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  • Footballers with crazy back tattoos

    Footballers with crazy back tattoos

    1.    Memphis Depay– The Dutch star plays as a striker at Atletico Madrid. The 29-year old who is widely known for his classy living has a tattoo representation of a lion inscribed on his back.

    2.    Zlatan Ibrahimovic

    The football legend currently playing for AC Milan and has recently become the oldest player to be called up by the Swedish football team. The 41-year-old known for his acrobatic display on the field of play and long-range shots also has a thing for tattoos and he is second on the list with a lion on his back and other inscriptions. 

    3.  Sergio Ramos

    Sergio Ramos is one footballer with great defensive abilities and has gone into the books of the referee so many times because of his aggressive attitude, but he is also a lover of tattoos and it shows by the artistic designs on his body from his neck downwards. 

    He has different inscriptions on his back, but the most common is that of a lion. 

    4. Arturo Vidal

    The Chilean midfielder plays in Flamingo. Vidal is a lover of tattoos and he basically has a tattoo around his body from his neck downwards.  He has a crazy tattoo at his back starting from a crown on top, in the midsection a cross inscription and below a star amidst other inscriptions. 

    5. Matteo Politano

    He plays for Napoli as a winger or supporting striker and is also a regular player in the Italy football team. 

    Politano has a crazy tattoo of a leopard that covers all of his back. 

    6. Andre Gray

    Andre Gray is a professional footballer in Greece, playing for Aris, he was Born in England but he represents the Jamaica National team.  Being a black man, he is an activist for Black Lives Matter and has a number of great black men inscription on his back, Malcom X, Muhammad Ali, Nelson Mandela, Bob Marley and more iconic faces feature in the artistic masterpiece on his back. 

    7.    Leroy Sane

    The Bayern Munich player has a hug tattoo of himself on his back while playing for Man City but recently regrets it having returned to Germany. 

    8.    Nicholas Otamendi

    The Argentine with Benfica is known for his love for tattoos.

    On his back he has tattoos of Vikings, Prison Break, Breaking Bad and Peaky Blinders images. 

    9.   Roberto Firmino

    The Liverpool star, in a post on Instagram, Firmino unveiled a huge new tattoo across his entire back featuring images of him and his family with the Copa America he won with Brazil and of himself holding aloft the Champions League trophy he won with Liverpool.

    10. Ederson Moraes

    The Manchester City goalie has a lot of tattoos on his body, on his chest, his Christian faith is clear with ‘I belong to Jesus’ and a dove on his chest.

    On his back there are inscriptions of a Christ like image on the cross, gloves holding a ball to show his profession, an eagle, a lion and big bird on his back. 

    Ederson is presumed as one of the best goalkeepers in the world and arguably the most expensive goalkeeper ever in world football.

  • Nine Governors who got re-elected

    Nine Governors who got re-elected

    Nine of the 11 Governors who sought re-election on Saturday have been declared winners by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for another four-year term.

    Zamfara Governor Matawalle lost re-election to Dauda Lawal of the PDP who had a total of 377,726 votes, while Matawalle had 311,976 votes.

    INEC is yet to announce results for Adamawa state.

    Here are eight governors who have returned elected:

    Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos)

    Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu was re-elected with 762,134 votes to defeat Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the Labour Party(LP) who scored 312,329 votes followed by Abdul-Azeez Adediran aka Jandor with 62,449 votes.

    He was declared the winner at 1:15 am on Monday morning.

    Dapo Abiodun (Ogun)

    Ogun Governor Dapo Abiodun of the APC was declared the winner by Prof Kayode Adebowale, the state returning officer in the state.

    Abiodun polled 276,298 to defeat his closest rivals Ladi Adebutu of the PDP who scored 262,383 as well as Biyi Otegbeye of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) who got 94,754 votes and who has the backing of former governor and serving APC senator, Ibikunle Amosun.

    Seyi Makinde (Oyo)

    Oyo Governor Seyi Makinde of the PDP defeated his challengers including Labour Party (LP)’s Akinwale Tayo as well as a serving senator, Teslim Folarin of the APC.

    Makinde polled 563,756 votes to defeat his closest rival who scored 256,685 in the results of the 33 local governments in the South-West States.

    AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (Kwara)

    Kwara Governor AbdulRazaq of the APC polled 273,424 to defeat his closest opponents Abdullah Yahman of the PDP who scored 155,490 and Hakeem Lawal of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) who got 18,922 votes.

    Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe)

    APC’s Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State in North-East Nigeria scored 342,821 to defeat his close contender, Mohammed Jibrin Barde of the PDP, who scored 233,131.

    Ahmed Mailantarki of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) came third with votes 19,861 while Keftin Amuga of the LP scored 1,753.

    Mai Mala Buni (Yobe)

    Yobe Governor Mai Mala Buni of the APC was reelected.

    Announcing the result at the INEC headquarters in Damaturu, the State Returning Officer, Prof Umar Pate said Buni of the All Progressives Congress (APC) scored 317,113 to defeat his closest rival, Sheriff Abdullahi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who scored 104,259.

    Bala Mohammed (Bauchi)

    Bauchi Governor Bala Mohammed of the PDP polled 525,280 to trounce his closest rival and the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar who polled 432,272. Abubakar is Nigeria’s immediate past Chief of Air Staff.

    Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa)

    Nasarawa Governor Abdullahi Sule of the APC polled a total of 347, 209 votes to defeat his closest opponent David Ombugadu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who got 283, 016 votes.

    Mr Labaran Maku of the All Progressives Grand Alliance polled a total of 132,784 votes at the election.

    Babagana Umara Zulum ( Borno )

    Borno Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of the APC secured a second term with a landslide victory.

    Out of the 649,855 votes cast, Zulum scored 545,543, defeating his distant trailer, Mohammed Ali Jajari of the PDP, who polled 82,147 votes.

  • Eight social media tips for business owners

    Eight social media tips for business owners

    Social media has become an integral part of marketing and branding for businesses of all sizes. With millions of people using social media every day, it is essential for businesses to have an effective social media strategy to connect with their audience and grow their brand.

    Social media is a two-way conversation. Engage with your audience by responding to comments and messages and ask for feedback to better understand their needs. You can also use social media listening tools to monitor brand mentions and stay on top of your audience’s sentiment toward your brand. The monitoring described can extend to platform-specific analytics. For example, tracking TikTok views is essential for understanding reach and content performance on that increasingly important channel.

    Here are eight social media tips for businesses to consider:

    Define your audience and platform

    The first step in creating an effective social media strategy is to define your target audience and identify which social media platforms they use the most. For example, if you are targeting younger audiences, platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat may be more effective than LinkedIn or Facebook.

    Set clear goals

    What do you want to achieve with your social media strategy? Do you want to increase your brand awareness, generate leads or drive traffic to your website? Setting clear goals will help you to focus your efforts and measure your success.

    Create a content calendar

    Creating a content calendar will help you to plan your social media content in advance, ensure consistency in your messaging and help you to stay organised.

    Use visuals

    Images and videos are essential elements of social media. Incorporating visuals in your content can help you to grab the attention of your audience, increase engagement and improve your brand recognition.

    Engage with your audience

    Social media is a two-way conversation. Engage with your audience by responding to comments and messages and ask for feedback to better understand their needs. You can also use social media listening tools to monitor brand mentions and stay on top of your audience’s sentiment toward your brand.

    Invest in paid advertising

    While organic reach is important, paid advertising can help you to reach a wider audience and drive conversions. Social media advertising allows you to target specific demographics and interests, making it a highly effective tool for reaching your ideal audience.

    Monitor your analytics

    Analytics tools such as Google Analytics, Facebook Insights and Instagram Insights can provide valuable insights into your social media performance. Use this information to measure your success and identify areas for improvement.

    Adapt and evolve

    Social media is constantly evolving, and your strategy should too. Monitor trends and new features on social media platforms and adapt your strategy accordingly to stay relevant and effective.

    Finally, social media can be a powerful tool for businesses to connect with their audience and grow their brand. By following these tips and creating a solid social media strategy, businesses can create engaging content, reach a wider audience and achieve their business goals.

  • Eight celebrities who became famous after 40

    Eight celebrities who became famous after 40

    They didn’t become famous overnight but instead saw their hard work pay off years later.

    Here are celebrities who didn’t get famous until after 40;

    Morgan Freeman

    One of the most distinctive voices in Hollywood, Morgan Freeman didn’t get his big break until age 50, This came in 1986, when he was cast in the film “Street Smart”, for which he scored an Oscar nomination. Freeman cracked Hollywood after starring in “Driving Miss Daisy”, which earned him a Golden Globe award in 1989.

    Now in his 80s, Freeman is among the all-time top earners in Hollywood.

    Samuel L. Jackson

    Samuel L Jackson is one of the most recognisable stars in Hollywood, After a series of smaller roles in films like Coming To America and Do The Right Thing, he got his breakthrough in Spike Lee’s Jungle Fever (1991) at the age of 42.

    Then, he secured his most famous role at the age of 45 with the role of Jules Winnfield in Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction (1994).

    Blockbuster roles in the Star Wars prequels and the Marvel Cinematic Universe followed.

    Peter Dinklage

    Peter Dinklage’s film career was well underway in the ’00s, with projects including The Station Agent, Elf, Penelope, and Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. But he became a household name when he was cast as Tyrion Lannister in the HBO series adaptation of the Game of Thrones book series.

    The show premiered in 2011, when Dinklage was 42, and he’d go on to win four Emmys for the part.

    Wendy Williams

    Famous TV host Wendy Williams started as a disc jockey before getting her own talk show, The Wendy Williams Show, at 44.  In 2009, she was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame.

    Christoph Waltz

    The  59-year-old Austrian-German actor is still a relatively fresh face in the movie industry, having scored his first major role in 2009 in Inglourious Basterds at 52, which earned him his first Oscar nomination.

    Waltz has since established himself as an acting heavyweight, starring in Django Unchained, Big Eyes, and in the latest James Bond instalment, Spectre.

    Melissa McCarthy

    While McCarthy had a role in the famous sitcom Gilmore Girls, she became a household name after starring as one of the titular characters in Mike and Molly at the age of 40.

    Then, at the age of 41, she was cast in the comedy Bridesmaids, which catapulted her to being known as one of the funniest women in Hollywood.

    Octavia Spencer

    Octavia Spencer big break came in 2012, when she won an Oscar for her role in The Help, at the age of 41. She has starred in films like Hidden Figures and The Shape of Water.

    She has earned three Oscar nominations for her work and won one Oscar.

    Vera Wang

    Vera Wang was hired as an editor at Vogue after college. But she didn’t become a famous designer until years later. She launched her bridal collection when she was 40 and almost immediately became the favorite for celebs tying the knot.

  • 14 women gunning for Gov seats in 2023

    14 women gunning for Gov seats in 2023

    Fourteen females are set to contest the Gubernatorial/Assembly elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in 28 out of the 36 States across the country on Saturday.

    Below are the female gubernatorial candidates on Saturday:

    * Aishatu Dahiru

    Aishatu Dahiru, a graduate of Electrical Engineering from University of Southampton, United Kingdom, is running under the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as it’s governorship candidate for Adamawa State.

    Popularly called ‘Binani’ across the state, the sitting senator defeated many prominent male politicians, including a former boss of the EFCC, Nuhu Ribadu, to take the APC flag in the state.

    *Gladys Johnson-Ogbuneke

    Johnson-Ogbuneke, a graduate of the College of Medicine of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where she obtained her MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery), is the governorship candidate for Saturday’s gubernatorial poll under the platform of Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Abia State.

    *Lancaster Okoro 

    Okoro, a chartered accountant is also an Abia State governorship candidate running under the platform of Peoples Redemption Party (PRP).

    Ekanem Abasiekeme 

    Abasiekeme, a graduate of Chemistry from the University of Uyo and founder of Sengah Life Foundation, is the governorship candidate for the Action Alliance Party (AAP) in Akwa-Ibom State.

    *Udoh Emem Monday

    Monday, an expert in integrated reservoir modelling and an asset development strategist, Petroleum and Technical Reservoir Simulation also a gubernatorial candidate in Akwa-Ibom State is contesting under the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

    *Roseline Chenge

    Chenge of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) for Benue State has recorded many firsts in her education and professional career. 

    According to her resume, she is Northern Nigeria’s first female mechanical engineer.

    The fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Engineer is also the first female Managing Director of Benue State Water Board and the first female Managing Director of a River Basin Authority in the country.

    *Aondona Dabo-Adzuana 

    Dabo-Adzuana of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) is the second female governorship candidate for the Saturday’s election in Benue State.

    She is a businesswoman who represented Jachira Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives between 2003 and 2007.

    *Abubakar Fatima 

    Fatima is the gubernatorial candidate of Action Democratic Party (ADP) in Borno State.

    *Ibiang Marikana Stanley

    Marikana Stanley is on the governorship election ballot for Action Democratic Party (ADP) in Cross River State.

    *Onokiti Helen Agboola

    Agboola, an entrepreneur represents the Accord Party for the governorship post in Delta State.

    *Cosmas Annabel

    Cosmas, an entrepreneur who obtained a Higher Diploma in Industrial Relations and Personnel Management from the University of Ibadan is on the governorship election ballot for the All People’s Party (APP) in Delta State.

    *Chinenye Igwe

    Igwe, of the Allied People’s Movement (APM) is contesting for governorship in Ebonyi State.

    *Ogochukwu Nweze

    Nweze, who holds an OND in Marketing from Institute of Management and Technology, Enugu is contesting under the banner of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) also in Ebonyi State 

    *Umar Binta Yahaya

    Yahaya, who holds a Diploma in Public Administration from Jigawa State Polytechnic, an entrepreneur and founder of Mainstream Yahaya Academy is the governorship candidate of Action Alliance (AA) in Jigawa State

  • 11 electoral offences to avoid on Saturday

    11 electoral offences to avoid on Saturday

    On Saturday, Nigerians return to the polls to elect their Governors and Assembly representatives.

    Here are 11 electoral offenses to avoid during the polls:

    (1) Ballot materials: No voter is to be in possession of a ballot paper unlawfully. That is, no Illegal printing of ballot papers, Illegal production or importation of ballot boxes.

    (2) Unlawful use of voter’s card: No voter is expected to give a voter’s card to some other person for use at an election other than an officer appointed to do so; being in possession of more than one voter’s card.

    (3) Impersonation and voting when not qualified: Only a person who is 18 and above is expected to vote at the polling unit. A person voting or attempting to vote when he/she is not qualified, or inducing a person to vote at an election knowing that such person is not qualified.

    (4) Dereliction of duty and announcing false results: A polling officer is allowed to announce the result after the proper counting of votes and to report on time. In the era of fake news, no voter should announce unverified results.

    (5) Bribery: Paying a bribe to affect the result of an election, receiving any money or gift to vote, or refraining from voting at any election is a punishable offense that should be avoided cause its attract penalty.

    Read Also: Lawyer urges youths to shun electoral violence

    (6) Requirement of secrecy in voting: Not maintaining the secrecy of voting at a polling unit, Interfering with a voter casting their vote should be avoided at the polling unit.

    (7) Voting by unregistered persons: Only accredited voter is expected to cast their vote. This implies that bringing to the polling unit a voter’s card issued to another person is unlawful.

    (8) Disorderly conducts at elections: There is speculated time to campaign an attempt to continue such at the polling unit such as Inciting others to act in a disorderly manner is unlawful.

    (9) Canvassing for votes, persuading any voter not to vote for any particular candidate or being in possession of any offensive weapon, wearing or displaying any notice, symbol, photograph or party card, using any vehicle bearing the colour or symbol of a political party, loitering around a polling unit blaring siren is unlawful.

    (10) Snatching or destruction of any election material: Threatening a person with violence or injury to compel that person to vote or refrain from voting or an attempt to cause destruction during the election is unlawful.

    (11) Possession of a weapon at a political rally or voting centre: No voter is expected to be at the polling unit in possession of weapons thereby threatening any person with violence during the exercise.

  • FACT CHECK: IBB didn’t say anything on Obi, Atiku’s failed presidential bids

    FACT CHECK: IBB didn’t say anything on Obi, Atiku’s failed presidential bids

    Claim

    A viral post making rounds on the social media stated that former Military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) made some statements about the presidential candidate of the Labor Party (LP) Peter Obi and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar in the just-concluded presidential elections.

    The post reads: “Failure of Peter Obi in the last election is a failure of religious politics in Nigeria. No one should deceive you again.

    Failure of Atiku is a failure of regional politics in Nigeria. No one deserve your vote bcoz he’s frm ur region

    With Tinubu, Nigerians chose Nigeria ~IBB“

    The post began trending on Facebook and Twitter on March 11, 2023.

    One of the handles on Twitter that tweeted the post was @BatProjects23 and the tweet had 801 Retweets, 66 Quotes and 2,831 Likes.

    While on Facebook, among those who posted it was Dayo Fasola Gem and the post had 972 Comments, 732 shares and 92k views

    Verification

    The post was made by Adamu Garba II @adamugarba on the 9th of March 2023.

    In a post addressed to @BatProjects23, Garba verified that he made the post and not General Babangida.

    His post to @BatProjects23 read, “Dear @BatProjects23, this message is not from IBB but from me. See attached. Just to set the record straight. Thank you.”

    Tweet made by Adamu

    Verdict

    False: The post about General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) comments on failure of Peter Obi and Aitku Abubakar in the last elections was not written by Babangida but by Adamu Garba who has clarified that he is the original writer of the post.

  • FACT CHECK: Global temperatures have not remained stable

    FACT CHECK: Global temperatures have not remained stable

    Claim

    A Twitter user @Micha3lDC on February 19 wrote that global temperatures have remained stable for 20 years.

    The tweet reads: “Global temperatures have remained stable for 20 years. The average man is not buying what their selling so IMO they’re trying to trigger a real climate crisis..”

    The tweet had 18 retweets and 21 likes.

    Verification

    According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a scientific and regulatory agency within the United States Department of Commerce that forecasts weather, and monitors oceanic and atmospheric conditions, global temperature on land and ocean has risen by an average of 0.14° Fahrenheit (0.08° Celsius) per decade since 1880.

    In its 2022 Annual Climate Report, NOAA noted that 2022 was the sixth-warmest year on record based on the government agency’s temperature data.

    Climate change and global warming come as a result of the change in temperatures. The United Nations notes that surface temperature has increased faster since 1970 as the Earth is about 1.1°C warmer than in the 1800s.

    NASA Earth observatory states that air temperatures on Earth have been rising since the Industrial Revolution, indicating that the “temperatures experienced in short periods can fluctuate significantly due to predictable, cyclical events (night and day, summer and winter) and hard-to-predict wind and precipitation patterns”.

    The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) observed that as the “Earth warms overall, average temperatures increase throughout the year, but the increases may be larger in certain seasons than in others”.

    Rating

    False – The claim is false as data has shown that the earth’s temperature has risen by an average of 0.14° Fahrenheit (0.08° Celsius) per decade since 1880.

    This fact-check was produced by Justina Asishana, a Journalist with The Nation Newspaper with support from Code for Africa’s PesaCheck and African Fact-Checking Alliance network.

  • Three actresses whose husbands contested 2023 elections

    Three actresses whose husbands contested 2023 elections

    House of Representatives member-elect for the Esan North-East / Esan South-East Federal Constituency, Prince Odianosen Okojie on Monday dedicated his certificate of return to his actress wife, Mercy Johnson-Okojie.

    He showered encomiums on the wife, who he referred to as his ‘number one blessing’, appreciating her for her invaluable support.

    Here are actresses whose husbands contested in the 2023 elections:

    *Mercy Johnson Okojie

    Actress Mercy Johnson Okojie got married to her hubby Prince Odianosen Okojie on 27 August 2011.

    The 48-year-old politician picked the declaration form expression of Interest and Nomination Form to run for the office of Federal House of Representatives, Esan North East/Esan South East Federal Constituency, in April 2022.

    on May 28, 2022, Okojie won the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries to emerge the candidate of the APC in his Constituency.

    He emerged winner in the February 25 election with 21,764 votes to defeat the PDP, which scored 10,007, while LP scored 11,528.

    *Adesua Etomi

    Tolulope Adesua Etomi-Wellington got engaged to Banky W in February 2017. The couple held their traditional marriage on 19 November, court wedding on 20 November and white wedding on 25 November 2017. In early January 2021, Adesua and Banky W had a son named Hazaiah Wellington.

    In June 2022, Banky W won the Peoples Democratic Party ticket to contest as the party bearer for the Eti Osa Federal constituency, but lost to Labour Party’s candidate, Attah Thaddeus in the february 25, election.

    Attah won the election with 24,075 votes, beating Banky W with 18,666 votes, and Babajide Obanikoro of the All Progressives Congress, APC, with 16, 901 votes.

    *Regina Daniels

    In October 2019, Actress Regina Daniels confirmed her marriage to Daddy Freeze in a YouTube video interview stating that she did not think she could have married someone of age group, because “I am quite stubborn, very stubborn, my head is not down but with my husband that is not the case because I respect him a lot,” she noted.

    On 29 June 2020, Regina Daniel gave birth to a baby boy for Prince Ned Nwoko, two years later June 29, 2022, she welcomed her second child with him.

    Ned Nwoko who was the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Delta North District, Delta State was declared the winner of the senatorial election on February 27, 2022.

    Nwoko polled 92,514 votes to defeat the Labour Party (LP) candidate, Kennedy Kanma, who got 86,121 votes and the candidate of All Progressives Congress, Peter Nwaoboshi, who scored 36,816 votes.

  • 17 sub-Saharan Africa’s longest-serving leaders

    17 sub-Saharan Africa’s longest-serving leaders

    Since 1960, a dozen Heads of State across sub-Saharan Africa have held office for more than 30 years.

    Sub-Saharan Africa is, geographically, the area and regions of the continent of Africa that lie south of the Sahara, which include Central Africa, East Africa, Southern Africa, and West Africa.

    In 2023, two sitting African Heads of State have been in power for four decades each: Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo in Equatorial Guinea and Paul Biya in Cameroon.

    More than half a dozen other African Heads of State have been in power for at least ten years.

    Here are 17 sub-Saharan Africa’s longest-serving leaders:

    1. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo

    Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo is an Equatoguinean politician and former military officer who has served as the second president of Equatorial Guinea since August 1979.

    He is the longest-serving president of any country ever and the second-longest consecutively-serving current non-royal national leader in the world.

    2. Omar Bongo

    El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba was a Gabonese politician who was the second President of Gabon for 42 years, from 1967 until his death in 2009.

    Omar Bongo was promoted to key positions as a young official under Gabon’s first President Léon M’ba in the 1960s, before being elected Vice-President in his own right in 1966.

    3. Paul Biya

    Paul Biya is a Cameroonian politician who has served as the president of Cameroon since 6 November 1982.

    He is the second-longest-ruling president in Africa, the longest consecutively serving current non-royal national leader in the world and the oldest head of state in the world.

    4. Jose Eduardo dos Santos

    José Eduardo dos Santos was the president of Angola from 1979 to 2017.

    As president, dos Santos was also the commander-in-chief of the Angolan Armed Forces and president of the People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola, the party that has ruled Angola since it won independence in 1975.

    5. Gnassingbe Eyadema

    Gnassingbé Eyadéma was a Togolese military officer and politician who was the president of Togo from 1967 until his death in 2005, after which he was immediately succeeded by his son, Faure Gnassingbé.

    6. Robert Mugabe

    Robert Gabriel Mugabe was a Zimbabwean revolutionary and politician who served as Prime Minister of Zimbabwe from 1980 to 1987 and then as President from 1987 to 2017.

    7. Denis Sassou Nguesso

    Denis Sassou Nguesso is a Congolese politician and former military officer.

    He became president of the Republic of the Congo in 1997.

    He served a previous term as president from 1979 to 1992.

    During his first period as president, he headed the Congolese Party of Labour for 12 years.

    8. Yoweri Museveni

    Yoweri Kaguta Museveni Tibuhaburwa is a Ugandan politician and retired senior military officer who has been the 9th and current President of Uganda since 26 January 1986.

    9. Felix Houphouet-Boigny

    Félix Houphouët-Boigny, affectionately called Papa Houphouët or Le Vieux, was the first president of Ivory Coast, serving from 1960 until his death in 1993.

    A tribal chief, he worked as a medical aide, union leader and planter before being elected to the French Parliament.

    10. Mobutu Sese Seko

    Mobutu Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu Wa Za Banga, commonly known as Mobutu Sese Seko or just Mobutu, was a Congolese politician and military officer who was the president of Zaire from 1965 to 1997.

    He also served as Chairman of the Organisation of African Unity from 1967 to 1968.

    11. Idriss Deby

    Idriss Déby Itno was a Chadian politician and military officer who was the president of Chad from 1990 until his death in 2021.

    Déby was a member of the Bidayat clan of the Zaghawa ethnic group.

    12. Isaias Afwerki

    Isaias Afwerki is an Eritrean politician and partisan who has been the president of Eritrea since shortly after he led the Eritrean People’s Liberation Front to victory in May 1991, ending the 30-year-old war for independence from Ethiopia.

    13. Hastings Kamuzu Banda

    Hastings Kamuzu Banda was the prime minister and later president of Malawi from 1964 to 1994.

    In 1966, the country became a republic and he became the first president as a result.

    14. Omar al-Bashir

    Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir is a Sudanese former military officer and politician who served as the seventh head of state of Sudan under various titles from 1989 until 2019, when he was deposed in a coup d’état.

    He was subsequently incarcerated, tried and convicted on multiple corruption charges.

    15. Mathieu Kerekou

    Mathieu Kérékou was a Beninese politician who served as President of Benin from 1972 to 1991 and again from 1996 to 2006.

    16. Ismail Omar Guelleh

    Ismaïl Omar Guelleh is the current President of Djibouti.

    He has been in office since 1999, making him one of the longest-serving rulers in Africa.

    He is often referred to by his initials, IOG

    17. Paul Kagame

    Paul Kagame is a Rwandan politician and former military officer who is the fourth and current president of Rwanda since 2000.

    He previously served as a commander of the Rwandan Patriotic Front, a rebel armed force which invaded Rwanda in 1990.