Category: Business Day

When viral creators Peller (Habeeb Hamzat) and Jarvis (Amadou Elizabeth) exchanged vows on August 8, 2026, in Lagos, the event was guaranteed to make headlines.

But as photos hit the timeline, the conversation quickly centred around a single, mesmerising focus: Jarvis’s avant-garde bridal gown.

Blending high fashion with her signature AI persona, the look was a triumph of Nigerian haute couture. Designed in collaboration with powerhouse stylists like Veekee James and featuring a bespoke OVEM robe, the outfit wasn’t just tailored-it was engineered.

Every stage of the process reflected extreme craftsmanship:

Thematic Vision: Translating digital persona into physical luxury through precision sketching.

Structural Foundation: Drafting a heavy-duty internal corset to carve a flawless silhouette while supporting massive beadwork weight.

Artisanal Detailing: Ditching standard lace in favour of hand-cut glass, acrylic, and metallic hardware applied manually.

Textile Manipulation: Hand-pleating layers of silk organza to create fluid, sculptural movement against the rigid corsetry.

Crystal Embroidery: Meticulously lining every seam and neckline with dense crystal work for a luminous finish.

The result was an unforgettable fusion of identity, romance, and luxury tailoring that has Nigerian pop culture talking-and won’t be forgotten anytime soon.

It’s been exactly one year today since I lost my husband. Sometimes, I still cannot believe I am saying those words.

Eben was my comfort. My peace in a troubled world. My calm after life had dealt me one hard blow after another.

We were married for fifteen beautiful years and for most of those years, I thought I had finally been rewarded for everything I had survived.

Eben was my biggest support system and my loudest cheerleader. He helped me complete my university education and later obtain my master’s degree. He never allowed me to settle for less than I could become. He pushed me to dream bigger, do better and believe in myself.

I often told him that much of the woman I became was because he believed in me.

I met Eben at one of the darkest points in my life. By then, I had already lost so much. I remember the day clearly.

I had gone to a pharmacy to get medication for my brother, only to discover that I did not have enough money to pay for them. I was explaining my situation to the pharmacist when I noticed a man sitting nearby. He was visiting the pharmacist, his friend, and had overheard our conversation.

That man was Eben.

There was something about me that caught his attention. I did not know what it was. He simply offered to pay for the medication. I was grateful, thanked him and left.

I did not know that I would see him again. The next time I went to the pharmacy, Eben was there.

He remembered me. He asked about my brother. I told him I had lost him.

He was visibly saddened and tried to console me. What surprised him was how calm I appeared. My brother had only died recently, yet I seemed almost too composed. I told him that losing people no longer shocked me. It was a strange thing to say, but it was the truth.

I had become familiar with grief.

I had lost my parents. I had lost my siblings. One after another, the people I loved disappeared from my life.

Although I tried to look strong, Eben saw what I was trying to hide. He saw the pain in my eyes. They were beautiful eyes, people often told me that, but then they carried a sadness that no smile could completely conceal.

When he finally made me smile, he noticed my dimples. And he was smitten. He wanted to see me again. He suggested lunch and I agreed because I felt I owed him for what he did for me the other time. I did not know that lunch would change my life.

He was a good listener and very easy to talk to. I told him everything about myself.

I even told him how my extended family members had begun to think there was something wrong with me. Some believed I was possessed. Others thought I was jinxed and somehow responsible for the deaths around me.

After losing my brother, I had reached my limit. I was tired. I was only waiting for death to come for me too.

I did not think I could survive losing another person….then I realized, that was even possible anymore. I had lost everyone. I was alone.

For some reason, I felt safe with Eben.

I had spent years learning how to hold myself together but that day, I finally let my guard down. And I broke. I cried.

He did not try to stop me. He simply sat there and let me cry until I had nothing left. Then he politely asked if he could hold me. I nodded. And he pulled me into his arms.

I cried for so long that I eventually became too tired to keep my eyes open.

The next thing I knew, I had fallen asleep in his arms.

Eben noticed that I had gone completely quiet. When he looked down, he realized I was asleep. He could have woken me up, but he didn’t.

There was something peaceful about my face, perhaps because it was the first time in a very long while that I had allowed myself to rest.

Some of the restaurant staff had seen me crying. They understood that I needed the sleep and did not disturb us.

I occasionally stirred to make myself more comfortable in Eben’s arms and each time, he thought I fit perfectly there. I slept for almost two hours.

When I woke up, it was already getting dark.

For a few seconds, I had no idea where I was. Then I remembered.

I was embarrassed but Eben made me feel as though I had done nothing wrong.

I told him I could not remember the last time I had slept that peacefully.

I did not know it then but I had just met the man who would become the safest place I had ever known.

When Eben discovered that I had deferred my university admission to take care of my brother, he refused to let me give up on my education.

He encouraged me to go back.

He supported me in every way he could.

And on the day I graduated, he proposed.

We got married after my youth service.

For fifteen years, Eben made it his mission to make life easier for me.

He was my rock.

He was an intentional husband and a present father to our three children.

He was everything I had once thought I would never have.

After years of losing people, I finally had someone who stayed. He was my reward. My blessing.

Together, we built a home that felt like a safe place from the rest of the world.

We had plans.

So many plans.

We had our whole lives ahead of us.

That was why his death broke something inside me that I have not been able to explain.

That night, Eben led our family in prayers before we went to bed. He was healthy.

He exercised. He ate well. He took care of himself. There was absolutely no reason for me to think anything was wrong.

I woke up during the night to use the bathroom. When I returned to the room, I saw him sprawled across the bed.

I tapped his leg.

I asked him to sleep properly.

He did not respond.

I tapped him again.

Still nothing.

Eben was not a deep sleeper, so I thought he was pretending.

I tried to push him towards his side of the bed. That was when I realized something was terribly wrong. He was lifeless. I had left him for only a few minutes. And he was gone.

I remember staring at him and thinking it had to be a mistake.

Eben could not just die like that.

Not Eben.

Not the man who had rescued me from the darkest parts of my life.

Not the man who had taught me that life could still be beautiful.

But it was true. He was gone. And I was left behind.

The days that followed were the worst days of my life. I had known grief before, but this was different. This grief had no bottom. It cut deep.

I was numb.

I barely ate. I barely slept. I did not want to see anyone.

I had no desire to continue living.

What was life without Eben?

He had been my peace for fifteen years.

My safe place.

My person.

And now I was expected to wake up every morning and somehow continue without him. I could not understand how the world was still moving when mine had completely stopped.

One afternoon, I sat alone in the house, surrounded by memories of the life we had built together.

And then I remembered something someone in my family had told me years ago. I had been told to go and find out why I kept losing everyone I loved.

Back then, I had ignored it.

But sitting there alone after Eben’s death, those words returned to me.

They would not leave my mind.

For the first time, I began to wonder if there was some truth in them.

What if they were right?

What if there really was a reason why everyone I loved kept dying?

And for the first time since Eben’s death, something other than grief began to take root in my heart.

Fear!!!

I tried to dismiss the thought, but it stayed with me. That night, I opened an old box containing photographs of the people I had lost.

I spread them across the floor and stared at them one after another.

My parents.

My siblings.

Eben.

There was something unsettling about seeing all their faces together.

Then I noticed something I had never noticed before. Every photograph had been taken shortly before their deaths.

And in every single one, there was a strange woman standing somewhere in the background.

I froze.

I had never noticed her before until that night.

The Imole Campaign Council, which backs Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, has called on security agencies to maintain neutrality and professionalism as voters head to the polls in today’s governorship election.

In a statement issued amid heightened political tension in the state, the campaign council appealed to National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu to ensure strict enforcement of President Bola Tinubu’s directive that voters and polling units be adequately protected throughout the electoral process.

The council said security personnel must act impartially and ensure that all eligible voters are allowed to exercise their franchise without intimidation or interference.

Read also.: Osun : Adeleke arrives Ede polling unit

‘Troublemakers must be arrested regardless of party affiliation,’ the council said, stressing that security agencies should protect the integrity of the election rather than favour any political interest.

According to the campaign council, the credibility of the election depends on the ability of voters to cast their ballots freely and on the proper counting and collation of votes.

The appeal comes as political activities intensify across Osun, with stakeholders closely watching the conduct of voters, political parties and security personnel at polling centres.

The Adeleke camp maintained that there should be no intimidation, violence or obstruction of the electoral process, insisting that every lawful vote must be counted.

As Osun voters decide their next governor, attention is now focused on the conduct of security agencies and electoral officials, as well as the ability of all parties to respect the outcome of the democratic process.

The campaign council reiterated its call for a peaceful election, saying the priority should be to safeguard voters and ensure that the mandate expressed at the ballot box is respected.

Mallam Ahmed Ladan Gobir, the President and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM), has called for a fundamental transformation of Nigeria’s public service, anchored on innovation, accountability, participation, inclusion and strategic people management.

The CIPM President made the call while delivering the keynote address at the Ogun State 2026 Public Service Day Celebration Lecture, held at the Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, on Thursday, August 13, 2026.

The lecture was themed ‘Transforming the Public Service: Advancing Innovation, Accountability, Participation and Inclusion.’

Speaking to public and civil service leaders, scholars, organised labour, private-sector representatives and other stakeholders, Gobir emphasised that the ultimate purpose of public service is not merely to process paperwork, but to improve citizens’ lives.

He noted that citizens experience government primarily through the quality of public services they receive, stressing that ‘Government is an idea. Public service is its experience.’ He therefore urged public institutions to move beyond measuring activity and processes to measuring the actual value and impact delivered to citizens.

According to him, innovation in the public service must go beyond simply digitising existing processes. He cautioned against ‘digitising dysfunction’, noting that technology cannot compensate for institutions that have failed to rethink inefficient processes.

He challenged public-sector leaders to ask whether existing procedures still create public value and encouraged institutions to redesign processes around citizens’ needs rather than institutional convenience.

On accountability, the CIPM President described it as ‘the mathematics of trust,’ emphasising that public institutions must earn citizens’ confidence through competence, fairness, transparency, consistency and responsiveness.

He also stressed the importance of meaningful citizen participation, noting that participation should go beyond inviting citizens to events after decisions have already been made. Rather, citizens should have opportunities to influence decisions that affect their lives.

On inclusion, Gobir called for public services to be designed to accommodate citizens across different socioeconomic, geographic, technological and demographic circumstances. He warned that a service cannot be considered truly inclusive if it is technically available but practically inaccessible to significant segments of the population.

The CIPM President further highlighted the critical role of human resource management in public-sector transformation, noting that no institution can transform beyond the capacity of its people.

He called for a strategic approach to talent management, leadership development, performance management and capability building within the public service.

‘The greatest infrastructure of a nation is not concrete. It is capability. Only capable people move institutions.’

He urged public-sector organisations to build workplaces where competence, integrity, innovation and excellence are recognised and rewarded, while challenging leaders to develop the right people and capabilities for emerging public-sector needs.

Speaking specifically on Ogun State, Gobir acknowledged the state’s development ambitions and encouraged it to pursue a model of transformation that goes beyond infrastructure and technology to focus on building institutions that are responsive, effective and centred on citizens.

He distilled the lecture’s theme into four key imperatives: innovation must change the method; accountability must change the culture; participation must change the relationship between government and citizens; and inclusion must change the architecture of public service.

He added that leadership remains central to achieving all four imperatives, stressing that institutions do not transform themselves-people transform institutions, and leaders determine whether those people are empowered, constrained, inspired or ignored.

The CIPM President concluded by calling for a public service where innovation becomes an institutional habit, accountability becomes a professional ethic, participation becomes consequential and inclusion becomes a design principle.

He said the ultimate measure of public-sector reform should not be the number of policies or projects launched, but the number of lives improved and the extent to which citizens can access government services without unnecessary friction.

‘The ultimate measure of institutional reform will not be the number of policies launched. It will be the number of lives improved,’ he said.

The engagement reinforces CIPM’s commitment to advancing professional human resource management and supporting stronger, more capable and people-centred institutions across Nigeria.

Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun state arrived at his polling unit in Ede North Local Government Area at 8:29 a.m. on Saturday, ahead of the commencement of voting in the Osun State governorship election.

Adeleke arrived at Unit 9, Ward 2, a minute before the scheduled 8:30 a.m. commencement of voting, as voters and INEC ad hoc staff were already on ground.

The governor subsequently cast his ballot at exactly 8:32 a.m., marking his participation in the election as voting commenced at the polling unit.

His arrival and voting came as the governorship election got underway across the state, with voters turning out at polling units to participate in the exercise.

The latest nine-month financial performance of Legend Internet Plc points to potential recovery prospects despite a decline in profitability. This is as the company said it combines a resilient gross margin with an aggressive expansion and investment drive.

‘Legend Internet has the potential to translate its expansion investments into stronger financial performance. Our robust gross margin, substantial infrastructure base and ongoing expansion programme provide a solid foundation for recovery.

‘We shall utilise the capital deployed to drive the scale, revenue growth and profitability needed to support our ongoing sustainable turnaround,’ said Aisha Abdulaziz, Chief Executive Officer, Legend Internet Plc.

The company’s revenue declined by 15.1 percent to N871.1 million in the nine months ended April 30, 2026, from N962.2 million in the corresponding period of 2025. However, gross profit remained substantial at N531.1 million, translating to a gross margin of approximately 61 percent. This suggests that the core business continues to generate a healthy contribution before administrative and financing costs.

Administrative expenses rose by 142 percent to N881.4 million, from N364.1 million in the previous year, while the company’s operating profit of N281 million in 2025 turned into an operating loss of N350.3 million in the review period.

However, the substantial investments being made in acquisitions and infrastructure could provide a platform for stronger revenue and earnings performance if the expansion strategy delivers the expected benefits.

The financial statements show that Legend Internet paid N1.3 billion for the acquisition of a subsidiary and placed N5.52 billion in escrow, while securing N6.88 billion in loan financing during the period.

These transactions point to a significant expansion strategy, although the increased financing obligations have also contributed to higher finance costs, which rose to N65.9 million from N5.8 million.

The company also retains a significant infrastructure base, with property, plant and equipment valued at approximately N2.54 billion as of April 30, 2026, largely comprising fibre infrastructure.

This infrastructure provides a platform for expanding its customer base, increasing service capacity and potentially achieving greater economies of scale as the business grows.

Net cash used in operating activities stood at N217.1 million, while cash and cash equivalents closed at only N33.2 million. Total equity, nevertheless, remained substantial at N2.44 billion, despite the comprehensive loss recorded during the period.

Afrobeats star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has questioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the delay in uploading results from Saturday’s Osun State governorship election to the commission’s Result Viewing Portal (IReV).

In a post on X on Saturday afternoon, Davido expressed concern that results had not appeared on the portal several hours after voting ended at polling units across the state.

‘INEC, it is now 2:33 p.m., yet no result has been uploaded to the IReV portal. What is the delay? Nigerians deserve transparency and timely updates,’ the singer said, according to reports.

Davido subsequently urged voters to remain at their polling units and monitor the collation and transmission of their results.

He called on voters to ensure that figures recorded at their polling units were correctly entered on the electronic EC8A result form and that the results were uploaded to IReV.

‘Make sure your polling unit results are uploaded on IReV in your presence and make sure the figures are entered on eEC8A,’ he said, adding: ‘We will follow our votes bumper to bumper!’

The singer also cautioned voters against relying on unofficial results circulating on social media, urging them to verify results through the official electoral process.

His comments came as sorting and counting of ballots got underway across the state following the conclusion of voting.

However, INEC subsequently began uploading results to the IReV portal. By about 4:03 p.m., 402 polling-unit results had reportedly been uploaded out of 3,763 expected results, representing 10.68 per cent of the total.

Earlier reports also showed that INEC had uploaded 325 polling-unit results, or 8.64 per cent, as the electronic transmission process progressed.

The development has placed renewed attention on the transparency of the electronic results-transmission process as voters, political parties and observers await the outcome of the Osun governorship election.

INEC had assured stakeholders ahead of the election that polling-unit results would be uploaded to IReV for public viewing.

As the collation process continues, attention remains focused on the timely uploading of polling-unit results and the extent to which the figures on the IReV portal correspond with the results recorded at the various polling units.

Political borders have changed throughout history, with countries disappearing through war, political unions, independence movements and state collapse. In the coming decades, climate change, separatist movements, conflict and political divisions could again alter the global map.

For countries such as the Maldives, Kiribati and Tuvalu, rising sea levels raise a different question: what happens when people can no longer live on the land that defines their state? In Belgium, Spain and the UK, separatist pressures could test existing political arrangements, while Iraq, Yemen, Libya, Haiti, Somalia and Bosnia and Herzegovina face varying challenges linked to conflict, governance and territorial control.

None of these countries is certain to disappear within 50 years. However, their challenges highlight how political borders can evolve. By 2076, some countries may retain their current boundaries, while others could face territorial changes, constitutional restructuring or entirely new political realities.

According to the Voice, here are 15 countries whose current form could face pressure within the next 50 years.

1. Maldives: A Nation Facing Rising Seas

The Maldives is among the countries most exposed to rising sea levels. Most of its islands sit only a short distance above sea level, leaving communities exposed to flooding, coastal erosion and saltwater intrusion.

The government has explored options for securing land abroad as part of preparations for a future in which some islands may become difficult to inhabit. If sea levels continue to rise, the Maldives could face a situation in which its population has to live elsewhere even if its sovereignty remains.

2. Belgium: Divisions Between Flanders and Wallonia

Belgium has long been divided by language and regional politics. Dutch-speaking Flanders and French-speaking Wallonia have separate political interests, while Brussels remains a shared capital.

Political parties supporting greater regional autonomy have continued to influence national politics. A future agreement to divide powers further could raise questions about whether Belgium can remain a single state.

3. Kiribati: Preparing for Migration

Kiribati consists of low-lying islands in the Pacific Ocean. Rising sea levels threaten homes, farmland and sources of fresh water.

The government bought land in Fiji as part of preparations for food production and possible relocation. Officials have described the approach as a ‘dignified migration’ for future generations.

4. Bosnia and Herzegovina: A State Under Political Pressure

Bosnia and Herzegovina operates under a political system created by the 1995 Dayton Agreement. The system divides power among its constituent peoples and gives significant authority to its two entities.

Political disputes have continued, including calls from leaders in Republika Srpska for greater autonomy. Further disputes over the distribution of state power could put pressure on the country’s existing structure.

5. North Korea: What Happens After the Current System?

North Korea has survived predictions of collapse for decades. However, its economic problems, food insecurity and isolation continue to create uncertainty about its future.

A change in leadership or a political crisis could produce major changes on the Korean Peninsula. Such an outcome could lead to negotiations with South Korea, internal restructuring or the end of North Korea as a separate state.

6. Yemen: A Country Divided by War

Yemen has been affected by conflict since 2014. The Houthi movement controls much of the north and west, while other areas are controlled by the internationally recognised government and other armed groups.

The division has revived memories of North and South Yemen, which became one country in 1990. If political negotiations fail, calls for a return to separate states could gain more support.

7. Tuvalu: When Staying Becomes Difficult

Tuvalu faces rising sea levels, coastal erosion and saltwater intrusion. Fresh water and agricultural land are under pressure as the ocean affects the islands.

The country has also entered arrangements that could allow some citizens to move to Australia. For Tuvalu, the question is no longer only whether land will disappear, but whether people will be able to continue living there.

8. Libya: Rival Governments and Armed Groups

Libya has struggled to establish one national government since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

Rival administrations and armed groups continue to hold influence in different parts of the country. The presence of oil has not resolved the political dispute. Continued division could lead to a more permanent split in Libya’s political structure.

9. United Kingdom: Pressure on the Union

The United Kingdom faces pressure from independence and reunification movements.

Scotland continues to debate independence, while Northern Ireland has seen renewed discussion about Irish reunification. Political differences between the nations of the UK have also grown since Brexit.

A vote for Scottish independence or a future change in Northern Ireland’s constitutional status could leave the UK with a different structure.

10. Somalia: Somaliland’s Unresolved Status

Somalia has faced conflict and weak central government for decades. Somaliland declared independence in 1991 and has since operated with its own government and security institutions.

Although Somaliland is not widely recognised as an independent country, its separate political system has continued for more than three decades. A future agreement could result in formal independence or another arrangement between Somaliland and Somalia.

11. Spain: Catalonia and the Question of Independence

Spain continues to face demands for greater autonomy and independence in Catalonia and, to a lesser extent, the Basque Country.

The 2017 Catalan independence crisis brought the issue to the centre of Spanish politics. Although Catalonia remains part of Spain, future political changes could reopen the independence debate.

12. Iraq: Kurdish Independence Aspirations

Iraq’s Kurdistan Region has its own parliament, security forces and institutions. Kurdish political parties have also maintained support for greater autonomy and, among some groups, independence.

The 2017 Kurdish independence referendum showed the depth of the dispute, although the result did not lead to independence. Changes in Iraq or the wider region could bring the question back to the centre of politics.

13. Haiti: State Authority Under Pressure

Haiti is facing a crisis involving armed gangs, political instability and weak public institutions. Armed groups have expanded their control in parts of Port-au-Prince and other areas.

The central government’s ability to provide security and public services remains under pressure. Without changes in governance and security, the country’s territorial and political stability could face further challenges.

14. Cyprus: One Island, Two Political Systems

Cyprus has been divided since 1974. The Republic of Cyprus controls the south, while the Turkish Cypriot administration controls the north.

The Republic of Cyprus is internationally recognised, while Northern Cyprus is recognised only by Turkey. Repeated negotiations have failed to produce reunification.

If the division continues, the island could remain separated for another generation, making a permanent political settlement harder to achieve.

15. Moldova: Between Europe and a Breakaway Region

Moldova faces pressure from the unresolved status of Transnistria, a breakaway territory that has remained outside the control of the Moldovan government since the early 1990s.

Russia’s war in Ukraine has increased attention on Moldova’s security and political future. Moldova could move closer to Romania and the European Union, while the status of Transnistria could become part of a wider regional settlement.

Ademola Adeleke,Osun State Governor has called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene directly to prevent opposition politicians from disrupting or hijacking collation centres during the ongoing collation of results in the state’s governorship election.

Speaking via a public statement, Governor Adeleke urged the president to instruct security agency chiefs deployed to the state to maintain absolute neutrality, safeguard the electoral process, and protect voters. He stated that reports of covert attempts by ‘desperate and rejected politicians’ to compromise collation venues across Osun pose an immediate threat to peace and electoral integrity.

The governor emphasised that the presidency must reaffirm its commitment to democratic credibility by ensuring that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) reflects the actual votes cast at polling units. His appeal follows earlier concerns regarding potential deviations from statutory collation protocols, including claims that results might bypass ward and local government tracking stages.

Adeleke stressed that the integrity of the ballot remains paramount to political stability and commercial confidence within the state. He urged citizens to remain vigilant as INEC continues tallying votes across the 30 local government areas.

Political analysts note that tension during local elections often spills into economic disruption, heightening the need for strict security management at collation sites. Adeleke noted that timely presidential intervention would deter rogue actors from compromising democratic outcomes.

President Tinubu has yet to issue an official response, though federal security forces deployed to Osun maintain that measures are in place to ensure a peaceful exercise.

At least 94.5 percent (3,556) of the 3,763 polling units across Osun State opened by 8:30 a.m. during the governorship election, according to preliminary observations from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Situation Room.

According to INEC Director of Voter Education, the election situation report, the remaining 207 polling units, or 5.5 per cent, experienced minor delays in opening. However, all affected polling units became operational by 9:00 a.m.

The report also stated that the activation of the Registration Area Centres (RACs), which serve as staging points for election officials and materials, was successfully completed at 6:09 p.m. on Friday.

The activation recorded a 100 per cent completion rate ahead of the governorship poll.

Overall, the election-day processes were assessed as peaceful, orderly and timely, with no major disruption reported during the opening of polling units.

The development marks a smooth start to voting across the state as voters head to the polls to elect the next governor of Osun State.