Manchester United legend, Wayne Rooney has hailed Kobbie Mainoo for his performances for the Red Devils so far this season.
The former England striker said Mainoo always makes the right decision on the pitch of play, adding that the youngster reminds him of former Man United midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger.
Mainoo has become a key player in manager Erik ten Hag’s midfield, delivering a number of stellar displays.
“I think he is been incredible at such a young age, the maturity he shows,” Rooney told TNT Sports.
“When you see young players come into any first-team they are normally a bit raw and they normally play off the cuff.
“He reminds me of a young Bastian Schweinsteiger, in how he plays, enticing players in.”
He added, “He always seems to make the right decision. So I think he’s got a bright future.”
[DailyPost]
Popular Nollywood actor Deyemi Okanlawon has revealed the profession he would have been in if he was not in the movie industry.
Speaking in a recent interview with Pulse, Okanlawon disclosed that he would have been a Christian cleric if he wasn’t a thespian.
“I don’t think I can call it a career path, it would have been more of a calling. I think I would have been a pastor [if I wasn’t an actor],” he said.
He said contrary to speculations that he is abusive because of some of the movie roles he had played, he is against domestic violence.
The actor said the most ridiculous rumours he has heard about himself is that he is “expensive to hire.”
He, however, added that it isn’t a rumour.
Herbert Wigwe: Emotions, as govs, Akpabio, Dangote, Peter Obi, Sanusi, others attend funeral (Photos)
AdminIt is an emotionally charged air at the funeral of the late Access Bank boss, Herbert Wigwe, his wife, Chizoba, and son, Chizi, at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Lion of Judah Parish, Isiokpi, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Tears welled up in many faces at the solemn occasion.
Herbert Wigwe, his wife, Doreen, son, Chizzy, and former Managing Director of Nigerian Exchange Group, Abimbola Ogunbanjo, died in a helicopter crash in the US on February 9. Their bodies arrived in the country yesterday, for today’s burial rights.
Roll call
Some of the dignitaries at the funeral today include Governors Sim Fubara (Rivers), Douye Diri (Bayelsa), and Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos).
Governor of Akwa Ubom state, Umo Eno; Governor of Imo state, Hope Uzodinma, and the King of Okochiri Kingdom, Ateke Tom, are there.
President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote; former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi: 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, are also at the event.
Also, the immediate past Bayelsa Governor, Senator Seriake Dickson, and former Ekiti Governor, Kayode Fayemi, are present.
Also there are the state’s Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, who is the chief security officer, CSO, of the burial ceremony, and Dr Godknows Igali, a former Nigerian Ambassador.
Members of the clergy, traditional rulers from the Omoeke, Wigwe’s hometown, and monarchs from Isiokpo in general are in attendance.
Below are some images from the Herbert Wigwe funeral:
The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a mother for attempting to kill her sick child using a poisonous insecticide known as “Sniper’’.
The state Police Spokesman, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, told reporters on Saturday that the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, reported the attempted murder to the police on Friday.
He said the Chief Security Officer at the hospital reported to the police that the mother brought her one-year-and-seven-month-old daughter to the hospital for treatment.
Hundeyin added that the mother confessed to a doctor at the hospital that she gave the child “Sniper’’ to drink on Sunday when her convulsion was not abating.
“The mother said she gave the liquid to her child so she could rest from her excessive convulsions.
“Detectives were immediately dispatched to the hospital, where they met the baby receiving treatment.
“The mother has been taken in for investigation after the child had received treatment,’’ he said.
WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury has hailed Anthony Joshua following his victory over former UFC champion Francis Ngannou on Friday night in Saudi Arabia.
Joshua sent the 37-year-old Cameroon-born former UFC heavyweight champion, a two-fight professional boxing novice, to the canvas in the opening round with a straight right to the chin.
The “Knockout Chaos” fight then lived up to its billing in spectacular fashion. Joshua sent him crashing again in the second, first with a right-left combination and then an explosive right after he had beaten the count.
The referee stepped in and stopped the fight, with Joshua declared the winner by knockout victory and Ngannou out cold and receiving treatment before getting back, stunned, to his feet.
Fury, who watched the game, said he has a ‘bigger fish to fry’ against Usky and stated that he is available to face Joshua after his rematch in October.
His words: “Me and Usyk have got an undisputed world heavyweight championship coming up.
“He [Joshua] just had a show fight in Saudi Arabia, which is fantastic for the show, but for the actual real boxing, it is me and Usyk who fight for the number one and number two positions for the undisputed championship of the world.
“So that [the fight with AJ] is on the back burner for now. Great performance from AJ, fantastic, but unfortunately I have got bigger fish to fry in Usyk on May 18, and then we have a rematch in October.
“So, after that, if he is still available and I’m still available, let’s get it on.”
Fury is scheduled to face Oleksandr Usyk on May 18 in a historic, undisputed showdown, with the winner potentially facing Joshua in the future.
[OpinionNigeria]
Nollywood actress, Biodun Okeowo, popularly known as Omoborty, has announced her engagement.
Despite maintaining privacy regarding her romantic life, the movie star took to her Instagram page to share the joyous news.
She disclosed that she said YES to her lover, expressing the overwhelming emotions she experienced during the heartfelt moment.
In her Instagram post, Biodun described the surprise and excitement she felt, recounting the trembling of her hands and the rush of emotions that flooded her.
With tears of joy, she enthusiastically accepted her partner’s proposal as he knelt before her. Surrounded by love and immersed in happiness, she affirmed her commitment to spend the rest of her life with her partner.
In her words:
“From the unexpected trembling in my hands to the overwhelming rush of emotions, I couldn’t hold back the tears of joy as he got down on one knee and asked me to be his forever.
In that surreal moment, surrounded by love and filled with happiness, I said yes to the man of my dreams. Here’s to the beautiful journey ahead as we embark on our forever together Ade mi . ????????????
#HeAsked #IsaidYES #Engaged #LoveWins#Godwins#Halleluyah.”
Watch the video below:
View this post on Instagram
Controversial Nigerian transvestite, Idris Okuneye also known as Bobrisky, has claimed that his luxury lifestyle is being sponsored by some billionaires from Nigeria.
Taking to social media to mark the International Women’s Day, Bobrisky described himself as the sexiest girl in the Nigerian entertainment industry at the moment.
The controversial crossdresser boasted that no woman can defeat him in terms of classy appearance and carriage. Bobrisky also said men are attracted to him, because he is hot and dressed the part.
Bobrisky took to the photo and video sharing app to share photos and captioned the post;
“Meet the most sexiest girl in Nigeria industry at the moment. Bob is known for her luxury lifestyle sponsored by some Nigeria billionaires.
She’s beautiful and she can slay. Men are attracted by the way she look hot ????????????No woman can beat bob when it comes to looking classy and carriage.”
Weeks back, Bobrisky finally responded to those questioning him over his real gender and what he has done with his manhood.
In a post on his Instagram page, Bobrisky told them to stop looking at his manhood nor wondering if he had cut them, as he explained that being a woman is beyond what it is between one’s leg.
Bobrisky noted how people, both offline and online always question if he has undergone surgery on to take out his manhood which he admitted always bothered him but after many years, he has developed a thick skin and doesn’t care.
Former Nigerian winger, Emmanuel Amuneke has put himself in the running to be the next head coach of the Super Eagles.
The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, declared the position vacant on Friday following the expiration of erstwhile handler, Jose Peseiro’s contract.
The NFF requested interested coaches to apply for the top job and also listed the requirements.
“Yes I did [apply to be the next manager],” Amuneke told popular journalist Osazu Obayiwana.
The 53-year-old is one of the leading candidates to take over from Peseiro.
The former Barcelona star has handled the Nigeria U-17 side and Tanzania national team in the past.
The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, on Friday lamented that the economic hardship in the country, as well as food scarcity, has turned many Nigerians into scavengers.
He submitted that if the government can not see it, they, as labour leaders, can see what is happening.
Ajaero made his views known on Friday in Abuja, when he spoke at the 11th quadrennial delegates conference of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria.
The NLC president said the government must not turn deaf ears and blind eyes to the sufferings of the people but must uphold its end of responsibilities to the people.
The Labour Leader also chided the government for saying the protest of the citizens against hardship were sponsored by some individuals.
He said, “Food has become so scarce that Nigerians have become scavengers and resorting to raiding food trucks and warehouses for food.
“If those in government cannot see the danger in what is happening, we see it and must ensure that the government fulfils its duties to the people.
“We are increasingly going hungry in our father’s land and cannot continue in this destitution. The greatest unifier and mobiliser of people is hunger. It insults common sense when those in government assume that somebody is sponsoring people who are protesting because of hunger.”
He noted that recent looting by Nigerians in certain places, including Abuja, was caused by government policies, which may escalate if nothing is done to address the issue.
“If anybody is arousing the people, it is those in government whose policies have impoverished the people and stripped them of those values that make them human beings.
“The looting of food trucks and warehouses is what you get when this happens. Unless something is done, this may unfortunately escalate. We pray it does not.
“Those who, therefore, think that they can stop us from this divine mission with their threats and violence should think twice. We cannot be cowed. We cannot surrender our natural mandate to powers and agents of poverty and emasculation. We are not after anybody’s job but we must insist that the instruments of governance must be used for the greater good of the people and not to wreck their lives,” Ajaero stated.
Human rights activist, Dele Farotimi has said that President Bola Tinubu cannot isolate himself from the failures of his predecessor’s administration.
Farotimi insisted that Tinubu actively marketed Muhammadu Buhari to Nigerians in the buildup to the 2015 general elections, hence his involvement in the deeds of the past government.
The pro-Labour Party activist stated this during an appearance on Channels Television on Friday.
He argued that nothing has changed since May 2015, when the All Progressives Congress (APC) took over from ex-President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“The evidence of the last nine months are unimpeachable and cannot be denied. I know that the convenient excuse is that Buhari had damaged it (Nigeria) and he (Tinubu) is repairing it but who brough Buhari? Who was the chief marketer of Buhari in 2014/2015 when the ‘Change’ lie was sold to Nigerians?” he queried.
Speaking further, Farotimi advised Nigerians to prepare for more economic hardship caused by the removal of the petrol subsidy and the unification of the foreign exchange windows.
“I am going to be 56 years old this year and in my entire lifetime, we have never been far away from greatness than we are today. The future of Nigeria appears bleak than it has ever been in my entire lifetime,” he added.
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He blamed the rot in Nigeria on “each and every one of us” but “most importantly, the “complete breakdown of the rule of law”.
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Veteran Nollywood actress, Rita Dominic, has disclosed the delay in getting married was intentional.
Naija News reports that the movie star made this known in an interview with JOY TV.
Recall that in 2022, Rita Dominic, at age 46, married Nigerian Publisher, Fidelis Anosike, in a star-studded ceremony.
The thespian gave reasons for marrying late, saying she wanted to ensure she was marrying for the right reasons and not because of societal pressure.
She said, “We were friends for a long time, we found love date and we got married. I waited for so long because I wanted to be sure I was marrying for the right reasons and not for societal pressure. Even before I got married, there were pressure but I just turned deaf ear because if anything goes wrong in the marriage, I will be the one to pack up the pieces and you know the society. I promise to do it at the right time, and I believe I married at the right time.”
Blames insecurity, killings
Restiveness and killings in Anambra State and the Southeast geopolitical zone in general will deny women the opportunity of having spouses.
The declaration was made in the report of the Anambra Truth, Justice and Peace Commission (ATJPC), the Executive Summary of which was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka, the state capital, yesterday.
It noted that restiveness and killings had resulted in a structural problem of demographic sustainability because women were finding it difficult to find mating partners.
The report stated that women are some of the worst-hit victims as they have suffered and might continue to suffer from killings, rape, loss of husbands and sons, and denial of livelihoods.
It noted also that thousands of young people had been killed since 1999 when restiveness became pronounced in the region, just as many had fled the rural areas.
“The killings from the ongoing violence in Igboland generally and in Anambra in particular due to violent crimes and claims of agitation have once again disproportionately affected the stock of young males in the region.
“It has reduced the likelihood that women will be able to find suitable mating or marriageable partners while also increasing the likelihood that females will end up unmarried and reproductively unfulfilled.
“It will further swell the number of unmarried women in the region, particularly among those who reside in the homeland and have limited interaction outside the boundaries of home.
“These women could remain unmarried or wait out their productive years in search of a suitor who has likely been killed.
“They may feel intimidated about giving birth to a child outside marriage for fear of being labeled wayward and humiliating their families for birthing children into illegitimacy,” it declared.
The report recalled the case of Amaka Igwe, the lawyer who was killed in Onitsha alongside her husband.
It also recalled the killing of Harira Jubril near Umunze in Orumba South Local Government Area on May 25, 2022 alongside her four daughters.
It stated that the killings had resulted into destitution or dependencies among men and had led to economic impoverishment for many women, mass widowhood and enforced childlessness.
It noted that in rural or farming communities, polygamy had remained prevalent and women’s access to land depended on their relationship with the men in their lives.
The livelihood consequences of the killings for women could be very severe, it stressed.
“Married women who have no sons can lose access to land and to subsistence in a political economy in which re-marriage can be quite difficult for a woman with children.
“Naturally, the additional stress of this kind of life on top of the trauma of the disappearance of the husband or bread-winner can lead to diminished outcomes for physical and mental health.
“As many communities devolved subsequently into more generalised forms of atrocity and violence, hospitals and healthcare facilities had been destroyed in the restiveness.
“Healthcare workers had become afraid of showing up for work and access to reproductive healthcare and facilities had become more rarefied in the rural areas.
“Unlike most other parts of Nigeria which have a problem of girl-child school enrolment, Anambra leads the states of Southeast Nigeria in a unique regional problem of diminishing boy-child school enrolment and retention,” it stated.
It noted that women typically contributed to the livelihood and education of their children, but with their sources of income cut off, their children were denied access to basic nutrition and to social services.
The report stressed that consequences of insecurity had negated previous progress made on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Anambra as young boys abandoned education and fled their communities for fear of being killed or abducted.
The United Nations created 17 world development goals called the SDGs in 2015 with the aim of peace and prosperity for people and the planet, then and into the future.
The goals have 2030 as their attainment target date.
Anambra’s 14-man ATJPC was inaugurated in June 2022 to investigate insecurity in Anambra and the Southeast in general.
It submitted its final report to Governor Chukwuma Soludo on Wednesday.
It had Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, a human rights lawyer and former Chairman of Nigeria Human Rights Commission, as its chairman.
Says 24 million Nigerians currently in food crisis
Customs intercepts 880 bags of beans, 584 bags of onions, others
About 31.5 million people, including 83,846 IDPs in 26 states and the FCT, are expected to be in crisis or worse between June and August 2024, a report, Cadre Harmonisé, has said.
The report also stated that 24.7 million people including 14,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) will be in food crisis or worse between March and May 2024.
Cadre Harmonisé is a food and nutrition insecurity analysis by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in collaboration with technical partners including the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
Analysiing the result further, it noted that about 1.1 million people in Adamawa State are expected to be in crisis or worse between June and August 2024, and about 2.1 million people in Borno are expected to be in crisis or worse between June and August this year, while 1.5 million people in Yobe are expected to be in crisis or worse between June and August this year.
Also, deteriorated food consumption situation was also observed among populations in the inaccessible areas and the IDPs in Adanawa, Borno, Sokoto, and Zamfara states.
It noted that the deteriorating food consumption results from a significant spike in food prices due to high production and transportation costs caused by the removal of fuel subsidies and its resultant impact on inflation and consumer price index rates on both food and basic non-food items.
The report noted that the high cost of transport, inflation rate, and the volatile dollar-naira exchange rate have negatively affected households’ income.
In the projected period (June to August 2024), poor microeconomic conditions and conflicts are expected to drive limited access to livelihood opportunities.
“The nutrition situation in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe (BAY) and northwest states of Katsina, Sokoto and Zamfara revealed the prevalence of malnutrition for Under-5 children to be in crisis in the current situation.
However, the report said key drivers of the crisis include conflict and insecurity, fuel scarcity, naira devaluation currency crisis, and rising inflation and Consumer Price Index (CPI) rates.
In his remarks, Country Representative of the FAO to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr Koffy Kouacou Dominique, said the FAO will continue to support the Cadre Harmonisé process, especially in terms of funding as well as technical support and capacity building, across the country.
Dominique, who was represented by the Deputy FAO Country Representative, Suleiman Abubakar, said the Cadre Harmonisé analysis produces the most reliable and widely acceptable data/results for humanitarian programming and food security.
Read Also: NLC to Fed Govt: let salaries, wages be commensurate with cost of living
Also, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Temitope Fashedemi, who was represented by the Director of Special duties, Adedayo Modupe, said the government has put machinery in place to address the challenges to food and nutrition insecurity.
Meanwhile, the Seme border command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone ‘A’, Ikeja has intercepted 880 bags of white beans, 584 bags of onions and 400 sacks of grains on the verge of being smuggled into Benin Republic.
The unit also intercepted export bound trucks loaded with 18 bags of dry pepper at Ajilete/Idiroko Road in Ogun State.
During a press briefing in Lagos yesterday, its Area Controller, Hussein Ejibunu, said instead of seizing the food items, the unit ensured the trucks were re-directed to the Nigerian markets where they were sold to Nigerians by the owners.
The Customs chief also raised the alarm over smugglers new defined means of smuggling foreign parboiled rice in petroleum Jerry cans.
According to him, the act is not only illegal but also exposes the potential consumers to the risk of eating contaminated grains that have ingested poisonous properties possibly from premium motor spirit (PMS), diesel or other petroleum products.
“Due to violation of various sections of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, and the federal government import and export prohibition guidelines, we vigorously and relentlessly prosecuted our anti-smuggling campaign which resulted in a total number of 93 seizures, arrest of nine suspects made to prevent smuggling and protect our national economy. The seizures made are worth a total duty paid value of N751.1million.
“As usual, rice was top on the list of our February 2024 seizures in terms of volume and value. A total of 3,779 X 50kg bags of suspected foreign rice equivalent to over seven trailer loads worth over N365 million were seized from various parts of the South West.
“Other items seized in the month under review include one locally made gun and six pieces of empty cartridges at Abeokuta road, 731 parcels of Indian hemp weighing 482kg, 1 X 40ft container found to contain 286 cartons of new rubber slippers, seven units of used motorcycles, 28,000 litres of premium motor spirit (PMS) and 2,420 pieces of used tyres.
“Worthy of note is the interception of export bound three trucks headed to the Republic of Benin laden with 880 bags of white beans, 584 bags of onions and 18 bags of dry pepper at Ajilete/Idiroko road in Ogun state.
“Instead of seizing the food items, this Unit ensured the trucks were re-directed to the Nigerian markets where they were sold to Nigerians by the owners. The seizures made are worth a total duty paid value of N751.1million,” he stated.
Ejibunu also disclosed that N78.16 million was recovered as revenue into the federation account through the issuance of Demand Notice (DN) on Customs duties that were discovered to be underpaid.
“We also prevented the smuggling of eleven exotic used vehicles worth over N200 million into the country through our area of responsibility. Smugglers of these vehicles met our stiff resistance against their duty evasion and deviant behaviour.”
Ejibunu added that the “sum of N78,164,255.20 was recovered as revenue into the federation account through the issuance of demand notices (DN) on Customs duties that were discovered to be underpaid.
“These outcomes were achieved despite the unrepentant behaviour of economic saboteurs who deploy many tricks and antics to beat our checks but they failed.
As we approach the Easter celebration, he said, “we have strengthened our intelligence-led anti-smuggling operations strategies to forestall any attempt by smugglers and duty evaders to circumvent the law.”
Nigerian-born British boxer Anthony Joshua showed class once more early Saturday as he recored a brutal second-round knockout victory over his Cameroonian challenger Francis Ngannou.
The highly anticipated heavyweight clash took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and AJ, a Joshua is popularly called, was simply ruthless as he floored his opponent.
Ngannou, the former UFC champion, entered the bout with the aura of his impressive debut against Tyson Fury, but Joshua proved too powerful, solidifying his title aspirations.
Joshua displayed phenomenal power and precision, dismantling Ngannou in a mere two rounds.
Ngannou, who shocked the world by flooring Fury in November before a split-decision defeat, aimed for a repeat against the former two-time heavyweight champion.
The Cameroonian started strong, threatening with his left hook and a looping right.
However, Joshua countered with a devastating straight right in the opening round, sending Ngannou crashing to the canvas.
The second round saw both fighters swinging wildly.