Wheelchair Basketballer Musibau Shittu Establishes Disabled Sports Academy In Lagos

Nigerian wheelchair basketball player Musibau Shittu has established a sports academy for young disabled athletes in Lagos, seeking to provide opportunities he lacked during his early career.

The FOLMUS  Disabled Sports Academy, based at the National Institute for Sports, supports athletes across various para-sports beyond wheelchair basketball.

“The academy is my way of giving back,” Shittu told reporters in Lagos.

“Sports changed my life, and I want others to experience the same.”

Shittu explained that many young disabled people face limited opportunities, as their families often struggle to support them or doubt that sports can provide a viable future.

“We don’t have an official office yet, but we train athletes and help them build confidence,” he said.

“One of our players even won two gold medals in badminton at the last West African Games held in Abeokuta.”

The academy operates with minimal funding, relying on Shittu’s personal income and small contributions from friends. According to him, “We do what we can. Even if I cannot give them much, I give them knowledge and support.”

He appealed to the Lagos State Government and corporate organisations to partner with the academy to expand training and competition opportunities for young disabled athletes.

“Many talented athletes remain undiscovered because Nigeria does not have a strong system for identifying and developing para-sports talent,” Shittu said. “With proper support, Nigeria can become a leader in Africa. We have the talent. We just need to invest in the future.”

Segun Bailey, a basketball player and gym instructor, currently serves as the academy’s manager.

 

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My Leaving Christianity For Islam Has Left Me More Confused - Bunner Boy

Grammy Award-winning superstar, Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, popularly known as Burna Boy, says his leaving Christianity for Islam has left him more confused than ever. He recently spoke about his evolving spiritual journey, stating he was raised Christian but later explored and converted to Islam, though he still feels confused by organized religion. He said his spiritual journey has led him into finding more personal connection and peace in a higher power and universal protection rather than strict religious dogma, emphasizing that his search for truth is ongoing. He said religion is potentially confusing and controlling but feels a genuine, personal connection to something spiritual, leading him to study different faiths. 

In an interview with American streamer, PlaqueBoyMax, the artiste said his quest for truth has ultimately left him feeling more confused.

He said his transition from Christianity to Islam stemmed from a deep desire to understand the meaning of existence and the nature of creation.

“I grew up as a Christian, but then I converted to Islam and all types. It’s like I have studied it all. I am still out here trying to find what is really going on.

“Religion is a controlled mechanism. In all my research, there is always one scientific fact that goes against every book. Everything comes from the workshop of the sun.

“The more I researched, the more confused I got. All I know is that the truth is there is something up there protecting me. That I am in tune with. That’s why when I pray, I feel like I’m being heard.

“I am very spiritual. I believe we are creations. If we are creations, there must be a creator. Everyone is coming up with versions that are confusing me. That is what your parents believe in. That is what you are born into,” he stated.

Burna Boy, whose real name is Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, was born on July 2, 1991, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. He grew up in a middle-class family with a rich musical heritage. 

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Buildings And Other Structures Under High-Tension Power Lines By Third Mainland Bridge Will Soon Go Down, Lagos Government Warns

Lagos State government has restated its determination to remove all buildings and structures erected beneath high-tension power lines across the state, warning that such encroachments pose severe safety risks to residents.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Electronic Geographic Information System (EGIS) and Urban Development, Olajide Babatunde, gave the warning during an assessment tour of the Third Mainland Bridge corridor.

Babatunde was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Gbolahan Oki; the General Manager of the Lagos State Urban Renewal Agency (LASURA), Oladimeji Animashaun; and senior officials from other relevant agencies. The inspection covered areas from Oworonshoki to Adekunle and the Makoko axis of Ebute-Metta, where the team identified several shanties and illegal structures encroaching on the bridge setbacks and breaching the legally prescribed 50-metre right-of-way.

Babatunde stated that the state would no longer tolerate habitation or commercial activity beneath high-tension power lines or in restricted zones, emphasising that such practices endanger lives and property. He also mentioned that enforcement would be strengthened to guarantee full compliance with planning regulations, protect infrastructure, and improve public safety.

Speaking during the tour, Oki mentioned that the government had held several stakeholder meetings with residents of Makoko and other affected areas, warning them about the dangers of building directly beneath transmission cables and near the Third Mainland Bridge.

“As far back as February this year, we gave them 14 days to vacate the area, but as you can see, they refused. They are even extending towards the middle of the Third Mainland Bridge. We have warned them several times; the next step is to take the bull by the horns,” Oki said.

He explained that during various engagements, the government made it clear that after repeated warnings, there would be no further notice before enforcement begins. He added that while the government continues to collaborate with community leaders, it must prioritise public safety.

“If any of those cables fall and anything happens, the blame will be on the government. People’s lives are more important. They are also encroaching on the Third Mainland Bridge,” he said.

Oki also referenced similar enforcement carried out in Oworonshoki, which recently sparked protests and a temporary blockade of the Third Mainland Bridge. He noted that residents in the affected area were given a three-year amnesty period to regularise their buildings, yet only two households complied.

He reaffirmed Sanwo-Olu’s commitment to enforcing urban development laws and protecting lives, despite resistance from some quarters.

 

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Shakara Festival To Thrill Lagosians With 50 Afrobeats, Alté, Gospel And Other Artists At Elegushi

About 50 Afrobeats, Alté, gospel, and other artists will thrill music lovers at the maiden edition of Shakara Festival.

Shakara Festival is a comprehensive cultural experience built around four key zones: Shakara Junction, an ultimate marketplace for culture and commerce; Shakara Series, featuring deep-dive conversations and panels on the music industry and creative economy; Shakara Games Village, a dedicated space for competitive and casual gaming; and Shakara After Dark, the premier late-night party experience.

The organisers of the four-day music festival have unveiled a star-studded lineup and confirmed an electrifying Shakara After Dark takeover, solidifying its position as the must-attend event for Detty December.

The festival will run from Thursday, December 18, 2025, to Sunday, December 21, 2025, at the Nautica Beach Resort, Elegushi, Lekki, Lagos.

The festival’s musical curation showcases a powerful blend of established legends, Alté icons, and the fastest-rising stars in Afrobeats, Alternative, and Highlife music, guaranteeing a diverse and unforgettable sonic journey. The full lineup features lyrical heavyweights like BlaqBonez and Show Dem Camp, bringing Naija Rap and Alté fire, alongside soulful Afro Soul and R&B vibes from artists like J’Dess and Mich Straw.

The energy is set for the Afrobeats crew with fast-rising stars such as Mavo, Llona, Tar1q, and Morravey.

The alternative and indigenous sounds will be represented by Brymo and Johnny Drille with Folk-Fusion, while the legendary The Cavemen will deliver proper Highlife groove. The roster also connects the Diaspora with acts like Curtis J and Keys The Prince.

A key highlight of the festival will be the highly anticipated ‘Shakara After Dark’ late-night party series. The renowned nightlife brand, Obi’s House, will take over the late-night stage on December 20, 2025, promising the ultimate rave experience. Obi’s House will bring its A-team of heavy-hitting DJs, including WanniXHandi, DJ Shawn, and Bonamax, to keep the party pulsating after the main stage concludes.

The festival will climax on Sunday, December 21, 2025, with Shakara Gospel Day, an entire day dedicated to high-energy praise and worship featuring some of the biggest names in Nigerian gospel music. This powerful closing event will feature performances by Gbenga Akinfenwa, SMJ, Yinka Alaseyori, Bidemi Olaoba, Sinach, Noble G, Kingdom, Magpsalms, Ada Ehi, Gerald Bishung, and many more, offering a perfect, uplifting conclusion to the four-day cultural celebration.

When asked why gospel artistes will be performing, CEO of Shakara Festival, Godson Oriaku, said: “We have three days of performances before the gospel concert. There were clamours for a gospel concert.”

 “The primary goal of Shakara Festival is not to make money. I am not trying to compete with anyone, but to better the space. This is a legacy project, and we will do better next year,” he added.

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I'm Not The Problem Of Liverpool - Mohamed Salah

Mohamed Salah has accused Liverpool of throwing him “under the bus” after being left out of the starting lineup for the third game running as the champions drew at Leeds, saying he has been made a scapegoat for the poor start to the season and casting severe doubt on his future at the club.

“I can’t believe … I’m sitting on the bench for 90 minutes,” the Egypt international said. “The third time on the bench, I think for the first time in my career. I’m very, very disappointed. I have done so much for this club down the years and especially last season. Now I’m sitting on the bench and I don’t know why.

“It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus. That is how I am feeling. I think it is very clear that someone wanted me to get all of the blame.” He refused to specify who that person was.

Salah has been leading scorer in the Premier League four times and was both the Professional Footballers’ Association’s and the Football Writers’ Association’s player of the year last season as he helped Liverpool to his and their second Premier League triumph. But he suggested next week’s home league game against Brighton could be his last for the club. He will join up with the Egypt squad for the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco after that and he gave a strong hint that he could leave Liverpool in the January transfer window.

“I said many times before that I had a good relationship with the manager and all of a sudden, we don’t have any relationship,” Salah said after Liverpool’s 3-3 draw at Elland Road on Saturday. “I don’t know why, but it seems to me, how I see it, that someone doesn’t want me in the club.

“This club, I always support it. My kids will always support it. I love the club so much I will always do. I called my mum yesterday – you guys [journalists] didn’t know if I would start or not, but I knew. Yesterday I said [to my mum]: ‘Come to the Brighton game. I don’t know if I am going to play or not but I am going to enjoy it.’ In my head, I’m going to enjoy that game because I don’t know what is going to happen now. I will be in Anfield to say goodbye to the fans and go the Africa Cup. I don’t know what is going to happen when I am there.”

Asked directly if he thought that the Brighton fixture at Anfield next Saturday would be his last for Liverpool, he replied: “In football you never know. I don’t accept this situation. I have done so much for this club.”

Salah has scored only four Premier League goals this season, one of those a penalty, and has been widely criticised for his lack of defensive work as Liverpool have endured a stuttering start to their title defence. But he is clearly hurt that he is taking the blame for their poor form and feels the club have let him down after he agreed a two-year contract extension in the spring.

“I got a lot of promises and so far I am on the bench for three games so I can’t say they have kept the promise,” he said. “It is not acceptable for me. I don’t know why this is happening to me. I don’t get it. I think if this was somewhere else, every club would protect its player. How I see it now is like: ‘You throw Mo under the bus because he is the problem in the team now.’ But I don’t think I am the problem. I have done so much for this club.

“The respect, I want to get. I don’t have to go every day fighting for my position because I earned it. I am not bigger than anyone but I earned my position. It’s football. It is what it is. I am top goalscorer, best player, winning the league in such a style, but I am the one who has to defend himself in front of the media and fans.

“After what I have done for the club it really hurts. You can imagine, really. After going from home to the club and you don’t know if you are starting. I know the club too well, I have been here many years. Tomorrow [the Sky pundit Jamie] Carragher is going to go for me again and again and that’s fine.”

Salah did not feature in the win at West Ham last Sunday but came off the bench at half-time in the draw against Sunderland on Wednesday. However, he did not make an appearance at Elland Road, a situation he clearly finds extremely frustrating. “I have been at this club, scoring more than anyone in this generation, since I came to the Premier League. If I was somewhere else, everybody would go to the media and defend the players. I am the only one in this situation. Can I give an example?

“It’s silly but I am sorry. I remember a while ago, Harry Kane was not scoring for 10 games, and everyone in the media was like: ‘Oh, Harry will score for sure.’ When it comes to Mo everyone is like: ‘He needs to be on the bench.’”

There has been consistent interest from the Saudi Pro League for several months, but Salah would not be drawn on whether that was his likely destination. “I don’t want to answer this question,” he said, “because the club is going to take me to a different direction.”

Did he regret signing the new contract? “Imagine how bad I feel that I have to answer it, honestly,” he said. “That hurts, even the question hurts. This club, signing for this club, I will never regret it. I thought I’m going to renew here and end my career here, but this is not according to the plan, so I’m not regretting signing for the club for sure.

“Somehow it will end but the thing in my head is like: ‘Why it should end this way?’ Because I am too fit, just five months ago I was just winning every individual award so why should it go this direction?”

 

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Why I Am Married But Not Living With My Husband - Popular Gospel Artist, Shola Allyson

Popular Nigerian gospel artiste Shola Allyson has revealed that she is not currently living with her husband.

The 54-year-old singer made the disclosure during an interview on Oyinmomo TV while speaking about her love life.

Allyson, who rose to fame with her hit love-themed album Eji Owuro, said that although she is married, she and her husband do not live together.

“I’m married, but I’m not in my husband’s house. We live separately,” she said.

When asked by the interviewer, “You sang ‘Eji Owuro’, did you experience genuine love from your husband?”

Shola Allyson responded, saying her marital journey did not reflect the romantic expectations she once believed in.

“We lied before. Those older than us didn’t inform us that it’s tough. They made us believe that so long as you both love each other, you will live happily ever after, but it’s a lie. That’s not the experience I have. I didn’t have the experience of living happily ever after. I did all I could to make it work,” she said.

 

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Stop Pressurizing Me To Get Married, Nollywood Star Actress Nkechi Blessing Sunday Cries Out

Nollywood actress Nkechi Blessing Sunday has expressed her frustration over online strangers who pressure her to get married. The actress shared her experience during an interview on The Honest Bunch Podcast, where she opened up about her past, family background, and why she refuses to succumb to marriage pressure from the public.

Speaking about her upbringing, she said, “I have never dated anyone who has been violent toward me. I can say for a fact that my father used to hit my mum, but that didn’t make me feel like any man should hit me.”

She went on to recount a difficult relationship from younger years. “Even though one of my exes when I was growing up used to beat me—his name is Valentine. My mum would lock him up at the police station. And when she did, I would go there and tell the police, ‘It’s because my mother wants me to leave him for another man, that’s why she locked him up,’ even though it wasn’t true.”

According to her, her mother always took a firm stance. “The police would call my mum, and she would tell them, ‘Lock am join there.’ Before you know it, play-play, they would lock me too.”

She added that her mother was a strong-willed woman who believed no one should force marriage on her. “Do you know who my mother was? I would stay in the cell for two days, and on the third day, she would come herself and ask them to release us. She would say, ‘Leave man.’ Before she died, she never pressured me to get married.”

Nkechi stressed that marriage pressure has never come from her family but from outsiders who have no connection to her. “I didn’t come from that kind of family. It’s only these online people that are not related to me that will be telling me to go and marry. Like you’re my father or mother.”

 

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