Author: Festus Adeloye

The Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos on Friday affirmed the judgement of a Lagos State High Court, which sentenced Nollywood actor, Olanrewaju James, popularly called Baba Ijesha to five years imprisonment for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old minor. The appellate court in its lead judgement delivered by Justice Folashade Ojo found the Appellant, Baba Ijesha, guilty on counts 4 and 5, where he was accused of indecently touching a minor and sexually assaulting her. Other members of the panel, Justice Abdullahi Bayero and Justice Paul Bassi aligned themselves with the lead judgement. The Lagos State Government arraigned Baba Ijesha on…

A defiant US President Joe Biden made clear Friday that he has every intention of staying in the White House race, despite a disastrous debate performance against Donald Trump which triggered panic among Democrats. “I don’t walk as easy as I used to, I don’t speak as smoothly as I used to, I don’t debate as well as I used to, but I know what I do know — I know how to tell the truth,” Biden told a rally packed with roaring supporters in North Carolina. He added: “I know right from wrong. I know how to do this…

The Supreme Court has upheld the conviction and six-year jail term handed to former Managing Director of the now defunct Bank PHB, Francis Atuche by the Court of Appeal in Lagos in a judgment delivered on June 23. In a unanimous judgment on Friday, a five-member panel of the apex court held that the appeal by Atuche was without merit. The judgment was on the appeal marked: SC/CR/1223/2023 filed by Atuche. In the lead judgment prepared by Justice Habeeb Abiru, but read by Justice Moore Adumein, the apex court held that the appellant failed to show why it should tamper…

Two-time UEFA Champions League champions, Chelsea, have joined Manchester United and Bayern Munich in the pursuit of Super Eagles forward, Ademola Lookman. Ahead of next season, the Blues have already signed Tosin Adarabioyo on a free transfer from Fulham. Also, they have agreed deals with Aston Villa’s Omari Kellyman, Barcelona’s Marc Guiu and Palmerias’ Estêvão Willian as they look to usher in a fresh era under Enzo Maresca. However, the two-time UEFA Europa League champions are still in the transfer market for attackers and have been linked with Jhon Duran, Crysencio Summerville, Sam Omorodion, and Michael Olise, but the Crystal…

Novak Djokovic will play at Wimbledon after being named in the draw on Friday, despite concerns over his fitness following his withdrawal from the French Open. The seven-time champion at the All England Club was forced to pull out ahead of his quarter-final at Roland Garros against Casper Ruud after tearing the medial meniscus in his right knee. The 37-year-old Serbian world number two said earlier this week he would only play at Wimbledon if he was fit enough to “fight for the title” “I didn’t come here to play a few rounds,” he told the BBC. “If I know…

Controversial critic, Verydarkman, has refused to apologise or delete a post criticising Obi Cubana, a billionaire businessman, despite pressure from Tunde Ednut, a blogger and mutual friend. Verydarkman blasted Obi Cubana for warning blogs against posting younger individuals who disrespect their elders, stating that Obi Cubana doesn’t help youths in society. Tunde Ednut tried to mediate, asking Verydarkman to delete the post for peace but Verydarkman refused, saying he’d rather die than apologise or delete it. He also threatened to post chats from anyone who tries to intervene on behalf of Obi Cubana, stating that he only worships his ancestors…

Two people were confirmed dead, while 16 people reportedly survived the recent cholera outbreak in parts of Rivers State. The State’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Adaeze Chidinma Oreh, who disclosed this in a press statement she personally signed in Port Harcourt on Thursday, clarified that as of the time of the address, there were no cases of cholera in the state. Oreh explained that the incident in the state was recorded in three communities within Andoni Local Government Area, stating that the two people died with symptoms suspicious of cholera. The health commissioner stated that all the cases were recorded…

A badly wounded Joe Biden looked to get his reelection campaign back on track Friday after a debate performance that unnerved supporters and left allies of Donald Trump unable to conceal their glee. Democrats had hoped to see the president defiantly answering critics who say he is too old for a second term while hammering Trump on his criminal record and the threat they say he poses to democracy. Instead, many acknowledged, they got a faltering display from a candidate who sounded hoarse for much of the showdown, stumbled over words, pulled punches, often stared open-mouthed and looked confused. “There…

Governors from the Southern part of Nigeria, under the aegis of the Southern Governors’ Forum, yesterday called for the consideration of the ability of each state to pay the new minimum wage. Their call came as the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, NGF, said Wednesday night that it will continue to engage stakeholders to reach a mutually agreeable solution to the new minimum wage crisis. Although President Bola Tinubu was, in an unusual manner, present at the National Economic Council, NEC meeting often chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, said no word about the new minimum wage. The vice president said nothing…

President Biden and former President Donald Trump squared off in the first presidential debate of the 2024 election cycle on Thursday night. The 90-minute event featured rambling answers from the current president and misstatements from his predecessor. The candidates answered questions on the economy, abortion, the Middle East, the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, and Trump’s recent criminal conviction. Hosted by CNN in Atlanta, with Jake Tapper and Dana Bash as moderators, each candidate’s microphone was muted when it was not his turn to speak, and there was no studio audience. Biden struggled through many of his early answers,…