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GEJ, Osinbajo, Olu Of Warri, Kukah, Davido, AY, Others Among 100 Most Notable Peace Icons In Africa

Published

2 years ago

August 18, 2023

Nigerian music superstars David Adeleke, also known as Davido, Divine Ikubor, popularly known as Rema and ace comedian AY Makun have been listed among the ‘100 Most Notable Peace Icons in Africa’.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the stars were named in the ‘Peace building row call’ at unveiling news conference by the organisers on Friday in Abuja.

Other Nigerians who made the list include former President Goodluck Jonathan, former Vice President, Prof Yemi Osibanjo; Sultan of Sokoto, Mohammadu Sa’ad Abubakar and President of the African Development Bank, Akinwumi Adeshina.

The Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, Cardinal John Oniyekan, Bishop Matthew Hassan-Kukah and renowned tele-evangelist Pastor Chris Oyakhilome also made the list among others.

Amb. Kinsley Amafibe, Project Director Africa for the 100 Most Notable Peace Icons in Africa, congratulated the artistes and other Nigerians who made the highly coveted ‘peace list’.

According to him, the peace icons are Africans drawn from different backgrounds, who have used their talents, positions and resources to build and promote peace across the continent.

He said those who made the list were painstakingly selected for their consisted commitment to humanitarian initiatives, positive influence on communities and youth empowerment, among other criteria.

“It is with immense excitement that we announce the revelation of the esteemed list titled “100 Most Notable Peace Icons in Africa.”

“This initiative stands as a testament to our commitment to acknowledging and applauding the remarkable individuals and collectives that have played key roles in nurturing peace, harmony, and positive change the African continent.

“This initiative celebrates the dedication of those who have labored continuously to reduce conflicts, advance social bond, and establish connections amidst diverse communities,” he said.

According to him, by sharing their narratives, our intention is to amplify the ripples of their endeavors, produce a collective resolve to foster a more calm and prosperous Africa.

“Within this illustrious roster of 100 Most Notable Peace Icons in Africa, we encounter a rich shade of leaders, economist, financial expert, sports personalities, religious leaders, industrialist, entertainment entrepreneurs and traditional rulers.

“They have transcended boundaries and overcome challenges to leave inerasable legacies, with each narrative as a tribute to perseverance and determination, enclosed in the cherished values of Africa- unity, harmony, and progress.

“The profiles and accomplishments of these icons are showcased on our official website, www.100mostnotable.org, a digital monument honoring their contributions across Africa and beyond,” he said.

NAN reports that other recipients of the recognition across the continent include Rwanda President, Paul Kagame, Kenyan President William Ruto Cyril Ramaphosa, South African President and Joyce Hilda- Band ,First Female President in Malawi.

Ex- Cameroonian football star Samuel Eto’oFils, veteran Ghanaian actor John Dumelo, American-born Senegalese singer, Akon , the first lady of Mamibia, Monica Geingos are also listed among the peace icons.

Amafibe said the “100 Most Notable Peace Icons in Africa” initiative stands as a celebration of hope, unity, and advancement for the continent.

He, therefore, urged Africans to unite in constructing a future, where peace and prosperity flourish through education, empowerment, and sustainable development.

“The unveiling of this plaque transcends mere symbolism but serves as a call to action, an exhortation to perpetuate the values embody by African Icons

“This plaque would serve as a perpetual reminder to both present and future generations that peace entails more than the absence of conflict; it encompasses the proactive cultivation of understanding, cooperation, and shared prosperity.

“The legacy of these African Icons shall persist as a wellspring of inspiration for individuals, nations, and the entirety of the African continent,” he said.

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Serbia Indicts Ex-minister, 12 Others Over Train Station Tragedy

Published

6 hours ago

September 16, 2025

Editor

Serbian prosecutors filed an updated indictment on Tuesday against 13 people, including a former minister, over a fatal railway station roof collapse that has triggered a wave of anti-government protests.

The prosecution said all those indicted, among them former construction minister Goran Vesic, face charges of “serious crimes against public safety” over the tragedy that killed 16 people last November.

“The indictment proposes that the Higher Court in Novi Sad order custody for all the defendants,” the prosecutor’s office said in a statement.

The roof collapse at the newly renovated station in Serbia’s second-largest city, Novi Sad, became a symbol of entrenched corruption and sparked almost daily protests.

Protesters first demanded a transparent investigation, but their calls soon escalated into demands for early elections.

The Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Novi Sad initially filed an indictment at the end of December, but judges returned it in April, requesting more information.

The accused were released or placed under house arrest following the decision.

The prosecutor’s office said it had complied with the judge’s request and had now completed the supplementary investigation.

The prosecutor specialising in organised crime and corruption in Belgrade is leading a separate, independent investigation into the tragedy.

That investigation is focused on 13 people, including Vesic and another former minister, Tomislav Momirovic, who headed the Construction Ministry before him.

In March, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) launched a third, separate investigation into the possible misuse of EU funds for the station’s reconstruction.

AFP

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Kazakhstan Bans Forced Marriage, Bride Kidnapping

Published

6 hours ago

September 16, 2025

Editor

Kazakhstan has banned forced marriages and bride kidnappings through a law that came into effect Tuesday in the Central Asian country, where the practice persists despite new attention being paid to women’s rights.

Forcing someone to marry is now punishable by up to 10 years in prison, Kazakh police said in a statement.

“These changes are aimed at preventing forced marriages and protecting vulnerable categories of citizens, especially women and adolescents,” it added.

Bride kidnappings have also been outlawed.

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“Previously, a person who voluntarily released a kidnapped person could expect to be released from criminal liability. Now this possibility has been eliminated,” the police said.

There are no reliable statistics of forced marriage cases across the country, with no separate article in the criminal code prohibiting it until now.

A Kazakh lawmaker said earlier this year that the police had received 214 such complaints over the past three years.

The custom is also present in neighbouring Kyrgyzstan, where it mostly goes unpunished due to indifferent law enforcement and stigma surrounding whistleblowers.

The issue of women’s rights in Kazakhstan gained media attention in 2023 following the murder of a woman by her husband, a former minister, a case that shocked Kazakh society and prompted President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to react.

“Some people hide behind so-called traditions and try to impose the practice of wife stealing. This blatant obscurantism cannot be justified,” Tokayev said last year.

AFP

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Russia Arrests Woman For Detonating Bomb On Railway

Published

6 hours ago

September 16, 2025

Editor

Russia’s FSB security service said on Tuesday it had arrested a woman in her fifties accused of detonating explosives in a bid to sabotage the Trans-Siberian Railway.

The suspect was allegedly working on behalf of Ukrainian intelligence, the FSB said, in the latest incident of alleged covert activity during the countries’ conflict.

“In August 2025, following the instructions provided by the adversary, the suspect manufactured a homemade explosive device from publicly available components, placed it on the railway tracks and triggered it,” the Russian agency said.

“She recorded the moment of the explosion on her mobile phone camera and sent the footage as a report to the handler to receive a reward.”

The statement did not name the suspect but said she was born in 1974 and carried out the alleged attack in eastern Siberia’s Zabaikalsky region.

The FSB warned Russians that it was monitoring social networks and online messenger services such as Telegram and WhatsApp for evidence of Ukrainian services recruiting Russians to carry out sabotage.

Separately, the agency told state news agency TASS that a man had been sentenced to 18 years and six months for transporting explosives on behalf of a “pro-Ukrainian” group.

A resident of the Bryansk region, which borders Ukraine, had, the FSB said, established contact through the Telegram app with a banned “terrorist organisation”.

He allegedly retrieved explosives from a cache on the orders of this group before waiting for “further instructions”, according to the same source cited by TASS.

He was jailed by a military tribunal.

AFP