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Akume quietly marries Ooni’s ex-queen Zaynab

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Former Benue State Governor and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, has reportedly married Zaynab Ngohemba-George, the former wife of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi.

The union became public on Friday, December 26, 2025, following a celebratory Facebook post by Abraham Double-D Dajoh, a member of the Akume Dajoh family from Mbakor, Benue State.

In the post, the family expressed delight at the marriage, stating, “We, the entire Dajoh family, happily join our daddy, uncle and brother, His Excellency, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume Jugu Dajoh, in welcoming his new and uncommon wife, Queen Zaynab Ngohemba-George Akume Dajoh, into the Dajoh family.”

The statement also extended a warm cultural welcome to the bride, hailing her arrival in Benue State, described as the “Food Basket of the Nation,” and Mbakor, regarded as the seat of Tiv leadership. The family thanked Akume’s supporters for their goodwill and urged continued loyalty, while also wishing Nigerians a merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

Photographs shared alongside the post, showing Queen Zaynab with members of the family, quickly went viral and sparked widespread reactions on social media.

When contacted, Akume’s spokesman, Yomi Odunuga, confirmed the marriage, clarifying that the union is more than a year old and not a recent development, contrary to some reports.

Zaynab was previously married to the Ooni of Ife in a widely publicised traditional ceremony held in Benin City on March 12, 2016, followed by a reception in Ile-Ife the next day. The marriage lasted 17 months and ended in August 2017. She later confirmed the separation publicly, reverted to her maiden name, and relocated to Doha, Qatar, where she focused on philanthropic activities.

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In subsequent years, reports linked her to a wealthy Arab prince, with whom she reportedly welcomed a daughter in 2022.

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Nollywood actress Sarah Martins apologises for roadside cooking

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Nollywood actress Sarah Martins has formally responded to the Lagos State Government’s warning regarding her recent public cooking activity, clarifying that the event was an emotional reconnection with vulnerable children rather than a deliberate breach of environmental laws.

The response comes after the Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, on Saturday, cautioned the actress against cooking on public roads, warning that she risks arrest and prosecution if she continues the practice.

In an open letter posted on her Instagram handle on Sunday, Martins, the founder of the Sarah Martins Golden Heart Foundation, sought to set the record straight, stating that the meal was prepared in a controlled environment.

“I would like to respectfully clarify that I did not cook on the walkway or on the main street.

“The meal was prepared in front of the King’s Palace under the supervision of security personnel, and the activity took place very far from the main road, ensuring that it did not obstruct movement or create any public nuisance,” she wrote.

Explaining the motivation behind the act, the actress described it as a response to the pleas of street children she frequently encounters.

“The visit was simply born out of an emotional moment. I had deeply missed the bond I share with the vulnerable street children in that area,” she explained.

“As I occasionally drive past that axis, the children often plead with me to come back and cook with them like I used to. On this particular day, I decided to spend some time with them and prepare a meal, purely to reconnect and create memories with the kids who have always shown me genuine love,” she added.

The actress offered an apology to the state government for any perceived impropriety, saying, “My brief return to that location was never intended to create any form of public nuisance, but simply to share a heartfelt moment with children who have continued to ask for my presence.

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“However, if my actions were perceived as inappropriate in any way, I sincerely apologide. I hold the laws and environmental standards of Lagos State in the highest regard.

“Going forward, I will ensure that all cooking activities are carried out strictly within the charity kitchen provided for the foundation.”

In her response, Martins also expressed gratitude to Seyi Tinubu, the President’s son, noting that his donation of a charity kitchen was specifically intended to ensure her feeding programs are conducted in a proper and organised environment, which she said her foundation remains committed to using.

PUNCH Online reports that Martins was arrested in October 2025 by KAI officials while she was cooking on a road median in Lekki, seizing her equipment.

The Lagos State Government defended the operation, with Wahab stating that the actress had engaged in unauthorised activities on public infrastructure in contravention of environmental and sanitation regulations.

While she previously claimed to have received ₦20 million from his office, Seyi Tinubu reportedly denied making the donation personally, saying some friends, moved by compassion, had raised funds to help her secure a proper space for her charity work, but stressed that he did not support any act that violated Lagos State laws.

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My father fought well to stay alive – Onigbinde’s son

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Mr Oyekunle Onigbinde, the last child of the late national coach Festus Onigbinde, has said that although his father was sick, he fought well to stay alive.

Oyekunle made the remarks in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Ibadan on Tuesday.

Describing his father as a generous man who cared for everyone, Oyekunle said his death on Monday came as a huge shock.

“He fought well to stay alive.

“He was sick, but due to old age, his body couldn’t fight the recovery.

“My father was very accommodating; he pulled everyone together.

“He didn’t care who you were; he just wanted everyone happy and united.

“He was the string that knitted many together,” he said.

Meanwhile, renowned sports analyst Tayo Balogun told NAN that his 40-minute phone conversation with Onigbinde in 2025 would forever linger in his memory.

“We went down memory lane, and I thanked him for being who he was: painstaking, foresighted, forthright, forthcoming, and incredibly hardworking.

“I told him I appreciated him and that I was calling to let him know that his contributions to Nigerian football will always be footnoted in history.

“During the call, I noticed his voice had lost some of its vibration. He attributed this to old age, claiming he was as fit as a fiddle.

“He asked after my TV Gang of Feyi Ogunduyile and Modele Sarafa-Yusuf (then known as Oshiinaike),” he said.

Balogun said he praised Onigbinde for his contributions to Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC).

“He actually changed the name from IICC Shooting Stars.

“I asked him if he remembered that I asked him why he was practising penalty kicks after 3SC had comprehensively beaten Tonnere Kalara Club of Yaounde at the Liberty Stadium, just before the second-leg match.

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“He told me Remi Asuni, the then Oyo State FA Chairman, asked him the same question and that he answered, ‘If we can beat them 4-0 in Ibadan, they may pay us back in Yaounde,’” he said.

The 73-year-old analyst said he also praised Onigbinde for his bravery in selecting players for the 2002 World Cup.

“I told him I understood why he included Mutiu Adepoju, but did not understand why he didn’t play him in any of the matches.

“He said that was the only mistake he made, but that if I noticed, we were quite close in all the matches we played, and if he brought in Mutiu and we lost, it would be blamed on Adepoju,” he said.

Balogun described Onigbinde as the most thorough Nigerian coach he knew.

“Each year, he would draw up a list of requirements for his team.

“With Shooting Stars, he would get 20 per cent, and with the Eagles, he didn’t even get 10 per cent.

“All the same, he got spectacular results with both teams.

“He was the first coach to take a group of rookies like Chibuzor Ehilegbu, Paul Okoku, Femi Olukanmi, and others to Ghana and beat the then-dreaded Black Stars in their country.

“Onigbinde’s memory will remain indelible.

“He was a gentleman, humble, and highly intelligent.

“I am glad I got to know you, sir,” he said.

(NAN)

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The Name Given To Me By My Parents Was A Curse – Phyna

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Reality TV star, Josephina Otabor, popularly known as Phyna, has opened up about the struggles she faced while growing up and why she does not like the name given to her at birth.

During a recent interview with Ezinne Akudo on the show Beyond With Ezinne, the former Big Brother Naija winner said her parents named her Blessing, but she came to dislike the name because her life did not reflect its meaning.

It was reports that Phyna explained that as she was growing up, many parts of her life were very difficult.

According to her, she often felt like she was always begging for love from people around her, including family members, friends and even in relationships.

She said the situation made her feel as if the name Blessing did not match the experiences she was going through.

The reality star also spoke about the pain she felt after the death of her sister. She said the loss deeply affected her, and at one point, she even wished she could die because of the emotional burden she was carrying at the time.

She said, “The name given to me by my parents is Blessing. My reasons for hating that name was you don’t see sense of blessing in my life. Because you know, it felt like I was always begging for love, family love, friendship, even in relationships. In fact, Dem don use am curse me. All aspects of life for me, growing up was very crazy. Even when you’re a teenager, there are things you could get from parents, from friends, family I didn’t have that, but I knew for one that I was going to be big.

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“Then I always tell my aunts, everybody, even when they beat me or maltreat me, today, the next minute I will see when I go watch me for television, you know, I go get money. People always say negative things about me. Even when I’m trying my best, it affects me. It affects my workload. They are quick to broke shame me. In fact, when my sister died, I wanted to die. A lot was going on with me. It actually makes me feel God is with me because so many things have happened that I suppose don really run mad.”

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