society
WHEN INDUSTRY MOVES LIKE NATION-BUILDERS Otega Ogra & Tope Ajayi
WHEN INDUSTRY MOVES LIKE NATION-BUILDERS
Otega Ogra & Tope Ajayi
There is a particular kind of silence that greets progress in Nigeria—when food prices fall, inflation slows, the country is positively recognised, debts paid, or things begin to work. It is the kind of silence that would rather a good story stay buried than be told. But make no mistake, what we are seeing in the market today is not magic. It is the outcome of vision from the Tinubu-Shettima administration, backed by execution.
When President Bola Tinubu signed off on a six-month waiver to allow the importation of select food items, it was not an act of political theater. Rather, it was visionary economic strategy at play. That singular decision broke a cartel of hoarders who had turned food insecurity into an immoral enterprise. But strategy alone does not and cannot lower the cost of rice. What does is when industry leaders respond not with hesitation but with urgency.
Last week at The Aso Villa, the seat of the Presidency in Abuja, Abdul Samad Rabiu did not just show up to thank President Bola Tinubu. He came prepared and showed up with results. He brought evidence—bag by bag, commodity by commodity—of how Mr President’s policy met action. Rice that once cost N110,000 now sells for less than 80,000. Flour is down. Maize is down. And for once, the loudest people in the room are the ones who used to profit from scarcity, not the ones breaking it.
What happened here was disruption. The BUA team as well as other major Nigerian manufacturers and industrialists who heeded President Tinubu’s call, understood the assignment. They flooded the market, shattered the economics of hoarding, and exposed a truth few want to say: sometimes, the real enemy is not the system. It is the silence and sabotage that follows reform.
But Alhaji Rabiu did not stop at food. He announced a second move upon the advice of fellow billionaire industrialist, Aliko Dangote which was just as consequential. In an economy reeling from FX volatility, energy price surges, and imported inflation, cement manufacturers have decided to freeze the price of cement, not for everyone, but for every contractor working under the government’s Renewed Hope infrastructure projects. This is not charity at play. This is alignment.
Cement isn’t just a product. It is the bloodline of infrastructure. By holding the price steady for public works under the Renewed Hope Agenda, BUA Cement, Dangote Cement, Lafarge and new entrants, Mangal Cement didn’t just make a corporate gesture. They bought the government fiscal room, time, and momentum. That is what nation-building looks like when it wears a private-sector face.
It gets deeper. Cement manufacturers are resuscitating the Cement Technology Institute of Nigeria, pledging up to N20 billion annually to train artisans, real human capacity, not PowerPoint plans. We live in a Nigeria where for the longest time, conversations about growth rarely touch skills. This novel move is therefore a bet on people because when people are trained, projects do not just get built but they endure.
President Tinubu alluded to something important during that meeting. He did not just commend BUA. He called the actions of the private sector who have taken a bet on Nigeria throughout this period, “economic patriotism.” Whilst many sit on the sidelines waiting for stability before they act, it matters when Nigerians step in to create it.
Nigeria does not just need big men. It needs bold moves. What Rabiu and his peers are doing from freezing prices, and disrupting hoarding, to funding technical skills is not corporate PR. It is policy execution by other means and, that is what separates firms that extract value from those that build it.
In this phase of Nigeria’s transformation, we will need more of the latter. Those who understand that the private sector is not a spectator sport. That stability is not gifted but engineered. And that to win the confidence of 250 million people, you must show, not tell, that the future of Nigeria is under construction.
And if we tell these positive stories loud and well, if we stop whispering good news while bad actors shout, we may just shift the national mood from despair to resolve.
We make bold this statement because, when industry starts to move like this, it is more than just a market correction. It is a clear signal that the tide is turning positively.
As President Bola Tinubu says, the future of Nigeria will be a future built by Nigerians, for Nigeria, and indeed, Africa. No one will build our Nigeria or Africa for us but ourselves. The time is now.
NAWOJ: SEKINAT, CHARITY GETS VOTE OF CONFIDENCE
The Nigeria Association of Women Journalists,(NAWOJ), Ogun State Chapter Executives has unanimously passed a vote of confidence on Chairman NAWOJ SEKINAT Salam and the Financial Secretary, Charity James, saying that, their leadership reflect the ideal and objectives of NAWOJ.
This was revealed in a communique issued at an Emergency meeting of the Executive held at the NUJ State Council, Iwe-Iroyin in Abeokuta.
The vote of confidence on the Leadership of NAWOJ was unanimously signed by all the five executive members that attended the meeting with the vice chairperson taking apology for official engagement outside the state capital.
According to the communique ” Consequently, NAWOJ Ogun State Chapter, reaffirms it’s unwavering support and confidence in the Chairperson and the Financial Secretary, Sekinat Salam and Charity James respectively, Urge them to continue in their commitment to purposeful leadership in the best interest of the association and the society at large”.
Speaking briefly with Journalists after the emergency Executive meeting, the Chairperson, Nigeria Association of Woman Journalists (NAWOJ), Com. Sekinat Salam, said the meeting was necessary as the news of her suspension was laughable and insulting because it is like a pot calling a kettle black in this case, saying that the Leadership of the State Council, Com. Wale Olanrewaju has no local standing to suspend her or any executive member, even he cannot be a judge in his own case.
According to her” The Leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ogun State led by Wale Olanrewaju has always been misusing power without recourse to the constitution of this noble Union, hence has no local standing to suspend me or any executive member “.
She said only the Central Working Committee (CWC) has the constitutional rights to sanction or suspend any members found wanting after due process has been followed.
While calling on members to stay calm, Com. Sekinat Salam assured members of positive representation of NAWOJ at both the State and National level, adding the success recorded under her administration cannot be overemphasized.
She therefore called on the National leadership of NUJ to critically look into the matter, either by setting up independent committee to investigate the issues and resolve the matter as quickly as possible.
Adron Homes Chairman Congratulates Oyo State on 50 Years of Progress
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Adron Homes and Properties Limited, Aare Adetola Emmanuelking, has congratulated the Government and people of Oyo State as the state marks its 50th anniversary, describing the occasion as a celebration of resilience, cultural pride, and sustained progress.
He noted that since its creation, Oyo State has remained a strong contributor to Nigeria’s socio-economic and cultural development, emerging as a hub of commerce, education, and innovation.
According to him, the Golden Jubilee offers a moment for reflection and renewed commitment by government, private sector players, traditional institutions, and citizens toward building a more inclusive and prosperous state.
Aare Emmanuelking commended the state’s ongoing transformation through investments in infrastructure, economic expansion, and human capital development, adding that sustainable growth is deliberate and must remain purpose-driven.
He also praised the leadership of the current administration while acknowledging the contributions of past leaders whose efforts laid the foundation for today’s Oyo State.
Reaffirming Adron Homes’ commitment to national development, he described Oyo State as a land of opportunity. He wished the state continued peace and prosperity, expressing confidence that the next fifty years will bring even greater achievements for the Pace Setter State and its people.
TY BURATAI HUMANITY CARE FOUNDATION CONDOLES WITH BIU EMIRATE OVER TRAGIC ATTACK
In a profound expression of sorrow, the TY Buratai Humanity Care Foundation has extended its heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and the entire people of Biu Emirate, Borno State, following the recent tragic attack attributed to Boko Haram. This devastating assault, which occurred at a work site in northeastern Nigeria, claimed the lives of dozens, including brave soldiers committed to protecting the nation.
In a statement released to the press and signed by the Chairman of the foundation, Ibrahim Dahiru Danfulani Sadaukin Garkuwan Keffi/Betara Biu, the Grand Patron of the Foundation, His Excellency Amb. Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusufu Buratai CFR (Rtd), former Chief of Army Staff, described the incident as “one too many senseless, barbaric, and ruthless displays of inhumanity.” His Excellency emphasized the heartbreaking impact of such attacks on innocent, hardworking citizens striving to make a positive difference in their communities.
The Grand Patron praised the swift and decisive response of military personnel during this critical time, underscoring their brave commitment to safeguarding the nation. He called upon them to maintain this momentum, commending their courage and sacrifice in the face of adversity. “May Almighty Allah forgive their souls and grant them Aljannah Firdouse,” he remarked, encouraging the nation to honor their spirit of sacrifice as they rally together to rebuild and restore hope across the region.
In his statement, Gen. Buratai highlighted the importance of collective action in overcoming the challenges posed by insecurity, urging concerned citizens to increase their efforts in fostering a virile community that future generations can cherish. “Together, we can surmount these troubles,” he asserted, calling on all patriotic leaders and citizens to unite in the fight against violence and insecurity.
The TY Buratai Humanity Care Foundation remains committed to supporting initiatives that promote peace, security, unity, and prosperity. As the foundation extends its condolences to the bereaved, it also calls upon all segments of society to collaborate in creating a better and safer future. May Allah guide and protect the nation and lead it toward enduring peace. Amen.
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