Trabzonspor forward Paul Onuachu has been crowned the Turkish Süper Lig Golden Boot winner for the 2025/2026 season after finishing as the league’s top scorer ahead of Victor Osimhen in a closely contested race. The Nigerian striker enjoyed a standout campaign, finishing with 22 league goals, a tally that ultimately secured him the top scorer award. The Nigeria Football Federation also congratulated the forward on X on Monday, praising his impressive form throughout the season. “Paul Onuachu was a force to reckon with, scoring 22 goals in the Süper Lig this season,” the NFF said. Onuachu’s consistency and clinical finishing in key matches proved decisive as he maintained his lead in the scoring charts during the final stretch of the campaign. Behind him, İstanbul Başakşehir’s Eldor Shomurodov also enjoyed a strong season with around 21 goals, while Fenerbahçe’s Anderson Talisca followed closely with 19 goals. Meanwhile, Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen,...

Lookman on target as Onyedike nears league title As the season winds down across Europe, Nigerian players continue to make their mark in the race for individual and team honours, with several Super Eagles stars delivering decisive performances for their clubs. ABIODUN ADEWALE writes SPAIN ADEMOLA LOOKMAN (ATLETICO MADRID) After powering Atletico Madrid into next season’s Champions League last week, Lookman scored in back-to-back La Liga games for the first time on Sunday to help his club beat Girona 1-0 and take his tally to four goals in 11 games. Since joining from Atalanta in February, Lookman has had a huge impact at Atletico, helping them reach the semi-finals of the Champions League as well as the final of the Copa del Rey. SADIQ UMAR (VALENCIA) Now thriving at Valencia, Sadiq featured for 17 minutes against his former club as Valencia recorded a thrilling 4-3 win over Real Sociedad at...

Vinicius Junior earned Real Madrid a 1-0 win at Sevilla on Sunday in La Liga in the penultimate round of fixtures, but results elsewhere mean the hosts have secured safety from relegation. Levante earned a vital 2-0 win over Mallorca, who are 19th and in grave danger, along with Girona, 18th after a 1-0 defeat at Atletico Madrid. Real Madrid will finish the season without a major trophy for the second year running, but produced a focussed display to beat Sevilla. After Kylian Mbappe complained midweek he had been told by coach Alvaro Arbeloa he was Madrid’s “fourth forward” after he came on as a substitute against Real Oviedo, the French superstar started against Sevilla. Mbappe teed up his strike partner Vinicius to send Madrid ahead in Andalusia, bringing down a cross which the Brazilian powered home. Vinicius returned the favour in the second half but Mbappe blazed over the...

The Ogun State Government has disclosed that all persons admitted at the State Hospital, Ijebu-Ode, following the recent chemical inhalation incident in some schools within the town, have been discharged after receiving medical attention and being certified fit by health personnel. The Commissioner for Health, Tomi Coker, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday during an engagement with parents, guardians and residents at Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School on Saturday. Coker stated that the state government would deploy ambulance crews to all wards in Ijebu-Ode to ensure prompt emergency response. She stated that each ambulance would be staffed with a driver and a paramedic to respond swiftly to incidents in the area. Coker also disclosed that the government had established a medical response protocol to ensure that any patient taken to secondary health facilities and requiring advanced care would be immediately transferred to the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital....

The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, and Yusuf Buhari, son of former President Muhammadu Buhari, were among prominent figures who secured All Progressives Congress tickets to contest the 2027 House of Representatives election. This is just as the ruling party declared the results of the election primaries conducted in the 12 federal constituencies in Rivers State, with Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, leading the pack. These and many more top stories lead today’s headlines. 1. Reps: APC bars 14, Obasa, Buhari’s son win tickets The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, and Yusuf Buhari, son of former President Muhammadu Buhari, were among prominent figures who secured All Progressives Congress tickets to contest the 2027 House of Representatives election. The APC held its House of Reps primary on Saturday across the 360 federal constituencies nationwide. Ahead of the primary,...

No fewer than 22,537,451 candidates registered for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination and Direct Entry between 2015 and 2026, a report by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has revealed. Figures released by the board and obtained by our correspondent on Saturday indicated that the statistics were compiled while the 2026 DE registration exercise was still ongoing. According to the data, UTME accounted for the highest number of registrations during the period, recording about 21.26 million candidates, while approximately 1.28 million applicants registered through DE. The board’s records showed that 1,644,072 candidates registered in 2015, comprising 1,475,600 UTME candidates and 168,472 DE applicants. In 2016, registrations increased to 1,764,859, with 1,592,462 candidates for UTME and 172,397 for DE. A total of 1,882,559 candidates registered in 2017 cycle, including 1,722,269 for UTME and 160,290 for DE. In 2018, the figure declined to 1,793,018, with 1,653,127 UTME and 139,891 DE candidates. Registrations...

An All Progressives Congress governorship aspirant in Yobe State, and the lawmaker representing Yobe South, Senator Ibrahim Bomai, has withdrawn from the state governorship race, citing extensive consultations, political interventions, and the need to protect the collective interest of the state ahead of the 2027 elections. Our correspondent gathered that Bomai announced his decision in a lengthy statement issued on Saturday to his supporters, political associates, elders, youths, women groups, and loyalists across Yobe State after weeks of intense political consultations within the APC. The former aspirant said his decision followed deep reflection and wide-ranging discussions with stakeholders and supporters who had stood firmly behind his ambition from the beginning of the contest. Bomai explained that his aspiration to contest the governorship election was driven by a desire to contribute to the development, peace, and unity of Yobe State. He thanked his supporters for their commitment, sacrifices, and loyalty throughout...

Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski said Saturday he is leaving the club this summer at the end of his contract. The veteran Polish forward, 37, scored 119 goals for Barcelona in 191 games across all competitions since joining from Bayern Munich in 2022. Lewandowski helped Barca to three La Liga titles, including this season’s trophy, and the Copa del Rey in 2025. “After four years full of challenges and hard work, it’s time to move on,” said Lewandowski in a post on Instagram. “I leave with the feeling that the mission is complete. Four seasons, three championships.” The forward joined with Barca at a low ebb and struggling financially, helping restore them to the Spanish throne and also compete for the Champions League. “Barca is back where it belongs,” continued Lewandowski. “I will never forget the love I received from the fans from my very first days. Catalonia is my place...

The All Progressives Congress has announced the rescheduling of its National Assembly primary election dates in Zamfara State. The party disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka. According to the statement, “the House of Representatives primary election will now hold on Monday, May 18, 2026, while the Senate primary has been fixed for Tuesday, May 19, 2026.” The APC announced that the state House of Assembly primary will still hold on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, while the governorship primary will hold on Thursday, May 21, 2026. The party added that the presidential primary election remains fixed for Monday, May 23, 2026. The statement also outlined dates for primary election appeals in the state. According to the timetable, appeals arising from the House of Representatives primary will be heard on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, while Senate primary appeals are scheduled for Wednesday, May...

Popular X influencer, Grace Akanni-Lawrence, popularly known as Lady Motara, has earned rave reviews following her stage debut in the Nollywood comedy production, No Wahala Therapy, staged over two nights in London. The play, produced by Mofe Duncan under M54 Productions, explored themes of migration, identity and the struggles associated with the popular “Japa” movement among Africans abroad. Lady Motara shared the stage with notable Nollywood stars, including Odunlade Adekola, Timini Egbuson, BamBam and Ronke Oshodi Oke. According to a statement released by the production team on Saturday, the influencer delivered a standout performance that left audiences and critics impressed during the two-night run. “She didn’t just share the stage with the greats; she became one of them right before our eyes,” the statement read. The production was described as a comedy that blended humour with emotional storytelling, while Mofe Duncan’s direction was praised for its pace and energy. Audience...