BBNaija crown goes to Lokoja as Ilebaye bags N120m grand prize (Guardian)
For the first time in history, the Big Brother Naija reality show crown moved to North Central region of Nigera after Ilebaye Precious Odiniya emerged winner of the show.
The Nigerian criminologist, reality TV star, entrepreneur, and fashion model emerged after gruelling, suspenseful, and enthralling 72 days in the House. She also went home with N120 million cash prize among other mouthwatering prizes.
Out of the 24 that walked in on opening day, the chips came down to six finalists – Cross, Mercy Eke, Adekunle, Pere, and CeeC. The night started with Cross being evicted, followed by Pere and Adekunle, leaving Cee-C, Mercy and Ilebaye in the top three, first time in the history of the show where the top three are of the same gender(female). Read more
Chicago academic record: Tinubu’s lawyers kick as court orders release (Punch)
The United States District Court in Northern District of Illinois has ruled in favour of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, and ordered the Chicago State University to release President Bola Tinubu’s academic record by Monday (today).
But Tinubu’s lawyers insisted that the documents would not be relevant in Atiku’s appeal against Tinubu at the Supreme Court.
The PUNCH reports that Atiku had earlier secured an order from a US magistrate for CSU to make Tinubu’s academic records available to his legal team. Read more
Nigeria@63: Adeboye prays for divine healing, total freedom (Guardian)
The General Overseer, Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Worldwide, Pastor Enock Adeboye, on the occasion of Nigeria’s independence anniversary, yesterday, asked God to heal the nation and give her a new beginning.
Adeboye said the prayer at the RCCG headquarters, The Throne of Grace, Ebute-metta, while preaching on the topic “Freedom Indeed.” He urged the nation, political leaders, and leaders of different parastatals, judiciary, government functionaries, prisoners and captives to seek true and total freedom.
“Man is made of spirit, soul and body and, according to the scriptures, he is a spirit or soul living in the body, which means he can be enslaved in either of his tripartite being. Read more
Lagos reopens Alayabiagba market (Nation)
Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources Tokunbo Wahab has re-opened the Alayabiagba Market in Boundary, Ajegunle, after adherence to all prescribed sanitation measures.
Tokunbo, who visited the market, said the government decided to re-open the market after it certified that all checklists given to the market officials were fulfilled.
The checklist included the placement of a double dino bin within the market and the erection of a fence at the market entrance. Read more
Tinubu approves additional N10k for workers in bid to avert strike (DailyTrust)
President Bola Tinubu has approved an additional N10,000 for workers for a period of six months.
This follows a meeting which the Federal Government officials had with labour leaders on Sunday to avert the looming nationwide strike.
At the meeting chaired by Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President, it was agreed that the N25,000 which the president promised low-cadre workers for six months would be made available to all workers. Read more
Independence Day: Tinubu’s commitment to gender inclusivity lauded (Vanguard)
As Nigeria celebrated her 63rd Independence Day, Glamodi Women and Girls Development Initiative (GLAMODI), has applauded President Bola Tinubu’s notable commitment to gender inclusivity within his government.
GLAMODI’s commendation arrived in an open letter, candidly titled “A Heartfelt Applause for Your Commitment to Gender Inclusivity.”
The letter, penned by Executive Director Stephanie Apel, celebrated President Tinubu’s actions as a significant stride towards gender equity in Nigeria’s political landscape. Read more
Many feared dead as petrol tanker explodes in Delta (Leadership)
Tragedy struck on Sunday morning in Koko, Warri North local government area of Delta State, as an unspecified number of persons were feared dead following a petrol tanker explosion.
Among the dead were a pregnant woman, children and some youths of the community.
Some of the dead bodies were burnt beyond recognition, while vehicles, including the exploded tanker, were also burnt. Read more
NDLEA raids Lagos, 5 other states; recovers 99,867 pills of opioids (Nation)
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has arrested one Obiorah Chigozie Samuel, a drug kingpin wanted for attempts to ship illicit drug consignments to the United Kingdom, .
The agency said Samuel’s arrest tops the list of arrests made by its operatives through interdiction operations that led to the seizure of four tons of illicit substances in the past week.
Spokesman of the Agency, Femi Babafemi, made this known in a statement in Abuja on Sunday. Read more
Beyoncé to release a Renaissance World Tour concert film in AMC Theatres (People)
Beyoncé is eyeing a theatrical release for a concert film centered around her Renaissance World Tour, according to multiple reports.
The singer, 42, is in talks to distribute the project directly to AMC Theatres, Variety reported. Per the outlet, the film would be released on Dec. 1.
Deadline said that Beyoncé reportedly recorded the two shows part of her Renaissance World Tour in her hometown of Houston, Texas, last month for the film. Read more
New lawsuit accuses Bill Cosby of rape in 1972 (FarOut)
A new lawsuit has accused Bill Cosby of drugging and raping a woman in 1972.
Cosby was previously jailed in 2018 for drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand in 2004, yet he was released in 2021 after the conviction was overturned on a legal technicality. However, the guilty verdict still stands.
The latest woman to make an allegation against Cosby is Donna Motsinger, who met him while she worked at The Trident restaurant in Sausalito, California. She claims in the lawsuit that the actor drugged her, leaving her to be sent home in nothing but her underwear. Read more
Eswatini human rights lawyers says he lives in fear (AfricaNews)
Legislative elections held in Eswatini on Friday are unlikely to change the country’s political landscape.
As Africa’s last absolute monarchy, parliament only has an advisory role, and those who go against king do so at their peril.
This is something human rights lawyer, Sibusiso Nhlabatsi, knows well. His mentor, Thulani Maseko, was murdered in cold blood in front of his family in January as they watched a football match. Read more
India’s Jaishankar says Canada has ‘‘climate of violence’’ for Indian diplomats (StraitsTimes)
Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said on Friday there was a “climate of violence” and an “atmosphere of intimidation” against Indian diplomats in Canada, where the presence of Sikh separatist groups has frustrated New Delhi.
“Because there is freedom of speech, to make threats and intimidate diplomats, I don’t think that’s acceptable,” Jaishankar told reporters on Friday evening in Washington.
Relations between India and Canada have been tense of late, mostly due to the presence of Sikh separatists in Canada who have kept alive the movement for Khalistan, or the demand for an independent Sikh state to be carved out of India. Read more
Vigil for Elianne Andam as murdered schoolgirl’s family says ‘‘our hearts are broken’’ (Standard)
The family of a 15-year-old girl stabbed to death on her way to school have spoken of their heartbreak, revealing that the aspiring lawyer had been robbed of “a great future”.
Elianne Andam collapsed after being knifed in the neck with a foot-long blade when she reportedly stepped in to protect a friend during Wednesday’s morning rush hour in Croydon.
A bus driver and passers-by battled to save the life of the Old Palace of John Whitgift School pupil but she died on the pavement minutes later. Read more
Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz make rare red carpet appearance together at The Albies (People)
Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz are stepping out for a good cause.
The superstar couple made a rare appearance together in New York City at George and Amal Clooney’s second annual Albies, which “aim to shine a spotlight on brave individuals who, at great personal risk, have devoted their lives to justice,” according to a press release.
Walking the red carpet alongside her husband at The New York Public Library on Thursday, Weisz, 53, was radiant in a floor-length gown featuring an abstract black-and-white pattern. Read more
UN mission arrives in Nagorno-Karabakh as ethnic Armenian exodus continues (StraitsTimes)
A United Nations mission arrived in Nagorno-Karabakh on Sunday, Azerbaijani media reported, as a mass exodus of ethnic Armenians from the region continued following a lightning Azerbaijani military offensive last month.
The mission, led by a senior U.N. aid official, is the global body’s first access to the region in about 30 years.
Armenia has asked the World Court to order Azerbaijan to withdraw all its troops from civilian establishments in Nagorno-Karabakh and give the United Nations access. Read more
Bonuses: Falcons lament slavery treatment, NFF insists money paid (Punch)
Forty-three days after the conclusion of the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, the Nigeria Football Federation and the Super Falcons seem headed for another showdown after the players stated that they were treated like “slaves” following their unpaid bonuses and allowances over the years.
Just before the start of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, The PUNCH exclusively reported that the Nigerian ladies threatened to boycott their opening game.
They eventually sealed an agreement with the NFF that they would receive a $100 daily camp allowance, a $3,000 win bonus and $1,500 bonus for a draw. Read more
Osimhen breaks silence on Tik Tok saga, thanks Nigerians, others (DailyTrust)
Nigerian football star Victor Osimhen has thanked Nigerians for standing by him after his club, Napoli, posted two controversial TikTok videos that were widely seen as mocking him.
The videos, which have since been deleted, first likened Osimhen to a coconut then the other mocked the striker for a penalty miss against Bologna.
Osimhen was understandably furious with the video, a development that saw him delete all pictures linking him with Napoli on his Instagram page. Read more
Enyimba to pocket $4 million in CAF’s AFL competition (Guardian)
Players of Enyimba FC during a league match. The club will be $4 million richer if they win the maiden CAF’s AFL competition.
Nigeria’s most successful club, Enyimba FC of Aba, will pocket $4 million, if they win the inaugural African Football League (AFL), the Confederation Africaine de Football (CAF) has announced.
The maiden AFL competition will feature the highest-ranked and most successful football Clubs on the African Continent. The AFL will kick off on October 20 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and will feature Simba SC (Tanzania) and Al Ahly SC (Egypt).
Other popular and top-ranked football Clubs participating in the inaugural competition are: Wydad AC (Morocco), Mamelodi Sundowns FC (South Africa), TP Mazembe (DR Congo), Espérance Sportive de Tunis (Tunisia) and Atlético Petróleos de Luanda (Angola). Read more
Premier League faces questions as blundering VAR duo both worked in UAE on Thursday (Mirror)
The officials at the heart of Liverpool’s VAR fiasco Darren England and Dan Cook worked at a game in the United Arab Emirates less than 48 hours before the controversial encounter with Tottenham.
England, who was on VAR duty for the game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and assistant Cook, were at the centre of the offside debacle which left Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool fans fuming. Luis Diaz thought he had given the Reds the lead, only for the offside flag to go up. VAR had a brief look at the incident and did not overrule the initial decision, even though replays showed the Colombian was onside.
After the game, PGMOL apologised and admitted the decision was a “clear and obvious factual error”, with a full review set to be conducted. Then on Sunday morning, England was replaced as the fourth official for Nottingham Forest’s clash with Brentford, while Cook has also stood out for his next game, which was scheduled to be Chelsea’s trip to Fulham on Monday evening. Read more
PSG players apologise for anti-Marseille chants (France24)
Four Paris Saint-Germain players on Sunday apologised for offensive chants aimed at rivals Marseille after a Ligue 1 game, saying they “sincerely regretted” their words.
French internationals Ousmane Dembele, Randal Kolo Muani, and Layvin Kurzawa and Moroccan Achraf Hakimi were filmed singing an insulting song towards Marseille fans after a 4-0 victory at the Parc des Princes on September 24.
“We let ourselves get carried away by the euphoria and we sincerely regret the words we should not have said and would like to apologise,” the four said in identical posts on social media. Read more
Rory McIlroy, Joe LaCava clear air after Ryder Cup argument (ABC)
European star Rory McIlroy and American caddie Joe LaCava met before the singles matches at the Ryder Cup to clear the air Sunday, one day after their disagreement on the 18th green spilled into a parking lot at Marco Simone Golf Club.
According to a report from NBC Sports, LaCava, who caddies for Patrick Cantlay, sent a text message to someone in McIlroy’s team on Saturday night.
“Love you guys, I have nothing but respect,” LaCava wrote in the text, according to the report. Read more