Author: Nigeriabrief

Linus Aleke of Abuja Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, a former Enugu State governor and elder statesman, says the worsening multifaceted poverty, astronomical unemployment and deteriorating security across Nigeria are compelling reasons for voters to remove President Bola Tinubu’s All Progressives Congress (APC) from power in the 2027 general elections.He noted that widespread hardship, job losses and persistent security threats continue to erode public confidence in government, arguing that the current government has failed to address the country’s deepening socio-economic challenges.Nwodo maintained that Nigerians should be given credible alternatives that prioritize economic security, job creation and protection of lives and property. In…

This is one reason Donald Trump always seems to be in a bad mood. Perhaps he realizes that the America of his dreams is out of reach.No matter how many immigrants he deports or prevents from entering the country, the white paradise he promises at the MAGA base, free of Somalis, Mexican “rapists” and generally people from “shithole countries” with shades similar to the America he was born in, is not what he will deliver.However, he can do a lot of damage. Although he is doing his best to make America intolerable to foreigners and, more generally, to people of…

Demonstrators rioted in Iran’s streets into Saturday morning, resisting authorities’ escalating crackdown on the growing protest movement.An internet shutdown imposed by authorities on Thursday has largely cut off protesters from the rest of the world, but videos trickling out of the country showed thousands of people gathering on the streets of Tehran. They chanted “Death to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei” and “Long live the Shah” in honor of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.Crowds of protesters marched through the streets of Mashhad as fires flared all around them, a sign of local defiance for Khamenei, who has denounced the protesters as “subversives”…

Protesters poured onto the streets of cities across the country late Friday, ignoring threats of harsh punishment from Iranian leaders and warnings from human rights groups about unlawful killings.The fresh protests came after President Donald Trump renewed his warning to the Islamic regime that he would intervene if protesters were killed. “I say to the Iranian leaders: You better not start shooting because we will start shooting too,” he told a meeting with oil executives.Iranian Prosecutor General Mohammad Movahedi Azad said Saturday in remarks carried by Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency that the protesters would be considered “enemies of God”…

Sunmi Smart-Cole is one of Nigeria’s most respected personalities in the photography, hair styling, musical, architectural and horticultural professions. The award-winning photographer, jazz percussionist and one-time trend setting barber turned 80 on Saturday, September 25, this year. In this interview with DANIEL ANAZIA, he reminisces on his life as a photographer, musician, architect and a Nigerian who witnessed the country’s independence on October 1, 1960. Congratulations on your 80th birthday. What are your reflections about life, and how have you been taking care of yourself?Do I look 80? Anyway, I’m grateful to God that I’m 80. What more do I say to God?…

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Joash Ampitan (SAN), has pledged that the 2027 general elections will be held in a free, fair, transparent and technology-driven manner, and declared that the Commission will not tolerate any irregularities in the electoral process. Speaking at the Commission’s 2026 Inauguration and Strategic Retreat held in Lagos from January 9-10, Ampitan said INEC is preparing for a rapidly evolving electoral landscape and must live up to the expectations of Nigerians. “We gather here today, not just as election officials and leaders, but as guardians of the will of the Nigerian people.…

With her pretty dreadlocks and Fuji-like voice, Fola has emerged as one of Nigeria’s most appealing pop-soul talents. From over a million streams for Lost with Kiz Daniel to 15 million plays for Who Would Do It with Bella Shmurda, his storytelling and emotional expression are what set him apart. In this diary-style interview, he reflects on his growth, his sound, and his future path. His black dreadlocks prominently framed his face when he appeared on screen, with two thick hairs attached to the sides of his headband. Fola, real name Folarin Odunlami, is one of the newest additions to…

Elon Musk’s controversial Grok artificial intelligence model appears to be limited in some apps, but largely unchanged in others.Musk’s social media app, X, has Grok AI image generation capabilities available only to paying customers, and appears to be restricting the creation of sexual deepfakes following a wave of backlash from users and regulators. However, the Grok standalone app and website will still allow users to use AI to remove clothing from images of people who have not consented.Early Friday morning, X’s Grok reply bot, which had previously been fielding a large number of requests that directed unsuspecting people into sexual…

Biafra The Biafran War never disappeared from the national memory. It is important that we continue to remember that even after we fought a war for 30 months and a million people died, our problems remained unresolved. Those who fought the war and won the Biafrans actually believed that their sacrifices had built a new Nigeria. I don’t know which one is worse now. The crisis and insecurity in 1967, when the war began, and the crisis and insecurity in 2023, when Nigeria is not officially at war. When the Civil War began, at least most people knew where the…

Former Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel has called on the Nigeria national team to eliminate all distractions and focus fully on what he described as their toughest test yet at the African Cup of Nations. The quarterfinals will be against Algeria. Against the backdrop of reports over unpaid bonuses, Mikel stressed that mentality, focus and preparation will be decisive against a dangerous Algerian side who he believes has quality, aggression and strong group play. “We have to be at the top of our game” – Mikel Obi The Super Eagles were recently reported to have staged protests over unpaid…