news
Papa Fred Agbeyegbe at 90 — A Vanguard of Stage, Law and Activism By Prince Adeyemi Aseperi-Shonibare
Fred Omadeli Agbeyegbe, the distinguished playwright, lawyer, publisher, and cultural figure, turns 90 on July 22. A man of vision and intellect, he has spent decades using the stage not for entertainment alone, but as a tool for social inquiry, political critique, and cultural preservation. He is one of Nigeria’s most fearless and creative minds—an artist who gave meaning to theatre as conscience.
Legacy of the 1980s: Plays That Reshaped the National Stage
In the 1980s, Fred Agbeyegbe stood at the centre of Nigeria’s theatrical revival. His four major plays—The King Must Dance Naked, Woe Unto Death, The Last Omen, and Budiso—directed by the late Jide Ogungbade and performed at the National Theatre, Iganmu, stirred the soul of the nation.
The King Must Dance Naked is one of the most influential Nigerian plays of the post-independence era. In it, Queen Odosun challenges the custom of child sacrifice, proclaiming, “No woman who has endured labour would give her child up for sacrifice.” The line cuts deep into patriarchal tradition and raises questions about the cost of blind obedience to culture.
Budiso, a politically charged satire, mocked authoritarian rule and military excesses. The play coined the memorable and enduring question: “Is the law an ass?” Agbeyegbe’s writing confronted injustice head-on and offered the audience a mirror through which to reflect on their reality.
These works were more than drama. They were public interventions, presented through rhythm, ritual, irony, and ancestral language. They embodied the spirit of Ajofest and Ajo Productions—platforms Agbeyegbe created to preserve and promote indigenous storytelling and socially relevant theatre.
Voices of Praise
Fred Agbeyegbe’s influence spans generations. Theatre critic and cultural advocate Ben Tomoloju once said, “He wove artistry into idea and idea into artistry.” Professor G. G. Darah described him as “a revolutionary democrat and activist… an ideological rebel.” Over the years, his plays have received critical and academic attention, and his ideas have shaped conversations within and beyond Nigeria’s theatre circles.
Revivals and Enduring Impact
Agbeyegbe’s plays have not only endured—they have grown in relevance. New generations of actors and directors continue to bring his work to life. Recent revivals of The King Must Dance Naked featured notable performers including Joke Silva, Gloria Young, Taiwo Ajayi-Lycett, Toyin Oshinaike, Zara Udofia-Ejoh, and Edmond Enaibe.
Public figures such as Babatunde Fashola, Minister Hannatu Musawa, and veteran journalist Sam Amuka-Pemu have attended these performances, underscoring the continuing cultural value of Agbeyegbe’s vision. Actress Joke Silva once remarked, “Anybody who has performed in The King Must Dance Naked sees their career take off. It is not the easiest play to perform, but it elevates you.”
Publications and Literary Contributions
Agbeyegbe has written more than thirteen plays and three volumes of poetry. His works include The Will, My Grandfather’s Ghost, Stop and Bullet, Woe Unto Death, The Reincarnation Lovers, Conflict Resolution, and The Tombs of Westminster Abbey. His writing is marked by philosophical clarity, historical depth, and dramatic tension.
In addition to being a dramatist, he is a poet, essayist, and publisher. His literary and intellectual output has shaped conversations in both cultural and academic spaces, reinforcing his role as a builder of thought and dialogue.
A Man of Cultural Depth and Conviction
Born in Warri, Delta State, in 1935, Fred Agbeyegbe identifies deeply with his Itsekiri heritage. “I was an Itsekiri man before I became a Nigerian,” he once said. This sense of rooted identity permeates his work—evident in his use of indigenous names, ancestral motifs, and traditional belief systems.
As a lawyer and publisher, he pursued justice. As a writer and performer, he pursued meaning. As a citizen, he pursued change. His work sits at the intersection of law, theatre, and activism—each reinforcing the other.
Family, Charity, and Mentorship
Away from public life, Fred Agbeyegbe is a devoted family man—deeply loved by his children, grandchildren, relatives, and close friends. He is affectionately known as “Papa Fred,” not only for his wisdom, but for his warmth, humour, and generosity.
He is also known for his quiet philanthropy—supporting young artists, students, and creative projects with little fanfare. His work with Ajofest ‘86 and Ajo Productions helped nurture some of the brightest talents in Nigerian theatre, including Joke Silva, Olu Jacobs, Richard Mofe-Damijo, Anta Laniyan, and Taiwo Ajayi-Lycett. His mentorship and generosity have touched lives across the country and beyond.
A Tribute in Time
At 90, Fred Agbeyegbe stands as a giant in Nigerian cultural history. His words have unsettled power, defended the weak, and given voice to the forgotten. His plays are not only pieces of literature but instruments of reform and awakening.
He is a man of fierce integrity and enduring relevance. His work reminds us that tradition must be questioned, that justice must be pursued, and that theatre must be a space for truth.
Fred Agbeyegbe is not just a playwright. He is a national memory keeper, a conscience for the stage, and a man who turned drama into dialogue.
At 90, he remains a teacher, a mentor, a light.
Barrister Fred Agbeyegbe is our cultural custodian, our truth-teller on stage, our legend—a man who reshaped Nigerian theatre and held high the banner of justice, dignity, and the transformative power of words.
More than ₦3 billion was targeted, but about ₦677 million reached the culprits, with recovery and prosecutions underway, reflecting how banks are responding to more sophisticated fraud risks.
Nigeria’s expanding digital banking sector is facing increasingly sophisticated fraud attempts, as financial institutions adapt to faster transactions and broader online services.
A recent case involving First City Monument Bank (FCMB), linked to fraudulent activity detected in December 2025, has drawn attention to how banks are responding to such incidents, with a focus on limiting exposure, recovering funds and working with law enforcement.
According to findings referenced in proceedings before the Lagos State Special Offences Court, the incident involved unauthorised transactions tied to a digital product. Early reports erroneously suggested more than ₦3 billion was lost. Subsequent clarification shows that over ₦3 billion was targeted, ₦2.4 billion was blocked and recovered, while ₦677 million got into the possession of the culprits. This outcome reflects the bank’s cyber security and monitoring capabilities, as well as improved collaboration among regulated financial institutions and with law enforcement agencies. Several suspects and beneficiaries have been apprehended, while recovery and prosecution efforts are ongoing, led by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Proceedings at the Lagos State Special Offences Court have resulted in convictions, including that of a repeat offender, with restitution orders issued. Related matters are also being handled at the Federal High Court in Lagos, where additional suspects are being tried in connection with the scheme. This process is aimed at ensuring that bad actors are identified and permanently blacklisted from the financial system.
Authorities say recovery efforts are continuing as additional funds are traced.
Analysts note that the pace of legal action reflects closer coordination between financial institutions and enforcement agencies in addressing cyber-related financial crime.
The case comes as banks contend with more complex fraud methods, including social engineering and automated exploitation of system processes.
As digital products and platforms expand, so too does the risk associated with cyber-crime and related fraud.
“The scale of digital banking means risks are evolving alongside the systems,” said a Lagos-based financial analyst. “Institutions are now judged by how they manage these events.”
Observers say the sector is moving toward a stronger focus on response and recovery, rather than prevention alone.
This includes improving monitoring capabilities, strengthening transaction controls and enhancing collaboration with regulators and law enforcement. The FCMB case, with limited exposure relative to the amount targeted and ongoing recovery, reflects that shift.
For customers, the primary concern is the safety of their funds. In this case, there has been no indication of losses affecting customer deposits. Maintaining that level of protection remains central to sustaining trust in the financial system.
Nigeria’s financial sector continues to grow, supported by digital innovation and expanding access to banking services.
However, analysts say fraud attempts are likely to persist as systems become more complex and interconnected.
They say institutions will increasingly be judged not only on their ability to prevent incidents, but on how effectively they respond and recover when they occur.
news
Ex-APC Deputy Guber flag bearer, Joshua MacIver backs Tinubu, express fears over implosion in Bayelsa APC
….congratulates new State Party Chairman, Warman Ogoriba
APC Deputy Governorship Candidate in the 2023 general elections in Bayelsa State, Great Joshua MacIver has declared his total commitment to the re-election of President Bola Tinubu come 2027, declaring that the Tinubu re-election project is non-negotiable.
Great Joshua MacIver, in his statement titled ” BAYELSA APC CONGRESSES: GOING FORWARD, A CALL TO LOOK INWARDS” and made available to newsmen in Yenagoa, warned APC leaders in the state to look Inward and take note of certain factors which may hinder or cut short our victory.
According to Great Joshua MacIver, such noticeable pitfalls include the imbalance in the united front being put up by the State Governor,Senator Douye Diri among various political blocs in the state.
In the statement issued at the weekend. Great Joshua MacIver stated that “First, before His Excellency, Senator Douye Diri, joined the APC in the state, there were clearly two political blocs that made up the party, with the approximate population ratios of the blocs standing at 95% to 5%.”
“After the entrance of His Excellency, Senator Douye Diri, ONLY THE SMALLER BLOC IS BEING CARRIED ALONG IN THE AFFAIRS OF THE PARTY, leaving the greater percentage to their fate, and this situation has the potential to build anger and dissatisfaction in our dear party.”
” The consequence of this has been the high level defection we have witnessed in the party recently and we believe more may likely follow, if we do not put our house in order.”
” If we do not pull together as a party, we may witness a situation where we will lose key stakeholders, especially after the State and National Assembly Primaries as well the Gubernatorial Primaries.”
“Finally, while it is very clear that we are the party to beat in the 2027 elections and that our loyalty to Mr. President IS NON-NEGOTIABLE, we must make haste to say that we cannot afford to create situations or loopholes in our unity which will be exploited by other political interests in the state. We cannot afford to under-rate anyone.”
“Our core interest remains the re-election of Mr. President, a project to which we have committed our all. We also pledge our total loyalty to the party as we have no alternative to the APC. However, our concern is that we must, as a party, look inwards and ensure that we do not create loopholes that can impede our common goal.”
Great Joshua MacIver, however congratulated the newly elected State Executives of the APC in Bayelsà State led by Hon. Warman Ogoriba, saying their emergence is welcomed at this critical time in our national history.
At least 23 people were killed in a series of suspected suicide bombings, police in Nigeria’s northeastern city of Maiduguri said on Tuesday.
https://www.stanbicibtcbank.com/nigeriabank/personal/products-and-services/all-loans/stanbic-ibtc-mreif-home-loans
More than 100 other people were injured in the blasts that took place on Monday evening in the capital of Nigeria’s restive Borno state.
No group has claimed responsibility for the suspected attacks.
The deadly blasts come after a military post was attacked overnight Sunday to Monday, which authorities blamed on suspected Islamist militants.
This sad incident is coming barely two weeks after Primate Elijah Ayodele, the Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church specifically warned against attacks in some states. He mentioned these states while calling on security operatives to pay close attention to them.
These were his words:
“Another attack is coming up in these following states where the military must watch carefully and intelligently; Kano, Kaduna, Zamfara, Kebbi, Niger, Borno, Kwara and Kogi state. They want to do a deadly attack, it’s preventable but it depends on how they will handle it. I have told you about the danger coming up.”
@primateayodele
Unfortunately, some of our military agencies don’t believe spiritual intelligence can save the country from so much danger hence, their neglect of this prophetic warning but now, it has been fulfilled with the miliary losing credibility by the day while Primate Ayodele continues to gain momentum.
Likewise, At least 26 passengers and crew sustained varying degrees of injuries on Monday following an accident involving the Kaduna–Abuja train, according to the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).
Opeifa explained that the train departed Rigasa in Kaduna at 7:15 a.m. and was approaching Asham station around 9:16 a.m. when a loud bang was heard after the power car and trailing locomotive collided with one of the passenger coaches.
In July 2025, Primate Ayodele asked nigerians to pray not to see train mishap on the Kaduna-Abuja route.
@primateayodele #nigeriantiktok🇳🇬 #fulfillment #train #abuja #primateayodele
“Let’s pray not to see train mishap in Abuja-Kaduna, Kaduna-Abuja route.”
This has also been fulfilled.
-
society6 months agoReligion: Africa’s Oldest Weapon of Enslavement and the Forgotten Truth
-
news4 months agoWHO REALLY OWNS MONIEPOINT? The $290 Million Deal That Sold Nigeria’s Top Fintech to Foreign Interests
-
society6 months ago“You Are Never Without Help” – Pastor Gebhardt Berndt Inspires Hope Through Empower Church (Video)
-
celebrity radar - gossips2 months agoDr. Chris Okafor Returns with Power and Fire of the Spirit -Mounts Grace Nation Altar with Fresh Anointing and Restoration Grace on February 1, 2026