Author: Ifetayo Adeniyi

Yuletide: Super Falcons star Esther Okoronkwo gives cash gifts to Abia residents File photo: Esther Okoronkwo In a heart-warming display of generosity, Super Falcons striker Esther Okoronkwo revealed how she surprised residents of Abia State with cash gifts during this festive season. In an Instagram video shared on Christmas Day, the professional footballer was captured handing out money to various people on the streets of her home state. The video, which quickly circulated online, showed Okoronkwo, an Abia-born star who plays for a Canadian Northern Super League club, AFC Toronto, interacting with motorists, traders, shoppers, pedestrians, and bystanders in…

AFCON allows free entry to fill empty stands — CAF Supporters begin to arrive in the rain ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) Group F football match between Cameroon and Gabon at Adrar Stadium in Agadir on December 24, 2025. (Photo by Franck FIFE / AFP) The organisers of the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco are allowing supporters to enter stadiums for free after kick-off in matches where the stands are not full, a Confederation of African Football source told AFP. The Group F match between Cameroon and Gabon on Wednesday in Agadir kicked off in front…

Women Empowerment: Remi Tinubu offers N50m grant to 1,000 Ogun women The wife of the Ogun State Governor, Mrs Bamidele Abiodun (centre), representing the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, during the presentation of N50,000 grants to 1,000 women small business owners in Ogun State. Photo: Bankole Taiwo This empowerment was to strengthen existing businesses. The wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on Wednesday distributed N50m in grants to 1,000 women small business owners in Ogun State. Each beneficiary received N50,000 under the Women Economic Empowerment Programme of the Renewed Hope Initiative, with support from the Tony Elumelu Foundation. The…

Tinubu congratulates, asks for unity, peaceful coexistence in Christmas message File photo: President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.  … says government committed to religious freedom. President Bola Tinubu has called on Nigerians to uphold unity, religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence, saying his administration remains committed to protecting the rights and safety of citizens of all faiths. In his 2025 Christmas goodwill message released on Wednesday, the President congratulated Christians in Nigeria and across the world, describing Christmas as a season for reflection on the birth of Jesus Christ and his message of peace, love and hope. Tinubu said the celebration went beyond…

China–Nigeria Union records positive opportunities in 2025 – Consul General Yan Yuqing … funds cataract surgeries for over 400 Nigerians through the Renewed Hope Initiative. The Chinese Consul General in Lagos, Ms Yan Yuqing, says China and Nigeria recorded wide-ranging achievements in political, economic and people-to-people cooperation in 2025. This, she said, has positioned both countries for greater opportunities in 2026. Yan highlighted the achievements and expectations for 2026 in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos. She described bilateral cooperation between both countries as a “solid bridge” connecting shared development and prosperity. According to her,…

All I want For Christmas Is Glo – Toni Kan On Christmas day 1941, a singer and actor named Bing Cosby debuted a song called “White Christmas”. As he approached the microphone in the radio studio, he could not have known that he was about to make history, one that would take 53 years to be scratched. “White Christmas” was written by Irvy Berlin and recorded as part of the soundtrack for the movie Holiday Inn which starred Crosby and tap dancer Fred Astaire. That song would go ahead to sell 50 million copies, win the Oscar for Best Song…

MIPAD Honours Rite Foods’ Seleem Adegunwa as Most Influential FMCG Executive of the Year The Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD) has recognized Mr. Seleem Adegunwa, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Rite Foods Limited, with the prestigious Most Influential FMCG Executive of the Year Award at the 2025 MIPAD End of Year Dinner & Awards. According to MIPAD, the award is in recognition of Adegunwa’s “leadership which continues to inspire excellence across Africa’s business landscape.” MIPAD is a global civil society initiative in support of the United Nations’ First and Second International Decade for People of African Descent…

Davido follows uncle Adeleke’s footstep, joining Accord Party Davido and governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke Grammy-nominated singer Davido has formally made public his decision to join the Accord Party, following the footstep of his uncle and governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke. The singer made known his decision on his verified X handle, revealing plans to collect his membership card at Imole House in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, on Wednesday. “I will be live in Osun to pick up my @AccordPartyNG membership card @ IMOLE HOUSE OSOGBO Tomorrow… see you soon ACCORDINGLY 😇 Cc @AAdeleke_01,” the singer wrote.…

Lagos: The Eyo Festival Will Hold in December, Celebrating Heritage and Icons Eyo first emerged in 1854 under Oba Akintoye’s reign. The streets of Lagos Island will come alive on Saturday, December 27, 2025, as the ancient Eyo Festival unfolds in its full ceremonial splendour. This rare procession, reserved for honouring departed luminaries whose lives shaped Lagos and Nigeria, will pay tribute to four distinguished figures while drawing thousands into a living tapestry of tradition, identity and collective memory. A Ceremony Born from Royal Reverence The Eyo Festival—locally known as the Adamu Orisha Play—emerged formally in 1854 under Oba Akintoye’s…

Reasons for higher cost of cement in Nigeria compare to overseas Aliko Dangote … tax overburden stands out as influencer of price. Aliko Dangote, President of Dangote Group, has attributed the higher domestic price of his company’s cement to Nigeria’s heavy tax burden and regulatory framework. Speaking on the price disparity between local and exported cement, Dangote explained that exporting allows his company to bypass numerous taxes that significantly inflate production costs domestically. “When you look at my invoice, the cement I export is cheaper than the one I’m selling domestically, because that’s how exports work,” he said. He detailed…