Daystar Christian Centre has commenced activities marking its 30th anniversary, themed, “A Mosaic of Changed Lives,” celebrating three decades of faith, transformation, and leadership development.
At the media conference held at the church’s headquarters in Oregun, Lagos, Senior Pastors, Sam and Nike Adeyemi reflected on the ministry’s journey, its social impact, and its vision for the future.
According to Pastor Sam Adeyemi, “When the journey began, our nation was weary. Leadership failures and moral decline had dimmed hope. Yet, God planted a vision, not just to build a large church, but to build strong people who would reflect His character and competence in every sphere of life.”
He said that the vision of raising role models has remained central to Daystar’s mission.
“Across the world today, people are searching for meaning, stability, and hope. Every changed life adds another piece to this living mosaic of hope and purpose,” he added.
The cleric noted that platforms such as the Daystar Leadership Academy, with over 55,000 alumni, and the Daystar Skill Acquisition Programme have trained thousands in leadership, entrepreneurship, and vocational skills.
He also said the church’s Entrepreneurial Class, which began over two decades ago, has produced business leaders and entrepreneurs contributing to national development.
Pastor Sam announced that the next phase of the church’s work would focus on digital discipleship, leadership incubation, and global transformation, with renewed investment in young people.
“The next 30 years will center on equipping a new generation to merge faith with confidence and compassion with creativity,” he said.
He also reflected on Nigeria’s current challenges, urging national leaders and citizens to prioritize human dignity and values.
“We must move beyond success to significance to legacy. It’s time we restructure our country so everyone can dream and fulfil their potential without fear,” he said.
“Our mission remains clear: to keep building people, shaping leaders, and raising role models who will make Christ attractive through excellence, compassion, and love.”
Pastor (Mrs.) Nike Adeyemi described the anniversary as “a story of grace that transforms ordinary people into extraordinary testimonies.”
“For 30 years, we have witnessed how love and consistent teaching can heal, restore, and awaken a sense of purpose. Our focus has always been on building people from the inside out, spiritually, emotionally, and mentally,” she said.
She emphasised that Daystar’s strength lies in its people, members, volunteers, and partners, who embody the church’s values of compassion and service.
Pastor Nike further stressed the church’s commitment to preparing a new generation of value-driven leaders.
“We are committed to raising a new generation of leaders who are whole, value-driven, and equipped for global influence,” she said.
The anniversary celebrations will climax with special services on November 15 and 16, to be held across all Daystar centres and streamed live on the church’s YouTube channel.
The Apostolic Church Nigeria (TACN), Mercy Assembly Choir, hosted its 2025 Revival Service of Spiritual Songs with the theme: “Hallelujah” last Sunday in Lagos.
The attracted worshippers for a day of spiritual awakening and praise, centered on the power of music and divine connection.
The service, at 16 Lawal Street, off Odo Jankara, Agbada-Ijaiye, Ojokoro, saw the Assembly Choir lead the congregation in harmonious songs of worship, reflecting the theme of “Hallelujah” and creating an atmosphere charged with faith and enthusiasm.
The event served as a spiritual boost for attendees and underscored the church’s commitment to “Apostolic Obedience,” a value prominently featured on the choir’s emblem.
The event was hosted by Pastor C. Mercy Olanipekun, whose vision for a dedicated service of spiritual songs offered worshippers a unique opportunity to encounter God through music.
The service drew a significant crowd eager to experience the anointed ministration and other guest ministers as well.
An attendee while speaking after the programme said: “The service was a powerful reminder that music is a profound tool for revival.
“The choir’s performance was truly anointed, and we were blessed.”
Pope Leo has appointed a Nigerian priest, Rev. Fr. Anthony Daleng, as Vice Regent of the Papal Household.
Fr. Daleng will assist Archbishop Leonardo Sapienza, the current Regent, in coordinating papal audiences and managing logistics for Pope Leo’s daily schedule and official functions.
The Prefecture of the Papal Household oversees the Pope’s public and private engagements, including audiences with heads of state, diplomats, church leaders, and the administration of the Apostolic Palace.
Although the role of Vice Regent is not formally outlined in Praedicate Evangelium — the apostolic constitution governing the Roman Curia—Vatican observers say the appointment reflects Pope Leo’s effort to bring fresh leadership and broaden global representation within the Vatican.
Fr. Daleng, 48, from Yitla’ar, Kwalla, Plateau State, was ordained in 2005. He previously served as General Counsellor and Procurator General of the Order of Saint Augustine in Rome and holds a doctorate in Moral Theology from the Alphonsian Academy.
Speaking to Vatican Media, Fr. Daleng highlighted Pope Leo’s long-standing relationship with Africa, saying, “He has Africa in his heart.
He has visited our African missions several times and has come to Nigeria on at least ten occasions.”
Pope Leo, an Augustinian, last visited Nigeria in 2016 during the Order’s Intermediate General Chapter, further strengthening ties between the Vatican and Nigeria’s growing Catholic community.
The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has challenged manufacturers of pharmaceutical products in the country to take the necessary investment decisions that will facilitate the production of human vaccines in Nigeria.
She warned that Nigeria should not wait for another pandemic before it gets prepared and avoid being caught unawares, as witnessed during COVID-19, when the country depended on international donors to survive the scourge.
“When I came to NAFDAC, we had the Registration and Regulatory Affairs Directorate, which was in charge of registration of all NAFDAC-regulated products, meaning the registration of food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, herbal medicines, vaccines, veterinary products, pesticides, and other finished chemicals was under one Director, which made the system susceptible to ineffectiveness and corruption,” she said.
NAFDAC became Maturity Level 3 in 2022 for medicines and imported vaccines. For NAFDAC to be benchmarked for vaccines, biologics and medical devices, she explained that we had to have a separate Directorate headed by a director to ensure that the country aligns with international best practices, adding that “we are operating at the same level as advanced countries of the world.”
She disclosed that the Agency had to separate vaccines, biologics, and medical devices in November 2024, to form one directorate, following the Head of Service of the Federation’s assessment, evaluation, and sanction, to ensure that it would be a viable Directorate with operating units.
The DG expressed the hope that the nation would manufacture vaccines before she leaves office, saying that “It will be exciting news for me, because during the pandemic, we were too dependent on foreign countries. We couldn’t get any vaccines unless from outside the country. That was when the preparedness for epidemics became a reality for us.”
She stated that the Agency now has guidelines for emergency preparedness for epidemics and pandemics.
Still, she warned that if there’s another pandemic now and Nigeria is not yet manufacturing human vaccines, despite having manufactured veterinary vaccines since 1924, the country would again be at the mercy of other countries. “During the pandemic, we ran up and down to see whether we could start manufacturing vaccines, but things did not work out,” she said, adding that “we must decide as a country that we will not be too dependent on others. We will manufacture our own.”
According to her, there has been a movement to do that, but this has not come to reality. “That’s why I pray that before my tenure is over, we will be manufacturing vaccines.”
According to her, any country that wants to manufacture vaccines that will be pre-qualified by the WHO must have a regulatory system with at least Maturity Level 3 status.
She added that the fact that the country now has ML3 for medicines and imported vaccines in 2022 brought it to the discussion of manufacturing vaccines.
She explained that, as a country, Nigeria needs to fulfil the requirements of nine modules in the WHO Global Benchmarking Tool, one of which is Licensing Establishments for the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN), and NAFDAC had the remaining eight.
She pointed out that the ML3 Nigeria achieved was for seven of the eight, emphasising that it had not been benchmarked for locally manufactured vaccines.
Adeyeye noted that NAFDAC is the only National Regulatory Agency (NRA) in sub-Saharan Africa that has an in-house laboratory for vaccines, biologics, and medical devices.
She said the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) has a laboratory for vaccines but contracted it out to private operators.
“We are working towards getting our ML3 for locally manufactured vaccines. We already have ML3 for medicines and imported vaccines from 2022. WHO came last year, they saw everything that we have as a regulatory agency on indicators for vaccine Lot Release; we have almost satisfied everything except that the country must manufacture vaccines because it’s when we manufacture vaccines that we can do local facility inspections.”
She said NAFDAC had been conducting Lot Release testing on imported vaccines in her lab for years, adding that the WHO wants to know that we can also effectively monitor locally manufactured ones. This is where we are as a country, and I pray that within a short time, we will be able to manufacture our own vaccines.”
Speaking in the same vein, Mrs Khadijah Ade-Abolade, Director of Vaccines, Biologics, and Medical Devices Registration and Regulatory Affairs, stated that the federal government was playing a strategic role to ensure that local vaccine manufacturing takes off in the country.
She stated that the policy has been established, and support is being provided to ensure that vaccine manufacturing takes off in Nigeria. According to her, the important thing is the regulatory framework, which is already established by NAFDAC and is well-functioning for imported vaccines, and which will also be applied to local vaccines when manufacturing starts in the country.
“All the required regulatory functions for the regulation of vaccines are already available. We have our market authorisation, which is the registration that we do; the Inspectorate arm of the Agency conducts regulatory inspections.
We have Clinical trial oversight, which is crucial for vaccine regulation, as well as Post-Market Surveillance and Pharmacovigilance, because we need to monitor the safety and efficacy of our vaccines.”
Ade-Abolade maintained that the regulatory system for local vaccine manufacture had already been well-established in the country, stressing that “We are just waiting for the manufacturing operations to start by the manufacturers.”
The Director General further emphasised that the country can manufacture vaccines. The country can start with “Fill and Finish” while planning the greenfield.
“We have sound scientists. We have our President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is encouraging local manufacturing as part of the Renewed Hope Agenda. Now is the time to get it done, ” Ade-Abolade said.
They were engaged in deceptive sale of underweight and shortened fabric materials to unsuspecting consumers in breach of the provisions of the FCCPA (2018).
In a press statement by its director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, the enforcement exercise by the Commission was led by its Director of Surveillance & Investigation, Mrs. Boladale Adeyinka.
In a press statement by FCCPC “the action is a culmination of weeks-long surveillance around Kano markets by FCCPC and the establishment of the prevalence of the sale of fabric materials significantly below the standard length or measurement indicated by retailers, while charging consumers the full price.”
According to him, “Section 123(1) of the FCCPA states that no retailer, trader or supplier shall, in the course of trade or for the purpose of promoting or marketing any goods, make any representation to a consumer in a manner that is false, misleading, erroneous, or deceptive in any way, including in respect of the quantity or price at which goods are supplied.
“Similarly, Section 125(1) prohibits any undertaking from engaging in conduct that directly or indirectly implies a false or misleading representation concerning a material fact to a consumer or prospective consumer.”
The textile products involved in the sharp practices include LGR Product, U&Me Product, Nana Tex Product, V Levintus Product and Mama Africa Product, Hightex Product, UE Product, S-U Velt Product and Jisiki Product.
Investigations revealed that the products were imported, marketed, distributed, advertised and warehoused at Nos 238, 249, 313, 315, 413 and 428 Gandun Abada Layout; Nos 38 & 40 Ibrahim Taiwo Road; No 87 Bua Rice Mills Street; Links I, II & III Ajasa Inuwa Wada Road and No 287 Gandun Albasa New Layout in Kano city.
Speaking on the development, the EVC/CEO of FCCPC, Mr. Tunji Bello, reiterated the Commission’s zero tolerance for any practice that exploits Nigerian consumers or distorts the market or threatens fair competition.
“By undermining honest traders and businesses that comply with lawful standards, this nefarious practice of selling underweight products can drive legitimate retailers out of the market, thereby reducing consumer choice and entrenching anti-competitive behaviour,” said the FCCPC boss.
He reassured the public that the Commission will continue to deploy lawful means to deter such exploitative conduct in all markets across Nigeria. Retailers, distributors, and suppliers across the country were reminded of their obligation under the law to provide goods that conform to declared descriptions, measurements, and standards.
The 2025 edition of the Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO) Fashion Weekend kicked off yesterday with a huge crowd of consumers, retailers, business entrepreneurs and people from various walks of life in attendance.
The roads leading to the venue was jam packed with vehicles, gaily dressed people of all ages, everyone seemed eager to troop to the venue for what is now termed the biggest fashion fair in Africa.
The eight edition of the highly anticipated fashion weekend taking place at the GTCentre, Plot 1 Water Corporation Drive, Oniru, Lagos, has redefined style and elegance while propagating the local for the global trend.
A visit to the massive electrifying arena throws light on why the fashion weekend is fast becoming one of the most anticipated events in Africa. The event defies age. It defies bureaucracy.
People of all ages are seen, beautifully and colorfully dressed without any air of inhibitions, networking and having fun.
The GTCO is an annual free initiative by GTB designed to spotlight Africa’s fashion creativity on the global stage while supporting the growth of the continent’s fashion industry.
The two-day event offers guests a captivating experience of Africa’s most exciting designs and trends.
It also provides emerging fashion businesses in Nigeria with a valuable opportunity to reach more consumers and engage industry experts at no cost.
The event will also include six masterclass sessions which will host internationally recognized professionals across fashion, modelling and makeup. Three masterclasses anchored by Bianco Saunders, Jade Oyateru and Melissa Butler held yesterday while three others to be hosted by Maria Borges, Christina Tegbe and Patrick Ta will be holding today.
Yesterday’s event closed with a series of epic runway shows featuring Africa’s finest designers and renowned international designers while today’s event will also end with the Runway shows.
For this year’s edition, there are 12 runway shows. The designers taking the runway this year include Mulawwan, Sassy By Etty, Illona Atelier and Nya Lagos.
Segun Agbaje, Group CEO of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc, disclosed that the fashion weekend aims to showcase talent and innovation across the continent and also to “inspire shared, sustainable, and people-centered growth.
“Our focus every year remains Promoting Enterprise. By bringing together emerging and established voices in fashion, we continue to highlight the ingenuity and diversity that define African creativity, while reaffirming our commitment to promoting enterprise in ways that enrich lives and strengthen communities,” he said.
“Looking ahead our goal is not only to showcase the remarkable talent, innovation, and enterprise that define the continent’s fashion landscape, but also to inspire shared, sustainable, and people-centered growth.”
In a horrific tale of innocence lost, pain, and unanswered questions, Nigeria continues to reel under the weight of growing cases of sexual violence and child exploitation. From classrooms to homes, from churches to dormitories, the safety of the Nigerian child is under siege. Their tears have become a haunting reminder of a system that has failed to protect its most vulnerable. Following the renewed call to reopen the late Ochanya Elizabeth Ogbanje rape story, ZAINAB OLUFEMI examines the recurring tragedy of child sexual abuse and the long, tortuous road to justice.
When 13-year-old Ochanya Elizabeth Ogbanje left her home in Ogene-Amejo, Benue State, in 2018 to pursue her education at the Federal Government Girls’ College, Gboko, she carried dreams of a brighter future. But those dreams were cruelly cut short.
Ochanya was allegedly sexually assaulted for 5 years by her guardian, Andrew Ogbuja, a lecturer at Benue State Polytechnic, and his son, Victor Ogbuja, while living under their care. The repeated abuse led to complications which eventually claimed her life in October 2018.
Years after her death, the agony of justice delayed continues to torment her family and advocates across the country.
In April 2022, a Benue State High Court acquitted Andrew Ogbuja of rape and culpable homicide charges, citing “insufficient evidence,” despite widespread outrage. No DNA test was conducted, and conflicting autopsy reports deepened the controversy, one citing “natural causes,” another linking her death to “sepsis from sexual abuse.”
The injustice surrounding Ochanya’s death became a rallying cry across Nigeria. The hashtag “#JusticeForOchanya” trended on social media, as activists, students, and NGOs demanded accountability. Her story became symbolic of the larger fight against child sexual abuse in the country, a fight that remains far from over.
Hanifa Abubakar, a recurring nightmare
Sadly, Ochanya’s story is not isolated. Across Nigeria, children, especially girls continue to fall prey to predators cloaked as teachers, guardians, and neighbours.
In January 2022, the nation was shocked by the murder of five-year-old Hanifa Abubakar in Kano State.
Hanifa, a pupil of Noble Kids Academy, was kidnapped by her school proprietor, Abdulmalik Tanko, who demanded ransom from her parents and later poisoned her to death when he feared exposure.
The discovery of her decomposing body buried within the school premises sparked national outrage and protests calling for justice. Tanko was eventually sentenced to death, but the scars left on Hanifa’s parents and community remain indelible.
Chika Adionye Rape Case (2023, Abuja)
A 42-year-old prominent businessman was sentenced to life imprisonment by an FCT High Court for the repeated rape of his two young cousins, aged 7 and 8. The abuse occurred in his home, where the victims were left under his care.
The case was prosecuted by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), emphasising the exploitation of familial trust. This mirrors Ochanya’s abuse by a relative and guardian figure.
Pastor Ndukwe Ogbu Sexual Assault Case (2025, Lagos)
A pastor at a Lagos church was convicted on three counts of sexual assault and sentenced to 53 years in prison by an Ikeja High Court. He abused multiple underage female congregants, including minors as young as 12, during church counseling sessions. The case, prosecuted under Lagos State laws, involved coercion and threats, leading to severe psychological trauma for victims. It underscores the unlikely danger in religion enclaves.
Bishop Kenneth Duke Rape Case (2025, Abuja)
A 52-year-old bishop and church founder was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment without fine by an FCT High Court for raping a 14-year-old girl in his congregation. The assault took place in his office under the guise of spiritual guidance. NAPTIP led the prosecution, stating the victim’s resulting physical injuries and the church’s initial cover-up attempts.
Tubosun Stepfather Abuse Case (Ongoing, Lagos State, 2023–Present)
A 12-year-old girl named Tubosun reported repeated sexual abuse by her stepfather over several months, including penetrative assault in their family home. Supported by the Spotlight Initiative and local NGOs, she disclosed the abuse after suffering injuries and emotional distress. The perpetrator was arrested, but the case awaits full adjudication. It illustrates intra-family abuse and the courage required for child survivors to speak out, akin to Ochanya’s delayed reporting due to fear and dependency.
A society failing its young
The rising cases of rape, incest, and exploitation have raised deep concerns about the safety of minors in homes, schools, and religious institutions.
According to UNICEF, one in four Nigerian girls experiences sexual violence before the age of 18, yet only a fraction of cases ever reach conviction.
A 2021 report by Amnesty International revealed that government’s efforts to combat sexual and gender-based violence “have yielded little or no tangible results.” Many survivors are silenced by stigma, threats, and lack of faith in the justice system.Parents often withdraw complaints under pressure, while police officers mishandle evidence or demand bribes to move cases forward. For many victims, justice is not only delayed, it is denied.
Unending cry for protection
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) recorded over 11,200 reported cases of sexual abuse.
A 2021 Amnesty International report noted that government efforts to combat sexual and gender-based violence have yielded “little or no tangible results,” citing systemic failures in law enforcement, prosecution, and social welfare support.
The result is a culture of impunity that emboldens perpetrators and silences survivors.
Dark statistics and muted cries
According to a 2021 report by UNICEF, one in four Nigerian girls experiences sexual violence before the age of 18, while only a traction of cases are ever reported.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) recorded over 2,000 cases of child sexual abuse between 2019 and 2023, but experts believe the real numbers are much higher due to underreporting.
The reasons are grimly familiar: fear of stigma, parental silence, societal pressure, and weak prosecution systems. In many communities, families prefer to “settle” such cases privately rather than face the humiliation of police investigation or media attention.
According to Amnesty International, the Nigerian government’s efforts to curb sexual and gender-based violence have yielded little results. The absence of functional child protection systems and the slow pace of justice have emboldened predators who now act with impunity.
Long road to reform
Civil society groups and NGOs have continued to push for stricter penalties, specialised child courts, and nationwide sensitisation. Campaigns like #JusticeForOchanya, #JusticeForHanifa, etc, have mobilised public outrage and renewed calls for accountability.
In 2022, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs partnered with state governments to establish Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) across the country, aimed at providing medical, legal, and psycho-social support for victims. But many remain underfunded and understaffed.
A cry that must not be ignored
Every few weeks, a new name trends, a new victim, a new hashtag. The faces change, but the pain remains the same. From Ochanya to Hanifa, the stories echo one another, innocence stolen, families broken, justice delayed.
Juliet Ochime, 28, based in United Estate, Sangotedo, Lekki, reportedly died following a beating she received from some neighbours who accused her of breaking the windshield of a car. However, members of her family are not taking it lying low, citing rape and other physical abuses before she was left to die, as they call for arrests, prosecution and for their lost daughter. Udeh Onyebuchi reports.
The narrow, dusty stretch of New House Street in United Estate, Sangotedo, Ajah, appears quiet, almost too quiet. Rows of uncompleted structures line the deserted path, some occupied silently by squatters, others left abandoned to the elements. It was here, in one of the unfinished houses overlooking Mopo Road, before a Celestial Church, that 28-year-old Juliet Ochime was allegedly beaten, restrained, and ultimately left to die.
Juliet, a fashion designer from Ohuye Village in Itakpa-Ito, Obi Local Government Area of Benue State, had lived in Lagos for years, far from family but close enough to survive through petty tailoring jobs and relationships within the estate community. Her mother had not seen her for nearly five years. Her siblings only knew she stayed “somewhere in Ajah,” unaware that she lived just a short distance from her elder brother who is a mechanic at the front of Eti-osa Local Government office in Igbo-Efon, Lekki.
Now, they are united again not in reunion or celebration but in mourning.
“They just called me and said my sister gave up,” the brother, Joe Ochime said.
The younger Ochime narrated how he received the news of his elder sister’s death early Monday morning at about 6:00 a.m., through a phone call from a neighbour in the estate.
“On Monday, October 4, my sister’s neighbour called to inform me about an incident that happened the previous day, Sunday, October 3, around 1 p.m. She said my sister had an altercation with some people. This neighbour is someone I usually call whenever I could not reach my sister,” he said.
According to him, “What the neighbour told me, and what I later heard from others, is that my sister broke the windshield of someone’s Toyota Corolla after having an issue with a man called Kingsley. The man reportedly called three people who took her to an uncompleted building where she was tied up and beaten. I also learnt they raped her before she died.”
When Joe received the call, he took a motorcycle and rode all the way from Festac to Ajah. But by the time he arrived at United Estate, Juliet was no longer alive. He branched at Ogombo Police station as the neighbour advised. “On my way to United Estate, the woman called again, advising me to go to the police before entering the estate, the neighbour told me to stop by the police station so that the suspects would not flee. So I went to Ogombo Police Station, where three police officers followed me to the scene.
“I saw my sister’s lifeless body lying on the ground. She gave up at the early hours of Monday. When we asked for the owner of the car whose windshield she allegedly broke, we were told he had fled. The police arrested his wife, his brother, and the security man.”
He added that he was later informed that the men who attacked her were residents of the estate, not outsiders.
Juliet’s body lay in an uncompleted building, motionless, partially wrapped in a curtain, bruises visible all over her skin, clear signs scuffles, struggle and pain.
“They carried her to a building and tied her. They beat her. They raped her. That is what they told me,” Joe said.
The deceased remains were taken to Ogombo Police Station, and from there, the family deposit her body at Mosunmola Ajayi Private Morgue at Thomas Village Estate, Ajah, Eti-Osa, Lagos.
The family, however, is still awaiting official confirmation through police investigation and autopsy.
Left to die
Eyewitnesses told The Nation that Juliet was still alive after the beating. “She was shouting for help, and that was how some neighbours realised people were beating her in another house. Those who heard her cries alerted the Chief Security Officer of the estate, who came to the scene. They untied her and even started recording videos of her while she lay motionless on the ground,” the witness narrated.
According to Joe, “They said she was breathing, but they did not take her to hospital. They said she was sleeping. She will wake up. She might have survived if they had offered help.”
Mortuary costs
Juliet’s body was transported the following day to Mosunmola Ajayi Private Morgue, located at 16 Modupe Young Street, Thomas Village, Eti-Osa. There, the family paid ₦150,000 for deposit, with an additional ₦5,000 charged daily for preservation.
According to her elder brother Uche Friday, “We are spending from our own pockets. Nobody is supporting us. The government will not help us. We just want justice.”
The police later directed that Juliet’s remains be transferred to a general hospital for autopsy. The family is still waiting not just for results, but for clarity.
United Estate responded
United Estate Executive Security officer, Mr. Uche Nelson, confirmed the incident but presented a differing account.
“The lady Juliet is known to be unstable, a drug addict. But that does not justify people taking laws into their hands.”
According to Nelson, “She broke a vehicle windshield. In the process, the vehicle owner’s wife, his brother and a security man started beating her. Unfortunately, that assault led to her death. The rape allegation is a second version we cannot confirm yet.”
He added that the unfinished building is where Juliet and a few others were staying.
“She stayed in the uncompleted building with a few other miscreants,” he said.
He further stated that they had summoned the landlord of the house where the two brothers reside, but he is yet to respond.
“We wanted to hear his version of the incident as well, since he is the landlord to both of them,” he said.
Police response
The police operatives visited the scene shortly after the incident and arrested three suspects, including the man’s wife.
Spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, SP Abimbola Adebisi, confirmed the incident, noting that the case had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, for further investigation.
She said, “Three suspects, including two females and one male, have been arrested in connection with the incident. The case, along with the suspects, has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti for further investigation.”
A cry for justice
Contrary to the police’s statement that the suspects have been arrested, late Ochime’s relatives say they are still being seen walking freely around the estate, expressing fears that the case may be buried.
They are therefore calling on Nigerians to amplify Juliet’s story.
“This pain is too much. We want justice. Let those who did this face the law. Nobody has the right to take another’s life,” Joe said.
Unanswered questions
Was Juliet beaten to death, or did drug intoxication play a role? Was she sexually assaulted as alleged? And why has the key suspects not been fully tracked down? Until autopsy results are released and suspects are prosecuted, Juliet’s final hours remain clouded in pain, fear, and unanswered questions.
It was a celebration of the Gelede Masquerade culture yet again at the palace of Onisabe of Igbobi-Sabe, as the monarch of the Lagos Mainland Kingdom, Oba Owolabi Adesina Adeniyi recently presented a Gelede mask head to the management of Loving Lagos Limited, owners of Onikan Museum, Lagos.
The team of Loving Lagos Limited was led by its founder, Akinlawon Adams, who introduced the company as a tourism company focused on the history and culture of Lagos, and which specialises in showcasing and propagating the unique history and culture of Lagos through its Onikan Museum located on Military Street, Onikan, Lagos, and by organising tourism trips for people from different parts of the world to experience the rich, unique culture of Lagos.
The Gelede mask-head, according to Oba Adeniyi, is to be kept in the Onikan Museum for posterity and to further propagate the story of the Gelede deity.
Tracing the origin of the Gelede masquerade, the Onisabe said the Gelede masquerade is a female deity well-rooted in the Yoruba culture and celebrated across most Yoruba towns and settlements. He cited Sabe and Ketu kingdoms in the Republic of Benin, Egbado, Ota, Mulero, Alausa, Isale-Eko/Lagos Island as a few other Yoruba towns where gelede is well celebrated.
He, however, stressed that the Gelede Masquerade is unique to Igbobi-Sabe in the sense that it is the only deity/festival celebrated in the town.
“Igbobi-Sabe is a small town, but you cannot see Egungun cult house, no Osugbo, no Ogboni; the only deity and festival we celebrate is the Gelede Masquerade. Our progenitors brought it from Ketu. However, there was a lull in the celebration because of the obaship tussle that embroiled the town some years back. Prodded by a lady friend of mine who regaled me with stories of how her father used to bring her and her siblings to enjoy the Gelede spectacle in Igbobi-Sabe, I took the decision to resuscitate it.”
Consequently, the palace has held the festival twice, and preparing for the third edition. The monarch has also taken concrete steps to entrench the kingdom as a bastion of Gelede celebration, having registered and obtained the certificate of the Lagos State Ministry of Arts and Culture and that of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC).
Presenting the treated mask-head to Akinlawon Adams, the Onisabe said, “I am presenting the Gelede head to you, so that you can place it in your museum as a further propagation of the Gelede masquerade. All I need is for you to indicate that it is a gift from the Onisabe of Igbobi-Sabe Kingdom and to keep it well and protect it, such that it does not end up in some European museum. It is the same love for its propagation that made me present the mask-head to the Lagos State Records and Archives Bureau (LASRAB) museum in 2022.
Reacting, Mr. Adams said “We are so grateful; it’s been long coming; we’ve been having this conversation for a while, so we’re filled with gratitude, joy and excitement. The fact that we are also able to relate with a royal house gives authenticity to what we are doing. This is another step in our mission to propagate the rich history and culture of Lagos for the future and for posterity.”
On the monarch’s passionate appeal for protection, Adams pledged to jealously guide and protect the mask, stating that this was why he came with his younger crew members, so they could understand the importance of such relic.
Glory Nneka Ukwenga, founder, Africana League, a youth network that connects Africans on the cause of governance and development, and Executive Director, Nigeria House of Commons, a political reality show, in this interview with Lucas Ajanaku, speaks on women and youth participation in mainstream politics, laying specific emphasis on why women should be intentional in their quest for leadership positions whilst the youth should rise above the mythical and structural impediments to assume their right of place in the nation’s polity.
How can businesses and civil society support youth engagement and leadership development on the continent?
I think that civil society, particularly, has been championing these things for a while. There are many youth-centered organisations, but I know that private sector businesses need to do more. They need to put their money where their mouth is.
If you go to any typical conversation, whether it’s being held by the older, the younger, or an intergenerational cluster of people, you find that everybody sees or talks about the importance of young people in government, youth in leadership, that youth are not too young to lead, and that youth are the future of tomorrow. The question is, when did that tomorrow come? Because tomorrow is today, and it’s now.
And are there young people who are ready to lead? Yes. Do you know how to find them? Probably not. And that is why we need collaboration with an organisation like the Africana League. That’s our role. We’re intentional about finding these young people who have both the intellect and the willingness to subject themselves to understanding and learning our core values, to have their nations at heart in development.
What role do you believe young African women should play in governance and development?
Like any other citizen, the African woman should see herself as equally responsible for solving problems and just as capable of doing so. If you have a solution-driven mindset, you must apply yourself to lead with your ideas. To be frank, I do not subscribe to the idea of leadership as a question of man versus woman. I would always advise a woman to be as intentional about leadership as any other person, not as any other man, but as any other qualified citizen. If you are qualified and have something to offer, go for it. Vote in elections, and beyond that, put yourself forward as a candidate to be voted for. If you cannot do that, be intentional about supporting those who are in office, because leadership and the kind of governance we desire must be co-created.
What challenges have you faced as a woman leading initiatives in public activism in the country?
I wouldn’t say I’ve faced challenges that are unique to me as a woman. If anything, I’ve often found myself exceeding expectations. In some communities, for instance, where I once assumed that being a Christian woman might limit my participation, I’ve experienced the opposite. In places where we’ve made real impact, I’ve been invited to sit with local chiefs and elders, sometimes as the only woman to speak, and even to lead prayers.
That experience taught me that people rarely resist genuine impact when it’s driven by sincerity and carried out with respect for their community. The real challenge for me, however, has been structural, the issue of funding. Like many young leaders across Africa, I’ve seen that the average youth is often over-mentored but underfunded.
With projects like the Nigeria House of Commons, for example, we’ve faced hesitation from private sector organisations that shy away from anything with a political undertone, even when it’s focused purely on civic education. International donors, too, are becoming more inward-looking, leaving fewer resources for initiatives like ours.
So, yes, funding remains our biggest hurdle. But rather than dwell on it, we keep finding creative solutions. As I always remind my team, we don’t romance problems, we solve them. That’s our duty as young people committed to change.
What are the key factors limiting youth participation in Nigeria today?
First is the pervasive limiting view that politics is a dirty game, to the extent that it even threatens the lives of those who participate.
The second factor is the insufficiency of information about how the political process actually works. Many young people are not as curious or adventurous to find out for themselves and are not conditioned to learn independently beyond anything related to collective or organised agendas driven by groupthink. This lack of curiosity keeps many away from the spheres of governance and politics.
The third challenge is structural and systemic. From the high cost of purchasing party tickets to the expense of funding campaigns and advertisements; every tool of visibility is costly.
What inspired you to found Africana League, and what impact has the network made so far?
What inspired me to found Africana League is the huge the gap between theory and practice. I used to be an academic staff of Lead City University. And typically, we had all these brilliant-minded professors who would give all these theoretical terms to explain the Nigerian state and why we are where we are. But I found that nothing really changed.
As much as I respected these people and adored them, I did not see much linkage between what we did consistently and how that played out in shaping the process. Why is Nigeria still short of good governance?
The second thing was realising how my findings, at some point in my career in 2015 or 2014, significantly differed from a prediction that the former Chair of INEC, Prof Attahiru Jega, had made. He said that if Nigeria was not careful, it would succumb to the CIA’s prediction that the country would break down after the 2015 elections.
As a young researcher, I was really curious, so I went to the field and did my research. I found that, contrary to that prediction, the people were not willing to live through another civil war, regardless of who won the elections.
I realised then that I had much more that I could give to the system with regard to getting on the practical side of things. And that is one of the reasons Africana League was created.
How does Nigeria House of Commons use political reality TV to engage youths in governance?
For all the potentials we have as a demographic constituency approaching 70per cent of Nigeria’s population, we saw a huge gap in the quality and quantity of youth participation in governance, particularly in putting themselves out there as candidates for elections to be voted for, rather than just being mobilised to vote.
And so, what we did with the Nigeria House of Commons was to create a simulation platform where young people representing the different states of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory could represent their constituencies, presenting keenly contested national issues and debating them to a reasonable conclusion. Because of its entertainment style, the show holds the attention of the average young person, enough to be engaging, but also enough to pass across clear lessons on legislative processes and workings.
We were also very intentional about inclusion. We made sure that our audience could see a woman serve as the Speaker of the House. We had four persons with disabilities: one blind, two deaf, and one albino, representing different states as Honourable Members of the Nigeria House of Commons. This was important for us, because it showed that leadership and civic participation are not limited by gender or physical challenges.
We also promoted the ideals of ideologically driven political parties: the Unity by Uniformity Party (UUP) and the Unity in Diversity Party (UDP), which guided how members approached debates on the motions presented. Beyond that, we built in a fact-checking framework to ensure that our Honourable Members were intentional about presenting accurately sourced information and held accountable whenever they did not.
What strategies do you use to address and overcome political apathy among youths in Nigeria?
To address and overcome political apathy among youths in Nigeria, we focus on developing their sense of responsibility through practical, task-oriented engagement. At Africana League, every member undergoes our civic leadership course that equips them with the skills to identify and solve problems within their communities. We emphasise the transition from being passive citizens who merely complain about societal issues to becoming active change agents who take initiative. Our platforms for continuous engagement ensure that young people are not just discussing issues but are actively implementing community-based solutions. In addition, we provide visibility for their work through our digital platforms, where members can document their community development projects as part of their civic legacy. This recognition inspires pride, accountability, and motivation among young people, while also encouraging others to get involved.
