The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • I’ve experienced women from all races – Jim Iyke

    I’ve experienced women from all races – Jim Iyke

    Actor Jim Iyke has boasted about dating women across the globe and races.

    The thespian said he has dated “extensively.”

    He made this known while featuring as a guest on the latest episode of the Is This Seat Taken audiovisual podcast, hosted by actress Chinasa Anukam.

    Read Also: Jim Iyke: Ini Edo is soft emotionally

    Jim Iyke said: “I have dated extensively. I have dated across different races. Because I’m always adventurous. I just want to experience and live life.

    “So, I have lived in three countries. I’ve met different kinds of women from different walks of life, different races, different religions. There’s rarely a religion you point to or race that I have not been with either romantically or casual dating.”

    The award-winning actor said he grew up as the only boy among 11 women.

  • I’m not among top 20 funniest comedians – AY

    I’m not among top 20 funniest comedians – AY

    Award-winning comedian and filmmaker, Ayodeji Makun aka AY has said if he were to rank himself, he wouldn’t be among the top 20 funniest comedians in Nigeria.

    He revealed this in a recent interview with Teju Babyface.

    The comic actor, while berating critics of his comedy skills for their harsh comments on blogs and social media, admitted that the criticisms have helped him improve.

    AY said: “Sometimes, you read on the blogs, you go into comments, and you see stuff like, ‘I don’t find this guy funny.’

    Read Also: A good comedian knows when to leave, Olu-Omopeteru

    “They know that we read these comments. Some will say, ‘I can’t even stand him.’ You know the funny thing? “These things put together in a way, beyond depression, as they would want you to be, is like a propelling factor. I read it, and I see it. I will be like, ‘Okay, you have some work to do. You need to improve yourself. And you need to do better.’

    “And one thing I also tell people, if I’m left to count the funniest guys in the industry, if you give me the opportunity to name up to 20, I won’t even put AY. I won’t put myself through it. And I want people to also understand that, by not putting myself does not mean that somebody is not putting me where he thinks I’m”.

  • I was an artiste before winning BBNaiija – Whitemoney

    I was an artiste before winning BBNaiija – Whitemoney

    Big Brother Naija Season 6 winner Whitemoney has claimed he was an already established singer before attempting the reality show.

    He said he won an education scholarship for drumming at a young age.

    The reality star spoke on the latest episode of The House Chronicles podcast.

    Read Also: I didn’t use your slang to win, Phyna tells Whitemoney

    He said: “I was already into music before going on the Big Brother Naija reality show. It is just that I was doing more of highlife. Back in the days, I had a band and everything, and there was no media to really show us out, but I did my thing low-key. I have been in music for long. I got my scholarship as a drummer to go to school.

    “When I came out of Big Brother Naija show, the opportunities that presented themselves were not cooking opportunities. In fact, no cooking brand came to me. For those who are saying, ‘When this one start singing?’ I think they forgot that 99 per cent of the music composed in Big Brother House was done by me.”

  • I won’t make further efforts to reconcile with Basketmouth- Comedian AY

    I won’t make further efforts to reconcile with Basketmouth- Comedian AY

    Filmmaker AY has said he has taken his final shot towards resolving the beef with his longtime industry rival, Basketmouth.

    The duo has been at loggerheads for 17 years ago over what AY claimed was an unpaid N30,000 debt Basketmouth owed him.

    But the latter denied, insisting there was nothing like that since they were never friends.

    In a recent interview with Teju Babyface, AY, who claimed he has been making efforts over the years to reconcile with Basketmouth, said he no longer minds going to his grave with their beef.

    He said their senior colleagues are aware of his efforts to reconcile with Basketmouth, adding that they told him at some point to stop forcing reconciliation when Basketmouth was proving adamant.

    Read Also: Basketmouth’s Last One Laughing, Naija shows for July 14

    According to him: “The bros, (senior colleagues in the comedy industry) knew about my beef with Basketmouth and at some point in time, they had to ask me to slow down. “They were like: ‘You’re doing too much. You are putting in too much to make this thing work. Friendship is not by force.’

    “I was believing that ‘No, this can work’. Even in my last stand-up comedy, I had to go on stage and I did another routine ‘My guy. How’s my guy? This is my guy. If you see this guy, tell him he’s my guy.’ And the following morning, every where exploded again. ‘We are not friends. We are not that. We are not this.’

    “So, for me now, I’m not pushing anything anymore. As I’m here now as AY, if I have to go to my grave without sitting with any of these guys to say ‘hello, ‘hi,’ I will be happy”.

  • Singer Simi engages troll over singles, collabs

    Singer Simi engages troll over singles, collabs

    Singer Simi has disagreed with a critic who professed love for her features with male artists than her singles.

    The tweep argued about not being a fan of Simi’s voice on her singles but love every all her features.

    “I’m not really a huge fan of Simi’s voice on singles but I love all her features, I definitely cannot wait for this one,” the tweep wrote

    The tweet did not resonate well with Simi who dragged the tweep for validating her voice based on her features which are majorly with the opposite gender.

    Read Also: My man spoils me, Simi drools over Adekunle Gold

    Simi claimed she is the same writer and singer but most people wait for the male who features her before they validate her talent.

    “It’s literally the same voice. The same writer. The same singer. This is gonna be hard to hear, but some of you wait for men (because na dem dey feature me) to give you permission to validate my talent.

    “I honestly say this with zero malice. I’m just used to it now and I think people should just enjoy what they enjoy rather than make it seem like I off my magic button when I’m singing my own songs. Nobody will beat you,” she said.

  • FIFA Women’s World Cup: Waldrum targets knockout ticket for Super Falcons

    FIFA Women’s World Cup: Waldrum targets knockout ticket for Super Falcons

    • Ogbonna tips Nigeria to match Canada

    Coach Randy Waldrum has vowed to guide Nigeria’s senior women’s national team to the second round of the FIFA Women’s World Cup slated to start in Australia and New Zealand on Thursday.

    Waldrum whose preparations for the World Cup has been marred by his expletive on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), stressed that they would strive to come up with a positive outcome against Canada in the Group B first game on Friday.

    This year’s World Cup, would be Waldrum’s second major competition with the Super Falcons, after the team came fourth at the Women African Cup of Nations last year but the American is optimistic of a good outcome.
    “I think the expectations is to get out of the group, that hasn’t changed. One thing I know is that the players have given us everything in the past days and we will continue to do that until Friday. We will be proud and make you all proud as well,” he said.

    The Super Falcons will start their campaign on Friday against Canada, before facing the host, Australia on the 27th and lastly against the Republic of Ireland on the 31st of July.
    Meanwhile, defender Glory Ogbonna has asserted that the Super Falcons are raring to go ahead of Friday’s opener against .

    Read Also: FIFA Women’s World Cup: Waldrum fancies Falcons against Canada

    Ogbonna who will be making her debut at the FIFA Women’s World Cup , expressed her readiness to give her best against reigning Olympics Football Tournament champions.

    “I feel great and elated to play at the senior women’s World Cup having represented Nigeria twice at youth level. It has been my wish to be part of it and my wish has been granted. I’m grateful to God,” Ogbonna reportedly said as per a chat with Favour Itua. “We are ready, we have been preparing and training hard for the first game.
    “ We know that Canada has a good team but we are also a good side in terms of individual and team players. We have all it takes to face any team.”

    “Everyone in camp is so positive and we expect good result in the first game. We can wait anymore for the game to come. We shall be going all out against Canada and to make our country proud.”

    Super Falcons are the least ranked team in the group with Canada and Australia occupying the seventh and 10th spots while Republic of Ireland are 22nd in the last FIFA Women’s ranking released on June 9th .
    But Ogbonna who presently plays for Besiktas FK in the Turkish women’s league opined that the Super Falcons would ensure that they surprised their three group opponents as they strive to pick one of the two tickets to the next round.

    “We may be the lowest ranked team in our group, but it doesn’t play football. You don’t underrate any team. Football gives room for surprises. It doesn’t matter our position in the ranking. What matters is going there and show up the stuff you are made up.”

  • 2023/24 Season: Osimhen storms Napoli’s hotel camp with agent

    2023/24 Season: Osimhen storms Napoli’s hotel camp with agent

    Nigeria international striker Victor Osimhen yesterday reportedly arrived at Napoli’s Dimaro Hotel camp with his agent Roberto Calenda who is expected to continue talks for the striker’s contract extension.

    The 24-year-old Osimhen generated so much buzz last season following his stellar performances as his 26 goals in 32 Serie A matches significantly helped Napoli to clinch the title for the first time in 33 years.

    As a result, the Super Eagles striker has commanded huge interest in the summer transfer market after being linked to many top European clubs including Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Liverpool and PSG.

    Osimhen’s contract at the Stadio Maradona expires in June 2025 and Napoli won’t sell him for less than €180-200m this summer even as Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis expressed confidence that the Nigerian will remain with the Pan in the upcoming season.

    Read Also: Agbonlahor urges Chelsea to sign Napoli’s Osimhen

    On Monday, Calenda dismissed speculations that Osimhen was unwilling to sign a new contract with Napoli and the arrival of both the striker and his agent at Dimaro may have put paid to such speculations with claims by many Italian news outlets that talks over a contract extension is well on course.

    Also yesterday, Napoli coach Rudi Garcia was quoted as saying that he expects Osimhen to remain at Napoli.
    “He is under contract, tomorrow [today, Tuesday] he will arrive with the others,” Garcia reportedly said as per Football Italia. “When I spoke to Aurelio De Laurentiis, I saw we had the same ambition.

    “He did great things last season and he doesn’t want to stop. We’ll have a quality team. I like logic, if a team plays well, there are more chances to win and that’s what we want to do,” he added.

    Incidentally, Osimhen’s mentor and former Golden Eaglets coach , Emmanuel Amuneke, is also of the view that he would enjoy buoyancy if he remains with Napoli since he has the chance to replicate what he did last season.

    “He(Osimhen) has to look at all the options that will guarantee him the chance to replicate what he did last season (with Napoli),” Amuneke said in an earlier report. “He has to choose the option that will give him the continuity to grow as a player and establish himself as he did in the previous season.”

  • Court upholds Kogi governorship candidate Ododo’s nomination

    Court upholds Kogi governorship candidate Ododo’s nomination

    A FEDERAL High Court in Abuja has upheld the nomination of Ahmed Ododo as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the governorship election scheduled for November 11 in Kogi State.

    In a judgment yesterday, Justice Obiora Egwuatu held that, as against the plaintiff’s claim,  evidence before the court showed that Ododo resigned his appointment more than 30 days before participating in the APC primary.

    The judgment was in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/584/2023 filed by an APC member and a governorship aspirant – Abubakar Achimugu – who challenged Ododo’s emergence as the winner of the APC primary election held on April 14.

    Achimugu prayed the court to, among others, disqualify Ododo from participating in the forthcoming governorship election on the grounds that he allegedly did not resign his employment with the Kogi State Public Service a month before contesting the APC’s governorship primary.

    Read Also: Ododo represents Kogi’s interests, says Governor Bello’s CPS

    Justice Egwuatu noted that exhibits tendered by the defendants showed that, while Ododo’s resignation letter was received by the Office of the Kogi State Governor on March 8, that of the third defendant, Salami Deedat (the deputy governorship candidate), was received on March 9.

     The judge held that an employee or appointee’s resignation letter comes into effect the moment the notice is received, adding that such an employee will not be held responsible if the employer neglected to act on it either by continuing with the payment of salary.

    “I am satisfied that they (Ododo and Deedat) resigned their appointment on March 8 and 9, more than 30 days before the April 14 primary,” the judge held and proceeded to dismiss the suit for lacking in merit.

    The judge, earlier, dismissed the preliminary objection of the defendants in which they argued that the suit was statute barred, on the grounds that it filed more than 14 days as required by law.

  • JUST IN: Tobi Amusan charged for missing dope tests

    JUST IN: Tobi Amusan charged for missing dope tests

    Reigning world champion and world record-holder in the women’s 100m hurdles event, Tobi Amusan, has been charged by the World Athletics Integrity Unity (AIU) of rule violation for allegedly missing three tests in 12 months.

    Amusan’s revelation came after she won the women’s 100m hurdles event on Tuesday , clocking an impressive 12.35secs at the Gyulai Istvan Memorial meet in Hungary as she edged American duo of Nia Ali (12.41 secs) and Alaysha Johnson(12.50 secs).

    Amusan via her social media handle @ihurdle_33.0inches , stated in a long post in the early hours of Wednesday said: :“Today (July 19) the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has charged me with an alleged rule violation of having missed 3 missed tests in 12 months. I intend to fight this charge and will have my case decided by a tribunal of 3 arbitrators before the start of next month’s world championships.

    “I am a CLEAN ATHLETE, and I am regularly,(maybe more than the usual tested by AIU-I was tested within days of my third “missed test.”

    Read Also: Tobi Amusan wins 100m Hurdles at Silesia Diamond League

    “I have FAITH that this will be resolved in my favour and that I will be competing at the word championships in August.

    “In the meantime, I ask that the media respect my privacy while I address these distractions in my upcoming arbitration.”
    Her Tuesday’s victory came just days after finished first at the Diamond League meeting in Silesia on Sunday.

    “It is great to win a competition but the most important thing is to be in good shape at the World Championships,” an elated Amusan on Tuesday night. “My progress is going well, and I am looking forward to coming back to Hungary and competing with the best athletes next month.”

    She would have to clear herself with the AIU to have any chance of defending her 100m hurdles world titles at next month’ s World Championships in Budapest.

  • Ecobank to appeal Honeywell’s N72b court judgement

    Ecobank to appeal Honeywell’s N72b court judgement

    • -Judgement can’t stand

    Ecobank Nigeria Limited ihas said it would appeal a judgement by a Lagos Federal High Court, which awarded damages of N72 billion in favour of Honeywell Flour Mills Plc against the bank.
    Reacting to the judgement of the court presided over by Justice Liman, the bank said it believed that the judgment was perverse and cannot stand the test of time.
    The bank stated that it would vigorously challenge the judgement, expressing confidence that it can reverse thecjudgment at the higher courts.
    Sources from the bank stated that the instant suit was an action filed in 2018 for the enforcement of the bank’s undertaking as to damages which was filed in pursuance of its winding up petition and the ex-parte orders which were granted in favour of the bank.

    “We challenged the action through a Notice of Preliminary Objection dated 16th October, 2018 whereby we challenged the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, as (among other reasons), the action did not fall within the provisions of Section 251 (d) of the Constitution, being that the subject matter of the suit was for the Claim of Damages arising out of an Ex-Parte Order, as opposed to a Banker-Customer relationship. Trial was concluded in this matter since 9th March, 2021 and the parties adopted their final written addresses alongside our Notice of Preliminary objection on the 16th March, 2022, the Court then adjourned the matter to 27th May, 2022 for judgment. While the court failed to deliver judgment on the said date, the registrar of the court promised to inform counsel whenever the judgement was ready

    Read Also: Ecobank gets IFC, NGX recognition for gender balance

    “In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision in the bank’s favour, in Suit No. SC/CV/210/2021 which was delivered on 27th January 2023, the bank further filed a Motion on notice dated 9th March, 2023 to dismiss the suit on the grounds that same has become academic as a result of the judgment entered in favour of Ecobank wherein the Supreme ccourt held that Honeywell remained indebted to the Bank. The court heard motion dated 9th March, 2023 and adjourned to 23th June, 2023 for ruling on our two applications and also for delivery of judgment. The Court consequently delivered the said ruling/judgment today July 18 via a virtual proceeding at about 4pm. In its Judgment, the Court dismissed the two applications we filed, holding that it has jurisdiction to entertain the suit and also that the suit had not become academic,” the bank .

    According to the bank, in reaching its judgment, the court ignored/refused (among others): Submissions showing that the Ex-Parte Orders were discharged on points of law and not that it was frivolously obtained by the Bank; that the Ex-Parte Order lasted for less than 2 weeks, contrary to the Claim of Honeywell which was said to have covered the period of three years; that the documents presented by Honeywell particularly the annual returns did not show the alleged damage, hence same was indeed non-existent; that documents from various other Banks who were served with the ex-parte order showed that the Honeywell companies were indeed highly indebted to them, hence there was no way the Ex-Parte Orders would have frozen funds in the said Banks; and more importantly, the Court refused all the objections regarding the documents maliciously prepared by Honeywell for the sole purpose of instituting the Suit and claiming unjustifiable sums from the Bank.