IMO BREAKING NEWS BLOG

Nigerian music sensation Ayra Starr has made history by becoming the first woman in 16 years to win the Best African Music Act award at the 2025 MOBO Awards.

The star-studded event, held in Newcastle, also saw her claim the Best International Music Act award, solidifying her status as a global force in music.

Ayra Starr secured the award by surpassing fellow Nigerian nominees Asake, Tems, BNXN & Ruger, Odumodublvck, Rema, Shallipopi, as well as South African artists Tyla and Uncle Waffles.

She also triumphed over international heavyweights such as Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Nicki Minaj, Megan Thee Stallion, GloRilla, and Latto.

With this achievement, Ayra Starr joins Wizkid (2017, 2021) and Burna Boy (2020, 2022) as one of the few Nigerian artists to win the MOBO Best International Act award.

Ayra Starr’s Reaction

Visibly emotional during her acceptance speech, Ayra Starr expressed gratitude to her supporters and team.

“This is my first MOBO, and I can’t believe I’m holding this right now! I’m actually shaking,” she said.

“Thank you so much to everyone who supported me—my amazing MOB-Stars, my studio partners, my label MAVIN Records, and of course, my mum. Thank you, MOBOs!”

Other Major Winners

Other notable winners at the 2025 MOBO Awards included Bashy, Darkoo, and Odeal. Darkoo also claimed the Best Female Act award.

The MOBO Awards, founded in 1996 by Kanya King, celebrate excellence in Black-origin music across genres like hip-hop, R&B, soul, reggae, jazz, gospel, and Afrobeats.

With Ayra Starr’s historic win, the MOBOs continue to highlight the global impact of African music and its rising dominance on the international stage. 

Over 450 Nigerian foreign service officers in 109 missions worldwide have gone unpaid for five to six months, leading to severe financial difficulties. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs acknowledges the issue and is working towards a resolution, with hopes that the passage of the 2025 Appropriation Act will improve funding.  

Despite increased budget allocations, embassies remain underfunded, accumulating debts and facing lawsuits from service providers. The crisis is worsened by delays in appointing ambassadors after the recall of 83 envoys in 2023.  

Experts and former diplomats call for reforms, advocating for a merit-based diplomatic system and a dual-currency budgeting approach to stabilize embassy funding. Without urgent intervention, Nigeria’s foreign missions may struggle to function effectively. 

Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja has rejected Senator Samuel Anyanwu’s request to prevent the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from implementing his removal as the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Instead, the judge directed Anyanwu to notify INEC and other defendants in the case, allowing them to present their arguments in court.

On Wednesday, Anyanwu filed an ex-parte application seeking an order to restrain INEC from acknowledging or acting upon any correspondence from the PDP unless signed by him. He also requested that Ambassador Umar Illiya Damagun be barred from submitting any documents to INEC without his signature.

Represented by his counsel, K.C.O. Njemanze (SAN), Anyanwu argued that the matter was urgent. However, after reviewing his claims, Justice Ekwo ruled that while urgency was established, he would not grant the request without hearing from the defendants.

The court ordered Anyanwu to formally notify INEC and Damagun about the case and serve them with the necessary court documents. The matter is scheduled for hearing on February 24. 

The Netherlands said Wednesday it was returning more than 100 “Benin Bronzes” to Nigeria that British troops looted in the late 19th century and ended up in a Dutch museum. The European country stated this in a statement on Wednesday, saying the move followed a request by the Nigerian government.

The 113 pieces are the biggest haul returned to Nigeria from the 1897 raid, said Olugbile Holloway, Director General of the Nigerian National Commission for Museums and Monuments. “At the request of Nigeria, the Netherlands is returning 113 ‘Benin Bronzes’ from the National Collection. Minister Eppo Bruins (OCW) has decided to return them,” the statement read.

According to the statement, the transfer agreement will be signed on Wednesday by the Dutch Minister of Education, Culture, and Science, Eppo Bruins, and the Director-General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), Olugbile Holloway. “With this return, we are contributing to the redress of a historical injustice that is still felt today,” said Dutch Culture, Education, and Science Minister Eppo Bruins.

The Netherlands’ return of these artefacts follows similar ones by other countries, such as Germany, the United States, and the United Kingdom. British soldiers stole the ancient sculptures, including depictions of royal figures and animals, in 1897 from the Kingdom of Benin in modern-day Nigeria. However, the British Museum in London has refused to return any of its famed collection. A law passed in 1963 technically prevents the museum from giving back the treasures.

The treasures were then sold and had been displayed at the Wereldmuseum (World Museum) in Leiden. 

Lagos State High Court, presided over by Justice A.O. Adeyemi, has ruled in favour of Miss Otutochi Channel Wigwe, the 26-years-old daughter of later former Group Managing Director and CEO of Access Holdings, Herbert Wigwe.

Also favoured by the ruling that has to do with Herbert Wigwe’s Estate were Uche Wigwe and Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede.

The estate of the former banker, who lost his life alongside his wife, Chizoba, son, Chizzy and a close friend, Abimbola Ogunbanjo in a helicopter crash on February 9, 2024, became a subject of litigation few months into his demise.

They were heading to Las Vegas when the unfortunate incident happened near Nevada and California

The judgement giving Otutochi Wigwe, Uche Wigwe and Aig-Imoukhuede a relief of sort was delivered of February 6, 2025.

The presiding judge in its ruling threw out the application filed by Christian Wigwe and Pastor Shyngle Wigwe, seeking the appointment of interim administrators in the estate of the late former Group Managing Director and CEO of Access Bank, Herbert Wigwe. Insisting that all issues raised and claims by the applicants are unsustainable.

The action, filled by Emeka Wigwe – with suit number ID/7735FPM/2024 – against Access Bank plc, Coronation Merchant Bank Ltd, and United Securities Ltd also had Uche Wigwe, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, and Miss Otutochi Channel Wigwe as defendants.

Interestingly, all the claimants’ prayers were outrightly dismissed.

According to a report by Thisday, the claimants sought “for the appointment of Otutochi Wigwe, Uche Wigwe, Shyngle Wigwe, and two professionals – Zedra Trust Company (Isle of Man), a subsidiary of Zedra Corporate Solutions UK Limited (International Professional), and Pricewaterhouse Coopers Limited (Local Professional) – as interim administrators of Herbert Wigwe’s estate, pending the resolution of the substantive suit”.

They went further to request for “an order placing Wigwe’s minor children (Chituru David Wigwe, Wegu & Hannah Wigwe, and Okachi Great Wigwe) under the joint guardianship of Otutochi Wigwe, Uche Wigwe, Emeka Wigwe, Shyngle Wigwe, and the two professionals, with Shyngle Wigwe overseeing their welfare”.

Also prayed for was “an order authorising interim administrators to ensure the maintenance and welfare of Herbert Wigwe’s dependents, liaise with third parties regarding financial or property interests, submit monthly reports to the court, and obtain full disclosure from Access Bank Plc, Coronation Merchant Bank Ltd, and United Securities Ltd regarding shares or financial interests held on behalf of the deceased.” 

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, has expressed deep sorrow over the passing of Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, a revered Ijaw leader and elder statesman. In a statement issued on Tuesday by his chief press secretary Levinus Nwabughiogu, Kalu described Clark’s death as a monumental loss to the nation, emphasizing his influential role in Nigeria’s political landscape, particularly in the Niger Delta region. Clark, who led the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), was widely recognized for his steadfast advocacy on issues of national importance.

The Deputy Speaker lauded Clark’s fearless approach to governance and his unwavering stance on critical matters such as resource control and restructuring. “Clark’s passing is a significant loss, not only for his family, immediate community, or the Ijaw nation in the Niger Delta but also for the entire country,” Kalu remarked. 

He further praised Clark’s contributions to the development of the Niger Delta and Nigeria at large. “He was very outspoken on issues of personal conviction and national significance. The late elder statesman impacted lives, the Niger Delta region, and the country as a whole. His legacy as a champion of justice, equity, and freedom will be remembered and honored. Indeed, he will be greatly missed,” he said.

Kalu extended his condolences to Clark’s family, the government, and the people of Delta State, as well as the Ijaw nation. He also offered prayers for the peaceful repose of the late leader’s soul. Chief Edwin Clark, a former Federal Commissioner of Information, was a pivotal figure in Nigerian politics, known for his boldness and unwavering commitment to justice. His death marks the end of an era in the struggle for equity and good governance in Nigeria.