News

Justice Olukayode Ariwoola Sworn In as New CJN

President Muhammadu Buhari has sworn in Justice Olukayode Ariwoola as the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, NAN reports. This is coming after the former Chief Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad tendered his resignation citing ill health as the reason for hanging up his wig for good.

Ariwoola was appointed to the Supreme court bench in 2011, following 6 years of serving as the Justice of the court of Appeals between 2006 and 2011. As the court of Appeal justice, Ariwoola served across three states – Lagos, Enugu, and Kaduna states.

A native of Oyo State, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola was born on the 22nd of August 1958. He began his legal practice in the private sector before joining the public sector in 1992, starting out as a Judge of the Superior Court in Oyo State. According to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, Ariwoola, though only with the title of Acting Chief Justice of the Nation, is projected to be in active service until the year 2028.

Justice Ariwoola’s appointment has been frowned upon by many Nigerians as well as his colleagues in the legal practice many of whom have accused him of being corrupt, and in bed with the ruling executives. The resignation of his predecessor, Tanko Muhammad which came only a few weeks after the retirement of Justice Odili (wife to former Rivers State Governor Peter Odili) has been deemed controversial. Analysts have said that Tanko only chose to resign now after Odili had hung her gown because he did not want her to succeed him as the next CJN. Odili would have been the one to succeed Tanko as she would have been the most senior on the bench if she had not retired. Retired Justice Mary Odili was widely perceived as one of the few Justices who were concerned about the independence of the Judiciary. Her stance on jurisprudence put a threat on her life when in October 2021 there was an attempt to abduct her.

The Buhari administration has been accused of complete dominance and control of other arms of government. The immediate outgoing CJN was preceded by Justice Walter Onnoghen who was unconstitutionally removed by President Buhari on allegations of false asset declaration. Buhari would immediately appoint Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, a move that cemented the widely held belief that the president was an ethnic bigot. Tanko’s tenure as CJN was marred with allegations that he was a lackey to the executive arm.

Entertainment

Davido pays N2 million per haircut – Singer’s Barber Reveals

Nigerian afrobeats superstar Davido Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, pays as much as N2 million every time he gets a haircut, according to his long-term barber, Kufre Nnah.

Kufre made the revelation in a social media post, in which he shared a picture of himself working on Davido’s hair.

The Barber, who runs his business as Kayz Place, also revealed that he’s been Davido’s Barber since he was 12, when he used to pay only N200 to get a haircut.

Disclosing that Davido now pays him N2 million per haircut, Kufre admired the singer and appreciated him for being a part of his journey over the years.

Kufre’s post, which also had pictures showing Davido’s haircut up close, was captioned:

“I started cutting Davido’s hair when he was just 12 years old, when he used to pay me 200 Naira. Today, he’s paying 2 million for a haircut…what a journey! So proud to have been part of his story from the beginning. Big thanks to you, brothe,r for trusting me all these years. Your success is truly inspiring.”

Recall that earlier this weekend, on Saturday, Davido was out showing up for another long-term associate, his manager Asa Asika, at his traditional wedding where he was on groomsmen duties.

In his heartfelt speech at the ceremony held in Lagos, Davido recounted how he and Asa worked hard together to build their music empire from absolutely nothing.

Davido hailed Asa for being more than just his manager, saying he’s his ‘shield,’ his sanity, and his brother in every battle.

News

PDP Crisis Worsen as NEC set to decide fate of Rebel Members

Party elder Chief Bode George has warned that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may expel some prominent members at its upcoming National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on May 27. In an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, George said the NEC was prepared to take decisive action against members who no longer adhere to party rules or its founding principles.

“Those who cannot abide by the rules and regulations of the party, we can throw them out,” he said.

George criticised some party members for placing personal interests above public service.

What is democracy? It’s all about the management of the resources of the land for the benefit of the people. That is not what they have done now,” he lamented.He stressed that the NEC would hold a closed-door session to confront internal issues head-on.

“We should tell ourselves some serious home truths and come back to the position as laid down by the founding fathers of our party,” George said.

Since the 2023 elections, the PDP has been grappling with deep internal divisions.

Instead of consolidating as a viable opposition to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the party has struggled with disloyalty and factionalism.

A flashpoint in the crisis is the conduct of some high-profile PDP members who have openly backed APC President Bola Tinubu.

Chief among them is the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, who recently declared his support for Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid, despite remaining in the PDP.

This stance has drawn sharp criticism from the party, with some members accusing the leadership of overlooking blatant acts of disloyalty

News

Ex-US President Biden diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer

Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has metastasized to his bones, according to a statement released by his personal office on Sunday, May 18.

The 82-year-old was evaluated last week after experiencing increasing urinary symptoms, leading to the discovery of a prostate nodule.

A biopsy confirmed a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5), indicating a highly aggressive form of the disease.

“While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive, which allows for effective management,” the statement noted.

According to CNN, Biden and his family are reviewing treatment options with his medical team. A source familiar with his schedule confirmed that he is spending the weekend at his home in Wilmington, Delaware.

The announcement comes just days after Biden’s team acknowledged that he had undergone evaluation for a small prostate nodule. Medical experts not involved in his care offered context on the seriousness of the diagnosis.

“Prostate cancer is very common. As we get older, most men are going to have little cancer cells in them,” said Dr Jamin Brahmbhatt, a urologist and robotic surgeon with Orlando Health.

However, Biden’s Gleason score signals a more severe prognosis.

“A Gleason score of 9 means it’s the most aggressive form of prostate cancer,” explained Dr Benjamin Davies, a professor of urologic oncology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Centre.

It remains unclear where the former president is receiving treatment at present. However, efforts to request further details are underway.