Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has opened up about the challenges that come with fame, describing it as a restriction on his personal life and freedom.
In an interview posted on Monday via X by Instagblog, the Napoli forward shared a personal moment about missing out on his daughter’s first outing due to public attention and fan presence.
“I remember when I had my daughter and I wanted to take her somewhere with my family when they came to visit us in Italy. I couldn’t do much with my daughter on her first outing. I had to give her to my sister while I was just taking pictures, making videos and everything,” he said.
Reflecting on the effects of stardom, Osimhen remarked, “Fame is boring. Sometimes you want to go outside, and you cannot do a lot of things.”
Despite his global recognition, the 26-year-old emphasised his desire to remain grounded and connected to his roots.
“I just like to be around these people. I just like to stay close to them… This is how I was born, so for me, it’s just natural.”
Osimhen also acknowledged the support system that has helped him navigate success.
“One of the few lessons that I’ve also learned—my elder brother is there to guide my footsteps, which is very important,” he stated.
Osimhen added that he feels most comfortable when surrounded by ordinary people, even when accompanied by security personnel.
“If I have my security and they are strapped, for me, I’m good. I can be among these people. I don’t care. This is my life. This is how I live,” he said.
A former media aide to the late President Muhammadu Buhari, Garba Shehu, has said that Buhari’s frequent medical trips abroad were a matter of personal preference and not a dismissal of Nigeria’s healthcare system.
Shehu made this clarification during an appearance on Channels Television’s “Inside Sources” program on Saturday.
His comments were a direct response to remarks made by Femi Adesina, another of Buhari’s former spokespersons.
Adesina had previously suggested that Buhari “could have died a long time ago” if he had relied solely on Nigerian hospitals, citing a perceived lack of expertise within the country.
However, Shehu contradicted Adesina’s view, asserting that Buhari remained under the care of Nigerian doctors throughout his presidency, implying that the foreign trips were not due to a lack of local medical competence.
Shehu said, “I think it is wrong to assume that he fenced himself off from the Nigerian medical system.
“He had a Nigerian doctor, a chief personal physician and a state house clinic, also led by a medical consultant, a distinguished doctor of many years of practice.”
He emphasised that the president’s medical team was always available to meet his immediate health needs.
“In terms of the immediacy of his own medical needs, they were always present to administer to his own needs,” Shehu added.
While acknowledging Buhari’s consistent visits abroad for treatment, Shehu said this was due to the president’s longstanding medical relationship overseas.
“As for his attachment to his past practice abroad for his medicals, he had an attachment to that.
“It was not that he was disrespectful of Nigeria’s medical practice or that he didn’t believe,” he said.
Shehu also highlighted the presence of Nigerian-trained doctors working globally, noting that their competence is recognised worldwide.
“For most people who also travel abroad and they need to see doctors — I have experienced this in America — you go into the office of the doctor and you find that it’s a Nigerian surgeon, it’s a Nigerian doctor,” he noted.
President Muhammadu Buhari died on July 13 in a London clinic after a prolonged illness.
He was buried at his residence in Daura, Katsina State, on July 15.
Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom on Saturday commended President Bola Tinubu for extending the Renewed Hope Conditional Cash Transfer initiative to over 27,000 vulnerable residents of the state.
A statement issued by the governor’s aide on entrepreneurship development, Meflyn Anwana in Abuja disclosed that each beneficiary received N75,000 as part of the programme aimed at alleviating poverty and mitigating economic hardship.
Eno described the gesture as a timely intervention that aligns with his administration’s inclusive governance and humanitarian vision.
Speaking at the flag-off of the programme held at the Women Development Centre in Uyo, Eno, represented by the Coordinator, Office of the First Lady, Mrs. Helen Obareki, praised the President for prioritising the welfare of the poor and ensuring that his people are not left behind in the federal government’s social investment drive.
The statement partly read, “Through the Renewed Hope Agenda initiative of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, over 27,000 Akwa Ibom people received a conditional cash transfer of ₦75,000 earlier today.
“This initiative, strategically designed to lift the poorest of the poor out of poverty and reduce economic hardship, is a social investment that aligns with the humanitarian model in Akwa Ibom State.
“His Excellency reaffirmed his commitment to partnering with the Federal Government to support vulnerable citizens, particularly through the implementation of the ARISE Agenda.”
The statement further highlighted that since assuming office in May 2023, Eno’s administration has placed a strong emphasis on social welfare and embedding humanitarian responses into state policy with the creation of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs.
“The state has delivered 205 homes, provided monthly stipends to 600 elderly persons, and facilitated health insurance coverage for 1,287 senior citizens and persons with disabilities.
“The governor also awarded educational grants to 243 students with disabilities, supported MSMEs with equipment and funds, and empowered youths with ₦50,000 grants.
“Our policies are not just about giving food or cash to people but about restoring dignity, driving economic empowerment, and building a state where no one is left behind,” Eno said.
Russia struck several regions of Ukraine overnight, officials said Saturday, reporting one person killed in Dnipro, while Moscow said two people died after a Ukrainian drone attack in the Rostov region.
Dnipro Mayor Borys Filatov said one person was killed in a high-rise apartment complex.
Across the border, Russia’s acting governor of Rostov said a car caught fire following a drone strike.
“Tragically, two people died,” Yuri Sliusar posted on Telegram.
Ukrainian officials in Dnipro, Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia all reported coming under Russian fire overnight.
In Dnipro, Filatov urged people to take precautions during Russian attacks.
“I understand that there aren’t enough shelters, but I must say: during shelling, it is absolutely not advisable to stay on the upper floors, especially when there is an underground parking area available,” he posted on Telegram.
Kharkiv Mayor Igor Terekhov said that his city had come under sustained bombardment “for almost three hours”.
“The enemy used several types of weapons simultaneously: guided bombs, ballistic missiles and kamikaze drones,” he added.
In Zaporizhzhia, Governor Ivan Fedorov said several fires broke out following Russian drone attacks, one of which hit a residential building while another damaged a farm warehouse.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been pushing for a meeting with counterpart Vladimir Putin to end the war, with Kyiv proposing talks by the end of August.
But the Kremlin on Thursday downplayed the likelihood any such meeting was imminent.
Both sides have radically different positions at the negotiating table, and Ukraine has accused Russia of sending only low-level officials with no decision-making power.
Russia has called on Ukraine to effectively cede four regions that Moscow claims to have annexed, a demand Kyiv has called unacceptable.
Ukraine meanwhile has been pleading with its Western backers to send more weapons for its troops to withstand daily Russian attacks.
The President of the Republic of The Gambia, Adama Barrow, on Friday paid a condolence visit to the family of the late former Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari, at his hometown in Daura, Katsina State.
Barrow, who arrived in Katsina for the visit, was received by the Secretary to the Katsina State Government, Alhaji Abdullahi Garba-Faskari, alongside members of the Buhari family.
While offering his tribute, Barrow described the late Buhari as a pillar of democracy and a steadfast supporter of The Gambia.
“President Buhari stood by us and the Gambian people to ensure that our democratic mandate was fully respected and implemented to its ultimate end,” he said.
Barrow said that Buhari was more than a leader to him personally.
“Every time I saw Buhari, I saw a father, a brother, and an uncle standing before me,” he said.
Barrow highlighted Buhari’s role in promoting peace and democracy across West Africa through ECOWAS, the African Union, and on the global stage.
He stated, “I feel deeply obliged for what President Buhari has done — not just for The Gambia, but for ECOWAS, the African Union, and Nigeria’s image across the world.
“He stood for democracy, freedom, and justice.”
The Gambian leader extended his condolences to the Buhari family and the Nigerian people.
“We offer our heartfelt condolences to his family and to all Nigerians for the loss of a great man—one who helped shape who we are today,” he said.
In his remarks, Garba-Faskari described Barrow’s visit as a true reflection of African brotherhood.
He added that Buhari’s contributions to peace and stability in Nigeria and across the continent would never be forgotten.
Responding on behalf of the family, Yusuf Buhari, son of the late president, expressed heartfelt appreciation for the visit.
He said the gesture underscored the strong historical and diplomatic ties between Nigeria and The Gambia, as well as the late president’s enduring legacy in Africa.
President Bola Tinubu, on Friday, hosted members of the 1999 class of governors at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The former governors were led to the State House by a former Governor of Delta State, James Ibori.
Details of the meeting were not disclosed as of the time of filing this report, but the visit is believed to be part of ongoing consultations by the President with key political stakeholders.
The Special Assistant to the President on Social Media, Dada Olusegun made this known in a post via his X handle on Friday.
The class of 1999 governors, who assumed office at the return of democratic rule, played significant roles in shaping Nigeria’s Fourth Republic politics.
PUNCH Online reports that Tinubu was the Governor of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007.
France defended its decision to recognise Palestinian statehood amid domestic and international criticism on Friday, including against the charge that the move plays into the hands of militant group Hamas.
President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday that his country would formally recognise a Palestinian state during a UN meeting in September, the most powerful European nation to announce such a move.
Macron’s announcement drew condemnation from Israel, which said it “rewards terror”, while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called it “reckless” and said it “only serves Hamas propaganda”.
Mike Huckabee, US ambassador to Israel, quipped that Macron did not say where a future Palestinian state would be located.
“I can now exclusively disclose that France will offer the French Riviera & the new nation will be called “Franc-en-Stine”, he said on X.
Hamas itself — which is designated a terrorist group by the United States and the European Union — praised the French initiative, saying it was “a positive step in the right direction toward doing justice to our oppressed Palestinian people”.
But French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on Friday argued that Macron’s initiative went against what the militant group wanted.
“Hamas has always ruled out a two-state solution. By recognising Palestine, France goes against that terrorist organisation,” Barrot said on X.
With its decision, France was “backing the side of peace against the side of war”, Barrot added.
Domestic reactions ranged from praise on the left, condemnation on the right and awkward silence in the ranks of the government itself.
– ‘Counter-productive’, ‘pointless’ –
The leader of the far-right National Rally (RN), Jordan Bardella, said the announcement was “rushed” and afforded Hamas “unexpected institutional and international legitimacy”.
On the other side of the political spectrum, Jean-Luc Melenchon, boss of the far-left France Unbowed party, called Macron’s announcement “a moral victory”, although he deplored that it did not take effect immediately.
Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, a right winger whose relationship with Macron is tense, declined on Friday to give his opinion, saying he was currently busy with an unrelated “serious topic” linked to the “security of French people on holiday”.
But the vice president of his party, Les Republicains, Xavier Bellamy, blasted the decision as possibly “counter-productive” or, at best, “pointless”.
The move risked “endangering Israeli civilians” as well as “Palestinian civilians who are victims of Hamas’s barbarism”, he said.
Bellamy said that Macron’s move was a departure from the president’s previously set conditions for recognition of Palestine, which included a Hamas de-militarisation, the movement’s exclusion from any future government, the liberation of all Israeli hostages in Gaza and the recognition of Israel by several Arab states.
“None of them have been met,” he said.
While France would be the most significant European country to recognise a Palestinian state, others have hinted they could do the same.
Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced he would hold a call on Friday with counterparts in Germany and France on efforts to stop the fighting, adding that a ceasefire would “put us on a path to the recognition of a Palestinian state”.
Norway, Spain, Ireland and Slovenia all announced recognition following the outbreak of the Gaza conflict, along with several other non-European countries.
Once France follows through on its announcement, a total of at least 142 countries will have recognised Palestinian statehood.
The Mediation Training Institute has called on Nigerians to make mediation a daily practice to resolve disputes peacefully and build stronger relationships at all levels of society.
In a statement to mark the International Day of Mediation on Thursday, the MTI President, Segun Ogunyannwo, said mediation should be viewed as an essential life skill rather than an occasional option.
“Mediation should not be like a garment that you put on whenever it suits you and put off when it does not serve your interest or purpose.
“In our thoughts, words, and deeds, we should reflect the high standards and ideals of the very fulfilling ministry of reconciliation—mediation,” he said.
He noted that the institute chose July 24 as symbolic, underscoring the message that mediation should be practised “24 hours a day, seven days a week.”
Ogunyannwo urged Nigerians to use mediation to address disputes in families, workplaces, communities, and business relationships, stressing its role in sustaining harmony in a conflict-prone society.
He also encouraged individuals to take practical steps by mediating real disputes on the day and sharing their experiences with the institute via email for recognition of their peacebuilding efforts.
“Mediation skills are life skills”, Ogunyannwo noted, adding that these skills are vital for managing differences, preserving relationships, and fostering peaceful co-existence.
He reminded mediators to uphold confidentiality and respect privacy in all interventions, stating that the International Day of Mediation continues to serve as a platform to promote dialogue, tolerance, and reconciliation across Nigeria.
Thousands of UK doctors launched a five-day strike early Friday after talks with the Labour government for a new pay increase failed to reach a deal.
Doctors were out on picket lines outside hospitals after negotiations with the government went down the wire late Thursday, without reaching an accord.
The move comes after the doctors accepted a pay rise offer totalling 22.3 per cent over two years in September, soon after Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour party took power.
Resident doctors — those below consultant level — have said they felt they had “no choice” but to strike again to reverse “pay erosion” since 2008.
Starmer on Friday appealed to the doctors, saying patients were being put at risk and the strikes would “cause real damage”.
Launching a strike “will mean everyone loses,” Starmer wrote in the Times, highlighting the added strain it would put on the already struggling National Health Service (NHS).
He appealed to the doctors not to “follow” their union, the British Medical Association (BMA) “down this damaging road. Our NHS and your patients need you” .
“Lives will be blighted by this decision,” Starmer warned.
But the junior doctors have said their pay in real terms has eroded more than 21 per cent over the past two decades.
“We’re not working 21 per cent less hard so why should our pay suffer?” said the co-chairs of the BMA’s resident doctors committee Melissa Ryan and Ross Nieuwoudt in a statement.
Last year’s doctors’ strikes, which saw tens of thousands of appointments cancelled and treatment delayed, were among a series of public and private sector walk-outs over pay and conditions as inflation soared.
Health minister Wes Streeting also appealed to doctors to reverse their position, saying in a letter published in The Telegraph that the government “cannot afford to go further on pay this year”.
The previous Conservative government last year resisted the BMA’s demands for a 35-perc ent “pay restoration” to reflect real-term inflation over the last decade.
Last year, Labour moved to draw a line under a series of disputes reaching pay offers to public sector workers including teachers and train drivers.
Those included a 15 per cent pay deal over three years for train drivers, which was heavily criticised by the Conservative opposition.
