Category: The Nation – Nigeria

The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DAKA Foundation and Agba-Akin Bobajiro of Ibadanland, Dr. Kazeem Adesina Abidikugu, popularly known as (KSO), has congratulated Baba Ahmed, a strong youth mobiliser and grassroots politician, on his appointment by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, as the Special Assistant on Youth Mobilisation, North Central.

Abidikugu, who is contesting for the House of Representatives in the Ibadan South East and North East Federal Constituency under the ADC platform in Oyo State, described Baba Ahmed’s appointment as well deserved.

In a statement, Abidikugu said such an appointment could not have come at a better time, when all hands should be on deck for Atiku to win the 2027 Presidential election.

According to him, given Baba Ahmed’s qualities and mobilisation abilities, he congratulates Alhaji Atiku Abubakar for fishing him out, which, according to him, was a positive appointment.

Abidikugu, a United Kingdom-based psychiatric consultant, said that, as a friend and a youth in politics, he wished Baba Ahmed the best in his new position and a wonderful tenure in office, praying that God will crown his efforts.

‘I know you are capable of excelling in your new position. I pray that the Almighty Allah will give you a sound mind and good health for you to succeed. Congratulations and wishing you all the best’.

Veteran actor Peter Fatomilola has hailed skitmaker Debo Adebayo, popularly known as Mr Macaroni, describing him as exceptionally generous.

Speaking in an interview with African A-List, the Nollywood icon recalled his encounter with the content creator on a movie set in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Fatomilola said after wrapping up his two scenes, Mr Macaroni met him, walked him to his car and offered to support him with fuel money.

He noted that while he received N50,000 from the producer who engaged him for the job, Mr Macaroni gave him N200,000.

The veteran added that on another occasion, Mr Macaroni invited him to feature in a project with Pete Edochie and paid him N1 million for a single scene.

‘Mr Macaroni saw me on set one day. I had just finished the two scenes I was called for, and he escorted me to my car. He offered to give me fuel money and handed me 200k. Even the person who called me for those two scenes only gave me 50k. Macaroni still called me for another job with Pete Edochie another day and gave me 1 million Naira for just a scene’, he said.

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has uncovered the circumstances surrounding the death of a man whose body was found under the Katampe Bridge along the Kubwa Expressway, Abuja.

The development followed investigators tracing the case to a secret relationship and a guest house in Gwarinpa.

The discovery of the body on August 26 triggered speculation that the victim might have been killed by suspected highway robbers or kidnappers.

However, police investigations reportedly established that the deceased had earlier lodged at the Good Samaritan Guest House, Second Avenue, Gwarinpa, with a woman, identified as Mrs. Lukayat Mohammed of Garki Area 2.

The Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, Ahmed Sanusi, while parading criminal suspects on Saturday, said investigators were led to the woman after tracing the victim’s missing mobile phone and examining his last communication before his death.

According to the police, Mohammed and the deceased were involved in a secret relationship and had checked into the guest house together.

The woman reportedly told investigators that she woke to find the man dead beside her.

Rather than alerting the authorities, she allegedly took his phone and left the room.

Sanusi said the hotel management discovered the body but, instead of reporting the incident, two members of staff, Ibrahim Aumeza and Kepat Beetrus, allegedly removed the corpse from the premises and dumped it near the Katampe Bridge.

Investigators believe the move was intended to conceal the incident and distance the guest house from the death.

The two hotel workers have been arrested, while the police said the actual cause of death would be established through an autopsy.

The Commissioner said the development demonstrated the command’s determination to investigate cases beyond initial appearances and social media narratives.

In another operation, Sanusi said its Anti-Kidnapping Unit engaged suspected kidnappers in a gun battle in Kagarko Forest following the arrest of a suspect, Musbahu Issa.

Issa was arrested on August 2, and operatives returned to the forest on August 16 to continue the investigation.

According to the police, the team recovered two unnumbered AK-47 rifles and loaded magazines from a concealed location in the forest.

However, as operatives were leaving the area with the suspect and recovered weapons, suspected gang members allegedly ambushed them.

Sanusi said a police officer was shot in the right side of his chest during the exchange of gunfire.

He said operatives returned fire, neutralising some attackers and fatally wounding Issa, who later died on arrival at a medical facility.

The injured police officer, according to the command, survived and is responding to treatment.

The police also announced the arrest of suspected members of a robbery syndicate allegedly operating between Abuja and neighbouring Nasarawa State.

The suspects were intercepted around 10 pm on September 22 along the Goodluck Jonathan Expressway, near Cultural Centre Junction.

Police said operatives of the Violent Response Team stopped an ash-coloured Toyota Camry with registration number ABJ 606 SG.

Two occupants, Okwudili Benjamin and Chinedu Abubakar, allegedly attempted to escape but were arrested.

Police reportedly recovered nine stolen Android phones, pliers, wheel locks, and baby pampers from the vehicle.

According to police, Benjamin was previously arrested in 2023.

A follow-up operation led to the arrest of Osondu Bernard, an alleged receiver of stolen goods, near the NNPC Junction in Nyanya.

The command also paraded suspects allegedly involved in a tricycle robbery syndicate accused of attacking commuters at night.

Police said members of the gang operated by driving alongside victims, stabbing them with knives before dispossessing them of their valuables.

The Commissioner also warned against vandals targeting electricity infrastructure and other critical installations in the FCT.

He said several vandals had died from electrocution while attempting to tamper with high-tension cables and transformers.

Sanusi expressed concern over cases in which suspects allegedly attempted to cut live electricity cables inside underground culverts.

The police chief also reiterated the command’s enforcement of laws against the criminal use of heavily tinted vehicle windows, which he said could be exploited to conceal robbery and other violent crimes.

He assured residents that the command would sustain operations against criminal networks within the FCT and extend such operations to neighbouring states where necessary.

‘We will not be tired. We will do handshake operations, go into neighbouring states and flush them out,’ he said, stressing that the police would continue to pursue those threatening the peace of the nation’s capital.

The words were few, but they carried the weight of a life shattered. ‘He forced me. He took my virginity.’

Precious – not her real name – typed the words on her mobile phone because she could no longer speak. Moments later, the 17-year-old collapsed.

For more than two months now, the girl, who had only recently completed secondary school, has remained in a hospital in Abuja, battling a serious and unexplained deterioration in her health following an alleged rape.

Funds are unavailable for treatment because her poor parents live in the village and the older sister she has in Abuja barely has enough to feed both of them.

According to a concerned lady who works with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons with direct access to Precious’ condition, she is reportedly unable to speak and has at various times depended on oxygen to stay alive.

Her once ordinary life – that of a young girl only beginning to navigate adulthood – has been replaced by hospital beds, medical procedures, drugs, mounting bills and a family desperately searching for answers.

Her sister, who is taking care of her in Abuja, has been forced to shoulder much of the responsibility because their parents live in their village. The family says it has borrowed money, taken loans and obtained salary advances to keep the teenager alive. But the little money available has since run out.

And while doctors continue to battle to save her life, investigators are still trying to determine exactly what happened to her and whether any substance was administered to her around the time of the alleged sexual assault.

The case is being investigated by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP). According to the agency, preliminary findings indicate that the sexual encounter was not consensual. The circumstances surrounding the incident, however, remain the subject of investigation.

Young girl, dangerous encounter

For a young and rather naïve girl, what initially seemed non-threatening became a dangerous encounter that now leaves her and family members with lifelong trauma and psychological scars.

Before the incident, Precious had reportedly been communicating with the 36-year-old suspect through WhatsApp. Investigators said their conversations suggested that the man had been grooming the teenager before the encounter.

In one exchange cited by investigators, the girl reportedly asked whether the sexual experience would be painful. The response, according to the investigation, was ‘no, you will enjoy it.’ What happened afterwards is now at the centre of a criminal investigation.

In the face of deep concerns and suspicions, the suspect has continued to deny giving the girl any substance capable of causing her present condition. He told investigators that the girl had given an impression of being 19 years old and that he therefore believed she was old enough to engage in sexual activity.

Precious’ family, however, insists that she is 17. The distinction is crucial. Yet, beyond the question of age is the more fundamental issue of consent and the circumstances in which the sexual act occurred.

According to investigators, the teenager told them through her phone that she had been forced. Her physical condition has since become the family’s most immediate concern.

What really happened after the alleged rape? The suspect reportedly told investigators that the girl complained of pain after the sexual encounter and that he only gave her two tablets of a painkiller.

But the senior NAPTIP official handling the case said investigators became concerned when the girl’s health deteriorated severely.

‘We asked the suspect what he administered on the girl that has affected her health, and he claimed he did not give her anything,’ the official said.

‘He later admitted that he gave her two tablets of a brand of painkiller because she complained of pain after the act.’

According to the official, the suspect maintained that the drug was an ordinary painkiller and even claimed that he had some remaining at home. Investigators searched his residence but could not find the medication. He was also reportedly unable to identify where he normally purchased the drug.

The precise cause of the girl’s deteriorating medical condition remains unclear; an uncertainty that has compounded the family’s anguish. From an Intensive Care Unit of a government-owned tertiary hospital in Abuja where she was initially admitted, Precious has now been moved to a regular ward despite her condition showing little improvement.

Even at that, she is only receiving care on the basis of scanty but crucial humanitarian support that is fast running out. As the bills mounted and the family struggled to pay amounts they could not afford even after raising small loans, moving her to a regular ward became inevitable even though what she needs is close observation at the ICU.

A restricted video seen by our correspondent showed the teenager looking extremely weak and pale, with saliva drooling uncontrollably from her mouth. She has also reportedly developed a back sore during her prolonged illness.

At one point, the family tried to raise more than N300,000 to purchase alternative medication after doctors reportedly determined that the drugs she had been receiving were no longer effective. For a family already struggling to meet daily expenses, the amount was enormous.

Her sister had reportedly borrowed money, taken loans and collected a salary advance from her workplace. Still, the bills continue.

According to the NAPTIP investigator, members of the suspect’s family initially contributed towards the girl’s medical expenses. Some belongings in the suspect’s home were reportedly sold to raise money.

On one occasion, the suspect allegedly transferred N50,000 to the victim’s family. But even that amount was far short of what was required for the teenager’s continuing treatment.

Now, the family is appealing for help.

While Precious fights for her health, the family faces another painful reality – pursuing justice while trying to keep her alive. The suspect, who was initially detained during the investigation, has since been released on bail and reportedly reports to NAPTIP once a week.

For the family, the situation is difficult to comprehend. They are trying to pay hospital bills, care for a seriously ill teenager and simultaneously navigate a criminal justice process they hardly understand.

The case therefore raises a question that goes beyond this particular family: What happens to a child who survives sexual violence but whose family does not have the financial means to sustain her treatment or pursue justice?

The answer cannot be left entirely to a struggling family. The responsibility must necessarily involve the state, law-enforcement agencies, health institutions, civil-society organisations and the wider community.

NAPTIP enforces the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) (VAPP) Act 2015 to investigate rape, rescue victims, and prosecute offenders in Nigeria. The Director of NAPTIP’s VAPP Department, Mrs Rebecca Aderonke Enwusoyele, and other relevant authorities have continued to handle significant responsibilities towards ensuring that survivors of sexual violence in the FCT receive the protection and institutional support required under Nigeria’s legal and policy framework.

For Precious, however, such institutional response is not an abstract policy question; it is a matter of life.

‘Rape is almost a daily issue in Abuja’

NAPTIP says the teenager’s ordeal is part of a much larger and deeply disturbing pattern. According to an official involved in handling cases of sexual violence in the Federal Capital Territory, reports involving children are encountered with alarming frequency.

‘If it is rape, it is like a daily issue in Abuja,’ the official said. The cases, the agency said, include children between two and 15 years old.

In one case, an underage girl allegedly told investigators that a man invited other people to a location where she was restrained while he sexually assaulted her.

In another, a 16-year-old girl reported that she had allegedly been raped by her in-law. The man was arrested and detained, but the case subsequently ran into a familiar obstacle.

According to NAPTIP, the girl’s mother returned to say that members of the family had pleaded with her to withdraw the complaint. The girl was allegedly expected to forget what had happened and move on.

The numbers or statistics of rape victims, where they exist, offer only a partial glimpse of the problem. A four-year retrospective study of sexual-assault cases at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, found that 58 cases were available for analysis between 2015 and 2018. Nearly eight in 10 victims were below 20, with a mean age of just 14.1 years, while 75.9 per cent were pupils or students. More than six in 10 of the alleged assailants were known to the victims.

The study also found that only 60.3 per cent of the victims reported to the police and just 32.8 per cent completed the three-month medical follow-up. The researchers cautioned that the available data could not establish the true prevalence of sexual assault because stigma and other factors discourage reporting.

That finding gives an unsettling dimension to the experience of Precious. Sexual violence does not always come from the stranger lurking in the shadows. In the Abuja study, the alleged assailant was someone known to the victim in 63.8 per cent of cases. Most of the assaults occurred during the daytime and more than 60 per cent took place at home or in an office.

For children and adolescents, therefore, the familiar places and familiar faces around them cannot automatically be equated with safety. The danger can sometimes be concealed within relationships built on trust, familiarity or perceived affection.

Nor is the problem confined to individual cases. The National Human Rights Commission’s May 2025 dashboard recorded 1,152 complaints of sexual violence and 3,361 complaints of domestic violence nationwide in that month alone, alongside continuing concerns about sexual abuse and other violations of children’s rights.

By June, the Commission said sexual and gender-based violence remained prominent among the complaints it received, while its subsequent 2026 outlook identified the expansion of support for survivors of gender-based violence and child protection as areas requiring sustained attention.

Such figures do not represent the total number of incidents-indeed, the Abuja research points to substantial underreporting-but they underline the scale of a problem that cannot be left to victims and their families to confront on their own.

Sadly, families often silence survivors

For investigators, family intervention remains one of the most difficult obstacles in cases of sexual violence involving children. The problem is often rooted in fear, shame, financial dependence, family pressure or a desire to protect the reputation of the alleged perpetrator. NAPTIP officials said families sometimes ask that cases be withdrawn after arrests have been made.

‘Most of these people are family members and relatives sometimes persuade families to abandon cases after an arrest has been made,’ an official said. The consequence is that investigations painstakingly undertaken by law-enforcement agencies can collapse. More importantly, the survivor is left to carry the psychological and physical consequences.

For children, the consequences can be particularly devastating. Sexual violence can disrupt education, relationships, family life and a young person’s sense of safety and trust. And when the perpetrator is known to the victim, as happens in many cases, the emotional burden can become even more complicated.

Today, Precious is more than a statistic; she is a teenager who had only recently completed secondary school. Like many young people her age, she was only beginning to understand relationships and the complicated boundaries between friendship, affection, trust and sexual consent.

Her naivety should not become another weapon against her. Neither should the circumstances of her interaction with the suspect be used to shift responsibility for an alleged assault onto her.

What matters now is that she survives, receives appropriate medical care and is protected while the facts of the case are established through due process. And if the investigation establishes criminal responsibility, the law should take its course. Her family should not have to choose between buying medicine and pursuing justice.

The teenager’s case represents a call for urgent intervention. It should therefore trigger an urgent response from the relevant authorities and compassionate members of the public.

The immediate priority is medical. She needs sustained specialist care, appropriate medication, close monitoring and whatever treatment qualified medical professionals determine is necessary to stabilise her condition. Her family also needs financial support.

But the responsibility does not end there. Law-enforcement authorities must ensure that the investigation is thorough, evidence is properly preserved and the case receives the attention required by law.

The circumstances surrounding the alleged sexual assault and the subsequent deterioration in the girl’s health require careful investigation rather than speculation.

Equally important is the need to protect the teenager from further trauma. She should not be repeatedly exposed to unnecessary questioning or public scrutiny. Her identity must remain protected.

The wider public also has a role. Communities must stop treating rape and child sexual abuse as family matters to be quietly settled. Parents and guardians must be encouraged to listen to children, take disclosures seriously and seek professional and legal help where necessary. And where survivors need medical, psychological or legal assistance, they should not be left alone to navigate the system.

NAPTIP’s experience demonstrates that awareness and reporting remain critical weapons against sexual and gender-based violence. But awareness without effective intervention can leave survivors stranded.

For now, Precious remains in hospital; her life hanging in the balance. Her parents are far away in the village. Her sister remains by her side in Abuja, trying to raise money and hoping that the next medical intervention will bring improvement.

There is no certainty about when the teenager will speak again. There is no certainty about how long her recovery will take. But there is an urgent certainty about one thing: she needs help. The young girl whose voice was reduced to a few words typed on a mobile phone should not disappear into the statistics of sexual violence.

Her story is a reminder that behind every rape case is a human being – a child with dreams, a family with hopes and a future that can be permanently altered by one act of violence.

For Precious, the immediate battle is to stay alive. For her family, it is to find the resources to keep her alive. For investigators, it is to establish the truth and ensure that due process takes its course. And for society, the challenge is much bigger: to create an environment in which no child has to face sexual violence, its trauma and its aftermath alone.

Precious needs treatment. Her family needs support. And the case needs justice.

Jude Bellingham has been voted England’s Men’s Player of the Year for the second consecutive season after an outstanding international campaign that culminated in a record-breaking World Cup, TVC News reports.

The Real Madrid midfielder received the award after supporters voted through the official England app, recognising his influential performances for Thomas Tuchel’s side during the 2025-26 campaign.

Bellingham was one of England’s standout performers at the 2026 World Cup, scoring seven goals as the Three Lions finished third – their best World Cup result since winning the tournament in 1966. His tally also established a new record for an England men’s player at a single major tournament.

The 23-year-old was particularly influential in the knockout rounds, scoring twice against Mexico in the last 16 before producing another two-goal performance in England’s quarter-final victory over Norway.

His performances also earned praise from Tuchel, who described Bellingham as one of the standout players of the tournament and highlighted his ability to thrive under pressure.

Bellingham expressed his appreciation after receiving the award, describing the recognition from England supporters as a major honour.

The midfielder improved also after also claiming the 2024-25 England Player of the Year award, when he became only the second player to win the prize while playing for a club outside England, following Owen Hargreaves.

The latest recognition adds to a growing list of individual honours for Bellingham, who is also among the England players nominated for the 2026 Ballon d’Or to be held in October.

Vice President Kashim Shettima has charged the new leadership of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission to prioritise regional unity and integration, including stronger engagement with the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), as part of efforts to advance peace, stability and economic development in West Africa.

Shettima said the changing political and economic landscape of the sub-region demanded greater cohesion, friendship and cooperation among West African countries, urging ECOWAS to take the lead in rebuilding relationships and pursuing programmes that directly improve the lives and livelihoods of the people.

The Vice President spoke on Friday in New York, United States, when he received a delegation of the ECOWAS Commission led by its new President, Generale Birame Diop (rtd), on the sidelines of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

In a statement issued by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima specifically urged the new management to deliberately engage emerging blocs in the region, particularly the AES, while strengthening the bonds among the peoples of West Africa.

‘Beyond your administrative duties, your leadership of the commission must make deliberate efforts to build bridges of friendship across the sub-region. ECOWAS should be at the forefront of our engagement with emerging blocs in the area such as Alliance of Sahel States (AES).

‘I urge ECOWAS under your leadership to champion the cause of regional integration and strengthen the bonds of unity and friendship among our people’, Shettima told the delegation.

The Vice President also called on the commission to give serious consideration to private sector participation in the execution of the Lagos-Abidjan highway project, stressing the importance of mobilising resources and partnerships capable of accelerating regional infrastructure and economic integration.

Congratulating Diop on his election as President of the ECOWAS Commission, Shettima observed that he was assuming the leadership of the regional body at a difficult period that required greater synergy and cohesion among governments and citizens of member countries.

He assured the new leadership of Nigeria’s continued cooperation and support for initiatives aimed at strengthening ECOWAS and accelerating the development of the sub-region.

‘My boss, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is a man of honour and conviction who will always support efforts aimed at advancing the transformation of ECOWAS as a regional body, and the progress of the area in general’, the Vice President said.

Shettima added that Nigeria would continue to provide an enabling environment for the regional organisation to succeed and contribute meaningfully towards achieving the vision and objectives of its founding fathers.

Earlier, Diop commended Nigeria for its role in the establishment and sustenance of ECOWAS over the years, as well as the sacrifices the country had made towards promoting stability and prosperity across West Africa despite prevailing challenges.

The ECOWAS Commission President said the region was confronting rising insecurity and development challenges, alongside other difficulties facing the commission, which he said would require Nigeria’s direct intervention as a ‘big brother’ to overcome.

Describing ECOWAS as an important instrument for regional stability that deserved sustained support, Diop called on other countries in the sub-region to cooperate with Nigeria in pursuing inclusive development and securing a better future for the people of West Africa.

Also at the meeting were the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu; Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Lateef Fagbemi (SAN); Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Amb. Jimoh Ibrahim, and senior officials of the ECOWAS Commission.

Looking back at your time in the house, what’s one thing you wish you had done differently?

I wish I had explored more friendships. Friendships with Keivo, Araga and Gerald. Once they left the house, I had almost nobody apart from Bells. I wish I had tried more relationships.

What inspired the eviction look?

Naturally, I just like to try new things. I was bored of the look I was carrying in the house. I wanted to disrupt the normal day of my life. I wanted to look and feel different.

What is your biggest mental hurdle?

I wasn’t the best at arena games because they were new to me, unlike other housemates who had prior knowledge. I wasn’t the worst either, but I could have done better. Losing the games made me feel moody.

Can you share some of the misconceptions about yourself that you’d be correcting?

That I have a temper. I just had a few confrontations with Tram and Sultex, and that was me standing up for myself, but watching the highlights, I realised how that must have looked like I was an angry person. It was just an outburst. An outburst here or there shouldn’t define my image. The second narrative was always with Bells. Bells was part of the journey, but I was also friends with Araga, Keivo and Gerald. Keivo even brought out the weird side of me. I had my moments with Wager too.

What does fashion mean to you in general?

For me, fashion is a form of expression, how I think about myself and how I carry myself. It’s a compliment to who I am. So, most of my outfits are usually very intentional. My entrance outfit was unconventional because I intentionally wanted the world to see me in that way, like royalty or something of some sort. It also depicts my feelings; most times when I feel low, even in the house, I wear black but I don’t think people got to understand that part of my fashion reasoning. For me, fashion means self-expression in some type of way. I use fashion to express myself.

What is it about the house that you’d really miss?

I love how unpredictable it was. I cherished the unpredictability because it also gave hope to the people who had not won enough that maybe your day will come, so that feeling of hopefulness was one thing that carried a lot of people. It kept us going; it kept them going. I love how spontaneous it is. I love activities so much; that’s why I was very active during the wager. The house will stimulate you with so many activities going on at the same time. I loved how it was a mixture of several characters and personalities that were multi-layered. I observed so many people in the house, and it was beautiful watching people unravel themselves. I think that sums it all.

What sort of roles are you naturally drawn to, and which would you like to explore as you’re out of the house as an actor?

Naturally, I’m drawn to every type of role because I’m a curious person, and I’m also curious about myself. So, I want to experience everything and explore everything that comes with acting. I want to be versatile. I want to do drama, action, comedy, romance, thriller, and series. I want to go mainstream. I want to be actively involved in acting and master my craft. I want to perfect it, be the actor that people look forward to watching because of how good and expressive he is. I want to do so much in my acting career.

Now that you’re out, what’s next for Yusuf, and what should we expect from you after BBNaija?

I want to go back into acting and do more challenging roles. Accept more diverse roles. Do more interesting things in acting. I was an author, so I want to go back to writing books, scripts, etc. I also want to delve into public speaking and hosting, and expansion of my farm.

Nigerian filmmaker Dr Donald Oluchukwu Iheonunekwu’s film, ‘Osu,’ has emerged as the Best Indigenous film in Toronto, Canada.

The film won Best Indigenous Film at the Brampton International Nollywood Film Festival (BINFF) – part of the Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival (TINFF) ecosystem.

For Iheonunekwu, the award is more than personal.

‘This award is dedicated to the Igbo language. We have to do more for our culture,’ he said.

Iheonunekwu has anchored his filmmaking on the belief that indigenous languages survive when they are lived and when stories are told through them.

Rather than blame the status quo, he chose cinema as his contribution to keeping Igbo visible and relevant – producing films substantially in Igbo and documentaries exploring Igbo history and civilisation.

His documentary ‘Journey to Igbo Civilisation’ won Best Documentary at the Abuja International Film Festival in 2022 and repeated the feat at VILLAFEST in 2023.

Another defining chapter came during his first visit to Kigali, Rwanda, where he encountered stereotypes about young Igbo men.

He turned the experience into ‘A Trip to Kigali,’ shot in Lagos and Kigali, which explores identity, perception and how Africans view each other. He served as actor, co-director and producer on the project.

The film won Best Narrative Feature at the 2026 TAFF International Film Festival in Dallas and also clinched a Best Actress award.

‘A film can do more than entertain; it can challenge stereotypes, preserve culture and reshape global perceptions,’ he noted.

His latest honour, ‘OSU,’ tackles one of the most difficult subjects in Igbo social history – the Osu caste system, which for generations subjected people and their descendants to discrimination and exclusion due to inherited status rooted in traditional religious practices.

A political support group backed by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, BTO4PBAT27, has launched a grassroots mobilisation campaign across wards and polling units in Ondo State ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The group’s Director-General, Mr Gideon Adojutelegan, said this on Saturday in an interview in Akure, adding that the group has commenced a ‘Unit-to-Unit Tour’ across the state’s 18 local government areas.

Adojutelegan revealed that the tour also aims to strengthen grassroots structures and mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election.

He said the initiative would involve direct engagement with residents, party members, community leaders, youths, women and other stakeholders.

The DG noted that the tour would focus on voter education, Permanent Voter Card (PVC) awareness, political reconciliation, community dialogue and strengthening its presence at ward and polling-unit levels.

Adojutelegan added that the initiative was designed to move beyond conventional political mobilisation by creating opportunities for the group to listen to the concerns and priorities of communities.

‘Effective political organisation must have its foundation among the people. Our objective is not simply to visit communities, but to listen, engage, build relationships and strengthen grassroots participation,’ he stated.

He said sustained engagement at the ward and polling-unit levels remained critical to building an effective political organisation and maintaining regular interaction with the electorate.

Adojutelegan added that the group’s activities would promote party unity and support for candidates duly nominated by the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2027 elections.

He lauded the Minister of Interior, Dr Tunji-Ojo, for his leadership, guidance and continued support for its political and grassroots activities.

According to him, the minister’s encouragement had helped strengthen its organisational structure and motivated members to expand their activities across the state.

‘We formally place on record our profound appreciation for his leadership, guidance, trust, encouragement and continued support.

‘We remain committed to conducting our activities with discipline, responsibility and respect for the people and institutions we engage,’ Adojutelegan stated.

He, however, said the Unit-to-Unit Tour would also strengthen coordination among its members and create sustained channels of engagement between its leadership and communities across Ondo State.

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has extended its passport intervention exercise in the United Kingdom to October 30, 2026, following increased demand from Nigerians in the diaspora.

The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, ordered the exercise in response to concerns raised by Nigerians abroad over passport and other document applications.

NIS Public Relations Officer, Deputy Comptroller of Immigration Akinsola Akinlabi, said the UK exercise, initially scheduled to end on October 6, had been extended to October 30.

‘Therefore, Nigerian communities in the UK are enjoined to take advantage of the extension to renew their passports,’ Akinlabi said in a statement issued in Abuja.

He urged applicants to utilise the designated venues, including 56-57 Fleet Street, Temple, London EC4Y 1JU; Nigerian House, 23 Platt Lane, Manchester M14 5NE; Hilton Convention Centre, 13 Smithfield Road, Aberdeen, AB24 4NR; and Cardiff.

Akinlabi said the venue for the Cardiff centre would be announced in a subsequent public notice, urging applicants to monitor the Nigeria High Commission’s website and NIS official communication channels for updates.

He said applicants must book appointments through the NIS-approved platform or the Nigeria High Commission’s website and adhere strictly to their scheduled dates and times.

The arrangement, he said, was designed to ensure an orderly process, minimise delays and enable the Service to attend to applicants efficiently throughout the exercise.

Akinlabi also said the Contactless Passport Application System remained operational, encouraging eligible Nigerians to use the platform to renew their passports without visiting a Nigerian embassy, high commission or consulate.

He urged Nigerians to contact: email:passport.london@immigration.gov.ng. WhatsApp only: +234 916 087 8000 for assistance.

According to Akinlabi, applicants must present documents such as a completed application form, payment slips as proof of payment, and the intervention appointment printout.

Self-addressed return envelope; and for renewal cases, mandatory presentation of the applicant’s current passport.

Akinlabi warned applicants that cash payments would not be accepted at the venue, and that they must cooperate with officials to ensure a smooth and orderly exercise.

‘The Nigeria Immigration Service remains committed to efficient, transparent and responsive passport Service Delivery to Nigerians at home and in the diaspora,’ he said.