Nigeria — My Country of Destiny

A speech delivered by Mrs Bolatito Ajibode, Convener, Independence Day Fiesta, at Landmark Events Centre, to mark Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary

Nigeria is my country of destiny.

It is not a coincidence that I was born here. God had me in mind when He blessed this land.

It is not a coincidence that this prosperous land is populated by people of different cultures; hence, our tongues and tribes differ. We call it PRODIVA — Prosperity in Our Diversity.

The Lord finished the work of creation and should be praised for loading us with the benefits of arable soil, mineral-rich land, solid minerals, oil and gas, and a market of over 200 million people. Many are yearning for these endowments and have come to our land to explore and exploit them.

Our endowments are beckoning on us for exploration. The few who have taken up the challenge, like Dangote, are smiling to the bank by converting our huge deposits of limestone into cement and refining our crude oil into petroleum products. He has taken Nigeria to the global stage, and we are all proud of him as our brother.

We, however, need more Dangotes.

Last year, we had our maiden edition at Muri Okunola Park, where we challenged ourselves to do more by building a side hustle in addition to our 9-to-5 jobs.

We urged ourselves to:

1. Start small from where we are and grow.
2. Explore the vast resources of this country to create wealth.

I am happy to say that we have positive testimonies from those who have started their side hustles, making extra income and contributing to the total income of Nigeria.

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Having laid a solid foundation last year, our goal this year is to cement it and contribute, individually and collectively, to the per capita income of Nigeria.

The desired growth of Nigeria can only come as we add value to the wealth of the nation in our own little corners.

That is the only variable we can control because the other variable — population — is outside our control.

We are typically excited about our young population and proudly rejoice that Nigeria is projected to become one of the five most populous countries in the world by 2050.

The question we need to ask is: How do we house, feed and clothe this growing population?

Certainly, having a young population is good, but it can also become an easy path to poverty and insecurity if we are not deliberate about growing national wealth and baking a bigger national cake.

Yes, our business environment is tough and unstructured. It raises the entry barrier because many are not ready to weather the storm. Those who are able to stay and thrive in this tough business environment have overcome the challenges, and some of them are here with us today.

A deep appreciation to our keynote speaker, Mrs Chinwe Ezenwa, the Managing Director of Lee Look Bags, who has been in the business of Ankara and Aso-Oke fabric bags for four decades. We look forward to drinking from her fountain of knowledge this morning.

Also in our midst is our brother, Mr Ola Awakan, the Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority, who has used literature and poetry to deliver compelling indigenous stories from the heart. He has come with his team all the way from Abuja to honour us.

During the panel session today, we will hear the success stories of our panelists and also interact with them during the networking session.

In line with the theme of the year, we would like us to consider:

• Low-hanging fruits in our business environment;
• Low-technology business ideas;
• Businesses that are authentic and unique to us;
• Commercialising our indigenous values and ideas in food, clothing, arts and drama.

We need to own and dominate this space!

Today, we have in this room great men and women who have taken these indigenous values and ideas to the global stage.

They will share their PRODIVA stories and inspire us.

I believe their insightful stories will also challenge the invited students from Yaba College of Technology, the University of Lagos and Lagos State University.

The idea is to catch them young. 😍

Please note: the Independence Day Fiesta is not about storytelling alone. We are also going to have fun.

We have about four performances, including spoken-word poetry, drama, drumming, music performances and Naija music with good lyrics.

We will also break out for lunch to enjoy various Naija cuisines.

It is my prayer that, at the end of the session, we will all have our takeaways and begin to water the seed of prosperity in our diversity.

Once again, thank you for coming. Please relax and have fun.

Nigeria — My Country of Destiny

Supreme Court Ruling: INEC Moves to Clarify Fate of 2027 Candidates

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it will determine how the recent Supreme Court ruling on the Electoral Act 2026 affects candidates after reviewing the certified true copy of the judgment.

The development has heightened uncertainty among some political parties and 2027 election candidates, particularly those whose nominations could be scrutinised over party membership registers and the procedures used to conduct their primaries.

The Supreme Court, in its September 24 judgment, restored Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7) and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026, which had earlier been struck down by the Court of Appeal. The provisions deal principally with political party membership registers and candidate nomination procedures.

Under Section 77(5), only members whose names appear on a party’s membership register submitted to INEC at least 21 days before a primary, congress or convention are eligible to participate in the exercise.

Section 77(6) requires parties to use the membership register submitted to INEC for their primaries, congresses and conventions, while Section 77(7) provides consequences for a party that fails to submit its register within the prescribed period.

Section 84(2), meanwhile, provides for the nomination of candidates through direct primaries or consensus.

The Supreme Court’s decision did not name or automatically disqualify any individual candidate. Questions surrounding particular nominations are expected to depend on the facts of each case, including party membership records, the timing of registration or defection and how the relevant primary was conducted.

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INEC has therefore refrained from announcing a blanket decision on candidates whose nominations could be affected.

The commission is expected to engage political parties and other stakeholders on October 6, while also addressing the issue publicly as preparations continue for the 2027 general elections. INEC is also expected to publish the final list of governorship and State House of Assembly candidates on October 10.

Several candidates have already attracted attention because of circumstances surrounding their party membership or nomination.

Among those mentioned are Kingsley Chinda, the APC governorship candidate in Rivers State; Isa Pantami, the PDP governorship candidate in Gombe State; Donald Duke, the PRP presidential candidate; Ovie Omo-Agege, the NDC senatorial candidate in Delta Central; and Victor Ochei, the NDC candidate for Delta North.

In Chinda’s case, questions have centred on the timing of his movement from the PDP to the APC and whether his membership status complied with the restored provisions before the party’s governorship primary.

The Rivers APC has maintained that Chinda registered with the party on April 27, ahead of the May 21 primary, and therefore met the relevant 21-day requirement.

Pantami’s case is also subject to separate legal proceedings. He left the APC for the PDP after withdrawing from the APC governorship primary and subsequently emerged as the PDP’s candidate in Gombe. A Federal High Court ruling in Gombe had already nullified his nomination and ordered a fresh primary, meaning his situation involves issues beyond the Supreme Court judgment alone.

For Omo-Agege and Ochei, attention has focused on their movement from the APC to the NDC and the waivers granted to enable them to contest the NDC nomination exercises. Their cases raise questions about the interaction between party membership, waivers and the restored provisions of the Electoral Act.

Former Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, the SDP governorship candidate in Nasarawa State, has also insisted that his candidacy remains valid. The SDP has said he had been a member of the party for about three months before its governorship primary.

The key issue for INEC is whether nominations conducted while the disputed provisions were temporarily invalidated will be assessed under the provisions subsequently restored by the Supreme Court.

For now, the Supreme Court judgment should not be interpreted as an automatic cancellation of the affected candidates’ tickets.

The final position will depend on INEC’s review of the judgment, the relevant party records and the specific circumstances surrounding each nomination, as well as any separate court proceedings that may arise.

With the 2027 elections approaching, the commission’s forthcoming clarification is expected to provide greater certainty for political parties, candidates and other stakeholders over the status of nominations affected by the ruling.

Supreme Court Ruling: INEC Moves to Clarify Fate of 2027 Candidates

Omokri Defends Tinubu Over Pension Record, Faults Linking President to 89-Year-Old’s Death

Former presidential aide and political commentator Reno Omokri has defended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration over its record on pension payments, while criticising attempts to link the President to the death of an 89-year-old woman.

Omokri spoke while mourning the death of Dame Ezinne Mary Oduah Amaechi, who died on July 16, 2026, at the age of 89.

He argued that the Tinubu administration had made progress in addressing outstanding pension liabilities and ensuring that retirees receive their entitlements more regularly.

Omokri cited his personal experience, saying his mother recently celebrated her 90th birthday and received a video call from Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who reportedly asked whether she had been receiving her pension. According to him, she answered in the affirmative.

The former presidential aide said regular pension payments had improved the financial independence of many retirees, allowing them to meet essential needs such as food and medication without relying entirely on their children.

He attributed the development to measures introduced by the Tinubu administration, particularly efforts to settle outstanding pension liabilities.

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“Under His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigerians at both the Federal and Local Government levels, including military and paramilitary retirees, have been receiving their upgraded pensions as and when due,” Omokri said.

He maintained that the President inherited rather than created many of the outstanding pension obligations.

According to Omokri, President Tinubu approved a N758 billion Federal Government bond to address outstanding pension liabilities and arrears under the Contributory Pension Scheme.

He said the measure reflected the administration’s commitment to ensuring that retirees who served the country could live with greater dignity after leaving active service.

Omokri also referred to comments attributed to Godwin Abumusi, President of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, who reportedly commended the administration over the regular payment of monthly pensions and efforts to address historical pension debts.

Against this background, Omokri criticised claims seeking to associate Tinubu with the death of Amaechi.

He described such claims as unfortunate, particularly because the deceased was 89 years old.

“Thus, I find it most sad that anybody would, in the face of the above facts, accuse the President of being responsible for their mother’s death at 89,” Omokri said.

He also referred to Nigeria’s relatively low average life expectancy, arguing that reaching 89 represented a significant milestone.

“In a country where the average life expectancy is still below 60, though rising, for one to attain the ripe old age of 89 is a thing of joy to be celebrated,” he said.

Despite his criticism of the allegation against Tinubu, Omokri expressed sympathy to Amaechi’s family and described her as a dearly beloved mother.

He prayed for the peaceful repose of her soul and for strength for her surviving relatives and friends.

“May God bless the memory of Dame Ezinne Mary Oduah Amaechi, who passed away peacefully on July 16, 2026, at the age of 89,” he said.

“May God also grant her surviving family and friends the fortitude to bear the loss of a dearly beloved mother.”

Omokri Defends Tinubu Over Pension Record, Faults Linking President to 89-Year-Old’s Death