Osinachi: Marriage is good and honourable but not by force, gospel singer Nathaniel Bassey (Vanguard)
Nigerian Gospel singer, Nathaniel Bassey, has condemned the circumstances surrounding the death of his colleague, Osinachi who died Friday last week in the hospital after suffering domestic violence from her husband, according to a family source.
Osinachi’s sister, who is the first daughter of the family and was identified as Ms Favor Made, told Vanguard on Sunday that Osinachi died as a result of a cluster of blood in the chest from the kicking she got from her husband, Mr Peter Nwachukwu.
Nathaniel Bassey after advising couples to pray and check again before entering into marriage relationships said although marriage is good, it is not by force.
He further prayed that God will give those in abusive marriages the grace to take the right decision. Read more
Stakeholders seek support for women in leadership positions (Independent)
Women from all walks of life have called on Nigerians to give women enough support to enable them participate in leadership positions in the country.
Convener, Hangout With Tee, Titi Oyemade, alongside other women, made the call in Lagos during the seventh edition of “Hangout With Tee,” themed: ‘Unwrap Am,” organised for friends, families, loved ones and women of like-minds.
Oyemade, who believes that women are capable but are not getting enough support, advocated that, “Women should be given support because they are more compassionate while the men are more rigid in their roles. If women are given the right push, they will do very well.”
She stated that the objective of the programme was to “bring women together, let them network and learn from the wealth of experience of guest speakers and also have fun.” Read more
SDP elects new excos in Lagos (Sun)
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Lagos State has elected new council members to steer the affairs of the party.
The newly elected State Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Shina Oludare disclosed this in a statement in Lagos on Monday.
Oludare, a multiple award winning sports journalist, said that the new excos emerged at the State Congress held on Saturday at Ogba in Lagos state.
Oludare said that Miss Dabiraoluwa Adeyinka emerged as the chairperson of the party in the state while Messrs Ishmael Taqwallahi and Mayowa Akinbode were elected as Deputy Chairman and General Secretary respectively. Read more
Transporters clash in Lagos (Nation)
There was a pandemonium in the Fagba area of Lagos yesterday when some transporters stormed the Fagba Park, wielding dangerous weapons.
Some transporters said loyalists of former Tricycle Owners and Operators Association of Nigeria (TOOAN) Zone ‘C’ Chairman Alhaji Azeez Abiola, popularly known as Istijabah, who felt threatened by the announcement of Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya popularly known as ‘MC Oluomo’ as Chairman, Lagos Parks and Garages Committee by the Lagos State government, stormed the park to attack loyalists of Akinsanya.
Many passengers including passers-by scampered for safety.
Abiola denied that his loyalists caused the crisis. Read more
Nigerian woman sentenced to 5 years for COVID-19 fraud in United States (Guardian)
A 24-year Nigerian woman was sentenced today to 70 months in prison for her scheme to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) of over $1.9 million in loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
United States Department of Justice (DoJ) in a statement said court documents and evidence presented at trial showed that Lola Shalewa Barbara Kasali submitted two fraudulent loan applications to two different lenders on behalf of her companies, Lola’s Level and Charm Hair Extensions.
“Through these loan applications, Kasali sought over $3.8 million in PPP loan funds. Kasali falsely represented the number of employees and payroll expenses in each of the PPP loan applications. To support these applications, Kasali also submitted fraudulent tax records. Kasali ultimately received over $1.9 million in PPP loan funds,” DoJ said. Read more
APC national chairman, deputy resign from Senate (Punch)
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, on Tuesday, resigned as Senator representing Nasarawa West Senatorial District.
This was even as the newly elected Deputy National Chairman (North), Abubakar Kyari, also resigned as lawmaker representing Borno North District.
The resignation letters of both lawmakers were read by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, during plenary.
Senator Abdullahi Adamu, until his election as National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, chaired the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development. Read more
Prophet Fufeyin rewards church workers with cash, cars (Leadership)
In an attempt to fulfil biblical obligation on treatment of workers, especially on the command of not muzzling an ox while it is treading out the grain and the need to give workers the wages they deserve, Warri, Delta State based billionaire prophet, Jeremiah Fufeyin, has doled out cash and cars for his church workers, saying that Christ MercyLand Church will not relent in prioritising the welfare of its workers.
Fufeyin, who believes that members should get back part of the tithes they have been paying, stressed that hardworking people do not only deserve commendations but reward for diligence towards service.
According to a report released by the church and made available to journalists, the church has offered close to half a billion naira in cash and vehicle gifts aimed at assuaging the challenges the workers face.
“My workers must be blessed. My workers must be the first beneficiaries of every blessing we get. People are suffering. The way the country is going, we need to be very prayerful and help people,” Fufeyin said. Read more
2023: MURIC knocks Osinbajo’s declaration (Punch)
The Muslim Rights Concern has described the declaration by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to contest the 2023 presidential election and succeed the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) as “backstabbing”.
In a statement on Tuesday signed by MURIC Director, Prof Ishaq Akintola, the group also said the declaration was purely evangelical and in consonance with the directive of the Redeemed Christian Church of God.
Akintola, in the statement, titled, ‘Osinbajo’s declaration is RCCGisation of the polity – MURIC’, described the declaration as “unethical and purely evangelical”.
“The fact that Tinubu declared on 22nd January 2022 when he met President Muhammadu Buhari in Aso Rock makes Osinbajo’s declaration look like a stab in the back,” the statement read in part. Read more
FG declares Friday, Monday as Easter holiday (DailyTrust)
The Federal Government has declared Friday and Monday as holidays in commemoration of Easter celebrations.
Easter is the holiday in which Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus following his crucifixion and death.
The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, announced the holiday on behalf of the federal government on Tuesday.
In a statement, Dr Shuaib Belgore, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, issued on his behalf, Aregbesola urged Christians to emulate the attributes of sacrifice, togetherness, forgiveness, kindness, love, peace and patience, which were the attributes and practices of Jesus Christ, as exemplified by his ministry on earth. Read more
Reggae legend Alpha Blondy features on Stonebwoy’s new track ‘Love Power’ (MyJoy)
Reggae legend Alpha Blondy has released a new single ‘Love Power’. The song features Ghanaian artiste Stonebwoy.
‘Love Power’ is the second single off Alpha Blondy’s forthcoming album dubbed Eternity, scheduled to be released on May 6.
The music video for the song showcases the natural landscape of Côte d’Ivoire, the homeland of the Reggae musician. The track preaches against greedy love for power.
The duo highlighted the basic importance of love – throwing lights on the gestures that would project peace in Africa irrespective of tribe and colour, among other elements that are likely to cause divisiveness. Read more
Former teen idol and star of Bye Bye Birdie Bobby Rydell dead at 79 (People)
Bobby Rydell, a 1960s-era music and film star, has died. He was 79.
Rydell’s official Facebook page confirmed the news on Tuesday, writing in a statement that he died that same day from “non COVID-19-related pneumonia complications” at a hospital outside of his birthplace of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Born in 1942, Rydell first rose to fame in 1950 on Paul Whiteman’s TV Teen Club, according to the statement.
In 1959, he landed on the Billboard Hot 100 Hits chart for the first time, with his first single “Kissin’ Time.” Read more
Dolly Parton says she starts her morning routine at 3 am (People)
Dolly Parton may be working “9 to 5,” but she’s actually getting up much earlier than that!
During an interview with Insider that was published on Sunday, the country music legend opened up about the simplicity of her morning routine, revealing that she hops out of bed at 3 a.m. every day.
“I don’t need a whole lot of sleep,” Parton, 76, told the outlet. “I go to bed pretty early, but even if I’ve been up late — it’s just kind of like a little clock inside of me that says ‘it’s 3 o’clock!’ ”
“I do some of my best work there, but I get enough sleep,” the country music legend added. “I don’t require as much sleep as a lot of other people do, that’s kind of a Parton family trait.”
Patricia MacLachlan dies: ‘Sarah, Plain and Tall’ author, Hallmark Movie series co-writer was 84
(Deadline)
Patricia MacLachlan, author of the best-selling and award-winning 1985 children’s book Sarah, Plain and Tall and its sequels that were turned into three popular early 1990s Hallmark Hall of Fame TV-movies starring Glenn Close, died March 31 at her home in Williamsburg, Mass. She was 84.
Her death was confirmed by her son John MacLachlan to The New York Times. No cause was specified.
The book series and the three films chronicled the adventures of a Maine woman named Sarah Wheaton (played by Close in the movies) who travels to Kansas in 1910 as a mail-order bride to a widower and cares for his two young children. Christopher Walken played widower Jacob Witting in all three movies.
The three films based on the book series were co-written by MacLachlan: Skylark in 1993, and Sarah, Plain and Tall: Winter’s End in 1999. Two other books written by MacLachlan outside the Sarah series also were adapted for TV: Journey (1995) starring Jason Robards and Baby (2000) starring Farrah Fawcett, Keith Carradine and Jean Stapleton. Read more
Matrix stars Jessica Henwick, Hugo Weaving Join Julia Garner in Kitty Green’s thriller ‘The Royal Hotel’ (Variety)
Matrix stars Jessica Henwick and Hugo Weaving may never have shared a screen in the sci-fi mega-franchise (Weaving appeared in the original Matrix trilogy but due to scheduling conflicts missed out on the fourth instalment, in which Henwick stars) but fans will no doubt be thrilled to learn the duo will be uniting for Kitty Green’s upcoming thriller “The Royal Hotel.”
Henwick and Weaving join “Inventing Anna” star Julia Garner in the See-Saw Films production, which is based on a true story. Green and Garner previously collaborated on Green’s breakout hit “The Assistant,” which was inspired by the dramatic fall of Harvey Weinstein.
In “The Royal Hotel,” Garner plays Hannah who, alongside her best friend Liv (Henwick) goes backpacking in Australia. After running out of money the women take a live-in job in The Royal Hotel, a bar located in a remote mining town in the Australian outback.
Billy, the bar’s owner (played by Weaving) doesn’t hesitate to introduce the women to Australia’s hard-core drinking culture along with some of the locals. But when their behavior crosses the line Hannah and Liv “find themselves trapped in an unnerving situation that grows rapidly out of their control.” Read more
Nigerian-born ‘Harry Potter’ actor takes magical path to citizenship (EastBayTimes)
When the pandemic shut down San Francisco’s “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” production two years ago, actor Lily Mojekwu, who now plays Hermione Granger, opted to stay in the city and ride things out with her trusty beagle, Hudson. Her second decision: to apply for U.S. citizenship, a choice that would come to occupy her mind, lift her spirits and send her into a deep dive into this country’s history.
The Nigerian-born actor came to the United States with her family when she was about 3 years old. As the youngest of six, she had little memory of her native country and her language.
“I felt the least connection to Nigeria of all my family,” Mojekwu says, “and I really wanted to hold on to my country of origin, if that makes sense. At times, I thought about becoming a U.S. citizen, but I wasn’t ready.”
Then came the pandemic and the year that wasn’t. While the world struggled with COVID, the U.S. also was undergoing a sort of self-revelation. Bandages were being pulled off old, unhealed wounds, revealing the festering scars of racism and injustice. Mojekwu was moved by the Black Lives Matter protests and the visceral images of killings of Black men and women by police and vigilantes. She felt a strong need to be part of the collective voice saying, “No more.” Read more
Boris Johnson fined over secret parties thrown during UK lockdown (NYPost)
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is being fined by the police over secret booze-fueled parties thrown while his government forced the rest of the country into strict lockdowns, his office announced Tuesday.
The 57-year-old leader was told Tuesday that he was among 50 being fined over the “Partygate” scandal, including at least one other senior member of his cabinet, finance minister Rishi Sunak, Downing Street confirmed.
“The prime minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer have today received notification that the Metropolitan Police intend to issue them with fixed penalty notices,” a government spokesperson said.
“We have no further details, but we will update you again when we do.” Read more
Manchester City captain Fernandinho stuns Guardiola by announcing exit (Guardian)
Manchester City captain Fernandinho shocked manager Pep Guardiola by saying Tuesday he planned to leave the English champions at the end of the season.
The 36-year-old former Brazil international, who has won four Premier League titles since joining City from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2013, revealed his intentions at a pre-match press conference ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final second leg away to Atletico Madrid.
Fernandinho, asked if he would like to extend his stay at the Etihad for another year, replied: “I don’t think so.”
Guardiola, who was alongside the midfielder, was taken aback by his skipper’s announcement.
“Oh! I didn’t know. You give me the news,” he said. Read more
NFF pencils down ex-Barca, PSG coaches for Super Eagles’ job (Leadership)
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has lined up four foreign coaches including a former Barcelona and erstwhile PSG coach for the Super Eagles’ job.
Sources at the football governing body revealed that the Technical and Development Committee of the NFF has recommended former Barcelona manager, Ernesto Valverde; former PSG and France coach, Laurent Blanc; former PSV Eindhoven manager, Phillip Cocu and Jose Peseiro, whom they had lined up to take over the Super Eagles after the African Cup of Nations.
The final choice of the NFF is yet to be known as they’ve been given an ultimatum by the Ministry of Sports and Youth Development to find a foreign coach for the national team.
However, Peseiro, whom the NFF President, Amaju Pinnick claimed the federation had struck an agreement with in the past appears favourite for the plum job. Read more
Platini and Blatter fraud trial set for June (France24)
Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter and former UEFA chief Michel Platini will appear before Swiss prosecutors on charges of fraud between 8-22 June, the criminal court concerned said Tuesday.
This will be the final hearing in a long-running saga that began in 2011 and stems from a payment from FIFA to Platini of 2 million Swiss franc (1.8m euros) for consultancy services.
Platini’s services date from 1998 to 2002 when he had a 300,000 Swiss franc per year deal, payment for which was only made eight years later.
The pair are being investigated for “disloyal management”, “breach of trust” and “forgery of securities”. Read more
FIFA launches its own streaming service (SI)
FIFA is getting into the streaming platform business with a soccer version of Netflix and Amazon Prime.
The service is free and largely features documentaries and some live games at the launch but it could eventually be a way for FIFA to broadcast World Cup matches itself at a cost.
While increasingly positioning itself as a rival to existing media companies, FIFA+ will also be used by the governing body to promote its sponsors.
“There is no plan to charge a subscription fee for the service, that doesn’t mean to say that we may not evolve over time should there be a value proposition that allows us to charge subscription if we step into premium rights or adopt other kinds of models,” FIFA director of strategy Charlotte Burr said. “But there will always be a free experience on FIFA+.” Read more
Clijsters retires as family life beckons (WestAustralian)
Former world No.1 Kim Clijsters has retired from professional tennis, bringing the curtain down on her career for probably the last time.
Clijsters, 38, a four-times grand slam winner who retired twice in her career in 2007 and 2012, returned to action in February 2020 but did not win a single match and also had to undergo knee surgery in October that year.
She last played at Indian Wells in October last year and was knocked out in the opening round.
“I want to share with you that I have decided to no longer play official tournaments. I can’t wait to see what new adventures will cross my path,” the Belgian wrote on Instagram. Read more
Floyd Mayweather was paid $1m to hold press conference for exhibition bout (Mirror)
Floyd Mayweather was paid $1million to hold a press conference for his exhibition fight after he threatened not to turn up due to a clash with Gervonta Davis’ event.
The boxing legend will return to the ring against former undefeated fighter Don Moore on a helipad atop the Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai on May 14. He spoke with Moore during a press conference last week to promote the event which also features former UFC star Anderson Silva.
Mayweather admitted he accepted the promoter’s decision to stage the press conference on the same day as Davis – who is signed to Mayweather’s label – addressed the media ahead of his own upcoming bout. “It wasn’t my idea; I didn’t want the press conference to be on the same day (as Davis’ press conference),” Mayweather told FightHype. “So they said, ‘We will pay you a million dollars so we can make sure you can do it’. I wasn’t going to do it Thursday… so we did it on Thursday.
“Anderson Silva had to fly out of Miami. So we couldn’t do the press conference on any other day. They said, ‘We’ll pay you $1million to do it.’ I said, ‘No problem.’ I can feed my family with that. People are going to always say it is always ‘divide and conquer’. Read more
Verstappen launches his own racing team with Red Bull (PlanetF1)
Max Verstappen has unveiled his own racing team, named Verstappen.com Racing, which he has launched with full support from Red Bull.
The World Champion is well-known to be a fan of racing in both the virtual and real worlds, and his new team will bring the two together with drivers running under the moniker in real life and on the screen.
Father Jos will compete with the Verstappen.com Racing team when he takes part in the Belgian Rally Championship this year, while young Dutchman Thierry Vermeulen will race with the team’s support in the ADAC GT Masters series this year.
In the virtual world, Verstappen.com Racing will be represented by Team Redline – the team with which Verstappen has won races such as the Virtual Le Mans 24 Hours in the past. Read more