My waist still bruised from AMVCA outfit — Denrele Edun (Punch)
Popular TV host and entertainment personality, Denrele Edun, says he still has bruises on his waist as a result of the ‘unusual’ outfit he wore to the recently held Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards.
Speaking on what inspired the outfit which contained several light bulbs, Denrele said, “I wanted something that would not only be red carpet worthy but as well that people would not forget in a hurry. I remember that in 2015 or 2016, I wore a backless dress to the AMVCA with a mask. Many people thought I was a South African nominee. They did not know I was the one. It was funny and I enjoyed it. At the after-party, when I took my mask off, people screamed. But, this latest outfit was not just about arresting attention. I wanted to wear something very unconventional that had never been worn before. I wanted something that would be wearable and still be art, and Toyin (fashion designer and stylist) got the idea. I did fittings for the outfit but my waist was small, so they had to fix it. My waist is still bruised as I speak. It was made with metal and we had to construct inverter batteries. For me, it was fashion with art.”
Asked how he felt when he had to end his relationship with a former lover simply identified as Yvonne because her family was not comfortable with his lifestyle, he said, “That was back in the day and it was not necessarily leading to marriage. It (marriage) was just in the works and to be very candid, I felt I was going to alter my identity and essence because of her. I truly loved her but I think it (the relationship) just wasn’t meant to be. At that point, I was not really settled. I was still in my family house. I was still trying to get myself on track, so I thought it could be a distraction. We are still friends though. She got married two years ago but I did not attend the wedding. I have not really been lucky with love. As a matter of fact, I am currently dealing with heartbreak. Read more
Collapsed building: Responders rescue 5 alive, picks 4 dead bodies (Guardian)
The total number of people rescued alive in the building which collapsed in the Onike area of Lagos on Saturday is now five, while four dead bodies were recovered.
The Zonal Coordinator Southwest, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, confirmed the development to newsmen in the early hours of Sunday.
Farinloye said that further investigation from the incident showed that the collapsed building under construction was located within a compound and it was a frame structure as at the time of the incident.
He said that the third suspended slab concrete was already in place with ongoing internal partition.
“The building crumbled during a downpour at about 1:45 p.m. Saturday.
“The building was bequeathed to the family members and some of the family members awarded it to a developer who was converting the bungalow building into a three-storey building before it collapsed,” Farinloye said. Read more
NPA to levy barge operators, plans crackdown (Punch)
The Nigerian Port Authority has disclosed that barge operators have operated on free tickets for so long and need to start paying tariffs.
Speaking in Lagos, the Managing Director, NPA, Mohammed Bello Koko, said that barge operations in the country would soon be concessioned, threatening to crack down on illegal operators.
Explaining further, he said that concessioning of the barge operations in the country would allow the government to generate revenue.
Koko, who decried the impact of some of the illegal barge operators, said the authority had come up with a standard operating procedure that would serve as minimum safety standards for the barges. Read more
Security expert urges acquisition of more BRT to eradicate Okada (Sun)
Worried by the menace of motorcycle operators popularly called Okada, a retired DSS officer and security expert, Seyi Adetayo, has advised the Lagos State government to increase the number of BRTs on the road as a step toward radical improvement of commuter transportation system in the state.
He opined that a law must be instituted whereby both the rider and passenger are made liable for breaking traffic rules.
“It is the right time to institute some form of punishment albeit not too heavy on passengers of both commercial means of transportations who commit traffic offences,” Adetayo said.
According to him, when passengers themselves know that they would be punished when they commit traffic offences, they would organize themselves better and prevail on the driver to act responsibly. Read more
FG slams new tax on telephone calls (Punch)
The Federal Government has slammed a new tax on phone calls in the nation to fund free healthcare for the Vulnerable Group in Nigeria.
This is despite recent moves by telecommunication companies to increase the price of their services as a result of an unfavourable operating climate.
The telecom tax in the equivalent of a minimum of one kobo per second for phone calls is part of the sources of funds required to finance free healthcare for the Vulnerable Group in Nigeria.
This is contained in the National Health Insurance Authority Bill 2021 signed by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), last week. Read more
Emmanuel of Biyern International tops Rotary 4-Way Test school competition (Guardian)
Babatunde Emmanuel of Biyern International Group of Schools emerged the overall winner of the 2022 4-Way Test organised for Secondary Schools by Rotary International, District 9110, comprising Lagos and Ogun states.
He won N25,000 as a prize, while Adolphus Olaniyo Glory of Headstart Private School, who came second received N15,000 and Israel Idara Efiok of Command Day Secondary School, Ojo, in the third position, went home with N10,000.
At the final event that took place at Rotary Centre, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos, the Chairman, District 4-Way Test Committee, 2021-2022, Past President Otunuyi Adeniyi, said the competition started with the clubs conducting written essays for the students and later forwarded twenty-one names to the District for the semi-final. Five students were selected for the final out of which the best three emerged, adding that it has become the tradition in District 9110 to organise the competition every year.
“The motive among others is to inculcate good moral values and positive human social interactions among our youth with a view to developing a righteously cultured society. Read more
Blasphemy: We won’t accept killing in Bauchi, CAN warns (Leadership)
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) yesterday expressed worry over the allegation of blasphemy in Bauchi, warning that it would no longer tolerate killings in the name of blasphemy.
The Christian body said the challenge now is for government authorities and security agencies to act fast to address abuse of the constitution before it leads to a more serious conflict that cannot be contained.
In a statement signed by its chairman of Kaduna State chapter, Rev Joseph John Hayab, CAN noted that allegations of blasphemy have now become the new excuse by fundamentalists in Northern Nigeria to kill the remnant that bandits and terrorists are yet to kill.
Hayab said, “How can you justify the period of what happened in Sokoto, the allegation in Borno, the fake allegation on Babachir Lawal by one northern actor who we have on record how he made blasphemous remarks about Jesus Christ but quickly went and brought it down on the internet to cover himself before coming out to falsely accused Babachir Lawal the former SGF, and today we are seeing another carnage in Bauchi under the excuse of blasphemy. Read more
Troops dislodge IPOB/ESN training camp, neutralise 2 in Imo (Vanguard)
Troops of 34 Brigade of the Nigerian Army have dislodged a training camp belonging to the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its Eastern Security Network at Okporo in Orlu Local Government Area of Imo.
The feat, which was achieved on Friday, May 20, was carried out in conjunction with operatives of the Department of State Service.
The Director Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, said this in a statement made available to newsmen in Enugu on Saturday.
Nwachukwu said that the troops dislodged the training camp after exchanging fire with the dissidents, neutralising two notorious memberqs of the group in the process. Read more
Benue Catholic Church suspends priest over partisan politics (Nation)
The Catholic diocese of Gboko, Benue State has suspended a priest, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, for participating in partisan politics. Alia is a frontline governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress in Benue State. He has picked the APC N50m nomination form.
This was made know in a disclaimer released by the Bishop of Gboko diocese, William A. Avenya, yesterday.
The church said the suspension of Alia takes immediate effect. According to the letter, signed by the Catholic Bishop of Gboko Diocese, Bishop William Avenya, directed to all priests and churches in the Diocese, “the catholic church does not allow its priests to get into partisan politics on their own.”
Reacting to the suspension order pronounced on him by Catholic Diocese, Alia said it is a normal practice of the church. He said he is officially freed to go on fully with his political ambition. He recalled that late Rev. Fr. Moses Orshio Adasu, former governor of the state went through the same process. Read more
Jaws actor becomes police chief of same town famous Spielberg shark movie was filmed (Mirror)
An actor who featured in hit film Jaws has become the police chief in the town where the movie was filmed.
Jonathan Searle was just nine years old when he was in a scene in the 1975 film where two boys played a prank which scared beachgoers when swimming with a fake shark fin on the now police chief’s back.
The other child was played by his brother in the Steven Spielberg classic, which was filmed in Oak Bluffs on Martha’s Vineyards – a island off the coast of Massachusetts.
Oak Bluffs doubled as Amity in the movie where a menacing great white shark is hunted by a police chief played by Roy Scheider, a marine scientist (Richard Dreyfuss) and Robert Shaw’s professional shark hunter Quint. Read more
Sharon Osborne thanks rapper Jamal Rajad for saving daughter Aimee from deadly LA recording studio blaze (DailyMail)
Sharon Osbourne has thanked rapper Jamal Rajad for helping save her daughter Aimee’s life following a Hollywood studio fire, killing a producer and injuring two others.
Producer Nathan Avery Edwards – who goes professionally by Avery Drift – 26, died and two others were treated for smoke exposure after a fire broke out in a studio. The fire broke out around 6.30pm on Thursday and it is unclear how the fire started.
Osbourne’s daughter Aimee, 38, was reportedly working with a producer in one of the studios when the fire started and she almost had to jump out of the building, according to the rapper’s wife.
The former X Factor judge, 69, took to her Instagram Stories on Friday to share her gratitude toward rapper Rajad for saving her daughter’s life by replying to a comment from Rajad’s wife Pretty Face Ray’Ray, who is also a rapper.
Sharon wrote: ‘Your husband alerting her literally saved her life. Read more
Motion Picture Academy member Jeffrey Cooper found guilty of child molestation (Variety)
Jeffrey Cooper, an architect and member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, has been convicted after a jury trial on three counts of felony child molestation, the Los Angeles Times reported Friday.
The jury’s verdict came May 20 at Los Angeles Superior Court in Van Nuys. Cooper was arrested four years ago and indicted on eight counts involving two children. Judge Alan Schneider declared a mistrial on the five counts brought by the second child.
Cooper pleaded not guilty to all counts. He will be sentenced on June 1 and could face 12 years in prison. He is being held without bail as the judge deemed him a flight risk, according to the Times.
Cooper has been involved in building studio and sound mixing facilities and sound design for theaters. The victim said that Cooper positioned himself as a musical mentor but molested her in a recording studio when she was 12 or 13. Read more
Too $hort calls out older rappers for hating on he younger generation (HipHopDX)
Too $hort recently gave props to the younger generation of rappers, saying that older rappers need to get with the times.
Too $hort, despite being a veteran rapper in his own right, called out the older generation in hip hop for hating on younger artists during an interview on the Big Facts podcast with DJ Scream, Big Bank and Baby Jade.
“If you a OG and you lookin’ at these youngsters slide in the game, they got hit records … you see it and you goin’, ‘That shit is trash.’ How is it trash if this n***a makin’ all this money, and all these people like what he’s doin’? How is that trash?” Short asked. “Cause when I was a young n***a, they said it was trash and I knew what the value of it was and I knew people loved it.”
He added, “You just hatin’ on em cause it’s different than what you did. You hatin’ cause you saying he ain’t spitting bars. I talk to the young homies and they say he spittin’ bars!” Read more
Cardi blames technical difficulties for delay in new music (AllHipHop)
Cardi B has revealed she is experiencing “technical difficulties” with her new music.
Late last year, the “I Like It” rapper indicated she was planning to release her second album in 2022.
But after fans began to question when they can expect the follow-up to 2018’s Invasion of Privacy to drop, Cardi addressed the delays in a voice note posted on Twitter.
“I seen a lot of y’all talking s**t like, ‘Oh she doesn’t feed us…’ So when I put what I’mma put out, I’mma talk more about it because clearly I can’t talk about it now (sic),” Cardi B commented. “But I really had technical difficulties with my latest project. I had not one, not two, but like three technical difficulties on the music that I’ve been working on that … it had to be done and taken care of before I put it out.”
Despite appearing a little frustrated by the issues with making the record, Cardi promised that she will open up about the recording process at a later date. Read more
Ukraine praises guerrilla fighters to aid destroying Russian artillery (Newsweek)
The Zaporizhzhia Military Administration celebrated the destruction of Russian artillery systems and commended guerrillas and Ukrainian fighters for their actions in a Telegram post on Saturday.
Ukraine has been defending the country from Russia’s invasion since Feb. 24.
“In addition, thanks to concerted action with the guerrillas, Ukrainian riflemen destroyed several artillery systems of the Russian army,” the translated post read. “The invaders responded to these defeats by tightening controls at checkpoints and inspecting not only private cars but also public transport in Melitopol.”
Newsweek reached out to the Russian Defense Ministry for confirmation and comment. Read more
Biden reportedly still planning to visit Israel in June, despite Knesset turmoil (TimesofIsrael)
The White House reportedly informed Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s office on Saturday that US President Joe Biden still plans to visit Israel next month, despite the political turmoil in Jerusalem.
The president’s trip, announced last month, will take place as planned and is expected happen at the end of June, Channel 12 said.
Preparations for the trip are already underway, including security coordination between Israeli and US officials.
During the trip, Biden’s first to Israel as president, he will meet with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and President Isaac Herzog, before heading to Bethlehem to meet with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Read more
Rangers labour to beat Dakkada 1-0 as Warriors slow down Plateau Utd (DailyTrust)
‘Oriental sides’ Enugu Rangers and Abia Warriors both recorded home victories in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) week 29 matches played yesterday.
At the Awka township stadium where Rangers are playing their home matches, the ‘Flying Antelopes’ laboured to a slim 1-0 win over relegation-threatened Dakkada FC.
Rangers who occupied the fourth position on the table were favoured to win but victory didn’t come on a platter of gold as they had to endure a frustrating first half in the hands of the visitors.
The closest Rangers came to scoring was in the 15th minute when ace striker Ossy Martins rose highest in the box of Dakkada but directed his header off target. Read more
D’Tigress plead for reversal of 2-year withdrawal from international basketball (Independent)
The women national basketball team, D’Tigress, have pleaded with the federal government to reverse the two-year withdrawal from international basketball.
Only last Thursday, the federal government announced the country’s withdrawal from international basketball for two years on the premise of the leadership crisis rocking the Nigeria Basketball Federation.
The government promised to use the period to resolve the crisis in basketball, promising to set up an Interim Management Committee that will administer the sport and address other related issues bordering on the development of the sport.
The government reiterated its interest and commitment to the development of the sport and also the huge talents abound domestically, stating that it wants all these to happen in an atmosphere that is free of rancour and squabbles. Read more
De Bruyne beats Salah, others to win EPL Player of the Season (Punch)
Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne has been voted the Premier League’s Player of the Season.
De Bruyne has enjoyed his most productive Premier League campaign, scoring 15 goals and providing seven assists.
The Belgian previously won the accolade in 2020, while Mohamad Salah claimed it in 2018.
It is the third successive season that a City player has received the prize after defender Ruben Dias claimed the award 12 months ago. Read more
No Nigerian athlete can erase my 33-year-old record for now, says Alli
(Guardian)
Three-time Olympian, Yusuf Alli, does not see any Nigerian athlete breaking his 33-year-old long jump record soon. Alli, who is the chairman of Edo Sports Commission, was the ‘commander-in-chief’ in African athletics in his active days, particularly in long jump, in which he continually broke barriers.
He was recently named the coordinator of Team Nigeria to the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England. Apart from being a three-time Olympian, Alli is best remembered for his gold medal at Auckland ‘90 Commonwealth Games.
Till date, Alli’s Personal Best of 8.27 metres, which he set in 1989 during the African Athletics Championships in Lagos, still stands as Nigeria’s record in the event.
But the longest national record still standing on the archives of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) is the triple jump 17.26 meters set by Ajayi Agbebaku in Edmonton, Canada, in 1983. Read more
F1 Spanish Grand Prix: Charles Leclerc takes pole in scintillating final lap at Max Verstappen’s expense (Standard)
Charles Leclerc pulled out a scintillating final lap to take pole position for Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix and continue his dominance at the Circuit de Catalunya this weekend.
An uncharacteristic error at the end of his first flying lap in the third qualifying session left him with a single shot at pole at the death.
But he kept his cool to become the only man to go under 1:19 for a lap with a time of 1:18.750. He had looked destined for a qualifying shootout with Max Verstappen but the Dutchman complained of a loss of power and was ordered back to the pits.
While there was a familiarity to the front row of the grid, Mercedes had threatened to get in the mix at the top of the timesheets as Lewis Hamilton and George Russell briefly swapped top spot in Q2. Read more
Wimbledon ranking points decision sparking angry reaction from players (Tennis365)
The decision from the ATP and WTA to strip ranking points from Wimbledon this year after they decided to ban Russia and Belarusian players was always likely to spark an angry reaction from some players and now that annoyance is starting to flow.
There was an expectation that the ATP and WTA would leave the ranking points collected by all players at Wimbledon last year on their record for another 12 months, but they have opted against that.
Instead, the ranking points from Wimbledon 2021 will drop off and all players will have no chance to reclaim them.
Novak Djokovic is among the players who will be impacted by this as he will almost certainly lose the world No.1 ranking after being denied the chance to defend the 2000 points he collected by winning the title last year. Read more
Cristiano Ronaldo ruled out of Crystal Palace clash (FootballLondon)
Manchester United will be without top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo for their final Premier League match of the season against Crystal Palace.
The Portuguese forward, who has 18 league goals in his first season back in England with United, has sustained a hip flexor injury ahead of Sunday’s game, meaning he’ll be unavailable for Ralf Rangnick’s final game as Red Devils boss in south London. United are also likely to be without midfielder Paul Pogba due to a calf injury, with the Frenchman looking like he’s played his last game for the club ahead of a potential summer exit.
Rangnick should have both Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho available however after both recovered from illness. Sancho was suffering from tonsilitis while Rashford endured a bout of bronchitis, though both were spotted back in first-team training this week ahead of their trip to Selhurst Park.
Another star who could return in time for the game is left-back Luka Shaw. The England international has been sidelined since early April following surgery on his leg but is now in consideration to play against Palace. Despite that, Ragnick might choose to stick with the more attacking Alex Telles rather than throw Shaw straight back into the action. Eric Bailly’s back injury has meant his participation on the final day is also uncertain. The Ivorian international has only played four times in the Premier League for United this season. Read more