Author: TheLagosianMagazine

By Peter Omopo  President Bola Tinubu has called on Nigerians in the diaspora to channel their expertise, resources, and influence toward accelerating the country’s development and prosperity. Speaking on Thursday at the Kahala Hotel and Resort in Yokohama, Japan, during an interactive session with members of the Nigerian community, Tinubu stressed that nation-building cannot be left to government alone but requires the shared responsibility of all citizens. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development. According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the event drew…

By Peter Omopo  The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of its November national convention in Ibadan has taken a fresh twist, with allies of Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, rejecting the Southern zoning consultations held in Lagos on Wednesday. Party insiders confirmed to The PUNCH that PDP governors will converge in Gusau, Zamfara State, this weekend to resolve disputes threatening the convention. Delegates are expected to arrive Friday, with deliberations scheduled for Saturday. The zoning committee, chaired by Bayelsa Governor Douye Diri, had met with southern stakeholders in Lagos as part of its nationwide consultations. But…

By Peter Omopo  A new reality television show, Big Brain Naija (#BB9JA), designed to spotlight creativity, innovation, and intelligence among Nigerian youths, is set to premiere this October in Abuja. Organised by Big Brain Productions in partnership with DAAR Communications Plc, the show will air on Africa Independent Television (AIT) and is expected to feature 37 contestants drawn from the 36 states of the federation and the FCT. Speaking at a news conference in Abuja on Thursday, Big Brain Productions CEO, Kel Ameobi, described the project as a platform “where intelligence meets entertainment.” He said the aim was to celebrate…

By Peter Omopo  The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has launched a formal investigation into the heated altercation between Comfort Emanson, a passenger, and members of Ibom Air’s cabin crew. The regulatory body disclosed on Thursday that its officials met in Abuja with crew member Julie Edwards—allegedly at the centre of the incident—as well as other staff directly involved. The session formed part of a wider inquiry into the controversial encounter, which sparked public outcry after a viral video showed Emanson being manhandled by airline officials. According to NCAA spokesperson Michael Achimugu, who confirmed the development in a post on…

By Peter Omopo  The Federal Government has unveiled the Renewed Hope Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (RHGEEP 3.0), a redesigned financial inclusion initiative aimed at providing affordable credit to five million Nigerians by 2027. Speaking at the national stakeholders’ roundtable in Abuja on Thursday, the National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), Badamasi Lawal, said the new phase marks a “recalibration” of the scheme to prioritize trust, consistency, and accountability. “This gathering reflects our collective commitment to deepen financial inclusion, expand access to credit for small businesses, and empower our people, particularly women,…

By Peter Omopo  The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has rejected the Federal Government’s newly launched loan scheme for tertiary institution workers, describing it as a misplaced priority and a “poisoned chalice.” Speaking at a press conference in Jos on Thursday, ASUU National President, Prof. Christopher Piwuna, said what Nigerian academics need is not loans but the implementation of the long-overdue 2009 agreement between the union and the government. Two weeks ago, the Federal Government unveiled the Tertiary Institutions Staff Support Fund, a welfare initiative aimed at academic and non-academic staff across Nigeria’s tertiary institutions. Education Minister, Dr. Tunji…

By Peter Omopo  Nigerian-British filmmaker Akinola Davies Jr. is set to premiere his debut feature, My Father’s Shadow, in Nigerian cinemas after earning international acclaim. The film made history as the first Nigerian feature selected for the prestigious Cannes Film Festival’s Un Certain Regard section, where it received a Caméra d’Or Special Mention for Best First Feature. Set in Lagos in the tense aftermath of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election, the story unfolds over a single day as two brothers, Akin and Remi, reconnect with their estranged father, Folarin—portrayed by British-Nigerian actor Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù. Describing the project as…

By Peter Omopo  The Nigeria Police Force has disowned a viral “wanted” poster of Nollywood actress and entrepreneur, Iyabo Ojo, describing it as fake and misleading. The poster, which circulated widely on social media, alleged that Ojo had been declared wanted and that a reward was being offered for information leading to her arrest. In a statement posted on its verified Facebook page on Thursday, the Police clarified that the poster did not originate from the Force. “Fake news alert! This ‘wanted’ poster of actress Iyabo Ojo did not emanate from the Nigeria Police Force. It is false, misleading and…

By Peter Omopo  The Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) has inaugurated a three-man Asset Recovery Panel to reclaim properties and resources allegedly mismanaged or wrongfully appropriated by past leaders. The move was announced by AGN National President, Dr. Emeka Rollas, during an interactive session with the Guild’s Board of Trustees (BOT) on Wednesday in Abuja, where the Guild also formally presented its new national secretariat. The panel is chaired by Onwurah Ifeanyi, with Garba Muazu as Secretary and Sydney Diala as a member. Rollas explained that the committee is mandated to trace, identify, and recover assets belonging to the Guild,…

By Peter Omopo  Nigeria’s cultural heritage remains scattered across the world, locked away in glass cases and private collections far from the soil that birthed them. From Benin bronzes in Europe to Nok terracottas in American vaults, the story of stolen art has become familiar—but the urgency to bring them home is fading into silence. Calls for restitution, once loud and passionate, now echo faintly, overshadowed by politics and bureaucracy. While other nations have pushed harder for the return of their artifacts, Nigeria seems caught between diplomatic niceties and lack of sustained pressure. Even more troubling is the state of…