Okada charged me N20k because of traffic, says BBNaija’s Erica (DailyTrust)
Nigerian Actress and Reality TV star, Erica Nwelem, has shared a video of herself boarding a commercial motorcycle popularly known as Okada despite its ban in Lagos state.
In a tweet, the BBN star said her actions were necessary as she was stuck in traffic and couldn’t afford to miss her flight.
“I got on an Okada today cos of traffic and they charged me 20k cos they could see I didn’t want to miss my flight. I priced it down sha,” she tweeted.
The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on May 18, 2022, announced a total ban on commercial motorcycle operators in 6 local government areas in the state. The affected local government listed by the governor included Ikeja, Surulere, Eti-Osa, Lagos Mainland, Lagos Island, and Apapa. Read more
Why over 200 soldiers applied for retirement — Army (ChannelsTV)
The Nigerian Army on Saturday said the voluntary discharge of over 200 soldiers is not due to alleged corruption, poor service conditions and low morale.
The army was reacting to reports that 243 soldiers in the North-East and other theatres had applied for voluntary retirement.
Army spokesperson, Onyema Nwachukwu, confirmed the development but argued it was a routine process.
He described insinuations soldiers were leaving the military due to poor working conditions as “a concoction of the imagination of the unrepentant enemies of the nation and mischief makers and should be outrightly discountenanced by the public.” Read more
Paris Club Refund: NGF took $100m from us for state elections — Consultants (Tribune)
The consultants working on the London and Paris Club refunds on Saturday alleged that the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) demanded and received the sum of $100 million to prosecute elections in some states.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on behalf of the Lead Consultants, Senator Ned Nwoko, alleged that when he submitted a bill of $350 million as the consultancy fee, the state governors demanded to be paid 50 percent of it before it could be honored.
According to him, the Ministry of Justice intervened and the governors eventually received the sum of $100 million.
Nwoko revealed that the money being owed to the consultants was $68 million and not $418 million that has been in public space. Read more
SSANU, NASU suspend strike after meeting with Education Minister (Channels)
The Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Allied and Education Institutions (NASU) on Saturday suspended their strike actions after a brief meeting with the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu in Abuja.
The suspension is expected to take effect from Wednesday.
According to the education minister, the Federal Government has committed N50 billion to pay earned allowances for members of SSANU, NASU and the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
However, activities in public universities are expected to remain limited as ASUU remains on strike. Read more
NBC bows to pressure, reviews shutdown order of AIT, Silverbird, others (DailyTrust)
The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has reviewed the sanction imposed on AIT/Ray Power FM, Silverbird TV Network and 50 other broadcast stations.
On Friday, NBC Director-General, Malam Balarabe Ilelah, had announced the revocation of the licences of the stations over N2.6bn debt and ordered the affected stations to shut down within 24 hours.
However, many individuals and groups criticised the action of the commission.
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) had faulted NBC, saying although the commission claimed that the sanction had no political motives, the action was ill-timed and reckless. Read more
2022 NBA AGC: Akpata leads lawyers in Health Walk (Nation)
Outgoing Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President Olumide Akpata has led tens of delegates and other lawyers in the 2022 Annual General Conference of the NBA (NBA-AGC) Health Walk which was held from 8 am on Saturday.
The 2022 NBA-AGC – the 62nd in the series – kicked off Friday at the prestigious Eko Atlantic City, Victoria Island Lagos.
The Health Walk started at Eko Atlantic through Ahmadu Bello Way, Akin Adesola and Adeola Odeku before ending at Eko Atlantic, venue of the AGC 2022.
Highlights of the fun-filled event included dance, music, aerobics, and exercise among others.
The NBA-AGC Technical Committee on Conference Planning (TCCP) set the NBA-AGC ball rolling on Friday with a well-attended Juma’at service at the Lagos Central Mosque. Read more
Community lauds WRAHP, Actionaid, others over empowerment of women (Independent)
The Ejigbo community in Lagos State has lauded Women’s Right And Health Project (WRAHP), Actionaid Nigeria, Global Affairs Canada during the second phase of the distribution of seed money to 10 women and girls in Ejigbo area of Lagos State over the weekend.
It would be recalled that few weeks ago the Ejigbo Grinding Machine Association (EGMA) under the leadership of Mrs. Christiana Oyewole Adejoke, organised a training for 30 women and girls in Ejigbo community sponsored, by WRAHP and funded by Actionaid Nigeria, Global Affairs Canada, in the project titled, “Micro Credit Support to Turban and Gele Beneficiaries” an empowerment programme that enabled the women to undergo a training after which N25,000 would be given to each of them in three phases.
The second phase of the distribution of the seed money took place over the weekend and Hamzat Balikis, a beneficiary while appreciating the sponsors of the programme said that she was jobless but the training empowered her and today she is employed, stressing that she makes money to take care of herself. “I am looking forward to owning a shop in the near future,” she said.
Okunola Suliyat Omolola, a fashion designer said that the training has made her creative and brought out the best in her, even as she promised she would not disappoint the sponsors of the programme. Read more
Piracy: Navy pledges continued collaboration with foreign partners (Sun)
The Nigerian Navy has pledged its continuous collaboration with other countries to combat piracy in the country’s territorial waters.
Rear Admiral Yakubu Wambai, the Flag Officer Commanding Western Nigerian Naval Command, disclosed this during a visit by the United States Coast Guard Cutter, Mohawk (WMEC 913), at the Command Headquarters in Apapa, Lagos.
The essence of the visit, it was learnt, is to further strengthen the existing bilateral relations between both countries.
The FOC disclosed that sometime in April this year, Nigeria was delisted from the list of pirate states, meaning that it has not had any piracy incident over the last 12 months. Read more
PDP denies involvement in Oyetola’s wife convoy attack (Punch)
The Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has denied any involvement in the attack on the convoy of the state’s First Lady, Kafayat Oyetola.
The PUNCH had earlier reported that the convoy was attacked on Friday at the Owode area of the state, and some of the First Lady’s aides sustained injuries.
But in a statement by Osun PDP, the attack was allegedly caused by Mrs. Oyetola’s escort who beat up a truck driver whose vehicle blocked the road.
This was contained in a statement on Saturday by Osun PDP Media Director, Oladele Bamiji, titled ‘How First Lady’s Escorts Beat Up Truck Driver, Sparking Public Reaction-Osun PDP’. Read more
Police raid kidnappers’ den in Kaduna, recover rifles (DailyTrust)
Policemen attached to Operation Restore Peace have dislodged a kidnappers’ den at Galadimawa forest in Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
According to the police,a fierce encounter led to the arrest of a suspected bandit and recovery of two loaded rifles.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Mohammed Jalige, confirmed the raid in a statement on Saturday, adding that it was carried out on August 18.
He said some of the bandits fled into the forest with varying degrees of bullet injury. Read more
At least 12 dead in Somali hotel attack (BBC)
At least 12 people have been killed after al-Shabab militants stormed a hotel in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, on Friday night.
Attackers detonated at least two explosives outside the hotel before entering the building and opening fire.
Continued gunfire and explosions were reported on Saturday as security forces battled an unknown number of gunmen still inside holding hostages.
Dozens of guests and staff members have been rescued.
“So far we have confirmed 12 people, mostly civilians, died,” Mohammed, an intelligence officer who only gave one name, told Reuters new agency. Read more
Spartacus star dead aged 49 just 7 months after being diagnosed with cancer (DailyMail)
One of the stars of the popular historical drama Spartacus has died aged 49 following a lengthy battle with cancer.
Ioane ‘John’ King was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma cancer in January of this year, and it quickly spread to his pancreas and other organs.
Although the diagnosis was terminal, the Kiwi actor had started chemotherapy in March in a bid to slow down the progression.
King played the gladiator Rhaskos in the popular Starz franchise Spartacus. Read more
Sega is turning ‘Space Channel 5’ and ‘Comix Zone’ into movies (NME)
Sega is developing film adaptations of two of the company’s classic titles, Space Channel 5 and Comix Zone.
According to a report from The Hollywood Reporter, Sega will be partnering with Picturestart to adapt these two works. Picturestart is a film production company most recently responsible for the 2022 comedy-drama Cha Cha Smooth. Following the success of Sonic the Hedgehog, it seems Sega is looking for what else it can turn into movies, and the producer of Sega is Sonic the Hedgehog and its sequel, and producer Toru Nakahara will act as the producer for these movies, too.
Comix Zone is a 1999 side-scrolling adventure game where the protagonist is pulled into his own universe by a supervillain. Space Channel 5 is a 2002 Dreamcast title that follows a news reporter fighting off an alien invasion through the power of dance.
The Space Channel 5 adaptation will be titled Channel 5. The film will be a comedy with the premise involving a fast-food worker who is contacted by a reporter from the future who needs his help to save the world from an alien invasion. This will be done through the power of viral dance, naturally. Channel 5 is being written by Barry Battles and Nir Paniry, with Sega game director Takumi Yoshinaga joining the team. Read more
Slovenian director Dominik Mencej readies ‘Aberrant Bride’ (Variety)
Slovenian director Dominik Mencej will put the motorbikes aside after his 90s-set road movie “Riders,” focusing on a female protagonist next. Once again set in the past, his new project “Aberrant Bride” will revolve around an “imported” young wife from Croatia, coming into a new environment and a new family, led by her husband’s domineering mother.
“It’s similar but different,” says Mencej.
“There is no open road, just a forest next to the house, but it’s also about this sense of belonging. I guess I can’t figure out how to tell a story with cellphones and social media. I don’t know how to make a perfect film for this era. At least not yet.”
But the present still can be felt in his Sarajevo title “Riders,” produced by Staragara, Antitalent, Novi Film, Transmedia Production, Sense Production and Nu Frame. Read more
AJ Odudu reveals launch date for 20th series of Strictly Come Dancing (BelfastTelegraph)
The new series of Strictly Come Dancing will kick off on September 17, former contestant and TV presenter AJ Odudu announced.
The 34-year-old, who was forced to withdraw from the final of the dancing competition last year after suffering a torn ligament, revealed the news on The Big Breakfast alongside co-host Mo Gilligan.
She said: “We do have the exclusive that the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2022 is going to be September 17. How exciting.”
Professional dancer Johannes Radebe, who was a guest on the Channel 4 Saturday morning show, said: “It is exciting, everyone else is waiting for it, we know we can’t face winter without Strictly so I am happy it is back on our screens.” Read more
Gorillaz & Idles kickstart 10 day festival at Victoria Park (MusicNews)
Gorillaz, IDLES, Turnstile, Kenny Beats, Pusha T and many more kicked-off Luno presents All Points East 2022 in thrilling fashion, marking the return of east London’s celebrated music festival.
As the first headline act of the event, Gorillaz brought their carnival of sound and colour to The East Stage. The record-breaking virtual band, the brainchild of Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett cemented their status as one of the most visionary, fearless and boundary-pushing pop outfits on the block, in this homecoming headline set.
A carousel of high-profile special guests kept the crowd guessing. Among their number, the likes of De La Soul, Popcaan, The Clash’s Paul Simonon, Rowetta and Shaun Ryder, all featured. The band even took the opportunity to premiere the futuristic disco of brand new track ‘New Gold’, featuring Tame Impala, with Kevin Parker making a surprise appearance, and Bootie Brown.
Introducing his “very old friend” Paul Simonon, Albarn took a moment to acknowledge that it was the first time since 2010 that the two had appeared onstage together to perform the title track from the band’s third album – ‘Plastic Beach’. The group concluded with the double whammy of their biggest hits ‘Feel Good Inc.’ and ‘Clint Eastwood’, to the crowd’s raucous reaction.
Turkey: Bus collides with paramedics, firefighters at scene of accident (DW)
Several emergency workers lost their lives when a bus crashed into their vehicles on a Turkish highway. The rescuers were responding to a separate road accident.
At least 15 people were killed on Saturday as a passenger bus collided with emergency teams on a highway in southern Turkey, officials said.
The emergency teams were responding to an earlier road accident in which a car came off the highway and slid down an embankment.
The collision occurred on the highway between the southern Turkish cities of Gaziantep and Nizip. Both are located in Gaziantep Province. Read more
Usyk v Joshua 2: Big-fight predictions (BBC)
Anthony Joshua faces unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk in a must-win rematch on Saturday night.
A loss for Briton Joshua would be another massive blow to his reputation, while a win for Ukraine’s Usyk could set him on a path to becoming undisputed champion, possibly even a meeting with Tyson Fury.
The fight takes place in Saudi Arabia, with live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app from 21:30 BST.
Only a drastically improved performance will see Joshua reclaim the WBO, WBA (Super) and IBF titles he lost almost a year ago, with pundits and pros split on whether the once unbeatable heavyweight can gain revenge over the undefeated Usyk. Read more
Ogunjobi Memorial Cup to award Dare, Baba Ijebu, Soname, others (Sun)
The organisers of the maiden edition of the Western Nigeria Football Forum/Taiwo Ogunjobi Memorial Cup will on Sunday, August 21, honour some prominent Nigerians including the Minister for Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare.
According to a statement from the organisers, others apart from the minister are former CAF Executive member, Amos Adamu, business guru and the proprietor of Remo Stars, Kunle Soname, the owner of foremost betting company, Baba Ijebu, Adebutu Kensington and former Green Eagles star, Segun Odegbami.
Others are former Director General of the defunct National Sports Commission, Gbenga Elegbeleye, foremost women football club owner, Princess Jegede of Jegede babes, former member of House of Assembly, Ayo Omidiran, father of Supporters Clubs in Nigeria, Rafiu Ladipo, Yemi Idowu and H E Oluwateru.
Meanwhile, at the ongoing U-15 championships in Osogbo, Lagos State bounced back from their opening day loss to qualified for the semifinal behind Oyo State in Group A after securing a 1-1 draw against Ekiti to secured four points from a loss, a win and a draw albeit with a better goals difference of +1 as against Ekiti, who also secured four points but with zero goal difference. Read more
Tottenham’s Harry Kane makes yet more history with 185th Premier League goal (Eurosport)
Tottenham’s Harry Kane says he has “hopefully many more years to go” after he made yet more history in the Premier League with his winner in the 1-0 triumph over Wolves on Saturday.
Kane’s second-half header at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was enough to extend Antonio Conte side’s unbeaten start to the season, sending Spurs top of the table for a few hours at the very least.
It was his 185th goal in the Premier League and 250th for Tottenham and means he has now scored more goals for a single club than anyone in Premier League history.
Speaking to BT Sport after the game, Kane said: “It’s been a fantastic nine or 10 years in the Premier League. Hopefully many more years to go. I always love scoring. Read more
Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers explains Wesley Fofana omission that angered Gary Lineker (Mirror)
Brendan Rodgers took Chelsea transfer target Wesley Fofana out of the starting line-up to face Southampton because he was “not in the right frame of mind”.
The young Frenchman has been the subject of considerable interest from Stamford Bridge over the last few weeks, with the Blues still keen to add more defensive recruits to their summer incoming list.
Chelsea have already lodged two big-money bids for his services, both of which Leicester have turned down as they hold out for a higher sum. Reports indicated on Friday that Fofana would be left out of the side to take on the Saints in the Premier League.
Ahead of kick-off, the defender’s name was indeed a notable absence from the team sheet, with Rodgers confirming that Fofana not being totally focused on the game was a reason for him being left out. Read more
Sky Sports chief Adam Smith defends British record £26.95 price for Oleksandr Usyk vs Anthony Joshua II (DailyMail)
Sky Sports chief Adam Smith has defended the British record £26.95 pay-per-view price for Anthony Joshua’s crucial rematch against Oleksandr Usyk.
The heavyweight protagonists square off on Saturday night in Saudi Arabia, 11 months after Usyk claimed a stunning unanimous decision win over Joshua at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The pair’s first encounter, which was also on Sky Sports Box Office, cost viewers £24.95, with a £2 increase implemented for the rematch.
The price was met with backlash from the fans upon its announcement late in July, in what will be Joshua’s final outing on Sky having signed a big-money, exclusive deal with DAZN. Read more
Leclerc: F1 world championship drought not pressuring Ferrari (F1i)
Charles Leclerc says the weight of expectations at Ferrari or the pressure to bring the world title back to Maranello are not the cause of the Scuderia’s missteps this season.
Ferrari last won the drivers’ championship in 2007 with Kimi Raikkonen while the Italian outfit’s last Constructors’ title dates back to 2008.
For many, Ferrari’s 13-year championship dry spell is like a heavy burden on F1’s most successful team, or like an encumbrance that weighs on every one of its crew members, including Leclerc who threw away big points on two occasions this season after enjoying a commanding lead in the Drivers’ standings in the early part of the Scuderia’s campaign.
But the team itself, despite being equipped with a championship winning car, has also stumbled multiple times in its battle against Red Bull this year due to reliability issues or strategy blunders. Read more
Daniil Medvedev apologises to Taylor Fritz at net following Cincinnati win (Express)
Daniil Medvedev apologised to Taylor Fritz after defeating him 7-6(1) 6-3 at the Western & Southern Open on Friday as he confessed that the 11th seed should have won the first set. The 2019 champion in Cincinnati advanced to the semi-finals with his win over the American, where he will now face Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Medvedev struggled early on in his clash against in-form Fritz, saving three break points in the first set as well as another three set points at 4-5 and 5-6 down. But the world No 1 managed to push through and force a tiebreak, where his opponent seemed to run out of steam after his missed opportunities.
The Indian Wells champion won the first point of the breaker on his serve before the US Open champion managed to take flight, winning the next seven points in a row to steal the opening set 7-6(1). And he carried his momentum straight into set two, breaking Fritz in his first service game, holding on to close out a 7-6(1) 6-3 victory in an hour and 37 minutes.
But it appeared that even Medvedev thought he shouldn’t have escaped with the first set, as he apologised to his opponent during the handshake at the net. “Sorry for the first set, you deserved it. Sorry,” he smiled as the world No 13 laughed it off. “Good luck in the US Open,” the top seed added. Read more