Regberegbe age grade groups in coordinated Aso Oke at the 2026 Ojude Oba festival in Ijebu Ode, held three days after Eid al-Adha. Photo: Elejo Shot It. ‎ ‎ By Egungwu Chukwuka Benjamin ‎E very year, on the third day after Eid al-Adha, Ijebu Ode changes. The historic town known for its calm pace becomes loud with talking drums, bright Aso Oke, and the thunder of horses. This is Ojude Oba, literally translated as “the King’s Forecourt,” a festival that grew from a single family's act of gratitude into one of Africa's most dazzling cultural spectacles. ‎Historical records trace the roots of Ojude Oba to the late 19th century, during the reign of Awujale Ademuyewo Afidipote. When Islam began to flourish in Ijebuland, the monarch showed great wisdom by granting Muslim converts the freedom to practice their faith openly without persecution. ‎Among these early converts was Chief Balogun Kuku, a legendary warrior and prominent leader. Because of his new faith, Kuku could no longer tak...

N igeria’s Super Eagles defended their Unity Cup title with a commanding 3-0 win over Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz on Saturday night at The Valley stadium in London. Alhassan Yusuf led the charge with two goals as Nigeria avoided the drama of last year’s final, when they beat Jamaica on penalties at the Gtech Community Stadium. Nigeria made a fast start. Just three minutes in, Yusuf found space in the box and fired the Super Eagles into an early lead, catching the Jamaican defence off guard. Jamaica pushed hard for an equaliser before halftime and created several good chances, but Nigeria’s defence held firm to keep the 1-0 advantage at the break. The Super Eagles took control again after the restart. In the 59th minute, Femi Azeez delivered a perfect cross from the wing and Terem Moffi rose highest to head home Nigeria’s second goal. Jamaica threw players forward in stoppage time chasing a way back into the game. Nigeria punished them on the break. A quick team move ended with Yusuf calmly s...

T hirty-two years after lighting up the 1994 World Cup in the United States, Austin ‘Jay-Jay’ Okocha still owns a record no player has touched, FIFA has confirmed. The world football body paid fresh tribute to the former Super Eagles captain this week, pointing to his 15 successful dribbles against Italy in the Round of 16 at USA ’94. It remains the highest in a single World Cup match. Okocha’s journey to that moment started at home with Enugu Rangers before he moved to Europe in 1990 to join Germany’s Borussia Neunkirchen. Four years later, he was tormenting one of the best defences in the world. Italy’s backline that day featured legends Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Costacurta and Demetrio Albertini. Yet Okocha glided past them time and again with his quick feet, close control and bold attacking style. Since then, generations of top dribblers have come and gone, but none have matched his mark in 90 minutes. Brazil’s Jairzinho and England’s Paul Gascoigne sit joint second with 13 dribble...

S enegal qualified for the TotalEnergies CAF Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations final on Thursday after beating hosts Morocco 7-6 on penalties. The match ended 1-1 at Prince Moulay Hassan Stadium in Rabat. Senegal goalkeeper Assane Sarr was the key player. He made important saves in the shootout to stop Morocco from winning at home. Senegal will now play Tanzania in the final. Tanzania beat Egypt on penalties earlier on Thursday. Morocco scored a late goal to force penalties. In the 99th minute, Ismail El Aoud’s penalty was saved by Sarr, but El Aoud scored from the rebound to make it 1-1. Senegal took the lead in the 23rd minute. Commissaire Faye’s shot was blocked by the Moroccan goalkeeper, and Mouhamed Wagne scored from the rebound. Morocco had a goal by Adam Al-Laki cancelled by VAR before halftime. In the second half, Morocco attacked more. Amine Moustach and Brahim Rabaj had chances, but Senegal defended well until Cheikh Dieng’s handball gave Morocco a late penalty. During the shoo...

T he National Association of Nigerian Students says it will hold a solidarity and advocacy rally in Oyo State following the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area. According to report by News Digest , NANS President Akinteye Babatunde made this known on Friday in a notice sent to student groups across the country. He said it is painful and wrong that the victims are still being held captive. He added that students in Nigeria cannot keep quiet while young learners and their teachers remain in the hands of kidnappers. Akinteye explained that the planned rally is meant to push security agencies and government officials to act fast and free the abducted students and teachers. He said members will first visit the schools affected by the attack. These are Community High School and Grammar School in Ahoro-Esiele, L.A. Primary School in Ahoro-Esiele, and Yawota Baptist Nursery and Primary School. After the school visits, the student body will also meet the Commissione...

M ore than 2,500 police officers have been deployed across Ijebu Ode and surrounding communities as Ogun State ramps up security ahead of the 2026 Ojude Oba Festival. The Ogun State Police Command said the operation is meant to ensure a safe and orderly celebration for the thousands of tourists, dignitaries, and residents expected to attend the historic cultural event. Leading the deployment, Commissioner of Police CP Bode Ojajuni said officers from multiple units have been mobilized. The team includes frontline officers, the Police Mobile Force, SWAT, the Violent Crime Response Unit, Anti-Kidnapping and Monitoring Units, the Force Intelligence Department, the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit, and the Motor Traffic Department. Residents and visitors will notice a heavy but visible police presence throughout the festival period. Armoured Personnel Carriers, patrol vehicles, and motorbikes have been stationed at strategic points. Plainclothes detectives, surveillance teams, and rapid re...

B uying a ticket and a replica shirt for the 2026 World Cup could cost the average worker in some countries nearly two months’ wages, while fans in others need less than a day, according to new analysis by Gambling.com The study looked at 48 countries and calculated how many days a formal-sector worker would need to work to afford a match ticket and a home jersey. Researchers used 2024 wage data from the World Bank and compared it to retail prices. They assumed a 22-day working month and converted currencies using mid-market rates p May 21, 2026. Days of labour needed to buy a World Cup match ticket, by country. Workers in DR Congo face the steepest burden at 29 days, while those in Switzerland need under half a day. The gap is stark for tickets alone. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, it would take 29 days of work  more than a full month  for the average formal-sector employee. Fans in Egypt, Ghana, Senegal and Haiti also face bills equivalent to more than a week’s pay....

U ganda has shut its frontier with the Democratic Republic of Congo in a bid to keep Ebola from spreading, the health ministry said on Wednesday, May 27, in a post on its official X account . The decision comes after Uganda recorded seven confirmed cases of the Bundibugyo strain since the outbreak first surfaced in the DRC on May 15. Speaking on the measure, health ministry permanent secretary Diana Atwine stated, “Uganda is temporarily closing the border with the DRC with immediate effect.” She clarified that only specific groups would be permitted entry, including medical teams tackling Ebola, humanitarian workers, food and cargo carriers, and security forces. Everyone entering will be subjected to rigorous health screening. Officials also announced that anyone arriving from the DRC must complete a 21-day quarantine. Surveillance has been stepped up in schools close to the border as an added precaution. The border closure comes as the DRC grapples with a growing crisis, with more tha...

Credit :AFP/Getty T he first group of Ghanaians being evacuated from South Africa due to escalating anti-foreigner violence is now airborne en route to Accra, Ghana’s foreign ministry confirmed on Wednesday. Ghana has arranged repatriation flights for about 800 citizens following recent protests and attacks targeting foreigners across South Africa.  “The flight experienced a delay, but it is currently in the air,” Fred Duhoe, an aide to Ghana’s foreign minister, told AFP. Hundreds of Ghanaians were seen lining up at O.R. Tambo International Airport outside Johannesburg early Wednesday morning, according to an AFP photographer on the ground. Flight tracking data from FlightAware showed the aircraft departed just after 11:00 a.m. local time. Credit :AFP/Getty The Ghana High Commission in South Africa said roughly 300 evacuees are on the initial flight, which is scheduled to arrive in Accra later Wednesday afternoon. Upon return, the government has pledged to provide financial support...

S enior lawyers clashed on Monday over a proposal to abolish the Nigerian Law School during the 2026 Legal Education Summit hosted by the Nigerian Bar Association. According to a report by Punch Newspaper, Prof. Uchefula Chukwumaeze, SAN, Vice Chancellor of Imo State University, said the Law School has outlived its purpose. He urged the Council of Legal Education to stop running it and focus only on setting standards for admission to the Bar. Citing the US and UK models, Chukwumaeze said universities should handle training while professional bodies manage accreditation and examinations. He proposed transferring training to accredited university law faculties through a seven-year program: five years of study, one year for Bar Part 2, and one year of internship. The Council would conduct the final Bar exams, similar to WAEC and NECO. He also called for removing the mandatory Literature in English requirement and fixed JAMB subject combinations. Candidates would need credits in English an...

A chievers University in Owo, Ondo State, has uncovered a N457.5 million tuition fraud scheme involving current and former staff, students, and an outside accomplice. According to Punch Newspaper, the institution announced on Monday that a newly completed audit of student fee payments revealed that 320 students sent payments to the private account of a former bursary employee across the 2023/2024, 2024/2025, and 2025/2026 academic years. Acting Vice-Chancellor Prof. Oyesoji Aremu said the suspect, an Accounting graduate later hired in the bursary department, resigned in April 2025. She reportedly enticed students with promises of reduced fees and commissions, directing them to pay into her personal account. She then manipulated the university’s payment system to mark their bills as settled, enabling them to receive clearance without the school receiving any funds. Investigators found that 11 staff members, 34 students, and one individual employed at the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, hel...

A breakaway faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has named Dumebi Kachikwu its presidential candidate for the 2027 elections, as reported by Leadership Newspaper . The decision was reached Sunday at a National Convention in Abuja organized by the group under newly elected National Chairman Alhaji Abdulkadir Mohammed Bashir. The meeting took place a day before the Senator David Mark-led faction was set to conduct its own primary. The party remains split over leadership, with the dispute still before the courts. For now, INEC recognizes the Mark-led ADC. Kachikwu said he would focus his campaign on national unity, economic recovery, and inclusive governance. He described Nigeria as being at a defining moment and said the country needed leadership that could address insecurity, economic hardship, unemployment, and social division. “For too long, politics has served a few while most Nigerians bear the cost. That has to change,” he said. He pledged to push policies based on mer...

N igerian-American singer Mannywellz will release his 7-track EP Small Chops on June 5 through Vydia. The project comes with a trailer and cover art that introduce its sound and visual tone. The title refers to the Nigerian snack platter served before a main meal. Mannywellz calls the EP a musical appetizer for his next phase and says it will be his final EP in this rollout.  He produced the entire project himself. Small Chops blends soulful vocals and smooth grooves with storytelling shaped by his Nigerian roots and U.S. upbringing, landing in R&B and soul with an African pulse.  The trailer shows him playing piano and dancing through a house, set to a narration about sending a gift to someone unseen. Nigerian snacks feature throughout, tying the visuals to themes of identity and dual culture.  The release follows recent momentum for Mannywellz, including over 100 million streams worldwide and features on BET’s Next Up and Billboard’s U.S. Afrobeats Top 100. Watch Ep...

R angers International F.C. sealed the 2025/2026 Nigeria Premier Football League title on Sunday with a 2-1 win over Ikorodu City F.C. at Lagos’ Mobolaji Johnson Arena. The victory gave the Enugu side a record-equalling ninth league crown, drawing them level with Enyimba F.C. as the most successful clubs in NPFL history. Captain Chidiebere Nwobodo scored in both halves to put Rangers in control. Ikorodu City reduced the deficit in the 58th minute when substitute Moses Ali capitalized on a mistake from goalkeeper Lucky Jimoh, but the Flying Antelopes held firm to close out the win. Heading into the final day, Rangers knew only a win would secure the trophy. Coach Fidelis Ilechukwu’s side delivered under pressure, seeing off a tense finish to claim the title. Rangers finished the season top with 68 points from 38 matches, one point ahead of Rivers United, who beat Katsina United 3-0 in their final game. The title is Ilechukwu’s second with the club. It also means Rangers will represent N...

Incident captured in viral video sparks outrage as Anambra Police Command remains silent on the matter A landlord-tenant disagreement in Okija, Ihiala Local Government Area, turned fatal this week after a baby allegedly died when a police officer’s blow meant for an adult missed and struck the child. The incident, which has drawn widespread outrage online, occurred after a landlord invited police officers to the tenant’s residence to resolve an ongoing dispute. According to eyewitness accounts shared by media personality Uche Nworah, the tenant was not at home when the officers arrived. Instead, they met a relative holding an infant. The situation escalated quickly. Witnesses say an officer attempted to slap the relative but missed, hitting the baby instead. The child fell and died shortly afterward. A distressing video now circulating shows the lifeless infant lying on a decorated mat. In the footage, a narrator speaking in Igbo describes what happened and pleads for the video to be ...