Author: TheLagosianMagazine

By Sola Ojewusi  Surulere, Lagos — The bright lights of Teslim Balogun Stadium burned late into Saturday night as Lagos embraced one of its most improbable sporting stories: the return of Ike “The President” Ibeabuchi to the boxing ring after 26 long years. The 52-year-old heavyweight, once a feared figure in the 1990s, stepped between the ropes to the chants of a packed Lagos crowd. When his short-notice opponent Idris Afinni (18-9-2, 15 KOs) retired on his stool after three completed rounds, it was less about the victory itself and more about the symbolism of a lost son finally performing…

Ijebu Ode — The Fushengbuwa Ruling House of Agunsebi Quarters, Ijebu Ode, has announced the commencement of the selection process for the next Awujale of Ijebuland, while dismissing as false a list of “candidates” currently circulating on social media. In a statement issued over the weekend, the Ruling House confirmed that eligible princes have started submitting letters of interest in accordance with tradition. It, however, described the viral list as “unofficial and unauthenticated,” stressing that it did not originate from the House Secretariat and bore no signature from its leaders. “The publication was put out by unscrupulous actors attempting to…

By Taiwo Adisa Saturday, August 16, 2025, was set as a landmark date that would witness a unique event in the annals of Yoruba, Nigeria, if not African contemporary history. The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enita Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, had signed on to a programme tagged the unveiling of the Social Media Website, 2GEDA. I got the well-packaged invitation letters and made arrangements to attend. It was meant to push forward Nigeria’s version of Facebook and dictate the pace of local content in the growing social media space. Commendably, the Ooni of Ife signed on to this project, and…

25th August 2025 By Peter Omopo Nigeria’s senior men’s basketball team, D’Tigers, are expected back in the country today (Monday) after competing at the 31st edition of the FIBA AfroBasket tournament in Angola. The team, coached by Mohammed Abdulrahman, exited the tournament at the quarter-final stage following a 91–75 defeat to continental rivals Senegal last Wednesday. Despite the early elimination, the squad remained in Angola until Monday because their return tickets had been booked for that date. According to reports, several senior players had appealed to the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) to reschedule their travel, but the request was declined.…

25th August 2025 By Peter Omopo Olubadan-designate and former Oyo State Governor, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, has called on Ibadan Mogajis (compound heads) and community leaders not to abandon their ancestral homes but to make them more habitable for future generations. Ladoja gave the charge on Sunday while receiving hundreds of Mogajis at his Bodija residence, where they gathered to congratulate him on his emergence as the next Olubadan. In a statement issued by his media aide, Adeola Oloko, the monarch-in-waiting lamented that many compound heads had neglected their family compounds despite having the financial capacity to support grassroots development. “Many…

25th August 2025 – By Peter Omopo  Residents and commuters in Osun and Ondo states have raised the alarm over the deteriorating state of federal roads in the region, urging the Federal Government to urgently intervene to avert further accidents and economic losses. In Osun, the Ilesa–Akure Expressway, especially the Osu/Iwaraja corridor, has become a nightmare for motorists. At Iloko Junction—one of the worst-hit sections—residents told The PUNCH on Sunday that temporary patching works by the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) had repeatedly failed to provide lasting solutions. “With what we are experiencing now, only complete removal and replacement of…

25th August 2025 By Peter Omopo  The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will today, Monday, receive the report of its zoning committee at the 102nd meeting of its National Executive Committee (NEC), as internal disagreements threaten preparations for the party’s national convention. The zoning committee, chaired by Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri, with Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal as vice chairman and Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang as secretary, was set up in July to share the 19 National Working Committee (NWC) offices between the North and South. Party insiders confirmed that the committee has recommended retaining the existing zoning formula,…

By Peter Omopo  Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has approved the construction of five-kilometre road projects in each of the 18 local government areas of the state. The approval, granted on Friday, August 22, is part of the state’s rolling road development programme aimed at boosting infrastructure and connectivity across the Sunshine State. Under the arrangement, each serving commissioner will nominate priority roads within their local government areas, supervise implementation, and ensure accountability in line with local needs. The first phase of the initiative covers 90 kilometres of new roads, with subsequent phases expected to extend the network into several…

25th August 2025 By Peter Omopo The Oyo State Government has denied speculation that the Bola Ige International Business Complex, Gbagi, Ibadan, would be shut down on Monday. Commissioner for Investment, Trade, Cooperatives, and Industry, Adeniyi Adebisi, in a statement on Sunday, described the reports as false and aimed at causing panic within the business community. “The rumour is baseless and a deliberate attempt by miscreants to create unnecessary tension. At no time did government contemplate shutting down the Bola Ige International Business Complex, which remains a hub of commercial activity in the state,” Adebisi said. He urged traders and…

By Peter Omopo  The Nigeria Merit Media Awards (NMMA) has announced the commencement of entries for its 2025 edition, inviting applications from journalists across print, radio, and television. In a statement made available to The PUNCH, the organisers said the prestigious awards, which have celebrated excellence in Nigerian journalism for more than three decades, will honour works published or broadcast in 2024. Winners in each category will receive the Golden Gong of Excellence trophy, alongside a certificate and prize money. The NMMA outlined detailed assessment criteria, including factual accuracy, originality, clarity, balance, creativity, and human interest for print media entries.…