Group calls for selection of best candidate for LASU VC (Guardian)
The Concerned Professors and Liberators in Lagos State University (LASU), and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), have called on the state government and management of the institution to pick the best candidate for the post of the Vice Chancellor.
At a press briefing at the weekend, in Lagos, they said the process of selecting the next VC must be transparent and molded to emulate the last one done in 2016, that produced former VC, Prof. Olanrenwaju Fagbohun, who recorded unprecedented level of success in the institution.
Chairman of the group, Prof. Adeleke Fakoya, who said the Liberators are for defending the integrity of LASU, stressed that they are concerned about the progress and future. Read more
#EndSARS: Reddington Hospital presents medical records of Lekki tollgate victims (Nation)
Reddington Hospital Lagos, Saturday produced the medical records of some of the patients it treated following the Lekki toll gate ‘shootings’ of last October 20.
One of the hospital’s trauma and orthopaedic surgeons, Dr. Babajide Lawson, presented the case files to the Lagos State Judicial Panel on Restitution for Victims of SARS and the Lekki Tollgate Incident.
The Nigerian Army has been accused of opening fire with live bullets on peaceful protesters at the Toll Gate demanding an end to police brutality using the hashtag #EndSARS. Read more
Lagos targets over 120,000 pupils for tech skills in 2021 (Guardian)
The Lagos State government has concluded plans to equip over 120,000 pupils in 720 primary and secondary schools with Information Communication Technology (ICT), networking, and other tech skills in 2021 through its Eko Digital Initiative.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Tokunbo Wahab, at the launch of Eko Digital Initiative 2021, said the aim was to prepare the schoolchildren for the ICT revolution, which he described as the Fourth Revolution.
Wahab added that to achieve this, the government has redesigned the erstwhile Digital Skills Initiative to Eko Digital Initiative to take the programme beyond its previous state, as well as achieve a more in-depth training of the digital skills in schools across the state. Read more
How I was raped five times by armed robber, others – Iyabo Ojo (Punch)
Popular actress and filmmaker, Iyabo Ojo, has described how she was raped as a married woman by an armed robber who stormed their house together with his gang in Ikeja, Lagos.
Speaking about her rape experiences on her YouTube Channel series, Bare it All with I.Y, the actress said, “The other one happened after I got married to my husband and had my kids. Then, we moved to Ikeja. I was raped by one of the armed robbers who came to our house. It is not easy to talk about rape. No matter how much you talk about it, you have to realise that it is painful. But, you are not alone.”
The actress also revealed that when she was much younger, she was also raped by a friend to her first boyfriend. Recounting the incident, she said, “I was raped by a former neighbour, who happened to be a friend to my first boyfriend. I was almost 18 at the time and had gone to visit my family members in the Obanikoro area of Lagos when he offered to drop me off on my way back to Ikeja where I was then living with my aunt. Read more
2 Nigerian startups, others win $2m JUA African venture capital fund (Nation)
Two Nigerian-owned startups including Powerstove Energy (Nigeria) and Whispa Health (Nigeria) have been named among recipients of the inaugural $2-million Jua Fund, the largest African venture capital fund by a private individual.
Three other enterprises from Kenya namely: GrowAgric (Kenya), Side (Kenya), Xetova (Kenya) and one each from Madagascar and Zimbabwe including Bryt-Knowledge (Zimbabwe), Jirogasy (Madagascar), were also among the winners.
According to the organisers, the final deal closure and disbursement will be contingent on the enterprises passing a due diligence and other agreed terms and conditions. Read more
Man arrested over siblings’ corpses found in abandoned car (Punch)
Operatives of the Delta State Police Command have uncovered the decomposing bodies of two siblings found inside an abandoned car parked near the residence of the vehicle’s owner.
The acting Police Public Relations Officer for the command, DSP Edafe Bright, in a statement on Saturday, identified the two corpses as one Kelvin Izakpa, 10, and Fega Izakpa, seven, both children of the late Meshach Izakpa.
They reportedly lived with their mother before their disappearance. Read more
At last, Lulu Briggs laid to rest in Rivers (ThisDay)
Finally, the remains of late oil magnate and renowned philanthropist, High Chief Olu Benson Lulu-Briggs, were yesterday laid to rest in his hometown, Abonnema, in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State. Former President Goodluck Jonathan; wife of President Muhammad Buhari, Aisha; and Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, were among dignitaries present to bid the late business mogul, who died over two years ago, farewell.
Mrs Alanyingi Sylva, wife of Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva, represented Aisha at the funeral ceremony.
Lulu-Briggs died in December 2018 but his burial was delayed by disagreements within his family over inheritance and funeral modalities. Read more
Varsity probes law student over alleged oral sex with fellow male undergrad (Punch)
The Crescent University, Ogun State, said it has commenced investigation into the alleged oral sex involving a final-year law student of the institution, identified as Samuel Olusope.
Olusope was accused of sexually harassing a 200-level fellow student in a boys’ hostel after allegedly drugging the food the victim ate.
The victim was said to have been rushed to a hospital for treatment. Read more
Security forces intensify rescue operations for 39 Kaduna students (Leadership)
Security forces comprising operatives of the Army, Air Force, DSS and Police have stepped up efforts to rescue dozens of students abducted from their hostels in Kaduna State in the latest attack on schools.
Gunmen had stormed the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation in Mando on the outskirts of the state capital, Kaduna, late Thursday and took 39 students hostage, while the military rescued 180 after a fierce battle.
“A combined team of police, army and other security forces are in a frantic search for the kidnapped students. We are combing the surrounding forests and bushes with a view to freeing the hostages. Very soon, it will be over for the bandits,” state police spokesman Mohammadu Jalinge told AFP yesterday. Read more
“Avatar” overtakes “Avengers: Endgame” to become highest-grossing film of all time again (Metro)
Avatar has overtaken Avengers: Endgame to become the highest-grossing film of all time again, after it was re-issued in China. James Cameron’s 2009 movie is clearly destined for the top spot, after reclaiming the place, taking an estimated RMB 58M (£6.4 million) following its re-release on Friday. It’s closed the gap between the two movies, which previously stood at about $7.82 million (£5.6 million). According to Deadline, the current estimated total for Avatar is around $2.798 billion (£2.0098 billion) versus Endgame‘s $2.797 billion (£2.0091 billion). Read more
Russia opposition: Moscow police raid election forum (BBC)
Russian police have broken up an opposition conference and detained 200 people including high-profile opposition figures.
The weekend forum had just begun in a Moscow hotel when police burst in and said they were detaining everyone.
According to police, coronavirus rules were broken and the event was arranged by an “undesirable organisation”.
The incident comes as authorities continue to crack down on opposition activity as elections loom. Read more
Germany kicks off general election year with state polls (DW)
As coronavirus infections rise, Germans will vote in two state elections on Sunday. The outcomes could have an impact on parties’ national standing ahead of September’s vote to replace Angela Merkel.
One thing is clear: This Sunday’s state elections in Germany are without precedent. Polling stations in Rhineland-Palatinate and Baden-Württemberg are expected to be eerily empty, with roughly 50% of the 11 million people eligible to vote this weekend opting for mail-in ballots.
More importantly, the outcome could be a bellwether for the general election in September, which will mark the end of Angela Merkel’s chancellorship.
It will also be the first real show of voter opinion about crisis management in the coronavirus pandemic. Read more
Ivory Coast prime minister’s death heralds political jockeying (AlJazeera)
On March 8, Ibrahima Sory Coulibaly celebrated Hamed Bakayoko’s birthday surrounded by friends in Abidjan’s Abobo neighbourhood.
They prayed for the quick recovery of Ivory Coast’s prime minister, who was receiving medical treatment abroad, before enjoying plates of rice and grilled chicken.
On March 10, as news emerged of Bakayoko’s death from cancer in Germany two days after his 56th birthday, Coulibaly took to Facebook and simply wrote: “God is great.” Read more
Breonna Taylor: Protest marks anniversary of police killing (BBC)
Hundreds of people have gathered in the US city of Louisville for a rally to mark a year since the death of Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old black medic shot dead when police raided her home.
The incident caused outrage, spurring protests against racism and brutality.
Ms Taylor was shot by officers who forced entry into her home using a “no-knock” warrant that meant they did not have to announce themselves.
The three police officers who carried out the raid were eventually sacked. Read more
Gwyneth Paltrow reveals she is open to returning to Marvel Cinematic Universe ‘for small part’ (Metro)
Gwyneth Paltrow has revealed she is open to returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but on one condition. The actress, 48, was last seen on-screen in the world of Marvel in the 2019 blockbuster Avengers: Endgame as Pepper Potts, but has since admitted she would be open to making a reappearance as the iconic character for a much smaller role than before. Appearing on People TV, she told host Kay Adams she would return ‘if it was a small part that I could do in like a day or two.’ Read more
Sarah Everard: Police break up vigil to murdered Londoner (DW)
Mourners in the UK pushed ahead on Saturday with a vigil for Sarah Everard, whose body was found days after she went missing while walking to her London home.
People gathered outdoors despite coronavirus concerns and organizers’ appeals to attend an event online or light candles in their backyards and on their doorsteps. Several hundred people crowded gathered at the bandstand at London’s Clapham Common, paying tribute to Everard at the park where she’d last been seen alive.
Reporting from the vigil, DW’s Charlotte Chelsom-Pill said the killing struck a cord with people in the UK. Read more
Aguero ends 14-month wait for league goal as Man City win at Fulham (BBC)
Sergio Aguero scored his first Premier League goal since January 2020 as Manchester City extended their lead at the top of the Premier League with a win at struggling Fulham.
The result sees Pep Guardiola’s side move 17 points clear at the summit, with second-placed Manchester United having two games in hand.
For the Cottagers it represents a dent to their survival hopes after they missed the opportunity to move out of the bottom three, which is compounded by the fact they have played more games than both Brighton and Newcastle – the sides directly above them.
It had looked like being a tight affair, with Fulham testing a much-changed City side during a relatively even first period. Read more
Julian Brandt makes his mark as Borussia Dortmund maintain top four dash (DW)
Borussia Dortmund saw off Hertha Berlin and kept the heat on Wolfsburg and Eintracht Frankfurt in the race for the top four. Dortmund made it look easier than it was – a sign of progress for the Black and Yellows.
This was the kind of game Borussia Dortmund were losing a month ago. But, stifled by a well-organized Hertha Berlin defense and restricted to just a few big chances, this time they found a way to win to keep their late dash for a top four finish on course. It wasn’t vintage by any means, but it was three more points on an afternoon when Dortmund’s collective spirit shone through.
The manner of their pitiful defeat in Freiburg in early February prompted Dortmund’s chiefs to hasten their announcement of Marco Rose as new coach and offer everyone at the club some stability. Coach Edin Terzic is probably the greatest beneficiary, now afforded the space to coach his players without speculation swirling around. Read more
Players Championship: Lee Westwood and Bryson DeChambeau go head-to-head (BBC)
Lee Westwood will go head-to-head with Bryson DeChambeau once again with the Englishman leading by two going into the Players Championship final round.
Westwood, chasing a first PGA Tour title in 11 years, moved to 13 under par with a bogey-free four-under 68.
DeChambeau, who edged Westwood to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational last week, shot a 67 to finish on 11 under on a scintillating day at TPC Sawgrass.
Justin Thomas had set the clubhouse lead at 10 under par with a superb 64. Read more
‘Marvelous’ Marvin Hagler: American boxing legend dies aged 66 (BBC)
Former undisputed middleweight world champion ‘Marvelous’ Marvin Hagler has died at the age of 66.
The American dominated the middleweight division from 1979 until his controversial defeat by Sugar Ray Leonard in April 1987.
“Today, unfortunately my beloved husband Marvelous Marvin passed away unexpectedly at his home here in New Hampshire,” his wife Kay Hagler said.
Hagler took part in 67 fights during his 14-year professional career. Read more
Schalke thrashed in Wolfsburg as Ralf Rangnick links cause confusion (DW)
Schalke’s miserable season continued on Saturday with another heavy defeat. Ahead of the loss to Wolfsburg, reports that Ralf Rangnick could be set to return as sporting director caused controversy within the club.
Such is the chaos that has once again engulfed Schalke this weekend that Shkodran Mustafi’s miserable afternoon in Wolfsburg will likely slip under the radar.
With half an hour played, the World Cup winning former Arsenal defender inadvertently headed teammate Malick Thiaw’s attempted clearance past his own goalkeeper to put Wolfsburg ahead.
Shortly after half-time, with the hosts having already doubled their lead through the unstoppable Wout Weghorst, the slapstick defending continued as Mustafi lost possession on the edge of his own box. Read more
Cristiano Ronaldo hits back at his critics amid Real Madrid transfer speculation (Metro) Cristiano Ronaldo has hit back at the criticism he has faced in the wake of Juventus’ shock Champions League exit at the hands of Porto in midweek. The 36-year-old failed to score in either leg of the last 16 tie and was castigated by former England manager Fabio Capello after he turned his back on Sergio Oliveira’s free-kick, which ultimately proved to be the decisive goal as the Portuguese side progressed on away goals. Former Juventus midfielder Alessio Tacchinardi, meanwhile, claimed Ronaldo should be forced to apologise to the clubs fans and his former Italy teammate Antonio Cassano, earlier this month, suggested the former Manchester United star has been a waste of money. Read more