Author: Adejuyigbe Francis

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…

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…