Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has urged residents of the state to reject what he described as agents of violence by coming out in large numbers to vote in the August 15 governorship election.
Speaking during a church service at Winners Chapel in Osogbo on Sunday, Adeleke said voters should not be intimidated by threats or violence allegedly linked to the opposition.
According to a statement issued by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, the governor claimed that the opposition had resorted to violence after losing the support of the people and realising that defeat was imminent.
He added that neither he nor the people of Osun State were intimidated by such actions.
“I urge all residents to come out peacefully on election day and use their votes to reject those behind the violence,” Adeleke said.
“On August 15, Osun people will show agents of violence that we are not cowards. Our people’s safety is guaranteed. Come out and vote. Punish those killing and maiming our people by voting against them on August 15,” he said.
The governor assured residents that his administration remained committed to protecting lives and property, stressing that their safety was his top priority.
Adeleke said he was not intimidated by the Osun APC, insisting that his administration had the capacity to face any challenge.
However, he stressed that his priority remained the safety and protection of the people, urging residents to come out and vote according to their conscience.
“Our record in workers’ welfare, healthcare, education, infrastructure, agriculture and other sectors speaks for itself, and I am confident the people of Osun will give us another mandate on August 15,” Adeleke said.
Rivers United assistant coach Daniel Olanrewaju has admitted that his side effectively lost their CAF Champions League tie against FC San Pedro in the opening 20 minutes, despite producing a spirited comeback in the second leg in Uyo.
Sports247 reports that Rivers United were held to a 2-2 draw by the Ivorian side in the return leg, but the result was not enough to overturn the scoreline from the first encounter, as San Pedro progressed on aggregate with away goal rules.
Reflecting on the disappointing elimination, Olanrewaju acknowledged that his team expected a difficult contest but identified their early defensive lapses as the decisive moment in the tie.
“It’s a difficult game, we expected it. We lost the game after conceding two goals in the first 20 minutes,” Olanrewaju said.
According to the Rivers United assistant coach, conceding twice so early against a quality continental opponent left his side with an uphill task.
“I think that was where we lost it. In a continental game, it is not easy to bounce back,” he added.
Rivers United showed character in Uyo by fighting back to secure a 2-2 draw, but the comeback came too late to rescue their Champions League campaign.
Olanrewaju stressed that the intensity and tactical demands of continental football are significantly different from the domestic league, making it particularly difficult for a team to recover from an early setback.
“This isn’t NPFL,” he noted.
The coach also paid tribute to San Pedro, describing the Ivorian outfit as one of the strongest sides Rivers United have faced, both tactically and in terms of individual quality.
“This is one of the best sides, tactical and talent-wise. It’s unfortunate, honestly,” he said.
The elimination means Rivers United will now turn their attention to their domestic campaign while reflecting on the lessons from their continental experience.
For Olanrewaju and the Rivers United technical crew, the challenge will be to address the defensive lapses that proved costly against San Pedro and ensure the team can compete more effectively in future CAF competitions.
Despite their elimination, the comeback in Uyo demonstrated the resilience within the squad, but the early damage had already placed the Nigerian representatives in a difficult position.
For Rivers United, the continental campaign ended with disappointment, but the experience against a tactically accomplished San Pedro side could prove valuable as they continue their quest for success on both the domestic and continental fronts.
Cornerstone Insurance PLC has unveiled key elements of its transformation agenda, “Cornerstone 3.0,” aimed at strengthening its operations, enhancing customer experience and positioning the company for sustainable growth.
The agenda was a major focus at the company’s 2026 Brokers’ Business Lunch, recently heldat the Metropolitan Club, Lagos, with brokers, stakeholders and members of Cornerstone’s management team.
The gatheringprovided an opportunity to share the company’s broader strategic direction with the market, backed by the support of its majority shareholder, Chapel Hill Denham. The partnership with Chapel Hill Denham forms part of Cornerstone’s broader growth and transformation journey, as the company strengthens its business, enhances its market position and prepares for its next phase of growth.
The event was led by Stephen Alangbo, Managing Director/CEO, Cornerstone Insurance PLC; Kola Adekoya, Acting Managing Director, FIN Insurance Company LTD and Abdur Rasheed Babalola, Managing Director, Hilal Takaful Insurance.
Speaking at the event, Mr. Alangbo, outlined Cornerstone’s vision for its next phase of growth, highlighting the significant changes taking place across the business. At the heart of this journey is Cornerstone 3.0, a transformation programme focused on building a more agile, technology-driven and customer-centric insurance business. A key component of the transformation is the planned restructuring into Cornerstone Life and Cornerstone General, alongside the continued development of Hilal Takaful Insurance to expand the company’s Takaful offerings, subject to final approval by NAICOM.
Technology also remains a key component of the agenda, with the evolution of CiCi, Cornerstone’s AI-powered customer service platform, including its voicebot capability, aimed at making services such as enquiries, complaints, claims, policy renewals and insurance purchases more accessible.
Mr. Alangbo further reaffirmed their commitment to fast and efficient claims processing, recognising responsive claims service as central to delivering value and building customer trust.
The Brokers’ Lunch also provided an opportunity for Cornerstone to engage directly with the brokers, receive feedback and identify areas for improved collaboration. Stephen Alangbo acknowledged brokers as key drivers of the business and encouraged them to continue to consider Cornerstone as a first-choice partner for their clients’ corporate, individual and Takaful insurance needs.
The engagement reflects Cornerstone’s commitment to working closely with its broker network, as it advances its transformation agenda and builds a more agile, innovative and customer-focused insurance business.