My Leaving Christianity For Islam Has Left Me More Confused - Bunner Boy

Grammy Award-winning superstar, Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, popularly known as Burna Boy, says his leaving Christianity for Islam has left him more confused than ever. He recently spoke about his evolving spiritual journey, stating he was raised Christian but later explored and converted to Islam, though he still feels confused by organized religion. He said his spiritual journey has led him into finding more personal connection and peace in a higher power and universal protection rather than strict religious dogma, emphasizing that his search for truth is ongoing. He said religion is potentially confusing and controlling but feels a genuine, personal connection to something spiritual, leading him to study different faiths. 

In an interview with American streamer, PlaqueBoyMax, the artiste said his quest for truth has ultimately left him feeling more confused.

He said his transition from Christianity to Islam stemmed from a deep desire to understand the meaning of existence and the nature of creation.

“I grew up as a Christian, but then I converted to Islam and all types. It’s like I have studied it all. I am still out here trying to find what is really going on.

“Religion is a controlled mechanism. In all my research, there is always one scientific fact that goes against every book. Everything comes from the workshop of the sun.

“The more I researched, the more confused I got. All I know is that the truth is there is something up there protecting me. That I am in tune with. That’s why when I pray, I feel like I’m being heard.

“I am very spiritual. I believe we are creations. If we are creations, there must be a creator. Everyone is coming up with versions that are confusing me. That is what your parents believe in. That is what you are born into,” he stated.

Burna Boy, whose real name is Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, was born on July 2, 1991, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. He grew up in a middle-class family with a rich musical heritage. 

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Buildings And Other Structures Under High-Tension Power Lines By Third Mainland Bridge Will Soon Go Down, Lagos Government Warns

Lagos State government has restated its determination to remove all buildings and structures erected beneath high-tension power lines across the state, warning that such encroachments pose severe safety risks to residents.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Electronic Geographic Information System (EGIS) and Urban Development, Olajide Babatunde, gave the warning during an assessment tour of the Third Mainland Bridge corridor.

Babatunde was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Gbolahan Oki; the General Manager of the Lagos State Urban Renewal Agency (LASURA), Oladimeji Animashaun; and senior officials from other relevant agencies. The inspection covered areas from Oworonshoki to Adekunle and the Makoko axis of Ebute-Metta, where the team identified several shanties and illegal structures encroaching on the bridge setbacks and breaching the legally prescribed 50-metre right-of-way.

Babatunde stated that the state would no longer tolerate habitation or commercial activity beneath high-tension power lines or in restricted zones, emphasising that such practices endanger lives and property. He also mentioned that enforcement would be strengthened to guarantee full compliance with planning regulations, protect infrastructure, and improve public safety.

Speaking during the tour, Oki mentioned that the government had held several stakeholder meetings with residents of Makoko and other affected areas, warning them about the dangers of building directly beneath transmission cables and near the Third Mainland Bridge.

“As far back as February this year, we gave them 14 days to vacate the area, but as you can see, they refused. They are even extending towards the middle of the Third Mainland Bridge. We have warned them several times; the next step is to take the bull by the horns,” Oki said.

He explained that during various engagements, the government made it clear that after repeated warnings, there would be no further notice before enforcement begins. He added that while the government continues to collaborate with community leaders, it must prioritise public safety.

“If any of those cables fall and anything happens, the blame will be on the government. People’s lives are more important. They are also encroaching on the Third Mainland Bridge,” he said.

Oki also referenced similar enforcement carried out in Oworonshoki, which recently sparked protests and a temporary blockade of the Third Mainland Bridge. He noted that residents in the affected area were given a three-year amnesty period to regularise their buildings, yet only two households complied.

He reaffirmed Sanwo-Olu’s commitment to enforcing urban development laws and protecting lives, despite resistance from some quarters.

 

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Shakara Festival To Thrill Lagosians With 50 Afrobeats, Alté, Gospel And Other Artists At Elegushi

About 50 Afrobeats, Alté, gospel, and other artists will thrill music lovers at the maiden edition of Shakara Festival.

Shakara Festival is a comprehensive cultural experience built around four key zones: Shakara Junction, an ultimate marketplace for culture and commerce; Shakara Series, featuring deep-dive conversations and panels on the music industry and creative economy; Shakara Games Village, a dedicated space for competitive and casual gaming; and Shakara After Dark, the premier late-night party experience.

The organisers of the four-day music festival have unveiled a star-studded lineup and confirmed an electrifying Shakara After Dark takeover, solidifying its position as the must-attend event for Detty December.

The festival will run from Thursday, December 18, 2025, to Sunday, December 21, 2025, at the Nautica Beach Resort, Elegushi, Lekki, Lagos.

The festival’s musical curation showcases a powerful blend of established legends, Alté icons, and the fastest-rising stars in Afrobeats, Alternative, and Highlife music, guaranteeing a diverse and unforgettable sonic journey. The full lineup features lyrical heavyweights like BlaqBonez and Show Dem Camp, bringing Naija Rap and Alté fire, alongside soulful Afro Soul and R&B vibes from artists like J’Dess and Mich Straw.

The energy is set for the Afrobeats crew with fast-rising stars such as Mavo, Llona, Tar1q, and Morravey.

The alternative and indigenous sounds will be represented by Brymo and Johnny Drille with Folk-Fusion, while the legendary The Cavemen will deliver proper Highlife groove. The roster also connects the Diaspora with acts like Curtis J and Keys The Prince.

A key highlight of the festival will be the highly anticipated ‘Shakara After Dark’ late-night party series. The renowned nightlife brand, Obi’s House, will take over the late-night stage on December 20, 2025, promising the ultimate rave experience. Obi’s House will bring its A-team of heavy-hitting DJs, including WanniXHandi, DJ Shawn, and Bonamax, to keep the party pulsating after the main stage concludes.

The festival will climax on Sunday, December 21, 2025, with Shakara Gospel Day, an entire day dedicated to high-energy praise and worship featuring some of the biggest names in Nigerian gospel music. This powerful closing event will feature performances by Gbenga Akinfenwa, SMJ, Yinka Alaseyori, Bidemi Olaoba, Sinach, Noble G, Kingdom, Magpsalms, Ada Ehi, Gerald Bishung, and many more, offering a perfect, uplifting conclusion to the four-day cultural celebration.

When asked why gospel artistes will be performing, CEO of Shakara Festival, Godson Oriaku, said: “We have three days of performances before the gospel concert. There were clamours for a gospel concert.”

 “The primary goal of Shakara Festival is not to make money. I am not trying to compete with anyone, but to better the space. This is a legacy project, and we will do better next year,” he added.

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I'm Not The Problem Of Liverpool - Mohamed Salah

Mohamed Salah has accused Liverpool of throwing him “under the bus” after being left out of the starting lineup for the third game running as the champions drew at Leeds, saying he has been made a scapegoat for the poor start to the season and casting severe doubt on his future at the club.

“I can’t believe … I’m sitting on the bench for 90 minutes,” the Egypt international said. “The third time on the bench, I think for the first time in my career. I’m very, very disappointed. I have done so much for this club down the years and especially last season. Now I’m sitting on the bench and I don’t know why.

“It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus. That is how I am feeling. I think it is very clear that someone wanted me to get all of the blame.” He refused to specify who that person was.

Salah has been leading scorer in the Premier League four times and was both the Professional Footballers’ Association’s and the Football Writers’ Association’s player of the year last season as he helped Liverpool to his and their second Premier League triumph. But he suggested next week’s home league game against Brighton could be his last for the club. He will join up with the Egypt squad for the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco after that and he gave a strong hint that he could leave Liverpool in the January transfer window.

“I said many times before that I had a good relationship with the manager and all of a sudden, we don’t have any relationship,” Salah said after Liverpool’s 3-3 draw at Elland Road on Saturday. “I don’t know why, but it seems to me, how I see it, that someone doesn’t want me in the club.

“This club, I always support it. My kids will always support it. I love the club so much I will always do. I called my mum yesterday – you guys [journalists] didn’t know if I would start or not, but I knew. Yesterday I said [to my mum]: ‘Come to the Brighton game. I don’t know if I am going to play or not but I am going to enjoy it.’ In my head, I’m going to enjoy that game because I don’t know what is going to happen now. I will be in Anfield to say goodbye to the fans and go the Africa Cup. I don’t know what is going to happen when I am there.”

Asked directly if he thought that the Brighton fixture at Anfield next Saturday would be his last for Liverpool, he replied: “In football you never know. I don’t accept this situation. I have done so much for this club.”

Salah has scored only four Premier League goals this season, one of those a penalty, and has been widely criticised for his lack of defensive work as Liverpool have endured a stuttering start to their title defence. But he is clearly hurt that he is taking the blame for their poor form and feels the club have let him down after he agreed a two-year contract extension in the spring.

“I got a lot of promises and so far I am on the bench for three games so I can’t say they have kept the promise,” he said. “It is not acceptable for me. I don’t know why this is happening to me. I don’t get it. I think if this was somewhere else, every club would protect its player. How I see it now is like: ‘You throw Mo under the bus because he is the problem in the team now.’ But I don’t think I am the problem. I have done so much for this club.

“The respect, I want to get. I don’t have to go every day fighting for my position because I earned it. I am not bigger than anyone but I earned my position. It’s football. It is what it is. I am top goalscorer, best player, winning the league in such a style, but I am the one who has to defend himself in front of the media and fans.

“After what I have done for the club it really hurts. You can imagine, really. After going from home to the club and you don’t know if you are starting. I know the club too well, I have been here many years. Tomorrow [the Sky pundit Jamie] Carragher is going to go for me again and again and that’s fine.”

Salah did not feature in the win at West Ham last Sunday but came off the bench at half-time in the draw against Sunderland on Wednesday. However, he did not make an appearance at Elland Road, a situation he clearly finds extremely frustrating. “I have been at this club, scoring more than anyone in this generation, since I came to the Premier League. If I was somewhere else, everybody would go to the media and defend the players. I am the only one in this situation. Can I give an example?

“It’s silly but I am sorry. I remember a while ago, Harry Kane was not scoring for 10 games, and everyone in the media was like: ‘Oh, Harry will score for sure.’ When it comes to Mo everyone is like: ‘He needs to be on the bench.’”

There has been consistent interest from the Saudi Pro League for several months, but Salah would not be drawn on whether that was his likely destination. “I don’t want to answer this question,” he said, “because the club is going to take me to a different direction.”

Did he regret signing the new contract? “Imagine how bad I feel that I have to answer it, honestly,” he said. “That hurts, even the question hurts. This club, signing for this club, I will never regret it. I thought I’m going to renew here and end my career here, but this is not according to the plan, so I’m not regretting signing for the club for sure.

“Somehow it will end but the thing in my head is like: ‘Why it should end this way?’ Because I am too fit, just five months ago I was just winning every individual award so why should it go this direction?”

 

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Why I Am Married But Not Living With My Husband - Popular Gospel Artist, Shola Allyson

Popular Nigerian gospel artiste Shola Allyson has revealed that she is not currently living with her husband.

The 54-year-old singer made the disclosure during an interview on Oyinmomo TV while speaking about her love life.

Allyson, who rose to fame with her hit love-themed album Eji Owuro, said that although she is married, she and her husband do not live together.

“I’m married, but I’m not in my husband’s house. We live separately,” she said.

When asked by the interviewer, “You sang ‘Eji Owuro’, did you experience genuine love from your husband?”

Shola Allyson responded, saying her marital journey did not reflect the romantic expectations she once believed in.

“We lied before. Those older than us didn’t inform us that it’s tough. They made us believe that so long as you both love each other, you will live happily ever after, but it’s a lie. That’s not the experience I have. I didn’t have the experience of living happily ever after. I did all I could to make it work,” she said.

 

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Stop Pressurizing Me To Get Married, Nollywood Star Actress Nkechi Blessing Sunday Cries Out

Nollywood actress Nkechi Blessing Sunday has expressed her frustration over online strangers who pressure her to get married. The actress shared her experience during an interview on The Honest Bunch Podcast, where she opened up about her past, family background, and why she refuses to succumb to marriage pressure from the public.

Speaking about her upbringing, she said, “I have never dated anyone who has been violent toward me. I can say for a fact that my father used to hit my mum, but that didn’t make me feel like any man should hit me.”

She went on to recount a difficult relationship from younger years. “Even though one of my exes when I was growing up used to beat me—his name is Valentine. My mum would lock him up at the police station. And when she did, I would go there and tell the police, ‘It’s because my mother wants me to leave him for another man, that’s why she locked him up,’ even though it wasn’t true.”

According to her, her mother always took a firm stance. “The police would call my mum, and she would tell them, ‘Lock am join there.’ Before you know it, play-play, they would lock me too.”

She added that her mother was a strong-willed woman who believed no one should force marriage on her. “Do you know who my mother was? I would stay in the cell for two days, and on the third day, she would come herself and ask them to release us. She would say, ‘Leave man.’ Before she died, she never pressured me to get married.”

Nkechi stressed that marriage pressure has never come from her family but from outsiders who have no connection to her. “I didn’t come from that kind of family. It’s only these online people that are not related to me that will be telling me to go and marry. Like you’re my father or mother.”

 

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Ambulance Conveying Pregnant Woman On Oxygen Support Crashes At Maryland

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority has arrested a yet-to-be-identified ambulance driver who left a delivery motorcyclist with a limb fracture, during a traffic incident on the Odo Iya-Alaro Bridge inward Maryland along Ikorodu Road, Lagos.

This was disclosed today, in a Monday statement by Lagos State Traffic Management Agency spokesperson, Adebayo Taofiq.

According to Taofiq, the accident was caused by lingering traffic disruptions from an earlier truck fire at the same location.

“Preliminary security investigations at the scene revealed that the unfortunate occurrence was catalyzed by the residual disruptions following a truck inferno earlier in the morning at the same location.

“The aftermath of the fire incident had engendered a severe slow traffic impasse along the entire Ikorodu Road axis,” the statement partly read.

The agency reported that the private ambulance involved was transporting a pregnant woman dependent on oxygen support when the accident occurred.

“Amid the protracted slow vehicular movements, a private ambulance (BED 508 EA) conveying a pregnant woman dependent on oxygen support recklessly elected to traverse against traffic (one-way) at an imprudent and perilous speed.

“This dangerous manoeuvre culminated in a forceful collision with a delivery motorcyclist legitimately navigating his designated lane, instantly inflicting a grave and excruciating fracture to his right knee,” the statement added.

Taofiq stated that emergency response teams acted swiftly to assist the victims.

“The pregnant woman, along with her life-support apparatus, was safely transloaded into one LASAMBUS ambulance, while the second conveyed the severely injured motorcyclist to the nearest medical facility for immediate treatment,” LASTMA confirmed.

It was stated that the driver of the private ambulance was apprehended at the scene and handed over to law enforcement for further investigation.

“The driver of the private ambulance was apprehended on-site by LASTMA Officials and subsequently handed over to operatives of the Ogudu Police Division for comprehensive interrogation and potential prosecution in accordance with extant laws,” the statement said.

The General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, also reaffirmed the agency’s stance on traffic safety.

“LASTMA has an uncompromising zero-tolerance posture towards the dangerous and unlawful act of driving against traffic,” he said.

 

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Dawn Accidents At Otedola And Third Mainland Bridges Claim Two Lives

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has warned motorists against reckless driving after two separate accidents claimed two lives and left two others critically injured in the early hours of today, Monday, December 8, 2025.

According to a statement issued by the agency today, the first incident occurred at about 2:30 a.m. on Otedola Bridge inward Berger along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway when an unregistered vehicle carrying two occupants collided with a heavily laden trailer while travelling at high speed. Both occupants died instantly, while the trailer driver fled the scene with the vehicle.

LASTMA’s night-duty team responded to the incident, evacuating the bodies from the carriageway and removing the wrecked vehicle to prevent secondary accidents. Officers from the Isheri Police Division provided security support, while personnel from the State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit moved the remains in line with official procedures.

A second accident occurred at about 5:00 a.m. on the Third Mainland Bridge, near the UNILAG waterfront inward Lagos Island.

The crash involved an empty tanker and a pure-water distribution van with registration number SMK 67 XH. Two persons sustained serious injuries. Emergency responders from the Lagos State Ambulance Service administered first aid before conveying the victims to a health facility for further treatment.

The General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, extended condolences to the families of the deceased.

He stated that the accidents underscored the consequences of excessive speeding and disregard for traffic regulations. “The tragic loss of life was preventable,” he said, stressing the need for strict adherence to speed limits prescribed by the government.

Bakare-Oki also commended the LASTMA night teams for what he described as diligence and prompt response. He noted that the Agency would maintain its 24-hour monitoring and traffic management operations across Lagos into the new year, in line with the state government’s commitment to public safety and orderly movement.

operations would continue across the state. He said the Lagos State Government remained committed to public safety and orderly mobility.

The accidents have renewed calls for stricter enforcement of traffic regulations in Lagos, where authorities continue to battle the consequences of speeding and dangerous driving on major highways.

 

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Lagos Getting Set For "Detty December"

The hotels are booked, and final preparations for the festivals and concerts are underway, as Lagos prepares for “Detty December”, Nigeria’s end-of-year frenzy.

Nigerians and tourists alike, especially members of the country’s massive diaspora, descend on the megacity annually to visit family and friends and observe the holidays — and party.

Never mind the recent state of emergency declared by the government last month over mass kidnappings in the north and centre of the country, or the brutal inflation that has squeezed the country for two years: in Lagos, the anchor of southern Nigeria and the nation’s economic capital, the music will be bumping and the drinks flowing.

A cultural staple, it’s also a crucial cash cow, raking in millions of dollars for the tourism, restaurant, and hotel sectors.

“I’ll call it a cultural pilgrimage,” Deola Art Alade, an events organiser who, with her husband, trademarked the phrase “Detty December” in 2019 and put together an annual festival mixing concerts, food, and clubbing events.

“Detty”, in Nigerian Pidgin English, is derived from “dirty” — calling to mind the, at times, wild and non-stop festivities that arise as the city swells past its normal 20-million or so residents.

– Millions in revenue –

Amid the street parties and high-profile concerts, the government is trying to take advantage of the annual homecoming by partnering with the Art Alades’ festival.

“Together we are moving Detty December from a social trend to a structured national asset,” declared Culture Minister Hannatu Musa Musawa.

Last year, the Lagos state authorities estimated that the month’s various festivities brought in some $71.5 million in government revenue, including $44 million just from the hotel sector.

That sum was welcome amid the country’s biting economic crisis, which saw inflation topping 30 percent throughout 2024.

Buoyed by the end-of-year tradition’s growth, the government this year promoted a “101 Days in Lagos” culture and tourism initiative, which has seen the last three months filled with exhibitions, conventions and festivals leading up to a “Detty December” finale.

– ‘Africa’s real summer’ –

It’s “Africa’s real summer”, Deola Art Alade’s husband Darey told AFP, and there’s evidence its popularity is expanding internationally beyond the traditional diaspora.

“People are coming to see their families, they’re bringing their friends,” Darey said, describing a “Dirty December fever”.

“This year, we have a lot of Americans living in America, you know, Black Americans now looking at coming out here and paying for packages, just to have a different kind of experience,” Iyadunni Gbadebo, sales director for Eko Hotels & Suites, told AFP.

For the hotel — Lagos’s biggest, with some 825 rooms and nine restaurants and bars — December represents some 15 to 20 percent of annual revenues.

People start booking rooms as early as July, and the hotel fills up by November.

As expected in Lagos, awash in both oil wealth and informal slums, the prices can be eye-watering: weekly packages for a family of four can range between eight and 13 million naira — $5,500 to $9,000, depending on the room.

But the ultimate holiday gift each year is the concert line-up, with globe-trotting Afrobeats stars as keen as their countrymen to take part in the homecoming.

This year, Asake and Davido are set to perform on Christmas Eve and Christmas, respectively.

Tickets are about four times the monthly minimum wage of 70,000 naira ($50).

 

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RCCG Youth Province Spends N40 Million On Free Transportation For Lagosians

The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Youth Province 1, in partnership with other youth provinces across Lagos, has reportedly spent N40m on its free-bus-to-work initiative, which provided morning and evening transportation for commuters across the state.

Youth Province 1 disclosed this in a statement on Friday, noting that this year’s edition ran from November 24 to December 5.

According to the statement, the morning routes covered RCCG Jesus Palace (Festac) to CMS; Oworonshoki to CMS; Redemption City to 7UP; Redemption City to Sagamu; Redemption City to Trinity Towers (VI); Redemption City to Agege; and Ikorodu to Maryland. Free return trips were provided in the evenings.

The church explained that the programme, now in its second year, was introduced to cushion the effects of rising living costs and the strain of daily transportation on Nigerians.

The statement added, “Rising living costs without a commensurate increase in income have become the daily reality for many Nigerians.

“One such significant burden is transportation — a challenge that Youth Province 1 of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, in partnership with other youth provinces across Lagos, is addressing by providing free transportation to and from work.”

This year, about 10 long yellow buses were deployed, conveying hundreds of commuters daily.

Speaking on the initiative, the Pastor-in-Charge of Youth Province 1, Pastor Oluwagbemileke Adeboye, said the church embarked on the project to ease pressure on residents.

Adeboye said, “This initiative is our way of lending a hand to people. We did it last year and witnessed the massive relief it provided, so we decided to do it again this year in collaboration with Youth Provinces 2, 7, 14, 18 and 20 of the Redeemed Christian Church of God.

“We also find the journeys a meaningful way to start or wrap up the day, sharing God’s Word and praying as we set out or return from work. It is open to all, regardless of tribe or religion.

“Beyond the morning trips, the church also provided free return journeys in the evenings, expending about N40m on the initiative.”

He added that Youth Province 1, assisted by Pastor Martins Olusakin, Assistant Pastor-in-Charge of Province (CSR), and Pastor Abiodun Famojuro, Assistant Pastor-in-Charge of Province (Administration), is also preparing for the RCCG Holy Ghost Congress scheduled for the second week of December.

Olusakin said beneficiaries had continued to commend the gesture, with many taking to social media to express gratitude to the church.

“The gratitude of commuters is evident in their smiles and relieved sighs as the church continues to extend this support to many,” he added.

 

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