UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin on Thursday honoured Cristiano Ronaldo with a special award in recognition of his remarkable legacy in the world’s most prestigious competition.

Cristiano Ronaldo the all-time leading goalscorer in the UEFA Champions League.

Ronaldo’s achievements in Europe’s premier club competition – over the course of more than 18 years – were recognised during the inaugural 2024/25 UEFA Champions League 36-team league phase draw ceremony on Thursday 29 August at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco.

The former Sporting Clube de Portugal, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus forward has scored 140 Champions League goals in 183 appearances.

He is 11 goals clear of Lionel Messi and 46 ahead of third-placed Robert Lewandowski at the top of the scoring charts.

“Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the brightest stars in the UEFA Champions League constellation. His extraordinary goalscoring achievements in the competition seem destined to stand the test of time, posing a remarkable challenge for future generations to surpass.

“His sustained excellence at the highest level is a testament to his relentless pursuit of both team and individual honours. Over more than two decades, he has continuously evolved and refined his game while preserving a youthful passion for scoring and celebrating goals.

“His professionalism, work ethic, dedication and ability to shine on the grandest stage are qualities that football players everywhere should aspire to emulate,” UEFA President Ceferin said.

Ronaldo has finished seven separate Champions League seasons as leading scorer – more than any other player – spanning from his eight goals in Manchester United’s triumphant 2007/08 campaign to his 15-goal haul when Real Madrid claimed their third straight title in 2017/18. He also holds the record for most goals in a single Champions League season having found the net 17 times in 2013/14, including in the extra-time win against Atlético de Madrid in the final.

The Portugal forward has won the competition once with Manchester United and four times with Real Madrid – making him the first five-time winner in the competition’s history since 1992 – and is the only player to have scored in three separate Champions League finals (2008, 2014, 2017).

He also holds the record for longest Champions League scoring streak having struck in 11 successive matches from June 2017 to April 2018. Ronaldo has also scored an astounding eight Champions League hat-tricks.

The multiple Ballon d’Or and UEFA Men’s Player of the Year recipient is also the all-time leading scorer in all UEFA club competition (145 goals, 197 appearances) as well as the most prolific ever player in men’s international football (130 goals, 212 appearances).

CRISTIANO RONALDO’S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE CAREER IN NUMBERS

Appearances: 183

Goals: 140

Wins: 5 (2008, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018)

Top scorer: 7 times (2007/08, 2012/13, 2013/14, 2014/15*, 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18)

Most goals in a single season: 17 (2013/14)

Longest scoring streak: 11 games

*Joint-top scorer with Lionel Messi and Neymar

The federal government yesterday warned members of the Nigeria Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) that it may be compelled to implement a ‘No Work, No Pay’ order on them should refuse to call of the ongoing warning strike.

In a statement signed by the Assistant Director, Information and Public Relations of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the ministry said that it found the decision of the doctors to proceed on strike action, in the midst of ongoing discussions, deeply regrettable.

It said that over the past months, the ministry, in collaboration with relevant security agencies, including the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) had been working tirelessly to ensure the immediate and safe rescue of Dr Ganiyat Popoola.

It further said High-level discussions and coordinated efforts are currently underway, adding that government remained confident that these measures will lead to a positive outcome.

The statement said: “The ministry finds the decision to proceed with this strike action, in the midst of these ongoing discussions, deeply regrettable. As we believe that continued dialogue is the best approach to resolving any outstanding issues.

“In view of this, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare wishes to bring to the notice of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), that in line with extant labour laws, the federal government will evoke the ‘No Work, No Pay’ for the number of days the strike was observed.”.

The ministry said the measure was not intended to undermine the legitimate concerns of medical professionals but to ensure that essential healthcare services were not unduly disrupted to the detriment of the public.

“We encourage all resident doctors to return to the negotiation table so that we can collaboratively find lasting solutions to the challenges facing our healthcare sector.

“As always, the ministry remains open to constructive dialogue and is committed to working together with all stakeholders to achieve a fair and sustainable resolution,’’ the statement added.

Doctors under the auspices of NARD had recently embarked on a one-week warning strike to protest the continued stay of one of their members, in the hands of kidnappers since December 27 last year.

Meanwhile, the leadership of NARD met with the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha late Thursday evening, with the minister pleading with them to call off their warning strike.

Addressing a peace meeting with the leadership of the doctors in Abuja, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Onyejeocha said that government is leaving no stone untouched in the effort to secure freedom for the kidnapped medical personnel.

She also assured that President Bola Tinubu has ordered that security be beefed up around hospital facilities in order to protect health workers and their patients.

The Minister said: ” I have to say here that the government has heard you clearly and Mr. President is feeling disturbed that these things are happening and it is not something he wished to continue.

“That’s why he has been engaging with security agencies every day, discussing issues of protection of lives and properties of the citizens. And so he told me to reach out to you to plead that he and the security agencies are working hard to make sure that this condition do not persist and that he is committed the protection of lives and properties that he promised Nigerians.

“In that stead, I plead with you that work is ongoing, that please rescind the decision to continue the warning strike because that as we speak people who are not kidnapped are dying. I know that you are passionate saving lives of your brothers and sisters who are in the hospitals”.

Earlier the NARD Resident. Dr. Dele Abdulahi Olaitan had recalled that on 27 of December, 2023, news broke that a lady doctor along with her husband and nephew were kidnapped from their house located within the hospital facility – the National Eye Centre in Kaduna.

He regretted that despite all their cries to the security agents to rescue the victim nothing came out of it.

He lamented that the mother of five kids and a breast feeding mother had been in captivity since December 27, 2023 till date.

According to him, though efforts got her husband released, all other efforts so far has yielded no fruit.

He said that the association had undertaken several engagements including protests and media advocacy but that it was when the association was not getting right responses that they decided to go on warning strike.

The pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, yesterday, urged the Federal Government to allow graduates performing their mandatory one-year programme in the National Youths Service Corps, NYSC, to serve within their geopolitical zones.

Afenifere advised the Federal Government given the increasing rate of kidnapping and banditry across the country.

While commending the Federal Government and security agencies for rescuing kidnapped NYSC members who were on their way from Akwa Ibom to Sokoto State, the organization urged the government to equip security agents better for optimum performance.

Afenifere, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Jare Ajayi, reiterated its advocacy for enrollees to the NYSC scheme to serve within their geopolitical zones rather than going from one part of the country to the other.

The association further observed that these pockets of ‘achievements’ appear to be dwarfed by the avalanche of security challenges people are facing in different parts of the country.

Alluding to recent incidents, Ajayi noted that fear of kidnappers and attacks by bandits including cattle rustlers, are now rampant.

The Afenifere spokesman, who observed that kidnappers now seem to go for groups and high-profile individuals, called the attention of those concerned to factors responsible for banditry and kidnapping.

The organization stressed that attention should be given to the prevalence of ungoverned or under-governed spaces where the government’s control is ineffective.

Afenifere added that absence or paucity of government presence in such areas makes people of the area vulnerable to exploitation by terrorist groups, traffickers and other criminal elements.

He said: “The porosity of the borders has increased the influx of small arms and light weapons from the Sahel region – thus heightening the incentives for crimes and banditry.

“Illegal mining has created room for poor governance in the areas affected – resulting in poor service delivery, displacement of the local people, increasing unemployment as farmers and youths are forced out of their farmlands – a situation that is making these set of people to be ready recruits for banditry.”

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has granted a one-month moratorium to traders and other market stakeholders involved in exploitative pricing, urging them to reduce the prices of goods.

Mr. Tunji Bello, the newly appointed Executive Vice Chairman of the FCCPC, made this announcement during a one-day stakeholders’ engagement on exploitative pricing held on Thursday in Abuja.

Bello stated that the Commission would begin enforcement actions once the moratorium period ends.

He explained that the meeting was convened to address the increasing trend of unreasonable pricing of consumer goods and services, as well as the unethical practices by market associations.

What the FCCPC is saying

In his remarks, Bello cited a finding by the Commission, highlighting that a fruit blender known as Ninja, priced at $89 (N140,000) in a popular supermarket in Texas, was being sold for N944,999 in a supermarket located in Victoria Island, Lagos.

Bello wondered about the basis for the arbitrary hike in the price of the blender compared to Texas, United States of America.

He said the unwholesome practices including price fixing were threatening the stability of the economy.

”Under Section 155, violators whether individuals or corporate entities face severe penalties including substantial fines and imprisonment if found guilty by the court.

”This is intended to deter all parties involved in such illicit activities.

”However, our approach today is not punitive. I, therefore, call on all stakeholders to embrace the spirit of patriotism and cooperation.

”It is in this spirit that we are giving a moratorium of one month before the Commission will start firm enforcement,” he said.

More Insights

On his part, Ifeanyi Okonkwo, the Chairman of the National Association of Nigerian Traders, FCT Chapter, noted that the charges on imported goods at the ports have also played a significant role in the surge in prices.

He urged the Commission to establish a task force and include the association in its enforcement efforts.

Meanwhile, the FCCPC boss said the government was aware of most of the problems raised by the market stakeholders.

“We have heard and you have genuine issues and the government has the responsibility to address the problems but generally, let us talk to ourselves too.

”There are also gang-ups to exploit consumers by traders,” he added.

Moreover, other market stakeholders who spoke at the engagement said that the high cost of transportation, insecurity, and multiple taxation among others were reasons for the continuous increase in prices of goods and services.

The Nigerian women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, has made history by rising to eighth place in the latest FIBA rankings, released on Thursday.

This significant leap of four spots secures their position among the top 10 teams globally, making them the first African team – men or women – to break into the top 10 of the FIBA world rankings.

D’Tigress’ impressive performance at the Paris Olympics fueled their historic rise. Notable achievements include:


– Defeating Australia in their first game, securing their first Olympic victory in 20 years.

– “A brilliant performance” against France.

– Defeating Canada to become the first African side to qualify for the Olympic basketball quarter-finals.

Although they lost to the United States in the quarter-finals, D’Tigress’ remarkable display earned their head coach, Rena Wakama, the title of “best coach of the women’s basketball event.”


The top five teams in women’s basketball remain, United States (Olympic champions), Australia, France, China, Spain.

D’Tigress’ groundbreaking achievement solidifies their position as six-time AfroBasket champions and a force to be reckoned with in global women’s basketball.

A former Presidential Spokesperson, Dr Doyin Okupe, says the present economic indicators show that the nation’s economy is beginning to make a recovery and an obvious turnaround is now clearly observable.

Okupe, a former Director-General of Peter Obi Presidential Campaign Organisation, made this remark in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos.

He was reacting to the criticism of President Bola Tinubu by Afenifere, a pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, over the socio-economic challenges in the country.

NAN reports that Afenifere had on Wednesday expressed concern over what it described as the near collapse of the economy.

The Yoruba group expressed the concern in a communique issued at the the end of its quarterly meeting held in Ogun .

In the communique, signed by its Deputy Leader, Chief Oladipo Olaitan ,and Deputy Secretary -General, Mr Alade Rotimi-John ,the group said that the state of the economy had left the people perplexed with hardship.

Reacting, Okupe said that Afenifere spoke well about the current socio-economic challenges ,but its response was belated.

“It is commendable that Afenifere, a pan- Yoruba socio- cultural organisation and now political group,has always lived to its nationalistic stance.

“This it does by criticising the government of the day in spite of the fact that a Yoruba man , Asiwaju Tinubu, is the current President of the country.

“This is one of the outstanding and commendable attributes of the Yoruba people as a race and Afenifere has been consistent in this patriotic display of true nationalism.

“However, while it is true that the country and its citizens are undergoing very harsh socio-economic conditions, principally because of strong and brave economic policies put in place to correct the economic quagmire brought on the country by the previous administration.economic indicators show that the economy is begining to make a recovery and an obvious turn around is now clearly observable,” Okupe said.

According to him, all hands must now be on deck to support the administration to succeed in its efforts to revamp the economy.

(NAN)

Nigerian-born UFC star, Israel Adesanya, has revealed what led to his decision to become a professional fighter.

This is as he also urged aspiring athletes not to follow his footsteps but to create their own path and draw inspiration from him and other celebrated athletes.

Fielding questions when he attended a Celestial Church of Christ service in Lagos, the Last Stylebender said he started fighting as a way of looking out for himself.

The fighter, who was decked in Celestial garment in a video sighted by our correspondent online, said he decided to become a professional fighter when he realised he was good at fighting.

He also highlighted the roles played by his father, saying he wouldn’t have become a fighter without his father’s support.

When asked why he took fighting as a profession, he said, “That’s a long story, but for me, I was just standing up for myself. It was what it took to learn how to fight and eventually, I realised I was good at it and I took it as a career and it worked out well so far.”

Adesanya also claimed faith has played a major role in his career, adding that after preparing for fights, he also holds onto faith.

He said, “Faith is something you have to have in this life. You can’t walk by side, you have to walk by faith. Faith has guided me a lot through my life and not just my career alone.

“I just trust in myself and trust in the high power. I trust and believe in who I am and I stand steadfast in it.”

“I prepare for my fight through training, hard work, and sometimes, you don’t know what the outcome is going to be and you just have to have faith.

“Faith is something I hold on to in life in general and it helps me in all parts of my life and even in my career,” Adesanya added.

On his advice for aspiring athletes, the last stylebender said, “Don’t try and follow in my footsteps. I’d say create your path. Get inspiration from someone like myself and what I have done and use it to further yourself in your own life.

“I feel like people trying to copy what someone’s done right now isn’t worth it. If you’re inspired by what someone has done, take that inspiration and use it in your own life.”

The PUNCH reports that the Nigerian-born athlete, who arrived in Lagos last Wednesday, received a hero’s welcome despite his recent UFC 305 loss to South African fighter, Dricus Du Plessis.

He had also visited his hometown of Esa-Oke in Osun State.

Adesanya had also been spotted enjoying the Lagos nightlife as he hit a popular club on Lagos Island Friday night.

The mixed martial arts star shared glimpses of his outing on his Instagram stories, drawing attention from fans and celebrities alike.

Despite losing to Dricus du Plessis in a thrilling UFC 305 main event, Adesanya reportedly earned more than the reigning champion.

The bout, which took place at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, saw Du Plessis successfully defend his UFC Middleweight Championship for the first time, forcing Adesanya to tap out in the fourth round.

The fight, which was the first-ever UFC title clash between two African fighters, held significant historical importance and generated substantial financial rewards for both competitors.

According to reports from The Sportster, Adesanya, a former two-time middleweight champion, was guaranteed $750,000 for the fight, while Du Plessis got $500,000.

The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, has declared that the union will not be intimidated by external pressures, following his appearance at the Intelligence Response Team headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.

Ajaero, who was invited by the police to address allegations of terrorism financing, cybercrime, subversion, criminal conspiracy, and treasonable felony, arrived at the IRT office at 10:17 a.m. and left shortly after 11:15 a.m.

Speaking to journalists at the Labour House after leaving the police headquarters, Ajaero asserted that the NLC remains committed to defending the rights of Nigerian workers and will not be cowed by any form of intimidation.

“We can’t be intimidated,” he stated emphatically. “The allegations against us are baseless, and we have nothing to hide.”

Reflecting on the challenges faced by labour leaders, Ajaero shared, “You can’t do this job we’re doing without this type of hazard. Even at the unit level, some of us experienced it, as far back as 1997/1998 with Femi Falana, we were equally together in the cell during the time of Abacha… but whatever the case is, we’re out to continue the struggle, we’ve gotten minimum wage but we can’t be intimidated, we have to press for its implementation as soon as possible.

“Every other thing that will make the welfare of the Nigerian workers worthwhile, we will be involved in it,” he noted.

Ajaero further explained that his appearance before the police was in the interest of transparency and to clear the air on the unfounded accusations levelled against him and the NLC.

He noted that the union would continue to fight for the welfare of workers and stand firm in the face of challenges.

Despite the seriousness of the allegations, Ajaero maintained a confident stance, dismissing the claims as an attempt to weaken the labour movement.

“Our resolve is stronger than ever,” he added. “We will continue to champion the cause of workers across the nation, no matter the obstacles.”

The NLC president’s appearance at the IRT headquarters followed his initial invitation by the police on August 20, which he was unable to attend due to unforeseen circumstances.

Gernot Rohr has backed his compatriot Bruno Labbadia to make an instant impact with the Super Eagles, DAILY POST reports.


Labbadia was named Super Eagles head coach on Tuesday by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

The 58-year-old will be the sixth German to manage the three-time African champions.


Rohr,who was in charge of the Super Eagles between 2016 and 2021 labelled Labbadia a very good coach.

“He’s a very good coach, I hope he’s well treated by the NFF and Nigerian fans,” the 71-year-old was quoted by SCORENigeria.

“He has experience in the Bundesliga, I hope he quickly finds his way in Nigeria, which is a different environment.”

Rohr will come up against Labbadia when Benin Republic face the Super Eagles in a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying tie in Uyo on Saturday, September 7.

Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman has started training with his teammates at Atalanta despite the uncertainty surrounding his future, Soccernet.ng reports.

Just like his compatriot Victor Osimhen, Lookman’s next destination has dominated transfer talks in recent weeks following his impressive performances for Atalanta.

The Nigerian attacker joined La Dea two seasons ago, and he has shone brightly. His stock rose at the end of last season when he scored a hattrick against Bayer Leverkusen in the final of the UEFA Europa League.

Since then, he has been linked to Chelsea, Liverpool, PSG, and some clubs in Saudi Arabia have shown interest in signing him.

Due to the numerous talks surrounding his future, Lookman did not participate in Atalanta’s first two Serie A games. For the past two weeks, he has been training alone, away from his teammates.

However, the talks have cooled off in recent days, and it seems like the former Leicester City man will not get his big move this summer.

According to Atalanta BC, Lookman has returned to training with the full squad, and that makes him available for their next Serie A fixture against Inter Milan at Stadio Giusseppe Meazza.

Lookman’s return to the team would be a big boost against a solid Inter Milan side at home. La Dea lost their last game against Torino, but Lookman has enough magic on his feet to help them return to winning ways next time out.