Author: Opalim Lifted

In a moment that will be etched into tennis history, Coco Gauff has been crowned French Open champion, capturing her first title at Roland-Garros in an emotional and electrifying final. The 20-year-old American sensation broke down in tears after her victory, describing the moment as “insane” and a dream come true. “I worked so hard for this moment,” Gauff shared with fans, adding, “Thank you God, and thank you everyone. I’m still in shock.” Her post-match words resonated with millions: “Never give up on your dreams,” she wrote on social media, clutching the coveted trophy, eyes full of disbelief and…

Coco Gauff won the first French Open singles title of her career by fighting back to beat world number one Aryna Sabalenka in a rollercoaster final. American second seed Gauff claimed a 6-7 (5-7) 6-2 6-4 victory after a tense battle between the WTA Tour’s two leading players in testing conditions. It is the second Grand Slam singles triumph of Gauff’s career, adding to the US Open title she won in 2023, also by beating Belarus’ Sabalenka. “I honestly didn’t think I could do it,” Gauff, 21, said during the trophy presentation. Gauff recovered from a difficult start where she…

British-Nigerian art dealer and former BBC presenter Ogeneochuko Ojiri has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison after selling high-value artworks to a suspected Hezbollah financier. Ojiri, 53, admitted to selling around £140,000 worth of art to Nazem Ahmad, despite being aware of Ahmad’s alleged connections to the terrorist group. He became the first person to be convicted under Section 21A of the Terrorism Act 2000 for failing to report suspicious transactions that could help prevent terrorism financing. The British-Nigerian, who once appeared on Antiques Road Trip, pleaded guilty to eight counts of failing to disclose key…

Thousands of Muslim faithful gathered at the Ile-Oodua Palace in Ile-Ife on Friday to pay Sallah homage to the Ooni of Ife, Arole Oduduwa Olofin Adimula, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, CFR, Ojaja II, during a grand Eid-ul-Adha celebration marked by prayers, unity, and royal blessings. In his address, the revered monarch, who also serves as Chairman of the South Nigeria Traditional Rulers Council (SNTRC), congratulated the Muslim Ummah on the successful completion of the Hajj pilgrimage and the symbolic sacrifice that defines Eid-ul-Adha. “As we celebrate today, may we witness many more celebrations. May the Almighty spare our lives and…

The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has announced a power outage in parts of the federal capital territory (FCT). In a statement on Saturday, the AEDC said the blackout was due to a “technical fault” on the feeders serving the affected areas. According to the company, the locations affected are Efab Classic Estate, Metro City Estate, Sticks & Stones, Yayala Estate, Trademore Estate, Choos Estate, Maxcare Plaza, Faith Plaza, Sunflower Plaza, Erifu Estate, DME Estate, Earthpoint Estate, Sunnyvale Estate, and Brains & Hammers 1, 2, 4. Others are Hunters Garden, Ecofitness, Airport, NJI, NARSDA, NABDA, Lugbe Shoprite, Riverpark Estate, War…

Inter Milan will appoint their former player and youth coach Cristian Chivu as manager to replace the recently departed Simone Inzaghi once details are worked out with his current club Parma, Inter president Giuseppe Marotta said on Friday. Inzaghi left Inter on Tuesday, four years to the day since his appointment and three days after his side suffered a 5-0 defeat to Paris St Germain in the Champions League final to end the season trophyless, and was named coach of Al-Hilal a day later. Italian media reports had already named Chivu as the new manager with the 44-year-old Romanian set…

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has killed “scores” of Boko Haram fighters in the Southern Tumbuns area of Borno state. The terrorists were killed during air strikes conducted by troops of Operation Hadin Kai. Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication focused on the Lake Chad region, said the air strikes were targeted at the terrorists’ enclave. The publication said several insurgents were killed and some of their equipment hidden in the forest were also destroyed. Makama said the strikes followed credible intelligence of planned attacks by the insurgents before, during, and after the Eid celebration. In a statement on Saturday, Ehimen…

Hyacinth Alia, governor of Benue, has accused politicians and unnamed members of the national assembly of sponsoring violent attacks in the state. There has been a significant uptick in insecurity in Benue since the start of the year, with hundreds killed in violent attacks in several communities. Speaking on Friday on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, Alia said an interim report of a judicial panel he set up showed that politicians were orchestrating the attacks. Alia said he would take decisive action once the full report of the panel is presented in the coming week. The governor said the…

Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo, has recommended a single term of five or six years for elected public officials. Makinde spoke on Friday when Muslim faithful visited him at his Ibadan residence shortly after the Eid-el-Kabir prayers. The delegation, which was led by Bayo Lawal, the deputy governor, comprised traditional and political leaders. Speaking during the visit, Makinde said based on his experience, elected officials are only serious with governance for five years out of the eight years in office. The Oyo governor, who has been in office for six years, said there are always distractions of re-election campaigns, adding…

Mike ‘Gentleman’ Ejeagha, the ace highlife singer, has died at age 95. In a post via X, Peter Mbah, the governor of Enugu state, confirmed the death of the veteran singer. He described Ejeagha as a gifted musician whose humility, storytelling through music, and cultural influence made him a timeless figure across generations. He added that his passing is a great loss not just to his family, but to Enugu, the music industry, and the nation at large. “I’m profoundly saddened by the death of the music icon, Gentleman Mike Ejeagha,” the post reads. “Mike Ejeagha was a legend, a…