The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Blackburn Rovers hail Alebiosu’s AFCON inclusion 

    Blackburn Rovers hail Alebiosu’s AFCON inclusion 

    Championship club Blackburn Rovers have hailed Ryan Alebiosu’s remarkable rise to international recognition, DAILY POST reports.

    Virtually an unknown figure in Nigeria, Alebiosu was named in Nigeria’s 28-man squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations by head coach, Eric Chelle this week.

    The right-back was born in England to Nigerian parents. He was eligible to represent both countries.

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    The 23-year-old has now committed his international future to Nigeria, and is expected to play a key role for Nigeria in Morocco following the unavailability of Ola Aina and Benjamin Fredrick due to injury.

    “Whilst Rovers are disappointed to be losing a key player at such a crucial stage in the season, the club are proud of Ryan’s progress since he completed a summer switch to Ewood Park, which has seen him earn international recognition for the first time in his career,” Blackburn wrote on their official webpage.

  • NLO announces kick-off date for new season

    NLO announces kick-off date for new season

    The Nationwide League One, NLO, has announced Friday, April 10, 2026 as the kick off date for the new season.

    The new date was agreed at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Abuja on Friday.

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    The AGM also introduced a new logo and made important amendments to its rules and regulations.

    NLO Chairman, Silas Agara, reiterated the league body’s commitment to providing a platform for grassroots football development.

    “The logo rebrand signifies the NLO’s commitment to providing more than just a platform for grassroots football development,” Agara stated during the AGM.

  • Ex-lawmaker backs revamp of Warri, Koko ports

    Ex-lawmaker backs revamp of Warri, Koko ports

    Former Delta State House of Assembly member and Executive Assistant to the Governor on Political Matters, Hon. Misan Ukubeyinje, has thrown his weight behind Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s recent call for the urgent revamp and reactivation of the Warri Port, describing it as a bold and timely intervention in the interest of the national economy.

    In a statement he personally signed and made available to journalists, Ukubeyinje congratulated Governor Oborevwori for adding his strong voice to the decades-long outcry over the deliberate neglect of ports outside Lagos by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

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    He noted that the concentration of port activities in Lagos has led to severe congestion, traffic gridlock, inflated haulage costs, and slow business operations, all of which could be mitigated if other ports like Warri, Koko, and Calabar are made fully operational.

    According to Ukubeyinje, “Revamping Warri and Koko ports will not only decongest Lagos but stimulate economic growth across the Niger Delta, create jobs, reduce transportation costs, and open up inland commercial activities. The Federal Government must begin to treat these ports as strategic national assets, not political tokens.”

  • Wema Bank unveils N120m prize for Hackaholics grand finale

    Wema Bank unveils N120m prize for Hackaholics grand finale

    Wema Bank has announced a N120 million prize pool for the Hackaholics 6.0 Grand Finale following the emergence of 35 teams from regional pitch sessions that recorded 1,460 participants across seven cities in Nigeria.

    Announcing the prize structure, MD/CEO Wema Bank, Moruf Oseni, disclosed that the N120 million will be awarded across several winning categories at the finale.

    The Ideathon prizes include N25 million for first place, N20 million for the first runner-up and N15 million for the second runner-up. In the Hackathon category, the first to fourth-place teams will receive N20 million, N15 million, N10 million and N5 million respectively.

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    In addition, two women-led innovations, one from each vertical, will receive N5 million each in recognition of Wema Bank’s commitment to advancing female participation in technology and innovation.

    According to Moruf Oseni, “Hackaholics continuesto demonstrate the power of young people to shape the future of technology and nation-building. We believe strongly in the ideas, resilience, and ingenuity of the Nigerian youth, and our investment in this initiative is a clear testament of our commitment to giving them the resources, mentorship, and platform they need to transform their ideas into real-world solutions.

    “As these finalists head to Lagos, we are confident that their innovations will create meaningful impact across industries and communities, and we are proud to be a champion for that transformation.”

  • MFM  Ajilo  trains, empowers  115 Ondo women

    MFM  Ajilo  trains, empowers  115 Ondo women

    • By  Ayoyinka Jegede

    The Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, MFM,  South West 12, Ondo Mega 3 Ajilo, has trained and empower over 115 women in different  skills such as bread making, bakery and confectionery skills, cake making  and designing,  and other pastries, as well as  different  soap making, disinfectant, scrubbing power, bleach and other free of charge.

    The church  also provided some participants with starter packs to enable them to begin their own businesses immediately after the training

    The church earlier had free medical outreach which involves diagnosis,  tests,  and treatment.

    The gesture  by the church is to foster women ‘s economic growth, develop women economically and  in skills, majorly to help members turn skills into sustainable income which will reduce poverty and make women financially independent

    Speaking on the empowerment programme, the Mega Regional Overseer(MRO) in charge of MFM South-West 12, Ondo Mega 3 Ajilo, Pastor Andrew Opeyemi said the church’s humanitarian interventions aim to make women economically self-reliant.

    45 women  were trained on black soap, liquid soap and bleach making, the church  also train and empower 70 young women in  bread making , cake and other snacks

     The gestures were in furtherance of the church’s commitment to Sustainable Development Goal 5 on women’s empowerment.

    This followed an earlier  empowerment…..

    He explained that the General Overseer of MFM Worldwide, Dr Daniel Olukoya, and his wife, Dr. (Mrs) Folashade Olukoya, had given a clear directive for the church to intensify efforts to positively impact lives beyond spiritual teachings and deliverance prayers.

    Opeyemi,  said the Women Foundation arm of the church, led by Mrs Olukoya, continues to organise deliverance programmes, biblical seminars, and diverse skill acquisition trainings aimed at empowering women spiritually and economically.

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    “In alignment with our mission to uplift and empower women within our community, MFM South-West 12, Ondo Mega 3, Ajilo free without  charges had transformative five-day intensive training programme focused on confectionery skills,” he said. “The initiative targeted young and adult females, offering practical knowledge, start-up resources, and certification to help them launch sustainable baking enterprises. By God’s grace, we provided participants with start-up kits to facilitate immediate business activation.”

    He added that the training boosted the women’s confidence, social mobility, and ability to generate income.

    Opeyemi,  appreciated  the General Overseer,  Dr. Olukoya for championing the empowerment drive and promised that the church would continue to promote community development through skill-based programmes alongside its well-known spiritual activities.

    The MRO reiterated that the church  MFM will continue to support members who are unemployed with skill acquisition and to also create wealth for themselves.

  • Abode bags IAS certification

    Abode bags IAS certification

    A real estate firm, Abode Assets Limited, has been awarded the IAS-accredited ISO 9001:2015 certification.

    This was contained in a statement by the company yesterday. The certification, according to the company’s Co-founder and CEO, Jeffrey Itepu, is in clear recognition of the company’s commitment, attainment and compliance with international standards for its digital platform and service provision in the democratisation of real estate assets.

    “The ISO 9001:2015 standard certifies organisations that consistently provide quality products and services that meet both customer and regulatory requirements.

    “For Abode Assets Limited, this recognition reinforces the core tenet of its mission, which is to democratise prosperity for Africans through simplified asset acquisition. “The entire Quality Management System (QMS) is dedicated to facilitating shared prosperity and wealth creation for every stakeholder,” he stated.

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    He equally expressed satisfaction with the team’s achievement, saying, “The ISO 9001:2015 is definitive proof that our mandate, which is to democratise prosperity for Africans, is built on a foundation of global excellence.”

    Applauding the efforts of the team in achieving the feat, Co-founder, Mr Damilare Oshokoya, said the ISO 9001:2015 certification is a demonstration of Abode’s capacity to merge technology with real estate successfully.

    “One of our major goals was to implement an end-to-end process where the customer has a seamless digital experience from buying a property to exiting it. This certification confirms that our operational activities, from virtual inspections to digital documentation, meet world-class standards for transparency and efficiency.

  • Presidential aide commends NIMC DG’s transformation drive, seeks collaboration for digital innovation

    Presidential aide commends NIMC DG’s transformation drive, seeks collaboration for digital innovation

    In a strategic move that underscores Nigeria’s march toward a fully digital economy, a delegation from Softline Technologies and Services AB, Sweden, accompanied by a Special Assistant to the President, Mr Abiodun Yinusa, recently paid a courtesy visit to the headquarters of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) in Abuja.

    The high-level visit, led by representatives of the Stockholm-based consultancy firm, provided an opportunity for an extensive engagement with the Director-General/CEO of NIMC, Engr. Bisoye Coker-Odusote, whose ongoing reforms and leadership style have continued to draw widespread commendation from local and international stakeholders.

    Speaking during the visit, the delegation applauded the DG for the remarkable transformation agenda currently redefining national identity management in Nigeria.

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    They described the agency’s achievements under her stewardship, ranging from technological upgrades and improved data integrity systems to efficient service delivery models, as “a clear departure from past limitations and a strong signal that Nigeria is aligning with global best practices.”

    In her remarks, the Director-General of NIMC, Engr Coker-Odusote, expressed commitment to partnering with credible global technology institutions, saying the agency is open to collaborations that will strengthen its operations and accelerate innovation.

    She welcomed Softline Technologies’ interest, noting that such partnerships complement the Commission’s vision to deepen digital identity coverage, enhance back-end processes, and expand service offerings to millions of Nigerians at home and abroad.

  • Group donates food items to Kirikiri correctional center

    Group donates food items to Kirikiri correctional center

    In the spirit of the Christmas season, a social-cultural group, Pillow Whispers, has donated food items and household gifts to the female wing of the Kirikiri Correctional Centre in Lagos.

    Items donated to the centre include a bag of rice, a bag of garri, baby oil, drinks, staple foods, and toiletries, among others

    Speaking during the donation exercise, the leader of the group, Adejoke Adunbi-Davies, said the donation was part of the group’s effort to put smiles on the faces of the inmates, particularly as the world is celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.

    “As a group, we have a culture of giving back to society and showing love where it matters most. Christmas is the season when we celebrate the greatest love of all, the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, who came to die for our sins. He commanded us to love one another, and so that is the driving force behind this visit.

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     “We, as a group, seize the opportunity of the season to share love with those in need. This is the seventh year that we have done this. This year, we chose to give our token to the female inmates at Kirikiri Correctional Center. We have garri, rice, baby oil, sanitary pads, baby clothes and other materials,” she said.

    Adunbi-Davies noted that the programme was designed to enable selected individuals to celebrate and be happy, no matter their present condition.

    She said: “We know that the government cannot do it alone. So, we have decided to join hands and bring our widow”s mite to help put smiles on the faces of these people. You may think this is little, but we believe it will help in making them put aside their sorrows, even if momentarily.”

     The group, however, called on the Federal Government to provide funding for correctional facilities across the country, saying this will help achieve the aim of remoulding inmates and their reintegration into society after serving their terms.

  • PDP faction leaders hold talks with Obasanjo in Abeokuta

    PDP faction leaders hold talks with Obasanjo in Abeokuta

    A faction of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) led by the chairman, Alhaji Taminu Turaki, on Saturday visited former President Olusegun Obasanjo in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, over matters believed to be connected to the 2027 general elections.

    Turaki and his entourage who stormed Obasanjo’s residence on Saturday about 11:40am entered a closed door meeting with the ex – president at sprawling Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) Abeokuta. They were joined by other chieftains of the party leaders.

    Speaking with reporters shortly after the meeting, Turaki said the new leadership of the party had come to draw from the immense experience of Obasanjo, who was one of the pioneer leaders in the current democratic dispensation which started in 1999.

    He noted that Chief Obasanjo as an elder statesman and who led the country between 1999 and 2007 on the platform of the PDP, used his administration to build enduring legacies and strong institutions, adding that he has helped to strengthen democratic growth in the country.

    Turaki who emerged as the factional chairman of the PDP at the party’s recent convention in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, said that having just been given another opportunity to serve, he reckoned it appropriate to visit Obasanjo and tap from his wealth of wisdom, seek his blessings and support for the success of the PDP’s new leadership.

    In his entourage to Obasanjo’s residence were the BOT Chairman and former Senate President, Sen Adolphus Wabara, the National Secretary and former Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Alhaji Taofeek Arapaja, two former governors of Niger and Plateau States, Alhaji Muazu Banginda Aliyu and Sen Jonah Jang respectively, Dr Wole Oluyede, the party’s governorship candidate for the forthcoming gubernatorial elections, among others. Turaki said the task ahead is to send the All Progressives Congress(APC) – led government packing in 2027 due to its incompetence and maladministration.

    According to him, the frank talk the PDP leaders had with Obasanjo has further inspired them that the task ahead was not insurmountable.

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     He said: “As the newly elected PDP leadership during our recent congress at Ibadan, we came to introduce ourselves to our father, the former president under the PDP administration, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.

    “I didn’t come alone, the former Senate President and the BOT Chairman of our great Party, Sen Adolphus Wabara, is here likewise our National Secretary, the former deputy governor of Oyo State, Alhaji Taofeek Arapaja, is also here. Two former governors of  Niger and Plateau States, Alhaji Muazu Babangida Aliyu and Sen Jonah Jang, are also part of the entourage, among others.

    “We came to thank the former president for his vision and contributions to strengthening our democracy and good governance while he was in power. We came to thank him for helping build strong institutions that the country enjoys to this day.

    “We have also come to see the former president to draw inspiration from him as an oracle, we have come to get guidance, we have come to get advice, we have equally come to get critical support because if we must succeed in the gargantuan assignment that has been thrust upon our shoulders, then we must come to people like Chief Obasanjo who have the prerequisite experience.

    “There is a proverb that says that a woman who started cooking before you must definitely have more broken pots. So we have come to see our father here in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, and we have spoken to Baba, and Baba too has spoken to us, and we are enriched.

     “We have also realized more than ever before now that yes, the task before us may not be an easy one, but from the inspiration and guidance that we have received from Baba today, we are more than ready to go all the way and take PDP back to the seat of power come 2027.”

     He stated that PDP is battle-ready for 2027, and this would be more obvious when the party claims victory in the coming gubernatorial elections in Ekiti and Osun States.

    He stated that “PDP is battle-ready for 2027, and as our mark of readiness, we shall take over Ekiti State and then follow up with Osun State.

     “By the time we win these two states, we shall leave no one in doubt that PDP, once again, is on the move, PDP is on the rise to chase out the APC government with all its incompetence and maladministration in 2027.”

  •  LASUSTECH VC tells 3,272 matriculating students to prepare for future

     LASUSTECH VC tells 3,272 matriculating students to prepare for future

    The Vice-Chancellor of the Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH), Prof. Olumuyiwa Odusanya, has tasked 3,272 new undergraduates of the institution to be ready to proactively shape their own futures.

    Odusanya made the call in his welcome speech during the 2025/2026 matriculation ceremony for first-year and direct entry students of the university held on Monday, December 8, 2025.

    The Vice-Chancellor described the event as a formal commencement of undergraduate training. He challenged the new students to prepare for an uncertain future by actively creating the one they desire, citing President John F. Kennedy’s moonshot ambition as a historic example of such future-building.

    He noted that the digital age presents vast opportunities for innovation, referencing how access to technology in Nigeria has dramatically expanded beyond past limitations. The address included a firm warning against negative vices such as cultism, indecent dressing, absenteeism, illicit drug use, and wrong associations, stating these would not create a positive future.

    Students were instructed to commit fully to their academic work, be punctual, and take practical sessions seriously. They were also advised to build community, maintain contact with parents, and be traceable.

    Looking beyond degree certification, the Vice-Chancellor stressed the importance of developing market-ready skills, competencies, and innovative attitudes. He called on students to conceive solutions to national problems, suggesting possibilities like manufacturing multipurpose drones or developing new algorithms.

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    “Today indeed is a day of good news. The matriculation ceremony marks your formal admission and commencement of your undergraduate training.

    “The way to take uncertainty out of the future is to create the future you genuinely want. I urge you, therefore, to be future-ready undergraduates. I urge you to think of many things and create in this digital age, because many others created the future we now live in.”

    The address outlined three core pillars for student success: understanding consequences, total commitment to academic work, and looking beyond the degree itself. “A degree may just be a piece of paper, but the skills, the competencies, the knowledge that you should bring to it will define what you get out of that degree,” he said.

    Encouraging practical innovation, the Vice Chancellor told the students: “If you can imagine it, you can create it.” He suggested they could develop solutions like multipurpose drones or new algorithms, and even contribute to critical medical research.

    Speaking on the significance of the event, the Vice Chancellor described matriculation as a university prerequisite “where students are formally admitted to join the academic community” and where expectations for behavior and academic journey are set.

     He described the occasion as a milestone for the institution, which began with no students three years ago and now has a total population exceeding 12,600.