Author: News Room

Nigeria may not be at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but Nigerian-born and Nigerian-heritage players ensured the country’s presence was felt on the tournament’s second day. Former Nigeria-eligible striker Folarin Balogun stole the spotlight with a brilliant brace as co-hosts the United States thrashed Paraguay 4-1, while Abuja-born Tani Oluwaseyi and fellow Nigeria-eligible forward Promise David featured for Canada as the hosts secured their first-ever FIFA World Cup point with a 1-1 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina. The performances ensured that none of the host teams lost their opening games with Mexico already setting the tone with their 2-0 win…

Nigerian athletes Kayinsola Ajayi and Samuel Ogazi claimed the men’s 100m and 400m titles, respectively, at the 2026 NCAA Outdoor Championships in the early hours of Friday at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, United States, PUNCH Online reports. Representing Auburn University, Ajayi stormed to victory in the men’s 100m in a wind-assisted 9.72 seconds. The performance would have broken the African record of 9.77 seconds currently held by Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala, but a tailwind of +2.2m/s rendered the mark ineligible for record purposes. It was the 21-year-old’s first NCAA outdoor title after finishing fourth in the event last year. With…

The governorship candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress in Rivers State, Blessing Fubara, has said he does not have a political godfather, stating that his only backing is God. Speaking during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time on Friday night, Fubara said he holds different political perspectives compared to his brother, Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara. He also  dismissed suggestions that his ambition is merely an extension of his brother’s political project or that he is acting as a placeholder. He said, “I don’t have a godfather but I have God the father. You would also agree with me…

Super Eagles defender Igoh Ogbu faces up to three months on the sidelines after undergoing surgery on a torn Achilles tendon sustained during Nigeria’s June international break, PUNCH Sports Extra reports. Slavia Prague confirmed in a press release that the 24-year-old centre-back had the procedure at the Central Military Hospital in Střešovice, with the operation reported to have gone successfully. The club said Ogbu would now embark on an intensive rehabilitation programme before returning to action. The injury is a bitter blow for the Nigerian, who had cemented himself as a key figure in Eric Chelle’s defensive setup. Since the…

Nigeria’s influence on global music has increasingly found expression at the FIFA World Cup, which is unarguably football’s biggest stage. TOFARATI IGE takes a look at Nigerian entertainers who have performed at the international football fiesta Femi Kuti One of the earliest Nigerian musicians to perform at a FIFA World Cup event was Femi Kuti. The afrobeat star was among the artistes selected to perform at the opening ceremony of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. The ceremony, held at Soccer City in Johannesburg, featured a strong African cultural theme and included performances by several renowned African musicians.…

Prime Video’s Every Year After hinges on a shocking twist — but is the big secret actually related to another love triangle with two brothers? Based on Every Summer After by Carley Fortune, Every Year After follows Percy (Sadie Soverall), who grew up vacationing in Barry’s Bay and spending all her time with the Florek brothers: Sam (Matt Cornett) and Charlie (Michael Bradway). Warning: Spoilers below for season 1 of Every Year After. Years after a heartbreaking split from Sam, the pair reunite, but something is holding Percy back from reconciling their relationship: she had sex with Charlie during a…

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to arrest a former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, over certificate forgery.  The court gave the ruling on Thursday following an ex parte motion by the ICPC in suit number marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1160/2026. The latest development followed a painstaking two-year investigation published by PREMIUM TIMES in October last year which revealed that Mr Nnaji forged his UNN degree and NYSC certificates which he submitted to President Bola Tinubu and the Nigerian Senate during his ministerial confirmation in 2023. The suit…

The Lagos State Chairman of the Social Democratic Party, Femi Olaniyi, has said the party remains committed to what he described as the “unfinished business” of the June 12, 1993, presidential election won by the late Chief MKO Abiola, calling for renewed commitment to credible elections, people-centred governance and national unity. In a Democracy Day statement issued on Friday and titled “Completing Abiola’s Unfinished Business”, Olaniyi said June 12 remains a defining moment in Nigeria’s democratic history, when Nigerians, under the SDP platform, voted overwhelmingly for what he described as hope, justice and a better life. He recalled that the…

The United States launched their home World Cup in emphatic fashion Friday, thrashing Paraguay 4-1 with a perfectly scripted opening performance to delight a star-studded home crowd in Los Angeles. Folarin Balogun scored twice while relentless US pressure led to an early Paraguay own goal from Damian Bobadilla before substitute Gio Reyna added a late fourth to cap a dream start for Mauricio Pochettino’s side at the SoFi Stadium in Group D. The US entered the tournament amid a swirl of uncertainty after a series of defeats and unconvincing performances in pre-World Cup friendlies. But any doubts about their ability…

Social media personality and self-acclaimed financial expert, Ojaigho Prosper, popularly known as GehGeh, has said that women who criticise him online often behave differently when they meet him in real life, stating that he receives more attention from women offline than men. Speaking in an interview with Saturday Beats, GehGeh reflected on his rise to social media fame, stating that his journey began with a desire to share real-life financial lessons rather than chase online popularity. He said, “I was simply coming from a place where I wanted to share my experiences because I felt I had enough knowledge and…