News

Dangote hails Tinubu for appointments in energy sector

Published

9 months ago

May 6, 2025

President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote has praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for assembling a capable leadership team at the NNPC, highlighting the appointments of Mr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari as Group Chief Executive Officer and Mr Ahmadu Musa Kida as Non-Executive Chairman.

Dangote said this when he visited the President to commend him for putting together such a formidable and professionally competent team, that is eminently qualified to take NNPCL to a greater height.

According to Dangote, the new management team brings a wealth of technical expertise, and all have managerial experiences that are essential for revitalising Nigeria’s most strategic public enterprise.

The new team, according to Dangote, under the leadership of Bashir Bayo Ojulari and Ahmadu Musa Kida, reflects the President’s strategic intent to drive reform and innovation across the energy sector,” Dangote said.

“We are confident that this team will address systemic challenges, align with the President’s vision of a $1 trillion economy, and reposition NNPC Limited for operational excellence and long-term sustainability.”

Reacting to questions from the select media over the weekend on his statement that he is still fighting for the survival of his $20 billion refinery and that he is determined to fight the cabals in the oil sector to a standstill, Dangote said his statement was not in any way connected to the new leadership of the NNPC, noting that the new leadership in the NNPCL, has been so far supportive in terms of meeting the company’s needs.

He revealed that the cabals he was referring to are some major oil marketers and traders who were bent on frustrating the efforts of President Tinubu to revamp the nation’s economy.

He noted that the recent activities and structural reforms introduced by NNPC Limited serve as strong indicators of the organisation’s renewed focus on transparency, efficiency, and accountability.

“The calibre of individuals at the helm, and their deliberate, reform-driven agenda, demonstrate a commitment to fostering a culture of performance and professionalism,” he added.

With optimism, Dangote expressed confidence that the new leadership of NNPC Limited will propel the country’s energy industry to new heights and reaffirmed his group’s commitment to supporting the collective vision of a prosperous, energy-secure Nigeria.

MEANWHILE, the Aliko Dangote Foundation, in collaboration with the Forum of Young Global Leaders (YGL), has unveiled the recipients of the 2025 Aliko Dangote Fellowship – a cohort of gifted and high-calibre African changemakers selected as part of the prestigious YGL Class of 2025.

This year’s Fellows join a global community of more than 1,400 young leaders who are tackling complex global challenges with bold ideas and transformative leadership. Representing diverse sectors such as education, fintech, fashion, climate policy, and digital governance, the 2025 Fellows embody a new wave of African leadership – innovative, purpose-driven, and globally minded.

Now in its 14th year, the Aliko Dangote Fellowship empowers high-impact African leaders by funding their full participation in the YGL programme and World Economic Forum activities. The fellowship offers access to a three-year leadership development journey, world-class executive education, and collaborative platforms aimed at accelerating social and economic change across Africa and beyond.

“We are honoured to welcome the YGL Aliko Dangote Fellows to the Class of 2025, and into the YGL Foundation’s transformative three-year leadership programme,” said Ida Jeng Christensen, Head of the Forum of Young Global Leaders. “Learning is the compass that guides leaders toward wisdom, empathy, and purpose – and these exceptional changemakers embody those values.”

Since its inception in 2011, the partnership between the Aliko Dangote Foundation and the World Economic Forum has supported over 130 African leaders. The initiative aims to ensure that African voices and perspectives are actively represented in global decision-making and development strategies.

Zakari Momodu, Projects Director at the Aliko Dangote Foundation, emphasised the importance of African inclusion on the global stage: “We believe it is imperative that Africa, Africans, and African issues are properly represented at the highest levels of global conversations and decision-making.”

The Class of 2025 includes remarkable individuals such as 37-year-old Kenyan Hilda Kragah, CEO of The African Talent Company, addressing the continent’s talent gap through innovative, locally developed solutions and 28-year-old Max Fontaine, a climate-focused minister spearheading Madagascar’s national reforestation initiative.

Also featured is award-winning Nigerian fashion designer Andrea Iyamah who uses her craft to tell Africa’s stories. Mark Doumba, appointed Gabon’s Minister of Economy and State Holdings in January, represents transformative leadership and an innovative spirit. Orondaam Otto, founder of Slum2School Africa, has pioneered Africa’s first Virtual Learning Classroom to support children in marginalised communities.

Grammy Award-winning music producer, singer, and performer Delvin Savara is not only an artist but also a transformative leader in Kenya’s music industry, deeply committed to nurturing the growth of the creative community. Twenty-eight-year-old Emma TheoFelus, a member of Namibia’s Parliament, is dedicated to public service, gender equality, and digital advancement. Thirty-four-year-old Salima Bah, an advocate for women’s and children’s rights, is driving Sierra Leone’s digital transformation as Minister of Communication, Technology, and Innovation. Thirty-seven-year-old Mayowa Kuyoro, a partner at McKinsey & Company’s Lagos office, leads the firm’s Financial Services Group across Africa, focusing on banking, payments, and fintech.

The Aliko Dangote Fellowship is regarded as one of the most prestigious leadership opportunities on the continent, providing not just resources, but a global platform to drive lasting, inclusive change.

Many past recipients have gone on to demonstrate exceptional leadership and enterprise in their respective fields, thereby justifying both the purpose of the award and the merit of their nomination.

One such recipient, His Excellency Debo Adesina, former Ambassador of Nigeria to Togo and former Editor-in-Chief and Chief Operating Officer of The Guardian Newspapers in Nigeria, had commended the programme for its significant role in shaping future leaders.

“In my 2005/2006 class of YGLs were accomplished young men and women who, afterwards, went to greater heights by expanding the frontiers of excellence in public service, academia, the professions, innovations and all sorts of fields. I was inducted on the same day with Daron Acemoglu, the cerebral economist-academic who co-wrote the best-selling book, ‘Why Nations are Poor,’ Sergei Brin and Larry Page who both founded Google, Ndidi Nwuneli – President and CEO of the ONE Campaign, Brian Molefe from South Africa and Prince Harkon of Norway. Gavin Newsom was the Mayor of San Francisco then. There were many more across the world in that class and in the years after who are still working hard to make our world a better place,” he said.

Another recipient from 2012, Mr. Simon Kolawole a renowned journalist and the Chief Executive Officer of The Cable Nigeria, expressed his delight at the latest list. He stated: “I had a most rewarding experience as a Young Global Leader (YGL) in every sense of the term. I gained invaluable knowledge through short courses at top universities and by participating in global conferences. I had the opportunity to interact with YGLs from a wide range of cultural and professional backgrounds. The entire experience has played a significant role in shaping my professional journey.”

Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) is a philanthropic organisation set up by Aliko Dangote. It was incorporated in 1994 with the mission to enhance opportunities for social change through strategic investments that improve health and wellbeing, promote quality education, and broaden economic empowerment opportunities.

It has become the largest private Foundation in sub-Saharan Africa, with the largest endowment by a single African donor. Aliko Dangote initially endowed the Foundation with the equivalent of $1.25bn.

The primary focus of ADF is child nutrition, with interventions centred on health, education and empowerment, and disaster relief. Combating Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) in children is at the core of ADF’s programming. The Foundation also supports stand-alone projects with the potential for significant social impact.

-Guardian

Entertainment

Davido breaks silence after Grammy Award loss

Published

18 hours ago

February 3, 2026

Olumide Ojo

Five-time Grammy nominee, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has reacted after losing the Best African Music Performance category at the 68th Grammy Awards held in Los Angeles, United States.

The Afrobeats star shared a message of faith and resilience following the outcome of the ceremony, which took place on Sunday night at the Crypto.com Arena in California.

In a post on his Instagram page, Davido shared photos with his wife, Chioma, from the event and wrote, “Oluwa Dey my side,” alongside prayer and music emojis.
Hours later, he posted another set of pictures of himself and Chioma at the Grammys, reflecting on the loss in a longer caption.

“I said baby listen we lost again let’s not go ! she said ‘Be humble in victory and gracious in defeat’ we outside,” he wrote.
Chioma also reacted via her Instagram page, praising the singer, “You already know that you’re the perfect one, @davido,” she wrote, while sharing photos from the awards night.
Davido was nominated in the Best African Music Performance category at the 2026 Grammy Awards but lost to South African singer Tyla, who won with her song Push 2 Start.

Other nominees in the category included Burna Boy (Love), Ayra Starr and Wizkid (Gimme Dat), Davido (With You featuring Omah Lay), and Eddy Kenzo and Mehran Matin (Hope & Love).

The win marked Tyla’s second Grammy Award, following her first victory in 2024 for her hit single Water.

Speaking during the awards ceremony, the singer revealed that With You, featuring Omah Lay, almost did not make the final tracklist of his album 5IVE.
“Man, it’s so crazy because that song almost didn’t make the album. With You was not in anybody’s top five.
“And now look at it go. Every time I was performing it, my heart would just start beating like, what if I didn’t put this song?” he told OkayAfrica.

Davido also recounted how he learned about the Grammy nomination, saying the news came unexpectedly while he was in Dubai, days before his birthday.

“I was in the car, actually, checking a car, and then my phone rang. They were like, ‘Oh yeah, another nomination.’ I was like, wow. Thank God,” he said.

“With You” was released in April 2025 as the 17th track on Davido’s fifth studio album, 5IVE, and has since become one of his most successful recent records, surpassing 100 million streams on Spotify.

Despite the song’s success, Nigeria did not record a win at the 2026 Grammy Awards.
Davido said he is now focused on touring and releasing new music.

He is also billed to perform at Coachella 2026, where he will be the only Nigerian artiste on the festival lineup, performing on April 11 and April 18, 2026, in Indio, California.

-Guardian

Entertainment

Kunle Afolayan gives reasons to marry many women

Published

18 hours ago

February 3, 2026

Olumide Ojo

Nollywood filmmaker, Kunle Afolayan, has stirred reactions after advising men to “marry many women” while reflecting on his upbringing in a polygamous home.

The actor and producer made the remarks at the watch party of Aníkúlápó: The Ghoul Awakens, with a clip from the event going viral on Tuesday.

Speaking at the event, Afolayan linked his existence and achievements to his late father’s decision to marry several wives.

“Without my father, there wouldn’t have been a KAP Village or even Kunle Afolayan. I am the seventh born of my father because my father had ten wives. For the men, marry many women, or rather be involved with many women. You know why? If my father didn’t, he would not have born me, and that is the honest truth. But today, a few of us are lifting his legacy. Life is short, death is constant. Nobody has life forever. Everybody has a period. Use your period,” he said.

While his daughter, Eyiyemi Afolayan, joined him on stage, the filmmaker compared his childhood experience with his relationship with his children.

“They are lucky. For her, staying by my side is luck. Do you know why? I couldn’t stand it with my father. My father didn’t know my school. My father didn’t know my date of birth. He did not know anything about me other than, ‘He is the son of that person.’ But today, I’m so proud of my father,” he added.

Afolayan also spoke about fatherhood.

“Sometimes when people say ‘Happy Father’s Day,’ I’m always saying whether he pays child support or not, he’s still a father. I have been going to court because I want to get a divorce. I don’t mind being in the witness box, and I experienced the shit, so that I can marry many wives,” he said.

He thereafter prayed for his daughter, praising her role in the series.

“Hephzibah, her mother is the one who gave her the name. I don’t care, but I am proud of you. You started with the film, you did the first season, and now with the second season, you did amazingly well. My good Lord will continue to increase you in wisdom, in knowledge, and in understanding. If this is your path, the good Lord will see you through.”
However, this is not the first time the filmmaker has spoken about his late father’s polygamous lifestyle.

In March 2021, Afolayan told BBC Pidgin that his father, Adeyemi Afolayan, who died in 1996, married 10 wives and had 25 children, a decision he said took a toll on the family.

“I would not want to marry many wives because my father had 10 wives and I knew what happened throughout that period. I knew that really distracted my father. In this age, nobody needs to tell you before you know what’s right,” he said at the time.

He also disclosed that growing up in a polygamous home affected bonding among the children due to language and other barriers.

Afolayan further narrated how he battled poverty in his early years, revealing that he once lived in a one-room apartment in Ebute-Metta and sometimes had to deal with flooding.

“I was born in Ebute-Metta and have lived in one-room apartment before that we even have to grapple with flood sometimes. It’s not shame to say have been poor before. But if you see how l made it, it’s a matter of consistency. My father was a very popular filmmaker and ordinarily, people would expect me to life the kind of live akin to Hollywood stars,” he said.

“But that wasn’t the case. How would one live such life when you’re living in a room with ten women. That doesn’t mean there was no love among us.”

He had advised young filmmakers to start with the little resources available to them while working towards their dreams.

-Guardian

Article

Court adjourns Ganduje’s corruption trial to April 15

Published

18 hours ago

February 3, 2026

Olumide Ojo

A Kano State High Court has adjourned until April 15 the trial of former governor Abdullahi Ganduje, his wife, Hafsat Umar, and son, Abdullahi Umar, alongside five other defendants, over alleged misappropriation of public funds amounting to billions of naira.

The defendants are facing an 11-count charge bordering on bribery, conspiracy, misappropriation, and diversion of public funds. The remaining accused persons are Abubakar Bawuro, Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Ltd, Safari Textiles Ltd, and Lasage General Enterprises Ltd.

At the resumed hearing, the prosecution told the court it was ready to proceed and drew attention to a motion dated November 24, 2025, seeking leave to file additional proof of evidence.

However, defence lawyers raised objections, informing the court that multiple applications were pending and must be resolved before the trial could continue.

Lydia Oluwakemi-Oyewo, counsel to some of the defendants, said the defence had filed a motion dated July 17, 2025, seeking a stay of proceedings.
Adekunle Taiye-Falola, representing the third and seventh defendants, also referred to a separate motion dated May 23, 2025.
In addition, Muhammad Shehu, counsel to the fifth defendant, told the court that an affidavit had been filed notifying it of a pending application for stay of proceedings before the Court of Appeal.
Abubakar Ahmad, counsel to the sixth defendant, informed the court that he had filed a notice of preliminary objection and an application for extension of time to respond on points of law dated February 2, urging the court to fix a date for hearing.

Only Faruk Asekome, counsel to the eighth defendant, indicated readiness to proceed with the trial.

After hearing arguments from both sides, the presiding judge, Justice Amina Adamu-Aliyu, adjourned the matter to April 15 for the hearing of all pending applications and preliminary objections.

The trial has suffered repeated delays due to legal challenges. The high court had earlier dismissed preliminary objections raised by the defence as “incompetent” and affirmed its jurisdiction to hear the case.
That ruling was appealed by the defendants, who argued that the trial court lacked jurisdiction. However, in October 2025, the Kano Division of the Court of Appeal struck out the appeal, citing failure to properly transmit the record of appeal.

-Guardian