Author: Ifetayo Adeniyi

Manny Ita A major confrontation has emerged between the Federal Government and Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) over the financing and rollout of 3.4 million smart meters under the World Bank-funded Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP). The conflict intensified this week after the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, issued a stern directive that all meters under this initiative must be installed at no cost to the consumer. “It is an illegality. It is an offence for the officials of distribution companies across Nigeria to request a dime before installation,” Adelabu stated during an inspection in Lagos, further vowing to prosecute…

Manny Ita The Nigerian Senate has tentatively fixed Tuesday, March 17, 2026, for the final consideration and passage of the ₦58.47 trillion 2026 Appropriation Bill. This timeline was established during a special session of the Senate Committee on Appropriations on Friday, following an appeal for an additional week of scrutiny beyond the leadership’s initial target of March 12. Committee Chairman Senator Solomon Adeola stated that the extension was necessary to ensure a thorough examination of the estimates, noting that “I know how tedious this job can be once we start.” Hard copies of the budget have already been distributed…

Manny Ita ​Wale Tinubu, the Group Chief Executive of Oando Plc, called on Nigerians to end the habit of “condemning the country” and instead embrace a culture of building through setbacks. Speaking at the 56th Convocation Ceremony of the University of Lagos on Thursday, January 22, 2026, where he was conferred with an honorary doctorate in Business, Tinubu offered a candid reflection on his entrepreneurial journey and the necessity of national optimism. ​The business mogul described himself as a “professional failure,” revealing that approximately 90% of his business attempts did not succeed. He argued that these failures were essential…

Manny Ita The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has declared a total lockdown across Nigeria’s South-East region for Monday, February 2, 2026, in response to Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s decision to close and remodel the Onitsha Main Market. The escalating standoff began after Governor Soludo visited the market earlier this week and found it deserted due to the recurring Monday “sit-at-home” protests. Expressing frustration over the economic impact of the weekly shutdowns, Soludo asserted that the market has “literally died” as a result of years of poor planning and forced closures. He subsequently ordered the market sealed for a week,…

Manny Ita Journalist Don Lemon spoke out forcefully against his arrest after leaving a Los Angeles courtroom on Friday, vowing that legal challenges would not deter his reporting. According to the Justice Department, the 59-year-old former CNN anchor has been charged with conspiracy to deprive rights and interfering with First Amendment rights. The charges stem from Lemon’s coverage of a protest at a Minnesota church earlier this month. ​Standing outside the federal courthouse, Lemon addressed a gathering of reporters to defend his professional conduct. “I have spent my entire career covering the news,” Lemon said. “I will not stop…

Manny Ita Free press organizations and journalists have condemned the arrest of former CNN anchor Don Lemon, warning that the action poses a serious threat to press freedom in the United States and represents what critics describe as an escalation in actions against journalists covering protests and public events. Lemon was arrested in Los Angeles by federal agents while preparing to cover the Grammy Awards, weeks after reporting on an anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement protest at a church in St. Paul, Minnesota. Authorities said the arrest was connected to the protest incident, during which demonstrators disrupted a church service…

Manny Ita At least four people have been killed and several houses destroyed following a renewed land dispute between neighbouring communities in Ebonyi State, police and local authorities confirmed on Friday. The violence occurred late Thursday in Oso-Edda community in Edda Local Government Area during a clash linked to a long-running boundary disagreement involving neighbouring Amasiri community in Afikpo Local Government Area. Residents reported that armed assailants attacked parts of the community, leading to fatalities and the burning of homes and other property. Security sources said the incident is the latest in a series of confrontations connected to disputes…

Manny Ita The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) issued an urgent weather advisory late Friday, January 30, 2026, warning of a significant deterioration in horizontal visibility across the North-Central and Northern regions due to an intensifying Harmattan dust haze. The agency reported that a massive dust plume, originating from the Chad and Niger Republics, is being transported into Nigerian territory by northeasterly winds blowing at speeds of 20 to 25 knots. Consequently, visibility in major northern hubs—including Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, and Maiduguri—is expected to drop below 1,500 meters overnight, with localized areas in Jigawa and Yobe potentially seeing visibility plunge…

Fela, First African Artiste To Be Honoured With Posthumous Grammy Lifetime Award About three decades after his death, Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo Kuti is set to receive global recognition from the music industry as the Recording Academy confers on him a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammy Awards. Widely revered by fans as the King of Afrobeat, the Nigerian icon died in 1997 at the age of 58. His son, musician Seun Kuti, welcomed the honour, describing it as long overdue. “Fela has lived in the hearts of the people for so long. Now the Grammys have acknowledged it.…

Lagos City Marathon Holds February, Celebrates 11 Years Of Global Recognition By Elegbede Abiodun Saturday, 14th February 2026 promises to be another memorable edition. With just 16 days to go, the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon stands as a testament to 11 years of consistent growth and continental pride, firmly established as one of Africa’s most anticipated sporting events. Over the past decade, the marathon has evolved beyond a mere road race. It has been instrumental in discovering new athletic talent, elevating Africa’s profile in the global marathon community, and significantly boosting Lagos’s economy. The event stimulates local businesses,…