Pastor sets woman ablaze during deliverance prayer (Guardian)
A 21-year-old woman, identified as Sukura Owodunni, has reportedly suffered severe burns after Pastor Taiwo Odebiyi allegedly attempted a deliverance ritual on her at his Cherubim and Seraphim Maberu Parish in Offin, Sagamu, Ogun State.
The incident occurred on Thursday, August 17, when the victim, Owodunni, visited the church in response to a special prayer invitation from the pastor.
Pastor Odebiyi had instructed Owodunni to acquire Amazing Grace perfume, local eggs, and a candle for the designated prayer session, according to witnesses. Read more
I need a break from men, says Tolanibaj (Nation)
Evicted BBNaija All Stars housemate, Tolanibaj has said that she would have to take a break from her involvement with men.
This may give her an opportunity to peruse through clips of her stint in Biggie’s House and her ‘forceful’ romantic grip on her colleague, Neo Energy.
It’s no gainsaying that Tolanibaj attracted heavy criticism for her extremely domineering acts over her colleague-cum-love interest, Neo. Read more
Keyamo suspends Nigeria Air project, airport concessioning deals (Leadership)
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, has suspended the controversial Nigeria Air Project and airport concessioing embarked upon by the immediate-past administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
LEADERSHIP reports that the Nigeria Air project and the concessioning of the Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt Airports have courted so much controversies, hence experts in the aviation sector have called for their suspension, saying they have no benefit to the sector.
However, on his maiden visit and a tour of the Murtala Muhammed Airport Lagos, the Aviation Minister said he has suspended all plans and arrangements concerning the proposed national carrier, Nigeria Air. Read more
VC flags off World Bank building in UNN (Sun)
Prof Charles Igwe, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) has flagged off the construction of a two-story building of the World Bank-funded Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Power and Energy Development (ACE-SPED) in the university.
Flagging off the building construction on Thursday in Nsukka, the VC commended the World Bank for selecting the UNN proposal among others for the establishment of the ACE-SPED.
He said that the university will use its manpower to ensure that the objective of the centre which is aimed at providing solutions to the problems of energy and power with local content is achieved. Read more
Cameroon dam flood exposes flaws in Nigeria’s food value chain (Guardian)
A repeat of the 2022 devastating flooding that led to the death of over 600 people and the destruction of farmlands and properties stares down Nigeria in the face as neighbour Cameroon opens the floodgate of its Lagdo dam that threatens to expose the flaws in the food value chain of Africa’s biggest economy.
Located in northern Cameroon, the dam shares proximity with about 13 Nigerian states.
Cameroon’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the decision to open the Lagdo Dam was “due to the heavy rainfall around the Dam catchment area in Northern Cameroon.” Read more
Ogun Assembly summons Accountant-General, JAAC members (Punch)
The Ogun State House of Assembly on Thursday summoned the state Accountant-General as well as all members of the Joint Account Allocations Committee to appear before it over the current issues regarding local government funds in the state.
During plenary on Thursday, the Speaker, Olakunle Oluomo, directed those invited to appear on Friday by 1 p.m.
Oluomo noted that the reason for the invitation was for a thorough explanation to the House on what was happening at the local governments so that the people of the state could be fully briefed. Read more
“This is worrisome” — Atiku reacts to Gabon coup (Vanguard)
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has described as “worrisome” the latest military coup on African soil that happened in Gabon Wednesday.
Atiku, the standard bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 elections, urged African leaders to address the root cause of the recent spate of coups across the continent.
The former VP made this known via an X post on Thursday while reacting to the recent coup in Gabon — the eighth in Africa since 2020. Read more
Reps chide Green Wall over misappropriation of N81b for tree planting (Leadership)
The House of Representatives has berated the Great Green Wall Agency for huge expenditures without commensurate results, particularly the N81 billion claimed to have been spent on planting trees in 11 states.
The states are: Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Yobe and Borno.
The House Ad-hoc Committee on Utilisation of Ecological Funds and other intervention funds into the Great Green Wall Project made its feelings known at an inaugural investigative hearing on Wednesday. Read more
Rwanda, Cameroon shake up military after Gabon Coup (DailyTrust)
There has been alleged panic among African leaders following the military coup that happened in Gabon on Wednesday, making Rwandan and Cameroonian leaders – Paul Kagame and Paul Biya take drastic steps in their respective military formations.
Ali Bongo, the president of Gabon, was deposed in a coup by top military officers, and the coupists named Gen Brice Oligui Nguema as the transitional leader, a development celebrated by the Gabonese.
Following the coup in which Bongo and his family, were detained, Biya, who has served as Cameroon’s president for 40 years, reshuffled his country’s defence portfolios. Read more
Wynonna Judd to headline star-studded Tom Petty tribute and benefit concert (AS)
An all-star roster of musicians will come together in Nashville to celebrate the music of Tom Petty for a good cause. On October 10, Wynonna Judd will headline Handle With Care: A Tribute to Tom Petty, a benefit concert at Brooklyn Bowl Nashville.
Judd will be joined by Brittney Spencer, Charles Wesley Godwin, Ella Langley, Maggie Rose, Sierra Hull, Vince Herman, and Derek Wells for the evening of special performances honoring the late rock icon.
Funds from the event will benefit Backline, a nonprofit organization that “provides mental health and wellness resources to the music industry and their family members,” according to a press release. Read more
Nick Carter denies allegation of sexually assaulting woman when she was 15 in new lawsuit (ET)
Nick Carter is facing yet another lawsuit over sexual assault allegations, this time by a woman claiming the incidents took place when she was 15 and he was 23.
According to Billboard, citing legal documents filed in Las Vegas court on Monday, a woman identified only as “A.R.” claims the embattled Backstreet Boys singer sexually assaulted her multiple times in 2003 and that he knowingly provided “alcohol and drugs.”
The outlet reports that the plaintiff — who filed as a Jane Doe — also claims the singer gave her a sexually-transmitted disease. More specifically, the woman claims the first alleged incident went down in August 2003 on his yacht. She claims he “directed” her — while she was intoxicated — to enter his cabin, and that’s where he “engaged in oral sexual intercourse with A.R. and penetrated her vagina with his genitals” without her consent. Read more
Jamie Christopher Dies: Marvel Studios And Harry Potter assistant producer/director was 52 (Deadline)
Jamie Christopher, who was an associate producer and first assistant director on such Marvel films as Thor: The Dark World, Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers: Age of Ultron and more, died at his home today of heart complications. He was 52.
Marvel Studios executives Kevin Feige and Louis D’Esposito issued a joint statement on Christopher’s passing.
“We are incredibly saddened by Jamie’s passing. He has been a part of the Marvel Studios team for over a decade, and on productions like Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Black Widow and more. He was a calm presence behind the camera, and a wonderful, supportive crew member on set. Jamie first joined Marvel Studios as an AD on Thor: The Dark World and because of his hard work and diligence was upped to an Executive Producer on Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and the upcoming ‘‘Fantastic Four’’. Jamie was a beloved member of our Marvel Studios family, and he will be dearly missed. Our thoughts and deepest condolences go out to his family and friends.” Read more
McG is open to returning for “Charlie’s Angels 3” (EW)
Somebody get a recast Bosley on the phone: McG is not closing the door on a potential “Charlie’s Angels 3”.
The director helmed the 2000 adaptation starring Drew Barrymore, Lucy Liu, and Cameron Diaz as core private investigator trio Dylan Sanders, Alex Munday, and Natalie Cook, respectively, as well as the 2003 sequel Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle. Chatting with EW about his upcoming Netflix comedy film “Family Switch”, McG says he’d be up for one more big adventure with Barrymore & Co. — though he’s also very much happy to “pass the torch” to another filmmaker.
“It would take a long discussion with those three wonderful performers who I adore,” McG says. Read more
Mark Thompson to CNN: Former BBC and New York Times chief takes over at US news broadcaster (Sky)
Mark Thompson, the former boss of the BBC and New York Times, has been appointed the new chief executive of CNN.
Mr Thompson, 66, succeeds Chris Licht, who stepped down in June after a turbulent year at the helm of the US news channel.
David Zaslav, CEO of CNN’s parent company, Warner Bros Discovery, said in a statement on Wednesday: “Mark is a true innovator who has transformed for the digital age two of the world’s most respected news organisations.” Read more
Hurricane Idalia makes landfall on Florida’s west coast (DW)
Hurricane Idalia made landfall on Wednesday as it headed toward Florida’s Gulf Coast, forcing evacuations in low-lying coastal areas, while South Carolina went into a state of emergency.
Idalia grew from a tropical storm into a hurricane early on Tuesday, a day after passing west of Cuba, where it damaged homes and flooded villages.
Later on Wednesday, US President Joe Biden said he may have to alter his schedule as a result of Idalia. Read more
Striker with Nigerian root leaves Arsenal for Monaco (DailyTrust)
Folarin Balogun has left Arsenal to join Ligue 1 club Monaco on a five-year deal after impressing on loan at Reims last season, the two clubs announced on Wednesday.
The 22-year-old has not played for the Gunners in a competitive match since netting 21 goals in 37 Ligue 1 appearances for Reims last term.
According to a source at the principality club, Monaco paid an initial transfer fee of 30 million euros ($32.8 million) which could rise to 40 million euros. Read more
CAF confirms Enyimba for African Football League (Punch)
Nigeria Professional Football League champions, Enyimba, on Wednesday confirmed on their official Twitter handle that the club had been listed as one of the eight clubs that would participate in the inaugural African Football League, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The AFL is billed to kick off October 20 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, while the much-anticipated draw for the competition is scheduled to take place in Cairo, Egypt September 2.
The tournament is expected to run for an action-packed four weeks. Read more
Lukaku fever sweeps Rome as in-form Milan come to town (France24)
Romelu Lukaku was treated to the sort of fanfare more commonly reserved for rock stars when he touched down in Rome this week, hailed as Roma’s saviour ahead of their clash with rejuvenated AC Milan on Friday.
Belgium striker Lukaku might have only signed on loan for a season from Chelsea but that did not matter to the thousands of fans who caused chaos at Ciampino airport on Tuesday.
Flares were lit, chants were belted out and cars were damaged by supporters clambering up to catch a glimpse of Lukaku exiting the plane of Roma’s American chairman Dan Friedkin. Read more
Lionel Messi finally blanks for Inter Miami as nine-game win streak comes to an end (Mirror)
Nashville SC managed something that no other team has since Lionel Messi joined Inter Miami — stop the superstar from making an impact.
In the U.S. Open Cup semi-final last week, FC Cincinnati became the first team to stop Messi from scoring. But the 36-year-old still assisted twice as they won on penalties following a 3-3 draw after extra time. With 11 goals in nine games since joining Miami, Messi has managed to score against every other opponent he’s faced.
One of those opponents was Nashville, who Messi scored against in the Leagues Cup final before Miami went on to win the competition. It was the first final for both MLS teams, and Miami claimed their first trophy as a franchise. Read more
Djokovic and Swiatek through at US Open as Tsitsipas and Miyazaki depart (Guardian)
Novak Djokovic strolled into the third round of the US Open, completing a 6-4, 6-1, 6-1 victory against Bernabé Zapata Miralles of Spain. As the second seed advanced, another of the few true potential threats in his half was removed. Stefanos Tsitsipas, the seventh seed, was beaten 7-5, 6‑7 (2), 6-7 (5), 7-6 (6), 6-3 by Dominic Stricker of Switzerland.
Tsitsipas’s exit is the second significant defeat in the bottom half after Holger Rune, the fourth seed, fell to Roberto Carballes Baena in the opening round. Afterwards, Tsitsipas denied his result had anything to do with the recent changes to his team. He is in New York with Mark Philippoussis as his head coach as his father remains at home.
“By no means I’m supposed to put any blame on any people or any members of my team,” Tsitsipas said. “Everything on court is under my control and under my talents and the way I can play this sport are shown on the court. If I’m not able to deliver, then I’m not supposed to be doing well.” Read more
Gary Woodland: Former US Open champion to undergo brain surgery (Sky)
Former US Open champion Gary Woodland has revealed he will undergo surgery to remove a lesion found on his brain.
Woodland, who won his maiden major title at Pebble Beach in 2019, wrote on social media he had been diagnosed with the lesion a few months ago and had been trying to treat the symptoms with medication.
“After consulting with multiple specialists and discussing with my family, we’ve made the decision that surgery to remove the lesion is the best course of action,” the 39-year-old American wrote.
“I’m in good spirits with my family and team by my side and so thankful for the love and support of everyone.” Read more