World
Queen’s Funeral: Solidarity of world leaders ennobling for Nigeria, Commonwealth -Osinbajo

Queen’s Funeral: Solidarity of world leaders ennobling for Nigeria, Commonwealth – Osinbajo
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says the solidarity of world leaders at the Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral is ennobling and strengthening for countries like Nigeria and the Commonwealth.
Osinbajo’s spokesman, Laolu Akande, in a statement on Monday, said the vice president spoke with newsmen after attending the State Funeral Service of the late Queen of England at Westminster Abbey, London, UK.
The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that the Commonwealth compress 54 member states from Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Pacific.
The vice president said that the coming together of leaders to celebrate the live of late Queen and attend her funeral was a show of solidarity and goodwill by people from around the world.
According to him, it is also a testament to the brotherhood of nations.
“For countries like ours, for Nigeria and for the Commonwealth, this has been very ennobling, very strengthening.
“I am sure that King Charles felt not just the honour of having so many people come by, but also the reassurance that there is a brotherhood across the world and that the Commonwealth remains strong.
“A Commonwealth of free nations who willingly subscribe to coming together to work together; to achieve sometimes, disparate political objectives but clear economic objectives.”
Osinbajo said that the event was a historic one that was unlikely to happen, perhaps in another lifetime.
He commended the sheer enormity of all that had happened and the gathering of leaders from everywhere, the good will, the good wishes, and all of that from practically everywhere around the world.
“So, I think that this has truly been a testament to the sort of person the Queen was – in life and death, brought people together and perhaps even more so in death.’’
The vice president prayed for a successful reign for King Charles lll.
“One wishes King Charles very well indeed, and I think we are all anxious that he succeeds.
“And that he perhaps does even better than his mother, which is the hope of his mum.
“I am sure that the Queen will really hope that all her successors and in this case King Charles, will do better than she did.
“We are all looking forward to a wonderful reign, a reign that will bring prosperity, peace, not just to England, but to the Commonwealth and to all of us.”
Osinbajo described the late Queen as a Monarch for all seasons.
He said that in the 70 years of her reign, Queen Elizabeth II had been through practically every cycle – war, peace, economic decline, apartheid.
“All the various cycles, where truly major things were going on, she held her own and she was always able to bring a certain degree of understanding.
“And just the gravity of someone who doesn’t hold political office is so well respected and well regarded.
“In so many ways, she was a factor in practically all of the various cycles that we have experienced, not just in the Commonwealth, but in the world itself.
“I think she was a stabilising force, that was why I thought the description (borrowed from “the man for all seasons”) that she was the Queen for all seasons,” he said.
Shortly after the Funeral Service, the vice president and all the foreign dignitaries, no fewer than 500, were hosted to a reception by the UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, Mr James Cleverly.
The Queen’s funeral procession then proceeded to Windsor Castle where she was laid to rest alongside her late husband, Prince Philip, at the King George VI Memorial Chapel at Windsor Castle.
News
ECOWAS Court and Sierra Leone Government Organise Capacity-Building Training for Sierra Leone State Attorneys

ECOWAS Court and Sierra Leone Government Organise Capacity-Building Training for Sierra Leone State Attorneys
By: Michael Mike
The Community Court of Justice, ECOWAS Court in collaboration with the Office of the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice of Sierra Leone organised a capacity-building training for State Attorneys at the Law Officers’ Department.
The training held at the Sierra Leone Law School Complex and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sierra Leone, is centred on ECOWAS Community law, practice and jurisprudence, among others.
In his remarks, Hon. Justice Sengu Mohamed Koroma, Vice-President of the ECOWAS Court said the training was designed to deepen participants’ knowledge of the Court and its judicial processes and procedures to ensure effective legal representation in the administration of justice. He stressed that cases from the Republic of Sierra Leone have been dismissed due to technicalities or procedural irregularities, leading to reliance on lawyers from neighbouring countries, adding that this training will equip the lawyers for better representation before the Court.
He acknowledged the commitment of the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice Alpha Sesay to continuous training and professional development of the State legal officers. “Sierra Leone has consistently engaged the Court on various matters. Therefore, the State’s decision to request the Court’s assistance in enhancing the capabilities of its lawyers to sustain this engagement, is laudable. The Court remains committed to educating Member States on Community law and practice and to sharing its jurisprudence,” he said.
Delivering his remarks, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice Alpha Sesay said his office is keen on effective justice delivery that will enhance the rights of the citizens.

He urged the legal officers to actively participate and familiarise themselves with the Community Law, Jurisprudence, and applicable laws in the administration of justice in the Community Court. He encouraged the participants to avail themselves of this opportunity to ensure that the State gets effective representation before the Court.
Topics for presentation include jurisdiction of the Court, admissibility, non-exhaustion of local remedies, sources of law, jurisprudence, human rights mandate, written and oral procedures before the Court, default judgment, among others. Facilitators drawn from experienced lawyers at the Court led practical exercises on drafting, filing, and oral procedure.
During the four-day mission from 28 July to 31 July, 2025, the delegation from the Court including Hon President Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Goncalves and Hon Vice-President Sengu Mohamed Koroma have scheduled courtesy visits to high authorities of the State. The high-level delegation of the Court to the Republic of Sierra Leone underscores the Court’s commitment to improving professional legal practice in the region. A similar training was recently held in Accra, Ghana.
End


News
VP Shettima: Our Target As A Nation Is To Attain Food Sovereignty

VP Shettima: Our Target As A Nation Is To Attain Food Sovereignty
** Urges global partnership for sustainable agricultural transformation in meetings with leaders
By: Our Reporter
Vice President Kashim Shettima has called on global stakeholders to deepen cooperation with Nigeria in rebuilding sustainable and inclusive food systems across Africa, saying true national sovereignty is incomplete without food sovereignty.
He noted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has designed a comprehensive strategy to address food security challenges, which mostly impact vulnerable citizens in conflict-affected regions.
The Vice President spoke on Tuesday during a panel on Country Perspectives: Government-led Strategies and Regional Frameworks during the UN Food Systems Summit +4 (UNFSS+4) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Senator Shettima said President Tinubu’s bold national strategy, including the declaration of a state of emergency on food security and the rollout of systemic reforms, was aimed at transforming agriculture into a resilient, youth-driven, market-based engine of economic growth.
“Our target is to attain food sovereignty. So long as a nation is not independent in the area of food sovereignty, it remains a non-sovereign nation,” the VP said, recalling that when President Tinubu assumed office in 2023, the administration met a fragile food system worsened by insecurity, climate shocks, and inflationary pressures.
“His Excellency President Tinubu declared a State of Emergency on Food Security, not out of fear, but out of genuine concern for the welfare of our people, especially in conflict-driven environments like the North East, where Boko Haram was sowing seeds of discord and destruction,” he stated.
VP Shettima explained that with 25 million vulnerable people across fragile regions, the government adopted coordinated policy measures, including the creation of the Presidential Food Systems Coordinating Unit (PFSCU), not to displace existing institutions, but to harmonise all food security interventions.
“We have also initiated food support mechanisms in the North East and North West. But we believe charity is not the answer. In Africa, we say that when you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach him to fish, you empower him for life. In our displaced people’s camps, we’re encouraging food production for dignity and resilience,” he added.
The Vice President stressed that Nigeria’s agricultural transformation strategy must be market-driven, powered by entrepreneurship and innovation.
“Our belief is that agriculture should be market-driven. The whole mantra is about increasing yields. Entrepreneurial capitalism is embedded in the psyche of the average Nigerian,” he noted.
To achieve this, he said the government is investing in improved seeds, extension services, climate-resilient farming, and mechanisation.
“We are reinforcing our extension services so that our farmers can get up-to-date information on rainfall patterns and how to manage the climate shocks ravaging our part of the world,” he said.
VP Shettima Meets FAO, IFAD, WFP Chiefs, Seeks Support For Lake Chad, Year-Round Farming, Green Revolution
Meanwhile, on the margins of the summit, Vice President Shettima held high-level bilateral meetings with top executives of key global food and development agencies, including the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), QU Dongyu; President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Álvaro Lario, and Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP), Cindy McCain.
In his meeting with the FAO DG, Shettima sought the organisation’s partnership in reviving the Lake Chad region, enhancing all-year farming, and supporting the Green Revolution Project of the Federal Government.
“The revival of the Lake Chad region, which is being threatened by multidimensional challenges such as environmental degradation, climate change, humanitarian crises, and conflict, requires a multi-pronged approach, development initiatives, conflict resolution, regional cooperation, and large-scale infrastructure,” VP Shettima said.
He emphasised the region’s enormous agricultural potential, urging FAO to play a central role in supporting its recovery.
FAO Director-General, QU Dongyu, praised the political will of the Tinubu administration, describing it as a clear demonstration of committed leadership to transform Nigeria’s food systems. He pledged enhanced FAO partnership and technical support.
In a similar meeting with IFAD President, Álvaro Lario, VP Shettima underscored the administration’s resolve to empower smallholder farmers, especially youth and women, with access to finance, mechanisation, and modern inputs.
“We are focusing on increased productivity, resilience, and commercialisation, not handouts,” VP Shettima noted, adding that Nigeria’s plan includes scaling up existing IFAD-supported projects to reach more rural communities.
The Vice President also held talks with WFP Executive Director, Cindy McCain, during which he commended the organisation’s longstanding humanitarian interventions in Nigeria.
He, however, reiterated the administration’s shift toward sustainable solutions.
McCain pledged WFP’s continued commitment to working with the Nigerian government in areas such as school feeding, nutrition, and support for displaced communities.
VP Shettima: Our Target As A Nation Is To Attain Food Sovereignty
News
GSS OMU-ARAN, GATEWAY SET, CELEBRATES GOLDEN JUBILEE WITH LEGACY PROJECTS

GSS OMU-ARAN, GATEWAY SET, CELEBRATES GOLDEN JUBILEE WITH LEGACY PROJECTS
By: Michael Mike
All is now set as the 1971-1975 set of Government Secondary School, Omu Aran, Kwara State, otherwise known as the Gateway Set, will on Friday July 4, celebrate its 50th year anniversary, with series of legacy projects.
In a statement in Ilorin by Prof. Tajudeen Akanji, Chairman, Central Planning Committee, said many activities have been lined up for the celebration of the Golden Jubilee, on Friday.
According to him, activities lined up for the day include the launch and dedication of some legacy projects by the Old Boys, visit to His Royal Highness, the Olomu of Omu Aran and a communal walk.
He added that the Kwara State Government has indicated its willingness to partner with the set to construct and uplift some identified infrastructural facilities in the school.

Other events lined up for the Day is a lecture on : NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE IMPERATIVE OF PEACE AND SECURITY to be delivered by Comrade Isa Aremu, Director General, Michael Imodu Institute for Labour Studies, Ilorin and staging of a play: Flight Ticket by the school drama group.
Dignitaries expected at the event to be chaired by Major General Yemi Abidoye rtd, include representatives of Kwara State Government, Royal fathers and other important dignitaries, many of whom have made impacts in their fields of endeavours.
Some of the dignitaries who were also almunus of the College were Bishop Caleb Atolagbe, Mr Olusegun Abifarin, the first alumnus to become the principal of the school and indeed the longest serving principal of the school. Others include; Alhaji Mufutaudeen Balogun, a former MD of Harmony Security, Dr Dele Ige, Dr Segun Dogunro and Dr Depo Agboola, Engineers Kayode Adeoti, Dauda Awojobi and Jacob Oyedepo Navy Captain Yekini Mustafa, Chief Stephen Ayelabola, Mr Tunji Oyinloye, Adegoke Olanrewaju, James Aina, Professor Tajudeen Akanji, Professor Funsho Afolayan, Professor Olabode Bamgbola, among several others.
GSS OMU-ARAN, GATEWAY SET, CELEBRATES GOLDEN JUBILEE WITH LEGACY PROJECTS
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