Latest News
The Goldman Sachs 2024 annual letter to shareholders devotes a few words to crypto and distributed ledger technology.
According to the report, blockchain, cryptocurrencies, and other digital assets have led to "increased competition" in the financial industry.
The company notes it has exposure to distributed ledger technology via client facilitation, investment and as a third-party vendor only.
The report cites fears of the market and cyber vulnerabilities associated with these technologies.
“[A]lthough the prevalence and scope of applications of distributed ledger technology, cryptocurrency and similar technologies is growing, the technology is nascent and may be vulnerable to cyber attacks or have other inherent weaknesses”, states the letter.
In 2024, the bank was set to initiate tokenization projects to help clients invest in financial assets like real estate and money market using public and private blockchains.
However, this does not mean that the firm is making a major strategic pivot in the direction of cryptocurrencies, the report explains.
In December 2024, CEO David Solomon had suggested that Goldman Sachs would look to participate in Bitcoin and Ethereum markets if the U.S. regulatory landscape changed, stating that current regulations prohibited the bank to trade in cryptocurrency.
He also reiterated his characterization, as of this January, of Bitcoin being an “interesting speculative asset" adding, “I do not think Bitcoin is a threat to the US dollar” in an interview with CNBC back on January 22.
In late 2024, Goldman Sachs raised its holdings in Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) by 15%. Based on its most recent 13F disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Goldman raised its total crypto ETF holdings to $2.05 billion in the fourth quarter of 2024 from the $744 million it held in the third quarter.
With its largest concentration in BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) at $1.2 billion, the bank's Bitcoin ETF holdings $1.6 billion.
[The Street]
As bitcoin, ethereum and other cryptocurrencies get increasing attention from investors, Wall Street and its traditional banks continue to adjust to the shift. Catch up on this week’s top stories highlighting the intersection of these old guard and new school areas of finance with this recap compiled by The Fly.
BINANCE FOUNDER DENIES REPORT ON TRUMP TALKS: On Thursday, The Wall Street Journal’s Rebecca Ballhaus, Patricia Kowsmann, Angus Berwick, Josh Dawsey and Caitlin Ostroff reported that representatives of President crypto exchange Binance, citing people familiar with the matter. Binance’s billionaire founder, Changpeng Zhao, who served four months in prison after pleading guilty to violating anti-money-laundering requirements, has been pushing for the Trump administration to grant him a pardon, sources added.
Following the report, Changpeng Zhao, the founder of Binance and its ex-CEO, stated in a post to X: “Sorry to disappoint. The WSJ article got the facts wrong. More than 20 people have told me they were asked by the WSJ (and another media), ‘Can you confirm that CZ made some deal for a pardon?’ They probably asked hundreds of people to have 20 people reach out to me. In essence, they tried hard to make a story to report. Fact: I have had no discussions of a Binance US deal with … well, anyone. No felon would mind a pardon, especially being the only one in US history who was ever sentenced to prison for a single BSA charge. Feels like the article is motivated as an attack on the President and crypto, and the residual forces of the ‘war on crypto’ from the last administration are still at work. I am always happy to make crypto great everywhere, US and the rest of the world. It’s good to see that even WSJ thinks I should be pardoned.”
COINBASE SECURES REGISTRATION IN INDIA: Coinbase (COIN) announced Tuesday it has registered with India’s Financial Intelligence Unit, which marks a significant milestone in its international expansion strategy. The company plans to launch its initial retail services later this year, followed by additional investment and products in India thereafter. “We’re committed to building in markets that believe in the potential of crypto and onchain innovation,” said John O’Loghlen, Regional Managing Director for APAC at Coinbase. “India represents one of the most exciting market opportunities in the world today, and we’re proud to deepen our investment here in full compliance with local regulations.”
Additionally on Tuesday, Mizuho lowered the firm’s price target on Coinbase to $217 from $280 and kept a Neutral rating on the shares. The firm said that since its last model update on February 20, the price of bitcoin has fallen from $98,000 to $79,000 and Coinbase shares are down 30%. While some multiple compression is warranted due to lower multiples across technology, the move in Coinbase shares is overdone, the analyst said. Mizuho believes the stock should trade closer to $217. While it sees some upside from here, it remains Neutral given the longer-term risk of pricing pressure from increased competition across the crypto trading space. Mizuho cited lower market multiples for the target cut.
BIT DIGITAL REPORTS FY24 RESULTS: On Friday, Bit Digital (BTBT) reported FY24 earnings per share of 19c on revenue of $108.1M, which compared to a loss per share of (16c) on revenue of $44.9M last year. The company earned 949.9 bitcoins during 2024, a 37% decrease from the prior year, and treasury holdings of BTC and ETH were 741.9 and 27,623.2, respectively, with a fair market value of approximately $69.3M and $92.1M on December 31, respectively.
The company said, “2024 marked a pivotal shift for Bit Digital. Our business was historically driven by digital asset mining, but the successful launch and rapid expansion of our HPC business fundamentally reshaped our company. This evolution drove over 140% revenue growth, with these new business lines contributing nearly half of total revenue. A defining milestone in this transformation was our acquisition of Enovum Data Centers in October. More than just an infrastructure expansion, Enovum provided us with a proven team, operational expertise, and a scalable platform to develop and operate data centers. It also introduced colocation services as a new business line, further diversifying our revenue streams and strengthening our AI compute capabilities. Bitcoin mining remained a key revenue contributor, generating $58.6M, a 32% increase year-over-year. However, as our HPC business scaled, mining’s share of total revenue declined to 54% in 2024, and further to 40% in Q424, compared to 98% in 2023. This shift underscores our strategic pivot toward infrastructure-driven revenue streams while maintaining disciplined mining operations.”
ANALYSTS UPDATES BITCOIN MINER MODELS: On Thursday, JPMorgan downgraded Cipher Mining (CIFR) to Neutral from Overweight without a price target. The firm updated bitcoin miner price targets and models to reflect the Q4 results and changes in bitcoin price and the network hash rate. The firm now sees less upside potential relative to peers for Cipher Mining shares. Cipher could sign a high performance compute deal at its Barber Lake site, which could drive upside, but deals can take up to nine months to negotiate and finalize, the analyst said.
JPMorgan also lowered the firm’s price target on Mara Holdings (MARA) to $18 from $23 and kept a Neutral rating on the shares as well as on CleanSpark (CLSK) to $12 from $17 and kept an Overweight rating on the shares and on Riot Platforms (RIOT) to $13 from $16 and kept an Overweight rating on the shares.
Additionally, the firm upgraded IREN (IREN) to Overweight from Neutral with a price target of $12, down from $15. JPMorgan named IREN its top pick citing the company’s “strong” mining operations and high performance computing “optionality.” The shares have “been overly punished” year-to-date, and offer 70% upside at current levels, which could prove conservative if IREN announces an HPC deal with a name-brand tenant, the analyst said.
HIVE PRICE TARGET LOWERED: Cantor Fitzgerald lowered the firm’s price target on Hive Digital (HIVE) on Tuesday to $8 from $11 and kept an Overweight rating on the shares. Hive said it mined 89 bitcoin during the month of February, or 3.1 bitcoin per day, a decrease from 102 bitcoin mined in January, and its share of the overall bitcoin network decreased to 0.69% from 0.73% on a peak hash rate basis, the analyst said. Cantor continues to believe that current levels represent an attractive risk/reward, as the firm is confident in Hive’s ability to execute on its bitcoin mining and AI Cloud targets, which will represent 300% hash rate growth and $100M in annualized run-rate revenue in 2025, respectively.
CRYPTO STOCK PLAYS: Publicly traded companies in the space include Bit Digital, Coinbase, Core Scientific (CORZ), Greenidge Generation (GREE), Mara Holdings, Strategy (MSTR), Riot Platforms, Stronghold Digital Mining (SDIG) and TeraWulf (WULF).
PRICE ACTION: As of time of writing, bitcoin dropped about 6% this week to $83,160 in U.S. dollars, according to CoinDesk.
[Tip Ranks]
Media personality Toke Makinwa has stated that if she had gotten married again, she would have ended up divorced.
She recently spoke about her life as a single and childless woman at 40, stating that she has come to terms with her journey and focused on her accomplishments.
In a recent episode of her podcast, Makinwa admitted that she used to feel pressure about not having a child or a partner at her age, but has since learned to embrace her truth.
Toke, who turned 40 last year, confessed that if she had gotten married again, she would have ended up divorced, citing that the lessons never stop.
Instead of dwelling on what could have been, Makinwa is choosing to focus on her achievements, including building a media empire, being one of Africa’s most influential voices, and enjoying good health.
She said: “I am 40, I am single, and I am childless. I said it, and I didn’t die, and that always made me tear up. I used to feel like, how am I 40 and I don’t have a child? How am I 40 and I single? How am I 40, and I am alone? Listen, if I am completely honest with you guys, if I had gotten married again, I would have been divorced. Because the lessons never stop.
“I am grateful for the journey, I am grateful for where I am at, and I am grateful that I am 40. I look at my life like I am 40 and a boss, have built an empire, am one of the most resounding voices in Africa, have a love of family, and am in great health. I love what I do, and I am not waking up miserable, thinking that I am still here.
“You need to sit with your truth, and when you do so, you can’t shame the shameless”.
[TheNation]
US President Donald Trump’s administration is mulling a new travel ban that would affect citizens from dozens of countries to varying degrees, the New York Times reported Friday.
Citing anonymous officials, it said the draft list featured 43 countries, divided into three categories of travel restrictions.
The red category of countries whose citizens would be completely barred from entering the United States includes Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen.
Another 10 countries in the orange category—Belgium, Eritrea, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar, Pakistan, Russia, Sierra Leone, South Sudan and Turkmenistan—would see their visas sharply restricted.
“In those cases, affluent business travellers might be allowed to enter, but not people traveling on immigrant or tourist visas,” the New York Times said.
Citizens from countries on the orange list would also have to undergo in-person interviews to receive a visa.
Another 22 countries on a yellow list would have 60 days to address US concerns or risk being moved up to one of the more stringent categories.
“The officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive internal deliberations, cautioned that the list had been developed by the State Department several weeks ago, and that changes were likely by the time it reached the White House,” the New York Times said.
As one of his first acts in office, Trump froze the United States’ refugee admission program and almost all foreign aid.
Trump ordered the US government to identify countries whose nationals should be banned from entering on security grounds, a move akin to the so-called “Muslim ban” of his first term.
That ban — which in 2017 targeted citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen — ignited international outrage and lead to domestic court rulings against it.
Iraq and Sudan were dropped from the list, but in 2018 the Supreme Court upheld a later version of the ban for the other nations — as well as North Korea and Venezuela.
[AFP]
Nollywood actor, Uzor Arukwe, has reacted to the backlash over his role in Omoni Oboli’s new movie ‘Love In Every Word.’
Arukwe, who played the role of Odogwu Obiora, an affluent Igbo man, who spends lavishly on his partner Chioma (played by Bambam), has been under fire for allegedly portraying Igbo men as “simps.”
While the movie has been praised by many, especially ladies as a perfect example of how men should treat their partners, some male viewers complained that the movie exaggerated men’s responsibilities to their partners.
An X user Himp2million wrote, “Anambra men are not simps. Your movie is liked only by ladies who have always had the illusion of an odogwu that’ll spend his last dime on them.”
Responding to the X user, Arukwe explained that taking care of one’s partner and spending money on them doesn’t make a simp but responsible man.
He wrote, “Taking care of your woman and spending money on her doesn’t make you a simp. It only makes you a responsible man.
“How else do you show love to your partner if you can’t take care of their needs from the abundance of your wealth?”
This is not the first time Uzor Arukwe will be facing backlash for allegedly overlaying his role in a movie.
In 2023, he was accused of exaggerating his Igbo accent in Funke Akindele’s blockbuster, ‘A Tribe Called Judah.’
[Leadership]
![[PRESS RELEASE] Gov Aiyedatiwa Congratulates Madam Ajulo On 90Th Birthday](/media/k2/items/cache/691fa87c4f7c88118023fc4e16b00d61_M.jpg)
The Governor of Ondo State, Dr Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has congratulated Chief (Princess) Christianah Monisola Ajulo as she celebrates her 90th birthday.
Madam Ajulo (née Adedeji) is the mother of the Attorney General and Commisoner for Justice in Ondo State, Dr. Olukayode Ajulo, SAN.
Governor Aiyedatiwa, in a birthday message to the matriarch of the Ajulo family, described her attaining the age of 90 in good health as a remarkable milestone worthy of celebration.
The Governor commended the many wonderful impacts Madam Ajulo has made on humanity, part of which is the nurturing guidance she has given to her children.
The Governor said: "On behalf of the government and people of Ondo State, I extend my warmest congratulations to you, Mama, on your 90th birthday.
"This remarkable milestone is a testament to your strength, resilience, and dedication to living a life filled with purpose, wisdom, love and joy.
"Mama, your life has undoubtedly touched the hearts of many, and I am honoured to take a moment to express my deepest admiration for you.
"I am indeed delighted to join your family and well-wishers from far and near to celebrate with you today and I pray for more strength, sound health and peace as you mark this milestone."
Prince Ebenezer Adeniyan,
Chief Press Secretary to the
Governor of Ondo State.
A police officer attached with the Edo State Police command has allegedly killed an 18-year-old youth, Chinedu Abimbor, for refusing to stop at a checkpoint.
It was gathered that the incident happened at Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State.
Sources said the incident happened on Wednesday when the victim, who was driving in a Mercedes Benz, refused to stop at the police checkpoint in the town when his vehicle was flagged down.
Angered by Abimbor’s action, one of the operatives reportedly fired shots at the vehicle, killing the driver in the process.
“His brother who was in the vehicle with him was arrested by the police and taken into custody,” a source added.
It was gathered youths took to the streets of Ekpoma, demanding justice for the deceased and the immediate release of his brother from custody.
A youth Lucky Adaba, who spoke on behalf of the protesters, noted that police in the area had a habit of harrasing young men driving cars.
He said they protested to the police to investigate what could have led to the killing, but they were teargased.
Meanwhile, the command’s spokesperson, CSP Moses Yamu, said the Commissioner of Police, Betty Otimenyin had ordered a full-scale investigation with a view to ascertaining what actually happened.
Moses in a statement said the CP had directed the immediate withdrawal of the three patrol teams fingered in the incident from operations.
According to him, the incident involved a security forces’ joint operation team and occupants of an unregistered Mercedes Benz which resulted in the death of one Chinedu Obimbor.
“The Commissioner of Police has commiserated with family, friends of the deceased, and sued for calm with assurance that justice will prevailed at the end,” he said.
[DailyTrust]
Former Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has told his successor, Siminalayi Fubara that there is no sign he would succeed as governor.
Wike, who addressed a large crowd of his supporters in the state on Saturday, said the governor has surrounded himself with people who do not mean well for the state.
According to him, those were same individuals who wanted the position he gave to Fubara at all cost but he turned them down.
Wike mocked Fubara, saying the governor was already 2-0 down, alluding to the Supreme Court ruling that mandated him to re-present the 2025 budget to the Martin Amaewhule-led 27 lawmakers and reconduct the local government polls in the state.
“You [Fubara] surrounded yourself with people who wanted to be governor, whom I said ‘no, these people don’t mean well for Rivers State.’
“They are the ones surrounding you, giving you advice. Do you think you will succeed?
“They will give bad advice, and look at what bad advice is doing to you. You are already down 2-0, and there’s more to come.”
[DailyPost]
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has said he will not stop the Rivers State House of Assembly from performing its Constitutional duties.
Wike said he foresaw the current political crisis in the state and advised his successor, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, to take that route, but the latter refused, surrounding himself with people who are ‘ingrates’.
Wike stated this during a Thanksgiving/Civic Reception held on Saturday in Abalama in Asari-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State by some Ijaw stakeholders under the aegis of New Associates Kalabari.
He berated the governor for withholding the salaries and allowances of the Martin Amaewhule-led 27 lawmakers because those supporting him told him nothing would happen.
The immediate past Governor said his only sin was because he told the governor to ensure that he took care of those who supported him and worked for his emergence and not to abandon them when he emerged.
Wike stated, “The primaries came (PDP primaries). Today, the governor said he was not going to run and that my Commissioner of Finance, Isaac Kamalu, should be the one to run.
“What did we do wrong? We said all the council chairmen suffered. All the Assemblymen suffered. National Assemblymen suffered for you to become governor. Therefore, don’t abandon them.
“That was the only offence I committed’ and then they said every time I’m asking for money. Which money am I asking for? Okay, thank you. Has the money come?
He continued, “Those they are sharing the money to, how far? What I always tell people to remember yesterday. A man is bad, a man is a crook, a man is a criminal, but it was that criminal, it was that crook who said come, take against all odds. If I hated the Ijaw people, I would not have conceded to it, and nothing would have happened, but because of my principle of living and letting live.
“If you watch all those around the governor, they are people who are natural ingrates. Only those who believe that they cannot appreciate and thank God for any good thing will associate themselves. I told the governor that all these things you are seeing are not good for you to face this crisis. But they told him you’re Governor, you have money. I agree. Money is not everything. All these people don’t have anything to offer. See where we are now. How far!
While nothing, many of the projects in the state now, including the Ring Road, were initiated by him and handed over to the governor to endear himself to the River people. He challenged the governor to mention one that he initiated.
“It is not to abuse us. You can abuse me as much as you want, and let me tell you, I have never bothered myself because abuse does not kill anybody. What is important is the result. Is it not?
“Who has High Blood Pressure now? Not them? We we dey sit down dey enjoy. They have high blood pressure. This is what I was avoiding I said look, don’t go through this route. They told you to seize assembly members’ salaries and allowances for more than one year.
“These people have no income to pay their children’s school fees or feed their families, and you were jubilating. People were encouraging you, and nothing will happen. Something has happened.
“And let me tell you I’m not going to stop the assembly from performing their Constitutional duty. The assembly should be allowed to perform its constitutional duty. People who love peace don’t threaten people.
“Assembly people should do their work. Whatever they deem necessary that is Constitutional they should do. I’m not going to stop anybody from carrying out his or her powers. I will not do that.”
Recall that the assembly on Friday adjourned its sittings indefinitely just when the governor had written to the Speaker informing the House of his intentions to present the 2025 Appropriation Bill to the lawmakers on Wednesday, March 19, 2025.
[Punch]
... Urge President Tinubu to sack FCT Minister
The Niger Delta youth chapter of the apex socio-political body for the South-South geopolitical zone, the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Nyesom Wike, the minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), to retract his publicly disparaging remarks against the Ijaw nation and the leaders of this socio-political body.
According to the youths, it was embarrassing that Wike insulted the late former Federal Commissioner for Information and South-South Leader, Chief Edwin Clark, even in death without respecting him.
Addressing journalists on Saturday, the National Youth President of the Youth Wing, Doben Donyegha, who gave the ultimatum, said that it was annoying that Wike abused the leaders of the South-South geopolitical zone less than 24 hours after its delegation met with the President at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Recall that the FCT minister had, on Thursday, during a media chat, described PANDEF as “the worst organisation anybody can rely on”, while also calling the board of trustee members of the body “political merchants”.
Donyegha, who also urged President Bola Tinubu to immediately sack the minister from his cabinet, said that the youth wing no longer had confidence in him and that keeping Wike in his cabinet may affect the president’s re-election chances in the Niger Delta come 2027.
The President of the PANDEF youths also asked the Code of Conduct Bureau to investigate the minister, alleging land-grabbing activities in the FCT.
Details later…
[Vanguard]
More...
A group of Ijaw women have blocked the road in Asari Toru LGA of Rivers state to stop Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), who is expected to visit the area today.
Fubara and Wike have been locked in a supremacy battle over control of the political structure of the state.
The rift has led to the polarisation of various interest groups in the state.
Recently, Wike reportedly referred to the Ijaw people as “minority of minorities in Rivers and other south-south states except Bayelsa.”
According to reports, the women are showing solidarity with the Ijaw people following Wike’s statement against the ethnic group located in the Niger Delta region.
The women staged a massive protest on the road to stop the former governor from passing through the road to attend an event organised to honour him.
On Friday, the Ijaw National Congress (INC) appealed to President Bola Tinubu to call Wike to order over his comments on the Ijaw.
“We will maintain peace and stability as we call on President Tinubu to caution him and redirect his focus to his ministerial duties,” the group said.
“The INC remains committed to preserving the harmony enjoyed by all in the Niger Delta region.
“We have taken note of the recent remarks made by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.”
[TheCable]
Dara, the estranged wife of comedian and skit maker Kehinde Ganiyu, popularly known as Ijoba Lande, has said that her ex-husband is an addicted gambler and assaults her at every slightest opportunity.
The estranged wife made the disclosure in an interview with actress Biola Adebayo on Friday.
She swore to have never slept with 21 men, which Ijoba Lande claimed in a viral interview while daring the comedian to name and release the video he has.
According to her, Marygold, the comedian’s manager, who coincidentally happened to be her friend, was the primary reason she left the marriage, stressing that her ex-husband was always taking sides with her during arguments.
“When I met Lande, I didn’t date him because of the money he has. People do not want us to date. Even then, I had someone I was dating, but my friend (Marygold) convinced me to date after he showed interest in me at a party we first met. He plays aviator (online betting) a lot, and that thing rips him of millions, to the extent that he sold his car and still used it to make a bet. He was always on his phone and had no attention for me, not knowing that he had always glued himself to those online betting websites.
“I even went as far as collecting food on credit while staying with him. He doesn’t take care of me. And on top of that, he beat me up due to his anger issue. Our problem started when he began to back Marygold for defaulting a monthly contribution of N100,000 pack N1 million. I would challenge Marygold to pay up but Lande would side with her that I should leave her beause she’s broke, I wasn’t taking it lightly because when it was her turn, she collected the money as the N100,000 contribution was coming from the contributors.
“Before I left his place, we had once planned to do a content that we saw me leaving his house. Even the money for my introduction, I paid it myself. I did not take anything out of his house when I left; my clothes and other items were still in his house,” she said.
While fielding questions on what led to the ‘Truth or Dare’ game at the residence of popular Yoruba Nollywood actor Babatunde Tayo, aka Baba Tee, Dara said Marygold initiated the game for a reason best known to her.
She maintained that she was drunk and probably did not know what transpired during the sex dare but recalled sitting on Baba Tee’s legs while regretting playing such a game and being at that scene.
PUNCH Online reports that during a recent interview, Lande claimed that his wife left him after he discovered her alleged infidelity, stating that at least 21 men in the entertainment industry were involved with her.
Among those he called out was Baba Tee, whom he mentioned in an Instagram post and the viral interview.
Countering the allegation, Baba Tee denied the affair with Lande’s wife, stating that he only met Lande’s wife once, and it was last year through actress, Marygold.
The 45-year-old actor explained that Marygold introduced her as a content creator and upcoming artiste, and he only discovered her true identity after overhearing a conversation between her and Marygold.
However, he also, in a short message on his official Facebook page on Monday, apologised to Lande.
He wrote, “I am deeply sorry from the bottom of my heart, brother, Lande. Deep how Dara became Lande’s wife without my knowledge…Hmmm. I fear women.”
The family of Afrobeats superstar, Asake, has finally spoken out amid the ongoing controversy involving the singer and a man, Fatai Odunsi, who claims to be his father.
The controversy erupted after a viral video surfaced showing Odunsi appealing to the public for financial assistance, citing serious health issues.
He said he has been battling stroke since 2022 and that Asake has ignored his calls despite his deteriorating condition.
In response, Asake addressed the issue in a cryptic yet emotional message shared on TikTok.
Singing in Yoruba, he said, “You can’t please everyone, you can’t please the world. But anything you are doing, just do it for God.
“My own father wants to cajole me, and I have sent so much money to him. I have struggled for so many years, but they want to make life tire me.”
Amid the ongoing drama, Asake’s family has now broken their silence, not only addressing the allegations but also accusing the singer of neglecting his daughter, Zeenat, and her mother.
They urged Asake to take responsibility for his father’s welfare and expressed willingness to conduct a DNA test to determine the paternity of 11-year-old Zeenat.
A woman featured in the video made a direct appeal to the singer, saying, “I am begging you, Ololade Mr Money, he shoild come and do the needful.
“I’m begging you, Ololade Mr. Money. Even if Nigerians donate ₦10bn to this man, just ₦1m from Asake would make him happier.
“Please take care of your father. If you don’t want to support him directly, buy him a house in Isale Eko where he can earn rent to survive.
“In this Isale Eko, you can see house of ₦40m, ₦50m that you can build that this man can be collecting rent. Also, if you are in doubt about Zeenat, the mother has agreed to a DNA test.”
Click the link below to watch the video:
Media
?????: ?????? ????? ????? ?? ??????? ?????? ??????, ??????????? ????????
— Punch Newspapers (@MobilePunch) March 15, 2025
The family of Afrobeats superstar, Asake, has finally spoken out amid the ongoing controversy involving the singer and a man, Fatai Odunsi, who… pic.twitter.com/yMfhIF5pfW
US Congress approves sanctions on Nigeria over killings of Christians; Presidency rejects claims
AFOLABI
The United States Congress has authorized President Donald Trump to impose severe sanctions on Nigeria following alarming reports that the country accounts for 90 percent of Christians killed globally each year. The decision, announced by Chris Smith, Chairman of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, came after a congressional hearing on the persecution of Christians in Nigeria. The hearing featured testimonies, including that of Bishop Wilfred Anagbe of Makurdi, who described militant Fulani herdsmen as terrorists operating with impunity.
Smith criticized the Nigerian government for failing to protect Christians, citing a report by the Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa, which documented over 55,000 killings and 21,000 abductions linked to religious violence between 2019 and 2023. He also blamed the previous Biden administration for removing Nigeria from the Country of Particular Concern (CPC) list, a designation Trump had initially placed on the country. Smith urged Trump to take decisive action, reintroducing a resolution calling for renewed CPC designation and potential sanctions if the violence continues.
“This hearing should be a catalyst for action,” Smith stated, emphasizing that sanctions have historically driven change. He expressed confidence that Trump would engage Nigerian President Bola Tinubu on the crisis and take necessary steps to address what he termed “religious cleansing.”
In response, the Nigerian Presidency rejected the US Congress’s findings, describing the report as lacking context and timelines. Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, defended the Tinubu administration, stating that it promotes religious tolerance and has significantly reduced cases of Christian persecution since taking office on May 29, 2023.
“While we are in no way admitting or authenticating the report of the US foreign relations committee, it is noteworthy to state that the committee’s report falls short of context and timelines,” Bwala said. “President Bola Tinubu remains committed to promoting peace and religious tolerance.”