Nigeria Chess Federation urges schools to register for July event; winner to join Asia, Americas, Europe at global final

The Nigeria Chess Federation has called on school teams nationwide to prepare for the first-ever African qualifier of the World Schools Team Chess Championship, set to take place in Cape Town, South Africa from 6th to 11th July. The move follows FIDE’s decision to expand the championship’s format to include separate continental stages ahead of the grand final in December.

According to organisers, school teams across Africa must register through their national chess federations for a chance to compete in the Cape Town event. The winner will represent Africa at the December grand final, joining continental champions from Asia, the Americas, and Europe. This marks a significant shift from previous editions, which did not feature a distinct African qualifying stage.

The 2026 cycle began in April with the Asian Continental Stage held in Almaty, Kazakhstan, where 26 teams from 19 countries participated. Wisdom School of Tashkent emerged victorious and secured a slot at the grand final. Kurchatov School of Moscow and Velammal MHS School of Chennai placed second and third respectively. The Americas qualifier is scheduled for August in San José, Costa Rica, while a European tournament will be held before December’s global showdown.

Chess stakeholders say the new format is expected to deepen school-level competition across Nigeria and increase opportunities for young players to compete internationally. Officials at the Nigeria Chess Federation have welcomed FIDE’s decision and are urging interested schools to complete registration promptly through official channels.

With Africa now included in the path to global chess honours, attention will turn to Cape Town next month as Nigerian school teams aim for a historic qualification spot. Further details on fixtures and team lists are expected from organisers ahead of the July kick-off.

Source: https://guardian.ng/sport/school-chess-goes-continental-as-wstc-adds-an-african-qualifier/

Judiciary distances self from Nigerian Bar Association publication; says it issued no directive on new notarial seals

The Supreme Court of Nigeria has publicly distanced itself from a recent publication by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) regarding the introduction of tamper-proof seals for notaries public. The clarification was made in Abuja on Thursday, 25 June, following widespread circulation of the NBA’s report which suggested judicial endorsement of the new seal protocol.

According to the statement released by the Supreme Court, the judiciary did not authorise or participate in any directive concerning tamper-proof notarial seals as reported by the NBA. The apex court noted that it became necessary to correct public perception after receiving multiple inquiries from legal practitioners and stakeholders across various states.

The controversy arose after the NBA circulated information claiming an official collaboration with the Supreme Court to implement new security measures for notaries public, a move that caused confusion within legal circles. Many lawyers and notaries raised concerns about possible changes to certification processes and implications for existing documents.

In its official response, the Supreme Court said: “The Supreme Court did not issue any directive regarding tamper-proof seals for notaries public. Any such publication should be disregarded.” No further comment was immediately available from NBA officials as at press time.

With this development, legal practitioners have been urged to continue using established procedures until any legitimate directives are issued by authorised judicial bodies. The incident highlights ongoing concerns about information dissemination within Nigeria’s legal profession and underscores the need for clear communication between regulatory bodies and practitioners.

Source: https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/890606-supreme-court-disowns-nba-publication-on-notaries-tamper-proof-seals.html

Artist claims Tinny Entertainment withheld earnings, citing unrecouped investment; fans express shock over financial revelations

Popular Lagos-based rapper YCee has revealed that he has never received any royalty payments from his hit songs, despite surpassing 100 million streams globally while signed to Tinny Entertainment. The disclosure came during an appearance on the Afropolitan Podcast on Tuesday, where the artist detailed the circumstances surrounding his contract and earnings.

YCee, whose real name is Oludemilade Martin Alejo, explained that his agreement with Tinny Entertainment was structured as a 70/30 split in favour of the label. According to him, management insisted it had not recouped its initial investment in his career, resulting in no royalty cheques being issued for his most successful tracks. “The mega hits and hundreds of millions of streams that I have had, I didn’t get any money off them. I was signed to Tinny Entertainment… it was a situation where I wasn’t being remitted off the earning because at the time, my previous employer felt he hasn’t recouped what he invested,” YCee said on the podcast.

The rapper described how, even as songs like ‘Jagaban’, ‘Omo Alhaji’ and ‘Juice’ featuring Maleek Berry propelled him into stardom from 2015 onward, financial returns did not match public perception. “At that time, the songs were going crazy, endorsements, and I was travelling the world, and it was looking good from the outside looking in, but it wasn’t making sense to me in other areas,” YCee stated. The situation persisted throughout his tenure with Tinny Entertainment before their eventual split.

Fans have expressed surprise following these revelations, especially considering YCee’s prominence during the period when Afrobeats began its global export surge. Industry observers note that issues around contract transparency and royalty payments remain a source of contention in Nigeria’s fast-evolving music sector.

After leaving Tinny Entertainment, YCee attempted to adapt to a music industry increasingly shaped by streaming platforms and international attention. He later went on hiatus following health challenges in 2020 but recently returned with a new album titled ‘Out of Sight – Out of Mind – Volume 1’, a 14-track project that highlights both his rapping and singing abilities.

As at press time, Tinny Entertainment had not issued an official response to YCee’s claims. Music industry stakeholders continue to call for greater accountability and fairer compensation structures for Nigerian artists as digital revenues grow.

Source: https://www.pulse.ng/story/rapper-ycee-reveals-he-has-never-received-royalties-despite-having-over-100m-streams-2026062509044283564