celebrity radar - gossips
Did Buhari watch Chelsea’s incredible victory?
Did Buhari watch Chelsea’s incredible victory?
Tunde Odesola
’Twas a spectacle with all the trappings of a full-fledged drama: conflict, timing, tension, rhythm, mood, language, sound, space, focus, contrast and a crushing climax. ’Twas the UEFA Champions League final played before 50,035 spectators on a 115x68m stage called Dragon Stadium in Porto, Portugal’s second largest city after Lisbon. Believe you me, the dragons that emerged within the stadium and afflicted the Manchester team won’t be exorcised too soon.
It’s not only art that imitates life, sports do, too. And many a time, life, in its fitful drama, offers grapes instead of oranges and waxes bile instead of honey.
For me, the outcome of the impending UEFA finale was as sure as death. Lightning doesn’t strike at the same spot twice. Eewo orisa! Impossible abomination! But I was soon to discover the futility of this age-long belief even as science has proved that lightning strikes the 102-storey Empire State Building in Manhattan, New York, about 25 times every year.
I had it all figured out, or so I thought. I had cast some catchy headlines and thought up some super storyline with twists and turns leading to the ultimate triumph of Manchester City FC in the UEFA final.
But life is quicksand; after Chelsea’s lightning had struck Manchester City twice in England, it travelled an air distance of 1,812 kilometers to Portugal and struck City for the third time in six weeks! Chelsea FC put a grenade to my personal pot of fantasy and shattered the initial layout of this article. Ha! How do I beat my deadline?
Usually, I write my column on Saturday morning but I delayed it till Saturday night – after the epic final – just to accommodate Manchester City’s anticipatory victory, hoping to use the triumph to rile my known and unknown football frenemies, who cut across countries and continents, online and offline.
In England, for instance, I dislike Chelsea FC with passion and long draped it in the garb of an archenemy while in Spain, where I support the club that plays football like angels, FC Barcelona, my archfoe is (un)Real Madrid FC, which I do not dislike but hate for their dominance.
When Chelsea came up against Madrid in the semifinals of the competition, I supported the London club but I silently prayed it never get past Manchester City in the finals.
Worldwide, tit-for-tat aka ‘gbas gbos’ is the language spoken in football fandom, where revenge is never cold, but served hot like the pounded yam of 20 years.
In Porto, on Saturday, Chelsea’s cunning coach, Thomas Tuchel, exacted another pound of flesh from the greatest coach in club football today, Pep Guardiola, who had peppered Tuchel four times while they both coached Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund respectively.
Before the UCL final, Guardiola had only lost in one of the 15 finals in his career while Tuchel had lost in his two finals only to come back a year later and win both titles.
The mantra among Nigerian football supporters is ‘the enemy of my friend is my enemy’, and inter-club banters could spring from trivias such as jersey colour or coach’s height, reinforcing the proverb which says an enemy never kills a big grasscutter, ota eni kii pa odu oya.
To understand football fans’ psychology, a peep into Nigerian politics or polygamy will suffice. Except suspicion, envy and rivalry, nothing is cast in concrete in Nigerian politics or a typical polygamous home. What is sauce for the goose is never sauce for the gander: rules change like quicksilver, depending on the idiosyncrasies of who is at the driver and the convenience of the seat.
For me, May is a month I won two battles but lost the war. One, my preferred team, Leicester defeated Chelsea 0-1 in the final of the English FA Cup. Two, Villareal, a Spanish team, defeated Manchester United in the final of the Europa League final 10-11 on penalties, but the biggest prize of all was lost to Chelsea’s never-say-die spirit and Guardiola’s oversabi which is turning into an albatross over the years.
I’m still in shock as to why Guardiola, like it’s now becoming common to him in the knockout stages of the UCL to come up with questionable line-ups, decided to play without a natural striker and a defensive midfielder on the biggest stage of club football, and Chelsea punished his indiscretion when a Mason Mount intelligent pass split open City’s defence through the very middle for Kai Havertz to maroon goalkeeper Ederson Moraes, scoring the only goal of the match.
Today, I neither intend to bemoan the twin bombs dropped on the city of Manchester by Villareal and Chelsea within three days apart, nor do I intend to count the countless teeth of Adepele, the hyperdontia that Nigeria’s political class has become.
Now that the hurlyburly’s done and the battle is won and lost, Chelsea, worthy Champions of Europe, deserve their time in the sun for ‘Blue is the colour, football is the game’.
I doff my hat for Chelsea, whose fans, britannica.com describes as one of ‘England’s most notorious gangs of football hooligans known as Headhunters’, and ‘have been responsible for organised violence in the stands since the 1970s’.
But as the euphoria of victory and the bitterness of defeat ebb, I guess it’s also time the Nigerian leadership looks in the mirror and takes lessons from the Chelsea triumph.
I wish Nigerian President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) and his deputy, Yemi Osinbajo, watched the match. I don’t give a hoot if they oohed or aahed during the match. All I care about is that they both did not lose the lessons inherent in the Chelsea victory.
I also wish the President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan, his deputy, Ovie Omo-Agege, and the leadership of the House of Representatives – all watched the match, and not lose sight of the lessons in the exemplary leadership of Tuchel, who took Chelsea from the ninth position in January this year to the pinnacle of club football four months later.
Tuchel, unlike the Buhari-Osinbajol-led government, didn’t whine about the players he inherited from Chelsea’s former coach, Frank Lampard, but settled down to work and turned an average team to Europe’s best.
I wish Nigerian political leaders at all levels saw the economic stupidity in our love for foreign football and truly develop our local leagues to partake in the multi billion dollars venture football has become globally.
As I said early on, this article is a salute to Chelsea’s indomitable spirit, and not a criticism of the inept Buhari-Osinbajo government. Tuchel picked the best available legs for every game. He wasn’t nepotistic like the Buhari-Osinbajo rudderless government, which has never criticised killings by suspected Fulani herdsmen across the country.
Tuchel understands the burden of leadership. He knows the goals of the board and the expectation of the club’s teeming supporters worldwide, and he rose to the occasion by constantly communicating with his players, never absented himself at critical moments, demonstrating compassion, exuding confidence and building trust – virtues lacking in the Buhari-Osinbajo government.
It’s Chelsea’s moment of joy, I won’t spoil their fun by allowing what a popular ex-Edo lawmaker calls ‘odoriferous saga cum gargantuan saga’ to take the shine of their victory. I won’t allow the Buhari-Osinbajo government to take the centre stage of this piece.
May was a month of Chelsea triumph. It was also a month when Nigeria’s Defence Minister, Bashir Magashi, delivered a ‘heartless’ speech at the funeral of former COAS, Lt.-Gen Ibrahim Attahiru. May was the month when the new ‘Aide-de-Camp’ to the Aide-De-Camp of Governor Nasir El-Rufai was unveiled and the incoming First Lady got into a fresh ‘thug’ of war.
May was the month when the parents of kidnapped Greenfield University students paid N180m and bought many motorcycles to secure the release of their children from kidnappers.
May Buhari and Osinbajo take the lessons of Chelsea victory beyond May.
Up Blues!
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: @tunde odesola
Twitter: @tunde_odesola
celebrity radar - gossips
Spiritual Reality: Wicked People Are Possessed by Wicked Spirits — Dr. Christian Okafor
Spiritual Reality: Wicked People Are
Possessed by Wicked Spirits — Dr. Christian Okafor
…..“You don’t need to offend them before they attack you.”
…..“Your only true help comes from God.”
Demons are strategic and calculating. They detect threats quickly and position themselves to resist any power that may expose or overpower them.
According to the Generational Prophet and Senior Pastor of Grace Nation Global, Christian Okafor, spiritual intelligence operates both in light and in darkness—and believers must understand this reality.
Dr. Okafor delivered this message on Thursday, February 19, 2026, during the midweek Prophetic, Healing, Deliverance and Solutions Service (PHDS) held at the international headquarters of Grace Nation Worldwide in Ojodu Berger, Lagos, Nigeria.
The Operations of Demons
Teaching on the subject “Spiritual Reality” with the subtitle “Operations of Demons,” the Man of God explained that when demons possess individuals, their behavior changes. Such people may attack, bully, or resist those sent by God to help them, unknowingly rejecting divine assistance and prolonging their struggles.
“You don’t need to offend a demon before it attacks you,” he said. “What you carry is enough to provoke opposition. The greater your potential, the greater the battle.”
Dr. Okafor noted that many believers misinterpret battles as signs that God has abandoned them. However, he explained that some battles are permitted for growth, training, and divine glorification.
According to him, God may allow certain confrontations so that believers understand spiritual warfare and emerge stronger.
“Some battles are necessary,” he emphasized. “They push you into your turning point.”
He further stated that God does not respond to lies, blackmail, or bullying. He responds to His Word. Therefore, opposition is not proof of God’s absence, but often evidence of destiny at work.
The Weapon Against Demonic Attacks
Addressing solutions, Dr. Okafor described prayer as the strongest weapon against satanic operations.
“Prayer is the license that invites God into your battles,” he declared. “God does not intrude—He responds to invitation.”
According to the Apostle of Altars, understanding the principles and discipline of prayer enables believers to receive divine strategies for overcoming demonic resistance. Without prayer, he warned, spiritual help cannot be activated.
“You cannot receive help without God,” he concluded. “And you cannot engage God without prayer.”
Manifestations at the Service
The midweek gathering was marked by a strong move of the Spirit, with testimonies of deliverance, miracles, restoration, and solutions to various challenges presented before God. Several individuals reportedly committed their lives to Christ during the service.
celebrity radar - gossips
Kingdom Advancement: God Does Not Confirm Lies or Gossip — He Confirms His Word .” — Dr. Chris Okafor
Kingdom Advancement: God Does Not Confirm Lies or Gossip—He Confirms His Word
“When Doing Business with God,
People’s Opinions Do Not Count.”
— Dr. Christian Okafor
The greatest investment any Christian can make is partnering with God. According to the Generational Prophet of God and Senior Pastor of Grace Nation Global, Christopher Okafor, when a believer commits to serving and advancing God’s kingdom, no barrier, lie, gossip, or blackmail can prevail against them.
This message was delivered during the Prophetic Financial Sunday Service held on February 15, 2026, at the international headquarters of Grace Nation Worldwide in Ojodu Berger, Lagos, Nigeria.
Doing Business with God
Teaching on the theme “Kingdom Advancement” with the subtitle “Doing Business with God,” Dr. Okafor emphasized that when a believer enters into covenant partnership with God, divine backing becomes inevitable.
“God is still in the business of covenant,” he declared. “When you make a covenant with Him, He honors the terms. When you win souls into the kingdom and remain committed to His work, He rewards you with what you could never achieve by your own strength.”
The Man of God stressed that God does not confirm lies, gossip, or negative narratives—He confirms His Word. Therefore, anyone genuinely committed to kingdom business should not be distracted by public opinion.
“No matter the blackmail or falsehood circulating around you, if you are focused on God’s assignment, those attacks will only strengthen you,” he stated.
He further noted that a believer’s understanding of God’s covenant determines their experience. “Your mentality about God’s covenant becomes your reality. When you truly know the God you serve, no devil can move you.”
Biblical Examples of Kingdom Partnership
Dr. Okafor cited several biblical figures who prospered through their partnership with God:
Abel
Abel served God with sincerity and offered his very best. His sacrifice pleased God, demonstrating that when a master is honored, he responds with favor.
David
David’s heart was fully devoted to God, and in return, God’s presence and favor rested upon him throughout his life.
Hannah
Hannah made a covenant with God, promising that if He blessed her with a child, she would dedicate him to His service. After fulfilling her vow, God rewarded her abundantly, blessing her with additional children.
Peter
Peter, a professional fisherman, surrendered his boat at Jesus’ request for kingdom work. Through that act of partnership and obedience, he experienced supernatural provision and divine elevation.
Conclusion
In closing, Dr. Okafor emphasized that one’s approach to God’s covenant determines the level of success and prosperity experienced. Commitment to kingdom advancement secures divine confirmation and supernatural results.
The Prophetic Financial Sunday Service was marked by prophetic declarations, deliverance, healings, miracles, restoration, and solutions to diverse cases presented before Elohim.
At 55, Omoyele Sowore Remains a Defiant Voice of Conscience
By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by SaharaWeeklyNG
“SaharaWeeklyNG Management and Staff Salute a Relentless Campaigner for Justice and Democratic Accountability.”
As activist, journalist and politician Omoyele Sowore marks his 55th birthday, the management and staff of SaharaWeeklyNG join millions of Nigerians at home and in the diaspora to celebrate a man widely regarded as one of the most persistent and fearless voices for democratic accountability in modern Nigeria.
Born on February 16, 1971, in Ondo State, Sowore rose from student activism at the University of Lagos to become one of the country’s most recognisable pro-democracy figures. His early involvement in the student movement during the military era of the 1990s placed him at the forefront of protests against dictatorship and repression, a role that would shape the course of his life and career.
He later founded Sahara Reporters in 2006, an online investigative platform that quickly gained prominence for exposing corruption, abuse of power and human rights violations. Operating initially from the United States, the outlet became a symbol of citizen journalism and digital activism, publishing stories often ignored or suppressed by mainstream media. Over the years, the platform has reported on high-level corruption cases, electoral malpractices and security failures, earning both praise and fierce criticism from political authorities.
Sowore’s activism took a dramatic turn in 2019 when he contested Nigeria’s presidential election under the African Action Congress (AAC). Although he did not win, the campaign amplified his calls for systemic reform. Months later, he launched the #RevolutionNow movement, a nationwide protest demanding an end to corruption, economic hardship and insecurity.
In August 2019, he was arrested by Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS) on charges of treasonable felony. His detention, which lasted several months despite court orders for his release, sparked international condemnation from human rights groups, civil society organisations and foreign observers. The case turned him into a global symbol of resistance against state repression.
Over the years, Sowore has faced multiple arrests, court trials and travel restrictions. Yet he has remained resolute, insisting that his activism is rooted in the constitutional right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. Supporters describe him as a principled crusader against injustice, while critics accuse him of political extremism. Regardless of the perspective, his impact on Nigeria’s political discourse is undeniable.
His life’s work echoes the enduring words of Nelson Mandela, who once said, “Freedom is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” For many of Sowore’s followers, his sacrifices represent precisely that spirit, an unyielding struggle for a more accountable and equitable society.
Similarly, the philosophy of Martin Luther King Jr. (that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”) resonates deeply with the trajectory of Sowore’s activism. Whether confronting police brutality, electoral irregularities or economic injustice, he has consistently framed his struggle as one for the collective dignity of Nigerians.
Nigerian Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka once observed that “the man dies in all who keep silent in the face of tyranny.” That sentiment captures the essence of Sowore’s public life. For over three decades, he has refused silence, even when it meant imprisonment, harassment and personal sacrifice.
At 55, Sowore’s journey is far from over. He remains active in political advocacy, civil rights campaigns and public commentary, continuing to challenge what he describes as systemic failures in governance and leadership. His career reflects both the promise and the peril of dissent in a fragile democracy; where the line between patriotism and confrontation is often fiercely contested.
On this milestone birthday, SaharaWeeklyNG management and staff recognise Sowore not merely as an individual, but as a symbol of the enduring struggle for transparency, justice, and democratic renewal. His story is one of conviction under pressure, a reminder that the quest for a better society often demands courage, resilience and a willingness to stand alone.
As Nigeria navigates its complex political and economic realities, figures like Sowore continue to shape the national conversation. Whether praised or criticised, his voice remains a constant in the country’s democratic journey; loud, uncompromising and impossible to ignore.
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