The African Action Congress presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Omoyele Sowore, recently shared a memorable story about his only meeting with Chief MKO Abiola, the acclaimed winner of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election.

At the time, 21-year-old Sowore, then the University of Lagos Student Union leader, led a delegation to visit Abiola shortly after the election was annulled by General Ibrahim Babangida.

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Sowore recounted this experience during his appearance on the Honest Bunch podcast, which Glitch Africa Studios released on YouTube on Monday.

In that meeting, Abiola reportedly offered him ₦800,000, a sum that Sowore chose to decline. Reflecting on this encounter, Sowore described it as their first and last meeting, one that left a lasting impression on him.

The podcast, co-hosted by Nedu, Husband Material, Deity Cole, and Ezinne, opened with a question to Sowore about his now-viral photo with Chief MKO Abiola, then one of Africa’s richest men.

Sowore explained that the photo was taken in 1993, just after the June 12 election had been annulled.

“We started protesting immediately, but while the protest was going on, we were concerned about whether Abiola was strong enough to fight the battle we were ready for—the battle of our lives.

“This was the year I was supposed to graduate from university,” Sowore explained.

In describing the encounter, Sowore recounted how he and his colleagues drove to Abiola’s residence in a student union bus, broke through protocol, and directly asked to see him. Abiola recognized Sowore as a student union leader and praised his efforts.

“So one day, we drove directly to his house in the Student Union bus and walked into his parlour. We asked to see him, breaking all the protocols.

“When we arrived, he asked, ‘Who are these people?’ and I stepped forward. He recognised me and said, ‘Ah, student union leader, I know you. Good job!” he said.

Sowore recalled asking Abiola if he was truly ready for the struggle and was prepared to sacrifice everything for Nigeria.

In the room with Abiola were several politicians who, according to Sowore, seemed more interested in Abiola’s wealth than his cause.

Sowore said he warned Abiola that some of these politicians didn’t believe in his vision and would eventually betray him.

“I said to him, ‘Are you ready for this battle? Are you ready to die for Nigerians?’ and he said yes. Then, as we walked into the room, we saw politicians clinging to their bags because they were there to collect money. Abiola had a large duffel bag of cash beside him. I told him that these people didn’t believe in his mandate and would betray him.

“Abiola then reached for his duffel bag and started counting ₦800,000. He placed it on our side and said, ‘Student union leaders — this is for your transportation.’

“I told him, ‘Chief, forget the transportation; how can ₦800,000 cover transport from UNILAG to here?’ We did not take the money, but he insisted. He had never given money to anyone before, but we rejected it,” Sowore recounted.

Sowore noted that his refusal made some of the politicians in the room uncomfortable. “I was wearing slippers and my only Ankara outfit. When they saw my firm stance, Chief Anthony Enahoro, who was also there, supported me.”

Abiola later walked them out to ease the tension. Outside, John Momoh, now the owner of Channels Television, was waiting with his cameraman to interview Abiola. “That’s when the famous photo was taken,” Sowore said.

Sowore shared that he only discovered the existence of this photo in 2018. “I didn’t know the footage existed until 2018.

“A photographer, Tunji Oyelero, who worked at Vanguard, had taken the photo but never gave it to me. He passed away before I got it, and one day, someone sent it to me.”

Yunusa Tanko, national coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, says the group will explore a new path outside the Labour Party (LP) if the internal crisis persists.

Tanko told Arise News on Tuesday that the movement is ready to mobilise and extend its reach, following the setbacks of the 2023 general election.

“It’s clear to us that there are challenges within the Labour Party. The Obidient Movement is bigger than the Labour Party. We have them everywhere, academicians, traders, some members of other political parties,” he said.

“When it becomes inevitable that the Labour Party is not ready to assimilate the idea of good governance, we will have to look for another opportunity.

“During the 2023 general elections, we were accused, rightly so, that we do not have structures in all of the polling units.”

He noted that 1,760 polling units were not won by LP, with the Obidient movement now aiming to establish a “solid foundation” across the country.

Tanko said the movement has expanded beyond the influence of Peter Obi, LP’s presidential candidate in 2023, gaining support across Nigeria, including in the northern region.

“We are getting prepared and we are ready to face the challenges,” he said.

“Where you thought we don’t have them; we are now having them. Even in regions with religious sensitivities, young people are pushing for change.”

In response to growing disappointment among Nigerians regarding LP lawmakers elected with Obi’s influence, Tanko emphasised the importance of strengthening the movement’s structure to address public dissatisfaction.

“What we have in position now is that as the national coordinator, we are going to have zonal coordinators, state coordinators, local government coordinators and unit commanders,” he said.

“There is going to be a direction with a concept we have already put in place, and I can assure you it will galvanise everybody into place so that all of these particular issues that you raised will not rear their heads. Because if there is no direction, we can’t hold anybody responsible.”

Tanko also noted that a formal registration system will soon enable easy identification of members across the country.

“The data will be so coordinated (so that) you can easily identify an Obidient where he resides and the voting point,” he said.

Speaking on potential alliances with other political figures, Tanko affirmed that the movement is open to discussions while harping on the need build “a strong, independent platform”.

“That is the reason we are independently building the Obidient Movement to show our strength,” he added.

Bitcoin, the world’s largest cryptocurrency by market capitalisation, has surged to a fresh record high of $89,000.

The price of the cryptocurrency traded 9.6 percent higher on Tuesday morning, reaching $89,360, according to data obtained from coinmarketcap.com.

The digital currency has continued to rally since the conclusion of the United States presidential election.

Bitcoin started climbing on November 6, when Donald Trump, a Republican Party candidate, won the US presidential election. The digital asset reached $75,000 on that day.

On November 10, the cryptocurrency crossed $80,000.

Since the US elections, bitcoin has seen a bullish run, with the crypto market adding nearly $500 billion to its total value in less than a week.

The total cryptocurrency market capitalisation currently stands at $3.16 trillion, according to coinmarketcap.com.

Ethereum, the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalisation, also surged to $3,392 on Wednesday — up from the $3,220 traded on Sunday.

In May 2024, the Trump campaign announced that supporters could make donations in crypto, including bitcoin, ether, and dogecoin. The statement had signalled his support for digital currencies.

In October, the former US president began promoting World Liberty Financial, a crypto venture set up by his longtime business partners and others, according to the Financial Times.

World Liberty began selling its token to qualified investors to raise $300 million.

Senator Monday Okphebholo has officially been sworn-in as the Governor of Edo State.

Naija News reports that Dennis Idahosa was also sworn-in as the Deputy Governor of the State.

The ceremony took place on Tuesday at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City, the state capital, two months after the All Progressives Congress (APC) clinched the ticket to the Dennis Osadebay House.

Recall that Okpebholo emergence came after his victory in the September 21, 2024 governorship election in the state, having defeated his closest rival and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Asue Ighodalo.

Okpebholo becomes the fifth governor of the state since the Fourth Republic commenced in 1999.

The ceremony was attended by Vice President Kashim Shettima, Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, immediate-past Deptuy Governor Philip Shaibu, Senator Adams Oshiomole, the Minister of Aviation Festus Keyamo, among others.

Oil marketers in the country have demanded a reduction in the price of petrol coming from Dangote Refinery.

According to the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), the cost of production is now less than ₦600, so petrol from Dangote Refinery should also reflect the new price.

Speaking on Tuesday during a broadcast by Nigeria Info FM 99.3, the spokesperson for PETROAN, Joseph Obele, explained that the reduction in the cost of production is a result of the crude for Naira concession given to Dangote Refinery by the Federal Government.

He, therefore, insisted that it is wrong for Dangote Refinery to insist its products will be sold at the prevailing international market price when they enjoy so much concessions from the government.

Dr Obele said the refinery should consider reducing its price in line with the new cost of production in order to ease the current hardships in Nigeria.

He said: “Scholars of oil sectors have done an analysis and the analysis has shown that the crude for Naira given to Dangote by the Federal Government, cost of production will not go above N600, less than N600. Although the crude oil he imported from the international community, the cost of production will not be above N700.

“But it is wrong for him to say his template for him to fix his refinery selling price is based on and tied to how much the international community is selling. And people are saying the dynamics and the effects and the economic systems at the international market and Nigeria are not the same.

“Dangote should not have fixed his price on the international market. He should have fixed his price on cost of production plus the margin.

“International market (price) in a country where you enjoy so many concessions. While he was building his refinery, the concession he was given for foreign exchange was far less than the official rate to the extent that international experts criticised the concessions given to him. So in Nigeria, where inflation is high, where the minimum wage is poor, Dangote is fixing our buying rate for PMS which is a commodity that every other commodity revolves around. It is wrong for him to say ‘I templated my price based on the international market.”

Meanwhile, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has disclosed that it has ended its age-long importation of refined petroleum products and is currently purchasing fuel from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and other local refineries.

NNPC’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari, disclosed this new development on Monday at the ongoing conference of the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists in Lagos State.

Kyari disclosed that the NNPC would no longer import fuel, as it now buys it from local refineries.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has alleged that the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) are actively working to weaken Nigeria’s public school system.

This claim was raised as the union voiced its anger over the extended delay in reaching a new agreement with the federal government, which was supposed to be renegotiated in 2009.

Despite several agreements and action plans, ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, lamented the fact that no deal has been finalized.

During the Heroes Day ceremony for the 2024-2025 academic year in Abuja, Osodeke pointed out other issues of concern, such as the mandatory implementation of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) and the delay in paying ASUU members’ salaries for over three months.

ASUU also revealed the distribution of doctoral scholarships amounting to ₦500,000 each to chosen members after thorough review of their proposals.

Osodeke praised the members for their perseverance in protecting Nigeria’s public university system and showed support for ASUU members who are struggling at universities in Kogi State, Lagos, Ebonyi, and Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu.

The Heroes Day ceremony is a tribute to past and present members for their efforts in advancing public education.

Osodeke mentioned the late Prof. Festus Iyayi, a former ASUU leader, and others who have made significant contributions to ASUU’s goals.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) released a data review for the second quarter debt portfolio of the country, which showed that the debt owed by every Nigerian on average stood at N619,501.

According to the data published by the Debt Management Office, Nigeria’s public debt stood at N134.297 trillion as of the second quarter of 2024 (June, 2024).

With the National Bureau of Statistics putting the country’s population at 216.7 million persons, it would mean that debt per capita stands at N619,501 based on the latest debt figure released by the DMO.

The data from DMO stated that, "The total Public debt is N134tn. This is for public debt stock – external and domestic debt of the FGN (Federal Government of Nigeria), states, and FCT (Federal Capital Territory) as of June 30, 2024."

The debt data further shows that domestic debt stands at N71.2trillion, while external debt stands at N63 trillion.

Of the amount owed, States owe N7.1 trillion externally while the federal government owes N55.8 trillion externally.

States owe N4.2 trillion domestically while federal government owes N66.9 trillion.

The new debt figure of the country put at N134 trillion is a N13 trillion increase from the N121 trillion recorded as of March 2024.

The development is amid clamour for less reliance on loans by the Nigerian government.

Popular Nigerian gospel singer, Dare Melody has spoken about how his deceased wife, Adedoyin, was mistreated by his family members.

Recall that Adedoyin died in October at the age of 47.

In a viral video online, Melody said despite the ill-treatment from his family to his wife, he always assured her to be at rest.

The singer praised Adedoyin’s unwavering support during his career setbacks, especially when a music promoter blacklisted him for four years.

The singer said as a token of gratitude for Adedoyin’s loyalty, he built her a house.

He said, “My family frustrated Adedoyin, I will hold her and say, ‘Adedoyin, I am the one you married, and whenever you see me, put your mind at rest.’ She was there for me, whether we had food to eat or not.

“I remember one day when one promoter who took me out and acted like a human being by saying none of my songs should be played on the radio or printed for almost four years. I could not do anything, but my late wife stood by me.

“When people celebrated the New Year, I ate biscuits with her and our one-year-old daughter. I told the Lord, ‘If truly you are the one who called me, let people know you did.’ God told me I would release a record in 2010, which became ‘Goodness and Mercy’.

“That record revived my career, and people started to recognise me. God opened the way for me, and I began building a house. A friend called me and said, ‘This woman stood by you, let’s build a house for her’, and I said, ‘Everything I have is for her’.”

The Government of Equatorial Guinea has filed a lawsuit against the former Director General of the National Financial Investigation Agency, Baltasar Engonga.

Engonga was accused of misconduct following his alleged involvement in a s3x tape scandal.

The government claims that Engonga’s actions are an affront to the nation’s values.

Jerónimo Osa Osa, the Minister of Information, Press, and Culture, made the announcement over the weekend, condemning Engonga’s alleged conduct.

“The actions of the ex-anti-graft agency chief violate the ethical and moral values of noble Equatorial Guinean society,” Osa Osa stated, emphasizing the government’s commitment to upholding high moral standards.

The Minister further disclosed that the Equatorial Guinean Government, through the State Attorney General’s Office, would conduct a thorough investigation to address Engonga’s alleged violations.

Local media, Ahora EG reported, “This decision comes after several videos went viral in which Ebang Engonga is seen having s3xual relations with multiple women, some of whom are married.”

The government reacted on Friday in an official statement, condemning these acts as “violations of the ethical and moral values of noble Equatorial Guinean society.”

The government has consequently announced the initiation of legal proceedings against Ebang Engonga and his accomplices through the Public Prosecutor’s Office, aiming to hold them accountable before the law.

“In light of these serious events, which severely undermine family and social cohesion, and considering the negative impact that this situation has on the good image of our country, tarnishing its reputation, the government, through the Public Prosecutor’s Office, has commenced a thorough investigation to establish responsibilities at the administrative, civil, and criminal levels, given the possibility of a public health impact,” reported the government spokesperson.

The government further stated it would assess various parameters, such as the distinction between personal and private spheres, prior consent (explicit or implicit), violations of privacy, damage to individuals’ honour and prestige, and the rights of those harmed by these events, including the state itself.