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UniAbuja Hosts 51st Inaugural Lecture on Climate-Resilient Plant Breeding

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Abuja, June 25, 2026.

Yakubu Gowon University (formerly the University of Abuja) on Thursday held its 51st Inaugural Lecture, where Professor Bashir Omolaran Bello, Professor of Agronomy (Plant Breeding and Genetics), underscored the importance of plant breeding in tackling climate change and ensuring global food security.

The lecture, titled “Plant Breeding for Climate Resilience and Food Security: From Genes to Sustainable Food System,” was held at the Faculty of Agriculture Lecture Theatre, Main Campus, Airport Road, Abuja.

The event commenced with an opening prayer, followed by the introduction of distinguished guests, including Dr. Nasri Mustafa, Mallam Abdullah, Alhaji Wahab Ademula, Alhaji Shitu Rasheed, and Alhaji Mustafa, alongside representatives of various organizations and members of the university community.

In his opening remarks, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Hakeem Babatunde Fawehinmi, welcomed participants and expressed confidence in the success of the event. He reaffirmed the university’s commitment to research excellence and described the inaugural lecture series as an important platform for advancing scholarship and innovation.

Delivering the inaugural lecture, Professor Bello opened his presentation by examining the global challenges of climate change, global warming, climate resilience, and food security. He explained that climate-resilient crops “withstand, adapt, and recover from the effects of climate variability,” stressing that such crops are indispensable to sustainable agriculture in a changing climate.

Tracing the evolution of plant breeding, the professor outlined four major stages in its development: Early Domestication (10,000 BC–1865), Traditional Breeding (1865–1980), Molecular Breeding (1980–2015), and Genomics, Gene Editing and Digital Breeding (2015–2026). He explained that each phase has contributed significantly to improving crop productivity and resilience.

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Highlighting advances in biotechnology, Professor Bello discussed tissue culture as an effective technique for the production of disease-free and uniform plants. He further emphasized that “conservation is vital for long-term crop availability,” noting that preserving plant genetic resources remains essential to sustainable agriculture.

Speaking on the significance of crop improvement, he stated that “Plant breeding is vital for sustainable food development.” He observed that “plant breeding has progressed from conventional methods to genomic-assisted innovation, remaining central to agricultural transformation and global food security.”

The professor described research as the foundation of future agricultural development, declaring that “Research is a necessity.” He therefore advocated increased funding and grants to enable researchers to develop improved crop varieties capable of withstanding climate-related challenges.

Emphasizing the need for continuous scientific advancement, Professor Bello remarked that “The future depends on innovation,” adding that “the future of food security lies in continuous innovation and strategic collaboration in plant breeding.” He further urged governments, research institutions, and development partners to “ensure farmers have access to improved and climate-resilient seeds.”

Reflecting on his academic journey, Professor Bello highlighted his numerous research publications and contributions to crop improvement. Beyond maize, he disclosed that his research has focused on sweet potato, tomato, sugarcane, and several other economically important crops, demonstrating how modern plant breeding can improve productivity, strengthen climate resilience, and enhance farmers’ livelihoods.

At the conclusion of the lecture, Professor Bello expressed gratitude to Almighty Allah and acknowledged the support of his late parents, siblings, mentors, the Vice-Chancellor, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, principal officers, the Inaugural Lecture Committee, the Faculty of Agriculture, university administrative and technical staff, heads of departments, colleagues, students, his associates at the Federal University Gashua, research partners, and all contributors to his academic journey. He dedicated the lecture to everyone who contributed to his research.

Following a vote of thanks, the Vice-Chancellor presented Professor Bello with a commemorative plaque and certificate in recognition of his outstanding contributions to Agronomy and Plant Breeding. Professor Fawehinmi commended the inaugural lecturer for his scholarly achievements and expressed optimism that more professors from the university’s various faculties would continue to deliver impactful inaugural lectures.

The ceremony concluded with closing remarks and a closing prayer led by Professor Umar. Guests later gathered for group photographs, bringing the university’s 51st Inaugural Lecture to a successful close.

The lecture reinforced the importance of research, innovation, conservation, and strategic collaboration in building climate-resilient agricultural systems capable of guaranteeing sustainable food security for future generations.

By Igboka Annabel
Department of Development and Strategic Communication University of Abuja Nigeria.

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You’re a Hypocrite!” – Bashir el-Rufai Goes Nuclear on Brother Bello Over Uba Sani Loyalty

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

 

Bashir el-Rufai, son of former Kaduna governor Nasir el-Rufai, unleashed a barrage of slurs at his brother, Bello, on Saturday morning.

Bashir, in a series of expletive-laden posts on X, attacked Bello over his recent political moves, accusing him of abandoning the family while he was aligned with Uba Sani, his father’s successor.

Sani, the incumbent governor of Kaduna, was a former ally of el-Rufai, but both men fell out after the former won the 2023 governorship election.

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Following el-Rufai’s resignation from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in March 2025, Bello, who represents Kaduna north federal constituency, remained in the ruling party.

However, on May 7, 2026, Bello eventually defected from the APC to join his father in the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Commenting on Saturday, Bashir alleged that his brother remained loyal to Sani until he realised he was being “dumped”, after which he began talking about family loyalty.

“Stuck with Uba Sani until he realized he is being dumped then suddenly remembered family loyalty and moved to ADC. Where was he since? Purely serving his interest,” Bashir wrote.

He accused his brother of being neutral while others criticised the Kaduna state governor.

Bashir also alleged that Bello asked him to “pipe down my criticism of his former boss,” presumably Sani.

One of Bashir’s tweets. The expletives have been redacted.
“At this stage in my life, I hate nonsense,” he added, while calling his brother a hypocrite.

Bashir also made several other allegations against his brother in the X posts, some of which were later deleted.

The allegations bordered on fertility status and unsubstantiated drug use.

Their father, el-Rufai, has been in custody since February 2026 over alleged financial impropriety during his tenure as governor of Kaduna between 2015 and 2023.

On April 13, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) arraigned him at the Kaduna high court on an amended nine-count charge bordering on alleged fraud and abuse of office.

The Department of State Services (DSS) is also prosecuting el-Rufai before the federal high court in Abuja over allegations of wiretapping.

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Court Ultimatum Forces FBI to Hand Over Tinubu’s Fraud Records to Judge—But Keeps Them Hidden from Public

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has hand delivered records of President Bola Tinubu’s 1993 drug-trafficking and money-laundering case to Judge Howell Beryl of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, saying they are for her eyes only, court filings seen by Peoples Gazette indicated.

The FBI secretly submitted the records on Friday to avoid disobeying a court order while sidelining transparency campaigner, Aaron Greenspan, who petitioned the Bureau for the Nigerian leader’s records in a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit.

Following years of foot-dragging on a FOI petition filed by Mr Greenspan in 2023, the FBI on Friday complied with a court order directing it to release Mr Tinubu’s records. Mr Greenspan worked with Nigerian journalist, David Hundeyin, to file the petition in 2023.

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The records submitted as “under seal, ex parte, in camera declarations were hand delivered to the Court on August 28, 2026 in compliance with this Court’s Minute Order dated August 20, 2026,” filings showed.

Mrs Beryl lost her patience with the FBI after the bureau missed several deadlines , giving excuses on why it could not immediately provide the records.

She issued August 28 as the final ultimatum to the FBI, which prompted the FBI’s decision to comply, showing it “in camera” to the judge alone, without carrying along the petitioner.

Earlier this week , FBI claimed that submitting the records would violate Mr Tinubu’s privacy and argued that FOI was established to screen the operations and records of government institutions, not necessarily private individuals.

For decades, Mr Tinubu has avoided speaking on the drug affair, refusing to clarify controversies surrounding his involvement in a case that saw him forfeit hundreds of thousands of dollars to the U.S. government.

Mr Tinubu also sought to block the release of his records, asserting his rivals only sought to use them to discredit him in a Nigerian presidential election. He begged the court to protect his privacy rights.

The United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in 2023 released documents holding Mr Tinubu’s encounter with American authorities over allegations of narcotics trafficking and money laundering.

 

 

 

 

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NFF President Gusau Resigns

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

Nigeria Football Federation President, Ibrahim Gusau, has resigned from office, announcing his decision during a press conference in Abuja on Thursday.

According to the Super Eagles news account on X (@SSE_NGA), Gusau was joined by board members of the Executive Committee in resignation.

The crisis follows the Super Falcons’ failure to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, a first in Nigeria’s history, after a 2-1 defeat to South Africa in the play-off.

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The Falcons had earlier been knocked out of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations at the quarter-final stage by Cameroon. The Super Eagles also failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

The NFF has separately faced scrutiny over its handling of a ₦17bn Federal Government intervention fund released in 2024, as well as a fact-finding committee report alleging that board members and officials influenced national team invitations for financial gain.

Gusau’s exit comes ahead of the NFF’s elective congress, scheduled for September 27 in Lafia, Nasarawa State.

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