In a recent nationwide opinion poll assessing the performance of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s cabinet members, the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Muhammad Matawalle, emerged as the most performing minister in security. The survey sampled views across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, reflecting growing public confidence in his ability to drive strategies that directly confront the country’s complex security challenges. Since assuming office in 2023, Matawalle has steadily carved out a reputation as one of the administration’s most active voices on national defence. Working closely with the Minister of Defence, the service chiefs, and other security stakeholders, he has been instrumental in strengthening collaboration among the armed forces and initiating reforms targeted at insurgency, banditry, and cross-border crimes.

The poll, which was widely discussed across media and policy circles, shows that Nigerians are paying close attention to how security matters are being handled under Tinubu’s leadership. Respondents in the North West and North Central regions areas most affected by banditry and insurgency credited Matawalle’s office with championing military offensives, improving intelligence sharing, and taking a hands on approach through visits to crisis zones. Many see his active presence and swift interventions as a departure from past practices where government officials often kept their distance from affected communities.

Analysts note that the poll’s outcome speaks not only to Matawalle’s rising profile within Tinubu’s cabinet but also to a broader demand by Nigerians for results driven governance. Security remains one of the administration’s toughest challenges, and the minister’s recognition suggests that citizens are beginning to identify clear efforts and results in that direction. Political observers believe this rating could further boost the administration’s credibility as it works to reassure Nigerians that reforms in the defence sector are yielding impact.

Still, experts caution that much work remains to be done. Nigeria’s security crisis is deeply layered, with terrorism, banditry, oil theft, and urban crime continuing to stretch the country’s security architecture. While military operations have recorded notable successes, addressing the underlying socio economic causes of insecurity will require more holistic strategies, ranging from poverty reduction and education to stronger governance at the state and local levels.

Nevertheless, Matawalle’s emergence as the most performing minister in security underscores a significant shift in how Nigerians perceive leadership and accountability. It signals that citizens are not only monitoring the government’s promises but are also willing to recognize and reward performance where it is evident. As President Tinubu’s administration advances, the spotlight on ministers like Matawalle reflects a growing expectation that public service must translate into visible impact. For now, his recognition by the public stands as both an endorsement of progress and a reminder that the nation’s security demands continuous, determined, and innovative leadership.

In a world where celebrations are often measured by extravagant parties and fleeting moments of applause, Mr. Tunji Bello, an illustrious son of Lagos and proud alumnus of Lagos State University (LASU), has chosen a different and far more meaningful path.

His decision to donate a befitting auditorium to LASU’s Epe Campus is not just an act of generosity—it is a gift of legacy, one that will serve generations and continue to echo long after the music of birthday celebrations has faded.

As an indigene of Epe and fellow alumnus of LASU, I, Hon. Segun Olulade, feel an overwhelming sense of pride and gratitude for this uncommon gesture. In choosing to immortalize his milestone birthday by giving back to his alma mater, Mr. Bello has shown the world what it means to truly live for others.

He could have spent lavishly on personal celebrations, but instead he turned the spotlight away from himself and placed it firmly on education, youth development, and community growth. That is the mark of true greatness.

What makes this story even more inspiring is the sacrifice behind the scenes. Mr. Bello did not simply write a cheque. He converted birthday gifts into seed funding, sold his own property to sustain the vision, and held firm to his conviction that education is the best legacy one can bequeath.

This is not charity—it is vision, it is leadership, it is a demonstration of courage to prioritize posterity over personal comfort.

For us in Epe, this auditorium is more than brick and mortar. It is a beacon of hope, a symbol that greatness often rises from within our own soil.

For LASU, it is an enduring platform that will nurture leaders, thinkers, and innovators who will shape the destiny of our nation. And for Lagos State, it is another shining example of the transformative power of giving back.

I therefore celebrate and commend Mr. Tunji Bello for this act of uncommon generosity. His name is now etched not only in the history of LASU but in the hearts of every student who will pass through that hall, daring to dream and achieve.

Egbon Tunji Bello, you have written your name in gold.

Hon. Segun Olulade Eleniyan
Executive Director Customer Centricity and Marketing Galaxy Backbone Ltd.

It is becoming increasingly difficult for even the most hardened critics to deny that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic reforms are working. In fact, one wonders how long they will continue to close their eyes while respected global voices and real-time results keep pointing to the obvious truth.

Recently, the Director-General of the World Trade Organization, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, a Harvard-trained economist, lauded President Tinubu for stabilizing Nigeria’s economy. According to her, there can be no growth without stability, and Tinubu has laid that crucial foundation.

She further revealed that Nigerian women stand to benefit immensely from the WTO-ITA women’s economic funding opportunities — another dividend of a government that knows where it is going.

As if that validation was not enough, former CBN Governor and first-class economist, Prof. Charles Soludo, also declared that Nigeria is moving in the right direction under Tinubu. Even CNN could not resist admitting on August 4, 2025, that Nigeria is experiencing its best economy in a decade under this administration. These are not APC praise-singers, but global voices with credibility that propaganda merchants cannot wish away.

Yet, while intellectual heavyweights and international institutions are affirming Nigeria’s progress, some opposition figures keep playing the role of comedians in the marketplace of ideas.

One wonders how a man whose only credential is being a “petty trader” and second-class philosophy graduate believes he is better placed to lecture Nigeria on economics than world-renowned experts. But then again, mischief has always thrived where knowledge is scarce.

Beyond these validations, Nigerians themselves are speaking loudly at the ballot box. The just-concluded bye-elections tell the story better than any press release. APC defeated Atiku right in his backyard, Adamawa.

The party consolidated victories across Jigawa, Edo, Ogun, Kogi, Niger, and Kaduna, even gaining new ground in Southern Kaduna. In Kano, APC held firm, and in Zamfara, the victory margin already in the bag is more than enough to deliver the state. These are not coincidences — they are a political referendum on Tinubu’s leadership.

Those peddling the fantasy that 2027 will be APC versus Nigerians need a serious wake-up call. Unless Nigeria suddenly decides to abandon the very gains of democracy it has long anticipated, the ruling party will once again coast to victory — loud and clear.

Nigerians cannot afford to return to square one, throwing away years of sacrifice on the altar of reckless experimentation with individuals who have nothing new to offer.

The truth is simple: the people are embracing Tinubu, and the opposition is losing. It’s not complicated — Nigerians know exactly where their future lies.

President Tinubu’s reforms are not just working; they are winning hearts, winning minds, and winning elections. Facts, as they say, are stubborn things.

By Hon. Segun Olulade Eleniyan
Executive Director Customer Centricity and Marketing Galaxy Backbone Ltd