The Presidency has disassociated itself from a yacht seen flying the Nigerian flag in St. Tropez, a coastal town in France. PUNCH Online reported that a video of the yacht, which displayed the Nigerian flag during a vacation in the French town, went viral on social media, sparking reactions from netizens. In response to the video, the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Digital and New Media, Otega Ogra, clarified via his X (formerly Twitter) page on Saturday that the yacht in question belongs to a private individual. Ogra explained that flags used by the President or the Armed Forces do not feature a coat of arms, stressing that the official Nigerian flag is Green-White-Green without any additional symbols. He wrote, “There have been false claims circulating that a private individual’s yacht spotted in St. Tropez is a Nigerian government yacht. Here are some points to consider in order to discern the truth. “The 42-metre Benetti yacht currently being circulated online has been privately owned for around five years since its construction. “It is important to note that this specific yacht has no connection or ownership ties to the Nigerian government, President, or Armed Forces. Any claims or assertions suggesting otherwise are simply untrue and inaccurate. It is not uncommon for luxury yachts to fly the flag of the owner’s country as well as the flag of the country in which they are registered. “The official Nigerian flag is Green-White-Green without a coat of arms in the middle. Flags representing the Nigerian President or the Armed Forces do not contain a coat of arms in the centre. Placing anything in the centre of the flag is a clear deviation.”

Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State has appointed 344 new aides, with less than 10 weeks to the November 16 governorship election in the state. According to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniran, on Friday, the appointments were in continuation of efforts to enhance governance and service delivery to the people of the state. The statement noted that the aides comprise 28 Senior Special Assistants and 316 special assistants. It added that the appointments spread across the 18 Local Government Areas, 33 Local Council Development Areas and 203 wards in the state. Aiyedatiwa, in the statement, urged the new appointees to bring to bear their wealth of experience as well as dedicate themselves to serving the people of the state. “In continuation of efforts to enhance governance and service delivery to the people of the state, the Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has approved the appointment of 344 new Senior Special Assistants (SSAs) and Special Assistants (SAs). “The new appointments are spread across the 18 Local Government Areas, 33 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) and 203 Wards in the State,” the statement read.

Ajuri Ngelale, the spokesperson to President Bola Tinubu, has left his role. He revealed this in a statement he personally signed and posted on his verified Facebook page on Saturday. He said that the decision was motivated by a “vexatious medical situation,” which had become worsened. His resignation as the president’s imagemaker automatically affects other presidential roles assigned to him, including special enjoy on climate action. STATEMENT On Friday, I submitted a memo to the Chief of Staff to the President informing my office that I am proceeding on an indefinite leave of absence to frontally deal with medical matters presently affecting my immediate, nuclear family. While I fully appreciate that the ship of state waits for no man, this agonizing decision — entailing a pause of my functions as the Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity and Official Spokesperson of the President; Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action, and Chairman, Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen — was taken after significant consultations with my family over the past several days as a vexatious medical situation has worsened at home. I look forward to returning to full-time national service when time, healing, and fate permit. I respectfully ask for some privacy for my family and I during this time.

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Nigeria’s national flag designer, Taiwo Akinkunmi has been buried in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital after one year. The remains of the octogenarian were interred on Friday after a funeral service held at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Liberty Road, Ibadan. The service was attended by members of the Oyo State cabinet; members of the state advisory council; former Oyo Assembly lawmaker, Honourable Ibrahim Bolomope; GOFAMINT members; personnel of various security agencies, the national choir, students of Akinkunmi’s alma mater family members, among others. In his remarks, the Acting Governor of Oyo State, Bayo Lawal, described Akinkunmi as a national figure, saying that his burial should have been a Federal Government affair, rather than being left to the deceased family and the Oyo State government. Lawal noted that Pa Akinkunmi represented a classic example of a national icon, adding that the Federal Government should not abdicate its duty to give him the deserved respect and honour, whether alive or dead. Meanwhile, the State Government in a statement the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Dotun Oyelade said “The commemoration of the death of an iconic figure like Pa Taiwo Akinkunmi, who designed the Nigerian flag 64 years ago at the age of 23, should be treated as a national festival.” “The fact that Pa Akinkunmi hailed from this part of the country does not diminish his status as a national hero.” In his sermons, the General Secretary of GOFAMINT, Pastor Femi Omowumi, said Pa Akinkunmi had demonstrated the fact that one could contribute to national development without necessarily holding a political office. The son of the deceased, Akinkunmi Akinwumi, while speaking at the service, said the family was open to any manner the Federal Government deemed fit to immortalise their father.