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Okupe Remains Obi’s Campaign DG – LP Secretary
The National Secretary of Labour Party, Umar Farouk, on Friday threw his weight behind the embattled Director General of Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Council, Doyin Okupe, describing his sacking as ‘null and void.’
Okupe and 10 members of the party were removed by the leadership of the Ogun State Chapter of LP over alleged “non-financial membership status, political rascality, and misappropriation of funds.”
The affected members were deputy State Chairman II East, Jagun Lookman; State Women Leader, Oluwabukola Soyoye; ex-state Treasurer, Gbadebo Fesomade; State Publicity Secretary, Jide Amusan; State Youth Leader, Abdulmalik Olaleye; Assistant State Youth Leader, Adeshina Shojobi; Senatorial Women Leader Ogun East, Deborah Adewale; Assistant State Secretary, Olatunde Abolade; Abel Olaleye; and Abayomi Collins.
Their dismissal was miffed with accusation and counter-accusation by the party’s hierarchy, as the National Chairman of the party, Julius Abure, labeled Obi’s DG sacking as ‘fake news’.
Abure claimed that the state executives had no locus standi to remove him.
But the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Abayomi Arabambi, was indifferent, challenging people who were unsatisfied with Okupe’s sack to seek redress in court.
Rising from an emergency meeting of the National Working Committee on Friday, Farouk told newsmen that Okupe’s removal had been nullified.
While assuring that a committee has been set up to investigate and bring the respective exco members behind his expulsion to book, the LP national secretary stated that the former special assistant to Dr Goodluck Jonathan remains a card-carrying member of the party and the PCC.
He stated, “The Ogun state chapter has acted outside its constitutional Jurisdiction. The party has internal conflict resolution mechanism for handling cases against party members as enshrined in the party’s Constitution.
“Therefore, the suspension of Dr. Doyin Okupe from the party by the Ogun state chapter is null and void. He still remains a card-carrying member of the Labour Party and the DG of the PCC.
“The Party is solidly united behind its leaders and the leadership of the PCC. We are also not unaware of the attempts by our opposition in some political parties to infiltrate the party’s structure at all levels since it has become obvious the chances of the Labour party’s candidates emerging victorious in the upcoming general elections are becoming brighter every day.
“The party leadership will do everything within its powers. to ensure that our cohesion is not tempered with and will not be distracted by the antics of the opposition as our candidates are already cruising to victory.”
Farouk also bemoaned “the recent attacks on our party supporters, members, and candidates in some states, particularly in Edo, Ebonyi and Kaduna States, where one of our Local Government Women leaders was gruesomely murdered.”
“We call on the oppositions, particularly the state governors to restrain their thugs as well as the security agencies to be more vigilant and carry out their constitutional responsibility in protecting lives and properties of the citizens,” he stated.
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Music Icon Quincy Jones Passes Away At 91
Quincy Jones, the legendary music producer, composer, and cultural icon whose career spanned over seven decades, has passed away at the age of 91.
Jones died peacefully on Sunday night at his Bel Air home, surrounded by family, according to his publicist, Arnold Robinson.
“Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones’ passing,” his family said in a statement. “And although this is an incredible loss for our family, we celebrate the great life that he lived and know there will never be another like him.”
Renowned for his unmatched versatility, Jones collaborated with some of the greatest musical talents of the 20th and 21st centuries, including Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, and Will Smith. He played an integral role in producing Jackson’s groundbreaking albums Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad, which catapulted the pop star to global superstardom and earned Jones worldwide acclaim.
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Born in Chicago in 1933, Jones’ journey into music began early. His childhood introduction came from a neighbor’s piano playing and his mother’s singing. After moving to Washington state following his parents’ divorce, he honed his skills in his high school band and began playing with a young Ray Charles in Seattle’s vibrant club scene.
Jones’ career took off in New York, where he played trumpet in Elvis Presley’s early TV performances and worked with bebop legends like Charlie Parker and Miles Davis. By 1958, he was working with Frank Sinatra, arranging for the singer’s band at the request of Princess Grace Kelly. Their partnership flourished, spanning several projects including Sinatra’s final album LA Is My Lady in 1984.
Throughout the 1960s and 70s, Jones’ talents extended into film and television scores, composing music for films such as The Italian Job, In the Heat of the Night, and the acclaimed The Color Purple, for which he earned three Oscar nominations. He also scored hit TV shows including The Bill Cosby Show and Roots.
In 1985, Jones produced and co-conducted the charity anthem “We Are the World” alongside Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, raising millions for Ethiopian famine relief. Despite personal and professional challenges—including surviving a near-fatal brain aneurysm in 1974—Jones’s career continued to thrive.
Jones’ influence wasn’t limited to music. In 1990, he founded Quincy Jones Entertainment, the company behind the popular sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which launched the career of Will Smith. His media ventures also included the creation of Qwest TV, an on-demand music streaming service, and the magazine Vibe, which celebrated Black music and culture.
Over his career, Jones earned 80 Grammy nominations, winning 28—making him one of the most decorated artists in the award’s history. Tributes poured in following news of his death. Actor Michael Caine, who shared Jones’ birthdate, called him “a wonderful and unique human being.” Music artists such as LL Cool J expressed gratitude, saying, “You were a father and example at a time when I truly needed one. Music would not be music without you.”
Jones is survived by his seven children, leaving behind an indelible legacy that will resonate through generations to come. His life’s work transformed music, television, and culture, proving that there truly was no limit to what Quincy Jones could accomplish.
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Prayers Won’t Build Roads, Fund Children’s Education – Jesse Jagz To Nigerians
Singer and rapper Jesse Jagz has called on Nigerians to rethink their approach to religion.
Jagz suggested that African traditional religious gods have become ineffective, attributing this to the excessive alcohol given to them during rituals, which, according to him, has made them obese, diabetic, and unable to aid their worshipers.
Speaking on the ‘Big Talk’ podcast, the rapper also criticized followers of foreign religions for relying solely on prayer and expecting miracles without putting in the necessary effort. He stressed that prayers alone cannot provide essential social services or infrastructure.
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“When you go to a shrine and you see the priest pouring gin on the gods, Google how much a bottle of gin was in slavery. 40 slaves.
“Our gods are drunk on alcohol and meat. They are obese and diabetic.
“They can’t help us do anything. Prayers do not build roads or buy books for children. We have forgotten humanity,” he said.
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Presidents Invite Me To Dinner Wherever I Go – Davido Boasts
Renowned Nigerian singer, David Adeleke, known by his stage name Davido, has stated that he receives special treatment globally due to his celebrity status.
The Afrobeats sensation mentioned that he is frequently invited to presidential dinners in nearly every country he visits, with the exception of the United States and the United Kingdom.
In a recent interview with Kiss Fresh London, Davido confidently shared that his fanbase includes influential figures such as the World Bank president, presidents of powerful nations, and other notable personalities.
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“Every country we go to, the President invites us for dinner except London [United Kingdom] and the United States of America.
“It’s beautiful to see. I mean, leaving my country, Nigeria, and people welcoming me like the president in other countries, shows how well Nigeria is doing around the world in terms of music and cultural impacts,” he said.
Davido has expressed that he feels most respected in Africa, which is why he cherishes his African tours more than those in Europe and America, even though the latter bring him greater financial rewards.
He shared that his Jamaican collaborator, YG Marley, was astonished by the immense admiration from fans when he visited Nigeria for the video shoot of their joint hit, ‘Awuke.’