By Fabian Apechihin

Cristiano Ronaldo’s partner, Georgina Rodriguez, has explained why they chose to have a private wedding at home instead of hosting an extravagant ceremony.

Ronaldo and Rodriguez recently announced their marriage in a joint Instagram post, revealing that the ceremony was a modest affair held in the living room of their mansion in Cascais, Portugal.

The decision surprised many, particularly those who expected the high-profile couple to celebrate their union with a lavish wedding.

In an interview with Vogue, Rodriguez explained that her views about marriage and weddings had changed over the years. She said that although she once dreamed of a fairy-tale wedding as a child, she eventually came to prefer a more intimate celebration with her family.

“As a little girl, I envisioned the grandest castle, the most magnificent carriage, the longest gown and a crown adorned with diamonds,” she said.

“Now, I find myself saying: no. I desire something intimate, shared with my partner and our children, in the comfort of our home. We have access to castles, houses, islands, horses, and cars every day.

“However, an intimate gathering is something more unique for us,” she added.

Rodriguez also explained that holding the ceremony in their living room carried special emotional significance because it is where the family spends much of its everyday life.

“We chose to hold the ceremony in our living room, the place where we share breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and where we experience our daily lives,” she said.

“In 30 years, I want our children to remember that something wonderful occurred at this table, the wedding vows of their parents,” Rodriguez added.

By Fabian Apechihin

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has linked illegal mining in Nigeria to organised crime, terrorism and insecurity across West Africa.

The UN agency disclosed this in a statement on Monday following a meeting between its delegation and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Mining Marshals.

The delegation was led by Tullio Santini, Chief of the Africa Section of the Terrorism Prevention Branch (TPB) at UNODC.

Santini described the NSCDC Mining Marshals’ enforcement unit as critical to efforts to combat illegal mining and its associated criminal activities in Nigeria.

The meeting focused on the UNODC Crime-Terrorism Nexus Initiative, led by Robert Haslinger, a law enforcement expert from the Swedish Police.

According to UNODC, the initiative is designed to strengthen cooperation among governments and law enforcement agencies in dismantling the financial and operational links between organised criminal networks and terrorist groups.

Speaking on behalf of the NSCDC Commandant General, Ahmed Abubakar Audi, Commander John Onoja Attah described UNODC as an important partner in the fight against illegal mining in Nigeria.

Attah noted that previous training programmes supported by UNODC had significantly improved collaboration between the Mining Marshals and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).

He said continued cooperation between relevant agencies would be crucial to addressing the security and financial challenges associated with illegal mining in the country.

By Fabian Apechihin

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Sunday paid a surprise congratulatory visit to Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, following his victory in the August 15, 2026 governorship election.

The visit came hours after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Adeleke the winner of the keenly contested election, securing him a fresh four-year mandate.

Adeleke, who contested under the platform of the Accord Party, polled 511,067 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who scored 444,815 votes.

The governor won by a margin of 66,252 votes after the final results from the state’s 30 local government areas were collated.

Adeleke secured victory in 19 local government areas, while Oyebamiji won 11.

The governor’s victories included Ede North, Ede South, Ejigbo, Iwo, Egbedore, Ife North, Ife East, Ife Central, Oriade, Ifelodun, Orolu, Ayedaade, Ayedire, Odo Otin, Boluwaduro, Ilesa West, Ifedayo and Osogbo.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Najeem Salaam, finished third in the election.

Obasanjo’s visit came amid a wave of congratulatory messages to Adeleke following INEC’s announcement of the final results.

The former President congratulated Adeleke on his re-election and second-term victory, as well as his success in retaining control of Osun State despite a strong challenge from the APC.