Author: Opalim Lifted

Favour Ofili, one of Nigeria’s brightest sprinting stars, remains officially listed as a Nigerian athlete by World Athletics (WA) — despite mounting reports that she’s set to switch her sporting allegiance to Turkey. The 22-year-old 150m world record holder is said to have written to the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), requesting a nationality change following years of reported frustration with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN). Social media buzzed on Sunday with claims that Ofili had finally had enough, citing unfair treatment at international events. So far, both the AFN and Ofili have remained silent. Chronicle NG’s check on the…

Hyacinth Alia, governor of Benue, has suspended Mkor Aondona, his special adviser on research and planning, following his recent arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). On Saturday, EFCC announced the arrest of Aondona after some female students accused him of sexual exploitation, cyberbullying and blackmail. The petitioners accused the governor’s aide of using sexual favours as a condition for job appointment and also obtaining videos of every sexual act without their consent while threatening to leak the videos if they refused to continue having sex with him. In a statement on Sunday, Alia said Aondona’s suspension is…

Sierra Leone’s President Julius Bio has been elected as the chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Bio succeeds President Bola Tinubu, who chaired the regional economic bloc for the past two years. The Sierra Leonean president succeeded Tinubu on Sunday during the 67th ordinary session of the authority held in Abuja. Prior to the election, there were speculations that Senegalese President Bassirou Faye would take over the seat. Bio promised to prioritise restoring constitutional order and deepening democracy in the fragmented region. He also named revitalising regional security cooperation, unlocking economic integration, and building institutional credibility…

President Bola Tinubu has urged Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) leaders to prioritise a collective approach against the security challenges in the region. Tinubu spoke in Abuja on Sunday during the 67th ordinary session of the ECOWAS authority of heads of state and government. The president said the security threats within the region are “transnational and driven by a dangerous network that respects no borders”. He said no single country in the region can tackle its security challenges alone and expressed concern over the slow pace of activation of the ECOWAS standby force. “No single nation can therefore…

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a twice-a-year injectable drug to be used for HIV prevention. A statement issued by Gilead Sciences, maker of the drug, said the injection of Lenacapavir has been approved in the United States for HIV prevention under the brand name Yeztugo. In clinical trials, the drug was found to greatly reduce the risk of infection and provide almost total protection against HIV. The efficacy was found to be significantly higher than that of the primary options available for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Therapies called PrEP have been used to prevent HIV infections…

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President Bola Tinubu to refer the situation in Benue State to the International Criminal Court (ICC), citing ongoing violence, unlawful killings, and alleged violations of international humanitarian and human rights law. In a letter dated June 21, 2025, and signed by SERAP Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the group argued that referring the case to the ICC would align with the president’s stated commitment to justice and accountability. “Your government has a primary responsibility to ensure accountability and justice and reparations for these grave human rights crimes,” the letter stated. “Referring…

Ric Hassani, the Nigerian singer, has shared his thoughts on why some artistes begin their careers in gospel music but eventually transition to secular sounds. In an interview with HipTv, he argued that gospel music goes beyond just singing because it requires divine inspiration. He said, however, that not all artistes can do gospel, adding that some are made to impact the world in different ways. “Gospel is beyond singing. You have to be blessed to be able to interpret God’s words through music,” he said. “For example, there is no way Katy Perry would communicate God’s words through music…

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested Mkor Aondona, special adviser on research and planning to Hyacinth Alia, governor of Benue, for alleged sextortion and cyber bullying. In a statement on Saturday, the anti-graft agency said Aondona was arrested on June 20. According to the EFCC, some female students accused the governor’s aide of sexual exploitation, cyber bullying and blackmail. “The petitioners alleged that Aondona was routinely recruiting slim and attractive girls for ushering jobs and insisted on sexual favours as a condition for selection,” the statement reads. “Based on this, they became vulnerable to having…

President Bola Tinubu has issued a strong call for unity among West African nations, warning that disjointed efforts will doom the region’s chances of global economic relevance. Speaking in Abuja on Saturday at the inaugural West Africa Economic Summit (WAES), Tinubu stressed that collaboration—not isolation—will unlock the region’s economic potential. “No one country can do this alone,” Tinubu said. “Our prosperity depends on regional supply chains, energy networks, and data frameworks. We must design them together—or they will collapse separately.” With intra-regional trade still languishing below 10%, the president criticised the persistent trade barriers choking economic growth across the subregion.…

President Bola Tinubu has called on West African leaders to end the practice of exporting raw minerals without processing them, urging a shift toward regional manufacturing and value addition. Speaking at the inaugural West Africa Economic Summit on Saturday in Abuja, Tinubu said the region must move away from extractive models that have historically failed to translate into economic development for its people. “West Africa is one of the last great frontiers of economic growth. Yet opportunity alone does not guarantee transformation,” he said. “Opportunity is not destiny. We must earn it through vision, integration, policy coherence, collaboration, and capital…