Farewell message from Commonwealth Foundation Director-General, Dr Anne Gallagher

 As received by me (Blessed Mudiaga Adjekpagbon) on 15 August 2025, from Dr Anne T. Gallagher AO, the Director-General of Commonwealth Foundation

Dear Blessed,

As my second and final term as Director-General of the Commonwealth Foundation comes to a close, I want to share my thanks—and my hopes for the future.

Dr Anne T. Gallagher AO

It has been the honour of a lifetime to lead this small but mighty organisation during a period of profound global uncertainty. Amid shrinking civic space, deepening inequality, and escalating climate and health crises, we held fast to our mission: to amplify the voices of the Commonwealth’s people and advance a vision of fairer, more inclusive societies.

Together with you and our partners, we’ve turned strategy into action—and action into impact. Civil society actors in every Commonwealth region have shaped policies, challenged injustice, and expanded their presence in spaces where decisions are made. We’ve supported hundreds of initiatives through our grant making, launched powerful new platforms for connection and creativity, and brought the concerns of small and vulnerable states to the forefront of global debate. We’ve changed minds—and hearts.

Today, I am proud to share our Interim Report of Impact and Change, a record of what we have accomplished together since 2021. At its heart, it tells the story of the People of the Commonwealth—community leaders, artists, activists, and change-makers—whose courage and creativity continue to shape a fairer future. I hope you will take a moment to explore it.

As I prepare to pass the baton, I am delighted to welcome Razmi Farook as the Foundation’s new Director-General. Razmi brings deep experience and a strong commitment to equity, inclusion, and civil society voice. I am confident that, under her leadership, the Foundation will continue to thrive—and continue to inspire.

Thank you for your support over the years. It has meant more than you can know, and I will always carry with me the energy, creativity, and commitment of this extraordinary community.

With my warmest wishes,

Dr Anne T. Gallagher AO

Director-General  

Commonwealth Foundation

 

 

AUN management installs additional solar-panels field on campus

Written by Blessed Adjekpagbon

Under the commendable leadership of Dr. Dewayne Frazier, President of American University of Nigeria (AUN), Yola, Adamawa State, Nigeria, there has been a noticeable improvement in the quality of facilities on the institution’s campus.

One of the remarkable things that has taken place on the AUN campus in recent time, is the installation of a gigantic solar-panels field, behind the long stretch of the School of Arts and Sciences (SAS) building. This will no doubt enhance steady power supply for the stakeholders, such as the students, faculty members and administrative staff, in that section of the institution. Besides, there are other solar-panels fields on different areas of the campus that make learning and working easier for both the students and personnel during public power outages.

The availability of large aerial solar-panels on various areas of the institution such as the big library structure with a 24/7 power supply has been of great advantage to all and sundry relying on it during epileptic public electric power supply. There are two other aerial solar-panels fields at the car-park of the Human Resources and Peter Okocha Hall (POH) buildings on the campus, which have been enhancing a smooth learning and working environment.  Hence, the additional installation of the solar-panels field behind the SAS Building is a noteworthy improvement in the quality of infrastructure on the campus.

Dr. Dewayne Frazier, AUN President

This makes the AUN further stand out in its own unique conducive class and high standards of learning and working, among various private universities in Nigeria and the sub-Sahara region of Africa. Other state of the art facilities in different departments are part of the key reasons new applicants are seeking admission into the institution.

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Adamawa State flooding: NIWA Yola Area Office Manager takes proactive step to sensitize people

 Written by: Blessed Adjekpagbon 

As a result of the torrential downpours that have been causing flooding in some communities in Adamawa State in recent times, the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has embarked on a sensitization project to enlighten the people, to avoid exposing themselves to danger when travelling on the state's waterways.

Mrs. Nana Jika, Manager of NIWA, Yola Area Office said, "I and my management team have taken a proactive step to sensitize operators of boats transportation and people living in communities where water is the means of transportation, on the need for compliance to safety standards while travelling on the state's waterways."

This information was received by Bulkybon News during a visit to the NIWA Yola Area office in Jimeta.  The manager said there is an ongoing sensitization programme by herself and her team members, to various communities that rely on transportation by water every day. She informs that she and her officials are preparing to visit Wuro Boki community on 22 August 2025, to sensitize operators of boats transportation and their passengers, to maintain safety standards, to avoid mishaps and unnecessary loss of live while travelling on the state's waterways. 

Mrs. Nana Jika and her team

This, she said, is very necessary especially now that the state has been experiencing heavy downpours from the weeping sky from time to time. The sensitization programme is tagged “NIWA, Yola Area Office 2025 Sensitization on Safety and Flood Awareness.”

She pointed that, "We don't want disasters to happen before taking action. That is why we are taking this proactive step to avoid 'had I known,' which is usually the expression of regret, after failing to take the necessary step that could have prevented any mishap. We recently carried out a sensitization programme in some other communities. Wuro Boki is the next.”

A large quantity of flyers and life jackets to be distributed to the operators of boat transportation and the public in Wuro Boki, for the safety of the stakeholders and passengers during the aforementioned upcoming sensitization programme by the Adamawa State NIWA officials, were shown to Bulkybon News.

The key points of the sensitization programme are: no overload, no night sailing, no travelling on hard drugs, and no life jacket no travelling. According to the manager, the distribution of the items is meant to prevent the loss of life in case of any unexpected occurrence, even though nobody prays for any mishap. She oversees the operation of the NIWA in both Adamawa and Gombe States in the North East region of Nigeria.

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Reflection on Chief Obasanjo's simple lifestyle: My visit to his residence in 2011

 Written by: Blessed Adjekpagbon

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, an erstwhile Nigerian Head of State and President at different times, is certainly an unpredictable but simple lifestyle personality. 

The day l visited his Abeokuta residence in Ogun State, south west region of Nigeria, in 2011, to try to express my gratitude to him for giving me a presidential award in 2007 for my book titled "Rhymes from the Nile"  was when l got staggered by his simple lifestyle. The house was unimpressive with a gate widely opened as if it was not a place a former president is living. I saw about five young men casually discussing under a tree close to the gate. As l was about to bounce into the open compound in the manner of a usual Lagos guy after greeting them, a drama began between me and the seemingly casually talking young men.

I was carrying an envelope containing twelve copies of my newly published books titled 'When the King cries and Other Stories" and "Fundamentals of Literature - in - English," which l wanted to personally present to the former president as my token of contribution to his library. 

During that period, Bokoharam activities were just at its skeletal level. An old man who was addressed as Baba Sikiru by the young men was called out from inside the compound to follow me to about an electric pole distance away from outside the compound's gate to inspect the parcel of books l had with me. Even though the big envelope was not sealed, the young men refused to inspect it by themselves. It was then it dawned on me that they were afraid it could be a parcel-bomb. I began to laugh in my mind, that the young men who were dressed in black suits were the former president's security personnel who did not want to die if it happened that l was a disguised suicide bomber; hence, they called out an old man to do the inspection. They asked the old man loudly from a safe distance, what the envelope contained, thus: "Baba Sikiru, kilo wa ninu e?" In Yoruba language, which translates to English thus: "Elder Sikiru or Sakiru's father, what is inside the envelope?" And the old man responded, "Iwe ni o!" (It is books o o). 

Thereafter, they asked both of us to return to meet them where they were seated under a tree outside the compound, beside the left-hand side of the widely opened gate of an unattractive one-storey building. That was when l saw different weapons tucked inside their suits. They asked me where I came from and whether I had any previous appointment with the former president. I said l came from Lagos and had no previous appointment with him. They pointed out that I cannot see him since I had no previous appointment with him, but promised to deliver my gift and letter to him. 

I left and never heard anything from the former president relating to the books donated to him. About six months later, l read in some Nigerian dailies where he apologized to everyone he had been unable to attend to their needs at any point in time from when he was a president and after his tenure. In view of that, l decided not to bother to reach out to him again, to know whether he was given the books and letter or not. That was the closest move l had ever made to see Chief Obasanjo in person for the first time, after his tenure as Nigeria's president. Till date l have never met him one on one.

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Yola’s basketball player cries out for help

Written by: Blessed Adjekpagbon

Faruk Mahmud

In the midst of over a hundred folks walking on Sokoto Street in the City of Yola, Adamawa State, Nigeria, on Monday 14 July 2025, he stood out in the crowd with his seven feet towering height. This caught the attention of a roving journalist, who excused him for a chat. The very tall man's name is Faruk Mahmud.

During his interaction with Bulkybon News, the seemingly tallest man in Yola disclosed that he is a basketball player who has been unable to continue to play the game for a while despite his passion for it.

He informs that, "I have been playing basketball since my teenage and was looking forward to becoming a notable player of the Nigerian national basketball team, but there was nobody to recommend me to the national team handlers."

When asked whether he still wants to continue to play, he said, "Yes of course. I am very passionate about it and would love to continue if I can get help to recover from the setbacks I faced due to the collapse of a small poultry business I was doing. It was the business I was using to sustain myself while playing basketball with other individuals, such as some students of the American University of Nigeria at the basketball training courts outside the campus, along Yola By-pass."

He further points out that, "You know, one needs to keep fit by eating good food to have energy to train very well and keep going. But since the birds I had when I was actively doing a small poultry business, got attacked by a flu which happened when I didn't have enough money to buy medications, I lost my investment when all of them died."

Faruk's portrait

He also said his agelong dream is to play basketball at world class level with great American basketball stars, to become successful and establish a basketball academy to train youths in Adamawa who are interested in the sport. 

"One of the challenges facing us here in Yola is that we don't have a media house with a nationwide reach to project the skills and efforts of some people like me who are practicing different types of sports and are very good at it. I am therefore, using this opportunity to ask for your assistance to bring my desire to continue to play basketball, to those who can sponsor me and other youths in the state to global limelight. I need basketball kits and other basic necessities to encourage me and some of my colleagues to keep training to become world stars in the game."

Hence, through this avenue, basketball officials worldwide, who might be interested in Faruk, are called upon to invite him to join their basketball team anywhere in the world, where there is peace and harmony to showcase his skills. 

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Atiku reflects on how God saved him from assassins

Written by: Blessed Adjekpagbon

 

 Atiku Abubakar, founder of the AUN

Nigeria’s former Vice President Atiku Abubakar addressed the American University of Nigeria (AUN) Graduating Class of 2025, in the auditorium of the institution’s library on Friday 16 May 2025, and shared his personal experiences with them, during a question-and-answer session.

He maintains that education is the most relevant tool for personal and national development. He also emphasized the importance of courage, integrity and patience as the fundamental qualities required to succeed in life.

While sharing his personal experiences with the graduates, one of them, Abdulmumini Mapindi, asked the founder of the AUN, what it takes to build a career as a politician in Nigeria. It was then Atiku shared the stories of the challenges he faced with courage and patience, coupled with his survival of an assassination attempt on his life. He did so to encourage the graduates to emulate hard work, diligence and steadfastness.

The former Vice President who is also the Waziri of Adamawa State urged the fresh graduates to imbibe ethical values in whatever business or career they choose to practice in their life journey.

However, the most touching part of his chat with the graduates was his reflection on how he survived an assassination attempt by some assassins when he was living in Kaduna State in the days of yore. He described how the assassins gained entrance into his sitting room and bedroom, and how he courageously protected his lovely wife and children from harm.

While explaining the incident, he said “I hid my wife and children in a wardrobe and stepped forward to confront the attackers. They shot at me but missed due to my professional training. I bent down as they were firing at the door.” He added that he later stood up and asked the assassins, “Why did you fire?” when he opened the door. He told the AUN Class 2025 that such an incident is what he describes as courage.

“The sound of the assassins’ gun shots had attracted my neighbours who called the Police, and the assassins were overpowered and arrested,” he explained. This notwithstanding, he cautioned the fresh graduates, to never be in a haste to succeed in life, and avoid cutting corners. 

The Waziri also advised those among the graduates who want to pursue business, to follow the right path, never compromise their values, and avoid unnecessary confrontation in every situation.

Hence, his reflection on the importance of education and his political journey, was quite enlightening to both the AUN Graduation Class 2025 and some dignitaries who graced the event.

Nonetheless, he also talked about his late mentor, General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, who he praised as a courageous person even when death was threatening him. The bottom line of the AUN founder’s chat with the graduates is that they should be focused in everything they do as they step out into the larger world, and lead the next generation with integrity, patience and diligence.

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Memorable 2025 Crossover Night Party in Yola, Adamawa State

Written by Blessed Adjekpagbon

His Excellency, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri the current Governor of Adamawa State who was a honorable member of the Adamawa State House of Assembly, and was later appointed the Speaker of the House, certainly knows how to put smiles on the faces of the people living in the state through various youth and infrastructural development oriented projects. This has been exemplified with some ongoing activities' in the state by the state Commissioner of Works and Energy Development.

Hon Adamu Atiku Abubakar, the Commissioner of Works and Energy Development in Adamawa State, Northeastern Nigeria, organized a noteworthy crossover watchnight party to further foster unity and love among the youths and residents of the state, in the capital city of Yola on 31 December 2024, which ushered the folks into the new year (2025).

The very social Commissioner served as the Chairman of the Planning Committee for the Crossover Night and Fireworks.  The event was held at Adamawa Unity Bridge in Yola. It witnessed a mammoth crowd of enthusiastic youths. They were entertained with music and live performance by a popular Yola – based artiste, Latido who thrilled the audience with enthralling songs coupled with electrifying dance.

For the benefit of those who have not travelled to Yola before, or those who have been absent from Yola over a decade, the city is a very peaceful and conducive place to live and do various legal things, such as business and educational activities. It has become the fastest developing city in the northeastern region over the past four years till date. Even though some folks in the other parts of Nigeria still harbor the fear of insecurity reported about the Northeast many years ago, activities in Adamawa State has shown that the state has become the hub of peace, business and educational development in recent times. The folks are communally friendly and cooperative among themselves and visitors. 

The city's road networks are well planned to make movement easy and fast. There are various flyover bridges in the city, including an underground channel where vehicles easily pass through to avoid traffic jams, although there is scarcely traffic jams. The accompanying videos are evidence of how Yola is at present a place where everyone can move freely and engage in legal activities without fear of molestation or threat from anybody. The residents are hopeful that the new year will bring greater positive things to their lifestyles in view of the ongoing development works in the state by the current administration.

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