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Ousmane Dembélé Wins 2025 Ballon d’Or After Leading PSG to Historic Treble

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Ousmane Dembélé has won the 2025 Ballon d’Or, capping a remarkable season in which he led Paris Saint-Germain to a historic treble.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The 28-year-old forward received world soccer’s most prestigious individual honor Monday night at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. His award followed an outstanding campaign in which PSG lifted the Ligue 1 title, the Coupe de France, and the UEFA Champions League.

Dembélé scored 33 goals and delivered 15 assists in 49 appearances across all competitions during the 2024-25 season. His performances in Europe were especially decisive, earning him UEFA Champions League Player of the Season honors after inspiring PSG to their second-ever Champions League crown.

Sixth French Winner

With the victory, Dembélé becomes the sixth Frenchman to win the Ballon d’Or, joining an elite group that includes Michel Platini, Jean-Pierre Papin, Zinedine Zidane, and Karim Benzema. His triumph marks another milestone for French football as the country prepares to defend its European and world dominance on the international stage.

The French national team also celebrated Nations League success this year, with Dembélé playing a key role in the attack alongside Kylian Mbappé. His combination of speed, creativity, and finishing power has been widely praised by coaches and teammates.

Emotional Speech

Accepting the award in front of fellow players, coaches, and legends of the game, Dembélé grew emotional. He thanked his family, his coaches at PSG, and his former Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi and Andrés Iniesta.

“They taught me what it means to play with joy and respect,” Dembélé said. “This award is for my family, for Paris, and for all the fans who believed in me, even during difficult times.”

Dembélé’s career has been marked by flashes of brilliance and long battles with injuries. At Barcelona, he struggled to meet expectations after a record transfer from Borussia Dortmund in 2017. But his resurgence at PSG has been hailed as one of the most inspiring comebacks in recent football history.

PSG’s First French Winner

Dembélé is also the first French player to win the Ballon d’Or while representing Paris Saint-Germain. While stars such as Neymar, Zlatan Ibrahimović, and Kylian Mbappé came close in the past, none had managed to claim the prize during their PSG careers.

Club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi praised Dembélé’s achievement.

“This is a proud moment for Paris Saint-Germain and for French football,” Al-Khelaifi said in a statement. “Ousmane has worked tirelessly, and his performances have inspired millions. His Ballon d’Or is a reward for his dedication and his incredible talent.”

Global Recognition

The Ballon d’Or, organized by France Football magazine, is awarded annually to the best men’s and women’s players in the world. It is decided by an international panel of journalists, national team coaches, and captains.

Dembélé’s victory breaks a decade of dominance shared mostly by Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, and Luka Modrić. Messi, who retired earlier this year, won a record eight Ballons d’Or. Dembélé’s win highlights a new generation of stars who are stepping into the spotlight.

Looking Ahead

With his Ballon d’Or now secured, Dembélé is focused on continuing PSG’s dominance in France and Europe. The club has already started the 2025-26 season strongly, and fans hope the winger’s peak form will lead to another deep run in the Champions League.

France, meanwhile, looks ahead to next summer’s European Championship, where Dembélé is expected to play a leading role. His partnership with Mbappé could be central to Les Bleus’ bid for another continental title.

For now, though, Dembélé’s name is etched in football history as one of the world’s best.

“This is just the beginning,” he said. “I want to win more for my club, for my country, and for the game I love.”

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Drama In APC: Oshiomhole Confronts Youth Leader, Orders Him To Focus On His Unit.

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Senator Adams Oshiomhole has described the disagreement surrounding the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) youth campaign team as a distraction.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Oshiomhole, who represents Edo North Senatorial District, made the remarks during an appearance on Arise TV’s Morning Show.

The former Edo State governor, who currently serves as Deputy Director-General of Mobilisation for President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 Presidential Campaign Council, disclosed that he had already spoken with the APC National Youth Leader, Dayo Israel, about the controversy.

He advised Israel to focus on mobilisation activities within his unit and ward rather than seeking to oversee youth mobilisation across the campaign structure.

Speaking during the programme, Oshiomhole said:

“I think the issue of Israel is just a complete distraction. I have spoken to him. I said, Israel, go and work in your unit. Go and work in your ward.

“You are party youth leader, it doesn’t make it obligatory that you must lead the youth. It is not Israel who is going to mobilize the youth in my village or mobilize the youth in my unit.

“So all these people looking for big titles are completely minor as far as I’m concerned.

“I’m on record as telling President Tinubu in 2023, I said even to be a sweeper, if my sweeping the office will help the process of him being elected as president, I’ll be quite happy to be called the sweeper of the Campaign Council.”

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‘I Don’t Have To Work Ever Again’ – Don Jazzy Reveals Secret Behind His Wealth.

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Nigerian music executive Michael Collins Ajereh, popularly known as Don Jazzy, has revealed how he spent the first significant amount of money he earned from the music industry.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The Mavin Records boss shared the experience during a recent appearance on the On The Grind podcast.

Don Jazzy disclosed that he initially spent his first major earnings on parties and other luxuries rather than investing the money.

According to the music producer, he bought 50 bottles of champagne and went clubbing after receiving the money.

However, he said he soon realised the importance of managing his finances wisely and began investing in businesses, including signing and promoting emerging artistes.

The music executive explained that his investments in record labels and other ventures have yielded significant returns, giving him enough financial security to no longer depend on working to survive.

Speaking on the podcast, he said: “The first big money I got from music I lavished it. I bought 50 bottles of champagne and went clubbing. But I quickly coordinated myself and invested in signing new artistes. Now I don’t have to work ever again.

“You don’t necessarily have to invest in a record label, but the money you are making in your youth, invest it in a lucrative business as opposed to wasting it on frivolities.”

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Tinubu Has Not Given Up On 24-Hour Electricity Promise – APC Campaign Council.

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The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council (APC-PCC) has maintained that President Bola Tinubu remains committed to fulfilling his campaign promise to end estimated electricity billing and improve power supply across the country.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The council made this known on Sunday, November 1, acknowledging that Nigeria’s electricity sector still faces major challenges but insisting that the administration is implementing reforms to address the problems and deliver on its 2023 pledge.

Tinubu made the promise while addressing members of the Organised Private Sector in Lagos ahead of the 2023 general elections. He assured Nigerians that they would enjoy electricity without having to pay estimated bills and challenged voters to reject him in 2027 if he failed to fulfil the pledge without offering adequate reasons.

In a statement, APC-PCC spokesperson Dele Alake said critics had failed to consider the full context of the President’s commitment, particularly his assurance that he would explain any shortcomings to Nigerians before seeking re-election.

Alake argued that a proper assessment of Tinubu’s performance should take into account developments in electricity generation, metering, transmission infrastructure and market stability since he assumed office in May 2023.

“While fixing the power sector crisis remains unfinished, the President is working consistently to deliver on his promise to Nigerians, and his commitment to face the challenges head-on has never diminished,” the statement said.

The council identified the Electricity Act 2023, signed by Tinubu on June 9, less than two weeks after his inauguration, as a major milestone in efforts to reform the sector.

According to the APC-PCC, the legislation opened up the electricity market to state governments, giving them the opportunity to participate in power generation, transmission and distribution.

It noted that Lagos, Enugu, Abia, Ekiti, Oyo, Kaduna and Niger states had begun setting up electricity regulatory agencies to attract private sector investment.

On the financial challenges facing the industry, the council said the Federal Government had taken responsibility for more than ₦6 trillion in legacy debts accumulated between 2015 and 2025.

It added that the administration had introduced a ₦4 trillion bond programme to settle verified debts owed to 21 electricity generation and gas companies.

The first two tranches of the programme reportedly raised more than ₦1.2 trillion, which the council said would help support investments in power generation facilities.

The APC-PCC also pointed to the Presidential Metering Initiative, introduced to address a shortage of more than seven million electricity meters.

It claimed that over 1.5 million customers had received meters within the last three years.

The council further highlighted solar power projects targeting universities, hospitals and rural communities through the Rural Electrification Agency.

On transmission infrastructure, the APC-PCC said Tinubu had reviewed the Presidential Power Initiative inherited from the previous administration and signed an agreement with German partners in December 2023 to accelerate its implementation.

It also disclosed that the Federal Executive Council approved contracts in December 2024 for five substations belonging to the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), with the projects expected to be completed and commissioned before the end of Tinubu’s first term.

The council added that the Federal Executive Council approved another contract in June 2026 for the construction of eight new substations and the upgrading of four existing facilities.

It said plans were also underway to modernise the Osogbo Grid Control Centre, which is more than 60 years old, and construct an East-West super grid.

“Power project implementation requires equipment that is a long-lead item and thus cannot be achieved overnight,” the statement said.

Addressing concerns over electricity tariffs, Alake explained that the administration was working towards aligning tariffs with production costs to improve liquidity in the electricity market while protecting low-income households.

He said the service-based tariff bands were designed to strengthen the financial position of electricity distribution companies, improve cash flow and reduce the government’s electricity subsidy burden.

“The administration will continue to explore ways to improve the commercial situation of the power sector while protecting access to electricity for the less privileged in society,” the statement added.

The APC-PCC maintained that reforms in the electricity sector were still ongoing, insisting that Tinubu had not abandoned his campaign promise to improve power supply and end estimated billing.

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