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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has renewed the tenures of the Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Abdulhamid Salihu Dembos, and the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Ali Mohammed Ali, for another three years.

This is contained in a statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, on Sunday.

According to the statement, Tinubu first appointed Dembos and Ali to head the NTA and NAN, respectively, on October 20, 2023. Their second terms will commence on October 20, 2026.

Dembos, from Yola, Adamawa State, is a former National President of the Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers Union (RATTAWU).

He previously served as Executive Director of Marketing at the NTA after his retirement from the organisation in 2017.

Dembos joined the NTA as an announcer at its Kaduna station after completing his National Youth Service in 1989. He subsequently rose through the ranks, serving at various times as General Manager of NTA Lokoja and NTA Kano.

He retired in 2017 as the Acting Zonal Director of the NTA Kaduna Network Centre.

Ali, on the other hand, is a veteran journalist and media manager with more than 30 years of experience.

He has a keen interest in media evolution and content development in the digital era, particularly in meeting the needs of diverse audiences through alternative news platforms.

Ali holds a first degree in English from Bayero University, Kano; a graduate degree in International Affairs from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; and a Postgraduate Diploma in Mass Communication from Bayero University, Kano.

President Tinubu urged the two chief executives to justify the confidence reposed in them by continuing to demonstrate commitment to the mandates of their respective organisations and the promotion of his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

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The death of veteran Nollywood actor Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, has renewed attention on Nigerian film stars who lost their lives after battling different forms of cancer.

Hassan died on Sunday, August 23, 2026, at the age of 66. His daughter, Kira Taiwo, confirmed his death during an emotional live video.

Days before his death, Kira and her sister, Haleemah, disclosed that their father had been diagnosed with stage four cancer. They appealed for medical assistance after doctors reportedly said his condition had become difficult to treat.
Here are other Nollywood actors whose deaths were linked to cancer.

1. Taiwo Hassan ‘Ogogo’

Taiwo Hassan built a career that spanned more than four decades, with memorable appearances in Yoruba and English language productions.

The actor, producer and director was known for films including Owo Blow, Omo Ghetto and Aníkúlápó.

His death came days after his daughters publicly revealed his battle with stage four cancer. The particular type of cancer was not disclosed.

2. Alexx Ekubo

Alexx Ekubo died on May 11, 2026, at the age of 40.

His family said the actor died at Evercare Hospital from complications arising from advanced metastatic kidney cancer.

Ekubo was known for films including Weekend Getaway, Lagos Cougars, The Bling Lagosians, Omo Ghetto: The Saga and A Sunday Affair.

His illness was largely kept away from the public until his death.
3. Tom Njemanze

Veteran actor Tom Njemanze died in July 2025 at the age of 75 after battling prostate cancer.

Before his death, videos showed him receiving treatment in a hospital as colleagues appealed to the public for financial assistance.

Njemanze became popular through his performances in films including Issakaba, Osuofia in London, Pounds and Dollars, Brain Box and Twin Brothers.

4. Stella Ikwuegbu

Veteran actress Stella Ikwuegbu died on June 16, 2024, after battling what her colleagues described as leg cancer.

Movie producer Stanley Nwoko announced her death and paid tribute to her contribution to the Nigerian film industry.

Ikwuegbu was known for playing motherly and elderly characters in numerous Nollywood productions.

5. Ethel Ekpe

Ethel Ekpe died in February 2024 after battling cancer. The specific type of cancer was not publicly disclosed.

She became popular for playing Segi in Ken Saro-Wiwa’s television comedy series, Basi and Company.

The actress also featured in Amaka Igwe’s Forever, Sons of the Caliphate, Speak the Word and several other productions.

6. Karibi Fubara

Nollywood actor and producer Karibi Fubara died on December 15, 2021, following a battle with kidney cancer.

Fubara disclosed in 2020 that doctors had discovered a large, mid-stage kidney tumour. He later underwent surgery to remove about 90 per cent of it.

His death was announced by members of his family about 19 months after the surgery.

Fubara featured in productions including God Calling, Smart Money Woman, Castle and Castle and Quam’s Money.

7.Sadiq Daba

Veteran actor and broadcaster Sadiq Daba died on March 3, 2021, after battling leukaemia and prostate cancer.

Daba received treatment in Nigeria and abroad following financial support from well-wishers.

He became widely known for his role in the television series Cockcrow at Dawn. He also played Inspector Waziri in Kunle Afolayan’s October 1, a performance that earned him the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor.

8. Doris Chima

Veteran actress Doris Chima died in August 2021 after battling breast cancer for more than six years.

The Chairman of the Actors Guild of Nigeria in Lagos State, Emeka Rising Ibe, confirmed her death.

Chima appeared in several Nollywood productions before her illness kept her away from the screen.

9. Ify Onwuemene

Ifeyinwa Onwuemene, popularly known as Ify Onwuemene, died on May 25, 2021, after battling stage four endometrial cancer.

Her colleague, Gloria Anozie-Young, said the actress underwent surgery and several chemotherapy sessions during her treatment.

Onwuemene became popular for playing the wife of Sam Loco Efe’s character in the television series Everyday People.

10. Aisha Abimbola

Yoruba actress Aisha Abimbola, popularly known as Omoge Campus, died in a Canadian hospital in May 2018 after battling breast cancer.

She rose to fame through her appearance in the film Omoge Campus in 2001.

Abimbola also featured in No Pain, No Gain, Awerijaye, So Wrong So Right and Kamson and Neighbours.
The deaths of these actors highlight the impact cancer has had on the Nigerian film industry.

Some fought the disease publicly and received support from colleagues and fans. Others kept their diagnoses private until their deaths.

Credit: guardian.ng

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The impeachment move against the Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Hon Olamide Oladiji, seems to have been put on hold as the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) intensifies efforts to resolve the crisis rocking the state legislature.

The development followed a meeting between the APC leadership and the lawmakers involved in the dispute last Friday, where the party leadership appealed to the contending sides to sheath their swords and maintain the status quo pending the outcome of its mediation efforts.

A source familiar with the meeting told the Nigerian Tribune that the party leadership was concerned about the possible consequences of allowing the disagreement to degenerate further, particularly at a time the party is preparing for the 2027 elections.

“The meeting was basically to appeal to both sides to calm down. The party does not want the matter to escalate beyond what it is at the moment. The position for now is that the status quo should remain while the leadership continues with the consultations,” the source said.

According to the source, the lawmakers who had commenced moves to remove the Speaker were asked not to take further steps until the party concludes its intervention.

The source further explained that the intervention was not necessarily an indication that the lawmakers had abandoned their grievances against the Speaker.

The source added that “The lawmakers were asked to sheath their swords for now. Nobody was told that the issues they raised had been swept under the carpet. The party simply wants everybody to allow the mediation process to continue.

“The impeachment matter has not been withdrawn. What happened is that there is now a window for political intervention. The party wants to see whether the issues can be resolved without allowing the House to go into another round of confrontation.”

The crisis had assumed a serious dimension after some lawmakers accused the Speaker of financial misconduct and abuse of office, particularly over an alleged N44 million transaction linked to the reordering of the 2026 budget of the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC).

Oladiji, however, has denied the allegations, describing the impeachment move as politically motivated. He was also said to have been reaching out to political stakeholders in the state to intervene on his behalf.

The impeachment move reportedly began with 21 of the 26 lawmakers signing a notice demanding the Speaker’s resignation or removal from office. The number was later said to have risen to 24, underscoring the depth of opposition against the Speaker within the Assembly.

The development heightened tension in the legislature, with lawmakers divided over the leadership of the House and the circumstances surrounding the alleged financial transaction.

However, the APC intervention has temporarily halted further action, with the party asking the lawmakers to maintain the status quo while consultations continue.

The crisis has also raised questions about the relationship between the legislature and the executive, amid allegations and counter-allegations over the role of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

While some lawmakers have accused the governor of shielding the Speaker, the administration has maintained that the disagreement is an internal matter of the legislature and should be resolved by the lawmakers.

Oladiji has also maintained that the allegations against him are politically motivated, linking the impeachment attempt to the controversy surrounding the APC’s recent National Assembly primaries and suggesting that some lawmakers who lost their return tickets could be behind the move.

Meanwhile, the Assembly has commenced moves to examine its financial records, a development that could further shape the direction of the crisis and determine whether the allegations against the leadership of the House have any financial basis.

Recent reports have also quoted the lawmakers as saying they are awaiting further direction from the APC leadership before taking the next step.

For now, Oladiji remains Speaker of the House, while the lawmakers who backed his removal have not formally withdrawn their demand.

Another source close to the party leadership said the immediate objective was to prevent the disagreement from turning into a full-blown political crisis.

“What the party is trying to achieve is peace first. The status quo remains. The Speaker remains in office, and the lawmakers are expected to hold their fire while the leadership engages all the parties,” the source said.

The source, however, cautioned that the temporary truce should not be interpreted as a final resolution of the crisis.

“There are still issues that must be addressed. The party knows this. The lawmakers have their grievances, and those grievances cannot simply disappear because of one meeting. The leadership has to find a lasting solution,” the source added.

Political observers said the APC intervention could provide a window for reconciliation and a possible soft landing for the Speaker.

They, however, stressed that the underlying issues must be properly addressed if the party leadership wants Oladiji to remain in office, warning that merely suspending the impeachment process could provide only a temporary respite.

The development has consequently placed the Ondo APC leadership under pressure to resolve the dispute, as a prolonged confrontation in the Assembly could further deepen existing divisions within the ruling party and affect its political fortunes ahead of the 2027 elections.