AFOLABI

AFOLABI

Across Nigeria, the children of well-known political figures are increasingly following in their parents’ footsteps, assuming important roles in both state and national government.

Notably, after his inauguration on November 12, Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo appointed Dr. Cyril Adams Oshiomhole, the son of former Governor Adams Oshiomhole, as the new Commissioner for Health-designate.

 

Here are some other children of influential Nigerian politicians who are making their mark in public service.

 

Adams Oshiomhole and Cyril Adams Oshiomhole

Adams Oshiomhole, a former Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) president and Edo State governor, is a current senator representing Edo North. His son, Dr. Cyril Adams Oshiomhole, earned his MBBS from Ahmadu Bello University and a Master’s degree in Public Health. He was recently appointed as the Commissioner for Health-designate in Edo State.

Olusegun Obasanjo and Iyabo Obasanjo

Olusegun Obasanjo, a two-time Nigerian leader, first as a military head of state and later as a democratically elected president, has seen his daughter, Iyabo Obasanjo, follow his political path. Iyabo served as a senator for Ogun Central from 2007 to 2011, after holding the position of Ogun State Commissioner for Health from 2003 to 2007.

Nasir El-Rufai and Mohammed Bello El-Rufai

Nasir El-Rufai, who served as Minister for the Federal Capital Territory and later as governor of Kaduna State, has seen his son, Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, rise through political ranks. Mohammed served as Senior Legislative Aide and Chief of Staff to Senator Uba Sani, and is now a lawmaker in the House of Representatives.

Musiliu Obanikoro and Ibrahim Babajide Obanikoro

Musiliu Obanikoro, a former senator and High Commissioner to Ghana, saw his son Ibrahim Babajide Obanikoro enter politics as a member of the House of Representatives, representing Eti-Osa Federal Constituency.

Ifeanyi Okowa and Marilyn Okowa-Daramola

 

Ifeanyi Okowa, the former Governor of Delta State, has seen his daughter, Marilyn Okowa-Daramola, start her public service career as a Senior Special Assistant on Girl-Child Empowerment. In 2023, she was elected into the Delta State House of Assembly.

James Ibori and Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu

James Ibori, a former governor of Delta State, is the father of Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, who now represents the Ethiope Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

David Mark and Blessing Onuh

David Mark, a retired brigadier general and former Nigerian Senate president, has a daughter, Blessing Onuh, who is currently a member of the House of Representatives, representing the Otukpo/Ohimini Federal Constituency in Benue State.

Adebayo Alao-Akala and Olamijuwonlo Alao-Akala

Olamijuwonlo Alao-Akala, the son of the late former Oyo State Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala, is a member of the House of Representatives, representing Ogbomosho Federal Constituency. He also chairs the Young Parliamentarians Forum (YPF) in the 10th National Assembly.

Olusegun Osoba and Olumide Osoba

Olusegun Osoba, who twice served as Governor of Ogun State, has seen his son, Olumide Osoba, continue the family’s political legacy. Olumide is currently a Federal Representative for the Abeokuta North/Obafemi-Owode/Odeda constituency.

These families exemplify the ongoing political influence and legacy that continue to shape Nigerian governance, with the next generation stepping up to leadership roles across the country.

The Nigerian Army has revealed the burial arrangements for the former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja.

Last Wednesday, the Nigerian Government announced the death of Lagbaja.

In a special circular issued by the Nigerian Army via its verified social media accounts on Tuesday night, Lagbaja’s burial is slated for Friday, November 15, 2024 at the National Military Cemetery in Abuja. The final interment is slated to hold between 2 pm and 6 pm.

Funeral service will be held between 10 am and 12.45 pm at the National Christian Centre Abuja on November 14, 2024.

The Service of Songs will be held between 5 pm and 7 pm on Thursday, November 14, 2024 at the Army Headquarters, Garrison Parade Ground, Mogadishu Cantonment, Abuja.

Lagbaja, 56, died on November 5, 2024 after a protracted illness. The presidency on Wednesday, November 6, 2024 confirmed his death.

"Announcement of the Passing of Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, regrets to announce the passing of Lt. General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, Chief of the Army Staff, at age 56.

"He passed away on Tuesday night in Lagos after a period of illness. Born on February 28, 1968, Lt. General Lagbaja was appointed Chief of Army Staff on June 19, 2023, by President Tinubu," 
a statement by presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, said.

SaharaReporters had exclusively reported how the Army General was flown abroad by his family members to attend to his medical needs.

Sources described his ailment as “strange” to SaharaReporters.

President Tinubu has made Lieutenant General O.O. Oluyede the acting Chief of Army Staff (COAS), following Lagbaja’s demise.

Wednesday, 13 November 2024 12:52

NDLEA Seizes 709.9kg Of Illicit Drugs In Kano

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, seized 709.979kg of illicit substances in October in Kano state.

This was disclosed in a statement signed and released by the spokesman for the agency’s Kano Command, ASN Sadiq Muhammad-Maigatari, on Wednesday.

The State Commander of the agency, Mr Abubakar Idris-Ahmad, said in the statement that the command also arrested 129 suspects.

“All the 129 suspects are males.

“The total illicit substances recovered under the period is 709.979kg, which is made up of  309.991kg of cannabis sativa.

”Others are 394.835kg of various psychotropic substances,comprising 741,600 tablets of Tramadol, 2.789kg of pregabalin and 0.027kg of methamphetamine, among others,
” he said,


According to him, under the period, the command secured 22 convictions.

“These convictions serve as a deterrent to those involved in drug-related activities and underscores the agency’s dedication to enforcing the law.

“The suspects arrested have been profiled, and those who deserve prosecution have been charged to court, while others have been referred to the counseling unit for support and rehabilitation,” 
Idris-Ahmad said.

He commended the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig.-Gen, Mohammed Marwa (Rtd), for his unwavering support and encouragement, which have significantly contributed to these achievements.

The commander also commended the Kano State Government and all other stakeholders for their collaboration and assistance in the ongoing fight against drug abuse.

“The command will continue to work tirelessly in collaboration with all other stakeholders to combat drug trade and promote awareness of the dangers associated with drug abuse”
 he said


Idris-Ahmad called on the general public to join the fight against drug abuse and trafficking by reporting any information to the agency through its dedicated hotlines “0800 1020 3040”.

The CEO of Telegram, Pavel Durov is offering free In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) treatments to women willing to use his sp3rm.

His offer is an effort to help women struggling with infertility.

Apart from offering sp3rm, Durov would also be paying for all IVF procedures through his partnership with the Altravita fertility clinic.

“We are happy to offer you a unique opportunity! Only in our clinic can you undergo IVF for free, using Pavel Durov's sp3rm-one of the most famous and successful entrepreneurs of our time,” a message on Altravita's website reads.

The clinic has pledged to offer top-tier care, working with some of the leading specialists in reproductive health and using state-of-the-art technology to ensure the best possible outcomes.

The process for women wishing to participate is simple but selective. Interested individuals can reach out to Altravita to schedule an initial consultation.

Earlier, in a post on Telegram, the CEO disclosed he fathered “over 100 biological kids” over 15 years.

“I was just told that I have over 100 biological kids. How is this possible for a guy who has never been married and prefers to live alone?” he wrote.

He recounted the story of how a friend first approached him for a sp3rm donation 15 years ago.

“He said that he and his wife couldn't have kids due to a fertility issue and asked me to donate sp3rm at a clinic for them to have a baby,
” said Pavel, adding that though he initially laughed it off, he realised later that his friend was serious.


Eventually, he agreed, setting in motion a series of donations that would go on to impact many families.

He wrote, “Fast forward to 2024, my past donating activity has helped over a hundred couples in 12 countries to have kids. Moreover, many years after I stopped being a donor, at least one IVF clinic still has my frozen sp3rm available for anonymous use by families who want to have kids.”

“The shortage of healthy sp3rm has become an increasingly serious issue worldwide, and I'm proud that I did my part to help alleviate it,
” Durov added.

Real Madrid youngster Marc Cucalon has retired from football.
 
He retired at the age of 19 after falling victim to a rare infection in 2022.
  
This is according to Sportskeeda.
 
Cucalon, born in Zaragoza, would not continue playing football after a two-year battle with the bacterial infection in his knee.
 
The midfielder was captain of the club’s Juvenil A team in 2022 and played alongside the now-Como star Nico Paz in the academy.
 
 
Recall that Cucalon suffered a ruptured ACL following a heavy tackle when Los Blancos’ U-19 team faced Celtic in the UEFA Youth League in Glasgow, Scotland in September 2022.
 
He was 17 years old then, but never returned to a football pitch afterwards.
 
He underwent surgery to fix the problem, only for bacteria to infiltrate the cartilage used to replace the ACL during the surgery.
 
This led to a rare infection, which has prevented the midfielder from carrying out any physical exercise on his knee since then.
 
Cucalon was very highly rated in La Fabrica, where his technical qualities on the ball saw him likened to Xabi Alonso.
The Abia state government has announced free education irrespective of states of origin from primary one to Junior Secondary School three in all public schools.
 
The government said the free education will start from January 2025.
 
 
The Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, disclosed this while briefing the press after the State Executive Council meeting.
 
He said that parents and guardians who flouted the new policy would face prosecution.
 
He said from January 2025, parents and guardians who fail to send their children or wards to school will face legal consequences. Kanu emphasised that non-compliance with the education directive will be treated as a punishable offence.
 
“In line with the Abia Child’s Rights Law 2006, it’s now an offence for parents not to send their children or wards to school because the Government has made education free and compulsory,” Kanu warned.
 
The policy, according to him, is pursuant to the quest by the Governor Alex Otti-led administration, to deliver quality and affordable education to the state.
 
“There is no reason whatsoever why parents should not send their children to school,” he said.
 
“The issue of indigency is no longer the reason for non-acquisition of free and basic education in Abia State.
 
Also, he said there was no going back on the proposed relocation of the Law Faculty of the Abia State University, Umuahia campus, back to Uturu main campus. He explained that the decision was taken in the overall public interest.
 
He also disclosed that the government would attend to all issues arising from the implementation of the new minimum wage.
 
The Commissioner further said that the governor had directed the Commissioner for Works to effect immediate repairs on the failed portion of the Osisioma ‘fly-over’ built by the immediate-past administration of Gov Okezie Ikpeazu.
 
He regretted that “the ‘fly-over’ which is the signature project of that administration has started failing within two years”.
The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye has called out oil cabals.
 
The clergyman accused oil cabals of working alongside international oil companies (IOCs) to undermine the operations of private refineries like Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
 
 
During his address at the November 2024 Abuja Special Holy Ghost service, Adeboye called on Nigerians to pray for divine intervention against the actions of unscrupulous oil marketers who are intent on causing hardship for the populace.
 
The cleric said that oil marketers are working hard to obstruct the refinery’s operations, following previous sabotage incidents affecting Nigeria’s four state-owned refineries.
 
Pastor Adeboye reminded the congregation that it was God who inspired Aliko Dangote to create a refinery after many unsuccessful attempts to revive the country’s four public refineries, which had wasted billions of Naira with minimal success.
 
He raised concerns about the continued reliance on fuel imports, despite Nigeria being a significant crude oil producer.
 
“Are we under a curse?” he asked. “We have four refineries, we poured all kinds of money into them, none of them is working.
 
“But God raised someone to build a refinery that works. He is not my relative; he is not from my village. He is not even a Christian, but he is a Nigerian who says, ‘Why should my people suffer when I have the means to build a refinery that can work?’ Now he is refining petrol, and some people want to stop him from selling it, so they can keep importing.”
 
Recall that the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN has reached an agreement with Dangote Refinery to sell petrol to its members directly.
 
Meanwhile, Nigerians are still buying petrol at N1060 and N1200 at NNPC stations and other retail outlets.

Popular Nigerian singer, Charles Chukwuemeka Oputa, aka Charly Boy, has opened up on how he was s3xually abused by his nanny.

He also revealed that at the age of 12, he contracted gonorrhoea.

Speaking during a recent discussion media chat with Duke Rants, Charly Boy opened up on various subjects, including erectile dysfunction, emphasizing that s3xual intimacy encompasses more than mere p3netration.

The renowned entertainer shared that he has experienced a multitude of s3xual adventures, recounting the incident of being r@ped by his nanny and describing it as a pleasurable experience.

“I was r@ped by my nanny,” Charly Boy noted.

When asked how it felt like to be abused at such age, Charly Boy said he enjoyed being r@ped by his Nanny despite not knowing what it was at the time.

“No, I didn’t. I actually enjoyed it. I didn’t know what was going on but it felt good,” he said.

Speaking further, Charly Boy said that he had already contracted gonorrhoea at age 12 as he frequented the brothels around.

“At 12, I’d already contracted gonorrhoea. I was going to all the brothels around, you know,” he shared.

Aloy Ejimakor, the special counsel to Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB has asked the North to apologize to Kanu.
 
According to him, the reason is because the North has now agreed with the agitator that Nigeria has expired.
 
Ejimakor stated this on Tuesday.
 
Ejimakor was reacting to a remark credited to the spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum, NEF, Ango Abdullahi, that the unity of Nigeria should be renegotiated because the country expired 10 years ago.
 
In a statement he signed, Ejimakor said the North should apologise to Kanu following Abdullahi’s remark.
 
 
According to Ejimakor: “Earlier today (12th November 2024), I noticed that several news outlets quoted the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) and Prof. Ango Abdullahi as having proclaimed that Nigeria “expired” 10 years ago or in 2014. They even added that Nigeria as a nation should, for this reason, be “renegotiated”.
 
“To me, this landmark proclamation is a significant departure from what was the stance of the North and even the Buhari-led Federal Government when, some years ago, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu made the same proclamation in an epic broadcast on Radio Biafra.
 
“To be sure, Mazi Kanu’s position then, just as the North has now conceded, was that the legal instrument upon which Nigeria was founded in 1914 has a fixed duration of one hundred years, which expired in 2014.
 
“It will be recalled that this very broadcast was one of the major reasons Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was then charged with the offence of secession, which was later escalated to incitement of terrorism for which he was renditioned and remains in incarceration for over three years, awaiting some trial.
 
“So, one might ask: Now that the North has said the same thing for which Mazi Kanu was arrested, renditioned, detained and charged to court, is it not time for the Federal Government and even the North to show some contrition by apologizing to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu or acknowledging that he was right all along?”.