Broadcasting
Staying Safe During Home Repairs or Cleaning
As people feel the freedom to leave their homes once again to rejoin the outside world, so too they are allowing others, such as home cleaners and artisans, to come into their homes once more. The recent fears of Covid entering our homes have been replaced by the usual worries of safety and security when letting strangers into our houses.
Nigeria’s high levels of petty and violent crime have created a general feeling of mistrust among the public about allowing people you don’t know into your home. Such concerns aren’t unwarranted. Statista states that Nigeria has recently been included among the countries with the least peace in the world, according to the Global Peace Index, with Lagos the most affected state in terms of the number of crimes. Crimes against property are among the highest types of offences reported to the police, with most property offence cases related to theft and stealing in general, cheating and fraud, as well as false pretences.
Keeping your family and property safe when hiring service professionals to fix broken appliances and domestic workers to do home cleaning is therefore important. Here are valuable guidelines in doing so:
Use companies you trust
Personal recommendations work well, but there are times when no-one you know can, for example, vouch for a repairman to fix your fridge. Do some research online to find suitable companies and look at any reviews so that you can establish their legitimacy and quality of service. If need be, you can ask the company for references.
Ask questions
Don’t be afraid to ask the company questions about any areas of concern that you may have – you need to feel comfortable letting them in your house. Find out who will be arriving to do the work, and what processes they follow during their work process. Arrange a time that will suit you, and make sure that all costs are clearly outlined upfront.
Vet people coming into your home
It makes sense to use companies who verify the trustworthiness of their workers as running criminal checks is not something most of us feel comfortable doing, or even know how to do. Recognising that this is a particular challenge for people wanting to hire a domestic worker, a new company called SweepSouth has launched a service that offers trustworthy, pre-vetted home cleaners.
“Trust, safety, and security is at the forefront of every decision we make,” says Awazi Angbalaga, Country Manager for SweepSouth. “We understand that trust and peace of mind are imperative to clients, which is why we take every precaution possible to ensure that SweepStars (the cleaners on their platform) are honest and trustworthy.”
It’s vital for SweepSouth that anyone using their service feels safe and comfortable doing so, so their vetting protocol includes criminal and reference checks, as well as getting constant feedback from clients, says Angbalaga.
“We thoroughly vet the people who apply to work via our platform through a reliable verification partner, who provides us with an indepth status report for each applicant confirming that the information provided to us is accurate and in fact traceable to a person. In addition, All potential SweepStars are required to have working experience and references, whom we contact,” she adds
Be responsible about precious belongings
Be sure to keep valuable belongings in a safe place if someone is coming into your home to do repairs. Money, jewellery, electronics and expensive medications can all be placed out of sight, and taken out again after the repair work has been done. If you don’t have a detailed inventory of precious items or important documents like passports, at least be aware of where you are storing them.
Have your own safety protocols
It may feel uncomfortable thinking about crime taking place in your own home, but do have a talk to your family members about safety and security protocols, so that everyone knows exactly what to do in case of an emergency, and have the numbers of your local police services on display.
Your safety, and that of your family, begins with you having your own situational awareness. Making an effort to cut down on potential risk factors, and using companies that you trust, will go a long way to ensuring that you have peace of mind.
David Adedeji Adeleke, known professionally as Davido, has shared his past suicidal thoughts as he dropped Oriadé, his sixth studio album yesterday.
Davido
Davido said he chose the date on purpose as it marks exactly 15 years since he began his professional music career.
Oriadé is a Yoruba word combining “Ori,” meaning destiny, and “Adé,” meaning crown.
It translates to “the crowned head.” The album has 13 tracks and features Black Sherif, Aya Nakamura, Leon Thomas, Mayorkun, and Llona.
It follows his 2025 project, 5ive, which reached number two on the Billboard World Albums chart.
Davido also announced an international tour to support the new record.
In the days leading up to the release, Davido gave interviews that revealed personal details about his past and his current life.
Speaking to Vibe Magazine on Thursday, he described a 2014 incident in Ghana that left him feeling suicidal.
He said he invited a woman back to his hotel room after a show, and she later posted a photo of him sleeping online.
He said the fallout overwhelmed him.
“My daddy was calling me. My sisters were calling me. If I saw the balcony that day, I would have jumped,” he said.
He said he was young at the time and did not fully understand the consequences of his actions.
He described the experience as a turning point that changed how he thinks about privacy and fame.
In the same interview, he explained why he often dresses down in public despite his wealth.
He recalled a trip to the South of France where he went out in shorts and slippers without his watch.
“I’ve been on jets, I’ve been flying, I’ve been in all these places since I was a baby. I’ve been seeing money since I was a baby. So all these things don’t really excite me,” he said.
He added that he sometimes prefers to drive a Toyota to the supermarket in Atlanta instead of one of his luxury cars.
In a separate livestream with Davrel, Davido spoke about how his life has changed since marrying his wife, Chioma, and becoming a father.
He said his home no longer holds the large crowds it once did.
“I can no longer have 100 people in my house like before,” he said.
He said he speaks to Chioma every day regardless of his schedule.
He also disclosed that he spends between $200,000 and $300,000 a month on himself, not including costs for his wife, children, jewelry and cars.
He said the amount is lower when he is in the United States, where he described his lifestyle as quieter.
Africa Prudential Plc has reaffirmed its commitment to digital transformation, revenue diversification and sustainable growth after reporting a strong financial performance for the first half of 2026.
Dr Catherine Nwosu
The company made this known during its H1 2026 Investor Call, which brought together institutional investors, shareholders, investment analysts, regulators and other stakeholders to review its financial performance and strategic outlook.
Dr Catherine Nwosu, managing director and Chief Executive Officer of Africa Prudential, said the company’s performance reflected the resilience of its business model and the effectiveness of its long-term growth strategy despite prevailing macroeconomic challenges.
According to the company’s financial results, gross earnings rose by 27 per cent year-on-year to N4.28 billion, from N3.34 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2025.
Profit before tax increased by 22 per cent to N2.41 billion, while profit after tax grew by 18 per cent to N1.59 billion.
The company also reported a 27 per cent rise in net operating income to N4.21 billion, while total assets increased by 13 per cent to N46.53 billion.
Shareholders’ funds equally rose by 13 per cent to N12.52 billion, reflecting continued financial strength.
Management attributed the performance to sustained growth in its core registrar business, increased corporate action activities in the Nigerian capital market, improved treasury earnings and rising adoption of its technology-driven solutions.
The company said it was steadily transforming from a traditional share registrar into a broader technology and business solutions provider serving Nigeria’s capital market ecosystem.
During the interactive session, investors sought clarification on the sustainability of earnings, particularly as interest rates are expected to moderate.
Responding, Nwosu said the company was deliberately expanding its recurring fee-based revenue streams to reduce dependence on treasury income.
“Interest rates influence our treasury income positively, but that is why we are deliberately diversifying our revenue streams.
“Our strategy is to grow recurring fee-based business lines such as our digital solutions, Know Your Customer (KYC) services, Annual General Meeting (AGM) technology, probate services and the SabiVest mobile app.
“Over time, this will reduce our reliance on interest income and create a more balanced and resilient earnings mix,” she said.
Nwosu noted that increasing capital market activities had created stronger demand for seamless digital investor experiences, improved operational efficiency and enhanced compliance solutions.
She said the company would continue investing in technology-enabled products capable of delivering long-term value to shareholders while strengthening its competitive position.
According to her, Africa Prudential has identified five strategic priorities for the second half of 2026.
The priorities include driving sustainable growth across its core registrar and emerging business lines, accelerating technology-led product innovation, strengthening brand leadership, investing in talent development and deepening corporate governance.
She said the investor engagement demonstrated the company’s commitment to transparency, accountability and regular engagement with shareholders and the investment community.
Africa Prudential reaffirmed its commitment to leveraging innovation, operational excellence and sound financial management to sustain growth and strengthen its leadership position in Nigeria’s capital market.
Gugu Gumede and S’Dumo Mtshali, the power couple in Netflix’s telenovela, The Polygamist, will be guest on this week’s edition of African Voices, which is sponsored by Globacom on Cable News Network (CNN).
The 22-episode sitcom focuses on the misadventures of an adulterous spouse who unknowingly entangles his family in the difficulties of polygamy.
The film depicts a series of intrigues, betrayals, and other events that shattered the harmony of a once-perfect marriage.
The fictional couple in Johannesburg are interviewed by the programme’s anchor, Larry Madowo, for a 30-minute show in which they discuss their personal experiences and the difficulties they have in the film industry, such as coping with popularity and typecasting and advocating for more actor protections.
Gumede, a 34-year-old South African who attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles to study acting, portrayed Joyce Gomora in the telenovela.
In addition to her part in The Polygamist, Gumede has portrayed Mamlambo, a prophetess on “Uzalo”, the most watched television program in South Africa, and Mandisa in “Generations”, one of the country’s most popular series.
Mtshali, a 43-year-old South African actor who portrayed Jonasi Gomora, gained notoriety in 2010 after competing in and winning the SABC1 reality program, “Class Act”. In the same year, he landed his first major part in the drama series “Intersexions” on SABC1.
Among other films, he has starred in “Inside Story” (2011), “Avenged” (2013), “iNumber Number: Jozi Gold” (2023), “Back of the Moon”, and “The Four of Us” (2025).
This special double-cast episode will feature on DSTV channel 401 on Saturday at 8a.m. It will be repeated same day at 11a.m., Sunday at 3.30a.m.,6p.m., Monday at 3a.m. and 5.45p.m. as well as on Tuesday,5.45p.m.
The repeats continue next week Saturday at 7.30a.m., 11a.m.;Sunday 3.30a.m., 6p.m.,and on Monday at 3a.m.
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