Hello and welcome! In today’s trending news stories;
1. The crisis in Rivers State worsened on Tuesday as youths loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara forcibly removed three local government chairmen who refused to vacate their offices after their tenures expired. A policeman and a vigilante were killed during a clash between supporters of Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, in Omuma Local Government Area. The three-year tenure of the 23 chairmen expired, but they cited a new law allowing them to stay for six more months due to Fubara’s failure to conduct elections. This law, supported by 27 lawmakers loyal to Wike, led to tensions as Fubara directed local government heads to take over. Protests erupted, leading to violent clashes in several local governments. In Port Harcourt, the outgoing chairman narrowly escaped an attack by youths enforcing Fubara’s orders. The Police have taken over all 23 council secretariats to prevent further violence. Meanwhile, Fubara held a security meeting and vowed to resist the arrest of his supporters, emphasizing the need for peace and adherence to the law.
2. Senate President Godswill Akpabio has announced that over 30,000 Nigerian students have been selected to benefit from the student loan scheme introduced by President Bola Tinubu. The Student Loan Bill, one of the legislations passed by the Tenth Assembly, enables underprivileged students to pursue higher education without financial burdens. The Student Loan Act 2024 aims to remove financial barriers to education. Funding sources for the loans include a percentage of revenues from federal taxes, levies, and duties, as well as contributions from government profits, education bonds, endowment funds, and donations. The loans cover tuition, fees, and maintenance costs, with repayment starting two years after completing the NYSC program.
3. The Minister of Culture, Art and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa-Musawa, announced that the Federal Government plans to have the annual Ojude Oba Festival listed and supported by UNESCO. Represented by Dr. Ben Anama at the 2024 Ojude Oba Festival in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, she stated that this aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s goal of boosting tourism revenue to over $100 billion by 2030. The festival, which celebrated the cultural heritage of Ijebuland on the third day of Eid-el-Kabir, had a theme of “Ojude Oba: Unity and Harmony, Our Gift.” It was hosted by the Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, and featured over 100 age groups in traditional attire and horse riders from warrior families. Dignitaries present included Ogun State Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun, former governors, and other notable figures. Governor Abiodun also praised the festival for giving Ijebuland a distinct identity and contributing to regional development. He promised to collaborate with the Federal Government to enhance the festival’s status as a global tourist attraction.
4. Nvidia has become the world’s most valuable company, surpassing Microsoft with a market capitalization of $3.335 trillion as its stock price rose 3.5% to $135.58. This milestone comes shortly after Nvidia overtook Apple as the second most valuable company. Shares of Microsoft and Apple declined by 0.45% and 1.1%, respectively while Nvidia’s stock surge, boosting the S&P 500 and Nasdaq indexes to record highs, continues its impressive performance, driven by high demand for its AI chips from tech giants like Microsoft, Meta, and Google. Nvidia’s stock has surged nearly 182% this year, following a tripling in 2023. Dominating 80% of the AI chip market for data centers, Nvidia’s shares have risen 591,078% since its 1999 market debut. An initial $10,000 investment in 1999 would be worth $59,107,800 today. Initially focused on gaming chips, CEO Jensen Huang steered Nvidia towards developing GPUs for broader applications, enabling its success in AI. Huang’s net worth now exceeds $117 billion.
5. Portugal secured a 2-1 comeback victory over the Czech Republic in their Euro 2024 opener, with a 92nd-minute winner from Francisco Conceicao. Despite going behind Lukas Provod’s strike, an own goal by Robin Hranac leveled the score before Conceicao’s decisive goal. Cristiano Ronaldo, playing in his sixth European Championship, was denied multiple times by the Czech goalkeeper. In another Group F match, Turkey defeated Georgia 3-1. Arda Guler, who scored a historic goal, becoming the youngest player to score on his debut at a European Championship finals, led Turkey to victory. Mert Muldur and Kerem Akturkoglu also scored for Turkey, while Georges Mikautadze scored Georgia’s first-ever European Championship goal.
6. There has been recent speculation about Jada Pollock, Wizkid’s longtime girlfriend and baby mama, possibly being pregnant again after a user posted a photo of her on X. In the viral photo, Jada is seen wearing a La’ise pink dress, with her slightly protruding stomach leading to speculation about a possible pregnancy. Fans and followers of the couple have shared mixed reactions, with many thrilled at the idea of Wizkid potentially having another child, while others urge caution, noting that it’s premature to make assumptions based on a single image. As of now, neither Jada nor Wizkid has addressed the rumors publicly. Recently, Wizkid marked the 13th anniversary of his debut album, “Superstar,” which received widespread acclaim and topped music charts globally. The couple was also spotted together at the Louis Vuitton Fashion Week in Paris, held at UNESCO headquarters.
7. The legal team representing the family of Ilerioluwa Aloba, also known as Mohbad, has expressed dissatisfaction with the toxicology test results concerning the late singer. Lawyers Wahab Shittu SAN and Taiwo Odumosu, in a press statement, criticized the handling of the investigation, raising concerns about its integrity and thoroughness. They challenged the Lagos State Government to verify the autopsy’s authenticity due to public skepticism and conflicting reports. Moreover, a US-based lab, NMS Labs, denied conducting the toxicology test, contradicting claims by the Lagos State Government. The pathologist’s testimony in the Coroner’s Court revealed that the autopsy could not determine the cause of death due to body decomposition. The legal team noted discrepancies, as the NMS Labs’ letterhead appeared on the toxicology report despite their denial of involvement. The lawyers demanded an independent re-examination of the toxicology samples by a reputable forensic laboratory, urging complete transparency and international oversight. They criticized the police for insufficient investigative efforts and called for the intervention of the Inspector General of Police. Additionally, they appealed to the Coroner’s Court to expedite the hearing for an independent autopsy and toxicology test to ensure justice for Mohbad’s family.
