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King Sunny Ade Fathered Me 52 Years Ago, Refused DNA Test, Woman Alleges

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Elizabeth Ayeni, a 52-year-old Osun State resident, has claimed that Sunday Adeniyi, popularly known as King Sunny Ade (KSA), a veteran Nigerian musician, is her father.

Ayeni said that until 2020, she did not know her biological father. This changed when Funmilayo Olakunle, her aged mother, disclosed to her that Adeniyi impregnated her sometime in 1970.

Since then, she has made several attempts to reach him, but all efforts proved abortive. Her efforts to get him to do a DNA test have also not been successful.

“I learned that my mother’s husband was not my father, so I asked her about it. She told me my father’s name was Niyi, and he was from Ondo State,” Ayeni told FIJ. “She then told me he was the famous King Sunny Ade, which surprised me.”

Elizabeth Ayeni

Elizabeth Ayeni

“She explained that she met Sunny Ade once when on a trip with a friend, and they had a one-night stand, but she lost contact with him as there were no telephones at the time. She wanted to abort the pregnancy as her family wanted her to marry someone.

“After giving birth to me, she left me with her parents, and I grew up without mother and father. It was recently that I decided to find out where I descended from, so I asked my mother.”

She said before setting out to find and ask her mother, she had received a revelation in a church in Ogun State. “A pastor told me all of it,” she said.

After Olakunle mentioned KSA as her daughter’s father, both of them set out to meet him at his residence in Ondo State, but were unsuccessful.

“All the times we went to see KSA, we could not see him. We dropped a letter along with a photograph of myself,” Ayeni added.

She said upon returning to Lagos, one of Sunny Ade’s aides called to ask if she was still around, but she was not. “The elderly man then said, ‘Your daddy wants to speak to you,’” Ayeni said.

Sunny Ade spoke on the phone and promised to call her back, according to her, but it has been two years now.

HOW I MET AND GOT PREGNANT FOR SUNNY ADE — Olakunle

Olakunle said she was in Osun State in 1970 when one Olu, a friend of hers who is now late, asked her to accompany him to Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital. In a brief submitted to Gani Fawehinmi Human Rights Foundation (GFHRF), she said she and Olu made a stop in Ondo State to eat. It was at a restaurant that she met KSA.

“Sunny Ade made a pass at me, and paid for our meal,” Olakunle said. “Afterwards, he requested that we make out. I told him that my menstrual cycle had lapsed three days before our meeting and my chances of getting pregnant were high.

Funmilayo Olakunle

Funmilayo Olakunle

“He allayed my fears and told me not to worry. We had unprotected sex, and I continued with Olu on the journey. A month after, I discovered I had missed my period.”

She said she made several attempts to reach him but did not get a response.

Taiwo Abiodun, a representative of the GFHRF, said that the foundation had on multiple occasions written to KSA to make himself available for a DNA test to ascertain the veracity of the claim, but he did not respond.

FIJ called KSA’s spokesman who identified simply as Dayo, and he declined to comment. He said he would refer FIJ to Sunny Ade’s legal representatives, but weeks after, he has not done so. He also did not respond to messages sent to him.

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Oyo 2027: Adelabu Quits As Power Minister To Focus On Guber Race

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The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu has formally resigned from his position in the Federal Government to pursue his governorship ambition in Oyo State.

In a resignation letter dated April 22, 2026, and addressed to the President, Adelabu stated that his resignation will take effect on April 30, 2026, to enable him to focus on his governorship ambition in Oyo State.

The letter, routed through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, stated that he was stepping down with “a deep sense of honour and profound gratitude.”

He wrote, “I write with a deep sense of honour and profound gratitude to formally tender my resignation as the Honourable Minister of Power of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This resignation is to take effect on 30th April 2026, in order to allow sufficient time for a smooth and orderly handover of responsibilities.”

Adelabu thanked the President for the opportunity to serve, describing his appointment as a privilege.

He said, “Your Excellency, I remain sincerely grateful for the privilege and confidence you reposed in me by appointing me to serve our great nation in this capacity.

“It has been a rare honour to contribute to national development under your leadership and to play a role in advancing reforms in the power sector—one of the most critical foundations of Nigeria’s industrial growth and economic transformation.”

The former minister said his resignation was to enable him focus fully on his governorship ambition in Oyo State, citing provisions of the amended electoral law.

He added, “My decision to step down is informed by my intention to focus fully on my gubernatorial ambition in Oyo State. This aspiration, which dates back to 2016 during my service as Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, ultimately led to my voluntary resignation from the Central Bank in 2018 in order to pursue the same goal.”

“In line with the provisions of the Amended Electoral Act 2026, which preclude political office holders from contesting elections, I consider it both appropriate and necessary to resign at this time.”

Adelabu’s exit marks a major political development ahead of the next electoral cycle, particularly in Oyo State, where he is expected to contest the governorship election.

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Wale Edun, Musa Dangiwa Resigned Voluntarily, Not Sacked – Presidency

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The Presidency has clarified that Wale Edun (former Finance Minister) and Ahmed Musa Dangiwa (former Housing Minister) voluntarily resigned from their positions and were not sacked by President Tinubu.

In a statement released this evening April 22, presidential media aide, Bayo Onanuga, said that contrary to public opinions, Wale Edun resigned on health grounds while Dangiwa also tendered his resignation and thanked the President for the opportunity given him to serve in the Federal Executive Council.

Onanuga stated that Edun, who clocked 70 on Monday and has battled recent ill health, fittingly submitted his resignation letter on his birthday, thanking the President for the opportunity to serve Nigeria.

“It has been a pleasure and privilege to serve your administration and the Renewed Hope Agenda, Under your leadership, Nigeria has emerged stronger, more resilient and more internationally respected. I wish you and the administration every success in the future” he wrote

Onanuga stated that on Tuesday, before the Office of the Secretary of the Government of the Federation announced his departure from the Cabinet, Edun paid a valedictory visit to the President at the Villa and held an hour-long discussion with the president and then left to focus on his private businesses.

The presidential aide stated that President Tinubu has expressed deep appreciation to Edun and Dangiwa for their dedicated service and significant contributions to the administration’s economic reform programme and wished them continued success in their future endeavours.

‘’In the same vein, the President has urged the new Minister of Finance, Taiwo Oyedele, to consolidate ongoing reforms and advance the administration’s fiscal and economic objectives with renewed focus, discipline, and innovation.

President Tinubu will shortly send the ministerial nominee for housing, Muttaqha Rabe Darma, also from Katsina, like Dangiwa, to the Senate for confirmation” the statement concluded

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Unity Bank, Experts Advocate Green Investment, Climate Innovation To Drive Economic Resilience

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Nigeria’s retail lender, Unity Bank Plc, alongside leading climate innovation experts, has called for increased investment in the green economy and the adoption of frontier technologies as critical pathways to driving economic resilience and reducing the impact of climate change on vulnerable populations across Africa.

The call was made during a thought-provoking webinar hosted by the Bank to commemorate this year’s Earth Day, themed “The True Cost of Climate Change and Who Pays?”. Climate experts and stakeholders convened to examine the human, economic, and institutional costs of climate change, while spotlighting practical solutions to address its growing impact.

In his opening remarks, Unity Bank’s Head of Strategy and Innovation, Ibukun Coker, emphasised the urgency of addressing climate risks from both a societal and business perspective.

He said: “Climate change is no longer a distant or abstract challenge. It is an existential threat with direct consequences for individuals, businesses, and economies. At Unity Bank, we recognise the role institutions must play in incorporating sustainability in project financing, supporting businesses and promoting solutions that build resilience in communities where we operate.”

The webinar featured Chinwe Udo-Davis, Founder and CEO of Instollar, and Oluwatosin Ajide, Programme Manager at the Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre, both of whom provided insights into the drivers of climate change and the pathways to mitigation and adaptation.

Speaking during the session, Udo-Davis highlighted the disproportionate burden which climate change places on underserved communities and the need for inclusive solutions.

“The true cost of climate change is not evenly distributed. Communities with the least resources are often the most affected, whether through energy poverty, environmental degradation, or limited access to sustainable alternatives. Addressing this imbalance requires intentional investment in clean energy solutions that are both accessible and scalable.”

Ajide underscored the importance of coordinated, system-wide approaches in tackling climate challenges, particularly through innovation and policy alignment.

“Climate change is fundamentally a structural problem, and its solution requires a paradigm shift: from innovation and policy to financing and implementation. Stakeholders must work collaboratively to drive solutions that are sustainable and inclusive.”

The session also explored emerging opportunities in climate technology, renewable energy, and ecosystem financing, reinforcing the role of innovation and cross-sector collaboration in building long-term resilience.

By hosting the webinar, Unity Bank continues to demonstrate its commitment to advancing sustainability-focused dialogue and supporting initiatives that promote responsible growth and environmental stewardship.

The initiative underscores the Bank’s broader strategic focus on environmental sustainability as well as its commitment to financial inclusion.

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