By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja Nigeria is looking to music, entertainment, tourism and cultural heritage to strengthen its international image and improve public understanding of government policies through soft power diplomacy. The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, disclosed this while receiving leaders of the Ileya Omo-Okun Generational Foundation (IOOGF), a cultural heritage platform, during a courtesy visit to his office. He said culture had become an important tool in international relations, enabling countries to build relationships, influence perceptions and promote their interests without resorting to force or coercion. According to him, Nigeria has vast cultural resources that…
Author: National Update
With preparations for the 2027 general elections gathering momentum, President Bola Tinubu has moved to fill key vacancies in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), nominating six persons for positions in the electoral body. The nominations cover four national commissioner positions and two Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) positions, with the appointments subject to confirmation by the Senate. Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, announced the development on Friday. Among the nominees is Dr Bala Bila, who has been reappointed as national commissioner representing the North-East. Tinubu nominated Professor Mustapha Aliu to represent the North-West, replacing Professor…
Douglas Baye-Osagie dbayeosagie@yahoo.com November 18 is almost here. That is the deadline for anyone who wants to challenge Gianni Infantino for the FIFA presidency to pick a nomination, and one name will not go away – Arsene Wenger. It is not a coincidence. For over a year football has been discussed in a very bad light. Since America started preparing for and eventually hosting the 2026 World Cup, the conversation has been about money, expanded tournaments, sponsorships and politics. After the tournament itself, FIFA led by Giovanni Infantino almost sold stakes in its own competitions but for the protest of…
The Kwankwasiyya Movement has petitioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), alleging irregularities in the handling of candidate nominations in Kano State and demanding an investigation into the omission of Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, from the commission’s list. Hundreds of the movement’s supporters staged a protest at INEC’s Kano office on Friday, submitting a formal complaint over what they described as suspicious communications that allegedly resulted in the substitution of some candidates. The movement’s spokesperson, Dr Habib Mohammed, alleged that an INEC staff member colluded with unauthorised persons to facilitate the changes. He also claimed…
Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, and his deputy, Monisade Afuye, have begun their second term in office, making history as the first governor and deputy governor to secure consecutive terms since the state was created 30 years ago. The duo took their oaths of office on Friday at a ceremony presided over by the Chief Judge of Ekiti State, Justice Lekan Ogunmoye. Afuye took her oath at 1:25 p.m., while Oyebanji was sworn in at about 1:35 p.m. The governor subsequently inspected the parade of honours at 1:45 p.m. Oyebanji’s second term marks a milestone in Ekiti’s political history, setting…
***Says rich criminal suspects cannot ride luxury jeeps while poor Nigerians rot in jail ***Challenges activists over Tinubu’s government The 2027 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo, has accused Nigeria’s criminal justice system of favouring the wealthy while poor citizens face harsh punishment for petty offences. “We cannot have a criminal justice system run by criminals,” he declared, promising a sweeping overhaul if elected president. Adebayo spoke in an address delivered on his behalf by his campaign’s Chief Media and Communications Adviser, Comrade Mark Adebayo, at the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR)…
Nigeria risks losing the benefits of investments in infrastructure and industrial development unless project management standards improve, the Chartered Institute of Project Managers of Nigeria (CIPMN) has warned. The institute said stronger accountability, professional training and effective project supervision were needed to reduce waste and prevent abandoned projects. CIPMN Registrar-General and Chief Executive Officer, Henry Ifeanyi Mbadiwe, spoke at the National Industrial Manpower Summit 2026 held at the State House Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja. The summit focused on unlocking Nigeria’s human capital for industrial transformation through skills development, innovation and prosperity. Mbadiwe said project management was more than an…
The leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has warned President Bola Tinubu against relying on political allies ahead of the 2027 presidential election, predicting that some prominent figures around him could turn against him two weeks before the poll. Ayodele said the president should look beyond the celebrations, public endorsements and defections to the All Progressives Congress (APC), warning that such displays might not translate into genuine loyalty at the ballot box. In a statement issued by his media aide, Osho Oluwatosin, the cleric questioned the sincerity of some members of the APC presidential council inaugurated ahead…
The Idoma nation on Thursday, October 15, 2026, honoured the Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Arc. Sonny Echono, and former Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, at a ceremony marking its centenary as a member of the Kwararafa Kingdom. The event, which celebrated the Idoma people’s historical heritage and identity, also recognised distinguished sons and daughters of Idomaland, alongside individuals regarded as friends of the community. Echono, a renowned bureaucrat and public officer, received a Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his contributions to public service. Adamu, who previously served as Nigeria’s Minister of Education, was…
A prosecution witness in the alleged ₦110.4 billion fraud trial involving former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello has detailed how ₦1.425 billion was used for foreign exchange transactions linked to Abba Adaudu. The witness, Jamilu Abdullahi, a bureau de change operator, told an Abuja High Court that he purchased United States dollars with the funds and delivered the currencies to Adaudu. Abdullahi testified on Thursday as Prosecution Witness 19 (PW19) before Justice Maryanne Anineh of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama. He was led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN. According to the witness, the transactions took…