Personality in Focus
Justice Kanyip Appoints Ubani Public Trustee for Nigeria Civil Service Union
The President of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Hon Justice B.B. Kanyip PHD has appointed a Public Trustee in the person of the former Vice President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr Monday O. Ubani to run the affairs of Nigeria’s oldest industrial Union, Nigeria Civil Service Union following the nullification of the union’s January 2018 National Delegates Conference in which Comrade Lawrence Amaechi-led executive was purportedly elected in a brazen violation of a valid court order that status quo be maintained pending the determination of the substantive suit”.
The Public Trustee’s initial attempt to resume duty this January having accepted the appointment was frustrated by the said Comrade Amaechi’s led Executive until the 29th of January, 2021 when the appointment was enforced by the Public Trustee with the support of the Court and the Nigerian Police.
The appointment letter from the Industrial Court, dated 29th of December, 2020 stated that Mr Ubani’s appointment is sequel to the Order contained in the judgement delivered on the 25th October, 2019 by His Lordship, the Honourable Justice Sanusi Kado of the Abuja Judicial Division of the National Industrial Court in the suit between Comrade Benson Ekasa and 1 other v. Comrade Kiri Mohammed (the then National President of the Union). The letter reads “pursuant to Section 19(c) of the National Industrial Court Act, 2006; Order 59 of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria(Civil Procedure) Rule, 2017 and the Order contained in the judgement delivered on the 25th October, 2019 by His Lordship Hon Justice Sanusi Kado, in the above subject matter suit, I hereby appoint you, Monday O. Ubani Esq, as the Public Trustee for the Nigeria Civil Service Union(herein after referred to as the “Union” for an initial period of three(3) months, effective from the date of your acceptance of the appointment, on the following terms:
1. To oversee and superitend the running of the administration and finances of the Union.
2. To convene National Delegates Conference of the National Civil Service Union and organise election to elect new executive members in line with the constitution of the Union.
3. To render account of your activities within the above specified period in a report to be forwarded to the Court immediately after the expiration of the tenure.
4. To forward a copy of the report to the Honourable Minister of Labour.
5. In the event that you are not able to conclude your assignment within the three months period stated above, you may apply for re-appointment for another three months. In this event, you shall be requested to provide satisfactory reasons why you may be so re-appointed.”
Mr Ubani who enforced his resumption on the 29th of January after the initial resistance by the illegal exco of Mr Amaechi has received the commitment of the various Heads of the staff who are running the administration before this appointment. They all promised to support the Public Trustee to succeed in the onerous task that is placed before him.
Nature abhors a vacuum hence the appointment of a Public Trustee by the Industrial Court to help conduct free, fair election and enthrone leadership acceptable to all and sundry including restoring sanity and stability to the operations of the union. It is hoped that all the warring factions will sheath their sword and give Mr Ubani who was the chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Ikeja Branch and the former 2nd Vice President of Nigerian Bar Association and a Senior Member of the Bar the needed support to actualize the objectives as set out in his letter of appointment.
Mr Ubani has since paid a visit to the Ministry of Labour and Employment where he saw the Junior Minister of the Ministry Mr Festus Keyamo SAN and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry in the person of Dr Yerima Tarfa PHD to intimate them of his appointment by the Court. He has also submitted his letter of notification and acceptance to the Senior Minister of the Ministry in the person of Distinguished Senator Chris Ngige.
By NOMA
The Nigerian Online Media Alliance (NOMA) has celebrated Mr. Olakunle Aderinokun on his 55th birthday, describing him as a distinguished strategic communications expert and media professional whose nearly three-decade career continues to shape Nigeria’s communications and business landscape.
In a statement by Theresa Moses, Chairperson, NOMA highlighted Aderinokun’s current role as Head, Media and Public Relations at Access Holdings Plc, where he leads group-wide media strategy, executive communications, crisis management, and corporate reputation positioning across local and international markets.
The Alliance noted that his ability to align corporate narratives with business strategy, stakeholder expectations, and regulatory realities has strengthened institutional credibility and public trust.
Aderinokun’s career reflects a unique blend of journalism, financial services, and corporate leadership. He spent 24 years at THISDAY Newspapers, rising to the position of Group Business Editor and Associate Editor, where he played a significant role in shaping Nigeria’s business journalism ecosystem. He later served as Editor, Business at ARISE News Channel, further consolidating his reputation for editorial excellence and impactful storytelling.
Throughout his journalism career, he covered critical sectors including banking, capital markets, energy, aviation, and macroeconomics, engaging directly with top policymakers, regulators, and corporate leaders. His extensive international exposure includes participation in global platforms such as the IMF-World Bank Meetings, African Development Bank Meetings, TICAD in Japan, the Nigeria-China Business Forum, Africa Oil Week in Cape Town, and Vaasa Energy Week in Finland.
Beyond journalism, Aderinokun brings strong financial and investment expertise, having worked with United Bank for Africa (UBA) and Wall Street Trust Company (now WSTC Financial Services), where he handled equity analysis, market research, and investment advisory. This foundation, NOMA noted, has enabled him to effectively bridge financial performance with strategic communication outcomes.
An entrepreneur, he founded Pure Synergy Ltd in 2013, a firm focused on reputation management and strategic communications, and later served as CEO of Excite Enterprise Ltd, an online business solutions platform.
In the public sector space, Aderinokun served as Media Adviser to Senator Tokunbo Abiru in 2020, where he led media strategy and publicity for the Lagos East Senatorial campaign, contributing to its successful outcome.
Academically, he holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics (Pure and Applied) from the University of Ilorin and an MBA from the University of Lagos, complemented by executive education at Lagos Business School and professional training with the World Bank Institute, NIPR, and Standard Bank Group, South Africa. He also holds multiple professional certifications across public relations, banking, marketing, and digital communications.
NOMA described him as a quintessential, multifaceted professional whose career embodies excellence, innovation, and leadership.
“Olakunle Aderinokun represents the very best of strategic communication and media practice in Nigeria. His journey is not only inspiring but also instructive for the next generation of professionals navigating the evolving media and corporate landscape,” the statement read.
As he marks his 55th birthday, NOMA commended his enduring contributions and wished him continued success, good health, and greater accomplishments in the years ahead.
The Executive Secretary/CEO of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), Dr. Ayodele Ogunsan, has congratulated the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, on the occasion of his birthday, commending his visionary leadership and reform-driven approach to policing in Nigeria.
In his birthday remarks, Dr. Ogunsan described the IGP as a “distinguished officer whose career has consistently reflected professionalism, courage, and a deep commitment to public safety.”
He noted that since assuming office as the 23rd Inspector-General of Police early this Year 2026, Disu has demonstrated a clear resolve to reposition the Nigeria Police Force towards greater efficiency and public trust.
Dr. Ogunsan particularly praised the IGP’s emphasis on intelligence-led policing, a strategy aimed at enhancing proactive crime detection and prevention, as well as his push for the integration of digital tools and forensic capabilities into police operations. These reforms, he said, signal a shift towards modern, accountable, and citizen-focused policing.
He further highlighted Disu’s decisive steps to strengthen the state policing agenda and officers’ welfare. He praised him for the effective policing model through the restructuring and reduction of tactical units, a move designed to address concerns over excesses while redeploying personnel to police divisions for improved community-level security.
The LSSTF boss also acknowledged the IGP’s consistent advocacy for discipline, integrity, and professionalism within the Force, noting that such values are critical to restoring public confidence and enhancing institutional credibility.
Reflecting on his track record, Dr. Ogunsan recalled Disu’s impactful leadership roles across key commands, including the Rivers State and the Federal Capital Territory Commands, where he contributed significantly to crime control and intelligence-driven operations.
His tenure as the Commander of the Rapid Response Squad in Lagos is a testament to his operational excellence and urban crime management.
Ogunsan wished the IGP good health, wisdom, and continued success in his efforts to build a more secure Nigeria. “On this special occasion, we celebrate not only a remarkable leader but a reformer whose vision continues to inspire confidence in the security architecture of our nation,” Ogunsan said.
Terrorists in northeast Nigeria killed a brigadier general in an assault on a military base, a local government chairman told AFP on Thursday, the second killing of a high-ranking officer in five months.
Africa’s most populous country has been fighting a terrorist insurgency for 17 years, since Boko Haram’s 2009 uprising, which has seen the emergence of powerful splinter groups, including Islamic State West Africa Province.
In an overnight attack, unidentified terrorists killed at least 18 soldiers and torched vehicles at a base in Benisheikh, about 75 kilometres from Borno state capital Maiduguri, an intelligence source told AFP.
“Unfortunately, the brigade commander, Brigadier General O.O. Braimah, lost his life,” Kaga Local Government Chairman Zannah Lawan Ajimi told AFP in a phone interview.
Two intelligence sources confirmed Braimah’s death to AFP.
His death follows the killing of Brigadier General Musa Uba by ISWAP in November. He was the highest-ranking military official to die in the long-running conflict since 2021.
“They overran the brigade,” one of the intelligence sources said, giving the death toll as “at least” 18.
The second intelligence source said that “the terrorists killed several troops” and “burnt vehicles and buildings before they withdrew,” without giving a toll.
The army and Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
– Rising terrorist violence –
Researchers have warned of an uptick of violence since 2025.
Borno capital Maiduguri has seen two suicide bombings since December — the type of bloody, urban attacks reminiscent of the insurgency’s peak a decade ago.
On Wednesday, the US State Department said in a notice it was authorising “non-emergency US government employees” to leave Abuja “due to the deteriorating security situation”.
While the insurgency is concentrated in the northeastern countryside, terrorists from Nigeria and the neighbouring Sahel have made inroads western Nigeria, where organised crime gangs known as “bandits” have been raiding villages and extorting farmers and artisanal miners for years.
Gunmen killed at least 90 people across several remote villages in northwest Nigeria this week, according to an AFP tally of tolls given by local and humanitarian sources.
Among the attacks was an assault in Kebbi state that police blamed a local terrorist group known as Mahmuda, which is affiliated with Al-Qaeda.
Kebbi sits on Nigeria’s border with Benin and Niger and since 2025 has been targeted by a rising number of terrorist attacks.
Conflict monitor ACLED says there has been a surge in violence in the area carried out by militants affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group.
In nearby Kwara state, in October, fighters from the Al-Qaeda-affiliated JNIM claimed an attack after years of researchers warning that the terrorist conflict ravaging the Sahel risked spreading south towards coastal West African states.
In December, the United States, with Nigerian assistance, bombed northwest Sokoto state, targeting Islamic State Sahel Province fighters usually found in neighbouring Niger, along with Mali and Burkina Faso.
AFP
