Bolstering a country’s global stature is not just a matter of image and pride. It is much deeper than that. It is a strategic necessity for countries that want and need to be more than bit players in the global arena. As the post-World War II order continues to strain at the seams, it is imperative for Nigeria to navigate the uncharted terrain with tact and to carefully position itself as a strong voice to reckon with on the global stage. We need to do this for ourselves and for others.

Even as some countries become more inward-looking largely in response to unmet domestic expectations about globalisation, the world remains intimately and intricately connected. Decisions and actions in one far-flung corner of the globe sometimes have outsized impacts on the health and the prosperity of people across the world. The link between the global and the local is yet to be decoupled. Nigeria therefore does not have the luxury of simply minding its internal business or of joining the growing gang of the insular. It is in our enlightened self-interest not only to advocate for the evolving global order to be a fairer and more just one but also for us to actively join in shaping the structure of what is likely to emerge.

But Nigeria’s capacity to do this will not merely be a function of its current and projected population or of its past reputation or a claim to some form of manifest destiny. Nigeria’s agency will derive from the capacity to sort out its internal challenges; its appreciation of the dynamics of the evolving moment; and its readiness to make the necessary investment in time, thought and money.

Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, appears to instinctively get this, and maybe not surprisingly too—having had to wrestle with the theories and practice of international relations as a student and a practitioner at the highest levels. On Thursday, fresh from a fence-mending shuttle to Niger Republic, Tuggar had a two-hour, high-level engagement with the crème of the policy, academic and civil society firmament in Abuja. He spoke eloquently and passionately about the need for Nigeria to re-prioritise diplomacy and about the importance of recalibration, pragmatism, resilience and thought-leadership as the country engages with the rest of the world in this uncertain period and in the undefined days ahead.

The minister spoke at the inaugural session of the Agora Policy Forum, an initiative of Agora Policy supported by the MacArthur Foundation, which is designed to facilitate structured and frank interactions between senior government officials and informed members of the public about current and emerging public policies. The forum aims to provide policy makers the opportunity to speak about the rationale, the direction and the content of public policies and for critical policy stakeholders to provide considered feedback and inputs.

The theme of the engagement with Tuggar was: “Nigeria’s Foreign Policy at a Time of Global Uncertainty.” Tuggar, who had served as Nigeria’s ambassador to Germany, delivered an opening statement where he flagged the unfolding fragmentation of the current multilateral order. He made a case for Nigeria’s increased agency, via greater emphasis on diplomacy, in ushering in a new and more inclusive world order. “We see the existing order deconstructing,” he said. “It was an order that did not present a level-playing field for Nigeria and Africa. As that order breaks down, what follows is much less clear. It is our responsibility, as the region’s key power, to be a voice for Africa—to play our part in helping create a modern and dynamic order that reflects our national and shared interests. And that responsibility is fundamentally diplomatic”.

Tuggar went on to identify the four pillars of Nigeria’s foreign relations in these uncertain times. These are: strategic autonomy; economic diplomacy and sustainable development; security and regional stability; and Nigeria’s voice and agency in the global arena. It appears that the philosophical anchor of our foreign policy going forward will be strategic autonomy, which maintains and builds on earlier stance of neutrality or non-alignment. Roughly, this will mean that the compass of navigation will be Nigeria’s national interests, not sheepish alignment or automatic opposition to any camp.

The foreign affairs minister captured it this way: “As global power shifts toward multipolarity, Nigeria must assert greater strategic autonomy in its international engagements. We are strengthening our bilateral relations with emerging powers like China, India, and Brazil while maintaining constructive partnerships with the United States, the European Union, and traditional allies. We aim to ensure that Nigeria is not merely a passive actor in global affairs but an active shaper of outcomes that align with our national interests.”

Nigeria, he said, will pursue its national interests guided by some of the following: partnerships, investments and development financing for economic growth and sustainable development; fair energy transition and climate financing to promote green industrialisation; design and enforcement of home-grown mechanisms for tackling insecurity in our immediate neighbourhood and beyond; reform and strengthening of global institutions, especially the UN Security Council; and leveraging collective action to address global challenges.

He concluded his address with an exhortation: “Nigeria must remain proactive, adaptive, and innovative in its foreign engagements as it navigates global uncertainty. Evidence-based policymaking, a long-term vision, and a commitment to national and continental advancement must underpin our strategy…Nigeria’s foreign policy during a time of global uncertainty is not merely about responding to external pressures but also about shaping our destiny within the international order. It is about ensuring that our economy is resilient, our security is safeguarded, and our voice is amplified in global decision-making. As we look to the future, I urge all stakeholders—diplomats, academics, business leaders, and civil society—to play their part in strengthening Nigeria’s global standing.”

After his opening statement, I had a fireside-style chat with him for about 30 minutes and moderated the interactive session between him and the participants for about one hour. Issues raised and discussed included: his trip to Niger and his assessment of ECOWAS at 50; the reasons for and the pathways out of the multiple crises in West Africa and the Sahel; the failure of the administration to appoint ambassadors in 18 months; the shrinking of Nigeria’s global profile; an interrogation of the concept of strategic autonomy; the gap between international relations research and foreign policy implementation; the decomposition of the nation-state and its impact on relations within and among states; the dissonance between posturing about democracy abroad and democratic realities at home; the link between foreign policy and domestic realities; the impact of limited local governance on development deficits and instability in the region;  the implication of the tariff wars on Nigeria and others; regional insecurity and human trafficking; the balance between career and non-career ambassadors in diplomatic postings; and the impact of social media disinformation on foreign relations.

On the whole, the interaction was comprehensive, engaging and productive. The minister gave thoughtful answers and clearly articulated the current direction of Nigeria’s foreign policy, the most lucid I have heard in recent times about our foreign policy, and more fleshed out than the acronym of 4Ds—democracy, development, demography and diaspora. The participants offered knowledgeable comments and asked probing questions but in a respectable manner. This is refreshing: discussion of policy issues in a cerebral, not emotional and vacuous way, and devoid of the partisanship, dogmatism, antagonism and gratuitous insults that mask vacuousness and have gravely diminished the quality of public discourse in recent times. We need more discursive and deliberative platforms for more inclusive and effective public policies.

I align with Tuggar on the need to amplify Nigeria’s voice and standing in global decision-making. Some of us still remember, with great pride, the period when Nigeria was deemed the undisputed voice of Africa and of the black race. The ‘Africa Has Come of Age’ speech still remains a seminal moment in the annals of our international relations. Nigeria’s role as a frontline state in the fight against apartheid and colonialism in far-away southern Africa, even when largely unappreciated, confirmed our status as the true giant on the continent. Our leadership of ECOMOG to end civil wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone and to restore a democratic rule in the latter as well as our contributions to global peace missions and even our Technical Aid Corps underscored our willingness to give freely of ourselves to ensure peace and progress in our neighbourhood and beyond. We were a giant not just by size but by deeds, and we naturally commanded the respect and the influence attached to that.

But we fell off the global arena in the last decade and a half. This is partly on account of the inevitable rise of others, especially post-apartheid South Africa. But it is mostly because we have become overwhelmed by our own internal challenges, especially insecurity and because we have been attaching little seriousness to foreign relations beyond just showing up with obscene entourages at international meetings. The rigour of our positions on issues and our understanding of the politics of the international arena vis-à-vis our interests need to improve. We need to be more proactive, deliberate and strategic. For instance, on the issue of reciprocal tariffs by the United States, a more strategic approach would have been to constitute a multisectoral team to look at the different ways in which Nigeria may be impacted and devise appropriate strategies instead of ministers singing discordant tunes. In a similar vein, we should have experts studiously building scenarios and options about the evolving world order to ensure that we are not caught napping and not left scrambling to make sense of things after the fact.

It is not a vanity project for us to aspire to be a major player on the global stage. We were still under colonial rule when the expiring order was designed. Now, some of the former colonies have come of age. Nigeria is one of them, and we deserve to be rightly considered an emerging power, with the opportunity to speak for ourselves and for others. But we have to get our act together. Getting our act together will include tackling more seriously the domestic challenges (slow growth, creeping insecurity etc) holding us down. Size without strength will not suffice.

This will also demand greater clarity about the outcomes that we seek and much better resourcing of our foreign affairs ministry. We need to also invest in domestic understanding and in building domestic support behind our foreign policy aspirations. Our citizens must understand what direction we are going and why. Even as kids, we knew why Nigeria had a role in the decolonisation of southern Africa. We also need to proactively mobilise all the assets at our disposal. Look at the global reach of our Afrobeats, Nollywood and comedy. For example, Burna Boy had a sold-out concert at Stade de France on Friday night. That is soft power right there, and it is enormous. Clearly, these sectors and artistes exploded onto the world stage and consciousness in spite of the Nigerian state. But their reach can still be creatively leveraged to enhance Nigeria’s standing and influence in the world, especially as we approach a new epoch in international relations.  

The Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission ( FCSC), Prof. Tunji Olaopa on Saturday paid tribute to a former President of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Dr Wale Okediran, as he turned 70.

Olaopa delivered the tribute titled "Writing the Public Service into the Nigerian Consciousness" at the "70th Birthday Event/Celebration of Dr. Wale Okediran and a Reading/Writers Dialogue" held at the Mamman Vatsa Village, Abuja, by the Abuja chapter of ANA.

 Okediran , a medical doctor-turned writer has equally made a foray into politics where he was at a time a member of the House of Representatives. 

In his congratulatory message, Olaopa noted the role of the writer in national development. He specifically drew attention to how Okediran has used his medical, literary and political trajectories to improve the lot of Nigerians in particular and humanity in general.

As Olaopa put it, Okediran "has come a long way and has blazed many trails so consistently that at a beautiful age of seventy, he has achieved a sublime legacy that embodies existential fulfilment."

Consequently, to Olaopa, Okediran in his estimation "is Nigeria’s answer to C. P. Snow’s two-culture thesis. According to that thesis, there is a significant and unbridgeable divide between the humanities and the natural sciences in ways that ensure seeming lack of communication between the two. The literary intellectuals and the natural scientists pride themselves on their inability to understand each other, and this, Snow argues, leads to an inhibited intellectual progress. In Wale Okediran, we have a fluid and exemplary personification that firmly undermines that thesis. Dr Okediran fluidly incorporates the love for science and the humanities." 

According to Olaopa, Okediran is the very embodiment of the "renaissance man—the multi-talented man imbued with a secular sensibility that draws on the human condition to articulate an Afropolitan sensibility of humaneness, compassion, strength, open-mindedness, passion and empathy. 

It was almost inevitable that Dr Okediran’s love for medicine and literature would be deployed in the service of the humanity in Nigeria and on the continent. Medicine is not just physiological and psychological, at least not in Africa. Medicine ministers to the brutalized bodies of Africans. As a medical doctor therefore, Dr Okediran has the unenviable space to confront the many psychotic manifestations of governance failure in Nigeria."

Praising further Okediran's legacy, Olaopa said that his "literary interests and skills provide the opportunity to tell the postcolonial Nigerian stories as he encountered them over the course of his own personal existential and professional trajectories. And this explains Dr Okediran’s path into politics; what better way to effect significant changes than being in the corridor of power? 

"One could only wonder how long a man of such literary sensibility would last within the murky space of Nigerian politics. Fortunately, public service is not restricted to being a member of the House of Representatives. Dr Okediran’s public service space encompasses the local, the national and the regional—from the National Old Student Association of Olivet Baptist High School to the Pan African Writers Association (PAWA). Dr Wale Okediran’s literary sensibility enables him to build a community of service. The Ebedi International Writers Residency at Iseyin is a unique and defining sense of the metaphor for Okediran’s enlarged sensibility that draws in people and creates possibilities."

Auwal Mohammed Jatau, Deputy Governor of Bauchi State, has denied slapping the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar.

He said this while reacting to unconfirmed reports that he attacked the the minister on the way to the palace of Emir of Bauchi for the turbaning of former Governor Muhammad Abdullahi Abubakar, SAN, as Makama Babba 1 of Bauchi Emirate, and the wedding Fatiha of his daughter, Khadija Muhammad.

Speaking through Muslim Lawal, his media aide, Bauchi’s number two citizen said, “No, no, how can a deputy governor slap a minister? I don’t think such ever can happen in Bauchi because l know my principal as a responsible leader and number two citizen in Bauchi can never slap a minister or any person.”

“I am not aware about that and I am hearing it for the first time. If there is any evidence that the deputy governor did that you can speak on that. We don’t know about it. The deputy governor cannot do that and that is our position,” Lawal said.

All efforts to get the reaction of the Foreign Affairs Minister were not successful at the time of filing this report.

See pictures from the turbaning below:

[DailyTrust]

Nigeria forward, Umar Sadiq rose from the bench to help Valencia draw 1-1 against Rayo Vallecano at the Estadio de Vallecas on Saturday.

Valencia went behind on the stroke of half time with Cesar Tarrega scoring an own goal.

Sadiq was introduced in the place of Andre Almeida in the 66th minute.

The 27-year-old fired home the equaliser for Los Che 16 minutes from time.

The Nigerian has now scored five goals in 10 league appearances for Valencia this season.

Carlos Corberán’s side are now unbeaten in their last seven league games, their joint longest unbeaten streak since December 2021.

[DailyPost]

The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has called on Nigerians to reflect on the significance of Easter and embody the values of love, sacrifice, and unity that the season represents.

In a statement shared on her official X handle on Saturday, the First Lady joined the Christian community in commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ and encouraged all Nigerians to use the occasion as a time to support one another—especially the less privileged.

“I join Christians across our beloved nation to celebrate Easter. I also extend my heartfelt wishes for a joyous and peaceful occasion,” she wrote.

Highlighting the deeper meaning of the celebration, she said, “Easter is a reminder of the enduring power of love and the selfless sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the hope His resurrection brings to all humanity.”

The First Lady further urged citizens to seize the opportunity of Easter to reach out and show compassion within their communities.

“As we come together with our loved ones, friends, neighbours and community to mark this special time, let us also remember the less privileged and extend compassion and support wherever we can,” she wrote.

She concluded her Easter message with a call for national unity and progress: “May the spirit of Easter inspire us to uplift the vulnerable, love one another, make sacrifices when necessary and work together to build a peaceful and prosperous nation for all. Happy Easter!”

[Punch]

The profitability of companies is typically judged by their net income, which represents total earnings after all expenses, taxes, and costs are subtracted from total revenue.

There are a few criteria which are considered when comparing the profitability of companies. These criteria include revenue, profit margin and Return on Assets (RoA) among others. Professional analysts tend to focus more on the net income and profit margin to get a clearer picture of how much the company is making. “The social responsibility of business is to increase its profits,” economist Milton Friedman wrote in 1970.

The world is filled with companies making profits in millions and billions of dollars. Below, 10 of the world’s most profitable companies are revealed:

1. Saudi Arabian Oil Co.

Saudi Arabian Oil CO., also known as Saudi Aramco, is the national oil and gas company of Saudi Arabia with speciality in the production of petroleum and natural gas. The company’s history can be traced back to 1933. Saudi Aramco most notably operates the Ghawar Field (the world’s largest onshore oil field) and the Safaniya Field (the world’s largest offshore oil field). They also specialise in the production of industrial compounds from synthetic materials, with profits amounting to $300 million.

2. Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

Berkshire Hathaway Inc. specialises in property and casualty insurance and reinsurance, utilities and energy, freight rail transportation, finance, manufacturing and retailing services. Berkshire Hathaway’s latest financial reports put its earnings at $424.23 billion, ranking it in second place amongst the world’s most profitable companies.

3. Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd.

This company was founded on January 1, 1984 with its headquarters located in Beijing, China. This is a finance-based company that engages in the provision of commercial banking and financial services. As of 2024, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) reported a net income of approximately $59.6 billion for the year. This yearly revenue generation is the third highest in the world.

4. Alphabet Inc. (Google)

The net worth of Alphabet Inc. is approximately $1.91 trillion. This company works in different areas of tech, like the main Google services people use every day, its growing cloud business, and a bunch of other experimental projects. This company has over 135,000 employees worldwide with $96.47 billion in revenue generated in 2024.

5. Apple

Apple is popularly known for its iPhones, iPads, and Mac personal computers, but it has other products like the Vision Pro headset. Apple has successfully created a global community, keeping its users loyal to the brand by creating an ecosystem for users of their various products. With approximately 164,000 employees worldwide, the company ranks fifth on the list of most profitable companies with an annual net income of $36.33 billion.

6. Microsoft Corp.

This company engages in the development of licenses and supports a wide range of software, services and hardware products. Microsoft’s market cap has been on the rise in recent years as a result of the strategic moves in AI, video game systems, and other profit-yielding businesses. Microsoft is regarded as an ageing giant gradually losing its relevance but the annual operating income for 2024 was $109.433 billion.

7. Meta

Meta connects families, friends and even co-workers worldwide through its different platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Oculus, Threads, Messenger and WhatsApp. Meta’s income is primarily driven by advertising revenue from Facebook and Instagram. In 2024, advertising contributed $131.9 billion out of a total revenue of $164.50 billion. This represents 97.8% of Meta’s total revenue. The company also generated AI revenue, contributing to a total revenue increase of 22% year-on-year. Meta-owned platforms are some of the most profitable companies in the world.

8. JP Morgan Chase

JPMorgan Chase & Co. provides financial services such as personal and business banking, investment help, financial transaction processing and managing assets. The company offers these services to people, companies, organisations and governments all around the world. JP Morgan Chase made $14 billion in profits in the final quarter of 2024. Its full-year profits reached an all-time high of $58 billion, the most ever in the history of American banking.

9. China Construction Bank Corp.

China Construction Bank (CCB) is a major bank in China, with its headquarters in Beijing. It is one of the country’s top four banks and operates in many countries around the world. CCB provides a variety of financial services to both businesses and individuals. According to China Construction Bank’s latest financial reports, the company’s current revenue (TTM) is $104.14 billion.

10. Agricultural Bank of China

Established in 1951, this is a Chinese state-owned company specialising in financial service provision and multinational banking services. According to the Agricultural Bank of China, its current revenue (TTM) is $98.71 billion, with more branches in rural China than all the banks in the United States.

On 13th July 2023, Benjamin Best Nnayereugo ((aka Kilaboi) was alleged to have brutally murdered his girlfriend, Miss
Augusta Oseodion Onuwabhagbe, a 21-year-old undergraduate of Lead City University, Ibadan, Oyo State.

After the heinous act, Benjamin escaped and left the country. but we have continued to track him with a view to having him brought to Nigeria and prosecuted for murder.

The cause of justice would surely be served by the confirmation that Benjamin was extradited from Qatar to Nigeria this morning through the combined efforts of the offices of the Attorney-General of the Federation, the InspectorGeneral of Police and the International Police National Central Bureau.

We thank the government of Nigeria for collaborating with our law firm in the successful extradition of the murder suspect.
We are particularly indebted to the mother of the deceased, Mrs Okonye Cordelia Nneji, who furnished us with vital information on the movements of the suspect since he escaped from Nigeria two years ago. This is a challenge to all Nigerians to always pursue the cause of justice in order to end impunity in the country.

Having confirmed that the Lagos State Criminal Investigation Department has completed an investigation into the cold murder of Miss Onuwabhagbe, we hereby call on the Attorney-General of Lagos State, Mr. Lawal Pedro SAN, to fast-track the prosecution of the suspect. 2023, Benjamin Best Nnayereugo ((aka Kilaboi).

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