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Since gaining independence in 1960, Nigeria has demonstrated a sustained commitment to sports, achieving notable successes on the global stage. In football, athletics, basketball, boxing, table tennis, and women’s sports, Nigerian athletes have secured significant victories, set world records, and established a distinct national sporting identity.

Football occupies a central position in Nigerian society, serving as a unifying force and a source of national identity, particularly during periods of social or economic difficulty. This unity set the stage for Nigeria’s earliest football triumphs.

Nigeria’s first moments with history came in 1980, when the Super Eagles, powered by Segun Odegbami’s brilliance and Muda Lawal’s midfield command, lifted the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) on home soil in Lagos. A 3-0 triumph over Algeria set off nationwide celebrations, announcing Nigeria’s arrival as a continental giant.

In 1994, Nigeria secured its second AFCON title in Tunisia, led by players such as Rashidi Yekini, Jay-Jay Okocha, and Emmanuel Amuneke. This victory represented a significant development in Nigerian and African football.

In 1994, the Super Eagles made their debut at the FIFA World Cup in the United States, defeating Argentina and finishing first in their group. Although eliminated by Italy in the Round of 16, Nigeria achieved a FIFA ranking of fifth, the highest for any African nation at that time.

But perhaps the pinnacle came in 1996 at the Atlanta Olympics, when Nigeria’s U-23 ‘Dream Team’ stunned the entire world. They came from behind to beat Brazil 4-3 in the semi-final and then defeated Argentina 3-2 in a pulsating final. The gold medal was more than an Olympic triumph; it was Africa’s declaration that it could compete with, and conquer, the very best.

After years of near-misses, the Eagles reclaimed continental glory in 2013, lifting their third AFCON title in South Africa under coach Stephen Keshi. It was a poignant victory, Keshi became one of only two men to win the AFCON both as player and coach, etching his name in African football folklore.

While football brought glory, Nigeria’s athletics story has been one of grit, resilience, and breakthroughs. The defining moment arrived in 1996 at the Atlanta Olympics, when Chioma Ajunwa soared 7.12m to win the women’s long jump. She became Nigeria’s first-ever Olympic gold medalist, a trailblazer for women in sport. That same Games, Falilat Ogunkoya won bronze in the 400m, the first Nigerian woman to earn an individual Olympic track medal.

Four years later at the Sydney Olympics, the women’s 4x400m relay team initially won silver, but more than a decade later, doping disqualifications upgraded Nigeria to gold, a belated but deserved recognition of their excellence.

The 2000s and 2010s saw the rise of Blessing Okagbare, who won Olympic silver in Beijing 2008, dominating African sprints, and achieving the rare double of 100m and 200m gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Then in 2022, the world stood still as Tobi Amusan shattered the 100m hurdles world record (12.12s) at the World Championships in Oregon. She not only became Nigeria’s first World Athletics Champion, but also turned the global spotlight on Nigerian talents once more. Her tears on the podium symbolised decades of hard work, and her triumph remains one of the greatest moments in African track history.

As Nigerians celebrated football and athletics, basketball emerged, turning Nigeria into a basketball powerhouse. The turning point came in 2015, when D’Tigers defeated Angola to win their first AfroBasket title in Tunisia. It was a statement victory against Africa’s traditional giants.

D’Tigress in jubilant mood after clinching their fifth consecutive AfroBasket title in August 2025

Then in 2021, in a Tokyo Olympic warm-up game, Nigeria shocked the world by beating the USA 90-87 against all odds and bookmakers. For a country long considered outsiders in global basketball, this was a watershed moment. It showed that African teams could no longer be underestimated.

Even more dominant on the continental stage have been D’Tigress, Nigeria’s women’s national basketball team. They stamped their authority as the queens of African basketball by winning five consecutive AfroBasket titles (2017, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2025), a run unmatched in the competition’s history.

Their dominance extended to the global stage at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, where they finally ended a two-decade wait for victory. Nigeria stunned Australia 75-62 to record their first Olympic win in 20 years, before scripting another historic chapter with a 79-70 triumph over Canada. That result made D’Tigress the first African basketball team-male or female-to reach the Olympic quarter-finals.

The milestone outing was crowned when head coach Rena Wakama was named Best Coach of the Tournament by FIBA, a fitting recognition for her leadership of a team that continues to inspire and break barriers.

In the same vein, Nigeria’s boxing heritage predates independence, with Hogan ‘Kid’ Bassey becoming the country’s first world champion in 1957. But the true symbol of the 1960s was Dick Tiger, who held world titles in two weight classes and became one of the most respected fighters of his era.

In 2008, Samuel Peter won the WBC Heavyweight title when he defeated Oleg Maskaev by TKO in Mexico. Though Peter’s reign lasted only seven months, as a returning Vitali Klitschko eventually defeated him. As the years went by, the spotlight shifted to Anthony Joshua, the Nigerian-British heavyweight. Between 2016 and 2017, Joshua unified multiple world titles, carrying the Nigerian flag proudly alongside the British one. His triumphs rekindled memories of Nigeria’s rich boxing tradition, proving that the nation’s fighting spirit still burns brightly.

Few Nigerian athletes have been as consistent as Segun Toriola, who represented the country in seven consecutive Olympic Games (1992-2016), a record for African athletes. His longevity and resilience made him a role model across the continent.

The torch has since been carried by Aruna Quadri, who became the first African to break into the ITTF world top 10. His runs at the 2014 and 2016 World Cup, where he stunned higher-ranked opponents, established Nigeria as a force in world table tennis.

No story of Nigerian sports is complete without the Super Falcons, Africa’s most successful women’s football team. With 11 AFCON titles, they have been untouchable on the continent. Their finest moment came in 1999, when they reached the quarterfinals of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, becoming the first African team to do so.

Beyond football, Nigerian women have excelled in the Commonwealth Games and All Africa Games, racking up medals in athletics, boxing, wrestling, and weightlifting. These triumphs have made Nigerian women symbols of resilience and excellence in sport.

From Dick Tiger’s fists in the 1960s, to the Super Eagles’ magical nights in 1994 and 1996, from Ajunwa’s historic leap to Amusan’s world record, Nigeria’s sporting history is a rich tapestry of triumphs. Basketball dominance, boxing legends, table tennis pioneers, and women’s football queens have all added to this heritage.

For a nation often tested by challenges, sport has always provided moments of unity, joy, and belief. These achievements remind Nigerians that no dream is too high, no goal too distant. As the story continues beyond 2025, the world watches, knowing that when Nigeria takes the stage, history is always within reach.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has described the abduction of over 200 schoolgirls from Chibok, Borno State in 2014 as a permanent scar on his administration, declaring that it is a wound that will remain with him till he dies.

Speaking on Friday at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja during the public presentation of a book authored by former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Lucky Irabor, titled ‘Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum,’ Jonathan said no event defined his presidency more painfully than the tragedy of the Chibok girls.

He said, ‘One of the major scars on my government – and it will remain on my face, as Bishop Kukah said, no plastic or cosmetic surgeon can remove it – is the issue of the Chibok girls.

‘It is a scar I will die with. But perhaps later, more details may become known, and that too has to do with Boko Haram.

‘What did they really want? Our chairman once raised the issue when he interviewed some of them, and they gave him certain perspectives. But I pray that one day, some of the Boko Haram leaders may be literate enough to document what they have done, so that people will truly understand what they wanted. It is similar to the story of the Nigerian civil war.’

Reflecting on the insurgency that shadowed his presidency, Jonathan disclosed that his government had established several committees to explore peace options. According to him, during one of such efforts, the insurgents nominated then General Muhammadu Buhari to negotiate on their behalf with the federal government.

‘One of the committees we set up then, the Boko Haram nominated Buhari to lead their team to negotiate with the government. So, I was feeling that oh, if they nominated Buhari to represent them and have a discussion with the government committee, then when Buhari took over, it could have been an easy way to negotiate with them and they would have handed over their guns. But it is still there till today,’ Jonathan recalled.

He admitted that his initial belief that Buhari would wipe out Boko Haram after assuming office proved wrong, underscoring the complexity of the crisis.

‘I thought that after I left, within a reasonable time, General Buhari would wipe them out. But even today, Boko Haram is still there. The issue of Boko Haram is far more complex than it is often presented,’ he said.

Jonathan further noted that Boko Haram’s operations went beyond hunger or poverty, pointing to the sophisticated weaponry the group deploy.

He urged the present government to adopt a carrot-and-stick approach while working with fresh strategies to overcome the menace.

Meanwhile, an aide to the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, Malam Garba Shehu has refuted Jonathan’s claim that Buhari was nominated by Boko Haram as a negotiator.

Shehu while responding in a statement last night, said, ‘Muhammed Yusuf or Abubakar Shekau, the deceased leaders of the Boko Haram terrorist group, never nominated Muhammadu Buhari for any such role. In fact, Shekau routinely denounced and threatened Buhari, and their ideologies were in direct opposition.

‘In 2014, Muhammadu Buhari escaped a bomb attack on his life by Boko Haram in Kaduna, in which his personal staff suffered various degrees of injury.

Buhari’s campaigns focused on fighting Boko Haram and restoring security to Nigeria whenever he became president, putting him in direct opposition to the terrorist group’s leader.

He said, ‘The President, Dr, Good-luck Jonathan, had once alerted the nation of the ubiquitous presence of Boko Haram in his government, a fact aptly amplified by his erstwhile National Security Adviser, General Andrew Azazi.’

Shehu, while linking Jonathan’s comment to his 2027 presidential ambition said, ‘To win in 2027, Dr. Jonathan should look for a better story to tell Nigerians.

On his part, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who reviewed Irabor’s book, stressed that only a whole-of-society approach could tackle the intertwined threats of Boko Haram and banditry.

‘Those who have things to say about Boko Haram do not even know when Boko Haram stops and banditry starts. They are all mixed together. We must begin to do something about it; and we must do it collectively,’ Obasanjo said.

He recalled visiting Boko Haram members in 2011 after the UN House bombing in Abuja and discovered that they were not pursuing clear political or religious goals but simply seeking a better life.

‘The life of any nation has the good, the bad and the ugly. What is important is for us to confront our challenges honestly. Look at our past and present, and when it is time to proffer solutions, we must look beyond the ordinary,’ he said.

The event attracted dignitaries, including Defence Minister Muhammad Badaru, service chiefs, members of the National Assembly, senior military officers, royal fathers, diplomats and others.

Bandits have abducted a woman and her two children in Kogi State and have imposed multi-million-naira levies on farming communities in Niger State as conditions for peace.

In Kogi State, bandits invaded the house of one Tokpe Gody at Bareke-Egbe in Yagba West Local Government Area around 2am on Friday, abducting his wife and two children after heavy gunfire. Gody, a farmer narrowly escaped being taken but sustained gunshot wounds in the process.

He is currently receiving treatment at Egbe hospital, where locals described his condition as critical.

‘Tokpe Gody escaped by whiskers from the invading bandits who struck his residence around 2am today Friday. But his wife and two of his children were not so lucky as the invading bandits forcibly carried them away to their hideout in the community.

‘He received gun wound in his body and legs in the process of trying to escape from his assailants. His condition is not stable as at this morning. He is ordinary farmer that struggle to keep his family afloat in daring mounting challenges of today’s Nigeria,’ said Samuel Adeyemi, a resident of Egbe.

The abduction came just a day after a commercial motorcyclist was killed at Ejiba, a neighbouring town, when he rode into a bandit ambush on his way to Isanlu.

Meanwhile, in Niger State, bandits have rolled out levies and taxes on several communities in Mashegu Local Government Area, demanding payments ranging from N500,000 to N10 million within one or two weeks as a condition for ceasefire.

Residents listed Babban Rami and Kaboji communities as each tasked to pay N2 million, Sabon Rijiya and Sabon Rami N500,000 each, while villages around Keji forest were ordered to jointly contribute N10 million. Khizi community was taxed N6 million with a deadline of Friday, October 3, 2025.

A resident told Weekend Trust that villagers are unable to harvest crops due to sustained attacks.

‘There have series of killings and brutal attacks on the communities. And now, the bandits have imposed taxes on the villages surrounding the Ibbi and Kanji National Park forest.

‘We are appealing to authorities act quickly to address this situation, because majority of the people in these areas are farmers and more than 90 percent of what we planted has not been harvested yet. The problem is beyond the local government. State and Federal governments need to come as quick as possible,’ he said.

Another source noted that many farmers had been killed or kidnapped on their farmlands, travellers ambushed on highways, and villages burnt down during attacks.

Police authorities in both Kogi and Niger states are yet to respond to the latest incidents.

A Kenyan High Court has directed a hospital to release the body of a retired Nigerian military officer, Air Vice Marshal Terry Okorodudu, who died during his treatment, to his family for burial.

The presiding judge, Lawrence Mugambi, directed the Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi to release Okorodudu’s body following his death on September 9.

The judge further directed the son of the deceased, Bidemi Okorodudu, to deposit his international passport with the court and to remain in the country pending the determination of the disputed bill of 9.8 million Kenyan Shillings (about N111.3 million).

The court held alternatively that the son of the deceased could deposit the sum in the court as a condition for the release of the corpse.

The court noted the concern of the hospital that Bidemi, being a Nigerian, could leave the jurisdiction of the court, ‘that may be found due, even if the hospital were to recover civil remedies because of extra-territorial jurisdiction.’

The judge further noted that even as the family insisted on the right of the body to be released, the hospital also deserved protection to ensure the right to demand its rightful dues is protected.

According to the Daily Nation, Justice Mugambi said AVM Okorodudu, who was admitted to the hospital on July 25, 2025, had full knowledge that the Aga Khan is a private hospital where he would be required to settle the bills. The judge said the hospital performed its part.

Mr Bidemi accused the hospital of unlawfully detaining the remains of the retired serviceman over an outstanding bill of Sh9.8m, arguing that holding a body as security for a debt is unlawful, unconstitutional, and against public policy.

He said in an affidavit that the family was undergoing immense anguish, humiliation and trauma, which cannot be adequately compensated by damages, if the body was not urgently released for interment.

Mr Bidemi said his father was a distinguished serviceman of the Nigerian Air Force and that arrangements have been made for his military burial by the Nigerian government.

‘The continued unlawful detention of his body risks causing serious diplomatic embarrassment to both Kenya and Nigeria,’ he said.

The Nigerian said even if any sums were due, the hospital had adequate legal avenues to recover them under relevant laws, like the Foreign Judgments (reciprocal enforcement) Act provides a framework for the reciprocal enforcement of debts and judgments between Kenya and Nigeria.

On the standard of care for the deceased former officer, the family also disputed the accuracy of the bill, raising issues with the standard of care offered to the retired military man, which they said led to complications, the high hospital bill and eventually his demise.

The family sought immediate and unconditional release of the body, an injunction restraining the hospital from interfering with the burial, and orders to allow the repatriation of the remains to Nigeria for a military funeral.

The Aga Khan University Hospital said the son executed a guarantee of payment for healthcare services to be rendered to his father, and that the case was an attempt to run away from honouring the guarantee.

The hospital’s Patient Services Business Department Manager, Jackson Awuor, said Mr Okorodudu required highly specialised treatment for multiple complications when he was admitted, adding that he was a high-risk, elderly patient whose treatment required a multi-disciplinary team of doctors comprising specialists from cardiology, critical care, pain management and nursing, among others.

According to the hospital, the failure to pay bills risked paralysing its operations, with the net effect of depriving other needy patients of treatment and care.

The hospital presented signed consent forms and medical reports to counter allegations of negligence, noting that the petitioner had consented to the risky procedures but later accused doctors of negligence.

The former chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC) and retired Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Parry Benjamin Osemwegie Osayande, who died recently, has been described as ‘an erudite and consummate police officer who paid his dues as an exemplary police officer and visionary chairman of the commission.’

The PSC head of Press and Public Relations, Ikechukwu Ani, made the statement while paying tributes to the former cop, who died in Benin on Sunday, aged 88.

The statement reads: ‘DIG Osayande succeeded Chief Simon Okeke, who was the pioneer chairman of the commission. Osayande was appointed in April 2008 by President Goodluck Jonathan.

‘His tenure marked rapid growth of the commission, including the presidential approval for a corporate headquarters for the commission now standing in the Jabi District of Abuja.

‘DIG Parry Osayande was fearless, focused, and had a commanding presence, which gave the commission a lot of mileage during its formative period.

‘Chairman of the Commission, DIG Hashimu Argungu rtd mni, said the death of DIG Osayande was a great loss for the Commission. He called on Nigerians to remember the commission in their prayers in this trying period of losing two of its former chairmen within a month.’

Born in Benin in 1936, the late Osayande joined the Nigeria Police Force in 1960 and retired in 1992 as a Deputy Inspector-General (DIG).

Osayande was born on September 29, 1936, in Benin City to the family of Chief Osazuwa Osayande. His father was an Agricultural Officer. His mother was Princess Ebose Eweka, a housewife.

Osayande attended Immaculate Conception College, Benin City, between 1954 and 1958. He joined the police, where he attended several institutions such as the Police College, Ikeja, which he graduated from in 1960; the Detective Training School, Wakefield, England, which he graduated from in 1962; and the Police Staff College, Bramshill, England, which he graduated from in 1971. He was also at the Metropolitan College, Hendon, England; the Police Staff College, Jos; the Royal Institute of Public Administration, England; and the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS).

Osayande was the Commissioner of Police of the defunct Bendel State during the Anini saga, which terrorised Nigeria in the 1980s and was instrumental in the arrest and prosecution of the suspect. In the 90s, he was also involved in quelling the religious riots in Bauchi State, which claimed several lives. Osayande led a Nigerian delegation to observe the elections in Namibia in 1992.

The Umar Yar’Adua administration appointed Osayande as the Chairman of the Police Reforms Committee in 2007/2008, and was subsequently appointed the Chairman of the Police Service Commission in 2008 by the Goodluck Jonathan administration, a position he held until 2013.

Osayande’s first appointment in the Nigerian police force was as a station officer of the central police station, Ibadan, in 1961. He was involved in quelling several uprisings in the Western Region and the Nigerian Civil War in the 1960s.

The Emir of Ilesha Baruba, Professor Halidu Abubakar, in this interview with Weekend Trust raised concerns over the rising insecurity in Kwara North, warning that neglecting traditional institutions in the fight against banditry is undermining efforts to restore peace.

What is your view of the insecurity plaguing Kwara?

I don’t think there is any more magic than to intensify the military option we have now and a lot of intelligence initiatives. But most importantly, I think traditional rulers and institutions have not been utilized enough. We have ideas on how these things can be curtailed, but there is no formal way of letting them out. We only read or hear in the news that certain things are being done. I don’t think the involvement of traditional rulers is formalised. It is better that it should be fought from the grassroots and the initiatives should come from the grassroots. I know it’s not an easy task but something can be done to surmount it. We know our people and the terrain and if we are formally involved, I am sure a lot of things will change for the better.

Have there been discussions towards formalising the involvement of traditional rulers?

Ah. well, I don’t think we have been involved to that extent of asking us what should be done or our views. Particularly in Kwara North, the Emirs play a key role and are highly respected to a large extent. Traditional rulership has been fully institutionalised in our community over centuries. Government should listen and support us because we are willing to support the government.

Are you of the view that there should be a permanent military base inside the hibernated forest?

But for how long will this be done? Of course, the existence of the vast forest unchecked over the years has brought about this. But can we keep army detachments all over the vast land of Kwara North and South? Most importantly, the combined efforts of the army, police, and Air Force should strike the areas most conducive for these bandits to operate. It’s not all the places that have conducive atmosphere for them. We cannot have army formations in all the forests.

There have been talks that some traditional rulers are also aiding these bandits

Well, we are all individuals and you cannot rule out some unscrupulous persons, but not from our own end here. But it will be unfortunate for a traditional ruler to cooperate with bandits against his people. Some village or ward heads can claim to be traditional rulers, but that is a different thing. Any recognised traditional ruler here cooperating with bandits, what are they going to give us? Though I am not saying its impossible.

How have you handled the informants within your domain?

We have them and many of them reside in our community. Here in Ilesha Baruba, we have a very large Kara market that attracts Fulanis and all sorts of people every time. Just this afternoon, we were discussing how to curtail the movement of these people, but it’s going to be really difficult when you have such a market with inlets and outlets all over the place. So, these same informants can have their own organisation living amongst us and working for the bandits.

We have varying postulations on how Kwara got to this point. What is your view on this?

Honestly, this is very unfortunate and not something that one can really say. In Nigeria, something begins somewhere and it catches on like a wildfire, especially with so much money involved and the realisation that our security apparatus is weak, which encourages them. And so even some Fulanis are tempted. Many young Fulanis have reached a stage that they don’t have any cattle, which is their wealth and what they live for. So, the next thing is to go into vices. But it’s difficult to pinpoint one particular reason. This is an explosion of what has been building up for a long time. Today, we have a lot of jobless people who don’t have any wealth or cattle again.

Some traditional rulers have fled their domains because of banditry. Have we reached that level in Kwara North?

No, and I pray we don’t. Here we pray about these things that it never happens here. Though there are pockets of kidnappings here and there, it has not gotten to that level here in Ilesha Baruba.

How do you view the issue vis-à-vis the development of Kwara North?

It has slowed us down because they have scared investors away. Two of them that wanted to set up factories here have left since the issue started in Kwara North. Also, we have a campus of the Kwara State University (KWASU) here that is supposed to have resumed academic activities but keeps being postponed because of the insecurity, despite the advantages of having a campus here. Part of it also has to do with our development. My district here is larger than many of the local governments elsewhere. Though we allow people to settle and farm, there are lots of areas where there are no settlements.

Some have accused traditional rulers of not doing due diligence before accommodating people. How do you react to this?

This has contributed and is still contributing. But we have stopped accommodating people in many of our communities here and we make sure anybody who comes in without a particular reason is sent back. There are many cases that we have dealt with, even with people in vehicles. Realistically, though, it’s sometimes difficult because we have a Kara market and there are limitations to how much we can do on that. One problem is the lease of uncompleted buildings to people who later avail it to a lot of their people. But it has been very challenging monitoring the inflow and outflow of people, especially in a community like ours. But we try to tell the Fulani and Hausa communities to inform us if they have strangers.

During the summer Liverpool strengthened upfront bringing in Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak to add firepower alongside Mo Salah. Wirtz was hauled off the field early by Arne Slot for the seventh time this season as the £116miliion Bundesliga player added little to the attacking midfield. Fortunately for Liverpool Dominic Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch are dependable, strong and creative plus also adding goal threats of their own. They covered well for Wirtz.

As a successful player at Bayer Leverkusen, Wirtz would collect the ball in midfield and move past players before delivering an incisive pass into the penalty area or taking a shot himself.

This season all that Bundesliga skill has deserted him and he failed to have any impact during the loss to Crystal Palace. The Premier League is more physically demanding for players and incoming European talent often find it difficult to adapt. Time and again Wirtz was simply pushed off the ball.

It is at the back where Liverpool have come mainly unstuck and last weekend Crystal Palace cruelly exposed the Red’s defensive failings.

This week in training, Arne Slot split his squad into two, concentrating on working with Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahim Konate, M Kerkez and Conor Bradley. Konate is his main worry. The strong, tough defender has lost his form and Crystal Palace forwards Jean-Philppe Mateta, Yeremy Pino and Ismaila Sarr often left him behind after taking him on one on one. That is what Slot is worried about and cost Liverpool the game.

Fans ask United players ‘where is your fight?’

Manchester United have yet to win consecutive games with Ruben Amorim in the manager’s chair. He often says his United team suffer from bad luck but that excuse is running thin with most followers of the club. As the players went to wave to their supporters at the end of the match, which saw them beaten 3-1, many fans pointed to the badge on their shirts and shrugged their shoulders asking ‘where is your fight and passion?’ Many gave rude hand gestures and many just shouted complaints at the players.

Brentford fans sang that old favourite towards losing opposition coaches ‘You’re getting sacked in the morning.’

Amorim points out that he still has the backing of Sir James Ratcliffe’s INEOS Group because he can show them that United have improved on chances created and shots on target. However, he fails to point out that since he took over at Old Trafford in November 2024 the team has conceded the first goal in 21 Premier League matches and in six of those the goals came within the first ten minutes.

Amorim came under severe criticism for playing Mason Mount out of position as a left wing-back. The amazing thing is that it was the second time the midfielder had been forced to play in that position. It appears that Amorim is quickly losing the faith, loyalty and respect of his players with dressing room body language very obviously one of frustration.

After the game and being questioned about his position at the club he went on the attack commenting, ‘I am always comfortable in the job and I continue to give 100 per cent to my job. I’m never concerned about my job. I’m not that kind of guy.’

He would do well to think about his situation because Graham Potter was sacked at West Ham after 26 per cent wins and Amorim is only a per cent point ahead at 27 per cent.

Personally, I think the new management has made so many mistakes since they took over and they don’t want to be criticised for appointing the wrong manager.that in my opinion is why Amorim is still at Old Trafford. But how long will it last?

I have received word that former Real Madrid and French legend Zinedine Zidane has been spoken to about the possibility of moving to Manchester.

In another possible twist to the story ex-Barcelona player legend and former manager Xavi has expressed interest in United should Amorim be shown the door. He has been without a club for a year now.

Saliba commits.now for Saka

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says he would love Bukayo Saka to follow William Saliba and sign a new contract. His current contract, signed in 2023, has only two years before it expires. Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri have all committed themselves to the Gunners and signed. Real Madrid showed an interest in Saliba but after he sat down with Arteta he said he wanted to stay with Arsenal for the future and win the league this season.

Guardiola pays tribute to Kyle Walker

Kyle Walker’s return to the Etihad did not go Burnley’s way. After a star-studded career at Manchester City the right back decided to take up a new challenge, trying his luck in Italy at Milan but then returned to the north east of England with Burnley. Kyle won 14 major honours in eight years and Pep Guardiola described him as ‘one of the greatest full backs ever.’ He said, ‘I don’t judge behavior over a short length of time. He was an unbelievable player for us. One of the greatest full backs ever. I slept like a baby for the games with Kyle in the team. He is one of the greatest too in terms of consistency and no injuries and playing every single game. An incredible figure in the locker room. In eight years, six Premier League titles, a Champions League, many other titles and always being there in good moments and bad moments.’

Liverpool look after Diogo Jota’s family

I was delighted to see that Liverpool owners Fenway Sports are going to pay Diogo Jota’s contract to his family. Arne Slot said FSG will look after Diogo’s widow Rute Carduso and his three children after the striker died in a car accident along with his brother. Diogo’s contract paid him £140k a week which means his family will receive approximately £14million over two years.

Controversy has trailed the plan by the daughter of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Iyaloja-General, Mrs Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, to inaugurate Pastor Josephine Ivbazebule as Iyaloja Iyeki-General (general head) of all markets in Edo State.

Mrs Tinubu-Ojo had on Wednesday, in the company of market women and the coordinator of the Office of the First Lady, visited the Oba of Benin palace to inform Oba Ewuare II that she was in the state to inaugurate Ivbazebule.

The term ‘Iyaloja’ is a Yoruba title that translates to ‘Mother of the market’. It is a highly respected market leadership position in Yoruba culture, particularly in southwestern Nigeria.

The Iyaloja serves as the head of market women and traders in a community, overseeing trade activities, resolving disputes among traders, and representing their interests before traditional rulers and government authorities.

The Iyaloja is often deeply influential, managing market affairs, enforcing rules, setting levies, and ensuring fair practices.

The current Iyaloja-General, Mrs Tinub-Ojo, took over after the demise of her mother, Alhaja Abibat Mogaji. Shortly after informing the Benin monarch, Oba Ewuare II explained to Tinubu-Ojo that Iyaloja-General, also known as Iyeki-General nomenclature ‘is alien to Benin culture and tradition.’

According to him, the Iyeki performed certain cultural roles on his behalf in the markets besides coordinating the affairs of traders.

‘In Benin, we have a special place for women. Iyaloja, meaning Iyeki-general as they say, is a bit alien to us here in Benin.

‘I know this is an association. You gather yourselves together to be more powerful and harness the power of women to help the political class.

‘You are in the home of culture. Iyeki has a special relationship with the palace,’ he said.

While educating Mrs Folashade on assigned roles of the various market women leaders (Iyeki), he said they would usually go round market shrines, report to the spirits by serving as spiritual rails, in addition to coordinating market women on behalf of the palace, whose authority the markets were founded.

Weekend Trust learnt that the monarch didn’t reject the president’s daughter but the Iyaloja nomenclature, which he said was alien to Benin custom and tradition.

The development has, however, been raising dust among various groups in the state.

The choice of Pastor Josephine Ivbazebule as Iyeki-General, who is from the Edo Central senatorial, is raising controversy as Benin group claimed that the position is for Benin indigenes since the holder of such title has spiritual duties to perform on behalf of the Oba.

Shortly after the incident, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) issued a statement signed by Dan Osa-Ogbegie, its publicity secretary, noting that Edo will not permit the desecration of its customs, and called on every Edo person to stand with the palace

‘Market leadership in Benin has its own native process. Iyeki (market leaders) are selected by market women and confirmed by the palace, not parachuted in by outsiders,’ the PDP stated.

Also, a Benin socio-cultural group, the Aiguobasinmwin Movement Worldwide, dismissed the reported inauguration of Pastor Josephine as an Iyaloja (Iyeki), saying ‘she is not qualified to hold the title under Benin tradition.’

The president of the group, Mr Iyamu Osaro and secretary-general, Mr Osayuki-Osa Benson, in a statement, noted that the institution of Iyeki was rooted in the cultural heritage of the Benin Kingdom and not subject to political or individual manipulation.

‘The position of Iyeki is reserved strictly for Benin women. Benin women should begin the process of electing their Iyeki in line with tradition and cultural norms in preparation for the final selection of an apex Iyeki,’ the group noted.

Meanwhile, a Benin indigene who gave his name as Osaauwa, told Weekend Trust that the monarch didn’t reject Tinubu-Ojo as a person but the Iyaloja title.

‘The palace and market coexist; they don’t exist in isolation, so Iyeki requires an indigene of Benin because of the fear of a non-indigene polluting our culture,’ he said.

He alleged that Tinubu-Ojo was trying to use the Iyeki-General as a political group to aggregate support ahead of 2027.

‘The Oba’s position is clear: there is no Iyeki-general in Benin culture. Each market in Benin has its own Iyeki, and if you are the Iyeki of Oregbeni market, you represent the palace and take care of the Oba traditional shrine and customs,’ he added.

He said that according to the custom of the land, as the Iyeki of one market, you cannot move to any other market in Benin kingdom claiming to be in charge, adding that Iyeki exists at different levels and in different markets, stressing, ‘There is nothing like Iyeki-general or Iyaloja-general in Benin kingdom.’

Penultimate Tuesday’s fire outbreak at Afriland Towers, a six-storey building located on Broad Street, Lagos Island, reignited concerns on the preparedness and limitations in Nigeria’s emergency response and regulatory agencies. United Capital Plc, which occupies the third and fourth floors of the building, lost six of its employees while the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) lost four. During the incident, many occupants were reportedly trapped, with some jumping from windows to escape the inferno.

The Lagos State Government said the towers’ incident was triggered by a spark from inverter batteries located in the basement of the building. And as the incident laid bare, the deaths could have been avoided if the emergency services – National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Federal Fire Service (FFS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Nigeria Police, State Fire and emergency and regulatory services had acted differently.

Yet, emergency response incidents – fires, building collapses, and natural disasters – have always been with us. In 2024 alone, Lagos State recorded over 1,600 emergency incidents, including more than 340 truck-related crashes and over 260 fire outbreaks, many in multi-storey commercial buildings.

In the first five months of 2025, Nigeria recorded at least 25 major market fire incidents. They include the October 1 early morning fire which destroyed about 26 shops at the very busy Bariga Market in Lagos.

On February 18, 2025, fire at the Talata Mafara Central Market in Zamfara State killed three people with 50 sustaining injuries, while on February 23, over 100 shops were destroyed in a fire at the Central Market in Gusau, Zamfara capital. Sokoto Kara Market, a major hub for the sale of grains, suffered two major fire outbreaks in 2025, destroying at least 560 shops.

Lagos alone saw 19 building collapses in the first half of 2025, with over 350 deaths nationwide in the past decade. In February 2024, a shopping plaza under construction in Onitsha, Anambra State, collapsed, killing at least six people and trapping others in the debris. Another building collapsed in Awka, the state capital, a disturbing pattern. In Plateau State, 22 students died in school collapse as victims were trapped in dense rubble.

Generally, these incidents and deaths are blamed on prevention failures by supervisory agencies and ‘slow and inadequate’ response by emergency services. Across the country, accusations of slow response time from internal building safety officers to the statutory emergency services are frequent, resulting in some people sometimes jumping from burning buildings. The situation is exacerbated by lack of adequate equipment and due enforcement of safety precautions in designing, constructing and managing the buildings. For example, as of 2024, Lagos reportedly has just one functional crane for major rescue operations. Thus, the state relies more on private contractors for crucial equipment, which can be unreliable in high-risk emergencies where every second counts.

This is compounded by outdated and inefficient fire and other emergency vehicles, limited access to water especially hydrants, insufficient aerial ladders for high-rise buildings, including understaffing and low response time, with the average being between 30-60 minutes especially in a congested city like Lagos, instead of few minutes.

Most worrisome is that most public buildings and markets lack sprinklers, smoke detectors or clear emergency exits. In fact, a 2023 study in Abuja found that 70 per cent of shopping malls lack functional emergency response requirement systems.

Therefore, Daily Trust calls for stricter enforcement and mandatory compliance with all building and fire requirements by regulatory bodies. We also insist that in case of non-compliance, serious punishment for individual officials and agencies responsible for negligence or lack of oversight should be imposed according to specifications. Moreover, all regulations should be backed with relevant federal and state laws for enhanced enforcement of safety standards. The laws should also include mandatory improved funding for emergency response, and severe penalties for violations by developers and construction professionals.

We also call for improved power supply as fires have been traced to power supply issues. It is instructive that the fire at the Afriland Towers started from the batteries in the inverter room, a reminder that if there is stable supply of electricity, there would have been no need for such installation and regular use.

There should also be installation of fire/smoke detectors in buildings as most victims of fire die due to smoke inhalation and suffocation. Every building must have adequate fire safety system with regular maintenance and equipment, exit points, and an alarm system with regular emergency drills in order to acquaint all users of available safety measures. Also, all buildings must have internal first responder officials and equipment, meaning that for each high-rise building, there must be fire management facility personnel.

We also advice that every room in high-rise building must be equipped with safety rope ladder that can be deployed instantly in case of emergency. Such ladders, compact and easy to use, can provide individuals with a personal means of escape, independent of malfunctioning lifts or overcrowded stairwells.

In addition, the Federal Fire Service (FFS), in conjunction with their state counterparts, should implement nationwide audit of both public and private buildings and ensure that all safety standards are enforced while erring facilities are sanctioned. The FFS should also help in training facility managers just as it strengthens partnerships with regulatory agencies.

Specifically, there should also be diligent implementation of 2026 National Building Code regulations to ensure uniform standards for structural integrity, fire safety measures, electrical installations and accessibility alongside the seven regulatory bodies of the built environment.

Most importantly, we at Daily Trust call for synergy among emergency response agencies in order to minimise duplication of duties, wasted resources, and reduced efficiency which could weaken the overall response. There should be clear and crucial mandates towards the development and execution of integrated national strategies.

Our offices, market areas and other public places should not become death traps. Towards this, all professional and regulatory bodies must rise up and plug regulatory services failure. Human errors should not be allowed to destroy the nation’s human and material resources. There should be no issue of compromise of safety standards.