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World Cup 2026: Journalists Urged to Promote Peace Through Sports at Sahel Sports Interactive Session

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Abbas Yushau Yusuf

Journalists have been urged to use their platforms to promote peace and unity through sports as preparations intensify ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The call was made during an interactive media session organized by Sahel Sports News in collaboration with the Kano State Library Board, and powered by the Fortress Centre for Human Rights and Peace Advocacy (FOCHPA) and the Peace Initiative Network (PIN).

Delivering a keynote paper, Comrade Abbas Ibrahim, former Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kano Council, emphasized the critical role of journalists in shaping narratives that foster peace. He noted that failure should not be seen as the opposite of success but rather as part of the journey toward achieving it.

“Failure is when you stop trying,” Ibrahim said. “Sports writers should write stories that promote peace among rival groups. We must check our words carefully, because the words we use can either build peace or fuel conflict.”

He recalled the tragic role of hate speech in the Rwandan genocide, where radio broadcasts incited violence that led to the massacre of over 800,000 Tutsis in just 100 days. He praised Rwanda’s post-genocide reforms under President Paul Kagame, which have fostered reconciliation and unity, including intermarriages between Hutus and Tutsis.

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“As journalists, we should stop taking sides when writing stories. We must rise and preach peace, setting our emotions aside to promote unity,” Ibrahim added.

 

The Chairman of the Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria (YSFON), Alhaji Abdullahi Aliyu Sumaila, commended the organizers, stressing that peace-building through sports is vital at a time when insecurity threatens communities.

“It is time for journalists to promote peace and encourage youth to engage in sports. With well-grounded initiatives, we can emphasize collaboration among communities and educate the citizenry. We are ready to work with journalists to promote peace,” Sumaila said.

In his remarks, Rilwanu Idris Maliksawa Garu, a member of the National Executive Committee of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), lamented Nigeria’s absence from the 2026 World Cup.

“Missing Nigeria in the 2026 World Cup is bad news for journalists and for the country. The NFF must go back to the grassroots to recruit national players. It should be a balanced process, 50-50, to ensure fairness and quality,” Garu stated.

 

Representing the Peace Initiative Network, Mr. Friday highlighted the unifying power of sports across cultural divides.

“Sports foster unity, teamwork, tolerance, and respect. It has the power to break barriers and bring people together. Among the youth, there are immense talents that can be nurtured through sports,” he said.

The Executive Secretary of the Kano State Library Board, Garba Ado Zakirai, pledged his support for the initiative, while Dr. Abdulgafar Oladimeji, News Editor of Sahel Sports News, emphasized the importance of professionalism in journalism.

“For journalists to achieve great feats in this profession, they must build themselves professionally and uphold the ethics of the craft,” Oladimeji said.

 

The interactive session urges intersection between sports, journalism, and peace-building. With Nigeria missing out on the 2026 World Cup, participants agreed that journalists have a responsibility not only to report sports but also to use their platforms to promote unity, resilience, and hope in society.

 

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Uber Shutdowns Operations in Nigeria

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

Ride-hailing company, Uber, has shut down its operations in Nigeria.

In a statement, the company, which came into Nigeria in 2014, said its exit is effective from September 2, 2026.

“We are writing to share some difficult news. After a thorough review of our business, we have made the tough decision to wind down our operations in Nigeria, effective 2 September 2026.

“Since we first launched in Lagos in 2014, it has been an absolute privilege to be a part of your daily life connecting you with independent transportation providers.

“Whether it was a morning commute, a ride to see loved ones, or exploring the city, thank you for trusting the platform to connect you to a driver to get you there safely. We know this may cause disruption to your routine, and we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.”

In a memo on Wednesday, the ride-hailing company also announced elimination of roughly 3,300 positions.

The job cuts focused on management and coordination roles, according to its CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi.

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“Today, we’re making a number of significant organizational changes across Uber. We are removing layers, simplifying team structures, refining our global location strategy, and focusing our people and investments against the biggest opportunities ahead of us.”

“As a result, we will be reducing the size of our team by about 10%. Everyone whose role has been affected has already been notified, except in countries where we will follow the required local process.

“This wasn’t a decision we made lightly, because it will have a real impact on our teammates and friends who have worked hard for Uber. It’s important to say that these changes are about how we’re organized and what we’re prioritizing, not about anyone’s contributions to Uber, which we will always value.

“I’m sure you’re asking, ‘Why, and why now?’ particularly since our business is performing so well. Over the last 5+ years, Uber has grown by orders of magnitude, with our top line nearly tripling. We’ve built new products, expanded into new businesses, reached more consumers and supported more earners, and become a much larger and stronger company. But that growth has also brought complexity: more layers, more coordination, more fragmented ownership, and in some cases structures that made sense when businesses were smaller but no longer serve us well at our current scale.

“Our opportunity from here is enormous: we have the chance to bring Uber to hundreds of millions more people; to invest even more in drivers, couriers and merchants; and to innovate across our core businesses and build the autonomous future.

“The changes we’re making today are designed to do two things: make Uber simpler and faster, and create more capacity to invest in our future. A leaner organization will mean clearer ownership, faster decisions, and more time spent building rather than coordinating. It will also generate savings that we intend to reinvest in growth, innovation, and the capabilities that will matter most over the coming years.

“It’s our job as leaders to make these difficult calls, and to give you transparency into our thinking and our decision-making process.”

The layoffs are the latest round of job cuts for Uber, which eliminated roles in customer service and HR earlier this year.

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Author of ‘Rich Dad Poor Dad’ Languishes in Billion Dollar Debt

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

Robert Kiyosaki, the author of the bestselling ’Rich Dad Poor Dad’ book, has accumulated an estimated $1.2 billion debt connected to his aggressive real estate investment.

According to reports, the debt is the estimated amount the 79-year-old author and his business partners borrowed to acquire approximately 1,500 property units as Mr Kiyosaki continues to expand his real estate holdings.

Despite the significant debt, Mr Kiyosaki does not appear apprehensive about the liabilities, maintaining that borrowing money to acquire income-generating assets is a strategy commonly used by wealthy individuals.

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“So, I’m a billion two in debt,” the author said on the ‘Get Rich Education’ podcast recently, adding that people “should not do what I do, right? But I studied it since 1974… If you’re going to learn to use debt, you’d better take some education.”

In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, Mr Kiyosaki’s ex-wife and business partner, Kim Kiyosaki, revealed that the debt did not reflect the amount her ex-husband personally owes.

She stressed that it is connected to the real estate properties owned by them and their business partners, adding that Mr Kiyosaki’s personal share of the liabilities is small.

Vanity Fair estimated Mr Kiyosaki’s share of the debt at around $30 million to $60 million.

“We have a lot of apartment houses with our partners. So technically, yes, we have all this debt,” the ex-wife told Vanity Fair.

Speaking to the magazine, Mr Kiyosaki stated, “If it all comes to hell, you can talk to my attorney. Firewalls—that’s the way the rich play the game.”

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Maulud: Best Choice Specialist Hospital Congratulates Kano Governor, Muslims Globally

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The Chairman of Best Choice Specialist Hospital, Kano, Auwal Lawal Muhammad (Dan Malikin Garo), has congratulated the executive governor of Kano State Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, the good people of Kano State and Muslims across the world on the occasion of the Maulud celebration commemorating the birth of Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

In a statement he personally signed, Lawal commended Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for his efforts towards fostering unity among the people of Kano State.

According to the statement, the chairman was amazed on how governor Yusuf placing emphasis on the development to the state particularly in matters concerning religion, saying such initiatives would help reduce divisions, promote mutual understanding and strengthen peaceful coexistence across the state.

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He urged Muslims to use the occasion of Maulud to strengthen their relationship with Allah through increased devotion and prayers for peace, stability and prosperity in Nigeria and Kano State.

The Chairman of Best Choice also praised the Governor for his efforts to improve the healthcare sector in the state.

He cited the renovation and upgrading of healthcare facilities, provision of modern medical equipment, as well as the training and development of healthcare workers as some of the administration’s efforts towards improving healthcare delivery in Kano.

Auwal Lawal further commended Governor Yusuf for his dedication, compassion and commitment to the wellbeing of the people, noting that his efforts continue to have a positive impact on the lives of residents across the state.

He prayed for continued peace, unity and prosperity in Kano State and Nigeria, while wishing the Governor and the people of Kano a blessed Maulud celebration now and beyond.

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