host of Channels Television’s Inside Sources, Laolu Akande, has questioned the positions of President Bola Tinubu and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over the removal and possible return of petrol subsidy ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Akande, speaking during the ‘My Take’ segment of Inside Sources, said Atiku’s decision to campaign for the restoration of subsidy had reopened a major political and economic debate, but warned that Nigerians must look beyond campaign rhetoric from both sides.

‘After months of Nigerians asking the opposition, ‘How are you different from the incumbent?’ one candidate has responded,’ Akande said.

‘Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who campaigned in 2023 to remove subsidy, has now reversed course. The ADC presidential candidate said he will bring back subsidies. And just like that, the debate about subsidy is back right on time for the 2027 polls.’

Atiku, according to Akande, has argued that the subsidy was removed hurriedly and without adequate measures to cushion its impact on Nigerians.

He said Atiku’s proposal was for a responsible government to restore subsidy in a targeted and transparent manner while working to revive Nigeria’s refineries and strengthen social safety nets.

Tinubu, however, has rejected any return to the subsidy regime, insisting that his administration would not reverse the policy.

According to Akande, the President has argued that subsidy primarily benefited smugglers and a small group of elites and described the system as fraudulent.

‘Both have spoken well. Campaign rhetorics. But let us pin back the rhetorics and you will find out that there is a bit of deceit,’ Akande said.

He questioned the Federal Government’s claim that it had saved more than N15 trillion from subsidy removal between June 2023 and December 2025.

Akande said the figure should be considered alongside the government’s other fiscal decisions, particularly tax waivers, concessions and import duty exemptions.

He cited reports by Punch and BusinessDay that the Federal Government granted N34 trillion in tax waivers, concessions and import duty exemptions in 2025 alone.

‘That sounds very responsible. But there are other books to open,’ he said.

‘In 2025 alone, according to the Customs as reported in the newspapers – Punch and BusinessDay – FG has granted N34 trillion in tax waivers, concessions, and import duty exemptions. So, in one year, they have given away more than we saved from subsidy in about two and a half years.’

Akande questioned who benefited from the tax concessions, arguing that they were unlikely to have directly benefited ordinary Nigerians who bore the immediate impact of higher petrol prices.

‘Who got those waivers? I can bet you that it’s not the bus drivers. Not the university teachers. Not the average workers,’ he said.

‘It was the big oil traders, manufacturers and importers. The very elites that Mr President is saying are feeding fat on the subsidies.’

He argued that the government therefore appeared to have taken away a benefit from consumers at the fuel pump while granting substantial concessions elsewhere.

‘So we took money from the poor at the fuel pump and return it to the powerful through the back door,’ Akande said.

‘That is not reform. That is just a money transfer between Nigeria’s fat cats.’

Akande also challenged the assertion that subsidy had completely disappeared, pointing to what he described as under-recovery by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.

‘And subsidy hasn’t truly completely gone. Because, if you look at the books, NNPC’s own report showed that there was a N3.6 trillion under-recovery in 2024,’ he said.

The former presidential aide said the real test of the subsidy debate should be the economic condition of Nigerians rather than competing political narratives.

He pointed to rising food and transport costs, saying that by July 2026, food inflation was above 35% while transport inflation was above 36%.

‘This is the economics that they don’t explain in the campaign rhetorics,’ Akande said.

He also argued that the purchasing power of workers had deteriorated despite the increase in the national minimum wage.

According to him, the N70,000 minimum wage, when adjusted for inflation, would buy less today than N45,000 did in 2023.

Akande further questioned the implementation of some of the government’s promised palliatives and social intervention programmes.

He recalled the government’s promise to pay N8,000 monthly to 12 million poor households, but said that 26 months later, the World Bank had reported that only 1.8 million households had received payments.

He also criticised the implementation of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas initiative, saying fewer than 2,300 of the 11,000 buses promised had been delivered.

Similarly, he said only N129.6 billion had been disbursed from the N1.15 trillion budgeted for social interventions.

‘People are not angry because they don’t understand economics. They are angry because they were promised a bridge but were given a cliff,’ Akande said.

He also challenged the government’s argument that the subsidy regime was fraudulent, asking why there had been limited accountability for those allegedly involved in subsidy fraud.

‘If subsidy was indeed a fraud, where is the justice? That is the hardest question. Where are the convictions?’ Akande asked.

‘Not one major oil marketer has gone to jail for subsidy fraud.’

Akande’s comments come as the 2027 presidential contest begins to shape political debate around the economic reforms implemented by the Tinubu administration, particularly the removal of petrol subsidy.

While the government maintains that ending the subsidy was necessary to free resources for development and prevent the continued financing of an inefficient system, Atiku’s proposal seeks to make the policy reversal a major campaign issue ahead of the election.

For Akande, however, the central issue is not simply whether subsidy should return or remain abolished, but whether either side can provide Nigerians with a transparent and credible account of who has benefited, who has borne the cost and what mechanisms will protect citizens from the impact of economic reforms.

Oyetola inaugurates committee to boost fish production

The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, has inaugurated a technical committee to boost fish production in Nigeria.

Oyetola, who inaugurated the committee in Abuja yesterday, said the initiative was aimed at moving beyond policy recommendations to planned action capable of delivering measurable improvements in the country’s fisheries and aquaculture sector.

He explained that fish remained a critical source of animal protein for millions of Nigerians, while the fisheries and aquaculture value chain provided livelihoods through production, processing, marketing, transportation and other related services.

The Minister, in a statement by his Media Aide, Bolaji Akinola, said: ‘Fish is an important source of animal protein for millions of Nigerians. The fisheries and aquaculture sector sustains livelihoods across production, processing, marketing, transportation and related services. However, domestic production remains substantially below national demand, with consequences for food security, household incomes and foreign-exchange resources’.

Oyetola identified high production costs, particularly the cost of feed, inadequate access to quality fish seed and broodstock, weak fish-health and biosecurity systems, post-harvest losses and insufficient cold-chain and storage infrastructure among the challenges confronting the sector.

He also cited limited access to affordable finance, gaps in research and innovation, weak data systems, inadequate standards, traceability and market development as constraints that must be urgently addressed.

He stated: ‘The transfer of fisheries and aquaculture functions to the ministry has provided a stronger institutional platform for addressing these challenges as part of Nigeria’s broader blue-economy development.’

He reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to increasing sustainable domestic fish production, strengthening the fisheries value chain and progressively reducing Nigeria’s dependence on fish imports.

The Minister recalled that the ministry, in collaboration with the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), convened a strategic roundtable on October 29, 2025, on accelerating fish production in Nigeria, which produced recommendations aimed at addressing production and value-chain constraints.

He said the newly inaugurated committee was constituted to assess those recommendations and turn validated proposals into a practical, prioritised implementation roadmap.

‘Your assignment is not to develop another policy or establish a parallel programme,’ Oyetola told members of the committee, stressing that the report of the roundtable must be assessed against the National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy, the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy, relevant laws, existing government programmes and the statutory mandates of relevant institutions.

He charged the committee to scrutinise every recommendation and determine whether it should be adopted, refined, integrated into existing frameworks, subjected to further study or set aside as unviable.

The committee is also expected to map existing initiatives across the public, private and development sectors to strengthen proven strategies and prevent duplication in the deployment of scarce resources.

‘Your final output should include a clear implementation roadmap and matrix setting out the priority interventions, responsible institutions, timelines, indicative costs, funding options, performance indicators and required approvals. It should also identify credible opportunities for private-sector investment, public-private partnerships, development finance and other sustainable funding arrangements,’ he said.

The minister urged members of the technical committee to approach the assignment with urgency, objectivity and a strong focus on results.

He said their recommendations must be realistic, evidence-based and financially responsible, while delivering tangible gains in fish production, job creation and food security.

Oyetola assured the committee of the ministry’s institutional support and expressed confidence that its work would provide a practical pathway for accelerating growth in Nigeria’s fisheries and aquaculture sector.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy and Chairman of the committee, Mrs Fatima Mahmood, assured that the committee would approach its mandate with a sense of responsibility, ensuring that the recommendations of the roundtable would be thoroughly reviewed and translated into practical interventions capable of delivering measurable results.

She said the committee would work with relevant stakeholders to identify priority actions, address existing gaps and develop a realistic implementation roadmap to accelerate sustainable fish production, strengthen the fisheries value chain and contribute to Nigeria’s food security and economic development.

Members of the committee include the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Mrs Fatima Sugra Mahmood, who serves as Chairman; Mr. Omoragbon Wellington, Director, Federal Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Abuja; Mr. Garba Usman, Director, Federal Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Lagos Office; Prof Ayo Omotayo, Director-General, National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies; Prof Sule Abiodun, Executive Director, Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research; Prof Akintola Shehu Latunji of Lagos State University; and Prof Sadiku Suleiman Omeiza of the Federal University of Technology, Minna.

Others are Dr. Faith Izibenua Zibs-Godwin, Bayelsa State Commissioner for Marine and Blue Economy; Dr. Charles Okaga, Technical Assistant to the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy; Dr. Ebinimi Ansa, President, Fisheries Society of Nigeria; Mr. Onoja Sunday, President, Catfish Farmers Association of Nigeria; Mr. Mashi Gabriel Sani, President, Fisheries Cooperative Federation of Nigeria; Mr. Remi Ahmed, President, Tilapia Development Association of Nigeria; and Dr. Charles Iyangbe, Country Representative, WorldFish Nigeria.

The committee has eight weeks to submit its report.

Nigerian, 9 Africa creatives set to showcase at fashion week London

Ten Africa fashion designers are gearing up to showcase their creative products at African Fashion Week London (AFWL) 2026, taking place at 8 Northumberland Avenue and the British Council Headquarters.

Among the ten designers include Nigerian designer, Adedayo Ilori, founder of the Dimeji Ilori label and a beneficiary of the British Council’s Creative DNA accelerator programme, among its showcased designers this year.

This edition is expected to build on the success of the partnerships with AFWL and British Council, reaffirming the council’s ongoing commitment to championing emerging African fashion talent on the global stage.

A statement said the initiative aligns with the British Council’s vision to drive sustainable growth by championing creative talent and expanding access to global markets for the next generation of African fashion entrepreneurs while investing in creative economy ecosystems that are rooted in local contexts and globally connected.

It added that Creative DNA is the British Council’s fashion initiative designed to support and uplift the fashion ecosystem in Africa.

‘It achieves this objective by nurturing designers’ skills, deepening their knowledge and expanding their networks.

‘Through their partnership, AFWL and the British Council have developed a thoughtfully designed eight-day programme that provides emerging African designers opportunities to explore market access pathways and share their work with new audiences,’ the statement read.

Adedayo founded his brand Dimeji Ilori in 2021. Based in Lagos, Adedayo has quickly gained attention for his emotionally charged design language, where heritage textiles, artisanal techniques, and contemporary silhouettes come together in collections that feel both deeply rooted and globally relevant.

‘My fashion label has benefitted immensely thanks to the mentorship I have received from Creative DNA. I am looking forward to engaging with other participants on current trends in the fashion industry,’ said Adedayo.

Some of the topics that will be discussed at the panels include African Fashion in Education, Creativity Beyond Borders and African Futures: Where African Design Is Going Now.

Director, British Nigeria Council Country, Donna McGowan said Adedayo’s brand has come a long way since Creative DNA started working with him.

‘We are delighted at the opportunity he has to represent Nigeria at African Fashion Week London.

‘Nigeria is the hub of Africa’s creative industry, and we will continue to collaborate with young Nigerian designers as they seek to grow their businesses,’ she said.

The lesson of pride at the valley of Hunayn

Islam flourished in Mecca and the Muslims became stronger and stronger. But south of Mecca lived a tribe of warriors called Hawazin, who had not become Muslim.

They made an agreement with another tribe from Ta’if, called Thaqif to fight the Muslims and destroy them before they could spread their religion throughout Arabia. The Thaqif, who were known for their courage, soon won the support of other tribes living around the Ta’if area, especially when such tribes were told: Look what has happened! If Quraysh, the largest tribe of all, have fallen to Muhammad, it is only a matter of time before the same will happen to the rest of us. We should strike now before the Muslims are established in Mecca and have the support of Quraysh. The Chief of one of these tribes, a fearless warrior called Malik Ibn Awf, was chosen as the leader. He put forward a plan: You should all go out to battle accompanied by your families, your tents, your sheep and goats, for with all your belongings at stake, none of you will dare give up the fight.’Everyone agreed with Malik except an old, blind man called Dorayd.

He had been a great warrior in his day and because of his experience and valuable advice still accompanied the men into battle. ‘I don’t like Malik’s plan’, he insisted. If a man is so cowardly as to leave a battle, then he will leave his family as well. The women and children will be a great worry to us and if we are defeated all our wealth will fall into enemy hands. But Malik ignored this advice and stuck to his original plan. When the Prophet (pbuh) heard what the enemy tribes were planning, he found himself forced to fight and ordered his army towards Ta”if. He had twelve thousand men and the enemy only four thousand. The Muslims were proud of their strength and as they looked around at their number, said to themselves, ‘We will never be defeated!’ On hearing this Prophet (pbuh) knew that the Muslims had become too proud and because of this would not succeed. He warned them, ‘Look to Allah and not to your own strength.

The time for battle came. The Muslim army advanced along the Hunayn path, a narrow way in the rugged mountains, towards the valley where the Hawazin and the other tribes were waiting. It was very early morning and not yet light. The Muslims were unaware that, under cover of darkness, the Hawazin warriors had already climbed up the mountain and were waiting for them. As soon as all the Muslims were trapped in the narrow passage-way below, the Hawazin ambushed them. First they threw rocks down upon them and then attacked with arrows and swords.

In surprise and fear, the Muslims started to retreat. The Prophet (pbuh) was bitterly disappointed to see them fleeing in terror but he stayed firmly in his place with Abu Bakr, ‘Ali, his uncle al-Abbas, and a few companions at his side. Al-Abbas then called to the Muslims to return and not to abandon the Prophet (pbuh). Ashamed at what they had done, and seeing the Prophet (pbuh) facing the enemy almost alone, the Muslims quickly returned to fight. Then Allah sent His angels-the hosts you cannot see-to their aid. A fierce battle followed. The Muslim warriors advanced, attacking furiously, driving the Hawazin back from the path into the valley, where the fighting went on long and hard. At the end of the day the Muslims won but not before having learned a hard lesson about the danger of pride.

Just as the old man had predicted, the defeated enemy fled, leaving their families and possessions to be captured. Later all the leaders of the tribes except one came to ask for them back and to declare their acceptance of Islam. The Prophet (pbuh) forgave them and returned their families to them, but not their belongings. The one exception was the leader of Hawazin. He fled to Ta’if, where he sought protection in the castle, but the Muslims pursued him and surrounded the city, which they besieged for about three weeks.

They tried to break into the castle but after losing many men in the attempt the Prophet (pbuh) ordered a withdrawal. The story did not end there, however, for shortly afterwards Hawazin and most of the other tribes came to Mecca and declared themselves Muslim, including Malik Ibn Awf, who had led them in battle and whom the Prophet (pbuh) now made their leader.

After the battle of the Hunayn Valley, the Prophet (pbuh) distributed what goods had been taken between the people of Quraysh and the other Bedouin tribes. The Ansar from Medinah, who had been his only support during the long hard years before the conquest of Mecca, received nothing. They felt angry about this and went to the Prophet (pbuh) to complain. He said to them, what is this I hear of you? Do you think badly of me? Did I not come to you when you did not know the truth and Allah guided you; when you were poor and Allah made you rich; when you were enemies and Allah softened your hearts? Are you covetous for the things of this world that I must use to gain people’s trust so that I can then lead them to Islam? Surely for you Islam is enough? Are you not satisfied that while some men take away flocks and herds you take Allah’s Messenger back with you to Medinah?’ On hearing this, all the men felt very contrite and began to weep then with great humility and reverence their spokesman said: ‘We are indeed well pleased to have Allah’s Messenger as our gift in this life.” Perhaps we could ask ourselves the same question. Are we not blessed to have the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and the Book, guiding us in what really matters for ever and ever? Is this not so much more important than thinking about the momentary pleasures of the day?

Shortly after this the Ansar left for Medinah accompanied by the Prophet (pbuh). He could have stayed among his own people and lived out his days in Mecca, but he returned as he had promised, to live among the people of Medinah, which was a great blessing for them.

‘Allah gave you victory on many fields and on the day of Hunayn, when you exulted in your great numbers it was of no help to you, and the earth, vast as it is, was straitened for you; then you turned back in flight; Then Allah sent His peace of reassurance down upon is Messenger and upon the believers, and sent down hosts you could not see, and punished those who did not believe. Such is the reward of disbelievers. Then afterwards Allah will relent toward whom He will; for Allah is Forgiving, Merciful’. (Qur’an 9.25-27).