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The AGN leadership had since October 2024 placed an indefinite suspension on the embattled actress following accusations of defamation against her colleagues and prominent Nigerians.

The guild said a two-year investigation by a panel it established showed that Halima Abubakar was culpable, and was consequently barred from participating in any AGN activities and film projects during this period.

Our correspondent reports that outgoing national president of AGN, Emeka Rollas, announced lifting of the suspension at the inauguration ceremony of the guild’s new National Executive Council (NEC).

The event brought together actors from different states, as well as filmmakers and other stakeholders in the entertainment sector, at the AGN national secretariat on Thursday in Abuja,

Rollas, whose second and final tenure ended in December 2025, handed over to Abubakar Yakubu as the new national president of the guild.

According to Rollas, the guild’s leadership has decided to use the occasion to announce the lifting of Halima’s suspension and that of other erring members to enable them return to the association.

“There were persons that we have suspended according to the AGN law, and because I’m leaving office, I don’t want to leave them suspended.

“Halima Abubakar took AGN to court claiming a frivolous amount of money, but we had our investigations, and we suspended her from all acting and all AGN activities.

“However, since acting remains her main source of livelihood, it would be wicked for us to leave her like that.

“Therefore today, by the powers imposed on me by the Board of Trustees and the entire Actors Guild of Nigeria, I hereby lift Halima Abubakar’s suspension,” he said.

Rollas also announced the lifting of the suspension of Christopher Igboji, Chidi Concord, Dan Ewerem and Jeff Okwute, who are members of Enugu State chapter of the guild.

Earlier in his welcome address, Chuks Chyke, Chairman of the Organising Committee of the inauguration, lauded the outgoing president for his courage and inclusive leadership style that has stabilised the guild.

According to him, “Your achievement will remain part of the legacy upon which we continue to build.”

While congratulating the new president and his team, Chyke urged them to see their election as a sacred trust and provide inclusive, and visionary leadership.

“Today marks a historical moment in the life of the Actors Guild of Nigeria as we witness the peaceful transition of leadership and the inauguration of a new president and National Executive Council.

“This occasion reflects the strength of our institution, the maturity of our processes, and the unity of our creative family.

“I sincerely commend the immediate past president and executives for their service, sacrifice and dedication; your tenure strengthens the foundation of the guild, expanded our professional relevance and upheld the dignity of the Nigerian actor.”

The chairman urged members of the guild across the country to support and cooperate with the new president and his team to build a stronger, united and globally respected guild.

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Our correspondent reports that organisers of the annual soccer awards announced nominees for the 12th edition at a stakeholders’ luncheon on Tuesday in Abuja.

Osimhen tops the nomination list with nods in three categories, including the Sam Okwaraji Awards, and the Rashidi Yekini Award For the Best Striker alongside Ademola Lookman and Anas Yusuf of Nasarawa United.

Bassey also got nominated for the Defender of the Year category of the awards alongside defence sensation Benjamin Frederick and Ola Aina of Nottingham Forest.

This is the seventh time Osimhen is getting a nomination for the ‘King of the Pitch’ category, having won it for three consecutive times, and Ademola Lookman is seeking his second win after clinching the 11th edition.

Super Falcons stars Chiamaka Nnadozie, Rasheedat Ajibade, and Esther Okoronkwo secured nominations for the ‘Queen of the Pitch’ (Women) category, highlighting their outstanding performances over the past year for both clubs and country.

The ‘Midfielder of the Year’ nominees include Alex Iwobi, Frank Onyeka, Raphael Onyedika and Wilfred Ndidi.

For shot stoppers, Udinese goalkeeper Maduka Okoye got nomination for ‘Goalkeeper of the Year’ alongside Chippa United’s Stanley Nwabali and Remo Stars’ Kayode Bankole.

For ‘Coach of the Year’, Finidi George (Rivers United),Daniel Ogunmodede (Remo Stars), and WAFCON 2024 winning coach Justin Madugu got nominations.

The Super Falcons, Remo Stars FC, Rivers United FC, and the Super Falcons are listed to contend for the ‘Team of the Year’.

Other categories announced by the organisers include ‘Football Pitch of the Year’, with MKO Abiola Int’l Stadium, Abeokuta, Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo and Remo Stars Stadium, Ogun securing nominations.

Delta, Kwara and Lagos are to compete for the ‘State with the Best Grassroots Football Development Programme’ award, and the ‘Corporate Sponsor of Football Award’ has Bet9ja, GTI Financial and MTN Nigeria as nominees.

Umo Eno of Akwa-Ibom, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun and Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos got nominated for the ‘Football Friendly Governor of the Year Category’.

Other categories announced by the organisers include the ‘Sportmanship Award and the ‘Football Journalist of the Year’(Print, TV, Radio,Online).

Earlier in his speech, Mr Shina Philips, President, Nigeria Pitch Awards, commended members of the College of Voters across the country for their professionalism and dedication.

According to him, the emergence of the nominees for the 12th award ceremony has followed stringent guidelines which have been in operation since its inception.

He said the choice of the award categories was part of the organisers’policy to deliberately target and highlight the contributions of individual footballers, coaches, administrators, journalists and other stakeholders.

“The Nigeria Pitch Awards is a platform established to inspire individual footballers and key stakeholders to higher levels of commitment and professionalism.

“It also serves as a catalyst for government and corporate entities to dedicate more resources to the development of sports in Nigeria.

“While rewarding hard work and patriotism, the Nigeria Pitch Awards platform concomitantly plays a pivotal role by alerting government and administrators to the need to re-engineer our sports processes.

“It also draws government attention to the need to renew our sports infrastructure, and stimulate national interest in developing sports as a viable, revenue-generating industry. We see this as our enduring desire,” he said.

Philips said the 12th edition will recognise Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) with the Special Achievement in Sports Award.

He said the recognition was for the NDDC’s commitment to the development of sports through the Niger Delta Games, a Sports initiative committed to raising sports stars in the region.

The president said plans were underway to begin an annual international sports conference as part of the annual award ceremony.

According to him, the date and venue for the conference and the 12th Award Ceremony will be announced shortly after the upcoming AFCON in Morocco.

Our correspondent reports that the stakeholders’ luncheon was attended by football administrators, partners, sports editors, members of the College of Voters, and media representatives.

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She made the call in an interview our correspondent at the 2025 End-of -year Dinner and Awards of the Abuja chapter of Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) over the weekend.

The event held at the Mamman Vatsa Writers Village in Abuja, with the theme “A celebration of the Spoken Word and the Written Craft”.

It brought together seasoned and young authors, scholars, as well as literary enthusiast and students of different institutions in the Federal Capital Territory(FCT)

According to the former minister, writing is a veritable instrument to challenge patriarchal norms and advocate equal opportunities for all citizens, especially in governance at all levels.

She urged Nigerian writers to leverage the power of writing to promote issues affecting women in order to have an egalitarian society.

“Authors are historians and once they write a book it is supposed to preserve and showcase history, and ANA is doing that already, and I want them to write more about issues affecting women.

“Therefore, we are appealing to authors to promote women, to write about women, for people to know more about them, and for every Nigerian to know about their problems.

“I have always said that Nigerian women need to be considered, especially the girl child; it is her right to be educated.

“If we have women educated in Nigeria, they will ensure that our country moves forward because if you educate a girl child, you are educating the nation,” she said

Ciroma lamented that female representation in government was abysmally low, falling short of the 35 affirmative action targets outlined in the National Gender Policy.

According to her, there is a need to have a just society where the needs of all genders are equitably considered, in order to build a nation where everyone, regardless of gender, can thrive.

She therefore called for support for the passage of the Reserved Seats Bill that seeks to create legislative seats exclusively for women at both national and state levels.

“In fact, Nigeria signed the Beijing conference during Obasanjo’s period, that is the 35 per cent affirmative action, and since that time we have not been able to implement it.

“We are appealing to Nigerian men that women should be considered because we need the space also in the governance of this country.

“When you are talking about the legislative part of governance, they are making laws for Nigerians and these laws also affect women so we need more women in the National Assembly.

“In some state assemblies you hardly get a single woman , so we are not getting enough when it comes to female participation in governance and legislation,” she said.

Chukwudi Eze, Chairman ANA Abuja, said the association was committed to engaging young scholars through mentorship programmes that encourage them to embrace reading and writing.

He said the “ANAtainment” event was an opportunity to honour partners and other stakeholders who have contributed to the success of the association’s programmes during the year.

According to him, the membership of ANA, Abuja chapter has increased within the last two years because of innovative initiatives under its current leadership.

He said the flagship monthly “Reading and Writers Dialogue” i programme of the association featured celebrated authors during the year including Amb. Kema Chikwe and former president Olusegun Obasanjo , among others.

“In our first term, we took the association, this chapter, from 57 on the platform of our membership to 974.

“I think with today’s event and the kind of interest that has been expressed, we have crossed the 1,000 mark.

“The first thing is to attract people into the written craft through programmes that are relevant to the time and the space , and by that, we are able to attract very interesting guests here,” he said.

Earlier, Prof. Emeka Aniagolu, the keynote speaker, commended ANA Abuja for providing a platform that brings together writers to share ideas and as well mentor young writers.

Other stakeholders at the event include Prof. Udenta O. Udenta, a literary scholar and human rights activist, among others.

Our correspondent reports that the event featured spoken words by students, goodwill messages from partners and awards to members and other stakeholders who have contributed to the growth and development of the written craft.

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In a viral footage shared on social media, the “African Queen” crooner urged fans to stop fueling the dispute, adding that it was getting out of hand and now put his wife at risk.

He said: “This is getting out of hand. This is a dangerous situation right now. I know what fans can do, I know what people can do.

“I am perfectly okay, and this is putting Natasha at risk. It is not fair on anybody.

“Please, I need everybody to calm down, cease fire. We are going to resolve all these issues. People dey get issue for house no be today, but this is getting out of hand.

“Friends, family, everybody, please, ceasefire. I beg you. I am perfectly fine. I did not make that post. Please, I am okay.”

2Baba, who had earlier been linked to a now-deleted Instagram page where he appeared to ask for help, distanced himself from the post.

He insisted that he did not make the post, asking for help, adding that his account was hacked.

Our correspondent reports that the social media frenzy started amid earlier reports that the singer was briefly detained by UK police after an alleged altercation with Natasha during his October tour.

The singer was seen being arrested in a video that has set social media on fire with reactions from fans.

The controversy became heightened during an Instagram live session hosted by media personality Daddy Freeze, during which two of 2Baba’s former managers accused Natasha of trying to take full control of his life and career.

They further alleged that Natasha now controls his finances and public engagements, and confirmed a previously denied arrest incident in the UK.

2Baba later joined the live session in anger and demanded they stop discussing his private life.

Shortly after, a loud argument between him and Natasha could be heard off‑camera before the broadcast ended abruptly.

The couple was heard arguing in the background, fuelling speculation of a marital crisis and raising concerns over the singer’s well-being.

As reactions continue to trail the development, the Edo House of Assembly has reportedly asked Natasha, who represents Egor constituency, to appear before its Ethics and Privileges Committee over viral misconduct.

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He made the call in an interview with our correspondentt on the sidelines of a meeting with winners of the 2025 WIPO Nigeria National Essay Competition in Abuja.

The meeting was part of a study visit by the winners and for them to also present policy recommendations to the commission, and as well understand its statutory operations.

According to the DG, the push for IP education in universities is part of a wider effort by the NCC to promote a strong culture of respect for IP rights from an early age.

He said Nigeria was a leading creative hub in Africa and its citizens, especially the younger generation needed to have a clear understanding of IP and copyrights to effectively maximise its creative potential.

Asein said tertiary institutions as centres of learning and research needed to introduce their faculties and students to the subject of IP in line with global trends and make Nigerian universities globally competitive.

“That will help the students to value the creativity and innovation in them and also know why they need to respect other people’s Intellectual Property.

“What we are saying in that regard is not to have a full course on IP, but as part of the general studies, they should have some modules on IP.

“Then for some other courses that are innovation or creativity based, they should have IP as part of the course.

“For instance, if you are a student of Fine Arts or any of the arts in a university or a polytechnic, you need to understand what rights you have in the works you are producing,

“If you are in the business field you need to understand the value of trademarks and branding to businesses so you will not be shortchanged in the business world.

“For those in sciences who are hoping to innovate or to invent, and you don’t know what patents mean, anyone can come and buy your innovation or your invention for peanuts,” he said.

According to the DG, NCC will continue to provide materials that will be easily digestible by all these users, and any opportunity needed to push the initiative.

He said the commission had recently presented the revised Model IP policy to the General Assembly of the Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (CVCNU).

He said the model policy developed by the commission in collaboration with the CVCNU in 2021 was reissued as part of the commission’s renewed effort to promote its adoption and implementation.

“So, for Nigeria to actually grow and use innovation and creativity, it must also educate those who are going to be producing that innovation or creativity.

“That is why we think the best place to start is at the school level or the university level.

“It is good enough if every student that passes through a higher institution of learning is able to understand the rudiments of intellectual property.

“We are talking to NUC, we are talking to the Vice-Chancellors and the individual universities to imbibe more of IP knowledge in building their students,”he said.

He urged universities to integrate the WIPO Distance Learning 101 course on IP, which is available online for free, into their General Studies curricula to equip students with essential IP knowledge.

Asein, who congratulated the winners of the 2025 essay competition, said they will be equipped with relevant copyright knowledge and made Ambassadors of the commission in its fight against copyright infringements.

In his remarks, Dr Tobi Moody, Director, WIPO Nigeria Office, lauded NCC for its commitment to IP and copyright issues and support for the annual essay completion.

According to him, the National Essay Competition, which started in 2020, seeks to engage students of tertiary institutions with IP knowledge.

He said the theme of the 2025 edition was “IP and Music: Harnessing Nigeria’s Music Industry for Economic Growth.”

According to him, the competition aims to encourage Nigerian students to think critically about the role of IP in driving innovation and creativity, particularly within the country’s booming music sector.

“I want to acknowledge the role of the Copyright Commission, especially in the judging process, as we have at least three senior members of the commission among the judges.

“I want to also thank the Director General for releasing your best to support us on this initiative.

“This year, we had a total of 188 entries for the competition, and for about four months, we had 20 excellent judges who reviewed these entries painstakingly.

“Then we came up with 17 finalists and three top winners, making it 20, which we as an organisation seek to further invest in and support as Ambassadors for intellectual property,” he said.

Moody said the top three winners would be given scholarships for further training abroad.

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He made the call in an interview with our reporter at the sideline of the 2025 Scott Kelby Worldwide Photowalk on Saturday in Abuja.

The event powered by Adobe Lightroom ,was organised by Africa Shooters in collaboration with World Trade Centre Abuja.

It brought together photographers and creatives from across Nigeria to capture images, exchange ideas, and share unique perspectives to visual storytelling.

According to Mordi, photography is a veritable tool to drive societal change by using visual storytelling to document social issues, raise awareness, inspire empathy, dialogue, and actions for an egalitarian society.

He said through compelling images, photographers bring to the fore ignored issue, exposing them to global audiences and which sparks reaction for desired change.

“Photographers have a pivotal role to play when it comes to shifting narratives for a better society, and it starts from appreciating the importance of photography.

“However, in Nigeria photographers are largely viewed as cameramen, but there is actually a lot we can do to shape narratives and tell our stories as a nation.

“Hosting this Photowalk in Abuja allows us to highlight the creativity in Nigeria and across Africa.

“Africa Shooters was created to ensure our voices and stories are represented worldwide, and this event is the beginning of that journey,” he said.

Beside the the Photowalk, participants experienced an Adobe-led engagement, including hands-on sessions with Lightroom’s latest features, as well as opportunities for collaboration, networking, and creative experimentation.

Mordi emphasised that the Abuja edition aims to capture the attention of international brands, investors, art lovers, and communities worldwide, spotlighting Nigeria as a hub where culture, innovation, and global connection converge.

He said there was a need to offer capacity building for young talents in photography to ensure that they do their work with uttermost professionalism.

“I have helped to train over a thousand students in photography and have been passionate about ensuring that the next generation of photographers are also ethically sound.

“They need to know that photographers are professionals who know that their works hold power in sharing narratives.

“You can’t just go and shoot something without giving context to it or fake a story behind the photo.

It was reported that the Scott Kelby Worldwide Photowalk, held annually in more than 18 countries, connects photographers worldwide to refine their craft, explore new tools, and build community.

The Abuja event was used to officially launching Africa Shooters, a new community dedicated to amplifying African creativity on the global stage.

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Abubakar Yakubu, National Secretary of AGN, lauded the ace thespian in an interview with Our correspondent on Wednesday in Abuja.

According to him, the 60-year milestone is an opportunity for the guild to celebrate Arinze for his contributions to the Nigerian film industry.

“On behalf of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, its leadership, the BOT and all members, I wish Segun Arinze a happy 60th birthday.

It’s a landmark birthday for him, and he has used the greater part of these years to contribute meaningfully to Nollywood and also served our noble guild.

“He is a humble and selfless professional, who has mentored a lot of actors and at the same time an inspiration to many,” he said.

Arinze, popularly known as ‘Black Arrow’, a role he played in the 1996 Nollywood classic, ‘Silent Night’, had earlier in a post on Instagram appreciated his family and friends for their support.

He writes: “Today, as I turn 60, my heart is full of gratitude. 60 years on this journey called life, and I can boldly say it has been God’s grace all the way.

“To my wife and Children, thank you for being my anchor, my safe place, and my greatest cheerleaders.

“To my friends, colleagues, and brothers and sisters in the creative industry, you have been a part of my story, and I am deeply honoured to have shared this journey with you.

“This milestone is not just about me; it’s about all of us who have walked this path together. I celebrate you as much as I celebrate myself.”

Our correspondent reports that Segun Arinze, born on Sept. 24, 1965, started his career professionally as a singer and an actor.

He came to the limelight as a young artist with the release of his debut album, “Dream”, which was not particularly a commercial success.

Reputed to have featured in over 100 films, Arinze is also an acting coach and currently works with a prestigious African international film festival, passing his knowledge on to the next generation of actors.

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The Board of Management and Directors of Africa Travel Quarterly (ATQ) Magazine, organisers of the annual event, named Oyebanji for the Best Tourism Governor among other recipients of the prestigious awards.

According to the organisers, the awards will be formally bestowed on the governor at the Akwaaba ceremony scheduled to hold on Sept 15 at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Ikechi Uko, President of ATQ Magazine, said the Ekiti governor was overwhelmingly voted in the scheme conducted among tourism stakeholders across West African countries.

He said, Oyebanji, acclaimed as first Nigerian Governor to initiate a State Tourism Policy and a Tourism Development Master Plan, polled an overwhelming 89.5 percent of votes cast by tourism professionals across the West African sub-region.

The governor also created a dedicated Bureau of Tourism Development under his personal supervision, among other unprecedented reforms.

The organisers said the event would bring together global travel professionals, investors, cultural icons, and policymakers across Africa and beyond.

Wale Ojo-Lanre, Director-General of the Ekiti State Bureau of Tourism Development, said the award is a testament to the passionate commitment to tourism development in the state.

“This honour is a validation of Governor Oyebanji’s visionary leadership and the collective effort of the people of Ekiti.

“From Ikogosi to Abanijorin Rock, from our gastronomy showcases to international fairs, Ekiti has risen as the heartbeat of tourism in Nigeria.

“Our mandate remains clear — to deliver the Governor’s vision with speed, professionalism, and excellence,” he said.

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The airport face-off was captured in a video that went viral on Wednesday, with KWAM1 seen in a seeming attempt to obstruct the take-off of the aircraft.

The incident attracted widespread public backlash, with the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) slamming a six-month no flying ban on the singer.

While the Fuji artiste was put on no-fly list for breaching aviation regulations and disrupting airline operations, the pilots involved in the incident was also suspended and placed under investigation.

The NCAA also said it had petitioned the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to prosecute the singer, over his behaviour at the airport.

In a swift reaction, Kwam 1, in a statement through his spokesperson, Kunle Rasheed, dismissed the allegations as exaggerated and misleading.

Our correspondent reports that the singer, in a video circulated online over the weekend, apologised for his actions, describing the incident as ‘regrettable.’

The artiste said he had been a good ambassador of the country “in very many ways and therefore, acknowledged that he, “should not be found in such incidents”.

“The incident that occurred at the local wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on August 5, involving my humble self and ValueJet Airline, was, to say the least, unfortunate.

“I accept responsibility and appeal to Mr President, the country, the Minister for Aviation, the FAAN, the NCAA and my fans across the globe, to please pardon my behaviour.

“My love for the country is unshakable. I am still the darling ambassador of our nation and I will continue to carry the banner of this great country everywhere, all my life.

“Thank you once again. Please accept my apology,” he said.

In contrast to speculations that Kwam 1 brought an alcoholic beverage in a container into the commercial flight, the singer said he only had water in the container.

“Unknown to many, I suffer from chronic dehydration and my doctor strongly advised that I remain constantly hydrated and this is why I always carry a water flask with me.

“Contrary to the negative narrative being circulated in some quarters, the flask I carried on that particular day contained only water, not alcohol, as wrongly alleged,” he said.

The artiste further explained that he had passed through two security screenings with the empty flask before the altercation.

According to him, the flask was only filled with water at the lounge, just before he headed to the tarmac, a fact he said, can be verified by the CCTV footage at the airport lounge.

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