Category: Uncategorized

Awolowo and the North’s latest warning By Lasisi Olagunju

Emporium Reporters

When vultures surround you, stay awake so that you do not die stupid death. Whether you are in business or you are in politics or you are anything of value, stay alive and stay alert. People shave people’s heads in their absence. In 1938, Britain was rumoured to have toyed with the idea of donating Nigeria to Germany as one of its several offerings of appeasement to Hitler. I read of the “strong rumour” in Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s first book, ‘Path to Nigerian Freedom’, published in 1947 – page 38.…

Nigeria Customs Staff College graduates 50 Officers from Junior Course 21

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College (NCCSC), Gwagwalada, has successfully graduated 50 officers from Junior Course 21 after completing an intensive three-month training programme aimed at enhancing middle-level management capacity across the Service.   The graduation activities began with a regimental dinner held on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, and culminated in the formal graduation ceremony on Friday, May 2, 2025, at the College’s Ahmad Makarfi Hall.   The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, was represented at both events by Deputy Comptroller-General (DCG) Suleiman Chiroma, who oversees the Training…

MURIC hails Jigawa Governor for supporting Hijab use among Female Security Personnel

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), an Islamic human rights organization, has praised the Governor of Jigawa State, Umar Namadi, for his progressive stance on promoting the use of hijab by female staff in private security organizations within the state. In a statement issued on Thursday, 17th April 2025, the Executive Director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola, expressed admiration for the governor’s directive, which instructs three private security firms in Jigawa to allow their female Muslim personnel to wear the hijab as part of their uniform. According to reports, the three…

Easter Cantata: Rep Abejide, CP Adewale, NUJ urge unity, responsible leadership to foster Renewed Hope

Lukman Laleye Babalola

Stakeholders from the National Assembly, security agencies, and the media have called for unity, discipline, and responsible journalism as key drivers in advancing Nigeria’s Renewed Hope Agenda under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.   The call was made during the 2025 Easter Cantata Concert organized by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council, with the theme: “Renewal and Hope: Harnessing the Transformative Power of Unity and Progress.”   The event brought together lawmakers, journalists, security personnel, and civil society leaders in a celebration marked by music, prayers, and messages of…

Ramadan: NOA DG urges Nigerians to pray for peace, National Development

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, has urged Nigerians, particularly Muslim faithful, to use the sacred month of Ramadan to pray for peace, unity, and the overall development of the country.   Issa-Onilu made this call in his 2025 Ramadan message to the nation, emphasizing the importance of collective prayers and spiritual devotion in fostering national cohesion.   He encouraged Muslims to maximize the spiritual opportunities of Ramadan through self-reflection, acts of charity, and increased devotion, in line with Islamic teachings.   “For the development…

Ramadan: NUJ FCT urges spiritual reflection, unity among Journalists

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Council, has extended heartfelt Ramadan greetings to Muslim journalists in the FCT, urging them to embrace compassion, unity, and self-discipline during the sacred month.   In a statement signed by the Secretary of the Council, Jide Oyekunle, the Council Chairman, Comrade Grace Ike, described Ramadan as a period of deep spiritual reflection and an opportunity to renew commitment to service, truth, and fairness in journalism.   “During this month of fasting and prayer, may our hearts be filled with gratitude…

Ramadan Series (01): Giving Charity Is A Sign Of Perfect Faith (Iman)! By Imam Murtadha Gusau

Emporium Reporters

Saturday, Ramadan 01, 1446 AH (01/03/2025)   In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful   All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all creation. May Allah extol the Messenger in the highest company of Angels and grant him peace; and likewise, his family, his Companions and all those who truly and sincerely follow him until the Day of Resurrection.   Dear brothers and sisters! Allah the Most High says:   “For those who believe in the existence of the unseen, and perform the prayers, and spend…

NDLEA Intercepts 46kg of Canadian Loud at Lagos Airport, Arrests 24-Year-Old Thai Woman

Emporium Reporters

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended a 24-year-old Thai national, Ms. Pattaphi Wimonnat, for attempting to smuggle 43 parcels of Canadian Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, into Nigeria. The illicit drugs, weighing 46.60 kilograms, were discovered in her luggage at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.   NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed the arrest in a statement on Sunday, noted that the suspect was intercepted during the inward clearance of passengers from a Qatar Airways flight from Thailand via Doha…

Dabiri-Erewa hails DOWA AI policy challenge in Nigeria

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission,(NiDCOM), Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa has applauded the founders of a US-Based Non-governmental Organization known as Doing Good Work in Africa (DOWA) for Pioneering Nigeria’s AI Future With Youth Innovation in Lagos, Nigeria.   Dabiri-Erewa stated that targeting the youth with AI initiative is the best form of Diaspora Engagement which aligns with NiDCOM’s “HomeStrings Programme” in which the 2nd and 3rd Generation Diaspora Nigerians are made to think of home with enthusiasm and excitement.   The NiDCOM Boss further commended the duo of Ola Erogbogbo…

Monday Lines ‘We collected money, and we voted’ By Lasisi Olagunju

Emporium Reporters

Nigeria is a ring of iniquity. And, the iniquitous didn’t start with it today. For several years, I covered the activities of several military governors and administrators in Oyo State. Each of those well-trained minds came with their peculiarities. Colonel Ahmed Usman (God bless his soul) was particularly voluble. Whenever he spoke, it was as he felt; he had no euphemism for whatever came to his mind. Anytime he did that, his media handlers were left horrified, scrambling and begging reporters for a soft landing. At a point, whispers of…