GAC to Host Mega Southwest Gathering, Endorse Bola Tinubu For Second Term, Empower 1,000 Members

By Adeyemi Obadimu 

The Global Alliance Council (GAC) has announced plans to host a major three-in-one mega event that will bring together members from across the Southwest region of Nigeria in a show of unity, political engagement, and grassroots empowerment.

The event is scheduled to hold on May 16, 2026, at the Faculty of Arts, University of Lagos, Lagos State, and is expected to attract thousands of participants drawn from the Council’s growing membership base across the region.

Speaking ahead of the event, Ambassador Kosile-Kolawole Oluwafolake Princess, a Board Member of GAC, stated that the programme is designed to consolidate the group’s presence in the Southwest while reinforcing its commitment to national development and political stability.

According to her, the highlight of the event will be the formal endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term in office. She noted that the Council recognizes the President’s leadership strides and remains committed to supporting his administration’s vision for economic growth, national unity, and sustainable development.

“This endorsement reflects our confidence in the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and our belief in the continuity of his policies for a stronger and more prosperous Nigeria,” she said.

The event will also feature the official inauguration of the Council’s working committee, as well as the installation of distinguished patrons and matrons who have demonstrated commitment to leadership and community development.

Among those expected to be inaugurated as patrons are Anthony Adefuye, a former Senator of the Third Republic and member of the Lagos State Governance Advisory Council; Rufus Oguntunwase, and Barrister George Ogunjimi,

Hon Mrs Alhaja Aminat Oparemi among other notable personalities.

Adding color to the occasion, prominent figures from the Nigerian entertainment industry are expected to grace the event, with renowned Nollywood actor and academic, Afeez Oyetoro (popularly known as SAKA), billed to serve as the Master of Ceremonies.

In line with its commitment to grassroots empowerment, the Council will distribute palliative support to 1,000 registered members drawn from across the Southwest states. Beneficiaries will be selected through a structured and transparent process tied to their registration and Permanent Voter Card (PVC) details.

Ambassador Kolawole explained that the initiative is designed to ensure fairness and accountability. “Each registered member is assigned a unique identification number, which serves as a tally system. This number corresponds directly to the palliative item allocated, ensuring that distribution is orderly, transparent, and free of duplication,” she said.

She further emphasized that registration with a valid PVC remains mandatory for all members, as it forms part of the Council’s broader strategy to encourage civic participation and strengthen democratic engagement across the region.

With an estimated membership strength of over 10,000 across the Southwest, GAC continues to position itself as a formidable mobilization platform committed to collective progress, mutual support, and political inclusion.

“The Global Alliance Council is a unifying platform that cuts across the Southwest with the capacity to mobilize support for progressive leadership. Through initiatives like this, we aim to empower our members and contribute meaningfully to national development,” Ambassador Kolawole added.

The Council called on members, stakeholders, and the general public to participate in the event, describing it as a landmark gathering that underscores unity, empowerment, and a shared vision for the future of Nigeria.

Signed:

Ambassador Kosile-Kolawole Oluwafolake Princess

Board Member, Global Alliance Council (GAC)

Correcting The Imbalance: A Direction For Police Visibility

The ongoing redeployment of officers from different zones across the federation has generated public debate, with some narratives portraying the exercise as irregular or excessive. Recently, a group of concerned police officers, as they describe themselves, alleged an “illegal” mass transfer of 695 personnel from the Zone 2 Police Command Headquarters in Lagos. However, emerging facts indicate that the move is a strategic step toward correcting long-standing imbalances in police deployment in Nigeria.

For years, zonal commands, covering different states, have experienced a concentration of personnel beyond administrative requirements. In theory, the command is a critical operational hub requiring disciplined and deployment-ready officers. In practice, however, it has increasingly become a high-demand posting, attracting personnel beyond its functional needs. For example, available accounts indicate that as many as 855 Special Police Officers (SPOs) were attached to the Zone 2 headquarters at a time when several divisional and community commands across Lagos remained understaffed. This imbalance has come at a cost: slower response times, reduced police visibility, and mounting pressure on frontline officers. In some instances, divisional headquarters have operated with less than half of their required personnel strength, underscoring the urgency of redistribution.

Notably, this imbalance has been sustained over time by a pattern in which some officers remain in zonal commands for extended periods, sometimes spanning 10 to 15 years, largely insulated from postings to divisional or community-based units where the core responsibilities of policing are carried out. This entrenched concentration of personnel in administrative environments has further widened the gap between police presence and the communities they are meant to serve.

Security experts have weighed in on the development. According to Busayo Mogaji, a security expert and CEO of Western Eagle Security Ltd, the redeployment is both necessary and overdue.

“Policing is about visibility and accessibility. When officers are concentrated in administrative hubs instead of communities, the system fails the ordinary citizen. What we are seeing now is a correction of that imbalance,” he stated.

Mr. Mogaji further noted that assignments in certain high-interest commands have historically attracted disproportionate personnel, not always based on operational needs, thereby distorting equitable deployment.

“Redistributing officers is not punitive; it is fundamental to efficiency, discipline, and institutional balance. The Inspector-General is acting well within his statutory powers,” he added.

Under the Nigeria Police Act, the Inspector-General of Police retains full authority over postings and redeployments. Such measures are routine and essential for maintaining operational effectiveness across the Force.

Beyond improving public safety, the redeployment is also expected to enhance officer welfare by reducing burnout, ensuring structured shifts, and improving overall efficiency in underserved areas.

With increased security demands anticipated in the lead-up to national elections, including crowd control, intelligence gathering, and rapid response, the need for a well-distributed police presence has become even more critical.

At its core, policing is measured not by internal arrangements but by the presence felt by citizens. Ensuring that more officers are visible, accessible, and responsive across communities is not only justified, it is imperative.

The current restructuring by the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, signals a deliberate shift toward restoring that presence where it matters most: among the people.

Mr. Badejo Hakeem
Chief Publicist
Western Eagle Security Ltd

Oluwatope Oluwadarasimi: The Young Gold Merchant Driving Nigeria’s Mining Revolution.

Oluwatope Oluwadarasimi, a distinguished entrepreneur and mining professional, is rapidly emerging as one of Nigeria’s most influential voices in the solid minerals sector, combining academic grounding with bold industry leadership.

A graduate of Environmental Science Education from the University of Abuja, Oluwadarasimi hails from Ondo Town in Ondo West Local Government Area of Ondo State. Defined by vision, resilience, and strategic execution, he has translated classroom knowledge into boardroom and mine-site impact within just eight years of entering the industry.

Immediately after graduation, Oluwadarasimi made a decisive entry into Nigeria’s mining space, commencing operations in Zamfara State — a region central to the nation’s gold belt. Since then, he has built a formidable enterprise with extensive involvement in the exploration, sourcing, and trade of diverse mineral resources.

Through sharp business acumen and an uncompromising commitment to excellence, Oluwadarasimi has risen to become one of Nigeria’s foremost gold merchants, with operational interests spanning multiple gold mining sites across the country. His enterprise reflects not only scale and influence but also a deep, technical understanding of the mineral value chain — from pit to export.

Yet, Oluwadarasimi’s vision extends far beyond commercial success. He is driven by a mission to redefine value creation within Nigeria’s mining industry by championing sustainable practices, ethical sourcing, and inclusive economic growth. His operations prioritize environmental responsibility, community engagement, and job creation — positioning mining as a vehicle for national development rather than exploitation.

“Africa’s minerals must create African wealth,” Oluwadarasimi stated. “We need a new generation of miners who understand both geology and global markets, who can build compliant, scalable businesses that employ our youth and fund our future.”

His leadership embodies innovation, discipline, and a results-oriented mindset that continues to set him apart in a sector long plagued by informality and opacity. By integrating modern business systems with on-the-ground mining expertise, he is helping to formalize artisanal operations and attract credible investment into the sector.

A forward-thinking leader and wealth creator, Oluwatope Oluwadarasimi represents the new generation of African business leaders — bold, impactful, and globally minded. As Nigeria intensifies its push for economic diversification away from oil, industry stakeholders are increasingly looking to professionals like Oluwadarasimi to lead the charge in unlocking the solid minerals sector’s estimated $50 billion potential.

Oluwatope Oluwadarasimi is a Nigerian mining entrepreneur and gold merchant with over eight years of experience in mineral exploration, sourcing, and trade. An Environmental Science Education graduate of the University of Abuja, he operates across multiple mining sites in Nigeria and advocates for sustainable, youth-driven growth in the solid minerals sector.