Author: Chronicle Editor

South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has tested positive for Covid-19 and is being treated for mild symptoms. Mr Ramaphosa started feeling unwell on Sunday after leaving the state memorial service of South Africa’s last apartheid President FW De Klerk in Cape Town, according to a statement from the presidency. People who had contact with the president on the day have been advised to watch for symptoms or to get tested. The president is fully vaccinated and has delegated all his responsibilities to Deputy President David Mabuza. President Ramaphosa returned last Wednesday from a trip to the West African countries of…

Youri Tielemans scored twice as Leicester City bounced back from their Europa League exit to earn an emphatic Premier League victory over Newcastle United at the King Power Stadium. Making his first Premier League start since 7 November following a calf injury, Tielemans converted a 38th-minute penalty after Jamaal Lascelles was adjudged to have brought down James Maddison. A quality attacking move, initiated by Maddison’s sublime pass for Harvey Barnes using the outside of his boot, resulted in a simple finish for Patson Daka as the Foxes moved out of sight in the second half. After Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel…

Everton’s wretched season continued as fans booed Rafael Benitez’s decision to substitute Richarlison during another defeat at Crystal Palace. Demarai Gray’s poor pass let in Jordan Ayew, whose pass allowed Conor Gallagher to sweep home his fifth Premier League goal since joining from Chelsea on loan at the start of the season. At 1-0, manager Benitez replaced Brazil forward Richarlison – who was clearly unhappy to go off – with Salomon Rondon, which provoked an angry reaction from the travelling fans at Selhurst Park. Four minutes later, James Tomkins made it 2-0 from close range following a corner by Will…

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the Senate President Dr Ahmad Lawan, and Speaker of House of Representatives Mr Femi Gbajabiamila to “promptly probe and refer to appropriate anti-corruption agencies fresh allegations that N10bn of public money budgeted for the National Assembly is missing, misappropriated or diverted.” SERAP said: “The grim allegations that N10,051,283,568.82 of public money is missing are documented in the 2019 audited report by the Auditor-General of the Federation.” In the letter dated 11 December 2021 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “Addressing the allegations would improve public confidence and…

Aviation minister, Hadi Sirika, has hinted that the Nigerian government will halt flights from the UK, Canada, Saudi Arabia and other countries that have banned flights from Nigeria over the Omicron variant. Sirika on Sunday said on December 14, the decision to restrict airlines from these countries should be in effect. He explained that it was to reciprocate restricted flights from Nigeria into those countries over the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron. Sirika said President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration would also place the United Kingdom, Canada and Saudi Arabia on a red list over the outbreak and spread of the Omicron variant.…

Biodun Shobanjo, advertising czar, serial entrepreneur, TV star, dapper don and grand old man of the marketing communications industry is a man that excites very strong emotions. In considering the man, one might create three broad categories; those who admire and like him; those who admire but don’t like him and then those who hate his guts. Think of that proverbial elephant and the seven blind men and you begin to understand the enigma behind the personality of Biodun Shobanjo, the man who just celebrated his 50th year as an advertising icon. For starters, he is to his children a…

The Lagos State government said it has commenced the removal and clearance of trucks parked indiscriminately along Oshodi-Apapa Expressway. Deputy Governor Dr Obafemi Hamzat said this during a Strategic Stakeholders’ Meeting organised by Apapa Local Government at the Rockview Hotel, Apapa. The event, themed; ‘Building Together’, was part of activities to mark the council chairman, Idowu Sebanjo’s 100 days in office. According to Hamzat, who was represented by Rasaq Amodu, the removal commenced Friday, December 3. The deputy governor hailed Sebanjo’s initiative in bringing stakeholders in Apapa together to chart a common front. Lagos State completes flyover linking Badagry Expressway…

The Adamawa State Police Command has arrested a local gunrunner, Shenomano Remos and seized six guns from him. The police said in a statement obtained by our correspondent on Saturday that the suspect was arrested on Friday along Ngada-Gombi road in Gombi local government area. The gunrunner, Remos, 23, was arrested by men of the Gombi Police Division in a joint stop and search operation with hunters. Police spokesman, DSP Suleiman Nguroje said in the statement that the arrest was part of the command’s “reinvigorated special action plan on the ongoing fight against banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery and other violent…

MultiChoice Group has announced that the successful SuperPicks football magazine show will now be broadcast across GOtv in Africa Thursday nights from 9pm on SuperSport La Liga (GOtv channel 32). CEO of MultiChoice Nigeria, John Ugbe, commented: “Our mission is not only to produce compelling content but to make that content widely accessible to our customers. The roll out of the SuperPicks magazine show onto GOtv reflects the unprecedented popularity of the TV show since its launch in August and our commitment to making ground-breaking content available to our customers.” The show debuted on SuperSport La Liga (DStv channel 204)…

Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika, has explained why Nigeria reduced the number of flights that Emirates Airlines can make in Nigeria on weekly basis. Sirika noted that the action was in reciprocity to the actions of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that denied Air Peace Airlines more frequency into the Arab country. In an audio recording received by Chronicle NG on Saturday, the aviation minister explained that the Nigerian government had received a letter, which he described as ‘insulting’ from the UAE government. The minister said while Emirates Airline was given 21 frequencies into Nigeria on weekly basis – which translates…