Author: TheLagosianMagazine

By Peter Omopo  As the Vatican prepares for a historic conclave this week, attention has turned to a group of 16 senior Catholic leaders considered top contenders to succeed Pope Francis, with three prominent African cardinals among the potential frontrunners. Although the papal election process is shrouded in secrecy and candidates are not officially declared, several cardinals—referred to as papabili—have drawn widespread attention due to their global influence, leadership experience, and theological leanings. African Contenders Cardinal Peter Turkson (Ghana), 76, the Archbishop emeritus of Cape Coast, is widely seen as a strong candidate and has long been mentioned as a…

By Peter Omopo  The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, have paid glowing tributes to the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, marking 15 years since his death while in office in 2010. In a message posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, the PDP described Yar’Adua, who served as Nigeria’s president from 2007 to 2010, as “a leader of integrity, humility, and vision,” noting that his contributions to national development continue to resonate. “Fifteen years on, Nigeria still mourns one of its finest — and I still remember a friend whose quiet wisdom helped shape…

By Peter Omopo  Super Falcons goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie has expressed her delight after playing a pivotal role in Paris FC’s historic win over Paris Saint-Germain in the 2025 Coupe de France Féminine final, describing the victory as the fulfilment of a lifelong dream. Nnadozie was the hero of the night at Stade de l’Épopée in Calais, saving two penalties during a tense shootout that ended 5–4 in favour of Paris FC after regulation time ended goalless. The win marks the club’s first major title in nearly 20 years. Reacting to the triumph in a post on her social media platform…

By Peter Omopo  President Bola Tinubu is set to hold a crucial meeting with the leadership of Nigeria’s electricity generation companies (Gencos) as the Federal Government races to address a mounting N4 trillion debt threatening to paralyse the country’s power supply chain. This follows an emergency meeting last Tuesday between the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, and the Gencos’ chairmen in Abuja. The meeting, according to a Sunday statement from the power ministry, was convened amid rising concerns that persistent liquidity constraints could lead to a collapse of the national grid. The Gencos have warned that the continued accumulation of…

By Peter Omopo  The Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) is under growing scrutiny as graduates from public tertiary institutions raise alarm over delayed disbursements and irregularities in the student loan scheme, with fresh allegations of mismanagement and corruption. Several ex-students who spoke to The PUNCH revealed that their tuition fees were only paid to their institutions months after they had already graduated and settled their bills through alternative means. Despite no longer being enrolled, some of them continue to receive the N20,000 monthly upkeep stipend meant for active students. The loan scheme, initially introduced to support financially disadvantaged students, is…

By Peter Omopo  Governors Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State and Hyacinth Alia of Benue State have challenged the legal basis of a summons issued by the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions, which is probing alleged constitutional violations and governance breakdowns in both states. The governors and their respective Houses of Assembly were invited by the committee to appear over escalating tensions in the states’ legislatures, deteriorating security conditions, and controversies that may warrant federal intervention under Section 11(4) of the 1999 Constitution. The summons, announced in a statement on Friday by the Committee’s Head of Media, Chooks Oko,…

By Peter Omopo  Nigerian sprinter Alaba Akintola continued his stellar form on the U.S. collegiate athletics circuit with a commanding victory in the men’s 200 metres at the Music City Challenge held at the Vanderbilt Track & Field Facility in Nashville, Tennessee. Competing for Middle Tennessee State University, the 22-year-old clocked 20.50 seconds (+0.9 m/s wind) to finish ahead of Antonio Lay (20.64s) and John Sherman (20.72s), securing another notable win in his 2025 season campaign. Akintola also impressed in the men’s 100 metres, posting 10.30 seconds (+1.3 m/s wind) in the heats to qualify for the final, where he…

By Peter Omopo  Kwara State’s Abdulbasit Abdulfatai and Cross River’s Hope Udoaka stole the spotlight at the fifth National Table Tennis Championships, winning the men’s and women’s singles titles at the grand finale held in Otan Ayegbaju, Osun State. The five-day tournament witnessed intense competition, with major upsets including the early elimination of defending champions in both senior categories. Capitalising on the open field, Abdulfatai delivered a dominant performance in the men’s final, defeating surprise contender Matthew Fabunmi in straight sets 4-0 (12-10, 11-4, 11-4, 11-7) to clinch the top prize. In the women’s singles final, Udoaka showcased her growing…

By Peter Omopo  As political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections gather momentum, former state chairmen of the defunct Congress for Progressives Change (CPC) have reaffirmed their allegiance to the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing loyalty to former President Muhammadu Buhari as the main reason for staying in the ruling party. In a statement issued on Sunday by the forum’s National Secretary, Sulaiman Oyaremi, the ex-CPC leaders said their decision to remain in the APC was guided by respect for Buhari’s leadership, even as they raised concerns over marginalisation within the party. “Except for a few of us, we…

By Peter Omopo  President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has raised fresh concerns over sustained sabotage attempts against his $20 billion oil refinery project, accusing entrenched interests in the petroleum importation business of actively working to frustrate its success. Speaking at an investor forum in Lagos on Friday, Dangote said the battle to fully operationalize the 650,000 barrels-per-day facility located in Lekki, Lagos, is ongoing, but vowed that he remains undeterred. “We’re fighting, and the fight is not yet finished. But I have been fighting all my life, and I am 100 per cent sure I will win at…