Nigerian rapper Folarin Falana, aka Falz, has revealed he is planning to start a family.

The 33-year-old said he is considering getting married soon, adding that he would be open to having children in three years time.

Falz The Bahdguy disclosed this in a recent interview with actress Chinasa Anukam.

The host asked: “Are you planning to settle down? Yes or no?”

After dilly-dallying, Falz replied, “Yeah.”

Asked how many years he is looking at to have children, the rapper said, “The next three years.”

Popular Nollywood actor Bolanle Ninalowo has accepted responsibility for his failed marriage with his estranged wife, Bunmi.

Recalls that the actor on September 1, 2023, announced that he and his wife are going their separate ways and headed for an “irreconcilable marriage dissolution”.

Speaking in a recent interview with TVC, Ninalowo admitted being “mostly responsible” for the breakup between him and his wife.

The host, Hojay asked: “Were you mostly responsible for breakup between you and your wife?”

Ninalowo replied: “Was I mostly responsible? Oh yes, I am.

“I take responsibility for everything that happens to me. What somebody else does is none of your problem. It is me.”

Actor Ninalowo recently sparked relationship rumours with his divorced colleague, Damilola Adegbite, after they were spotted stepping out together barely three months after his divorce.

Air travellers to some of the selected routes in the country are groaning over the skyrocketing airfares among the indigenous airline operators.

Checks by Nairametrics revealed that airfares in some of the monopolised routes have increased to over N2500,000 one-way in economy class seats, while return tickets now sell for about N500,000.

Unlike in the past where air tickets only go high from the Lagos route to other parts of the south, checks revealed that passengers from Abuja to the same routes may pay higher.

Travels in southern parts hit the roof

Travellers to South East and South-South parts of the country now pay more than air travellers on the northern routes like Abuja, Kano and Kaduna among others.

However, some of the stakeholders attributed the high airfares in the southern routes to the festive season, while others warned that the airlines may eventually price themselves out of the market with the high airfares.

There are fears that the high airfares may deprive some of the travellers to the Southern routes of the opportunity for the yuletide season.

For instance, checks on Air Peace from Lagos to Enugu for Tuesday, December 26, indicate a minimum of N203,000 one way and N233,000 for the same flight in the afternoon.

Also, for Owerri on Dana Air, the airfares oscillate between N200,000 to N250,000 for one-way tickets.

On Ibom Air for a flight to Uyo from December 22 to 23, air tickets are sold between N203,000 and N253,000 for one-way.

For passengers on United Nigeria Airlines for December 21 to 23, one-way tickets go for N220,000 and N300,000.

The recent skyrocketing airfares on domestic routes by indigenous airlines is exploitative and may work against the operating carriers, aviation experts have said.

Exploitative airfares

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Aero Contractors, Capt. Ado Sanusi, said that the airfares were exploitative.

According to him, some airfares in select routes are exploitative, mentioning the South East and South South routes as some of the routes the airlines are exploiting the travelling public.

He proposed increased capacity and canvassed for additional airlines to join the existing operators.

We observed that the new regulation by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), which limited start-up airlines to a minimum of six aircraft may further compound the present challenge and allow for more explorations by the existing carriers as the yuletide draws nearer.

• He said: “I believe that there are some exploitative prices. I believe so, especially on the monopoly routes. The eastern routes are somehow monopolised and come with exploitative prices.
• “It’s the capacity. If we have more airlines coming into the country and the NCAA allows more airlines to fly, then it will bring the price down. The more airlines we have flying, the more competitive it becomes and the more the prices will go down, but since we make regulations that are so hostile to start-up airlines, then, the prices will always go up.”

He also mentioned unstable foreign exchange challenges, the high price of aviation fuel and others as some of the factors responsible for the high airfares, but warned against the airlines pricing themselves out of the market.

Nominees Positioned As Future CJNs

The National Judicial Council (NJC) has recommended 11 justices from different states and zones for elevation to the Supreme Court.

This list contains representation from all six geopolitical zones with North Central with 3, South East with 3, South South and South West with 1 each, and North West and North East having 2 nominees.

They are as follows:

In a statement on Wednesday, Soji Oye, NJC’s director of information, said after deliberations at the council’s 104th meeting held on Wednesday, 11 out of the 22 on the list have been nominated. Other judicial offices were also recommended for appointment.

According to Soji Oye, the Supreme Court nominees will be sworn in upon approval by President Bola Tinubu and confirmation by the Senate.

The apex court is currently left with 10 justices after the death of Centus Nweze, and the retirements of Amina Augie and Dattijo Muhammad. The constitution allows the supreme court to have a maximum of 21 justices.

On November 16, the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC) compiled a list of 22 justices of the court of appeal for elevation to the supreme court and transmitted the same to the NJC.

It appears that campaigners were able to get the attention of leadership regarding recent appointments to the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC), as the new list contains many younger and more junior justices instead of older, high-ranking members that would typically be in line for promotion based on succession by seniority.

By elevating more junior justices now, they are being positioned to later take over leadership positions like CJN in the future once the current senior justices retire. This is an apparent departure from the tradition of succession by seniority.

FUTURE CJNS

One Somtochukwu Franklin (male), 26, has been arrested in Enugu for allegedly faking and using someone’s Facebook account to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.

It was gathered that the suspect claimed to be a popular social media influencer, one Emmanuel Okoh (male), popularly known as Okwuluora.

He was arrested by police operatives serving at the New Haven Police Division of the state police command on December 3, 2023 at about 12.30pm, the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, said on Thursday.

According to him, “A preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect confessed to the act of the crime. He created the fake ‘Okwuluora’ Facebook account in January 2023 and has since been using it to solicit funds from his over thirty-three thousand followers.

“The suspect further stated that he usually waits for the actual ‘Okwuluora’ to make a post, soliciting support for persons in situations requiring financial assistance. Upon sighting such posts, he immediately copies and posts them on the fake Facebook account and changes the beneficiary’s account details to his, thereby fraudulently obtaining funds from unsuspecting donors.”

The suspect, the PPRO, said, confessed to have received funds running into tens of thousands of naira from donors through the fraudulent means.

Meanwhile, the state Commissioner of Police, CP Kanayo Uzuegbu, has ordered the State Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department to conduct thorough investigations and timely prosecute the suspect.

The CP, enjoined victims of the fraudulent act to report to the State CID and volunteer their statements, while also calling on the citizenry to be wary of social media impostors and their fraudulent activities, especially this yuletide.

The Labour Party in Lagos State on Wednesday said that Nigerians wake up daily to alleged theft of the country’s resources by President Bola Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC) government.

According to the party, the Emilokan (It is my turn) catch phrase of Tinubu during the presidential campaign has now become Awalokan (it is our turn) to “steal the resources of the country.”

The state’s party publicity secretary, Olubunmi Odesanya, stated this in a statement.

Odesanya averred that while many Nigerians can no longer afford the basic necessities of life, those at the helm of affairs are living large.

The LP state publicity secretary said that Tinubu is on a jamboree with his mantra of ‘Renewed Hope’, adding that Nigerians are in for a rough ride.

“Nigerians now wake up daily to the pilferage of the country’s resources by the present APC government. It has become obvious that the Emilokan (It is my turn) has now become Awalokan (It is our turn) not only to rule but to steal,” she said.

Odesanya lamented that while the government is spending huge resources of the country sponsoring delegates to COP28, Nigerians are being terrorized by insecurity and a bad economy.

“Nigerians watch helplessly how basic things have become out of the reach of the common man while the men at the helm of affairs live in affluence. Houses of the Politicians are being renovated with humongous sums of money, offices of the first lady (unconstitutional office) get billions for cars, government officials go abroad to, lavishly, spend huge resources of the country at events they ought not even attend while the common men are being bombed by the Nigerian authority, hunted by hunger, killed by terrorists, kidnapped by bandits and demobilised by lack of purchasing power.

“The All Progressives Congress (APC) Party has decided to punish Nigerians knowing fully well that majority of the electorates did not vote for them.

“We all recall that this same Party came with the change mantra and changed everything positive in the country to negative. Their most touted anti-corruption Czar became corruption personified and Never knew anything that took place under his nose (regime). The new Czar is now on a jamboree with his ‘Renewed Hopelessness’

“Someone should, please, point out any promise made and kept by these monsters in power. We are in for a rough ride,” she added.

Nigerian singer, Teniola Apata, popularly known as Teni, has spoken about her childhood in a polygamous family.

She expressed gratitude for the safety, care, and love she experienced despite her father having three wives and ten children.

In an interview on the ‘Zero Conditions’ podcast, Teni made emphasis on the harmonious relationship among her ten siblings.

She lauded her late father’s wisdom for the peaceful coexistence of the family.

“I grew up in a polygamous family with many people, so you can’t come and do rubbish. I received excellent care, a lot of love and protection. Three wives, ten children. Huge respect for my bloodline. All of my siblings and I get along well, though there are levels of closeness.

“I don’t know any other way, it is boring. If I come back to this life again, I want to come back to the same family. How can I be in a house with one mother, and one father? Ah ah, then all of us will now be sitting down there. Ah ah. There’s no chaos.

“There is love in my home, but we change it oh! Cuz ah, the person wey born us dey craze sha. Do you know what it is to hear gunshots and go to where the gunshots are? That’s not normal,” Teni said.

She added, “It was like he planned his future, and then he planned his death. So before he died, his wives knew about everything. He taught them everything one of my mothers knows how to shoot.

“He taught them how to be and when he passed, they used the skill. That’s how our family was still able to be intact even after my dad passed.”

Cracks have emerged in the fold of opposition political parties as seven of them formed a coalition named Concerned Political Parties (CCPP)against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Their goal is to resist the APC’s alleged plot to turn Nigeria into a one-party state.

The parties are Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), the Social Democratic Party (SDP), the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the Young Progressive Party (YPP), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), and the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).

After a meeting at the SDP national secretariat, the parties addressed journalists on the formation of the coalition.

In its reaction to the development, the Labour Party said it is the Third Force in the Nigeria political circle.

The LP said the seven political parties that formed the coalition out of 16 are likeminds, adding that it was not approached.

The national chairman of the SDP, Shehu Musa Gabam, who spoke to journalists after their meeting in Abuja said the federal government’s budget of theories can’t solve Nigeria’s economic problems.

Also, the acting national secretary of the PDP, Setinji Koshoedo, who represented the party’s national chairman, Umar Damagum, said the coalition is to offer strong opposition to the APC.

“This coalition wants to offer strong opposition for the good of Nigeria. Our duty is to offer alternative solutions to government policies.

“The government has not shown strategic moves to solve Nigeria’s problems. I think this government should review its policies,” he said.

The national chairman of ADC) Ralf Nwosu said, “The idea is to strengthen our democracy, we have seen that people in government are trying to stiffen viable opposition. Therefore, we are crying out, with what is happening in states like Kano, Plateau and others is an indication that the government wants a one -party state. One political party state is not healthy for our country; let’s save our democracy,” he said.

Also, the acting national chairman of the NNPP Abba Kawu Ali said they still believe in the judiciary and the power of the Supreme Court to correct the wrongs.

“There is no way millions of people will go out and vote for the person they want only for a few people to be in a room and decide otherwise. This is not healthy. But we believe in the judiciary that the wrong of the past will be corrected. We were cheated in 2019 and in 2023, we are still faced with a similar challenge. The judiciary must be seen to be the last hope of the common man,” Ali added.

Speaking to LEADERSHIP last night, the national publicity secretary of the LP, Obiora Iffoh said they are the third largest political party and should be driving the opposition.

“The coalition of the seven political parties is just a group of likeminds. Even though we were not invited, as the third largest political party in Nigeria, we should be driving the opposition.

“But as I said, we have about 16 political parties in Nigeria and these seven that formed the coalition are just a group of likeminds,” Iffoh added.

In his assessment of the Bola Tinubu administration, Gabam said, “We have also looked at the issue of the Renewed Hope Budget. We have analysed that budget and in our own humble analysis and opinion, we believe strongly that the National Assembly (NASS) needs to step in and review the budget.

“Our population is over 200 million, and by now, it must have doubled that number. We don’t want a budget that is theory based, the budget must be operational. It is in the interest of the country for the leadership to develop an operational budget, not a budget based on projections and theories that cannot be realised.

“What we have also is a borrowing budget, the country is over indebted and then there is more borrowing. So, we feel that the budget is not balanced, it is not in tandem with our national interest, the National Assembly must look into it passionately for the overall interest of Nigerians,” Gabam said.

According to Gabam, “We have also looked into the issue of the judiciary, the judiciary is the last hope of the common man, if it still stands. We are worried about the level of instability the country is going through. If you look at recent developments in Zamfara, Nasarawa, Kano and Plateau States, it is very clear that the judiciary must exercise extreme caution with some of its decisions.

“The judiciary should strengthen their conviction towards delivering judgments that can stand the test of time. They should not allow politicians to infiltrate their rank, sanity and capacity to deliver judgements that are sound and can be recognised internationally. We believe the Nigerian judiciary is well entrenched but must be devoid of Executive and political influence, so that they know they are serving Nigeria and not any institution of government or political party.”

He also alluded to the insecurity in the country when he said, “We have looked at the security situation in the country with a lot of concern. When the president came in, he promised to do everything humanly possible to secure the lives and properties of Nigerians. We want to urge him to do more than he is doing, the security situation is not improving. For him to have a conducive environment where people can invest domestically and internationally, the nation must be secured.”

Says Bini Kingdom Didn’t Conquer Lagos Like Colonial Masters

Former Deputy National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bode George, has said that disheartening, disgraceful and unpatriotic that at a time like this when Lagosians and Nigerians are going through economic hardship, some elders are infatuated with ownership of Lagos.

Bode George in a statement said all the combatants and gladiators should know that all efforts, at this trying time, should be geared at ensuring good governance, how to tackle economic issues and take people out of poverty.

He said it is shameful that at a time when millions of Nigerians are going through anguish and extreme pain, some elders are flexing their muscles on proprietorship of the Centre of Excellence.

Bode George said: “As a bonafide Lagosian, I say without any sense of equivocation that Lagos has been, and would remain, a centre of commerce, which has allowed everybody to settle down here.

“It is not in our tradition to discriminate. People have settled down from all over Nigeria and the entire West African coast from time immemorial – a culture which has remained with Lagos and the city of Kano, the only two cities known for commerce in Nigeria.

“People are presently angered, thus the rhetoric about who truly owns Lagos has gained momentum but we know ourselves. No matter how twisted the narrative Nigerians know the truth.

“Indeed, the Bini were here at the earliest time, but it was temporary. It was not that they conquered Lagos like the colonial imperialists, as it is being bandied about.

“Inter-marriage had also overshadowed a lot of things. For instance, the only sister of my paternal father married a Benin man and gave birth to all my cousins, who are all in their 70s and 60s. They have spent the greater part of their lives in Lagos.

“We should stop dissipating energies on a frivolous issue like the original owners of Lagos rather governance should take centre stage, how to improve the lives of the ordinary Nigerian without making the Centre of Excellence lose its candour of a commercial Nerve Centre of the West African sub-region.

“It is rather most disheartening for the government to encourage the people to engage in a frivolous narrative about founders of Lagos, a debate triggered by the comments freely expressed by a traditional ruler, who himself did not choose the tribe he originated from.

“I say, enough of engaging in such a diversionary issue as nobody created him or herself to be a Bini, Hausa, Igbo, Itsekiri, Kanuri, Fulani, Ijaw or Yoruba. We are all humans. What should be of utmost concern at this critical period of despondency is how to make life meaningful to all and sundry.

“Nigerians should refuse to be divided by diversionary issues which add no value to their lives, and make government accountable to them through good governance. We should stop wasting time or dissipating energies on non-issues as nobody chose to be a member of the tribe he or she hails from in the country from birth.”

According to Bode George, it is laughable to hear Ohanaeze Ndigbo chipping tribal sentiment of contributing to the development of Lagos. “If people don’t have anything to say, they should just keep their peace. We have serious numerous problems begging for attention. We have a near-disaster challenge in our economy which needs urgent government solutions, towards transforming the lives of the people.

“When we were growing up, we had classmates of Igbo, Hausa descent, who spoke fluent Yoruba language. We did everything together, education and sports. There are better ways to co-habit, not through frivolous issues like who is the true owner of Lagos.”

The Economic and Financial Crimes, EFCC, have rebuffed reports claiming that its chairman Mr. Ola Olukoyede labelled 70 per cent of Nigerian university students as internet fraudsters.

Olukoyede was quoted to have said “it is worrisome that seven out of 10 students today are involved in cyber crimes.”

However, the spokesman of the anti-graft agency, Dele Oyewale, in a statement on Thursday, insisted that the statements of Olukoyede was misinterpreted.

According to the spokesman, the EFCC boss never “seven out of 10″ Nigerian students are criminals.”

Below is the statement.

The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes, EFCC, has been drawn to some needless misrepresentation of the concerns of the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede to the rising incidences of internet- related crimes involving youths across the country.

At a recent meeting with some representatives of Civil Society Organisations, Csos that paid him a courtesy visit, he called for wider media enlightenment of youths as a counter- measure against the menace of internet fraud. He did say that reports and intelligence available to him indicated that, unless this trajectory of youth involvement in internet fraud is addressed and reversed, the future of their leadership of our great nation may be threatened and if it continues in the next 10 years, 7 out 10 of our youths may be getting involved in cybercrimes. At no time did he say that “seven out of 10″ Nigerian students are criminals”. His concerns still bother on breaking the jinx of mass indulgence of youths in cybercrimes.

The EFCC wishes to assure the public that Olukoyede is doubly committed to the progress of Nigerian youths and this underscores his calls for collaborative interventions in offering them more productive and sustainable alternatives.