Author: TheLagosianMagazine

Reacting to stampedes in Abuja and Anambra, President Bola Tinubu cancelled all his official events in Lagos on Saturday, including his attendance at the 2024 Lagos Boat Regatta, to mourn the victims. Tinubu was scheduled to watch the boat parade and other activities of the Boat Regatta from the waterfront of his Queen’s Drive residence in Ikoyi, his spokesman, Mr Bayo Onanuga, said in a statement. Dignitaries, including top officials of the Lagos State Government and chiefs from the state, were already seated when the president cancelled his appearance following briefings on the tragedies. Commiserating with the victims of the…

By Sola Ojewusi In a spectacular rematch at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Oleksandr Usyk successfully defended his WBA, WBO, and WBC heavyweight titles with a unanimous decision victory over Tyson Fury on December 21, 2024. The judges scored the bout 116-112 in favor of Usyk, showcasing his technical mastery and tactical brilliance. Despite Fury’s significant size advantage and weighing in at a career-high 281 pounds, he struggled to counter Usyk’s superior speed, precision, and footwork. Usyk dominated the fight by consistently outmaneuvering Fury, who appeared to tire as the rounds progressed. The Ukrainian’s crisp combinations and relentless…

German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, on Saturday condemned the “terrible, insane” car-ramming attack on a crowded Christmas market that killed five people and injured more than 200. Police arrested a 50-year-old Saudi psychiatry doctor at the scene Friday, next to the battered SUV that had ploughed through the festive crowd leaving a trail of carnage and bloodied casualties. A sombre Scholz, dressed in black, visited the attack site Saturday with national and regional politicians in the eastern city of Magdeburg, where they laid flowers outside the main church. Scholz said at least 40 of the injured were in a condition that…

The Federal Government has allocated a sum of N27bn for the entitlements of former presidents, vice-presidents, heads of state, chiefs of staff, retired heads of service, and professors in the 2025 fiscal year. Beneficiaries of this allocation include former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan, and Muhammadu Buhari, alongside ex-vice-presidents Atiku Abubakar, Namadi Sambo, and Prof. Yemi Osinbajo. Others expected to benefit are ex-military Heads of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (retd.) and Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.), as well as former military President, Ibrahim Babangida and retired Chief of General Staff, Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe. President Bola Tinubu presented the 2025 budget, titled…

Less than a month after the Port Harcourt Refining Company appeared to have resumed production, the facility has stopped working. Punch’s correspondent, who visited the refinery on Thursday, December 19, 2024, observed that the lifting of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) had stopped. It was gathered that the lifting of petrol actually stopped last Friday, December 13, as the 18-arm loading bay of the new Port Harcourt refinery was empty. While about 18 trucks littered the stretch of the busy road leading to the refinery itself, nine trucks were spotted inside the parking yard, while the loading bay was empty. The…

By Sola Ojewusi Former U.S. President Barack Obama has once again delighted global music fans with his highly anticipated annual list of favorite songs. In the 2024 edition, three Nigerian Afrobeats superstars—Rema, Àṣàkẹ́, and Jordan Adetunji—secured their spots on the prestigious list, showcasing the unrelenting global influence of African music. Rema’s ‘Yayo’ Makes Waves Rema, who has consistently dominated charts worldwide, earned a place with his electrifying track Yayo. The song combines Afro-fusion rhythms with modern electronic beats, exemplifying Rema’s versatility and solidifying his reputation as a global trendsetter in music. Àṣàkẹ́ Collaborates with Travis Scott on ‘Active’ Àṣàkẹ́, another…

By Sola Ojewusi The Lagos State Government has announced that the Mushin Fresh Food Agro-Hub recorded N2.495 billion in transactions during its inaugural year. This milestone, achieved through the efforts of 348 vendors, highlights the hub’s role in transforming food distribution in the state. The State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food System, Ms. Abisola Olusanya, revealed this achievement in a statement issued to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday. She noted that the hub, which operates on 81 designated market days, attracted 75,000 visitors in its first year. Driving Socio-Economic Development Ms. Olusanya described the Mushin Fresh Food…

By Sola Ojewusi The Óoni of Ifẹ, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, has expressed profound condolences to the families of the children who tragically lost their lives during a stampede at a charity funfair in Ibadan on Sunday. The event, promoted on Agidigbo Radio, owned by Oriyomi Hamzat, and organized by Women in Need of Guidance and Support (WINGS), a foundation led by Ms. Naomi Silekunola Ogunseyi, a former queen of the Óoni’s Palace, ended in tragedy, casting a shadow over the festive season. In a statement signed by Otunba Moses Olafare, the Director of Media and Public Affairs for the…

By Sola Ojewusi Marrakech, Morocco – December 16, 2024 Nigeria’s Ademọla Lookman was crowned the 2024 CAF African Footballer of the Year in a dazzling ceremony held in Marrakech, Morocco. The prestigious award was handed to Lookman by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and CAF President Patrice Motsepe, marking a momentous milestone for Nigerian football and Lookman’s illustrious career. Lookman triumphed over fierce competition, beating Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi, Ivory Coast’s Simon Adingra, Guinea’s prolific striker Serhou Guirassy, and South Africa’s star goalkeeper Ronwen Williams. His outstanding performances for Nigeria at the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), where he led the…

By Eseohe Solomon Monday, December 16, 2024 In a landmark decision, the Federal Government has renamed the University of Abuja to Yakubu Gowon University, in honor of Nigeria’s former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, who recently turned 90. The announcement was made by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, during a press briefing at the State House in Abuja. The announcement followed a Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. According to Idris, the renaming acknowledges General Gowon’s contributions to national unity and development during his tenure as Head of State.…