Author: Adejuyigbe Francis

The Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, has formally suspended the Republic of Niger from all sub-regional bodies until constitutional order is restored in the country. This is contained in a statement by the regional organization, following the decisions taken at the summit of heads of state and government held on Sunday in Abuja. The statement said, “Until the 64th ordinary session held on Dec. 10, 2023, the Conference of Heads of State and Government considered the situation in Niger as a coup attempt and continued to consider Mohamed Bazoum the President of the Republic of Niger, Head of…

The FIFA Best men’s player award for 2023 will be another contest between Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland. FIFA announced the shortlist on Thursday with the same top three in the voting as for the Ballon d’Or prize that Messi won in October. Though the Ballon d’Or voting period included the 2022 World Cup won by a Messi-inspired Argentina, he had already won a seventh career FIFA award in February that rewarded his title-winning performances in Qatar. The Women’s Best player shortlist features two 2023 World Cup winners, Aitana Bonmatí and Jenni Hermoso of Spain, plus Linda Caicedo of Colombia. The FIFA men’s award for 2023 includes Haaland’s standout season helping Manchester City win a title treble…

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has reassured the Nigerian public of a seamless and good travel experience during the Yuletide season.  In a statement signed by the Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, FAAN, Abdullahi Yakubu-Funtua, the authority highlighted its continuous efforts to enhance security measures, aiming to guarantee the safety of life and property for all travelers. The agency advised travelers to arrive at the airport well in advance to mitigate rush and avoid missing their flights, adding that international travelers should be at the airport three hours before departure, while local travelers should arrive two hours…

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has received the trophy of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) ahead of the kickoff of the tournament in Côte d’Ivoire in January. The trophy, arriving from Morocco, touched down in Lagos yesterday. The AFCON trophy was presented to Sanwo-Olu by Visa team led by Vice President and Head of West Africa Cluster, Andrew Uaboi. Receiving the trophy at the State House in Marina, Sanwo-Olu said the symbolic gesture reinforced the importance the nation attached to talent development, noting that Nigerians looked forward to interesting contest and exciting moments at 2023 AFCON. Sanwo-Olu tipped…

Already-qualified Liverpool ended their Europa League group campaign with an away defeat in Belgium against Union Saint-Gilloise. Jurgen Klopp’s youthful Reds side fell behind in the 32nd minute when Mohamed Amoura scored after taking the ball around goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher. Twenty-year-old centre-half Jarell Quansah equalised with a powerful effort from inside the penalty area for his first Liverpool goal. But the hosts regained the lead just before half-time thanks to Cameron Puertas’ low strike, which proved to be the winner. Puertas thought he had scored again with another well-struck shot but the goal was disallowed for handball following a video…

Six of Lionel Messi’s shirts worn during the 2022 World Cup sold for a combined $7.8m (£6.1m) at a Sotheby’s auction in New York. Messi captained Argentina to victory at the tournament with his country beating France on penalties in the final. The six jerseys were from the first half of the final, semi-final, quarter-final, last-16 tie and two group games. The record for a game-worn football shirt is Diego Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ jersey, which sold for £7.1m in 2022. Messi, an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, became the first player in World Cup history to score in the group…

The Somali government has pleaded for the support of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, in building the country’s capital, Mogadishu. The FCT Minister received the ambassador of Somalia to Nigeria, Jamal Mohammed Barrow, in his office on Thursday. The ambassador expressed the desire of Somalia to leverage the experience of the FCT in developing the capital city of Mogadishu and called for the support of the FCT Administration. “We hope that Nigeria is the best role model for Somalia now because we have gone through the same experiences like the civil war and we feel that…

The Rivers State Commissioner for Works, Dax George-Kelly has reportedly resigned from his office. With his resignation, George-Kelly became the third commissioner to resign from the cabinet of Governor Siminalayi Fubara within the past twenty-four hours as the face-off between him and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike continues to assume new dimensions. Dax George-Kelly

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Thursday said the country’s earning from oil exports is expected to shrink in 2024. CBN governor, Olayemi Cardoso, said this was due to the oil production limit, which is pegged at 1.78 million barrels per day in the 2024 budget assumption. Cardoso stated this in his presentation at an interactive session with the National Assembly joint committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions at the National Assembly, Abuja. He said the approved quota for Nigeria by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) was 1.8 million barrels per day but the country’s…

The Supreme Court will tomorrow (December 15th) deliver judgement on the appeal seeking to compel the Federal Government to release the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, from detention. A five-member panel led by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun had in October fixed the date after counsel for both the Federal Government and the detained IPOB leader adopted their final briefs of argument. While Kanu Agabi led the IPOB leader’s team of lawyers, Mike Ozehkome, presented his appeal to the apex court panel. Ozehkome prayed the court to not only order the immediate release of his client from detention but…

The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has said Jesus Christ might return to the world on October 1 of a year that is yet to be known. The Christian leader said this in a video played at the homecoming reception ceremony organised for the just recalled Nigeria High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Sharafa Tunji-Ishola, in Abeokuta, capital of Ogun State. Ishola, who was a former Minister of Mines and Steel, was made an Ambassador by President Muhammadu Buhari in January 2021, and recalled on 31 August, 2023, by President Bola Tinubu. Giving…

Rebecca Welch will become the first woman to referee a Premier League game when she takes charge of Fulham vs. Burnley on Dec. 23. Sam Allison will also become the first black referee in a game for 15 years, following in the footsteps of Uriah Rennie. He will take charge of Sheffield United vs. Luton Town on Dec. 26. Wendy Toms was the first woman assistant to run the line in the Premier League, and was followed more recently by Natalie Aspinall and Sian Massey-Ellis. Last month, Welch became the first woman to act as fourth official when she was at the technical area for Fulham’s game against Manchester United…