News
A Word In Defence Of Hon. Haruna Mshelia
By: Inuwa Bwala
Initially, I felt he does not deserve any kind word from me, given his recent disposition on issues, most of which have pitched him against most stakeholders in his constituency, including me.
But the fact that he is a brother and represents me in the National Assembly, and looking back at some of the things we did together for the advancement of our area, I feel I don’t need to join the fray in crucifying him.
I have known Dr Haruna Mshelia, now Honorable member representing my constituency: Hawul/Askira-Uba Federal Constituency of Borno state in the House of Representatives for a very long time.
I have known him as a political foot soldier to many big politicians in the past, and I am aware of his many outings in public office.
Although for greater part of his political activities, he had been in the opposition camp, untill Kashim Shettima, former Governor of Borno State drew him into the main stream, Haruna Mshelia cannot be described as a political neophyte.
Besides his professional calling which exposed him to many things of life, he was Commissioner, since the days of the Military, he was a Director, later Permanent Secretary in the Civil Service, Haruna Mshelia was at the Constituent Assembly, he returned as Commissioner before his election into the House if Representatives.
With these exposures, and given the political sophistery of the older politicians he worked for, the expectations from his constituency was indeed very high.
What people failed to take into cognisance was perhaps, the fact that, he is a first timer in the green chambers, and he needs a little patience and time to enable him cut his teeth.
Embarrassing as the issue for which he was excused from the Chambers may be, it cannot not be counted as a political minus, as that had nothing to do with his inputs into deliberations in the chambers.
He may not have helped matters with his own attitude to people, leading to the celebration of the incident by people, but I feel it could happen to any other legislator. He was not the first to have been excused on account of improper dressing and may not be the last.
I have often cautioned him against surrounding himself with less fancied political jobbers as advisers and aides, who often misrepresent his position and pitch him against others.
My brother seems to have preoccupied himself with his second term bid and sees every potential aspirant from his constituency as an enemy, thus creating more problems for himself. This perhaps explains why he seldom reaches out even in times like this.
Perhaps, his new found political associates and hangers on must have ill advised him on how he should manage his victory into national political limelight, and that is why he does not even relate with fellow stakeholders and politicians. Otherwise, I know Mshelia to be a humble, and lively; though sometimes pompous personality.
To call him a political greenhorn because of the recent fallout on the floor of the House of Representatives, was therefore to me creating a mountain out of an anthill.
It is true to say he was negligent and failing to take cognisance of a simple thing as his appearance, but I am sure he was coming from an event which necessitated that unacceptable appearance. He was not given the chance to explain.
But no matter Haruna Mshelia’s foibles, I will not deny him as a long time political ally, who deserves the position he eventually got after prolonged political servitude. How he manages the office is a story for another day.
Better things could still come out of this seeming bad situation, all he needs to do is to make a quick detour and change mannerisms. With one year yet to go, he may be the preferred known devil to the stranger saint.
Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
The Member representing Ekiti/Isin/Irepodun/Oke-Ero Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Hon. Raheem Tunji Olawuyi Ajuloopin, has strongly condemned the recent attack in Idofin Odo-Ashe, Oke-Ero Local Government Area of Kwara State, describing it as a cowardly act that seeks to disrupt the peace and stability of the community.
Hon. Ajuloopin, in a statement personally signed by him, expressed deep concern over the unfortunate incident and sympathised with the victims, their families, and the entire community affected by the dastardly attack, emphasising that acts of violence have no place in a civilised society, and therefore urged security agencies to intensify efforts in bringing the perpetrators to justice.
While commending the swift response of both the federal and Kwara State governments, as well as the security agencies and local vigilante groups, the lawmaker reiterated that the fight against insecurity requires collective responsibility, calling on traditional rulers, community leaders, and residents to remain vigilant and cooperate fully with security operatives by providing timely and credible information.
“Security is everyone’s business. We cannot afford to leave the safety of our communities solely to government agencies. Every citizen must be actively involved in safeguarding our environment and ensuring that peace prevails,” Hon. Ajuloopin admonished.
He reaffirmed his commitment to continued collaboration with relevant authorities to ensure that lasting peace in all parts of Kwara South and beyond.
Hon. Ajuloopin also appealed for calm, assuring that both the federal and state governments are working tirelessly to address the root causes of insecurity and prevent future occurrences.
End
From Hassan Taiye
Governor Umar Namadi is currently in Cairo,Arab Republic of Egypt, attending the Third High-Level Ministerial Meeting on Rice Self-Sufficiency, holding from October 7th to 9th, 2025, in Cairo and Sakha.
The meeting, themed “Towards Rice-Based Agri-Food Systems Transformation and Delivering on Rice Self-Sufficiency through Peer-to-Peer Learning: The Case of the Arab Republic of Egypt,” is jointly organized by the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, AfricaRice, the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD), and other key continental partners.
This high-level gathering brings together African Ministers of Agriculture, State Governors, and agricultural leaders to share practical experiences on achieving rice self-sufficiency and agricultural transformation.
The event will showcase Egypt’s remarkable progress in achieving rice self-sufficiency despite its limited water and land resources, offering valuable lessons adaptable to other African contexts.
Namadi is participating alongside top policymakers, agricultural experts, and private sector players from across Africa to discuss innovations, policy reforms, and strategic investments aimed at strengthening food security and transforming the agricultural sector on the continent.
Over the three-day programme, delegates will engage in high-level ministerial sessions, technical discussions, and a field visit to Egypt’s renowned Rice Research and Training Centre (RRTC) in Sakha.
During the visit, participants will interact directly with Egyptian scientists and farmers to learn about the country’s advancements in high-yield rice varieties, efficient irrigation systems, and modern post-harvest technologies.
Jigawa State’s participation in this important forum underscores the state’s commitment to agricultural transformation, food self-sufficiency, and consolidating Jigawa’s position as one of Nigeria’s leading hubs for rice production and agribusiness development.
The meeting is expected to conclude with a Ministerial Declaration setting a continental roadmap for achieving rice self-sufficiency through collaborative research, policy coordination, and targeted investment across the rice value chain.
Governor Namadi is accompanied by senior officials from the Jigawa State Ministry of Agriculture and related agencies.
By: Fabian Apechihin
Sociopolitical activist Aisha Yesufu has accused Nigerian political leaders of perpetuating what she described as a “political genocide” against Christians in Northern Nigeria.
Yesufu made the remark on Tuesday in response to American comedian and TV host Bill Maher, who recently alleged that Nigerian Christians are facing coordinated attacks.
Maher, speaking on his HBO show, said, “I’m not a Christian, but they are systematically killing Christians in Nigeria. They’ve killed over 100,000 since 2009 and burned 18,000 churches. These are the Islamists, Boko Haram.”
Reacting via her X handle, Yesufu criticized what she called hypocrisy among Nigerian politicians who express concern over Christian persecution yet supported the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket during the 2023 elections.
“You are shouting that Northern Christians are being persecuted, but you championed a Muslim-Muslim ticket! Their Christianity was not Christian enough for you during the 2023 election,” she wrote.
She concluded by calling for greater attention to what she termed the “political genocide” against Northern Christians, urging consistency in both words and actions when addressing religious and political marginalization in Nigeria.
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