NEWS
Foundation Unveils Project to Dismantle Barriers Against PWDs’ Access to Buildings

Cedar Seed Foundation (CSF), a disability inclusive organisation, has unveiled the Accessibility 365(A365) Hall of Fame and Shame project.
The project is to dismantle physical and social barriers preventing Persons With Disabilities(PWDs) from accessing buildings in Abuja.
The Foundation and its partners, Network of Women with Disabilities (NWD), Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), and MacArthur Foundation made this known during the launch of the project in Abuja.
Executive Director and Founder, CSF, Lois Auta, said that the project underscored the need for inclusive infrastructure in Nigeria’s public spaces due to concerns about the inaccessibility of some public facilities to PWDs.
Auta said that a building is deemed inaccessible if it lacks ramps, elevators, dedicated parking space for PWDs and accessible restrooms.
She listed the Federal Secretariat, Abuja – Phase 1, Eagle Square Restaurant, Maitama General Hospital, and Newton Park Hotels and Resort, in Wuse Zone 4 as examples of buildings inaccessible to PWDs.
She listed others to include the National Open University of Nigeria Special Study Centre in Garki 2, and Farmcity Park in Wuse 2.
She also listed Wuse Market, Nwakpabi Plaza in Area 3, Children Amusement Parks and Zoo in Asokoro and St. Jude Catholic Church, Kubwa.
“A recent survey conducted by CSF on infrastructure accessibility in Abuja reveals the substantial challenges PWDs face in accessing public spaces despite national and international policies.
“This leaves PWDs to struggling for basic access. Many buildings in Abuja, including critical government and healthcare facilities, do not meet accessibility standards, highlighting the disconnect between policy and practice.
“The findings led to the development of two distinct ends of the accessibility spectrum,” she said.
According to Auta, while some buildings made it to the hall of shame, others made it to the hall of fame by keeping to the standards.
“Those in the hall of fame include Transcorp Hilton, Cedar Crest Hospital, Safehost Schools, Ecumenical Centre, British High Commission, and Millennium Park.
“Others are Tobix Garden, Drumstix, Standard Chartered Bank and Jabi Lake Mall,” she said.
She said that the primary goals of A365 are to advocate for stronger enforcement of accessibility policies, empower PWDs to become advocates and raise public awareness about the significance of accessible infrastructure.
She said through media campaigns, trainings sessions for women with disabilities and public advocacy, CSF had shown commitment to educating the public and holding duty bearers accountable for creating a truly inclusive society.
“By spotlighting both accessible and inaccessible public spaces in Abuja, we hope to inspire greater commitment to accessible standards across Nigeria.
“This is because without barriers, there is no disability. With our halls of fame and shame, we recognise the progress made and underline the work that still needs to done to make society accessible for everyone,” she said
The Finance Officer of CSF, Janet Alabede, said that under the Nigeria Disability Act 2018, several provisions ensured PWD’s equal access.
Alabede said that it aligned with the national Act, and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).
He said that it offered additional guidance on accessibility, adding that despite the legislative strides, the real challenge lied in executing the mandates and ensuring impact in the daily lives of PWDs.
Ms NseAbasi Ufford, Communication and Programme Office, CSF, said that the A365 project focused on making infrastructure accessible by holding establishments accountable and recognsing those that set an example in the field of inclusivity.
Ufford said that it was also a call to action on government, private and Abuja residents to take action towards reinforcing accessibility standards, supporting accessibility improvement, and empowering PWDs.
CSF encouraged policy makers, community leaders and the general public to support the movement through advocacy, funding or collaboration to break down physical and social barriers and make Nigeria accessible for all.
This is to inspire a commitment to inclusive infrastructure, and to foster a collective sense of accountability, Ufford said.(NAN)
NEWS
Tinubu Honors Buhari, Renames University of Maiduguri after Late President

By David Torough, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu has approved the renaming of the University of Maiduguri, Borno State as Muhammadu Buhari University.
“May we now adopt the University of Maduguri as the Muhammadu Buhari University,” Tinubu said at the close of a special session of the Federal Executive Council held to honour Buhari at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja on Thursday.
The President paid a glowing tribute to Buhari, describing him as “a good man, a decent man, an honourable man” whose legacy of discipline, patriotism and moral uprightness would endure for generations.
Tinubu said although the late president was not without flaws, his unwavering commitment to national service set him apart.
“President Buhari was not a perfect man, no leader is, but he was, in every sense of the word, a good man, a decent man, an honourable man.
“His record will be debated, as all legacies are, but the character he brought to public life, the moral force he carried, the incorruptible standard he represented, will not be forgotten.
“His was a life lived in full service to Nigeria, and in fidelity to God,” he said.
Reflecting on Buhari’s time in office and his long military and civil service, Tinubu praised the late leader’s simplicity, humility, and stoic resistance to the trappings of power.
He said, “He stood, always, ramrod straight; unmoved by the temptation of power, unseduced by applause and unafraid of the loneliness that often visits those who do what is right, rather than what is popular.
“His was a quiet courage, a righteousness that never announced itself. His patriotism lived more in action than in words.”
Tinubu also recounted their political alliance, which culminated in the historic 2015 elections that marked Nigeria’s first democratic transfer of power from one ruling party to another.
“We stood together, he and I. Alongside others drawn from across the political spectrum, regions and tongues, we formed an alliance that enabled Nigeria to experience its first true democratic transfer of power from one ruling party to another.
“When he was sworn in as our party’s first elected President, he led with restraint, governed with dignity, and bore the burdens of leadership without complaint,” he said.
The President expressed admiration for Buhari’s post-office modesty, noting that he returned to his hometown, Daura, without seeking to wield influence behind the scenes.
“When his tenure ended, he returned to Daura; not to command from the shadows or to hold court, but to live as he always had, never seeking to impose his will but content to let others carry the nation forward.
“Even in death, he maintained the serenity that defined him in life: not a sigh, not a groan, just a quiet submission to the will of God. Such was the man Nigeria has lost. Such was the man for whom our nation now mourns,” he added.
Tinubu thanked the Inter-Ministerial Committee and Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, for organising a befitting state funeral within 48 hours, describing it as a “profound honour” to lead the burial procession in Daura.
He concluded his tribute with a prayer: “Mai Gaskiya, the People’s General, the Farmer President, your duty is done. May Almighty Allah forgive his shortcomings and grant him Aljannah Firdaus. May his life continue to inspire generations of Nigerians to serve with courage, conviction, and selflessness. President Buhari, thank you. Nigeria will remember you.”
Buhari died on Sunday, July 13, at the age of 82.
NEWS
C’River First Female NUJ Chairman Describes Tenure as Trial Period

The first female Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Cross River, Archibong Bassey has said that her first tenure in office was a trial period.
Bassey, who was returned unopposed in council’s election, made the assertion in an interview on Thursday in Calabar.
The Bassey- led executive was first elected on 9th May 2025, to complete the tenure of Nsa Gill, who was then appointed as Chief Press Secretary to Gov.
Bassey Otu.The chairman, who thanked the members for keeping faith in her and her team, said that she would improve on her achievements while correcting any mistakes she might have made in her first tenure.
She pleaded that any member who she must have offended in the course of her leadership should forgive her as she was not perfect and called for unity among members.
“Let’s leave any form of rancour behind, I need all your support;push me from the back, support me as you can.
‘’Tell me your ideas of moving the council forward and not what someone told you about me; I am asking God for the spirit of humility and love, to enable me lead the council well.’’
Earlier in his goodwill message, Dr Erasmus Ekpang, Cross River’s Commissioner for Information, had commended the union’s unity in electing its new executives.
According to Ekpang, they will continue as a government to give the Cross River Council of NUJ what it needs and all the necessary support to enable it carry out its functions objectively.
“I want to thank you for your unity, it’s better to come unopposed, I believe one day, the Cross River Council will emerge as the best in the nation,” he said.
Other executive members who were returned unopposed are Mr Sunday Inah of the Cross River Broadcasting Corporation (CRBC) as Vice Chairman, Michael Abang of Business Day as Secretary.
Others are Kingsley Agim of the Cross River Ministry of Information as Assistant Secretary, Mrs Achiane Adams of the Ministry of Information, Treasurer, and Benedine Tete Anam of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Auditor.
NEWS
Gov Makinde Confered With Prestigious Chieftaincy Title of Aare Omoluabi of Akure Land by Akure Kingdom

The Akure Kingdom will today bestow a prestigious chieftaincy title, Aare Omoluabi of Akure Land, meaning President of the Respectable People, upon His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State.
The conferment ceremony, which will take place in Akure, Ondo State, marks a significant recognition of Governor Makinde’s exemplary leadership, integrity, and contributions to the advancement of Yoruba culture and national development.
The title, one of the highest honors in the Akure Kingdom, celebrates individuals who embody the virtues of respect, dignity, and service to humanity.
Governor Makinde’s conferment reflects his outstanding commitment to good governance, infrastructural development, and fostering unity across Nigeria.
The ceremony will be attended by traditional rulers, dignitaries, and government officials, underscoring the significance of this historic event.
This honor further strengthens the bond between Oyo and Ondo States, fostering mutual respect and cooperation for the progress of the Yoruba nation and Nigeria at large.