Kenyan President William Ruto has stirred up a storm on social media with his provocative question about the romantic prowess of Kenyan men, as an increasing number of the country’s women are choosing to marry Nigerians.

To add a personal touch to the story, it’s worth noting that Mr Ruto’s daughter, June, married a Nigerian, Alexander Ezenagu, an assistant professor of taxation and commercial law at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) in Qatar, in 2021.

Ruto, who previously served as Kenya’s first elected deputy president, made the remark that went viral as a guest at his friend’s daughter’s wedding on 2 June.

In the video obtained by PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday, he jokingly warned of the consequences of the growing trend.

He said, “My daughter is married to a Nigerian, and this one (referring to his friend’s daughter) is again marrying a Nigerian, and our guys (men) around, I don’t know. Are you too slow?”

“We need to balance this scale; at this stage, we will have a brain drain from Kenya. I think there’s something between Kenya and Nigeria, we should pick it up further.”

Nigerians

Additionally, Ruto teased Nigerian guests at the wedding, particularly the groom.

He added that the groom arm-twisted his friend into accepting extravagant gifts in exchange for his daughter’s hand in marriage.

“Nigerians are very complicated people, and you intimidated him into accepting all this. So, that is why I proposed to come. Although my diary was full, I wanted to see this Nigerian who had come to harass my friend. But I was told you have been well-behaved since this morning.

“I have asked whether you have done what was needed, and he has given me a brief. Consider yourself lucky I was not here, because you would have been in trouble. But because it’s done and I can’t reverse it anyway,” said Mr Ruto.

Reactions

Ruto’s comments sparked a wave of positivity among netizens, with many praising Nigerian men for their global representation.

Some attributed the appeal to Nigerian men’s romantic nature, sweetness, and attractiveness, leading Kenyan women to marry them.

Below are some of the comments.

PT

Mohammed Uwais, a former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), has passed away at the age of 88. He died in the early hours of Friday.

Born in Zaria, Kaduna State, Uwais had a distinguished judicial career that spanned several decades. He was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1979 by then military Head of State, General Olusegun Obasanjo, becoming a Justice of the apex court at the age of 43. In 1995, he was elevated to the position of Chief Justice of Nigeria, a role he held until his mandatory retirement at age 70 in 2006.

Uwais was Nigeria’s ninth CJN and holds the record as the longest-serving Justice of the Supreme Court. His 27-year tenure on the bench, including 11 years as CJN, was marked by service under five military governments and two civilian administrations.

After his retirement, Uwais continued to contribute to national development. In 2007, he was appointed by then-President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua to chair the Presidential Electoral Reform Committee. The committee’s report, submitted on December 11, 2008, proposed sweeping reforms to Nigeria’s electoral system. Among its key recommendations were the establishment of separate commissions for electoral offences, constituency delimitation, and political party regulation.

A hallmark proposal of the Uwais panel was to strip the President of the power to appoint the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Instead, the panel suggested that the National Judicial Council (NJC) should shortlist qualified candidates, with the National Assembly confirming the final choice. The President’s role would be limited to administering the oath of office. The panel also advocated for financial autonomy for INEC.

However, on March 9, 2009, the Federal Executive Council under President Yar’Adua rejected the recommendation to change the INEC appointment process. Despite this, the Uwais report remains a landmark document in Nigeria’s democratic journey, with ongoing calls for its full implementation.

Uwais is remembered as a principled jurist and a reform-minded public servant whose legacy continues to shape Nigeria’s legal and electoral systems.

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Six killed, 80 wounded in intense Russian air attacks on Ukraine

Russia launched an intense missile and drone barrage at the Ukrainian capital Kyiv in the early hours of Friday, killing at least six people, Ukrainian officials said, as powerful explosions reverberated across the country.

The attacks followed a warning from Russian President Vladimir Putin, conveyed via U.S. President Donald Trump, that the Kremlin would hit back after Ukrainian drones destroyed several strategic bomber aircraft in attacks deep inside Russia.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said three emergency responders were killed in the missile and drone salvo against the capital.

Two died in an attack on the northern city of Chernihiv and at least one more in the northwestern city of Lutsk.

"Those killed in Kyiv were rescue workers who arrived at the scene of an initial strike and, unfortunately, were killed in a repeat Russian strike," Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address.

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, writing on X, said Russia had "'responded' to its destroyed aircraft... by attacking civilians in Ukraine.... Multi-storey buildings hit. Energy infrastructure damaged."

Russia's Defence Ministry said its forces had carried out the strike on military and military-related targets in response to what it called Ukrainian "terrorist acts" against Russia.

"They gave Putin a reason to go in and bomb the hell out of them last night," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Friday, when asked about how Ukraine's earlier drone strikes had affected the conflict.

Zelenskiy said 80 people nationwide had been injured in the attacks, which also struck several other towns and cities. He said residents could still be trapped under rubble.

In Chernihiv, the national emergency services said two bodies were recovered from the rubble of a wrecked industrial enterprise.

In Lutsk, the body of a man was found in the ruins of an apartment block, while emergency crews kept searching for his wife. Thirty people were hurt in the city, where educational institutions and a government building were also hit.

Russian forces also struck industrial facilities and infrastructure in the western city of Ternopil, leaving parts of it without power, Mayor Serhii Nadal said.

The regional administration said the attack had injured 10 people and asked residents to temporarily stay inside due to a high concentration of toxic substances in the air after a fire.

The air force said Russia had used 407 drones, one of the largest numbers recorded in a single attack. It said 45 cruise and ballistic missiles were also fired.

ATTACKS HIT KYIV TRANSPORT SYSTEM

Kyiv's metro transport system was disrupted by a Russian strike that hit and damaged tracks between stations, the military administration said. The state rail company said it was also diverting some trains due to rail damage outside the city.

Reuters witnesses reported a series of booming explosions powerful enough to rattle windows far from the impact sites.

Some Kyiv residents sought shelter in metro stations, or in underground car parks.

In the capital's Solomianskyi district, a Russian drone slammed into the side of an apartment building, leaving a gaping hole and burn marks, a Reuters photographer at the scene said.

Falling concrete blocks from the building crushed cars parked below. Two police investigators were examining what appeared to be the drone's engine.

Earlier in the night, Reuters reporters heard the sound of Russian kamikaze drones buzzing in the sky, accompanied by the sounds of outgoing fire from Ukrainian anti-aircraft batteries.

Zelenskiy called for concerted pressure on Russia.

"If someone is not applying pressure and is giving the war more time to take lives – that is complicity and accountability. We must act decisively," he wrote on X.

The Ukrainian military said it had launched a pre-emptive strike overnight on the Engels and Dyagilevo airfields in the Russian regions of Saratov and Ryazan, in addition to striking at least three fuel reservoirs.

In one of the most audacious attacks of the three-year-old war between Ukraine and Russia, Ukrainian spies last weekend destroyed some of Russia's strategic bomber aircraft on the ground using quadrocopter drones hidden in wooden sheds.

After a phone conversation with Putin on Wednesday, Trump said the Kremlin was planning an unspecified response to the Ukrainian attack on the Russian air bases.

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Most Ukrainians will tolerate conflict ‘as long as necessary’ – survey

A majority of Ukrainians are prepared to endure the conflict with Russia for “as long as necessary,” a survey released on Thursday by the Kiev International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) shows.

Past KIIS surveys had indicated a steady decline in support for an open-ended conflict – from a peak of 73% in 2022 to a low of 54% in March 2025 – suggesting growing war fatigue. Recent data, however, shows a reversal of the trend.

The latest poll, conducted between May 15 and June 3, indicates that 60% of respondents are ready to endure the war indefinitely. Another 6% said they are prepared to continue for one more year, while 20% are willing to tolerate it for several more months or up to half a year.

The survey was carried out by telephone and included 1,011 respondents who were selected through a random sample of mobile phone numbers. KIIS stated that such surveys typically have a margin of error of up to 4.1% under normal conditions. 

However, it admitted that additional deviations are also likely due to certain wartime factors, such as response bias – where participants may provide answers they believe are expected or acceptable rather than their true opinions.

The sudden rise in support for an open-ended conflict with Russia comes against a backdrop of wartime restrictions introduced by Vladimir Zelensky, who has banned opposition parties, centralized media under a unified information policy, and implemented increasingly draconian mobilization measures to sustain the armed forces.

The KIIS survey results also contrast with ongoing efforts to find a political settlement to the conflict. Earlier this week, Russian and Ukrainian delegations held their second round of direct peace talks in Istanbul, agreeing to a record prisoner swap and exchanging draft memorandums on reaching a peace deal. Both sides indicated that direct contacts would continue.

At the same time, Russian officials have repeatedly claimed that Kiev is not truly prepared to end the conflict. The Kremlin has pointed to ongoing Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory and sabotage operations as evidence that Kiev is committed to a military solution and is willing to engage in “terrorist acts.” Russian President Vladimir Putin has also stated that the “illegitimate regime in Kiev” is “gradually turning into a terrorist organization.”

Reuters/RT

Caroline C. Boyle

If you’re after a nutrient-dense breakfast, boiled eggs are a quick and easy way to pack in a few essential nutrients –from antioxidants to B vitamins to choline. 

Because you’re not adding extra oils or fats into the cooking process, boiled eggs are considered to be one of the healthiest kinds of eggs to eat, says Jeremy O'Neal, a board-certified specialist in obesity and weight management, and licensed dietitian nutritionist specialist in the UI Health Bariatric Surgery Program. 

All around, boiled eggs are a low calorie, protein-rich food. What else is there to know about this breakfast staple? We asked the experts to break down all the nutrients found in boiled eggs, how much protein they actuallycontain and why (for most people) they’re a great food to incorporate into an everyday, balanced diet.

How many calories in an egg?

One large boiled egg contains 72 calories, nearly 5 grams of fat and around 1.5 grams of saturated fat, says O’Neal. Eggs, and egg yolks in particular, pack a punch with vitamins and minerals. They’re a good source of vitamin A, B vitamins, riboflavin, folate, iron and zinc, he says. 

Eggs are also one of the best sources of choline, a mineral that’s especially important during pregnancy because it supports the production of acetylcholine, which helps with muscular contractions, he says. Choline has also shown to be important in promoting cognitive function in older adults, says Dr. Amar Dave, a lifestyle medicine specialist with MedStar Health.

How much protein is in an egg?

There’s around 6 to 7 grams of protein in one large boiled egg, says O’Neal. Boiled eggs are protein-rich, though you can’t rely on them alone to meet all your daily protein needs (which is essential for muscle growth and recovery). 

Your protein intake depends on two factors: your body weight, and how much you exercise. For adults, the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of protein is at least 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, according to Harvard Health. 

So, if someone weighs 180 pounds, it’s recommended they eat around 65 grams of protein a day, says O’Neal. If you’re someone who’s very active, you’re going to need to consume a bit more protein than the average person, somewhere between 1.2 grams to 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. If you're pregnant, it’s also recommended your protein intake be higher than average, around 1.1 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, he says. 

How often can I eat boiled eggs?

In the context of a balanced diet, for most people, it’s perfectly fine to eat two to three boiled eggs per day if you wanted to, says O’Neal.

The Dietary Guidelines for America 2020-2025recommends eating a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy (or soy as an alternative), healthy oils and protein-rich foods. It’s especially important to diversify your protein sources, says Dave. To help meet your protein goals, consider incorporating a mix of lean meats, poultry and eggs. As for plant-based protein sources, he recommends eating foods like steel cut oats, legumes, seeds, lentils and tofu. 

Can I eat boiled eggs if I have high cholesterol?

If you have high cholesterol, you may have heard you should either limit your intake of eggs, or avoid eating them entirely. The concern surrounding eggs and cholesterol is mainly to do with eating the egg yolk, where the majority of the dietary cholesterol is concentrated, says O’Neal. One large egg contains approximately 200 milligrams of dietary cholesterol, according to the USDA’s Food Data Central. 

“Eggs are definitely a larger source of dietary cholesterol, but the association between regular dietary cholesterol consumption, and then high (blood) cholesterol and coronary artery disease, has not been well proven,” says Dave. The relationship between dietary and blood cholesterol has been up for debate for decades, and according to a 2022 review published in Nutrients, recent research still hasn’t been able to establish a direct link. 

So, if you’re someone who’s at risk for high cholesterol, it’s probably more important to turn your attention to the amount of saturated fat that a boiled egg contains. That’s because diets high in saturated fat are strongly correlated with high blood cholesterol, which increases your risk for heart disease and stroke, says Dave. However, even if you have high cholesterol, it still doesn’t mean you need to avoid boiled eggs full stop. If you’re following a balanced dietary pattern that limits your intake of saturated fat in other areas, like swapping red meats for lean meat, avoiding ultra-processed foods and instead eating lots of vegetables, boiled eggs could (in moderation) could be a nutritious, protein-rich addition to your diet, O’Neal says.

And as always, if you have any dietary concerns, talk to your healthcare provider to discuss an eating pattern that supports your individual health needs. 

USA Today

Nigeria has transformed from being the world’s second-largest cement importer to becoming Africa’s leading cement exporter, according to Aliko Dangote, chairman of the Dangote Group.

Speaking at the Gates Foundation’s Goalkeepers event in Lagos on Wednesday, Dangote highlighted Nigeria’s remarkable shift away from import dependency across multiple key industries, including cement, fertilizers, and petroleum products.

From Importer to Export Leader

The industrial transformation represents a complete reversal of Nigeria’s previous trade position. The West African nation previously ranked as the second-largest cement importer globally but has now achieved export leadership across the African continent.

Beyond cement, Nigeria has made substantial progress in fertilizer production. The country now operates the world’s second-largest fertilizer plant and exports 37% of its production to the United States, addressing previous challenges that had affected local farmers.

Energy Sector Breakthroughs

In the petroleum sector, Dangote announced significant achievements for Nigeria’s refining capacity. The country’s new refinery operates at 650,000 barrels per day, exceeding even Saudi Aramco’s 430,000-barrel capacity to become the world’s largest single refinery.

The facility has already begun making an impact on Nigeria’s trade balance. In May alone, the country exported 400,000 metric tonnes of petroleum motor spirit (petrol), marking a complete departure from its previous 100% import dependency.

Nigeria has also addressed its polypropylene import requirements, previously bringing in 350,000 tonnes annually. The country now plans to meet domestic demand while exporting 600,000 tonnes to other African nations.

Health Sector Partnerships

Dangote also referenced successful health initiatives developed through partnerships with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, including Nigeria’s achievement in ending polio transmission and advancing nutrition programs.

Vision for Healthcare Transformation

Drawing parallels between industrial and healthcare development, Dangote suggested that Nigeria’s business sector successes could serve as a template for transforming healthcare delivery. He emphasized the potential for developing local pharmaceutical manufacturing and reducing Nigeria’s reliance on medical tourism by ensuring quality healthcare access domestically.

The achievements outlined by Dangote reflect Nigeria’s broader economic diversification efforts and movement toward greater self-sufficiency in critical sectors.

The Kwara State Police Command on Thursday confirmed the killing of two policemen and the abduction of a Chinese national and one Nigerian in the Oreke-Okeigbo community in the Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state on Wednesday night.

The incident which took place at a mining site in the community at about 6.30 pm on Wednesday, saw two policemen: an Assistant Superintendent of Police and an Inspector being shot dead by a group of unidentified gunmen who attacked it.

According to a statement e-signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, in the command on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo on Thursday, the gunmen also abducted two individuals; a Chinese national and a Nigerian from the mining site.

The statement said, “The Kwara State Command of the Nigeria Police confirms a deadly attack and abduction incident that occurred on June 4, 2025, at about 1830hrs. This heinous act was done at a mining site located in Oreke-Okeigbo of the state.

”Information received from the Divisional Police Officer in Oreke indicates that a group of unidentified armed assailants invaded the said mining facility, where they tragically shot and killed two operatives of the Nigeria Police Force —ASP Haruna Watsai and Inspector Tukur Ogah, both attached to the 45 PMF, Abuja, who were on official protective assignment at the location.

The attackers also carted away the rifles of the deceased officers.

”In addition to the heinous killings, the assailants abducted two individuals: Sam Xie Wie, a Chinese national, and David Adenaiye, a native of Kogi State who was working at the mining site at the time of the incident,” the statement added.

The Commissioner of Police, Kwara State Command, Adekimi Ojo, strongly condemned the act of brutality and assured the public that the command had since swung into decisive action to bring the perpetrators to book and rescue the abductees.

“Tactical and intelligence-driven efforts are currently underway to ensure the swift rescue of the abducted victims and the apprehension of those responsible for this cowardly attack.

“The command is working in close synergy with other security agencies and community stakeholders to strengthen its presence in the area and prevent a recurrence of such incidents.

”Residents of Kwara State are urged to remain calm and law-abiding, as the command remains fully committed to the protection of lives and property across the state.

“We appeal to members of the public to provide credible and timely information that could aid the ongoing investigation and recovery efforts,” the statement further said.

Punch