How Nigerian who won UK scholarship died on day he was to travel (DailyTrust)
A Nigerian man identified as Okpani Ugochukwu slept and never woke up a few hours before his flight to the United Kingdom for his Master’s Programme.
Ugochukwu had posted on his Facebook wall on Friday that he was UK-bound for his Master’s degree programme, suspected to be International Relations.
He wrote, “It’s a wrap. Blessed be God Forever. 22:00Hrs 2go. In Omnia Paratus. Put my name on that wall. MSc mode fully activated. #International_Relations.” Read more
Atiku lines up 180 witnesses against Tinubu (Sun)
A total of 180 witnesses have been lined up to testify in the petition filed by former Vice President and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar against the outcome of the presidential election that was held on February 25, 2023.
While Atiku has lined up 100 witnesses to prove his case, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has two witnesses while the president-elect, Bola Tinubu and his political party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has 39 witnesses each to defend their victory.
In all of these, Atiku told the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) that he needs only three weeks to call his witnesses to prove that the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu was wrongly returned by INEC as winner of the disputed election.
In their joint petition marked: CA/PEPC/05/2023, Atiku and PDP are urging the court to among other reliefs, withdraw the Certificate of Return that was issued to the President-elect by INEC. Read more
Tinubu returns to Nigeria after 10-day Europe trip (Vanguard)
President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu on Saturday returned to the country after a 10-day trip to Europe ahead of his inauguration on May 29.
Tinubu had on May 10 left the country, just two weeks after he returned to the country from a three-country tour which saw him visiting London, Saudi Arabia and Paris.
He was received at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja by Senate President Ahmad Lawan, House Deputy Speaker Idris Wase, Kano governor, Abdullahi Ganduje and a host of others. Read more
Lagos leads as 11,350 sit teachers’ qualifying exam (Punch)
No fewer than 11,350 candidates on Saturday participated in the first batch of the Teachers Registration Council’s Professional Qualifying Examination nationwide. The examination popularly known as PQE is conducted by the TRCN, the regulatory agency for teaching in Nigeria.
Registrar of TRCN, Prof Josiah Ajiboye, who disclosed this while monitoring the exercise at Sascon International School Maitama, Abuja, said reports from across the country revealed that the exam went on smoothly.
Ajiboye, who was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, David Adejo, further disclosed that Lagos State had the highest number of registered candidates for the PQE with over 1,500 entrants, followed by Kano State and the Federal Capital Territory. Read more
Tinubu mourns ‘‘giant among men’’ Subomi Balogun (Nation)
The President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has described founder of First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Otunba Subomi Balogun as a giant among men for his trailblazing and pioneering role in investment banking in Nigeria.
The consummate banker, boardroom guru, and philanthropist, renowned for his royal and sartorial elegance, died in London on Friday, May 19, according to the family.
Eulogising the late banker in a condolence message by his media aide, Tunde Rahman, the President-elect said his death would create a vacuum that will be difficult to fill in the banking industry and among his Ijebu people where he was a symbol of unity and traditional values, and among Christians in Nigeria. Read more
Movie stars gather for AMVCA showdown tonight (Punch)
All is set for the 2023 edition of the annual Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Award (AMVCA).
The event which is the 9th edition is set to take place tonight, May 20, 2023, at the Eko Convention Centre, Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos by 7 pm Nigerian time.
The award which has been described as one of the biggest entertainment events in Africa hopes to be a gathering of stars, with a razzmatazz of colourful black carpet moments billed to commence at 4 pm, while the main event commences at 7 pm Nigerian time. Read more
US Delegation visits Anambra after deadly attack on officials (DailyTrust)
A delegation from the Embassy of the United States of America has visited the Navy Base in Onitsha, Anambra State following the May 16 attack on the US convoy in the Ogbaru area of the state.
Three US officials and four policemen were killed in the attack suspected to have been carried out by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), according to the police.
During the visit, the US delegation hailed the Navy for the rescue of the two staff members of the embassy abducted during the attack. Read more
Nigerian Correctional Service gets new DCGs (Vanguard)
Six Assistant Controllers-General of Correction (ACGs) have been promoted to the rank of Deputy-Controllers General of Corrections (DCGs).
The promotions were effected in the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Service Boards (CDCFIB).
The Spokesman, Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) Assistant Controller of Corrections, Mr Abubakar Umar, stated this in a statement on Saturday in Abuja. Read more
Kanye West’s new wife Bianca Censori confirms marriage months after Kim Kardashian divorce (Metro)
After months of speculation, Kanye West’s new wife Bianca Censori has confirmed they had tied the knot.
The “All of the Lights” rapper, 45, was reported to have married the architectural designer earlier this year at a private ceremony.
The rumoured wedding came just two months after the Yeezy founder finalised his divorce from Kim Kardashian. Read more
Wendy Williams’ rep shuts down report she is in hospital amid health concerns (PageSix)
Wendy Williams is not hospitalised despite a report claiming she checked into a medical facility in New York twice in the past two weeks.
“I can confirm that Wendy Williams is not in the hospital, as reported. I can also confirm she is not in New York, as reported,” the former “Wendy Williams Show” host’s publicist, Shawn Zanotti, tells Page Six exclusively on Saturday.
A source claimed to the Sun on Friday that Williams, 58, was admitted to the hospital last weekend, but was “released briefly” and then “went right back in” a day later. Read more
Kiefer Sutherland joins “Juror No 2” cast (FilmNews)
Kiefer Sutherland has joined the cast of Clint Eastwood’s new movie ‘Juror No. 2’.
92-year-old actor and filmmaker Eastwood will direct the upcoming movie for Warner Bros and Sutherland is set to star alongside Nicholas Hoult and Toni Collette, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Zoey Deutch will also appear in the film.
The movie will take place during a murder trial and follows a juror (Hoult) who discovers he could have caused the victim’s death Read more
Phillip Schofield quits This Morning immediately after Holly Willoughby feud (Mirror)
Phillip Schofield has spectacularly quit This Morning amid a ‘feud’ with Holly Willoughby.
Sources had claimed earlier this month that the pair were “separate entities” and their friendship outside of their presenting partnership had “cooled”, which led to Phil issuing a bombshell statement where he insisted they were still great friends but it had been a tough few weeks for them with Phil’s brother’s court case and Holly’s battle with shingles.
It has now been confirmed that Phil has made the decision to walk away from This Morning after days of speculation, as the pressure piled on for bosses at the award-winning daytime show to act following the events that unfolded. Read more
Blur’s Damon Albarn: ”Brexit has made the UK more remote” (Sky)
It has been 30 years since Blur’s bolshy brand of pop set the tone for the 1990s – a cultural and musical moment that became known as Cool Britannia.
Today the band’s frontman Damon Albarn thinks British isolation is decidedly uncool.
In government, he said, there are “a lot of people who are irretrievably tainted by Brexit and have not done the country a favour at all.
“And in fact they have made it more remote, and I think diminished us a bit,” he told Sky News. Read more
Jorja Smith announces new album ‘‘Falling Or Flying’’ (NME)
Jorja Smith has confirmed details of her second album ‘Falling Or Flying’ alongside a string of UK record release shows.
Set for release September 29, ‘Falling Or Flying’ is the follow-up to Smith’s debut album ‘Lost And Found’ and 2021’s “sonic waiting room” EP ‘Be Right Back’.
According to a press release, the new album “thrillingly broaches any gap between Jazz, Soul, R&B and Funky House”. Read more
China opposes G-20 meeting in Indian-ruled Kashmir and will skip it (StraitsTimes)
China said on Friday that it is opposed to a Group of 20 (G-20) tourism meeting to be held from Monday to Wednesday in the disputed Himalayan territory of Kashmir in India and will not attend.
India, which holds the chair of the G-20 in 2023, has organised a series of meetings across the country in the run-up to the summit in New Delhi in September.
“China is firmly opposed to holding any kind of G-20 meetings in disputed territory, and will not attend such meetings,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said. Read more
Garba Lawal, Sadi, Pascal upbeat despite Flying Eagles’ ‘Group Of Death’ (DailyTrust)
Nigeria’s U-20 boys national team, the Flying Eagles, will begin their hunt for a first ever FIFA World Cup title tomorrow when they take on debutants, Dominican Republic in the opening match of Group D at the 2023 World Championship in Argentina.
It is on record that even as the Flying Eagles have attended 12 editions of the Junior World Cup, they are yet to taste victory as their best performance remains two runners up finishes in 1989 in Saudi Arabia and 2005 in the Netherlands.
They also placed third at the 1985 edition hosted by the then Soviet Union and reached the quarter-finals on three occasions when Nigeria hosted the championship in 1999, 2007 in Canada and 2011 in Colombia. The seven-time African champions also made it to the Round of 16 in 2009 in Egypt, 2013 in Turkey, 2015 in New Zealand and 2019 in Poland. Read more
Egumah pleased with Rivers United’s Super 6 qualification (Independent)
Coach Stanley Egumah has applauded his players for qualifying for the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Super 6, saying it was the desire of the Pride of Rivers to give a shot at the Nigerian topflight diadem this season.
Remember Rivers United were eliminated from the CAF Confederations Cup by Tanzanian side, Young Africans, and since then, they have been on a roller coaster, winning their outstanding matches accrued as a result of campaigns in the continent.
The reigning Nigerian champions sealed their place in the Super 6 after overcoming Sunshine Stars at home and merely put the icing on the cake with a 2-0 win over Doma United in their last outstanding game on Thursday and the coach praised his players for their doggedness and how they came back stronger after their CAF Confederations Cup elimination. Read more
No Toney, no problem as Brentford add to Spurs’ woes (RTE)
Tottenham’s disappointing campaign took another turn for the worse after Bryan Mbeumo’s second-half brace earned Brentford a fine 3-1 win at their London rivals.
Harry Kane’s early opener gave Spurs the perfect start in their quest to stay in the hunt for Europa League football, but the visitors turned the tables with an impressive display after the break.
Mbeumo grabbed a quickfire brace to help fill the void of Ivan Toney, who on Thursday received an eight-month ban from all football activities from the FA for betting breaches. Read more
Real Madrid’s U19s win Copa del Campeones to complete domestic treble (ESPN)
Real Madrid’s under-19s have completed a domestic treble by winning Spain’s Copa de Campeones, beating Real Betis 2-1 in the final in Las Rozas on Saturday.
Defender Manu Serrano put Madrid ahead with a spectacular scissor kick in the 14th minute and Santiago van der Putten equalised for Betis before halftime. Forward Gonzalo Garcia won the match for Madrid with an 82nd minute header after some clever wing play by midfielder Nico Paz.
The result means the team — coached by former Real Madrid, Liverpool and Spain defender Alvaro Arbeloa — have won all three available domestic trophies this season after going unbeaten in their league group in the Division de Honor, and lifting the Copa del Rey Juvenil, beating Almeria 2-1 in the final in March. Read more
ATP tennis event switches surface and location mid-tournament in drastic move (Express)
An ATP Challenger Tour event has been forced to change the surface and location ahead of the semi-final stage following heavy rain. The Turin Challenger was taking place on clay at the Circolo della Stampa Sporting but organisers had to move to the venue’s indoor centre to finish the tournament on Saturday.
Organisers at the Turin Challenger were forced to scramble when heavy rain threatened to call off the tournament, with Friday’s matches called off entirely. The tournament was scheduled to end on Saturday and it left bosses with few options to finish the event on time, as they made the decision to move the remaining matches to indoor hard courts.
The final four players still competed at the Circolo della Stampa Sporting but they were relocated to the complex’s indoor centre, often used as a training base for the year-end ATP Finals. Read more
Fernando Alonso says he wants ‘‘more drama’’ in his story (F1News)
Fernando Alonso has revealed his goal, as he experiences an impressive career comeback, securing multiple podium finishes for the first time in a season since 2014.
A two-time Formula 1 champion, Alonso is still looking for a third world title, having last held the trophy aloft in 2005, as well as a 33rd Grand Prix victory, with his last P1 finish a decade ago.
The Spaniard took a two-year hiatus from Formula 1 in 2019/20 after a tough few years at McLaren-Honda, winning the World Endurance Championship and 24 hours of Le Mans twice. Read more