Category: General News

Peller Unveils LGI 2025 Strategic Roadmap, Reinforces Dedication to Empowering Youths

 

By Adewale Owoade

 

Founder of the Lead Generation Initiative (LGI), Shina Peller, has expressed commitment to the development of youths in the country, emphasising the need for their active involvement in leadership, entrepreneurship, and civic engagement.

 

Speaking at the LGI Global Press Conference and Partnership Event in Abuja, Peller outlined the organisation’s renewed vision to empower young Nigerians through strategic partnerships, leadership training, and access to justice.

 

He recalled that LGI was founded on January 21, 2020, as a non-partisan, non-profit organization dedicated to creating opportunities for young people to harness their creativity and aspirations for national development.

 

“With Nigeria’s population projected to reach approximately 234.6 million by July 2025, and about 70% under the age of 30, there is an urgent need to channel this youthful energy into productive engagements,” he said, citing data from MacroTrends.

 

Peller, a former member representing Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Kajola/Iwajowa Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, highlighted the impact of LGI’s Get Involved Leadership Training programs, which have so far empowered young leaders across various states.

 

These include 420 participants from Oyo State, 394 from Osun, 254 from Bauchi, 326 from Niger, 227 from Kwara, and 138 from Gombe.

 

Additionally, LGI partnered with the WE2GEDA Initiative to hold regional summits across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, engaging youths in Kano, Yola, Anambra, Uyo, Minna, and Lagos.

 

Announcing a new phase of LGI’s commitment, Peller unveiled key partnerships with Africa’s Young Entrepreneurs (A.Y.E.) for youth empowerment and Call a Lawyer NG to improve access to justice.

 

He noted that these collaborations would provide startup support, legal assistance, and civic education to help young Nigerians overcome barriers to personal and professional growth.

 

To strengthen its grassroots impact, the organization has also restructured its leadership and appointed 12 new regional coordinators.

 

According to Peller, this move is aimed at ensuring inclusivity and fostering proactive community leadership among LGI members.

 

As part of its 2025 Strategic Roadmap, LGI will host Regional Leadership Summits across the six geopolitical zones, creating a platform for young people to engage in national development discussions and take ownership of the country’s progress.

 

“Mindful of the challenges our country faces today, the regional summits will provide opportunities for young people to stand up, stand firm, and take responsibility for the development of their communities and our nation,” Peller stated.

 

He encouraged young Nigerians to visit LGI’s website, www.leadgennig.com, to register and participate in the movement, stressing the importance of youth involvement in shaping Nigeria’s future.

 

“We invite all Nigerian youth to take a stand for your country, join us in pursuing social change, and be the change you aspire to see,” he urged.

 

Peller concluded by expressing gratitude to LGI’s partners, stakeholders, and the media for their continued support in driving the organisation’s mission forward.

 

President of AYE Organisation, Dr Summy Smart, represented by the Partners Relations Manager AYE Organisation, Atuzie Favour Tuzzi, said the African Young Entrepreneurs is an ecosystem that has over 25,000 entrepreneurs across Africa present in 20 countries in Africa as well.

 

She said they were ready to work with LGI and create better impacts for Nigeria and the world at large.

 

The event ended with a question-and-answer session, during which Peller reiterated LGI’s dedication to fostering an inclusive, just, and prosperous Nigeria.

 

The Senator representing Kogi Central at the Senate, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has warned the wife of the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, Unoma, to stay out of the allegations of sexual harassment and intimidation against her husband.

Naijaonpoint reported that the lawmaker had earlier accused Akpabio of making sexual advances at her, stressing that her motion was denied because she refused to yield to the Senate president.

The Kogi-born senator made the allegation on Friday while fielding questions on the Arise Television Morning Show programme.

Reacting to the allegation while addressing newsmen in Abuja on Friday, Unoma stated that Natasha was maligning her husband and “creating content for personal gains”.

She described the allegation as demeaning, adding that Akpabio and Natasha’s husband are very good friends.

The wife of the Senate President described her husband as a disciplined and jovial person who is often misinterpreted.

However, in a letter dated March 1, 2025, addressed to Akpabio’s wife through her lawyer, Victor Giwa, Natasha advised the Senate President’s wife to refrain from getting involved in the matter.

The letter, titled “Stay Away from Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s Sexual Harassment and Intimidation Allegation Against Sen. President Godswill Akpabio; To Safeguard Your Sanity and That of Your Family,” stressed that the accusations were personal to Akpabio and that he should defend himself.

The lawmaker stated that she had endured harassment from Akpabio and was compelled to speak out, adding she has enough evidence to back up her claims.

The letter read, “Our Client is not desirous of calling you out into the unfortunate saga concerning her allegations against the Senate President, and wishes that you restrain yourself from delving into the obscene circumstances. while she has tolerated all the harassment from the Senate President, she was constrained to reveal the unfortunate torture and victimization which she has been going through in the red chambers under the hand of the Senate President.

“Consequently, we would like to state that the allegations of our client are personal to the Senate President, and our client believes the Senate President has the capacity to defend himself and refute any of these allegations against him.

“Our client has concrete evidence to substantiate her allegations. We will suggest that you leave the defense of the allegations for the Senate President to maintain your sanity and that of your family.

“Our client remains resolute in the defense of Nigerian women and as a family woman, she will continue to maintain our common heritage and family values.”

 

By Flowerbudnews

A renowned global Professor of Environment and Climate Change, Prof. Christian Madu, has urged Nigerians to exploit the great opportunities in the blue or marine economy for job creation and poverty alleviation.

Madu made the call on Friday in a paper titled: “Blue Economy – New Opportunities for Nigeria”, presented visually at the ongoing 2nd Hybrid International Conference of the Institute of Maritime Studies, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus.

The Blue Economy also known as “Marine Economic System,” is an ecosystem of economic activities that focus on commerce on large bodies of water like lakes, rivers, seas and oceans with ecological responsibility.

The don said that the opportunities had potentials for poverty alleviation, food security and development of new economic and ecosystem sectors that have potentials to create employment opportunities.

According to him, on the national macroeconomic level the blue economy has potentials of transitioning Nigeria from a unitary-based economy depending solely on crude oil to a truly diversified economy with huge foreign earnings.

“We have 18 economic activities identified that can generate earnings and jobs in the Blue Economy, which included: coastal tourism; deep seas shipping; short sea shipping (already been done by Nigerians); yachting and marines; and ferry services.

“Others are: fishery services and its value-added chain; inland waterways transport (human and cargo); inland waterways tourism; inland waterways real estate; coastal protection/security services; marine monitoring and surveillance services; and aquatic production (of edible water vegetables, fruits and animals).

“The rest are: Cruise tourism; offshore oil and gas exploration; biotechnology; marine solid mineral mining (already been done by advanced countries); desalination and offshore energy (sourcing power via tidal/wave energy and ocean thermal energy conversion),” he said.

Madu, who is with the Center for Environmental Management and Green Energy (CEMAGE) University of Nigeria, also called for development of underdeveloped waterways, lakes, rivers, seas, coastal and marine areas.

He noted that this could be done through dredging and recharging with additional water to these shrinking waterways, lakes, rivers and seas and doing publicity about their economic potentials rather than focusing only on existing sea and coastal lines.

“Expanding the business opportunities as we have shown clearly indicates that new and emerging sectors can be developed; as the traditional sectors may not exploit the vast opportunities available in the blue economy.

“There is a need to develop a sustainable blueprint/policy for the blue economy that is based on Plan-Do-Check (Study) – Act,” he said.

The don called on the government to constantly and clearly define goals and objectives that recognise both the human and ecological needs of the blue economy.

“Develop legal and regulatory frameworks that insist on sustainability goals; and implementation framework to focus on building local and national economies, and avoiding environmental degradation of the marine and coastal lines.

“View blue economy as an integral part of the national economy and marine and coastal lines as important life support to coastal communities and beyond to uplift their social status.

“Establish consistent standards to protect marine life and exploitation of marine resources,” he added.

The conference is themed: “Navigating the Future: Anchoring Sustainability While Bridging the Gap between Economic Growth and Marine Preservation.”

 

The wife of the President of the Senate, Mrs. Unoma Godswill Akpabio, has filed multiple lawsuits at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

The suits allege a breach of fundamental rights and defamation stemming from statements made by the senator during a televised interview on Arise News.

In the fundamental rights suit (Suit No: CV/814/25), brought under Section 34(1)(a) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Article 4 & 5 of The African Charter on Human And Peoples Rights (Ratification And Enforcement Act) Cap. A9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, Mrs. Akpabio seeks:

A DECLARATION that the allegations made by the Respondent on the floor of the Senate on the 20th of February 2025 and subsequent scandalous and salacious allegations on Arise News TV by the Respondent, constitute a flagrant violation of the fundamental rights of the Applicant guaranteed under Section 34(1) (A) of The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended), Article 4 & 5 of The African Charter on Human And Peoples Rights (Ratification And Enforcement Act) Cap. A9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and Section 14 of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015.

AN ORDER OF PERPETUAL INJUNCTION restraining the Respondent from making further inciteful, scandalous, and spiteful statements that have caused the Applicant and her children emotional and psychological abuse and living under constant threat and fear of their lives.

AN ORDER OF PERPETUAL INJUNCTION restraining the Respondent, whether by themselves, their agents, privies, or whosoever from further inciteful, scandalous, and spiteful statements that have caused the Applicant and her children emotional and psychological abuse and living under constant threat and fear of their lives or in any other manner infringing on their fundamental rights.

AN ORDER awarding the sum of N250,000,000,000.00 (Two Hundred and Fifty Billion Naira only) as exemplary, punitive, aggravated and general damages against the Respondent for her infringement of the fundamental rights of the Applicant alongside such further or other Orders as this Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstance.

Additionally, in a separate defamation lawsuit (Suit No: CV/816/25), Mrs. Akpabio seeks:

A DECLARATION that the Defendant’s act of claiming on national television, that the Claimant’s husband, who is the President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria made sexual advances at her, without any proof of same, has damaged the reputation of the Claimant and indeed her entire family, bringing them into disrepute and opprobrium.

AN ORDER OF THIS HONOURABLE COURT mandating the Defendant to issue a formal written retraction of the defamatory words and tender an unconditional apology to the Claimant and her family, to be published in 2 (two) nationally-read newspapers to wit: The Guardian and This Day Newspapers.

AN ORDER OF THIS HONOURABLE COURT compelling the Defendant to pay to the Claimant the sum of N1,000,000,000.00 (One Billion Naira only) as punitive and exemplary damages for the ruinous effect of the Defendant’s defamatory words on the Claimant’s family’s reputation.

AN ORDER OF PERPETUAL INJUNCTION restraining the Defendant from further uttering any defamatory words or causing to be uttered or spread, any defamatory words against the reputation of the Claimant’s family.

ANY FURTHER OR ANCILLARY ORDER or other Orders as this Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstance.

Comments

Yemi

1st, Mar, 2025 me

Criminals and their spouses are the ones that always run to the court where they have stooges as judges to coerce the masses by keeping them quiet. Akpabio is a “bomb”

Charity

1st, Mar, 2025

Hmmmmm! My genders know how to support their husbands even when they know that they cannot control their manhoods at the end the men will stay disgrace them. Allow the men to speak for themselves, you must not defend what you know nothing about. Give the your moral support behind

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Flowerbudnews

The Federal Government has introduced a new policy requiring contractors to provide an active Advance Payment Guarantee (APG) and a performing performance bond before receiving payments from the Ministry of Works.

An APG ensures that funds advanced to contractors are used for the project, while a performance bond guarantees the contractor will complete the project as agreed.

This new payment policy aims to enhance accountability and quality in road construction across Nigeria.

Minister of Works, David Umahi, announced the policy during the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Stakeholders’ Meeting on Sunday, 23rd February 2025, in Lagos.

He explained that the policy is designed to secure funds for repairs if contractors fail to address defects within the liability period.

Umahi emphasized that the new policy would be implemented for all ongoing and future projects under the Ministry of Works.

“Any payment made by the Ministry of Works will now require an active Advance Payment Guarantee (APG) and a performing performance bond. This ensures that if a contractor fails to fix defects within the liability period, we will have the resources to carry out the repairs,” Umahi stated.

The minister made the announcement while giving an update on RCC’s ongoing work on Section 2 of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, which faced significant failures on the Ibadan-bound lane.

The minister provided updates on the ongoing Lagos-Ibadan Expressway construction, which is divided into two main phases with multiple sections.

Phase 1 includes Section 1, constructed by Julius Berger, spanning about 43 km with three lanes dualised. Although minor failures were recorded, Umahi noted that they had been successfully repaired without major delays.

Section 2, managed by RCC, encountered significant failures on the Ibadan-bound lane, leading to ongoing repairs. Umahi revealed that RCC has been directed to engage in further discussions to resolve the issues. He added that approximately 8.5 km of this section remains incomplete, with an expected completion by April and commissioning planned for May.

Phase 2 involves completing flyover heads at strategic locations, including the RCCG axis, Wawa axis, Ogun Bridge, and Arepo Bridge. It also includes a 12 km dual carriage stretch at Sagamu-Iperu, currently under construction using rigid pavement.

Additionally, a 48 km stretch to Ore will be reworked, with the contract anticipated to be awarded by March. According to Umahi, completing this phase will conclude the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway project at the Ibadan axis.

 

–  Adeleke assures justice, urging full cooperation with the panel investigating the Esa-Oke and Ido-Ayegunle crisis.

The conflict erupted after the appointment of Prince Oluwatimileyin Oluyemi Ajayi as the Olojudo of Ido-Ayegunle.

Adeleke condemned property destruction and vowed to uncover the crisis’s root causes during his visit to both communities.

Flowerbudnews

Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun state has authorised the formation of an investigative panel to settle the ongoing chieftaincy dispute between Esa-Oke and Ido-Ayegunle communities.

This information was shared in a statement issued on Friday by Olawale Rasheed, who serves as the spokesperson for Governor Adeleke.

The statement reaffirmed the government’s dedication to enforcing the panel’s recommendations upon submission.

“Governor Adeleke believes in justice and peace,” Rasheed said.

“We urge all parties to cooperate fully with the panel.”

The decision follows violent clashes that erupted after the selection of a new traditional ruler.

Governor Adeleke intervened after visiting both communities, denouncing the destruction of properties and promising to investigate the underlying causes of the conflict.

“We are committed to ensuring peace and justice. This panel will provide lasting solutions.”

The panel will be led by Ropo Oyewole, the Special Adviser to the Governor on House of Assembly Matters.

Other panel members, as revealed in the statement, include Barrister Samuel Ojo, Special Adviser on Security Matters, and M.O. Oyedeji, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Regional Integration.

J. Amusan, Director of Staff Welfare at the Public Service Office, has also been appointed as a panel member.

“Mrs Adeola Ajekigbe, Deputy Director of Chieftaincy Affairs at the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, has been appointed as the panel’s secretary.”

The committee is expected to leverage their expertise to resolve the prolonged dispute effectively.

The terms of reference direct the panel to “determine the remote and immediate causes of the crisis that began on January 30, 2025, following the State Executive Council’s approval of Prince Oluwatimileyin Oluyemi Ajayi as the Olojudo of Ido-Ayegunle.”

“The panel will also assess damages and recommend remediation measures.”

“In addition, the panel is tasked with proposing strategies to ensure lasting peace in the area and addressing any other matters deemed necessary for their investigation.”

“Their findings and recommendations must be submitted within two weeks of the panel’s inauguration.”

The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Dosu Babatunde, disclosed that the panel’s inauguration is scheduled for March 4, 2025, at the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Osogbo.

“We expect the panel to carry out its duties diligently and fairly,” Babatunde stated.

“The government is determined to resolve this issue in the best interest of both communities.”

Recall that the Owamiran of Esa-Oke, Oba Adeyemi Adediran, urged Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke to fulfil his promise of setting up a panel of inquiry into the crisis.

Speaking to journalists in Esa-Oke on Tuesday, Oba Adediran expressed worries over the panel’s delayed inauguration, highlighting the community’s desire to seek justice.

He stressed that the town was eager to present its case after the violent clash with Ido-Ayegunle over the disputed land.

Similarly, the Chairman of the Esa-Oke Central Union, Bamigbeyi Aremu, voiced disappointment over the delay in implementing Governor Adeleke’s crisis resolutions.

He described the situation as still unstable, alleging that Ido-Ayegunle’s leadership, led by Baale Timileyin Ajayi, continues harassing Esa-Oke farmers.

He warned that the patience of the community was wearing thin and called on Governor Adeleke to take urgent action to prevent further conflict.