FEATURES
Nigerian filmmaker cum actress, Funke Akindele has no doubt set a huge milestone that would be a herculean task for any Nigerian filmmaker to break.
The movie star who made history last month as the first Nigerian filmmaker to gross over a billion in cinema, hasn’t held back on her record-breaking achievement.
In a fresh update, A Tribe Called Judah has grossed over N1.4 billion in about ten weeks following its debut on December 15, 2023, as it maintains its record of the highest-grossing Nigerian movie ever. The movie has no doubt become the favorite of many, both at home and abroad.
Reacting to her achievement on X, Funke Akindele wrote:
“Thank you!!! To all the young ladies out there, just know that you can also achieve success. Remain focused and keep working hard.????????????????.”
Also sharing the good news, Film One, expressed gratitude to Nigerians and West Africans for making the movie Number One.
“We are grateful for the record-breaking journey of #ATribeCalledJudah – Nigeria and West Africa’s #1 movie!
Thanks for making it the biggest film for Funke Akindele, the top Nollywood, and the ultimate cinematic triumph of 2023/2024
This movie is distributed by @filmoneng”.
Funke Akindele’s movies, A Tribe Called Judah, Battle On Buka Street, and Omo Ghetto The Saga are respectively the highest-grossing Nollywood films of all time.
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Amb. Mumuni Abayomi has advised thought leaders and elder statesmen to refrain from making statements that could provoke the populace, especially at a time when the federal government is working to address economic and security issues in the country.
Mumuni emphasized that the leaders should instead inspire their people with courage and hope.
In a statement issued on Friday, February 23, by his media aide Rasheed Abubakar, the APC chieftain said: “Unfortunately, what we have seen in recent times is that key figures and elder statesmen in the country throw caution to the winds to make statements capable of inciting the people. If this country should burn down, we have no other place to call our own.”
Mumuni acknowledged that there are economic and security challenges in the country, noting that President Bola Tinubu is also aware and making spirited efforts to address them.
He said: “Inasmuch as I understand the plights and frustrations of our citizens on economic and security challenges bedevilling the country, our elder statesmen must be careful not to utter statements that can be misread by some people as a motivation to cause anarchy and unrest. We will all come out of these difficult times.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as we can all see, is making frantic efforts to solve the challenges. Our thought leaders and elders should be torchbearers of hope, courage and resilience. They should advise and work with the government on measures to tackle the challenges.”
Mumuni, a former gubernatorial candidate of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in Lagos State, said the security situation of the country is improving, charging the various security agencies to maintain their offensive against criminals and terrorists.
He stated: “We have seen how the strategies on security have improved recently. It shows responsibility on the part of the government. We have witnessed a clampdown on bandit leaders, kidnapping kingpins, terrorists and other criminal gangs. Our security agencies should maintain this energy and prevent criminals from having a foothold in our communities.
“I believe things would ultimately shape up, even on economy. More policies and measures are now being considered by the federal government to tackle the situation. On security, Mr. President has approved increasing the numerical strength of forest rangers and training them so that they can keep forests and borders safe. He has also finally agreed to work with various organs of government to bring state police.
“On the economy, the federal government has also met with various stakeholders to arrest the increasing prices of goods and services. The meeting with cement producers in the country ended with great resolutions.
“The government is also taking the battle to fifth columnists who are trying hard to sabotage its reform efforts. The withheld salaries of ASUU has been paid, and the President has directed the civil service to treat issues of workers’ welfare with dispatch. We should expect more policies and directives that will bring relief to the people.”
Meanwhile, Mumuni charged the people to also hold their state governors to account, noting they are closer to them.
He added: “The monthly FAAC allocation to states has increased dramatically. The people should hold their state governors to account for what they are doing with the funds.
“The state government is closer to the people than the federal government and their interventions will go a long way to bring relief to the people in these difficult times.
“It is surprising that while some state governors have risen up to the occasion, majority of them have been docile. The people should ask questions from the governors too.”
One of the victims abducted from the Kuduru community in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, has been killed by bandits.
Naija News reports that the bandits who abducted the seven persons, on December 28, 2023, including a pregnant woman, also threatened to kill the remaining captives if the N290 million ransom is not raised.
A community source who spoke with Daily Post disclosed that the bandits broke the news of the execution of Olayinka Ogunyemi, a civil engineer, on Friday, after members of the families of the hostages failed to pay the N290 million demanded.
The source said they threatened to kill the remaining captives, including one-and-a-half-year-old boy, two siblings, a pregnant woman and two men.
He gave the names of those being held as Godwin Rachel Adeoye, Godwin Dominic, Austin Buremo, Hassan Usman, Hassan Faosiya and Bako Azeez.
The source said, “They called us yesterday that they have killed Engineer Olayinka Ogunyemi. They told us that they will kill the rest if we don’t bring N290 million.
“We have already paid N23 million and sent food and other items they demanded, but none of our people have been released.
“We are scared and helpless now that they will not kill the pregnant woman and her child, the two siblings and the two men.
“We are appealing to the federal government, the police and the army to step up efforts to rescue our people because their abductors said Nigeria has offended them and they would retaliate.”
Residents of Lagos State queue up to purchase bags of rice offered by the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) at the affordable price of N10,000.
This follows the Customs’ announcement of the commencement of the distribution of seized food items on the specified day.
The NCS Comptroller General, Adewale Adeniyi, emphasized in a statement to journalists in Lagos that customs officials were explicitly prohibited from participating in the distribution process.
The orderly scene depicted in the video featured women patiently waiting their turn to receive the rice they had purchased.
The official statement, conveyed by the NCS National Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Maiwada, outlined that the rice would be meticulously packaged in 25kg bags, with the cost set at N10,000.
Adeniyi highlighted that the initiative targeted specific groups such as artisans, teachers, nurses, religious bodies, and other residents within the NCS operational areas.
Electricity Distribution Company Disconnects Power Supply To University College Hospital Ibadan Over Debt
AdminOperations, radiotherapy canceled, mortuary affected
The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, IBEDC, has disconnected power supply to University College Hospital, UCH, in Ibadan, Oyo State, because of electricity debt, amounting to more than N400 million.
Checks by Vanguard indicated that supply was cut a few days ago following the inability of UCH Ibadan to settle its debts.
Chief Corporate Services Officer, IBEDC, Angela Olanrewaju, who confirmed the disconnection of the hospital, said: “We are very mindful of the essential services the hospital provides. The debt has increased to more than N400 million. The disconnection became inevitable because we have written four times and held several meetings with them without result.
We also served them many notices without response. We need to recover the debt to provide efficient services to our customers.”
Chief Medical Director, UCH, Ibadan, Professor Jesse Abiodun Otegbayo, declined to make comments.
However, another source said that UTH has commenced negotiations, targeted at resolving the issue and restoring the power supply to the hospital.
Meanwhile, a source in the hospital said the entire operations in the hospital have been scuttled, especially as the inverter, which they depended on could not carry out intensive medical treatment, adding that a lot of planned operations have been canceled or rescheduled.
He predicted that the Radiology, mortuary and other vital departments in the hospital would likely suffer the most severe impacts, potentially compromising patient care and safety.
Release details of how to disburse N300m he donated to orphanages
Music star David Adeleke popularly known as Davido has expressed gratitude to God for putting him in position to lift others as he announced making another donation of N300 million through his foundation, the David Adeleke Foundation, DAF, to orphanages across the country.
This, the singer said, is part of his annual contribution to support the welfare of Nigerian children.
Davido made this known in a press statement he posted on his Instagram yesterday evening.
According to the statement, the total number of eligible children is 13,936, with 1,688 deemed eligible to benefit from the funds.
It further stated that the allocation is set to benefit a total of 427 eligible orphanage homes , with a total amount of N300 million to be disbursed, translating to an average of N19.733 per eligible child.
The statement reads in part: “We are pleased to announce that the Davido Adeleke Foundation, DAF, has committed to an additional donation of N300 million to orphanages across Nigeria as part of our ongoing efforts to contribute to the welfare of our nation’s children.
“We understand the importance of transparency and accountability in charitable endeavours. Therefore, we assure the public that the allocated funds have been deposited into the Foundation;s Bank accounts, as mentioned in previous announcements.
“ We acknowledged that the process of disbursing these funds to various orphanages will take time as the statistics of these orphanages constantly change over time. We are committed once again to ensuring that the allocation is carried out meritoriously, with a thorough vetting process in place to verify the legitimacy of recipient institutions and guarantee that the funds are utilized for their intended purpose.
“We anticipate that the disbursement process will be completed within the next two to three weeks. During this time out, the team will work diligently to verify and process payment of the selected orphanages across the country.”
Also, in an accompanying Instagram post, Davido wrote, “ To our nation’s children, I remain grateful to be in a position to be able to help. Please accept my humble contribution. Together we shall shape a brighter future,”
Recall that in 2023, the ‘Unavailable’ singer extended the same gesture by donating the sum of N237m to some orphanages across the country. The singer in a statement said the sum was distributed to 424 orphanages in Nigeria.
Also, in 2021, he challenged his friends and fans to support his 29th birthday by donating N1 million each to him. He explained that he had always been in a position of lifting others and wanted them to return the favour. He ended up raising a total of N200,000,000 , with additional personal donation of N50,000,000, totaling N250,000,000, which he later donated to orphanages across Nigeria.
Veteran Nollywood actor cum movie director, Paul Obazele has emerged as the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the September gubernatorial election in Edo State.
Naija News learnt that other guber aspirants for the position unanimously agreed to present the movie star as the flagbearer during Friday’s primary election held at the Uselu axis of Benin City.
Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from the national headquarters were around to observe the conduct of the exercise, which they described as peaceful.
Obazele will now battle candidates of other political parties for the September 21 governorship election in Edo State.
The remains of the late governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, have been interred at his country home in Owo, in the Owo council area of the state.
The late Akeredolu, who died in Germany on December 26, last year, was conveyed to his hometown for his final burial.
He was 67. His corpse arrived in the state capital on Wednesday and was received by the state governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa and members of the executive council for his onward journey to his Owo country home the same day.
Eminent Nigerians, led by President Bola Tinubu, eulogised the virtues of the late Governor Akeredolu.
President Tinubu, who was represented by the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, led state governors, ministers, chieftains of the ruling All Progressive Congress, top government functionaries and other important personalities to the funeral service, held at the Saint Andrews Cathedral Church in Imola, Owo, Ondo State.
The Kwara State Police Command on Friday said a cop, identified as Fayemi Kehinde, was injured while a mosque and some vehicles were damaged during a protest by angry students of the Kwara State University.
It said the protest followed a sting operation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in Malete, the host community of the university on Wednesday night.
Fifty persons, comprising 48 students of KWASU, were among the suspects paraded at the Ilorin zonal office of the EFCC for alleged cybercrime on Thursday.
During the crisis, the police station at Malete, in the Moro Local Government Area of the state was reportedly attacked by some students.
However, the Commissioner of Police, Victor Olaiya, said a mosque and some vehicles were damaged by a gathering of students at Malete town
Olaiya, in a statement, on Friday said, “Reports indicate that the gatherings, which began at about 1600hrs, centered around grievances related to the recent raids on black-spots around the school’s premises by operatives of the NDLEA. Students living off campus expressed their dissent, and marched from various parts of the town to Okoru Junction close to Malete Police Division, carrying placards with various inscriptions such as, “Say No to NDLEA”.
“Efforts were made to engage with the students, persuading them to return to their respective hostels and maintain peace. In the process, they encountered a white Toyota Hilux vehicle with registration number Lagos AGL 574 HZ, occupied by four armed policemen from Ila-Orangun led by Inspector Ibrahim Ali and three others on an official assignment to Malete.
“They were mistaken for operatives of the NDLEA. Consequently, the students chased them to Malete Divisional Police Headquarters, where the students began to throw stones into the police station.
“Regrettably, this led to some damages to the rooftop of the mosque and the windscreen of vehicles parked in the station. The policemen fired tear gas canisters to disperse the violent crowd to prevent further damage at the police station.
“Additionally, one police officer, PC Fayemi Kehinde, sustained minor injuries as a result of the stones thrown at the police station. He was given first aid treatment at the hospital and discharged.”
As the economic crisis in Nigeria worsens, a popular actress, Toyin Abraham, has come under fire from frustrated Nigerians, who have been lambasting her for campaigning vigorously for President Bola Tinubu in the lead up to the 2023 elections.
Whenever the actress makes any post on social media, it is usually greeted with criticism and insults by her fans and followers.
Some netizens even went as far as posting flyers that read, ‘Rest in peace’ about the actress.”
Apparently overwhelmed by the negative reactions, Abraham stated that she was aware of the pain felt by the people. She wrote, “Unexplainable, but God will see us all through. It is people’s pain that is getting to me.”
In a similar vein, the actress blamed political opposition for the bad reviews on one of her movies titled, ‘Ijakumo, the Born-Again Stripper’.
At the time, she had said, “You all went to create a WhatsApp group because of ‘Ijakumo, the Born-Again Stripper’; please continue. You all will tell the world why choosing my own candidate is a crime, and yours isn’t.”
She later apologised for her outburst, and asked critics to share their opinions about the movie ‘with love’.
However, the strident criticisms have not abated.
Replying to one of her recent Instagram posts, one Nkem Diana wrote, “Asiwaju Baby. God will visit and judge you. You have not started crying.”
Pablo Floky said, “How far those things you said Baba disclosed to you, is it not time to execute them? Or is it when hunger kills all of us?”
Another Instagram, Eth, wrote, “You misled Nigerians to vote your ‘mumu’ party.”
Meanwhile, a follower, Ojays, was of the opinion that the followers were being unfair to the actress. He wrote, “All those bashing Toyin, please did she force anyone to vote for her choice? Did she point gun at you at the polling booth that you should vote for her candidate by force? Is she the only one who supported Tinubu, or you all just derive pleasure in coming for her. Please, let her breathe. Plus, how sure are you that your own candidate would have performed any better?”
Meanwhile, the actress had also stated that she was partnering with a brand— Smallyfares— to organise a weekly food bank event in Ikeja, Lagos State.
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A reggae and dancehall artiste, Chinagorom Onuoha, popularly known as African China, has said that he and his fellow artistes who held sway in the early 2000s ‘pushed’ the music industry to where it is now.
Speaking in an interview with Saturday Beats, China said, “Collaboration is something we cannot rule out in the industry. But, things have changed, and I understand. However, I don’t like the fact that when younger artistes see the people that laid the foundation (of the industry), they don’t respect them.
“They don’t know what we went through. These days, it is easier to stream one’s songs on digital music platforms. Before, those sites were not accessible to Nigerians. Back then, we would go to cyber cafes to do things like that.
“Then, people were not paying attention. We were just trying to make them love Nigerian music. In those days, we were competing with mega American artistes such as 2pac Shakur, P Diddy, Jenifer Lopez, R Kelly, and Busta Rhymes. We were not even competing with fellow Nigerian artistes, because we were all united in trying to push the industry to where it is today.”
The ‘Mr President’ singer added that older artistes were not asking the young artistes for money, but respect.
He added, “We are not asking the young artistes to give us money, but to respect us, if not for our age, but at least for the sacrifices we made for the industry.”
A veteran actress and politician, Hilda Dokubo, has said that with the rate of insecurity and hunger in the country, Nigerians are being abused by the government.
She said, “When the essence of a thing is unknown, abuse is inevitable. And, that is exactly what we are going through right now. Nigerians are being abused. We are being compared with countries that do not have crude oil, forgetting that some other countries have oil, and their citizens are not paying as much as we are paying (for petrol and diesel). If the government had given us the quality of life enjoyed by those people they are comparing us with, it would have been okay. In those countries, children from birth to the age of six have access to free healthcare. They get quality education almost for nothing. They also have policies that work. People can speak freely without being called enemies. But, what do we have here? Is it safe?
“The level of insecurity in Nigeria is shameful. How do we work? What is the state of nightlife in the country? These politicians think their lives are easy, because they travel with 20 bodyguards and policemen. Why don’t they travel alone? They won’t do that, because they know that the country is unsafe.
“Everyone who does business that thrives at night, just like most entertainers, are not finding the situation funny.”
Nigerian singer, Eniola Akinbo, known professionally as Niyola, has pleaded with her fans to pray for her full recovery following a recent near-death experience.
Naija News reports that the singer made this known in a post on her Instagram page, alongside a photo of herself in a hospital.
Although Niyola didn’t reveal the cause of the incident, she disclosed that she suddenly found herself on the floor fighting for her life and regained consciousness after hearing a supernatural voice.
The singer pleaded with her fans and well-wishers to pray for her full recovery.
She wrote, “G R A T I T U D E Modupeoluwa. I just a near death experience and naturally it’s had me thinking about time, purpose and what truly matters. One minute I was fine and the next thing I was on the floor fighting for my life. All I remember after that is hearing a voice say “And you shall by no means get hurt”
“The rest of the story is too long to share but let me tell you, God is real and His words are true!!!!!!!! But for God, it could have been different. I am so thankful.
“If you’re still thinking there’s time to live outside of him, I beg you to rethink and give him your life now. The days are truly dark,and only Christ is the true light that can chase the shadows away. I have lost two people within the last two weeks, both under thirty so don’t think you’re too young and there’s time.
“I know your strength is waning, but you’ll be glad to know that it’s in your weakness God’s strength is made perfect. What you don’t know is you are a target because you carry destiny and the frustration is to distract you from what you carry.
“You can’t give up,you MUST WIN. I typically would put my thoughts in songs but I am not allowed to do any of that for now and I love you too much not to share.
“Believe that as soon as I can, and with your prayers this experience is birthing a whole new project by God’s Grace. I am much better now, but pls pray for my full recovery. The devil is a lieeeeee I go nowhere! I love you.”
A controversial artiste, Habeeb Okikiola, aka Portable, has taken an actress, Laide Bakare, to the cleaners on social media over a recent interview she granted and allegedly referred to him as a dirty boy.
In the interview on a podcast titled, Talk to B, Bakare, who was recently appointed by Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, as his Senior Special Adviser on entertainment, art, culture and tourism, had stated that Portable abused her on social media because of an earlier interview she had granted where she had stated that of her husband cheated on her, she would retaliate by also cheating on him. She said, “He commented on one of my posts, saying, “Pele iya olowo (sorry, rich woman). It turned out to be this werey olorin, Portable. The boy just started abusing me. The Internet just gives some people cheap opportunities. You can imagine one dirty boy from Sango talking anyhow..”
She added that Portable warned her that he did not want to see her with his wife, who is also an actress.
However, in his reaction, Portable claimed that Bakare was actually the one who reached out to him on Instagram. He said, “Laide Bakare, you sent me a direct message and asked me to send my WhatsApp number. I will post everything. I told you to meet my manager, that what did you want to discuss with me? You are calling me a dirty boy, but the day we met at a party, you were the one who hugged me; you hugged a dirty boy. You were asking me to come to your birthday party? You say I come from Sango, where does your family come from? You fell for me, and I will post all the messages you sent to me.”
Also, in a post acknowledging the well wishes from fans over her recent appointment in Osun State, Portable made an unprintable comment, inferring that Bakare was a promiscuous woman.
Responding to him, she wrote, “Omo ofo.com, oni ku re (useless child, you will not die well). I will not spare you for coming to my page to rant nonsense. It is your grandmother that is mad.”