Famous Afrobeat singer, Divine Ikubor popularly known as Rema has sparked a buzz online by declaring himself a ‘god‘ and announcing that his new girlfriend will soon be the mother of his first child.

The “Calm Down” coroner took to his Instagram page to share the news with his followers.

Posting a photo where the woman’s face was not visible, Rema praised her physical attributes, particularly highlighting her figure and revealing that she had gotten a tattoo dedicated to him.

Emphasizing her devotion, he stated that she would do anything for him, including bearing his child.

In his Instagram broadcast on Ravers, which boasts over 54,000 members, Rema boldly proclaimed;

“My new girlfriend got a big ass. She got a tattoo for me, she do anything for me. She will have my child – a child for a god. I’m a god.”

This declaration comes in the wake of Rema’s recent appearance at Paris Fashion Week alongside other prominent Afrobeat artists.

His statements have sparked various reactions among fans and critics alike, with many expressing surprise at his bold assertion.

Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HoCSF), announced that the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) verification exercises had uncovered 1,618 civil servants with fake or illegal employment letters.

Speaking in Abuja during a media conversation as part of the 2024 Civil Service Week Celebrations, Yemi-Esan revealed that 69,308 civil servants who participated in the compulsory verification exercise have been fully integrated into the IPPIS after their verifications. 

Yemi-Esan highlighted ongoing efforts to enhance civil servants’ capacity and talent. Under the Structured Mandatory Assessment-Based Training Programme (SMAT-P) in the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan (FCSSIP 2021-2025), 8,905 workers have received training.

Addressing corruption within the civil service, Yemi-Esan noted that her initiatives have led the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) to identify and investigate over 3,600 public servants. The clean-up effort has also resulted in the removal of numerous individuals, including retirees, who were improperly on the payroll.

Efforts are underway to address the issue of Nigerians who have relocated abroad but continue to receive salaries from the civil service. Yemi-Esan warned that the Federal Government is cracking down on this practice, and many of these individuals voluntarily resign following physical verifications. Civil servants abroad without official permission and still on the payroll will be dismissed once the ongoing verification is completed.

Yemi-Esan discovered that many employees who have left the country but continue to receive salaries are primarily in parastatals rather than core ministries. She accused some top officials of plotting to ensure these positions were not declared vacant.

“It’s a Nigerian thing. We are running hard against the culture that tolerates it. Outsiders don’t know the bashing we get every day trying to do the right thing,” Yemi-Esan remarked.

She added that once the verification report is finalized, any employee not in the country will automatically lose their job. She also noted a positive development: many individuals have started resigning their positions during the verification process.

The police in Edo State have been given seven days ultimatum to arrest the killers of one Glory Adekolure.

Within Nigeria had reported on Wednesday how Adekolure, a UNIBEN fresh graduate, was beaten and raped to death by some yet-to-be-identified persons. 

The incident was said to have happened at Iyowa Community, Benin City, on Thursday, June 13, 2024.

After her gruesome murder, the body of the 22-year-old was dumped close to her mother’s house.

A family source disclosed that the 22-year-old was on her way home after processing her clearance forms when she she met her grisly end in the hands of the diabolical men. 

Reacting to the incident, Obaseki directed Edo State Commissioner to go after the perpetrators of the heinous act.

The governor’s directive was contained in statement by the state’s communications and orientation commissioner Chris Nehikhare.

According to the statement, the state government expressed shock and sadness over the incident.

“Governor Godwin Obaseki has ordered the Commissioner of Police, Funso Adegboye, to fish out the perpetrators of the evil act within the next seven days,” he said.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has reported a significant increase in Premium Motor Spirit’s (PMS) national average retail price, commonly known as petrol. In May 2024, the price rose by 223.21% year-on-year, reaching N769.62 per litre, compared to N238.11 per litre in 2023. The price increased by 9.75% month-on-month, up from N701.24 per litre in April 2024.

The NBS report, titled “Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) Price Watch for May 2024,” highlighted that Jigawa State had the highest price at N937.50 per litre. This was followed by Ondo and Benue States, where prices were N882.67 and N882.22 per litre, respectively. Conversely, Lagos, Niger, and Kwara States recorded the lowest average retail prices at N636.80, N642.16, and N645.15 per litre, respectively.

Analyzing the data by region, the North-West Zone had the highest average retail price of N845.26, while the North Central Zone had the lowest average price of N695.04.

Additionally, the average retail price of Automotive Gas Oil (Diesel) paid by consumers increased by 66.29% to N1403.96 per litre in May 2024, up from N844.28 per litre in May 2023. However, on a month-on-month basis, there was a slight decrease of 0.78% from N1415.06 per litre in April 2024.

The report detailed the state-by-state variations in diesel prices. Adamawa State recorded the highest average price at N1709.00 per litre, followed by Sokoto State at N1675.00 per litre and Bauchi at N1657.92 per litre. The lowest prices were observed in Niger State (N1140.20), Kano State (N1153.33), and Oyo State (N1236.92).

The zonal representation of diesel prices showed that the North-East Zone had the highest average price at N1605.91, while the South West Zone had the lowest price at N1303.60.

Furthermore, the average retail price per litre of Household Kerosene (HHK) increased by 0.74% to N1,450.35 in May 2024, up from N1,439.64 in April 2024.

Manchester United are considering signing Dutch forward Joshua Zirkzee, who currently plays for Bologna in Italy.

The 23-year-old, whose mother is Nigerian, had an impressive debut season with Bologna, helping them secure qualification for the Champions League for the first time in their history. 

Manchester United is in the market for a new forward following Anthony Martial’s departure. They face competition from the Italian club AC Milan, which is prepared to meet Zirkzee’s release clause of €40 million (£33.7m) and has reportedly agreed on personal terms with the player.

Zirkzee had to cut short his holiday in Florida recently after being called up last-minute by the Netherlands for their Euro 2024 campaign. He was on the bench for the Netherlands’ 2-1 victory over Poland in their Group D opener.

In a recent interview with Corriere Di Bologna, Zirkzee commented on his future: “At the moment, my focus is solely on Bologna. I will decide based on what is best for the club. I will only make decisions that feel right to me.”

During the previous Serie A season, Zirkzee scored 11 goals in 34 appearances for Bologna.

Crystal Palace have offered a new deal to Michael Olise, amid interest from Chelsea.

This is according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

The Italian journalist revealed that the new deal comes with higher salary and new release clause for 2025.

He stated that despite this, Chelsea are still confident as they push to agree on personal terms; it’s up to the player.

Aside Chelsea, Bundesliga heavyweight Bayern Munich and Newcastle are also allowed to talk to Olise.

The 22-year-old scored 10 goals and made six assists in 19 league appearances for Palace last season.

He is currently with the French U-23 squad for the Paris Olympic games.

Former Nigerian international, Julius Aghahowa has alleged that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) doesn’t have the financial capacity to pay a foreign coach if appointed to manage the Super Eagles.

Recall that a few days ago, the NFF opted to bring in an expatriate technical adviser for the Super Eagles, marking a significant shift from Finidi George’s tenure as head coach.

The decision, announced following a draw with South Africa in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers and a defeat to Benin Republic, worsened the situation, prompting calls for change from both fans and government officials.

However, with plans to appoint a foreign coach on the card, Aghahowa stated in a chat with Brila FM that the NFF is cash strapped and won’t be able to pay an expatriate.

He also advised the NFF to look inward and appoint a local coach that will help in the development of the homegrown players in the Super Eagles.

“I think it’s what they want. So they will usually go for what they want, irrespective of what people will see or what people’s opinions will be, but I feel we have gone past that.

“Right now, we should be looking inward. First of all, we don’t have money to pay foreign coaches right now. I remember how they struggled in the past,” the former Bendel Insurance striker told Brila.

“We should look inward and allow our homegrown coaches to coach the national team, but in the long term, if you look at the national team in the past couple of years, we don’t have the homegrown players included in the call-up.

“So, I feel that if we have our homegrown coaches, that should be an opportunity for the homegrown players to be invited to the national team, so we can make our league stronger,” the 42-year-old concluded.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has denied reports that the football-governing body has slammed a ban on Napoli and Super Eagles’ forward, Victor Osimhen from the team, for his social media outburst few days ago.

Naija News recalls that Osimhen had last week knocked Super Eagles former head coach, Finidi George, after reports claimed that the coach had singled him out for condemnation during a meeting with the NFF and Nigeria’s Minister of Sport, John Enoh.

In a statement on Wednesday, NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, described reports of Osimhen’s ban as outright falsehood.

According to him, the Federation has neither instructed a process nor has a process been concluded to ban the player from the National Team.

He said: “The NFF hereby implores the media to join hands with the body to positively resolve issues and then focus on the big picture all the time, rather than needlessly escalate certain matters. There was no official communication from the NFF, yet some persons have gone to town to talk about a ban on Osimhen from the National Team. This is not good at all.

“Our focus presently is to resolve all matters around the Super Eagles and be able to look ahead with confidence to the 2025 AFCON qualifiers and the remaining six matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification series.

“This is not the time to spread falsehood and foul the public space the more.”

A lawmaker representing Oke-Igbo/Ile-Oluji/Odigbo Federal Constituency of Ondo state in the House of Representatives, Festus Adefiranye has said that he did not receive the ₦300 million he was expecting when he resumed at the lower chamber.

The lawmaker lamented that the housing allowance he received for four years could not cover his one-year rent in the federal capital territory.

Adefiranye stated this during an interview with Premium Times.

He explained that his earlier impression was that after resuming in the National Assembly, one would receive ₦300 million.

However, he stated that the information was totally wrong.

According to him, “And here, the impression they have is that immediately you resume at the National Assembly, you are going to collect N300 million. When I came, I was expecting N300 million.

“I was expecting my N300 million, I’m still expecting it till today.”

Adefiranye said the impression that lawmakers have collected a lot of money is incorrect.

“If I tell you the housing allowance they gave us for the four years you will not believe it. The house that I rented, the money they gave me is not enough to pay for that house.

“You know I am saying it on camera now. The money they gave us for four years, because they gave us once, is not enough for the one year of the house I rented, but the impression is that they have collected a lot of money; they have collected this, they have collected that,” he added.

The first-time lawmaker in the lower chamber said he receives many requests about people in the hospital, people who want to pay school fees, house rents, marriages, etc.

He explained that the requests are based on the impression that lawmakers will collect ₦300 million immediately after they resume at the national assembly.

Governor Seyi Makinde has given his approval for the appointment of Owolabi Olakuleyin as the 43rd Olubadan of lbadanland.

This was made known in a statement by the Oyo State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Olusegun Olayiwola.

The statement noted that the approval is a culmination of a series of processes stipulated by the extant laws of the state regarding ascension to royal thrones.

The governor gave the approval in a memo signed on June 14, 2024, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by Section 19 (Cap 28) Law of Oyo State 2000 as amended.

Governor Makinde congratulated the new Olubadan and prayed that his tenure would birth greater developments in Ibadanland and Oyo State as a whole.

Meanwhile, the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, Rashidi Ladoja, on Sunday, condemned the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, over his comments on the health status of the Olubadan-Designate, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin.

According to Ladoja, Makinde was wrong to have said Olakulehin would be enthroned when he is fit, adding that only the town (Ibadan people) can enthrone the Olubadan not the Governor.

Recall that the Oyo State Governor at the state burial ceremony for the late Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, said Olakulehin will be enthroned when he is fit for the throne.

Ladoja, however, while speaking with newsmen at his Bodija, Ibadan residence, said Makinde could only present staff of office and instrument of office to the Olubadan-designate, not enthrone him.

He maintained that the role of government was just to give the staff of office and instrument of office to the Olubadan-Designate.