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Queen Elizabeth II’s Husband, Prince Philip Has Died

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Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth II’s husband and the longest-serving consort of any British monarch, has died at age 99.

A statement posted on the royal family’s website Friday morning said: “It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen announces the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

“His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle. Further announcements will made in due course. The Royal Family join with people around the world in mourning his loss.”

Philip spent 65 years supporting the queen, retiring from his public role in 2017 and staying largely out of the view since. In his active years, he helped set a new course for the monarchy under a young queen, championing Britain itself, as well as environmental causes, science and technology.

Philip’s relationship with the young Princess Elizabeth began as a story of young love.

“We behave as though we had belonged to each other for years,” Elizabeth wrote in a letter to her parents shortly after they married.

Over the years, the queen acknowledged Philip’s deep influence on her, calling him her “strength and stay” in a speech on their 50th wedding anniversary in 1997.

“I, and his whole family, and this and many other countries, owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim or we shall ever know,” she said at the time.

The intensely private prince will likely be remembered for his early efforts to help modernize the royal family’s image during a time of great change for Britain and the world, especially at the outset of Elizabeth’s reign in 1952. He also developed a reputation for the occasional brusque comment and crass, if not racist jokes.

“The queen inherited from her father a model of monarchy that was very hands off, old-fashioned and slightly invisible,” said Sarah Gristwood, a historian and the author of “Elizabeth: The Queen and the Crown.”

“It wasn’t equipped to deal with a new media age, and Prince Philip played a huge role in moving it forward then.”

Philip helped bring the royals to life on television rather than through radio reports. He was the first member of the royal family to do a televised interview and he presented a show on a royal tour of the Commonwealth. He is also said to have had a hand in televising the queen’s coronation in 1953 and in organizing a groundbreaking 1969 television documentary about the family.

Courtesy: Nbcnews

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Alleged Certificate Forgery: Science and Technology Minister Resigns, Tinubu Accepts

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The Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Geoffrey Uche Nnaji, has resigned his position following allegations of certificate forgery levelled against him.

President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, confirmed the resignation in a statement on Tuesday, saying the President has accepted the Minister’s decision to step down.

According to Onanuga, President Tinubu “accepted the resignation of Geoffrey Uche Nnaji, the Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, following some allegations against him.”

He added that “President Tinubu appointed Nnaji in August 2023. He resigned today in a letter thanking the President for allowing him to serve Nigeria.”

Onanuga further quoted the former Minister as saying he had “been a target of blackmail by political opponents.”

“President Tinubu thanked him for his service and wished him well in future endeavours,” the statement added.

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ASUU Begins Mobilisation of Members for Nationwide Strike

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The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has begun mobilising its members nationwide for a possible warning strike, following the Federal government’s alleged failure to address long-standing issues affecting the university system.

The mobilisation comes one week to the expiration of the union’s 14-day ultimatum issued on September 28, to the government.

In a circular dated October 5, 2025, and signed by ASUU President, Prof. Christopher Piwuna, the union expressed disappointment over what it described as the government’s “continued silence and lack of commitment” toward resolving the lingering crises in the education sector.

According to the circular, the National Executive Council (NEC), during an emergency meeting held on September 29, 2025, reviewed the outcome of a referendum conducted across its branches and resolved to issue the ultimatum to compel the government to sign and implement the renegotiated agreement submitted in February 2025.

Prof. Piwuna lamented that despite communicating ASUU’s resolutions to the Ministers of Labour and Employment and Education, as well as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), there hasn’t been any meaningful response from the government.

“I regret to inform you that there is no meaningful development deserving of any consideration to be reported,” he stated.

He explained that the current mobilisation is aimed at compelling the government to fulfil its promises, particularly regarding the signing and implementation of the renegotiated agreement and other outstanding issues.

As the ultimatum enters its final week, the ASUU president commended members for their patience and resilience throughout what he described as a “tortuous and unjustifiably prolonged” negotiation process spanning over eight years.

He called on all branches to intensify mobilisation efforts on their campuses to ensure unity and preparedness for any industrial action, stressing that collective strength remained the union’s most potent weapon.

“The days ahead call for mobilisation of every member of our union to ensure unity of purpose.

“No one should be left out of the struggle to defend our welfare, stem the Japa syndrome, and reposition the Nigerian university system for global competitiveness,” the statement partly read.

ASUU further advised its members to take directives only from their branch chairpersons and zonal coordinators, and to attend congress meetings regularly for updates on the next steps.

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Tinubu’s Minister Admits UNN Didn’t Issue Him Degree Certificate

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The Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, has admitted under oath that the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) did not issue him a degree certificate.

This revelation, contained in court documents, followed an investigative report published by Premium Times on Sunday, which alleged that Nnaji forged the academic credentials he submitted to President Bola Tinubu and the Senate during his ministerial screening.

Nnaji, who has faced persistent allegations of certificate forgery since his nomination in July 2023, made the disclosure in a suit he filed before Justice Hauwa Yilwa of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

The case was instituted against the Minister of Education, the National Universities Commission (NUC), UNN, its Vice-Chancellor Professor Simon Ortuanya, its Registrar, former acting Vice-Chancellor Professor, Oguenjiofor Ujam, and the University Senate.

In the motion ex-parte, the minister sought leave of the court to issue prerogative writs prohibiting the university and its officials from “tampering with” his academic records.

He also sought an order of mandamus to compel the university to release his academic transcript, as well as directives to the Minister of Education and the NUC to enforce compliance.

Nnaji further requested an interim injunction restraining the university from altering his records pending the determination of the substantive suit.

In a ruling delivered on September 22, Justice Yilwa granted three of the minister’s prayers but declined to issue an injunctive order against the defendants.
The case was adjourned to October 6 for further hearing.

However, in his 34-paragraph verifying affidavit, Nnaji confirmed that he never obtained a degree certificate from UNN.

The minister claimed that the university’s officials had failed to cooperate with him.

He stated that he was admitted to the university in 1981 to study Microbiology/Biochemistry and completed the program in 1985. In paragraph 13 of his affidavit, he wrote:

“Even though I am yet to collect my certificate from the 3rd Defendant (UNN), due largely to the non-cooperative attitude of the 3rd–5th Defendants (UNN, its Vice-Chancellor, and Registrar), the 3rd Defendant issued a letter dated 21st December 2023 to People’s Gazette (attention: Samuel Ogundipe) which stated amongst other things as follows:

“This is to confirm that Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, with registration number 1981/30725, was admitted in 1981 to study Microbiology/Biochemistry at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Mr. Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji graduated from the University of Nigeria in July 1985 with a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology/Biochemistry, Second Class (Hons.) Lower Division.’”

Despite this acknowledgment, questions persist about the authenticity of the academic documents Nnaji submitted to the Presidency and Senate.

Nnaji was among the first batch of 28 ministerial nominees President Tinubu forwarded to the Senate in July 2023, shortly after assuming office.

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