Actress Mo Bimpe speaks out on infertility stigma, urges people to choose kindness

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  Nollywood actress Adebimpe Oyebade, widely known as Mo Bimpe, has urged people to show more compassion, empathy and acceptance towards others. The actress made the call in an Instagram post shared on Tuesday while reflecting on the importance of allowing people to tell their own stories without others interpreting their experiences for them. “Everyone is entitled to tell their story. When I shared mine, I didn’t do it so anyone can explain my experience for me. I lived it,” she wrote. Mo Bimpe, who is married to fellow actor Lateef Adedimeji, said she had learned that kindness should not be assumed on behalf of another person, adding that her direct messages were filled with women sharing their experiences. “One thing I’ve learned is that kindness should never be assumed on behalf of someone else. It hurts to hear what women are going through; my DMs are full,” she said. She urged people to be more intentional about including others in social activities while allowing them to decide what they are comfortable with. “Please let’s do better. Invite people. Call them. Include them. Then allow them decide what they can and cannot handle,” she added. The actress further encouraged people to choose compassion, saying that although people may not always know what others are carrying, they can choose to treat them with kindness. Her post comes days after she opened up about feeling excluded from some social gatherings during the period she did not have children.

Nepal Flood Death Toll Tops 1,000 as Thousands Remain Missing

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  At least 987 people have died in devastating floods along the China-Nepal border, Nepal’s disaster authority said on Tuesday, pushing the overall death toll from the disaster beyond 1,000. Chinese state media earlier confirmed 16 people were killed in Tibet, bringing the total toll from Wednesday’s disaster to 1,003. The number of missing in Nepal dropped to 3,916, as rescue efforts entered a seventh day, and the bodies recovered rose. In China, state media say there are 546 people missing, taking the overall number of missing to 4,462. The missing in Nepal include 583 foreigners from over 30 nationalities. The missing in China include 261 foreigners from 23 countries. Among the missing foreigners, Indians make up one of the largest proportions, with 275 citizens and another 128 people of Indian origin missing in Nepal, according to New Delhi. There are 85 US citizens missing, according to the State Department on Sunday. There are also 62 Ukrainians, 51 Malaysians, 42 Australians, and 33 British citizens, according to reports, including both Nepal’s tourist board and embassies. In India, authorities in Uttar Pradesh state said they had recovered 17 bodies from rivers flowing from Nepal, believed to be flood victims. Indian authorities are seeking to identify them, and they are not included in the toll. AFP

2027: ADC Urges Governorship Candidates to Shun Violence, Hate Speech

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  The African Democratic Congress has urged its governorship candidates to steer clear of political violence, hate speech and other provocative acts as preparations intensify for the 2027 general elections. ADC also said it would establish a National Reconciliation Committee to resolve disputes arising from its governorship primaries and bring aggrieved aspirants and their supporters back into its fold. National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, of ADC disclosed this on Monday after a meeting between the party’s National Chairman, Senator David Mark, and its governorship candidates at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja. Abdullahi said the meeting provided an opportunity for Mark to engage the candidates directly on the outcome of the primaries, the need for reconciliation and the party’s strategy for the 2027 elections. He said the party was aware that competition during the primaries had created disagreements in some states and that such divisions could undermine its chances in the general election if left unresolved. “The party is setting up a National Reconciliation Committee that will work across the country to bring all party members together in the aftermath of the primaries and in preparation for the general election next year,” Abdullahi said. He added that the membership of the committee would be announced shortly. According to the spokesman, Mark also warned the candidates against allowing the heat of political competition to push them into actions capable of undermining the party’s image or threatening the electoral process. He said the ADC expected its candidates to campaign on issues rather than resort to ethnic or religious mobilisation, intimidation or personal attacks. “The Chairman made it very clear to them that it is not the ADC way. We are not a party that believes that all is fair in politics. “We believe that there are some things that politicians must not do and that a political party must not do. The Chairman made it very clear that it should not involve any form of violence or hate speech,” he added. The directive comes as political parties intensify preparations for the 2027 elections, with governorship contests expected to be fiercely contested across the states. For the ADC, which has positioned itself as a major opposition platform, the challenge will include managing internal differences while building a nationwide campaign capable of challenging the established political parties. Abdullahi said the party would also require its candidates to make the ADC’s national policy agenda a central part of their campaigns. In particular, Mark directed them to explain the party’s proposed intervention on fuel pricing and the cost of living, including its plan to reintroduce a form of fuel subsidy targeted at reducing the burden on Nigerians. “He emphasised to them that it’s not an isolated issue. This is an issue that the African Democratic Congress is serious about, and it is one thing that will distinguish us from all other political parties,” Abdullahi said. He said the party would equip the candidates with details of the proposed policy so they could properly explain its objectives and implementation to voters in their respective states. The ADC’s position on fuel subsidy forms part of the wider political debate over the consequences of the removal of the petrol subsidy by the President Bola Tinubu administration. While the Federal Government has maintained that subsidy removal was necessary to reform the economy and free resources for development, opposition parties have increasingly made the cost of living and fuel prices major campaign issues. The party also sought to allay concerns over possible changes to the list of candidates it submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission. Abdullahi said no governorship candidate at Monday’s meeting had complained of the substitution of a validly nominated candidate. “No one has complained that his candidates, or candidates that they know in their respective states, have been substituted,” he said. He, however, said the party had documentation covering its submissions to INEC, including acknowledgements received by the party. “If at any point it is brought to our notice that any candidate is swapped, we will deal with it administratively,” he said. The party’s position on political provocation was also extended to incidents involving its campaign teams. Abdullahi said reports of attacks on ADC supporters, destruction of campaign billboards and attempts to restrict the party’s campaign activities in some states would be addressed through legal and constitutional means. He said the ADC would not allow itself to be drawn into retaliatory violence, regardless of the provocation. “We will always do it in the ADC way, and the ADC way is the legal way. Whenever we are confronted with any form of provocation, we will resist it and we will challenge it within legal means. “Violence is not the ADC way. Political violence, hate speech, or whatever form is forbidden in our party,” Abdullahi clarified. He warned that party members and candidates who violated the ADC’s rules could face disciplinary action. “The party has a way of dealing with those issues, and we will deal with them when it happens,” he said. According to him, the party was strengthening its structures to ensure that its candidates remained subject to the authority and rules of the organisation throughout the election period. The publicity scribe, however, accused the ruling All Progressives Congress of “political terrorism”, alleging that threats and intimidation were being used against voters and opposition supporters in some parts of the country. He referred to an alleged statement by a political candidate threatening voters who failed to support the APC, describing such conduct as unacceptable in a democracy. The spokesman said the ADC was documenting incidents of alleged intimidation and would make relevant reports public while seeking legal remedies where necessary. He also raised concerns over the cost of campaign advertising, alleging that some state authorities were imposing prohibitive charges for the erection of opposition campaign billboards. According to him, some of the charges were as high as ₦100m, which he argued could effectively prevent opposition parties from accessing public spaces for campaign communication. The party, he … Read more

Nigeria’s Economy Expands by 4.43% in Q2 — NBS

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  Nigeria’s economy recorded a 4.43 per cent year-on-year growth in real terms in the second quarter of 2026, surpassing the 4.23 per cent growth posted in the same period of 2025, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. The figure also represents an improvement from the 3.89 per cent growth recorded in the first quarter of 2026. The NBS disclosed this in its latest Nigerian Gross Domestic Product Report for Q2 2026, which contains rebased GDP estimates at constant 2019 prices. “Gross Domestic Product grew by 4.43 per cent (year-on-year) in real terms in the second quarter of 2026, higher than the 4.23 per cent recorded in the second quarter of 2025,” the bureau said. Aggregate GDP at current basic prices stood at N119.29tn, compared with N100.73tn in Q2 2025, representing nominal growth of 18.43 per cent. The report showed that agriculture grew by 4.39 per cent in real terms, up from 2.82 per cent a year earlier, while services expanded by 4.60 per cent, compared with 3.94 per cent. Industrial growth, however, slowed to 3.96 per cent from 7.46 per cent in the corresponding period of 2025. Services remained the economy’s largest broad sector, contributing 56.62 per cent to GDP, slightly above the 56.53 per cent recorded a year earlier. Agriculture accounted for 26.15 per cent of real GDP, marginally below 26.17 per cent in Q2 2025 but above 23.16 per cent in the preceding quarter. Crop production remained the sector’s major driver. The oil sector expanded by 7.31 per cent year-on-year, slowing from 20.46 per cent in Q2 2025 but accelerating from 2.57 per cent in the first quarter of 2026. Average crude oil production increased to 1.72 million barrels per day from 1.68 million barrels per day a year earlier and 1.55 million barrels per day in Q1 2026. Oil contributed 4.16 per cent to real GDP, compared with 4.05 per cent a year earlier and 3.92 per cent in the preceding quarter. The non-oil sector, meanwhile, grew by 4.31 per cent, against 3.64 per cent in Q2 2025 and 3.94 per cent in Q1 2026. The NBS said the sector was driven mainly by “Agriculture (Crop production); Information and Communication (Telecommunications); Real Estate; Trade; Financial & Insurance (Financial Institutions); Manufacturing (Cement); and Construction.” It accounted for 95.84 per cent of real GDP, down slightly from 95.95 per cent a year earlier. Among major sectors, Information and Communication grew by 9.62 per cent, with its contribution to real GDP rising to 11.74 per cent from 11.18 per cent in Q2 2025. Manufacturing expanded by 3.24 per cent, but its share of real GDP declined to 7.72 per cent from 7.81 per cent a year earlier. Construction grew by 6.75 per cent and accounted for 3.68 per cent of GDP. Trade, which accounted for 17.93 per cent of real GDP, grew by 2.40 per cent, improving from 1.29 per cent in Q2 2025. Mining and quarrying expanded by 6.37 per cent, while water supply, sewerage and waste management grew by 11.24 per cent. Accommodation and food services increased by 6.96 per cent, while transportation and storage expanded by 5.70 per cent. Arts, entertainment and recreation posted one of the strongest real growth rates at 11.93 per cent, while real estate grew by 3.76 per cent. Finance and insurance recorded real growth of 9.29 per cent, according to the report. Other sectors also expanded, with administrative and support services growing by 3.27 per cent, public administration by 1.94 per cent, education by 2.76 per cent, and human health and social services by 2.64 per cent. However, electricity, gas, steam and air-conditioning supply contracted by 10.63 per cent, compared with an 11.47 per cent expansion a year earlier, making it one of the major drags on growth. Other services also contracted by 0.70 per cent, although this represented an improvement from the decline recorded in both Q2 2025 and the preceding quarter.

EFCC Dismisses 40 Staff Over Corruption Allegations — Olukoyede

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  The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, has revealed that over 40 personnel have been dismissed for alleged corruption and financial misconduct since he took office. Olukoyede said more than five of the dismissed officers were currently being prosecuted, while case files involving others were being prepared for prosecution. The EFCC chairman disclosed this on Monday during a briefing at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja on its activities under his leadership. “In the past two and a half years or three years of my service, I’ve asked them to dismiss over 40 staff on account of corruption and financial malpractice. More than five of them are being prosecuted at the moment,” Olukoyede said. He said the commission would not shield its personnel from prosecution when they were found to have engaged in the same corrupt practices the EFCC investigates among members of the public. “Because if that is what people do in other agencies and I arrest them, I investigate them, I prosecute them, why must I just dismiss you if you do it within our own system and I’m not prosecuting you?” he asked. Olukoyede said some of the affected personnel were already facing trial, while the commission was preparing case files against others. “You can follow those cases in court; they are public knowledge,” he said. The EFCC chairman also disclosed that the commission had renamed its former Department of Internal Affairs as the Department of Ethics and Integrity as part of measures to strengthen internal accountability. According to him, the change was intended to reflect the commission’s commitment to what he described as “internal cleansing”. Olukoyede further revealed that the commission had developed a gift policy for its personnel to strengthen transparency and accountability among officers. He said EFCC personnel would be required to declare assets above a specified threshold, including gifts received from relatives abroad. The chairman said the commission would also determine the categories of gifts its personnel could accept, noting that the policy was aimed at ensuring officers could account for their means of livelihood and standard of living. “You must be sure that your hands are clean. You can’t be fighting corruption when your hands are soiled with corrupt practices,” Olukoyede said.

Don’t Call Me By My First Name, Mo Abudu Tells Young People

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  Media mogul and EbonyLife CEO, Mo Abudu, has explained why she expects younger people to address her formally, saying her views on respect were shaped by her traditional upbringing. Abudu stated this during a conversation with Toke Makinwa on Toke Moments, which was shared on IG on Saturday where she described herself as “very traditional” and said she was raised by her grandmother in Ondo. The media executive said she would not accept being addressed casually by her first name, particularly by younger people. “I am very traditional. I was brought up in Ondo by my grandmother. You can’t be calling me by my first name anyhow. I won’t take it!” she said. Abudu also spoke about perceptions of women in business, arguing that qualities that may be used negatively to describe successful women would often be framed differently when referring to men. “If I was a man, they wouldn’t say I was a shark. They’re going to say she’s an astute businesswoman,” she said. On relationships, the 61-year-old media executive said “nobody can break my heart,” insisting that heartbreak is no longer something she worries about at her age. She added that she would rather date someone her age or older, stressing that for her to respect a partner, “you must have achieved something.” Her comments come amid a recent debate over workplace etiquette and how younger employees should address senior executives. At the graduation ceremony of UBA’s Graduate Management Accelerated Programme, a trainee was recently stopped mid-greeting by the bank’s Group Chairman, Tony Elumelu, after addressing him simply as “Tony”. In a video from the event, the trainee was heard saying, “Good morning, Tony,” while addressing the businessman. Elumelu, however, expressed displeasure and corrected the graduate trainee, asking her to address him as “Mr Elumelu” or “TOE”.  

Closing Arguments Begin in Trial Over Tupac Shakur’s Murder

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  A jury heard closing arguments on Monday in the trial of a former Los Angeles gang leader accused of playing a role in the high-profile killing of renowned rapper Tupac Shakur nearly three decades ago. Duane “Keffe D” Davis, 63, a one-time leader of the South Side Compton Crips, is accused of ordering the September 7, 1996 killing after his nephew had been beaten by members of Shakur’s entourage in Las Vegas. “Duane Davis, in the culture of gangs, could not let that stand,” prosecutor Binu Palal said. “So what did he do? He acquired a firearm, got his group together, and went hunting for Mr Shakur.” Palal was the first to address his closing arguments to the jury in a Las Vegas courtroom and will be followed by Michael Sanft, the defense attorney for Davis. Shakur, who was in Las Vegas for a Mike Tyson fight, was shot about two hours after the confrontation by a gunman in a white Cadillac that pulled up at a red light alongside the BMW in which the rapper was riding in the front passenger seat. According to prosecutors, Davis handed the gun to someone sitting in the back seat of the Cadillac and ordered that person to shoot Shakur, who died six days later. The driver of the BMW, Death Row Records co-founder Marion “Suge” Knight, was wounded. The killing of Shakur, also known as 2Pac, has been one of America’s most celebrated cold cases, prompting endless debate among music fans over who did it and why. Davis, whose Crips were one of a patchwork of gangs that ran parts of Los Angeles in the 1990s, is the only person to have been charged in connection with the shooting of Shakur. Davis has repeatedly boasted over the years of involvement in Shakur’s murder — in interviews with law enforcement and media and ultimately in an autobiography. The investigation sputtered for decades because of a lack of evidence, but the case was revived when Davis’s memoirs were published in 2019. During the trial, Sanft, Davis’s attorney, characterized his client’s confession as fiction and lies partly designed to promote his book. If convicted, Davis faces possible life in prison without parole. Shakur, who was 25 when he died, was a key figure in a hip-hop rivalry pitting the US East Coast against the West Coast. Known for hits like “California Love” and “All Eyez on Me,” Shakur — the son of a Black Panther — was raised in Harlem and Baltimore, but quickly became the epitome of California hip hop when he signed with Los Angeles-based Death Row Records. AFP

Military Rescues 15 NYSC Members, Six Others During Kogi Forest Operation

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  The Nigerian military has confirmed the successful rescue of 21 kidnapped victims in Kogi State, including 15 members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). This is as it vowed to sustain operations to rescue residents abducted in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State. Speaking on the rescue of the NYSC members, the Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj.. Gen. Michael Onoja, disclosed on Monday that 21 victims, comprising eight males and 13 females, had been rescued from the Egume-Ochaja forest. He said 15 of those rescued were NYSC members who were among the victims kidnapped last week while travelling from Abuja to Bayelsa State. He said, “The Armed Forces of Nigeria is also happy to announce that a total of 21 victims, comprising eight males and 13 females, 15 of them being National Youth Service Corps members, have just been rescued within the Egume and Ochaja forest stretch in 2 Division area of operation.” The development came as the military intensified operations against terrorists and criminal elements in different parts of the country, particularly following recent abductions in Niger State. Onoja said military formations had continued to collaborate with other security agencies and state government institutions through intelligence sharing and the identification of areas requiring security intervention. He cited the rescue of 308 abducted persons, predominantly women and children, from the Kainji Lake National Park on August 5 as evidence of the security forces’ capacity to locate and rescue victims. “The recent rescue of 308 abducted persons, predominantly women and children, from the Kainji Lake National Park on the 5th of August, alongside subsequent operations to deny terrorists freedom of movement within the Borgu axis, demonstrates the commitment and capability of the security forces to locate, rescue, and safely return affected citizens,” he said. According to him, troops are maintaining pressure on terrorists operating within and around the Kainji Lake National Park and other identified corridors to prevent further incursions and create conditions for displaced residents to return to their communities. He assured residents of Borgu and neighbouring communities that military operations would continue until the security threats were sufficiently degraded. “The Armed Forces, therefore, reassures the people of Borgu and their communities that military operations against terrorists and criminals will be sustained in the local government area and its environs to ensure the safety of the community,” Onoja said. The General urged families of abducted persons to remain calm and avoid actions that could undermine rescue operations, stressing that credible information was vital to the military’s efforts. “To the families of the victims and all persons affected by the heinous activities of terrorists and criminals, the Armed Forces acknowledges the anxiety, pain, and uncertainty that accompanies the loss or affliction of family members and friends. “We want to urge everybody to remain calm and have confidence in the ongoing efforts of the military and other security agencies, while avoiding actions that could compromise rescue or recovery operations,” he said. Onoja said the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, remained committed to rescuing kidnapped victims, protecting civilians and facilitating the return of internally displaced persons to their communities. He added that the defence chief had directed that the military continue to operate with determination, professionalism and courage in the fight against terrorism and criminality Giving an account of military operations in August, Onoja said troops neutralised more than 332 terrorists and criminals, arrested 373 others and rescued 610 kidnapped victims. He added that 201 insurgents surrendered to troops, while 88 arms and 2,077 rounds of ammunition were recovered during the month. He said the military also recovered 686,800 litres of stolen crude oil products and destroyed 21 illegal refining sites as part of operations against oil theft and economic sabotage. Onoja said the August figures represented a significant improvement in the military’s operational effectiveness, attributing the gains to intensified kinetic and non-kinetic operations, improved intelligence gathering and enhanced inter-agency cooperation. He further disclosed that the number of surrendered terrorists increased from 11 in June to 57 in July and 201 in August, which he said indicated growing pressure on terrorist groups. He said the CDS commended troops for their sacrifices in rescuing abducted citizens, neutralising terrorists and armed criminals, dismantling criminal networks, disrupting illegal oil bunkering and protecting critical national assets.

‘I Have Nothing More to Give’ – Messi Announces Retirement from International Football

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  Lionel Messi has announced his decision to retire from the Argentina national team, bringing his two-decade international career to an end, saying he has “nothing more to give.” The Argentina captain made the announcement in an emotional letter posted on his Instagram reel on Monday, revealing that he had reached the decision shortly after the final and had become even more convinced following the death of his father. Messi said, “After all this time since the final, and after thinking about it a lot, I want to tell everyone that I’m retiring from the national team.” He admitted the decision was painful but said he believed it was the right time to end his international career. “It was a decision that hurt and still hurts deep inside, but I understand that this is the right moment,” Messi said. The 39-year-old stressed that he had always given his best for Argentina,including during the difficult years before the country’s recent successes. “I swear I always gave everything, not only in these last few years when we won everything, but before that too,” he said. “I always fought and gave everything for this shirt, to bring you happiness and make you feel proud to be Argentine through football. “There isn’t much time left, and different chapters are coming to an end. This is one that hurts me a lot,” he said. “I love, I loved, and I will always love being part of the national team. I gave everything I had, and I don’t have anything more to give.” The veteran forward also pointed to the emergence of younger players who, he said, deserved an opportunity to represent the national team. “Also, there are great young players coming through who deserve to be here,” Messi added. Reflecting on his two decades with Argentina, Messi thanked supporters for their unwavering affection and said he would continue backing the team even after stepping away. “Thank you for all the love during these 20 years. I’m going to miss hearing you from the inside. Now I’ll be one of you, always supporting from the outside, in the good times and even more in the bad ones,” he said. Messi also expressed gratitude to his family, coaches, teammates and directors who accompanied him throughout his international career. He said he was leaving with “peace and pride”, having shared unforgettable moments with his teammates and supporters. “I leave with peace and pride, knowing that together with my teammates we gave you moments we once dreamed of. It was crazy to experience all of this with you. I love you!” he said. The Argentina star ended his statement by thanking God for making him Argentine before signing off with, “Vamos Argentina!” Messi also said he originally wrote the statement on July 21, two days after the final. “Today, after what happened with my dad, I’m even more convinced of this decision than before,” he added.

Nigeria Won’t Tolerate Dehumanisation of Its Citizens in South Africa — Shettima

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  Vice President Kashim Shettima on Monday said Nigeria would no longer tolerate the dehumanisation or mistreatment of its citizens in South Africa. He warned against the recurring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks even as he departed Luanda, Angola, for Nigeria after representing President Bola Tinubu at the 21st Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union. Speaking to newsmen in Luanda shortly before his departure, Shettima said the pattern of attacks had crossed a line Nigeria was no longer willing to accept. The Senior Special Assistant to the VP on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed Monday afternoon titled ‘VP Shettima: Why South Africans Must Rethink Xenophobic, Afrophobic attacks. “The government and people of Nigeria will no longer countenance a situation whereby our people are dehumanised and put into very, very unacceptable situations,” Nkwocha quoted the VP as saying. He invoked Nigeria’s historical role in Southern Africa’s liberation struggle to underline his point, saying, “Those whose palm kernels were cracked by benevolent spirits should learn to be humble.” “We were part of the struggle for the liberation of our brothers and sisters in Southern Africa, and we feel personally pained that our people have been picked up for humiliation,” he added. The Vice President said Nigeria’s preferred approach remained dialogue rather than confrontation, though he made clear that restraint had limits. He said, “We believe in having very robust conversations with our South African brothers. We don’t want to overheat the polity, but once in a while, you have to make it very clear, vehemently clear, that certain situations are unacceptable, and we’ll work things out.” While condemning the attacks, Shettima urged South African authorities to protect lives and uphold human dignity in the enforcement of the country’s immigration policies. His comments followed a message delivered on President Tinubu’s behalf at the same summit, in which Nigeria formally reported the recurring attacks to the African Union and requested that the matter be placed on the agenda of the AU’s 40th Ordinary Session scheduled for January 2027. He also described the incidents as a threat to African solidarity, unity and peaceful coexistence. The Vice President has since departed Luanda for Nigeria.  

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