Asianet Pakistan Private Limited

Minister of Works, David Umahi, and a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Regina Akume, have congratulated Nigerians and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the country’s 65th Independence anniversary, describing the occasion as a moment for reflection on the nation’s past struggles and present progress.

In his message to mark the October 1 celebrations, Umahi said Independence Day serves as a reminder of Nigeria’s founding fathers’ sacrifices and vision, while inspiring citizens to commit to building a more united and prosperous nation.

He praised President Tinubu’s leadership, noting that the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ had repositioned Nigeria on the development path.

‘Mr. President is changing the developmental trajectory of our nation through his Renewed Hope Agenda, designed to turn our challenges into opportunities and our diversities into prosperity,’ he stated.

According to him, the administration’s massive investments in infrastructure across the six geopolitical zones and socio-economic reforms were already stimulating sustainable economic growth.

In the works sector, Umahi said Tinubu had prioritized addressing the nation’s inherited road deficits, pointing to the four Renewed Hope legacy projects as key drivers of economic expansion. ‘Nigerians are witnesses to the progress so far made on road infrastructural development,’ he said.

The Minister urged Nigerians to uphold unity, peace, and patriotism as the nation charts a new course. ‘May the spirit of freedom and unity continue to inspire every Nigerian to strive for a brighter future,’ Umahi said, wishing citizens a blissful Independence Day celebration.

Similarly, the lawmaker representing Gboko/Tarka Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Regina Akume, commended President Tinubu for his economic reform agenda, describing it as a bold step towards repositioning Nigeria’s economy despite initial challenges.

In her Independence Day goodwill message to mark Nigeria’s 65th anniversary, Akume highlighted the removal of fuel subsidy as one of the most significant policy decisions of the current administration.

She noted that the savings from the subsidy withdrawal were already being channelled into critical infrastructure projects across the country.

Akume, who chairs the House Committee on the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), stressed that the reforms introduced under the Renewed Hope Agenda had rekindled optimism about Nigeria’s future as the nation marks six and a half decades of independence.

Expressing confidence in President Tinubu’s leadership qualities, she described him as courageous, selfless, and charismatic.

She further emphasized her belief in a united and indivisible Nigeria under his stewardship.

The federal lawmaker enjoined citizens to rally behind the administration, not just in the present term but also beyond 2027, to ensure continuity of programmes that would drive sustainable growth and prosperity for the nation.

As Nigeria marks its 65th Independence Day, one of its daughters, Kikelomo Solomon-Ayeni, CEO of Red19 Global, is being celebrated for making history in the art world. On September 20th, she launched a groundbreaking bi-continental art exhibition titled Oro Asa, Ohun Atijo (Cultural Words, Ancient Voices) in collaboration with Aafin Ilu Cultural Centre in Ede, Osun State, Nigeria. The exhibition ran simultaneously in Derby, United Kingdom, and Ede Nigeria, positioning her as one of the few Nigerian female curators to successfully execute a dual-location international showcase of this magnitude.

The UK version, which concluded on 28th September 2025, in Derby, was met with wide acclaim, attracting artists, cultural enthusiasts, including the Nigerian councillor in derby, Nduwke Onuoha. Meanwhile, the Nigerian version continued till September 30th 2025, providing a symbolic bridge between home and abroad, a perfect representation of the cultural resilience Nigeria celebrates today.

The exhibition featured works by a diverse group of contemporary African artists, including Dauda Ova, Chinwendu Chidi, Anthony Anisiebo, Edirin John Duvwiama, Shegun Oseh, Mercy Odukogbe, Rachael Okogie, Bukola Abiodun, Ibukun Oparinu, Medeyonmi Akran, Oluwatobi Ogundunsin, Attah George Unwuchola, Olaniyi Atolagbe, Oluwatosin Lamina, Ifeoluwapo Okunade, and Solomon-Ayeni herself. Together, their works explored tradition, cultural memory, and the echoes of ancestral voices, reminding audiences of the timeless relevance of African heritage.

Speaking on the significance of the project, Solomon-Ayeni noted:

‘Oro Asa, Ohun Atijo (Cultural Words, Ancient Voices) is not just an exhibition. It is a cultural dialogue, one that connects Nigeria to its diaspora while reminding us that our stories and traditions remain powerful tools of identity and resilience. It is also a confirmation that collaboration is the new gold. To unveil this project as Nigeria celebrates its Independence is a deep honour.’

For Prince Adewale Laoye, custodian of Aafin Ilu, the collaboration was historic: ‘This is the first time Aafin Ilu is collaborating on such an ambitious international exhibition, and it took Kikelomo’s vision and persistence to make it possible. She is proof of the global impact Nigerian women are capable of achieving in the arts.’

As Nigeria reflects on its independence, Oro Asa, Ohun Atijo (Cultural Words, Ancient Voices) stands as a shining example of cultural excellence, innovation, and the power of women leading change. Through her leadership at Red19 Global, Kikelomo Solomon-Ayeni is not only redefining art management but also opening global doors for African artists.

Her story on this Independence Day is a reminder that Nigerian creativity knows no borders.

Sir: With over 520 different languages, Nigeria holds the third-highest number of spoken languages in the world. Four of these – Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, and Ijaw – are spoken by about 78 percent of the country’s population. Yet despite this richness, most Nigerian languages remain absent from the tools shaping the lives of Generation Z and Generation Alpha, the generations who embody the future of today.

UNESCO warns that about 40 percent of the world’s 7,000 languages are at risk of extinction by 2025, with African and indigenous tongues disproportionately vulnerable. Over a hundred Nigerian languages are already considered endangered or close to extinction.

Technology illustrates the urgency. In Natural Language Processing (NLP), which powers translation apps, voice assistants, and speech recognition, Nigerian languages are classified as low-resource. This means there is not enough digital text or audio for artificial intelligence systems to learn from. Without action, entire languages risk being digitally invisible.

The Nigerian government has no structured plan to preserve or expand indigenous languages, especially in technology and research. Most languages lack basic resources such as text datasets, essential for NLP. Minority languages like Ibibio, Ijaw, and Kanuri, spoken by fewer than 10 million people each, have little or no digital representation. Even the so-called big three languages (Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba) struggle with limited and poor-quality resources.

Apps exist for Yoruba, Hausa, and Igbo, but hundreds of Nigerian languages remain excluded. Global technology firms are making tentative steps. In late 2024, Google expanded voice input and dictation support to Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba across Gboard, Voice Search, and Translate. Microsoft added the trio to Azure Translator earlier. Yet the depth and scale of resources for these languages remain far behind those of English, Chinese, or even Swahili.

The Nigerian constitution has never been officially translated into local languages, aside from one private Yoruba effort. Government websites remain exclusively in English. Community-driven projects like Masakhane and NaijaVoices are working to build datasets, but the scale of their efforts is minuscule compared to the need. If Nigerian languages are missing from keyboards, spell checkers, translation tools, and voice assistants, they will fade into silence.

What Nigeria needs is a deliberate digital language strategy. Such a strategy must go beyond the major three and extend to endangered and minority tongues. Crucially, it should position languages as infrastructure, gateways through which citizens access healthcare, education, commerce, and culture.

Policymakers must prioritize indigenous languages in technology and education. Researchers and entrepreneurs must collaborate to build open resources. Global technology firms must be challenged to support more Nigerian languages. And citizens must demand a future where their mother tongues are not just spoken but coded into the fabric of modern life.

As Nigeria marks its 65th Independence anniversary, the Arewa Defence League (ADL) has released the Kaduna October Declaration on the Rights of the People of Northern Nigeria, warning that the region is caught in a dangerous ‘polycrisis’ – an intersection of security, economic, and social challenges threatening its stability.

The declaration, unveiled at a strategy seminar in Arewa House, Kaduna, was described as a unified, evidence-driven assessment of the North’s realities and its place in the Nigerian federation. It followed extensive consultations with state coordinators, experts, and stakeholders across all 19 Northern states.

ADL stressed that the North’s polycrisis is not a set of isolated issues but interconnected emergencies feeding into each other. It identified rising insecurity, entrenched poverty, broken infrastructure, and elite impunity as key drivers of hardship and disillusionment.

In its State of the States analysis, the group highlighted insecurity as the most urgent threat, citing insurgency, banditry, kidnappings, and communal clashes as factors eroding state authority and exposing communities. ‘This collapse of safety is a profound failure of the state’s most essential responsibility,’ it noted.

The group also decried economic mismanagement, pointing out that despite the region’s abundant human and natural resources, corruption and poor policies had crippled agriculture, stifled businesses, and left millions of youths unemployed.

On the social front, ADL lamented that the North continues to rank as home to the world’s highest number of out-of-school children, coupled with worsening healthcare shortages and collapsing public services. ‘An entire generation risks being left behind,’ the group warned.

The declaration also faulted a culture of elite impunity and political marginalisation, accusing leaders of enacting policies that serve the few at the expense of the majority. It added that basic human rights, including food, security, and dignity, had been eroded across the region.

While insisting it does not advocate separation from Nigeria, the group said the failures of the Nigerian state in the North had weakened trust in the social contract. It called for a transformative renewal of governance through decentralisation of powers, restructuring of priorities, and restoration of the people’s sovereignty.

Grounded in the principles of liberty, equality, and popular sovereignty, the Kaduna October Declaration affirmed that ‘ultimate authority resides with the people of Northern Nigeria, who remain an inseparable part of the Nigerian nation. No authority is valid unless it derives directly from the people’s consent.’

ADL listed the next steps to actualise the declaration, including the formation of a planning committee to convene a Northern Stakeholders’ Conference, drafting of detailed policy documents, and creation of a comprehensive voter education and mobilisation plan ahead of the 2027 elections.

‘The era of empty words is over. The time to act is now,’ said Murtala Abubakar, President of ADL, who signed the declaration on behalf of the movement. He added that the document was both a binding commitment to the people of the North and a constructive contribution to Nigeria’s broader national conversation.

Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA) is set to hold architecture, and building exposition from November 25 – 28, at NIA Architectural Village, Abuja.

The event will showcase cutting-edge technologies, sustainable design practice, and visionary projects transforming Nigeria’s landscape.

President, Mobolaji Adeniyi, .in a statement, said as Nigeria marks 65 years of Independence today, NIA is honouring the nation’s resilience, creativity, unity and contributions of our heroes, living and dead.

‘The theme, ‘Nigeria at 65: All Hands-on Deck for a Greater Nation’, is a call to compatriots and members to build a future reflecting our shared aspiration and architectural excellence.

‘In the spirit of Independence, NIA is re-echoing our contribution to nation building by presenting Archibuilt 2025, a forum for innovation.

‘Archibuilt is a showcase of products, and services as well as a platform for dialogue, collaboration, as it brings together architects, engineers, surveyors, policymakers, and others to find solutions for housing, infrastructure, climate resilience, and urban development.”

‘This year’s theme speaks to our national reality of building a nation on a good economic and socio-political foundation where professionals are in the forefront of its development.”

‘Also, it highlights the role architecture plays in fostering economic stability, growth and resilience by creating sustainable spaces and prioritising community needs.

‘Archibuilt 2025 will feature the building clinic, Nigerian content challenge, students’ innovative projects, artisans’ challenge and much more.

‘We invite Nigerian professionals, entrepreneurs, students, and citizens to participate in Archibuilt 2025. Whether as exhibitors, speakers, volunteers, or attendees, your voice and vision are vital to the conversation,’ it said.

Five time FIFA U-17 World Cup record winners, the Golden Eaglets of Nigeria, have yet again missed the chance to qualify from the next continental cadet showpiece (CAF U-17 AFCON) after they were upended 2-0 by Ghana’s Black Starlets in the decisive semi-final match at the ongoing WAFU B U-17 Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire.

The Black Starlets cored twice in the opening half of the game at the Charles Konan Banny Stadium to advance to the final stage of the tournament at the expense of their Golden Eaglets counterparts.

Michael Awuli opened the scoring for Prosper Ogum’s side after just 21 minutes played, finishing off a nice move from the Starlets.

Ten minutes later, Robinho Yao Gavi doubled the lead for the team with a brilliant strike from the 18-yard box to put Ghana in a comfortable situation.

The Black Starlets goalkeeper Solomon Kwame Kesse rescued his team on ew occasions that the Nigerians threatened.

With victory over Nigeria, the Black Starlets will now face Cote d’Ivoire in the final scheduled for Friday, October 3.

Incidentally, both teams had previously met in the group stage, with Ghana losing 0-3-0 to the Baby Elephants.

Ghana’s appearance in the final also means they seal a slot at the next edition of the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations, returning to the continental tournament for the first time since 2017.

The Golden Eaglets missed the 2025 U-17 AFCON which serves as the qualifying tournament for the FIFA U17 World Cup and Tuesday’s loss to Ghana means Nigeria will miss out of the next African Championship as such no Mundial appearance .

Victor Osimhen last night scored the winner as Liverpool slumped to a shock 1-0 Champions League defeat to Galatasaray as the Nigeria International’s 16th-minute penalty handed the Turkish giants victory.

The English champions were punished for the latest in a series of poor performances in Istanbul as they suffered back-to-back defeats for only the second time under Arne Slot.

Liverpool were beaten for the first time this season at Crystal Palace on Saturday, but a series of late winners have masked an unconvincing start since a summer transformation of the squad that strolled to the Premier League title last season.

Slot responded by leaving Mohamed Salah and £125 million ($168 million) signing Alexander Isak on the bench among four changes.

The Dutchman was scathing in his assessment of Liverpool’s first-half performance at Palace as only Alisson Becker prevented an embarrassing half-time score.

However, Slot got little in the way of a response in another disjointed display from his array of star names.

Galatasaray had been thrashed 5-1 at Eintracht Frankfurt to start their Champions League campaign.

The Turkish champions are a far more formidable force on home soil, though, and made the most of Liverpool’s defensive deficiencies.

Slot’s decision to play midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai at right-back backfired.

Baris Alper Yilmaz gave the visitors a warning of the threat down Galatasaray’s left when he failed to beat Alisson when one-on-one with the Brazilian.

Liverpool should have led just seconds before they fell behind.

Hugo Ekitike was denied by Ugurcan Cakir as he tried to round the goalkeeper and Ismail Jakobs cleared Cody Gakpo’s follow-up effort off the line.

Galatasaray swiftly broke upfield and Yilmaz was awarded a soft penalty for a stray Szoboszlai arm into the Turkish international’s face.

Osimhen had previously seen a Champions League penalty saved by Alisson, but this time converted the resulting spot-kick.

Florian Wirtz has struggled badly to deliver on his £100 million price tag and is still waiting for his first Liverpool goal after his effort was turned behind by Cakir, while Ibrahima Konate headed just off target from a corner before half-time.

Konate’s poor form has been a major factor in the Reds’ defensive issues at the start of the season and the Frenchman nearly cost his side a second goal early in the second half.

Alisson saved his teammate’s blushes with another save from Osimhen but at a cost as the Liverpool number one suffered an injury sprinting off his line and had to be replaced by Giorgi Mamardashvili.

Slot introduced Salah and Isak on the hour mark, but Liverpool were still an impotent attacking force.

Isak fired tamely into the arms of Cakir with his first touch.

The closest the visitors came to a response was when French referee Clement Turpin initially pointed to the spot by a foul on Konate, but overturned his decision after a VAR review.

UCL: Yesterday’s Results

Atalanta 2-1 Brugge

Kairat 0-5 Madrid

Atletico 5 -1 Frankfurt

Bodø / Glimt 2-2 Tottenham

Chelsea 1 -0 Benfica

Galatasaray 1-0 Liverpool

Inter 3-0 Slavia Prague

Marseille 4 -0 Ajax

Pafos 1-5 Bayern

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has rewarded Team Edo with the sum of N10 million for their impressive outing at the 9th National Youth Games held in Asaba, Delta State.

Team Edo secured third place with a total of 79 medals, comprising 33 gold, 18 silver, and 28 bronze.

Announcing the reward while receiving the athletes at the Government House in Benin City, Governor Okpebholo commended their resilience, commitment, and dedication, noting that their performance brought pride and honour to the state.

He encouraged the athletes to stay focused and remain determined to achieve even greater success in future competitions.

‘I congratulate our team for putting in their best and securing third position with 33 gold, 18 silver, and 28 bronze medals. This is an impressive achievement, but I challenge you to do more and put in your best to claim first position in the next edition. Edo deserves first place, and with commitment and discipline, we will get there.

‘The state government will continue to support you, but I want to see stronger dedication and more commitment in the coming years. For your efforts, I am pleased to reward you with the sum of ?10 million. I believe with harder training, greater victories await Edo.’

Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission, Mr. Amadin Desmond Enabulele, thanked Governor Okpebholo for his support of sports development and stressed that the administration’s prioritization of athletes’ welfare was a decisive factor in the team’s improved performance.

He presented the second runner-up trophy to the Governor and assured that continued government support would enable the athletes to surpass their current achievement and position.

According to him, ‘We thank His Excellency for providing the enabling environment for sports to thrive. For the first time, Team Edo returned with 33 gold, 18 silver, and 28 bronze medals, an unprecedented feat in the history of our participation in the National Youth Games. The motivation came from the Governor’s commitment to the well-being of our athletes.’

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, yesterday joined hundreds of Nigerians in mourning Arise News anchor and reporter, Ms. Somtochukwu ‘Sommie’ Maduagwu, 29.

Sommie died on Monday after an armed robbery incident at her residence in the Katampe area of Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

President Tinubu has directed security and law enforcement agencies to track down those responsible for Sommie’s death, a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said yesterday.

Describing the broadcaster’s death as cruel and condemnable, Onanuga said the President ordered investigators to conduct a swift probe to ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice.

He assured Nigerians that his administration was committed to securing lives and property, adding that additional measures were being put in place to combat crime in all its forms.

Mrs. Tinubu described Sommie’s passing as painful and untimely.

In a post on her verified X handle, @SenRemiTinubu, the First Lady said she was saddened by the tragic loss of ‘one of our young and brilliant minds in the journalism profession’.

She said: ‘Her death is painful and quite unfortunate. She has been cut down in her prime. I condole with the Chairman of Arise News Media, Chief Nduka Obaigbena, her family, friends, colleagues, and loved ones. It is my hope and prayer that the perpetrators will be apprehended as soon as possible and brought to book.’

Also, FCT Police Commissioner Ajao Adewale has ordered a discreet and comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding Sommie’s death.

The police chief assured Nigerians of the command’s commitment to ensuring justice.

A statement by the command’s spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, a Superintendent of Police (SP), said the police commissioner had directed the deployment of intelligence and operational assets to identify, track, and apprehend those responsible for ‘this heinous crime’.

The police also dismissed allegations that the team, which responded to the distress call, turned down appeals to take Sommie to the hospital on the grounds that they had no fuel.

Also, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu; the Minister for Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris; the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) described her death as regrettable.

According to Sanwo-Olu, Sommie was a rising star in the media, and she performed her duties with passion and professionalism.

Idris described her as a vibrant and dedicated professional whose work resonated with audiences across Nigeria and beyond.

The minister assured fellow citizens that a swift investigation would be carried out on the incident.

The FCT Council of the NUJ called for a forensic investigation, saying the incident highlighted Nigeria’s growing insecurity and the need for accountability.

In a statement by its President, Afam Osigwe (SAN), the NBA described Sommie’s death as cruel, expressing concern over reports of alleged medical negligence.

‘The suggestion that her chances of survival may have been compromised by a hospital’s failure to act urgently is shocking and demands accountability,’ said the NBA.

The body of Nigerian lawyers called for a thorough investigation into the robbery and the hospital’s handling of the case.

It stressed that Nigerians must not only be safe from insecurity but must also trust that healthcare institutions would save lives during emergencies.

Also, there are new facts about how the broadcaster died in Abuja.

Giving details during the Arise TV’s ‘Morning Show’, Sommie’s colleague, Ojy Okpe, said she jumped from her room after learning that 14 armed robbers had stormed the building.

Though she survived the fall, she reportedly died after hospital workers allegedly refused to give her immediate treatment.

Her colleagues accused Maitama Hospital in Abuja of negligence, claiming that Sommie and a security guard injured during the attack were denied urgent care because the hospital workers demanded identification documents before treatment.

Ojy Okpe and Reuben Abati described the incident as a preventable tragedy linked to systemic failures in Nigeria’s healthcare sector.

Abati condemned the hospital’s conduct, calling it a violation of medical ethics and Nigerian law, which mandates that accident and emergency victims be treated immediately.

First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu has charged all Nigerians to play their part in building the country of their dreams, stressing that no sacrifice made in the service of the nation will be in vain.

In her Independence Day goodwill message on Wednesday to mark Nigeria’s 65th anniversary, the First Lady said every citizen has a role to play in shaping the future of the country.

‘Let us all play our part to build a Nigeria we all want to see. Your sacrifice will never be in vain. Happy 65th Independence Anniversary. God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria,’ she said.

Mrs. Tinubu underscored the importance of patriotism and selflessness, drawing inspiration from global and historical figures who had urged citizens to put national service above personal gain.

Quoting Gebran Kalil Gebran’s 1925 essay, The New Frontier, she observed: ‘Are you a politician, asking what your country can do for you or a zealous one, asking what you can do for your country? If you are the first, then you are a parasite, if the second, then you are an oasis in a desert.’

She also recalled the famous words of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy, who in his 1961 inaugural address urged citizens to ask what they could do for their country and, collectively, for humanity.

Tinubu said the celebration of Nigeria at 65 should not merely be about looking back but about committing afresh to the hard work of national development.