Prepare for above-normal rainfall, Lagos tells residents (Punch)
The Lagos State Government has advised residents to prepare for above-normal rainfall, which will start in the first week of April and cease in December.
This was made known by the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tunji Bello, who spoke at the 2023 press briefing on Seasonal Climate Predictions and its socio-economic implications for Lagos, held at Alausa, Ikeja.
According to the commissioner, the 1936.2mm amount of rainfall predicted for 2023 was greater than the long-term average of 1721.48mm experienced in the state in the last 10 years. Read more
LASU VC advocates gender parity in leadership positions (Tribune)
THE vice chancellor of the Lagos State University (LASU) Ojo, Professor Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, has lent her voice to the growing calls for gender equality between the male and female gender in the country and the world over.
She said that women would compete favourably with their male counterparts in any field of endeavour if given the right opportunity.
She made the call at an event organised by the institution’s Centre for Response and Prevention of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) to commemorate this year’s International Women’s Day with officials from the United Nations Population Fund (UNPFA) Nigeria in attendance. Read more
Mr Eazi wins Latin Grammy Award (Guardian)
Nigerian singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur, Oluwatosin Ajibade, popularly known as Mr Eazi, has made history by becoming the first Nigerian artiste to win a Latin Grammy Award.
A statement signed by the “Werser” crooner read that he received nominations in four categories at the 21st edition of the annual Latin Grammy awards.
Mr Eazi also received certificates for features on J Balvin and Bad Bunny Albums. Read more
INEC issues Certificate Of Return to Lagos Governor-elect, Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Channels)
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has issued a certificate of return to the Lagos State governor-elect, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, his running mate, and elected State Assembly members.
The INEC National Commissioner in charge of Lagos, Oyo and Ekiti states, Mr Sam Olumekun presented the certificate of return to the re-elected governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, his deputy Kadri Hamzat, the speaker of the State assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, and thirty-nine other members of the Assembly.
Mr Olumekun assured the people that INEC will continue to create the needed level playing field for all those that aspire to take part in any election in Nigeria. Read more
LAWMA to prosecute waste bin defaulters from June (Guardian)
The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has announced that it will start prosecuting waste bin defaulters from the 1st of June, 2023.
The LAWMA said this in a statement signed by its Managing Director/CEO, Ibrahim Odumboni on Thursday.
“The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), in fulfillment of its ministerial mandate on solid waste management in Lagos State, and in accordance with Section 83 of the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law, No. 10 vol. 50 2017, hereby expect that all tenements in Lagos State are to own appropriate waste bins, positioned in front of their properties,” Odumboni said. Read more
We didn’t order sit-at-home in Lagos, don’t know Ekpa – IPOB (Vanguard)
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has dissociated itself from the recent sit-at-home issued to the Igbo community in Lagos State by Simon Ekpa, the Finland-based supporter of Nnamdi Kanu.
Ekpa, on Tuesday, after some shops at the Balogun market in Lagos razed, announced that there would soon be a sit-at-home for Igbo traders in the state.
Reacting to the declaration, IPOB, through its media and publicity secretary, Emma Powerful, on Thursday, said it has nothing to do with the planned sit-at-home. Read more
Soludo laments poor state of IGR, as he inaugurates Anambra board of internal revenue (Tribune)
Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, has inaugurated the State Board of Internal Revenue.
The Board which is tasked with increasing the state’s internal generated revenue has Mr Richard Madiebo as its Chairman.
The Governor performed the function at Government Lodge, Amawbia, on Wednesday.
Executive Directors of the Board include Dr Greg Ugochukwu Ezeilo (Anambra South), Dr Christian Madubuko (Anambra North), Mr Benjamin Anierobi Okafor (Anambra Central). Read more
Kano Governor-elect pledges people-oriented govt, peaceful co-existence (ThisDay)
The Kano State Governor-elect, Mr. Abba Kabir Yusuf, in Kano pledged to embrace a people-oriented democracy that would focus on peaceful co-existence and prosperity of the state.
Yusuf disclosed this shortly after receiving his Certificate of Return alongside 26 members-elect of the House of Assembly from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Yusuf said: “We have what it takes to move Kano State to the next level through massive infrastructural development.
“Apart from that, he made it abundantly clear that his immediate family members will not interfere in the running of his administration of the state.” Read more
Gwyneth Paltrow not responsible for ski crash, jury finds in civil trial (CBS)
Gwyneth Paltrow was not responsible for a 2016 collision on a Utah ski slope, a jury ruled Thursday. Retired optometrist Terry Sanderson sued Paltrow over the crash and had been seeking “more than $300,000” in damages.
Paltrow countersued, seeking $1 in damages along with attorneys’ fees, which the jury awarded.
“I felt that acquiescing to a false claim compromised my integrity,” Paltrow said in a statement after the verdict was read. “I am pleased with the outcome and I appreciate all of the hard work of Judge Holmberg and the jury, and thank them for their thoughtfulness in handling this case.”
Russell Crowe reveals 16-month-old dog Louis ‘died in my arms’ after being hit by truck (People)
Russell Crowe is mourning the death of his puppy after the dog was fatally hit by a truck exactly two years after the star’s father died.
The Oscar-winning actor, 58, shared the heartbreaking loss on Twitter Thursday.
Posting an up-close image of the late pup, Crowe wrote, “This is Louis the Papillion. 16 months old. Tiny, cheeky, brave. He won my heart.” Read more
Flo Rida’s 6-year-old son in ICU after falling from a 5-story window (HipHopDX)
Flo Rida‘s six-year-old son is still in the Intensive Care Unit after falling from a five-story apartment building window earlier this month.
According to the Daily Voice, the mother of Zohar Dillard, Alexis Adams, filed a lawsuit against the Jersey City building’s management on Monday (March 27), claiming they were “negligent and careless and did not install size guards on the window” which led to the scary fall.
Zohar is a special needs child and reportedly has been diagnosed with autism and a brain condition called hydrocephalus. Read more
Jennifer Aniston says a ‘‘whole generation’’ now finds Friends offensive (CNN)
Jennifer Aniston is reportedly reflecting on “Friends” now feeling out of step with the times.
The actress was promoting her new Netflix film “Murder Mystery 2,” co-starring Adam Sandler, when the topic came up.
“Comedy has evolved, movies have evolved,” Aniston told AFP in Paris, according to Yahoo.
“Now it’s a little tricky because you have to be very careful, which makes it really hard for comedians, because the beauty of comedy is that we make fun of ourselves, make fun of life,” Aniston said. Read more
Nicolas Cage denies staying in character as Dracula during Renfield shoot (FilmNews)
Nicolas Cage has denied staying in character as Dracula while shooting Renfield.
In the upcoming horror-comedy, the Oscar-winning actor plays the legendary vampire alongside Nicholas Hoult as his long-suffering servant R. M. Renfield.
Director Chris McKay recently told Insider that Cage used the method acting approach on the set, and said “whatever scene we did he would still be 100 percent living in that attitude after we stopped shooting”. Read more
Scott Pilgrim Netflix anime series reunites film’s cast, from Michael Cera to Chris Evans (Variety)
The Netflix anime series based on the “Scott Pilgrim” graphic novels is bringing back the entire main cast of the film Scott Pilgrim vs.The World to voice their characters in the show.
The show, which was first reported as being in development at Netflix in January 2022, has officially been ordered to series. The returning cast members are:
Michael Cera (Scott Pilgrim), Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Ramona Flowers), Satya Bhabha (Matthew Patel), Kieran Culkin (Wallace Wells), Chris Evans (Lucas Lee), Anna Kendrick (Stacey Pilgrim), Brie Larson (Envy Adams), Alison Pill (Kim Pine), Aubrey Plaza (Julie Powers), Brandon Routh (Todd Ingram), Jason Schwartzman (Gideon Graves), Johnny Simmons (Young
Neil), Mark Webber (Stephen Stills), Mae Whitman (Roxie), and Ellen Wong (Knives Chau). Additional cast members will be announced at a later date. Read more
Video shows police knock out protester as tensions erupt in France (Newsweek)
Protesters clashed with police across France Tuesday as tensions remain high over French President Emmanuel Macron’s unpopular pension bill.
On March 16, Macron signed a bill that raised the national retirement age from 62 to 64, making the decision just moments before a vote on the measure was set to be held in the National Assembly. Many French citizens have been riled since, gathering in large protests across the nation that have typically involved violent clashes with police and fires in the streets.
On Tuesday, protests persisted after the French government rejected union leaders’ demands to suspend Macron’s retirement bill, according to a report from Reuters. Macron and his proponents have argued that raising the retirement age is imperative to save the pension system from bankruptcy. Read more
Omeruo relishes 60th Eagles cap (Punch)
Kenneth Omeruo is thrilled to have capped his 60th appearance for the Super Eagles with a win, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Omeruo led the Super Eagles to their third win under coach Jose Peseiro in the game against Guinea-Bissau in a 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Bissau feels elated to have accomplished that feat 10 years after he made his debut for the three-time African champions.
“Privileged to have played my 60th cap for the Super Eagles. All glory to God for the victory.
“I never thought I would even get one cap for Nigeria, let alone 100,” Omeruo said. Read more
NPFL: 3SC end winless run, Insurance, Enyimba held (Punch)
Coach Gbenga Ogunbote and 3SC can heave a sigh of relief after ending their four-game winless run in the 2022/23 Nigeria Professional Football League with a hard-fought 3-2 win over Plateau United in Ibadan on Wednesday, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The Oluyole Warriors have struggled to get results at home this season, and they found themselves behind after 29 minutes against their visitors in the match-day 11 encounter.
Samuel Ayanrinde, however, stepped up for Ogunbote’s side again, equalising before halftime, before putting them ahead minutes into the second half. Read more
African football supremos confirm dates for 2024 Africa Cup of Nations (RFI)
African football bosses on Thursday unveiled dates for the Africa Cup of Nations next year in Cote d’Ivoire.
The tournament – originally scheduled for the summer of 2023 but moved due to the rainy season in the country – will start on 13 January with the opening match at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Ebimpe, Abidjan.
The 24-team event will conclude with the final on 11 February. Read more
Julen Lopetegui encourages his Wolves players to embrace their relegation battle (DailyMail)
Wolves manager Julen Lopetegui has implored his players to look forward to their upcoming relegation fight, calling the challenge a ‘pleasure’ and the team ‘privileged’ to take part in the matches.
The club currently sits 13th in the Premier League table, but as the teams in the bottom half of the table are clustered so closely together, Wolves are only three points clear of 18th-placed West Ham.
The London side have two games in hand over Lopetegui’s players. Read more
Masi returns to F1 paddock but Hamilton ‘‘focused on the future’’ (F1i)
Lewis Hamilton says he has no plans to meet with former F1 race director Michael Masi who returned to the F1 paddock on Thursday in Melbourne.
Masi is present at Albert Park in his capacity as chairman of the V8 Supercars Commission, with the Aussie series figuring on F1’s support bill this weekend.
The former FIA race director left his role with F1 and the governing body in the wake of his management of Grand Prix racing’s season-finale in Abu Dhabi in 2021. Read more
Novak Djokovic gets good news for 2023 US Open and other tournaments in America (Tennis365)
Novak Djokovic’s path to compete at the US Open later this year has been cleared after the United States Senate voted to end the country’s Covid-19 emergency measures.
The 22-time Grand Slam winner has not set foot on American soil for an official tennis tournament since he lost in the 2021 US Open final against Daniil Medvedev.
Last year he was prevented from competing at the Sunshine Double – the Indian Wells Open and the Miami Open – and the August-September North American hard-court swing, which includes the US Open, as the United States adopted regulations that prevented foreign nationals from entering the country if they were not vaccinated against Covid-19. Read more