
FEATURES
President Bola Tinubu has approved the National Construction and Household Support Programme during the National Economic Council meeting on Thursday in Abuja.
According to a statement issued by the presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, the programme is aimed at boosting agricultural productivity, strengthening the economy, and providing immediate economic relief for Nigerian households.
Ngelale added that the programme, which was supported by the NEC, includes financial allocations and infrastructure projects across all geo-political zones in the country.
He added that a key component of the programme is the approval of the N50,000 uplift grant to be distributed to 100,000 families per state for three months.
Ngelale revealed that another N155 billion was earmarked for the purchase and distribution of assorted foodstuff across the nation to address concerns about food security and affordability.
He disclosed that the programme will also cater to infrastructure projects, including the Sokoto-Badagry Highway, which will traverse seven states and is considered key for agricultural sustainability. He added that the states along this axis form the food belt of the nation.
Other infrastructure initiatives include the ongoing Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Trans-Saharan Highway. Tinubu also approved full counterpart financing for the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri Railway and the Ibadan-Abuja segment of the Lagos-Kano Standard-Gauge Railway.
In addition to the projects, Ngelale said the NEC approved the allocation of N10 billion to each state and the Federal Capital Territory for the procurement of buses and implementation of the Compressed natural gas uplift programme.
According to the presidential spokesman, provisions were also made for labour unions and civil society organizations.
During the NEC meeting, Tinubu urged state governors to collaborate in meeting the needs of citizens and boosting food production in the country.
He said, “Our states must work together to deliver on the critical reforms required of us to meet the needs of our people. Time is humanity’s most precious asset. You can never have enough of it. It is getting late.
“We are ready and able to support you in the form of the mechanization of your agricultural processes and the provision of high-quality seedlings.
“We are prepared to provide solar-powered irrigation facilities to support our farmers across seasons, but we must now produce. We must produce the food our people eat, and it will require coordination and intentionality between members of the National Economic Council (NEC).
[Vanguard]
Festus Keyamo, minister of aviation and aerospace development, says some private jet owners use their aircraft for money laundering and drug trafficking.
Keyamo spoke on Thursday, during the inauguration of a ministerial task force committee on illegal private chartered operations and related matters in Abuja.
The minister said he had set a five-point agenda that would guide him and his team in discharging the mandate of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu when he assumed office.
He said the five-point agenda encapsulates safety, infrastructure, support for local operators, human capacity development and revenue generation.
Accordingly, he said the ministry has identified issues within the aviation industry “that we must tackle headlong”.
“It has come to my attention, through a series of disturbing reports, that the practice of illegal charter operations is thriving within the aviation industry, thereby undermining the efforts of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and other regulatory bodies,” he said.
“These illicit activities have not only resulted in significant financial losses to the Federal Government but have also raised security and safety concerns as the operations of private aircraft owners have remained largely unchecked and unregulated.”
This, Keyamo said, has also resulted in using private aircraft for other illegal activities.
“Last week, the National Security Adviser wrote to us, alerting us of the spike in money laundering, drug trafficking and other illegal activities through the use of private aircraft in the country,” the minister said.
“It appears that Private Non-Commercial Flight (PNCF) operators have become increasingly emboldened, continuing their illegal operations with the assistance of Air Operator Certificate (AOC) holders who collect tolls and list these illegal charters under their AOCs.
“We have received alarming reports that some crew members have not attended mandatory simulator trainings for nearly three years and are flying with fraudulently-obtained renewed licenses.
“Many of these individuals are operating planes registered under PNCF but are conducting illegal charter operations with impunity.
KEYAMO CONSTITUTES COMMITTEE
To combat the illegal operators, the minister announced the immediate composition of a ministerial task force on illegal private charter operations and related matters.
He said some of the responsibilities of the task force include taking “inventory of all permit for non-commercial flights (PNCF) holders and air operator certificate (AOC) holders, to determine why the practice of illegal charters by PNCF holders persists in the country despite regulatory controls”.
The task force, according to the minister, was also created to “call in all professional licenses of pilots and crew in the country and determine their authenticity and validity, and to recommend to the Minister any additional measures to be taken by regulatory agencies to stem this ugly tide”.
He said the committee is expected to recommend appropriate penalties to be imposed by the regulatory agencies on defaulters and additional measures to monitor private aircraft operations in Nigeria.
The minister added that the members of the task force have been carefully selected from within the aviation industry and are people of high repute and integrity.
He named Ado Sanusi as chairman of the committee, Roland Iyayi, as vice-chairman, and acting director of air transport, aviation ministry as secretary.
Other members of the committee, he said, include Theresa Babayo, director of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA); Olayinka Oyesola, commander of the presidential air fleet; Daniel Quansah; Patrick Ogunlowo; and Obafemi Bajomo, Keyamo’s special assistant (SA).
Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub, has been ranked as the 170th world’s most liveable city, with Vienna (Austria) named the world’s liveable city for the third time in a row, according to a new survey published Thursday.
In the survey, the Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU), a sister organization of The Economist, ranked 173 cities around the world on some significant factors, including health care, education, stability, infrastructure, and environment.
In the list, Lagos, with a 42.2 per cent index score, ranked ahead of Algeria’s Algiers (42.0), Tripoli (40.1), and Damascus (30.7).
Vienna topped the rankings for 2024 due to its winning combination of stability, healthcare, education, and reliable infrastructure. The report noted that “the city received perfect scores of 100 for stability, healthcare, education, and infrastructure, but has room for improvement in culture and environment.”
Copenhagen (Denmark), Zurich (Switzerland), Melbourne (Australia), Calgary (Canada), Geneva (Switzerland), Sydney (Australia), Vancouver (Canada), Osaka (Japan), and Auckland (New Zealand) complete the top 10.
The report also ranked Western Europe as the most liveable region. “Western Europe remains the most liveable region, but has seen a decline in stability scores amid increasing instances of protests…. on a variety of issues,” said a statement from the EIU.
Those issues included the rise of far-right extremism, EU agricultural policy, and anti-immigration, EIU said in a press release.
Also, overall global liveability increased by just 0.06 points over the past year, compared with 2.84 in the 12 months to June 2023.
But the “improvement is only marginal, held back by geopolitical conflicts, civil unrest, and a housing crisis across many of the cities” amid inflation.
Tel Aviv (Israel) was the biggest mover down the ranking, tumbling from 92nd to 112th as its scores for stability, culture and environment, and infrastructure deteriorated.
On the other hand, Hong Kong (Hong Kong) was the biggest mover up the ranking, moving to 50 in the world.
Mikah Suleiman, the abducted parish priest of St. Raymond Catholic Church in Damba, Gusau, Zamfara state, has pleaded for help to regain freedom.
In a 51-second video clip trending on social media, Suleiman, dressed in a blue T-shirt with boxer shorts, is seen sitting on the ground while calling for help.
Suleiman was kidnapped by bandits in the early hours of June 22 at the rectory located within the church premises in Gusau, the state capital.
The priest said he was the only one being held captive by the bandits.
“I am pleading for help to be freed from this place. They (bandits) told me that they don’t keep people here for long. People don’t stay for up to a week,” he said.
“They told me that killing a person is not difficult for them. They said they are just helping me by keeping me; please, I am asking for help.
“Please save my life in the name of God. Look at my head; look at my legs. I was tied to a robe, and I am the only one in this place.
“Normally, if they kidnap somebody, they don’t waste time.
“If ransom is not paid immediately, they kill the person. Please, for God’s sake, help me.”
A few seconds to the end of the video, a stick from one of the bandits standing off the camera was seen touching his head.
Labaran Maku, a former minister of information, says President Bola Tinubu should make decisions that will give Nigerians respite from the economic hardship.
Maku spoke in Abuja on Thursday after he was conferred with an honorary fellow of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).
The former minister said monetary policies are crucial to the development of the country’s economy.
“I will particularly call on him to do everything possible to review and bring to fruition economic policies that will bring some level of respite to the people of Nigeria,” he said.
“I believe that you have to manage the policies of a developing nation to bring about development, and managing the policies calls for special attention to monetary policies. It is very important for the country.
“If the value of the naira continues to go down, the consequences will be that nobody will produce in Nigeria.
“We are a capital goods importing country, and whatever you want to do for the country, you must have imported machinery. We don’t produce machinery.
“If the value of the naira is up, a lot of companies will be in Nigeria, and I believe a lot are doing so. The president needs to look critically at those policies.
“I believe he has the experience and strength to pull Nigerians together by managing politics and the economy.
“I believe that under the current dispensation, we are looking forward to the proper management of the economy of this country.
“We need this. I was the Minister of Information, and I knew how difficult things could be.”
Emmanuel Osodeke, president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), says governors are establishing state universities they cannot fund.
Speaking during ‘The Morning Brief’, a Channels Television programme on Thursday, Osodeke said most governors duplicate universities in their states to get a “piece of the pie” from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).
“Any governor today establishing a university is eyeing TETFund as a source of funding,” the ASUU president said.
“TETFund was created as an intervention fund, not the major funding. The universities belong to the federal government, and the government is supposed to fund them, while states are supposed to fund their own.”
“It is an intervention fund, but there are people who want to have access to that money from the political circle, from the bureaucratic circle, at all costs. We are struggling with that.”
The ASUU president said a structure should be created to carry stakeholders along on how the fund is allocated and spent to enhance transparency.
“There should be a stakeholders’ meeting to assess what you want to do with the funds,” he added.
“You see today where somebody comes from the TETFund and says, ‘I have a project for you, and I am going to be the contractor. We want an open project.
“Every university council should be allowed to run their projects with the stakeholders involved.”
Time and again, he reached for his handkerchief, dabbing a face that glistened under the hot TV lights.
Richard Nixon would walk away from the first televised United States presidential debate in 1960 facing a barrage of criticisms: His performance was too shifty, too sweaty. After that race, he and other presidential candidates would refuse to take part in another debate for the next 16 years.
But in the 1980s, an organisation was created to push Republicans and Democrats to participate: the Commission on Presidential Debates. It would orchestrate the debates for the next three decades.
That streak ended this year, when the candidates took matters into their own hands. President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump bypassed the commission for the first time in its history, negotiating instead with TV networks to host the debates.
On Thursday night, as the two candidates square off, viewers may not notice a major difference in format. But behind the scenes, experts say there has been a power shift — away from outside management and towards candidate control.

A history of shifting control
The televised debates, however, have changed hands several times over their decades-long history.
In 1960, when Nixon participated in the first televised debates with John F Kennedy — the eventual winner of that year’s race — the TV studios were in charge, and there was no audience.
“It started off with the television networks,” explained Alan Schroeder, professor emeritus of journalism at Northeastern University and the author of a book on the history of presidential debates. “They took turns airing the debates, and that’s the only time that ever was done that way.”
After 1960, though, public debates came to a stop. Only in 1976 did they start up again, largely under the auspices of the League of Women Voters, a nonprofit that emerged out of the women’s suffrage movement.
“But they had difficulty negotiating with the candidates,” Schroeder said. “The candidates made a lot of demands and made it very difficult for the sponsors to get their work done.”
That left an opening for a new entity to emerge. In 1987, the two major political parties in the US — the Democrats and Republicans — announced the joint creation of the Commission on Presidential Debates.
It was envisioned as a bipartisan body to host the debates. But even then, critics questioned whether the shift would place more power in the hands of major-party candidates.
“I think they’re trying to steal the debates from the American voters,” Nancy Neuman, then-president of the League of Women Voters, told the New York Times after the announcement.
The commission also marked a switch from nonpartisan to bipartisan leadership, spurring fears that third-party candidates would be excluded from the debates.
“It seized control of the presidential debates precisely because the League was independent, precisely because this women’s organisation had the guts to stand up to the candidates that the major parties had nominated,” George Farah, the author of No Debate: How the Republican and Democratic Parties Secretly Control the Presidential Debates, told The Guardian in 2012.

How Trump changed the game
But the commission has historically positioned itself as a proxy for the American people.
In an interview last month with The Daily Show, commission co-founder and co-chair Frank Fahrenkopf argued the group’s role was to be “down the middle for the public”.
That characterisation has likewise been challenged, particularly as an unconventional new candidate started to reshape the political sphere: Trump.
The power shift began in 2016, when then-candidates Trump and Hillary Clinton went head to head. Their first match-up was the most-watched debate in the event’s history, drawing 84 million viewers.
But Trump denounced the debates as “biased” and suggested he might skip them in the future.
He reiterated those criticisms again in 2020, when he faced re-election as the incumbent president. The first debate that year was chaotic. Trump repeatedly interrupted candidate Joe Biden, leading the Democrat to remark, “Will you shut up, man?”
“Four years ago, these debates were a disaster,” said Elaine Kamarck, senior fellow in the governance studies programme at the Brookings Institution. She described the 2020 debates as a turning point — and as an “embarrassment”.
“It was out of control. The format was out of control,” Kamarck said. “The commission really couldn’t keep control of this any more.”
This election cycle threatened to be a repeat: Trump and Biden are expected to be their party’s respective nominees once more, and last November, the commission released its usual schedule of debate dates.
But then the campaigns started to push for more control. Trump’s team, in particular, called the commission’s timeline “unacceptable”. It argued that the debates should happen before the early voting period begins in September.
“The Presidential Debate Commission’s schedule does not begin until after millions of Americans will have already cast their ballots,” Trump’s campaign said in a statement.
It also warned, “We are committed to making this happen with or without the Presidential Debate Commission.”

Debating ‘on their own terms’
Ultimately, in May, Biden announced he had accepted an invitation to debate from the news network CNN — and he challenged Trump to do the same. Trump agreed. The commission was cut out of the process entirely.
But Kamarck said the public back-and-forth was the result of behind-the-scenes negotiations by the rival campaigns. Biden’s team, for instance, requested that third-party candidates be excluded and that no audience be involved.
“The two political campaigns have negotiated among themselves and presented the debate format to the TV stations,” Kamarck said. “CNN didn’t start this — they just ended up with it.”
Kamarck emphasised that Trump’s opposition to the originally scheduled debates was likely a deciding factor.
“This was mostly Trump,” Kamarck explained. “At first, he wasn’t going to debate, and then, I think he realised that the election was a little too close not to debate. And because he is a narcissist, he decides, ‘Well, once they see me, they’re going to love me.’”
Still, participating in the debates comes with risks. Unlike rallies, ads or social media posts, debates are not something candidates can choreograph, Schroeder pointed out.
“It’s something totally out of their control. So I think campaigns and candidates have always thought that they would prefer either not to do debates, period, or to do them on their own terms,” he said.
Schroeder added that the candidates may perceive — rightly or wrongly — that there’s an advantage to dealing with TV networks, as opposed to the Commission on Presidential Debates.
“They wanted to be able to cut their own deals, make their own determination about things like format and who asks the questions,” he said. “My guess is, they’re probably making life difficult for CNN.”

What does the change mean for voters?
On Thursday night, CNN’s debate will not feature an in-studio audience, and the candidates’ microphones will be cut off when it is not their turn to speak — conditions both campaigns agreed upon in advance.
But Kamarck noted that the commission had also chosen to mute the candidates’ mics during the second debate of 2020. Not much, she said, will be noticeably different.
“Your average voter is not going to know the difference about something that was negotiated by the commission versus between the candidates,” she said.
But the changes could still have an effect on audience perception, as Kathleen Hall Jamieson, director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center, explained. She participated in a “debate reform working group” that offered recommendations to both campaigns.
Her group suggested that a live studio audience should not be part of the debate structure: Audience reactions, after all, can prejudice the response of viewers at home.
Previously, the financial model for the Commission on Presidential Debates was one reason that a live audience was invited to the debates, according to Jamieson. Universities would bid to host the debates, and major financial sponsors and donors could gain access to seats in the audience.
“The process by which the commission organised the debates and financed them was setting in place a problem, because the audience could not be relied on to be silent throughout the debate,” Jamieson said.
“The additional problem is, you saw the candidates trying to game the system by putting people in the audience who might embarrass the opposing candidate.”
CNN’s financial model, by contrast, does not rely on donations. As a for-profit company, it instead relies on advertising and subscriptions.
“The debates have never been looked at as a way to make money, and unfortunately, this is a big money-making opportunity for CNN,” Schroeder said. “I’m sure they’ll be charging well beyond their normal rates for advertising, because the audience will be much, much larger. So I think that’s problematic.”
The same would be true for any broadcaster, he added. “These are businesses, these are organisations that make money. And I think that their goal is not necessarily enlightening voters — it’s to have a good TV show. That’s a big difference.”
Though the debates are returning to the hands of TV networks, Schroeder notes the media environment has completely changed since 1960. Social media has increased the pressure candidates face.
“Now, you’re getting real-time reactions, and people are reacting to the debate as it’s happening and posting their reactions,” he said.
“Now, you’ve got millions of eyes on them waiting for a misstep, mistake or error or insult, or some moment that can light up social media and that can drive the news coverage.”
But Jamieson is optimistic about the changes behind the scenes.
“They’re returning to the traditional and studio format that started [televised] presidential debates in 1960,” Jamieson said. “It worked well in 1960. It should work well again.”
A suspect, Raman Akande, arrested in connection with the death of a commercial sex worker in the Ifo area of Ogun State, has narrated how he and two others allegedly killed the victim for ritual purposes.
Akande, in a confession video made at the police station, and obtained by PUNCH Metro from a source who pleaded anonymity on Wednesday, disclosed that he participated in the killing of the commercial sex worker after one person identified as Ifa promised him a reward of N100,000.
He said following the agreement with Ifa, he went and engaged the services of the victim with an agreement to pay her N3,000 if she slept at his place overnight, which the victim obliged.
Akande narrated in Yoruba (now translated) that after she had gone with him to his home, he engaged the services of one of his friends identified as Ijebu in carrying out the killing.
He narrated further, “It was Ijebu who hit her with a wood on the head, and she collapsed. After she collapsed, I dragged her inside. I was the one who held her legs while Ijebu held her hands before Ifa slaughtered her.
“After Ifa had slaughtered her, he used a calabash to collect her blood. I agreed to participate in the process because Ifa promised to pay me N100,000.
“The lady is not my girlfriend but a commercial sex worker that I have always engaged her services in the past. I usually paid her N1,000 before, but I promised to pay her N3,000 when I went to pick her up.”
Efforts to get the reaction of the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, proved abortive as she had yet to respond to messages and calls made to her line as of the time of filing this report.
Meanwhile, a senior police officer privy to the incident but not authorised to speak with the media confirmed the arrest to our correspondent in a telephone conversation on Wednesday.
The senior officer also disclosed that the suspect had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department.
“He was arrested in Ifo, and he has been transferred to the state CID for further action,” the police officer said.
PUNCH Metro reported on Tuesday that a man, Lekan Akinyemi, was arrested by operatives of the Ogun State Police Command for allegedly exhuming and beheading a corpse for ritual purposes in the Itoko area of the state.
The state’s PPRO, Odutola, in a telephone conversation with our correspondent, had disclosed that the suspect was arrested on Monday after a resident had alerted the police to suspicious activities around his father’s grave.
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has approved the disbursement of student loans to successful applicants from selected tertiary institutions.
In a statement published on its official X handle (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, the directive was given following NELFUND inaugural board meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, chaired by its chairman, Jim Ovia.
The statement, signed by NELFUND Head of Media and Public Relations, Nasir Ayitogo, said the meeting marked a significant milestone in the organisation’s commitment to empowering tertiary students through financial support.
It said, “Under the leadership of the Board Chairman, Mr. Jim Ovia, top in agenda was the approval for disbursement of student loan to successful applicants.
“This decision underscores President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s dedication to providing timely and essential financial assistance to students in need, enabling them to pursue their educational goals without undue financial stress.
“By approving the immediate disbursement of the loans, NELFUND is taking a critical step in fulfilling its mission to support education and empower the next generation of leaders.”
The inaugural meeting also set the stage for future initiatives, aimed at enhancing educational opportunities, and providing comprehensive support to students across various disciplines.
Also present at the meeting were the management of the Fund led by its Managing Director/CEO, Akintunde Sawyerr, and representatives of member organisations.
LEADERSHIP reports that NELFUND announced a 14-day postponement of the application process for students of state-owned institutions due to low data submissions.
Ayitogo, on Tuesday, said the decision was necessitated by the failure of several state-owned institutions to upload the required student data and fee information to the NELFUND Student Verification System (SVS).
To date, it said only a limited number of state-owned institutions have completed the data submission process. These include 20 state-owned universities out of 48, 12 state-owned colleges of education out of 54, and two state-owned polytechnics out of 49.
He said, “While we acknowledge the efforts of these institutions, the failure to submit data from the remaining state institutions poses significant challenges to ensuring a seamless and accurate verification process for student loan applicants.”
The application window, initially set to open on June 25, 2024, will now commence on July 10, 2024, according to Ayitogo.
[Leadership]
Australia has unveiled plans to implement revisions to visa conditions for skilled workers visa holders, offering a six-month renewal window aimed at enhancing labour market mobility and addressing unfair labour practices.
These changes, effective from July 1, 2024, will impact visa conditions 8107, 8607, and 8608, according to the Australian Department of Home Affairs
The revised conditions apply to holders of the Temporary Work (Skilled) visa (subclass 457), Temporary Skill Shortage visa (subclass 482), and Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (provisional) visa (subclass 494).
The new regulations grant these visa holders up to 180 days at a time, with a cumulative maximum of 365 days during their visa period, to secure new sponsorship, apply for a new visa, or arrange to leave the country if they cease employment with their sponsoring employer.
During this grace period, skilled workers visa holders in Australia are permitted to work for other employers, even in occupations not listed in their most recent sponsorship nomination.
This provision allows them to sustain themselves while seeking new sponsorship or making other arrangements.
Australian authorities emphasized that the new regulations aim to support the integration and contribution of skilled migrants to the workforce, providing greater job security and flexibility.
“The changes apply to existing visa holders, as well as those granted a visa on or after 1 July 2024. Any periods a visa holder stopped working for their sponsor before 1 July 2024 will not count towards the new time periods outlined above,” the Australian authorities stated.
By implementing these measures, the government hopes to make Australia a more attractive destination for global talent, ensuring skilled migrants can continue to contribute to the economy while enjoying improved job security and flexibility.
More...
The former Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of Konga, one of Nigeria’s e-commerce giants, Mr Nick Imudia, has allegedly committed suicide in his home.
According to reports, Imudia, who was until his death, the CEO of D.light, a leading innovator in the distribution and financing of residential solar energy solutions and transformational household products, killed himself on the night of Tuesday, June 25, by jumping from the balcony of his Lekki, Lagos apartment.
The report said: “Before making the jump, he had called his US-based brother to give him instructions on how to distribute his wealth should anything happen to him.
“He also called his young daughter from a previous relationship and told her he would always be there for her and that all she needed to do was to look in the sky and he would see her.
“His friends, family and associates are in shock as to why he would commit suicide.
No one is sure why he took his own life.
“From the Ika South local government area of Delta State, Nick was previously married to the mother of his young daughter who was also from the same local government with him. The marriage ended due to irreconcilable differences.”
Before Konga, Nick had stints with TCL/Alcatel as a regional director and Microsoft Device and Services as the GM/MD for West and Central Africa.
Don Jazzy, the Mavin Records head honcho, has revealed the reason he is not married.
The music producer disclosed this in an interactive session with netizens on X.
Reacting to a question from a fan asking why he is not married, Don Jazzy said he is on a journey of self-development.
Don Jazzy said he is doing that to make sure his partner “enjoys” when he finally gets one.
“I dey work on myself so that when my head correct, my babe go enjoy me,” he wrote in pidgin English.
This roughly translates, “I’m working on myself. Once, I’m 100 percent, my partner will enjoy me.”
In 2021, Don Jazzy revealed that he once got married at age 20 but divorced after two years.
He said he ruined the union with his obsession for music.
The music executive was to marry Michelle Jackson, a UK-based writer and model.
“For so long everyone keeps asking me when am I getting married,” he said.
“Well, the truth is that almost 18 years ago, I was 20 and I got married to my best friend Michelle and it was beautiful.
“I loved love and I loved marriage. Michelle is so beautiful inside and outside with such a soft heart.
“But then me being so young and full of dreams I went and fucked it up cos I was giving all my time to my Music.
“Music became a priority instead of my family. We got divorced when I was 22 and it hurt.
“I am still very much in love with my music and I wouldn’t want to marry another and fuck it up again. So I’m taking my time.”
[TheCable]
It is with deep sorrow and profound respect that we at the IREPRESENT Documentary Film Festival acknowledge the passing of Tam Fiofori, a legendary Nigerian photographer, filmmaker, and author. Tam Fiofori, who departed this world on June 25, 2024, was a monumental figure in the documentary ecosystem of Nigeria. His enduring influence and unwavering support for the IREP docufilm festival have left an indelible mark on our community.
Born in 1942, Tam Fiofori's illustrious career spanned over several decades, during which he profoundly shaped the narrative of Nigerian and African stories through his lens and words. His contributions to documentary filmmaking and photography were not just artistic expressions but powerful commentaries on society, culture, and history.
Tam's dedication to the IREPRESENT Documentary Film Festival was nothing short of inspirational. His presence at nearly every single edition of our festival was a testament to his commitment and passion for the craft. Even in his later years, he continued to submit new work, demonstrating his relentless creativity and his desire to capture the ever-evolving stories of our times.
Tam Fiofori's legacy is one of brilliance, innovation, and an unyielding spirit. He not only chronicled history but also inspired a new generation of filmmakers and photographers to pursue truth and authenticity in their work. His absence will be deeply felt, but his influence will continue to guide and inspire us.
As we mourn his passing, we also celebrate his life and work. We are eternally grateful for the time, talent, and wisdom he shared with us. May his soul rest in perfect peace, and may his legacy continue to illuminate the path for future storytellers.
Rest in peace, ‘Uncle Tam.’ You will be dearly missed, but never forgotten.
Femi ODUGBEMI
On behalf of the Directorate and Board of the iREPRESENT International Documentary Film Festival Lagos.
Popular Nollywood actress, Osas Ighodaro, has bemoaned the high rate of inflation in the country.
The thespian revealed that N1 million won’t last her more than a day because of the inflation.
She disclosed this in a recent interview with Pulse.
The host asked: “How long will it take you to spend N1 million in this economy?”
Ighodaro replied: “How many seconds? You said seconds? Things are expensive. Maybe a day depending on what I am getting.”
The actress also revealed that Wande Coal is the celebrity she would call when she is having a “bad day.”
She added that Toke Makinwa is the celebrity she would like to raid her wardrobe, stressing that her style is topnotch.
[DailyPost]