National

Tinubu’s Wife Raises N20.45bn from 65th Birthday Donations for National Library

Published

2 months ago

September 24, 2025

Eric

The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on Tuesday, disclosed that her 65th birthday anniversary fund-raising drive has so far yielded N20,456,188,924.93, with donations still trickling in.

Speaking at an interactive session with journalists in Abuja, Mrs. Tinubu said the donations would go toward completing the long-abandoned National Library project, a cause she described as deeply personal.

“This is not the first or second time I have raised money for a worthy cause,” she noted, recalling that at her 45th birthday, she raised N50 million for the completion of the National Sickle Cell Foundation Centre, and at 50, mobilized N200 million for the New Era Foundation and other charities.

She dismissed speculations of political undertones behind the project, insisting that her focus was on nation-building and giving back.

Citing inspirations from writers like Khalil Gibran and former U.S. President John F. Kennedy, the First Lady said: “It doesn’t take much to do good. Most of the work I’ve ever done is not something new; I just make it look big, and at the end of the day, it turns big.”

Mrs. Tinubu traced the history of the National Library project, initiated in 1981, approved in 2006 with a budget of N8.2 billion, and later reviewed to over N23 billion.

She emphasised that with collective will, Nigerians can deliver the 11-story structure within two years.

“I have played my part. The Oluremi@65 Fund will close in December. Nigerians can still donate until then. But to the glory of God, we already have over N20.4 billion and it is still growing,” she declared.

The First Lady expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, and his wife Nana, former First Ladies, National Assembly leaders, state governors, captains of industry, including Alhaji Abdul Samad Rabiu, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Dr. Jim Ovia, Chief Government Ekpemupolo (Tompolo), as well as royal fathers, among others, for their goodwill and support.

She pledged that the names of all donors would be published in national dailies as a mark of respect and accountability.

National

Tinubu Names Immediate Past CDS Chris Musa As New Defence Minister

Published

3 days ago

December 2, 2025

Eric

President Bola Tinubu has named retired General Christopher Gwabin Musa as the new Minister of Defence.

This comes barely 24 hours after the presidency announced the resignation Of Mohammed Badaru Abubakar from the position.

While presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, had said Badaru resigned on health grounds, the 63-year-old former Jigawa State governor’s resignation may not be unconnected with the recent surge in insecurity in the country.

Onanuga said, “In a letter to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, President Tinubu conveyed General Musa’s nomination as the successor to Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, who resigned on Monday.”

General Musa, 58, served as Chief of Defence Staff from 2023 until October 2025.

He won the Colin Powell Award for Soldiering in 2012.

Born in Sokoto in 1967, General Musa received his primary and secondary education there before attending the College of Advanced Studies in Zaria. He graduated in 1986 and enrolled at the Nigerian Defence Academy the same year, earning a Bachelor of Science degree upon graduation in 1991.

General Musa was commissioned into the Nigerian Army as a Second Lieutenant in 1991 and has since had a distinguished career. His appointments include General Staff Officer 1, Training/Operations at HQ 81 Division; Commanding Officer, 73 Battalion; Assistant Director, Operational Requirements, Department of Army Policy and Plans; and Infantry Representative/Member, Training Team, HQ Nigerian Army Armour Corps.

In 2019, he served as Deputy Chief of Staff, Training/Operations, Headquarters Infantry Centre and Corps; Commander, Sector 3, Operation Lafiya Dole; and Commander, Sector 3 Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad Region.

In 2021, General Musa was appointed Theatre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai. He later became Commander of the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps before being appointed Chief of Defence Staff by President Tinubu in 2023.

In the letter to the Senate, President Tinubu expressed confidence in General Musa’s ability to lead the Ministry of Defence and further strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture.

National

Pastor Bakare Advises Tinubu to Apologize to Traumatized Communities, Accept Responsibility for Failure

Published

4 days ago

December 1, 2025

Eric

The Lead Pastor of the Citadel Global Community Church, Tunde Bakare, has urged President Bola Tinubu to publicly apologize to communities devastated by insecurity.

Bakare made the call on Sunday during his State of the Nation Address in Lagos, saying the gesture would mark a commitment to justice and national healing.

The cleric acknowledged that the president had taken initial steps to address the crisis but insisted that deeper action is required to restore confidence.

He said the government must first accept responsibility for decades of failure to protect citizens from terrorism, banditry and other violent crimes.

Bakare said the plan should include a Victims and Survivors Register, a national apology to affected communities after three months, and midterm compensation, stressing that accountability is crucial to restoring public trust and ending the cycle of violence.

National

Jonathan Finally Returns to Abuja After Evacuation from Coup-Hit Guinea-Bissau

Published

7 days ago

November 28, 2025

Eric

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has returned to Abuja after being evacuated from Guinea-Bissau in the wake of a military coup in the West African country.

He arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Thursday.

A video shared by ARISE News captured his arrival, showing Jonathan stepping down from a Guinea-Bissau government aircraft at night as supporters and officials received him.

Jonathan had travelled to the country as the head of the West African Elders Forum Election Observation Mission to monitor last Sunday’s presidential and legislative elections.

His delegation was still on the assignment when the military announced it had taken over the government.

Reports later said that Jonathan was trapped, prompting the House of Representatives, during Thursday’s plenary, to urge the Federal government to use every diplomatic channel to ensure his safe return.

The Federal government subsequently issued a statement confirming that he was safe and had left the country.

“Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is very safe and out of Guinea-Bissau. He left with a special flight with members of his delegation, including Mohamed Chambas,” the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said in an interview with journalists.