Veteran Nollywood actor, Ayobami Olabiyi, has passed away.

Olabiyi, a prominent figure in the Yoruba film industry, reportedly died on Wednesday in Ibadan, Oyo State, after battling an illness.

He had been receiving treatment at the University College Hospital (UCH).

Before his death, it was reported that Olabiyi had lost the ability to move or speak.

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The sad news was confirmed in a statement released late Wednesday by Bose Akinola, the chairman of the Oyo State chapter of the Theatre Arts and Motion Pictures Practitioners Association of Nigeria (TAMPAN).

“We announce the death of our TAMPAN National General Secretary, Chief Alhaji Musadshir Ayobami Olabiyi ‘Bobo B.’

“May God give entire TAMPAN members globally and his family the fortitude to bear the loss,” he said.

In a growing legal controversy, renowned human rights lawyer Femi Falana and his son, rapper Folarin Falana (known as Falz), have issued a stern demand for a public apology from popular crossdresser Idris Okuneye, widely known as Bobrisky.

The demand follows the circulation of audio recordings containing what the Falanas describe as defamatory statements made by Bobrisky.

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The controversy erupted after audios, shared by controversial media personality Martin Otse (alias VeryDarkMan), were posted online.

In the recordings, Bobrisky alleged that he had contacted Falz, asking for his help to persuade his father to secure a presidential pardon.

This pardon, Bobrisky claimed, would cost N10 million.

Further, Bobrisky stated he had asked Falz for N3 million to obtain special treatment at Kirikiri Correctional Centre.

In a separate audio, Bobrisky claimed that he had paid N5 million upfront to a Senior Advocate of Nigeria to help secure the pardon in question, which was linked to charges filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

These claims, however, have been strongly refuted by the Falanas.

In a letter dated October 14, 2024, and signed by their legal representatives, Olorunfemi Akinyemi and Taiwo E. Olawanle, the allegations were dismissed as baseless and damaging to their reputations.

The letter, seen by our correspondent, demanded a full retraction of the statements and a public apology on all platforms where the defamatory content was shared.

The legal team emphasized the seriousness of the allegations, stating that Bobrisky’s remarks had caused significant harm to Falana’s reputation as a respected lawyer and human rights advocate.

The Falanas have vowed to pursue legal action if the apology and retraction are not made promptly.

The letter read, “We are Counsel to Mr. Femi Falana SAN and Mr. Folarin Falana aka Falz (hereinafter referred to as ‘our clients’), on whose behalf we write this letter regarding your slanderous statements against them.

“We have confirmed that you took advantage of your recent imprisonment to extort money from a group of artists and other members of the public.

“You will recall that on 4 May 2024, you called Mr. Folarin Falana, popularly known as Falz, and requested N3,000,000 (Three Million Naira) to secure special treatment at Kirikiri Correctional Centre.

“Although Falz refused your request, you falsely claimed in a video that he told you his father, our client, had agreed to write a letter of pardon for you. You also stated that our client had spoken with you and that N10,000,000 (Ten Million Naira) was required to bribe officials to process your pardon.”

“In another video, you claimed to have paid N5,000,000 (Five Million Naira) upfront to a Senior Advocate of Nigeria to secure a Federal Government pardon over charges filed against you by the EFCC.

“You further alleged that the Senior Advocate initially requested N10,000,000 (Ten Million Naira) for his legal services but, due to your frozen account, you could not raise the full amount.

“In fact, you have published a list of individuals who believed your fabricated story and contributed millions of naira, supposedly to pay our client to write a letter of pardon and bribe public officers on your behalf.

“Your decision to involve our client in your criminal activities was purely a figment of your imagination. Contrary to your baseless claims, you never instructed our client to write a letter of pardon for you.” It added

The Federal Government is set to launch a significant cash transfer program aimed at providing financial assistance to 20 million of the country’s poorest citizens, according to Wale Edun, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy.

Speaking on Nigeria’s financial outlook, Edun disclosed that the revenue for the 2024 fiscal year has seen a significant increase, allowing for a more strategic allocation of funds towards social intervention programs.

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These programs are designed to improve the quality of life for the most disadvantaged Nigerians and address pressing socio-economic challenges.

Edun emphasized that the social investment initiative will directly benefit 60 percent of the nation’s poorest population.

“Right now, 20 million people, or four million households, are receiving direct financial support from the government. This number will rise to 15 million households in the near future,” he said.

The minister attributed the boost in revenue to the government’s focus on domestic resource mobilization.

“By the first half of this year, government revenue had doubled, thanks to the robust application of technology in our processes,” Edun explained. He noted that reforms in the civil service, coupled with stricter oversight of ministries, departments, and agencies, played a critical role in improving revenue collection.

Edun further highlighted that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is committed to ensuring that the benefits of increased revenue, particularly from improved oil production, are channeled towards supporting the most vulnerable Nigerians.

“The government has applied technology to enhance compliance with regulations and ensure that surplus revenues from government agencies are appropriately directed to social investment programs.

“This is how President Tinubu’s government is ensuring that the financial gains are being utilized to make a tangible impact on the lives of Nigerians,” Edun added