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When the curtain fell on the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, Team Nigeria had firmly rewritten its international script, finishing as Africa’s top-performing nation with a remarkable 24-medal haul, including 10 historic gold medals. From Samuel Ogazi’s blistering 400m victory to Goodness Nwachukwu’s world-record-shattering discus throw, individual brilliance once again carried the weight of a nation.

Yet, beneath the euphoria of a seventh-place global finish lies a sobering truth: this triumph was achieved within a severely condensed 10-sport programme. While Nigerian athletes proved that talents can thrive in adversity, relying on sporadic bursts of individual brilliance is no longer a viable national strategy. If Glasgow proved anything, it is that Nigeria’s much-desired excellence in sports cannot survive on a football-first diet. It is time to move from a singular-sport approach to a diversified, multi-sport business ecosystem.

As the dust settles, the new National Sports Commission (NSC) must move beyond the modest achievements recorded in Glasgow and aggressively deepen Nigeria’s sports diversification drive. This is imperative because, for decades, Nigeria’s sporting budget, media attention and corporate sponsorship have been disproportionately concentrated on a single sport: football. Unfortunately, time and again, the national football teams have failed to deliver despite enormous funding. Meanwhile, genuine athletic heavyweights such as weightlifting, athletics, combat sports and para-sports have often been left to survive on financial leftovers.

If previous administrations had paid serious attention to sports diversification as the present NSC leadership is trying to do, perhaps Team Nigeria’s performance at the 2026 Commonwealth Games would have been even better despite the exclusion of some sports that have traditionally been Nigerian strongholds.

Team Nigeria’s major setback was that Glasgow 2026 featured 215 medal events across a highly streamlined programme of just 10 sports, including six integrated para-sports. To cut operational costs, the event was designed within a compact four-venue radius, resulting in the smallest general sports programme at the Games since 1994.

The official 10-sport lineup consisted of athletics and para-athletics, including the return of the Commonwealth Mile; swimming and para-swimming; artistic gymnastics; track cycling and para-track cycling; netball; weightlifting and para-power-lifting; boxing; judo; bowls and para-bowls; and 3×3 basketball and 3×3 wheelchair basketball. Several traditional sports were excluded, including wrestling, table tennis, badminton, rugby sevens, cricket, hockey, road cycling and triathlon.

Without a doubt, Team Nigeria’s performance was affected by the removal of wrestling and table tennis, two of the country’s most reliable and historically dominant medal-winning sports. Wrestling, in particular, has traditionally been Nigeria’s most dominant weapon at the Commonwealth Games, leading many to conclude that its exclusion from Glasgow significantly reduced Nigeria’s chances of meeting its target of at least 20 gold medals.

At the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Nigerian wrestlers alone won seven medals, including three gold medals, courtesy of elite champions such as Blessing Oborududu, Odunayo Adekuoroye and Mercy Genesis. With wrestling entirely absent from the Glasgow programme, these world-class athletes were denied the opportunity to defend their titles, representing a potential loss of several medals.

The exclusion of these sports placed enormous pressure on athletes in track and field and para-sports, who had to dig deep to compensate for the medals lost through the absence of wrestling, table tennis and badminton.

Nigeria’s success at the Games was, therefore, driven largely by individual brilliance in athletics, weightlifting and para-sports, with Samuel Ogazi, Ezekiel Nathaniel, Chukwuebuka Enekwechi, Goodness Nwachukwu, Folashade Oluwafemiayo, Esther Nworgu, Rilwan Idris, Edidiong Umuofia, Onome Didih and Rafiatu Lawal among those who clinched gold medals.

However, while Nigeria featured prominently in athletics, its presence was barely felt in swimming, another sport that offers a large number of medal opportunities at the Commonwealth Games.

Athletics consistently features more than 40 events across track, field and marathon categories for men, women and para-athletes, while swimming typically offers dozens of medal events across individual strokes, individual medleys and relays.

Unfortunately, despite the abundance of medal opportunities in swimming, Nigeria featured only four swimmers-three men and one woman-with little impact. In cycling, Team Nigeria had just one competitor in track cycling, while judo, once one of the country’s strongholds, had only four athletes. Boxing meanwhile featured six Nigerians.

Team Nigeria was completely absent from artistic gymnastics, lawn bowls and para-bowls, as well as netball, all of which offered medal opportunities. The non-participation of Nigerian athletes in these disciplines contributed significantly to the inability of the contingent to meet its medal target despite improved incentives from the NSC.

This brings us back to the need for the NSC to deepen its efforts to promote other sports and reduce Nigeria’s overdependence on football as the country pursues greater global sporting accomplishments. It is baffling that a country with a huge population of young people who are naturally gifted in sports still struggles to identify and nurture talents capable of representing the country in sporting events that often appear to be the exclusive preserve of Europeans. Given the right infrastructure, coaching and support, Nigerian youths-who are known for achieving remarkable results even under challenging circumstances-can excel in less-patronised sporting disciplines.

It is, therefore, necessary to commend the NSC for not stopping at the creation of the National Intermediate Games for U-18 and U-20 athletes, but also establishing the Diaspora Talent Discovery Committee to ensure that foreign-born or foreign-based Nigerian athletic talents are systematically and legally scouted into the national talent pool at an early stage.

If properly managed, this policy could help Nigeria challenge European dominance in sports such as swimming, gymnastics, cycling, figure skating, bobsleigh, ice hockey, fencing, baseball and cricket, among others. While Nigeria boasts of a vibrant sports culture dominated by football, basketball, athletics, wrestling, weightlifting and boxing, several internationally popular disciplines remain virtually non-existent or receive little attention because of geographic, infrastructural and economic limitations.

To avoid the setback Team Nigeria experienced in Glasgow because of the exclusion of wrestling and table tennis, and to ensure that the country is not perpetually held to ransom by football, we must support the NSC in accelerating the growth of all sports. Even before now, many had recognised the danger of putting all our eggs in one basket.

The missed opportunities in Glasgow, including the medals that could have come from excluded sports, as well as recent disappointments involving the Super Eagles and Super Falcons, should serve as a catalyst for moving Nigerian sports from a football-centred system to an all-encompassing model in which every sport receives meaningful attention and investment. Sports diversification in Nigeria is no longer something to negotiate; it must be pursued without further delay.

Based on the foregoing, the NSC, existing sports federations, relevant stakeholders and the federal government must work harmoniously to deepen Nigeria’s sports diversification drive. To achieve this, the sports sector must be treated as a viable commercial industry rather than a government welfare project.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has appointed Arabinrin Aderonke as one of the coordinating secretaries of its Media and Strategic Communication Directorate for the party’s 2027 presidential campaign.

Aderonke is among the officials named to the directorate as the APC formally constituted its Presidential Campaign Council ahead of the 2027 general election.

The composition of the council was announced in a statement issued on Saturday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

The statement said former Zamfara State Governor, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, would serve as Director-General of the campaign council, while Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, was appointed Secretary.

President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima will serve as Chairman and Vice-Chairman I of the council, respectively, while the APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, will serve as Vice-Chairman II.

The APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, and Hadiza Bala-Usman were named Deputy Secretary and Assistant Secretary respectively.

In the Media and Strategic Communication Directorate, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, was named Coordinating Director.

He will work with Dele Alake, Bayo Onanuga and Lanre Issa-Onilu in coordinating the directorate.

Tunde Rahman, Sunday Dare, Daniel Bwala and Felix Morka were appointed Coordinating Deputy Directors, while Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, Temitope Ajayi, Arabirin Aderonke and Frederick Nwabufo were named Coordinating Secretaries.

Segun Dada, who served in a similar capacity during the party’s 2022/2023 presidential campaign, returns as Director of New Media, with Solomon Arowolo as Secretary.

The wider campaign structure also includes Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas and Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni, who were appointed Deputy Director-Generals for the South and North zones.

They will work with Senator Bamidele Opeyemi and Senator Barack Jibril.

Senator Adams Oshiomhole was named Deputy Director-General for Mobilisation, while the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, will serve as Deputy Director-General for Administration.

James Faleke, who played a prominent role in the party’s 2022/2023 presidential campaign, returns as Deputy Director-General for Election Planning, Coordination and Monitoring.

He will work with zonal directors including Senator Olushola Adeyeye in the South West, Dr Ngozi Olejeme in the South South, Senator Uche Ekwunife in the South East, Muntaqha Rabe in the North West, Ahmed Muhammed Ketso in the North Central and Senator Sani Danladi in the North East.

Stella Okotete, Abdullahi Garba Ramat and Audu Maikori were appointed secretaries of the Election Planning Directorate.

Muiz Banire, SAN, will head the Legal Directorate, with Liman Hassan and Babatunde Ogala serving as deputies.

The President also named a team of advisers comprising Bisi Akande, Segun Osoba, Senator Rochas Okorocha, Senator Abdullahi Adamu and Senator Florence Ita-Giwa.

Yari, who will head the campaign council, is expected to coordinate the activities of the various directorates and campaign structures as the party prepares for the 2027 presidential election.

In the statement, Tinubu charged members of the council to work towards securing victory for the APC in the January 2027 elections.

He also urged leaders of the various directorates to involve other party members who were not formally listed in the campaign council.

‘We have delivered on our campaign promises and set our country on a path of economic progress. We are definitely out of the dark tunnel and are now at the cusp of reaping the benefits of a prosperous economy that will benefit all Nigerians,’ Tinubu said.

‘As we march into the campaign season, we have many achievements to trumpet, let us confidently showcase our record and inspire hope in every corner of our nation. Let us soundly defeat all those forces who plan to take our country backwards,’ the statement quoted him as saying.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said inflation has slightly dropped due to monetary tightening and exchange rate unification between the month of June and July this year.

The Acting Director, Corporate Communications and Investor Relations department of the Apex Bank , Mrs Hakama Sidi Ali disclosed this at the CBN Fair on Thursday in Lokoja, the capital of Kogi state.

The CBN Fair with the theme: ‘Driving Alternative Payment Channels as Tools for Financial Inclusion, Growth and Accelerated Economic Development’ is aimed at emphasising the connections essential to the desired monetary, price, and financial system stability.

According to the Acting Director the Fair is one of the Apex Bank’s platforms strategically designed to engage the public on the Bank’s policies and initiatives.

She added that the objective of the fair is to promote sustainable economic growth and development in the country, as it creates an avenue to hear from stakeholders on more ways to improve Nigerians’ lives and livelihoods.

The Acting Director, Corporate Communications and Investor Relations Department who was represented by Mr. Zubairu Abdulrahman Salihu, Branch Controller, CBN, Lokoja noted that under the leadership of Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, the Bank’s management maintained monetary and price stability, including performing other critical functions that has started yielding results.

Mrs Ali noted that the moderate decline in inflation, the ongoing growth in our foreign reserves, and the current stability in the foreign exchange market indicate that these endeavours are already yielding positive results.

She said: ‘The latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics indicates that headline inflation slightly decreased from 15.91% in June 2026 to 15.43% in July 2026.

‘Core and food inflation also eased over the same period, reflecting the effects of disciplined monetary tightening, exchange rate unification, and improved market transparency

‘The Naira continues to strengthen, with the spread between official and Bureau de Change rates now narrowing by 2 per cent. Nigeria’s foreign reserves remain above US$52.5 billion as of July 2026, marking a 17-year high and surpassing the CBN’s yearly target.’

The bank therefore encourages Nigerians and others ‘ to respect the Naira and maintain its cleanliness’, stressing: ‘Do not spray, hawk, mutilate, or counterfeit the Naira. It is not only Nigeria’s vital national symbol but our collective pride as a nation’.

Earlier, the Branch Controller, CBN, Lokoja who was represented by Mr. Friday Abah stated that Kogi state is strategically positioned to benefit from the opportunities presented by digital finance, as the transit corridor linking Northern and Southern Nigeria and an emerging commercial hub.

‘I therefore encourage entrepreneurs, farmers, artisans, students, business owners, and members of the public to take full advantage of the information, exhibitions, and engagements available throughout this Fair’, he said.

However, governor Ahmed Usman Ododo described the CBN Fair as more than a conversation about banking technology or payment platforms, but about people, opportunity and development.

The governor promised to support initiatives that will promote digital financial literacy, rural financial access, MSME development, agricultural finance, youth entrepreneurship, digital government transactions, and consumer protection.

‘Alternative channels such as agent banking, mobile money, POS services, USSD, digital wallets, QR-code payments and electronic banking provide important opportunities to reach underserved and rural communities,’ he said.

The International Republican Institute (IRI) has urged Nigerian electoral and security authorities to investigate and prosecute vote buying and voter inducement ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The institute also called on political parties to hold their officials, agents and supporters accountable for electoral offences, including vote buying, intimidation and violence.

IRI Regional Director for Africa, Jenai Cox, made the recommendations on Friday at a press conference in Abuja, where the institute presented findings from its pre-election assessment mission ahead of the 2027 elections.

Cox said political parties should establish clear expectations against vote buying across their structures, from national and state leadership to local and polling-unit levels.

‘Political parties should hold party officials, agents, and supporters accountable for vote buying and voter inducement,’ she said.

She urged parties to ensure that violations attract ‘sanctions, fines, and prosecution of civil and criminal offences.’

Cox also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and security agencies to investigate credible allegations of vote buying and prosecute offenders.

‘INEC, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and security services should prosecute voter inducement and initiate investigations into credible allegations of vote buying,’ she said.

She added that authorities should make clear that ‘financial or material inducements are incompatible with legitimate political competition.’

The IRI regional director also urged security and law enforcement agencies to strengthen the prevention, investigation and prosecution of election-related violence and voter inducement throughout the pre-election period.

‘Significant enforcement actions would help demonstrate that electoral offences, especially violence, are unacceptable at all levels,’ Cox said.

She also called on political parties to train and supervise their agents on lawful conduct, ballot secrecy and results verification, stressing that parties should take responsibility for the conduct of their agents.

Cox said INEC should enforce electoral regulations and hold party agents accountable for intimidation, voter inducement and interference with election officials or voters.

She further urged political leaders and parties to avoid rhetoric that threatens opponents, incites violence or portrays electoral defeat as inherently illegitimate.

‘Party leadership should publicly repudiate violence committed by supporters and sanction offenders for civil or criminal offences,’ she said.

IRI President, Dr Daniel Twining, identified security as the most acute vulnerability facing Nigeria’s 2027 elections.

Twining said persistent insecurity and election-related political violence could erode confidence in the electoral process and discourage voter participation.

‘Where voters, candidates, and observers cannot participate without fear of violence or intimidation, technical improvements and legal safeguards have only limited effect,’ he said.

He said Nigeria’s 2027 elections would take place at a critical moment for both the country and democracy across Africa, noting that Nigeria’s political trajectory carried significance beyond its borders.

‘The resilience of Nigeria’s institutions and the quality of electoral competition in Nigeria carry not only national but really regional and global implications,’ Twining said.

According to him, the political landscape has changed considerably since the 2023 elections, with the ruling party consolidating political power while opposition parties continue to fragment.

He warned that the combination of political and security pressures could deepen the existing deficit of public trust in electoral institutions and the broader electoral process.

Kwara State Government on Friday flagged off the distribution of about two thousand computer devices for public senior secondary schools in the state to equip teachers and students with digital literacy skills.

At least 70 public schools cutting across the 16 Local Governments of the state will receive 25 gadgets apiece in the first phase of the educational intervention.

The project is being implemented by

the State Adolescent Girls Initiative For Learning And Employment (AGILE) project under the Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development.

Performing the flag-off in Ilorin, the state capital, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, said digital literacy is no longer a luxury but a necessity in today’s global economy, noting that education remains the bedrock of sustainable development.

The Governor, who spoke through the Deputy Governor, Elder Kayode Alabi, said the programme further attests to the commitment of the administration to transforming education through innovation, technology, and strategic investment in human capital.

‘The future belongs to those who can leverage technology to solve problems, create opportunities, and contribute meaningfully to society. It is for this reason our administration continues to prioritize investments that improve learning outcomes and prepare our young people for the demands of a rapidly evolving world,’ the Governor said.

‘We are not merely distributing digital devices, we are equipping our children with the tools they need to compete and excel in an increasingly digital and knowledge-driven world.’

AbdulRazaq implored the affected schools and students to use the instruments for learning, creativity, innovation, and self-development.

Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Dr Lawal Olohungbebe, for his part, said the AGILE project is designed to improve girls’ access to quality education, enhance learning outcomes and equip them with relevant skills for their future.

Calling it a substantial investment in the education system, Olohungbebe

said the facilities will enable teachers and students to integrate technology into teaching and learning, develop digital competencies, and acquire creativity and problem-solving skills required in today’s world.

According to him, the gadgets that will be distributed across the selected schools include 1,755 all-in-one desktop computers, 70 printers, 70 projectors, and 70 motorized projector screens.

He said the government has already installed a 10kVA solar power system, internet connectivity, and CCTV cameras in each of these schools, apart from equipping their teachers (three per school) with the necessary skills.

‘The Government of Kwara State recognises that digital literacy is now an essential component of quality education. Our children must not only have access to education; they must also acquire the digital skills necessary to thrive in today’s digital world,’ he said, declaring, however, that the exercise will be continuous.

Olohungbebe commended Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for his

continued investments in human capital development towards the transformation of the education sector.

He called on the beneficiary schools and host communities to take ownership of the equipment and ensure that they are used primarily for the intended educational purposes.

State Coordinator for Kwara AGILE project, Adeshina Azeez Salami, in his remarks, said the office continues to bank on the support of the state government to thrive, commending Governor AbdulRazaq for setting a pace in the sector.

He also thanked the Commissioner, Dr. Olohungbebe and all members of the state project steering committee for the AGILE for supporting them to achieve this far.

‘On behalf of the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU), I thank you all for your presence in today’s event which is a testimony to the good works of the administration of Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, our amiable Governor of Kwara State,’ Salami said.

Also present at the event were the Commissioner for Communications, Hon. Bolanle Olukoju; Commissioner for Youth Development Hon Shehu Ndanusa Usman; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mrs. Rebecca Bake; Executive Director of the Agency for Mass Education (AME), Mallam Yusuf Saka; Chairman of Kwara State Teaching Service Commission, Mallam Taoheed Abubakar, who was represented by Director of Personnel, Finance and Supply, Issa Abdulrahman.

Highlight of the event was a symbolic presentation of devices to selected schools, such as United Secondary School, Ilorin; Government Girls Day Secondary School, Oke-suna; Government Day Secondary School, Tanke; and St. Anthony Secondary School, Ilorin.

The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, Oyewole Mayowa Solomon, has died.

Solomon reportedly collapsed on Friday during a reconciliation meeting at Iyara, the headquarters of Ijumu LGA.

The APC chairman was said to have received medical attention at the venue before he was rushed to a hospital in Kabba, where he was confirmed dead on arrival.

The meeting was convened by a former chairman of Ijumu LGA, Funsho Olumoko, to reconcile factions, resolve internal disputes and foster unity among stakeholders ahead of future political engagements.

However, it was learnt that the previous session ended in a deadlock over an alleged crisis in the local government leadership of the party, prompting the deceased, several party stakeholders and top government officials to stage a walkout.

According to reports, Friday’s follow-up meeting was meant to bridge the divides by bringing together selected political leaders, local government and ward executives, women and youth leaders, and government appointees representing all 15 wards of Ijumu LGA.

Meanwhile, the federal lawmakers representing the area, Senator Sunday Karimi, representing Kogi West Senatorial District, and Hon. Salman Idris, representing Kabba-Bunu/Ijumu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, have expressed deep sorrow over the sudden death of the party chairman.

The duo described the late party chairman as a loyal, committed and grassroots mobiliser whose contributions to the growth of the APC in Ijumu and Kogi West would be greatly missed.

‘He was a bridge builder, a man of peace, and a grassroots politician who believed in the ideals of the APC. His commitment, dedication and loyalty to the party were exemplary.

‘His death is a painful loss not only to his immediate family and Ijumu LGA, but to the entire APC family in Kogi State,’ Senator Karimi said.

The Kogi State Police Command’s spokesperson, ASP Saliu Oyiza Afusat, had not responded to our inquiry about the incident as of the time of filing this report.

A woman and her three children have died in a fire outbreak that completely destroyed the Rugar Audu Badali Fulani community in Karasuwa Local Government Area of Yobe State.

The incident occurred at about 5pm on Friday, August 21, 2026, according to the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency (YOSEMA).

The deceased were identified as Bilkisu, wife of Mallam Bukar, and their three children, Zainab, Hafsat and Salamatu.

The victims were buried according to Islamic rites, while surviving members of the household were left homeless following the destruction of their residence and belongings.

The Director of Search and Rescue Operations of YOSEMA, Dr Muhammad Ibrahim Jalo, disclosed this to Daily Trust reporter in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital.

He said the agency had led a joint assessment and condolence visit to the affected community following the incident.

He said the assessment team, comprising officials of YOSEMA, representatives of the Karasuwa Local Government Authority and community stakeholders, visited the scene to document the extent of the destruction and assess the immediate needs of the survivors.

Jalo said the assessment established the need for emergency relief materials, temporary shelter and psychosocial support for those displaced by the fire.

He added that the agency was committed to coordinating timely humanitarian assistance and mobilising resources to alleviate the suffering of the affected residents.

The team also condoled with the bereaved family and residents of the community over the loss, while praying for the repose of the souls of the deceased and for strength for the surviving family members.

YOSEMA also appealed for collective efforts by communities and relevant stakeholders to strengthen preventive measures against fire outbreaks and avert similar tragedies in the state.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Friday withdrew the charges pressed against Maryam Shehu, a final-year student of Bayero University, Kano (BUK) and one Abubakar Abdulhamad.

The anti-graft agency said the charges were withdrawn against them on passionate ground, warning that the commission would no longer tolerate any willful attack on its image in any form, medium or platform.

Maryam was arraigned on Thursday before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja over an alleged social media post said to have tarnished the reputation of the EFCC.

The commission alleged that on June 21, 2026, Maryam Shehu used her Instagram account, @maryam_shehu, to publish a message alleging that EFCC officials assaulted one Ahmed Uthman on the instruction of a zonal director who allegedly collected N20 million from one Usman Iya Abbas.

She was arraigned before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja for alleged cybercrime and peddling malicious information against the commission.

Dele Oyewale, the spokesman of the commission, while announcing the withdrawal of the charges, explained that the chairman of the commission, Ola Olukoyede considered the pleas and apologies of Shehu’s father.

Oyewale said, ‘The executive chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, has compassionately ordered the withdrawal of charges preferred against Maryam Isah Shehu and Abubakar Shuraim Abdulhamad.

‘While the commission considered the arraignment of the two defendants for cyber stalking to be contrary to section 24(2) (c) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (as amended) and punishable under section 24 (2) (c) (ii) of the same Act, the executive chairman, nonetheless, considered the passionate pleas and apologies of Shehu’s father and appeals of well-meaning Nigerians for leniency.

‘To this end, he has directed that the charges filed against the two young Nigerians be dropped, and warned that the EFCC would no longer tolerate any willful attack on its image in any form, medium or platform.’

The EFCC boss assured Nigerians that the commission would continue to function in line with its assigned mandate and in the best interests of the country.

Tuesday next week August 25, 2026 will, insha Allah, be another birthday of the seal of prophethood in Islam, Prophet Muhammad (SAW), who was born in the hilly city of Makkah on Monday, the 12th day of Rabiul Awwal in the year 570AD; which is also referred to as the year of elephant in Islamic literature. He died at the age of 63 on June 8, 632AD; which is 1,394 solar years ago, or roughly 1,467 lunar years.

While Muhammad (SAW)’s father, Abdullah bn Abdul-Mutalib from the Quraysh tribe died as a young man before he was born, his mother, Amina daughter of Wahb and granddaughter of Abdu-Manaf from the tribe of Zuhrah died in the sixth year after his birth. Some of his names, which himself mentioned in a hadith reported by both Imams Bukhari and Muslim include Ahmad, Mahiy (technically meaning the one who wipes away unbelief), Hashir, and ‘Aqib.

Thuwaybah, a freed female slave of Abu Lahab (Prophet Muhammad’s Uncle, an unbeliever) was one of the women that fostered little Muhammad. He was also fostered by Halimatu s-Sa’diyyah when he was sent to the clan of Sa’d bn Bakr even though she returned him back to his mother after an incident we would relate here. Annas (RA) reported that while the Prophet (SAW) was under the foster care of Halimatu s-Sa’diyyah, Angel Jibril once came to him while he was playing in the midst of other children. Jibril opened the young Muhammad’s heart, removed a piece of flesh from the heart and said, ‘This is the Shaytan’s share in you.’ Jibril washed it in a gold-plated container with Zamzam water, put it together again as it were and then returned it to its original place. Other children who saw this ran to the mother and shouted, ‘Muhammad has been killed.’ Annas reported that there was a sign of stiches on the Prophet Muhammad’s chest.

Muhammad (SAW) got married to Khadijah daughter of Khuwaylid (RA) who was attracted to him by his singular virtues of honesty, hard work, fair-mindedness, and other qualities that made him a rare human personality in the history of mankind. Khadijah gave birth to all of Muhammad’s children except Ibrahim. As a man of impartial character, he was honoured by Allah to place the Black Stone at its corner in the Ka’bah mosque.

There was a heated argument about who was to place the Black Stone at its position. The people of Makkah then agreed unanimously that whoever came out first from a route across the valley would have the privilege to place the Black Stone. Luckily, the Prophet (SAW) emerged therefrom and the people said, ‘The trustworthy has come.’ With his Allah-granted wisdom, the Prophet (SAW) put the Black Stone on a cloth and invited all the groups that hitherto argued on who had the right to placing the Black Stone and asked them to hold the cloth from all the sides; and in unity, they lifted the Black Stone and placed it at the position we see it today.

The Prophet (SAW) was a unique personality adored by Allah, the angelic world, plants and even creatures in the physical world. Imam Muslim reports a hadith in which the Prophet (SAW) said, ‘I knew a rock that used to greet me even before I received the message of Islam; and I still recognize it even now.’ In a hadith reported by Tirmidhi, Ali bn Abi Talib (RA) said, ‘I once went out with the Prophet (SAW), and he would not pass by a rock or a tree but it would salute him.’

Imam Ahmad bn Hambal reports on the authority of Ibn Mas’ud (RA) who said he was once rearing a flock of sheep owned by ‘Uqbah. Then the Prophet (SAW) and his companion Abu Bakr as-Sadiq (RA) passed by him. The Prophet (SAW) then asked him, ‘O young boy, do you have milk?’ He (Ibn Mas’ud) replied saying, ‘Yes, but it’s a trust.’ The Prophet then asked Ibn Mas’ud if he had any she-goat that no he-goat had gone near among his flock. Ibn Mas’ud said he brought a she-goat from his flock and the Prophet (SAW) rubbed over its udder which immediately started lactating; with milk flowing. The Prophet (SAW) collected and drank from the milk and gave Abu Bakr also to drink. Thereafter, the Prophet (SAW) said to the udder to cease (lactating), and it did. Ibn Mas’ud then came close to the Prophet (SAW) and said, ‘Educate me (about this).’ The Prophet (SAW) rubbed over Ibn Mas’sud’s head and said, ‘May Allah grant you mercy; You are indeed a young boy (already) granted knowledge.’

Among the travails experienced by the Prophet (SAW) in the hands of polytheists was the persecutions he suffered in the hands of ‘Uqbah bn Abi Mu’ait who once came to the Prophet (SAW) while he (the Prophet) was praying. ‘Uqbah cuddled his piece of cloth round the prophet’s neck very tightly and forcefully until Abu Bakr s-Sadiq rushed and intervened; reciting Qur’an 40:28 ‘What! Will you slay a man because he says ‘My Lord is Allah, and he indeed brought you clear arguments from thy Lord? …’

Owing to their public hatred for the Prophet (SAW), the pagans of Makkah, the mother of (all) cities, called him with humiliating names including sorcerer, silly, poet, storyteller, fabricator, and liar. Indeed, Muhammad (SAW) endured with patience, perseverance, magnanimity all the acts of persecutions that he was subjected to by the unbelievers of Makkah. One most important virtue of the Prophet that needs to be reiterated here is how he called people to Islam with wisdom and good speech as instructed in Qur’an 16:25.

Sadly, the 21st century generation of Muslims have become a near-complete contradiction of almost everything virtuous the Prophet (SAW) epitomized in everyday life; public as well as private. We have almost lost our bearing as a community of believing men and women guided by the holy book of Islam and the orthodox traditions of his noble Prophet (SAW) whose birthday we celebrate every day.

May Allah guide us as leaders and the led, as teachers and students, as fathers and children, as husbands and wives, judges and suspects, law enforcers and law-abiding citizens, as rich and as poor men and women, as dealers and consumers, as highly-placed and lowly-placed, be a true reflection of the true teachings of Islam, Amin. Happy Eidul Maulid in advance.

Pan African real estate developer Mixta Africa has welcomed the Federal Government’s proposed reforms to strengthen regulation and buyer protection in Nigeria’s housing sector, while calling for clear mechanisms for independent verification of construction milestones and improved access to sustainable construction finance.

The company said the success of the proposed framework would depend largely on how two critical issues are addressed: who independently verifies construction milestones before funds are released from escrow, and how credible developers will finance projects when access to buyers’ funds becomes more restricted.

The proposed National Housing and Built Environment Regulation Policy provides for mandatory licensing of developers and estate agents, escrow protection for buyers’ funds, stronger professional standards, construction quality assurance, improved land administration, urban renewal and the establishment of a National Housing Data Observatory.

The policy also proposes the creation of a National Housing Industry Regulatory Commission to strengthen oversight and improve accountability across the sector.

Mixta Africa’s Chief Commercial Officer, Tola Akinsulire, said the proposed measures represented important steps towards restoring confidence in the housing market.

‘Licensing and escrow protection are important interventions in a market where consumers have too often carried significant risk. We welcome the direction of the Federal Government and believe it can materially strengthen confidence in the housing sector.’

However, Akinsulire said effective implementation would require a transparent and independent mechanism for determining when construction milestones had been achieved and funds could be released.

‘The question is not only where the buyer’s money sits, but what evidence is required before that money can move,’ he said. ‘Independent verification creates a clear link between construction progress, fund release and accountability.’

Mixta Africa recommended that qualified built environment professionals should independently verify construction milestones tied to escrow releases, supported by clearly defined certification standards and a verifiable audit trail.

The developer also stressed the need to address the financing implications of tighter controls over buyers’ funds.

According to the company, off plan payments have historically provided part of the working capital required to deliver housing projects. Restricting access to such funds without developing alternative financing mechanisms could create additional pressure on developers and ultimately affect housing supply.

‘Escrow can protect the homebuyer, but escrow on its own does not finance construction,’ Akinsulire said.

‘We need to protect buyers while ensuring credible developers can continue to finance and deliver the homes the market needs.’

Mixta Africa therefore called for continued collaboration among government, financial institutions, developers and professional bodies to establish a framework that combines strong consumer protection with effective project governance and appropriately structured construction finance.

The company said translating the proposed reforms into practical and enforceable standards would be critical to creating a more transparent, investable and sustainable housing sector while ensuring that regulation does not inadvertently constrain the supply of new homes.

Founded in 2005, Mixta Africa has developed residential communities across Nigeria, Senegal, Tunisia, Kenya and Côte d’Ivoire.

Its projects in Nigeria include Lakowe Lakes Golf and Country Estate, Beechwood Estate and Fara Park in Lagos.