Event
African Union mission urges return to ‘constitutional order’ in Chad
An African Union mission recommended on Wednesday that Chad’s military share power with a civilian president, as one of three options towards restoring constitutional order following last month’s killing of president Idriss Deby. A military council led by Deby’s son Mahamat Idriss Deby seized power in April after his father was killed while visiting troops opposing a rebel insurgency. The African Union, which could suspend Chad over the military takeover, sent a fact-finding mission to develop strategies for a return to constitutional order and democratic governance. In a report, the mission recommended the AU’s security council could support the military transition as it stands, while appointing a special envoy to ensure the military keep their promise to organise elections with 18 months...
Dua Lipa wins album of the year at Brit Awards
Dua Lipa won the coveted British Album of the Year prize at the Brit Awards on Tuesday, in a ceremony that saw female artists dominate the mixed categories. Around 4,000 guests streamed into London’s O2 Arena for the biggest night in British pop music, as the ceremony welcomed guests for the first time in two years as part of the government’s pilot scheme easing coronavirus restrictions. The Brit Awards have been criticised in the past for nominations seen as skewing heavily male, but this year almost all of the main prizes went to female artists. Little Mix won best British group — becoming the first female act ever to do so. Singer and poet Arlo Parks took the Breakthrough Artist award, and best international group went to the American band HAIM. In another history-making moment, Taylor ...
Minister charges para-athletics team to be worthy ambassadors
Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, has charged Nigerian Para-Athletics team to Notwil, Switzerland, to be worthy ambassadors of the country as they seek to qualify for the 2020 Paralympics taking place in Tokyo, Japan later in the year. The minister gave the charge when he bade farewell to the team for the qualifiers through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. He said: “Nigeria is solidly behind your bid for qualification for the Para-Athletics event in Notwil, Switzerland. There is no doubt about your abilities, which you have always proved over the years. You must be worthy ambassadors of our dear country by conducting yourselves well to attain the best standards for qualifiers. “Don’t be distracted; Nigerians are solidly behind you. You have always made ...
CBN governor seeks PPP model to improve healthcare infrastructure
Bloomberg The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has urged stakeholders in the public and private sectors to collaborate to build a more healthy and robust healthcare infrastructure in Nigeria. The CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, made the call at a movie launch titled: “UNMASKED”, a feature documentary on leadership, trust and the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria. The movie was produced and directed by Mr Femi Odugbemi, a Nigerian documentary filmmaker, and co-produced by Ms Kadaria Ahmed, a renowned journalist, media entrepreneur and television host, on Friday in Lagos. According to Emefiele, addressing the public health crisis along with the downturn in the economy required strong coordination. He said the measures and interventions put in place by the CBN and private sector to improve governme...
Manchester United could lose points against Liverpool after Old Trafford protests
Manchester United could face punishment from the FA and Premier League over protests at the stadium ahead of their game against Liverpool on Sunday. The league clash between the two historic rivals was postponed at the weekend, as fans protested outside Old Trafford pre-match and eventually made their way inside the stadium. The two sets of players did not leave their hotels for the stadium, and there is no clear date set for when the game will be held. According to the Daily Mirror, the FA’s rulebook in section 8.3.4 states if United are at fault for the game not happening, Liverpool are awarded the result and three points. It reads: “In the event of a match being abandoned due to the conduct of one Club or its members or supporters the Board has the power to order that the match is not r...
Oyo governor unveils agriculture electronic centre in Ibadan
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has inaugurated Africa’s first agricultural electronic centre, an innovation provided by Farm Konnect Agribusiness Nigeria Plc in Ibadan. A lot of dignitaries in and outside the state were in attendance at the epoch event, which took place at the Basorun area of Ibadan. Amongst the dignitaries include the Oyo State Chief of Staff, Chief Bisi Ilaka, the Director-General Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency, Dr Debo Akande, Ekiti State Commissioner for Agriculture, and his Osun State counterpart, the representatives of the federal government, bank officials, investors and others. Speaking at the event, Governor Makinde commended FarmKonnect for bringing such an innovation that will change the face of agriculture in the country and Africa as a whole to ...
Report: Nigerian politicians own 800 assets worth $400 million in London, Dubai
File Photo An Associate Fellow of Chatham House, London, Mr. Matthew Page, said yesterday that 800 property worth $400 million and owned by Politically Exposed Persons (PEP) in Nigeria were located in London and Dubai. The revelation is coming as the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Prof. Bolaji Owasanonye, said it dragged about 2,000 corporate entities into the country’s tax net. A statement issued by ICPC said Page made the disclosure in his paper presentation titled: “IFFs through the Real Estate and Education Sectors: Implications for Investigators,” at an event organised by the agency in Abuja. He urged the investigators of the ICPC to pay attention to real estate and education sectors-linked illicit financial flows. He noted ...
U.S. pledges sustained help for India in tackling coronavirus crisis
Senior U.S. officials on Tuesday pledged sustained support for India in helping it deal with the world’s worst current surge of COVID-19 infections, warning the country is still at the “front end” of the crisis and overcoming it will take some time. The White House’s National Security Council coordinator for the Indo-Pacific, Kurt Campbell, told a virtual event on the U.S. assistance that President Joe Biden had told Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a phone call on Monday: “You let me know what you need and we will do it.” Campbell said at the event, organized by the U.S.-India Business Council and U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, that Washington was committed to helping the world’s second most populous country get to grips with the crisis. “We all have to realize that this is no...
Samuel Chukwueze: Why I enjoy playing under Unai Emery
Super Eagles winger Samuel Chukwueze has revealed why he enjoys playing under Villarreal manager Unai Emery. Speaking at an event for LiveScore, Chukwueze described Emery as a tactical coach with an amazing football brain. “I enjoy playing under Unai Emery. He’s amazing, and so tactical in everything he does. He can push you to the limit, but he’s a fantastic coach. “He has an amazing football brain. He’s amazed me, how I’ve seen him change things from game to game. Sometimes when I watch him from the bench, I’ve looked at him and noticed changes he makes which work for him that are great to see. He’s so good at his job and he’s a fantastic coach.” On how his game has changed since he moved to Europe, Chukwueze said:”I think it’s changed so much, coming from Nigeria to come and play in Eur...
Senator Tinubu: Terrible people want to break Nigeria’s appointment with destiny
All Progressives Congress chieftain, Bola Tinubu, says terrible people and strong forces want to break Nigeria’s appointment with its greater destiny by attacking “agricultural players” in the country, thereby creating food scarcity. He spoke on Saturday on the occasion of the 23rd to 25th convocation ceremonies of the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, the Benue State capital. Tinubu was also awarded a honorary doctorate at the event by the university Senate and Governing Council. The former Lagos State governor said, “We approach a defining moment as a nation. A reckoning of special importance beckons. We must decide whether to give the truest meaning to our national motto “peace and unity” or we allow the agents of destruction and merchants of violence to have their way with us...
Anambra CP charges officers to protect themselves, resist further attacks
The Commissioner of Police in Anambra, Monday Kuryas, has charged the personnel to protect themselves against attacks by hoodlums as well as reclaim police facilities from them. Kurya gave the directive in a lecture held for the police management team, Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers and Heads of Police Tactical Operational Units in the command. This was contained in a statement by the command’s Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, which was made available to newsmen in Awka on Saturday. The statement noted that Kuryas charged the officers to be undeterred by the attacks by gunmen and resist such attacks on security personnel and infrastructure in the command. “The CP charged the officers to be undeterred by the recent unfortunate incidents of attacks on person...
Nigerian government virtually inaugurates seven digital economy projects in five zones
The Federal Government on Friday in Abuja virtually inaugurated seven Information Technology (IT) projects located in five geo-political zones of the country. The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami, said at the event that they were part of efforts to consolidate on implementing the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS). Pantami said that the projects were in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s key agenda, which included economic development, security and fight against corruption. Newsmen report that the projects were actualised by parastatal agencies under the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy. The projects commissioned included a Community ICT Centre in Dutse, Jigawa, for North West; an IT Hub at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University,...
