Author: Festus Adeloye

Belal Muhammad clinched the UFC welterweight title with a unanimous decision victory over Leon Edwards, concluding UFC 304 at Co-op Live in Manchester, England. Muhammad, the challenger, had a strong start in the first round, securing an early takedown that showcased his wrestling skills. His blend of takedowns and striking allowed him to gain the initial advantage. He maintained his high-volume striking and added another takedown towards the end of the round to solidify his lead. In the second round, Muhammad continued to leverage his grappling skills, including a notable moment when he dropped Edwards and controlled the round after…

The Lagos State Government has revoked all existing building permits and ordered builders to reapply for validation to continue construction. The Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on e-GIS and Urban Development, Dr Olajide Babatunde, announced this during a visit to the collapsed building site in Maryland, Ikeja, on Saturday. Babatunde was accompanied by Mr Gbolahun Oki, the General Manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency, and some executive members. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that a building under construction collapsed on Thursday at 13 Wilson Mba Street, Arowojobe Estate, Maryland, Lagos, killing five workers. He said, “All…

Canada’s Olympic women’s football team have been deducted six points and their coach Beverly Priestman suspended for a year after using a drone to spy on a rival team at the Paris Games, FIFA said on Saturday. Canada’s football association “was found responsible for failing to respect the applicable FIFA regulations in connection with… the prohibition on flying drones over any training sites”, FIFA said. It also handed down a fine of 200,000 Swiss francs ($226,000). The ruling is a hammer blow to Canada’s hopes of defending the Olympic title they won at the Tokyo Games three years ago. It…

Real Madrid unveiled  Brazilian teenager Endrick, who has joined the European champions on a six-year deal, in an event at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday. Endrick, who turned 18 last week, arrives from the Brazilian club Palmeiras, where he won two league titles and a Super Cup. He made his international debut aged 17 against Colombia last November, going on to score his first goal against England in a 1-0 win in March. He was a member of Brazil’s Copa America squad, making his first international start in the quarter-final with Uruguay which they lost on penalties. “I don’t have words…

Ahead of the planned nationwide protests against bad governance, the Federal Government has tightened security at all the nation’s borders. Comptroller General of Immigration Service, Kemi Nandap, gave the order to all Zonal Heads, State Command Comptrollers, and Divisional Immigration Officers (DIOS) of the Service across the country. Service Spokesman, DCI Kenneth Udo, said the directive is to ensure that foreign elements do not come into the country to participate in the protests. According to the statement, all concerned have been directed to be extra vigilant and intensify surveillance in view of the planned nationwide protest by some groups. “The…

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has confirmed fuel supply and distribution challenges in some parts of Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) but promised to work on restoring normalcy. “The NNPC Ltd. wishes to state that the tightness in fuel supply and distribution witnessed in some parts of Lagos and the FCT is as a result of a hitch in the discharge operations of a couple of vessels,” the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of the NNPCL Olufemi Soneye said in a Saturday statement. “The Company further states that it is working round the clock with all stakeholders…

Samoa’s boxing coach died at the Paris Olympics village after the 60-year-old had a cardiac arrest, officials said on Saturday. Governing body the IBA sent its “heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and colleagues” of Lionel Elika Fatupaito following his sudden death on Friday, the day of the opening ceremony. He was treated by emergency services but they were unable to save him, according to the local prosecutor’s office, which said he died of “natural causes”. “Lionel’s dedication and passion for the sport have left an indelible mark on the boxing community,” the International Boxing Association (IBA) said in a…

Vice President Kashim Shettima has received a delegation of the United Nations led by its Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, at the State House, Abuja. The UN delegation was said to have visited Nigeria to strengthen democracy and promote partnerships in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The visit was disclosed in a post by the Vice President’s Media Aide, Stanley Nkwocha, on Saturday, July 27. The post reads: “Vice President Kashim Shettima on Friday received the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Amina Mohammed, and her team at the State House, Abuja. “The UN delegation is in Nigeria…

Grammy-winning Afro-fusion singer Burna Boy marked the 5th anniversary of his critically acclaimed album “African Giant” with a thrilling YouTube Live show. The event, supported by YouTube Music, featured Burna Boy performing songs from the album, which has become a cultural phenomenon and a testament to African pride. The album, released in 2019, is a genre-bending blend of Afrobeat, dancehall, pop, and hip-hop, featuring international collaborations with artists like Jorja Smith, Jeremih, Future, Damian Marley, and YG. Burna Boy expressed excitement about the event, saying it was an “incredible experience” to celebrate the album’s anniversary with his fans. He thanked…

In a heartfelt Facebook post, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu expressed deep sorrow over the untimely passing of Senator Ifeanyi Ubah. He described the news as shocking and emphasised the significant loss Senator Ubah’s death represents for Nigeria and his home state of Anambra. Governor Sanwo-Olu highlighted Senator Ubah’s dual role as a distinguished businessman and a dedicated politician who made substantial contributions to national development during his tenure in the Nigerian Senate. He extended his sincere condolences to Senator Ubah’s immediate family, friends, colleagues, and associates, particularly the people of Anambra South, who are grieving the loss of their revered representative.…