Author: Akintayo Adams

The William Samoei Arap Ruto-led Kenyan Government has reversed some proposed taxes contained in its new finance bill. This happened after protesters invaded the streets of Nairobi, the country’s capital, shutting down the parliament over the finance bill that proposes some taxes on cars. It included a 16 per cent tax on bread. Kuria Kimani, Chairman of the parliament finance committee, announced reversal of the taxes to douse tension in the country. President Williams Ruto and other lawmakers were in attendance. Ruto had introduced several taxes since he assumed office in 2022, and it is aimed at settling Kenya’s national…

Reality star, Whitemoney claims to have about 150 staff he pays 5 years in advance. The singer disclosed this while being featured in a latest episode of the Echo Room podcast. He was asked whether the claim that he pays his staff members 4 to 5 years in advance is true. In response, he confirmed the news, adding that he chose to treat staff that way so he takes his mind off from having to go through the hassle of keeping track with payment. “I have heard that you pay staff members couple years in advance, 5 years, 3 years,…

Nigeria’s National Team, the Super Eagles have fallen to the 38th position in the latest FIFA rankings released on Thursday. The Super Eagles now have 1498.93 points, a decrease from their previous 1520.27 points. Formerly ranked 30th, Nigeria’s decline is not unconnected to its performance in the two matches after the African Cup of Nations, where they emerged as runners-up after losing 2-1 to the host nation. In their recent FIFA World Cup qualifying games, the Super Eagles played a 1-1 draw against Bafana Bafana of South Africa in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, and suffered a disgraceful 2-1 defeat to…

At least 1,618 civil servants receiving payments from the Government with ‘fake’ employment letters has been exposed by the verification exercise of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS). This was made known by the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Folashade Yemi-Esan during a parley with media executives in commemoration of the 2024 Civil Service Week Celebrations. She revealed that a total of 69,308 civil servants participated in the compulsory verification exercise, and have been fully integrated into the IPPIS after their verifications. She gave a warning that civil servants who were outside the country without…

Bayo Onanuga, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Special Adviser on information and strategy, and O’tega Ogra, Senior Special Assistant on New Media to the President have both slammed activist Aisha Yesufu for her recent tweet. The tweet by Yesufu claimed that Tinubu was disgraced and snubbed by South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, at his inauguration event. “My people say pikin wey no hear word for house, na for outside dem go disgrace am! Tinubu disgraced once again In South Africa,” she wrote alongside a video. Ogra, in his response said Yesufu’s constant criticism is aimed at garnering likes and retweets. “Aisha,…

Two 13-year-old French Boys have been charged with the rape of a 12-year-old Jewish girl. The act sparked nationwide outrage in France. According to police sources, a girl said that while she was at a park near her home in the northwestern Paris suburb of Courbevoie on Saturday evening, three boys aged 12 to 13 approached her. The boys dragged her into a shed, where they beat her and forced her into sex while making death threats and anti-Semitic remarks, as reported by one police source to AFP. The girl mentioned that she was called a “dirty Jew,” according to…

Mr. Olusegun Alebiosu, on Wednesday, was announced by FBN Holdings Plc as the substantive Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of its banking subsidiary, First Bank of Nigeria Limited (FirstBank). In a statement on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), the Holding Company disclosed that the appointment was subject to Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) approval. Sequel to the resignation of the former MD, Adesola Adeduntan as the CEO of the bank in April 2024, Alebiosu has been serving as the Acting Managing Director. In a statement signed by the Acting company Secretary, FBN Holdings, Mr. Adewale Arogundade, Ini Ebong was also appointed…

Governor Sèyí Makinde of Oyo State has approved the appointment of the Balógun of Ìbàdànland, Ọba Owólabí Olàkúlẹ́hìn as the 43rd Olubadan of lbadanland. The state’s Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Mr Olusegun Olayiwola, made this known via a statement on Wednesday. According to him, Mákindé exercised the powers conferred on him by section 19 (Cap 28) law of Oyo State 2000, as amended, to grant the approval. Olayiwola noted that this approval is the culmination of a series of processes stipulated by the extant laws of the state regarding ascension to royal thrones. The governor congratulated the…

The Nigeria Football Federation has called reports from some online sources on Wednesday that the football body has banned Super Eagles’ forward Victor Osimhen for his recent social media outburst an outright falsehood. NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, expressed surprise at these claims, stating that the Federation has neither started nor concluded any process to ban the player from the national team. “The NFF hereby implores the media to join hands with the body to positively resolve issues and then focus on the big picture all the time, rather than needlessly escalate certain matters. “There was no official communication…

The death toll at the Hajj, the annual Islamic rituals, surged past 900, reports said Wednesday. The pilgrimage, which were carried out in scorching heat, has led to friends and family searching for missing individuals. Temperatures hit 51.8 degrees Celsius (125 Fahrenheit) in Mecca, Islam’s holiest city, on Monday, leaving relatives fearing the worst. An Arab diplomat told AFP that deaths among Egyptians alone had jumped to “at least 600”, from more than 300 a day earlier, mostly from the unforgiving heat. That figure brought the total reported dead so far to 922, according to an AFP tally of figures…