Popular American actor, rapper, and film producer, Willard Carroll Smith, has apologised after he slapped Chris Rock for making a bad joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, during the 2022 Academy Awards.
The Fresh Prince, as he is fondly called, had taken to the podium to smack Rock while making his jokes during the 94th Oscar awards.
The comedian made a joke about Jada’s baldhead, which she had shaved as a result of ‘Alopecia areata’ which is a health condition that causes sudden hair loss.
Smith had won his first Oscar in the best actor category for his role in “King Richard” after the incident with Rock.
After the awards, Smith took to his Instagram to publicly apologise to Rock, the producers of the Oscar Award, and his family for his misconduct during the Sunday ceremony.
He wrote, “Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive. My behavior at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable. Jokes at my expense are a part of the job, but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted
emotionally.
“I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness.
“I would also like to apologize to the
Academy, the producers of the show,
all the attendees and everyone watching around the world. I would like to apologize to the Williams Family and my King Richard Family. I deeply regret that my behavior has stained what has been an otherwise gorgeous journey for all of us. I am a work in progress.”
Jada had announced in December last year that she was shaving her head because she has Alopecia.
The Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich was poisoned along with Ukrainian negotiators, it has been claimed.
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the Vladimir Putin ally and Chelsea FC owner – who has been sanctioned by the UK government – was hit by symptoms after a suspected poisoning at a meeting in Kyiv earlier this month.
Abramovich, and at least two senior Ukrainian officials, are said to have developed peeling skin on their faces and hands, red eyes, and constant and painful tearing, the paper reported.
Quoting ‘people familiar with the matter’, it added that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has met with Abramovich, was not been affected.
The lives of the Chelsea owner and negotiators are not thought to be in danger.
Widespread reports have previously suggested Russian forces are attempting to assassinate Zelensky, but it is unclear who the target of the alleged poisoning would have been.
Russia has been widely blamed for a series of poisonings around the world, including a Novichok incident in Salisbury, Putin critic Alexander Litvinenko and opposition figure Alexei Navalny.
The investigative media group Bellingcat said the incident took place overnight from March 3 to 4, with three people experiencing ‘symptoms consistent with poisoning with chemical weapons’ including Abramovich.
‘Abramovich, along with another Russian entrepreneur, had taken part in the negotiations alongside Ukraine’s MP Rustem Umerov’, it tweeted.
‘The negotiation round on the afternoon of 3 March took place on Ukrainian territory and lasted until about 10 pm.
‘Three members of the negotiating team retreated to an apartment in Kyiv later that night and felt initial symptoms – including eye and skin inflammation and piercing pain in the eyes – later that night.
Controversial Nigerian singer, Habeeb Okikiola also known as Portable has announced to the general public that he has relieved his manager, DJ and promoter of their duties.
The zazoo crooner insisted via a video posted on his Instagram handle that his manager, show promoter and DJ does not do anything in building his career and he feels cheated because he pays them.
He maintained that he also wanted other people to have a taste of his money therefore the need for new set of people.
Portable who is known to be erratic and quite controversial recently bagged a whopping N50m endorsement deal.
The singer took to his Instagram account to announce that he had signed an endorsement deal of N50m as the brand ambassador of a bitters drink.
He thanked Obi Cubana for giving him the opportunity to market the product.
He wrote: “obi_cubana don show love ooo. 50 million kwen don zeh for my Aza ooo. Official Ambassador @odogwu_bitters of Africa”. Read more
No fewer than eight persons have been reportedly killed during another phase of the supremacy battle between Eiye and Aiye confraternities in Sagamu, Ogun State.
The fresh killings occurred on Sunday, a few days after seven persons were killed in different parts of Abeokuta, the state capital.
Our correspondent gathered that 15 persons had been killed in less than two weeks in Abeokuta and Sagamu.
The clash between the rival cults got to its peak following the gruesome murder of a lout popularly known as Tommy in Oluwo, Abeokuta.
Our correspondent learnt that as of Sunday evening, residents in Panseke, Onikolobo, Oluwo and Adigbe fled for their lives as gunshots rent the air.
Though the police said 18 persons were arrested, calm seemed not to have returned as the crisis escalated to Sagamu, Remo axis of Ogun State.
As early as 7am on Sunday, sources said some young men stormed some places in Sagamu and killed their targets.
A source said the bodies of the victims were picked up by the police; others were said to have been taken away by their parents.
According to the source, an electrician, identified only as Akeem, was killed in the Ajegunle area of Sagamu.
“Akeem did not die immediately; but when they were rushing him to a hospital, another motorcycle hit them and he fell. That was how he died eventually. His intestines were coming out because he was shot in the stomach,” he added.
It was also gathered that some of the victims were murdered in Soyindo, Ijagba, Ajegunle and Sabo, all in Sagamu.
When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, promised to find out and revert.
He had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.
As part of measures to mobilize support for the Super Eagles of Nigeria, the federal government has directed all public offices to be closed by 1pm
The Office of the Head of Service gave this directive in a circular to all Permanent Secretaries on Monday.
The circular reads, “As you are aware, the Super Eagles of Nigeria wil be meeting the Black Stars of Ghana in continuation of the 2022 FIFA Word-Cup Qualifier, Playoff.
“There is a need to mobilise support for the Nigerian Team Consequently, I am directed to inform you that all offices wil be closed at 1:00pm on Tuesday, 29 March, 2022.
“Permanent Secretaries are requested to give this circular wide publicity to achieve the desired result.”
Nigeria’s Super Eagles will on Tuesday meet with Ghana’s Black Stars for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 playoff duel .
The Super Eagles players have said they are determined to put up a performance that will earn Nigeria a seventh appearance at the World Cup.
Both countries were last involved in a FIFA World Cup qualifier game in 2001, when they finished 0-0 in Accra.
Meanwhile the federal government has bought 20,000 tickets for Nigerians to watch the match.
Embattled Police Chief, Abba Kyari has been remanded in Prison Custody.
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Monday, ordered that Kyari and six others that are facing drug trafficking charges be moved to Kuje Correctional Center.
Trial Justice, Emeka Nwike ordered the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, to transfer the Defendants to prison custody shortly after he denied them bail.
The court held that the NDLEA placed sufficient materials before it to warrant the refusal of bail to Kyari and his Co-Defendants. Kyari’s accomplices and former members of the IRT, ACP Sunday Ubia, Inspector Simon Agirgba, and Inspector John Nuhu were also denied bail.
In the charge marked FHC/ABJ/57/2022, are; ASP Bawa James, as well as two drug traffickers that were arrested at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwane.
Nwite ordered an accelerated trial of the Defendants, even as it fixed April 28 for the review of facts in respect of the case against Umeibe and Ezenwane.
The Federal Government has bought 20,000 tickets for Nigerians to watch the match between the Super Eagles and Black Stars of Ghana.
The tickets also come with a free boarding of vehicles to the stadium.
The free tickets is a joint effort of the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Nigerian Football Federation, according to Bashir Ahmed, President Muhammadu Buhari’s Personal Assistant Digital on New Media.
Bashir tweeted on Monday that, “As the Super Eagles play Black Stars of Ghana tomorrow at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abuja, the Ministry of Youth and Sports and NFF jointly bought 20,000 tickets for Nigerians.
“You can get the ticket at a bus station close to you while boarding the bus to the stadium for FREE.”
Nigeria will play Ghana on Tuesday in the second leg of the World Cup qualifiers at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abuja.
Ghana hosted Nigeria at the Baba Yara Stadium on Friday in Kumasi where they drew 0-0 after 90 minutes.
One of the teams will qualify for the Quarter 2022 World Cup.
The Super Eagles are eyeing their 7th appearance at the World Cup, while the black stars of Ghana are looking for their fourth.
Each ticket is sold for N2,000 according to the to DAAR Communications, the ticketing rights holder for football matches.
This means that the Youth Ministry and the NFF paid N40m for the tickets.
A Federal High Court in Abuja has denied the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari and Assistant Commissioner of Police, Sunday Ubua, bail.
The former Commander of the Intelligence Response (IRT) commander and his team member had filed a bail application before the court.
This was after the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/57/2022, had charged Kyari and four others for alleged involvement in drug dealings.
Others charged are Bawa James, Simon Agirigba, John Nuhu, Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne.
Upon arraignment, Kyari and four other defendants pleaded not guilty, while the sixth and seventh defendants pleaded guilty and begged the court to “have mercy”.
In a ruling on Monday morning, Justice Emeka Nwite held that the prosecution has placed sufficient materials before the court to warrant the refusal of bail to both senior police officers.
The judge also rejected the bail applications of Inspector Simon Agirgba; Inspector, John Nuhu.
Justice Nwite ruled that their bail application were denied after considering the affidavit evidence supplied by parties and proof of evidence.
The judge said he was convinced that the prosecution has successfully raised a reasonable presumption of criminal responsibility on the part of the defendants.
The presiding judge, however, granted an accelerated hearing of the case.
Omoyele Sowore, the National Leader of the African Action Congress (AAC) and 2023 presidential aspirant, on Monday expressed his aversion to Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike’s presidential ambition declaration.
Wike, on Sunday visited Benue State where he declared his interest in the 2023 presidential race.
He called on national delegates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) not to sell their votes, but to consider him.
Wike, who addressed the party delegates at the Government House, Makurdi, said almost all presidential aspirants from the party were responsible for the party’s defeat in 2015.
In a veiled reference to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, he said some of the presidential aspirants on the platform of the party left the PDP when it mattered most.
Reacting, Sowore, in his typical way, made negative comments about Wike.
“The criminally-minded, corrupt, thug and murderous Nyesom Wike too has declared to become Nigeria’s President, we really can’t continue like this!” he wrote on his verified Facebook page.
Nigeria’s former Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, has said that the National Youth Service Corps certificate saga, which led to her resignation as minister made life more difficult for her.
She said this at the 10th anniversary of the Uncommon Woman Conference organised by the Jesus House Church, United Kingdom.
The Minister described the scandal as horrible, adding that it was the most difficult time of her life.
On 7 July 2018, report broke that Adeosun had illegally obtained her NYSC exemption certificate to get into public office.
On 14 September 2018, Adeosun resigned as Minister of Finance in a written letter to the President due to the alleged NYSC Certificate forgery scandal.
She had admitted using a forged exemption certificate of the NYSC, which she presented for her appointment in 2015.
The report revealed how Adeosun skipped the mandatory national youth service scheme and procured a forged certificate purporting to have exempted her from the one-year mandatory exercise.
Adeosun had while tendering her resignation letter to President Muhammadu Buhari on September 14, 2018, admitted that she realised that the NYSC certificate she had presented to be appointed as minister “was not genuine.”
She admitted presenting the same fraudulent certificate for her earlier appointment as Commissioner for Finance of Ogun State in 2011.
But revealing how she was able to deal with the scandal, the former finance minister said she wept every day without working for three months.
According to her, everything about her life was at a standstill while she had to deal with shame, betrayal, disappointment and humiliation.
She said more painful was the fact that she quit her job as a minister at a time when the economy was beginning to feel the positive impact of her economic policies after a long period of stagnation.
Adeosun said “That period of life was tough for me. I went to step into the shoes of someone like Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
“So, I was under fire from day one, it looked like things were not working. Then all of a sudden,the economy started to improve. It was like I was beginning to see the desired result.
“Then out of nowhere, the certificate scandal came. And before I knew it, everything turned upside down. And that was how the issue went viral.
Giving more details on what led to the scandal, the former minister said, “I was born and raised in the United Kingdom; indeed, my parental family home remains in London.
“My visits to Nigeria up until the age of 34 were holidays, with visas obtained in my UK passport. When I finished school, there was no opportunity for dual citizenship; I either renounce my British citizenship or hold on to it and work here. I didn’t renounce mine. I finished school at 21 and started working at 22.
“I obtained my first Nigerian passport at the age of 34 and when I relocated, there was debate as to whether the NYSC law applied to me. Upon enquiry as to my status relating to the NYSC, I was informed that due to my residency history and having exceeded the age of 30, I was exempted from the requirement to serve. Until recent events, that remained my understanding.
“On the basis of that advice and with the guidance and assistance of those I thought were trusted associates, the NYSC was approached for documentary proof of status.
“I then received the certificate in question. Having never worked in the NYSC, visited the premises, been privy to or familiar with their operations, I had no reason to suspect that the certificate was anything but genuine.
“Indeed, I presented that certificate at the 2011 Ogun State House of Assembly and in 2015 for the Department of State Services clearance as well as to the National Assembly for screening. I sought legal advice and there was no problem I could get an exemption for the NYSC.
“I was so ashamed at that time because I was into teenagers’ mentoring and all of that. So, the experience negated the lessons I had taught my teenagers. I cried every day for three months; I didn’t do anything for anyone or myself for those months. I just cried, cried, and cried.”
The former Minister of finance said that despite the court judgement which cleared and vindicated her from the scandal, she still wasn’t happy.
Adeosun’s lawyer, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) had filed a case against the Attorney General of the Federation, urged the court to declare that his client cannot be disqualified from serving as either a member of the House of Assembly of a State, a Commissioner in the State Executive Council; Governor of a State; member of the National Assembly; Minister in the Federal Executive Council or the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, on the ground that she did not participate in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme, established by the National Youth Service Corps Act, CAP N84, LFN 2004.
Ruling on the matter, Justice Taiwo Taiwo had held that participation in NYSC was not a yardstick for being selected as a Federal Minister.
But the former finance minister said that despite being cleared by the Court, she still didn’t feel better as she had to go through another round of counselling to heal.
“I thought I would feel better when I got vindicated by the court but I still wasn’t happy. The court cleared my name three years later but it took another time of counselling and therapy before I felt better.
“It was thereafter I forged ahead with life and started my charity work,” she added.
Minister of finance budget and national planningMrs Kemi AdeosunUncommon Woman Conference
