Suspense over Emefiele’s whereabouts (Nation)
The whereabouts of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor are still a subject of suspense.
News filtered in the CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele had slipped into the country unannounced.
No CBN official agreed to confirm or deny the news but a top official of the bank said: “He is not in the office now and we cannot speak on that now”.
Another official simply said: “If he was on leave is it not right for him to come back?”
There are strong indications that he is in the country from the responses of CBN officials. Read more
Don’t vote sick man, Obi urges Nigerians (Punch)
The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has advised Nigerians not to hand over the mandate of governing a sick country like Nigeria to a sick man.
Obi stated this at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in continuation of his nationwide campaigns ahead of the February 25 presidential election.
“This country is sick and should not be handed over to a sick person. I am not saying that anyone is sick. We have been here for over two hours, we don’t want people who can’t stand for 30 minutes,” Obi said in an interactive session with the varsity’s Business School.
He identified character and trust as two cardinal attributes to look out for in the recruitment of leaders to pilot the affairs of the nation for the next four years. Read more
Doyin Okupe released after DSS arrest in Lagos (Guardian)
The Department of State Services (DSS) on Thursday morning arrested Doyin Okupe at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos.
Okupe, a chieftain of the Labour Party (LP), was billed to fly to London via Virgin Atlantic before he was apprehended by DSS personnel.
DSS spokesman, Peter Afunanya in a statement said Okupe was intercepted at the instance of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Okupe, a former presidential aide, later confirmed his arrest at the Lagos airport and release. Read more
Lagos forex trader in court over N221m theft (Punch)
The police have arraigned a forex trader, Temitope Badmus, for allegedly stealing N221.6m from six investors.
Our correspondent gathered that the 36-year-old allegedly collected the money from the complainants on the pretext of trading with it on a Forex Online trading platform.
Badmus was arraigned before Magistrate A.O. Salawu on six counts of stealing.
The prosecutor, Godwin Oriabure, who held briefs for the prosecution counsel, J. Ebosereme, said the offences contravened Section 280 and were punishable under Section 287 (9) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2015. Read more
Apapa Customs generates N1.022t in 2022 (Tribune)
The Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Thursday said that it generated over N1.022 trillion from Apapa port and seized 157 containers of tramadol and other illicit drugs worth N14.4 billion in 2022.
The command also said it arrested about 60 suspects in connection with various contraband during the year under review.
Addressing newsmen in Lagos on Thursday, the Customs Area Controller of the Command, Malanta Ibrahim Yusuf said that the revenue collected by the command was 16.07 per cent higher than the N870,388 billion collected in 2021.
According to him, “From the second quarter of 2022, the industry experienced a backdrop in trade, occasioned by fluctuation in exchange rate and a sharp drop in the purchasing power by the consumers which made trade unpredictable.
Fashola, Adesina to speak at Eko Boys’ 110th founders’ day memorial lecture (ThisDay)
The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola and the Senior Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media, Femi Adesina are scheduled to speak at the Eko Boys High School (EBHS) 110th Founders’ Day Memorial Lecture.
The lecture is to be held at the school campus, Labinjo Street, Mushin, Lagos on Friday 13th January 2023.
A statement from the Eko Boys High School Old Boys Association (EKOBA) signed by the National Public Relations Officer, Temitope Oluwabiyi disclosed that the Memorial Lecture is one in the series of activities lined up to mark the 110th anniversary of the school founded by the Late Revd. William Euba on 13th January 1913.
The school was the first non-denominational, private secondary school in Nigeria. Read more
Let’s take back Nigeria from failed leaders — Peter Okoye (Vanguard)
Nigerian singer, Peter Okoye of the P-Square group has urged Nigerians to oust failed politicians and retake the nation.
The 41-year-old made this known on his Twitter page on Wednesday.
He stated that the aforesaid politicians don’t have regard for Nigerians.
He exhorted Nigerians to obtain their PVC to ensure that they are able to retire them and take back the country. Read more
NMA: Abia doctors hungry, owed 24 months’ salary (DailyTrust)
The Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Abia State chapter, Dr Isaiah Abali, has disclosed that the Abia State Government is owing doctors in the state 24 months’ salary arrears.
He disclosed this on Thursday morning while speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.
Abali, who disclosed that doctors in the state were hungry, said rather than pay up these salary arrears, the state government had asked the doctors to generate funds to pay the outstanding salaries.
However, the state government has denied owing the doctors any salary arrears, claiming the doctors were rather the ones owing the state government 34 months’ salaries they had not worked for. Read more
Roberta Flack’s first piano came from a junkyard – 5 Grammys would follow (NPR)
At 85, Roberta Flack is still telling stories. For some five decades, Flack captivated audiences around the world with her soulful, intimate voice. She won five Grammys, including a lifetime achievement award, and inspired generations of musicians including Lauryn Hill and Alicia Keys. But the musician can no longer sing or speak; in November, she announced she has ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), a neurological disease.
Recently, Flack teamed up with writer Tonya Bolden and illustrator Hayden Goodman to publish a book for children: The Green Piano: How Little Me Found Music.
Green might not have been her colour of choice, according to her longtime manager, but nine-year-old Roberta was thrilled with her first piano. She’d been dreaming of having one of her very own since she was four.
“Dreamed of my own piano when I tap-tap-tapped out tunes on tabletops, windowsills.” Read more
Hit show “Abbott Elementary” renewed for season 3 (HuffPost)
Keep ringing the bell at Abbott Elementary. The celebrated ABC workplace sitcom, created by and starring Quinta Brunson, has been renewed for a third season, network President Craig Erwich told reporters Wednesday at the Television Critics Association’s winter press tour.
The announcement was preceded by a humorous pre-recorded message from actor Lisa Ann Walter as one of the show’s characters, veteran teacher Melissa Schemmenti, interrupting Erwich.
“Is this thing on?” she said in the recording.
“I heard there was this gathering of important people. So what, I don’t get an invite? Unbelievable!” she quipped before announcing the show’s renewal as “the reigning Abbott read-a-thon champion.” Read more
Steve Guttenberg returns after break to care for ailing father (People)
Steve Guttenberg’s coy, charming smile fades as his eyes well with tears when he begins to talk about his father. Over the past five years, the actor was a devoted caregiver until his dad died last summer at the age of 89.
For the ’80s icon — who became a household name thanks to such classics as Police Academy, Short Circuit, Cocoon and Three Men and a Baby — the topic remains a raw nerve; the elder Guttenberg, Stanley Jerome, was his son’s hero.
As he explains to PEOPLE, there was no second thought when the actor largely stepped away from Hollywood to focus on his father’s complex health needs related to kidney failure.
“He was an extraordinary guy,” says the 64-year-old TV, film and theater actor, who, along with his sister, became a trained dialysis technician, so his father did not have to leave the house for his daily treatments. The elder Guttenberg was as tough (a former U.S. Army Ranger and police officer) as he was tender, his son says. Read more
Charlotte Wells’ Aftersun dominates Toronto Film Critics Association Awards (THR)
Charlotte Wells’ father-and-child drama Aftersun has dominated the Toronto Film Critics Association Awards by earning four trophies, including best picture and best director.
Wells’ debut feature about a young Scottish father on summer holiday with his tween daughter also earned star Paul Mescal the best actor crown, while Wells nabbed the best first feature prize. Aftersun became a breakout hit in Cannes, where it was nabbed by A24 and Mubi.
In the acting categories, Toronto critics also named Cate Blanchett best actress for her titular role in Tár. The Todd Field drama starring Blanchett as a German conductor in a downward spiral has already picked up a slew of best picture and actress trophies, including from the New York Film Critics Circle and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association.
In addition, Keke Palmer won best supporting actress for her performance in Nope, and Ke Huy Quan continued his awards-season momentum with a best supporting actor trophy for Everything Everywhere All at Once. Read more
Bill Gates says the metaverse isn’t “revolutionary” but thinks AI will be (NME)
Bill Gates has said that he doesn’t think the metaverse has been “revolutionary” in the way he claims AI will be, and revealed that his code hasn’t been shipped with a Microsoft product since 1985.
The Microsoft founder’s comments were made during a Reddit Q&A yesterday (January 11), where he fielded questions ranging from his favourite band (U2) to climate change.
Responding to one question, which asked if there was any “mammoth technology shift” akin to the Internet on the horizon, Gates answered that AI fits that bill.
“AI is the big one,” shared Gates, who added that he doesn’t “think Web3 was that big or that metaverse stuff alone was revolutionary but AI is quite revolutionary.” Read more
Russia’s Putin lays into minister Manturov for ”fooling around” (BBC)
Russian President Vladimir Putin lost his cool during his government’s first meeting of 2023, publicly telling off the trade and industry minister.
For several minutes he accused Denis Manturov of bureaucratic delays in ordering civilian and military planes.
“Too long, it is taking too long,” said the Russian leader, who has never been one to hold back in criticising top officials in public.
“What are you fooling around for? When will the contracts be signed?”
The government’s first meeting came on the same day that President Putin replaced his top commander in Ukraine after just three months in charge. Read more
Dr. Dre selling music assets for $200m (MusicNews)
Dr. Dre is close to selling his music assets for $200 million (£164 million).
The hip-hop and tech mogul’s master recordings for his 1992 debut album ‘The Chronic’, which he’s reclaiming ownership of from Death Row Entertainment in August, will be acquired by Universal Music Group as part of the multi-million-dollar deal.
The deal with UMG will also include Dre’s share in Kendrick Lamar’s music in Top Dawg Entertainment’s deal with UMG subsidiary Interscope, Billboard reports.
As well as selling to Universal, the CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics is passing his artist royalties from his two first solo albums to Shamrock Capital, along with his producer royalties and songwriting shares of the tracks where he’s not the owner of the publishing, and N.W.A. artist royalties. Read more
Man City League Cup defeat was ‘wake-up call’, says Gundogan (Guardian)
Manchester City captain Ilkay Gundogan said his side’s shock League Cup exit at struggling Southampton was a “wake-up call” as they try to hunt down Premier League leaders Arsenal.
City failed to produce an attempt on target at St Mary’s on Wednesday as they slipped to a 2-0 quarter-final defeat, courtesy of goals from Sekou Mara and Moussa Djenepo.
Not even the second-half introductions of substitutes Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland could spark a fightback for the visitors, who have won the competition eight times.
The Premier League champions return to action against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday and Gundogan said there was no margin for error. Read more
2022/2023 NPFL: Kwara United seeks support, prayers as team begins campaign (Sun)
Kwara United Football Club has called for support and prayers from all stakeholders, ahead of its campaign in the 2022/2023 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season.
The club will begin with a match against Gombe United at the Adamasingba Stadium in Ibadan on Sunday.
The club Chairman, Kumbi Titiloye, told newsmen on Wednesday in Ilorin that despite the preparations and sacrifices, the support of the government and stakeholders, as well as their prayers is important in seeing the team through the challenges in the season, especially as the team will be playing the larger part of its matches this season away from home.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the artificial grass of the main bowl of its traditional venue, Kwara State Stadium Complex, has been removed, and the process of having natural grass on the pitch is on, and will only be ready in a few weeks to come. Read more
Richard Rufus: Ex-Premier League star jailed over £15m fraud (BBC)
A former Premier League defender has been jailed for defrauding friends, family and associates out of £15m in a pyramid scheme.
Ex-Charlton Athletic player Richard Rufus was found guilty of fraud, money laundering and carrying out a regulated activity without authorisation.
Prosecutors said he had claimed he was a foreign exchange trader, convincing victims to invest in a low-risk scheme.
Rufus, 47, was jailed for seven-and-a-half years at Southwark Crown Court. Read more
Arsenal hit with 2nd FA charge in a week for player conduct in win over Oxford (Mirror)
Arsenal have been charged by the Football Association for the second time in just six days following their FA Cup win over Oxford.
The charge relates to a handball appeal after Eddie Nketiah’s shot was blocked inside the penalty area by Oxford defender Elliott Moore. The strike appeared to make contact with the 25-year-old’s arm, prompting shouts from Arsenal players and fans.
As the cup tie was played at the League One club’s Kassam Stadium, there was no VAR in use for the match officials to refer to, prompting referee David Coote to ignore the calls for a penalty and simply wave play on.
A statement from the FA published on Thursday read: “Regulation and Discipline update: Arsenal FC has been charged with breaching FA Rule E20.1 during its tie against Oxford United FC in The FA Cup on Monday 9 January 2023. Read more
Ryder Cup captain Donald looks for grit in Hero Cup (RFI)
Luke Donald, the European Ryder Cup captain, is confident that a team tournament such as this week’s Hero Cup will help his players, still smarting under the heavy defeat to the United States in 2021.
A young American side, led by Steve Stricker, won by a thumping margin of 19-9 at Whistling Straits for only their third victory in the last 10 tournaments.
The USA will defend the title in Rome, Italy, from 29 September to 1 October.
Responding to a request by Ryder Cup players, the European Tour has reintroduced a team match play tournament in the schedule. Read more
Tim Henman lifts lid on private messages with Emma Raducanu in race to be fit for Aus Open (Express)
Tim Henman revealed that Emma Raducanu has been privately messaging him in her race to recover in time for the upcoming Australian Open after injuring her ankle. Speaking exclusively to Express Sport, the retired former British pro said that the 20-year-old was doing everything she could to be close to her top level of fitness with the first Grand Slam of the season just four days away.
Raducanu is in a race against time to recover for the Australian Open after turning her ankle during her second-round match in Auckland last week. The world No 75 spent the off-season working on her fitness after suffering several injury setbacks last year and appeared physically stronger already in her opening match but rolled her ankle when her round two clash with Viktoria Kuzmova was moved indoors due to rain.
The 20-year-old has since travelled to Melbourne to continue practising and try to recover in time for the tournament’s start on Monday, and Henman has now disclosed that he has been communicating with Raducanu about the setback. “I’ve had a few messages with her and she’s trying incredibly hard to be as close as she can to her peak fitness,” the former British No 1 said, speaking ahead of the Australian Open, which is live and exclusive on discovery+ and Eurosport. Read more