Author: Ifetayo Adeniyi

Manny Ita Dr. Ije Akunyili has been appointed Chief Medical Officer of Jersey City Medical Center, becoming the first Black physician to hold the position since the hospital was founded in 1882. The appointment marks a historic milestone for the New Jersey-based institution, which is part of the RWJBarnabas Health system and serves as a major healthcare provider in Hudson County. Jersey City Medical Center management announced the appointment this week, noting that Dr. Akunyili will oversee clinical operations and lead efforts aimed at improving patient safety, innovation and equity in care delivery. Her emergence as CMO places her among…

Rema, mother at childhood neighbourhood, visit church in Edo By Elegbede Abiodun On Sunday, Afrobeat Singer Divine Ikubor popularly known as Rema made a surprise visit to his childhood neighbourhood in Benin, Edo State. With videos trending on X (formerly Twitter), the singer was seen in the neighbourhood with old friends and well-wishers, who gathered to greet him, calling his name to show him love and celebrate him. The crowd echoed, “Divine, we love you so much.” The music star also attended church with his mother where the pastor recognised him during the service. The pastor said, “Thank you…

Amid impeachment tension, Fubara declares ‘I have what is supreme’ By Elegbede Abiodun Governor Siminalayi Fubara, amid the ongoing impeachment process initiated by the State House of Assembly, has asked for calm among Rivers State residents. He made the appeal during a church service held to mark the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day, assuring citizens that peace would prevail. While addressing the congregation, Fubara explained that his decision to remain silent in the face of political distractions was deliberate, grounded in his faith. “The reason why I don’t complain is that I know who I am, I have what…

Fallen Heroes: Sanwo-Olu salutes unseen sacrifices behind Nigeria’s Peace A cross section of the military and others at the event Sanwo-Olu praised the enduring pain and resilience of the military. Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Sunday paid glowing tribute to Nigeria’s Armed Forces, describing their service as a sacred calling rooted in courage, discipline and sacrifice. The governor spoke at the 2025 Armed Forces Celebration and Remembrance Thanksgiving Service held at the Chapel of Christ the Light, Alausa, Lagos, where he urged Nigerians to reflect on the unseen cost of peace and the responsibility of national unity. “Today, we…

7th Axial Road sand filling must be completed by April ~ Umahi Sen. Dave Umahi The Federal Government has directed the contractor handling construction of the Seventh Axial Road – from Dangote Refinery in Lagos State to Sagamu in Ogun, to complete filling with sand before the end of April. The Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi, gave the directive on Saturday in Lagos while inspecting the project. “I want to see a situation in which we have completed all the filling with sand and then, we will start concrete structure, but not the pavement,” Umahi said. The road is…

Awujale stool: KWAM1 disenfranchised, writes Ogun governor on matter of selection The family has scheduled the nomination meeting for Monday, January 12, 2026, for those contesting the vacant stool. Popular Fuji musician and Olori Omooba of Ijebu land, Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde, has written Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, alleging that he is being excluded from the ongoing selection process for the next Awujale of Ijebu land. Ayinde claimed that the Fusengbuwa ruling house, next in line to produce the Awujale, has been issuing directives that contravene the Chieftaincy Declaration, Obas and Chiefs Law of Ogun State. He alleged that…

Olu of Warri demands for infrastructure development in Delta communities Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III … Olu could no longer remain silent in the face of growing hardship among his people. The Olu of Warri, His Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III, on Saturday appealed to the Federal and Delta State governments, as well as major oil companies, to intensify the execution of infrastructural projects in Itsekiri coastal communities of Delta State. The monarch expressed concern that the Itsekiri people had remained poor, frustrated and neglected despite their significant contribution to Nigeria’s oil wealth, blaming years of regulatory inconsistency and poor…

Semi-final fixtures of AFCON 2025; date, time, venue Nigeria vs Morocco – Wednesday, January 14. The semi-final fixtures for the CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 have been confirmed following the conclusion of the quarter-final matches. Egypt, Nigeria, hosts Morocco and Senegal, emerged as the last four teams after a series of intense quarter-final encounters that ended on Saturday night. Hosts Morocco will take on Nigeria, while Senegal will face Egypt in the two semi-final matches scheduled for Wednesday. Seven-time champions Egypt sealed the final semi-final ticket after edging defending champions Côte d’Ivoire 3–2 in a thrilling encounter.…

Manny Ita Senator Shehu Sani, the prominent Nigerian writer, human rights activist and former lawmaker, is scheduled to present seven newly authored books at the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) headquarters in Abuja this coming week. The event is set to take place at the ANA’s Mamman Vatsa Writers’ Village in Mpape, Abuja, and is expected to draw literary figures, authors, critics and members of the reading public from across the country. The book presentation, slated for the first or second week of January 2026, will showcase the breadth of Sani’s work and reaffirm his place as one of Nigeria’s…

Manny Ita The Hadiza Ibrahim Aliyu Schools Festival (HIASFEST), widely recognised as Africa’s largest teen arts festival, is set to begin in Minna on January 14. The annual festival is expected to attract hundreds of secondary school students, educators, artists, and cultural stakeholders from across Nigeria and other parts of the continent. HIASFEST is designed as a creative platform that promotes artistic excellence among teenagers through structured competitions, exhibitions, performances, and interactive sessions. Participating students are given the opportunity to showcase talents in areas such as visual arts, music, dance, drama, poetry, fashion, and creative writing, while also engaging in…