- Nigeria would be different if Yar’Adua had lived, Pat Utomi says
- Federal pensioners give FG 21-Day ultimatum over ₦150,000 palliative
- Delta Governor’s aide offers ₦500,000 and ambassadorial deal to viral UBA graduate
- Magixx mourns mother, says he has ‘never felt pain like this’
- ‘Ugly’ $200 Niu Lai becomes China’s surprise box office hit film
Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the top five Nigerian news stories you shouldn’t miss.
Nigeria would be different if Yar’Adua had lived, Pat Utomi says
Professor Pat Utomi has said Nigeria would have been a “different place” if former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua had lived. The political economist described Yar’Adua as a committed patriot who wanted the country to progress.
Speaking on Csuite Cafe, Utomi recalled that Yar’Adua once invited him to the Presidential Villa and encouraged him to join his cabinet as a minister. However, he said he preferred advising the government when consulted.
Utomi said Yar’Adua believed he could contribute more to Nigeria as a minister and tried to persuade him. Yar’Adua died on May 5, 2010, and was succeeded by his vice-president, Goodluck Jonathan.
Federal pensioners give FG 21-Day ultimatum over ₦150,000 palliative
Federal pensioners have given the government 21 days to pay their outstanding ₦150,000 palliative allowance, threatening a peaceful protest if the payment is not made by September 10, 2026.
The Coalition of Federal Pensioners of Nigeria made the demand in a letter dated August 21 and addressed to the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction. The group said the ultimatum began on August 21.
The retirees said the ₦150,000 represents six months of the ₦25,000 monthly palliative approved by the Federal Government in 2023. They argued that workers had received similar payments and urged the government to settle the outstanding allowance.
Delta Governor’s aide offers ₦500,000 and ambassadorial deal to viral UBA graduate
Ossai Success, an aide to Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, has offered ₦500,000 and an ambassadorial deal to the UBA graduate who went viral after addressing Tony Elumelu by his first name.
Success said the young woman made a mistake but should not face continued online criticism. He offered her cash support, flights to Asaba, five-star accommodation and a guided tour of development projects in Delta State.
He also offered her VIP access and an ambassadorial role at the Delta Social Media Summit on August 27. Success urged the public to support the woman, saying online criticism could be harmful, and asked her to contact him to accept the offer.
Magixx mourns mother, says he has ‘never felt pain like this’
Nigerian singer Magixx has announced the death of his mother, sharing emotional photos from her funeral ceremony on Instagram. He said he was struggling to accept her death and had “never felt pain like this”.
The singer praised his mother’s strength, kindness and free spirit, saying she remained devoted to her family, friends and strangers despite battling illness in her final years. He described her as his “guardian” and “everything”.
Magixx said he would choose her as his mother in every lifetime and expressed his love for her while promising that her death was not goodbye. The singer began singing in a choir at age 10 and released his first song, “Problem,” in 2019.
‘Ugly’ $200 Niu Lai becomes China’s surprise box office hit film
An unusual Chinese animated film made for just $200 has become a surprise box office success, earning more than $2.5m despite initially receiving poor reviews. Niu Lai, whose basic 3D animation has been described as “ugly” and “eerie”, has attracted growing interest from moviegoers.
The film earned only 10,000 yuan in its first 10 days after its August 5 release, with some days bringing in just 200 yuan. Its earnings later surged to 8.2 million yuan in a single day, with nearly 300,000 people attending.
Red Star News reported that director Xin Yumeng made the film over five years with his mother, Sun Lifan. Its unusual posters feature a hand-drawn calf and slogans including “Come on over if you’re into the bizarre” and “No refunds.”
