Year: 2025

Veteran Nollywood actor, Anayo Onyekwere popularly known as Kanayo O. Kanayo, has taken to social media to celebrate his daughter, Valerie, as she marks her 25th birthday.

 

The actor while celebrating his daughter’s birthday stated that before his daughter gets to age 27, he is expecting her to either get married, complete her PhD or leave his house as an adult.

 

Taking to his Instagram page on Tuesday, the actor showered his daughter with blessings, and admiration, while also clearly stating that he expects her to either get married, complete her PhD or leave his house as an adult.

 

He wrote, “My dear daughter, Uloaku( Bank/house of wealth) Congratulations on your 25th birthday.

 

“From little Valerie to a prospective Madam Uloaku. As I told you this morning while praying for you, it should be a day of sober reflections, things to copy, things to paste, and things to delete. What realities there are and the facade of things thereof.”

Kanayo reminisced about how she would often challenge him for being away on movie sets, missing out on time at home. He explained that constant travel is part of the job for successful actors and expressed gratitude for remaining active and in demand in the industry.

 

“Your issue with me has always been” you are always travelling, hardly at home”. Uloaku, Good actors travel, always on the move because they are always HIRED. Thank God I am still very active and relevant. Try and tolerate me.”

 

He wrapped up his message by stating that by 2027, he expects her to either walk down the aisle, pursue a PhD, or move out and live independently.

 

“In all these, please ensure that before 2027, you are either walking down the aisle, going for your PhD, or walking out of my house. Simpliciter. Ka Chukwu Okike Abiama gozierem Uloaku.

A Professor of Rheumatology at Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Segun Oguntona, has called on the government to include medications for autoimmune diseases under the National Health Insurance Scheme, citing the high cost of treatment.

 

Speaking during the university’s 122nd inaugural lecture titled “Joint Diseases and Internal Organ Complications: Unmasking Immune Tolerance As The Culprit”, on Tuesday, Oguntona highlighted the severe impact of rheumatologic conditions, which can lead to kidney and heart failure, blindness, lung defects, and other complications.

 

He lamented the shortage of specialists in the field, noting that Nigeria currently has only one paediatric rheumatologist trained in the last two years.

 

Describing the financial burden on patients, Oguntona said, “Biologics are the most expensive drugs, and they are the lifesaving medications for patients with autoimmune conditions.

 

“The outcome of most of these diseases is relatively good in the Asian countries compared with what we see in this part of the world because of the free medical treatment they enjoy, as against patients paying out of pocket in a country like Nigeria.

“People with health insurance coverage could not benefit from these biologics due to the fact that health insurance does not cover them because of their cost. One could imagine a dose of a biologic drug costing over half a million, repeat the treatment in two weeks, and the drugs are repeated as often as necessary, again.

 

“How many people could afford this? Autoimmune disease is not a respecter of social strata/class, as it affects the rich, so also it affects the poor.”

 

He urged the government to prioritise rheumatology like malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS.

 

“Since funding is the main problem denying our patients with autoimmune conditions to receive best medical care, I would suggest that the Government should also look into this field of medicine and accord it the same priority attached to malaria and communicable diseases like tuberculosis and AIDS.

 

“I would also advocate that the National Health Insurance Scheme should cover medications used in these diseases since it is difficult to pay out of pocket for many patients.”

South Korea on Wednesday unveiled a $2 billion emergency support package for its crucial export-focused carmakers, warning US President Donald Trump’s 25 percent tariffs on the sector could be a “significant blow”.

 

“Given that automobiles and auto parts are South Korea’s top exports to the US, the decision to impose a 25 percent tariff on these items is expected to deliver a significant blow to our auto industry,” the government said in a statement announcing the support measures.

 

Last week, Trump announced sweeping and punitive tariffs against the United States’ biggest trading partners, the most severe of which are due to come into force on Wednesday.

 

Goods from South Korea are set to be taxed at 25 percent.

 

Trump also imposed steep tariffs on foreign-made cars sold in the United States, raising concerns over the global economic outlook and leaving Asia’s fourth-largest economy scrambling to respond.

 

After industry consultation, Seoul has decided to introduce “a set of industrial safety net measures centred on the most urgent demands,” it said.

 

The government has also “pledged to take flexible action depending on the level of industry damage going forward.”

 

South Korea’s auto-related exports to the US totalled $42.9 billion last year, according to officials.

 

Under the plan, the government will expand its low-cost financing programme for the auto industry by two trillion won ($1.34 billion USD).

 

Hyundai Motor, South Korea’s largest automaker, will also establish a one trillion won support programme for domestic auto firms in partnership with major financial institutions.

 

Companies affected by the tariffs will be eligible for tax deferrals of up to nine months, the government added.

“The importance of the domestic market is being highlighted as a way to respond to reduced export volumes caused by US tariffs and to maintain the country’s manufacturing base,” the government said in a statement.

 

“To this end, the government will operate an electric vehicle subsidy system linked to manufacturers’ discount amounts from the first half of this year through the end of the year,” it said.

 

Seoul will also “significantly expand the government matching support ratio from the current 20–40 percent to 30–80 percent.”

Trump spoke to South Korea’s acting president on tariffs Tuesday.

 

The tariffs announcement has rocked global stock markets, with investors uncertain over whether they are a negotiating tactic or permanent US position.

 

Trump has insisted he will not back down until he has reduced or even wiped out US trade deficits — while simultaneously signalling that he is ready to negotiate with countries around the world.

 

In 2024, the US trade deficit with South Korea amounted to just over $66 billion in goods.

The Vice-Chancellor of Babcock University, Ilishan Remo, Prof Ademola Tayo, has reiterated the commitment of the university to producing graduates who are not only socially and academically sound, but are also equipped with hands-on skills to navigate life after school and build a successful career for themselves.

 

Tayo, in a statement on Wednesday, disclosed this while kicking off the annual Graduating Class Week for over 3,000 final year students of the university, whose graduation comes up in June.

 

The Vice-Chancellor described the annual programme as a time when experts, professionals, future employers are brought to the school to have an interface with the graduating students, offering them priceless insight out of their very rich experience and building on what the university had taught the students to make a successful venture out of their life after school

 

Tayo said, “This yearly programme is a testament to the university’s unwavering commitment to prepare the graduating students to meet the outside world’s demands. It is to get you well prepared and to navigate the career opportunities.”

 

He urged the graduating students not to undermine this opportunity, for which people who graduated 40 years ago, like him, never had.

 

The VC said, “After the final examination, back then every student would leave the school without this kind of experience, but in Babcock University, we don’t only train them to be academically and socially sound, we also get them ready to navigate their ways through future careers.”

He noted that one of the alumni who took copious notes from a similar career fair in the past ran away with ideas that she got at the event and is better off today.

 

The VC added, “I therefore want to encourage you not to allow this programme to be just for relaxation alone, find time to gather information as you will be leaving the school shortly. This is a platform to connect with people who have been there and have succeeded.

 

“Ask questions of them and look for ways to collaborate further and make the most of this opportunity, engage with industry experts and learn as much as you can.”

 

Speaking on the essence of the programme, the Director of Alumni and Connectivity of the university, Dr Dangana Jonathan, said that the annual event helps to expose the students to further demands and virtues that will help the students pick their way through their careers outside the university.

 

Dangana explained, “What we do during this annual event is to further reinforce the skills that will have been infused into the students in the last four years, sharpen them and get them more equipped with the hands-on skills that could help them navigate life outside the schools. It is geared towards reducing the quantum of unemployed graduates in the country”.

The Achimota Circuit Court has sentenced a 22-year-old hairdresser, Nicky Isabella, to five years in prison for trafficking two young Nigerian women into Ghana under the guise of employment.

 

Isabella, popularly known as Bella, lured the victims to Ghana under the pretext of offering them jobs, but upon arrival, she forced them into prostitution.

 

Isabella, widely known as Bella, deceived the victims, aged 22 and 23, by promising them supermarket jobs in Adjiringanor, Accra. But upon their arrival in May 2024, the narrative took a dark turn: instead of employment, they were forced into prostitution and stripped of their earnings.

 

The case was heard before Mrs. Akosua Anokyewaa Adjepong, who delivered the judgment on Friday, April 4, 2025, after a full trial.

 

According to Ghana Broadcasting Corporation on Monday, prosecutors disclosed that Isabella, in collaboration with an accomplice named Nelly (still at large), orchestrated the cross-border trafficking.

 

Upon arrival, Isabella reportedly seized their earnings and forced them to swear an oath on a Bible. As part of the oath ritual, she cut pieces of their pubic hair and threatened to use them in rituals if they disobeyed her instructions.

 

Assistant Superintendent of Police Isaac Babayi, who led the prosecution, described the crime as premeditated, exploitative, and deeply harmful, urging the court to hand down a firm sentence as a deterrent.

 

In her ruling, the trial judge considered several factors, including Isabella’s young age, her status as a first-time offender, and the period she had already spent in custody. However, she also noted Isabella’s lack of remorse and the severity of the offence.

Isabella, who had no legal representation throughout the trial, broke down in tears as the sentence was handed down.

 

Court documents confirmed that Isabella admitted to forcing the women into sex work, taking their money, and using spiritual threats to control them. A search of her residence revealed a notebook tracking the victims’ earnings and a bundle of human hair, believed to be part of the coercive tactics she employed.

 

The two victims have since been rescued and are now receiving psychosocial support.

 

Meanwhile, the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of the Ghana Police Service has launched an investigation to apprehend Nelly, her co-conspirator

 

Commenting on the case, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) William Ayariga, Director of the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit, reiterated the country’s zero tolerance for human trafficking.

 

“Ghana is not a haven for human traffickers. Those who lure vulnerable people into Ghana and force them into prostitution will face the full force of the law,” he stated.DSP Ayariga revealed that the Unit secured nine convictions last year, including a landmark 20-year sentence, and reaffirmed its resolve to continue pursuing traffickers with full force.

“We are not slowing down. We will continue arresting, investigating, and prosecuting offenders. No form of human trafficking or migrant smuggling will be tolerated in Ghana. Justice will prevail,” he said.

The Indigenous People of Biafra has cautioned South-East youths against enlisting in the Nigerian Army, warning that they risk being deployed to volatile regions and exposed to terrorist threats.

 

In a statement by its spokesperson Tuesday, Emma Powerful, IPOB alleged that the Nigerian military has historically exhibited ethnic bias, often sending recruits from the South to dangerous zones dominated by terrorist groups such as Boko Haram.

 

The group advised youths in the region to return home and pursue farming or other productive ventures instead of enlisting in a system it claims has consistently marginalised soldiers from diverse ethnic backgrounds.

 

The statement partly read, “The global family of IPOB once more urges Biafran youths to refrain from joining the recent Nigerian Army recruitment. Before considering joining the Nigerian Army, reflect on this: ‘What has happened to those who enlisted a few years back?’ You might be astonished that numerous individuals have fallen victim to the Boko Haram violence and other terrorist organisations’ acts in the North.

 

“We have witnessed viral clips and reports about Nigerian soldiers fighting insurgency in the North expressing grievances over insufficient allowances, food, medical care, and equipment. These Nigerian soldiers are exploited as scapegoats in the terrorism dealings between Nigerian politicians and their Western allies.

 

“We also possess documentation of military barracks and police stations in Northern Nigeria being taken over by terrorists. In exchange, the Federal Government and its deadly military compensate the terrorists responsible for killing the unaware soldiers with cash, employment, and scholarships under the guise of repentant terrorists, officially incorporating them into their security forces. Unknowingly, numerous young individuals have perished in battles fueled by ongoing sponsored insurgencies.

 

“No Biafran youth ought to position themselves as instruments for the Federal Government, ECOWAS, and Western imperialists to be deployed against the Sahel Nations. Any Igbo youth who enlists in the Nigerian Army, ‘your name will be regrettable’. You will either be offered up to the terrorists, captured and killed by the state, or be sacrificed to the courageous Sahelian soldiers.”

Speaking further, Powerful urged the region’s young people to reconsider their choices, highlighting what he described as a history of neglect, betrayal, and ethnic bias against Igbo soldiers.

 

He appealed to a deep sense of identity and survival, urging a return to traditional livelihoods.

 

He added, “In any case, you will either be killed or left with debilitating injuries. If you succeed in coming back alive, you will return in disgrace without any advantages from the Nigerian Army. Inquire of those involved in proxy wars whether they received compensation.

 

“Rather than joining the Nigerian Army, return to your village and pursue farming. Nigerians have consistently been unfair to their soldiers from various ethnic backgrounds.

 

“Simply envision your destiny as an Igbo warrior. As an indigenous Igbo individual, your achievement is seen as a risk to the Nigerian state. Your struggle against insurgency will be perceived as a conflict with the North.

 

“Consider this: where are the many brave young Igbo individuals who enlisted in the Nigerian Army since 2020? Numerous individuals have departed, while others are imprisoned by the Nigerian Army for seeking equality. “Be of service to Nigeria as an Igbo individual and return in disgrace.”

The Presidential Amnesty Programme has begun distributing laptops to final-year and postgraduate scholarship students in its partnering universities across Nigeria.

 

This was contained in a statement signed by the Special Assistant on Media to the Administrator PAP, Igoniko Oduma, on Tuesday.

 

The first phase of the distribution saw 64 scholarship beneficiaries receive their laptops at Nile University and Baze University.

 

This group includes 60 final-year students, one doctoral student, and three master’s degree candidates.

 

The distribution took place on Friday and Monday, with 25 students from Nile University and 39 from Baze University receiving the devices.

 

According to the statement, the PAP Administrator, Dr. Dennis Otuaro, who had previously promised this gesture during his 2024 tour of partnering institutions, highlighted the importance of the laptops for students’ academic success.

 

“The office recognises the usefulness of the mobile computing device, especially for students preparing to write their final year projects, theses, and dissertations,” Otuaro said.

 

At the presentation events, Otuaro was represented by the Acting Head of Administration, Ebikpolade Zorab, and Secretary to the PAP Administrator, Ebimene Jackson.

 

They urged students to make the most of the laptops, emphasizing that they were the first group to receive such devices.

 

Otuaro encouraged them to use the laptops to improve their academic performance, saying, “I advise and encourage you to make good use of it for your academic progress.

“With these laptops, if you were to make a low grade in your project, we expect that you will score excellent grades because you now have portable computers to enhance your academic endeavours..”

 

Otuaro also reiterated his commitment to closing the human capital development gap in the Niger Delta and ensuring peace, security, and stability in the region.

 

He expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for his ongoing support of the PAP’s educational and vocational initiatives under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

 

The Head of Education at PAP, Dr. Charles Ariye, noted that this was the first time in six years that scholarship beneficiaries received laptops. He stressed the importance of digital literacy in the modern academic environment.

“We are in a digital age. You are doing a lot with your phones, and with your laptop, you can do more,” Ariye said, adding that the initiative aligned with PAP’s mandate to provide quality university education.

 

The registrars of both Nile University and Baze University, David Olowola and Professor Abiodun Adeniyi, respectively, commended the PAP for providing the laptops and expressed their institutions’ desire to continue collaborating with the programme.

 

They emphasised the importance of developing skilled manpower for national development.

 

Scholarship beneficiaries, including student leaders Eperetun Gboroteiye (Nile) and Pedro Timotubo (Baze), along with others such as Oyinlayefa Ogiriki, Mina Ikiba, Friday Dunu, and Martha Tuwabere, expressed their gratitude for the new devices, noting that the laptops would significantly assist them in their academic pursuits.

 

The laptop distribution is part of the PAP’s ongoing efforts to enhance the educational experience of its scholarship recipients, equipping them with tools to succeed in their studies.

Nigerian gospel reggae artist, Buchi Atuonwu Bwai has shared his experience about being a cultist.

 

Speaking about his experience on Sunday in a YouTube podcast known as BlackFlame hosted by Gaise Baba which started trending on Monday, the songwriter stated that Jesus showed him the meaning of the cult.

 

Responding to the question from the host about how he left the cult, Buchi recounted how Jesus redefined his understanding of cultism, showing him that it was more than secret meetings and rituals, it was a spiritual battlefield.

 

He said, “Exiting the cult. Jesus, I had a deeper understanding of the cult. Jesus showed me the meaning of the cult. That it was not a physical association, You can’t bring a knife to a gunfight and hope to win. The spiritual thing and much of what I was protesting, much of what I was fighting were spiritual.”

 

The ‘Yes Lord’ crooner stated that during his time in the cult, he was the lead singer and his life changed forever during one of those night he was leading songs.

 

He said, “So one day I was in the company of about 200 people and I was their singer. No microphones. And time was somewhere between one and two in the morning. And it was in the bush somewhere.

 

“And I had to be loud enough and commanding enough for everyone to hear me. And we were going on a voyage. And I was leading in songs.

I was singing. And the convoy was to my right.

 

“But from the left, someone spoke into my ears and said, You don’t belong here.

So I was startled. But I couldn’t stop singing. I kept singing. I kept singing.

But there was nobody there.

 

“As we moved on that procession, I heard that voice again. This time it was clearer. It said, You don’t belong here. I could not unhear what I heard. And it remained with me until the events that followed.”

Shedding more light on misconceptions about cultism, Buchi debunked the stereotype that it’s a thing reserved for reckless university students. The reality, he said, is far more disturbing.

 

He said, “And these were all young men and old. Ready to do damage. There were 60-year-olds there. There were 70-year-olds there. There were 20-year-olds there. 30-year-olds. The cult is a leveller. The rich and the poor.

 

“And people from all tribes were united. Fervently pursuing a cause. The cult has very little to do with the university students.

Veteran Nigerian musician Eedris Abdulkareem has released a new song directed at Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Tinubu, urging him to speak to his father about the worsening state of the country.

 

In the track titled “Tell Your Papa,” which was shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, Abdulkareem delivers a blunt message, painting a grim picture of the hardships facing everyday Nigerians.

 

The song comes in response to Seyi Tinubu’s recent comments in Adamawa State, where he described his father as “the greatest president in Nigeria’s history.”

 

He said, “Seyi, tell your papa country hard. Tell your papa people dey die. Tell your papa this one don pass jagajaga.”

 

In a mix of music and message, the hip-hop icon accused the President of failing to deliver on his promises and called out the growing insecurity, inflation, and suffering across the nation.

 

“Seyi, how far? I swear your papa no try. Too much empty promises. On behalf of Nigerians, take our message to him; kidnappers dey kill Nigerians.

“Seyi, try travel by road without your security make you feel the pains of fellow Nigerians. You dey fly private jets, insecurity no be your problem,” he sings.

 

‘𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐏𝐚𝐩𝐚 𝐍𝐨 𝐓𝐫𝐲,’ 𝐄𝐞𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐬 𝐀𝐛𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐤𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐦 𝐓𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐒𝐞𝐲𝐢 𝐓𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐛𝐮 𝐢𝐧 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐨𝐧𝐠

 

Veteran Nigerian musician Eedris Abdulkareem has released a new song directed at Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Tinubu, urging him to… pic.twitter.com/8JBfAxEMjf

 

— Punch Newspapers (@MobilePunch) April 8, 2025