Author: TheLagosianMagazine

By Peter Omopo | September 13, 2025 The Executive Vice Chairman of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Khalil Halilu, has said that innovation remains Africa’s strongest tool for tackling poverty, driving job creation, and achieving long-term prosperity. In a statement on Friday, Halilu stressed that countries that deliberately invest in research, technology, and creativity will not only reduce hardship but also unlock opportunities that place the continent on a competitive global footing. His remarks came against the backdrop of President Bola Tinubu’s call for alternative and innovative solutions to accelerate economic growth, enhance competitiveness, and create…

By Peter Omopo | September 13, 2025 The National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Yunusa Tanko, has dismissed speculations that Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, met with former President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja to seek political backing ahead of the 2027 elections. Tanko, speaking on Friday, clarified that the meeting, which was held behind closed doors earlier in the week, was not politically driven but centred on Nigeria’s pressing national challenges. “The relationship between Obi and Jonathan has been going on for a very long time. So it has nothing to do with the continuous engagement that…

By Peter Omopo | September 13, 2025 The Chairman of the Wuse Market Traders Association, Okorie Ikechukwu-Raphael, has warned traders in Abuja against arbitrary price increases, saying excessive profiteering is worsening the economic hardship faced by Nigerians. Speaking with journalists on Friday, Ikechukwu-Raphael noted that the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) had repeatedly cautioned against unjustified price hikes, some of which had been as high as 200 to 300 per cent. He appealed to business owners to exercise restraint by selling at reasonable rates. “Business should have a human face. Sell at reasonable rates so that citizens can…

By Peter Omopo | September 13, 2025 The United States has cautioned that foreigners who publicly celebrate or trivialise the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk may face visa revocation, as authorities expand scrutiny of social media posts from Germany, Brazil, the United Kingdom, South Africa, and parts of Latin America. Kirk, a 31-year-old author, podcaster, and co-founder of Turning Point USA, was shot dead on Wednesday while speaking at Utah Valley University. His killing has triggered widespread condemnation and reignited debates on political rhetoric and online speech. US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said on Thursday that consular…

By Peter Omopo | September 13, 2025 A dramatic twist unfolded late Friday night during Chef Hilda Baci’s bid to set a Guinness World Record (GWR) for the largest pot of jollof rice when the massive custom-built pot unexpectedly collapsed during the weighing process. The incident occurred after a full day of successful cooking at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos, where thousands of supporters had gathered to witness the record-setting attempt. According to eyewitnesses, a crane was brought in to hoist the gigantic pot onto a scale for an official weight measurement — a critical requirement for Guinness certification.…

By Peter Omopo | Lagos | September 13, 2025 Nigerian celebrity chef Hilda Baci has successfully completed her attempt to cook the world’s largest pot of jollof rice, marking another milestone in her record-breaking culinary journey. The feat, staged at the Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos, drew tens of thousands of spectators who registered to attend the event. Using a six-metre-wide, custom-built pot with a capacity of 22,619 litres, Baci cooked more than 250 bags of rice in an effort that is now awaiting official certification from Guinness World Records (GWR). Congratulating her on the accomplishment, the Minister of…

By Peter Omopo | September 10, 2025 The Lagos State House of Assembly has taken a major step toward establishing the University of Medicine and Health Sciences, aimed at addressing the shortage of healthcare professionals and strengthening medical education in the state. The development came during a one-day public hearing on the University of Medicine and Health Science Bill, 2024, organised by the Assembly’s Joint Committee on Education (Tertiary Institutions) and Health Services and Primary Healthcare. The bill seeks to separate the College of Medicine from Lagos State University (LASU), creating an independent, specialised university with its own governance structure,…

By Peter Omopo | September 12, 2025 Air Peace has dismissed media reports alleging that its pilots tested positive for drugs and alcohol following an incident involving one of its aircraft at the Port Harcourt International Airport on July 13, 2025. The reports, based on a purported preliminary finding by the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), claimed that a pilot and co-pilot had been indicted for substance use after the aircraft suffered a runway excursion. In a statement issued on Friday via its official X handle, the airline said it had yet to receive any formal communication from the NSIB…

By Peter Omopo | September 12, 2025 Human rights activist and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has rejected a petition by the Department of State Services (DSS) demanding he retract a social media post critical of President Bola Tinubu. The DSS, in a letter dated September 7 and signed by Uwem Davies on behalf of the Director-General, said Sowore’s August 26 post on X (formerly Twitter) was “false, malicious, and capable of inciting public disturbance, disunity, and a breakdown of law and order.” Titled “Demand for Retraction of Criminal, False and Malicious Post Publication,”…

By Peter Omopo | September 12, 2025 The Anambra State Government has announced plans to construct a new airport in Ndikelionwu, Orumba North Local Government Area, less than four years after the inauguration of the Chinua Achebe International Cargo Airport, Umueri. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Achebe Airport project was launched on April 11, 2017, completed in 2020, and formally commissioned by former Governor Willie Obiano on October 30, 2021. Speaking during an inspection visit to the proposed site on Friday, the Managing Director of Chinua Achebe Cargo International Airport, Mr. Martins Nwafor, said the new…