Author: damazah@gmail.com

The House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review has indicated it may adopt the version of the state police bill already passed by the Senate to fast-track the constitutional amendment process. The Chairman of the committee and Deputy Speaker of the House, Benjamin Kalu, disclosed this on Monday at the commencement of the committee’s consideration of President Bola Tinubu’s executive bill seeking to establish state police, signalling closer collaboration between both chambers of the National Assembly on one of the administration’s flagship constitutional reform proposals. The committee’s deliberation comes less than a week after President Tinubu formally transmitted the Executive…

Spain’s extra-time victory over Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final added another painful chapter to Lionel Messi’s extraordinary career, taking his tally of major final defeats to 13—a statistic that underscores both his longevity and his unprecedented ability to keep reaching football’s biggest stages. Lionel Messi’s glittering career has been defined by trophies, records and unforgettable moments. Yet Sunday’s 1-0 extra-time defeat to Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final also highlighted another remarkable statistic: across club and international football, the Argentine superstar has now lost 13 major finals. The latest setback came as defending champions Argentina…

By Babajide Komolafe Alert Microfinance Bank has recorded a 20-fold increase in total assets to N50 billion in three years, as rising inflation, naira depreciation and stronger demand for credit reshape Nigeria’s banking landscape. Speaking in a media interview, Group Chief Executive Officer of Alert Group, Mr. Olanrewaju Kazeem, said the bank’s growth was driven by a deliberate strategy focused on financial inclusion and nationwide expansion following the Central Bank of Nigeria’s approval of a national microfinance banking licence. According to him, “The growth that you see in Alert Microfinance Bank and Alert Group as a whole is a deliberate…

Today, I’m talking with Harvard professor and New Yorker staff writer Dr. Jill Lepore about her new book, The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State, which comes out on August 25.Jill is one of the best writers there is at identifying institutional patterns in history, and Decoder is a show about systems, so this book could not possibly be more in our zone.You build systems by measuring things — gathering information, quantifying it as data, and taking action on it. And Jill’s big thesis in the book is that this kind of systemic measurement is really a dehumanizing act,…

In his first speech as prime minister, Andy Burnham has promised to give people more “breathing space” to help with the cost of living.Policies will be announced on Tuesday – his first full day in the job. Although a few hours after taking office, the new prime minister confirmed he will be “looking at” the tax-free personal allowance ahead of his first Budget in the autumn.Cost of living is a key issue for Burnham. Many people, he has previously said, can’t go out for a pint on a Friday, can’t take the kids out and can’t go on holiday owing…

An international research team led by Hiroshima University has developed a technique that can reveal extremely early changes in human skin collagen, long before the damage becomes visible under conventional imaging. The findings, published in ACS Nano on July 16, 2026, suggest that collagen begins losing its precise molecular organization before its fibers become thinner, fragmented, or disconnected. In other words, skin tissue may appear structurally intact even after important changes have already begun at a deeper level. Hidden Damage Inside Skin Collagen Collagen is the main structural protein in skin. It forms an intricate network that helps tissue remain…

The potential for stigma was laid bare close to the conclusion of Saturday at the Open Championship. “Bryson, ya cheat,” bellowed a lone voice from the stand adjacent to Royal Birkdale’s 18th green. This is an environment in which being unfaithful to one’s spouse would be seen as preferable to breaching the sacred rules of a sacred game.By Sunday, the world No 1, Scottie Scheffler, was riding to the defence of Bryson DeChambeau. “I’ve known him for a long time and he’s a lot of things, but he’s definitely not a cheater,” said Scheffler. Except in this case, nuance is…

In an era where AI can help make films about anything and everything, Utopai Studios has landed on farts. The AI production company will produce an animated feature-film adaptation of “The Most Serious Fart,” a 2023 children’s book written by “Not Another Teen Movie” screenwriter Mike Bender and illustrated by Chuck Dillon that was inspired by Bender’s Lyme disease diagnosis amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The book follows Siegfried, an “exceptionally serious” fart determined to change flatulence’s global perception while finding a sense of belonging along the way. Bender will write and direct the movie, which will be produced by “Flight Risk” producer Russell Hollander.…

In 1996, a young doctor converted a three-bedroom flat on Aromire Avenue in Ikeja into a clinic. Three decades later, that clinic, St. Ives Specialist Hospital, is one of Nigeria’s most trusted names in women’s health and fertility care. The man behind it all is Dr. Babatunde Okewale, a Fellow of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists trained in the UK, who returned home determined that Nigerians should not have to fly abroad for quality health care. St. Ives marked its 30th anniversary on July 10, under the theme “Celebrating 30 Years of Care, Compassion and Innovation.” The hospital…

By Shina Abubakar, Osogbo OSOGBO — The Accord Party’s campaign council in Osun State has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure a transparent and credible conduct of the August 15, 2026 governorship election, urging the electoral body to address concerns raised from previous off-cycle elections. Speaking with journalists in Osogbo, the Director-General of the Imole Campaign Council, Senator Lere Oyewumi, said the group was raising its concerns ahead of the election to give INEC sufficient time to strengthen its preparations and reassure voters. Oyewumi said the council was concerned about reports and allegations that emerged during…