Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adelele is lamenting the sad loss and untimely exit of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoheed Lagbaja, describing his transition “a huge misfortune”.

Gov Adeleke’s lamentations were contained in a statement on Wednesday, which he personally signed.

In his words, “A huge misfortune has befallen the people of Osun State, the Nigerian Army and the great Lagbaja family of Ilobu. We lost a rare breed, a gentleman and a true patriot to the cold hand of death.

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“Our late brother had a big vision of operational reforms for the Nigerian Army. He launched out and commenced the implementation of root and branch reform of the Nigerian Army. Within his short stint in office, he enforced professionalism and battled terrorists and bandits with terrifying fierceness.

“Our late brother was a very hardworking officer, a true workaholic, a fierce soldier, a replica of the traditional army officer with an ambitious plan for modernization and integration of the Nigerian Army.

“In my last encounter with him, he exuded hope and aspirations of a better Nigeria with the military as a stabilizer and unifier of the federation. In late General Lagbaja, we had a great military leader with the poise, the confidence and the firmness to realize the vision of a new Nigerian Army.

“Unfortunately, the end came suddenly. We surrender to the will of the Almighty creator.

“I commiserate with the Commander-in-Chief, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the men and women of the Nigerian Armed Forces, my people of Ilobu and the great Lagbaja family.

“We mourn together on this sad occasion. On behalf of the people and government of Osun State, we extend commiseration to Mrs Mariya Lagbaja and the two children.”

In a significant move to address Nigeria’s pressing malnutrition issues, the World Bank has announced a $50 million fund under the Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRiN) Project 2.0.

The announcement was made by Ndiame Diop, the World Bank’s Country Director, in a meeting with Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

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ANRiN 2.0, which is part of the World Bank’s crisis response framework, aims to improve nutrition for vulnerable communities across Nigeria.

Diop emphasized the importance of ongoing government efforts, stating, “The bank has earmarked $50 million under ANRiN 2.0 as a crisis response to support Nigeria’s fight against malnutrition.”

Trina Haque, the World Bank’s Practice Manager for Health, Nutrition, and Population, highlighted the need for education on nutrition for children and adolescents, calling it critical to early childhood development.

She urged for expanded educational initiatives to tackle malnutrition at its core.

During the meeting, Vice President Shettima introduced Nigeria’s new “N-774 Initiative,” a program designed to bring nutrition interventions directly to each of the country’s 774 local government areas (LGAs).

Building on the foundation of the ANRiN project, the N-774 Initiative arrives at a crucial time as ANRiN nears its closeout phase.

Vice President Shettima said, “The administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is pioneering a paradigm shift in nutrition programs through locally-owned solutions. Malnutrition is a Nigerian problem that needs a Nigerian solution.”

He emphasized that the N-774 Initiative, integrating goals across education, agriculture, health, and social protection sectors, will create a cohesive and sustainable approach to combatting malnutrition.

The Vice President explained that the program is tailored to address the unique needs of each LGA, empowering communities to take ownership of nutrition initiatives and ensure their longevity.

He highlighted that leveraging political commitment, along with international partnerships, is key to reversing Nigeria’s negative nutrition trends.

“The Renewed Hope Administration is committed to swift, impactful results through this innovative approach to nutrition intervention,” Shettima said.

He expressed confidence that the collaboration between federal and local governments, with international support, would lead to significant improvements in community health outcomes across Nigeria.

In a surprising and historic political comeback, Donald Trump has won the US presidential election, according to projections announced by major US media outlets on Wednesday.

Trump defeated Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in a highly contested race, marking his return to the White House after a turbulent campaign season.

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Trump’s victory caps off a remarkable political resurgence following his previous term in office, which ended in 2021.

This comeback followed a lengthy campaign filled with controversy, resilience, and drama, including two assassination attempts and a criminal conviction.

Despite these challenges, Trump maintained a strong and committed base, ultimately securing enough electoral support to reclaim the presidency.

Both campaigns saw high voter turnout, with voters deeply divided over key issues.

More to follow………..