Author: Ifetayo Adeniyi

Manny Ita  – Multiple opinion polls in the United States indicate that a majority of Americans oppose military action against Iran, even as President Donald Trump confirmed that US forces had launched attacks targeting the Iranian regime. Mr Trump announced on Saturday that the United States military began what he described as a major combat operation in Iran shortly after Israel confirmed its own strikes against Iranian targets. The president said the action was aimed at neutralising what he called an imminent threat to Americans. “Short time ago, the US military began a major combat operation in Iran. Our objective…

Nigeria has officially joined the global MasterChef franchise, with organisers unveiling a N73 million prize for the inaugural cooking competition. The initiative aimed at showcasing Nigerian culinary ingenuity to the global community while contributing to the country’s economic growth. Speaking at a press conference introducing the judges, MasterChef Nigeria showrunner, Niyi Oyedeji, described the competition as a bold statement positioning Nigeria within the global fine dining conversation. Oyedeji said the judges, Founder of Red Dish Chronicles Culinary School, Chef Stone and Founder of Cooking Jar, Chef Eros would spearhead the search for Nigeria’s next culinary talent. He added that their…

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, and his Cameroonian counterpart, Minister of Transport Jean Ernest NgalNgallé Bibehe during the signing of the agreement. Photo: Festus Keyamo Elegbede Abiodun Both nations to cooperate in the event of aviation emergencies. Nigeria and Cameroon have formally signed a Bilateral Agreement on Technical Aeronautical Search and Rescue Operations, strengthening aviation safety cooperation across their shared airspace. The agreement was signed in Yaoundé, Cameroon’s capital, on Friday, following high-level talks between Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, and his Cameroonian counterpart, Minister of Transport Jean Ernest NgalNgallé Bibehe. Keyamo announced…

Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Credit: AFP Iran said on Saturday it will “respond decisively” after Israel and the United States launched strikes on the country despite talks underway on Tehran’s nuclear programme. “The Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will respond decisively to the aggressors,” a foreign ministry said in a statement, insisting Iran had done “everything necessary to prevent war”. “Just as we were ready for negotiations, we are now more prepared than ever to defend the Iranian nation,” it said. Meanwhile, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said a first wave of missile and drone attacks had…

File copy of Governor Alex Otti of Abia State By Elegbede Abiodun Over Airport Project, Otti Compensates 4000, Commences Subsidised Electric Buses Transportation on March 1. Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has made public that his administration has paid compensation to over 4,000 out of nearly 10,000 landowners affected by the Nsulu Airport project. Otti made this known on Friday at the Government House, Umuahia, during the February edition of “Governor Alex Otti Speaks to Abians,” his monthly media chat. The governor explained that the current phase of compensation covers landowners whose properties fall within the proposed runway corridor, noting…

File Copy: Gas pipeline Nigeria’s lingering power outages, which have persisted for weeks and are being experienced across the country, are primarily due to inadequate gas supply to thermal power plants, the Nigerian Independent System Operator announced on Friday, attributing the sustained drop in electricity generation to severe fuel constraints affecting the national grid. In a statement titled “Declining Power Output Attributable to Generation Shortfalls and Gas Supply Limitations,” released on its official X handle, the system operator said average available generation currently hovers around 4,300 megawatts, far below the country’s installed capacity. As background, the lingering power outages began…

A plume of smoke rises over Tehran after a reported explosion on February 28, 2026, after Israel said it carried out a preemptive strike on Iran as sirens sounded in Jerusalem and phone alerts warned of an extremely serious” threat. (Photo by Mahsa / Middle East Images via AFP) The United States and Israel launched strikes against targets in Iranian cities on Saturday, triggering explosions and columns of smoke in the capital Tehran. The attacks came after US President Donald Trump expressed frustration at Iran’s stance in negotiations over its nuclear and missile programmes. Trump said Washington’s goal was “eliminating…

Elegbede Abiodun … demonstrating how technology, banking, and education can be administered to deliver practical, future-focused solutions. Non-interest lender, LOTUS Bank, has partnered with Heckerbella, to launch the Smart ID Project at the University of Lagos. According to a statement from the bank, the launch ceremony, which was held on Friday, featured the University’s leadership, faculty members, students, senior executives from LOTUS Bank and Heckerbella, and key stakeholders. The Smart ID Card is designed as a dual-function solution, serving as the university’s official identification credential while also operating as a secure debit card powered by LOTUS Bank. The innovation enables…

BENIN CITY – The air at City Cafe was thick with more than just the aroma of freshly brewed coffee yesterday; it was filled with the rhythmic pulse of spoken word and profound reflections of the heart. The Benin Writers Society led by Douglas Ogbankwa Esq., in a seamless collaboration with City Cafe, hosted “Love and Letters,” an evening dedicated to exploring the complexities of modern romance through literature, community dialogue and strategic networking. The Vice President Events and External Affairs of the Benin Writers Society ~ Princess Diana Eweka, assisted by the Provost of the Society-Amb. Nosa Onaghise, coordinated…

Elegbede Abiodun … celebrating Africa and featuring film screenings, music concerts, theatre productions. The Nigerian activation of AfroVision X 2026, a month-long global festival celebrating African and Caribbean creativity, set to take place across Toronto, Brampton, and Mississauga, Canada, from June 1 to June 30, 2026, has officially kicked off. The Lagos press conference brought together leaders from business, policy, culture, and the arts, signalling a coordinated national push to convert Nigeria’s cultural influence into structured economic advantage. David Bebiem, Convener of AfroVision X and CEO of Grandieu, who travelled from Canada for the launch, described Nigeria as the central…