Author: TheLagosianMagazine

By Peter Omopo As preparations intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections, the South-North Progressive Forum (SNPF) has launched a nationwide campaign urging all political parties to zone their presidential tickets to the South. The forum said the move was necessary to address Nigeria’s longstanding power imbalance and foster national unity. Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Sunday, SNPF Chairman, Festus Onyekwulisi, presented what he described as a data-driven case for equitable power rotation between the North and the South. According to him, since Nigeria’s democratic journey began in 1957, the North has produced leaders who collectively governed…

By Peter Omopo A student of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) has reportedly lost his life after being swept away by strong waves while attempting a backflip at a Lagos beach. Eyewitnesses said the tragic incident occurred during a recreational outing when the victim, whose identity has yet to be officially confirmed, tried a backflip close to the waterline. He was immediately pulled into the ocean by a strong wave. Efforts by friends and other beachgoers to rescue him were unsuccessful. His body was later recovered and taken to a nearby morgue. Authorities are yet to issue an official statement,…

By Peter Omopo | Abuja | September 21, 2025 The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has urged Nigeria and Cuba to deepen bilateral cooperation in healthcare, trade, and cultural exchange through strengthened parliamentary diplomacy. Abbas, represented by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, made the call in Abuja on Sunday while receiving a Cuban parliamentary delegation led by Fernando Llort, a member of the National Assembly of the People’s Power and President of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the People. He stressed that parliamentary diplomacy should go beyond dialogue to produce tangible outcomes such as signed Memoranda of…

By Peter Omopo, Lagos | September 21, 2025 The Vice Chairman of Badagry West Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Princess Oluremi Ajose, has passed away, barely two months after assuming office. Her death was confirmed on Sunday in a condolence statement issued by the Executive Chairman of Olorunda LCDA, Ajose Kumayon. Princess Ajose, who was sworn in alongside the Chairman of Badagry West LCDA, Rauf Ibrahim Kayode Yemaren (popularly known as RIKAY), in July, was the daughter of His Royal Majesty, Oba Oyekan Possi Ajose, the Alapa of Apa Egun-Awori Kingdom. She reportedly died on Saturday, and her remains have…

By Peter Omopo, Abuja | September 21, 2025 A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former lawmaker from Ekiti State, Senator Ayodele Arise, has defended President Bola Tinubu’s decision to suspend Governor Siminalayi Fubara and declare a state of emergency in Rivers State earlier this year. Speaking with journalists in Abuja on Sunday, Arise said critics of the President’s action were ignoring the fact that the intervention prevented Rivers from descending into chaos. “By and large, we have to thank Mr President for taking the decision he took,” he said. “The situation in Rivers State at the time…

By Peter Omopo The Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, on Sunday paid a courtesy visit to the Olubadan-designate, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, at his Bodija residence in Ibadan, Oyo State. The visit comes days before Ladoja’s official installation as the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland, scheduled for Friday, September 26, 2025. The throne became vacant following the death of the 43rd Olubadan, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, who passed away on July 7, 2025, at the age of 90. The Ooni’s visit is seen as a gesture of solidarity and respect ahead of the coronation, which is expected to draw eminent personalities and…

By Peter Omopo The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has cautioned transport unions and their affiliates against the use of unauthorised stickers as substitutes for official vehicle registration in the state. In a statement issued on Sunday, LASTMA spokesperson Adebayo Taofiq quoted the agency’s General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, as describing the practice as illegal and a threat to public safety. Bakare-Oki warned that only constitutionally recognised bodies are empowered to register vehicles, noting that the use of “union stickers” undermines the government’s registration system. “Any vehicle discovered navigating the roadways under the guise of ‘union sticker’ identifiers, or other…

By Peter Omopo The leadership crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Sokoto State deepened on Sunday as members of the state executive committee rejected claims by Bello Isiyaku to the party’s chairmanship. Addressing journalists at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) press centre in Sokoto, the ADC State Secretary, Yusuf Abdulkadir Alkali, said Isiyaku had been suspended ahead of the 2023 general elections over allegations of anti-party activities and divisive conduct, and therefore could not lay claim to the office. Alkali explained that the ADC’s national leadership, led by Ralph Nwosu, had ratified the appointment of Umar Muhammad…

By Peter Omopo, Abuja | September 21, 2025 The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, will on Monday, September 29, 2025, swear in 57 newly appointed Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) at the Supreme Court’s Main Courtroom in Abuja. The announcement was contained in a statement released on Sunday by the Supreme Court’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Dr Festus Akande. According to him, the swearing-in ceremony is part of activities marking the formal commencement of the 2025/2026 legal year of the apex court. Justice Kekere-Ekun is expected to deliver the traditional State of the Judiciary address,…

By Peter Omopo September 21, 2025 – The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, on Sunday joined prominent Nigerians in celebrating the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on the occasion of her 65th birthday, describing her as a “pillar of love and strength” to her husband, the less privileged, and the nation. In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Eseme Eyiboh, Akpabio extolled Mrs Tinubu’s compassion, philanthropy, and long-standing commitment to humanitarian causes. He referred to her as the “Mother of the Nation,” praising her impact on women, youths, and vulnerable groups. Born on September…