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Tag: Marriage

  • Minister petitions IG over marriage plans for 100 orphans in Niger

    Minister petitions IG over marriage plans for 100 orphans in Niger

    Mrs Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, Minister of Women Affairs, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and sought for a court injunction to stop Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, Speaker of the Niger state Assembly from marrying off 100 orphaned girls.

    It will be recalled that the speaker recently announced his plans to marry off the orphaned girls, who lost their parents due to banditry attacks in Mariga local government area as part of his constituency project on May 24.

    He announced that the gesture is  “aimed at alleviating the suffering of the impoverished”, pledging to pay the dowries for the bridegrooms and have procured materials for the mass marriage.

    Kennedy-Ohanenye, while briefing newsmen in Abuja described the plans as “unacceptable” emphasising that a full-scale investigation has commenced on the issue.

    “I want to let the honorable speaker of house in Niger states to know that this is totally unacceptable by Federal Minister Of Women Affairs and by the government totally unacceptable.

    “Because there is something called the  Child’s Right Act and I said it from the onset, that is no more business as usual.

    “These children must be considered their future must be considered the future of the children to come out of their marriage must be considered.

    “So I have gone to court. I have written him a letter and written a petition to the IG of police.

    ” And I have filed for injunction to stop him from whatever he is planning to do on the 24th, until a thorough investigation is carried out on those girls, find out whether they gave their consent, their ages, find out the people marrying them,” she said.

    The minister, while emphasising on the need to ensure girl-child education and empowerment, stressed the need to…

    “As the speaker did not think about empowering these women or sending them to school or giving them some kind of training support financially.

    “The Women Affairs have decided to take it up and we are going to educate the children.

    “Those that do not want to go to school, we will train them in a skill, empower them with sustainable empowerment machines to enable that child build his or her life and make-up her mind who and when to get married.

    ” If for any reason the Speaker tries to do contrary to what I have just mentioned there will be a serious legal battle between him and the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs,”she said.

    The minister further emphasised within the Child Rights Act, every child belongs to the state, hence the rights of every child will be protected from harm, violence or anything that will infringe on their rights.

  • [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Sexual issues in marriage (2)

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Sexual issues in marriage (2)

    Read: Proverbs 5:1-23

    Meditation verse:

    “May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth…  may her breasts satisfy you always” (Proverbs 5:18-19).

    A negative self-image can also diminish sexual fulfilment in marriage. Some  women pile on excess weight after having children and complain that their  spouses no longer find them sexually appealing. Others begin to feel self conscious about their bodies. With all these factors, many couples find  themselves struggling to keep the sexual passion and desire alive in their  relationships. Research on long term relationships and sex show that as many as  15% of married couples have not had sex in the last six months to a year. Married  couples in a sexless marriage are more likely to consider divorce than couples  who argue constantly but remain sexually active. Sex is not just important for its  sake, it is important for the marriage relationship, as it can make or break it. 

    If you and your spouse are struggling with dwindling sexual desires or a loss of  sexual activity, if your sex life is currently boring, unsatisfactory, or devoid of  passion, you need to know that this is not God’s desire for you. Faithfulness in  marriage need not be boring, dull, or lifeless. The first and most important step  in dealing with this is to acknowledge that a problem does exist. Communication is important. You and your spouse need to come together in an atmosphere of  honesty and love to uncover the underlying factor(s). Discussing your sex life  builds up your excitement and anticipation around it. Unfortunately, most  Christian couples consider such discussions carnal and refrain from having them. 

    How you deal with the issue depends on what the underlying factors are. 

    Nurturing your marriage is important, so take time to nurture it. When you put  in the time and effort needed to make your marriage great, you will be the  better for it. Sexual relationship in a marriage is dynamic and constantly  changing, so stay in touch with the needs of your spouse. When you are  committed to this, your sex life will remain passionate and fulfilling irrespective  of how long you have been married.

     

    IN HIS PRESENCE is written by Pst (Mrs) Oke Chinye, Founder of The Rock Teaching Ministry (TRTM).

    For Prayers and Counseling email rockteachingministry@gmail.com

    For more enquiries, visit: www.rockteachingministry.org.

  • Gowon, wife mark 55th wedding anniversary

    Gowon, wife mark 55th wedding anniversary

    Former Military Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon and his wife, Victoria, on Sunday celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary with thanksgiving at St. Matthew’s Anglican Church, Maitama, Abuja.

    The couple exchanged vows on April 19, 1969, at the Anglican Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina, Lagos, during Gowon’s tenure as Nigeria’s Head of State.

    Family members, friends and well-wishers gathered to join the celebrants in commemorating their wedding anniversary during the thanksgiving service.

    The couple presented the Holy Communion at the altar, during the service, which also marked the third Sunday after Easter in the Anglican Church’s liturgical calendar.

    During the service, Mrs Gowon read the Old Testament lesson from 1 Kings 17:17-24.

    Venerable Tiwatope Elias-Fatile, Vicar of St. Matthew’s Anglican Church, congratulated them on their milestone anniversary, commending them for their dedicated service to the nation and the church.

    Elias-Fatile, who extolled their exemplary role as a couple within the Christian community, invoked blessings of physical and spiritual strength in all aspects of their lives.

    “I pray that the good Lord gives you physical and spiritual strength in every aspect of your lives.

    “In your position, you have become an adviser, mentor, counsellor to many families and I pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to inspire and use you to continue your good work for our country and many homes,” Elias-Fatile prayed.

    Recall that Gowon was Nigeria’s Military Head of State from Aug. 1, 1966 to July 29, 1975.

  • [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Sexual issues in marriage (1)

    [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Sexual issues in marriage (1)

    Read: Proverbs 5:1-23

    Meditation verse:

    “The husband should fulfil his wife’s sexual needs, and the wife should fulfil her  husband’s needs” (1 Corinthians 7:3, NLT).

    Sex was created by God as an expression of love between a husband and a wife:  to provide physical, emotional as well as spiritual bonding. “Therefore, a man  shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall  become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). Your sexual experience in marriage enhances your wellbeing. Sex is also a key cause of marital strife. Since God created sex,  He knows how destructive it can be if used in the wrong context, hence He set  very specific boundaries for it. It must be within a marriage. “Flee fornication.  Every sin that a man doeth is without the body, but he that commits fornication  sins against his own body” (1 Corinthians 6:18).  

    Today’s bible reading is an allegory of faithfulness in marriage. Couples are  enjoined to drink water from their own cistern and never allow their springs to  overflow unto the streets. Sex is likened to a spring or river, which if contained  within the banks (marriage) will lead to enjoyment and satisfaction. If the spring  exceeds the banks and spills unto the streets, great devastation can occur. Keep  your marriage bed pure and stay faithful to your spouse. God’s purpose for  marriage is for a husband and wife to always enjoy a sexually fulfilling  relationship regardless of how long they have been married.  

    Maintaining a healthy and fulfilling sex life in a marriage requires a conscious  effort on the part of both parties. According to Psychologist and marriage  counsellor, Dr Richard Nicastro, sex is not always simple and straightforward. A  whole range of factors can negate the experience of sexual fulfilment in a  marriage. An underlying physical or medical condition, or the side effects of  prescription drugs can impact a man’s libido. The demands of child rearing,  juggling work and housekeeping can wear a woman down and cause sex to drop  to the bottom of her list. Emotional issues such as unresolved anger,  unforgiveness, or resentment can result in a total loss of sexual desire. Harbouring a grudge is like cancer, it will eat deep into the fabric of your soul. It  will eventually destroy every element of your marriage and not just your sexual  relationship, because when you feel deeply hurt by your spouse, it is impossible  to give yourself wholly to them.

     

    IN HIS PRESENCE is written by Pst (Mrs) Oke Chinye, Founder of The Rock Teaching Ministry (TRTM).

    For Prayers and Counseling email rockteachingministry@gmail.com

    For more enquiries, visit: www.rockteachingministry.org.

  • Anglican cleric reveals recipe for peace in marriage as Jerry Gana, wife mark 50th wedding anniversary

    Anglican cleric reveals recipe for peace in marriage as Jerry Gana, wife mark 50th wedding anniversary

    Venerable Tiwatope Elias-Fatile, the Vicar of St. Matthew’s Anglican Church, Maitama, Abuja, has advised couples to always show respect to each other to enable them to stay in peace always.

    Elias-Fatile gave the advice in a homily at a Thanksgiving Service to mark the 50th wedding anniversary of Prof. Jerry Gana and his wife, Lucy.

    Gana was a Minister of Information and a former presidential aspirant in the build up to the 2023 general election.

    He said that many marriages collapsed because the husband and the wife failed to respect each other.

    “Husband and wife must respect each other; there is no marriage without challenges, but how you navigate those challenges determines how it survives.”

    The cleric said that the celebrants had survived their challenges because of the strategy of “respect” for each other.

    Elias-Fatile went down memory lane to narrate how Prof. Gana met his wife and urged Nigerians to always put God first in all they do including marriages.

    “Their family is an enviable Christian home, worthy of emulation; they are best of friends and respects each other,” he added.

    Former Military Head of State, retired Gen. Yakubu Gowon, described the couple as “excellent match.’’

    Gowon said that the couple had been good in whatever they did.

    “And that means that couples should emulate them and do excellently in whatever they do,” Gowon said.

    Dr Ike Neliaku, who is a friend to celebrants, said that the love between the couple was exceptional, as there had not been any scandal whatsoever in the 50 years of their marriage.

    “It is remarkable for someone to be married for 50 years without issues and no scandal; it demonstrates the character of the man and the wife; this is the model of what marriage should be.

    “It means that we still have men and women of honour who understands marriage as a sacred institution that should be held very strongly.

    “It is very important for men to marry their wives, likewise for women to marry their husbands; you don’t just see anybody and because of one minute love, you declare yourselves compatible as husband and wife.

    “It is not always easy for any man who has not married his wife; it is important for young people to be sure before they take that leap.

    “This is where counsel and guidance from those who are experienced come in handy, and more importantly, you cannot have a successful marriage outside of God. God is central to every successful marriage,” he said.

    Neliaku, who is the President of Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), also advised couples, especially the young ones, to always respect each other rather than adopting tolerance.

    “When you tolerate someone, it means you’re managing, but when it is respect, there is something deep in you that will make you to respect that person,” he said.

    In his remarks, Gana described his wife as an embodiment of beauty and respect. According to Gana, his wife is gentle, kind and forgiving.

    “If she has not been forgiving me, this marriage would have been ruined long time ago, but she is so gracious, loving, kind, gentle and forgiving.

    “She is also a prayer warrior. She prays for me always so that I will succeed; she is always praying for me and the children and God answers her prayers.

    “That is why I appreciate her tremendously and if I am to marry a thousand times again, I will marry this lady.’’

    He urged young couples to be patient with one another to make their marriages last long.

    “The young people are too impatient; before you know it, they are going for divorce.

    “This is our 50 years; and gives us another 50 years, we will still be happy together because we are patient.

    “Every little thing the young people want to scatter their marriage; life is not like that; again, tomorrow is greater, so don’t ruin your today because tomorrow is greater,” he said.

    Former Governor of Adamawa, Mr Boni Haruna, and some lawmakers were among dignitaries, family and friends that graced the occasion.

  • Why some women find peaceful relationships boring – Pastor Okonkwo

    Why some women find peaceful relationships boring – Pastor Okonkwo

    Popular Nigerian cleric and and relationship coach, Pastor Kingsley Okonkwo has explained why some ladies find relationships which are peaceful and drama-free to be boring.

    The preacher recalled an experience he gained from his recent US sojourn. He stated that everything in the US was a stark opposite of what normal life is in Nigeria.

    Such things as traffic, hawking, potholes were not to be found there and the easy, and problem-free nature of the US quickly became boring.

    He revealed that at that point, it occurred to him that why he finds it boring was because he is already used to the stressful atmosphere of Nigeria.

    He likened this experience with human relationships and noted that when a lady is already used to abuse, and drama she will find a peaceful one to be boring.

    Kingsley Okonkwo wrote:

    “So last year I had to stay in America for 6 weeks straight because of our 10 city tour, my children were with us so it felt like we lived in America.

    “I was driving home to our accommodation one night and it felt really boring, no policemen doing illegal stops, no touts , no meaningless and mysterious traffic….

    “No potholes, no one driving on wrong side of the road, no one crossing the highway dangerously or hawking …mehn it felt weird and boring.

    “And it hit me, if you are used to abuse or drama you will find a peaceful and drama free relationship boring, if you are used to trouble peace will be awkward.”

  • Collapsed marriages: Uwevwi rohwofa beno – By Francis Ewherido

    Collapsed marriages: Uwevwi rohwofa beno – By Francis Ewherido

    Uwevwirohwofabeno in Urhobo, means that it is very difficult to understand the inner workings of another person’s home.  In the last one year, some celebrity and high profile marriages have collapsed. What surprises me is when some outsiders express shock over the crash of these marriages. I am surprised because I wonder what these people know about these marriages. What do you think marriage is? It is beyond what you see or read on social media, public spaces or public displays of affection. The real marriage is mainly what goes on between the couple and what goes on behind closed doors in the homes of the couple. You can never know unless you live with the couple, you are a close family member or friend in whom the couple confide, or they speak out. Sometimes, even their children know only in part. Marriage is a private matter. It is the marriage ceremony (wedding) that is public most times. 

    I chose the word, uwevwirohwofabeno. It is jaw-breaking and many Urhobos and non-Urhobos do not know how to pronounce it, but it is apt. People should stop expressing shock when any marriage collapses. You are not part of the marriage. You do not know what has been going on, so what are you shocked about? The marriage institution is full of mysteries that are difficult to figure out. Every marriage is susceptible to collapse unless you are deliberate in nurturing it and making it work.  Longevity of the marriage is no guarantee that it cannot collapse. A 99 year-old Italian man filed for divorce from his 96-year-old wife of 77 years. Reason: The wife had an affair over 60 years ago, but the man just stumbled on the evidence (letters she wrote to her lover then). Al Gore’s (former US Vice President under Bill Clinton) and his wife, Tipper Gore, separated after 40 years of marriage! In 1998 the 38 years marriage of Frederik Willem de Klerk (last President of apartheid-era South Africa) to his wife, Marike de Klerk, collapsed due to the former’s infidelity.

     Assuming one spouse wakes up one day and says he/she wants out. That automatically means that marriage has collapsed. What do you want the other spouse to do? Only one person cannot keep a marriage going. You need the input of the other spouse no matter how little. I have a whole body of knowledge and materials on marriage, but I will never accept that tag of “marriage expert.” The terrain is too slippery. I just devote myself to learning everyday on how to make my marriage better and getting any new information that I can share on this platform.

    The first article I wrote on this column was published in Saturday Vanguard of November 17, 2013. It was titled, “what does marriage mean to you?” Marriage is not an institution you jump into because others are going into it. If you do, you might jump out the same way you jumped into it. You must have a purpose and set goals before you get into marriage. Purpose and goals among people differ but have yours. For me, marriage is between a man and a woman taking the vows – civil, church, mosque, traditional or recognised set ups. I fully understand that in Africa, when you marry, you marry into a family. But the point is, after the ceremony, how many people will retire into the bedroom with the couple? How many people engage in sex to consummate the marriage? How many people engage in sex to procreate? Only the husband and wife. Any other arrangement is an aberration. These are symbolisms that marriage is a personal matter. That is why there is a saying that too many cooks spoil the broth. Extended family presence notwithstanding, you must know the major difference between interference (intrusion) and intervention (involvement that enhances the marriage) in your marriage. Knowing the difference is critical to the survival of your marriage.

    The challenge that many celebrities and public figures have is that they are on Facebook, X, Instagram, Tiktok, YouTube, etc. They have thousands and millions of followers, subscribers and viewers. Some of these celebrities use their space to focus on their marriages and families. They use these avenues to tell their audience what is going on in their private lives. Inadvertently, they invite outsiders into their private space. Some of these followers and subscribers develop a sense of entitlement to knowing what goes on in their marriages and families. Some of them want to tell the celebrities how to live their lives. To keep their followers and subscribers happy and engaged, some celebrities pander to their wishes. 

    For me, my goals in marriage are to be happy and have peace of mind. I am not interested in pleasing any outsider. What you think about my marriage is outside my control and therefore none of my business. As far as my wife and I are happy, I am fine. The focus of couples should be on how to make their marriages work, not pleasing outsiders. Many people dissipate so much energy in creating a false image of their marriages to the public instead of spending the same energy on improving their marriages. Falsehood endures only but for a while. A make-believe marriage/life is “an open wound. Only truth can heal it.” Fake life means living in misery, self-deceit and delusion which ultimately lead to the collapse of the marriage. You have to be real. There is no need sweeping problems under the carpet in marriage. Deal with them or they will resurrect bigger and more complicated. 

    Marriage is an institution where you pay attention to details. Couples sometimes take each other for granted, but it must not become a habit, unless you are inviting a breakup. In my first article I mentioned earlier, two of the cases were as a result of infidelity, but infidelity is just one of the reasons why marriages break up. We know other common reasons like domestic violence, financial matters, lack of intimacy, unrealistic expectations, differing expectations, impatience, intolerance, lack of communication, and unforgiving spirit. Some spouses have abandoned their marriages because they were just bored. But we also have an absurd case of one woman, who left her marriage because the husband was too gentle and kind. He was not violent or abusive and that was a problem for her. Reasons for breakup of marriages just go on and on.

    A marriage has a life of its own. You must take care of your marriage as you take care of yourself. Feed it, nourish it, groom it, and improve on it. Marriage is meant to be enjoyed, not endured. How long can your endurance last? Tolerance and patience are essential ingredients of marriage, but they are not unlimited. You will snap one day. Change what is changeable and learn to live with what you cannot change. Love and respect are important and should be mutual. Men cannot stand disrespect, so do women of these days. And how do you live together “till death do you part” with someone you do not love and respect? One spouse will surely be miserable or worse. “Till death do us part” means natural or accidental death, not murder or homicide.

  • Comedian AY breaks silence on crashed marriage

    Comedian AY breaks silence on crashed marriage

    Renowned comedian, Richard Ayodeji Makun, popularly known as AY Comedian, has finally opened on his crashed marriage with Mabel Makun.

    AY said he cannot release details of his marriage to Mable to the public because of their grown-up daughter, who he said has access to social media.

    There have have been rumours that the comedian and his wife had parted ways after she reportedly moved out of their matrimonial home.

    AY Makun owned up that he has done some things that he is not proud of but that there are lies being peddled around about his crashed marriage.

    AY wrote via Instagram: “Many people believe that staying silent simply means that one is incapable of dealing with issues.

    “Projecting a negative narrative against someone who is not struggling to defend himself doesn’t mean he is weak.

    “Some of us are just logical enough to understand the difference between opinions, values, beliefs, and facts.

    “The personality and ability that I possess simply confirm that I have reached that stage in my life where I can not be entertaining the public with deep personal family issues.

    “They just might be too much to handle concerning the individuals involved. Not even when I have a grown-up daughter who has access to social media. Her mental health needs to be protected from seeing things she can not be proud of online.

    “Yes! Without compromising my family, I have found myself doing some things that I am not proud of today.

    “It is one thing to watch my friendship/marriage of 20 years slip off my hands, but it’s another thing for the parties involved to understand how to appropriate the blames in a space that is designed for most women to always play the victims and win.

    “I can tell you for free that no one is completely INNOCENT enough to cast stones.

    “Presently, I am loving the way that lies about me in all these blogs are traveling faster than the truth. But my painful truth will eventually beat away all the lies”.

  • Marriage Counsellor cautions couples against anal intimacy

    Marriage Counsellor cautions couples against anal intimacy

    A marriage counsellor, Dr Aisha Adaviruku, has cautioned Muslim couples against anal intimacy as it is prohibited in Islam.

    Adaviruku made the call at the Ramadan Weekly lecture titled, ” Preparing Our Children for Marriage: Islamic Approaches” organised by the Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society, on Saturday in Abuja.

    She said that the Islamic legal system taught Muslims everything about life, including how couples should have intimacy and train their children.

    The counselor noted that parents had a very huge space in ensuring that their children understood the true essence of marriage.

    Adaviriku therefore, implored parents to enroll their children in premarital counseling especially those who were due for marriage.

    “As parents, we are good role models for what an Islamic marriage should look like. The first thing that we should remind our children about marriage is belief in God.”

    The counselor also cautioned Muslim couples against going outside the fold of Islam in search of solutions to their marital problems or challenges.

    Adaviruku emphasised that marriage in Islam was an act of worship, saying “we do marry only to seek for the pleasure of Allah.”

    She particularly advised married women to be grateful to their spouses whenever they discharged their responsibilities to them.

    Earlier, Sheikh Shuaib Agbarere said ” if we don’t get married right, we can’t get our nation right.”

    Agbarere, who is a legal practitioner, also warned against premarital sexual intercourse.

    ”Let us tell our young daughters that a man should not say because I have known your father and mother we are in marriage already we can do anything.

    “No, you cannot do anything until when the wedding is pronounced,” he said.

  • Fake news almost ruined my 40-year old marriage – Ex-Minister

    Fake news almost ruined my 40-year old marriage – Ex-Minister

    Alhaji Lai Mohammed, immediate past Minister of Information and National Orientation, has recounted how fake news peddled on social media almost crashed his 40-year old marriage.

    The ex-minister gave the account in Lagos at an event to commemorate the 90th birthday anniversary of Prof. Wole Soyinka, Africa’s first Nobel laureate for literature.

    The text of Mohammed presentation at the event, on the topic, “The Media in the Age of Disinformation”, was made available to newsmen on Saturday.

    Mohammed, the Managing Partner of Bruit Costard, a lobbyist and public relations firm, recalled that one of the pressing challenges he faced in office as minister was  the spate of fake news, misinformation and disinformation.

    Speaking specifically on how the menace almost ruined his marriage, Mohammed stressed that the consequences of fake news, disinformation and misinformation were far-reaching.

    “Permit me to share publicly with you today for the first time, how social media threatened the foundation of my 40-year-old marriage.

    “It was sometimes in 2018 when I came to Lagos from Abuja for an official assignment.

    “As usual, I retire to bed about midnight, but about 3 a. m., my wife gently roused me from my slumber

    “At first, I panicked, fearing that there had been a security breach, but my wife’s mien belied that possibility, for she was calm and composed,” the ex-minister said.

    He continued: “Solemnly, my wife asked me if I was fully awake as there were some serious issues to discuss.

    “I could not fathom what was that urgent or serious to warrant being woken up at this time of the night.

    “My mind immediately did a kaleidoscope of my rascalities and escapades in the last few months”.

    Mohammed said that the accusation from his wife was “a bombshell” and was narrated to him in Yoruba language.

    He presented the narration as follows:

    “Daddy, death can come knocking at any moment, please let me also, as your wife, be a signatory to your oversea account in Ali Financial which contains 1.3 billion dollars.”

    The former minister said he could not believe that his wife could take, hook, line, and sinker the fake story in circulation crediting humongous sums of money in overseas accounts to government functionaries/ministers under former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

    “I spent the next two hours or so, sweating to convince my wife that there is no iota of truth in the allegation.

    “I had to fetch a calculator and reproduce the Federal Appropriation Act for 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 in the middle of the night and explain to her why it is simply preposterous for me to have 1.3 billion dollars in a foreign account.

    “I explained to her that there is no year my capital budget exceeded N5 billion, which  then, at about N400 to a dollar, was just 12.5 million dollars.

    “I explained that, even if I managed to divert every kobo of it to my personal account, it will take at least, 104 years to save the sum of 1.3 billion dollars being peddled that I stole,” he said.

    Mohammed added: “My wife insisted that the whole world believed the story and that her friends had, as a result, besieged her with all kinds of requests.

    “She said every effort on her part to deny the existence of this foreign account only succeeded in depicting her in the minds of her friends as a selfish, greedy and uncaring friend.

    “Is my wife truly convinced of my innocence? The answer is in the wind!. “

    Mohammed reiterated that social media remained the platforms of choice for the purveyors of fake news, anti-state groups, anarchists, secessionists, terrorists and bandits.

    He recalled that while in government, his ministry uncovered 476 online publications that were dedicated to spreading fake news against the former administration of Buhari.

    Mohammed specifically recalled the fake news that the former president had died while receiving treatment in a London hospital and was replaced by a clone called “Jubril from Sudan”.

    According to him,  the challenge of fake news continued up to the campaigns leading to the 2023 general elections where President Bola Tinubu became a target, when videos and speeches attributed to him were manipulated and distorted.

    He said the purveyors of fake news were relentless in their efforts to de-market the laudable policies and programmes of the Tinubu’s administration.

    Mohammed said fake news had become exponential through the use of Artificial Intelligence and deep learning techniques to create highly realistic fake or manipulated videos, audio recordings or images.

    “The consequences of disinformation and misinformation are far-reaching.

    “They undermine democratic processes, sow discord within communities, and pose significant threats to public health and safety.

    “Today, even the media is at the risk of losing its credibility because of the proliferation of fake news on the Social Media

    “Therefore, the media, as custodians of the public trust, must take decisive action to combat the scourge of disinformation and misinformation,” he said

    Mohammed said that social media platforms and other intermediaries accountable for their role in amplifying disinformation and misinformation should be held responsible

    According to him, they should be checkmated through robust regulatory frameworks to curb the spread of false information while safeguarding freedom of expression.

    He admonished social media platforms to prioritise the integrity of information over profit motives and take proactive measures to detect and remove harmful content from their platforms.