celebrity radar - gossips
Five Minutes — Or I’ll Switch It Off”: When Pageantry Collides with Power
“Five Minutes — Or I’ll Switch It Off”: When Pageantry Collides with Power.
By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by saharaweeklyng.com
“How Senator Oluremi Tinubu’s interruption of Gov. Ademola Adeleke at Ile-Ife exposes constitutional ambiguities, protocol failures and a dangerous precedent for Nigerian public life.”
The grainy clip that has riveted Nigerians this week is short, sharp and unnerving. At a glittering cultural occasion in Ile-Ife, where royalty, ex-presidents and senior public figures had come together to honour the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu is seen approaching the podium, leaning over the microphone and saying, in words that thundered across social media: “I give you five minutes to conclude your speech. Enough with the music or I’ll switch off the microphone.” The target of that rebuke was Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State, who had taken the stage for a welcome address and lapsed into one of his characteristic, jubilant moments of song and dance. The exchange was captured on multiple phones and has since been replayed, remixed and debated across the country.
On its face the scene is a minor, theatre-of-politics moment; a First Lady chiding a governor for extending a speech beyond what she considered decorous. This clip is not merely entertainment: it crystallises a set of deeper issues that go to the heart of democratic practice in Nigeria and the rule of law; the separation between ceremonial presence and authority; protocol and respect for elected office; and the creeping normalization of raw personal power in public spaces.
First, the facts. The incident occurred during Senator Tinubu’s investiture with a high-profile chieftaincy title in Ile-Ife at an event attended by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, several governors and senior traditional rulers. Videos from the ceremony show Governor Adeleke moving from the scripted welcome into spontaneous singing; Senator Tinubu then interrupted him twice, each time warning she would cut the microphone if he did not stop. The confrontation lasted less than a minute, but the fallout has been disproportionate.
Second, the constitutional reality. Nigeria’s Constitution does not create an “office of the First Lady,” nor does it vest the president’s spouse with any formal powers or authority over other elected officials. This is not a modern controversy: constitutional scholars and commentators have repeatedly observed that the First Lady’s role is informal, customary and without statutory backing. The absence of a constitutional or legal remit does not, of course, prevent a president’s spouse from being influential in politics or public life; but it does make any exercise of coercive or corrective authority by the First Lady a matter of norms and courtesy rather than law.
Third, protocol and power. Even if one accepts that the First Lady is a high-ranking dignitary at ceremonial events, precedent and common sense suggest limits. Protocol in formal gatherings (especially those involving state hosts such as a governor) ordinarily recognises the primacy of the convenor. The judge of whether a speech has exceeded its welcome is usually the event chair or organiser, not a visiting dignitary. When a non-elected figure publicly threatens to silence an elected governor, the action is less a correction of decorum and more an assertion of personal muscle in a public setting. That is politically corrosive: it tells citizens that proximity to the presidency can substitute for protocol, and that democratic furniture can be rearranged on the spot by social clout.
Fourth, the politics of perception. The incident has divided public opinion along familiar lines. Critics see an overreach and quite a disrespectful interruption of a governor who, by virtue of election, answers to the people of his state. Defenders argue that the host or the event had reasons to control time and maintain decorum and that the First Lady merely spoke up because the programme demanded it. This is disingenuous: style and substance matter in politics. An elected governor, even when exuberant, embodies a democratic mandate. A president’s spouse, however prominent, does not. Blurring these distinctions feeds cynicism about who actually governs and who merely commands attention.
Fifth, what the law and scholarship tell us. Authors who have studied the First Lady’s place in Nigerian governance highlight a paradox: enormous informal influence, and almost no formal accountability. Legal scholars have proposed formalising the role or else strictly policing the boundaries between ceremonial visibility and executive power but not to diminish the social contributions of presidential spouses but to ensure that democratic roles are transparent and accountable. As one academic review of the subject notes, the position is “not elective, carries no statutory duties and no salary,” yet across successive administrations it has acquired de-facto powers and institutional trappings that raise questions of legitimacy and oversight.
Where does this leave us? There are three practical takeaways:
Reinforce protocol and organisers’ authority. High-profile events must have clear, enforced lines of protocol. If time-keeping is essential, the MC, the event chair or the hosting governor should be empowered to enforce it — not a visiting dignitary who, however well-intentioned, is not the arbiter of the agenda.
Clarify norms surrounding the “First Lady” role. Nigerians should decide whether they want the First Lady to remain a moral and charitable presence without public-office prerogatives, or to formalise her responsibilities — with the attendant duties and accountabilities. Scholars have long argued for one of these two approaches: either integrate the role into constitutional and administrative frameworks, or deliberately strip it of state-like powers. Ambiguity is the enemy of good governance.
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Respect electoral mandates. The republican idea is that voters elect officeholders who then exercise authority in accordance with law and procedure. Allowing personality, proximity or social clout to displace that principle will hollow out democratic norms over time. Public actors, whether elected or ceremonial, must model deference to institutional roles if they expect citizens to take democracy seriously.
Finally, this episode is less about one hot-headed minute and more about the set of habits and assumptions that minute reveals. The optics of democracy depend on limits: limits on the use of force, limits on the exercise of personal will, and limits on who may displace elected authority. When those limits are eroded — when a microphone becomes a tool of command rather than a tool of speech — the damage is done gradually, in increments that many will shrug off until it is too late to reclaim them.
Senator Oluremi Tinubu’s intervention at Ile-Ife will be remembered as a moment — a small drama in the theatre of Nigerian public life. But drama, in a country still consolidating democratic norms, has outsized consequences. We can treat the incident as an amusing viral clip, or we can treat it as a teachable moment: one that calls for clearer protocols, firmer respect for institutional roles, and a public conversation about what power (visible and invisible) should be allowed to do on our stages. If the latter is chosen, Nigeria’s public life will be the better for it.
George Omagbemi Sylvester is a political commentator and columnist. This piece is published by saharaweeklyng.com
celebrity radar - gossips
Kingdom Advancement: God Does Not Confirm Lies or Gossip — He Confirms His Word .” — Dr. Chris Okafor
Kingdom Advancement: God Does Not Confirm Lies or Gossip—He Confirms His Word
“When Doing Business with God,
People’s Opinions Do Not Count.”
— Dr. Christian Okafor
The greatest investment any Christian can make is partnering with God. According to the Generational Prophet of God and Senior Pastor of Grace Nation Global, Christopher Okafor, when a believer commits to serving and advancing God’s kingdom, no barrier, lie, gossip, or blackmail can prevail against them.
This message was delivered during the Prophetic Financial Sunday Service held on February 15, 2026, at the international headquarters of Grace Nation Worldwide in Ojodu Berger, Lagos, Nigeria.
Doing Business with God
Teaching on the theme “Kingdom Advancement” with the subtitle “Doing Business with God,” Dr. Okafor emphasized that when a believer enters into covenant partnership with God, divine backing becomes inevitable.
“God is still in the business of covenant,” he declared. “When you make a covenant with Him, He honors the terms. When you win souls into the kingdom and remain committed to His work, He rewards you with what you could never achieve by your own strength.”
The Man of God stressed that God does not confirm lies, gossip, or negative narratives—He confirms His Word. Therefore, anyone genuinely committed to kingdom business should not be distracted by public opinion.
“No matter the blackmail or falsehood circulating around you, if you are focused on God’s assignment, those attacks will only strengthen you,” he stated.
He further noted that a believer’s understanding of God’s covenant determines their experience. “Your mentality about God’s covenant becomes your reality. When you truly know the God you serve, no devil can move you.”
Biblical Examples of Kingdom Partnership
Dr. Okafor cited several biblical figures who prospered through their partnership with God:
Abel
Abel served God with sincerity and offered his very best. His sacrifice pleased God, demonstrating that when a master is honored, he responds with favor.
David
David’s heart was fully devoted to God, and in return, God’s presence and favor rested upon him throughout his life.
Hannah
Hannah made a covenant with God, promising that if He blessed her with a child, she would dedicate him to His service. After fulfilling her vow, God rewarded her abundantly, blessing her with additional children.
Peter
Peter, a professional fisherman, surrendered his boat at Jesus’ request for kingdom work. Through that act of partnership and obedience, he experienced supernatural provision and divine elevation.
Conclusion
In closing, Dr. Okafor emphasized that one’s approach to God’s covenant determines the level of success and prosperity experienced. Commitment to kingdom advancement secures divine confirmation and supernatural results.
The Prophetic Financial Sunday Service was marked by prophetic declarations, deliverance, healings, miracles, restoration, and solutions to diverse cases presented before Elohim.
At 55, Omoyele Sowore Remains a Defiant Voice of Conscience
By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by SaharaWeeklyNG
“SaharaWeeklyNG Management and Staff Salute a Relentless Campaigner for Justice and Democratic Accountability.”
As activist, journalist and politician Omoyele Sowore marks his 55th birthday, the management and staff of SaharaWeeklyNG join millions of Nigerians at home and in the diaspora to celebrate a man widely regarded as one of the most persistent and fearless voices for democratic accountability in modern Nigeria.
Born on February 16, 1971, in Ondo State, Sowore rose from student activism at the University of Lagos to become one of the country’s most recognisable pro-democracy figures. His early involvement in the student movement during the military era of the 1990s placed him at the forefront of protests against dictatorship and repression, a role that would shape the course of his life and career.
He later founded Sahara Reporters in 2006, an online investigative platform that quickly gained prominence for exposing corruption, abuse of power and human rights violations. Operating initially from the United States, the outlet became a symbol of citizen journalism and digital activism, publishing stories often ignored or suppressed by mainstream media. Over the years, the platform has reported on high-level corruption cases, electoral malpractices and security failures, earning both praise and fierce criticism from political authorities.
Sowore’s activism took a dramatic turn in 2019 when he contested Nigeria’s presidential election under the African Action Congress (AAC). Although he did not win, the campaign amplified his calls for systemic reform. Months later, he launched the #RevolutionNow movement, a nationwide protest demanding an end to corruption, economic hardship and insecurity.
In August 2019, he was arrested by Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS) on charges of treasonable felony. His detention, which lasted several months despite court orders for his release, sparked international condemnation from human rights groups, civil society organisations and foreign observers. The case turned him into a global symbol of resistance against state repression.
Over the years, Sowore has faced multiple arrests, court trials and travel restrictions. Yet he has remained resolute, insisting that his activism is rooted in the constitutional right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. Supporters describe him as a principled crusader against injustice, while critics accuse him of political extremism. Regardless of the perspective, his impact on Nigeria’s political discourse is undeniable.
His life’s work echoes the enduring words of Nelson Mandela, who once said, “Freedom is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” For many of Sowore’s followers, his sacrifices represent precisely that spirit, an unyielding struggle for a more accountable and equitable society.
Similarly, the philosophy of Martin Luther King Jr. (that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”) resonates deeply with the trajectory of Sowore’s activism. Whether confronting police brutality, electoral irregularities or economic injustice, he has consistently framed his struggle as one for the collective dignity of Nigerians.
Nigerian Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka once observed that “the man dies in all who keep silent in the face of tyranny.” That sentiment captures the essence of Sowore’s public life. For over three decades, he has refused silence, even when it meant imprisonment, harassment and personal sacrifice.
At 55, Sowore’s journey is far from over. He remains active in political advocacy, civil rights campaigns and public commentary, continuing to challenge what he describes as systemic failures in governance and leadership. His career reflects both the promise and the peril of dissent in a fragile democracy; where the line between patriotism and confrontation is often fiercely contested.
On this milestone birthday, SaharaWeeklyNG management and staff recognise Sowore not merely as an individual, but as a symbol of the enduring struggle for transparency, justice, and democratic renewal. His story is one of conviction under pressure, a reminder that the quest for a better society often demands courage, resilience and a willingness to stand alone.
As Nigeria navigates its complex political and economic realities, figures like Sowore continue to shape the national conversation. Whether praised or criticised, his voice remains a constant in the country’s democratic journey; loud, uncompromising and impossible to ignore.
Banwo Accuses Alex Otti Administration of Governance by Propaganda
Public commentator and lawyer Dr. Ope Banwo has criticised the Abia State Government under Governor Alex Otti, accusing the administration of running what he described as a “propaganda-driven government” built on exaggerated claims and selective messaging rather than measurable governance outcomes.
In a detailed commentary, Banwo argued that while Abia State has recorded some progress in specific sectors, the government’s media machinery has inflated limited achievements into what he called “statewide miracles,” creating a disconnect between online narratives and lived realities.
Banwo, who said he initially viewed Governor Otti as a symbol of hope following the 2023 elections, noted that his concerns emerged after engaging residents and professionals living in Abia to verify widely circulated claims about infrastructure, power supply, healthcare, and transportation.
Central to Banwo’s critique is the portrayal of Abia as a state with uninterrupted electricity. He acknowledged the existence of the Aba ring-fenced power arrangement involving Aba Power and Geometric Power but argued that the arrangement has been misrepresented as statewide energy independence.
According to him, extending the Aba power project to represent the entire state amounts to misinformation, especially given acknowledged outages and the limited geographical coverage of the scheme.
He further questioned claims that Abia was the first state to assume intrastate electricity regulation, stating that other states, including Lagos State, had taken similar steps earlier.
Banwo also raised concerns over viral claims suggesting that biogas facilities are already powering Abia communities, arguing that pilot projects have been prematurely presented as fully operational infrastructure.
He noted that residents he spoke with were largely unaware of any functional biogas-powered communities, stressing that government announcements should be backed by publicly available data on scale, output, and sustainability.
On healthcare, the founder of Naija Lives Matters (NLM) questioned reports that Abia offers free medical care to all citizens above 60 years of age for life, describing the claim as unverified and unsupported by legislation, budgetary provisions, or formal policy documents.
Similarly, he criticised claims suggesting that electric vehicles operate widely across the state and that all roads have been tarred, describing such assertions as exaggerated and misleading.
The self-acclaimed Mayor of Fadeyi argued that the core issue is not the absence of development but what he described as a governance style driven by social media optics rather than transparent performance metrics.
He warned that excessive reliance on viral content, influencers, and unverified claims risks eroding public trust and undermining accountability, noting that effective governance requires data, timelines, and measurable outcomes.
“A serious government does not need to exaggerate results,” Banwo said, adding that citizens require reliable services, not slogans.
He also advised the Abia government to avoid constant comparisons with states like Lagos and its governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, urging the administration to focus instead on publishing verifiable performance records.
Banwo challenged the Otti administration to release clear documentation supporting its claims, including power coverage maps, healthcare policy instruments, infrastructure project lists, and implementation timelines.
He concluded that while Abia State has not “collapsed,” the growing gap between online narratives and on-ground realities could become more damaging than infrastructural deficits if left unaddressed.
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