By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has attended the Grand Finale of the week-long 2025 Eyo Festival, in a white robe, a damask sash slung over his shoulder, and a distinctive hat emblazoned with bold, decorative stars.

Like other revellers, the President also carried a long staff called an opambata.

The colourful event, held at Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos on Saturday, began with paying homage and presenting the festival staff to the President at his Lagos residence on Sunday, December 21.

The Eyo Festival, which dates back to 1854, was held this year for the first time in eight years. The 2025 edition honoured four distinguished Lagos personalities, a departure from the usual practice of celebrating one or three individuals.

The honourees were the first military administrator of Lagos State, late Brigadier Mobolaji Johnson; the first civilian governor, late Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande; a former civilian governor, late Sir Michael Otedola; and a former Iyaloja and mother of the current President, late Alhaja Abibat Mogaji.

The carnival showcases the deep cultural history and heritage of Lagos, with various Yoruba families participating in regalia, dance, unity, and peace.

According to a statement by Presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu, in a message sent to the organisers, described the carnival as “a great rekindling of our culture.”

“The Eyo Festival is a vibrant expression of the rich traditions of Lagos. It celebrates the achievements, outstanding contributions, and exemplary lives of distinguished Nigerians—not only eminent Lagosians,” he said.

He added that all the honourees deserved the recognition. “They were leaders and builders whose visionary leadership, influence, and diligence in public service helped nurture Lagos State to both national and international prominence.”

The President also noted the festival’s timing, which coincides with ‘Detty December’, a period when Lagos welcomes thousands of Nigerians from the diaspora and foreign visitors for the Yuletide.

“It is a reminder that our culture and traditions hold great tourism potential. Indeed, our cultural assets can serve as valuable resources for destination promotion. The glamour of white-robed figures parading our streets in celebration of distinguished Lagosians sends a resounding message about our identity and our country.”

President Tinubu encouraged all revellers to celebrate peacefully and ensure the safety of all participants.

In his welcome address, the governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, described the event as not only historic for the President but also a homecoming.

“What we’re celebrating here today is the first of its kind. As our son, our father, we are seated with the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria to witness a history of the cultural heritage of Lagos.

“Mr President, it is not just a coincidence; it is history in your lifetime that is being put in place today.

“We honour you, give God the glory for your life, and we are indeed excited that God Almighty can bring you and most of your people to come and celebrate the best of the cultural heritage of Lagos,” he said.

Governor Sanwo-Olu commended the traditional institutions under the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, for their exemplary leadership in reviving the festival.

“Today, we gather on this historic ground at the Tafawa Balewa Square, wrapped in the timeless majesty of the Eyo Festival, the sacred Adamu Orisha Play.

“After an eight-year interval, this revered tradition returns to Lagos in full splendour, standing as a powerful affirmation of our identity, our resilience, and unbroken connection to our history.

“The Eyo Festival is far more than a pageantry. It is a living archive of our Yoruba heritage and a symbol of unity, a symbol of purity and the communal strength of Lagos.”

The governor assured his audience that his administration will continue to advance the state’s socio-economic trajectory without abandoning its cultural roots. He said his administration will maximise the festival’s potential as it projects Lagos onto the global stage.

Dignitaries at the celebration included the chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum and governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma; Minister of State for Finance, Doris Uzoka; Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; members of the diplomatic corps, and senior officials of the federal and Lagos State governments, among others.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Federal Government has announced the graduation of more than 7,000 newly trained forest guards, marking the operational launch of the Presidential Forest Guards Initiative aimed at strengthening internal security.

The graduation ceremonies were held simultaneously on Saturday, December 27, 2025, across seven frontline states: Borno, Sokoto, Yobe, Adamawa, Niger, Kwara, and Kebbi. The recruits, drawn from local communities within these states, have completed an intensive three-month training program.

Launched by President Bola Tinubu in May 2025, the initiative is designed to deny terrorists, bandits, and kidnappers sanctuary in the nation’s vast forest areas. The program directs each participating state to recruit between 2,000 and 5,000 personnel.

According to a statement from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the training curriculum emphasized physical conditioning, tactical patrol operations, and legal frameworks—including ethics, human rights, and proper use-of-force procedures. Firearms handling was conducted in strict compliance with an approved Arms Management Manual.

The program achieved a 98.2% completion rate. Of the trainees, 81 were disqualified on disciplinary grounds, and two individuals died due to pre-existing medical conditions. All successful participants have been certified and cleared for immediate duty.

National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, announced the guards’ immediate deployment, stating that salaries and allowances have been activated concurrently.

“These Forest Guards are first responders, community protectors, and a critical layer of Nigeria’s security architecture,” Ribadu said.

“They will leverage their indigenous knowledge of the local terrain and community trust to gather intelligence, hold ground, and support other security agencies in reclaiming territories from criminal elements.”

He emphasized the initiative’s broader objective: “By protecting our forests, we are securing our territory and protecting our people. This program will expand nationwide as part of our sustained effort to build a safer Nigeria.”

The initiative is being executed in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Environment, the Department of State Services (DSS), the National Park Service, and the Armed Forces, Police, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

Senator Ali Ndume, former Senate Leader and representative of Borno South, has formally urged the Federal Government to expand its security cooperation with the United States to include Nigeria’s North-East region. This appeal follows the recent joint operation in Sokoto State, which successfully targeted ISIS-affiliated cells.

The call was made on Saturday, December 27, as Senator Ndume commended the precision airstrikes carried out in Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

The operation was publicly acknowledged by U.S. authorities and later confirmed by Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar.

Minister Tuggar emphasized that the mission was conducted with Nigeria’s full approval, cooperation, and intelligence support, upholding national sovereignty and avoiding religious bias.

Ndume, a former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, said extending such joint operations to the North-East would significantly weaken the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Boko Haram.

“We welcome this cooperation between Nigeria and the United States in targeting terrorist hideouts,” Ndume said.

“I am calling on both governments to extend it to the North-East, where ISWAP and Boko Haram maintain three major strongholds—Lake Chad, the Mandara Mountains and the Sambisa Forest,” he added.

He also advocated deeper military collaboration, including training, intelligence sharing, logistics support and the deployment of attack helicopters to support ground troops.

Ndume commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for allocating the highest budgetary provision to defence in the 2026 Appropriation Bill, but stressed the need for accountability and transparency in the utilisation of the funds.

Reacting to the recent suicide bomb attack at a mosque in Gamboru, Maiduguri, which claimed five lives and left several others injured, the former Senate Chief Whip expressed condolences to the victims and their families.

“The attack in Gamboru is a stark reminder that terrorists have no regard for religion. In this case, all the victims were Muslims. This clearly shows that the narrative of a Christian genocide does not exist.

“These terrorists are simply making life unbearable for our people, irrespective of faith,” he said.

Senator Ndume reaffirmed his support for strengthened international partnerships to combat terrorism and restore lasting peace and stability to Nigeria, particularly in the vulnerable North-East region.