From Terkura Vande in Makurdi

The Nasarawa State Governor,
Abdullahi Sule, has sacked eight Special Advisers and appointed nine new ones.

In a statement signed by Shuaibu Magaji Labaran, Secretary to the Government of Nasarawa State, and issued to journalists in Lafia, on Friday, the scribe of the state, noted that the move was part of the administration’s commitment to strengthening service delivery.

He explained that in order to sustain the pace of development through informed counsel, Sule, also approved the appointment of new Special Advisers to fill in the portfolio of those that were sacked.

According to the statement, the Special Advisers relieved of their appointments are: Hon. Lawal Yakubu Karshi, Hon. Danlami Lawal Moroa, Haruna Kasimu Idris, Hon. Gambo Abdullahi, Muhammadu Usman Shege, Ibrahim Shekarau Dahiru, Engr. Moses Utondo, and Hon. Elsie Monday.

They are to be replaced by Barr. David Moyi Sule, Special Adviser on Humanitarian Service; Hon Jafaru Ango, Special Adviser, Public Works; Alhaji Ado Dauda, Special Adviser on Social Investment; and Hon. Abdullahi Angibi, Special Adviser on Political Affairs.

Others are: Prince Nuhu Dauda Shege, Special Adviser on Rural Development; Hon. Joseph Attah, Special Adviser on Information and Orientation; Dr Felix Upav Saaior, Special Adviser on Education; Hon. Peter Mbucho, Special Adviser on Health; and Idris Suleiman Dansauka, Special Adviser on Chieftaincy Affairs.

According to the statement, the new appointees are to be sworn in on a yet to be announced date.

–Calls on ICPC to probe tenure

By Our Reporter

The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, President, Comrade Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, has written a May- it-never-be-well-with- you valedictory letter to the outgoing VC of the University of Ibadan, Prof Kayode Oyebode Adebowale.

In the letter of July 23, 2026 the student leader describes Prof Adebowoke as “a tyrant, an unrepentant oppressor, and a callous administrator.”

According to the student president in the letter full of venom:

“In your role as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, an administrative position where your character was tested with power, you ruled with oppression. Your infamous tenure was characterized by anti-student policies, many of which subjected students to hardship, strained them beyond their limits, and made learning frustrating for them.

“Worst of all, the most terrifying part of your rule is that whenever students rose to fight for their rights, you went out of your way, as a narcissist and an unrepentant oppressor, to intimidate, suspend, and ultimately expel them. You did the unimaginable, punishing student leaders who sought better welfare for students. The height of it all was that you ultimately silenced the Students’ Union and made it appear like a dog that can only bark but not bite. Oh, how terrible your rule was,” the release stated.

The student union head continued: “As if all of that were not enough, your tenure has also been marred by controversies and several allegations of corruption. In the foregoing, on behalf of the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), I call on the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the tenure of Professor Kayode Oyebode Adebowale as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan.”

The President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), the apex and umbrella body representing millions of Nigerian students both within Nigeria and in the diaspora. I write not just as the NANS President but also as a critical stakeholder in the education sector and nation-building at large.

Since my days in office as the Vice President, External Affairs of NANS, to my time in office as the Senate President and now President, I monitored your activities as the Vice-Chancellor of the great University of Ibadan. On purpose, I waited until this moment, when you are leaving office, to address your infamous rule. Why? Because, unlike you, who was intoxicated by power, I am not oblivious to the fact that power is transient. Now that you are leaving office, it is time for your deeds to catch up with you.

As I reflect on your infamous rule, I do not seem to find the best words to describe your level of narcissism. However, if there is one thing you proved in office, it is the fact that you are not to be trusted with power. Lo, you have proven beyond doubt to be a tyrant, an unrepentant oppressor, and a callous administrator.

I know for a fact that when you eventually read this statement, you will be imprisoned by your own conscience, which will continually strike you for choosing the path of oppression. I am certain that, now that your future and subsequent pursuits are hinged on your infamous rule as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, you are already full of regrets.

Going forward, be informed that you have lost the trust of Nigerian students, a significant proportion of the country’s population, accounting for more than 19%. Be informed that, following your tenure, if you are nominated for any position in this country, Nigerian students will mobilize massively against you.

Now that the ride has finally come to an end, and Professor Kayode Oyebode Adebowale now faces the reality that all eras come to an end and must now wander in the wilderness of his infamous tenure, I hope other Vice-Chancellors will see him as a deterrent and choose to uphold integrity in society.

By Felix Umande

The Federal Government has pledged to implement actionable recommendations from the 18th International Maritime Seminar for Judges, saying an efficient maritime justice system is critical to attracting investment, facilitating trade and unlocking Nigeria’s blue economy potential.

The commitment was made on Wednesday in Abuja by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator George Akume, CON, at the opening ceremony of the three-day seminar organised by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute and the Nigerian Maritime Law Association.

Sen. Akume said maritime justice goes beyond legal practice, warning that inefficiencies in the system directly affect the economy and citizens.

“When a maritime claim is delayed in court, trade suffers. When a ship arrest is poorly executed, investor confidence falls. When cargo liability disputes go unresolved, the cost of importing essential goods rises, and it is ordinary Nigerians who bear that cost,” he said.

He described maritime justice as foundational to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda on the Blue Economy, noting that no investor would commit capital to Nigeria’s maritime sector without confidence in the country’s dispute resolution mechanisms.

The SGF disclosed that his office would support the implementation of resolutions reached at the seminar, particularly those requiring legislative intervention, executive action and inter-agency collaboration.

According to him, recommendations bordering on legislative amendments would be channelled through the National Assembly and the Federal Ministry of Justice, while issues requiring ratification of international conventions would receive executive attention.

“The work done in this hall over the next three days should not remain in this hall. It must find expression in policy, legislation, institutional reform and ultimately in the daily experience of every Nigerian who does business through our ports or seeks justice in our courts,” Akume said.

Sen. Akume called for stronger collaboration among key maritime institutions including the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, the Nigeria Customs Service, the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, and the Federal High Court.

He stressed that the agencies must work in harmony through information sharing and regulatory alignment to improve efficiency across the sector.

He commended the Nigerian Shippers’ Council for sustaining the International Maritime Seminar for Judges since 1995, describing it as one of Africa’s most respected judicial learning platforms.

The SGF also welcomed judicial officers from Ghana, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Kenya and Liberia, expressing optimism that the seminar would deepen regional cooperation, harmonise business laws and promote maritime trade across Africa.

The 18th International Maritime Seminar for Judges brings together judges, maritime law experts and stakeholders from across the continent to deliberate on contemporary issues in maritime law and dispute resolution.