Nigeria emerged as the seventh Sub-Saharan African country with the most stressed employees, according to a global labour report.

Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace 2023 Report, which examines how employees feel about their work and their lives, revealed that global worker stress remained at a historic high from the COVID period, even as other negative emotions related to the pandemic subsided.

In Nigeria, 50 per cent of workers experience stress in the workplace, a figure that has risen by 3 per cent annually.

Senegal recorded the same stress rate, fairing a little better than Chad, Uganda, Tanzania, Ghana, and Sierra Leone, which recorded higher stress rates of up to 58 per cent.

The report reveals that Sub-Saharan recorded the third-highest regional percentage of daily stress and the third-highest regional percentage of daily anger.

Half of over one thousand Nigerians sampled relate experiencing stress in the workplace, with 23 per cent of the Nigerian participants recounting experiencing feelings of anger.

“My work does not give me the opportunity to go to church, visit family members, or travel for a while,” Bolaji, 39, a cashier in Nigeria told Gallup.

Sub-Saharan Africa data

Out of those dissatisfied with the stress levels at their workplaces, 70 per cent indicate intent to leave their current job; A figure much higher than the global average of 55 per cent.

This percentage is prevalent in Sub-Saharan Africa, which records the highest regional percentage of employees watching for or actively seeking a new job.

20 per cent of the population affirm being engaged and thriving at work, 60 per cent are not engaged and quiet quitting, while 21 per cent are actively disengaged and loud quitting.

The employees admit that 46 per cent of the negative emotions felt during a lot of days as a result of stress and 26 per cent of those feelings spur from anger.

The analysis found that engagement has 3.8 times as much influence on employee stress as work location.

In other words, what employees experience in their everyday work — their feelings of involvement and enthusiasm — matters more in reducing stress than where they are sitting.

Stress levels are reportedly predominant among the male population and among workers more than 40 years old.

The report also shows that 46 per cent of stressed employees occupy managerial positions while 44 per cent are individual contributors. 43 per cent of whom work exclusively remotely, 49 per cent hybrid, and 45 per cent work on-site.

“Leaders need to ask if poor remote work performance or poor hybrid work performance is a location problem or a management problem. No location can fix poor management, and the office alone has no magic to create a great organizational culture,” the global advisory company wrote.

Addressing employee well-being concerns

Gallup’s data, obtained from over 122 thousand employees worldwide, reports that low engagement costs the global economy $8.8 trillion.

“That’s 9% of global GDP, enough to make the difference between success and a failure for humanity,” the report read.

According to Indermit Gill, the World Bank’s chief economist, “A lost decade could be in the making for the global economy. The ongoing decline in potential growth has serious implications for the world’s ability to tackle the expanding array of challenges unique to our times — stubborn poverty, diverging incomes, and climate change.”

“The message is clear. Economic growth is slowing. And if we don’t increase global GDP, every other problem gets harder to solve,” Gallup wrote in their report. “So, what can leaders do today to potentially save the world? Change the way your people are managed.”

“As organizational leaders endeavor to navigate an uncertain economic outlook, their employees’ stress is impacting productivity and performance. Addressing these wellbeing concerns and improving engagement should be top priorities for the world’s political and business leaders who seek to make the most of the recovery.” it added.

Recently, some groups and organizations in Nigeria have proposed a new minimum wage for Nigerian workers to fight back against inflationary pressures and current economic challenges faced by workers all across the country.

[BusinessDay]

The police on Thursday continued their investigation into the circumstances leading to the death of the late singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba aka Mohbad.

This followed the invitation extended to Mohbad’s family and the group of persons mentioned in the ongoing probe of the illegal embalming of the deceased’s body following his death.

PUNCH Metro reported that Boluwatife Adeyemo aka Darosha who was the Personal Assistant to Mohbad was interrogated at the Zone 2 Police Headquarters in the presence of the deceased’s father Joseph and mother, Abosede.

The police, upon interrogating Darosha, thereby asked all those mentioned in his statement to be brought in for further interrogation.

The head of the family’s legal team, Monisola Odumosu, in a statement sent to our correspondent on Wednesday, however, stated that the second interrogatory meeting was held at the Zone 2 Police Headquarters in Lagos State on Tuesday.

Odumosu added that the police were working to reveal the identity of the “illegal mortician.”

“The police will reveal to the public soon, who illegally embalmed the body of the late singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba, widely known as Mohbad.

“The police stated they would work on their report and continue investigations which will be directed to the Legal Department of the force for a recommendation.

“The meeting was held at Zone 2 and present at the meeting were Mr. Joseph Aloba (Mohbad’s father), Boluwatife Adeyemi (aka Darosha), Adura Aloba (Mohbad’s younger brother), Mrs. Abosede Olumuyi (Mohbad’s mother) and Cynthia Omowunmi Aloba (Mohbad’s wife). Others include Iya Lolade and Samuel (Mr. Joseph Aloba’s witnesses) and lawyers to the parties,” Odumosu added.

The family’s legal team had earlier, on the instruction of their client, petitioned the police that Boluwatife Adeyemo, the personal assistant to the late Mohbad, had embalmed the body of the late singer which violates Section 16 and 48 of the Coroner’s System Law, 2007, which addresses the offences and penalties of tampering with a dead body.

The police upon interrogating Darosha have asked all those mentioned in his statement to be brought in for further interrogation.

Shortly after Mohbad’s death, his cousin, Darosha, on his social media handle, daroshagram, wrote “…About the salt, when my father died, a salt was placed on his chest till we arrived and was told it was local embalming to keep him fresh till the whole family arrived, and I did the same thing (on Mohbad) because a lot of people were still coming to see him before leaving to Ikorodu that night.”

The post sparked controversy in social media and legal circles that led to the need to discover who embalmed the late singer without regard to extant laws.

The legal team further stated that they were awaiting the police report as soon as the police got the legal advice from their legal department. It is then they will be properly informed the recommended persons will face prosecution.

Mohbad’s father had alleged that his son’s body was already embalmed and placed by the staircase when he arrived at the deceased’s home the day he died.

He made this known while calling on the police to intensify the investigation to unravel the cause of his son’s death.

Mohbad died on September 12 at the age of 27, with the circumstances surrounding his death sparking controversy on social media.

Mohbad, a former record label signee of Marlian Music owned by Naira Marley, left the label in February 2022.

The Lagos State Police Command on September 18, 2023, inaugurated a 13-man special investigation team to probe the death.

His death also led to the arrest of Naira Marley and controversial Lagos socialite Balogun Eletu, aka Sam Larry, amongst others.

The body of Mohbad was exhumed on September 21, 2023, for an autopsy to unravel the cause of his death.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, tweeted in September 2023 that an autopsy had been concluded and the police were “awaiting results.”

The PUNCH exclusively reported that the toxicology test carried out to determine the cause of death of the late music star had been concluded.

The result had been sent to the pathologist who carried out the autopsy to analyse and interpret it.

Renowned Nigerian record label boss and producer, Don Jazzy has taken to social media to mark the 12th year anniversary of MAVIN Records in a heartfelt celebration.

Through a series of video clips featuring both past and present signees, Don Jazzy highlighted the achievements of the label’s artists on various streaming platforms, showcasing their remarkable journey over the past decade.

Founded by Don Jazzy himself after his departure from Mo’Hits Records, MAVIN Records has emerged as one of the foremost players in the Nigerian music industry, boasting a roster of over ten talented artists, both past and present.

The label’s collaborative efforts have produced numerous chart-topping hits, including instant classics like “Dorobucci” and “Amina,” which have left an indelible mark on the music landscape.

MAVIN Records has served as a launchpad for several artists who have gone on to carve their own paths to stardom.

Notable talents such as Johnny Drille, Ayra Starr, Rema, Ladipoe, Crayon, and Bayanni have all flourished under the mentorship of Don Jazzy, showcasing their musical prowess and versatility.

Despite the departure of former members such as Tiwa Savage and Reekado Banks, who have maintained their relevance in the industry, MAVIN Records continues to thrive under Don Jazzy’s leadership.

Beyond his role as a record label boss and producer, Don Jazzy has also become a champion for upcoming artists, using his platform on social media to promote and showcase emerging talent.

His accessibility online has created invaluable opportunities for up and coming musicians to gain exposure and recognition.

The Ogun State Police Command said it had arrested a septuagenarian landlord, identified simply as Adesina, for allegedly defiling and impregnating his tenant’s 14-year-old girl (name withheld) at Akegbeyale Street in Ifesowapo Akute, Ifo Local Government Area of the state.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the residents and other tenants were thrown into a state of shock when the septuagenarian suspect was found on Tuesday, April 9, 2024, having sexual intercourse with the 14-year-old girl at about 10:15 pm in the house bathroom.

The minor, according to a police source who was part of the team that arrested the 71-year-old suspect but was not permitted to speak for the command, was said to have made her way to the apartment’s bathroom to take a shower.

Our correspondent learnt that a few seconds later, the landlord was said to have gained entrance into the same bathroom and was believed to be having sexual intercourse with the teenager before he was caught in the act.

After this shocking discovery, some members of the community and other neighbours who witnessed the scene raised the alarm, leading to the arrest of the landlord by the men of the Ajuwon Police Division.

PUNCH Metro gathered that upon advice by the police and others on the need for the minor to be treated to avoid any infection, the father was said to have taken the 14-year-old girl to the hospital for medical examination.

However, the result of the test was said to have indicated that the minor was about six weeks pregnant.

Confirming the incident on Wednesday, the spokesperson for the state Police Command, Omolola Odutola, told our correspondent the case had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, where all parties would be grilled.

“The landlord has been arrested and detained. The father reported that he was caught defiling his 14-year-old daughter in their bathroom in the morning. The teenager was taken to Tamara Hospital in Akute for a medical examination.

“However, the medical report further showed that that wasn’t a first-time act because the test showed that the teenager was already six weeks pregnant. The state CID in Eleweran will soon take up the matter for further investigation,” Odutola stated.

In November 2023, the operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps reportedly apprehended another 76-year-old man, David Ogunsanwo, for allegedly defiling a 16-year-old girl in the Abeokuta area of the state. The teenager was also reportedly five months pregnant.