Fuel, cash scarcity: Youths protest in Ondo, Ogun, Edo (Vanguard)
Commercial activities were disrupted, yesterday, in parts of Ondo, Ogun and Edo states over new naira notes and fuel scarcity.
Irate youths set up bonfires on the road and blocked major roads over the scarcity lamenting that it has brought suffering to millions of Nigerians.
Ondo youths block Benin/Ore road
Youths in Ore, Odigbo council area of Ondo State, yesterday, staged a peaceful protest along Benin/Ore/ Lagos highway, against the scarcity of naira notes and fuel scarcity. Read more
Man collapses during street fight, suspect arraigned (Punch)
A 21-year-old man, Femi Gbenga, has been arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court sitting in Ogba, Lagos State, for allegedly beating a man, Bola Adesanya, to a pulp in the state.
Gbenga, who is facing three counts bordering on the breach of peace, causing injury and threat to life preferred against him by the police, was accused of using a stone and bottle to hit Adesanya till he lost consciousness.
The prosecutor, Inspector Osagie Ikhuzuangbe, said the defendant committed the offences between March 9 and 14, 2022.
According to the prosecutor, Agada Hycent, the offences are punishable under sections 168 (1) (b), 173 and 56 (1) (b) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. Read more
Wike grants Atiku access to campaign venue, says Ayu lied on Ikpeazu’s visit (DailyTrust)
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has made a U-turn on the availability of Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium for the PDP presidential campaign.
Wike had earlier revoked the access granted to the PDP Presidential campaign.
But speaking at the PDP rally at Ogu town in Ogu-bolo local government area of the State, on Tuesday, Wike said he had accepted that the rally should hold at the venue on February 11.
“This morning after appeal from people who talked to me, I gave them back Adokiye Amiesimaka. Go and campaign. Let it not be that because they didn’t campaign that is why they didn’t win in Rivers State,” he said. Read more
Lagos plans to tackle drug abuse with entertainment (Punch)
The Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf, has said the government will be using entertainment to sensitise the youths against the illicit use of drugs in the state.
Speaking during a press briefing at the state secretariat, Akinbile-Yussuf said the state would also be using an inter-ministerial approach comprising the ministry of tourism, arts and culture, ministry of youth and social development, and the ministry of health to drive the agenda.
She explained that the government would be implementing a project tagged Acada, adding that the aim of the project would be to inculcate the people in the entertainment industry to speak against illicit drugs and their usage. Read more
Funke Akindele loses mother (DailyTrust)
Popular Nollywood actress and the deputy governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Lagos, Funke Akindele, is currently bereaved as she has lost her mother.
While the details of the death of the iconic thespian’s mother is yet to be revealed, the news was announced by the actress’s older sister, Olubunmi Akindele, on Tuesday evening via her official Instagram page.
Sharing a picture of their mother, Olubunmi took to the caption section, saying, “It is with heavy hearts, but in total submission to God Almighty that the ADEBANJO and AKINDELE families announce the passing of their daughter, mother, grandmother and sister, DR. R B ADEBANJO-Akindele, which occurred on Tuesday 07 February 2023.” Read more
Lagos unveils reviewed unified schemes of work to boost teaching, learning (ThisDay)
The Lagos government has unveiled the reviewed unified schemes of work and mobile learning devices; and e-books for secondary school students, designed to make learning more engaging and students centred.
The Permanent Secretary, Mr. Abolaji Abayomi, said the ministry decided to change the structure of the schemes of work so, aside from making learning more engaging, students can get more involved to be critical thinkers right from their early education through junior and senior secondary schools.
“We have been innovative by making our schemes of work compliant with the world of ICT. We are prepared to change the narrative by laying the foundation for an educated adult populace that fits into the global 21st century. We have been guided by the principles of change and innovation,” he said. “We have also moved away from textbooks to e-books. We have effectively infused technology into education as both are a twin pillars in the THEMES Agenda of our inspiring governor Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu.” Read more
Wike, Abe clash over planned arrest of SDP members (Nation)
Rivers State Governor Nyesome Wike yesterday dismissed an allegation by the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the state, Sen. Magnus Abe, that there were plans to clamp down on members of his party.
Abe, who spoke at the inauguration of SDP Campaign Council in Port Harcourt, alleged plans by some political actors in the state to arrest and detain him and his supporters ahead of the forthcoming elections.
The SDP noted that names have already been compiled for frivolous petitions to be filed against the persons by the perceived political actors, whose identities were not disclosed. Read more
After declaring strike, IPMAN makes U-Turn, resumes operations (Leadership)
Hours after ordering its members to suspend payments for petroleum products and shut down their retail stations until further notice, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Borno state chapter, made a volte-face and directed its members to immediately reopen all its outlets across the state.
This is as the federal government has warned of dire consequences for any individual or groups of individuals who attempt to exploit or further cause untold hardship to the ordinary Nigerians by disrupting pthe fuel supply and distribution chain in the country.
LEADERSHIP reports that chairman IPMAN, Maiduguri branch, Mohammed Kuluwu, in a circular on February 6, ordered members to shut their outlets. Read more
The mother of Nick Cannon’s 9th child, LaNisha Cole, responds to rumors that she’s pregnant with his 13th (Blavity)
LaNisha Cole wants the pregnancy rumors to stop! The model recently took to her Instagram Story to dispel rumors she is carrying Nick Cannon’s 13th child.
Cole is the mother of Cannon’s ninth child, 4-month-old Onyx Ice Cole Cannon.
She posted the Story in reaction to haters speculating that she was pregnant because of her weight.
The beauty reassured spectators she wasn’t carrying the newest addition to the Cannon crew and wasn’t buying into the “snapback” culture. Read more
How Questlove pulled off the Grammys’ crowd-pleasing Hip-Hop tribute (NYTimes)
Will Smith, once known as the Fresh Prince, couldn’t make it. Lil Wayne and Future dropped out at the last minute. Countless other rap luminaries were never even invited, owing to inevitable time and scheduling constraints. Yet with a climactic, decade-spanning, region-representing, 15-minute medley on Sunday night, the Grammys managed to do something that had proved a struggle for the show since 1989: It pleased hip-hop fans.
Putting Grandmaster Flash next to GloRilla, LL Cool J alongside a TikTok-dancing Lil Uzi Vert, and DJ Drama on the same stage as Flavor Flav, the producers of the show celebrated the forthcoming 50th anniversary of the first hip-hop party with a fittingly sprawling and unwieldy tribute that mixed deep cuts with pop smashes and recognizable icons with overlooked innovators.
“It was a lot of mountains to move to make this happen,” said Questlove, the drummer of the Roots and a go-to rap ambassador for mainstream America, in an interview a few days before the show. Read more
Ecuadorian city mayor candidate murdered by assassins hours before winning election: report (FOX)
A candidate for mayor in the Ecuadorian city of Puerto López who was murdered just hours ahead of polls opening has won the election, reports said Tuesday.
Omar Menéndez, 41, was a leftist candidate with the Citizen Revolution movement before he was shot dead Saturday by a gunman who burst into a room where Menéndez was with his campaign staff.
Police are still investigating the attack which also left a teenager dead, the BBC reported. Read more
Helen Mirren to star as US novelist Patricia Highsmith in new film Switzerland (Standard)
Dame Helen Mirren will star as renowned US novelist Patricia Highsmith in the new film Switzerland.
The film’s plot will mirror one of the Tom Ripley novels for which Texas-born Highsmith was most famous.
The Oscar-winning actress’ attachment to the project was announced by production company FilmNation on Tuesday. Read more
Fawlty Towers set for reboot – with John Cleese to star alongside his daughter (Sky)
Fawlty Towers is to be revived after more than 40 years, with John Cleese set to star alongside his daughter.
The show, widely regarded as one of the best sitcoms of all time, left British screens in 1979 after a four-year run on BBC Two.
It followed the unfortunate exploits of highly-strung Torquay hotelier Basil Fawlty, played by Cleese, and his wife Sybil, portrayed by Prunella Scales, as they tried to keep their hotel and marriage afloat.
On Tuesday, Castle Rock Entertainment announced it had closed a deal with Cleese to bring back the hit series. Read more
Comedian and former talk show host Samantha Bee to host the Canadian Screen Awards (TorontoStar)
Toronto native Samantha Bee is returning home to host the 2023 Canadian Screen Awards.
Organizers for the ceremony celebrating the best in Canadian film and television said Bee will helm the pre-recorded broadcast to cap off Canadian Screen Week, during which there will be numerous in-person events for the first time in four years.
In a departure from the pre-pandemic format, the final show wrapping up the week’s festivities that Bee is hosting will not take place live in front of an audience of guests and nominees. Read more
Ukraine says Russia has suffered its deadliest day, Germany and allies to provide more tanks (ABC)
Russian forces have suffered their deadliest 24 hours of the war in Ukraine so far, according to Kyiv, while Moscow has pressed on with an intensifying winter assault in the east, bringing tens of thousands of freshly mobilised soldiers to the battlefield.
The Ukrainian claim of more than 1,000 Russian troops killed over a day could not be independently verified. Russia has also claimed to have killed large numbers of Ukrainian personnel in recent weeks.
The fatality figures came as Ukraine’s stock of tanks was bolstered, but not with the promised Leopard 2 tanks sought by Kyiv for months. Read more
Volleyball to address unemployment In N’East, says Army commander (Guardian)
The Commanding Officer of Admin Battalion, Nigerian Army University, Biu, Lieutenant Colonel Julius Gidanmana Usman, has said the BIU Invitational Volleyball Challenge would be used to empower unemployed youths in Northeast, whose talents would be discovered at the event.
Speaking while briefing the media on the Biu Invitational Challenge, Usman said the competition slated to hold from February 9 to 12 at the Nigerian Army University Volleyball court and the ABOGO Largema Cantonment in Biu, Borno State, is aimed at harnessing the potential in barracks’ youths, which hitherto has remained untapped.
The patron of Scorpion Spikers VC expressed optimism that the event would expose players to a high level of competition, adding that younger players stand the chance of getting selected by clubs ahead of the 2023 Nigeria Volleyball League. Read more
Peseiro charges Golden Eaglets to keep working hard (ThisDay)
Head Coach of the Super Eagles, José Santos Peseiro, has said that he is convinced that Nigeria is a country flowing with an abundance of football talents, after watching the training sessions of the U17 boys, Golden Eaglets on Monday morning at the NFF/FIFA Goal Project pitch, Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja.
The Portuguese tactician admitted he was very impressed with the performance of the players, and charged them to keep improving their game as preparations for the Africa U17 Cup of Nations in Algeria heats up.
He also admonished players that would eventually be dropped not to be dejected as that would not be the end of their football career. Read more
Al Hilal become 1st Saudi side to reach Club World Cup final after beating 10-man Flamengo (DailyMail)
Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal stunned 10-man Flamengo to reach the Club World Cup final with a 3-2 victory over the South American champions on Tuesday thanks to two penalties from Salem Al Dawsari and a close-range strike from Luciano Vietto.
Al Dawsari opened the scoring from the spot after three minutes and while Pedro levelled for the Brazilians, their hopes were hit when Gerson conceded a penalty and was sent off in first-half stoppage time.
That allowed Al Dawsari to grab his second and Vietto added a third after the break, ensuring Pedro’s late goal for Flamengo was just a consolation. Read more
Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay launch official joint bid to host 2030 World Cup (CBC)
Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay on Tuesday officially submitted a joint bid to host the 2030 World Cup, calling for the tournament to return “where football was born” 100 years after the first tournament was held in Montevideo.
During a ceremony at the Argentine Football Association (AFA), officials of the four countries were joined by Alejandro Dominguez, president of the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL), who hopes FIFA can show a “gesture of greatness” toward the region and allow it to organize the tourney.
“The 2030 World Cup is not just another World Cup, it deserves a celebration with recognition for 100 years,” Dominguez said. Read more
Formula 1: We will never gag any drivers, says CEO Domenicali (StraitsTimes)
Formula One will never gag anyone, chief executive Stefano Domenicali has stated in response to a pre-season controversy between the governing FIA and drivers over ‘political’ statements and freedom of speech.
The Italian, who represents US-based commercial rights holders Liberty Media, told the Guardian newspaper he also expected the sport’s Paris-based governing body to clarify its position.
The FIA updated its International Sporting Code last December with a clause requiring prior written permission for drivers to make or display “political, religious and personal statements or comments” at races. Read more
Novak Djokovic given fresh hope he could play in Indian Wells and Miami (Tennis365)
Novak Djokovic looks set to miss the Indian Wells and Miami ATP 1000 events next month, but the world No 1 has been given fresh hope that he may be allowed to travel to America.
The United States is insisting that all visitors show evidence of having a Covid-19 vaccine, with Djokovic one of the most prominent non-recipients of the jab in the world.
After being deported from Australia last year over his Covid status and a suggestion from government officials that his presence in the country was a threat to the nation’s wellbeing, he was allowed into Melbourne for last month’s Australian Open. Read more