Asianet Pakistan Private Limited

The journey was relatively smooth as the commercial bus we boarded in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital navigated the popular Aba Road and later maneuvered the various link roads criss-crossing communities in Akwa Ibom State until we approached the Calabar-Itu Road; a major artery linking all road users from the south to Cross River State.

The road is laden with numerous trailers, trucks and other articulated vehicles that ply it on a daily basis due probably to quarries that dot Cross River.

The state has large deposits of limestone. The quarries belong to licensed companies in the business of excavating and supplying limestone to end users. Therefore, Calabar-Itu Road provides the major gateway to the quarries, especially for customers coming from the southern axis. It has always been a death trap as previous governments never took its rehabilitation seriously. Consequently, the road, despite its commercial and social importance, has been in a decrepit condition for more than a decade. In fact, the projects from contracts awarded on it in the past were abandoned.

So, it was with fear and despair that we approached the road characterised by chains of craters. In many sections, it has become a chasm which drivers have to go through near death situations to navigate.

The entire stretch till the tip of the popular Itu Bridge was marshy and muddy. The vehicles crawled and at many areas lined up in a harrowing gridlock that lasted for hours. But there was a glimmer of hope as signs emerged that the road was receiving some attention from the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The reconstruction of the road was ongoing with concrete pavement of the Minister of Works, Dr Dave Umahi, already installed in some places. Those areas brought some relieves during the journey as we made our way to Calabar.

The journey to Calabar was undertaken out of curiosity. It was an inquiry into the state of the Lagos-Calabar Highway Project, prompted by the claims in some quarters that the project, a big ticket investment of the Tinubu administration, was only receiving attention at the Lagos end. Some persons even insinuated that no ground had been broken for the project at the Calabar end. Therefore, the desire to know the true situation of the road in Cross River informed the trip.

The inquiry started a day after we arrived in Calabar from Port Harcourt, with the Cross River State correspondent of The Nation, Gill Nsa, as my tour guide. Nsa is from Cross River State and understands the politics, the economy and culture of the state having worked in the area as a journalist for many years. The next day, Nsa took me to Akamkpa Local Government Area not far from Calabar. We drove through the popular Calabar-Ikom Road. The road also leads to Ogoja and can be used to access Benue and other northern states. However, the road is also in bad shape and has been undergoing reconstruction for many years. The current administration is also paying attention to it.

The tour guide suddenly pulled over at the right side of road close to a police checkpoint. He called the place Awi. And opposite us was the Calabar corridor of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project. In fact, it was not difficult to know that a major project was ongoing. Sounds of heavy duty machines saturated the atmosphere. The new highway begins from the Awi thick forest in Akamkpa.

Already the shape of the road had been carved. Two signposts hoisted opposite each other tell the story of an ambitious developmental project, the first of its kind in the Niger Delta region in a long while.

The signposts bear the picture of President Bola Tinubu. Of course, he was the one who mustered the courage to brace the tape. Details of the project were contained on the signboards. The Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is in charge of it through the Ministry of Works. They further identified the axis as Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Section 3A/3B CH. 65+000-CH.0+000 C/NO.8784.

The signposts further identified the contractor as M/S HITECH Construction Company Limited and gave the duration of the project as 36 months. We were allowed to drive through the passable section of the road. At some points, we abandoned our vehicle and trekked for some kilometres to observe the ongoing work.

In fact, constructing the road from the Calabar axis is not a tea party. From the beginning were hills, followed by rocky mountains and swampy marshy terrains. We saw that trees were felled and the Mangrove was cleared as the workers made frantic efforts to link it to the Akwa Ibom section of the road. Over 15 earth-moving equipment performing various construction roles were seen on ground. The humming, buzzing sounds of the excavators and swamp buggies, among other equipment, told even the blind that a major developmental project was ongoing.

As at the time we toured the project, earthwork on the road was still ongoing. Only about five kilometres could be driven or walked on. The concrete pavement and the meridian had not been installed but clearing and excavation had gone far into the forest.

Although the terrain appeared cumbersome, the contracting firm was pursuing the project with determination and diligence, bulldozing the hills and cracking the rocks to get to the required level. It was painstaking but it slowly led to a paved road. With admiration, we stood and watched the workers undertake their various tasks.

One of the workers, who identified himself simply as John, told us that work on the road was an everyday affair. ‘We resume here every day. You can see the terrain is difficult. But work is progressing. The white men doing the excavation have gone far with it. They take off every morning accompanied by soldiers, and they don’t come back till the close of work’, he said.

One of the expatriate workers, who said they were not allowed to talk to people, identified the major challenge of the project as the rainy season. ‘We are working, but he rains are disturbing us. Most of the days, the rains fall heavily. Some days when we resume, the weather will look friendly. But before you know it, boom, the rain begins to fall and stop the work.

‘But as you can see we are making progress,’ he said.

Indeed, we could see a world of difference between the construction from the Calabar axis of the coastal road and the Lagos section. The topographies are not the same. While the Lagos axis appeared faster because of the table nature of most part of the land, the Calabar section seemed slow but steady following the rocky, hilly and marshy nature of a significant portion of the land.

We took our time to gauge the opinions of passersby, especially commuters and drivers plying the Calabar-Ikom road, and most of them could not hide their joy. They commended the President Tinubu-led Federal Government for daring to undertake the new road project. They recalled that previous administrations avoided it despite the cries of the people.

A resident of Akamkpa, Prosper Emmanuel, described it as a thing of joy. Emmanuel said the project had compelled him to join the mass mobilisation for the President’s second term. He said the project would only be completed if President Tinubu remains in office beyond 2027.

Emmanuel disclosed that actual construction began in the area about two months ago. Emmanuel said President Tinubu deserved commendation for undertaking a project of such magnitude adding that other administrations lacked the courage to embark on such legacy projects.

Emmanuel said: ‘I am an indigene of Akamkpa Local Government. It is a thing of joy to have a project of this magnitude around this area. Everybody prays for development. The rate at which the contractors are going about it if they keep it up, it will soon be delivered and it will be commendable.

‘They have been on site for two months now and work has been on a high level. This road is a plus to this administration because many administrations had come and gone and something big like this has never happened’.

Emmanuel highlighted the advantages of the project saying it would go a long way to empowering the locals economically. He told persons doubting the project’s commencement from the Calabar section to bury their thoughts.

He said: ‘This is a heavy and serious project. It will go a long way to help our people economically and politically. It will reduce the burden of road transport. Some people have been asking me whether this road has started here and I keep telling them that it has started in ernest.

‘This is not even the only place the job is ongoing. It is in segments. The jobs are going on simultaneously in other sections and I want to categorically say that the level of work is high and serious. In fact, because of this road I have started campaigning for the President’s second term’.

A driver plying the Calabar-Ikom Highway, who identified himself simply as Kingsley praised the President for the ongoing job at the Calabar axis of the road. Kingsley said since the company conquered the entrance to the project, they had continued to work at the site on daily basis.

‘This project is massive and it is not easy because of the terrain of this area. Since they started this project from this axis, they work here every day and the road is progressing. We are happy that the President is undertaking this kind of project. We are grateful to him,’ he said.

When we approached HITECH officials at their administrative office, located a few kilometres after the project site, one of them, who identified himself simply as Engr. Elias, said they had no authority to speak to the media about the project.

He said: ‘We don’t have any authority to speak to anybody about the project. We don’t even talk to ministry officials. You can come to the project site and see what is happening. If you need anything, go to our head office.’

But he later added: ‘We have gone far on the project. If you come in a few weeks time, you will see more.’

To gauge the pulse of the state government, we spoke to the Commissioner for Works in Cross River State, Ankpo Pius Edet. He told doubters that the project was ongoing at point 001 in Cross River, describing it as evidence of the Renewed Hope Agenda in Cross River State.

Edet said President Tinubu had demonstrated his creative mind by opening up an area that had no road before.

He said: ‘For us in Cross River, we are delighted and pleased to have the implementation of the Renewed Hope Initiative in our state.

‘It is only in this administration that the government is creating road where there is no road.

‘Within the state here the governor had emulated the renewed hope agenda of President Tinubu by opening a road that had never existed before. President Tinubu opening over 700km of road from Lagos to Calabar is unbelievable.

‘Others think it is a mirage that will never come to be. But today it is a true testimony of a creative mind for this to happen. The eyes can see today. The other section in Lagos was partially inaugurated and this stretch from Calabar is presently ongoing.

‘What will the critics say again? For Cross River, all we can say is a big thank you to President Tinubu. Within two years in office, what President Tinubu has done, many Presidents have not done it.’

Edet further commended the Minister for Works, Dr. Dave Umahi, for revolutionising road construction through his concrete pavement technology, which he said was adopted for the Lagos-Calabar project. He said the state government was always ready to give support to the project

Addressing those who claimed they did not know the value of the project, Edet said: ”Anybody who says he doesn’t know the value of the road is ignorant. I don’t blame them.

‘But to us, that road is a game changer for the economy of the South-South, the economy of the country, because Cross River is the agricultural hub of this country. So the linking of the Lagos-Calabar highway will transfer agricultural products from Cross River to the west.

‘It is a game changer and ice breaker for us and the people of Nigeria. It is something that we are grateful to the President for.’

The Commissioner further hinted on how the project would stimulate the state’s economy. He said the road is aligned to the area where the state government is designated for the Special Agro Processing Zone (SAPZ) and the Bakassi Deep Seaport.

He said: ‘The Lagos-Calabar Highway Project is a game changer. A lot will happen. It will blossom the economy of the state and revolutionise agriculture.

‘So, a lot of things are in store, and I tell those that were ignorant before to wake up from their slumber because the game changer has come.’

Edet also commended the Federal Government and Minister Umahi for their choice of contractor, saying HITECH had demonstrated its seriousness and commitment for the project with the equipment it had so far deployed at the project site. He asked persons doubting the commencement of the project at the Calabar section to wake up from their slumber.

He said: ‘A lot is happening from this axis. The project is seriously ongoing and HITECH is doing their best.

‘I commend his Excellency for the choice of HITECH. With the robotic availability, that is the equipment they have on ground and the technical exposure they had shown within the space of this time, and with what I have seen as a qualified civil engineer, they are doing very well.

‘The standard of the road and the thickness of the reinforcement here are accurate. I commend the President for the choice of company. They are giving us the best.

‘I want to talk to the whole Nigeria that it is not true that the Calabar section of Lagos-Calabar is not ongoing. It is presently ongoing. We are feeling it.

‘In less than a week, we should be able to connect the other side in Akwa Ibom. But like I said earlier, there are always critics in democracy.’

Edet x-rayed the challenges of the project from the Calabar axis identifying the weather and the difficult terrains as major obstacles.

But he classified them as natural, noting that they could only affect the timeframe for the project delivery.

He added that HITECH, having existed in the state for over 20 years, was equal to the task of dealing with the challenges.

He said the people of the state were happy with the employments generated by the project observing that in application of local content, the contractor gave jobs to many people from the state

He said: ‘The weather has remained the greatest challenge of the road construction. This period is the rainy season and we are in the mangrove where water table is always high and the rainfall is heavy.

‘The major challenges are the swampy nature of the place, the mangrove sections that require high level of filling with sharp sound.

‘These challenges will affect the timeframe of the project. They are natural and inevitable. But they are pushing.

‘People should understand the differences in terrains. The contractor is also complying with the local content aspect of the project because our people are participating in the project.

‘The people of Cross River are also participating in the project. Some are supplying sand and others are artisans.

‘HITECH has been here for over 20 years, so they understand the terrain.’

Undoubtedly, the Calabar axis of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway has started and it is progressing. It is not only the Calabar section that has commenced, the Akwa Ibom part of the road is also progressing. Some Niger Delta stakeholders recently toured the Akwa Ibom section. Stakeholders from the Movement for the Survival of Izon Ethnic Nationalities in Niger (MOSIEND) and the Niger Delta Youth Coalition for Peace and Progress (NDYCPP) after their tour hailed the progress of the project.

The President of MOSIEND, Amb. Kennedy Tonjo-West, who led others on an inspection tour of sections of the project in Akwa Ibom State, said they were happy that it was quietly taking shape and that the progress was steady and impressive.

West said the massive infrastructural project being undertaken by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remained one of the most ambitious in Nigeria’s recent history.

‘Stretching through key southern states, it is designed to open new corridors of trade, tourism, and connection across the coast,’ he said.

He said their investigations revealed that in Akwa Ibom State, work had continued despite the relentless rainy season, describing it as a sign of genuine commitment from both government and contractors.

He commended the contractor handling the Akwa Ibom axis of the project, Hitech Construction Company Limited, and Mr. Joseph Matar, who serves as the Project Manager, supported by Drycet International Ltd, led by Mr. Karim Aleeds.

He said during the tour, they observed that the Hitech’s teams kept a near round-the-clock schedule, working even on weekends to meet the Federal Government’s delivery targets.

West said: ‘During the recent inspection tour of the Akwa Ibom corridor, from Channel One in Okobo/Nsit-Atta to Channel 31 in Uruan, we were deeply impressed by what we saw.

‘We saw firsthand the heavy machinery, skilled workers, and constant activity on site even on weekends’.

One of the MOSIEND’s leaders, Dimieri Pepple, said: ‘It cleared every doubt and gave us renewed confidence in the Federal Government’s sincerity. We saw the project’s growing impact on local livelihoods.’

One of the leaders of NDYCPP, Ini Udo Idiong, said: ‘Our formerly unemployed youths are now gainfully engaged. Small businesses are springing up around the sites, and communities are becoming vibrant again.’

He appealed to politicians to stop politicising the coastal road, describing it as ‘a project for all Nigerians.’

‘This road isn’t about party lines; it’s about people. It will boost commerce, link communities, and unlock opportunities across the region’, Idiong said.

Idiong commended Governor Pastor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State for aligning his state’s development priorities, especially youth empowerment and infrastructure, with the Federal Government’s vision.

He further acknowledged Senate President Godswill Akpabio for his continued push to strengthen development initiatives through the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and other federal programs.

Idiong said: ‘With over three decades of experience in heavy civil engineering and marine infrastructure, Hitech Construction Company Ltd remains one of Nigeria’s most trusted indigenous firms.

‘The company says it is proud to play a part in ‘building the nation’s coastline and connecting its people to new possibilities.’

Arising from its Biannual International Conference in Abuja at the weekend, the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) urged stakeholders to proffer solution to the country’s energy crisis.

This was contained in the communique the Director of Research and Development, Dr. Tina Isichie issued after the conference.

The conference urged the nation to address its energy crisis with a sustainable solution.

The stakeholders noted that Nigeria is endowed with 207 trillion cubic feet reserves of gas aside from oil reserves that is sufficient to support development.

She said: ‘Nigeria has been blessed with natural gas resources (currently a reserve of 207 TCF) in addition to oil. This is enough to support developments by leveraging digitalization, innovation, and technology across the board.

‘It is projected that by the year 2050, Nigeria will be the 3rd most populous country on earth, necessitating an urgent need to think outside the box and proffer sustainable solutions to the country’s energy crisis.’

Isichie also said considering the government policy of 2020-2030 as the Decade of Gas, the government should speed up CNG investment and ensure all LPG importers set up processing plants in Nigeria so that the commodity will be readily available and at an affordable price.

According to her, the conference said despite the PIA 2021, persistent issues include under-utilized refineries, capacity gaps in the workforce, and challenges with technology transfer and environmental obligations.

It was also recommended that there should be a strong mandate for all Ministry of Petroleum Resources agencies to partner and collaborate on generating solutions and evolving the required technology for local production issues.

The conference, according to the communique, emphasised maximizing Nigeria’s 207 TCF gas reserves to drive national development, urging the acceleration of CNG investment and sector liberalization to diversify the economy into agriculture and ICT.

Isichie said there was a resolution to establish centres of excellence and foster collaboration between industry and academia to build a talented workforce prepared for the energy transition.

The conference, said the Director, stressed that transparency is the ‘currency of trust’ needed to propel the sector, advocating for domestic participation and leveraging divestment to demonstrate local technical and financial capability.

The 4th Biennial International Conference on Hydrocarbon Science and Technology (ICHST) was organized by the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) in partnership with the Ministry of Petroleum Resources (MPR), Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Authority (NMDPRA), NNPC Academy, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), and CypherCrescent Ltd.

Accountant General of the Federation, Shamsedeen Ogunjimi has alleged that some agencies of government were engaging in misconduct in the processing and awarding of contracts in violation of the Procurement Act.

Speaking when he appeared before the House Committee on Procurement, Ogunjimi said the Procurement Act provides that contract should not be awarded when money is not available to pay for it.

He said some of the contracts were awarded without funds to back them up which had created gaps as it contravened the law, adding however that efforts were ongoing to ensure all contractors who had delivered jobs were paid.

Chairman of the House Committee on Public Procurement, Unyime Idem, tasked the Accountant General to ensure speedy payment of contractors working for the government, while expressing concern over the delay in payment.

He said that the committee received a series of petitions on cases of delayed and none payments for jobs delivered over the past two years, adding that the house had been interfacing with the protesting contractors to ensure calm while efforts were being made to secure payments.

‘The issue of non-payments of contractors funds for the past two to three years now; on a daily basis, as a committee in charge of public procurement, we receive petitions and then protest.

‘So we use wisdom to manage them till today, if not, maybe by now, they would have burnt your office but it took the effort of the committee and the leadership of the House to manage the anger and the protest on the side of the contractors.

‘So the House asked us to also find out why they delay and in some cases, non-payments for the past two years,’ he said.

Idem also requested the accountant general to, in seven days, provide documents to explain alleged infractions in contract award processes in the agency’s budget between 2023 2025.

The National Assembly has asked the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to strike out a suit filed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda, seeking to stop the Assembly from receiving any correspondence seeking to remove him on the ground of his association with the Minister of the FCT.

In their counter claim, the National Assembly, Clerk to the National Assembly and Clerk to the House of Representatives (1st, 2nd and 5th defendants) asked the court to strike out their names from the suit for lack of substance.

This is contained in a memorandum of conditional appearance over protest filed by Charles Yoila Esq leading six other lawyers from the Department of Litigation and Counseling of the National Assembly dated 23rd October, 2025, with a 10 paragraph witness statement deposed to Hayatudeen Musa.

In their joint statement of defence and counterclaim, they admitted that the standing orders of the House of Representatives makes provisions for the procedures for removing any officer of House, but said they were not in a position to state the position of the minority members of the House.

They also said that they were not in any position to admit or deny that the majority of the members of the minority parties in the House travelled during the vacation and as such, there was no majority of members of the minority parties to properly make or seek for change in the minority leadership of the House.

‘There is no record of any move to remove the plaintiff as Minority Leader of the House of Representatives against his constitutional right of association or on the ground claimed by him

‘By our record, there is no move to remove the plaintiff minority leader of the House of Representatives arbitrarily. So, injunction should not be granted against the 1,2 an 5 defendants in the circumstance as the claimed is unfounded and is based on speculations,’ the claimed.

They argued that the suit disclosed no reasonable cause of action against them and as such, the action against them is incompetent and liable to dismissed and struck out, adding that granting any injunction in the circumstance sought would prevent the legislature from performing its constitutional duties as it would want to when the need arises.

They asked the court to strike out their names from the suit for none issuance of pre action notice to them before the institution of the suit, for being improper, lack of course of action and lack of substance in the suit.

They also claimed that the plaintiff action against them were speculative, misconceived, incompetent and demanded the sum of N1m as the cost incurred in the defence of the suit.

Nollywood actor and entrepreneur, Adisa Jamiu Opeyemi, aka Mr. EMMY is gearing up for the release of his latest film entitled ‘Emmy The Striker.’

The movie, written, and produced by the actor under his production company, Emmy Films and Entertainment, features a stellar cast and tells a gripping story of resilience and the everyday struggles of African youth.

Speaking about the project, Mr. EMMY described it as a story that goes beyond entertainment to highlight youth empowerment and the value of social responsibility.

‘I’m currently working on my new film project, ‘Emmy The Striker’, which explores youth empowerment and social values,’ he said.

‘I’m also growing my content creation platform to tell more inspiring African stories. In the future, I plan to venture into large-scale film production and collaborate with international filmmakers to take Nigerian storytelling to the global stage,’ Mr Emmy added.

Beyond the screen, the actor doubles as the CEO of Emmy Edu Tour International, a travel agency that complements his entertainment career.

‘Acting is very rewarding emotionally, it gives me fulfillment and recognition but financially, it’s not always consistent, especially when you’re still building your name. My travel agency business helps balance things out and provides stability,’ he explained while comparing the two ventures.

Gospel singer Dare Melody has marked the one-year death anniversary of his wife Adedoyin’s with tributes on Instagram.

He expressed deep grief and longing for her, describing her as the ‘heartbeat’ of their family.

Adedoyin died in October 2024 and was buried in Eruwen, Ikorodu, Lagos with many gospel artists and friends in attendance.

In his message, Dare Melody wrote, ‘My beloved and Adorable wife ( Adedoyin Mary Odunuga) One year ago, we bid farewell to my beloved wife, the heartbeat of this family and the love of my life. Your departure left an unfillable void, a stark emptiness where your vibrant spirit once danced and painted. Our home, once alive with your laughter, now echoes with solemn reminders of your absence. You were the heart of our family, and your presence is still felt every day.

‘The seasons have changed, yet our sorrow remains, a constant confirmation to the light you brought into our lives. Our daughters have grown a year older, their eyes reflecting your childlike spark, now tinged with the sadness of loss. Each milestone, without you, has been a bittersweet testament to our enduring love.

‘Though it’s been a year since you departed, your loving memories remain etched in my heart. No woman can ever take your place in my heart. May your soul rest in perfect peace. Myself and our lovely kids miss you terribly. Odigbere! Odi Arinako!! Odi Ojuala!!!’

Dare Melody has been open about the pain of living without his wife and the challenges of single parenthood.

He also revealed that Adedoyin faced personal struggles, including pressure from some members of his extended family during her lifetime.

I was a year ahead of Temidayo Morgan Omodu at the University of Ilorin. We were from separate departments: Morgan, Mathematics Education, and I, Statistics, in the Faculty of Science.

Prior to our meeting, I had been invited by Bashir Tayo Lawal, then President of the National Association of Statistics Students (NASS), Unilorin Chapter, to help revive its editorial platform, a role I gladly accepted.

Omodu was fascinated by my writings on the board, particularly ‘The Man from Essex’, a piece on Professor I.O. Osungade, who died on June 15, 2024. He approached me to express his interest in writing and seek my guidance. I accepted, and our lifelong friendship began.

Together with Abayomi Akomolafe, now Professor of Statistics at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Femi Adebola, now Professor of Statistics and current Dean, Faculty of Physical Sciences, FUTA, Remi Gbaremu, and others, the NASS Editorial Board, aka NASSEB, achieved great success. These achievements, and other matters, are topics for another time.

When the Faculty of Science Students Association (FOSSA), Unilorin Chapter, led by Gbenga Adebayo, invited me to help rebuild its media arm, I brought Omodu along. We also worked together on the Unilorin Students’ Union Government (SUG) Editorial Board. Kehinde Agboola, a former member of the House of Representatives, was the SUG President at the time.

I graduated from Unilorin in 1996, and our paths diverged until sometime in the 2000s, when we reconnected in Ilorin. Omodu even introduced me to his mother, and I spent the night at his house.

We lost touch again until 2010, when we met at the Lagos City Hall during the ‘Odu’a, Know Thyself’ programme, organized by the Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG), a sociocultural organization where I served as its pioneer Administrative Secretary. I learned, much later, that Omodu was part of Rt. Honourable Dimeji Bankole’s delegation as his Special Assistant on Student Affairs and Legislative Matters to the event. I had remained unaware of this, of course, for reasons not unconnected with the pervasive influence of the I-am-of-Paul-and-another-I-am-of-Apollos political dynamics of that era.

Last year, Omodu invited me to join AljazirahNigeria newspaper as a non-stipendiary ‘Backpager’, but I declined due to other commitments. Nevertheless, he continued to feature my writings, and I was saddened to learn of his passing on Thursday, October 16, 2025, at the age of 52.

Some months before his demise, Omodu had reached out to me and raised concerns about some disturbing political developments in his native Ondo State. Together, we explored options and concluded that something needed to be done, urgently, to salvage the situation. He promised to get back to me. Unfortunately, whatever his efforts were are now lost to history.

At the time of his passing, Omodu was the newspaper’s Managing Editor.

While he was alive, Morgan Omodu would call me ‘Great Komo’ while I would address him as ‘OluwaMorgan’.

‘Mortuus sed non oblitus!’ (Gone but not forgotten!). As I reflect on our diverging paths and networks, I realize that while we often find ourselves at the mercy of circumstances, we must remember that we have the power to shape them, rather than simply being shaped by them. This realization brings me to the measure of a man’s life: his network. In life, a man is as good as his network. But what if his network turns out to be ineffective or a letdown?

A tool is useless if it can’t serve its purpose. Omodu was truly blessed: he had a knife that could cut bread, a supportive network that helped him achieve success. It is only his death that snatched an example of good manners and selflessness away from us too soon!

May the Stone of Israel rest the soul of the faithful departed and comfort those he left behind!

The Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, has dismissed as false a social media video alleging that the institution was involved in developing a Nuclear Weapon for Nigeria.

Malam Auwalu Umar, Director Public Affairs Directorate of the university disclosed this in a statement issued to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Zaria.

The director described the viral AI-generated video as misleading, aimed at misinforming the public about Nigeria’s peaceful nuclear energy programme.

He said the video falsely claimed that Nigerian scientists in the 1980s secretly enriched weapons-grade uranium in Kaduna and that ABU researchers obtained centrifugal equipment from the AQ Khan network in Pakistan.

The institution’s image-maker added that the information was baseless, unfounded and unsubstantiated.

Umar said most of the ABU scientists at the Centre for Energy Research and Training (CERT) were still undergoing training abroad as at 1980s and could not have participated in uranium enrichment.

The director said ABU had no connection with the AQ Khan network and had never received any equipment for the construction of a centrifuge or nuclear device.

He added that by 1987, the only nuclear facility at the university was a 14 MeV Neutron Generator, which became operational in 1988.

‘Nigeria’s first nuclear reactor (NIRR-1) was established much later in 1996 under the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Technical Cooperation Programme and commissioned in 2004,’ he said.

Umar said Nigeria’s nuclear activities had always been open and pursued strictly for peaceful purposes, in line with the country’s obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the Pelindaba Treaty, which prohibit the development of nuclear weapons.

He reaffirmed that: ‘The Centre for Energy Research and Training, established in 1976, operates in collaboration with the IAEA and international partners from the U.S., Russia, and China.’

Umar further explained that the center has never engaged in any secret weapons programme.

‘ABU has always pursued peaceful applications of nuclear science and technology for national development.

‘ABU’s founder, Sir Ahmadu Bello, had demonstrated early interest in peaceful atomic research following his visit to the Museum of Atomic Energy at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the U.S. in 1960, two years before ABU was established.

‘The management, therefore, restated its commitment to advancing science and technology for the benefit of humanity and to upholding Nigeria’s international obligations on the peaceful use of nuclear energy,’ he said.

The Executive Chairman of Epe Local Government Area of Lagos State, Princess Surah Animashaun has predicted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will win the 2027 presidential election with a landslide.

Animashaun maintained that the victory was already guaranteed considering the superlative performances of Mr. President so far, especially in repositioning the country’s economy and others.

The chairperson made this known while briefing newsmen at the council secretariat, Ita-Marun, Epe, after the endorsement of President Bola Tinubu to contest for a second term in office in 2027, on Tuesday, October 21 at a stakeholders’ forum, held at Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos.

She said that the stakeholders’ meeting was to engage the Nigerians, especially, the Lagosians to mobilise the people on the importance of the 2027 general elections and for the people to get registered in the ongoing voter registration.

Animashaun, who highlighted several socio-economic and security reforms within the last two years, noted that President Tinubu inherited an economy that was in comatose and expressed appreciation that the country is now on the path of prosperity.

She urged Nigerians, Lagosians, as well as Epe residents to have faith in the APC-led administration, pointing out that as challenging as it may look for the common man, very soon, it will translate to improved welfare for the people.

Animashaun called on Nigerians to take advantage of the ongoing voter registration to get registered, maintaining that their votes are their power, saying that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

She lauded the leadership of Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu in the state for following in the footsteps of the president, saying that, thus far, Lagos state has been repositioned for good governance and development.

Governments at all levels have been urged to implement urgent reforms that deepen citizen engagement, strengthen ethical governance, and promote responsive leadership as the foundation for Nigeria’s sustainable development.

This call was made in a communique following the 32nd Annual Development Forum of the Lift Above Poverty Organization (LAPO) held in Abuja, where the participants noted that citizen engagement remains the lifeblood of democracy and the cornerstone of national progress, stressing that participation must evolve from mere consultation to active collaboration in governance, co-creation of solutions, and sustained accountability.

The event, chaired by Senator Ita Solomon Enang, brought together former and serving lawmakers, finance experts, and development stakeholders.

The forum emphasized that responsive governance must be people-centred, ethical, transparent, and inclusive, led by leaders who listen, uphold the rule of law, and prioritise collective welfare over personal interests.

Participants advocated stronger legal frameworks to institutionalise citizen participation through participatory budgeting, open contracting, town hall meetings, and community dialogues.

They also underscored the need for civic education to empower citizens to engage government constructively, while urging that accountability demands be made with decorum and accuracy.

The forum highlighted the role of technology in promoting participatory governance, calling on governments to adopt open data systems and digital feedback platforms that foster transparency and trust.

Corruption, weak institutions, and poor accountability were identified as key threats to development, with calls for stronger anti-corruption reforms and effective legislative oversight.

The forum expressed concern over elite apathy in politics, warning that the withdrawal of educated citizens perpetuates mediocrity in leadership.

They urged professionals and civil society actors to actively engage in governance, while noting that Nigeria’s growth depends on partnerships between government, civil society, and the private sector.

LAPO was commended for demonstrating people-centred, inclusive development that integrates financial inclusion, health, and gender equity.

LAPO’s President, Faith Osazuwa-Ojo, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to tackling poverty through an integrated approach that combines access to finance, healthcare, and social empowerment.

According to her, between January 2024 and September 2025, LAPO Microfinance Bank disbursed over ?420 billion in loans to 718,363 clients, while ?61 billion supported 301,944 beneficiaries in agriculture. In the same period, 320,560 individuals received free health services, including screenings for blood pressure, diabetes, malaria, cholesterol, and cancer.

Osazuwa-Ojo said the forum’s theme, Citizen Engagement and Responsive Governance for National Development, reflects the urgent need for participatory governance to address poverty and inequality. She praised LAPO’s Founder, Dr. Godwin Ehigiamusoe, for his enduring vision since 1987, which continues to drive the organisation’s success in empowering individuals and strengthening communities across Nigeria and Sierra Leone.

The keynote speakers Dr. Otive Igbuzor and Rotary District 9127 Governor, Dr. Princess Joy Nky Okoro, in their lead discussions emphasised the need for strengthening citizen participation in governance.