Author: Festus Adeloye

Newly-appointed manager Ruud van Nistelrooy is aiming to bring a sense of positivity to Leicester City and quickly make an impression on the Premier League club’s players, as he looks to ensure that they remain in the English top flight. The former Manchester United striker was appointed on Friday to replace Steve Cooper and will need to hit the ground running, with the 16th -placed club hovering just point above the relegation zone after three straight league defeats. Asked if the players needed to be picked up, Van Nistelrooy told reporters: “That is what needed to be done. Sunday was…

US President Joe Biden is in Angola on Tuesday for the first and only visit to sub-Saharan Africa of his presidency, which is focused on a major infrastructure project that is a counterpoint to China’s investments. Biden arrived in the oil-rich Portuguese-speaking country late Monday for a two-day visit centred on a multinational project to rehabilitate a railway line ferrying minerals from inland countries to the Angolan port of Lobito for export. In anticipation of his trip, the Angolan government declared December 3 and 4 public holidays and deployed heavy security across the capital Luanda, a city of around 9.5…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday got a court order to seize an estate containing 753 units of duplexes in Abuja. It is the commission’s single-largest asset recovery. But the identity of the estate promoter remained unknown last night. It was learnt that a final security clearance would be required to disclose the estate owner, who is described as a “former top government official”. The application was filed by the EFCC without disclosing the identity of the top brass. A source said: “Even in the affidavit sworn to in the court, the identity of the owner was not…

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has asked the Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, to stop the prolonged investigation of the Nigerian military. The AGF stated the country’s position on Monday in a statement made available to the media in Abuja by the Special Adviser to the President on Communication and Publicity, Office of the AGF and Minister of Justice, Kamarudeen Ogundele. According to the statement, the AGF, in his remarks at the 23rd session of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome…

The Anambra State Executive Council (ANSEC), led by Governor Chukwuma Soludo, has approved tax exemptions for indigent residents whose business capital is less than ₦100,000.  During its 35th meeting, the council paid tribute to the late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah of the APC, who was recently buried in his hometown, Umuanukam, Otolo Nnewi. Ubah, who represented Anambra South senatorial zone, was a gubernatorial hopeful for the 2025 election. Commissioner for Information, Law Mefor, disclosed that ANSEC encouraged private investors to manage public enterprises in the state and reaffirmed the enforcement of the Anti-Touting Law, urging touts to join government empowerment schemes.…

Former Nigerian Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon on Wednesday dwelt on the historical considerations that led to his support for state creation in Nigeria, saying that it was to ease the fear of the northern region’s dominance given its size and population. In a speech delivered during a courtesy visit by the League of Northern Democrats (LND) in Abuja, he reflected on his leadership era and discussed the group’s vision for northern Nigeria. Gowon, who governed Nigeria during a tumultuous period that included the Civil War, emphasised that the decision to advocate for state creation was rooted in the…

FBN Holdings Plc (FBNH), a leading financial institution in Nigeria, has announced the launch of a rights issue offering of 5,982,548,799m ordinary shares at N25.00 per share. The initiative, which aims to raise a total of N149.56 billion, reflects the bank’s strategic response to regulatory requirements while bolstering its financial health and positioning it for sustained growth in an increasingly competitive banking landscape. The rights issue offers existing shareholders the entitlement to one new share for every six shares held as of October 18, 2024. The initiative has already gained traction in the market, with FBNH’s share price closing at…

*…Says you can’t aid, reward thuggery, cultism, yet claim to fight same* Media Adviser to immediate past Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, Crusoe Osagie, has said no amount of lies, blackmail, and propaganda by the newly sworn-in governor-select, Monday Okpebholo and his media hirelings can blemish the legacies of the former governor who in eight years successfully transformed the fortunes of the people and placed the State on the path of accelerated growth and prosperity. Osagie, in a statement, on Wednesday, lambasted the Okpebholo-led administration for its continuous resort to baseless allegations, falsehoods, and lies to discredit and tarnish…

Popular Nollywood Yoruba actress, Dayo Amusa has addressed ongoing speculations surrounding the identity of her recently welcomed child’s father. The actress has kept the identity of her child, Oluwafirewamiri’s father, away from the public eye since welcoming the baby in the United States on 18 November. While Amusa has chosen to keep the father’s identity private, the mystery has sparked widespread discussions among social media users. Speaking during a TikTok live session recently, the actress, who began her career in 2002 and transitioned into film production in 2006, asserted her right to privacy. She emphasised her decision to shield her…

Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana has won the FIFPRO Impact Award for humanitarian work, for the medical care his foundation provides to underprivileged communities in Cameroon and other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Doctors have performed more than 1,200 surgical operations over the past three years in collaboration with the 28-year-old’s Andre Onana Foundation, which works with medical professionals to provide surgery and care for people, particularly children. The honour is part of FIFPRO’s Annual Merit Awards that recognise players giving back to their communities. The global soccer players’ union will donate $10,000 to Onana’s foundation. “When I passed through Barcelona, Amsterdam and…