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Day Olagunju, school proprietor, rolled out cymbals in praise for God’s mercies

Saturday, October 24, 2026 will remain a red-letter day for Titus Olusegun Olagunju, proprietor of Timi Group of Schools Surulere, Lagos.

On that day, Olagunju rolled out instruments of praise to express his gratitude to the Almighty God, who, according to him, enabled him to clock the significant age of 70.

At a moderate event themed, ‘Celebration of Life of Grace, Wisdom and Impact’, he recalled that were it not for the divine intervention, he would not have been among the living today, as a strange illness struck him two years ago.

He said that there was no way he could have pulled through the health challenges if the Lord had not been on his side.

The proprietor did not only express thanks to God for His healing touch in his life, he also expressed gratitude for the abiding presence of the Omnipotent God in his life and family.

Praising God for surrounding him with people who have his interest at heart, he prayed God to reward them all abundantly.

He expressed thanks to his family members who provided the support he needed at the critical moment, and have continued to be with him.

He was full of appreciation to the Management and staff of his schools who treat him like their own biological parents. He extended thanks to his former co-workers in the federal ministry where he retired from; his brethren from his place of worship, and all well-wishers who attended the event.

Many participants at the event also used the occasion to extol the virtues of the celebrant and what he meant in their individual lives.

Expressing gratitude to God for granting Olagunju the grace to make the age of 70 in good health, John Olaosun, proprietor of Prestige International School, Surulere, Lagos, noted that God has used the celebrant to touch many lives and that his being alive today was not an accident, but a calculated plan by the Almighty God himself. He also led other guests in a session of prayer for the celebrant.

Some children workers, who work with Olagunju in the Children ministry of his church, described him as a ‘child at heart.’

According to them, the celebrant has long adopted child-like attitude to life. He harbors no grudge against anybody and is always at his best in the midst of children.

This was corroborated by a representative of his local church where he worships in Surulere, who also added that the celebrant leads a selfless life when it comes to rendering service to God, and in his relationship with fellow human beings.

Other guests also took turns in pouring tributes on the celebrant. Management and staff members of Timi Group of Schools were jubilant in their lavish of encomiums on their boss.

Many of them shared their personal experiences of the cordial relationship that exists between them and the celebrant. Some of them said they now see him more as a father figure than their employer.

Most PHL banks see steady Q4 credit standards, loan demand

MOST Philippine banks expect credit standards and loan demand to remain steady in the fourth quarter of 2026, results of the latest Senior Bank Loan Officers’ Survey (SLOS) of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) show.

In a statement on Friday, the central bank said that for the fourth quarter of 2026, 80.8 percent of respondent banks expected unchanged credit standards for enterprise loans, while 85.7 percent expect steady standards for household loans.

BSP pointed out these are higher than figures posted in the third quarter of 2026 at 71.2 percent and 77.1 percent for enterprise loans and household loans, respectively. This, it noted, indicates a shift toward ‘more stable’ lending standards.

Among banks expecting changes in credit standards, the central bank said the bias toward tightening has ‘moderated’ both enterprise and household loans.

A small share of banks also expects to ease their credit standards, the BSP also noted.

Respondents cited uncertainty over the economic outlook, deterioration in borrower profiles, and lower risk tolerance as factors that could lead to tighter standards.

Meanwhile, banks also expect overall loan demand to remain steady in the fourth quarter of 2026, with signs of ‘stronger demand.’

For enterprise loans, 69.2 percent of respondents expect demand to remain unchanged, 26.9 percent expect an increase, and 3.8 percent expect a decline.

Compared with the third quarter, fewer banks expect ‘unchanged demand’ and more expect demand to increase.

‘The expected increase in enterprise loan demand reflects higher financing needs for inventories and accounts receivable, as well as limited access to other funding sources,’ BSP said.

For households, banks expecting stronger loan demand cited higher household consumption, more attractive bank financing terms, and increased housing investment.

2027: Osun APC Oyetola AMBO others mobilise 10000 door-to-door canvassers for Tinubu’s re-election

Ahead of the January 2027 General Election the All Progressives Congress(APC) with Minister of Marine and Blue Economy Adegboyega Oyetola 2026 Osun guber candidate of the party Asiwaju Bola Oyebamiji (AMBO) and others have mobilised 10000 door-to-door canvassers for re-election of President Bola Tinubu.

The Chairman of the party Tajudeen Lawal made it known to newsmen on Friday that the party structure is ready to partner with Governor Ademola Adeleke who is the coordinator of the Presidential Campaign Council for Tinubu’s re-election.

Lawal added that the leadership of the party in the state has successfully mapped out various activities that would conveniently result in the realisation of the set objective of returning the APC presidential candidate in the election.

He disclosed that ‘we have mobilised about 10000 members of our party for door-to-door campaign for President Bola Tinubu to take the good deeds of his administration to the grassroots across the 30 local government areas of Osun State.

‘The reforms by the President are pruning the economy and paving the way for strong generational wealth.’

He disclosed that ‘the party structure backed by our leader Minister of Marine and Blue Economy AMBO and state executive have concluded the plan; we are going to mobilise 10000 canvassers for inauguration tomorrow in Osogbo.’

Responding to Adeleke’s leadership of PCC he said ‘It was resolved that the state APC would work with Governor Adeleke to return President Tinubu in the election.

He said ‘The leadership of the APC in the state appreciated the resolve of Governor Adeleke to work for the re-election of President Tinubu in the forthcoming presidential election.’

He enjoined him to do everything necessary in order to incorporate all the necessary stakeholders including the APC leaders and members in the interest of a desired goal.

‘We have resolved that the Osun State Chapter of the APC should continue to work and mobilise the electorate for all the candidates of the party for the National Assembly and the state House of Assembly in the forthcoming elections.’

Part of the resolutions at the meeting was that the APC should set up a campaign council saddled with the campaign for the National Assembly and the House of Assembly candidates of the APC.

It was also resolved at the meeting that the party structures at all the levels should be used to drive all the party activities for all the upcoming elections.

Wema Bank’s nine-month profit jumps 73% on interest income growth

Wema Bank Plc strengthened its earnings performance in the first nine months of 2026, with profit after tax rising 72.6 percent to N219.84 billion, supported by higher interest income, increased treasury trading gains and a significant expansion in its loan portfolio.

The bank’s unaudited financial statements for the nine months ended September 2026 show that profit after tax increased from N127.40 billion in the corresponding period of 2025, while profit before tax grew 76.6 percent to N258.64 billion from N146.43 billion.

The performance reflects the benefits of its expanding balance sheet and stronger income from interest-earning assets, although rising funding costs and operating expenses indicate that sustaining earnings growth will depend on how effectively the bank manages its expanding operations.

Gross earnings increased to N673.24 billion from N462 billion, representing a 45.7 percent increase during the period.

Interest income, the bank’s largest income source, rose by 37.2 percent to N543.56 billion from N396.14 billion, driven by higher returns from loans and advances, cash balances and investment securities.

Income from loans and advances to banks and customers increased to N326.01 billion from N244.44 billion, while interest income from cash and cash equivalents surged to N91.28 billion from N8.04 billion.

However, interest expenses also increased by 35.6 percent to N217.68 billion from N160.53 billion, largely reflecting higher costs on customer deposits.

Consequently, net interest income increased by 38.3 percent to N325.88 billion from N235.61 billion, demonstrating that the bank was able to grow income from lending and investments faster than its funding costs.

Beyond traditional lending activities, Wema Bank recorded significant growth in income from financial market transactions, providing another important boost to its earnings.

Net trading income surged to N46.08 billion from N10.66 billion in the corresponding period of 2025, representing an increase of 332 percent.

Treasury bills accounted for the largest contribution, generating N40.47 billion compared with N8.29 billion a year earlier.

Income from fixed-income securities also increased to N3.24 billion from N516.23 million, while foreign exchange trading income rose to N2.37 billion from N1.86 billion.

The performance highlights the increasing contribution of treasury investments to the bank’s earnings, particularly as higher interest rates provide opportunities for financial institutions to generate returns from government securities.

Gains on financial assets measured at fair value through profit or loss also increased to N10.42 billion from N1.07 billion.

Meanwhile, net fee and commission income rose by 28.4 percent to N55.14 billion from N42.93 billion, supported by higher account maintenance and management fees.

Management fees increased to N15.42 billion from N9.82 billion, while account maintenance fees rose to N11.56 billion from N7.49 billion.

However, fees from electronic products declined sharply to N10.54 billion from N24.42 billion, a 56.8 percent contraction.

The decline suggests that growth in the bank’s overall earnings is not yet being matched by stronger income from its electronic banking channels, an area that remains important to its digital banking strategy.

Wema Bank’s balance sheet expansion was another defining feature of its nine-month performance, with total assets increasing by 46.4 percent to N7.43 trillion as of September 2026, from N5.07 trillion at the end of December 2025.

Loans and advances to customers increased by 44.5 percent to N2.51 trillion from N1.74 trillion, reflecting an expansion in the bank’s lending activities.

Gross loans reached N2.58 trillion, with term loans accounting for N2.30 trillion, while overdrafts stood at N253.50 billion.

Customer deposits increased by 17.4 percent to N3.86 trillion from N3.29 trillion, providing funding support for the expansion.

The growth in loans outpaced deposit growth, indicating that the bank is deploying a larger proportion of its balance sheet towards lending and other income-generating activities.

However, the expansion also makes credit quality an important consideration for future earnings.

The bank’s gross Stage 3 loans declined to N69.33 billion from N88.06 billion at the end of 2025, despite the significant growth in its loan portfolio.

This reduced the proportion of Stage 3 loans to approximately 2.7 percent of gross loans, compared with 4.9 percent at the end of December 2025.

Nevertheless, impairment charges on loans and advances increased to N17.03 billion from N12.40 billion, contributing to a 21.2 percent rise in total net impairment losses on financial assets to N18.54 billion.

The increase suggests that credit risk costs remain an important factor to monitor as the bank expands its lending activities.

Despite higher operating expenses, Wema Bank improved its operating efficiency during the period.

Total operating expenses, comprising personnel costs, depreciation and other operating expenses, increased by 27.7 percent to N178.38 billion from N139.73 billion.

Personnel expenses rose to N69.10 billion from N50.33 billion, while other operating expenses increased to N95.24 billion from N80.99 billion.

However, operating income grew faster, increasing by 52.7 percent to N437.02 billion from N286.16 billion.

This brought the bank’s cost-to-income ratio to approximately 40.8 percent, compared with 48.8 percent in the corresponding period of 2025, indicating improved operating leverage.

The stronger earnings also supported shareholders’ funds, with retained earnings increasing to N381.18 billion from N215.07 billion at the end of 2025.

Total shareholders’ equity rose to N790.13 billion from N620.47 billion.

The bank paid N50.15 billion in dividends during the period, compared with N21.43 billion in the whole of 2025.

However, earnings per share declined slightly to 730.63 kobo from 738.48 kobo in the corresponding period of 2025, despite the increase in profit, reflecting the impact of the bank’s expanded share base following its 2025 capital-raising activities.

The digital bank closed its last trading day on Friday at N32 per share on the Nigerian Stock Exchange,, recording a 3.2 percent gain over its previous closing price of N31. Wema began the year with a share price of N20.40 and has since gained 56.9 percent on that price valuation, ranking it 45th on the NGX in terms of year-to-date performance.

FG rolls out N50,000 cash relief for vulnerable Nigerians

The federal government has commenced a monthly cash relief programme, offering N50,000 to vulnerable households to cushion the impact of rising living cost.

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, announced this in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja.

Doro stated that the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI) was a presidential initiative designed to provide immediate financial assistance to millions of vulnerable Nigerians.

He stated that the intervention was introduced in response to global food inflation and rising cost of essential goods, which continue to place pressure on households.

‘Under this intervention, eligible beneficiaries will receive N50,000 monthly, providing direct assistance to help meet essential needs and ease the burden of living costs,’ he said.

The minister explained that the programme would be reviewed regularly in response to changes in the cost of living, with beneficiaries notified directly before any adjustment.

He said the ministry was working with licensed digital financial service providers to ensure secure, prompt and transparent delivery of the funds.

According to him, beneficiaries will receive text messages from the providers requesting their consent before payments are made directly into their bank accounts or mobile wallets.

Doro stressed that beneficiaries would not need to apply, pay any fee or register through agents to access the intervention. He warned Nigerians against fraudsters, advising beneficiaries not to disclose their personal identification numbers (PINs) or Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs) to anyone.

Tinubu backs EFCC’s global crime fight after FBI’s praise over sextortion arrests

President Bola Tinubu has commended the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for its role in a joint international operation that led to the arrest and extradition of two Nigerians accused of sexually exploiting and extorting minors in the United States.

The commendation followed a letter from the Director of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Kash Patel, to EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede, acknowledging Nigeria’s contribution to Operation Artemis, an investigation targeting criminal networks involved in the sexual exploitation and online extortion of children.

The operation resulted in the arrest and extradition of two Nigerian suspects, Adebola Festus Adekunle and Mudasiru Afeez Olawale, in August 2026. Both are facing federal charges in the United States.

In his letter, Patel praised the EFCC for its assistance and commitment to international law enforcement cooperation, noting that the successful outcome of the cases would not have been possible without the Commission’s contribution.

Reacting to the FBI’s recognition, Tinubu said the development demonstrated the importance of strengthening Nigeria’s law enforcement institutions and deepening international cooperation to tackle transnational crimes.

The President commended Olukoyede and his team for their professionalism, insisting that Nigeria must not become a safe haven for individuals who prey on innocent people, irrespective of where their victims are located.

‘This is the kind of institutional performance we are determined to build across our country. I commend the EFCC Chairman and his team for their professionalism and dedication,’ Tinubu said.

‘Nigeria must never become a haven for criminals who exploit innocent people, whether at home or abroad. Our law enforcement and anti-corruption institutions have my full support to pursue offenders and bring them to justice in accordance with the law.’

Tinubu said his administration remained committed to supporting law enforcement agencies in tackling financial crimes, protecting citizens and strengthening Nigeria’s credibility among international partners.

He also linked the FBI’s commendation to broader developments in Nigeria’s efforts to improve its financial crime prevention and anti-money laundering framework.

Nigeria was removed from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list in October 2025 and subsequently delisted from the European Union’s high-risk financial jurisdictions list in January 2026.

According to the President, these developments reflect ongoing efforts to strengthen financial integrity, restore international confidence and create a more secure environment for legitimate businesses and investments.

‘Our fight against corruption is not measured by publicity but by results. Stronger institutions, effective law enforcement and international cooperation are essential to building a Nigeria where honest enterprise can thrive, and criminals are held accountable,’ he said.

Tinubu urged the EFCC and other law enforcement agencies to sustain the momentum, assuring them of continued government support in combating financial crimes and ensuring that Nigeria does not become a refuge for perpetrators of transnational offences.

Tinubu hails EFCC as FBI backs Nigeria’s role in sextortion crackdown

President Bola Tinubu has commended the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) following a letter from the Director of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Kash Patel, praising the Commission’s role in apprehending and extraditing suspects involved in international sextortion crimes against minors.

The FBI had written to the EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede, acknowledging the Commission’s contribution to Operation Artemis, a joint investigation targeting criminal networks involved in the sexual exploitation and extortion of children, according to Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information Strategy.

The operation led to the arrest and extradition of two Nigerian suspects, Adebola Festus Adekunle and Mudasiru Afeez Olawale, in August 2026.

Both are facing federal charges in the United States.

‘The successful outcome of these cases would not have been possible without your assistance and dedication to international law enforcement collaboration,’ Patel wrote.

President Tinubu described the commendation as further recognition of Nigeria’s progress in combating financial crimes and strengthening international law enforcement cooperation.

‘This is the kind of institutional performance we are determined to build across our country. I commend the EFCC Chairman and his team for their professionalism and dedication.

‘Nigeria must never become a haven for criminals who exploit innocent people, whether at home or abroad. Our law enforcement and anti-corruption institutions have my full support to pursue offenders and bring them to justice in accordance with the law,’ the President said.

The commendation comes amid growing international recognition of Nigeria’s anti-corruption and financial crime reforms, including the country’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list in October 2025 and the European Union’s high-risk financial jurisdictions list in January 2026.

President Tinubu notes that these developments reflect his administration’s commitment to strengthening financial integrity, restoring international confidence and creating a more secure environment for legitimate businesses and investment.

‘Our fight against corruption is not measured by publicity but by results. Stronger institutions, effective law enforcement and international cooperation are essential to building a Nigeria where honest enterprise can thrive, and criminals are held accountable,’ the President stated.

He therefore urged the EFCC and other law enforcement agencies to sustain their efforts, assuring them of his administration’s continued support in protecting Nigerians, combating financial crimes and strengthening the country’s standing among its international partners.

Young widows seek help to prosecute husband’s suspected killers

Two young widows whose husband Azuka Sunday was allegedly killed in 2024 have beggged Governor Monday Okpebholo to intervene the prosecution of his alleged killers.

The widows Joy Friday aged 28 and Favour Azuka aged 34 said the bodies of their husband and two of his friends were yet to be found.

They said their husband was invited for a job in Obagie community in Oredo local government area and was never seen again.

The widows spoke when they led a peaceful protest to the premises of the Edo State of the Nigeria Union of Journalists and called for investigation into their husband’s death.

Joy said their children have stopped schooling.

She said they were offered money to keep quiet but declined collecting the money.

‘Our husband Azuka Sunday went to Obagie community to work in 2024. They said he was killed but we are still looking for his body.

‘We heard that somebody in government is trying to secure release of the suspect fingered in the killing of our husband.’

Favour said the suspect sent N500000 to cater for the children but the money was rejected.

She said they want the remains of their husband to be found and the killers prosecuted.

Mao pledges to push govt to roll out national health insurance scheme

Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Norbert Mao has vowed to push the government to roll out a comprehensive national health insurance scheme to help millions of Ugandans struggling to pay medical bills at health facilities across the country.

Mr Mao made the statement while speaking as chief guest at the opening of the 6th ITC International Insurance Conference in Gulu City on Thursday. The conference was hosted by the Insurance Training College of Uganda.

According to him, many Ugandans cannot afford proper medical treatment because of poverty, and a government-backed health insurance scheme is the solution.

His remarks followed concerns raised by insurance sector players, who decried low insurance coverage and bureaucratic processes in processing bills.

‘I have promised to mobilise my colleagues, like the Minister of Health and other relevant officials (ministries), so that we can agree and set a timetable. Ghana has done it; Uganda can do it also,’ Mr Mao told the gathering.

He said not every Ugandan belonged to the insurance sector, adding that a government-backed scheme would enable citizens to access healthcare without shouldering the full cost of treatment.

‘So we need a government-backed scheme, so that any citizen can go to hospital and there is a limit, so that if the hospital requires you to pay Shs300,000, for instance here, I think a private place like C-Care (in Gulu City), they charge Shs60,000 per night, if you are admitted,’ he said.

The justice minister also pledged to address bureaucratic hurdles and delays insurers face in processing bills and agreements through government structures.

‘That two-week commitment is still alive and well; I think they are telling me politely to enforce it. So I promise to enforce the two-week rule,’ Mr Mao added.

At the conference, which brought together more than 200 insurance companies, sector players cited government delays in processing applications and agreements, affordability challenges and a severe lack of public awareness as factors hindering the sector’s growth.

Although the sector has accumulated premiums exceeding Shs2 trillion, Mr Saul Sseremba, the chief executive officer and principal of the Insurance Training College of Uganda, said insurance coverage remained as low as 1 per cent, leaving many Ugandans uninsured.

Mr Sseremba also urged the government to expedite sector reforms to ensure effective regulation.

‘We’ve asked the government to expedite the National Health Insurance Scheme because we believe that once it comes on board, then we have everyone insured. As the insurance sector, we have the capacity,’ Mr Sseremba said.

Ms Deborah Mwesigwa, the commercial business manager for Sanlam Allianz Insurance Ltd, said limited public awareness and affordability continued to discourage Ugandans from taking up insurance.

‘The other bit is the affordability that has made the majority of our population not appreciate the need for insurance,’ Ms Mwesigwa said, adding that the industry was developing cheaper products to address specific needs and make insurance more accessible to low-income earners.

According to the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA), more than 90 per cent of Ugandans rely on direct out-of-pocket expenditure to pay their medical bills.

Dr Protazio Sande, the acting chief executive officer of the Insurance Regulatory Authority of Uganda, said a universal healthcare coverage mechanism could ease the financial burden on the government and free up resources for other competing priorities.

‘We are advocating for universal health insurance coverage, so that every Ugandan can be assured at least of one of the basic needs,’ Dr Sande said.

Netflix Reviews: Armored

This movie got me thinking a lot, about how you will start a new job peacefully and decide to earn a truthful salary, despite all you are going through only to get tempted only few days after. Ty Hackett got a new job a guard for an armored truck on arrival, he meets the veterans on the job, who decide to teach him and assist him settle in well into the job, little did he know that they were up to something shady off their sleeves. Few days into settling in Mike Cochrane decides to inform him of their well thought of plan of robbing their own truck of $42m dollars and how that will settle them for life quietly and he can help his brother and pay off all their debts; Ty Hackett immediately refused and went home. Well, you will have to go check out this movie to find out if he joined them, if they succeeded and how things went down, the movie was packed with action and suspense from start to the vey end. The 88m crime, action movie was directed by Nimirod Antal, they featured actors like Matt Dillion, Jean Reno, Laurence Fishburne, Amaury Nolasco, Fred Ward, Milo Ventimiglia, Skeet Ulrich, Columbus Short and many more.

CRAZY RICH, INCREDIBLY BROKE (2026)

Honestly, I wasn’t so sure what to expect from this Saudi movie, but I was glad I made it to the very end, it was so cool, with display of wealth, riches and affluence, but it seemed a bit slow for me, as I am a fan of action movie lovers. Sultan was a very wealthy man, with a growing company, fleet of cars and a mansion, suddenly he made a wrong movie with a business investment and lost everything. He didn’t know how to relate this message to his wife and kids, but he had to. For them to survive they had to do some crazy things, the kids will have to give up somethings and sell their belongings to help their dad, one of the daughters will have to marry into another family to help save theirs. You will need to watch this movie to see the length they had to go to save their family, and how they all had to work together as a family. The 98m Saudi, middle Eastern, drama, comedies movie was directed by Ahmed El Gendy, they featured actors like Rashed Al Shamrani, Ida Alkusay, Adwa Bader, Ziyad Alamri, Ghada AlMulla, Fayez Bin Jurays, Fahad Albutairi etc.

SERIOUSLY SINGLE TOO (2026)

If you enjoy South African comedy movies, then you might jump on this, for the romantic movie lovers, then this might be worth your while. In the movie, there were 3 single ladies, who were besties, they had all planned to remain in the same city and remain friends, but along the line one of them gets engaged and didn’t know how to inform her friends that she will be getting married in one month and relocating to Kenya after making a promise that they will all remain friends in the same city. You will need to go check out this movie to find out how they took the news, what they did when they heard and how this now affected their trip and their friendship. The 99m South African Romantic comedy films, comedies, romance, African movie was directed by Rethabile Ramaphakela, Katleho Ramaphakela, they featured popular South African actors like Fulu Modibedi, Tumi Morake, Buntu Petse, Keke Mphuthi, Yonda Thomas, Thabiso Rammusi, Motiatsi Mafashe, Harriet Manamela etc