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 Alaafin: I consulted Ifa in presence of Oyo Mesis - Prof. Abimbola A former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Professor Wande Abimbola, has said that the kingmakers of Oyo town in Oyo State, popularly known as Oyo Mesa, were present when he did his Ifs divination that that threw up Price Akeem Owoade as the Alaafin of Oyo. The Awise Awo Agbaye, installed in 1981 at Ile Ife, made the revelation in an interview with top Editors of the Nigerian Tribune. When asked about the divination, which was said to have been carried out following the invitation of the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, Professor Abimbola said: “Well, someone interviewed me yesterday or day before and it has gone viral. “I don’t regret what I said, but I don’t want to say too much anymore; only to let you know that for the first time in modern times in Yorubaland, Ifa played a key role in the selection of a prominent oba. “I said for the first time becau...

 Trump wants one of the agents who covered him after he was shot to lead the Secret Service President-elect Donald Trump will choose to lead the U.S. Secret Service one of the agents who covered him after a gunmen opened fire at the candidate during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. Donald Trump Jr. said his father will be naming Sean Curran, who heads the president-elect's personal detail as special agent in charge, to be Secret Service director. “Sean is a great patriot and will stop all the insanity once and for all. There’s not a better person to be in this position!” Trump Jr. posted on X on Friday. The agency has been under scrutiny and pressure after Trump was wounded in the assassination attempt at a July 13, 2024 ,rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and after a second failed assassination attempt at his Florida golf course on Sept. 15. In the first attempt, Trump's right ear was grazed by a bullet. He wasn’t injured in the second one. One of the main criticisms was that loc...

 Wendy Williams Says Diddy Is Going to Prison for Life: ‘You Don’t Know the Things That I Know’ The former Wendy Williams Show host offered up her prediction on Diddy’s fate in a Thursday, January 16, interview with Charlamagne tha God on “The Breakfast Club.” “Diddy will go to prison for life, people,” she said. “You don’t know the things that I know about Diddy back in the day.” Though Williams, 60, did not elaborate further, she has a long history with Diddy, 55. Their feud dates back to 1998 when Williams was fired from her radio show on Hot 97. She blamed the music mogul, whom she had spoken out about multiple times on her show. The former Wendy Williams Show host offered up her prediction on Diddy’s fate in a Thursday, January 16, interview with Charlamagne tha God on “The Breakfast Club.” “Diddy will go to prison for life, people,” she said. “You don’t know the things that I know about Diddy back in the day.” Though Williams, 60, did not elaborate further, she has a long his...

 Teenage girl sells 7yr old brother in Delta community A 15 year old girl has reportedly sold her 7- year old brother out to a man in Agbarho Community, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State. The incident came to light Friday morning when community members physically beat her into a confession. It was reported that the girl’s father hails from Orhoakpor community. The suspect claimed she sold her brother to an Hausa man at Agbarhor, saying, “I give them my account number. They say I should be going that they will send the money to my account before they start looking for the child.” The suspect, who is a twin, was almost set ablaze but the former Chairman of Ethiope-East Local, Anthony Oboroh intervened and called the Police to arrest the suspects who allegedly bought the child. He appealed to the angry mob who caught the girl to let her be so that the parents don’t loose two children. The 7 year-old boy is reportedly still missing at the time of this report.

  Severe cold forces Trump inauguration indoors, first time in 40 years President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration will take place inside the U.S. Capitol on Monday rather than outdoors because of severe cold, the first time in 40 years that U.S. presidential inaugural ceremonies will be moved indoors. "There is an Arctic blast sweeping the Country. I don’t want to see people hurt, or injured, in any way," Trump said on his Truth Social platform on Friday. "Therefore, I have ordered the Inauguration Address, in addition to prayers and other speeches, to be delivered in the United States Capitol Rotunda," Trump added. The last time an inauguration was moved indoors because of the bitter cold was in 1985 for former Republican President Ronald Reagan's second swearing-in when the afternoon wind chill fell into the range of minus 10 to minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 23 to minus 29 degrees Celsius). The forecast for Washington on Monday is for a temperature ...

 Government Announcement  Warning to Traffic Offenders in Abia Abia State Harmonised Taskforce is alarmed at the rate of violation of traffic rules in the state by motorists and Keke Operators plying major roads in the state. These motorists ignore traffic rules and intentionally drive against traffic, otherwise known as One-Way Driving. They also disobey Traffic Wardens/Personnel and ignore traffic lights at different Junctions. This act of lawlessness is more pronounced in the commercial city of Aba. It was established that some innocent lives were lost, both in Aba town and on the Umuahia Aba Expressway last year as a result of traffic violations that led to head-on collisions, or knockdown of innocent pedestrians, and subsequently resulted in the death of innocent citizens.  The present Abia State government has invested and continues to invest massively to ensure that all Abia roads become motorable for easy movement and that every part of the state, especially Aba a...

 Adeyemi Adewale: How Osun footballer slumped, died – Coach reveals New information has emerged about how Adeyemi Adewale, a 29-year-old Ilesa West Football Club player, died. Daily Sun had earlier reported that Adewale died on Thursday, January 16, 2025, during the Isiaka Adeleke Memorial Cup finals at Osogbo’s Ataoja School of Science. Adewale Awe, coach of Ilesa West Football Club, revealed the truth on Friday, stating that the footballer slumped a few minutes before the end of the match and died nearly immediately. Awe revealed that the late footballer had no symptoms before the match. He also claimed that Adewale intended to celebrate his birthday with his teammates following the match. However, he said that his attention was called to Adewale immediately after he collapsed on the pitch. “Thursday was his birthday, and we had decided that after playing the match, we would return home to celebrate it. “He ate on our way to Osogbo. When we got to the field, we dressed up and wen...

 Tax reform bills: Why governors’ endorsement not enough — Ndume  Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume has stated that the Nigeria Governor’s Forum’s (NGF) recommendations on tax reform bills are a welcome development, but not enough. Ndume, representing Borno South, believes there are still sections of the bills that require further clarification. The tax reform bills, currently before the National Assembly, have faced heavy criticism, particularly in northern Nigeria, with many describing them as part of an “anti-north agenda” by the President Bola Tinubu-led administration. Ndume has been critical of some of the government’s policies and maintains that the tax reform would further burden the poor, urging the president to withdraw the bills. Speaking in an interview with BBC Hausa service, Ndume emphasized the need for transparency and wider consultations on the legislation. He warned that rushing the process could lead to mistakes and called for a more inclusive approach. The Borno l...

 Borrowing funds to develop infrastructure necessary for Nigeria's progress - Umahi The Minister of Works, Mr Dave Umahi has said that borrowing funds to address Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit was crucial for the nation’s progress. Umahi said this as he noted that the N800 billion allocated to the ministry in the 2025 budget is inadequate to address the country’s road infrastructure needs. The minister who spoke during the budget defence session of House Committee on Works emphasised the need for adequate funding to enable the ministry to complete ongoing projects and initiate new ones across the country. He stated that the scope of road projects the ministry was planning to undertake would not be achieved with the allocation. “We plead with you to help us; the N800 billion cannot do anything for us. It cannot address our road needs and so we plead with you to help us. “When the nation is in recession, you have to borrow money and invest in infrastructure. “That is how you emerge...

 Reforms: Northeast group condemns Bala Mohammed, Al-Mustapha; backs Tinubu for 2027 Following the recent criticism of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s policies by prominent northerners, the Northeast-based socio group, Forum for Northeast Development, has condemned Bauchi State Governor Senator Bala Mohammed and Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer to the late former Head of State, Gen Sani Abacha. The forum, which claimed Tinubu’s reforms would greatly benefit the North in the long run, said it has carefully studied the President’s actions since he was sworn in and discovered that he means well. It further stated that it has come out to back the new tax reform policies initiated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu because the Northeast and the entire northern region will benefit immensely. In a statement jointly signed by the Chairman and Secretary of the Forum, Alhaji Baba Mala Biu and Comrade Lawan Mohammed, the Forum for Northeast Development said: “First, we have no...

 Niger govt plans to construct $2m poultry farm in Bosso Gov. Mohammed Umaru-Bago of Niger says that a two million dollars poultry farm will be constructed in Bosso Local Government Area (LGA) of the state. Umaru-Bago said this on Friday in Maikunkele, the headquarters of the LGA  during an engagement with the stakeholders in continuation of his state wide projects monitoring tour. He said the construction of the poultry was in line with the livestock development initiative of the Federal Government, with Niger as a pilot state. The governor, who enumerated the numerous road projects ongoing in the area, enjoined the people to continue to support his administration to ensure its success. He  urged those whose properties were affected in road constructions to show understanding and move away from the properties to speed up the projects. He assured them that the would be fully compensated. Umaru-Bago, who observed the increasing population in Bosso LGA, said a General Hospi...

 How I turned down rituals offer to become Governor — Diri Bayelsa Governor Douye Diri has claimed his absolute faith in God earned him the sobriquet ‘Miracle Governor.’ Speaking during the KOLGA (Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area) Annual Day of Thanksgiving held in Sampou, his community, Diri revealed how in 2020, a senior citizen invited him to Abuja and advised him to perform certain rituals to be governor. But Diri claimed that he turned down the rituals offer. He had challenged the declaration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the November 2019 governorship poll as winner and the matter was then pending at the Supreme Court. Diri told the crowd at the gathering that the senior citizen flew in some marabouts from Senegal to perform the rituals.  He stated that when he bluntly rejected the offer, the man demanded a refund of the money spent to transport them into the country and he had to pay $10,000. He explained that his unshaken faith in God made h...

 Many feared dead, injured in Niger tanker explosion   Many people have been feared dead and others injured when a petrol tanker exploded around Dikko junction in Gurara local government area of Niger State. It was learnt that the petrol tanker spilled its contents, causing people to rush to scoop the fuel at the scene. Eyewitnesses claimed a pregnant woman and another woman with a one-week-old baby were among those caught in the explosion when the locals scooped fuel.

 IYABO OJO: My kids are intentional like me By Adeniyi Adewoyin Nollywood icon Iyabo Ojo, fondly referred to as Queen Mother, continues to make waves in the film industry with her versatility and determination. In this interview with ADENIYI ADEWOYIN, she opens up on her role in Mercy Aigbe’s latest movie, Thin Line, her production, Labake Olododo, motherhood, and her thoughts on the evolving cinema culture in Nigeria. You featured in Mercy Aigbe’s latest movie ‘Thin Line’, how would you describe your role? My role has a little bit of gbas gbos. If you watch it, you will get to see a lot. I enjoyed myself while acting, and I am definitely sure my audience will love the Iyabo Ojo in the movie. It’s a brilliant project and there, you get to see my kind of “black bonnet” vibe. I’m sure those who have seen it can testify. What attracted you to the script? It’s the storyline, it’s a beautiful storyline. A lot of situations like that happen in families and how we handle them matters. In ...

 Fuji musician, K1 De Ultimate, loses mum Fuji Maestro, Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, popularly known as K1 De Ultimate, has lost his mother, Alhaja Halima Anifowoshe. The news of her death was announced on K1’s official media page on Saturday morning. A photo of K1 with his late mother accompanied the announcement, which read, “With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of King Wasiu Ayinde’s beloved mother. May her soul rest in peace, Alhaja Alimotu Shadiya Omoakeredolu Aya Anifowoshe. Iya rere. Sun re oo.”

 My daughter planning wedding to pharmacist before murder – Mother of corper beheaded by gospel singer Mrs Ojomachenwu Adaidu, mother of Salome, a 24-year-old corps member who was murdered by an Abuja gospel, Timileyin Ajayi, speaks to TEMITOPE ADETUNJI about her daughter’s ambition before she met her untimely death, and asks for justice to be done in matter What is your relationship with the slain corps member? I am Mrs Ojomachenwu Adaidu, the mother of Salome Eleojo Adaidu. Where are you from? I am from Ogodu in Omala Local Government Area of Kogi State. How old are you? I am 52 years old. What do you do for a living? I am into a small business. Which tertiary institution did your late daughter attend before going for her youth service? She graduated from Kogi State University. How would you describe Salome’s personality and values? Salome was a wonderful child, hardworking and responsible. Every morning, before I even woke up, she would sweep and tidy the house. Among all my chi...

 Trump names Sylvester Stallone, Mel Gibson as Hollywood ‘ambassadors’ US President-elect Donald Trump named controversial movie legends and long-standing supporters Sylvester Stallone, Mel Gibson and Jon Voight as special envoys to Hollywood on Thursday in a bid to make the entertainment industry “stronger than ever before.” The trio of stars, who have 10 Oscar nominations between them and three wins, stand out in Tinseltown, breaking ranks with the bulk of their colleagues who have long leaned to the Democrats. But all three are as famous for their personal lives as their politics and two — like Trump — have been in very serious scrapes with law enforcement. “It is my honour to announce Jon Voight, Mel Gibson, and Sylvester Stallone to be Special Ambassadors to a great but very troubled place, Hollywood, California,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “They will serve as Special Envoys to me for the purpose of bringing Hollywood, which has lost much business over the last ...

 Peter Obi to Petition Tinubu Over High POS Charges Former Anambra State governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has raised concerns about the severe hardships faced by low-income Nigerians.   Obi criticized the excessive charges imposed by POS operators on individuals trying to access cash, highlighting its impact on the poor.   Speaking during a visit to His Grace Alexander Ibezim, Archbishop of the Province on the Niger and Bishop of Awka Diocese, Obi expressed his dismay, saying:   “The hardship in Nigeria is unbearable. How can the ordinary people survive? A roadside pepper seller has to pay exorbitant charges just to access her own money. What profit is left after such deductions? No country operates like this.”   He further revealed his intention to formally address the issue with President Bola Tinubu, stating:   “I will write officially to the President and highlight these challenges. The POS charg...

 SWIMMING POOL ACCIDENT: LASG SHUTS SCHOOL, COMMENCES INVESTIGATION The attention of the Lagos State Safety Commission has been drawn to the swimming pool accident that occurred at Smiley Kids Montessori, Heritage Place Estate, Sangotedo, Lagos, on Wednesday, 15th January 2025, which led to the death of a two-year-old female, Rapheala Ogbodo. The officials of the Lagos State Safety Commission and the Office of Education Quality Assurance, Ministry of Education have visited the scene of the accident to carry out a preliminary investigation and ascertain the root cause of the unfortunate incident. While the school is presently under lock pending further investigation, the State Government extends its deepest condolences to the family of the victim and expresses its commitment to preventing future occurrences. The Director-General of the Safety Commission, Mr. Lanre Mojola, stated that all school owners and caregivers must comply with safety regulations to prevent accidents in the Sta...

 CHRISTIAN PILGRIM BOARD, OTHERS PAY CONDOLENCE VISIT TO LATE MAGISTRATE OGUNKANMI'S FAMILY The Lagos State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board (CPWB) has paid a condolence visit to the family of the late Magistrate Ogunkanmi Eniola Olusanmi, who passed away on January 2, 2025, after a successful Pilgrimage Exercise to Israel and Jordan. As a respected State Magistrate in the Lagos State Judicial Service Commission, Magistrate Ogunkanmi was a cherished member of the pilgrimage group. During the visit, Mrs. Yetunde Gbafe, Board Secretary of the CPWB, fondly remembered Magistrate Ogunkanmi as a gentleman who diligently observed all pilgrimage protocols without showing any signs of illness. She emphasised that his dream of walking in the footsteps of Jesus Christ was fulfilled during the last pilgrimage exercise held from December 22, 2024, to January 1, 2025. The CPWB extended its condolences to Magistrate Ogunkanmi's wife, children, extended family, and friends, praying for God...

 Gov Uzodinma replies critics, gives reasons for frequent Abuja visits The Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma has revealed reasons behind his frequent visit to Abuja, saying it is in the best interest of the state. The Governor, made the disclosure during the first anniversary thanksgiving service of his second term in office at Maria Assumpta Cathedral, Owerri while responding to remarks by the Catholic Archbishop of Owerri Ecclesiastical Province, His Grace Most Revd Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji. Ugorji had in his homily, advised Uzodinma to be more present in the state rather than spending so much time in Abuja. However, in response to the Archbishop’s advice, the Governor said the state is among those that makeup Nigeria and for any state to derive the maximum benefits from the Federal Government, its leadership must maintain a robust presence at the national level. Uzodinma said as the Chairman of the APC Governor’s Forum and the South-East Governors forum respectively, the two positi...

 Hold Burna Boy responsible if anything happens to my family – Cubana Chief Priest Nightlife mogul, Pascal Okechukwu, popularly known as Cubana Chief Priest, has said singer Burna Boy should be held responsible if anything happens to him or any member of his family. He raised the alarm while alleging that a video shared by the singer via Instastory was a recording of his family residence in Ikoyi. The socialite claimed that the eye emoji the singer used to caption the video, implies that he was monitoring his family. He said he has already informed the police about the possible threat to the safty of his family members. Reposting the video posted by Burna Boy via his Instastory, Cubana Chief Priest wrote, “This na my neighbourhood for Ikoyi you drive pass my crib recording with eye symbol, you are watching me to shoot me abi or abduct my family. “This is childish. Dog wey dey bite no dey bark. I be Aba boy, we fight to finish. All your men shall fall that day if you cross my lane. ...

 Ondo: 12 political parties jostle for chairmanship, councilor seats as elections hold across 18 LGAs Twelve political parties will contest for the chairmanship and councillor offices in the elections set to be held across all 18 local government areas of Ondo State today. Before the scheduled poll, the last council election in the state was conducted on August 23, 2020, with the tenure of the elected council officials elapsing on August 22, 2023. Since then, the administration of the 18 council areas of the state has been managed by civil servants, specifically the Heads of Local Government Administrations. However, after several postponements, the Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission finally fixed January 18, 2025, for the conduct of the election. Although political parties were screened and cleared for the poll, only 12 parties will be participating in the election. The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) announced its decision to withdraw from the election, saying it does no...

  Court bars FRSC from arresting vehicles, penalising drivers with faded number plates A Federal High Court, sitting in Lagos has restrained the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) from arresting vehicles with faded number plates. Justice Akintayo Aluko made the order on Friday and also restricted the FRSC from imposing any fine or punishment on any drivers for driving with a faded vehicle plate number. The court made the orders while delivering judgment in a suit filed by a legal practitioner, Chinwike Chamberlain Ezebube against the FRSC. Ezebube in his Originating Summons filed on February 13, 2024, had asked the court to determine among other things: “Whether the Defendant, pursuant to Section 5 (g) and Section 10 (3)(f) of the Federal Road Safety Commission Act 2007 being the sole designer and producer of Vehicle Number Plates in Nigeria, is not absolutely responsible for the quality and durability of the vehicle number plates as are produced by it? “Whether the defendant can mak...

 How My 34-Year-Old Graduate Son Killed Self After NYSC Service Year A 34-Year-Old Graduate who recently successfully participated in the Passing-out-Parade of the National Youth Service Corps, Bryant Michael Ogah, in the Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State has reportedly killed himself in a hotel in the area after taking a harmful substance suspected to be snipper. Arewa PUNCH gathered that Bryant, who recently concluded his NYSC program, was suspected to be having some mental challenges before his death and had battled the health issue for almost 12 years. Speaking with Arewa PUNCH on the matter, the mother of the deceased who simply identified herself as Mrs Ogah, lamented that her son took his own life despite several efforts by the family to make him feel comfortable amid his health challenges. She explained that Bryant being the first son and first child of the family had always wished to contribute to the family’s upkeep and growth, but his unstable mental health is...

 I don’t want Britain to be like ‘poor’ Nigeria where ‘terrible government destroys lives’: Kemi Badenoch UK Conservative party leader Kemi Badenoch says she does not want Britain to be like Nigeria, a poor country where terrible government destroy lives. In her first speech of the year on Thursday, Ms Badenoch explained her push for “real conservatism” that guarantees a “better, richer and safer” tomorrow for the younger generation of Brits. “Why this matters so much to me is because I know what it is like to have something and lose it. I don’t want Britain to lose what it has,” said Ms Badenoch. “I grew up in a poor country, and I watched my relatively wealthy family become poorer and poorer and poorer despite working harder as their money disappeared with inflation,” Ms Badenoch said. The Tory leader narrated how she migrated to the UK at age 16 with her father’s last £100 and would never want the UK to become a country like Nigeria where terrible governments destroy lives. “I c...

 FG, States, LGAs Share ₦1.424tn FAAC Revenue In December 2024 A total sum of ₦1.424 trillion, being December 2024 Federation Accounts Revenue, has been shared among the Federal Government, States and Local Government Councils. The revenue was shared at the January 2025 Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting held in Abuja. The Director of Press and Public Relations, Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF), Bawa Mokwa, disclosed this in a statement on Friday. The ₦1.424 trillion total distributable revenue comprised distributable statutory revenue of ₦386.124 billion, distributable Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue of ₦604.872 billion, Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL) revenue of ₦31.211 billion and Exchange Difference revenue of ₦402.714 billion. A communiqué issued by the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) indicated that total gross revenue of ₦2.310 trillion was available in the month of December 2024. Total deduction for cost of coll...

 Abia Gov. Urged To Compensate Communities For Airport Land Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has been urged to compensate 10 communities whose lands were acquired for the construction of the state's international airport. The airport project, which was flagged off on December 17, 2024, is being built at Nsulu in Isiala-Ngwa North Local Government Area of the state. However, a petition made available to the Press by a legal practitioner, Simon Nwangwa, informed that the state government acquired approximately 1,350 hectares of land from the affected communities for the airport development. The communities affected by the land acquisition include: Ubaha Nsulu, Umuosu Nsulu, Nbawsi, Ikputu Nsulu, Umuode Nsulu, Umuogu Nsulu, Umuodeche Nsulu, Umuezeukwu Nsulu, Umuezenta, and Umuala Nsulu. According to Nwangwa, the residents of Ubaha Nsulu have suffered double jeopardy due to the land acquisition for the airport. He emphasized that while the government had the right to acquire land for pu...

 PERSONNEL WELFARE: IGP APPROVES DISTRIBUTION OF KITS, UNIFORMS TO OFFICERS. The Inspector-General of Police IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun Ph.D., NPM.,has again approved the distribution of new kits and uniforms to NPF personnel in other ranks, reaffirming his commitment to improving officers' welfare and boosting their morale. This initiative supports his vision to enhance improved working conditions and professionalism within the force.   The IGP expressed optimism that, with the approval of the 2025 budget, more welfare-focused projects will be implemented to further support officers to carry out their duties effectively.  The Nigeria Police Force remains dedicated to maintaining a well-equipped and motivated workforce for the safety and security of all Nigerians. ACP OLUMUYIWA ADEJOBI, mnipr, mipra, fCAI, FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER,  FORCE HEADQUARTERS, ABUJA. 18TH JANUARY, 2025.. More photos below. 

 Fuel price increases to N1,150 per litre after Dangote Refinery’s hike The retail price of Premium Motor Spirit, petrol, has increased to between N1030 and N1,150 per litre following a hike by Dangote Refinery and ex-depot prices of the product. On Friday, the $20 billion Dangote Refinery announced a fresh ex-depot price hike from N899 per litre to N955 per litre. According to an email sent to its customers, Dangote Refinery confirmed the new price regime, noting that marketers buying between two million and 4.99 million litres would now buy at N955/litre, while five million litres and above would buy at N950/litre. This represents a N55 or 6.17 percent petrol price increase from N899.50/litre announced as a holiday discount for Nigerians last December. Dangote Refinery’s petrol price increase had sparked different degrees of retail price adjustment across filling stations. The spokesperson of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Chinedu Ukadike, confirmed t...