entertainment gist

  Women have now been given the privilege to read mass by the head of the Catholic church, Pope Francis. Pope Francis   Pope Francis has approved a new law empowering women to read mass.   The Pope changed a former Catholic Church law that banned women from such.   However, the new law stipulates that women can act as readers and altar servers in liturgical celebrations, while reaffirming they cannot be priests.   In an unexpected apostolic letter published Jan. 11, the pontiff says he is making the change to recognize a "doctrinal development" that has occurred in recent years.   That change, the pope says,  "shines a light on how some ministries instituted by the church have as their foundation that common condition of baptism and the royal priesthood received in the Sacrament of Baptism."   Francis' new letter, titled Spiritus Domini and issued 'motu proprio,' changes the Code of Canon Law to explicitly allow women to be installed in the Cathol...

  Nigerians eager to register for the national identification number have been alerted of a new trend by scammers. NIN   Nigerians interested in registering for the national identification number have been alerted on the new tactics scammers are now using to dupe people.    The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has warned Nigerians to stay away from a fake app that claims to help link the National Identity Number (NIN) to SIM cards.   NIMC, in a Twitter post on Monday, dissociated itself from the app.   The agency claims the app is run by fraudsters who use it to harvest NIN and Bank Verification Number (BVN).   “The app was not created by NIMC or the Federal Government of Nigeria. It is run by fraudsters who are currently harvesting people’s NINs and BVNs by default,”  NIMC said.   The Commission further advised people to protect their data and stop disclosing personal information to unauthorised persons or platforms.   Rec...

  A number of Ugandan government officials and ruling party members have had their Facebook accounts shut down over accusations they are seeking to manipulate public debate ahead of elections  The  East African nation will cast their votes on Thursday, January 14,  to elect a new president and parliament amid a tense and bloody electoral campaign, with incumbent President Yoweri Museveni, 76, facing a stiff challenge from singer -turned-politician, Bobi Wine, 38.   “Given the impending election in Uganda, we moved quickly to investigate and take down this network,” Facebook said in a statement on Monday, adding the decision was linked to the government ministry of information and communications technology. “They used fake and duplicate accounts to manage pages, comment on other people’s content, impersonate users, re-share posts in groups to make them appear more popular than they were,” it added. Judith Nabakooba, Uganda’s minister of information, told Reuters ...

  There was a fire outbreak at the Nigeria Immigration Service headquarters in Abuja today January 10.   The Service disclosed this in a statement on its official Twitter handle this morning. According to the service, the fire affected some of the offices in the headquarters.    The tweet reads ''A fire incident occurred in our Service Headquarters this Morning. It affected some of our Offices. 2.The fire has been put out by our Federal Fire Station&support from other agencies around the Airport. 3.The cause of the fire is being investigated.We assure the public that the incident will not in any way affect the discharge of our services.''  

  The Federal Road Safety Commission FRSC says beginning from the second quarter of 2021, the National Identity Number NIN will become compulsory whenever anyone is applying for vehicle registration.   According to the press release signed by Bisi Kazeem, the Corps Public Education Officer, FRSC , all applicants of vehicle registration will be expected to present their National Identification Number as a precondition for the registration of their vehicles, adding that there would be no waiver for anyone irrespective of their status in the society.   Explaining the importance of this to the national security architecture, the FRSC spokesperson further emphasized that the exercise has become very imperative seeing the critical role a harmonized database on citizens’ information will have on national development in terms of resolving the challenges of identifying individuals to assist security agencies in data collation and speedy retrievals to address critical national...

  The cause of the misunderstanding was said to be over an alleged N100 bribe which the soldiers, which mounted a roadblock in the area, demanded from the bus drivers. File photo As many as five persons have been reported killed in a community in Kwara, SaharaReporters reports. They were killed when the Nigerian Army personnel clashed with bus drivers in Ilesha-Baruba motor park in the Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State. The cause of the misunderstanding was said to be over an alleged N100 bribe which the soldiers, which mounted a roadblock in the area, demanded from the bus drivers.   It was learnt that the crisis started on Friday after a bus driver on Ilesha-Sinawu Road refused to part with N100 for the soldiers, and an argument ensued. SaharaReporters learnt that in the course of the argument, the soldiers slapped him and he angrily left, came back and mobilised his other colleagues from the motor park. After that, the soldiers opened fire on the drivers and...

  The suspect was arrested by the state’s police command and confessed upon interrogation. Adamu Ra’uf Adamu Ra’uf, a 20-year-old man who is one of the suspects who allegedly took part in the cutting of the private parts of a six-year old girl for suspected ritual purposes in Bauchi State has confessed. He said that he was charmed by his friend who is now at large to take part in the dastardly act. The incident was said to have occurred at about 7.20 pm on December 30, 2020. The suspect, Adamu Ra’uf (20), an indigene of Gandu Jama’are Local Government Area, who was arrested by the state’s police command, confessed upon interrogation that he conspired with one Abdulkadir Haladu of Chikamidari in the area to perpetrate the crime. Narrating his role in the incident to newsmen at the headquarters of the Bauchi State Police Command yesterday, Rauf said:  ”My friend Haladu and I took the victim to an uncompleted building where her private parts were mutilated on the instruction of a...

  Lorlumun had inherited Gana’s gang after the latter’s death and had carried on as the leader until soldiers arrested him in Katsina Ala, the home town of the late dreaded militia leader, last month. It will be recalled that Nigeria came close to a standstill when the very notorious robbery kingpin and militia leader in Benue State, Terwaze Akwaza a.k.a. Gana met his untimely death on Tuesday, September 8, 2020, having been shot dead by soldiers in controversial circumstances. But the man believed to be the brains behind the acclaimed supernatural powers of the late Gana, Mr Ugbe Lorlumun, is alive. Lorlumun had inherited Gana’s gang after the latter’s death and had carried on as the leader until soldiers arrested him in Katsina Ala, the home town of the late dreaded militia leader, last month. Reputed as the chief priest to the late Gana, Lorlumun said he owned a shrine from where he prepared charms with human parts and also owned a human blood boiling pot from which he was able ...

  Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, who addressed journalists in Abuja after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, said he and his colleagues had accepted to do so. South South governors used to tell the story It has been revealed that many Nigerian governors will be given COVID-19 vaccine on live television in order to encourage Nigerians to accept the vaccine. Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, who addressed journalists in Abuja after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, said he and his colleagues had accepted to do so. “Absolutely,”  Mr Fayemi answered when asked if governors will also take the vaccines on live television.  “We too will like to demonstrate to our citizens that we believe that vaccines would work.” “Don’t forget, we have a lot of experience on this. Governors Forum managed the polio vaccines administration in the country and we have garnered a lot of experience,”  said Mr Fayemi, the chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum. PREMIUM TIMES earlie...

  The Iyaloja of Oworonsoki in Ikorodu, Lagos State, Chief Aderonke Sikirat Anifowose has been declared missing by her family.   Mrs Anifowose reportedly left her home in Oworonsoki for Epe on Friday, January 1, 2021, and has not been seen since then.   According to her son, Owolabi, her last contact was the Oriwu Central Mosque in Ikorodu, where she observed her jumaat prayers.    "Please kindly share and spread widely.  My mum Chief Mrs Aderonke Sikirat Anifowose a.k.a Iyaloja oworonsoki is missing since January1st, she was  going to Epe from Oworonsoki, but her last contact was oriwu central mosque ikorodu where she observed her jumat prayers on January 1st 2021. If there's any information contact the nearest police station or call 08023111195." he wrote.     

  The man who was photographed sitting at Speaker Nancy Pelosi's seat with his foot on her desk during Wednesday's riot at the Capitol building has been arrested.  Richard Barnett, 60, of Gravette, Arkansas, was taken into custody in his home state on charges of entering and remaining on restricted grounds, violent entry, and theft of public property, according to a Department of Justice official.  A New York Times reporter tweeted that he spoke with Barnett after his stunt in Pelosi's office.  In the video, he boasted about stealing a personalized envelope, but insisted he paid for it.   "I left a quarter on her desk," he said. Barnett also claimed that he knocked politely on the door to the California Democrat's office, but was then swept inside by other rioters who had breached the Capitol. He's one of at least 26 people sought by the Police, which offered a reward of up to $1,000 for information that leads to their arrest and indictment. Also ...

  A 25-year-old man identified as Umar Yahaya is to be flogged 12 strokes of cane and also pay a fine of N10,000 for dealing in hard drugs.   The suspect was arrested on December 31, 2020 at about 7pm by a team of police officers attached to Fagge Division Kano. The defendant was in possession of 13 rubber solutions and two bottles of ‘suck and die’ suspected to be intoxicant.   The resident of Fagge Quarters of Kano metropolis who was convicted on two-count charge of public disturbances and possession of ‘rubber solution and  ‘suck and die’ – narcotics, had pleaded guilty to the charges.    Magistrate Mr Farouk Ibrahim who delivered the judgement, summarily convicted the defendant and pronounced a sentence of one month in jail or the option of a fine of N10,000 and award of 12 strokes of cane.

  A young Nigerian lady has told of how she got abandoned by her baby daddy after their child died. File photo The story has been told by a Nigerian lady about how her baby daddy abandoned her after their baby died after she went through surgery. @Grace_undiluted who disclosed that she wasn't ready to become a mother, said she decided to keep her pregnancy after her baby daddy who was excited about the news insisted on keeping the baby and even organized their introduction with a promise of having a wedding after their childbirth. The Twitter user disclosed that she developed preeclampsia during pregnancy and underwent surgery. She however added that she was abandoned by her baby daddy after their baby died because the water in her womb dried out. She wrote;  I was 2 months gone before I figured I was pregnant. Personally I wasn't ready to be a mother so I already made up my mind to abort the child but thought it right to inform him because he has the right to know. Surprising...

  A Nigerian lady has cried out for help after a house she rented with N450k in November 2020, is demolished.   According to the lady who shared her story on Twitter, her landlord sold the house weeks after she and other tenants paid their rent to him. The house has now been demolished and she is seeking ways to retrieve her money from the landlord.   Read her account of what transpired below;   ''The house I rented with N450k was demolished before I moved in. The landlord is not saying anything. He keeps shouting at us (the tenants) telling us to do our worst. Please how do I get my money? I'm tired of this Lagos Pls RT. Really need my money back I paid on the 16th of Nov, 2020, because I was busy with work, I didn't have time to do necessary stuff in the house and move in. When the office closed, I painted on the 25th and tried to fix lights. I traveled home to Delta on the 29th and came back on the 2nd of Jan On my way back from Delta on the 2nd, I called the Care...

  A new businessman has emerged as the richest person in the world, displacing Jeff Bezos. Elon Musk   A businessman born and raised in South Africa has displaced Jeff Bezos to emerge as the richest person on earth.   According to  Metro UK , Elon Musk has just become the richest person in the world, with a net worth of more than $185billion (£136billion). The Tesla boss shot past Jeff Bezos on the world’s rich list after shares in his companies rose.   More to follow.

  A UK-based pastor has been accused of abandoning his wife and 4 children in the UK to take a new wife in Nigeria.   Rev. Prince Dom Odoemena was ordained a pastor in the Anglican Diocese of Orlu Imo state, and now works as an Assistant Curate at Emmanuel Church in Forest Gate, East London, and the Vocations Officer (vocations Enabler ) with the Church of England.     He has been married to a woman named Genevieve, also from Imo state, for over 10 years and they live in the UK. Their union has been blessed with 4 children.     It was alleged that Rev. Prince and his family subjected his wife to physical and emotional abuse over the years.   Photos making the rounds online show Genevieve, the mother of his 4 kids, with a bump on her head and blood oozing from her split lower lip. Her husband, the reverend, was accused of being responsible.     After years of alleged abuse, Rev. Prince Odoemena reportedly abandoned his wife and children in the...

  Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has received the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.    The Pfizer vaccine which is the first Coronavirus vaccine to be granted emergency use authorisation by the WHO, is said to be 90 percent effective.   In a statement released by the spokesperson of the former PDP Presidential candidate Paul Ibe, Atiku expressed hope of Nigerians, especially medical professionals in the frontline and the most vulnerable will be vaccinated in the country.     It read;    “The importance of the #COVID19 vaccine in mitigating the effect of the coronavirus cannot be overstated, particularly in Africa and Nigeria. Yesterday (Wednesday), as part of the mass vaccination programme, His Excellency Atiku Abubakar received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.  “He is anxiously looking forward to when Nigerians, especially medical professionals in the frontline and the most vulnerable will...

  Nigerians have been given a serious warning by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over NIN. NIN   Nigerians who are selling their National Identity Number have been given stern warning by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.   These unscrupulous persons have been warned that they will be dealt with by the agency.   Recall that the National Identity Management Commission, NIMC, is currently enrolling Nigerians across the country, following a directive by the Federal Government to Nigerians to link their SIM Cards with NIN or face blocking.   Giving the warning in a statement on Thursday, the EFCC spokesperson, Wison Uwujaren, disclosed that some unscrupulous persons are cashing in on the exercise to induce enrolees to sell their NIN for a fee.   According to him, the buyers of the numbers are also trading with them to persons whose motives are anything but noble.   The EFCC, therefore, warned Nigerians against selling their NIN, urg...

  Royston Drenthe has joined the 12th club of his career after being unveiled by Spanish minnows Racing Murcia a month after being declared bankrupt having lost £3.2m fortune to failed music and acting career.    The former Real Madrid and Everton winger was unveiled on Thursday after making the shock move to the Spanish lower leagues.      The 33-year-old's move from Dutch second division side Kozakken Boys to the third division in Spain comes just a month after he was declared bankrupt by a court in Holland.    Drenthe spoke to Dutch site voetbalzone following the court verdict, saying the decision will not be final as he explained at that time that his lawyer was on holiday when the verdict was handed down.     'I don't know the ins and outs and I don't know exactly what's going on, but if this is what I think it is, it's not that important,' he told the website.   'I'm always under a magnifying glass, but it will be resolve...

  President Donald Trump has taken to Twitter to ask his supporters to “stay peaceful” after they stormed the U.S. Capitol building and violently clashed with police in an attempt to stop President-elect Joe Biden's certification.      Vice President Pence, who was in the Capitol when the building was breached, tweeted for an end to violence and for people to respect law enforcement and leave the building.    “The violence and destruction taking place at the US Capitol Must Stop and it Must Stop Now. Anyone involved must respect Law Enforcement officers and immediately leave the building,” Pence tweeted.    He continued: “Peaceful protest is the right of every American but this attack on our Capitol will not be tolerated and those involved will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”     Trump also shared a video urging his supporters to stand down; “This was a fraudulent election, but we can’t play into the hands of these ...