Business
AMBODE SWEARS-IN THREE NEW HIGH COURT JUDGES, PERM SEC
…As State Moves To Increase Judges From 59 To 120
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Wednesday swore-in three new Judges of the State High Court, with a charge on them to be fearless in the discharge of their duties and to always allow professional ethics to govern their acts and utterances within and outside the court.
The new judges are Justice Sururat Soladoye; Justice Olukayode Ogunjobi and Justice Yetunde Pinheiro.
Speaking at the Banquet Hall, Lagos House in Ikeja while performing the ceremony, Governor Ambode said their appointment was a testament of the consistently high standards and professionalism having scaled all the hurdles set by the appointing bodies and declared as fit to be on the revered higher bench of the Lagos State Judiciary.
He said their appointment had followed due process including a rigorous selection and screening exercise consequent upon the advice of the Lagos State Judicial Service Commission and recommendation by the National Judicial Council, urging them, therefore, to justify the confidence reposed in them by offering nothing short of justice without fear or favour.
“I would like to admonish our newly sworn-in judges to be fearless in the discharge of their duties and to always allow professional ethics to govern their acts and utterances within and outside the court.
“This will be the expectation of not only your colleagues, but of every Lagosian whose expectations are that you must determine and dispatch justice with independence and impartiality. The citizenry will also expect you to dispense justice without fear, favour, affection or ill will, as your oath guides you to do.
“The oath you have just taken is neither an empty ritual nor a matter of mere formal procedure. It is an open demonstration of commitment in the form of the making of a solemn and formal promise, the dereliction of which the oath taker will be held accountable; not only to the judiciary, and to our beloved State and country Nigeria but also to your creator,” Governor Ambode said.
Alluding to the fact that the Judiciary remains the last hope of the common man, Governor Ambode said his administration fully recognises the critical role the High Court plays in achieving its objectives, hence the recent innovations to enhance quick and effective dispensation of justice through the courts.
The Governor said that a bill had also been sent to the State House of Assembly, seeking to amend the High Court Law to fix the number of Judges in the State High Courts to 120 from the present number of 59, saying that it would go a long way to address the challenges of the ever growing population and the attendant increase in commercial transaction and disputes.
“In order to address the challenges of a growing population and the attendant increase in commercial transaction and disputes, we have sent a bill to the State House of Assembly seeking to amend the High Court Law to fix the number of Judges in the State High Courts at 120 from the present 59. We expect this to be favourably considered and passed soon.
“These are some of the new innovations that are further aimed to position the State Judiciary to meet the challenges of dispensing justice quickly and speedily as justice delayed is justice denied.
“Our State Judiciary has made advances in its progression to a modern and effective arm of government. In order to facilitate speedy dispensation of justice, we have been consistent in creating innovative ways of responding to the challenges of our days. We recently created the first-ever Special and Sexual Offences courts and the first-ever Small Claims Courts in Nigeria,” he said.
Governor Ambode also commended the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Opeyemi Oke for her inspirational leadership and commitment to fighting indolence in the judiciary since the period she assumed office, assuring that his administration would continue to support the Judiciary to deliver quality service to Lagosians.
In her remarks, Justice Oke while congratulating the new Judges on attaining the pinnacle of their career, noted that their appointment had come at a time where there was a lot of work to be done, urging them to brace up to face the task head on.
She said the new judges were screened and selected by external bodies in accordance with the constitutional provisions and recommendation by the National Judicial Council without any undue interference from any quarters.
“As a matter of fact some of my colleagues were asking if the Governor didn’t have a candidate, I said no, that he didn’t even call me for a second over this. We are proud of you sir,” she said.
She also thanked the Governor for his unflinching support and passion to see the smooth operation of the Judiciary, noting that under his administration the Judiciary has thrived and has continued to remain at the top across the country.
On his part, the Attorney General of the State, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem while introducing the new Judges, expressed confidence that their appointment would contribute to the speedy access to justice which, according to him, is one of the cardinal points of the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode led administration.
“They have been appointed based on merit and personal competence. They also possess the personality and qualities required of judges. I am certain that this will further enhance the commitment of this administration to the socio economic well-being of Lagosians,” Kazeem said.
Responding on behalf of her colleagues, Justice Sururat Soladoye pledged loyalty to service to the State, assuring that they would remain incorruptible and sustain the excellence the Lagos State Judiciary is known for.
Earlier, Governor Ambode also swore-in Mrs. Folasade Fasehun as the new Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Waterfront Development, charging her to see her appointment as a call to serve in a higher capacity and eschew partisanship and focus on the promotion of the virtues of integrity, probity and professionalism in the Public Service.
Precision and Heritage: How Fifi Stitches Is Rewriting African Fashion Narratives
A Nigerian-born designer is gradually carving out a cross-continental footprint in contemporary fashion, blending African textile heritage with British technical discipline.
Esther Fiyinfoluwa Adeosun, Founder and Creative Director of Fifi Stitches, is gaining recognition for structured womenswear and bridal couture that reinterprets traditional fabrics through architectural tailoring and precision construction.
Born in Ibadan, Oyo State, Adeosun’s fashion journey began at home, seated beside her mother’s sewing machine. What started as childhood curiosity, sometimes jamming the machine just to understand its mechanics—evolved into a disciplined design practice now operating between Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
During an interview with journalists the fifi Stitches once mentioned “I was fascinated by how flat fabric could transform into something structured and meaningful”.
In her Story , early designs made for her family, though imperfectly finished, were worn with pride—an encouragement that laid the foundation for her professional confidence.
Today, Fifi Stitches is recognised for sculpted bodices, controlled tailoring, corsetry construction, and the contemporary reinterpretation of Ankara, Aso Oke, and Adire textiles.
The brand challenges the long-held perception that African fabrics belong solely in ceremonial contexts, instead positioning them within global luxury and modern design spaces.
Adeosun’s training reflects this dual perspective. She studied Fashion Design and Entrepreneurship at the Institute for Entrepreneurship and Development Studies, Obafemi Awolowo University, and earned a Diploma in Fashion Design through Alison Online.
In the UK, she undertook industry-focused technical training with Fashion-Enter Ltd and gained fashion business exposure through Fashion Capital UK.
Her technical expertise spans pattern drafting, draping, garment technology, structured tailoring, corsetry, and bespoke fittings—skills she describes as central to credibility in fashion. “Precision builds trust,” she says. “A designer must understand construction as deeply as creativity.”
Fifi Stitches has showcased collections at the Suffolk Fashion Show, Liverpool Fashion Show – FB Fashion Ball, Red Carpet Fashion Event in London, and through editorial features in London Runway Magazine.
The brand has also received coverage in The Guardian Nigeria and Vanguard Allure, expanding its visibility across markets.
Beyond couture, Adeosun integrates community impact into her practice.
She has facilitated garment construction workshops, draping sessions, and introductory training programmes for women and emerging creatives, promoting fashion as both artistic expression and vocational empowerment.
Fifi Stcithes Boss operates between Nigeria and the UK, in order to continue to shape her brand identity.
According to her “Nigeria provides cultural richness and expressive textile traditions, while the UK offers structured production systems, sustainability conversations, and institutional frameworks”.
Looking ahead, Adeosun said she plan to establish a fully structured fashion house spanning Africa and the UK, develop scalable production partnerships, launch capsule collections, and expand independent editorial visibility.
Her broader ambition is clear: to position African textile craftsmanship within global contemporary design conversations—through structure, discipline, and technical excellence.
GTCO Launches “Take on Squad” Hackathon 3.0, Opens Call for Applications
Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (“GTCO” or the “Group”) has announced the launch of “Take on Squad” Hackathon 3.0, reaffirming its commitment to fostering innovation, empowering talent, and supporting the development of technology-driven solutions that address real-world challenges across Africa.
Now in its third edition, the Hackathon brings together developers, designers and entrepreneurs across Nigeria in a collaborative environment to build practical solutions across key sectors including financial services, healthcare, commerce and digital inclusion. Under the theme “Smart Systems: The Intelligent Economy,” participants are challenged to design and build intelligent, data-driven solutions that transform how communities engage with money.
Applications are now open, and interested teams can find full guidelines and registration details on the official portal at https://squadco.com/hackathon.
Speaking on the initiative, Eduophon Japhet, Managing Director of HabariPay, stated: “Today’s dynamic, digitally driven world demands continuous innovation, which is shaping how economies grow, how businesses scale, and how societies evolve. Through “Take on Squad” Hackathon, we are deliberately investing in the ideas and talent that will define the future. Our objective is not simply to encourage innovation, but to enable its translation into scalable solutions that deliver real and measurable impact. This reflects GTCO’s role as a financial services platform that connects capital, capability, and creativity to drive sustainable progress.”
The social coding event remains a cornerstone of HabariPay’s mission to foster creativity and problem-solving among emerging tech talents. Competing teams will leverage Squad’s advanced APIs to create scalable digital tools that address everyday challenges faced by businesses and individuals.
Through initiatives such as this, GTCO continues to position itself at the intersection of finance, technology and enterprise, actively shaping the future of digital transformation in Africa.
About HabariPay
HabariPay Ltd is the fintech subsidiary of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO), one of the largest financial services institutions in Africa with direct and indirect investments in a network of operating entities located in 10 countries across Africa and the United Kingdom.
Licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), our goal is to support SMEs, micro merchants, large corporations and other fintechs (Tech Stars) with the tools they need to thrive in an evolving digital economy and expand beyond their current market reach. HabariPay’s solutions include Squad, a full-scale digital payments toolkit to make in-person and online payments simpler, HabariPay Storefront, an e-commerce website to facilitate online purchases, Value-Added Services to help merchants access cost-effective and flexible airtime and data bundles to run their businesses, as well as a switching infrastructure that enables tech-focused businesses to optimise cost and make transactions more efficient.
HabariPay’s contributions to Accelerating Digital Acceptance in Africa have not gone unnoticed–it received Mastercard’s Innovative Mobile Payment Solution Award at TIA 2022 for its innovative payment solution, SquadPOS.
About Squad
Squad is a complete digital payments solution that is reliable, secure, and affordable, making receiving in-person and online payments simpler and convenient.
Thousands of merchants currently leverage Squad’s payment solutions for their daily business operations. Squad’s current products and service offerings include SquadPOS, Squad Payment Links, Squad Virtual Accounts, USSD, and E-Commerce Storefront.
Find out more at www.squadco.com.
Electric 8-Seater Tula Moto Keke Enters Nigerian Market, Targets Higher Operator Earnings
LAGOS — A new electric-powered tricycle with an expanded passenger capacity has been introduced into Nigeria’s urban transport sector, offering operators a potentially more profitable and eco-friendly alternative to conventional petrol-driven “keke.”
The newly launched 8-seater electric tricycle, now available in Lagos with plans for nationwide distribution, features a dual-row seating arrangement capable of accommodating up to eight passengers per trip—significantly higher than the standard three-passenger configuration common across the country.
Promoters of the innovation say the increased capacity is designed to boost daily earnings for operators, particularly amid persistent fluctuations in fuel prices. By running entirely on electric power, the vehicle eliminates dependence on petrol, reducing operating costs and shielding drivers from fuel price volatility.
According to the distributors, the tricycle is equipped with a durable battery system capable of covering extended distances on a single charge, making it suitable for commercial operations across high-traffic routes, residential estates, campuses, and marketplaces.
“The concept is straightforward—enable drivers to earn more while spending less,” a company representative stated. “With higher passenger capacity and zero fuel requirements, operators can maximise each trip without the burden of daily fuel expenses.”
Beyond its cost-saving potential, the electric keke is also said to require less maintenance than traditional models, offering additional long-term savings. Its quieter and smoother operation is expected to enhance passenger comfort and overall commuting experience.
Industry analysts note that the introduction of electric mobility solutions reflects a growing shift toward cleaner and more sustainable transportation alternatives in Nigeria, particularly in densely populated urban centres such as Lagos.
The distributors added that the product is currently available under a limited promotional offer, with delivery options across the country.
For inquiries and purchase: 📞 08153432071
📞 08035889103
Office Address:
📍 Plot 9, Block 113, Beulah Plaza,
Lekki–Epe Expressway,
Lekki Phase 1, Lagos
As transportation costs continue to rise and environmental concerns gain prominence, innovations like the electric 8-seater keke may signal an emerging transition toward more efficient and sustainable mobility solutions nationwide.
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