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Rapper Tochukwu Gbubemi Ojogwu, popularly known as Odumodublvck, has revealed he would forgo a Grammy Award for Arsenal to win the Premier League title.

The artist made the statement in a Capital Xtra interview that has since gone viral.

Odumodublvck, a vocal Arsenal supporter, said a league title for the north London club would mean more to him than the music industry’s top individual honour.

He recounted a conversation with Super Eagles midfielder Eberechi Eze after Arsenal’s defeat to Manchester City.

According to the rapper, he met Eze the next day while filming a New Balance commercial, and Eze assured him Arsenal would still win the league.

‘When we lost to Manchester City, I saw Eze the next day when we were doing a New Balance commercial, and he told me we’re gonna win the league and I said yes, I believe,’ he said.

Asked to choose between winning a Grammy and seeing Arsenal win the Premier League, Odumodublvck said he would pick the latter.

‘So stuff like that for me, winning the league was everything. If you gave me the opportunity to win a Grammy Award or let Arsenal win that Premier League, I would have chosen that Premier League. Take it to the bank,’ he said.

Odumodublvck, who has consistently voiced support for Arsenal across his music and public engagements, reiterated the point by referencing Arsenal’s controversial 2024/25 loss to West Ham.

‘If I had the chance to win a Grammy Award, yeah, say this is a Grammy Award, and they say, let that West Ham goal count or whatever, let them cancel that West Ham goal for Arsenal to win the league, which one will you pick? I would pick that league ahead of the Grammy Award,’ he said.

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has inaugurated the remodelled Bonny National Grammar School, describing the project as the first completed government project commissioned in Bonny Local Government Area in more than two decades.

Fubara, who spoke on Friday during the inauguration, said successive administrations had visited Bonny during election campaigns to solicit votes and make promises without returning to commission completed projects.

He said his administration had decided to change the narrative by moving from promises to project delivery.

‘I stand to be corrected. This is the first time in over 20 years that any government is coming to Bonny to commission a project. We have been coming here to campaign and make promises, but we have gone a step further to ensure that we break that jinx,’ he said.

The governor said the project went beyond renovating an old school, describing it as an effort to restore the dignity of an institution that had produced generations of Bonny indigenes and contributed to the educational development of Rivers State.

He recalled that the school was established in 1965 as Government Secondary School, Ogugumaga, Bonny, before it was renamed Bonny National Grammar School.

Fubara said the presence of Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) and other companies in Bonny had further underscored the need to strengthen education in the kingdom, noting that many indigenes working in the companies got there through education.

‘Today we have NLNG and other subsidiaries that are operating in Bonny. Half of our people are working with them; they are doing so because of education,’ he said.

According to him, the government’s intervention in the school is part of efforts to ‘better the lot of Bonny’ and recognise the kingdom’s strategic position in Nigeria’s hydrocarbon industry.

Fubara said the inauguration should also change the relationship between government and the people of Bonny ahead of future elections.

He said, ‘When I am coming with my party to campaign, you will be confident that your brother did something, assuring you that his party will continue to do something.’

The governor praised the Amanyanabo of Bonny for his role in attracting development to the kingdom, saying his efforts had placed Bonny prominently on the global map.

He also expressed delight over the development of federal road infrastructure linking Bonny, saying the improved access had transformed the journey into the kingdom.

Fubara also approved scholarships for Rivers students from Bonny, who emerged winners in the just-concluded Presidential debate, directing the state government to take full responsibility for their education.

The governor described the students’ performance as evidence that talent could thrive despite difficult educational conditions.

He directed the Commissioner and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education to immediately work out modalities for the scholarship.

‘The schools and the individuals, we must make sure that we take full responsibility for their education with immediate effect,’ Fubara said.

The governor described the students’ achievement as the ‘software’ component of the development being celebrated in Bonny, contrasting it with the physical infrastructure represented by the remodelled school.

He commended the students for emerging first in the competition and said the state government would ensure that their education was not hindered by financial constraints.

Inaugurating the project, the Amanyanabo of Bonny, His Majesty King Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III, Perekule XI, commended Fubara for reconstructing, furnishing and equipping the Bonny National Grammar School.

Speaking as Special Guest of Honour, the Bonny monarch described the project as more than the renovation of classrooms, saying it represented the restoration of an important legacy and an investment in the future of the kingdom.

He said the school had played a significant role in Bonny’s educational history, producing generations of young men and women who had distinguished themselves in various professions and areas of public service.

‘For Bonny Kingdom, this is much more than the commissioning of a school. It is the restoration of a legacy and an investment in the future,’ the monarch said.

According to him, Bonny National Grammar School had remained a centre of learning, discipline and character formation for generations, making its renewal a significant milestone for the kingdom.

‘We are not simply opening renovated classrooms, but we are giving new life to a legacy,’ he said.

King Pepple expressed profound appreciation to Governor Fubara and the Rivers State Government for the intervention, describing the reconstruction, furnishing and equipping of the school as a practical demonstration of the administration’s commitment to education.

He said, ‘Your Excellency, the reconstruction, furnishing and equipping of this school is a practical demonstration that your administration recognises the fundamental importance of education to the development of our people’.

The monarch, however, noted that infrastructure alone could not educate a child, stressing that a conducive learning environment was essential to inspiring excellence, nurturing talent and providing the foundation for quality education.

He commended the ministries and agencies of government, professionals, contractors, consultants, school authorities and other stakeholders who contributed to the completion of the project.

King Pepple also acknowledged the contributions of old students of the school, saying they had remained connected to their alma mater and continued to identify with its progress.

He stressed the need for deliberate investment in young people, saying human capital remained the greatest resource available to Bonny Kingdom.

‘A kingdom that desires a great future must deliberately invest in the lives of its young people. Our greatest resource is not simply the land upon which we live or the natural resources beneath and around us. Our greatest resource is our people,’ he said.

The monarch further highlighted Bonny’s strategic position in Rivers State and Nigeria, noting its rich history and culture, maritime location, energy and industrial activities, and its potential in tourism, commerce and maritime development.

He said the kingdom could convert those advantages into sustainable prosperity only by equipping its young people with the knowledge, skills, and character required to participate meaningfully in emerging economic opportunities.

Three people were yesterday killed and two others injured when a dispute over N200 levy escalated into a violent clash between area boys and a tricycle rider’s associates in Ikola, Lagos State.

The Police Command said calm had been restored to the area, with security operatives deployed for continuous monitoring following the incident.

According to a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Abimbola Adebisi, a Superintendent of Police, trouble started when suspected area boys allegedly stopped a tricycle rider and demanded N200. The statement said the rider refused to pay, after which the tricycle was allegedly seized.

The rider reportedly returned with other persons, sparking a violent confrontation between the two groups in which three people died and two sustained injuries. Some buildings were also set ablaze during the violence.

Adebisi said the deceased and injured had been taken to the Military Hospital, Yaba, adding that the Commissioner of Police, Fatai Tijani, alongside the Commander of 9 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Brig.-Gen. Afolabi Owolabi, visited the scene to assess the situation and coordinate the security response.

‘Operatives drawn from the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Task Force, Tactical Squad, Police Mobile Force, Eko Strike Force and the command’s Anti-Violent Crime Unit have since been deployed in the area to maintain law and order,’ she said, adding that the situation was firmly under control.

Investigations have commenced, with the police promising to arrest and prosecute anyone found culpable.

Residents were urged to remain calm, avoid spreading unverified information, and provide the police with credible information to assist the investigation.

Nigeria’s membership of the World Energy Council (WEC) and the appointments of Abdulrazaq Isa and the Chief Executive Officer, Bala Wunti, both as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer respectively will attract investments to the country.

This was the submission of the Association of Energy Correspondents Abuja FCT (AECAF) in a congratulatory letter to both appointees yesterday. The group also commended President Bola Tinubu, for the foresight and leadership that ensured Nigeria’s return to the World Energy Council.

AECAF Chairman, John Ofikhenua, who described the country’s return to WEC as ‘timely and significant’, noted that the membership of the WEC and the appointments, also offers Nigeria an opportunity to attract investment and deepen international partnerships, including promoting technological innovation and ensure that the realities and priorities of Nigeria and Africa are adequately represented in global energy decision.

The association said the membership restores the country’s place within one of the world’s most influential energy networks and provides an important platform for Nigeria to contribute meaningfully to global discussions on energy security, affordability, sustainability and equitable transition.

The group stressed that the development further demonstrates the administration’s commitment to repositioning the country as a leading voice in the global energy community andcreating an enabling environment for investment and sustainable growth.

Congratulating Isa and Wunti, the Association said: ‘On behalf of the Association of Energy Correspondents, Abuja, we warmly congratulate Mr Abdulrazaq Isa, and Mr Bala Wunti on your respective appointments as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the World Energy Council Nigeria. We also congratulate the distinguished members of the inaugural Board, whose collective experience across the energy industry, regulatory institutions, finance, academia and professional associations provides a strong foundation for the Council’s work in Nigeria.

‘Mr Isa’s pioneering contributions to indigenous refining and industrial development have strengthened local participation in Nigeria’s energy sector. ‘His appointment as Chairman reflects the confidence placed in his leadership, entrepreneurial vision and commitment to advancing the country’s energy aspirations.

‘We equally applaud the appointment of Mr Wunti as Chief Executive Officer. His more than three decades of service in the energy industry, coupled with his expertise in strategy, policy formulation, revenue optimisation and sectoral reform, make him exceptionally suited for this important national responsibility. ‘We are confident that his integrity, experience and strategic leadership will take the Council and Nigeria’s wider energy sector to lofty heights.’

The letter reads in part: ‘As journalists committed to deepening discourse and transparency in the sector, we recognise the critical role WEC Nigeria a s the world focuses on energy transition and navigates emerging geopolitical issues.

‘As journalists dedicated to reporting and analysing developments across the energy value chain, we look forward to a productive relationship with the World Energy Council Nigeria. We remain committed to supporting informed public dialogue and promoting greater understanding of the policies, investments and innovations required to secure Nigeria’s energy future,’ AECAF said.

Nigeria Cricket Federation has announced a 14-player squad for the upcoming ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup Africa Division 1 Qualifier, scheduled to take place in Tanzania from August 30 to September 5.

Christabel Chukwuonye will captain the side, officially known as the Junior Female YellowGreens, with Shola Adenkule named as vice-captain. The final selection follows an extended preparation process involving regional training camps and a final evaluation phase in Benin, where players underwent technical assessment and competitive match testing.

The roster combines players with previous high-level experience, including Omosigho Eguakun, Peace Usen, Anointed Akhigbe, Deborah Bassey, and Jessica Bieni, alongside emerging talents Inyene Ubong, Beauty Oguai, Favour Effiong, Chisom Okpe, Jennifer Godwin, Praise Onaghise, and Glory Idiahi.

Nigeria will compete in a seven-nation tournament against Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Malawi for a spot at the global event. The country previously qualified for the inaugural ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup in 2025, with several players from that team subsequently advancing to the senior national side.

The team has relocated to Lagos to complete its final training camp, focusing on tactical preparation, match fitness, and team strategy prior to departing for Tanzania.

Afrobeats singer Tekno has spoken about the roots of Afrobeat and Afrobeats, arguing that Fela Anikulapo-Kuti should not be credited as the sole originator of the sound.

Speaking in an interview on US radio station Hot 97, the Rara hitmaker acknowledged Fela’s global impact but argued that several Nigerian pioneers played key roles in shaping the country’s music before him.

Tekno, who grew up in eastern Nigeria, said his early exposure to highlife music shaped his view of African music.

He singled out the late Oliver De Coque as an example.

‘They’re legends like Oliver De Coque. He’s a legend who makes pure highlife music, and highlife is also Afrobeats,’ he said.

The singer admitted Fela’s influence on his own work, revealing that his 2022 single Rara was ‘heavily inspired’ by the Afrobeat legend.

‘I have a record of mine, Rara, that is really big and is heavily inspired by Fela because I heard his tune as well and he’s a legend,’ Tekno said.

However, he maintained that Fela’s international tours and band gave him an advantage in recognition over his contemporaries.

‘He obviously stamped the Afrobeats thing on the world map, but we have some other legends who sang very good music that, if you heard it today, you wouldn’t even believe those songs were made in those times.

‘People don’t know them as much, but my dad used to play these records, and there were so many artistes who made them, but Fela gets the credit because he travelled and had the band that went around the world.

‘To some people, he’s the originator of Afrobeats, but to me, there are a lot of them,’ he said.

For Ayegbusi Olabanji, athletics is far more than a sport-it is a lifelong pursuit that has shaped his career, tested his resolve, and provided a platform to create opportunities for the next generation. Today, Olabanji is the Founder and CEO of Dynamic Athletics Media and Sports Management Ltd, as well as the driving force behind the Dynamic Athletics Meet, one of Nigeria’s premier grassroots track and field competitions. However, his path to administrative success was far from linear.

Olabanji’s initial ambition was to compete professionally on the track. His single-minded focus on training and competition extended his four-year degree program in Philosophy at Ekiti State University to six years. When a professional running career failed to materialize, he eventually drifted away from the sport, registering his car for Bolt driving to generate steady income.

While the side hustle initially brought extra cash, it came at the cost of his true calling. As months passed, he realized that chasing daily fares was pulling him emotionally away from track and field. A moment of quiet reflection forced a pivot: asking himself what truly brought him fulfilment even without monetary reward, the answer was immediate. He parked the car, quit ride-hailing, and redirected his full focus back to athletics, proving to himself that while money is important, purpose is priceless.

To build a lasting legacy, Olabanji systematically invested in formal education across sports administration, coaching, and media. He earned a Higher Diploma in Sports Management from the National Institute for Sports, completed a Basic Certificate in Athletics Coaching, and studied Effective Writing and Communication at the Nigerian Institute of Journalism. These credentials quickly translated into key industry roles, including serving as Media Officer for Team Nigeria at the 2023 CAA Region II Senior Athletics Championships in Togo and gaining membership on the Athletics Federation of Nigeria Media Committee.

Beyond his administrative roles as an Admin Officer at Jintech Management Ltd, Public Media Personnel for Edatech, and assistant coach at Altivelis Athletics Club, Olabanji’s media outfit, Dynamic Athletics Hub, has delivered extensive coverage of major events like the African Games and National Championships. In 2025, he deepened his institutional ties by partnering with the national governing body to organize the joint AFN/Dynamic Athletics Meet in Lagos.

That momentum culminated in the landmark third edition of the Dynamic Athletics Meet, which drew over 700 athletes from across Nigeria and neighbouring countries to produce record-breaking performances. Addressing the broader systemic challenges within Nigerian sports, Olabanji advocates a solution-oriented approach over passive criticism, believing that everyone can contribute their quota using whatever capacity, resources, or influence they possess.

Olabanji remains quick to credit the ecosystem supporting his vision, expressing gratitude to AFN President Chief Tonobok Okowa, the AFN Board, the Lagos State Sports Commission, coaches, and corporate donors. He also urges emerging athletes to maintain humility and remember the developmental coaches who sacrifice time and resources behind the scenes to lay their foundation. While his original dream of track stardom took an unexpected turn, Olabanji has ultimately carved out an even broader legacy-transitioning from the driver’s seat to building the very platforms elevating Nigerian athletics.

Former President of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Sani Mohammed Zaria, and National Patron Moses Andishu have called on Nigerian sports journalists to reclaim their role as independent watchdogs and agenda-setters to drive national development.

Speaking at the SWAN 2026 Triennial Delegates Congress in Kaduna, Zaria-who led the association from 1996 to 2002-warned members against sacrificing professional credibility for access, favors, or material benefits.

‘We must not merely report the game; we must help change the game. We must not merely follow the agenda; we must set the agenda,’ Zaria charged delegates.

Zaria urged sports writers to proactively scrutinize appointments, public budgets, policy decisions, facility upkeep, and athlete welfare rather than reacting only when failures occur.

To formalize this shift, he proposed a seven-point agenda centred on investigative reporting, sports governance monitoring, grassroots advocacy, and ethical standards. He also advocated transforming SWAN into a media think tank that produces periodic ‘State of Nigerian Sports’ reports and hosts accountability forums for sports administrators.

Echoing Zaria’s call, SWAN National Patron Moses Andishu delivered a keynote address on ‘Harnessing the Power of Sports and the Media for National Development, Youth Empowerment, and Global Competitiveness.’

Andishu questioned whether current reporting adequately holds officials accountable for systemic issues, citing dilapidated infrastructure and declining attention to domestic leagues. He urged journalists to reject factionalism, combat misinformation, and champion opportunities for young athletes.

Host chairman Shehu Abdullahi of the Kaduna State SWAN chapter stressed unity ahead of the association’s leadership transition, reminding delegates that ‘leadership comes and goes, but the association remains.’

He called for peaceful elections alongside continuous digital and data journalism training for members.

Owing to the freezing of the cost-reflective tariff in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI), the Federal Government paid N1.928trillion subsidy in 2025.

The subsidy is the resultant gas between the cost-reflective and the allowed tariff, which is obligatory on the Federal Government to pay.

This was contained in the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) 2025 Annual Report that was released yesterday.

The report said, ‘Tariff Subsidies: When the allowed end-user electricity tariffs (allowed tariff) are lower than the cost-reflective tariff as computed by the

Commission, the Government undertakes to cover the resultant gap

shortfall funding.

‘In 2025, the gross subsidy obligation of the FGN was ?1.928.31 trillion.’

On Market Remittance by the Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos), NERC revealed that in the period under review, the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company (NBET) and Market Operator (MO) issued a gross invoice of ?1.721.624 trillion to all the DisCos for energy costs and administrative services.

According to the report the DisCos remitted a gross sum of ?1.632.04

trillion, translating to an overall remittance performance of 94.80%.

NERC said the resultant deficit/underpayment of ?89.58 billion is known as ‘market shortfall’, i.e., a shortfall that is attributable to market

participants.

The report said Eko, Ikeja and Port Harcourt DisCos achieved 100% remittance performance to NBET in 2025, while Kaduna DisCo (40.13%) achieved the lowest remittance performance to NBET.

It added that Abuja, Benin, Eko, Enugu, Ikeja, Port Harcourt and Yola

DisCos achieved 100% remittance performance to the MO in 2025.

According to the report, Kaduna DisCo (48.11%) recorded the lowest remittance performance to the MO in 2025.

On Market Remittances by Special and Bilateral Customers: NERC also revealed that in 2025, the NESI continued to provide electricity to three international bilateral customers – i) Societe Beninoise d’Energie Electrique; ii) Compagnie

Energie Electrique du Togo; iii) Societe Nigerienne d’electricite. The are Niger Republic, Togo and Republic of Benin.

Cumulatively, the report said the three customers received an invoice of $73.91 million from MO and made a payment of $62.75 million.

NERC said remittance corresponds to

a remittance performance of 84.90%. The report stressed that the domestic bilateral customers received a total invoice of ?13,203.50 million from MO and made a payment of ?12,754.58 million, corresponding to a remittance

performance of 96.60%.

NERC also disclosed that in the period under review, the average available

generation capacity of the grid-connected power plants was

5,398.33MW.

The availability factor for all grid-connected plants, said NERC, was

39.62%, which indicates that more than 60% of the installed capacity

in the NESI was not available in 2025.

The report said the total generation during the year was 39,208.68GWh, which translates to an average hourly

generation of 4,475.88MWh/h.

It added that hydropower plants contributed 12,804.18GWh (32.66%) to the total generation in 2025.

The House of Representatives candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Ijebu Central Federal Constituency, Wale Ogunbanjo, has told the people of the constituency that only effective representation at the National Assembly could guarantee them the needed dividends of democracy.

Ogunbanjo, who earlier represented the constituency between 2003 and 2007, said at the flag-off of his campaign at Ijebu-Ode that the legacies he left behind during his first tenure in the National Assembly are still visible in the con stituency right now.

He said that the water projects and other infrastructure facilities he facilitated as a lawmaker are still being used in the constituency to date, adding that the people needed to return him to the Green Chamber so that he could do more for the constituency.

He assured the people of Ijebu-Ode, Odogbolu and Ijebu North-East of his determination to represent them effectively in the Green Chamber, adding that his performance during his first tenure and his consistent contributions to the welfare of the people should stand him out.

‘I promise to deliver more dividends of democracy if given another opportunity in the 2027 general election,’ he said.

Ogunbanjo, whose declaration was witnessed by the governorship candidate of the PDP in Ogun State, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu, and his deputy, Alhaja Lateefat Showunmi-Kolapo, the senatorial candidate for Ogun East, Engr. Omotayo Omo-Owo, erstwhile Commissioner for Women Affairs, Ambassador Folake Marcus-Bello, among other PDP leaders, noted that it was instructive that no indigene of Ijebu Ode has had the opportunity to represent the constituency since he left the Green Chamber almost 20 years ago.

He reassured the people that if he is voted into office for a second term, he would deliver more projects that would positively impact them, adding that the people needed to come out en masse to vote for all the PDP candidates in the forthcoming general election.

The PDP candidate thanked the party for giving him another opportunity to serve the people of Ijebu-Ode, Odogbolu and Ijebu North-East, and reminded the constituents of some of the key projects he facilitated during his first term in the National Assembly.

According to him, some of the projects included at least nine motorised boreholes which cut across Ijebu-Ode, Odogbolu and Ijebu North-East; reconstruction of Okun-Owa Town Hall, in Odogbolu Local Government Area; rural telephony project at Itamapako, Ijebu-Ode Local Government; bursaries and scholarships to students across the constituency, as well as renovation of the female ward of the General Hospital, Ijebu-Ode, among other projects.