… Damola Taiwo, Lau Lau dedicate laurel to Rubies Fans
Afrobeat Star, Adedapo Aderele popularly known as Daapo has won Confirm News Virtual Award Next Rated Artiste of the year .
The award was presented to him by Publisher Www.confirmnews.com.ng, Adegbola Shehu Tijani and Charles Collins ‘Chaloma’ , Rubies Entertainment Manager at Rubies Club, Egbeda , Lagos on Friday 11th September 2026 .
Adeoye Olabiyi who represented Daapo who is on UK musical tour was very excited to receive the award on his behalf the artiste.
“It is a privilege to receive this award on behalf of my artiste. Daapo is on tour currently in United Kingdom. We appreciate the love Confirm News management has extended to us. We thank Nigeria media who have been supporting us. The sky is our limit. This award speaks volume. It tells us to work more. Our team will not relent. We are working on our new EP. We are very optimistic that it will go far when we release the project”, Adeoye Olabiyi said.
However, C E O, Rubies, Mr Damola Taiwo also won Best Club Owner of the year while Adetola ‘Lau Lau’ Babatunde was presented Club Manager of the year. He has been working with Rubies Club for almost Six years. Lau Lau had worked with Club Royal, The Place and West End Club respectively.
Daapo on the other hand, is Nigerian-born Afrobeat star known for his distinctive sound, soulful vocals, emotional depth, and energetic party music. His artistry cuts across multiple genres and influences, including Afrobeats, pop, acoustic music, house, and contemporary fusion.
It would be recalled that Daapo began his musical journey in Lagos, Nigeria, in 2021 under the name , Sir Derick. In January 2022, he released his debut four-track EP, In the Beginning. The project introduced audiences to his soulful and relatable songwriting, with “Victory Song” emerging as a standout track. Its reception earned him invitations to Nigerian television and radio platforms, including TVC, Max FM, and Top Radio, providing an early indication of the connection his music could create with listeners.
Encouraged by the response to his debut, Daapo continued developing his sound and expanding his artistic vision. In October 2022.
Daapo has released a growing body of music, including multiple singles, his solo EP ‘Transcendence’, and the collaborative EP ‘Synchro’ the EP with Rrichy. In November 2025, he released his album ** ‘Adedapo’ featuring Nigerian artists Lhilfrosh and Rrichy, marking another significant chapter in his evolution as an independent artist.
In July 2025, he officially changed his stage name from *Sir Derick to Daapo. The new name represents a more personal and authentic identity, reflecting his roots, individuality, and evolving musical sound. For Daapo, the name change is part of a broader artistic transformation as he continues to grow and establish his place within the global music landscape.
As an independent artist, Daapo is focused on constantly improving his craft, expanding his audience, and creating music capable of crossing cultural and geographical boundaries. His ability to move between soulful, emotional records and energetic, feel-good music gives him a versatile identity within the Afrobeat and Afro-fusion space.
With an ambition to take his music to a global audience, Daapo represents a new generation of independent African artists building bridges between African sounds, UK influences, and contemporary global music. His journey is still unfolding, but with each release, he continues to refine his sound, strengthen his identity, and move closer to his goal of becoming a globally recognised artiste.
Edo State-born Afrobeats artiste, David Cross, popularly known as K’WATE, has won the Best African USA-Based Artist of the Year award at the 2026 African Muzik Magazine Awards.Kwate was announced as the winner at the grand finale of the awards held in Dallas, Texas, on Saturday, September 12, 2026.The award is one of the major international recognitions received by the artiste, who has continued to build his career in the United States while maintaining strong ties with his Nigerian roots.In his acceptance speech, Kwate described the recognition as a celebration of hard work, resilience and the growing influence of African artistes building careers abroad.He thanked God, his family, team, fans, DJs, promoters, media practitioners and AFRIMMA for supporting his musical journey.The artiste also urged African musicians in the United States to take their careers seriously and invest in their music, branding, performances and professionalism.He said, “To every Afrobeats artiste based in America: stop asking America to take African music seriously when some of us don’t take ourselves seriously.”Kwate also encouraged upcoming artistes not to depend on external validation.“Awards don’t build careers. Work does. Don’t wait to be chosen. Choose yourself, build your platform, and let your work make the world notice,” he said.The singer began his musical journey in Edo State before relocating to Lagos in 1998. His career gained wider attention in 2010 following the release of Party Dey Here, from his debut album, Tami Lorobo.His recent projects include From Me To You EP and the single, Flower Boy, which continue to attract streams online.
Alhaji Tajudeen Alabi, popularly known as Istijaba, has responded to singer Portable (Habeeb Olalomi) over his claim that established Fuji musicians do not help upcoming artistes.
Istijaba, a respected Fuji musician from Ilorin who has now relocated to Lagos, stated that Portable was mistaken. According to him, many successful Fuji stars have supported younger artistes in different ways, and he himself is a beneficiary of such support.
He particularly praised Alhaji Sule Alao Malaika, saying the Fuji star played a major role in his career growth and helped create opportunities that enabled him to travel and perform beyond Nigeria.
Speaking on the matter, Istijaba said: “Portable was wrong. He does not understand how things are done in the House of Fuji Music. Fuji music is much bigger and broader than he thinks. Sule Alao Malaika is one of those who genuinely want others to succeed and grow in the industry.”
The artiste, formerly known as Taju Paso, is now frequently seen in the company of Sule Alao Malaika and continues to acknowledge the support he has received.
Why I Dropped Taju Paso and Became Istijaba, Istijaba also explained the reason behind changing his stage name from Taju Paso to Istijaba, a move that marked a new phase in his musical journey.
In another development, Sule Alao Malaika reacted to the controversy surrounding Portable’s comments. During a live performance, Malaika stated that he has supported numerous Fuji artistes over the years. According to him, his support has included: Sponsoring Hajj pilgrimages, assisting artistes who wished to travel abroad. Also is supporting album projects, providing financial and moral assistance to colleagues.
Malaika maintained that many Fuji musicians have benefited from such efforts and that helping others has always been part of the Fuji music tradition.
Fuji Music Star , Alao Adekunle KS1MALAIKA addressed the issues of Bigger Fuji singers not helping the upcoming ones in a live performance at IKORODU on Wednesday 2nd September 2026.
According to Madiba, he said it is not possible for people to keep comparing Fuji music to hiphop music.
He revealed that the Fuji music singers can stand with their microphone and their band members for 7-10 hours entertaining people nonstop.. but for hiphop music they can never do a 1 hour performance without getting tired. Although their genre of music allow such timing limited time, highest 10 minutes they are done performing on stage.
Also Fuji musicians are the ones promoting themselves, I know many Fuji singers that it’s from the money they see from their place of works or their parents money that they used to promote themselves these days, gone are those days when marketers used to promote and fund an album for upcoming Fuji singers.
We need lots of promoters, distributors , marketers in the Fuji Music Industry. When we started music, we no longer have such opportunities again!
Majority of my colleagues are still doing their best to promote some of these upcoming ones .
I am doing my best in my own little way i can. We have sponsored many studio albums/collaborative project, we have given out visa and flights tickets to some, give houses and cars, even send some to Mecca to become Alhaji. if we don’t want them to succeed like us as many people claimed are we going to keep doing all that for them still?
However, @ks1malaika rubbished cynics who don’t do research before embarrassing elite Fuji Artistes in public.
Zenith Bank Plc hosted the 10th edition of its International Trade Seminar on Non-Oil Export on Tuesday, 25 August 2026, marking a decade of sustained advocacy for the diversification of Nigeria’s economy. The virtual event brought together policymakers, regulators, exporters, manufacturers, investors and development partners from across Africa and beyond, all focused on one question: how Nigeria can earn more from what it sells to the world.Held under the theme “Unlocking Value and Harnessing Growth”, the seminar examined how Nigeria can move beyond exporting raw commodities to building competitive value chains, strengthening trade infrastructure and financing, and deepening the sector’s contribution to sustainable economic growth.In her welcome address, the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Zenith Bank Plc, Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji, OON, paid tribute to the Bank’s Founder, Dr. Jim Ovia, CFR, whose vision gave birth to the seminar in 2015, and urged participants to turn Nigeria’s improving export numbers into lasting economic value.In her words: “Our theme, ‘Unlocking Value and Harnessing Growth’, is not just a slogan. It speaks to the opportunities before us and the need to translate our collective efforts into sustainable economic value. According to the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Nigeria’s non-oil exports reached a record $6.1 billion in 2025, up 11.5 per cent from the $5.46 billion recorded in 2024, and a remarkable leap from the $612 million recorded a decade earlier. Through our partnership with the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat, we have commenced the development of the SMARTAfCFTA portal, and our integration with the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System is making cross-border business easier for our customers. Wherever our exporters need to reach, Zenith Bank will reach with them.”She commended His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for the structural reforms creating a more enabling environment for businesses, and the Central Bank of Nigeria, under Governor Olayemi Cardoso, for reforms that have improved foreign exchange stability and market confidence. “As we build on the progress recorded so far,” she added, “it is important that, as a nation, we accelerate growth by creating more value locally and exporting finished products, rather than just raw materials.”Delivering the keynote address, the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, MFR, called for deeper trade and investment reforms, a better export environment and wider market access within Africa and beyond. “The question before us now is not simply how to export more, but how to retain more value in Nigeria from everything we export,” she said. “Our focus at the Ministry is straightforward: produce more competitively in Nigeria, process more in Nigeria, connect Nigerian businesses to bigger markets, and ensure that the financing, infrastructure and trade systems exist to help them scale. In July, I assumed the chair of the AfCFTA Council of Ministers, and I see at first hand that the opportunity before us goes beyond the size of the African market of over 1.4 billion people and approximately $3.4 trillion in GDP. It is about enabling Nigerian firms to sell more products, reach more markets and deepen regional value chains. Nigeria’s role as an AfCFTA digital trade co-champion further positions us to help shape how this market evolves, particularly as digital trade creates new pathways for Nigerian businesses to reach customers across the continent.” She urged financial institutions to go beyond financing export transactions to financing export capability, and encouraged Nigerian businesses to prepare for intra-African trade by investing in productivity, quality and skills.In his presentation, the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA) and immediate past President/Chairman of Afreximbank, Professor Benedict Oramah, GCON, argued that the moment demands new thinking. “The theme chosen for this 10th edition is both apt and timely,” he said. “The global economy is experiencing unprecedented levels of entropy. I do not raise this to alarm us. I raise it because a unique opportunity lies ahead of us that may well pave the way to Africa’s ascendance. The question is no longer whether Africa can attract enough external capital and external demand to power its growth. The question is whether Africa, and Nigeria within it, can build her own internal demand, participate effectively in global supply chains, build the capacity to finance her own trade and industries, and create her own markets.” He commended Zenith Bank and its leadership for advancing Nigeria’s non-oil export agenda over the past decade.The Founder and Executive Chair of Plot Enterprise Ghana Limited, Mrs Patricia Poku-Diaby, made the case for transformation plainly. “Let us make no mistake: the future of our economy will not be determined simply by what we grow or what we mine, but by what we transform,” she said. “We need to move from being suppliers of raw materials to becoming producers, processors, manufacturers, exporters and owners of strong African brands. Our focus should be on creating more value before our products leave our shores.”Speaking on the Nigeria-United Kingdom trade relationship, the UK Minister of State at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Rt. Hon. Florence Eshalomi, MP, represented by Ms Mujina Kaindama, Head of Trade Policy for UK Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, commended the Bank for the platform. “The trade relationship between the United Kingdom and Nigeria is one of immense importance and even greater potential,” she said. “Nigeria is home to extraordinary entrepreneurial talent, innovation and creativity. One of the most promising opportunities lies not simply in increasing exports, but in increasing the value of those exports: moving further up the value chain, processing raw materials, developing branded products and creating higher-value manufactured and agricultural goods. In doing so, Nigerian businesses can unlock greater returns, create jobs and build sustainable economic growth.”The Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat, His Excellency Wamkele Mene, placed the private sector at the centre of the continent’s economic restructuring. “The private sector is at the heart of the fundamental restructuring of Africa’s economy that all of us want to see,” he said, “and the seminar Zenith Bank has convened strikes at the heart of that objective: reducing the reliance of exports on unprocessed commodities and accelerating industrialisation and value addition in Africa. The success of the AfCFTA will ultimately be measured not by how many protocols and legal instruments have been signed, but by the extent to which our private sector can leverage the AfCFTA to access new markets, scale their investment and scale their productive capacity to create jobs across the continent.”The seminar featured two panel sessions. The public sector panel brought together Mr Abubakar Bello, Managing Director of the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM), represented by Mr Hope Nyongo, Technical Adviser; Mr Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service; Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, Managing Director/CEO of the Nigerian Ports Authority, represented by Mr Adebowale Lawal, Ports Manager, Lagos Ports Complex; Ms Aderinola Shonekan, Director, Trade and Exchange Department, Central Bank of Nigeria; Mrs Nonye Ayeni, Executive Director/CEO of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council; and Mr Adekunle Ajai, General Manager, Neroli Technologies. The panellists committed to improving trade facilitation, customs efficiency, logistics reform, trade advocacy and exporters’ access to funding.The private sector panel featured Alhaji Adeniji Adeyemi, MD/CEO of Starlink Global & Ideal Limited; Alhaji Sada Ladan-Baki, Group Executive Director, International Trade and Export, Dangote Group; Mr Bamidele Ayemibo, Senior Consultant, 3T Impex Trade Centre; Mr Mobolaji Salako, Managing Director, Terra Aqua Environmental Consultancy Nigeria Limited; Mr Ramzi Taher, Managing Director, RMM Global Company Limited; Mrs Oluyemisi Iranloye, Founder/Managing Director, Psaltry International; and Chief (Mrs) Chinwe Ezenwa, MD/CEO, Lelook Nigeria Limited. Their discussions centred on trade barriers, value creation and addition, competitiveness, product certification, market intelligence and the structured financing needed to scale non-oil exports.The Zenith Bank International Trade Seminar on Non-Oil Export was launched in 2015 to drive dialogue and action around Nigeria’s non-oil export potential. Ten years on, the Bank continues to champion the sector’s growth by opening up market opportunities and backing exporters with financing, incentives and practical support.The 2026 edition streamed live on Zoom, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, X and TikTok, drawing thousands of participants from 97 countries. The tenth edition closed the way the first began a decade ago: with a commitment to give Nigerian businesses the tools, partnerships and capital they need to compete in regional and global markets.
Alahaji Sulaimon Alao Adekunle @ks1malaika has sent condolence messages to the family of Veteran Star Actor, Taiwo Hassan who is widely known at Ogogo.
” Ogogo was a good man. i was shocked to hear to hear about Ogogo’s passing on Sunday. please accept my sincere condolences. Take all the time you need. my heart goes out to the family. May God console you. May his soul continue to rest in peace”, he said.
It would be recalled that Ogogo died on Sunday 23rd August 2026 and buried on Monday 24th August 2026 at his home town, Ilaro, Yewa in Ogun State.
He would be remembered for his hardworking in Nollywood.
Fujiipop reports indicate that Rolex Dee is seriously ill while in detention and needs proper medical attention. Whatever allegations or legal issues are involved, a person in detention still deserves proper healthcare and humane treatment. His condition should not be ignored or allowed to deteriorate.We are calling on the relevant authorities, his legal team, family and everyone concerned to ensure that Rolex Dee receives immediate and adequate medical care.⚖️ Let the court determine the case. Let doctors attend to his health.
Victor Osimhen’s high-profile move to Turkey has highlighted the growing financial appeal of the country’s top-flight football, with several established stars now linked with moves to the Süper Lig.
According to a report by SCORENigeria, Nathan Aké, Mason Greenwood, Leandro Trossard, and Mohamed Salah have all been associated with Turkish clubs this summer, while more major names could follow.
Brahim Díaz, Endrick, Bruno Fernandes, Rafael Leão, Marcus Rashford, Dušan Vlahović, Romelu Lukaku, and Jamal Musiala have also been linked with potential moves.
Turkey’s ability to attract such players is largely driven by the financial strength of its leading clubs.
Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe, Beşiktaş, and Trabzonspor benefit from huge fan bases, commercial partnerships, sponsorships, and merchandising opportunities that generate significant revenue.
Galatasaray’s blockbuster deal for Osimhen has further demonstrated the club’s financial power and the ambition of Turkish football.
The club is reportedly permitted to spend up to €163 million on players under the Turkish Football Federation’s financial regulations.
Fenerbahçe have a limit of €114 million, while Beşiktaş and Trabzonspor are allowed €75 million and €46 million, respectively.
Those figures are significantly higher than the spending limits available to clubs in Belgium’s Jupiler Pro League.
Even newly promoted Amedspor, managed by Besnik Hasi, reportedly have a transfer spending limit of €16.2 million.
Turkish football also benefits from a lucrative broadcasting agreement.
In 2024, the TFF sold Süper Lig television rights to beIN Sports for approximately €168 million per season, almost twice the value of Belgium’s current domestic broadcasting deal.
The financial difference is also reflected in the overall value of the leagues.
Transfermarkt values the Süper Lig at around €1.5 billion, compared with approximately €975 million for the Jupiler Pro League.
However, Turkey’s financial advantage has not translated into consistent success in European competitions.
Galatasaray eliminated Juventus in the Champions League intermediate round last season, while no Turkish club featured in the Champions League the previous campaign.
Turkish clubs have reached the quarter-finals of a major European tournament only twice in the past decade, through Beşiktaş in the 2017 Europa League, and Fenerbahçe in the 2024 Conference League.
However, Galatasaray have the the Quarter-finals of the Champions League once this century.
Belgian clubs have managed four quarter-final appearances during the same period, including Club Brugge’s run to the Conference League semi-finals.
Despite that contrast, the money available in Turkey continues to make the country an attractive destination for high-profile players.
Osimhen’s move has only strengthened the perception that the Süper Lig is becoming a new promise land for football stars seeking lucrative opportunities.
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