A former Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties to the late Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, Doyin Odebowale, has faulted the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade, over his recent call for the Ooni of Ife to withdraw a chieftaincy title awarded to an Ibadan businessman.

In an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday, Odebowale argued that monarchs exercise power only within their local government areas and cannot claim superiority over elected officials.

“With respect to most of these rulers now, there is a misapprehension of roles. They want to be addressed as Kabiyesi, but they are not.

“They are under the local government chairman in their respective localities. So this idea of somebody sitting in Oyo and legislating on what happens in Ile-Ife is a misnomer,” he said.

Odebowale added that the Alaafin must have been misinformed about an alleged conflict of authority between his throne and that of the Ooni of Ife.

“I want to believe that the Alaafin of Oyo must have been misled into believing that there is an extant issue to be resolved between that office and that of the Ooni. I don’t see any justification for this distraction,” he noted.

The former aide blamed recurring disputes among monarchs on what he described as “permissive decadence” in the traditional institution.

“It is a very pathetic situation in the sense that most of those who parade themselves as traditional rulers do not even know their function. It appears to me that they are in a hurry to discard tradition.

“They are so happy when they are addressed as Oba, assistant pastor, or Alhaji; that is total abnegation of traditional values,” he lamented.

He explained that the erosion of monarchs’ powers can be traced back to colonial rule, when the British reduced empires to stools and enacted chieftaincy laws restricting their influence.

According to him, rulers who accepted colonial titles and knighthoods forfeited their claim to supremacy.

“By government structure, their powers do not go beyond their local government, if you want to, by their letter. The Ooni of Ife is in Osun state, and they have their traditional council. The Alafin of Oyo is in Oyo state, and they have a traditional council.

“By the Oyo State chieftaincy law, only four Obas are recognised as imperial majesties. The Alaafin cannot act beyond his local government. By law, he is under his local government chairman,” Odebowale said.

President Bola Tinubu has approved a six-month suspension on the export of raw shea nuts, a move aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s position in the global shea industry. The directive, announced by Vice President Kashim Shettima at a multi-stakeholder meeting in Abuja, takes immediate effect and will be subject to review after expiration.

According to the Federal Government, the ban is not a restriction on trade but a “pro–value addition policy” designed to protect local processors, curb informal cross-border trade, and ensure that Nigeria moves up the value chain in the global shea economy.

Why This Temporary Ban on Shea Nut

The government’s decision stems from concerns that Nigeria, despite producing nearly 40 percent of the world’s shea nuts, accounts for less than one percent of the $6.5 billion global shea market.

Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, explained that an estimated 90,000 metric tonnes of raw shea are lost annually to informal cross-border trade, undermining the nation’s processors, who are operating at only 35–50 percent capacity despite a national installed capacity of 160,000 metric tonnes.

According to Kyari, “Without corrective action, Nigeria risked becoming a raw depot for opportunistic and illicit buyers, disempowering rural women and forfeiting billions in potential export revenues.” He noted that neighbouring countries such as Ghana, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Togo have already placed restrictions on raw shea exports to protect their local industries, leaving Nigeria vulnerable as the last open market.

The Vice President further framed the ban as a tool for economic empowerment and industrialisation. “This decision will transform Nigeria from an exporter of raw shea nut to a global supplier of refined shea butter, oil and other derivatives,” Shettima said. “It is about rural transformation, gender empowerment, and expanding Nigeria’s global trade footprint.”

What This Means for the Nigerian Economy* 

The government projects that the shea sector could generate at least $300 million annually in the short term and potentially position Nigeria to capture a significant share of the global market, projected to reach $9 billion by 2030.

Beyond revenue, the policy has social implications. With 90% of shea pickers and processors being women, the ban is expected to directly improve rural livelihoods and empower millions of women involved in the value chain. “By protecting the shea industry, we are protecting livelihoods, dignity and opportunity for millions of our women,” Shettima said.

The move also aligns with Nigeria’s Zero Oil Plan, which prioritises commodities with high global demand as alternatives to crude oil revenue. By scaling up domestic processing, the country hopes to build competitiveness against regional players like Ghana and Burkina Faso, who have already secured stronger positions in the international shea market.

If effectively implemented, the ban could mark a turning point for Nigeria’s non-oil export strategy, transforming the shea sector from an overlooked raw commodity into a global driver of industrialisation and inclusive growth.

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has announced the commencement of its Direct Short Service Commission (DSSC) Course 34/2025 recruitment exercise.

The notice, shared on NAF’s official X handle on Tuesday, said the application process is open to qualified Nigerians across various fields, including engineering, medicine, and cyber specialities, in line with the force’s evolving operational needs.

According to the announcement, applications are free and must be submitted online via the official NAF recruitment portal — https://nafrecruitment.airforce.mil.ng — between August 27 and October 7, 2025.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants must be Nigerian citizens by birth.
  
• Age: 20–32 years; Medical Doctors (consultants) may apply between 25–40 years.
  
• Not open to serving personnel seeking Branch Commission. Personnel above 32 years are ineligible.
  
• Serving personnel must have completed 10 years of service, attained the rank of Corporal, and have a recommendation from their Commanding Officer.
  
• Minimum height: 1.66m for males, 1.63m for females.
  
• Applicants must be free of any criminal convictions.
  
• Candidates must be medically, physically, and psychologically fit according to NAF standards.
  
• Minimum of Second Class Upper Division in any discipline, along with NYSC Discharge Certificate or Exemption Letter.
  

The NAF added that a Zonal Aptitude Test will be conducted on a date to be communicated through the recruitment portal. Successful candidates will subsequently be invited for the Selection Interview.

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has suspended train operations along the Abuja-Kaduna corridor after a Kaduna-bound train derailed on Tuesday.

Speaking at a press briefing, NRC Managing Director Kayode Opeifa, confirmed the development and said investigations have commenced to determine the cause of the accident. He noted that technical teams from the NRC, the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), and other relevant agencies were already working on-site.

Opeifa dismissed speculations that the trains were poorly maintained, assuring that safety standards remain a priority. He further disclosed that refunds for passengers affected by the incident have been initiated.

According to him, six passengers sustained minor injuries and have since received medical attention. The total number of passengers onboard the derailed train had not been confirmed as of the time of the briefing.