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TETFund Boss Bags Icon Award, Lauds Nigeria’s Progress As Skilled Labour Hub

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The executive secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Arc. Sonny Echono, has declared that Nigeria is fast becoming a global hub for skilled labour.

 

Echono stated this at the sidelines of the annual Vanguard Newspaper Personality of the Year Awards, where he was honoured with the prestigious Education Icon Award for 2024.

 

In his remarks, he praised the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for initiating transformative policies that are reshaping Nigeria’s education sector.

 

He emphasised that despite persistent challenges, the country’s educational system continues to produce individuals capable of competing on a global stage.

 

“Despite the odds, our graduates are far from being pushovers. They are thriving across the globe. Many of our young people are now working remotely for multinational companies from within Nigeria.

 

“This reflects the increasing demand for Nigerian talent and positions the country as an emerging skilled labour hub.”

 

He linked this development to the demographic shift occurring globally. While many developed countries face stagnant or declining populations and an aging workforce, Nigeria benefits from a growing youthful population.

 

“There is now a rising global demand for youthful, skilled workers, and Nigeria is well-positioned to fill that gap. That is why investment in education is more crucial than ever.”

 

Echono acknowledged the support received from the federal government. “I commend the Tinubu administration for the bold steps taken to improve education. At TETFund, we are doing our part by investing heavily in infrastructure, research, and capacity development across the country’s tertiary institutions,” he noted.

 

He revealed that the Fund has so far supported over 40,000 scholars for postgraduate studies, both locally and internationally. In order to prevent a mismatch between the quality of education abroad and what is obtainable in Nigeria, TETFund has been investing significantly in upgrading facilities on local campuses.

 

“We are modernising our institutions to match global standards,” he explained. “Our aim is to bridge the infrastructure gap and ensure students and researchers in Nigeria have access to the same quality of equipment and facilities as their counterparts abroad.”

 

Echono further stated that TETFund is working diligently to ensure that all projects are completed promptly to avoid cost overruns due to inflation. He stressed that monitoring has been intensified to ensure transparency, accountability, and efficiency in project execution.

 

“The impact of TETFund is visible across tertiary institutions nationwide,” he added. “We are ensuring that all funded projects are delivered in good time and within budget. Monitoring mechanisms have been strengthened, and compliance is taken seriously.”

 

Responding to concerns about the increasing number of public tertiary institutions and whether the Fund may be overstretched, Echono explained that while the number of beneficiary institutions has grown, so too has the funding pool, largely due to increased education tax collections.

 

“Yes, more institutions are coming on board, but we have also seen a rise in the resources available to us,” he said. “Most importantly, we are managing these resources prudently and strategically, to maximize impact and ensure sustainability.”

 

Dedicating the Education Icon Award to President Tinubu, the Minister of Education, Dr. Yusuf Sununu, and the staff and management of TETFund, Echono said the honour would serve as a motivation for even greater commitment. “To whom much is given, much is expected. This award will inspire us to redouble our efforts in transforming the education sector.”

 

He also appealed to the leadership of beneficiary institutions to work closely with the Fund in the execution of legacy projects that would transform the face of tertiary education in Nigeria.

 

In its citation, the Newspaper described Echono as a transformative leader who has significantly advanced TETFund’s mandate since assuming office in 2022. According to the publication, Echono brought a new wave of efficiency and innovation to the organization, leveraging his vast experience in the civil service to drive meaningful change.

 

“Under his leadership, TETFund has achieved numerous milestones in the areas of physical infrastructure, research and development, academic staff training, and library development,” the citation read.

 

The newspaper noted that since his appointment, TETFund has funded over 5,500 physical infrastructure projects, supported the fabrication of 188 specialized equipment units, and facilitated the establishment of 576 faculty and departmental libraries in various institutions across the country.

 

Additionally, the organization has completed 13 Senate buildings and 19 modern libraries in public tertiary institutions. A total of 74 major projects have also been commissioned, with several inaugurated by high-ranking government officials, including the President.

 

Among the notable interventions is the provision of advanced laboratory equipment for Urology, Endourology, and Cancer Centres in six university teaching hospitals across the six geopolitical zones of the country—a move aimed at curbing medical tourism and reducing capital flight.

 

Echono’s administration has also made significant investments in research and development. In 2022, TETFund sponsored 270 research projects worth over N5.7 billion, and in 2023, another 185 projects received over N5.1 billion in funding. The organization has also expanded its Centres of Excellence from 24 to 27, promoting specialized research in priority areas.

 

Furthermore, academic staff development has remained a top priority. The Fund has sponsored 23,271 academic staff for PhD programmes, with 4,598 of them attending foreign universities. Another 15,977 academic staff members have benefitted from TETFund’s Master’s degree sponsorship scheme.

 

To further enhance institutional performance, TETFund has also developed and deployed the Tertiary Education Research, Applications, and Services (TERAS) Platform—a digital tool designed to streamline operations, promote data-driven decision-making, and improve transparency in fund allocation and usage.

 

Echono’s outstanding contributions to education have earned him accolades both at home and abroad. He is a recipient of numerous national and international honours, including Nigeria’s prestigious Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON).

 

The award, which adds to his growing list of recognitions, is a testament to the transformative impact of his leadership at TETFund. A formal award ceremony will be held at a later date, where Echono will be officially decorated with the Education Icon Award.

 

-Leadership

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Entertainment

Davido breaks silence after Grammy Award loss

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Five-time Grammy nominee, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has reacted after losing the Best African Music Performance category at the 68th Grammy Awards held in Los Angeles, United States.

 

The Afrobeats star shared a message of faith and resilience following the outcome of the ceremony, which took place on Sunday night at the Crypto.com Arena in California.

In a post on his Instagram page, Davido shared photos with his wife, Chioma, from the event and wrote, “Oluwa Dey my side,” alongside prayer and music emojis.
Hours later, he posted another set of pictures of himself and Chioma at the Grammys, reflecting on the loss in a longer caption.

“I said baby listen we lost again let’s not go ! she said ‘Be humble in victory and gracious in defeat’ we outside,” he wrote.
Chioma also reacted via her Instagram page, praising the singer, “You already know that you’re the perfect one, @davido,” she wrote, while sharing photos from the awards night.
Davido was nominated in the Best African Music Performance category at the 2026 Grammy Awards but lost to South African singer Tyla, who won with her song Push 2 Start.

Other nominees in the category included Burna Boy (Love), Ayra Starr and Wizkid (Gimme Dat), Davido (With You featuring Omah Lay), and Eddy Kenzo and Mehran Matin (Hope & Love).

The win marked Tyla’s second Grammy Award, following her first victory in 2024 for her hit single Water.

Speaking during the awards ceremony, the singer revealed that With You, featuring Omah Lay, almost did not make the final tracklist of his album 5IVE.
“Man, it’s so crazy because that song almost didn’t make the album. With You was not in anybody’s top five.
“And now look at it go. Every time I was performing it, my heart would just start beating like, what if I didn’t put this song?” he told OkayAfrica.

Davido also recounted how he learned about the Grammy nomination, saying the news came unexpectedly while he was in Dubai, days before his birthday.

“I was in the car, actually, checking a car, and then my phone rang. They were like, ‘Oh yeah, another nomination.’ I was like, wow. Thank God,” he said.

“With You” was released in April 2025 as the 17th track on Davido’s fifth studio album, 5IVE, and has since become one of his most successful recent records, surpassing 100 million streams on Spotify.

Despite the song’s success, Nigeria did not record a win at the 2026 Grammy Awards.
Davido said he is now focused on touring and releasing new music.

He is also billed to perform at Coachella 2026, where he will be the only Nigerian artiste on the festival lineup, performing on April 11 and April 18, 2026, in Indio, California.

-Guardian

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Kunle Afolayan gives reasons to marry many women

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Nollywood filmmaker, Kunle Afolayan, has stirred reactions after advising men to “marry many women” while reflecting on his upbringing in a polygamous home.

 

The actor and producer made the remarks at the watch party of Aníkúlápó: The Ghoul Awakens, with a clip from the event going viral on Tuesday.

Speaking at the event, Afolayan linked his existence and achievements to his late father’s decision to marry several wives.

“Without my father, there wouldn’t have been a KAP Village or even Kunle Afolayan. I am the seventh born of my father because my father had ten wives. For the men, marry many women, or rather be involved with many women. You know why? If my father didn’t, he would not have born me, and that is the honest truth. But today, a few of us are lifting his legacy. Life is short, death is constant. Nobody has life forever. Everybody has a period. Use your period,” he said.

While his daughter, Eyiyemi Afolayan, joined him on stage, the filmmaker compared his childhood experience with his relationship with his children.

“They are lucky. For her, staying by my side is luck. Do you know why? I couldn’t stand it with my father. My father didn’t know my school. My father didn’t know my date of birth. He did not know anything about me other than, ‘He is the son of that person.’ But today, I’m so proud of my father,” he added.

Afolayan also spoke about fatherhood.

“Sometimes when people say ‘Happy Father’s Day,’ I’m always saying whether he pays child support or not, he’s still a father. I have been going to court because I want to get a divorce. I don’t mind being in the witness box, and I experienced the shit, so that I can marry many wives,” he said.

He thereafter prayed for his daughter, praising her role in the series.

“Hephzibah, her mother is the one who gave her the name. I don’t care, but I am proud of you. You started with the film, you did the first season, and now with the second season, you did amazingly well. My good Lord will continue to increase you in wisdom, in knowledge, and in understanding. If this is your path, the good Lord will see you through.”
However, this is not the first time the filmmaker has spoken about his late father’s polygamous lifestyle.

In March 2021, Afolayan told BBC Pidgin that his father, Adeyemi Afolayan, who died in 1996, married 10 wives and had 25 children, a decision he said took a toll on the family.

“I would not want to marry many wives because my father had 10 wives and I knew what happened throughout that period. I knew that really distracted my father. In this age, nobody needs to tell you before you know what’s right,” he said at the time.

He also disclosed that growing up in a polygamous home affected bonding among the children due to language and other barriers.

Afolayan further narrated how he battled poverty in his early years, revealing that he once lived in a one-room apartment in Ebute-Metta and sometimes had to deal with flooding.

“I was born in Ebute-Metta and have lived in one-room apartment before that we even have to grapple with flood sometimes. It’s not shame to say have been poor before. But if you see how l made it, it’s a matter of consistency. My father was a very popular filmmaker and ordinarily, people would expect me to life the kind of live akin to Hollywood stars,” he said.

“But that wasn’t the case. How would one live such life when you’re living in a room with ten women. That doesn’t mean there was no love among us.”

He had advised young filmmakers to start with the little resources available to them while working towards their dreams.

 

-Guardian

 

 

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Court adjourns Ganduje’s corruption trial to April 15

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A Kano State High Court has adjourned until April 15 the trial of former governor Abdullahi Ganduje, his wife, Hafsat Umar, and son, Abdullahi Umar, alongside five other defendants, over alleged misappropriation of public funds amounting to billions of naira.

 

The defendants are facing an 11-count charge bordering on bribery, conspiracy, misappropriation, and diversion of public funds. The remaining accused persons are Abubakar Bawuro, Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Ltd, Safari Textiles Ltd, and Lasage General Enterprises Ltd.

At the resumed hearing, the prosecution told the court it was ready to proceed and drew attention to a motion dated November 24, 2025, seeking leave to file additional proof of evidence.

However, defence lawyers raised objections, informing the court that multiple applications were pending and must be resolved before the trial could continue.

Lydia Oluwakemi-Oyewo, counsel to some of the defendants, said the defence had filed a motion dated July 17, 2025, seeking a stay of proceedings.
Adekunle Taiye-Falola, representing the third and seventh defendants, also referred to a separate motion dated May 23, 2025.
In addition, Muhammad Shehu, counsel to the fifth defendant, told the court that an affidavit had been filed notifying it of a pending application for stay of proceedings before the Court of Appeal.
Abubakar Ahmad, counsel to the sixth defendant, informed the court that he had filed a notice of preliminary objection and an application for extension of time to respond on points of law dated February 2, urging the court to fix a date for hearing.

Only Faruk Asekome, counsel to the eighth defendant, indicated readiness to proceed with the trial.

After hearing arguments from both sides, the presiding judge, Justice Amina Adamu-Aliyu, adjourned the matter to April 15 for the hearing of all pending applications and preliminary objections.

The trial has suffered repeated delays due to legal challenges. The high court had earlier dismissed preliminary objections raised by the defence as “incompetent” and affirmed its jurisdiction to hear the case.
That ruling was appealed by the defendants, who argued that the trial court lacked jurisdiction. However, in October 2025, the Kano Division of the Court of Appeal struck out the appeal, citing failure to properly transmit the record of appeal.

-Guardian

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