Author: Christiana Alabi-Akande

“Stop anything about the NLP – perish and burn it,” was all the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, had to say in discarding Nigeria’s National Language Policy (NLP) and Mother Tongue (MT) Education, a product of many years of agitation and intellectual works by erudite Nigerian scholars. His remarks, made without minding whose ox is gored, have provoked a wave of backlash. Stakeholders are now up in arms, describing the minister’s position as rash, ill-advised, imperialistic and unacceptable, and are demanding an immediate reconsideration. DevReporting writes: The 69th meeting of Nigeria’s National Council on Education (NCE) was significant for various…

The President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Christopher Piwuna, a professor of medicine at the University of Jos, Plateau State, has decried the poor welfare of Nigerian academics, revealing that some of the union’s past leaders, who dedicated their lives to education, still do not own a house. Mr Piwuna said one of his predecessors, Dipo Fasina, popularly known as “Jingo,” who taught Philosophy for 34 years at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), still lives in the university’s staff quarters because he has no house of his own. A source on the campus said Mr Fasina, though…

The Netherlands has announced it will withdraw funding for an international climate centre it helped establish eight years ago, effectively bringing the project to an end after 2026. The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA), based in Rotterdam, was envisioned as a global hub where countries could seek guidance on climate change. In reality, however, much of its work has centred on Africa, and according to experts, its ‘solutions’ lack “local ingenuity, cultural identity, and shared purpose”. This perceived shift in focus, the Dutch government says, it no longer wishes to fund. The centre now faces the risk of collapse, according…

In a breakthrough that could redefine cancer care, Nigerian scientist, Rasheed Adigun, a postdoctoral candidate at the University of Cincinnati in the United States, is developing a hydrogel innovation capable of delivering chemotherapy drugs directly to tumours, minimising side effects and sparing healthy tissues. His work is set to mark a shift from discovering new drugs to perfecting how they reach their targets, offering hope for safer and more effective cancer treatment. Christiana Alabi-Akande reports: Every October, pink ribbons bloom across the world, symbolising hope, resilience, and remembrance. Breast Cancer Awareness Month is more than a campaign; it’s a collective…

In Nigeria, myths around virginity continue to shape how young girls and women experience menstruation. Many girls fear tampons could ‘take away’ their purity by breaking the hymen. In this piece,  Christiana Alabi-Akande, provides answers to pertinent questions as guided by medical experts.  Girls and women face diverse challenges during menstruation, many of which stem from deep-rooted social and cultural beliefs and societal expectations that limit certain behaviours or discussions. One example is the stigma surrounding the use of tampons. In Nigeria, and in many other parts of the world, the hymen (piece of tissue that covers the vagina), is…

The first part of this investigation narrates harrowing accounts of sexually abused children and the deep scars they now live with. But beyond these personal stories lies a bigger picture, one painted in stark numbers. In this second part, DevReporting’s Christiana Alabi-Akande went undercover to some police stations in Lagos to expose how security operatives extort families of victims, even at their vulnerable moments. What data shows Investigations by DevReporting have revealed grim statistics of sexually abused children in Lagos, a city nicknamed Nigeria’s commercial capital and one of the largest and fastest-growing economies in Africa. In 2020 alone, the…

In Lagos State, Nigeria’s sprawling megacity, sexually abused children from poor homes endure a second betrayal, a justice system riddled with extortion, indifference, and impunity. As anguished families wrestle with endless delays and crushing costs, perpetrators roam free. In this investigation, Christiana Alabi-Akande unveils how poverty silences the vulnerable, transforming justice from a basic right into a luxury only a few can afford. On Wednesday, 30 September 2020, Favour Okechukwu, 11, was gang-raped to death in Ejigbo, a low-income suburb in Lagos State. The victim’s family had expected swift justice, but almost five years later, it remains a mirage. Frustrated…

They wake up each day unsure of where their next meal will come from; their wrinkled hands tremble not just from age, but also from hunger and despair, the consequences of poor and unpaid pensions. In this special report, Christiana Alabi-Akande & Sodiq Mojibola, who monitored the protest in Lagos, shared the ugly experiences of the country’s aged generation. For many Nigerian pensioners, retirement is not the peaceful rest they envisioned after decades of service. Instead, it is a daily struggle for survival, with delayed payments, unexplained deductions, and broken promises draining whatever dignity old age should bring. DevReporting gathered…

Born into a family of scientists, Daniella Okamgba chose law and made history. A bold stand for justice at her military boarding school lit a spark that set her apart early on. She clinched top honours as Babcock University’s best graduating law student in 2023 and went on to shine at the Nigerian Law School, earning five prestigious awards, standing out among over 5,700 new lawyers.  In this interview with DevReporting, she spoke on how her story is proof that faith, focus, and fierce determination can take anyone anywhere. DR: What inspired you to study law, and how did your…

Amid the ongoing quota crisis at the University of Calabar (UNICAL), the National Universities Commission (NUC), the country’s regulatory body for university education, has clarified that the institution did not breach any regulatory provision to warrant the strong hammer recently wielded by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN). A Deputy Director in charge of Academic Planning and Head of Resources and Strategic Planning at NUC, Nte Bisong, said his agency, as a creation of the country’s constitution, is responsible for the accreditation of programmes and allocation of quotas for Nigerian universities, and not the responsibility of professional bodies.…