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Tinubu Eulogises Late Odumakin’s Commitment to Justice, Democracy

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National Leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Sen. Bola Tinubu, has expressed shock over the death of  the spokesperson of Afenifere Renewal Group, Yinka Odumakin.

Tinubu, in a condolence message on Saturday in Lagos, described the deceased as a committed fighter for democracy.

the late Odumakin, 54, died in the early hours of Saturday after a brief illness.

The APC leader said that the late Odumakin was also a dedicated activist, outspoken defender of whatever ideals and principles he believed in and a patriotic citizen in every sense of the word.

The former governor of Lagos recalled that Odumakin had been fearless and unrelenting in speaking up in promoting the cause of justice and what he perceived as the best interest of the citizens of Nigeria ever since his student days.

He said the deceased never allowed himself to succumb to tyranny or be pressured into submissive and pliant silence.

He also added that Odumakin was at the vanguard of the battle against the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election

Tinubu noted that it was impossible to credibly tell the story of the emergence of the democracy being enjoyed in today’s dispensation without emblazoning late Odumakin’s name in gold.

According to him, Odumakin was rock solid in his commitment to Afenifere, the Yoruba people and the several other civil society groups in which he played active roles.

“Odumakin never held public office, but he has been a constant feature and part of our public consciousness over the last two decades of this unbroken democratic dispensation.”

According to him, the late activist sought to always promote the common good of his community and country.

Recounting his times with the late Odumakin in the last two and a half decades, Tinubu said he could testify to Odumakin’s capacity for hard work, his brilliance, his tenacity in his loyalty to his cherished principles.

“Even if we differed politically, I had no cause to doubt his sincerity in charting his chosen path.

“He will forever remain a model of what a citizen who places the good of his country above his personal interest could be.

“For, given his talents and abilities, Odumakin could easily have opted to focus on his personal welfare and that of his family rather than embroil himself in the several struggles he dedicated his life to.

“It is certainly not fortuitous that his wife, the indefatigable Amazon, Dr Joe Odumakin, was Yinka’s comrade in struggle and active collaborator in fighting for justice, liberty and the dignity of the underprivileged.

“They were iconic soul mates in the ceaseless battle for a better and greater Nigeria,” the APC leader said.

Tinubu extended his condolences to the deceased wife and her family.

He prayed God comfort and strengthen them even as they take solace in the massive outpouring of grief nationwide at the late Odumakin’s passage.

“I also express my heartfelt condolences to Chief Ayo Adebanjo, the Afenifere leader, and all other leaders and members of Afenifere as well as all Yinka’s associates in the civil society movement.

“His life vividly demonstrates once again, in the immortal words of Chief Obafemi Awolowo that  `it is not life that matters but the courage you bring into it’ and that it is not how long we live but how well and productively that matters.

“Odumakin is gone, but he lives on in the memory of millions of his compatriots. May his soul rest in peace,” Tinubu said (NAN)

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Tinubu Honors Buhari, Renames University of Maiduguri after Late President

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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.

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C’River First Female NUJ Chairman Describes Tenure as Trial Period

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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.

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Gov Makinde Confered With Prestigious Chieftaincy Title of Aare Omoluabi of Akure Land by Akure Kingdom

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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.

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