Vice President Kashim Shettima has commissioned a garment factory in Ilorin, Kwara State, with the capacity to employ about 4,000 people when operating at full capacity.

Shettima also commissioned the 11-storey Kwara Revenue Service House as part of activities marking the turbaning of Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq as the Sardauna of Ilorin.

The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha.

According to the statement, the garment factory is one of the signature projects of the AbdulRazaq administration and was designed to create employment opportunities for at least 4,000 people when fully operational.

The commissioning of the two projects formed part of activities surrounding the conferment of the traditional title on AbdulRazaq by the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari.

The Emir described the governor as the “Defence Minister of Ilorin Emirate” during the turbaning ceremony held at the Emir’s Palace in Ilorin.

Speaking at the ceremony, Shettima commended what he described as the legacy of continuity maintained by the AbdulRazaq administration in Kwara State.

The Vice President also reflected on the contribution of the governor’s late father, AbdulGaniyu AbdulRazaq, to the history of Ilorin and Nigeria’s legal profession.

Shettima noted that AbdulGaniyu AbdulRazaq made history as the first lawyer from Northern Nigeria, describing his legacy as one that had continued to resonate across generations.

“His father, Alhaji AbdulGaniyu AbdulRazaq, carried an Ilorin name into history as Northern Nigeria’s first lawyer,” Shettima said.

He also recalled that the late AbdulRazaq was the first Mutawalle of Ilorin, saying the title remained in the family as a reflection of its longstanding relationship with the Ilorin Emirate.

Shettima said AbdulRazaq’s turbaning provided an opportunity to reflect on how legacies and family names could be carried from one generation to another.

“As Governor AbdulRazaq receives his turban, we remember those who preceded him, and we offer prayers for the generations who will encounter this occasion through the stories their elders preserve,” he said.

The Vice President also spoke about his relationship with AbdulRazaq, describing him as a friend with whom he regularly discusses issues relating to governance and national development.

He said their responsibilities intersect at the National Economic Council, where issues concerning the federation and its constituent states are discussed.

According to Shettima, such responsibilities require governments to consider how economic proposals relate to implementation, financing and the needs of communities.

He said the success of Nigeria’s federal system depended on sustained dialogue among those entrusted with governing the country and meeting the needs of its citizens.

“A federation is sustained through the patient conversation between those who share responsibility for its people. No boundary on an administrative map can divide the dignity Nigerians are entitled to expect,” he said.

The Vice President also highlighted AbdulRazaq’s role as Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, noting that the governor participates in engagements with the Federal Government and development partners.

Shettima said behind such institutional engagements was the broader responsibility of addressing the needs of farmers, households and businesses across the country.

He further commended AbdulRazaq’s administration for investments in education, healthcare and road infrastructure in Kwara State.

“These are chapters in the story of a state as its people encounter it: the lesson a child can attend, the treatment a household can seek, and the market a farmer can reach,” he said.

Shettima urged that such investments be sustained so future generations could build on them, stressing that the true measure of a legacy was its continued benefit to the people.

The statement noted that the turbaning made AbdulRazaq the first person to bear the traditional title of Sardauna of Ilorin.

The ceremony attracted several dignitaries, including the governors of Imo, Kebbi, Plateau, Ekiti, Ogun, Niger, Bayelsa and Kaduna states.

Former Barcelona and Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman has announced the death of his wife, Bartina Koeman.

Koeman shared the heartbreaking news on Wednesday in a tribute posted on his Instagram page, describing Bartina as his “beautiful wife” and the family’s “dearest mother and grandmother.”

“With intense sadness, but also with great pride and love, we say goodbye to my beautiful wife, our dearest mother and grandmother,” Koeman wrote.

Following the announcement, Barcelona expressed its condolences to the former manager and his family, offering its support during the difficult period.

“FC Barcelona and its supporters send their deepest condolences and affection to Ronald Koeman and his family for the passing of his wife, Bartina Koeman. May she rest in peace,” the Spanish club said.

The Netherlands national team also paid tribute to Bartina and extended its sympathies to Koeman, their children, grandchildren and other members of the family.

“We wish Ronald, their (grand)children, family, and other loved ones a great deal of strength and support in the face of this great loss,” the national team said.

Koeman, 63, is one of the most recognisable figures in Dutch football, having enjoyed a highly successful playing career before moving into coaching and management.

As a player, he was known for his defensive ability, passing range and powerful set-piece strikes. He was also part of the Netherlands team that won the 1988 European Championship.

After retiring from playing, Koeman embarked on a managerial career that took him to several leading clubs and national teams.

He managed Barcelona between 2020 and 2021, winning the Copa del Rey during his spell at the Catalan club. He also had managerial stints with the Netherlands, Everton, Southampton and Ajax, among other clubs.

Koeman returned to the Netherlands national team for a second spell as head coach in 2023 after previously managing the side between 2018 and 2020.

Koeman and Bartina had been married for decades and had three children together. They also became grandparents during their long marriage.

The family has requested privacy as they mourn Bartina’s death and come to terms with their loss.

Tributes have continued to emerge from the football community as clubs, players and supporters offer their condolences to Koeman and his family.

A presidential aspirant and chieftain of the Peoples Redemption Party, Yakubu Kingsley, has called for competence, integrity, accountability and equitable representation to guide public appointments in Nigeria.

Kingsley, in a statement issued on Wednesday, said appointments to public offices should be based primarily on the ability of individuals to deliver, rather than ethnicity, religion, political affiliation or personal loyalty.

He, however, stressed that the emphasis on competence should not result in the exclusion of particular regions, communities, genders or generations from participation in national governance.

According to him, Nigeria needs a governance framework that combines merit with fair representation and accountability.

“The new direction for the country should mean combining competence with equitable representation, integrity and accountability.

“The guiding principle should be simple: Merit, Integrity, Representation, Transparency and Accountability,” he said.

Kingsley also called for a transparent and measurable application of the Federal Character principle, arguing that the constitutional provision should be reflected in how government appointments and other opportunities are distributed.

He said Federal Character should no longer be treated merely as a principle referenced during political debates, but should become a practical tool for measuring representation in government.

“Federal character must therefore become more than a constitutional principle invoked during political arguments; it must become a transparent and measurable instrument of governance,” Kingsley said.

He proposed the development of a framework through which Nigerians could assess appointments based on geographical, professional and other dimensions of representation.

According to him, such a system would make government appointments more transparent and could help reduce recurring accusations and counter-accusations over perceived marginalisation in the distribution of public offices.

The PRP chieftain further argued that inclusion in governance should go beyond appointments to public offices.

He called for structured consultations with a broad range of groups and institutions, including political parties, professional bodies, religious organisations, traditional institutions, civil society organisations, academia, labour, the private sector, women and youth groups, people living with disabilities, Nigerians in the diaspora and community organisations.

“Inclusion has to go beyond appointments.

While government must remain constitutionally neutral, particularly in matters of religion and partisan politics, it must maintain structured channels for consultation with these constituencies and draw from their knowledge, experience and reach,” he said.

Kingsley said broader consultation would allow different sections of society to contribute to policymaking, monitor the implementation of government programmes and provide feedback on the impact of public policies.

He maintained that governance should not be restricted to Abuja or the political class, stressing the importance of listening to citizens who experience the consequences of government decisions.

“Governance must not be confined to Abuja or to the political class. Government must listen to the people they serve, who experience the consequences of its decisions,” he added.

On natural resources, Kingsley said the principle of inclusion should also extend to communities where Nigeria’s petroleum, gas and solid minerals are extracted.

He argued that such communities should have a greater stake in the development generated from the resources found in their areas.

“Nigeria belongs to us all; therefore, the government must reflect that reality. The country is a nation of remarkable ethnic, cultural, religious, professional, political and regional diversity.

“Legitimate interests must have voices and Nigerians must have fair opportunity to contribute to the development of the nation,” he said.

Kingsley’s comments come amid continuing debates over the balance between merit, competence and equitable representation in the distribution of public offices and development opportunities across Nigeria.

He advocated a governance system that would make representation measurable while ensuring that competence, integrity and accountability remain central to the selection and performance of public officials.