General
Brazilian Tourists Vow To Promote Yoruba Culture
By Dipo Olowookere
The drive by the Oyo State Government to promote cultural tourism in the state has started yielding positive results, as some Brazilian tourists arrived Oyo State last week on a tour of sites and discussions on the development of a partnership between the Yoruba culture in Bahia, Brazil and Oyo State with a view to evolving a tourism axis in major cities of the Yoruba race.
Receiving the tourists led by Baba L’Orisa, Leopoldino Alves De Campos also known as Baba Ogundare, the Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr Toye Arulogun said that it was expedient to promote the potentials in the cultural tourism sector of the state, saying that the Ministry’s recent meetings with the Brazilian Embassies in Abuja and Lagos have started yielding fruits manifesting in the visit of the first set of Brazilians who have come to Oyo state on a cultural tourism mission.
Mr Arulogun said that the state government is committed to the Yoruba cultural exchange with the Brazilians, adding, “We are aware that there is a strong inter-cultural relationship between the Yorubas here and those in Brazil, especially Bahia, where they do things in common with us in the South western part of the country.
“We are ready to help them to trace their cultural origin. This will lead to the official connection between Brazil and Nigeria and promote the two countries’ relationship. Hopefully we would soon have a twin city arrangement and understanding.”
In his response, the leader of the delegation, Leopoldino Alves De Campos said it excites Brazilians to visit Nigeria, especially the South Western part of the country which shares the same cultural values with Brazil, noting that there are several thousands of Yoruba traditional worship centres in the country.
He promised that they are ready to preserve the culture and tradition of the Yoruba heritage, noting that many Brazilians are enthusiastic take a trip down to Nigeria, in order to further rediscover their origin.
Leopoldino Alves De Campos said the team will visit the Oke’badan shrine and Oje market in Ibadan, Egungun initiation centre in Oyo, the Igbo Oranmiyan in Ile-Ife and other tourist attraction centres in the South west region of the country.
It would be recalled that the Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr Arulogun paid a working visit to the Brazilian Ambassador and Consular General at different times and the two parties agreed on a bilateral relationship that will further unite Nigeria and Brazil as well as strengthening the ties between the Yoruba culture in Bahia, Brazil and Oyo State.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has said that the average retail price of a litre of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol, rose by 22.55 per cent or N237.07 per litre to N1,288.54 in March 2026 from N1,051.47 in February.
In the Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) Price Watch for March released on Tuesday, the NBS said on a year-on-year basis, the average retail price of fuel also increased by 2.13 per cent from N1,261.65 recorded in March 2025.
This surge in fuel prices could be linked to global disruptions brought on by the US-Israel war on Iran, which triggered the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and sent prices of crude oil above $100 per barrel.
While the country was not heavily hit by the impact, it felt the ripple effect of crude prices increasing, particularly as Dangote Refinery imported crude from other markets to cover for local feedstock shortfalls.
The data noted that by state, Anambra recorded the highest average retail price of N1,441.22 per litre, followed by Sokoto at N1,377.55 and Borno at N1,375.16.
However, the price was cheapest in Lagos at N1,162.71, followed by Ogun at N1,169.78 and Kaduna state at N1,193.40.
By zone, it was most expensive in the North East at N1,336.50 last month, while the South-West recorded the lowest at N1,232.46.
A look at the Diesel Price Watch Report for March showed that the average retail price paid by users rose by 16.05 per cent on a month-on-month basis to N1,648.08 per litre from N1,420.17 per litre a month earlier.
“On state profiles analysis, the highest average price of diesel in March was recorded in Ebonyi at N2,262.29 per litre, followed by Akwa Ibom at N1,895.72 and Osun at N1,872.15.
“On the other hand, the lowest price was recorded in Kogi at N1,383.40 per litre, followed by Katsina State at N1,438.25 and Enugu at N1,480.06,” parts of the report said.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The vice-presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general elections, Mr Datti Baba-Ahmed, has left the party to join the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP).
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, the politician said he’s no longer interested in the way the Labour Party was being run.
He disclosed that there is no more peace in the political party he flew its flag in the last general elections because of greed.
He accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of destabilising opposition political parties to ensure President Bola Tinubu does not have a credible opponent in the 2027 presidential poll.
“What the Labour Party stood for is not the same now. We have a government of today which is interested in destroying other political parties,” he said.
“I am leaving the Labour Party tomorrow (today) by 12 midnight,” Mr Baba-Ahmed said when asked about his plans for next year.
I am leaving the Labour Party [at] midnight, and I am joining PRP. PRP is the new destination. PRP is the one with a history. It’s about 75 years old,” he further stated.
He further said, “When there was real peace in the Labour Party, someone was redeployed to the Labour Party and because of the antecedents of the person, [I don’t see things getting better].
PRP, a progressive Nigerian political party, was established in 1978 by Mallam Aminu Kano. It is rooted in social democratic principles and populist ideology, often focusing on the empowerment of the talakawa (common people).
Its current National Chairman, according to data obtained from the website of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), is Mr Falalu Bello, while the National Secretary is Mr Babatunde F. Alli.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Director General of the National Pension Commission (PenCom), Ms Omolola Oloworaran, has highlighted strategies deployed by her organisation to ensure pension coverage is deepened in Nigeria.
Speaking at the ISSA Technical Seminar in Abuja recently, she said the steps taken were to build a more inclusive, transparent, and responsive pension system, where communication serves not just as information, but as a bridge to trust, accessibility, and sustained industry growth.
According to her, the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) has, over more than two decades, built a strong institutional foundation, but true inclusion goes beyond coverage to require trust and clear communication.
For this reason, PenCom has prioritised the Personal Pension Plan, strengthened stakeholder engagement, and invested in digital channels that reach contributors in accessible and relatable ways, she stated.
Ms Oloworaran further stressed that, “Effective communication is not a soft complement to regulation; it is a core instrument of coverage expansion, compliance, and public confidence.
“Every circular we issue, every benefit we pay, and every reform we introduce ultimately succeeds or fails on whether our members can understand it and act on it.”
The ISSA Technical Seminar, themed Improving Inclusivity and Accessibility of Social Security Services Through Effective Communication, was organised in collaboration with the International Social Security Association (ISSA).
It brought together key stakeholders across West Africa to advance dialogue on strengthening social security systems through clearer, more inclusive engagement.
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