By Adedapo Adesanya

Nigeria’s former Military Head of State, Mr Yakubu Gowon, will offer a personal account of the Nigerian civil war, one of the country’s darkest events, in his long-awaited autobiography due for launch on May 19.

Mr Gowon, who served as Nigeria’s leader from 1966 to 1975, said the book intends to clarify several written perspectives and policies surrounding the birth of the Nigerian Civil War.

In a statement released ahead of the book’s public presentation, Mr Gowon said the memoir provides his personal perspectives on events often narrated by others, saying it is not intended to reopen old wounds.

The Nigerian Civil War, often regarded as one of the darkest periods in Nigeria’s history, began in 1967 and ended in 1970.

“The autobiography became necessary because many accounts of the civil war era had been written from different perspectives over the years without fully reflecting [my] own reasoning as Nigeria’s leader at the time,” the statement said.

He added, “By choosing to write, I took a conscious decision not to reopen old wounds but to clarify my thinking on policies and plans at a period often narrated by others.

“My story is one of conviction evaluated by circumstances at the crossroads of expectations and reality.”

The 881-page book, published by Havilah Group, gives a personal account of General Gowon’s life, leadership journey, and reflections on defining moments in Nigeria’s history.

The book is scheduled for unveiling on May 19 at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, Abuja.

President Bola Tinubu is expected to attend the event as a special guest of honour, while Mr Theophilus Danjuma, former minister of defence and ex-chief of army staff, will perform the formal unveiling.

The event is expected to draw prominent political leaders, military veterans, diplomats, and senior government officials.

The autobiography also chronicles Mr Gowon’s early years and his emergence as Nigeria’s leader at a critical point in the country’s history. Born in 1934, Mr Gowon became head of state and commander-in-chief on August 1, 1966, and served for nine years.

After leaving office in 1975 after being ousted by General Murtala Muhammad, he went on to earn a PhD in political science from the University of Warwick in 1984 and has since focused on peacebuilding, national development, and spiritual leadership.

His post-service initiatives include the “Nigeria prays” movement and advocacy against guinea worm, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria through the Yakubu Gowon centre.

He also serves as Nigeria’s national goodwill ambassador for the control of viral hepatitis.

By Adedapo Adesanya

The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has said it will ensure full implementation of the Nigerian Insurance Industry Reform Act (NIIRA 2025) as well as protect the interests of the insured public from fraudulent activities of fake insurance institutions.

To this end, the commission said it is currently collaborating with the Nigerian Police Force as well as engaging members of the Association of Registered Insurance Agents (ARIAN) to ensure implementation of the Act.

Recently, the Commissioner for Insurance, Mr Olusegun Ayo Omosehin, met with the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Olatunji Disu, to discuss strategies for deepening collaboration on the implementation of the NIIRA 2025 and its accompanying reforms.

Speaking during the meeting, the insurance commissioner Omosehin, pointed out that NIIRA 2025 was enacted to modernise Nigeria’s insurance landscape, promote transparency, and safeguard the interests of millions of Nigerians who rely on insurance for financial security.

He stressed that NAICOM could not achieve full compliance and market discipline without the active support of law enforcement agencies.

In his response, Mr Disu reaffirmed the commitment of the police to partner with NAICOM, promising to provide the necessary operational and legal backing to ensure that offenders were brought to justice and policyholders’ rights fully protected.

In a related development, NAICOM and ARIAN recently agreed to strengthen collaboration to enforce NIIRA 2025 and Protect Insurance Consumers.

NAICOM at the meeting reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the enforcement of the NIIRA 2025 framework and protecting Nigerian insurance consumers from unauthorised and predatory practices, through strategic engagement with ARIAN.

Signed into law on August 5, 2025, the Nigeria Insurance Industry Reform Act (NIIRA) 2025 fundamentally overhauls the sector to strengthen financial stability, increase penetration, and align with international standards, replacing the 2003 Insurance Act.

Key reforms include higher risk-based capital requirements, mandatory digitisation, enhanced policyholder protection, and strict enforcement of compulsory insurance.

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) saved over N348.8 million for port users and resolved 19 complaints in the first quarter of 2026.

According to its sectoral data report from the council’s quarterly newsletter, which covered January to March 2026, the agency’s continued intervention in disputes within the maritime sector is aimed at reducing trade frictions and protecting shippers from unfair practices.

A breakdown of the complaint status shows that, out of 32 cases handled during the period, 19 were successfully resolved, 12 are still ongoing, and one has been closed.

In terms of financial impact, the NSC’s dispute resolution efforts led to a total savings of N348,813,072.06 for stakeholders, particularly importers, exporters, freight forwarders, and shipping agents.

Further analysis of the report indicates that shipping companies and their agents accounted for the highest number of complaints, with 22 cases filed against them.

“Other entities complained against include seaport terminal operators (1), government agencies (3), exporters (1), importers (1), de-consolidators (1), and freight forwarders/clearing agents (3).

“The complaints lodged during the period cut across a wide range of operational and financial issues. Prominent among them were container deposit refund disputes, which recorded the highest frequency with five cases, followed by arbitrary charges (4).

Other issues included unsettled demurrage (2), missing cargo (2), service failure (2), damaged cargo (2), wrong port of discharge (2), and non-release of auction cargo (2).

“Additional complaints involved delays in cargo transfer, breach of trust, invoice cancellation, lack of telex release, delay in releasing export documents, export fraud, waiver-related disputes, demurrage and detention of vessels, breach of contract, and unjustified demurrage charges,” the data report stated.

The data also reveals that the majority of complainants were shippers, including importers and exporters, alongside freight forwarders and shipping agents, reflecting the operational challenges faced by key players in Nigeria’s port value chain.

The NSC, as the port economic regulator, noted that it has consistently leveraged its complaints and dispute resolution mechanism to address grievances and ensure fairness in commercial transactions within the maritime industry.