Veteran comedian Atunyota Alleluya Akpobome, popularly known as Ali Baba, highlights the significant impact of Nigerian musicians on national awareness.

According to him, these talented individuals have done more to promote Nigeria’s image than any official ambassador.

In a recent interview with Channels Television, Ali Baba expressed his disappointment that despite the entertainment industry’s substantial contributions to the nation’s growth, it remains overlooked in government economic plans.

He lamented that a recent 200-page report by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, forecasting the country’s economic future, failed to acknowledge the entertainment and creative industry’s value.

Ali Baba emphasized that the creative industry’s influence extends far beyond Nigeria’s borders, citing Burna Boy as an example.

He stated that the Grammy-winning artist has put Nigeria on the global map, showcasing the country’s rich cultural heritage to a worldwide audience.

In his words:

“Two years ago, a forecast of the Nigerian economy in the next five years was looked into by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group and the entertainment and creative industry was not considered.

“A booklet of about 200 pages was done and the creative industry was not considered. The value of the creative industry in Nigeria is beyond the country.”

“Burna Boy has done a lot more for the Nigerian national awareness than any ambassador that have been posted to America, the UK or any other place. So Nigerian artists are creating national awareness and making other countries to know about us than any ambassador would have done.”

Godswill Akpabio, Nigeria’s Senate President has said Aliko Dangote, the chairman of the Dangote Group shamed successive governments by completing 650,000 barrels per day refinery.

Akpabio said this when he led the leadership of the 10th Senate on a tour of the Refinery in Lagos. He referred to the refinery as the 9th wonder of the world.

Akpabio, emphasised that detractors of the refinery and “dream killers” have all been silenced and that indeed, previous governments have been put to shame with the completion of the project.

Akpabio stated that the whole Nigeria couldn’t make refineries function in Kaduna, Port Harcourt and Warri, but that Dangote and his team have proven that it is possible to dream and achieve it in Nigeria.

He further said the shame that came with the discovery of oil in Nigeria in 1958 has been removed by Dangote alluding to a report that India does not have oil but has refineries from where the country exports refined products, while noting that the inability of the nation to refine its oil has brought untold hardship on Nigerians so much so that Belgian government recently ban the exportation of dirty and condemned fuel to the country to West African country just because we can’t refine our own products.

“They told us in Abuja that Dangote Refinery is farce but we have come here and see for ourselves that the refinery is alive and running. Dangote has put to shame a lot of people. They are wondering how it will be possible for a single individual to accomplish what a whole nation could not accomplish; what 240 million people could not maintain; what a continent could not do and then one person will build 650,000bpd project”, the Senate President said.

“They keep wondering how one person can succeed where nations have failed; where continent has failed. But Dangote has done it. It is highly commendable. We came to see the refinery because we in the current senate believe in the Nigerian dream. We didn’t come as a doubting Thomas but we came because we believe the project, we came to rekindle the hope of Nigerians and the Nigerian’s can do spirit”, he added.

The Senate President also said Dangote deserved all the accolades for this feat noting that ordinary residence of Nigeria’s Vice-President could not be completed until after 14 years.

He assured that the National Assembly will give it what it takes to protect the project because its one project that Nigeria and indeed Africa should take the ownership and must be protected jealously.

He said the Senate and the entire National Assembly would come up with a robust legislation that would protect the project and others like it.

“Mr. Dangote, I pity you a lot because even your friends will envy you simply because they will keep wondering how can you succeed when nations, and continents have failed. Now that we have seen for ourselves, we are here to announce our own endorsement of this major project. It is also shocking to see that we produce sufficient fertilisers for Nigeria and enough to be exported.

“As I said we will do our report and we will speak to Mr President to put a stop to fertilizer import to Nigeria. You will hear from us soon”, Akpabio said.

The Imo state Police command has arrested a 27-year-old lady, Oluchi Nzemechi, from Uzoagba in Ikeduru Council Area of Imo state, for stabbing to death her partner, Kelechi Nzemechi, over alleged failure to give her a cut of alleged internet fraud proceeds (Yahoo Yahoo) to the tune of 250 Million Rupiah.

The Imo State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Henry Okoye, stated this to newsmen in Owerri on Monday, while parading the suspect.

Explaining how it happened, the Police command said the “Operatives of the Imo State Police Command through painstaking investigation have arrested a 27-year-old young lady, named Oluchi Nzemechi ‘f’, of Uzoagba in Ikeduru LGA of Imo State, for stabbing her partner, Kelechi Nzemechi, ‘m’, 31yrs, to death.

“On interrogation, the suspect confessed to the crime, admitting that her lover lured her into internet fraud aka ‘yahoo yahoo’. That on 02/06/2024, she had a heated argument with him for failing to give her a cut of an alleged 250 Million Rupiah they fraudulently obtained from a victim in Indonesia, during which she used a kitchen knife and stabbed him on the upper part of his body.”

“The suspect further revealed that in a bid to cover up her criminal acts, she swiftly wrote on a piece of paper; ‘you think you can eat my money and go free, I am baba for the boys, I am coming for your wife and your child including your family’ and placed it on the lifeless body of the victim and ran away from the house. She also stated that she has been living with the victim since 2019 and has a child for him.

“Effort is intensified to recover the alleged 250 million Indonesia Rupiah for a possible return to the owner. The suspect is currently undergoing an investigation at the State Criminal Investigation Department and will certainly be arraigned in court,” Police said.

The European Union (EU) collected €3,435,200 from rejected Schengen visa applications from Nigeria in 2023, according to statistics on Schengen visas. 

The EU governments globally garnered €130 million from such rejections, with African and Asian countries bearing 90% of the costs, as reported by EUobserver. 

The report highlights that African countries are particularly affected, with visa rejection rates reaching 40-50% for nations like Ghana, Senegal, and Nigeria.

These figures, however, do not account for the additional costs incurred from missed travel opportunities for business and leisure, or the expenses related to legal advice and private agencies involved in visa processing. 

The phenomenon of visa rejections has been termed “reverse remittances” as shared by EUobserver, emphasising that these non-refundable fees remain with the EU governments regardless of the application outcome.

“Visa inequality has very tangible consequences and the world’s poorest pay the price,” Marta Foresti, founder of LAGO Collective and senior visiting fellow at the Overseas Development Institute, told EUobserver.

“You can think of the costs of rejected visas as ‘reverse remittances’, money flowing from poor to rich countries. We never hear about these costs when discussing aid or migration, it is time to change that,” she added.

Morocco and Algeria top the list for the highest number of visa applications to the EU.

Data also shows that rejection rates for short-term visitor visas to Europe and the UK are higher for applicants from low and middle-income countries.

The total cost of Schengen visa rejections increased to €130 million in 2023, up from €105 million in 2022.

The rejection rate is anticipated to rise further in 2024, as the EU visa application fee for adults is set to increase from €80 to €90 on June 11, following a recent decision by the EU Commission.

Renowned Nollywood actor, Hanks Anuku, has recounted how a viral video that falsely portrayed him as mentally unstable ruined his career and caused him pain.

Recalls that a video of the movie star went viral in 2022, with Anuku dressed in tattered clothes, roaming around the streets of Asaba, and many people insinuated he was mentally unstable.

Shortly after the video surfaced online, his colleague, Shan George, debunked the claim, stating that Anuku is “not insane” as widely speculated.

Addressing the incident in an interview with Facebook content creator, Lucky Udu, Anuku revealed that the video was from a movie set.

The thespian explained that he was preparing for a role as a mentally unstable character and was getting into character by visiting the environment and meditating.

Anuku lamented the loss of friends, producers, and job opportunities, stating that the viral video left him jobless and isolated.

The actor added that he went through pain and was heartbroken, adding that those who circulated the video destroyed his image.

He said, “I was trying to get into character for a role I was going to play, a madman role. Someone who was not in his correct senses or right frame of mind.

“So I had to go naturally visit the environment on how I would play it in that same neighbourhood. I was just showing the way the director wanted me to do it, meditating and getting into character.

“I lost friends, producers no longer contacted me for jobs. I lost a lot of money, I lost jobs, and I was jobless. People did not care about me. It was God who directed my footsteps to a good soul.

“I went through pain, if you were in my shoes you would feel it. I was heartbroken for these people to do this to me.”

The critical discussions on the new national minimum wage between the Federal Government and Organised Labour are poised to conclude today, with all eyes on President Bola Tinubu’s final decision.

The negotiations, which have seen proposals varying widely, are under pressure as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) leaders have set a Monday deadline for resolution.

Last Friday, the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage wrapped up its deliberations with the government and the Organised Private Sector settling on ₦62,000.

However, labour has maintained its stance, pushing for a ₦250,000 minimum wage, significantly higher than the government’s proposal.

The Nigeria Governors Forum voiced concerns, labelling any wage above ₦60,000 as unsustainable for state administrations. This contention highlights the ongoing struggle to balance worker demands with governmental fiscal capabilities.

Speaking to Punch, labour representatives disclosed that the outcome now hinges on President Tinubu’s response to the committee’s recommendations.

In a notable development, NLC President, Joe Ajaero, along with other senior union leaders, are currently attending an international labour conference organized by the International Labour Organisation in Geneva, Switzerland.

Labour plans to convene a National Executive Council meeting upon the leaders’ return. At this meeting, the president’s feedback will determine the future course of action, including possible strike measures.

The labour leader that spoke with Punch said, “We have submitted the report to the president and we are waiting for him to make his decision. That is the most important thing and that is what we are all waiting for.

“As it stands some of us are on the way to Geneva for the ILO conference. Some of us are going today (Sunday), some have gone already while others w“Before we can even hold a NEC meeting, we must come back from Geneva first. Also, we are trying to be careful so the government won’t say Labour is inciting citizens against the government. Also, you know they are in charge of the military so we are trying to be careful about that. This is why we are waiting.”

When asked about Monday’s ultimatum, another source within the NLC said, “Well, we have sent a report to the committee and we are expecting the president to act on it.

“We should hold a National Executive Council meeting regarding the ultimatum when we return from Geneva. It is very important for us to be there but right now, we are patiently waiting for the decision of Mr President.”

A coalition of Civil Society Organisations under the auspices of the Middle-Belt Pan Nigerian Forum has called on the 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to accept the outcome of the 2023 presidential election won by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

The group said in a statement by its spokesperson, Danladi Ceceko, that the 2023 election was one of the most transparent elections in the country and reflects the will of Nigerians. It added that the verdict of the Supreme Court further validates the outcome of the polls.

The group spoke against the backdrop of the recent statement by Obi in which he compared the Nigerian electoral process to that of South Africa and described the 2023 polls as a show of shame.

However, Ceceko urged Obi to stop discrediting institutions such as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) simply because he lost in the 2023 elections.

The group added that Obi himself had benefited from the same institution he is discrediting now when he was restored as the Anambra State Governor.

“It is evident for all to see that the 2023 general elections, especially the presidential poll, were among the freest and most transparent in our history,” Ceceko said.

“The outcome, upheld by the Supreme Court, is a true representation of the will of Nigerians, and it is time for all participants to accept the results and move forward. 

“It is quite unfortunate that Mr. Peter Obi would discredit our institutions like INEC and the Supreme Court, which validated the credible elections conducted by INEC.”

Ceceko noted that if INEC was as problematic as some politicians have claimed, it raises the question of why there are calls from various quarters for the State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) to be disbanded and for INEC to conduct local government elections instead.

“It is evident that the political elite who frequently malign the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are often the same ones who oversee the worst elections in the country through the State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs)”.

The coalition also challenged the LP candidate to desist from biased comparison as the South African elections were not without their own challenges and technical glitches.

“We really need Mr. Peter Obi to do his due diligence and research before comparing INEC to other countries’ electoral bodies.

“The South African election also experienced technical glitches, which were well-documented.”

“It is hypocritical of Mr. Peter Obi to claim that the election which brought Governor Alex Otti of Abia was credible and transparent, while asserting that the election he lost was marred by irregularities.

It is worth noting that both elections were conducted by the same INEC under the leadership of Prof. Mahmud Yakubu.

“Furthermore, it is important to remind Mr. Peter Obi that he is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, beneficiaries of the very institutions he is currently maligning. It was the same Supreme Court that restored his allegedly stolen mandate in 2003.

Additionally, it was the same INEC that conducted the election that secured his second term victory in Anambra.”

The coalition argued that technical glitches during electoral processes are not peculiar to Nigeria and should, therefore, not be a basis to invalidate the entire process.

“Because there was a technical glitch on the portal of the South African commission, does that invalidate the outcome of the election in which the ruling ANC won?” the spokesperson questioned. “I think it is about time we start respecting our institutions and join hands with other Nigerians to make them work and even better,” the statement added.

Catholic priest Ejike Mbaka said governors and members of the national assembly should also earn the N62,000 minimum wage proposed by the federal government.

Mbaka stated this while speaking in an interview with AIT on Saturday, reacting to the new minimum wage demand by the organised labour.

Recall that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) had embarked on an indefinite strike over the federal government’s failure to meet their demand for a new minimum wage, disrupting essential services.

May 29 Tinubu Special: One year of teetering on edge of hope0:00 / 1:00

But, the organized labour “relaxed” the industrial action for one week to allow negotiations with the federal government on a new minimum wage.

The federal government and the organised labour subsequently resumed negotiations on June 6 — where the new wage was proposed.

Speaking on the development, Mbaka said Salaries of members of the national assembly have been shrouded in secrecy, eliciting speculation and debate from Nigerians.

Mbaka said, “We can push these poor Nigerians to the point of rebellion. That is my fear. All of us were in Lagos that day, we couldn’t come back.

“Just like a joke the labour people entered into the airport and stopped every operation and if this happen again it might tantamount to what nobody dreams or what we dream but out of fear we cannot release to the public.

“If we decide to give labour N60,000 or N62,000, why not generalise it to the house of assembly members, senatorial members, house of representative members, and governors?

”All of them are civil servants. So, are the others slaves? I cannot imagine why somebody can be amassing billions and billions as sitting allowance, wardrobe allowance, newspaper allowance, vehicle allowance and what they call suffering allowance.

“The people that should have such allowances should be the poor masses in the villages.

“As teachers, how much are they being paid? Our nurses and doctors, how much are they being paid? Let us be realistic, our civil servants that wake from Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday.

“They wake up early and return late. How much are they being paid. And look at the level of inflation in the country.”

Mbaka asked the government to “speedily” address the minimum wage issue with the organised labour to avoid another strike.

The cleric said it is a matter of handling the bull by the horn tactfully but very speedily because “if they are not careful, this crisis of a thing can be hijacked and nobody knows the ripples effect.”

More expenses await African nationals seeking visas to enter the European Union as the EU plans to increase visa fees starting Tuesday, according to Schengen visa statistics released on Saturday.

The report stated that starting from Tuesday; African nationals would pay €90 instead of €80 for a Schengen visa application

The report stated that the EU had earned €3.4m from rejected Schengen visa applications submitted by Nigerian citizens.

According to the data, in 2023, African nationals received 704,000 negative responses for their visa requests.

“This means that €56.3m went up in smoke, considering that visa application fees are not refundable,” it stated.

The report noted that a high number of rejected visa applications had caused African nationals to spend millions every year, with the fees known as ‘reverse remittances’ benefitting no one but the EU countries.

“African nationals spent €56.3m in visa application fees in 2023, representing 43 per cent of all expenses; rejection rates in 2023 were especially high for African and Asian countries, which bear 90 per cent of all expenses. Expenditures are to increase by 12.5 per cent starting next week as the EU raises visa fees for adults from €80 to €90 on 11 June, following a recent decision by the EU Commission,” it added. 

Algeria was the country of origin for most rejected applications in 2023, representing 23.5 per cent of all amount spent on rejected applications.

The country also had the second-highest number of rejected applications compared to all – 289,000 out of 704,000, representing 42.3 per cent of all requests.

“This nationality group is especially impacted by visa rejections because it has high application rates and they are affected economically when placing visa applications” the report added.

It further explained that Moroccans, top visa applicants from Africa for the year, had the highest number of visas rejected.

 “A total of 437,000 visa requests filed by this nationality group were rejected in 2023, representing 62 per cent of the total. As per expenses, Moroccans spent €10.9m on rejected visa applications in 2023,” the report indicated.

It added that Africans were heavily impacted by those expenses, considering that the majority of African countries have some of the lowest wages in the world.

According to the report, the amount of Africans rejected visas is 43.1 per cent of all the amount generated by rejected applications in 2023.

A recent study by EU Observer revealed that the Schengen visa rejections generated an amount of €130m in 2023.

“In the previous year, this amount stood at €105m, showing an upward trend of Schengen visa expenses as well as rejection rates,” the report stated.

The founder of LAGO Collective, Marta Foresti, said, “Visa inequality has very tangible consequences and the world’s poorest pay the price. You can think of the costs of rejected visas as ‘reverse remittances’, money flowing from poor to rich countries. We never hear about these costs when discussing aid or migration, it is time to change that.”

A chieftain of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, has called on governors across Nigeria to reduce their own salaries as a gesture of solidarity with the common worker.

This call comes in response to state governors’ collective rejection of the federal government’s proposed ₦60,000 new monthly minimum wage.

Halima Ahmed, the Acting Director of Media Affairs and Public Relations of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), communicated the rejection under the banner of the NGF.

The Forum argued that adopting such a wage would financially cripple many states, which would end up using their entire monthly allocations from the Federation Account solely on salaries.

Speaking from Ibadan, Oyo State, Ajadi criticized the governors’ stance as “insensitive” and “wicked,” pointing out the disparity between their salaries and the proposed wage for workers.

He highlighted that the labour unions themselves had not yet accepted the government’s proposal, implying that the governors’ rejection was premature.

In his statement, Ajadi commended Edo State Governor Dr. Godwin Obaseki for independently initiating a ₦70,000 monthly minimum wage in his state. 

He suggested that other governors follow his lead not just in wage adjustment but also in personal salary reductions.

The statement reads, “I am totally shocked that the governors could come out to say that they cannot pay the proposed ₦60,000 minimum Wage. That pronouncement by the governors showed that they are insensitive to the plight workers and the masses. I see it as a wicked pronouncement.

“In the first instance, they were too hasty in their reactions, as the Labour Unions have not even agreed to the proposal. If the governors are serving the people as they usually claim, they should cut their own salaries to ₦60,000 too. I will also suggest that the governors should be paid according to their qualifications. They should realise that the workers attend the same market their wives and children attended.

“Since the removal of subsidy, the Federal Government has jacked up the monthly allocation to the states. What are the governors doing with the money. Part of the money should be used to pay the new minimum wage when agreed by the tripartite committee. President Bola Tinubu has severally warned the governors to make use of the increase in the monthly allocations to better the lots of their citizens. So one is shocked that the governors have the effrontery to reject a merely N60,000 proposal.

“The question we need to even ask is, what can ₦60,000 buy in the present state of economy. It can’t feed a worker for two weeks, talk less of their dependants. When finally there is an agreement on the new minimum wage, I urge the governors to be sincere and ensure the prompt payment in their states.”