The United Nations (UN) has released the list of the top ten happiest countries in Africa, as contained in the 2023 World Happiness Report.

Naija News reports that the World Happiness Report measures national happiness and the data is primarily from the Gallup World Poll based on respondent ratings of their own lives.

In Africa, Mauritius emerges as the happiest country on the continent, boasting a happiness score of 5.902. Its extremely happy landscapes and diverse culture undoubtedly contribute to this high ranking.

Algeria is a close second, with a score of 5.392, reflecting a sense of well-being prevalent in North Africa. South Africa and DR Congo were placed third and fourth consecutively.

Nigeria was placed eighth on the list, while Cameroon and Mozambique came ninth and tenth on the report.

Below is a list of most happiest African countries,

1. Mauritius

2. Algeria

3. South Africa

4. DR Congo

5. Guinea

6. Côte d’Ivoire

7. Gabon

8. Nigeria

9. Cameroon

10. Mozambique

In an astonishing turn of events, Chief Olisa Igbonwa, a man who was allegedly buried alive by his kinsmen in Alor, Idemili South Local Government Area in 2022, dramatically resurfaced last week at the Anambra State House of Assembly.

The incident occurred when he confronted his elder brother, Chief Uzoma Igbonwa, leading to a significant commotion among lawmakers and assembly workers.

The unexpected encounter between the two brothers took the assembly by surprise, prompting a member of the House to lock the assembly complex’s gate to prevent outsiders from witnessing the confrontation.

Olisa Igbonwa, who had been presumed dead following a ceremonial burial organized by his kinsmen two years ago, accused his elder brother of orchestrating the burial and concealing property documents belonging to their late father.

The confrontation, rooted in a family feud over inheritance and an unsettled debt of $45,000 allegedly sent by Olisa to his brother during his stay in Switzerland, unfolded against the backdrop of a summon by the House committee on public petitions.

The community of Alor had been called to appear before the committee in relation to a petition against the town’s traditional ruler, Igwe Mac Anthony Okonkwo, further complicating the Igweship crisis in Alor.

The elder Igbonwa, caught off-guard by his brother’s sudden appearance, found himself at the centre of allegations involving the prolonged leadership dispute in Alor.

The dispute had led to the emergence of a rival traditional ruler, with Olisa’s brother accused of exacerbating the crisis.

Amidst these allegations, Olisa’s brother claimed that Igwe Mac-Anthony Okonkwo had hired thugs to attack him at the assembly, where he had lodged a petition against the traditional ruler over the decade-long crisis.

Despite the chaos and the serious accusations flying within the assembly premises, the Anambra State House of Assembly dismissed the petition against Igwe Mac-Anthony Okonkwo, urging the community to refrain from spreading rumours.

The incident, marking Olisa Igbonwa’s first public appearance since his alleged ceremonial burial, underscores the deep-seated familial and communal tensions in Alor, further highlighted by the contentious issue of traditional rulership.

An indigene of the community said, “It was, therefore, not surprising that when the Igweship tussle reared its head in Alor, the two brothers supported opposing candidates.

“In September 2023, the same group of people, led by Olisa’s brother and his anointed President General, sent a letter to the Anambra State Attorney General, claiming that Igwe Mac-Anthony Okonkwo had been sacked by the courts and should not be allowed to perform the annual New Yam Festival of the town.

”It took a strongly worded letter from Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, Igwe Mac-Anthony’s lawyer, who promptly wrote the Anambra Attorney General to clear the air concerning the fictitious and deceptive petition.

“The Alor Peace and Reconciliation Committee, set up to mediate in the decade-long crisis in the community, indicted the Igbonwa-led group for rejecting the harmonized and consensus selection done in February 2022, which was supervised by the Anambra State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, which was supposed to bring peace to the town.”

Countries with the best economy in the world contribute immensely to the global Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and have the power to influence international trade and world economic policies.

Naija News reports that the GDP is a measure for assessing the magnitude of a nation’s economy, which includes investments, expenditure, and value of exports, goods, and services.

Currency exchange rates also influence the strength of a country’s economy.

When the GDP of a country goes up, it means the economy is doing well. If GDP falls from one quarter to the next, it is a negative growth. Two successive quarters mean the economy is in recession.

There are no identical economies. What defines a country’s economy is based on resources, culture, history, geography, laws, and the country’s evolution.

In this article, you’ll get to know the top 10 countries dominating the world’s economies.

1. United States of America
The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the United States is estimated to be about 26.85 trillion dollars, which is the highest in the global economy. Different service sectors such as technology, finance, healthcare, and so on have been major contributors to the country’s total output.

The United States of America has been notable for being one of the top economies in the world. The country’s economy has been able to thrive because of government policies, technologies, and productivity. The United States of America practices capitalism as its economic system — this means the government has no business doing business.

2. China
China is the second world’s largest economy, with a GDP of about 19.37 trillion dollars. This is a country whose economic expansion has become a global phenomenon. China operates a mixed socialist market economy. The main drivers in the economic growth of China are private investment and exports.

As of today, China is the fastest-growing consumer market and accounts for about half of the global consumption of metals. The country plays a crucial role in international trade considering being the largest trading nation in the world. Also, it has the largest foreign exchange reserves worth 3.1 trillion dollars.

3. Japan
Japan has been having significant economic growth since the 1960s. It ranks third with a GDP of 4.41 trillion dollars.

What made Japan one of the top economies in the world is its advanced social market economy, referred to as the “East Asian Model”. By market capitalization, Japan Exchange Group is the world’s fifth-largest stock exchange and the world’s second-largest foreign exchange reserves worth 1.4 trillion dollars.

It is also the world’s fourth-largest consumer market. In terms of automobiles, Japan is the second largest automobile manufacturer in the world. This is a country often ranked among the world’s most innovative countries.

4. Germany
Germany has a GDP of 4.31 trillion dollars; which makes it one of the top economies in the world. Germany is the top economy in Europe, with a highly developed social market economy.

In 2016, Germany had the highest trade worth 310 billion dollars. This feat made Germany one of the largest exporters globally, worth 1.81 trillion goods and services.

Its major exports are machinery, food products, rubber, plastics, electronic products, chemical goods, and basic metals. Germany is the first country to explore renewable energy and a top location for trade fairs

5. India
India’s 3.74 trillion GDP places it among one of the top economies in the world. The economy has been one of the fastest growing in the world’s economies. India’s economy has grown from just a mixed-planned economy to a mixed middle-income developing social market economy.

Right from independence in 1947 to 1991, the Indian government followed the Soviet model in promoting economic policies. India’s GDP is driven by government spending, investment and exports.

In 2022, India became the 6th largest importer and 9th largest exporter, including domestic consumption; the country is the world’s sixth-largest consumer market. The service sector is about 50 per cent of the GDP and is the fastest-growing sector.

6. United Kingdom
Despite the uncertainties that ensued from Brexit, the United Kingdom has managed to be one of the top economies in the world, with a GDP of 3.16 trillion dollars.

The economy of the United Kingdom is very developed in terms of social markets. In the world today, the United Kingdom constitutes 2.3 percent of the world GDP by Purchasing Power Parity (PPP).

The service sector constitutes 82% of the country’s GDP. The technology sector is worth 1 trillion dollars. Going back to history, the United Kingdom was the first country to industrialize in the 18th century.

7. France
France’s GDP is estimated to be 2.92 trillion dollars. Some of them are leading globally; that is automobile, railway, and aerospace. About 70 per cent of the country’s GDP comes from the service sector.

France’s social market economy is highly developed with different strategic sectors. In 2020, France was acknowledged as the largest Foreign Direct Investment recipient in Europe.

Bloomberg Innovation Index 2020 also ranked France as one of the top 10 innovative countries in the world. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) ranked France by GDP per capita in 2023 as the 23rd country with 44, 408 dollars per inhabitant.

8. Italy
Italy is widely known for its influential sectors; economy and agriculture including a highly developed social market economy. It is the eighth largest exporter in the world, with a GDP of 2.284 trillion dollars.

The world’s third largest gold reserve is in Italy and it is a great contributor to the budget of the European Union. Italy boasts of many multinational corporations which serve as the backbone of the industry.

Also, what makes Italy one of the top economies in the world is its significant production of furniture, vehicles, pharmaceuticals, food, and clothing. Italy is the hub for luxury goods and is the third largest in the world.

9. Canada
Canada is the ninth among the top world economies with a 2.09 trillion dollar GDP. The economy is a mixed one; exporting and importing goods worth over 630 billion dollars. Since the beginning of the 20th century, Canada has been growing economically and practically transformed the country from a rural to an urbanized industrial one. The service sector dominates the Canadian economy; and employs three-quarters of the country’s workforce. Canada is a leading exporter of gold, platinoids, uranium, zinc, and nickel. In the aspect of agriculture, it produces canola, wheat, and other grains.

10. Brazil
Brazil ranks tenth among the top economies in the world. The country’s GDP is about 2.08 trillion dollars. The economy is quite diverse, from manufacturing, agriculture, and services.

According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the GDP per capita in 2023 was around 10, 413 per inhabitant. Between the years 2000 to 2012, Brazil was one of the fastest-growing economies in the world.

It was able to diversify the economy by focusing on gold, cotton, and sugar. Brazil is one of the largest steel producers and exporters.

Saudi Arabia formally launched its bid to host the 2034 World Cup on Friday, nearly four months after football’s world governing body FIFA announced the kingdom was the only candidate.

The bid comes two years after neighbouring Qatar hosted the first World Cup in the Middle East.

The campaign is under the slogan “Growing. Together”, the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) revealed its bid logo, website, as well as a short bid film that celebrates “the passion, spirit and diversity of football in Saudi Arabia”.

“This campaign is powered by the hopes and dreams of 32 million people in Saudi Arabia,” the head of the SAFF bid unit, Hammad Albalawi, said in a statement.

“Our responsibility is to submit the best possible bid to FIFA, make our country proud and fulfil the trust placed upon us by more than 130 Member Associations across the world who supported our bid.”

Under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 reform agenda, which aims to position Saudi Arabia as a tourism, business and sports hub, the kingdom has invested heavily in sport.

On Wednesday, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) announced a “multi-year strategic partnership” with the ATP, the governing body of men’s tennis.

Since 2021, PIF has invested heavily in a number of major sports, including setting up the LIV golf tour, a rival to the PGA, and purchasing English Premier League club Newcastle United.

It also owns four clubs in the Saudi Pro League and has lured global stars including Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar with huge salaries.

The investment has led to accusations the kingdom is “sportswashing” international criticism of its human rights record.

Saudi Arabia was initially interested in bidding for the 2030 World Cup alongside Egypt and Greece but that idea was abandoned in June, leaving the path open for a tri-continental bid of Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with three matches in South America.

Saudi Arabia announced its intention to bid for the 2034 event on October 4, as soon as the procedure had been launched.

As a result of the continental rotation, FIFA had only “invited” member countries of the Asian and Oceanian confederations to apply — thus ruling out the traditional footballing heartlands.

At one stage, Indonesia had considered a joint bid with Australia, or even other countries such as New Zealand, Malaysia and Singapore, but on October 19 it agreed to support Saudi Arabia’s bid.

Australia was also a contender but withdrew its interest on Monday following the Asian Football Confederation’s decision to back the Saudi bid.

In a new and exciting twist, Big Brother Naija Organisers has hinted at the season 9 edition of the reality TV show.

However, in a post via X on Friday, the show organisers tease fans about the upcoming season.

The post read, “Last season, Biggie asked for the All-Stars! This time, he has his eyes set on something different. What could it be this time around?”

Former Big Brother Naija Housemate cum Nollywood actress, Bamike Olawunmi, popularly known as Bambam, has said the issue of ‘sex for roles’ in the Nigerian movie industry is a “scam”.

Naija News reports that the reality TV star made this known while speaking in the latest episode of the Secrets Behind the Scenes podcast.

According to her, filmmakers used ‘sex for role’ to exploit overzealous young actresses and often end up not fulfilling their promises of giving them major roles after sleeping with them.

She urged aspiring actresses not to fall prey to ‘sex for roles’, stressing that it is not worth it because they are paid little amount of money after production.

Bambam recalled how a producer gave her keys to his hotel room after casting her in a movie role.

She said, “Sex for roles is a scam. It’s not worth it. Some of them [victims] what they are paying them at the end of that production is not more than N50,000, N100,000. Don’t be deceived o! It’s a lie. It [sex for role] is a scam.

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“The one that I did waka pass that dem give me N5,000 and the guy [filmmaker] was giving me his hotel room key to hold. Ah! I don’t want to mention names.”

Jasmine Okafor, daughter of veteran Nollywood actor, Mr Ibu has opened up on her marriage crisis to her ex-husband.

Naija News understands that the man had reportedly flown from the US to Gambia to see her two months after talking on TikTok and proposed four days after their physical meeting.

The couple tied the knot in February, however nine months after their wedding, Jasmine announced that their marriage had come to an end.

She had written, “This was the best nine months of my life! I have no regrets whatsoever! I just won’t settle for asking you about this severally before we start! Finding out today from your mum really broke me! A foundation built upon a tiny lie won’t stand! I love how you loved me! But hate how you never mentioned your divorce or kids to me! Moving on, I don’t think I want anybody else! Just gonna love you from a distance.”

Sharing more details on her collapsed marriage during an interview with Chude Jideonwo, the content creator disclosed that her husband lied to her that he was 38 but she she discovered on their wedding day that he lied and was actually 51, hence her reason for calling off their wedding.

Watch the video below,

Popular Yoruba actress Biodun Okeowo, known as Biodun Omoborty, has taken to social media to express her disbelief and shock at the sudden and tragic passing of veteran actor Sisi Quadri.

The news of the actor’s untimely demise due to kidney-related issues has left both the entertainment industry and fans in mourning.

Taking to her Instagram account, Biodun Omoborty shared her disbelief and pain over the loss of her colleague and friend.

Renowned actor and filmmaker Kunle Afolayan has taken to social media to express his grief over the unexpected demise of Nollywood actor, Quadri Oyebamiji Tolani, popularly known as Sisi Quadri.

The news of his passing spread like wildfire across social media platforms, leaving fans and colleagues alike in shock and disbelief.

Sharing a poignant photo of himself and Sisi Quadri on the set of ‘Anikulapo,’ Kunle Afolayan conveyed his shock and deep sorrow at the tragic news.

In a heartfelt Instagram post, Afolayan struggled to find adequate words to articulate his emotions, expressing disbelief over the untimely departure of the actor.

“Sad! Sad! Sad! I’m not sure of what to say or how to deal with this! There is a saying that “T’ibi t’ire la da Ile aye.” This is just so shocking????????‍♂️ May your soul rest in peace Quadri,” Afolayan wrote.

Revelations about Sisi Quadri’s cause of death emerged through blogger Seun Oloketuyi’s Instagram post, where it was disclosed that the actor succumbed to complications related to kidney issues.

See below;

Following the untimely demise of the comic actor Quadri Oyebamiji, popularly known as Sisi Quadri, the cause of the actor’s death has been revealed.

According to recent reports, the cause of Sisi Quadri’s death has been attributed to complications arising from kidney-related issues.

The disclosure was made by blogger Seun Oloketuyi, who shared the unfortunate news on social media.

Yoruba actor Sisi Quadri passes away due to Kidney-related issues

The devastating news was initially disclosed by fellow actor Tunde Olayusuf, who took to social media to announce Sisi Quadri’s death and offer prayers for his departed soul.

In the wake of Sisi Quadri’s passing, luminaries of the Yoruba movie industry, including Muyiwa Ademola, Folorunsho Adeola, Bukola Adeeyo, and others, have expressed their grief and shared heartfelt memories of their interactions with the late actor.

Sisi Quadri’s departure comes just a year after he faced the painful loss of his beloved mother.

The actor, emotionally shattered, had shared the news on his Instagram page, promising to keep her memory alive in his heart.