Author: Adejuyigbe Francis

Polish side Legia Warsaw will have no fans at their next five European away games, UEFA said on Wednesday, following crowd disturbances ahead of their Europa Conference League match at Aston Villa last month. Legia fans were barred entry to the match in Birmingham on Nov. 30 following clashes with police outside the stadium and the Premier League side lodged a complaint with UEFA over the behaviour of the club’s supporters. The UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body decided to ban Legia from selling tickets to their away supporters for the next five UEFA games for crowd disturbances, acts of damage, throwing of objects and lighting of…

The Labour Party presidential candidate at the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, has called on the Nigerian government at all levels as well as fellow Nigerians to learn to celebrate those who have made significant impact in the progress and development of the country. Obi suggested this after attending the biography book luncheon of Nigerian veteran footballer and Coach, Christian Chukwu. He lauded the former footballer for his enormous contribution to Nigerian football. In a message issued on his official X handle, the former Anambra governor noted that honoring past heroes who have made significant contributions is a progressive culture, and…

The caretaker committee chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Tony Okocha, on Thursday, gave an update on the political crisis between the state Governor, Siminalayi Fubara and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike. Okocha noted that the move by President Bola Tinubu to end the rift between Wike and Fubara had collapsed. President Tinubu recently met Wike and Fubara at the presidential villa in Abuja, to end the political crisis in Rivers. The crisis, however, in the last few days has seen the state government demolish the state House of Assembly complex, while…

The Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Ishaq Oloyede, has emphasized the importance of acquiring practical skills for Nigerian youths to secure employment opportunities. According to Oloyede, university degree certificates would soon be irrelevant, and there wouldn’t be a difference between the literate and the illiterate without demonstrable skills. The JAMB registrar stated this during his convocation lecture titled, “Learning, Unlearning, and Relearning – Prerequisites of the Digital Age”, delivered at the Kwara State University, Malete (KWASU). Oloyede highlighted that the rapidly evolving high-tech sector will create new avenues for employment, requiring skills not traditionally taught in…

The Coronation ceremony of the 21st Soun of Ogbomosoland in Oyo State, Oba Ghandi Olaoye, on Thursday, began with N150 million empowerment programme to 102 beneficiaries at the palace in Ogbomoso. Oba Olaoye will be officially presented with Staff of Office by the State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Tuesday, December 19, 2023. The beneficiaries were drawn from the five Local Governments made up of Ogbomosoland, namely Ogo-Oluwa, Surulere, Ogbomoso North, Ogbomoso South, and Oriire, respectively. Items presented to the beneficiaries include sewing machines, industrial sewing machines, deep freezers, motorcycles, generators, and hair dryers. The empowerment is part of a seven-day…

The Federal Government has said contrary to the claim by the World Bank that government is still paying subsidy on petrol, the era of petrol subsidy is “gone for good”. Speaking in an interview on Channels TV on Thursday morning, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said President Bola Tinubu made it clear from his first day in office that his government would not sustain the payment of subsidy on petrol. The minister said the subsidy removal had translated to increased revenue accruing to the federation account. The World Bank hinted on Wednesday that current fuel prices in…

Senators on Wednesday expressed strong disaffection over the performance of the management of the Assets Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON). The lawmakers were peeved that the Corporation recorded a loss of N146 billion within a period of 12 months. The financial loss was revealed when the Managing Director of AMCON, Ahmed Kuru, and his management team appeared before the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions led by Senator Adetokunbo Abiru as Chairman. Apart from its Chairman, members of the Committee include Senators Sani Musa,  Jimoh Ibrahim,  Adamu Aliero  Ifeanyi  Ubah, among others. The lawmakers established that the…

The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Rivers State, Zacchaeus Adangor, has resigned from his office. The development was contained in a letter addressed to the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara. In the letter, Adangor said his resignation was “based purely on personal reasons”. The resignation may not be unconnected to the political crisis rocking the state. Details to come…

The Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru, has appealed to the National Assembly to increase his ministry’s budget for the 2024 fiscal year, saying the N1.57trn allocated to it was not enough to fight the insecurity in the country. The minister made the call on Wednesday when he appeared before a joint National Assembly Committee on Defence to defend the ministry’s 2024 budget proposal. Badaru said the rising cost of operations and the increase in the price of diesel and fuel necessitated the call for an increment of the ministry’s allocation. In the 2024 budget, the Ministry of Defence was allocated…

Jumia, Africa’s leading online retailer, announced that it will close Jumia Food, its food delivery service, by the end of December 2023, in a move that sent shockwaves through the African e-commerce scene. This sudden departure leaves a gaping hole in the burgeoning African food delivery market, raising questions about its future and the challenges facing major players. Francis Dufay, CEO, Jumia cited a clear focus on the company’s core physical goods business and Jumia Pay platform as the reason for the exit. Despite Jumia Food accounting for 11% of the company’s Gross Merchandise Value, its persistent struggle for profitability…

A World Bank report has indicated that Nigeria’s poverty level has taken a notch higher, at the backdrop of the recent economic and fiscal reforms. The key reforms include the removal of petrol subsidy and the foreign exchange market rate restructuring. The bank, however, commended the Federal Government for what it considered ‘bold reforms’ necessary to rescue Nigeria from fiscal cliff, describing the current pains as temporary. But it also said the policies have created intense pressures on cost of living, which have pushed more Nigerians into hardship, with 104 million now living below the poverty line. The World Bank…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected to declare open the Nigeria Customs Service CG Conference scheduled to hold in Lagos on Thursday, December 14. In the programme of event released by the Service President Bola Tinubu is expected to declare the event open by 10 am prompt at the Grand Africa Ballroom of the prestigious Lagos Intercontinental Hotel. Speaking in Lagos, the Customs Comptroller General, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, said that the theme of this year’s conference is “Leveraging Data Analytics for Secure and Efficient Trade Facilitation in Customs Operations.” The service, he said, “is embracing innovation, utilising the power of…