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 Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue state has approved N75,000 as minimum wage for state workers. Alia made the announcement on his Facebook page on Monday. Sharing the news, he wrote: "I am delighted to announce the approval of a new minimum wage of ₦75,000 for the workers of Benue State. This decision comes after thorough discussions with organized labour to better address the concerns of our workers. Our aim is to empower the men and women who keep our state moving forward. As part of this commitment, the remaining arrears will also be paid, starting this November, as budgeted. I want every worker in Benue to know that we are here for you. We are committed to ensuring that your labour is rewarded, your needs are met, and your concerns are addressed. Hyacinth Alia: Benue state governor"
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 Nurudeen Alowonle, Chairman of the Osun State Transport Management System (OSTMS), who was arrested by the police on Monday, has been hospitalized. According to reports, Alowonle is now being treated at a government medical facility in Osogbo after being injured while attempting to flee with handcuffs on. According to a source, "He is currently in a hospital in Osogbo." He attempted to run with the handcuffs on and was injured in the process." However, the Osun State Park Management System also disclosed that Alowonle was shot during arrest in the wee hours of Monday night. In a statement signed by the State Secretary, Mikaela Popoola, the OSTMS confirmed that its chairman was arrested over domestic issues and was taken to the police custody. WATCH VIDEO: Moment police arrest Osun Park Management Chairman, Nurudeen Alowonle in Osogbo
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 The Osun State Police Command has arrested Nurudeen Wakili Alowonle, an aide to Governor Ademola Adeleke. According to reports, Alowonle, Chairman of the Osun State Transport Management System (OSTMS), was arrested on Monday night in Osogbo carrying a weapon purportedly belonging to the police. The Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Osun State Police Command reportedly arrested the head of the Osun State Park Management System, Wakeel Nurudeen. Alowanle was allegedly found in possession of police-issued arms and ammunition. His arrest is also linked to the alleged killing of one Oyewale in 2022 and the assault of several residents in the state. According to a reliable security source, he was apprehended at the Ring Road area of Osogbo while allegedly attempting to attack a resident who had filed a petition against him. Reports indicate that Alowonle and his associates arrived at the scene in a Previa bus with registration number RBC 275XK. However, a distress call alerted the police, leading to his arrest. The source continued: “Police reinforced and he was rearrested at Susi area of Oke-Baale, Osogbo alongside eight others. They were taken to the Osun State Command.” A police source disclosed that “during the arrest, a Barrett pistol and six rounds of 9mm live ammunition and one expended empty shell were recovered from Alowonle’s private Toyota Highlander unregistered jeep.” “When he attempted escaping again, he was maimed by police shot.” It was gathered that a Hummer bus with Reg No. AWK 480YD, Nissan Almera unregistered and Toyota Sienna with Reg no. GNN 595 XD were also reportedly recovered from him. The source stated that he had been taken to a hospital for treatment. The Osun Police Command spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola has not yet responded to news of the arrest as she did not pick up calls and text messages sent to her. ● Nurudeen Iyanda Wakili (ALOWONLE), nabbed in possession of police pistol and rounds of ammunition. Watch Video i=dK6Ud1_WbAzkTkdY
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 Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has asked clearance from the National Assembly for a new N1.767 trillion loan. This was announced by the speaker, Tajudeen Abbass, during plenary on Tuesday. As a result, if granted, the loan will be utilized to partially pay the budget deficit of N9.7 trillion for the 2024 budget. The president has also forwarded the MTEF/FSP 2025-2027 to parliament and the National Social Investment Programme establishment amendment bill to make the social register the primary tool for the implementation of the federal government’s social welfare programmes. Last Thursday, the Federal Executive Council, FEC, approved a $2.2 billion external borrowing plan as part of the Federal Government’s 2024 Appropriation Act financing program. With the latest move to get an additional $2.2 billion fresh borrowing plan, DAILY POST reports that Nigeria’s external debt may increase to $45.1 billion by the end of 2024. This is as the Central Bank of Nigeria recently said the Federal Government spent $3.58 billion servicing the country’s foreign debt in the first nine months of 2024. CBN’s data on international payment statistics showed that the amount represents a 39.77 per cent increase from the $2.56 billion spent during the same period in 2023. According to the report, while the highest monthly debt servicing payment in 2024 occurred in May, amounting to $854.37m, the highest monthly expenditure in 2023 was $641.70m, recorded in July. External debt for the states and the Federal Capital Territory also climbed from $4.61bn to $4.89bn within the period under review. Tori
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 Nigerian artist Daniel Anidugbe, well known as Kizz Daniel, has asked his colleagues to stop chasing number-one songs on streaming services. He advised them to focus on their craft, emphasizing that the popularity of most songs on specific streaming sites does not translate to other platforms. “Leave social media algorithms, focus on your craft. Have you ever heard of a guy called Killer Mike, guess not … 4 times Grammy winner. “Stop chasing number 1 song , it’s meh now = everything can be controlled…. Most of those songs numbers no dey correlate on other platforms… check,” he wrote. In another post, Kizz Daniel clarified that he isn’t against the use of bots to boost streams as it’s a form of marketing but added that it isn’t for established artists. He stated that his position wasn’t to shade his colleagues but to encourage rising artists to release their songs without fear of not gaining traction on streaming platforms. “Farming isn’t a crime, it’s marketing … for placement and all …. But na for who get the money. “We ain’t shading anybody here before una start, just tryna push the new generation to drop those hidden gems… I won learn,” Daniel wrote.
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 My Treasure Has Arrived – Dayo Amusa Confirms Birth of First Child. Dayo Amusa, a Nigerian actress, has announced the birth of her child. On Monday, she posted the confirmation on her Instagram page. Remember that we previously reported that she welcomed a child in the United States. Confirming the news, she wrote: “Alhamdulilahi. My treasure has arrived. It’s a boy”.
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 ● Osun 2026: Dr Ganduje Suffers from Verbal Diarrhea, Plots to Undermine Mr President in the South West The National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Dr Umar Ganduje suffers from verbal diarrhea and swollen ego with an agenda to destabilize the South West zone and create a crisis for Mr President at the home front. Dr Ganduje is clearly unhappy with the peace and united front behind Mr. President from the South West zone and has now launched vicious attacks to ignite regional political battles to weaken the President ahead of 2027. Reacting to the vow by Dr Umar Ganduje to hijack Osun in 2026, Spokesperson to Governor Ademola Adeleke, Mallam Olawale Rasheed said the anti-democratic utterances of the APC leader contrast sharply with the democratic credentials of President Bola Ahmed Tinibu, wondering why the APC leader speaks like an amateur dictator without respect for history. As a well read politician, one would have expected Dr Ganduje to know that electoral contests depend mostly on local indexes and factors and that what obtains in Edo and Ondo are surely different from political facts on ground in Osun state. Local permutations, grievances, and interests dictate how people vote rather than superimposed force, the Spokesperson noted, citing the failure of the APC leader to win Kano state governorship race for his party. In Kano, the local peculiarities enforced the subsisting victory of the Kwankwasiyya group, which beat the Ganduje caucus, which was in office for eight years. If Ganduje failed in his own state because internal forces rejected his brand of politics, why is he thinking Osun factors which enthroned Governor Adeleke would not resist any attempt to disrespect the will of Osun people in 2026? According to the Spokesperson, Osun state is the cradle of Yoruba people where political freedom is cherished and where resistance to electoral fraud is a strong tradition, describing Dr Ganduje as “a threat to democracy and an insider enemy of President Tinubu. “If Dr Ganduje truly loves Mr. President, why is he pushing to destabilize the president's home zone through open threats to violate electoral law and deny the electorate their rights to vote and be voted for? By threatening to hijack opposition states, the APC leader is undermining the general consensus among Yoruba people, which accept Mr. President as their own irrespective of political differences. “If however the statement of the APC leader is borne out of ignorance, he is invited to study Osun politics to get better informed of the dynamics of this state's politics and to appreciate that what works in Edo and Ondo cannot play out here for several reasons. “In Osun state, the ruling party, the PDP is daily receiving thousands of decampees from opposition parties. The PDP in Osun is already a strong mass movement which cannot be overrun by a party chairman who failed to deliver his own state and who does not have the mandate of Mr President to ignite conflict in the South West zone. “The PDP in Osun state is too deeply planted to be threatened or suppressed by any electoral robber and Governor Adeleke remains an extraordinarily popular leader whose mandate now or in 2026 can not be hijacked by anti- democratic forces’, the Spokesperson noted.
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 COP29: Governor Adeleke Tasks World Leaders on Climate Action, Opens up on Osun Climate Progress. Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has called on world leaders to recommit to immediate action to stem the mounting negative consequences of climate change, listing several steps the subnational state of Osun has taken on the subject. Addressing COP29 side event in Baku, Azerbaijan, the Governor represented by the state's consultant on Climate Change and Renewable Energy, Prof Chinwe Obuaku recalled the various technical reports from several credible agencies which pointed to a heightening negative impact of climate change, noting that the time is now for remediation, adaptation and resilience actions to save the planet. Governor Adeleke extended hands of collaboration to world leaders as he noted that “the challenges of climate change are global while our solutions can be local, scalable, and impactful. “Let us continue to share knowledge, forge partnerships, and invest in sustainable futures for all. Together, we can create a world where art, innovation, and environmental stewardship thrive side by side—a world where waste becomes wealth and resilience becomes a shared legacy”, the Governor canvassed. The Governor spoke further at the event: “In Osun State, we are on a transformative journey toward climate resilience, sustainability, and economic empowerment. Aligned with the thematic areas of COP29, our efforts focus on adaptation, mitigation, circular economy, and inclusive development: “Adaptation: Through our Climate Action Plan (CAP), we are equipping all sectors with the tools to assess emissions and vulnerabilities. Focal desk officers are tracking greenhouse gas data across agriculture, water, infrastructure, and health, ensuring targeted and actionable strategies; “Circular Economy: Our state is pioneering waste-to-wealth initiatives by engaging both formal and informal players. Through waste characterization studies and upcoming recycling hubs, we are creating economic opportunities while protecting the environment; “Nature-Based Solutions: We are reclaiming degraded lands, such as the Onibueja dump site, where reforestation and creative reuse of waste are transforming challenges into opportunities. Our Ago-Owu Forest project further demonstrates our commitment to ecosystem restoration; “Renewable Energy Transition: Solar mini-grids, solar farms, solar powered boreholes, solar street lights, clean cooking stoves, and partnerships with international stakeholders are ensuring a just and inclusive clean energy future; “Inclusive Development: By mobilizing women, youths, and local communities, we are creating a robust grassroots movement for climate action”, the Governor noted. He commended Mr. Dotun Popoola’s remarkable exhibition, Reclaimed Beauty, exemplified the spirit of innovation and resilience that drives Osun State. “His sculptures—crafted from recycled metal and discarded materials from our dumpsites—tell the story of turning waste into wonder, and challenges into opportunities. His work aligns seamlessly with our circular economy goals, emphasizing sustainability and cultural heritage. “I commend the Heydar Aliyev Center for hosting this extraordinary event. It showcases the intersection of art, environmental stewardship, and economic empowerment—a vision we deeply embrace in Osun State” , the Governor concluded.
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 I’ll Quit Music If Anyone Comes Out To Claim They Wrote Song For Me – Kizz Daniel. Kizz Daniel, the famous Afrobeats singer, has made a vow to quit music if anyone apart from Runtown comes forward to say they have ever written a song for him. The singer had taken to his X handle to praise his colleague, Runtown, for being the first person to ever write a song for him. “For the first time in my life , Person write song for me and na Runtown …… Sound God is not human,” he wrote. An X user @KTwinBlog then took to the comment section to express doubt over Kizz Daniel’s claim. “For the first….you sure?,” the user queried. Responding, Daniel wrote, “Make any mofo come out say dem write for me I go stop music right now.” While writing songs for artists is a global phenomenon, it’s still relatively overlooked in Nigeria due to fans’ assumption that artists who use songwriters are less talented. Singer Davido has been constantly bashed for admitting that he uses songwriters.
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 Actress Tope Osoba Undergoes Breast Cancer Surgery, Begs For Financial Assistance. Tope Osoba, the Nollywood actress, has undergone her breast cancer surgery. Osoba’s senior colleague, Foluke Daramola, in a viral Instagram post, explained that the ailing actress has undergone one surgery but needs an additional procedure to remove the remaining particles from her breast. Sharing a video of Osoba in the hospital, Daramola stated, “She needs about N12 million for the second surgery to be able to get back on her feet.” In a new trending clip, Osoba appreciated those who supported her for the first surgery and solicited for continued assistance to cover the costs of the second surgery. Watch the video below:
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