By Johnson Eyiangho, Abuja

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris has described the death of Dr Leon Usigbe, the Abuja Bureau Chief of the Tribune Newspaper, as a monumental loss to the Newspaper, journalism profession and to the entire nation.The Minister said with the death of Usigbe, Nigeria has lost one of its finest media minds — a man whose intellect, courage, and clarity of purpose earned him the respect of colleagues, government officials, and the public alike.

By David Torough, Abuja

Unique Secondary School Makurdi (USSM), a leading private educational institution in Benue State, continues to make significant strides in academic excellence and community impact.

In a bold move to increase accessibility and reward excellence, the school has unveiled a new examination centre in Oju Local Government Area, launched a scholarship scheme for families with multiple children in the school, and honoured a distinguished alumnus, Dr.

The newly inaugurated Dr. Mark Ogbodo Park was officially commissioned on July 24, during a colourful ceremony held at the school’s New GRA campus in Makurdi.

The event drew an impressive turnout of students, staff, parents, alumni, and dignitaries.

Chairman of Unique Schools and co-founder of USSM, Engr. Felix Atume led the commissioning, describing it as a tribute to dedication and impact.

Dr. Ogbodo, an author and founder of Lydia Memorial Hospital, Ugbokolo, was visibly moved by the honour.

In a social media post after the event, he wrote: “Who am I to deserve this great honour? What impact have I made on USSM? These thoughts flooded my mind as I stood speechless in awe.”

He praised the school leadership, particularly Principal Mr. Samuel Ortsega, and the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) for the recognition.

Also unveiled at the event was a scholarship programme aimed at easing the financial burden on families with more than one child enrolled at USSM.

The initiative was met with excitement and gratitude from parents in attendance. Furthermore, the newly established Oju exam centre was widely applauded for eliminating the long travel often required for external examinations, especially for students living in remote areas.

Founded on September 1, 1998, by Engr. Atume and Mrs. Juliana Atume, a noted philanthropist, USSM has built a strong reputation for nurturing students through academic rigor and character development.

Originally a day school, it added a boarding facility in 2007 to cater to growing demand. Situated in a serene environment, the school provides a secure and conducive atmosphere for learning.

USSM is part of the larger Unique Schools family, which began with Unique Nursery and Primary School in 1995.

The secondary arm offers a comprehensive curriculum infused with entrepreneurial and vocational training in areas such as catering, fashion, cosmetology, and design—preparing students with practical skills for life beyond the classroom.

The school boasts modern infrastructure, including science laboratories, an ICT centre, a digital library, spacious classrooms, quality boarding facilities, a healthcare unit, and the expansive Engr. Felix Atume Hall. Recreational amenities include courts for basketball, volleyball, tennis, a football pitch, and indoor games like chess and scrabble.

In keeping with global trends, USSM has embraced digital innovations such as an online result-checking system and is planning an enhanced presence on social media.

The school runs a three-term calendar and prepares students for key national examinations including BECE, WAEC, and NECO.

Ambitious plans are underway to launch Unique Technical College, which will focus on technical and vocational education.

As the evening of July 24 transitioned into a celebratory dinner in honour of the 2025 graduating class, guests—including PTA members, parents, alumni, and staff—shared heartfelt goodwill messages. The PTA Chairman described the event as “unparalleled in the school’s history.”

Through initiatives like the Oju centre, new scholarships, and the celebration of alumni impact, Unique Secondary School Makurdi continues to set the benchmark for holistic and community-rooted education in Benue State.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he has approved the text of a draft law guaranteeing the freedom of two anti-corruption bodies in Ukraine – days after nationwide protests broke out over changes curbing their independence.

Kyiv’s Western partners had also expressed serious concerns over the legislation.

On Thursday, Zelensky seemed to backtrack, saying the new bill was intended to safeguard the independence of Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (Nabu) and Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (Sap), and to protect them from Russian influence.

He said the text of the bill was “balanced”, but did not provide any details.

The law passed earlier this week brought Nabu and Sap under the control of the prosecutor general, who is appointed by the president.

At the time Zelensky justified his decision to curtail the bodies’ powers by citing Russian influence. The day before, Ukraine’s security services had carried out searches and arrests targeting alleged Russian spies at the agency.

The passing of the legislation instantly sparked the largest protests since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 in several cities across Ukraine, with many worrying the law would severely undermine the Nabu and Sap’s authority and effectiveness.

Thousands of people gathered in streets and squares across Ukraine, holding placards calling for the legislation to be vetoed.

Several commentators accused Zelensky of democratic backsliding. Their concerns were further exacerbated when Ukraine’s Western partners signalled their displeasure with the bill.

Ukraine has official EU candidate status and a spokesman for European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen previously warned Kyiv that the rule of law and the fight against corruption were “core elements” of membership to the bloc.

On Thursday, the Commission said it “welcomed” the Ukrainian government’s decision to take action against the bill.

“We are working [with the Ukrainian government] to make sure that our concerns… are indeed taken into account,” the spokesman said.

Nabu and Sap were created in 2014-15 as one of the requirements set by the European Commission and International Monetary Fund to move towards a relaxation of visa restrictions between Ukraine and the EU.

Writing on Facebook, opposition MP Oleksiy Goncharenko noted Zelensky said that “the independence of anti-corruption institutions must be guaranteed.”

“First we take it away, and then we say that it must be guaranteed. So why was all this necessary?”

In his message on social media on Thursday, Zelensky did not acknowledge the protests or the backlash but said it was “important that we respect the position of all Ukrainians and are grateful to everyone who stands with Ukraine.”