Permanent Secretary Visits NWDC Facilities in Kano, Commends Support from Stakeholders

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Regional Development, Dr. Mary A. Ogbe, on Thursday paid a one-day working visit to Kano State to inspect facilities designated for the takeoff of the North-West Development Commission (NWDC).

Dr. Ogbe, accompanied by senior officials from the Ministry, was received by NWDC officials in Kano where she toured facilities donated by the MAAUN Group and BUA Group. The structures are intended to serve as the Commission’s temporary headquarters and Kano State office.

The Permanent Secretary also visited a site donated by the Kano State Government, which is expected to serve as the Commission’s permanent headquarters in the near future.

Speaking during the visit, Dr. Ogbe commended the generosity and foresight of the MAAUN Group, BUA Group, and the Kano State Government. She described their contributions as vital milestones that will enable the NWDC to establish a physical presence and begin implementing its development agenda in the North-West region.

“These efforts reflect a clear commitment to the growth and transformation of the region,” she noted.

The NWDC was recently established to drive coordinated socio-economic development across the seven states of the North-West geopolitical zone. The Commission is currently finalizing arrangements to begin operations.

ACANigeria, NIA Stakeholders Applaud Utopia Bath and Kitchen Products

Stakeholders from the Association of Consulting Architects Nigeria (ACANigeria) and the Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA) have praised Utopia Bath and Kitchen for its exceptional product quality and innovative designs.

The commendations were made during the 2025 Sundown Cocktail Event, organized by ACANigeria in partnership with Utopia Bath and Kitchen Nigeria. Themed “Staying Connected Through Industry Collaboration”, the event brought together key industry professionals to explore current trends and challenges in architecture and design.

Utopia Bath and Kitchen is a leading manufacturer of complete bathroom solutions, offering a wide range of products manufactured under strict WRAS standards in the UK. All products come with comprehensive warranties.

Stakeholders who spoke with newsmen  at the event emphasized that the partnership between ACANigeria and Utopia demonstrates the importance of collaboration in raising industry standards.

Strengthening Professional Bonds

Arc. Olusegun Paul Adetokunbo Ladega, a Fellow of the NIA and the pioneer President of ACANigeria, described the Sundown Cocktail as a vital initiative to foster professional bonding beyond typical project settings.

> "ACANigeria organizes regular networking events called 'The Sundowners.' We bring architects together across cities for informal networking, idea sharing, and collaboration," he said.

“Today marks the first Sundowner outside Lagos this year, and it’s significant because Utopia has graciously hosted us in Abuja. It’s a relaxed setting, but an essential platform for exchanging experiences and mentoring, especially for younger architects and students.”

Ladega, also Managing Director of Interstate Architects Ltd., commended the quality of Utopia's product offerings:

> “I’ve heard testimonies from professionals with 20 years of experience using this brand. That speaks volumes about its reliability. Utopia has set a benchmark for product durability and design in our industry.”

Innovation and Standards

Arc. Sani Saulawa, First Vice President of the NIA, echoed these sentiments, noting that Utopia’s product durability and attention to detail address persistent challenges in the industry:

> “Often, we encounter products that look great initially but don’t stand the test of time. Our biggest industry challenges revolve around plumbing systems and sanitary fittings. Utopia addresses these with long-term warranties — 12 years for tapware and 25 years for ceramics. That’s impressive.”

He stressed that events like these are crucial for architects to explore new technologies and products first-hand.

A National Reach

Arc. Lanre Olusola, Vice President of ACANigeria and President of the Sub-Saharan Africa chapter of the American Institute of Architects, described the event as a step toward national engagement:

“This is the first ACAN Sundown Cocktail in Abuja. Most of our events have taken place in the South, so bringing this to the North is important. Utopia has provided a platform for this meaningful collaboration.”

Olusola highlighted the importance of aligning product manufacturers and architectural consultants:

 “It’s vital for architects to interact with manufacturers to understand the standards and quality of products being specified in their designs. This synergy ensures better outcomes for clients.”

Broad Industry Impact

Arc. Ninah Briggs emphasized that the event reflects broader architectural trends such as sustainability, inclusive design, and innovation:

 “Hosting this event at Utopia’s warehouse is a great start to what I believe will be a long-term partnership. The exposure to their high-quality product range was eye-opening.”

Arc. Leke Nadi, Chair of ACANigeria’s Membership Committee, described the event as “epoch-making.”

 “Utopia is raising the bar with world-class products. I encourage all architects to visit and explore their offerings. The experience will certainly influence future specifications.”

He also urged architects to register with ACANigeria to access member-exclusive benefits such as business advisory services and professional indemnity insurance.

Experiences and Testimonials

Other attendees shared positive impressions. Arc. Agatha Odigie of ARTEC Practice Ltd said: “I’ve practiced in Abuja for years but never visited Utopia until today. I was amazed by the affordability and quality of the products. I look forward to doing business with them.”

Arc. Lape Saleh added:

 “The products are not only high quality but also reasonably priced. Investing in them is a decision clients won’t regret years down the line.”

Utopia’s Vision for Nigeria

Aftab Ahmed, Chairman of Utopia Bath and Kitchen (Dubai), highlighted the company’s global and African vision:

> “Utopia  as founded 35 years ago near Birmingham, UK, and we brought the brand to the global stage in 2019. Nigeria became our first African franchise in 2022 thanks to Dr. Lami Ahmed. Today, we’re present in 11 African countries.”

He emphasized that Utopia is committed to quality and affordability:

> “We offer lifetime warranties — 25 years on ceramics and 12 years on tapware — without inflating prices. Nigeria is a key market for us, and we’re expanding with showrooms in Enugu, Port Harcourt, and Lagos.”

Local Commitment

Dr. Lami Ahmed, the sole representative of Utopia Bath and Kitchen in Nigeria, described the event as a testament to shared values:

> “This partnership with ACANigeria shows our joint commitment to excellence. Architects play a crucial role in guiding developers, so it’s important they know our brand.”

She added that Utopia represents perfection and customer satisfaction:

“We want to make it easier for developers and homeowners to access high-quality, affordable bathroom solutions without the stress of sourcing from abroad. We deliver value, durability, and convenience — right here in Nigeria.”

Stakeholders advocate inclusive opportunities for children with special needs

Child right advocates, educators and caregivers have called for inclusive opportunities for children living with autism and other special needs to enable them achieve their full potential and contribute to society.

The stakeholders made the call at a “Meet and Greet’ event in Abuja.

It was an occasion to celebrate Kanyeyachukwu Tagbo-Okeke, a 15-year-old Nigerian autistic artist who recently broke the Guinness World Record (GWR) for the Largest Painting, as the latest world’s largest art canvas by an individual.

Tagbo-Okeke had on April 2, unveiled the awe-inspiring canvas titled: “Impossibility is a Myth,” measuring 12,303 square meters, surpassing a previous 9,652 square meter record held by Emad Salehi.

The event, tagged “The Back-Story”, brought together representatives of civil society groups, artistes, stakeholders in the arts and culture sector, and friends and family of the ace artist.

According to the stakeholders, while Tagbo-Okeke is being celebrated for his ingenuity and exceptional feat in arts, there is a need to reflect on the challenges children with special needs face in Nigeria.

Mohammad Sulaiman, President, Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA), said the association was offering equal opportunities for talented young artistes to thrive irrespective of their background.

He, however, lamented that both government and relevant institutions have not realised the place of the artists in nation building. Hence, they provide little or no support for them.

“I would want to say that this actually marks the beginning of a very eventful period in Nigeria’s art life.

However, what Nigeria has not done, unfortunately, is that it has not been deliberate about looking at arts.

“The government must be very deliberate especially in these unique areas that are beginning to make impact, like autistic ones, and put funds into those areas,” he said.

Helen Neete, an art instructor, said many Nigerians still have little or no knowledge of the Autism spectrum, and therefore have a polarised view of autistic children.

“I believe that these individuals are specially touched by God, and I don’t think they have special needs.

“I think they have special abilities, and each of them has his own form of expression; for some, it’s music, for others , it’s writing, and then those in visual art.

“One of the reasons why individuals on the spectrum are pushed aside is the lack of sensitisation and awareness in our society.

“Nobody goes into motherhood or parenthood thinking that they will have a child on the spectrum, and many people don’t even ask if this happens to me. What do I do?

“So when you are just faced with this individual, and you don’t know what to do, so the first thing to do is that we as a society we have to educate ourselves,” she said.

Also, the mother of the young artist, Dr Sylvia Tagbo-Okeke, said children with special needs require individualised care, attention, and accommodations for them to feel included and motivated to manifest their God-given talents.

According to her, the journey of her son to stardom was that of resilience, determination, and sacrifices by the family.

She therefore called on parents with autistic children not to give up ,adding that society, especially in the Nigerian setting, needs to be more empathetic and understanding with children who have special needs.

“For parents that have special needs children, I always tell them never to give up on their child or lose hope.

“No matter how bad, if you keep at it, if you are patient, if you show love, at least they will be able to move from a point A point B and to a point C.

“You will deal with stigmatisation, discrimination, and with people that do not have empathy because in this society, you have the good, the bad, and the ugly.

“For us as a family, we have met some good people as well that have encouraged us, and then we have met some very bad ones that have made us feel very bad.

“But what we decided is that, we are not going to dwell on those bad, because we have a motto that autism is not a tragedy, Ignorance is”, she said.

NSC, AFN officials poor attitude towards individual sponsored competitions worry stakeholders

 

Sports Stakeholders  across all sectors have frowned at the National Sports Commission (NSC)  and the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) officials over their non challant attitude by not attending Competitions organised and sponsored by individual when invited.

During a media chat, Stakeholders noted that these national sports  agencies and their heads hardly attend privately sponsored sports  programme when invited.

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These views were expressed at the opening ceremony of the 5-day Gombe Inter-secondary School Athletics Championships at Pantami Stadium on Tuesday.

Speaking further, the organiser and sponsor of the Championship Hon. Ahmed Shuaibu Gara Gombe regretted that concerned individuals would spend their hard earned funds to organise competitions invite the NSC and AFN officials and they won't attend.

Aside stakeholders saying they will officially table the matter before NSC and AFN hierarchy, Hon.Gara Gombe maintained that those governing sports at the national level seem not to care about individual sponsorship of sports Competitions because they will not benefit.

Gombe said, "This attitude is not limited to those at the national level, adding that at the State level, it is worse, they won't even send a representative". 

"How then would the private sector be encouraged to assist in sports sponsorship to help young talents grow in Nigeria, Gombe queries