Author: Moyosore Rokosu

According to the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), a market in the state’s Ajah region was destroyed by fire on Monday, damaging stores and merchandise valued at millions of naira. In a statement provided to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, the agency’s Permanent Secretary, affirmed this. According to Oke-Osanyintolu, the fire occurred late on Sunday night at the Alesh bus stop in Lekki, Lagos, which is located near Ajah Market. “LASEMA in response to distress calls from the 767 and112 toll-free lines at 09:30hrs, activated its Emergency Response Team from Lekki Base. “On…

Ten startups selected to receive funding from the recently launched N100 million AI Fund have been announced by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy in partnership with Google. The National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR) and Google founded the AI Fund, which will provide N10 million in cash to each chosen startups. Additionally, each startup will receive up to $3.5 million in Google Cloud Credits to aid in the scaling of their ideas. Also, these startups will gain access to Google’s world-class AI tools, mentorship from Google’s AI experts, and opportunities to connect with a…

On Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, Quincy Jones, the renowned and versatile music producer best remembered for his collaborations with Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, and Ray Charles, died at the age of 91. His spokesman, Arnold Robinson, confirmed the news of his passing, which Yahoo and The Guardian revealed on Monday when he was surrounded by his family in his Bel Air home. Jones’ loved ones shared a heartfelt statement: “Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones’ passing. “And although this is an incredible loss for our family, we celebrate…

Following his release from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), controversial cross-dresser Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, has reportedly left the country. In a series of videos posted on his Instagram story on Monday morning, Bobrisky revealed that he was travelling in first class, but he did not specify where he was going. “See you soon, Nigeria. This girl bought a first-class ticket three times; that’s over 30 million. Raise the bar for this girl,” he boasted. He also humorously remarked on the disfigurement of his passport photo, saying, “That passport disfigured my picture.” Bobrisky’s departure comes on…

As the market seems to have realised the true worth of the local currency, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) undertook weekly FX intervention sales to deposit money banks at N1630 per US dollar with the only goal of controlling exchange rate volatility. Recently, the official window’s exchange rate crossed a new red line. Even while the currency market saw new intervention as a result, spot rates continued to decline week after week. Details from the FX sales revealed that the Apex Bank is reducing the amount of US dollar sold to banks on a consistent basis even with sustained growth…

On the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) platform, equities investors lost N1.22 trillion during five trading sessions last week due to bearish trades. Three weeks of consecutive optimistic market sentiment came to an end. The local bourse’s five-day rising experience from the previous week was reversed by the sharp selloffs. The market temperature was generally despite the third quarter of the 2024 earnings festival, which has seen varied outcomes. Hence, the Nigerian Exchange All-Share Index (ASI) fell 2.03% week-on-week, closing at 97,432.02 points due to subdued equities investor sentiment. Trading patterns showed there were significant sell-offs across key sectors, particularly in industrial,…

The popular American rapper Jeffery Williams, better known by his stage name Young Thug, was freed from prison after serving two years. In his prolonged racketeering prosecution, Thug accepted a plea agreement Thursday and was released from custody. In May 2022, Young Thug was taken into custody as part of a major street gang bust. He was one of 28 individuals named in a 56-count indictment that involved violations of Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and accusations of participating in criminal street gang activity. Young Thug was accused as one of the three founders of YSL (“Young…

A federal high court in Abuja has granted 72 defendants accused of taking part in the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests N10 million bail each. As specified by Judge Obiora Egwuatu, each defendant is required to obtain two sureties in the same sum. In addition to being a parent of the defendant, one of the sureties must be a government servant at grade level 15 or higher with a verifiable address within the court’s jurisdiction. The court had originally set the arraignment date for 76 defendants, most of whom are minors. During the proceedings, many of the children appeared ill and malnourished…

Fela Kuti’s grandson, Nigerian Afrobeat musician Made Kuti, and his wife Indeoye are celebrating their first year of bliss and happiness together. The singer, Made Kuti pondered on their marriage thus far and shared images from their glitzy wedding ceremony on Instagram on November 1, 2024.  Doting on his wife, he wrote, “Happy Anniversary, Love! @nedokuti . Can’t believe it’s already been a year. Thank you for being PERFECT. And a big thank you to our family and friends that made it as beautiful as it was.” Indeoye also made a post of her own on Instagram, sharing a warm reflection on their…

A 24-year-old man named Ali Aji was given a two-year sentence for cocaine trafficking in a Lagos Federal High Court on Friday. Aji was charged with five counts of hard drug dealing by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and he entered a guilty plea. Following his plea, M. I. Erondu, the prosecution’s attorney, went over the case’s facts and presented the court with a number of exhibits to bolster her case. The exhibits include a drug analysis form, a request for scientific aid form, a certificate of test analysis, and a bulk of the substances. Others are a…