Author: Opalim Lifted

Manchester United’s most successful manager Sir Alex Ferguson will step down as a global ambassador after the club’s part-owners INEOS ended his multi-million pound contract. Ferguson, a familiar sight in the Old Trafford director’s box for years, signed an agreement with United in 2013 to be a club ambassador, receiving 2.16 million pounds ($2.82m) a year. The split was amicable, according to a team source, who said it was one of a number of time-consuming responsibilities from which the 82-year-old Ferguson was stepping back and that he was always welcome at Old Trafford. There have been job cuts virtually across…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Enugu Zonal Directorate, prosecuted Chinedu Roland Okoronkwo alongside his company, Reliance Microfinance Cooperative Society Limited, on 36-count charges bordering on carrying out banking businesses without a valid licence, forgery, and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N71,580, 000. Justice F. O. Giwa-Ogunbanjo of the Federal High Court sitting in Enugu State has adjourned the trial of an alleged notorious pmicrofinanceonzi scheme operator, Roland Okoronkwo, standing trial for N71, 580, 000 (Seventy One Million, Five Hundred and Eighty Thousand Naira) fraud till October 29, 2024, Dele Oyewale, EFCC spokesman, disclosed this in…

Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) announced that it “successfully transitioned” to a new and advanced Finacle Core Banking Application System while customers still struggled to access their funds on Monday and Tuesday, respectively. Chronicle NG reported that the bank made this known via an email to its customers on Monday while informing them that all branches will be open until 6 p.m. “We are pleased to inform you that we have successfully transitioned to a new and robust suite of Finacle Core Banking Application Systems, and all our branches will be open till 6 pm today to serve you,” the statement…

Germany booked a place in the Nations League quarter-finals on Monday after midfielder Jamie Leweling enjoyed a dream international debut by scoring the winner in a hard-fought 1-0 home success over the Netherlands in Group A3. Jamie Leweling had a goal disallowed for offside by the video assistant referee after some awful defending from the Dutch, who were missing Virgil van Dijk through suspension. Stuttgart’s Leweling went on to score the game’s only goal in the 64th minutes, slamming a first-time effort into the top corner from a half-cleared corner. The Dutch created very few clear chances – although did…

UFC fighter Israel Adesanya has opened up on a dark period in his career when he was left financially poor following a loss to Alex Pereira during his kickboxing days in China. The Nigerian-born Kiwi UFC star and former middleweight champion, known for his flashy style and confidence in the octagon, shared a surprising tale of hardship on The JRE podcast, narrating how he found himself in dire straits after the promotion he was fighting for suddenly stopped offering him bouts. “When I was fighting in China and I lost to Alex, they stopped giving me fights. I think, at…

The Libyan Football Federation (LFF) has condemned Nigeria’s decision to withdraw from the scheduled 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, threatening to take legal action to protect its national team’s interests. The Super Eagles cited safety concerns after being stranded at Al Abaq Airport for over 13 hours following an unexpected diversion on Sunday, prompting Nigeria to pull out of the match, initially set for Tuesday, October 15. In its statement shared by The Libya Observer, the LFF accused the Nigerian Football Federation of failing to cooperate in organising the match and causing the confusion that led to the current…

Kolo Muani scored twice as France beat Belgium in an incident-packed UEFA Nations League match in Brussels. Youri Tielemans skied a penalty for the hosts after William Saliba brought down Lois Openda, a decision given by the video assistant referee (VAR). France then won a penalty of their own when Wout Faes handled the ball on the ground. Kolo Muani sent goalkeeper Koen Casteels the wrong way from the spot for the 35th-minute opener. Openda equalised for Belgium in first-half added time with a header from Timothy Castagne’s left-wing cross. The goal was initially ruled out for offside but given…

The House of Representatives Committee investigating allegations of corruption against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCos) will visit the Lagos offices of the two agencies on Monday, October 21, 2024. The allegations were made by controversial crossdresser, Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, through a recorded telephone conversation obtained by a social media influencer, Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan. The Chairman of the investigating committee, Ginger Onwusibe, said on Monday that the committee would visit Lagos for its investigation. On Monday, October 1, the panel grilled officials of the EFCC, NCoS and…

Former Manchester City defender Benjamin Mendy says he was lent money by his then team-mates Raheem Sterling, Bernardo Silva and Riyad Mahrez when the club stopped paying him after he was charged with rape and sexual assault, an employment tribunal has heard. The France defender is claiming £11.5m in unpaid wages from when he was charged in August 2021 and suspended without pay by City. Mendy, 30, was cleared in 2023 of a series of rape and attempted rape charges made against him. The club continued paying Mendy after his first arrest in November 2020, but argued they did not…

Saudi Arabia’s flag carrier is turning to a cash-strapped German firm for electric jets to service routes to new luxury resorts and the holy city of Mecca, an official said. The aircraft from Munich-based Lilium will provide direct links to hard-to-reach routes along the Red Sea coast and ferry Muslim pilgrims directly from Jeddah to Mecca, which does not have an airport, Saudia communications affairs manager Razan Shaker said. “Our strategy is that it will help in bridging the locations and the cities that don’t have an airport or that are maybe hard to go to,” she told AFP on…