The Police in Lagos has reportedly arrested popular musician, Adekunle Temitope, also known as Small Doctor, for unlawful possession of firearms and for allegedly threatening to shoot a police officer on traffic duty along Oshodi Expressway, Lagos.

As reported by Sahara Reporters, the state Commissioner of Police,  Edgal Imohimi, disclosed this to journalists while parading the musician along with three other persons on Monday.

Read » BREAKING: Police reportedly arrests ‘Small Doctor’ in Lagos for possession of firearms on YNaija

Reports have emerged that Local council workers in Zamfara are the worst paid in the country with a minimum wage of N6,000, which is just barely 30% of the current national minimum wage.

According to the National President Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Ibrahim Khaleel, who was speaking in Abuja, ahead of the 40th anniversary of the union, Governor Abdulaziz Yari’s non-compliance with the N18,000 minimum wage, was the real reason he is obstructing the actualisation of the proposed N30,000 minimum wage.

Khaleel, who doubles as the National Treasurer of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), insisted that the low-earning power of Zamfara residents was responsible for the rising insecurity in the state, noting that as long as the workers were not well paid, there would be no peace in the state. (NAN)

Read » Report reveals Zamfara workers earn the worst minimum wage in the country on YNaija

These are the stories that drove the conversation today:

Twenty-six members of the Ogun House of Assembly, on Monday defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Allied People’s Movement (APM).

The lawmakers who are loyalists of the state governor, Ibikunle Amosun, claimed to have won the legislative primaries of the APC conducted by the state election committee, appointed by the National Working Committee held October 8, 2018, in the state, but were refused the Independent National Electoral Commission’s forms for the nomination of the party as candidates for the election till the window closed on December 2.

According to a spokesperson for the group, Lamidi Olatunji who addressed journalists, “we regret that Mr. President’s efforts were frustrated by the forces that are hell-bent in taking the South West back to the dark age of slavery where unelected kingpins direct the affairs of the people.”

The Senator representing Kaduna Central, Sani Shehu, has reacted to the claim by President Muhammadu Buhari that some persons reached out to the Vice-President to consider them as his deputy because they assumed he was dead.

The lawmaker in a tweet on Monday, urged the President and his Vice to reveal the names of the said persons, stressing that should they not do so, Nigerians will have to wait for memoirs in years to come, when the nation would have moved on.”

The President and the vice should have the courage to reveal the name of THAT very person who was desperate to be Vice President, When the President went on health Vacation in the UK.Else,Nigerians will have to wait for memoirs in years to come,when the nation had moved on.

— Senator Shehu Sani (@ShehuSani) December 2, 2018

The Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has promised to run a people-friendly government if elected in 2019.

The former Vice President addressing thousands of PDP faithfuls and supporters on Monday at the North-West Zonal launching of the 2019 Atiku/Obi Presidential Campaign Rally in Sokoto, said “Nigeria of today needs leaders that will involve all in government, not some individuals who only care for their personal interests and not the country.

“We have plan to involve all Nigerians in any decision making, most especially the masses that remain our priority in PDP,” he added.

Similarly, the media office of the PDP Presidential flag bearer, has called for a state of emergency to be declared in financing the military and security services as well as a national mourning over the reported killing by bandits of about 50 policemen in Zamfara State at the weekend.

In a statement on Monday, Atiku said this new casualty figure coming so soon after the heavy losses sustained by the Nigerian Army at the hands of Boko Haram in Metele, Borno is a red flag that calls for immediate and decisive action on the part of the leadership of Nigeria, as he advocated for an immediate allocation of at least $1 billion to go towards arming and training the military, police and other security agencies as well as providing improved service conditions for the officers and men at the frontlines of the war on terror and criminality.

“Serving Nigeria must be a thing of sacrifice and pride, not a suicide mission. If we must send men and women to protect us, we must protect them by giving them the very best training and weaponry money can buy,” the statement added.

The African Development Bank Group on Monday said it has granted the Nigerian government a sum of $200 million loan for the funding of the country’s Electrification Project (NEP).

As contained in a statement by the AfDB, it loaned $150 million for the project while the balance of $50 million was issued from the Africa Growing Together Fund (AGTF), a US$2 billion facility sponsored by the People’s Bank of China to support the federal government efforts “to address critical energy access deficit in the country, and catalyze achievement of universal energy access by 2030 targets.”

“By supporting the electrification of unconnected and underserved communities, NEP will contribute materially to their economic development,” said the managing director of the Rural Electrification Agency, Damilola Ogunbiyi.

And stories from around the world:

China has made more than $1.2 trillion in additional trade commitments as part of a deal reached by U.S. President Donald Trump and China’s Xi Jinping and Beijing has vowed to take immediate steps on those promises. (Reuters)

An 80-year-old woman has died after being hit by a tear gas canister at her window during Saturday’s fuel protests in the French city of Marseille.

The woman, who lived in an apartment near to where the protests were taking place, was hit in the face while closing the shutters. (BBC)

The UK’s opposition Labour Party is pushing to launch contempt of Parliament proceedings against the government over its refusal to publish in full legal advice it received regarding British Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit plan. (Al Jazeera)

US President Donald Trump called Monday for “a long prison term” after his ex-lawyer Michael Cohen admitted lying to Congress about pursuing a real estate deal with Russia on Trump’s behalf during the 2016 election campaign. (AFP)

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Monday said he was working with the United States and Canada to create a three-way investment plan to tackle the issue of immigration from Mexico and Central America. (Reuters)

Read » The Late 5: More woes for Ogun APC as 26 lawmakers dump party; Reveal those who wanted Osinbajo’s position when you were ill – Shehu Sani tells Buhari on YNaija

Follow the links to read the stories and analyses on YNaija:

‘It is the real me, I assure you’ – President Buhari addresses rumour of being cloned

BREAKING: Police reportedly arrests ‘Small Doctor’ in Lagos for possession of firearms

Read » The YNaija Cover – the 3rd of December on YNaija

The Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry Enugu, Nigeria (AMEN), Rev. Father Ejike Mbaka on Sunday came hard on the Presidential Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, and his running mate, Peter Obi, saying they might “end in shame” with the way they are going.

As seen in a YouTube video uploaded by one Onye Njenje, and published by The Cable, the Catholic priest said this after Obi who attended the programme alongside other politicians from the south-east, failed to make a donation at the ministry’s 2018 harvest and bazaar celebration.

The priest who stood by his side asked him to “stay in front of this children of God and tell God what you will do for Him … or what that means is, you don’t want to do anything for God. This is common deceit,” with Obi replying: “Father, what I said is straightforward. You will come and show me the project so that the two of us will talk. That is what I said.”

He further accused Obi of making “political statement” to which he responded: “Father knows I don’t make political statements. Anyone here from Anambra state knows Peter Obi has never promised anything and failed. I am a fundamental Catholic. I do whatever I say at the church.”

The priest said in response: “In your capacity and what God has done for you as governor … God hates stinginess. What I am saying is not to please you, but what will save your life. Otherwise you and Atiku will fail.

“If there is a place they will coat words for you, it is not at Mbaka’s altar. You can save your political destiny. Or in 2019, you people will not even know how they did the election. What will make my brother to come for bazaar and he won’t even break kola?”

Mbaka reminding the former Anambra governor how the governors of Ebonyi and Enugu made donations without announcing at the altar urged him to do same.

“Your own is taking time,” he said, adding: “The way you and Atiku are moving will end in shame.”

“Let us continue our bazaar. You know since he is not supporting us, the ministry has been moving. If people start arguing like this, their downfall begins,” he added.

Read » ‘You and Atiku will fail’ – Fr Mbaka lambasts Peter Obi for failing to make donations at church harvest on YNaija

These are the stories you should be monitoring today:

Former President, Goodluck Jonathan on Monday urged Nigerians to vote for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and it’s candidate, Atiku Abubakar in the February 16 presidential elections, stressing that only the party can make sure Nigerians feed well.

Addressing a crowd of supporters and party faithfuls at its 2019 presidential election campaign flag-off in Sokoto, Jonathan said “Atiku is experienced enough and has demonstrated clearly from his personal and business life that he has that capacity to unite the country, make the economy grow, “so that all of us will have food to eat,” urging them not t vote wrongly, else their children and grandchildren will not forgive them.

“There is something that all of us need as human beings, everybody eats, everybody, every day must eat, and if you cannot eat well, then you are not happy. PDP is the only party that can make sure all of us eat very well, in the morning, in the afternoon, and in the evening,” he said.

The President who made the appeal while addressing the opening session of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP24) in Katowice, Poland, using the case of the receding Lake Chad, warned that the challenges of climate change which include rising temperatures, desertification, floods, low agricultural yields and drying up of water bodies were enormous and evident to all.

“We urge that efforts to address the challenges of climate change be pursued within multilateral frameworks. Concerted efforts should be made to strengthen sub-regional and regional organisations, to serve as hubs for Climate Action and partnership,” he added.

The Department of State Services (DSS) on Monday paraded a middle-aged woman, Amina Mohammed accused of using the name and office of First Lady Aisha Buhari at the Presidential villa to stage fraudulent acts, including defrauding an industrialist, one Dr Alexander Chika Okafor also known as Chikason, to the tune of N150 million.

DSS Spokesman, Peter Nnochirionye Afunanya who disclosed this to reporters at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja, stated that she used false identity to evade protocol and scrutiny, thus gaining unauthorized access into the villa and particularly the residence of the First Lady and wife of the President, Hajia Aisha Buhari; she took advantage of the fact that personalities such as First Ladies, ministers and certain categories of officials are not taken through rigorous protocol and security checks at the villa (security) post.

The accused has however denied the allegations by the DSS, stressing that she was never a fraudster but an agent who only arranges transactions in Federal Government real estate, with the assistance of top government officials, including  who had been benefitting from such.

An FCT High Court, Apo on Monday, granted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) leave to arraign on Feb. 25, former Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, and a former Chairman of Atlantic Energy Drilling company, Olajide Omokore, on five counts bordering on conspiracy and illegal act of accepting and giving gratifications

Trial judge, Justice Valentine Ashi, granted the EFCC leave, after the prosecution counsel, Faruk Abdullahi told the court that while investigations were ongoing, the former minister left the country and is currently in the UK.

Prominent Activist and Convener of Concerned Nigerians, Deji Adeyanju, was on Monday released from Police custody, hours after he was taken out of Keffi Prison, where he earlier was remanded on the orders of a Karshi Magistrate Court last week..

The Police had arraigned him, as well as Daniel Abobama and Boma Williams for “criminal defamatory and derogatory conduct against constituent authority and breach of law and order” in relation to “posts on his Facebook page,” among other offences, following their arrest in front of the Force Headqaurters in Abuja on November 28, 2018 while leading a protest to demand the neutrality of the Police in the 2019 general election.

His case was adjourned till 21 January next year.

And stories from around the world:

Qatar will withdraw from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the Gulf nation’s Energy Minister Saad Sherida al-Kaabi announced.

The decision to quit the bloc of 15 oil-producing countries that account for a significant percentage of the world’s oil production was confirmed by Qatar Petroleum, the state oil company, on Monday. (Al Jazeera)

The speaker of Russia’s lower house of parliament plans to give state awards to the border guards who fired on and seized three Ukrainian vessels and 24 sailors a week ago, Russian media say.

Vyacheslav Volodin said they acted “faultlessly, courageously” to thwart what Russia describes as a violation of its maritime border in the Black Sea. (BBC)

Prime Minister Theresa May will urge parliament to back her Brexit deal on Tuesday at the start of a high-stakes five-day debate that could determine her fate and whether Britain leaves the European Union without a deal. (Reuters)

South Korean President Moon Jae-in said on Tuesday a visit to Seoul by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was “a possibility” and that such a trip would help to improve Pyongyang’s relationship with the United States.  (Reuters)

CIA Director Gina Haspel will give a closed briefing to leaders of several US Senate committees on Tuesday on the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, according to two sources familiar with the planned meeting. (The Guardian, UK)

Read » The Big 5: Only PDP can make Nigerians feed well – Jonathan; Middle-aged woman fronting as Aisha Buhari allegedly defrauds industrialist of N150m | Other top stories on YNaija

Here’s everything you missed in entertainment today and others that unravelled while you slept – and are still buzzing today.

Small Doctor arrested for alleged possession of firearm

The Lagos Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgal told newsmen that the singer, alongside three others, were arrested after threatening to shoot policemen controlling the traffic at Oshodi, Lagos.

Edgal said that he was disappointed with the musician’s conduct because he had a case with the State CID, Panti for shooting a gun at his Agege show where he injured four persons.

“I am concerned as one will expect that a popular musician like him would be a role model but his character of gangsterism is nothing to emulate,” he said.

Ini Edo attacks Omoni Oboli for failing to show up at ‘Heaven on my mind’ premiere

The movie, a joint effort by Ini Edo and Uche Jombo, premiered on Thursday, November 29, 2018, at the Filmhouse IMAX cinema in Lekki Phase I, and Omoni Oboli wrote on Instagram to show support:

“Hey lover Still on set and hoping and praying to finish on time so I can join you in celebration of your latest movie #HeavenOnMyMind @uchejombo You know I got nothing but immense love for you…alas the show must go on!..”

Ini was having none of that:

“There is no production in the country that would hold you back on set, knowing ur supposed bestie was premiering her directorial debut….so pls stop the sycophancy and hypocrisy….I guess it’s called Instagram love….however, the premiere was successful so…..we’re good sis.”

Marvel Studios is developing a movie about its Shang-Chi martial arts superhero

If the Shang-Chi movie is made, it would mark the first time that a Marvel feature film has centred on an Asian character as a protagonist.

The Shang-Chi character is often called the “Master of Kung Fu” in Marvel Comics books and was created by writer Steve Englehart and artist Jim Starlin. He first appeared in 1973 in Special Marvel Edition #15 as a martial arts expert and remained a strong seller for a decade amid the popularity of martial arts in the United States. Shang-Chi is a part of the Marvel Universe with guest appearances in other titles  such as “Marvel Team-Up,” “Marvel Knights” and “X-Men.”

Pete Davidson vows to ‘never kill himself no matter how hard the internet tries’

The Saturday Night Live comedian has taken to Instagram to reveal he has been getting online bullied for nine months and that he will never kill himself ‘no matter how hard the internet or anyone tries’.

Davidson found worldwide attention thrust upon him when his romance with Ariana Grande went public, and they became engaged within weeks. They split after several months but he has been regularly criticised for his looks and his decision to speak about Ariana during skits on SNL.

“I’ve kept my mouth shut. Never mentioned any names, never said a word about anyone or anything. I’m trying to understand how when something happens to a guy the entire world just trashes him without any facts or frame of reference. Especially in today’s climate where everyone loves to be offended and upset it truly is mind-boggling,” he said.

“I’ve been getting online bullied for 9 months. I’ve spoken about Borderline personality disorder (BPD) and being suicidal publicly only in the hopes that will help bring awareness and help kids like myself who don’t want to be on this earth.

“I just want you guys to know. No matter how hard the internet or anyone tries to make me kill myself. I won’t. I’m upset I even have to say this.

“To all those holding me down and seeing this for what it is – I see you and I love you.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Pete Davidson (@petedavidson) on Dec 3, 2018 at 9:30am PST

Read » Entertainment Roundup: Marvel to create its first-ever Asian superhero film; Ini Edo attacks Omoni Oboli | Other top stories on YNaija

Kemi Adetiba wants to rule 2019 and we mortals might not be ready. Her sophomore but surprising smash King of Boys is inexorably becoming a box office darling, maintaining supremacy for a fifth consecutive week and grossing over N150,000 million. If Adetiba decides to take a year’s vacation on some exotic island while watching the sunset, then it would be well-deserved. But, apparently, she isn’t taking a break. On Monday, the director released the first teaser of her upcoming television show Brotherhood (Ring of Fire) on Instagram, and it looked visually arresting. Seated around a table are erstwhile rapper Lynxx, actor Jimmy Odukoya, presidential aspirant Fela Durotoye, CEO of Venia Group, Kola Oyeneyin and life coach and wellness mentor Lanre Olusola. The light in the room is just enough for us to see their faces.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

New project alert for the New Year. #TeamNoSleep “BROTHERHOOD (Ring of Fire)” #ComingSoonToAccelerateTV

A post shared by Kemi Adetiba (@kemiadetiba) on Dec 2, 2018 at 10:11pm PST

Adetiba has perfected the art of imbuing her projects with mood and atmosphere, and she carries this aesthetic into Brotherhood (Ring of Fire): the opening montage is ominous, morphing from a solar eclipse to resemble, well, a ring of fire. Welcome to the Brotherhood, guys. It’s already obvious that the show is the male iteration of Adetiba’s decidedly feminine interview-based TV series King Women, which ran on Accelerate TV. Like King Women, Brotherhood is a confessional moulded for television, its male subjects sharing viscerally personal stories, anecdotes, successes and failures. But the show’s brand of masculinity is still unclear. Yet, the teaser is a small guidepost towards the kind of masculinity that requires men to be leaders, that allows them to fall and fail just so they can peerlessly rise.

Seemingly, Brotherhood slips into the risk of narrowing masculinity. Case in point: how many Nigerian men look like Lynxx and Jimmy Odukoya, with their swole, gym-beaten bodies? Adetiba’s Brotherhood is arriving at a time where we are increasingly acknowledging a masculinity crisis – male suicide and depression, internalised, outdated ideas of manliness which upholds heterosexuality, dominance and violence on women and even on other men. Brotherhood is due out next year and will be available on Accelerate TV, a youth-centric platform which means the show is well situated in the right demographic. Whether the show will be nuanced and complex remains to be seen though.

Read » Why Kemi Adetiba’s upcoming show ‘Brotherhood (Ring of Fire)’ could be a hit or miss on YNaija

Last week, I began to notice something strange on Twitter – profile avatars taking on a deep orange colour that left me bewildered. Dimly aware that if the colour were black, it would have meant someone popular had died, I decided to find answers. Meanwhile, Twitter inexorably began to look like a mass replication of these orange avatars, bobbing with quiet enigma. Purpose: to raise awareness on violence against women and girls around the world. Technically running with the #16DaysofActivism hashtag, which began on November 25 and which also is International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls.

What’s this orange avatar?

— C (@Root_Sanchez) November 29, 2018

Why’s everyone’s avatar orange?

— Dr. J. Rocafella (@HausOfZara) November 30, 2018

Where all this orange avatar’s dey come from? GTB Don pay una?

— Grey | Scientist (@GrizzyGrey) November 30, 2018

I saw the orange avatar on a lot of people profile and I didn’t know what the movement was for, so I asked @chocomocococo and she explained what it was about. Say no to domestic violence and abuse. Masculinity isn’t about being stronger than a woman.

— ‘Anjola (@anjolaoni_) December 1, 2018

The campaign will elapse on December 10, heavy with its own significance – Human Rights Day. Commendably, Nigerians on Twitter are pulling their own weight as the omnipresence of orange avatars are making people ask questions, and ultimately getting enlightened about the essence of the campaign. But the origin of #16DaysofActivism is dark and horrifying and bone-chilling. On December 6, 1989, a 25-year-old man entered a university classroom in Montreal, Canada wherein he separated the male and female students. He wielded his gun and hunting knife and in an attempt to “fight feminism,” shot all nine women in the room. He then made his way through the university targeting women to shoot. He took the lives of fourteen women and four men and injuring a further ten women before killing himself. His suicide note blamed feminism for ruining his life.

Since then, grassroots organisations and activists have established the 16 Days Campaign and utilised the initiative to put a local and international spotlight on the issue of violence against women within a political, social and domestic context. In Nigeria, gender-based violence, especially against women, is still prevalent with alarming statistics. They go largely unreported due to stigma, fear of losing the relationship, gaslighting, and a plethora of other reasons. As such, the menace of domestic violence is further emboldened. Although #I6DaysofActivism occupies a short window, awareness of domestic abuse and all forms of violence against women shouldn’t disappear into hashtag oblivion but should be kept alive.

Read » Nigerians on Twitter are turning their avatars to orange. Here’s why on YNaija

The Central Working Committee (CWC) of The Future Awards Africa has unveiled the list of honorees for the most coveted youth award on the continent, the Young Person of the Year – David ‘Davido’ Adeleke, Samson Itodo, Tomi Adeyemi, Nemitari Ajienka, and Dr. Mahmoud Maina.

This prize is awarded to a young person who has become a force for change, capturing the collective imagination of all Nigerians through their achievements, public image, and personal triumphs. An individual who has demonstrated intuition, innovation, and initiative and is not afraid to lead change in his/her industry.

The awards event which is set to hold on 16 December 2018 celebrates innovation among Nigerians between the ages of 18 and 31 (in the period of review) and acknowledges inspiring young people making a difference through social enterprise, social good, and creativity.

The Future Awards Africa 2018‎ is presented by The Future Project, Guaranty Trust Bank, and H20. The official hashtags for 2018 are #TFAA2018 and #NigeriasNewTribe.

See honorees profiles below:

Nemitari Ajienka (24)

Far too many people think the academia is boring and staid. This assumption has come from decades of exclusionary politics that have alienated young people of every generation from excelling through a complex web of financial quotas, interdepartmental politicking and the very nature of academia which demands that a person devote the brightest years of their lives in the pursuit of knowledge. Not many people are able to summon the sheer volumes of resolve it requires to take on this monumental challenge and succeed, and this is why Nemitari Ajienka is such an inspiration to young people everywhere.

At the age of 24, Ajienka was granted the status of lecturer at the Edge Hill University in the United Kingdom, the youngest lecturer to achieve this feat in the University. Ajienka’s feat only becomes more astounding when you consider that he also completed a bachelor’s degree, Masters and a PhD all in this time, excelling at every level. As a pioneer in computer science, Ajienka’s excellence and commitment to education is not only a feat of inestimable genius, it is also a source of inspiration to young Nigerians everywhere, discouraged by the tangential shift into entertainment and sports as the only viable routes to fame and success. Ajienka proves excellence can be had no matter what you choose to devote your life to.

Samson Itodo (32)

Politics in Nigeria is seen as a dirty game, and very few people step into the fray and come out the other end with their integrity intact and their objectives achieved. Samson Itodo is one of such vanguards. Itodo has been in politics for a long time, working and mobilizing young people at the grassroots level through the Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth and Advancement (YIAGA), a non-profit committed to serving as an alternative to political parties and providing a united front for young Nigerians to advocate and demand democratic governance. The non-profit uses research, capacity development through investments in human capital and advocating for policy change that betters the lives of Nigerians.

In 2016, Itodo, in collaboration with Hon. Tony Nwulu, helped sponsor the ‘Not Too Young To Run’ Bill, a piece of legislation that sought to challenge the pre-independence laws that set the ages for participation in federal, state and local government elections. The existing laws precluded younger people and offered basic expectations for eligible candidates. Under the leadership of Itodo, who used political think tanks, lobbying and citizen advocacy, YIAGA was able to push the bill through the Senate and eventually to the desk of the President, where it was signed as a landmark victory for all Nigerians. The trajectory of the 2019 elections has changed drastically thanks to the work of Itodo through ‘Not Too Young to Run’. One thing is certain, Itodo has changed the course of Nigeria’s history and etched his name in the stars.

David ‘Davido’ Adeleke (26)

Few Nigerian artistes have experienced a comeback as enduring and fantastic as David Adeleke, the inimitable Davido. He released a slew of songs, led by the charismatic ‘Fall’ and ‘If’ which made the careers of half a dozen artistes and producers including DJ E-Cool and Teni the Entertainer and started a new label that signed Mayorkun and Peruzzi, now superstars in their own rights. Davido grew up, shedding his bad boy image and embracing fatherhood and a long-term love interest to the admiration of his adoring fanbase.

But Davido’s biggest triumphs in 2018 have been his personal and professional challenges. He forced the international media giant Viacom and its subsidiary BET to acknowledge the contributions of African artistes to global music by demanding that the winners of the BET ‘Best African Act’ be awarded their plaques on the main stage alongside their global contemporaries instead of quietly at a pre-event, and hosted a slew of sold out concerts across the world, promoting his Nigerian heritage and changing perceptions about the country and continent.

There are few ambassadors as worthy of Person of the Year as David Adeleke and we acknowledge and praise his growth.

Dr. Mahmoud Maina (32)

In the last decade, Nigeria has been forced by the worst of prevailing circumstances to come to terms with its failing healthcare system. It has also been forced to acknowledge the incredible effort its doctors have put in their craft, their resilience, and innovation in the face of a failed system and their endless commitment to saving every life. Dr. Stella Adadevoh was our turning point, and Dr. Mahmoud Maina is our way forward.

Dr. Maina is a researcher and scientist who is distinguishing himself in global medicine through his ground-breaking research in degenerative disease and how our understanding of these diseases can be enhanced through science. In 2018, Dr. Maina’s progressive research into Alzheimer’s disease, a degenerative disease that affects memory, unveiled complex proteins that contribute to the progress of the disease and how they can reverse the degeneration. Maina understands the challenges of other doctors in Africa to find funding for research and mentors other African scientists through his TrendInAfrica, an educational NGO that helps attract funding for the creation of world-class laboratories and research facilities across the continent. He created the Science Communication Hub in Nigeria, a platform that engages the public through science and his science outreach programmes connect scientists to students, teachers, and government officials.

He has been lauded with awards for his work, including the New Researcher Science Communication Award by in the Royal Society of Biology.

Tomi Adeyemi (25)

There has been a lot of discussion around the absence of black women of African descent in the science fiction and fantasy literary genres. So when a fantasy writer of Nigerian descent not only successful debuts a three-part fantasy series based in Nigeria and featuring two female protagonists, her work breaks many ceilings for women and inspires a new generation of Nigerian girls to indulge their imaginations and create their own worlds.

Tomi Adeyemi is only 25, but she is already a force to be reckoned with in the literary world. Her debut novel Children of Blood and Bone centres a hybrid of Yoruba culture and fantastic elements and repositions African features such as albinism and kinky hair as beautiful. Her three-part book series was sold for an unprecedented million dollar deal. The popularity of her work led to Fox 2000 adapting it into a film, with a seven-figure deal being reported. Tomi also teaches creative writing to the 4,500 people subscribed to her website, and her website was named as one of the 101 best websites for writers by Writer’s Digest.

Adeyemi’s book and her philosophies on literature are an important touchstone for Nigerian girls. Her success emphasizes that education and the opportunities it provides are invaluable if we are to raise a generation of girls who value their autonomy and want to pursue their dreams.

Read » Davido, Samson Itodo, Tomi Adeyemi, Nemitari Ajienka and Mahmoud Maina | Meet the honorees for The Future Awards Africa Prize for Young Person of the Year 2018 on YNaija

Staff of the National Assembly under the aegis of Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), have shut lawmakers out of the premises in a protest over unpaid salaries and allowances, vowing not to back down until they received notification of payment.

Bearing placards with inscriptions such as ‘Omolori is a contractor’ ‘killing staff with poor condition of service’ and ‘constitute the National Assembly commission now,’ the workers are complaining against the Clerk of the assembly, Sani Omolori.

Among the demands of the workers is to be put on the Consolidated Legislative Salary Structure (CONLESS) and the release of all pending staff promotions and conversion letters with arrears fully paid on or before Dec.31.

The workers had earlier issued a two-week ultimatum to the management’s nonchalant attitude toward their demands to fulfill their demands or face strike.

Read » Just In: NASS workers shut Assembly complex in protest against unpaid allowances on YNaija

On October 13, 2016, Lagos Governor Akinwunmi Ambode represented by former Commissioner for Environment, Dr Babatunde Adejare commissioned two brand new water hyacinth removal machines donated to the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) at Ebute-Ero jetty. According to the Governor, “We have bought the machines to take away debris and hyacinth from the Lagoon. The machines will encourage water transportation and this initiative is necessary now that we are working towards clean-up of the waterways. It will also encourage fishery so that the water economy will be improved upon.”

Two years after commissioning, the impact of the machines is yet to be felt on the waterways. As a regular user of Ikorodu to CMS route, the experience has remained unpalatable as water hyacinth has taken over the water ways which has made navigation difficult for boat drivers as they have to meander their ways through these natural weeds.

A disaster waiting to happen! The Lagos government needs to own up to its responsibility and clear the hyacinth on the waterways. @followlasg @AkinwunmiAmbode pic.twitter.com/CTMSMS2U6x

— Y! Online (@YNaija) December 4, 2018

The inability of LASWA to clear the water hyacinth and debris occasionally has reduced the effectiveness of water transportation. This is dangerous to the sector. And it is rather sad that LASWA officials who are meant to be professionals have chosen to ignore the situation. These hyacinths have the capacity to become 2cm thick and is capable of upturning any boat that accidentally runs into it.

It is important for LASWA to see this as an emergency and should take the necessary steps of clearing the debris from the waterway. Boat accidents in Lagos is becoming the norm due to the government’s inability to keep rid the waterways free of debris and water hyacinth. It is also important to state that more than three thousand individuals travel on water from the several ferry terminals in Ikorodu on a daily basis. This figure excludes users from Badagry, Ajah, Lekki, and Ebute Metta among others.

The lives of these Lagosians must not be put at risk for choosing to use a transportation system approved by the state government. Lagos waterways can have an accident free year if the necessary things are put in place. Currently, there is no indication that the state has a water ambulance that can be used to rescue boat accident victims neither is there a provision for surveillance of the waterways. As a regular user of this mode of transportation, it is faster and more convenient than road transportation. But the government needs to make it safer for users.

Read » Two years after, the impact of the Lagos state water hyacinth removal machines is nonexistent on YNaija

Following Sunday’s spat between the Vice Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi and the Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry Enugu, Nigeria (AMEN), Rev. Father Ejike Mbaka over the former’s refusal to make a public donation at the ministry’s harvest celebration, and the attendant backlash the priest has received across social media, the politician has reacted.

In a statement by his media aide, Val Obienyem, the former Anambra governor who disclosed that he didn’t feel bad about the statement, said it is “wrong for priests to be attacked based on what they said on the pulpits,” stressing that “while one may disagree with him, we should always acknowledge that he speaks and acts from the, higher perspective of wisdom.

The statement further noted that Obi does not interpret the comments of Fr. Mbaka the way several observers do, adding that every situation, however unpleasant, has positive lessons for us. Please let us leave Fr. Mbaka alone, our duty to him is prayers for God to lead him aright.”

“I have full respect for men of God and will always remember them in my prayers. When they go wrong as humans, subject to human frailties, ours is not to castigate them, but to pray to God to lead them aright,” he added.

The priest on Sunday came hard on the Presidential Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, and his running mate, saying they might “end in shame” with the way they are going, after Peter Obi failed to make a public donation to the ministry during its 2018 harvest and bazaar celebration.

Read » Our duty is to pray for Fr. Mbaka for God to lead him aright | Peter Obi reacts to criticisms against priest on YNaija

When I was about 13, I lived with my aunt and her family. Her house was close to my school then, so it was convenient. However, on occasional Fridays, I’d go to my own home. My aunt was kind, her house was big – first time I ever had my own room – but nothing gave me more joy than going home to spend the weekend with my family.

So one Friday, I packed an extra bag as usual, and after school, I took the long ride home. I got there and all I wanted to do was tell my folks how one of my teachers said I was the brightest kid she ever taught. But as soon as I entered the compound, I knew something was wrong – all our properties were outside. I asked what was happening and my sister said we had been evicted from the house because we could not afford to pay rent. We were homeless.

I have never cried so hard.

Fast forward 16 years and a lot has changed, thankfully. Because I know what it feels like to not have, I have always tried to help people as much as I can. So, on the 25th of December 2017, I decided to spend #ChristmasOnTheStreetz with my friends. We went to Makoko, a slum community in Lagos, where we planned to feed about 2000 children, while playing music, dancing with them and giving gifts. It was going well until we ran out of food. One of the kids who was yet to eat started crying. I was thinking of ways to pacify her when I looked outside and noticed a sea of skinny children struggling to get into the venue. They were not alone. Nursing mothers, teenagers, adults… all of them wanted some of the food we came with. It was obvious that many of them had not eaten a healthy meal for a while and that broke me.

You see, while I did grow up poor, there was almost always food at home. Even when we were homeless, there was always food in our tummies – my mother made sure of that. So, seeing those kids cry because they were not part of the 2000 we fed made me realise that the poverty I experienced was no match for the poverty some other people are experiencing. I spoke to someone about it and he told me it was worse up North, especially in the camps for Internally Displaced Persons. I started digging, to see the extent of the problem and I found many depressing statistics:

More than 86 million Nigerians are living in extreme poverty making us the poverty capital of the world. Nigeria is a food deficit country and one-third of children under 5 are stunted – three times the rate in Tunisia. In the 2018 Global Hunger Index, Nigeria ranks 103rd out of 119 qualifying countries. I was going to add another stat, another reality, but I’m sure you get the message: Nigeria has a huge poverty and hunger problem, and there is urgent need for solutions.

It is John F Kennedy who said “never ask what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.” While the government has the biggest role to play in solving our problems, I started a farm where I plant maize and cassava, two major crops in Nigeria. I know it is a drop in the sand, but I wanted to contribute to the food basket of the Nation. I also wanted to understand how the sector worked so I could offer solutions/recommendations at a policy level when the opportunity came.

Fortunately, an opportunity came. I got into the Alliance for Science Global Leadership Fellows Program where I have learnt a lot about biotechnology and how it can help. Scientists from all over the world, including Nigeria have committed substantial resources in innovating agricultural techniques that can tackle some of the biggest challenges farmers are facing. Challenges like Maruca pest in cowpea that leads to a devastating 80% yield loss, resulting in a tripled retail price of cowpea (locally called beans) in the market. Challenges like Boll-worm in cotton that has rendered our textile industry moribund. Challenges from our ever-changing climate, and so on. I know biotechnology is not a silver bullet, but it can address some of the pressing issues facing my country, my people and the kids in Makoko who are waiting for us to return this Christmas, so they can eat good food.

Sadly, there are many debates around biotechnology and GMOs. While there is a consensus amongst scientists and experts that they are safe for human and animal consumption, some people are fighting against it for many reasons – some ignorant, some selfish, and some political. Details of the debate are conversations for another day, but I can tell you that while well-fed people are arguing about biotechnology and Genetically Modified Organisms, 4 out of 10 children in my country will be going to bed hungry tonight. The elephants are fighting, and the grass is suffering.

Enough is enough!!!

Chidi Okereke lives in Lagos and works in Digital Communications. He is an entrepreneur, a farmer, a Cornell Alliance For Science Global Fellow and a nominee for the 2018 Future Awards Africa Prize for New Media. He tweets via @Chydee

Op–ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija

First published here http://chydee.com/i-actually-thought-i-was-poor/

Read » Chidi Okereke: I actually thought I was poor – Why Nigeria needs biotechnology on YNaija

Leading financial institution, Access Bank Plc continues to earn recognition for its efforts in leading the charge on sustainability, as the bank won the ‘Most Responsible Business in Africa,’ and three other awards at the 12^th edition of the Sustainability, Enterprise and Responsibility Awards (SERAS) held in Lagos on December 1, 2018.

The SERAS CSR awards is an annual event aimed at recognizing and celebrating organizations for investing resources in the improvement of lives and the environment they serve through several innovative program and initiatives.

Other awards won by the Bank include Best Partnership for Development; Best Corporate Communication Team and Sustainability Practitioner of the Year – received by Omobolanle Victor-Laniyan, Group Head, Sustainability at Access Bank.

The award ceremony attracted several dignitaries, business executives and several other sustainability professionals across the continent. Specifically, a total of 26 awards were presented to several corporate organizations and individuals in recognition of their efforts toward practicing sustainable business principles and embedding concern for the environment into their business consideration.

Speaking at the event, Victor Etuokwu, Executive Director, Personal Banking, Access Bank said “We believe that a sustainable business is a more successful business, hence we have made sustainability the bedrock of all our business operations over the last ten years. These awards represent a recognition of what we have done and point to the things that lie ahead. We are truly grateful to God and the organizers, and we are inspired by this opportunity.”

Since 2008, Access Bank has shown unwavering commitment to sustainability, winning several awards in recognition of its hard work. In 2018, Access Bank emerged ‘The Most Sustainable Bank in Nigeria’ at the World Finance Awards, the Kalsruhe Sustainable finance award for ‘Outstanding Sustainability Leader of the Year;’ Euromoney Awards for ‘Africa’s Best Bank for Corporate Social Responsibility’ among other notable awards.

Speaking at the event, Omobolanle Victor-Laniyan, said, she was delighted to be recognized as the Sustainability Practitioner of the Year, noting that it would inspire her to do more.

“I believe that the desire to make profit should not let us neglect our planet and jeopardize the future of the unborn generation, hence sustainability is a principle that should be adopted by every business venture as a standard corporate practice. This is the message that we preach and practice consistently in Access Bank,” she stated.

Photo captions:

L-R Suleman Ibrahim; team member, Sustainability, Omobolanle Victor-Laniyan; Head, Sustainability, Victor Etuokwu; Executive Director, Personal Banking, Esther; Team member, media relations, Mofifoluwa Olawumi; team member, Sustainability, all of Access Bank Plc at the 2018 edition of SERAS CSR awards held in Lagos, recently.

L-R   Victor Etuokwu; Executive Director, Personal Banking, Access Bank Plc, Frances Eza; Managing Director, Space, Nigeria, Omobolanle Victor-Laniyan; Head, Sustainability, Access Bank Plc, at the 2018 edition of SERAS CSR awards held in Lagos, recently.

L-R Omobolanle Victor-Laniyan; Head, Sustainability, Access Bank Plc, Victor Etuokwu; Executive Director, Personal Banking, Access Bank Plc, Bekeme Masade-Olowola, Chief Executive, CSR-in-Action at the 2018 edition of SERAS CSR awards held in Lagos, recently.

[L-R] Omobolanle Victor-Laniyan; Group Head Sustainability, Access Bank and her Husband, Mr Victor Laniyan, Victor Etuokwu; Executive Director, Personal Banking at SERAS CSR awards 2018 that held recently in Lagos.

[L-R] Abiola Salami; COO, Abiola Champ, Joshua Ajayi; Editor, Brand Communicator, Omobolanle Victor-Laniyan; Group Head Sustainability, Access Bank Plc.

Read » Access Bank emerges Africa’s most responsible business, wins major awards at SERAS 2018 on YNaija

The Spiritual director of Adoration Ministry Enugu, Nigeria (AMEN), Reverend Father Ejike Mbaka, has said that President Muhammadu Buhari will go nowhere if he remains ungrateful to the ministry, 

Mbaka who made the disclosure during the ministry’s 2018 harvest and bazaar celebration on Sunday, before Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, of Kano, who represented Buhari at the event, accused the president of abandoning the ministry despite the support and the prophecy about his victory in 2015.

As seen in a video clip trending on the social media, the priest stressing that he was almost assassinated for supporting Buhari, said “no one person has been employed by Buhari after Fr. Mbaka almost died for his sake.”

“Supporting Buhari is almost becoming a curse, we will not tell you that we will not support him, even if not for the sake of his good wife. She has been sending some little charity… for his (Buhari’s ) sake, I was almost assassinated because we stood for him.

“APC was down till the prophecy came up that Buhari was going to be the president. After that, we were forgotten…
If you know what this ministry is going through because we are supporting Buhari, the attackers are waiting to hear me say that I will support him again attack; and Buhari will remain in Aso Rock, being somebody who cannot give money, what does that mean?” he added.

“ I want to remind you that if Buhari will remain ungrateful to this ministry he is going no where…

Speaking on the President’s health with what he described as a spiritual mandate, Fr. Mbaka warned the President not to take his health for granted as his could fail at any time.

“One thing that is holding him (Buhari) is spiritual, how many times has he almost died? And he should not take it for granted that he is healthy.

“Anything can happen and his health can collapse. Atiku is waiting for him somewhere and the only thing that can stop Atiku is spiritual. You people should go and come back, you people should not take us for granted, I am speaking with spiritual mandate.

“Even if you don’t want to do something for us, look at the poor masses that almost die for you people, not even a job was given to anybody,” he said.

Read » Why Buhari may fail in 2019 – Fr. Mbaka on YNaija

Follow the links to read the stories and analyses on YNaija:

Our duty is to pray for Fr. Mbaka for God to lead him aright | Peter Obi reacts to criticisms against priest

Just In: NASS workers shut Assembly complex in protest against unpaid allowances

The Big 5: Only PDP can make Nigerians feed well – Jonathan; Middle-aged woman fronting as Aisha Buhari allegedly defrauds industrialist of N150m | Other top stories

Read » The YNaija Cover – the 4th of December on YNaija

These are the stories that drove the conversation today:

There is an indication that some members of the House of Representatives are collating signatures in a bid to impeach the Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, over his alleged indictment in a fraud detected in the activities of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in the North-East, currently being probed by the lower chamber of the National Assembly.

Addressing journalists in Abuja on Tuesday,  a member of the House ‎representing Egor/Ikpoba-Okha Federal Constituency in Edo, Johnson Agbonayinma, who revealed the devlopment said, “some political gladiators and media houses” were ‎sponsoring fake news against Osinbajo.

The lawmaker did not however mention sponsors the campaign against the Vice-President, but said disgruntled members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), were part of the alleged plot.

Following the protest by Staff of the National Assembly under the aegis of Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), over unpaid salaries and allowances, which led to lawmakers being shut out of the premises on Tuesday, the leadership of the legislative chambers have reacted.

According to a statement signed by the media aide to the Senate President, Yusuph Olaniyonu, the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, have directed the National Assembly Management Committee headed by the Clerk, Sani Omolori, to resolve all issues raised by protesting members of staff and report back to them by Friday, stressing that it was important for the workers to be well motivated.

“They added that the constitution of the National Assembly Service Commission which the workers demanded will be made available before Friday,” the statement read.

The former Chief of Staff to Governor Rochas Okorocha, Uche Nwosu, has put to rest speculations about his future with the All Progressives Congress (APC) as he has announced his defection from the ruling party to the Action Alliance (AA) in pursuit of his ambition to succeed the governor who is also his father-in-law.

The governorship candidate who disclosed this on Tuesday, at the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri, shortly after his arrival from Abuja, said that the entire APC structure had defected to AA, adding however that his party will cooperate with the APC to have President Muhammadu Buhari reelected, Governor Okorocha elected as senator; and him as governor on the platform of the Action Alliance.

“Injustice, impunity, and lack of respect for party’s constitution forced me out of the All Progressives Congress,” Nwosu added.

There are reports that the deadly violence which erupted in Urugbam, Egbor, Ipene, and Abanwan communities in Biase Local Government Area of Cross River on Monday, has lead to loss of lives, injuries and displacement of villagers who fled the areas for safety.

Speaking on the development, President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed concern over reports of the incidence and appealed for calm among the affected communities in order to ensure that lasting peace returned to the areas, while lauding the State Police Command for mobilising its personnel to the affected communities to contain the crisis.

“Our communities must be ready to live together in peace since no development can take place in an atmosphere of recurring violence,” he said.

Kaduna Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, has described the 2019 general election as a poll between thieves and trustworthy people, alleging that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), rented crowd from Niger Republic just to show people that they have supporters, at the flag-off of its presidential campaign in Sokoto on Monday.

The governor who made the allegation on Tuesday in Kaduna at the inauguration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign council for the state, said the PDP has nothing to offer the people of Kaduna and the rest of Nigeria, adding that what the APC has been doing for the past three years is to fix the rot left behind by the 16 years of PDP misrule.

“We cannot allow the people whose ideology is looting to return to power. The PDP has nothing to offer the people of Kaduna State and they have nothing to offer the rest of Nigeria,” he said.

And stories from around the world:

The United States delivered Russia a 60-day ultimatum on Tuesday to come clean about what Washington says is a violation of a arms control treaty that keeps missiles out of Europe. (Reuters)

The British government will publish its full legal advice on Theresa May’s Brexit deal after MPs found it in contempt of Parliament for not doing so.

The Commons supported a motion, backed by six opposition parties, demanding full disclosure, by 311 votes to 293. (BBC)

After a closed-door briefing by CIA Director Gina Haspel on Tuesday, top US senators said there is “zero chance” Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) wasn’t involved in the murder of Saudi critic Jamal Khashoggi. (Al Jazeera)

A rebel delegation flew out of the Yemeni capital Tuesday accompanied by a UN peace envoy, heading for high-stakes talks in Sweden with the government aimed at ending the country’s devastating war.

The departure of the Huthi rebels on a Kuwaiti plane followed a prisoner swap deal and the evacuation of 50 wounded insurgents for treatment in Oman in a major boost to peace efforts. (AFP)

Sudan’s long-serving President Omar Bashir came closer on Tuesday to another term in office after a majority of lawmakers backed a constitutional amendment to extend term limits that would have required him to step down in 2020 (Reuters)

Read » The Late 5: Reps reportedly collating signatures to impeach Osinbajo; Saraki, Dogara react to demands by protesting NASS workers | Other top stories on YNaija

Barely 24 hours after his arrest by the Police for unlawful possesion of firearms and subsequent arraignment before a magistrate court at Ebute Meta in Lagos, popular musician, Adekunle Temitope, also known as ‘Small Doctor,’ has been granted bail from police custody along with two other respondents paraded on Monday, to two sureties with N5 million bond each.

Delivering her ruling on Tuesday, presiding magistrate, A. O. Komolafe, who ruled in favour of the artiste that he had licence to carry a gun, advised him and others arraigned alongside him to be of good behaviour, and also made an order banning them for a period of one year, not to engage, recruit, instigate or incite any member of the Shogunle community and Lagos State by extension.

Similarly, the singer in a post on his twitter handle has acknowledged support from his fans over the development, and put up a reminder for his concert scheduled to hold this Sunday.

Believe In GOD, All Power Belongs To GOD

Thank You All For The LOVE & Positive Vibeomo BETTER Doing Great.

#OmoBETTERConcert This Sun Dec 9th Agege Stadium

iyanu MASHELE SOONEST

— small DOCTOR (@iam_smalldoctor) December 4, 2018

Read » ‘Small Doctor’ set free by court, announces concert date on YNaija

On Sunday, all roads led to the grand premiere of the highly anticipated movie, Chief Daddy, which took place in the Grand Ballroom, Oriental Hotel, Lagos. The EbonyLife Films production, directed by Niyi Akimolayan, was screened for guests who got the chance to view the movie for the very first time.

In line with the dress code, ’Opulently Nigerian – Be Extra’, guests were adorned in unique and exquisite attire, exemplifying the country’s dynamic culture on a grand scale. The premiere attracted a long list of VIPs from business and politics, including the wife of the vice-president of Nigeria, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo, who gave the welcome speech; Lagos gubernatorial aspirants Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Mr Jimi Agbaje and their wives. Sponsors included the MD of Keystone Bank, Obeahon Ohiwerei; Ms. Stella Obinwa and Mr Salim Ali Mohamed Dahman of Dubai Tourism; MD of Airtel, Olusegun Ogunsanya; and Ms. Nike Adebola of Guinness Nigeria.

Other business leaders in attendance were the MD of Fidelity Bank, Mr Nnamdi Okonkwo, Mr Segun Awolowo, Mrs Bola Adesola, Pastor Wale Adefarasin, Mr Seni Adetu, Mr & Mrs Ladi Ani-Mumuney, Mr Ayodele Subair, Ms Mosunmola Ogunbanjo, Mr Andrew Alli, Mr Yoann Talhouarne, Mr & Mrs Dalamal and many more.

Gracing the red carpet were the cast of the movie, including (in alphabetical order): Bisola Aiyeola, Zainab Balogun, Shaffy Bello, Lepacious Bose, Ini Edo, Dakore Egbuson-Akande, Linda Ejiofor, Folarin ‘Falz’ Falana, Kate Henshaw, Ayo Lijadu, Richard Mofe-Damijo, Beverly Naya, Uti Nwachukwu, Taiwo Obileye, Chioma ‘Chigul’ Omeruah, Rachel Oniga, Beverly Osu, Nkem Owoh, Patience Ozokwor and Joke Silva. Director Niyi Akimolayan was spotted also, along with producers Temidayo Abudu and Queen Martins, and several members of the crew.

Also in attendance were celebrities and prominent Lagosians, such as Mrs Daisy Danjuma, Mrs Catherine Bickersteth, Ms Ruth Osime, Mrs Dudun Peterside, Ms Helen Prest Ajayi, Ebuka Obi Uchendu, Rita Dominic, Toke Makinwa, Michelle Dede, Omoni Oboli, Alex Ekubo, Deyemi Okanlawon, Juliet Ibrahim, Toyin Lawani, Toyin Abraham, Uche Jombo, Yemi Alade, Eku Edewor, Chioma Akpotha and several others.

Excited about the premiere, executive producer of Chief Daddy, Mo Abudu said, “We are honoured by the turnout today; it’s quite humbling that our guests took the time out of their very busy schedules to celebrate this milestone with us. Chief Daddy is our fifth feature film and, to be honest, the funniest yet. We can‘t wait for everyone to see it in cinemas from the December 14^{th “}

See more photos from the event below:

Read » Dignitaries, Celebrities turn out for Grand Premiere of Chief Daddy on YNaija