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Tag: Ajibade

  • Temi Otedola changes surname to Ajibade after marriage to Mr. Eazi

    Temi Otedola changes surname to Ajibade after marriage to Mr. Eazi

    Temi Otedola has officially changed her surname to ‘Ajibade’ after marrying Mr Eazi.

    This is reflected in her updated Instagram bio, which reads “Temiloluwa Ajibade.” 

    This move has sparked widespread attention and debate online, with varying reactions from the public.

    Some people praised Temi for embracing her new identity, while others questioned why she dropped her father’s influential surname. 

    A few suggest she could have kept both names to honour both families, while others argue that a name doesn’t hold a marriage together, citing character, loyalty, and shared vision as more important.

    The Nation reported that the daughter of billionaire Femi Otedola, and Mr. Eazi, a renowned singer, tied the knot in a lavish three-part wedding ceremony. 

    The couple’s wedding journey began with a civil ceremony in Monaco on May 9, 2025, which coincided with Mr. Eazi’s late mother’s birthday. 

    This was followed by a traditional Yoruba wedding at the Otedola family’s home in Dubai, where Juju icon King Sunny Ade performed.

    The grand finale took place in Iceland on August 8, 2025, where Temi and Mr. Eazi exchanged vows in a beautiful church ceremony. 

    The intimate wedding was attended by close family and friends, including prominent dignitaries such as Aliko Dangote and Broda Shaggi. 

    The couple’s weddings were a blend of Nigerian culture and international flair, reflecting their unique love story. 

    Notably, their relationship has been in the public eye since their engagement in April 2022.

  • PSG offers me new challenge for growth, says Ajibade

    PSG offers me new challenge for growth, says Ajibade

    Super Falcons’ captain Rasheedat Ajibade says her move to Paris Saint-Germain Féminines is more than just a transfer — it is a new chapter filled with growth, inspiration, and connection.

    The 25-year-old forward, who signed a two-year contract with the French giants until 2027, described joining PSG as the perfect opportunity to evolve both as a footballer and as a person.

    “It’s a new challenge, especially when you come into this kind of prestigious club with amazing talent, amazing players, amazing people,” Ajibade told PSG TV.  “I’ve got an opportunity to grow as a player and as a person. I believe this is the place for me to evolve, to learn, and to become the best version of myself.”

    Ajibade arrives in Paris after a successful four-and-a-half-year spell with Atlético Madrid, where she scored 40 goals in 139 appearances, winning the Spanish Super Cup and Copa de la Reina.

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    Fresh from captaining Nigeria to a record 10th  Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title in Morocco, where she was named tournament MVP, she believes PSG offers the perfect platform to take her career to new heights.

    She said: “PSG is a very unique, great brand. It’s a team I’ve admired from a distance — from the men’s game to the women’s game. It’s a place where I’ve seen players evolve and do great things. Looking at the history, values, and mission of the club, I believe it’s one of the best places for young players to grow.”

    With the move to  Paris, Ajibade reunites with her Super Falcons teammate Jennifer Echegini and she explained the shared bond will help her settle quickly into her new surroundings.

    “We know ourselves very well from the national team. I even call her my sister. She’s an exceptional footballer and a wonderful person, so having her here will make my adaptation much easier,” she noted.

    The former FC Robo forward also pointed to the lasting influence of former Super Eagles captain Austin ‘Jay-Jay’ Okocha, who once wore the PSG shirt and left a deep legacy in France.

    She said: “PSG has a special mark in Nigeria because of Okocha and his tremendous skills.

    “For us, that connection is a big plus. PSG is part of our football family back home, and most Nigerian players, both boys and girls, dream of playing here one day.”

    Ajibade’s arrival adds depth to PSG’s squad as they prepare for challenges in Division 1 Féminine and the UEFA Women’s Champions League. But for the Super Falcons’ captain, this move is much more than winning trophies.

    “It’s about becoming the best version of me,” she said.

  • We are yet to receive $100,000 FG promised – Ajibade

    We are yet to receive $100,000 FG promised – Ajibade

    Super Falcons captain Rasheedat Ajibade has said the team is still awaiting the $100,000 reward and other commitments promised by the Federal Government after their 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) victory in Morocco.

    In an interview with Chude Jideonwo, Ajibade confirmed the delay in payment.

    Chude asked: “Have they delivered the $100,000?”

    “We have not received our money, but hopefully, it would be paid. They have not paid, all the promises, we have not received anything,” she replied.

    Read Also: RASHEEDAT AJIBADE: I want to inspire every African girl to dream big

    Ajibade added with a touch of humour: “Because people want to suffocate me and they’ve shared the money into percentage, and we’ve not received it. But when they pay, it’d be announced. Our match bonuses are also work in progress.”

    Ajibade captained the Super Falcons to their record-extending WAFCON title in Morocco.

    Following the victory, President Bola Tinubu conferred national honours of Officer of the Order of Niger (OON) on the players and technical crew, while also announcing rewards of $100,000 and a three-bedroom flat for each team member.

  • Ajibade testifies in church after WAFCON win

    Ajibade testifies in church after WAFCON win

    Super Falcons captain Rasheedat Ajibade has  visited Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM) to give thanks to God after the team’s thrilling 3-2 win over Morocco in the WAFCON final. 

    During the visit, Ajibade presented her winner’s medal to the church and expressed gratitude for God’s guidance and support throughout the competition.

    In her testimony before the congregation, Ajibade recounted the journey, highlighting her earlier visit to the church after helping the team qualify for the Olympics for the first time in 16 years. 

    “Sometimes last year, I was here to testify after God led the team to qualify for the Olympics after 16 years,” she said. “Fast forward to May while I was with my club, it was a very difficult season for me,” she said.

    She also shared the challenges she faced during her club season, where she struggled with injuries and pains. 

    “It was really tough. I was going through injuries, pains, and all sorts of things. I didn’t know how to figure it out, but I just came here quickly,” she added.

  • Madugu, Ajibade recount  WAFCON glory, target global challenges

    Madugu, Ajibade recount  WAFCON glory, target global challenges

    Super Falcons head coach Justine  Madugu has hailed Nigeria’s triumph at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) as a testament to the team’s resilience and mental strength, while emphasizing the need for greater preparation and investment to compete at the global level.

    Nigeria secured their 10th  WAFCON title with a dramatic 3–2 comeback win against host nation Morocco on July 26 in Rabat.

    Speaking at a celebratory breakfast hosted yesterday, July 31st, by MTN Nigeria at the Eko Hotels in Lagos, head coach Justin Madugu shared insights into the tactical adjustments that helped the Super Falcons turn the WAFCON final in their favour.

    He said: “At halftime, we told the girls that once we scored a goal, the pressure would shift to Morocco, we worked on their mindset, they began to believe again, and that changed everything, to the glory of God, it worked.”

    While proud of the achievement, Madugu urged that the focus must now shift to preparing for the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

     “The challenge now is time, these players are professionals with club obligations, and we only get a few days with them before major tournaments, that’s not enough to build a World Cup-winning team, but we won’t give excuses, we’ll do the best we can with what we have.”

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    The coach also addressed criticism of his team selections and tactics during the tournament.

    He said:  “You can’t lead without being criticized, but I know what these players can do, I stay with them every day. I take decisions not to please everyone, but to get results, and that’s what we’ve done.”

    Team captain Rasheedat Ajibade echoed Madugu’s sentiments and challenged the nation to invest in taking the team to the next level.

    She said, “We’ve made history with this 10th title, but we’re not satisfied, we want to be global contenders, the mission is bigger now, and we’re ready for it.”

    Ajibade also called for deeper collaboration between the government, the football federation, and corporate bodies.

     “We understand the responsibility that comes with this win, now we need everyone, the NFF, the federal government, private sponsors, to keep investing in us so we can compete on the world stage,” she added.

  • Ajibade bullish over Falcons’ chances in Paris 

    Ajibade bullish over Falcons’ chances in Paris 

    Super Falcons captain Rasheedat Ajibade has declared they are fully prepared for the Paris 2024 Olympics, which gets underway a week from today with an opening group game against Brazil.

    This will be Nigeria’s first appearance at the Olympics after a 16-year absence.

    The nine-time African champions trained for two weeks in Sevilla, Spain, before they rounded it up with a test game against reigning Olympics champions Canada, which they lost 1-0.

    “We’re ready (for the Olympics),” stated Atletico Madrid forward Ajibade. “We will give it our best shot.

     “We must be ready to compete with the best teams irrespective of the big names, we have the talent, the quality. We have to trust in what we have.

    Read Also:Oshaniwa urges NFF to  quickly  find Finidi’s replacement 

     “We did this at the World Cup (last year), where we faced amazing teams like Australia, co-hosts, Ireland and England.

     “We have what it takes to be at the top.”

    After the opening group game against South American champions Brazil, the Super Falcons will tackle world champions Spain on July 28, before a final first round tie against Japan three days later.

  • Ajibade scoops Atletico Madrid Player of the Year

    Ajibade scoops Atletico Madrid Player of the Year

    Super Falcons skipper, Rasheedat Ajibade, ended the 2023-24 season with the Atletico Madrid Player of the Season award after guiding her Spanish side to the 2024-25 UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL).

    The Spanish giants announced her as the player of the season on Wednesday as the club’s multiple Player of the Month winner scored 10 goals with eight assists in the league season.

    The major highlight of the season was scoring the winning goal against Villarreal last weekend as the goal ensured that the capital club qualified for the UEFA Women’s Champions League with a third-place finish in the league for the first time since 2021.

    Since joining the Club from the Norwegian side, Avaldnes, Ajibade has been a major part of Atletico Madrid.

    The winner of the 2020/2021 Supercopa Espana and 2022/2023 Copa de la Reina is expected to replicate the same form with Nigeria at the Paris 2024 Olympic in France next month.

    As captain, Ajibade is expected to lead the Super Falcons to tough tests at the women’s football event of the Olympics against Spain, Japan, and Brazil in Group C.

    In a related development, Japan will face Ghana on July 13th  with a view to knowing how to dislodge the Super Falcons at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

    The match is set to take place on Saturday, July 13, 2024, at the Kanazawa Go Go Curry Stadium.

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    The Nadeshiko, Japan’s national women’s football team, is using this game to gear up for their Olympic group stage match against Nigeria.

    Japan is set to face a challenging group that includes world champions Spain, South American champions Brazil, and nine-time African champions Nigeria.

    Ghana, on the other hand, is in the midst of their own preparations for the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), where they aim to make a significant impact.

    Japan recently played two friendly matches against New Zealand during the last FIFA window as part of their rigorous preparation for the Olympics.

    The upcoming friendly between Japan and Ghana is expected to be a crucial test for both teams as they fine-tune their squads and strategies ahead of their respective tournaments.

  • Paris 2024: Ajibade, Nnadozie, Oshoala, 18 others to battle Cameroon

    Paris 2024: Ajibade, Nnadozie, Oshoala, 18 others to battle Cameroon

    Nigeria have called up 21 players, among them captain Rasheedat Ajibade, goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, five-time African Player of the Year Asisat Oshoala and free-scoring forward Esther Okoronkwo for next week’s 2024 Women’s Olympic Football Tournament qualifying fixture against the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon.

    This fixture is the third round of the African qualifying series, and the penultimate round of the series before the continent’s flag-bearers to the 2024 Olympics are known ahead of the Games in five months’ time.

    Goalkeeper Tochukwu Oluehi, defenders Osinachi Ohale and Oluwatosin Demehin, midfielders Deborah Abiodun and Christy Ucheibe, and forwards Toni Payne, Uchenna Kanu and Omorinsola Babajide are also called.

    Versatile defender Ashleigh Plumptre makes a return to the fold since the FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in Australia last year summer.

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    Fierce rivals Nigeria and Cameroon will battle it out in the first leg of the fixture at the Stade de la Reunification in Douala, Cameroon on next week’s Friday (23rd February), with Ugandan official Shamirah Nabadda as referee. Her compatriots Lydia Nantabo, Jane Mutonyi and Diana Murungi will serve as assistant referee 1, assistant referee 2 and fourth official respectively. Khadija Rezzag from Morocco will be the referee assessor while Lukusa Kanjinga from Democratic Republic of Congo will be the commissioner.

    For the second leg match in Nigeria, taking place at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on Monday, 26th February, CAF has appointed Namibian official Ndemugwanitha Twanyanyukwa as referee, with her compatriots Eveline Augustinus, Olivia Amukuu and Vistoria Shangula in the roles of assistant referee 1, assistant referee 2 and fourth official respectively.

    Alice Wangari Kimani from Kenya will serve as referee assessor while Christine Ziga from Ghana will be the commissioner.

    SUPER FALCONS TO BATTLE CAMEROON:

    Goalkeepers: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC); Tochukwu Oluehi (Shualat Alsharqia FC, Saudi Arabia); Linda Jiwuaku (Bayelsa Queens)

    Defenders: Osinachi Ohale (Pachucha Club de Futbol, Mexico); Ashleigh Plumptre (Ittihad Ladies, Saudi Arabia); Oluwatosin Demehin (Stade de Reims, France); Michelle Alozie (Houston Dash, USA); Akudo Ogbonna (Remo Stars Ladies); Rofiat Imuran (Stade de Reims, France)

    Midfielders:Deborah Abiodun (University of Pittsburgh, USA); Halimatu Ayinde (FC Rosengard, Sweden); Christy Ucheibe (SL Benfica, Portugal); Jennifer Echegini (Juventus Ladies, Italy); Rasheedat Ajibade (Atletico Madrid FC, Spain); Toni Payne (Sevilla FC, Spain)

    Forwards: Omorinsola Babajide (Coasta Adeje Tenerife Egatesa, Spain); Esther Okoronkwo (Henan FC, China); Ifeoma Onumonu (SLC Utah, USA); Asisat Oshoala (Bay FC, Spain); Uchenna Kanu (Racing Louisville, USA); Gift Monday (Coasta Adeje Tenerife Egatesa, Spain)

  • Honour for Ajibade at 60

    As part of activities to honour Mr. Kunle Ajibade, a renowned journalist and author, who turned 60 on Monday, a one-day colloquium organised by Friends of Ajibade will hold today (May 30) at 10 a.m. at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Lagos.

    This will be followed by a Cultural Evening/Poetry Reading at the Freedom Park from 5:30p.m on the same day.

    The colloquium will be led by the 1986 winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature Prof Wole Soyinka on the theme: A bright future for Nigeria and how to get there.

    Other speakers include Dr. Kingsley Chiedu Moghalu; Mrs. Ayo Obe; Mr. Femi Falana (SAN); Ms.Ayisha Osori; Mr. Owei Lakemfa and Mr. Sam Omatseye.

    The cultural evening/poetry reading will feature tributes, readings and music, involving poets, solo saxophonists, drummers and other performance artistes.

    Ajibade’s various roles in the media have seen him serve as reporter to media houses, a Senior Correspondent for The African Concord, Assistant Editor with The African Guardian, and then different editorial and manage-ment responsibilities in the now rested Tempo and A.M News titles, before being Executive Editor of The NEWS and P.M.News in the past years.

    It was his work in the media in the dark days of brutal military rule that saw him crusading on the side of social justice, hence running against the murky essence of the vicious Abacha military regime in its high noon.

    He was arrested on spurious charges and ‘jailed for life’ in 1995, after a kangaroo and contrived judicial process, in similar vein to the encounters of other journalists, such as George Mbah of Tell, Chris Anyanwu of The Sunday Magazine (TSM), and Ben Charles Obi of the Weekend Classique, about the same period.

    His experience of arrest, imprisonment, and subsequent release from the gulag of military dictatorship after three harrowing years are chronicled in his memoir, Jailed for Life: A Reporter’s Prison Notes, which won the Victor Nwankwo Book of the Year award in 2005.

    He is also author of What a Country!, which details Nigeria’s travails under cruel and repressive rule.

     

  • Tinubu invites Falana, Ajibade to APC

    National Leader of the APC, Chief Bola Tinubu, has called on Mr Femi Falana (SAN) and veteran journalist, Mr Kunle Ajibade, to join hands with the party to move Nigeria forward.

    In a birthday message to the duo, Tinubu described Falana and Ajibade as icons in their chosen fields, whose contributions would continue to mean much to the country.

    The message was made available to our reporter on Monday in Lagos by Tinubu’s Media Officer, Mr Tunde Rahman.

    NAN reports that Falana was born on May 20, 1958, while Ajibade was born on May 28, 1958.

    ““The month of May which in 1999 heralded the rebirth of democracy in Nigeria after almost 16 years of unbroken military interregnum, is also significant in one other respect.

    “”It is the month of birth of many prominent Nigerians.

    “”As both were united in their month of birth, there is also an unmistakable meeting point in their life trajectories.

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    “”Both fought against successive military regimes to facilitate the emergence of democracy in the country,” Tinubu noted.

    `He said that Falana and Ajibade fought to ensure that Nigeria would be a citadel of social justice, rule of law and a better place for generations.

    ““There is no doubt that both Falana and Ajibade had impacted on Nigeria and Nigerians in the most profound ways.

    ““We thank them for their struggles and we thank them for their sacrifices but we are not yet in the Promised Land.

    “”We enjoin the duo not to rest on their oars but join hands with us in the All Progressives Congress, led by President Muhammadu Buhari, to make Nigeria a better place,’’ Tinubu said.

    According to him, Falana and Ajibade have continued to contribute to the enthronement of democracy, good governance and rule of law in the country.

    ““I say happy birthday to them and wish them long life, continued good health and renewed energy to continue to make invaluable contributions to our country.”

    “He described the duo as close friends with whom he had interacted in the continuous struggle for enthronement of true democracy, good governance and rule of law.

    “”Mr Falana is a lawyer, pro-democracy and human rights activist, who continues to employ the instrumentality of the law to correct the ills of the society.

    “”His contributions to constitutionalism and jurisprudence know no bounds.

    “”He takes briefs from the rich to empower him to fight injustice against the poor pro bono.

    “”Ajibade is that astute journalist and celebrated author, who through his pen, fought against the military junta and was particularly a thorn in the flesh of the regime of the late Abacha.

    “He authored two popular books – ‘Jailed for Life’ – his experience in prison for which he was clamped by the Abacha junta, and ‘What a Country’ – which speaks about the ills in the country,’’ Tinubu said.