Author: Soffiyyah Olamide

The European Union (EU) Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Samuela Isopi, has stated that the active participation of women in decision-making and politics remains important if Nigeria is to achieve equality, sustainable development, peace, and democracy. She noted that while women have the fundamental right to participate in political life, most of them still face a lot of social, cultural, and financial challenges. Isopi reminded stakeholders, especially the National Assembly, that the ongoing constitution reform process presents Nigeria with a unique opportunity to join the league of progressive nations in promoting gender parity through the adoption of a legal framework…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike At least no fewer than 10 persons are currently cooling-off in Zamfara State Police Command cell in connection with the murder of an Islamic scholar, Sheikh Abubakar Hassan Mada. Recall that the prominent Islamic scholar was said to have allegedly killed by operatives of the state’s security outfit, Community Protection Guards(CPG). According to reports, the incident occurred when operatives of the CPG reportedly invaded Sheik Mada’s residence and took him to an unknown destination for questioning regarding the security crisis in the state. The Zamfara State government on Wednesday, 6 March, 2024 in confirmed the arrest of the suspects through a…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has issued Policy Directives to improve the investment climate and position Nigeria as the preferred investment destination for the oil & gas sector in Africa. Following extensive engagements, analyses, and benchmarking with other jurisdictions, the President has initiated the amendment of primary legislation to introduce fiscal incentives for oil & gas projects, reduce contracting costs and timelines, and promote cost efficiency in local content requirements. Recognizing the urgency to accelerate investments, the President has directed as follows: (1) ⁠Introduction of fiscal incentives for non-associated gas, midstream and deepwater developments. (2) ⁠Streamlining of contracting process to compress…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has extolled the virtues of the first premier of the western region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, saying his principles have withstood the tests of time and geography. Just like the late sage, whom he said had been a dependable ally of time, the President identified the power of time to judge fairly, noting that it is only time that defines the tough decisions, character and sacrifices a leader has to take to make a difference. Speaking on Wednesday during the 2024 Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership held at Lagos Continental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, President Tinubu described…

Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja has overruled the no case submission made by Professor Cyril Ndifon and his lawyer, Barrister Sunny Anyanwu in the case instituted against them by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). The Commission is prosecuting Ndifon and Anyanwu over alleged sexual misconduct and attempt to perverse the cause of justice contrary to Sections 8, 18 and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and Section 182 of the Penal Code Cap. 532 Laws of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, 2006. Before the ruling on…

President Bola Tinubu has congratulated Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), on the award of the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership. Dr. Adesina joined the pantheon of other previous winners of the award such as Nigeria’s Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka; former President of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, and lawyer-educationist, Chief Afe Babalola. President Tinubu commended the AfDB President for his visionary and noble endeavour to transform agriculture in Africa and ensure food security on the continent, recalling the growth enhancement schemes revolutionizing Nigeria’s agriculture value chains he introduced as the then Minister of Agriculture…

Vice President Kashim Shettima on Wednesday, 6 March, 2024 led the nation to mourn former Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings Plc, Chief Herbert Wigwe, and his family, who tragically died in a helicopter crash in the United States of America. Senator Shettima, in a lyrical eulogy, described the late Wigwe as an early bloomer who transformed the Nigerian banking industry, recalling his visionary leadership and unwavering dedication to his community. Addressing a crowd of mourners in Lagos during the funeral service of the late banker, the Vice President said, “Herbert left us in winter before the season of…

By Dada Olusegun President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, once again, continued his aggressive marketing of Nigeria as the investment destination of the next decade as he displayed his charming charisma on his last trip to the State of Qatar and like he did in India and Germany, the President is back in Nigeria with a bag of goodies; this time with seven major agreements in important sectors of the economy. During a meeting on Sunday in Doha, President Bola Tinubu and His Highness, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar, supervised the signing of the historic…

Femi Brainard, a renowned Nigerian actor, recently shared his personal experiences of living abroad as a celebrity from Nigeria. In an interview with Teju Oyelakin, popularly known as Teju Babyface, on his podcast, Brainard shed light on the pros and cons of relocating to a foreign country. He emphasized that being esteemed and respected in Nigeria holds more value than being anonymous in a foreign land. During the conversation with the comedian, Brainard mentioned an interesting observation he had made while driving. He noticed that his Nigerian passengers, in particular, would often stare at him in disbelief, trying to confirm…

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) and Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR), Publishers of PRNigeria and Economic Confidential, have agreed to partner on fact-checking as part of efforts to stem the tide of fake news, misinformation, and disinformation in the digital age. The partnership deal was discussed when the CEO of IMPR, Mallam Yushau Shuaib, paid a courtesy visit to the Managing Director of NAN, Mallam Ali Muhammad Ali, in his office on Wednesday. Regarding the collaboration on tackling fake news, Mallam Ali said: “So, a partnership between NAN and IMPR is a welcome proposal because I think we have…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike A 16-year-old boy identified as Meshack Agaba died of electrocution inside premises of Government Science Secondary School in the Maitama area of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja on Wednesday, 28 February, 2024. One of the parents who witnessed the sad incident but preferred anonymity, on Monday, 3 March, 2024 disclosed The Punch Online that the deceased student was on his way to fetch water from a tap when he unknowingly stepped on an electric cable that had tripped off an electric pole inside the school compound. “The electric pole and the cable had been lying in the…

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Wednesday inaugurated a Diabetes Screening and Treatment Center donated by the Lions International District 404 B2 Nigeria for Offa community and its environs, calling for more partnerships with the administration for improved living standards of the people. Commissioning the facility which is located inside General Hospital in Offa, the Governor said the donation represents community service and support at its best and commended the donor for the investments to tackle diabetes — a major public health threat in Nigeria and across the world. “This unique humanitarian gesture will be remembered for years to come…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike At least five fighters of the Indigenous People of Biafra(IPOB) died during a gun battle between the personnel of the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Navy at Ejemekuru in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State. This latest development with IPOB’s fighters is coming a few days after a fierce gun duel between the troops and IPOB fighters occurred in the Orsu LG of the state. The troops killed an IPOB fighter in the operation and recovered three Improvised Explosive Devices, one Toyota Highlander SUV, one Hilux vehicle, eight rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition, among others from their hideouts. The Director,…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike Chidimma Susan Ezenyili, known as Suzy,a Nigerian woman working as a caregiver in the United Kingdom, has collapsed and died while on duty on Thursday, 22 February,  2024. It was gathered that the 37-year-old had struggled to work because she was resolved not to abandon her elderly client, Ian Hale in Scott Road, but slumped at her duty in the street of Bishop’s Stortford and gave up the ghost two days later. It was also said that Suzy was a Nigerian lawyer before she migrated to the UK and had been caring for the 86-year-old Hale for the past…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike Famous award-winning artiste, Innocent Idibia, popularly addressed as 2face or 2baba, and his management company, Now Muzik, both announced on Wednesday, 6 March 2024 an immediate parting of ways of  their partnership after more than 20 years. According to co-founder and CEO of Now Muzik, Efe Omorogbe, said :“Working with Idibia was “beyond work,” adding that the mutual disengagement is with immediate effect. Omorogbe added that 2face is one of the greatest Nigerian musicians of all time, and it was really an honour to have had the opportunity to walk side by side with him in the last…

By Dupe Olaoye-Osinkolu The hall of the Osun State Council for Arts and Culture was filled to the brim with excited thespians in May 1996. It was the monthly general meeting for practitioners under the aegis of ANTP, Osun State Chapter. The weather was friendly; sunny and pleasant with no cloud in the early noon sky. A few cars parked close to the hall, witnessed the impromptu visits of owners dashing in and out of the meeting to pick up forgotten items. ANTP stands for Association of Nigeria Theatre-Arts Practitioners. The group was founded by the pioneer Yoruba theatre-arts geniuses…

BBNaija All Stars Housemate, Terseer Waya, popularly known as Kiddwaya, says he will not be celebrating his birthday this year. He stated that he would use the occasion to honour his friend, Chizzy Wigwe, son of former CEO of Access Bank, Herbert Wigwe, who died in a helicopter crash in the United States last month. He made this known in a post on his Instagram handle on Tuesday, 5 March, 2024. He wrote, “Today is my birthday, but today is also the day a good friend of mine is getting buried, so out of respect, I will not be celebrating.”

By Abimbola Ogunnaike with agency report Police authoriti es in Kenya on Tuesday, 5 March, 2024, confirmed that a student pilot and instructor died when their aircraft collided with a passenger plane over the country’s capital, Nairobi. According to Kenyan authorities, the mid-air incident between local carrier Safarilink and the 99 Flying training school occurred Tuesday morning,. Nairobi police Adamson Bungei confirmed the deaths to AFP via text message without providing further details. An earlier police report seen by AFP said the passenger plane “requested to turn back for landing” after the collision. Safarilink said in a statement that the plane,…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has disclosed that forest investment drive of his administration has yielded positive results as it has attracted $30 billion in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). President Tinubu said since he assumed the leadership of the country in May 2023, the investments have already started coming into Nigeria. Tinubu stated this while speaking at the Leadership Conference and Awards, 2023, in Abuja on Tuesday, 5 March, 2024. “Since we assumed office in May 2023, we have attracted $30 billion in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) commitments into the real sectors of the economy, including Manufacturing, Telecoms,…

Operatives of the Maiduguri Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, arrested 21 trucks loaded with food and non-food items heading towards N’djamena, Chad Republic, Central African Republic and Cameroon. The trucks were intercepted in a sting operation at major exit routes along Kalabiri/Gamboru Ngala and Bama roads, Borno State. Investigation showed food items cleverly concealed in the trucks that would have gone undetected, but for the eagle-eyed vigilance of operatives of the Commission. Further checks showed that the Waybills covering the goods carried by the trucks indicated their destinations as N’djamena, Chad…