In a powerful show of grassroots advocacy, the VARSH Foundation extended its flagship initiative, Project Reach Every Child (RECH), to Benue State this February, impacting over 2,600 students across seven schools in Ugbokolo, Okpokwu Local Government Area. The ninth edition of the project focused on sex education, mentorship, and advocacy for safe learning environments. The team visited schools including Chief Akor Secondary School, Saint Stephen’s College, Lion Science and Technology…

A former Nigerian career diplomat, Ibrahim Mohammed Bashir, Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR), has stated that the alleged sexual harassment case involving Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has put Nigeria’s image to the test. Senator Godswill Akpabio and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan This follows the report filed by the embattled senator at the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). Natasha, who was suspended by the Senate, has…

By Aanu Adeoye. Illustrations by Diana Ejaita How to navigate everything from greetings to meetings to dress code in the Nigerian megacity So you have decided to come to Lagos for a business trip. Why? But seriously, welcome. You may have heard that Lagos can be chaotic at the best of times. That is true. It’s an inevitability when the country’s smallest state by land area also holds its…

Nigerian social media personality and commentator Isaac Fayose has weighed in on the Rivers State controversy, pointing fingers at former President Olusegun Obasanjo for the country’s democratic woes. In a video posted on his Instagram page on Wednesday, March 19, Fayose claimed that Obasanjo laid the foundation for the problems plaguing Nigeria’s democracy today, including election rigging, ballot box snatching, and godfatherism. He stated, “All the bad things happening in…

President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday exercised his constitutional power by declaring a state of emergency in Rivers State. The president also suspended Governor Siminalaye Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and members of the House of Assembly, appointing Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd) to oversee the affairs of the oil-rich state. The decision is as a result of lingering political turmoil in the state which has led to the destruction of…

A highly anticipated phone call between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin has ended, with a top Russian official declaring that the world is now “a much safer place.” The 90-minute conversation, which began at 2 PM GMT, focused on securing a ceasefire in Ukraine, according to the White House. While neither Washington nor Moscow has provided full details of the discussion, Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev hailed the call as a…

Treatment of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who has been suspended from senate, shines light on women’s rights. Last July, Nigeria’s third-most powerful man gave a rare apology on the floor of the senate which he heads. Godswill Akpabio had chastised his colleague Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for speaking out of turn, saying: “We are not in a nightclub”. But after receiving what he said was a deluge of insulting text messages from Nigerians, he…

Fubara vs. Wike: The Godfather Feud Shaking Nigeria’s Politics The Fubara-Wike saga is the latest episode in Nigeria’s long-running drama of godfather-godson conflicts. This phenomenon has played out in various states, including Enugu, Borno, Anambra, Osun, Abia, Kano, Edo, Sokoto, Cross River, Benue, and Taraba, shaping the country’s political landscape. At the core of these conflicts is the struggle for power and control. Godfathers, often former governors, attempt to maintain…

The climate has not been friendly to us. Even with the rain we have witnessed, it just keeps getting hotter. Someone said one should not miss heaven because if Nigeria can be as hot as this, then hell will be worse. The current heatwave started in December, which was meant to be a period of harmattan, a period of dry air but the temperature is always cool. Now, have been…

​On Wednesday, March 12, 2025, Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara was denied access to the official quarters of the State House of Assembly along Aba Road, Port Harcourt. This development occurred as Fubara attempted to present the 2025 budget, following a Supreme Court judgment mandating such action. Governor Fubara arrived at the complex accompanied by top government officials, including the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Tammy Danagogo, and his…

By Fatimah Idera The British building materials supplier Travis Perkins revealed on Monday that its CEO Pete Redfern had stepped down due to ill health, as it sent the shares of the company down to 4.4% which is their lowest since March 2020. Geoff Drabble, the chair, will work with the management team to ensure business stability while the company begins searching for Redfern’s successor. Recall that Redfern, the former…

Well, I know you found work frustrating last week and this is the last thing you need on your plate this morning. But if that job serves your needs, you have to hear me out. Doing a 9-5 job has its pros, but sometimes, its cons outweigh its pros. You’ve got to show up to work every day, think about what to wear, and smile at coworkers on Monday morning…