The Nation Newspaper

Category: Saturday Magazine

  • My flying experience with IBB, Abacha, Obasanjo, Shonekan, others —Ex-Presidential Air Fleet pilot

    My flying experience with IBB, Abacha, Obasanjo, Shonekan, others —Ex-Presidential Air Fleet pilot

    Captain Elisha Agio Bahago, an indigene of Niger State, spent 16 years in the Nigerian Presidential Air Fleet. He flew five former Nigerian presidents/heads of state from Gen. Ibrahim Babangida to the late Gen. Sani Abacha and former President Olusegun Obasanjo. Bahago, who is now exploring another frontier in the aviation industry with his training as a drone pilot at ARCO Aviation Academy, recalled his experience in a chat with select journalists. MIKE ODIEGWU was there.

    Tell us about your airline experience and how long you have been flying?

    I began my flying career in 1982 at Burnside-Ott flying school, Opa-locka Miami, Florida, in USA where I graduated with a Commercial Pilot License (Single & Multi-Engine) and Instrument Rating. I started commercial flying with the then Nigeria Airways in 1984 as a First Officer on the Boeing 737-200 fleet, operating both domestic and regional routes within Nigeria, West, and East Africa. In 1990, I was privileged to be among six pilots—along with aircraft maintenance engineers, cabin crew, and flight dispatchers from Nigerian Airways – seconded to the Presidency, Nigerian Presidential Air Fleet. I served there for 16 years.

    I voluntarily retired to complete my part-time Master’s degree in Air Safety Management at London City University, London UK. While studying, three major air crashes occurred in Nigeria (2005–2006), which became my case study. Later, I joined the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) in 2007 as a Flight Operations Safety Inspector on contract. I was privileged to partake in the real-time implementation of aviation safety management system as Nigeria worked to attain Category One Certification from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This certification placed Nigeria on par with other nations in terms of compliance with ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs). I continued flying intermittently until 2023 when I finally retired from manned aircraft operations.

     What was the most remarkable moment during your 43 years of flying?

     While serving in the Nigerian Presidential Air Fleet, I was among the six pilots who first operated the Gulfstream IV aircraft, Nigeria’s first presidential jet acquired during Gen. Ibrahim Babangida’s regime. We flew President Babangida, his family and officials until he stepped aside. Afterwards, I flew the late Chief Ernest Shonekan, the late Gen. Sani Abacha, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, and former President Olusegun Obasanjo with their families, officials and whoever the president authorised us to fly.

    I vividly recall my first flight with President Obasanjo in 1999—we flew him to Libya for the 30th anniversary of the late Col. Muammar Gaddafi’s rise to power. Gaddafi reportedly said he would not begin the celebration without the Nigerian President’s presence. It was a memorable flight. Throughout my career, I flew eight different jet types: Boeing 737-200, Gulfstream IV, Gulfstream II, Hawker 125-800XP, Cessna 560 XLS, Boeing 737 NG, Falcon 7X, and Embraer 135/145—covering commercial, presidential, corporate, and private operations. I’ve flown across the seven continents, especially with the Gulfstream IV.

     What was that particular experience that you would never forget while flying?

     There are many, but one stands out. In 1987, while flying for Nigeria Airways as a First Officer, we were departing Jos for Lagos when we experienced a bird strike during takeoff. It was my leg to fly, but when the incident occurred, I handed control to my Captain, Capt. Popoola and resumed my first officer’s duty, declared an emergency, and requested clearance to return and land. It was my first real-time engine failure experience. The No. 2 (right) engine ingested the birds, causing a loud bang. The control tower immediately informed us that our engine was on fire and cleared us to return. We had 34 passengers and 4 crew members on board.

    Despite the high altitude of Jos Airport (over 4,000 feet above mean sea level), we climbed steadily with one engine to a safe circuit height, followed the single engine procedures checklist and landed safely. One sad memory I can never forget: I was supposed to be on the ADC flight captained by my course mate, Capt. Atanda, which crashed on departure from Abuja to Sokoto, killing the then Sultan of Sokoto and some passengers on board. I had initially planned to join that flight but changed my mind at the last moment in the hope that when he returned from Sokoto, I would join him to Lagos. Perhaps, my presence might have changed something; possibly avert the incident —or it could have been my last flight. 

    How did it feel working with Nigeria Airways at the time?

    All my life, I swore to serve my nation. My goal was always to contribute to Nigeria’s progress, inspired by what I saw in other countries. Flying with Nigeria Airways was a privilege, not a pursuit of money. I wanted to serve and I got it. Later, as a Flight Operations Inspector with CAA, the regulatory authority responsible for regulating, certifying and over-sighting Nigerian and foreign airlines operations compliances with the safety regulations.

    Now, I serve as an Investigator with the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB). I have evolved from a Commercial Pilot to a Safety Operations Inspector and now an Aviation Accident Investigator. My journey in the aviation sector has indeed brought me full circle in service to my nation. I also served as the Director of Operations, Licensing, and Training Standards (DOLTS) at the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

     How do you feel about the grounding of Nigeria Airways?

    There have been several attempts to revive Nigeria Airways. Unfortunately, political interference and disregard for due process have stalled the progress. Nigeria is Africa’s largest economy, yet we have no national carrier. Many former staff members of the Nigerian Airways have still not been fully paid their entitlements since the airline was liquidated in 2002. If Nigeria Airways had been managed as a business rather than a political tool, it would have survived and be thriving by now.

    What is Nigeria losing by not having a national carrier like Ethiopia or Kenya?

    Initially, national carriers were created for political and diplomatic presence rather than profit. Nigeria Airways once proudly flew to many cities such as New York, London, Rome, Jeddah and other African cities under the Nigerian flag-“sky power”. Other nations have since restructured their national carriers into viable, self-sustaining businesses, free from political interference. Nigeria should do the same. Many Nigerians still want to see Nigeria Airways fly again—it’s a matter of national pride and identity.

     While in the Presidential Fleet, which President or Head of State was most challenging to fly?

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    As a trained professional, once the President steps into the aircraft, I see him as a passenger. My duty and responsibility is to ensure all safety protocols are strictly followed. I never took unnecessary risks because of who is on board. If the aircraft isn’t fit for a flight, I would respectfully decline to operate it. As I always say, liars can never become good pilots. So, there was no particular challenge—only professionalism with the highest level of responsibility.

     How lucrative is it to be a pilot?

     Passion is the driving force. The most successful pilots are those driven by passion—money becomes secondary. The profession demands discipline: every six months, you must undergo medical checks and proficiency training. You must remain current and competent at all times.

     Why are you in ARCO Aviation?

    I collaborated with ARCO Aviation Academy to explore the world of unmanned flight. The future of aviation is in drone technology, and I wanted to understand and be part of it. I also served as a consultant during the academy’s establishment. ARCO Aviation Academy is the first NCAA-approved aviation training organisation authorised to train drone pilots in Nigeria. I appreciate the scholarship they offered me to train as a drone pilot.

    What advice would you give to young pilots, especially regarding safety?

     I am a professional pilot who loves his job. I’m not an expert yet. That is why I’m here for further training. My advice is never exceed your personal limits. Every aircraft and environment has its limitations—especially the weather. Never succumb to pressure to impress anyone at the expense of safety. Before any flight, remember this safety acronym: “IMSAFE” I- Illness: Are you suffering from any illness that could impair your ability to fly? Don’t fly. M-Medication: Are you taking any medication that could affect your focus or reaction? Don’t fly. S-Stress: Are you under psychological pressure or anxiety? Don’t fly. A-Alcohol: Have you consumed alcohol recently? Wait at least eight hours (“bottle to throttle”). Don’t fly. F-Fatigue: Are you well-rested? Fatigue affects focus and judgment. Don’t fly. E-Emotion: Are you emotionally distracted by anything? Don’t fly.

    I have flown to many countries—the U.S., U.K., Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Norway, Israel, Iran, Brazil, Germany, China, and more. During the 1995 Beijing Conference, I was part of the crew that flew the then First Lady, Mrs. Maryam Abacha, to China.  It may interest you to know that I had the privilege of flying President Ahmed Tinubu, then the governor of Lagos State, from Abuja to Marrakesh, Morocco, and later to Lagos during President Obasanjo’s administration. I flew round the seven continents of the world.

  • Kaduna community draws battle line with bandits over murder of teacher, three underage girls at police station

    Kaduna community draws battle line with bandits over murder of teacher, three underage girls at police station

    • Residents vow to resist prolonged oppression, exploitation

    After a long period of enduring large scale oppression, exploitation and mindless attacks at the hands of bandits terrorising their area, the people of Kuyello Ward in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State have resolved to take their destiny in their hands. The resolve is coming on the heels of a recent bloody attack that left three underage children and nine others dead, INNOCENT DURU reports.

    Aisha, an 11- year-old pupil, went with her two friends for an extra-mural class in a police station in Kuyello Ward, where a wife of a police officer had taken it upon herself to give them extra lessons and ensure they excel academically.

    Shortly after the lesson session began, they had an unusual movement within the station. The invaders needed no introduction. Their coarse and reverberating voices gave out who they were and what their mission was. 

    As a caring mother, the teacher hurriedly led the kids out of the open place they were using and hid them where she considered a safe place.

    But her efforts were not enough to save herself and the budding souls from the murderous elements.

    “They killed three of them, who were all in  Primary Six. The first one, my sister, was 11 years old. Another one was 13 while the third one was 9 or 10,” Abubakar, Aisha’s uncle, told our correspondent.

    “The deceased’s father is dead but her mother is alive. I feel heartbroken, I feel devastated. I am unhappy, actually,” Abubakar said, overwhelmed with emotion.

    On why the bandits would attack a police station and kill innocent children in the most bestial manner,  Abubakar said: “I think the bandits thought they were children of policemen. 

    “When they came, the  teacher was giving them lesson outside her room, I mean  in the compound. They have a corner and they were doing their lesson there.

    “When the bandits came, she led  the children to her room and hid them there.”

    The incident, according to him, occurred three weeks ago. “It was on a Thursday around 3 pm. The bandits came and started shooting at people.

    “How could we even continue staying in this village like this? We cannot progress like this.”

    Villagers counted 60 motorcycles, each with three riders

    A worried member of the community, who gave his name simply as Zara, said the bandits who carried out the dastardly act were many. 

    Zara said: “After they had carried out the attack on our community, people in the neighbouring village who saw them leaving  said they counted about 60 motorcycles with three bandits on each. 

    “I have heard this from two to three individuals.  I don’t know if it was only those 60 motorcycles that came to our community or there were more.

    “Some of the victims were pupils I taught before.

    “People were thrown into mourning after the incident and are still fear stricken about another attack by the bandits. 

    “Although there is a bit of stability in the town, people are still apprehensive.

    Attacks unsettle pupils, teachers

    Following the menace of the bandits, Abubakar said: “We cannot even send our children to school. Our secondary school used to close at 2 pm. We can no longer do that again.

    “Now we just close at 1 pm or earlier because the teachers and the students are afraid.

    “The bandits may come at any given time.”

    Abubakar responded in the affirmative when asked if the bandits live within their vicinity. “Yes, we have the bandits around our environment. Very close to our area, from the east to the west.

    “In the eastern part of the town, we have them. From the western part of the town we have them again.They usually carry their weapons with them.

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    “The bandits used to come to this place to give mechanics their motorcycles for repairs.

    “They pay after their motorcycles are repaired. But they don’t usually carry guns when they are coming to fix their machines or buy things.

    “But if they are just passing, they pass with their guns, putting fears in the people.”

    He noted that the hoodlums always bear new weapons.

    “Their own weapons are more sophisticated. They are very, very heavy.

    “I can’t even tell the names because I’m not an expert in that field. But I douourif our police have such weapons.

    “I have seen them before. I was scared when I saw them.  In fact, I just ran for my life out of fear.

    “If things continue like this, we have no option but to leave.

    “We hardly sleep. We cannot access our farms because of the bandits.

    “They come at any time. We have been managing to survive.”

     Speaking in the same vein, Zara said: “Children go to school with one eye in class and the other eye on the lookout for possible attack.

    “The attendance was very poor today as always.”

    The bandits, Zara said, “come with sophisticated guns; I think AK 47  with big bullets. 

    “They have the type of gun they will put on the ground and start pressing.

    “They carry heavy weapons, and the weapons are new.

    “You would be surprised to see such and wonder how they gain access to them.”

    ‘Murder of bandit by miners fuelled attack on Kuyello’

    A resident of the community, Muhideen, said the bloody attack on Kuyello was a transferred aggression by the bandits. 

    His words: “I learnt that one of the bandits went to where miners were searching for gold.

    “The bandits used to disturb the miners. After staying at mining sites for weeks searching for gold, the bandits would go there and collect their gold. 

    “If the miners refuse to give them the gold, they attack and shoot them dead.

    “On that fateful day, a bandit threatened to kill a miner for refusing to give him gold. Incidentally, the miner overpowered and killed the bandit. 

    “The place whereincident occurred is far from our place. But they transferred the aggression to our community.”

    After the attack, which left more than 10 people dead and several others injured, Muhideen said the bandits are still not remorseful. 

    “They said they are coming back. Even today, people in some villages called to inform us that they saw the bandits gathering.

    “They said they would attack this town four times. We can’t sleep with our two eyes closed.

    “Some people need to stay outside and watch. Once they see some strangers, they tell others to run.”

    Bandits attack PoS operators, cart away N1Om, machines

    Aside from killing innocent members of the community, Mohammed, a community member said, “the bandits collected money from three PoS centres and took away the PoS machines.

    “At one of the PoS centres, they collected more than N10 million cash.  They killed four females and seven males in all.

    “On  October 28, they kidnapped two persons. One was kidnapped in the town and the other one was taken outside Kuyello.”

    Following the volume of attacks and oppression that people have gone through at the hands of the bandits, Mohammed said, the confidence level in Keyullo is low.

    “It is just about 40 per cent. We are hearing that they will come back again. We don’t know what we have done to them.”

    Recalling past efforts to appease the bandits, Mohammed said: “ The government dialogued with them in the past. After that, they started coming to Kuyello to buy goods and services. 

    “Sometimes they would come and buy things, carrying their AK47.  Whenever they come like that we would just sell goods to them and nothing more.

    “The government dialogued with them and assured us they would not touch us and that we in turn should not touch them.

    “Now, the arrangement has collapsed. Right now, they can’t come and buy anything here. We will not allow them to come unless the government intervenes.

    “When that happens, we may continue to sell to them again.”

    Farms deserted, investments rotting away

    Abubakar lamented that the bandits have made it difficult for them to access their farms, regretting that they may suffer massive losses at the time for them to harvest their produce. “We actually don’t know what we can do about our farms. We have invested everything we have on them. And now that it is nearly time for harvest, how can we even harvest? 

    “We cannot harvest our produce. I am a farmer. I planted maize, corn and soybeans on my farm.

    “All this investment now, they are as good as gone.”

    The bandits, he said, “will do anything to you if they catch you. They kill and kidnap. They have killed many people before this time.

    “When we go to the farm with our cattle, they used to come and pick up the cattle, kill the workers, some run away.

    The governor had a peace accord with them and for a long time, they did not attack or kill. But they used to collect our bikes, phones and cash.

    “If you had some cash in your pocket, they would collect it. It happens every time.

    “People are leaving the town because they can no longer cope. 

    “Some people used to go to the bush and gather firewood for a living. They can no longer access the bush now. They have to leave the town.”

    Also decrying the effects of banditry on the economy of the community, Zara said: “Our people are farmers. I can tell you that almost 100 per cent of our people are farmers. Everybody is either into subsistence farming or commercial farming.

    “Honestly, people cannot go to their farms because the bandits can lay ambush for them.

     “There were a lot of kidnappings before now.  Our people don’t farm for bandits again, but some villages still do. 

    “The bandits have not been having control over our village as a result of the bravery of the people and resolve not to accommodate banditry.

    “It is those small villages that they can control  to farm for them from the beginning of the rainy season.

    “We are praying that there should be government intervention to resolve this problem so that people will continue to go to farm.”

    Attesting to what the other members of the community said, Muhideen said: “People can’t go to farm anymore without fear.

    “The bandits are roaming about, and when they see our people, they kill them. That is what they are saying to communities around us. 

    “We don’t know what we are going to do. We are just waiting for the government to intervene.

    “We don’t have soldiers nearby. We have soldiers in Tabani Ward. From here to Tabani is about five kilometers.

    “We have called our chairman to dialogue with them so that they can end the attacks.

    “The chairman said he had talked to them.”

    Ansaru terrorists back, recruiting new members

    Aside from the menace of the bandits, Abubakar said the community is also faced with the challenge posed by the Ansaru terrorist group.

    “Ansaru is still mobilising people in the community,” he said. “I heard they are back again, but I didn’t see any one of them because I’m afraid to go where they usually gather.

    “I personally don’t go to that place, but I heard they are back.

    “They used to come to the town or any village. They used to have some target villages.”

    Continuing, he said: “When they come to the village, they will ask people to come and listen to their sermon. 

    “They will preach, pray, then they will mobilise people to join them, and you see children joining them.

    “They do marry, and up till now, the women they married, I’ve never heard or seen any one of them coming back. They’ve gone away with them. Once they leave, they do not come back.”

    Contrary to claims that the Ansaru group always protects people from bandits, Abubakar said “neither the bandits nor the Ansaru group protects  the community. They are rather terrorising the community.

    “The Ansaru group formerly resided in Damari Ward before they moved to Kuyello. I don’t know why they moved.

    “But the Ansaru people used to say they were there to protect people from the bandits. They said they would fight bandits but only on one condition, and that is if people join them.

    “They will tell people to come and buy weapons, and that people should not marry or buy motorcycle but they should go and buy weapons to fight the government and fight the bandits.

    “Even the Ansaru people, we didn’t accept them. They helped the bandits. They came to Kuyello town twice to terrorise people.”

    Floating vigilante group not the solution

    Responding to why the community cannot organise a vigilante group to confront the bandits, Abubakar said: “Vigilante cannot no longer confront the bandits. They cannot stop them. How can they stop them with such weapons they carry?

    “We have soldiers around us. We have a police station in the town. That was the police that was attacked. But the bandits still come.

    Everyone needs weapons to protect ourselves

    Tired of the bandits’ domination and control, members of the community have resolved to take up arms and confront their oppressors. A frontline member of the community who simply identified himself as Alo said: “The next thing to do is for everybody to have weapons to protect ourselves.  This is the only thing we can do humanly speaking.  When we have our weapons in our hands,  and they have theirs, everybody will be afraid of death.    When everybody is armed, the bandits will not come. That is what we have decided.”

    Alo noted that the bandits “don’t like our town. They hate Kuyello. Whatever happens anywhere, they will say it is the people of Kuyello.

    “That is why they always want to attack our town, but Allah  has been helping and protecting us from them.

    “When they invaded our town two Thursdays ago, they were shooting sporadically, but God helped us.

    “What they wanted to achieve in our community didn’t work out for them.”

    Decrying the menace of the bandits in the area, he said: “The bandits rob people of their monies, motorcycles, phones and other valuables. They also take foodstuff from people in the farms.

    “If you refuse to give them, they will threaten to shoot you. They are always moving around with their weapons.

    “Whenever they say give us this, you must give them. Otherwise, they will shoot you.

    “This year, they have come to where they hadn’t been in the past.

    “This time, they only want to attack Kuyello. We don’t know what Kuyello has done to them. 

    “They just hate Kuyello people. They are always armed with AK 47 rifles.  They even use brand new ones.”

    Also toeing the path of frontal confrontation with the bandits, Mohammed said: “Yes the right thing to do is for everyone to be armed. 

    “Today, they attacked my elder brother’s son on the farm. He narrowly escaped from them. They invaded his farm around 11am. The bandits also kidnapped other people today.  Yesterday, they followed one man from the farm but he also escaped.  Three people who were harvesting soyabeans were attacked on their farm.

    “They don’t want people to harvest their crops. We have ended farming and are only set to harvest but they aren’t allowing us.”

    Mohammed added: “Now, if you want to harvest your crops, you must get people who are armed to follow you to the farm as guards.  They will stay with you till you finish harvesting your crops. 

    “If you need them from money till evening, you may pay each person at least N10,000 to guard you, and you may need between five and 10 people to guard you.  

    “You have to sacrifice some of the farm produce by selling them to pay the guards.

    Police, State govt yet to respond

    Kaduna State Police Command PPRO DSP Mansur Hassan and the state Commissioner for Information Malam Ahmed Maiyaki were yet to respond to our inquiries. ”

  • Ogun police arrest 2 Cameroonians for alleged kidnapping, human trafficking

    Ogun police arrest 2 Cameroonians for alleged kidnapping, human trafficking

    The Ogun Police Command has arrested two members of a Cameroonian human trafficking syndicate allegedly involved in luring and kidnapping unsuspecting victims under the pretext of visa processing.

    Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Omolola Odutola, disclosed this in a statement issued in Abeokuta on Friday.

    Odutola said the suspects, identified as Ndzana Kamga Isidore and Tingue Stephen, were apprehended by operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit at Mowe.

    She said they were arrested following a distress call from a Cameroonian victim who escaped captivity.

    She explained further that the victim was deceived from Cameroon into Nigeria on Sept. 29 by one Donald, who is also a Cameroonian, and promised to help her secure a Canadian visa.

    “Upon her arrival at the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos, she and her 23-year-old sister were taken to  Mowe area in Ogun  where they were held hostage.

    “Following credible intelligence, our tactical team stormed the criminal hideout at Pakuro, Mowe, and rescued one victim, Kengne Maeva, unhurt.

    “Two suspects were arrested at the scene, while the principal suspect, Donald, is currently at large,” said Odutola.

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    According to her, preliminary investigation revealed that the victims’ family members had paid a ransom of 3.6million CFA Francs into the bank account of the fleeing suspect, Donald.

    According to her, the Commissioner of Police, CP Lanre Ogunlowo, has ordered sustained surveillance on similar criminal trends and directed tactical commanders to collaborate with community leaders and development associations to report suspicious foreign nationals renting apartments.

    Odutola reiterated that the Ogun Police Command remains committed to protecting lives and property and will continue to ensure that criminals find no hiding place in the state.

  • CBN moves to shield economy as oil prices slide below comfort zone

    CBN moves to shield economy as oil prices slide below comfort zone

    Global oil prices have fallen sharply, now hovering slightly above $64 per barrel. For an oil-dependent economy like Nigeria, this persistent slide in crude prices poses a serious concern rather than a reprieve. The Wall Street Journal’s sobering projection that Brent crude could dip below $50 per barrel by the end of 2025 underscores the urgency for decisive policy action. In response, the Olayemi Cardoso-led Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has rolled out proactive measures designed to cushion the economy against the looming oil price shock, safeguard foreign exchange inflows and strengthen the foundations for sustainable growth, reports Assistant Editor COLLINS NWEZE

    The politics and volatility surrounding global oil prices continue to stir deep concern for Nigeria’s economy and revenue stability. Brent futures recently eased by 0.71 per cent to $64.47 per barrel as the U.S.–China trade truce excluded energy discussions, leaving the global supply outlook uncertain. Against this backdrop, Nigeria’s 2025 budget faces pressure, built on an assumption of oil production of two million barrels per day and a benchmark price of $75 per barrel.

    With current prices trading below this benchmark, oil revenues are expected to fall short, potentially widening the fiscal deficit to between six and seven per cent of GDP. Such a gap could heighten inflationary pressures, strain public finances, and test overall macroeconomic stability. To cushion the economy against the looming oil price shock, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), under the leadership of Olayemi Cardoso, has rolled out proactive measures aimed at strengthening non-oil revenue streams. These include policies to boost non-oil exports, enhance backward integration to cut reliance on imports, and streamline diaspora remittances to improve foreign exchange inflows.

    Drawing inspiration from China’s economic playbook, the CBN believes Nigeria’s competitive exchange rate can spur export-led growth. To harness this advantage, the apex bank is urging businesses to focus on sectors with high export potential — notably agriculture, manufacturing and the creative industries. Firms are encouraged to embrace import-substitution models by improving local production capacity and to pursue value addition by exporting processed rather than raw goods to boost foreign exchange earnings.

    Cardoso has also identified the creative sector as a potential $25 billion annual contributor to the economy, citing vast opportunities in music, film, crafts and digital exports. He called on entrepreneurs to leverage global platforms, international markets, and cross-border tours to attract dollar inflows. In a related development, the CBN governor urged telecommunications firms to reduce dependence on foreign imports by producing key components locally. The backward integration strategy, he explained, could unlock sustainable growth for the real sector and strengthen Nigeria’s industrial base at a time of growing fiscal pressure and shifting global dynamics.

    Global oil politics

    Global oil prices could face renewed pressure if OPEC+ moves to increase production at its November 2025 meeting. The alliance is reportedly considering reviving another tranche of output in December — a decision that may heighten market fears of a supply glut. Traders are closely monitoring India and China, key buyers of Russian crude, for signals that could reshape global demand and price dynamics.

    U.S. President Donald Trump recently announced that China would expand purchases of American energy under a broader trade truce, though investors remain cautious amid limited evidence of actual deals. According to Chinese Customs data, the country last imported U.S. crude oil in May and liquefied natural gas in February. RBC Capital Markets projects that OPEC+ may raise output quotas by a modest 137,000 barrels per day in December, a move that could further test already fragile market confidence.

    Creating economic buffers amid reforms

    Economic reforms instituted by the CBN have removed distortions and laid foundation for economic development, Cardoso has said. Speaking yesterday at the investors’ forum held at the sidelines of the ongoing IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings in Washington DC he said that bold and comprehensive reforms have led to greater macroeconomic resiliency and positive economic outcomes.

    The investors’ forum attended by JP Morgan and other stakeholders is meant to attract global investors to the domestic economy. He said the Federal Government will also issue about $2.3 billion Eurobond, which will also help refinance the $1.18 billion Eurobond maturing in November. He said the event provides a valuable opportunity to engage directly with our partners and investors who continue to show confidence in Nigeria’s future. Cardoso said the apex bank remains committed to prudent policy that would bring about durability, ensuring a lasting and positive impact in the economy.

    He said about four per cent growth target is being targeted, even as government is pushing through expansion of the non-oil sector growth. The CBN boss said that inflation has continued to drop, with 18.02 per cent target in the nearest term. He said that gross foreign reserves have hit five-year high at $43.4 billion, with capacity to provide 11-month import cover for the country. He said that Nigeria currently enjoys positive balance of payment, contributing positively in easing economic stability. He said difficult economic reforms embarked on by the Federal Government is bearing positive results as seen the stability in exchange rate, stronger economic buffers, and dip in inflation numbers.

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    Cardoso explained that apex bank has been able to build a stronger economy, through difficult things we have done. He said that Nigeria has a competitive naira, which is game changer that should attract investors to the economy. He said that with a competitive naira, FDIs inflows prospects to the economy has risen.

    Deputy Governor, Economic Policy at the CBN, Mr. Mohammed Sadi Abdullahi, said the apex bank has taken a lot on measures to prevent speculative activity and ensure best practices in the market operational framework. “Capital flows, which I mentioned, within the 2019–2020 period before, collapsed by over 75 per cent, have significantly improved and have therefore improved our external position. So, we do now have deeper and functional financial markets, much more robust and transparent. There’s been a significant increase in the average monthly turnover to $8.6 billion monthly in 2025 versus an average of $5.5 billion and much less in the year before. Today, CBN stands as a net supplier by less than about a percentage of the market turnover. We’re actually a net buyer in the market,” he said.

    Building resilient economy

    Nigeria’s economy has been fully restructured and is now resilient, with huge buffers against global risks, Cardoso told global investors at the annual meetings. Cardoso, who is the leader of the Nigeria delegation at the meetings, said the naira, has equally emerged as a competitive currency, with the economy witnessing positive trade balances and large businesses moving from imports to export of locally produced goods and commodities.

    According to him, the positive economic indicators have combined to create resilient and strong buffers, keeping the economy in great shapes. Speaking on the impact of the trade tariffs on the domestic economy, the CBN boss, said the tariffs are less of problems for the country. “And for us again, oil is basically the only commodity that was so exposed to the tariffs, and the impact of that was relatively modest. We now have a more competitive currency with the results that, for once, we have a situation where we have a positive balance of trade surplus, and we expect it to be six per cent in GDP for some time,” he said.

    Cardoso added, “So basically, what is happening is a complete restructuring of the economy, where we are encouraging people to go into domestic production, and, of course, discouraging imports. And I think we were very fortunate, because a lot of the things that were needed to have been done, we did them much earlier, and as a result of that, we’re able to create resilience and buffers against potential shocks.”

    Cardoso explained that oil was the oil commodity that was exposed to the trade tariffs, but the impact was equally modest. “So, and of course, in terms of anchoring expectations, we found that those who followed the Nigerian economy were fairly comfortable. And for us, again, oil is basically the only commodity that was so exposed, and the impact of that was relatively modest,” he said.

    He said the G-24 has played significant role in finding solutions to global challenges, through dialogue and exchange of ideas with global financial institutions. He said although global growth has been slow, but not as behind as would have been expected to be. In his remarks, G-24 Chairman, Pablo Quirno noted that recent adverse shocks in global economy have left growth below pre-pandemic levels, with rising policy uncertainties creating substantial medium-term headwinds. “Emerging market and developing economies have faced deteriorating terms of trade, reduced export volumes, and declining foreign currency earnings. Many of these countries have implemented domestic policies to mitigate uncertainty, but constrained policy space underscores the urgent need for collective solutions supported by multilateral institutions,” he said

    Discouraging foreign services import

    Speaking in Abuja during a visit by the Airtel Africa management team led by Group CEO Sunil Taldar, the CBN Governor underscored the importance of boosting local production to ease pressure on the dollar, generate employment and strengthen the national economy. He emphasised the urgent need to domestically manufacture key telecom inputs—such as SIM cards, cables, and towers—that are currently being imported in large volumes. Cardoso highlighted that over the past 16 months, the CBN has taken deliberate steps to stabilise the foreign exchange market, strengthen the naira, and attract investor confidence. With these foundations now in place, he urged telecommunications companies to embrace backward integration as a strategic imperative.

    In response, Airtel Africa CEO Taldar commended the CBN’s reform efforts and voiced strong support for local production, noting that such a shift would ultimately yield long-term benefits for the telecommunications industry. He also reaffirmed Airtel’s commitment to expanding financial inclusion across Nigeria through innovative technology solutions.

    Research Head, Cowry Asset Management Limited, Charles Abuede, said the CBN governor’s call was to discourage the importation of foreign services into Nigeria, especially when efforts can be made to develop such services locally. “The high demand for foreign exchange by telecom operators has further pressured the naira due to increased demand for the dollar. However, with adequate infrastructure development and a conducive operating environment facilitated by regulators, these challenges can be mitigated,” he said.

    According to Abuede, “given Nigeria’s FX policies, illiquidity in the foreign exchange market and infrastructure deficits, I think increased investment in the telecom sector would enable operators to embrace backward integration. This would allow them to manufacture key components, such as SIM cards, locally. As a result, production costs could decline—provided the operating environment remains stable. This will improve profit margins and enhance both top-line and bottom-line growth in the long run.”

  • A new era at Financial Reporting Council

    A new era at Financial Reporting Council

    By the time Dr. Rabiu Olowo took the reins as Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria two years ago, few foresaw the sweeping transformation that would follow. Since assuming office on October 12, 2023, the former Lagos Commissioner for Finance has steered the Council onto a new trajectory—turning it into a vibrant hub of regulatory reform, professional renewal and institutional innovation, reports Associate Editor ADEKUNLE YUSUF

    The Financial Reporting Council (FRC), once regarded as a low-profile regulator operating quietly within Nigeria’s complex financial ecosystem, has in recent years risen to both national and international prominence. This transformation was epitomised by the election of its Executive Secretary/CEO, Dr. Rabiu Olowo, as Chair of the 41st session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting (ISAR). The prestigious appointment affirmed his outstanding leadership and expertise in corporate reporting, while placing Nigeria firmly on the global stage of financial regulation.

    From October 2023 to 2025, the Council’s story has been one of vision, collaboration, and measurable reform. Under Olowo’s dynamic leadership, each of FRC’s seven directorates, departments, and units has evolved into a driver of change—collectively advancing transparency, accountability, and investor confidence across Nigeria’s economy.

    Building a profession from scratch

    Among FRC’s standout achievements is the bold move to develop Nigeria’s actuarial profession from the ground up. Through the Nigerian Actuarial Development Programme (NADP) and the creation of a Technical Working Group, the Council has set in motion a sustainable framework to strengthen actuarial practice. A major milestone in this effort is the issuance of Nigeria’s first comprehensive Actuarial Regulatory Framework—the Nigeria Actuarial Practice Regulation (NAPR 2025)—released as an Exposure Draft.

    In adopting the International Standards of Actuarial Practice (ISAPs 1–8) and localising them as the Nigerian Standards of Actuarial Practice (NSAPs), FRC has filled a decades-long gap in the insurance, pensions, and risk-management sectors. Yet, Olowo’s vision extends beyond regulations—it focuses on building the human capital to sustain them. Through nationwide actuarial education initiatives, the Council has reached more than 5,000 university students and 800 secondary school pupils, inspiring a new generation to pursue actuarial science. The sponsorship of six university students for the Society of Actuaries professional examinations and one candidate for a Master’s degree in Actuarial Science, alongside partnerships with the National Insurance Commission, the National Pension Commission, the National Health Insurance Scheme, the Nigerian Actuarial Society, and global bodies such as the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries in the United Kingdom, the Society of Actuaries in the United States, and The Actuarial Society of Kenya, underscores a strategic blueprint: reform the system, then grow the talent to sustain it.

    By initiating the integration of Actuarial Science into Nigeria’s secondary school curriculum, the FRC under Olowo’s leadership has planted the seeds of a self-sustaining ecosystem—one that will, in years to come, anchor stronger pension funds, more reliable insurance models, and a more data-driven national economy.

    Reengineering corporate governance

    Corporate governance has long been one of Nigeria’s Achilles’ heels—undermined by weak oversight, opaque decision-making, and boardroom complacency. The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has boldly taken on this challenge, driving a new wave of reforms across the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors.

    A major milestone in this effort is the development of the National Public Sector Governance Code (NPSGC), with a comprehensive implementation roadmap spanning 2026 to 2029. For the first time, governance standards are being designed not only for corporations but also for public institutions that manage taxpayers’ resources. Through active engagements with the National Judicial Council (NJC), the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, and the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, the FRC is ensuring inclusivity, broad consultation, and genuine ownership of the process at every level of government.

    Simultaneously, under Dr. Olowo’s leadership, the Council is finalising the Not-for-Profit Governance Code (NNFPGC)—a pioneering initiative aimed at strengthening transparency, accountability, and ethical management within Nigeria’s NGO and charitable sectors. These two landmark codes, now awaiting Ministerial approval, reflect FRC’s determination to institutionalise integrity and restore trust across all spheres of governance.

    But the Council’s work extends beyond rule-making. Its partnerships with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and the rollout of the SME Corporate Governance Guidelines (SME-CGG) and Business Integrity Certification (BIC) demonstrate an inclusive strategy—one that brings small and medium enterprises, as well as social enterprises, into the governance fold. In a political and economic landscape often constrained by weak institutions and ethical lapses, these reforms stand as practical instruments for rebuilding confidence, enhancing accountability, and embedding a culture of responsible leadership in Nigerian business and public life. The FRC’s approach represents more than compliance—it is a deliberate reengineering of the governance architecture to support sustainable growth and long-term national credibility.

    Raising the bar on audit quality

    No financial system can be credible without trusted audits—and the FRC is ensuring Nigeria’s audit ecosystem meets global standards. Over the past year, the Council conducted its first comprehensive practice reviews across 16 audit firms, including the Big Four, covering 143 audit engagements. A new rule now mandates auditors to report suspected client non-compliance, generating over 680 compliance submissions and reinforcing ethical discipline within the profession.

    Under Olowo’s leadership, the Council has hosted the Inaugural Leadership Summit for Auditors, drawing 764 participants, and expanded international collaborations with bodies such as the PCAOB (USA), IRBA (South Africa), and ICAG (Ghana). Recent milestones—like a Memorandum of Understanding with the Financial Reporting Oversight Board (Gambia) and the UK–Nigeria Exchange and Training Improvement Programme (ETIP)—have further elevated Nigeria’s standing in global audit regulation. By fostering deeper cooperation with ICAN and ANAN and organising joint sensitisation sessions with nearly 900 practitioners, the Council is nurturing a culture of trust and accountability—striking that delicate but crucial balance between regulator and regulated in pursuit of higher audit quality.

    Driving transparency in the public sector

    Reforming public finance management remains one of Nigeria’s most persistent governance challenges. Over the past two years, under the leadership of Dr. Olowo, FRC has tackled this head-on with pragmatic, far-reaching measures. Through four regional training programmes on accrual-based International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) held in Abuja, Kano, Lagos, and Uyo, the Council has trained over 576 public sector accountants—strengthening the foundation of financial integrity across ministries, departments, and agencies. This initiative promises more accurate, comparable, and transparent financial statements—vital for better budgeting, donor confidence, and responsible governance.

    Sustainability reporting has become the new frontier of corporate accountability, and under Olowo’s leadership, Nigeria has taken bold regulatory strides to align with global best practices. With the endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, the FRC led the adoption of IFRS S1 and S2 sustainability standards in Nigeria. Working closely with the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) Chairman, the Council launched a national roadmap for sustainability reporting and has sustained leadership in its implementation. Early adopters—including Access Bank, Fidelity Bank, MTN Nigeria, and Seplat Energy—have championed two consecutive reporting cycles (2023 and 2024), positioning Nigeria among global pioneers in sustainability disclosure compliance.

    In less than a year, adoption of the IFRS S1 and S2 standards has grown from 4 to 35 entities. Over 202 organisations and 1,705 professionals have benefited from intensive, hands-on training through 32 sector-specific engagements and regulatory roundtables—signalling a strong appetite for transparency on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance. Strategic partnerships with NIRC, GIZ, FSDA, PAFA, and the ISSB, as well as collaborations with SEC, CBN, NGX, and NCCC, reflect a unified national commitment to embedding sustainability into Nigeria’s corporate culture. The hosting of the 2nd Regulatory Roundtable on Sustainability Reporting further cements Nigeria’s emerging reputation as a continental thought leader in responsible reporting.

    In January 2024, the FRC operationalised the Directorate of Valuation Standards—an overdue reform aimed at introducing order, consistency, and credibility to Nigeria’s valuation landscape. Within its first year, the Council inaugurated a Technical Working Group (TWG) to develop Valuation Regulations, released the Draft Regulation for public exposure, and trained over 200 professionals across four zones. Membership in the International Valuation Standards Council (IVSC) now enables global benchmarking, while the publication of a national Valuation Guide provides practitioners with clear reference points. The engagement of more than 923 stakeholders reflects broad industry support for this reform. In a country long troubled by asset valuation controversies in public projects, mergers, and banking collateral, the FRC’s standardisation drive is both timely and transformative.

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    Recognising the indispensable role of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in national development, the FRC has also advanced financial inclusion. In partnership with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the Council organised a Train-the-Trainers Workshop on Accounting and Financial Reporting for MSMEs in December 2024. By producing a pool of certified national trainers and simplified reporting tools, the initiative has demystified accounting for small enterprises—empowering them to access finance, formalise operations, and contribute more meaningfully to economic growth. This aligns seamlessly with the Federal Government’s vision to lift millions of MSMEs into the formal economy and build a more transparent, inclusive financial ecosystem.

    Digital transformation and institutional visibility

    A modern regulator cannot thrive without technology—and the FRC has embraced this truth with remarkable results. The Council now operates Nigeria’s first National Repository Portal for the electronic filing of financial statements, heralding a new era of transparency, efficiency, and accessibility. Complementing this innovation are a Document Management System (DMS) and a Learning Management System (LMS), which have automated internal processes and enhanced capacity building. The integration of the Council’s database with the National Identification Number (NIN) verification system has further strengthened data integrity and credibility.

    Under the leadership of Dr. Olowo, the FRC has also undergone a profound image transformation. Through the publication of the FRC Newsletter (ISSN 3092-9520), consistent media engagements, and improved stakeholder relations, the Council’s voice has become clearer and more authoritative in shaping national discourse on financial accountability. The launch of Nigeria’s first Journal of Financial Reporting and Corporate Governance has further established the FRC as a thought leader, providing a platform for research-driven policy dialogue, professional education, and regulatory innovation.

    Recognising that effective regulation begins with inclusion, the Registration Unit has expanded the Council’s oversight base significantly—registering 31,799 professionals, 715 firms, and 14,657 companies in just two years. Active engagement with professional bodies such as ICAN, ANAN, NIESV, ICSAN, and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has strengthened collaboration and unified standards across sectors. These efforts are not merely administrative; they have created a traceable and accountable professional community, ensuring that Nigeria’s financial ecosystem is manned by qualified and verifiable actors.

    Beyond these digital and outreach reforms, Dr. Olowo has professionalised the FRC itself. The Council now operates the full complement of seven Directorates, following the activation of the Directorates of Valuation Standards and Actuarial Standards, alongside the establishment of the Sustainability Reporting Unit. Notably, the creation of an Islamic Financial Services Division now provides regulatory guidance for non-interest financial reporting—reflecting a deep sensitivity to Nigeria’s diverse financial system. His leadership proves that reform is not only about changing rules but about rebuilding trust—between regulators and practitioners, and between citizens and their institutions. Two years on, the FRC has not just redefined financial reporting—it has redefined effective public service leadership in Nigeria.

  • The Lagos Red Line: From euphoria to daily struggle

    The Lagos Red Line: From euphoria to daily struggle

    The Red Line began as a promise — a signal that Lagos was finally turning the page on its exhausting, daily commute. When the train launched on October 15, 2024, excitement surged from Agbado to the city’s heart. It wasn’t just new transport; it felt like a new Lagos. But one year later, the shine has dulled. What began with hope now tells a quieter, sobering story of strain, improvisation and fading order, reports NTAKOBONG OTONGARAN

    The Red Line began as a promise. When it was flagged off on October 15, 2024, linking Lagos to its border communities in Ogun State, the excitement was unmistakable. Crowds gathered at Agbado, waving, cheering, filming the moment the sleek coaches slid out for their maiden run. It was more than the launch of a train; it felt like the city’s daily rhythm was about to change — that the long, punishing commutes between the outskirts and the metropolis would finally soften.

    For a moment, Lagos seemed to be moving with purpose. A year earlier, the Blue Line had opened with quiet elegance, shuttling passengers between Marina and Mile 2 in cool, steady comfort. If the Blue Line was the polished face of modern Lagos, the Red Line was its working-class heartbeat — energetic, noisy, and alive.

    I rode the train two days after its launch, on October 17. It felt like the beginning of something meaningful. The trip from Agbado to Oyingbo carried a shared sense of pride. Passengers chatted about how “Eko don finally reach London level.” The hum of the engine, the smooth acceleration, the cool air conditioning, and the passing neighbourhoods framed through wide windows offered a rare Lagos moment — a taste of what functioning public infrastructure feels like.

    A little more than a year later, I returned to Agbado to see what had changed. That was Thursday, October 25. The morning sun was already pressing down on the low rooftops around the station. The terminal still rose ahead like a fortress of steel and glass. Vendors clustered at the entrance, selling snacks, cold drinks, and cash withdrawals via POS machines. It was busy — but not chaotic. That alone felt like an achievement.

    The first good news was that the trains were still running on schedule. In fact, more trips had been added, bringing daily services to nine in each direction. A staff member explained this with a tone that was part pride, part fatigue — the kind of pride that comes from routine, not excitement. But signs of strain were visible. Ticket top-ups had been moved outside the station. Passengers now stood in the open sun to buy or refill their travel cards, queuing behind yellow tape while those traveling to Ibadan were checked in inside. The Nigerian Railway Corporation’s intercity service shares part of the Agbado terminal, and it had become clear that the two systems were still struggling to coexist.

    I joined the queue, the heat sharpening slowly on my neck. The woman in front of me spoke in a low, resigned voice — the kind that comes from repeating a complaint too many times. “Dem say na because NRC train dey use inside. Dem no want mix people,” she said. The promise was still there — but the shine had noticeably worn. For a system that prides itself on modern rail reform, the arrangement was a disappointing lapse in service delivery — poor crowd management, inadequate shelter, and a general disregard for passenger comfort. It was an avoidable display of inefficiency in a facility designed to embody order, not confusion. With proper coordination, the vast Agbado station could easily accommodate all passengers.

    As we waited to be called into the terminal, the man beside me leaned in and asked whether I had collected a seating card — a way of determining who would sit and who would stand. I hadn’t understood him at first, so I showed him the card I had been given, the number “062” written boldly across it. He nodded, satisfied. “Good. This one mean you go sit. From 101, na standing,” he said with a knowing grin. “Na that one we dey target first, because if seat finish, you go stand all through.” He chuckled and adjusted his bag. The casual tone made the situation seem ordinary, as though the chaos had become part of the system. But it was another reminder of how disorganized the process had become. In a properly managed rail service, seating allocation should be integrated into ticketing — not left to handwritten numbers on small cards and passengers scrambling for “sitting” privileges.

    When we were finally ushered inside, passengers moved quietly, tapping their cards at the counter and filing through the gates onto the platform. When the train arrived, a soft murmur rippled through the crowd. We boarded with calm precision — but within minutes, the carriages were packed beyond comfort. Every inch of space was taken; the aisle disappeared beneath a tight press of legs and backpacks. Someone muttered with a laugh, “Na molue dem don turn this one to o.”

    Days earlier, I had seen a viral video of passengers pouring out of the Red Line like commuters disembarking from a molue — the chaotic Lagos bus of old. I had thought the video exaggerated. Now, it felt like understatement. Before the train pulled out, I walked through two adjoining coaches. It was a narrow squeeze. A young man had wedged himself between two metal luggage frames, his knees bent awkwardly as he tried to balance. The sight was both comic and painfully familiar. He caught my eye and smiled — perhaps at my surprise.

    The train’s movement was smooth, but the air-conditioning struggled. The cabin felt heavy with heat and the shared scent of bodies. My seatmate, a mason named Abdulwasiu Ganiyu, held a worn bag filled with his tools, which clanked softly each time he shifted. “Na so e dey be,” he said. “Sometimes, if I reach late, I go stand all the way to Mushin.”

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    Across from us sat Lanre, broad-shouldered and easy-tempered, chatting with two friends. As I leaned toward the window to take photographs, he laughed. “Bros, e be like say na your first time for this train,” he said. “I took it last year,” I replied. He laughed again, glancing at the sweat I wiped from my forehead. “No worry,” he said, tapping the sealed window. “Very soon dem go cut this glass make e slide like BRT. Heat no go catch person again.” The others chuckled. I smiled too — though there was something poignant in his optimism, a quiet resignation masking itself as hope. A Lagos commuter’s survival instinct: adjust, endure, believe change will come — even when the system keeps proving otherwise.

    As we glided past Iju, Agege, and Mushin, I was struck by how quickly the Red Line had begun to mirror the very city it was meant to transform. Like the BRT buses that launched with air-conditioned promise and soon slid into broken vents and peeling interiors, the Red Line seemed to have aged too quickly. At each stop, more passengers squeezed in as others got off. A woman carrying a baby murmured that she had left home at 6:00 a.m., yet still had to fight for space because the earlier 7:10 a.m. train had been filled beyond capacity.

    A teenage boy clung to a metal pole, earbuds in, head bowed in exhaustion. The mood was familiar: weary acceptance, occasional banter, and that resilient patience Lagos breeds. When we finally pulled into Oyingbo, I exhaled. The journey had taken less than an hour, but it felt longer. The platform buzzed with movement. Some hurried off to catch connecting buses, while others paused to take photos—just as I had done a year earlier, when the Red Line felt like a miracle.

    I asked a staff member whether additional schedules would be introduced to ease the strain. He offered a vague smile. “When that happens, you will see it,” he said before walking away. Outside Oyingbo station, I crossed to the BRT park, hoping to continue to Marina. There was no bus. The cashier, who spoke fluent English but switched to Pidgin for emphasis, said, “The one wey dey go CMS don move. I no sabi when another one go come. You fit take danfo.”

    I took his advice. The danfo was cramped, jerky, and cost nearly as much as the train fare. I alighted a few metres from Lagos House, Marina, and crossed the busy expressway to the train station. At the Marina terminal, I asked one of the Last Mile drivers whether there was a direct bus to Oyingbo. He smiled and shook his head. “No direct one, oga. You go first reach CMS, then find your way from there.”

    His casual reply captured the flaw in Lagos’ celebrated multimodal transport dream. How could two flagship terminals—the Blue Line at Marina and the Red Line at Oyingbo—exist without a simple, direct link? A state that prides itself on integrated mobility had left a gap at the very heart of its network. A system designed to connect rail, road, and water instead revealed a glaring mismatch.

    Inside, however, the Marina station was pristine. The air was cool, staff were attentive, and the queue moved with quiet efficiency. I paid for my ticket to Mile 2 using the tap-in card system and boarded without fuss. The train was waiting—its interior spotless. A low mechanical hum, a faint scent of disinfectant, and passengers seated in calm order. It felt like stepping into a different world entirely.

    The train departed within minutes. Through the windows, the Atlantic corridor rolled into view, alongside the busy corporate stretch of Marina and Broad Street. The air-conditioning hummed softly. Unlike the Red Line, this carriage felt spacious; there was room to breathe. For a moment, I could feel the rhythm of a system operating as it was designed to. The Blue Line’s schedule was impressive — trains every 20 minutes in both directions, according to a staff member on board. No crowds pressing at the gates, no card vendors shouting outside. It was everything the Red Line had once promised to be.

    As we arrived at Mile 2, a crowd had already gathered on the platform, waiting to board. Once the doors opened, passengers surged forward — that familiar Lagos urgency, a choreography of survival. It brought to mind the city’s danfo buses: the scramble for seats, the quick calculations, the subtle jostling for advantage. Only now, the scene unfolded inside a gleaming, modern station.

    Yet amid this rush, something stood out. There was no visible system ensuring that passengers had tapped in before boarding. No staff at the entrance to the coaches, no digital verification. The assumption seemed to be that everyone on the platform had already paid. In reality, I could have stepped off, turned around, and re-entered the train back to Marina without paying anything.

    It was a small detail, but a telling one — a crack in the foundation of a network striving to build trust. Fare integrity is not just about revenue; it is about sustainability. When enforcement is lax, systems decay — slowly at first, then all at once.

    The Red and Blue Lines were designed to symbolize the Lagos of tomorrow: connected, efficient, and inclusive. On paper, they do. In practice, they reveal familiar tensions. The Red Line, meant to serve working-class commuters across Lagos and Ogun border communities, is already showing signs of the chaos it was built to correct. The Blue Line, running through the city’s commercial core, remains the polished sibling — cooler, cleaner, calmer. The contrast is unspoken, but unmistakable.

    A year into its operation, the Red Line tells a story that Lagos knows too well: a bold beginning weighed down by management fatigue and creeping neglect. The signs are quiet but visible. Card top-up points have been pushed outside the station, forcing commuters to queue under the harsh sun. Ticketing and passenger control feel improvised rather than planned. Inside, cooling systems strain against packed coaches, reducing what should be a comfortable ride into a test of endurance. And despite rising passenger demand, there is little evidence of a structured plan to increase frequency or expand capacity. The system is running, yes — but it is running tired.

    This is not to dismiss the achievement. A decade ago, the idea of two electric urban rail lines moving Lagosians daily would have sounded like hopeful fiction. Now, the Red Line and the Blue Line are physical reality — steel laid over years of political insistence, financial negotiation, and infrastructural complexity. Lagos has shown ambition, and ambition deserves recognition. But ambition without maintenance is a slow failure. What begins as pride can quietly slip into dysfunction if ignored. Infrastructure ages; systems require adaptation; transit culture must be taught and sustained. Lagos cannot afford to repeat the story of the BRT — launched with air-conditioned promise, now a patchwork of broken seats, shattered vents, and resigned passengers.

    If Lagos is serious about building a truly multimodal transport network, it must focus not only on constructing lines but on connecting experiences. Integration should feel seamless: a commuter stepping off the Red Line at Oyingbo should be able to connect directly — physically and digitally — to a bus heading toward Marina, without confusion, long waits, or unnecessary discomfort. Signage, schedules, payment systems, and staff coordination are as crucial as tracks and stations. Mobility is more than movement; it is ease, predictability, and dignity.

    As I left Mile 2 that afternoon, the Blue Line glided in, quiet and composed, like an assurance of what Lagos can achieve when systems are cared for. Yet my memory of the Red Line — the heat, the crowds, the weary acceptance etched into faces — reminded me of what Lagos too often settles for. The distance between what Lagos has built and what Lagos needs is not measured in kilometres. It is measured in management — and the will to sustain what has already begun.

  • Police arrest taxi driver for multiple rape, assault cases

    Police arrest taxi driver for multiple rape, assault cases

    Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested a commercial taxi driver, Adedayo Ben Adegbola, who was allegedly involved in a series of rape, assault, and armed robbery incidents targeting female passengers across the state.

    According to a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, the suspect, who had been featured in viral social media posts by some of his victims, was apprehended on October 31, at about 9:40 a.m. by detectives attached to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti.

    The arrest followed a directive from the Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Jimoh, mandating a detailed and discreet investigation into multiple complaints filed by victims.

    The police disclosed that a red Toyota Corolla, with registration number JJJ 226 HT, allegedly used by the suspect to perpetrate the crimes, was recovered from his possession and secured as an exhibit.

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    “The suspect is currently in custody while efforts are ongoing to apprehend other accomplices connected to the crimes. The Command urges any additional victims of the suspect’s criminal activities to report to the SCID, Panti, to assist with the investigation. Their identities will be protected,” SP Adebisi stated.

    Preliminary findings revealed that Adegbola, described by investigators as a “vicious and notorious serial offender,” allegedly attacked several unsuspecting female passengers, committing acts of rape, indecent assault, and armed robbery.

    Commissioner Jimoh reaffirmed the Lagos Police Command’s commitment to justice and the protection of residents.

    “We are determined to ensure that justice is served for the survivors and maintaining the security of Lagos State,” he said.

    He further noted that updates on the investigation will be provided in due course.

  • Niger’s endless tragedies from tanker accidents

    Niger’s endless tragedies from tanker accidents

    •How illegal fuel collector’s moment of madness sparked fire that claimed more than 40 lives

    From Dikko to Bida, the same tragedy repeats – bad roads, broken systems and human choices that turn accidents into infernos. Each explosion leaves behind charred bodies and broken families – yet the cycle continues, fed by bad roads, desperation and a failure to learn from the past, JUSTINA ASISHANA reports.

    The acrid smell of burnt rubber and charred bodies still lingers over the scorched stretch of the Bida-Badegi-Agaie Road; a grim testament to yet another preventable catastrophe in Niger State’s long history of tanker explosions.

    The sequence of events on the afternoon of October 21 was eerily predictable. The tanker, reportedly en route from Lagos to the North, lost control on the dilapidated road, overturning and spilling its volatile cargo. Eyewitnesses described a chaotic scene, ignoring frantic warnings of people.

    What followed was not just an accident, but a human tragedy amplified by desperation: residents, villagers armed with jerry cans, buckets, and even plastic bags swarmed the site, drawn like moths to a flame, and rushed to scoop the spilling fuel.

    “They were shouting, ‘God has provided!’ as they filled their containers,” recounted Musa Ibrahim, a survivor who lost his brother in the blaze.

    Minutes later, a spark ignited the fuel vapors, turning the roadside into a fireball that engulfed people, motorcycles and livestock, claiming about 45 lives and injuring over 60 others, according to updates from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).

    The victims, mostly youths from nearby communities, were not passive bystanders as they became active participants in their own demise.

    It was gathered that a tanker filled with groundnut oil had fallen along the same spot two days before and the residents of the community counted their luck as they proceeded on scooping the oil to their various residences.

    Several of the victims who were injured and were receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre in Bida were not willing to talk about the incident when the health team delegated by the state government visited them.

    One of them, Mohammed Dauda, who secured burns in his legs and was still in pains, explained that he thought it was another tanker that was transporting groundnut oil that had fallen, stressing that if he had known that it was a fuel tanker, he would not have approached it.

    Dauda stated that he did not scoop any fuel but was among those telling people to stop scooping the fuel. He explained that the explosion was caused when a man tried to use his lighter and in the struggle to take the lighter from him, he threw the lighter in the fuel which ignited, causing the fire.

    He said: “What happened was a misfortune. A tanker crashed and we went there. But what we first heard was that it was a tanker transporting groundnut oil. If I knew it was fuel, I wouldn’t go.

    “When we got there and discovered that it was petrol, I was one of the people who kept telling those that went to scoop the fuel that it was not advisable to do so. I told them to use plastic containers instead.

    “I was still saying that when

    I noticed a Hausa man standing there trying to use a lighter. A lot of people started struggling with him. He threw the lighter and the tanker caught fire.

    “I only heard the sound of the explosion and the fire threw me across the road. My leg caught fire in the process.

    “The same thing happened with this person close to me. There are also three other children. There were more than 30 others who died around me that day.

    “I recently confirmed that the number has scaled up to 40, five people from a village near ours.

    “This is my first time going to an accident scene to scoop fuel.”

    This incident, the latest in a string of similar disasters in Niger State, underscores a harsh reality: these explosions are not inevitable acts of fate, but often self-inflicted wounds.

    If the crowds had resisted the temptation to harvest free fuel from the overturned vehicle, there might have been no explosion at all.

    As one elder in Esa community who gave his name as Ndagi Mohammed put it during the somber mass burial the following day, “the tanker fell, but it was their greed that lit the match. If no one was there when it exploded, no one would have died.”

    Yet, as Nigeria grapples with soaring fuel prices and economic hardship, such rational pleas fall on deaf ears.

     Among the deceased were entire families, including eight relatives from one household, as shared in a heart-rending account by a grieving survivor.

    A community leader in Essa, Muhammad Kudu, disclosed that they tried to stop the people from going to scoop the fuel but all restriction calls fell on deaf ears.

    “Because the road is bad, accidents always happen. Tankers and trailers always fall, and whenever they do, you see people rushing out to take what they can. No matter how hard you try to stop them, they pay no heed,” Kudu said.

    The Village Head of Essa, Alhaji Adamu Bagudu, said his younger brother lost his two wives and two children in the tragedy, adding that at his residence, 24 of the victims were given a mass burial, while four others who died at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Bida, were buried penultimate Wednesday.

    He disclosed that more than 90 per cent of the victims were women, adding that some travellers were also caught in the inferno.

    “Of these, 24 were women while the remaining four were made up of two men and two children. Some of the victims were travellers, including two people on a motorcycle.

    “Others were returning from their farms and had nothing to do with scooping fuel.

    “I have been sensitising and educating my people about the dangers of scooping fuel for the past three years.

    “I have cited several examples, including the one that happened in Dikko. Even the DPO of Katcha Police Division is aware of my efforts to discourage this dangerous habit.”

    He recalled that on September 9, 2024, a similar tanker explosion occurred just a few kilometres from the village, killing 61 people, 54 cows and 17 goats, and burning seven motorcycles.

    “I even invited some residents to the scene so they could see the devastation firsthand and warn others,” he added.

    Speaking on the exexplosion, which occurred penultimate Tuesday, the village head said he believed the tragedy would serve as a lasting warning to the people in the community.

    Bagudu appealed to the federal government to urgently reconstruct the Agaie-Bida Road to prevent further loss of lives and property.

    The Niger State Government swiftly organised a mass burial and pledged free medical treatment for the survivors, led by a team under Dr. Murtala Muhammad Bagana after he had directed that all the injured should be transferred to Gwagalada Specialist Hospital, Abuja for intensive care.

    When the Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, personally visited the community, he frowned at the attitude of people rushing to scoop content from a fallen tanker, saying that the government would not condone such acts anymore.

    “We came here to commiserate with them over the loss of lives and to also talk to their conscience.

    “It is a terrible thing that a truck will fall and the people of the community will carry containers to scoop.

    “It is theft and must be addressed as such, and we can’t condone or encourage it,” he stressed.

    He acknowledged that the roads are bad, but stated that people should not see it as an opportunity to do wrong. Rather, when a truck or trailer falls, they should make efforts to rescue the driver and other passengers.

    Commiserating with the people over the loss of their loved ones and the quick recovery of the injured, the governor announced a donation of N1 million to families of each of the deceased victims and N500,000 to each of the injured victims receiving treatment.

    Chairman of Katcha Local Government Council, Zubairu Mohammed Essa, described the assistance the state government has been rendering to victims of the disaster as tremendous, especially the free medical services, adding that the people of Katcha remain very grateful for the gesture.

    But this is no isolated event.

    Niger State, a key transit hub for fuel tankers plying the North-Central corridor, has become synonymous with such infernos. Earlier this year, in January 2025, another tanker explosion occurred at Dikko Junction which claimed lives, with bad roads cited as the primary culprit while in September 2024, another tanker explosion occurred just a few kilometres from the village, killing 61 people, 54 cows, 17 goats, and burning seven motorcycles.

    Over the years, similar incidents have dotted the state’s highways, from the Minna-Suleja Road to the Lapai axis, often following the same script: a vehicle mishap, spilled fuel, opportunistic scavenging, and then, boom.

    A report from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) highlights that Nigeria records dozens of tanker accidents annually, many escalating into explosions due to human intervention.

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    Critics, including members of the House of Representatives, have lambasted the federal government for the “deplorable conditions” of roads like the Bida-Agaie-Lapai-Lambata highway, arguing that poor infrastructure sets the stage for these disasters.

    Residents echo this, blaming potholes and narrow lanes for the initial overturns. Yet, as valid as these grievances are, they sidestep a crucial truth: the tanker might overturn, but without the crowds descending to siphon fuel, the risk of explosion plummets. Fuel tankers are designed with safety valves and compartments to contain spills; it is the tampering and proximity of people that turns a spill into a slaughter.

    Victims as culprits: A controversial lens

    In the aftermath, a chorus of voices, from government officials to social media commentators, has zeroed in on this victim-blaming narrative, albeit with varying degrees of sensitivity. Lanre Issa-Onilu, Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), minced no words: the explosion stemmed not from ignorance but from a “failure of community leadership and a breakdown of societal values.”

    He argued that locals know the dangers but chose to ignore them, driven by poverty and a culture of opportunism.

    On social media platform X (formerly Twitter), the conversation is raw and unfiltered. User @usmanlade shared a video of the chaos, lamenting, “We should always prioritise our safety over risking our precious lives in exchange for ‘dangerous gains.”

    Another post from @ppjkis warned, “As soon as one crashes, they are overwhelmed with locals trying to get free fuel. But they are time bombs waiting to explode. It is best to stay far away.”

    These sentiments resonate with a broader online consensus: poverty fuels recklessness, but personal responsibility is key.

    Experts concur. In a Conversation Africa article, analysts noted that fuel tanker accidents are preventable through “restructuring the built environment, providing parking spaces for tankers,” and stricter enforcement. But they also stress public education: campaigns warning against scooping fuel have been ongoing, yet ineffective amid economic woes. Fuel prices have skyrocketed post-subsidy removal, making spilled petrol a literal goldmine for the impoverished.

    A state plagued by flames

    Niger State’s tanker woes are emblematic of Nigeria’s broader petroleum transport crisis. With over 5,000 tankers on roads daily, accidents are rampant, FRSC data shows hundreds yearly, many in transit states like Niger.

    Past explosions include the 2018 Odukpani incident in Cross River (12 dead) and the 2020 Kogi blast (23 dead), but Niger’s frequency stands out due to its highways’ poor state.

    A YouTube analysis titled “How To Avert Incessant Tanker Explosion In Nigeria” called for better driver training and vehicle maintenance, but again, emphasised avoiding spill sites.

    Global Rights, an advocacy group, condemned the latest blast, urging “immediate preventive action” like road repairs and community sensitization.

    On Facebook, a post from Prevention of Fuel Tanker Explosions in Nigeria referenced President Bola Tinubu’s directive for traffic rule enforcement to curb such incidents. Yet, enforcement remains weak; tankers often overload or speed, but the real escalation happens post-accident.

    Breaking the cycle: A call to action

    As Niger State buries its dead, the question looms: how many more must perish before change? The victims’ role in these tragedies is undeniable, scooping fuel is not survival, but suicide. Yet, blaming them alone ignores the poverty trap set by failed policies.

    True mitigation demands a multi-pronged assault: fix the roads, enforce regulations, educate communities, and diversify transport.

    Nigeria’s highways should be lifelines, not death traps. Until citizens and leaders alike prioritise safety over shortcuts, the flames will keep claiming lives.

  • ‘Thank you mom’

    ‘Thank you mom’

    …Every day I get to celebrate and honor being a mother, and honor my mother. Joining grateful children and mothers around the world to give gratitude and celebrate the special gift of motherhood is a priviledge, writes Hannatu Musawa.

    I celebrate the blessing of motherhood every second of the day because it is the ultimate gift. I celebrate being a mother and having the most special mother every moment and want to give a loving shout out to my mother.

    Anyone who knows my mother, Hajia Ladi Binta Musawa (nee Yusuf Gurshe Rafindadi), will be aware of what a difficult task it is for me to attempt to find the words to describe her. A role model to all who know and love her, my mother lives her life with great humility. Her selflessness and kindness to others knows no bounds. She is a fantastic person who has been blessed with a great sense of humor, a kind nature, and an unassuming ability to make all those around her feel special and loved.

    To have the blessing of being able to call Hajia Ladi, ‘Mom’ and Alhaji Musa ‘Dad’ is, perhaps, the greatest fortune of my life. Continuously, I learn and grow from the pure example set by them.

    The energy my Mom pumps into the love and caring she displays to all those around her and beyond is boundless. She continues to be a source of inspiration to so many that she meets by her unselfishness, dedication and Faith in Allah. She unceasingly encourages her children, family, friends, neighbors and associates to work hard at life but always to put Allah first. Her faith cradles her and her loved ones even during the times when life throws curve-balls. The courage she always shows in the face of adversity and her inner strength are truly what great people are made of. She is a true blessing.

    My greatest wish for my Mom, as I watch her dedicate her life to encouraging, supporting, educating, protecting, helping, loving, and caring for all those she comes in contact with on a daily basis, is for her to be able to see herself the way the World sees her; which is as a blessing, an incredibly special and amazing person. A woman who is indeed a pure soul with a pure heart, a remarkable role model and a woman with great faith.

    Hajia Ladi Binta Musawa is a shining gem and an angel. She has incredibly strong values. If ever there was a portrait of a Godly mother, it is she. I am convinced that anything that is pure and good in me, Allah has planted it in me directly from my Mom and Dad.

    My Mom is big on teaching. On a daily basis, she teaches me to live my life, make my decisions and conduct myself as if I am teaching my children and the next generation. One of her favorite quotes to me is one of Ghandi’s. “Hannatu, always be the change you want to see in the world…” she would say. This quote consistently reverberates in my head and sticks with me wherever I go. It is exactly how Mom lives her life.

    Some of the greatest values I try to uphold; defending my honor religiously, keeping integrity, trying to do right, caring for the downtrodden, were instilled in me by Mom. Her lessons and example influence every good part of my life and positive thought process.

    Mom teaches me the difference between right and wrong and urges me to constantly try to make good choices. She teaches me to be faithful to myself, to my family, to my culture, to my community, to my calling, to people around me, to my identity, to my bloodline, to my Father’s name, to Nigeria and especially to Allah. She encourages me to be more focused and strive and finish things that I start. She always urges me to try as best as I can to keep my word and learn to accept and take correction. And she always worries and counsels me about tempering the fiery temper I inherited from my equally incredible late Dad.

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    Mom teaches me that the things I should treasure should never be made with human hands. She teaches me that it is through giving that I will be filled and fulfilled. She teaches me that originality feeds the soul and energizes the mind. She teaches me to exercise greater patience and always try to endure. She teaches me the difference between right and wrong. She teaches me not to use my power to hurt others. She teaches me to always strive to give more than I receive. This is an example that she lives with daily. Throughout her life she has always been known to help people, even at her own expense. It is the way she lives, even now. She simply loves being there for others and making their lives easier. It is the times that she helps people that you can see the greatest joy in her eyes.

    As a little girl, she often took me and my siblings to orphanages, shelters and hospitals so we could see people who were suffering; so we could develop a desire to help people who are suffering. She made us touch and feed lepers in the days when people shunned them. She worries for everyone more than she worries about herself. She tries to do all she can to fix other people’s problems. Her charity was to everyone she interacted with, anyone who needed her and that was what made people gravitate towards her. That is the kind of woman my Mom is.

    For the duration of my life I will dedicate every morsel of who I am, everything I have achieved and all that I have ever done good and right to my Mom and Dad. I thank them deeply for loving me so much and being the brightest light in my life. I thank them for showing me what I should be and teaching me how to be free and how to dream. I thank them for being the ultimate example of forgiveness, compassion, friendship, kindness, strength, generosity, honesty, elegance, beauty, resilience, selflessness, care, hope and love. I thank Mom for telling me she loved me every single day of my life. Even when we were not together, she finds a way of getting the message across to me, even if it was just through her energy.

    Mom is my rock, my anchor; my strong, beautiful, vibrant angel; my heart and my precious gift from Allah. I am beyond proud of her and everything she is. From the time I was a little girl, Mom and Dad have always been all I have ever needed in my life. My submission to the Almighty comes first beyond everything else and my dedication to Mom and the memory of my Dad I draw through that faith. I truly have exceptional parents. My siblings and I truly won the loterry as far as parents go! We thank The Almighty with everything that we have for the grace and gift he has given us in the form of parents.

    …Every day I get to celebrate and honor being a mother, and honor my mother. Joining grateful children and mothers around the world to give gratitude and celebrate the special gift of motherhood is a priviledge. I want to encourage everyone to celebrate and pray for their Mom every single day whether she is living or passed.

    “Hajia Ladi Binta Musawa, I wanted to tell the world about the essence of you, my salute to you so they can celebrate with me on my great blessing of you, so they can celebrate their mothers too. You impact the world around you more than you realize. I love you on your good days and on your bad days. I see your sacrifice and struggle day after day. You are not just a mother, you are a role model and an advocate  My heart will always belong to you and I want to say “May Allah always be with you.” May we witness many more days together by Allah’s special grace. I LOVE YOU MOM… I THANK YOU!”

    •Musawa is the Minister of Art, Culture and the Creative Economy.

  • During my 13-year wait for baby, Ijoked other women should lend me their husbands – 100-year-old Makoyawo

    During my 13-year wait for baby, Ijoked other women should lend me their husbands – 100-year-old Makoyawo

    • Says husband had four wives, but they never quarrelled
    • Recalls how her doctor’s mother saved her from operation with raw vegetables during childbirth

    Speaking with her on the phone, it is difficult to reckon that Madam Victoria Ayoka Makoyawo (nee Adebowale)  is 100 years old. Her sharp and audible voice is at odds with her centenary status. Also remarkable is her ability to accurately recall events. The centenarian shares her life experiences in a conversation with GBENGA ADERANTI. Excerpts:

    How do you feel clocking the rare age of 100 years?

    I thank God for His grace, which has enabled me to be 100 years old and for my life. I give praise to Jesus. It has been a long journey in life.

    Considering that formal education was not fashionable at the time you were born, how did you manage to go to school?

    I lived with my maternal grandmother. My dad was a farmer, and he did not send any of his children to school. However, my maternal grandmother wanted me to have a formal education. I was therefore taken from Abeokuta to Imeko in 1935. That was where I started formal education.

    It is also important to mention that it was a white man who did the confirmation for me, which is why I have Victoria as part of my name.

    Was it at Imeko that you completed your education?

    From Imeko, we returned to Osogbo, where I continued with my education. I still remember vividly that our school fees were about twelve and a half kobo.

    After a while, I told my mum that I was not ready to continue with my education because of the ordeal I was facing with paying the school fees. My mum kicked, but I opted to learn sewing.

    Fortunately for me, my maternal grandmother’s brother was in Ibadan, where I stayed and learnt how to make dresses. I thank God that He blessed this sewing business.

    I later got married in 1949. Not long after, my husband was transferred to Ilorin, and we later returned to Lagos. God answered my prayer, and in 1949, I had my first child.

    After the first child, I had a delay. I tried to have another child, but it was a bit difficult. I was so desperate to the extent that any time I saw a woman who had just given birth, I would say, ‘loan me your husband for me to have a child too,’ and everybody would laugh. The delay in not having another child after the first one was causing me so much grief.

    After waiting for about 13 years, God answered my prayer and I had a baby girl

    In fact, when I got pregnant I didn’t even know. I remember that I went to Sapele to meet a family member. There, I couldn’t eat; I was just vomiting. I suspected that I was pregnant, and it was later confirmed that I was pregnant.

    What were the things on your mind during the waiting period?

    I was always telling God the kind of child I wanted. I specifically asked God to give me a female child who would be kind and would not disgrace me. I enjoyed good treatment during that pregnancy. A doctor was detailed to look after me where my husband was. Another doctor was engaged in Lagos to look after me until I was put to bed.

    You just said that God blessed your sewing business…

    Yes, I was doing well in my sewing business. Although I was staying in Mushin, Lagos, people on the Lagos Island knew me. I would go from Mushin to Tom Jones, Lagos Island, and to sew for people. It was there I came in contact with many people. Ileya Festival was always a boom period for me.

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    I think the secret behind this was the fact that I was honest with my clients. I never cheated any of them, and I would never keep part of their clothes. I always remembered what my boss told me as an apprentice. She said we should not take what was not ours. So, when I started my own business, it was my principle, and all my clients knew this.

    Secondly, I love to work. I hate staying idle. It wasn’t only sewing that I was doing; I was into other businesses too. I was into building and supplying building materials. I was a contractor at Ikeja Police College when it was about to start. The name of my business then was Victoria Building Contractor. I was a supplier there, supplying them with quality materials.

    Even the people I was buying things from knew I would not take anything inferior. My policy was that dirty or cursed money was no money. I was only interested in clean business. I never knew that some of the policemen were watching me and monitoring what I was doing. Although I was involved in other businesses which God really blessed, I also sold clothing materials.

    I just love to work; I can’t sit idle. I also sold food in this house. Many lawyers were coming here to eat. It was a business that fetched me so much money, too. I love to work; my paternal and maternal families believe in hard work, and that was what I imbibed.

    What did you do with the proceeds of your business?

    Ah, you know I told you earlier how I encouraged my husband to build his personal house and his reluctance. When he was delaying, I just took one of his brothers to his land. I did a foundation for him, we started, and we were paying block makers whatever we had.

    It was one of the visits to the person who sold the land to my husband that I expressed my interest in buying land, too. He initially refused to sell land to me because he felt I should have got married to either Egba or Oyo instead of an Ekiti man (laughs).

    Unknown to me, the owner of the piece of land was my father’s friend. Unfortunately, it was too late, and the land had been sold. But as God would have it, the people at the town planning said there was a piece of land in another place belonging to the same man. But it was small. I had to run back to Abeokuta, and he confirmed what they told me in Lagos. I insisted that, irrespective of the size, I would buy it. He said he would have given me the land free of charge, but said again that because I married an Ekiti man, he would not do so. He eventually sold the land to me. That is where I am living today, in the heart of Ikeja.

    You were married to a polygamist. What was your experience?

    I was the fourth wife. Except you were told, it would be difficult for anyone to know that we were married to the same man. Anytime I went to Abeokuta, I would buy food and other things, I would cook, and all of us would sit down and eat. Most of our neighbours thought we rented the house, not knowing we were the wives of the owner of the house. The feeling then was that we were just friends. Till all the other wives died, we never quarrelled.

    How did you manage to live without having issues with your husband’s other wives?

    (Prolonged laughter)  I remember telling my husband not to keep concubines. If he found any woman who caught his fancy, he should bring the person home and marry her. Then, we were told that women were killing men in Lagos.

    I’m amazed at the way you remember things and events. You are still looking strong, and your voice is like that of a teenager. What is the secret?

    I will attribute these to God. He gave me the power. Also, it was the kind of upbringing that I had. Every Sunday, after returning from church, we would go in and start reading the Bible. That too must have contributed to it. For example, we never joked with pap. I used to feel sad then if I did not drink pap and senke.

     How would you compare the Lagos of today with the one you grew up in?

    Things have really changed. There was no traffic jam or noise then. There was no kidnapping. The Lagos of then was stress-free.

     If you look at your 100 years on earth, what would you say gave you the greatest joy, and what made you saddest?

    There was a day I was taking my daughter to school together with one of my younger ones’ children, with my driver. We had an accident, and I was just shouting Jesus! Jesus! It was a sad experience. My most joyous moment was when I was in labour and the doctor told me that the baby was breech. Fortunately, the doctor’s mum was around. When she heard what happened, she plucked vegetable leaves in the hospital and told me to start chewing the vegetables raw. I gave birth to the baby safely.

    The greatest joy was when I realised that it was a baby girl. I asked God for a baby girl, and He hearkened to my request. They told me not to stand up from the bed. I was just shouting I thank you, Jesus, I thank you, Jesus. They all rejoiced.

    How were you treated by your in-laws during your waiting period, I mean, before the second child came?

    Not bad, I was just telling God that I never asked him for a delay.

    At a point, you went to Jerusalem…

    Yes, I had been to Austria before then. My trip to Jerusalem was not planned. I used to have a friend, but she is late now. My wrapper used to be a flowing one touching the floor, because of that, many of them used to call me alhaja. I would tell her I’m not an alhaja. In one of those days when I returned to Nigeria from a business trip to Austria, she said she had submitted my name among those who would go to Jerusalem. We eventually went.

    In Jerusalem, I started praying. My friend reminded me that it was good to speak positively; that it was almost 30 years since I said I was not an alhaja but alhaja of Jerusalem, and that God had answered my prayer, which I had eventually become alhaja of Jerusalem. I then thanked God.

    In Jerusalem, I requested God… before I left Nigeria; I was selling food and alcoholic drinks. I said that if I returned to Nigeria, I would not sell alcoholic drinks again because I did not want my child to be drinking alcohol; therefore, I would not sell alcoholic drinks to the children of other people.

    When I returned, I stopped selling drinks. The girl working with me asked why. I said nothing. I sold all the crates and started dealing in Coca-Cola drinks and Vitamalt.

    Would you advise a woman to marry into a polygamous home or a man to practice polygamy?

    I don’t want it. I don’t support it because of the challenges involved. I don’t pray for any of my family members to have more than one wife, because they won’t have a restful mind. The people of those days knew how to manage polygamy, but this generation is incapable.

    What would you tell the newlyweds?

    A woman needs a lot of patience. I would advise women to take good care of their husbands.

    Unfortunately, wives nowadays prefer takeaway and fast food for their husbands. Some go as far as contracting their stew out. They don’t do all those things that matter for their husbands. They don’t know how to cook. I pray that God will give them the wisdom and the skills to do the right things for their husbands.

    The most important thing is for the woman to be patient. We know that both of them come from different backgrounds, but patience is the key. Women have to be submissive.