Belgium’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Pieter Leenknegt, has expressed confidence that Nigeria’s cultural festivals will achieve global prominence in the coming years.

Speaking at the Cultural Canvas and Festival Exhibition in Abuja, organized by Sholate Entertainment Limited in collaboration with Cultural Canvas, Leenknegt praised Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage and commended the organizers for documenting the country’s diverse festivals.

“In the next few years, Nigeria’s cultural festivals will become world-famous, and there’s no doubt about it,” he said. “I am happy to be a privileged observer of this journey.”

The event, which aimed to promote Nigeria’s artistic and cultural expressions, attracted key government officials, industry stakeholders, and creatives from various disciplines.

Nigeria’s Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Ibrahim-Suleiman, highlighted the unifying power of the creative sector.

Represented by her senior assistant on creative affairs, Rukkuya Muhammed, she emphasized that arts, music, and film could foster national cohesion.

“These are mediums that the government can leverage to unite the country,” she said.

“For the first time, Nigeria has a Ministry of Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy. This is a great opportunity to organize and support the creative sector.”

She also applauded the festival’s role in celebrating Nigerian heritage and acknowledged the significant contributions of women in the creative industry.

Emmanuel Solate, CEO of Sholate Entertainment Limited, explained that the Cultural Canvas initiative goes beyond cultural exchange.

“It is a platform for artists—modern, traditional, and futuristic—to showcase and explore Nigerian culture on the global stage,” he said.

He revealed that international collaborations are already in motion, with partnerships extending to Australia and beyond.

“Nigeria stands to gain by reclaiming its cultural identity,” Solate said.

“Many Nigerians, including those in the diaspora, are unaware of their heritage. This platform is an opportunity to educate ourselves about who we are.”

Nigeria’s Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, also underscored the role of culture in fostering unity.

Represented by Chief Obinna Nwaka, stressed that cultural festivals provide young people with a sense of belonging and a means to engage in economic development.

“A lot of business moguls are young people who are investing in and contributing to culture,” he noted.

“One of the easiest ways to showcase our heritage is by digitalizing it, especially since most of our youth are online.”

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has distanced the state government from the ₦700 billion fraud allegation leveled against his immediate predecessor, Udom Emmanuel, by the Network against Corruption and Trafficking, and being probed by anti-graft agency EFCC.

“I don’t know where they get those figures from because it can’t be from Akwa Ibom State; it can’t be from us – we don’t have such figures,” Eno said at a town hall meeting in the Abak area of the state on Saturday.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governor condemned what he described as a vilification of the past governors of the oil-rich South-South state since the return to democracy in 1999.

Eno said, “I begin to feel that how we treat our leaders after they have put in all their efforts to serve can be very discouraging.

“We have done this consistently from Obong Attah, even the distinguished Senate President (Godswill Akpabio), we also vilified him; we went to EFCC. Now, we are doing it to Gov Udom Emmanuel.”

The governor said subjecting leaders to fraud probes after they have served their people well in office would discourage those currently in office from giving their best whilst in service.

“I’m already expecting that it will happen to me but what this does is to discourage leadership; it discourages you from giving your best, from burning out yourself because at the end of the day, the people don’t show you that gratitude,” he said.

“When a man has served his state meritoriously like Governor Udom Emmanuel did, honestly, should be honoured, and should be respected.

“I don’t see a place for this kind of vilification that is going on; it is not correct – I don’t believe it should go on.

“It is not correct, it is not truthful and we need to just dismiss it with a pinch of salt,” he added.

On Tuesday, March 4, 2025, operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) detained Emmanuel for alleged ₦700 billion fraud.

This followed the petitioner’s allegations of money laundering and diversion of funds preferred against PDP’s Emmanuel, who was Akwa Ibom State governor from May 2015 to May 2023.

The petitioner alleged that Emmanuel received ₦3 trillion from the Federation Account in eight years but left a debt profile of ₦500bn and unpaid ongoing projects worth ₦300bn. He was also alleged to be unable to account for ₦700bn.

The Nigerian Human Rights Community (NHRC) has criticised the invasion of the Ikeja Electricity Company by armed officers of the Nigerian Air Force.

On Thursday, air force personnel invaded the power company’s headquarters in Lagos over the disconnection of electricity at Sam Ethnan Air Force Base, Ikeja, Lagos state.

Kingsley Okotie, spokesperson for IKEDC, said the NAF personnel vandalised the company’s office, assaulted employees, and made away with several company assets.

In a statement, Adewale Adeoye, the national president of NHRC, called on President Bola Tinubu and the national assembly to set up an independent panel of inquiry to investigate the invasion.

The coalition said the panel should identify the officers responsible for the invasion and bring them to justice.

“Invasion of private or corporate institutions by armed Airforce or soldiers should be a thing of the past after 25 years of post military rule,” the statement reads.

“The orders for the invasion by some senior officers violated the Nigerian constitution and portrayed the country as facing the prospect of brute force intervention, yet with an elected president, in a democracy.

“We are appalled that in this century, armed soldiers could forcefully enter the corporate headquarters of a strategic service provider, beat up its staff, destroy property and even threaten to shoot the workers. This is savage and shows a lack of discipline and professionalism on the part of the air force men.

“The Nigerian Airforce performs critical roles linked to national security. The constant provision of electricity is key to optimum performance. This is understandable.

“Democracy and dialogue are slow but remain the surest and legitimate means of conflict resolution. Violence, no matter the provocation, can never replace the dictates of the constitution.

“This issue should not be swept under the carpet. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the National Assembly are strongly urged to set up an independent panel of inquiry to identify the remote causes, the officers involved and to ascertain the extent of damage done to the property of the organisation towards compensation.”