Several top dignitaries from Nigeria and beyond gathered in Abuja on Friday, February 6, for the wedding fatiha of ten children of the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, all of whom were married on the same day.

The wedding ceremony held in the National Mosque Abuja after which they proceeded to a big hall where the reception for all 10 children took place.

Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu was in attendance and even received the brides on behalf of the Matawalles into the family.

The President of São Tomé and Príncipe, Carlos Vila Nova, also attended the ceremony alongside Tinubu.

Also present were the Deputy Senate President, Senator Jubril Barau, and Senior Special Assistant to the President on Politics and Other Matters, Ibrahim Masari.

Governors at the event included Ahmad Aliyu of Sokoto State, Umar Namadi of Jigawa State, and Nasir Idris of Kebbi State.

Matawalle, a former governor of Zamfara State, gave out five of his daughters: Maryam, Safiyya, Farida, Nana Firdausi, and Aisha, in marriage.

Five of his sons: Ibrahim, Abdul Jalal, Surajo, Bello, and Fahad, also got married on the same day.

The officiating Imam, Prof. Luqman Zakariyah,

prayed to Allah to bless the marriages, grant success to the couples in their life journeys, and bless their parents and grandparents.

On X (formerly Twitter) Matawalle thanked Tinubu for serving as “Wali” at his children’s wedding fatiha which held at the National Mosque Abuja.

Nigerians took to the post to express outrage that Tinubu attended the wedding but did not go to Kwara State where terrorists k!lled scores of innocent citizens just hours earlier.

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Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State on Friday participated in a wreath-laying ceremony marking the 50th anniversary of the death of the late General Murtala Ramat Muhammed, GCFR.

The event was attended by notable dignitaries, including Senator Daisy Danjuma, wife of retired Lt. General Theophilus Danjuma; Dr Aisha Muhammed Oyebode, daughter of the late General and CEO of the Murtala Muhammed Foundation; her husband, Gbenga Oyebode; and Hon. Bola Oladunjoye, Chairman of Ikoyi-Obalende LCDA, among other officials and guests.

Wreaths were laid at the cenotaph in honour of General Muhammed, celebrating his life, leadership, and enduring contributions to Nigeria.

General Murtala Ramat Muhammed served as Nigeria’s Head of State from July 1975 until his assassination on February 13, 1976.

Though his tenure lasted only seven months, it was widely recognized for transformative reforms, including restructuring the civil service, establishing new states, fighting corruption, and initiating steps toward a return to civilian rule.

He assumed power following a bloodless coup that ousted General Yakubu Gowon and moved swiftly to implement wide-ranging policies.

His leadership was abruptly ended when his convoy was ambushed in Ikoyi, Lagos, during a failed coup attempt, resulting in his death alongside his driver and aide-de-camp.

Following his assassination, leadership passed to his deputy, Lieutenant General Olusegun Obasanjo, who continued the transition to civilian governance.

Fifty years later, commemorative activities are being held throughout February 2026, including exhibitions, policy dialogues, memorial gatherings, and wreath-laying ceremonies, highlighting General Muhammed’s legacy and enduring impact on Nigeria’s history.

By Christian ABURIME

Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Charles Soludo has ordered the immediate shut down of the Onitsha Main Market for one week, following defiance of the market leadership to open, against government directive.

Governor Soludo’s order for a one-week shutdown of the sprawling market is more than an administrative penalty. It is the latest, and perhaps most drastic, salvo in a protracted war over who controls time and economic life in Southeast Nigeria on mondays. The enemy is the long-standing, fear-enforced Monday sit-at-home order, a ghostly mandate from non-state actors that has strangled businesses and normalized weekly monday sit-at-home for years.

The Governor’s move is a direct response to what the government sees as baffling defiance. Despite repeated assurances of enhanced security and appeals to reclaim public spaces, many traders at the iconic market again chose to keep their stalls locked. Their absence was a quiet rebellion, but one that spoke volumes about the lingering climate of apprehension.

“The government cannot stand by while a few individuals willfully undermine public safety and disregard official directives meant to restore normalcy, this is plain economic sabotage. We are not going to allow this”, Governor Soludo stated, framing the closure as a protective measure for the “law-abiding citizen.” But his subsequent warning carried the weight of an escalating ultimatum: if the market does not reopen for business after this one-week shutdown, it will be sealed for a month. “And so on and so forth,” he added, drawing a line in the sand.

“You either decide that you are going to trade here or you go elsewhere. I am very serious about this”, the Governor insisted.

The scene at the market was one of tense enforcement. A joint task force of police, army, and other security personnel moved swiftly to secure the perimeter, turning away the few hopefuls who approached.

For the Soludo administration, the solution is unwavering enforcement to break a psychological barrier. The strategy is clear: make the cost of compliance with the illegal sit-at-home order higher than the fear that drives it. By targeting the economic heart of the region, the government aims to trigger a collective shift in behavior, betting that the traders’ desire to trade will ultimately outweigh their fear.

As the gates remain locked this week, the standoff in Onitsha encapsulates the broader struggle in the Southeast. It is a fight over normalcy, authority, and the fragile psyche of a populace caught between enforced directives and imposed orders. When the gates are scheduled to reopen next Monday, all eyes will be on the traders. Will they return to their stalls, emboldened by the state’s show of force? Or will the silent, empty aisles deliver a different verdict?

The answer will determine not just the fate of a market, but the rhythm of life in Anambra for Mondays to come.

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