UNICEF calls for stronger protection of children in media reports

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called on Nigerian journalists to prioritise the dignity, privacy, safety and best interests of children in their reporting.

The call was set out in a communiqué issued at the end of a two-day national workshop on ethical reporting about children, held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, from August 19 to 20.

Organised under the auspices of the Child Rights Information Bureau (CRIB) and UNICEF, the workshop brought together 40 journalists from the North Central, South East and South South geopolitical zones, representing print, broadcast and online media.

Participants deliberated on the ethical, legal and professional responsibilities of journalists in reporting on issues affecting children and adopted a number of resolutions to strengthen child-sensitive journalism.

They urged journalists to report issues involving children accurately, without presenting allegations as established facts.

They also advised media practitioners to use appropriate terms such as ‘alleged’ or ‘accused’ until guilt is established by a competent court, while avoiding graphic, sensational or unnecessary details that could expose children to further harm, stigma, discrimination or exploitation.

The participants stressed that children’s protection, medical care, psychological well-being and access to justice must remain central to reports involving them.

They also cautioned journalists against conducting interviews in ways that could cause further trauma or re-traumatisation.

According to the communiqué, journalists should seek relevant information from appropriate authorities, including the police and recognised child-protection agencies, when reporting cases involving children.

The participants further urged journalists to disclose any personal relationship or conflict of interest to their editors and, where necessary, allow another journalist to handle the assignment.

They said media reports should focus public attention on child protection, institutional response and accountability rather than unnecessary details of alleged sexual or other forms of abuse.

The workshop also called on media organisations to establish dedicated Child Rights Desks in their newsrooms to ensure sustained attention to issues affecting children and promote specialised reporting on children’s rights.

The participants urged bloggers and online journalism platforms to provide additional avenues for reporting child-rights issues while maintaining the same ethical, legal and professional standards expected of mainstream media.

Susan Akila of UNICEF, Temitoye Falayi of CRIB, Dr Geoffrey Njoku of Truevine Communications, Namsel Nimyel, former Executive Director of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Lanre Idowu of DAME, and Dr Jide Johnson of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism facilitated the workshop.

The training covered child rights and the role of the media, ethical principles in reporting children’s issues, balancing public interest with child protection, trauma-informed journalism, storytelling that protects and empowers, and the legal and institutional framework for reporting on children in Nigeria.

In their recommendations, the participants called for strengthening and sustaining the strategic partnership between UNICEF and the Guild of Editors on coverage of issues affecting children.

They said the partnership would strengthen newsrooms’ capacity to consistently and responsibly report issues affecting children and ensure that journalists’ efforts to amplify children’s rights and concerns receive institutional support.

The journalists also called on UNICEF to broaden its training programmes to include media owners, publishers and senior management of media organisations, including the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria and the National Broadcasting Organisations.

They said involving media owners and senior managers would help institutionalise child-sensitive reporting policies and practices across newsrooms.

The participants further recommended that media organisations develop and implement internal child-protection and ethical reporting policies to guide journalists and editors handling stories involving children.

They also called for regular training and capacity-building programmes for journalists, editors and other media professionals on child rights, trauma-informed journalism, digital safety, privacy and the legal framework governing the reporting of children in Nigeria.

The participants expressed appreciation to UNICEF for funding and sponsoring the training and retraining of journalists, saying the initiative would strengthen responsible media coverage of children’s issues and contribute to protecting and promoting children’s rights.

They also appreciated the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation and the Child Rights Information Bureau for supporting initiatives to strengthen ethical and responsible reporting on children.

The participants reaffirmed their commitment to journalism that informs, protects and empowers children, stressing that while the media has a critical role in amplifying children’s voices and exposing violations of their rights, reportage should not become a source of further harm.

The resolutions are consistent with concerns raised by UNICEF and other facilitators at the Port Harcourt workshop that sensationalism, inappropriate identification and intrusive reporting can expose vulnerable children to stigma and further trauma.

Nigeria advances SheIsIncluded at 2026 State House Summit

With the SheIsIncluded 2026 Summit now concluded, attention turns to implementation. Convened by the Presidential Committee on Economic and Financial Inclusion (PreCEFI) together with the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, the two-day gathering marked an important step in advancing a coordinated national approach to women’s economic participation through practical delivery, cross-sector collaboration and accessible learning.

Held under the theme ‘Designing for Delivery: Financing. Systems. Scale’, the summit brought together government leaders, development partners, financial institutions, and private-sector organisations to strengthen the systems needed to expand opportunities for women across Nigeria.

Part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the initiative focuses not only on policy, but on the partnerships and implementation frameworks required to deliver impact at scale.

Rather than operating as a standalone programme, SheIsIncluded is a national movement that aligns government, development partners and the private sector behind a shared objective: enabling more women to participate meaningfully in Nigeria’s economy.

The movement is designed to bring 10 million Nigerian women within reach of skills, recognition and economic opportunity through a coordinated national delivery model.

Supporting that delivery is Ubuntu Tribe, SheIsIncluded’s implementation and technology partner. Ubuntu Tribe is not the centre of the movement-it is the engine that makes national delivery possible through mobile-first learning in local languages, using the phones women already own.

The learning journey concludes with a verifiable credential that employers and financial institutions can recognise, creating practical pathways into employment, entrepreneurship and broader economic participation.

At the heart of SheIsIncluded is a simple pathway designed to be repeated at scale: a woman enrols on her phone, learns a practical, job-relevant skill in her own language, earns a verifiable credential, has that achievement recognised by employers or financial institutions, and uses it to pursue employment, entrepreneurship or financial opportunity. Repeated millions of times, that individual journey becomes national transformation.

Speaking during the summit, Hon. Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, described the initiative as a shift in how women’s economic empowerment is approached.

‘For too long, women have largely been beneficiaries of intervention programmes. What we want now is to economically empower them so they become co-creators of prosperity.’

That emphasis on implementation was reflected throughout the summit. As Dr. Nurudeen Zauro, Technical Adviser to the President on Economic and Financial Inclusion and Secretary of PreCEFI, said, ‘The summit marks a decisive transition from policy conversations to practical implementation.’

Addressing participants, Mamadou Kwidjim Toure, Founder of Ubuntu Tribe, highlighted the role technology can play in removing barriers to opportunity.

‘A woman should not need wealth or proximity to opportunity to develop a valuable skill. Ubuntu’s role is to put that opportunity within reach through the phone already in her hand and a credential the economy can recognise. Access becomes meaningful when it opens a path to real economic participation. Ubuntu is the engine behind Nigeria’s movement.

Individual transformation multiplied becomes national transformation.’

Women participating in the initiative never pay for their learning. A coalition model that combines government leadership, development expertise, and private-sector support makes delivery possible, ensuring access remains free while creating a framework capable of reaching women across Nigeria at scale.

The federal government has identified women’s economic participation as a key component of Nigeria’s broader economic development agenda. In that wider context, national digital skills initiatives have reached more than 263,000 Nigerians, while greater participation by women forms part of the country’s ambition to build a $1 trillion economy by 2030. These are Federal Government figures and national policy objectives, not results attributable to SheIsIncluded or Ubuntu Tribe.

As implementation begins, the success of #SheIsIncluded will be measured by the women it reaches-those who gain recognised skills, earn trusted credentials, and apply them to employment, entrepreneurship, and stronger economic participation across Nigeria. The long-term ambition is clear: individual transformation, delivered at scale, becomes national transformation.

Bologna, Sevilla, Trabzonspor chase Ilenikhena

George Ilenikhena has opened his goal scoring account in Saudi Arabia in impressive fashion, but the young Nigerian striker could still leave Al-Ittihad before the end of the transfer window.

Ilenikhena scored twice as Al-Ittihad defeated Al Najma 3-0 in a King’s Cup tie, finding the net in the 16th and 39th minutes.

The 20-year-old striker joined Al-Ittihad from AS Monaco in February 2026 for a reported pound 30 million plus pound 3 million in bonuses.

Despite his recent brace, Ilenikhena is reportedly interested in returning to Europe, with several clubs showing interest in signing him.

Bologna submitted a loan proposal with a pound 22 million option to buy, but Al-Ittihad immediately rejected the offer.

Turkish club Trabzonspor also made a loan proposal containing a pound 15 million purchase option, which was similarly rejected.

Al-Ittihad are open to selling the striker but reportedly want around pound 20 million.

Spanish side Sevilla have also made an oral offer of pound 10 million, with a further pound 3 million in bonuses and a significant sell-on percentage.

Ilenikhena, who has chosen to represent Nigeria at senior international level after previously playing for France’s age-grade teams, initially struggled after joining the Saudi club.

His two-goal performance has, however, provided a timely reminder of his goal scoring ability as the transfer speculation surrounding his future continues.

THEY ARE OFF AGAIN: Nigerian legion in England, Italy set for battle

The old guard and the new arrivals in England

In West London, stability remains the key objective for Fulham, where Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey continue to serve as core anchors. Both players were integral to the club’s consistency last campaign, and manager Marco Silva is once again relying on the duo to carry regular, heavily taxing roles throughout the grueling Premier League calendar. Bassey’s physicality and tactical versatility at centre-back provide a modern platform for Fulham’s build-up play, while Iwobi’s creative versatility, ability to progress the ball through central zones, and relentless work rate continue to make him an irreplaceable presence in the starting XI.

Further north at Nottingham Forest, Ola Aina enters the new campaign adjusting to life under fresh leadership following the appointment of head coach Oliver Glasner. Known for demanding intense mobility and tactical discipline from his wide players, Glasner’s arrival seems to have sparked fresh ambition in the full-back. Aina has publicly set himself an ambitious personal target of scoring five goals this season. For a player who operates predominantly as a full-back or wing-back, it is a bold statement, yet it reflects the remarkable growth in his attacking confidence over recent campaigns at the City Ground. Aina, who recently committed his future to the club by signing a three-year contract extension through 2028, remains key to Forest’s tactical setups on either flank under Glasner.

The most high-profile intra-league transfer of the summer involving a Nigerian international belongs to Taiwo Awoniyi. The powerhouse striker departed Nottingham Forest to complete a marquee switch to newly promoted Coventry City for a base fee reported around £9 million (pound 19.9m). Awoniyi is on course to make his competitive debut for the Sky Blues in Friday’s high-stakes Premier League opener away at Arsenal, a fixture rich in personal history for the forward. Across six previous encounters against the Gunners during his time with Forest, Awoniyi has netted three times. Crucially, it was his late strike against Arsenal that matched Stan Collymore’s 28-year-old club record for scoring in consecutive Premier League matches.

The transfer represents a vital fresh start for Awoniyi. His previous campaign at Forest was hampered by fitness struggles, limiting him to just three starts and 17 total appearances, though he still managed four goals in that restricted time frame. He completed his first full training sessions this week at Coventry’s Sky Blue Lodge under manager Frank Lampard, where he aligns with fellow countryman Frank Onyeka. Onyeka’s loan extension and continued presence give the Sky Blues two experienced Super Eagles figures to rely upon in their quest for top-flight survival.

Beyond England’s borders, Victor Osimhen continues to dominate headlines despite remaining outside the Premier League for now. Continuing his spell at Galatasaray, where his goal scoring record in Turkey has kept him among the elite strikers in Europe, Osimhen remains the subject of relentless transfer speculation, with Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester United frequently linked with a move for his signature.

The persistent media chatter formed the backdrop for a light-hearted moment during the week when Forest defender Ola Aina put Osimhen on the spot during an Instagram Live broadcast. Aina directly asked his national team colleague which Premier League destination he would choose if given the option. Osimhen jokingly brushed off the public interrogation, telling Aina to inform viewers that he would have to call back privately due to it being a private matter. Aina let his teammate off the hook, steering the conversation back to Osimhen’s sharp goal scoring form in Turkey instead. While Osimhen has previously maintained that he does not hold a single favourite English side, he has admitted to owning both Chelsea and Manchester United shirts growing up due to his older brother’s influence.

A growing contingent in Italian Serie A

While Ademola Lookman opted for a high-profile exit from Serie A earlier in the calendar year by completing a transfer from Atalanta to La Liga contenders Atlético Madrid, the Nigerian presence in Italian football has nevertheless swelled significantly ahead of the new campaign.

At AC Milan, winger Samuel Chukwueze has made an emphatic early statement during pre-season preparations. Entering his second full campaign at the San Siro, Chukwueze delivered a standout performance in a marquee pre-season friendly against Manchester United, scoring a goal and providing two assists to stake a firm claim for a permanent starting role on the right wing.

Meanwhile, in Udine, goalkeeper Maduka Okoye continues his steady growth as Udinese’s trusted number one, looking to build upon a series of commanding defensive displays from last term.

Newly promoted Venezia produced the biggest individual transfer splash among the Nigerian contingent in Italy, shattering their all-time transfer record to secure striker Akor Adams from Sevilla. The Venetian side agreed to a deal worth pound 17 million plus performance-related bonuses, signing the forward to a four-year contract valued at pound 1.5 million per season. Adams built a strong reputation in Europe after moving to Sevilla from French club Montpellier in January 2025. During the 2025/26 La Liga campaign, he finished as Sevilla’s leading league scorer, registering 10 goals and 3 assists across 36 appearances to help the club navigate a tough campaign and preserve its top-flight status.

Venezia head coach Giovanni Stroppa publicly lauded the arrival of his new focal point up front, confirming that Adams is an important profile who will give the squad a big hand, while making clear that defensive stability remains the club’s next market priority alongside sporting director Antonelli.

Fellow promoted outfit Frosinone focused their recruitment on defense, securing versatile centre-back Kevin Akpoguma on a free transfer following the expiration of his contract at TSG Hoffenheim. The 31-year-old signed a deal running through June 2028. Akpoguma leaves Hoffenheim after earning 179 Bundesliga appearances, scoring three goals, and recording five assists. Born in Germany and a former international at various German youth levels, Akpoguma officially switched his allegiance to Nigeria in October 2020 and has earned eight senior caps for the Super Eagles. A move to Serie A presents him with a consistent platform to compete for a spot in head coach Eric Chelle’s national squad ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

Rounding out the Italian movement is young midfielder Ebenezer Akinsanmiro, who has joined Monza on a season-long loan from Inter Milan. The deal includes a purchase option set at pound 7.5 million, which can convert into a mandatory obligation under specific sporting conditions, while Inter have secured a 10 percent sell-on clause for any future transfer.

Having spent the prior campaign building match experience on loan at Pisa, Akinsanmiro now gets his opportunity to test himself regularly in Italy’s top division.

With Nigeria’s Premier League stars establishing their roles and a fresh wave of talent stepping into key positions across Serie A, the Super Eagles’ European contingent enters the season with clear objectives. Whether battling for domestic silverware, fighting for top-flight survival, or securing places in the national setup, both fronts of the legion are set for another huge campaign.

Osun election: ‘I won, beat you guys,’ Davido tells Wike in playful banter

Afrobeats star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, was captured in a light-hearted moment with Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, jokingly claiming victory for his side in a video that went viral on Friday.

The clip, shared on Instagram by OfficialPrinceNwauzor, was recorded on Thursday during a visit by Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke to Wike’s office.

In the video, Davido, dressed in brown traditional attire, stood and repeatedly told the minister, ‘I won. I beat you guys.’

Wike, seated in a white shirt, responded with a smile, ‘No, no.’

‘I won! I beat you,’ Davido insisted.

‘You beat us?’ Wike asked.

‘I beat you,’ Davido replied, as laughter and shouts of ‘I beg o’ filled the background.

The exchange ended with Davido prostrating before Wike and embracing him, drawing cheers and applause from those present.

Governor Adeleke had earlier met President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa before proceeding to visit the FCT Minister.

Adeleke won the Osun governorship election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party with 511,067 votes, defeating the All Progressives Congress candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who polled 444,815 votes.

He won 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas.

Imole Campaign Council thanks Osun voters, traditional rulers for Adeleke’s re-election

The Imole Campaign Council (TICC), which coordinated the re-election campaign of Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, has thanked residents of the state for their support that secured the governor’s victory at the polls.

The council, in a statement jointly signed on Friday by its Director-General, Senator Lere Oyewumi, and Secretary, Prince Bola Ajao, also appreciated traditional rulers for their prayers and support throughout the election period.

The council said the victory reflected the people’s confidence in what it described as the Imole vision and their desire for continued development and good governance in the state.

It said, ‘We extend our deepest appreciation and gratitude to the good people of Osun State for the confidence, support, prayers, sacrifices, and unwavering commitment demonstrated throughout our journey.

‘The victory we celebrate today belongs, first and foremost, to God Almighty and to the good people of Osun State. It is a testament to the strength of your faith in the Imole vision and your determination to see Osun continue on the path of progress, development, and good governance.’

The council also commended traditional rulers for their counsel, prayers and contributions to their communities.

‘To our Royal Fathers and Traditional Rulers, we salute your wisdom, dignity, and invaluable counsel. Your leadership remains a pillar of our communities, and we deeply appreciate your prayers and support,’ it said.

Religious leaders were also recognised for their prayers, guidance and commitment to peace, unity and the wellbeing of Osun State.

The council said the victory belonged to all residents of the state, including those in the diaspora, and urged them to remain united.

‘To every citizen of Osun State-at home and in the diaspora, we see and value you. You will never be taken for granted. This moment belongs to all of us,’ it said.

The council acknowledged that the campaign was not without challenges but said the outcome demonstrated the importance of collective support for a shared vision.

It stressed, however, that the electoral victory should be viewed as a renewed responsibility to serve the people.

‘As we celebrate this milestone, we are conscious that victory itself is not the destination. It is a renewed responsibility to serve, to listen, to unite, and to deliver on the aspirations of the people,’ the council said.

It pledged that the trust placed in the administration would not be taken for granted.

Ondo, Edo Police begin joint border operations against bandits

The Ondo and Edo Police commands have begun a ‘joint clearance operation’ on the border communities of the two states to dislodge criminal elements and destroy their hideouts in the flashpoints area.

The operation, which started yesterday, is being led by the Police Commissioner in Ondo,.Felix Ohagwu, in collaboration with his Edo State counterpart, Patrick Daaor.

According to a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer in Ondo, Jimoh Abayomi, the exercise involves tactical teams drawn from both commands and would be sustained.

Abayomi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said the operation is focused on the Ondo-Edo border axis, particularly Ala, Ifon, Okelusi and other identified flashpoints and adjoining communities believed to be vulnerable to criminal activities.

He also said the operation comprised intelligence-led patrols, coordinated raids, surveillance and targeted clearance of identified criminal flashpoints and suspected hideouts.

Abayomi added that the exercise is also aimed at disrupting the movement and infiltration of criminal elements across the two states while curbing cross-border criminal activities and also strengthening security.

‘The operation was in line with the policing vision of the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, which emphasises intelligence-driven policing, inter-command collaboration, proactive crime prevention and sustained efforts to rid communities of criminal activities,’ the statement added.

Ohagwu assured residents of the border communities of the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property.

He urged community leaders, residents and other stakeholders to remain vigilant and provide credible and timely information that could assist the police in identifying, tracking and apprehending criminals.

‘The fight against crime is a collective responsibility,’ Ohagwu said.

He assured the residents that the joint operation would be sustained with the objective of making the Ondo-Edo border corridor safer and increasingly hostile to criminals and their activities.

Ohagwu, however, called for continued cooperation from residents and other stakeholders to ensure the success of the operation.

A second chance

All too often, girls who have their normal education disrupted as a result of pervasive poverty that forces them to drop out of school, early marriages and unanticipated pregnancies, communal displacements due to crises or violent attacks on schools, particularly in the North, have their educational pathways blocked for life and their potentials irreversibly trapped and aborted.

The commissioning of the rehabilitated Alternative High School for Girls, Agboju, Lagos State, by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) is a commendable demonstration of a commitment to giving this category of girls who had dropped out of school another opportunity to resume learning, be equipped with new skills and have brighter chances of achieving success.

According to the Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr Aisha Garba, the institution was rehabilitated through the UBEC Direct Intervention Programme and, apart from the provision of physical infrastructure, is designed to restore hope and create opportunities for girls and young women desirous of re-connecting with education.

The rehabilitated school is equipped with two blocks accommodating over 26 classrooms, laboratories for agriculture, physics and biology, a library and information and communication centre.To fulfill its unique purpose of enabling students to complete their secondary school education while also learning vocational skills to prepare them for careers and make them self-reliant, the school also has vocational workshops for cosmetology, garment-making, hair dressing, catering, and home economics.

UBEC is also to provide the school with a school bus and digital smart boards before the end of 2026.This is surely the right way to ensure Dr Garba’s affirmation that ‘A girl whose circumstances prevented her from completing her education should be given another opportunity. Every child deserves an alternative pathway to acquire the education needed to succeed in life’.

Girls with better education will certainly be able to more effectively utilise whatever intervention funds are made available to them to set up small businesses.

We join the UBEC executive secretary in commending the consistent support of the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for the education of young women, even long before she attained her present status.Apart from providing these facilities, it is equally important that no effort be spared to reach girls in this category and rekindling their hopes in the possibility of continuing their education so that they can utilise the opportunity.

UBEC has announced that work on another such alternative high school is ongoing in Ikorodu, also in Lagos.Earlier, a similar institution for girls with disrupted education had been established in Bauchi State.

These efforts only scratch the surface of what is a very serious challenge and need to be considerably expanded and the rate of implementation accelerated across the country through closer collaboration between UBEC and state governments.It is estimated that there are approximately 7.6 million out-of- school girls in Nigeria.

Girls are particularly vulnerable to having their education disrupted due to such cultural practices as early marriages and pregnancies in many communities, especially in the North.

There is also the tendency in rural communities to prioritise the education of the male child to the neglect of girls who may be able to have an opportunity later in life only through initiatives like this.

However, boys can also be the victims of debilitating poverty, destabilising conflicts that displace communities or entanglement in vices like drug addiction or cult activities that disrupt their education.

They also deserve to be reached out to, redeemed from hopelessness and offered opportunities to receive an education and empowered to become productive members of society.

Tinubu a democrat, says Adeleke on visit to Villa

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, yesterday attributed the conduct of a free and fair governorship election in the state to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to democracy.

He believes the President allowed the people’s will to prevail because he had himself fought for democratic rule in Nigeria.

Adeleke, who secured a second term in the August 15 governorship election after defeating the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Oyebamiji, said Tinubu deserved commendation for allowing the electoral process to run its course without interference.

Adeleke, who contested on the Accord platform, was declared winner.

The governor spoke briefly with reporters after a closed-door meeting with the President at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

According to Adeleke, who picked up his Certificate of Return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Osogbo 24 hours earlier, said his visit was principally to thank Tinubu, whom he described as the ‘father of the nation’, for respecting the democratic process and allowing a free and fair election in Osun State.

‘Yeah, that is why I’m here to thank Mr. President, the father of the nation, because he fought for this democracy.

‘That is why he allowed a free and fair election, and that is the result. That is why I’m here to say thank you to ensure that democracy lives in Nigeria’, the governor said.

Adeleke arrived at the State House at about 5:20 p.m. and was driven through the forecourt directly to the President’s office, where he went into the closed-door meeting.

Adeleke’s commendation came on the same day Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, cited the Osun election as evidence of Tinubu’s democratic credentials.

Speaking during a visit to the headquarters of the City Boy Movement in Abuja, Akume said the President deliberately refrained from interfering with the election despite the participation of the ruling APC.

‘The President never bothered to intervene in the electoral process that was recently concluded in Osun State.

‘That is what democracy should be about. It is way better than what used to happen in the past,’ the SGF said.

Turning to the outcome of last Saturday’s Osun governorship election, Tinubu congratulated Adeleke on his victory and charged him to see his re-election as an opportunity to unite the state rather than victimise political opponents.

Tinubu told the governor that the appropriate way to thank the people of Osun for renewing his mandate was through reconciliation, inclusive governance and responsible leadership rather than prolonged celebration of his electoral victory.

‘Call for the reconciliation, expand your coast. That is the only way you can give thanks to Osun people. Not the way you sang it or celebrate it. It’s the way you act it,’ the President said.

He urged Adeleke to recognise that political victories ultimately rested on the will of God and the choice of the electorate rather than the political sophistication of individuals surrounding a candidate.

‘Use me as an example and I got here, God put me here. Where you are today, God put you there. Not the smartness of any of these people.

‘It’s just their support, not their smartness. It’s the wish of God that prevailed and the wish of the people for you and you are in a very, very unique position to make history. Promote unity, peace, and stability,’ Tinubu said.

The President also reminded Adeleke of his progressive political roots, saying the governor’s political instincts and mobilisation during the election reflected that background.

‘You started as a progressive. All you are doing now is progressive instinct and you did a very good mobilization with your team. Very good job,’ he said.

Tinubu stressed that the aftermath of the election should be used to strengthen democracy, stability and the rule of law, warning the governor against stigmatising those who opposed him during the contest.

‘Promote democracy, promotes stability, promotes rule of law. Don’t stigmatize any of your opponents. Let’s look at the trajectory,’ he said.

The President said the verdict delivered by Osun voters had settled the political contest and should now give way to governance.

‘And the people of Osun States pronounce their judgment on you, that they love you, they want you to govern. So you’re going back to govern,’ he told Adeleke.

He consequently cautioned Adeleke against allowing individuals to become targets of political retaliation because of the roles they played during the election, stressing that the conduct of political leaders after elections could have consequences beyond their immediate tenure.

Show Ya Sef: How BBNaija kept viewers hooked for 11 seasons

If there is one thing Big Brother Naija has mastered over the years, it is the element of surprise. Just when housemates think they have figured out how to navigate the house, Biggie completely shifts the dynamic.

Three weeks into the Show Ya Sef season, the show is proving once again why it remains a massive cultural staple. Rather than relying solely on housemate drama, the franchise keeps finding fresh ways to evolve its own rules, keeping both the contestants and millions of viewers on their toes.

High stakes, new dynamics

Take The Gambit, one of the most talked-about twists this season. By giving Flora and Aikou permanent immunity all the way to the grand finale, the show handed them a major safety net. The catch? They are completely excluded from winning the grand prize money.

They get to stay till the end, but they cannot take home the cash.

That single move changes the social dynamic of the house. How do you form alliances or build trust with housemates who do not have to worry about eviction, but also have no financial skin in the game? It forces everyone to play a completely different kind of strategic game.

Putting a price on performance

Then there is the shift in how weekly accountability works. The N100 million prize money is no longer a guaranteed static figure. Instead, it is directly tied to how well the house performs each week, with N5 million deducted for every failed weekly performance.

This changes the energy during presentations and tasks. Laziness or a lack of effort is no longer just a personal risk for eviction; it directly reduces the final cash prize that everyone is fighting for. When every misstep costs real money, weekly tasks naturally carry a whole new level of focus, teamwork, and prime-time intensity.

Staying ahead of the curve

This constant shift in rules is exactly why the show continues to drive daily conversations across social media. Viewers are not just passively watching people interact; they are actively deciphering the rules and predicting how these twists will play out in real time.

Over eleven seasons, we have seen fake evictions, secret pairings, double houses, and dynamic voting formats. The details always change, but the core strategy remains the same: disrupt the game before it becomes predictable, and give the audience something genuinely exciting to discuss every day.