Temi Otedola, the Nigerian actress, has celebrated Mr Eazi, her partner, on his 33rd birthday.

In an Instagram post, Temi referred to Mr Eazi as her “forever favorite person” and “soon-to-be husband”.

“Celebrating you today + every day!!! Happy birthday to my forever person, my favorite person, my soon-to-be oko,” she wrote.

In another post on her Instagram story, Temi reflected on how her life changed since meeting the singer.

She also expressed gratitude for his positive influence over the past eight years and shared her excitement for their future together.

“My entire life changed when I met you! Over the last eight years, you’ve inspired, supported, and continually shown that you’re the kindest soul I’ve ever come across. I’m so excited to spend the rest of your birthdays by your side,” she added.

Temi and Mr Eazi began their relationship in 2017 and engaged in April 2023.

Last year, the actress called Mr Eazi her “husband” in social media posts and said she had moved in with him.

In November 2023, Mr Eazi clarified that their wedding was not a secret.

He added that their wedding details were subtly revealed in the music video for his song ‘Legalize.’

Temi made her acting debut in Kunle Afolayan’s film ‘Citation’.

The film earned her the ‘Best Actress’ award at the Ghana Movie Awards and a nomination for ‘Revelation of the Year’ at the 2020 Best of Nollywood Awards.

Born on July 19, 1991, Mr Eazi gained fame in the Nigerian music industry with his hit song ‘Skin Tight’ and has since received numerous accolades for his musical talent.

Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, has charged Nigerian youths in the North East region to shelve any plan of embarking on another round of protests, saying such a move would be dangerous and counterproductive.

The governor, through his Senior Special Assistant, Digital and Strategic Communications, Yusuf Ali, also charged the youths with the responsible use of social media in shaping positive narratives about the state and the country.

Buni gave the charge during the launch of the Ethical and Re-Orientation Campaign (Operation Gyaran Hali), organised by the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Ethical Re-Orientation in Damaturu.

He said no Nigerian youth, especially from the North East part of the country, in his right senses will stage a protest that will disturb the hard-earned peace that people are enjoying in the North East after years of Boko Haram insurgency.

He added that the North East part of the country was yet to recover from the impact of the deadly Boko Haram insurgency, which has left the region in ruins with millions of people’s lives and property worth billions destroyed.

“We all have not forgotten what we have gone through during the dark days of the insurgency. Only those who have no senses will pray to go back to those years when people were running for their dear lives not to talk of what to eat,” Buni said.

According to him, another round of protests will worsen the already precarious security situation and economic hardship currently bedevilling the North East region and country.

The governor said his administration has taken bold steps in training youths on the responsible use of social media and providing tools for them to key into the digital economy.

He noted that the Yobe State Information Technology Development Agency, YITDA, is also working to engage more youths in its drive to provide digital skills to the people.

The governor called on traditional rulers, religious leaders, and parents to rise to the responsibility, of rebuilding the eroding culture of discipline, decency, and righteousness in the youth for a better future.

The Organised Private Sector, OPS, has reacted to the new N70,000 minimum wage adopted by the Federal Government.

DAILY POST had reported that President Bola Tinubu on Thursday approved N70,000 minimum wage for Nigerian workers, with a promise to review the national minimum wage law every three years.

Reacting, the spokesperson of OPS, and Director General of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association, NECA, Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, warned that members cannot pay the N70,000 national minimum wage announced by the Federal Government without support. 

He was quoted as saying: “While we commend the President for putting to rest the immediate issue of the National Minimum Wage, we also note, most importantly, his commitment to support the sub-nationals and the organised private sector to pay the new wage.”

The Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, (NAHCON) Malam Jalal Arabi, has said that the N90 billion subsidy provided by the Federal Government for the 2024 Hajj pilgrimage was largely used as intervention to bridge gaps in pilgrims’ flight fares.

A total of 65,000 Nigerian pilgrims performed this year’s Hajj in Saudi Arabia, while 40 of them died during the pilgrimage.

The House of Representatives had constituted a committee, chaired by Sada Soli (APC Katsina), to probe NAHCON’s performance during the pilgrimage after some state governors expressed dissatisfaction with the Commission, especially over alleged inadequate provision of accommodation in Muna, Saudi Arabia, and insufficient Basic Travel Allowance, BTA, for pilgrims from their states.

Making clarification on the utilization of the fund, Arabi explained that the subsidy was utilized to address the increase in the 2024 Hajj costs.

“The Federal Government granted us a N90 billion subsidy, which we carefully utilised to address the unprecedented increase in Hajj costs.

“The high dollar exchange rate caused the cost per seat to surge above N9 million, necessitating our intervention to mitigate the burden on pilgrims.

“To address the issue, we convened a meeting with representatives from all states to discuss the matter. We then compiled a list of intending pilgrims who had already paid the approved N8 million.

“Subsequently, we supplemented the remaining N1.6 million for each of the over 50,000 pilgrims to complete the payment, ensuring that their Hajj journey was not disrupted,” he said.

“The N1.6 million used to supplement the Hajj fares of 50,000 pilgrims would amount to N80 billion, leaving about N10 billion from the money provided by the government. In the interview, Arabi said the remaining funds were prudently used for other logistics but did not provide the breakdown,” he stressed.

Arabi added that, unlike other commissions in Nigeria, NAHCON does not receive regular subventions from the Federal Government, either monthly or annually, to fund its operations.

On the achievements of NAHCON under his leadership, he said: “In our first year in the helms of affairs, we made concerted efforts to deliver optimal results, acknowledging that we faced some obstacles.

“Nevertheless, we have drawn valuable insights from our experiences and are committed to building upon our progress.

“The Commission has already commenced preparations for next year’s Hajj, and we are confident that our services will be even more efficient and effective, surpassing the expectations of our esteemed pilgrims.”

It would be recalled that NAHCON concluded the airlift of Nigerian pilgrims from Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, with the arrival of 312 pilgrims from Kwara State.

The Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, has accepted 16 years as the admission age into tertiary institutions for the 2024/2025 academic session.

Mamman who had earlier pegged the admission age of undergraduates to 18, however made a u-turn after protests from stakeholders at the 2024 policy meeting organised by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

The minister succumbed following the argument that students under the age of 18 had already registered, sat and passed the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and were awaiting admission.

The meeting held on Thursday in Abuja and had in attendance the JAMB Registrar, Ishaq Oloyede, vice chancellers, registrars and other stakeholders.

Leading the motion against the minister’s pronouncement, Professor Kayode Ijiadunola, who got massive support from other heads, registrars and admission officers participating in the policy meeting, proposed 16 as the minimum age requirement for admission into tertiary institutions.

“What happens to those who have written this year’s exams and passed their exams? We reject 18 years as the minimum age requirement and are proposing 16 years,” he said.

While the hall erupted in support of 16 years as a minimum requirement, the Registrar of JAMB asked where parents and candidates were rushing to.

“The only point is they have taken examinations and at that time they were not told or aware and therefore if we want to enforce it, it should be from subsequent years,” Professor Oloyede said.

The minister in response says, “I can work with that but I want to remind you of one thing, even that argument cannot stand if we want to go by the law which states 6-3-3-4 as our system of education, it won’t stand but for practical reasons, for this year, I will allow it to stand.”

Reiterating the minister’s decision amidst resounding applause, Professor Oloyede added, “We thank the minister for conceding but from next year we will enforce it.”

Professor Mamman, while delivering his address earlier as the chairman of the 2024 Joint Admissions Matriculation Board’s (JAMB) policy meeting on Education, had called for the enforcement of 18 years as the new minimum admission age for admission into tertiary institutions in the country.

Numbeo, the world’s largest database of user-contributed data about cities and countries worldwide, has ranked Lagos State as the most severe traffic congestion, followed by Nairobi, Kenya.

Numbeo provides current and timely information on world living conditions including cost of living, housing indicators, healthcare, traffic, crime and pollution.

According to Numbeo, by mid-2024, traffic conditions in various African cities would have deteriorated, resulting in longer commutes and decreased productivity.

It stated that the traffic index assesses commute time, dissatisfaction with traffic, CO2 emissions, and overall system inefficiencies to highlight the severity of the issue.

Numbeo stated that Lagos consistently ranks as one of the world’s most congested cities.

The high Traffic Index of 354.5 indicates severe congestion, with the average commuter spending approximately 68.8 minutes in traffic each day.

It listed high population, poor road conditions and frequent potholes as factors that contribute to the traffic woes in Lagos.

The public transport system is often overcrowded and inefficient, leading many to rely on private vehicles.

Coming second is Nairobi, Kenya that is another major city grappling with severe traffic congestion.

The city’s Traffic Index stands at 249.0, with an average commute time of 52.7 minutes. Nairobi’s position as an economic and administrative hub contributes significantly to its traffic issues.

Also, Cairo, Egypt’s bustling capital is notorious for its traffic congestion. The city’s Traffic Index is 242.4, with commuters spending an average of 49.9 minutes in traffic.

Cairo’s ancient infrastructure struggles to accommodate modern-day traffic volumes.

Overpopulation is a significant factor as Cairo is one of the most densely populated cities in Africa.

In addition, Pretoria, one of South Africa’s three capital cities, faces significant traffic challenges.

With a Traffic Index of 228.1 and an average commute time of 45.0 minutes, the city’s congestion is a major concern for residents and authorities alike.

Also, Cape Town, another major city in South Africa faces significant traffic congestion.

The city’s Traffic Index is 209.3, with commuters spending an average of 42.5 minutes in traffic daily.

The 16th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has expressed deep concern over Nigerians’ severe economic hardships.

His comments came during a ceremony for the distribution of free fertiliser to 52,800 smallholder farmers across Kano State’s 44 local government areas on Thursday.

Addressing the gathering at the Government House, alongside the newly appointed second-class Emirs of Gaya and Karaye, Sanusi highlighted the dire situation many Nigerians find themselves in.

“People are in a dire situation. I’m aware that people now resort to buying half pepper because of the high cost of food items. This is unbearable. But I think with efforts like this, people can get some relief,” he stated.

The initiative, which aims to alleviate economic hardship and promote food security, will see each farmer, including women and persons living with disabilities, receive 25kg of fertiliser.

The Emir praised the Kano State Government for the initiative but urged further action to mitigate the ongoing economic challenges.

On his part, Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, said, “We are determined to support our farmers and ensure that food is available and affordable for all.”

The Emirs of Gaya and Karaye also voiced their support for the programme. Emir of Gaya, Ali Ibrahim, said, “This distribution of fertiliser will significantly contribute to food security in our state.” Similarly, the Emir of Karaye, Mahammad Mahraz, expressed optimism that the initiative would benefit the farming community.

Representatives of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) were also present, expressing their gratitude for the government’s gesture. “This initiative will help bring down the cost of food items in the state and provide much-needed support to our farmers,” remarked AFAN official Ibrahim Inuwa.

Nasir el-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna, has asked John Tsoho, the chief judge of the federal high court, to reassign his fundamental human rights case to another judge.

In June, el-Rufai sued the Kaduna house of assembly over the allegation that his administration diverted N423 billion when he was the governor of the state.

The former governor, through Abdulhakeem Mustapha, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), filed the fundamental rights suit at the federal high court in Kaduna.

The matter came up for a hearing on July 8 but was adjourned after proceedings to July 17 by agreement of counsel.

However, according to a letter signed by Adetayo Adeyemo and addressed to the chief judge, the court did not sit on July 17.

“On the said 17th of July 2024, our principal, A.U. Mustapha, SAN, appeared in court with S.S. Umoru, Esq., and Habib Dauda, Esq., having arrived from Lagos a day earlier, but we were informed that the court would not sit. As a result, he proceeded back to Lagos,” the letter reads.

Adeyemo said they later got information that the court would sit on July 18.

“In view of this extremely short time, we caused a letter of adjournment to be written and filed in court. The said letter was filed and served on the court and all the counsel in the matter,” he said.

Nevertheless, Adeyemo said R.M. Aikawa, the presiding judge, went ahead to hear the suit on Thursday, allowing the respondents to adopt and adumbrate their processes.

“The action of the presiding judge to hear the matter without the attendance and appearance of the applicant smacks of extreme bias, injustice, and denial of a fair hearing against the applicant for a lot of reasons,” he said.

“The applicant was not put on notice for the proceedings of 18th of July, 2024 as expressly explained in the letter of adjournment. We only got a whiff of the hearing on the night of 17th of July which is an extremely short time for us to appear in court.

“Service of hearing notice in a matter is sacrosanct, and our courts have held severally that every party must be put on notice before his case can be heard, and this was done without putting the applicants’ counsel on notice.

“Equally important is the fact that the applicant was not given an opportunity to respond to the 1st respondent’s counter-affidavit and written address.

“The 1st respondent filed his processes out of time and followed same up with an application for an extension of time. Thus, it is elementary that the applicant’s time to respond to the processes would begin to count upon the grant of the application for an extension of time.

“In view of the foregoing, we humbly apply for a transfer of this matter from the trial court presided over by honourable justice R.M. Aikawa, whereby the relevant applications can be heard as the applicant has lost confidence in the judge to continue to hear and determine the matter. Justice must not only be done but must also be seen to be done.

“Having expressly refused to put the applicant on notice before hearing the matter and proceeding to hear the same when the applicant was still within time to respond to the 1st respondent’s application, the average man on the street could see which way the judge is headed.”

In April, the Kaduna assembly inaugurated a 13-member committee to examine the loans, grants, and project implementation in the state during el-Rufai’s tenure.

The lawmakers said most of the loans obtained and projects implemented did not follow the “due process”.

They also called for the prosecution of some of the commissioners and officials who worked under el-Rufai.

Dayo ‘D1’ Adeneye, the co-founder of Kennis Music, has revealed how he has maintained his over 40-year friendship with Kenny Ogungbe.

In a recent interview with Teju Babyface, the comedian, Adeneye said his bond with Ogungbe, 63, goes back to their college days, where they were practically inseparable.

He said they graduated together and frequently spent time at each other’s homes.

“Keke and I have known each other for over 40 years, going on 50 years now. As a matter of fact, we graduated on the same day, both our undergraduate and graduate,” he said.

“If you were looking for Kenny in those days, just go to my house. He had his own apartment, but he was always at my house. If you were looking for me, I’d be at Kenny’s house.”

Adeneye also revealed that their friendship is built on mutual support and contentment.

He said they ensure that they never pursue ambitions at the expense of their bond.

He added that they handle disagreements privately, without seeking external intervention.

“That has always been the way we approach life: what is yours is mine, and what’s mine is yours. The thing is, what do we achieve together? It’s not like we don’t fight, but we don’t let it get to the level where we need to people to intervene after a quarrel,” he added.

“We’ve never taken things out of context. We are both contented individuals. We aspire for a lot in life but not at the expense of our friendship.”

Adeneye and Ogungbe founded Kennis Music, their record label, in the late 1990s.

The record label was home to artistes like 2Baba, Jaywon, Eldee, Sir Shina Peters, and Tony Tetuila, among others.

The duo have received several recognitions, including induction into the Hip-Hop World Hall of Fame at the 2006 Headies.

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) says it has identified sponsors of the proposed nationwide protest.

There have been reports that some Nigerians, under various bodies, are planning a nationwide protest between August 1 and 10 against the rising cost of living and the economic hardship in the country.

In a statement on Thursday, Paul Odenyi, deputy director of press at NOA, said the agency has “successfully” identified the sponsors of the proposed nationwide protest and likely flashpoints where it may occur.

Odenyi quoted Lanre Issa-Onilu, director-general (DG) of the agency, as saying that the protest promoters intend to “project Nigeria as an unstable country to the international community”.

Issa-Onilu urged the promoters of the proposed nationwide protests to pursue dialogue instead of recourse to disorder.

“The identities of many of the brains behind the protest have been known, along with their collaborators who are safely residing abroad, and the government is taking necessary actions to stop their subversive plans,” the statement reads.

“The intentions of the elements behind the planned protest are not about governance or the state of the economy but a decoy to destabilise the country, cause mayhem, and carry out arson, killings, and maiming of innocent citizens for narrow political reasons.

“The NOA is intensifying efforts in civil intelligence gathering and sensitisation of community leaders, parents, and youths across the 774 local governments on the need for vigilance and collective preventive actions.”

On July 3, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said a “shadowy group” was organising a protest against its operations.

Subsequently, NOA announced that it had mobilised 4,000 of its personnel nationwide to track the activities of the group organising the protest.