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Nigerian-Born Wale Gbalajobi Receives Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal for Exemplary Community Service in Canada
In a ceremony held at the Siksika Room, McDougall Centre, Canada, the Premier of Alberta, Honourable Danielle Smith, has awarded Nigerian-born Wale Gbalajobi the prestigious Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal for his outstanding volunteer work and leadership in the community. The award ceremony, organized by the Office of the Deputy Premier and Minister of Skilled Trades and Professions, took place on April 28, 2023, in Canada.
The occasion was attended by esteemed guests, community leaders, and representatives from various organizations. The event, like no other, aimed to acknowledge and celebrate the charismatic Gbalajobi’s remarkable contributions to making the community a better place to live, work, raise families, and establish businesses.
Wale Gbalajobi, deeply humbled by the recognition, expressed his gratitude and stated, “I am truly honoured to receive this award. It has been a privilege to serve my community, and I am grateful for this recognition.”
The Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal Award is bestowed upon individuals who have demonstrated exemplary dedication and commitment to improving their communities. Gbalajobi’s remarkable volunteer work and leadership have made a significant impact on the lives of many, uplifting the community and fostering positive change.
The Office of the Deputy Premier and Minister of Skilled Trades and Professions commended the amiable man for his outstanding contributions and congratulated him on his well-deserved achievement. They expressed gratitude for his continued dedication and emphasized the importance of individuals like Wale Gbalajobi in building stronger and more vibrant communities.
This Award ceremony served as a reminder of the power of volunteerism and community engagement. Gbalajobi’s recognition will undoubtedly inspire others to follow in his footsteps, contributing to the betterment of society and leaving a lasting legacy.
For your information, Wale Gbalajobi is a highly accomplished Nigerian-Canadian entrepreneur, financial consultant, and business leader. With degrees in Economics and Political Science from the University of Calgary, he has made significant contributions to the business and financial sectors in both Canada and Nigeria.
As the President of Aquafinancial Consulting Inc., Wale provides wealth management and financial advice to clients, utilizing his vast business experience and entrepreneurial mindset.
His company helped coordinate the business meetings and the round table with the Calgary Economic Development Council during the Olu of Warris trip to Calgary in 2022.
Wale’s entrepreneurial endeavours extend beyond Canada’s borders, as he has helped facilitate the entry of Nigerian businesses into the Canadian market. Notably, he played a crucial role in introducing Oando to the business Exchange communities in Calgary and Toronto during its listing on the Toronto Stock, fostering cross-border collaborations and growth.
His professional qualifications include the Canadian Securities Course (CSC) and the Partners, Directors and Senior Officers Certificate; Wale has earned esteemed designations such as the Fellow of the Institute of Canadian Bankers (FICB) and the Professional Financial Planner (PFP). These credentials highlight his expertise in providing comprehensive financial planning services.
Wale’s career began at the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC), where he served in various capacities, including Branch Manager. He became the first black person in Calgary to hold such a position at a major bank. Later, he served as the Country General Manager in St. Lucia, overseeing a portfolio exceeding USD 500 million.
Throughout his career, Wale has been recognized for his achievements, receiving multiple CIBC Chairman’s awards and CIBC Achievers Awards for his exceptional performance within the global CIBC network.
Beyond his professional pursuits, Wale is actively involved in community initiatives. He has chaired fundraising efforts for the United Way in Calgary, raising significant funds for local charities. He has also served on the board of Families Matter, a Calgary-based nonprofit focused on strengthening families.
Furthermore, Wale has held leadership positions in organizations such as the Nigerian Canadian Association of Calgary and the Igbobi College Old Boys Association of North America. He also advises various nonprofits in Calgary and the surrounding areas.
He is happily married to Bernie, a CPA, and they have two children.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The United States government gave some terrorists in Nigeria a Christmas gift that sent many of them to the great beyond.
On Thursday, December 25, 2025, the United States President, Mr Donald Trump, directed his country’s military to launch air strikes on camps of members of the dreaded Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Sokoto State.
According to Mr Trump, the military action, which he threatened to carry out a few weeks ago if the Nigerian government does not stop the killing of Christians in the country, occurred on Thursday night.
“Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and even Centuries!
“I have previously warned these Terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was.
“The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing.
“Under my leadership, our country will not allow radical islamic terrorism to prosper. May God bless our military, and Merry Christmas to all, including the dead terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues,” Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
In a video on X, formerly known as Twitter, the Department of War of the United States posted the below video of the air strikes;
https://twitter.com/DeptofWar/status/2004351717131903272
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The presidency has reacted to speculations that Mr Femi Gbajabiamila has been removed as the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu.
It was alleged that Mr Gbajabiamila has been replaced with the President’s Principal Private Secretary, Mr Hakeem Muri-Okunola.
Mr Muri-Okunola went to Abuja to take up this role after leaving as the Head of Service of the Lagos State Civil Service.
Reacting to the reports on social media on the purported removal of Mr Gbajabiamila, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, the presidency said no such change has been made.
In a statement signed on Thursday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, members of the public were advised to disregard the report as “there is absolutely no truth to this story.”
“The Chief of Staff remains in his position. The Principal Private Secretary likewise remains in his role. Hakeem Muri-Okunola has not replaced Femi Gbajabiamila as Chief of Staff.
“The viral claim is a fabrication by mischievous purveyors of fake news whose sole aim is to create disharmony within the government.
“We reiterate that news media should always verify their information before publishing or sharing on social media,” the statement said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The new chief executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, has assumed office with a clear message to advance the country’s upstream oil and gas sector in line with the mandate of the commission as enshrined in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.
According to a statement signed by Mr Eniola Akinkuotu, the Head of Media & Strategic Communications at the upstream regulator, the NUPRC boss made this assertation during her first town hall meeting with management and staff on Tuesday December 23, 2025.
She further disclosed plans to make the commission a business enabler and re-ignite investments in the upstream sector.
Recall that President Tinubu nominated Mrs Eyesan to take over the NUPRC after the abrupt resignation of her predecessor, Mr Gbenga Komolafe as well as his counterpart in the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Mr Farouk Ahmed.
In her new capacity, Mrs Eyesan also set a firm production ambition of growing Nigeria’s output and increasing gas production.
“The goal is that we must enable the industry, we are regulators. We must enable the industry from our interactions with the stakeholders, from our interactions with everybody.
“My main objective is to ensure that we make a difference. I believe the NUPRC is at the Center of the industry,” she said.
The commission boss who has served for over three decades in the oil and gas sector, promised to entrench digitisation, transparency and efficiency in operations.
The NUPRC head said with the support of staff and management, the NUPRC will become the gold-standard regulator in Africa. She also promised capacity development, stronger technical depth and sustained engagement with stakeholders, unions and professional teams.
On leadership style, Mrs Eyesan promised an open-door policy and frequent staff engagement, while also soliciting for support and cooperation as the industry embarks on the next phase of transformation.
“If we work together we can unleash opportunities, I don’t see impediments only opportunities,” she added.
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