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American music star Beyoncé made a celebrated return to fashion’s biggest night after a decade-long absence, co-chairing the 2026 Met Gala on Monday at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The annual fundraiser for the Costume Institute, regarded as one of the fashion industry’s most prestigious events, was held under the theme “Costume Art” with the dress code “Fashion Is Art,” marking the opening of the institute’s new permanent galleries.

Beyoncé joined fellow co-chairs Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour in leading the star-studded evening.

The singer arrived on the red carpet alongside husband Jay-Z and daughter Blue Ivy Carter, who made her Met Gala debut.

In a video interview shared via Instagram on Tuesday, Beyoncé described the experience as surreal, expressing joy at attending the event with her daughter and celebrating the gala’s artistic focus on the human form.

“It feels surreal to be here because my daughter is here and it is incredible to share this with her,” she said.

For the occasion, Beyoncé wore a custom gown by Olivier Rousteing for Balmain, featuring a skin-tone mesh base adorned with an embellished diamond skeleton design and matching gloves.

Her appearance marked her first at the Met Gala since 2016, fueling widespread conversation about what many fans described as a new era following her Cowboy Carter project.

Other memorable moments from the evening included family appearances, such as Nicole Kidman attending with her daughter, Sunday Rose Kidman Urban, while standout fashion statements featured sculptural, body-focused couture, classical art homages, and bold red-carpet moments from stars including Rihanna.

The 2026 Met Gala once again reaffirmed its status as the premier intersection of celebrity, culture, and high fashion.

Beyoncé Returns To Met Gala After Decade Away is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

 

Zenith Bank has announced the retirement of its founder and group chairman, Jim Ovia, following the expiration of his tenure.

The announcement was made on Tuesday during the bank’s ongoing 35th Annual General Meeting.

The bank said Ovia stepped down after completing the mandatory 12 years as a non-executive director and chairman, in compliance with the corporate governance guidelines issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Ovia became the bank’s chairman on July 16, 2014. He returned to the position after previously serving as the bank’s founder and Group Managing Director/CEO from 1990 to 2010.

More details later 

The Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Zubaida Umar has reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to proactive disaster management, with a focus on strengthening collaboration with key stakeholders across the country.

She made this known while receiving a delegation from the Simulation and Crisis Management Directorate of the Department of State Services during a working visit to NEMA headquarters in Abuja.

According to her, the agency is intensifying efforts to promote risk mitigation and build community resilience through early warning systems, preparedness measures and coordinated response strategies.

“We remain focused on advancing a proactive and risk-informed approach to disaster management, with emphasis on early warning dissemination, preparedness, mitigation, and coordinated response to emerging threats,” she said.

The NEMA boss explained that following the release of the 2026 Seasonal Climate Prediction by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency and the 2026 Annual Flood Outlook by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, the agency activated measures to reduce the impact of anticipated flooding during the rainy season.

She disclosed that NEMA has intensified engagement with stakeholders, convened technical coordination platforms and commenced sensitisation campaigns targeted at state governments and vulnerable communities.

Umar also assured the visiting delegation of the agency’s readiness to strengthen collaboration in areas of disaster preparedness, simulation planning and emergency response.

“We are ready to continue working closely to enhance coordinated emergency response across the country,” she added.

The Acting Assistant Director General of the Directorate Safiya Yusuf, said the visit was aimed at strengthening institutional cooperation and improving national crisis response mechanisms.

She noted that the Directorate plays a role in providing support before, during and after emergencies, adding that it is committed to working with NEMA to improve preparedness nationwide.

The statement was posted on the official page of National Emergency Management Agency on May 4, 2026.

NEMA activates early response plan, deepens DSS partnership

The Nigeria Nationwide League One, NLO, has imposed indefinite suspensions on officials and players of Ahudiyanem FC for misconduct in the clash against Right 2 Win.

Ahudiyanem’s trio, Anayo Chukwujekwu, Christopher Onu, and Emmanuel Ibeh, alongside the team manager and head coach, were accused of bringing the game into disrepute.

The culprits have been barred from league activities pending a final decision by the disciplinary committee.

Ahudiyanem FC supporters have also been suspended by the league body.

In addition, Ahudiyanem FC have been fined N500,000 and directed to submit a written assurance guaranteeing the safety of match officials after reports of threats during the incident.

The NLO clarified that no points were awarded to Right 2 Win FC, noting that the match was not officially abandoned by officials despite the disturbances.

NLO: Ahudiyanem FC players, officials suspended for misconduct

Nottingham Forest head coach, Vitor Pereira has showered encomium on Taiwo Awoniyi after the striker’s impressive performance against Chelsea.

Awoniyi was the hero as the Tricky Trees stunned Chelsea 3-1 in their Premier League clash at the Stamford Bridge on Monday afternoon.

The 28-year-old, who was making his 100th appearance for Forest, scored twice in the game.

The forward was also fouled inside the box in the 20th minute, with Igor Jesus stepping up to convert the penalty.

“He brings everything. Taiwo Awoniyi is a danger player. He is not on the list in the Europa League, but we know he will push the defensive line of the opponents,” Pereira was quoted by vavel.com.

The Nigeria international has so far scored four goals, and registered one assist in 14 league appearances for Forest this season.

The Reds will be up against Aston Villa in the second leg of their UEFA Europa League semi-final tie on Thursday.

EPL: Forest boss hails ‘danger player’ Awoniyi after win over Chelsea

Abia South Senator, Enyinnaya Abaribe, has dumped the African Democratic Congress, ADC, and joined the Labour Party, LP.

The Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party in Abia State, Emenike Iroegbu, who disclosed this development, said the lawmaker had officially aligned with the party.

Abaribe’s latest movement adds another chapter to a political career marked by strategic realignments and changing party platforms.

Recall that he had joined the ADC in December last year after leaving the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, where he won reelection in the 2023 polls.

The lawmaker’s stay in the ADC only lasted a few months before the latest move.

Senator Abaribe is currently serving his fifth term representing Abia South Senatorial District.

At the time of filing this report, the senator had yet to issue a personal statement confirming or denying the latest defection.

2027: Abaribe dumps ADC for Labour Party

Mali’s Head of State, General Assimi Goïta, has taken over as Defence Minister as the military government rejigs to repel the armed groups exacerbating instability.

The move followed the April 25 killing of the former minister Sadio Camara and members of his family after a car laden with explosives was driven into their residence.

According to a decree read on state TV on Monday, General Oumar Diarra, Mali’s army chief of staff, ⁠will serve as Minister Delegate for Defence.

The government based the “strategic decision” on the security circumstances it described as “‌sensitive.” The capital, Bamako, remains on high alert.

Several people died in the coordinated attacks executed by hundreds of terrorists and rebels, who stormed Bamako Senou International Airport, a nearby military base, and other locations.

Fighters from JNIM – Al-Qaeda’s branch in the Sahel region – and the Azawad Liberation Front, an ethnic Tuareg separatist movement, teamed up against the junta and mercenaries.

Malian authorities are investigating the involvement ⁠of serving and recently dismissed officers, and politicians, including Oumar Mariko, a prominent figure in exile, who denies jihadist links.

The public prosecutor of the Military Court already confirmed the “first arrests,” adding that “all other perpetrators, co-perpetrators, and accomplices are actively being sought.”

The late Camara had been coordinating with Moscow on stronger ties. Russia condemned the attacks in the Malian capital and the neighbouring regions, including Mopti, Gao and Kidal.

The Defence Ministry warned that the terrorist activity poses a direct threat to the stability of the West African nation and “could have the most serious consequences for the entire region.”

Expressing deep concern about the situation, Russia declared its full support for Mali, which it noted is taking significant steps to eliminate the militia.

Mali’s leader, Goïta now defence minister, probes soldiers, terrorist attacks

The Opta SuperComputer has said Arsenal now have a 86.53% chance of winning the Premier League title this season.

This follows Manchester City’s dramatic 3-3 draw with Everton on Monday.

Pep Guardiola’s men were only able to snatch a point at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, thanks to Jeremy Doku’s late effort.

The result means they are five points behind Arsenal, but with a game in hand.

Opta has said City have a 13.47% chance of overhauling Mikel Arteta’s men in the run-in.

City host Brentford at the Etihad on Saturday, 24 hours before Arsenal travel to West Ham.

EPL: SuperComputer makes fresh prediction on title winners after Man City, Everton draw

A three-year-old girl, identified as Afnan, has died after a rainstorm caused a building collapse in Mokwa, the headquarters of Mokwa Local Government Area in Niger State.

The incident occurred around midnight on Monday when a heavy rainstorm brought down the room where the child was sleeping with her mother and five siblings.

A resident, Galadima Audu, said all seven occupants of the room were trapped under the rubble and later rushed to the hospital.

According to him, the mother sustained severe injuries, including broken legs, while the other children were also seriously injured and are currently receiving treatment.

“The incident happened around 12am. We got to the hospital around 1am.

“There were seven people in the room. We had to remove broken blocks from their bodies,” he said.

He added that the young girl was taken to the hospital alive but died shortly after arrival.

Their father was reportedly away in Kiama at the time, where he works as a labourer.

Several communities were affected by the storm, including Tifi-Maza, Shaba-Lile, Eti-Sheshi, Tako-Wangwa, Kpege, and Efu-Goro.

The Chairman of Mokwa Local Government Area, Jibrin Abdullahi Muregi, confirmed the incident, noting that a full assessment of the damage is still ongoing.

He said the rainstorm destroyed homes and properties worth millions of naira, leaving many residents displaced.

Rainstorm Kills 3-Year-Old Girl, Injures Six in Niger is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

A journalist with TheCable, Olalekan Fakoyejo, has been assaulted by soldiers following a remark that they were causing traffic gridlock in the Ogba area of Lagos State.

Fakoyejo, who is the Assistant Business Editor with TheCable, said he had boarded a tricycle from Ikeja to Ogba on Saturday when he encountered the soldiers.

He noted that the soldiers were directing traffic when the tricycle conveying him manoeuvred around the Pleasant Event Centre, off Ajao Road, Ikeja.

According to him, another tricycle had attempted to manoeuvre through traffic but was pulled over by one of the soldiers, who directed the rider to get down from the tricycle as a form of punishment.

Fakoyejo narrated, “The soldier was trying to punish a tricycle driver in a different lane. He asked the driver to step out and climb on the roof of his tricycle.

“What he was doing was causing traffic, and I said this was causing traffic. I was in another tricycle in another lane, which was not far from where the other tricycle was.

“The soldier heard what I said and dragged me out of the tricycle. He started threatening me and ordered me to go meet his colleagues who were not close to the incident.

“I refused to go, telling him I did nothing wrong and that he doesn’t have the right to order me to go report myself to his colleagues.

“During this period, he kept pushing me backwards towards where he said his colleagues were. Then one of his colleagues came to speak to me.

“As I was explaining to the colleague who walked up to us, the soldier who was threatening me suddenly slapped me, and I turned my face towards him.”

Meanwhile, video evidence later published alongside a report by TheCable, which corroborated the journalist’s account, showed the soldier repeatedly shoving and hitting him.

One of the soldiers also attempted to hit him with a cudgel picked up from the ground in a video recorded by an eyewitness.

The report added that as the soldier pushed Fakoyejo, his phone hit the tarmac and the screen shattered.

It further noted that passers-by later urged the journalist to leave the scene to avoid further assault.

The report also stated that as Fakoyejo walked away, two soldiers accosted him and allegedly threatened to whip him while bystanders pleaded for calm.

Efforts to get a response from the Army spokesperson, Appolonia Anele, were unsuccessful, as she had yet to reply to messages sent to her line as of the time of filing this report.

The military has not issued a statement addressing the attack, which has become a recurring concern.

Instances of military personnel assaulting civilians, especially journalists, have become a recurring issue involving the Nigerian Army, sometimes resulting in injuries or deaths.

Recall that only recently, the Nigerian Army faced public backlash following the death of Abdulsamad Jamiu, a serving member of the National Youth Service Corps, in the Dei-Dei area of the Federal Capital Territory.

Journalists who visited the scene of the killing reported threats from the military.

The latest attack on the journalist, which damaged his phone, has been condemned by Nigerians and is trending online, with calls for the military to regard journalists’ work as complementary.

Outrage As Soldiers Assault TheCable Journalist In Lagos, Damage Phone is first published on The Whistler Newspaper