Johnson Olawumi, the former director-general (DG) of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), has responded to Adams Oshiomhole’s allegation that retired generals are behind illegal mining.

On January 25, Oshiomhole, chairman of the senate committee on interior, alleged that retired military generals are behind the spate of illegal mining activities in the country.

The lawmaker spoke during the submission of the 2025 budget report by Sampson Ekong, chairman of the senate committee on solid minerals development, to the senate panel on appropriation.

But in a statement on Tuesday, Olawumi said Oshiomhole’s comments are “offensive and harsh” to retired generals, who had served the country honourably.

The ex-NYSC DG, who is a retired major general, called on Oshiomhole to back up his claim with concrete evidence or withdraw the allegation.

“As a former state governor and currently a distinguished senator of the Federal Republic, Senator Oshiomhole sure has his facts and evidence,” Olawumi said.

“Therefore, the most responsible action expected of him is to petition such individuals or retired military generals involved in illegal mining activities to the Department of State Services (DSS) or any other relevant authorities.

“His claim that efforts in the past under President Muhammadu Buhari drew no attention is not enough. He is aware that such allegations cannot be swept under the carpet under the current dispensation.

“Senator Oshiomhole is an important personality whose statement carries heavy weight and trends across Nigeria and beyond.”

[TheCable]

The decision by ThisDay newspaper and Arise News to name President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as their Man of the Year is a fitting recognition of his journey as Nigeria’s president over the past 19 months, starting from May 29, 2023.

Tinubu’s presidency has been marked by ambitious socioeconomic reforms, most notably the removal of petrol subsidies and the unification of Nigeria’s multiple exchange rates. The elimination of fuel subsidies caused an unprecedented surge in the cost of living, given the pivotal role petrol plays in transportation and the daily lives of Nigerians. Meanwhile, the exchange rate unification led to a significant naira devaluation—over 50%—exacerbating inflation in an import-dependent economy like Nigeria.

Undoubtedly, these 19 months have been challenging for Nigerians. However, Tinubu and his economic team have framed these reforms as a necessary foundation for correcting long-standing structural imbalances. For decades, Nigeria prioritized subsidizing consumption—such as petrol prices and the naira’s artificial strength—over investing in critical infrastructure like roads, airports, railways, healthcare, schools, and electricity, which remain in dire need of improvement.

The current hardships, while severe, are viewed as temporary disruptions. Once these structural imbalances are corrected, the Nigerian economy is expected to recover and thrive. The effects of Tinubu’s reforms are thus twofold: while they have caused significant short-term pain, they also pave the way for an economic resurgence, which appears to be gradually unfolding.

Hardships and Emerging Gains

It is undeniable that, 19 months into Tinubu’s administration, Nigeria is far from achieving stability, let alone prosperity. Yet, there are signs that the worst may be over. For instance, the spike in the cost of goods and services following subsidy removal seems to have peaked, with petrol prices falling below N1,000 per liter after exceeding that threshold. Similarly, the exchange rate, which had soared to N1,750/$1, has dropped to around N1,500–N1,600, with potential for further improvement if reform policies remain consistent.

While the prices of goods and services are still higher than pre-Tinubu levels, there is growing evidence that the cost-of-living crisis is gradually easing. Critics may argue that the reforms have come at an enormous cost, citing inflation at nearly 35% and an unemployment rate of 73.2% to population in early 2024. However, the downward trend in petrol prices and exchange rates—key drivers of living costs—offers some hope for relief.

In summary, while the journey remains arduous, the early signs of recovery suggest that Tinubu’s reforms may eventually deliver the economic revival they promise. For now, the hardship persists, but the foundations for a more sustainable economy appear to be taking shape.

Although prices have not returned to pre-reform levels, they are undeniably dropping, albeit at a slower pace than the initial surge. This can be observed in the declining cost of petrol and the naira’s improved performance against foreign currencies.

The reduction in the cost of living, which had reached a crisis level, is largely attributed to the commencement of local refining by the Dangote Refinery. By refining crude oil into products such as Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), diesel, and jet fuel, the refinery has boosted local supply at a reduced cost. While prices are still above pre-subsidy removal levels, this development has multiple benefits, including job creation—both directly through refinery staff and indirectly through distributors.

In addition, the reactivation of the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries has further increased petrol supply in the market while creating more jobs. These efforts are complemented by several interventions from the Tinubu administration, such as the planned injection of $75 billion by the end of 2024 (rising to $250 billion by 2027) and the establishment of a presidential task force on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). The CNG initiative seeks to provide an alternative to petrol for transportation and logistics while deploying CNG-powered mass transit buses at both federal and state levels to alleviate the burden on the masses, especially public sector workers.

Another significant intervention is the increase in the national minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000, representing more than a 100% rise. While not all 36 states have adopted the new wage, several are paying even higher rates, such as N85,000. This increase is expected to improve the lives of workers who were hit hard by the sudden removal of petrol and naira subsidies, which had previously created an illusion of economic stability. Tinubu inherited an economy in critical condition, likened to a patient in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Beyond workers’ welfare, the government has stated that it has also distributed over N24 billion through conditional cash transfers to more than 991,261 vulnerable households across the country. Despite these efforts to ease the unintended hardships caused by the reforms, inflation and unemployment rates have yet to fully reflect the strides being made to address these challenges.

On a personal note, long before ThisDay newspaper named Tinubu as Man of the Year 2024, I predicted his rise to the presidency in my book “Becoming President of Nigeria: A Citizen’s Guide,” published in May 2022—well before he won the APC primaries. Using trend analysis, I forecasted that Tinubu would secure victory after a decisive contest mainly against the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

While others doubted his chances, I remained consistent in tracking Tinubu’s political trajectory. It was clear to me that, despite all odds, he would win the 2023 elections and initiate reforms to transform Nigeria. This prediction, made two years in advance, was not a claim to divine foresight but rather an informed analysis of political trends.

The biblical verse Jeremiah 1:5 states, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you; before you were born, I sanctified you; and I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” This scripture has led some commentators to view President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a product of destiny. However, if he is indeed divinely appointed, why has his leadership brought so much pain to Nigerians who have endured prolonged hardships?

A plausible explanation is that significant socioeconomic transformations often require a period of struggle, akin to a wilderness experience. Even the United States endured the Great Depression of 1933-1935, marked by severe economic challenges. Americans bore the scars of that period until the nation was revitalized under the visionary leadership of Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR).

This historical comparison frames the current Nigerian experience as part of a larger struggle for socioeconomic liberation. While some may question the biblical reference in analyzing Tinubu’s presidency, given his Muslim faith, the complexity of his persona adds layers to his leadership. For instance, his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, is a Christian pastor, a fact that highlights the inclusivity of his administration. This inclusiveness was recently acknowledged by the Northern Christian Association of Nigeria, which initially opposed the Muslim-Muslim ticket of Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima. During a meeting in Kaduna, Rev. Yakubu Pam stated, “For me, the most important thing is a government that is inclusive, and as far as they have done the Muslim-Muslim ticket, we have also seen inclusiveness.”

Remarkably, ThisDay newspaper, which named Tinubu its 2024 Man of the Year, initially posed a significant obstacle to his presidential ambition. Tinubu had refused invitations for interviews and public debates organized by ThisDay and its sister platform, Arise News. The eventual reconciliation between Tinubu and the media group lends authenticity to the award. In their citation, ThisDay editors highlighted Tinubu’s “unwavering resolve and bold reforms aimed at transforming Nigeria.” They praised his decisions to remove fuel subsidies, float the naira, and push for financial autonomy at the local government level, despite the hardships these reforms have caused.

While his tax reforms and policies have sparked controversy, Tinubu’s leadership as ECOWAS chairman, coupled with his diplomatic efforts to ensure regional stability, reflects his commitment to transformative governance. The editors acknowledged that while his reforms require more inclusive execution, his courage and resilience have positioned him as a consequential leader.

I align with ThisDay’s assessment of Tinubu’s reform agenda. His policies are uprooting entrenched structures that have long hindered Nigeria’s economic growth, a fact that bolsters my confidence in the title of this intervention: “Tinubu’s Economic Resurgimiento: The Best Is In Front of Us.”

Even international observers, such as the outgoing Spanish Ambassador to Nigeria, Juan Sell, echo this sentiment. During his farewell event in Abuja, he remarked, “Nigeria, what a potential! You own the future. It is only a matter of bringing that future to the present.” He urged Nigerians to channel their resilience into a collective commitment to build the nation.

This external validation, alongside Tinubu’s reform initiatives, strengthens my belief that Nigeria is poised for growth and prosperity. However, this requires Nigerians to demonstrate resilience and patience in navigating the current hardships.

Historically, I have supported bold reforms, such as General Ibrahim Babangida’s Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) in 1984/85. If Babangida had pursued his policies with the same determination Tinubu is showing now, Nigeria might already be counted among the world’s most prosperous nations.

That said, the impact of Tinubu’s reforms remains underappreciated by many Nigerians, as reflected in his low job approval ratings. However, history has shown that transformative policies often take time to yield results. The best is yet to come, and Nigerians must remain steadfast in their pursuit of collective progress.

Rather than highlighting the positive aspects of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s policies, much of the media narrative has focused on their negative fallout. This may be due to his media team’s inability to effectively communicate his vision with the vigor and creativity required. Additionally, the piecemeal implementation of Tinubu’s policies, as noted by many analysts, has made it difficult for the broader public to grasp their potential benefits.

For instance, when I argued in an earlier piece that the Nigerian economy appeared to be stabilizing, some critics dismissed my observations outright. Yet, their perspective began to shift as petrol prices started to decline. While this reduction has not yet translated into a drop in inflation, there is optimism that over time, the combined effects of lower petrol prices and naira stabilization will positively impact the cost of goods and services.

In December, we saw a boost in diaspora investments as a result of the naira’s devaluation, demonstrated by the heightened economic activity during “Detty December.” A friend in the U.S., for example, recently purchased a four-bedroom maisonette in Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos, for $200,000—an amount equivalent to about N320 million six months ago. For a U.S.-based professional, $200,000 may not be much, but in Nigeria, it afforded him a luxury property in an exclusive area. This opportunity arose largely due to Tinubu’s decision to float the naira, a move that has attracted diaspora investments back home.

Unfortunately, such positive narratives are rarely emphasized. This is in stark contrast to the approach during General Ibrahim Babangida’s administration when the Structural Adjustment Program (SAP), though equally tough on the masses, was communicated effectively through the leadership of Prof. Jerry Gana. Under Gana’s guidance, Nigerians were convinced to accept SAP as a necessary alternative to International Monetary Fund (IMF) loans with harsh conditions. However, Babangida ultimately succumbed to public pressure, reversed some reforms, and stepped aside without fully implementing his economic vision.

Tinubu, on the other hand, has shown remarkable determination. Though a civilian, his resolve rivals that of military leaders like Babangida and Buhari, as he presses forward with critical reforms such as the removal of fuel subsidies, naira devaluation, and local government financial autonomy. With upcoming tax reforms in the works, Tinubu is on the verge of achieving a comprehensive policy overhaul that could reshape Nigeria’s economic future.

Unlike previous administrations, Tinubu has made these bold moves without resorting to costly national conferences, as was done in 1994/5 under Gen. Sanni Abacha’s watch as military head of state and Goodluck Jonathan in 2014. Yet, if a survey were conducted today, public sentiment about his leadership would likely lean negative, as Nigerians are currently bearing the brunt of these reforms. However, I believe that in five months, when Tinubu’s government reaches its 24-month milestone, the fruits of his policies will start to materialize.

One reform with long-term potential is the National Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which aims to democratize access to higher education through interest-free loans. Though its full benefits may take a decade or more to become evident, this initiative could produce a wave of highly educated professionals, including doctors, scientists, and engineers, who would bolster Nigeria’s global competitiveness—similar to India’s experience.

Additionally, the Supreme Court’s recent ruling granting financial autonomy to local governments is expected to revitalize Nigeria’s rural areas. By ensuring that funds from the Federation Account go directly to local governments, this reform will address urban-rural migration, enabling rural communities to become economically vibrant once again. It will also make the case for state police easier with the LGAs contributing to the funding of the much tauted state police.

The ongoing tax reforms, particularly those related to Value Added Tax (VAT), are also poised to empower state governments by allowing them to retain a significant share of internally generated revenue. This shift will likely make states more entrepreneurial, fostering competition and innovation at the subnational level. In the future, attributes such as business acumen may become essential for governorship candidates.

Another promising initiative is the Credit Corp policy, designed to boost consumer purchasing power by providing credit for goods and services, such as vehicles and renewable energy solutions like solar panels. By enhancing consumer spending, the policy is expected to stimulate production, create jobs, and improve the overall standard of living.

In conclusion, the transformative reforms spearheaded by Tinubu lay the foundation for a brighter future, despite the current hardships. The administration must work diligently to communicate this vision, persuading Nigerians that the sacrifices they are making today will yield long-term benefits. It is this optimism that underpins my belief that “The Best Is in Front of Us.”

•Magnus Onyibe, a public policy analyst, author, democracy advocate, development strategist, alumnus of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, Massachusetts, USA, and a former commissioner in the Delta State government, (2003-2007)  sent this piece from Lagos, Nigeria.

Writing in his X handle the Labour Party leader, Peter Obi has clarified his misrepresented interview report of Monday that he was against political coalition.

"I have observed that my honest interview yesterday was misquoted by many media outlets, creating a false narrative that misrepresents my position. Let me set the record straight:

"I am not against coalition, in truth, I am for it not for power grab but to position Nigeria for greatness.

I have not, and will never, advocate for any coalition or alliance that does not prioritize the welfare and progress of the ordinary Nigerian. Any discussion about governance must centre on what it means for the everyday Nigerian, how it will address critical issues such as access to quality healthcare, and education, and pulling people out of poverty.

"Too often in our nation’s history, individuals and groups have come together solely for the purpose of taking power for power's sake. Such endeavours, devoid of genuine purpose and vision, have only deepened our challenges, leaving the ordinary Nigerian to bear the brunt of bad governance. This is what I stand firmly against.

"Leadership must be about service, not self-interest. It must be about building a nation where opportunities abound for all, where justice and equity are non-negotiable, and where governance works for the people, not against them.

"As I have always maintained, the New Nigeria is possible. But it requires us to change the way we think about power. It is not about grabbing it; it is about using it responsibly to transform lives and secure a brighter future for generations to come.

Ibrahim Umar 

POMR SPOKESMAN 

Cemetery market Aba regarded as the most dreaded and hitherto safe haven for the largest cartel ring for the manufacture of fake wines and beverages in Africa has been short down again by NAFDAC in a decisive move to curb the circulation of fake and substandard wine and beverages in Nigeria.

The current action of NAFDAC is the most audacious since the history of the market with specific zones barricaded with iron welding and access gates locked till date. The operation carried out in conjunction with a large contingency of the military, DSS and Nigeria Police, in a rare display of inter-agency cooperation, was a follow up to a similar raid that was carried out in December 2023.

Some of the nefarious activities of the counterfeiters included the manufacturing of all kinds of adulterated products especially different kinds of wine from a wide variety of brands ranging from the following:

· Seaman Schnapps, Henessy, Four Cousins

· Carlo Rossi, Jenney, Chelsea London Dry Gin

· Schnapp Dry Gin, McDowells, Black Labels

· Gordons, Martell, Campari, Smirnoff ice

· Eva Non-Alcoholic Drink, Evra Non-Alcoholic Drink, Cartel and others.

As a consequence of the extensive operation, the agency raided over 240 shops turned factories where the harmful products were being produced and marketed. The shops turned factories are very filthy, using water from very unhygienic sources, harmful chemicals, saccharin, colouring, dirty recycled bottles and cloned packaging materials of other brands. The adulteration of alcoholic beverages by criminal elements in the country is done by mixing of cheaper sources of sugar and starch besides grapes or fruit, among other harmful chemicals unsuitable for human consumption.

Over 1500 cartons of the fake and substandard products were destroyed during the operation. The street value of the confiscated and destroyed fake products in 2023 is estimated at over seven hundred and fifty million naira only. (N750,000,000). The estimated value of products mopped up during the December 15, 2024, operation is five billion naira. The products being revalidated and mopped up include:

· Soft and carbonated drinks such as Fanta, Coca Cola

· Schweppes, Lacasera, Sprite, Hollandia Yoghurt

· Super Commando Energy Drink, Feyrouz and Amstel Malta.

Aside from drinks, notable fake home use beverages such as:

· Peak Sachet Milk, Cowbell Sachet Milk, Peak Chocolate Drink

· Miksi Sachet Milk, Cadbury Chocolate Drink and Ovaltine adulterated versions.

Prior to the evacuation of the products by NAFDAC, they were being produced in the market and neatly packaged and sold to unsuspecting consumers.

NAFDAC management appreciates the support from the Government of Abia state led by His Excellency Governor Alex Otti for his unwavering support for this project OPERATION CLEAN UP ABA. The Mayor of Aba south and the interim management committee of the market and other stakeholders have been working assiduously with NAFDAC on the project leading to another discovery of three major warehouses stockpiling expired HOLLANDIA YOGHURT for revalidation on the 22nd of January 2025.

NAFDAC wishes to assure the public of her determination to safeguard the health of the nation and enjoins the general public to report any suspected fake and substandard regulated product to the nearest NAFDAC office.

NAFDAC: Safeguarding the Health of the Nation

Prof Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, FAS

The General Meeting of AFENIFERE held  on Tuesday 28th day of January 2025, at Isanya-Ogbo Ogun State at the residence of our Leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo deliberated on the state of the Nigerian nation, observed and Resolved as follows:

1.0        SECURITY:

1.01  Afenifere notes the terrible security position which worsened under the Buhari administration and remains unabated and calls  on President Tinubu as the Commander-in-chief to take bold, positive and ideological steps to ensure genuine protection of life and property all over the country.

1.02    Afenifere reiterates the position that Nigeria with its vast territory, population and as a federation cannot be effectively and meaningfully secured with a single command unitary police structure and thus the need for the restructuring to ensure immediate constitutional institutionalization of state police.

1.03     The steps  will prevent a situation the Governor of Oyopolice, even as the Chief Security Officer had to helplessly and lamentably  make an outcry on the infiltration of bandits into his state.

2.0     ON NNAMDI KANU 

2.01Afenifere notes that  from all circumstances, particularly since his abduction  in 2021 and rendition to Nigeria and since then subjected to controversial and conflicting legal proceedings in different courts by which his fair trial may no longer be guaranteed in the opinion of reasonable members of the public, it is clear that Nnamdi Kanu is indubitably a political detainee. In the interest of justice and  national reconciliation, Afenifere urged President Tinubu to release Nnamdi Kanu forthwith. There is no justifiable reason to continue to keep him in detention without trial.

3. APPOINTMENT

The General Meeting considered and approved the appointment of Barrister Dele Farotimi as the National Organising Secretary of the Afenifere.  

ATTENDANCE: In attendance at the Meeting presided over by the Deputy Leader, Oba Oladipo Olaitan are delegates from the 6 South West, Kogi and Kwara states and include former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Senator Kofoworola Bucknor Akerele, Chief Sola Ebiseni, Secretary General, Chief Akin Osuntokun, Professor Akin Onigbinde, Elder Tola Mobolurin, Dr. Gbola Adetuji, Olorogun Pop Ayo-Banjo.

Signed 

Oba Oladipo Olaitan 

Deputy Leader.

Prince Justice Faloye

National Publicity Secretary.

In a momentous legal triumph, Governor Aiyedatiwa and Deputy Governor Adelami have outmaneuvered Agboola Ajayi, the PDP candidate, with a ruling delivered today at the Court of Appeal in Akure. The court has decisively struck down and dismissed the appeal from Ajayi and the People's Democratic Party, thereby reinforcing Aiyedatiwa's authority in office.

Ajayi and the PDP contended that Dr. Adelami lacked the qualifications to run for election, even referencing a Bayelsa State precedent in their bid for disqualification.

This ruling stands as a watershed moment in our political saga, reaffirming the electoral mandate granted to Aiyedatiwa and Adelami. Their administration is laser-focused on delivering on its commitments to the citizenry, and the court's decision underscores the vital role of the judiciary in safeguarding electoral integrity.

In conclusion, I offer my sincere congratulations to the Governor and Deputy Governor. To the appellant, as a brother and friend, it’s high time to wake up and recognize the futility of this endless chase against an unimpeachable mandate conferred by the people of Ondo State. Let’s rally together and channel our energies toward the collective advancement of our state, for the will of the people is an inviolable covenant that must be honored.

Dr Kayode Ajulo, OON, SAN

DeepSeek has unveiled its latest AI model, Janus-Pro-7B, which it claims outperforms OpenAI’s DALL-E 3 and Stability AI’s Stable Diffusion 3 Medium in text-to-image generation tasks.

This announcement, made in a report titled “Janus-Pro: Unified Multimodal Understanding and Generation with Data and Model Scaling,” highlights the model’s advancements in multimodal understanding and generation capabilities.

Janus-Pro-7B’s performance has been validated across multiple benchmarks, showcasing its capabilities in both multimodal understanding and text-to-image generation.

On the GenEval leaderboard for text-to-image instruction-following tasks, Janus-Pro-7B achieved a score of 0.80, surpassing Janus (0.61), OpenAI’s DALL-E 3 (0.67), and Stable Diffusion 3 Medium (0.74).

“Janus-Pro-7B achieved a score of 79.2 on the multimodal understanding benchmark MMBench and 0.80 on the GenEval leaderboard, outperforming state-of-the-art unified multimodal models, including DALL-E 3 and Stable Diffusion 3 Medium,” DeepSeek stated.

The model scored 79.2 on the multimodal understanding benchmark MMBench, significantly outperforming competitors such as Janus (69.4), TokenFlow (68.9), and MetaMorph (75.2).

Addressing previous shortcomings

The Janus-Pro-7B model builds on the foundation laid by its predecessor, Janus, by addressing critical challenges in visual encoding and generation tasks. It incorporates 72 million high-quality synthetic images with real-world data to achieve enhanced image outputs.

• According to the report, earlier models, including Janus, struggled with the conflicting demands of multimodal understanding and generation. To resolve this, Janus-Pro introduces decoupled visual encoding, enabling it to excel in both tasks.

“Janus-Pro incorporates improvements across three dimensions: training strategies, data, and model size,” the report states, adding that the model demonstrates scalability with two configurations—1B and 7B parameters.

• The original Janus model, validated at the 1B parameter scale, faced limitations due to its relatively small model capacity and limited training data.
• These constraints led to suboptimal performance in short-prompt image generation and unstable text-to-image outputs. Janus-Pro-7B addresses these issues through enhanced training strategies, expanded datasets, and increased model capacity.

The report emphasizes that these upgrades not only improve the model’s text-to-image instruction-following performance but also enhance its stability and scalability, making it a strong contender in the AI-generated imagery space.

More insights

DeepSeek is a relatively new entrant to the AI industry, founded in 2023 by Chinese entrepreneur Liang Wenfeng. Despite being less than two years old, the company has already made a significant impact.

• In January 2024, it released its open-source models for download, where they quickly gained popularity, topping the iPhone app download charts and surpassing OpenAI’s ChatGPT app.
• DeepSeek’s latest reasoning model, R1, has drawn comparisons to top-tier AI products from OpenAI and Meta. The company claims its models are not only competitive in performance but also more efficient and cost-effective to develop.
• One of the standout claims from DeepSeek is the cost of training its models. The company stated that training one of its latest models cost $5.6 million, a figure far below the $100 million to $1 billion estimated by industry leaders for similar projects.

DeepSeek has also highlighted the efficiency of its development process, which reportedly does not rely on the most powerful AI accelerators.

[NaijaNews]

In an official announcement on Monday, JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, noted that the sale of application forms will commence on January 31, 2025, and will conclude on March 5, 2025.

For candidates seeking direct entry, the sale of application documents and e-PIN vending will start on March 10, 2025, and will end on April 7, 2025.

The Mock-UTME is set to take place on April 5, 2025, while the main UTME will occur from April 25, 2025, to May 5, 2025.

Candidates who choose to register for the UTME with a mock exam will be required to pay ₦8,200, whereas those opting for the UTME only will pay ₦7,200.

A detailed breakdown of the UTME/DE JAMB application fees includes ₦3,500 for the application fee, ₦1,000 for the reading text, ₦700 for the CBT Centre registration service charge, ₦1,500 for the CBT Centre UTME service charge, ₦1,500 for the CBT mock service charge, ₦500 for bank charges, and ₦1,500 for the CBT mock-UTME centre charge.

Additionally, the JAMB Registrar announced the introduction of a mock UTME specifically tailored for candidates under the age of 16. This initiative is not intended for admission purposes but aims to provide younger candidates with an opportunity to assess their capabilities prior to the examination.

To be eligible for admission into any tertiary institution in the country, candidates must be at least 16 years old on or before September 30, 2025.

However, Oloyede noted that exceptional candidates under the age of 15 may be considered for admission if they achieve a minimum score of 280 in the UTME and demonstrate outstanding performance in their Senior Secondary Certificate and post-UTME examinations.

[NaijaNews]

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara has declared that he will not be drunk with power or allow the associated advantages and benefits that come with holding a lofty position in government to change him.

Rather, Fubara assured that he will remain committed to his vows made to the Rivers people when he got their mandate, to completely put things in place that will transform the state into becoming what they dreamt it to become.

Fubara stated this on Tuesday when some leaders, elders and critical stakeholders of the state visited him to celebrate his 50th birthday at the Government House in Port Harcourt.

The governor who explained that he had never subscribed to celebrating birthdays said seeing leaders of the state gathering to celebrate him pulled out tears of joy from his eyes.

“I want to say that I will still be the Fubara that you know; power will not change me. I will still make sure that what I hold dear in life remains, which is God and my respect for people. I will continue to maintain it.

“Power will come, power will go, but I will still remain the Fubara that you know. With your support, that Rivers State that we all yearn for, we will definitely, even if we don’t get it completely, we will put those things in place that will channel and drive us to that Rivers State, with your support,” Fubara said.

He added, “That is the only thing that I know I can assure you. I will not do anything, act in any manner that will bring disgrace to myself or to everyone of you that have decided and ready to sacrifice everything for us.

“This morning is a birthday morning. It is not a morning to discuss politics. It is a morning to say I am happy, I am 50 years, according to you. But the most important thing is, I am celebrating my Golden Jubilee. It means that I have joined the league of the old men from today.”

Fubara, on behalf of his wife, Lady Valerie and family, expressed gratitude to God for divine grace, and thanked all the leaders who made sacrifices to be in attendance so early to wish him well.

In his remark, a former Governor of the state, Sir Celestine Omehia thanked God for installing Governor Fubara who he noted to have become a deliverer of the State and its people from the hands of those he said were bent on destroying Rivers State.

Omehua said it is worthwhile to celebrate such a patient and meticulous leader, loved by all Nigerians on his 50th birthday because he has continued to prioritise the interest of the State and protect it.

The former governor recounted the strength of faith in God that Fubara has demonstrated as well as how he has enjoyed divine direction in governance.

He pledged the continued support of Rivers people to Governor Fubara towards ensuring the success of his administration.

In his speech, former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, said regardless of who a kingmaker is, as soon as the king is crowned, such person must give way to the king to perform his duties.

Secondus noted that the people of Rivers and indeed, Nigerians have come to admire and love the character of steel, fear and total trust in God that Governor Fubara has demonstrated by forging unity, and inclusivity which he said testified that his mandate is divine.

[Leadership]

The Sultanate Council of Sokoto has instructed the Muslim Ummah to observe the crescent of Sha’aban 1446 AH on Wednesday, corresponding to the 29th day of Rajab 1446 AH in the Islamic calendar.

Prof. Sambo Junaidu, the Waziri of Sokoto and Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs, conveyed the directive in a statement issued on Tuesday.

The statement said when the crescent moon is sighted, it should be reported to the nearest district or village heads for onward communication to the sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, for official confirmation.

“May Allah (SWT) help us in the discharge of this religious duty. Amen,” the statement added.

In Islam, the sighting of the new moon of Sha’aban is significant, as Sha’aban is the month preceding Ramadan, the holy month of fasting.

The declaration of the new moon marks the start of Sha’aban and aids Muslims in preparing for Ramadan.

[DailyTrust]