Author: TheLagosianMagazine

By Peter Omopo  23rd August 2025 The Ekiti State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has cautioned its members against attacking Governor Biodun Oyebanji, warning that disciplinary measures would be taken against those found culpable. The warning followed allegations by the governor that some party members were behind a plot to sponsor coordinated media attacks against him. In a statement issued on Friday, the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Yinka Oyebode, revealed that more than 150 individuals, including national-level social media influencers, had allegedly been paid to launch the campaign beginning next week. Oyebode said the plan involved discrediting the…

By Peter Omopo  The Lagos State Health Facilities Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA) has shut down 30 health facilities across the state for operating illegally or failing to meet the government’s minimum standards. The action was announced on Friday during a sensitisation town hall meeting at the Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government Secretariat. HEFAMAA’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. Abiola Idowu—represented by the Director of Monitoring and Inspection, Dr. Daniel Olayinka—said the closures were part of efforts to eliminate quack medical practices and protect residents from unsafe healthcare. “Most of the facilities we shut down were not registered with the Lagos State Government, while…

By Peter Omopo  The Yobe State Emergency Management Agency (YOSEMA) has introduced a football tournament as part of its campaign to raise awareness on flood mitigation and prevention. Speaking with journalists on Friday, YOSEMA’s Executive Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Goje, said 12 football clubs will participate in the week-long competition, which kicks off Saturday in Damaturu. The event, tagged “Beyond the Pitch,” will bring together more than 130 youths under the age of 22. Goje explained that the initiative was designed to use sports as a tool for community sensitisation. “The last four clubs will take the campaign further by leading…

By Peter Omopo The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has issued a public alert on the circulation of counterfeit Cowbell “Our Milk” 12g sachets across the country. According to the agency, Promasidor Nigeria Limited, the authorised manufacturer of Cowbell milk, raised the alarm after detecting fake products in the market that closely resembled the original brand. In a statement released on Friday via its official website, NAFDAC said the counterfeit sachets unlawfully used the Cowbell name, packaging design, NAFDAC registration number, and trademark. Promasidor confirmed that the packaging design used by the fake producers was…

By Peter Omopo  The Association of Small Business Owners of Nigeria (ASBON) has urged the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to sustain its push for the creation of a single regional currency, saying the initiative could transform trade and economic integration in West Africa. The proposed currency, named Eco, is scheduled for launch in 2027, according to ECOWAS Commission President, Dr. Omar Touray, who confirmed during the Sahel Governance Forum in Banjul last month that significant progress had been made toward its adoption. Speaking with Saturday PUNCH, ASBON President, Femi Egbesola, said the Eco would eliminate exchange rate…

By Peter Omopo  Former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, has criticised the opposition coalition formed under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), accusing its leaders of misleading Nigerians with promises of national rescue. Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, Baba-Ahmed dismissed the coalition — which includes his 2023 running mate, Peter Obi — as deceptive. “They are deceiving us,” he said, stressing that Nigeria’s salvation would not come from the ADC bloc. The ADC coalition has drawn support from prominent political figures such as former Senate President David Mark, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-Kaduna State Governor…

By Peter Omopo  The late Emir of Zuru, Major General Muhammad Sami (Retd.), who died last Saturday in a London hospital at the age of 81, has been laid to rest in his hometown of Zuru, Kebbi State. Vice President Kashim Shettima led a high-powered delegation of dignitaries, including the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, and Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris, to pay their final respects. Also present were senators from Kebbi State, traditional rulers, senior government officials, business leaders, and retired military generals. The remains of the monarch arrived at…

By Peter Omopo  Nigerian celebrity chef and Guinness World Record holder, Hilda Baci, has unveiled plans to cook what she describes as the world’s largest pot of Jollof rice. In an announcement on Friday via Instagram, Baci revealed that the record-breaking attempt will take place on September 12, 2025, in partnership with seasoning and culinary brand Gino. The pot, according to her, will measure six metres wide and six metres tall, making it the largest ever used to prepare the popular West African delicacy. “Almost two years ago I had the dream to cook the largest pot of Jollof Rice…

By Peter Omopo  Nigeria and the Republic of Benin have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deepen collaboration between local governments and traditional authorities along their shared borders. The agreement, signed on August 18, 2025, aligns with the African Union Convention on Cross-Border Cooperation, ECOWAS initiatives, and the Nigeria–Benin Cross-Border Cooperation Agreement. According to a statement by the Head of Information and Public Relations at the National Boundary Commission (NBC), Efe Ovuakporie, on Friday, the MoU provides a framework for cooperation between Nigeria’s border local government areas and Benin’s communes, as well as traditional rulers from both countries. The…

By Peter Omopo  The Federal Government has secured a $238 million loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to strengthen Nigeria’s national power grid. The agreement followed high-level engagements led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, at the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) in Yokohama, Japan. In a statement released by the Ministry of Power on Friday, President Tinubu emphasized that Nigeria’s participation at TICAD9 focused on concrete results rather than diplomatic formalities. “Nigeria’s participation at TICAD9 was not about trade exhibitions, but about forging strategic, outcome-driven partnerships that would…