BANKING AND TELECOMS ICON PASCAL DOZIE DIES AT 85
Nigeria has lost one of its most respected business titans, Pascal Dozie, a pioneer in banking and telecommunications, who passed away at the age of 85. A statement released by his family on Tuesday April 8th confirmed that the elder statesman died on Monday after battling age-related health challenges.
Born on April 9, 1939, in Egbu, Owerri, Imo State, Dozie’s journey from modest beginnings to the apex of Nigeria’s corporate establishment was marked by determination, innovation, and integrity. He studied economics at the prestigious London School of Economics before obtaining a Master’s degree in Administrative Science from City University, London.
His early career spanned roles at the National Economic Development Office in the UK and in consulting firms, before he returned to Nigeria in the 1970s to establish the African Development Consulting Group (ADCG), which served both private and public sector clients.
Dozie’s defining legacy came in 1990 with the founding of Diamond Bank. With a modest startup capital of just N10 million, the bank blossomed under his stewardship into one of Nigeria’s top-tier financial institutions, known for innovation and customer service excellence. He served as CEO and Chairman until 2006, passing the torch to his son, Uzoma Dozie. Diamond Bank would eventually merge with Access Bank in 2019, forming one of the largest banking institutions in Africa.
Beyond banking, Dozie also left an indelible imprint in telecommunications. As a founding investor and first Chairman of MTN Nigeria, he played a vital role in the company’s establishment and early growth, helping shape what would become Nigeria’s largest telecom operator and a regional giant.
He also served on key national and private sector platforms including the Nigerian Economic Summit Group and the Lagos Business School Advisory Board, earning a reputation not only as a savvy businessman but also as a thoughtful mentor and advocate for ethical corporate governance.
Tributes poured in following news of his passing. Prominent businessman Tony Elumelu described him as “a pillar of Nigerian industry,” adding that “his legacy will endure for generations.”
FIRST LADY REMI TINUBU DONATES N1 BILLION TO CERVICAL CANCER FUND
First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has called on women across the country to seek medical attention without shame or fear, especially when facing serious illnesses such as cervical cancer. Her remarks came as she hosted the National Taskforce on Cervical Cancer Elimination, led by the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, at the State House.
In a statement by her media aide, Busola Kukoyi, the First Lady emphasized the importance of early detection and access to treatment, asserting, “No one chooses an ailment for themselves, so there is no need to be ashamed to seek help.”
In a major show of support, she announced a donation of One Billion Naira from her Renewed Hope Initiative to the National Cancer Fund, reinforcing her commitment to improving women’s health in Nigeria. “A healthy nation is a wealthy nation,” she stated, emphasizing that true national wealth depends on the well-being of the population, not just economic indicators.
The event coincided with the 2025 World Health Day celebration themed “Healthy Beginnings; Hopeful Future.” The First Lady commended the Taskforce’s strategy to test, screen, vaccinate, and treat cervical cancer, and promised to champion their work across Nigeria.
Dr. Salako highlighted that the introduction of the HPV vaccine into Nigeria’s routine immunisation programme, endorsed by the First Lady, enabled the vaccination of 12 million girls aged 9 to 13 in just nine months. He said the Ministry hopes to immunise 6 million more girls this year.
Also speaking, the Taskforce Chairman and former Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, praised Senator Tinubu’s political will and called for her continued involvement in the national campaign to eliminate cervical cancer by 2030. The plan involves a targeted “8-by-8” strategy—vaccinating 8 million girls each year over the next few years.
WHO Country Representative Dr. Walter Mulombo echoed the call for sustained leadership from the First Lady, saying, “Every woman and every child has a right to live.”
PDP MINORITY LEADER REMOVED AS SHAKEUP ROCKS EDO ASSEMBLY
Tensions within the Edo State House of Assembly escalated Tuesday following a dramatic shake-up in leadership that saw Minority Leader Hon. Natasha Osawaru Irobosa and Majority Leader Hon. Charity Aiguobarueghian removed from their positions.
The Assembly Speaker, Hon. Blessing Agbebaku, announced the leadership changes during plenary. Despite both removed legislators belonging to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Agbebaku and Deputy Speaker Maria Edeko—also of the PDP—retained their positions, at least for now. Agbebaku acknowledged that further changes could still occur and stated that PDP leaders in the state would be submitting a new list of nominees for principal officer roles.
In their place, three members of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) were named to top positions: Hon. Ibhamawu Jonathan Aigbokhan (Esan West) as Majority Leader, Hon. Addeh Emakhu Isibor (Esan North-East I) as Deputy Leader, and Hon. Lecky Hussein Mustapha (Etsako West I) as Chief Whip.
The shake-up is fueling speculation about internal conflicts and political realignments in the lead-up to the next electoral cycle in Edo State.
JUDGE EZENWAFOR EMERGES AS PDP GOVERNORSHIP CANDIDATE IN ANAMBRA
Abuja-based real estate mogul Chief Jude Ezenwafor has secured the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ticket for the November 8, 2025, Anambra State governorship election. Ezenwafor, the only aspirant to purchase and submit nomination forms, was elected unopposed in a primary held at the Prof. Dora Akunyili Women Development Centre in Awka.
Col. Chijioke Onwubuya (rtd), who chaired the PDP national committee overseeing the primary, declared Ezenwafor the winner after all 853 accredited delegates cast ballots of affirmation across the state’s 21 local government areas.
His emergence brings the number of confirmed gubernatorial candidates for the race to five. The ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) reaffirmed incumbent Governor Prof. Chukwuma Soludo as its flagbearer. The All Progressives Congress (APC) nominated Prince Nicolas Ukachukwu, while the Labour Party (LP) selected former NIWA managing director Chief George Muoghalu. The African Action Congress (AAC) nominated Miss Chioma Ifemeludike, the only female candidate in the contest so far.
Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were observed at each party’s primary, monitoring proceedings ahead of the highly anticipated governorship election.
SENATE DEFENDS RIVERS EMERGENCY RULE
The Nigerian Senate has defended its approval of the emergency rule declared by President Bola Tinubu in Rivers State, insisting due process was followed and dismissing claims that the National Assembly has become a rubber stamp for the executive.
Speaking in Ilawe Ekiti, Senate spokesperson Yemi Adaramodu explained that the declaration was debated in a closed session as required for national security issues. He cited Section 305 of the Constitution and relevant Senate orders, saying the law gives the National Assembly 48 hours to consider such declarations.
Adaramodu revealed the Senate added oversight measures beyond what the president proposed, including continuous legislative supervision of the sole administrator and the creation of a peace committee. He noted the emergency rule can be lifted before six months if normalcy returns.
Addressing public criticism, Adaramodu pushed back on the idea of a subservient legislature. “We are not in the Senate to fight the executive,” he said. “We make laws, they execute, the judiciary interprets. That’s the balance of power.”
He also referenced the tax reform bill as an example of the Assembly’s independence, noting that public concerns were addressed through proper legislative processes.
Adaramodu urged Nigerians to stop misinterpreting constitutional processes and to see the legislature as a partner in governance, not a rubber stamp.
NNPC UNIONS WARN NEW GCEO OJULARI AGAINST OUTSIDER APPOINTMENTS
Barely a week after the appointment of Bayo Ojulari as the new Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), tensions are already simmering within the ranks of the corporation. The two major unions representing NNPC workers — the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) — have issued a stern warning to the new leadership: do not bring in outsiders to fill top management positions.
In a joint letter addressed to the NNPC Chief Human Resource Officer and acknowledged by the corporation, the union executives made it unequivocally clear that any attempt to appoint external candidates to roles such as executive vice presidents, deputy managers, and managers would be met with “strong resistance,” including the threat of a total shutdown of operations. The letter, titled ‘Filling of Top Management Positions in NNPC Limited With Externally Recruited Personnel is Unacceptable to PENGASSAN & NUPENG GEC’, emphasized internal career advancement and respect for institutional loyalty.
The correspondence, signed by top union figures from both PENGASSAN and NUPENG, acknowledged and congratulated Ojulari and the newly reconstituted board, but wasted no time setting boundaries. “NNPC Limited is home to thousands of experienced, competent, and dedicated Nigerian professionals,” the letter read. “These individuals… are eager to take on higher responsibilities. Denying them career advancement opportunities… is grossly unjust and wasteful.”
Union leaders expressed concern over what they described as a “recurring trend” of bringing in external appointees whenever a new GCEO takes over. The letter warned that such moves would erode staff morale, undermine internal stability, and potentially sabotage the company’s push toward profitability and efficiency.
The unions categorically rejected any external appointment into the SS5 to M2 cadre, declaring that such actions could fracture the already fragile labor harmony within the national oil company. “This letter serves to put the management and the Board of NNPC Limited on notice… Any attempt to do so will be met with strong resistance, including a total shutdown of operations,” the letter concluded.
With Ojulari barely settling into his role after the sudden exit of Mele Kyari and his executive team, the response to this early challenge could set the tone for his leadership and NNPC’s future trajectory.
GOVERNMENT SHUTS DOWN ILLEGAL FOREIGN-RUN MINING SITE IN NASARAWA
In a bold move against Nigeria’s festering illegal mining crisis, the newly instituted Mining Marshals have dismantled a fortified illegal mining site in Rafin Gabas, Kokona Local Government Area of Nasarawa State. The high-stakes raid marks one of the first major breakthroughs in the federal government’s aggressive drive to sanitize the mining sector.
According to official reports, the site had long operated under a veil of impunity, shielded by what authorities described as “compromised security personnel.” But after weeks of strategic planning, the Mining Marshals stormed the location, arresting three foreign nationals found at the center of the illicit activity. Several other suspects, some of them allegedly aided by rogue security officers, escaped during the operation.
Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, hailed the success as a landmark achievement. “This is a crucial milestone in our tireless efforts to sanitize the mining sector,” he said in a statement. “We are committed to cracking down on illegal operations and ensuring that those responsible are held accountable.”
Commander of the Mining Marshals, ACC John Attah Onoja, confirmed that the site has been sealed and declared under federal investigation. He disclosed that a manhunt is underway for those who escaped and that the identities of compromised security agents are being verified. Onoja also noted that the mining company involved — whose name remains withheld due to ongoing investigations — already faces criminal charges in the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Sources within the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development revealed that the crackdown is part of a larger government initiative to equip the Marshals with modern tools, including satellite-based monitoring systems and advanced security hardware, to identify and eliminate illegal mining across Nigeria.
This development underscores the federal government’s resolve to reclaim control over Nigeria’s mining industry, which has long been plagued by illicit activity, loss of revenue, and environmental degradation. With more raids anticipated in the coming months, the message from Abuja is clear: illegal miners — whether foreign or domestic — will no longer find safe havens within the country’s mineral-rich territories.
