Yoruba Actor Adewale Adeyemo is Dead

Prince Adewale Adeyemo, died on Monday morning after a brief illness.

Actor Kunle Afod wrote broke the news on his Instagram page: "Hmmmm God you know best RIP Prince Adewale Adeyemo.

"He passed on early hours of today after a brief illness. God will comfort all his family, friends, and colleagues."

The Osun State-born Prince's ailments started a few years ago, thinking it was an ulcer at first until when he had a serious attack in 2020 and was rushed to a nearby general hospital. 

After a series of tests, he was diagnosed with damage in his Lung, Liver, and Kidney.

He was receiving treatment at Private Godpromise Hospital, Oluke Odo Aremu Bus Stop, Ijoko, Ogun State.

It will be recalled that a fellow actor, Murphy Afolabi, also passed on May 14, 2023.

FCMB founder Subomi Balogun passes away at 89

Otunba Michael Subomi Balogun, the founder of FCMB, has passed away at age 89.

Sources say he died in a London hospital on Friday morning.

As a direct descendant of Oba Tunwase of Ijebu-Ode, Otunba Balogun until his death held the chieftaincy titles Otunba Tunwase of Ijebuland, Olori Omoba of Ijebuland and the Asiwaju of Ijebu Christians.

NPC spends N200bn for 2023 census preparation

The National Population Commission (NPC) says it has spent about N200 billion to prepare for the 2023 population and housing census.

This is part of the N800 billion it expected from the Federal Government as total budget, including cost of more than five years preparation.

Its Executive Chairman, Alhaji Nasir Kwarra, made the declaration at a breakfast meeting with media executives in Abuja on Thursday.

Kwarra said the cost of conducting digital census was high considering the procurement of equipment and data required for the exercise.

TAJ Bank Director, 4 Others Charged With Money Laundering In Nigerian Court

Alkali Habib, a Director with TAJ Bank, and four private companies and their directors have been charged before a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sitting in Abuja with the Money Laundering and Breach of Public Procurement Act.

Charged alongside Habib are Innocent Nwobodo, Edwin Iyk Anyadigibe, Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad and Abdulmumini Haruna, Directors of Winslow Logistics, Antasar Nigeria Limited, Equal Logistics Services Limited, Velocity Logistics and Marine Services Limited, and Sahams Crystal Investment respectively.

The Defendants are charged by a private firm, Donnington Nigeria Limited for Breach of the Public Procurement Act bordering on Money Laundering.

It is the first litigation in Nigeria’s history where private organisation(s) apart from certain government agencies would bring individuals or businesses before the court for Money Laundering. 

P-Square storms Glo-sponsored African Voices Changemakers

P-Square, a well-known Nigerian R&B duo, will appear next on this weekend's Glo-sponsored African Voices Changemakers on CNN.

The popular programme offers a stimulating opportunity for the well-known identical music duo of Peter and Paul, who had been apart for some years, to discuss their business, personal lives, and how they reconciled, after the breakup that almost ended their careers.

The duo invited CNN's Larry Madowo to their home studio in Lagos, where they are working on their first studio album in more than nine years.

P-Square is made up of Paul Okoye, well known to his admirers as Rudeboy and Peter Okoye, also known as Mr. P. Both are hugely popular among fans, not just in Nigeria but also across several countries across the globe.

They have to their name several top hit songs that have become like anthems for their fans across the world. Some of these include Chop My Money, Bring It On, Beautiful Onyinye, E No Easy, Danger, Bizzy Body and many more.

Over the years, the group has worked with other international music stars such as Akon, Rick Ross, Sean Paul and Dave Scott. They also have to their name several awards, including BET, KORA, MOBO, MTV Europe, Channel O music awards.

The show will be on air this Saturday at 9.30 p.m., while a repeat will be aired on Sunday at 4.30 a.m. and at 7.30 p.m the same day.

Ekweremadu sentenced to 10 years in jail, wife, 6 years and Doctor 10 years

Former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu was sentenced to 10 years and 6 months in jail. His wife, Beatrice Ekweremadu jailed for 6 years while Obinna Obeta was jailed for 10 years.

Zenith Bank’s Landmark N100.47 Billion Dividend Payout Excites Shareholders

At the 32nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Zenith Bank Plc, held virtually from the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Tuesday, 2 May 2023, shareholders of the bank unanimously approved the proposed final dividend payment of NGN2.90 per share. This brings the total dividend for the 2022 financial year to NGN3.20 per share, with a total value of NGN100.47 billion.

In his opening statement at the AGM, Jim Ovia, CFR, Founder and Chairman of Zenith Bank Plc, expressed his gratitude to the shareholders for their unwavering loyalty, commitment, and support, which have been instrumental in the bank's outstanding performance since its inception.

Group Managing Director/Chief Executive, Dr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu, extolled the Founder and Chairman, Jim Ovia, CFR, for establishing the legacy and providing the template for the bank's continued superior performance. He also highlighted the Board and Management's determination to maintain the bank's growth trajectory in the coming years, with an emphasis on digital and retail banking.

Zenith Bank Delivers Strong Q1 2023 Results With 41% Topline Growth

Zenith Bank Plc has announced its unaudited results for the first quarter ending 31st March 2023, with an exceptional double-digit growth of 41% in Gross Earnings, increasing from ₦191.5 billion in Q1 2022 to ₦270 billion in Q1 2023.

The unaudited statement of account submitted to the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) on Friday, 28th April 2023, indicated that the significant double-digit growth in the topline also boosted the bottom line, with the Group experiencing an impressive 27% year-on-year (YoY) increase in Profit Before Tax (PBT), rising from ₦68 billion in Q1 2022 to ₦86.6 billion in Q1 2023. Profit After Tax (PAT) also grew by 13% from ₦58.2 billion to ₦66 billion during the same period.

The growth in the topline was propelled by substantial increases in both interest income and non-interest income. Interest income surged by 52% from ₦126.4 billion in Q1 2022 to ₦191.6 billion in Q1 2023, while non-interest income expanded by 27% from ₦57.2 billion to ₦72.8 billion. The growth in interest income can be attributed to the impact of risk asset repricing, while the increase in non-interest income primarily resulted from loan recoveries and foreign currency revaluation gains.

Lieutenant Colonel Yusuf Nurudeen Alowonle resumes office today, as the new ADC to President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Lieutenant Colonel Yusuf Nurudeen Alowonle resumes office today, as the new ADC to President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Satellite images showing buses waiting at Sudanese border into Egypt

Tens of buses were seen lining up on the Argeen Egypt-Sudan border crossing as the waiting times increased with the rising influx of Sudanese fleeing the fighting.

Satellite images on Friday showed congestion of trucks and buses lining up in different directions as they prepared to cross the border.

Since the fighting broke out between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces on April 15, thousands of Sudanese have fled to neighboring countries including Egypt, Ethiopia, Chad and South Sudan.

Polaris Bank customers embark on massive withdrawals, closure of accounts over fear of imminent collapse

There is palpable tension among the top echelon of the management of Polaris Bank over the huge number of customers demanding to either withdraw their last amount in the account or close it.

Abujapress checks in the commercial city of Kano State, Abuja, and Lagos revealed that there is frantic withdrawal and closure of customers’ accounts due to the instability in the Bank.

In order not to be caught unawares, some customers of the bank especially small and medium enterprises are reportedly taking their money out of Polaris Bank to safer banks, giving them the opportunity to have sound sleep and have nothing to worry about for fear of imminent distress.

According to inside sources in the bank, lately, the bank has lost some customers (depositors) who are edgy about their deposits and have lost trust in the bank because of huge job losses and unethical industrial practices currently going on in the bank.