Former President Goodluck Jonathan has called for a wide-ranging review of Nigeria's democratic structures, political recruitment and public institutions.

What he said

Chairing a colloquium at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs in Lagos to mark the 162nd birth anniversary of nationalist Herbert Macaulay, reported on Sunday, 15 November 2026, Jonathan said the country's founding nationalists did not merely fight to end colonial rule, but imagined a sovereign, united and prosperous Nigeria where every citizen would enjoy equal rights, dignity and opportunity. He said independence was also meant to bring economic freedom, industrialisation, quality education, healthcare and social justice.

Honesty about failures

While acknowledging progress in some areas, Jonathan said true patriotism requires honesty about the country's failures. He pointed to leadership failures and weak institutions, and urged a review of how the country's democracy works and how leaders emerge.

Background

Jonathan, who governed from 2010 to 2015, is widely remembered for conceding defeat to Muhammadu Buhari in the 2015 election, a first for a sitting Nigerian president. The presidential election is scheduled for 16 January 2027.

Zainab Musa Kwankwaso, daughter of former Kano governor and senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has reportedly filed for divorce from her husband, Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, after 20 years of marriage.

The court case

The case was filed at the Upper Area Court in Gudu, Abuja. A civil summons directs Governor Yusuf to appear in court on Tuesday, 17 November 2026.

Zainab is reported to be seeking khul'i, a process under Islamic law that allows a wife to end her marriage, and has offered to refund the dowry Yusuf paid when they married.

The summons is not a divorce order, and the court has yet to rule on the matter.

Her reasons

According to the filing, Zainab cited a long absence of mutual care, love and emotional connection in the marriage, and said reconciliation efforts had failed.

The couple married on 29 July 2006, when Zainab was working as an aide to her father, who was then governor of Kano State. They have six children.

The political backdrop

The marriage once symbolised the close bond between Kwankwaso and Yusuf, his long-time political protégé. That relationship has since broken down.

In January 2026, Governor Yusuf left Kwankwaso's party, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), a move Kwankwaso's camp described as a betrayal.

Some reports have linked the political split to tension in the marriage, but the reasons given in the court filing focus on the breakdown of the relationship itself.

No comment yet

As of Saturday, neither Governor Yusuf, Zainab nor Senator Kwankwaso had made a public statement on the divorce, and the Kano State Government had not commented.

Over to you

Did politics cost this 20-year marriage, or is this simply a private family matter that should be left to the court?

The South African presidency has criticised Nigeria's High Commissioner to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode, over his public complaint that his speech was cut off during the ceremony where he presented his letters of credence to President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Fani-Kayode's complaint

Fani-Kayode had raised concerns about the incident, suggesting that he was interrupted while addressing the gathering during the official diplomatic ceremony.

South Africa responds

The South African presidency has rejected his account. Responding to the controversy, President Ramaphosa's spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, accused Fani-Kayode of misrepresenting the situation and of wrongly dragging the South African President into a matter that did not require his involvement.

Magwenya also described the Nigerian diplomat's handling of the issue as inappropriate.

A routine ceremony turned row

The disagreement has drawn attention to what should have been a routine diplomatic ceremony between two African countries.

Diplomatic engagements are usually guided by established protocols, and disagreements over procedure are generally expected to be handled through official channels rather than in public.

For a newly appointed high commissioner, the public exchange has raised questions about diplomatic conduct, and about how misunderstandings between representatives of friendly nations should be resolved.

Over to you

Was Fani-Kayode right to complain publicly, or should he have handled the matter quietly through diplomatic channels?

Nollywood actor Yul Edochie and his second wife, Judy Austin, have announced that they are expecting their fourth child together.

The announcement

The couple revealed the pregnancy in a new skit shared on Sunday, 15 November 2026, confirming rumours that had been circulating online. They already have three children together, and Judy has children from previous relationships. The news drew a flood of comments online, ranging from humour to disapproval.

May's new song

On the same day, Yul's first wife, May Edochie, released a gospel single titled 'Sorom', recorded with an artist called Nwando, on major streaming platforms. Announcing it on Instagram, she said there was a good reason for releasing it that day and described God as always being with her and never letting her enemies triumph over her. The lyrics draw on biblical imagery about escaping a snare and finding joy.

Background

Yul's public relationship with Judy Austin and his separation from May, with whom he has children, have been among the most talked-about celebrity stories in Nigeria in recent years. The couple's daughter was recently in the news for buying her first car.