God ’embarrassed’ us with five kids after waiting for six years –Lagos couple (Punch)
When Foyeke Omage became pregnant early 2020 after six years in marriage, she never anticipated a set of twins let alone five kids at once. But in what she described as a miracle, she said God embarrassed her and her husband, Ewanle Omage, with a set of quintuplets after waiting for six years without a child.
The couple, in an exclusive interview with The PUNCH, narrated how they were mocked during their waiting period before their bundles of joy were delivered at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital on January 18, 2021.
“People used to call me barren before, they used to insult me but I thank God today that God embarrassed me with five babies at a go –two boys, three girls. What else can I ask from God? I really thank God for these great gifts that He gave to me,” Foyeke enthused.
Foyeke, who hails from Osun State, said she got married to Ewanle, who is a native of Edo State, in 2014 and they had gone to many hospitals and had met many gynecologists all to no avail. Read more
Court upholds Lagos Okada, motorcycle ban in Ikeja, Apapa, four LGAs (Guardian)
The Federal High Court, Ikoyi has affirmed the order of the Lagos State Government to restrict the use of motorcycles and Tricycles known as Okada and Keke Marwa in six local governments.
The presiding judge, Justice Liman dismissed the originating summons of the applicant one Olukoya Ogungbeje who had filed a fundamental human rights application for lacking merit.
Lagos State in January 2020 banned the operations of commercial motorcycles and tricycles in six local government areas in the state.
The affected LGs are the state capital Ikeja, Lagos Mainland, Lagos Island, Apapa, Surulere and Eti Osa. The ban came into effect on February 1.
The ban affects the local council development areas (LCDAs) under the LG. They are Apapa LG- Apapa Iganmu LCDA, Lagos Mainland LG – Yaba LCDA, Surulere LG- Itire-Ikate and Coker-Aguda LCDAs, Ikeja LG- Onigbongbo and Ojodu LCDAs, Eti-Osa LG- Ikoyi-Obalende and Iru/Victoria Island LCDAs, Lagos Island LG- Lagos Island East LCDA. Read more
Gbajabiamila installs free WiFi in six public tertiary institutions in Lagos (ThisDay)
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, has facilitated the installation of free Wi-Fi in six public tertiary institutions in Lagos State for ease of learning.
Gbajabiamila’s gesture on free Wi-Fi cuts across both federal government-owned and Lagos State Government-owned tertiary institutions in the state.
The six public tertiary institutions that have so far benefitted from the Speaker’s initiative are University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka Campus; Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo; Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu Campus; Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, Ijanikin; Michael Otedola College of Education, Epe; and the Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH).
At the Lagos State University, Ojo, the free Wi-Fi was launched for public use on behalf of the Speaker by the immediate past Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun. Read more
Cowry cards: We’re sorry for hitches, Fola Tinubu begs commuters (Guardian)
Operators of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in Lagos State, Primero Transport Services Ltd. has apologised for some logistics hitches being faced by commuters since the introduction of Cowry cards for transport fare payment.
The Managing Director of the firm, Mr Fola Tinubu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos that the company was working with the state government to remove the hitches.
According to him, the firm understands the challenges faced by commuters, including delays, and is working to resolve all of them.
“Primero is not in charge of Cowry cards. It is the Lagos State innovation for transportation transactions.
“With this state-wide cards, a commuter can use it, not just in Primero buses, but on all regulated Lagos State buses.
“Commuters having some hitches in the switch should bear with us, we are working with the Lagos State to perfect it.
“We have some teething problems in terms of logistics since the Cowry card was introduced on Monday for Primero Transport Service across all our routes; we are sorry,” Tinubu said. Read more
Ogun pipeline vandals busted, 302 petrol kegs seized (Punch)
Operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps in Ogun State have busted pipeline vandals in Ogere, Ikenne Local Government Area of the state.
The vandals reportedly abandoned their tools including 302 empty jerry cans when they sighted the NSCDC operatives on Wednesday.
The spokesperson of the NSCDC in the state, Ogbonnaya Dyke disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.
Dyke explained that the vandals who escaped into the bush after sighting the corps abandoned their tools and the Jerry cans they had planned to use to siphon fuel from the vandalised pipelines in Ogere Area of the state. Read more
Buhari nominates Buratai, other former service chiefs as ambassadors (Guardian)
Nigeria president Muhammadu Buhari has nominated immediate past service chiefs of the country as ambassadors.
“President Muhammadu Buhari has forwarded the names of the immediate past Service Chiefs to the Senate as non-career Ambassadors-Designate,” presidential aide Bashir Ahmad disclosed in a tweet.
The ambassador-designates are retired Defense Chief Abayomi Olonisakin, former Army Chief Tukur Buratai, former Navy Chief Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas and former Air Chief Sadique Abubakar. Their nomination is subject to confirmation by the National Assembly. Read more
INEC to conduct Anambra guber poll via electronic voting system (ThisDay)
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that the forthcoming Anambra State governorship election will be conducted in accordance with electronic voting system, but the commission is not emphatic that electronic voting and electronic transmission of results will be adopted for the poll.
The INEC National Commissioner in Charge of Voter Education, Mr Festus Okoye, who disclosed this, also said the electoral framework for the election is being worked upon.
Okoye, who spoke in Minna, Niger State on Thursday after the despatch of election materials for the Magama/Rijau Bye-election slated for Saturday, also disclosed that the National Assembly could pass the New Electoral Act before the end of the first quarter of this year.
He said the New Electoral Act has provision for electronic voting and electronic transmission of results, adding that: “What the National Assembly is trying to do is to give the commission the discretion to determine when we can commence electronic voting and electronic transmission of results. Read more
NCoS: 18 inmates graduate from NOUN (Guardian)
Eighteen inmates have successfully graduated from the National Open University, Corrections Special Study Centres, the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) has said.
This is contained in a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja by the NCoS Public Relations Officer (SPRO), Controller of Corrections, Mr Francis Enobore, who said that the inmates graduated with various degree certificates.
Enobore quoted the Ag. Controller General, NcoS, Mr John Mrabure, as congratulating the graduands and charged them to see their educational advancement as a stepping stone to a brighter future. Read more
Dominic Ongwen convicted of war crimes for Uganda’s LRA rebels (BBC)
Ex-Ugandan rebel commander Dominic Ongwen has been convicted of war crimes at the International Criminal Court.
Thursday’s historic ruling also saw him convicted of forced pregnancy – a legal first in an international court.
Ongwen, a feared commander of the notorious Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), is the first member of the LRA to appear before the court.
He was convicted on 61 of the 70 counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes he faced. Read more
Global Covid-19 vaccine confidence is rising, survey shows (CNN)
Global vaccine confidence is rising, according to a survey released Wednesday showing that 54% of respondents across 15 countries would get a COVID-19 vaccine if one was offered to them.
The survey done by the Institute of Global Health Innovation at Imperial College in London showed that willingness to get vaccinated has increased in 11 of the 15 countries since November, when 41% of respondents said they would get vaccinated.
“It is very encouraging to see that, as a number of safe and effective coronavirus vaccines are being rolled out across the world, there has been an apparent positive shift in people’s perceptions of these products,” Dr. David Nabarro, co-director of the Institute of Global Health Innovation at Imperial College in London, said in a statement. Read more
Photographer snaps ‘most detailed’ image of the moon’s surface (Metro)
Could this be one of the most detailed moon photos ever created? Lunar photographer Andrew McCarthy, who took the image, certainly seems to think so. McCarthy uses compositions of thousands of individual photos to showcase the lunar surface in extreme detail. Each photo is from a different phase of the lunar cycle, which allows for every inch of the moon’s surface to be visible. Read more
China promotes education drive to make boys more ‘manly’ (BBC)
A notice from China’s education ministry has caused a stir after it suggested young Chinese men had become too “feminine”. The message has been criticised as sexist by many online users – but some say China’s male celebrities are partly to blame.
For a while China’s government has signalled concern that the country’s most popular male role models are no longer strong, athletic figures like “army heroes”. Even President Xi Jinping, a well-known football enthusiast, has long been seeking to cultivate better sports stars.
So last week, the education ministry issued a notice with a title that left no doubt about its ultimate goal. Read more
Archaeologists unearth Egyptian mummies with golden tongues (CNN)
Archaeologists working at a burial site in Egypt have unearthed ancient mummies with golden tongues.
The team, headed by Kathleen Martinez of the University of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, were working at the Taposiris Magna Temple in western Alexandria when they discovered 16 burial shafts dating from the Greek and Roman eras.
A number of “mummies in a poor state of preservation” were found inside the shafts, according to a Facebook post by Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
The archaeologists discovered “remnants of gilded cartonnage” — a case made of tightly fitting layers of linen or papyrus glued together — the ministry said, as well “amulets of gold foil in the form of a tongue that were placed in the mouth of the mummy.” This, they believe, was a special ritual to ensure the dead could speak to the court of the god Osiris in the afterlife. Read more
Online Netflix calculator reveals how much time you’ve spent bingeing (Metro)
If you’ve ever wondered how much time you’re sinking into your Netflix habit each evening, there’s now a simple way to find out. The website timespentonnetflix.com is a free tool for measuring your viewing history. Your entire viewing history. Even the stuff you forgot you watched. It’s really simple to use and the site will give you a breakdown of your viewing data with infographics aplenty. Read more
I want to represent Nigeria in int’l events, says Bola, Nigerian-born US-based boxer (Vanguard)
Nigerian-born US-based boxer, Bola Osundairo, has expressed his desire to represent his country, Nigeria, at international boxing events, instead of the United States of America.
The Chicago-based light heavy weight boxer made this known while responding to questions by newsmen from his US-based home, on why the choice of Nigeria, rather than his home of residence, the United States.
According to him, “I want to represent my country, Nigeria, because of the love and passion I have for it; to motivate others, especially up-coming sports men to be patriotic. Nigeria is endowed with great talents.
The 26-year-old pugilist, who is currently in Ghana for trial, said he would, however, accept Ghana’s invitation to represent the West African country, if his dream of representing Nigeria does not work out. Read more
Arsenal fail with David Luiz red card appeal (Metro)
Arsenal have been unsuccessful in their attempts to get David Luiz’s red card against Wolves overturned. The experienced defender was given his marching orders by referee Craig Pawson on the stroke of half-time at Molineux after he had inadvertently brought down Willian Jose, who was clean through on goal. Mikel Arteta had been confident of a successful appeal that would have rendered Luiz available for Saturday’s match against Aston Villa, but the Football Association has dismissed Arsenal’s case. Read more
Atletico striker Dembele tests positive for COVID-19 (Punch)
Atletico Madrid’s new signing Moussa Dembele has tested positive for Covid-19, the club announced on Thursday.
The squad underwent testing on Wednesday, from which “Moussa Dembele had a positive result for Covid-19 in the PCR test,” Atletico said in a statement.
“The striker remains isolated at his home, strictly complying with the recommendations of the health authorities and La Liga protocol,” the club added. Read more
Six Nations 2021: France’s Gabin Villiere to make tournament debut against Italy (BBC)
France wing Gabin Villiere will make his Six Nations debut in Saturday’s opener against Italy in Rome.
Centre Ignacio Brex earns his first cap for the Azzurri, while number eight Michele Lamaro makes his first start.
Italy head coach Franco Smith has opted for the youthful pairing of fly-half Paolo Garbisi, 20, and scrum-half Stephen Varney, 19.
For France, Teddy Thomas is on the right wing, with Brice Dulin at full-back.
Arthur Vincent starts at outside centre in the absence of the injured Virimi Vakatawa and Gael Fickou is at 12. Read more
Winning at Chelsea is easy, Mourinho tells Tuchel (Guardian)
Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho has piled pressure on new Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel by insisting it is easy to win trophies at Stamford Bridge.
Mourinho won three Premier League titles and enjoyed FA Cup and League Cup success in two spells in charge at Chelsea.
Although the Portuguese coach was sacked twice by demanding Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, Mourinho is adamant the financial backing available to Blues bosses means silverware should not be hard to come by. Read more
Beijing 2022: Human rights groups call for Winter Olympic boycott (BBC)
A senior member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has rejected criticism of its decision to host next year’s Winter Games in China.
More than 180 organisations have called on governments to boycott Beijing 2022 because of reported human rights abuses against ethnic minorities.
The World Uyghur Congress described the event as “a genocide Olympics”.
China’s treatment of its own citizens has been the subject of mounting criticism across the world. Read more