Bukayo Saka made a sensational return for Arsenal on Tuesday, scoring in a 2-1 win over Fulham after a three-month spell on the sidelines.

Saka, 23, hadn’t featured for Arsenal since injuring his hamstring at Crystal Palace just before Christmas, with the England star forced into surgery and a rehabilitation programme.

But he came off the bench in the 66th minute to a raucous ovation from the Emirates crowd and then netted Arsenal’s second goal of the night with a cushioned header at the back post after a neat flick on from Gabriel Martinelli.

“The reception speaks for itself,” Saka’s teammate Declan Rice said after the game. “That’s why he’s one of the best wingers in the world, because he attacks the box and sniffs the goal. You take them, he’s in the right position at the right time and topped off a great night for him and for us.

“He gives us an outlet. All of our front players are so different and rotate so well. With Bukayo back it’s a real boost.”

The second-place Gunners were all over Fulham in the opening half and finally took the lead in the 37th minute with a strike from Mikel Merino.

[Leadership]

•Apex bank insists it is at 3-year high

Nigeria’s net foreign exchange reserves (NFER) was $23.11 billion at the end of last year, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said. The value is $15.6 billion short of the current gross reserves, which are currently at $38.7 billion, a slight slip from the $40.2 billion it closed last year.

There may be a material difference between the real-term value and what it was three months ago. Yet, the peg has laid to rest the speculation that Nigeria might have carried on with negative NFER in the face of the protracted FX crisis. Still, the CBN said the net value is at its highest in over three years.

The apex bank, yesterday, said the feat achieved as of the end of 2024 reflects a substantial improvement in the country’s external liquidity, reduced short-term obligations and renewed investor confidence.

According to the CBN, the figure was a remarkable increase from $3.99 billion at 2023 ending, $8.19 billion in 2022 and $14.59 billion in 2021. NFER adjusts gross reserves to account for near-term liabilities such as FX swaps and forward contracts.

It is widely regarded as a more accurate indicator of the foreign exchange buffers available to meet immediate external obligations. A few years ago, there was apprehension that Nigeria’s net FX reserve would have slipped into negative territory. The CBN, then, kept mute over the actual figure.

Last year at the World Bank/International Monetary Fund (IMF) general meeting in Washington DC, the apex bank’s boss, Yemi Cardoso, promised that his team would, beginning from last quarter, start disclosing the NFER as part of its commitment to full disclosure and transparency.

Gross external reserves also increased to $40.19 billion, compared to $33.22 billion at the close of 2023, the bank argued. The bank noted that the increase in reserves reflects a combination of its strategic measures, including a deliberate and substantial reduction in short-term foreign exchange liabilities – notably swaps and forward obligations.

It added that the strengthening was also spurred by policy actions to rebuild confidence in the FX market and increase reserve buffers, along with recently improved foreign exchange inflows – particularly from non-oil sources.

It further disclosed that the result is a stronger and more transparent reserves position that better equips Nigeria to withstand external shocks. The expansion occurred even as the CBN continued to reduce short-term liabilities, thereby improving the overall quality of the reserve position.

In his comment on the achievement, the governor of the CBN, Yemi Cardoso, said: “This improvement in our net reserves is not accidental; it is the outcome of deliberate policy choices aimed at rebuilding confidence, reducing vulnerabilities and laying the foundation for long-term stability. We remain focused on sustaining this progress through transparency, discipline, and market-driven reforms.”

The CBN hinted that reserves would continue to strengthen in 2025.

While the first quarter figures reflected some seasonal and transitional adjustments, including significant interest payments on foreign-denominated debt, underlying fundamentals remain intact, and reserves are expected to continue improving over the second quarter of this year.

Going forward, the CBN said it anticipates a steady uptick in reserves, underpinned by improved oil production levels, and a more supporting export growth environment expected to boost non-oil FX earnings and diversify external inflows.

“The CBN remains committed to prudent reserve management, transparent reporting and macroeconomic policies that support a stable exchange rate, attract investment and build long-term resilience,” it stated

[Guardian]

A reporter and author, Jonathan Allen on Tuesday alleged that former United States, US, President, Barack Obama secretly worked against former Vice President Kamala Harris.

Allen, a senior reporter with NBC News, alleged that Obama worked against Harris after former President Joe Biden dropped out.

In an interview with MSNBC, Allen claimed that Obama advocated for an open primary because he didn’t think Harris could win.

“President Obama absolutely did not think that Joe Biden should continue, according to our sources close to President Obama.

“And he also didn’t want Kamala Harris to be the replacement for Biden. He didn’t think that she was the best choice for Democrats, and he worked really behind the scenes for a long time to try to have a mini-primary, or an open convention, or a mini-primary leading to an open convention, did not have faith in her ability to win the election.

“As it turned out, she didn’t win, but he was really working against her,” he claimed.

Harris, a Democrat had emerged as the party’s presidential candidate after Biden stepped down from running for a second term.

Despite Allen’s allegations, Obama had openly endorsed and campaigned for Harris to emerge as president ahead of Donald Trump.

[DailyPost]

Oil wells’ licensees that have failed to initiate drilling operations in the last 30 years risk losing such licenses.

They will as well lose ownership of the facilities under the “drill or drop” provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil) Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, made this known while speaking at the Cross Industry Group (CIG) Meeting held in Florence, Italy, organised by international oil companies (IOCs) operating in Nigeria. He said any proactive government will revoke the licenses for undeveloped assets and reallocate them to those willing and ready to drill them.

He urged industry players to explore collaborative measures such as shared resources for contiguous assets, farm-outs, and the release of underutilised assets to operators ready to invest in production.

According to his spokesman Nneamaka Okafor, the minister added that the decision to enforce the “drill or drop” in the PIA 2021, is in line with the Federal Government’s drive to boost production.

 “We cannot continue to have assets sitting idle for 20 to 30 years without development. If you are not utilising an asset and it remains underdeveloped for decades, it neither adds value to your books nor to us as a country.

“We encourage industry players to explore collaborative measures such as shared resources for contiguous assets, farm-outs, and the release of underutilised assets to operators ready to invest in production. Otherwise, like any responsible government, we will take back these assets and allocate them to those willing to go to work,” Lokpobiri said.

The minister also urged operators to consider farm-out agreements where assets are close to existing infrastructure, rather than incurring high costs on new Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) units.

He urged IOCs operating in Nigeria to ramp up investments in the country’s oil and gas sector, emphasising that the administration of President Bola Tinubu had provided every necessary incentive to ensure seamless and profitable operations.

Lokpobiri noted that while IOCs have pointed to engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractors as a challenge, EPCs will only commit when they see strong investment decisions from industry players.

“The government has done its part by providing the requisite and investment-friendly fiscal policies, including the President’s Executive Order incentivising deepwater investments.  Now, the ball is in the court of the IOCs and other operators to make strategic investment decisions that will drive increased production and sustainability in the sector,” the Minister stated.

He further emphasised the need for IOCs to support local refining efforts, noting that more refineries are coming on stream and will require a steady supply of crude oil.

To make this easy and possible, he stressed that ramping up production will enable Nigeria to meet both local and international obligations.

The Chairman of the Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS), Osagie Osunbor, commended the Minister for his direct engagement with industry players and for the Federal Government’s continued efforts in advancing the sector.

“We appreciate the government’s commitment to creating a conducive environment for investment. The Minister’s engagement has provided critical insights and has also challenged us as industry players to step up efforts to increase production,” Osunbor stated.

The Federal Government, he said, remains committed to ensuring a thriving oil and gas industry and expects operators to match its commitment by making tangible investment decisions that will drive growth, sustainability, and national energy security.

[TheNation]

The earliest form of governance system is the monarchy. Even the Holy Books confirm this. That is why in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and many countries in the Middle East, they are still ruled by kings. England, Spain, and Morocco are still ruled by kings. In the traditional and pre-colonial Nigeria, all the communities, towns and villages were governed by traditional rulers-kings and queens. There was Queen Amina of Zauzau, King Jaja of Opobo, Oba of Benin, Alaafin of Oyo and Ooni of Ife, to mention but a few. These kings perform the executive, legislative and judicial functions with the support of their kingmakers and palace chiefs.

For instance, the Alaafin of Oyo heads the old Oyo Empire that covers most of South-West Nigeria down to Dahomey in the present Benin Republic.  The empire’s military is under the Aare-Ona-Kakanfo (Generalissimo), who is answerable to the Alaafin. The Oyomesi and Ogboni assisted the Alaafin in the performance of the legislative and judicial functions. The empire had prisons called Tubu where those convicted of crimes served their prison terms. There was also an effective tax system. Vassal communities pay Isakole to the Alaafin, and failure to pay may lead to war being declared on such communities. Any Alaafin who commits an abominable act could be asked by the Oyomesi to compulsorily commit suicide by opening a sacred calabash. This well-structured governance system was the reason the colonial masters decided to adopt indirect rule in Northern Nigeria and Yorubaland. It was only in the South-East, especially Igboland, that the colonialists decided to adopt direct rule.

One of the major side effects of the pre-colonial rulership system was the recurring inter-tribal and inter-ethnic wars as empires embarked on an expansionist agenda, wanting to conquer more territories to increase their economic prosperity. This act of aggression is often resisted, and rebellion became the order of the day within the empires, whether it was the Kanem-Borno or Oyo Empires. Slave raiding and trading were also a prominent feature of the pre-colonial traditional governance systems. But for the coming of the British colonialists, many towns and villages currently in existence would have been wiped out by bigger ones. It was the colonialists who brought all traditional governance systems under their control, which moderates the influence of big towns over the small ones. Where would Aawe, Fiditi, Iroko, Akinmorin and smaller towns around Oyo have been if not for the moderating influence of modern governance systems?

Recall that Ile-Ife attempted to subdue Modakeke for many years. Online sources said, “Historians have described the crisis between Ile-Ife and Modakeke as one of the oldest intra-ethnic conflicts in Nigeria. Seven major violent clashes have been recorded between them in 1835-1849, 1882-1909, 1946-1949, 1981, 1983, 1997-1998, and 2000.” Likewise, the Kiriji War, also known as the Ekiti-Parapo War, was a 16-year-long civil war (1877-1893) between Yoruba sub-ethnic kingdoms, primarily pitting Ibadan against the Ekiti-Parapo confederation. All these wars were fought on the orders of their respective traditional rulers. Before the declaration of any war, there is usually an aroko, which are totems sent by the oba of the town that wants to declare war on the oba of other towns to be attacked.

Interesting thing about kingship is that those who belong to royal families enjoy special privileges. They are referred to as having blue blood and are served by the people of the town. The king, his household and his clan live large at the expense of their respective communities. They do not have to work but are rather fed, served and honoured by their people. This is why ascension to the royal throne is often acrimonious, as princes from the royal families sometimes apply the Machiavellian principle of “end justifying the means” in the bid for the throne. Though in many communities Ifa oracle is consulted by the kingmakers in the selection of a new king in Yorubaland, despite that, as is recently with the case of the newly installed Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade, litigation, strife and spiritual attacks are still used as weapons by losers against the winner.

Quite unfortunately, the enthronement of royal fathers has been greatly politicised as divination has been waved aside. Even if the oracle chooses any king now, the governor of the state has the final say, as he is the one to give a certificate and royal staff of office before such a king can be coronated and recognised. Aside from politics, the financial inducement of the kingmakers is now frequently cited as the major influence in the choice of modern kings. The throne now goes to the highest bidder. Perhaps except Ibadan town, whose ascendancy to the throne is based on a long queue of aspirants from the ruling houses.

While it is true that subjugating kingship under state and local government control has diminished the esteem and influence of modern kings, I dare say it is highly desirable because if not so, inter-tribal conflict would not have ceased. Imagine that as recently as last month (March 2025), there was still a communal rift among Ilobu, Ifon and Erin Osun, where the Osun State governor had to impose a curfew and threatened to depose the monarchs of the towns if they failed to maintain peace.

Talking about dethronement, that is another weapon the political class has been using against any monarch who is perceived to be against their government. That is what is playing out in Kano currently between Emir Aminu Ado-Bayero and Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. Indeed, during the colonial rule, the British colonialists deposed Oba Ovonramwen Nogbaisi of the Benin Kingdom as well as King Jaja of Opobo. The Western Region government deposed the late Alaaafin of Oyo, Oba Raji Adeniran Adeyemi. He became Alaafin in 1945 and was deposed and exiled in 1954, 10 years later, for sympathising with the National Council of Nigerian Citizens. King Dosunmu of Lagos was also deposed and had to relocate to Epe before he later regained the throne. The Alake of Egbaland, Oba Ladapo Ademola, who ruled between 1920 and 1962, was exiled between 1948 and 1950, following the popular women’s uprising against taxation, led by Mrs Funmilayo Ransom-Kuti. However, Oba Ademola regained his throne.

The Zarki of Arigidi-Akoko, Oba Olanipekun, was a minister without portfolio under the Akintola government in the Western Region. The rift between the Action Group and the Nigerian National Democratic Party polarised his town. The monarch was alleged to have taken sides with a political tendency. His people revolted, and the king went into exile. But 25 years later, he returned to his throne. Similar to that was that of Olowo of Owo, Oba Olateru Olagbegi, who was dethroned by the Western Region government and came back to the throne 25 years later.

Is kingship still relevant in Nigeria? Yes. This is because they are the custodians of our culture and tradition. They are supposed to be the embodiment of societal mores and values. Though their function is largely ceremonial now, they are still needed as they play vital roles in settling family disputes, squabbles and maintenance of law and order at the grassroots. I sincerely believe that there should be a constitutional role for them with appropriate guidelines and a code of ethics. It is unfortunate that some traditional rulers are morally bankrupt and sometimes collude with criminal elements to terrorise their communities; nonetheless, with a proper code of conduct, such fifth columnists can be weeded out.

Those within Nigeria’s petroleum sector who are working in the interest of Western international monopoly capital to foil the naira-for-petroleum deal President Bola Tinubu offered domestic petroleum refiners should be fished out of the system really quickly.

And they are not all too difficult to identify.

Someone, whose name does not readily come to mind now, is quoted to have said that Nigeria’s political elite, equivalents of fifth columnists, are no more than custodians of Nigeria’s wealth on behalf of foreign interests.

No sooner had President Tinubu given the naira-for-petroleum directive to Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited than some of those unpatriotic economic saboteurs quickly jumped out to remind Nigerians that petroleum is an “international citizen” that can only be traded in the US dollar.

They may need to be reminded that America had pledged to ensure that the House of Saud would forever rule Saudi Arabia if they could convince other members of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries cartel to adopt the dollar-for-petroleum payment scheme for the international petroleum trade.

Indeed, there is nothing sacrosanct about the dollar-for-petroleum option. Any other currency is eligible for petroleum trading. The naira-for-petroleum option that President Tinubu introduced into Nigeria is equally viable. And it should significantly contribute to strengthening the naira if it is extended to foreign buyers of Nigeria’s high-grade Brent crude.

This is how it will work: To buy Nigeria’s crude or refined petroleum, buyers must first buy the naira (from the Central Bank of Nigeria) and use it to pay for commodities from NNPCL. That way, Nigeria will still have the dollars that can be used to pay for its imports.

Additionally, the increased demand should strengthen the naira. After all, the law of supply and demand, the foundation of Western economic theory, postulates that increased demand should increase the price of a commodity, all things being equal.

It is regrettable that members of the Technical Sub-Committee, whom the President charged with the administration of the deal, could not work out a long-term template within the initial six-month trial period that was given to them.

It is true that President Tinubu, who met the petrol pump price at N195 per litre, unnecessarily announced that “fuel subsidy is gone”, and thus raised the pump price to N557 the day after his inauguration. It went further up, to as much as N1,184 and beyond in the black market. And the cost of everything else rose to dizzying heights.

But when his directive that NNPCL should sell petroleum to local refineries in naira took off on October 1, 2024, Dangote Refinery, the major beneficiary of the naira-for-petroleum deal, was able to initiate a steady drop in the price of petrol just before Christmas in 2024.

Within three months, the price tumbled from N970 to N870, to N825, to N815, which is N70 lower than the landing cost of imported petrol, whose price increased by N88. This got the dander of the “secret agents” of international monopoly capital up, and they began to look for ways to surreptitiously end the deal.

They probably thought that if Dangote Refinery continued that trend, the price of petrol could further drop to N500, or even lower, in 2025. Dangote Refinery, which is neither Father Christmas nor the Red Cross, would not have been shaving the price of petrol if it were running at a loss.

This suggests that it has always been possible to produce and sell petrol at a price lower than what NNPCL has always offered. It is just that those who have been running NNPCL have either been incompetent or insensitive to the plight of the poor masses of Nigeria.

Those running NNPCL, which has been doing its business by generally spewing half-truths and illusions, lately hugging media attention to announce that they are finally running NNPCL’s Port Harcourt and Warri refineries, must be more adroit in meeting their obligations.

They did not need the Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria to announce that (one of) the Port Harcourt refineries, which had been idle for 20 years, has been steadily producing petroleum products in the past 180 days.

Despite the antiseptics of the propaganda sandpapering, the people at NNPCL still felt the heat and the shame of their loss of the market to Dangote Refineries, so much that they had to find a way to hamper the operations of a refinery in which they have as much as 7.2 per cent stake.

Industry watchers say that, from the inception of the deal, NNPCL had consistently failed to provide Dangote Refinery with 350,000 barrels of petroleum per day as the President had directed. At best, they only supplied 120,000 barrels per day. By February 2025, they had halted the supply completely.

Obviously, someone is running rings around the President, who is the Minister of Petroleum Resources. Somehow, those with the responsibility to run the project could not work with a template for the whole six months of the trial.

They probably endured President Tinubu’s naira-for-petroleum deal with the hope that they would gleefully report how it could not work and must end. In their usual lying manner, they have started to manufacture a device to invent the next spin.

The Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, which should have been supervising the scheme in the first place, is reported to be asking the Technical Sub-Committee, a special-purpose vehicle, to make suggestions on how to sustain the deal.

The depressing news is that the meeting between the Technical Sub-Committee on the naira-for-petroleum deal and Dangote Refinery was stalled because NUPRC (expectedly) failed to provide a way to perform an assignment that its “simulated” incompetence caused in the first place.

In the end, Dangote Refinery thought up a wise and diplomatic way to tell Nigerians that the deal of selling its petrol for naira is off because its deal to buy petroleum for naira from NNPCL is off. Nigeria’s economic saboteurs finally got around to botching the President’s idea of regularly providing petrol to Nigerians whilst also strengthening the naira.

Now, Nigerians can only expect to pay more for petrol. Indeed, almost immediately after Dangote Refinery announced that the prices of its products would rise because the naira-for-petroleum deal had collapsed, the pump price of petrol jumped to N930 in Lagos and N970 in parts of Northern Nigeria.

Understandably, PETROAN, which dreads the sale of petroleum products in dollars, has weighed in, calling on the government “to ensure that all transactions within the country are conducted in the local currency, the naira, to protect the economy and the welfare of Nigerians”.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission should begin to enforce Sections 20(1) and 20(5) of the CBN Act, which respectively provide that only currency issued by the CBN shall be legal tender in Nigeria and that no one can refuse to accept the naira for economic transactions in Nigeria.

Though other currencies shall be acceptable for bona fide tourists and for CBN’s foreign exchange trading and approved foreign exchange transactions, even as the Senate is said to be considering a bill to outlaw the use of foreign currency in Nigeria.

President Tinubu and NNPCL Chairman, Pius Akinyelure, should not rely on the petroleum sector bureaucrats but use their private sector experiences to return the naira-for-petroleum deal in the interest of Nigerians.

The Executive Secretary of the International Supreme Council for Peace Africa, Ambassador Simeon Uwah, has highlighted the remarkable sacrifice made by former President Goodluck Jonathan in conceding defeat during the 2015 general elections.

Uwah described Jonathan’s decision as one of the most defining moments of democratic maturity in Africa.

In the 2015 general elections, Jonathan made history by conceding defeat to former President Muhammadu Buhari in a fiercely contested race.

This unprecedented act stunned Nigerians and captured the attention of the world.

Speaking to journalists in Uyo on Monday, exactly 10 years after the event, Uwah emphasised that Jonathan’s decision to peacefully hand over power serves as a valuable lesson for African leaders who, in times of turmoil, choose to cling to power rather than prioritise peace.

“On March 31, 2015, exactly 10 years ago today, former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan made history by conceding defeat to Muhammadu Buhari after a fiercely contested presidential election,” Uwah said. “In an era where political leaders across Africa often resort to violence, electoral disputes, or unconstitutional maneuvers to hold onto power, Jonathan’s concession stands as one of the most defining moments of African democratic maturity. It was a turning point, and Nigeria’s democracy was draped in bright colors.”

Uwah further noted that Jonathan’s now-famous phone call to Buhari to offer congratulations was more than just a gracious acknowledgment of the election results.

It was a deliberate act of commitment to peace, democracy, and national stability.

“His phone call to Buhari was not merely a gesture of sportsmanship—it was a purposeful step towards ensuring peace. This single act helped avert post-election violence, saved countless lives, and strengthened Nigeria’s democratic standing on the global stage,” Uwah added.

He emphasised that Jonathan’s decision should serve as a model for Africa, particularly as the continent continues to face political crises.

“As Africa grapples with military coups, disputed elections, democratic backsliding, and the entrenchment of authoritarian regimes, Jonathan’s approach remains a crucial blueprint for democratic governance and reforms,” Uwah said. “With political instability on the rise across the continent—from Guinea to Sudan, Gabon to Burkina Faso—instituting patriotic and democratic leadership is not just optional, it is imperative. If this direction is not followed, Africa risks facing even greater challenges.”

Uwah also suggested that Jonathan’s peaceful concession should be taught as a case study in governance and leadership training for African leaders.

He called on the African Union  and the Economic Community of West African States to institutionalise peaceful handovers and leadership transitions as democratic standards to safeguard the continent’s democracy from collapse.

“Political transitions should be collaborative, not adversarial,” Uwah urged. “Future leaders must embrace bipartisanship and national reconciliation as core principles of governance.”

He concluded by recalling Jonathan’s words from that pivotal moment: “My ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian.”

Uwah called for African leaders to adopt this mindset—not just in rhetoric but in practice—moving forward.

[Punch]

Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, has again criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration, saying his government has not delivered on some of its promises to Nigerians.

After almost two years of Tinubu administration, Obi believes the President has not made any visible impact on Nigerians.

The ex-governor of Anambra State assessed the All Progressives Congress (APC) government in the evening of Tuesday, April 1, 2025, when he appeared on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme.

Obi said that if he were president, he would have ensured that Nigerians saw considerable change in critical sectors.

Highlighting some of the things he would have done differently, the LP chieftain said in two years, he would have tackled corruption and reduced the cost of governance in a manner that would be visible to Nigerians.

“The President that is there today how many years has he spent, two years and you could see where we are. That means you can change things in two years. If I was there in two years, you would have seen a considerable change in critical areas. I would have tackled corruption head on. I would have reduced cost of governance and you would see it, people would feel it,” he said.

Obi said his administration would have ensured that borrowed money was invested properly in healthcare, stressing that 70 percent of the sector is currently inoperative.

“Our primary healthcare today, 70 percent (of it) are not functional and we spent over N35 billion on conference centre, which conference? who is coming for the conference? You need to invest your money properly, You would have been seeing borrowed money invested in critical areas,” he submitted.

Citing Banglandesh as an example, the ex-governor said his administration would use Nigeria’s land size to turn it into a rice-producing country.

“In Bangladesh, a country with one 148,000 km² of land is producing about 60 million metric tons of rice and us, with over six times that size of land cannot do 10 percent of that,” Obi said.

Lastly, Obi agreed with President Tinubu’s devaluation of the naira; however, he faulted the manner in which the policy was implemented.

He said if he were the President, he would have floated the naira in an organised manner, adding that floating the currency is meant to support productivity.

He said, “There’s nothing wrong in devaluation, but I would have allowed the naira to float but I would have done it in an organised manner. There will be productivity. The idea of devaluing your currency, allowing it to float is that you have productivity so you can export, so people can come and buy.”

According to him, floating the naira without productivity is a double whammy.

Vanguard News

Before the mid-70s, a team of young Nigerians enjoyed the privileged opportunity to be admitted into Annunciation Catholic College (ACC), Irrua, which was one of the best secondary schools in the old Bendel State, now Edo and Delta States.

They came armed only with their dreams, innocence and excitement to pursue a future which looked far away but attainable. For them, education provided the only super-highway to the future and being at ACC was a predictable prelude to fulfilling that future. ACC was not only the dream of children but more for their parents who wanted to enjoy the pride of having their children in an elite school.

Behind them was the blighted wreckage and fatalities of a 30-month Civil War whose nightmare still cast an overhang over life after four years. The students came from different parts of the country, including that part of the country that was severely hurt and most affected by the war. The new government came with a “no victor no vanquished mantra.” The young children were only too happy to begin the new journey of life, build new relationships and nurture dreams that could one day see them live their lives and rule their world.

They were dream seekers and life is for those who dream and have the strength of character to make their dreams a reality.

Years later, life has changed. The world has changed even more, getting increasingly more connected, to create a global village and satisfy the ever expanding human quest and capacity for world’s secrets in the form of knowledge still floating out there. The more immediate benefit of a global village is that people separated for decades can seek out each other and basically shout across the divide which only excludes the opportunity to touch each other but more of feelings and euphoric recollections.

Meanwhile, those innocent dream seekers have come of age, and now scattered across the world, into professions and opportunities to become real men, influencing their world while creating new opportunities and providing broad shoulders for others to climb on.

Here, the dramatis personae begin to emerge from the shadows, from a world of the past, into reality. After decades in separate worlds and even beyond the precincts of career dreams, Commodore Christian Anuge (Rtd.) and Henry Edeko, who lives in the UK, got connected in 2013 and were regularly in touch. They discussed the general old boys group and had, at this time, also reconnected with Christopher Okoh, also in the Uk. Henry and Chris Okoh relayed their different experiences at the various attempts to form or connect with the ACC Old Boys Association, UK branch.

Fast forward to 2015, WhatsApp was just becoming a useful tool for communication and social media networking. Some time around 2017, The ACCCLASS OF1980 WhatsApp group was formed by Thomas Imafidon(aka Arula) and he added Henry Edeko and Christian Anuge either by commission or omission. Thomas was originally our classmate. Henry and Christian must have been on that platform for most of 2017 sometimes joining in discussions. Someone, a 1980 old boy then mentioned on the platform and reminded their Admin that Henry Edeko and Christian Anuge were a year their senior, in a rather graceful way – ACC style. It was mentioned on the platform that we were enriching their discussions and it was from then on that we just became silent members of that platform until very recently.

All the same, we were amazed by the level of interaction and strength of bonding amongst the 1980 Class Old Boys. This is the beauty of technology, being able to look deep into the past, and then beautify the present with its excavations while shaping the future ahead. The seed to form our own class platform had been sown; so in January 2018, Henry Edeko proceeded to form the ACCCLASSOF1979 WhatsApp group to enable members of the set interact with one another, and be able to pull resources together for the upliftment of our Alma Mater, the Annunciation Catholic College, Irrua.

When the dream seekers came to ACC, there were no phones. Perhaps the only phone would be at the local government headquarters in Ubiaja or Ewohimi for administrative purposes. The new world is different. There are mobile phones everywhere which have attracted the benign involvement and invitation of WhatsApp, which is an over-the-top (OTT) operation.

From that moment in January 2018, members of the set didn’t disappoint. They could sit virtually from time to time and relive the world they dreamt about in the 70s. Thankfully, God has been kind. A majority have made good, and could connect from different parts of the world.

The founding trio of Henry Edeko, Christian Anuge and Christopher Okoh contacted Dr. Paschal Isele, who was also the Senior Prefect of the School during our final year in 1979, to secure his imprimatur. The whole episode caught the fancy of other classmates; Martins Akhigbemidu, Dr Peter Olumese, Daniel Arewoh. At the same time Henry Edeko extended Admin rights to other old boys as administrators of the platform, so that they too, could be in a position to add other identified classmates to the platform.

Within one week, the platform had about fifteen members added to it, and this engendered a regular informal discussion until it was decided to formalise the Class Association which resulted in an initial meeting, held on February 27th, 2021, via Zoom. At this inaugural meeting, the first task was to establish the leadership positions of the Class of ‘79. It was easy for members to nominate and agree that Dr. Paschal Isele should be the Chairman of the Set, as he was the Senior Prefect of the School in our final year at ACC Irrua. To continue from where he stopped over 40 years ago!

With the Chairman in place, other nominations were made which saw the election of the following members of the executive: Dr. Paschal Isele – Chairman, Mr. Christopher Okoh – Secretary, Dr. Peter Olumese – Assistant Secretary, Prof. David Ogbeifun – Financial Secretary, and Commodore Christian Anuge (Rtd.) – PRO/Publicity Secretary.

With the ExCo members now in place, it was time to begin work on the main objective of forming the 1979 Set of ACCIOBA. Members agreed, after a painstaking selection of what needs to be done for our Alma Mater, that we should buy and donate Lawn Mowers to ACC Irrua, since members saw that the school lawns were now poorly kept. By March 2021, membership in the platform has grown to over 20; donations were generously made by members which raised enough money that enabled the Set to buy four (4) Lawn mowers which were donated to the school on 30th March 2021, to the joy of every member of the set and the entire ACCIOBA community.

Membership drive became a major need for the Set. Hence, at every subsequent meeting, the need to grow our membership on the platform was always emphasized. By 2022, membership has grown to be about thirty-one. Given the strength of the Set in 2022, it was easy to again decide on a new project to be executed in ACC Irrua. At this time, the Global body of Accioba had drawn up several developmental projects in a development plan for the rebuilding of ACC Irrua. Amongst the expected projects was the perimeter fencing of the school compound. In fact, some other sets had started the fencing of the front area of the school up to the fourth side and the 1979 Set decided to embark on the fencing of about 200 metres stretch of the remaining side from the back. This area had a deep valley which made the task of constructing the fence particularly challenging to execute.

Following the successful execution of two key projects in ACC Irrua, members took a decision, in one of our meetings in 2022, to have some Welfare Plans in place for members. A three-man Committee was set up to come up with a welfare package to be put in place for members of the Set which saw, amongst others benefits, the provision of a token support to any member who is celebrating any of his children’s Wedding. This was however, limited to a maximum of four children per member. Few members have so far benefitted from this Welfare Package to the joy of all members.

Not much was done in 2023 other than the continuous membership drive. The Chairman took the initiative to publish on the set’s WhatsApp platform, the names of all the students of 1974 set that left ACC Irrua in 1979 as a rear view memorial of that epochal time of our lives. This helped in bringing out more names of classmates to be further contacted to join the set as we believe that the more we are, the better it should be for us all and for our Alma Mater. However, in 2024, we again decided to execute another project. This time around, the need to support the completion of the Government approved new hostel complex became paramount. Two members of Class 79, Dr. Peter Okojie and Dr. Godfrey Ekhomu had taken up the building of four out of the eight halls of residence in the hostel complex at the school. Some handsome amount was contributed to the project by the Set.

There is the need to mention here that the 1979 set of ACCIOBA are made up of prominent members that have been able to make significant contributions to the rebuilding of our Alma Mater. It is also on record that the 1979 Set is blessed with members that are holding key positions in the Global body of ACCIOBA. The immediate past Global President of ACCIOBA, Dr Paschal Isele, is a member of the Set. Another member of the Set, Dr. Peter Okojie, is the current President of the North American Branch of ACCIOBA. Also, a staunch member of the UK ACCIOBA branch and member of the Set, Mr. Henry Edeko, has also made significant donations to the Global body for the continuous rebuilding of ACC, Irrua. It must be mentioned too, that when aggregated, members from the 1979 set of ACCIOBA have made more donations towards the rebuilding of ACC Irrua than any other set to the glory of God. Some of our members were indeed honoured by the former governor of Edo State, Mr Godwin Obaseki, for their efforts.

Annunciation Catholic College, Irrua was founded in 1955, which made the School 75 years old by March 2025. A Platinum Jubilee Celebration was held last week by the Global body of ACCIOBA to commemorate this great attainment by the school. The 1979 set has therefore decided to organize a Reunion Party to coincide with the Platinum Jubilee Celebrations by ACCIOBA Global. For the first time since 1979, the members have a blessed opportunity, this weekend, to convene at the College ground where the journey began decades ago. It is not virtual reality any more but a physical gathering of those tiny little boys who have grown into real men affecting their world in a most positive way.