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The incumbent governor of Anambra State and candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) ahead of the Saturday, November 8, 2025, governorship election in the state has mocked the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate for flagging off their campaign just seven days before the voting process.

Soludo said the development was proof that the party was not serious about the contest.

The governor’s reaction came barely two hours after the APC flagged off its campaign at the All Saints Cathedral Field, Onitsha, on Friday.

The campaign, according to Tribune Online, attracted national officials of the party, APC governors, including Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, and thousands of supporters in the state.

Speaking further while addressing APGA supporters during his campaign rally held at the Njikoka Local Government Headquarters, Abagana, Soludo urged the people to come out en masse on the day of the voting process and vote out the APC and other opposition parties contesting the race.

‘This is shocking and a mockery for a political party like the APC to flag off its campaign seven days to the voting process. Though it’s not a surprise, because its candidate is in the race to gain cheap popularity.

‘Please, on the day of the election, step out en masse, collect their money, eat it, and vote them out.

‘What I can tell you here today is that I have no competitor in this gubernatorial race. What you have seen in the last three years of my administration in terms of transformation is evidence that we will win the election and we can only win when we all go out and vote,’ Soludo said.

The APGA rally also featured a donation of ?50 million to the governor’s re-election bid.

The Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, has explained that the proposed 5% fuel surcharge will not take effect until key economic conditions improve, particularly a stronger naira or a fall in global crude oil prices.

Speaking at the Haulage and Logistics Magazine Conference and Exhibition in Lagos, Oyedele said that although the surcharge is a good policy aimed at funding road maintenance, introducing it now would worsen the financial burden on Nigerians.

According to him, the fuel surcharge was first introduced during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo to allocate part of fuel revenues for road repairs, 40% for federal roads and 60% for state and local government roads.

‘The idea is brilliant and already being implemented in more than 150 countries,’ Oyedele said, adding that most of Nigeria’s 200,000 kilometres of roads are in poor condition.

He clarified that although the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) had requested to start collecting the levy after fuel subsidy removal, the committee rejected the proposal.

‘We said no,introducing such a tax now would be insensitive,’ he stated.

Oyedele added that the committee included the surcharge in the draft tax law but attached a safeguard requiring the Minister of Finance to issue an official order before it takes effect.

‘For me, the right time will be when the naira strengthens or crude prices drop, so the surcharge won’t raise pump prices,’ he said.

He also assured that the ongoing tax reforms would bring relief to the haulage and logistics sector by eliminating multiple taxation, reducing costs, and improving efficiency.

‘We are not introducing new taxes; we are removing the many duplicated ones that frustrate transporters and increase prices,’ he said.

Oyedele explained that under the new policy, small transport and logistics businesses with annual turnover below N100 million will be exempted from company income tax, while eligible operators will benefit from VAT refunds and tax incentives.

He added that the reforms aim to simplify Nigeria’s tax system and ensure transparent and efficient revenue sharing across all levels of government.

Former presidential aide, Bashir Ahmad, has called on top Nigerian artistes including Wizkid, Burna Boy, Tems, and Asake to perform in Northern Nigeria, following Davido’s successful concert in Yola, Adamawa State.

In a post on X on Friday, Ahmad said Davido’s decision to take his 5ive Alive tour to the North was a bold move that helped dispel negative stereotypes about the region.

He noted that many people often associate the North with insecurity and instability, but the singer’s concert, which recorded massive turnout and no security incident, portrayed a different reality.

He described the event as a demonstration of the peaceful and hospitable nature of the North and encouraged other artistes to replicate such performances to connect with their Northern fans.

According to him, Davido’s Yola concert reaffirmed the unifying power of music and highlighted the importance of embracing cultural diversity to strengthen national unity.

He wrote, ‘Though on several occasions I don’t share opinions with @Davido, in fact, I am a well-known member of Wizkid FC. However, I must commend him for taking his concert to Yola, Adamawa. Every day on this platform, especially from those who have never stepped foot in any part of the North, once you mention the region, the next thing you hear is insecurity, kidnappings, banditry and all sorts of negative narratives. They never allow any conversation about development or progress in the North. In their minds, these unfortunate incidents are happening on every street and corner of the region, which is simply not true.

‘Had Davido consulted with such people before his decision to go to Yola, they would have discouraged him with all sorts of frightening tales, painting the whole North as a danger zone, making it seem like the moment he set foot, he would be kidnapped, attacked or the worse. However, he went ahead and successfully held the concert, with thousands in attendance and without a single incident. I am sure Davido and his team left Adamawa with a positive impression.

‘I sincerely hope that other artists, such as Wizkid, Burna Boy, Tems and Asake, who also command huge followings in the North, will take a cue from Davido’s example. The North has millions of passionate fans who deserve to experience live performances from their favorite stars. Doing so will connect them more with their fans and also help amplify the true, peaceful and hospitable nature of the North, and by extension, the unity and beauty of Nigeria as a whole.

‘Music is one of the strongest unifying forces we have as a country, and Davido’s concert in Yola is a clear reminder that Nigeria works better when we choose to see beyond stereotypes and embrace one another in our shared love for art, culture and humanity.’

Davido on Thursday headlined a sold-out concert at the 25,000-capacity Mahmud Ribadu Square in Yola, Adamawa State.

The show also featured a surprise appearance by local influencer and former Big Brother Naija housemate Sultana Farida Auduson Ibrahim, who joined fans in celebrating the Grammy-nominated star.

Kogi State Polytechnic has said that a staff member in the Exams and Records unit already under disciplinary review had in its possession 30 forged Statements of Result bearing different names and programmes.

Security operatives also recovered several fake official stamps, stamp pads, and admission letters bearing different names and programmes from his residence’.

The Rector, Professor Salisu Usman Ogbo, disclosed that the syndicate operates and manipulates academic records within the institution.

He made the revelation while briefing Journalists in his office on a matter he described as ‘of serious concern regarding the integrity of its academic system’.

Professor Ogbo said the institution uncovered the scandal involving some students, non-students, and some members of staff who conspired to manipulate the academic records of the institution.

According to the Rector, the syndicate was found to have manipulated academic records, forged results, and attempted to obtain original certificates using fake documents, in connivance with some staff members, including a Deputy Registrar, who is currently on suspension.

He explained that the syndicate forged National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) results, with some individuals even attempting to collect original certificates for the fabricated results, noting that ‘such criminal acts represent an assault on the credibility and reputation of our institution, and they cannot be allowed to go unpunished’.

He said investigations revealed several cases of document falsification, including forged National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) results, with some suspects compromising the institution’s security arrangements and tampering with security features on the institution’s Statements of Result.

The Rector, who noted that the suspects used sophisticated methods to compromise the instruction’s security arrangements and tamper with security features on official documents, said all the suspects involved in the forgery scandal would be handed over to the Police for further investigation and diligent prosecution, to serve as a deterrent to others.

‘We are pleased to inform the public that four suspects involved in the forgery of statements of result were apprehended during registration. They have been handed over to our security unit, whose investigation led to the unmasking of the broader syndicate behind this academic fraud’.

While reiterating its uncompromising zero-tolerance policy for academic fraud and unethical conduct, the Rector emphasized that any staff member, student, or external collaborator found culpable will face the full wrath of the law and institutional disciplinary measures.

‘We shall not relent in our effort to expose and eliminate all forms of misconduct that are capable of denting the hard-earned reputation of Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja.

‘All individuals involved in this forgery scandal will be immediately handed over to the Police for further investigation and diligent prosecution to serve as a deterrent to others.’

He again assured the public, other stakeholders, and the Polytechnic community that its quality assurance measures and security mechanisms remain fully active and uncompromised, insisting that the institution will not relent in its efforts to protect its integrity and reputation.

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday reaffirmed his administration’s resolve to establish a credible, secure, verifiable, and inclusive national identity management system, describing it as vital to achieving Nigeria’s developmental aspirations.

The president made this known at the State House during the official unveiling of the NIMC NINAuth App, a digital and mobile-based identity authentication platform developed by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

He said his government is leveraging technology to improve efficiency, transparency, and accountability across governance processes.

‘Today’s official launch of the NIMC NINAuth App heralds a remarkable day in our nation’s digital public infrastructure journey as Africa’s largest identity database. This innovation marks yet another milestone in our collective pursuit of a digitally-empowered Nigeria,’ he said.

‘Under the Renewed Hope Agenda, our administration is committed to leveraging technology to enhance efficiency, transparency, and accountability in governance. Central to this agenda is the modernisation of digital infrastructure to eliminate unnecessary bottlenecks and ensure that every Nigerian, regardless of background or location, has access to essential services without the frustration of bureaucratic delays.’

Tinubu said the new app would elevate Nigeria to the level of the world’s technologically advanced nations, ensuring seamless, secure, and inclusive access to services while maintaining high standards of data protection and national security.

‘This way, we are simplifying access, reducing bureaucratic interference, and reducing the gaps within which inefficiency and corruption can thrive.

‘A credible and inclusive National Identity Management System is fundamental to our national development goals. It supports financial inclusion, strengthens social welfare delivery, enhances our security architecture, and ensures accurate population data for evidence-based planning,’ the president stated.

He noted that the NINAuth App would enable every Nigerian citizen and legal resident to benefit from a unified national identity database that can support social programmes, strengthen electoral integrity, improve healthcare access, and ensure equitable resource distribution.

Tinubu urged Nigerians to embrace the new innovation, commending NIMC for transforming identity management from a bureaucratic process into a dynamic, technology-driven system in line with global standards.

‘My fellow Nigerians, the future we seek is one where technology empowers every citizen and where trust in governance is built on efficiency, transparency, and inclusiveness. The launch of this application demonstrates that the promises we have made as a government are being responsibly measured and are manifesting in tangible reforms that improve daily life.

‘Let us all embrace this new era. Let us protect it, use it responsibly, and ensure that it serves as a bridge, connecting our people, our institutions, and our aspirations for a more prosperous nation.

‘Together, we are building a nation where every identity counts and every citizen must matter,’ he concluded.

Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who also spoke at the event,l, emphasised the importance of a secure identity management system for national development, noting that President Tinubu has shown the capacity to address governance challenges through technology under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

‘Your excellency, you are solving tomorrow’s problem with technology. Technology is dynamic; it is bridging the gap.

‘Every nation that desires to be efficient must first build systems that can identify, authenticate, and secure its citizens. Identity is not just an administrative requirement; it is the backbone of governance, national security, and service delivery,’ he said.

Explaining the features of the NINAuth app, NIMC Director-General, Engr. (Dr.) Abisoye Coker-Odusote, said it would eliminate multiple data possession by individuals and provide real-time identity authentication for businesses and institutions.

‘It is important that every single business or enterprise in this country, whether it’s a small, medium, or large enterprise, can have access to verifiable identity credentials of every single citizen in Nigeria and the same for the government,’ she said.

She revealed that NIMC has so far enrolled 126,717,316 Nigerians, with about 25 million of these recorded in the last two years, averaging 1.3 million verification hits daily.

Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) has raised alarm over what it described as the growing incidence of illegal pharmaceutical practices within several Federal Health Institutions (FHIs), calling on the Federal Government to urgently sanction those involved.

National Chairman of the association, Pharm. Ezeh Ambrose Igwekamma made the call on Friday, condemning what he termed the persistent disregard for professional and legal standards by some pharmaceutical companies and their superintendent pharmacists, who allegedly operate unlawfully within public hospitals often with the tacit approval of hospital managements and regulatory bodies.

Ezeh faulted the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) for allegedly turning a blind eye while unregistered private pharmacy operators take over drug distribution roles in federal hospitals under various Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangements.

He cited the ministry’s earlier experiments with models such as Medipool, describing them as ‘unlawful ventures that have created loopholes in the public drug distribution system.’

According to him, the statutory framework guiding the supply and management of drugs in public hospitals remains anchored on Decree 43 of 1989 (now Cap 252 LFN 2004), which established the Essential Drug List and the Drug Revolving Fund (DRF).

He stressed that for the DRF to function effectively, pharmacists must have full control over procurement, distribution, and management, as clearly outlined in the DRF manuals.

Ezeh, however, lamented that over the years, many Chief Medical Directors (CMDs) and Medical Directors (MDs) have allegedly mismanaged DRF resources, resulting in persistent stock-outs and erratic drug availability in most federal hospitals.

He recalled the success story of the Department of Pharmacy, National Orthopaedic Hospital (NOH), Igbobi, which he described as the most successful DRF model in the country. Under pharmacist leadership, the department built a ?200 million pharmacy complex in 2014 without compromising the DRF account.

‘No other professional group or institution has matched such a landmark achievement,’ he said, regretting that despite ACPN’s repeated warnings between 2020 and 2022, the Federal Ministry of Health failed to intervene as irregularities began to erode the model’s integrity.

The ACPN listed several FHIs where illegal PPP pharmacy models are allegedly operating, including UCH Ibadan, UDUTH Sokoto, AKTH Kano, National Hospital Abuja, NAUTH Nnewi, JUTH Jos, FMCs in Makurdi, Umuahia, Jabi and Nguru, ISTH Irua, and UMTH Maiduguri.

The association noted multiple breaches of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) Act 2022, particularly: Section 22(1) taht states that only registered and inspected pharmacies may store, sell or dispense medicines; Section 27(5) that says ó rivate pharmacies are prohibited from operating inside public health facilities; Section 29: Every pharmacy must be under the direct control of a superintendent pharmacist; and Section 54: Running an unregistered pharmacy constitutes a criminal offence.

Ezeh further accused some FHIs of violating the Public Procurement Act 2007, which mandates transparency and competition in procurement processes. He alleged that over 20 pharmacy premises operating under PPP arrangements are not registered, with one ‘particularly aggressive company’ in Lagos reportedly taking over the pharmacy unit of a major teaching hospital while invoking the names of senior government officials to legitimise its actions.

The ACPN issued a strong warning to superintendent pharmacists whose practising licences are being used to back questionable operations, giving them until the end of 2025 to regularise their status or face disciplinary action from the association in 2026.

The association also said it would push for wider sanctions through regulatory authorities under the Consumer Protection and Trade Malpractices Act.

Reaffirming the ACPN’s commitment to restoring integrity in drug distribution, Ezeh maintained that addressing drug scarcity, ensuring security of medicines, and strengthening Nigeria’s pharmaceutical supply chain require supporting local manufacturers through credit guarantees and fair procurement processes.

He emphasised the need to protect DRF accounts as legitimate working capital lines and to uphold Good Pharmacy Practice (GPP) across all 73 FHIs nationwide.

Ezeh warned that financing gaps and irregular systems continue to weaken the quality, equity, and access to essential medicines in public hospitals, urging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to call the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare to order.

‘We must restore sanity, legality and professionalism in drug distribution in the public sector. The health of the Nigerian people depends on it,’ he said.

Popular Nigerian singer, Adekunle Gold, has opened up about his lifelong battle with sickle cell disease, revealing that he still experiences crises despite managing the condition for decades.

In a recent video interview shared on social media, the 38-year-old artist recounted his experience living with the illness and the painful episodes he has endured since childhood.

Sharing his story, Adekunle Gold said, ‘I still have crises.’

He explained that he has been on medication since childhood, disclosing the pain that comes with the ailment.

He said, saying, ‘I have been on lifelong medication since I was five years old.’

‘Unfortunately for me, my parents are sickle cell and they brought me to the world. The first time I ever heard of sickle cell was I would fall sick every time with my joints paining me. So when we talk about crisis, it is pains on your joints, my legs and sometimes stomach. It’s really crazy.’

He narrated one of his earliest experiences with the condition.

‘The first time I noticed that I had it was the night I fell sick and my dad wasn’t home and my mum put me on her back and we walked miles to the hospital. I don’t remember how old I was, maybe like 5 or 7. That was when the doctor told me about it, and they told me that I will be taking folic acid and B complex for the rest of my life. And that’s my life for a very long time even till now,’ he added.

Adekunle Gold noted that although he still experiences sickle cell crises, it has become more manageable with proper care and lifestyle adjustments.

‘I still have crises once in a while but not as bad as I had it when I was a child, you know maybe because I have found a way to take care of myself more properly. And I’m grateful to God for the resources to be able to do that,’ he said.

He also used the opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of genotype testing.

He added, ‘My vision is to make more noise about it because a lot of people don’t know about it, and the important organisations are not making so much moves regarding it.

‘Where sickle cell is more popular or where people know it most is my country Nigeria. And it happens when an SS matches an SS. And that’s why knowing your genotype is very important because the point is you should not bring many more kids that have sickle cell,’ he added.

The Chairman, Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC), Prof. Tunji Olaopa, has listed measures that could be deployed by the government to stem the tide of youth unemployment in Nigeria.

While delivering the 17th Convocation Lecture of Bells University of Technology, Ota, Ogun State, on Friday, Olaopa noted the huge population of youth that could be converted into national capital.

Olaopa, who spoke on the topic ‘The Nigerian Youth and the Challenges of Unemployment and Skills Mismatch in National Development’, however, deplored a situation where such a huge population is allowed to waste due to outright under-employment or outright unemployment.

Olaopa urged a stronger connection between the formal and informal education sub-sectors on the continuum of learning and training as a key to progress. In this connection, he said effort should be made to resolve the challenges being faced with the implementation of the ‘students industrial work experience scheme (SIWES), currently stalled due to total lack of synergy between students’ inchoate theoretical learning with a crippling lack of practical experiential learning functionally linked to workplace and labour market demands.’

Olaopa specifically identified a local solution to the unemployment crisis, urging that the Igbo apprenticeship system should be encouraged as a nationwide job creation and entrepreneurship consolidation programme.

He described the system as one that thrives on pairing apprentices with experienced mentors for guidance and support.

Adopting this system nationwide, according to him, will require the establishment of a national framework of action setting it out to deepen existing apprenticeship systems, outlining appropriate standards for mentors and mentees, specification of training duration, and certification procedures, including the setting up of a programme self-evaluation mechanism and regulatory system.

He said that it would also require partnerships with industry to deploy it to reinvent and consolidate the SIWES, and that this would entail having the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), NDE, etc., to undertake the identification of in-demand skills among the targeted youth, and the implementation of a systematic programme to match them with their apprentices’ interests and aptitudes.

‘A well-equipped, supportive startup training set of hubs to provide hands-on learning support to provide systematic learning of supportive skills as generating funding proposals, recordkeeping, etc., will be essential’, he added.

Olaopa blamed the crisis of youth unemployment on factors that he said could be linked to the largely untransformed structure of the national economy.

‘Indeed, the growth trajectory of the Nigerian economy has been largely uneven and socially non-inclusive’, he said.

Consequently, the economy has been generating limited sources of new employment, a low-employment intensity, which is the key defining attribute of a non-diversified economy that is heavily and monoculturally dependent on oil and gas

He also blamed past reforms to restore the functional link between education, job creation, and the employability of graduates, which tends to be skewed in favour of formal education.

As he put it: ‘Whereas the informal sector of the economy is the largest job creator in Nigeria, limited attention has been accorded to building the skills needed nor has policy creativity been deployed enough to support the productivity and other required structural changes to unlock the potential of the informal sector in Nigeria.

‘In a more concrete sense, past policies have concentrated resources and expertise in the former technical, vocational education and training (TVET), to the detriment of the traditional apprenticeship and non-formal training

‘In spite of recent priority focus on TVET, there still does not exist a self-evaluation and regulatory mechanism for TVET institutions. The current AfDB-supported FG programme to deepen the implementation of the national vocational qualification framework (NVQF) directed at the incorporation of standardized certification procedures as a way of increasing the capacity of traditional apprenticeship and non-formal training to generate employment in the informal sector, is unarguably a step in the right direction.

‘The new policy and programme, if pursued to its logical conclusion, will no doubt check the mismatch between employment opportunities available in the labour market, and the type of qualifications and certification produced by education and training institutions.’

Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria (MWAN), Taraba State Chapter, in collaboration with the North East Development Commission (NEDC), on Friday called on Nigerian women to embrace regular breast and cervical cancer screening as a vital step toward early detection, treatment, and prevention of the deadly diseases.

Dr. Echuseh Audu, the President of the Association, made the call during the flag-off of the Breast and Cervical Cancer Awareness Campaign with the theme: ‘Every Story is Unique, Every Journey Matters’, organised, by MWAN and NEDC in Jalingo.

She said the initiative was part of the association’s commitment to improving women’s health through awareness and education.

According to organisers, the campaign will continue across communities in Taraba to ensure women at all levels have access to vital information and free screening opportunities.

Dr. Audu noted that the campaign underscored the power of collaboration between MWAN and NEDC in promoting early cancer detection and access to care.

‘This programme is a proof to the strength of partnership and our shared mission to provide compassionate care and support for women. We aim to engage top health professionals to enlighten women on the importance of screening, early diagnosis, and preventive measures,’ Dr. Audu stated.

She stressed that women, especially those aged 50 and above, must make screening a regular health routine to reduce mortality rates associated with breast and cervical cancers.

Also speaking, Amahdy Gagwi Tarfa, representative of the North East Development Commission, commended the Medical Women’s Association for its dedication to women’s health and pledged the Commission’s continued support for initiatives that impact the lives of people across the North East.

In her remarks, the Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre, Jalingo, Dr. Aisha Adamu, described the awareness campaign as a landmark effort in the state’s health sector.

She said such programmes play a critical role in reminding communities about the importance of early testing and collective efforts in the fight against cancer.

‘Pooling our resources and sensitising communities about the dangers of late diagnosis is key to reducing the burden of breast and cervical cancer in Nigeria,’ she said.

Nigerian Tribune reports that Participants at the event were educated by experts on various aspects of cancer care.

Dr. Maryam Musa Haruna delivered a health talk on ‘Understanding Breast Cancer: Signs, Prevention, and Early Detection,’ while Dr. Rakiya Jibril spoke on ‘Cervical Cancer Awareness: The Role of Vaccination and Screening.’

Tribune also reports that there were goodwill messages from dignitaries, as well as live testimonies from cancer survivors who shared their journeys of hope and resilience.

The wife of the Ekiti Governor, Dr Olayemi Oyebanji, has advocated the need for the engagement of the male gender in the fight against Gender-based violence in the State.

The governor’s wife argued that the fight to eradicate the growing GBV cases would achieve the desired results if the male folks joined the organisations and CSOs in clamouring for fairness, justice, and equality in society.

Oyebanji made this call in Ado-Ekiti, the State capital, while declaring open the 2025 law week of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA Ekiti) with the theme, ‘ The Evolving Landscape of Human Rights -The Male Ally: Engaging Men and Boys in the Fight for Gender Justice ‘

She commended FIDA Ekiti for its unwavering commitment to defending the vulnerable and promoting justice with courage and empathy, saying that the role of men as allies is critical to achieving sustainable gender harmony.

Reeling out the state government’s efforts to advance gender equity, she praised Governor Biodun Oyebanji for his sustained support toward women’s empowerment and social inclusion.

Oyebanji’s wife, who also chairs the State GBV management committee, disclosed that her office, in collaboration with the Ministry of Women Affairs and the Office of the Attorney-General, continues to expand safe spaces and comprehensive support services for victims across the state.

According to her, ‘ Gender justice is not a woman’s cause alone; it is a shared human mission. When men and boys understand that fairness, empathy, and equality benefit everyone, our homes and communities become stronger and more peaceful.

‘The Male Ally’ is a powerful and necessary evolution in our collective thinking. It affirms that the fight for gender justice is not a struggle against men, but a partnership with them to build a fairer world for all. True, sustainable progress is only possible when men and boys stand as active allies, recognizing that equality liberates us all and allows every member of our society to thrive.’

On his part, the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Lekan Ogunmoye, commended FIDA Ekiti for its commitment to championing social and gender justice in the State.

Represented by Justice Blessing Ajileye, the CJ solicited the collective efforts of all stakeholders towards stamping out the menace of GBV, promising that the judiciary would do its best in achieving the desired results in the State.

The Attorney General and commissioner for Justice, Dayo Apata, SAN, explained that the role of the male gender in the fight against dismantling the scourge of GBV cannot be overemphasized, describing them as change agents in achieving gender justice.

The AG, who was represented by the Solicitor General of the state, Sunday Bamise, said,’ In reality, gender justice is about creating a fair and equitable society for everybody, regardless of their gender. Therefore, the society at large benefits when gender justice is achieved.

‘ Therefore, everyone has a role to play. Women should not be the only ones fighting for their rights. Men and boys, especially those in positions of power, have a unique role to play as allies and change agents.

‘ The future of gender justice depends on all of us, parents, educators, lawyers, policymakers, activists, traditional and religious leaders, and individuals.’

Other stakeholders, including the Commissioner of Police, Joseph Eribo, in their goodwill messages, reaffirmed their commitment to ongoing collaboration with FIDA to strengthen the protection of vulnerable persons and sustain peace in Ekiti State.

They stressed that combating abuse requires collective, consistent, and coordinated efforts; hence, the need for all hands to be on deck.

Earlier, the Chairperson of FIDA Ekiti, Mrs Ayobami Olowoyo-Richard, reaffirmed the association’s dedication to promoting justice, protecting rights, and ensuring equity.

She commended partners, sponsors, and supporters for their steadfast support and pledged that the association would continue to expand its reach and respond swiftly to cases of abuse and rights violations.

‘ As the world evolves, so must our approach to promoting and protecting human rights. Achieving true gender justice requires collective effort not only from women, but also from men and boys who must become Intentional allies in dismantling stereotypes, discrimination, and all forms of gender-based inequality,’ she said.

The chairman of the FIDA Ekiti law week planning committee, Mrs Shirley Atane, said the theme of this year’s celebration was necessary, saying, ‘We seek to move from a narrative of confrontation to one of collaboration, recognizing that true gender justice liberates everyone and requires the active partnership of all.’