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Martins Calls on Leaders to Prioritise Effective Governance Over Politicking

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The Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Lagos, His Grace and Most Rev. Dr Alfred Adewale Martins, has urged leaders across Nigeria to prioritise effective governance over politicking.

One way of doing this, he pointed out at the commissioning of new Catechists from various catholic parishes in Lagos into the Lagos Archdiocesan Guild of Catechists (LAGC), is by focusing on delivering tangible results that improve the lives of the citizens.

The 2025 Catechist Day/Jubilee Year of Hope Celebration, held recently at the St. Dominic Catholic Church, Yaba, Lagos.

He observed that many politicians are preoccupied with political alignments and realignments along party lines, a trend he said has distracted them from addressing the pressing needs and welfare of Nigerians.

ALSO READ: PMI Endorses Dangote Refinery as a Global Benchmark for Project Excellence

According to him, “Politicians are aligning and realigning, decamping and recamping, and all of that. It’s really putting governance in a bad state in the whole scheme of things.

“Our appeal is that politicians should recognise that they were voted first of all to ensure that life is better for the people. You are voted to ensure that the economy and the social environment are good for the well-being of the people.

“Therefore, we should not tell them not to campaign,  but let them at least ensure that they do their primary duty of creating an enabling environment for the welfare of Nigerians.”

In his admonition to the new Catechists at the event themed, ‘Do Not Lose Heart; Awakening Pilgrims of Hope’, the Bishop charged them to lead people to the knowledge of God and the teachings of the church, so that people can, in turn, have faith in God and the teachings of the church.

“We must not forget to begin with thanksgiving to God, for the opportunity of hearing the Word of God, and also of receiving the body and blood of Jesus.

“It is important to remind ourselves of the need to say, thank you, Jesus, from time to time, and perhaps indeed, all the time, when opportunity arises. And so, especially as we gather around the catechists in our churches, celebrating their healing and giving our hand to God, we must say thank you to God in a special way.

“Thank you to God for calling them to this important vocation in our church, a vocation of teachers of the faith. Some have gone through a process of formation, and indeed of education. They have more knowledge than they had before they started.

“Today, they are graduating. Others have been in the task for quite a while, and they renew their pledge today. All of you, by the grace of God, have been called to lead other people, first of all, to knowledge of God, and to knowledge of the teachings of the church.

“You are called to lead people to knowledge of God and the teachings of the church, so that people can, in turn, have faith in God and the teachings of the church. You, catechists, give them knowledge. The Holy Spirit now takes control and inspires faith in those who have been taught.”

Photo Caption 

Some of the Newly Commissioned Catechists with His Grace, The Most Rev. Dr. Alfred Adewale Martins, The Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Lagos, at the Lagos Catechists Archdiocesan Guild of Catechists (LAGC) 2025 Catechists Day/Jubilee year of hope Celebrations, St Dominic Church Yaba on Sunday 12 October 2025. 

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Manipur Violence: Two Women Killed, Civilian Death Toll Hits 10 in Three Weeks

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Two women have been killed in a fresh attack in India’s northeastern state of Manipur, with the latest incident bringing the number of civilian deaths linked to ethnic violence in the state to 10 in the past three weeks.

The women were killed near their home in Tamenglong district, about 150 kilometres west of the state capital, Imphal.

Confirming the incident on Wednesday, police said the attack occurred on Tuesday afternoon and had triggered a shutdown in the area.

SEE MORE: N59m Withdrawn After Father’s Death as Ondo Commission Arrests Son, Mother

“There is an ongoing shutdown in Tamenglong because of the killing of two women… on Tuesday afternoon,” the district police superintendent, Lanmiyo Luikham, told AFP.

Luikham said the attack appeared to be linked to recent clashes between predominantly Christian Naga and Kuki communities.

“We are carrying out the investigation and necessary formalities, and focusing on maintaining calm in the region,” he said.
The latest killings occurred just days after eight people were killed in three separate incidents across Manipur.

The northeastern state has been plagued by ethnic violence since 2023, primarily involving the predominantly Hindu Meitei majority and mainly Christian Kuki minority.

The conflict has also increasingly drawn in the Naga community.

The violence has been fuelled by competing claims over land and political influence and has claimed more than 250 lives since it began.

Manipur also shares a porous border with war-torn Myanmar, adding to the security challenges facing authorities in the region.
Despite efforts by the Indian government to restore normalcy, fresh outbreaks of violence have continued in parts of the state.

Police said investigations into the latest attack are ongoing as authorities work to maintain calm in the affected area.

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Four Dead After Fatal Collision on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

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Four people have been killed following a fatal collision on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Ogun State.

The crash occurred at about 4 a.m. on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, around Straight Gate School, Ipara Remo, along the Ibadan-Lagos route.

The accident involved a blue Mitsubishi Canter with registration number FGE 753 XA and an ash-coloured HOWO truck with registration number T-695 KT.

ALSO READ: Chaos On Lagos-Ibadan Expressway As LASTMA Shuts Otedola Bridge

The spokesperson for the Ogun State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Chief Route Commander Afolabi Odunsi, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists on Wednesday.

Odunsi said eight people were involved in the crash, adding that four male adults died, one male adult sustained injuries, while three others escaped unhurt.

According to him, preliminary investigations showed that speeding and wrongful overtaking were responsible for the crash, while fatigue was also identified as a contributing factor.

He said the Mitsubishi driver, who was travelling at high speed, rammed into the moving HOWO truck while attempting to overtake.

“The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Ogun State Sector Command, confirmed a fatal road traffic crash that occurred at about 0400hrs on Wednesday, 16 September 2026, along the Ibadan–Lagos route at Straight Gate,” Odunsi said.

He added that the FRSC rescue team received the report at 4:33 a.m. and arrived at the scene at 4:39 a.m., recording a six-minute response time.

The injured victim was taken to Victory Hospital, Ogere, for medical attention, while the bodies of the deceased were deposited at the FOS Mortuary, Ipara.

The crashed vehicles were subsequently handed over to the Police Motor Traffic Division, Isara Division, for further investigation and necessary action.

Meanwhile, the Ogun State Sector Commander, Corps Commander Oludare Ogunjobi, urged motorists to avoid speeding, fatigue and unsafe overtaking, particularly during early-morning journeys.

He also advised drivers to get adequate rest before embarking on long-distance trips and to overtake only when it is safe and permissible.

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DPRP to Favour Small Investors in Event of IPO Oversubscription

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President and Chief Executive of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, has reaffirmed his commitment to making the ongoing Initial Public Offering (IPO) of Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals (DPRP) a truly “People’s IPO,” assuring retail and small investors that they will receive priority allocation should the offer become oversubscribed

Dangote said, the offer was deliberately structured to broaden ownership of one of Africa’s most strategic industrial assets and provide millions of Nigerians with an opportunity to participate directly in the refinery’s growth and future value creation. The IPO is designed to deepen financial inclusion and democratise wealth creation by opening ownership to a wider segment of society.

Dangote stated that one of the core objectives of the offer is to build one of the largest shareholder communities in Africa, with a target of attracting not less than 10 million investors from Nigeria and across the continent

Speaking on the public offer, Aliko Dangote said: “This is more than a capital-raising exercise. It is a historic opportunity to deepen financial inclusion, democratise wealth creation and enable ordinary Nigerians to become co-owners of a world-class industrial enterprise. From the beginning, our vision has been to create a genuine People’s IPO that allows millions of Nigerians to share directly in the success of this refinery.”

READ ALSO: Olaniwun Ajayi Weighs In on Dangote Refinery IPO

Dangote emphasised that while the Company welcomes participation from all categories of investors, allocation decisions in the event of oversubscription would be guided by the principle of broad-based ownership.

“If the offer is oversubscribed, retail and small investors will receive priority consideration. We are determined to ensure that ordinary Nigerians are not crowded out by large subscriptions. Our objective is not merely to raise capital, but to create millions of shareholders who can participate in the growth and prosperity of the Dangote Refinery. We want as many people as possible to own a stake in this national asset.”

According to Dangote, prioritising retail investors is consistent with his long-held belief that economic development should go hand in hand with widespread citizen participation and ownership.

“We believe prosperity should be shared by the many, not concentrated in the hands of a few. This refinery was built to transform Nigeria’s energy landscape, and we want millions of Nigerians to be part owners of that transformation.”

Dangote further noted that the IPO represents a significant step towards building an ownership economy in which civil servants, artisans, traders, professionals, cooperative societies, pension contributors, young entrepreneurs and Nigerians in the diaspora can participate directly in one of Africa’s most important industrial enterprises.

He added that the offer has been designed to be simple, transparent and technology-driven, with BVN-enabled subscription channels helping to remove traditional barriers that have historically limited participation in the capital market.

Expressing confidence in the success of the offer, Dangote said the IPO would not only deepen Nigeria’s capital market but also stand as a landmark example of inclusive wealth creation.

“Our ambition is clear. We want to build a shareholder base of at least 10 million investors and create one of the most widely owned companies in Africa. That is the essence of the People’s IPO. It reflects our conviction that every Nigerian should have the opportunity to participate in the value being created by this world-class refinery.”

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