Author: Opalim Lifted

Mr. Taribo West (not going to call him a pastor) is the latest ex-athlete to wail about the “abandonment” of ex-internationals by government and sports authorities. His words came at the burial of his former teammate, Peter Rufai. Every few months, the country is treated to the familiar cry that the nation uses its stars and dumps them when the lights are out. It sounds persuasive, even sympathetic. It, however, rests on the wobbly assumption that once an athlete wears national colours, the state should remain his or her lifelong provider. Sure, sports representation is service. It is, however, not…

England captain Harry Kane scored a hat-trick as defending champions Bayern Munich began the Bundesliga season by thrashing RB Leipzig. It took 27 minutes for the hosts to break the deadlock when Michael Olise sent a powerful strike into the far corner after the ball dropped invitingly into his path. Serge Gnabry was instrumental in the build-up to that goal and also the second five minutes later as the German picked out Luis Diaz after an excellent passing routine. The Colombian forward rifled an effort in off the underside of the crossbar for his first Bundesliga goal since his summer…

Chelsea came from a goal down to thrash a hapless West Ham United 5-1 on Friday and pile more pressure on home manager Graham Potter after two heavy Premier League defeats in as many matches. Lucas Paqueta got the hosts off to a dream start when he unleashed a swirling shot past goalkeeper Robert Sanchez with six minutes on the clock but Chelsea hit back in the 15th through a Joao Pedro header and the floodgates opened. After West Ham had a Niclas Fullkrug effort ruled offside, Pedro Neto sent Chelsea ahead on the volley in the 23rd and Enzo…

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned Nigerians about counterfeit 12g Cowbell “Our Milk” currently in circulation. In a statement on Friday, NAFDAC clarified that Promasidor Nigeria Ltd, the official marketing authorisation holder of Cowbell, ceased production of the “Our Milk” variant in September 2023, replacing it with Cowbell “Our Creamy Goodness”. The agency said the counterfeit product mimics the discontinued “Our Milk” packaging but is neither manufactured nor distributed by Promasidor, adding that the fake sachets unlawfully bear the Cowbell brand name, NAFDAC registration number, and packaging design. NAFDAC warned that consuming counterfeit…

Lil Nas X, the controversial US singer, was arrested and hospitalised after a concerning public incident in Los Angeles in the early hours of Thursday morning. The ‘Old Town Road’ hitmaker was discovered wandering Ventura Boulevard around 5:30a.m. dressed only in his underwear and cowboy boots. According to eyewitness accounts, the 26-year-old singer was behaving erratically; at one point, he was seen balancing a traffic cone on his head while making cryptic statements like, “don’t be late to the party”. Alarmed bystanders contacted the police. Upon their arrival, the situation escalated. Police spokesperson Charles Miller alleged that the singer “charged”…

The Japanese government has designated the city of Kisarazu as the official hometown for Nigerians who wish to live and work in Japan. This move is part of a strategic initiative to deepen cultural diplomacy, promote economic growth, and enhance workforce productivity. The announcement was made on the sidelines of the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9). Florence Akinyemi Adeseke, Nigeria’s chargé d’affaires and acting ambassador to Japan, received the certificate officially naming Kisarazu as Nigeria’s hometown. Under the new partnership, Japan will introduce a special visa category for highly skilled, innovative, and talented young Nigerians who want…

Nigeria’s foreign exchange (FX) reserves rose to $41 billion on August 19, marking the highest level in four years. According to data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), this is the highest figure recorded since December 3, 2021. Analysis showed that it steadily climbed by 3.69 percent, rising from $39.54 billion on August 1 to $41 billion on August 19. The upward trend was consistent throughout the month, as it increased from $39.54 billion on August 1 to $39.99 billion on August 6. On August 12, the FX reserves moved to $40.64 billion, and by Monday, they grew further…

The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) and the Coalition of National Civil Society Organisations (CNCSOs) have dropped a bombshell on the ongoing probe of the former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mr. Mele Kyari. The political parties and the civil society coalition said the court order freezing four Jaiz Bank accounts linked to the ex-NNPCL boss is “a welcome first step” but warned that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) must not reduce the scandal to another round of media sensation. In a statement jointly signed by CNPP Secretary-General, Comrade James…

Fabian Adibe, the ace Nigerian actor widely celebrated for his role in the acclaimed television adaptation of Chinua Achebe’s ‘Things Fall Apart’, has passed away at the age of 81. The news of his death was first announced on Wednesday through social media by Seun Oloketuyi, founder of the Best of Nollywood (BON) Awards. While initial reports did not specify a cause, his daughter Adibe Nkechi later confirmed on Thursday morning that he died after a brief illness. In an Instagram post, Nkechi, the founder of Techaware Consult, paid tribute to her father. “With a heavy heart, I’m sharing that…

Bournemouth have signed winger Amine Adli from Bayer Leverkusen for a fee that could rise to £25.1m. The 25-year-old is the Cherries’ seventh signing of the summer and has joined on a five-year contract. The Morocco international primarily plays off the left but has also featured as a number 10 and on the right flank. Adli played 143 matches for Leverkusen, scoring 10 goals and providing 12 assists in 42 games in 2023-24 as they won the Bundesliga and German Cup double under former manager Xabi Alonso. Bournemouth have now spent nearly £350m on signings under the ownership of American…