Author: Akintayo Adams

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta reportedly intervened to prevent Leandro Trossard from leaving the club amid interest from Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad during the summer transfer window. According to Belgian outlet Het Nieuwsblad, Arteta, a strong supporter of Trossard, blocked a proposed loan move that included a £21 million obligation to buy, despite the Saudi club offering Trossard a £12.5 million-a-year salary, three times his current wage. Arsenal, determined to retain Trossard, are now expected to offer the Belgian forward, who joined from Brighton for £20 million in January 2023, a new contract. Get instant and latest news updates via…

Nigerian R&B singer and EME boss, Bankole Wellington, popularly known as Banky W, has relocated to the United States with his family to pursue a Master’s degree at Georgetown University in Washington DC. In an Instagram post, Banky W shared a picture of himself, his wife, Adesua Etomi-Wellington, and their child at the airport, calling on fans to wish them well as they embark on this new journey. He wrote, “For family. For finding purpose. For the next year of earning a Master’s degree in Policy Management at Georgetown University in Washington DC. Wish us well.” Get instant and latest…

In Q1 2024, Nigeria’s unemployment rate increased to 5.3%, up from 5.0% in Q3 2023. This is according to a National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) report. Urban areas recorded a higher unemployment rate of 6.0%, while rural areas stood at 4.3%. The labour force participation rate also declined from 79.5% in Q3 2023 to 77.3% in Q1 2024, with the employment-to-population ratio dropping to 73.2%, compared to 75.6% in the previous quarter. Wage employment rose to 16.0% in Q1 2024, up from 12.7% in Q3 2023, with males accounting for 20.1% and females 12.1%. Urban areas had a significantly higher…

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has increased the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) by 50 basis points, raising it from 26.75% to 27.25%. This decision was made at the conclusion of the 297th Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting held in Abuja. The committee also retained the asymmetric corridor at +500 and -100 basis points, while raising the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) from 45% to 50%. CBN Governor Olayemi Cardoso, while briefing the press, mentioned that the committee unanimously agreed on further tightening monetary policy to address the nation’s economic challenges. Cardoso said, “The committee was unanimous in its decision to…

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed that 5.4% of Nigerians, approximately 4.8 million individuals within the working-age population, were unemployed in 2023. This is based on the NBS’s new methodology, which defines the labor force as individuals aged 15 and above who are willing, available, and able to work during the survey period. Unlike the previous approach that required 20 hours of work, the new method counts those who worked at least one hour in the previous seven days as employed. In its press release on the 2023 Annual and Q1 2024 Nigeria Labour Force Survey results, NBS…

Nigerian actress Toyin Adegbola, popularly known as ‘Ajoke Asewo to re Mecca’ has advised women against seeking divorce, emphasizing that equality doesn’t exist in marriage. During an Instagram live session on Monday, she urged women to remain with their unfaithful husbands while taking precautions to protect themselves from sexually transmitted diseases. She recounted a friend’s experience, explaining how her friend buys condoms for her husband to use when he’s visiting Nigeria, as a precautionary measure. According to Toyin, women shouldn’t expect equal rights in marriage and should accept their husbands’ behavior rather than leave. “No matter how difficult your husband…

Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja has recused herself from the trial of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), on terrorism charges brought by the federal government. The judge stepped down from the case on Tuesday after Kanu expressed a lack of confidence in her ability to handle the proceedings. During the hearing, Kanu interrupted the proceedings, instructing his lawyer, Aloy Ejimako, to sit down as he addressed the court directly. He declared he no longer had trust in Justice Nyako and demanded she recuse herself from the trial. Despite objections…

Cryptocurrencies made cautious gains to start the week, with Bitcoin (BTC) rising 1.3% over the past 24 hours to just under $63,500. Ether (ETH) outperformed Bitcoin, gaining 2.7% to reach $2,650, while the broader digital asset market rose by 1.1%, according to the CoinDesk 20 Index. Data from CoinGlass reveals that in the past 12 hours, $64.23 million in short positions were liquidated compared to $54.42 million in long positions, indicating more pressure on short sellers. The activity comes in the wake of last week’s 50 basis-point interest-rate cut by the U.S. Federal Reserve. Over the past week, BTC has…

The Senior Pastor of Awaiting The Second Coming of Christ Ministry, Adewale Giwa, has claimed that Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, is responsible for the hardships Nigerians are experiencing under President Bola Tinubu’s administration. Pastor Giwa argued that Obi knew he couldn’t defeat the All Progressives Congress (APC) but still ran for office, playing a “spoiler role” in the election. In an interview, Giwa emphasized that defeating the ruling party in Nigeria requires a coalition of opposition parties, pointing to how multiple parties aligned to defeat former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015. He criticized the fragmented…

Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has approved re-scheduled working days for various categories of civil servants in the state. He also assented to an extension of payment of palliatives for public servants for the next two months. This is in response to the high cost of transportation. The announcement was contained in a circular shared on the State Government’s X handle. The circular, which originated from the Office of the Head of Service was signed by Mallam Olawale Rasheed, Spokesperson to the State Governor. “By this Circular, therefore, and until another directive is given, the working day schedules for…