society
Onaiwu Commends Gov. Lawal for Restoring Hope to Zamfara Students, Slams Past Administrations Over Neglect of Education
Onaiwu Commends Gov. Lawal for Restoring Hope to Zamfara Students, Slams Past Administrations Over Neglect of Education
Earl Osaro Onaiwu, former DG of the Nigeria’s Governors forum and founding Director-General of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum, has commended Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, for what he described as a humane and visionary intervention that has finally brought relief and closure to dozens of Zamfara indigenes whose academic futures had been left hanging for nearly a decade.
Onaiwu was reacting to the presentation of academic certificates to 50 Zamfara students who graduated from Crescent University, Abeokuta, but were unable to access their results for nine years due to unpaid tuition fees owed by the state government under previous administrations.
Crescent University had withheld the students’ results as a result of the outstanding debt.
The Lawal administration intervened, cleared the accumulated fees, and ensured the immediate release of the results and certificates. Among the beneficiaries are a First Class graduate in Chemistry and several Second Class Upper degree holders—young Nigerians whose talents and aspirations had been unjustly stalled.
Describing the development as “a powerful act of restorative leadership,”
Onaiwu said Governor Lawal had not only paid a financial debt, but also “repaid a moral obligation to the youth of Zamfara State.”
“For nine painful years, these young men and women lived in uncertainty, their lives placed on hold through no fault of theirs,” Onaiwu said.
“By resolving this long-standing injustice, Governor Dauda Lawal has put smiles on faces that had known only frustration, dashed hopes and broken promises. This is what responsible governance looks like.”
While praising the governor’s decisive action, Onaiwu did not spare past administrations in Zamfara State, accusing them of gross negligence and a dangerous disregard for human capacity development.
“It is deeply troubling that successive governments could abandon their own students after sending them to university,” he said.
“This is not just administrative failure; it is a betrayal of the future. Education is not a luxury—it is the backbone of development, security and prosperity, especially in Northern Nigeria.”
Onaiwu stressed that the Zamfara case reflects a wider structural problem across the North, where insufficient budgetary allocation to education has continued to undermine youth development, worsen unemployment and fuel social instability.
He called on governors across Northern Nigeria to emulate Lawal’s example by deliberately increasing funding for education, clearing legacy liabilities, and placing youth development at the centre of governance.
“Governor Lawal has shown that leadership is about courage, empathy and priority,”
Onaiwu added. “By investing in education, he is investing in peace, productivity and the long-term stability of Zamfara State. This intervention is clear evidence that his education reforms are not mere rhetoric, but policies with measurable human impact.”
Governor Lawal, while presenting the certificates, reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to education, noting that the move was part of broader reforms aimed at restoring confidence in public institutions and ensuring that no Zamfara child is denied opportunity due to government failure.
For the 50 graduates, the intervention marks the end of a long night and the beginning of renewed possibilities—proof that when leadership aligns with conscience, lives can be transformed and hope restored.
Breaking News: Lagos State House of Assembly Approves ₦4.44 Trillion Budget for Year 2026
The Lagos State House of Assembly has approved a total budget of ₦4,444,509,776,438
(Four Trillion, Four hundred and Forty Four Billion, Five Hundred and Nine Million, Seven Hundred and Seventy-Six Thousand, Four Hundred and Thirty Eight naira) for the 2026 fiscal year.
The approval was granted during a plenary session held on Thursday, January 8, following the presentation of a comprehensive report by the Chairman of the House Committee on Economic Planning and Budget, Hon. Sa’ad Olumoh.
The session, presided over by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, saw lawmakers adopt the report through a voice vote, signaling unanimous support for the financial plan aimed at driving sustainable development across the state.
The 2026 budget prioritises infrastructure development, education, healthcare, economic growth, and social welfare, with over 52% allocated to capital projects. This strategic allocation underscores the government’s commitment to inclusive growth and improved quality of life for residents of Lagos State.
Following the passage, Speaker Obasa directed the Clerk of the House, Barr. Olalekan Onafeko, to transmit a clean copy of the approved bill to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for assent. The Speaker commended members of the Assembly for their diligence and collaborative efforts in ensuring the timely passage of the budget.
It will be recalled that Governor Sanwo-Olu had presented a budget proposal of ₦4.23 trillion to the House on November 25, 2025, which he termed ‘Budget of Shared Prosperity.”
The governor declared then that the budget reflects Lagos State’s vision to strengthen its position as a leading economic hub in Africa through robust investments in critical sectors that foster growth, innovation, and social progress.
GENERAL FARUK YAHAYA SERVES DEMAND NOTICES OVER DEFAMATORY TERRORISM ALLEGATIONS
Lieutenant General (Dr) Faruk Yahaya (rtd) CFR NAM, Zaruman Sokoto, former Chief of Army Staff, Nigerian Army, has taken firm legal action to clear his name and defend his integrity following the circulation of false and malicious allegations linking him to alleged terrorism financiers by Major General Danjuma Hamisu Ali-Keffi (rtd) during an interview with Arise News and further amplified by Sahara Reporters. Acting through his legal team led by Mohammed Ndayako SAN, General Yahaya (rtd), has served formal demand notices on Major General Danjuma Hamisu Ali-Keffi (rtd), as well as the management of Arise News and Sahara Reporters, over the contents of defamatory interviews, reports, and publications widely circulated in recent days.
The demand notices, dated 17th December 2025, give the affected parties seventy-two (72) hours from the date of the receipt of the demand notices to retract the false allegations, issue unreserved public apologies and immediately cease further publication or dissemination of the claims. Failure to comply will result in legal action.
General Yahaya’s decision to pursue legal redress is aimed not only at protecting his personal honour, but also at discouraging the dangerous spread of unverified allegations capable of undermining public trust in national institutions and those who have served the nation with distinction.
He remains committed to the rule of law, accountability, professionalism, truth and will not allow falsehoods driven by malice or personal grievances to go unchallenged.
Brigadier General Sani Kukasheka Usman (rtd) mni fnipr
Abuja
7th January 2026
African Church Cathedral Elevates Ministers
… Tasks Them on Exclusive Loyalty to Christ and Church
By Ifeoma Ikem
The African Church Cathedral in Lagos was filled with joy and reverence as families, members, and well-wishers gathered to celebrate the elevation of 10 Canons as Archdeacons. His Eminence, Julius Olayinka Osayande Abbe, Primate of the African Church, urged the newly elevated Archdeacons to remain loyal to Christ and the Church, and to be grateful to God for their elevation.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Elevation Service, Primate Abbe emphasized that the Archdeacons had worked diligently and deserved their elevation, saying, “Let your life be an offering to God.”
He described the elevation service as a significant ceremony, marking the culmination of their patience and hard work.
Abbe reminded the ministers to embrace their calling with humility, passion, and a readiness to serve, citing Jesus’ words that “the harvest is plenty, but the laborers are few.”
He urged them to remain committed to God’s work and to be loyal to the authority of the Church.
Yeye Annah Afolabi, Protem Lay President of the church, advised the ministers to serve with humility and care for people, saying, “History is being made today. They should not feel that they can do whatever they like because they have been elevated, but should have the spirit of God in their minds and serve according to the words of our Lord.”
Chief (Mrs) Toyin Lajumoke, Hon. Vice Lay President, Arch Cathedral Province, described the elevation service as a day that the Lord has made, saying, “This has proven that the Church of God is moving forward.” She charged the newly elevated ministers to follow the sermon as given by Bishop Tunde Bamigboye, which advised them to shun worldly mindset, serve God with humility and focus on moving the Church forward.
The Primate and other church leaders expressed their confidence that the newly elevated ministers would continue to serve the Church with dedication and commitment.
-
Politics6 months agoNigeria Is Not His Estate: Wike’s 2,000‑Hectare Scandal Must Shake Us Awake
-
society7 months agoJUSTICE DENIED: HOW JESAM MICHAEL’S KINDNESS WAS TURNED AGAINST HIM
-
celebrity radar - gossips5 months agoWhy Babangida’s Hilltop Home Became Nigeria’s Political “Mecca”
-
society5 months agoPower is a Loan, Not a Possession: The Sacred Duty of Planting People