The qualifiers for the 2025 edition of the Obasa Games have officially commenced across the six educational districts in Lagos State.
The annual multi-sport competition, created in honour of the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Mudasiru Ajayi Obasa, and organised by Kings Sports International, aims to promote grassroots sports development in the state.
Formerly a football-only event, this year’s edition now features Boxing, Table Tennis, Chess, Scrabble, Ayo Olopon, athletics and football.
The games kicked off on Friday at Anwarul Islam College, Agege.
According to a statement by Kings Sports International, six events — excluding football — were held on Monday, November 17, in District III, which covers Lagos Island and Epe.
The statement, signed by the chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Moshood Olawale Ajibola, noted that winners from all six districts will compete in the final round in Agege, where a total prize pool of N12 million is up for grabs.
“The District Qualification Stage, a precursor to the grand finale scheduled for later this month, began on Monday, November 17,” he said.
The preliminaries will continue into next week with the following schedule: District III (Lagos Island–Epe): Monday; District IV (Surulere): Tuesday; District II (Ikorodu): Wednesday; District VI (Oregun): Thursday; District V (Badagry): Friday; District I (Agege/Alimosho): Monday.
Ajibola added that the core objectives of the Obasa Games include promoting grassroots sports, building character, developing strategic and analytical thinking, nurturing leadership skills, and encouraging goal setting and healthy risk-taking among youths.
She wrote: “My heart and soul became an actor for me! You guys, pls tell my on-screen papa to watch his back o. There’s a new sheriff in town. Dada did amazingly well in M.A.F.H., and he’s excited for you to see him in action.
“The release date and title will be announced tomorrow. Watch this space. Does anyone want to guess the title? Winner gets a hug”.
On his last birthday, she posted a video, saying there’s nothing she wouldn’t do for family and calling him her hero and best friend.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has congratulated London-based Nigerian content creator Bemi Orojogun, aka London Bus Aunty, after she won Video of the Year at the TikTok UK Awards 2025.
Khan, on X, praised her passion for London’s iconic red buses, saying it’s captured hearts nationwide.
“Congratulations to London’s very own Bus Aunty for winning Video of the Year at the TikTok Awards. Her love of our iconic red buses has captured hearts across the country.
“And did you know? She’s a proud fan of the Bakerloop – London’s newest express bus route”, he wrote.
Orojogun was nominated with Friends of Elmtree, Sam Morris, Gardiner Brothers, Joseph Machines, and Brad Ben for the prestigious award, which celebrates standout creators on the platform.
Orojogun, who went viral in 2024 with a creative forced-perspective clip, has become a digital influencer, collaborating with big brands like Burberry, H&M, and MAC Cosmetics. She’s also worked with Khan on promoting London’s zero-emission buses.
In her acceptance speech, Orojogun encouraged others to pursue their passions, saying, “Don’t allow your age to stop you. Don’t allow your family to say don’t do that, it’s embarrassing. If you love it, do it.”
Her winning video has racked up almost 50 million views on TikTok.
Fans are thrilled, and Nigerians are jokingly challenging her to recreate her stunts in busy areas like Oshodi or CMS.
Police operatives fired tear gas at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Secretariat to disperse a crowd of supporters gathered at the Wadata Plaza as the struggle for control of the party heats up.
The incident happened as the Senator Anyanwu-led group tried to stop Governors Bala Mohammed (Bauchi) and Seyi Makinde (Oyo) from accessing the Secretariat.
Anyanwu’s men, who are fully in charge at the Secretariat and decide who enters and doesn’t, were heard describing the Governors as impostors who must not be allowed into the NEC/ BoT meeting
Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo has a £65m release clause in his contract that can be activated during the first two weeks of the January transfer window, BBC Sport has been told.
The Ghana international attracted interest from several clubs including Manchester United and Tottenham in the summer only for the 25-year-old to sign a new five-year deal at Vitality Stadium on 1 July.
However, BBC Sport has learned that his new contract contains a release clause of £65m that can be triggered in the first two weeks of the winter transfer window in order to allow Bournemouth enough time to replace their star player.
The winter transfer window opens on Thursday, 1 January 2026 for Premier League and English Football League (EFL) clubs and closes at 19:00 GMT on Monday, 2 February.
Semenyo has been in excellent form in the Premier League this season, scoring six goals and providing three assists in 11 appearances for Andoni Iraola’s side.
Last season he hit double figures for the first time in his career – 11 goals in the league and 13 in all competitions.
Londoner Semenyo qualifies for Ghana through his father.
He was rejected by Arsenal, Spurs and Millwall as a youngster before joining the football programme at SGS College in Bristol, run by former Leeds and Forest Green Rovers manager Dave Hockaday.
Bristol City signed him in 2017 but he needed loan spells at Bath, Newport and Sunderland before breaking into the Robins first team during the 2020-21 season.
Semenyo’s goals helped Bournemouth finish ninth last season but they sold three of their back four – Illia Zabarnyi, Milos Kerkez and Dean Huijsen – for almost £150m during the summer.
They also failed to make goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga’s loan move from Chelsea permanent, with the Spaniard joining Arsenal instead – but keeping hold of Semenyo has proved vital for the club this season.
Former General Secretary of the Lagos State House of Assembly Correspondents’ Association (LAHACA) and ex-Lagos correspondent for Peoples Gazette, Dr. Temitope Musowo, has been awarded a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Public Policy by the University of Ibadan.
The highest degree was conferred during the University’s 2025 Graduation Ceremony and 77th Foundation Day Celebration, held on Monday at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan.
In a post-convocation interview in Lagos, Dr. Musowo described the milestone as the culmination of years of hard-work, dedication and perseverance through significant personal and academic challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, prolonged ASUU strikes, and the notoriously rigorous PhD process at Nigeria’s premier university.
“Getting to this point wasn’t easy,” he reflected. “Many in my inaugural PhD cohort in Public Policy couldn’t complete the journey. The UI PhD experience is like queuing behind people who have come to deposit church offering at a bank, you only know when you walk in, but you never know when you’ll leave the banking hall. Sometimes, you may even have to switch queues just to leave on time.”
Dr. Musowo revealed that his pursuit of the highest academic degree was fueled by both personal resolve and professional ambition.
“Years ago, as an NCE holder, I was rejected by a lady partly because I didn’t have a degree. That moment planted a seed: I vowed to earn the highest possible qualification. Besides, in my home state, education is the industry, having a PhD is almost the norm,” he said.
He recalled how his journalistic experience also played a pivotal role. “Another motivation was that while covering the Lagos State House of Assembly for over a decade, some lawmakers would engage me on policy research ahead of plenary debates, yet my contribution was seldom valued beyond a token ‘brown envelope.’ Then, I decided to earn a PhD so they would engage me not just as a reporter, but as a policy consultant that I am.”
In addition, his interest in public policy was further sparked during a 2019 election reporting training co-organised by the International Press Centre (IPC) and the European Union.
“A facilitator challenged us to hold politicians accountable on policy during interviews. That session lit a fire in me,” he recalled.
Coincidentally, while attending that training, he learned that the University of Ibadan was starting its PhD programme in Public Policy, and he applied immediately for the 2019/2020 academic session.
The achievement for Dr. Musowo holds deep personal significance as he reflected. “Left for my late father, I probably would not further my education beyond secondary school.
He believed that if you didn’t pass all your exams on the first attempt, you weren’t ‘designed for academics’, his words were, ‘Iwe o ki n sona e, lo kose’ (‘You weren’t made for school; go learn a trade’). My older siblings fell victim to that obnoxious educational policy, but my mother insisted, this one must go to school and paid for my re-enrollment. Although, my father later supported when I gained admission to higher institution”
Dr. Musowo expressed profound gratitude to Partnership for African Social and Governance Research (PASGR) and the Carnegie Corporation of New York for fully funding his doctoral studies.
Now holding a PhD alongside an MSc in Sustainable Development with his background in journalism and policy analysis, Dr. Musowo is poised to deepen his impact at the intersection of media, governance, and public policy in Nigeria and beyond.
There is a tension at the Wadata plaza national Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the Samuel Anyanwu and Taminu Turaki-led factions prepare to hold their separate meetings at the same venue over control of the party.
There is a heavy deployment of police, Officers of the Directorate of State Services and other security personnel around the Zone 5 Secretariat with a handful of supporters of the two factions drumming and singing close to the Secretariat.
However at the time of the report, some of those invited by the Anyanwu-faction of its NEC meeting had started arriving the Secretariat.
Anyanwu himself arrived the Secretariat around 8.50am and went straight to his office.
As at 9.27, Kabiru Turaki’s loyalists were yet to arrive the Secretariat but there are rumour that they are on their way to the Secretariat.
Anyanwu told reporters he invited the security agents around the Secretariat, adding that it is the usual practice to invite security agents whenever the party is holding a NEC meeting because of the expected turnout.
He said: “I wrote to the security agencies and I NEC on the 14th November informing them of the NEC/BoT meeting scheduled for today. I am the National Secretary of the party and.y tenure runs till December 8.
Reminded of the plan by the Turaki led group to hold an NWC at the Secretariat, he said We are going our meeting and we do not expect any intruder. He is coming to hold meeting here as what?
The City-Builder’s Development and Empowerment Initiative (CBDEI), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has commended the Chairman of Ayobo-Ipaja Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Lukman Agbaje, for what it described as remarkable development projects since the start of his administration.
CBDEI President, Daniel Okoro, gave the commendation while assessing the council’s progress ahead of his 60th birthday, applauding his landmark achievements within his first 100 days in office and beyond.
He noted that the chairman had performed beyond expectations within just six months.
“We are really impressed by his outstanding performance in road rehabilitation, market and environmental development, youth engagement, free medical outreach and financial empowerment for residents,” Okoro said.
He added that the NGO had tagged the Agbaje-led administration as the “Government of Ease” due to its visible impact across Ayobo-Ipaja.
According to him, the chairman’s early assessment tour across the LCDA further demonstrated his commitment to repositioning the area for greater efficiency, accountability and improved service delivery.
Okoro also commended Agbaje for successfully hosting the 2026 Budget Stakeholders Consultative Forum, themed, “New Initiatives for Economic Development in Ayobo-Ipaja LCDA,” expressing confidence that the budget would reflect the true needs of residents in alignment with Lagos State’s development agenda.
The CBDEI president urged the council chairman to deepen collaboration with the organisation, noting its longstanding commitment to raising, repairing and restoring neglected communities.
He highlighted the NGO’s decade-long prison outreach programmes across Nigeria, which focus on faith-building, skills acquisition, welfare support and health empowerment for inmates.
“We have approval from the Lagos Command Comptroller of Corrections to conduct follow-up classes for new converts in all correctional centres in the state,” Okoro said, reaffirming CBDEI’s readiness to partner with the LCDA for greater community impact.
Comedian Freedom Atsepoyi popularly known as Mr Jollof, has apologised for his role in a fight with VeryDarkMan on a United Nigeria Airlines flight.
In a video on Instagram, he expressed regret for the incident, saying he’s not a violent person and was defending himself.
He apologised to the airline, passengers, his wife, kids and boss.
“I want to use this medium to sincerely apologise to the NCAA, United Nigeria Airlines, and the passengers that boarded the airline. I was only defending myself. You guys saw what happened, and I am very sorry if I delayed your appointment. Pardon me. This isn’t my kind of person. It will never happen again.
“To my lovely wife, I know you’re proud of me. To my kids, I am sorry, Daddy will never do this again. To my boss, I am very sorry, this isn’t my kind of person.
“PLEASE NOTE: I AM NOT A VIOLENT PERSON AND I PROMISE SUCH CHARACTER WILL NEVER OCCUR AGAIN. ALTHOUGH I WAS UNDER ATTACK, I DEFENDED MYSELF. PROMISE MADE, PROMISE KEPT,” he wrote.
The fight, which was captured on video, showed Mr Jollof and VeryDarkMan trading blows on the flight from Asaba to Lagos.
VeryDarkMan boasted about “dealing with” Mr Jollof and showed bite marks on his chest.
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has condemned attack on Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, Kebbi State where armed assailants invaded the school premises at dawn, brutally killed the Vice Principal, Hassan Yakubu Makuku, and abducted 25 female students.
NANS said the tragic incident, which happened on November, 17, 2025, a day globally dedicated to celebrating ‘International Students’ Day’, has broken its heart.
A statement by NANS President, Comrade. Olushola Oladoja lamented that abduction of the young girls has reopened deep wounds in NANS memory.
According to him, abduction of the students collectively underscores urgent need for robust preventive security strategies, rather than the usual reactive measures deployed only after lives have been destroyed and families shattered.
He said: “Our schools must never be playgrounds for terrorists; our daughters must never again be turned into bargaining chips in the hands of criminals.”
NANS appealed to Federal Government, Kebbi State Government, and entire security architecture to deploy every available resource to ensure the immediate rescue of the abducted students.
The student body demanded high end proactive security measures around all schools, especially girls’ boarding institutions.
NANS also called for intelligence-driven operations that dismantle the criminal networks, enabling these mass abductions.
“Students, particularly female student must never be targets of terror. We can not continue to allow young girls to be used as negotiation tools in the battle between the state and criminal elements. Enough is enough.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the family of the slain Vice Principal, Mr. Hassan Yakubu Makuku, whose bravery in resisting the attackers, cost him his life. We also pray for the swift recovery of the injured staff member.
“Our hearts go out to the parents and families of the kidnapped students—we stand with you, we are as saddened as you are, and we join our voices in prayer for their safe, secure, and unharmed return.
“As the apex students’ body in Nigeria, we had meticulously designed the 2025 International Students Day Celebration as a moment of honor, hope, and academic excellence—never imagining it would be overshadowed by such darkness.
“For this year’s event, NANS planned special national recognitions and awards for excellent student performance, including: 100,000 cash prize award for 10 best students in each faculty of the University of Abuj
“A laptop prize for best performing students in the 2025 WAEC, NECO, and JAMB examinations. A ₦200,000 cash award for the Nigerian student who emerged winner of the TeenEagle International English Language Competition
“Additional excellence recognitions for students who have shown outstanding leadership and innovation among others, but instead of celebration, the Nigerian student community was thrown into yet another panic.
“On this International Students Day, instead of celebration, we stand united in grief, in solidarity, and in our collective resolve to protect every Nigerian student.”
