AFOLABI

AFOLABI

Nigerian Fuji maestro, Wasiu Alabi Pasuma attended the convocation ceremony of his daughter, Aliyah Mofiyinfoluwa Odetola, at the  University of Illinois Urbana Champagne in Chicago, USA.

The singer, via his official Instagram on Saturday, shared a video from the ceremony expressing gratitude to God.

He wrote, “Haliamdulilahi Robin Al’amin, my daughter, Aliyah Mofiyinfoluwa Odetola, just graduated at University of Illinois Urbana Champagne Chicago with honours. Modupe Olohun Oba, anu nimori gba, kii shagbara.”

Pasuma

Music maestro, Stevie Wonder has become a citizen of Ghana.
 
The President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Akufo-Addo conferred the country's citizenship on the music legend and made it public on his official X account on Tuesday.
 
 
The president’s post read, “In conferring Ghanaian citizenship upon Stevie Wonder, we not only extend our warmest embrace to a beloved son of Africa, but also reaffirm our belief in the enduring spirit of Pan-Africanism and the global African family, and the boundless potential of our continent and all its descendants.”
 
A statement from the nation’s presidential website read:
 
It read, “The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has conferred Ghanaian citizenship upon the legendary musician, humanitarian, and global icon, Stevland Hardaway Morris, popularly known as Stevie Wonder.
 
“This conferment, according to President Akufo-Addo, not only recognises his immense talent and achievements but also acknowledges his deep connection to the African continent and his tireless efforts to promote unity, solidarity, and cultural exchanges among all peoples of African descent.”
 
He said his decision to become a citizen of Ghana is a testament to his profound respect and admiration for our nation’s history, culture, and values.
 
Describing his new citizenship as a vivid manifestation of the goals of the Year of Return, which was commemorated in 2019 as a bridge between the African peoples on both sides of the Atlantic, he called on all to “draw inspiration from his legacy and strive to build a future where creativity flourishes, diversity is celebrated, and the bonds of brotherhood and sisterhood transcend all differences.”
Nollywood actress Evan Okoro has raised an alarm over impending demolition of her house.
 
She took to social media to voice her anguish over the impending demolition of her property in Delta State, lamenting, “Nigeria don happen to me.”
 
 
According to Okoro, her efforts to earn a living through various endeavours, including a fish farm and plantation, have been destroyed. She further appealed to the state’s governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, urging him to intervene and halt the demolition.
 
“Please my governor, do something #sheriffoborevwori,” Evan Okoro implored in a post via her Instagram handle on Tuesday.
 
“I’m just a struggling, hardworking lady who is trying to earn a living in your state, Asaba, Delta State. Our sweet and handsome governor please sir do something. My whole world is crumbling,” she lamented.
 
The actress noted that she has not only lost her home but also her means of livelihood.
 
“It is not fair, I am heartbroken right now, why are they doing this to us? Nigeria don happen to me. Everything is gone, my fish farm is gone. My plantation is gone,” she lamented in a video she posted.
 
She further acknowledged the government’s authority over land ownership and pleaded for compassion.
 
“All lands belong to the government I know, even my father’s house in the village. Please do something sir #sheriffoborevwori our very own Governor please sir.”
 
However, the demolition of properties tagged ‘illegal’ has been ongoing across the country.
 
A businesswoman, identified simply as @lashiskin_ on Instagram, was traumatised after a demolition notice was issued by the Lagos State Government on the building her family purchased in the Eti Osa Local Government Area of the state.
 
The fair-skinned lady, who, based on her Instagram profile, indicated that she was into the skincare business, was seen shedding tears uncontrollably over the development in a viral video she posted on her page late Sunday.
 
In the video, the businesswoman was lamenting that her family purchased the property in February 2024, adding that all their hard work was expended on its purchase.
 
She said, “We bought our property in February and we have only been there for two months. All the hard work, all the sleepless nights, everything… If you are in Lagos, you know how much property in Eti Osa costs.”
The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian church of God, RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has revealed his hero.
 
He named legandary heavyweight champion, Muhammad Ali as his hero in boxing.
 
 
Pastor Adeboye said Ali never let his guard down during his boxing days, adding that his foot work was next to none.
 
He spoke at the church monthly thanksgiving service and special service for athletes, youths, businessmen and woman and their families at the church national headquarters, The Throne of Grace Parish, Ebute-Metta in Lagos.
 
According to Adeboye: “In boxing, my coach taught me years ago, I told you I used to be a boxer, I know I don’t look like one now. My coach warned us, “don’t let down your guard that’s your shield but when you go to battle against the opponent make sure you are protecting your head. Keep your guards up.
 
“The only fellow that we know in boxing at least in those days who never bothered about the shield up there (his head) is because he had his own shield on his legs. It is the fellow known as Muhammad Ali because he has a footwork that is second to none.
 
“So when you are trying to get him, he doesn’t bother, he is not wasting his time shielding because he knows he can float like a butterfly and sting like a bee.
 
“If you know anything about boxing, he happens to be my hero. You will not find a scratch on his face, he doesn’t allow the enemy to get close to his face at all by using his legs. Now, if you are not a Muhammad Ali, keep on your shield. That’s for the sportsmen.”

A 29-year-old woman identified as Torkwase Kpile has been accused of stabbing her husband to death over an argument over s3x in Achusa Village, Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State.

DAILY POST reproted that the couple, who got married two months ago, disagreed over s3x before the lady picked up a kitchen knife and stabbed the man in the neck.

She reportedly stabbed Igbah Kpile, her husband, in several parts of his body before he collapsed.

Neighbours who were attracted by Kpile’s scream rushed into the house and met him in a pool of blood while his wife, unremorseful and angry, alleged that her husband was disturbing her for s3x.

Though rushed to a nearby clinic in Makurdi, Kpile died on the way and was confirmed dead on arrival by the doctor on duty.

In the meantime, Torkwase, the suspect, has been on the run and the police have commenced an investigation into the murder.

A man identified as Hamisu Abdullahi has been arrested by a vigilante group in Zamfara state known as Askaraw, for helping bandits to coordinate attacks.

It was gathered that he was arrested on Monday, May 13, 2024, in Kabrawa under the Farfaru emirate in Maru Local Government Area of the state and handed over to the security.

Intelligence sources told security analyst, Zagazola Makama, that Hamisu's spying activities and that of his accomplices were responsible for the attacks on troops and towns in Maru and other LGA in Zamfara state.

“On interrogation, he confessed to having revealed troops’ movements and position to his bandits collaborators. Investigation is however ongoing to unravel the network of local informants whose nefarious activities have endangered troops on clearance operations in Zamfara state,
" the source said.

A Nigerian man has been given a life sentence in the UK for killing his wife with a skateboard.
 
He had blamed his loss of control on medication.
 
According to BBC, Olobunmi Abodunde, 48, admitted to killing Taiwo Abodunde, who suffered “catastrophic brain injuries”, on 28 November last year”.
 
Ipswich Crown Court heard “a degree of ferocity” was involved in her death at the couple’s family home in Exning Road.
 
 
Abodunde must spend a minimum of 17 years in prison before he can be eligible for parole.
 
The court heard on 27 November, the day before Mrs Abodunde’s death, the couple had a domestic incident and Abodunde was arrested.
 
As part of bail conditions, he had been ordered not to contact his spouse.
 
The following morning, Abodunde travelled to the family home to retrieve a mobile phone at about 09:00 BST, the court heard.
 
Mrs Abodunde, a mother of three, had been working overnight as a health care assistant and had been on her way back home.
 
Prosecutor Stephen Spence KC told the court Abodunde was aware of his wife’s shift pattern and CCTV showed she had arrived back at about 09:12.
 
“Only the defendant now knows what happened,” Mr Spence added.
 
The court was told two officers had attended the property at about 09:20 to speak with Mrs Abodunde about the previous day’s domestic incident.
 
“The officers repeatedly knocked on the door and notified them of their presence but got no response or heard any calls for help,” Mr Spence told the court.
 
 
However between 40 and 50 “thuds” had been heard, believed to be Abodunde attacking his wife.
 
Officers were given clearance by senior police officials to enter the property at 09:45, the court was told.
 
“When they entered the front door, they immediately found the lifeless body of Mrs Abodunde with her skull smashed in,” Mr Spence said.
 
A postmortem examination found Mrs Abodunde had suffered “catastrophic brain injuries”.
 
She also had injuries that were consistent with her body being “stamped on” as well as being hit with a skateboard.
 
This had been found at the property covered in blood and fragments of skull. The court was told the victim had also been strangled.
 
As Mr Spence addressed the court, the defendant could be heard sobbing from the dock.
 
Nneka Akudolu KC, defending Abodunde, said there was “no other explanation as to why that level of violence was exhibited” other than medication her client was taking at the time of the murder.
 
She said this medication led him to “completely lose control with tragic and lifelong consequences for those who loved” Ms Akudolu.
 
Ibuprofen, vitamins and steroids were found in Abodunde's blood following the incident, the court was told.
 
“Whilst it does appear that medication was taken, there would be no medical evidence to support that he was medicated with anything that would excuse or cause him to act in the way that he did,” Mr Spence said.
 
During mitigation, Judge Martyn Levett said it was also “surprising” why Abodunde had taken 30 minutes to find the mobile phone once in the house.
 
 
“It seems to me that he was waiting for confrontation,” he told the court. “There is no debate that there was not going to be confrontation in my view.”
 
Ms Akudolu said Abodunde “was a very well-respected man” both here in the UK and in Nigeria where the couple had previously moved from.
 
He had been a local councillor in Nigeria and had a local street in the country named after him.
 
The court heard the couple had a “history of frequent disputes over bills and money” with some “low-level violence” involved.
 
Ms Akudolu told the court that “not a day will go by that [Abodunde] does not regret the misery” that he has caused.
 
In his sentencing remarks Judge Levett described Mrs Abodunde's killing as "ruthless, violent, savage and heartless".
 
He told the court Abodunde had lied to officers telling them his wife had attempted to attack him with a knife the day before he murdered her.
 
Abodunde also claimed she had tried to beat him, but no evidence was found to substantiate this, the court was told.
 
As Judge Levett spoke, Abodunde could be seen from the dock with his head in his hands while sobbing.
 
Judge Levett said there had been "no self-defence at all" on Abodunde's part and he had heard "no remorse other than sobs from the dock".
 
Following the murder, Suffolk Police referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) due to previous contact with the couple.
 
It said earlier this month, two officers were advised they were being investigated for gross misconduct over potential breaches of the standards of professional behaviour.
 
Another officer is under investigation for breaches amounting to misconduct.
 
An IOPC spokesman said: "This does not mean disciplinary proceedings will necessarily follow. Our investigation remains ongoing."
The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Joe Ajaero has said Labour would disown 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) Peter Obi if he adopts policies of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank if elected President of Nigeria.
 
Ajaero stated this when he appeared as a guest on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief breakfast programme on Tuesday.
 
 
He described the position of the NLC on the removal of petrol subsidy and electricity subsidy as “fixated”, adding that the labour union would have it tough with any LP President who implements the policies of Bretton Woods institutions which support the removal of subsidies on electricity tariff and petrol.
 
The NLC President said, “He (Obi) is the presidential candidate of Labour Party but does he own NLC or the Labour Party? Why can’t you separate them? Whosoever is the presidential candidate or official of the Labour Party must buy into our projects. If he says he was going to undertake those policies, let him be elected and try such policies.
 
“Whether a presidential candidate of a party that Labour forms would dictate for Labour? The answer is known to everybody. The policies of Labour, the ideologies of Labour are clear and we are going to pursue it. If anybody is coming with another ideology, he is going to have it tough with us because that is not what we stand for.
 
“It (our approach) would have been worst for anybody flying the flag of Labour Party to come and implement these policies, to come and adopt the policies of the IMF and the World Bank. It would have been worst for the person. In fact, we would disown the person, he would be on his own. We have to make this distinction clear.”
 
Meanwhile, Ajaero said electricity tariff hike pushes up inflation, insisting that the recent increase by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and distribution companies in the country must be immediately reversed.
 
“Unknown to people, this issue of tariff increase is determined by inflation and the value of the currency,” NLC President Joe Ajaero said on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief show on Tuesday.
 
“NERC takes these two major variables to determine tariff increase. Unknown to the same NERC, each time you increase tariff, it leads to another inflation which within few months, they would see demand for another tariff increase. And this is happening on and on and there is no control over it.”
 
On April 3, 2024, NERC raised electricity tariff for customers enjoying 20 hours power supply daily. Customers in this category are said to be under the Band A classification. The increase saw the customers paying N225 kilowatt per hour from the current N66, a development that has been heavily criticised by many Nigerians, considering the immediacy of the tariff hike and the current hardship in the land.
 
Following the outrage, NERC asked discos to cut down electricity tariff rate by 8.1% for customers under Band A category. The outrage, however, persisted with many Nigerians rejecting the reduction and demanding a total reversal of the tariff hike. The NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) subsequently picketed NERC offices and discos on Monday to press home their demands.
 
Ajaero, on Channels Television’s programme on Tuesday morning, kicked against the “politics of reduction” embarked upon by NERC in recent times. He said reduction after tariff increase won’t stand, insisting that NERC and discos must first reverse the tariff to the old rates and come to the negotiation table with labour unions and other stakeholders on an agreeable way forward.

Veteran singer and activist, Charles Oputa better known as Charly Boy, has taken a swipe at the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.

He referred to the immediate past governor of Rivers state as the ‘mistake maker’ of the century.

The statement came after Wike told the people of Rivers State that he made a mistake and he is ready to correct the mistake at the appropriate time.

Wike and the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, have been embroiled in a face-off that has polarised the state House of Assembly into two camps.

“I want to say this clearly, in life we have made a mistake. I have made a mistake. I own it up and I say God forgive me. I have said all of you forgive me. But we will correct it at the appropriate time,” Wike declared.

Responding to the statement, Charly Boy, in a post on his X handle on Tuesday, said Wike will very soon claim he made another mistake for supporting President Bola Tinubu in 2023.

He wrote: “I made a mistake in 2016 by supporting Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as PDP National Chairman. I made another mistake in 2017 by supporting Prince Uche Secondus as PDP National Chairman. I made another mistake for supporting Tambuwal for PDP ticket in 2019. I made yet another mistake in 2021 by supporting Senator Iyorchia Ayu as PDP National Chairman. And, most recently, I made a mistake in 2023 by supporting Sir Sim Fubara as my successor. I know very soon he will make another mistake for supporting Tinubu in 2023. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the mistake maker of the century.”

Two members of an armed robbery gang usually referred to as One Chance identified as Chibuieze Orji and Jibrin Mohammed have been arrested by the Nasarawa State Police Command.

The suspects operate along Akwanga-Keffi-Abuja expressway, where they dispossess their victims of their valuables.

According to a statement signed by the command’s spokesperson, DSP Ramhan Nansel, the suspects were apprehended by police operatives attached to Anguwan Lambu Division, Keffi.

According to the statement, with Ref: AZ:5250/NAS/PRD/VOL.2/70, those arrested were Chibuieze Orji ‘M’ 52 years and Jibrin Mohammed ‘M’ 45 years.

Nansel further stated that preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects usually pose as taxi drivers to pick unsuspecting passengers, drive away to unknown destinations, and dispossess them of money and other belongings, after which the victims are abandoned while they take flight.

“The suspects have confessed to the commission of the crime and said they have been operating for over 10 years and robbed a lot of people.

“They further stated that they were recently released from Shendam prison, Plateau State, for a similar offence after serving their prison term,”
 the statement reads in part.


Items recovered include a Toyota Carina II vehicle with registration number Abuja CO 212 ABC, one axe and hammer.

Nansel added that the Commissioner of Police, CP Umar Shehu Nadada, has ordered that, the suspects be charged to court for prosecution upon conclusion of investigation.

The CP assured members of the public that the command would be relentless in its fight against crime in the state and solicit their collaboration.

operational vehicle

Chibuieze Orji, Jibrin Mohammed