US court orders CSU to release Tinubu’s academic records to Atiku (Punch)
The United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois has ruled in favour of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, and ordered that the Chicago State University should release President Bola Tinubu’s academic record to the former vice president by Monday, October 2.
Judge Nancy Maldonado, in a copy of the judgment obtained by PUNCH on Sunday, noted that CSU raised no objection to Judge Jeffery Gilbert’s decision that the academic record be made public.
The court explained that any intrusion on Tinubu’s privacy interests in his educational records is outweighed by Atiku’s interest in the sought-after discovery. Read more
Independence: Soludo renames Anambra Cargo Airport after Chinua Achebe (Vanguard)
Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State, has renamed the state’s International Passenger and Cargo Airport after late Chinua Achebe, a novelist, to immortalise him for making an indelible mark on the history of human civilization.
Recall that Achebe a native of Ogidi in Idemili North Local Government Area of the state, died on March 21, 2013, at age 82, in Boston, Massachusetts.
Soludo said this on Sunday in Awka at the Independence Day parade, to mark Nigeria’s 63rd anniversary, describing Achebe as an example of Africa’s unsung hero. Read more
Gbajabiamila, ministers meet organised labour in Aso Rock (Channels)
To avert a nationwide strike on October 3, the Federal Government is meeting with organised labour at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
The meeting at the instance of the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, is being attended by some ministers.
Last Tuesday, the organised labour comprising the leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) announced their decision to commence an indefinite strike on October 3. Read more
Nigeria @ 63: It’s thumbs up for entertainment, creative industry (Sun)
As Nigeria celebrates its 63rd Independence Anniversary today, there is every cause for jubilation in the entertainment and creative industry.
Though, many hit makers of the ‘60s through the ’90s had fizzled out of the scene, the last couple of decades had witnessed the rise of young talented artistes who are making waves and keeping the flag flying all over the world.
Highlife was more or less Nigeria’s truly national musical genre in the ’60s/70s. Devoid of tribal, cultural and political colouration, the music was widely accepted among Nigerians of that era. It was on this note that a highlife band, Victor Olaiya’s All Stars had been invited to headline the state banquet held as part of the country’s independence celebration in 1960. Read more
Independence: Guard your utterances, cleric cautions Nigerians (DailyTrust)
Senior Pastor of Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church, Daki-Biyu District, Kubwa Branch, Abuja, Alex Ogundipe, has called on Nigerians to guard against utterances that are capable of causing crisis in the country.
Ogundipe made the appeal while speaking with journalists after the 18th Harvest Thanksgiving Service of the church, themed, ‘Higher Ground’.
He charged Nigerians, irrespective of region, religious and ethnic differences to work together for peace and justice in the country. Read more
Independence: Afenifere, NDC, NADECO others advocate change in Nigeria’s constitution (Vanguard)
To strengthen Nigeria’s democracy, the Coalition of Indigenous Ethnic Nationalities has stressed the need for “a drastic change” in the nation’s constitution.
In a statement signed by its chairman, Prof. Benjamin Okaba, the coalition stated that “one hundred and nine years after the amalgamation of diverse ethnic nationalities of various sizes, cultures, and aspirations and 63 years after independence, Nigeria is still unable to live together in harmony or accept a common national identity.”
Among the representatives are the Chairman of the Ijaw National Congress, Prof. Benjamin Okaba (Chairman); the Co-Chairman of the Southern Kaduna Leadership Council, Timothy Gandu; the Niger Delta Congress, Nubari Saatah (Secretary); the Afenifere Organisation, Dr. Akin Fapohunda; the Kwararafa People’s Assembly, Prof. Ejeikwu Oloja; the Voice of Reason in Yorubaland, Chief Owolabi Oladejo; and NADECO USA, Dr. Lloyd Ukwu, among others. Read more
Poverty Alleviation: Lagos begins update of social register (Leadership)
Following the plan by the Federal Government to take 15 million poor Nigerians out of the poverty level, Lagos State governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu yesterday said the state government would revalidate names of poor Lagosians on its social register.
The governor spoke when the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu paid him a courtesy visit at the Lagos House, Marina.
Governor Sanwo-Olu told the minister that the state already has close to one million homes on its register but would revalidate the list for more people to benefit from the FG’s plan. Read more
Wike downplays trending video of sacked MD of AUMTCO (ThisDay)
The Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike has reacted to the trending video on the social media showing the staff of Abuja Urban Mass Transport Company (AUMTCO) crying over the sack of the company’s Managing Director, Mr Najeeb Abdulsalam.
The minister told reporters over the weekend during an inspection tour of road projects in the Federal Capital City (FCC) that sentiments and emotions would not becloud his efforts to do the right thing in the interest of residents of the FCT and Nigerians at large.
Abdulsalam was among the 21 heads of parastatals, agencies, and companies of the FCT Administration that were sacked by the minister last week. Read more
Fagbemi distances FG from Emefiele’s N50b plea bargain (Guardian)
Justice Minister Lateef Fagbemi has distanced the Federal Government from the N50 billion planned non prosecution plea bargain with the embattled former Central Bank of Nigeria governor Godwin Emefiele.
This is contained in a statement signed by the Director of Information in the Federal Ministry of Justice Mrs Modupe Ogundoro on Sunday in Abuja.
Emefiele was reported to have entered a plea bargain with the government on condition of surrendering N50 billion to facilitate his early release from the custody of the Department of the State Service (DSS). Read more
Dame Helen Mirren speaks of ‘delicate balance’ in playing Golda Meir (BBC)
Oscar-winning actor Dame Helen Mirren has told the BBC there is a “very delicate balance” to playing people with a different heritage.
Mirren, 78, portrays former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir in her latest film – a role which has attracted some criticism because she is not Jewish.
She told Laura Kuenssberg on her Sunday programme she “can see” why some may be uncomfortable with the portrayal. Read more
LL Cool J reveals the sweet reason he lent his Kehinde Wiley portrait to the Smithsonian (People)
LL Cool J has already cemented his place in hip-hop history, but now he has brought that same legacy to the halls of the Smithsonian.
In an exclusive conversation ahead of the release of his book, The Streets Win: 50 Years of Hip Hop Greatness on Oct. 3, the Grammy Award-winning lyricist opens up about his decision to lend his sizable Kehinde Wiley portrait to the National Portrait Gallery in Washington D.C. — a move he says that he made for the sake of his family.
“I had a painting by Kehinde Wiley. It was done for me for the commission for the hip-hop honors,” LL Cool J, 55, shares with PEOPLE. “It was actually commissioned. Fab 5 Freddy set it up, and I purchased my painting. It’s this ginormous portrait of me.” Read more
Libya flights to Italy resume after nearly 10 years (AfricaNews)
Flights resumed between Libya and Italy on Saturday after a nearly decade-long suspension due to a ban by the European Union.
Twenty-five passengers boarded Saturday’s flight, operated by Libya-based Medsky Airways, which will offer a twice-weekly direct connection to the Italian capital, Rome.
The EU stopped flights operated by Libyan airlines and banned them from entering member states’ airspace in 2014, as the country was mired in intense fighting. Read more
Fierce clashes in Mali after “separatists kill 80” (BBC)
Fierce fighting has broken out in northern Mali with Tuareg rebels saying they have taken control of the town of Bamba from the army.
It comes after the separatist fighters said they had killed more than 80 soldiers in the centre of the country.
The government confirmed an army base in the Mopti region had been targeted on Thursday, but gave no details. Read more
Quincy Jones receives inaugural US State Department Peace through Music Award (AS)
Quincy Jones was the recipient of the inaugural Peace through Music Award. Part of a new Global Music Diplomacy Initiative between the Recording Academy and the U.S. State Department, the award honors an American music industry professional, artist, or group “that has played an invaluable role in cross-cultural exchanges and whose music work advances peace and mutual understanding globally,” according to the State Department.
The producer, songwriter, and composer was presented with the award during a special ceremony on Wednesday (September 28) held at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken—who is also a musician and has also released three singles on Spotify under the moniker ABlinken—and Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason, Jr. Read more
Netflix sued over axing of Rebel Moon video game contract (Deadline)
Netflix has been hit with a lawsuit for axing a game development contract based on Zack Snyder‘s widely anticipated “Rebel Moon” franchise
In a filing today in federal court, Evil Genius Games claims it was working hand-in-hand with the streamer to put together a tabletop role-playing game that was intended to be released in conjunction with the first “Rebel Moon” film, set for a Christmas release.
Then, after months of nothing but positive collaboration, it all came crashing down. Read more
HARDY and Lainey Wilson’s “Wait In The Truck” named music video of 2023 at People’s Choice Country Awards (AS)
HARDY and Lainey Wilson‘s weighty music video for “Wait In The Truck” has been dubbed the Music Video of 2023 at the People’s Choice Country Awards.
Both artists flexed their acting skills in the visual, acting out the song’s domestic abuse storyline with a marked tact. HARDY tapped Wilson to add in vocals for the female perspective in the song. I don’t know if he’s an angel / ‘Cause angels don’t do what he did / He was hellbent to find the man behind / All the whiskey scars I hid, she sings.
The inaugural People’s Choice Country is the latest in a long line of praise for the music video. HARDY and Wilson were both in attendance at the iconic Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville to accept the award. Read more
Iheanacho scores as Leicester thrash Blackburn to go top of Championship (Vanguard)
Leicester thrashed Blackburn 4-1 to return to the top of the Championship on Sunday.
In the first ever meeting between two former Premier League winners in the second tier, the Foxes comfortably made it eight wins from nine league games under Enzo Maresca.
Wout Faes gave the visitors an early lead, but they were soon pegged back by Rovers’ top scorer Sammie Szmodics. Read more
Nigeria not worth dying for, say special sports athletes (Punch)
A nation that fails to recognise and honour the labour of her heroes past stands to lose the vital link to a progressive future.
This is the unanimous view of some retired and active special athletes, including Paralympic Games medalists, who have voiced their annoyance at being neglected and treated poorly by successive governments despite winning more laurels and outclassing their able bodied counterparts at major continental and global championships.
For years, these para-athletes have shown exceptional resilience, determination and skill on both national and international stages, yet, they find themselves battling not only their disabilities, but survival. Read more
Aston Villa 6-1 Brighton: Watkins scores hat-trick as Villans embarrass woeful Seagulls (Football365)
Ollie Watkins scored a hat-trick and provided an assist as Aston Villa battered Brighton 6-1 in the Premier League.
Watkins netted a first-half brace and Pervis Estupinan put through his own net as Villa scored three goals in the space of 13 minutes before the interval to blow Brighton away.
Striker Watkins completed his hat-trick in the second half and set up substitute Jacob Ramsey for the home side’s fifth goal after Ansu Fati had briefly reduced the deficit before Douglas Luiz completed the scoring deep into added time. Read more
Jose Mourinho denies Chelsea and Man Utd problem is back (Mirror)
Former Manchester United and Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho does not believe he’s in danger of the ‘third season syndrome’ which plagued his spells with the two Premier League clubs
Mourinho’s second stint as Chelsea boss ended acrimoniously after he won the league in his second season but left with the club at risk of relegation midway through his third. It was a similar story at United, when a second-place finish in 2017-18 was followed by his dismissal just months into the following campaign.
The Portuguese boss won the Europa Conference League in his first season with current club Roma and reached the Europa League final in his second. A return of five points from six games this term has left him under pressure, but he brushed off suggestions a pattern has emerged. Read more
NPFL: Mizo hat-trick as goals rain flood Yenagoa (Punch)
Bayelsa United striker, Robert Mizo, stole the show on the opening day of the 2023/24 Nigeria Premier Football League, scoring a hat-trick in their thrilling 5-3 win over Akwa United at the Samson Siasia Stadium in Yenagoa on Saturday, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Mizo began from where he stopped last season by scoring two equalisers, before netting the winner in the 87th minute.
Akwa began the game on the front foot, taking the lead twice through Hadi Mohammed and Seyi Oguntayo, while Alex Jerry and Mizo levelled matters before halftime. Read more
Ex-F1 supremo Ecclestone labels Verstappen ‘‘the best ever’’ (RN365)
Max Verstappen is the “best ever” driver to race in Formula 1, believes the sport’s former boss Bernie Ecclestone.
Verstappen is en route to his third F1 title, which he can achieve at the Qatar Grand Prix next weekend.
The Dutchman has dominated the current campaign, winning 13 of the 16 races staged so far. Read more