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The death of Prophet (Dr.) Emmanuel Abiodun Adewale Alogbo, the Worldwide Spiritual Leader of the Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church, has drawn tributes from members of the church and the Christian community.

Here are six key facts about the late cleric:

1. He was born on Easter Sunday in 1933

Prophet Emmanuel Alogbo was born on April 18, 1933, at Inabiri Street, Lagos, to the family of Dickson Adeleye Alogbo and Maria Ojubomo Alogbo. He had his primary education at Ago-Ijaiye Primary School, Ebute Meta, before completing his secondary education at St. Paul’s Secondary School and Oduduwa College, both in Ile-Ife.

2. He began his career with the Nigerian Railway Corporation

In 1950, he joined the Nigerian Railway Corporation, serving in the Electrical/Refrigeration section of its Engineering Department. His transfer to Zaria in 1955 marked a turning point in his spiritual journey.

3. His church journey began through music

While in Zaria, Alogbo encountered members of the Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church singing one of his compositions. He corrected the choir’s rendition and subsequently joined the church’s choir in 1959. He later became a key figure in the church’s music ministry, introducing the Yoruba talking drum (gangan) into worship.

4. He founded the first CandS Movement Church branch in Southern Nigeria

After returning to Lagos in 1960, Prophet Alogbo established the first Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church branch south of the River Niger at his residence on Cregg Street, Surulere, Lagos. The first service was held on September 29, 1960, with about 10 worshippers, laying the foundation for the church’s expansion across Southern Nigeria.

5. He transformed CandS worship through music

Widely regarded as a pioneer of contemporary worship within the church, Alogbo introduced dance-style church music, beginning with the trumpet before incorporating guitars, organs and other musical instruments. His innovations significantly influenced worship patterns within the Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church and beyond.

6. He expanded the church’s global presence

Beyond Nigeria, Prophet Alogbo played a leading role in establishing the Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church in the diaspora, particularly in the United States, with branches in Los Angeles, New York and Houston, Texas, as well as in the United Kingdom.

A former governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State, Dr Adetunji Oredipe, has donated campaign vehicles and a campaign office in Ijebu North East Local Government Area to the party’s governorship candidate, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Oredipe, a senior agricultural economist at the World Bank, handed over the vehicles and campaign office at a ceremony held recently at Legan Hall, Ijebu-Ode.

He said the gesture was part of efforts by his OTO political team to integrate its structure into the YAYI Movement and mobilise support for APC candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.

According to him, the team would work to secure votes for Adeola and other APC candidates, including the party’s presidential ticket of President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima, as well as candidates contesting the senatorial and other elective positions in Ogun State.

Speaking with journalists after the ceremony, Oredipe said the donation formed part of his team’s preparations to mobilise grassroots support and strengthen the party’s structures ahead of the elections.

He disclosed that the OTO Team had established a campaign office and procured campaign vehicles and other operational assets to support the party’s electoral activities.

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Oredipe said the decision to support Adeola was driven by his belief in the senator’s political agenda and capacity to lead the state.

‘If you believe in a mission, you must invest in it. We are saying that we believe in what he is doing, and our support cannot be limited to words alone. We have to demonstrate it through action,’ he said.

He described Adeola as the candidate he believed was best positioned to lead Ogun State, adding that voters would ultimately determine the outcome of the election.

‘At this moment, we believe it is in everyone’s best interest to support Yayi. That is the decision we have made. Others will have their time, but I believe that, at this point, Yayi is the answer,’ Oredipe said.

The World Bank official also disclosed that his team would embark on a door-to-door campaign to mobilise support for APC candidates across the state.

He said the party had gained ground in areas previously considered strongholds of the opposition, adding that increasing support for the APC had strengthened his team’s confidence ahead of the elections.

‘In the past, we had strong opposition and people aligned with other political parties in this part of the state. But today, by the grace of God, many of them have joined us,’ he said.

He added that residents in some communities traditionally associated with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were increasingly expressing support for the APC and its candidates.

Responding, Adeola thanked Oredipe for the donation, describing the gesture as significant and assuring him that it would not be taken for granted.

The APC governorship candidate described Oredipe as a distinguished Nigerian and an administrator of exceptional ability, adding that he looked forward to working with him if elected governor.

Adeola pledged that his administration would prioritise the welfare of residents and invest in human development to improve living conditions across the state.

He also said members of the OTO political family had joined the YAYI Movement and would work with other party members towards the APC’s success in the 2027 elections.

The Managing Director of the Northeast Development Commission (NEDC), Mohammed Alkali, announced that the agency has achieved eighty percent of its mandated interventions in the region.

Alkali made this statement on Thursday during a session with senior media executives in Abuja.

The NEDC was established in 2017 by an Act of the National Assembly to coordinate and facilitate the reconstruction, rehabilitation, and long-term development of communities across the six states in the region that have been affected by insurgent activities.

Additionally, the Commission has developed a ten-year Stabilization and Development Masterplan, which is structured into four phases: Recovery and Stabilization, Renewal, Expansion, and Consolidation.

Alkali expressed satisfaction with the agency’s intervention in the health sector. Previously, the entire zone managed only one Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine for all six states, but now it has increased to eight machines.

He said: ‘We did a lot of diagnostic studies of the health situation.

We discovered that only one functional MRI machine existed in the North east.

‘We invited stakeholders in the tertiary institutions and we discovered that aside MRI machine, there was no CT scan machine.

‘Today, at the end of this quarter, we are going to have 8 state-of-the-art MRI machines.

We also provided all the health institutions with CT scan to help them.’

The MD of the NEDC also disclosed that in the area of education, the Commission has constructed three mega schools in each of the six states in the region.

‘The total number of mega schools is 18, and all of them are functional with all the facilities to make learning easy.’

He also noted that priority has been given to rehabilitation and construction of roads, submitting that many roads in bad shape across the states in the zone have been fixed.

‘Today, you can see critical bridges fixed that are working well. We have over 50 bridges completed across the zones.’

Alkali, who was flanked by the Chairman of the Commission, Major- General Paul Tarfa(retd), also declared that priority is being given to power stability, as he noted that efforts taken in other sectors like health, education and road infrastructure would amount to nothing in the absence of stable and available power.

He further assured Nigerians that the Commission was mindful of Nigerians experience with abandoned projects submitting that the Board and management of the Commission would not embark on any projects without adequate funds on the ground.

He said: ‘Before any project is awarded, we will make sure that funds are available by all means so that we dont abandon projects midway. I can say categorically that if you are given a job and you dont do it, we won’t pay you.

‘So I can tell you that any contract we do must be to standard before we pay you.’

The Rotary Club of Ibadan Gold, in collaboration with the Just Charity Foundation, on Monday donated maternal and baby care equipment to expectant mothers at Jericho Specialist Hospital, opposite Conoil Filling Station, Jericho, Ibadan, as part of efforts to improve maternal and child healthcare.

The outreach, tagged ‘A Safe Start: Nurturing Mothers, Protecting Futures,’ underscored the club’s commitment to advancing maternal and child health while supporting healthier communities.

Items donated included baby clothing, diapers, sanitary pads, Makintouch supplies, a fetal heart doppler, sphygmomanometer (blood pressure monitor), surgical spirit, detergents, cotton wool, mopping sticks and buckets to promote cleanliness in the maternity ward.

Speaking during the presentation, President of the Rotary Club of Ibadan Gold, Rotarian Tracey Oloyede, stressed the importance of ensuring quality healthcare for mothers and newborns.

She said the intervention was in line with Rotary International’s focus on maternal and child health for the month of July.

Maternal and child health is one of Rotary International’s key areas of focus, and July is dedicated to promoting initiatives that safeguard the lives of mothers and children. This project reflects our commitment to ensuring that every mother has access to quality care and every child has the opportunity for a healthy start in life.

‘We recognise that pregnancy and childbirth should be moments of joy, not anxiety. By donating these essential items, we hope to ease the burden on expectant mothers and support the healthcare professionals who work tirelessly to provide quality maternal care.’

‘Our theme, ‘A Safe Start: Nurturing Mothers, Protecting Futures,’ reminds us that when we invest in the health of mothers and newborns, we are investing in the future of our communities. We will continue to partner with organisations that share this vision of service above self.’

Representatives of the Just Charity Foundation, Johnson Emoabino expressed delight at partnering with the Rotary Club of Ibadan Gold, describing the collaboration as a welcome opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of mothers and newborns.

‘We are delighted to partner with the Rotary Club of Ibadan Gold on this impactful initiative. Our organisations share a common passion for improving lives, and maternal and child healthcare is an area where timely intervention can make a lasting difference.’

‘No mother should lack access to basic necessities during childbirth, and no newborn should be denied a healthy start because of preventable challenges. We believe this partnership will bring hope to many families and encourage others to support similar humanitarian causes.’

The Chief Nursing Officer of Jericho Specialist Hospital, Mrs Mariam Akinyemi, commended the club and its partner for the donation, describing the gesture as timely and beneficial to the hospital’s maternity unit.

She noted that the donated items would complement the hospital’s efforts in providing quality care for pregnant women and their babies, while encouraging other organisations and individuals to emulate the humanitarian initiative.

Speaking in an interview with selected maritime journalists on Wednesday evening, the NPA chief executive further disclosed that contractors are set to move to site following the completion of preliminary activities, including critical site investigations and borehole drilling.

According to Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho:

‘The port modernisation programme has moved from planning into the active pre-construction and procurement phase, with significant progress on funding, site preparations, and new operational measures to tackle congestion.

‘NPA has secured key financing and is now releasing funds. The Federal Government has begun paying the counterpart funding required to access the £746 million UK-backed loan for the Apapa and Tin Can Island ports upgrade. This is part of the broader $1 billion reconstruction programme for five major seaports.

‘Preliminary on-the-ground activities have already been completed. Critical site investigations, including borehole drilling, have been concluded. Contractors are now expected to mobilise to site, with the NPA having held technical stakeholder meetings to assess progress and address gaps.

‘While physical construction has not yet begun, the NPA has confirmed that the groundbreaking for the Apapa and Tin Can modernisation projects is imminent.

‘To manage congestion ahead of construction, the NPA has introduced a phased truck entry system. This demand-driven system releases trucks in batches to match terminal capacity.

‘A joint task force has also been clearing access roads daily since June 2026 to prevent indiscriminate parking. The NPA is also deepening collaboration with customs agents to improve cargo evacuation.

‘In summary, the NPA has secured the funding and completed the necessary site investigations. Contractors are mobilising, and the long-awaited groundbreaking for the reconstruction of the Apapa and Tin Can ports is expected within the next few weeks.’

On when the rehabilitation of the Apapa and Tin Can ports is expected to be completed, the NPA chief executive said:

‘The NPA has made significant strides in the Federal Government’s Port Modernisation Programme, transitioning from planning to the pre-implementation phase for the reconstruction of major ports.

‘Funding has also been secured for the rehabilitation of the Eastern Ports. The focus is now on the NPA finalising pre-construction activities, including stakeholder and host community engagement.

‘The port modernisation programme is a long-term project. The reconstruction phase is expected to last 48 months (four years) for the Apapa and Tin Can Island ports, with project completion projected for around late 2030, based on a Q3 2026 commencement date.

‘As innovation remains the backbone of our digital systems, you will recall that the National Single Window (NSW) commenced operations in Q1 2026, while the Port Community System (PCS) was also launched in Q1 2026.

‘Bear in mind that the ‘Eto’ electronic truck call-up system is being enforced, contributing to Apapa and Tin Can ports being ranked among the World Bank’s Top 20 Most Improved Ports. The programme aims to significantly boost cargo-handling capacity, sharply reduce congestion and logistics costs, attract foreign investment, and position Nigeria as a leading regional maritime hub.

‘While the financial groundwork has been laid, Nigerians should expect physical, on-site improvements to become visible from late 2026 onwards, with the full transformation expected to take about four years to complete.’

Members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament have pledged to push for the removal of trade barriers hindering the growth of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across West Africa after traders and manufacturers decried persistent border bottlenecks, harassment and limited access to finance despite the bloc’s free movement protocols.

The commitment followed a two-day field visit and town hall meeting held on Wednesday and Thursday in Cotonou as part of the ongoing delocalised meeting of the Parliament’s Committees on Industry and Private Sector, Macroeconomic Policy and Economic Research, Administration, Finance and Budget, and Public Accounts.

During a visit to LES JUS TILLOU, a pineapple juice processing factory, the company’s owner, Madam Guedegbe Marcos, lamented that exporting products within the ECOWAS region has become more difficult than shipping to Europe and Canada.

She told the parliamentarians that bureaucratic bottlenecks, particularly in trade with Nigeria and Ghana, continue to undermine the objectives of regional economic integration.

According to her, the factory, established with a loan of nearly four billion CFA francs from the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), requires an additional one billion CFA francs to expand its production and improve packaging.

Despite growing demand for its products in both West African and international markets, she said regional trade restrictions have continued to limit the company’s growth.

Madam Marcos argued that the ECOWAS principle of the free movement of persons, goods and services remains largely theoretical for many businesses operating within the sub-region.

In response, members of the Parliament assured the entrepreneur that they would engage lawmakers across member states to address the policy and administrative obstacles affecting regional trade.

The lawmakers also toured the Glo-Djigbe Industrial Zone (GDIZ), a public-private partnership between the Government of Benin and ARISE Integrated Industrial Platforms (ARISE IIP), located about 45 kilometres from the Port of Cotonou.

The industrial hub hosts more than 40 manufacturing and processing industries, including cashew and soybean processing plants, integrated textile factories, ceramic tile production, electric motorcycle assembly and pharmaceutical manufacturing.

The delegation was informed that the GDIZ Textile Park operates as a vertically integrated facility, covering the entire value chain from spinning and weaving to garment production.

At a town hall meeting held at the popular KP3 market in Cotonou, traders from across the region highlighted the practical challenges confronting cross-border commerce.

Representatives of women traders complained of harassment, extortion and corruption at border posts, saying such practices discourage legitimate business and increase the cost of regional trade.

They also called for easier access to credit, noting that women entrepreneurs often struggle to secure loans needed to expand their businesses.

The traders further urged ECOWAS member states to harmonise customs charges and simplify border procedures to encourage more businesses to transition from informal to formal trade.

After hearing the concerns, the parliamentarians pledged to deliberate on the issues and forward appropriate recommendations to relevant ECOWAS institutions and national authorities.

They stressed that thriving MSMEs remain essential to reducing poverty, creating jobs and tackling insecurity across West Africa, insisting that all policies and practices impeding regional trade should be urgently reviewed and abolished.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has told political appointees serving under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to either actively work for the party’s success ahead of the 2027 general election or resign from their positions, saying there is no room for officials who claim to be technocrats without political responsibilities.

The party’s National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, issued the warning on Wednesday in Abuja while receiving members of the Progressive Local Government Chairmen’s Forum. The delegation, led by the Chairman of Chanchaga Local Government Area in Niger State, Dr Mustafa Jibrin, updated him on the forum’s grassroots mobilisation strategy for the 2027 polls.

Yilwatda said local government chairmen were in a better position than officials in Abuja to assess whether political appointees were contributing to the party’s political strength in their respective communities, irrespective of their administrative performance.

‘It is you who will tell me that this commissioner is not working. Maybe he is working in the office, but politically he is zero in his ward. It is you who know whether this director general may be working in the office, but politically he is zero back home,’ he said.

The APC chairman stressed that every political appointee remained a politician by virtue of holding public office through political appointment and could not separate themselves from partisan activities by claiming to be technocrats.

‘We call them political appointees. There is a word ‘political’ there. They are not just technocrats. They are political appointees. You can’t be holding a political position and then say you are not a politician. I have been hearing some people saying that, ‘I am not a politician,’ but they are holding political appointments. It is like somebody who has Yoruba or Kanuri tribal marks telling you that he is not a Yoruba or Kanuri man. It cannot happen,’ he said.

He maintained that anyone unwilling to engage in politics should reject political appointments, noting that the party’s electoral success depended on effective mobilisation rather than officials who viewed themselves solely as administrators.

‘If you don’t want to be a politician, don’t take a political appointment. We work to mobilise votes. Without the votes, you can’t be in office. That is why we need you to work with these people. Tell them they are not doing well. Tell them where we need to work harder. Tell them where we have leakages so that we can win the election,’ he said.

Yilwatda also assured the forum of the APC’s support for its planned mobilisation programmes, including the inauguration of state coordinators and a large-scale endorsement rally for President Tinubu in Abuja.

‘We will support you. We will stand by you. We will ensure that we have a strong partnership that will give this party a strong victory in 2027,’ he said.

He added that the party leadership would take part in mobilisation activities organised by the forum without waiting for official invitations, saying there was no reason to delay participation in efforts aimed at strengthening the APC.

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has said its enforcement activities are not designed to punish or unnecessarily stifle businesses but to ensure that the rights of Nigerian consumers are protected.

The agency also disclosed its intention to ensure that businesses clearly display the prices of goods and services in the nation’s currency as a means of promoting transparency.

The Commission’s Executive Vice Chairman, Dr Tunji Bello, stated this in his keynote address at the FCCPC/Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) Stakeholder Engagement held in Lagos.

The FCCPC boss, who was represented by the Commission’s South-West Zonal Coordinator, Olubunmi Dorcas Otto, said the stakeholder engagement, organised in partnership with LASCOPA, provided an opportunity to discuss three issues affecting consumers and businesses daily: price tagging, minimum labelling requirements, and return and refund obligations.

Describing price tagging as not merely a good business practice but a basic requirement of fairness, the Commission’s Executive Vice Chairman said consumers should know the cost of an item before deciding whether to purchase it.

According to him, the law requires businesses to clearly display the prices of goods and services in the currency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as this promotes transparency, enables consumers to compare prices, reduces disputes and strengthens confidence in the marketplace.

On labelling, Bello said consumers deserved to know what they were buying, adding that product labels should clearly identify the product, the manufacturer and, where appropriate, its contents, among other relevant information.

He explained that Lagos was chosen for the engagement because of its status as the nation’s commercial nerve centre, with millions of transactions conducted in the state daily.

Speaking at the event, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of LASCOPA, Afolabi Solebo, said Section 60(1)(b) made it an offence for any person to sell products without providing consumers with the required information.

According to him, consumers have the right to be informed about the quality, quantity, potency, purity, standard and price of the goods and services they purchase.

‘Section 2(b) of the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency Law, 2025, explicitly guarantees every consumer the right to be informed about the quality, quantity, potency, purity, standard and price of goods and services, as the case may be, in order to protect consumers against unfair trade practices.

‘Clearly displaying prices on goods and shelves is the practical way to give effect to this right,’ he added.

Residents were captured on video collecting fuel from a leaking tanker in the City Gate area of Asaba, Delta State, despite the risk of a possible explosion.

Footage shared on X on Thursday showed scores of people arriving at the scene with buckets, jerrycans and other containers to gather the fuel spilling from the tanker.

The crowd reportedly gathered after the tanker developed a leak, with many residents taking advantage of the situation to collect the escaping fuel.

The incident has sparked fresh concerns over public safety, as similar tanker fuel spill incidents have led to fatal explosions in several parts of Nigeria.

Nine persons abducted by suspected terrorists have been rescued, while three bandits were killed in a coordinated operation by joint security forces in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State.

A press statement by the Chief Press Secretary to Ekiti Local Government Council Chairman, Prince Dada Sunday, stated that the rescue operation, carried out in the Obbo-Aiyegunle, Ejiu-Ora and Osi axis of Ekiti LGA bordering Ekiti State and Niger State, was conducted by Kwara State-recruited Forest Guards in conjunction with operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, local hunters and vigilantes.

According to security sources, the victims were abducted from Eju community after the local market and were being moved through the bush toward Niger State before the security team intercepted them.

One of the rescued victims, Umaru Muazu of Obbo Aiyegunle, said the attack occurred around 4:57pm.

‘Men came from nowhere and put a gun to my head. Four of them took my son and me. Fear gripped me, and I fell to the ground. They also took my friend’s motorcycle and kidnapped us,’ Muazu told reporters.

Another rescued farmer, Ibrahim Danga, also of Obbo Aiyegunle, confirmed they were held briefly before the security forces arrived.

Owolabi Adebayo, a member of the Kwara Forest Guards, said the team had been on intelligence-driven bush combing when they engaged the terrorists.

‘We neutralized three of them and rescued nine people. One of the victims is receiving treatment for injuries,’ Adebayo said.

He also said that the bandits were better armed. ‘There is no type of firearm that is not in their hand. We need more equipment such as body armour, binoculars, night goggles, walkie-talkies and more ammunition to confront them.’

The Chief Security Officer of Ekiti LGA, Agbemuko Gabriel, commended the forest guards for their efforts, saying that, ‘What they did for us two days ago, they are the ones that helped us rescue those people that were kidnapped along Ora-Yetoro axis. They have been doing enough security and intelligence work for us and we are happy for that’.

Footage from the scene showed security operatives with several motorcycles allegedly recovered from the bandits, while the nine rescued persons were paraded.

The development comes as the Federal Government moves to strengthen the fight against banditry and kidnapping. It was also disclosed that a new Army battalion has been approved for Omu Aran in Kwara South to bolster security operations in the area.

Authorities say bush combing and joint patrols will continue in Kwara South and border communities to prevent further attacks on farming communities.