C anadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has publicly withdrawn his support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino, calling the way a major World Cup commercial deal was handled a major failure in leadership. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Carney said leaders cannot make big decisions in secret and expect to keep the trust of their team. The comments came after Infantino pushed a plan to move a large part of FIFA’s World Cup commercial rights into a new $20 billion company. “The idea that you would not tell your closest advisers, your chief operating officer or your fellow board members about something of this importance is a fatal mistake,” Carney said. According to Reuters, the proposal drew interest from private investors, including people linked to the Kushner family. But it quickly ran into strong opposition from football bodies across the world.  UEFA led the resistance, and was joined by CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation. The groups raised concerns about transparen...

A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit by the National Democratic Congress seeking to cancel parts of the Electoral Act 2026 that deal with who can run for office and how parties choose their candidates. Delivering judgement on Tuesday, Justice Muhammed Umar ruled that Section 138 of the Act does not clash with the 1999 Constitution. The section removes a candidate’s qualification as a ground to challenge an election result after voting has taken place.  According to The Cable , the judge said the law does not take away constitutional requirements. It only sets out when and how such questions should be raised. “The provision of Section 138 of the Electoral Act 2026 complements the provision of the Constitution but is not in conflict with it. The contention of the plaintiff that Section 138 is inconsistent with the Constitution is of no merit,” he stated. The NDC had asked the court to void two provisions. The first was Section 138. The second was Section 77(5), which l...

P rincess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank have welcomed their third child, a baby girl. A statement published on the official Royal UK website on August 4, 2026 said the baby was born on Monday, August 3, 2026 at 6:20pm in a hospital in Lisbon, Portugal. She weighed 6lbs 9oz. “The King and Queen and other members of The Royal Family were delighted to hear the news,” the announcement stated. The newborn is the couple’s first daughter. She joins older brothers August Philip Hawke, 5, and Ernest George Ronnie, 3. Her name has not been shared yet. Eugenie is the younger daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, and a niece to King Charles III. She was sixth in line to the throne when she was born in 1990. She now ranks 12th. A photo of the newborn was released alongside the statement. It showed the baby wrapped in a blanket. Eugenie and Brooksbank married at Windsor Castle in 2018. August was born in 2021 and Ernest followed in 2023. Princess Eugenie, 36, carries out charity w...

  T he global cinematic landscape is undergoing a tectonic shift. For decades, African cinema and Nollywood in particular was defined primarily by sheer output and the relentless hustle of creators working against systemic friction. Today, however, a new vanguard of multi-hyphenate filmmakers is rewriting that playbook. These are not merely artists with a camera; they are media entrepreneurs, institutional architects, and cultural strategists who recognize that a great story is only half the battle. The other half is the infrastructure required to carry that story across oceans, languages, and digital borders. ‎At the vanguard of this movement stands Izu Okafor a filmmaker, producer, and cultural architect operating from Imo State, Nigeria, whose career embodies the modern synthesis of artistic vision and rigorous business acumen. ‎ From Creative Roots to Institutional Impact ‎To understand Izu’s trajectory is to understand the evolution of contemporary African media. Armed with a...

T he Federal Government says it will no longer tolerate criminal acts in schools, warning that any student found guilty of kidnapping will be sent out of school. Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, made this known on Monday while meeting with leaders of the Federal University of Lafia in Nasarawa State. A statement signed by his media aide, Ikharo Attah, quoted the Minister as telling heads of universities, polytechnics and colleges to take firm action after investigations. “Bad habits grow when we ignore them. Any student who is found to have planned or joined in kidnapping a fellow student will be dismissed. Our schools must not shelter criminals,” Alausa said. He urged Vice Chancellors, Rectors and Provosts across the country to step up internal security checks and work hand-in-hand with the DSS and other agencies to keep students safe. The Minister noted that most campuses in Nigeria are still safe. But he said recent cases of abduction involving students outside school ...

A n Ibadan-based TikTok user has denied filming the revered Oloolu masquerade and faulted reports claiming she died after the incident went viral. According to a report by 'Vanguard Newspaper', the woman, named Wasilat, addressed the issue on Monday during Lagelu FM’s 'Ibi Aye N Lo' show with host Adesoye Omotosho. “I am alive. I never recorded the Oloolu masquerade. God forbid I’m linked to it. I did not film Oloolu,” she said. She narrated that last Thursday in the Oremeji area, she visited her shop but did not open because the area was already closed. She said she noticed a crowd and an Amotekun vehicle, so she captured the scene and uploaded it. She stressed that the Oloolu masquerade did not use that route. “All the comments on TikTok told me to take it down. By Friday, some people came to my shop,” she stated. “I don’t know where that story came from. Only God will judge.” The video triggered debate online after clips emerged of the creator taking part in cleansi...

A female TikTok user in Ibadan was taken for traditional cleansing after she recorded a procession linked to the annual Oloolu Masquerade Festival. According to a report by Punch Newspaper , videos of the woman performing rites at the Oloolu family compound surfaced online last weekend and drew wide attention. Chief Adeola Oloko, spokesperson for the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, said the woman did not film the Oloolu masquerade itself but Alawo Oloolu, a figure associated with the tradition. He stated that custodians of the compound confirmed she captured the procession on a street in Ibadan. Oloko explained that after the video was posted, the woman’s family noticed she became ill and reached out to the traditional leaders for help. “After she posted it, she felt her blood was drying up. Her family immediately contacted the Oloolu people, and they attended to her according to our customs,” he said.   “Women are not permitted to see Oloolu. We have made that cl...

  M oshood Abiola Polytechnic came to a halt on Monday as students stayed off campus to protest a hike in tuition. The decision was announced Sunday night by the Students’ Union Government after weeks of failed talks with school authorities. The directive was signed by SUG President Afolabi Temitope, Acting Speaker Olorode Kehinde, General Secretary Ekundayo Gbenga and PRO Oloyede Ganiyu.  According to the union, the new charges appeared on the student portal and triggered immediate backlash. The SUG said it held several meetings with management, arguing that families were already stretched by the current economy. “Despite our sustained efforts and several rounds of dialogue, the concerns of students remain unresolved,” the statement said. “It is becoming harder for students and parents to cope with more financial pressure.” For August 3, 2026, the union ordered all students to remain at home and skip lectures. It stressed the action must remain calm and lawful, with no attack...

A ustralia finished top of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games with 70 gold medals and 171 in total. England, Canada, India, Scotland, New-Zealand and Nigeria followed close behind. But while the cameras stayed on the winners, another story was unfolding in Glasgow. Between July 23 and August 2, 74 nations and territories sent about 3,000 athletes to compete in 10 sports. When it ended, 29 of those teams went home without a single medal. For many of them, just being in Glasgow was the win. The Commonwealth Games brings everyone together. Big countries with big budgets compete side by side with small island nations that may only send a few athletes.  The Falkland Islands showed what that looks like. When their bowls event moved indoors, the team ended up training in a school corridor. It was not fancy, but it showed the kind of effort smaller teams make just to be part of the Games. Across the city, athletes from countries with limited funding lined up next to athletes with full coa...

T eam Nigeria wrapped up its campaign at the 2026 Commonwealth Games on Sunday with a seventh place finish and the pride of being Africa’s best performing nation in Glasgow. With a 72 athlete team, Nigeria ended the Games on 24 medals 10 gold, 7 silver and 7 bronze behind Australia, England, Canada, India, Scotland and New Zealand. The tally fell short of the 35 medals won in Birmingham four years ago, but the quality of performances made this one of Nigeria’s most memorable outings at the Games. Australia led the final medal table with 171 medals, including 70 gold. England followed with 110, while Canada took third with 62. India and hosts Scotland were tied on 39 medals, with New Zealand on 36. South Africa, Nigeria’s closest continental rival, finished 11th. The medals started coming early for Nigeria, and para powerlifting set the tone. Esther Nworgu opened the account with gold in the women’s lightweight event, breaking the Commonwealth record twice, while Esther Oyema added silv...

L agos is set to welcome the stars of African football in 2026, as Nigeria gets ready to host the CAF Awards for the first time in more than 10 years. Lekan Fatodu, the head of the Lagos State Sports Commission, confirmed on Saturday that the big event will hold at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts in Iganmu. The centre used to be called the National Theatre. Fatodu said bringing the awards to Lagos shows that Nigeria is ready to host major events and still plays a big role in African football. “This award night celebrates the best in African football top players, coaches, clubs, national teams and those who run the game,” he said. “Having it in Lagos tells the world that Nigeria can host big continental events.” The CAF Awards happen every year. They are organised by the Confederation of African Football to honour players and teams who did well in the past year, both at club and country level.  Some of the awards to be given on the night include:  Men’s Pl...

T he Independent National Electoral Commission has turned down former President Goodluck Jonathan’s nomination as PDP presidential candidate for 2027. The rejection came on Friday, a few hours after a group led by Kabiru Turaki said it submitted Jonathan’s name and other PDP candidate lists in person at INEC headquarters. The development has deepened the party’s leadership crisis ahead of the next election. Vanguard Newspaper reports that INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, said the commission only accepts online filings.   “Every nomination must be done through our portal. We no longer take physical submissions,” she stated. But the Turaki camp said it was left with no choice. National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, told reporters that INEC refused to release the login codes needed for online upload. He argued the codes are not part of the law. “Because INEC blocked us from the portal, we delivered everything by hand. It is valid...

P resident Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced that 21 people abducted in Kogi State last week have been rescued alive. The group includes 15 members of the National Youth Service Corps and 6 other Nigerians. They were freed on Sunday in the forests of Ofu Local Government Area following a joint operation by the military, police, DSS and local vigilantes. In his statement, the President said the victims 8 men and 13 women are receiving medical care and will soon be reunited with their families. “I am delighted to receive the news that the fifteen members of the National Youth Service Corps and six other innocent and law-abiding Nigerians abducted last week in Kogi State have regained their freedom,” Tinubu said. Although the rescue was successful, the President said the operation is not over. He ordered security agencies to keep going until every suspect linked to the abduction is arrested. “Those responsible will face the full weight of the law, and our security agencies will pursue every...

F ear has gripped students in Ogun State again after gunmen attacked a private hostel and abducted five students of Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade. The National Association of Nigerian Students condemned the attack on Friday, calling it the latest sign that schools are no longer safe.  In a statement signed by NANS President, Akinteye Babatunde, the student body said it received the news “with deep sorrow and serious concern.” According to NANS, armed men stormed a private hostel on Paraga Road in Ipara on Wednesday night, July 29, and took away five students. This is the second attack in Ogun State in less than a week. Days earlier, gunmen also attacked D.S. Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic in Itori. During that robbery, an HND II student, Miss Ahmed Sekinat, was killed and several others were injured. “As the main body representing Nigerian students both at home and abroad, we totally reject this attack on the safety of students,” NANS said. “It is painful and unacceptable that two s...

U EFA has told FIFA that all 55 European countries will walk away from any FIFA tournament if the world body goes ahead with plans to sell part of the World Cup to private investors.  The clash started on Tuesday when FIFA announced it wants to raise $4.2 billion. To do that, FIFA plans to sell up to 21% of a new company called FIFA Forward Enterprises. This company would run FIFA’s biggest events, including the men’s and women’s World Cups and the Club World Cup. FIFA said it would still keep control, and gave all 211 member countries until September 19 to approve the plan. The idea is to get money to national associations by early 2027. But the plan did not go down well. On Thursday, UEFA held an emergency online meeting and every single one of its 55 members agreed to reject it. In a strong statement, UEFA said the World Cup belongs to the people who built it.  “The World Cup is not something to buy and sell,” UEFA said. “It is one of football’s proudest traditions. Players...