Author: Opalim Lifted

Liverpool staged another dramatic late show as Mohamed Salah’s stoppage-time penalty maintained their flawless start to the Premier League season and broke the hearts of battling Burnley. Burnley looked to have frustrated the champions until substitute Hannibal handled Jeremie Frimpong’s cross deep into five minutes of additional time, allowing Salah to blast home the spot-kick in front of Liverpool’s elated travelling fans. Salah’s winner came just as Burnley were within touching distance of being the first team to take points off Liverpool this season. Liverpool head coach Arne Slot left new £125m British record signing Alexander Isak out of his…

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to identify and prosecute politicians and political parties engaging in early election campaigns, warning that failure to act could lead to legal action. In a letter dated September 13, 2025, and signed by SERAP Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation urged INEC Chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu to monitor political parties breaching constitutional and statutory provisions that prohibit campaigning outside the legally prescribed period. SERAP stressed that such early campaigns are “unconstitutional and illegal” and can have adverse effects on economic development due to prolonged…

Former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has showered praises on celebrity chef, Hilda Baci, following her recent Guinness World Record attempt for the largest pot of Jollof rice. In a post shared on his verified Instagram page on Saturday, Osinbajo described the cook-a-thon as a powerful reminder that greatness can spring from the most ordinary places — even a pot of rice. “@hildabaci reminded us yesterday, that greatness can begin in the simplest of places, even in a pot of rice,” he wrote. Osinbajo commended the chef for what he described as a creative expression of Nigerian culture, saying Baci turned…

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has suspended its five-day warning strike just two days after it began, restoring services at federal hospitals across the country. Confirming the decision on Sunday, NARD president Tope Osundara said doctors are to resume work immediately. “The strike has been suspended. Some of our demands have been met, and the government has promised to address the others. This is a sign of goodwill and to support Nigerians who need care in our hospitals,” Osundara told reporters. The association had downed tools on Friday, paralysing activities in public health facilities nationwide. While certain demands…

Canada has turned down nearly 1,600 asylum applications from Nigerian nationals so far in 2025, even as approval rates climb to their highest level in years. Fresh figures from the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) show that by 21 August, Nigerians had lodged 3,548 claims, with 2,292 accepted and 1,596 rejected. That amounts to a 65 per cent success rate—well above the previous decade, when denials topped 13,000. The surge in applications has been tied to worsening economic hardship and insecurity at home, particularly violence linked to Boko Haram. According to Maple Crest Law, Nigeria remains one of the top…

Akon’s long-time wife, Tomeka Thiam, has filed for divorce just days before their 29th wedding anniversary, bringing an end to nearly three decades of marriage. According to court documents obtained by TMZ, Thiam who married the Senegalese-American singer on 15 September 1996 cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split. The pair share a 17-year-old daughter, Journey. Thiam is requesting joint legal custody but wants sole physical custody, with Akon granted visitation rights. She is also seeking spousal support, while asking the court to block the possibility of Akon receiving any from her. The 52-year-old artist, born Aliaune Badara…

Brentford substitute Fabio Carvalho tapped in an 93th-minute equaliser to deny Chelsea victory in a dramatic London derby. Carvalho, 23, had been on the pitch for less than four minutes before turning in from a long Kevin Schade throw-in. It had looked as if Chelsea substitutes Cole Palmer and Alejandro Garnacho would steal the headlines. With the visitors a goal down, Palmer swept in a first-time volley to equalise just after the hour mark, having only been on for five minutes. Then Garnacho, recently signed from Manchester United, helped set up midfielder Moises Caicedo to power in a shot past…

Tottenham claimed a comfortable Premier League victory over 10-man West Ham at London Stadium to renew the pressure on Graham Potter. The result moves Spurs up to second in the table, level on points with leaders Arsenal with Brentford and Chelsea still to play on Saturday evening. It also ensured that Thomas Frank became only the third Tottenham manager to win his first two away top-flight matches in charge of the club, along with Ossie Ardiles (1993-94) and Tim Sherwood (2013-14). However, after the respite of a fine win at Nottingham Forest before the international break, it was a familiar…

Brothers Khephren and Marcus Thuram scored for opposing teams as Juventus beat Inter Milan 4-3 in a Serie A thriller. The siblings – sons of ex-France international Lilian Thuram – had netted within six minutes of each other to leave the score at 3-3 with eight minutes left in the Derby d’Italia. However, substitute Vasilije Adzic secured the points for Juventus when with a long-range effort in injury time. The home side’s third successive win continued their perfect start to the Serie A season, while Inter are on three points after a second straight defeat under new coach Cristian Chivu.…

President Bola Tinubu’s boast that Nigeria has already smashed its 2025 revenue target has sparked more questions than applause. While the government celebrates record collections, ordinary Nigerians are still battling crushing food prices, joblessness, and collapsing infrastructure. Hosting former CPC members at the Villa, Tinubu declared: “Nigeria is no longer borrowing any dime from local banks. The economy is stabilised. When I took over it was ₦1,900 to a dollar. It’s ₦1,450 now.” The 2025 Appropriation Act set revenue at ₦18.32 trillion, but collections have surged beyond ₦20 trillion in just eight months, powered largely by non-oil income. Oil output…