Category: Business Day

White has a way of commanding attention without asking for it. A bare shoulder, a dramatic sleeve, a neat satin finish or a sharply cut mini can turn the simplest colour into a full fashion statement. Add the right shoe, bag or piece of jewellery and the mood shifts again.

The secret is not simply wearing white from head to toe. It is understanding what the dress is saying before the accessories enter the picture. A fluid linen maxi belongs to the sun. A sharply cut mini has a different attitude. Satin catches evening light differently from cotton, while lace immediately changes the mood.

The result is a look that proves one colour can be more than enough to make a statement.

The holiday white dress

There is a reason white dominates resort wardrobes. Against sun baked skin, it feels fresh, uncomplicated and instantly photogenic.

An airy linen maxi or eyelet midi needs very little: leather sandals, oversized sunglasses and a woven tote are enough for a slow afternoon between the beach and lunch. Gold hoops or a stack of delicate bracelets add warmth without making the outfit feel too polished.

For a late lunch that turns into drinks, change the flat sandals for a pair of heeled mules and replace the large tote with a smaller shoulder bag. The dress has not changed, but the styling has moved it from daytime ease to something more deliberate.

When white gets romantic

White has an obvious relationship with romance, but there is more to it than lace and ruffles.

For a bridal shower, engagement party or pre-wedding celebration, look for details that give the dress dimension: a sculpted neckline, an exaggerated bow, a sheer sleeve, a fitted waist or a fluid satin finish. The interest should come from the silhouette rather than excessive decoration.

Pearls and delicate earrings announce the feminine mood, while a metallic heel prevents the look from becoming too sweet. A structured clutch can also introduce a sharper note.

For a wedding itself, the dress code matters. Unless the occasion specifically calls for white, the colour remains closely associated with the bride.

White, but make it daytime

The strongest daytime white looks rarely feel overstyled.

For brunch, an eyelet midi or softly tailored linen dress can be paired with ballet flats, kitten heels or slim sandals. Add oversized sunglasses and a small shoulder bag, and the result feels polished without looking like you dressed specifically to be seen.

A birthday lunch gives you more room to experiment. Try a mini with an architectural sleeve, a dramatic bow or an off-shoulder neckline. A sculptural earring or brightly coloured bag can provide the contrast that white sometimes needs.

The off-duty version

White does not have to mean precious.

At the airport, a loose cotton dress with sleek trainers and a large leather or canvas tote gives the colour a more relaxed attitude. Oversized sunglasses add polish, while minimal jewellery keeps the outfit practical.

The same principle works for the cinema. A simple cotton mini or midi with trainers, ballet flats or flat sandals feels easy without looking thrown together. Add a denim jacket or lightweight overshirt and a compact crossbody for a look that feels casual but considered.

The difference is in the proportions. A relaxed dress paired with a structured bag, or an oversized layer over a shorter silhouette, keeps the outfit from becoming visually flat.

After dark, white changes character

Dinner and cocktails are where white becomes most interesting.

Satin, silk-like fabrics and sharper silhouettes catch artificial light beautifully. A one-shoulder dress, asymmetric midi or fluid slip can look striking without heavy embellishment.

This is where accessories can become more directional. Barely-there heels lengthen a clean silhouette; a sculptural clutch introduces shape; statement earrings bring the focus back towards the face.

Silver and crystal details give brilliant white a cooler, sharper finish. Gold works particularly well with ivory and cream, creating a softer kind of evening glamour.

The accessory edit: shoes, bags and jewellery

A white dress gives accessories unusual power because there is very little competing with them.

A colourful bag and leather sandals push it towards resort dressing. Black leather gives it warmth and an understated finish. Black creates graphic contrast. Metallic shoes or a metallic clutch immediately move it into evening territory. And a brightly coloured bag can make a minimalist white dress feel completely new.

Jewellery follows the same logic. Pearls keep the look romantic; gold adds warmth; silver feels cleaner and more contemporary; sculptural earrings give even the simplest dress a stronger fashion identity.

The point is not to make white complicated. It is to let the details decide what kind of white you are wearing.

Uncover Skincare launched Glow Balm Hydrating Lip Treatment in Kenya and Nigeria, a lip care formula built on a simple belief: lips that take up space deserve a formula worthy of them.

Glow Balm delivers SPF 30 protection, long-wear hydration and gloss simultaneously, rejecting the trade-offs the category has long asked women to accept.

The launch also marks the opening of Uncover Skincare’s new Ikeja Hub, located at 1 Opebi Rd, Allen, Ikeja, Lagos, creating a new space for the brand’s community to experience Uncover in person.

For decades, lip care has been treated as cosmetic – a flavour, a finish, an afterthought – despite lips being one of the most exposed parts of the face, carrying less melanin than surrounding skin and facing daily UV exposure. Consumers evolved. The category didn’t. Glow Balm was formulated to close that gap, combining four complementary UV filters for SPF 30, a nourishing blend of shea butter, squalane and argan oil for lasting hydration, and a structured gloss finish, layered with a peppermint ritual that makes reapplication feel earned rather than obligatory.

‘We built Glow Balm because the category never built a formula worthy of melanated lips. Protection, hydration and gloss shouldn’t be a trade-off – they should be a given. This is a lip treatment for women who take up space and were never going to accept a formula that asked them to choose,’ Jade, Co-Founder and COO, Uncover Skincare said.

To celebrate the launch, Uncover Skincare brought together beauty, culture and media voices for an intimate evening centred on the future of beauty and the growing conversation around lip care.

The event featured a fireside conversation, ‘Taking Up Space,’ between Jade Oyateru and content creator and actor Enioluwa Adeoluwa, exploring Jade’s journey, Uncover Skincare’s evolution into lip care, the story behind Glow Balm and what it means to take up space in beauty and business.

The programme also featured ‘The New Rules of Beauty,’ a panel discussion exploring the evolution of beauty care, lip SPF, hybrid beauty and the growing need for products created with melanin-rich consumers in mind. The conversation brought together Denise, Editor-in-Chief of Marie Claire Nigeria; Ifeoma Okoye, Beauty Influencer; Onyeka Michael Ugwu, Founder and CEO, Hello Perfect; Bobe Badaki, Host and Head of West Africa, Uncover; and Dr. Onyiibekeh Azode, Certified Doctor and Influencer.

Together, the conversations reflected a beauty landscape where skincare and makeup are becoming more connected, and where protection, hydration and self-expression can all be part of the same routine.

With ‘For Lips That Take Up Space,’ Uncover Skincare is making a case for giving lips the attention they deserve. Because your lips do more than complete a look. They speak, smile, laugh, express and, of course, take up space.

Glow Balm Hydrating Lip Treatment in Mojito Mint is now available from Uncover Skincare.

Glow Balm Hydrating Lip Treatment is available now at KES 1,800 in Kenya and NGN 15,000 in Nigeria, through Uncover’s D2C site and retail partners in both markets, including Lip Tribe in Kenya.

For daily use: Apply to clean lips morning and evening, alone or over lip color.

The Workplace Leadership Institute has outlined nine strategies organisations can adopt to effectively manage and maximise the potential of a multi-generational workforce, with emphasis on communication, knowledge transfer, collaboration and leadership development.

The Workplace Leadership Institute, through its workplace leadership programmes and facilitation, said the Workplace Leadership Institute approach is designed to help organisations turn generational differences into opportunities for knowledge-sharing and collaboration. The Workplace Leadership Institute noted that as Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials and Generation Z increasingly work alongside one another, organisations must deliberately create systems that allow employees across generations to contribute effectively.

According to the Institute, simply having different generations represented within an organisation does not automatically produce the benefits associated with generational diversity. Differences in communication preferences, working styles, professional expectations and career priorities can create challenges unless leaders establish systems that support effective interaction and collaboration.

Jamie Pajoel, workplace leadership expert and facilitator, said the objective of multi-generational leadership should not be to force employees from different generations into one way of working, but to create an environment where their different experiences and capabilities can complement one another.

‘Multi-generational leadership is not about choosing one generation’s way of working over another. It is about creating the conditions in which experience, adaptability, new perspectives and emerging capabilities can work together to strengthen the organisation,’ Pajoel said.

The Institute said one of the starting points for organisations is to establish communication structures that accommodate different preferences while maintaining clear organisational expectations. Employees may have different levels of comfort with face-to-face conversations, email, instant messaging, virtual meetings and other communication platforms. Clear guidelines on which channels should be used for different forms of communication can help reduce confusion while ensuring important information is accessible.

It also recommended reverse mentoring and reciprocal learning programmes to encourage knowledge to move in both directions across generations. While experienced professionals can transfer institutional knowledge, strategic insight and organisational experience, younger employees can contribute knowledge relating to technology, emerging markets, digital behaviour and changing consumer expectations.

The Institute said such programmes should go beyond simply pairing employees together and should include clear objectives, thoughtful matching, defined expectations and sufficient time for meaningful professional relationships to develop.

It further identified knowledge transfer as a strategic priority, particularly as experienced employees approach retirement or transition from full-time roles. Much of an organisation’s institutional knowledge, it said, exists outside formal documentation and may include knowledge of client relationships, organisational history, previous decisions, recurring challenges and practical lessons acquired over years of experience.

Organisations can reduce the risk of losing such knowledge by introducing structured knowledge-capture processes, apprenticeship and shadowing programmes and communities of practice where experienced professionals and emerging leaders can exchange practical knowledge.

The Institute also encouraged executives to deliberately create cross-generational project teams and working groups, noting that a workforce comprising different generations does not automatically become a collaborative workforce.

Employees may naturally gravitate towards colleagues with similar communication preferences, working styles or professional experiences. Deliberately bringing different generations together around important organisational assignments can create opportunities for employees to understand one another’s capabilities and perspectives.

The Institute said organisations can further support this process by creating forums where different perspectives are actively invited and recognising effective cross-generational collaboration as a valuable workplace behaviour.

Managing conflict is another area the Institute identified as important in multi-generational workplaces. Differences in working styles, communication preferences and professional expectations can sometimes create tension, particularly where younger professionals assume management responsibilities over older and more experienced colleagues.

Rather than allowing such differences to develop into resentment or stereotypes, the Institute recommends workplace cultures where disagreements are addressed constructively. It highlighted the ACE framework – Acknowledge, Care and Exchange – as one practical approach.

The framework encourages employees to acknowledge the experience and contribution of colleagues from different generations, care by taking a genuine interest in colleagues and understanding the professional circumstances that shape their workplace experience, and exchange ideas openly while ensuring different perspectives are considered in decision-making.

The Institute also said retention strategies should recognise that employees at different stages of their professional lives may have different expectations.

Experienced professionals may value meaningful recognition, opportunities to continue contributing and phased transitions into advisory, mentoring or part-time roles. Other employees may place greater emphasis on autonomy, career progression, flexibility, professional development, purpose and organisational culture.

The Institute said these differences should not be used to stereotype employees, but should encourage leaders to have regular conversations with staff about their career goals, development and organisational commitment.

Succession planning, it added, should also be treated as a multi-generational leadership responsibility rather than simply a process for replacing senior executives when vacancies occur.

According to the Institute, effective succession planning can simultaneously address immediate continuity risks, prepare emerging leaders for greater responsibility and develop the talent required for an organisation’s long-term future.

It recommended that organisations identify potential successors, establish development goals, create realistic timelines and ensure succession priorities remain connected to their strategic direction.

The Institute further urged organisations to create shared challenges that bring employees from different generations together. Cross-generational projects, innovation initiatives, problem-solving forums and community engagement programmes can provide opportunities for employees to work towards common objectives and experience the capabilities of colleagues from different age groups.

Such interactions, the Institute said, can help reduce simplistic assumptions about generational groups by allowing individual skills, experience and contributions to become more visible.

Beyond formal structures and programmes, the Institute said everyday workplace interactions also determine whether employees experience multi-generational inclusion as genuine.

It therefore recommended the CARE model, which encourages organisations to collaborate by creating opportunities for employees from different generations to work together, acknowledge individual contributions, respect different perspectives through effective communication and listening, and equalize opportunities by recognising that no generation’s contribution is inherently more valuable than another’s.

Pajoel said organisations stand to benefit when leaders create space for different forms of knowledge and capability to work together.

‘The strength of a multi-generational organisation lies in its ability to connect what has been learned through experience with what is emerging through new perspectives and capabilities. Leaders create value when they make space for both,’ he said.

The Workplace Leadership Institute said effective multi-generational leadership ultimately requires more than recognising the presence of different age groups within an organisation. It requires deliberate systems that encourage communication, knowledge transfer, collaboration, professional development and mutual respect.

The Institute said organisations that create opportunities for reciprocal learning, protect institutional knowledge and develop employees across generations can build workplaces where differences in experience and perspective contribute to organisational capability.

The Oyo State Police Command attached to the Command’s Safer Highway Patrol have arrested a suspected armed robber and recovered one locally made pistol with a live cartridge.

The move, which is part of the Command’s continuous proactive and intelligence-led policing strategies, said the arrest and recovery followed an intelligence-led stop-and-search operation conducted on 25 September 2026 at about 1730hrs along the Ibadan-Ife Road by Ajia Junction.

In the course of the operation, Ayanlade Oluseyi Olayinka, Deputy Superintendent of Police and Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Oyo State Police Command, in a statement, stated that a white-coloured Mazda bus driven by one Sanusi Afeez Adedamola ‘M’ of Owena and travelling from Ibadan towards Ondo State was intercepted and subjected to a search.

The search subsequently led to the arrest of one of the passengers, identified as Emmanuel Kingsley Odoh ‘M’, for unlawful possession of one locally made pistol and a live cartridge.

‘Following the recovery, the firearm and ammunition were immediately secured as exhibits, while the suspect was taken into custody for further investigation’, Ayanlade disclosed.

Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, the Commissioner of Police, Oyo State, thereafter directed that the case be transferred to the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) for discreet investigation, arrest of the rest of the syndicate and prosecution upon the conclusion of the investigation.

The development underscores the importance of sustained stop-and-search operations as a critical component of the Command’s preventive policing strategy, particularly along major highways and other identified routes.

When conducted professionally and intelligence-led, such operations help detect and remove firearms and other prohibited items from circulation, disrupt the movement of criminal elements and generate actionable intelligence for broader crime-prevention efforts.

Building on these proactive measures, the Oyo State Police Command reassures members of the public, particularly commuters and residents along major highways, of its continued commitment to their safety and security.

The Command will sustain proactive patrols, intelligence-led stop-and-search operations and other strategic measures to prevent crime and maintain public safety across the State, while urging members of the public to remain vigilant and provide the Police with timely and actionable information.

Matchday one of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers delivered goals and away victories as the race for places at the tournament gathered momentum across the continent.

Nigeria, Morocco, Ivory Coast, Algeria, and Cameroon were among the heavyweight nations to make winning starts, while Guinea-Bissau and Zimbabwe produced two of the opening round’s standout results.

Guinea-Bissau defeated co-hosts Tanzania 2-0 away from home, while Zimbabwe overturned a two-goal deficit to beat Sierra Leone 3-2.

Egypt and Senegal endured less convincing starts, with the seven-time African champions held to a goalless draw at home by Angola, while Patrick Vieira’s first competitive match as Senegal coach ended in a 1-1 draw against Mozambique.

Rwanda and Mali also opened with three-goal victories, while Mauritania, Namibia, Sudan, Togo, The Gambia, Malawi, Niger and DR Congo collected maximum points.

Group A: Morocco and Niger take early wins

Morocco and Niger both opened with victories to take early control of Group A.

The Atlas Lions beat Gabon 2-0, with Noussair Mazraoui opening the scoring in the 36th minute before Soufiane Rahimi sealed the win six minutes from time.

Niger survived a late Lesotho fightback to win 2-1. Daniel Sosah opened the scoring after 38 minutes before Oumar Sako doubled the advantage on the stroke of half-time.

Sera Motebang’s 85th-minute penalty gave Lesotho hope, but Niger held on.

Group B: Malawi win, Egypt held

Malawi are the early Group B leaders after beating South Sudan 2-1, while Egypt were held to a goalless draw by Angola in Cairo.

Babatunde Adepoju put Malawi ahead after 20 minutes before Stephen Joseph Dhata equalised three minutes after the restart. Lloyd Njaliwa restored Malawi’s lead in the 64th minute.

Egypt thought they had taken the lead against Angola when Mostafa Zico found the net in the 21st minute, but the effort was ruled out for offside.

Neither side could find a breakthrough as Angola secured a valuable away point.

Group C: Ivory Coast and The Gambia record victories

The commission’s ruling has not been officially published, and no sanctions have been announced.

However, the scale of the reported findings has raised questions over the range of penalties available to the Premier League, from financial sanctions to points deductions and possible expulsion.

Former Manchester City chairman David Bernstein said any punishment could go beyond a financial penalty.

‘Money is not sufficient,’ Bernstein told Times Radio. ‘If they are found, after the appeal, guilty of the charges, my beloved club is going to face a very severe penalty.

‘All I would say is that money is not sufficient; it would have to be something, unfortunately, more drastic than that.’

Five possible sanctions Man City could face

Points deduction

Legal and financial analysts have suggested that Man City could face a substantial points deduction if the reported findings are confirmed. A severe penalty could significantly affect the club’s Premier League status and European qualification prospects.

Expulsion from the Premier League

Premier League rules provide for severe sanctions in serious cases, potentially including expulsion from the competition. Such a punishment would have major sporting and financial consequences for City.

Retrospective Sporting Sanctions

The case could raise questions over the treatment of points and honours from seasons covered by the alleged breaches, including 2011/12, 2013/14, and 2017/18. Any retrospective action would depend on the final ruling and appeal process.

Transfer Restrictions

Depending on the final sanction, City could potentially face restrictions affecting player registrations or transfers. Any such measure would need to be specifically imposed under the applicable rules.

Rival Clubs’ Compensation Claims

Other Premier League clubs could pursue compensation if they can establish that they suffered financial losses linked to the alleged breaches. Such claims would be separate from any disciplinary sanctions imposed by the Premier League.

For Uloma Rochas-Nwosu, the new Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide headquarters in Enugu is more than a building. It is an expression of identity, memory and the values she says have shaped her life.

As managing director of Walsh Blanc, a design company, Rochas-Nwosu was closely involved in translating the brief for the new Ohanaeze headquarters into a physical space designed to tell the story of the Igbo people.

But her connection to the project runs deeper than professional design.

She is the daughter of Rochas Okorocha, former governor of Imo State, who personally funded the construction of the new Ohanaeze headquarters. For Rochas-Nwosu, working on the project meant bringing together two parts of her identity: her profession as a creative designer and her upbringing in a family where roots, responsibility and social impact were central to daily life.

‘I am an entrepreneur and, most importantly, a creative designer. I design spaces and create experiences for people,’ she told BusinessDay.

That philosophy is evident throughout the new Ohanaeze complex, where architecture has been deliberately used to communicate history and identity.

Rochas-Nwosu said the inspiration for the project came from the brief given by her father. ‘His Excellency had asked us to create something that would tell the story about the Igbo nation,’ she said.

The result is a facility that combines offices, conference spaces, amphitheatres, memorabilia, audiovisual installations and design elements intended to evoke Igbo heritage.

For Rochas-Nwosu, however, the most important element of the project is not its scale or appearance.

It is what people will feel when they enter. ‘We wanted to create something that gave the Igbo people a sense of pride, a sense of belonging and beauty,’ she said.

A childhood built around impact

Rochas-Nwosu’s connection to her roots began long before she became a designer. She was born and raised in Jos, Plateau State, as the first of six children. Her childhood, was deliberately structured by her parents to ensure that their children understood the difference between privilege and entitlement, she recalled.

‘I grew up in a home where there were very strict rules about my roots and what is important,’ she said.

At the centre of that upbringing was a concept that has remained influential in her adult life: impact.

‘Most importantly, a life of impact and that is something that has guided everything I have done. Whether it is my business, whether it is just even designing spaces, it is a life of impact,’ she averred.

She remembers that her parents made a conscious effort to expose their children to realities outside their immediate environment.

Every Friday, she said, the family would visit Masallacin Juma’a in Jos to share food with less privileged children.

It was a routine that helped shape her understanding of privilege. ‘I grew up in a very modest environment. We didn’t have a lot of wealth or riches thrown at us or shown to us,’ she said.

That experience helped keep the children grounded, she believes, even as she added that, ‘It was very intentional to keep us grounded and to make us understand that there’s a real life.’

Her education also reflected that approach. Rochas-Nwosu attended both public and private schools, including Koman Secondary School in Jos.

For a child growing up in a prominent family, the experience was deliberately different from the stereotype of a privileged upbringing. ‘I had a beautiful childhood, but a very modest childhood,’ she said.

From family values to creative design

Those early lessons eventually found their way into her professional life. Rochas-Nwosu describes herself as an entrepreneur and creative designer, but her work goes beyond decorating buildings or selecting finishes.

For her, contemporary design is increasingly about storytelling. ‘Building and design has changed, has evolved. It is about telling a story,’ she added.

That philosophy shaped the Walsh Blanc approach to the Ohanaeze headquarters.

The building was designed to function not merely as an administrative centre but as a space where visitors can encounter aspects of Igbo history and culture.

One of Nwosu’s favourite features is the memorabilia section in the basement.

There, audiovisual installations, artworks, photographs and documentaries are expected to provide a historical experience for visitors. ‘The idea is to preserve history,’ she said.

The facility also has about 11 offices, including spaces for the president-general and deputy president-general of Ohanaeze, an ICT office and conference rooms.

But the design goes further. Seven pillars in the lobby represent the seven Igbo-speaking states, while the amphitheatres incorporate Igbo-inspired imagery and colours. One of the flooring designs carries the words ‘Igbo Kwenu’.

The objective, according to Rochas-Nwosu, is to make the building communicate its purpose without requiring visitors to be told what it represents.

‘The idea is that the walls themselves will speak to you once you come in,’ she said.

A building designed for 150 years

The project also looks backwards while trying to anticipate the future.

According to Rochas-Nwosu, the old Ohanaeze structure on the site has a history stretching back about 150 years.

Rather than erase that history completely, the design team intends to preserve part of it.

The major old structure is expected to be demolished, but a smaller building will be retained and developed into a museum-like space.

Old furniture, wooden floors, stairs, photographs and videos will be preserved and incorporated into the space.

For Rochas-Nwosu, this is important because development should not necessarily mean the disappearance of memory. ‘We are very intentional about keeping and preserving history,’ she said.

The new structure, meanwhile, has been designed with the next 150 years in mind. At about 85 percent completion at the time of the interview, the building was still receiving artworks, furnishings and other finishing elements.

Rochas-Nwosu said the intention was to create something that future generations could visit and use to understand where they came from.

The designer also sees possibilities beyond the immediate administrative functions of Ohanaeze. She believes, the new facility could, become a destination for young people and tourists interested in Igbo history.

She imagines schools bringing students to the facility for excursions and younger Nigerians using the building as an entry point into understanding their heritage. ‘What we did was create more room for experiences,’ she said.

For an organisation traditionally associated with meetings and decision-making, the new headquarters represents a broader concept of what an institutional space can become.

It can be a workplace, museum, educational facility and cultural destination at the same time.

A family legacy, a personal career

While the Ohanaeze headquarters is perhaps her most visible design project so far, Rochas-Nwosu is clear that it is not the only work emerging from her professional journey.

Walsh Blanc continues to receive projects, she said, particularly from people interested in using architecture and design to communicate stories.

Her professional trajectory also sits alongside the broader philanthropic history of her family.

Although the new Ohanaeze headquarters was personally funded by her father rather than by the Rochas Foundation, Rochas-Nwosu said the foundation has spent nearly three decades supporting education.

She said the foundation has provided free education, books, uniforms and tuition to less privileged children through schools across Nigeria.

She said more than 30,000 children have benefited, with some beneficiaries going on to become lawyers, doctors and professionals.

The foundation’s work has also extended beyond Nigeria, supporting children affected by conflict and crises in other African countries, including children who lost parents to Ebola or war.

For her, the built environment is simply another way of creating it. ‘I have watched my family, my parents grow and do things for people. And it was about impact and how they made people feel,’ she said.

Still connected to her roots

Perhaps the most revealing part of Rochas-Nwosu’s story is that, despite her access to privilege and an international-facing creative profession, she remains deeply connected to the environment in which she was raised.

She attributes that connection not to nostalgia alone but to the values instilled in her as a child.

Her parents taught her that privilege came with responsibility, and that achievement mattered most when it produced an impact beyond the individual.

That philosophy has followed her into design.

The Ohanaeze headquarters therefore becomes more than another commission for Walsh Blanc. It is a project in which her professional skill intersects with her personal history.

It is also an example of how Rochas-Nwosu views the future of design: not simply as the creation of beautiful spaces, but as the creation of places that make people remember, learn and feel connected.

At the new Ohanaeze headquarters, that ambition is written into the architecture.

The seven pillars, the amphitheatres, the memorabilia, the preserved elements of the old secretariat and the artworks all attempt to answer one question: how do you turn a building into a vessel for memory?

For Rochas-Nwosu, the answer is to make the space tell its own story and in doing so, she is telling part of her own story too; that of a daughter raised to understand that where she comes from matters, and that whatever she creates should leave something meaningful behind.

The naira ended the week broadly stable across foreign exchange (FX) market segments amid the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) reset of its benchmark interest rate, as stronger external buffers continue to support the local currency.

Data published by the CBN showed that the naira appreciated marginally by N1.69 week-on-week as the dollar was quoted at N1,329.51 on Friday, compared with N1,331.20 quoted on Friday last week at the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market (NFEM).

On a day-on-day basis, the local currency weakened slightly by 84 kobo from N1,328.67 quoted on Thursday. Over the five trading days, however, the naira strengthened marginally by 29 kobo from N1,329.80 on Monday.

In the parallel market, also known as the black market, the local currency steadied at N1,385 per dollar. The gap between the official and parallel market rates narrowed slightly to N56, or 4.21 percent, on Friday from N57, or 4.29 percent, on the previous day.

Activity moderated in the week under review, with total turnover at the interbank segment of the FX market standing at $711.79 million on Friday. This compared with cumulative turnover of $2.74 billion recorded over the five trading days of the previous week.

Although the NFEM figures for the full week were not available as of the time of reporting, total turnover for the four trading days this week stood at $2.25 billion, while the updated figure for the five trading days last week was $2.74 billion. The number of deals stood at 1,351 in the four trading days this week, compared with 1,498 deals recorded over five trading days last week.

Nigeria’s external reserves, which give the CBN the firepower to support the naira and meet external obligations, have maintained a steady growth trajectory, rising to an 18-year high of $54.86 billion as of September 24, 2026.

This represented a 30 percent increase from the $42.29 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2025, according to data published on the CBN website.

For 16 years, Osinachi Ohale wore the Super Falcons jersey through different generations, coaches, teammates, and defining moments in Nigerian women’s football.

Now, at 33, the defender has brought her international career to an end, leaving the national team with 86 caps, four FIFA Women’s World Cup appearances, seven Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) tournaments, and five continental titles.

Ohale’s decision marks the end of one of the longest international careers in the history of the Super Falcons and closes a chapter that began when she first represented Nigeria as a teenager.

In announcing her retirement, Ohale described the decision as difficult but said she was leaving with gratitude and fulfilment after giving 16 years to the national team.

‘After 16 years of wearing the Nigeria jersey, representing my country and giving everything I had for this beautiful sport, I have made the very difficult decision to retire from international football,’ she wrote.

Her career coincided with a period in which Nigeria continued to assert its dominance in African women’s football.

Across seven Women’s AFCON appearances, Ohale was part of five title-winning campaigns, contributing to a national team that repeatedly navigated changes in personnel and coaching while maintaining its place at the top of the continent.

Her four World Cup appearances further underline her longevity at the international level.

But for Ohale, the significance of her Super Falcons career extends beyond the numbers and medals.

She reflected on the sacrifices, friendships, victories, and difficult moments that shaped her journey, describing the opportunity to represent Nigeria as one of the greatest privileges of her career.

‘I gave this jersey my youth, my strength, my sweat, my tears and my heart. And if I had to do it all over again, I would choose Nigeria again, every time,’ she said.

More than trophies

Ohale’s 16-year journey took her through several generations of the Super Falcons, allowing her to experience the demands of international football from the perspective of both a young player and one of the team’s experienced figures.

Her farewell message acknowledged the teammates, coaches, technical staff, family and loved ones who supported her throughout the journey. She also thanked the Nigeria Football Federation for its role in her international career.

The Kogi State Government, under the leadership and directive of Ahmed Usman Ododo, has extended mobile medical services to inmates and personnel of the Koton Karfe Correctional Centre as part of efforts to safeguard the health and wellbeing of persons in correctional facilities across the State.

The medical outreach was conducted on Friday, by the Kogi State Ministry of Health, and provided basic medical screening and other health services to not less than 188 inmates and personnel of the Correctional Service at the facility.

Led by Komolafe, Portable Digital X -ray technology with Artificial Intelligence capability, was deployed particularly for the screening of tuberculosis and other chest-related conditions. The team also collected various body samples from beneficiaries for more advanced laboratory investigations.

The intervention was initiated by Governor Ododo as part of his administration’s commitment to ensuring that persons in correctional facilities have access to essential healthcare services and that their health needs are not overlooked.

The inmates and personnel of the Correctional Centre expressed appreciation to the governor for extending the medical intervention to them, describing the gesture as a demonstration of compassion and concern for their wellbeing.

One of the inmates, visibly moved by the intervention, said, ‘I thought the world had forgotten me, but today Ododo has reminded me that I am not forgotten’.

Adams Abdulazeez, commissioner for Health, said Governor Ododo had also expressed appreciation to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for the transformative reforms being undertaken in the nation’s correctional services and for supporting Kogi State through various interventions under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

He said: ‘Governor Ododo reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to supporting the Federal Government’s efforts to improve the welfare, safety and dignity of persons in correctional facilities, while ensuring that the benefits of healthcare and other government interventions reach every segment of the population’.

Abdulazeez said the governor further reaffirmed his support for the President and pledged continued commitment to the safety, health and overall wellbeing of the people of Kogi State, just as he expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the exercise, commending the governor for the thoughtfulness behind the initiative and his concern for the health of inmates and correctional personnel.

He also commended the management and personnel of the Correctional Centre, as well as the inmates, for their warm reception and cooperation with the medical team throughout the exercise.

Abdulazeez equally disclosed that the Ministry of Health would sustain the intervention and extend similar medical services to other correctional facilities across the state, adding that the intuitive was consistent with the administration’s broader commitment to strengthening access to healthcare and ensuring that no category of people is excluded from essential health services in Kogi State.