Arsenal Winger Saka Speaks Proudly of Yoruba Heritage Influence

Arsenal winger, Bukayo Saka, has spoken with pride about his Nigerian heritage, crediting the cultural values of his Yoruba parents for shaping his character and approach to life.

Born in London to Nigerian parents, Saka has consistently embraced his dual heritage, describing it as central to his personal values and worldview. In a recent interview, Saka reflected on the influence of his background, noting how the principles instilled by his parents continue to guide him on and off the pitch.

The winger credits many aspects of his discipline, humility, and professionalism to the traditional Nigerian values passed down by his parents, which he says remains central to his identity.Arsenal winger, Bukayo Saka, has spoken with pride about his Nigerian heritage, crediting the cultural values of his Yoruba parents for shaping his character and approach to life.

Born in London to Nigerian parents, Saka has consistently embraced his dual heritage, describing it as central to his personal values and worldview. In a recent interview, Saka reflected on the influence of his background, noting how the principles instilled by his parents continue to guide him on and off the pitch.

The winger credits many aspects of his discipline, humility, and professionalism to the traditional Nigerian values passed down by his parents, which he says remains central to his identity.Arsenal winger, Bukayo Saka, has spoken with pride about his Nigerian heritage, crediting the cultural values of his Yoruba parents for shaping his character and approach to life.

Born in London to Nigerian parents, Saka has consistently embraced his dual heritage, describing it as central to his personal values and worldview. In a recent interview, Saka reflected on the influence of his background, noting how the principles instilled by his parents continue to guide him on and off the pitch.

The winger credits many aspects of his discipline, humility, and professionalism to the traditional Nigerian values passed down by his parents, which he says remains central to his identity.

Russia Claims Destruction of 249 Drones After Retaliatory Strike on Rostov Kills Three

Russia has launched overnight missile and drone attacks on Kyiv, killing six people, after Ukraine launched a counter-attack on Russia’s Rostov region,  killing three people, according to authorities.

The heightened attacks came after US President, Donald Trump initially gave Kyiv until November twenty-seven, to respond to his proposal to end the fighting. Meanwhile, Russia’s defence ministry said it had also intercepted and destroyed two hundred and forty-nine Ukrainian drones overnight.

Russian President, Vladimir Putin, who welcomed the original US plan to end the fighting, has now threatened to seize more Ukrainian territory if Kyiv walks away from the negotiations.

Xi Jinping Presses Taiwan Claim to Trump, Prompting Taipei Rejection

Taiwan Premier, Cho Jung-tai, has said that a return to China is not an option for the island’s twenty-three million people, after Chinese President, Xi Jinping, pressed his country’s sovereignty claims in a call with United States President, Donald Trump.

Xi earlier told Donald Trump, that Taiwan’s return to China at the end of World War Two was a key part of Beijing’s vision for the world order.

However, Taiwan’s democratically elected government strongly rejects China’s stance. Likewise, China offered Taiwan a one country, two systems model, but has also been rejected by President Lai Ching-te.

Guinea-Bissau Rivals Claim Victory Ahead of Official Presidential Results

The two leading candidates in Guinea-Bissau’s presidential elections, have declared victory, even as the country awaits official results.

The camp of Fernando Dias, seen as the main challenger to President Umaro Sissoco Embalo, was the first to claim victory, when his agents claimed to have gulped more than fifty per cent of the vote.

According to elections expert, the competing claims could upset the political climate in the West African country that is prone to army takeovers of power.

Oyo State Approves All-Faith Prayer Rally Slated for January 2026

As Nigeria continues to experience incessant terrorism coupled with long time suffering, it is important that the nation work together in unity in prayers, as opposed to the individual prayers done in time past.

This admonition was done at a press conference in Ibadan on the twenty-fourth of November, two thousand and twenty-five.

Nigeria has been said to be faced with ancestral, monarchical and general problems birthed from bloodshed, stressing the need for a collective national prayer by all religious bodies to put an end to the incessant suffering in the country.

This was stated by the General-Overseer of Jerusalem Ministry of God Worldwide, Apostle Johncrownfit Anifowose, in a National Press Conference, held in Ibadan, saying that the curses and solutions to Nigeria problems were revealed to him by God since two thousand and nineteen, but all effort to effect the prophecy proved abortive.

He stated that in contrast to past years, the Oyo state government has given its approval to the exercise, pointing out plans and actions in motion to see that other states of the federation observe the prayer exercise at the scheduled dates of January twelfth to fifteenth, two thousand and twenty-six.
He emphasized the involvement of Muslim worshipers, as it must be done collectively by all religious bodies.

He however revealed further that the failure to conform to the instructions given by God will bring continuous hardship and bloodshed to the country.

Oyo Governor Makinde Presents Record N891.9 Billion Budget for 2026

Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, has presented a budget proposal totaling eight hundred and ninety-one billion, nine hundred and eighty-five million, seventy- four thousand, four hundred and eighty naira, seventy- nine kobo, for the  2026 fiscal year, before the  House of Assembly for approval.

While addressing members of the state house of Assembly and residents of the state, Gov Makinde tagged the fiscal proposal as the budget of economic expansion, adding that the budget is aimed at building on the 2025 budget.

Governor Seyi Makinde, while presenting the 2026 appropriation bill before members of the state House of Assembly tagged the appropation bill budget of  Economic expansion

He noted that several flagship projects, such as the Oluyole Free Trade Zone, Special Agricultural Zones, dry ports and logistic ports, the upgrading of Ladoke Akintola Airport, and the 110km Rashidi Ladoja Circular Road and corridor linking key transport and commercial hubs, will help position Oyo state as a self-sufficient state.

He further added that Oyo State will mark its 50th anniversary in February 2026, with the theme “Renewa.

The Speaker of the State House of Assembly, RT Hon Debo Ogundoyin, promised speedy passage of the bill

A break down of the budget proposal shows that, Infrastructure had the highest allocation with 23.5%, followed by Education with 17..4%, health has 7.9 % and Agriculture with 2.2% of the budget.

Uncertainty Persists Over Number of Abducted Students Due to Incomplete School Records

The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has disclosed that security agencies are fully aware of the identities and locations of the bandit groups responsible for recent mass abductions, including the attack on Saint Mary’s Catholic School, Papiri, in Niger State.

Onanuga made the disclosure during a televised interview, stressing that the government cannot simply launch airstrikes on the identified enclaves. According to him, although security operatives have the necessary intelligence, their operations are often constrained by the risk of collateral damage to civilians being held by the bandits.

He added that uncertainty persists about the exact number of recently abducted students because neither the school nor the Niger State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria has provided complete records.

Tinubu Warns Against ‘Outsourcing’ African Security, Rejects Private Military Contractors at AU-EU Summit

President Bola Tinubu, has rejected the growing reliance on private military and security contractors in conflict zones in Africa, warning that their involvement undermines sovereignty and complicates counter-terrorism operations across the continent.

Speaking during the first plenary session on Peace, Security, Governance and Multilateralism, at the Seventh African Union–European Union Summit in Luanda, Angola, Tinubu said peace efforts must be led and owned by African governments rather than outsourced to private actors with opaque mandates. President Tinubu, who was represented by the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, argued that Africa’s security challenges, from terrorism to transnational organized crime, require coordinated state-driven responses, not parallel forces that weaken command structures. Similarly, Tinubu intensified Nigeria’s bid to secure permanent seats with veto-wielding authority in the United Nations Security Council for Africa

Nigeria Nudges Up to 38th in FIFA Table, Reflecting Strong Competitive Fixtures

Nigeria has risen three places to 38th in the latest FIFA men’s world ranking announced following a month in which the Super Eagles played two competitive fixtures.

The ranking update, which covers one hundred and forty-nine national-team outings worldwide since the previous release, reflects Nigeria’s 4–1 victory over Gabon and the 1–1 draw with the DR Congo, which ended in a 4–3 penalty defeat in the African playoff.

FIFA noted that moves in the table were driven by results across confederations and the conclusion of final qualifying fixtures for the 2026 World Cup.

Trump Signs Bill to Release All Jeffrey Epstein Investigation Files

## United States President Donald Trump has announced that he signed a bill ordering the release of all files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The bill requires the Justice Department to release all information from its Epstein investigation in a searchable and downloadable format within thirty days.

Trump previously opposed releasing the files, but he changed course last week after facing pushback from Epstein’s victims and members of his own Republican Party.

With his support, the legislation overwhelmingly cleared both chambers of Congress, the House of Representatives and the Senate.

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