Category: The Nation – Nigeria

Old Trafford Stadium, the 74,000-capacity home of Manchester United, was transformed into a prayer ground on Saturday as Nigerian cleric, Pastor Jerry Eze, led the NSPPD UK Prayer Conference.

The conference, convened by Streams of Joy International, attracted thousands of worshippers from across the United Kingdom and other parts of the world.

The gathering, which featured intense prayers, worship and fellowship, was free to attend, although participants were required to register in advance due to limited spaces.

Checks showed that demand for tickets far outweighed availability, with several prospective attendees taking to social media, particularly TikTok, to search for spare tickets days before the event after registration was reportedly closed.

The event also had in attendance renowned gospel music ministers, including Mercy Chinwo, Dunsin Oyekan, Sunmisola Agbebi and Kaestrings, who led the congregation in soul-lifting worship sessions.

The NSPPD UK conference is one of the largest Christian gatherings held at the iconic Old Trafford stadium in recent times.

Nigerian singer Adekunle Gold has identified the lack of proper artist development as one of the major gaps in the contemporary music industry.

The singer observed while reflecting on the career trajectory of emerging artists and the tendency for some to disappear from the scene after recording a major hit.

According to Adekunle Gold, having a successful song is not enough to sustain an artist’s career, stressing the importance of developing the skills and knowledge required to function effectively as a professional artist.

‘What is lacking now is artist development. A lot of new artists now have one major hit, and they are gone. Maybe a label has given them some money, and they start to feel on top of the world.’

He noted that some emerging artists lack the necessary skills to perform, communicate with the media and conduct themselves professionally beyond the success of a hit record.

‘You don’t know how to perform, you don’t know how to answer interview questions and even how to be an artist, aside from just having one major hit.’

The ‘High’ singer stressed that artists need to take responsibility for their own growth and develop themselves beyond making music.

‘I think that’s one thing that is very important now. Artists have to develop themselves.’

Following criticism over her absence from the Lagos premiere of ‘Starlomo’, filmmaker Funke Akindele has publicly thrown her weight behind Kamo State’s new film.

The actress and box-office record holder took to social media to urge fans and movie lovers to see the film in cinemas nationwide.

Akindele’s show of support comes days after her absence from the premiere sparked speculation of a rift with the skitmaker-turned-actor Akinyoola Ayoola, popularly known as Kamo State.

Kamo State, however, clarified that they had no disagreement, explaining that Akindele was out of the country at the time of the premiere.

In a post backing the project, Akindele congratulated Kamo State and director Kayode Kasum, and called on her followers to go to the cinemas.

‘STARLOMO. Let’s go see a good movie this weekend. Congratulations @kamo_state @kayodekasum. I wish you all the best at the box office. Starlomothemovie is now showing in all cinemas nationwide. Go see it!!’ she wrote.

‘Starlomo’, which opened in cinemas on September 25, 2026, tells the story of Ayotide, a young man who abandons his family’s food business to pursue a music career in Lagos.

After tragedy forces him back home, he uncovers a hidden history of his parents’ music careers and a lost family legacy, which he uses to reclaim his family’s name.

Directed by Kayode Kasum, the film stars Kamo State alongside Ibrahim Chatta, Abiola Adebayo, Lateef Adedimeji and others, and marks another major step in Kamo’s transition from skit-making to feature-film production.

The Imo State Commissioner for Finance and Coordinating Economy, Mr. Chuck Chuckuemeka, has urged financial institutions and other stakeholders to embrace digital transformation and develop adaptive infrastructure capable of responding to the changing demands of the global economy.

Chuckuemeka made the call while delivering a keynote address at Interswitch TechConnect 6.0, held under the theme, ‘Built for What’s Next – Designing Adaptive Financial Infrastructure for a Dynamic Market.’

He said the theme should challenge financial institutions to examine whether their systems, structures and economies were adequately prepared for the future.

According to him, ‘modern financial infrastructure must be interoperable, data-driven, scalable, secure, inclusive and resilient.’

The Commissioner explained that adaptive infrastructure meant the ability to respond to changes ‘quickly, intelligently and responsibly,’ adding that infrastructure goes beyond banks, payment platforms and physical systems.

He said it also encompasses technology, data, processes, institutions, regulatory frameworks and human capabilities that enable money and financial information to move freely, securely and efficiently.

Chuckuemeka said digital transformation was not merely about computers, software or automation, but about creating value through speed, accuracy, transparency, accountability, reduced costs and improved decision-making.

He urged financial institutions to make data a strategic asset, build interoperable systems, design for resilience and put people at the centre of technology, stressing that ‘the future belongs to institutions prepared to continuously adapt.’

The Commissioner said the Imo State Government under Governor Hope Uzodimma had embraced digital transformation as a critical pillar of modern governance, citing the digitisation of the state workforce, establishment of the Ministry of Digital Economy and E-Governance, development of Imo Digital City and digitalisation of the Imo Geographic Information System.

Also speaking, the Executive Chairman of the Imo State Internal Revenue Service, Mr. Justice Okoye, said financial infrastructure must be built with the future in mind.

Okoye said, ‘financial infrastructure comprises more than banks and payment infrastructure,’ explaining that it includes the systems, institutions, technologies and processes that enable transactions to take place efficiently, securely and seamlessly.

In her remarks, the Chief Sales Officer of Interswitch, Robinta Aluyi, said Interswitch TechConnect was designed to connect businesses, communities and everyday lives while preparing stakeholders for emerging realities in the digital economy.

She said the platform was aimed at fostering conversations and solutions that would enable businesses and institutions to remain responsive to the changing demands of the digital age.

The programme featured panel discussions on ‘Building a Digital Economy: The Role of Government, Industry and Technology in Shaping the Future,’ and ‘Driving Digital Transformation Through Public Private Partnerships.’

The event, which also featured the Anambra State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Nomso Ebonwu, brought together financial experts, technology innovators, government representatives and industry stakeholders to discuss opportunities and strategies for building a secure, inclusive and future-ready financial ecosystem.

No fewer than five hundred participants are expected at the Camporee 2026 organised by the Osun State Council of the Scout Association of Nigeria.

The event holding for two days in Osogbo, the state capital city, will start on Friday, September 25 and end on Sunday, 27.

The participants are drawn from across Nigeria and particularly the thirty local government areas of Osun State.

According to a statement by the Osun State Scout Commissioner, Dr. Sola Olalekan Atanda, the event is being held at the Olutimehin Grammar School, Asubiaro, Osogbo.

Calling on the Osun State government led by Governor Ademola Adeleke to partner and support the Scout Council in the state, Atanda said the youths deserved to be empowered in all areas of their lives for them to be able to channel their God-given talents and energies to good purposes and also to contribute meaningfully to the overall development of the nation.

Atanda, a Marathon ’63 Scouter, said the purpose of the programme was for the participants, who are youths, to learn, grow, connect and build memories through the spirit of scouting.

He said: ‘The programme is not just another camping experience; it is an opportunity to challenge the youths to discover new strengths, serve others, and grow into the leaders they are meant to become.’

He said it was important for everyone in attendance to live up to the principle of our body, ‘Building Tomorrow’s Leaders Through Scouting.’

Atanda, therefore, charged those to attend the event to be prepared, to be intentional and to ensure they participate in all the scheduled activities of the Camporee 2026.

The Deputy Chief of Staff to the Delta State Governor, Sir Christopher Osakwe, has urged operators in the entertainment industry to mobilise grassroots support for President Bola Tinubu, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and other candidates of the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Osakwe made the call on Friday when members of the Entertainment Movement for Oshimili North and South (ENFONS) paid him a courtesy visit in Asaba.

He said President Tinubu’s reforms had brought changes to the country, adding that their effects were also being felt in Delta State.

According to him, the reforms had helped address some of the challenges previously experienced by Nigerians, including salary arrears and fuel scarcity.

Osakwe said Governor Oborevwori and his deputy, Sir Monday Onyeme, had continued to support the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government through the implementation of programmes in the state.

‘Our Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, and his deputy, Sir Monday Onyeme, Ph.D., are champions of the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President in practical terms, and all of us are beneficiaries.

‘Continue to send out the message through your professional activities,’ he said.

The Deputy CoS stressed the importance of grassroots mobilisation in strengthening communication between government and citizens.

He urged the group to expand its membership and reach, saying: ‘Going forward, grow your numbers, grow your reach, and let the people feel your impact.’

Osakwe said sustained engagement with the grassroots would create greater awareness of government programmes and policies while providing opportunities for citizens to communicate their concerns to government.

He added that the government would welcome groups supporting the President and the state administration.

Earlier, the leader of ENFONS, Hon. Frank Otoide, expressed the group’s readiness to mobilise support for President Tinubu and Governor Oborevwori ahead of the 2027 elections.

The crisis over control of the 2027 campaign machinery of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) deepened yesterday as presidential candidate Peter Obi backed the party leadership and rejected the 59-member campaign council unveiled by the Obi-Kwankwaso (OK) Movement.

Obi, speaking on Arise Television on Thursday night, said the OK Movement, Obidient Movement, Kwankwasiyya and other platforms supporting his presidential bid were support groups and should not operate as parallel structures to the political party.

His position directly contradicts the OK Movement’s insistence that it is an independent political organisation entitled to establish and manage its own campaign structure.

‘NDC is the political party we all belong to, and I agree entirely with the position of the leader. OK Movement, Obidient Group, Kwankwasiyya and other support groups are supporting groups,’ Obi said.

‘They must play their role as supporting groups, supporting the party. They should not play the role of the party,’ he added.

Asked specifically whether the OK Movement’s 59-member Presidential Campaign Council had been constituted with his approval, Obi was unequivocal.

‘Not at all. And I say it here, it is wrong,’ he said.

Obi added that any activity undertaken in the name of the joint Obi-Kwankwaso ticket should have the express approval of both candidates.

The development is the latest twist in an escalating dispute between the NDC leadership and the OK Movement over the boundaries between the party’s official campaign machinery and independent groups mobilising support for its candidates.

The NDC had earlier disowned the 59-member council, while National Leader Seriake Dickson warned support groups against assuming the functions of the party.

Dickson had described the establishment of a separate presidential campaign council by a support group as ‘unheard of’ and ‘nonsensical’, insisting that support groups should concentrate on grassroots mobilisation rather than compete with the party for political space.

But the OK Movement has refused to retreat.

In a statement yesterday by its National Director-General, John Ozyl Ughulu, the group reaffirmed that its campaign council remained ‘valid and operational’ despite the positions expressed by the NDC leadership and Obi.

‘The OK Movement wishes to reaffirm, unequivocally, that its position remains unchanged. The Presidential Campaign Council structure already constituted and announced by the OK Movement remains valid and operational, irrespective of the position or opinion of any individual leader of the party or presidential candidate,’ Ughulu said.

The group maintained that its independent status meant its internal structures did not require the approval of NDC officials.

‘We have stated clearly and consistently that the OK Movement is an independent political organisation,’ it said.

‘Accordingly, its existence, internal structure, leadership decisions and organisational mechanisms do not require the validation or approval of the National Leader of the NDC Party, HE Senator Seriake Dickson, or any other individual within the party leadership.’

The movement said its members were drawn from different political parties but were united by their support for Obi and Kwankwaso.

It also rejected the suggestion that its campaign council amounted to an attempt to supplant the NDC.

‘The OK Movement has never claimed superiority over the NDC Party,’ it said, stressing that the NDC was a political party with its constitutional structures while the OK Movement was an independent organisation with its own principles, values and organisational framework.

Ughulu further argued that neither the NDC nor its presidential candidate had exclusive authority over the internal organisation of an independent movement.

‘There is no provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, nor any provision of the NDC Party Constitution brought to our attention, that automatically vests exclusive authority in a political party or its candidate to determine the internal organisational structure of an independent political organisation,’ the statement said.

The group said it would continue to mobilise for the NDC candidates but would not surrender its national, state, local government and ward structures to the party.

It also insisted that its position was not motivated by confrontation.

‘Our position is not about confrontation. It is about clarity, institutional respect and the protection of organisational independence,’ it said.

The OK Movement said it was prepared to work with the NDC but would not accept what it described as attempts to subordinate or dismantle its structures.

‘If the party chooses to work with the principles, values and structures of the OK Movement, we remain prepared to engage constructively.

‘However, the movement cannot be compelled to abandon its principles or organisational identity in order to satisfy the ambitions or preferences of any individual or group,’ it said.

The latest development places Obi himself squarely on the side of the NDC leadership in the dispute, after the presidential candidate explicitly disowned the campaign council and affirmed the party’s authority over the formal campaign structure.

The OK Movement, however, has maintained that its support for the NDC ticket and its independent organisational identity can coexist.

The dispute has consequently shifted from a disagreement over a campaign council to a broader contest over how independent political movements supporting the NDC ticket will relate to the party as the 2027 election campaign takes shape.

Veteran actor Peter Fatomilola revealed that he knew nothing about Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, until the late actor’s daughter made his health battle public.

Fatomilola disclosed this during a recent interview with African A-List, shared on Saturday.

It should be recalled that Ogogo’s daughter had publicly appealed for support for her father over his health condition before he passed away.

Reacting to the incident, Fatomilola described Ogogo as a son to him in the movie industry, adding that he would have reached out to more knowledgeable people to intervene if he had known about the situation.

‘Taiwo Hassan, in the industry, he is like a son to me. Personally, I can’t say I heard that he had challenges.

‘Until recently, when his child spoke out and made things public. Whatever is troubling a person, if it is kept under wraps, by the time it escalates beyond control…’ he said.

Fatomilola added that when such issues come to light, it is important to seek counsel from those who are better informed.

‘If we hear that something like this is happening to a person, which I am not aware of, I will inform those who are wiser or more knowledgeable than me,’ he stated.

Speaking further, Fatomilola recounted a personal loss, narrating how he and his late senior wife were building a house together before her demise.

According to him, the project had reached the lintel stage before she died.

‘Out of all the things I have been pursuing in life that I wish to accomplish, only one thing is left, which my Lord God has not yet approved,’ he said.

‘My wife and I started it; I said I wanted to build a house. I built it up to the level known as the lintel level. Then my wife passed away.’

Ogogo died on August 23 and was buried in Ogun State, weeks after his health challenge became public knowledge following his daughter’s appeal for help.

Edo State Deputy Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sylvester Aigboboh, has said First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu is expected in the state on October 15 in connection with the 50 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses procured by the administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo.

Aigboboh said the buses were part of the administration’s efforts to provide affordable public transportation and reduce the burden of transportation costs on residents.

He spoke while thanking traders for welcoming Okpebholo and his entourage at Uwelu Sparepart market, in Benin City.

The APC deputy chairman described the administration as one committed to improving the lives of Edo residents through infrastructure and other interventions.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had, on September 19, cited Edo’s 50 CNG buses while giving an update on the National Affordable CNG Transit Programme, saying the buses were already in active service.

Aigboboh said the Okpebholo administration was also making progress on road reconstruction and rehabilitation across the state.

According to him, the Sapele Road reconstruction project has reached about 80 per cent completion, while Amufi Road is ready for inauguration.

He said work had also been completed on Uteh Palace Road and Temboga Road.

Aigboboh said the road projects and public transportation interventions demonstrated the administration’s commitment to improving mobility and easing the cost of living for residents.

He thanked the traders for their support and assured them that the administration would continue implementing projects aimed at improving the welfare of the people.

At 24, Chukwu Vivian Chinaza, popularly known as Queen Splash Cakes, is taking her passion for baking beyond social media with plans to host a carnival celebrating cakes, creativity and entrepreneurship.

Born on September 24, 2002, Queen Splash has built a growing presence as a baker, content creator and digital personality, using social media to showcase her work and connect with a wider audience.

Her latest project, the Queen Splash Cake Carnival, is scheduled for December 6, 2026, at Solution Fun City.

The event is expected to bring together cake lovers, bakers, vendors, brands and other players in the baking industry. More than 500 cakes, featuring different flavours and designs, are expected to be displayed by participating bakers and businesses.

The carnival will also feature cake exhibitions, free cake tasting, competitions, entertainment, brand activations, giveaways and networking opportunities.

For Queen Splash, the event marks an expansion of a brand that began with baking and social-media content into a physical platform connecting different segments of the cake and baking industry.

Bakers, cake vendors, ingredient manufacturers, suppliers, brands, consumers and content creators are expected to use the event to showcase their products, discover new offerings and explore business relationships.

Her journey has also been shaped by financial challenges and the determination to build a career around a skill she developed a passion for.

By taking the experience offline, Queen Splash is seeking to create a direct connection between the online community around her brand and the wider baking market.

The carnival comes at a time when social media continues to provide young Nigerians with opportunities to showcase creative skills, build audiences and develop businesses.

The December event represents another step in that journey – from building visibility online to creating an experience that brings consumers, entrepreneurs and industry players together.

The Queen Splash Cake Carnival will hold on December 6, 2026, at Solution Fun City.