Olaolu Akeredolu-Ale popularly known as Olaolu Slawn has designed the English FA Cup trophy to be displayed on the 2024 final between Manchester City and Manchester United at the Wembley on Saturday.
Here are some things to know about Olaolu Slawn:
1. Born in Lagos, Nigeria on 24 October, 2000, Olaolu Slawn is a British-Nigerian designer and artist.
2. Most of his works include spray paint, large-scale pop art canvases, graffiti, caricatures and murals.
3. The 23-year-old became the youngest person to design the Britannia statuette for the annual BRIT awards in 2023.
4. In his late-teens, Slawn worked at Wafflesncream, Nigeria’s first skate shop, where he met his friends Leo and Onyedi at the shop, and the trio created artwork, skate together, and made films.
5. Slawn and his friends eventually created an apparel group named Motherlan, and their brand gained popularity in Nigeria and received recognition from Virgil Abloh.
6. In 2018, Slawn moved to London and enrolled at Middlesex University to study graphic design in 2019.
7. During the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, he began to paint, and would hand his artwork to people at parties and established a social media presence for his artwork.
8. He had his debut exhibition in September 2021 at Truman Brewery on Brick Lane.
9. In 2022, Skepta debuted his first painting on a collection for Sotheby’s auction organised by Slawn for charity.
10. Slawn was the statuette and set designer for the 2023 Brit Awards.
11. On May 22, 2023, Slawn opened BeauBeau’s Cafe, a family-run restaurant in East London that is named after his son.
A former National Vice Chairman, Northwest, of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Moh. Lukman, has blasted his party for dashing the hopes of Nigerians in the last nine years.
In a statement on Tuesday, while restating his membership of the party, Lukman said the worst part of the situation is that “we have elected governments, virtually at all levels, performing worse than military rulers.”
He noted that 25 years after the advent of democracy in 1999, the welfare condition of Nigerians is unarguably worse, while unemployment and poverty indices have increased.
His words, “Poor management of national resources has continued so much so that crisis of insecurity and threat to human lives is the new normal.
“The worst part of it is that we have elected governments, virtually at all levels, performing worse than military rulers. Although theories of democracy and politics have unquestionably proven that elected leaders will be more accountable, 25 years of democratic rule in Nigeria is yet to produce leaders that are predisposed to accommodating the interests of citizens.
“Instead, we keep moving almost in the opposite direction to whatever could be estimated as the interest of Nigerians, no matter how narrowly defined.
“Is it that Nigeria’s democracy is yet to open the expected opportunity? Or is it that the majority of Nigerians are unable to ‘positively grab’ the opportunity, which democracy presents? What is the opportunity, which democracy presents?
“These are fundamental questions, which we must interrogate to be able to come to terms with our Nigerian reality and perhaps develop creative initiatives on how to exercise the freedoms that come with democracy based on which the opportunities it presents can be ‘positively grabbed’ in order to achieve the desired effect of resolving our national challenges.
“First, while interrogating this issue, I want to affirm my membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and recognize that the last nine years have disappointingly dashed the expectations of Nigerians.
“I make this admission as someone who is committed to progressive politics based on the conviction that the first thing that qualifies anyone to be a progressive is the capacity to recognize challenges based on a correct assessment of realities.
“A correct assessment of reality is about honest criticisms and taking responsibility. It is not about rationalizing choices or denial of challenges and realities,” he added.
According to him, being a party founded with the vision of becoming a progressive party, it has crashed below whatever a political party represents, not to mention being progressive.
“As it is today, its leadership doesn’t obey its own constitution, it doesn’t hold meetings, and it is accountable to no one. Since 2015, when the party was elected as a ruling party, with former President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated as president of the Federal Republic, the manifesto of the party has been virtually abandoned, and leaders of the party have little or no say in the management of governments it produced at all levels.
“Processes of appointments into government and policy decisions have been made the prerogative of the president at the national level and governors at state levels.
“Like under military rule, when citizens were reduced to distant observers, under the APC, party leaders and members have also become distant observers,” he said.
Names have been mentioned regarding the manager likely to replace Mauricio Pochettino at Chelsea.
DAILY POST reported on Tuesday that the Argentine gaffer left the Blues on mutual consent.
Chelsea witnessed a significant improvement towards the end of the season, finishing sixth in the Premier League table.
But the former PSG and Tottenham boss could not stay any longer at Stamford Bridge, as he is reportedly at loggerheads with the club’s owners.
Football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reported that the Blues are looking for a dynamic manager.
He said that several candidates are being discussed internally with owners and directors involved.
“Thomas Frank is among the names mentioned internally; also Kieran McKenna but still all open. Seb Hoeneß, highly rated but fully focused on Stuttgart,” he said.
The Naira appreciated further against the dollar at the foreign exchange market amid the Central Bank of Nigeria interest rate hike to tackle inflation.
FMDQ data showed that the Naira gained marginally to N1465.68 per dollar on Tuesday from N1468.99 traded on Monday.
This represents a marginal N3.31 gain against the dollar compared to N1468.99 traded the previous day.
Similarly, at the parallel market section, the Naira appreciated to N1460 per dollar on Tuesday from N1465 on Monday.
This is the third consecutive gain for the Naira against the Dollar since Friday last week.
This development comes as CBN raised Nigeria’s interest rate to 26.25 per cent from 24.75 per cent in March 2024 at the just-concluded Monetary Policy Committee meeting.
The apex bank governor, Olayemi Cardoso, said the committee arrived at the stance to tackle Nigeria’s rising inflation, which rose to 33.69 per cent in April.
A talented Nigerian artiste, Olaolu Akeredolu-Ale, has designed the 2024 Emirates FA Cup trophy which final comes up this Saturday.
The 23-year-old British-Nigerian, popularly known as Olaolu Slawn was approached by the English Football Association to design a one-off special trophy after BRIT awards.
He designed the trophy alongside Thomas Lyte.
This was first disclosed by @whatsonshuffle via X writing, “After previous endeavors with the BRITs Awards, Slawn has been commissioned to create the design for the 2024 FA Cup Trophy.”
Olaolu Slawn’s video of the making of the FA Cup trophy was also posted.
Confirming the project on Monday via his Instagram handle, the Lagos-born designer wrote, “Biggest thing I’ve done yet. My tribute to the FA Cup trophy. Slawn and @ThomasLyte. Thank you @EmiratesFACup. Amen.”
The Emirates FA Cup reacted, “Can’t wait to see your tribute unveiled on Monday.”
Most of Slawn’s works include spray paint, large-scale pop art canvases, graffiti, caricatures and murals.
In 2023, he became the youngest person to design the Britannia statuette for the annual BRIT awards.
His latest work, the FA Cup trophy would be lifted by either side of the Manchester clubs in a derby final at Wembley Stadium, on Saturday, May 25, 2024.
first black UK consultant in kidney treatment
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester were crowned the EPL Champions of Saturday, and look forward to getting a better chance of their bitter rivals to do double.
Manchester United, managed by Dutch Erik ten Hag, are desirous of the England’s oldest cup to wrap up the season with a silverware and book a place for Europa League next season.
Mauricio Pochettino has left Chelsea by mutual consent after meeting with sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart, and co-controlling owner Behdad Eghbali over the course of two days.
LEADERSHIP can reveal that Pochettino agreed to his departure with Chelsea late on Tuesday morning, following the club’s end-of-season review that started on Monday.
There is no any bad blood between Pochettino and Chelsea, who will immediately start their search for a replacement with a young and progressive coach to be targeted.
Among the names likely to be considered will be Stuttgart’s Sebastian Hoeness, Girona’s Michel, Ipswich Town’s Kieran McKenna, who has been lined up by Brighton, and Leicester City’s Enzo Maresca.
Pochettino had met co-controlling owner Todd Boehly for dinner last Friday night, before, on Monday and Tuesday, spending several hours with Winstanley and Stewart, and meeting with Eghbali.
It means Pochettino leaves Chelsea after one year of the two-year contract he signed last summer and is in line to pocket a significant compensation fee.
The departure of Pochettino, which has been described as being ‘amicable’, makes him the third permanent head coach to lose his job under the Clearlake Capital-Boehly ownership after Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter.
Bruno Saltor managed Chelsea for one game last season, before Frank Lampard took interim charge, meaning a total of five managers have worked under Chelsea’s current owners in two years.
A run of five successive wins at the end of this season clinched European qualification for Chelsea under Pochettino, who also took the club to the final of the Carabao Cup and the semi-final of the FA Cup.
The Argentine has left with his head held high and his reputation intact. But, in the view of key figures at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea’s season, viewed as a whole, fell short of pre-season expectations and raised issues such as the crippling injury list.
[Leadership]
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) says it is working to identify leakages and tighten surveillance on financial technology (fintech) companies.
Olayemi Cardoso, CBN’s governor, spoke on Tuesday during the press briefing of the 295th monetary policy committee (MPC) meeting in Abuja.
The governor said fintechs have made positive impact both in Nigeria and the world but regulation is crucial to prevent illicit financial flows within the system.
He said the bank is working with law enforcement agencies to help identify the potential leakages and tighten its regulation on the sector.
“We are very proud of what the fintechs over the years have been able to do for the country and the positive impact that it is having not just in the country but worldwide globally,” Cardoso said.
“However, regulation is very critical in a sector that seems to have grown so incredibly rapidly.
“More recently, we had cause to take a deep dive look at the whole issue of illicit flows and money laundering, particularly within the more heavy regulated banking system and we all know some of the issues that came out with crypto and some of the messages that we put out after that, which of course, gave us some cause to know that there was need for heightened surveillance.
“We are very happy that we have been able to have a very major handshake with the law enforcement agencies which have helped to, in no small measure for us, identify where the potential leakages are and the places where we need to tighten on our regulation and our surveillance.
“For that reason, we will consent with respect to how we saw the issue of anti-money laundering and illicit flows as it made their way within various sub sectors of the financial industry and we felt there was a need for us to take a breather and see how we could work with the different players to strengthen regulations, not by any means to throw them out of business.”
‘WE HAVE NOT REVOKED LICENCE OF ANY FINTECH’
Cardoso said the bank has not revoked the licence of any fintech.
He, however, said there are measures being put in place to strengthen them to benefit the public.
“Let me say something here, who benefits from this and who loses from it? If we get it wrong, the public loses from it, if we get it right, the public benefits from it,” he said.
“It is our intention to ensure that our system is one that will benefit the general public and it is for that reason that we have sat down, and we have tried to bring out remedial measures that will help that sector to tighten up on onboarding and even existing clientele base.”
Cardoso expressed confidence that within the next few months, these issues will be a thing of the past as the fintech industry will be back with a robust regulatory framework.
[TheCable]
A popular pastor, Stanley Ogbonna based in Abuja has thrown his wife, Chioma and six children out of his hous.
According to Punch, Ogbonna, a General Overseer of the God’s Spring Assembly, also known as Glass Church, Kubwa, Abuja, was said to be in an unsettling relationship with his wife, which led to their divorce.
He was accused of telling the court he had sold his properties to prevent the embattled wife from having a share of his wealth.
In a clip that went viral on social media platforms on Tuesday, Chioma was seen accusing the pastor of infidelity and domestic abuse, among others.
She narrated how she had suffered with the pastor for over 18 to 19 years with six children and how the husband had packed his properties out of the house while sleeping around with different women.
She said, “See him, God will help me. This is a pastor. Look at him. This is the pastor, Stanley Ogbonna. He called the police and evicted me and the children out of the house.
“Look at me, look at my properties all outside unannounced. We were in the house this afternoon; he just came to the house with the police and threw my things away. He already packed his things out of the house for years, sleeping around.
“Today, he has come to disgrace me after labouring with him for 18 years, 19 years. See what the General Overseer of God’s Wing Assembly, Glass Church, Kubwa, is doing. I’m his wife, who laboured with him for 19 years.
“The world needs to come into this and give me justice for suffering me for all these years after giving him six children. His last child is a four-year-old.
“Look at me outside and my properties. He feels nobody will speak for me. Jehovah will speak for me,” Chioma added.
Efforts to reach the pastor and the church to discuss the wife’s allegation proved abortive. The church’s inquiry number was unreachable, and the mail sent has not been replied to as of the time of filing this report.
On April 18, the church held a programme titled “Happy Birthday in perfect grace” to celebrate Ogbonna’s birthday.
Media
Davido has made a revelation during a courtesy visit to the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio.
He revealed that he spends N400m on orphanages annually.
Welcoming his guest on Monday, Akpabio expressed his delight at the visit and showered encomiums on the Afrobeat star for making Nigeria proud with his outstanding performances.
“You have made us very proud within the International Community,” Akpabio told Davido, who came in the company of two of his cousins, Tunji Adeleke, son of his late uncle, Senator, Isiaka Adeleke, and Folasade Adeleke, daughter of Osun State governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, among others.
The Senate President told his guests that, “we will do everything possible to support the entertainment industry.”
He, however, charged them to continue to maintain high ethics and resist peer influence that could derail them.
Akpabio said: “For me and the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, it is an inclusive administration, and you must have noticed in my various outings, that we move as one, across party lines.
“Even though your administration is a PDP one we work across party lines for the interest of Nigeria. The only major thing that is common to all of us is the interest of this country and it is a country that has given you so much love.
“It is a country with a population that is unmatched anywhere else in Africa. Over 240 million Nigerians. So I want you to continue to remain a great Ambassador of our country. Don’t allow anybody to drag you into politics. Continue to do your best in the entertainment industry.”
Akpabio continued, “For us in the political arena, we value talents and what God has given to you, nobody can take it away from you. We do everything possible to support the industry. To support talented people like you. All we need also is patience and prayers so that we can succeed.
“Please do your best to continue to maintain the high ethics. What is happening in America with some of the black stars is quite unfortunate. For most of you in the industry, don’t allow peer group influence to derail you. Continue to do your best.
“The entertainment industry is like a pyramid. You start from the ground until you get there. When you are on top, your own is how to remain there. So anybody who walks on a tightrope must learn how to do the balancing act. And so, your job is to remain there.”
He added, “Our prayer is that God should sustain you there and continue to give you more wisdom and more talent for you to continue to make Nigeria proud. We are very proud of you.”
Speaking earlier, Davido informed the Senate President of his Foundation, which primarily offers assistance to the orphanages and also of his new album to be released in June or July.
In their discussion, Davido highlighted the importance of private sector contributions to social welfare, noting that government efforts alone are not sufficient to address the needs of orphaned and abandoned children.
He explained that his annual expenditure on orphanages covers various necessities, including food, clothing, education, and medical care, ensuring that the children receive holistic support.
“As for me, I’m doing my part. I have a Foundation. Every year, I share N300million, N400million to orphanages. Just doing my part to assist society. We have a new album coming out in June or July. I just thank you for everything you have been doing for us,” Davido stated.
Senate President Akpabio commended Davido for his dedication and urged other celebrities and wealthy individuals to follow his example.
He stated that such philanthropic activities significantly complement governmental initiatives and play a crucial role in improving the lives of disadvantaged Nigerians.
Akpabio also assured Davido of the Senate’s support in creating policies that encourage and facilitate private contributions to social causes.
Arne Slot, the coach of Feyenoord will replace Jurgen Klopp.
Liverpool made the announcement on Monday.
Liverpool said in a statement that the Dutchman, 45, would take up the position of head coach on June 1, subject to a work permit.
The club did not specify the length of his contract in their statement but Sky Sports said it understood Slot had signed a three-year deal.
Slot’s arrival has been an open secret, with Liverpool reportedly agreeing a compensation deal worth up to £9.4 million ($12 million).
He confirmed Anfield was his next destination at his final pre-match press conference at the Eredivisie club on Friday.
Klopp announced his departure in January and took charge of his final game on Sunday, a 2-0 win against Wolves.
In his final speech to the Anfield crowd, the German urged fans to throw their full support behind Slot.
“You welcome the new manager like you welcomed me,” he said. “You go all-in from the first day. And you keep believing and you push the team.”
Slot moved to Feyenoord in 2021 after impressing in his first managerial role at AZ Alkmaar.
He led the Dutch giants to the inaugural Europa Conference League final at the end of his first season. They narrowly lost 1-0 to Jose Mourinho’s Roma.
Slot then delivered just a second league title in 24 years to De Kuip last season before penning a new three-year deal.
“You can see people are genuinely sorry you are leaving,” he said on Friday.
“You can say that with words, but when you see it in people’s faces, it affects me quite a lot.”
Feyenoord have enjoyed a strong season, winning the Dutch Cup and coming second to an all-conquering PSV Eindhoven side.
Liverpool captain and fellow Dutchman Virgil van Dijk has hailed Slot’s attacking mindset, saying it would suit the philosophy at Anfield.
Initially, Bayer Leverkusen boss and former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso was the favourite to succeed Klopp at Anfield.
However, Alonso has committed to staying at Leverkusen after leading them to a first-ever Bundesliga title.
Liverpool won the League Cup in Klopp’s final season in charge and finished third in the Premier League, qualifying for next season’s Champions League.
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The All Progressives Congress, APC, has accused Labour Party, LP, and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidates in the 2023 election, Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar, of desperation, following their recent meeting.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by APC national publicity secretary Felix Morka, on Tuesday.
Reacting to several speculations concerning Obi’s recent visit to Atiku, the party stated that the duo are united by their mutual desperation to be President of Nigeria and their ignoble disdain for President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The statement reads in part, “Atiku and Obi are united by their mutual desperation to be President f Nigeria and ignoble disdain for President Bola Tinubu’s focused and extraordinary commitment to the transformation of our nation.
“Their restless drift in search of convenient party platforms to execute their presidential run only belie self-indulgent and opportunistic essence of their aspirations.”
On the issue of a possible alliance between the former governor and the ex-vice president, the party said it wont be surprised if Obi returns to PDP or Atiku decamps to Labour Party as the duo are known as political wanderers.
It pointed out that Nigerians cannot trust men who are unable to build or fix their party to tackle serious and complex national, political and economic challenges of the country.
“Men without the staying power to build or fix their own parties, who flee at the slightest flicker of internal crisis cannot possibly be trusted by Nigerians to tackle serious and complex national, political and economic challenges that confront our nation,” the statement added.
The father of David Ukpo, Mr. Nwamini Ukpo, has said that the family of Senator Ike Ekweremadu offered him a tricycle in his family compound in Ebonyi State, but he rejected it.
He disclosed this to our correspondent at his family compound in Ndioffia Ishieke, Ebonyi State, in the presence of community members as well as the head pastor of the Nigeria Reform Church (NRC), Reverend Igweali Linus, where David Ukpo worshipped as a chorister.
Speaking on the offer, Nwamini said, “Since the issue of my son being taken to the United Kingdom became a global issue, none of the Ekweremadu family visited us immediately.
“It was when the case was being handled by the UK government that a group of people came, saying they were from Ekweremadu and decided to offer me a tricycle, which I rejected.
“I rejected it because that was not what I needed. I just want to have the chance to speak to my son again. I am only trying to be strong for my wife, who is the mother of David, because it hurts me inside.
“As you can see, my legs are swollen, and that started the day I heard of David’s disappearance. My heart beats fast, and as such, I have stopped farming work.”
One of David Ukpo’s uncles, who resides in the city and is often the intermediary between the Ekweremadu family and his family, stated that the family only wants an opportunity to speak with their son to know if he is alive or not.
He said, “The last and only time the family of Ekweremadu has come to our village was to present my brother, Nwamini Ukpo, with an offer as compensation, which he rejected. He told them that he has nothing to do with their offer but wants to have access to his son.”
Meanwhile, further findings revealed the medical challenges of David’s father, Nwamini Ukpo, as his leg was swollen at the time of this interview and currently battling with a heart condition that has stopped him from farming.
The Reverend Father of the Nigeria Reform Church, Igweali Linus, also spoke to Vanguard, affirming Mr. Nwamini Ukpo’s heart condition and stating that he only wants to communicate with his son, not receive gifts.
US Dollar supply surged to 93 per cent at the official foreign exchange market amid Naira’s gain.
FMDQ data showed that the turnover of forex transactions increased to $161.41 million on Monday from $83.5 million recorded on Friday last week.
This development led to continued appreciation on Monday, when it stood at N1468.99 per Dollar, down from N1497.33 traded on Friday.
Nigeria’s foreign exchange (FX) reserves increased by approximately $535 million in the past weeks.
FX reserves rose from $32.107 billion on April 19, 2024, to $32.642 billion by May 16, 2024.
Super Eagles head coach Finidi George says his team is focused on their next 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying fixture against the Bafana Bafana of South Africa.
The three-time African champions are yet to record a win in the qualifiers after drawing their opening two games against Lesotho and Zimbabwe.
The West Africans must beat Hugo Broos’ side to get their qualification campaign back on track.
Finidi is wary of the difficult task ahead of his team but is confident they can surmount the hurdle.
“We know Nigerians would love the team to win all the time, and we’ll just get the players focused on the game, one game at a time. We focus on the South African game and see how we can win that one before we talk about the Benin Republic game. For me, as a coach, it’s either you have a good result, or you don’t have a good result,” Finidi said in an interview with Eagle FM.
“One cannot be scared in life. Like I said, going through life is difficult, you walk through it with the difficulties that you know you’ll encounter. So that’s how I look at life and approach it that way, and football will not be any different. We will do our job and make sure we get the best out of that game, and apart from that, nothing else.”