The widow of late Nollywood comic actor, John Okafor, popularly known as Mr Ibu, has appealed to Nigerians for financial assistance, revealing that she and her children are facing severe economic hardship more than two years after the actor’s death.
The appeal was made during a video interview with content creator King Mitchy on Wednesday, where the actor’s widow and children spoke about the challenges confronting the family.
Speaking emotionally, the widow disclosed that the family had been unable to pay rent and school fees, adding that their electricity supply had been disconnected for about two months due to unpaid bills.
According to her, the family now relies on water from a well and struggles to meet basic needs.
“We fetch water from the well because I have not paid the house rent. They have even cut my lights for two months now. No lights since. Every night we go to look for a place to charge our phones. It’s not easy,” she said.
One of Mr Ibu’s daughters commended her mother for her efforts to keep the family together despite the financial difficulties.
“I want to thank God for my mom. She tries everything she can to feed us, to pay our school fees and to make us happy,” she said.
The widow further revealed that her children risk dropping out of school because of outstanding tuition fees.
“Right now, they can’t go to school again. I can even show you the message the school sent me today,” she said.
King Mitchy, who conducted the interview, said support was being sought to help the family settle school fees, pay outstanding rent and restore electricity to their home.
Mr Ibu, one of Nigeria’s most celebrated comic actors, died on March 2, 2024, at the age of 62, following health complications. His death drew widespread tributes from fans, colleagues and public figures across the country.

Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, Vice President of Equatorial Guinea, announced on Tuesday that the federal executive council has resigned after failing to meet its performance targets.

In a post on X, Mangue, who is also the son of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, stated that the cabinet had achieved “barely 10 percent” of its goals.

“The rule is simple: public responsibility has to come with results,” Mangue said. “The state puts significant human, material and financial resources at the disposal of the government to address the needs of the population. So the degree of execution achieved is clearly insufficient in relation to the expectations and commitments undertaken.”

Mangue did not specify the exact targets the government had been set.

President Mbasogo, who has ruled Equatorial Guinea since 1979 and is the world’s longest-serving leader, appointed the outgoing government in 2024. Manuel Osa Nsue Nsua, a former longtime head of the National Bank of Equatorial Guinea, was named prime minister and tasked with implementing economic reforms aimed at benefiting the country’s poorest populations.

Despite these efforts, the country’s economy has continued to face a prolonged slowdown, driven by declining oil production, reduced investment, and external shocks. Equatorial Guinea remains heavily dependent on petroleum, with oil and gas accounting for the vast majority of its exports and government revenues.

In a statement, the ruling Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea (PDGE) said the president was dissatisfied with the outgoing government’s management. Mbasogo reportedly criticized the cabinet for failing to implement policies to diversify the economy, particularly in the agricultural sector, which could reduce reliance on imported goods that can be produced locally.

A new government is expected to be appointed in the coming days.

The Kano State Government has earmarked N1.5 billion for a forthcoming mass wedding programme targeting 3,000 beneficiaries, officials announced on Monday.

Commander-General of the Kano State Hisbah Board, Sheikh Ibrahim Daurawa, disclosed the funding while briefing journalists on preparations for the event.

“The Kano State Government is to spend N1.5bn on the entire mass wedding programme which will soon be conducted in the state,” Daurawa said.

According to him, the allocation will cover furniture, food items, dowry, clothing materials for the couples, and a N100,000 capital grant to each bride, among other expenses.

The Hisbah Board, in collaboration with the State Ministry of Health, has already commenced mandatory medical screening for prospective couples to determine their health status. The screenings include tests for hepatitis, pregnancy, HIV, genotype, and other sexually transmitted diseases.

Daurawa revealed that no fewer than 5,000 people applied for the programme, out of which 3,000 will be selected following the completion of the medical exercise.

He commended Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for initiating the programme and stated that the governor is expected to announce the date for the mass wedding soon.

The medical screening began on Monday, May 8, 2026, involving prospective couples from 24 of the state’s 44 local government areas.