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A Professor of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Olaposi Omotuyi, has raised concerns over the growing health implications of food adulteration, unsafe agricultural practices and the misuse of chemicals in food preservation and processing in Nigeria.

He warned that exposure to such substances could contribute to kidney, liver, lung and cardiovascular diseases, as well as cancer.

Omotuyi gave the warning while delivering the second edition of the Prof. Olaposi Idowu Omotuyi Annual Lecture, titled, ‘Exploring Food Adulteration, Agricultural and Food Preservation Practices in Modern Pathologies.’

He explained that harmful substances introduced into the food chain through farming, processing, preservation and storage could expose consumers to chemicals and pollutants capable of damaging vital organs over time.

Addressing physical and virtual audiences across the globe, the academic expressed concern that some people were developing serious health conditions despite having no known family history of such illnesses or engaging in lifestyle practices commonly associated with them.

Citing the prevalence of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) among non-smokers in sub-Saharan Africa, he noted that about half of COPD cases in the region occurred among people who had never smoked, with an estimated 107,000 deaths annually.

The founder of Mols and Sims Laboratory challenged researchers and health professionals to look beyond conventional risk factors and examine environmental and food-related exposures that could be contributing to the situation.

‘If half of our COPD patients never smoked, what are they breathing? If young and middle-aged adults are developing kidney disease, what are their kidneys filtering?’ he asked.

Omotuyi identified several unsafe practices that could introduce harmful substances into food, including the misuse of pesticides in farming, the use of artificial dyes to enhance the appearance of palm oil, the application of calcium carbide to ripen fruits, and the use of contaminated equipment and colouring agents in pepper processing.

The International Public Relations Association (IPRA) has admitted award-winning public relations practitioner, Yushau A. Shuaib, as a Fellow, conferring on him the prestigious post-nominal FIPRA designation.

IPRA President, Esther Cobbah, signed Shuaib’s Fellowship certificate, which recognises his more than six years of professional membership of the major global network founded in May 1955.

IPRA Secretary-General Philip Sheppard said the Fellows status is bestowed on associates who have maintained a long-term affiliation while demonstrating commitment to global public relations standards and ethical practice.

The foremost organisation has members in up to 95 countries and has held consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council and UNESCO since 1984 and 1983, respectively.

Shuaib is the CEO of Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR)-publishers of PRNigeria, Economic Confidential, and Spokespersons Digest-which has earned numerous honours from the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), African Public Relations Association (APRA), SABRE Awards Africa, and IPRA’s Golden World Awards (GWA).

The Fellowship comes weeks after IMPR recorded its biggest international achievement at the 2026 IPRA Golden World Awards in Athens, Greece, where it won multiple prizes, including the coveted Grand Prix, for its work on ‘AI in Crisis Communication: From Study to Strategy.’

Led by Shuaib, the campaign evolved from a 107-page empirical study on the application of artificial intelligence in crisis communication in Nigeria, and was supported by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), and other stakeholders.

The win in the historic city where IPRA adopted its Code of Athens in 1965 followed a decade of IMPR’s participation in the GWA. In 2016, in Doha, Qatar, Shuaib received a Golden World Award for Crisis Management, while IMPR was ranked the most creative PR agency worldwide in the 2020 PRovoke Media Global Creative Index.

Shuaib graduated in Mass Communication from Bayero University, Kano, in 1992, winning the NIPR President’s Prize as the Best Graduating Student in Public Relations. He was named PR Person of the Year for Kano and Jigawa States in 1995, and obtained a Master’s degree in Public Relations from the University of Westminster, London, in 2010.

Prior to private practice, Shuaib built an extensive career in government communication. He served as Public Relations Officer at Government House, Asaba, Delta State, and in communication roles at the Federal Ministries of Information, Finance, and Health.

The expert subsequently headed the public relations department at the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), before retiring from public service.

Shuaib convenes the annual National Spokespersons Awards (NS-Awards) and the PRNigeria Young Communication Fellowship (PYCF), initiatives dedicated to recognising excellence in strategic communication and mentoring emerging journalists and communication professionals.

He is the author of several books on media, public relations, and crisis communication, including A Dozen Tips for Media Relations, Financial Public Relations in Nigeria, Strictly Personal: Writings for the Media, Award-Winning Crisis Communication Strategies, and MNI versus MNIPR in NIPSS.

GOVERNORS of Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo have urged the people not to be deceived by political distractions but to vote massively for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.

The governors made the call on Saturday during the All Progressives Congress (APC) Women Mega Rally and Empowerment Programme for the South-East, held at Okpara Square, Enugu.

The governors are Prof. Charles Soludo of Anambra, Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi, Dr Peter Mbah of Enugu and Sen. Hope Uzodimma of Imo.

Speaking, Mbah urged the people of the South-East to support Tinubu’s re-election bid to enable him to consolidate the gains of his administration’s economic reforms.

He attributed ongoing development projects, including the construction of primary healthcare centres, to the Federal Government’s economic reforms.

The governor urged women to support Tinubu and APC candidates in the 16 January 2027 and subsequent elections.

‘A good sailor does not abandon his ship mid-sea because of challenges. We must finish the journey we all started together,’ he said.

Mbah described South Easterners as strategic people who had established businesses and relationships beyond the zone, urging them to participate actively in the political process.

Speaking on the empowerment programme targeting 5,000 women across the South-East, Mbah said the initiative followed the empowerment of more than 2,000 women in Enugu within 48 hours.

He said the beneficiaries received cash support, assistance with hospital bills and tools to enable them to generate income.

According to him, the programme is designed to make women wealth creators rather than perpetual beneficiaries of financial assistance.

‘When you empower a woman, you strengthen the family. When you empower a woman, you build a strong community,’ he said.

He urged the beneficiaries to make effective use of the empowerment tools and extend the benefits to their families and communities.

Also speaking, Uzodimma described the rally as historic and commended the First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, for empowering women across the South-East.

He reiterated the commitment of the region to supporting Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.

He explained that Igbos had experienced marginalisation for over 60 years but were beginning to witness a new era of political inclusion and development under Tinubu.

He commended the president for expanding the scope of infrastructural and economic development in the South-East.

‘We are now seeing good roads, electricity, health reforms as well as educational reforms in the country. A winning team must not be changed,’ he said.

The governor urged the electorate to sustain the current development trajectory, saying the Federal Government’s economic reforms had increased resources available to states for development.

‘We have more money to build Okigwe to Owerri, Umuahia to Owerri, Orlu to Owerri and Owerri to Port Harcourt roads,’ he said.

Uzodimma added that the improved financial position of the state had enabled his administration to pay salaries and pensions consistently, including 13th-month salaries for workers.

In his remarks, Nwifuru commended the skills acquisition and empowerment initiatives of the APC-led administration, urging South-East women to vote massively for the party.

He described the APC as the only political party with a clear and identifiable manifesto capable of sustaining the country’s development.

The governor dismissed suggestions of his involvement in any political coalition, stressing that his loyalty remained with the APC.

He urged supporters to vote for APC candidates at all levels in the January 2027 elections and subsequent polls.

The President of the Western Nigeria Union Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Pastor Ezekiel Adeleye, in this interview with SEYI SOKOYA, he speaks on the church’s responsibility in governance, insecurity, economic hardship, rising cost of faith-based education, and the use of digital media for evangelism.

WHAT role should the church play in holding political leaders accountable, particularly against the backdrop of insecurity, economic hardship and other challenges confronting the country?

As Nigerians, we are concerned about what happens in our country. However, as a church, we do not pitch our tents with any political leader; we pitch our tents with Jesus Christ.

Nevertheless, because we are part of this country, we pray for Nigeria and for peace. When schoolchildren were kidnapped in Omosho, Oyo State, it was painful for all of us. We were concerned and joined in praying for their safe return. The same applies to the recent cases of kidnapped corps members.

Some of our church members have also been victims of kidnapping, but, by God’s grace, they were released. Therefore, we understand the implications of insecurity. If there is peace, we enjoy it, and if there is chaos, we are equally affected. Even when a curfew is imposed, the church is not exempted from its consequences.

Our best contribution is to pray for the nation and ask God to give us God-fearing leaders, particularly during elections. The Bible says we should pray for the peace of Jerusalem because those who love it will prosper. Nigeria is our Jerusalem.

We must be intentional about making Nigeria better in every aspect, including politics, governance and the fight against corruption. Corruption is not limited to the highest levels of government; it exists at different levels of society, and we must all take responsibility for addressing it.

As a church, we do not campaign for political candidates or have preferred candidates. Rather, we pray that God will give us the right leaders. We must also remember that this world is not our permanent home. Jesus Christ has gone to prepare a place for us that is far better than anything we can experience here.

Given the worsening economic situation, do you still believe Nigerians should remain hopeful about the country’s economic future?

We must understand that the economic situation is not peculiar to Nigeria. The global economy is also experiencing difficulties.

I recently returned from the Annual Council of the worldwide church, where I interacted with some colleagues in the United States. During one of our discussions, I discovered that things are also difficult there. It was surprising to learn that there are beggars on the streets and people sleeping rough in the United States. Before then, I had thought our economic challenges were peculiar to Nigeria, but that is not the case.

We must also be realistic about the times we are living in. If anybody promises that everything will suddenly become better, we should examine such claims in the light of what the Bible teaches.

Consider the economic situation 10 or 20 years ago. How did the naira compare with the dollar? At some point, the naira was much stronger, and Nigerians could travel abroad more easily than they can today. Now, the exchange rate has deteriorated considerably, and the cost of living has become increasingly difficult.

Therefore, we should not place our ultimate confidence in political parties or individuals. The Bible warns against putting our trust in man. Our confidence should be in God. We will continue to pray that He helps Nigeria and gives the country the peace and direction it needs.

Education is increasingly becoming unaffordable for many families. Some also argue that faith-based institutions, initially established to provide educational opportunities, now charge fees higher than those of government-owned institutions. Why is this so?

When I was in the seminary, one of our lecturers, a Ghanaian, once challenged us with a question: ‘Who told you that education is cheap?’ That question has remained with me because education has never been an inexpensive venture.

However, when you examine the cost of education in Christian institutions, you may discover that what people consider expensive is not necessarily so when assessed against the facilities and services provided.

Let me use Babcock University as an example. At our last Governing Council meeting, we examined the institution’s school fees and the facilities available to students.

The institution falls within Band A of the electricity supply arrangement, meaning students enjoy electricity for approximately 20 to 22 hours daily. The university also provides internet facilities across the campus, including hostels, classrooms and cafeterias.

There is also the issue of security. Parents who send their children to the university want to be assured that they are safe. These are important considerations when assessing the cost of education.

In some government-owned institutions, students have to rent accommodation outside the campus, provide their own electricity and make separate arrangements for feeding. At a university such as Babcock, students have access to organised accommodation, electricity, internet facilities and cafeterias. They can concentrate on their studies without worrying about some of these basic necessities.

Therefore, when you consider the entire package, including the convenience and facilities provided, you cannot simply conclude that the fees are excessive without examining what they cover.

I remember my experience in the seminary in 1986. The school fees for one year were N500, while recommended books cost N100, bringing the total to N600. I still have some of the books I purchased then for as little as N3.

After spending a year in the seminary, I moved into the community with some friends. We had to fetch water, cook our food, go to the market and handle other domestic responsibilities. Meanwhile, colleagues who remained within the school environment had access to the cafeteria, library and other facilities. Even when there was a power outage in the town, the school could provide electricity through its generator.

When you consider these differences, you begin to appreciate the additional value that institutional facilities provide.

Some Nigerians believe the church should be more outspoken in holding political leaders accountable and speaking truth to power. What is your position?

We need to approach this issue from the perspective of biblical teachings. The Bible enjoins us to pray for those in positions of authority, including political leaders and traditional rulers, because all authority is ultimately subject to God’s sovereignty.

However, this does not mean that leaders should not be held accountable. We must also be careful not to rush to judgment without understanding the circumstances surrounding certain decisions. Those outside government may not always know the considerations that informed particular actions.

That said, where there is clear evidence of wrongdoing, the person involved must be held responsible. Public office is not a personal entitlement; it comes with obligations to the people.

Politicians make promises during campaigns, and citizens vote for them based on certain expectations. If a politician promises to provide infrastructure, improve living conditions or create opportunities, the people have every right to demand an account of those promises after the person assumes office.

Whether a person is a Christian or belongs to another faith, every citizen has the right to demand accountability from those entrusted with public responsibility. We must hold our leaders accountable based on facts and evidence rather than sentiment or assumptions.

The Federal Government has made statements suggesting that food prices have become more affordable and Nigerians are experiencing improved living conditions. Does this reflect the reality on the ground?

Honestly, I have not heard that particular statement, but if anyone is suggesting that Nigerians are now living comfortably because food prices have become affordable, I would disagree based on the economic realities many people face.

I recall listening to a television programme in which a politician compared petrol prices in Nigeria with those in the United States. I questioned the basis of such a comparison because the economic circumstances of the two countries are different.

How can you compare petrol prices in Nigeria, where the pump price is above ?1,000 per litre, with those in the United States without considering differences in income levels, purchasing power and the general standard of living?

Economic comparisons should go beyond the price of a commodity. We must consider how much people earn, what they can afford and the proportion of their income spent on basic necessities. For many Nigerians, the challenge is the combined effect of rising living costs on their ability to meet everyday needs.

What is the major focus of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in spreading the gospel at this time?

Our major focus at the moment is media evangelism. We recognise that the world is changing and technology has become an important part of people’s daily lives. As a church, we must embrace these developments and use them effectively to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.

We are exploring opportunities provided by digital platforms and modern communication technologies to reach more people with the message of salvation. The gospel must reach people wherever they are, and the media offers an effective means of extending our evangelistic efforts beyond the walls of our churches.

Our responsibility is to ensure that the message of Christ remains relevant and accessible in a rapidly changing world. We cannot afford to ignore the opportunities technology provides for evangelism.

How is the church preparing to maximise these opportunities, particularly through its forthcoming One Voice 2027 initiative?

We are making deliberate efforts to use modern technology to spread the gospel more effectively. One of the major initiatives we are preparing for is One Voice 2027, which we launched in September.

The initiative is particularly significant because the church will be commemorating 2,000 years since the baptism of Jesus Christ in 2027. We believe this is a unique occasion to celebrate Jesus and reflect on the significance of His ministry.

The programme is all-encompassing and is scheduled to commence in January 2027. Beyond the commemorative activities, we intend to use it as a platform for evangelism, reaching more people with the gospel and encouraging greater participation in the mission of the church.

Our ultimate goal is to ensure that everything we do brings glory to God and advances the message of salvation through Jesus Christ.

What message would you like to convey to Nigerians as the church prepares for this initiative?

I encourage Nigerians to remain steadfast in their faith in God and recognise the importance of the gospel in their daily lives. The church must continue to fulfil its spiritual responsibility by preaching the word of God, praying for those in authority and encouraging responsible conduct in society.

Celebrating Jesus Christ goes beyond organising an event. It is about making His message known, living according to His teachings and allowing the gospel to influence our relationships and conduct.

We look forward to One Voice 2027 as an opportunity to unite our voices in celebrating Christ and spreading His message to a wider audience. Our prayer is that everything we do will bring glory to God and contribute to the growth of His kingdom.

The story of Nevada Pierre, the sensational three-year-old American soccer prodigy from Florida, is fast becoming an archetype of how qualification can, ironically, disqualify the qualified. If you look closely enough at the Nevada narrative, you will also tease out a sobering commentary on the shrinking boundary of human patience for natural talent and competition.

Nevada set the internet ablaze recently following a youth soccer match organized by i9 Sports in Winter Park, a game that degenerated into a dispute so heated it required police intervention. The toddler’s brilliant ball control, eclectic dribbling and total pitch dominance left the parents of opposing children visibly incensed. Complaining that the boy was ‘too advanced,’ the disgruntled parents summoned the Winter Park Police Department. But their outrage backfired spectacularly. Rather than suppressing the prodigy, the police dispatch catapulted Nevada into global headlines, earning him an invitation to train at Eddie Johnson’s Orlando-based EJE7 Soccer Academy, the admiration of celebrity children’s entertainer, Rachel Griffin-Accurso and a wave of fan-backed GoFundMe support.

Instructive as the Nevada Pierre episode is, what commands my attention most is its central lesson: how man readily manipulates qualification for selfish ends.

A raging issue that underscores this moral deficit right here in Nigeria involves the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and its 2024/2025 recruitment exercise, where candidates who officially triumphed are now being punished for their success.

According to media reports, the NCS published the final list of successful candidates of the exercise in July 2026. They then received formal provisional offers on the official recruitment portal, complete with instructions to fulfill specific prerequisites. These included submission of medical certificates of fitness from state hospitals and formally accepting the offers within a stipulated window. Trusting the sanctity of the process, several candidates resigned from their existing jobs.

Yet, when basic training commenced, these successful applicants discovered to their utter shock that their names had been systematically erased. In their place were entirely new names, individuals who allegedly never participated in the initial screening exercise.

While the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, reportedly intervened by ordering a case-by-case review of the aggrieved applicants’ complaints, the Service continues to defend its posture with the defense that inclusion on its published shortlist does not constitute an automatic guarantee of enlistment.

What the NCS must realize is that when administrative discretion becomes a veil for organizational impunity, institutional integrity leaves through the window. Just as the aggrieved parents in Winter Park sought to police away superior talent out of spite, the arbitrary erasure of verified candidates from the Customs recruitment list signals a dangerous culture where merit is treated as a liability rather than an asset. Comptroller-General Adeniyi’s promised review must move beyond mere damage control to full restitution. A nation that off-handedly mourns its brain drain and institutional decay cannot continue to systematically disqualify its most qualified, simply to satisfy the appetite of elite man-know-man.

Nigerian-born, US-based multidisciplinary artist Dozyé is preparing to return to Nigeria to inspire young people through art and skateboarding, as he expands his creative work beyond the studio to engage communities and encourage self-expression.

The artist hopes to ignite a fresh wave of creativity, particularly among young people from underserved communities, by creating opportunities for them to explore painting, skateboarding and other forms of artistic expression.

His planned return comes as he continues to build an artistic identity shaped by experiences in Nigeria and the United States, as well as an unconventional painting technique he developed following a car accident in 2025.

The accident left him with a lasting concussion and sensitivity to bright lights and screens, forcing him to rethink his creative process and find a way to continue painting without aggravating his condition.

The effects also disrupted his work as a software engineer, eventually forcing him to take time away from his corporate job.

For Dozyé, whose artistic practice depends heavily on visual engagement, the condition presented a significant challenge. Bright lighting triggered severe headaches, making it difficult to work under his usual conditions.

Rather than abandon painting, however, he began experimenting with different lighting environments and discovered that red light was easier for him to tolerate. What started as an adjustment to his condition has since become a defining feature of his artistic practice.

The approach came into focus at The Red Room: Volume II, an immersive art event presented by Dozyé’s Abstract Studio in collaboration with Kamba International in Los Angeles.

The event brought together live painting, music, performances, fashion and tattoo art in a space illuminated by red light, creating an environment where different aspects of contemporary creative culture could interact.

Visitors experienced Dozyé’s creative process while engaging with the music and performances, with the red lighting providing a distinctive backdrop for the exhibition and other artistic expressions.

Beyond its unconventional presentation, his work reflects a continuing process of adaptation and experimentation.

Dozyé combines detailed drawing with abstraction, often beginning with elaborate sketches before painting over them. The underlying structures merge with layers of colour, movement and emotion, creating compositions that balance precision with spontaneity.

His artistic philosophy is captured in a statement published on his studio website: ‘art is the visual language of the soul, each stroke is a word, the whole canvas a conversation with self.’

Born in Lagos and shaped by experiences between Nigeria and the United States, Dozyé explores themes of struggle, hope, silence and expression, using art to communicate experiences and emotions that may be difficult to put into words.

Through Dozyé’s Abstract Studio, his interests extend beyond painting into music, fashion and skate culture, with collaborative events providing opportunities for artists and other creatives to connect and showcase their work.

His forthcoming Nigerian engagement will extend that vision to young people through the proposed Lagos Mainland Youth Skate and Art Camp, an initiative by Dozyé and Dozyé’s Abstract Studio in collaboration with Kamba International and Brotherly NG.

The camp is designed to engage 60 young people, including 50 participants from Lagos Mainland communities and 10 from Kaduna, through skateboarding instruction, safety equipment and collaborative art activities.

The event is being planned for either November 28 or December 5, 2026, with the final date dependent on approval of the proposed venue by Amuwo-Odofin Local Government.

Through the initiative, the organisers hope to provide young people with an opportunity to learn new skills, explore their creativity and connect with others through art and skateboarding.

For Dozyé, the project represents an opportunity to take creativity beyond the studio and into communities, using art and skateboarding as avenues for expression, participation and connection.

As he prepares to reconnect with Nigeria’s creative community, the artist hopes his work and the proposed youth initiative will encourage young people to see creativity not merely as a hobby but as a means of discovering their abilities, expressing their experiences and exploring new possibilities.

His own journey took an unexpected turn after the 2025 accident, leading him to develop a painting technique that transformed a personal limitation into a distinctive artistic approach. Now, as he prepares for his return to Nigeria, Dozyé is looking to build on that experience and ignite a similar spirit of experimentation and creative discovery among the next generation.

Despite the grief that greeted the sudden death of gospel singer, Olayemi Bayonile Bolaji, popularly known as Toluwanisings, and the emotional tribute night organised in his honour by fellow gospel singers, efforts to give him a final resting place remain stalled over a disagreement between his wife and extended family.

What began as an outpouring of grief has gradually turned into a public family dispute, over burial arrangements, demands for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death and growing reactions from members of the gospel music community.

Toluwanisings reportedly slumped at his Ibadan residence on October 14 and died shortly afterwards, leaving behind his wife, Akanbi Elizabeth, and their two daughters.

The controversy became public following disagreements between his wife and father, Muniru Adekunle Olayemi, over where the singer should be buried.

The father reportedly preferred having his son buried either in the house he built in Ibadan or beside his late mother at the family compound in Ikirun, Osun State. He claimed that his daughter-in-law preferred a conventional cemetery or church-owned burial ground, reportedly expressing discomfort with having her husband’s remains buried in their residence.

The disagreement extended beyond the choice of burial location, with a paternal family representative, Lawal Ademola, popularly known as Up Lawal, calling for the suspension of the burial pending an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the singer’s death.

He appealed to the government, security agencies and community stakeholders to ensure an impartial investigation, just as family representative reportedly threatened that the remains could be exhumed if the singer was buried in a conventional cemetery against the family’s wishes.

However, the controversy has taken another turn following fresh revelations by the singer’s maternal uncle, who challenged the paternal family’s account of his upbringing and relationship with his father.

The uncle alleged that Toluwanisings’ mother died when he was barely nine months old, after travelling to Kano to join her husband, leaving her family to take responsibility for raising him.

He claimed that the singer’s father was largely absent from his life between 1992 and 2007, when the maternal grandmother who reportedly raised him died. He also challenged claims that the father financed the singer’s education, asking anyone who contributed to his schooling to provide evidence.

Recounting the singer’s early struggles, the uncle said he travelled between Osun and Ekiti to weave baskets while trying to establish himself. He particularly credited the widow with standing by her husband during difficult periods, alleging that she provided financial support when he had little or nothing.

The revelations followed a voice note by the singer’s younger brother defending their father. He maintained that their father made financial contributions towards Toluwanisings’ education and alleged that members of the maternal family influenced the singer’s relationship with his paternal relatives.

He also recalled a disagreement involving their grandmother, who reportedly requested a goat for Sallah celebrations, which the singer allegedly declined to provide, citing his Christian faith.

Meanwhile, fellow gospel artistes gathered for a tribute night on October 27 at Hall of Grace, Jogor Centre, Ibadan, to celebrate the late singer’s life and ministry.

Among those present were Adeyinka Alaseyori, Bukola Akinade, popularly known as Senwele Jesu, Esther Igbekele, Laolu Gbenjo, Bidemi Olaoba, Peterson Okopi, Sarah Apekeola, Akintayo Akinwande, Dare Justified and Woli Agba.

Speaking on behalf of fellow artistes, Laolu Gbenjo appealed for an end to the disagreement, urging the family to resolve its differences and allow their late colleague to rest in peace. He also cautioned against a situation similar to the controversy surrounding late singer Mohbad.

Adeyinka Alaseyori encouraged the widow to remain strong, while Esther Igbekele urged the parties to settle their differences, expressing hope that God would take control of the situation.

Amanda David, popularly known as Ermandha, has joined the board of the Africa International Comedy Festival, as she takes on new roles in Africa’s entertainment industry.

The festival, a collaboration between The Humour Awards Academy and Ghana Comedy Awards, was established to promote collaboration within the African comedy industry.

Ermandha also served as Head of Media for The Humour Awards Academy, where she led the media strategy for its fourth edition held in May 2026.

She is the Founder and Creative Director of Rara Avis Entertainment Ltd, a creative production and media company that runs the Rara Avis Academy, offering training programmes for emerging creatives.

The company is also developing a peer-to-peer savings application for independent artists, with financial management tools and escrow contract features.

In addition, Ermandha is Chief Operating Officer of Heirlo, a digital life legacy and asset management platform, and Business and Partnership Manager at Blackdrum 360 | Blackdrum TV.

Her journalism career has included coverage of international cultural events such as Edinburgh Fringe and Sheffield DocFest. She is also an Ally of the Documentary Film Council, UK.

ISAAC SHOBAYO, North-Central Bureau Chief, speaks with Dr Bitrus Pogu, National President of the Middle Belt Forum (MBF), about the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) readiness for the next general elections, the nation’s economic hardship, insecurity, federal allocation to states, and other national issues. Excerpts:

What is your assessment of INEC’s preparedness for the upcoming elections?

At the moment, INEC has its hands full but is still not fully prepared for the elections because, given that there are still issues to be addressed with regard to the voters’ register, etc., it means INEC still has some work to do. We just pray that before the elections hold, INEC will be fully prepared to attend to and address all issues to ensure that there is a credible, transparent and good election that Nigerians will have confidence in.So, for now, I think, with regard to INEC, that’s what I can say.

But with the back-and-forth concerning the candidates, where some are said to be eligible to run while others are not, what implications does this have for the forthcoming elections?

We believe INEC should be able to address these issues before the elections. That shouldn’t be a big issue. We’ve had issues like this in the past, and they have been addressed. We believe that this time around, INEC will do the same. If games are being played, we believe Nigerians are smart enough, and they will make objective assessments of the candidates and vote for those they believe deserve to be voted into office. So, I believe those issues will be addressed very soon.

The chairman of the electoral commission is from the Middle Belt, and the task of conducting elections is enormous. What advice do you have for him at this critical stage of this national assignment?

The advice would be for him to be steadfast, firm and, I mean, exercise due diligence in everything that he does so that he will have a clean, commendable scorecard when he leaves, because nobody stays permanently in such an office. So, Middle Belters are known to be credible in the things they do, and we expect him to show credibility and execute the big job that is before him so that he can be counted and judged fairly by generations to come.

The Middle Belt Forum took a firm stance in the most recent election, held in 2023. This time, everyone is looking up to the Middle Belt, expecting it to say something. So, what is the Middle Belt’s stance on the 2027 elections?

We are going to have a stakeholders’ meeting where such a decision will be taken, and, of course, we are going to work alongside our friends down south. I mean Afenifere, Ohanaeze and PANDEF. However, the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) will meet at the appropriate time and come up with a joint position on the upcoming election. One thing that is certain is that, while our support will not be for a northern candidate, it will be for a southern candidate because, at least, we have decided, and properly so, that the presidency should remain in the South for now. It can only change in 2031, so, for the sake of fairness and justice, power must remain in the South for the next four years. So, when we have our stakeholders’ meeting, the person we are going to support will be known. But for now, it is certainly going to be a southern candidate.

Looking at Mr President’s performance over the last three years, there is widespread public concern about the country’s hardships. How would you evaluate Mr President’s performance over the last three years, especially since he is running for re-election?

There are lots of areas where we can say he is lacking in his performance. There are some areas, too, where we can say, yes, he performed credibly. For example, some of his ministers, irrespective of all the accusations, I can give a thumbs-up to Wike because the transformation in the FCT has never been this good. The Minister of Works is doing a very good job across the country, and some others. The majority of the others are below average or so.However, we know that the governors are getting more in terms of federal allocations, irrespective of the devaluation, commensurate with what was available in the past, especially during Buhari’s regime. They are getting much more. But the majority of the governors are not showing anything that we can rate as adding value to what is happening at the centre. So, I think the judgment of the Federal Government will not be complete without considering what the states are getting, given that the resources are being shared accordingly. The President has not failed in that regard. That is, giving them their money as and when due.

In terms of security, we still have lots of problems, and we can equally say that detractors are partly responsible, given that we have a system where people don’t care what they do to get into power. So, with all that, we can say that Nigerians, having known what is happening immediately around them, the pressures, especially those caused by the high price of fuel, that is, energy, and all that, would make rational judgments, considering all those parameters, including comparing him with those who are trying to come in to see whether those people would perform better. That’s what I can say on this issue.

Based on the scenarios you’ve painted, people all over the country are crying that he’s not doing enough to address the country’s hardships. The palliative rollouts are insufficient to address the issue. What are your thoughts about this?

I don’t believe in palliatives in the first place. What I believe in is creating an economic environment that will allow people to have a better life. You know, for example, the devaluation has hurt the economy so much. Unfortunately, there are external powers that affect that.Otherwise, we thank God. God has given us lots of rain, and we have been able to produce food. The only thing is that farmers are paying for it because, you know, foreign food has flooded the market, and the value of their produce has dropped. Given the fact that inputs like fertiliser, among others, remain very high, in that regard, the policy has to change for things to be better.

One of the problems that is still bothering Nigeria, particularly in the Middle Belt, is insecurity. Given that people are dying every day, do you believe Mr President has done enough to address this situation? What is the solution, in your opinion as a Middle Belter?

Those concerned have to be bold enough to address the issue from its roots. If some big shot is known to be sponsoring something, that big shot should be kicked out without consideration of whatever position he occupies. So, now we should also look at it critically: who are those responsible? The security agencies and government have to be bold enough to get to the root of the matter and pick up those responsible without any bias or sentiment. For example, about three or four days ago, one cleric who preaches peace in Katsina, by the name of Masusuka, was killed for preaching peace. So, people behind such atrocities should be dealt with without reservation as to whether they have religious or status connections. That’s what we would advise Mr President to do. Certainly, the government alone cannot do the job. But what the government can do is to be decisive against any person or culprit who is found to be sponsoring these things. These boys in the bushes don’t have the capacity to survive if their source of sponsorship is cut off.

There is glaring evidence that some leaders in the North are not up and doing towards addressing insecurity…

(Cuts in) That is true. Some of this insecurity is associated with a lot of issues that can be addressed. We know Boko Haram came in as a religious group, and as a religious group, they feel that their, you know, form of religion has to be adhered to; otherwise, any other person should be dealt with. Then we have lots of facets. Some economic opportunists also came in to take advantage, and then we have others who want to, you know, dispossess others of their territorial lands, etc. All these things are combined, but it started with a religious ideology, and it has expanded to all these other facets without reservation. Unless this thing is addressed at that level, it will not disappear. So, irrespective of whether it is this government or any other government, the leader has to have the courage to be able to deal with whoever it is, irrespective of whether he is a former president, a leader of a religious group or whoever. That is the way this thing can be addressed, not by just fighting those boys in the villages and the bushes.

Mining is currently linked to terrorism, banditry and other crimes, particularly in the North of the country. The majority of the locations are gradually becoming terrorist hotspots. What is the way out of this?

There must be a policy, either to say that all mines should be government-owned or supervised by the government, or, if people are licensed, let there be some regulatory measures to ensure that proper procedures are followed. Illegal mining should be abolished and stopped, and that way we can address issues with regard to, let’s say, violence associated with mineral resources. I told you earlier that a religious group started Boko Haram, and they believe that they have the right to impose their ideology on everybody. That is one. Two, all these things, including the Boko Haram insurgency, started because our constitution allowed for Sharia to be practised. That is the 1999 Constitution. Previous constitutions did not do that.

Whether they amend the constitution or not, it remains what it is. So, we have to go to the roots. So, when we have addressed that one, then we can address all the other things, including the economic terrorism associated with mining. We need a constitution which addresses all the issues of Nigerians rather than one that has a sectional bias. Because there is already a war between Sharia and constitutional democracy, that has to be addressed.So, there are lots of issues that have to be addressed before we come to such sundry issues like mining, associated terrorism, et cetera.

If you look at it, petroleum is also a mineral resource and is being regulated. Why is it difficult for mining to be regulated by the Federal Government, at least to minimise this act of terrorism?

There is no reason why it should not be addressed. I believe it is because the government in office has not, across the board, that is, even before now, paid real attention to addressing it. Otherwise, it is possible to address any issue if the government is really determined to do so. So, we are calling on Mr President to now look seriously at mining, as that is a cause of economic terrorism, to ensure that it’s well regulated so that that facet can be taken off the consideration when we are trying to address terrorism.

With the increase in federal funding for states, people are beginning to complain that not enough is being done at the state level. The State Assemblies, which are supposed to function as checks and balances, do not. How do we ensure development at the state level?

They should be exposed. All the resources that are being given to state governors are known, and people should be told clearly to take decisions based on performance. A report by the European Union on the performance of governors depicted that many of them perform dismally. It is now left for the press to do their job. Let every state have the freedom to vote in or out those people whom they feel have not performed.I think that is the only way forward. And when governors know that they can be voted out easily if they don’t perform, people will sit up.

Elections in Nigeria frequently cause disunity and division on all fronts. What is your advice in this regard?

It’s true. People are divided. It’s true also that some factors, especially insecurity, have created a lot of division: division in the North between the Hausa and the Fulani; the Middle Belt thinking of not being properly secured and, of course, there are some people who feel even Nigeria is not addressing their issues.But I believe I have not lost hope in Nigeria, and I believe that, yes, the President, at least for one thing, I can say that this is one of the most decisive persons I have seen. He can take a decision, and it will be implemented with that kind of authority which he has and his type of behaviour. If he should have a second opportunity, I would want him to be assertive to ensure that what Nigerians expect of him is given to them, and to ensure that he can stand by the Constitution and enforce whatever is there to be enforced to make Nigeria work. Because, really, we have not yet become a nation, and there is a need for a strong president to come in, be able to show us the way and forge a nation out of us.

The Association of Nigerian Railway Senior Citizens (ANRSC) has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the non-implementation of the Federal Government’s housing monetisation policy for railway quarters.

The association’s Chairman, Mr Olusegun Esan, made the appeal at a news conference on Saturday in Lagos.

Esan said that retired railway workers and their families had been denied the opportunity to own the official quarters they occupied, in spite of the introduction of the policy in 2004/2005.

He explained that the policy was designed to reduce government expenditure on the maintenance of official residences, while providing serving and retired public officers the opportunity to purchase their occupied quarters at affordable rates.

Esan said that prolonged legal dispute had subjected many retirees and their families to hardship, and some affected pensioners had died while others remained homeless.

According to him, the policy has been fully implemented in ministries, departments and agencies of government such as the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigerian Port Authority and even in the judiciary.

‘We now wonder why the Nigerian Railway Corporation is different. The past management of NRC commenced implementation of part of the monetization process, they monetised vehicles, furniture but left the important aspect – the quarter where retirees live.

‘The NRC was formerly one of Africa’s largest employers of labour, with more than 50,000 workers whose families are spread across different parts of the country.

‘We appeal to Tinubu to direct the Attorney-General of the Federation and the NRC management to facilitate the implementation of the monetisation policy and the 2016 court judgment.

‘We also call for compensation and resettlement allowances for affected retirees and widows, and above all, the government should address their grievances without further delay,’ he said.

Esan said that the association had made several efforts to resolve the dispute, including writing to NRC management, the Minister of Transportation, the Ministry of Justice and other relevant authorities.

He said that the association had also submitted documents detailing the history of the dispute, the affected residential quarters across railway districts and properties allegedly occupied by third parties.

According to him, the present NRC management has engaged the association on possible settlement.

He, however, said that members rejected the proposed conditions because they allegedly contradicted the Federal Government’s monetisation policy and the court judgment.