Today is June 12. As we celebrate, maybe I should say mourn, the great events that followed the annulled election of 12th June 1993, let us not forget that the event was a very long time ago. 33 years is ancient history for a majority of Nigerians, with a population whose median age is 18 years. For those of us of a certain age and a tradition of democratic struggles, June 12 was Nigeria’s rite of passage to becoming a true and enduring democratic society. The big issue is that the June 12 narrative is a story of great heroes and…
Author: Editor
Nigerian businesses grew more optimistic in May 2026, with confidence improving even as the country continues to grapple with insecurity, expensive borrowing, and multiple taxation. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) released its latest Business Expectations Survey showing the Business Confidence Index (BCI) climbed to 7.9 points in May, nearly doubling from 3.9 points in April. What droves the improvement The apex bank said two key factors boosted business sentiment: Factor ContributionEasing governance & policy concerns 15.7%Progress in economic diversification 15.6% Businesses remain worried about energy supply challenges (26.7%) and geopolitical uncertainties (7.7%), which continue to weigh on operations. Sector-by-sector…
Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Olayemi Cardoso, has formally received the prestigious Central Bank of the Year Award, dedicating the recognition to the Board, management and staff of the apex bank for their role in driving reforms and maintaining economic stability. Cardoso received the award during the Central Banking Awards ceremony held in London on Wednesday, where he described the honour as a reflection of the collective efforts of the institution rather than a personal achievement.In his acceptance speech, the CBN Governor thanked the organisers, Central Banking Publications, and the award judges for the recognition. He also…
A recent intervention by veteran journalist/legal expert Richard Akinnola has triggered an uncomfortable but necessary conversation. Predictably, the debate quickly gravitated towards personalities, emotions and entrenched positions. Yet, beneath the controversy lies a much bigger question that deserves sober national reflection. Can a country confronting multiple security emergencies afford to leave potentially useful expertise completely outside its security equation? This is not a question about sentiment. Neither is it a question about friendship, loyalty or hero worship. It is a question about national capacity. For years, Nigeria has battled insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, arms trafficking and organised criminal networks. Entire communities…
Abdul Samad Rabiu, Chairman of BUA Group and one of Africa’s leading industrialists, has taken delivery of a Bombardier Global 8000 private jet valued at about $81 million (approximately N110 billion at prevailing exchange rates), further expanding his corporate aviation portfolio. He disclosed the delivery via his Instagram stories, where he expressed gratitude over the latest addition to his fleet. The aircraft becomes part of BUA Group’s executive aviation assets, which already include a Bombardier Challenger 350 and a Global 6500, reinforcing the conglomerate’s long-haul mobility capacity for international operations. Rabiu had earlier signed the purchase agreement on December 4,…
Long after the celebrations that greeted Uganda’s emergence as host of the 2031 African Games, a different contest is beginning to unfold, one not on the track or field, but in the documents, resolutions and records that shaped the outcome. At the centre of the emerging debate are official African Union (AU) resolutions that appear to raise more questions than answers about Nigeria’s unsuccessful bid and the explanations that followed. The documents, originating from the Fifth Ordinary Session of the African Union Specialized Technical Committee on Youth, Culture and Sports (STC-YCS V), provide a rare glimpse into the continental process…
The recent anti‑Islam protests organised by relevance‑seeking groups in parts of Nigeria’s South West are unfortunate, provocative, and capable of inflaming religious tensions in an already fragile society. While citizens have a constitutional right to peaceful protest, no group should use insecurity as a pretext to demonize an entire religion or its adherents. Kidnapping, banditry, terrorism, and violent crime have affected Muslims, Christians, and Oníṣẹ̀ṣe practitioners alike. Victims bear names such as Rashidi, Salami, Abideen, Kudirat, Sekinat, Iyabo, Segun, Bola, Kemi, Emmanuel, Jacob, Caroline, Ifeoma, Bala, Audu, Bako, Ige, Ogundeji and many others. Criminals do not discriminate by faith, and…
Nigeria stands today at a fragile crossroads. Terrorism, banditry, and violent criminality continue to threaten our national stability, yet beyond the bullets and bloodshed lies another danger—careless rhetoric and divisive narratives that risk tearing apart what remains of our fragile unity. It has become increasingly common to hear certain groups frame Nigeria’s security crisis as a calculated agenda of “Fulanisation” or “Islamisation.” These claims, repeated loudly and frequently, are often presented as unquestionable truths. But the question must be asked: which narrative are we meant to accept—and on what evidence? Terrorism is a global phenomenon. It thrives on networks, ideology,…
Salam Hassan just finished reading the trilogy with a teary eye. I must confess I don’t remember my getting you a contract in 1994, but I remember that your late father, one of the most humane persons I have met, tied our hands together. But most importantly, what your late mother did to us, friends of Dr Mamman, during our holidays. When we (my wife and I) first saw you on a hospital bed, we were painfully and mistakenly bidding you farewell, and neither of us slept; we put you in prayers at every opportunity during the tawaf. Our next…
At least 49 people have died of thirst in a remote part of the Sahara Desert in the Niger Republic after the truck transporting them broke down, authorities have said. According to officials in the Agadez region, the victims were part of a group returning from Mali for a Muslim festival when their vehicle became stranded in a desolate area more than 80 kilometres west of Assamaka, a major border crossing between Niger and Algeria that is also close to the Malian frontier. In a statement posted on Facebook on Thursday, the Agadez Governorate said the travellers were left without…