Driver hospitalised after crushing two siblings dead (Punch)
The driver of a Sports Utility Vehicle has crushed two siblings, Abibu Bello, 17, and his brother, Bolaji, 14, to death, and injured one other person on Iyewa Street, in the Isolo area of Lagos State.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the female driver left a hairdressing salon in the community and was driving to a destination in the area when she suddenly lost control of the vehicle and rammed into a building where the siblings were playing.
A resident, who does not want to be mentioned in print, said the victims were children of a politician in the area. He said, “The incident happened around 7.40pm. The vehicle first crashed into a kiosk in front of the building before crashing into the building. Read more
Lagos queries principal who sent student home for wrapping book with Peter Obi’s poster (DailyTrust)
The Lagos State Government has queried the principal of Odomola Secondary School in Epe for sending a 10-year-old student, Marvellous Barinaadaa, home over a political poster.
The principal reportedly sent Barinaadaa out of the the class for using the poster of the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the February 25 election, Peter Obi, to wrap a notebook.
The student’s mother had taken to social media, appealing to Nigerians to come to the family’s rescue, stating that the girl is 10 and innocent.
“This is to inform you all, that my daughter, Marvelous Barinaadaa, was exited from Odomola Secondary School today 14th March 2023, by the principal, just because my daughter used Peter Obi’s poster paper to wrap her notebook for school,” the post read. Read more
Why I dumped PDP for Sanwo-Olu – Dosunmu (Vanguard)
Former governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Lagos State, Ade Dosunmu, has dumped the party for the All Progressives Congress (APC), to ensure victory for Governor Bababjide Sanwo-Olu re-election bid in Saturday’s Governorship poll.
Dosunmu, who made the remark, during his formal defection, along with other political parties, yesterday, at the State House, Marina, said he left the PDP because ‘the party has not made any appreciable progress in terms of electoral success/victory’.
He added that the dynamic leadership of Bola Tinubu, as well as Governor Sanwo-Olu’s approach to piloting affairs of the state endeared the APC to him. Read more
Lagos Guber 2023: Group endorses PDP’s Jandor (Independent)
A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Women For Better Tomorrow (WFBT) has thrown its weight behind the Lagos State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Olajide Adediran, also called Jandor, in the 2023 governorship election coming up on Saturday.
The group during its meeting held in Lagos on Wednesday said that it has assessed all the frontrunners in the forthcoming governorship election and is impressed with the PDP gubernatorial candidate’s agenda especially in the area of showing empathy, and interest in the welfare of residents of Lagos State, promising to give everybody a sense of belonging irrespective of tribal affiliation.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Mrs. Esther Onah Daniel, the secretary of the organisation said that as mothers what is paramount to them is safety, pointing out that it is worrisome the way non-indigenes are being attacked any time there is little issue especially when it comes to the issue of politics in Lagos State. Read more
FGC Ijanikin wins African coding competition (Punch)
Federal Government College, Ijanikin, Lagos, has emerged as the overall winner of the 2022 edition of the African Coding Competition organised online in November 2022.
The African Code Challenge is a coding contest that spans African countries and involves young individuals from different walks of life from ages eight to 16 years to develop a game using the Scratch Programming Language.
A statement by the school said, “The college team clinched first and second positions in the competition, which was keenly contested by over 150 private and public secondary schools across Nigeria. Read more
Protest: Ondo community leaders seek intervention over property destruction, harassment (Tribune)
The leadership of the coastal community of Ayetoro in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo, on Wednesday, called on the state government to wade into the lingering crisis rocking the community.
According to the community leaders, the situation demands urgent deployment of security operatives into the community to halt further destruction of properties and harassment of innocent people in the area.
This is just as the leaders of the community explained that the N150m oil-spillage compensation paid by Mobil oil to the community was never diverted into personal purses or misappropriated by community leaders. Read more
Direct CBN to make Naira notes available, SMBL tells Buhari (Leadership)
The Southern and Middle belt leaders yesterday reacted to the February 25 presidential election and the cashless policy, warning President Muhammadu Buhari that there is an uneasy calm over the issues.
The leaders who noted that the recent presidential election fell short of expectation, noted that it seemed like the President Buhari and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) do not appreciate the mood of the country.
The leaders who also blasted the president for flaunting the Electoral Act by publicly showing whom he voted for, said “there has been an uneasy calm in the land and that the polity is laden with uncertainty orchestrated by the conduct and outcome of the Presidential election.” Read more
Hugh Jackman shares training update on ‘‘becoming Wolverine again’’ (Standard)
Hugh Jackman has offered fans an update on his training as he prepares to step back into the role of superhero Wolverine.
The Australian actor shared a black and white clip of himself in a gym doing an intense-looking core workout.
With a large weight placed on his back, Jackman rolls back and forth in the plank position, smiling and thanking his trainer despite the strain.
“If you’re looking for me. I’m #becomingwolverineagain,” he captioned the video. Read more
Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson reunite for Texas-set Apple comedy series (Playlist)
Hollywood pals Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson (Triangle of Sadness) led the acclaimed HBO serial killer series True Detective, and before the grim thriller, the pair had previously worked together on feature film comedies such as Surfer, Dude and Ron Howard‘s EdTV. The duo is now looking to reunite for a new untitled comedy series at Apple TV+.
A report from Deadline reveals that their untitled series at Apple is hailing from comedy writer David West Read (Schitt’s Creek, The Big Door Prize). The 10-episode half-hour comedy is described as an odd-couple love story that revolves around the “strange and beautiful bond” between the two. However, the series will see their friendship “tested when their combined families attempt to live together on Matthew’s ranch in Texas.” Although, it’s not totally clear from the synopsis/description if we’re looking at a mockumentary-type comedy series with the two actors playing heightened versions of themselves or if they’re simply going to play similar characters inspired by their real-life friendship. Read more
Mia Farrow wishes Michael Caine happy birthday, says she forgave him for introducing her to Woody Allen (People)
Mia Farrow wasn’t afraid to get a teasing jab in at friend Michael Caine for his 90th birthday.
The actress, 78, wished the Medieval actor a happy birthday on Instagram, but not without joking that she “forgave” him for introducing her to ex husband Woody Allen — who would go on to cheat on her with her adopted daughter Soon-Yi Previn.
“Happy 90th Birthday to Michael Caine, such a funny and wise friend over many years,” Farrow captioned several black and white pictures of the two in their younger years. Read more
QuestLove, DJ Jazzy Jeff and more pay tribute to Bobby Caldwell as singer dies aged 71 (HipHopDX)
Questlove, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Statik Selektah, and numerous others have paid tribute to singer Bobby Caldwell, who passed away in his sleep at the age of 71 on Tuesday (March 14).
Music journalist A. Scott Galloway initially broke the news on Twitter, with his rep confirming that Caldwell died at his New Jersey home.
TMZ reported that Caldwell had suffered from neuropathy and a ruptured tendon in his ankle, which made him unable to walk for about five years prior to his death. Read more
Sweden hopes for quick NATO accession after Turkish election (DW)
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on Wednesday that he was hoping for “rapid ratification” of NATO membership for his country following elections in Turkey.
Turkey is set to hold parliamentary and presidential elections on May 14.
Kristersson made the comments in Berlin following a meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Swedish accession requires Turkish support
In order to be ratified, Sweden’s accession to NATO needs unanimous support from all member states of the alliance, including Turkey. Ankara has in the past objected to Stockholm’s membership, demanding it extradite members of Kurdish groups and others it deems to be “terrorists.”
Referring to the possibility that Finland’s membership could be ratified before Sweden’s, Kristersson said: “we’re not at all hiding the fact that we would’ve preferred a simultaneous ratification.” The prime minister added that his government would respect Turkey’s decision. Read more
Clipse, Grace Jones, Lil Wayne headline Pharrell’s Something in the Water Festival (Variety)
Clipse (a.k.a Pusha T and No Malice), Grace Jones, Lil Wayne, Skrillex, Lil Uzi Vert, Mumford & Sons, Lil Yachty, Summer Walker and more top the lineup for Pharrell Williams’ Something in the Water festival, returning to Virginia Beach from Friday, April 28 – Sunday, April 30.
Presented by Walmart and produced by IMGoing and Live Nation, the full lineup is 100 Gecs, Aminé, Ayra Starr, Babyface Ray, BadBadNotGood, Black Sherif, CHIKA, Clipse, Coi Leray, d4vd, Doechii, Feid, FLO, Flo Milli, gigi, Grace Jones, Jay Pharoah, Jazmine Sullivan, Jessie Murph, Kamasi Washington, KayCyy, Kaytranada, Kehlani, Kenny Beats, Kid Cudi, Kitty Ca$h, Latto, Lil Durk, Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Wayne, Lil Yachty, Machine Gun Kelly, Maren Morris, Masego, Mumford & Sons, Nile Rodgers & Chic, NLE Choppa, Polo G, Remi Wolf, Riovaz, Saucy Santana, Skrillex, Summer Walker, SWV, The Kid Laroi, UMI, Wale, Weston Estate, Wet Leg, Wu-Tang Clan, Yendry, Yvngxchris and Pharrell’s Phriends. Tickets are available now.
YouTube will livestream the festival all weekend on Pharrell’s YouTube channel. Read more
US drone downing: Black Sea conflict inevitable until Russia leaves – Ukraine minister (BBC)
Incidents such as the downing of a US drone over the Black Sea are inevitable until Russia leaves Crimea, Ukraine’s foreign minister has told the BBC.
The large, MQ-9 Reaper drone plunged into water on Tuesday. The US and Russia have conflicting explanations.
The US said it brought down the damaged drone after it became “unflyable” when a Russian jet clipped its propeller. Read more
Osimhen fires ‘dreaming’ Napoli into Champions League last eight (Guardian)
Victor Osimhen says Napoli are dreaming of Champions League glory after his brace shot the Serie A leaders to a 3-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt and into the quarter-finals for the first time in their history on Wednesday.
Nigeria striker Osimhen struck either side of half-time to ensure no slip-ups in Naples and help his team secure a straightforward, and deserved, 5-0 aggregate win.
Piotr Zielinski added Napoli’s third from the penalty spot on a perfect night for southern Italy’s biggest club, who Osimhen believes can go all the way.
“It’s amazing to make history with this win,” said Osimhen to Amazon Prime. Read more
Dare to receive special recognition award In Maldives (DailyTrust)
The Minister of Sports, Sunday Dare, will be conferred with a special recognition award in the Republic of Maldives on Thursday, March 16 in recognition of his contributions to the development of sports in Nigeria.
Maldives’ Minister of Sports, Ahmed Mahloof has said the award is being conferred on his Nigerian counterpart not only for his contributions to the development of sports in Nigeria but to the African region as a whole.
He said “In recognition of the work you have carried out for the development of sports in your country and African region, we will be conferring the ‘Special Recognition Award’ on your Excellency.” Read more
Karim Benzema on target as Real Madrid ease past Liverpool in Champions League (National)
Liverpool’s impossible job against Real Madrid in the Bernabeu proved exactly that as they lost 1-0 and were lamely knocked out of the Champions League on Wednesday.
All the damage had been done in the first leg but even with a 5-2 deficit there remained the romantic notion among the die-hards and dreamers that Jurgen Klopp’s side could fashion a performance to rival that of Istanbul 2005 or Anfield 2019 against Barcelona.
Klopp gave his side a one percent chance ahead of the game but had it not been for the brilliance of goalkeeper Alisson Becker all hope would have been extinguished in the opening quarter, before Karim Benzema settled the round of 16 second leg. Read more
Brighton 1-0 Crystal Palace: March goal on a chilly March night helps Seagulls see off Eagles (Football365)
Solly March continued his stellar campaign as he scored the only goal of the game as Brighton beat rivals Crystal Palace on Wednesday evening.
March scored the winner in the 15th minute – on March 15 – to move the Seagulls level on points with sixth-placed Liverpool with a game in hand.
It also provided a double celebration for Brighton chairman Tony Bloom after his horse Energumene won the Champion Chase at Cheltenham. Read more
Frances Tiafoe cruises into Indian Wells semis; Coco Gauff out (ESPN)
Frances Tiafoe defeated 10th-seeded Cameron Norrie 6-4, 6-4 on Wednesday to reach the semifinals of the BNP Paribas Open.
The 14th-seeded American ended the 2021 champion’s eight-match winning streak to earn his first semis berth in a Masters 1000 tournament.
“Super happy about today,” Tiafoe said on court. “I’ve been playing really well all week. Let’s keep it going.” Read more
Grizzlies’ Morant suspended for eight games for gun incident (StraitsTimes)
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant has been suspended for eight games without pay by the league for live streaming a video on Instagram where he could be seen holding a firearm at a Denver area nightclub earlier in March.
The sanction comes after Morant met with National Basketball Association (NBA) commissioner Adam Silver in New York to discuss the 23-year-old’s conduct. The two-time All-Star previously said he planned to take some “time away” and apologised for the incident.
“Ja’s conduct was irresponsible, reckless and potentially very dangerous,” Silver said in a statement announcing the suspension. Read more