The Super Eagles of Nigeria will tackle the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire in the 34th Africa Cup of Nations Final on Sunday.

Ahead of the potentially explosive encounter, here is the fact file of 2024 Africa Cup of Nations finalists Nigeria:

Path to final: Group A – Equatorial Guinea 1-1, Ivory Coast 1-0, Guinea-Bissau 1-0; Last 16 – Cameroon 2-0; Quarter-final – Angola 1-0; Semi-final – South Africa 1-1 (4-2 penalties)

Scorers: 3 – Ademola Lookman, 2 – William Troost-Ekong, 1 – Victor Osimhen, own goal – Opa Sangante (GNB)

Rankings: 6 Africa, 42 world

Captain: William Troost-Ekong

Coach: Jose Peseiro (POR)

Previous appearances: 19

Best placing: Champions 1980, 1994, 2013

Record win: South Africa 4-0 (2004)

Record losses: Sudan 0-4 (1963), Algeria 1-5 (1990)

Nickname: Super Eagles

Squad
Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabili (Chippa Utd/RSA), Olorunleke Ojo (Enyimba), Francis Uzoho (Omonia/CYP)

Defenders: Chidozie Awaziem, Bruno Onyemaechi (both Boavista/POR), Ola Aina (Nottingham Forest/ENG), Semi Ajayi (West Brom/ENG), Calvin Bassey (Fulham/ENG), Kenneth Omeruo (Kasimpasa/TUR), Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce/TUR), Zaidu Sanusi (Porto/POR), William Troost-Ekong (PAOK/GRE)

Midfielders: Joe Aribo (Southampton/ENG), Alex Iwobi (Fulham/ENG), Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge/BEL), Frank Onyeka (Brentford/ENG), Alhaasan Yusuf (Royal Antwerp/BEL)

Forwards: Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan/ITA), Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester/ENG), Ademola Lookman (Atalanta/ITA), Terem Moffi (Nice/FRA), Ahmed Musa (Sivasspor/TUR), Victor Osimhen (Napoli/ITA), Moses Simon (Nantes/FRA), Paul Onuachu (Trabzonspor/TUR)

[DailyTrust]

From the pre-show at the Peacock Theatre to the main event at the Crypto.com Arena, the 66th edition of the Grammys, which was held on Sunday, February 4, 2024, was laden with drama.

DAILY POST takes a look at some of the events that defined the 2024 Grammys.

Nicki Minaj’s Prank

The Recording Academy sparked controversy after it appeared to have pranked rapper Nicki Minaj – the Grammy organisers announced ‘Barbie World’ by Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice as the winner of the Best Rap Song category on their website and social media handles but later deleted it.

The organisers made a new announcement, flaunting Killer Mike’s ‘Scientists & Engineers’ as the rightful winner without any statement or apology for their initial error which angered fans of Nicki Minaj who hasn’t won a Grammy in over two decades of her career. The development means that Nicki Minaj is yet to have a Grammy to her name.

Jay-Z’s Outburst

American hip-hop legend, Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter appeared to have called out the Grammy organisers while receiving the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award at the 2024 Grammys at the Crypto.com Arena, in Los Angeles, on Sunday.

Using his wife, Beyoncé’s Album of the Year snub as a case study, Jay-Z criticised the Recording Academy’s sense of judgment, pointing out that despite Beyoncé being the most awarded person in the Grammy’s history with a total of 32 awards, she has never won the Album of the Year category.

The Roc Nation boss said, “She [Beyoncé] has more Grammys than everyone and never won album of the year. So even by your own metrics, that doesn’t work. Think about that. Most Grammys never won Album of the Year. That doesn’t work.”

He went on to accuse the Grammy organisers of “robbing” some nominees and awarding undeserving recipients.

“Some of you are going to go home tonight and feel like you’ve been robbed. Some of you may get robbed. Some of you don’t belong in the category.

“Sorry, when I get nervous, I tell the truth,” Jay-Z said.

Killer Mike’s Arrest

Rapper, Killer Mike was arrested shortly after winning three golden gramophones at the 66th Grammys on Sunday night.

Chris Gardner, a senior staff writer for Hollywood Reporter, revealed via X that the rapper was “taken away handcuffs,” in the Crypto.com arena during the telecast for the main categories.

According to a statement by the Los Angeles Police Department, Mike Killer was booked for misdemeanour battery after being detained and questioned at the Grammys.

The statement added that the rapper was in the process of being released around the time the Grammys ended.

Nigeria’s Miss Out

The poor outing of Nigerian artists at the 66th Grammys appeared to be one of the major talking points from the event.
DAILY POST reports that the Nigerian quintet of Burna Boy, Ayra Starr, Davido, Asake, and Olamide were snubbed at the 66th Grammys on Sunday, with Tyla, the only non-Nigerian nominee in the maiden Best African Music Performance category, picking up the award.

Davido and Burna Boy also lost their nominations for the Best Global Music Album and Best Global Music Performance categories.
Burna Boy lost his nomination in the Best Melodic Rap Performance category as well.

Nigerian artists’ Grammy loss angered many of their compatriots, with some alleging that they were deliberately snubbed in a bid to suppress the buzzing Nigerian Afrobeats genre while others called for a boycott of the Grammys.

Davido’s hypeman, Special Spesh accused the Grammy organisers of trying to control African music, vowing that Africans won’t give them the power to downplay Afrobeats or any other African genre.

“We won’t give you the power to dumb Afrobeats down or Afrofusion or anything African!

“That’s (white) America’s problem! When things start to take over and get massive they always want a part then try to have a say then try to control,” Spesh wrote via Instagram.

Similarly, British-Nigerian media personality, Adesope Olajide, aka Shopsydoo, called for Africans, especially Nigerians to boycott the Grammys, accusing the Recording Academy of using Nigerian artists for promotion.

Speaking via an Instagram live session, Shopsydoo claimed that the Recording Academy does not care about African music, stressing that the Grammy band playing Fela Anikulapo-Kuti’s ‘Water’ after ‘Water’ when South African singer, Tyla was announced as the winner of the inaugural Best African Music Performance category, was enough reason that the Grammy doesn’t have a clue about African music.

[DailyPost]

Some players in the Nigerian football team recently got pranked by content creator, Napi.

In the clip circulating online, the man dressed tattered with holes in his trousers with no footwear and carried a piece of luggage on his shoulder.

He tried to frighten the players by getting close to them and in turn capture their reaction.

He pulled the prank on Moffi, Omeruo, and other players who all reacted differently.

However, Osimhen’s reaction got the attention of many. The Napoli striker who was about to get off the elevator was shocked upon seeing the man waiting at the entrance. Osimhen who obviously didn’t want to risk it simply retrogressed as he chose an alternate floor to alight.

Reacting to the clip

@amara_shuga wrote: “This is not prank,this is nonsense this should be allowed in hotels and reservation centers,deep down those players are not even liking it that much.”

@jeff3xl wrote: “Victor think say na Ivory Coast send devil come ????????????????????????????????.”

sossiofficial wrote: “Osimhen bombastic side eye na real street ????.”

shegs16 wrote: “So all these boys wey Dey shout no gree for anybody, na only for field ????????????????.”

dike_writes wrote: “Osimhen think say village people don show????.”

domingo_loso wrote: “Osimhen no waste time. E move, he elevated.”

iamwillsteel wrote: “Osimhen be like “na u dem send to injure me, not today”

jennyadams101 wrote: “Oshimhen belike shey na eyes dey pain abi watin be this????????????????”

tinacharlez wrote: “I no blame Osimehen abeg. Make mad man no go bite am ????????”

Watch the video below:

City FM is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Programme: CITY TALKS WITH REUBEN ABATI

Time: 12:00pm

Guest: Oyerinde Adeniyi
(Strategist/Thinker/Trainer/Agripreneur)

Topic: "Food Insecurity"

Date: 10th February, 2024
                         
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Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, on Friday, signed into law the Oyo State Electricity Regulatory Commission Bill 2024.

The governor, who performed the signing ceremony at the Conference Room of the Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, said the signing was to give the state opportunity to develop its own roadmap to sustainable electricity.

The governor stated that with the decentralisation of electricity generation, transmission and distribution, it has become obvious that Nigerians can access dividends of democracy if federalism is practised as it should be and more powers are devolved to the states.

Makinde said: “As promised earlier in the week, we are signing the Oyo State Electricity Regulatory Commission Bill 2024 into law today. This law will enable Oyo State generate, transmit and distribute electricity within the State.

“Amendments of the constitution like these is what we mean when we advocate for fiscal federalism.

“In years to come as we work towards energy sufficiency, our people can hold state governments accountable on the issue of electricity supply.”

Presenting the bill, the deputy Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Honourable Mohammed Fadeyi, said this is the first time that the state would come up with an independent electricity project.

Present at the signing of the bill were members of the executive, legislature and judiciary.

Ahead of the final match between Nigeria and Ivory Coast at the ongoing African Cup of Nations, a self-acclaimed prophet, Dr Kan Ebube Muonso of the Power and Victory in Christ Church has predicted that Ivory Coast will go home with the cup but in error.

In a post on his church’s Facebook page on Friday, Kan predicted that the error would be caused by the referee.

However, the self-acclaimed prophet said he would collect the cup from Ivory Coast and hand it over to Nigeria after his mountain program by the power of God.

According to him, Nigeria is the rightful team to go home with the cup.

“IVORY COAST VS NIGERIA.

“I saw Ivory Coast going home with the cup in error by ref/partial against Nigeria but Nigeria is the rightful team that is supposed to go home with the cup, but I will collect the cup from Ivory Coast to Nigeria by the power of God after my mountain program which will commence tomorrow.

“In my next post after mountain, you will know that there is power in God.

“Operation show your power. My God will prove himself again,” the post read.

The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) in Abuja unveiled the registration of two million businesses as part of efforts to curb rising unemployment and achieve the 50 million job creation target for Nigerian youths.

The Registrar-General and CEO of the CAC, Hussaini Ishaq Magaji SAN, at a ground-breaking ceremony in Abuja, said the registration was part of efforts to simplify the burden for young Nigerians who want to contribute meaningfully to the Nigerian economy.

“The registration of the new business was part of the CAC’s contribution to the realisation of the present administration’s economic revival plan in collaboration with moniepoint to develop the MSMEs sector, in line with the current administration target of 50 million jobs,” he said.

He said the president has youth employment as priority and the first step is to ensure that those willing to engage in different ventures donot encounter hurdles because when they start their enterprises, they will also be employers of labour.

Moniepoint Executive DirectorBabatunde Olofin stated their readiness to actualize the project in line with the present administration’s economic revival agenda, adding that the financial services provider has recognized that crimes and other vices can only be reduced if youths are meaningfully engaged.

In her brief remarks, the Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Dr. Doris Nkiruka Uzoka-Anite, described the event as a landmark achievement through the use of information technology to catalyse the economy.

[NaijaNews]

The highly anticipated friendly match between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and Argentina has been officially cancelled.

The cancellation comes in the wake of controversy surrounding Argentine football superstar, Lionel Messi‘s absence from a recent exhibition match in Hong Kong.

Messi, who currently plays for Inter Miami, was expected to be the main draw for a match against a Hong Kong XI.

However, the Argentine captain did not participate, leading to widespread disappointment and frustration among fans.

This incident has had a domino effect, influencing the decision to call off the upcoming friendly between Argentina and Nigeria, which was set to take place in Hangzhou, China, in March.

The situation escalated when Messi, despite missing the Hong Kong match due to injury, appeared in a game in Japan just days later.

In response to the outcry, organizers of the Hong Kong event offered a 50% refund to ticket holders, acknowledging the fans’ dissatisfaction with Messi’s absence.

The fallout from the incident has led sports authorities in Hangzhou to announce the cancellation of the friendly match.

In a statement, Hangzhou authorities, said, “As a commercial event, a company and the Argentinian soccer team negotiated that the team would play a friendly match in March this year in the city of Hangzhou.

“In view of the current well-known reasons, according to the competent authorities, conditions to hold the friendly match are not mature, therefore (we) have decided to cancel it.”

[NaijaNews]

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has threatened to take legal action against the federal government over plans to regulate social media.

Naija News reported earlier that President Bola Tinubu declared that social media must be regulated because it has become a societal menace.

The President, who spoke through his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, said this at a book launch in Lagos State on Thursday, February 8, 2024.

President Tinubu also berated the menace of social media in disseminating fake and wrong information, which has almost torn the country apart and caused violence in some states.

The Nigerian leader stressed the need to regularize the framework of news dissemination on social media to avoid misinformation in the country.

He emphasized the importance of data in policy formulation for the growth of the country, stating that no developing country can succeed without adequate and well-informed data.

Reacting, however, SERAP, in a statement issued on Friday via its official handle on X, said the government’s intention is odd with the country’s constitution and international human rights standards.

It said: “The threat by the Tinubu administration to regulate social media is at odds with the Nigerian Constitution and international human rights standards. We’ll take legal action if the administration carries out its threat to restrict Nigerians’ rights on social media.”

This report presents the biggest headlines of the week.

Nigerians hope to swap Grammys for AFCON; protests hit Kogi, Niger, Rivers as Nigerians lament high cost of living; states get N3.3tn allocations even as Nigerians, including Labour leaders,  urged state governors to justify increased allocations by addressing the increasing hardship among the masses.

Here are the highlights of the week’s biggest news stories, from February 4 to February 10, 2024.

• Grammy 1 Nigeria 0

On Sunday night, the 66th Annual Grammy Awards were held in  Los Angeles, United States, to kick off the week. A record number of Nigerians were represented at the Grammys, with Davido, Burna Boy, Ayra Starr, Asake, and Olamide nominated, thanks to the Best African Performance category.

But on Monday morning, it was all about how they returned home empty-handed. Their fans took to the internet to lament the losses.

South Africa’s Tyla won the inaugural Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance with her single ‘Water’, edging out Nigerian stars.

Interestingly, because Nigeria would play against South Africa on Wednesday in the AFCON semi-finals in Ivory Coast for a chance to make it to the final, netizens challenged the Super Eagles to avenge the Grammy loss to Tyla by beating the Bafana Bafana of South Africa. This led to a tense semi-finals fixture that kept Africans at the edge of their seats.

• AFCON: Grammy avenged

After a fierce 90 minutes of play, the Nigerian national team, the Super Eagles, were tied 1-1 and forced into an additional 30 minutes of extra time. It all came down to a penalty shootout, which Nigeria won 4-2. The Grammy loss had been avenged and Nigerians had a field day on the internet taunting South Africa with Tyla’s ‘Water’. Nigerians also claimed that ‘Amapiano,’ a music genre that has its roots in South Africa, now belongs to Nigeria. Several celebrities joined the internet banter.

Kelechi Iheanacho scored the decisive kick that secured Nigeria’s spot in the final. But one hero reigns supreme…

• Nwabali steals the show

The Super Eagles goalkeeper, Stanley Nwabali, clinched the Man of the Match award after saving two penalties in the shootout.

With several clean sheets and remarkable saves, Nwabali is poised to secure the tournament’s Golden Glove award. In the tournament, Nwabali kept a tally of four straight clean sheets, which helped him break the clean sheet record held by Alloy Agu and equal Best Ogedegbe’s 44-year-old record.

In addition to his clean sheets, Nwabali has made numerous crucial saves at critical moments in matches. Fans praised his crucial saves, hailing him as Nigeria’s key to winning the tournament.

The final against Ivory Coast will be played on Sunday (tomorrow), 9 pm Nigerian time.

• AFCON heartbreak

In what can only be described as a bitter victory, PUNCH Online reported five  deaths after the AFCON victory, with many reportedly dying during the  penalty shootout. The individuals who lost their lives include a stalwart of the All Progressives Congress, Dr Cairo Ojougboh; the Deputy Bursar of Kwara State University, Alhaji Ayuba Abdullahi; a sales representative named Mikhail Osundiji; a National Youth Service Corps member identified as Samuel; and an Anambra-born businessman based in Cote d’Ivoire, Osondu Nwoye.

Many experts have cautioned Nigerians, especially those with pre-existing health conditions, to avoid excessive emotional stress during such events. Some have even warned wives to keep their hypertensive husbands away from the AFCON final on Sunday

• His Excellency returns

President Bola Tinubu returned to Nigeria after a two-week private visit to Paris, France. The President came back at a time when protests were erupting in parts of the country over rising food and living costs, with angry youths and women taking to the streets.

Tinubu directed immediate interventions to address the situation, while discussions are ongoing to increase food supply and reduce prices in collaboration with millers and commodity traders.

After a series of meetings, more than 102,000 metric tons of various grain types from the National Food Reserve and the Rice Millers Association of Nigeria were released to address the food crisis. The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, announced to State House correspondents the release of 42,000 metric tons of maize, millet, garri, and other commodities from the strategic reserve.

Additionally, discussions with the Rice Millers Association led to a commitment of 60,000 metric tons of rice. The government said it is prepared to import commodities if necessary and is ready to take punitive measures against food hoarders to ensure food security for Nigerians.

• Cries across the nation

Protests erupted in various parts of Nigeria, including Port Harcourt in Rivers State, Kano, and Niger State, over the rising cost of living, food prices, and poor power supply. In Port Harcourt, scores of married women protested outside the office of the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company due to prolonged blackouts, which they said affected their personal lives, including marital relations.

Some of the placards carried by the Rivers women read, “‘We lack romance with our husbands’ and ‘Our husbands no longer touch us at night’.”

Similarly, in Kano, angry youths and women took to the streets to voice their grievances over the economic challenges facing the country and the high prices of food items. Meanwhile, in Niger State, residents protested against the high cost of living, demanding government intervention.

• Alcoholic backlash

Another wave of protests followed the ban imposed by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control on the production of alcoholic beverages in sachets and small bottles. A coalition of civil society groups protested at the National Assembly. The Food Beverage and Tobacco Senior Staff Association and the National Union of Food Beverages and Tobacco Employees rejected the plan, citing potential job losses for over 500,000 workers.

The House of Representatives has directed its committee on NAFDAC to investigate the circumstances surrounding the ban on the production of beverages in sachets and small bottles by the agency.

• States allocation

Allocations from the Federal Account Allocation Committee to 36 states and 774 local governments from July to December 2023, increased to N3.34tn, a 19.5% increase from the previous half-year according to figures obtained from the National Bureau of Statistics earlier in the week.

The bulk of the revenue shared at FAAC meetings comes from oil exports, taxes, and other statutory allocations, with the Federal Government receiving 52.68%, states 26.72%, and local governments 20.60%.

Despite increased allocations, some governors have faced criticism for failing to alleviate the impact of fuel subsidy removal, with complaints about poor infrastructure, rising kidnappings, and insecurity.

Labour leaders and Nigerians have urged state governors to justify the increased allocations by addressing the hardships faced by the masses.

[Punch]