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2023: Abiodun unveils campaign council, secretariat in Ogun
2023: Abiodun unveils campaign council, secretariat in Ogun
…promises issue based campaigns
Sahara Weekly Reports That The Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun, has unveiled the campaign Council for the 2023 elections, with a promise that his campaign will be constructive and issue based.
Speaking at the unveiling of the Council and the commissioning of the State Campaign Secretariat at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, on Saturday, Abiodun said his administration has in the last three and a half years embarked on people’s oriented projects, saying his second term campaign would focus on how to deliver dividends of democracy to the people.
“We must engage in constructive and issue based campaign in line with the provisions of the electoral and rule of engagements. We have done more than enough projects to ease our campaign while we promiseto do more for the benefits of the people of Ogun State if voted into power again.
“As we proceed to meet our people to seek their votes in this campaign for all our candidates in the state, let me assure you all that our administration will remain unwaveringly committed to the equitable development of our state and the implementation of people oriented and purposeful infrastructure, in line with our policy of inclusiveness and good governance”, he said.
The governor noted that his government was pro-active by lowering the political temperature in the state by being tolerant and respectful of the activities of all political parties in Ogun.
“We have continued to create a level playing ground for all individuals irrespective of their political affiliations. This is unlike the previous administration that turned the period of campaign into War and brigandage”, he noted.
The governor enumerated the numerous projects and achievements recorded in the last three years and six months to include construction of over 800 kilometres of roads; affordable houses; renovation of schools and health facilities; youth and women empowerment; agriculture, among others.
On areas to focus on in his second term if voted next year, Governor Abiodun listed electrification to ensure uninterrupted power to the major cities, towns and industrial hubs; project light up Ogun; provision of water supply by carrying out the major overhauling of Arakanga
Water Works to make water available for the people of Abeokuta and its environs, among other projects.
He stated further that efforts would be geared towards sustaining the peaceful atmosphere of the state to attract more investors by deploying technology for surveillance and crime detection, noting that “Security to us is very important, as we understand that No investor will invest in an environment that is not secured. Hence, will continue to provide Hilux vans, Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) and other logistics for our security agencies in the state”.
He stated further that a Special Intervention Programme that would benefit over 40, 000 people in the first instance, implementation of the multimodal transport master plan, as well as the completion of the Agro Cargo at Iperu Remo; construction of a Dry Port at Kajola and a logistics hub at Wasinmi; leveraging on the abundance of oil resources in Tongeji Island and Olokola, would be given due attention
He noted that the state under his watch would intensify efforts at gearing the Internally Generated Revenue Service (IGR) to be more revenue driven, in order to be able to implement his administration’s developmental agenda.
Abiodun, however, charged the campaign council members to live up to the expectation by winning Ogun for the progressives again in the presidential, gubernatorial, Senate, House of Reps and the House of Assembly elections, submitting that “our campaign must percolate to the grassroots for the good of our party”.
In his goodwill message, the former governor of Ogun State and the grand Patron of the Campaign Council, Olusegun Osoba, stressed the need for the people to collect their Permanent Voter’s Cards, as the available record shows that the south west has the highest number of unclaimed Voter’s Cards in the country.
He contended that Ogun State is the cradle of progressive ideals in the country, hence, the need for the party members to support and promote all the candidates in the forthcoming elections.
Also speaking, former governor Gbenga Daniel who described Governor Abiodun as a good chess player who was able to bring people of diverse political leanings together, said it was time for the people to come together and work for the good of the party in the coming elections.
The APC gubernatorial candidate in Oyo State, Senator Teslim Folarin, called on the members to put their house in order and carry out adequate marketing of their candidates from the president down to members of the House of Assembly respectively.
In his welcome address, the Ogun State Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Yemi Sanusi stated that the Campaign Council covers all candidates seeking elective post in the 2023 general elections, urging members to work together and shun disunity to jointly achieve victory.
He admonished the candidates to buckle up and complement the efforts of the governor by working harder than in 2019 to achieve a landslide victory.
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Ramadan 2026: Let’s Be United, Shina Akanni Urges Muslims.
Ramadan 2026: Let’s Be United, Shina Akanni Urges Muslims.
As Muslims all over the world begins the 30 days compulsory fasting and prayer today,top Fuji Musician Aare Sir Shina Akanni Aroworeyin Scorpido has congratulates them for witnessing another month of Ramadan.
Akanni advised them to follow the teachings of the the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) which is peaceful co existence among themselves and their neighbor ‘because Islam is Religion of peace”.
He said the month of Ramadan is an holy month therefore Muslims should try as much as they can to maintain peaceful coexistence among themselves and others and that they should see themselves as ambassador of peace.
While praying for Nigeria,Aare Sir Shina Akanni Aroworeyin Scorpido said he believes that there will be an economic turnaround soon because what’s is happening now are signs of thought times that never last “if we can pecevere things will get better”.
The Scorpido crooner who recently released a hip hop single titled “Magbelo” said he is currently working on a complete album which will be released before the end of the year.
Aare Sir Shina Akanni Aroworeyin Scorpido whose last album ‘ABCD” is still in hot demand said that his next album will be a pot pouri of all kinds of music because his brand of Fuji music is a blend Fuji , Hip-hop,Apala ,Highlife and others.
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The Enemies Within: Jonahs Are Not Manageable — Dr. Chris Okafor
The Enemies Within:
Jonahs Are Not Manageable — Dr. Chris Okafor
…….“To remove Jonah, you must bring Jesus into the matter.”
When a “Jonah” enters a person’s life, confusion, gossip, blackmail, betrayal, and the pull-him-down syndrome often follow. But the moment Jesus Christ is invited into the situation, the storm subsides and stability is restored.
This was the central message delivered by the Generational Prophet of God and Senior Pastor of Grace Nation Global, Dr. Chris Okafor, during the midweek non-denominational Prophetic Healing, Deliverance and Solutions Service (PHDS) held at the international headquarters of Grace Nation Worldwide in Ojodu Berger, Lagos, Nigeria.
The Clergyman also declared that Nothing Happens Without Spiritual Influence
In his sermon titled “The Enemies Within,” Dr. Okafor declared that nothing happens without spiritual involvement. According to him, every visible battle has an invisible root.
Referencing the biblical story of Jonah, the Man of God explained that Jonah’s presence on the ship gave access to a contrary spirit that tormented everyone onboard.
Despite the losses suffered by innocent traders and sailors, the storm persisted because of one man’s disobedience.
However, he noted that when Jesus speaks into a situation, every storm must obey. Just as Christ rebuked the storm and it ceased, so too will the storms in believers’ lives subside when He is invited into their “boat.”
*The Impact of a Jonah*
Dr. Okafor further emphasized that “Jonahs” are difficult to manage. When such individuals are present in one’s circle, progress becomes delayed.
What should ordinarily manifest quickly may be prolonged or frustrated because someone close—someone who understands you deeply—may be operating as a spiritual adversary.
He explained that negative narratives, unnecessary battles, and unexplained setbacks often begin when a “Jonah” gains access to a person’s inner circle.
*The Solution*
“To remove Jonah from the boat of your life,” the Generational Prophet declared, “you must invite Jesus Christ into the matter.”
According to him, when Jesus takes control of the boat, the plans of the enemy are overturned.
What was designed for downfall becomes a testimony. No storm or battle can succeed where Christ reigns, and the enemy is ultimately put to shame.
The midweek service witnessed a strong prophetic atmosphere, with the power of God evident through deliverance, restoration, and divine revelations.
The Generational Prophet ministered deeply in the prophetic, calling out names, villages, and addressing alleged spiritual strongholds, as many lives were reportedly restored—all to the glory of God.
By Sunday Adeyemi
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FROM BORDER TO MARKETS: HOW NIGERIA’S REFORMS ARE REWRITING AND MODERNISING TRADE FACILITATION By O’tega Ogra
FROM BORDER TO MARKETS: HOW NIGERIA’S REFORMS ARE REWRITING AND MODERNISING TRADE FACILITATION
By O’tega Ogra
On the surface, the 2026 World Customs Organization (WCO) Technology Conference in Abu Dhabi, held in the last week of January, followed a familiar script: flags, formal sessions, carefully worded speeches. But beneath the choreography, something more consequential was unfolding. As customs chiefs and trade officials compared notes on the future of borders, Nigeria arrived not with theory, but with a working proposition.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Modernisation Project, being implemented through Trade Modernisation Project (TMP) Limited, unveiled to a global audience of customs administrators and policy leaders a window into how Africa’s largest economy is confronting one of the most complex challenges in public administration: reforming the machinery of trade while it is still running.
For decades, customs reform was treated largely as a technical exercise—frequent patches here, shoddy fixes there; new software in one corner, revised procedures in another. Nigeria’s presence in Abu Dhabi signalled something different. TMP Limited, working in partnership with the NCS, advanced the argument that trade is a cornerstone of economic development and must be supported by organic, sustainable partner ecosystems. Such ecosystems deliver speed and trust, revenue and credibility, and secure borders without stifling commerce.
That argument resonated in a room increasingly aware that global trade is no longer defined solely by tariffs and treaties, but by data, interoperability, and the quiet efficiency of systems that simply work.
The annual WCO Technology Conference has, in recent years, become a barometer for the direction of global trade governance. This year’s discussions reflected a shared anxiety: supply chains are more fragile, compliance risks are rising, and governments face mounting pressure to collect revenue without discouraging investment. Customs administrations now sit at the intersection of all three.
Nigeria’s response has been to attempt a full reset.
At the heart of this effort is the NCS Modernisation Project, implemented through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement with TMP Limited as the concessionaire. The project seeks to replace fragmented technology deployments and manual processes within the Nigeria Customs Service with a single, integrated framework. This is anchored on B’Odogwu, a Unified Customs Management System (UCMS) that brings together cargo clearance, risk management, payments, and inter-agency collaboration. The ambition is sweeping—and so are the stakes.
Alhaji Saleh Ahmadu, OON, Chairman of TMP, framed the initiative as nothing less than an institutional reconstruction, designed to position the NCS at the forefront of global customs administration technology, aligned with international standards and assurance frameworks.
“Digital trade modernisation is not just about upgrading systems,” he told participants in Abu Dhabi. “It is about upgrading trust, predictability, and confidence in how trade flows through our borders.”
That choice of words matters. Nigeria’s economy has long struggled with the perception gap between its size and the ease of doing business. Investors cite delays. Traders complain of opacity. Government points to revenue leakages. In this context, customs reform becomes as much a credibility project as a technical one.
Saleh’s message was timely and direct: modern trade demands modern customs. Data-driven processes, automation, and risk-based controls are no longer luxuries; they are prerequisites for competitiveness in a world where capital moves faster than policy.
The institutional face of this digital transformation is the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, who led Nigeria’s delegation to Abu Dhabi. His message reflected a subtle but important shift in how customs leadership now understands its role.
“Customs administrations today must evolve from gatekeepers to facilitators of legitimate trade,” Adeniyi said. “Nigeria’s customs modernisation project reflects our determination to place the Nigeria Customs Service at the centre of national economic transformation.”
It is a familiar refrain globally, but one that carries particular weight in Nigeria, where customs revenue remains a critical pillar of public finance. Automation, Adeniyi argued, is not about weakening control; it is about strengthening it through intelligence rather than discretion.
Risk management systems reduce unnecessary physical inspections. Integrated platforms limit human contact. Data analytics improve compliance targeting. When executed well, the result is faster clearance for compliant traders and tighter scrutiny for high-risk consignments.
In Abu Dhabi, peers from Asia, Europe, and Latin America listened closely to Nigeria’s presentation. Reforming customs in a small, open economy is one thing. Doing so in a market of over 200 million people, home to some of Africa’s busiest ports and its largest economy, is quite another.
Nigeria’s engagement emphasised that customs modernisation is embedded within a broader economic reform agenda under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. Simplifying trade procedures, strengthening revenue assurance, and aligning with international standards form part of a wider effort to reposition the economy for investment-led growth.
What makes the project particularly noteworthy is its insistence on end-to-end coherence. Rather than digitising isolated functions, the reform aims to connect agencies, harmonise data, and reduce duplication across government—an all-of-government approach that acknowledges an uncomfortable truth: trade friction is often created not at the border, but between institutions.
The WCO 2026 Technology Conference offered Nigeria more than a platform; it provided a stress test. Questions from peers were pointed. How will change be sustained across political cycles? How will capacity be built? How will entrenched institutional behaviours be unlearned?
The responses were pragmatic. Reform is being phased. Training programmes are ongoing. International benchmarks are being adopted not as slogans, but as operating standards. There were no claims of perfection—only a clear statement of intent.
“Our engagement here underscores Nigeria’s commitment to international cooperation,” Adeniyi noted. “We are learning, sharing, and contributing to global conversations on the future of customs administration.”
That contribution matters. As Africa moves to deepen regional trade under continental frameworks, customs efficiency will determine whether integration succeeds in practice or remains aspirational on paper. Nigeria’s experience, if successful, could offer a valuable template for other developing economies navigating similar constraints.
In Abu Dhabi, the mood was cautious but curious. Reform fatigue is real in many countries. Yet there was a growing sense that Nigeria’s effort—precisely because of its scale and difficulty—deserves attention.
Borders are rarely glamorous. But they are decisive. In choosing to modernise its borders in public, under global scrutiny, Nigeria is signalling something beyond technical competence. It is signalling seriousness.
And in global trade, seriousness still counts.
O’tega Ogra is Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, responsible for the Office of Digital Engagement, Communications and Strategy in the Presidency.
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