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UNILAG Honours Bayelsa Gov, Diri

Published

3 weeks ago

September 5, 2025

The University of Lagos has completed a book project on the leadership qualities and governance style of Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri.

The Managing Director of the UNILAG Consult, Prof John Oyefara, who disclosed this on Thursday during a courtesy visit to Government House, Yenagoa, said the institution has also proposed a public lecture as well as endowing a Professorial Chair in the Department of Political Science in his honour.

UNILAG Consult was established in 1983 and incorporated under the Companies and Allied Matters Act in 2013. It serves as the consultancy arm of the institution, providing research-driven, cross-sectoral technical services via access to the university’s academic expertise and facilities.

Diri’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Daniel Alabrah, in a statement on Friday, quoted Oyefara as saying that the university had a track record of assessing the performance of various leaders in Nigeria and that the book titled “Leadership Chronicles of Governor Douye Diri” focuses on his exemplary leadership and achievements.

He said, “At the University of Lagos, we have a tradition of assessing leaders in Nigeria. We use our own templates and standards that are global to measure the leadership in Nigeria.

“We identified Your Excellency to be a leading star in Nigeria, based on leadership and governance. We decided to put together all your achievements. The purpose of our visit was to inform you about our project in three thematic areas. One, is on the publication of the book we have been able to put together about His Excellency’s achievements in the state.

“We also propose a public lecture where renowned leaders in Africa will deliver a lecture on leadership and governance to exemplify the achievements of the governor. The third one is for the Department of Political Science in the University of Lagos to see the possibility of endowing a professorial chair in the name of His Excellency.”

The Lead Editor of the project, Prof Hope Eghagha, also stated that the idea was an independent assessment of the governor’s performance in office, either in infrastructure or human capacity development, through interviews that were conducted.

Responding, Diri said he was pleasantly surprised by the gesture of the institution. He welcomed the idea of documenting his achievements, saying he had been nursing the idea of establishing a leadership institute to groom those with an interest in politics and political offices.

The governor said, “It is really interesting when people, without your prompting, decide to do a thing for the purpose of posterity. A lot of the time, we do not document these events and activities, as we look at them as not too important. But they are.

“I have toyed with the idea that if I had the resources, could I establish a leadership institution in Bayelsa State so that before anyone thinks of becoming a councillor, council chairman, commissioner, special adviser or even governor, he knows what he is coming to do in office?

“If you are not prepared for it, then we are bound to fail as a country and as a state. So, I have been pleasantly surprised by the University of Lagos, and I think it is a good thing. Let me also state that the success in Bayelsa is not all about me. It is actually about our team. We have a dedicated team of commissioners, special advisers, technical advisers, and everybody contributing their quota to the whole.

“That is why if anyone says we have done well in infrastructure, it is because down the ladder, those who have been vested with that authority have implemented our policies, projects and programmes to the best of what we expected to be.”

Diri approved the proposals from the delegation and thanked them for recognising him in the midst of others.

Serving as Bayelsa State’s helmsman since his Supreme Court-affirmed inauguration in February 2020, Diri has become noted for his inclusive leadership and development-oriented governance.

Against this backdrop, UNILAG’s decision to document Diri’s leadership style and legacy through a dedicated book, alongside a public lecture series and a named professorial chair, marks a rare scholarly honour reflecting both institutional respect for governance excellence and encouragement of lasting academic inquiry.

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JUST IN: Dangote Refinery Reacts To Alleged Mass Sack Of Workforce

Published

11 minutes ago

September 26, 2025

Editor

The management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals has embarked on a sweeping reorganisation of its operations and workforce.

The refinery said the decision was taken in response to repeated sabotage by staff members that threatened the operational safety of the 650,000 barrels per day facility.

In a letter dated September 24, 2025, and signed by the Chief General Manager, Human Asset Management, Femi Adekunle, the refinery said it was “constrained to carry out a total reorganisation of the plant” following “many recent cases of reported sabotage in different units of the Petroleum Refinery leading to major safety concerns.”

Affected staff were directed to hand over all company property to their line managers and await clearance before receiving their entitlements, which the Finance Department would compute in line with their conditions of service.

However, a senior official of Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals dismissed reports that the company sacked workers en masse, insisting that the recent development was a reorganisation exercise aimed at curbing sabotage within the plant.

Speaking to The PUNCH on Friday, the official, who confirmed the authenticity of the disengagement letter, stressed that its interpretation had been largely misrepresented.

“Yes, the letter is correct. But the interpretation is wrong. The interpretation is that it affects some people because of certain things discovered in the refinery. It has nothing to do with unionism or anything like that,” the official said.

According to him, the move was designed to plug leakages and protect the company’s assets following repeated acts of sabotage.

“It doesn’t mean they have been sacked. That is incorrect. What was done was to put a check in place. It is more like a clean-up in the system to check where those sabotage and leakages are coming from and then address them. As soon as the issues are addressed, they will be reabsorbed. That is why it is not a sack and that word wasn’t used,” he explained.

He added that the exercise was carried out suddenly to prevent those involved in the alleged sabotage from concealing their actions.

“Some acts of sabotage have been noticed repeatedly and the company is only trying to safeguard its assets. Also, you cannot do things like this and give two weeks’ notice; otherwise, those in the act would cover up and complicate issues,” he said.

The official further clarified that refinery operations were ongoing and that both Nigerians and expatriates were still actively working at the plant.

“As we speak, people are still working at the refinery. The people affected know themselves, and those who did not get the letter are not affected. Anyone who doesn’t have a hand in sabotage has nothing to worry about,” he stressed.

When contacted, Dangote spokesperson, Anthony Chiejina, did not respond to messages sent to him by our correspondent

A copy of the disengagement letter, obtained by our correspondent on Friday, was addressed to all staff of Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals FZE and Dangote Industries Free Zone Development Company.

It read, “In view of the many recent cases of reported sabotage in different units of the Petroleum Refinery leading to major safety concerns, the Management is constrained to carry out a total re-organisation of the plant.

“As a consequence of this development, we wish to inform you that your services are no longer required, with effect from the eve of Thursday, the 25th September, 2025.

“Please surrender all the Company’s properties in your possession to your line manager and obtain an exit clearance accordingly, but the date for doing so will be communicated to you later.

“The Finance Department, by a copy of this letter, is advised to compute all your benefits and entitlements in line with your terms of employment and conditions of service and pay the amount due to you (less all indebtedness), subject to the condition that you have obtained the exit clearance certificate as mentioned above.

“We seize this opportunity to thank you for your services while you were in our employment.”

The refinery, which commenced production in 2024 amid fanfare and expectations of ending Nigeria’s decades-long reliance on imported petroleum products, is already battling operational turbulence and industrial disputes.

Recently, the refinery was enmeshed in a bitter row with the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers over labour practices and safety standards.

The oil workers’ union had accused the company of “high-handedness” and warned against what it described as an emerging pattern of unfair labour practices.

The plant also faced friction with the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria over product pricing and distribution arrangements, with marketers alleging that Dangote imposed rigid conditions that could distort the downstream market.

News

BREAKING: Ladoja Crowned 44th Olubadan, Set To Receive Staff Of Office

Published

33 minutes ago

September 26, 2025

Editor

A former Governor of Oyo State, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, has officially been crowned the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland.

He was crowned at the Ose Meji Temple in Ibadan South-East Local Government Area of the state.

Ladoja, who had earlier received the traditional Akoko leaf at the Labosinde Compound, Oja’ba, Ibadan, is expected to be formally presented with the staff and instrument of office by Governor Seyi Makinde at the historic Mapo Hall.

The PUNCH reports that Governor Makinde cut short his annual leave on Thursday to personally attend Oba Ladoja’s coronation.

It will be recalled that Ladoja became Olubadan-designate following the passing of the 43rd Olubadan, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, who joined his ancestors on Monday, July 7, 2025.

Details later…

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BREAKING: Akoko Leaves Placed On Ladoja Ahead Of Crowning As 44th Olubadan

Published

56 minutes ago

September 26, 2025

Editor

The Afobaje of Ibadanland, Chief Waheed Popoola of the Labosinde Compound, Oja’ba, in the Ibadan South East Local Government Area of Oyo State has placed the Akoko leaves on the head of the former Governor of the state, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, with a loud ovation from the mammoth growth in attendance.

The process is in preparation for his moving to the Ose Meji House where he would be crowded as the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland, shortly after leaving Labosinde Compound.

Ladoja becomes Olubadan designate following the passing of the 43rd Olubadan, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, who joined his ancestors, on Monday, July 7, 2025.

In attendance were the High Chief of Ibadanland; Aare Latoosa, Chief Onikepo Akande and others.

Details later…