You Against Crime International Partnered with The Adeola Adeyemi Foundation (TAAF) and ECOWAS Peace Fund to Host Peace and Conflict Prevention Sensitization Conference 2025 in Lagos

Lagos, Nigeria – The Adeola Adeyemi Foundation (TAAF), in partnership with ECOWAS Peace Fund and You Against Crime International, hosted the Peace and Conflict Prevention Sensitization Conference 2025, themed “Promoting Peaceful Coexistence in Lagos: A Conflict Prevention Initiative.”

The conference, held on October 22nd, 2025, at Alliance Française de Lagos / Mike Adenuga Centre, brought together policymakers, peace advocates, civil society organizations, youth leaders, and media professionals to foster constructive dialogue and practical strategies for mitigating conflict and promoting peace.

Adeola Adeyemi, Founder of TAAF, emphasized the importance of peacebuilding, saying, “At TAAF, we believe peace is the foundation for progress. This collaboration has been a powerful step toward empowering individuals and communities to become agents of peace.”

Tayo Folorunsho, Founder of You Against Crime International, highlighted the need for collective responsibility in conflict prevention, stating, “Conflict prevention begins with awareness and collective responsibility. Through this conference, we equipped community members with the tools to identify early signs of conflict and transform them into opportunities for cooperation.”

Dieudonné NIKIEMA, Manager of the ECOWAS Peace Fund, commended the partnership as a model for regional peace collaboration, saying, “This partnership reflects ECOWAS’s commitment to fostering grassroots peace efforts across West Africa.”

The conference provided expert-led sessions, interactive workshops, and networking opportunities focused on driving sustainable peace in Lagos and beyond, marking the beginning of a sustained effort to nurture understanding, empathy, and resilience among Lagos residents.

Event Details:
Date: October 22nd, 2025
Venue: Alliance Française de Lagos / Mike Adenuga Centre, 9 Osborne Road, Ikoyi, Lagos
Theme: “Promoting Peaceful Coexistence in Lagos: A Conflict Prevention Initiative”

MASSIVE SUPPORT FOR NEW RIGASA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AS AFAKA COMMITTEE SUBMITS 318,600 SIGNATURE PETITION

In a significant step towards the creation of a new Local Government Area, the Afaka Ward Technical Working Committee for the proposed Rigasa Local Government has formally handed over data containing 318,600 signatures of supporters to the Central Working Committee (CWC).

The handover ceremony, which took place at the Skill Acquisition Centre in Mando Sabon Garin Afaka, was witnessed by a broad coalition of Afaka ward stakeholders, including traditional rulers, religious leaders, and youth representatives.

The Chairman of the Technical Committee, Tasiu Musa, while presenting the data, clarified that the 318,600 figure represents a significant portion of public support but is not the ward’s total population. He stated that the enumeration was halted due to constraints of time and finances needed to support supervisors and enumerators. He expressed profound gratitude to the Central Working Committee for its financial backing, which made the extensive data collection possible.

In his address, the Chairman of the Central Working Committee, Alhaji Muazu Abubakar Mohamed Ruma (Tafidan Afaka), commended the technical working Committee for its diligence in achieving the milestone. He then issued a strong appeal to the National Assembly and the Executive arm of the government, urging them to prioritize the creation of the Rigasa Local Government with its Headquarters in Sabon Garin Afaka.

“With this overwhelming number, it is clear that the people have spoken. The combined population of just Rigasa and Afaka is over five million,” Alhaji Ruma noted. “The creation of this Local Government should be a priority for all arms of government to bring governance closer to the people.”

The event featured addresses from prominent religious leaders who unanimously threw their weight behind the movement and praised the efforts of both committees.

Malam Bashir Adam Saleh Algoni, the Deputy Imam of Zangon Daura Jumma’at Mosque in Mando Sabon Garin Afaka, applauded the initiative and the meticulous work of the committees. He offered prayers for the success of the proposal and for divine guidance for the government in considering the request.

Similarly, Sheik Muhammadu Salisu Musa Sudais, the Chief Imam of Sudais Jumma’at Mosque and Hayin Idi Musa Jumma’at Mosque in Mando, described the movement as a righteous struggle for development. He commended the Central and Technical Working Committees for a job well done and prayed for unity and progress.

In a show of cross faith solidarity, Reverend Job David Abubakar, the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Airport Afaka, also expressed full support. He joined his voice in appreciating the committees for their dedication and service to the community. Reverend Abubakar further offered prayers, asking for divine intervention so that “those who are going against this movement may come back to their senses and join hands to move Afaka ward forward for the collective good.”

This submission from Afaka Ward follows the earlier completion and submission of data from the Rigasa ward, consolidating the widespread demand for the new local government creation. The movement now awaits the consideration of the state and national assemblies.

GOVERNANCE FAILURE IN KWARA AND WHY APC MAY LOSE THE STATE

By Tope Musbau

There is heightened tension in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State, resulting from the feeling of foreboding failure, frustrations and despair.

While, many other States of the federation that are at the centre of governance are busy counting their gains and beating their chest believing that they will have a landslide victory in the forthcoming 2027 general elections, and indeed any other election, party men and women of the APC family in Kwara State are hiding their faces in shame and despondency because the state governor, Gov AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has performed abysmally poor, and seems unredeemable, because he has earned for himself the unenviable reputation of a serial failure in Kwara state, even after spending seven solid years with nothing to show for it.

Lean years of total governance failure, characterized by ineptitude and inability of his government to perform its basic functions, leading to a collapse of the rule of law, economy, and social services.

Little wonder then at the level of insecurity and the widespread criminal activities, and general avoidable violence witnessed in the state.

For those seven years, the governor has failed to provide essential services such as healthcare, education, sanitation, and infrastructure, resulting in dire living conditions for citizen, choosing rather to mismanage the economy, leading to localized hyperinflation, unemployment, poverty, and a significant decline in the standard of living, occasioned basically by widespread corruption, cronyism, and nepotism, eroding public trust in government institutions.

Unfortunately, inspite all entreaties from well-meanining individuals and party men, Governor AbdulRazaq has consistently remained adamant, unfazed, and unwilling to hold public officials accountable for their actions, as he himself is culpable, leading to impunity and further governance decay.

A system of state sponsored repression pervades, limiting citizen’s right, occasioning outrage, and loss of public trust and confidence in his government.

Obviously, Governor AbdulRahman, has woefully failed to deliver on campaign promises, but has instead replaced them with excuses, poor performance in office, and perceived corruption thereby eroding the trust of the electorates.

His lack of clear or convincing policy direction has led to voter disillusionment, while the lack of people based leadership is generating internal conflicts, and disconnect between party leaders and the electorate, undermining the party’s appeal, leading to inadequate messaging, ineffective use of media, and poor voter engagement affecting grassroots mobilization and support.

It is becoming clearer by the day, that a strong, well-organized, and effective opposition can capitalize on the incumbent governor’s weaknesses and sway voters.

Unfortunately, Governor AbdulRazaq is unlike most of the other Governors, much money has been coming into the cofers of the state government, both from the federation account and the state internally generated revenue.

For instance, in the past two years, Kwara State disbursement from the federation account has been consistently above 110 Billion Naira, which has grown from N42.87 billion in 2022 coupled with a huge about 5.7 Billion monthly IGR, giving no room for his excuses and terrible failures.

Governor AbdulRahman has been in office since 2019 and has failed to implement various initiatives aimed at improving the state’s economy, infrastructure, and social services.

His failure to invest in revenue-generating infrastructure, promote efficient tourism and agriculture, and provide job opportunities for the youths has greatly undermined the security of the state, dwarfing its growth and sustainable development, making Kwara State perpetually a state historically heavily reliant on federal allocations.

An ineptitude Incarnate and corruption Connoisseur, Governor AbdulRazaq’s visionless leadership of over seven has done kwara state much damage and fostered evil, erasing all past gains and driving it back to the coldroom of regression.

A resolute accountability avoider, and master of evasion, Governor AbdulRahman’s inability to inspire development has become a significant threat to the survival of the APC in Kwara state, especially when the state’s current situation is compared with the past or with neighboring states who are not collecting such huge amount from the federation disbursement.

His inability to inspire development in the last seven years has indeed become a clear threat to the survival of the APC.

It is certain that the state may reject the APC if AbdulRahman is seen to be backing any candidate.

Here lies the urgent and crucial imperative and a patriotic call for an independent and neutral progressive minded person to step forward to lead, and as well rescue the APC and align it with the performing strides of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the centre.
A stitch in time, saves nine!

Musbau wrote this piece from Tanke, Ilorin.