Her nomination by a committee tasked with finding a successor to Justin Welby, who stepped down earlier this year over an abuse scandal, has been approved by King Charles III, the UK government said.

On Friday, October 3, Sarah Mullally was appointed as the new Archbishop of Canterbury, making history as the first woman to lead the Church of England — which traces its roots back to the Roman Empire — and the worldwide Anglican community.

Her nomination by a committee tasked with finding a successor to Justin Welby, who stepped down earlier this year over an abuse scandal, has been approved by King Charles III, the UK government said.

The Church of England is the mother church of global Anglicanism. Mullally, 63, becomes the church’s 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, the first having been appointed in the late sixth century.

In a statement, the former nurse acknowledged the “huge responsibility” of her new role, but said she feels a sense of “peace and trust in God to carry me”.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed the appointment of the first woman to hold the role.

“The Church of England is of profound importance to this country. Its churches, cathedrals, schools, and charities are part of the fabric of our communities,” he said in a statement, adding the new archbishop would “play a key role in our national life.”

Welby resigned after a report found the Church of England had covered up a 1970s serial abuse case and that he failed to report the abuses to authorities when they came to his attention in 2013.

According to the independent probe, John Smyth, a lawyer who organised evangelical summer camps in the 1970s and 1980s, was responsible for the abuse of as many as 130 boys and young men.

Smyth died aged 75 in South Africa in 2018 while under investigation by British police. He never faced any criminal charges.

The scandal shocked the UK and prompted widespread calls for reform in the Church of England, whose supreme governor is the British monarch.

The Church of England has some 20 million baptised members, but the number of regular churchgoers is estimated at just under one million, according to figures for 2022.

Mullally was appointed by King Charles III following a lengthy selection process under a former head of the MI5 domestic security service.

The Anglican Church became the established state church following King Henry VIII’s split from the Roman Catholic Church in the 1530s.

Mullally was ordained a priest in 2002 and became the first female Bishop of London in 2018.

The church only began allowing women bishops in 2014 after years of bitter factional wrangling.

Some churches around the Anglican world — which collectively boasts some 85 million followers in more than 165 countries — had long permitted women bishops, with the first appointed in the United States in 1989.

More than 40 of England’s 108 bishops are now women, with a similar proportion among priests, after women clergy were first permitted in the early 1990s.

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Jonathan stated this on Thursday, October 2, 2025 in Abuja at the public presentation of a new book by former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor (rtd).

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has opened up that at some time during his administration, Boko Haram members had more ammunition than Nigerian soldiers.

This is as he warned that insurgency remains one of the most complex and enduring security challenges in Nigeria’s history,

Jonathan stated this on Thursday, October 2, 2025 in Abuja at the public presentation of Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum, authored by former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor (rtd).

He said that unlike previous crises in Nigeria such as the Niger Delta militancy and ethno-religious violence, the Boko Haram insurgency carried deeper scars because of its external connections, extremist ideology, and advanced weaponry.

“Boko Haram is more complex than what many people imagine. At some point, their fighters had more ammunition than our soldiers, which clearly showed that external groups were deeply involved,” Jonathan said.

The former President noted that the abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls in 2014 remained one of the most painful scars of his administration, stressing that no form of cosmetic remedy could erase it from the nation’s collective memory.

He recalled his personal engagement with Niger Delta militants as Vice President, saying that his decision to personally visit their camps without armed escorts was borne out of the conviction that dialogue must complement military action.

“In the Niger Delta, I met the militants in their camps. We succeeded in restoring peace not only because of military action but because we engaged them, listened to them, and created opportunities for their communities. That approach worked,” he said.

Jonathan, however, emphasised that Boko Haram presented a different challenge. According to him, the insurgency must be tackled through a holistic strategy that combines security operations with good governance, poverty reduction, youth empowerment, and social justice.

“We cannot treat Boko Haram simply as a law-and-order problem. It is rooted in poverty, exclusion, and broken dreams. Only a comprehensive approach will deliver lasting peace.”

According to him, Nigeria must adopt a similar approach to Boko Haram by tackling poverty, unemployment, and social exclusion in communities vulnerable to extremist recruitment.

He commended Gen. Irabor for documenting his reflections, saying the book would enrich national understanding of insurgency and guide future leaders in shaping policy responses.

“Those who were directly involved must tell their stories. This book will help the nation understand what really happened, what lessons we must learn, and how we can do better in the future,” he added.

The event attracted dignitaries including Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Rev. Mathew Hassan Kukah, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former National Security Adviser Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd.), service chiefs, ministers, members of the diplomatic corps, and traditional rulers.

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GRV who shared the video, alleged that the NURTW leaders are inciting violence against members of the opposition in the state called on the DSS to take action.

The Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers NURTW Lagos state chapter, Mustapha Adekunle aka Sego has reacted after being accused of making inflammatory comments against opposition parties in the state.

He denied threatening opposition members ahead of the 2027 election following an invitation by the DSS.

Recall that on Thursday, October 2, the Labour party governorship candidate in Lagos state during the 2023 general election, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, shared a video on social media of Sego addressing members of his union.

Sego had in the video expressed his distaste at members of the union working against APC in the state, he stated that the state is an APC state and that nobody can change that fact. He warned that what happened in 2023 during the election will not repeat itself in the 2027 election.

GRV who shared the video, alleged that the NURTW leaders are inciting violence against members of the opposition in the state called on the DSS to take action. He went on to say that himself and members of the opposition will not be deterred by any threat from any person or groups of person.

Well, last night, Sego recorded a video in which he said he was invited to the DSS office for questioning and was granted bail afterwards. According to him, he was addressing his members about the rivalry in their union that needs to stop. He said he is a man of peace. He also mentioned that everyone has a right to associate with any one or group they so choose to associate with.

Speaking in Yoruba, he said

‘’Good day to everyone, wherever you may be watching from. I am Alhaji Mustapha Adekunle, popularly known as Sego, Chairman of the NURTW in Lagos State.

This afternoon, I was invited by the DSS over false allegations, claiming that I insulted some groups while addressing our members. These rumours are baseless.

I have always been a man of peace, and my messages are directed only to our members. Everyone has the right to associate freely and choose their affiliations, and I fully respect that. As we all know, there is always an enemy in every job, and we know where this is coming from. This is clearly an attempt to destabilize me and the NURTW in Lagos State.

I have just been released on bail and remain committed to peace, unity, and the progress of our organization. I also appreciate online bloggers for informing the public, but I strongly warn you not to be biased. Verify information before posting about me or the NURTW. Spread the truth, remain fair, and report responsibly.

Together, let us promote freedom of association, peace, truth, and unity in Lagos State.

Thank you, and may God bless us all.

Alh. Mustapha Adekunle Sego”

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