Just In: Pope Benedict XVI dies at 95

Former pope Benedict XVI has died at the age of 95, the Vatican announced Saturday, almost a decade after he became the first pontiff to resign in six centuries.“With sorrow, I inform you that the Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI, passed away today at 9:34 in the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican,” Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said in a statement.

The German pope emeritus, whose birth name was Joseph Ratzinger, had been living a quiet life in a former convent inside the Vatican grounds since his shock decision to step down in February 2013.

His health had been declining for a long time, but the Vatican revealed on Wednesday that his situation had worsened, while his successor Pope Francis called for Catholics worldwide to pray for him.

His death brings to an end an unprecedented situation in which two “men in white” — Benedict and Francis — had co-existed within the walls of the tiny city state.

While there is no rulebook for former popes, Benedict’s funeral is expected to be at the Vatican, presided over by Francis.

In 2005 the body of John Paul II, the last pope to die, lay in state before a funeral mass in St Peter’s Square attended by one million people, including heads of state.

Football Legend, Pele Dies at 82

Pele, the Brazil football legend and three-time World Cup winner, has died at the age of 82.He passed away on Thursday. His daughter, Kely Nascimento, confirmed the news on Instagram, writing: "Everything we are is thanks to you. We love you infinitely. Rest in peace."

Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as Pele is widely considered to be football's first global superstar. Pele had been treated for colon cancer, following surgery to remove a tumour in September 2021, and had required regular medical treatment.

After being admitted back into hospital at the end of November to re-evaluate his cancer treatment, he was diagnosed with a respiratory infection before subsequently being moved to palliative care when his body became unresponsive to chemotherapy, Mirror reports.

Doctors and nurses at the Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo duly made him as comfortable as possible, while his wife, Marcia Aoki, remained by his bedside.

Pele made his international debut at the age of 16 and announced himself to a global audience in 1958, when, still only 17, he scored six goals in four games as Brazil won the World Cup for the first time. He scored twice in a 5-2 final win over Sweden in Stockholm.

He won the World Cup on two more occasions, in 1962 and 1970, when the Brazillian team produced arguably the greatest final performance in the competition's history, defeating Italy 4-1 at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico. Pele won the Golden Ball for the tournament's best player.

During the tournament, ex-Manchester City boss Malcolm Allison, working as a TV summariser, asked: "How do you spell Pele?" Counterpart Pat Crerand responded: "Easy: G.O.D."

His 1970 teammate Tostao remarked: "Pele was the greatest – he was simply flawless. And off the pitch he is always smiling and upbeat. You never see him bad-tempered. He loves being Pele.” Sir Bobby Charlton, part of the England side beaten 1-0 in the group stage of that tournament by Brazil, remarked later in life: “I sometimes feel as though football was invented for this magical player.”

Officially, Pele scored 757 goals in 831 games during a glittering career from 1957 to 1977, although his long-time club Santos claim his tally was closer to 1,000.

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Wonderland Amusement Park shut down After A Child Was Electrocuted On Christmas Day

Lagos State Govt has sealed & suspended activities at the Kiddies section of Wonderland Lagos - an event venue which was meant to deliver a holiday experience of fun & excitement on Monday 26th Dec. 2022 after a guest was electrocuted at the event venue. Director General of the Lagos State Safety Commission, Mr Lanre Mojola in a joint inspection with the Lagos State Task Force team stated that this intervention has become imperative

to prevent further exposure of attendees particularly kids at the venue to prevent accidents that can lead to injuires and fatalities.

Mr. Lanre Mojola further disclosed that the event venue owner - Mr Ezekiel Adamu had refused to implement safety measures prescribed by the Commission

despite several meetings at the onset of the project following an initial safety inspection exercise carried out on the venue to deliberate on safety infractions observed within the facility.

He further stated that It has however become urgent and pertinent to shut down the facility until all infractions are corrected to prevent users from further exposure to risk especially children and to also ensure that other lined up event are safe for Lagos residents.

The Director General stated that no individual or institution is bigger than the State and it will continually ensure the safety of Lagosians as they go about enjoying the festive season.

He further sounded a note of warning to facilities in Lagos that are not in compliance with the State Safety guidelines on events and urged residents to socialise responsibly.

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Man abscond from marriage ceremony over incessant demands

Drama as bridegroom walks out of engagement ceremony in Imo State due to extortion.He paid N1,500,000 to cater for food, tents, chairs and a public address system.

He was also made to set aside N100,000 as the bride price that the two families had agreed on.

Biobelemoye David was asked to add N50,000 to the bride price because he had already impregnated the girl.

He was slapped with a N10,000 fine for making a detour to the wrong path and ending up in a different homestead other than the girl's.

He was also asked to pay N15,000 to appease the elders who had become tired of waiting for his arrival.

Drama however ensued when twelve girls covered in loose robes from head to toe were paraded before Biobelemoye David and he was asked to guess who his fiancée was.

He pointed at the wrong woman and that led to yet another fine of N15,000.

The decisive moment specifically was when the elders demanded for a refund of the total sum of N850,000 that had been paid as the girl's school fees and upkeep since she started primary school!

Fuming with anger which he tried his best to hide, Biobelemoye David excused himself to visit a nearby latrine and disappeared!

He switched off his phone and was last seen at a bus heading to Bayelsa State from Imo.

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Just In: Wike Seals Off Atiku Campaign Office

Governor Nyesom Wike has closed the Rivers State Atiku/Okowa campaign headquarters as part of his new offensive against the Atiku Abubakar presidential campaign.The office, which is in Port Harcourt’s GRA axis, was shut down for causing loud political activities in residential neighborhoods without the state government’s consent.

Based on Executive Orders 21 and 22, Mr. Wike closed off the campaign office.

The Rivers branch of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Council had submitted a written request for permission to conduct political activities on the property.

Before the venue was sealed on Friday, the application had gone unanswered for months.

The seal on the office was deemed anti-democratic and a breach of free speech by the state’s PCC’s media team.

“The public is hereby informed that the sealed premises had no bill board or poster, since the approval had not been given, yet it was sealed off, a sign that the delay in the approval is premeditated and computed to cause this sort of unlawfulness.

“We condemn this act because it rubs off on our fundamental right to free expression of interest. Furthermore, this egregious move by the Rivers State Government, seen in the prism of politics, tends to militarise our democracy and renders our dear state politically recessive when juxtaposed with other states in the country,” the media team said in a statement.

It also advised the state’s party leaders to file a lawsuit in accordance with the constitution’s requirements.

“We urge our dear leaders in the state to challenge this illegality in a court of competent jurisdiction so that friction can disappear from our political space.

“The right to campaign for preferred candidate is enshrined in the Constitution of Nigeria, which is the grand norm from which every other law derives its power.

“Thus, every clash between the Constitution and any other made law should be resolved in favour of the Constitution. The Rivers State Government, we dare say, is subject to the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as Amended).

“It is our duty to remind Gov. Wike and his co-travelers that they, like everyone else, are subject to the Laws of Nigeria.

“Meanwhile we charge the Rivers State PDP PCC, our dear leaders, to see to it that this unlawful disruption of campaign activities does not rattle their cage. They must continue to function as they always had prior to the existence of the Secretariat.

“Tyranny will expire in our state. If the Nazi Regime could die in Germany, then this facsimile of such will die even much faster to the glory of God and liberty of Rivers State,” 

it added.

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Gunmen attack community, set monarch, Deputy Speaker’s houses ablaze

Gunmen went on rampage in Orsumoghu community in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State, setting ablaze houses belonging to the State House of Assembly Deputy Speaker, Pascal Agbodike.The attackers also reportedly set ablaze the house of the traditional ruler of the community and that of the President General of the community, Nze Denis Muomaife.

The incident was made known during a meeting of stakeholders in Anambra South Senatorial Zone with the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Recall that Anambra South Zone had previously been marked as a redspot of insecurity in the state.

Following the persistent and frequent attacks in the Zone, INEC at the stakeholders’ meeting solicited collaboration to ensure that elections in the zone are held peacefully.

Speaking during the meeting, the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Queen Elizabeth Agwu, asked the stakeholders whether elections would be held in those communities because of their current volatility.

In his response, Muomaife, who said his house was burnt down by gunmen two weeks ago, said the community had set up a peace and reconciliation committee to make sure that such issues were tackled in time to ensure that elections can be held in the area.

The REC, Agwu, therefore emphasized that it was about time youths in Anambra State took possession of their lands, noting that insecurity in Igboland (South East) was caused by the indigenes and not imported persons.

“We must hold 2023 elections; it must be credible and the votes must count. This is the time for the youth to rise up in different communities to protect their people.

“We have prepared for the election with materials and men. What we need from communities is to collect their Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs. Non-sensitive materials have been distributed already.

“Anything that will make [the] election not successful in Anambra South should be resisted; anyone caught doing abnormal things during the election will not be alive to tell the story.

“I’m relying on the Presidents-General in all the communities and traditional rulers to secure their areas during the election. Let us avoid suppressing ourselves,” she said.

Speaking further, Agwu said that the corporate existence of Nigeria depends on the 2023 general elections.

She noted that “This nation is seriously depleted today and that’s why we’re talking about unity. Voter education concerns and affects everyone in this country. There are so many ways it affects us, but the problem we have here is our penchant for pursuing money.”

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Fuel Subsidy will be remove, No Matter How Long You Protest, Tinubu Tells Nigerians

Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has said his government will remove fuel subsidy if he is elected president in 2023.Tinubu stated this while speaking at a business luncheon with business owners titled "Business Forward" on Thursday in Lagos.

The former Lagos governor said no matter how long people protest, he will remove fuel subsidy.

In a statement issued by his Media Office and signed by Mr. Tunde Rahman, the APC presidential candidate said Nigeria would no longer subsidise fuel consumption in neighbouring countries.

He said, “How can we be subsidising fuel consumption of Cameroon, of Niger, of Benin Republic. No matter how long you protest, we are going to remove subsidy,” he said.

He, however, said his government will allow the private sector to thrive and be open to collaborating with players in the sector.

“My government will collaborate with the private sector to bring about massive infrastructure renewal that enhances economic opportunities, lower business costs and overheads while producing jobs that spur further growth and development through increased consumer demand. This is the virtuous economic cycle we seek to create,” he said.

He also promised to improve security in the country, saying several measures will be implemented if he is elected as president including increasing the number of military and non-military personnel.

“I am committed to securing Nigerians from violence and the fear of such violence. Terror, kidnapping and banditry have no place in the society I envision. Upon entering office, we will move to implement several measures,” he said.

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Ibadan-based comedian, Peteru Comedy, is dead

The entertainment industry has been thrown into mourning as Ibadan-based comedian, Tobi Owomoyela Nifemi aka Peteru Comedy, has died.

The skit maker who is known for his Yoruba take on Big Brother Naija is said to have passed away on Wednesday, December 21. The cause of his death is yet to be made public.

However, his colleagues have taken to social media to mourn his untimely demise. He only buried his father in November this year. He is said to be the only son in a family of seven.

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