Kano Governor Abba Yusuf Swears In New Housing Commissioner

Kano governor Abba Yusuf swears in new housing commissioner. Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State on Monday swore in Ibrahim Wudil as the new commissioner for housing development.

The attorney-general and commissioner for justice, Haruna Dederi, administered the oath at Government House Kano.

After the swearing-in, Mr Yusuf urged Mr Wudil to utilise his extensive experience to drive the state’s development and congratulated him on his new role.

The governor urged Mr Wudil to ensure the effective utilisation of cities developed during the administration of Rabiu Kwankwaso, including Kwankwassiya, Bandirawo, and Amana cities.

The governor expressed confidence in Mr Wudil’s ability, citing his decades-long experience as an architect and his previous role as the managing director of the Kano State Urban Planning and Development Authority.

“I’ve worked closely with him for decades, and I know his capacity. I am sure he will not let us down,” the governor said.

Abba Yusuf

The governor appealed to the new commissioner to use his vast experience in addressing the challenge of the state’s housing deficit.

The secretary to the state government (SSG), Umar Ibrahim, commissioners and other top government functionaries attended the ceremony.

Fire Destroys Benue Rice Mill Market, Property Worth Millions

Fire destroys Benue rice mill market, property worth millions. A devastating fire has destroyed properties worth millions of naira at the popular rice mill market in Wurukum, near the River Benue bridge in Makurdi.

The blaze erupted in the early hours of Monday, but swift intervention by firefighters prevented it from spreading further.

However, several shops were severely affected, with processed and unprocessed rice, milling machines, and other goods completely destroyed.

One of the victims, Mercy Hanmaikyur, lamented losing about N10 million in the fire. “I opened this shop in December, investing N10 million.

I had three machines—a de-stoning machine, a rice polishing machine—and many bags of rice. Everything was lost,” she said.

Another trader, Iorwa Jeremiah, said the fire broke out at a time when no one could salvage anything. “By the time I got there, firefighters and shop owners were battling the flames, but the damage had already been done,” he recounted.

Benue Rice Mill Market

Market Chairman Terva Igyar confirmed that several shops, a motorcycle, and six milling machines were destroyed.

He noted that Makurdi Local Government officials and other stakeholders had promised to assess the damage.

The traders ruled out electricity as the cause of the fire, stating their shops had no power supply.

They have appealed to Governor Hyacinth Alia for assistance to help them recover from their losses.

Nigerian Music Star Rema Becomes First African Artist On Rolling Stone Cover

Nigerian music star Rema vecomes first African artist on Rolling Stone cover. Nigerian music star Divine Ikubor, popularly known as Rema, has made history as the first African artist to be featured on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.

The American publication, renowned for its coverage of music, politics, and pop culture, announced Rema as the cover star for its April 2025 edition. Mavin Records celebrated the achievement on Instagram, calling him the “Afrobeats Visionary.”

Following the announcement, Rema delivered an electrifying performance at the Rolling Stone concert, thrilling audiences with hits like Dumebi, Woman, and Calm Down.

This milestone further solidifies Rema’s influence in global music, coming shortly after his feature on Dazed magazine.

Since rising to fame in 2019 under Mavin Records, Rema has continued to push Afrobeats to new heights. His hit song Calm Down, featuring Selena Gomez, became the most streamed Afrobeats track in history, surpassing a billion streams on Spotify and earning multiple platinum certifications.

Nigerian Music Star Rema

It also became the first African-led track to top the Middle East and North Africa’s official streaming chart, earning him a Guinness World Record.

Rema has also made history as the first African artist to perform at the prestigious Ballon d’Or ceremony in 2023, further cementing his status as a trailblazer for African music.