News
Courageous Citizens Award Echoes Events Of 2023 Presidential Elections

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Occurrences of the 2023 general elections resonated loudly at the maiden edition of the Courageous Citizens award ceremony held in Abuja at the weekend.
The award which was organized by the Nigerian-American Coalition for Justice and Democracy (NACJD) was to recognize ordinary Nigerians who believe that a new Nigeria is possible and fought for change in 2023.
(What they did, and where they demonstrated their courage)
The awardees were grouped into three categories which include, the Courageous Citizen Order of Distinction, (CCOD), that went to the Labour Party Presidential Candidate and former Governor of Anambra State, His Excellency, Mr Peter Gregory Obi; the Courageous Citizens Order of Freedom, (CCOF), which captured persons like Ex-president Obasanjo and leaders of some ethnic nationalities, and prominent religious groups, and social media influencers and media personalities, who were very vocal towards the journey for the desired change.
The third was for the Courageous Citizens Medal of Valour, (CCMV), which sought to recognize individuals who were the real foot soldiers at the forefront of the battle for change in the build-up and during the 2023 general elections.
The awardees in the second category went to the Executive Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, Right Honourable Dennis Nnamdi AGBO who led the Vanguard for change and won the election under LP, to represent Igbo-Eze North/Udenu Federal Constituency of Enugu State in the National Assembly; Aisha Yesufu, Barrister Kenneth Okonkwo, ace television host, Rufai Oseni of Arise Television, Seun Okinbaloye of Channels TV, and Dr Ordinary Ahmed Isa of the Berekete radio fame.
Late Barrester Oyibo Chukwu, the Labour Party, (LP) Senatorial candidate for Enugu East Senatorial Zone of Enugu State, and Late Victoria Chintex from Kafanchan, Kaduna state the Labour Party Woman Leader from Kafanchan, Kaduna South in Kaduna State, both of whom were gruesomely murdered before the presidential election, were equally awarded post humously.
Responding to the award as the Courageous Citizen of Valour, Hon. Dennis Agbo said he was heartened to know that his little efforts in the 2023 struggles to free Nigeria didn’t go unnoticed.
To him, “the fight to free Nigeria has just began. The battle for freedom is not usually easy but it is not insurmountable. The 2023 elections was the take-off and we did not lose face’. He stressed.
He admonished Nigerians especially the youths not to lose hope in the battle for change saying, “a new Nigeria is truly possible and we must all unite to rescue our nation from elements among us who indulge in State capture, rape of our democracy, and the pillaging of our common patrimony ”.
Aisha Yesuf in her own reaction openly declared, “2023 mandate was stolen and am not afraid to say it. We are in prison today because we are afraid of dying, but I must tell you say, all die na die ” .
She said “the leaders have failed the youths and they are leaving the country in droves and because they have destroyed the country, America, Canada, Australia and the rest of the world are now giving Nigeria different stringent immigration conditions “.
“We are waiting for them in 2027 and we will not allow them to repeat what they did in 2023. They did not win the election and they Know it. They are giving us old National Anthem. l spoke against it and they said they will arrest me and am waiting for them”, she declared.
The leader of the Middle Belt Forum, (MBF) Bitrus Pogu in his goodwill message chronicled the adoption of Peter Obi as the preferred candidate of the four ethnic nationalities comprising of Afenifere, MBF, Ohaneze and the South-South Pandef. He noted that the zones first agreed that the presidency should go to the south and that having reached that consensus, the leader of Afenifere, Pa Ayo Adebanjo reasoned that since Obasanjo from the Southwest had been President, and Osibanjo from same region was just leaving office as Vice President, the Southeast should be given the Presidential slot because South-south had produced Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.
Pogu further stated that having reached that understanding, the three regions asked Ohaneze and the Soith East to give them a sellable candidate, hence the emergence of Peter Obi, away from the legacy Parties, and on an untainted Labour Party platform.
“And as soon as that happened we mobilized our people to support him because we believe in equity and the unity of the country”.
The Chairman of the Nigerian-American Coalition for Justice and Democracy, (NACJD), Eddie Oparaoji had earlier in his welcoming address emphasized that the event was put together to honour the true heroes of “our democracy ”.
He described the awardees as ordinary citizens who for the purpose of change had demonstrated extraordinary courage to achieve remarkable feats under grave danger and risk. “These awe-inspiring individuals have proven to all of us that with resilience, Compassion and unwavering determination we can achieve the desired change in our country”. Oparaoji stressed that, “this momentous occasion marks a significant milestone in our collaborative pursuit for Justice.”
The high point of the event was a video presentation of flashbacks of the 2023 General election, including Ex-President Obasanjo’s patriotic address to the Independent National Election, (INEC) to organise a re-run of the flawed Presidential election; the world press conferences addressed by Peter Obi and his Vice, and clips of various violence and irregularities recorded during both the presidential and gubernatorial elections of 2023.
News
Five Nigerian Secondary schools that allow students to operate mini businesses as part of their curriculum

In Nigeria a growing number of schools have adopted mini enterprise programs that require students to design products or services manage budgets market to real customers and reinvest profits.
These initiatives foster teamwork financial literacy and creative problem solving while generating small revenues that support school projects or charities.
Below are 5 standout institutions where student led ventures move beyond classroom theory into genuine marketplace operations setting graduates on a path to business success.
1. Loyola Jesuit College, Abuja
Each term, students form teams that research market needs, write detailed business plans and launch ventures such as handcrafted soap labels or small event-planning services.
They procure supplies, manage production, establish brand identities and sell through pop-up campus stalls as well as online channels. Faculty advisors lead sessions on cost calculation, bookkeeping and customer relations.
Profits fund outreach initiatives, reinforcing both civic responsibility and business know-how.
2. Greensprings School, Lagos
Under the Young Entrepreneurs Programme, students operate cooperatives focused on projects ranging from organic produce farming to custom T-shirt design.
A campus makerspace equipped with 3D printers and sewing machines enables rapid prototyping. Participants validate demand at public fairs and via social-media campaigns.
Professional workshops cover trademark registration, supply-chain logistics and online marketing strategies. A capstone pitch event invites business leaders who award grants and incubation opportunities.
3. Dowen College, Lagos
The BizTech Club integrates enterprise roles into the timetable by assigning students to positions such as chief executive, finance director or marketing lead.
Past ventures have included coding tutorials for primary-school pupils and a healthy-snack café on campus. Live performance dashboards display revenue, costs and customer feedback in real time, teaching data-driven decision making.
Field trips to tech hubs and talks by startup founders connect these student enterprises to Nigeria’s wider innovation ecosystem.
4. American International School, Abuja
In the Enterprise Challenge, cross-grade teams design scalable services, such as virtual peer-tutoring networks, sustainable cleaning cooperatives or mobile-device repair units, over a full academic term.
Senior students mentor juniors, and all participants submit funding proposals to an alumni investment panel. Successful teams receive revolving seed capital, dedicated workspace and official after-school-club status, ensuring continuity.
The programme builds leadership skills and establishes ventures that operate year after year.
5. British International School, Lagos
The Young Innovators Hub supports ventures spanning eco-friendly fashion (upcycling local textiles) to sensor-based waste-collection solutions.
Students attend weekend intensives on e-commerce development, customer segmentation and rapid-iteration techniques.
Collaboration with local SMEs provides real-world client briefs, enabling learners to deliver commissioned work and build professional portfolios.
Annual showcases connect student teams with investors, grant programmes and accelerator partners, accelerating the transition from a student side project to a full-fledged startup.
Embedding genuine enterprise activities in these curricula gives students experience testing ideas managing operations and learning from outcomes in a guided setting.
The initiative cultivates resilience creativity and fiscal discipline essential for success in Nigeria’s entrepreneurial landscape.
News
Alleged $1m scam: Supreme Court overturns Fred Ajudua’s bail

The Supreme Court has overturned a decision of the Court of Appeal which granted bail to Lagos businessman and former socialite, Fred Ajudua, who is standing trial for allegedly defrauding a German company of $1 million over three decades ago.
In a unanimous ruling on Friday, the apex court held that the Appeal Court erred in granting bail and ordered Ajudua’s return to correctional custody.
The court also directed trial judge, Justice Mojisola Dada, of the Lagos State High Court, to resume hearing of the criminal case.
Ajudua was initially charged before Justice Josephine Oyefeso of the Lagos High Court, but the case was later re-filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and reassigned to Justice Dada.
At his re-arraignment on July 6, 2018, Justice Dada denied Ajudua’s bail application on health grounds, noting that the case had suffered repeated delays for over 13 years.
“This case is one of the oldest in Lagos State. Bail is refused and the defendant is to be remanded in prison custody,” she ruled.
Following the ruling, Ajudua’s counsel, Olalekan Ojo, SAN, approached the Court of Appeal in Lagos, where Justice Mohammed Garba overturned Justice Dada’s decision, holding that bail was a constitutional right. The court also allowed Ajudua to remain free under his previous bail conditions.
Dissatisfied with this decision, the EFCC approached the Supreme Court.
News
TInubu admits taking tough decisions to enable Nigeria grow

President Bola Tinubu on Friday defended his administration’s economic reforms, saying he took some decisions to sustain healthy growth for Nigeria.
He stated this at the State House in Abuja while receiving a special envoy from the Amir of the State of Qatar, Dr Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi.
Tinubu noted that ongoing reforms to streamline Nigeria’s tax system have made it easier for foreign investors to do business in the country.
“We are making efforts to reform our tax system. Going by the experiences of the past and the need to depart from old ways, our reforms have been hard.
“I made tough decisions so that we could grow. We are gradually seeing the light at the end of the tunnel,” the President was quoted as saying in a statement by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga.
“You can’t find a better partner than Nigeria. I always follow the global issues and your efforts. You have to do more in Nigeria to help fight poverty in the humanitarian area.
“You have done well in developing a knowledge-based economy in Qatar, but what about Nigeria?”
The President said Nigeria’s partnership with Qatar could be improved by looking into food sovereignty and economic prosperity.
Tinubu indicated Nigeria’s readiness to build on the momentum generated by his state visit to Qatar in 2024, pledging to implement all bilateral agreements between the two countries.
He directed the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu; the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris; and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, to work together to ensure the timely execution of the agreements.
“To all the members of the delegation, I want to say a big thank you for coming to Nigeria. We are grateful to God for what we have experienced as partners in progress. I am also glad that the Amir of Qatar greatly remembers the issues discussed during my visit last year.
“Let me commend the brotherly relations between Qatar and Nigeria. The ambassador knows that I take Qatar very seriously. We are willing to go further in our bilateral relations,” he said.
According to Tinubu, the Qatari government has demonstrated maturity and foresight in working for global peace and deserves commendation.
“I am proud of your efforts to bring peace and stability to the world. I see your efforts in human development, peace, and prosperity. Like you, we are sandwiched between the challenge of terrorism and helping our neighbours. We are conscious of who our friends are and those helping us to ameliorate the problems,” he said.
Dr Al-Khulaifi, Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, conveyed Amir’s strong interest in expanding bilateral cooperation, announcing that a high-level Qatari business delegation would visit Nigeria in the coming weeks to explore opportunities in agriculture, food security, and other critical sectors.
He also conveyed the Amir’s desire to strengthen the strategic partnership with Nigeria, particularly in peace-building, agriculture, and petrochemicals. He expressed pride in the current level of relations and looked forward to expanding both government-to-government and people-to-people ties.
“We are proud of the level of relations we have reached with Nigeria. I am very impressed with our partnership with the country, which is not just government-to-government but also people-to-people.
“Our ambassador has been following up with the projects. We have much to do together in agriculture, food, and petrochemicals. We have some companies telling us that we should create a way for them to come into Nigeria,” he was quoted as saying.
Al-Khulaifi, whose responsibilities include mediating peace in Africa and the Middle East, added, “The message I have from His Highness, Amir of Qatar, is that he wants Nigeria to be a strategic partner in Africa,” he added.
-
News16 hours ago
Just in: Popular Yoruba traditional ruler joins his ancestors
-
News20 hours ago
Experts say helicopter firm may face criminal charges over Herbert Wigwe’s death
-
News16 hours ago
Just in: Nigeria is still owing us N190bn- IMF insists
-
News15 hours ago
Just In: JAMB releases 2025 UTME results, withholds 39,834 over misconduct
-
Politics19 hours ago
Awolowo’s grand-daughter resigns as LP executive committee member
-
News20 hours ago
S’Court judgment forces US military to remove 1,000 transgender
-
News19 hours ago
Benue on fire as gunmen kill APC leader, District Head on their farms
-
News20 hours ago
Count me out of ENDSARS killings in Lagos’, – Nnamdi Kanu