Independent marketers vow to shut fuel stations (Tribune)
Petroleum products marketers under the aegis of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), have threatened to shut down fuel stations this week if the Federal Government through the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) fails to do the needful by making petrol available to them.
Speaking with journalists at the IPMAN headquarters in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, over the weekend shortly after meeting with stakeholders, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Petroleum Tankers Drivers (PTD) and others on the possibility of resolving the scarcity, the IPMAN chairman for Ibadan depot that covers Oyo and Osun states, Alhaji Bukola Mutiu, noted that Nigerians should not blame independent marketers for the current fuel scarcity in the country.
He stated that:”We want the masses to understand that fuel crisis did not emanate from our own end here or from any independent marketer. We are having a shortage of supply from NNPC, I mean we have been denied of having direct payment to NNPC remittal portal that they usually requested us to pay through.
“If we are able to pay to NNPC and get the product, then it means we are getting it at a cheaper rate which would allow us to sell at the approved pump price. Read more
Adeleke commences payment of state workers salaries (Guardian)
The newly-elected Osun state governor, Ademola Adeleke, has commenced the payment of workers’ salaries in the state.
The governor’s spokesman, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.
“Presently, the payment of salaries is ongoing starting with the Ministry of Justice,” Rasheed said.
Rasheed stated that about 45 state agencies are yet to submit their payment schedule.
He added that any Ministry, Department and Agency (MDA) that fails to submit its salary schedule latest today (Monday) will be sanctioned. Read more
2023: Time to liberate yourself, vote out APC – Atiku to Lagosians (Vanguard)
Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has warned the people of Lagos against returning APC to power both in the state and federal level.
The former Vice President who spoke at the PDP’s presidential rally in Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos, also discredited the APC’s claims of building major infrastructure in the state. He added that only “a single family has ruled the state for 23 years.”
He said, “the Federal government built the third mainland bridge, Agege motor road, and other road infrastructures in the state, the APC govt is lying to you about developing Lagos.
“It is time for you to liberate yourself from a family govt in power for over 23 years, by voting Jandor as your governor”.
The PDP flag bearer also promised to privatize all the refineries to raise $10b for women and youth empowerment in the country. Read more
Abule Ado Explosion: 3 years after, govt yet to fulfil promises – Gani Adams, community leaders (Vanguard)
Nearly three years after a devastating explosion rocked the Soba community, Abule Ado in Amowu Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State, the government is yet to fulfil any of the promises it made to the people, according to the leaders of the community.
Recall that on Sunday, March 15, 2020, the state, and indeed, the entire nation, were thrown into mourning as a result of the tragic incident.
The Director-General, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Dr. Oluwafemi Damilola, had given the statistics of the effects of the explosion as follows: “276 people were displaced while 268 students were affected. 70 people were rescued, 23 dead bodies recovered and 25 injured persons were identified. 170 houses were affected out of which 93 were mild, 44 moderate while 33 were severe. Also, 40 cars and three articulated vehicles were destroyed. Three churches, seven schools including Bethlehem Girls’College, one hotel and one shopping complex were affected.” Read more
Ikeja Metro Lions Club unveils new leaders (Independent)
The Ikeja Metro Lions Clube has unveiled a new set of leaders that will pilot the club through the next club year, which spans from 2022 to 2023.
The unveiling was done at the official handover cum fundraising ceremony of the club on Sunday, November 28,2022 at the NECA event centre Ikeja Lagos, where the baton was transferred to the president, Mr Godson Ikechukwu Anigbo and his team.
The ceremony witnessed the presence of past presidents of the club.
The outgoing president, Mustapha Olajide Sikiru sounded the gong of the club one last time as a way to show that his tenure has officially ended. Read more
OAU to graduate 5,852 students, 130 bag 1st class (Punch)
Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, has said 5,852 students from various fields would graduate at the 46th Convocation of the university.
Out of the number, 4,114 are Bachelor degree graduates in the classified category.
This was disclosed by the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Simeon Bamire, during a pre-convocation press briefing held at the campus of the institution on Monday.
Bamire, while giving classes of grades obtained by the students, said 130 would bag first class, as 1,323 others made second class (Honours, Upper Division). Read more
World Disability Day: We need empowerment not sympathy – PLWDs (Leadership)
As Nigeria joins the global community to commemorate this year’s International Disability Day, People Living With Disabilities (PLWDs) have said that what they needed is empowerment and not public sympathy.
The Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities, FCT Chapter, also called on the Federal Government to fully implement the Disabilities Discrimination Prohibition Act passed by the National Assembly.
This is as the National Association of Seadogs (NAS) and Pyrates Confraternity, on Saturday, hosted the Abuja branch of PLWDs.
The leadership of the FCT chapter of PLWDs in an interactive session organised by NAS, Abuja Chapter, in Kubwa, frowned at the continued discrimination and stigmatisation of their members asking government to always involve them in its economic and developmental plans. Read more
Nigeria signs MoU on defence collaboration with Vietnam (ThisDay)
Nigeria on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Defence cooperation with the Asian country, Vietnam.
The signing of the MoU was the major highlight of the bilateral meeting between Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and his Vietnamese counterpart, Madam Võ Thị Ánh Xuân, at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi.
In a statement issued by the media aide to the Vice President, Laolu Akande, while Nigeria’s Ambassador to Vietnam; Ambassador Hassan Adamu Mamani, signed for Nigeria; Vietnamese Deputy Minister of National Defence; Senior Lt. Gen. Hoang Xuan Chien, signed on behalf of his country.
Nigeria and Vietnam have also expressed determination to deepen their long-standing bilateral relations as both countries plan to work together more, particularly in the areas of digital economy, telecommunications, agriculture and trade, among others, for the mutual benefit of the citizens. Read more
Billie Eilish and Lewis Capaldi to headline Electric P 2023 (RTE)
Billie Eilish, Lewis Capaldi and Fred Again… have been announced as the headline acts for Electric Picnic 2023.
Niall Horan will also be taking to the stage in Stradbally, Co Laois, alongside Steve Lacy, IDLES, Jamie xx, Tom Odell, Rick Astley and Amyl & The Sniffers.
The remaining line-up for the festival, which is taking place on 1 – 3 September, will be revealed in the New Year.
The last remaining tickets for next year’s Electric Picnic festival will go on sale at 10am on Friday 9 December. Read more
Skunk Anansie talk legacy and “ushering in a new generation of Black music” (NME)
Skunk Anansie have spoken to NME about their 25 year career and “ushering in a new generation of Black music”. Watch our full video interview with the band above.
The rock legends were talking to NME on the red carpet of last week’s MOBO Awards, where they were nominated for the newly-introduced Best Alternative Music Act – but lost out to punk duo Bob Vylan.
Speaking of their first-time MOBO nomination, the four-piece – consisting of lead singer Skin, bassist Cass Lewis, guitarist Ace, and drummer Matt Richardson – told us “good things come to those who wait”.
Speaking of their fellow nominees Big Joanie, Kid Bookie, Nova Twins, Loathe, and Bob Vylan, Skin said that “at first, you want to get everyone, and we feel like we’re ushering in a new generation of Black music at the MOBOs, and then we’re going to leave it to the kids.” Read more
Ms. Marvel directors tease new Hollywood project, discuss Brendan Fraser’s Oscar buzz reviving Batgirl (Variety)
“He is so, so talented,” gushes director Adil El Arbi when speaking to Variety about Brendan Fraser. The actor played villain Firefly in the now discarded Warner Bros. Discovery film “Batgirl,” directed by El Arbi in collaboration with his long-time partner, Bilall Fallah. “The way he played that character… It was one of the most memorable villains, so we’ll see. Maybe when he wins his Oscar they’ll want to show the movie,” concluded Adil, referring to Fraser’s Oscar buzz for Darren Aronofsky’s “The Whale.”
“[Fraser] is the nicest guy I’ve ever met in my life,” agrees Bilall, who fondly remembers the seven months of shooting “Batgirl” in Glasgow, Scotland. “I never had an experience like that, the whole city was working with us to make it possible. I hope we can get back.”
“We might have it somewhere,” Adil says of the footage. Back in August, the filmmaker revealed Warner Bros. Discovery had blocked their access to all the material after scrapping the $90 million movie. (“I went on the server… Everything was gone,” he said at the time.) On their leeway in getting the film released, the Belgian director said: “We don’t have any influence on that,” but the duo remains hopeful the Leslie Grace-starrer will still see the light of day. Read more
Ukrainians head for bomb shelters as Russia unleashes new missile barrage (Global)
Russia unleashed a new barrage of missiles on Ukraine on Monday, causing people to head to shelters across the country as air defences went into action.
Air raid sirens blared in the capital Kyiv and across the whole country in what Ukrainian officials described as the latest wave of Russian missile strikes since its Feb. 24 invasion.
“Missiles have already been launched,” air force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat said.
There was no immediate word of any damage or casualties but officials were quoted by Ukrainian media as saying that explosions could be heard overhead in some areas as aid defence systems went into action. Read more
Mariah Carey, Wham!, Taylor Swift and RAYE battle it out for Number 1 (MusicNews)
Mariah Carey leads the Official Singles Chart Number 1 race at the midweek mark, with All I Want For Christmas Is You currently tracking for the top spot. But it’s by no means a done deal, as another festive staple sits less than 300 chart units behind the Queen of Christmas.
Wham!’s Last Christmas eyes a lift to Number 2, currently just 50 chart units ahead of Taylor Swift’s Anti-Hero at Number 3. Could Anti-Hero’s reign come to an end on Friday following its six-week stint at Number 1?
Newly-independent RAYE looks set to see viral hit Escapism. featuring 070 Shake reach a new peak; the track jumping two midweek (4).
Lewis Capaldi could claim the week’s highest new entry with Pointless. The Ed Sheeran co-write, and second single to be lifted from his upcoming Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent LP, eyes a Number 5 debut after 48 hours. Read more
2,500 dead seals discovered on Russia’s Caspian Coast (HuffPost)
About 2,500 seals have been found dead on the Caspian Sea coast in southern Russia, officials said Sunday.
Authorities in the Russian province of Dagestan said it was unclear why the mass die-off happened but that it was likely due to natural causes.
Regional officials initially reported Saturday that 700 dead seals were found on the coast, but the Dagestan division of the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment later raised the figure to about 2,500.
Zaur Gapizov, head of the Caspian Environmental Protection Center, said in a statement that the seals likely died a couple of weeks ago. He added that there was no sign that they were killed or caught in fishing nets. Read more
Trump calls for the termination of the Constitution in Truth Social post (CNN)
Former President Donald Trump called for the termination of the Constitution to overturn the 2020 election and reinstate him to power Saturday in a continuation of his election denialism and pushing of fringe conspiracy theories.
“Do you throw the Presidential Election Results of 2020 OUT and declare the RIGHTFUL WINNER, or do you have a NEW ELECTION? A Massive Fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution,” Trump wrote in a post on the social network Truth Social and accused “Big Tech” of working closely with Democrats. “Our great ‘Founders’ did not want, and would not condone, False & Fraudulent Elections!”
Trump’s post came after the release of internal Twitter emails showing deliberation in 2020 over a New York Post story about material found on Hunter Biden’s laptop. Read more
Nigerians evoke pleasant memories of dilapidated Lagos stadium (Punch)
Fond memories of the dilapidated and long abandoned National Stadium, Lagos still linger in the minds of the Nigerian faithful, 50 years after the sporting arena was built, The PUNCH reports.
The edifice was commissioned December 4, 1972 by then Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, ahead of the 2nd All-Africa Games in January 1973.
Being one of the best in Africa then, it had a 39, 858 capacity for spectators and was a complete sports arena which housed every other sports facilities, including an underground passage into the mainbowl of the stadium.
Besides, it was a stadium of firsts for the country, as Nigeria won its first African Games and AFCON titles there in 1973 and 1980 respectively, and also hosted its first FIFA tournament final, the U-20 World Cup, in 1999. Read more
Team Lagos Ladies ride to final, beat Team Edo 2-1 (Independent)
Female football team of Lagos State early on Monday avenged what Team Edo did for them during the last National Sports Festival (NSF), as they beat the Edo Ladies 2-1 in the semifinal cracker at the Ugwuashi-Uku Stadium in Asaba.
Team Edo won a controversial final match to clinch the gold medal of the female football event of the Edo 2020 NSF, a result which was disputed by the Lagos team.
However, the semifinal match at the Delta 2022 gave the Lagos female footballers a good opportunity to decide who are the real champions as right winger Zainab Raji and Ijamilisu Folashade two goals gave the Lagos team’s much needed win to the final schedule for Tuesday, December 6. Read more
Cristiano Ronaldo: Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr make offer for Portugal forward (BBC)
Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr have made a huge offer to sign Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo after the World Cup.
A number of clubs have expressed interest in him, with Al-Nassr’s offer the biggest at around 200m euros a year, according to reports.
Ronaldo, 37, is a free agent after his Manchester United contract was terminated last month following a controversial interview.
He criticised the club and said he had “no respect” for manager Erik ten Hag. Read more
FA Women’s Continental League Cup 2023 final venue confirmed (Mirror)
Selhurst Park is set to host the final of the Women’s Continental League Cup next year.
The FA confirmed the news with an announcement on radio broadcaster TalkSPORT this afternoon. The clash will kick off at 3pm on Sunday, March 3 and will mark the first time that the 25,456 seater will have hosted the final in the 11-year history of the tournament.
Home to Premier League side Crystal Palace since 1924, Selhurst Park is no stranger to hosting top level women’s football, with the Vitality Women’s FA Cup Final held there on three occasions between 2001 and 2003.
Manchester City are the defending champions in the competition after beating Chelsea 3-1 back in March, at Wimbledon’s Cherry Red Records Stadium. Two goals from Caroline Weir and Ellen White did the damage for City, as they fought back in the second half after Sam Kerr opened the scoring for Chelsea. Read more
Migrant workers aim to stay in Qatar beyond World Cup final (ABC)
Senegal’s 3-0 defeat at the Al Bayt Stadium means Morocco are Africa’s only sporting representatives remaining in the tournament, but in Asian Town, about 60km away, some African fans were already looking beyond the final.
“The ones who came just for the World Cup will definitely go back after the World Cup, but I still have my future here because I still have work to do,” Ugandan Wambaka Isaac said.
“We’ll go doing cleaning work, offices, everywhere [there’s] a lot of work, and of course the building keeps on going,” he added.
Proudly wearing the shirt of his national team, Mr Isaac was one of thousands of migrant workers who made their way to the fan zone after sundown to watch Sunday’s last-16 tie between France and Poland before England and Senegal took centre stage. Read more
Hero World Challenge: Viktor Hovland holds off Scottie Scheffler to retain title (BBC)
Norway’s Viktor Hovland held his nerve to see off a spirited challenge from Scottie Scheffler and retain the Hero World Challenge title in the Bahamas.
Hovland was in danger of squandering a two-shot lead on the final hole but he salvaged an unlikely bogey.
Scheffler also bogeyed the 18th after his chip from a waste bunker caught the edge of the hole and ran 15 feet past.
That left Hovland to celebrate an unexpectedly dramatic two-shot win on 16 under par, after a closing 69. Read more