The Zamfara State Government has commenced the payment of N30,000 minimum wage to workers in the North-Western state.

This followed a meeting the state governor, Dauda Lawal, held with the leadership of labour unions where he pledged to commence the payment of the minimum wage in June.

Disclosing this in a statement on Friday, the governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, said Zamfara civil servants started receiving their June salary on the 12th, ahead of the Eid-ul-Adha celebration. He said before now, civil servants were being paid a paltry N7,000 monthly, adding that the current administration is determined to see to the welfare of workers.

“The Zamfara state government, led by Governor Dauda Lawal, has disbursed the June salary to support workers in preparing for the upcoming Eid celebration,” the statement read.

“This is in line with the fulfilment of the promise made by the governor last month to implement the N30,000 minimum wage.

“Before now, civil servants in Zamfara received a minimum wage as low as seven thousand naira.

“The government has been worker-friendly since its inception, ensuring the payment of three months withheld salaries, leave grants, owed gratuities, and timely payment of salaries.

“The government will continue to make further efforts to reform and rejuvenate the Zamfara civil service.”

President Bola Tinubu has approved the reconstitution of Governing Councils and Boards of federal universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.

This was contained in a statement on Friday by the Permanent Secretary, General Services, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Nnamdi Mbaeri.

He noted that approval was given for the effective management of Nigerian tertiary institutions across the country.

Recall that the president had ordered the review of the governing councils and boards after public outcry that their nominations did not reflect the Federal Character principle.

The President had assured that the review would take into consideration national spread and ensure every part of the country is adequately represented.

Among those appointed is the former governor of Osun State and pioneer chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief Bisi Akande, who is appointed to chair the Governing Council of the University of Ibadan (UI), Oyo State.

A renowned lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Wole Olanipekun, was appointed to lead University of Lagos (UNILAG); a former Governor of Bauchi State, Isa Yuguda, also will chair the governing council of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN); and a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Yayale Ahmed, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (ABU).

Joy Emordi, a former senator, was also appointed to chair the council of the Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education, Owerri, Imo State.

The list comprises five names each for 51 universities, 35 polytechnics, and 22 colleges of education.

The naira depreciated in the parallel section of the foreign exchange (FX) market on Friday.

At the Lagos street market, currency traders, also known as bureau de change (BDC) operators, said the naira depreciated to N1,485 against the dollar.

The black market traders put the buying price of the dollar at N1,460 and the selling price at N1,485 — leaving a profit margin of N25.

This represents N5 or 0.34 percent depreciation compared to the N1,480/$ reported on May 10.

At the FMDQ Exchange, a platform that oversees official foreign exchange (FX) trading in Nigeria, the local currency depreciated by 0.44 percent or N6.48 to N1,482.72/$ on Friday — from N1,476.24/$ on May 13.

The dollar traded as high as N1,490/$ and as low as N1,390 during trading hours. 

The daily FX market turnover stood at $183.47 million.

At the current FX rates, the gap between the official window and the parallel market is N2.28.

On June 5  Fitch Ratings, a global rating agency, projected naira will end the year at N1,450 to a dollar.

Gaimin Nonyane, director, Middle-East and Africa sovereigns, at Fitch Ratings, said despite the volatility experienced by the naira since its floating in June 2023, there are expectations that the fluctuation will reduce by the third quarter (Q3) of 2024.

Nonyane projected a gradual depreciation of the naira in 2025, adding that this depends largely on the foreign exchange reform’s momentum.

The Flamingos have qualified for the 2024 U-17 Women’s World Cup after beating Liberia 6-1 on aggregate. 

Harmony Chidi’s strikes, one goal in each half, ensured Nigeria won the second leg of the encounter 2-0 at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja on Friday.

The first leg of the encounter had ended 4-1 in Nigeria’s favour, meaning Friday’s victory gave the Flamingos a 6-1 aggregate win to seal their ticket for the competition later in the year. 

En route to booking a ticket for the tournament, Coach Bankole Olowookere’s girls scored 25 goals.

They smashed the Central African Republic 12-0 on aggregate in the second round of the qualification series.

The team followed that up with a 7-1 aggregate win over Burkina Faso in the next round.

This year’s U-17 Women’s World Cup will run from October 16 to November 3, 2024, in the Dominican Republic.

Led by Coach Bankole, Nigeria finished third in the last edition held in India in 2022, the second African side to earn that feat after Ghana did so in 2012.

Germany thrashed 10-man Scotland 5-1 as the Euro 2024 hosts kicked off the tournament in style in Munich on Friday, the start of a journey they hope culminates in a record fourth continental title.

Florian Wirtz struck the opening goal 10 minutes in and Jamal Musiala soon doubled Germany’s lead with an emphatic finish.

A greatly awaited night for Scotland went from bad to worse before half-time when Ryan Porteous was sent off for a two-footed challenge on Ilkay Gundogan, with Kai Havertz tucking away the resulting penalty.

Niclas Fuellkrug powered in a fourth midway through the second half after coming on as a substitute and not even a late own goal from Antonio Ruediger could spoil an otherwise perfect start to the campaign for Germany.

There was even time for Emre Can to add a fifth goal with the final kick of the game.

Disastrous Scottish Start

Scotland could surely not have envisioned such a disastrous beginning, but they must regroup quickly with games to come in Group A against Switzerland and Hungary.

After three successive failures at major tournaments, including back-to-back group stage exits at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, this was a strong statement of intent from an experienced Germany side.

It is Germany’s first men’s major tournament as hosts since the 2006 World Cup, and they are looking to recreate the magic that helped rekindle the passion for the national team after a spell in the international doldrums.

Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann had spoken of his players’ hunger to atone for the failures of recent times, with the outlook improving and optimism gradually increasing since his appointment in September.

His counterpart Steve Clarke on the other hand urged Scotland to “fear no one” going into the country’s second straight Euros after more than two decades in the international wilderness.

Almost right away Germany took the game to a Scotland side who arrived in Munich with only one win from their past nine matches — an unimpressive 2-0 victory over lowly Gibraltar last week.

Scotland goalkeeper Angus Gunn alertly blocked from an offside Wirtz, but Germany did not wait long in grasping the match by the scruff of the neck.

Toni Kroos, coaxed out of his Germany retirement earlier this year, pinged a ball out to Joshua Kimmich, who teed up Wirtz to sweep in from the edge of the area as Gunn could only help the shot in via the post.

Kroos will hang up his boots for good after the tournament, but with him and Gundogan running the Germany midfield they bring a level of knowledge and maturity few can match.

Gundogan threaded a pass through the Scotland defence to Havertz, who worked it back towards Musiala, the Bayern Munich attacker created himself space to crash a strike into the roof of the net.

Germany were initially awarded a penalty as Musiala went down in a heap after getting caught between Ryan Christie and Kieran Tierney, but referee Clement Turpin deemed the foul occurred outside the area after consulting the touchline monitor.

That merely delayed Germany’s third goal, which did eventually come from the spot following another VAR review that led to Porteous being sent off for a crude challenge on Gundogan, who was chopped down attempting to convert the rebound from his own header.

Havertz calmly sent Gunn the wrong way and drained any remaining optimism from Scotland’s once boisterous and sizeable travelling contingent of supporters.

Scotland tried to limit the damage in the second half, but there was no stopping Fuellkrug’s thumping drive into the top corner within a few minutes of his introduction as a replacement for Havertz.

Fuellkrug had the ball in the net a second time, but fortunately for Scotland they were spared further misery when he was ruled offside.

The only bright spot for Scotland came three minutes from time as Ruediger inadvertently diverted Scott McKenna’s header past goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.

But there was still more punishment to come as substitute Can curled home from 20 yards right at the death to cap a glorious night for the Germans.

The Federal Government has declared Monday 17th, and Tuesday 18th June 2024 as public holidays to mark this year’s Eid-ul-Adha celebration.

Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr Aishetu Gogo Ndayako who disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Abuja said the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government.

She said the minister congratulated thr Muslim Ummah both at home and in the Diaspora on this occasion.

Tunji-Ojo called on the Ummah to continue to imbibe the spirit of peace, kindness and sacrifice, as exemplified by Prophet Ibrahim (Peace be upon Him) and to also use the period to pray for unity, prosperity and the stability of our country.

“The Minister assured that the Administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR is committed to safeguarding the  lives and property of all Nigerians.

“While wishing the Muslim Ummah a happy Eid-ul- Adha celebration, the Minister advised all Nigerians to take responsibility in the resolve to hand over a prosperous Nigeria to our children”, the statement added.

Colombian singer Shakira Mebarak has expressed her admiration for Afrofusion star Burna Boy and the Afrobeats genre.

Shakira, 47, shared her thoughts during a recent cover shoot with Rolling Stone, where she discussed her lifestyle recommendations and musical influences.

Afrobeats has emerged as one of Africa’s most significant cultural exports in recent years.

In 2023, the genre reached global prominence, with top Nigerian artists like Wizkid, Davido, and Burna Boy hosting some of the most successful concerts worldwide.

During the interview, the “Waka Waka” hitmaker described her music style as “eclectic, honest, and real,” noting her particular fondness for Afrobeats.

Shakira singled out Burna Boy as her favorite artist, stating that she listens to his songs frequently.

Shakira also mentioned her appreciation for Tyla, the rising South African singer.

“If I could explain my taste of music in three words I would say eclectic, honest, and real. In my car, whether I am driving at night, I love anything Afrobeats. I like Tyla, I like Burna Boy, anything Afrobeats but I love Burna very great,” she said.

Shakira made her recording debut with Sony Music Colombia at the age of 13. She began to gain fame in Hispanic countries with her albums ‘Pies Descalzos’ in 1995 and ‘Dónde Están los Ladrones?’ in 1998.

Her single ‘Whenever, Wherever’ broke into the English-language market with her fifth album, ‘Laundry Service,’ in 2001, selling over 13 million copies worldwide.

The Colombian star married Gerard Piqué, a former FC Barcelona defender, in 2011, and they have two children together.

In June 2022, Shakira and the ex-footballer announced their breakup in a joint statement.

The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) has formally confirmed the eventual qualification of Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna and Algeria’s Lynda Loghraibi from Africa, for the singles event of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in France.

The confirmation was made in a statement issued on Friday by the ITTF with representation from Africa, the Americas, Asia and Europe.

“As the countdown to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games intensifies, ITTF is thrilled to announce significant progress in the qualification process for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.”

With less than 50 days to the games, this week’s world ranking update saw eight athletes secure their participation based on the selection of continental quotas allocated by World Ranking.

According to the statement, the Men’s Singles draw welcomes African powerhouse, Quadri Aruna from Nigeria, alongside the Americas’ rising talent Nicolas Burgos from Chile.

The list also had Asia’s Kirill Gerassimenko of Kazakhstan and Europe’s Alvaro Robles of Spain, who previously qualified in Mixed Doubles.

The ITTF also said that the Women’s Singles competition would showcase a similar level of global talent with the qualification of Lynda Loghraibi from Algeria (Africa), Adriana Diaz of Puerto Rico (Americas) and Singapore’s Zhou Jingyi (Asia).

Also Yang Xiaoxin of Monaco (Europe) can now officially begin their preparations for their Olympic dreams in Paris.”

ITTF stated that the qualification process would reach its penultimate stage with only one more world ranking update scheduled before the final roster for Paris is confirmed.

“Next week’s world rankings will be crucial in determining the final competitors for the highly anticipated Paris 2024 Games, 86 men and 86 women are expected to compete in the singles events of the Olympic Games,” ITTF added in the statement.

Meanwhile, ITTF has named three Africans – Akram Ben Attia (Tunisia), Es-Sayed Elrawdy (Egypt) and Ronald Mugwanya (Uganda) among the umpires for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. 

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has issued a public warning regarding the risks associated with investing in Davido’s cryptocurrency, $Davido. 

The commission cautioned that the digital asset poses significant financial risks to investors. 

Recently, Nigerian music star Davido launched $Davido, a new cryptocurrency coin, in collaboration with Phantom and Solana.

The coin gained rapid popularity initially, attracting early investors who reportedly made profits.

However, shortly after its launch, $Davido experienced a sharp decline in value, resulting in substantial losses for many investors.

Responding to these developments, the SEC released a statement asserting that $Davido does not fall under its regulatory oversight as an investment product or a recognized asset class.

The commission emphasized that individuals who choose to invest in the meme coin do so at their own risk.

“The attention of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Nigeria (“SEC”) has been drawn to a meme coin known as “$Davido” allegedly linked to the popular Nigerian singer, David Adedeji Adeleke AKA Davido,” the statement reads.

“Generally, meme coins are cryptocurrencies inspired by memes and internet jokes. They are often envisaged as a fun, light-hearted cryptocurrencies promoted through a social media community and sometimes through celebrity endorsements.

“Meme coins are also NOT intended to serve as a medium of exchange accepted by the public as payment for goods and services, or as digital representation of capital market products such as shares, debentures, units of collective investment schemes, derivatives contracts, commodities or other kinds of financial instruments or investments.

“The general public is HEREBY ADVISED that meme coins lack fundamental value and are purely speculative. The general public is further WARNED that investing in meme coins, including $Davido, is highly risky and should be done with a full understanding of the associated risk.

“Capital Market Operators are by this Notice warned not to associate with instruments that fall outside the SEC’s regulatory purview. Such instruments should not in any manner be distributed or monitored through any capital market mechanism.

“PLEASE NOTE that the Commission does not recognize $Davido as an investment product or investable asset class under its regulatory purview, as such individuals who patronize it, do so at their peril.

“The Commission will continue to monitor developments within the ecosystem and will not relent in deploying its regulatory powers as and when required.”

A Federal High Court sitting in Kano has ordered the Kano State Government to pay the sum of N10 million as damages to deposed Emir, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, for violating his fundamental rights.

The court, which assumed jurisdiction to hear Bayero’s rights violation suit, also ordered the Kano State Government to guarantee the deposed emir’s right to movement and personal liberty.

In a ruling on Friday, the presiding judge of the Federal High Court 3, Justice Simon Amobeda, noted that he was duty bound to resolve the issue of jurisdiction of the court to determine the case before delving into the main matter of the case.

According to him, without jurisdiction, any proceeding is nullity.

Justice Amobeda while declaring the jurisdiction of the court to hear the case, insisted that the issue  fell under abuse of fundamental human rights of the applicant, adding that the Constitution had granted the Federal High Court the powers to preside over the matter.

He noted that Bayero was seeking, among others reliefs, payment of N5 billion as damages from the Kano State Government for breaching his fundamental human rights.

The judge also noted that the applicant also asked for the enforcement of his rights to movement and personal liberty.

In his ruling, the judge said, “It is the duty of the court to protect the rights of every citizen but that protection cannot be done in vacuum, a person crying over violation of his fundamental human rights must provide cogent and vital evidence to that effect to which the applicant has successfully provided.”

He noted that in 2019, the then government of Kano State used the Kingmakers to select a new Emir, but surprisingly, on Friday, May 23, 2024, the Governor of Kano State, Abba Yusuf, used the social media to propagate that he had deposed the applicant (Bayero) and ordered the Police to arrest him after giving him 48 hours to vacate the palace.

“To this end, I so hold that without any lawful justification, the applicant was threatened, and his fundamental rights to liberty as guaranteed in Section 35(1) of the 1999 Constitution, was breached.
“Similarly, the action of the government which had forced the applicant into a house arrest, preventing him from going about his lawful business, constitutes a flagrant violation of his fundamental rights to freedom of movement as guaranteed under Section 41(1) of the 1999 Constitution,” the judge added.

The court also ordered that the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Respondents – including the Police and the DSS – are either by themselves, their agents, servants, privies or any other persons or authority forthwith restrained from arresting, detaining or harassing Bayero.

Justice Amobeda further ordered that the Government of Kano State should pay the sum of N10 million for breach and likely breach of Bayero’s fundamental right to personal liberty and freedom of movement, as guaranteed in the 1999 Constitution.