Fire kills 2 at Alao-Akala’s residence (Leadership)
Two people have reportedly lost their lives to the fire outbreak at the residence of the late former Governor of Oyo State, Adebayo Alao-Akala.
The Sector Commandant of the State Fire Service, Ogbomoso Command, Mr Oluwaseyi Awogbile, confirmed the incident, stating that the fire accident occurred around 7:30 a.m. on Monday, December 18, 2023.
Details concerning the cause of the fire remain unconfirmed at this time, though LEADERSHIP gathered that the fire outbreak was caused by a power surge. Read more
Lagos APC holds maiden edition of Christmas carol (Tribune)
The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) held its maiden edition of the Christmas carol of five lessons on Sunday to celebrate the essence of the birth of Jesus Christ.
The event, themed “Endless Thanksgiving,” took place at the party’s secretariat in Acme, Ikeja, Lagos. It was attended by the governor of Lagos State, represented by his Chief of Staff, Hon. Tayo Ayinde, the wife of the governor, Mrs (Dr) Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, the wife of the deputy governor, Mrs Oluremi Hamzat, the Secretary to the State Government, Barr Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin, National youth leader of the party, Hon. Dayo Israel, chieftains and members of the party in the state, Royal fathers, chiefs, top government functionaries, members of the Lagos State House of Assembly, members of the State Executive Council, religious and ethnic leaders. Read more
Sanwo-Olu to commission Ikeja Along flyover on Tuesday (Guardian)
The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, will commission the Ikeja Along flyover on Tuesday, 19 December 2023.
“The completion and commissioning of this flyover (including Yaba and Oyingbo) shows that we are getting closer to the completion of the Red Line Rail Project,” Sanwo-Olu’s media Jubril Gawat tweeted on X.
He added that the Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), also the Governor of Kwara State, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq will join the Lagos state governor to commission the project. Read more
Task force arrests 19 protesters for disturbing peace in Abuja (Nation)
AJoint Task Force team of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on City Sanitation, on Monday, arrested 19 protesters that besieged the premises of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Wuse Abuja.
The 19 arrested protesters and scores of more stormed the premises of the council to protest the demolition of a Mechanic Village in Kubwa, by the officials of the AMMC’s Department of Development Control.
The Director of the department, Mr Mukhtar Galadima, told journalists after the incidents that the workers in the building were going about their official assignments when the protesters besieged the premises. Read more
Northern Nigeria’s out-of-school children number ‘disheartening,’ says Minister (Channels)
The Minister of State for Education, Yusuf Sununu, has lamented the growing number of out-of-school children (OOSC) in Northern Nigeria, deeming it “unacceptable” and “disheartening.”
Speaking on Monday at the Bauchi State 2023 Education Summit at Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar Hajj Camp in Bauchi, Sununu stated that there is an urgent need for concerted efforts to address and reverse the troubling trend.
“The rising figure of out-of-school children in Nigeria and most particularly in the northern part of Nigeria is not only unacceptable but disheartening. Read more
Maritime leadership denies extortion, harassment of freight forwarders at Onne seaport (Sun)
The Chairman of Haulage District of Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, Eastern Port, Mr Ugwu Adolphus, has denied the allegation that maritime workers in Onne Port are extorting, intimidating and harassing freight forwarders, the cargo carriers at Onne Port, Rivers State.
Adolphus emphasised that the authority workers were only enforcing the statutory duties of maritime in the Nigeria ports.
The union chairman stated this when he address newsmen in Port Harcourt, maintaining that the maritime workers secured a judgement from the Port Harcourt Industrial Court, which ordered every other transport body or association to operate under the authority and mandate of the maritime in the Nigeria Ports. Read more
3,963 teachers failed qualifying exam – TRCN (DailyTrust)
No fewer than 3,963 teachers who sat the November 2023 diet of the Professional Qualifying Examination (PQE) failed the examination, the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) has revealed. This, it said, represented about 27.1 per cent of the candidates who sat the exam.
The Registrar of the TRCN, which conducted the examination, Prof Josiah Ajiboye, disclosed this at an interactive session with journalists in Abuja on Monday.
Ajiboye said the examination was conducted to test the professional knowledge of teachers in the educational sector. Read more
A’Ibom police arrest lawyer caught beating wife in viral video (Punch)
The Akwa Ibom Police Command has confirmed the arrest of a lawyer, Ekere Sunday Ebong, after a viral video showed him physically abusing his wife.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Odiko MacDon, confirmed this in a statement on Monday.
MacDon said the suspect was arrested based on the directive of the state Commissioner of Police, Olatoye Durosinmi. Read more
Blake Lively celebrates ‘denim sister’ America Ferrera after sisterhood of the Travelling Pants reunion (People)
Blake Lively is celebrating two decades of friendship with America Ferrera.
The Gossip Girl star, 36, shared a carousel of snaps featuring the Ugly Betty alum on Monday as the pair attended a special screening to celebrate 39-year-old Ferrera’s role in the Barbie movie.
They were also joined at the event, which was held by SAG-AFTRA in New York City on Friday, by their former Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants co-stars Amber Tamblyn and Alexis Bledel. And Lively used the occasion to celebrate her special friendship with Ferrera. Read more
Joe Biden unharmed as vehicle collides with presidential motorcade (Guardian)
A sedan hit a sport-utility vehicle in Joe Biden’s motorcade on Sunday night in Delaware, causing no injuries in what officials said appeared to be a car accident rather than an intentional act.
The president’s motorcade was preparing to take Biden and the first lady, Jill Biden, to their residence in Wilmington after a campaign dinner with staffers and volunteers. Biden had stepped out on to the street when a crash could be heard down the street from Biden and his protective Secret Service detail.
Biden will have ‘LBJ moment’ and not run for re-election, Cornel West says
“Whoa,” a crowd of journalists that were on the scene said after a loud boom and a rev of an engine could be heard at an intersection near the building, according to a video that was posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. Read more
Kanye West slammed by Michael Rapaport over antisemitic rant: ‘his mother would be ashamed’ (HipHopDx)
Kanye West has been severely criticised by Michael Rapaport over his recent antisemitic tirade.
The actor and podcaster, best known for his roles in films such as Cop Land, Bamboozled and True Romance, hit out at the rapper in a video posted to social media on Saturday (December 16).
Captioning the post: “Kanye West is bloated with hate & his mother would be ashamed of what’s coming out of his mouth. Also his new album is a BRICK,” Rapaport took issue with comments made by West during his Vultures album listening party last week. Read more
Uganda court hears suit filed in opposition to anti-LGBTQ law (AlJazeera)
The Constitutional Court of Uganda has begun hearing the first challenge to a draconian anti-gay law that has triggered criticism from the United Nations and led to United States visa restrictions on government officials.
“We agreed to proceed with written submissions as opposed to oral submissions,” Nicholas Opiyo, the lawyer representing the petitioners, told the court in Kampala on Monday.
“Court shall give judgement on notice,” Uganda’s Deputy Chief Justice Richard Buteera, who is heading the panel of five judges at the Constitutional Court, said during the hearing. Read more
Michigan State reaches settlements with families of students slain in mass shooting (NBC)
Michigan State University trustees have approved settlements with the families of three students slain during a mass shooting earlier this year on the school’s campus.
Trustees voted unanimously Friday to approve separate claims with the families of Brian Fraser, Arielle Anderson and Alexandria Verner.
The school did not release the amounts of the settlements, but an attorney for Verner’s family told reporters the family will receive $5 million from Michigan State. Read more
Miss France 2024: Victory for short-haired contestant sparks bizarre ‘diversity’ debate (Independent)
The Miss France 2024 pageant has ended in bizarre controversy after the contest chose a winner with short hair for the first time in its 103-year history.
Pixie cut-sporting contestant Eve Gilles, 20, from Nord-Pas-de-Calais in northern France was crowned the winner of the pageant on Saturday night, and declared that it was a positive result for “diversity” in the competition.
“We’re used to seeing beautiful Misses with long hair, but I chose an androgynous look with short hair,” she said. “No one should dictate who you are… every woman is different, we’re all unique.” Read more
Tunisia: “daily institutional violence” against migrants (AfricaNews)
“Arbitrary arrests”, “forced displacements” and “illegal expulsions” towards the borders with Libya and Algeria, migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in Tunisia suffer ” daily institutional violence”, denounced the World Organization Against Torture (OMCT), based in Geneva, in a report published on Monday.
The 58-page study, which cites direct testimonies and from partner NGOs, points the finger “responsibility” Tunisian authorities in”violations committed on the territory, including border areas”.
She notes that the country is under “continued pressure from Europe to reduce irregular migration in the Mediterranean”. Read more
Ivory Coast ready for AFCON — Envoy (Punch)
The Ambassador of Ivory Coast to Nigeria, Kalilou Traore, has reiterated his country’s readiness to host the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Traore stated this in an interview on Monday in Abuja.
The tournament is scheduled to be held from January 13 to February 11. Read more
NPFL: Gombe United pull 1-1 draw with Sunshine Stars in Akure (Guardian)
Gombe United FC on Sunday forced Sunshine Stars FC of Akure to a 1-1 draw in the match day 14 encounter of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).
The match, played at the Ondo State Sports Complex Akure, had Sunshine Stars’ Aniete Uko putting the home team 1-0 in the 32nd minute to go into the half with the lead.
However, against the run of play, Gombe United equalised in the 71st minute with a wonderful shot from 30 yards to make it 1-1. Read more
Champions League final 16 draw: Arsenal get Porto, Man City meet Copenhagen (NBC)
The UEFA Champions League’s Round of 16 will see clear favorites in most match-ups, as Premier League sides Arsenal and Manchester City joined other big names in enjoying their draws on Monday.
Pep Guardiola’s reigning European champions will see Danish opposition, as Manchester City meet Copenhagen in the final 16. Copenhagen finished second in Group A after Manchester United’s shocking performance saw it finish fourth.
Arsenal drew Porto, a tournament veteran but a team Mikel Arteta’s men will be expected to handle with relative ease. Read more
Anthony Joshua told he has “lost respect” ahead of Otto Wallin fight (Mirror)
Deontay Wilder has said that Anthony Joshua has lost the respect of the heavyweight division.
Joshua reigned as world champion over two spells from 2016 to 2021 before losing his titles to Oleksandr Usyk. He was also beaten in his rematch with the Ukrainian before beginning a long rebuilding job with wins over Jermaine Franklin and Robert Helenius this year.
The Brit is preparing to take on Otto Wallin in Saudi Arabia this weekend and, assuming he wins, will then face Wilder back in the Kingdom next March – as long as Wilder beats Joseph Parker on the same card on Saturday night. But the American believes Joshua has lost his shine. Read more
Reporter says ‘unhappy’ Liverpool target really trying to leave despite being top of the league (HitC)
Liverpool may have a real chance to sign Bayer Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapie in 2024 as he attempts to leave the Bundesliga club.
Liverpool continue to push for the Premier League title this season but Sunday’s 0-0 draw with Manchester United was a disappointment.
The Reds may need a couple of January additions to really make a push for top spot – and a defender may be on the radar. Read more
UCL last 16: Osimhen gets Barcelona test, Sanusi to face Arsenal (CompleteSports)
Victor Osimhen’s Napoli will play Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League last 16, Completesports.com reports.
Osimhen and his teammates will be playing against a Spanish opposition for the second time in the competition this season.
The Serie A champions lost home and away to Real Madrid in the group stage. Read more