In a remarkable recognition of her selfless service to the Catholic Church and society, Mrs Christine Doja Otedola, mother of renowned businessman Femi Otedola, has been conferred with a Papal Honour by Pope Francis.

A Papal Honour, also known as a Pontifical Honour, is a prestigious award conferred by the Pope, the head of the Catholic Church, on individuals who have demonstrated exceptional service, dedication, and commitment to the Church and society.

The honour, one of the highest in the Catholic Church, was presented to Mrs Otedola by His Grace, Archbishop Alfred Adewale Martins of the Metropolitan See of Lagos, on behalf of the Pope, on September 14.

Mrs Otedola was specifically recognised in the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice category, a testament to her unwavering commitment to the Church and humanity.

Femi Otedola took to his X page to celebrate his mother’s achievement.

Sharing photos from the ceremony and expressing his pride, he wrote: “Congratulations, Mummy – Dame Christine Doja, on your award of the Papal Honour of Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice by His Holiness Pope Francis. This is an honour well deserved.”

Usage of electrical appliances is one lifestyle Nigerians have come to embrace to achieve ease and save time in the various activities they perform in their homes.

During the era of pre-paid metres, gadgets such as electric stove, cooker, blenders, washing machines, boiling rings, pressing iron, deep freezers, among others, were highly purchased by households to either upgrade their kitchens or ease time in activities surrounding their lives.

Many especially women join thrift’s contribution (ajo or esusu as popularly known in Nigeria) to be able to raise money to purchase some of these items thereby putting smiles on the faces of producers and distributors of such gadgets.

However, the economy and lifestyle has discovered that many households have now abandoned the use of most of these gadgets since the introduction of prepaid meters.

Some ended up selling them to people selling fairly used products or other people still on post paid meters.

Mrs. Bridget Johnson, a banker said: “ Since I started using prepaid meter, I have stopped using most of my gadgets, especially the electric cooker, washing machine, pressing iron, among other things.

“We watch television set once a day. I had to buy an ipad where I downloaded various types of cartoons and educational materials for my kids to keep them busy.

“We switch off the lights and put on my fridge for three hours and switch it off once it is iced for a day.

“The rate at which the prepaid meter runs is alarming of recently.

Before I pay N32 per unit and when I load N10,000 with strict adherence to the rules my husband and I placed in the house it lasts us up to two weeks for the bills to get exhausted.

But recently, I discovered that when I loaded the N10,000 it wasn’t up to the two weeks before it finished.

“I had to call the electricity distribution office where they told me I had been transferred to band A.

“I was so pissed off with such a transition but had no choice than to accept it .

“In Nigeria of today you have to cut costs whether you like it or not.”

Mr. Shodimu Olorunfemi, a businessman, said: “Using a prepaid meter has its own advantages. “One of them is regulating what you consume.

“By doing so you have to forfeit carrying out certain lifestyles, especially using electronic gadgets that consume lots of electricity.

“Such gadgets like electric cooker, hot plate, pressing iron, refrigerator, Air conditioner, among others consume higher units of electricity.

In my house, I prohibited the switching on of lights during the day and also watching television all the time.

“Except I have a very important event I want to attend, I don’t iron my clothes. I pick the clothes for each day and hang them to straighten up.

My wife and I had to give out most of our gadgets to family members and friends who use post paid meters.

“With this development and the state of the economy, those selling electronic gadgets are on the losing side because people like us will not even have a spoilt gadget talk of buying a new one.”

For Mrs. Bakare Judith, a secretary and newly wed, she sold all her home appliances that consume high electricity units.

“I had to sell most of the electric gadgets I brought to my husband’s house when I discovered that he was using a prepaid meter.

I use the blender once in two months and ironing is done once in a blue moon.

Owuze Nwuche led Montego Upstream Services Limited is currently seeking to recover N130,099,967 allegedly misappropriated by three of its employees.

In an effort to retrieve the funds, the Nigeria Police’s Special Fraud Unit (PSFU) in Ikoyi, Lagos, apprehended three individuals suspected of the embezzlement.

Operatives of the PSFU arrested Philemon Obileku, Onyia Jude, and Sunday Okelezo.

The trio has been charged before Justice Deinde Dipeolu on counts of conspiracy and unlawful diversion of funds through price inflation and bribery.

During their arraignment, prosecutor Daniel Apochi informed the court that the accused, along with others still at large, conspired between 2022 and 2023 to unlawfully divert over N130 million while employed by Montego Upstream Services. The alleged scheme involved accepting bribes in exchange for inflating contract prices and issuing fraudulent orders.

Apochi further stated that the defendants’ actions contravened sections 18(a) and 18(1)(2)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended in 2012).

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Following their plea, the prosecutor requested a trial date and asked for the defendants to be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS) pending the case’s conclusion.

The defense counsel, Ademola Olabiyi, supported by B.J. Adegbesan, moved a bail application, noting the health condition of one of the defendants. Though initially unopposed, the prosecutor unexpectedly changed his stance and opposed the application after being prompted by the court.

Despite this, Justice Dipeolu ordered the defendants to be remanded in NCoS custody until September 20, when the court will determine their bail application.

The charges allege that between 2022 and 2023, the defendants conspired to fraudulently convert N130 million in bribes and kickbacks from Montego Upstream vendors, thereby committing offenses under the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.