Author: damazah@gmail.com

By Adeola Badru Oyo State Governor and the Allied People’s Movement (APM) presidential candidate for the 2027 general election, Seyi Makinde, will on Friday inaugurate the party’s Oyo State Presidential and Governorship Campaign Council as preparations intensified ahead of the polls. The inauguration is scheduled to take place in the conference room of the governor’s office. According to the campaign structure, the Executive Chairman of the Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr Nureni Adeniran, will serve in a dual capacity as the Oyo State Coordinator of the APM 2027 Presidential Campaign and the Director-General of the Oyo State…

Eleven poets shortlisted for the 2026 Nigeria Prize for Literature are set to be celebrated this Sunday at the 17th CORA-Nigeria Prize for Literature Book Party in Lagos. The event, organised by the Committee for Relevant Art (CORA), will be held at the Shell Zenith Hall, MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos, commencing at 1 p.m. The session will spotlight the 11 poetry collections selected for the longlist of the annual prize, which is sponsored by the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG). PREMIUM TIMES reported in April that the 2026 edition of the competition received 223 entries, with poetry designated as this…

Tottenham beat Sydney FC on penalties to earn their third victory of pre-season after being held to a 1-1 draw over 90 minutes during which Mathys Tel scored a stunning free-kick.Tel found the top-right corner with a wonderful strike from 25 yards in the 29th minute in Sydney, but the A-League side equalised after half-time through Takahiro Sekine before Martin Dubravka saved a penalty in the shoot-out, which allowed Dane Scarlett to net the winner. Tottenham are interested in signing Manchester City winger Savinho and Tel, who only signed for the club permanently this summer in a £30m deal from…

By Deborah Oyekale Head of House (HoH) in Big Brother Naija season 11, Chimsom Chuka, has warned his fellow housemates against disobeying his directives. During a conversation on Tuesday, he repeatedly stressed that every contestant willingly chose to participate in the show and must abide by the rules of the house. He said, “They did not beg you to audition; voluntary exit is an option and there would be consequences for disobeying the head of house.” The statement has sparked reactions from viewers, igniting debates on his leadership style. This has added even more drama as housemates try to adjust…

After weeks of all-out war, the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week cease-fire in April that paved the way for more negotiations and held open the possibility of a lasting peace.Just days later, clashes started again over control of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial route in the global oil trade. After the United States blockaded Iranian ports, Iran attacked vessels and declared it was closing the waterway. Seesaws between fighting and calm are common in peace processes, said Laura Wise, a research fellow at the University of Edinburgh. As proposals from warring parties vie with counterproposals, some…

Nigeria’s aviation workers have issued a fresh seven-day ultimatum to airline operators and other organisations that have failed to remit the statutory five per cent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC), warning that they will embark on nationwide picketing if the outstanding debts are not settled. The notice, jointly issued by the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), follows the expiration of an earlier 14-day ultimatum served on 8 July, which lapsed on 23 July without compliance from the affected operators. The five per cent Ticket Sales Charge is a…

New York-based AI detection startup Pangram is on a mission to combat the AI slop infestation spreading across the internet, and it just raised $9 million on a bet that demand for tools that distinguish human-generated content from AI-generated text will only grow.  Pangram’s fundraise — led by Menlo Ventures, with participation from Haystack, ScOp, Script Capital, and Cadenza — comes as the startup also launches its next-generation AI text detection model, Pangram 4, and an AI image detection model, Pangram Image.  Pangram says the new text detection model is over 99% accurate at finding AI-assisted writing and mixed human-AI…

An alternative approach is to ensure that everyone who is eligible, based on their needs, should get state-funded personal care that is free at the point of use.This would be provided free regardless of an individual’s means and whether it was received by an elderly person in their own house or a residential care home.Scotland has implemented such a system.However, it’s important to note that personal care takes in things like helping frail elderly people wash and dress and go to the toilet.But it does not include accommodation, food and everyday living costs which are subject to means testing.The Health…

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has approved the appointment of General Officers Commanding (GOCs) for four newly established Nigerian Army divisions following President Bola Tinubu’s approval for the expansion of the Army’s force structure. The appointments are part of a major reorganisation of the Nigerian Army aimed at strengthening command and control, expanding its operational footprint and enhancing its capacity to tackle Nigeria’s evolving security challenges. The Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Appolonia Anele, a colonel, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday. According to the statement, the newly established divisions will commence operations…

Chelsea have agreed a deal to sign Danny Welbeck while Jordan Henderson is set to cancel his Brentford contract to enable a move to Stamford Bridge.Henderson, 36, is under contract until 2027. Welbeck, 35, has agreed a two-year deal and been given permission by Brighton to conduct a medical at Stamford Bridge.A fee for the striker has also been agreed but remains undisclosed as Chelsea tie up the deal for him to join pre-season in Hong Kong after Chelsea’s final match in Australia against Tottenham on Saturday evening. Welbeck will become the oldest signing under the Todd Boehly and Clearlake…