“You Can’t Use Primate Ayodele To Score Points For Your Failed Political Ambitions” – Fulani Group Blasts Umar Ardo

A popular Fulani group, The Fulani Association for Great Leadership (FAGL), has slammed northern politician Umar Ardo over his recent attack on Nigerian prophet, Primate Elijah Ayodele.

The attack followed Ayodele’s prophetic advice to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in which he warned against appointing northern politicians to sensitive positions, stating that such appointments would not guarantee loyalty and could result in betrayal.

In a strongly worded statement signed by FAGL’s President, Abdullahi Raheem, the association condemned Ardo’s reaction, describing him as a “busybody” interfering in a message not directed at him.

“There is a popular adage that says, ‘O wiɗi ɗiɗi ɗum jogii, kono ɗum sewti; ngalan nden woni sewtaare’ — which describes a situation where someone tries to respond to a statement or question that wasn’t directed at him or her in the first place,” the statement reads.

According to Raheem, this proverb perfectly fits Umar Ardo, “a not-so-popular Adamawa local politician,” who unnecessarily responded to Primate Ayodele’s message to President Tinubu about appointing northern politicians to his cabinet as a strategy to secure their support ahead of the 2027 elections.

Raheem emphasized that Primate Ayodele has consistently issued prophetic warnings to not only President Tinubu but also to other prominent politicians such as Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi. However, it appears this particular message touched a nerve with Ardo — “probably because he has been eyeing an appointment from Tinubu too — who knows?”

In his controversial response, Ardo accused Primate Ayodele of bigotry, labeling the prophecy as “unchristian and hypocritical.” He was quoted as saying:

“Betrayals and failures in leadership have never been a portion of the Fulani people. We are a people of honour and excellence! What Ayodele is preaching is simply ethnic bigotry, fulbephobia, and fulbemisia disguised as prophecy… For a man of God to single out an ethnic group and brand them as inherently untrustworthy is shameful, hypocritical, and unchristian.”

Responding to these claims, the Fulani group came to the defense of Primate Ayodele, describing him as one of the most hospitable and religiously tolerant Christian leaders in Nigeria today.

“Can Ardo point to any pastor in Nigeria who is building or has built a mosque with his own funds? No one else but Primate Ayodele is doing that at the moment.

“Can Ardo name any man of God the Sultan of Sokoto can call his friend due to his consistent support for the Muslim community? Again, only Primate Ayodele.

“Can he name any Christian leader who provides food and cash support to Muslims — including Fulani communities — during Ramadan? The only one doing so is Primate Ayodele.”

The group went on to question how such a man — who invites Muslims to his annual Thanksgiving events and ensures some are sponsored to Mecca — can now be labeled an ethnic bigot simply for issuing a national warning.

Raheem stated that Ardo’s actions were motivated not by love for the North but by personal ambition and political irrelevance.

“Ardo’s stance doesn’t represent the North. He’s just trying to get media attention. As everyone knows, Primate Ayodele is the most popular prophet in Nigeria today, making him a fertile ground for anyone looking to trend.”

The group accused Ardo of using Ayodele’s name to position himself for a political appointment.

“If he truly wants an appointment from President Tinubu, he should go about it properly. At 64, with his highest position being Special Adviser to a Vice President from 1999 to 2006, it’s unlikely any government would consider him for a new role. This is why he’s desperate to stay relevant.”

FAGL also claimed that Ardo had tried and failed to become governor of Adamawa State multiple times. They advised him to learn from successful politicians about the value of listening to wise counsel like that of Primate Ayodele.

“He needs to ask those who have succeeded in politics whether this is how they behaved. He might then understand why Primate Ayodele remains a national figure in Nigerian politics and why ignoring his prophecies has cost some politicians dearly.”

In conclusion, the group insisted that Primate Ayodele will not dignify Umar Ardo with a response.

“But as northerners who follow the prophet regularly, we say it loud and clear: Umar Ardo is wrong and should be the one apologizing for being an ungrateful Fulani.”

Interior Ministry: From Applause to Nationhood

By Citizen Bolaji O. Akinyemi

The strength of every relationship is communication. Fragile as it may appear, it is the strand that holds people together and binds society. Much of the progress envisaged in policy implementation in the developing world is lost—not only to insincerity in policy conceptualisation but more critically to the failure of effective communication of policy.

The Ministry of Interior is arguably the most important ministry to Nigerians. It regulates migration and residency, oversees internal security architecture, manages citizenship and naturalisation, supervises correctional services, coordinates civil defence, and issues travel and identity documents that shape our global perception as a people. In essence, it is the guardian of Nigeria’s internal sovereignty and the custodian of the rights and mobility of its citizens.

By popular perception, the young minister in charge, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, is performing wonders. Yet perception is not a mandate. The key questions remain: what is the core mandate of the ministry? What does it want to achieve for Nigeria and Nigerians? What policy frameworks have been designed to deliver on this mandate? Most importantly, how are these policies being communicated to Nigerians for ownership, interrogation, and partnership in implementation?

A ministry as sensitive as the Interior cannot thrive on glamour or applause. It must instead ground its work in clarity, accountability, and a shared national vision. One of its foremost assignments should be the carving of a homeland philosophy—developing it into a national ideology that inspires Nigerian youth to value the motherland above any other place on earth.

This cannot be achieved by raising the cost of obtaining a Nigerian passport to one million naira; as long as one dollar exchanges for over ₦1,500 and the naira cannot buy a candy while a dollar can buy a meal, such pricing will not stop the “Japa” wave. Economic disempowerment, not cheap passports, fuels migration.

Lessons from Ideological Citizenship Worldwide

1. United States – The American Dream unified immigrants and natives under a common story of opportunity.

2. Singapore – Multicultural Meritocracy turned diversity into stability through merit and discipline.

3. Israel – Homeland Security Citizenship tied to belonging to service and sacrifice for the nation.

4. Rwanda – Ndi Umunyarwanda healed ethnic divides after genocide, making citizenship primary over tribe.

5. South Africa – Rainbow Nation recast painful diversity as a strength for reconciliation and nationhood.

These examples show that citizenship ideology is not abstract—it is the foundation for unity, stability, and progress in diverse societies.

Towards a Nigerian Citizenship Philosophy

Nigeria must articulate its own philosophy of citizenship, one that binds our many ethnicities into a shared nationhood. Such a philosophy could stand on these pillars:

Equality of Citizenship: No Nigerian is more Nigerian than the other, regardless of tribe, religion, or place of residence.

Service and Responsibility: Rights must be matched with duties—to serve, protect, and contribute to the nation.

Pride in Motherland: Cultivating values that make Nigerians see their destiny tied to the homeland, not merely to foreign lands.

Unity in Diversity: Making diversity a deliberate strength for innovation, resilience, and nation-building.

Rule of Law: Ensuring that the state protects rights without discrimination, so that faith in the system grows stronger than tribal bias.

The Ministry of Interior should be the midwife of this philosophy. Through policy, communication, and civic education, it must teach Nigerians what it means to believe, belong, and build.

The Dangerous Silence of the Ministry

But here lies the present failure: the silence of the Interior Ministry when rights of citizenship are openly trampled.

When in Lagos, the Igbo community—law-abiding citizens by law and birth—were told their votes and candidacy were inconsequential, where was the Ministry of Interior?

If in a city as “civilised” as Lagos, Nigerians can be profiled and excluded from full citizenship on account of tribe, what moral ground does the Ministry have to intervene when settler tribes wipe out indigenous villages in the Middle Belt or elsewhere?

A Ministry that cannot raise its voice when the essence of citizenship is attacked in peacetime cannot hope to secure its mandate in crisis. Silence in such matters is complicity; worse still, it makes a mockery of the very institution tasked with protecting Nigerians at home.

Beyond Applause

Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo’s heroism must therefore go beyond administrative efficiency or momentary reforms. His enduring legacy should be the laying of institutional foundations, the rebranding of the ministry’s mandate, and the communication of policies that give Nigerians a shared sense of belonging.

The Interior Ministry must step out of silence into vision. It must move from applause to nationhood.

Dr. Bolaji O. Akinyemi is an Apostle and Nation Builder. He’s also the President of Voice of His Word Ministries and Convener of the Apostolic Round Table. BoT Chairman, Project Victory Call Initiative, AKA PVC Naija. He is a strategic Communicator and the CEO, Masterbuilder Communications.

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SARKIN YAKIN BIU: EMIR PRAISES GEN. BULAMA’S SERVICE, SETS TURBANING FOR OCTOBER 11, 2025

His Royal Highness Alhaji Dr. Mustapha Umar Aliyu Mustapha II, Emir of Biu, on Thursday explained the reasons for conferring the traditional title of Sarkin Yakin Biu (Warrior of Biu) on Major General Abdulmalik Bulama Biu, citing the retired officer’s distinguished military record and experience in counter insurgency operations.

Speaking during a thanksgiving visit by family and friends of the newly appointed titleholder, the Emir said Major General Bulama’s long and exemplary service rising from a junior officer to the rank of major general before voluntarily retiring made him a fitting recipient. “He served in his place of origin at a very critical time when Boko Haram was a challenge in our state and Nigeria in general, he served as General Officer Commanding, 7 Division, and was actively involved in operations against the insurgents,” the Emir said. “He is a gallant soldier with humility and commitment to his people. Despite his retirement, we will not allow him to sit idle. That is why the Biu Emirate has appointed him Sarkin Yakin Biu. We hope he will bring his military experience to the service of the people of Biu Emirate, Borno State, and Nigeria as a whole.”

The Thanksgiving delegation was led by Prof. Lawal Bala Buratai, Vice Chancellor of the Nigeria Army University, Biu. In his remarks, Prof. Buratai commended the Emir and the council for the choice. “I am confident the Emirate will be proud of this appointment,” he said, urging broad support for the new Sarkin Yakin.

The Emir confirmed that the formal turbaning ceremony for Sarkin Yakin will take place on 11 October 2025.

Members of the entourage who paid the courtesy call included Brigadier General Abdullahi Dadan-Garba, Director General of the TY Buratai Institute for War and Peace Zannan Biu, Alh Shuaibu Warawa who represented Alh Ali Bukar Dalori APC Deputy National Chairman, Muhammad Bulama Saidu, former Public Relations Officer of the DPR, Ibrahim Dahiru Danfulani, Sadaukin Betara Biu and Chairman of the TY Buratai Humanity Care Foundation, Engr. Jibrin Abdulmalik Bulama, Hon. Idris Abdulmalik Bulama, Islamic and Christian clerics from Shafa, support groups, and other well wishers.

Observers say the appointment signals the emirate’s intent to harness retired military expertise in supporting community security resilience and development as the state continues to recover from years of insurgency. The emirate has called on residents and stakeholders to attend the October turbaning and to lend their support to the Sarkin Yakin’s efforts.