The Kwara State Signage and Advertisement Agency (KWASAA) has warned political aspirants and parties against erecting unauthorized billboards across the state without obtaining the required approval from the agency.
The warning was issued by the Ag General Manager, Toba Adeyeye, during the agency’s official visit to Kwara South as part of its ongoing sensitisation and enforcement drive.
He emphasized that the administration of Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has recorded remarkable achievements in the beautification and restructuring of the state, noting that such progress must not be undermined by unauthorized billboard placements.
“His Excellency has done a lot in repositioning Kwara State through urban renewal and environmental improvements. As an agency, we will not allow any aspirant or political party to jeopardize this great progress with illegal billboard installations,” he stated.
The Ag General Manager reiterated that KWASAA remains open to all stakeholders, including political aspirants and parties, for proper approval of billboards and other advertising-related matters.
He further disclosed that the agency is currently developing a well-structured layout for political campaign advertisements across the state to ensure orderliness, safety, and improved aesthetic standards.
“As part of this initiative, KWASAA will organise a special stakeholders’ engagement forum for political aspirants and parties in April. The forum is aimed at fostering dialogue, providing guidance, and ensuring full compliance with signage and advertisement regulations,” the Ag General Manager added.
The agency therefore urged all political stakeholders to adhere strictly to laid-down guidelines and seek appropriate approvals before installing any billboard structures.
Early disbursement aimed at easing financial pressure on workers during festive period
The Kwara State Government has commenced payment of March salaries to civil servants ahead of the forthcoming Eid al-Fitr, in a move aimed at supporting workers during the festive season.
The early salary disbursement is in line with the established tradition of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who has consistently approved timely payments to ease financial burdens on public servants during major celebrations.
Officials say the gesture is intended to enable workers meet their personal and family needs as they prepare for the Eid festivities.
The administration has maintained a record of prompt salary payments, with government sources noting that the policy reflects a broader commitment to workers’ welfare and economic stability in the state.
Civil servants have, in recent years, benefited from similar early payments during festive periods, a move many say has helped improve morale and productivity across ministries, departments, and agencies.
… FMOH survey shows 14 deaths per 1,000 live births, highlighting progress in the state’s health sector
Kwara State has recorded the lowest under-five mortality rate in Nigeria, according to findings from the latest survey by the Federal Ministry of Health Nigeria.
The report indicates that the state currently has an under-five mortality rate of 14 deaths per 1,000 live births, a figure that places Kwara ahead of other states in the country.
The data, drawn from the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2024, suggests that Kwara offers the most favourable conditions in Nigeria for child survival and early development.
Health experts say under-five mortality rate is a key indicator used globally to measure the quality of healthcare systems, maternal care, immunisation coverage, nutrition, and overall child welfare.
Officials in the state say the outcome reflects sustained investments and reforms in the health sector under the administration of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
The government has in recent years expanded access to primary healthcare, strengthened immunisation programmes, improved maternal and child health services, and upgraded several health facilities across the state.
The Chairman of FlowFM 92.7 and Stefolga Group, Araba Femi Sanni, has joined the global community in celebrating mothers across Nigeria in particular with a special tribute to his wife and the resilient women of Kwara State.
In a statement to mark Mother’s Day 2026, Sanni described mothers as the backbone of families and the unsung heroes of society, whose sacrifices and love shape generations.
He began his message with a personal note of gratitude to his wife, acknowledging her unwavering support and partnership over the years. He described her as his confidant and the rock of their home, whose love, patience, and strength hold their family together.
“Behind every man’s success is a woman who believes in him, prays for him, and stands by him through every storm. You are my greatest blessing, and I celebrate you today and always,” he said.
Sanni extended his appreciation to all mothers across Kwara State, recognizing their diverse roles in building families and communities. He acknowledged mothers in all walks of life, from professionals juggling career and home to market women working tirelessly to provide for their children, from farmers feeding the nation to grandmothers whose prayers cover generations.
He particularly acknowledged mothers raising children in challenging circumstances, including single mothers fighting daily to give their children a future and widows who have become both father and mother to their children. He described them as heroes and urged them not to lose heart.
Sanni also highlighted the role of Flow FM 92.7 in celebrating mothers, noting that the station remains committed to amplifying women’s voices and telling their stories. He dedicated the day’s programming to mothers, describing them as the heartbeat of the station’s audience.
“At Flow FM, we understand that mothers are not just listeners. They wake up with us, work with us in the background, and wind down with us at night. Today, we dedicate our airwaves to them,” he added.
The business leader concluded his message with a prayer for all mothers, asking for divine strength and protection over their lives. He prayed that God would grant every mother strength for each day, reward their labour with joy, their sacrifices with fulfilment, and their hearts with peace.
The Executive Chairman of the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service, KW-IRS, Folashade Omoniyi, on Thursday, March 12, 2026, led members of the management team of the Service on a courtesy visit to the Ilorin Zonal Director of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, ACE I Victoria Ugo, at the Commission’s office in GRA, Ilorin.
Speaking during the visit, Omoniyi said the delegation was at the EFCC to formally welcome the new Zonal Director and further strengthen the cordial working relationship between both agencies. According to her, it has always been a tradition for the Service to pay such visits whenever a new head assumes office, noting that the gesture helps to “put a face to the name” and deepen institutional cooperation.
Omoniyi recalled that she was first appointed Executive Chairman of KW-IRS in October 2019 by the Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, and was reappointed in October 2023 after successfully completing her first tenure. She noted that the Service had enjoyed a productive and mutually beneficial relationship with the EFCC over the years, particularly in promoting accountability and improving revenue generation within the state.
The KW-IRS boss also spoke on the recently enacted tax reform signed into law by the President, highlighting some of its key provisions aimed at strengthening tax administration and enhancing compliance across the country. According to her, “the reform is designed to simplify Nigeria’s tax system, reduce the burden on low-income earners and small businesses, while boosting government revenue through improved compliance.”
She, however, lamented the persistent challenge of tax evasion, stressing the need for sustained public sensitisation on the new tax laws to ensure that citizens understand their civic responsibilities and sought continued collaboration with the EFCC, particularly in the area of enforcement and intelligence sharing.
According to her, stronger synergy between the revenue agency and the anti-graft commission would help curb tax evasion and other financial infractions, ultimately boosting internally generated revenue and supporting development efforts in Kwara State. She also congratulated Ugo on her appointment as the new Ilorin Zonal Director of the EFCC, expressing confidence that her leadership would further strengthen the fight against economic and financial crimes in the zone.
In her response, Ugo appreciated the KW-IRS delegation for the visit and the show of goodwill, noting that the anti-corruption drive under the leadership of the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, places strong emphasis on tax compliance as a critical component of financial integrity and national development.
She added that the visit went beyond mere familiarisation, describing it as a valuable opportunity for both institutions to interact, share ideas and deepen collaboration for more effective results in combating financial crimes and promoting accountability in the state.
The Chairman of FlowFM 92.7 and Stefolga Group, Araba Femi Sanni, has expressed deep sorrow over the passing of renowned legal practitioner and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State, Barrister Kunle Sulyman, who died on Thursday at the age of 81.
In a personal condolence message, Sanni described the late Sulyman as a dependable leader, a fearless voice, and a dear friend with whom he shared a political journey spanning over two decades.
“Our political relationship began in 2002, and for 24 years, we walked together through the evolving landscape of Kwara politics.
Barrister Sulyman was not just a party stalwart. He was a man of conviction who spoke truth to power and stood firmly by the people,” Sanni stated.
The FlowFM Chairman highlighted Sulyman’s pivotal role in the Otoge movement, which reshaped Kwara State’s political narrative, as well as his leadership of the APC Elders Caucus and the Governor’s Advisory Council.
On a personal note, Sanni revealed a unique bond shared with the deceased: a shared birthday of September 4. “We never missed an opportunity to remind each other of that bond. The jokes, the camaraderie, the mutual respect. These are memories I will cherish forever.”
Sanni prayed for the peaceful repose of the departed soul and urged the family to find strength in the legacy their patriarch left behind.
The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu psc(+), NPM, embarked on an operational visit to Kaiama in Kwara State, and commended gallant officers of the Kwara State Police Command and detectives of the Intelligence Response Team following the successful arrest of 32 suspected bandits linked to kidnapping, cattle rustling, and other violent crimes. The arrests were made during sustained intelligence-led operations targeting criminal networks operating within forest corridors and rural communities across the state. In a joint operation by the Kwara State Police Command and the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), the suspects were apprehended during coordinated raids on criminal hideouts. Investigations revealed that the suspects belong to different gangs using forests around Awi, Kaiama, Patigi, Gbugbu, Tsaraji, and Babanla as operational hideouts. Among those arrested are two foreign nationals from the Niger Republic, suspected of collaborating with local bandit groups in cross-border criminal activities. During coordinated raids, police operatives recovered five (5) walkie-talkie communication devices, 38 rounds of live ammunition, four (4) AK-47 rifles and a camouflage hydration backpack suspected to have been used by the criminal groups to coordinate attacks and evade security patrols. Further investigations also led to the arrest of Umar Mohammed, a suspect from Jos in Plateau State, alleged to have supplied communication devices to bandits, alongside other individuals suspected of providing logistics and support to the criminal network. Speaking during the visit, the IGP noted that the arrests were the outcome of coordinated operations by the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies aimed at dismantling criminal networks operating within forest locations across the region. He commended the officers for their professionalism and urged residents to continue providing credible information to security agencies. The Commissioner of Police, Kwara State Command, CP Adekimi Ojo psc, mnips reaffirms his commitment to intensify operations against banditry and restore safety to affected communities. He assured that all suspects in custody will be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted in accordance with the law, while efforts continue to track down other members of the criminal gangs still at large.
Prominent businessman and Chairman of Stafolga Group and Flow FM, Araba Femi Sanni, has backed growing calls for the establishment of state police, saying improved security across Nigeria’s states is critical to economic growth and investor confidence.
Sanni spoke with journalists at the Ilorin International Airport on Monday while departing the city, noting that Nigeria’s long-term economic strength will depend largely on how successfully its states evolve into vibrant and competitive economic centres.
Drawing from his experience in private enterprise and exposure to global business environments, he said countries widely regarded as fast-growing economies typically have several thriving subnational economies driving national development.
According to him, Nigeria currently relies on only a few such economic hubs — Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt — a situation he said limits the country’s global economic image and broader development potential.
“If more states develop into vibrant economic centres, Nigeria will naturally be better perceived globally as a fast-developing nation,” he said.
Sanni stressed that security remains a decisive factor in unlocking such growth, describing it as a critical asset for attracting investment.
“No serious investor will commit resources in an environment where security is uncertain,” he said, adding that the creation of state police could significantly strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture by bringing law enforcement closer to communities.
According to him, state policing would also improve accountability by empowering governors to function effectively as chief security officers of their states.
He added that the introduction of state police could deepen healthy competition among governors, particularly in the area of security management and public safety.
Sanni attributed the evolution of governance competition among states partly to the leadership example set by Bola Ahmed Tinubu during his tenure as governor of Lagos State.
He noted that beyond infrastructure development, states could begin to compete in the future on the efficiency, professionalism and effectiveness of their policing systems.
Addressing concerns about possible abuse, Sanni said Nigeria previously operated regional police during the First Republic and already runs several community-based security outfits across states.
“In the face of banditry, terrorism and insurgency, strengthening security structures is not optional,” he said.
Femi Sanni, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and chairman of Stefolga Group and Flow FM 92.7, says Nigeria’s development cannot depend on Lagos and Abuja alone.
Speaking on Friday during a visit to the Kwara state secretariat of the APC in Ilorin, Sanni, popularly known as Araba, called for stronger sub-national governance across the country.
He congratulated the APC leadership in Kwara, led by Sunday Fagbemi, the state chairman, following the successful conduct of the party’s congress.
According to him, Nigeria’s progress “ultimately depends on the performance and functionality of its states”.
“A country can only be as good as the sum total of its sub-nationals,” he said.
He said the political culture nurtured in Lagos state and widely credited to President Bola Tinubu has ensured continuity of governance and accelerated development.
Sanni said the Lagos model shows that political succession anchored on ideas rather than personalities can transform states into viable economic centres.
“If we say the United States is a great country, it is because every state contributes meaningfully to the national strength,” he said.
“In Nigeria, we must begin to measure development from the states. If only Lagos and Abuja are functional, that means only two out of 37 units are working effectively.”
Sanni said strengthening state institutions and entrenching political continuity across administrations would help to accelerate national development.
He also commended Tinubu for sustaining progressive political ideals over the decades.
Sanni praised AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, governor of Kwara, for laying what he described as “a new benchmark for governance in the state”.
He urged the APC leadership to consolidate the governor’s reforms and ensure that future political contests within the party are conducted on a transparent and level playing field.
Sanni said the struggle to install progressive governance in Kwara was the result of years of political perseverance.
“I contested for the house of representatives in 2003,” he said.
“As I recall, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and myself were both on the ballot under the Alliance for Democracy (AD) at the time.”
Sanni said the early efforts later evolved into a broader progressive coalition that reshaped the state’s leadership in 2019.
“The effort to rescue Kwara took many years of commitment and sacrifice,” he said.
“This is why it is important that the party builds lasting legacies and avoids returning the state to the old ways of doing things.”
Responding, Fagbemi commended Sanni for his longstanding commitment to the progressive movement in the state.
“You have always identified with the progressive family in Kwara,” Fagbemi said.
“The fruit of the labour of those early years is what we are all benefiting from today. We appreciate your commitment.”
As conversations around the 2027 governorship election in Kwara State slowly gather momentum, a curious narrative has begun to circulate: that the Ilorin Emirate faces a difficult political dilemma because two of its prominent sons may eventually contest the same office from different political platforms.
It is an argument that sounds dramatic at first hearing. But on closer examination, it appears more like an oversimplification of a far more complex political landscape.
The claim essentially suggests that the Ilorin Emirate could find itself emotionally torn between Senator Saliu Mustapha of the ruling APC and Engr. Suleiman Bolakale Kawu of the PDP, two respected sons of the Emirate whose names are increasingly mentioned in conversations about the 2027 race.
Both men undoubtedly command respect. Both are known within the Emirate’s social and political circles, and both have built reputations through public service and philanthropy. But reducing the political future of Kwara State—or even that of Ilorin Emirate itself—to a supposed clash between just two personalities stretches the argument beyond what the political reality supports.
Kwara politics has never been that narrow.
If anything, the attempt to frame the coming contest as a “two sons” dilemma ignores the fact that the Ilorin Emirate has historically produced multiple political actors at the same time, many of whom have competed vigorously within and across political parties without turning such contests into communal crises.
For instance, where does one situate the political weight of Yahaya Seriki, the Ajia Balogun of Ilorin and a well-known grassroots mobiliser within the APC? How should the experience of Moshood Mustapha, a former federal lawmaker with longstanding involvement in Kwara’s political evolution, be placed within this conversation? And what of Ali Ahmad, whose tenure as Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly positioned him as a notable figure in the state’s legislative and political landscape?
These are all Ilorin sons with recognisable political structures, influence and ambitions of their own. Their existence alone complicates the simplistic narrative that the Emirate is about to be forced into choosing between only two options.
Beyond these names skirting the race as it were, there are also persistent whispers within political circles about additional aspirants—some respected technocrats and political actors from Ilorin—who may yet enter the race as the political season unfolds. In contests of this nature, so-called dark horses are never entirely out of the equation. They often emerge quietly before suddenly reshaping the dynamics of the race.
Seen in this broader context, the notion of a tidy “two-man dilemma” begins to look less like serious political analysis and more like an overly convenient storyline.
More fundamentally, the argument rests on another questionable assumption: that Ilorin must always act as a single political bloc. That idea is historically inaccurate.
Even during the era of the late political titan Olusola Saraki, political competition among Ilorin sons was not uncommon. The Emirate’s political vitality has never depended on rigid unanimity but on its ability to produce leaders capable of contesting power while maintaining communal cohesion.
In other words, Ilorin’s strength has never been the absence of rivalry. It has been the ability to manage rivalry without allowing it to degenerate into lasting division.
Democracy, after all, is designed to accommodate ambition. It is not a coronation ceremony where communities anoint a single candidate and expect the rest of the electorate to simply endorse the choice.
Equally important is the fact that the governorship of Kwara State is not decided in Ilorin alone. While Kwara Central remains politically influential, the electoral arithmetic of the state requires candidates to build meaningful alliances across Kwara North and Kwara South. No aspirant, regardless of stature within Ilorin, can realistically aspire to win the governorship without cultivating broad statewide appeal.
This is why the “Ilorin dilemma” narrative tends to shrink a statewide democratic contest into what appears to be a family discussion within the Emirate.
The reality is far more expansive.
Rather than signalling division, the emergence of multiple credible aspirants from Ilorin should be seen as evidence of the Emirate’s continuing relevance in the political life of Kwara State. It demonstrates that the community remains a fertile ground for leadership and public service.
If every instance of political ambition among Ilorin sons were interpreted as a communal crisis, the Emirate’s political system would long ago have collapsed under the weight of internal rivalry. Yet history shows the opposite. Ilorin has repeatedly navigated intense political competition while preserving its cultural cohesion and social stability.
This resilience reflects a deeper understanding within the community: politics may be fiercely contested, but it is ultimately transient. The bonds of heritage, tradition and shared identity endure far beyond any electoral cycle.
When the contours of the 2027 governorship race eventually become clearer, it will almost certainly not resemble a duel between two titled sons of Ilorin. It will instead evolve into a broader statewide contest shaped by party structures, regional alliances, policy debates and the choices of voters across Kwara’s three senatorial districts.
To portray Ilorin Emirate as a fragile community incapable of managing political competition among its own sons is to underestimate both its history and its political maturity.
Far from being trapped in a dilemma, Ilorin Emirate is doing what politically vibrant societies naturally do—producing leaders, encouraging democratic participation and leaving the final verdict to the electorate.
And that is not a problem to be solved. It is simply democracy at work.
