National Association of Seadogs says anti-Tinubu song taken out of context (Guardian)
The National Association of Seadogs (Pyrates Confraternity) has debunked the backing of any candidate for the office of the President or any other office in the 2023 general elections with the viral video song taken out of context.
The NAS CAP’N, Abiola Owoaje, at a media briefing, in Lagos, stated that contrary to the manner in which certain aspects of the video were being portrayed, no aspect of the procession or the event itself was political, rather it was the typical climax of the association annual general meeting.
He said; “the National Association of Seadogs (Pyrates Confraternity) does not mock or discriminate against the physical condition of any person, Never, It is an unfair characterisation and offends everything that we stand for, indeed, this would cause offence to even our own members that are also, unfortunately, afflicted that this would never be condoned.
” It is most unfortunate that political capital is being made of this with interpretations that are totally at variance with the philosophy of the Pyrates Confraternity. Read more
Lagos-Ibadan traffic: Hoodlums create tunnel, extort desperate motorists (Punch)
The worsening gridlock at the Longbridge, Ogun State end of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway due to ongoing construction has created an avenue for louts to make money.
PUNCH Metro observed on Monday that a group of boys dug a tunnel under the Longbridge to enable motorists and commercial drivers to beat traffic on the road.
One of our correspondents observed as road users drove through the tunnel, which was at the beginning of the bridge inward Lagos.
With the tunnel, motorists connected to an untarred road at the Warewa area and drove against traffic towards Berger, Lagos State. Read more
Lagos police parade 34-year-old suspected fraudster (Guardian)
The Lagos Police Command yesterday paraded 34-year-old Emmanuel Rolland for duping unsuspecting passengers.
The suspect was arrested on Friday, July 29, 2022, along Ipakodo road by officers of the Ipakodo division after his victim raised an alarm.
The State’s Police spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin said the suspect, alongside his conspirators who is still at large, while operating in a Volkswagen Jetta saloon car, with registration number JJJ 27 DG, disguised as driver and passengers, picked unsuspecting passengers and started discussions about some money purportedly kept in the boot.
Hundeyin said the suspect confessed to having started the crime in January, adding that he was arrested on his sixth outing. An effort is in top gear to arrest other fleeing members of the gang and other perpetrators of such crimes. Read more
I’ll never return to Nigeria, says man who ‘saves N1m monthly’ in Europe (DailyTrust)
Akeem Akintola, Europe-based Nigerian, has resolved never to return to the country after realizing how much he makes working abroad.
In a video shared online, the man joyfully flaunted various denominations of Euro notes spread out on his table.
Akintola said he does two jobs and was able to save €1,700 (over N1 million) in one month.
A delighted Akintola laid out the money on a table in different denominations, and declared never to return to his fatherland. Read more
70th Convention: RCCG camp ground ‘ll soon attain Vatican City Status – Adeboye (Vanguard)
The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye has announced some major changes in the church including the retirement of the church’s National Overseer, Pastor Joseph Obayemi.
Addressing ministers of the church during the just concluded annual ministers conference themed: “Perfect Jubilee’ held at kilometer 42, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Pastor Adeboye who warned that he is only addressing his ministers said the decisions were made by the Governing Council of the church.
One of the changes in the church include the retirement of the church’s National Overseer, Pastor Joseph Obayemi who was appointed into the office in year 2016.
Adeboye who described Obayemi as extremely hard worker explained that the retirement age for all RCCG pastors will now be at 70 years. Read more
Winners emerge from Academic Idols competition (Nation)
Winners emerged from this year’s First Academic Idols competition organised by Goodmus Learning Centre in partnership with First New Generation Citadel and their brand Ambassador, Mrs Idowu Philips aka Mama Rainbow.
According to the Director, Goodmus Learning Centre and United Nations Ambassador for quality but affordable education in Africa, Dr. Adekunle Badmus, who spoke at a briefing in Lagos, the overall winner of the academic idol competition will enjoy a full scholarship to study his undergraduate programme in U.S, U.K or Turkey.
The second best will enjoy 80 per cent scholarship to study in any reputable African university while the third position will enjoy 50 per cent scholarship to study in one of the private universities in Nigeria.
“We deliberately chose private schools because we don’t want a situation whereby his education will be affected by the government irregularities such as strike action,” he said. Read more
Wike, Sanwo-Olu commission seventh flyover in Port Harcourt (Channels)
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has inaugurated the seventh flyover bridge to be constructed by his administration, with a promise to do more in the remaining months of his administration.
He said his effort at improving the infrastructure of the state is to reciprocate the kind gesture of the people in trusting in him and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, a social contract he says will continue after the PDP has won next year’s election.
The commissioning of the flyover project, at the popularly Waterlines junction on Aba road was performed by the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who commended Governor Wike’s commitment to governance.
He also congratulated the people of Rivers State on the birth of the piece of infrastructure. Read more
Osun PDP pledges inclusiveness in Adeleke’s administration (Tribune)
Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Monday, promised inclusiveness in the administration of the governor elect, Senator Ademola Adeleke.
The State Chairman, Caretaker Committee, Dr Akindele Adekunle, who made the assurance in a statement in Osogbo, said the incoming administration will integrate all interests and caucuses within the party.
He stressed that no segment of the party would be excluded from government as efforts would be made to ensure that party members who toiled to secure victory for the party are duly rewarded.
The party chieftain explained that neither the governor-elect nor the party leadership had shared positions and offices ahead of the change of government as was rumoured in some quarters. Read more
NCC flags ‘hiddenads’ malware that jeopardizes users’ privacy (DailyTrust)
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Computer Security Incident Response Team (NCC-CSIRT) has flagged a new malware, HiddenAds, which has infiltrated Google Play Store that can impact device performance and jeopardize users’ privacy.
In its advisory issued on Tuesday, NCC-CSIRT classified the virus, first identified by the McAfee Mobile Research Team, as high in probability and damage potential.
NCC disburses N500m to develop telecoms prototypes
LCCI asks FG to borrow from cheaper sources, consider deficit financing
It said the malware infiltrated the Google Play Store in the form of several device cleaners or optimization apps.
According to the summary provided by NCC-CSIRT “Upon installation, it can runmalicious services without the user opening the app. It also spams the user with irrelevant advertisements. The apps have received downloads ranging from 100,000 to over a million. Read more
Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie developing movie musical (MusicNews)
Tom Cruise and his Mission: Impossible director Christopher McQuarrie are reportedly plotting a movie musical.
While the duo work on the eighth and final Mission: Impossible movie, they are already thinking about continuing their professional partnership with other projects once the franchise ends.
According to Deadline, the Top Gun: Maverick actor and writer/director are in the early stages of setting up three projects, including an original song-and-dance musical that will star Cruise. The action man last appeared in a musical in 2012’s Rock of Ages.
They are also developing another original action film that has the potential to kick off a new franchise, and are reportedly keen on bringing back Cruise’s Tropic Thunder character Les Grossman, the oddball studio executive. It is unclear if they will create a full movie around Grossman or if the character will be used in one of the other projects. Read more
‘Grease’ cast members pay tribute to Olivia Newton-John after her death (People)
Cast members from the 1978 musical film Grease are mourning the loss of their late costar Olivia Newton-John, who died Monday at age 73.
Newton-John’s death was announced by her husband, John Easterling, via her official Instagram page. He noted that the late star “passed away peacefully at her Ranch in Southern California,” where she was “surrounded by family and friends.
John Travolta — who played Danny Zuko opposite Newton-John’s Sandy in Grease — was one of the first to remember the actress by sharing a heartfelt tribute on Instagram alongside a throwback photo of her.
“My dearest Olivia, you made all of our lives so much better,” he wrote in the caption. “Your impact was incredible. I love you so much. We will see you down the road and we will all be together again.” Read more
Sonic the Hedgehog 3’ sets Christmas 2024 release date (THR)
Paramount is preparing for a Christmas boom.
The studio announced Monday that Sonic the Hedgehog 3 will open in theaters on Dec. 20, 2024.
Earlier this year, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 opened to a huge $72.1 million in a major boost for the domestic box office recovery, and particularly for family films. The movie went on to gross more than $401 million at the worldwide box office, a tidy sum considering the recovery was just getting started in earnest.
Sonic 2 was one of the few films of the COVID-19 era to open ahead of its predecessor. Other bragging rights: It is scored the biggest launch of all time for a video game adaptation, beating the first Sonic, and was also Paramount’s biggest three-day opening since 2014. Read more
Ezra Miller charged with felony burglary in US
(National)
Actor Ezra Miller has been charged with felony burglary in Stamford, Vermont, the latest in a string of incidents involving the embattled star of The Flash.
In a report Monday, Vermont State Police said they responded to a burglary complaint in Stamford on May 1 and found several bottles of alcohol were taken from a residence while the homeowners were out.
Miller, 29, was charged after police looked at surveillance footage and interviewed witnesses.
The police report said Miller was found just before midnight on Sunday and was issued a citation to appear for arraignment in Vermont Super Court on September 26. Read more
‘Thirteen Lives’: How hints of a Thai folk melody subtly informed Benjamin Wallfisch’s score (Variety)
Composer Benjamin Wallfisch has a vast amount of experience scoring films, from “Hidden Figures” and “Blade Runner 2049” to “It” and “The Invisible Man.” Yet nothing had quite prepared him to score “Thirteen Lives,” the true story of the rescue of a dozen boys and their coach from a flooded cave in northern Thailand in 2018.
“It turned out to be one of the hardest scores I’ve ever worked on,” Wallfisch says. “Everything you thought might work, just didn’t work.” Plus, COVID restrictions prevented him from traveling to Thailand to research the music. So he flew instead to London and worked closely with director Ron Howard for more than three months to come up with the unusual soundscape for the film.
Howard hired Wallfisch, in part, on the recommendation of Hans Zimmer (with whom the director had done nine films including “The DaVinci Code” and “Rush”). “I felt like music could help with defining the culture,” Howard says. “I knew that we didn’t want it to be traditionally bombastic action music. I wanted to make sure the movie was chilling, suspenseful and scary, but it also needed to be subtle and cool and interesting.”
Says Wallfisch: “The music really had to be something completely fresh. It’s a story of unimaginable heroism, but I couldn’t write heroic music, and we didn’t want to have any of the tropes of a suspense and tension score. Read more
Nicki Minaj to receive Video Vanguard Award and perform at 2022 VMAs (CBS)
Dubbed the “Queen of Hip Hop” by MTV, Nicki Minaj will be crowned at the 2022 Video Music Awards with the Video Vanguard Award — the award ceremony’s version of a lifetime achievement award.
The award show is set to take place later in August, with Minaj set to join the likes of previous award recipients Janet Jackson, Missy Elliott, LL Cool J and The Beatles.
“Nicki has broken barriers for women in hip-hop with her versatility and creative artistry,” said Bruce Gillmer, president of talent and music programming at Paramount. “She has shifted the music industry and cemented her status as a global superstar with her crossover appeal, genre-defying style, and continuing to be unapologetically ‘Nicki’.”
The global superstar has been nominated 17 times and is a 5-time VMA winner. Read more
Donald Trump alleges FBI agents raiding his Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Florida (ABC)
Former US president Donald Trump says his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, is being raided by FBI agents.
Mar-a-Lago “is currently under siege, raided, and occupied by a large group of FBI agents,” Mr Trump said in a statement.
“They even broke into my safe.”
The circumstances of the raid were not immediately clear, however Mr Trump’s son Eric alleged the FBI raid concerned documents sought by the National Archives and Records Administration. Read more
CHAN 2023: Super Eagles open camp in Abuja for Ghana (Nation)
Head Coach Salisu Yusuf has called to camp 35 players who will battle for shirts in the Super Eagles B squad that will tackle Ghana home and away in a 2023 African Nations Championship qualifying fixture in a few weeks.
Top of the roll is Akwa United FC first choice goalkeeper Adeyinka Adewale, who was in the Super Eagles A squad for the international friendlies against Mexico and Ecuador in the United States of America earlier in the summer, as well as the two Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Sierra Leone and Sao Tome and Principe in the month of June.
Katsina United FC defender Sani Faisal, Akwa United midfielder Babatunde Bello, Enyimba FC’s safe hands Ojo Olorunleke and Rivers United midfielder Chiamaka Madu who were also in USA, are called, as well as veteran defenders Tope Olusesi and Samson Gbadebo.
Yusuf has also invited Nathaniel Nwosu, who drew rave reviews with his excellent performance in goal for the Flying Eagles as they won the WAFU B U20 Cup in Niger Republic in May, as well as hard-as-nails Rivers United defender Kazie Enyinnaya and NPFL top scorer Chijioke Akuneto, also on the books of champions Rivers United. Read more
Cash windfall, presidential reception await Team Nigeria (Sun)
The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare has assured members of the historic Team Nigeria contingent to the 2022 Commonwealth Games of a presidential reception.
Team Nigeria achieved its best performance ever in Birmingham since it started taking part in the Commonwealth Games in 1950, winning 12 gold, 9 silver and 14 bronze medals.
Speaking with Team Nigeria athletes on Monday, Dare praised them for bringing the country into global focus for positive reasons.
His words: “I followed every moment of your competition. I was in Birmingham from the beginning till I had to leave for other official engagements. So many Nigerians followed you too. We are all so proud of what you achieved for Nigeria and yourselves. Read more
‘Aribo £6m selling fee too low’- Ferry (Punch)
Former Celtics midfielder Si Ferry says the £6m fee Southampton paid for the signing of midfielder Joe Aribo from Glasgow Rangers is too low.
Ferry described it as a shock, saying he had expected the deal to cost a bit more than what the Saints ultimately paid.
Aribo moved to the Premier League club last month for an initial £6m fee. However, with add-ons taken into account, the deal could still see Rangers get £10m when all is said and done.
The 26-year-old, who joined the Gers for a nominal £300,000 fee in 2019, had just a year remaining on his deal at Ibrox. Read more
Real Madrid motivated ahead of Frankfurt Super Cup clash (France24)
Real Madrid are determined not to be knocked off their perch at the summit of European football this season as they prepare to start their campaign against Eintracht Frankfurt in the UEFA Super Cup in Helsinki on Wednesday.
Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti, who is the only manager to win the Champions League four times, said his side’s 1-0 victory over Liverpool in last season’s final made him “feel like no one should ever take your place”.
“And that’s a pretty strong motivation to keep winning,” he said in an interview with UEFA.com.
Ancelotti returned for a second spell in charge of Real ahead of last season and led them to their 35th Spanish title. Read more
Adrien Rabiot close to transfer as Frenkie de Jong stuck in Barcelona mess (Mirror)
Erik ten Hag was given a harsh reminder of his need for a new midfielder on Sunday afternoon as Manchester United lost 2-1 to Brighton at Old Trafford.
The Red Devils are on the hunt for a central midfielder after releasing Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic in June. They’ve made three signings so far this summer – Tyrell Malacia from Feyenoord, free agent Christian Eriksen and Lisandro Martinez from Ajax.
It appears United have made a breakthrough in their search for a new body in the centre of the park. They’re reportedly close to signing Adrien Rabiot after agreeing a fee with Juventus, although their hopes of landing Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong look slim.
Rabiot was against the idea of playing for a non-Champions League club… until United came calling. Read more
Brooklyn Nets governor Joe Tsai voices support for staff members in wake of Kevin Durant’s trade demands (ABC)
Brooklyn Nets governor Joe Tsai voiced his support Monday night for the front office and coaching staff after Kevin Durant told Tsai to choose between him and the team’s general manager and coach.
Tsai and Durant recently met in London, ESPN sources confirmed, and Durant reiterated his desire to be traded and suggested the franchise needed to choose between him and coach Steve Nash and general manager Sean Marks.
Durant initially asked for a trade on June 30, and he hasn’t backed off that request. At 33 years old, Durant has four years and $198 million left on his contract, which means Brooklyn can be patient in waiting out teams for the kind of return it believes will eventually emerge for a star player reaching the trade market in his prime.
The meeting between Durant and Tsai was first reported by The Athletic, which also noted it occurred on the one-year anniversary of Durant signing his extension. Read more
Sulem Urbina bounces back with decision win at Commerce Casino (BoxingScene)
Sulem Urbina defeated Jhosep Vizcaino by split-decision Saturday night at the Commerce Casino in Commerce, California.
One judge scored the bout 58-56 for Vizcaino, while the other two judges scored the bout 60-54 and 59-55 for Urbina, who improves to 13-2-1, 2 knockouts.
Urbina, who is originally from Hermosillo, Mexico and now resides in Phoenix, Arizona, snapped a three-fight winless streak.
From the opening bell, Urbina and Vizcaino fought in the pocket, producing solid exchanges between the two. Urbina found success throwing and landing two left hooks, or a left hook followed by a left uppercut, to the head. Vizcaino was able to vary her offense well, connecting with lead or counter right hands to the head of Urbina.