Month: September 2025

Celebrating Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire; The Woman Championing Global Impacts@66 , BY ABUBAKAR YUSUF

Abubakar Yusuf

For Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, in the last ten consecutive years, between 2015-2025, she had been inundated with both national and global assignments at United Nations General Assembly UNGA in New York, coinciding with the commemoration of her annual birthday ,an indicator of her dedication both to humanity, communities and global engagement.   This was different from her roles at National and sub-nationals geared towards ameliorating critical issues of Education, Health, Empowerment, Social services/security, provision of water among many others.   All these had been her engagement over the decades towards…

ARCN Boss urges Federal Colleges of Agriculture to intensify Training, Research, and Extension

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Executive Secretary of the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN), Dr. Abubakar Adamu Dabban, has urged Federal Colleges of Agriculture (FCAs) to redouble efforts in training, research, and extension services in line with the Federal Government’s food security agenda. Dr. Dabban made the call during his visit to the Federal College of Agriculture, Akure, Ondo State, where he commended the management and staff for their resilience despite sectoral challenges. He stressed that the Colleges play a critical role in advancing the mandate of the ARCN and the Federal Ministry…

FCT Police smashes bandit syndicate, arrests five, recovers catche of arms

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has dismantled a notorious bandit syndicate, arrested five wanted suspects and recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition in a major breakthrough against criminality. Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, who disclosed this in a statement on Monday, said the operation was carried out between September 20 and 28, 2025, in Nasarawa State by operatives of the Police Scorpion Squad. Those arrested included: Abdullahi Garuba, a.k.a. Alhaji Ore, 40 years Yusuf Inuwa, a.k.a. Alhaji Dabunda, 59 years David Kaika, a.k.a. Baba, 29…

MURIC asks FG to shield Dangote Refinery from PENGASSAN strike threat

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called on the Federal Government to protect the Dangote Refinery from what it described as the overbearing influence of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).   This was coming after PENGASSAN on Monday, September 29, 2025, embarked on a nationwide strike over alleged mass dismissal of about 800 Nigerian workers by the Dangote Refinery.   In a statement signed by its Founder and Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, MURIC condemned the strike, described it as “narrow-minded, parochial and unpatriotic.”…

Hobbes, Nigeria, and Sarkozy By Lasisi Olagunju

Emporium Reporters

In the early 1940s, Sir Ahmadu Bello, the hugely popular Sardauna of Sokoto, found himself at a crossroads of politics and rivalry. After losing the contest for the Sultanate of Sokoto to his long-standing rival, Sir Abubakar III, he was appointed emirate councillor and superordinate district head of Gusau in Sokoto Province. The posting, however, came with what he would later describe in his autobiography as “not lacking dark undertones and hidden motives.” The shadow over his new position darkened in 1943. One day in the afternoon, a friend arrived…

NUJ FCT Correspondents’ Chapel partners NBSA to drive safe blood donation awareness

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council, has partnered with the National Blood Service Agency (NBSA) to launch a sensitization and training campaign aimed at promoting safe blood donation and strengthening media advocacy for healthcare in Nigeria.   The event, held in Abuja, brought together media practitioners, government officials, and health experts in a joint effort to raise awareness and mobilize Nigerians toward voluntary blood donation.   Chairman of the NUJ FCT Correspondents’ Chapel, Comrade Felix Ojo, said the initiative was conceived “to serve humanity,”…

Dangote’s oily wars By Lasisi Olagunju

Emporium Reporters

In February 2025, Daily Trust quoted him as saying: “I’ve been fighting battles all my life and I have not lost one yet.” In May 2025, Business Day quoted him as saying: “I have been fighting all my life. And I will win at the end of the day.” Aliko Dangote, President of Dangote Group, speaks those words each time there is a war to fight. In the last two, three weeks, I have heard him repeat that statement about fighting all life and winning all the time. There is…

Expectations From The 10th Senate As Plenary Resumes By Jackson Udom

Emporium Reporters

The Senator Godswill Akpabio-led 10th Senate last month, ended its Second Parliamentary Session and has embarked on its Annual Vacation from Plenary sittings, while committee meetings and other parliamentary engagements continue with full participation of members, in preparations for the commencement of the Third Parliamentary Session on the 7th of October, 2025. The last two years have been that of legislative and diplomatic impacts championed by the Senate leadership under Akpabio,and has so far engendered Executive/Legislature collaborations, with far reaching outcomes that have met the yearnings of Nigerians. As the…

Ministry of Foreign Affairs mourns WAAD Director ,Ambassador Stephen Ojo Ogidan

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced the death of Ambassador Stephen Ojo Ogidan, Director in charge of the West African Affairs Division (WAAD), who passed away in Abuja on Saturday, September 27, 2025, after a brief illness.   Ambassador Ogidan, described as a consummate diplomat and patriot, dedicated over three decades of his career to Nigeria’s foreign service. He joined the Ministry in January 2007, following the merger of the defunct Ministry of Cooperation and Integration in Africa with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.   Renowned for his intellect,…

Customs, MAN seal new partnership to drive industrial growth

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) have entered into a strategic partnership aimed at boosting industrial growth, facilitating trade, and enhancing Nigeria’s economic competitiveness.   The agreement followed a high-level consultation in Lagos on Friday, 26 September 2025, where both parties signed a joint communiqué after over six hours of deliberations. The document was endorsed by Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, and MAN President, Francis Meshioye.   CGC Adeniyi reaffirmed Customs’ commitment to balancing revenue generation with reforms that promote industrialisation and job creation.…