Category: Interview

  • We’ll support expansion of banks to drive economic growth – Tinubu

    We’ll support expansion of banks to drive economic growth – Tinubu

    President Bola Tinubu says the current administration is diligently working to establish a sustainable and globally competitive system for Nigerian banks and other financial institutions to thrive.

    Tinubu, who was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, said this at the groundbreaking ceremony for First Bank’s 43-story headquarters at Eko Atlantic City on Wednesday in Lagos.

    The President noted that banks could only prosper in a thriving economy.

    He said what the current administration had set out to achieve rests on the cooperation and capacity of the financial institutions.

    “Banks are the engines of economic growth, and we owe it to them to champion a system that guarantees sustainability and global competitiveness.

    “Our expectation is for our banks to excel, to expand beyond our shores, and to earn their place among the world’s most viable and profitable enterprises,” he said.

    According to him, the administration is ensuring an enabling environment for businesses to flourish.
    He acknowledged that the government assumed office during a challenging period, which required making difficult but necessary decisions to stabilise the nation’s economy.

    He said, “We assumed office at a time that demanded bold, progressive thinking, a time that called for difficult but necessary decisions to stabilise our fiscal and monetary landscape.

    “Our policies are inspired by the reality that we can no longer afford to postpone our economic transformation.

    “This administration is committed to creating an enabling environment for businesses to flourish, and I assure you that you have a partner in this government. We are here to climb the hills of progress with you.”
    The President commended First Bank for standing the test of time, saying the secret of the bank’s steadfastness, legacy of innovation and adaptability lies in the art of reinvention.

    “From the Bank of British West Africa to Standard Bank of West Africa and, finally, to this 130-year-old success story, First Bank has remained a towering institution, outliving disruptions and redefining banking through the decades.

    “In an industry where the fate of many banks is sealed in the dusty pages of history, surviving let alone thriving demands more than just calculated risks; it takes ambition, and the brilliance of refined minds.
    “I join you here today to celebrate a legacy of innovation and adaptability that has kept First Bank ahead of the curve,” he said.

    Other dignitaries at the event are Governors Dapo Abiodun (Ogun) and Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo), Lagos Deputy Governor Dr Obafemi Hamzat, former Senate President Bukola Saraki, and prominent business leaders, including Aliko Dangote, Gilbert and Roland Chagoury, Deji Adeleke, Mohammed Indimi, and Sen. Daisy Danjuma.

  • I’m raising my sons to respect women, fight toxic masculinity – Chimamanda Adichie

    I’m raising my sons to respect women, fight toxic masculinity – Chimamanda Adichie

    Acclaimed author Chimamanda Adichie has expressed her commitment to raising her sons with values that promote gender equality and respect for women.

    Speaking in an interview with BBC’s Emma Barnett published on Wednesday via YouTube, Adichie addressed concerns about toxic masculinity and the role parents play in shaping future generations.

    “I’m determined to raise good men. I’m thinking about how to make them never feel entitled to women’s bodies,” Adichie stated.

    She emphasised the need for boys to have positive role models, lamenting that while young girls today have strong female figures to look up to, boys often lack the same.

    “In general, little girls now have women in public life they can admire. But I don’t think boys have that in the same way. That space is instead occupied by noxious characters and ideas. I wish the good men would stand up,” she said.

    Adichie, known for her feminist advocacy through works such as We Should All Be Feminists, believes masculinity should evolve to align with equality.

    “Culture doesn’t make us, we make culture. We can remake masculinity in a way that is compatible with equality. It can be done,” she said.

    Beyond masculinity, the celebrated writer also reflected on the impact of motherhood on her life and creativity. She admitted that becoming a mother influenced her writing process and, at one point, led to a creative block.

    “I don’t like to use the expression ‘writer’s block’ because I’m superstitious, but it happened when I became pregnant. Something changed, and I don’t think it was just physiological,” she said.

    Her latest novel, Dream Count, marks her return to fiction after more than a decade. The book delves into women’s lives and experiences, tackling themes such as gender, race, and health with what she calls “radical honesty.”

  • I don’t want to join issues with my critics – Oborevwori

    I don’t want to join issues with my critics – Oborevwori

    ASABA – GOVERNOR Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State has said that he does not want to join issues with his critics.

    He told the opposition to join him in a tour of projects to see what his administration was doing with funds accruing to the state.

    Oborevwori spoke after he inspected completed twin-bridges at the Ubu River along the Ughelli-Asaba Expressway on Wednesday.

    He described criticisms of his administration by former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege as a manifestation of lack of knowledge of the workings of the government.

    Oborevwori said: “I don’t want to join issues with my critics; some say we have gotten so much money and we are doing flyover for over N70 billion. How can flyover be N77 billion?

    “Let him come and see what we are doing with money; as a government, we have operated for almost 21 months and we have not borrowed a dime and there is no contractor in the state that will say we are owing him yet our motiple projects are moving smoothly. “

    “Let him come and see what we are doing with our money; let him come and pass through this road and see the difference from when I took over and now.

    “It takes only one hour twenty minutes to get to Ughelli, his local government. The road is good”.

    On the completion of the twin bridges, Oborevwori said: “a few months ago, when I passed through this place, I came here for an inspection, and what I saw that time and coming today is a different story entirely.

    “It’s a come and see situation; you can see it and I am very happy today because this bridge has been causing a little problem on the construction of this road because without this bridge, the Sector C1 cannot be completed.

    “With what I have seen today, I know come May 29 this place can be inaugurated. I am very happy with the good work of CCECC; they are promise keepers.

    “Today, I am happy driving through this bridge for the first time. It gives me great joy and I give God the praise.”

  • NAFDAC alerts Nigerians on circulation of substandard insulin syringes

    NAFDAC alerts Nigerians on circulation of substandard insulin syringes

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has raised the alarm over the illegal circulation and marketing of a substandard and falsified medical product, the Knowit Insulin Syringe 40 IU 29G x 1/2, in Nigeria.

    The agency issued the warning in a statement on its website on Monday.

    According to the statement, the alarm follows concerns from the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria regarding the continued use of outdated 40 IU/ML insulin syringes, despite the availability of the standardized 100 IU/ML syringes.

    NAFDAC explained that the 40 IU/ML insulin syringe was previously approved alongside the 100 IU/ML variant for administering Lente animal insulins, which were available in both strengths. However, with the phasing out of animal insulins and the transition to human insulins—standardized at 100 IU/ML—the 40 IU/ML syringe has become obsolete.

    The agency stressed that this syringe is no longer registered, as its use with modern insulin formulations poses a significant risk of dosing errors, potentially leading to life-threatening complications for diabetic patients.

    The statement reads: “The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) is alerting the public about the illegal circulation and marketing of the substandard and falsified Knowit Insulin Syringe 40 IU 29G x 1/2 in Nigeria.

    “The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria has raised concerns about the ongoing use of 40 IU/ML insulin syringes despite the availability of 100 IU/ML insulin syringes.

    “The 40 IU/ML insulin syringe was previously approved alongside the 100 IU/ML variant for administering Lente animal insulins, as they were available in both strengths.

    “However, with the discontinuation of animal insulins and the advent of human insulins — now standardized at 100 IU/ML—the 40 IU/ML insulin syringe is no longer applicable and is no longer registered by NAFDAC. Its use could result in dosing errors, with serious adverse consequences for diabetic patients.

    “Using a 40 IU/ML syringe to administer 100 IU/ML insulin exposes patients to a high risk of dosing errors, as the calculations required to adjust for this mismatch cannot be reliably performed by most patients.”
    NAFDAC stressed that insulin dosing errors are life-threatening and could cause severe complications for diabetic patients.

    The agency has directed all its zonal directors and state coordinators to conduct surveillance and remove substandard and falsified products from circulation.

    It also urged importers, distributors, retailers, healthcare professionals, and caregivers to exercise caution and vigilance within the supply chain to prevent the importation, distribution, sale, and use of substandard and falsified products.

  • Gombe gov appoints deaf graduate into disability commission

    Gombe gov appoints deaf graduate into disability commission

    In a move to promote inclusion and disability rights, Governor Muhammadu Yahaya of Gombe State has appointed Yusuf Kumo, a 29-year-old deaf political science graduate, as a member of the Gombe State Disability Commission.

    Contained in an appointment letter addressed to Kumo obtained by Arewa PUNCH and dated 24th December, 2024 which was signed by the Secretary to Government of Gombe State Professor Ibrahim Njodi, Kumo was appointed as a part-time member of the board.

    The letter partly read, “I am directed to convey the approval of His Excellency Muhammada Inuwa Yahaya CON (Dan Majen Gombe). The Governor of Gombe State on your appointment Part Time Member, Gombe State Disability Commission.

    “The appointment is informed by your achievements, experience, commitment to service, and loyalty. I hope you will bring all these qualities to bear in the discharge of the duties of your new office.

    “The appointment is at the pleasure of the governor and may be terminated any time he deems it fit.

    “Your salary/allowances and entitlements are as spelt out in the instrument establishing the Gombe State Disability Commission and/or the conditions of service applicable to the organisation.”

    ArewaTodayPriceNG reports that Kumo, in an earlier interview, had disclosed that he became deaf at the age of 10 years after receiving 30 injections while treating meningitis.

    Speaking in an exclusive chat with our correspondent,  Yusuf Kumo expressed his commitment to promoting the rights and welfare of persons with disabilities.

    He said, “I wish to bring a wealth of experience and dedication to this role.

    “Having served with the Bauchi State Agency for Persons with Disabilities during my NYSC, I have firsthand knowledge of the challenges and opportunities within the disability community.

    “As a comrade, advocate of inclusion, and mobilizer with strong PR skills, I’m committed to working as a team with the Executive Chairman, Dr. Ishiyaku Adamu, and other appointees to promote the rights, welfare, and inclusion of persons with disabilities.

    “My focus is on creating sustainable empowerment opportunities that will reduce dependence and disabled begging, ensuring that persons with disabilities can thrive independently. With my background in political science and ICT, I bring a strategic and modern approach to advocacy, communication, and policy implementation.”

    Kumo, who represents Gombe Central on the board, pointed out that his experience in mobilization and public relations will be valuable in fostering partnerships, raising awareness, and driving impactful initiatives that promote the positive image of the government and its commitment to inclusivity.

    “Through teamwork, advocacy, and policy-driven initiatives, we will make meaningful progress toward an inclusive society where persons with disabilities have equal access to opportunities and can contribute to national development,” Kumo added.

    Speaking further, he hailed Governor Yahaya for his inclusion program, adding, “I must commend Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, (Dan Majen Gombe) for ensuring the inclusion of youth, women, and PWDs. May God bless him for being fair to all.”

  • Alaafin Owoade returns from Canada soon for coronation rites – Spokesperson

    Alaafin Owoade returns from Canada soon for coronation rites – Spokesperson

    The Alaafin of Oyo-designate, Akeem Owoade, will soon return to Nigeria from Canada to commence traditional coronation rites, a spokesperson for the Alaafin’s palace, Bode Durojaiye, said on Monday.

    Durojaiye made this known in a statement on Monday, as preparations for Owoade’s official ascension to the throne gather momentum.

    The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, had earlier presented Owoade with a certificate of appointment and staff of office, affirming him as the 46th Alaafin of Oyo during a ceremony at the Governor’s Office in Ibadan.

    However, shortly after receiving these instruments of office, Owoade travelled back to his base in Canada.

    According to Durojaiye, the monarch-designate will soon return to begin the required traditional rites.

    “As part of the process, Alaafin Owoade will visit several houses to offer sacrifices, make appeasements, and even sleep over at some of them to perform night rites,” he stated.

    Durojaiye explained that after completing these rituals at various traditional homes in Oyo town, the new Alaafin will enter Ipebi (seclusion) within a designated area of the Alaafin’s palace, where the final stages of his traditional rites will take place.

    “The rituals performed during Ipebi will mark the culmination of all traditional rites before he is officially crowned Alaafin,” he added.

    Highlighting the historical significance of the Alaafin institution, Durojaiye noted that the throne commands reverence, as its past occupants have left behind legendary legacies.

    He assured that all traditional rites would be completed within the timeframe set by Governor Makinde, who had directed that the coronation be finalized within four weeks.

  • Why 2014 Confab Report was not implemented in my administration – Jonathan

    Why 2014 Confab Report was not implemented in my administration – Jonathan

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan has revealed why his administration did not implement the recommendations of the 2014 National Conference, citing political tensions and internal crises within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2015 elections.

    Speaking during a condolence visit to the family of the late Afenifere leader, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, in Lagos, Jonathan acknowledged Adebanjo’s key role in the conference’s success. He noted that despite initial suspicions about his intentions, the initiative moved forward with the support of respected national figures.

    “Without people like him and other leaders, the conference wouldn’t have taken place,” Jonathan said. He added that while some participants sought his guidance, he preferred to let the experienced delegates make independent decisions.

    Despite the significance of the conference’s recommendations, Jonathan explained that the political climate at the time was unsuitable for implementation. “It was not the time we could present such a document. We believe that one day, a government will review it and adopt it because the outcomes remain relevant,” he said.

    He also mourned the loss of Adebanjo and Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) leader Edwin Clark, describing them as champions of justice and national development. “He was a man of wisdom, courage, and commitment to truth and justice—values essential for national growth,” Jonathan stated.

  • How Nigeria maltreated Igbo for decades — Okwesilieze Nwodo

    How Nigeria maltreated Igbo for decades — Okwesilieze Nwodo

    Former Governor of Enugu State and former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,  Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo is a scion of the Nwodo political dynasty. He is the second son of Igwe J.U. Nwodo, a traditional ruler who hailed from Ukehe, in Enugu State. J.U. was appointed Minister of Commerce in the former Eastern Region under Premier Michael Okpara and was subsequently Minister of Local Government. Nwodo was elected Enugu Governor in January 1992 on the NRC platform during the botched Third Republic. In this interview, he talks about the exposure of IBB’s book on Biafra, the Igbo question, the crisis in PD,P and the way forward for Nigeria. Excerpts:

    The recent book launched by former President Ibrahim Babangida exonerated the  Igbo from the 1966 coup for which they have been suffering over their alleged complicity in it. What’s your take on that? 

    I think those who say that we have not been marginalized, this is further evidence coming from a former president of Nigeria. This shows how false information has led to monumental loss of lives and loss of what should belong to the Igbo in a fair Nigeria. The country has not been fair to us. Since the independence of Nigeria, we have not had an elected president from the South-East. And after the civil war, it was this narration that caused the coup and killed northern leaders without eastern leaders being killed, that there is an unwritten covenant that people from the South-East should not be given sensitive positions in the development process of Nigeria, and this went on for a long time.

    And up to now, it is almost impossible that even when somebody from the South-East wins an election, they would not be sworn in as president of Nigeria. So, I hope that this narration by the former president helps us understand better.

    Yesterday, I was watching how Odumegwu Ojukwu explained this coup, how he stopped the coup in Kano, and how Aguiyi Ironsi stopped the coup in Lagos.   So, in every aspect of that coup, it was the Igbo that stopped the coup. When Ojukwu said it, nobody paid attention. Thank God that a former president of Nigeria who was active during the war has said it now. And I hope this will put to rest all the falsehoods that we have heard about the Igbo that deny them their rightful place in Nigeria, like any other Nigerian.

    So, all the Igbo they killed were killed for nothing? 

    Yes, because it was all these that snowballed into the civil war. You can imagine, when they did the retaliatory coup, how many Igbo officers were killed, and how Igbo civilians resisted the program and the genocides against the civilians. All to revenge the Igbos organized this coup that killed their people.

    Millions of lives, at the last count, at least three million Igbo were killed because of false information. Look at the way Aguiyi Ironsi was killed, a whole commander-in-chief, by assassination with bitterness, for helping to stop the coup.

    That means somebody must have misinformed those who killed all those people…

    I think it was just unfortunate that if you have been jealous of a certain tribe because of what God has given to them, you are looking for an excuse to deal with that tribe, by manufacturing one. And having manufactured it, the people in the highest point of governance in Nigeria used that reason to start killing their fellow army officers who then sensitized the civilians and other ranks to start killing civilian Igbo.

    The whole thing was orchestrated all over Northern Nigeria. The person who assumed office as the head of state, General Gowon, would say that he did not know that Igbo officers were being killed.

    All the efforts made by Ojukwu to stop the pogrom went on deaf ears.

    When eventually he was expected to come to Ghana for the Ghana President to resolve the matter, and he agreed to resolve it, what happened? He came back and there was a need for all the agreements to be approved. And that’s how the Civil War came about. They were not sorry for what had happened.

    They went ahead to do more. How can you impose blockades on children, anything, entering that part of the country? And you saw the pictures of children dying of kwashiorkor all over the television, all over the world, and yet, we have people ruling the country. And they thought that was okay.

    Even the Nzeogwu who participated in the coup, when Chief Obafemi Awolowo was finally reinstated and became the vice chairman of the Federal Executive Council, and minister for finance, at the end of the war, he was the one who said that 20 pounds should be given to every Igbo man no matter how much he had in the bank.

    He justified starvation as a legitimate instrument of war.

    So, it’s difficult to exonerate anybody who was in government in Nigeria. Is that that they were misinformed? They couldn’t have been misinformed. They know what they did to the Igbo.

    Even to date, the position of the Igbo man in this country has remained precarious. The young ones are growing up to meet these hatred and controversies.  And to compound it, the Igbo too are said not to like themselves. Why is this still so? 

    What I don’t like in my life is generalization. I can’t say that all outside people are hypocrites.

    In fact, in the North, many northerners were collecting rents from properties belonging to the Igbo, and at the end of the war, when the Igbo came back, they gave them their money.

    Some of them, at the risk of their own lives, went into hiding from being killed during the pogrom. Now, the same thing I would say, If you don’t like an Igbo man, maybe because he’s aggressive in the way he looks for business and does business, it’s not generalizing that every Igbo man is like that, and because that, all Igbo should be hated. These generalizations don’t help. This is why there is law and order.

    If somebody goes against the law, the law should catch up with him, and he’s punished. But when you say all Igbo, all Hausa, all Yoruba, all this, is not true. What I know is that, following the civil war, and the narration that the Igbo caused the coup of 1966, there was an official conspiracy to deny Igbo high positions in government.

    And I know somebody who was president of this country from the South-West, said that the Igbo were recovering too fast from fighting a war with Nigeria, that it should take us 50 years before we should be allowed to take a serious position in Nigeria. There was a policy to exclude us from the commanding heights of government.

    Today, there is no reason we should have that policy against us. If anything, Nigeria should ask for forgiveness, for starving many Igbo to death, and reintegrating them.

    Their property was destroyed, and lives were destroyed. You promised to rehabilitate them and reconstruct the road, but you never did. It is only now that a commission has been set. More than 50 years after the damage has been done that is when Nigeria has woken up, to set up a commission to try and reconstruct the damages done by the civil war.

    The Federal Government needs to reach out. The Igbo have equal rights in Nigeria, like every other person. That is the only way the agitation for Biafra will stop. That is the only way the civil war and the pogrom will stop. It is not by continuous marginalization.

    And wherever we show interest in Nigeria, we are blocked. We have reintegrated ourselves because we are traders and we need a big market. He wants to bring in 10 containers and he doesn’t even have the road to bring them to the East to sell.

    He doesn’t have the railway line to bring them to the East to sell. He can’t bring them to the border that is near. So if he brings them to Lagos, he has to hire warehouses to keep those things.

    He has to build a market in Lagos where he will sell those things to traders from West Africa. And doing so he is developing other places other than his place. That’s why we dare to bring those things to Onitsha.

    And by the time they finish paying bills at the toll gates every hundred yards. Everything becomes expensive when it gets to Onitsha.   There is a lot of reparation that the Federal Government owes to the Igbo.

    It’s not that we are even saying that unless this reparation is paid we will not be part of Nigeria, allow us to contest for the number one position and give us the freedom to be voted for. So that we know that we have the right like every other citizen to aspire to that position.

    But the South-East East has been contesting for that position. For instance, in the last election, Peter Obi was there and he was prominent too in the election.

    Whether anybody wants to believe it or not, Peter Obi won that election. I’m PDP. I’m not Labour but even though I’m PDP and he is Labour, he won that election and he was rigged out. And our courts turned justice upside down.

    Many have been blaming the INEC and Judiciary for what went wrong in that election.

    It’s not just only INEC and the Judiciary. Did you see how people were frustrated from voting in Lagos and despite the frustration Peter Obi still won in Lagos?

    Did you see how they were being frustrated from voting in Port Harcourt? Port Harcourt used to be a place where PDP used to get one million votes and above. The votes from Rivers State this time were not up to 40,000 votes.

    People were not allowed to come out freely to vote. Because they wanted to stop them from voting for Peter. That is what we are talking about that people should be allowed to express their mandate freely. It’s not that an Igbo man is on the ballot and he may win then there is every effort to stop the supporters from voting for him. That’s not one Nigeria where we should be happy to be part of.

    On reparation as you said, do you think the South-East Development Commission can right a lot of wrongs? 

    It will do a little but not quite a lot if you look at the budget that was given to them. Considering the budget that was given to the North-East or North-West, for example, it’s peanuts. But they will tell you we are five states, the others are six or seven states. But when you talk about the actual problem that needs to be solved following 50 years of neglect, you should have given more money to the South East to solve the problem there. You have built a rail line from Lagos to Niger, but there is no rail line from Port Harcourt to Enugu.

    Look at the state of the roads in the South-East,  the worst in Nigeria. Enugu -Onitsha has been under construction for more than 25 years and remains uncompleted. Enugu and Port Harcourt are the same thing, uncompleted. You can’t move from one state capital in the South-East to another state capital, with no roads. And these are federal roads. Are all these the problems that this money they brought will solve? It cannot solve all of them.

    The Southeast governors, they representing the Southeast the way they should currently? Or even before this time?

    I would say that every governor is trying to do his best in his state.

    But it would have been better if they were working together, even this South-East Development Commission would not have been as urgent as it is for Federal Government intervention. Because, we have held so many Southeast Summits, and made so many blueprints for the economic development of the Southeast; but because governors in the Southeast have never come together to implement any of these blueprints, collective development has not taken place as it should.   No state can build a rail line alone. But the five of them can do something about the seaport, and generating electricity. It was the powerhouse that gave electricity to the whole of Eastern Nigeria, which is today 12 states.

    So there are many things that they can do together if they cooperate, but everybody wants to concentrate on his state.

    Is it not caused by the division between the parties? For instance, Enugu is PDP,  Ebonyi is APC, Abia is Labour Party, Anambra is APGA, and Imo is APC. Those are the things that are dividing the governors. They cannot stay together to work as a team.

    There was once all of them were PDP and the situation was the same. Even now, nobody says you should not join the party that would help you to win the election and realize your ambition.

    But when we are talking about Igbo interests, all of us were Igbo before we became PDP, APC, APGA, whatever. So, something that benefits every Igbo man, you as governor of one state, should champion it, just like you are championing development in your state.

    Let’s look at Nnamdi Kanu’s detention; even though Mbazulike Amaechi died on the matter, Iwuanyanwu died on it, Ezeife died on it, and even Clark and Adebanjo died on it, he has remained in detention. But the South-East governors have been docile about fighting that cause.

    I can speak for the governor of Enugu State. I know that, publicly and privately, he has championed the release of Nnamdi Kanu with the Federal Government. And the only thing is that he says we cannot be causing more damage to ourselves by sitting at home every Monday because the economy of our people is a day-to-day economy. They wake up in the morning go to the market and struggle to make a living. And any day you stop them from going out there to make a living, it means the man has no income that day, and therefore there may be no food to eat that day. So, we are damaging our economy massively by sitting at home. We can find other ways of putting pressure on the Federal Government but not something that is causing us more pain and suffering.

    Having said so, just like I said if all the governors cooperate, we can move the economy of the South-East faster than it is being moved now. If all of them cooperate, pressurize the Federal Government, and put the pressure they are putting on the public, so that all those who wish to support them,   put more pressure on them, maybe by now Kanu would have been released.

    There was a time they said they would meet the president, but they didn’t meet the president.

    I will not blame it on them, because I know before Iwuayanwu died how many times we tried, as Ohanaeze to see the president on this matter. And if we tried five times, we failed five times, we would be promised that he would see us, and he never saw us. So, if the governors have been trying to see him on this matter, and they have not been given an audience, I will not say that from here, that they are not trying, I don’t know how much they tried, but at least I know about Iwuayanwu’s own. The day we went to see Nnamdi Kanu, there were a number of us who accompanied Iwuayanwu to that place but when we got there,    the DSS refused to allow us to go with him. They said it was only him they would allow to see Kanu. And he went and discussed with him, and came out. So sometimes, it’s not that people are not trying, but the government. You can’t force them to see you if they don’t want to see you.

    Many people have been agitating for an extra state for the South-East, is that what we need?

    The agitation for an extra state in the South-East is long-standing, starting from the Oputa panel, set up by Obasanjo. The most important thing that the South-East requested from that Panel was the creation of an extra state. Because, if you deny us a state, you deny us an extra governor, three senators, seven members in the House of Reps, many local governments, councilors, and money that goes to the local government and the state, and you are not even thinking about our population.   So, it is a major injustice for the people of the South-East that they have five states.

    And every government that has come since this administration, we have done everything to persuade them to create that state. However, it is not as easy in a civilian dispensation to create a state as it is under a military regime. The process is more difficult, again, the fact that every part of the zone wants that state to come from its place, they have not had the magnanimity that this is the one that all of us want and all of us are pursuing that one.

    IPOB said the South-East does not need another state, that what it needs is a referendum for Biafra.

    IPOB is making its case, which is how they see it, I am not for Biafra I am for the South-East and for Nigeria to bring reparation to the South-East and to give us an equal opportunity like every other Nigerian; justice and fairness for every Nigerian, so we would be able to take care of ourselves.

    We need Nigeria more than Nigeria needs us and like I said, we are traders, and we need a big market to sell our goods. The Republic of Biafra may not give us that wide latitude for our trade. The South-East controls the economy in the whole of West Africa not just Nigeria.

    Secondly, we have suffered in Nigeria; I am one of those who said we go nowhere until we get the benefit of our suffering in Nigeria. We were at the forefront of getting independence for Nigeria and we have shed blood for Nigeria we must reap the benefits of our suffering in   Nigeria and after that, if Nigeria wants to divide, let them divide into as many countries as they want. But we are going nowhere until we have reaped the full benefit of what we have invested in this country.

    Some of the leaders from the South-East seem to be sabotaging the Igbo cause.

    The Christ that we worship had 12 disciples and one of them betrayed him. You cannot have a population of almost 60 million people and you don’t have the Judas among them. I am not worried about those who talk down on the Igbo. If you talk down on the Igbo, you are talking down on yourself.   As far as I am concerned, they are in the minority.    Most Igbo people have self-confidence, they are proud of being Igbo. Any Igbo man who is not proud to be an Igbo man, that is his business, he can be whatever he wants to be but I am an Igbo man and I am proud to tell you, I will continue to fight for the Igbo cause. Whenever there is an opportunity, I will continue to do so.

    What is being done to resolve the PDP crisis?

    I think more people in PDP want to resolve the crisis in PDP. Those who are causing the crisis in PDP, you can count them with your fingers, they are not many but they are formidable because they are supported and encouraged by the Federal Government. APC knows that there is nothing they can do that would change the fortunes of Nigeria and have something they can use to campaign to win elections. One of their strategies is to make sure there is no strong party with a strong candidate to face them in the election.

    Today, the press and APC themselves are the ones campaigning for PDP. It is the press that is giving us the shortcomings of the government every day. And it is the APC government that is failing in everything they promised to do for Nigeria and that is campaigning for the opposition. The PDP is not the one campaigning; the campaign is against APC now. It is the ordinary Nigerians and the press that are revealing the incompetence of the APC government. So, you can imagine what it will be like when you have a strong political party that is every day reeling out the shortcomings of APC. They know what they are doing. I think that if we are practicing democracy, there should be a level playing ground. If you don’t have strong opposition, you have a strong dictatorship and that is not a preferred form of government to democracy. I believe that what APC is doing is not fair to Nigerians and is not even fair to them. Because if we have a viable opposition, they will sit up because every day we would be citing their shortcomings and Nigerians would be on our side and we would be winning more support and they have to work hard. They cannot do so, so they want to silence all opposition parties.

    The problem in APGA,    they have a hand in it, the problem in PDP,    they have a hand in it and many of us in PDP are determined that we must resolve this matter because it is not just for ourselves but for the future of our country and if we don’t give Nigerians an alternative platform that exists in every ward in Nigeria, then we would be doing a great disservice to Nigeria.

    We must do what is humanly possible to put our party together and I think that slowly or steadily, we are winning that battle and once the party is reformed at the top, the support at the grassroots is still there.

    For instance, in the South-East, PDP is the most popular party. When the PDP was formed, for example in Enugu, we won all the councillorship and chairmanship elections, we won all the seats in the House of Assembly and National Assembly, we won governor and the PDP presidential candidate won in Enugu State. The people are still there and they believe in the party. Once the crisis is resolved, our supporters are still there all over the country and now they are more hungry to come together and support PDP because of bad governance from APC

    So you are confident that in 2027 the PDP or the opposition rather, would make any impact on the way things are?

    It has no alternative, it has to, and Nigerians would blame themselves if they don’t support an opposition party to remove this government. Nigerians have to come together and fight this fight to liberate themselves from poverty, hunger, and all the dissipation that Nigerians are suffering from.

    We have this problem with Nigeria, after they messed up during the election, the judiciary would be faced with a situation whereby about five people who sit as judges determine the fate of over two million Nigerians…

    This is a task before the opposition; we have seen what the INEC, the police, the Army, and the judiciary can do. Anything that you are planning and you do not address these issues, you are just wasting your time. I believe that opposition politicians would have to work out a strategy to overcome all of these, and they would be supported by the majority of Nigerians.

    Nigerians are dying of hunger poverty and hardship, how do we get the people to have faith in Nigeria again?

    I believe necessity is the mother of invention; the white people are more innovative than us because they have very harsh weather during winter in particular. So, they sit inside the house and think of how to discover things that can make them live a comfortable life. What we are going through in Nigeria now should throw a challenge to all of us. How do we overcome this hunger, we have arable lands, it is not only when you have money that you can farm, just farm the little land around your house, it would go a long way to reduce what you would buy in the market to survive with your family. Young people should learn some trade. The person who tiled my house usually comes with a van and workers. The painter used to come with three people who worked with him, and the electrician used to come with some people. So, we need to learn a trade. Whether mechanic, making POP, learn something that every day you have something to offer you can earn some income to care for yourself. When they blocked Biafra from access to anything, we started inventing our weapons ourselves, we started refining our oil by ourselves, we started building radio stations in the bush by ourselves, we built an airport inside the forest and brought in people there to survive. It is not for us to start stealing, and doing yahoo or kidnapping people and asking for ransom. That is not the way to solve this problem. If security agencies catch, you they will kill you. We should think about positive ways of overcoming what we are facing today and that would make us stronger tomorrow. My advice is: let us look inward and find innovative ways to the difficulty we are facing. If government has failed us, we can’t fail ourselves

  • I have a ‘banging body’ that men find irresistible, Lydia Usang brags

    I have a ‘banging body’ that men find irresistible, Lydia Usang brags

    Nollywood actress Lydia Usang doesn’t shy away from talking about her physical appearance whenever she has the opportunity to do so.

    In a recent chat with us, she admitted that she has a “banging body” that men find irresistible. She also shared her aspirations to become one of the most successful actors in Nollywood.

    Usang, who joined the industry in 2022, is known for her charming physique and doesn’t hesitate to flaunt her assets on social media and in movies. When asked about seducing men with her looks, she said “The truth is that I am not in anybody’s mind to know if I am seducing them with my looks. Sometimes, men wouldn’t be able to resist my looks. But in real life, I don’t know how many men I have turned on with my looks.  It’s normal for beautiful women to turn men on,” the actress said.

    Usang also shared her idea of a romantic date, describing a scenario where she’s treated like a queen, with petals on the floor and a welcoming environment. She emphasized that Nigerian men should try something different and do better.

    Usang values friendship but admitted that she’s yet to find a friend who means everything to her. She’s focused on her career and dreams, aiming to become an A-list actor who can deliver any role given to her.

    “I value friendship even though I have my bad side. I have a couple of friends, but I wouldn’t tell you, I have a friend who means everything to me. I’m yet to find that particular friend,” Usang added.

    On her dreams and aspirations, the Cross River State-born actress said “As grow you older, your dreams, aspirations, and desires change. It has to be big, bold, and better. My dream is to become one of the most successful actors in Nollywood. I want to become an A-list actor who knows how to deliver any role given to her,” the actress stated.

  • 53,254 inmates awaiting trial in custodial centres – Report

    53,254 inmates awaiting trial in custodial centres – Report

    A total of 53,254 inmates are currently awaiting trial in different custodial centers across Nigeria, data sourced from the Nigerian Correctional Service have revealed.

    The figures, our correspondent gathered on Friday, were last updated on February 24, 2025.

    According to the data, the total inmate population stands at 80,100, with 26,846 inmates already convicted.

    The high number of awaiting-trial inmates highlights ongoing concerns about delays in Nigeria’s judicial system, which has contributed to overcrowding in correctional facilities.

    In January 2025, the Acting Controller-General of the NCoS, Sylvester Nwakuche, pledged to address the backlog of awaiting trial cases and improve custodial facility management across the country.

    At a media parley in January this year, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, said the ministry would release a comprehensive reform plan for the correctional service by October 1.

    Tunji-Ojo emphasised that merely auditing inmates and correctional centres was insufficient without strategic reforms to overhaul the system.

    “There is no point just auditing inmates or correctional centres without strategic reforms in the Nigerian Correctional Service. The audit should be a product of the reforms in the correctional service.

    “We have done the first phase. We have submitted the report and taken action on that. The second phase is currently ongoing.

    “By October 1, 2025, the full report on not just about the inmate’s audit but also step by step on what to do to improve the correctional service that will be transformational, correctional,” the minister stated.