Good morning.

Here are the top 5 stories you should be monitoring today:

“Your loyalty ought to be to the centre, first.”

This was President Muhammadu Buhari’s message to members of the Nigerian Armed Forces in his address on the nation’s 57th Independence anniversary.

“I assure you if Nigeria doesn’t exist, the first to be insecure are the security agencies because no matter how many parts Nigeria will be divided, nobody will take another General to preside over his country,” Buhari said, apparently referring to the calls for secession by some groups.

“I was involved in the civil war for 30 months, I know much about this country. Those making noise about the stability of this country were not born then. They don’t know what it means to be a nationalist,” he said.

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Also harping on the need for national unity during the Independence Day celebration was Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.

Speaking at the National Christian Centre in Abuja, he said, “Our nation is at a point where we should teach the people the virtue of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Former Head of State Yakubu Gowon, also at the service in Abuja, reiterated the Vice President’s speech, urging Nigerians to “continue to pray for the peace and unity of Nigeria.”

“Do not fear, Nigeria has fought for its unity and the unity will continue with your prayer,” he said.

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Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army has said its ‘Operation Crocodile Smile’ will launch in Ogun state, soon.

The Army said the operation will “take care of miscreants” in the state, and that nobody, except the miscreants, should be worried about the imminent coming of the exercise.

There is relative peace in Ogun State but the army says its operation is aimed at sustaining the peace.

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Tolu Omoyeni, YNaija’s pop culture/entertainment writer says Wizkid is Nigeria’s biggest export after crude oil.

The Starboy made history in London with his debut outing at the Royal Albert Hall as part of the Albert Sessions on Friday. Wizkid became the first African artiste to headline a show and sell out the Royal Albert Hall.

The Royal Albert Hall with a capacity of a little over 5,000 filled up with fans while thousands of others streamed live on Wizkid’s Facebook page.

Here are all the highlights and reactions from the event.

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On a more sombre note, two young women were stabbed to death at the main train station in the French Mediterranean city of Marseille on Sunday.

The suspect, who police described to be of North African descent and aged about 30, reportedly shouted “Allahu Akbar,” before slitting one of the victims’ throat. Soldiers on guard at the station shot the attacker dead.