President Bola Tinubu departed Yokohama, Japan, on Thursday night for Brazil, where he is scheduled to commence a state visit on August 24, according to a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
Onanuga, in a release dated August 22, 2025, said the President will make a stopover in Los Angeles before continuing to Brasilia, the Brazilian capital.
“President Tinubu will continue his diplomatic engagements in Brazil after successfully attending the ninth Tokyo International Conference for African Development (TICAD9),” the statement read.
The President embarked on his two-nation tour on August 15, leaving Abuja with a brief stopover in Dubai, UAE, before arriving in Yokohama on August 18.
During his stay in Japan, Tinubu participated in the opening ceremony and plenary of TICAD9 on August 20 and held bilateral meetings with key partners.
The visit culminated in an interactive session with Nigerians in the diaspora on Thursday night.
“The engagements have been productive, and the President is now set to build on these discussions with strategic cooperation in Brazil,” Onanuga added.
Tinubu arrived in Tokyo, Japan, in the early hours of August 20 for a series of official engagements at the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) in Yokohama, held from August 20 to 22.
The conference, co-hosted by Japan, the United Nations, UNDP, the African Union Commission, and the World Bank, focused on Africa’s economic transformation, private investment, innovation, and creating a resilient and sustainable society.
Tinubu held bilateral meetings and engaged with Japanese companies investing in Nigeria before departing for Brazil. (Punch)
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has stated that he will support those who support President Bola Tinubu, urging residents to “support those that the government will listen to.”, has stated that he will support those who support President Bola Tinubu, urging residents to “support those that the government will listen to.”
Wike made the statement while commending former Senator representing the FCT, Philip Aduda, and the Chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council, Christopher Maikalangu, during the flag-off of Lot 2 of Water Supply Projects in Karu, on Thursday.
The minister hailed both men for their capacity and for bringing development to the people, while promising the construction of a 2km road in Karu site, on the request of Aduda, adding that he will support those who continue to support the Tinubu-led administration.
He further commended the AMAC Chairman, Maikalangu, as “very good and hardworking”, noting that the latter had used his access to government to deliver several projects to his residents in the area council, adding that his administration will do, whatever he asked if he (Maikalangu) won his re-election bid as council chairman.
“There is a road where you said is about 2km, is it not? Consider it done. You know, one thing about government and politics, support those who have capacity to bring something to the people. Support those that government will listen to.
“From what happened now, you see that Aduda, government has his ear where he is. And that’s why government said where is that road he mentioned? Consider it done.
“You can see that since he (Maikalangu) became the Chairman of AMAC, he has brought government to do Saburi Road, he has brought the government to do Kabusa-Takushere Road, he has brought government to redo this road. He has brought government to do Deidei Road.
“For me, I’m here to talk about those who have access to government and bring something to the people.
“The chairman has access to us. Anything he tells us, we will do. This is the only man I know. If he wins as chairman of AMAC, we will give him whatever he wants. I don’t know the party he belongs to. But I know that he supports Tinubu. Anybody who supports Tinubu, I will support him,” Wike said.
The minister pointed out that past governments had failed to provide the needs of the people, particularly water supply to the communities in Karu, noting that the government of Tinubu has fulfilled its promise to provide potable water to satellite towns.
“We have had a government who stayed here for five years, isn’t that correct? We have had a government who stayed here for eight years too, is that correct? Has any government come to say, look, we will provide you water? Have you had water before? Did this government promise it will give you water? Have we come now to give you water?
“So, you believe you have a covenant with this government. And the covenant is like somebody said, agreement is agreement. So, the people of Karu, you will readily remember the government that remembers you, is it not correct?
“Will you remember those who had the opportunity and they refused to do anything for you? Will you remember those who left Karu unattended, will you remember them? So, we have come to fulfil the promise we made to you, that you must have clean and potable water,” he stated.
PUNCH Online reports that Aduda represented the FCT on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party between 2011 and 2015, and was re-elected in 2015 and again in 2019, before losing the seat in the 2023 general elections.
Meanwhile, Maikalangu is seeking re-election as Chairman of AMAC in the forthcoming February 2026 Area Council elections, on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress, after defecting from the PDP in 2024. (Punch)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he will give final approval for the seizure of Gaza City while also restarting negotiations with Hamas aimed at returning all the remaining captives and ending the nearly two-year-old war, but on “terms acceptable to Israel”.
Speaking to soldiers near Gaza on Thursday, Netanyahu said he was still set on approving plans for seizing Gaza City, the densely populated centre at the heart of the Palestinian enclave, forcibly displacing close to 1 million people and carrying out the systematic demolitions of Palestinian homes.
“At the same time I have issued instructions to begin immediate negotiations for the release of all our hostages and an end to the war on terms acceptable to Israel,” Netanyahu said, adding: “We are in the decision-making phase.”
The wide-scale operation in Gaza City could start within days after Netanyahu grants final approval at a meeting with senior security officials later on Thursday.
Israeli forces have already stepped up attacks there, and thousands of Palestinians have left their homes as Israeli tanks edged closer to Gaza City over the last 10 days.
Hamas said earlier this week that it had agreed to a ceasefire proposal from mediators Qatar and Egypt, which, if accepted by Israel, could forestall the assault.
Israel’s army plans to call up 60,000 reservists and extend the service of 20,000 more.
The proposal on the table calls for a 60-day ceasefire and the release of 10 living captives held in Gaza by Hamas and of 18 bodies. In turn, Israel would release about 200 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
Once the temporary ceasefire begins, the proposal is for Hamas and Israel to begin negotiations on a permanent ceasefire that would include the return of the remaining captives.
Marwan Bishara, Al Jazeera’s senior political analyst, has likened Netanyahu’s announcement about relaunching purported truce talks while the military escalates its assault on Gaza City to “negotiation under fire”.
“There will be no stoppage of the fighting. There will be no breaks in the genocide. Hamas is going to have to make up its mind as Israel kills dozens, perhaps hundreds, of Palestinians moving forward [and] as it transfers a million Palestinians southward in Gaza,” Bishara said.
“Israel is now dictating all the terms, and it’s not listening to anyone, and it has a green light from Washington.”
At least 48 Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks across Gaza since dawn, including 16 aid seekers who were the latest victims of shootings at GHF aid distribution points.
Meanwhile, two more people have starved to death in Gaza in the past 24 hours, the Health Ministry said on Thursday. The new deaths raised the number of Palestinians who have died from Israeli-induced hunger to 271, including 112 children, since the war began.
A renewed Israeli offensive could bring even more casualties and displacement to the famine-struck territory. The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) estimated that 90 percent of Gaza’s residents have been displaced, warning that shelters are deteriorating and any further displacement will worsen the catastrophic situation.
The Palestinian Ministry of Interior denounced Israel’s push to seize Gaza City as a “death sentence” for the more than one million people living there.
The Palestinian Health Ministry also released a statement responding to what it says is an Israeli push to transfer health system resources to the south of the enclave.
“The Ministry of Health expresses its rejection of any step that would undermine what remains of the health system following the systematic destruction carried out by the Israeli occupation authorities,” it said.
“This step would deprive more than one million people of their right to treatment and put the lives of residents, patients and the wounded at imminent risk.”
Some Palestinian families in Gaza City have left for shelters along the coast, while others have moved to central and southern parts of the enclave, according to residents there.
“We are facing a bitter, bitter situation, to die at home or leave and die somewhere else. As long as this war continues, survival is uncertain,” Rabah Abu Elias, 67, a father of seven, told the Reuters news agency.
“In the news, they speak about a possible truce, on the ground, we only hear explosions and see deaths. To leave Gaza City or not isn’t an easy decision to make,” he said.
Meanwhile, Israeli air attacks also destroyed a tent camp in Deir el-Balah, central Gaza, where many people have sought refuge. Residents said the Israeli military warned them to flee shortly before the attacks set the camp ablaze.
Families, many with children, could later be seen sifting through the ashes for the belongings they had managed to take with them during earlier evacuations.
Mohammad Kahlout, who had been displaced from northern Gaza, told The Associated Press they were given just five minutes to gather what they could and flee.
“We are civilians, not terrorists. What did we do, and what did our children do, to be displaced again?” (AlJazeera)
President Bola Tinubu has announced the appointed of Rotimi Pedro as the Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority.
The presidency announced the appointment in a statement issued on Wednesday.
Pedro, a Lagos indigene, has over 20 years of experience in broadcasting, sports rights, and media consulting, including leadership stints at Bloomberg Television Africa.
Tinubu also appointed Karimah Bello, who hails from Katsina and represents the north-west, as the executive director of marketing.
The president appointed Stella Din from Plateau state as executive director of news, and Sophia Mohammed from Adamawa state as managing director of NTA Enterprises Limited.
According to the presidency, the appointments take immediate effect.
The president added that the appointments reaffirm Tinubu’s “commitment to strengthening national broadcasting as a platform for unity, cohesion, and soft diplomacy”. (Punch)
A US judge who amassed a huge online fan base via clips of his compassion in the courtroom has died.
Frank Caprio was on the bench at a court in Providence, Rhode Island, for almost four decades.
He became affectionately known as the “nicest judge in the world”, NBC Boston reported, after viral videos of him handing out justice with a smile were viewed more than a billion times on social media.
The latter years of his career, which ended in 2023, were documented in the TV show Caught In Providence.
A statement on Wednesday on his Instagram page, which had 3.2 million followers, said he had died aged 88 “after a long and courageous battle with pancreatic cancer”.
It said he was “beloved for his compassion, humility, and unwavering belief in the goodness of people”.
He had posted a message from his hospital bed the day before, saying: “Unfortunately I’ve had a setback, I’m back in the hospital now, and I’m coming to you again asking you to remember me in your prayers once more.”
Caprio’s persona was at odds with fellow TV judges, who were less sympathetic and more confrontational.
In one popular clip, he dismissed a traffic ticket handed to a bartender who skipped a red light, as they were only earning less than $4 (£2.97) an hour.
Another saw him listening sympathetically to a woman whose son had been killed, before dismissing her tickets and fines which had totalled $400 (£297).
Caprio also used his fame to speak out about inequality in the justice system.
“Almost 90% of low-income Americans are forced to battle civil issues like health care, unjust evictions, veterans benefits and, yes, even traffic violations, alone,” he said in one video.
After his death was announced, Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee paid tribute to his “warmth and compassion”.
“He was more than a jurist – he was a symbol of empathy on the bench, showing us what is possible when justice is tempered with humanity,” he said. (SkyNews)
The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has received the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Certificate for the Sango Festival in Oyo.
The Special Adviser (Media) to Oyo State Governor, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, made this known in a statement issued on Tuesday.
The certificate presentation was a sequel to the festival, making it to the representative list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity upon the proposal made by Nigeria.
The Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Barr. Hannatu Musa Musawa had presented the certificate to the Oyo State Government on Saturday, August 16, 2025, at the grand finale of the 2025 World Sango Festival in Oyo town.
Oyo State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dr Wasiu Olatubosun, who received the certificate on behalf of the state, presented it to the state governor during the Oyo State Executive Council meeting held on Tuesday, August 19, 2025.
While presenting the certificate to the governor, Dr Olatubosun lauded him for his commitment and unwavering support to all cultural and tourism activities in the state, which eventually paid off and turned the Sango Festival into an international event.
“After the inscription dated 5th December, 2023, Oyo State and Oyo town had the maiden edition of the World Sango Festival in August, 2024 in a grand style with attendance of people from all walks of life as well as envoys from various countries and embassies, and the just concluded 2025 World Sango festival was not an exemption, as there was an improvement on the year 2024 edition,” the Olatunbosun said.
Responding, Governor Makinde expressed his appreciation to the commissioner and his team, saying that their efforts culminated in the recognition of the festival by UNESCO. (Punch)
The father of Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo, Alhaji Ahmed Ododo, is dead.
His death was confirmed in a statement issued on Monday by the Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kingsley Fanwo.
Fanwo described the 83-year-old Momohsani as a devout Muslim who would be buried in line with Islamic traditions.
The statement reads: “The Kogi State Government regrets to announce the passing of the father of the Executive Governor of Kogi State, Late Alhaji Ahmed Momohsani Ododo, who returned to his Creator a few hours ago at the age of 83.
“His Janazah (funeral) will be conducted and he will be laid to rest in accordance with Islamic rites.
“We pray to Allah (SWT) to forgive his shortcomings, accept his good deeds, and grant him Al-Jannah Firdaus.
“We also pray that Almighty Allah grants the Governor, his family, and the entire Ododo family the strength to bear this great loss with fortitude.”
Although details of the circumstances surrounding his death were not disclosed, government officials and political leaders in Kogi are expected to pay tributes to the governor’s late father, who was widely respected in his community.
The late Alhaji Ahmed Momohsani is survived by children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, including Governor Usman Ododo, who assumed office in January 2024. (Punch)
The rise of TikTok trends and social media slang has prompted Cambridge Dictionary to update its online edition with 6,000 fresh entries in the past year, including buzzwords like “skibidi,” “delulu,” and “tradwife.”
For those less immersed in digital culture, some of the sample sentences the UK-based dictionary provides may sound baffling. The term skibidi was popularised through Skibidi Toilet, a surreal YouTube animation series featuring human heads popping out of toilets.
Phrases such as “that wasn’t very skibidi rizz of you” or “As Gen Z say, I’ve entered my ‘delulu era?’” can appear like another language entirely.
According to Cambridge, skibidi is defined as “a word that can have different meanings, such as ‘cool’ or ‘bad,’ or can be used with no real meaning as a joke.” (Punch)
President Bola Tinubu has condoled with the government and people of Kebbi State over the death of the Emir of Zuru, Major General Muhammadu Sani Sami (retd.), Gomo II.
The traditional ruler, who was also a former military governor of Bauchi State, passed away on Sunday.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President described the late emir’s death as a huge blow to the nation.
“The President described the death early today of the retired general and onetime military governor of Bauchi State as a significant loss for the country,” the statement read.
Tinubu noted that Nigeria would “long remember the late emir’s contributions as an administrator and revered traditional ruler.”
He recalled that as a young military officer, the emir also served Nigeria during the Civil War between 1967 and 1970.
Acknowledging the monarch’s impact in Kebbi, the President said the royal father provided “sterling leadership, which helped bring stability and development to the Zuru Emirate and Kebbi State.”
Tinubu prayed to Almighty Allah to grant the emir eternal rest and give his family and subjects the fortitude to bear the loss. (Punch)
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation has formally recognised the Sango Festival as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, presented UNESCO’s certificate of inscription to the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade I.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the presentation took place at the grand finale of the 2025 World Sango Festival, held over the weekend in Oyo State.
Musawa described the achievement as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s cultural landscape.
She said the feat demonstrates the ministry’s commitment to safeguarding the country’s rich cultural heritage and promoting it as a tool for international diplomacy and sustainable tourism.
The minister commended the collaborative efforts between her ministry and the Oyo community, noting that the recognition aligns with the Federal Government’s broader goals of cultural promotion, employment generation, wealth creation, and community empowerment.
She said, “I heartily congratulate Your Imperial Majesty, the new Sango Chief Priest, the Oyo community, and indeed the entire Yoruba nation on the grand finale of the 2025 World Sango Festival.
“The Sango Festival has now attained global recognition with its inscription by UNESCO on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
“This is made possible by effective collaboration between the Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy and the Oyo community.
“This milestone firmly places Sango’s rich heritage on the world stage and underscores its importance as a shared global heritage.
“This achievement is a shining gain of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, through our ministry’s commitment to safeguarding our rich cultural heritage as a powerful tool for international diplomacy and sustainable tourism.
“The foregoing further strengthens the foundation of our strong cultural identity, geared towards employment generation and wealth creation for sustainable development, empowerment of the host community, and Nigeria.”
In his remarks, the Alaafin of Oyo expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu and the ministry for their renewed commitment to expanding Nigeria’s culture and heritage, which he said made this recognition possible.
The monarch also reaffirmed the Oyo Kingdom’s cooperation with the federal government and the Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy to further promote Nigeria’s cultural identity globally.
The 2025 Sango Festival, which drew dignitaries from within and outside the country, provided the backdrop for the certificate presentation, highlighting the festival’s significance as a cultural treasure and symbol of Nigeria’s rich heritage. (Punch)
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