Hello and welcome! In today’s trending news stories;
1. President Bola Tinubu has announced the creation of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development in Nigeria, aiming to resolve the longstanding conflicts between herders and farmers over land, pasture, and water access. This move follows the inauguration of the Presidential Committee on Livestock Reforms, chaired by Tinubu with former INEC chairman Attahiru Jega as deputy chairman. The committee will propose measures to ensure peaceful coexistence and economic stability. The new ministry is expected to improve livestock farming and reduce food waste. Previous efforts, such as the Rural Grazing Area (RUGA) initiative, have failed to end the decades-long conflict, often exacerbated by climate change and expanding agriculture.
2. The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has refuted claims that the Samoa agreement signed by Nigeria includes clauses supporting the LGBTQ campaign. NBA President Yakubu Maikyau (SAN) stated that these rumors aim to misinform the public. The NBA reviewed the agreement before its signing and found no provisions undermining Nigeria’s laws, including the Same-Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act. Maikyau urged the government to educate the public to prevent misinformation. Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has called for the suspension of the agreement’s implementation pending further investigation to ensure it aligns with Nigerian laws.
3. The Nigerian Senate is considering a bill to increase the gold proportion in the country’s foreign reserves from 4% to 30%, aiming to diversify away from the US dollar. Recall that in June, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, announced that transactions involving locally purchased gold bars added over $5 million to Nigeria’s foreign reserves. The bill proposes policies to make the Central Bank the automatic purchaser of all domestically produced gold, integrating the informal gold mining industry into the formal economy. Additionally, the bill suggests creating a Gold Reserve Authority to manage gold reserves, with a gold reserve management committee led by the central bank governor. This committee would function similarly to the central bank’s monetary policy committee.
4. The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, announced that Nigeria’s digital economy is projected to generate $18.3 billion by 2026. Speaking at a media engagement on the National Digital Economy and e-Governance Bill in Abuja, Tijani spoke of the sector’s potential, citing successful companies like Flutterwave and Jumia as examples. He noted that the ICT sector contributed about 16.6% to Nigeria’s GDP in Q4 2023. The proposed bill aims to provide a legal framework for the digital economy, fostering innovation, competition, and growth across the country. The Director-General of NITDA, Malam Kashifu Inuwa, added that the bill would support digital transactions, consumer protection, and the use of emerging technologies like AI and blockchain in public services.
5. Drake placed a $300,000 bet on the Canada National Football Team to defeat Argentina and advance to the Copa America final, despite Canada being underdogs. Known for his high-stakes bets, Drake often faces ridicule due to the so-called “Drake Curse,” where teams he supports tend to lose. This time, Canada faced a tough challenge against the reigning Copa America champions, Argentina, who ultimately won 2-0. Drake’s summer has been rough, with ongoing feuds, particularly with Kendrick Lamar. Despite the pressure his wager might have added to the Canadian team, Drake seems undeterred by the curse.
6. The Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) addressed reports that one of the suspected kidnappers killed by Lagos police was a filmmaker. The police recently killed nine alleged kidnappers targeting wealthy residents. Reports surfaced that one suspect was a movie producer who had worked with actor Yul Edochie. Emeka Rollas, AGN president, said the guild is investigating if the suspect was a member. Actor Kanayo O Kanayo urged the public not to label the suspect as a Nollywood producer, emphasizing the need to accurately identify genuine industry members to protect the reputation of Nigerian entertainment professionals.
7. Nollywood actress Toyin Abraham Ajeyemi has responded to accusations from an X user who claimed she had his mother arrested. The user alleged that Toyin had his mother detained for something he did not do and sarcastically encouraged her to send more police to arrest everyone. Toyin clarified that she only reported a case of cybercrime due to threats and curses directed at her family and denied arresting anyone’s mother. She explained that the user’s friend, Ayo, was arrested for bullying and defamation, and the user’s mother insisted on staying with him at the station. After the accuser explained himself, Toyin eventually deleted some tweets, avoiding further conflict. The situation drew comments from Nigerian skit maker Mr. Macaroni, who condemned online bullying but emphasized seeking legal justice rather than using police influence. Critics like VeryDarkMan accused Toyin of abusing her power and called her actions an embarrassment to her brand.
