By Dipo Olowookere

The governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has refuted claims that he was involved in the removal of Mr Mudashiru Obasa as the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly.

Mr Obasa was impeached on Monday after being on the seat since 2015 by 32 of the 40-member state parliament for alleged gross misconduct.

The action was carried out while the Speaker was away in the United States, with Mrs Mojisola Meranda elected as his replacement, becoming the first female to occupy the position.

It happened a few weeks after Mr Obasa said during the presentation of the 2025 budget by Mr Sanwo-Olu that he was qualified to be the governor of the state and even better than those who have occupied the position.

This statement by the former Speaker was seen as an affront on the previous governors of the state, including President Bola Tinubu, who governed Lagos between 1999 and 2007.

It has been speculated that Mr Obasa kept Governor Sanwo-Olu waiting for long during the budget presentation last month. It was claimed that this action infuriated the governor and leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Yesterday, members of the parliament in Lagos said they had had enough of Mr Obasa, moving to remove him from office.

As this happened, there were claims that Mr Sanwo-Olu instigated members of the Lagos State House of Assembly to impeach the former Speaker.

But the governor, through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Gboyega Akosile, distanced himself from the impeachment, emphasising that it was purely a decision of the legislative arm of government.

“This is a legislative matter, and the Assembly handled it as they saw fit. The governor has no involvement,” Mr Akosile, who once served as the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) of Mr Sanwo-Olu, said in an interview, noting that his principal does not interfere in the other arms of government.

By Bon Peters

More congratulatory messages have continued to pour in for Mr John Azuta Mbata on his emergence as the President of the Ohaneze Ndigbo.

Last week, the Rivers State-born man was elected as the successor to Mr Nze Ozichukwu Chukwu, who took charge of the organisation after the demise of Mr Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu last year at the age of 82.

In a statement, the Igbo World Assembly (IWA) said it was happy for Mr Mbata for emerging as the new leader of the prominent Igbo socio-cultural group.

In the statement jointly signed by its chairman, Mr Nwachukwu Anakwenze; the vice chairman, Mr Christian Onuorah; and the general secretary, Mr Oliver Nwankwor; the group commended Mr Chukwu and his team for weathering the storm within the 27 days to ensure the smooth democratic transition to the new executives.

“The election offers a renewed opportunity to address key challenges, and IWA is optimistic that this new leadership will apply statesmanship and diplomacy to achieve unity, peace, greater collaboration, due process, development and progress.

“The Igbo World Assembly has always been and will remain a core backbone of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and will support in Actualization of Igbo Agenda,” the statement said.

“Above all, your distinct desire to unify and restore Ndi Igbo towards the part of peace, progress and growth shall be the guide to our actions as Igbo Diasporas worldwide,” it added.

On the goals of the organization, the statement emphasised that IWA’s goal was clear, “Ndi-Igbo must speak with one voice and one accord; we must seek to do and be done equitably, by all means expedient or warranted; we must wage struggles as necessary; we must conclude peace as always necessary; we must establish and prosper our economies; we must promote our welfare; we must tell our stories; and we must celebrate our culture and history.”

On finding a lasting peace for the socio-cultural organization, IWA strongly pleaded with other notable persons in Rivers State to sheath their swords and bury their differences and stand behind Mr Mbata for Igbo unity.

The British Council, a UK-based organization dedicated to fostering cultural relations and educational opportunities, hosted the Going Global Africa Conference 2024.

The event, which took place from November 26 to 28 at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja, was themed Building Sustainable and Relevant Tertiary Education Institutions and Systems in Africa.

It brought together policymakers, academics, industry leaders, and youth advocates to address critical issues in tertiary education across the continent.

At the opening session, which spotlighted youth aspirations and actionable strategies to bridge the gap between tertiary education and workforce demands, the Minister of Education, Mr Olatunji Alausa, unveiled the Nigerian Educational Sector Renewal initiative, a six-pillar agenda aimed at modernising the education system.

The session, titled The Future is Now: Realising the Vision of Africa’s Youth, was used by him to emphasised the importance of STEM and vocational training.

According to him, one of his takeaways from the opening plenary session is starting up student-led ventures, a good initiative the government would take on.

Throughout the three-day event, critical sessions explored the role of partnerships and innovation in strengthening tertiary education.

Another session titled Maximising Impact through Tertiary Education Partnerships, chaired by Prof. Sir Steve Smith, examined frameworks for sustainable education partnerships.

Also, at another session, Transitioning to the World of Work, led by Femi Taiwo, Founding Partner of F.I.T. Africa, delved into career-readiness strategies and the systems required to prepare graduates for industry demands.

Contributors such as Prof. Colin Riordan from the Association of Commonwealth Universities and Ms. Nadia Waggie from the University of Cape Town enriched these discussions with their expertise.

The conference also included a variety of focused sessions and panels, such as Learning Labs on technology integration, employability, and international research partnerships. Discussions highlighted access to education for marginalized groups, including women and persons with disabilities, with sessions such as Disability Inclusion in Tertiary Education led by Prof. Tracy Bhamra and featuring disability rights advocates.

Business Post reports that the conference coincided with the British Council’s 80th anniversary in Nigeria, celebrating decades of impactful partnerships in education.

“Hosting this conference in Sub-Saharan Africa underscores our commitment to fostering sustainable partnerships and innovation in education,” the Regional Director for Sub-Saharan Africa at the British Council, Lucy Pearson, remarked.

The event concluded with a renewed commitment to bridging the skills gap in Africa’s tertiary education.

The Acting Country Director for the council, Chilufya Besa, said, “By bringing together industry stakeholders, we have made significant progress in aligning education with workforce needs.”