Bamise: Sanwo-Olu warns Lagosians against spreading ‘false narratives’ (Punch)
The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has warned Lagosians against using the death of Bamise Ayanwole, who died after boarding a BRT, to spread false narratives against the government.
Sanwo-Olu added that the government won’t condone people who feast on the sad incident for their selfish reasons.
The governor spoke on Wednesday during a courtesy visit by the executive members of the National Association of Women Judges in Nigeria led by its President, Jumah Sankay, at the Lagos House, Marina.
As contained in a statement titled, ‘Slain BRT Passenger: Lagos will not condone purveyors of evil intentions over incident, Sanwo-Olu warns’, the governor reassured that justice would be served. Read more
LIRS reaffirms March 31 deadline for filing individual annual tax returns (ThisDay)
The Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) has notified all individual taxpayers, including self-employed persons and employees under the PAYE Scheme to file their Annual Tax Returns on or before March 31, 2022.
This it said in a statement is in accordance with provisions of the Personal Income Tax Act (PITA) Cap P8 2011 (as amended).
“The obligation to file annual tax returns is stipulated in Section 41 of the Personal Income Tax Act (PITA). This provision makes it mandatory for all taxable person(s) to file a return of aggregate income from all sources for the preceding year with the State tax authority in which they are deemed resident within 90 days from the commencement of every new year of assessment” it stated.
The Executive Chairman of LIRS, Mr. Ayodele Subair in the statement urged all individual taxpayers, including self-employed persons and employees under the PAYE Scheme in Lagos State to file their annual tax returns on or before March 31, 2022, to avoid payment of penalties as well as other statutory sanctions. Read more
World glaucoma week: LASG holds awareness walk (Sun)
Lagos State Government has warned citizens to avoid patronising unqualified eye health care personnel and quacks while seeking eye health care services. This is just as the State government advocated the need for regular eye checks to prevent irreversible blindness that may be caused by glaucoma and other blinding conditions.
The walk, organised by the State Ministry of Health is to commemorate the year 2022 World glaucoma week in Lagos.
The permanent secretary, ministry of health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye explained that patronage of unqualified eye health professionals for eye care services is inimical to the efforts being made by government and relevant stakeholders to reduce the prevalence of avoidable blinding eye conditions.
Ogboye noted that the theme of the year 2022 world glaucoma week: “The world is bright save your sight,” brings to fore the need for citizens to take responsibility and good care of their eyes to prevent vision impairment and irreversible blindness which is caused by glaucoma and other blinding eye conditions. Read more
El-Rufai: 19 APC governors endorsed Buni’s removal (Nation)
Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai last night explained why the All Progressives Congress (APC) caretaker chairman had to be pushed aside.
According to him, certain actions and inactions of Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni put the ruling party at risk because they were a hindrance to the plan to hold the convention on March 26.
El-Rufai, who spoke on a Channels Television programme, said he had the authority of Chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) Kebbi State Governor Atiku Bagudu to explain the action that led to the appointment of Niger State Governor Abubakar Sani Bello as acting chairman of APC.
He said 19 of the 23 governors elected on the ticket of the party were on the same page on the mission to prevent the party from collapsing. He did not name the four governors that are not with them. Read more
Reps summon NNPC, NCAA bosses, marketers over aviation fuel scarcity (Punch)
The House of Representatives has summoned the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Melee Kyari; and the Director-General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Captain Nuhu Musa, to a meeting over the current scarcity of Jet-A1 also known as aviation fuel.
The Deputy Speaker of the House, Ahmed Wase, convened the meeting, scheduled for Thursday, based on a motion of urgent public importance moved by the Chairman, House Committee on Aviation, Nnolim Nnaji, at the plenary on Wednesday.
The motion was titled ‘Urgent Need to Investigate the Sudden Scarcity and High Cost of Aviation Fuel Which Has Created an Existential Threat to Airline Operations and Requires Immediate Intervention by the Federal Government.’
Adopting the motion, the lawmakers urged the leadership of the House to “urgently intervene so as to resolve these challenges within 24 hours.”
Avoid politicking, COAS warns troops ahead of 2023 elections (Channels)
The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya on Tuesday warned troops of the Nigerian Army to avoid being dragged into politicking as electoral activities intensify ahead to the 2023 general elections.
He gave the charge in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital while addressing troops during his operational tour of two brigade Area of Responsibility (AOR).
A statement signed by the Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, said Lieutenant General Yahaya also admonished the troops to remain focused in the conduct of ongoing internal security operations across the country.
He reiterated that the role of troops during elections is to provide support to the Nigeria Police, which is the lead agency in the security architecture during elections. Read more
FG bans foreigners from purchasing agricultural commodities (Vanguard)
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a memo banning foreigners or their agents from purchasing agricultural commodities at farm gates across the country.
Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Niyi Adebayo, stated this when he briefed State House correspondents on the outcome of the Council meeting, presided over by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, on Wednesday in Abuja.
He said the approval was necessitated by the need for the government to establish an appropriate mechanism that would protect local farmers in terms of achieving the right prices for their goods and commodities.
Adebayo added that the approval was also meant to ensure that the farmers have the appropriate incentives and the needed encouragement to guarantee their continued participation in the farming business. Read more
Obiano honours Anyaoku, Achebe, Obi, Okadigbo, others (Nation)
Outgoing Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano’s decision to honour his predecessor, Mr. Peter Obi, was applauded yesterday.
But the governor-elect, Prof. Charles Soludo, was absent at the event.
Other prominent citizens of the state were also honoured as Grand Commanders and Commanders. Merit awards were given to some. Five hundred awardees benefited.
Also honoured were the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe; former Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku and ex-Senate President, the late Chuba Okadigbo. Read more
Olababs releases second studio album, ‘Celebration Hymn Medley’ (Tribune)
Popular Nigerian gospel juju artist Babatunde John Olaniyan popularly known as Olababs has released his second studio album, titled “Celebration Hymn Medley”.
The singer while speaking to Tribune Online explained that the hour-long album was released to give listeners something different from the general kind of gospel music they are used to.
He said, “Being a Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) member for over three decades, I grew up listening and singing lots of hymns in the church and this made me love hymns. I noticed many Pentecostal churches nowadays sing little or no hymns at all.
“This inspired me to record a medley and collections of the inspirational hymns in an African juju percussion groove style considering that hymn reading sessions in churches can sometimes be boring, so we spice it up with the danceable rhythm.” Read more
Toni Braxton to star in new Anthology Movies on Lifetime (Vibe)
This April, Toni Braxton is returning to Lifetime. The “Breathe Again” singer will executive produce and star in two Fallen Angels Murder Club anthology movies as Hollis Morgan, an ex-con turned amateur detective who investigates a slew of murders at her book club.
The first film, Fallen Angels Murder Club: Friends to Die For, premieres on Saturday, April 2. It lays the foundation for the Fallen Angels Murder Club as each member must have a criminal record and a love for books. After unfortunately falling victim to insurance fraud at the hands of her ex-husband, Morgan seeks to fulfill her dream of being a lawyer upon her release from prison. However, she finds herself once again caught up in legal trouble as she becomes the subject of a murder investigation.
The second part of the anthology movie series, Fallen Angels Murder Club: Heroes and Felons, will premiere on Saturday, April 9. In this part of the series, Hollis and her fellow fallen angels search for answers after one of the members dies, but Hollis yet again becomes the subject of another murder investigation as the journalist reporting the incident dies mysteriously.
Lisa Berry, Rob Stewart, Keith D. Robinson, Shawn Ahmed, Humberly González, and Rainbow Sun Francks are among those also starring. Both films are based on the Fallen Angels Book Club series by R. Franklin James. Read more
DC moves The Flash, Black Adam, Aquaman 2 and Shazam 2 release dates (DigitalSpy)
DC fans will have to wait a little longer before enjoying some of their favourite characters in cinemas.
Warner Bros has made the sudden move to shift a slew of its DC movies to later dates, including some much-anticipated titles.
Aquaman 2’s release has been moved back to March 17, 2023 from December 16, 2022, a spot that has now been allocated to Shazam! Fury of the Gods, which was supposed to run on June 2, 2022.
DC League of Super-Pets, starring Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart, has also been moved up to July 29, 2022, while Johnson’s other Warner Bros project, Black Adam, has been given an October 21, 2022 date. Read more
Cardi B says ‘that’s all you get’ as she gives first glimpse of six-month-old son (Mirror)
Cardi B has finally relented to her fans requests to see a photo of her six month old baby son but she has left a lot unseen with her teaser snap on Instagram.
The 29-year-old rapper has been keeping her baby under wraps with fans only being treated to a snap of her in the hospital after the birth in which her son is all wrapped up in her arms with the father, rapper Offset, 30, sat alongside her.
Since then she has teased that there will be a big reveal, especially after the couple have been happy to share pics of their daughter Kulture over the years.
But fans were left disappointed though as Cardi kept the glimpse of her son to a close up of his eye, which didn’t reveal much more than that. Read more
‘Don’t Worry, Be Happy’ plays in a Ukrainian City enduring Russian siege (People)
Amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — which has so far led to more than 1,200 civilian casualties, according to the United Nations — there have also been poignant moments of humanity.
One such scene took place in Odessa, Ukraine, this week where, as Reuters reports, the familiar refrain of “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” could be heard as the fighting raged on.
According to the outlet, the song could be heard coming from near Odessa’s world-famous Opera and Ballet Theatre on Tuesday, where musicians gathered this week to perform concerts in front of a sandbag barrier meant to ward off tanks.
Those concerts included an impromptu performance of local navy musicians, who performed the 1980s hit, along with the Ukrainian national anthem. Read more
Discovery raising $30B in mega debt sale to fund Pending WarnerMedia merger (Deadline)
Discovery today priced $30 billion in senior unsecured notes in a debt offering to raise cash for its merger with WarneMedia.
The sale of the notes — in 11 traches with a span of maturities and interest rates — is expected to be completed on or about March 15. The cash is being raised by one entity created within A&T, and net proceeds will be used by another, called Spinco, to fund a special cash payment to the telecom giant. The notes will initially be guaranteed by AT&T then, post-merger, by the new Warner Bros. Discovery and its subsidiaries.
The offering is one of the biggest in corporate history, and was said to be oversubscribed.
It is part of the complex transaction first unveiled in May that’s near to closing, with the second half of April looking good. Discovery shareholders must formally approve the merger and are set to do so at a special shareholders’ meeting on Friday. Then it’s a technical issue of AT&T spinning off its media and entertainment business. Read more
Ron Miles, cornetist who imbued modern jazz with heart and soul, dies at 58 (NPR)
Ron Miles, a cornetist, composer, and bandleader who stood quietly within the first rank of jazz artists in this century, died on Tuesday at his home in Denver. He was 58.
The cause was complications from Polycythemia vera, a rare blood disorder, Hans Wendl, his longtime manager, tells NPR.
Miles had a warm and perfectly centered sound on cornet, with barely a trace of ferocity or flash. Through his playing, he could create the sensation of something both sturdy and precious — especially in the context of his own compositions, which combined a distinctly American harmonic palette with an openhearted emotional clarity uncommon in modern jazz.
“If you played a Ron Miles song right, in the best of moods you’d be crying,” pianist Jason Moran tells NPR. “Because the songs were full. I equate it to the way John Coltrane made ‘Lonnie’s Lament.’ He knew how to find the joy in a melody, and he knew where the heart was in it. Even just in the moment of playing them, it would just rush over you. A lot of music we play doesn’t have that, it just doesn’t.” Read more
BTS Fans banned from clapping and shouting at upcoming Korea concerts (Variety)
K-pop fans are anxiously awaiting BTS’ return to South Korea this week for three concerts at the Jamsil Olympic Stadium in Seoul. However, the BTS Army will have to curb its enthusiasm, as clapping, shouting and standing up are strictly prohibited per government COVID protocols.
BTS’ management company Big Hit Music said in a statement, “Cheering loudly, yelling, chanting and standing up during ‘BTS Permission To Dance On Stage – Seoul’ is strictly prohibited according to government guidelines.”
Instead, the company will be providing concert attendees with clappers to emulate crowd noise. Additionally, South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has limited each show to 15,000 attendees per night, despite the stadium’s 70,000 capacity.
Big Hit added, “Seating for the in-person performance will comply with spacing guidelines mandated by local government performance venue Covid-19 control measures. The event may be changed or canceled depending on the social distancing level.” Read more
Big Hit added, “Seating for the in-person performance will comply with spacing guidelines mandated by local government performance venue Covid-19 control measures. The event may be changed or canceled depending on the social distancing level.” Read more
They attacked me, cut my face –3SC striker brutalised by soldiers (Punch)
Shooting Stars striker Ebenezer Odeyemi has narrated his ordeal in the hands of army officials in Ibadan, Oyo State on Tuesday, The Punch reports.
Odeyemi, fondly called Lukaku, and three of his 3SC teammates Adekunle Adeniyi, Sochima Elum and Chimamkpa Onwubuchie, were assaulted by soldiers while they were having dinner at a nearby canteen at Idishin – near the club’s camp at Jericho Road, Ibadan after the club’s training session.
The former MFM striker said he and his teammates saw the soldiers walk towards them but opted not to take to their heels as they were not guilty of any crime.
While Adeniyi, Elum and Onwubuchie managed to escape when they were attacked, Odeyemi could not and was lynched by the four. Read more
Karim Benzema hat-trick secures miraculous comeback win for Real Madrid over PSG in Champions League (ABC)
Karim Benzema scored a quickfire hat-trick as Real Madrid fought back to beat Paris St Germain 3-1 on Wednesday and move into the Champions League quarter-finals 3-2 on aggregate.
Kylian Mbappe struck before half-time to put the French side 2-0 up in the last-16 tie and they created many chances to extend their lead as they dominated the first hour of the game.
Benzema equalised in the 61st minute, however, following a bad error from PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma who mishandled the ball inside the area and gifted it to the French striker.
Roared on by a sold-out crowd at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium and with PSG in panic mode, Benzema scored again in the 76th minute from Luka Modric’s pass and grabbed his third two minutes later after another costly mistake by a PSG defender to send the record 13-times European champions into the last eight. Read more
Pep Guardiola explains Scott Carson substitution in Man City Champions League game (MEN)
Pep Guardiola had a rare attack of sentimentality when he sent on Scott Carson for the final 20 minutes of the Champions League game with Sporting Lisbon. The Manchester City boss took off regular keeper Ederson to allow the 36-year-old third-choice stopper a chance to play – perhaps for the last time.
Carson ‘s contract is up in the summer and while he is regarded as an important figure around the camp, both as a popular teammate and a wise old head for the younger players, his career could be coming to an end. Guardiola played him last season at Newcastle, in a 4-3 win, so that he could rack up a Premier League appearance for the Blues, once the title had been secured.
His appearance against Sporting was for the same reasons, although Guardiola hailed the Cumbrian for his late save from Paulinho that ensured the game stayed goalless, a save which also saw him need lengthy treatment for a knee injury. Read more
Martina Navratilova explains what Naomi Osaka needs to return to No. 1 Former world No. 1 (TennisWorld)
Martina Navratilova absolutely thinks Naomi Osaka is still one of the best players on the WTA Tour but adds the Japanese just needs to play more frequently and build her confidence again. Osaka, who has plummeted to No. 78 in the world, hasn’t played much since she abruptly pulled out of the French Open to address her mental health. Osaka, who played two events in Australia, is set to play her third tournament of the season in Indian Wells.
Navratilova was asked what can we expect from former world No. 1 Osaka at the Indian Wells Masters. “What’s her record for the last 12 months? [13-7 since winning the 2021 Australian Open]. That leaves you not match-tested.
She needs to enter more tournaments for that,” Navratilova told the WTA website. “Match play – I think it’s the only thing preventing her from playing more and becoming No.1. Get the confidence, get the reps and work on the transition game where she’s more comfortable moving forward and finishing points at the net.
One of the best stories of the 2022 season so far has been Swiatek becoming a dominant force on hard. Swiatek made back-to-back semifinals at the Adelaide International and Australian Open, before winning Doha. Read more
Pirelli reveal tyre compounds for opening three rounds (PlanetF1)
Pirelli has revealed the tyre compounds which will be available to the teams for the opening three rounds of the 2022 season.
Formula 1’s tyre supplier Pirelli has the C1 to C5 range of rubber, with the compounds becoming softer and more grippy as the number increases.
For the opening race in Bahrain though it will be the three hardest compounds that will be at the disposal of the drivers.
Then, for the following round, that being the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Pirelli went with the middle of their range, selecting the C2, C3 and C4 tyres. Read more
Tiger inducted into golf’s Hall of Fame (The West Australian)
The greatest of his generation, Tiger Woods took his place among the best of all time on Wednesday night when he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.
He shared a life story of a passion to play and a work ethic that made him feel like he earned it, not once touching on any of his 82 victories on the PGA Tour or his 15 majors, or the eight surgeries he endured along the way.
Woods spoke of his parents taking out a second mortgage that allowed him to play the junior circuit in California, choking up when he mentioned his late father who told him he would have to earn everything he wanted.
“If you don’t go out there and put in the work, you don’t go out and put in the effort, one, you’re not going to get the results,” Woods said. “But two, and more importantly, you don’t deserve it. You need to earn it. So that defined my upbringing. That defined my career.” Read more
Olympic champion Xander Schauffele has no idea where his gold medal is (NYPost)
Xander Schauffele said he smiles every time he’s announced, on the first tee at tournaments, as the 2020 Olympic gold medal winner.
On Tuesday, in advance of this week’s Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass, the 28-year-old Schauffele was asked where the gold medal he won last year in Tokyo is.
“It feels like the last time I saw it was on the podium,’’ Shauffele said. “My parents have it. They’re just showboating [it] around. I have no idea where it is in all honesty. It’s in the house I grew up in. I don’t know if there’s like a safe place now that I’ve moved out or anything like that, but I have no clue where it is right now.’’
When it was suggested to Schauffele that many Olympic champions have a period of time during which they show their medal around, he delivered a fantastic zinger on 2016 gold medal winner Justin Rose when he said, “Is that based on all Olympic gold medalists or just Justin Rose? Sorry, Rosey.’’ Read more