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Reunion: Former Lagos Governors Reunite After Four Years
The internal conflicts within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State appear to have come to an end, as Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu made a rare public appearance alongside two of his predecessors at a recent event.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, and former Governor Babatunde Fashola came together at a reception held in honor of President Bola Tinubu.
The event took place on Thursday at the Lagos House, located in the Marina area of the state.
Gboyega Akosile, the spokesperson for Governor Sanwo-Olu, took to Twitter to share this noteworthy occurrence, emphasizing that it marked the first meeting of these three prominent figures in over four years.
It is worth noting that since the restoration of democracy in Nigeria in 1999, Akinwunmi Ambode is the sole former governor of Lagos State who served a single term in office.
Following this, Bola Tinubu held the governorship position from 1999 to 2007, after which he handed over the reins to Babatunde Fashola.
Fashola, in turn, governed the state from 2007 to 2015, before assuming the role of Nigeria’s Minister of Works and Housing from 2015 until 2023.
After assuming office in 2015, Akinwunmi Ambode faced a setback during the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary in the 2019 elections.
Intra-party disagreements and reported preferences from party leader Bola Tinubu resulted in Ambode losing his re-election bid. Following the end of his single term in 2019, Ambode has been noticeably absent from political and social gatherings alongside his predecessors, Bola Tinubu and Babatunde Fashola.
Moreover, he has not made appearances at events alongside the current governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Despite his infrequent appearances, Akinwunmi Ambode was captured at some APC national-level events, such as in May 2021 when he was appointed as the deputy chairman of the South-West sub-committee of the Contact and Strategy Committee within the ruling party.
Speculation arose suggesting that Ambode might vie for the party’s governorship ticket against Babajide Sanwo-Olu in the primary elections scheduled for May 2022.
However, it was Ambode’s associate, Wale Oluwo, who ultimately contested but was defeated by Sanwo-Olu in the primary elections.
Also, In contrast to the public endorsements of Bola Tinubu’s presidential ambition by Fashola and Sanwo-Olu, Akinwunmi Ambode did not publicly express his support for Tinubu’s aspirations in the 2023 presidential race.
Ambode also refrained from making any comments regarding Tinubu’s victory in the polls.
However, signs of a potential reconciliation emerged when Babajide Sanwo-Olu attended Ambode’s 60th birthday celebration, held in Lagos on June 14, 2023.
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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.’