Author: Prudence Makoge
Let’s be honest, January 1st is a scam. There, we said it. We’ve all been there. New Year’s Day arrives, and you wake up with questionable life choices from the night before. Your head is pounding, and somehow you’re supposed to spring out of bed full of motivation, ready to conquer your 2026 goals. It simply doesn’t add up. What if we collectively agreed to skip the “Day 1” pressure and make January 2nd the real start of the year? Here is why the “Day after New Year’s Day” is the secret weapon for sustainable success. January 1st: The Day…
John Dobson’s long-term vision for Stormers Rugby has been locked in. The Stormers’ director of rugby has signed a four-year contract extension that will keep him in charge through to the end of Project 2029, ensuring continuity at the top of the organisation as the Cape club pushes towards its most ambitious targets yet. Dobson has been central to the Stormers’ modern rise, having been part of the system since 2010. He led Western Province to Currie Cup glory in 2017 and guided the Stormers to the inaugural Vodacom URC title in 2021-22, before stepping into the director of rugby…
Hello BellaNaija Weddings fam, welcome to 2026! We had an absolutely splendid time together in 2025, swooning over you lovebirds, and we are totally looking forward to more beautiful love stories unfolding down the line. The new year promises to be a lovey-dovey one; we can already feel it in the air! Indeed, we are super excited to create more beautiful memories with you all. It’s a brand new start, and we remain devoted to spreading love and sweetness every single time, so stick around for more! We wish you lovebirds a very prosperous new year, filled with joy, happiness…
Dear Readers, Every year, storytelling reveals why it is important in our society. Writers, creators and storytellers employ their creativity to tell stories that shape, inform and transform society. Through storytelling and features, we get to explore many lives, relate to experiences, witness events and draw conclusions. At BellaNaija, our commitment has always been to storytelling because we understand that, as Africans, storytelling is how we inform the world. From our journalistic pieces to interviews and features to different content franchises, we told stories of Africans doing incredible stuff around the world that continue to reinforce that Africa, like Naija,…
Kaizer Chiefs are halfway through the season, and this series hands out report cards for all the new signings. After Thabiso Monyane (read here) and Nkanyiso Shinga (read here), we now look at Paseka Mako, a signing expected to make an immediate impact. Mako’s first half of the 2025/26 campaign as a Kaizer Chiefs footballer has been a mixed bag for the 31-year-old left-back. AN UNLUCKY START The Zebediela-born Mako arrived as a free agent following a long spell at Orlando Pirates. He arrived at Naturena carrying loads of experience: 242 professional games, three goals, 15 assists, and four MTN8…
Coach JP Pietersen has made three changes to the Sharks starting XV for Saturday’s Vodacom URC match against the Lions at Kings Park. Springbok loosehead prop Ox Nche has recovered from knee and ankle injuries suffered against Japan at Wembley in early November, while fullback Aphelele Fassi returns after being sidelined with a concussion. They replace Phatu Ganyane and Hakeem Kunene respectively, while Manu Tshituka comes in for Phepsi Buthelezi at No 8. Lock Corne Rahl and fullback Siya Masuku also make welcome returns to the match 23, both named on the bench. TSHITUKA: JP’s lifted Sharks’ standards The Sharks won…
In some Eastern philosophies, there is the belief that a glass dish becomes more beautiful, more valuable, after it cracks. The fractures do not diminish it; they complete it. The scars tell a story of use, endurance and survival. In this same way, 2025 arrived as an alchemist, not to destroy humanity, but to refine it. Alchemy teaches that gold is not discovered; it is earned. An element must first be undone, melted, cracked, stripped of what does not belong, before it can become something luminous. Fire, in this tradition, is not punishment but mercy disguised as intensity. What remains…
Photo Credit: Dettydecfest/Instagram Afrobeats star Wizkid made a surprise appearance at Gunna’s headline show at Detty December Fest on Monday night, delivering one of the standout moments of the festival. The unannounced appearance happened midway through Gunna’s set at Ilubirin, Ikoyi, when the beat switched to their joint track, “Forever Be Mine.” Wizkid then walked onto the stage to loud cheers from the crowd, joining Gunna for a brief live performance of the song. The track, which appears on Gunna’s 2025 album “The Last Wun,” was performed live for only the second time, following its debut at Afro+ Fest in…
Tottenham Hotspur have agreed a deal for winger Matilda Nilden to join from BK Hacken in January, subject to international clearance and a work permit.The 21-year-old Sweden youth international, whose sister Amanda also plays for Spurs, has committed to a long-term contract and will wear the number 14 shirt.Nilden said: “I’m so excited and really happy to be here. I think this is the right step for me because the club wants to develop players and I feel they have a clear plan for me.”I’m young and this feels like the next step in my career.”She said discussions with head…
Photo Credit: Sabrina Idukpaye/Instagram Thinking of a chic look to rock this New Year’s event? We’re taking inspiration from Sabrina Idukpaye’s chic, art-inspired look, one that balances playful creativity with a polished, going-out ease. Let’s get into the details. Sabrina steps out in a mint blue long-sleeve top designed with sculptural shoulders that immediately draw the eye. Across the front sits an abstract line drawing of a face, giving the piece a gallery-ready feel that leans very Picasso-esque without feeling costume-like. It’s the kind of top that does the talking on its own, equal parts thoughtful and visually striking. She…