Former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Betta Edu, has expressed optimism that 2025 will serve as a pivotal year for the actualization of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Edu shared this in her New Year message, which was released on Wednesday, marking the beginning of the new year.

Describing 2025 as a year of restoration, Edu said it would usher in a season of “endless possibilities” for Nigerians, where hard work translates into shared prosperity.

Edu called on Nigerians to embrace 2025 as a fresh start, filled with promise and the potential to fulfill their aspirations under the Tinubu administration’s vision.

She emphasized that the New Year would solidify the administration’s efforts to deliver on its promises, urging Nigerians to remain optimistic about the future.

“2025 stands before us like a chapter in a book waiting to be written. It is incumbent upon us to pen optimism and hope into it, believing that the New Year offers us a refreshing new dawn to turn our dreams and aspirations into reality.

“I have no doubt that 2025 will bring full restoration from the hardships and trials of 2024. It will be a year for the optimisation of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda,” she said.

Continuing, Edu noted, “2025 holds immense promise for our dear country. It is a year when Nigerians will take charge of their great future as current economic challenges give way to a horizon of hope, leading to the blossoming of prosperity.”

She urged Nigerians to remain steadfast in their love for the country and believe in the ability of the current administration to pull Nigeria out of economic difficulties.

“Mr President means well; good intentions need time to yield results. I believe in the Nigerian project. I have always given my all to Nigeria and Nigerians, and nothing will ever change that.

“I fervently urge Nigerians to approach the future with confidence and an overwhelming sense of assurance that we are inching closer to the end of our trying times as a nation,” Edu added.

A 55-year-old Delta State highlife musician, Dr Arube Otor, popularly known as Isoko Fela One is set to marry three women on the same day.

The event, scheduled for Sunday, January 19, 2025, will be held at Anglican Church Field at London Base, Uzere Kingdom, Isoko South Local Government Area of the state.

In the viral marriage flier, Arube was pictured in the same dress as his three to-be wives, Oghenekome, Ewoma, and Oghenekaro, all from Delta State.

Confirming the event to our correspondent via telephone on Wednesday, Arube’s foster son and one of the RSVPs, Emperor Efih (Oscar), said the event would be held at the said place and time, adding that the to-be wives were initially four, but one pulled out along the line for personal reasons. 

Efih attributed Arube’s action to cost-cutting.

He said, “Arube married two women about 20 years ago. One divorced him, leaving him with just one wife. To cut costs, he decided to marry four women this year. Along the way, one pulled out.

“He is a music legend in Delta. He sings Isoko highlife. He has been in the music scene for over 30 years. However, at the beginning of his life, he was a driver who mixed music with his career. He had a band with a group of people, but they split up, and he formed his dance band, which he named Arube, about 12 years ago. Since then, he has released more than 10 albums.

“None of them is from his community, so he didn’t woo them in the same place or time. Two of the three women have given birth to a child, each for him, and the other one is still awaiting the fruit of her womb. He did the traditional rite with them about last year on the same day.”

Arube is from Uzere Kingdom, in Isoko-South LGA, and the three wives representing Edafemaga, Agbede, and Samuel Atubi are from Lagos-Iyede in Ndokwa East LGA, Oruamudhu Ozoro Kingdom in Isoko North LGA and Uroto Quarter, Ozoro Kingdom in Isoko North LGA of Delta State respectively.

The Inter Party Advisory Council, IPAC, has noted that it was only by the Grace of God that Nigerians survived the passing year.

For this reason, the Council called on the government to pay more attention to the fight against insecurity and corruption, reinvigorating the economy, ensuring food security and providing social amenities in the coming year.

While noting that the challenges ahead were enormous, IPAC also called on citizens to hold government at various levels accountable.

The Council called on citizens to unite to deepen the country’s democracy and build a better nation the present and future generations can be proud of, adding that the opportunities and dividends of democracy are enormous.

IPAC challenged citizens to remain prayerful and patriotic, adding that it “was only by the grace of God that Nigerians survived the socio-economic hardship of 2024.”

In a statement by Yusuf Dantalle, its national Chairman, IPAC said the economic challenges were unprecedented in the history of Nigeria.

“We are grateful to God for His mercies, protection and care which have reinforced our hope and faith in consolidating our democracy and building a strong, united, stable, progressive, equitable, prosperous and just society in 2025,” the statement added.

“Nigerians are indeed resilient, resourceful and enterprising people who have made enormous sacrifices since Independence in 1960 in the onerous task of building a better nation.

“Their abiding faith in the fatherland and prospect for a brighter future should not be taken for granted by elected public officers bearing in mind that sovereignty resides in the people.

“As we approach the threshold of 2025, a fresh start is offered to us to objectively appraise our successes and failures in 2024 and firmly resolve to rededicate ourselves in making Nigeria great again.

“The challenges ahead are enormous and so are the opportunities if we keep watering and nurturing the democracy tree to maturity to yield its fruits to citizens.

“Since nation-building is a collective responsibility, IPAC urges Nigerians to be prayerful, proactive on issues affecting them and hold leaders accountable as the price for freedom and prosperity is eternal vigilance.

“As the umbrella body of all the registered political parties in Nigeria, IPAC will continue to lead from the front to ensure good governance and well-being of the people.

“Council will vigorously pursue its Peer Review Mechanism set up to evaluate the milestones achieved by governors in the implementation of the sustainable development goals in the states, the legislators on effective, vibrant and robust representations, oversight functions and law-making, as well as monitor the progress of the recent financial autonomy granted to the 774 Local Governments in the country as the government closest to the people.”

IPAC said it had begun the move to eliminate the fielding of candidates with questionable credentials for elections.

“This ensures that every document, credential, and piece of information associated with candidates is rigorously examined for authenticity and accuracy to prevent undue disqualification of candidates who won elections with fraudulent credentials by the court.

“All hands must be on deck as we jointly rebuild trust in our democratic process by fighting corruption, ensuring political stability, credible elections, an independent judiciary, vibrant economy, food security, gainful employment, a living wage, social cohesion, religious harmony, quality education, healthcare, efficient power supply, adequate security and social amenities,” it added.

Founder of Living Faith Church worldwide, Bishop David Oyedepo has declared that 2025 will be a new era for believers.

Reeling out prophecies for the new year, Oyedepo, who spoke at the annual crossover night service at Canaan Land, Ogun State said the days of murmuring and complaining are over.

According to Oyedepo, amazing things will start unfolding in the lives of believers in the year 2025.

He said, “By the signal of the Holy Ghost, 2025 shall be your year of new beginning. Your year of new dawn, great chapters opening to your lives.

“Welcome to 2025, a new era. You will be wondering “have I been a Christian all along?” Amazing things shall start taking place in your lives.

“You are moving to your new realm in all areas of your lives, a new era in your health, family, your spiritual life and in your business and career.

“It will never be like before anymore. Your days of murmuring and complaining are over. Your days of biting your fingers are over”.

Prophet Joshua Iginla of the Champion Royal Assembly has warned Nigerians about a possible medical emergency for President Tinubu.

Iginla made these remarks during his 2025 prophecy which he claimed God gave to him during his New Year’s message at the Cross-over service held in his church in Abuja.

He also predicted that there would be strong resistance against Senate President Godswill Akpabio from Northern politicians.

Iginla also advised the federal government not to ignore the views of Northern Nigerians, emphasizing the importance of finding common ground for peaceful resolution.

He also urged FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, to prioritize his health to effectively carry out his duties.

The cleric said: “President Tinubu must pay attention to his health and give himself much rest so that the enemy does not take that as a way of giving him a strong blow because I saw a medical emergency and we don’t pray that that should happen.

“We pray against it, but that’s what I saw. That is very, very important that he should take care of his health And there is going to be a lot of gang up against him strongly, very strongly.

“And the drama will unfold this year like never before, and there will be a strong betrayal.

“For the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, he is going to have a lot of strong resistance from the strong Northern powers. They want to move a vote of no confidence or impeachment process against him. Like I saw clearly too. He has to play good politics with the Northern brothers.

“They are like I said to the President, there’s a Gang up. He must work in a peaceful strategy with the Northern elite to make sure that promises that are made in secret should be honoured openly. As it is, is still going to cause more problems in the Senate.

“Talking about the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, you know the Senate has seen the wish of the Northern Senators and Governor will gang against him in the past year, 2024, is still what he is going to witness. Even more than that, the tax reform bill one of the crux of the matter and more of the things that I don’t want to mention publicly are part of the things that are there.

“I want to say that the government of the day should not play with the North in terms of trampling on their views. We should find a common ground for peaceful resolution. It’s very important. There should be no issue of fighting back, an issue of I think I have the power, I can do many things. If not, there can be many surprises politically.

“As for the FCT minister, he should pray concerning his health and he will do more projects and turn the city around, he will step on many toes, he will bring a lot of reformation to FCT, but he has to pray for his health. It’s only the living that can actually have a political mandate and move forward.”

Telecommunications subscribers have vehemently rejected a proposed 40 per cent telecom service tariff hike in Nigeria expected to kick off in 2025.

The National Exco of the National Association of Telecoms Subscribers, NATCOMS, made this known in a communique jointly signed by its National president, Chief Adeolu Ogunbanjo, and the Secretary, Barr. Bayo Omotubora, on Tuesday.

The stance by the subscribers comes amid widespread claims of a planned telecom service tariff hike in 2025.

Reacting, NATCOMS said any plan to hike telecom service tariffs would be very insensitive amid the current economic hardship faced by Nigerians.

The association urged telecom operators to seek another alternative instead of a tariff hike to address rising operator costs.

“The National Exco of the National Association of Telecoms Subscribers (NATCOMS) held an emergency meeting on the 31st of December, 2024, on the planned tariff hike of telecommunication services. A unanimous resolution arising therefrom is our total objection to the planned tariff hike.

“The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), as recently published in both the print and electronic media, gave an approval to the Telecommunication Service Operators to hike their tariffs, and the approved increment would see the current tariffs rise by about 40 percent.

“This Association considers the decision of the NCC as very insensitive and not in the interest of Telecoms Services Consumers.

“The unrelenting rise in prices of goods and services in the country has made life extremely difficult for the generality of citizens who are the consumers of telecom services. The new increment is, therefore, one additional burden too many.
Under the new tariffs regime, a voice call will rise from N11.00 to N15.40 per minute. Short message services will jump from N4.00 to N5.60 and

“One GB data bundle will move from N1,000 to N1,400. This represents additional digital costs consumers will have to square up with at the beginning of a new year, among other harsh economic realities of Nigeria today. This, undoubtedly, is against public interest, contrary to the false narrative of NCC that described the recent adjustments as pro public interest.

“This Association sees the increment as an official policy to price telecom services out of the reach of the generality of the citizens of this country.

“The cumulative effect of the pending suit and the public outcry prompted the federal government to suspend the implementation of the excise duty charge, but the charge is now part of the controversial tax reform bills now pending before the National Assembly.

“The implication of the foregoing is this: The new increment will now make telecommunication services more expensive by 40% in the New Year, and if the controversial tax bills sail through, telecommunication services will now attract a 12.5% tax rate, and by then two-thirds of telecom services subscribers would have been priced out of the telecom services market. This is a complete negation of the statutory duty of NCC to protect the interest of Telecom Services Consumers.

“We are aware of the arguments of the telecom operators that there has not been any tariff increment in a decade, multiple levies slammed on them by different levels/tiers of government, and the dollarization of the costs of their equipment. But if the truth be told, there are many other avenues through which the operators can generate funds to meet their rising operational costs without putting an unbearable burden on their consumers.

“The Nigerian Stock Exchange Market, for instance, is a veritable avenue for the operators to raise funds to meet their costs requirements. The operators should bring part of the ownership of their companies to their subscribers through public offers,” it said.

Recall that telecom operators under the aegis of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) in a statement on Sunday by its chairman, Gbenga Adebayo, demanded an immediate review of telecom tariffs to save the sector from an imminent shutdown.

Meanwhile, official sources within NCC had denied claims that the commission had approved a fresh telecoms tariff hike from 2025.

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has refuted claims made by a 70-year-old US returnee, Mr. Olukayode David-Albert, that officers in Lagos demanded ₦76 million to clear his two vehicles and personal belongings. The service labelled the accusation as baseless.

Reports revealed that David-Albert accused Customs officers of initially billing him ₦76 million for import duties. This included ₦3.3 million for a 2011 Chrysler, ₦70.8 million for a 2024 Hyundai SUV, and ₦2 million for household goods. Allegedly, the sum was later reduced to ₦53.5 million after negotiations.

Responding to the allegations, the Tincan Island Command of the NCS clarified the situation in a statement by its Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Okwara.

According to Okwara, David-Albert is entitled to duty-free importation of personal belongings under the ECOWAS Common External Tariff (CET) regulations, but vehicles are excluded.

The statement explained, “While Mr. David-Albert qualifies for duty-free import of personal items, vehicles are not exempt. The 2024 Hyundai SUV attracts a 20% import duty, a 20% levy, and 7.5% VAT.

The total duty for both vehicles was determined to be ₦34,969,374. This is far lower than the alleged ₦53.5 million.”

The Customs Service reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and adherence to Nigeria’s customs regulations.

Popular Nollywood actress Dayo Amusa has opened up about the emotional and physical challenges she faced before finally becoming a mother.

Recall Amusa welcomed her daughter, Oluwafirewamiri, in the United States on November 18, 2024.

In a series of Instagram posts on Tuesday, Amusa recounted her journey, marked by three miscarriages, personal setbacks, and a 2015 diagnosis of uterine myomatosis—a condition that nearly robbed her of the chance to conceive.

She disclosed that following her diagnosis, some medical professionals advised her to undergo a hysterectomy due to recurring complications and excruciating menstrual pain.

Refusing to relinquish her dream of motherhood, Amusa explored alternative treatments and eventually traveled to the United Kingdom, where she underwent surgery to remove the tumors.

In her post, she stated, “I never thought I would get to this moment but GOD knew. For as long as I can remember I knew I wanted to be a complete idea woman (a wife and mom). Having had 3 miscarriages, in 2015, I was diagnosed with uterine myomatosis, and some doctors recommended removing my womb due to the complications and discomfort I experienced every month during my menstrual cycle. I decided to fight and reject that option.”

She revealed undergoing a surgical procedure on February 14, 2015, to remove the tumors.

However, in 2016, she discovered that one of her fallopian tubes was damaged, making natural conception nearly impossible.

Despite her perseverance, Amusa faced further heartbreak in 2019 when a failed IVF attempt strained her marriage. The situation worsened when her husband suggested having a child with another woman, leading to the collapse of their union.

Reflecting on this painful period, she wrote, “In 2016 myself and my then partner decided to try again as we were so eager to welcome our 1st child together but later discovered one of my tubes was broken and it would be almost impossible to get pregnant naturally… Men as men, my then partner was involved with another woman unknown to me which produced a baby boy. After so many ups and downs, back and forth, na so the whole thing ended (Story for another day).”

Dayo Amusa also shared how the toll of her struggles led to depression and withdrawal from her career, family, and friends.

She credited her mother for recognising her declining mental health and encouraging her to relocate to the United States in 2021 for a fresh start.

Expressing gratitude for her eventual triumph, Amusa concluded her post by acknowledging God and those who supported her through her trials.

She described her story as a testament to resilience and faith in the face of adversity.

The First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, on Wednesday, welcomed Abuja’s first baby of the year 2025 at the Asokoro District Hospital.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Favour Stephen-Odion, a baby girl, was born to the family of Mr Odion Oyinbo and Mrs Chioma Odion at exactly 12.27 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 1, weighing 3.6kg.

Sen. Oluremi also received other babies born at the hospital, including the first babyboy of the year 2025, Zimchikachim Ejiofor, born to the family of Mr Ejiofor Nworie and Mrs Delight at about 7.14 a.m., weight 3kg.

The mother of the nation welcomed Favour and all the other babies born on New Year Day in the FCT with baby gifts, including post-natal care products and other nutritional supplies, as well as cash gifts.

Represented by the wife of the Vice-President, Mrs Nana Shettima, the first lady prayed God to protect the children, wishing them long life, good health and prosperity.

She said “I am here to represent the mother of the nation to welcome the first baby of the year and other children.

“So, I’m presenting this token and a beautiful package to our dear daughter. I want to wish her well, long life, prosperity, good health.

“Insha Allah, they (first baby and other babies) are the next generation to take over from us. I wish you all the best. Please take good care of her.”

The First Lady counselled mother’s of the newborn babies on exclusive breastfeeding, immunisation and timely post-natal care.

She added that “good enough, this (Asokoro General Hospital, Abuja) is closer to my house, and I know the hospital will take good care of you.”

She further presented birth certificates to the first baby of the year and the first baby boy.

NAN reports that the first lady was conducted round the maternity ward of the hospital, where she congratulated parents of other newborn babies.

Earlier, Dr Rosemary Nwokorie, the acting Chief Medical Director of Asokoro District Hospital, Abuja, while welcoming the First Lady, commended President Bola Tinubu’s administration for commitment to transforming the nation’s health sector.

Nwokorie also applauded the First Lady and the wife of the Vice-President for inituating various intervention programmes, especially the Renewed Hope Initiative toward assisting vulnerable Nigerians, especially women and children.

A former Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Babafemi Ojudu, has alleged that former President Muhammadu Buhari never supported the presidential ambition of his then Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo.

He further disclosed that Buhari did not back the current President, Bola Tinubu, despite their friendship and political alliance, but Tinubu reportedly “outmaneuvered him in several ways.”

Ojudu, who served in the office of former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, stated that his former principal could have performed significantly better than the current president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

His words: “I knew Osinbajo was going to lose the primary, I saw it coming.

“Because of the system we operated and still operating, I kept saying at our meeting that all of the efforts we are making like traveling around, convincing people, and addressing delegates is only 40 percent.

“60 percent of it lies in Buhari’s hands unless and until Buhari mobilizes people around him, the governors, his aides, we are going nowhere.

“I used to refer to Buhari as a one-man majority and he never mobilized his team towards Osinbajo and I think Tinubu outsmarted him in so many different ways.”

Speaking further, he likened the failure to elect Professor Yemi Osinbajo during the last presidential election to missing a second chance at the leadership of Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

“I supported Osinbajo to be president. I was convinced because having seen him up close,” Ojudu said.

“The way he worked, his philosophy, his breadth of knowledge and the kind of patriotic verve in him I just think that he was the best person at that time to govern Nigeria that I have seen up close to be on the part of danger.

“Osinbajo would have been good for this country. For me, it is like losing Awolowo for a second time because he was at Awolowo’s level in terms of capacity, ability, dedication and commitment.”

During the APC primary in the buildup to the 2023 elections, Bola Tinubu secured 1,271 votes to clinch the party’s presidential ticket, while former Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi garnered 316 votes. Former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo received 235 votes, finishing third, while Senate President Ahmed Lawan obtained 152 votes.