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.

Ex-President Obasanjo Slams N70,000 Minimum Wage, Accuses Labour Leaders of Betrayal

Ex-President Obasanjo slams N70,000 minimum wage, accuses Labour Leaders of betrayal. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has condemned the newly approved ₦70,000 minimum wage, arguing that it is insufficient to meet workers’ basic needs such as transportation, food, and housing.

In his newly released book, Nigeria: Past and Future, Obasanjo criticized labour leaders for prioritizing personal gains over workers’ welfare.

He accused some of using their positions as a stepping stone for political ambitions, leading to weak and compromised representation.

He also alleged that government officials openly admitted to bribing labour leaders to silence agitation, stating that such actions further oppress and demoralize workers.

Ex-President Obasanjo

Obasanjo proposed a five-year ban on labour leaders transitioning into politics after leaving office to prevent conflicts of interest.

President Bola Tinubu signed the ₦70,000 minimum wage into law on July 29, 2024, following negotiations that reduced labour’s initial demand of ₦250,000 per month.

Previously, the minimum wage stood at ₦33,000, enacted by former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.

NCDC Reports Decline In Lassa Fever Cases In Nigeria

NCDC reports decline in Lassa fever cases in Nigeria. Public health experts have called for more proactive measures to address gaps in early detection.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported a decline in new confirmed Lassa fever cases in its Epidemiological Week 9 2025 report.

The NCDC via its official website on Sunday, said that the fatality rate remained alarmingly high at 18.7 per cent, with 100 deaths recorded so far in 2025.

According to the Lassa Fever Situation Report released by the agency, 29 new cases were confirmed across nine states, a drop from 54 cases recorded in the previous week (Week 8).

It said that the affected states included Ondo, Bauchi, Edo, Taraba, Ebonyi, Plateau, Cross River, Nasarawa, and Enugu.
The NCDC highlighted that 72 per cent of all confirmed cases were reported from just three states—Ondo 31 per cent, Bauchi 24 per cent, and Edo 17 per cent.

It said that these states continued to bear the brunt of the outbreak, raising concerns over the effectiveness of ongoing containment efforts.
Furthermore, it noted that one new healthcare worker was infected in Week 9, bringing the total number of affected health workers in 2025 to 17.

“This underscores the urgent need for better protective measures, adequate supply of personal protective equipment (PPEs), and enhanced infection prevention protocols in hospitals,” it said.
The NCDC outlined several challenges impacting the response to the outbreak, including: “Late presentation of cases, leading to high fatality rates”.

“Poor health-seeking behaviour, attributed to the high cost of Lassa fever treatment and management.
“Poor environmental sanitation conditions in high-burden communities and low awareness about Lassa fever symptoms and preventive measures”.

In response to the outbreak, it said that the National Rapid Response Team (NRRT) had been deployed to Gombe, Nasarawa, and Benue states to provide technical support.

Additionally, the NCDC said it had intensified risk communication efforts and conducted training for healthcare workers in Bauchi, Ebonyi, and Benue states.

The agency said it was also collaborating with international partners such as WHO, MSF Geneva, and Georgetown Global Health Nigeria to improve case management and enhance surveillance.

Comparative data from the NCDC showed that while the number of confirmed cases in 2025 (535 cases as of Week 9) is lower than in 2024 (682 cases during the same period), the fatality rate remains nearly the same (18.7% vs. 18.8%).

“The NCDC continues to advise Nigerians to: “avoid contact with rodents and their droppings, store food properly to prevent contamination, and seek medical attention immediately if they experience symptoms such as fever, headache, sore throat, and unexplained bleeding,” it reported.

Meanwhile, public health experts said this called for more proactive measures to address gaps in early detection, treatment affordability, and public awareness to reduce mortality rates in future outbreaks.

They urged state governments, donor agencies, and community leaders to intensify awareness campaigns and improve healthcare infrastructure in Lassa fever hotspots.

As Nigeria battles this recurrent public health challenge, experts emphasised the need for long-term investments in disease surveillance, public health education, and improved access to treatment to curb future outbreaks.

Lassa fever is a viral hemorrhagic disease caused by the Lassa virus, primarily spread through contact with food or household items contaminated by the urine, faeces, or saliva of infected rodents.

Lassa Fever

Human-to-human transmission can also occur, particularly in healthcare settings, with inadequate infection prevention and control (IPC) measures.

Nigeria records Lassa fever cases year-round, with peak transmission occurring between October and May.

The high burden of the disease is linked to widespread rodent infestations, poor sanitation, and a lack of awareness in many communities.

Efforts to combat Lassa fever in the country include: surveillance and early detection, case management, and public health awareness campaigns.

In spite of these efforts, Lassa fever remains a significant public health challenge, with high mortality rates and the potential for international spread, as seen in the recent report.