President Bola Tinubu has mourned veteran Nollywood actor, filmmaker and screenwriter, Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, describing his death as a great loss to the Yoruba film industry, Nollywood and Nigeria’s creative community.
Tinubu, in a statement issued on Monday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, extended his condolences to the actor’s family, friends and colleagues.
The President described Ogogo as a distinguished artiste whose career spanned several decades and whose contributions helped shape the growth of Yoruba-language theatre and Nigerian cinema.
He said Ogogo’s distinctive acting style, powerful screen presence and dedication to his craft enabled him to entertain generations of Nigerians while promoting Yoruba culture and Nigeria’s diverse cultural heritage.
“Alhaji Taiwo Hassan was a gifted artiste who used his talent to tell Nigerian stories, preserve our cultural heritage and entertain audiences at home and abroad.
“His passing is a great loss to his family, the Yoruba film industry, Nollywood and the entire Nigerian creative community.
“On behalf of the Federal Government, I extend my heartfelt condolences to his family, colleagues, friends and millions of admirers. I pray that Almighty Allah will grant him eternal rest and give his loved ones the strength to bear this irreparable loss,” Tinubu said.
The President said Ogogo’s body of work would remain an important part of Nigeria’s cultural history, while his mentorship and influence on younger artistes further demonstrated his enduring legacy in the creative industry.
Tinubu urged members of the creative industry and Nigerians to honour Ogogo’s memory by preserving and building on the cultural values and artistic traditions to which he devoted his life.
He also prayed for the peaceful repose of the late actor’s soul.
Before gaining fame as an actor, Ogogo worked as a mechanic at the Ogun State Water Corporation for about 13 years.
He began acting in 1981 while combining the profession with his mechanic job before leaving the employment in 1994 to pursue acting full-time.
Ogogo died on Sunday at the age of 66 after battling stage-four cancer.
His remains were taken to his hometown, Ilaro, Ogun State, where he was buried on Monday according to Islamic rites. (Punch)
Dolly Parton, the American country music singer who rose from poverty in Tennessee to become a US cultural giant with hits like “Jolene” and “Coat of Many Colours”, has died at 80, her family said Tuesday.
“Dolly has lived in the light and is in the arms of Jesus,” her nephew Bryan Seaver said in a video on social media.
He said the multiple award-winning artist had “opened doors for generations of singers, songwriters, musicians, and dreamers from every walk of life.”
The family did not give a cause of death, but the singer-songwriter — who was also an actress, philanthropist, and extraordinarily successful businesswoman — had spoken about her recent ill health. Her husband Carl Dean died last year.
President Donald Trump ordered the lowering of American flags to half-staff across the United States for a week for Parton, calling her passing a “true loss for millions of people”.
“There has never been anyone like her, and never will,” Trump posted on his Truth Social network.
In May, Parton had announced the cancellation of a series of Las Vegas concerts, citing ongoing health concerns. In videos posted to her social media accounts, she said that while treatment for an unspecified illness was going well, she was not ready to be performing on stage.
Parton lived her entire adult life in the heart of Americana, folk and country music. The day after graduating from high school, she struck out for the country music capital Nashville.
By 1967, at age 21, she was among the most recognised figures in American music, having joined Porter Wagoner’s syndicated country music television show that broadcast her voice and face into millions of US homes.
Parton was prolific in a career spanning six decades, during which she penned some 3,000 tunes.
They included the soundtrack smash hit “9 to 5”, “Islands In the Stream”, and the iconic ballad “I Will Always Love You”, which became an international success for Whitney Houston.
Releasing 49 studio albums and more than 100 compilation and collaboration albums, she earned the title of “queen of country music”.
“By her example, we believed that anything was possible. She never saw a door she couldn’t open, and the doors she opened made and changed history,” her nephew said.
Parton — never one to downplay her striking looks — essentially wrote the book on how a woman can rule the airwaves in a male-dominated industry, ultimately becoming an American treasure whose songs were covered by the likes of Shania Twain, Sinead O’Connor and the White Stripes. (Channels)
The Bola Ige House has a familiar occupant: Ademola Adeleke! The Osun State governor has won a fresh four-year term to lead the South-West state after defeating his closest rival, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Returning Officer for the Osun governorship election, Joshua Ogunwole, who announced the results at the INEC Collation Centre in Osogbo early Sunday, said Governor Adeleke polled 511,067 votes to emerge as the winner of the keenly contested exercise.
Oyebamiji of the APC came second with a total vote count of 444,815. Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) was a distant third, having gotten 17,180 votes.
“For that, Adeleke Ademola Jackson of the Accord Party, having satisfied the requirement of the law, is hereby declared the winner and is hereby returned elected,” he said on Sunday morning at the collation centre in Osogbo.
According to Ogunwole, 1,005,800 votes were cast in the election, which was held across the 30 local government areas of Osun State, while 985,079 valid votes were recorded. The Returning Officer said 1,010,684 voters were accredited for the poll.
Adeleke’s victory was particularly significant as he contested the election on the platform of the Accord Party, having left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), under which he won his first term, in December.
“We opted for the Accord Party because its mission of welfarism aligns with our passionate focus on citizens’ and workers’ welfare. Since I joined, I have been fascinated by the philosophy of this great party,” the governor said while announcing his defection from the PDP, one of Nigeria’s main opposition parties. “The primary essence of a government is the welfare and well-being of the people.”
The declaration ended months of campaigning in the South-West state, with 15 political parties participating in the election.
The period leading to Saturday’s exercise was marked by accusations and counter-accusations, with security heightened across the state.
Both the ruling party and the APC traded blame, accusing each other of being behind killings and the destruction of property.
Police authorities, in the wake of the heightened tensions, deployed 15,000 personnel across the state alongside 30 commissioners of police as part of preparations for a hitch-free election.
Force Public Relations Officer Anietie Iniedu also said a police helicopter and a drone unit were deployed to the state to conduct aerial surveillance.
To ensure a hitch-free exercise, President Bola Tinubu mandated the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, and other heads of security agencies to provide adequate security at polling units in Osun to forestall any disruption of the process.
“I have charged the Inspector-General of Police and other heads of security outfits taking part in the election to provide maximum security at polling units. No room should be allowed for troublemakers to disrupt the process,” the President said, urging the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure the “orderly conduct of the election”.
“The election must be transparent, free and fair. I urge INEC to ensure the integrity of the process,” Tinubu said in the statement a day before the exercise contested by 15 political parties.
Days before the election, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) froze an account belonging to the Osun State Government, a move which raised concerns and questions among Nigerians.
But President Tinubu intervened, directing the anti-graft agency to unfreeze the account, saying the timing of EFCC’s action was embarrassing.
The race for the governorship election also took another twist days before the poll when a court ordered the inclusion of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the contest, creating fresh logistical challenges for INEC.
SDP’s inclusion meant the electoral umpire had to make adjustments to its preparations, including the production and distribution of election materials for the election and other logistical arrangements.
“In spite of the fact that the thing came late, we were able to print all ballot papers, millions, within 36 hours, because hours had no meaning to us anymore. Days had no meaning to us anymore,” INEC’s National Commissioner supervising Osun State, Kunle Ajayi, said on Friday’s edition of Channels Television’s Politics Today.
“We were working day and night as if it were day. So, we were able to complete the printing, and we moved all the materials, all the sensitive materials, ballots, everything, to the Central Bank yesterday, late last night.”
“In spite of the late judgment, which came very late after we had printed all the sensitive materials and moved them to the appropriate quarters, the judgment just came on a Friday, and we had only Saturday, Sunday and Monday,” he said. (Channels)
Spider-Man: Brand New Day has continued its strong box-office run, becoming Sony Pictures’ highest-grossing film after topping the North American charts for a third consecutive weekend.
The Tom Holland and Zendaya-led superhero film earned $70 million domestically over the weekend, bringing its North American total to $785.8 million after 17 days in cinemas.
The latest figure pushed the film past Avatar, which finished its domestic run with $785.2 million, placing Brand New Day fourth on the all-time North American box-office chart.
The film also crossed the $2 billion mark globally, becoming only the eighth movie to reach the milestone and the second-fastest after Avengers: Endgame. Its worldwide earnings currently stand at $2.022 billion.
The achievement also saw Brand New Day overtake Spider-Man: No Way Home, which grossed $1.9 billion worldwide following its 2021 release, making the new film Sony’s biggest title ever.
Brand New Day also recorded the second-highest third weekend in domestic box-office history, behind Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which earned $90.2 million during its third weekend. (Leadership)
Hayden Panettiere, an actress known for her roles in popular TV series “Heroes” and “Nashville,” has died aged 36, according to media reports.
Her father confirmed the actress’ death in a statement to ABC News.
“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her — and to the millions who watched her onscreen,” he said.
He asked that her family be given privacy while they “process this unimaginable loss.”
Details about her death were not immediately given, but news outlet TMZ said there was an “open investigation” into the cause.
Born in 1989, Panettiere became a child star and went on to have numerous roles in both film and TV.
Her credits include “Remember The Titans,” “Ice Princess,” “Scream 4” and “Scream VI.”
She wrote a memoir titled “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” which was released in May.
In that book, she wrote of the pressures of being a child star and her experiences of addiction and recovery.
She had also spoken of estrangement from her mother, who managed her career as a child and later criticized her daughter’s book. (Channels)
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Saturday commenced the public display of the personal particulars of candidates nominated by political parties for the 2027 General Elections.
It said this complies with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026.
The move, which is in line with its revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2027 General Election, forms part of the nomination papers filed by candidates seeking to contest the January 16, 2027, presidential election.
In a statement on Saturday, INEC said the exercise took place at the State Head Office in Abuja and simultaneously across the six Area Council offices of the FCT and is targeted at promoting transparency and providing members of the public with the opportunity to scrutinise the credentials and other particulars submitted by candidates seeking elective offices.
Representing the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), FCT, during the exercise, the Administrative Secretary, Bimbo Oladunjoye, stated that the publication of candidates’ particulars is a statutory requirement under Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act, 2026, which mandates the Commission to display the personal particulars, affidavits and other relevant documents of candidates in the constituencies where they intend to contest elections.
Oladunjoye explained that the display covers Presidential candidates and National Assembly candidates contesting elections in the Federal Capital Territory, adding that the exercise is being conducted simultaneously at all INEC offices across the six Area Councils to ensure easy access for members of the public.
She said that the display of candidates’ particulars is an important aspect of the electoral process, as it enhances openness, accountability and public confidence in the conduct of elections. She encouraged citizens, political parties, civil society organisations, the media and other stakeholders to take advantage of the exercise by carefully examining the information displayed.
According to her, the Commission remains committed to strict compliance with the law and the implementation of its Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2027 General Elections.
“The Commission is on course with its preparations for the 2027 General Elections and will continue to carry out every stage of the electoral process in accordance with the Constitution, the Electoral Act, 2026, and the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines,” she said. (Channels)
President Bola Tinubu, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Abia State Governor Alex Otti, and other eminent Nigerians have called for renewed commitment to national unity and patriotism as Abia marks the 60th memorial anniversary of the country’s first Military Head of State, Major General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi.
The leaders made the call in Umuahia, Abia State, during a memorial ceremony to commemorate the late military leader, who was assassinated on July 29, 1966, urging Nigerians to reflect on the lessons of history and work collectively towards building a more peaceful, united and prosperous nation.
President Tinubu, represented by the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.), described Aguiyi-Ironsi as a courageous and disciplined officer who assumed leadership at a critical period in Nigeria’s history.
He said although the late Head of State’s tenure was brief, his commitment to preserving national unity, restoring stability and safeguarding the integrity of the country remains worthy of emulation.
The President said the values of patriotism, discipline, integrity and selfless service exemplified by Aguiyi-Ironsi remain relevant to Nigeria’s development, urging citizens to embrace the nation’s diversity as a source of strength.
He also commended Governor Alex Otti for what he described as visionary leadership and quality governance in Abia State.
Governor Alex Otti said the memorial was not only to honour a fallen leader but also to remind Nigerians of the importance of unity, merit and sacrifice.
According to him, Aguiyi-Ironsi’s willingness to lay down his life for the country should inspire leaders and citizens alike to place national interest above personal or ethnic considerations.
He maintained that appointments in his administration are based on competence and integrity rather than state of origin, stressing that Nigeria stands to gain more as one united nation.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Chief of Army Staff, General Azubuike Ihejirika (retd.), and former First Lady Patience Jonathan described the late Aguiyi-Ironsi as a patriotic Nigerian whose sacrifice should never be forgotten. They commended the Abia State Government for preserving the nation’s history and urged Nigerians to continue promoting peace, unity and selfless service.
Presenting the citation of the late military leader, his daughter, Mrs. Louisa Aguiyi-Ironsi, said the commemoration was intended to preserve the legacy of a leader who made the ultimate sacrifice for Nigeria’s unity and not to reopen old divisions.
She called on present and future leaders to embrace justice, accountability, discipline and the collective good in nation-building.
The ceremony featured prayers and the consecration of Aguiyi-Ironsi’s tomb by the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Umuahia, Most Rev. Michael Ukpong, followed by a wreath-laying ceremony led by the President’s representative, Governor Alex Otti, representatives of other state governments, Dame Patience Jonathan and several distinguished guests.
The event attracted serving and former public officials, military officers, traditional rulers, religious leaders, members of the diplomatic community and the Aguiyi-Ironsi family, who all paid tribute to the late Head of State’s contributions to Nigeria’s unity and nation-building. (Channels)
Formula 1 president Stefano Domenicali says the 2026 championship will end in Europe if the conflict in the Middle East makes it impossible to hold the season-closing races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
Domenicali said on a call with F1 media that a final decision would be made by the “middle of September”.
“For us today, the races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi are confirmed,” Domenicali said. “By the way, they are already sold out. That is an incredible sign of how much the sport is bigger than the problem that our world is living.
“But of course, if the situation will not be cleared the way that we believe it should be, before the middle of September we will take the decision.
“If this will not be possible, the end of the season will be in Europe, because we cannot go in other places.”
The 61-year-old did not elaborate on where the final race would be held if Qatar and Abu Dhabi have to be called off, but the strong front-runner is the Imola circuit in Italy.
F1 has already been forced to cancel the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia races, which were scheduled for April, as a result of the US-Israel war with Iran.
The sport announced on Sunday that Malaysia would step in hold a race in September on behalf of Bahrain.
Although that event takes F1 to the 21 grands prix needed to satisfy various commercial contracts, Domenicali is determined for there to be another race after the Las Vegas Grand Prix on 21 November.
Domenicali said: “There was a possibility of having two races in Las Vegas, but we don’t want to ruin, let me put it this way, a jewel that is growing by undervaluing what we are doing there.
“And of course, we don’t have to forget that in that period of the year, we are fighting in the US against the NFL.
“That is a major sport that is, I don’t want to say detracting, but a lot of fans are watching that. So we need to avoid any kind of situation that would put us in front of something that, of course, is still quite big in the US.”
Next year, the opening race is set to revert to Bahrain after two years in Australia as a result of the timing of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Domenicali said contingency plans were in place should the war still be ongoing, he added.
“So far, the calendar that will be presented, let’s say in autumn, will be as a sort of a normal plan,” Domenicali said.
“But in case the situation in the Middle East will be not solved, we have options, different plan. And the trigger for that, of course, is at the end of the year.”
He said these alternative plans would “accommodate the fact that we will keep, in any case, the target of 24 countries also for next year”. (BBC)
Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, has her hit single, ‘Me & U’, featured in the first official teaser for the Hollywood fantasy film, Children of Blood & Bone.
Oyinkansola Aderibigbe, popularly known as Ayra Starr, also appeared in the teaser, marking her Hollywood acting debut.
The behind-the-scenes teaser, shared on Monday by director Gina Prince-Bythewood on her Instagram page @gpbmadeit, features scenes from the film’s production, including costume preparations, action sequences and brief appearances by cast members
Its caption reads: “So excited to share a peek behind the scenes of our incredible journey to Orisha. CHILDREN OF BLOOD AND BONE TRAILER drops TOMORROW! And in theaters Jan 15!”
Tems’ Me & U soundtracks the teaser, while Ayra Starr appears briefly alongside other cast members in the Paramount Pictures adaptation of Tomi Adeyemi’s bestselling novel.
The film stars Viola Davis, Idris Elba, Cynthia Erivo, Damson Idris, Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Amandla Stenberg and Ayra Starr.
The plot follows Zélie Adebola as she seeks to restore magic to her people after it was violently taken from them, in a world inspired by West African mythology.
The plot follows Adebola, a young woman who seeks to restore magic to the West African-inspired kingdom of Orïsha after it was violently taken from its people.
Children of Blood & Bone is based on Tomi Adeyemi’s 2018 novel, the first book in the Legacy of Orïsha series. (Vanguard)
FIFA President Gianni Infantino is abandoning his divisive plan to sell World Cup profits to private equity after receiving pushback from all corners of the soccer world.
Infantino’s decision came after his senior adviser who sat on a White House panel resigned and Asia’s soccer body joined Europe and North America in opposing it.
“Having listened carefully to all the views, it has become clear that the project has created divisions of a nature that, regardless of the level of support, are no longer in the interest of the objective set out in the first place,” Infantino said in a statement on Friday. “Our purpose has always been — and will always be — to unite and improve. As a result, this proposal will not proceed.”
Infantino had proposed creating a $20 billion company to run the World Cup with private investors including the Kushner family, but drew backlash that grew every day since Tuesday’s announcement.
UEFA’s 55-member nations agreed to boycott the World Cup and all other FIFA competitions over Infantino’s plan on Thursday. North America’s CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation also said they opposed the plan.
“Some things are simply too important to sell,” UEFA said in a statement. “The FIFA World Cup belongs to football. It always will. And so long as Europe has a voice, it will never be for sale.”
Infantino’s senior adviser, Carlos Cordeiro, a former Goldman Sachs banker who represented the soccer body on the White House Task Force for the World Cup, resigned on Friday and urged other senior FIFA staff to speak out.
“I cannot stand by while FIFA considers selling a stake in the World Cup,” Cordeiro said in a statement, just hours after FIFA insisted: “Nobody is selling football.”
Hours later, FIFA chief operating officer Kevin Lamour issued a statement to The Associated Press, saying FIFA staff were deceived by Infantino’s lack of openness in planning the sale over recent months and that the project must not continue.
“It is the project of one person,” Lamour, a longtime colleague of Infantino at both FIFA and European soccer body UEFA, wrote. “Not only must this project not go ahead … but the time has now come for football political leaders to ask themselves the right questions and make the right decisions.”
Infantino has proposed spinning off FIFA’s commercial businesses — including World Cups and Club World Cups for men and women — into a $20 billion subsidiary with 20% owned by private investors.
The “anchor investor,” described by FIFA, is a New York-based investment firm created by Joshua Kushner, the younger brother of U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
The next FIFA competition is the Women’s Under-20 World Cup starting Sept. 5 in Poland — which UEFA members said they would boycott.
The misstep could prove costly for Infantino, particularly after the interventions by Lamour and Cordeiro.
Reelected unopposed in 2019 and 2023, Infantino is allowed one more four-year term under FIFA statutes. The deadline for the next presidential contest is Nov. 18, exactly four months ahead of the vote in Rabat, Morocco, where FIFA has its African headquarters.
Infantino’s job seemed secured despite long-term unease with his style and previous attempts to force through unpopular projects, but could become more tenuous with the failed private equity proposal. (JapanToday)
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