Author: Olaoluwa Vincent Ajayi

It was more than a funeral. It was a gathering that felt like a festival of gratitude. Between February 13 and 14, people from across Ekiti State and beyond assembled to celebrate the life of Chief Daniel Adedayo Ogboja, fondly known as Daddy Ogboja. The event drew clergy, political leaders, former students and community members who came not only to mourn, but to honour a man many described as a moral compass of his generation. The New Daily Prime was there to cover the ceremonies. The service was attended by Archbishop Ayo Ladigbolu and other prominent Methodist archbishops from across…

The Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard M. Doro, has concluded a three-day high-level joint mission to Benue State aimed at assessing ongoing humanitarian interventions and strengthening coordinated response efforts to internal displacement. The visit, which brought together the European Union Ambassador, the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the Benue State Government, focused on evaluating the scale of displacement and improving collaboration among key stakeholders. Benue remains one of the worst-affected states in Nigeria, with more than 464,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) currently living in camps…

A 23-year-old British woman was fatally shot by her father at his home in Texas following a heated argument about Donald Trump, an inquest has heard. Lucy Harrison, a fashion buyer from Warrington, Cheshire, was visiting her father, Kris Harrison, and his family in Prosper, near Dallas, when she was shot in the chest on 10 January 2025. She had travelled to the US with her boyfriend, Sam Littler, for a holiday stay. Mr Harrison had moved to Texas when Lucy was a child. Giving evidence at Cheshire Coroner’s Court on Tuesday, Mr Littler described how Ms Harrison frequently became…

A 23-year-old Afghan asylum seeker who entered the UK by small boat has been convicted of abducting and repeatedly raping a 12-year-old girl in Nuneaton, Warwickshire. He will face automatic deportation to Afghanistan after serving any prison sentence imposed. Ahmad Mulakhil crossed the English Channel in a dinghy in March 2025. Following a 10-day trial at Warwick Crown Court, he was unanimously found guilty of two counts of rape of a child under 13. He had previously pleaded guilty to one count of oral rape of a child under 13. He was also convicted of child abduction, two counts of…

A church employee who stole almost £100,000 in charitable donations from the Diocese of Westminster to fund a lavish lifestyle has been spared an immediate prison sentence and ordered to pay just £1,000 in compensation. Francisca Yawson, 38, admitted stealing £96,331 in Gift Aid donations over an 11-month period while working as a Gift Aid and Operations Technician for the Roman Catholic diocese, which includes Westminster Cathedral. The thefts took place between September 2018 and August 2019, during a period in which Yawson had direct access to funds intended for charitable causes. Southwark Crown Court heard that Yawson used the…

Nigeria’s First Lady, Mrs Oluremi “Remi” Tinubu, held a series of high-level meetings with United States lawmakers and administration officials last week in Washington, D.C., in an effort to address growing American concerns about the safety of Christians in Nigeria, according to international reports. Mrs Tinubu, who travelled to the US capital to attend the National Prayer Breakfast, an annual gathering of political, religious and business leaders , was welcomed at the event by US President Donald Trump, who publicly described her as a “very respected woman”. During her visit, the First Lady met with members of the Republican and…

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has clarified why Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has not yet been formally welcomed into the party, attributing the delay to strategic planning rather than any question of authority. Speaking on TVC on Sunday, APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, said the party is managing regional sensitivities, particularly in northern states, before proceeding with formal receptions for new members. “We have Kano we’re preparing for. When you’re dealing in politics, we opted to clear the north first because Ramadan is coming and most of the people in the north are Muslims,” Yilwatda explained. “We have…

Motorists plying the busy Lagos–Ibadan Expressway have been placed on notice as Nigeria’s Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) intensifies enforcement against drivers flouting traffic rules during ongoing repair works on the Kara Bridge section of the highway. The warning comes amid widespread congestion triggered by essential maintenance on the bridge, which the FRSC confirmed last week would last for a minimum of two months. Authorities say the repairs are necessary to address structural damage that has been linked to multiple crashes in recent months. Speaking on Monday at the scene of a major traffic backlog, the Lagos Sector Commander of…

A major political realignment is unfolding in Ondo State after more than 500 members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party abandoned the party and defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress, dealing a fresh blow to the PDP’s grassroots strength. The defections took place in Irele Local Government Area, where senior party figures, former office holders and hundreds of supporters formally announced their move at a well-attended gathering in Ode Irele. Among those who crossed over was Dele Olatunji, a former council chairman, alongside several members of the PDP’s local executive structure. The development underlines a growing trend in Ondo…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was the focus of prayers on Friday as he attended the wedding ceremony of ten children of the Minister of State for Defence, Mohammed Bello Matawalle, at the National Mosque in Abuja. The multiple wedding, held at the National Mosque Abuja, drew senior political leaders, diplomats, traditional rulers and religious figures, turning the event into one of the most prominent social and political gatherings of the season. The officiating Imam, Professor Luqman Zakariyah, used the occasion to offer special prayers for President Tinubu, describing him as a father figure to all Nigerians. He asked Allah to…