Popular Nollywood actor, Oyebamiji Tolani Quadri popularly known as ‘Sisi Quadri’ has reportedly passes on, Newspremises reports.

The sad news was made known by his colleague, Tunde Olayusuf, who via his Instagram page, shared a photo of him as he announced the sad news. He noted how everything in the world is according to the will of Allah and as we come from Him, so shall we return to Him. He prayed for God to rest his soul.

“Everything in the world is according to the will of Allah, from Allah we have come and unto him we shall all return. May God rest your soul”.

It was learned that the actor died of kidney-related issues. The revelation was made known by blogger, Seun Oloketuyi via his Instagram page.

“Developing story @iamsisiquadri was said to have died of kidney-related issues”.

The likes of Muyiwa Ademola, Folorunsho Adeola, Bukola Adeeyo, Oba K Solo, Mercy Ebosele, Jigan Babaoja, Biola Bayo, Saidi Balogun, Olayinka Solomon, Mr Latin, Fausat Balogun and more have taken to their Instagram pages to mourn him.

His death is coming a year after the Yoruba actor lost his beloved mother. The comic actor announced the sad news on his Instagram page on February 22nd.

Though not disclosing the cause of her death, Sisi Quadri was seen weeping uncontrollably as the family surrounded him. The Yoruba actor, who couldn’t believe his beloved mother was dead, was lamenting to the sympathizers.

Following her death, his mother was buried quickly by Islamic rites, and in his farewell note to her, a heartbroken Sisi Quadri promised to keep her in his heart.

London, United Kingdom – In his visionary move to position Osun State as Nigeria’s choice investment destination, His Excellency (H.E.) Governor Ademola Adeleke embarked on an official working visit to the United Kingdom from February 26–29, 2024. The mission was to showcase and amplify Osun’s potential and anchor a new economic culture for sustainable growth, development, and innovation.

Osun, with its rich history, diverse cultures, mineral resources, and abundant agro-commodities, is a significant part of Nigeria’s economic landscape. The Governor’s commitment to upholding Osun’s dominance as an epicentre of entrepreneurial exploits reflects resilience and potential for driving the attainment of critical Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

More importantly, Osun State has a dynamic population of around 5 million and Governor Adeleke is working doggedly to transform and regenerate its depth of ingenuities from a purely civil service state to thriving entrepreneurship hubs while building an economic dynamic with competitive global impacts.

Significantly, with projections that Nigeria will be the third-most-populous country by 2050, Osun State and Nigeria’s demography, by extension, will play a pivotal role in shaping the right path for Africa’s future and global economic competitiveness.

His Excellency, Governor Adeleke’s strategic transformational economic plan is to get investors to Osun to unleash the state’s untapped potential in different sectors. Governor Adeleke aims to establish strong trade relationships with UK businesses in various sectors, including solid minerals, sustainable energy, creative enterprises, agribusiness, tourism, and a technology-driven digital space. The official working visit seeks to align Osun with the UK’s global trade strategy, fostering inward investment, outward exportation, and modern agricultural innovation, and create interest in Osun’s upcoming investment summit, which will happen later in 2024.

Mission Objectives and Strategic Meeting Plans of the working visit include promoting Osun as the choice investment destination, aligning with the UK’s trade plan, exploring legislative frameworks, and strengthening the state’s creative economy. The governor met with Rt. Hon. Lord JD Waverley who is a distinguished member of the House of Lords, and Rt. Hon. Jonathan Marland, the Chairman of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC) and was able to kickstart the conversation to bolster trade and investment relationships and leverage global platforms for Osun’s economic advancement.

Governor Adeleke also delivered a powerful speech at the launch of Gureje IV Luxury chocolates. This is a byproduct of the cocoa grown in Eti Otin in Osun State. As the Special Guest of Honour at the Promoting Cocoa Renaissance Initiative, the governor shared his plans to transform Osun into the powerhouse of cocoa value chain production and be a leader in the production and export of diverse derivatives of cocoa. He invited investors in the audience to come to Osun and guaranteed them an enabling environment for their businesses to blossom.

With this visit, Osun and the UK seek to foster strategic cooperation by exchanging of cutting-edge technologies, innovative trade ideas, and partnership opportunities. In addition, these collaborations will not only strengthen the UK-Osun relationship but also create jobs, support local businesses, and contribute to the growth of key sectors, which will contribute to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)’s by 2030.

Governor Adeleke’s official working visit definitely unlocked numerous opportunities for Osun State to benefit from the United Kingdom’s Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS), and this is expected to reposition Osun to export goods duty-free, furthering economic growth and collaboration between Nigeria and the UK.

Governor Adeleke is a visionary leader who is committed to transforming Osun into a major player in global economic growth and innovation, and he recognizes the UK, like any other country, as a crucial partner in this transformative path.

Signed

Omishore is the Special Adviser on Sustainable Development Goals and Multilateral Relations to Governor Adeleke and a cabinet member of Osun State Executive Council

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday reiterated his administration’s efforts in tackling smuggling and corruption that have bedevilled the nation.

Tinubu, who spoke at the the commissioning of the Lagos Red Line Train on Thursday, said there is no going back on the economic policies of his government.

Last week, Vice President Kashim Shettima said the Federal Government uncovered 32 routes through which food items are smuggled out of Nigeria.

“I agree smugglers will fight back, corruption will fight back,” Tinubu said while addressing the menacing situation ubiquitous at the country’s borders. “We will fight them to ruins. Corruption will go away, (we will) save the money for you to educate our children, to pay for the healthcare system of our people, to pay for the modern transportation system that works for highest number of people, not those few smugglers,” Tinubu said.

‘No Going Back On Reforms’
During his swearing in last May, the President ended subsidy on petrol, a situation that has led to soaring cost of living that necessitated protests in several parts of the country.

However, the President, on Thursday, assured Nigerians that despite the economic situation in the country at the moment, he will fulfill his campaign promises to the people.

“We said we can do it, you believed in us. We said the people’s lives will end up being better, you believed in us. I could hear a lot of voices right now, I asked for this job, I cannot complain, it’s all about democracy.

“But this revolution that has started, this reform that is ongoing, we are not looking back. The engineering, the construction, the affirmation of our pledge to be loyal to our country. There is one thing I know is that there is a very bright light at the end of the tunnel,” he stated.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has arrived in Doha, Qatar, ahead of his official state visit to the country

The Minister of Transport, Sa’id Alkali, has urged other states to emulate Lagos, saying the success of its Red Line Rail project exemplified collaboration between the federal and state governments.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Alkali said collaborative efforts between the federal and state governments enhanced the well-being of the nation and its economy.

At the official commissioning of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit Red Line on Thursday by President Bola Tinubu, the minister also pledged the support of the ministry to the Lagos State government.

He added that the ministry would work together with some state governors to achieve railway connection to enable choice of transportation for passengers, urging the governors to emulate Lagos.

The minister said, “I assure you that the Federal Ministry of Transportation is committed to providing support and expertise to consolidate this laudable achievement.

“Today’s inauguration is a singular promise in achieving this milestone in our administration. This will lead to high connectivity, improve livelihood, boost trade and improve visibility.

“The Federal Ministry of Transportation will support the realisation of the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President,” he said.

The minister said, “I assure you that the Federal Ministry of Transportation is committed to providing support and expertise to consolidate this laudable achievement.

“Today’s inauguration is a singular promise in achieving this milestone in our administration. This will lead to high connectivity, improve livelihood, boost trade and improve visibility.

“The Federal Ministry of Transportation will support the realisation of the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President,” he said.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, on Thursday, assured Nigerians that the narrative on the current hardships would be different within the next one year.

Idris spoke at the 50th anniversary lecture of PUNCH Nigeria Limited held at the Civic Centre, Ozumba Mbadiwe Road, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The minister, who represented President Bola Tinubu at the lecture by the Nobel laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, assured Nigerians that Tinubu would deliver on his campaign promises while appealing for patience.

“Of course, the challenges are going to be there; no one is pretending that they do not exist, but we see a situation where the story would be quite different in another one year.”

The information minister urged Nigerians to take a cue from Soyinka, who said he usually waited a year before assessing a new government in power.

“Maybe go back to what Professor Wole Soyinka said when he visited President Bola Tinubu, I listened to the journalist who was asking him to comment on the current administration and what he said, ‘even in my character, I wouldn’t talk until whoever is in office stays for at least one year.’”

Speaking on the efforts being made by the government to take the country out of the woods, the minister said, “Only a few days ago, we invited captains of industries, Dangote, the BUA, the Elumelu, and ministers, among others, and we all locked ourselves in a room for about three and a half hours discussing how Nigeria is going to get better, and everyone in that room, from the private sector, from the central governments and the sub-nationals, believe that this country is going to get better.

“So, I urge you to see this in line with what Professor Wole Soyinka has said, around what time? Of course, you can criticise, you can offer suggestions, but the country has to exist. Let us, please talk about all those good things happening; it’s not bad stories all the time.”

While stressing that economic challenges were not peculiar to Nigeria, the minister referenced the case of the United Kingdom, which recently slipped into a recession.

Idris said, “Nigeria is going through hard times, as we see, but this is not new and peculiar to this country. All the issues we are discussing now are issues that are also being discussed around the world.

“Only a few weeks ago, we heard that the United Kingdom had gone into recession. I am glad that it did not happen here. Otherwise, the story would be ‘Oh, Nigeria is in recession’ as if it is going to be the end of the world for the country.”

According to him, the incumbent administration started work on the first day in office, adding that the government believed that all the challenges plaguing the nation were for the country’s good.

He said, “The government of President Ahmed Tinubu, as you know, took bold steps from inception, the first one being that upon the resumption of office on day one, the President took away fuel subsidy; second, he also brought clarification to the foreign exchange regime. Now, these suggest that two major issues have been eating deep into the economy. As someone put it, the economy was a dead horse by the time the President came in, so whether the subsidy was removed or not, it would be very challenging. The President took it very boldly, ensuring that this subsidy goes away for the benefit of all, and he was prepared from day one that it was not going to be an easy thing.

“Of course, 10 months down the road, we are seeing the effects of some of these hard decisions, but I can tell you, the good story is that the government is taking bold, proactive decisions to ensure that Nigeria’s economy returns. Let me say this: The government believes that all these things are happening for the good of the country, and the economy is going to be good again.”

Recounting what the present administration had done so far, the minister urged the citizenry to focus on the positives.

“The National Bureau of Statistics recently said for the first time in a very long time that capital imports are improving by about 66 per cent. If we want to continue this movement, fuel subsidy had to go. One reason is that our consumption has decreased by over a billion litres; domestic refining capacity has increased.

“The insecurity inherited by the government; my house is in Kaduna and I drive frequently between Kaduna and Abuja. Months back, it was difficult for you to ply that road; it is either you are on a train, which is very challenging, as you know, going by some of the things that have happened, but now you can leave Abuja and go to Kaduna by 9 pm, and you can guarantee that you would get there.

“The Governor of Borno State has acknowledged that the insecurity that is there in terms of Boko Haram and banditry, among others, has been almost pushed to the back. We are not saying that insecurity has completely disappeared, but it has improved significantly in these 10 months.

“All the kidnappers that were around Abuja, making Abuja a little bit difficult, are either not with us anymore or are with the security agencies. So, these challenges will continue to be there, but the most important thing is that the government is being proactive and taking the right steps towards ensuring that all these challenges go away.”

Idris further disclosed that the petroleum sector should expect a major policy shift that would enhance the operations of the sector, adding that almost all the demands of the Nigeria Labour Congress had also been met.

“I want to tell you that very soon, you will hear a major policy shift within the petroleum industry that will enhance operations and increase investments in that sector.

“Also, the Nigerian Labour Congress has complained about the hardship in the land, which may be true, but we are happy that 24 hours after now, they also found it necessary to take action. Most of the 15-point demands that labour made in October of last year have been met; those still pending cannot easily be met. For example, in that agreement, there was the issue of the CNG buses that the government has committed over N100bn to.

“Of course, we know we cannot just buy CNG buses, processes are in place. The President said there would be a wage award of N25,000, and at the same time, labour complained, and the government said we should listen to them. He brought them in, and they had a thorough conversation. They agreed they needed nothing less than N35,000, which the president approved after doing the numbers.

“Two days ago, there was also a resumption of the suspended N25,000 monthly payment for three months that the government approved for 15 million households in this country.”

Discussing the ministerial panel established by the President, the minister mentioned that the panel had completed its work.

The information minister implored the media ‘to please report us well.’

“This is our country; we do not have any other country. If we run down businesses, and there is no other place for all of us to go to,” he added.