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Arsenal’s new signing Bruno Guimaraes is doubtful for today’s Premier League opener against promoted Coventry City, manager Mikel Arteta said as he acknowledged that they must try to keep ?players fit as they face the task of defending the title.

Brazil midfielder Guimaraes joined Newcastle United this month for a fee put at £75 million ($102 million) by British media. The 28-year-old applied ice to his leg after he came off in Sunday’s Community Shield win over Manchester City.

‘It’s evolving well, but?let’s see,’ Arteta told reporters on Thursday about Guimaraes’ fitness problem.

Injuries threatened Arsenal’s title ?charge last term as they missed key players at crucial times, with Kai ?Havertz, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Jesus and others absent for long periods.

‘The more dominant we are, the ?bigger the margins, the better… we need to improve the availability of the squad in certain ?areas in order for those margins to become much bigger,’ Arteta said.

Arsenal, third on the all-time list with 14 English top-flight titles, have never retained the Premier League trophy, although they won three championships in a row ?back in the 1930s, but Arteta said this season feels different.

‘I feel good. Different. Hopefully better. ?More excited than ever, hungrier than ever … I have no question that our players have the desire. Now it’s ?we have to do daily,’ he said.

Arteta said Arsenal were trying to reinforce their defensive options amid media reports saying they have agreed a £51 million deal with Aston Villa to sign England centre-back Ezri Konsa.

‘When we’re ready to announce something, we’ll let you ?know,’ the Spaniard added.

Arteta ?also put to bed ?reports linking the versatile Myles Lewis-Skelly with a move away from Arsenal, saying he was ‘100% sure’ that the 19-year-old would remain at the club.

But ?the manager acknowledged that some players might have to leave, amid speculation ?that Gabriel Martinelli, ?Gabriel Jesus and Ethan Nwaneri could depart.

‘It’s a really, really tough moment … but you have to face it with a real honesty and transparency,’ he said.

‘We all know everything has a start and an ?end. ?When it ends, our job and duty is to do ?it in the best possible way, with respect and admiration for the player and the relationship. But at the end, ?we need to make difficult decisions.’

The member representing Esan West/Esan Central/Igueben Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Marcus Onobun, has urged lawmakers in Edo State House of Assembly to reject a bill seeking to repeal the House of Assembly and Judiciary Financial Autonomy Law in Edo State.

He said it was during the administration of former Governor Godwin Obaseki that Edo Assembly domesticated Section 121(3) of the 1999 Constitution, guaranteeing financial independence for state legislatures and judiciaries.

The former Edo Assembly Speaker, in a statement, said: ”No state action should now seek to reverse this democratic progress.’

He said the move to repeal the Financial Autonomy Laws contravened the fundamental principle of the separation of powers.

Onobun noted that a robust democracy relied on three co-equal branches.

He said: ‘Stripping the legislature of its financial autonomy destroys this vital system of checks and balances. A financially dependent parliament risks becoming a mere appendage of the executive, severely limiting its capacity for strict accountability, oversight and effective representation.

‘As a former Speaker, I urge the House to reject this proposal and protect its institutional integrity. Financial autonomy is a constitutional mandate, not a political privilege. Our democracy thrives best when the legislature remains truly independent.’

But Speaker of Edo Assembly, Yekini Idiaye, said the laws were not to be repealed but amended to strengthen project monitoring.

He said the House was not reversing the autonomy.

‘We are not reversing the autonomy. We are all beneficiary of the autonomy. The proposed amendment is focused on the capital project aspect of autonomy.

‘What we are trying to do, we are looking at the capital side of it, like the project. Some persons discovered that most projects are not executed.

‘So for us to have a good understanding of the purpose for which we got the autonomy, especially on the side of the project party… what we are thinking is that we want to create a form of an agency,’ he added.

Idiaye said the agency would be responsible for monitoring release of funds, execution and supervision of capital projects for both arms.

‘That all projects will be passing through that agency. They will be monitoring. As it is now, there is no proper monitoring.

‘So we want to have an agency that we want to amend. So that they will be the one monitoring the release of funds, the execution, the supervision. And when you finish, you bring your certificate, take it to the agency.

‘What we are saying is that the amendment is not going to affect the financial aspect of it. It is the operational side of it that it will affect. I don’t even want to say the capital,’ he concluded.

Some non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have called for better reporting of domestic child workers to avoid harm falling on them.

The NGOs, Freedom Fund, in collaboration with Street Project Foundation(SPF), and Cece Yara Foundation, among others, made the call yesterday during the launch of a document titled, ”Ethical Media Reporting guidelines,” in Ikeja, Lagos.

Founder, SPF, Mrs Rita Ezenwa-Okoro, lamented that images and words affect child domestic workers, adding that this is why the law disallows their being reported.

”I’m really excited that we get to do the document. It’s a step in the right direction in protecting child domestic workers from harm,” she said.

After the launch, Ezenwa-Okoro added, there would be follow ups with their media partners to see how the guidelines had been of help to them, adding that they would assess how effective they had been. ”And it will go to show, based on the kinds of reports that we get going forward, that it does protect the rights of the child.”

The book was the outcome of a year’s work involving SPF, Freedom Fund and their partners.

She thanked the Freedom Fund and their implementation partners for making the launch possible.

The Chief Operating Officer, SPF, Eduvie Olutimayin, reiterated on better reporting of cases of child domestic workers’ abuse.She said there was the need to mask the affected children.The guidelines, as the title implies, she said, would guide reporters to do their work better.

She frowned at the mentioning of names and places of victims of abuse as well as use of their photographs, saying that these could affect them in future

”We believe that when we change the narrative, we change the norm. And when we change the norm, we change the lives of these children.

”The children at the centre of this are denied school, denied rest, denied childhood, and in many cases, denied dignity and safety.Yet their stories are rarely told. And even when they are told, they are told wrongly.

”As journalists, you hold the pen, the mic, the camera. You decide what the public sees.You decide whether a story generates outrage, empathy, or indifference.That is why we cannot fight to end exploitative child domestic work without working with you, the media,” she said.

She recalled that for years in Lagos, and indeed across Nigeria, child domestic work has been normalised.We call them house helps, apprenticeships.We post media responses to them on WhatsApp groups, and in the process, we are hiding the face of exploitation behind family framing, culture, poverty, and silence.

She urged media partnership on the eradication of child domestic abuse.”We want to work with you on stories, data, and on campaigns. We want your newsrooms to be a safe space where ethical reporting thrives,”, she said.

The manual highlights privacy, dignity, non-identification child-safe language and responsible images for child domestic workers.

Head of Programmes, Cece Yara Foundation, Mr Damilola Adenusi, noted that issues of social violence are common in the society, calling for journalists’ support to expose and stop them.

The Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Dr Dennis Brutu Otuaro, has called on the people of the Niger Delta to reciprocate President Bola Tinubu’s developmental efforts by voting en masse for him in the 2027 elections.

Otuaro spoke in Abuja, where the PAP sent a new batch of 150 postgraduate scholarship beneficiaries to universities in the United Kingdom.

A statement signed by Otuaro’s Special Assistant on Media, Igoniko Oduma, said the figure brought the total number of offshore deployments the PAP, under the leadership of Dr Otuaro, had made this year to 243, with 93 dispatched in January and May.

The statement explained that before the recent deployments, about 270 had been sent to study programmes such as cyber security, software engineering, data science analytics, law, forensic audit, fintech analytics, construction engineering management, global public health, and oil and gas engineering at universities in the United Kingdom.

Speaking at the pre-departure orientation for the 150 fresh beneficiaries held at the PAP headquarters, Otuaro described the scholarships as an investment in a greater tomorrow for communities in the Niger Delta and Nigeria.

He reiterated that the large-scale sponsorships were also aimed at sustaining peace and stability, closing the region’s human capital development gap, and building a substantial human resource base for the area.

Otuaro said, ‘We are again here to send some of the most brilliant and vibrant youths of the Niger Delta for postgraduate studies in select disciplines in the UK.

‘We are able to do this because our father and leader, Mr President, is committed to the peace, security and development of the Niger Delta.’

‘I must say that as a people, we should make sure we vote massively to ensure his victory in the 2027 general elections. This is the best way to show gratitude to a President who has taken these deliberate steps to help our people and the region.

‘This year, in January and May, we sent 93 beneficiaries for offshore post-graduate programmes. Now, we have 150 that we are sending abroad, and about 56 made first class while about 140 made second-class upper division. We already had 270 in UK universities before these recent deployments.

‘This exercise underscores our commitment to ensuring that the Niger Delta youths have greater access to higher education within and outside Nigeria as we build a solid foundation for the region’s future.’

According to him, the large-scale deployments were made possible by President Tinubu’s unprecedented support for the programme under his Renewed Hope Agenda.

He said, ‘As of today, we have 8700 in-country. That is what President Tinubu has done for the Niger Delta. By the grace of God, we will increase the number this year.

‘We have deployed 270 beneficiaries to offshore universities: 11 for undergraduate programmes, 238 for master’s degrees, and 21 for PhDs.

While 57 have graduated, many with distinction, 248 are in training. From onshore universities, we have recorded 54 master’s and doctoral graduates. In the 2024/2025 academic year, we recorded over 50 first-class and over 134 second-class upper division graduates.

‘That is our investment for a greater and better tomorrow because it will help our communities and our region tomorrow’, Dr Otuaro added.

He expressed appreciation to the President for his massive support, and the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, for his efficient supervision, deep insights and professional inputs that have helped the programme.

The PAP boss urged the beneficiaries to take their studies seriously and be good ambassadors of Nigeria and the Niger Delta, stressing that they are expected to come back home after their programmes and add value to their communities and nation-building in the spirit of patriotism.

He also advised them to respect the laws of the country in which they would be studying and the rules and regulations of their respective institutions.

Two of the beneficiaries, who spoke on behalf of others, Opukeme Gideon (MSc, Cyber Security, University of Aberdeen), and Afiyagba Peredisabofa (MSc, Oil and Gas, Coventry University), thanked President Tinubu and Dr Otuaro for the opportunity, pledging to study hard and make the nation and the region proud.

In their separate goodwill messages, the Chairman of Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Dr Boladei Igali; Prof. Ben Binebai of the Niger Delta University, Bayelsa State; Niger Delta activist, AnnKio Briggs; Senior Policy Adviser to the Delta State Governor, Funkekeme Solomon; and the President of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Dr Doubra Okotete, expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for sustaining the programme and investing in the region’s youths.

They commended Otuaro for his vision and the expansion of the scholarship scheme, adding that ‘it is a legacy that will impact several generations.’

They also lauded the PAP helmsman for his sensitivity to gender parity in the painstaking selection process, pointing out that the female-to-male ratio was very pleasing.

At the event, the beneficiaries were sensitised on ‘Social and Cultural Dynamics’, ‘Academic and School Expectations of Your Trip’, ‘Security Dynamics of Schooling Abroad’, and ‘Obligations of the PAP Office to Beneficiaries/Economic Prudence’.

Other stakeholders of the Niger Delta present at the event were the PANDEF Secretary, Engr. Bekinbo Dagogo-Jack, and the Treasurer, Hon. Mrs Ifeoma Agbomah; and the Ijaw Women Connect (IWC) led by its President, Mrs Rosemary Oduone.

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Faizu Alfindiki, has dismissed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s pledge to restore the petrol subsidy, calling it inconsistent with Nigeria’s economic realities.

Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), said last week that he would reinstate the subsidy if elected in 2027, arguing that Nigerians have not benefited sufficiently from the savings since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu removed it.

In a statement issued to newsmen in Kano on Friday, Alfindiki said the debate should focus on accountability for subsidy savings, not a return to a regime he called financially unsustainable.

Alfindiki, a former Chairman of Kano Municipal Local Government, said the subsidy had placed enormous pressure on public finances and distorted the petroleum market.

‘It is legitimate to question how government revenues are being managed, but it is equally important to acknowledge the economic consequences of returning to a subsidy regime.

‘Nigerians deserve solutions that are sustainable, not policies designed primarily to win political arguments,’ he said.

He added that removing the subsidy was a ‘difficult but necessary decision’ that must be matched with measures to protect vulnerable citizens and boost domestic production.

The APC chieftain questioned Atiku’s reversal, noting that during the 2023 campaign the former VP had promised to remove the subsidy within his first 100 days in office.

‘Today, Atiku is presenting subsidy restoration as a solution, whereas his position before the 2023 election was that the subsidy should be removed. Nigerians are entitled to ask what has changed and why,’ Alfindiki said.

Alfindiki urged political leaders to shift the conversation from the subsidy to building a productive economy through increased local refining, better infrastructure and stronger investment.

‘The real question is how we create jobs, strengthen local production, reduce dependence on imported petroleum products and ensure that the benefits of reform reach ordinary Nigerians,’ he said.

He challenged Atiku and other critics to explain how a restored subsidy would be financed without increasing the fiscal burden or diverting funds from infrastructure, education and healthcare.

Citing recent comments by Finance Minister Taiwo Oyedele that reforms averted an economic collapse, and reports of renewed investor interest despite cost-of-living pressures, Alfindiki said: ‘President Tinubu should be held accountable for how the savings and additional revenues are used. That accountability is important. But accountability should not be confused with returning Nigeria to a system that was financially unsustainable.’

The Presidency has made a similar demand, asking Atiku to provide details on funding for his proposed subsidy restoration.

Alfindiki concluded that Nigeria’s economic debate must be grounded in facts, transparency and long-term national interest ‘rather than electoral rhetoric.’

Nigeria’s D’Tigers will face a stern test as the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup African Qualifiers enter the second round, with five tickets to the global showpiece in Qatar up for grabs.

The second round brings together 12 of Africa’s leading basketball nations, divided into Group E and Group F, with the fourth qualifying window scheduled for August 24 to September 1, 2026.

Nigeria has been drawn in Group E alongside Cameroon, South Sudan, Guinea, Tunisia and Cabo Verde, with the group’s games taking place in Radès, Tunisia.

D’Tigers will begin their campaign against Cameroon on August 27 before facing South Sudan the following day. Their final game of the window will be against Cabo Verde on August 30.

Other fixtures in the group will see Guinea face South Sudan and Tunisia take on Cabo Verde on August 27. On August 28, Cameroon will battle Tunisia, while Cabo Verde will meet Guinea. The final day of action on August 30 features Guinea against Cameroon and Tunisia versus South Sudan.

Nigeria head into the window ranked fifth of the six teams in Group E, sitting on seven points, one behind Tunisia and two adrift of joint leaders South Sudan, Guinea and Cameroon, who are level on nine.

Nigeria will enter the decisive window with a strengthened 12-man roster featuring several established players, including NBA guard Josh Okogie, Chimezie Metu and Chima Moneke. The roster also includes Caleb Agada, Stan Okoye, Ike Nwamu, Udoka Azubuike, Efe Abogidi, Ebuka Izundu, Manny Obaseki, Jordan Ogundiran and Paul Dibal.

Nigeria will head into the qualifiers with a favourable record against two of their opening opponents. The D’Tigers have faced Cameroon four times, winning three of those encounters, while they boast a perfect record against South Sudan, having emerged victorious in both previous meetings.

Cabo Verde has proved a tougher opponent, however: the sides have met six times, with Nigeria managing just one win, making the final group game a crucial test.

David Fizdale will lead the team as head coach, assisted by Dan Craig, Quinton Crawford, Deji Akindele and Dapo Adegbile.

Group F, staged in Dakar, Senegal, features leaders Senegal alongside Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Angola, Egypt and DR Congo.

The qualification process resumes after the August window for a fifth and final phase in February 2027, after which the top two teams from each group, plus the best third-placed side, will secure places at the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Qatar.

For D’Tigers, the objective is clear but challenging: negotiate the three-game window successfully, build on their favourable record against Cameroon and South Sudan, and finally get the better of a Cabo Verde side that has had their measure for years.

Actress Uche Ogbodo has opened up about her decision to undergo a mummy makeover, saying the changes her body experienced after childbirth affected her psychologically and physically.

The actress made this known in an interview with Deacon Famous, where she disclosed that she had three Caesarean sections while having her three children.

She explained that her decision to undergo the procedure was part of her effort to regain confidence and feel comfortable with her body after her third pregnancy.

Ogbodo said she has always advocated for women and girls and believes in helping women in every way possible.

‘All my life, I’ll say I’m an advocate for women and girls. As a girl, I know what I saw growing up and, as a woman, what I’m still seeing, so I try to help or teach women any way possible,’ she said.

Explaining why she encourages women to consider a mummy makeover, the actress said her body changed significantly after her third child, leaving her feeling that she needed to take steps to recover psychologically and physically.

‘I had a mummy makeover done to my body, so I look good. My body changed after my third baby. I couldn’t hold it anymore, so I knew I had to do the mummy makeover to recover myself psychologically, physically and otherwise,’ she said.

Ogbodo explained that the procedures she underwent included a tummy tuck and liposuction, while breast augmentation is still part of the procedures she is yet to have.

‘Tummy tuck, liposuction and breast augmentation form the mummy makeover, but I’m yet to do the breast augmentation. But I had every other thing done, including my teeth, so I could come back to the goddess,’ she added.

A mummy makeover generally refers to a combination of cosmetic procedures aimed at addressing physical changes that may occur after pregnancy and childbirth.

Procedures can vary from person to person, depending on individual needs.

While discussing her experience, Ogbodo stressed that her decision was personal and linked to how she wanted to feel about herself after having three children.

Those aggrieved by the outcomes of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries got soothing words from the chairman of the ruling party, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, who took responsibilities for post-primary grievances.

He took the responsibility on behalf of the National Working Committee (NWC) for all the disputes generated by the primaries that produced the party’s candidates for the 2027 general election.

Yilwatda said he was tendering a public apology to all aggrieved members over what he described as perceived wrongs for the entrenchment of unity in the party.

The party chair spoke yesterday in Ibadan during the launch of the Oyo State APC Campaign Office, located around Dandaru Junction, Mokola – UCH Road, Ibadan.

Flanked by some NWC members, Yilwatda appealed to members who felt hurt, injured, prevented or excluded in any form to forgive the party and remain united ahead of the 2027 general election.

He said the responsibility extended beyond Oyo State, stressing that the committee that conducted the primaries was constituted by the national leadership and therefore, any mistake committed by it amounted to a mistake by the leadership of the party.

He urged all state party chairmen across the country to take the message of apology to all members of the party.

Yilwatda said: ‘This is not for Oyo State alone. Anywhere anybody made a mistake in a state, it is our mistake because the committee was set up by us and they are representing us.

‘If anybody is hurt, if anybody is injured, if anybody is prevented or excluded in any form or the other, we take responsibility. On television and before Nigerians, we take responsibility of all that has happened. I appeal to everybody that we are sorry.’

The APC national chairman urged members at polling units, wards and local government areas across the country to regard the matter as an internal family affair

Yilwatda assured that the party was taking Oyo State seriously because of its strategic importance and large voting population, second only to Lagos.

He noted that through its governorship candidate Senator Sharafadeen Alli, the party is seeking to restore Oyo to its glory days, urging all members to work together in unity.

Alli commended Yilwatda for fulfilling his promises to the state within two days.

He appreciated him for honouring the invitation to meet with governorship aspirants and stakeholders, saying the achievements recorded within the period surpassed what the stakeholders had been able to accomplish on their own.

He said the promises made when the national chairman invited the aspirants had now been fulfilled.

‘We cannot thank you enough for what you have come to do. What you have achieved successfully in two days, we have not been able to accomplish,’ Alli said.

He assured the national chairman that the party in Oyo would continue to do what is expected.

WAPTV has reached another ground breaking milestone, as it will be the first TV channel in Nigeria, to broadcast the smash hit Indian Romantic Drama, Rajjo.

The move, according to an official statement from the channel, is an effort to ensure the TV channel maintains its apex position in ensuring premium programming for its millions of viewers worldwide, in the ever rising competitive world of broadcasting.

The show revolves around the trials and tests of an aspiring athlete Rajjo from Uttarakhand. Her mother, Manorama, has a dark past, and hence is against Rajjo’s dreams of turning an athlete.

Rajjo is a family drama, fully dubbed and subtitled in English Language.

Wale Adenuga Jnr, Director WAPTV, excitedly announced; ‘after years of painstakingly pursuing the broadcast license of the hit show: Rajjo, we were delighted when we acquired the rights, as the series is tailor-fitted to our core values at WAPTV, to provide wholesome family friendly entertainment, that will keep our audiences glued to their screens, both TV and Mobile.’ Rajjo will start showing from September 7 between Mondays and Fridays on the WAPTV channels.

The execution of the Usan Infill Project yesterday received a boost with the arrival of the Noble Gerry de Souza in Nigerian waters. The arrival of this state-of-the-art ultra-deepwater drillship signals the commencement of a drilling campaign designed to unlock additional value from the Usan Field. The project, a short cycle investment, is expected to deliver up to 40,000 barrels per day (bpd) of incremental oil production within 18 months, contributing quickly to Nigeria’s energy security and economic development.

The Usan Field, operated by Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria (Offshore East) Limited, is located in Oil Mining Lease (OML) 138. The Usan Infill Project is supported by a cumulative $1 billion investment by the OML 138 partners, which the promoters maintained underscores Esso’s confidence in Nigeria’s improving investment environment and the company’s commitment to investing in the country’s deepwater energy sector.

Besides, the project is designed to enhance production from the existing Usan Field through additional drilling and subsea development while leveraging existing infrastructure to accelerate value delivery and improve project.

‘The arrival of the Noble Gerry de Souza marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the Usan Field and reflects our continued focus on delivering short cycle deepwater production growth through disciplined investment, in deploying technologies and through operational excellence,’ the Chairman and Managing Director of ExxonMobil affiliates in Nigeria, Jagir Baxi, said.

He noted that the advanced capabilities of the Noble Gerry de Souza will support the safe and efficient delivery of the drilling programme, helping to maximise recovery from existing infrastructure while strengthening the long-term performance of the Usan asset.

According to him, this is the result of years of planning, collaboration, and dedication by multidisciplinary teams across Esso and partner organisations in Nigeria, whose expertise and commitment have been instrumental in transitioning the project from concept to operational readiness.

As offshore activities commence, Esso said it remains focused on delivering the project safely and responsibly, in close partnership with government stakeholders, regulators, contractors, and coventurers.

‘The arrival of the Noble Gerry de Souza represents the start of a new phase of investment, innovation, and growth for the Usan Field and further demonstrates Esso’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s energy future,’ Baxi said.