The Nation Newspaper

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  • Singer Spyro acquires a multi-million naira G-Wagon 

    Singer Spyro acquires a multi-million naira G-Wagon 

    Fast-rising singer, Oludipe Oluwasanmi David, popularly known as Spyro, has acquired another luxurious Mercedes Benz G-Wagon as a Christmas gift.

    The Nation reported that the singer recently gifted his mother a new car, and the acquisition of a new house for himself.

    Taking to his Instagram account, Spyro shared the exciting news with his fans, revealing that the new addition to his garage marks his second Benz.

    The singer expressed his joy over the purchase, hinting at both new music and a new ride.

    Spyro: “I called for a G Wagon and @unique.motors came through heavy with a sweet deal. Thank you @zichiautos for the link up. When you see me drive by, holla at your boy.”

  • Phyna blasts Blessing CEO, calls her overused ‘Prost!tutes

    Phyna blasts Blessing CEO, calls her overused ‘Prost!tutes

    Reality TV star, Josephina Ijeoma Otabor, popularly known as Phyna has caused a stir on the internet space as she unleashes terror on relationship therapist Blessing CEO.

    Phyna dragged Blessing and her late mother into a public feud that left fans stunned.

    The feud began when a hair vendor publicly called out Phyna for allegedly refusing to return borrowed hair intended for a movie premiere.

    Seizing the opportunity, Blessing CEO took to her social media platform earlier to criticise Phyna’s actions in connection with the hair vendor’s accusations.

    Few hours later, Phyna retaliated with a scathing post on her Instagram page, hurling insults at Blessing CEO and involving the therapist’s late mother in the controversy.

    The reality star also called Blessing CEO an “overused prostitute” and labeled her mother as a “retired ashawo.”

    She accused Blessing CEO of leading a fake life and insinuated that the therapist earned money through questionable means.

    Phyna said: “Blessing CEO I’m too young and successful for an old over used prostitute like you to be burning your time on…. I understand your mother is a retired ashawo and has handed over to you the old and wide punni to use on dod women’s husband….. Blessing I am bigger than you and all “the female in your family pel chill pill…… I too so take a big pass you…failed human. Make I shoe wardrobe so that you come rob me cheap theif

    azonre.”

  • You can fall by lifting others, says Chidinma Ekile

    You can fall by lifting others, says Chidinma Ekile

    Gospel singer, Chidinma Ekile has advised the public on how to limit their giving, stressing that there might not be any reward for excessively helping people.  

    Chidinmma disagreed with Davido’s popular catchphrase ‘We Rise By Lifting Others’, as she noted how one can fall by lifting others.

    The light-skinned singer cautioned her fans to limit the amount of help they render to others.

    She further told them to avoid doing too much and allow anyone guilt trip them or manipulate them into getting money off them.

    “You can actually fall by lifting others, put a limit to how you help people. Don’t do too much, and never allow them guilt trip or manipulate you into getting money off you”, she wrote.

  • Stop generalising, not all actors are bad – Kiitan Bukola warns

    Stop generalising, not all actors are bad – Kiitan Bukola warns

    Nollywood actress Oloruntimilehin Bosede Bukola, popularly known as Kiitan Bukola has issued a note to the general public against generalising bad attitudes of some Nollywood filmmakers with others.

    The actress, via her Instagram page, specifically told her followers that most of them don’t know each other but only meet on movie locations, bond there and return to their various destinations.

    Kiitan Bukola also begged her fans to stop generalising them with insults as they all share different surnames and a person with good character is not meant to be facing backlash for others misconduct.

    She said: “Yeah! We all are actors, we are colleagues, but we ain’t from the same background, we were not brought up same way, stop generalizing us with insults our surnames are different… THANKS..

    “Most of us in the industry don’t even know ourselves, we just meet up at locations, do our work and go back to our various homes. Imagine having to face backlash for other people’s misconduct.

    “I am not perfect but please face me for my imperfection not my colleague who knows nothing .Meditating this morning…”

  • Funke Akindele is an insane filmmaker, says Yvonne Jegede

    Funke Akindele is an insane filmmaker, says Yvonne Jegede

    Nollywood actress, Yvonne Jegede, has recounted her experience working with her senior colleague, Funke Akindele, on the recently released movie, ‘A Tribe Called Judah’.

    Yvonne, during an interview with Legit, said working with Funke on the new movie took her to a new level of understanding and knowledge about filmmaking.

    The movie star made alluring comments about Funke, stating she is an ‘insane’ filmmaker who perfectly holds every part of the production while on a movie set.

    Yvonne Jegede further stated that she holds Funke in high esteem and would be unable to address her by name without adding ‘Big Sis’.

    The thespian noted she has no plan to emulate Funke Akindele’s feats in the cinemas because it is too capital-intensive, and she doesn’t have that type of money.

    She said: “It was a great and awesome experience working on this project. It was something different from what I had been doing, and I loved it.

    “When you see her on TV, you would think, oh, she loves to have fun, play around, dance and be goofy. Haaaa! that’s a lie o she’s a mad woman (screamed). She’s a very serious person when she’s onset. And I think that made my respect for her go really high. Now, I can’t even call her Funke to her face I have to call her big sis because my respect for her has doubled. She’s an insane filmmaker.

    “Every department she holds down is done to perfection. And I think this is because she overprepares before she comes on set, so she knows every single thing; every department is inside her brain. To be honest, she’s good.”

  • NAFDAC moves against sales of measured milk, cereals, others in open markets

    NAFDAC moves against sales of measured milk, cereals, others in open markets

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) said it would arrest importers and sellers of unbranded cereals and other food items of industrial sizes in the open markets. 

    The agency expressed strong disapproval, stating that some manufacturers and their suppliers have been discovered engaging in the importation of approved bulk food items, which subsequently make their way into open markets.

    The agency observed that this practice could originate either from the manufacturing plants or their suppliers, posing health hazards to unsuspecting consumers due to the dispensing method in unsanitary conditions.

    The Director General (DG) of the agency, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, stated that the bypassing of its approval is unacceptable, warning that starting from 2024, the agency has implemented additional stringent measures to eradicate such occurrences.

    She said NAFDAC will adopt a more rigorous approach in granting permits for the importation of bulk food raw materials starting from 2024.

    In a statement released by Sayo Akintola, the agency’s Resident Media Consultant, on Sunday, Adeyeye addressed stakeholders during the end-of-year open dialogue and feedback session with food manufacturing companies, where she explained that the influx of these items into the country occurs because companies have sought permission to utilize them in the production of their NAFDAC registered products.

    The DG who was represented by the Director of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (FSAN), Mrs. Eva Edwards, said, “We are concerned that we find these items being sold in measures, scoops in the open markets. 

    “So we are looking at that process of issuing permits for bulk food raw materials very critically”.

    She disclosed that the regulatory agency has put in place additional measures for assessing and verifying the utilisation records of each company that applies for import permits to import bulk food raw materials.

    ‘’We don’t want to just see your stock cards, we want to know what you imported in the previous year. 

    “We want to know what you used because there are some calculations that we need to make” she noted. 

    According to the statement, Adeyeye reminded the manufacturers that the NAFDAC is not unaware of the ingredients that are used in their products, 

    She revealed that while in one-on-one discussions with some companies, it was discovered that sometimes companies request far more than they require because they feel that the quantities are going to be cut by the agency. 

    However, she noted that if the manufacturers can show records of the utilization of the quantities requested in a previous cycle, that it was used, saying, “We will check and do our calculations and if we realise that yes that company is doing business to those levels, we look at the quantity requested and grant approval’’. 

    The DG though acknowledged that businesses exist to make a profit, saying, “When you are projecting for the coming year, obviously you are also thinking about doing more business. There is always some allowance for that.

    “That we don’t want to see is that diversion into the open market. We don’t want people measuring milk and cereals in cups and measures in 2024. 

    “It is an unhygienic practice. It is not good for the general population in terms of food safety and hygiene”. 

    While affirming that NAFDAC would continue to advocate for the support of her partners and stakeholders in the quest for better, safer, healthier, more nutritious food, Adeyeye added, ‘’We all stand to benefit from this as we are all consumers’’.

    In his remarks, the chairman of, the Technical Committee of the Association of Food, Beverage, and Tobacco Employers (AFBTE), Mr Fred Chiazor, commended NAFDAC for its proactiveness in responding to developments in the industry, saying, ‘’FSAN as a Directorate sees the stakeholders as partners and not as criminals. 

    “It is a Directorate that wants improvement, and this is a win-win. We are happy that you are doing what you should be doing to grow the industries’’.

    He said that NAFDAC and the stakeholders would continue to partner to find areas of better collaboration and improvement in the coming year.

    More than 50 food manufacturing companies were at the forum. 

  • Convicted baron loses VGC mansion, SUV as NDLEA arrests grandma for drugs in Lagos

    Convicted baron loses VGC mansion, SUV as NDLEA arrests grandma for drugs in Lagos

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says a multi-million-naira mansion located at K-5A/2 Road 14, Victoria Garden City (VGC) Estate, Lekki Area of Lagos used as clandestine laboratory for the production of methamphetamine by a convicted drug baron, Okenwa Chris Nzewi, has been forfeited to the federal government following a successful prosecution and conviction in court by the agency.

    The spokesman of the agency, Femi Babafemi, who made this known in a statement in Abuja on Sunday, said Okenwa was arrested along with his associate, Sunny Okeh Ukah on 30th July 2022 and subsequently arraigned on four counts in charge number FHC/L/527C/2022 at the Federal High Court, Lagos. 

    Babafemi said they both pleaded guilty on 17th July, 2023, while they were convicted and sentenced to four and three years imprisonment each with an option of fine of four million (N4,000,000) naira and three million (N3,000,000) naira respectively in addition to community service for four and three weeks each. 

    According to the statement, his Special Utility Vehicle (SUV) marked EKY 496 DJ was equally forfeited to the federal government.

    Babafemi said: “To further deny him of enjoying the proceeds of his criminal activity, the NDLEA filed a civil forfeiture charge against the building used as clandestine laboratory at the Federal High Court Lagos which initially granted an interim forfeiture order that elapsed on 6th December before the final forfeiture on 7th December 2023.”

    According to the statement, NDLEA operatives in Lagos on Friday 15th December arrested a 75-year-old grandma, Mrs. Sekinat Soremekun for dealing in illicit drugs. 

    The statement indicated that at the time of her arrest in Oshodi area of Lagos, quantities of cannabis and litres of codeine syrup were recovered from her. 

    Babafemi said that she claimed her son, Segun who is now at large supplied her the illicit substances which she retailed. 

    The statement read: “In Imo, operatives on patrol along Owerri-Onitsha expressway on Thursday 14th December intercepted a way-billed consignment containing cocaine weighing 2.287kg. The shipment coming from Lagos was concealed in cellophane condoms, and heading to Port Harcourt, Rivers State. A suspect, Isaac Okoh, 45, has already been arrested.  

    “No fewer than 10 jumbo bags of cannabis weighing 100kg were recovered from the ceiling of a dealer, Ibrahim Yahaya, 35, when his house was raided in the Tudun Kofa area of Lafia, Nasarawa State on Friday 15th December while he was also arrested.

    “At the SAHCO export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA Ikeja Lagos, over 1.5 million pills of tramadol 225mg and rohypnol were intercepted in a cargo going to South Africa by NDLEA operatives in collaboration with personnel of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

    “Two suspects: Bada Olanrewaju Akorede, and Amusan Olufela Sharafadeen have so far been taken into custody in connection with the consignment, which consists: 1,050,000 pills of tramadol 225mg and 510,000 tablets of rohypnol.

    At the Federal Capital Territory, FCT Abuja, operatives on Friday 15th December intercepted a consignment of 1, 496 bottles of codeine syrup at A.Y.A area of the city while a suspect, Ozioma Enoja, 31, was arrested in a follow up operation. Another consignment of 400 bottles of the same opioid coming from Port Harcourt, Rivers state was also seized along Abaji-Abuja highway on Saturday 16th December after which a suspect, Bala Ishaq was arrested during a follow up operation at Zuba motor park.

    “While 17 bags of cannabis sativa weighing 195.8kg stored in a bush at Gbanke village, Orhionmwon LGA, Edo state were recovered by NDLEA operatives on Wednesday 13th December, anti-narcotic officers in Ogun state intercepted two suspects: Edun Olowokou and Tunde Elijah at Alamutu roundabout area of Abeokuta with bags of same psychoactive substance weighing 279kg.

    “In Borno state, NDLEA officers on Tuesday 12th December arrested Bukar Ali, 29, and Abacha Alhaji Fantami, 20, with 171kg of cannabis at Ngamdu, Kaga LGA, while three suspects: Jamilu Haruna, 22; Mohammed Hassan, 23; and Aminu Umar, 50, were nabbed with 57kg cannabis on Wednesday 13th December at Tsafe checkpoint, Zamfara state, when they were on their way to Zurumi, a village known as bandits’ enclave.

    At least four suspects: Ezekiel Monday Thompson, 56; Hezekiah Ime, 20; Nsikak Okon Jonah, 39; and Chidi Kalu, 44, were arrested with a total of 121kg cannabis and 5.1grams of methamphetamine in parts of Cross River state on Monday 10th December.

    “The War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, advocacy campaign of the Agency continued in equal measure in schools, markets, worship places and others across the country in the past week. Some of them include: WADA advocacy lecture for students of St. Margaret High School, Ilesa, Osun; students of Federal Government Girls College, Shagamu, Ogun; students of Wesley Model Primary and Secondary School, Badagry, Lagos; students and staff of Government Junior Secondary School and Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Yaryasa, Tudun Wada LGA, Kano state.

    “While commending the officers and men of the MMIA, Lagos, FCT, Imo, Edo, Borno, Ogun, Zamfara, and Cross River Commands for the arrests and seizures of the past week, as well as those of the Directorate of Prosecution and Legal Services for their diligent prosecution of cases in court, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) urged them and their compatriots across all formations of the Agency to intensify the offensive action tempo against drug cartels as the yuletide season approaches while maintaining an equal balance with their drug demand reduction efforts.”

  • Actress Chizzy Alichi loses father

    Actress Chizzy Alichi loses father

    Nollywood actress, Chizzy Alichi is heartbroken after losing her father. 

    The actress announced her father’s death in a heartfelt Instagram post, expressing how deeply his death has affected her.

    She spoke of her late father as her first love, expressing acceptance of God’s decision to take him now. 

    Despite the loss, she said she finds solace in the fact that he fulfilled all his desires during his lifetime.

    Chizzy Alichi wrote: “My father is gone. Words fail me. My father, my first love. I’m broken, my whole life is turned upside down. This was not our plan. Father how can you die without carrying my children. This is too much for me but I cannot question God. I’m glad I gave you almost everything you have ever wished for when you were alive. Rest in peace father. Please come back to me as soon as possible. I don’t understand what’s going on anymore, first call in the morning and it’s the news of your death, can I ever pick any call in the morning again. Please say a prayer for me.”

  • Christmas: IGP meets top police officers Monday over security

    Christmas: IGP meets top police officers Monday over security

    The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, will on Monday, December 18, in Abuja meet with Commissioners of Poice (CPs), AIGs and DIGs in order to address security issues and plan how to secure the country before, during and after the yuletide.

    Egbetokun is expected to roll out the achievements of the police within the last 10 weeks.

    A statement issued on Sunday, December 17, by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi said: “The meeting, which is at the instance of the IGP, would address many security issues and review Police’s anti crime strategies for efficiency and effectiveness towards peace and order in our dear country. 

    “The IGP would also seize the opportunity to roll out the achievements of the police within the last 10 weeks. 

    “The meeting involves Commissioners of Police and above and other tactical commanders. All hands must be on deck to provide adequate security for all and sundry in Nigeria”.

  • Olusimbo Ige: Nigerian woman becomes first black female commissioner in Chicago

    Olusimbo Ige: Nigerian woman becomes first black female commissioner in Chicago

    A Nigerian woman, Dr. Olusimbo Ige has been appointed as Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH), thus becoming first black female to occupy the position. 

    Mayor Brandon Johnson officially announced the appointment. 

    Dr. Ige received her Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery and her Master of Science in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from the University of Ibadan. She also received her Master’s in Public Health from the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom.

    Mayor Johnson said: “Dr. Ige is a tremendous addition to not just our administration, but to the City of Chicago. She is someone who understands the balance between hard data and community interaction when assessing public health problems and solutions”

    Dr. Ige is a Managing Director of Programs at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and had served as the Assistant Commissioner for the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.    

    Reacting, Dr. Ige said: “It is a distinct honor to serve the city of Chicago in this role. Through collaboration with the Johnson Administration and with community members in Chicago, I am confident that we can improve the health outcomes for all Chicagoans. 

    “I have spent my entire career in the public health field, and I look forward to bringing all that I have learned to CDPH.”

    Congratulating Dr. Ige on Sunday, a statement signed by Chairman/CEO,  Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa described her milestone as “extraordinary”. 

    Dabiri-Erewa said Ige’s appointment has once again confirmed that Nigerians in the Diaspora are excelling and impacting positively wherever they find themselves.

    The NIDCOM boss urged Ige to live up to expectations while motivating other young Nigerian professionals to also be good ambassadors of Nigeria in their chosen career.

    From 2020-2023, Dr. Ige served as the Assistant Commissioner for the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

    In her role as Assistant Commissioner, Dr. Ige advised New York City’s health and human services executive leadership team including the Commissioner of Health, Vice-President of Health and Hospitals, and the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services.

    During her time at the NYC Department of Health, Dr. Ige developed a community health worker program focused on outreach and engagement with Black communities and she spearheaded efforts for vaccine equity across the city.

    Dr. Ige worked closely with community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, academic institutions, and other partners to advance equitable health outcomes for all New Yorkers.  

    Prior to her time in New York, Dr. Ige served as the Executive Director of Global Health for the General Board of Global Ministries, where she successfully led health initiatives across the United States and 30 other countries.