Category: General News

By Mohammed Baba Busu

Gov. Mohammed Umar-Bago of Niger says the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar is a critical pillar in the nation’s socioeconomic development.

He spoke on Saturday in Abuja at a one-day Colloquium on Agriculture organised by Abubakar, as well as the unveiling of his endowment fund.

The event, with a theme: “Food and the Nation’, was convened by the traditional ruler as part of his efforts to boost food security in the country.

Bago congratulated the Etsu Nupe on the feat, describing it as a wonderful achievement.

The governor added that Abubakar was playing a critical role in the sustainable development of Niger and Nigeria in general.

“Our revered traditional ruler is helping a lot to entrench peace and unity in the state and the country at large,’’ he said.

He congratulated the traditional ruler on his birthday, saying, to hit 72 years, was not a joke.

“You still look like you are 40. I am also congratulating you on your 21st year on the throne.

“God has given you so much health, stamina and agility and we pray that it shall it be so forever,” he said.

The keynote speaker, Chief Audu Ogbeh, said that achieving food required collective effort.

Ogbeh emphasised the importance of food as a basic necessity, quoting Friedrich Engels: “A man must first feed himself, clothe himself and house himself before he turns his attention to philosophy and politics.”

Ogbeh commended the Etsu Nupe for choosing this critical topic, describing him as a true father and patriot who was concerned about the welfare of his people and the nation.

He said the traditional ruler’s decision to focus on food security demonstrated his deep commitment to addressing the challenges facing the nation.

The keynote speaker warned of grave dangers ahead, particularly in the area of food security, if urgent and collective action was not taken to boost food production.

NAN

By Mohamed Baba Busu

Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, the Etsu Nupe and Chairman, Niger Council of Traditional Rulers,  on Saturday, in Abuja, organised a ‘Colloquium on Agriculture’ and an Endowment Fund Launching of the Etsu Yahaya Abubakar Foundation.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the one-day epochal event, which drew participants from across Nigeria and beyond, had its: “Food and the Nation’.

Speaking at the historic national event, Abubakar expressed gratitude to Allah for making it possible for everyone to gather and emphasised his unwavering commitment to development, particularly in agriculture.

The etsu nupe also aligned his foundation’s objectives with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at driving economic growth, enhancing living standards, and
fostering national development.

He further commended partnerships between Silicon Valley Nigeria, NYSC, and the Niger Government on agricultural projects, highlighting the potential for transformative initiatives in the sector.

Abubakar emphasised the importance of empowering youths through skills acquisition and employment opportunities, citing the NYSC’s SAED program as a vital initiative.

On Niger’s development, the erudite and prolific traditional ruler expressed hope that the state’s development success would serve as a benchmark for replication across the country.

Abubakar underscored his dedication to the growth and prosperity of his people, particularly in the areas of agriculture and youths empowerment.

According to him, his foundation’s initiatives aim to make a meaningful impact in education, health, and economic development.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the occasion , retired Col. Sani Bello, represented by retired by Brig.-Gen. Tunde Ogbeha, expressed heartfelt appreciation to the etsu nupe, the Bida Emirate Council, and the entire Nupe Kingdom.

The elder statesman highlighted his dual connection to Abubukar, citing both a personal relationship and a professional partnership through his company, Mainstream Energy Solution.

Bello praised the etsu nupe’s dynamic leadership, extolling his relentless pursuit of his people’s welfare and establishment of developmental programs.

Bello further commended Abubakar’s result-oriented approach, which had yielded significant benefits for the kingdom.

He also assured the etsu nupe of his continued support, stating that he would remain an integral part of the bida emirate’s developmental initiatives.

Bello  sought for tremendous foundation, emphasising its potential to benefit the less-privileged and provide opportunities for the youths.

The chairman of the occasion also highlighted the foundation’s productive nature, which aims to provide food security not only to the Nupe Kingdom or Niger but also to Nigeria as a whole.

He encouraged collective participation in the foundation’s endeavours, underscoring its potential to drive positive change.

Bello opined, “This colloquium cannot come at a better time than now when Nigeria is in dire need of plausible solutions to the seemingly increasing food insecurity.

“Therefore, the etsu nupe deserves a pat on the back for being part of the solutions to this formidable challenge, hence bolstering Nigeria’s food security.”

NAN

LARIBIKUSI RULING HOUSE DISSOCIATES ITSELF FROM SAMUEL ADEGBOLA’S RE-CORONATION AS ELERUWA OF ERUWA.

Flowerbud News/  The Tinubu Stakeholders Forum (TSF) has lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his strategic intervention in the livestock sector through the release of N60 billion to Gombe State for the establishment of a 184-hectare Agro-Livestock Industrial Zone.

Governor Inuwa Yahaya, during the groundbreaking ceremony in Gombe, revealed that the Federal Government had committed a total of N120 billion to the project, with N60 billion already released to kick-start the first phase of implementation.

In a statement issued and signed by its Chairman, Ahmad Sajoh, and Secretary Danjuma Sada, the Forum said the intervention underscores President Tinubu’s unwavering commitment to transforming Nigeria’s agricultural value chain, promoting rural industrialisation, and delivering on the core objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda.

It said: “The N60 billion released for this transformative project is not just a financial commitment—it is a strategic investment in the future of Nigeria’s agro-livestock economy.

“We acknowledge that the Agro-Livestock Industrial Zone will feature cutting-edge facilities including an ultramodern abattoir, international livestock market, fattening hubs, tannery and leather factory, a grain and livestock feed market, as well as an inland dry port to connect processed livestock and grain products to local and international markets.

“When completed, the facility is expected to process 500 bulls, 1,000 small ruminants, and 3,000 poultry birds daily —positioning Gombe as a key hub for modern livestock processing in Nigeria and West Africa.

“We are convinced that when concluded, the facility would significantly reduce farmer-herder clashes and post-harvest losses, modernise meat processing, and eliminate unsafe animal transportation practices—while creating thousands of jobs and expanding Nigeria’s non-oil revenue base.”

The Forum also reminded Nigerians that, as part of his Renewed Hope Agenda, President Tinubu created a dedicated Ministry of Livestock Development to act as the driver in repositioning the livestock sector for national development.

“The creation of this ministry, the Forum noted, is not just symbolic but strategic—signifying a strong political will to transform an often-overlooked sector into a major economic engine.

“This is because under the leadership of Minister Idi Muktar Maiha, the Ministry has already designed several targeted projects aimed at ensuring maximum value from the administration’s livestock initiatives.

“These include collaborations with foreign governments and international agribusiness concerns, strategic capacity-building programmes, and value chain expansion efforts.

“All these show that the President demonstrated uncommon foresight in creating the Ministry of Livestock Development. This singular act shows his readiness to harness Nigeria’s vast agricultural resources for economic growth, rural transformation, and national prosperity,” the group added.

The group commended the synergy between the Federal Government and the Gombe State Government, describing it as a model of cooperative governance capable of delivering sustainable impact across sectors.

It also called on state governments, investors, and Nigerian entrepreneurs to take advantage of the untapped opportunities in the livestock value chain.

“The livestock sector is full of untapped possibilities. With the right investment, Nigeria can become a continental hub for meat processing, dairy production, leather manufacturing, and feed milling. President Tinubu is laying the groundwork, and it is now up to stakeholders to key into this national vision.

“For us, the project reflects the Tinubu administration’s resolve to unlock Nigeria’s agricultural potential and reposition the livestock sector as a driver of inclusive growth, rural development, and export diversification.

“We are proud of the direction this administration is taking. This intervention is a clear signal that President Tinubu is not just promising transformation—he is delivering it,” the statement concluded.

Flowerbud News/ The Tinubu Media Volunteers have described the federal government’s recapitalisation of the Bank of Agriculture (BOA) with N1.5 trillion as revolutionary.

In a statement signed by its Chairman, Chukwudi Enekwechi, and Secretary, Segun Ogedengbe, the group noted that it is one of the several measures by the President Bola Tinubu administration to boost the agriculture sector.

The statement reads: “We note that the Bank of Agriculture, as a specialised bank solely established to support agriculture in Nigeria, will now be in a better position to lend money to qualified farmers, and other agriculture–related ventures.

“It is also noted that whereas the commercial banks are capitalised up to N500 billion, the Bank of Agriculture’s recapitalisation has been tripled.

“This organic measure by the federal government is aimed at providing the bank with the enabling by the owners and shareholders to key into the agricultural revolution of the federal government.

“There is no doubt that with sufficient funds now at the disposal of the bank, it will play a pivotal role in the avowed commitment of the President Tinubu administration to food security in the country. Definitely, it offers an opportunity for Nigerian farmers to be empowered and be more productive.

“We also acknowledge that the recapitalisation goes a long way to reaffirm Nigeria’s role in transforming the ECOWAS regional food systems, and this was adequately encapsulated in President Bola Tinubu’s July 2023 declaration of a State of Emergency on food security.”

The group also commended the commitment of the Tinubu administration to addressing food shortages in the country.

We’ll support, digitise Olunloyo’s library, Makinde says

By Adewale Owoade

Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, has declared that the state government would preserve and digitise the library of a late former governor of the state, Dr Victor Omololu Olunloyo and make it a tourist attraction centre.

Governor Makinde, who described the library as a treasure trove of knowledge capable of offering solutions to numerous challenges facing the country, said preserving the library is one of the ways of immortalising Dr Olunlolyo, who was the second elected governor of the old Oyo State comprising present day Oyo and Osun states.

The governor stated this while paying his last respect to the late Dr Olunloyo, at the lying -in-state and executive session organised in his honour by the state government and held at the House of Chiefs, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.

He added that the state government would also commission the Omololu Olunloyo Leisure Park at Alakia-Airport Area of Ibadan, which was named after the revered statesman in 2023.

Recall that the state government equally named the 3 km Airport Road after the former governor.

Makinde eulogised the late former governor for being one of his go-to persons on how to solve the problems of the state.

He added that exploring the tourism potential of the library would also align with his administration’s focus on tourism development.

He said: “I have lost a partner. Sometimes, he would tell me how some problems were solved before my time in the state. When people look at me and wonder how come Oyo State is so peaceful during my tenure, they don’t know that I go to these leaders and they analyse things for me and leave me to take the best decisions for the state.

“We must give honour to whom it is due. This event is important; it is an avenue for us to give a befitting passage to an individual who gave a good part of his life to serve this state and country.

“There are two things I need to let this gathering know. One is the fact that the Omololu Olunloyo Park is ready for commissioning and we will open it soon. Two, in most of my discussions with Baba, there was no way we would talk and wouldn’t get to the issue of his library.

“So, I am making a public announcement now that the state would support the family to preserve and digitise that library.

“It is a library where we can practically find solutions to a whole lot of challenges we are still faced with currently. We must preserve the library and ensure that when people visit Oyo State, the library becomes a tourist centre that we can showcase.”

Also speaking, the Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Barr. Abdulraheem Bayo Lawal, described Dr Olunloyo as a towering intellectual with a strong commitment to public service.

He said: “Today is a day of reflection on the life and time of Dr Omololu Olunloyo. Today does not call for grief, sorrow or lamentation.

“In reflecting, we must put into perspective his contributions to life, our society and the world at large.

“He was a towering intellectual who had a strong commitment to public service. He served our state at the highest level with distinction and rare brilliance.

“We believe that he has left enough for us to tap into in order for us to make a good life. We have lost a colossus whose footprint would remain etched on the sands of time.”

Speaking on behalf of the Olunloyo family, the first child of the deceased, Mrs Oluyemi Olunloyo-Buckner, described her late father as a politician of a rare genius and an exceptionally brilliant statesman whose contribution to Oyo State was huge.

She added that he was a man that gave his children identity, heritage and love.

Also in their separate orations, the Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Iyabo Yerima and the Acting Rector, The Polytechnic Ibadan, Dr Taiwo Lasisi, described Olunloyo as an embodiment of brilliance, with a profound commitment to public service.

The event had in attendance the wife of a former governor of Oyo State, Chief (Mrs) Mutiat Ladoja; a former Deputy Governor and PDP Deputy National Chairman (South), Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja; former deputy governor, Barr. Hazeem Gbolarumi; former Minister of Trades and Investment, Chief Mrs Onikepo Akande, CON, as well as Chairman and Co-Chairman of Oyo State Elders’ Council, Dr Saka Balogun and Elder Wole Oyelese.

Other government functionaries in attendance were the Secretary to the State Government, Prof Olanike Adeyemo; Oyo State Exco Members; service commanders, traditional rulers, religious leaders, and family members, among other dignitaries.