Africa
By Christabel Ejenike
FOR the global community, the 2024 will not be forgotten in a hurry as it was characterised by conflicts, disasters, flooding among others. And in Nigeria, the year 2024 had been described as a year with mixed emotions, while some won and jollied, others lost and mourned.
There were big time winners and losers in 2024 from various sectors and field such as politics, entertainment, lifestyle, business, and health.
The year 2024 was the political year as two gubernatorial elections were held after the 2023 general elections. The first political winner of the year was the current governor of Edo State, Governor Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress, APC. But despite the controversies that surrounded his candidature, Gov. Okpebholo emerged the winner of the state election with 291,667 votes and was inaugurated on November 12, 2024, succeeding Gov. Godwin Obaseki.
Although, Gov. Okpebholo smiled at the outcome of the election, the result was not good for the other contenders.
Asue Ighodalo of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party, LP, who came in second and third positions with 247, 274 and 22, 763 votes respectively.
Following the Edo guber election was the Ondo State election that was held on November 16, 2024, with the incumbent governor, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress, APC, running for a full term and emerging as the winner with over 366, 000 votes defeating the former deputy governor Agboola Ajayi, of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, who came in second with over 117, 000 votes and 15 other candidates.
In the business world, the Dangote Group and its subsidiaries shone at the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association, NECA, 2024 visible impact awards, as they won the excellence awards.
Still on awards the NLNG prizes for Science and Literature were announced for each category winning $100, 000 while the prize of Science went to three co-winners, Olajide Otitoju, Professsor Meihong Wang and Eni Oko. And the prize for literature went to Olubunmi Familoni for his children’s book, “The Road Does Not End”.
Also, the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, NSIA, awarded a total sum of $220, 000 to its winners for the second edition of the NSIA prize for innovation with sycamore group, a Fintech Platform led by Akin-Moses emerging as the winner of the $100, 000 grand prize, Kunda Kids an Edtech media company coming out at the second place, winning the prize of $70, 000, while Pave HQ won $50, 000.
The health sector recorded notable improvements as they were able to secure, investments, one of them being the Basic Health Care Provision Fund, BHCPF, worth N37 billion. The sector also secured foreign investments worth $5 billion and $2 billion in 2024 through Presidential Initiative for Unlocking Health Care Value Chain Initiatives.
The health sector also recorded losses in the past year as major foreign Pharmaceutical chain supplies left the country due to weak local currency which resulted in high cost of basic medications and the influx of fake drugs in the market. The sector also continued to witness mass brain drain and reports of acute malnutrition with cases of kwashiorkor.
In the lifestyle sector, it was a unique experience for Chidinma Adesina, a South-African Nigerian pageant, who stepped down from Miss South Africa 2024 due to controversies surrounding her citizenship. However, the renowned pageant made a comeback as she won the Miss Universe Nigeria 2024 and also came out as the first runner up for the Miss Universe 2024 Pageant held in Mexico.
In the reality TV show, Big Brother Naija, BBN 2024 edition, Kingsley Sule won the grand prize of N100 million, comprising N65 million in cash and other rewards he won on the BBN house. The show also had Wanni Danbaki and Onyeka Chigbo coming in second and third places respectively.
In the Entertainment sector, Nollywood had a good year with noticeable revenue growth, grossing over N3.5 billion in just domestic revenue. Also, Funke Akindele’s latest movie “Everybody Loves Jenifa” grossed N1.4 billion at the box office making it the highest grossing Nigerian film of all time. Furthermore, Mercy Aigbe’s film “Thinline” surpassed N200 million at the Nigerian box office despite opening below N40 million.
In the music industry, six Nigerian artistes were nominated for different categories for the Grammys 2024. The Nigerian artistes nominees were; Davido, Burna Boy, Ayraa star, Olamide, Asake and Tems, However only Tems came home with a Grammys award in 2024.
As the year crawled, Nigeria also lost a lot of her legends in different sectors with the entertainment sector having the highest count of lost legends.
The political and business sector lost legends like Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, on 25th July, 2024, Iwuanyanwu was a politician and a businessman. Until his death he served as the 11th President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
Sen. Patrick Ifeanyi Uba, died on 27th July, 2024. He was a politician and a businessman who served as the Senator representing Anambra South Senatorial district from 2019 until his death. He was also the CEO of Capital Oil.
Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe passed on 9th February 2024. He was a Nigerian banker and businessman. He was the group managing director and CEO of Access Bank Plc and one of Nigeria’s top five banking institutions.
Lt-Gen. Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, died on 5th November 2024. He was a Nigerian Army lieutenant general, who served as the Chief of Army Staff of Nigeria from June 2023 to November 2024. He was appointed on 19 June 2023 by President Bola Tinubu to succeed Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya.
The entertainment and lifestyle sector lost legends like Jimi Solanke on 5th February 2024, Solanke was a Nigerian film actor, dramatist, folk singer, poet and playwright
Onyeka Onwenu died on 30th July 2024. She was a Nigerian singer and songwriter, actress, human rights and social activist, journalist, politician, and X Factor series judge. Dubbed the “Elegant Stallion” due to her significant impact on African culture and entertainment, Onwenu was a chairperson of the Imo State Council for Arts and Culture. In 2013, she was appointed the Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the National Centre for Women Development.
John Ikechukwu Okafor, popularly known as Mr. Ibu, died on 2nd March 2024. He was a Nigerian legendary veteran actor and comedian. He appeared in over 200 Nollywood films, including those from the Ibu series.
Amaechi Muonagor passed on 24th March, 2024 at the age of 62, he was a Nollywood comic actor. Reports indicate that he succumbed to kidney failure on Sunday while undergoing dialysis, as disclosed by local media.
John Paul Obumneme Odonwodo popularly known as Junior Pope, died on 10th April 2024. He was a Nigerian actor and film producer, who appeared in various Nollywood films, including Secret Adventures (2007), Bitter Generation (2010), and Nkoli Nwa Nsukka.
14th January, 2025.
C.E.
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