Gospel Giants Unite: Luli Concert 2025 Set to Light Up Lagos

LAGOS — Some of Nigeria’s most celebrated gospel artistes are billed to headline the ninth edition of Luli Concert, one of the nation’s premier gospel worship gatherings, scheduled for Friday, October 3, 2025, at the iconic Tafawa Balewa Square, Onikan, Lagos.

Yinka Alaseyori, Sola Allyson, Lilian Nneji, Kent Edunjobi, Eniola Olusoga, Seyi Solagbade, and Evang are leading the star-studded lineup. Akin Adebayo Imoleayo, Toluwanisings, and Bidemi Olaoba. They will be joined by Glorious Twins, Dee Reign, Dotvocals, Nazarite, the Celestial Church of Christ Central Choir, and several other anointed gospel ministers.

Organised by El Berachah Worship Ministry for the Celestial Church of Christ, the concert begins at 7:00 PM and promises a night of spirit-filled worship, thanksgiving, and intercession for Nigeria.

Speaking at a press briefing in Ikeja, the Chairperson of the 2025 edition, Yetunde Akinlalu, said the theme, “Garment of Praise,” is a call to worship God wholeheartedly despite challenges. “Praise is both our response and our weapon in times of trial. As a nation, we have countless reasons to give thanks,” she stated.

The Convener, Dr. Gbenga Daniel-Adebayo, also revealed that the concert will be preceded by impact-driven initiatives including medical outreaches to underserved communities, a Music Masterclass & Choirmasters Conference for young gospel creatives, and a Health & Fitness Walk to promote overall well-being.

With its unique blend of worship, prayer, and social impact, this year’s Luli Concert is poised to leave a lasting mark on participants and the wider Christian community.

Abuja Set Ablaze with Anticipation as Folorunsho Unveils You Against Crime International (YACI)

Abuja, Nigeria – 11th September 2025 – Social innovator and youth mentor Tayo Folorunsho is set to officially launch “You Against Crime International (YACI)“, a groundbreaking initiative dedicated to crime prevention, rehabilitation, and youth empowerment in Nigeria. The launch will take place during the Abuja Stakeholders Dialogue on Sustainable Crime Prevention, themed “Culture: The Cure for Crime”, on Thursday, 11th September 2025, at 10:00 a.m. at the Transcorp Hilton (Capital Bar), Abuja.

You Against Crime International (YACI) is a grassroots-driven movement that combines culture, advocacy, storytelling, and community engagement to foster safety, peace, and lawful living. Through the power of edutainment and national dialogues, YACI seeks to address the root causes of crime by inspiring behavioral change, strengthening communal values, and empowering young people to choose positive alternatives.

Founded by Mr. Tayo Folorunsho, who has over 15 years of experience working with youth and communities, YACI reflects his lifelong commitment to mentorship, empowerment, and opportunity creation.

Speaking ahead of the launch, Mr. Folorunsho stated:

“You Against Crime is not just a campaign – it is a movement. It’s about equipping people, especially young Nigerians, with the tools, knowledge, and hope to choose a better path and contribute positively to society.”

One of YACI’s core strategies is the use of culture as a powerful tool in the fight against crime. By reconnecting with traditional values, languages, and heritage, the initiative promotes discipline, respect, and responsibility. Through music, drama, festivals, and storytelling, YACI will engage directly with grassroots communities, creating meaningful platforms for awareness, prevention, rehabilitation, and reintegration.

At the launch event, YACI will also unveil its upcoming projects, including:

• The “You Against Crime” Festival & Docu-Series – featuring real-life testimonies, cultural performances, and awareness campaigns.

• Community-driven initiatives linking cultural identity with crime prevention, rehabilitation, and social reintegration.

YACI aims to bring together government agencies, civil society, traditional institutions, the private sector, and local community launches ,a united mission to build a safer and more hopeful Nigeria.

It is important for us as members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to reflect on our actions and commitment to the progress of our great party. If the same energy and strength we are now seeing in internal struggles had been deployed during election days, by now PDP would have been the only dominant political party controlling everywhere, especially in Lagos State.

It is therefore disturbing and unacceptable that some individuals, claiming to be leaders or aspiring candidates, think they can singlehandedly write the entire ward executive list across all their wards list exco in their local government. With due respect, such practice is sheer political recklessness and an insult to our constitution.

Let us ask ourselves:

Can one or two individuals who sit in a hotel room and secretly write all the ward executive names succeed in winning elections?

Can one man alone serve as party agent in all polling units on election day?

Will the ward leaders, who were sidelined and denied the opportunity to determine their own executives, be willing to work for the party in the election?

The answer is No.

Some of our members even go as far as wanting to dictate what happens in other local governments, rather than testing their popularity and strength in their own local government. If those you are supporting in another LGA are truly popular, credible, and ready to serve, then allow them to contest freely within their constituencies instead of imposing them through manipulation.

I have also been told by some that I “do not understand politics” simply because I refuse to manipulate or interfere in other local governments. As the Southwest Zonal Ex-Officio, my role is to strengthen our democracy within the party, not to impose candidates. How can I claim to know a local government more than its own leaders?

In my own LGA, Alimosho, I have seen members who never attended ward or LGA meetings for the past two years suddenly fighting for positions, more aggressively than those who have consistently sacrificed their money, time, and strength for the growth of our great party. During the last local government elections, they did not participate, yet now they seek leadership positions.

Unfortunately, I was informed yesterday that in some LGAs, members are fighting and even threatening one another simply because of congress positions. The question remains: are these individuals truly ready to serve, or are they only struggling to control executive positions for personal gain either to extort aspirants in 2027, to use the positions as bargaining chips with opposition parties, or to add them to their personal profiles?

We must not allow this destructive culture to continue. The PDP Constitution is very clear on how congresses should be conducted. Article 2 emphasizes that the party shall be guided by the principles of democracy and social justice. Article 47(1) states that “the organs of the Party shall be constituted through democratic elections,” while Article 25(1) stipulates that ward, LGA, state, and national congresses must be convened according to laid-down procedures.

Therefore, ward executives cannot and must not be written in hotels by a few individuals. Congresses should be conducted in line with our constitution, either through open congress elections or consensus as provided by the constitution not imposition.

We must also remember that PDP is the only true democratic party in Nigeria. We are not like the APC “Baba sope” military-style political associations. Those who normally manipulate congresses by writing names in hotel rooms have already been suspended and later defected to other parties, leaving behind a legacy of failure. Their bad example must never be followed again.

Nigeria and Lagos are winnable for PDP if we get it right, starting from our congresses. Let us return to the foundation of our part leadership beginning from the ward, upward to the LGA, state, and zone. That is the only way we can achieve true victory and reclaim power for the people.

Long live PDP! Long live Nigeria’s democracy!

Prince Amb. (Dr.) Adedipe Dauda Ewenla
Southwest PDP Ex-Officio