On Wednesday, 31st July, the world woke up to the devastating news that our mother, the music legend, thespian and journalist, Onyeka Onwenu had passed away. 'The elegant stallion', as she was famously known in the entertainment circle, reportedly slumped after a private performance in Lagos on Tuesday night.
She was promptly rushed to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead, aged 72. We understand thst our mother was healthy and literally full of life before the unfortunate incident. She obviously bowed out of earth stage like a legend, doing what she loves most, which is putting smiles on people's faces through music and entertainment.
The news sent currents of grief around the globe as fans and well wishers have praised her contributions to music, entertainment and politics in Nigeria. From the president to the ordinary citizen, we appreciate all the tributes and encomiums that have come in our time of mourning. We also take solace in knowing that our mother was a standout musician, thespian, broadcaster, politician and a social crusader. She was vocal, assertive, passionate and brilliant.
We are overwhelmed with all the well wishes. We also recognize that it is the joy and memories that she gave to Nigerians that has afforded us such an immense outpouring of love. We are very aware of her diverse and multitalented nature. An icon, a musical legend, a movie star, a journalist, a humanitarian and a politician, our mother was a world-class performer who serenaded and blessed multiple generations with the beauty of her voice while preaching unity and love.
We are honored and deeply touched by all the kind words, condolences, and gestures of support from Nigerians of all ages and from around the world. The expressions of love and admiration for her now extends to us and they have brought much comfort and solace at this most difficult period for us. The impact of her life and legacy will always be felt, especially by us, as we continue to draw inspiration from her lifelong advocacy of peace, unity, and One Love.
Tijani and Abraham Ogunlende.
Sons of Onyeka Owenu
Her biggest career moments, lovelife and more
Legendary singer Onyeka Onwenu died last Tuesday moments after an amazing
musical performance at the 80th birthday party of Stella Okoli, founder of Emzor Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Company did not give any indication that that would be her last performance.
She was simply elegant as she entertained the guests with her evergreen songs. She was said to have slumped in her seat afterwards and was rushed to the hospital where doctors battled in vain to revive her. The 72-year-old queen of songs, in her autobiography titled “My Father’s Daughter”, which she released in 2020 recounted her journey into the world of music. She also spoke about controversies surrounding her and how she fell in love at the age of 13.
In her memoir, Onyeka Onwenu first revealed how her music life started: “ I was holidaying in Chicago with my cousin, Godfrey DanChimah who was married to Sonny Okosun’s sister-in-law, Ada. One day, Sonny called their house and I picked the phone. We got talking and I told him that I was interested in professional music.
“He asked for a demo tape, which I sent to him , it was my cover of “Mack the Knife” by Bobby Darin. He liked it , but warned that jazz may not sell well in Nigeria.
”Towards the end of my stay at the United Nations, another Nigerian artiste came calling. Dora Ifudu’s song, “Ada” was making waves around the country, I wanted to find out from her what it was like being a female musician in Nigeria.
“Dora gave me a history of her struggles in the industry, she talked about criticisms and unwarranted attacks by the press and the difficulty of controlling one’s productions and demanding higher value for work. I was not discouraged. With my media skills, I had something else to fall back on, if music failed. I just wanted to follow my passion.
“ Once in Nigeria, I contacted Sonny Okosun and we began planning my debut album. I was fresh and had no clue about contracts on how the Nigerian music industry worked. Sonny took all the decisions for me. He selected the songs. However, I brought my own interpretation and twist to them. Even before a contract with the recording company, EMI, Nigeria, was presented to me, we had begun recording the album with his band at the EMI studios in Lagos. There was excitement in the air about a new singer , which was me.
“In those days, making music was done with the whole band playing the song and everything recorded at the same time. If there was a mistake, we started all over again.
“Once Sonny Okosun , the producer felt satisfied with the basic work we had done in Lagos, off we went to London for post-production at Abby Roads Studios of EMI International, which was made famous by the Beatles.”
Recounting further, Onyeka Onwenu narrated how Sonny Okosun punished her for turning him down.
“In London, , we drove straight to the hotel, where we would be staying. I waited to be checked into my room by Charles Okosun, my designated manger and Sonny Okosun’s brother but he led me into Sonny’s room, where my bags had been placed. I immediately asked for my own room or there would be no recording.
“ Being a novice, I was not privy to the financial arrangement that Sonny Okosun had made on my behalf with EMI. I did not have a lawyer or anyone to advise me. On the London trip, I brought along some money for myself, which I relied on when Sonny Okosun decided to punish me for turning him down. I paid for all my expenses on the trip.
“When we completed the recording, with an overlay of the lead and backing vocals, and live guitar work, we mixed and mastered the sound. We also shot the videos of all six songs on the album. With a group of dancers and a small studio audience, no rehearsals, just passion for making music, we delivered a good performance. Everyone was happy, including Sonny Okosun. He had maintained a hostile attitude towards me and only communicated through his brother , who was my manager.
“ In 1981, I released my first album, “Endless Life”. Although it was a remake of Sunny Okosun’s previously released works like “Help” and “Kenelum Jehova”, I brought my own interpretation to the songs. I added a cover of “Walk Right Back” by the Everly Brothers and Nigerians were introduced to the singing reporter, as Chinua Achebe had called me. Having made a small name, as a TV journalist, it was not surprising that my musical career took off aided by my popularity on television.
“I started getting invitations to live performances, which I excelled in . That was how I began to earn a living from music.”
Onyeka, however, stated that at an early stage of her career, she was dissatisfied with the technical quality of our recording.
“I would note, listening to the radio,that each time Nigerian produced music came up, the quality dropped. It bothered me. It became imperative for me to improve the quality of my musical output.
The queen of songs, also recalled that when she joined the industry, it was vibrant and the economy was strong compared to what we have today.
“There were some capable and talented women in the industry such as Dora Ifudu, a singer/songwriter, filmmaker and photographer, Martha Ulaeto, who mixed the operatic with a powerful African influence, Funmi Adams, a classical singer who blended her songs with contemporary folk music, Nelly Uchndu and her Igbo folklore, and Comfort Omoge, a traditional artiste from the mid-western Nigeria among others.
My love life
On her love life, Onyeka recounted:: “I fell in love for the first time at the age of 13 in 1965 and two years before the outbreak of the Nigerian civil war. Looking back, I realize that I was indeed too young to know what love was. What does a 13-year-old know about love, anyway?
“I am not sure, however, that in my case love was something conceptualized as much as it was intensively felt. I was struck by a bolt of lightning from out of the blues. My heart skipped a beat each time the object of my attraction entered my space and I wanted to be in his presence for as long as possible.
“The attraction was not physical at this point. It was a meeting of two souls that effortlessly understood each other.
Strong connection I felt from day one
“This strong connection was felt from day one, as I saw myself in his eyes, and he thought that I was beautiful. The sound of his voice was like something I had heard before, there was a sense of familiarity in it. The attraction between us was so powerful that I said to God, not long after meeting Prince Charming that I had met the man I was meant to marry. If the person in question was not the one, then God Himself , should just forget it, because I would not marry another. It was an ultimatum.
“I was so sure of what I felt that my heart’s conviction came out in such a steely, matter-of-fact way, and with so much determination, firmness and finality. It was almost frightening that a girl of 13 would know her mind and express it so fearlessly. What a pugnacious little girl I must have been. I had no idea of the meaning of the words I was uttering, they just came tumbling out from the very depth of my soul
“I did learn a huge lesson afterwards; be careful what you say, what you ask for and what you wish for because you may just get it.
Age of innocence
“ At 13, I was in my second year of secondary school. It was a time when, if you fancied a guy , you stayed far away from him. You were too shy to even admit that he was your love interest. If you saw him on one side of the road, you quickly moved to the other. There would be no contact, only an inner excitement that you had just sighted him. It was the age of innocence.
“My prince was a friend of my brother’s and the whole family knew and liked him. They were probably aware of my attraction to him. Later events would bear me out.
“During the school holidays, our house was filled with a lot of people, friends, schoolmates and acquaintances.
“ If you had friends , even of the opposite sex, you brought them home and they became friends with the whole family. There was no ‘corner-corner’ love as we say in pidgin English. Everything was out in the open and devoid of physical contact, of course.
“My prince Charming really fit the bill. He was tall, dark and handsome young man. A versatile, artistic, Shakespeare-quoting kindred spirit who lit up the room for me. There was something very special about him, an uncommon civility that made him interesting to engage. I am not sure that he was fully aware of my feelings for him.
“I do know that he was fascinated and was always attentive. He was interested in whatever I had to say and never talked down at me. I was treated with a great deal of respect almost as an equal. For this young man was the romantic focus of a girl’s active imagination, one made vivid by fairy-tale and romantic novels of the cheapo kind, like the ones exchanged among friends, worn out , frayed and slightly torn, from use.
“In those gushing stories, the Princess always got her Prince Charming in the end and they lived happily ever after.
“Could this love story, intense as it felt and hardly understood, be the product of the imagination of a 13-year-old with a creative mind? What were the chances that this strapping, good-looking man , fancied by more beautiful and sophisticated women would fall for little , old me, in a city like Port-Harcourt, where he had by far better choices? But he did and hopelessly so.
“By the close of 1966, when the echoes of war were heard in Biafra, the love of my young life had left Nigeria for further studies in Europe. I was trying to survive the war with the rest of my family. My brother , Richard and sister Zoe, were also outside the country. My love and I lost contact and I had no idea whether I would ever see him again.
I remained in love with him
“I remained in love with him all this period. In fact , throughout the Nigeria/Biafra conflict, I was known as Miss “No Man’s land.-the area or piece of land between two sides of a conflict . It belonged to no one. There were a few token and peripheral friendship, for sure but they were all just that. I wanted to be by myself mostly, alone with my fantasies and dreams. I thought constantly about the man who had captured my heart.
“In 1971, after the war had ended and just months before I was to leave for school in the United States, I ran into Prince Charming on the streets of Lagos. It was quite simply by serendipity.
“From then on and in full view of my family, we began a friendship. I was 19 years old. He was 26. We talked for hours, went out for meals and danced at a family gathering. My love worried in a letter later on , that my mum may not not have approved of the obvious relationship.
“At 19, I had matured into a sensible young woman who could take care of herself . I had my mother’s trust. In the period of our re-connection, my love had fallen hopelessly in love with me. For the next three years, and with the knowledge and acceptance of my family, we began a truly romantic relationship , one which we both expected would end in marriage. Yet my darling was sensitive and respectful. It was not a physical relationship.
“I was still a little green behind the ears, having just survived a brutal war and still trying to catch up with the world that had moved ahead of me by four years. Yet my love considered me beautiful and extraordinary. He would write a few weeks after I arrived in the United States from Nigeria.
“ My love and I were from a time when writing was how you communicated with people. There were no mobile phones , no email and no internet. With him in Europe and me in the United States, we wrote regularly even as we spoke occasionally on the phone.
“Those letters, I now realize, were instrumental in helping me survive my first two years in a foreign country. Having a friend and a mentor, who understood me, who, in fact, saw the potential in me before others did, was the deciding factor in my ability to thrive intellectually and emotionally. His love and attention gave me confidence in myself and my abilities…
Why I didn’t marry the love of my life
You must be wondering by now, why I didn’t marry my Prince Charming who had fallen head over heels in love with me. I wonder too. Looking back at the time we drifted apart in 1973, I realize that our timing was off. We were both not ready to marry and settle down; I was a sophomore at Wesley, with a whole life of learning ahead of me. The intensity of the emotions was overwhelming sometimes. We were still oceans apart and the long-distance romance was tasking.
“We had no time together, my love and I to talk. Later on, he had plans to come over to study and live in the United States, but they did not plan out. We lost touch and we both moved on . On my part, I did so, with much sadness.
How we found each other again
“My love and I found each other again in 1980, just as I prepared to return to Nigeria for good. It was a momentous reunion, an indescribably exquisite time together. We explored my city, New York . Walking on the streets of Manhattan and talking about everything under the sun. We listened to free classical music with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, together with thousands of others in Central Park. Alone for the first time in eight years, we had a wonderful time rebuilding an almost-forgotten friendship. Again, my darling was a sounding board for my idea about coming home.
“Again, my Prince Charming had found his way back into my life, at a time of great change and transition. Moving back, to Nigeria, a rather traumatic venture was made easier by his friendship, support and counsel. He was even at the airport to welcome me back, together with my whole family.
“My acclimatization to Nigeria was complete, my friend and I went our separate ways again.
The intensity of our feelings being just friends is difficult. We lost contact for 27 years until we bumped into each other at a local airport in Nigeria in 2009 and yet again, it was by serendipity. He had moved back to Europe and was just visiting home. It was a difficult meeting this time. We were like two ships passing each other in the night.
The impact he made on my life
“Looking back, I understand why. I was going through a lot of emotional upheavals in my on-again, off—again marriage. The worst thing I could have done , would have been to add another emotional dimension to the muddle. I fled. After this uneventful chance meeting, I was sure that I could now put this friendship in a box and store it away from view, forever.
Perhaps, I thought I succeeded in doing that until serendipity threw up another meeting , one which reconnected us, once again, at a time of great transition in life. After the airport sighting in 2009, this meeting had taken 10 years . But then, we had known each other for 35 years. I have tried in all this time to define the relationship I had with this special person in my life., and the continued strong connection we feel, as if we were meant to help each other along life’s way.
“The timing of this most recent meeting has provided me with the opportunity to write about someone who had played a major role in my life, even when he was not physically around me. The story of my life would be incomplete without this sometimes sad but always inspiring love story.
“My friend and I may be in contact or we may not. But no matter how many oceans are between us, I remain grateful for this friendship and all that it taught me.”
“To the love of my life, I owe a huge debt of gratitude.Thank you for your kindness, for trusting in me with care, respect and appreciation. Thank you for believing in me. It gave me confidence. You saw my potential, even before I did and you convinced me that I was made for great things. Learned so much from you , even when you were not around, your compassion was palpable. Even now, I feel your encouragement. I hope I have not disappointed you. Thank you for being my brother and mentor, my friend for not being afraid to love me for myself, even as a pugnacious 13-year-old. Your friendship has enriched my life and I am glad that I finally have the opportunity to say, “Thank You.”
How I branded her Elegant Stallion —Azuka Jebose
Today, Nigeria mourns the loss of a beloved creative talent, Onyeka Onwenu. Rather than focusing on her passing, I’d like to share a personal reflection on how I came to brand her as the “Elegant Stallion.”
In the 1980s, Onyeka was Nigeria’s beloved music diva and broadcaster. Her success in music and pop culture paved the way for her entry into movies when Nollywood exploded in the 1990s. Her iconic nickname, “Elegant Stallion,” was born out of entertainment journalism and became a brand she proudly identified with until her death.
In 1987, I had the privilege of covering a Music Against Apartheid tour in Southern Africa, featuring Onyeka, late Sonny Okosuns, and Christie Essien-Igbokwe. As the entertainment editor of The Punch, I was invited to be the MC for the sold-out concert at Rufaro Stadium in Harare, Zimbabwe.
Sometime in1987, a young Zimbabwean music promoter, Steve Chigorimbo, arrived to Nigeria’s music business. He came from Harare and recruited famous Nigerian musicians for a southern Africa tour, billed as Music Against Apartheid. I was invited to cover that event. The night before a stadium sold out concert, Steve urged me to be the MC.
Earlier, the tour had taken the groups to Lusaka, Kitwe and Kabwe, major cities of Zambia.
The first major performance in Zimbabwe was at the Rufaro stadium. By midafternoon of the concert date, Rufaro stadium was packed with excited concertgoers, including university students
.
The mood was intense. When Onyeka walked onto the stage, she was poised, elegant and magnificent.
She approached the microphone confidently; her band slowly began to belt out rhythms from her latest dance release then, Winnie Mandela, one of the tracks from the DANCING IN THE SUN album.
She walked onto the stage, seduced the microphone, and held it tightly as she smiled at the crowd: then she steadily began to caress the microphone. As she began to sing, the toned back muscles of her legs cushioned, her neck vein vocals popped and pushed the smooth chocolate skins onto radiance.
The night before the concert, I met a young Zimbabwean woman named Zolfor West, who would later inspire the nickname “Elegant Stallion.” After an unforgettable one-night stand together, she called me her “stallion,” symbolizing power and strength from our previous night’s happy ending rendezvous.
The next evening, as I watched Onyeka perform on stage, I was struck by her poise, elegance, and magnificence. I wanted to capture her essence in my review, so I drew inspiration from my encounter with Zolfor. I wrote: “Onyeka has matured from a saint to a sinner, from a pretender to a real performer. Here comes our Elegant Stallion.”
That description stuck, and thanks to entertainment journalism, Onyeka Onwenu became synonymous with the “Elegant Stallion” brand. Today, we remember her as an iconic, hot, sexy, brilliant broadcaster, singer, and entertainer who left unforgettable moments on our lives. She has galloped into eternal sunset. Go well, my elegant stallion. Azukajebose
The lesson from our first encounter —Azuh Arinze
My first encounter with the no-nonsense and highly principled Elegant Stallion, Lady Onyeka Onwenu, MFR, is a great lesson on why we should never give up.
Back then, at the defunct FAME Weekly, where I started my journalism career as an intern, I had suggested an interview with Ms Onwenu during one of our editorial meetings as my story idea for the week. Raising his face from what he was reading, the gentleman who offered me the first opportunity ever to write, Mr. Femi Akintunde-Johnson, aka FAJ, adjusted his sitting position before telling me that Aunty Onyeka, like I called her, took us to court over a story that obviously didn’t ‘jell’ with her. “But you can still try”, he added, not wanting to discourage me.
After securing an interview appointment, in the course of which the interviewee equally reminded me of the court case, the unexpected happened! I found out on getting back to the office that the interview didn’t record. My tape recorder malfunctioned.
Down and demoralized, and again without informing my boss, I wrote Ms Onwenu a moving letter, begging for another opportunity and also explaining what happened, as best as I could. I dropped the letter in her office with her PA and no sooner did I get to the end of Isaac John Street (in Ikeja GRA, Lagos), where I was waiting to catch a bus than I heard someone calling my name.
I turned and behold it was the PA. “Madam says you should come back!” Trembling, I followed her to the office where the One Love superstar not only empathised with me but also consented to another interview. And so began a relationship that spanned over 25 years, and to be candid benefitted me immeasurably.
Besides always being there for me and constantly showering me with love, Aunty Onyeka played for me (FOC) on August 6, 2005 when I got married to my beautiful wife, Nkoli, at the Niteshift Coliseum, in Opebi, Ikeja, Lagos.
Despite residing in Opebi then, and I living in Akute, a border town between Lagos and Ogun, when we had our first child, Nmesomachukwu, she equally journeyed all the way most Sundays just to attend baptism classes preparatory to being my daughter’s godmother.
Years later, she asked me to see her in the office and on getting there, she handed me a cheque which she said must be used to open an account for her goddaughter. Surprisingly, about a month before this sad and shocking news, she asked for everybody’s account numbers which she credited yet again.
I could go on and on enumerating all the beautiful ways she impacted my life and that of my family and business.
On Saturday, July 27, 2024, at exactly 3.28 PM, she called to give me a quick update concerning an issue. If only I knew that that would be our last encounter and conversation.
My whole family is in tears. Particularly her goddaughter, Nmesomachukwu. She’s remained frozen ever since I broke the news to the family.
Please, continue to remember us in your prayers, especially as we grapple with this heavily devastating news.
Rest in peace, Aunty Onyeka Onwenu! —Azuh Arinze
Good night, My Crush, the Elegant Stallion —Emeka Alex Duru
I will always miss your beauty, your carriage, your courage, your music and the masculinity
of your voice. You were Onyeka Onwenu to others. For me, you remain “Onyii”, the one I encouraged my daughter to emulate. The sting of your passage hurts more, coming exactly four years after the death of my saintly Mother-in-law, another beautiful heart. It is well with your souls —Emeka Alex Duru
[Vanguard]
The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele has said the forefathers of Nigeria like Obafemi Awolowo, Nnamdi Azikwe, Tafawa Balewa, Anthony Enahoro, and MKO Abiola are angry with Nigeria.
Primate Ayodele made the remark while reacting to claims by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike that a senator was sponsoring the protest in the capital city.
Wike had claimed that the senator was feeding the angry protesters.
However, Primate Ayodele dismissed Wike’s allegation, stressing that Nigeria’s forefathers were angry with President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
In a statement by his Media Aide, Oluwatosin Osho, Ayodele said people like Wike, traditional rulers and politicians are deceiving President Tinubu.
He urged Tinubu to shun deceivers and focus on reality, adding that the president should stop giving materials to governors for ordinary Nigerians because they are corrupt and won’t help matters.
In a statement by Osho, the clergyman said: ‘’People are deceiving you too much, the unofficial governor of Abuja, your daughter, and all these traditional rulers are all deceiving you. Listen to the voice of common men, these obas didn’t vote for you, listen to those who spent their time to vote for you.
“The protest is a wrong signal, it doesn’t take you anything to solve this economic catastrophe. The honourables, senators, and governors are to be blamed also, they are not helping the situation, it is not the federal government alone.
“The president should stop giving them materials for the common Nigerians.’
‘’Nobody is instigating anything, everyone is angry including the forefathers of this nation like Awolowo, Nnamdi Azikwe, Tafawa Balewa, Anthony Enahoro, and MKO Abiola.’’
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, on Friday, described corruption as a deadly cankerworm that lays great nations in ruins.
While speaking at the 26th Annual Wole Soyinka Lecture organised by the National Association of Seadogs, known as Pyrates Confraternity, to mark his 90th birthday, Soyinka stated that corruption put people at a great disadvantage.
He noted that it would be challenging to win the war against corruption, without attitudinal change and the readiness of everyone to begin to do the right thing.
Soyinka, in 1952 had started the Pyrates Confraternity alongside six other undergraduates of the University of Ibadan.
The lecture, held at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, had its theme, “The Baby or the Bathwater: Navigating the dark tunnels of systemic corruption to nationhood.”
Soyinka, while commenting on the lecture delivered by former governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola, said that the challenge of corruption was such that it ran from the top to the bottom in Nigeria, adding that only a collective decision would halt its deadly march in the country.
He said, “The particular aspect of this lecture that struck me is corruption. Corruption is not just when you exchange money; it is a cankerworm that eats deep into the fabric of society from the top to the bottom and corrupts our very nature, our very existence.
“And one aspect of the lecture emphasised that the cure for corruption begins from the inside. Yes, we can talk about institutions, government, and the exercise of power unfairly and inordinately to the disadvantage of the rest of the community as part of corruption, but ultimately, the solution, both short-term and long-term, must begin from the inside, and this is one of the motives for establishing the Pyrates Confraternity 62 years ago.”
Soyinka also used the medium to disabuse the minds of the people regarding misconceptions about the Pyrates Confraternity, saying that the registered association is not a blood-thirsty secret cult but an association founded to push for justice and advance the betterment of the country.
Soyinka, alongside the former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, later unveiled a book “Ship Ahoy,” written to document the 60-year history of the confraternity.
In his lecture earlier, Babatunde Fashola, the former two-term Minister of Works and Housing, described Soyinka as not only a gift to the country and the continent but to the entire civilisation.
Speaking on the theme of the lecture, Fashola maintained that while corruption in terms of financial gains is undoubtedly condemned, the worst form of corruption is that which has displaced our highly cherished moral values and has, therefore corrupted the people’s ways of life.
He said, “When I was in office as a minister, the Federal Road Safety Corps usually made copies of the monthly reports on road crashes available to me. The report is actually for the office of the Secretary-General of the Federation, but I used to get a copy.
“In October 2022, a total of 1,111 road crashes were reported across the country, out of which 449 people died, representing six per cent of 6458 people involved in the accidents, with 2780 injured.
“The analysis showed a three per cent decrease when compared with the previous month but a 10 per cent increase when compared with the figure for October 2021.
“This goes to show that an average of 400 people are lost monthly to road crashes in the country, but I doubt if the insecurity which is always an issue during campaigns is responsible for such a huge loss of lives every month in the country.”
Veteran Nollywood actor cum politician, Kenneth Okonkwo, has asserted that the approved ₦70,000 minimum wage does not reflect the current reality in the country.
Recalls that President Bola Tinubu recently assented to the N70,000 minimum wage following an agreement with joint labour unions.
In an interview with Nigerian journalist, Seun Okinbaloye on the ‘Mic On’ podcast, Okonkwo maintained that the former N30,000 minimum wage was more valuable than the current N70,000 minimum wage.
He pointed out that everything has turned different since the administration of President Bola Tinubu came to power and questioned what they have achieved.
He said, “The N30,000 minimum wage people were earning before this government came in was of greater value than current N70,000 minimum wage. Because you had N500 to a dollar when this government came in, but now it’s N1,500. It went to N2,000 at a point. Do the mathematics.
“So what are we talking about? When it was N500 per dollar, the minimum wage was $60. Now that the exchange rate is N1,500 it should be about $45 per month. And see that it’s of less value. So what can they say that they have achieved?”
Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, has announced that the UK government will delay its plan to increase the family visa income requirement from £29,000 to £38,700 (approximately ₦80 million).
Originally slated to take effect in 2025, this policy was introduced earlier this year by former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as part of efforts to manage record immigration levels.
The new administration has decided to postpone the proposed increase until a comprehensive review of the family visa policy is conducted by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC).
Until this review is complete, the existing threshold of £29,000 will remain unchanged.
Cooper has confirmed that no further policy adjustments will occur until the independent review is finalized.
The government has tasked the MAC with evaluating the impact of restricting migrant workers from bringing family members to the UK and the implications of raising the income thresholds.
Under Cooper’s leadership, the new government plans to reevaluate its approach to legal migration, aiming to improve the skills of the domestic workforce before relying on foreign labor.
Cooper criticized the recent surge in legal migration, highlighting it as a failure to address labor market shortages. Non-EU long-term migration increased from 277,000 in the year ending December 2022 to 423,000 in the year ending December 2023.
“This is why we are setting out a different approach – one that links migration policy and visa controls to skills and labor market policies – so immigration is not used as an alternative to training or tackling workforce problems here at home,” Cooper stated.
A total of 3,173 Nigerian-trained nurses and midwives were licensed to practise in the United Kingdom in one year, PUNCH reports.
This is according to the latest report on the number of nursing and midwifery professionals on the Nursing and Midwifery Council register from April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024, obtained exclusively from the council.
The report also showed that so far, 13,656 nurses and midwives educated in Nigeria were practising in the UK.
The NMC data noted that on March 31, 2024, “there were a total of 826,418 nursing and midwifery professionals on our register.
“Of this number, 13,656 were educated in Nigeria. In the 12 months to March 31, 2024, 3,173 people who were educated in Nigeria joined our register for the first time.”
The NMC is the regulator for nursing and midwifery in the UK and it maintains a register of all nurses, midwives, and specialist community public health nurses and nursing associates eligible to practise in the UK.
According to the report, Nigeria is one of the top non-UK countries of education as of March 2024, and the number of Nigerian nurses and midwives practising in the UK increased by 28.3 per cent in one year.
Other top non-UK countries of education as of March 2024, compared to last year are India (62,413), Philippines (49,092), Romania (7,378), and Ghana (5,536).
In 2023, the World Health Organisation said Nigeria and 54 other countries were facing the most pressing health workforce challenges related to universal health coverage.
WHO said with the impact of COVID-19 and widespread disruptions to health services, health workers in the identified countries continued to seek better-paid opportunities in wealthier nations.
The WHO said of the 55 countries, 37 are in Africa, eight are in the Western Pacific region, six are in the Eastern Mediterranean region, three are in Southeast Asia and one is in the Americas.
Thereafter, the UK government on March 23 placed Nigeria and 53 other countries on the red list of countries that should not be actively targeted for recruitment by health and social care employers.
However, the NMC report stated that the number of first-time joiners across the UK continued to rise, with nearly 60,000 new nursing and midwifery professionals registering with it this year alone.
It added that the figures were split almost equally between UK-educated joiners (30,363) and those educated internationally (29,628).
It stated, “The year-on-year growth was even higher among international joiners, which shows an increase of more than 18 per cent compared to the previous year. Almost half (14,615) of this year’s new joiners were educated in India.”
In 2023, the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives said over 75,000 nurses and midwives left the country in five years to seek greener pastures.
The mass exodus of nurses has worsened an ongoing shortage of health workers, and poses significant threats to the healthcare delivery system, leading to limited access to care for many people.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has asked Nigerian student Lola Akinlade to leave the country over a fake acceptance letter she used to obtain a study visa and work permit.
Akinlade, who graduated with a diploma in Social Services from Nova Scotia Community College in 2019, shared her bitter experience with CBC News on Thursday.
According to her, she was unaware that the acceptance letter provided by an agent for the University of Regina in 2016 was fake until she was contacted by the IRCC a few weeks before her graduation from her new institution.
The mother of two noted that while receiving her diploma, she felt both happiness and worry upon realising that she had allegedly relied on a fraudulent document to secure her study permit, adding, “I was devastated. That was the beginning of my trauma.”
In an interview with the Canadian news platform, she said, “When the IRCC contacted me, I requested them to re-examine my case, arguing that I was a victim of a ‘rogue agent’ who supplied me with a fake acceptance letter to the Canadian school.
“Please review my file. I just want this to be resolved.”
Akinlade stated that the process of moving to travel to and study in Canada started in 2015 while she was working as a medical sales representative at a pharmaceutical company in Lagos, with a business administration degree from a Nigerian university.
She recounted meeting a man at her office who claimed to be an immigration consultant and offered to guide her through the process of becoming an international student by applying for a master’s degree in business administration.
Akinlade explained that she did not specify a particular university to the agent, only stating that she wanted to study at a reputable Canadian institution.
She described how she provided the agent with documents such as her passport and university transcripts, along with payment. Several months later, he provided her with a study permit for Canada, plane tickets, and an acceptance letter from the University of Regina.
“I flew to Canada in late December 2016, expecting to start classes in January 2017. However, I was stopped in Winnipeg en route to Regina when I received a call from the agent, who told me there were no spaces available at the university and that I would have to go on a waitlist.
Upon arriving in Canada, she began searching independently for a new school and programme and stayed with relatives in Winnipeg until she was accepted at Nova Scotia Community College for social services, starting in September 2017.
She said she chose social services because it better aligned with her previous work in the medical field.
Akinlade stated that she did not contact the University of Regina directly until two years later, when she received a letter from the IRCC informing her that the acceptance letter was fake.
“I was sceptical after receiving the IRCC letter, thinking it might be a misunderstanding or something,” she said. “So, I immediately contacted the University of Regina.
“And that was when I learned the truth,” she added.
Meanwhile, when CBC contacted the agent, Babatunde Isiaq Adegoke, he confirmed providing Akinlade with the acceptance letter but said it was supplied by a company located in Ejigbo, Lagos State, called Success Academy Education Consult, which he had hired.
CBC exchanged text messages with Adegoke, who stated that he guided Akinlade through the process of applying to enter Canada. However, he denied telling Akinlade that she would have to go on a waitlist at the University of Regina.
Akinlade lost her study permit in Canada due to a fake letter and was denied when she attempted to apply for a postgraduate work permit and a temporary resident permit.
In March 2023, an IRCC officer wrote to Akinlade, stating that the department believed she knew the document was fake “on the balance of probabilities.”
Her husband, Samson Akinlade, and their eight-year-old Nigerian-born son, David, joined her in Nova Scotia in 2018 but have now lost their temporary resident status. Their younger son, born in Canada in 2021, has Canadian citizenship but lacks medical coverage due to his parents’ status.
As the nationwide hunger protest enters its third day, different entertainers have taken positions either supporting or criticising the demonstrations.
Disc jockey and singer, Florence Otedola, aka DJ Cuppy, prayed for the country and its leaders. She wrote on social media, “Dear Lord, please bless Nigeria with peace, unity, and prosperity. Guide our leaders and protect our people. Let your love and grace fill our nation. Amen.”
On her part, singer, Tems, who was supposed to release a music video on Thursday, August 1, 2024, the day the protest began, postponed its release in solidarity with the movement. She wrote on social media, “Out of respect for the ongoing protest at home (Nigeria), I have decided to postpone the release of the ‘Burning’ music video. (I am) praying for the safety of those outside at this time. May the voices of the people be heard.”
Actress, Iyabo Ojo, encouraged peaceful protests, urging people to avoid restricted areas. She wrote, “My dear brothers and sisters, please, if you must protest, be aware of and avoid areas restricted by the government. For your safety and to avoid any potential conflicts, kindly stay away from zones where the government has prohibited gatherings or demonstrations. This is the situation we’ve found ourselves in. Let us comply, please; your health and life matter.”
Actress, Regina Daniels, who is one of the wives of Senator Ned Nwoko, called for peace during the protests. She said, “Today is August 1, the first day of the national protests in Nigeria. We all know that the masses are suffering and want a better way of living, hence the protest. There is nothing wrong with protesting, but there is everything wrong with violence.
“Once violence gets involved, it defeats the whole purpose of the protests. I urge everyone to try and make this protest as peaceful as possible.”
Singer, Omah Lay, also stood in support of the protest, posting on X, “End bad governance in Nigeria.”
On his part, controversial actor and politician, Yul Edochie, was of the view that the protest was not the right move. In a post on Instagram on July 19, 2024, he wrote, “I acknowledge the hardship in the country, the situation of things. It is affecting everyone. I believe all will be well. Protest is not the answer. People take advantage of protests to break into other people’s shops, steal and destroy properties, hurt and kill innocent Nigerians, who are already going through a lot. In the end, the aim of the protest will be defeated. Remember what happened during End SARS.”
Actress, Tonto Dikeh, also stated that rather than embarking on a protest, there should be a dialogue between the government and its people. She wrote, “I hereby call for peaceful coexistence, peaceful protest, and dialogue. I also charge the federal and state governments to attend to the plights of Nigerians, especially the youth. Nigeria belongs to all of us; there is no other Nigeria, and we must work collectively to make it a better place. God bless you all.”
Grammy Award-winning singer, Burna Boy, stated that he lost the zeal to protest in Nigeria in 2020 when some people refused to have his song played during the #EndSARS protests that rocked the country in October 2020. Referencing a post made in 2020, he wrote on his X page, “The fight in me died on this day. Ogun go doggy anybody who call my name this time around.”
After getting backlash from some of his followers, he maintained that he had never collected money from any politician. He wrote, “No politician has ever given anything. Go and ask Wike about the land he gave me, or which money he gave me.”
The former Governor or Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, had hosted the singer after he won a Grammy Award in 2021, and had promised him a landed property in a choice area of the state.
Nigerian singer, Paul Okoye, popularly known as Rudeboy, has said his twin brother Peter Okoye, also known as Mr P, was behind his arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Naija News recalls that in June, Nigerian celebrity journalist, Stella Dimokokorkus, said the twin brothers are at war over joint funds being allegedly diverted by their elder brother cum music executive, Jude Okoye.
In a recent interview with City FM, Lagos, Rudeboy said Peter petitioned the anti-graft agency to invite him over alleged fraudulent dealings.
The singer said the EFCC requested details of his account statement and asked him to explain every transaction.
He said that despite the EFCC clearing him of all allegations after a thorough investigation, his twin brother refused to apologise over the false accusations.
He said, “This year, I was invited by the EFCC after they received a petition against me from my twin brother. I never thought it [our beef] would get to this extent. I thought it was just music.
“The next thing, people are asking me, ‘What do you do?’ Somebody said, ‘You’re going to go to jail for 20 years. They’re going to lock you up.’ I got to the EFCC office, they told me everything. They’ve already printed all my account statements. They asked me to explain every transaction.
“First of all, what entered my mind was, what if I was into fraud? That’s how my brother would have finished me? But I took it. Then they started the investigation. At a point, I was no longer comfortable with the kind of questions they were asking me. When I knew it was serious was when they asked me to get a lawyer and sureties. I did everything.
“One month ago, they called me, my twin brother and our elder brother [Jude Okoye], and said, ‘First of all, we have to say that after all investigations, Paul is innocent. Paul is cleared. Everything you accused him of, we’ve done our investigation and he’s innocent.’
“Despite the fact that I was proven innocent, my twin brother didn’t apologise for the false accusations.”
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Paris 2024 Olympics: France win against Argentina To Face Egypt In Men’s Football Semifinals
AFOLABI
France’s grudge match with Argentina ended in ugly scenes after Jean-Philippe Mateta scored the only goal to put the hosts into the Olympic semi-finals on Friday with a 1-0 win, joining Spain, Morocco and Egypt.
Tensions spilled over at full-time in Bordeaux with rival players and staff clashing on the pitch and confrontations continuing down the tunnel.
Crystal Palace striker Mateta struck five minutes into the quarter-final, meeting Michael Olise’s corner with a superb near-post header.
That proved enough for the hosts, coached by Thierry Henry, to reach the last four, where they face Egypt.
Friday’s clash was the first meeting of the nations since Argentina players were recorded singing racist chants about their French counterparts as they celebrated winning the Copa America in mid-July.
FIFA announced it would investigate the chants, which targeted France’s star striker Kylian Mbappe among others and included racist and homophobic insults.
The Argentina team were met with a hostile welcome, where the crowd loudly jeered their national anthem as the sides met for the first time since the 2022 World Cup final, which the South Americans won on penalties.
Henry said midfielder Enzo Millot, who had been substituted late on, was shown a red card after the final whistle.
“He wasn’t on the pitch. Maybe you get sent off because you get a second yellow card to stop someone running through on goal, not when you are on the bench. I am really not happy about that,” Henry told broadcaster France 3.
Giuliano Simeone and Julian Alvarez missed chances for Javier Mascherano’s Argentina, and the exit of the two-time gold medallists means the winner of men’s football gold will not come from Latin America for the first time since Cameroon triumphed in Sydney in 2000.
France could have won by a wider margin, but Olise had a late second goal disallowed for a foul in the build-up.
– Spain and Morocco march on –
They will now be heavy favourites to win a semi-final in Lyon on Monday against Egypt, who beat Paraguay 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in Marseille.
Ibrahim Adel was Egypt’s hero, scoring a late equaliser in normal time and then converting the winning penalty in the shoot-out, in which Paraguay’s Marcelo Perez was the only player to fail to score.
Earlier a brilliant brace by Barcelona’s Fermin Lopez helped fire Spain to a 3-0 win over Japan in Lyon.
Lopez, a member of Spain’s triumphant Euro 2024 squad, blasted in the opener from range in the 11th minute.
The Barcelona midfielder struck again on 73 minutes with another goal of the highest quality as he controlled a Sergio Gomez corner before volleying in from the edge of the box.
Captain Abel Ruiz wrapped up the win for Spain, Olympic champions in 1992 and silver medallists three years ago in Tokyo.
Spain go through to a last-four clash in Marseille with Morocco, who outclassed the United States, winning 4-0 in Paris.
Soufiane Rahimi opened the scoring from the penalty spot after he was fouled in the box just before the half-hour mark.
That was a fifth goal in four games for the tournament’s top scorer.
Morocco doubled their lead on 63 minutes when Abde Ezzalzouli set up Ilias Akhomach to finish at the near post.
Captain Achraf Hakimi, playing on his Paris Saint-Germain home ground, ran through to make it 3-0 and substitute Mehdi Maouhoub added another penalty in stoppage time.
“If we keep playing like this we will deserve to be in the final,” said Akhomach.
“Other countries might be talked about more than us but we know what we want. We came here to win.”
Nigeria’s Chukwuebuka Enekwechi has made it to the final of the men’s shot put event at the 2024 Olympic Games, DAILY POST reports.
Enekwechi advanced into Saturday’s final, placing fifth overall in qualification Group B.
The 31-year-old threw a distance of 21.13m to earn himself a place in the final.
The African champion is the first Nigerian to make it to the final of any event at the ongoing games.
It would be recalled that Enekwechi made it to the final of the shot put event four years ago in Tokyo.
He would be hoping to make it to the podium by finishing in the top three.
![BBNaija S9: Tjay rescued from drowning during pool party [VIDEO]](/media/k2/items/cache/e8b64e21a62d122d95c495338a003697_XS.jpg)
Big Brother Naija season 9 housemate, Tjay has nearly drowned during the Thursday’s night pool party.
During the Thursday party, Tjay and some housemates were having fun inside the pool before he lost his footing.
The 33-year-old doctor in a now viral video is seen struggling to maintain his balance and footing while trying to stay afloat in the pool.
No one noticed the situation until Ben, Tjay’s partner in Biggie’s house came to rescue him after he saw him battling to keep his head above the water.
Watch the video below;
Media
God saved Dr Tjay ?? nah so people dey just drawn like that. ?↔️ #BBNaija #bbnaija2024 pic.twitter.com/pwAz7tNnXu
— Queein (@QueeinJ) August 1, 2024
Nollywood actress and media personality, Toke Makinwa, has berated those taking advantage of the ongoing nationwide protest to destroy and vandalise properties of fellow Nigerians.
Recall that a cross-section of Nigerians trooped out on Thursday to begin a nationwide demonstration over the high level of hardship in the country.
There were reports that some hoodlums took advantage of the peaceful protest to loot the government and private properties in some parts of the country.
Reacting via her X handle Thursday evening, Makinwa said it was uncalled for.
She noted that the individuals whose properties were being looted were also passing through the same hardship.
“Destroying properties and stealing from your fellow Nigerians who are passing through the same hardship is not right at all. This is very sad,” she wrote.
Responding to a critic, she clarified that her tweet does not in any way suggest that the crimes were being perpetrated by the protesters.
She wrote, “I did not say the stealing and vandalism was done by protesters, the people who have their things stolen are Nigerians too, going through the same hardship. What have they done to deserve this?”