Category: Opinion

How Nigeria can achieve sustainable, renewable energy — EU

 

 

As Nigeria moves to strengthen renewable energy manufacturing and champion local content, the European Union on Thursday said that creative partnerships between the public and private sectors, including research and innovation ecosystems, are key to achieving the country’s clean energy goals.

 

Describing how innovative breakthroughs are reshaping the global energy landscape, the EU praised Nigeria’s abundant and exceptional human talent and natural resources, describing them as critical ingredients for building innovation ecosystems.

 

The EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, who was represented by the Deputy Ambassador, EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Zissimos Vergos, disclosed this during the Nigeria Renewable Energy Innovation Forum in Abuja, according to a statement by the EU.

 

He highlighted how over €200 million in grants from the EU has continued to strengthen the country’s power sector since 2008.

He said, “Our most recent energy sector programme, launched in 2021 with a €100 million (₦175 billion) budget, is aimed at adding 400 megawatts of new renewable capacity by 2027, directly benefitting more than five million Nigerians.”

 

Mignot noted that innovation that accelerates inclusive energy and digital transformation processes has become an essential intergenerational process and an integral part of political legacies that will be duly recognised by future generations.

 

Explaining how proper synergy between the public and private sectors and research and innovation ecosystems works, he said, “The public sector brings the policy frameworks; the private sector brings agility and technical expertise; research institutions bring insight and innovation.”

 

Further stating that effective policies and regulations, together with strengthened capacity building, are essential to scale energy solutions sustainably, he added, “Across rural Nigeria, off-grid renewable solutions are transforming lives. Mini-grids and solar home systems, powered by creative public–private partnerships, are lighting homes, energising small businesses, and expanding opportunity.

“Research institutions must continue providing evidence-based insights on energy demand, consumer behaviour, and resilient business models to ensure that innovation truly serves local communities.”

 

Reiterating the EU’s commitment to Nigeria’s energy security and economic resilience, especially through programmes like GET.invest Nigeria and the EU’s Global Gateway, he said, “The EU remains deeply committed to supporting these efforts through direct research grants, local capacity development, and mobilising private investment, demonstrating a shared vision for sustainable energy access, clean industry, and inclusive growth.

 

“Whether for large grid-connected solar farms or small decentralised systems, our shared path depends on harnessing Nigerian ingenuity, industrial potential, and entrepreneurial spirit.”

 

Hailing Nigeria’s advancement in the era of the green and circular economy, Amb. Mignot added, “The pace of this journey toward sustainable, accessible energy will depend on how successfully the public sector, private sector, and innovation ecosystem work together.”

 

PUNCH Online reports that Nigeria is currently working towards making significant strides in renewable energy, driven by government initiatives and international investments. The country aims to become Africa’s renewable energy hub, with a projected investment of over $410 billion by 2060.

 

Nigeria’s energy transition plan includes developing nearly 4 GW of local solar factory capacity, reducing reliance on imports, and creating jobs. The government has signed agreements worth over $400 million for renewable energy manufacturing and infrastructure deals, including solar panels, smart meters, and battery storage.

Additionally, Nigeria is promoting distributed renewable energy, with projects like mini-grids expected to reach 1.5-2 million rural customers.

 

The country has significant potential for solar and wind energy, with notable projects like the 140 MW Qua Iboe Power Plant and the 10 MW Katsina Wind Farm. Despite challenges like inadequate infrastructure and high costs, Nigeria’s renewable energy capacity is expected to grow, with projections indicating a compound annual growth of 9.88% from 2024 to 2034.

Schools charging fees in foreign currencies should be shut — Minister

 

 

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, says Schools in Nigeria charging tuition fees in foreign currencies should be closed.

 

Alake made the call at the Nigeria Gold Day Celebration on the sidelines of the 10th edition of Nigeria’s Mining Week, themed Nigeria Mining: From Progress to Global Relevance, on Wednesday in Abuja.

 

He criticised the practice and described it as a part of the leakages and loopholes in Nigeria’s economy, threatening its growth.

 

“I am still going to make a proposal to the Federal Executive Council that all those schools in Nigeria that are charging in foreign currencies should be closed.

“These are some of these leakages and loopholes that we say exist in our economy that people do not really take these things very seriously,” he said.

 

“If you look at the foreign currency that goes into some of this, it is humongous

 

“If your child is attending a school in Abuja or Lagos or somewhere in the country and is paying 10,000 pounds or 10,000 dollars as their fees, that means you will be looking for naira to go and buy dollars.

 

“Driving the value of dollar up, whereas this school is in Abuja in Nigeria, you can’t go to UK, establish a school, and then be charging naira, it’s not done.

 

“It’s only in this country that I see so many contradictory things that really demolish the economy,” he said.

 

The minister said the Federal Government was introducing various measures, including digital mechanisms, to ensure that all leakages in Nigeria’s gold value chain were blocked and every loophole sealed.

He said the move would reduce room for interpersonal transactions, thereby reducing the propensity of corruption, which would further position Nigeria’s gold as one of the global pillars of means of exchange of value.

 

He said the Federal Government’s National Gold Purchase Programme (NGPP), implemented through the Solid Minerals Development Fund (SMDF), was designed to shore up Nigeria’s foreign reserves and strengthen the naira.

 

Alake explained that the NGPP, a component of the Presidential Artisanal Gold Mining Initiative, allows the government to buy gold directly from artisanal miners in naira, rather than spending foreign exchange to purchase gold internationally.

 

In her remarks, the Executive Director of SMDF, Fatima Shinkafi, said that, unlike global trends, gold exploration funding in Nigeria was on an upward trajectory.

Shinkafi explained that, within the broader macroeconomic context, gold serves as a safe-haven asset and encouraged conference participants to explore Nigeria’s gold opportunities.

 

“We implore everyone here to examine Nigeria’s gold resources and support the minister’s efforts to make Nigeria a premier destination for junior miners.

 

“In another year or so, let’s look at Nigeria’s Gold Day 2025 as a pivotal turning point, “ she said.

 

NAN reports that the Nigeria Mining Week, holding from October 13 to 15, is organised by the Miners Association of Nigeria in partnership with PricewaterhouseCoopers and the VUKA Group.

 

(NAN)

Madagascar protests fan anti-France sentiment amid political crisis

 

 

Placards and slogans against France that surfaced in demonstrations against impeached President Andry Rajoelina this week exposed deep resentment against the former colonial power.

 

“France out,” “Rajoelina and Macron out,” said banners after French media reported that the president had fled on a French military plane as an army unit threw its weight behind protesters calling for his resignation.

 

“They are still colonising us even though we are supposed to be independent,” said Koloina Andrianina Rakotomavonirina, a 26-year-old engineer.

 

“It’s unfair that they intervene in such a matter,” she told AFP at a demonstration in central Antananarivo.

With the whereabouts of the 51-year-old president unknown, the national assembly impeached him on Tuesday for desertion of duty, paving the way for a military unit called CAPSAT to seize power.

 

Negative perception about France was not surprising considering its history, Paris-based political scientist Christiane Rafidinarivo told AFP.

 

Its colonisation of the Indian Ocean island until independence in 1960 was marked by several atrocities, including the bloody repression by French forces of a 1947 uprising which claimed tens of thousands of lives.

 

“France represents colonialism,” Rafidinarivo said. “This perception runs through public opinion and is triggered depending on current events.”

 

While President Emmanuel Macron refused to confirm French involvement in Rajoelina’s evacuation, a presidential pardon for two French nationals jailed in Madagascar on coup charges—announced as the reports of his departure broke—raised suspicions of a deal.

 

Citizenship revelation

 

Rajoelina’s apparently chummy ties with Paris have long been criticised at home, but media reports in 2023 that he had obtained French nationality nine years before deepened the mistrust.

 

The revelation came just before the 2023 presidential race and led to calls for him to be disqualified, as the opposition claimed he should have lost his Madagascan nationality as a result, according to local law.

 

Rajoelina went on to win reelection, but the polls were boycotted by most opposition parties and marked by a low turnout.

That sparked new criticism against France “because the opposition accused him of being a French agent,” said Adrien Ratsimbaharison, author of a book on the 2009 coup that brought Rajoelina to power but denied him international recognition.

French president at the time, Nicolas Sarkozy, was the first foreign head of state to recognise Rajoelina as president during a state visit to France in 2011.

 

“People did not forgive in France for that, because that gave Rajoelina some kind of legitimacy,” Ratsimbaharison said.

 

There were also suspicions that Sarkozy sent financial aid to Rajoelina to engineer the 2009 protests and secure the support of military personnel to overthrow then-president Marc Ravalomanana, he said.

 

Rumours, resentment

 

In Madagascar’s social media mix of disinformation and rumour, a widely shared but out-of-context image that claimed to show the deployment of French gendarmes to support the embattled Rajoelina outraged those who believed it.

 

The photo showed a Malagasy gendarme wearing French colours, but this was only because he had undergone training in France, the gendarmerie told AFP.

 

Resentment towards the former colonial power is also fuelled by the awarding of major contracts to French companies and open French sex tourism on the impoverished island.

 

Some French businesses, such as call centres, meanwhile, use French-speaking Malagasy workers at a fraction of the wages they would earn in Europe.

 

At one demonstration, 27-year-old Mampionona Razafinjoelina said he quit his call-centre job because: “I was tired of being insulted by the French.”

 

Amid the long-running animosity, Macron said on a visit to the island in April he wanted to create the conditions for “forgiveness” for France’s colonisation, which has also left a bitter taste in its other former colonies such as Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Gabon.

 

This included returning the remains of a Malagasy king killed by the French army in an 1897 massacre that were taken to France as trophies, which happened in September, as well as the establishment of a Franco-Malagasy commission to look into atrocities of the time.

 

AFP

Why I isolated for four years – Singer Seyi Shay

 

 

 

Singer, Seyi Shay, has revealed the reasons for her isolation for over four years, citing the need to reflect on her life and personal growth.

 

In an interview with Chude Jideonwo seen by PUNCH Online on Thursday, the singer said the isolation helped her operate on a different level and has also helped her change the perception she had of men.

 

The interview marks one of the first in-depth public reflections from Seyi Shay in years, offering her fans and the public a clearer understanding of why she stepped back and what she gained in the process.

 

“I have done so much work over these past four years. The transformation of my mind started before I had my child. I started a journey of isolation. There is something really good about isolation, but I know some people say it is not good, but one thing for me is that I was blessed with hindsight and I could just reflect and I was also blessed with insight which in turn, gave me foresight and I think that is the biggest gift beside my daughter that God has given me these few years that I have been away.

“My spirituality has also transformed, and I am vibrating on such a different level now that I actually feel very comfortable with men. I love all the men. It is a man’s world,” she said.

 

She, however, revealed why she is not married to the father of her daughter, despite maintaining a close and respectful relationship with him.

 

She said, “It’s a technical issue, you understand? But he’s great, he’s cool, he’s around. He’s Nigerian, he’s in the UK at the moment, and he’s also in the music industry on the corporate side of things. We just work together, raising our child, and we are great friends.”

 

PUNCH Online had reported earlier that Nigerian singer Tiwa Savage revisited her long-standing rift with fellow artiste Seyi Shay, clarifying her side of the story regarding the infamous salon confrontation that went viral years ago.

NAMDA denies strike claim, reaffirms autonomy of medical lecturers’ union

 

 

The Nigerian Association of Medical and Dental Academics has debunked rumours that its members are on strike.

 

The association clarified its position in a statement jointly signed by its President, Dr Nosa Lancy-Orhue; Secretary-General, Dr Abdulrahman Shehu; and National Liaison Officer/Organising Secretary, Dr Muhammad Askira, on Wednesday in Abuja.

 

NAMDA is the trade union for medical lecturers in universities, tertiary health, and research institutions.

 

It is responsible for undergraduate and postgraduate medical education, including the training of medical doctors and dentists in Nigeria.

The association reaffirmed that it remains an independent union with the capacity to negotiate its interests and uphold mutual respect.

 

“NAMDA is not on strike, and we will not be blackmailed, coaxed, or lured away from the interest of our members,” the statement read.

 

It said the clarification became necessary following persistent enquiries from members, the press and the public regarding its stance on the ongoing withdrawal of services by another academic union in the university system.

 

NAMDA said its members had been neglected for long but would continue to support legitimate demands that do not adversely affect their interests.

 

The association acknowledged ongoing engagements with the Federal Government through the Ministries of Labour and Education, which it described as “very encouraging”

 

It said the Minister of Education, through a meeting facilitated by the Minister of Labour and Employment, had promised to address key issues affecting medical lecturers.

 

“These demands include the implementation of the Consolidated Medical Workers Salary Structure (CONMESS) and the withdrawal of the compulsory PhD requirement for medical lecturers with postgraduate fellowship for academic promotion and eligibility to vie for the position of Vice-Chancellor,” the statement said.

 

NAMDA also called for the approval by the Federal Executive Council of the scheme of service contained in memorandum CM(90)92 of its 11th meeting in 1990, based on the recommendations of the committee chaired by the late Chief Justice Atanda Fatai Williams.

It said the issue of Earned Academic Allowances was also discussed.

 

The association noted that the minister apologised for the error in a letter from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, which appeared to limit the benefit to members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities.

NAMDA alleged that some university managements, supported by a sister union, attempted to exclude its members from the EAA payment.

 

It cited the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, where the Governing Council had responded that medical lecturers were not entitled to the allowance.

 

The association said it had requested the Department of State Services to investigate how two conflicting letters on the same matter emanated from the AGF’s office.

 

NAMDA said it would continue to engage the Federal Government through the committee set up to negotiate with university unions to emphasise its long-standing demands.

 

“The conditions of service for medical and dental lecturers cannot be satisfactorily negotiated by anyone but medical academics under NAMDA,” it said.

 

The association urged the Federal Government to fast-track the circularisation of CONMESS and direct the National Universities Commission to reaffirm the withdrawal of the circular making a PhD compulsory for medical academics with postgraduate fellowships.

 

NAMDA said it reserved the right to adopt legitimate means, including legal actions, in pursuing its demands, adding that any withdrawal of service by the union would be guided by its constitution.

 

It warned that such an action, if ever taken, would have serious implications for the education and health sectors.

 

(NAN)

JTF dismisses clergyman’s video on ‘Fulani mobilisation’ in Plateau

 

 

 

 

The Joint Task Force Operation Enduring Peace has dismissed as “propaganda” a viral video in which a clergyman, identified as Rev. Dachomo, alleged a mass mobilisation of Fulani fighters through Nyerwai village in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, Plateau State, and accused security forces of collusion.

 

PUNCH Online reports that in the video making rounds, a clergyman claimed a herder was killed and 36 cows were rustled, while another 49 animals were allegedly stolen in the area.

 

He also accused the Nigerian Armed Forces of complicity and accused Christians in positions of authority in the LG of betrayal.

 

But in a statement issued on Tuesday by its Media Information Officer, Major Samson Nantip Zhakom, JTF OPEP said the video was designed to inflame public sentiment and erode confidence in security agencies.

 

The statement read, “A viral online video has surfaced in which one Reverend (Rev) Dachomo makes alarming claims about potential Fulani terrorist attacks in the Dorowa area of Barkin Ladi LGA, Plateau State.

 

“He alleges an insider source revealed a mass mobilisation through Nyerwai and asserts that recent deaths in the community were linked. Furthermore, he claims that a visit to the headquarters yielded no confirmation of these reports and that troops had been withdrawn, leaving the community vulnerable.

 

“The Reverend’s accusations extend to claims of a Fulani leader influencing security forces to shield Fulani suspects from arrest. He also criticises Christian authorities for alleged inaction, suggesting a link to ISWAP. Dachomo’s statements culminate in a call to arms for local youths to defend themselves and a plea for prayer, painting a dire picture of the security situation in the region.”

 

In the video, the task force said the reverend’s “alleging mobilisation of Fulani terrorists through Nyerwai in Barkin Ladi LGA and accusing security agencies of collusion is a clear case of propaganda intended to inflame public sentiment and erode confidence in security agencies.

“The video emerged in the wake of heightened tension following the killing of a herder and 36 cows as well as the rustling of 49 others in the area, creating a volatile environment easily exploited by misinformation and invoking the name of the Fulani leader, referring to a court judgment in Adamawa State and accusing Christians in positions of authority of betrayal, the speaker deliberately employed emotionally charged and divisive narratives to whip up ethno-religious sentiments and curry favour from the local populace.”

 

The statement described the claims as baseless and warned the propagator to desist or face the full wrath of the law.

 

“Rev Dachomo’s accusation is baseless and aimed at causing unnecessary tension. The JTF OPEP condemns the misleading narratives and hereby warns the propagator to desist from causing panic and discord among the peace-loving people of the state, to abstain from such acts or face the full wrath of the law,” JTF OPEP noted.

 

Major Zhakom reiterated the task force’s commitment to protecting civilians and prosecuting those who spread misinformation that could jeopardise public safety.

 

“Troops of Operation ENDURING PEACE deployed within Sector 4 Areas of Responsibility (AOR) will continue to upscale their operational activities around Nyerwai and Dorowa to reassure residents of their safety.

 

“Also, the command of JTF OPEP condemns the incitement and remains fully committed to its mandate to restore peace and order in the Joint Operations Area (JOA).

“We call on all stakeholders – traditional leaders, religious leaders and civil society to avoid inflammatory rhetoric statements, instead rally around our common goal of a peaceful, united, and secure Plateau,” the statement concluded

Hisbah arrests couple, three others over illegal marriage in Kano

 

 

 

The Kano State Hisbah Board has arrested five youths for allegedly conducting an illegal marriage ceremony without parental consent.

 

The Deputy Commander General of the board, Dr Mujahideen Aminuddeen, disclosed this in a statement he issued in Kano on Monday.

 

He said those arrested included the groom, bride, and three others who acted as representatives and a witness.

 

The marriage was allegedly contracted with a dowry of ₦10,000, below the minimum threshold recognised in Islamic legal standards.

Aminuddeen said that the union violated Islamic and legal marital procedures, and the board had launched an investigation.

 

He appealed to parents to monitor their children’s social engagements and guide them in marriage matters.

 

PUNCH Online reports that the development comes after Kano State government directed the state Hisbah Board to begin preparations for the wedding of no fewer than 2,000 couples under its mass wedding programme.

 

Aminudeen disclosed on Thursday that all intending couples are required to register and undergo compulsory medical screening to determine their health status.

 

( NAN)

Waves of Innovation: How First Bank turned Lagos into Africa’s Electric Playground By Kazeem Ugbodaga

Waves of Innovation: How First Bank turned Lagos into Africa’s Electric Playground By Kazeem Ugbodaga

 

The Lagos Lagoon glistened in shades of blue and gold as electric powerboats sliced through the water, cheered on by an ecstatic crowd that lined Victoria Island’s waterfront from Saturday, 3 October to Sunday, 5 October. For two unforgettable days, Lagos became Africa’s capital of clean energy, glamour, and innovation, all powered by First Bank of Nigeria, the sponsor of the continent’s first-ever E1 Lagos Grand Prix.

From the rhythmic sounds of Afrobeats echoing across the Marina to the sight of sleek, futuristic boats gliding silently on water, the E1 Lagos GP was more than a race, it was a celebration of Lagos’ vibrant spirit and Nigeria’s march towards sustainability.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in a goodwill message, hailed the event as a bold statement of intent by Nigeria and Lagos, praising Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, First Bank, and other partners for delivering a world-class spectacle.

“The E1 Powerboat series combines world-class entertainment with clean energy innovation. This championship is not just a thrilling spectacle on water but a commitment to a greener and more sustainable future,” the president had said at the opening ceremony of the great event on Friday, 3 October.

He described Lagos as “a gateway to innovation, technology, and global sporting excellence,” affirming the nation’s readiness to lead Africa’s transition to clean energy.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who led the regatta that opened the event, described the championship as a proud moment for Lagos and a reflection of its global potential.

“E1 Lagos GP is more than a race; it is a celebration of Lagos’ dynamism, the Spirit of Lagos,” the governor said, adding that “It shows our capacity to host world-class events and underscores our commitment to sustainability.”

Crowds thronged the Lagos Lagoon and fan zones, having fun, snapping selfies, and soaking in the festive atmosphere. International sports icons, investors, and fans came from across the world, including former Chelsea and Ivory Coast football legend Didier Drogba, co-owner of Team Drogba Global Africa, who added a touch of celebrity magic to the weekend.

For First Bank of Nigeria, the event was not just about sports, it was about making history. Acting Group Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications, Olayinka Ijabiyi, said sponsoring the E1 Lagos GP reflected the bank’s heritage of innovation and renewal.

 

“Innovation, sustainability, excitement, speed, we are a heritage bank that has been around for 131 years, and for every one of those years, we have constantly renewed ourselves,” Ijabiyi said, saying that “When this opportunity came, who else could bring the first E1 GP to Nigeria but First Bank? We are proud to have presented Lagos and Nigeria to the world.”

At the First Bank Pavilion, visitors enjoyed interactive experiences, lifestyle engagements, and product showcases, while music, fashion, and food added a distinctly Lagos flavour. Families and young professionals mingled with entrepreneurs, all celebrating a fusion of technology, culture, and sustainability, hallmarks of the bank’s brand identity.

“This race is a net-zero emitter,” Ijabiyi added. “We are strong on sustaining the environment and supporting a cleaner, greener future. It’s innovation meeting responsibility.”

The E1 partnership also connects with the bank’s #FirstBankDecemberIssaVybe series, an annual celebration of entertainment and lifestyle that lights up Nigeria’s festive season. “December is the Vybe,” Ijabiyi teased. “This is just a taste of what’s to come-fun, fashion, food, and amazing experiences.”

The finale on Sunday was nothing short of electrifying as Team Brazil claimed victory, with pilots Timmy Hansen and Leva Millere-Hagin steering their electric boat to glory, beating Team Blue Rising and Team Drogba to the podium.

As the sun set over the Lagoon, the waterfront transformed into a sea of lights and cheers, a moment that captured the heart of Lagos: energetic, ambitious, and always ready to lead.

With its sponsorship of the E1 Lagos Grand Prix, First Bank once again proved that it is more than a financial institution, it is a lifestyle brand championing innovation, sustainability, and national pride.

In the words of Latoya Johnson, a Lagosian who attended the event: “I grew up knowing First Bank as the reliable one. Seeing them behind something this big makes me proud. They’re not just banking our money, they’re banking our future.”

From clean energy to cultural celebration, from racing boats to smiling faces, the E1 Lagos GP was a powerful reminder that when innovation meets tradition, the result is pure magic.

Atiku slams Tinubu over pardon for ‘grave offenders’

 

 

Ex-Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has accused President Bola Tinubu of abusing the presidential power of mercy by granting pardons and clemency to 175 people, saying the move “undermines the sanctity of justice” and risks encouraging lawlessness.

 

In a statement via his X handle on Sunday, Atiku said the prerogative of mercy is meant to temper justice with compassion but had been “trivialised” by the latest round of pardons.

 

Tinubu on Thursday granted presidential pardons to 175 persons, including the late nationalist, Herbert Macaulay, the late Major General Mamman Vatsa, and Maryam Sanda, who was sentenced to death for murdering her husband.

 

Presenting the full list of beneficiaries in a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Saturday, said the decision followed recommendations by the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, chaired by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).

The pardon also includes presidential clemency, which frees people convicted of offences ranging from homicide, illegal mining to fraud.

 

Atiku criticised the inclusion of people convicted of serious offences, saying the clemency list weakens public faith in the criminal-justice system and “emboldens criminality.”

 

He argued that clemency must not be allowed to become complicit with crime and diminish justice.

 

The statement read, “Ordinarily, the power of presidential pardon is a solemn prerogative, a moral and constitutional instrument designed to temper justice with mercy and to underscore the humanity of the state. When properly exercised, it elevates justice and strengthens public faith in governance.

 

“Regrettably, the latest pardon issued by the Tinubu administration has done the very opposite. The decision to extend clemency to individuals convicted of grave crimes such as drug trafficking, kidnapping, murder, and corruption not only diminishes the sanctity of justice but also sends a dangerous signal to the public and the international community about the values this government upholds.

“At a time when Nigeria continues to reel under the weight of insecurity, moral decay, and a surge in drug-related offences, it is both shocking and indefensible that the presidency would prioritise clemency for those whose actions have directly undermined national stability and social order.”

 

Atiku singled out the number of drug-related convictions among those pardoned, saying the decision was particularly troubling given the country’s ongoing fight against narcotics and youth vulnerability.

 

“Particularly worrisome is the revelation that 29.2% percent of those pardoned were convicted for drug-related crimes at a time when our youth are being destroyed by narcotics, and our nation is still struggling to cleanse its image from the global stain of drug offences,” he stated.

 

Atiku also referenced “unresolved” questions about President Tinubu’s own past financial and legal entanglements in foreign jurisdictions, saying the timing and composition of the pardons raise “moral and political” concerns.

 

“Even more disturbing is the moral irony that this act of clemency is coming from a President whose own past remains clouded by unresolved and unexplained issues relating to the forfeiture of thousands of dollars to the United States government over drug-related investigations.

“It is, therefore, no surprise that this administration continues to demonstrate a worrying tolerance for individuals associated with criminal enterprise.”

 

He added, “A presidential pardon is meant to symbolise restitution and moral reform. Instead, what we have witnessed is a mockery of the criminal justice system, an affront to victims, a demoralisation of law enforcement, and a grave injury to the conscience of the nation.

 

“Clemency must never be confused with complicity. When a government begins to absolve offenders of the very crimes it claims to be fighting, it erodes the moral authority of leadership and emboldens lawlessness.

 

“Nigeria deserves a leadership that upholds justice, not one that trivialises it.”

Strive for innovations, Eno charges A’Ibom youths

 

 

The Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Umo Eno, has charged youths in the state to always strive for innovations, adding that such is the spirit behind the ARISE agenda’s push for empowerment.

 

Eno gave the charge while speaking at the Visual Conference and Award Night organised by his Chief Photographer, Idara Idiakpan, in Uyo at the weekend.

 

Represented by the Deputy Governor, Senator Akon Ayakenyin, Eno charged the youths to stop nourishing entitlement culture and look inward to fix themselves where services are needed for better rewards.

 

Eno stated, ” I implore our youths to stop nourishing and internalising the entitlement culture. Look into yourselves; see where certain services are needed, and plug yourselves in, and the rewards will be unquantifiable.

”I urge our youths to strike for innovations; like Idara is going, look for things that bring value to the people, and you will be rewarded immeasurably.

 

”That’s what our Arise push for empowerment is all about: equipping our youths with skills that will translate into financial success.”

 

Earlier, the Special Assistant and Chief Photographer to the governor, Idara Idiakpan, described the award night as a celebration of creativity, purpose, and the power of a frame to tell a story, evoke emotion, and capture the beauty of the world.

She disclosed that a total of 587 nominations across 15 categories from photography across the country were received, adding that each entry is a testament to the passion and dedication of artists who saw the extraordinary in the ordinary.

 

Idiakpan said ” Welcome to this celebration of creativity, purpose, and the power of a frame to tell a story, evoke emotion, and capture the beauty of our world.

 

”Photography is more than just a craft; it’s a universal language that transcends borders, cultures, and time. Tonight, we gather to celebrate the extraordinary talent of photographers who have dared to tell their stories with timeless images.

 

”This year, we received 587 nomination submissions across the 15 nomination categories from photography communities across Nigeria; each entry is a testament to the passion and dedication of artists who see the extraordinary in the ordinary.

 

” To every nominee, whether you’re walking away with an award or not, know that your work has inspired us, challenged us, and reminded us of the power of art to connect and transform.”

 

The event was graced by celebrated photographers, including Kelechi Amadi-Obi, Emmanuel Oyeleke, Bayo Omoboriowo and a host of others.

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