We drained our reserves from $62bn to $28bn to satisfy your fx needs.
GEJ can be compared to a father of 20 children who stumbled on 100 bags of rice, and decided to throw parties every day without replenishing the rice barn. Of course, the children will be happy until the family is left with 2 cups of rice.
All the FX you spent in the UK on your cards came as a result of pegging the Naira and draining the FX reserves. The Central Bank had to constantly sell its own foreign currency to artificially maintain the exchange rate.
The decision to also keep the peg by PMB, led to further depletion of our reserves and a backlog of $7bn. When you shop or use your card abroad, VISA or MasterCard pay the $$ on your behalf and later demand the FX from your local bank.
Back to rice, If you eat rice in London, VISA or Mastercard gives you 2 plates but sends their representatives in Nigeria which is your bank to collect the 2 plates from your family barn. For as long as you have 100 bags of rice, you have no worries. When you are left with 2 cups, the representative will no longer guarantee your 2 plates of rice in London.
PBAT came in and unpegged the Naira, allowing it to find its true value. Cleared our fx backlog and rebuilt the fx reserve to the highest in 17 years.
Introducing My Football Club, Ibadan United FC.
I’ve always loved the game of football. As you all know, I’m a die-hard fan of Shooting Stars, a club I have supported for over 40 years, right from when I was a kid.
It’s a club I even sponsored for a few years at one point.
However, I’ve always wanted to own my own football club. But I didn’t want to have a club in Ibadan that would play against Shooting Stars.
About five years ago, my friend, @biolakazeem and I came up with the idea of establishing one in Lekki, Lagos, where I have a home and where the head office of my businesses is located.
So, we formed Lekki United and competed in the NLO, the third tier of the Nigerian football league.
After about two years, European scouts started noticing some of our players and began approaching us about collaborations which includes taking them abroad.
That was when it dawned on me.
My people in Egbeda/Ona-Ara Federal Constituency, my people in Ibadan, and indeed Oyo State in general, should be the ones benefiting from this opportunity.
That was when I decided to rebrand the club and move it to Ibadan.
The issue of playing against Shooting Stars should not be a problem. In fact, we can even help Shooting Stars. The club can serve as a pipeline for talent to the Oluyole Warriors and to clubs abroad. More importantly, it is a pathway to help talented footballers in my constituency and across Oyo State realise their dreams.
So, here we are.
Ibadan United Football Club is here. We play in the 3rd Tier of Nigerian Football, the NLO
We will make history together.
Akin Alabi
Hon. Akin Alabi
Egbeda/Ona-Ara Federal Constituency
Ajia Olubadan of Ibadanland
Subsidy Removal, you are against it.
Students Loan, you attack it.
Coastal Road, you talk down on it.
Tax Reform, you say it’s anti-poor.
Local Government autonomy, you say it’s a scam.
State Police, you still don’t support it.
What exactly do you want?
EPAIL Nigeria is giving PROFORCE serious competition in the production of armoured vehicles.
They are the first Nigerian company to successfully reverse engineer a world class armored vehicle, the Chinese Dongfeng CSK-131 and bring it into mass production under the designation EP 2063 NG01 Protective Assault Vehicle.
Their indigenously developed remote-controlled automatic weapons station allows a gunner to aim and fire mounted weapons from the safety of a vehicles interior using a joystick, display screen, and electro-optical sensors.
NDLEA UNCOVERS ANOTHER INDUSTRIAL-SCALE CLANDESTINE METH LABORATORY IN OYO FOREST
…Arrests Mexican, 4 others; recovers multi-billion-naira worth of illicit substances
….We’ll find you in the cities, track you into the forests, and dismantle your infrastructure of death, Marwa warns drug cartels
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have struck yet another decisive blow against transnational drug syndicates following the discovery and dismantling of a fortified, industrial-scale clandestine methamphetamine laboratory operated by a Nigerian-Mexican cartel deep within the forest of Tapa Village, Ibarapa North Local Government Area, Oyo State.
The breakthrough comes barely four weeks after the Agency dismantled a similar massive meth laboratory in a forest in Ijebu East, Ogun State, signaling a desperate attempt by drug barons to turn the Southwest axis into a synthetic drug manufacturing hub.
Speaking on the development at the NDLEA Headquarters in Abuja, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Agency, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) who was represented by the Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi at a press briefing on Wednesday 24th June 2026, commended the gallantry, dedication, and clinical professionalism of the officers involved in the operation.
According to him, “On Wednesday, 17th June 2026, tactical operatives of the NDLEA stormed a highly fortified, industrial-scale clandestine methamphetamine laboratory operating deep within the forest of Tapa Village, Ibarapa North Local Government Area, Oyo State.
“This was not a rudimentary setup; it was a sophisticated, highly organized transnational syndicate. During the raid, our operatives successfully arrested five key members of the cartel on-site. They include a 56-year-old Mexican Methamphetamine expert, Jose Villa Ochoa, brought in specifically to provide the technical expertise for large-scale synthesis and four Nigerian collaborators providing logistical support, cover, and local operations. They are: Maxwell Uche Nevoh, 30; Olatunji Yusuf, 37; Bankole Akeem Owolabi, 45; and Ganiu Monsiu, 43.
“The arrest of a foreign cartel specialist on Nigerian soil underscores the transnational nature of this threat, but more importantly, it underscores our Agency's world-class intelligence capability to track, intercept, and neutralize them. Following the successful raid, a specialized team from our Directorate of Forensic and Chemical Monitoring moved in on June 18th, 2026, to conduct a rigorous forensic examination of the facility. What they uncovered is a massive, factory-level production line of poison.
“The laboratory was fully stocked with a frightening array of precursor chemicals, industrial catalysts, and heavy-duty processing equipment. Chemicals and Materials recovered include: Phenyl-2-propanone (P2P), which is the the main, highly controlled precursor required for methamphetamine synthesis; 1800-litre drums containing Phenylacetic acid (the primary precursor used to synthesize P2P); Two 180L drums containing a staggering 300 litres of whitish crystalline substance; Four 180L drums containing dark liquid undergoing synthesis.
“Others include: 101 bags (25kg each) of Caustic Soda; 17 containers (25L each) of Sulphuric Acid; 19.5 containers (25kg each) of Tartaric Acid; 5 containers of Reniso Ultracool 68 (three 50L and two 25L capacity; 25 bottles (500ml each) of 80% Thioglycolic Acid; 2 containers (25L each) of Ethyl Phenylacetate, and 25 cartons of aluminum foil.
“The Industrial Processing Equipment discovered at the site include: One (1) Reactor Pot, which is the heart of the chemical synthesis; Two (2) mounted distillation units and three (3) fabricated mixers and condensers; as well as Two (2) vegetable dehydrator machines used for the rapid drying of the crystals.
The year is 2019.
An 18-year-old boy, previously rejected by Manchester United after 4 unsuccessful trials, joins Arsenal Football Club from Ituano FC for a reported £6 million fee.
He’s given the No. 35 shirt.
Few knew his name. Fewer believed what he would become.
🎶 “His name is Gabi, He’s from São Paulo, And he plays for Arsenal, La la la la la la la!” 🎶
We sang whenever Gabriel Martinelli hit the back of the net.
From relentless pressing to that crucial goal against Manchester City in the title race, he quickly became one of the key sparks in Arsenal’s revival, playing with fearlessness and energy every time he stepped on the pitch.
A boy arrived wearing 35. A star emerged wearing 11 to lift the Premier league title.
But why the shirt number 35 for an unknown 18 year old?
Because ladies and gentlemen, it’s been exactly 35 days since Arsenal won the Premier League title.
The year is 2019.
An 18-year-old boy, previously rejected by Manchester United after 4 unsuccessful trials, joins Arsenal Football Club from Ituano FC for a reported £6 million fee.
He’s given the No. 35 shirt.
Few knew his name. Fewer believed what he would become.
🎶 “His name is Gabi, He’s from São Paulo, And he plays for Arsenal, La la la la la la la!” 🎶
We sang whenever Gabriel Martinelli hit the back of the net.
From relentless pressing to that crucial goal against Manchester City in the title race, he quickly became one of the key sparks in Arsenal’s revival, playing with fearlessness and energy every time he stepped on the pitch.
A boy arrived wearing 35. A star emerged wearing 11 to lift the Premier league title.
But why the shirt number 35 for an unknown 18 year old?
Because ladies and gentlemen, it’s been exactly 35 days since Arsenal won the Premier League title.
One brick at a time.
Hate him or love him, whatever policy changes he is interested in, get fixed with the required urgency.
2nd term
- fiscal restructuring and resource control
- single term limit of 6 years
I am sure a lot of people in this setting would not like this lady. It is always as if she is hitting a hammer on their head with her analysis.
Her understanding about the Nigeria economy and geopolitics is apt 🥰🥰
On Matchday 33 of the 2025–26 Premier League season, Arsenal played against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.
The game ended 2–1 in favour of City. At full-time, Manchester City players were doing victory laps while rival fans flooded social media with posts about Arsenal bottling the league.
But in the middle of all the gloom, one man lifted his head, looked at his captain Martin Ødegaard and said:
“It’s not done.”
That man was Declan Rice.
Arsenal went on to win every remaining league game, storming to the Premier League title and finishing 7 points clear of Manchester City.
But why do I look back on Matchday 33 with such nostalgia?
Because ladies and gentlemen, it’s been exactly 33 days since Arsenal won the league title.