Nollywood actress and filmmaker, Funke Akindele, has revealed how a social media influencer ignored and turned down her offer to pay for promotional content for her 2024 movie, Everybody Loves Jenifa.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Akindele made the revelation during a panel discussion at the Creative Africa Nexus Weekend (CANEX WKND).

The actress explained that she was initially hesitant to contact the unnamed influencer but eventually decided to reach out to explore a possible promotional partnership for the movie.

According to her, she waited for several days before receiving a response that the influencer’s management was not interested in the proposed collaboration.

Akindele said she even offered to pay for the promotional content, but the influencer allegedly ignored her message.

Despite the experience, the filmmaker maintained that the rejection did not discourage her from seeking promotional partnerships, adding that she had learnt not to allow such situations to affect her emotionally.

She also disclosed that she later came across claims that she had blocked someone over the disagreement but did not reveal the identity of the influencer.

Recounting the experience, she said:

“There was this influencer I reached out to, I sent a message to them that I would like to create content. One, two, three… for almost a week. And I did not want to send this message, this was during ‘Everybody Loves Jenifa’ but I tried and I was like let me send it, so I sent it.

“The person was like ‘I am sorry, my management does not want me to do this’. And I was like ‘I would pay’ but the person ignored me. Then months after, I read that I blocked somebody because of this.

“I didn’t let it affect me. I embraced it. I didn’t go and reply. I just said, God, take control. I got back to it.”

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has congratulated Nigeria’s Flamingos following their historic victory at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The Nigerian team defeated Japan 2-1 in Saturday’s final at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Rabat, becoming the first African country to win the tournament.

Goals from Awawu Bashiru and Oluebube Umejiaku put Nigeria two goals ahead before Fuki Ito scored for Japan. Despite the late pressure from their opponents, the Flamingos held on to secure the historic victory.

Reacting to the achievement, Infantino praised the Nigerian players for their outstanding performances throughout the competition, describing their triumph as well deserved.

“Congratulations to Nigeria, world champion U-17 Women’s World Cup of FIFA here in Rabat. First African team to ever win a (FIFA) Women’s U-17 World Cup, so many congratulations to Nigeria. Well deserved in the final,” he said.

The FIFA president also congratulated Japan for finishing as runners-up and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPR Korea) for claiming the bronze medal.

“Congratulations to Japan as well, great tournament, silver medal. And DPR Korea, bronze medalists at this beautiful (FIFA) U-17 Women’s World Cup,” he added.

The victory marks a historic milestone for Nigerian football, as the Flamingos become the first African team to lift the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup trophy since the competition was introduced in 2008.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has dismissed reports claiming it negotiated the ₦40,000 consequential adjustment approved for federal workers following the implementation of the ₦70,000 national minimum wage.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The labour organisation clarified that negotiations for consequential salary adjustments were handled exclusively by public sector unions, not the NLC.

In a statement issued on Sunday and signed by its Acting General Secretary, Comrade Benson Upah, the Congress described claims linking it to the ₦40,000 adjustment as false and misleading.

It accused unnamed individuals of deliberately misrepresenting Nigeria’s collective bargaining structure to mislead workers and create divisions within the labour movement.

The NLC explained that its role during the 2024 minimum wage negotiations was limited to determining the national minimum wage, which serves as the basic salary threshold below which no worker should be paid.

It stressed that consequential adjustments, which involve reviewing existing salary structures to accommodate a new minimum wage, are negotiated separately by unions in their respective sectors.

“For the purpose of clarity, we state that the national minimum wage is set through a tripartite process involving the labour movement, the government, and employers’ representatives.

“The NLC’s mandate at this stage is clear and unambiguous: to negotiate the national minimum wage; the primary and basic floor below which no worker should be paid,” the statement partly read.

The Congress further explained that the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council, comprising government representatives and about eight trade unions, handled discussions with the Federal Government on implementing the new minimum wage and consequential adjustments.

It added that similar arrangements apply at the state level, where negotiating councils engage state governments, while industrial unions negotiate with employers’ associations on wage adjustments in the private sector.

Citing the food and beverage industry as an example, the NLC said the Association of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employers negotiated with the National Union of Food, Beverages and Tobacco Employees on how the new minimum wage would be implemented within the sector.

The labour centre maintained that although it represents workers in both the public and private sectors, this does not make it responsible for negotiating consequential adjustments on behalf of individual unions.

“The NLC represents both the private and public sectors. However, it is critically important to understand that the NLC does not sit at the table to negotiate consequential adjustments in the various sectors.

“The leadership of the unions in these sectors bears sole responsibility for the outcomes of consequential adjustments in their respective sectors,” it stated.

Addressing the ₦40,000 adjustment granted to federal workers, the Congress insisted that the negotiations were led by public sector union leaders.

“Therefore, the claim that the NLC was responsible for negotiating the N40,000 across-the-board addition as consequential adjustment for federal workers is not only false but is a deliberate distortion of the collective bargaining framework in Nigeria.

“The N40,000 outcome was the sole responsibility of the leadership of the unions in the public sector,” the statement added.

The NLC also accused some individuals of attempting to shift responsibility for the adjustment to create confusion within the labour movement, particularly as preparations begin for another round of national minimum wage negotiations.

It insisted that it had never negotiated consequential adjustments with either the government or organised private sector employers.

“Throughout the history of the national minimum wage setting exercise, the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has never sat down to negotiate consequential adjustment with neither the government nor the organised private sector employers,” it said.

The Congress warned that attempts to blame it for the ₦40,000 adjustment could weaken workers’ unity at a critical period.

It said such actions were aimed at shifting responsibility and creating divisions as discussions towards a new national minimum wage gather momentum.

New Minimum Wage

The NLC pledged to push for a new national minimum wage that reflects prevailing economic conditions and brings workers closer to earning a living wage.

It urged workers and members of the public to hold the relevant institutions accountable for their respective responsibilities in the negotiation process.

“The new national minimum wage is on the verge of being negotiated. This is a critical moment for Nigerian workers and the masses to take necessary steps to hold specific institutions accountable for their specific expectations.

“The NLC will do its best to ensure that the outcome of this forthcoming exercise continues to serve Nigerian workers and masses and approximates a living wage,” the statement added.