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Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, has called on the people of the Kano North Senatorial District to remain united and steadfast in their support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He made the call after receiving two delegations from Dambatta Local Government Area of the Kano North Senatorial District at his office in the National Assembly, Abuja.

The first delegation, led by Hon. Hafiz Sani Maidaji, a former three-term member of the Kano State House of Assembly and a contender in the APC primary for the Dambatta/Makoda Federal Constituency, comprised representatives from all 21 wards of Dambatta LGA.

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ismail Mudashir, Barau commended Maidaji for demonstrating political maturity following the primary election outcome.

After initially challenging the outcome in court, Maidaji accepted Barau’s appeal to withdraw the case and recommitted himself to working within the APC for the advancement of the senatorial district.

‘The decision by Hon. Hafiz Sani Maidaji to withdraw the case and continue to work with the party is a testament to the maturity and unity we must uphold. His choice strengthens our collective efforts in Dambatta/Makoda and reaffirms our shared commitment to progress,’ he said.

The second delegation was led by Barau’s Senior Legislative Aide in Dambatta, Alhaji Abdullahi Dan Bayero.

The group visited to appreciate the Deputy President of the Senate for the various projects, empowerment initiatives, and other interventions being implemented across the Kano North Senatorial District.

Barau assured the people of Dambatta and Kano North that his commitment to their development would remain unwavering.

He said he would continue to support programmes in empowerment, education, agriculture, infrastructure, and other areas aimed at improving his constituents’ livelihoods.

‘Our objective is to ensure that every household in Kano North has something meaningful to do and that our people become economically independent,’ he said.

Barau, who also serves as the First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, said the ongoing empowerment initiatives include the provision of N100,000 in monthly startup capital to 1,300 petty traders, artisans, and other beneficiaries, as well as the distribution of fertilisers, water pumps, grinding machines, sewing machines, motorcycles, refrigerators, and other support items.

He urged the people of Kano North to sustain the spirit of unity and collective responsibility, stressing that political differences should not undermine the development of the senatorial district.

‘I therefore appeal to all of us to remain united. Let us continue to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, myself as your Senator, and all APC candidates contesting the 2027 elections.’

‘With unity, loyalty, and collective commitment, we can achieve a more prosperous Kano North and a stronger Nigeria,’ he said.

SBI Media, one of Nigeria’s leading independent media agencies, has marked its 13th anniversary with a community-focused health outreach in Kosofe, Lagos, underscoring its commitment to creating impact beyond the boardroom.

The anniversary outreach, which attracted thousands of residents, provided beneficiaries with free health checks, medical advice and medicated glasses to address presbyopia, a common age-related condition that affects near vision.

Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, SBI Media, Rotimi Bankole, said the anniversary was not only a celebration of the agency’s growth but also of its deliberate evolution in a rapidly changing industry.

He said SBI Media had expanded its reach, embraced technology and continued to develop smarter solutions for clients, while recognising that sustainable business growth must translate into value for society.

‘Our 13th anniversary is a celebration of how far we have come, but more importantly, how deliberately we have evolved. We have expanded our reach, embraced technology and continuously challenged ourselves to deliver smarter solutions for our clients,’ Bankole said.

He added that the agency chose to take its anniversary celebration into the Kosofe community because ‘the value we create should extend into society.’

‘As we look ahead, we remain committed to staying ahead of the curve, shaping the industry’s ecosystem and creating meaningful impact for our clients, our people and the communities we serve,’ he said.

At the outreach, medical professionals checked residents’ vital signs, offered medical guidance and provided glasses to beneficiaries requiring assistance with near vision.

Group General Manager of SBI Media, Kayode Olowoyeye, said the initiative was designed to ensure that the anniversary produced an immediate and meaningful benefit for members of the community.

‘As we celebrate 13 years of SBI Media, we wanted to do something that goes beyond marking another year in business. We wanted to create an experience with a real immediate impact on people,’ Olowoyeye said.

He said the turnout and response from residents reinforced the agency’s belief that corporate growth should also benefit communities within which businesses operate.

A community leader, Mrs. Adebisi Yusuf, commended SBI Media for bringing the medical intervention to Kosofe, describing it as impactful, particularly for residents who received medical attention, advice and glasses.

‘We are very grateful to SBI Media for coming into our community and organising this medical outreach,’ Yusuf said, expressing hope that similar initiatives would be sustained.

The agency said its 13-year journey has been defined by continuous reinvention in response to technological advances and changing consumer behaviour in an increasingly complex media environment.

It is integrating AI-powered insights, audience intelligence, strategy, content and creative development, as well as campaign optimisation into its solutions.

According to the agency, the objective is to enable brands to make smarter decisions, respond faster and achieve greater impact in an increasingly data-driven marketplace.

Its focus on innovation has also been accompanied by industry recognition, with RECMA consistently ranking SBI Media as the number one independent media agency in Nigeria.

With its 13th anniversary, the agency says it is entering a new chapter focused on innovation, measurable impact and shaping the future of marketing communications.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Friday declared that securing the lives of Nigerians remains non-negotiable, saying lasting economic prosperity cannot be achieved without peace and security.

The President said national security remained the bedrock of Nigeria’s economic ambitions, stressing that protecting lives and property provides the baseline for businesses to expand, investments to thrive, and communities to prosper.

Tinubu spoke at the graduation ceremony of participants of Course 34 of the National Defence College (NDC) in Abuja, where he was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima.

According to a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, the President reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening the Armed Forces and security agencies in their fight against terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, piracy and organised crime.

He pledged that the Federal Government would continue to provide the equipment, training, resources and institutional support required by security agencies to discharge their constitutional responsibilities effectively.

‘Our economic ambitions accompany the duty to secure our people. The Armed Forces and security agencies continue to confront terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, piracy and organised criminality with courage and professionalism.

‘Government will provide equipment, training, resources and institutional support for their constitutional duties. Peace creates room for enterprise, and enterprise enlarges the citizen’s stake in peace’, Tinubu said.

The President stressed that the restoration of security in troubled communities must be accompanied by economic opportunities capable of consolidating peace and giving citizens a stake in stability.

‘When communities recover security, opportunity must follow, because stability grows where people can work, trade, learn and hope’, he added.

Tinubu said the administration’s security strategy was closely linked to its broader economic programme, which seeks to stabilise the country’s macroeconomic fundamentals, stimulate local industry and attract greater foreign investment.

He said his administration was pursuing reforms under the Renewed Hope Agenda aimed at building a productive, diversified and competitive economy, while creating conditions for private enterprise and expanding critical infrastructure.

According to him, the government is ‘improving conditions for enterprise, encouraging private investment, promoting local value addition and expanding roads, railways, ports, energy and digital connectivity.’

‘These investments reduce costs, connect markets and reinforce national integration. We are strengthening capacity in agriculture, solid minerals, manufacturing, technology and defence industry.

‘Sovereignty acquires substance when a nation can absorb shocks, meet essential needs and defend its interests,’ the President stated.

Tinubu also linked Nigeria’s security and economic aspirations to the broader challenges confronting Africa, arguing that the continent’s long-term stability would increasingly depend on its ability to create productive economies and employment opportunities for its youthful population.

Aligning himself with the thrust of a recent National Defence College graduation lecture delivered by former President Goodluck Jonathan, Tinubu said security on the continent could no longer be divorced from economic development, innovation and industrial capacity.

‘Africa’s security will increasingly depend on productive economies, regional value chains, innovation, and industries capable of employing its young population,’ he said.

With the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) driving greater economic integration, Tinubu said African countries must prioritise industrialisation as a pathway towards inclusive growth and greater economic resilience.

He said, ‘industrialisation must drive inclusive growth, reduce structural vulnerability and enlarge continental bargaining power,’ reiterating Nigeria’s commitment ‘to a peaceful, prosperous, integrated Africa.’

Addressing the graduating participants, the President said the composition of Course 34 reflected the multidisciplinary approach required to confront contemporary security and developmental challenges.

He noted that the course brought together personnel from the Armed Forces, Police, government institutions and friendly countries, providing a platform for strategic thinking and international cooperation.

Tinubu said the programme ‘reflects the breadth required by modern statecraft, drawing participants from the Armed Forces, Police, public institutions and friendly nations’.

He particularly commended the international participants for demonstrating confidence in Nigeria’s strategic military institution and urged the graduands to sustain the relationships established during the programme.

The President charged them to deploy their networks to deepen cooperation, mutual understanding, peace, and development across Africa and beyond.

Congratulating the participants on completing the rigorous programme, Tinubu praised their discipline, curiosity and resilience and urged them to uphold the college’s values of excellence, courage, patriotism and integrity in their future assignments.

He also commended the Commandant, faculty and staff of the NDC ‘for sustaining Nigeria’s foremost institution for strategic education’, as well as for their ‘devotion to education and policy-oriented research’.

Earlier, Commandant of the National Defence College, Rear Admiral Abdullahi Ahmed, said the President’s participation in the graduation ceremony, through Vice President Shettima, underscored the administration’s commitment to strategic leadership development and national security.

Ahmed said the participants underwent 47 weeks of intensive, rigorous training involving research, field tours, and seminar presentations.

According to him, the programme focused on contemporary security and developmental challenges as well as high-level defence management, equipping participants with the strategic knowledge required for leadership responsibilities.

The Commandant said the graduates were expected to translate the experience and knowledge acquired during the programme into practical solutions to challenges confronting different sectors of the Nigerian economy and society.

A total of 103 participants graduated from Course 34, comprising 33 officers of the Nigerian Army, 20 from the Nigerian Navy, nine from the Nigerian Air Force and four from the Nigeria Police Force.

The class also included 17 participants from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and 20 international participants.

The highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of certificates to the 103 graduates and awards to deserving participants.

The Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology and Environmental Sciences, Iyin-Ekiti, Prof. Olugbenga Aribisala, has Nigerian Education Loan Fund as ‘one of the greatest things to have happened to university education in Nigeria.’

Aribisala, who commended Tinubu for introducing the scheme, said 416 out of the 445 students of the newly established university who applied for the NELFUND had so far benefited from the initiative, representing about 93 per cent of the applicants.

The Vice-Chancellor who spoke in Iyin-Ekiti during the maiden press conference to herald 2025/2026 academic session, describing the intervention as a major boost to students, particularly those from financially disadvantaged backgrounds.

Aribisala said, ‘To me, one of the greatest things to have happened to university education in Nigeria is NELFUND. It allows the children of the poor to attend universities and I want to thank the President for this very great initiative.’

‘This is very uncommon. This is the first time in the history of this country and it is highly commendable. The data I have here is that 445 students applied for this NELFUND while 416 have benefitted from it.’ Aribisala said the beneficiaries included 100-level students in their first academic session.

The VC said that the intervention was particularly significant to FUTES because the university was still at its formative stage and was experiencing rapid growth in student enrolment and infrastructure needs.

He added that government-backed financial assistance would help ensure that financial constraints did not prevent students from accessing tertiary education.

Aribisala also disclosed that the university’s admission quota had been increased by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board to 3,300 students for the current admission cycle, from its initial quota, after the institution admitted about 1,564 students during its first academic session.

The development, he said, reflected the growing confidence in FUTES and reinforced the management determination to build a world-class institution capable of attracting quality students, academic staff and research grants.

He added said the rapid expansion in the university’s admission quota had made provision of additional accommodation, lecture halls and other essential facilities an urgent priority.

He explained that the institution’s decision to operate as a residential university was deliberate, as adequate accommodation would enable students to learn and interact in a conducive environment while being properly nurtured academically and socially.

The VC said that the management was therefore intensifying efforts to expand the university’s existing infrastructure to keep pace with its growing student population and ensure that the quality of teaching and learning was not compromised by the rapid expansion.

Aribisala noted that the university’s long-term vision was to produce graduates equipped not only with the knowledge and skills required to secure employment but also with the capacity to become employers of labour and drivers of innovation.

He said that FUTES was being positioned as a technology-driven institution where teaching, research and innovation would be deployed to address real-world challenges and contribute to Nigeria’s economic development.

Want to get your Nigerian driver’s licence? The process is now easier, as you can complete a large part of your application online before visiting a Driver’s Licence Centre for biometric capture.

According to the Nigeria Driver’s Licence portal, applicants can now fill in their personal details, make the required payments, and book an appointment online, reducing the time spent at the licensing centre.

Before you apply, you’ll need to attend an FRSC-accredited driving school and obtain a driving school certificate. You’ll also need your National Identification Number (NIN), a valid means of identification and a recent passport photograph.

After completing the required steps, you may be issued a temporary driver’s licence valid for 60 days while your permanent licence is being processed.

Here is a step-by-step application process to get your Nigerian Driver’s Licence:

1. Visit nigeriadriverslicence.org, the driver’s licence application portal.

If you are using a smartphone, you may need to switch your browser to the Desktop Site if the portal does not display correctly.

2. Once on the website, click on DL Application, then select New Driver’s Licence.

3. Enter your driving school certificate number and provide your personal information.

Ensure that names and other details match the information attached to the applicant’s National Identification Number (NIN).

4. Select a preferred FRSC Driver’s Licence Centre for biometric capture and book an appointment.

5. After booking, you can make payment through the Remita payment gateway available on the official portal. Depending on the options provided, you can pay by card, bank transfer, or USSD.

Applicants are advised to make payments only through the official platform and avoid transferring money to individuals or unofficial agents.

After payment, applicants should print their receipt and attend the biometric appointment on the scheduled date. They should also take their original documents for verification and biometric capture.

President Bola Tinubu, Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake and his counterpart in the Interior Ministry, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, have been urged to intervene and cause a probe into the circumstances leading to the over one-year closure of a quarry site in Abuja by operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

The request is contained in a petition by the owner of the business, Stone Rockers Limited (SRL), which claimed that the continued closure of its business premises without justification has exposed its over 70 employees to undue hardship.

In a copy of the petition, submitted on Friday at the Solid Minerals Ministry by its protesting staff, the company alleged that its business premises, located at Plot FL-109 Cadastral Zone, Gaube farm land layout, Barmishi village in Kuje Area Council, were sealed by NSCDC operatives, led by one John Onoja Attah, without an order of court.

SRL’s spokesman, Adeyeye Olugbenga, said during the protest at the Ministry of Solid Minerals in Abuja that the company, fully registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), has been rendered inoperative for the past 13 months by Mining Marshals, who forcefully shut it down without any justifiable reason.

Olugbenga said the company’s workers, numbering over 70, along with their dependants, have suffered hardship due to the unlawful and arbitrary closure of the company.

He pleaded with President Tinubu, Alake and Tunji-Ojo to immediately order an in-depth investigation into the circumstances that led to the unlawful action by NSCDC operatives.

Olugbenga faulted the allegation of land encroachment raised against the company by the Mining Marshall, arguing that there is no evidence to that effect.

He said the injustice against SRL, its workers, and their dependants has become unbearable, as it constitutes an affront to the rule of law, with the company’s closure effected without lawful authority.

Olugbenga recalled that the Mining Marshal, using the name of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) as complainant, once filed a charge against the Managing Director of the company but abandoned it when the court ordered them to produce evidence.

He also disclosed that SRL instituted a civil suit against the NSCDC, challenging the unlawful closure of the company, but that proceedings were unjustly delayed and frustrated by the defendant.

Olugbenga, who later read a statement, said: ‘We are workers of an indigenous construction company registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), with head office in Abuja; we are into quarrying, sand dredging and real estate.

‘We are Holders of Quarry Lease No. 37326 QLS (3 CU) situated at Plot FL-109 Cadastre Zone Gaube Farmland Layout, Barmishi Village, Kuje Area Council Abuja-FCT, by which we are empowered under section 201 (1) (a) and (b) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2007 to carry out quarrying activities within the ambiance of our lease.

‘Within one year of our legitimate quarrying operations, the company employed directly and indirectly over 70 Nigerians, created a business economy within our host community in Kuje, did Community Development Services (CDS) and gave scholarships in addition to payment of royalties as and when due’.

‘However in July 2025 , one Attah John Onoja, the Mining Mashal Commandant led over 20 fully armed NSCDC staffs and gun truck to our site and took samples of our granite and arrested everyone on site (at least 14 persons) and detained them at a private cell he built at the entrance of NSCDC where he named ‘Aleke House’.

‘The Company wrote several Petitions to the Minister of Solid Minerals seeking clarification on why a legitimate business of an indigenous investor should be unlawfully shut down without any court order, without any statutory powers given to the marshals to do so, and till now (13 months after) no justification had been offered.

‘Today we can no longer keep quiet and allow such injustice, affront to the rule of law, unruliness, and unlawful closure of a legitimate multi-billion-naira business to be swept under the carpet.

‘We are in full support and commend the fight against the menace of illegal mining and quarrying, but we will never support or keep quiet on the abuse of law, abuse of office, the unlawful practices of the marshals, particularly when no one seems to be calling them to order’.

‘We call on the President Bola Tinubu, Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo and the Minister of Solid Minerals and Steel Development, Dr Dele Aleke to immediately intervene towards the reopening of our legitimate business, order investigation into the unlawful closure and order the prosecution of everyone found wanting.’

Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President Ibrahim Musa Gusau announced his resignation in Abuja yesterday, using his final address to unveil a record $8.5 million-a-year kit sponsorship deal with Adidas that ends the federation’s long-standing partnership with Nike.

Reflecting on the scrutiny of his tenure, Gusau said: ‘Everywhere you see: Gusau, Gusau, Gusau. My name has even been more pronounced than the name of Donald Trump!’ He added: ‘I thank God for the opportunity given to me to serve my country as President of the NFF, as President of WAFU B, and on the CAF Executive Committee. Going forward, I know the future of Nigerian football will be great.’

Gusau announced the deal at a press conference in Abuja attended by football administrators, state FA chairmen, club owners and media executives, describing it as the highest kit sponsorship package on the African continent.

Under the agreement, Adidas will pay $4.5 million in direct annual cash to the NFF, plus a further $4 million in apparel, equipment and match kit allocations each year. The deal also includes a 20 per cent royalty on official merchandise sold through Adidas outlets in Nigeria, with the retailer’s local store network projected to grow from 13 to 32 over the next three years.

Gusau said the switch was driven by economic necessity, citing the naira’s collapse against the dollar during Nigeria’s outgoing 11-year Nike contract. He said the Nike deal fixed cash and kit terms at $500,000 and $1 million a year respectively regardless of exchange-rate movements, which he said eroded the deal’s real value as the exchange rate moved from roughly N400 to the dollar in 2022 to N1,400 by early 2024.

‘If somebody was giving you $500,000 in 2015 and is still giving you $500,000 in 2026, what do you say about it? It is like you have nothing,’ Gusau said.

He said the NFF approached Nike from 2024 seeking improved terms but could not reach agreement, and that Nike declined to match Adidas’s offer despite holding matching rights in the contract.

Gusau said the new funding would let the NFF pursue high-profile head coaches for the Super Eagles and Super Falcons, a step he said the federation had previously been unable to afford.

Reviewing his board’s three-year, 11-month tenure, Gusau pointed to the return of the CAF ‘A’ Licence coaching course after an eight-year gap, due to begin on 16 September; the restructuring of the Nigeria Premier Football League around fixed fixture dates; and the placement of Nigerian referees on recent continental assignments at the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations and the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

Gusau also pointed to the ongoing construction of a national teams camp in Bauchi, comprising a modern match computer centre and accommodation facilities, as a legacy project of his board. He said the facility, funded through four-year FIFA Forward development money, is scheduled for completion by March next year, and is designed to end the NFF’s reliance on private hotel camping for national teams – a practice he said costs the federation billions of naira annually.

The Management Committee of Kano Polo Club has confirmed that the 2026 Kano International Polo Tournament will run from September 23 to October 4 at the Usman Dantata Polo Ground in Bompai, Kano.

The decision to stage the tournament was taken during a management committee meeting of the Kano Polo Club, where officials finalized details for the annual competition.

The opening phase will run from September 23 to 27, featuring contests for two major prizes alongside several subsidiary cups. The second and final leg will commence on September 30, climaxing with the grand finale on October 4.

Preparations and facility upgrades are underway at the Usman Dantata Polo Ground. Grooms are exercising and priming the ponies in readiness for match action, while new management innovations-including additional trophies-have been introduced to boost the tournament’s competitive profile.

Participating teams from across the country will compete for the prestigious Emir of Kano Cup, the premier high-goal laurel in the tournament. Teams will also contend for the coveted Dantata Cup, the event’s second major trophy, alongside the Dangote Cup, MRS Cup, Usman Dantata Cup, Audu Lukat Cup, Muhammadu Sanusi Cup, and Murtala Mohammed Cup. Individual distinction awards will also be presented to outstanding players.

Chairman of Kano Polo Club, Alhaji Tajudeen Dantata, assured players, sponsors, and fans of added value throughout the event, highlighting the impact of long-standing corporate partnerships on polo development in Kano.

‘The level of team interest is inspiring and we look forward to watching the competition unfold in what promises to be the most exciting high-goal season ever,’ Dantata stated.

Kano Polo Club Management added that it remains committed to hosting a compact tournament that will elevate the standard of the sport in the state.

South East Development Commission (SEDC) says it will launch 15 agromechanisation projects across the five states of the Southeast to revive the region’s agricultural and industrial fortunes.

The commission said the projects, three in each state and one in each senatorial zone, would begin in Enugu State in partnership with the state governments.

The commission said this at Nomeh, Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State, during a community engagement with leaders and stakeholders on the proposed Nomeh Agromechanisation Project.

Executive Director, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Rural Development (NRARD) of SEDC, Dr Clifford Ogbede, represented by his Technical Adviser, Dr Chris Uwadoka, said the projects were designed to reignite the agro-industrial revolution that made the defunct Eastern Region one of the world’s fastest-growing economies between 1954 and 1964.

He said the initiative would create direct and indirect jobs, attract local and foreign investors, provide improved seeds and modern agricultural knowledge, and make farming more attractive to young people.

Ogbede said: ‘We can all recall that the Eastern Region economy was at a point rated as the fastest growing economy in the world. At the root of it was agriculture, thanks to the visionary leadership of the former Premier of the region, Dr Michael Okpara.’

He said SEDC had, after extensive consultations, developed a blueprint to restore the region’s lost glory, beginning with agriculture and mechanised farming.

Hailing Governor Peter Mbah for his agricultural blueprint, Ogbede said similar projects would be established at Elugwu Akwu, Oji River Local Government Area, in Enugu West Senatorial District, and Nkpologwu, Uzo-Uwani Local Government, in Enugu North Senatorial District.

‘Governor Mbah nominated Nomeh for the programme. It is a good thing for this community because SEDC is going to bring the best possible agricultural knowledge, specialists, agro-entrepreneurs and improved seeds with greater yields, while supporting local farmers,’ he said.

Ogbede added that the projects would help reverse youths’ growing aversion to agriculture by creating enterprises around agricultural production, processing and marketing.

He also dismissed suggestions that the agromechanisation project was a ploy to acquire grazing lands for cattle herders, describing the allegation as untrue.

‘There is absolutely nothing like that. This is an entirely Southeast initiative for the benefit of the Southeast, then the nation. It is very untrue and not part of the blueprint,’ he said.

The Enugu State Liaison Officer to SEDC, Chief Edeani Edeani, said the Federal Government and Governor Mbah were determined to use agriculture to create jobs and tackle insecurity, adding that the projects would ensure that more spaces were gainfully occupied.

A community leader and Senior Special Assistant to Governor Mbah on Media, Uche Anichukwu, thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for establishing SEDC, recalling that previous attempts to create the commission had failed.

Anichukwu also commended SEDC Managing Director, Mark Okoye, and his team for making agriculture a pivot of the region’s economic revival, saying the community was grateful to President Tinubu and Governor Mbah for selecting Nomeh for the pilot project.

The traditional ruler of Nomeh Unateze, HRH Igwe Israel Okonkwo Mbah, represented by his traditional prime minister, Chief Daniel Anikpuma, said the project would restore the community’s pre-civil war economic glory, while the town union, represented by Engr. Uchenna Anyanwu, pledged its support for the initiative and the security of the project.

From Ilutitun, Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State, to the political landscape of Osun State, the story of Dr Akindele Adekunle is one of political organisation, public service and strategic leadership.

Sometimes, the people who make history are not always the ones standing at the centre of the celebration. Some are those who quietly build the foundation, organise the structure, mobilise the people, and create the conditions upon which victory becomes possible.

Adekunle is one name that has become associated with the political journey and development of the ‘Imole’ administration in Osun State.

About four years ago, he was appointed Caretaker Chairman during a critical period in the political process that eventually led to Ademola Adeleke’s victory in the 2022 governorship race.

His role during that period was significant, as he was at the centre of the political organisation and mobilisation that accompanied the electoral victory.

The result was significant. The political structure recorded victories across several legislative constituencies, including nine seats in the House of Representatives, three Senate seats, and seats in the State House of Assembly.

Those victories did not happen in isolation. Elections are won through people, structures, strategy, organisation, communication, and sustained grassroots engagement. Behind every major electoral victory are individuals whose contributions may not always receive the attention they deserve.

And that is where Adekunle’s story becomes particularly noteworthy.

The foundation that

remained

On August 15, 2026, Osun State witnessed another important electoral contest, with the incumbent governor seeking a second term.

According to the account provided, Dr. Adekunle once again played a significant role in the political process that contributed to the governor’s victory.

Whether one looks at his earlier involvement or his participation in the latest electoral contest, one theme runs through his story: building and sustaining political structures.

The larger lesson is that political success is rarely created overnight. It is often the product of years of organisation, relationships, experience, and institutional understanding.

A son of Ondo with an Osun record

Perhaps the most interesting dimension of Dr. Adekunle’s story is his origin.

He is not originally from Osun State.

He is a son of Ondo State, from Ilutitun, Okitipupa Local Government Area.

Yet his political and public service journey has taken him beyond the boundaries of his immediate community and into the political affairs of another state.

His experience in Osun, therefore, presents an interesting case study in how leadership experience, political organisation and public service exposure can transcend geographical boundaries.

For Ondo State, the story is worth examining-not as a promise of what one individual must do, but as an example of what experience gained elsewhere can bring to conversations about the state’s future.

The bigger story

The story of Dr. Akindele Adekunle is ultimately bigger than one election.

It is a story about experience, political organisation, public service, and the importance of building foundations before expecting results.

The victories celebrated today are often connected to structures built yesterday.

And sometimes, when history records the people who stood at the forefront of a victory, it is equally important to remember those who helped build the foundation upon which that victory stood.

Dr. Akindele Adekunle’s journey-from Ilutitun, Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State, to a significant role in Osun’s political story-is one that deserves attention, documentation, and objective assessment.

The question for the future is not simply where an individual has served before, but what lessons, experience, and capacity can be drawn from that journey and brought into the service of the people.

The foundation matters. The experience matters. And the record deserves to be examined.

Why Ondo State should pay attention to experience

For Ondo State, the story becomes even more important.

Leadership is not only about occupying an office; it is about having the experience, capacity, discipline, and understanding required to turn opportunities into results. A state like Ondo needs leaders who understand that development is built through people, institutions, planning, accountability, and sustained engagement with communities.

Dr Akindele Adekunle’s experience outside Ondo State should therefore be viewed as an asset worthy of public attention. His political journey in Osun has exposed him to political administration, grassroots mobilisation, electoral organisation, stakeholder management, and the challenges of sustaining political structures. These experiences can provide useful lessons for the future of Ondo State.

Ondo State deserves leaders who can look beyond personal ambition and understand the wider responsibility of leadership. The people need leadership that can connect government with the grassroots, listen to communities, build trust, coordinate people, and pursue results consistently.

They need individuals who understand that political structures are not merely instruments for winning elections but platforms through which citizens can be represented.

This is why people with proven political and organisational experience should matter in the conversation about Ondo State’s future.

His story provides an opportunity for the people of Ondo State to ask important questions: What has he learned? What capacity has he developed? What leadership lessons can he bring home? How can his experience be translated into better opportunities, stronger institutions, and more responsive governance?

Adekunle should therefore not be judged merely by where he comes from or the positions he has occupied. His record, experience, relationships, organisational capacity and understanding of public service should be examined on their own merit.

If the experience gained in Osun can be brought back and deployed positively in Ondo State, then the people of Ondo have reason to pay attention to one of their own.

The time has come for Ondo State to look beyond names and examine competence, experience, character, and ability. In that conversation, the story of Dr Akindele Adekunle deserves a place.