Author: Damilola

The Anambra State Government has announced that Onitsha Main Market will reopen on Monday, February 2, allowing traders to resume full commercial and economic activities after a week-long closure. Governor Chukwuma Soludo had ordered the temporary shutdown after traders reportedly ignored the state government’s directive to disregard the long-standing Monday sit-at-home order associated with the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). The directive was issued during an on-the-spot visit to the market by the governor, who was accompanied by top government officials and security operatives. Soludo had warned at the time that continued disobedience could result in a prolonged closure…

President Bola Tinubu has paid glowing tribute to Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo Kuti, describing him as a bold voice of the masses whose music challenged oppression and transformed the global music landscape. The tribute, released on Sunday, followed Fela’s posthumous recognition with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award by the Recording Academy of America, making him the first African to receive the prestigious honour. “Fela was more than a musician. He was a fearless voice of the people, a philosopher of freedom, and a revolutionary force whose music confronted injustice and reshaped global sound,” Tinubu said in a statement personally signed…

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has said policy reforms introduced by President Bola Tinubu prevented at least 27 states from sliding into economic crisis. Idris made the remarks on Saturday while delivering a lecture at the 34th convocation and 43rd founders’ day ceremony of the Federal University of Technology, Minna. The lecture was titled ‘Youth and nation building: navigating opportunities in an era of national reforms’. According to the minister, before Tinubu assumed office on May 29, 2023, many states were struggling to meet basic obligations, including the payment of workers’ salaries. “President Bola Tinubu traversed the…

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has taken legal action against the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) over its alleged failure to account for oil revenues totalling N22.3 billion, $49.7 million, £14.3 million and €5.2 million. The development was disclosed in a statement on Sunday by SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare. The lawsuit stems from allegations contained in the 2022 audited report of the Auditor-General of the Federation, published on September 9, 2025. The report reportedly highlighted several cases of unremitted payments, abandoned projects and questionable financial transactions linked to the national oil company. Filed last Friday at…

Abia State Governor Alex Otti has said the Labour Party (LP) remains resilient and influential despite the departure of its former presidential candidate, Peter Obi. Otti made the assertion on Saturday night while addressing members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) at a meeting in Abuja. Obi formally defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) on December 31. While admitting that the party has experienced some setbacks, including the loss of lawmakers and interim national committee members through defections, the governor insisted that LP’s strength has not been diminished. “We regret the exit of our former leader and presidential…

Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti has been posthumously recognised by the Recording Academy, becoming the first African artist to receive its prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award. The historic honour was conferred at the 2026 Special Merit Awards held in Los Angeles on Saturday, January 31, just ahead of the main Grammy Awards ceremony. Members of Fela’s family—Yeni, Kunle, Shalewa and Femi Kuti—were present to accept the award on his behalf. Speaking at the event, Yeni Kuti thanked the Recording Academy for the recognition, saying she believed her late father would be proud of the moment. She also paid tribute to family members…

President Bola Tinubu has arrived back in Nigeria following a state visit to Turkey aimed at deepening diplomatic and strategic ties between both countries. The aircraft carrying the president touched down at the presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at about 8:55pm on Saturday. The Presidency confirmed his return in a short statement made available to State House correspondents on Saturday evening. Tinubu commenced the official visit on Tuesday, during which he held a series of bilateral engagements with Turkish authorities. A major highlight of the trip was his meeting with Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Discussions…

Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, has ordered sweeping sanctions against the Amasiri clan in Afikpo Local Government Area, including the removal of traditional rulers, withdrawal of their staff of office, and the dissolution of all political and community leadership structures in the area. The governor also dismissed the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Prof. Amari Omaka, who hails from Amasiri, alongside other political appointees from the community. The decisive actions followed a violent attack on Okporojo in Oso Edda community, Edda Local Government Area, where four persons were allegedly beheaded, with their heads reportedly taken away by assailants said to be…

Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, has called on Nigerians—both employers and individuals—to comply with the legal requirement of filing annual tax returns, warning that compliance levels across the country remain alarmingly low. Oyedele made the call during a webinar held for HR managers, payroll officers, CFOs and tax managers, organised in collaboration with the Joint Revenue Board and shared on YouTube on Friday. Addressing employers, he stressed the urgency of filing annual returns for employees, including projected staff emoluments. “In terms of filing returns, you need to file annual returns as employers…

The United States government has entered a shutdown after Congress was unable to approve legislation to finance federal operations, resulting in a lapse in appropriations. The shutdown took effect when lawmakers failed to pass a funding bill before the deadline, forcing federal agencies deemed non-essential to begin scaling back their activities. As a consequence, hundreds of thousands of government workers have been placed on furlough, while others have been instructed to continue working without pay. Despite the shutdown, essential services such as national security operations, air traffic control, and emergency response will remain functional. However, a range of public services—including…