General
Oyo Warns Adesina to Stop Parading Self as Baale
By Dipo Olowookere
An alleged self-acclaimed Baale of Ejioku, Prince Bashiru Adesina, has been warned by the Oyo State government to desist from parading himself in such capacity, having failed to secure the approval of the Governor, Mr Abiola Ajimobi.
According to the provisions of Chiefs Law of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000, CAP. 28, the Governor must give an approval for anyone to parade himself as traditional ruler or chief.
Speaking via a statement on Monday, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Mr Bimbo Kolade, conveyed the government’s displeasure at the development, which, he said, contravened laid down rules guiding the appointment of Part II recognized chiefs.
Although Section 20 (1, 2 and 3) regulates such appointment, Section 20 (1) specifically reads, “Subject to the provisions of this section, the governor may approve or set aside an appointment of a recognized chief,” the class under which the Baale of Ejioku falls.
Mr Kolade warned that the government would wield the big stick should the concerned chief remain adamant in order to protect the sanctity of the revered traditional institution of Ibadanland.
While acknowledging the existence of correspondence between the ministry and Lagelu Local Government in respect of the vacant Baale of Ejioku stool, he said that the process had remained inchoate, having been stalled at the LG level since October, last year.
The ministry said its October 17, 2016, letter to Lagelu LG, which was received by the Director, Administration and General Services, Mr Kolawole Popoola, mandating it to provide certain documents as proof that the due process had been followed, had yet to be complied with.
In the letter, the ministry had requested the LG to provide “public notice issued by the LG on the vacant stool; certificate of appointment issued by the kingmakers (in respect of the chosen candidate); as well as the attendance sheet stating those that attended the family and the kingmakers’ meetings.”
The letter by the ministry’s Director of Chieftaincy Matters, Mr Zaccheaus Jayeola, also mandated the LG to submit the letter written by the LG conveying the approval of the state government to the next ruling house to fill the vacant stool.
It reads further, “(You are requested to provide the) letter written to the kingmakers by the head of the ruling house, informing them of the candidate nominated for the vacant stool; and the consent letter of His Imperial Majesty, Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji, Aje Ogungunniso I, the Olubadan of Ibadanland.
“Please note that the required documents are to be presented before the approval of His Excellency, the Executive Governor (Mr Abiola Ajimobi), could be sought.”
With the benefit of hindsight, Mr Kolade said that the ministry would ensure that the due processes were followed to the letter to avert anarchy and litigations by the contenders, which, he said, was always at huge cost to the government.
The commissioner admonished those nursing the ambition of becoming traditional chiefs to adhere strictly to the legal process in pursuing such ambitions instead of cutting corners or resorting to self-help.
He said, “There are laid down rules and regulation guiding the emergence and installation of a traditional chief, as enshrined in the Chiefs Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000, CAP 28. This has been the guiding light for the ministry.
“It is therefore an attempt to cause anarchy in the land for anybody to start parading himself as a Baale without following the due process. We have in the recent past warned contenders to the traditional stools against flouting the extant laws.
“Experience has shown that such inordinate ambition is an invitation to breakdown of law and order, because of the acrimonious contentions among contenders to such stools. That is why laws were enshrined to guard against anarchy in the land.
“For the sake of emphasis, the state government does not recognize Prince Bashiru Adesina as the Baale of Ejioku. He is, therefore, warned to stop parading himself in such capacity till those concerned comply with due process.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Salary increases of between 30 and 80 per cent have been approved for Nigeria’s armed forces personnel by President Bola Tinubu.
This was confirmed by a statement issued on Tuesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga.
About 250,000 personnel are to benefit from the new deal, which takes effect on September 1, according to the statement. Officers above the rank of colonel will enjoy a 30 per cent salary increase. This applies to Brigadier-Generals, Major-Generals, Lieutenant Generals and Generals.
Personnel from colonel down to warrant officer will have a 50 per cent increase, while Private to Staff Sergeant will have an 80 per cent increase.
The President’s spokesman stated that the pay package will increase the yearly salary bill for the country’s armed forces personnel from N660 billion to N924 billion.
President Tinubu has always praised the courage and sacrifices of members of the armed forces as they confront the scourge of banditry, kidnapping and terrorism in some parts of the country.
“The men and women who help to keep us safe in our homes must be supported and appreciated in the course of their duties to our nation.
“Our administration will continue to prioritise troop welfare and modernise the armed forces by providing the weapons and technological tools needed to discharge their duties.
“Our administration believes that no nation can achieve greatness without security. We therefore remain resolute in mobilising all military and law enforcement assets to eliminate security threats and protect the lives and property of all Nigerians
“I urge our servicemen to take our gesture as a sign of our deep appreciation of the services they render to our fatherland. Together we shall prevail over the enemies intent on destroying the fabric of our nation,” Mr Tinubu was quoted as saying.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has issued a data protection compliance circular to all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to promote public trust through data-driven governance.
The compliance directive is contained in Circular No. 59805/S.I/74, dated 27 July 2026, and signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr George Akume, according to a statement by the Head, Legal, Enforcement & Regulations, Mr Babatunde Bamigboye.
The initiative forms part of a continuum of regulatory measures that will be vigorously pursued as Nigeria advances towards the decisive frontiers of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
The circular drew the attention of MDAs to a statement of President Bola Tinubu, where he said: “Data is the new oil”.
Mr Akume then directed all Ministries, Extra-Ministerial Departments and Agencies to capture the information rigorously and safeguard it under the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023 (NDP Act).
The circular also directed MDAs to ensure full compliance with the NDP Act, Regulations, Guidelines, and Directives issued by the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) in relation to the processing of personal data.
To this end, the Circular directs MDAs to, designate suitably qualified officers as Data Protection Officers (DPOs) to oversee data protection compliance and advise management on all matters relating to the lawful processing of personal data, ensure that the names and contact details of their designated DPOs are communicated to the NDPC for registration and official records; engage licensed Data Protection Compliance Organisations (DPCOs), where required, to facilitate compliance with the NDP Act and support the conduct of statutory compliance audits.
It also directed them to provide adequate budgetary allocation for data protection compliance activities, including capacity building, awareness programmes, deployment of appropriate technical safeguards, and periodic compliance audits; and submit all mandatory Data Protection Compliance Audit Returns and other statutory returns to the NDPC within the timelines prescribed by law.
The circular further states that “Permanent Secretaries, Accounting Officers and Chief Executive Officers of all MDAs shall be personally responsible for ensuring institutional compliance with the Circular and the provisions of the NDP Act.”
The National Commissioner/Chief Executive Officer of the NDPC, Mr Vincent Olatunji, expressed the commission’s commitment to supporting data-driven governance.
Mr Olatunji maintained that data accountability is pivotal to achieving the eight Presidential Priorities. To provide full technical support to MDAs for the purpose of achieving compliance, the commission has constituted a regulatory clinic.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Yellow Card, a global stablecoin infrastructure provider, has raised $40 million in a strategic funding round to accelerate its international expansion and strengthen its digital payment infrastructure.
The funding round attracted investments from SC Ventures, the innovation and investment arm of Standard Chartered, Sony Innovation Fund, Polychain Capital, Blockchain Capital, and other strategic investors. With the latest raise, Yellow Card’s total equity financing has now exceeded $120 million.
The company said the fresh capital will be used to scale its Global US Dollar Accounts, an end-to-end dollar account designed for businesses, while expanding the stablecoin payment rails that connect businesses to markets around the world.
Yellow Card’s chief executive, Mr Chris Maurice, described the investment as a strong endorsement of the company’s long-term vision, noting that the company has spent years building infrastructure that allows businesses to move money globally without relying on traditional correspondent banking systems.
He added that the next phase of growth will focus on helping banks connect directly to stablecoin payment rails, enabling faster and more efficient cross-border transactions while expanding access to US Dollar services for businesses.
SC Ventures chief executive, Mr Alex Manson, said stablecoins are becoming an important part of global payments, but noted that widespread adoption will depend on reliable infrastructure and practical use cases.
He said Yellow Card has built the payment rails businesses across Africa need to move money efficiently across borders and expressed confidence in the company’s ability to expand both within Africa and internationally.
The investment also marks growing interest from global institutions in stablecoin-based payments. Sony Innovation Fund said its backing reflects confidence in Yellow Card’s ability to build digital payment infrastructure for emerging markets.
Mr Austin Noronha, Managing Director at Sony Ventures-US, said the company believes Yellow Card is creating the technology needed to help banks, financial technology firms and enterprises move money faster and more securely.
He added that the company looks forward to supporting Yellow Card as it expands beyond Africa into Latin America, the Middle East, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.
Yellow Card said the funding will also support the wider rollout of its Global USD Accounts, which allow businesses to hold U.S. dollars, manage treasury operations, swap stablecoins, and collect or make payments in local currencies across more than 50 countries.
The company noted that the platform is already being used by major customers, including Visa and Western Union.
Founded to simplify cross-border payments through digital assets, Yellow Card has processed more than $10 billion in transactions across its network. The company supports over 50 currencies and holds licences, authorisations and registrations in 22 jurisdictions across North America, Europe and Africa.
Yellow Card has also established strategic partnerships with global payment companies including Visa, Mastercard, PayPal and Coinbase as it positions itself as a key infrastructure provider for international digital payments.
