The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Chapel of Christ the Light, celebrates 2025 harvest thanksgiving service

    Chapel of Christ the Light, celebrates 2025 harvest thanksgiving service

    The Lagos State Chapel of Christ the Light, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos,  has celebrated its 2025 Harvest Thanksgiving Service, with the theme  “Harvest of Spiritual Overflow”.

    The service brought together government officials, religious leaders, and congregants for a day of gratitude, worship, and spiritual reflection.

    Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who served as the Father of the Day, was represented by the Special Adviser on Christian Affairs, Rev. Adebukola Adeleke. Delivering the Governor’s goodwill message, he expressed profound appreciation to God for the privilege of celebrating another season of thanksgiving.

    He described the Chapel of Christ the Light as a spiritual sanctuary that nurtures faith and inspires service across the state.

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    Sanwo-Olu emphasized that Harvest Thanksgiving goes beyond physical offerings, noting that the essence of the celebration lies in reflecting on the year’s challenges, victories, fulfilled hopes, and unanswered prayers.

    He stressed that symbolic seeds of patience, unity, compassion, and diligence sown throughout the year are just as vital as material contributions.

    The Governor commended the chapel’s clergy and members for sustaining an atmosphere of prayer and spiritual growth.

    He prayed that the coming year would bring peace, abundance, strength, and testimonies to all families.

    He encouraged Lagosians to keep building a state where faith strengthens governance and unity remains a key driver of development.

  • Adegbite applauds Christian pilgrimage as Christian journalists charged to uphold integrity, courage

    Adegbite applauds Christian pilgrimage as Christian journalists charged to uphold integrity, courage

    The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Alausa, came alive on Friday, November 21, 2025, as the Association of Christian Correspondents of Nigeria (ACCoN) hosted its 5th Annual Lecture, Anniversary Celebration, and the official unveiling of its new name and logo.

    The event, themed ‘Socioeconomic Benefits of Pilgrimage to the Nigerian State,’ drew government officials, clerics, media leaders, and Christian tourism advocates, marking a major milestone in ACCoN’s mission to professionalise Christian journalism and deepen the link between faith and national development.

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    Delivering the keynote address, Bishop Stephen Adegbite, Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), underscored the spiritual and socioeconomic value of Christian pilgrimages.

    Quoting Psalm 84:5, he described pilgrimage as both a faith-deepening journey and a contributor to national growth. Adegbite broke down the value of pilgrimage into its motives, the activities involved, and the role of tourism in faith-centred travel.

    He emphasized four major national benefits: infrastructure development, opportunities for private travel operators, revenue generation, and the merging of spiritual growth with economic advancement.

    “Pilgrimage offers tangible spiritual and material benefits — from insurance cover to retirement opportunities and even vacation support,” he said.

    Bishop Charles Ighele, Chairman of ACCoN’s Board of Trustees, commended the association for balancing professionalism with fairness in reporting church activities.

    He praised members for “walking a delicate rope — not destroying the Church, yet not ignoring areas needing correction,” and prayed for divine support as ACCoN entered a new phase.

    Earlier in his welcome address, ACCoN President, Adeola Ogunlade described the gathering as a recommitment to the association’s mandate.

    “Our mission as Christian journalists is not merely to report,” he said, “but to edify, clarify, and preserve truth in a world clouded by misinformation.”

    He acknowledged ongoing debates over public funding of pilgrimages but stressed that ACCoN’s focus was on exploring the spiritual, moral, cultural, and economic impacts of pilgrimage rather than fueling controversy.

    Ogunlade also unveiled the association’s future aspirations, including: a permanent secretariat, a Christian media resource library, a conference hall, and an endowment fund for the annual Christian reporters’ award.

    He disclosed that discussions were underway to collaborate with the prestigious Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME) to jointly host the awards, a project expected to cost at least ₦1 million.

    With support from the Lagos State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, the Christian Tourism Practitioners Association of Nigeria (CTPAN), Lagos State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, Time to Fly, Oasis of Faith, Divine Majesty Ministry, and Unique Travels and Tours, the event highlighted the rising influence of Christian journalism in national conversations.

    As ACCoN marks its fifth anniversary, members say the association is evolving beyond reporting church affairs to contributing meaningfully to policy debates on faith, culture, and tourism.

  • BUSINESS PERSONS OF THE YEAR: Femi Otedola: The turnaround guru

    BUSINESS PERSONS OF THE YEAR: Femi Otedola: The turnaround guru

    Nearly five years after billionaire businessman and Group Chairman of First HoldCo Plc, Olufemi Peter Otedola, acquired a significant stake in First Bank of Nigeria Limited (FirstBank), the Tier-1 lender has re-emerged a market leader in the financial space. His tenure at the helms of the group has promoted corporate governance, secured depositors’ funds, cutting operational wastage, delivered strong returns to shareholders and refocused the top lender as a formidable grassroots bank ready to lift businesses and economy.

    After divesting from Forte Oil Plc in 2021, Otedola invested N320 billion initial personal capital in FirstBank. Just last September, he further consolidated his control of the financial institution with the acquisition of an additional shares valued at N2.01 billion.

    Despite initial resistance from previously entrenched board interests against his leadership, Otedola is pushing through with exceptional doggedness that is fast changing the fortunes of the top lender.

    Bottomline turnaround

    Demonstrating growth across all indicators, First HoldCo Plc recorded N2.6 trillion gross earnings in its unaudited results for the nine months ended September 30, 2025.

    The performance is exceptionally higher than gross earnings of N427.397 billion recorded during same period of 2021, when Otedola took over the bank.

    Under his leadership, First Holdco further reported N566. 54 billion 9-month pre-tax profit, far higher than N40.791 billion profit after tax reported for the nine months period of 2021. The share price soared from N11.70 in September 2021 to N31.05 as at November 26, 2025.

    Besides, the group’s interest income and operating income grew by 40.4 per cent and 23.2 per cent year-on-year, respectively. The robust performance of the core business was supported by a 26.9 per cent rise in gross fees and commission income.

    On loan extension, FirstBank has been directly involved in ensuring that its SMEs customers grow to add greater value to the economy as seen in its over N200 billion credit to the sector in 2024. The lending plan is expected to be surpassed this year.

    The bank’s strategic risk management initiatives are already yielding positive results, as evidenced by an improvement in the non-performing loan ratio to 8.5 per cent even as it strives to exit the forbearance regime by year-end.

    On recapitalisation, the first phase of FirstBank’s private placement capital raise has been successfully executed. The proceeds from the subsequent rounds of capital raising will be used to further enhance and broaden the bank’s innovative financial solutions and explore value accretive solutions.

    To demonstrate commitment to e-payment space, FirstBank successfully integrated the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) into its flagship digital banking platform, the LIT app, enabling customers to make instant, secure, and local currency-based cross-border payments across Africa. The PAPSS and FirstBank collaboration is enabling instant, low-cost payments in local currencies between African countries. 

    New state-of-the-art eco-friendly headquarters

    Under Otedola’s leadership, FirstBank in March, 2025 conducted a ground-breaking ceremony for its new state-of-the-art eco-friendly headquarters at the Eko Atlantic, Lagos.

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    Situated in the heart of Eko Atlantic City, the iconic FirstBank headquarters complex – a 40-story edifice will become the tallest building in Nigeria and West Africa upon its completion.  It represents a symbol of strength, embodying the progress the bank has made as an institution and reflecting its ambition to set new benchmarks in service delivery, operational efficiency and customer experience.

    The new headquarters is not only a demonstration of its leadership position in the market, but the foresight and quality leadership of its current management. It continues to present FirstBank as a market leader, reinforcing its commitment to meeting customers’ needs.

    For many customers of the bank, FirstBank is more than a lender, but an institution that has lifted businesses and supported economy during its several decades of operation.

    Since, 1894 when FirstBank was established, it has remained at the forefront of Nigeria’s financial evolution, emerging as a trusted partner in the country’s economic transformation, weathering global disruptions, embracing innovation, and driving financial inclusion across all regions.

    Most significantly, its journey under the current leadership is defined by resilience, adaptability and an unshakable commitment to customers.

    Reaffirming his long-term vision for the group, Otedola said First Bank is not aiming for mere relevance but continental dominance. He outlined plans to strengthen the bank’s lending capacity, expand digital infrastructure, and scale international operations.

    Overall, First HoldCo’s underlying metrics affirm its fundamental strength, resilience, and scalability of operations. The group under Otedola’s leadership is well-positioned to not only achieve its 2029 financial targets but to significantly enhance shareholder returns.

    Analysts said Otedola’s decision to personally invest N320 billion in First Bank without debt reflects a major vote of confidence in Nigeria’s financial system, especially at a time when regulatory authorities are pushing for higher capital buffers and tighter governance standards.

    Looking beyond First HoldCo

    Beyond First Holdco, Otedola’s footprints in power sector are equally outstanding. Financial performance in Geregu Power Plc, where he is the Executive Chairman, showed a pre-tax profit of N11.151 billion, in the unaudited interim financial statements for the third quarter ended September 30, 2025. The performance represents an 82.47 per cent year-on-year growth.

    Revenue for Q3, 2025 grew by 37.38 per cent to N43.834 billion year-on-year, pushing the nine-month revenue to N131.467 billion; about 96 per cent of the 2024 full-year total.

    The company maintained solid profitability, with profit from core operations rising to N12.546 billion in Q3, representing an 89.98 per cent increase from N6.604 billion recorded in the same period last year.

    Overall, Geregu Power’s Q3 2025 results highlight a resilient operation, marked by strong revenue growth and improved cost management.

    Otedola is also the founder of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Ltd, and the owner of a number of other businesses across shipping, real estate and finance.

    The mogul, born November 4, 1962 made his first fortune in commodities before selling his shares in Forte Oil to invest in the energy business. Forbes estimates his net worth at US$1.7 billion.

  • PUBLIC SERVANT OF THE YEAR: Olanipekun Olukoyede: Executive Chairman, EFCC

    PUBLIC SERVANT OF THE YEAR: Olanipekun Olukoyede: Executive Chairman, EFCC

    His performance underlines his sense of duty and grasp of the demands of his role.  From all indications, Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Olanipekun Olukoyede, 56, came to office clearly understanding that it is counterproductive for the country to have an anti-corruption agency that lacks credibility.

    Dramatically, the commission started the year with an announcement of housecleaning. “In its quest to enforce integrity and rid its fold of fraudulent elements,” it announced that 27 officers were dismissed from its workforce in 2024.

    A group, Journalists Against Corruption, noted that it was “the first time” the commission had sacked 27 members of staff “in one fell swoop for fraudulent activities and misconduct” since it was established in 2002.

    When President Bola Tinubu appointed Olukoyede as EFCC helmsman in October 2023, for a renewable term of four years, the administration described his role as an “important national assignment” towards “a newly invigorated war on corruption.”

    A lawyer, before his appointment as the commission’s boss he had more than two decades of experience as a regulatory compliance consultant and specialist in fraud management and corporate intelligence. He also had extensive experience in the operations of the EFCC, having previously served as Chief of Staff to the Executive Chairman (2016-2018) and Secretary to the Commission (2018-2023). This background promised improved agency performance under him.

    The EFCC’s mid-term report covering the two-year period from October 2023 to September 2025 under Olukoyede’s leadership is a testimony to his drive. The report released in October highlighted recoveries, convictions, economic impact, investment of recovered funds, high-profile prosecutions, and institutional reforms.

    The commission recovered over ₦566.3 billion, $411.5 million, £71,306, and €182,877.  It secured the final forfeiture of 1,502 real estate assets, including a large estate of 753 duplexes in Abuja and Nok University, which has since been converted to a federal university.

    Also, the commission secured 7,503 convictions and filed 10,525 cases in court from over 19,000 petitions received and 29,000 cases investigated.

    Its crackdown on currency racketeering, Naira abuse, and cryptocurrency fraud was a significant factor in reducing pressure on the national currency and supporting the stabilisation efforts of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    Additionally, ₦100 billion from the recovered funds was invested into the Federal Government’s Students Loan Scheme and Consumer Credit Scheme.

    Public interest in the commission’s high-profile prosecutions grew as it revived and prosecuted several long-standing cases involving prominent Nigerians, including former governors Willie Obiano, Abdulfatah Ahmed, Darius Ishaku, Theodore Orji, Yahaya Bello, and former CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele.

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    According to an investigative report published in October 2023, Olukoyede inherited “no fewer than 25 high-profile corruption cases involving former governors, ministers and senators.”  The cases were said to involve “not less than N772.2bn and another $2.2bn, alleged to have gone missing through money laundering, fund diversion and misappropriation.”

    The commission faced serious questions concerning its internal system, making internal cleansing inevitable. There was a need to provide answers to the questions. Internal reforms under Olukoyede included the dismissal of 55 staff for misconduct and the creation of new directorates for Fraud Risk Assessment and Control, Digital Transformation and Innovation, and International Asset Tracing and Recovery.

    Apart from deepening ties with international bodies like the FBI, UK NCA, and INTERPOL, which aided in recovering assets abroad, the commission launched EFCC Radio 97.3 FM to raise public awareness about financial crimes and integrity.

    This report is not only useful in assessing the EFCC’s performance in the Olukoyede era but also gives insight into the personal dynamism he has stamped on the commission. 

    There is no question that the commission had an image problem. Indeed, Olukoyede had observed that “Public opinions about the conduct of some of our investigators are adverse.” He warned the workforce: “The craze and quest for gratification, bribes and other compromises by some of our investigators are becoming too embarrassing and this must not continue.” He added that the commission’s image was “too important” to be put on the line by any corrupt officer.

    President Tinubu, in a congratulatory message on his birthday, October 14, said Olukoyede has demonstrated professionalism and courage in the discharge of his duties, reinforcing the EFCC’s mission to rid the nation of economic and financial crimes.

    The President also acknowledged his commitment to the fight against corruption, transparency in governance, and institutional reforms within Nigeria’s anti-graft framework.

    One of the greatest challenges to the commission’s independence and effectiveness is possible political meddling in its operations. There are allegations and reports suggesting that political interference often compromises the EFCC’s ability to operate without bias.

    However, Olukoyede has publicly denied allegations of political targeting by the powers that be, asserting that the commission is operating without bias. He maintains that the agency is committed to upholding the rule of law and that statistics on prosecution include members of both the ruling party and the opposition.

    Importantly, the mid-term report provided a context for further institutional reinvigoration.  Olukoyede reasserted the EFCC’s commitment to transparency, maintaining that all its actions are aligned with the Tinubu administration’s “Renewed Hope Agenda.”

    Under his leadership, the commission exhibits a renewed sense of responsibility that is self-reforming, even self-reinventing. He sets an exemplary standard for public service and institutional governance for social progress.

  • POLICY OF THE YEAR: Tax reforms: Once the rejected stone

    POLICY OF THE YEAR: Tax reforms: Once the rejected stone

    For a legislation whose first public appearance in the nation’s fiscal governance space was drowned in the rancour of partisans, its eventual triumph, is not unlike the proverbial stone once rejected by the builder only to emerge as the chief pillar of the house. Indeed, the turnaround story of the four bills signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on June 26 is more than a marvel; it’s akin to the eighth wonder of the world.

    Nigerians will recall that Tinubu, barely three months in office, precisely in August 2023, inaugurated the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, chaired by Taiwo Oyedele, economist, accountant, and public policy expert. It was tasked with the broad mandate of enhancing revenue collection efficiency, transparent reporting of same, and the promotion of effective utilisation of tax and other revenues to boost citizens’ tax morale, and fostering a healthy tax culture, and drive voluntary compliance. The committee was given one year to deliver.

    The committee delivered – amidst strident opposition. It came up with four separate but intertwined bills: the Nigeria Tax Bill 2024, which sought to establish a comprehensive fiscal framework for tax regulation; the Tax Administration Bill which sought to provide a clear and concise legal structure for managing taxes in Nigeria to reduce disputes and enhance efficiency; the Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Bill designed to repeal the Federal Inland Revenue Service Act and create the Nigeria Revenue Service, and the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill which proposed the creation of a tax tribunal and a tax ombudsman to address tax-related matters.

    Taken together, the bills are, arguably the most consequential of all the legislations enacted under the current presidency.

    Yet, if its introduction was meant to stimulate the long overdue conversation on how best to overhaul the national tax infrastructure, it turned out exactly the opposite. For some, it would become yet another item on the menu of division along Nigeria’s traditional fault-lines of religion and ethnicity, for others, it was yet another occasion to exhibit the wearisome ignorance by those known to thrust themselves into the front seats of public discourse even when they have nothing of substance to say.  

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    The first, perhaps the most unlikely blow on the bills would come from the National Economic Council, NEC, the conclave of 36 governors with Vice President Kashim Shettima, presiding. Rising from its 145th meeting in October 2024, NEC had ‘recommended’ that Tinubu withdraw the bill from the parliament – a rather strange if not entirely gratuitous advisory considering the level of work that had already gone into their making. This, the body justified on the need to “have wider consultations and also build consensus around these reforms”. 

    Ironically, NEC would not be explicit about the nature of the framework of consultation being sought at a time the National Assembly was already apprised of the bills. A more discerning, clear-headed President would admonish that the further consultations and engagement being sought by NEC and perhaps by others who shared their conviction, was better channelled to the National Assembly which had the authority to tinker with them as it pleased.

    Next to follow – and this came as no surprise – is the Northern Governors Forum (NGF) whose meeting, also in October 2024 had some notable northern traditional rulers such as the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III; Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Amin El-Kanemi; Emir of Zazzau, Ahmad Bamalli; Ohinoyi of Ebira land, Ahmed Anaje; Etsu Nupe, Yahaya Abubakar; Emir of Kazaure, Najib Adamu and Emir of Bauchi, Rilwanu Sulaiman Adamu in attendance. The appearance of these leaders went beyond mere symbols; they sought to press the point about the bill being dead on arrival.

    In particular, the ‘conference’ claimed that the tax bills were against the interests of the North; lawmakers in their section of the country, who they reminded, had majority in parliament, were to reject the bills!

    A notable bone of contention was the proposed amendment to the distribution of Value Added Tax (VAT) to Derivation-based Model, which the forum contends would not only unfairly disadvantage the north but would negatively impact the region’s economic stability and potentially benefit southern states like Lagos.

    Even a leading northern cleric, Mansur Ibrahim, a professor from Sokoto State, couldn’t resist lending his voice to the reject-the-bills campaign. Alleging that the bill was shrouded in secrecy with its contents still unknown to many Nigerians, Sheik Ibrahim would go as far as to invoke God: “If they agree with the bill to be passed into law, we will pray to God to punish them”.

    He had earlier on praised Borno’s Senator Ali Ndume for standing firm in opposition to the bills; the same lawmaker who had publicly admitted that he had not read nor would be prepared to read the bills in question!

    By contrast, the south was generally more receptive to the tax bills.

    And so with this armada of forces arrayed against it, it was perhaps given that the bills stood no chance.

    A lot has certainly happened in the last five to seven months. The president on his part left nothing to chance with behind the scene consultations to address those grey areas that came up. So has the painstaking labour of engagement and public education undertaken by Oyedele and his team to get the lawmakers and other relevant stakeholders to understand the provisions of the laws and to appreciate its imperative at this time. As for the leadership of the two chambers of parliament, the Senate and the House of Representatives, they deserve no less commendation for rising above the din and for adroitly guiding the process through and this despite the orchestrated blackmail.

    In the end, Nigeria won – so to speak! The results – as they say – are there to show. On March 18, the House of Representatives took the first significant step when it passed its own version of the bills; this was closely followed by the senate on May 7-8 and finally the harmonised bills by both chambers on June 18 with President Tinubu signing them into law on June 26. Although caution is still very much the word given the challenges of implementation, there is, above all, a new sense that the country will ultimately be better for it.

    Surely, if managing to forge the new tax compact out of the mass of chaos exemplifies uncommon presidential leadership, its coming at this time and in spite of the odds makes it truly historic. Talk of the stone, nearly rejected becoming the central pillar of the Tinubu administration’s economic reform agenda.

  • INT’L CONFLICT OF THE YEAR: The Israel-Hamas war

    INT’L CONFLICT OF THE YEAR: The Israel-Hamas war

    Chilean poet laureate, Pablo Neruda, articulated the horrors of the Spanish Civil War in his poem, “ I’m Explaining a Few Things,” with the repetitive climax: “Come and see the blood in the streets/Come and see/The blood in the streets/Come and see the blood/In the streets!” If he were alive today, he would find resonation of that horror in the two-year old conflict between the State of Israel and Palestinian militant group, Hamas, also known as the Gaza War.

    The conflict was ignited on October 7, 2023, when Palestinian militants launched a surprise attack on Israel – killing 1,195 Israelis and foreign nationals, among them 815 civilians, and taking 251 persons hostage. It is part of the long-running Israeli-Palestinian conflict over territory since the Jewish state was created in 1948 in the area that had been regarded as Mandatory Palestine, forcing the expulsion of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians except in two separated territories that became known as the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

    Following the 1967 Six-Day War, Israel occupied both Palestinian territories and has contended with relentless resistance against that occupation. Since 2007, Gaza Strip has been governed by Hamas, which is militant in disposition unlike the Fatah Palestinian Authority in the West Bank.

    The October 7 Hamas attack was an extension of its militant resistance, which incurred a heavy-handed response from Israel. By recent counts, the conflict has led to the death of some 70,000 Palestinians in Gaza – nearly half of them women and children – and more than 170,000 persons injured.

    Reports say these stats are indeed conservative estimations, and that is not counting collateral fatalities among foreign aid workers and journalists, as well as “indirect” deaths from the conflict.

    Israel launched a bombing campaign and invasion of Gaza on October 27, 2023, and has since then staged numerous offensives in Palestinian territories and spillover wars against Axis of Resistance groups in Iran, Lebanon, Yemen, Syria and Qatar. A year of strikes between Israel and Hezbollah led to the Jewish state’s invasion of Lebanon and ongoing Israeli operations in Syria, which aided the fall of Bashar Al-Assad in 2024. In June, this year, Israel fought a 12-day war with Iran.

    The conflict convulses the Middle-East and reverberates across the world. It has triggered massive protests in many countries where protesters called for urgent ceasefire, and a surge of anti-Semitism as well as anti-Palestinian sentiments.

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    Within Gaza itself, the war has created a monumental humanitarian crisis as Israel’s tightened blockade cut off basic necessities, causing severe hunger crisis for Gazans and a near-famine situation as of October, this year.

    By early 2025, Israel had enacted unprecedented destruction in Gaza and made large parts uninhabitable, leveling entire cities and destroying hospitals, religious and cultural landmarks, educational facilities, agricultural land and cemeteries. Gazan journalists, health workers, aid personnel and other members of civil society were detained and reportedly tortured.

    Israel has detained thousands of Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank since the start of the war, with nearly all of the strip’s 2.3million Palestinian population forcibly displaced. But it’s not that there has been no toll on the part of the Jewish state itself, as more than 100,000 Israelis were internally displaced at the height of the conflict.

    Following the October 7 attack, Israeli war cabinet led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outlined four central goals for the Gaza War namely toppling the Hamas regime and dismantling its capabilities, eliminating terrorist threat from the territory, retrieving hostages seized by Hamas and reinforcing security at Israel’s borders.

    More than two years on, those objectives remain mere aspirations amid resistance by Hamas that’s been accused of using the Palestinian populace as human shield. Resulting collateral harm at Israel’s instance is heavy and unhelpful for its image.

    Israel enjoys robust military and diplomatic support from the United States, which is about the only country left on its side. In world opinion, however, the Jewish state attracts odium and there is broad consensus it is committing genocide in Gaza. Even the United Nations (UN) has pushed such view. Its Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory concluded that four of five acts characterising genocide have been committed, with a case citing Israel for genocide pending before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

    Human rights experts accused both Israel and Hamas of having committed war crimes including torture of prisoners and sexual violence, and the ICJ issued arrest warrants against Netanyahu, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and Hamas chieftain Mohammed Deif. The warrant against Deif was later withdrawn after he was killed by an Israeli airstrike.

    Heady hostility by the combatants has not foreclosed attempts at striking a truce. A temporary ceasefire in November 2023, not long after the war erupted, quickly ran aground. Another ceasefire deal was struck in January, this year. But it collapsed with a surprise attack by Israel in March following mutual accusation of bad faith by both sides. Lately, there’s been another ceasefire deal that may pull the brakes effectively on the carnage.

    The UN Security Council, on November 17, approved a 20-point peace plan put forward by US President Donald Trump that mandates the release of all hostages, an end to hostilities, and withdrawal of Israel from Gaza, disarmament and displacement of Hamas from governing the strip, and its replacement with a temporary transitional government, among other things.

    The plan provides for an International Stabilisation Force to be stationed in Gaza, and for the territory to be administered by an international Board of Peace for some time. Israel signed up to the peace deal, as did Arab nations that urged Hamas to also sign up. But will Hamas agree to finally disarm and relinquish control in Gaza?

    If the two parties uphold the terms of Trump’s proposals, the world could be singing ‘peace at last!’ in the troubled region.

  • ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR: REMA

    ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR: REMA

    For the second year in a row, Divine Ikubor, also known as Rema, again registered his imprint as the biggest news in pop culture. His musical feats, laurels, and exploits, for 2025 cemented his potential as the poster boy of Afrobeats. Born into the home of slain chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State and former General Manager of Ethiope Publishing Company, Mr. Justice Ikubor, on May 1, 2000, Rema had an impactful second year in a row in 2025 and stands tall as Entertainer of the Year with historical feats.

    Now 25-year-old, the pop star’s sophomore album, “HEIS,” has continued to garner not only attention but global accolades. According to Angelique Kidjo, Rema is the embodiment of the international success of Afrobeats and thanks to artists like him, African music is at the forefront of global culture.

    His 2023 monster hit, ‘Calm Down,’ off his 2022 album ‘Raves & Roses’ has continued to amass millions of views in 2025. In fact, the song has joined the billion streams club twice over.

    Rema began his year by copping two major awards, Album of the Year for his hit album ‘HEIS’ and Best Male Artist at the 2025 Trace Awards in February 2025.

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    In April 2025 at the 17th Headies awards, Rema won two awards, Afrobeats Album of the Year for his album ‘HEIS’ and Producer of the Year for his song ‘Ozeba.’

    In the third quarter of the year, Rema’s hit single in 2025, ‘Baby,’ claimed the number one spot as the most exported Nigerian song of 2025. The list showcases the incredible range and global appeal of Nigerian music as well as Rema’s dominance on international audiences.

    By September 2025, he had emerged one of the world’s most influential rising stars as he was featured in the 2025 TIME100 Next list.

    The list which celebrates the world’s most influential rising stars across music, film, sports, politics, science, and philanthropy also featured football prodigy Lamine Yamal.

    The feat by Rema as the only Nigerian artiste featured on the list was further reinforced with his increased streaming numbers. His music accumulates an average of about 3.7 million streams per day on Spotify. In 2025 alone, the young Nigerian music star surpassed 800 million streams on Spotify, a leading music streaming platform.

    Research showed that as of 2025, Rema has surpassed 12 billion total career streams globally and 5.5 billion total Spotify streams as of late 2025. His Spotify numbers include over 5.45 billion total streams for all his tracks. He possesses 4.24 billion streams as the lead artist across 71 tracks, and approximately 1.21 billion streams from 55 tracks, which he featured on.

    In 2025, Rema decided to spoil himself and lavish funds on the acquisition of luxury automobiles valued at N1 billion, in total. The music star made headlines after acquiring two luxury vehicles – a Mercedes Benz G63, valued at N600 million, and a Lamborghini Urus, estimated at N400 million.

    Rema first rose to fame with his 2019 hit single Dumebi, released under D’Prince’s Jonzing World label.

    He is signed to Jonzing World, a subsidiary of Mavin Records owned by music executive Don Jazzy. His self-titled debut EP, ‘Rema,’ was released in 2019 and topped Apple Music’s Nigerian charts. The music video for “Dumebi” has over 81 million views on YouTube.

  • SONG OF THE YEAR: Baby (Is it a crime)

    For all the right reasons, Rema’s biggest release of 2025, ‘Baby (Is it a crime)’ crept on every music listeners as well as Afrobeats consumers to become Song of the Year. The song was released in February 2025 and without fuss found its way into the hearts of Nigerian music listeners, whose large percentage form the core of Rema’s fanbase.

    Inspired by the 1985 classic, ‘Is it a crime,’ by Sade Adu, a Grammy award winning Nigerian-American singer, the song is widely recognised as one of the biggest Afrobeats songs of 2025.

    Rema’s use of an iconic sample by Sade Adu is a significant factor in the song’s substantial international streaming success. The track became globally popular with its broad appeal often attributed to the seamless fusion of Sade’s timeless soul vocals and Rema’s modern Afrobeats sound. The nostalgic element of the widely recognized sample helped bridge generational and geographical gaps, introducing Sade’s work to a new audience while resonating with existing fans.

    The song has several Afrobeats track as contenders for the song of the year including Shalipopi’s ‘Laho,’ and Davido’s ‘With You,’ featuring Omah Lay, however it cuts differently as the song that changes the mood at events, parties and clubs despite not being a streethop anthem.

    After its release, ‘Baby’ immediately topped the Spotify Global Impact List for Nigeria in the first half of the year and became the most globally streamed Nigerian song for the same period.

    ‘Baby’ was the number one most globally streamed Nigerian song on Spotify for the first half of 2025. It also debuted at number one on the TurnTable Top 100, and remains the first 2025 song to do so.

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    According to Spotify, a leading music streaming platform, ‘Baby’ achieved over 3.4 million streams in the first 72 hours of its release. It was the most-streamed Nigerian song on Spotify in the first half of 2025. It went on to surpass 53.4 million streams in May 2025 and 60 million streams in July 2025.

    The song further debuted at No 5 on the Spotify Top Songs Debut Global chart and was the first Nigerian song to chart in over 70 countries on Apple Music.

    To Rema’s credit, Baby reached the No 1 position on multiple music streaming platforms in Nigeria, including Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, YouTube, and Deezer, and spent multiple weeks at the top of the Official Nigeria Top 100 chart.

    In the same vein, the official music video for the song was released in February 2025 and it surpassed two million views within four days of its release.

    As at November 2025, ‘Baby’ has surpassed 80 million Spotify streams, while the music video has amassed over 27m views – adding to the ever accruing streaming numbers of Rema.

    The track’s success cemented Rema’s position as a leading global Afrobeats artist and one with a bright future at just 25.

  • SPORTS PERSON OF THE YEAR: VICTOR OSIMHEN

    SPORTS PERSON OF THE YEAR: VICTOR OSIMHEN

    Two years ago when Victor Osimhen conquered the tough  Italian Serie A  by helping Napoli  win the Scudetto  for the first  time since the Diego Maradona era  of the 1990s, and was deservedly crowned The Nation’s Sportsman of the Year, many would have thought  it would be challenging for  him to arrive  at such an enviable height two years later.

    Of course, Year 2023 was indeed Osimhen’s. Apart from becoming  the  all-time highest-scoring African player in Serie A with 47 goals (overtaking  George Weah’s record of 46 goals), he also became  the first  African to be crowned  the top scorer in the  Italian league with a remarkable 26 goals (31 in all competitions) that helped Napoli  land their first title in 33 years.

    With Nigeria, the former FIFA U-17 Wold Cup winner was equally on fire with 10 remarkable goals that helped Super Eagles’ qualification for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). He ultimately walked away with the African Footballer of the Year, aside other individual accolades that included being ranked the 8th Best Player in the 2023 Ballon d’Or list – the first Nigerian ever to make the top ten in the annual influential awards.

    The following season, Osimhen became the subject of transfer interests from  top European  sides, amongst them Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United, Bayern Munich,  as well as  Barcelona and  Real Madrid. He would soon be embroiled in a contract renewal dispute with Napoli which dragged on like a festering sore, until he was eventually offered an extension until 2026, but with a new release clause set at a staggering €130 million.

    Despite the off-field distractions and spate of injuries, he was among the goals for Napoli with an impressive 17 goals across 32 matches in all competitions. Likewise, he was  the ‘star boy’  as Nigeria  romped  to a ‘golden’  Silver  at the delayed 2023 AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire where the Super Eagles were edged 2-1  in the final by the hosts, the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire.

    In the summer, things practically fell apart between Osimhen and Napoli after the club, with all intents and purposes, rejected offers from Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli as well as Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain. Then there was a change of guard at Napoli with the arrival of Antonio Conte who not only excluded Osimhen from Napoli’s Serie A squad for the season, but stripped him of his shirt number and handed it to new signing Romelu Lukaku.

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    It was a typical  hero to zero tale and like a weather-beaten dog, Osimhen  would soon be  farmed  away  on a season-long loan  to  Galatasaray in what  had gone down in history  as one of the most acrimonious transfer deals in European football.

    The striker, in his typical style, practically turned the lemon threw at him by Napoli to lemonade on arrival in Turkey as he opened his goal scoring for Galatasaray when he netted a brace on his debut in the first half of a 3–3 draw with Kasımpaşa.

    Without a doubt, Osimhen’s arrival in Turkey as a loanee from Napoli  has been a fascinating and transformative period much to the delight of his admirers but to the embarrassment of those who felt his career was nigh to the end.

    He has not only adapted seamlessly to a new league but has also re-established himself as one of Europe’s most prolific and dominant centre-forwards, culminating in a spectacular domestic campaign.

    His goal-scoring prowess was instrumental to Galatasaray securing a domestic double – winning the Süper Lig and the Türkiye Kupasi (Turkish Cup) – and saw him finish as the league’s top scorer.

    A fact well-stressed by influential online directory, Transfermarket: “His 37 goals in 41 appearances across all club competitions mark one of the most prolific seasons of his professional career. In the Süper Lig, his 26 goals saw him convincingly claim the Golden Boot, showcasing his ability to lead the line and consistently convert chances in a high-pressure title race.

    Crucially, he also contributed seven assists, highlighting a growing willingness and capability to link up play and facilitate attacks for his teammates.

    “His contribution to the domestic cup run was equally vital, including scoring five goals in just four cup matches, proving he maintained his high standards across all domestic competitions and was key to securing the domestic double.”

    To many, Osimhen’s dominance in the Turkish top-flight reaffirmed his credentials as a world-class ‘number nine’ and he also shone like the  neon light in the dark in Gala’s campaign on the continent as he netted six goals in seven appearances in their bold  but futile bid  for the UEFA Europa League title.

    His efforts were rewarded with a four -year contract as the yellow and gold broke the bank to complete his transfer from Napoli with a net fee of €75 million that made Osimhen the highest transfer fee in Turkish football history.

    He would make history yet again early November when he became the first foreigner, and the second overall Galatasaray player (after Burak Yılmaz) to score a hat-trick in the Champions League after netting three goals against Ajax in a 3–0 away victory.  He overtook Obafemi Martins as Nigeria’s all-time top scorer in European competitions and also makes him the second Nigerian player (after Yakubu) to have scored a hat-trick in the Champions League.

    In spite of that, Osimhen’s catalogue of goals in the year under review was not limited to Galatasaray. He totally became the tour de force for the Super Eagles in several crucial Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying and FIFA World Cup qualifying matches during the 2024/2025 calendar.

    For instance in March, he became the second highest goal scorer for the Super Eagles after scoring a brace in a 2–0 away victory over Rwanda in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier and also netted a remarkable hat-trick against Benin in Nigeria’s 4–0 victory in October which sealed the Super Eagles’ place in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers playoffs.

    He will also be remembered for the yeoman’s performance against Gabon at the CAF Playoffs in November when he grabbed a brace in an emphatic 4-1, which took his tally to an impressive eight goals in seven matches between March and November 2025.

    Yet, Nigeria’s non-qualification for next year’s  FIFA World Cup is ironically linked to the ‘Osimhen factor’   simply  because whenever  he was unavailable, the Super Eagles were  such  a mess especially  in that better forgotten  second-half collapse against Democratic Republic of Congo in the playoffs in Morocco.   Others won’t also forget his petulance with coach Finidi George   which cost the Super Eagles precious points before Franco-Malian coach Eric Sekou Chelle came on board.

    While the national team had its own challenges – both on-and off the field, he remained at his prolific best so much so that fans on the streets of Lagos to Lokoja; from Abuja to Aba; from Port Harcourt to Potiskum and from Kano to Kalabari shared the similar sentiment:  “there is no Super Eagles without Osimhen and without Osimhen, there is no Super Eagles.”

    This December 29th, Osimhen who this week was crowned as the  Athlete of the Year in Turkey by GQ Türkiye, will be 27. But the sentiments echoed by  England legend Frank Lampard, after  the Nigerian ace striker scored his very first goal in the UEFA Champions League against  Chelsea  six years ago on 2nd October 2019, still ring true: “He is fast; he has everything. His story is great where he has come from, where he is now and it looks like a fantastic career ahead of him.”

  • TEAM OF THE YEAR: THE SUPER FALCONS

    TEAM OF THE YEAR: THE SUPER FALCONS

    In a challenging year for Nigerian sports in 2025, the women’s teams, especially the Super Falcons, Nigeria’s senior national women’s football team, emerged as shining stars. They reinforced the popular saying that “what a man can do, a woman can do better.”

    While the D’Tigress, the national women’s basketball team, rode their luck to win the Women’s Afrobasket Championship for a record fifth successive times (and seven times in total), the Super Falcons made history by winning their record-extending tenth Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title in a dramatic comeback against the host nation, Morocco, at the 13th WAFCON final in Rabat

    Of course, the team had for long dominated continental football and are the only African side to have qualified for every edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup between 1991 and 2023, but the manner of their ‘La Decima’ triumph at the 13th    WAFCON final last July in Morocco, expediently brought joy to Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora.

    After trailing 2-0 at halftime, the Falcons rallied in the second half with goals from Esther Okoronkwo, Folashade Ijamilusi, and Jennifer Echegini, overturning the deficit to clinch a 3-2 victory. The match was hailed as one of the most thrilling comebacks in African football history.

    Nigeria, and indeed Nigerians, went berserk and a success-starved nation once again went on wild jubilations, bringing back memories of some past sporting glories.

    Of course, older Nigerians had witnessed past classic comebacks in the country’s football history; including the Miracle of Dammam when the national U-20 men’s football team, Flying Eagles, made history as the first team ever to come back from four goals down to equalise and then go on to win a FIFA World Cup match at any level via 5-3 penalty-shoot-out against the former Soviet Union (USSR) at the1989 FIFA World Youth Championship in Saudi Arabia. There was also the Dream Team’s fight back from a 3-1 first half deficit before they trounced Brazil 4-3 via the ‘golden goal’ in the football event of the 1996 Atalanta Olympic Games.

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    But all of that, more or less, paled into insignificance based on the magnitude of the Super Falcons’ fabulous conquest that idyllic night of July 27, 2025, in Rabat, when they completed their ‘Mission X’ with the record-extending tenth WAFCON title.

    Their success was widely celebrated throughout Nigeria and beyond.

    “The Super Falcons’ spectacular performance tonight in Rabat, coming from behind to beat a spirited Moroccan side playing in front of a passionate home crowd, exemplifies the determination that defines the Nigerian spirit,” a very pleased President Bola Ahmed Tinubu noted, adding inter alia in a press statement: “With hard work, dedication, and tenacity, you have achieved the mission the nation dreamed of and prayed for.”

    The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, lauded their passion and resilience: “You played with passion, confidence and an unshakable belief in yourselves that it is not over until it is over. The zeal you displayed on the pitch was nothing short of inspirational. I say to you all, well done.

     “You never wavered and reminded the world why Nigeria remains a powerhouse in women’s football in Africa.

    “Your resounding 3-2 victory is indeed remarkable and commendable. It is not just another trophy; it is a testament to your hard work, consistency, and the indomitable Nigerian spirit,” she added.

    Indeed, these Super Falcons cemented their status as Africa’s dominant force in women’s football in Morocco by winning five of six matches, drawing once and keeping four clean sheets while conceding only two goals from open play. Captain Rasheedat Ajibade won three Woman of the Match awards and was deservedly named Player of the Tournament, while the quartet of Ajibade along goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, defender Michelle Alozie and the velvet-skilled Okoronkwo were named in the CAF Team (Best XI) of the Tournament. Their victory was also accentuated by the fact that it was achieved under the watch of an indigenous coach, Justin Madugu, hitherto an unsung hero of women’s football in Nigeria.

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu praised their determination and awarded them substantial cash prizes, national honours (Officer of the Order of the Niger), and housing to the players and technical staff.

     “I have received this trophy on behalf of all Nigerians, and   the Nigerian spirit.” he said.

    He then broke the ceiling and handed them what is the highest reward ever given to the Super Falcons in their 27-year history by announcing cash rewards of $100,000 (naira equivalent) for each player and $50,000 for each technical crew member; conferment of the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) on all 24 players and 11 technical crew members, as well as three-bedroom apartments at the Renewed Hope Estate in Abuja for each player and technical crew member.

    In support, The Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, also announced the donation of ₦10 million to each of the 24 players and the 11 technical team on behalf of the Forum, besides other windfalls from states to their respective ambassadors within the rank and file of the Super Falcons.

    Another good news is that the Super Falcons were recently awarded the Women’s National Team of the Year for the third consecutive time at the annual CAF Awards Gala in Morocco (where goalkeeper Nnadozie was also awarded with the Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year for the third time). They are not resting on their oars yet; the coach Madugu-led lasses are still hungry and already looking ahead for the next WAFCON in March 2026 in Morocco, aiming for an unprecedented 11th continental title.

    But whether they will be able to rise to the top of the rostrum for another continental crown remains to be seen; for now, however, the ‘go-go girls’ deserve the first-class choice as The Nation’s Team of the Year.