The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade, has established a 97-member local organizing coronation committee to oversee preparations for the ceremony scheduled for April 5, 2025.

In a statement issued by his Chief of Staff, Rotimi Osuntola, in Ibadan, the state capital, the monarch announced former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Commissioner, Kunle Ogunmola, as the committee chairman, with Adediwura Owoade serving as vice chairman. 

Naija News reports that other notable members include the State Chief of Protocol to President Bola Tinubu, Victor Adeleke; Archbishop Ayo Ladigbolu; two Oyomesi members, High Chief Asimiyu Atanda (Agbaakin) and High Chief Lamidi Oyewale (Saamu); former Oyo Central Senatorial District lawmaker, Monsurat Sunmonu; current Oyo Central Senatorial District lawmaker, Dr. Yunus Akintunde; and House of Representatives member, Akeem Adeyemi.

The committee also comprises traditional rulers such as High Chief Samuel Olu Odurinde (Alajagba), High Chief Mukaila Afonja (Baba Iyaji), High Chief Isiaka Tella (Ona ‘Sokun), High Chief Ganiyu Ajiboye (Oloja of Ago Oja), High Chief Ademola Oyediran (Alaguo), and High Chief Taiwo Olabanji (Baale Onigbanla of Gbanla). Additionally, Barejiroro Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Gbenga Eko, will represent Aare Ona Kakanfo, Iba Gani Adams.

Additional members include Olayide Owoade, Ayoade Owoade, Tolani Owoade, Taiwo Owoade, Azeez Fatimo (née Owoade), Rotimi Osuntola, as well as Oyo State House of Assembly members Gbenga Oyekola, Olorunpoto Rahaman, and Oladeji Oparinde. Others are Segun Taiwo, Akeem Owoade, Oke Adejare Adisa, Oyedemi Olutunde Ojolowo (Mogba Koso), Yakubu Mustafa (Otun Efa), Oladele Kolade, Akintayo Suulola (Akure), Olaleye Ismail (Imam Agure), and Lati Eleyele (acting Imam of Oyo land).

The committee also includes local government and local council development area chairmen within Oyo, Iyaloja of Oyo Adijat Bakare, and representatives from various professional and security bodies, including doctors, nurses, Amotekun, the Federal Road Safety Corps, Fire Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Divisional Police Officers from Atiba, Oyo-West, Oyo-East, and Afijio local government areas, as well as the Department of State Security (DSS) at Atiba.

The committee will work in conjunction with the 25-member committee previously inaugurated by the Oyo State government, led by Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Mr. Ademola Ojo.

Recall that Oba Owoade had earlier distanced himself from an unauthorized committee claiming to organize the coronation, assuring the public that he would personally appoint an official body for the task.

The 97-member committee, officially approved by Oba Owoade on Monday, is set to be inaugurated on Wednesday, February 12, at the Alaafin’s palace in Oyo.

Osuntola emphasized that the local committee will collaborate with Governor Seyi Makinde’s state-appointed committee to ensure seamless planning and execution of the historic event.

“This momentous occasion aims to unite Yoruba land, encouraging the active participation of stakeholders from within and beyond the region.

“The ultimate goal is to deliver an all-inclusive, epoch-making, grand, and hitch-free coronation that proudly showcases the rich Yoruba cultural heritage to the world,” the statement read.

President Bola Tinubu‘s government has raised the processing fees for setting up new private universities from ₦5 million to ₦25 million.

Additionally, the fee for application forms has increased from ₦1 million to ₦5 million.

Naija News reports that this information was outlined in a memo released on Monday, February 10, 2025, by the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu.

The commission stated that this action is part of its strategy to enhance private universities in Nigeria, ensuring they better serve the needs of the populace and improve the coordination of the Private University Education sector within the Nigerian University System.

Furthermore, it noted that there is a necessity to reassess the guidelines for establishing private universities.

The memo reads: “This is to ensure that newly established private universities are positioned to meet the challenges of the 21 Century. Pursuant to the above and in line with the directive of the Honourable Minister of Education, the National Universities Commission hereby informs promoters of proposed private universities in particular and the general public as follows:

“The Commission hereby suspends further processing of all inactive applications including those of private open universities (i.e. those that have not made progress on their applications or made submissions to the Commission for upwards of two years), and applications at the stage of submission of Letters of Intent only.

“The fee for purchase of application forms for the establishment of a private university is hereby reviewed from ₦1,000,000.00 to ₦5,000,000.00. The processing fee for application for the establishment of a private university is hereby reviewed from ₦5,000,000.00 to ₦25,000,000.00.

“The NUC will convey the reviewed processing fee of ₦25,000,000.00 to applicants that have purchased Application Forms only. They are also expected to effect payments within a period of thirty (30) working days or risk forfeiture of their pending application.

Unknown gunmen have abducted a high-ranking official at the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Secretariat in Abuja, Dr. Adekunle Raif Adeniji.

Dr. Adeniji, who serves as the Director of Administration at the party’s National Secretariat, was kidnapped two weeks ago in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

Sources familiar with the situation confirmed to SaharaReporters that his abductors have contacted his family, demanding a ransom of ₦350 million for his release. However, neither the APC National Secretariat nor security agencies have officially commented on the incident.

Dr. Adeniji was appointed Director of Administration in August 2024, following the resignation of the former officeholder, Prof. Alaba Adediwura. His appointment was officially announced in a letter issued by the party’s National Secretary.

In a related development, reports recently highlighted another abduction involving retired Brigadier-General Maharazu Tsiga, a former Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

His kidnappers have reportedly demanded a ₦250 million ransom following his abduction last Wednesday night, when armed men stormed his residence in Katsina State

Former Big Brother Naija Housemate, Nengi Rebecca Hampson, has denied claims of being pregnant for Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri.

Naija News reports that this comes after an Instagram blog, Gistlover, alleged that the reality TV star is expecting a child with a popular governor, with many netizens speculating that Governor Diri is responsible for the pregnancy.

Setting the record straight, Nengi, in a post via her X handle on Monday, confirmed she is pregnant but not for any governor.

The BBNaija star said she decided to clarify the issue because the allegation is not just an attack on her but involves people she holds in the highest regard.

She wrote, “As much as I believe social media lies aren’t worth my time, I’ve come to accept that we live in a world where people are quick to spread lies without limits so let me be clear, I’m not pregnant for any Governor.

“I’ve chosen to speak coz this isn’t just an attack on me, it involves people I hold in the highest regard, and I won’t allow a beautiful, personal part of my life be turned into something ugly.

“While I continue to mind my own business and enjoy my pregnancy in PEACE, I wish y’all Love and a happy Valentine’s weekend.

The Lagos State chapter of the Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transporters of Nigeria has expressed grief over the tragic killing of a 42-year-old e-hailing driver, Yusfat Ayinde, who was fatally stabbed by unidentified attackers on Friday.

Confirming the incident, the union’s chairman, Jaiyesinmi Azeez, told PUNCH Metro on Monday that Ayinde was on duty when he was ambushed.

According to Azeez, the driver had received a ride request through the e-hailing app and arrived at the designated location, where a group of hoodlums attacked him.

He stated that the assailants fatally stabbed Ayinde before fleeing with his vehicle.

He said, “Comrade Yusfat Olawale Ayinde is our member and the admin of a body of Professional Chauffeur in the state. He was tragically murdered in a brutal attack initiated by unidentified assailants. According to our findings, Ayinde received a ride request through the e-hailing app, and upon arrival at the designated location, he was ambushed by a group of hoodlums who requested him. The assailants fatally stabbed Ayinda and subsequently stole his vehicle.”

Reports indicate that his remains were abandoned along Agidingbi Road in Ikeja before being taken to the morgue.

Expressing concern over the safety of e-hailing drivers, Azeez called for enhanced security measures in the sector.

He also revealed that the union had launched an investigation through its task force to uncover the circumstances surrounding the murder.

He said, “The task force is currently working in collaboration with the family and other authorities to gather evidence and identify the app through which the ride request was made. Efforts are being made to track down the assailants and bring them to justice.

“The task force will coordinate with law enforcement to enhance investigative efforts and leverage technology in tracking the assailants.”

Azeez further noted that discussions were ongoing to implement additional safety measures for e-hailing drivers, including emergency response systems and increased surveillance in high-risk areas.

“The union will continue to support Ayinda’s family and ensure they receive the necessary assistance during this tragic time. The Auaton Lagos State Task Force is committed to ensuring that justice is served and that steps are taken to prevent such incidents in the future. Further updates will be provided as the investigation progresses,” he concluded.

In a related development, recall that the Lagos State Police Command arrested a 21-year-old US returnee, David Segun, along with two others, for allegedly killing an Uber driver in the Obalende area.

The Commissioner of Police, Ishola Olanrewaju, while parading the suspects at the state command headquarters on January 12, revealed that Segun and his accomplices—Emeka Akwara (19), Samuel Ariori (21), and Lukman Ariori (19) ordered an Uber ride from Chevron in Lekki to Obalende at midnight on Thursday, January 9.

He said upon arriving at a lonely area in Obalende, the suspects allegedly robbed and killed the Uber driver by stabbing him multiple times in the neck

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited mulls fresh premium motor spirit price reduction as MRS filling station, in partnership with Dangote Refinery, announced a fuel pump price cut on Monday.

The National President of Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association, Billy Gillis-Harry, and Spokesperson for Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Chinedu Ukadike, made this known in a separate exclusive interview with DAILY POST.

The development follows MRS filling station’s announcement of a fuel price reduction on Monday, for the first time in 2025.

The oil firm stated on Monday in its official X account that its pump price had dropped to N925 per litre in Lagos, South West (N933), North (N945), and South-East (N955). The new per litre price drop is from around N970 previously sold by the company.

This comes weeks after Dangote Refinery, on February 1, 2025, announced an ex-depot price drop to N870 from N970 per litre.

Reacting, Gillis-Harry and Ukadike were optimistic that NNPCL will, in the coming days, announce a PMS price reduction to remain relevant in the country’s downstream sector.

Gillis-Harry said that “NNPC has no choice but to reduce petrol retail prices because it is not possible to see a product at a cheaper price and still go for NNPCL.”

Similarly, Ukadike explained that since the price war between Dangote Refinery and NNPCL persists, the latter cannot afford to do anything other than a price reduction.

“It is likely that NNPCL will drop its price because there is a price war with Dangote Refinery. Once Dangote Refinery announces a price drop, NNPC will follow suit,” he said.

Why petrol price reductions by Dangote and NNPCL is not impacting transportation costs, others

Despite the recent petrol price reduction by MRS filling stations, Gillis-Harry noted that the cost of transportation and food prices have remained stagnant.

According to him, the weak purchasing power of Nigerians is the major reason the fuel price reduction is not impacting food prices and transportation costs.

“If you watch, the cost of transportation has not reduced in spite of the reduction of fuel at the retail market. That tells you that the purchasing power of Nigerians is very weak.

“In my opinion, we need to engage Nigerians in production activities such as farming, fishing, and technology.

“Go to the park, you will see that the price of transportation cost has not been impacted by the fuel reduction,” he stated.

However, Ukadike said that the impact of the petrol price reduction will be felt on transportation, goods, and services in the long run.

“The impact will be gradual; it will eventually impact transportation and others,” he noted.

Concerns over frequent petrol price adjustments

Gillis-Harry frowned at the frequent adjustments of petrol price by actors in the oil and gas sector.

He noted that incessant price adjustments will affect petrol security.

He added that arbitrary petrol price hikes cause serious losses to marketers who might lift fuel stock before the arrival of new stock.

“There was a lot of fuel that was purchased at the old price that is still in the system, and they have not been sold.

“Marketers cannot sell below the cost price. It is completely impossible for someone to buy a product at N970 per litre and sell below the purchase price.

“MRS that is trying to deepen the distribution process with PETROAN and Dangote Refinery still has the same challenge of the buying power,” he told DAILY POST.

DAILY POST reports that last December, Dangote Refinery had slashed its petrol ex-depot price from N899.50 per litre to N970.

NNPCL also announced a PMS price drop to petroleum markets.

The price rivalry between NNPCL and Dangote pushed fuel prices down in the last lap of 2024

The lead Counsel of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Aloy Ejimakor on Monday explained why Justice Binta Nyako of the Abuja Federal High Court can no longer conduct the trial of the Biafra agitator.

Ejimakor explained that the constitution permits Kanu to be tried within a period, hence the trial of the IPOB leader has extended for years.

He disclosed that Kanu has filed a petition bordering on judicial misconduct against Nyako which is enough to get her off the case.

This is coming when Nyako adjourned Kanu’s trial “sin die.”

Nyako had initially recused herself from Kanu’s trial after the IPOB made the demand in open court last year.

But the judge’s decision was turned down after the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, John Tsoho refused to accept Kanu’s case file and reassign the matter to another judge.

Consequently, Nyako resumed the hearing on Monday, after which, she adjourned indefinitely.

Reacting, Ejimakor maintained that the judge lacked the constitutional powers to continue with Kanu’s trial.

In a statement he issued, Ejimakor said: “We have been informed by our Client (Mazi Nnamdi Kanu) and we have obtained a copy thereof … that he has initiated a Petition or a Complainant bordering on judicial misconduct against Honorable Justice Binta Murtala-Nyako. This alone, without more, is enough to oust the Justice from subjecting Mazi Kanu to any trial before her court. It is against the rule of natural justice, equity and good conscience (and even the Cons) for a Judge against whom a defendant has preferred a Petition to – before the disposition of such Petition – continue to preside over the trial of such a defendant. This is very easy to understand – for lawyers and lay people alike. Compare and contrast with someone being a judge in his or her own case, or being a Judge over you when she is a defendant in the case you initiated against her. The Petition or Complaint was filed on 14th January 2025 and it is pending.

“As a BACKGROUND to the current impasse, below are the reasons Mazi Nnamdi Kanu had to take the drastic step of requesting the RECUSAL:

“First, back in June 2021, the same Judge conducted a hearing by which Mazi Kanu (an awaiting-trial) was ordered remanded without notice to, and the presence of his former Counsel (of record) at the hearing. That was a grave constitutional error that turned highly prejudicial against Mazi Kanu and it continues to be constitutionally injurious to him to this day.

“Second, Mazi Kanu was ordered detained in DSS cell instead of a prison facility as the law contemplates. The excuse then (which – by the way – fell outside the exceptions) was that every penitentiary in Nigeria is porous or pathetically low-security. This excuse suggested a judicial state of mind that imputed a proclivity for jailbreak to Mazi Kanu. That’s wrong and unacceptable.

“Third, when the DSS detention posed grave risks to Mazi Kanu’s constitutional right to fair hearing and to Counsel, the Judge summarily refused his application for transfer to prison or other less restrictive facility and instead ordered an accelerated trial. That’s manifest injustice.

“Fourth, when the Supreme Court ruled against Mazi Kanu’s bail revocation, the same Judge who had revoked his bail refused to reinstate the bail. That’s an egregious violation of the Constitution and the doctrine of stare decisis.

“Fifth, the Supreme Court had held that, by revoking Mazi Kanu’s bail, the Judge’s impartiality has become suspect. In the face of this damning indictment from the apex court, it would amount to a dangerous gamble for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to ignore this and take his chances in a trial that has six capital offenses arrayed against him.

“And sixth, despite the enormous risks to Mazi Kanu’s right to fair trial posed by the strict conditions of his detention at the DSS and the illegality of the charges, the Judge summarily refused our meritorious application to adjourn the trial until the exhaustion our appeal challenging her jurisdiction to try the case. For Mazi Kanu, this is the last straw that broke the camel’s back.

“Above all, when Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was presented in Court on 29th June 2021, following his rendition from Kenya, the Court had a duty to make inquiries regarding the locale of his “arrested” (whether in Nigeria or abroad); and if abroad, whether his “arrest and surrender” to Nigeria complied with the pertinent laws of the country of his refuge, as well as that of Nigeria and the international laws on point. We are aware that the Court never made such inquiry because if it did, it would have revealed the earliest indication of the infamous extraordinary rendition that has complicated jurisdiction to this day. You will recall that the former Attorney-General had falsely claimed that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was lawfully extradited. If not for the dexterity of one Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s Counsel who had told Nigerians what actually happened, this grave falsity would have persisted as the truth to this day.

“The post-recusal Summons issued to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu that brought us to Court on 10th February 2024 cannot be blamed on the Court alone. The prosecution grandfathered it by a Letter it wrote to the Court on 5th December 2024, requesting that the case be re-calendared for a hearing before Justice Murtala-Nyako. In our reaction and after a considered view that the said Letter strained the boundaries of prosecutorial misconduct, we countered with a reply, vehemently opposing the re-calendaring the case to be heard before a Judge who is bound by an extant Order of recusal.

“In our efforts to stave off what we reckoned to be burgeoning unconstitutionality that lies in sending the case back to the recused Judge, we took the responsible step of generating a Letter to the Honorable Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, requesting for transfer of the case to the Southeast. We took this step because we were reliably informed that the “official” reason for sending the case back to the recused Judge is because no other Judge in the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court is willing to take the case. And the reason why Southeast is in play (to the exclusion of other zones) is because, being the place where the offenses were alleged to have impact, it possesses far superior jurisdiction to every other division, including Abuja.”

Highlighting the solution to the impasse, Ejimakor reiterate that Kanu’s trial should be transferred to the Southeast if no judge is willing to take it up.

He added: “Having come thus far, the next logical question is: What’s the way forward? The answers are simple and they are as follows:

“If no Judge (other the recused Judge) in Abuja is willing to try the case, the next lawful thing to do is to – on the authority of Section 45, Federal High Court Act & James Ibori v. FRN – transfer the case to any of the Federal High Court divisions in the Southeast.

“If there’s some sort of a “secret official embargo” in having Mazi Nnamdi Kanu tried in the Southeast, you cannot keep him in an endless limbo while he’s detained as an awaiting-trial. Awaiting which trial? A trial that cannot happen in Abuja or Southeast?

“In every common law country, when a State has an insurmountable difficulty in putting a detainee on trial within a reasonable time, the next responsible and lawful option is to release such a detainee until such a time his trial can be properly conducted, subject to any statute of limitation that may be applicable.

“Under the Constitution, every criminal suspect, especially a detainee, deserves to be tried within a reasonable time, not an indefinite time, not being in detention for almost four years awaiting trial that never happens for no fault of the detainee but of the State. Additionally, the Administration of Criminal Justice Act prescribed a day-to-day trial for every criminal suspect. It becomes more urgent and compelling when such a suspect is in detention, and a lengthy to boot.

“In summation, we make bold to say that the ball is firmly and exclusively in the court of the Federal Government, in the sense that since it has proved unable to bring Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to trial within a reasonable time, then the next best thing (which is also lawful and constitutional) is to end this whole saga honorably by releasing Mazi Nnamdi Kanu either through restoration of his bail or otherwise – by a discontinuance of a case that was burdened by the indices of internecine politics from its inception ten years ago in 2015.”

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has distanced himself from campaign posters promoting his alleged governorship ambition in Delta State.

The Minister’s Special Assistant on Political Matters, Voke Oshasha, in a press statement on Monday, described the posters as “fake” and a cheap act of blackmail by those seeking to make Delta APC their personal estate.

Dismissing the speculation, he stated that the intention behind the posters is to misrepresent the minister’s and other Delta APC leaders’ efforts to make the party more inclusive, rather than allowing it to remain under the control of a single individual.

Oshasha said in the statement: “Our attention has been drawn to some fake posters circulating online, suggesting that the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Olorogun Festus Keyamo, SAN, is interested in running for Governor of Delta State in 2027 on the platform of the APC.

“Nothing could be further from the truth. This is cheap blackmail by those who want to turn Delta APC into their personal estate. Their strategy is to distort the Minister’s and other leaders’ genuine efforts to open up the party for all members to participate freely, instead of leaving it in the grip of a single individual.

“Mr Keyamo has a long history of fighting military dictatorships and injustice, alongside President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of NADECO fame, and he has no reservations about resisting civilian dictatorship either.”

He avowed that the APC leaders in Delta” have built a formidable alliance to prevent the party’s decline in the state.”

He added: “For emphasis: no one is excluded or shut out. That is the simple message. Everyone must work collectively, rather than kneeling in someone’s village to form structures or beg for tickets. Democratic ideals must shine through in Delta APC.

“All current blackmail attempts will not deter the Minister from collaborating with others to achieve these important goals.”

However, some stakeholders believe the minister may be testing the waters under the APC banner ahead of the 2027 election. They interpret the posters as a potential challenge to former Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege, who is also believed to have gubernatorial ambitions.

Priscilla Ojo, the daughter of popular Nigerian actress, Iyabo Ojo, has reacted to the backlash received following the absence of her father, Ademidun Ojo at her wedding.

DAILY POST reports that Priscilla tied the knot with her lover, singer Juma Jux, in an Islamic ceremony in Tanzania on Friday.

However, her father’s absence at the ceremony fueled rumors of a strained relationship, with many users accusing her of sidelining her father in her wedding preparations.

Ademidun Ojo’s absence sparked debates about a possible rift between him and his ex-wife, Iyabo Ojo.

Responding to the criticism, Priscilla on her Snapchat story, shared the screenshot of a video call with her father on Sunday evening.

DAILY POST recalls that in 2023, Iyabo Ojo during an interview with media personality, Toke Makinwa described her marriage with Ademidun as her first encounter with poverty.

Over the years, a major received wisdom in Nigeria is that agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, its real foundation for creating employment, livelihood and opportunities. Truly, it was the case that Nigeria used to boast of a thriving agricultural economy in crop production, livestock, forestry and fishing, with every part of the country thriving agriculturally. The country has over 34 million hectares of arable land, and a net total area of 79 million hectares that can be cultivated, and an irrigable area of 3.14 million hectares. Between 1961 and the following decade, Nigeria’s economy was significantly propelled by agriculture, the exports from the sector generating over 40% of national revenue. Those were the days when the South West, the Western region as it then was, built cocoa plantations, agricultural extension settlements and commodity boards. In those days, the farmer was considered King - Agbe L’Oba in local parlance.  

The tallest building in the Western region then was actually known as Cocoa House, built with agricultural revenue. Farmers were so powerful in the South West they even had an activist group named Agbekoya – meaning “the union of farmers who reject suffering”. It was a peasant revolt, led by ordinary farmers who were so powerful they rejected Federal Government taxation and state regulations of agricultural co-operatives. These farmers were so powerful they thought they should have a say in government policies, particularly taxation. Their wealth had helped to develop the region in terms of Awolowo’s education programmes and the development of infrastructure. In the North, there were groundnut pyramids, pyramid structures built by the likes of Alhassan Dantata, a prominent nut and cotton trader who oversaw exports of groundnuts to the Royal Niger Company. The pyramids were so central to Nigeria they found their way to the country’s postage stamp. In the Mid-West, there were rubber plantations. along a substantial stretch of the road from the West to the Mid-West. 

The Middle Belt was known as the food basket of Nigeria, where everything that was edible could be cultivated, from livestock to tomatoes and yams. In the South-South, Nigeria produced a thriving fishing industry. Indeed, the country earned its spurs as one of the best countries in the world in agriculture: the world’s largest producer of cassava, yam, the second largest producer of sorghum, the fifth largest producer of palm oil and cocoa beans, and the third largest producer of peanuts and sweet potatoes. The country was so rich, it had enough food to feed itself and enough for exports. This is the same country today where food inflation is over 50% in some states. This is the same country where ordinary Nigerians complain about the high cost of food and survival. In the South West, they say “Ebi n pa wa” -meaning we are hungry. In this same country where a federal Minister, Alhaji Umaru Dikko, who was in charge of the Federal Government’s Committee on rice distribution in the 80s, once boasted that Nigerians were not eating from the dustbin because the government provided sufficient food, it is now a fact that Nigerians would be happy to eat from the dustbin. Even those dustbins are empty.   

The cause of the problem first and foremost is that Nigeria found oil, and the economy moved away from agriculture to oil exploration and the petro-dollar that came with it. The new rulers of Nigeria in military uniform abandoned agriculture, the country’s economic mainstay. Oil brought so much wealth a former Head of State boasted that Nigeria’s problem was not money but how to spend it! The farmers left the rural farms and trooped to the urban centres to gain close access to their own share of the national cake of oil revenue. But Nigeria’s crude oil brought nothing but misery: it divided the country along ethnic and geographical lines, it created a new elite that chose rent collection as a way of life. The entire country became indolent. Agriculture was abandoned because it requires much thinking, preparation and hardwork. There have been efforts in the past to revive agriculture but every effort in that direction has not worked due to lack of commitment, absence of continuity, corruption, waste and poor organization. In 1976, in his first coming as Nigeria’s Head of State, President Olusegun Obasanjo introduced what he called “Operation Feed the Nation” to increase food production, healthy nutrition and promote farming. In 1979/80, the Shagari administration focussed on what was called the “Green Revolution”, to ensure food security. Between 1976 and 1980, there were also fertilizer distribution programmes. All of these initiatives, brilliant as they were on paper failed to achieve their objectives. By 2008, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was telling the Food Agricultural Organization (FAO) about his administration’s commitment to the Millenium Development Goals of nutrition security, poverty and hunger reduction, even if budgetary allocation to agriculture then was a mere 7%. 

In order not to delay us with history, let us jump to the Jonathan administration, 2010 -2015 under which a blueprint for agricultural development was introduced and led by Dr. Akinwumi Adesina who before his appointment had been the Vice President of Policy and Partnerships for the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). He had also worked as a senior economist at the West African Rice Development Association (WARDA), Ivory Coast. Adesina’s natural inclination as Minister was to revolutionize agriculture, turn it into a business and reinvent it. He was succeeded by Audu Ogbeh who threw away his blueprint and confused agriculture with politics. It is widely believed, in any case, that the Buhari administration was not keen about anything that required any measure of rigour. The agriculture value chain in Nigeria also suffered due to low budgetary allocation, lack of political will, politics, the fixation of the leaders with easy oil wealth. The problem has since been compounded by the effects of climate change, insecurity in the country which makes it difficult for farmers to get to their farms or feed their cattle, oil pollution in the Niger Delta which has destroyed aquatic life and the politicization of agriculture. 

This is the setting that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu inherited in 2023. Food inflation is the biggest problem in Nigeria today. Oil exploration has become problematic. There is no money to buy food. It is still the same land, but not enough to eat, and where food is available, it is costly. Tinubu has been talking about food security and the need for the states to work together with the Federal Government to address this national emergency. I find quality response from two states: the Niger State administration of Governor Umar Mohammed Bago, the farmer-Governor and the Chrislam who sings and leads Christian praise worship sessions despite being a Muslim. Besides singing Christian songs as a Muslim, Bago is investing heavily in agriculture. The other Governor is Babajide Sanwoolu of Lagos State, who is about to cause a food revolution in Lagos. The rest of this piece is devoted to the example of Lagos State and my recent eye-witness account of the state’s response to Nigeria’s food dilemma. 

In February 2024, I was the moderator of a media chat, the governor’s first tagged “Sanwoolu Speaks” where in the context of the complaints about hunger in the state, the Governor promised among other things to launch what he called “Ounje Eko”- that is Lagos Food Initiative to support households and make food affordable. Within weeks after that media chat, Governor Sanwoolu launched the “Ounje Eko” Initiative, to give 25% food subsidy to Lagos residents in 60 locations across the state in all the local government areas. By July 2024, the Lagos government had chosen to rename the Ministry of Agriculture to become the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems. The new emphasis was to create and develop in an efficient manner, a value chain in Lagos State from the farm to the market to achieve supply and price stability. By October 2024, Lagos State launched the Fresh Food Hub Initiative, with the pilot project in Idi-Oro, Mushin. The concept is that of a one stop for very fresh food at affordable and unbeatable prices. It is a public-private partnership project, a good demonstration of how the government can collaborate with entrepreneurs with knowledge and expertise to innovate and elevate. 

The other day, I ran into the Chairman of the company -Origin Tech Group that is in partnership with the Lagos State Government on the project. His name is Prince Samuel J. Samuel. He is Chairman of about 22 companies including Sensale, Greener Hope, Landcraft, Rhema Project, Origin Agriculture, Origin Automobile and so on and so forth. His main project and mission is to partner with government to revolutionize agriculture. He believes that agriculture is one area in which Nigeria can make a quick difference in the people’s lives: create jobs, provide food at affordable rates, develop communities, and develop mechanized farming. “Many Nigerians are trained but they are untested”, he told me. Investment in agriculture can build resilient food systems and develop expertise. His company has since worked with the Sanwoolu Government to develop a 5-year Agric Strategic Plan for Lagos State. It is sub-titled “Lagos State Agriculture Development Roadmap – Making Lagos a 21st Century Economy.” Prince Samuel says he has had to suspend every other project he is working on because he is inspired by Governor Sanwoolu’s commitment and determination. His company designed and built the Middle Level Market in Idi Oro, Mushin. But that he said is just the beginning of a carefully thought-out programme for Lagos State. 

Last week, he invited me to visit the Food Logistics Hub that is being built in the Epe Division of the state. The plan is to commission the first phase of this Logistics Hub for Agriculture in May, 2025. It is located in Ketu-Ejinrin, a quiet, rural community that is about to be transformed. For over two hours, we inspected the vast farmland and food processing centre that is under construction. The phase one sits on 2.2 million square metres of land, and when the hub is completed, it will occupy 4.2 million square metres. Origin Group and the Lagos Government are constructing a total of 60 kms network of roads within the farm settlement, 18 km is already built with full concrete, of about more than 4 metres in diameter. 

Some of the facilities at the location include a weighbridge, an administrative block of five floors, a cold storage on 15, 000 square metres, a large dry store area, 11 dealing areas sitting on 7,000 sq. metres (8 nearing completion), storage silos of 1.5 million tonnes when fully completed, a clinic, and a truck terminal with a processing and parking capacity of 1, 560 trucks per day. When fully completed, this facility will be powered with a 4 MW gas plant, backed up with 27 MW of solar capacity. The Lagos Food System hub is patterned after the Marche d’Interet National de Rungis in Paris, the largest food market in the world. A similar market co-operative is the Royal FloraHolland. The Lagos farm logistics hub is designed to sell wholesale products to traders who then distribute to other networks within the state. The objective, says Samuel, is to ensure market and price stability. I marvelled at the expanse of land, stretching as far as the Lagoon with jetty locations abutting the farm. Five kilometres away is another farm, a ranch for cows. Over 250 million dollars have so far been spent. The workers at the location were all Nigerians including the engineers and security personnel. 

“We could not have done this without Governor Sanwoolu”, he said. “If Dangote can build a whole refinery, that in itself is inspiring. Other entrepreneurs can do it. Governor Sanwoolu told me let’s do it. By the time you visit this site in another month, you’d be surprised.”  

Would he opt for a Free Zone model? “No”, he retorted. “We don’t want customs disturbing our off-takers. Do you know what killed Tinapa? Brilliant idea. Free Trade Zone killed it.” 

How about exports? “That is not our priority. The Governor wants the people of Lagos to get food at stable and affordable prices, that is his primary target.”  

When we left Ketu-Ejinrin, our next stop was Abijo, near the Lagos Business School where Lagos State is building another Middle Level Market. “If you look around, you will see that markets in Lagos States developed organically. What Governor Sanwoolu is trying to do is to organize the farm to market value chain in line with world standards,” Prince Samuel said. The Abijo Market is the same as the one in Idi Oro, Mushin. Lagos State plans to build about 60 of such markets across the state. A beautiful structure, with ample parking space. The market is to be operated on a trade-as-you-go-basis. The market like the one in Idi-Oro is also open to all Lagosians. I pointed out that I had seen something similar in Rwanda. Prince Samuel dismissed that quickly. “The Lagos vision is bigger than that!” 

From Abijo, we also inspected Origin Group factories in Oregun and Surulere where state of the art mechanized farming equipment has been kept aside, to launch perhaps the most extensive mechanized farming programme that Nigeria has ever seen, when the logistics hub is completed. I was worried though that Governor Sanwoolu has just two more years left in office. Is there any guarantee that this legacy project will be sustained by his successors? Perhaps the private sector partnership is a form of guarantee. Prince Samuel is as committed to the project as the Governor. A former Tomato Puree maker, he sees agriculture as a business and a passion. He believes that with agriculture, Nigeria cannot fail, nor should the country worry about the energy transition, an area where Nigeria is so far behind. Agriculture he says is the future. Prince Samuel is also an author, he believes that research is everything, and that technology has changed the world for good. He has found a good soulmate in the Governor of Lagos State. The Lagos 5-year Agric Plan should be shared with other states of the Federation and the Federal Government. Nigerians must fight the scourge of hunger. No Nigerian male or female, must ever go to bed hungry. President Tinubu and the Governors must feed the nation and encourage local entrepreneurs working in the agric sector and other sectors. Dangote’s example in oil and gas has catalyzed courage and ambition in the country. Let more

Dangotes who dream big (!) emerge across the landscape.