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Reps approve $347m loan for Lagos-Calabar highway, others

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The House of Representatives, on Wednesday, approved President Bola Tinubu’s request to the National Assembly, seeking approval to borrow $347m under the 2025–2026 borrowing plan.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, read the President’s correspondence on the floor of the Green Chamber during Wednesday’s plenary.

According to the President, the loan is necessary due to a rise in the funding needs for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, whose cost increased by $47m, from $700m to $747m.

Justifying the loan request, the President said that when the borrowing plan was transmitted to the parliament, the lead arranger for financing only had financing commitments of up $700m from lenders, stressing that the shortfall in the financing was covered by export credit agencies.

“It is, therefore, necessary to increase the value of the financing for the project by $47m to ensure it aligns with the loan size agreed in the finance documents for the project,” the President said in the letter.

He noted that $300m is needed for the Nigerian universal communications access project, a landmark telecommunications initiative aimed at bridging the digital divide through the deployment of 7,000 telecommunications towers across hard-to-reach rural dwellings.

Recall that in May, Tinubu sought the approval of the parliament to approve the 2025-2026 borrowing plan of $21.54bn, €2.19bn and ¥15bn, in addition to a €65m grant.

With the extra $47m for the Lagos-Calabar road project and $300 million for the universal communication access project, the initial $21.54bn has witnessed a marginal increase to $21.89bn.

On Wednesday, the House adopted the report presented by the Nasarawa lawmaker, Abubakar Nalaraba, who chairs the House Committee on Aids, Loans and Debt Management.

The lawmaker noted that despite increased borrowing, Nigeria’s debt portfolio “remains sustainable.”

He said, “At over N145tn, the debt-to-GDP ratio of about 50 per cent is within the international threshold (56 per cent).

“The current administration has succeeded in reducing the high debt service to revenue ratio from over 90 per cent to less than 70 per cent.

“The Federal Government’s capacity to service the new debt is bolstered by the anticipated revenue gains from the Nigerian Tax Act 2025, projected to grow by over 18 per cent year-on-year starting from 2026.”

The Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, who took over the plenary after the Speaker had left midway into the session, then approved the request.

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Igboho Apologises To Alaafin Over Comment At Ooni’s Palace

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Yoruba nation agitator, Chief Sunday Adeyemo who is popularly called Sunday Igboho, has apologised to the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade, over a statement he made during his visit to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi.

In a video late Saturday, Sunday Igboho dismissed the claims of insulting Oba Owoade, saying “I have nothing to gain in abusing the Alaafin”.

The Yoruba nation agitator insisted that his remarks at the Ooni’s palace were self-praise drawn from his lineage’s traditional eulogy.

He maintained that he holds the Alaafin in high esteem, describing him as an important ruler in Yorubaland.

Igboho clarified that his reference to the Alaafin as not having a crown was not intended as an insult, but as part of his family’s praise chant, which was well-known to Oba Owoade himself.

He stressed that his intention was to promote peace and unity among Yoruba monarchs, not to stir conflict.

“My father, Olugbon, called me and explained to me that our father, Alaafin of Oyo, said I was abusing him when I was at the Ooni of Ife’s Palace. I was not abusing you; why would I be abusing you? Olugbon is not a small king in Yoruba land, and if he corrects me on something, I will definitely make amendments immediately.

“Alaafin is not a small king in Yoruba land for someone like me to be talking anyhow to. I’m also from Oyo. That’s the way they normally eulogise us in my lineage, which the Alaafin is also aware of.

“They would say, ‘L’ade l’ade l’ade, Alaafin doesn’t have a crown, it is the crown of Aladikun that was collected for Alaafin’. That’s how they eulogise us in our Aladikun lineage.

“Ooni of Ife is a peaceful person; if not, I’ve abused him before, and when I entered his palace, they were still eulogising me in his presence and he didn’t say anything.

“So I also eulogised myself as a true son of Aladikun. All these things did not annoy the Ooni of Ife. He still celebrated me and called other powerful monarchs to honour and pray for me.

“I have nothing to gain in abusing Alaafin. What I’m after is for peace to reign among all of our kings; that is our prayer.

“Please, forgive me, I dare not disrespect you,” Igboho pleaded with the Alaafin.

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‘I Didn’t Abuse Alaafin’ – Sunday Igboho Speaks After Visiting Ooni

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Yoruba Nation activist, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has denied claims that he insulted the Alaafin of Oyo during his weekend visit to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi.

Reacting to reports sparked by comments he made at the Ooni’s palace on Saturday, Igboho insisted that his words were misinterpreted, stressing that he regarded the Alaafin as a father figure and a foremost monarch in Yorubaland.

In a viral video on Saturday night, Igboho said, “My father, the Olugbon, called me and said the Alaafin felt I insulted him when I visited the Ooni. I want to make it clear that I never abused the Alaafin. I can’t and I won’t. The Alaafin is not a small monarch in Yorubaland. I am from Oyo, and the Alaafin is my father.”

Explaining the circumstances, Igboho stated that the confusion arose from traditional praise singing during his palace visit.

“When I visited the Ooni, the drummers and singers praised me with my family heritage. I only added to it. I said Ooni is a father of peace.

“I was surprised when he still welcomed me warmly, celebrated me and prayed for me despite all that had happened before. That was what I was emphasising. I didn’t insult the Alaafin,” he clarified.

The activist noted that the self-praise, or oríkì, was a long-standing cultural practice and not an act of disrespect.

“I can’t abuse Alaafin. I am his son. Even when I visited him, I greeted myself with the same oriki. That is how we do in our family compound.

“If my words were misunderstood, I ask for forgiveness. I never meant to insult the Alaafin,” Igboho added.

Reiterating his loyalty to Yoruba tradition, Igboho stressed that he would never speak ill of any monarch, noting that harmony among royal fathers was crucial for the unity of the Yoruba nation

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Sultan Declares Monday As First Day Of Rabi’ul Awwal 1447AH

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The Sultan of Sokoto and President General, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has declared Monday, 25th August, 2025, as the first Day of Rabi’ul Awwal 1447AH.

It was reports that the declaration was contained in a statement signed by the Chairman of the Sultanate Council Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs, and Wazirin Sokoto, Professor Sambo Wali Junaidu.

He stated that the decision followed reports from the Sultanate Council Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs in conjunction with the National Moon sighting Committee, which confirmed that no sighting of the new crescent was received from Moon sighting Committees across the Country on Saturday, 23rd August, 2025, corresponding to 29th Safar 1447AH.

It explained that Sunday, 24th August, 2025, would therefore be the 30th Day of Safar, thereby making Monday the First Day of Rabi’ul Awwal 1447AH.

Meanwhile, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has faulted the proposed bill at the Senate seeking to officially designate the Ooni of Ife and the Sultan of Sokoto as permanent Co-Chairmen of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria.

The Ohanaeze warned that such a move marginalises other ethnic nationalities and violates principles of fairness and equity.

The organisation, in a statement issued on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Ezechi Chukwu, described the bill, which has already passed second reading, as discriminatory, ethnocentric and unjust.

Ohanaeze stated that it was “astounded” by the rationale behind the bill, accusing the Senate of utter disregard for fairness, equity, justice and the principle of federal character, as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution.

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