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Two Years of Renewed Hope in Tunji-Ojo’s Interior Ministry

Two Years of Renewed Hope in Tunji-Ojo’s Interior Ministry

By Femi Salako

Rhere are many ways to look at visionary leadership, the capacity to translate vision into reality, as the American leadership expert Warren Bennis is justly famous for saying. Visionary leadership involves the ability to innovate and to create; which is why, according to Leroy Eimes, a leader is one who sees more than others see, who sees farther than others see, and who sees before others see; that is, one who knows, in the words of Alan Kay, that the best way to predict the future is to create it. Leadership is not about titles, positions, or flowcharts, it is about one life influencing another, says John C. Maxwell, and great leader inspires people to have confidence in themselves. (Eleanor Roosevelt). If vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others (Jonathan Swift) and leadership is the art of giving people a platform for spreading ideas that work (Seth Godin), then visionary leadership means creating a platform for revolutionary ideas that shape and change the course of human existence. As President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope leadership clocks two years in office, it is apposite to consider how far the country has come in terms of strengthening its internal security organs, and how this fits into a broad strategy.

To be sure, Nigeria still grapples with internal challenges—every country does—but a close analysis of the situation so far will reveal precisely why there is cause for cheer. Precisely two years ago when President Tinubu appointed Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo as Minister of Interior, he was looking at security as the bedrock of national development. His focus is enhancing the capabilities of our security forces, promoting peace and stability, and ensuring that every Nigerian feels safe and protected, no matter where they reside. Recognizing the limitations of brick and mortar measures, the ministry deployed digitization looking at the capacity of advanced technology to detect and prevent illegal activities such as smuggling and human trafficking, streamline border crossing processes, reducing wait times and improving the overall travel experience.It aimed to reduce errors and inconsistencies in documentation and identification, making it easier to verify identities and track individuals; provide valuable insights and data analytics to inform policy decisions and improve border management, and reduce opportunities for corruption and bribery by minimizing human interaction and increasing transparency.

In the last two years, digital systems have enabled the immigration authorities to better manage and monitor the flow of people across borders. They have also facilitated legitimate trade and commerce by reducing delay and increasing the efficiency of customs procedures. They have led to improved compliance with regulations and laws and created a more efficient, secure, and effective border management system.

It is significant that in not more than a year, landmark achievements such as the clearance of a backlog of 204,332 passports within a record-breaking three-week period, restoring confidence in the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), revolutionized passport processing within a two-week timeline for applications and introducing home and office delivery of passports, streamlined application process, and championing the rights of Nigerian applicants and ensuring that they receive just treatment abroad, were made. Regarding the welfare of paramilitary officers, the administration’s focus on equitable compensation and the unfolding of plans for a functional pension board to boost morale and productivity, and the alignment of paramilitary salaries with those of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to ensure fairness and equity attracted plaudits. But that was not all: there was, crucially, a focus on the criminal justice reform. This move saw to the decongestion of correctional facilities, clearance of fines and compensations worth N585 million for 4,068 inmates, and the transformation of correctional homes into centers of rehabilitation, fostering hope and redemption for inmates.

Today, under the Renewed Hope Agenda, security infrastructure has been modernized. Among other landmark initiatives, the ministry created a state-of-the-art Data Centre and Command and Control Centre supporting new visa and passport application policies and border management; and E-Gates at airports that enhance security and efficiency. It also saw to the rehabilitation of correctional centers, with the Interior Minister earning several awards, including the Public Service Person of the Year 2023 (Leadership newspaper) for the bold and exceptional reforms. Via the Ministry of Interior, President Tinubu has demonstrated transformative leadership, fortifying Nigeria’s security. Among other extremely innovative measures, there is Safe Haven, a means of enhancing national security and community safety through partnerships with law enforcement and community leaders; Smart Border, which relates to modernized border management with advanced technologies to enhance security and facilitate trade and travel; Disaster Response Unit, which coordinates emergency responses and preparedness for disasters, and E-Visa, which simplifies the visa application process to promote tourism and international collaboration. There is also Migration Information Data Analysis System (MIDAS), a system for enhancing migration data management to inform policy decisions.

With a clinical focus on reforms and modernization, the Tinubu administration has emplaced the Immigration Service Reform Committee with a focus on modernizing the Nigerian Immigration Service to enhance efficiency, reduce corruption, and improve service delivery. It unfolded the Digital Case Management System, streamlining case handling in the justice system to enhance transparency and reduce delays. With specific reference to correctional services, reform has been built around rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates into society. A case study is the Kuje Medium Custodial Centre, where facilities have been modernized to create a more humane and effective correctional environment.

Take a look at the Centralized Interior Management and Administration System (CIMAS), a centralized platform that enhances oversight and decision-making across Ministry of Interior agencies. CIMAS facilitates secure inter-agency collaboration and intelligence exchange among security agencies, ensuring data integrity and confidentiality. Nigerian travelers are now familiar with initiatives like Electronic Visa (e-Visa), Landing and Exit Cards (LEC), Advance Passenger Information (API), Migrant Information Management System (MIMS), Citizen and Business (C&B), Single Travel Emergency Passport (STEP), Temporary Work Permit (TWP), Guard Management System (GMS) and Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens.

Notable achievements include increasing patrols with over 30 patrol vehicles, launching contactless biometrics, enhancing security and efficiency, designing and developing a Tier 4, 8.3 petabyte Data Centre and automating the visa application process. Before Tinubu’s Renewed Hope government, the situation in the paramilitary agencies was characterized by demoralized workforce, career stagnation, spilled over promotion exercise and female gender disenfranchised with low recruitment profile. All of that vanished with the coming on board of the Tinubu administration, which ensured the recruitment of at least 35 percent females in all recruitment processes, approval of 30,000 recruitment, promotion of over 50,000 personnel in two years, approval of peculiar allowance, implementation of modernized immigration project, and approval of paramilitary academy.

In particular, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has witnessed the deployment of over 800 mobile enrollment devices, integration of NIN with the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), revalidation of Front-End Enrolment Partner (FEP) licenses, inter-agency collaboration with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), launching of the Self-Service Mobile App and Web Modification App, and technological upgrades and monitoring and evaluation systems. Go to the Federal Fire Service and you see improved response time and emergency services, and decreased amount of property lost to fire incidents from 1.2 trillion to 1.9 trillion saved in 2024t. Take stock of the situation in the NSCDC and you will marvel. The launching of Mining Marshall to protect mining sites and the Special Female Squad to protect school environments; massive arrest of illegal miners, establishment of a Railway Command to protect railway infrastructure, and the security of all telecommunications installations nationwide is nothing short of revolutionary. The administration recently recruited 30,000 personnel to fortify the paramilitary agencies.

In particular, there is an evident commitment to accountability and transparency, instilling values of integrity and openness in governance. Another angle involves supporting educational programs, healthcare initiatives, and empowerment projects in communities. The overall Impact is transforming institutions and uplifting Nigerian society through effective leadership and innovation and demonstrating a proactive approach to governance and commitment to protecting lives and property. This is the ennobling state of affairs in the Ministry of Interior where, under President Tinubu’s guidance, Tunji-Ojo keeps recording milestones.

*Femi Salako is Media Consultant to the Minister

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By Femi Salako Rhere are many ways to look at visionary leadership, the capacity to translate vision into reality, as the American leadership expert Warren Bennis is justly famous for
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Pen to Power: How Oketola’s Journalism now Shapes Academic Research, Public Policy

Pen to Power: How Oketola’s Journalism now Shapes Academic Research, Public Policy

Adedayo Oketola, a highly decorated journalist, author and former newspaper editor, is seeing his work transcend the newsroom. His award-winning reports are now being cited in academic journals, policy papers, and international forums, proving that rigorous journalism remains a critical force in driving research, accountability, and reform across sectors. Uzoma Mba writes that the 

award-winning editor’s impactful reporting is influencing scholarship and shaping governance conversations

Adedayo Oketola is a globally recognised Nigerian journalist, author, and strategic, energy and tech communications expert with over two decades of high-impact experience in journalism, editorial leadership, and media innovation. He is one of Africa’s most decorated editors and investigative journalists, having won over 15 prestigious journalism awards across local and international platforms. He served as Editor of The PUNCH, Nigeria’s most widely read and influential newspaper, from 2022 to 2024, leading it to consecutive Newspaper of the Year wins and earning the Editor of the Year award from the Nigeria Media Merit Awards (NMMA) in 2023 and the Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME) in 2024.

He had earlier served as the Editor of PUNCH Weekend Titles, namely Saturday PUNCH and Sunday PUNCH, for three years; the first in the 50-year history of the media group to edit both Saturday PUNCH and Sunday PUNCH simultaneously.  In that capacity, he oversaw The PUNCH weekend publications that produced many awardees under his supervision, tutelage and mentorship.

With a career spanning frontline journalism, media strategy, and thought leadership, Oketola exemplifies the highest level of professional distinction, innovation, and influence that he is deploying on platforms like the International Visitor Leadership Program Alumni Association (IVLPAA), a body under the auspices of the U.S. Mission in Nigeria, where he currently serves as president.

Delivering in his capacity as a key member of the fourth estate of the realm, Oketola’s work has influenced public policy, exposed systemic corruption, and advanced national conversations on disability, social inclusion, the power sector, energy transition, agriculture, anti-corruption, and drug trafficking prevention, among others. His investigative journalism, cited in both national and international fora, has earned him many accolades.

Three of his reports, namely, ‘How Banks in Nigeria Shut out 22 Million People with Disabilities; ‘Left Behind: A Telecoms Revolution without the Blind, Deaf and Dumb”, and “Social Exclusion: Pains, Agony of Lawyers Living with Disabilities”, published between 2011 and 2015,  described PWDs’ everyday pain aggravated by the lack of ramps across banks, telecoms service centres, and courts, among others. These reports, among others, pushed authorities to mandate the installation of ramps in banks, service centres, and all public buildings in Lagos and some other states.

“Gridlock: 10 million Lagosians battle traffic robbers amid endless wait for N555bn mass transit systems” published on November 7, 2015, documented the suffering of over 10 million Lagos commuters at the hands of traffic robbers due to the unending gridlock while awaiting the N555bn light rail and commercial car transit systems. After the report was published, the then-governor of Lagos State tackled traffic robbery headlong, critical roads were redesigned to ease traffic, and the government renewed the drive to deliver the blue and red rail lines, which had recently been launched.

“Trapped Overseas: Stranded Nigerian Youths Traffic Drug to Fund Return Home” and “Abandoned by Men: Hard Times Push Women into Drugs, Arrest and Regrets’ focused on the travails of young Nigerians stranded overseas who began trafficking drugs to fund their home return. The reports were aimed at discouraging youths from drug trafficking.

In his award-winning report titled “NigComSat-1R becoming white elephant four years after –Investigation”, Oketola exposed the shortcomings of Nigeria’s communication satellite and its inability to deepen broadband penetration as promised. The report won a continental fact-checking prize for uncovering the corruption going on at NigComSat.

Titled, “Power Failure: Nigerians burn N17.5tn fuel on a generator in five years”, the report was a poignant commentary on Nigeria’s endemic energy poverty. A follow-up to that report, which concentrated on small businesses, titled “Nigerian small businesses on ‘death row’ –SMEs, traders losing investments to power shortage”, challenged the government to address the power crisis crippling businesses and investments.

A report titled, “Firewood, Coal Usage Poses Great Danger to 120 Million Nigerians”, which won the energy report of the year raised the consciousness of policymakers, government and the populace to the incalculable diseases and death risk facing the majority of Nigerians cooking with dirty fuels (charcoal, firewood and sawdust). The report also pioneered strong advocacy for massive investment in clean cooking (use of Liquefied Petroleum Gas) from both the government and private sector.

Beyond the impact of many of Oketola’s landmark reports, some of his impactful reporting is now influencing scholarly research across the globe. His body of work has not only won numerous prestigious media awards but has also become a valuable resource for academic inquiry into Nigeria’s most pressing challenges. His investigative reports have been cited in peer-reviewed journals and university research, affirming the intellectual and societal impact of his journalism.

For instance, the Review of African Political Economy referenced his reporting in “International Crude Oil Theft: Elite Predatory Tendencies in Nigeria,” using his work to illustrate entrenched corruption in Nigeria’s oil sector. The paper was authored by Eddy Akpomera.

Similarly, his reporting on terrorism and governance has been instrumental to scholars like Prof. Ifeyinwa Emejulu and Charlesmartin Nnaegbuna, both of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, who examined the impact of insecurity on tourism in Nigeria between 2009 and 2017 in a paper titled ‘Terrorism and Tourism in Nigeria’, published in the Interdisciplinary Journal of African & Asian Studies, Vol. 7, No.2, 2021.

In “Economy of the Third World and Search for Greener Pastures in the Desert,” published in the Brazilian Journal of African Studies, Emmanuel Akubor draws on Oketola’s journalistic insights to examine economic migration in Nigeria.

His work has also informed media and communication scholars such as Prof. Rotimi Olatunji of Lagos State University, who cited Oketola’s publications during the university’s prestigious 63rd Inaugural Lecture on Advertising and Public Discourse.

Moreover, his work on insurgency and religious extremism has been referenced in a global academic collaboration published in the special issue of Religion, Conflict Transformation, and Peacebuilding, co-authored by two scholars, Stephen Onakuse from University College Cork and Victor Jatula from the University of Utah (Asia Campus).

These citations are a testament to Oketola’s ability to bridge journalism and scholarship, providing nuanced, evidence-based narratives that both inform the public and enrich academic understanding of Nigeria’s socio-political complexities.

As a journalist whose work is not only impactful but also cited in international scholarship, Oketola occupies a rarefied position, which is one where public interest reporting fuels intellectual rigour and policy discussions.

In recognition of his contributions to journalism and intellectual development, former Nigerian President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo unveiled his debut book, and Mr. Oketola hosted Nigeria’s first-ever Exaugural Lecture by a newspaper editor to mark his transition from editorship and 20 years of service to journalism.

He is an Edward R. Murrow Fellow under the U.S. State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program and has participated in advanced journalism training at Boston University’s New England Centre for Investigative Reporting. His global exposure includes attending and reporting from over 30 high-level international conferences across the U.S., U.K., Europe, Africa, and Asia.

Currently serving as a Strategic Communications Consultant, Oketola leads corporate and governmental PR initiatives, manages perception and crisis communications, and provides media training services. He writes commentaries on national issues and convenes the Africa Digital Economy & Innovation Conference (AFDEIC).

He is a member of notable professional and service organisations such as the Nigerian Guild of Editors, the Nigerian Institute of Management (Chartered), the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), and the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) and Lions Clubs International, District 404B2 Nigeria.

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Adedayo Oketola, a highly decorated journalist, author and former newspaper editor, is seeing his work transcend the newsroom. His award-winning reports are now being cited in academic journals, policy papers,
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  AI AND DIGITALISATION: NAL’S VERDICT

  AI AND DIGITALISATION: NAL’S VERDICT

VICTOR C. ARIOLE writes that AI and digitalisation are expanding the frontiers of knowledge 

Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL) under the leadership of Professor Sola Akinrinade held its 27th Convocation and deliberated on “The Humanities in The Modern Digital World”. University of Lagos Akoka was the venue and the Vice Chancellor, Professor Folasade Ogunsola anchored her brief speech on “Arts and Culture Constantly Remind Us of Who We are” – The Africans. It is only in Africa you have over one billion people speaking over 2,000 languages in the midst of over 6,000 languages of the world. Nigeria alone boasts of over 550 languages, and all of them harbor cultures and civilisations yet to be explored. And for the lecturer of the day, Professor Francis Egbokhare, every language has its own truth to tell and what seems to be superstition is now finding meaning in the current world – mythology, artifacts, meditation, contemplation, etc., are opening new horizons and spheres for telling some level of truth; either in contrast with what science proclaims or in counter-position with propaganda disseminated as truth. In all, both Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digitalization are greatly helping to bring to relevance knowledge items in their different silos hidden in over 6,000 languages, which could be of great interest to Africa that speaks over 2,000 languages – both colonial and indigenous ones, while reviving over 1,000 dead ones.

Multiple scenarios exist to appreciate what Digitalization and AI offer to the African, if only Arts and the Humanities could use them to redirect the knowledge process to reveal “who the Africans are” distinct from the propaganda of “the others” that reduce the African to mere spectators of world events. A continent known to harbor the greatest number of youth population and arable land.

One of the scenarios is that recursive knowledge is now greatly available – to the computer scientist, it is recovering and converging smaller solutions in their smaller devised codes, spread in different silos for a greater impact. Languages and their hidden knowledge items could be interlinked like the spider, African folks tale hero of the Akans, reveals. The Ananse tales. Check out how Digitalization and AI simulation are proving that artifacts and inscriptions around the Caucasus mountains give room to African codes and that, in deed, Africans have served as nobles and kings there. Some simulations and cross-referencing of Xhosa and Kikuyi languages in South Africa relate with a language in West Africa. It is also to be noted that stolen artifacts, now being returned in bits, as empty shells, have been well studied by tools relating to AI and the knowledge stored in digital form and is yet to be made known to the world. Knowledge once stored in artifacts are recursively cross-referenced to reveal the African past, though not yet made available to all. Africa’s Arts and Humanities’ Studies must crave to unveil them like Cheikh Anta Diop partially did in unveiling the mystery behind the Egyptian pyramid as enabled by the Louvre Museum in Paris.

Scenario two, is the enablement of AI and Digitalisation to help researchers refresh and recall easily their memory as neuronally encoded facts that seem to be having issues in being recalled. For example, a lecturer in the gathering admits using AI to write a paper and it turned out to be better than she could have imagined. Here, issues of originality and plagiarism surface though mitigated by the new paradigm that allows up to 30% level of plagiarism. It is also a shift from a wider base of knowledge paradigm in which information gathering or facts at the bottom are now slightly tempered with and compacted to make room for next level on the knowledge paradigm which is Understanding, Analysis and Interpretation. Here, it takes a good and grounded researcher to discern effectively and efficiently expected outcome of their research enterprise. It is definitely not meant for undergraduate students. Undergraduate students are already abusing AI. Lecturers as gatekeepers must be at alert.

Scenario three, simulation of multiple possibilities are available in decision making like drawing up a decision tree. Here, selecting what to feed into the computer becomes the greater knowledge process and it falls within the range of understanding and analysis of the paradigm.

For Arts and Humanities that deal with proactive measures and attempt at elaborating basic research items with delayed gratification application possibilities, AI and Digitalization could be used to renew knowledge items about the African and create new African space that counters propaganda like Professor Abigail Ogwezzi-Nsikak advocates in her paper on “Citizens’ Journalism”. That is, getting each African community to tell appropriately its own story and relay it for greater impact as part of “knowing who we are”. For Prof. Olukoya Ogen, historicizing the humanities in the age of AI is cross-referencing knowledge for a better African view beyond seeing knowledge from mere scientific perspectives. For Professor Gideon Omachone, like already mentioned, over 2,000 languages are spoken by over one billion Africans; and relating them to one another could lead to explosive knowledge outcome never seen before if only researchers and African government could create agenda of knowledge sourcing and propagation backed by funding to leap frog Africa into its own niche carving prospects for further acknowledgement by those who have for over 21 centuries decided the fate of Africans into not letting them know “who they really are”.

For Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL), the duty of re-imagining the African heritage for a greater impact with AI and Digitalization is to be greatly canvassed so as to align with the Sustainable Development Goals of UN and the Agenda 2063 for Africa. As the baton of leadership is relayed to Professor Andrew Haruna the new President of NAL, let the work begin and let African Union (AU) wake up.

 Ariole is a

Professor of French and Francophone Studies at University of Lagos

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VICTOR C. ARIOLE writes that AI and digitalisation are expanding the frontiers of knowledge  Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL) under the leadership of Professor Sola Akinrinade held its 27th Convocation and deliberated on “The
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IMBIBING THE SAFEGUARDING PRINCIPLE IN NIGERIA

IMBIBING THE SAFEGUARDING PRINCIPLE IN NIGERIA

In the light of recent happenings in the world of work in Nigeria, it is important to address the issue of Safeguarding or ‘Do No Harm’ principle. The incidents involving KWAM 1 on ValueJet and the violent treatment of Ms Comfort Emmanson on Ibom Air expose a clear manifestation of the abuse of power and privilege in the aviation world of work in Nigeria. From the National Assembly where a Senator is under a controversial suspension to the very recent case of a female corps member being harassed by security personnel, the list of safeguarding breaches in Nigeria is long.

Meanwhile, safeguarding simply means doing no harm to vulnerable adults and children. It is about taking action when abuse happens, especially in the workplace. Forms of harm include bullying, harassment, sexual exploitation, abuse, harassment or discrimination. 

Sexual exploitation includes actual or attempted abuse of a person in a position of vulnerability on differential power for sexual purposes. Sexual abuse on the other hand, is any actual threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature be it by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. Sexual harassment is a continuum of unacceptable and unwelcome behaviour and practice of a sexual nature and may include but not limited to sexual suggestions or demands, requests for sexual favour, verbal or physical conduct or gestures that are or might reasonably be perceived as offensive or humiliating.

The practice of safeguarding addresses any misuse of power.  For example, in an organisation certain individuals have more power based on their gender, race, role, disability, employment status or education. And all these could cause people with less power to be at greater risk of exploitation and abuse.

At international level, Nigeria on 8th November 2022 became the 29th country to ratify the convention No. 187 promoting safe and healthy working environment, and became the 22nd country to ratify the International Labour Organisation (ILO) convention No 190 on violence and harassment in the world of work. According to ILO, it is the first international treaty to address violence and harassment in the world of work. It includes the first international definition of violence and harassment in the world of work, including but not limited to gender-based violence, and applies to the public and private sectors, formal and informal economies, and urban and rural areas. It recognises the different and complementary roles and functions of governments, employers and workers and their respective organisations, considering the varying nature and extent of their responsibilities. 

What the situation requires is a holistic approach which addresses the organisational culture to ensure that robust safeguarding policies and practices are implemented. It also requires responsible and responsive leadership with an emphasis on respect for human dignity, equality of people before the law and inclusiveness. The culture of silence and impunity must no longer be accepted as part of the Nigerian landscape especially in the work environment.

Any organisation whose staff or leadership conducts their activities in a way that breaches safeguarding principles runs the risk of losing its reputation, facing a legal challenge or being shut down. If a retreat is being planned to address the recent incidents in the aviation industry, as announced by the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, safeguarding must be an integral part of the training as personnel need to unlearn, learn and relearn to do no harm in the world of work.

 Dr Eleanor Nwadinobi, President of the Medical Women’s International Association and a Safeguarding expert 

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In the light of recent happenings in the world of work in Nigeria, it is important to address the issue of Safeguarding or ‘Do No Harm’ principle. The incidents involving KWAM 1
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NEW DIRECTION IN POLITICAL ALLEGIANCE IN KADUNA

NEW DIRECTION IN POLITICAL ALLEGIANCE IN KADUNA

The results of the recent bye-elections represent a historic shift, argues JONATHAN POJAN

The mid-August 2025, bye-elections in three key constituencies in Kaduna State have established beyond doubt the growing dominance of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, and by extension, Nigeria. What unfolded was not just a routine electoral exercise but a seismic shift that reverberated across the state. The ruling APC, under the stewardship of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Uba Sani, clinched all three seats in a resounding landslide, cementing the party’s growing hegemony in a state long marked by fierce opposition strongholds. The victory in Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency; Zaria Kewaye and Basawa State Constituencies simply underscores the new direction in political allegiance in the state between the “old order” and the “new order” ably led by the Comrade Governor, Uba Sani. 

The results underscore APC’s resilience and strategic prowess while exposing the fading influence of former Governor Nasir El-Rufai. The outcome offers a compelling narrative of renewal and the relentless march toward political consolidation for Governor Uba Sani.

The bye-elections, held on August 16, 2025, were necessitated by vacancies arising from resignations, deaths, and other unforeseen circumstances in these constituencies. Chikun/Kajuru, a federal seat in the House of Representatives, had been vacated amid political realignments, while Zaria Kewaye and Basawa, both state assembly seats, reflected the fluid dynamics of local governance. Kaduna, a state of over 8 million people straddling Nigeria’s North-West, has historically been a battleground where ethnic, religious, and partisan divides intersect. In past elections, these areas—particularly Chikun/Kajuru in Kaduna South—served as bastions for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other opposition forces. The 2023 general elections saw PDP’s Atiku Abubakar edge out Tinubu in Kaduna’s presidential vote, a testament to lingering anti-APC sentiments fueled by the negative administrative style of the former governor, Nasir El-Rufai. Yet, in this bye-election, the APC flipped the script with overwhelming margins, signaling a profound transformation.

The results were nothing short of spectacular. In Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency, APC’s candidate secured a decisive win, polling significantly ahead of rivals from the PDP, African Democratic Congress (ADC), and Social Democratic Party (SDP). Official figures from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) showed the APC amassing over 60% of the votes in some polling units, a stark contrast to the opposition’s fragmented tallies. Similarly, in Zaria Kewaye State Constituency, the APC candidate triumphed with a landslide, while Basawa saw APC’s Dahiru Umar-Sani declared winner amid jubilant celebrations. Nationwide, these wins contributed to the APC’s dominance in 12 out of 16 contested seats across 13 states, but Kaduna’s clean sweep stood out as a microcosm of the party’s national resurgence.

 This victory is historic for several reasons. Chikun/Kajuru, encompassing diverse communities in Kaduna South, has long been an opposition enclave. Predominantly Christian southern Kaduna has grappled with banditry, farmer-herder clashes, and perceived marginalization under previous administrations, fostering deep-seated distrust toward the APC. In 2019 and 2023, PDP candidates dominated here, leveraging grievances over insecurity and economic neglect. Zaria Kewaye and Basawa, in the more urban and Muslim-majority Zaria axis, have oscillated but often leaned towards opposition due to youth unemployment and infrastructural deficits. The APC’s breakthrough represents a historic shift, it is akin to breaking the opposition’s grip and integrating these areas into the party’s fold.

Even though voter turnout was reportedly modest at around 30-40% in some areas, it nevertheless favored the APC, with reports of enthusiastic support in rural area where government interventions under the leadership of Governor Uba Sani had taken root.

This new political dominance by the APC in Kaduna can only be attributed to the leadership of President Tinubu and Governor Sani which combines competence with compassion. Tinubu’s administration, now in its third year, has prioritized economic reforms and security enhancements that resonate with the people in Kaduna. The removal of fuel subsidies, while initially painful, has been offset by targeted palliatives, including cash transfers and agricultural inputs distributed through state channels. In Kaduna, Governor Uba Sani has amplified these efforts with his “Rural Transformation Agenda,” investing heavily in road networks, healthcare, and education in southern constituencies like Chikun/Kajuru. For instance, the commissioning of new hospitals and solar-powered boreholes in Kajuru just months before the election addressed long-standing complaints, swaying voters who felt seen for the first time.

Governor Uba Sani’s inclusive governance model which emphasizes bridging ethnic divides through appointments and dialogue, contrasts sharply with past eras of polarization. Under Tinubu’s broader umbrella, federal projects like the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano highway rehabilitation have boosted connectivity, creating jobs and stimulating commerce. These tangible gains, coupled with aggressive grassroots mobilization, turned potential liabilities into assets. APC campaigns emphasized “Renewed Hope,” framing the bye-elections as a referendum on progress, and voters responded affirmatively.

Yet, this triumph is as much about what the APC has built as what the opposition has lost. The PDP, once a formidable force in Kaduna, now fragmented amid internal squabbles, fielded candidates who struggled to galvanize support. INEC’s transparent processes, including biometric verification, largely withstood scrutiny, and independent observers noted a comparatively peaceful poll despite isolated incidents.

Curiously, the ADC and SDP, buoyed by endorsements from disgruntled figures, mounted spirited challenges but faltered miserably with their votes splintering the fortune of the opposition further in a disgraceful fall.

No figure embodies this opposition’s decline more starkly than former Governor El-Rufai. Once hailed as a reformist technocrat who seemly modernized Kaduna from 2015 to 2023, El-Rufai’s post-governorship trajectory has been a master class in political erosion. His tenure, marked by bold but contentious policies—mass teacher sackings, urban demolitions, and stringent fiscal measures—alienated swathes of the populace. Southern Kaduna communities, in particular, accused him of indifference to their security plight, with massacres under his watch fueling resentment.

El-Rufai’s fallout with the APC establishment, including his failed ministerial nomination in 2023 due to security concerns, pushed him toward opposition alliances. In the last weekend bye-election, he openly backed ADC and SDP candidates, campaigning vigorously in Chikun/Kajuru and framing the poll as a vote of lack of confidence in Governor Uba Sani’s administration. However, the results were a humiliating rebuke to the ex-governor. ADC and SDP candidates, despite El-Rufai’s rallies and social media blitz, only garnered inconsequential paltry votes, a loud political statement that emphasizes his now substantially diminished political clout. In areas like Kajuru, where he once wielded influence, voters rejected his endorsed picks, opting for APC’s promise of continuity. On social media, poignantly biting terse posts, loaded with mockery tones were flying up and down. Examples are: “Kaduna spoke loudly today,” while others labeled it El-Rufai’s “disgrace.”

His son’s involvement in the campaign only amplified the family’s isolation. This ostensibly austere outing, a poor showing marked by overconfidence and under-delivery, highlights El-Rufai’s unpopularity. Once a kingmaker, he now embodies the perils of overreach. Policies like the controversial competency tests for teachers, which led to 21,000 dismissals, left lasting scars, eroding his base among educators and civil servants. His vocal criticism of Tinubu’s reforms, including subsidy removal, alienated party loyalists, positioning him as a spoiler rather than a statesman.

Governor Uba Sani’s victory dance was a cryptic jibe at the now opposition in disarray, where he declared that “There’s no ballot box on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, or Instagram.” The import is not far-fetched, El-Rufai’s online activism couldn’t translate to winning votes.

The implications of the bye-election extend beyond Kaduna. For the APC, it validates Tinubu’s leadership amid economic headwinds, proving that strategic governance can yield electoral dividends. Governor Uba Sani emerged strengthened, his administration’s focus on inclusivity and development paying off in formerly hostile terrains. For El-Rufai, it’s a cautionary tale: political capital, once squandered, is hard to reclaim. As 2027 looms large in the horizon, his flirtations with opposition coalitions—rumoured alliances with Peter Obi’s Obidients—may further marginalize him. Kaduna’s voters have signaled a preference for stability over disruption, inclusivity over division.

To be frank, the Kaduna bye-elections of last weekend, August 16, 2025, were more than a win for the APC; they were a positive referendum on leadership and legacy. Under President Tinubu and Governor Sani, the party has not only consolidated power but rewritten the state’s political map, turning opposition redoubts into APC fortresses.

While El-Rufai’s fading star serves as a poignant reminder that popularity is fleeting, especially when built on selfishness rather than empathy. As Nigeria navigates its democratic journey, the Kaduna landslide victory at the bye elections, offers hope: that progress, when delivered, can eclipse even the deepest grievances.

 Pojan Jnr, an Architect and good governance campaigner, writes from Abuja

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The results of the recent bye-elections represent a historic shift, argues JONATHAN POJAN The mid-August 2025, bye-elections in three key constituencies in Kaduna State have established beyond doubt the growing dominance
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INSURANCE INDUSTRY AND RECAPITALISATION

INSURANCE INDUSTRY AND RECAPITALISATION

A well-capitalised insurance industry is a boon to the economy.

Last week, the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) issued an ultimatum to insurance companies operating in the country to recapitalise on or before July 2026. Failure to do so, according to NAICOM, will attract severe sanctions, including liquidation or forced merger. This is in line with the Nigerian Insurance Industry Reform Act 2025, which requires industry players to increase their capital to N10 billion (life insurance) and N15 billion for non-life while reinsurance companies now require N35 billion.

Section 9(4) of the Insurance Act, 2003 empowers NAICOM to increase, from time to time, the amount of minimum paid-up share capital statutorily prescribed for Nigerian insurers, and there is no doubt that the new minimum capital requirements will have significant impact on the Nigerian insurance industry. In the last exercise five years ago (June 2020), NAICOM had directed that the minimum paid-up share capital of a Life insurance company be increased from N2 billion to N8 billion; Non-Life insurance from N3 billion to N10 billion and Composite insurance from N5 billion to N18 billion. The capital injection requirement was also raised by 400 per cent (Life); 333 per cent (Non-Life); 360 per cent (Composite) and 200 per cent (Re-Insurance).

We agree with NAICOM that Nigerian insurers should mobilise more capital to facilitate the acquisition of modern digital and technology-driven infrastructure necessary to aid their efforts at deepening insurance penetration in the country. Measured as a percentage of GDP, Nigeria is still far behind South Africa, Kenya and even Ghana in insurance penetration. Meanwhile, despite the astronomical increase in the value of insured assets, consequent exposure to higher level of insured liabilities and operating cost, recapitalisation exercises have been few in the sector. It is therefore expected that just like the banking sector, meeting up with the new minimum capital requirement will help ignite further consolidation of the insurance sector as some insurers may seek to merge or be acquired by bigger firms. 

In the 2025 Insurance Industry Report released in March this year by the risk and credit rating agency, Agusto & Co, insurance revenue in Nigeria is estimated to have crossed the N1 trillion mark in the financial year ended 31 December 2024. “The industry benefited from aggressive marketing activities and an upward review of premiums to reflect the prevailing inflationary pressure,” according to the agency while recommending stricter enforcement of compulsory insurance policies, a more efficient product distribution and an enlarged capital base to support the insurance income. “The increased spending on infrastructure development by the various tiers of government would also increase the revenue from underwriting the underlying risks.”

While most reports portend vast growth potential for the Nigerian insurance industry, many licensed insurers are still largely under-capitalised, thereby limiting their ability to take on big ticket in-country risks, as may be seen in the oil and gas, marine and aviation sectors of the economy. Given Nigeria’s untapped humongous potential in the global insurance marketplace, a well-capitalised industry where insurers with deep pockets and excellent local capacity can play is desirable and will contribute to improving the economy.

Therefore, as insurance and reinsurance companies begin the necessary move towards shoring up their capital base during the next 11-month period granted to existing operators to fully comply, it is expected that the market will gear up for new private equity and mergers and acquisition deals in the coming months. With this impending recapitalisation and consolidation exercise, it is also hoped that the insurance companies that will emerge at the end of the exercise will be stronger and deeper in the capacity to take on profitable high risks. This would enable the Nigerian insurance industry function well and fit into an integrated global financial marketplace.

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A well-capitalised insurance industry is a boon to the economy. Last week, the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) issued an ultimatum to insurance companies operating in the country to recapitalise on or before July 2026.
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FAREWELL, OLU-IBUKUN: BROADCASTING TRAIL-BLAZER AND MORE

FAREWELL, OLU-IBUKUN: BROADCASTING TRAIL-BLAZER AND MORE

A distinguished international statesman, engineer, educator and community leader bows out gloriously, writes MONDAY PHILIPS EKPE 

Our paths first crossed in 1999. I was then the features editor of THISDAY newspapers. Television broadcasting in Nigeria had just clocked four decades and I wanted something unique to grace my pages in commemoration. A meeting was arranged with the first African managing director and technical consultant of the Western Nigeria Radio and Television Broadcasting Corporation (WNTV-WNBS), Ibadan, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA)’s precursor. Two hours of interaction with Otunba (Dr) Lawrence Olu-Ibukun confirmed to me that he was a truly remarkable man.

The immediate product of that encounter was my article in THISDAY, “Song of a Front-liner”, published on October 28, 1999. Its opening paragraphs have remained fresh: “At a certain function, Mr. Vincent Maduka, a former Director General of NTA, introduced him thus: ‘This man gave me my first job.’ Somewhere in Benin-City, during a party, Apostle Hayford Alile, the outgoing Director General of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, could not contain his excitement when he saw him. He walked up to him (Olu-Ibukun) and announced, ‘This man taught me physics at Ibadan.’

“When a man like that tells you that he is fulfilled in life, you simply would not have any cause to doubt him. The most important reason why you would believe Dr Olu-Ibukun is that he succeeds in expressing it without any visible trace of arrogance or vanity often associated with men and women that have lengthy, rich and, at times, intimidating curriculum vitae. The voice is that of a contented man. The calculated, dignified intonation belongs to someone thoroughly exposed to civilised socio-linguistic cultures. That does not take from him his innate identity – a down-to-earth mien of a Yoruba man; a worthy owner of the traditional titles of Chief Ajaguna II and Otunba Asiwaju of Ogbagi-Akoko.”

Surely, those ingredients in his humble beginnings that propelled him to enviable, outstanding heights both locally and globally should be of interest to whoever values genuine lifetime achievements. Born in Ogbagi-Akoko, Ondo State in 1932, his tertiary education in University College Ibadan (later re-named University of Ibadan – UI), Imperial College of Science and Technology of the University of London between 1950 and 1957 and, much later, University of Besancon, France, positioned him effectively for the life of an accomplished scholar and technocrat. By the way, his PhD in Electrical Engineering and Applied Physics was made in London.

Returning to UI in 1957 as a Physics lecturer at the age of 25 years instantly marked Olu-Ibukun as a frontrunner. He was the premier university’s first graduate to do so. The four years he spent on that job also witnessed his foray into politics which yielded the membership of Akoko Divisional Council in Ikare, Western Nigeria House of Assembly Ibadan, representing Owo Central and the House of Representatives. The fine combination of lecturing and democratic representation most likely prepared him for his novel WNTV-WNBS assignment. Again, by the time he joined the television house in 1961, two years after its historic debut, he was the first Nigerian graduate to so do.

A comprehensive indigenisation of the first television establishment in Africa had just begun. The regional government of Chief Obafemi Awolowo needed someone who could negotiate with its foreign partners and fast-track the process of de-colonising the organisation in order to achieve full technical, operational and cultural repositioning. Olu-Ibukun was saddled with the tasks of costs-cutting (too many resources were going into installations and maintenance), smooth operations, adequate programming and recruitment of competent personnel.

Chief Awolowo, revered sage and visionary, was not about to gamble with his pet iconic project. The new helmsman was, therefore, given only one year to do everything he could to make his briefs possible. Thankfully, his two years on the job eventually made critical inputs into the history of broadcasting in Africa. Before he assumed the post, there were over 50 expatriates in the nascent institution. Only six remained by the time he was through with the restructuring.  

His reminiscences about that sensitive period as relayed in my interview 26 years ago are characteristic of his level-headedness and still instructive: “I really had not much to fall back on. I was a young man full of zest and enthusiasm. I knew what it meant to stand on the floor of the House to put my views and convictions across. I also knew very well, by the grace of God, what it took to impart knowledge to eager students. Having to take major decisions in an industry that was emerging was a different matter. All I needed to do which I did was take my time and study the situation. I was also fortunate to have people under me who knew what was at stake, what we all stood to gain or lose in the event of success or failure.

“I might not have achieved the best performance but, all the same, to the best of my ability, I thought I left a mark there. Some of the people who were in a position to know then tell me even now that I tried my best. I don’t have any reason to think that they’re out to flatter me. In any case, only posterity can judge. If NTA celebrates 40 years today, it is doing that not necessarily as a body. It is indeed celebrating the advent of a new phenomenon in Africa as a whole. Outside, people give a lot of credit to Nigeria for this. I thank God I was part of the team that saw to it that the thing had a good start.”

That team led by Olu-Ibukun had every reason to raise its head high. The foundation it laid was strong enough to chart a road not travelled in these parts at the time. And that infant platform produced personalities like Ambassador Segun Olusola, Steve Rhodes, Julie Coker and Maduka who eventually became the nation’s television role models, idols and legends. Maduka was later appointed as the pioneer director general of the federally-reconfigured NTA in 1977. The administrative and professional launchpads of television broadcasting in Nigeria were that formidable.    

The career of this holder of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) kept moving upwards after he left WNTV-WNBS in 1963. A return to UI as a research fellow in Physics. A break into the diplomatic world as deputy director at UNESCO Regional Office for Science and Technology for Africa in Nairobi, Kenya. A teaching come back as senior lecturer at University of Lagos. Other, much longer UNESCO engagements from 1967: programme specialist at the headquarters in Paris – while civil war raged in his home country; director, UNESCO Regional Office for Science and Technology, Nairobi; UNESCO representative to Kenya with ambassadorial status in Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Mauritius and Somalia. His last major portfolio at the United Nations body was deputy assistant director-general based at the Paris headquarters. That ended in 1992 but he remained a consultant to the apex global institution for science and education, among others.

Having retired from the global stage but not tired at 60, the Government College, Ibadan old boy surely had something to offer his own people politically. Or so he thought. But his move for the presidential ticket of the defunct Social Democratic Party in 1993 didn’t click. Settling for special adviser to Ondo State governor on education thereafter meant one thing: heart for service. The more I met with him, the more I became convinced that he was indeed a study in substance. The numerous awards and recognitions that he earned lent credence to a life of real fulfilment and impact. This weekend in Ogbagi, the remains of a true son of the soil will be interred – after 93 years of illustrious, eventful existence. Rest on, Sir.

Dr Ekpe is a member of THISDAY Editorial Board

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A distinguished international statesman, engineer, educator and community leader bows out gloriously, writes MONDAY PHILIPS EKPE  Our paths first crossed in 1999. I was then the features editor of THISDAY newspapers.
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Sophos, Halcyon Introduce Anti-tamper Protection Initiative

Sophos, Halcyon Introduce Anti-tamper Protection Initiative

Sophos, a global leader of innovative security solutions for defeating cyberattacks, has announced a strategic threat intelligence sharing partnership with Halcyon, the leading anti-ransomware solution provider.

The collaboration brings together two of the most experienced teams in ransomware defense to accelerate detection, enhance protection, and improve response capabilities for more than 300,000 organizations worldwide.

Chief Research and Scientific Officer, Sophos, Simon Reed, said: “Ransomware tools and tactics are evolving constantly, and the best defense is timely, relevant intelligence that enables defenders to act quickly and with confidence. By sharing insights with Halcyon, we’re improving signal fidelity and accelerating detection across our systems, which strengthens protection for all the organisations we serve.” 

CEO and Co-founder of Halcyon, Jon Miller, said: “Halcyon is honored to partner with Sophos. Over the last four years, based on our telemetry, Sophos has time and time again proven to be one of the most effective endpoint security platforms we have encountered, reliably performing and disrupting attackers at a level that simply outperforms the majority of the players in the next-generation antivirus and endpoint detection and response (EDR) space.”

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Sophos, a global leader of innovative security solutions for defeating cyberattacks, has announced a strategic threat intelligence sharing partnership with Halcyon, the leading anti-ransomware solution provider. The collaboration brings together two
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Tinubu Sacks NTA Management, Appoints Pedro DG

Tinubu Sacks NTA Management, Appoints Pedro DG

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

President Tinubu has sacked the management of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) headed by Salihu Dembos, whose appointment was renewed in October 2023 and approved its reconstruction with a new leadership to be headed by Rotimi Pedro as the Director General.
A statement from the Presidency Wednesday said the latest move was aimed at revitalising the national broadcasting and repositioning the network for greater efficiency.
Pedro, who hails from Lagos State, is an entertainment and Intellectual Property lawyer, who founded Optima Sports Management International, first incorporated in the UK and subsequently in Nigeria which he directly managed for over 10 years before assuming the Group Managing Director/CEO position in Optima Media Group Limited.
Other key NTA appointments included:
Karimah Bello (Katsina State) – Executive Director, Marketing; Stella Din (Plateau State) – Executive Director, News; Sophia Issa Mohammed (Adamawa State) – Managing Director, NTA Enterprises Limited.
The statement said the appointments which were with immediate effect, reflected the President’s commitment to using broadcasting as a tool for national unity, cohesion, and soft diplomacy.

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Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja President Tinubu has sacked the management of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) headed by Salihu Dembos, whose appointment was renewed in October 2023 and approved its
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