Adewale Alfred, the Catholic Archbishop of Lagos Archdiocese, has reinstated James Anelu, the parish priest of Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Ewu Owa, who had been placed on indefinite suspension.
In February, Anelu was suspended when he prohibited the singing of Igbo songs in his parish.
In a circular signed by Anthony Gordon, the Director of Communications for the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, the Catholic church recalled Anele and directed him to reconcile with parishioners and correct his faults.
The circular read, “Following a thorough investigation, conducted in consultation with the Parish Pastoral Council, the Parish Laity Council and Ad hoc Committee set up by the Archbishop, it was discovered that the posting on the social media that brought about the administrative leave did not give a complete picture of the incident.
“Fr. James has therefore been asked to return to the Parish in order to remedy the situation created by the social media posting and bring about reconciliation and unity in the parish.
“In the spirit of the Lenten season, he urged all the parishioners to work together in collaboration with the Parish priest for the greater glory of God and the good of the community.
“He also called upon all God’s children to remember Fr. ANELU and his parishioners in their prayers.”
Nollywood actor, Gideon Okeke, has stated that actors in the Nigerian movie industry are underpaid despite working like slaves.
Okeke advised fans not to be envious of actors, stating that their sufferings were invisible because they dress up like a bag of money when they appear at movie premieres.
Okeke via his Instagram handle wrote: “The pay is peanuts, the food is whack, the working conditions are gruesomely slave-like. But come the day of the Red carpet premier.
“We all dress up looking like a bag of money. It does not add up joor!”
Okeke noted that the flashy lifestyle seen at award shows, movie premieres is just packaging.
“Award season is coming again. You’ll see all of us looking like peacocks on the red carpet. Like a bag of money. Don’t envy anyone oh. Na packaging. Na wash.
“Now dem don even dey give money for best dressed. Taking the light away from the film wey dem come to appraise. You Ign’ant (Ignorant) like the Americans would say, We’z be Ign’ant.
“Because filmmaking is a collaborative sport, until it’s time to share money. Are we not in a pandemic of greed. Abeg make I go brush teeth. My mouth dey smell,” his post read.
Recall that Adunni Ade in her recent interview also raised alarm over their poor earnings.
She demanded that filmmakers, especially in the Yoruba movie industry respect their worth and stop paying them peanuts for movie roles.
One week to his swearing-in as governor of Anambra State, Prof Chukwuma Soludo has assured members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) that through his performance, the party will consolidate its hold on the State.
Soludo, who stated this in a press release by his media aide, Mr. Joe Anatune came short of appealing to members of the party to allow him the latitude to perform, saying that that is the only way Anambra can remain an APGA State.
The former Central Bank Governor said he feels the pain of an average family in the State, as they struggle to feed, clothe themselves, pay rent and meet other responsibilities in the face of a harsh economy.
Anatune in the release said: “Cee Cee Soludo’s commitment to improving the quality of life and lifting many from the vicious grip of poverty is the elixir that APGA needs to continually win the battle for the minds and hearts of voters in Nigeria and to emerge as a major challenger in the power dynamics. In other words, astute management of the political economy is the key.
“The incoming government is poised to deliver on its promises. The new administration understands that the only way to get repeat or merit votes is to keep delighting the electorate.
“The message Soludo is sending across to his fellow APGA members is that meeting the needs of the people is central to future electoral victories and growth of the party.”
Anatune said Soludo was worried that Anambra people were facing existential challenges, ranging from insecurities, limited landmass occasioned by erosions and flooding, and even massive youth unemployment.
“Families are struggling to put food on the table, pay house rents, pay school fees, settle medical bills, take care of aged ones, and more. There is inadequate power for homes, offices, and factories, insufficient housing, and weak transportation infrastructure.
“Climate change is real and we will be living in denial if we do not acknowledge its negative impact on our lives. APGA, through free and transparent primaries, made a wise decision to nominate a candidate who satisfactorily demonstrated a clear understanding of our local context and challenges, and who the voters trusted enough to elect him to lead them for the next four years as their Governor.
“This trust must not be taken for granted and the only way to sustain it is through superior achievements that address the concerns earlier listed.
“From all indications, Soludo is willing and ready to make Ndi APGA and Ndi Anambra electorate proud. And part of the sound economics for members of the party is setting up cooperatives to assist members advance in their various endeavors,” he said.
Black Stars of Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey has been named Arsenal Player of the Month for February.
The Gunners made the announcement in a statement on their website on Tuesday.
Partey beat off competition from Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard to land the award.
The statement read: “Congratulations to Thomas Partey, who has been named as the Arsenal.com Player of the Month for the very first time!
“Our Ghanaian midfielder was in outstanding form throughout February, as we won all three of our Premier League matches.
“Thomas started the month with a typically combative performance in our midfield as we won 1-0 at Wolves, and helped shore things up as we were reduced to 10 men with 20 minutes remaining.
“He then was impressive in our victory against Brentford, dominating the middle of the park as we claimed another hard-fought three points.
“The 28-year-old helped us round off the month in style with an energetic, driving display in midfield as we came from a goal down to beat Wolves late on at Emirates Stadium.
“Thomas finished with 49 percent of the vote, narrowly edging out Martin Odegaard, with Bukayo Saka in third.”
The former Atletico Madrid star is expected to be part of the Black Stars squad that will face the Super Eagles of Nigeria, in the 2022 World Cup qualifying play-offs later this month.
Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric has revealed that they will be banking on their vociferous home supporters to help them overcome PSG in today’s return leg of the UEFA Champions League.
Real need to overturn a 1-0 deficit on Wednesday night to reach the Champions League quarterfinals.
Modric said, “I’m sure that the Bernabéu will have a really important role to play for us because playing here at home means a great deal. It’ll be a great game.
“We’ve played many of these games and the fans’ support will be really important because we’re going to need all of their help, just as we did against Real Sociedad and they will spur us on to give even more when it gets tough out there, just as they always have done in these big games.
“Every game is different. The important thing is that we go out and try and do what the coach asks of us. The most important thing is that we go out there and show the character, good energy, and aggression that we produced against Real Sociedad. If we manage to do that, we’ll be in with a very good chance of getting through the tie. We’ll have to give our all.”
Modric also said: “There is big pressure on both teams. Both of us want to get through. They’re keen to win the Champions League and are yet to have done so, which speaks volumes of just how tough it is.
“We won it four times in five years and made it look easy and as if it was normal, but that’s far from being the case. There’s a lot at stake for both teams. We’re both great sides. We’re the best club in the history of the game and are always under pressure, no matter what the competition, because we always want to win.”
Paris Saint-German manager Mauricio Pochettino claimed Lionel Messi is the ‘best player in the world’ ahead of his side’s UEFA Champions League clash against Real Madrid.
Messi has endured a difficult start to life at the club following his arrival from Barcelona last summer.
The 34-year-old has scored seven goals and provided 11 assists in 24 appearances across all competitions.
The Argentine has been overshadowed by Kylian Mbappe, who has already notched up 24 goals and 17 assists in 34 appearances so far this term.
“Messi is the best in the world with seven Ballon d’Or trophies, then we have great players who aspire to be the best,” Pochettino told reporters on Tuesday.
“Kylian [Mbappe]’s form speaks for itself. He’s among those players who are the best and who are shining brightest.”
Former England forward Teddy Sheringham believes West Ham midfielder, Declan Rice will be a perfect replacement for Paul Pogba in the summer.
Sheringham, who starred in the Premier League with Tottenham and United, believes Rice would be the ideal replacement for Paul Pogba.
The Frenchman is out of contract in the summer, and Sheringham believes that West Ham United man Rice has the quality to make the step up in the summer and replace Pogba.
He told Lord Ping: “It’s going to be hard for West Ham to keep Declan Rice.
“I spoke to West Ham supporters and said, “he is the best midfielder in the world at the moment”. I rate him highly. He’s got everything a central midfielder needs.
“He understands the game, he’s got good pace, he can control the ball, pass it, make good tackles, and get forward.
“He has the stature of Steven Gerrard in midfield – he’s that dominant now that even when he’s getting closed down, he’s got good pace and power about him that he can get away from midfielders. That’s very unusual to have that in a central midfield position.
“[Declan would be an upgrade on Pogba] because he is the best midfielder in the world. Pogba is a talented boy but leads with the wrong character.
“He doesn’t inspire people around him, he doesn’t inspire his supporters around him whereas someone like Declan does. You want to roll with him, the way he plays the game.”
Turkish billionaire Murshan Bayrak has revealed that he has 90% chance of buying Chelsea.
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovic recently announced his decision to sell the West London club.
The Russian is looking to sell the club for anything between £2.5bn and £4bn.
While there are said to be willing suitors from the United States and the Middle East, Bayrak, the chairman of construction company AB Group, feels that he is one of the frontrunners to get a deal over the line.
“We have reached a certain stage. Our law and finance department will start talks with theirs in London on Thursday. That’s the way it is at this point. On Thursday, we will notify the Public Disclosure Platform (KAP),” Bayrak told Oda TV.
“People are talking about it, we made some progress in the talks, and the world believes we have a 90% chance of completing the deal. Abramovich thinks the same.”
Vivek Ranadive, the owner of the Sacramento Kings, has allegedly emerged as another candidate over the last 48 hours.
The ruling All Progressives Congress, APC has shelved its zonal congress, which was scheduled for Saturday, ABN TV has learnt.
Governor Abubakar Sani Bello
This came to the fore on Tuesday as the party said it would soon release the zoning formula.
Impeccable sources told The PUNCH (not ABN TV) that the decision on the zonal congress was part of fresh moves to reverse some of the decisions made by the embattled Chairman of the Caretaker Committee, Governor Mai Mala Buni, whose role has now been taken over by Governor Abubakar Bello of Niger State.
Although the APC has continued to evade questions on the zonal congress, a top source at the party said, “We have decided within the party not to talk about the zonal congress. It will not hold on Saturday and we have no plans to hold it. The truth is that it is unknown to the APC’s constitution.
“It was all part of Buni’s strategy to continue to delay the national convention just like how he has continued to release different zoning lists and different lists of committees for the convention. Now the new acting chairman will reverse some of these questionable acts.”
Confirming this to The PUNCH, the Chairman of Kwara state branch of the APC, Prince Sunday Fagbemi, said the zonal congress of the party would no longer hold.
He said, “I don’t think that the zonal congress will hold any longer as they said that it is not in the constitution of the party. So, probably, the party will make other arrangements. I’m not saying that the party will not have zonal officers.”
Meanwhile, the acting Chairman of the APC Caretaker Committee, Governor Bello, says the party’s leadership on Tuesday adopted the zoning report it received from the Zoning Committee led by the Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazak.
He further revealed that the National Executive Council meeting which includes the governors, the state chairmen and other organs of the party, will meet next week to put in place modalities ahead of the March 26 national convention.
Bello further revealed that he would continue to hold meetings at the party’s national headquarters every day until the convention.
Speaking to journalists, he said, “The report of the zoning formula has been submitted and adopted and it will be released any moment from now. I mean the zoning formula.
“Hopefully, by next week, the NEC meeting will hold. It is a continuation of Monday’s meeting. And just so you know, so you won’t be asking me the same thing tomorrow, we are going to be meeting every day until the convention so that we can put things together.
“Basically, today we looked at the convention sub-committee and we collected some of the reports from the committee hoping that tomorrow we will decide on the next step to take.”
On whether the CECPC National Secretary, John Akpanudoedehe, is part of the new leadership of the APC, Bello replied, “ask him”.
However, the national secretariat was thrown into disarray over purported resignation of Akpanudoedehe.
While confusion reigned in some quarters, ABN TV observed jubilation amongst certain groups.
Minutes prior, reports filtered through the Secretariat stating that Akpanudoedehe had angrily resigned his position amid internal controversies.
But Akpanudoedehe returned to the secretariat to address journalists that he had not resigned and will only do so when mandated by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Speaking on Tuesday evening, Akpanudoedehe said “I have read on social media that I have resigned as Secretary of the APC. I want to state that it is not true that I didn’t resign. If I had resigned, you would have seen my letter of resignation written by me. Someone cannot just say somebody is dead when he is alive.
“I am not bigger than the party, or bigger than the President who is the leader of the Party. I am waiting for the national chairman to come back.
“If we have a directive from the president that we should resign, we are not bigger than the president, we will do so, if we hear from him. I am stating here that the breaking news is not from me. I don’t know who announced it.”
Asked about his relationship status with the acting chairman, Akpanudoedehe said “Our relationship is very cordial.”
On reports that he had moved his victuals out of the party premises, he said “I don’t have any load. I come here and I leave. I have never changed my furniture. The photograph is official. I have not packed anything. I have not received any letter.
“Someone cannot say, ‘the President said.’ I have not received any letter from anywhere. As I said, nobody is bigger than the party. The issue is that, have I resigned, the answer is no. I am the national secretary of the party”.
In its reaction to the recent leadership shakeups in the APC, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party warned political aspirants vying for various offices on the platform of the APC against “wasting their resources, time and energy” saying the caretaker has no statutory authority under the law and any state congress or national convention it conducts remains invalid.
The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, disclosed this in a statement he signed on Tuesday titled ‘Leadership crisis: APC is defunct, not eligible to contest elections-PDP’.
According to Ologunagba, the PDP “draws the attention of intending aspirants on the platform of the APC to the fact that the CECPC has no statutory authority under the law and that any state congress or national convention conducted by it to produce any party leadership at any level remains invalid and unrecognised by law.
“Consequently, any governorship, state assembly, National Assembly as well as Presidential primary election conducted by any leadership produced by the illegal CECPC can only produce invalid candidates just like in the case of Zamfara and Rivers States in the 2019 general elections where the APC had invalid votes.”
The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, Tuesday ordered all Divisional Police Officers and other heads of formations to immediately free all police stations nationwide from impounded, accidented and unregistered exhibit vehicles.
He also asked Nigerians, who have one or two vehicles in the custody of the Nigeria Police Force, to reclaim them with substantial evidence.
He said the order was predicated on the incessant embarrassing and unprofessional manner in which those vehicles were stacked within police facilities causing nuisance and disgusting sight at police stations.
The IGP, according to a statement by the Acting Force spokesman, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, frowned at the practice of stockpiling vehicles recovered from crime scenes or vehicles whose ownership is being contested or in doubt.
“The IGP further emphasizes that heads of police stations and formations should embark on due process to carry out the needful evaluation and release such vehicles in these categories, on bond, to their owners.
“The IGP reiterates that the directive is part of efforts being put in place by his administration to ensure a conducive working environment for its personnel in order to set in motion such required strategies to combat crime and criminality in the country.
“The IGP further assures that decongesting the police stations and facilities nationwide would be of great operational advantage to the Force in effectively dispensing its policing responsibilities and giving succour to the owners of such exhibit vehicles.
“The IGP equally urges all concerned members of the public to approach various police stations/formations for the recovery and claims of their vehicles, with valid proof of ownership and proper means of identification.”
