Author: Chronicle Editor

The Olubadan of Ibadan land, Oba Saliu Adetunji, has passed away aged 93. His death was confirmed by palace sources who pleaded anonymity on Sunday. However, when contacted, the monarch’s aides neither confirmed his death nor denied it. Olubadan is the royal title of the king of Ibadanland in Nigeria. Ibadan was founded in the 16th century, but the present Yoruba people only took control around 1820. By 1850 they had established their unusual succession principle, which is quite different compared with other traditional Yoruba rulers in that it alternates between two lines. It usually takes decades to groom an Olubadan for the stool…

Newcastle have contacted Arsenal with a proposal to loan unsettled Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, 32, for the rest of the season. (Sunday Mirror) The Magpies have been quoted more than £50m for Benfica and Uruguay striker Darwin Nunez, 22. (The I) Newcastle officials are hopeful that a deal for Atletico Madrid and England full-back Kieran Trippier, 31, will be completed in the next few days. (Luke Edwards on Twitter) Everton have been offered Barcelona and Brazil playmaker Philippe Coutinho, 29, with manager Rafael Benitez interested in adding Rangers and Scotland right-back Nathan Patterson, 20, to his squad. (Mail on Sunday) Arsenal are interested in signing 23-year-old Aston Villa and…

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) says it will not back down on its rejection of plans by the federal government to hike petrol price and electricity tariff. NLC vowed on Sunday to shut down the country should government proceed with the planned price hike in the new year. Nigerians, it said in its new year message, have had enough of what it labeled anti-people policies and would not tolerate such any longer. In the message signed by NLC President Ayuba Wabba, congress declared that Nigerians “have suffered enough and will not endure more punishment by way of further petrol and…

Former Rep Jibrin says ex-Lagos governor is best option for Nigeria Over 2,500 Islamic clerics in Kano State on Sunday held a special prayer session for the success of the perceived presidential ambition of the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. The prayer session, which was at the instance of the Managing Director, Federal Housing Authority, Abdullmumini Jibrin Kofa, took place in his village, Kofa, in Bebeji Local Government area of the state. The clerics were led by the Chief Imam of Kafin-Maiyaki, who recited verses from the Holy Qur’an. Jibrin, a former member of…

Davinson Sanchez scored a 96th-minute winner as Tottenham continued their push for a Premier League top-four place with a last-gasp victory over struggling Watford at Vicarage Road. Defender Sanchez headed in from Son Heung-min’s cross as Spurs climbed up to fifth in the table, two points behind Arsenal. Hornets goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann denied Son Heung-min at close range in the second half, after Lloris had produced an equally superb save from Josh King at the other end. Joao Pedro had a late penalty appeal dismissed after Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris raced out of his goal to deny the forward. The…

A law allowing assisted suicide in Austria has now taken effect on New Year’s Day. From Saturday, adults who are terminally ill or have a permanent, debilitating condition, can opt to make provisions for an assisted death. Parliament approved the new law in December, following a constitutional court ruling on the issue. The practice will be tightly regulated, with each case assessed by two doctors – one of whom would have to be a palliative medicine expert. Officials say the government has also allocated funds to develop palliative care to ensure no one chooses to die when other options are…

Justice A. S. Bolaji of Ibadan High Court, Oyo State, has dismissed a fundamental rights suit filed by the Akere family of Ibadan, Oyo State, against the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and two others. Justice Bolaji while dismissing the suit for lacking merit also awarded N200, 000, against each of the six applicants, in favour of the respondents. The judge also ordered the applicants to honour police invitations extended to them. The applicants, Fasasi Titiloye Akere; Lamidi Wintola Akere; Wasiu Okunola Akere; Suliat Okunola Akere; Ismaila Okunola Akere and Tunde Akere dragged the IGP; Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Force CID,…

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen Lucky Irabor has commended personnel of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) for their outstanding performance in ensuring a safe and secure country throughout 2021. The CDS gave the commendation in the spirit of the new year celebration. Gen Irabor saluted the men and women of the AFN for their loyalty, doggedness, endurance, courage, and gallantry in keeping the nation safe and secure. Gen Irabor said that AFN troops have displayed uncommon resilience and courage in the face of danger while surmounting the myriad of security threats. In his words, “in-retrospect, the end…

Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, says Nigeria wouldn’t achieve its current level of infrastructural development without loans. Amaechi spoke on Friday when he featured as a guest on Good Morning Nigeria, a programme on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). Speaking on what the present administration has accomplished in infrastructure, he said not all projects are funded with loans, adding that Buhari should be commended for his efforts. “We must credit it to a great extent to the president in the sense that if he had been listening to the elite of Nigeria that was screaming ‘no, you can’t borrow money…

Rodri scored a stoppage-time winner as Manchester City beat 10-man Arsenal to move 11 points clear at the top of the Premier League with an 11th successive victory. That advantage will be cut to some extent on Sunday when second-placed Chelsea host third-placed Liverpool, although no team has failed to win the Premier League title when beginning the new year with a lead as big as City’s. Arsenal looked to have held out for a draw but Rodri steered in a loose ball in the 93rd-minute to help City maintain their dominant form. The hosts were the better side early…