A touch of elegance and style filled the air as Beautiful Bride, located opposite the National Library in Jos, Plateau State, officially unveiled its Civil Wedding Dress Collection on January 1, 2026. The event attracted a vibrant mix of event planners, entertainment stakeholders, models, and fashion enthusiasts, all gathered to witness the latest trends in civil wedding fashion.
The highlight of the unveiling was a captivating runway showcase, where stunning models graced the stage in a variety of sophisticated and contemporary civil wedding dresses. The collection, designed to blend simplicity with elegance, reflects the evolving tastes of modern brides seeking stylish yet understated options for their special day.
Jamila Anita, the Convener and CEO of Beautiful Bride expressed gratitude to attendees for honoring the unveiling despite their busy schedules. She explained that civil weddings, also known as court, registry, or statutory weddings have evolved significantly, especially in fashion. According to her, modern civil wedding dresses now feature trendy designs such as short styles, bows, and fascinators, unlike in the past. She noted that many brides often overlook civil wedding preparation, creating demand for stylish options. In response, Beautiful Bride introduced a new collection to meet this need, ensuring Jos brides have access to luxurious, contemporary dresses and accessories for their special day.
Naomi Gadzama, CEO Usiju World Event Center expressed joy and appreciation for the strong turnout, describing the gathering as small but impactful. She emphasized the importance of collaboration in the event and wedding industry, noting that no business can thrive in isolation. Gadzama urged stakeholders to support and promote one another rather than compete destructively, highlighting the need for unity and maturity in business. She commended the vision behind the initiative and encouraged continued innovation. She also advised patronizing local businesses in Jos, stressing that collective support can strengthen the industry and reduce reliance on cities like Lagos and Abuja.
Simi Gyang, one of the models described the unveiling as a unique and memorable experience, noting it was her first time modeling civil wedding dresses. She highlighted the honor and pressure of opening the runway, expressing gratitude for the opportunity. Simi Gyang praised Beautiful Bride’s consistency and support for models, adding that such a civil wedding showcase is rare in Jos, making the event both innovative and impactful for the local fashion scene.
Pedro Omobolaji, Station Manager at Jay FM praised the variety and inclusiveness of the showcased designs, noting they cater to different body types, styles, and preferences. He highlighted the high quality and elegance of the dresses, emphasizing their versatility beyond civil weddings for other occasions. According to him, the collection offers diverse, stylish options, giving brides the freedom to choose designs that suit their taste and personality.
Nanmet Anthony, the CEO of Mettaworld Events described the showcase as impressive, noting the wide range of well-curated dresses suited to different body shapes. She emphasized that no single style fits every bride, encouraging clients to consider their body type when choosing outfits. Mrs Anthony added that the displayed pieces were just a sample of a broader collection, assuring brides that more options are available to match individual preferences and enhance confidence.
Last week, Nigerian stocks fell by 1.2 per cent, marking its third week of broad retreat in the wake of the introduction of a T+1 settlement cycle in June.
The Banking Index was worst hit, receding by 10.5 per cent, followed by the Insurance Index. FTSE Russell, a global provider of stock market indexes, during the week placed its recent upgrade of Nigeria from unclassified to a frontier market on hold on fears that the country’s new rule, compelling international investors to prefund their accounts before transactions, may be deterring.
Failure by stock market authorities to respond swiftly to address the issue may leave stocks hammered further by apathy and capital flight from foreign investors.
This week, increased positioning, notably in stocks that pay dividends at least twice a year, could be witnessed as the market awaits the release of half-year corporate results.
PREMIUM TIMES has assembled some stocks with sound fundamentals, adopting rigorous approaches to save you the risk of picking equities at random for investment.
The pick, a product of an analytical market watch, offers a guide to entering the market and taking strategic positions, with the expectation that selected stocks will record reasonable price appreciation with the passage of time.
This is not a buy, sell or hold recommendation but a stock investment guide. You may need to involve your financial advisor before taking investment decisions.
NEM Insurance
NEM Insurance tops this week’s list for its strong fundamentals. The net profit ratio (NPR) of the underwriter is 9.6, while the price-to-earnings (PE) ratio is 8.5x. Its 10-day relative strength index (RSI) is 27.4.
Custodian Investment
Custodian Investment appears on the pick on the basis of its attractive fundamentals and for trading below its intrinsic value. The NPR of the company is 26.3, while the PE ratio is 5.3x. The RSI is 8.4.
Fidelity Bank
Fidelity Bank makes the selection for trading below its intrinsic value. The lender’s NPR is 16, while the PE ratio is 3.3x. Its RSI is 27.4.
BY SUNDAY SAMUEL—At 67-year-old Nigerian-British grandmother, Mary Yetunde Barek, has been arrested by the operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), after officers allegedly discovered 13kg of cocaine concealed in fake plantain peels hidden among food items in her luggage at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
The suspect who works as a caregiver in the United Kingdom was arrested at the departure hall of terminal 2 of the Lagos airport while attempting to board a Virgin Atlantic airline flight to London on Sunday 28th June 2026. A thorough search of her bags resulted in the discovery of 31 big wraps of cocaine which were packaged to appear like plantain hands, weighing a total of 13 kilograms. In her statement, the elderly woman admitted full ownership of the recovered cocaine exhibits.
Meanwhile, a sting operation in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State on Monday 29th June 2026 has resulted in the arrest of a 45-year-old PhD student at the University of Putra, Malaysia, Nwabueze Felix Onyeka over the seizure of 5.80 kilograms of cocaine concealed in walls of nine cartons of Orijin bitters, a consignment that was part of a consolidated cargo heading to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The arrest of Nwabueze in Anambra state followed the interception of 36 parcels of cocaine, with a gross weight of 5.80 kilograms, concealed within the walls of the herbal drink cartons. Four suspects initially arrested in parts of Lagos during investigations include: the cargo agent, Alalade Taiwo Azeez; the driver who conveyed the consignment to the cargo agent, Ndem Ogbonna Kelechi; a trader at ASPANDA market, Trade Fair Complex, Lagos who handed over the consignment to the driver for delivery to the cargo agent, Okeke Tochukwu Chimezie and an accomplice who supplied the cartons of Origin bitters used in concealing the cocaine, Igwilo Chidi Henry. The efforts eventually paid off, leading to the unmasking of Nwabueze hiding in his village Aziora, Ozubulu, Anambra state as the leader of the syndicate.
In Taraba, NDLEA operatives acting on credible intelligence on Saturday 4th July arrested a suspect, Daniel Harrison Ugwuoke, 30, with 43,980 capsules of Tramadol concealed inside two vehicle fuel tanks along Zaki-biam road Wukari Local Government Area of the state, while coming from Onitsha, Anambra state.
Two suspects: Boniface Agu, 65, and Monday Nwaeze, 50, were arrested in possession of 1.7 kilograms of methamphetamine by NDLEA officers on Thursday 2nd July during a raid operation at Gwantu, Gwantu LGA Kaduna state, while a 65-year-old suspect Francis Ifara Eja was nabbed with 231.7kg skunk at Ikwo, Ebonyi state on Saturday 4th July. Similarly, a 75-year-old grandpa Alhaji Babani was arrested in possession of 15kg skunk at Kurgwi, Qua’anpan LGA, Plateau state on Friday 3rd July.
In Gombe, NDLEA operatives acting on credible intelligence on Wednesday 1st July arrested the duo of Dahiru Mohammed, 65, and Isiya Lawan, 36, at Kuri village, Yamaltu- Deba LGA, where they were found with 587 blocks of cannabis sativa, weighing 556 kilograms.
With the same level of dedication, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities in schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week. These include: WADA enlightenment lecture to students and staff of Girls Secondary School, Abagana, Anambra; Government Technical College, Obe, Enugu; Adeola Odutola College, Ijebu Ode, Ogun state; and FCE Staff Demonstration School, Kabuga, Kano state, among others.
While commending the officers and men of MMIA, Taraba, Kaduna, Ebonyi, Plateau, and Gombe Commands for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) noted their drug supply reduction efforts balanced with WADA sensitization activities while he charged them and their compatriots across the country to continue to raise the operational bar.