How Lagos teacher flogged my son to death on eve of his 12th birthday –Dad (Punch)
Mr Akinola Amidu, father of the Junior Secondary School 2 pupil of Simple Faith Schools, Agbara, Lagos State, Oluwatobiloba Emmanuel Amidu, who died on May 16, 2022, after he was allegedly caned by a teacher for not completing his Mathematics assignment, says that he wants justice
“My son was supposed to clock 12 years on May 17, but he died on May 16, a day before,” he said. “He was in JSS 2. I was given some weeks off after completing a job at Apapa, Lagos, and also losing my elder brother to sickness a few days before. My son, Emmanuel, came back from school and said he was given an assignment. So, I told him to use the WiFi at home. He said he would rest a little and then wake up later to do it. When he woke up to do it, it was discovered that the data bundle on the WiFi had been exhausted. “That was on Thursday evening (May 12). He asked if he could use my phone for the assignment, but I told him that since we were using solar, it would not be possible for him to do so at that time because it could go off.
“However, his elder sister, Rachael, who is in Senior Secondary School 1 decided to help him with the assignment, so they both went into the room. As they were inside, Emmanuel came out to ask for an exercise book as the one he was using had been exhausted and I promised to buy it for him the next day”.
Lagos APC primaries turn bloody in Alimosho (Vanguard)
The primary elections of All Progressives Congress APC, for the House of Representatives in Alimosho area of Lagos, on Friday, reportedly turned bloody following the alleged killings of two party faithfuls.
The incident reportedly occured at about 3pm at the Secretariat of Ikotun/igando Local Council Development Area, where the primary elections were held
Eye witnesses’ account said there were two factions of the party for the two aspirants for Federal House of Representatives seat in Alimosho Constituency.
They were Prince Idris Balogun popularlly known as Oluomo’ and Ganiyu Ayuba. Read more
Multiple accidents claim one on Otedola Bridge (Punch)
An unidentified man has died from a fire that erupted after four vehicles collided with a fully-loaded tanker along Otedola Bridge, Lagos.
His remains have been handed over to the State Environment Health Monitoring Unit for further processing. The incident occurred early on Friday morning.
The unmarked tanker which was en-route Lagos-Ibadan Expressway was loaded with over 45,000 litres of petrol.
According to the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, upon arrival of the agency’s tiger team at the scene, it was observed that multiple accidents involving a tanker with an unknown registration number, conveying about 45,000 litres of petrol and four vehicles, had occurred. Read more
Sensitive election materials no longer safe in CBN, Falana tells INEC (Tribune)
Human Rights Lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has told the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that sensitive election materials can’t be stashed in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria spoke in Ado Ekiti, on Thursday, at a Southwest Youth and Women Conference organised by New Generation Girls and Women Development Initiative (NIGAWD) and Balm in Gilead Foundation for Sustainable Development (BIGIF).
The event, sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development, National Democratic Institute and United Kingdom Agency for International Development, was intended to promote the ‘Vote not Fight initiative’, in Ekiti and Osun governorship polls.
Ruing the increasing penchant and propensity for election manipulations and bloodshed in the country, Falana craved the establishment electoral offences Tribunal, to try offenders to sanitise the system. Read more
How health officials extort travellers over COVID-19 tests (DailyTrust)
There is a growing concern over the activities of health officials at Nigerian airports, forcing travellers to the country to pay for COVID-19 tests despite being fully vaccinated.
The affected travellers said that despite having full COVID-19 vaccination certificates, health officials at the airports would tell them that their vaccination details were either partially uploaded or not uploaded at all on the online portal, and so, do not allow them leave the airport without paying for “COVID-19 tests.”
The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) is in charge of COVID-19 vaccination in the country.
The aggrieved travellers queried why they should be made to bear the brunt of mistakes on the part of officials of federal, state and local government primary health care development agencies, as well as health centres that did not upload their details. Read more
INEC bows to pressure, extends deadline for party primaries (Guardian)
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday, bowed to pressure and extended the deadline for political parties to conduct their primaries for the 2023 general election.
The development came on a day the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was neck-deep in the final preparations for its national convention, which would hold in today Abuja to elect its presidential candidate.
This was even as the Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa has ruled that former President Goodluck Jonathan is eligible to contest the 2023 presidential election.
The presiding Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Isa Hamma Dashen, who declared Jonathan’s eligibility to contest the 2023 general election, held that Jonathan’s right to vie for the office of president again could not be stopped by any retroactive law. Read more
Atiku, Wike, Saraki, 11 others go for broke as PDP primary begins (Punch)
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar; Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike; his Sokoto State counterpart, Aminu Tambuwal; and a former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, are among the frontline presidential aspirants who will contest the primary of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party today (Saturday).
Others are Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State; his Bauchi State counterpart, Bala Mohammed; a former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose; a former Senate President, Pius Anyim; Diana Teriela, the only woman in the race; former FSB Managing Director, Muhammed Hayatu-Deen; media mogul, Dele Momodu; a pharmacist, Sam Ohuabunwa; Charles Ugwu and Chikwendu Kalu.
Former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, who had been screened to participate in the primary, has since defected to the Labour Party.
The election is likely going to be a contest between Atiku, Saraki Tambuwal and Wike. Read more
Lokoja-Obajana-Kabba Road 7 weeks for repairs (DailyTrust)
The Federal Ministry of Works and Housing Friday announced the closure of Obajana junction on Lokoja-Obajana-Kabba road for repairs.
The ministry said that the closure would last for seven weeks to facilitate the reconstruction of the road and culverts washed away by floods in 2021.
The Federal Controller of Works in Kogi, Jimoh Kajogbola, announced this to newsmen in Lokoja yesterday.
“Obajana-Kabba road will also be closed from Friday to Aug. 15 when it will be reopened,” he said.
Kajogbola described as “embarrassing and unfortunate” the unending gridlocks and accidents being witnessed at the Obajana junction and the entire Lokoja-Obajana-Kabba road. Read more
Land owners in Abuja protest illegal sale of property, seek minister’s intervention (Independent)
Land owners in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja have staged a protest against what they described as illegal sale of their property by the suspected land grabbers just as they called on the Minister Malam Muhammad Bello for intervention.
The group under the aegis of Land Owners Association of Kubwa accused Aulic Nigeria Ltd of colluding with Bwari Area Council and disguised as Royal King’s Court to forcibly take their lands located at FO1, in Kubwa.
The group made this appeal on friday in Abuja while addressing journalists during a protest against the unlawful invasion of their lands by trespassers.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Mrs Patience Ikwuagwu said they bought the land from the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) with genuine documents duly signed by the
Minister. Read more
How Danny Boyle brought the Sex Pistols to life (BBC)
When Trainspotting director Danny Boyle set out to make a mini-series about punk icons the Sex Pistols, he had one condition: The actors had to play the songs for real.
There’d be no lip-syncing and no miming. Every riff and every syllable would be captured live on stage, in front of an audience, chaotic and unvarnished. Just like the originals.
But turning a cast of predominantly unknown and first-time actors into a proper band doesn’t happen overnight. Boyle demanded, and received, a three-month rehearsal period – an almost unheard of length of time for a TV show.
“It was a bit like secondary school,” says Anson Boon, who plays Sex Pistols frontman John Lydon, aka Johnny Rotten.
“In the morning, we’d all have individual tuition for music, so I’d be down the corridor screaming my head off and drowning out everyone else’s music lessons. After break time, we’d come together as a band and we’d play for a few hours. And then after lunch, we would do scene practice with Danny.” Read more
Erykah Badu talks her history with late Jazz/ R&B great Roy Hargrove, whose documentary she executive-produced (Variety)
Erykah Badu, executive producer of the forthcoming documentary about late jazz and R&B trumpeter Roy Hargrove, wastes no time elaborating on the influence her collaborator and high school classmate exerted on her life and career.
“It started with Roy,” says Badu, who first met Hargrove in 1985, when she was a freshman at Dallas’ Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. “Roy was the first person I met in high school: he in the music department and jazz band, me in dance right next door. We danced to that band’s versions of John Coltrane, Miles Davis. That helped me understand what jazz was, and how to interpret it. It was a subtle rebellion. Roy was already a legend as a sophomore — truth is,” she adds, “Roy was actually a legend starting in junior high.”
Hargrove would go on to legendary peaks in both R&B and jazz music: With the Soulquarians — the collective that also included Roots drummer/ bandleader Questlove, bassist Pino Palladino, keyboardist James Poyser and DJ/ producer J Dilla — who performed on legendary albums by Badu, D’Angelo, Common, and others; and in the jazz world with the likes of Wynton Marsalis and Herbie Hancock, both interviewed for “Hargrove,” which was directed by Eliane Henri, and premieres at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 12.
“We felt real secure together,” says Badu (pictured below, right, with Henri) of the Soulquarians’ extended musical family. Read more
Inside Rolling Stone Charlie Watts’ will as he leaves £30million fortune to family (DailyStar)
The Rolling Stones drummer and music icon Charlie Watts left a staggering £30million fortune in his will, according to new UK Probate papers.
His huge fortune followed a stellar career in the music industry, which saw him become one part of one of music’s biggest rock groups of all time – as well as inspiring generations of drummers.
However, Charlie Watts sadly died in hospital on August 24, 2021 at the age of 80 years old.
A 14-page document has since revealed who he left his fortune to following his death, including his vast collection of beloved cars – some of which were reported to have never been driven. Read more
Kevin Spacey film producers react to UK sexual assault charges (Fox)
Following news that Kevin Spacey has been charged with four counts of sexual assault in the U.K., the producers of one of his new films being shopped at Cannes have issued a statement in support of the disgraced actor.
“While it’s unfortunate that increased negative press is timed with Kevin returning to work, it’s also to be expected,” the producers of “Peter Five Eight” said in a statement to Variety. “There are those who wish for him not to act, but they are outnumbered by fans worldwide who await an artist they have enjoyed for decades returning to the screen. The production has no knowledge or comment on the various swirling allegations, and believes it’s a matter for the courts to determine validity if it exists. ‘Peter Five Eight’ is a film for fans who care more for the art than the scandal.”
“Peter Five Eight” is being shopped in Cannes by VMI Worldwide. The film stars Spacey as Peter, a charismatic yet mysterious man who arrives to a mountainside town with a mission. Spacey also has another film on the market at Cannes, “1242: Gateway to the West,” a historical drama about a holy man who attempts to stop Genghis Khan’s army from invading Europe.
Spacey’s charges were announced Thursday by the U.K.’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which has spent over a year reviewing a file passed to them by the Metropolitan Police. Read more
Harrison Ford shares Indiana Jones 5 release date and 1st look during Star Wars celebration
(People)
Harrison Ford surprised Star Wars Celebration attendees with some huge news on Thursday.
The actor — known as Han Solo in the Star Wars franchise — crashed the event (the first in three years!) in Anaheim, California, during a celebration of Star Wars and Indiana Jones composer John Williams’ 90th birthday.
Ford, 79, took the stage to talk about Williams, who is also scoring the upcoming fifth installment in the Indiana Jones franchise. While there, he also introduced the first look from the film: a photo of himself in character as the titular adventurer, making his way across a rickety-looking bridge.
“We have almost completed the next Indiana Jones film, featuring the music of John Williams,” Ford said, according to Entertainment Weekly. “And I had a wonderful experience working with [director] James Mangold, with [producers] Kathy [Kennedy] and Frank [Marshall] again.”
Latif Abubakar tackles child labour, trafficking with Christmas-In-May (MyJoy)
Ghanaian playwright Latif Abubakar’s Globe Productions is poised to thrill theatre enthusiasts with a play at the end of May 2022.
The play which aims at educating patrons on issues affecting society will focus on trafficking and child labour.
Weaved with comedy, music and dance, the play would also reveal why Santa Claus is out here when Christmas is actually some seven months away.
Titled “Christmas-In-May,” the play tells the story of four young adults facing some challenging times. They are subsequently tricked into an unknown situation. Their leader later gets nabbed. They however managed to escape, only to run into another unknown situation. Read more
Iran protesters seek justice as building collapse toll rises (VOA)
Hundreds of people took to the streets in southwestern Iran demanding justice after a tower block collapse killed 24 people, news outlets in the Islamic republic said on Friday.
A large section of the 10-storey Metropol building that was under construction in the city of Abadan, in Khuzestan province, crumbled on Monday, causing one of Iran’s deadliest such disasters in years.
Images published by Fars news agency showed hundreds of residents marching along Abadan’s streets on Thursday night, mourning those who lost their lives by banging on traditional drums and hitting cymbals.
Some shouted “Death to incompetent officials” and hailed the “Martyrs of Metropol”, Fars said. Read more
Liverpool’s Thiago, Fabinho fit for Champions League final (France24)
Liverpool’s preparations for the Champions League final were boosted by the news that midfielders Thiago Alcantara and Fabinho will be fit to face Real Madrid after injury scares.
Thiago was brought off at half-time of Liverpool’s 3-1 win over Wolves last weekend nursing an Achilles problem.
Fabinho has not featured since sustaining a muscular injury in a 2-1 win at Aston Villa on May 10.
However, the Brazilian took a full part in an open training session in front of the media on Wednesday. Read more
GOtv Boxing Night 25: ‘Expect Defeat’, Ibadan boxers tell Lagos-based opponents (Sun)
Speaking in separate interviews, the two boxers claimed that Lagos-based boxers are given a superiority complex and look down on those based in Ibadan. Ayobami will fight Sodiq Oyakojo in one of the two lightweight challenge bouts at the event, while Ibrahim will clash with Segun “War” Adeyemi in a welterweight challenge bout.
According to Ayobami, the trend of Lagos-based boxers winning in Ibadan has come to an end.
“They’ve won almost every time they have fought in Ibadan. I think that has made them believe they’re naturally better than boxers in Ibadan. But that will end. In fact, it has ended. Sodiq Oyakojo will go down like a stone dropped in a river. Tell him ‘Ibadan nor be Lagos.’ I will win. No doubt about that,” he raved.
On his part, Ibrahim said he will beat Segun “War” Adeyemi and dedicate his victory to the memory of the late Akeem “Dodo” Sadiku, who was the undisputed star in the Ibadan boxing circuit. He also stated that Lagos-based boxers are arrogant and view those based in Ibadan as inferior. Read more
How I saved Nigeria from shame in South Africa — Peterside Idah (Vanguard)
Former Nigeria international Peterside Idah, who has declared interest in becoming the next President of the Nigeria Football Federation has debunked news making the rounds that he instigated the 2004 Super Falcons protest in South Africa after winning that years African Women’s championship.
Speaking with Sports Vanguard over the matter, the former Super Eagles safe hands denied ever having anything to do with the alleged protest, stating rather that he bailed the Nigerian contingent out of the messy financial situation it was in by paying a whopping $10,000 US Dollars being cost of their hotel bill.
He started, “the management of the hotel had threatened to throw the team and officials out. I got a call from Precious Dede that they could not get accommodation for like two days. They were supposed to lodge in Oakland Park, one of the holiday inns. They came back from training and were not allowed to go and change. So they called me. When I got to the hotel, these players were all outside.
They told me they had just returned from training, they had not taken their bath and had not eaten. So I went to the management of the hotel and asked what the problem was that they kept our national team outside.Read more
Edinson Cavani reveals Manchester United regret as departure confirmed (MEN)
Edinson Cavani has admitted that playing his first season at Manchester United mostly behind closed doors has left a ‘bitter taste’ as his departure has been confirmed.
The veteran striker will leave United on a free transfer when his contract expires in the summer after spending two years at Old Trafford.
The vast majority of Cavani’s 19 goals for the club came without supporters in the stadium when matches had to be played behind closed doors at the height of the pandemic. That he wasn’t able to play in front of the United fans more often is something that he regrets.
“I wanted to contribute more this season,” he told United’s in-house media. “One of the things that has left me with a slightly bitter taste is that when we had a highly enjoyable and pretty decent [2020/21] season, we weren’t able to have the supporters along with us. Read more
French Open: Coco Gauff and Leylah Fernandez into fourth round at Roland Garros (Sky)
Coco Gauff and Leylah Fernandez have progressed into the French Open fourth round with Fernandez reaching the second week of the clay-court Grand Slam for the first time in her career.
Gauff showed her confidence on clay during her straight-sets 6-3 6-4 win over the world No 46 Kaia Kanepi on Friday.
Fernandez went the distance on Court Philippe-Chatrier and came out on top 7-5 3-6 7-5 after a lengthy contest with Belinda Bencic.
The match between Sloane Stephens and Diane Parry will follow Novak Djokovic’s encounter with Aljaz Bedene on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
Hamilton welcomes jewellery reprieve before Monaco GP (Guardian)
Preparing for what is always a testing weekend on the streets of Monaco, Lewis Hamilton welcomed an FIA climbdown in a spat that is clearly becoming a tiresome distraction.
The threat of Hamilton missing the race on Sunday due to the stand-off over whether drivers can wear jewellery under their race suits was lifted temporarily on Friday, with the sport taking a moratorium on enforcing the rule to examine ways to come to an agreement.
The rule had been largely unenforced until this season when new race director Niels Wittich informed drivers he would be strictly applying the regulation for reasons of safety. He imposed a clampdown in Miami where checks were enforced to ensure compliance. Hamilton opposed the move, noting that he had piercings including a nose stud that could not be removed and that he had raced with jewellery all his career.
The seven-times world champion pointedly observed that the rule made little sense given that wedding rings and bracelets were permitted, and his stance was supported by other drivers. He was given a two-race exemption to allow him time to remove the jewellery but he made it clear he had no intention of backing down. The exemption ended before this weekend’s meeting in Monaco but has now been extended to cover this meeting, Azerbaijan and Canada and will conclude before the British Grand Prix on 3 July. Read more
Paddy Pimblett set for UFC London return vs. Jordan Leavitt on July 23 (ESPN)
Paddy Pimblett will fight again at UFC London against Jordan Leavitt on July 23 as the event returns to the city for the second time this year, the promotion announced on Friday.
The UFC previously staged an event in London in March, returning to the U.K. for the first time in three years, which was headlined by British heavyweight Tom Aspinall, who claimed a stunning submission victory over Alexander Volkov.
Lightweight Pimblett (18-3), who fights out of Liverpool, put on a show in his previous London bout with an emphatic first-round victory as he choked out Kazula Vargas.
Leavitt (10-1), who fights out of Las Vegas, claimed a split decison victory over Trey Ogden in his last bout on the undercard of Vicente Luque-Belal Muhammad last month. Read more