……He described the civil war as the most difficult period of his life.

“The Biafra civil war was never my choice”, the Former military Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon has declared.

Recall that Gowon was presiding over the affairs of Nigeria during the civil war from July 6, 1967 to January 15, 1970.

The former ruler spoke after he was honoured with a Life Time Integrity and Achievement Award at the 5th Convention of the Christian Men’s Fellowship, Abuja Anglican Diocese on Saturday in Abuja.

Gowon explained that he prosecuted the civil war due to the urgency to preserve national unity.

The former ruler called for forgiveness, reconciliation and unity across faiths and ethnicities.

He said: “I always remember the civil war. It was the most difficult period of my life.

“It was not my choice, but I had to be there, and had to do what I did in order to keep this country together.

“It was never a hatred against any people, I can assure you.”

Reflecting on life after that period, the former Head of State stressed that his decisions had often been guided by prayers and a desire to act with integrity and compassion.

“As far as this heart is concerned, everything that I do, it is through prayers.

“I ask God to help me to do the right thing the way He thinks it should be done, with love and respect for all the people.

“That is why at the end, what do we have to say? As they say: no victor, no vanquished,” he added.

Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo has conveyed his deep grief over the demise of renowned Nigerian highlife icon, Chief Mike Ejeagha, who passed on peacefully on Saturday at the venerable age of 95.

In his condolence message signed by his Press Secretary, Christian Aburime, on June 7, 2025, Governor Soludo eulogised Chief Ejeagha as a deeply philosophical musician, an iconic cultural ambassador and an exemplary custodian of Igbo oral traditions.

The Governor said his music, characterised by a unique blend of highlife rhythms and captivating storytelling, resonated profoundly throughout Nigeria despite his Igbo linguistic expression.

The Governor also recalled that with timeless compositions like the unforgettable “Gwo Gwo Gwo Ngwo,” the late musical legend not only entertained but also educated Nigerians, preserving our rich cultural heritage and promoting the vibrancy of Igbo folklore through his lyrics.

As a prolific exponent of highlife music, Chief Ejeagha also pioneered a sound that encapsulated the essence of the Nigerian experience, effectively bridging generational identities in a career spanning several decades and earning himself a distinguished place as a national icon.

Thus, Governor Soludo mourns this tremendous loss of Chief Mike Ejeagha, a maestro whose melodies brought joy, hope, and unity to Nigerians.

May his soul rest in peace as his family also finds solace during this difficult time.

Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu proudly highlighted the accomplishments of his ministry during his tenure.

Adelabu celebrated the ministry’s successes since taking charge a few years ago.

Minister Adelabu announced that the ministry achieved an additional N200 billion in revenue in 2024, as reported by Saturday Tribune.

But many Lagos residents, especially consumers in the power sector, do not share in the minister’s excitement.

Of late, it has been a litany of woes from the consumers, who insist that the reforms introduced by the minister since assuming office have left them worse off.

They can no longer use their freezers, pressing irons and other energy-sapping appliances.

Unfortunately, they believe the minister has abandoned them to the whims and caprices of the distribution companies (DisCos) in the state.

The DisCos, they claim, have continued to rip them off under the noses of the minister and other relevant regulatory authorities in the sector.

Some of them argue that despite being placed on Band A, they have been contending with epileptic power supply in their localities.

Recently, residents of Aguda and Ayetoro CDA in Surulere expressed their displeasure over exorbitant electricity bills despite poor power supply to the supposedly Band A consumers.

They allege that they receive less than 10 hours of electricity daily, instead of the over 20 hours meant for Band A consumers. Besides, they claim that N10,000 worth of electricity units last less than two hours.

They are therefore calling on the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) to return them to Band C, where they believe they truly belong based on the hours of electricity their community receives.

“What they are giving us is even more than our house rent. If you load N10,000 now, it won’t last two hours. Despite the high tariff, we are not getting electricity adequately,” Mr. Jimoh Ajala, the Aguda CDA leader, lamented in a video.

Ajala said, “I am here because of EKEDC. This is a residential area, not commercial. Like yesterday, they took the light four times for four hours each. We are requesting that the DisCo should return us to Band B or C. The tariff is for commercial users and we are not; we are residential.”

Another resident, Adeyanju from Ayetoro CDA, corroborated Ajala’s claims, saying that what they pay for electricity is more than their house rent.

“We are paying more than our house rent for light. This is killing us. They should return us to Band D,” he said.

Jimoh Ajala and other Aguda CDA residents in Surulere protested at the Ikoyi Federal High Court, demanding government action against their exorbitant electricity bills.Interestingly, they are not alone.

Many Lagos residents are finding it increasingly difficult to pay their electricity bills due to several factors, including the harsh economy, rising inflation, high transportation costs and rent, among others.

Source: Saturday Tribune