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FG knocks Canada for denying CDS visa

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The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has condemned the Canadian Embassy’s denial of a visa to Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa.

The controversy unfolded when Gen Musa revealed that he and several senior military officers were not granted visa to attend an event in Canada meant to honour war veterans.

While some members of the delegation were granted visas, others were left stranded after their applications were denied.

Musa expressed disappointment, calling the incident a “wake-up call” for Nigeria to strengthen its sovereignty and resist being taken for granted by foreign nations.

Tunji-Ojo, who appeared as a guest on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Friday, said the action by the Canadian embassy is condemnable and shows a lack of respect for Nigeria.

“Without knowing the full facts, I think even for us it is a policy, the issue of reciprocity as I always say, has to be given due consideration.

“As much as we are not ready to dabble into the sovereignty of other nations, the issue of visas, issue of migration management is a sovereign issue.“

As much as we don’t want to dabble into that, it is not a disrespect to the Chief of Defence Staff, to me, without knowing the facts, it is disrespectful to the country, and it is disrespectful to us as a people.

If that can happen to the chief of defence staff, then I am worried for an average Nigerian.

”The Minister said that he was struggling to find justification for the action by Canada, noting that even if there are questions the embassy needed, there were diplomatic back channels in which that could have been done.

He said he was confident the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will take the necessary steps to resolve the issue diplomatically and ensure mutual respect between the two nations.

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JUST IN: President Tinubu set to return to Nigeria after Saint Lucia, Brazil trip

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President Bola Tinubu is expected to return to Nigeria on Saturday (today) two weeks after his two-nation visit to Saint Lucia and Brazil.

The President’s spokesman, Bayo Onanuga announced this in a post on his official X handle.

Recall that Tinubu departed Abuja for Saint Lucia and Brazil on Saturday, June 28, 2025.

The President paid a state visit to Saint Lucia as part of efforts to deepen Nigeria’s engagement with Caribbean nations and strengthen South-South cooperation.

Tinubu on July 4th departed Saint Lucia for Brazil where he attend the 2025 BRICS Summit, held July 6-7, 2025.

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CBN And Bank of Industry Partner With CEAN To Stabilise Nigeria’s Creative Sector Post-COVID

For more than a decade, CEAN has played a vital role in connecting Nigeria’s informal creative workforce to structured policy, funding, and formal economic opportunities.

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September 12, 2022, Lagos, Nigeria

In a bold and strategic move to rescue Nigeria’s creative industries from the lingering economic shocks of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Bank of Industry (BOI) partnered with the Creative Entrepreneurs Association of Nigeria (CEAN) to design and implement a nationwide intervention targeting vulnerable creative businesses.

The collaboration, launched in mid-2022, marks a milestone in the recognition of Nigeria’s creative economy as a critical pillar of national development—and affirms CEAN’s position as a trusted stakeholder in industry policy and infrastructure development.

Responding to a Sector in Crisis

The partnership was galvanized by CEAN’s early post-pandemic white paper, “Creating Through Crisis: The Future of Nigerian Creativity Post-COVID.

It presented compelling data and policy recommendations that influenced federal strategy.

While other sectors received initial support under the government’s economic recovery plans, it was CEAN’s persistent advocacy and detailed sector mapping that brought national attention to the creative industries’ urgent needs.

CEAN’s nationwide rollout had seen the training of over 2,000 creative entrepreneurs, advisory support to more than 500 micro-businesses, and the establishment of regional Creative Recovery Hubs in Lagos, Abuja, and Enugu.

“From day one of the pandemic, we understood that Nigeria’s cultural workforce—millions strong—was at risk of collapse,” said Adebowale Ewedemi, CEAN founding executive and veteran media entrepreneur.

“We didn’t just lobby for change; we brought the tools, the structure, and the roadmap,” said Ewedemi.

From Blueprint to Implementation

The result was a landmark intervention program backed by BOI and regulated by CBN, with CEAN serving as the official implementation partner.

The program delivers targeted support to struggling sub-sectors including independent film, performance art, fashion, radio, music, design, and digital content production.

Highlights of the program include:

• Access to low-interest working capital for creative entrepreneurs

• Training grants and accelerator programs for skill development

• Support for studio and performance infrastructure

• Technical assistance for digital transformation and business retooling.

CEAN’s nationwide rollout had seen the training of over 2,000 creative entrepreneurs, advisory support to more than 500 micro-businesses, and the establishment of regional Creative Recovery Hubs in Lagos, Abuja, and Enugu.

Sustained Leadership in Nigeria’s Creative Economy

This intervention is only the latest in CEAN’s long record of national impact. During the peak of the COVID-19 lockdowns, the association served as a frontline support system—offering emergency relief, transitioning training programs online, and shaping portions of the Federal Government’s Survival Fund.

For more than a decade, CEAN has played a vital role in connecting Nigeria’s informal creative workforce to structured policy, funding, and formal economic opportunities.

Through this work, the association—under Ewedemi’s leadership—has consistently introduced original models, innovative frameworks, and institutional partnerships that define sustainable creative sector governance in Africa.

Architects of a New Creative Economy

This partnership with CBN and BOI reflects a broader understanding that Nigeria’s future is tied to the creative ingenuity of its people—and that long-term development requires strategic institutions with deep insight, trust, and capacity.

“We’re proud to move beyond advocacy into implementation. This is not a moment—it’s a movement. We are helping to reshape the creative industry into a nationally recognized economic force, ”said Ewedemi.

As the creative sector continues to recover and rebuild, CEAN remains committed to ensuring that no artist, content creator, or cultural innovator is left behind.

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President Tinubu congratulates Governor Okpebholo on Supreme Court Victory

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Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has congratulated Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State on the affirmation of his election by the Supreme Court.

The Edo State governorship election took place in September 2024, and Governor Okpebholo was declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The Supreme Court, as the final arbiter, upheld the election of the governor today.

According to the press statement signed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy), President Tinubu encourages Governor Okpebholo to be magnanimous in victory and rally the citizens of Edo across divides towards a singular vision of advancing the state’s development.

The President advises that now that the governor has cleared the legal hurdles, it is time for him to accelerate the delivery of exceptional services and good governance to the people of Edo State, which he has already begun to do.

President Tinubu also congratulates the leadership and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State and calls for cohesion and dedication in effectively discharging the mandate given by the people.

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