Personality in Focus
Security Stakeholders, Others Laud Sulaiman-Ibrahim As Agent of Change, Capacity Builder, Fit for Public Service
The Minister of State for Police Affairs, Hajia Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has received accolades from security agencies across board as well as stakeholders in the Nigerian security business, who acknowledged her undisputed legacy of thorough policing, initiatives and landmark achievements in the little over one year as an appointee of President Bola Tinubu.
The stakeholders unanimously agreed that Hajia Sulaiman-Ibrahim, in the discharge of her constitutional duties, has exceeded expectations of the observers, analysts, employees and employers as she continually dishes out one great innovation after another.
These recommendations were showered on the Minister at the 2024 Security Conference and Awards of the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), which was held at the Oriental Hotel, in Lagos with notable dignitaries from the security agencies and beyond, including the Assistant Inspector-General of Police Zone 2, AIG Adegoke Fayoade; the Corp Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Shehu Mohammed, who was represented by Assistant Corps Marshal Adeoye Irelewuyi; Superintendent of Customs Theophilus Duniya, representing the National Public Relations Officer, Chief Supt of Customs, Abdullahi Maiwada, Chairman, Ovation Media Group, Aare Dele Momodu, Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ishola, Representative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, delegates from Trace, Ogun State and a host of other stakeholders, in attendance.
In his speech as one of the keynote speakers at the Conference, with the theme, CONNECTING THE DOT BETWEEN IDENTITY TRACKING AND NATIONAL SECURITY, AIG Adegoke Fayoade lauded the Minister as one deserving of accolades, having steadfastly adjusted the Nigerian Police in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, ensuring that the Police receive the right equipment, training and remote as well as immediate paraphernalia to execute the job of policing. He noted that the Nigerian Police of today has implemented several identity tracking systems to enhance national security.
“Nigeria has implemented several identity tracking systems to enhance national security, improve governance, and reduce fraud over the years. These initiatives focus on creating a robust identity management framework that integrates multiple sectors, ranging from finance to telecommunications, immigration, and law enforcement,” the AIG noted.
Also speaking, Chief Momodu appreciated the fact that a woman of Sulaiman-Ibrahim’s capacity was on hand to present his award to him, stressing that he couldn’t have asked for a greater honour.
In the same vein, other speakers and respondents, including a former Executive Chairman of Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area, Comrade Ayodele Adewale, found spaces in their lines, to laud the intelligence of the Minister, citing that President Tinubu needs her likes to bring to fruition the promised Eldorado to Nigerians.
Speaking earlier as the Distinguished Guest Speaker, Hajia Sulaiman-Ibrahim, had highlighted the grace she brought to Police Affairs Ministry, which has seen to both the initiation and execution manifold projects, and their attendant testimonies, including identity tracking for national security.
“As someone deeply invested in the safety and security of our nation, I have spent considerable time reflecting on how best to address Nigeria’s complex security challenges. The more I engage with experts, our police force, and other stakeholders, the clearer it becomes that identity tracking is one of the most powerful tools at our disposal. It is not just about knowing who is in our country; it is about building a system where every identity is securely accounted for, and reducing opportunities for crime,” she said.
Appointed in August 2023 as the Minister of State for Police Affairs, Hajia Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, a distinguished international professional with over two decades of expertise spanning the public, private, and development sectors, has a wealth of experience in conflict management, human capital development, peace building, and national security. She has no doubt established herself as an administrator par excellence.
Well read and well learned, Sulaiman-Ibrahim obtained is a B.Sc in Sociology holder from the University of Abuja. She is reputed have earned two Master’s degrees; an MBA and an MA in Management – both from Webster University, St. Louis (London Campus) at the yiung age of 21.
Reflecting her dedication to continuous professional growth and barefaced love for education, the honorable minister is currently pursuing a Doctorate degree in Security and Strategic Studies at the Nigeria Defence Academy.
In addition to her academic achievements, she co-founded and serves as the President of the BumbleeBee Civic Initiative (formerly The Beehive Initiative), a platform dedicated to mentoring politically inclined women and promoting grassroots civic awareness.
Her public service record is equally impressive and worthy of emulation. As Special Assistant on Strategic Communication and Partnerships to the Minister of State for Education (August 2019 to December 2020), she led the development of the innovative Alternate School Programme, securing Federal Executive Council (FEC) approval for its implementation. She later served as Director-General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), where she significantly improved national efforts to combat human trafficking and address irregular migration.
She has also served as Federal Commissioner and CEO of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI). In this role, she launched the “Project 5s” initiative, a comprehensive program aimed at addressing the pressing challenges faced by vulnerable populations in Nigeria.
As a politician, strategist, and award-winning leader, Imaan has garnered recognition for her work in national security, conflict resolution, and human capital development. On July 27, 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appointed her as the Minister of State for Police Affairs, making her the first female to hold this position.
Her glorious stewardship so far is summed in the below lines, which she self-delivered;
“Over the past year, we have made strategic investments in surveillance technologies, drones, and communication systems to boost real-time information gathering and response capabilities. We have also introduced ICT applications such as the RescueMe App and e-CMR (electronic Central Motor Registry) to enhance our epolicing strategy. These platforms have improved efficiency and productivity across our operations.
“Our efforts extend beyond technology; we are committed to community engagement as a fundamental aspect of our security strategy. We have held numerous townhall meetings nationwide to foster grassroots understanding of security dynamics and develop community-specific solutions. We have also strengthened our partnership with the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), resulting in better intelligence sharing and collaboration.
“In addition, we are developing a National Policing Policy to enhance the operational capabilities of the NPF and ensure more responsive and responsible policing. We have also launched the NPF Gender Policy to improve the gender balance within the force, and I am proud to announce that our advocacy has led to the inclusion of a female officer in the force’s leadership team.”
Hajia Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim is indeed a force to reckon with in administration.
Japanese stage and film actor Tatsuya Nakadai, who starred in a string of Akira Kurosawa classics, including the lead role in Ran, has died at the age of 92, his acting school announced on Tuesday.
Nakadai first rose to fame in Japan and internationally under director Masaki Kobayashi, who cast him in his epic anti-war trilogy The Human Condition in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
His acting school, Mumeijuku, did not disclose when Nakadai died or provide further details.
Nakadai had a walk-on role in Kurosawa’s 1954 classic Seven Samurai, but later effectively replaced Toshiro Mifune as the famed director’s leading man after Mifune went his own way.
He played the main protagonist in Kurosawa’s Kagemusha (1980), which won the Palme d’Or, the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival.
Nakadai also portrayed the doomed warlord who divides his kingdom among his sons in Ran (1985), Kurosawa’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s King Lear.
One of his former students, Koji Yakusho, won Best Actor at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival for his role in Wim Wenders’ Perfect Days.
Nakadai continued performing until recently, appearing this year at a theatre in the Noto region, which was still recovering from a deadly earthquake that struck on New Year’s Day last year.
AFP
American scientist, James Watson, one of the co-discoverers of the structure of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), has died at the age of 97.
Watson, alongside Francis Crick, identified the double-helix structure of DNA in 1953, a discovery that transformed biology and medicine. Their work, which revealed how genetic information is stored and transmitted, earned them and Maurice Wilkins the 1962 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
“We have discovered the secret of life,” they said at the time.
His death was confirmed by the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) in New York, where he spent much of his career. Watson led the institution for decades before stepping down as chancellor following controversy over his remarks on race and sex.
Watson’s reputation declined sharply after comments he made suggesting genetic differences in intelligence between races. In a 2007 interview with The Times, he said he was “inherently gloomy about the prospect of Africa”, adding that “all our social policies are based on the fact that their intelligence is the same as ours whereas all the testing says not really.”
He later apologised “unreservedly”, but the remarks cost him his position at CSHL. In 2019, further comments linking race and intelligence prompted the lab to strip him of his remaining honorary titles. “Dr. Watson’s statements are reprehensible, unsupported by science,” the laboratory said in a statement.
DNA was first discovered in 1869, but its role as the genetic material in cells wasn’t confirmed until 1943. The molecule’s structure remained unknown until Watson and Crick built their model, using X-ray images produced by Rosalind Franklin at King’s College London images reportedly obtained without her consent.
Though Franklin died in 1958, she is now widely credited for her crucial role in solving the DNA structure. At the time, however, her contributions were largely overlooked.
Watson also drew criticism for sexist remarks in his 1968 memoir The Double Helix, where he commented on Franklin’s appearance. Despite this, some former colleagues noted that he supported women scientists at Harvard in the 1950s and 60s, when few others did.
In 2014, feeling isolated from the scientific community, Watson sold his Nobel medal for $4.8 million. The Russian buyer later returned it to him.
Born in Chicago in April 1928, Watson was the son of Jean and James Watson, descendants of English, Scottish, and Irish settlers. A gifted student, he entered the University of Chicago at 15, where he became interested in X-ray diffraction, a key technique in revealing atomic structures.
Watson later studied at Cambridge University, where he met Crick and began building models of DNA. After their discovery, he joined Harvard University as a biology professor.
He and his wife, Elizabeth, had two sons. One was diagnosed with schizophrenia, inspiring Watson to continue research into the genetic basis of mental illness.
In 1968, he became director of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, transforming it into a leading global centre for molecular biology research, the same institution that later confirmed his death.
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Adron Group, Aare Adetola Emmanuelking, KOF, has commended the Oyo State Government for its bold reforms in the real estate sector, describing the state as a land of “history, enterprise, and endless possibilities.”
Aare Adetola remarked while delivering a goodwill message titled “The Real Estate Called Oyo State” at the 2025 Oyo State Real Estate Conference, held in Ibadan.
The event, themed “Real Estate and Economic Development in Oyo State: Strategies for Success,” brought together top real estate developers, government officials, and investors to discuss strategies for improving housing delivery and driving economic growth in the state.
Organised by the Office of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Housing and Urban Development in collaboration with the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN), the conference highlighted the need for policy stability, public-private partnerships, and innovation in real estate development.
In his address, the Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to transparency and investor confidence through the digitalisation of land records (OYOGIS), improved urban planning, and major infrastructure upgrades across the state.
He also cited the passage of the Oyo State Land Control and Administration Bill, 2023, and the establishment of the Anti-Land Grabbing Task Force as key reforms curbing land disputes and promoting sustainable property ownership. Ogundoyin praised major developers such as Adron Homes and MKH Properties for their role in boosting investor trust in the Oyo property market.
In his goodwill message, Aare Adetola Emmanuelking applauded the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde, FNSE, for maintaining consistency in land policies and governance structures, which he said had continued to attract serious investors to Oyo State.
He recalled that Adron Homes made its foray into Ibadan nearly a decade ago based on the state’s stable policy environment, a decision that has since yielded impressive results. He, however, urged the state government and future administrations to ensure policy continuity, warning that inconsistency could derail the progress already achieved.
The conference ended with a collective resolve by stakeholders to deepen collaboration between the public and private sectors, strengthen regulatory transparency, and create a business environment that will make Oyo State a model for real estate investment in Nigeria.
