Author: Vincent Osuwo

The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has strongly opposed the Federal Government’s decision to exempt candidates seeking admission to the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) program from taking the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), warning that the policy could further weaken teaching standards. Audu Amba, National President of the NUT, expressed the union’s views at a teacher sensitization session organized by 21st Century in partnership with the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, TRCN, in Abuja yesterday. Amba bemoaned the falling quality of candidates seeking admission to colleges of education, pointing out that many of the country’s top students increasingly pick…

A graduate of the University of Jos, UNIJOS, John Azi Arum, has recounted his traumatic experience after he was lured with a fake job offer, abducted, and taken to a kidnappers’ camp in Zamfara State. Arum, who recounted his ordeal at a church in Tudun Wada, Jos North Local Government Area, Plateau State, yesterday after regaining his freedom, claimed he was kidnapped on April 11, 2026, immediately after traveling from Jos to Zaria, Kaduna State, for what he thought was a legitimate work opportunity. According to him, the alleged kidnappers had regularly called him on the phone, offering him a welding…

Governor Seyi Makinde will formally declare his presidential ambition on Thursday, 14 May, during a major political rally scheduled to be held at the historic Mapo Hall in Ibadan. The “Unity Mega Rally Ibadan 2026” event is expected to serve as the official launch of Makinde’s anticipated 2027 presidential bid, as well as the unveiling of a grand political alliance between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM), as well as candidates aligned with the emerging coalition championed by the Oyo State governor and his loyalists. According to sources acquainted with the situation, preparations for the…

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez on Tuesday called for club elections and announced that he would contest again. “I am not going to resign,” Perez told a press conference towards the end of a season in which Real Madrid will finish without a trophy. Barcelona trounced Real Madrid 2-0 in the Clasico at Camp Nou on Sunday, securing back-to-back La Liga titles with three games remaining. Madrid was eliminated from the Champions League after losing to Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals. Real Madrid’s current coach, Alvaro Arbeloa, who succeeded Xabi Alonso in January, is unlikely to stay next season, while…

Nollywood actress Funke Akindele has expressed sadness over the death of her friend and colleague, actor Alex Ekubo, admitting that she made efforts to reconnect with him before his passing. Ekubo’s death was confirmed on Tuesday by several of his colleagues, including Akindele, Bolanle Ninalowo, and Godwin Nnadiekwe. Akindele shared a heartfelt tribute on her Instagram story, writing, “I really tried to reach out to see you one more time, but I guess you knew best. May your kind soul rest in peace, Alex. “Ore mi, like you fondly called me, I will always remember and cherish the good times…

Nollywood actor Alex Ekubo has reportedly died at the age of 40 after a prolonged battle with cancer. Ekubo was one of the prominent figures in Nigeria’s entertainment industry, known for his film roles, modeling career, and public influence. Below are key things to know about the late Nollywood star. Early life and background Ekubo was born on April 10, 1986, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State; however, he hails from Arochukwu in Abia State. He is known for his tall frame, charisma, and strong screen presence. He is fluent in English, Igbo, and Hausa. Education The late actor attended Federal…

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s camp issued a warning to opposition political actors on Monday, saying that insisting on zoning the 2027 presidential ticket to the South would be like entering the campaign “already defeated.” In a statement issued by his media aide, Olusola Sanni, the Atiku camp described the push for a southern opposition candidate as “self-defeating and intellectually dishonest,” arguing that there is no precedent in Nigerian political history for an opposition challenger from the same geopolitical bloc as a sitting president to ever unseat that president. “The first and most obvious question is this: how does a…

Neymar Jr.’s ambition of playing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup remains alive after he was named to Brazil’s 55-man preliminary squad by head coach Carlo Ancelotti. Veteran sports journalist Fabrizio Romano acknowledged this as a recent development on X (previously Twitter). The 34-year-old Santos attacker, who has experienced physical setbacks in recent years, is still working to show his health ahead of the event, which will be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico next month. The reports also confirmed that Chelsea’s youngster Estevao Willian has been dropped off the provisional list due to a hamstring injury that…

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed an appeal against the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja’s decision to award ₦100 million in damages to officials of the Department of State Services (DSS). SERAP considers the decision to be “a travesty and a miscarriage of justice.” Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, filed the appeal on behalf of SERAP on Friday, May 8, 2026, and it is accompanied by an application seeking a stay of execution of the judgment pending the determination of the appeal, challenging what SERAP describes as “a legally flawed decision resulting in a miscarriage of…

Senator Adams Oshiomhole has defended his call for the nationalization of MTN and other South African companies operating in Nigeria, insisting that Nigerian lives must take precedence over foreign investment amid renewed xenophobic attacks in South Africa. Oshiomhole stated this on Tuesday during an interview on Arise News, where he argued that Nigeria should take stronger economic action against South African interests in response to repeated attacks on Nigerians abroad. “I am aware that MTN is quoted, and therefore Nigerian shareholders can hold on, but we take away the South African rights,” he said. He also noted that, in his…