Author: Ayo

In a landmark move, President Julius Maada Bio has signed into law a bill criminalizing child marriage in Sierra Leone. The new law prohibits the marriage of girls under 18 years, offering vital protection to a third of girls who previously married before reaching 18. With an estimated 800,000 child brides, including half married before 15, Sierra Leone has one of the highest rates of child marriage globally, according to UNICEF. The law imposes harsh penalties on offenders, including up to 15 years imprisonment, a $4,000 fine, or both. Witnesses to underage marriage will also face jail or fines. President…

Ghana’s population is projected to experience significant increase, reaching 52.47 million by mid-century, according to estimates by the Statistical Service. This marks a substantial rise from the current population of 33 million. The 2021 population and housing census reported a population of 30.8 million, with an annual addition of 711,706 individuals expected between 2021 and 2030. This growth will lead to a population of 37.24 million by the end of the decade. Urban population growth will continue, increasing from 56.7% in 2021 to 60.7% by 2030, putting pressure on Greater Accra. By 2050, the population aged above 60 years will…

Ahead of the UK’s general election on Thursday, British-Nigerian DJ Cuppy, Florence Otedola, has thrown her weight behind the Labour Party. In a surprise move, the music star endorsed the opposition party, urging her UK fans to vote for a change. DJ Cuppy shared photos of herself holding a ‘Vote Labour’ placard on her social media handle, writing: “While it’s unlike me to pick a side (and yes, no political party is perfect), sometimes a CHANGE is necessary! …In the UK, your voice actually matters, so GET INVOLVED this Thursday! #CuppyDat #GeneralElection2024 #GE2024 @UKLabour.” The election will determine the composition…

As the Copa America tournament enters the quarter-final stage, Argentina’s Lautaro Martinez has emerged as the top scorer with four goals to his name. Martinez’s impressive performance has put him ahead of other top contenders like Maximiliano Araujo of Uruguay, Salomon Rondon of Venezuela, Folarin Balogun of the USA, and Eduard Bello of Venezuela. The Copa America Round of 16 fixtures concluded on Tuesday night, with Costa Rica defeating Paraguay 2-1 and Brazil playing a 1-1 draw with Colombia. The results have set the stage for the quarter-final matches, where the top scorers will look to add to their tally.…

In a statement released on Wednesday, the Russian Defence Ministry announced that it had thwarted an attack by two unmanned Ukrainian drone boats carrying explosives on the port city of Novorossiysk. The Defence Ministry reported that the boats were destroyed in the sea, but did not mention any potential damage. Local media reported explosions in the area, and authorities in Novorossiysk called on residents to remain indoors during the night as streets in the coastal part of the city were closed and sirens sounded. The Russian Defence Ministry also reported repelled drone attacks on the Moscow region as well as…

Renowned Nigerian singer, Simi, has urged men to embrace vulnerability, dismissing the notion that strength means suppressing emotions. Speaking on the 90’s Baby Show, Simi praised men who openly express their feelings, saying, “I find it beautiful when men cry because I am surrounded by so many men that feel like they have to be macho all the time or they have to be strong.” Simi noted that societal expectations often pressure men to appear strong, but emphasized that vulnerability is a sign of strength, not weakness. “When you see men and women go through the same kind of pain…

The Ogun State Police Command has successfully rescued four travellers abducted on the Sagamu-Ijebu-Ode expressway on Sunday. The victims, including one Nigerian and three Indian nationals, were freed along the Ogere axis of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway by the command’s anti-kidnapping team. According to the command’s Spokesman, SP Omolola Odutola, the rescued victims are Mr Ola, Pujan, and two other Indian nationals whose names are yet to be disclosed. Odutola stated, “One Mr Ola, Pujan, and two other Indians names yet unknown have regained their freedom along Ogere inward Lagos Ibadan expressway. Efforts ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspects.” The rescue…

A Federal High Court in Lagos has sentenced Freeman Ogbonna, a drug trafficker, to 25 years in prison, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) announced on Tuesday. Ogbonna was arrested on March 31, 2024, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos, while attempting to board a flight to Delhi, India, via Doha on Qatar Airways, using a Liberian passport under the name Carr Bismark. According to the NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, Ogbonna ingested 80 wraps of cocaine, weighing 889 grammes, which he vomited and excreted over four days while in custody. Babafemi stated…

In a bid to enhance its membership registration process and prepare for the 2027 elections, the Labour Party (LP) has announced the development of a mobile app. The app, which will be available for download on mobile devices, will enable Nigerians both at home and abroad to register as party members seamlessly. According to Ambassador Aju Elumelu, Deputy Director of Media and Communications for the Labour Party Mobilization & Integration Directorate, the app will offer a range of features. These include access to exclusive content, participation in party activities, and real-time updates. Additionally, members will be able to donate and…

Afrobeats sensation Davido has reached a new milestone in his illustrious career, as his fourth studio album ‘Timeless’ has surpassed 450 million streams on Spotify. This achievement marks the first time any of Davido’s albums have reached this milestone on the platform. ‘Timeless’, which was released on March 31, 2023, has enjoyed immense success and broken multiple records on Spotify ¹ ². The album’s lead single ‘Unavailable’, featuring Musa Keys, has also surpassed 100 million streams, making it Davido’s first lead song to achieve this feat ¹ ². The album has spawned several hit singles, including ‘Feel’, ‘Kante’ featuring Fave,…