Author: Chronicle Editor

By Nicholas Ojo-Awo Spending the Christmas holidays in Ibadan was what first brought notice to the late commencement of the harmattan season. The annual gust of North-Easternly winds emanating from the Sahara that signal the end of the rainy season. They came on the 22nd of December 2016 and that of Lagos was most noticeable only on the 27th and 28th of the same month. But it was not until January 14 and 15 that harmattan became an item in Lagos. It was two days that became a topic even on social media. Those two days of harmattan experienced is…

Argentina forward Lionel Messi, 29, will not be leaving Barcelona for Manchester City, according to his father, with talks under way over a new contract. (Sun) Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, 24, is already planning his summer move to Real Madrid.(Sun) The Blues want £12m from Bournemouth for another goalkeeper, 29-year-old Asmir Begovic.(Daily Mirror) Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone has opened the door for Antoine Griezmann, 25, to leave the club in the summer. Manchester United are one of the few clubs able and prepared to meet the France forward’s release clause of 100m euros (£86m).(Daily Telegraph) Manchester City have set…

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum on Friday announced the appointment of Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state as its new Chairman. Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa made the announcement while briefing newsmen on the outcome of the Forum and PDP Caucus meeting which ended in the early hours of Friday in Abuja. Dickson said that the PDP chieftains had a very fruitful deliberation on the state of the nation and the party. “As an integral part of the discussion, the governors of our party, among ourselves, as well as those who were unavoidably absent, unanimously appointed a new…

Donald Trump, US President elect plans to visit CIA headquarters on Saturday on his first full day as US president, as he takes command of the agency that he has harshly criticised in the past. A senior US intelligence official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the purpose his visit was to swear in Mike Pompeo as the spy agency’s new chief. However, that plan, will depend on whether Mr Pompeo receives Senate confirmation by then, and it was uncertain whether the Senate would act in time. The visit would nonetheless have a symbolic element to it,as Mr Trump has…

A film dedicated to telling the story of the kidnapped Chibok schoolgirls, “Waiting for Hassana”, will be premiered in the U.S. on Friday. This is contained in a statement by Adam Segal, a representative of The 2050 Group – Publicity, obtained by the Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). The short documentary, the first Nigerian production ever selected to debut at the prestigious Sundance International Film Festival, focuses on the Chibok girls. “WAITING FOR HASSANA is a powerful short documentary directed by Ifunanya ‘Funa’ Maduka and produced by Uzodinma Iweala and Ifunanya Maduka. “It will premiere at the…

ECOWAS troops halted their march into Gambia Thursday night to give former president Yahya Jammeh, one more last chance to leave Banjul. Jammeh has up till noon to leave, in the new deadline given by ECOWAS, the West African regional bloc. If he fails to do so, the troops under Operation Restore Democracy, will continue their march into the capital. There was no resistance by Gambian troops at the border when the West African soldiers entered Thursday. ”Troops in Farafenni refused to fight. They opened border for ECOWAS troops to enter freely. No loss of lives down that end’, a…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, have vowed to clamp down on fraudulent operators in the Nigerian capital market. Ibrahim Magu, Acting Chairman, EFCC, and his SEC counterpart, Mournir Gwarzo made the pledge Thursday, January 19, 2017 while signing a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, for cooperation at the EFCC head office, Abuja. The collaboration will see the EFCC provide law enforcement muscle to give bite to SEC’s regulatory mandate in the capital market. Magu stressed the need for both agencies to pool resources together in dealing with the menace of Ponzi schemes,…

Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen is expected to be out for six weeks with an ankle ligament injury, according to his manager Mauricio Pochettino. The 29-year-old centre-back turned his left ankle during the second half of last Saturday’s 4-0 win over West Brom. “When your mind is positive it’s easier to recover,” said the Argentine boss. “He doesn’t require surgery. “We have players that can perform in his place and we are very happy with the squad and the players we have.” Vertonghen has played in 20 out of 21 league matches this season, forming part of a defence that has…

Nigeria together with some African countries would seek to improve trade and investment ties with German at Germany-Africa Business Forum slated to hold at Frankfurt on March 23. This is contained in a statement posted on the Germany-Africa Business Forum website and accessed by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday. The statement said that the Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Okechuckwu Enelamah, would be attending the forum. “There is already a strong foundation of trade relations between Nigeria and Germany and an even stronger rationale to expand upon them. “Nigeria is Africa’s largest…

The Minister of Youths and Sports, Solomon Dalong, on Thursday urged government at all levels to engage youths across the country to curb their agitations and save them from vices. Dalong made the appeal when he visited Gov. Samuel Ortom at the Benue People’s House, Makurdi during his working tour of the state. He said that government at all levels should create space for the agitating youths to mitigate the growing insecurity in the country. “Young people have waited endlessly for the future and the future is not forthcoming, so, the youths have no other alternatives but to resort to…