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Adeleke Commends First Lady’s Passion For Public Service
Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke has commended Senator Oluremi Tinubu’s years of dedicated public service.
He made the commendation while hosting her to a rousing welcome for the launching of Alternative High Schools for Girls in Osun State, on Tuesday.
Addressing the dignitaries at the turning of sod at Oke Dio, Ayepe, Osogbo, Governor Adeleke affirmed his happiness hosting “a woman of virtue, an Amazon who is a political pillar of our dear President, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“Your antecedents and your passion for public service are known to some of us. We have worked with you at close quarters and I can confirm that you are one of the best of sisterhood in the country.
“As your colleague in the Senate in those days, I can affirm your deep love for Nigeria, your commitment to national human development and your particular interest in the welfare of under-privileged Nigerians. I am therefore not surprised when you assumed office and you unveiled several initiatives in support of girl children and the poor.
“In your passion for the growth of the nation, you are also known for focusing on fairness and justice. For us in Osun State, we are here today because we are a beneficiary of your sense of justice. During the raffle for the citing of this school you picked Osun, you did not shift the goal post. We commend you for granting Osun this rare opportunity of hosting this very important school.”
While assuring the First Lady that his administration will follow up and provide needed support to ensure a robust operation upon completion of the school, Senator Adeleke assured that his administration is also committed to supporting girl child education.
“We have introduced a series of programmes which strengthen the capacity of families to provide basic needs. Hence, we emphasize workers’ welfare as a critical first line item in our five-point agenda.
“We also focus on stopping the crisis of sexual violence against women. To that end, Osun is the first state to implement the resolution of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum on Action Against sexual violence. We have met the Ministry of Women Affairs and resolved to set up mobile courts to try domestic sexual violence matters. Additionally, we are compiling a list of unfairly jailed girls and women to get them released. This is in addition to an agenda of empowering the womenfolk through the Cooperative lawn scheme.
“Osun State is undergoing total transformation with women at the heart of our agenda. We assure you of our support for the Renewed Hope Agenda, especially our deep partnership to ensure the success of federal policies for a better Nigeria. We appreciate current policies of the Federal Government, and we are daily interfacing with federal agencies for successful outcomes”, the state Governor posited.
The First Lady of Nigeria in her address commended the warm reception accorded her by government and people of Osun state even as she narrated her decade long passion for special schools for young girls, restating her commitment to ensure full implementation of the project across the country.
The First Lady who was full of praise for the First Lady of Osun State, Mrs Titilola Adeleke said the Alternative High Schools for Girls was her response to the yawning gap in girls’ education, decrying the high number of out of school children in the country.
Senator Tinubu who earlier met traditional rulers led by Ooni of Ife, HRM, Enitan Ogunwusi, said Osun is selected for the girls’ school and adopted with full expectation that the state government will expand the model and deepen girl child education in the state.
The Executive Secretary of Universal Basic Education, Dr Ahmed Bobboi in his speech hailed the contributions of the Adeleke administration to the growth and development of universal basic education in the state.
According to him, the administration’s records enhances the confidence of UBEC and the Office of the First Lady that the new school will realise its targets and even surpass it.
The First Lady was accompanied by eleven states’ first ladies, the wife of the Vice President, the wife of the Senate President, the wife of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Wife of the Chief of Staff to Mr President and other top women leaders from across the country.
The United Nations has raised the alarm over a dramatic surge in attacks on schools worldwide, reporting a 166% increase between 2021 and 2024.
The rise highlights the escalating dangers faced by children in conflict zones.
United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif, revealed the figures during the annual meeting of the UN Human Rights Council on the rights of the child on Monday.
The session, themed “Mainstreaming the Rights of Children in Armed Conflict: Prevention and Protection,” focused on protecting children amid global conflicts.
Al-Nashif noted that the attacks were particularly concentrated in Sudan, Ukraine, the Gaza Strip, Myanmar, and Ethiopia, where children remain among the most vulnerable victims.
“In 2024, armed conflict directly affected nearly one in six children globally—about 470 million children,” she said. “Years of lost education, trauma, and lasting mental scars shape societies for generations. Long after the fighting subsides, children continue to face deadly risks.”
She highlighted Gaza as having the world’s highest number of child amputees per capita, warning that the impact of war goes far beyond immediate violence.
In Lebanon, government figures show that more than 450,000 people were displaced in less than a week, with at least 394 fatalities, including 83 children, during the 2024 conflict with Israel.
Al-Nashif also stressed the disproportionate risks for displaced children, who are more likely to die from disease linked to unsafe water and sanitation than from direct violence.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a 2025 cholera outbreak killed 340 children, underscoring the long-term consequences of conflict.
She called on states to uphold their international obligations to protect children, insisting that protecting children is “both a legal obligation and a humanitarian moral imperative.”
Also speaking at the council, Vanessa Frazier, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, warned that violence against children continued at extreme levels in 2025.
She urged mainstreaming child protection across peace, security, humanitarian, human rights, and development efforts, emphasizing that children should actively participate in shaping policies designed to safeguard them.
Frazier highlighted her office’s global campaign, “Prove It Matters,” aimed at amplifying children’s voices in conflict resolution and peacebuilding.
The UN report underscores the urgent need for coordinated international action to protect children and ensure their safety in conflict zones worldwide.
Portugal officially inaugurated its new president, Antonio Jose Seguro, on Monday, pledging to bring stability to a nation shaken by political uncertainty and natural disasters.
Seguro, the centre-left candidate, won last month’s presidential run-off against far-right rival Andre Ventura, following weeks of catastrophic storms that killed at least seven people and caused approximately €4 billion ($4.6 billion) in damage.
Speaking at his swearing-in ceremony in Lisbon’s parliament, Seguro emphasized cooperation with the minority right-wing government and vowed to end the country’s “electoral frenzy.”
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“I will do everything I can to put an end to this electoral frenzy,” he said, pointing to the inability of previous governments to complete their terms.
Amid global crises, including conflicts in the Middle East and a more isolationist US approach under President Donald Trump, Seguro stressed the importance of multilateralism.
“The force of law has been replaced by the power of the strongest,” he remarked.
Seguro succeeds Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, a conservative who leaves office at 77 after serving two five-year terms.
While the Portuguese presidency is largely ceremonial, Seguro’s leadership signals a commitment to political stability and international engagement.
Nigerians are facing yet another economic blow as petrol prices surge again. The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has raised the gantry price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to N1,175 per litre, marking the third increase in just one week.
The latest adjustment, announced to marketers on Monday, follows a temporary suspension of petrol sales at the refinery on Sunday. Diesel, also known as Automotive Gas Oil, has also been revised upwards to N1,620 per litre.
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A senior refinery official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the hike, noting that it reflects “prevailing market fundamentals and the cost environment we are currently operating in.”
Industry checks show that depot pricing systems have already updated the new rates, signaling an inevitable rise at retail stations.
In some cities, petrol is now being sold at over N1,200 per litre, adding pressure on Nigerian motorists and businesses alike.
This repeated surge comes after earlier increases that pushed gantry prices from N774 to N995 per litre earlier this week.
Experts warn that the hikes are likely to drive up transportation, logistics, and production costs, potentially impacting the prices of goods and services nationwide.
While the Federal Government, through the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), is working to secure crude supplies for the refinery via international traders, officials cautioned that this may not immediately reduce prices for consumers.
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