The family of late Nollywood actor Francis Duru has released details for his final burial rites. Services of songs will be held in Abuja and Imo State before he is laid to rest on December 11, 2026. The family made the announcement in a statement shared on the actor’s official Instagram page on Monday, November 2, inviting relatives, friends, colleagues and well-wishers to join them in honouring his life and legacy.

According to the announcement, a service of songs will be held on Wednesday, November 25, at 5 p.m. at Family Worship Centre, Idris Gidado Street, Wuye, Abuja. A second service of songs is scheduled for Thursday, December 10, at the late Pa Theophilus Ogide Duru’s family compound in Okai, Eziama, Isiala Mbano, Imo State.

The funeral and interment will follow on Friday, December 11, at the same family compound.

The statement, signed by the actor’s son, Ebuka Duru, and sister, Anthonia Chenyi, described him as a cherished husband, father, brother, uncle and friend.

The family also expressed appreciation to those who had supported them with prayers, calls, messages, and other gestures since his death. The statement read, “A remarkable life, a beautiful legacy, a star that will never stop shining. Though our beloved Chief Francis Duru has taken his final bow, his memories will live on in the hearts of all who knew and loved him.”

The family added that the love and support received throughout the difficult period had been a source of strength as they prepared to give the actor a final farewell.

Pastor Jimmy Odukoya has remarried years after his first marriage ended, introducing his new wife, Mo Jasyme, to The Fountain of Life Church congregation during a Sunday service in Lagos. Pastor Jimmy Odukoya has found love again, more than a decade after marrying his first wife, Oluwakemi Sade Banjoko, with whom he shares two children.

The senior pastor of The Fountain of Life Church, Lagos, introduced his new wife, identified as Mo Jasyme, to his congregation during Sunday service on November 1, 2026. The announcement came a day after Odukoya sparked curiosity on social media by sharing a photograph of two hands wearing wedding rings with the caption, “To New Beginnings.”

His followers, especially popular celebrities like Broda Shaggi, Ifedayo Agoro and Bisola Aiyelola, congratulated him.

Standing beside his wife in church, Jimmy spoke about how he had been navigating life alone since taking over the leadership of the church following his father’s death. He then introduced her to the congregation as his wife and the church’s new first lady.

The couple subsequently knelt before Pastor Tunde Bakare, the General Overseer of Citadel Global Community Church, who prayed for and blessed their union.

Before his new marriage, Odukoya was married to Oluwakemi Sade Banjoko, popularly known as Kemi. The couple married in London on March 9, 2013, after meeting in Lagos in 2011. They eventually welcomed two children together before their marriage ended in separation.

Interestingly, their relationship began at Ooh La La, a restaurant in Ikeja, Lagos, when Kemi accompanied her cousin to meet Jimmy and a mutual friend.

In a 2013 interview with ThisDay, republished by YNaija, the couple opened up about their courtship ahead of their wedding. Jimmy recalled that although he initially paid more attention to Kemi’s cousin, they eventually started talking at another family gathering.

Their conversations became so frequent that they sometimes spoke from 8 p.m. until 5 a.m.Interestingly, Kemi revealed that Jimmy did not initially tell her he was a pastor. When he eventually disclosed it, she reportedly went silent for about 30 seconds.

Jimmy also recounted how he proposed to her in London, using a sweet wrapper to playfully ask her to marry him before revealing the actual engagement ring.

However, their marriage eventually came to an end. Pastor Jimmy Odukoya’s new wife is Mo Jasyme, a designer and creative entrepreneur who is now known as Pastor Mo Odukoya.

Mo was previously married to British-Nigerian music producer Mosadoluwa Adegboye, popularly known as itsMOSA. The former couple reportedly collaborated on several creative projects during their relationship.

Mo made her first public appearance as Jimmy’s wife at The Fountain of Life Church on November 1, 2026, where she described it as an honour to stand alongside her husband.

Nigerian-American engineer Yinka Ogunbiyi and co-founder David Afolabi created HaloBraid, the world’s first automated hair-braiding robot. Built to work alongside stylists, the device promises to braid sections up to five times faster.

The invention, described as the world’s first automated hair-braiding robot, was designed to speed up protective hairstyling. Its first public demonstration, shared in October 2026, showed the device carrying out the repetitive weaving involved in braiding.

Unlike a machine designed to take over an entire salon appointment, HaloBraid works alongside a stylist. The professional sections the hair and starts each braid by hand before the device takes over the finishing process. The stylist then completes the final touches. According to the company, the technology can help stylists braid individual sections up to five times faster.

Ogunbiyi’s idea came from personal experience. During the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, she attempted to make knotless braids herself after she could not leave home for a salon appointment. The process took her four days. The experience prompted her to ask why no device existed to make braiding faster.

As a biomechanical engineer with degrees from Harvard University, Ogunbiyi teamed up with David Afolabi to develop the technology. The pair spent years refining the invention, building more than 600 prototypes and consulting braiders to understand the demands of the industry.

Their work earned them Harvard University’s President’s Innovation Challenge in 2025. Ogunbiyi announced the achievement on LinkedIn, where she said the team was honoured to have been selected from a competitive group of startups and to present its mission before an audience of about 2,000 people. The win came with a $75,000 grand prize.

The founders say the device is intended to reduce the physical strain that comes with hours of repetitive hand movements, which can contribute to pain and injuries among professional braiders. It also aims to shorten appointments for customers who often spend several hours in salon chairs.

HaloBraid has since secured $7 million in seed funding to support its commercial rollout. Its development places Ogunbiyi at the intersection of engineering, beauty and technology, with an invention built around a familiar task for millions of people who wear braids.