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Transition: Michelle Obama’s mother, Marian Robinson, dies at 86
Marian Robinson, the mother of former US First Lady Michelle Obama, has died at 86, her family has announced.
In a statement, the Obamas said that Robinson had died “peacefully” on Friday morning.
Robinson was a well-known fixture at the White House during the eight years of Barack Obama’s administration between 2009 and 2017.
She spent much of that time taking care of her two granddaughters, Michelle and Barack Obama’s daughters Malia and Sasha.
In a statement posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, Mrs Obama called Robinson her “rock, always there for whatever I needed”.
“She was the same steady backstop for our entire family, and we are heartbroken to share she passed away today,” she wrote.
In a separate tweet, Mr Obama said that “there was and will be only one Marian Robinson”.
“In our sadness, we are lifted up by the extraordinary gift of her life,” he added. “And we will spend the rest of ours trying to live up to her example.”
No further details were given about the cause of death.
Born in 1937, Robinson grew up one of seven children in Chicago, the city where she spent much of her life before agreeing to come to Washington DC after Mr Obama’s electoral victory.
Early in her life, she studied to become a teacher before working as a secretary. She raised Michelle and her other child, Craig, together with her husband Frasier Robinson on Chicago’s South Side.
“At every step, as our families went down paths none of us could have predicted, she remained our refuge from the storm,” the Obama statement said.
“On Election Night in 2008, when the news broke that Barack would soon shoulder the weight of the world, she was there, holding his hand.”
An image taken on the night in 2008 when her son-in-law made history as the nation’s first African-American president showed Robinson sitting on a sofa with him, watching the results come in.
The statement added that Robinson had agreed to move to the White House after a “healthy nudge” from Barack and Michelle Obama, who, along with their daughters, “needed her”.
It was said that she insisted on doing her own laundry there.
In a later interview with CBS, the BBC’s US partner, Robinson said she felt compelled to move to Washington because she felt “like this was going to be a very hard life” for her daughter and son-in-law.
“And I was worried about their safety,” she added. “I was worried about my grandkids. That’s what got me to move to DC.”
Robinson – whom Mr Obama once called “the least pretentious person” he knew – said that it was a “huge adjustment” to have her needs met by White House staff.
“Rather than hobnobbing with Oscar winners or Nobel laureates, she preferred spending her time upstairs with a TV tray, in the room outside her bedroom with big windows that looked out at the Washington Monument,” the family statement said.
“The only guest she made a point of asking to meet was the Pope,” it added.
The Lagos State Police Command has arrested and detained social media influencer Habeeb Hamzat, popularly known as Peller, following a viral video that showed him driving recklessly and crashing his vehicle during a live stream.
The arrest was confirmed in a statement issued on Tuesday, December 16, by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi. According to the police, the incident occurred on Sunday, December 14, 2025, and sparked widespread public outrage.
The command said the influencer’s conduct posed a serious threat to public safety and required immediate intervention.
“The Lagos State Police Command has arrested and detained, for further investigation, Habeeb Hamzat aka ‘PELLER’, subsequent to the viral video that surfaced online on Sunday 14th December, 2025, in which he was seen driving recklessly, leading to a dangerous road crash and serious motor accident, while the incident was being live streamed, thereby endangering his life and that of other road users,” the statement said.
The police described the act as extremely dangerous, warning that it could have resulted in fatal consequences for both the suspect and other road users.
“His action constitutes a deliberate attempt to commit suicide and endangers the lives of other innocent people,” the statement added.
The command disclosed that the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for a thorough investigation.
“The case is currently being investigated by the State Criminal Investigation Department. The outcome of the investigation will be made public, and the suspect will be charged to the court of competent jurisdiction in accordance with the law,” the police said.
Reacting to the incident, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Olohundare Jimoh, issued a strong warning to social media influencers and the general public against using online platforms to promote unlawful behavior.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has received with deep sadness the news of the passing of former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad.
Justice Tanko, 71, from Bauchi State, died on Tuesday in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He was the Chief Justice of Nigeria from 2019 to 2022.
President Tinubu describes the late Justice Tanko as an eminent legal mind, a disciplined administrator, and a dedicated public servant who devoted most of his life to upholding justice and strengthening the judiciary.
The President notes that the deceased’s career on the Bench, which culminated in his appointment as CJN, was marked by integrity, courage, and an unwavering commitment to the rule of law.
President Tinubu says the late jurist made invaluable contributions to the development of Nigeria’s legal system, acknowledging that his legacy will remain indelible, particularly among those he mentored.
The President extends his heartfelt condolences to his family, the Supreme Court of Nigeria, the Bar and Bench, and the government and people of Bauchi State.
He prays to Almighty Allah for the repose of his soul.
Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser to the President
(Information and Strategy)
16th December, 2025
News
Actress Doris Ogala doubles down on claims against Pastor Chris Okafor, insists on compensation or marriage
Actress Doris Ogala has intensified her allegations against Pastor Chris Okafor, insisting she was in a long-term relationship with him from 2017 and was promised marriage.
Speaking emotionally, Doris claimed she supported the pastor privately, bought gifts for his children, and stayed loyal for years, only to be abandoned when he decided to marry someone else.
She accused those online, including Dee One, of taking money to do “damage control,” stressing that her demands are legal, not blackmail. According to her, she is seeking compensation for emotional damage, career loss, and broken promises, adding that her lawyer is already preparing formal demands.
Doris also admitted to phone-based intimacy during her troubled marriage but denied any physical affair at the time. She maintained she has evidence to back her claims and alleged she is not the only woman Pastor Chris promised marriage.
“I’m not backing down. This is my right,” she said, warning that she is ready to speak fully if pushed further.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DSVHaVegjI7/?igsh=ZG1jNWNnZjN4YWZt
Police arrest popular TikToker Peller over reckless driving
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