National fencing coach, Ibrahim Alogba, has expressed confidence that Nigeria will make a strong impression at the 2026 Commonwealth Fencing Championships in Lagos as preparations continue for the competition.

Alogba said on Sunday in Lagos that the country’s fencing team had continued to improve and was determined to compete well against more experienced nations.

He said Nigeria might still be developing in fencing when compared with countries that had spent many years in the sport, but the progress made by Nigerian athletes in recent years had been encouraging.

According to him, the focus remains on building a disciplined and competitive team that can proudly represent the country and challenge strongly on the international stage.

“We are preparing seriously and our athletes understand the importance of this championship because it will be hosted here in Lagos.

“Our goal is to put together a team that is focused, disciplined and ready to compete at a high level.

“We know there are countries with more experience than us, but we are improving steadily and the athletes are becoming more confident with every competition,” he said.

Alogba said one of the biggest factors behind the improvement in the team had been international exposure.

He said that Nigerian fencers who had competed outside the country were beginning to understand better what top-level fencing required.

He said international tournaments had helped the athletes improve their concentration, tactical decisions and ability to remain calm under pressure.

“Competing abroad has helped our fencers a lot because they now understand the speed, discipline and consistency needed at the highest level.

“It has also helped them believe more in themselves because they have seen that the gap is not impossible to close.

“With the right preparation and the right mindset on competition day, we can compete strongly and challenge top teams,” he said.

The coach said while medals could not be guaranteed in sports, the team remained hopeful and fully committed to delivering strong performances.

He added that the immediate target was to reach the advanced stages of the championship and gain valuable results from there.

“For us, every competition is an opportunity to improve and become stronger.

“If we can execute our plans well and stay focused, we believe we can go far and make Nigerians proud,” he said.

Alogba also said the 2025 African Championships gave the team useful lessons and helped the athletes understand the level required to compete against the continent’s best.

He noted that the experience also exposed areas where more work was needed while increasing the team’s confidence ahead of future competitions.

The coach acknowledged the challenge of managing athletes based in Nigeria and others living abroad, but said regular communication and proper structure had made coordination easier.

He said home-based athletes continued to receive steady training locally, while foreign-based athletes also remained connected with the national team and followed expected standards.

“We keep close contact with the athletes outside Nigeria and their international experience is important for the team.

“The goal is to have one standard and one clear direction no matter where the athletes are based,” he said.

Alogba said Nigeria would also take part in the 2026 African Championships in Abidjan later this month as part of efforts to improve performance, gain more exposure and boost rankings.

He said the final list for that competition would be decided based on form, fitness and readiness.

He added that the technical crew remained focused on fielding the strongest possible team while continuing to build for the future.

Alogba expressed optimism that with continued hard work and support, Nigerian fencing would continue to grow and compete better internationally.

He said the country was not preparing only to host the Commonwealth Championships, but also to make a lasting impact.

“We are not going there just to participate.

“We want to compete well, gain more experience and show that Nigerian fencing is moving forward,” he said.

Crowds gathered in the Royal Square in Jersey to mark Africa Week in the island.

The charity Friends of Africa hosts events through the week to share the continent’s culture with the wider community.

As part of the campaign, Friends of Africa helps to set up food stalls, fashion displays and music performances for the public in St Helier.

One of the charity’s founders, Lainah Pentilla said: “We’re sharing my culture, we want to share Jersey’s culture as well and let the community be one.

The campaign Africa Week has been running in Jersey for the last 11 years and Pentilla said engagement had grown over the years.

“It’s getting bigger and bigger and bigger every year,” she said, adding: “Our aim is for people to know that Jersey is welcoming, Jersey is diverse, Jersey is willing to understand where people are coming from.”

Pentilla added: “My son is born here, he’s a Jersey boy and I just want our young children to be proud of their heritage and be proud to be from Jersey as well

“Jersey is a small island but it’s the most important to make sure that we’re all one and make sure that people are celebrating each other.”

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ruled that citizens’ right to strike is protected under a core International Labour Organization (ILO) convention.

The UN World Court, in a landmark advisory opinion of 10 votes to four, settled a long-running dispute between workers and employers worldwide.

Based in The Hague, the ICJ is the United Nations’ principal judicial organ and is composed of 15 judges elected by the UN General Assembly and Security Council.

ICJ ruled “the right to strike of workers and their organizations is protected” under the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No.

Convention 87 of 1948 guarantees workers and employers the right to establish and join organizations of their own choosing without prior authorization, ensuring they can operate freely without state interference.

The Court, however, stressed that its opinion did not define the exact scope of the right to strike.

Its conclusion, the judges held, “it does not entail any determination on the precise content, scope or conditions for the exercise of that right.”

The case was referred to the Court by the ILO’s Governing Body in November 2023, after years of disagreement among the agency’s core constituents – governments, employers and workers.

The disagreement bothered on whether Convention No. 87 protects the right to strike, even though the treaty does not explicitly mention strikes.

At the heart of the dispute was whether the right to organize under Convention No. 87 includes the right of workers and their organizations to take strike action.

Employers’ groups stress that the convention contains no provision whose ordinary meaning implies such a right, and that the treaty’s drafting history showed no intention to include strike action.

Workers’ representatives, by contrast, argue that the right to strike is inherent in freedom of association and has long been recognized by ILO supervisory bodies.

The ILO said its Governing Body is expected to consider the matter at its November session, including any follow-up.

The Court acknowledged that Convention No. 87 “does not contain an explicit reference to the right to strike”.

ICJ, however, said the absence of such a provision “does not necessarily mean that the issue is excluded” from the treaty.

The judges found that strike action could fall within the ordinary meaning of workers’ organizations’ “activities” under the Convention.

The judges added that strike action could also fall within provisions protecting the right of workers and employers to form organizations and defend their interests.

While the Court was unanimous that it had jurisdiction and should answer the ILO’s request, four judges dissented from the central conclusion.

The case was only the second time in ILO history that a question concerning interpretation of an international labour convention had been referred, and the first such request to the ICJ since its creation in 1945.

ICJ advisory opinions are not binding judgments but they carry significant legal and political weight, shaping debates and national and international law.