Talent manager Paulo Okoye has shared a throwback video with Davido on Instagram, revealing how he tirelessly fought for Davido’s career in the early days.

Despite being rejected six times by a company, Paulo persisted and eventually secured a job for Davido.

He attributed their success to hard work, stating that he wasn’t born with a “golden spoon.”

“Is all about hard work !!! Respect!!! Then Davido have on One song !!! Duro!! I fought for that job for him !! The company says no to me 6x I come back fighting before they say Yes. it is well !!! !!! I’m not born with a golden spoon, it’s just hard work,” he wrote on Instagram.

Davido and his brother, Adewale Adeleke, validated Paulo’s claims in the comment section, with Davido writing “Facts” and Adewale acknowledging Paulo’s significant role in Davido’s career, he wrote: “Yep our first endorsement, MTN was done by you sir. You forever played a major role in David’s story! God bless you”.

This testimony comes amidst Paulo’s online dispute with Very Dark Man, who disparaged Paulo’s girlfriend, Iyabo Ojo.

Media personality and actress Moet Abebe has confirmed that she is in a long-term romantic relationship with rapper Ice Prince.

On the “Bahd And Boujee” podcast, she revealed that they have been together for 12 years, calling herself his “baby girl.”

When asked about having children with him, she playfully dodged the question, while she affirmed to have received financial support from him, referring to him as her “boo.”

She said, “Ice Prince is my man. We have been dating for 12 years. I’m his baby girl.”

Tolanibaj asked: “Do you plan to have children with him?”

Abebe replied :“Our babies will be fine but no. Let me not say no [laughs].”

Tolanibaj asked again: “Have you ever received a credit alert from him?”

Abebe replied: “Why not. That’s my boo.”

Talent manager Soso Soberekon, has shared valuable advice for women on his Instagram page.

He emphasised that no amount of s3xual prowess can prevent a man from cheating if he is inclined to do so.

He encouraged women not to strain themselves trying to please a man, using the metaphor of “breaking their spinal cord.”

“No sex position makes a man faithful. Who’ll cheat will cheat. Don’t break your spinal cord my sister,” he wrote on Instagram. 

Big Brother Naija reality star, Tolani Baj, has expressed readiness for a romantic relationship.

Co-hosting the latest episode of the Bahd And Boujee Podcast with actress Moet Abebe, Tolanibaj lamented her difficulty in finding love.

“I don’t understand how my man is out there like your missing rib is still missing. I’m your rib. How are you surviving without your missing rib? You’ve peace of mind, you can sleep without your missing rib? I’m tired, I’m ready to complete you,” she said.

Abebe asked, “Are you sure that you’re putting yourself out there strategically?”

Tolanibaj replied, “I don’t care about strategy. This is the thing about Lagos. That’s why I said Lagos is dirty. Why do I’ve to be strategic? Why can’t a man just see me and say this is her, this is my rib that I’ve been looking for?

“I’m beautiful, I don’t play games. I’m ready to be loved. I pray that in season 3 of this podcast my missing rib would have found me.”

The Naira appreciated against the dollar at the foreign exchange market on Friday to end the week on a positive note after nine days of depreciation.

FMDQ data showed that the Naira gained at N1505.30 against the dollar on Friday from N1510.10 traded on Thursday.

This represents an N4.8 gain against the dollar compared to the N1510.10 traded the previous day.

Similarly, the Naira saw a gain and traded N1515 against the dollar at the foreign exchange market on Friday.

This is the first time the Naira has appreciated since June 18, 2024, when it traded at N1482.72 per dollar at the official forex market.

The development comes as Nigeria’s external reserves rose to a record high of $34.07 billion on June 26, 2024.

The Federal Government has received at least 103 Nigerians deported from Turkey over migration related issues.

Some of the issues were expired visas, irregular migration, among others.

Alhaji Tijani Ahmed, the Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, NCFRMI stated this on Friday during the deportees’ profiling in Abuja. 

Represented by Amb. Catherine Udida, the Director Migration Affairs in the commission, Ahmed said that the commission expected 110 deportees but received 103, all males.

“Some of them have been in the deportation camp for some months, and now that they are here, we are hoping to follow up on all the allegations gathered in their profiling.

“We will go through the profiling forms, because some of them have said that their passports were seized.

“We are going to follow up with the Turkish authority, because the passports are still the property of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he assured.

According to him, the NCFRMI is the mandate agency responsible for all returnees, irrespective of their status.

“We equally have a programme where we train them and thereafter reintegrate them into the society”, the Federal Commissioner stated.

Seriake Dickson, a senator representing Bayelsa West District in the National Assembly on Friday described those behind oil theft in the Niger Delta as “big players” who reside outside the region.

The Senator, elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), made the allegation at Oporoza, headquarters of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta while visiting the Pere of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Oboro-Gbaraun II, Aketepe, Agadagba.

Dickson said although Ijaw youths were tagged to be behind oil theft, they lacked the capacity and technical know-how to understand how pipelines operate.

“Those big players behind the crude oil theft are not from the region but are based in Lagos, Abuja and other parts of the world,” he said.

He explained that the Ijaw people were living in the creeks, earning their daily livelihood on the waterways and farmlands when the alleged thieves polluted the land with their nefarious activities.

“We have no means and no capacity to engage in the high-level operations that result in the daily loss of Nigerian crude oil produced from our place.

“Those who have the capacity to compromise and infiltrate the national security system and infiltrate the national petroleum system; those who have the capacity to hire the tankers and shuttle vessels, they are not Ijaws.

“We do not have the capacity to do that! We do not even have the experience to be involved in that kind of operation,” he said.

The legislator, who is also the state ex-governor, said such high-level operations needed a lot of resources, coordination, funding and international networking.

He, however, urged Nigeria to step up her game in the international arena by pushing for the designation of her stolen crude oil.

“Those who, on a daily basis under declare what is produced; those who have refused to properly monitor and record what is produced for over 50 or 60 years should take the blame.

“It is not the Ijaw youth – harmless people without the capacity and without the technical know-how,” he said.

He, however, commended the traditional ruler for ensuring peace in his kingdom and the entire Niger Delta.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Dickson also visited Dr Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, founder of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL).

He commended Ekpemupolo for the wonderful job he had been doing with his private security outfit, TSSNL, to boost the nation’s oil revenue and ensure the regeneration of the region’s ecosystem. (NAN)

Former Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh, has called on the federal government to consider scrapping the local government system if state governors continue to hinder its effective operation.

Ogbeh highlighted concerns over the inefficiency of Nigeria’s 774 local government areas, citing issues of governance control and alleged mismanagement of funds by governors. He emphasized that little improvement has been seen despite calls for local government autonomy and recent legal actions against governors for misusing local government funds.

Speaking on the socio-political programme “Inside Sources with Laolu Akande” on Channels Television, Ogbeh, a former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), expressed frustration over disappearing funds meant for local government administration. He criticized the lack of visible development projects despite significant federal allocations.

“If we don’t want the local government system, let’s scrap it. But if allowed to function properly, it could be a fantastic system,” Ogbeh asserted.

He urged the federal government to withhold monthly allocations to states where governors appoint caretaker committees for local government administration, labelling such committees illegal according to Supreme Court rulings.

“Don’t send them cash; deduct their allocations and retain it,” Ogbeh insisted. He argued that governors failing to manage local government affairs adequately undermine national stability and development.

“These failures are creating dangerous problems for the country,” he concluded, emphasizing the urgent need for effective governance at the grassroots level to benefit all Nigerians.

An Immigration officer, Dabiet Onyemi Gilbert, has been sentenced to one year in prison for defrauding a job seeker of N800,000. 

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) prosecuted Gilbert on a one-count charge of obtaining money by false pretence. After receiving a petition from the victim and conducting an investigation, the EFCC brought the case to court, leading to Gilbert's conviction.

Justice H.H. Kereng of the Gombe State High Court who presided over the case, handed down the sentence after listening to testimonies. 

The Oyo State Government has approved the recruitment of 7,500 teachers and 3,000 non-teaching staff for the state’s post-primary education sector, aiming to enhance its quality.

Akinade Alamu, Chairperson of the Oyo State Post-Primary Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM), announced this on Friday in Ibadan. He emphasized that the recruitment will be merit-based and encouraged all qualified candidates, including those with physical challenges, to apply.

Alamu highlighted the importance of merit-based employment for quality education and stressed the necessity of adhering to the application guidelines. He cautioned applicants against applying for both categories simultaneously, stating that each candidate must choose either the teaching or non-teaching category.

Interested candidates with the required credentials can apply through the provided link within a two-week period. Applicants must have a National Identification Number, a functional email, and phone numbers, among other requirements.

Audu Ogbeh asks FG to stop payment of LGA funds to governors with caretaker committees
The recruitment process includes an online application, a CBT examination, and an oral interview. Alamu praised Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde for approving the mass recruitment initiative.

“Oyo State government’s huge investment in the education sector is yielding positive results as our students are doing well on all fronts. Therefore, the government is set to recruit more teachers, in addition to those on ground,” he said.

According to Mr Alamu, the recruitment exercise is being supervised by an inter-ministerial committe that would ensure a seamless exercise.

The Permanent Secretary, TESCOM, Haroon Lawal, was quoted as saying that the recruitment is aimed at fortifying the teaching and non-teaching sector of the state’s secondary education.