Buratai Pays Tribute to Elder Statesman Alhaji Abubakar Alhaji in Sokoto

Sokoto — Former Chief of Army Staff and Nigerian Ambassador to the Republic of Benin, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusufu Buratai (Rtd), paid a courtesy visit to elder statesman Alhaji Abubakar during his trip to Sokoto on Saturday, September 6, 2025.

The visit followed Gen. Buratai’s participation at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, where he joined dignitaries to celebrate the conferment of an honorary Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) degree on Lt. Gen. Faruk Yahaya (Rtd), CFR, also a former Chief of Army Staff.

Speaking on the visit, Buratai described it as both a personal and historic reunion with the respected elder statesman, with whom he has had long-standing ties dating back to his early years as a young officer.

“My relationship with Alhaji Abubakar Alhaji goes as far back as 1992, when I was a captain in the Nigerian Army. His wisdom, guidance, and patriotic service to Nigeria remain exemplary,” Buratai said.

Alhaji Abubakar Alhaji is widely recognized as a distinguished figure in Nigeria’s socio-economic and political development. Over the years, he has served the nation in several capacities, including:

Diplomatic Service: As Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, he promoted trade, investment, and cultural ties between the two nations.

Civil Service Leadership: He held senior positions in the Nigerian civil service, contributing to governance reforms and economic growth.

Economic Advisory: As an economic strategist, he offered guidance on policies addressing Nigeria’s socio-economic challenges.

Community Development: He spearheaded initiatives in education, healthcare, and empowerment, particularly for marginalized groups.

Expatriate Advocacy: In the UK, he championed the rights and welfare of Nigerians abroad, enhancing Nigeria’s global image.

Buratai’s visit featured warm exchanges and reflections on national unity, service, and leadership. Observers described the meeting as a symbolic bridging of generations — a retired general who served Nigeria in both uniform and diplomacy reconnecting with a statesman who shaped the nation’s civil, economic, and diplomatic path.

The Sokoto trip was therefore not only about honoring a fellow general but also about celebrating enduring bonds of mentorship, patriotism, and national service.

AcadPass™ Appoints Professor Mondy Selle Gold as National Academic Adviser

AcadPass™, Africa’s leading digital ecosystem for students, has announced the appointment of Professor Mondy Selle Gold as its National Academic Adviser. This appointment underscores the platform’s commitment to bridging innovation with academic excellence and fostering mentorship for young people across the continent.

Prof. Gold is a distinguished academician, respected thinker, and celebrated teacher whose career has been marked by decades of impactful scholarship and leadership. Known for his unique ability to connect with students, he has dedicated his life to mentoring young people around the world, offering them not only academic guidance but also hope, confidence, and a fatherly presence that has transformed countless lives. He teaches at the Colorado State University, CSU, in the United States of America.

In recognition of his outstanding teaching and mentorship, CSU Global, a leading U.S.-based university, recently honoured Prof. Gold with the prestigious Faculty Spotlight Award. The award highlights his exceptional commitment to education, his remarkable student evaluations, and the lasting positive impact he has had on learners across diverse backgrounds. This international recognition further affirms his reputation as a world-class educator and role model.
AcadPass is an innovative homegrown digital platform with its unique ecosystem for Nigerian students and tertiary institutions built by Nigerians to solve a Nigerian problem and scaled to be exported to Africa and beyond.

In his new role as National Academic Adviser to AcadPass™, Prof. Gold will:

Serve as the academic face of AcadPass™, representing the platform in engagements with institutions and stakeholders.

Provide strategic guidance to strengthen AcadPass™’s integration with academic communities nationwide.

Mentor and inspire students to embrace AcadPass™ as a tool for academic success, personal growth, and global competitiveness.

Champion initiatives that align with AcadPass™’s mission of empowering students with digital identity, financial inclusion, healthcare access, and education support.

Speaking on the appointment, Mr. Hope Ibinabobo, Head of Corporate Communications of Creestgate Limited, (owners of AcadPass™), said:

> “We are honoured and deeply delighted to welcome Prof. Mondy Selle Gold to the AcadPass™ family. His lifelong dedication to education and youth mentorship mirrors our own mission of empowering students across Africa. With his guidance, we are confident that AcadPass™ will continue to grow as a transformative force for academic excellence, innovation, and student empowerment.”

Prof. Gold expressed his excitement at joining AcadPass™, stating:

> “AcadPass™ represents the future of student empowerment, and I am thrilled to be part of a vision that not only meets the academic needs of young people but also prepares them for life. Together, we will shape a generation of confident, capable, and globally competitive students.”

AcadPass™ believes that Prof. Gold’s wealth of experience, international recognition, and inspirational leadership will accelerate the platform’s mission of redefining education access and student engagement in Africa and beyond.

About AcadPass™
AcadPass™ is an all-in-one digital ecosystem designed to empower students, enhance campus security, and simplify academic and personal management. The platform integrates tools and services that cater to students’ academic, financial, health, and personal needs while providing seamless access control and identity verification (www.acadpass.com.ng) owned by Creestgate Limited, AcadPass™ is building Africa’s largest student-focused ecosystem, connecting students, schools, and service providers in a unified digital space.

By; Hope Ibinabo,
Head of Media,
Creestgate limited,
Email: [email protected]

Group warns NUPENG against ‘destabilising Nigeria’ over Dangote refinery union dispute

…. Proposed strike an act of economic sabotage, terrorism against the people

The citizens-led group, Mass Action Against Economic Saboteurs (MAAES), has warned the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) against plunging the country into crisis with threats of a nationwide strike over Dangote Petroleum Refinery’s plan to deploy 4,000 compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered trucks for fuel distribution.

In a statement issued on Saturday, George Priye West, president of the coalition, said NUPENG cannot hold Nigeria hostage under the guise of defending workers’ rights, stressing that union membership is a matter of personal choice, not compulsion.

“The Supreme Court has already affirmed that the question of union membership is a fundamental right of the individuals. No worker can be forced to join a union against their will. Any industrial action called on such flimsy grounds is not about labour rights but a reckless attempt to destabilise Nigeria and inflict suffering on millions of ordinary citizens,” West said.

NUPENG had threatened to call on its Petroleum Tanker Drivers Branch to stop fuel loading nationwide from 8 September, alleging Dangote of engaging in anti-labour practices by recruiting drivers who are allegedly compelled to renounce union membership.

The group, with branches across the country, dismissed the accusations as baseless and dangerous, warning that they are part of a campaign to frustrate Nigeria’s most ambitious private-sector project.

“Dangote Refinery is not enslaving anyone; it is creating thousands of decent jobs, strengthening local capacity, and providing Nigerians with a long-awaited solution to fuel import dependence. The refinery is a $20 billion investment built on Nigerian soil to serve Nigerian needs. For anyone to describe it as a threat is nothing short of mischief,” he said.

The group described NUPENG’s threat as particularly insensitive at a time when Nigerians are grappling with economic pressures and uncertainty in the oil and gas sector.

“It is shameful that the same unions that watched over the collapse of Nigeria’s government-owned refineries are now plotting against the private refinery that has given the nation renewed hope. Nigerians will not allow this sabotage. We will rise to defend Dangote Refinery at all times, because it represents progress, jobs, and self-sufficiency,” West declared.

They called on the federal government and security agencies to take firm measures to prevent any industrial action that could disrupt petroleum product supply nationwide, insisting that such action should be treated as an attack on the people.

“Any attempt by NUPENG or any group to declare a strike on this hollow basis must be treated as economic sabotage and even as an act of terrorism against the people,” West announced.

“The government must not fold its arms while a few vested interests attempt to blackmail the nation into chaos. Nigerians deserve stability, not manufactured scarcity.”

The group further urged Nigerians to ignore threats of scarcity and continue their daily activities without fear.

“We call on the public to remain calm and resolute. This is not a struggle for ordinary workers but a fight by entrenched interests who cannot stomach competition. Nigerians should go about their businesses and not allow themselves to be misled by this campaign of destabilisation,” the statement read.

West emphasised the group is not opposed to unionism but stressed that workers must retain the freedom to choose their associations.

“The right to join a union is sacred, but so too is the right not to join one. The constitution protects both rights equally. What NUPENG seeks to do is force people into its fold to preserve its relevance. That is not democracy. That is tyranny, and it will not stand,” the group added.

They insisted that the refinery represents Nigeria’s best chance at breaking free from decades of fuel import dependence.

“This refinery is not the enemy. It is a lifeline for Nigeria. Those who want to see it fail are not fighting for workers or citizens; they are fighting for their pockets. Nigerians must see through this and defend the refinery as a national asset,” West admonished.