Connect with us

society

GTBank Sponsors 2019 Lagos International Polo Tournament

Published

on

G

Some of the most renowned indigenous and international polo teams are set to convene in Lagos, Nigeria to compete for highly coveted trophies in the 2019 Lagos Int’l Polo Tournament. Sponsored by leading African Financial Institution, Guaranty Trust Bank plc. This year’s competition will begin on March 13, 2019 and will see both Nigerian and foreign teams compete in five main cups, namely; the Silver Cup, Open Cup, Oba of Lagos Cup, Low Cup and Majekodunmi Cup. 

Over the years, GTBank has been at the forefront of supporting Polo; widely revered as the Sport of Kings, and promoting the Lagos International Polo Tournament, which has hosted reputable personalities such as His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. Played on the grounds of the Lagos Polo Club, Ikoyi, the premier polo club in the country, the tournament has featured polo greats like Alphonso Pieres, Gonzalo Pieres and Alan Kent, and promises to provide top class action and entertainment for all polo lovers.

Some of the players expected to light up this year’s tournament include Tomas Fernandez Llorente, a seven-goaler from Argentina; South Africa’s Tom De Bryune +6; and Diego White a +6 handicap player from Argentina. Other professionals expected include Chris Mckenzie +6, Pedro Soria, Leroux Hendrix, and Martin Waiganjo. Polo enthusiasts will also be treated to a variety of activities ranging from thrilling performances by music stars to an exquisite experience at the exclusive GTBank Lounge where guests will be treated to epicurean cuisine and vintage wine.  

Commenting on GTBank’s sponsorship of the 2019 NPA Lagos International Polo Tournament, Segun Agbaje, Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank plc, said; “We love the game of polo, the passion and the symbiosis between the players and their horses, but most importantly, we hold a strong affinity to the sport of kings because it reflects quality, competitiveness and fair play; some of the values that have made GTBank a Proudly African and Truly International Financial Institution.” He further stated that; “Our sponsorship of the 2019 NPA Lagos International Polo Tournament, which has grown over the years to become one of the most anticipated social and sporting events of the year, demonstrates our strong belief in the role of sports in developing and uniting our society.”

Guaranty Trust Bank plc is one of the few Nigerian financial institutions that have maintained a defined Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy, most especially in sports education. The GTBank Masters Cup as well as the Principals Cup tournaments in Lagos and Ogun states are some of the projects the bank has taken up in this regard.

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

society

Decentralizing Policing in Nigeria: The Urgent Case for State-Controlled Law Enforcement

Published

on

Decentralizing Policing in Nigeria: The Urgent Case for State-Controlled Law Enforcement By George Omagbemi Sylvester | For Sahara Weekly NG

Decentralizing Policing in Nigeria: The Urgent Case for State-Controlled Law Enforcement

By George Omagbemi Sylvester | For Sahara Weekly NG

For decades, Nigeria has endured the consequences of an overstretched, inefficient and highly politicized central policing system. The result? Catastrophic. Rising insecurity, emboldened terrorists, banditry and unchecked violence have ravaged nearly every corner of the country. From the blood-soaked fields of Zamfara to the kidnapping corridors of the South-East and the cult-infested creeks of the Niger Delta, the evidence is irrefutable: centralized policing has failed Nigerians.

Despite its glaring dysfunction, the idea of devolving police powers to state governments remains one of Nigeria’s most controversial debates. Detractors argue that state police may be abused by governors as political thugs, but that’s a distraction from the real question: Do states in Nigeria currently have the financial and structural capacity to run police forces that are accountable, professional and effective; not as political weapons but as agents of justice and peace?

Central Policing: A Colonial Relic Turned Burden

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF), with about 370,000 officers serving over 220 million people, has one of the worst police-to-citizen ratios in the world. According to United Nations standards, a functional ratio is 1 officer to every 450 citizens. Nigeria languishes at roughly 1:600, and that’s before factoring in the lopsided deployment of personnel.

Shockingly, more than 40% of officers are assigned to VIP protection (guarding politicians, their families and business elites) while ordinary Nigerians are left defenceless against armed robbers, kidnappers and insurgents.

This structure is not accidental; it is a colonial legacy. As Professor Jibrin Ibrahim of the Centre for Democracy and Development aptly puts it:

“The Nigerian police are not trained to serve the people. They are trained to protect the state from the people.”

That mindset still dominates. The NPF remains a blunt, top-down instrument of coercion, not community safety. From the excesses of SARS to police complicity during elections, the central police system has consistently shown that it is out of touch and out of control.

The Case for State Policing: Security Must Be Local


Nigeria is a federation on paper but a unitary dictatorship in practice, especially regarding policing. With over 250 ethnic groups, multiple languages and complex regional dynamics, a one-size-fits-all federal police force cannot address the security needs of all states.

Countries like the United States, India, Canada and Germany, all federal in structure, operate decentralized policing models. In the U.S., over 90% of law enforcement is handled by state, county or municipal agencies and not Washington, D.C.

Nigeria has already seen states respond to security failures by creating regional outfits: Amotekun (South-West), Ebube Agu (South-East), Hisbah (North) and others. These are clear expressions of popular no-confidence votes in the federal police. But these outfits remain legally weak and operationally constrained without constitutional backing.

What Nigeria needs now is not just more vigilante groups but a legal and constitutional framework that allows states to form and manage professional, community-embedded police services.

Can States Afford State Police? The Numbers Don’t Lie


One of the most common arguments against state policing is financial incapacity. This argument is misleading and frankly, LAZY.

According to BudgIT and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS):

Lagos State generates over ₦400 billion annually in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) which is more than some African countries.

Rivers, Ogun, Delta and Kaduna States each generate over ₦50 billion annually.

25 states generate more than ₦10 billion annually.

So why do we say they “cannot afford” state policing? The issue isn’t capacity, it’s priority and accountability.

If states can build multi-billion-naira airports, mega flyovers and luxurious government houses, surely they can fund training, equipment and welfare for 5,000 to 10,000 well-trained state officers.

In 2024, the federal government allocated over ₦1.3 trillion to police and security services. Yet, most rural communities remain vulnerable. A fraction of that, used efficiently by states, can yield better results. Moreover, states could seek matching grants or partnerships with private and international donors to strengthen their security apparatus.

The Fear of Abuse: A Convenient Excuse
A major objection to state policing is the potential for abuse by state governors. But let’s be clear: the federal police are not immune to abuse. SARS was a federal outfit, yet it became synonymous with torture, extrajudicial killings and robbery.

During the 2023 general elections, federal police were accused of colluding with political parties to suppress opposition and disenfranchise voters. In Lagos, Rivers and Kano, shocking videos of police inaction and collaboration with thugs circulated widely.

The abuse argument is not an argument against decentralization; it is an argument for institutional reform.

A properly crafted State Police Act must include:

Independent oversight commissions

Auditable budgets and public transparency

Cross-border collaboration to prevent jurisdictional loopholes

Community-based recruitment

Strict human rights and use-of-force protocols

National benchmarks for training and ethics

The Federal Government’s role should evolve into providing technical support, forensic labs and inter-state crime coordination not micromanaging state security from Abuja.

Political Bottlenecks: The Elephant in the Room

Decentralizing Policing in Nigeria: The Urgent Case for State-Controlled Law Enforcement
By George Omagbemi Sylvester | For Sahara Weekly NG
Why, despite mounting evidence, has Nigeria failed to implement state policing?

Politics.

Centralized policing is a political weapon. Whoever controls the federal police controls elections, opposition suppression and even media narratives. That is why the ruling class is reluctant to devolve power.

In 2021, the National Assembly blocked key constitutional amendments that would have allowed states to establish their own police forces. Why? Because the party in power benefits from centralized force.

As Wole Soyinka warned:

“There’s no way we can continue along this unitarist line. It’s a logical contradiction. You can’t continue with this crude, centralist mindset and expect safety.”

State governors (especially in the South) must form a united front to lobby for this constitutional change. This will require sacrificing political capital, building coalitions across party lines and directly engaging the Nigerian public.

A National Crossroads: Reform or Ruin
Insecurity in Nigeria is no longer an abstract debate, it is an existential crisis. Farmers are abandoning fields. Children cannot go to school. Businesses are closing. Millions live under the daily threat of violence, extortion and death.

We must not allow political cowardice or elite selfishness to deny Nigerians the right to safety.

A decentralized police system is not a luxury; it is a necessity for national survival. Every state should have the constitutional authority, financial framework and legal support to secure its people.

It is time to break free from colonial chains and build a policing system that reflects our federal reality, respects our diversity and protects every Nigerian; rich, middle-class or poor, north, east or south, Muslim, Christian or Pagans.

The time for half-measures has passed.
The time to decentralize is now.

Decentralizing Policing in Nigeria: The Urgent Case for State-Controlled Law Enforcement
By George Omagbemi Sylvester | For Sahara Weekly NG

Continue Reading

society

Boko Haram: Olowu Reiterates Call to Support Nigerian Army

Published

on

Boko Haram: Olowu Reiterates Call to Support Nigerian Army

Olowu of Kuta, HRM Oba Dr Hammed Makama Oyelude, CON, Tegbosun iii, has reiterated the call on Nigerians to support the Nigerian Army in the face of daunting security challenges and emerging new trend.

According to the statement issued by his media office in Kuta at the weekend, Oba Makama said the invasion of the country by various militias and mercenary has posed another threat to the national security.

Oba Makama, therefore, urged all and sundry, especially traditional rulers, to ensure that their domains are safe and secured from these hydra headed terrorists.

“As we all know that the Nigerian Army is responsible for the promotion and securing of our territorial integrity which is the symbol of our sovereignty, we must all rally round them to ensure they succeed in this onerous task.”

Waxing philosophical, Oba Makama said ” to keep Nigeria as a one is a task that must be achieved” failure of which it will remain an ill wind that blows nobody any good.

“It’s unthinkable that Pakistan nationals will be caught training the Boko Haram insurgency on how to attack the symbol of our sovereignty which is the Nigerian Army.

“They’ve also gone ahead to acquire weapons such as UAV ( drones) and latest military hardware to confront our army. We must ensure that all hands are on deck to defeat this deadly ‘monster’ before it’s too late,” the monarch added.

Kabiesi commend the COAS, Lt General Oluyede for prioritising troops welfare and leading from the front.

Continue Reading

society

Tayo Folorunsho Launches Universal Varsity TV Auditions to Discover Rising Student Stars in Abuja

Published

on

Tayo Folorunsho Launches Universal Varsity TV Auditions to Discover Rising Student Stars in Abuja

In a bold stride for youth-driven edutainment in Nigeria, media entrepreneur and education advocate Tayo Folorunsho has launched a groundbreaking talent audition at the University of Abuja. This initiative, aimed at discovering aspiring actors and content creators, is part of a larger project—the upcoming Campus Life Series—set to air on his newly licensed channel, Universal Varsity Television (UVT).

With an enthusiastic turnout of talented students, the audition kicked off what promises to be a transformative campus-focused web series. The Campus Life Series will weave together drama, education, and social commentary, offering an authentic portrayal of student experiences across Nigerian universities.

“We’ve seen incredible talent during the auditions,” said Folorunsho, founder and CEO of UVT. “These students will form the core cast of Campus Life Series, which will air on our new station.”

More than just entertainment, the series is designed as a platform to spotlight the real-life challenges, triumphs, and social issues faced by Nigerian students.

“This isn’t just about acting—it’s about impact,” Folorunsho explained. “We’re using storytelling to reflect campus realities, highlight systemic issues, and give young creatives a meaningful platform to express themselves.

 

Redefining Media and Education in Nigeria

Folorunsho’s vision is being hailed as a visionary fusion of advocacy and entertainment. By merging storytelling with student empowerment, he is cultivating a new wave of creators who are not only telling their stories but shaping national conversations.

Tayo Folorunsho Launches Universal Varsity TV Auditions to Discover Rising Student Stars in Abuja

The Campus Life Series is set to address pressing issues such as inadequate infrastructure, student welfare, academic pressure, and campus politics. Beyond the screen, the project offers hands-on media production experience, helping students build relevant skills that could propel them into careers in the creative industry.

With Universal Varsity Television, Tayo Folorunsho is not just launching a channel—he is launching a movement. One that champions youth voices, celebrates campus life, and redefines what it means to educate and entertain in Nigeria.

Continue Reading

Cover Of The Week

Trending