Saturday, 26th April 2025, marks a monumental and historic day for the people of Ogere Remo as the long-awaited Ologere Palace (Aafin Ologere) and the iconic Lipakala Cultural Centre will be officially commissioned. Ogere will proudly unveil a majestic central palace symbolising unity, culture, and progress for the first time in living memory. Facilitated by the visionary leadership of His Royal Highness Oba James Obafemi Saliu, the Ologere of Ogere and Arole Olipakala, the palace project began two years ago, immediately following his coronation. Ogere, a town steeped in history and tradition, had operated without a central or permanent royal…
Author: Adewale A.
Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to reshape the global digital landscape, with advanced tools driving innovation across sectors from education and finance to creative arts and cybersecurity. As AI becomes increasingly mainstream, businesses, developers, and everyday users face the challenge of choosing the right tool for their needs. Here’s a comparison of some of the most prominent AI platforms in 2025, evaluating their capabilities, strengths, and use cases. 1. ChatGPT (OpenAI) Best for: Conversational AI, writing assistance, code generation Openai’s Chatgpt remains a market leader in natural language processing. Powered by the GPT-4 and GPT-4 Turbo models, it is widely used…
Henry Okah, a Nigerian militant leader currently serving a 24-year sentence in South Africa, has launched a legal battle to stop what he describes as unlawful attempts to grant him parole and deport him to Nigeria. The court case, registered under number 2025-038124, is scheduled for hearing at the Gauteng Division of the High Court in Pretoria. Respondents named in the filing include the Department of Home Affairs, the Zonderwater Parole Board, the National Director of Public Prosecutions, the Minister of Correctional Services, and the Minister of Justice. Okah’s application seeks to interdict the defendants from taking any steps towards…
Coventry University is set to implement major reforms to its course delivery model, introducing a flexible, student-centric approach that departs from traditional academic structures. Starting this September, the university will transition all postgraduate taught courses across the Coventry University Group to a six-intake model per academic year. Undergraduate courses are scheduled to follow in September 2026. This shift will see teaching delivered in six-week blocks, followed by an assessment week, marking a significant departure from the conventional term and semester framework used across much of the UK higher education sector. The move positions Coventry University as a trailblazer in flexible…
For too long, the world has lived under a cartographic illusion that has profoundly shaped our understanding of power, influence, and place. At the heart of this lie is the Mercator projection, a 16th-century map design that distorts the true size of continents. The biggest casualty? Africa. Despite spanning over 30 million square kilometres—large enough to comfortably contain the United States, China, India, and most of Europe—Africa is routinely misrepresented as small, marginal, and peripheral on most world maps. In classrooms, boardrooms, news broadcasts, and textbooks, a warped vision of geography has minimised Africa’s vastness and, in turn, its significance.…
BudgIT, a prominent civic-tech organisation promoting transparency, accountability, and effective service delivery in Nigeria, has launched its chatbot, Bimi. Bimi is a web-based platform that provides real-time, accurate, and accessible information on public financial management. This cutting-edge innovation is pivotal in bridging the divide between government transparency and public comprehension. It will ensure that every Nigerian can effortlessly access the critical information required for informed decision-making. Bimi gives citizens real-time updates on audited financial reports, budget implementation, and government spending at national and subnational levels. It also responds quickly to questions about government policies, public services, and governance updates, provides…
Tracka, BudgIT’s service delivery promotion platform, which allows citizens to collaborate, track and give feedback on public projects in their communities, has uncovered payments worth N2.4 billion to seventeen contractors for fifteen projects across nine states—yet no contractor has commenced work on these sites. Some of these projects include: The payment of N401 million to Mainstream Contractors in December 2023 under the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing for the Rehabilitation of Welcome-Nasarawa-Farewell from Nasarawa, linking the North and Southern parts of Nigeria in Nasarawa LGA, Nasarawa State; N153 million to Icent Light Ltd between August and November 2023 under…
BudgIT, a prominent civic tech organisation promoting transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s public finance, has noted recent publications across various media outlets that misrepresented our findings on Sokoto State’s budget and fiscal transparency. While we appreciate the media’s role in fostering dialogue, these reports inaccurately represent our analysis, compelling us to clarify the facts and reaffirm our position. Our evaluation of Sokoto State’s fiscal transparency was not an attack on Dr Ahmed Aliyu’s government but rather a call for proactive disclosure of budgetary and other financial information as a critical element of good governance. The State Fiscal Transparency League (SFTL)…
The Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings by Subject 2025 reveal that Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Stanford University continue to lead the charge in academic excellence, securing top positions in three subject areas each. US Institutions Lead the Pack MIT ranks first in Arts and Humanities, Business and Economics, and Social Sciences, while Stanford University claims the top spot in Education Studies, Law, and Psychology. Despite slipping to sixth place in World University Rankings 2025, Stanford’s subject-level performance underscores its academic prowess. Harvard University shines in Engineering and Life Sciences, while the California Institute of Technology (Caltech)…
In today’s digital landscape, nearly half of internet traffic stems from non-human sources, with a startling one-third attributed to malicious bots. Social media platforms are particularly vulnerable, as 65% of these bots are designed with harmful intent, posing significant risks to users and brands alike. To combat this growing threat, Christoph C. Cemper, founder of AI prompt management tool AIPRM, shares valuable insights into identifying and protecting against social media bots and the scams they perpetrate. Spotting Social Media Bots: Key Warning Signs Understanding how bots operate can help users identify and avoid them. These are the common traits of…
In a significant step towards creating a new state from the old Ijebu Province in Ogun State, major stakeholders gathered in Sagamu, Remo, on Friday, January 17, 2025. The meeting, hosted by Oba Dr. Babatunde Adewale Ajayi, the Akarigbo and Paramount Ruler of Remoland, addressed the long-standing goal of establishing a new state by forming a harmonisation committee to resolve existing disagreements. The meeting, which brought together influential leaders, traditional rulers, and key political figures, marked a renewed push to achieve statehood, with stakeholders united in their vision for progress. In his opening speech, Oba Ajayi stressed the need for…
BudgIT Raises Concern Over Irregularities in 2025 FG Proposed Budget, Calls for Prudent, Patriotic, and Inclusive Review by National Assembly. BudgIT, a leading civic-tech organisation promoting transparency, accountability, and effective service delivery in Nigeria, has observed certain legacy issues with the 2025 Federal Government Proposed Budget and calls on the National Assembly to proactively address the irregularities, exercise its “Powers of the Purse” responsibly, allow robust public participation in the budget review process, and ensure that the approved budget reflects the needs and preferences of Nigerians through job creation, poverty reduction, and inclusive broad-based economic growth. A review of the…
The long-awaited announcement has finally arrived – Prince Abimbola Akeem Owoade is the new Alaafin of Oyo. Following a series of consultations, divinations, and recommendations by the Oyomesi, the revered kingmakers of Oyo, the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, has officially approved the appointment. This marks the end of a period of uncertainty and division that followed the passing of the highly respected Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III in April 2022. Prince Owoade, a man of royal heritage, professional excellence, and global exposure, is now poised to lead the ancient Oyo Kingdom into a new era of prosperity, cultural…
Governor Seyi Makinde has officially approved Prince Abimbola Akeem Owoade as the new Alaafin of Oyo, following extensive consultations and divination by the Oyomesi. A statement issued by Prince Dotun Oyelade, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, confirmed that the recommendation from the Oyomesi has been accepted and sanctioned by the governor. The Honourable Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Ademola Ojo, made the official announcement. This decision marks the resolution of the legal and societal disputes that followed the passing of the late Alaafin, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, on April 22, 2022. Hon. Ojo urged the…
Managing phone storage can be challenging, mainly when WhatsApp automatically downloads all the media files shared in your chats. These files—audio, pictures, or videos—can quickly fill your device’s storage, slowing down performance and making it harder to keep essential files accessible. Thankfully, WhatsApp offers a simple way to take control and stop these automatic downloads. By tweaking a few settings, you can ensure that media files are only downloaded when you actively choose to view or listen to them. This allows you to save space and avoid clutter from uninteresting or irrelevant files. Here’s a step-by-step guide to disabling automatic…
Nigeria leads the 2024 Times Higher Education Sub-Saharan Africa University Rankings with 41 institutions featured, including 13 in the top 50. The American University of Nigeria is the country’s highest-ranked institution at 12th place, while Landmark University tops the ethical leadership pillar. The University of Johannesburg in South Africa claims the overall top spot in a ranking of 129 universities from 22 countries, with five newcomers—Namibia, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Cape Verde, and Eswatini. This year, the methodology was updated to include new metrics on leadership, ethics, and African heritage. Nigeria stands out as the most represented nation in the…
The 50/30/20 rule is a straightforward method to manage your finances effectively by dividing your income into three key categories: needs, wants, and savings. Here’s how it works: Allocate 50% of Your Income to ‘Needs’ Start by setting aside half of your monthly income for essential expenses – the things you can’t live without. This includes housing costs like rent or mortgage payments, utility bills, transportation expenses, and groceries. The goal is to cover your fundamental needs first, providing a stable foundation for your financial planning. Spend 30% on ‘Wants’ Once your essential needs are accounted for, you can allocate…
Four individuals involved in internet fraud have been convicted and sentenced to various jail terms by two separate courts in Calabar and Uyo. Justices Ijeoma Ojukwu and M.A. Onyetenu of the Federal High Court sentenced the fraudsters after they pleaded guilty to offences related to cybercrime and fraud. The convicted individuals are: Abasiama Edet Ukana, Oko John Inya, Chidiebere Favour Onwukwu, and Onyekachi Elisha Madubuike. The cases, handled by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), involved crimes such as criminal impersonation, identity theft, and obtaining funds under false pretences through the internet. In Uyo, Abasiama Edet Ukana and Oko…
A Federal High Court in Abuja has directed that a hearing notice be served on Yahaya Bello, the former governor of Kogi State after he repeatedly failed to appear in court for arraignment over a N101.4 billion fraud case. The ruling, made by Justice Maryanne Anenih on November 14, 2024, follows a series of absences by Bello in connection with charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). In her ruling, Justice Anenih instructed that the hearing notice be affixed to Bello’s residence in Abuja, specifically at No. 9 Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, and also…
Operatives from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Enugu have arrested a man, Hussaini Ibrahim, in connection with a suspected currency racketeering scheme involving N460,000. Ibrahim, who was apprehended by the EFCC’s Special Task Force on November 13, 2024, was linked to the illicit trade following a tip-off that led to his arrest in the Emenite area of Enugu metropolis. The suspect was found in possession of N460,000, all in N200 denominations, which authorities believe was part of an illegal currency manipulation operation. The EFCC has stated that investigations are ongoing, and Ibrahim will face charges in court…