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Factional National Chairman of Accord Party, Prof. Chris Imumolen, has declared that the victory of the Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke on the platform of the party has not ended its leadership tussle, vowing that the crisis will take its legal course.

Imumolen urged party members, supporters and stakeholders across the country to remain calm, law-abiding and allow the judicial process to run its course, adding that is the only way to know the authentic leadership of the party.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja, the factional chairman cautioned politicians not to confuse the victory of Adeleke with the party’s leadership crisis which has been raging even before the governor joined the party.

He recalled that on August 29, 2024, the Federal Capital Territory, High Court, presided over by Justice M. M. Adamu, issued an interim order in the suit involving himself against Maxwell Mgbudem and others.

Imumolen said that the court had directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise him as the National Chairman pending the determination of the substantive suit.

According to him, ‘I have consistently maintained, the proper place to determine who is legally entitled to lead Accord is the court, not the street, not political propaganda and not an election campaign. Let me therefore make this absolutely clear, that Osun election is an election. The Accord leadership dispute is a national party and legal matter. They are two different issues.’

He insisted that the Osun election had come and gone, but ‘the national leadership question within Accord remains a matter to be determined through the appropriate legal process. Even with the conclusion of the Osun election, the Accord leadership case will continue.

‘It is therefore wrong for anyone to suggest that the outcome of the Osun election will automatically determine who leads Accord nationally.

‘Accord is a national political party. Its national leadership cannot be reduced to the political circumstances or outcome of an election in one state,’ he said.

He called on all stakeholders to allow the courts to do their work, ‘Nobody should attempt to settle the national leadership question through the outcome of the Osun election, political pressure, media propaganda or unilateral declarations.

‘Our commitment to Accord remains intact. Our commitment to the rule of law remains absolute. We shall continue to pursue the judicial process until the legitimate leadership question is finally settled,’ he said.

‘Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.’

John F. Kennedy delivered those famous words in his inaugural address on January 20, 1961, calling on citizens to look beyond what they could receive from their country and consider what they could contribute to it. For many years, Nigerians have asked a rather different question:

‘What has Nigeria done for us?’

To be fair, there have been many reasons to ask.

We complain about the roads, electricity, insecurity, hospitals, schools, salaries and, especially, the cost of healthcare. But occasionally, something happens that deserves acknowledgement.

So today, let’s flip the question. What has Nigeria actually done for us?

Well, quite a lot; at least in one important area.

Not every time criticism. Let’s give honour when honour is due. Let me tell you about a health program. The programme is the Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care (CEmONC). It’s a program that puts money where it matters most: at the bedside of a woman whose life is in danger. The Federal Government’s CEmONC financing intervention, implemented through the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), was designed to remove one of the most frightening barriers to emergency maternal healthcare: the inability to pay.

The logic is simple. A woman shouldn’t die from a condition that can be treated simply because she is poor. A baby shouldn’t die because the family can’t raise money for an emergency operation. And a family shouldn’t be pushed into financial catastrophe because a mother suddenly develops a life-threatening complication during pregnancy or childbirth.

The early results are encouraging. By February 2026, NHIA reported that the intervention had reached more than 32,000 mothers and 1,700 newborns, with more than 250 facilities providing the services across Nigeria. But statistics, impressive as they are, can sometimes hide the human story.

Let me tell you a story.

Let’s call her ‘Aisha’. She was poor. Destitute. Broke, and pregnant with her third child and made a living selling fried awara (soya-bean cakes) by the roadside. This woman was busy selling awara at 8 months of pregnancy not knowing her blood pressure was dangerously high. Of course, she was not attending antenatal care. She was just thinking of how to make a living for herself and her children.

One evening, everything changed. She developed eclampsia and suddenly convulsed. In the process, she fell into the hot oil she was using for her business and sustained serious burns to her face and hands.

The crisis didn’t stop there, as she went into preterm labour and needed an emergency Caesarean section. Imagine being in that situation and then being told: ‘You need an operation, but first, pay the money.’

For a woman selling awara by the roadside, where will that money come from?

Her relatives, realising the gravity of her situation, with her burns and labour pains, rushed her to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital. The doctors who attended to her, realised she was eligible for CEmONC, enrolled her into the programme. Aisha received the emergency Caesarean section without having to pay for the covered emergency care. Her premature baby was admitted to the Special Care Baby Unit under the neonatal component of the programme and received care without the family having to bear the usual financial burden.

Once she was stabilised, she was transferred to the Burns Unit, where she remained for another three months. At a point, NHIA officials came from Abuja to confirm because the amount of money that woman ‘chopped’ under the CEmONC and NHIA was outrageous! Eventually, she was enrolled under the NHIA, allowing her to continue receiving the necessary burns care without paying out of pocket.

Think about this: A woman developed a catastrophic complication and needed obstetric emergency care. Her premature baby needed neonatal care. She herself subsequently needed prolonged specialist burns treatment, and at every stage, the financial barrier didn’t become the reason care was withheld. That is what health insurance is supposed to do.

Alhamdulillah, Aisha has since been discharged and is doing well.

This is just one out of the hundreds of success stories that we have witnessed. Women accessing care that would have ordinarily been unavailable to them. Women getting free surgeries. Babies receiving free neonatal care and, free medications. Women receiving up to twelve sessions of dialysis from kidney injury developed from pregnancy complications free of charge. Dialysis that costs up to N15,000 per session fa!

Even from the numbers in our hospital, I know that maternal mortality figures have reduced.

Somebody say Hallelujah!

Of course, we must be careful.

One success story doesn’t prove that the entire Nigerian health system has been transformed. CEmONC still has challenges. Access isn’t yet universal. Facilities need adequate staffing, equipment, medicines and reliable financing. Women still have to reach the hospitals in time. And a programme that saves one woman today must be sustained long enough to save thousands more tomorrow.

Let us give the Federal Minister of Health and NHIA boss their flowers. We have become so accustomed to criticising Nigeria that we sometimes forget to recognise progress when it happens.

When next someone asks what has Nigeria done for you?

Tell them: Nigeria has paid the hospital bill when a poor woman couldn’t. Tell them that my country allows poor, indigent pregnant women to access emergency obstetric care free of charge.

This is what government policy looks like when it reaches an ordinary person. Not a conference. Not a press release. Not a slogan.

Kudos to this initiative!

For years, Lassa fever in Nigeria followed a familiar pattern: cases surging during the dry season, with health care workers bracing for an influx of patients; the outbreak easung off when the rains arrive. At the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owo, Ondo State, one of Nigeria’s foremost treatment centres for Lassa fever, doctors and nurses noted that the disease no longer followed seasonal trends, as patients now pour in throughout the year, stretching already limited resources and placing enormous pressure on frontline health workers.

A visit by Weekend Trust to the facility, where Dr Ihinmikaye Isaac is a consultant public health physician and Lassa fever case manager and Oyebimpe Oyegunle is a nurse and Assistant Director of Nursing Services, revealed a troubling reality: Ondo State remains at the epicentre of Nigeria’s Lassa fever burden, with health care workers battling rising infections, shortage of critical supplies and persistent public misconceptions about the disease.

A disease that refuses to disappear

For Dr Isaac, the outbreak has evolved into a year-round public health emergency. ‘What we knew traditionally about Lassa fever was that it was seasonal. Cases usually increased during the dry season because of environmental factors and human activities. But now, we are seeing cases throughout the year,’ he explained.

According to him, the rainy season, which previously brought relief as rodents retreated to their burrows no longer guarantees a decline in infections. He said, ‘Lassa fever is no longer limited to a particular season. We now see consistent cases all-year-round. There is hardly any opportunity to rest because the cases keep coming.’

The burden is particularly pronounced in Akure South and Kajola axis, where health officials have recorded a significant concentration of cases.

‘The stress that comes with managing an outbreak, coupled with limited health care workers and a growing number of patients, has been significant,’ he added.

Nursing professionals working in the isolation ward shared similar concerns.

Mrs Oyebimpe Oyegunle, an Assistant Director of Nursing Services at FMC, Owo, said the current outbreak was unlike what obtained in previous years.

‘Normally, we observe a predictable pattern where the number of patients rise significantly during certain periods and gradually decline afterwards. This time around, the pattern has been irregular. Instead of following the usual trend, the number of patients has fluctuated. Cases increased unexpectedly and remained high. It has been like a zigzag pattern,’ she noted.

According to him, even experts are still trying to understand why the dynamics changed so dramatically.

Symptoms often mistaken for malaria

One of the greatest dangers associated with Lassa fever is that its early symptoms closely resemble those of malaria and other common illnesses. Dr Isaac explained that many patients initially show signs of fever, weakness, cough, sore throat, abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhoea.

‘The challenge is that these symptoms are common to several infectious diseases,’ he said, and advised that any patient who does not improve after proper malaria treatment should be evaluated for Lassa fever.

‘One thing that should raise suspicion is when someone has been treated for malaria but does not improve. Lassa fever should then be considered.

‘As the disease progresses, more severe symptoms may emerge. Patients may begin to pass unusually dark urine, blood in urine, blood in stool, vomit blood or bleed from injection sites. By then, the disease is often advanced,’ he added.

Nurse Oyegunle also noted that in recent cases, health care workers noticed some unusual symptoms.

She said: ‘Many patients present abdominal pain. Some female patients have come with breast engorgement, while hearing impairment has become increasingly common among patients.’

Inside isolation wards

Behind the walls of the treatment centre, health care workers battle the disease while simultaneously protecting themselves from infection. Dressed in layers of personal protective equipment (PPE), doctors and nurses spend hours inside isolation wards, where temperatures can become unbearable.

Dr Isaac further said: ‘When properly dressed in PPE, every part of the body is covered. Regular hand-washing, decontamination of surfaces and strict infection prevention measures are critical.’

He also noted: ‘Lassa fever does not discriminate. It does not respect doctors or nurses. Once you let your guard down, you become vulnerable.’

But despite the risk, frontline workers continue to report for duty daily. ‘What keeps me motivated is passion. Seeing patients recover and return to their families provides a strong sense of fulfillment,’ he said.

For Mrs Oyegunle, moments of recovery make the sacrifices worthwhile. ‘We recently discharged a newborn baby who had been critically ill. There were moments when it seemed the child might not survive, but after receiving care, the baby recovered and went home safely. Moments like that keep me motivated,’ she said.

Human cost of the outbreak

Weekend Trust reports that the emotional toll on health care workers is immense. Dr Isaac acknowledged that long hours and repeated deaths could be psychologically exhausting.

‘There are times you become so busy attending to patients that you forget to eat. Sometimes you spend several hours inside the isolation ward. By the time you come out, your body is soaked with sweat because of the protective equipment,’ he explained.

According to him, even more painful is losing patients who arrived too late for effective intervention. ‘When you struggle to save a life and still lose that person, it affects you emotionally,’ he noted.

Mrs Oyegunle agreed: ‘Seeing patients you have cared for die despite your best efforts can be very difficult, emotionally and psychologically.’

A survivor’s story

Among those receiving treatment at the FMC, Owo is Mr Olabode Fatoyinbo, an Akure resident whose journey began with what appeared to be a simple fever. Like many Nigerians, he initially treated himself for malaria.

He said, ‘I thought it was just the regular thing, so I took some regular malaria medications, but it was not working.’

After visiting multiple health facilities and undergoing tests, he was eventually referred to the FMC, where laboratory results confirmed Lassa fever.

‘The result came back positive and I was referred to the isolation ward. As soon as I got here, treatment started immediately,’ he said.

Fatoyinbo described the fear that gripped his family when they learnt of the diagnosis. ‘When people hear Lassa fever, it is very scary. My wife, my brother and family members were all worried because I was very weak and couldn’t even speak,’ he said.

However, he praised the treatment and support provided by health care workers, saying: ‘From feeding to treatment and even laundry, everything has been free. We have not paid a dime since I came here.’

His experience also transformed his perception of the disease. He noted, ‘Before now, hearing about Lassa fever felt like something extremely terrible. But being here, I have seen many people treated and discharged. The biggest misconception is the fear people have about it.’

Speaking on what the government should prioritise, Olabode advocated massive advertisements about Lassa fever.

‘I think the messages in those advertisements should not only focus on the disease itself. They should also emphasise prompt action and encourage people not to see it as a stigma. People need to know that if they begin to experience symptoms that are unusual or persistent, they should seek medical help immediately.

‘People should not stigmatise anyone who has Lassa fever. That stigma is one reason some people delay seeking treatment and turn to other alternatives’.

Passing a vital message to Nigerians, Olabode said: ‘First, we need to be very careful about how we manage our environment. We should ensure that our food is not exposed and we do not eat in places we do not trust.

‘One of the questions I was asked when I got here was whether I had attended a burial recently, eaten in a public place or had rats in my house. For me, there are no rats in my house, not a single one. I don’t even eat bush-meat. So I can’t really place exactly where I got infected. It could actually be through contact with someone.

‘We need to be very careful and protective of our environment. I also noticed that a lot of people who develop complications are people who take alcohol or smoke. It affects the kidneys and can complicate treatment. I have seen people undergo dialysis several times because of that.

‘Lastly, if you observe that you are not feeling well and the treatment you are taking is not working, don’t just rely on prayers alone or herbal remedies. It is good to pray, but immediately go for proper medical tests to know what is happening.’

Persistent challenges

While health care workers continue their battle against the disease, several obstacles remain.

Dr Isaac identified shortage of Ribavirin, the primary medication used in treating Lassa fever, as a major concern. He said, ‘For decades, we have relied largely on one major drug for treatment. Availability remains a challenge because shortages occur.’

He also highlighted recurring shortages of PPE and laboratory reagents needed for diagnosis and monitoring, saying: ‘Improvements are needed in several areas. First, we need a regular supply of laboratory reagents and testing kits. Without them, diagnosis becomes difficult, and delays can increase mortality.

‘Secondly, we need adequate supply of consumables, such as gloves, masks, coveralls, aprons and other PPE used in isolation wards and laboratories.

‘The government should organise regular training and retraining programmes for health care workers and intensify public awareness campaigns. Public education is important because it helps address misconceptions and encourages early presentation. Environmental health officers and other frontline workers should also be protected and supported while carrying out their duties. In addition, frontline health care workers should receive incentives and support.

‘Working in a Lassa fever treatment centre is demanding and hazardous. Many people are reluctant to work in such environments because of the risks involved. Those who serve on the frontline deserve recognition, protection and support.’

According to him, delayed diagnosis also contributes to poor outcomes. He explained: ‘Some patients are initially treated for malaria, typhoid or other illnesses before Lassa fever is considered. That delay can be costly. We have lost health workers in the Process.

Dr Isaac informed that they had lost health workers during the course of outbreaks. ‘We have recorded health care worker infections and unfortunately lost some colleagues. Many of those cases were linked to delayed diagnosis and late presentation. Some health care workers did not initially suspect Lassa fever, and by the time the diagnosis was made, the disease had already caused severe complications, including kidney failure and bleeding.

‘In recent times, we also recorded health care worker infections among doctors and nurses, but fortunately, those affected received treatment and recovered,’ he added.

Nurse Oyegunle believes that stronger government ownership of Lassa fever management is necessary. She said: ‘We have relied heavily on non-governmental organisations for support. While their support has been invaluable, there should be a sustainable framework that allows the government to manage these cases effectively.’

Fight against misinformation

Perhaps one of the most difficult battles is not against the virus itself but against misinformation. Both health care workers and survivors say myths and misconceptions continue to discourage people from seeking treatment.

Nurse Oyegunle said, ‘Lassa fever is real. People should stop assuming that it is not real or spreading rumours that people are being deliberately infected.’

What must be done

Experts said reducing deaths from Lassa fever would require sustained investments in health care infrastructure and public awareness.

Dr Isaac called for increased supplies of diagnostic kits, laboratory reagents, PPE and treatment drugs, alongside regular training for health care workers.

‘Frontline health care workers should receive incentives and support. Working in a Lassa fever treatment centre is demanding and hazardous.’ he said.

A continuing battle

As Nigeria continues to grapple with recurrent outbreaks, FMC, Owo remains one of the country’s critical lines of defence. Inside its isolation wards, health care workers continue their daily fight against a disease that has become increasingly unpredictable.

For Dr Isaac, the mission remains clear despite the risks. ‘Seeing patients recover and return to their families is what keeps me going,’ he stressed.

And for survivors like Fatoyinbo, recovery itself has become a powerful message. He said: ‘The earlier the diagnosis, the better. Recovery is possible.’

While economists debated and regulators scrambled over the sudden implosion of banks, a small, unheralded community of information technology (IT) audit pioneers performed a service indispensable to the survival of Nigeria’s financial system and its economic sovereignty.

On January 16, 1998, the ‘mass burial’ day-the Central Bank of Nigeria simultaneously revoked the licences of 26 banks. Thirty-four institutions were technically insolvent; depositors ruined, the sector convulsed; yet the deepest breach was invisible to the public eye: an unchecked cybercrime.

Racing to computerise through the late 1980s and 1990s, Nigerian banks unwittingly created an unguarded attack surface. Internal control and audit departments possessed no methodology for penetrating the interiority of computerised systems, auditing merely around the computer. This opacity proved catastrophic. IT personnel lacked strong system security hygiene. Our team detected default passwords on central servers hosting billions in customer deposits.

This systemic blindness was pervasive. The chief inspector of one of Nigeria’s top 3 banks candidly confided that his auditors were completely blind inside the computer, a complaint echoed by the Committee of Chief Inspectors, industry-wide at the time.

Without technical illumination, governance was operatively blind, labouring in the obscurity of systems whose interiority it could neither enter nor interrogate. What the society observed as sudden bank implosions was actually the eruption of computer frauds accumulating unseen as capital funds and customer deposits evanesced without accountability.

The instrument of illumination was the body of IT audit expertise that cultivated and diffused across Nigeria’s professional community, equipping auditors to penetrate computerised systems with digital forensic rigour.

Within this discipline, Audit Command Language (ACL) enabled the interrogation of 100 per cent of an institution’s transactions-eschewing sampling for absolute visibility. Deployed at a top 3 bank by EDP Audit and Security Associates, the team detected hundreds of millions in hidden irregularities, enabling the bank to recover over US$110 million-an engagement unprecedented in Nigeria’s banking history.

The reverberations altered the financial landscape. Major banks acquired ACL and engaged EDP Audit and Security Associates urgently, shifting the paradigm from auditing around the computer to auditing decisively through it. Consequently, the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation engaged the team to train their internal auditors and bank examiners. The logic was irrefutable: examiners who cannot see inside the computer cannot credibly supervise institutions whose entire operations run within it.

As this expertise proliferated through ISACA certifications and EDP Tecknowledge programmes, its institutional consolidation reached the summit of Nigeria’s accountancy establishment. Appointed founding chairman of the inaugural IT Committee of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), one ensured that technology competence became a structural obligation of the profession. That every member of that inaugural Committee-save the ICAN registrar-was a certified IT auditor and ISACA member demonstrates that IT auditors galvanised technology literacy in the local profession.

A programme called Technology Competence Initiative was ideated, by which ICAN mandated IT literacy for every newly inducted chartered accountant. Armed with relevant technology literacy, IT auditors mapped control architectures, disrupted cybercriminals and minimised systemic losses. The sector stabilised and the economy breathed, yet no journalist recognised this quiet act of nation-guarding. History owes that acknowledgment to IT auditors.

Throughout one’s pioneering endeavour, advocacy was animated with a mantra of deceptive simplicity: Bridging the knowing-doing gap, borrowed from the title of a book. It embodies the conviction that theoretical knowledge and operational competence must be discharged in concert. Three decades later, it is necessary to invoke this same refrain for artificial intelligence: Auditors must understand AI architectures, training data and decision sufficiently to penetrate their interiority.

An AI system that lacks auditability cannot be governed. In the era of algorithmic governance, the knowing-doing gap is a systemic crisis in formation.

What Nigeria’s financial infrastructure gained was not merely fraud detection but the structural conditions under which corporate malfeasance becomes progressively harder to sustain. IT auditors reconfigured the architecture of institutional accountability, embedding audit discipline that regulatory examination previously lacked.

The ISACA, Lagos chapter-marking its 30th anniversary this August 2026-stands as the most enduring institutional expression of this commitment. By equipping Nigeria’s first generation of certified IT auditors, ISACA enabled an act of critical nation-building: reconstructing trust in a collapsed financial system and fortifying sovereign infrastructure. To the ISACA, financial governance in Nigeria owes a debt no balance sheet can render-the debt of a discipline not merely taught but lived.

The solution today remains unchanged: not raw technological acquisition but deliberate, disciplined professional transformation. Digital trust is not accrued by virtue of technology investments; it is earned by those who refuse to remain outside the machine when governance trust demands entering its interiority.

Amid the scorching sun and extreme weather patterns of Maiduguri, a quiet crisis is unfolding behind the imposing gates of the Shehu of Borno’s palace.

It is not a political upheaval or security threat but a battle to save a culinary masterpiece – ndalayi – from slipping into extinction.

Also known as buri mairi, which translates to ‘royal food,’ ndalayi is a deeply revered delicacy crafted exclusively for the palates of kings, queens and the royal bloodline of the ancient Kanem-Borno Empire.

For generations, its rich aroma has symbolised authority, serving as the centerpiece of royal weddings, esteemed guests and auspicious palace gatherings.

Today, however, this emblem of Kanuri cultural identity is on the verge of extinction. Modernity, changing dietary habits and the grueling, expensive nature of its preparation have left ndalayi fighting for survival.

Inside Shehu’s palace

Inside the Shehu’s palace in the heart of Maiduguri, the mood is somber. Courtiers, cooks and elders speak of the delicacy with a mixture of reverence and heartbreak.

‘We were excited to talk about the uniqueness of ndalayi, mirroring the pride and dignity of Shehu’s court but saddened by the decline it faces on Kanuri tables,’ Zanna Kawaskema, the chief protocol officer of Shehu’s palace said.

Kawaskema attributed the dish’s fading presence to a broader erosion of traditional culture and global dietary shift, compounded by the rigorous demands of cooking it. Yet, he said the royal family would never let it disappear from the palace.

‘Every Shehu respects this food. It is the food prepare for their royal visitors and entertain kings and chiefs on visit to the palace.

‘Please tell readers that this glossy meal mirrors the pride, style and uniqueness of the Kanem-Borno Empire. We hold it in high esteem,’ Kawaskema said.

He said the preservation of ndalayi was further complicated by the loss of traditional knowledge, noting that as veteran royal cooks pass away, their talents often go with them.

He, however, warned against substandard imitations cropping up online, which compromise the quality and historical integrity of the dish.

To save ndalayi, Kawaskema believes the revival must begin in the home, urging men to encourage their spouses to learn the art of making the dish and incorporate it into domestic menus, at least once a month.

‘Rice is not our food, but it is everywhere. Why? Let our mothers teach their daughters how to cook it so that the tradition will blossom.

‘I cannot imagine a royal matrimonial home without tuwon ndalayi, denderu and others. For me, it is actually downgrading,’ he noted.

Preparing ndalayi is not for the faint-hearted. Jero Baye, one of the few remaining palace cooks born into the specialised culinary families, guards the closely held recipe jealously.

‘I cannot disclose the recipe and process of cooking Shehu’s food. It is disrespectful. I will not do that unless by his permission,’ she said.

However, just a stone’s throw from the palace, Hauwa Tijjani, popularly known as Gambo, operates a commercial service keeping the tradition alive.

Having spent over 40 years cooking ndalayi, Tijjani explained that the process is as tedious as it is time-consuming.

‘Mainly, ndalayi relies on two local ingredients: millet and oil. But transforming them into the delicacy is a rigorous task.

‘It takes me a minimum of 10 days to produce it. It is essentially about soaking the millet in water for six days, grinding it, sieving it and drying it under the sun,’ she explained.

Preparing ndalayi may sound excessively demanding and expensive, but those who have tasted it understand immediately why it is deemed a luxurious royal food.

She said soaking the millet would allow microbes to work on it and change its structure into some white flour that would be turned into something delicious.

‘After the sun-drying, a finely milled white flour would be produced to create the tender, delicate ndalayi.

‘It is prepared into a thick, smooth swallow (similar to tuwo) by mixing the powder into some boiling water and stirring constantly to prevent lumps until it becomes thick,’ she explained.

Looking at a plate of ndalayi, one would hardly believe that it started as a ground-millet liquid that is worked on by microbes, decomposed and turned into a soft, classy food.

According to Gambo, ndalayi is best paired with fresh okra (manguka), dried okra (ngaji massary3), kuka (baobab leaf) soup or ogbono.

She also regretted that this royal recipe is on the verge of extinction, but added: ‘But now, my family and two other families who inherited cooking ndalayi are trying to revive the culture of making and eating it.

‘What fascinates me is that even some elderly Kanuri women today have no idea of how ndalayi is made. This royal food was abandoned due to the rigorous process of making it.’

Ndalayi alien to young men, women in Maiduguri

In Maiduguri today, even amongst the Kanuri, the custodians of the culture, some young men and women said they only heard of the name but never tasted the food.

More fascinating is that some young Kanuri women interviewed said they had tasted tuwon ndalayi but had no idea of how the delicacy is made.

For those who have tasted this royal food, including this reporter, it is a smooth, slippery, slightly sour and unique mirror-glaze dough that sticks with the eater forever.

Encircled by a tray full of steaming, slippery ndalayi, Usman Inusa smiled as he dipped a morsel into a bowl of okra soup.

‘The experience is unmatched. With okra soup, ndalayi is very smooth and delightful to swallow. It digests quicker and much more easily than known foods with high fiber content.

‘Unlike other foods (swallow) like semovita, eva and tuwon masara, when I take a large quantity of ndalayi, I don’t experience constipation,’ he said.

Today, the original recipe is only prepared in a small enclave within Shehuri, the historic royal quarters surrounding the Shehu of Borno’s palace.

Here, the culinary legacy lives on through the protegé of the late Shehu’s cooks, attracting buyers who are willing to cover a long distance across Maiduguri for a taste.

‘Ndalayi is going extinct. It is not easy to find a place where the original recipe is being prepared in Maiduguri. Only here in Shehuri can one find the original taste that will take you back to 40 years of memories.

‘It’s not easy to prepare it at home due to the cost and the rigorous procedures. That is why it is only the royalty, and lately, the rich people who are cooking it in their homes occasionally.

‘I want to assure you that in a family of eight, one must spend over N10,000 to cook ndalayi. Even if you have the money, getting an expert who knows how to cook it is a problem,’ he said.

Asked about the taste and nutrients that ndalayi provides, he said, ‘Unless you taste it, one can’t explain the feeling. But it has no match. I can’t think of any food to compare it with.’

Bamai Shehuri, who lives in a different area with his wife and children, said he always ran to his cooks’ family at Shehuri, where they cook ndalayi and sell for a living, adding that making it takes a very tedious process.

‘It takes days and involves many people to accomplish it. You have to pay the people at every step for their services, and at the end, a little white powder will be removed from a large quantity of millet grains (ndalayi flour) we use in making the swallow,’ he said.

He said they used to get a lot of patronage from people patronising them during Ramadan fast and ceremonies for the affluent, adding: ‘It is quite delicious. Our family – men and women – used to come together to cook it.’

A customer who covered a long distance from Gomari to patronise ndalayi sellers at the Shehu palace said, ‘I didn’t know when I finished one plate and licked the remaining soup.

‘I met elderly people who enjoyed it better than us. It is very delicious. You can’t compare it with any ‘swallow’ because it is well cooked, slippery, shiny and beautiful to see,’ he noted.

Health value

While the culinary and cultural appeal of ndalayi is undeniable, modern science offers a perspective on its health value.

Aisha Kolo, a nutritionist at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), noted that the rigorous process required to produce the fine flour would take away crucial components of the grain.

‘The chaff contains a lot of nutrients; therefore, removing it means leaving mostly carbohydrates and a small amount of nutrients.

‘Millet contains a small amount of protein and zero amount of fat, with a lot of carbohydrates. It is always better to eat the millet chaff,’ Kolo explained.

For the people of Borno, keeping ndalayi alive is much more than preserving a recipe. It is an act of cultural heritage conservation, a fight to safeguard the flavours of their history before the echoes of tradition are lost forever.

Commuters and motorists plying the Abuja-Kaduna highway were stranded for several hours on Saturday as a massive gridlock caused by potholes paralysed traffic along the Katari-Gidan Busa section of the highway.

The development caused significant delays for motorists, with hundreds of vehicles reportedly stuck on the affected section of the busy highway.

A commuter, Ismaila Yakubu, who spoke with Daily Trust earlier this morning, said some motorists had been trapped on the road for several hours.

‘Some cars have been here since 2am due to the gridlock. Even though officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps are there, they could not control it.

‘One of them I spoke to said the cause is a pothole close to a bridge that is causing accidents and affecting the movement of cars. The officer said they have raised the issue of carrying out palliative work on the section with the contractor, Infiouest Nigeria Limited, but they have failed to do anything about it.

‘The government needs to expedite work on the road to stop the misery people are going through on this road.’

Daily Trust reports that the Abuja-Kaduna highway has been under construction for the past eight years, with motorists and commuters frequently experiencing difficulties along some sections of the road.

The Abuja-Kaduna section, despite its importance as a major link between the Federal Capital Territory and the North-West, has seen comparatively little work when compared with the Kaduna, Zaria and Kano sections.

The heavy volume of traffic on the highway, especially during Sallah festivals, has also led to frequent gridlocks, with commuters during the last celebration reportedly spending days on the road before reaching their destinations.

The recurring gridlocks and poor condition of some sections of the highway have continued to cause hardship for commuters, with motorists calling for urgent intervention to improve the road and ease traffic movement.

The government promised to complete the road by November this year.

Fredrick Nwabufo, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Engagement, has been appointed a member of the Campaign Council for the reelection of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

According to the list released Saturday morning, Nwabufo will serve as Coordinating Secretary of Strategic communications of the Media Directorate of the Council.

The 108-man Council has Senator Abdulaziz Yari as Director-General, while Governor Hope Uzodimma is Secretary.

The President and Vice President Kashim Shettima will serve as chairman and vice chairman of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, while Party Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, will also serve as vice chairman.

APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Bashiru and Hadiza Bala-Usman will serve as deputy and assistant secretaries.

The chairman of the campaign Council, President Tinubu, will work with a body of advisers comprising Chief Bisi Akande, Chief Segun Osoba, Senator Rochas Okorocha, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, and Senator Florence Ita Giwa.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker Tajudeen Abass, and Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State have been assigned as deputy director-generals for the campaign in the south and the north.

They will work with Senator Bamidele Opeyemi and Senator Jibril Barau in the two zones.

Senator Adams Oshiomhole will serve as deputy director-general in charge of mobilisation, while the President’s Chief of Staff will serve as deputy director-general for administration.

James Abiodun Faleke, who played a pivotal role in the 2022/2023 campaign, has returned as deputy director-general for election planning, coordination and monitoring.

Faleke will work with zonal directors, with 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.

Ms Stella Okotete, Engineer Abdullahi Garba Ramat and Audu Maikori will serve as secretaries of the election planning directorate.

Muiz Adeyemi Banire will lead the legal directorate as director, with Dr Liman Hassan and Babatunde Ogala as deputies. Other members are Prince Lateef Fagbemi, former governor Ibrahim Shema, Worgu Boms and Dr Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris Malagi, will serve as the coordinating director for media and Strategic Communication, along with Dele Alake, Bayo Onanuga, and Lanre Issa-Onilu. The media directorate also includes Tunde Rahman, Sunday Dare, Daniel Bwala, and Felix Morka, who have been assigned as coordinating deputy directors.

President Tinubu has charged all council members to work tirelessly to deliver victory for the party in the January 2027 elections. He has also encouraged the leaders of the various directorates to reach out to other party members who may not have been formally listed to join their crucial efforts.

‘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. 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 Police Command in Niger has confirmed the abduction of worshipers at a Mosque in Dekara District of Borgu Local Government Area of the state.

The Command’s Spokesperson, SP Wasiu Abiodun, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday that the incident happened at about 2 p.m. on Friday, August 21, when the victims were observing Jumaat prayer.

He said the exact number of those kidnapped was yet to be ascertained.

According to him, the terrorists first attacked Gidan-Zana and Kpenya villages before moving to the Mosque, where unspecified number of worshipers were kidnapped.

He said no life was lost, adding that joint security operatives had been deployed to the area for assessment and rescue operations.

Abiodun explained that, ‘On 21/8/2026 at about 4 p.m., report received indicated that on same date at about 2 p.m., suspected terrorists invaded Gidan-Zana, Kpenya village via Dekara District Borgu, and Kpenya Mosque and abducted unspecified number of persons during prayers, while others escaped into the nearby forest.

‘However, the developing report indicated that no life was lost, while joint security detachment had been deployed to the area for assessment and rescue operations.

‘Further development will be made public,’ he said.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has constituted a 108-member presidential campaign council for the 2027 general elections, with former Zamfara State governor, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, appointed as the Director-General.

President Bola Tinubu will serve as chairman of the council, while Vice President Kashim Shettima and APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, will serve as vice chairmen.

The composition of the council was announced on Saturday by Bayo Onanuga, the presidential spokesperson.

Also appointed to the leadership of the campaign council are Ajibola Basiru, national secretary of the APC, as deputy secretary, and Hadiza Bala-Usman as assistant secretary.

The statement said the chairman of the council, President Tinubu, would be supported by a body of advisers comprising Chief Bisi Akande, Chief Segun Osoba, Senator Rochas Okorocha, Senator Abdullahi Adamu and Senator Florence Ita Giwa.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker Tajudeen Abass and Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State were appointed deputy director-generals for the campaign in the South and North.

They are to work with Senator Bamidele Opeyemi and Senator Jibril Barau in the two zones.

Former Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, was named deputy director-general in charge of mobilisation, while Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President, will serve as deputy director-general for administration.

James Faleke, who served in a similar role during President Tinubu’s 2023 presidential campaign, was retained as deputy director-general for election planning, coordination and monitoring.

According to Onanuga, Faleke will work with zonal directors comprising Senator Olushola Adeyeye for the South West, Dr Ngozi Olejeme for the South South, Senator Uche Ekwunife for the South East, Muntaqha Rabe for the North West, Ahmed Muhammed Ketso for the North Central and Senator Sani Danladi for the North East.

Stella Okotete, Abdullahi Garba Ramat and Audu Maikori were named secretaries of the election planning directorate.

Other appointments include Muiz Banire as legal director, Lateef Fagbemi, Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), and Kingsley Udeh.

The media and strategic communication directorate will be coordinated by Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation.

He will work alongside Dele Alake, Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Bayo Onanuga and Lanre Issa-Onilu.

Tunde Rahman, Sunday Dare, Daniel Bwala and Felix Morka, the APC national publicity secretary, were appointed coordinating deputy directors in the media directorate.

The council also has five spokespersons: Alake, Alwan Hassan, Ayobami Oyalowo, Kemi Asekun-Shittu and Adamu Fanda.

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

He also asked the heads of the various directorates to involve other party members who were not formally listed but were willing to contribute to the campaign.

‘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,’ the president was quoted as saying.

‘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 APC is expected to commence preparations for its presidential campaign ahead of the 2027 general elections with the newly constituted council responsible for coordinating its campaign activities across the country.

A structure allegedly linked to a serving senator from the North-East and accused by residents of obstructing a major canal in Maitama Extension, Abuja, had not been demolished as of Friday afternoon, Weekend Trust findings showed.

This paper had earlier reported the flooding of several houses, particularly around Goalview Estate, Maitama Extension, following heavy rainfall over the last weekend.

Residents had attributed the flooding to indiscriminate construction, blocked drainage channels and obstruction of waterways in the area.

However, a revisit to the area by our correspondent on Friday showed that the structure in question remained standing, with no visible demolition or major palliative work carried out to restore the flow of water through the affected section of the canal despite the directive by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike that structures blocking waterways be pulled down.

The structure is located along a section of the waterway which residents said had been covered with concrete to create a platform for construction.

Residents said the development had significantly narrowed the canal and restricted the free flow of rainwater, thereby worsening flooding whenever there was heavy rainfall.

One of the residents told Weekend Trust that the situation had remained a source of concern, particularly following the recent flooding that affected homes and other properties in the area

They said they expected relevant authorities to address the obstruction and ensure that waterways were kept free to prevent further flooding.

Another resident said the recent flooding had reinforced concerns previously raised over developments allegedly carried out on waterways and designated green areas.

‘Whenever there is heavy rainfall, the water has nowhere to go because some of the channels have been blocked,’ a resident identified himself as Isa POS said.

The residents also complained that some structures in the area were being erected close to or directly on drainage corridors and waterways, which they said had reduced the capacity of the drainage system.

They called on authorities to inspect the affected structures and take appropriate action where violations are established.

As of Friday afternoon, however, no demolition had been carried out on the structure allegedly linked to the senator, and no specific palliative measure to address the obstruction was observed by our correspondent.

Residents said they remained dissatisfied with the situation and urged the authorities to provide a lasting solution before another heavy downpour triggers fresh flooding.

The development comes days after officials of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) carried out demolition of parts of another property on Mississippi Street, Maitama, on Tuesday amid complaints over obstruction of waterways and flooding in the area.

Residents of Maitama Extension added that they were concerned that failure to address the identified obstructions could expose more homes and properties to flooding as the rainy season continues.