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ZENITH BANK NEXT GEN MASTERS; MUSA MOHAMMED, OMOLAYO BAMIDELE EMERGE CHAMPIONS

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6 years ago

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Musa Mohammed from Abuja and Omolayo Bamidele from Ekiti State have emerged champions of the second edition of the Zenith Bank/ Next – Gen Tennis Masters which held at the National Stadium Surulere Tennis Centre.
Several hundred spectators sat out a four hour rain delay in anticipation of an upset victory by the unseeded Emmanuel Jebutu who had upset the No.1 seed and tournament favourite, Philip Abayomi, 3-6, 6-4, 10-6 in the semifinals.

However, Jebutu who was without a doubt the revelation of the tournament, fell short as 19 year-old Musa, the second seed, came from a set behind to win 2-6, 6-4, 10-6.

The Abuja based Musa, who was given a wild card to play in the ITF World Tour event in Abuja in March, was totally handcuffed by his younger but roundly talented opponent and had to fall back on his experience to play a more consistent and patient game to win.

Bamidele had no such challenge in the girls’ finals, as she swept away Favour Moses 6-0, 6-4 to win her first Masters title. The girls’ final was a huge anticlimax, as the two semifinals the previous day had been outstanding, nerve racking performances.

Bamidele recovered from being down 3-9 in the 10 point match tie break to beat Jumai Mohammed 14-12 in the finals set, saving nine match points along the way while Mohammed failed to convert 11. In the other semifinal, Moses who held two match points at 9-7 saw herself face a match point at 9-10 but rallied to win 12-10.

“It was a hugely entertaining tournament,” said Godwin Kienka, director of the International Tennis Academy, organisers of the Masters event. “Every player in the tournament, boys and girls, thoroughly justified their selection and we hope they will take over the seniors in no distant future. The ITA Junior Circuit with our partners is offering a bonus sum of N500, 000 to any 2019 Masters player who wins the CBN Senior singles event.” Kienka said.

Mr Lanre Oladimeji, Head, Retail Banking, Zenith Bank Plc, sponsors of the tournament said he was highly impressed with the very high standard displayed by the players. “As a tennis player myself I can say with some confidence that if a very young talent like Jebutu is nurtured along with the others, we shall have Nigerian players in the Grand Slams in a few years.

All the Masters players went home with very attractive prizes and equipment.

In 2018, Philip Abayomi won the boys’ category and was voted the most outstanding junior in the NCC Senior Tennis League. Now ranked top 30 in the seniors, he lost in the semifinals this year. Oyin Quadri won the girls’ category last year and went on to win the National Sports festival. She is now in Morocco at the Intl Tennis Fed Academy preparing for a pro-career. She is playing in the CBN Senior Championship holding from June 20 to 29 and is expected to win.

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Business

Tunde Ednut Earns $5,000 Per Day! -Report

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1 month ago

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September 22, 2025

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“Tunde Ednut earns $5,000 average per day, ISWIS made approx $200,000 from live events in one month” — Chude Jideonwo unveils creator economy data at Digital Creator Africa Summit
At the inaugural Digital Creator Africa Summit, media entrepreneur and #WithChude host Chude Jideonwo unveiled new data positioning the Nigerian creator economy as one of the most commercially powerful industries on the continent.
Highlighting explosive growth and overlooked business models, Jideonwo revealed that:
 • Tunde Ednut, the former musician turned Instagram media mogul, is estimated to earn over $5,000 a day through his platform — with a business model based on affiliate promotion, Instagram advertising, and music amplification.
 • The hit podcast “I Said What I Said” (ISWIS) reportedly made approximately $200,000 in gross revenue from live events alone in a single month, drawing thousands of fans across there US, the UK and Canada.
 • “What these numbers show,” Jideonwo said, “is that creators are no longer just influencers — they are media companies, and increasingly, nation-builders.”
The summit, held in Lagos and attended by creators, investors, and media leaders, was designed to shift the conversation from virality to value — reframing content creation as infrastructure, not just entertainment.
As part of his address, Jideonwo announced his $500,000 personal commitment to the FourthMainland Creator Fund — a catalytic investment vehicle to back high-potential African creators with funding, IP support, and platform distribution.
“We’re building the Mavin Records of storytelling,” he said. “Not just with fame, but with financial tools, ownership, and a full studio system that lets creators scale across the continent and diaspora.”
The Creator Fund is part of the broader FourthMainland ecosystem, a creator commerce platform set to launch in 2026. The platform will offer monetization tools, subscription infrastructure, and joint-IP models built around African content — positioning it as the first at-scale infrastructure for the continent’s growing $100B creator economy.
Jideonwo, whose ventures include Joy, Inc., #WithChude, and YNaija, closed with a call to funders and policymakers:
“If music had Mavin Records and tech had CcHub, then creators now have their studio systems — their Mavins — and they’re building billion-dollar value chains without waiting for permission.”
The keynote, titled “Overtaking is Allowed,” argued that Africa’s most important civic and cultural shifts today are being led by independent creators, and that media-tech infrastructure for creators is now one of the biggest opportunities for economic growth across the continent.
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Entertainment

Excitement, Joy as Lagos Guber Hopeful, Jandor Marries in Qatar

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2 months ago

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September 17, 2025

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It was a weekend of glamour, joy and excitement as Lagos politician and businessman, Olajide Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, tied the knot in faraway Qatar.

The destination wedding which took place at the Fairmont Hotel, Doha drew close friends, family and political associates, was nothing short of magical. With the exotic backdrop of Doha’s luxury setting, Jandor and his bride exchanged vows in an intimate but elegant ceremony that had the air of class, style and exclusivity.

Guests, many of whom jetted in from Lagos and Abuja, were treated to a blend of traditional Nigerian warmth and Middle Eastern splendour. From the lavish décor to the exquisite cuisine, it was an affair that reflected both cultures in perfect harmony.

For Jandor, who has continued to attract attention on the Lagos political scene, the wedding to his heartthrob, Bukola was a refreshing moment of happiness, away from the hustling pulse of politics. His bride, radiant in her flowing attire, was the toast of the evening, with cameras capturing every dazzling smile.

As the couple began their journey together, family and well-wishers showered them with prayers, gifts and best wishes. The event, insiders say, will be remembered for its intimacy, its class, and the joy it radiated across the circles of Lagos high society.

 

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Events

Celebrating Oba Sikiru Adetona’s 64 Years As Oba; The King Many Monarchs Wish To Be

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2 years ago

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April 2, 2024

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Celebrating Oba Sikiru Adetona 64 years as Oba; The King Many Monarchs Wish To Be
Oba Sikiru Adetona 64 years on throne
Blessed By God And Honoured By Men
Oba Dr Sikiru Kayode Adetona, the Awujale of Ijebuland is the kind of king monarchs aspire to be, and at  64 years on the throne, that prestige has not waned a bit.
Installed as king on April 2, 1960, just a few months shy of Nigeria’s Independence, Awujale’s reign is currently older than the Federal Republic of Nigeria. As it stands, he is the longest-reigning first-class monarch in Nigeria. These are not mere statistics, they are hard facts that prove that Oba Adetona is a king blessed by God and honoured by men.
A cursory look at the life of this esteemed ruler is proof that when there are kings who are not limited in wisdom, power, goodness, and love for their subjects, then monarchy would be the best of all systems of government.
Every year, at the Ojude Oba festival, multitudes of Ijebu citizens throng home from all around the world to celebrate and felicitate with their beloved king. They do this not out of duty or an enforced obligation, but out of a deep-seated love for their king and their land.
But Awujale’s path to the throne was not one paved with velvet and inlaid with a thornless bed of flowers; no, it was rough, the journey was tough, and the experience could sometimes be bitter, as with that of men with great destinies. But these only served as stepping stones to his future, unanimously given, the throne.
Ọba Sikiru Olukayọde Adetọna, Ọgbagba Agbotewole II, was born 90 years ago on May 10, 1934, into the Royal House of Anikinaiya of Ijẹbuland in his father’s house in Imupa, Ijebu Ode.
As a prince from the line of Oba Adeleke, Ọgbagba Agbotewole I (c. 1825–1906), who was the Awujalẹ of Ijẹbuland from 1895 to 1906 and a descendant of Olu-Iwa, the legendary first Awujalẹ and Ọbanta, another founder of the Ijẹbu kingdom, Oba Sikiru was born to greatness.
After attending various Baptist Schools, Ereko, Ijẹbu-Ode; Ogbere United Primary School, Oke Agbo, Ijẹbu-Igbo; and Ansar-Ud-Deen School, Ijebu-Ode between 1943 and 1950, he attended Olu-Iwa (now Adeola Odutọla) College, Ijebu-Ode from 1951 to 1956. Between 1957 and 1958 he took up an appointment with the then Audit Department of the Western Region, Ibadan. From there on he resigned his appointment in 1958 to pursue further studies in accountancy in the United Kingdom.
By a letter dated January 4, 1960, referenced CB. 4 1/333, the Permanent Secretary in the Western Region Ministry of Local Government conveyed to the Local Government Adviser in Ijẹbu Ode approval of the Western Region Governor in Council, the appointment of Prince Sikiru Kayode Adetona as king, and his confirmation as the new Awujale of Ijebuland with effect from that date (January 4, 1960).
Prominent Ijẹbu sons like the late Ọgbẹni-Ọja, Chief (Dr.) Timothy Adeọla Odutọla, Bọbasuwa I, Chief Emmanuel Okusanya Okunọwọ (MBE, KFNM); and Aṣiwaju, Chief Samuel Ọlatubọsun Ṣhonibare began to arrange for the home-coming of the King-elect, and on January 18, 1960, the Head of the Ijẹbu Ode Regency Council, the Ọgbeni-Ọja, Chief Timothy Adeọla Odutọla formally presented the new traditional ruler to the whole world.
A man of tradition, he embarked on the customary traditional seclusion at the Odo for three months.
It would be remembered that even though Oba Sikiru Kayọde Adetọna had earlier been nominated along with five others by the ODIS, his great destiny prevailed and he was unanimously selected by the kingmakers in conformity with Section 11 of the Chiefs Law of 1957 applicable in Western Region. The then Governor signed the Instrument of Office approving Prince Sikiru Kayọde Adetọna as Awujalẹ of Ijẹbuland, and the formal coronation took place on Saturday, April 2, 1960.
But in the midst of all these, he had many documented and undocumented trials and travails.
Looking back, Oba Adetona’s extraordinary destiny serves history in preservation. His is a life to be wished for, a legacy that must be preserved, and a story that must continue to be told for generations to come.
Not many kings want their life story in the public domain, instead, as second-in-command to the gods, they prefer that air of mystery to ensure that their rule remains absolute and their personal affairs secret. But Awujale is a different kind of king – an erudite. He authored his biography, laying his cards bare and ensuring that many can learn the lessons of history through his life’s story. This is what formed the basis of the soon-to-be-released biopic, ‘Awujale’ by Ultimate Communications, as directed by Tunde Olaoye.
Currently gearing for an Ijebu premiere later this month, the film follows the life of Oba Sikiru through the ages in an unfolding story. This documents through film the life of one of the greatest obas in Yoruba Land.
As he marks his 90th birthday, it is only fitting that one should say ‘Kabiyesi O! Long may the crown sit on the head, long may the shoes fit the wearer, and long may you reign.” But in prayer, many would secretly say to the creator “May I be as great as the king, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, the Awujale of Ijebu Land.”
Seun Oloketuyi Producer of the biopic writes from Lagos
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