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Being Fela’s son not reason for my success as a musician – Seun Kuti Grammy-nominated singer Seun Kuti has said his musical success isn’t tied to being the son of late Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Kuti. He said he and his elder brother, Femi Kuti, and nephew, Made Kuti, have had successful music careers because of their “deliberate efforts” and “dedication”. The controversial singer said Fela’s father, Reverend Israel Ransome-Kuti, was also a musician but people never credited his musical achievements to his father. Speaking in a recent interview with actress Iyabo Ojo, Kuti said, “It is not because of our dad that we are successful in music. My brother, Femi Kuti is 60. I am 40. My nephew, Made Kute is behind us now too, and he is in his 20s. And he is actually the best of all of us. That’s what it means; it continues to progress because we are really dedicated to it. “It’s not just because we are Fela’s children. I mean, nobody says Fela is a musician because his father was a musician. Nob...

We don’t recognise 27 Rivers House members who dumped PDP — APC Assembly Forum The All Progressives Congress, APC, States Assembly Forum, ASAF, has declared that it was yet to recognise as its members the 27 Rivers State House of Assembly members who dumped the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to join the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC. The Forum (ASAF) is the umbrella body of APC state assemblies members. The group’s decision came at the end of an emergency meeting on Tuesday in Abuja, where it, among other things, deliberated on the status of the newly-defected lawmakers. Speaking at the end of the meeting, Director General of the forum, Ambassador Fubara Dagogo, said that the forum deliberated much on the development in Rivers State House of Assembly and agreed that it would not be in a hurry to admit the defected lawmakers since their defection is still being challenged at the court. However, Ambassador Dagogo welcomed the decision of the lawmakers to embrace the A...

The Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, CSN, has reaffirmed that the Church’s teachings on the sacrament of marriage remain unchanged, despite the Vatican’s recent decision to allow blessings for same-sex couples.  This statement comes in response to the Pope’s recent directive and emphasises that marriage within the Church is still viewed as a lifelong union between a man and a woman. An official from the Secretariat, who spoke in confidence because the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of Nigeria has not publicly reacted, however, noted, “It’s crucial to reiterate that this does not change the Church’s teaching on the sacrament of marriage. “The Church’s view on same-sex marriage remains unaltered.” According to him, the decision to permit blessings for same-sex couples under specific circumstances is seen as a measure to acknowledge the lives and experiences of all individuals, while still upholding the core beliefs and teachings of the Church.  “This move emphasizes that the Churc...

Cross River governor promised to compensate me for lost valuables, says Mayorkun  Nigerian Singer, Adewale Mayowa, a.k.a. Mayorkun, says Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, has pledged to compensate him for his lost valuables after a meeting The 'Che Che‘ crooner stated that the governor assured him that the people of Calabar remain hospitable and stated that the lost items meant a lot to him for many reasons. Mayorkun made this known in a post on his X account on Tuesday.  His words: "Just met with the Governor of Cross River State, H.E Prince Bassey Otu.  "He assured me that Calabar people remain very hospitable and he has also stressed that I'll be compensated for my valuables lost. Thank you sir 🫶🏾. "Still searching for my pendant! 💎 It’s so special to me for many reasons. I have a N5m reward for anyone who finds and returns it. Please help spread the word! 🫶🏾"  Recall that Mayorkun had earlier said he might never perform in Calabar, the Cross R...

NAFDAC: ‘Our mother died for nothing’ – Late Dora Akunyili’s son Edozie Akunyili, son of a former Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, late Dora Akunyili said the sacrifices her mother made while serving Nigeria were not worth dying for. Edozie made this assertion in a statement via his X (formerly Twitter) handle in the wake of outrage over the growing prevalence of counterfeit consumer goods in markets and stores across the country. He stated, “Exactly. Nobody has sacrificed more for Nigeria than our family and yet we constantly ask ourselves if it was worth it? “We would give anything to have our parents with us but Naija moves on with corruption and impunity from the top down seen as normalcy.  “Sadly, she died because she was so engrossed in her work for NAFDAC that she delayed her fibroid hysterectomy for years, which later was found to be cancerous.  “When I see all the lies, corruption and dirty politics, it pai...

Cash crunch: NLC warns FG of mass protest, again, banks cut withdrawals •CBN fresh disbursement fails to reach banks, S’West banks source cash from northern branches •Nigerians running out of patience, can’t bear current pains, Labour tells Tinubu govt, CBN The Nigeria Labour Congress, on Tuesday, expressed concerns over the lingering cash scarcity in the country.  Five days to the Christmas Day celebration, the congress said in a statement by its National President, Joe Ajaero, that the situation had serious implications for citizens, insisting that urgent steps must be taken to address it. Bank customers have been groaning over their inability to access cash to meet daily needs, despite assurances from the Central Bank of Nigeria.  The banks have continued to ration cash over-the-counter, while many ATMS are not dispensing cash. However, NLC in the statement warned the Federal Government and the Central Bank of Nigeria that a mass public protest was imminent if nothing was d...

Three die, others injured in Ogun auto crash Three passengers were reported dead and others injured in a fatal accident that occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, on the Oru Ijebu-Igbo Road in Ogun State. According to an eyewitness who spoke on condition of anonymity said, the driver, who was said to be a learner, miscalculated while on the wheel, which caused a collision between the Toyota Camry car and a tricycle. “The car driver left his lane and miscalculated, only for him to hit a tricycle into the ditch. Among those dead was the tricycle driver.” Speaking in an interview with newsmen the spokesperson for Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, Babatunde Akinbiyi, confirmed the incident, while adding that the Toyota Camry owner fled with his family after realising the casualty he caused. “The Toyota Camry owner, wife, and his child were inside the vehicle, as he was teaching his wife how to drive. Unfortunately, he was doing that on the highway. Which is even wrong...