LYONS BLOG

Nigerian Government has scrapped Award of HND Certificates by Polytechnics. The decision was reached at the Federal Executive Council, FEC, yesterday where the approval of a comprehensive reform of Nigeria’s tertiary education system was made. In effect, the award of HND will be limited to only the students currently admitted for the programmes. Also, all the programmes currently being run by polytechnics, which are not technology-based, and which are about 70 per cent, will be scrapped. Under the new rule, the polytechnics will now become campuses of the proximate universities with the Vice Chancellors of those universities appointing provosts for the polytechnics, subject to the ratification of the Universities Councils. The polytechnics will now be limited to award of the National Diploma (ND) while those desirous of further education will be awarded the Bachelor of Technology (B. Tech) by the proximate university. To kick-start the new policy, the nation’s two...

Black panther has hit another box office milestone surpassing Titanic to become the third highest-grossing film of all time in the US. As of Friday (6 April), Ryan Coogler's Disney-Marvel film had amassed totals of $659.3m (£468m) in just two months with sales overtaking James Cameron's 1997 haul of $659.5m (£468.2m), not adjusted for inflation. The top two spots belong Star Wars film The Force Awakens - with $936.7m (£665m) - and Avatar, also directed by Cameron, which racked up $760.5m (£539.9m) according to Box Office Mojo. Just last month, the groundbreaking film - which stars Chadwick Boseman, Lupita Nyong'o, Michael B. Jordan and Danai Gurira - overtook Avengers Assemble's $624m (£443m)  to become the biggest-selling superhero film of all time. Black Panther's global takings of $1.29 billion (£915.7m) position it as the tenth biggest selling film of all time. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 34 show all The positioning of...

- School fees payable by students of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo state have been astronomically increased - The fees have been increased from N25,000 to N120,000 for some students while some departments have been billed to pay N150,000 above - Pro- chancellor of the institution, Dr Tunji Abayomi, however, appealed to students of the institution to take the increment in good faith Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo state, has increased students' school fees for 2017/2018 session by over 500 percent according to some students of the institution. This, according to observers, is a way of fashioning the fees in the mold of Ondo State University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa, where students are made to pay an average of N180, 000 per session. The sharp increment in the institutions' school fees affects both freshers and returning students, lyonsblog can authoritatively report. The fees was increased from N25,000 to N120,000 for som...

- MMM has officially shut down operations worldwide following the death of its founder, Sergey Mavrodi - Mavrodi, the founder of the scheme died on March 26, after a heart attack - The administrators of the site reminded participants of an earlier warning on the risk associated with the scheme download our App now for free to get a better experience Participants in the world’s most popular ponzi scheme Mavrodi Mundial Moneybox (MMM), are counting their losses as administrators of the programme have officially shut down operations worldwide following the death of its founder, Sergey Mavrodi. It would be recalled that Mavrodi died on March 26, after a heart attack. The administrators of the site had in a statement issued on April 6, 2018 reminded participants of an earlier warning on the risk associated with the scheme. The statement read: “Dear participants, after much deliberation, we have made the conclusion that continuing the System operation, without our leader and...

- Cristiano Ronaldo once again says he will not become a coach when he retires - The 2017 FIFA footballer of the year says he likes to live in the present - Ronaldo says he decided to become a professional footballer when he was 16-years-old Real Madrid attacker Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed that he does not plan to become a coach when he retires adding that he likes 'to live in the present'. Speaking to Nike, the 32-year-old reiterated that he does not intend becoming a coach like most footballers. "It is difficult to say what I will do in the future, but one thing is clear to me: I like to live in the present," the striker said. "I know I will not be young forever, I do not see myself as a coach today." Ronaldo does not intend becoming a coach like Zinedine Zidane. Photo: Uefa.com The former Manchester United striker also spoke of what motivated him to become a footballer and what age he decided to become one. "At the age of 16, ...

LYONSWORD came across a video recording of a Kenyan man sharing his grievances against Nigerians. According to a video shared by Andrew Kibe, an angry Kenyan man, he sees no reason why Kenyan ladies would choose to relate with Nigerians instead of them. While complaining in the video, Kibe said Nigerian women are ugly and the men can't speak good English, yet the Kenyan women fancy them for some reason he couldn't understand. Kibe went ahead to say that the last time Nigeria had a noticeable 'beautiful woman' was about 20 years ago, and the woman happened to be Nollywood actress, Rita Dominic. Andrew Kibe says Nigerian women are ugly and the men don't know how to speak good English He accused Kenyan women of being with Nigerian men for money, and for the main fact that they are foreigners. He also mentioned that Nigerian men are 'running away' from Nigeria because they don't have beautiful women, adding that Nigerians don't even have...

- Nollywood actress Tonto Dikeh has been conferred with a traditional chietaincy title - She wears her traditional marriage outfit for the title conferment ceremony - The actress and her estranged husband Oladunni Olakunle Churchill have gone their separate ways after irreconcilable differences It is no longer news that controversial Nollywood actress Tonto Dikeh has been conferred with a traditional title. The beautiful mother of King Andre was conferred with the Adadioranmma 1 of Nollywood chieftaincy on Thursday, October 26, during the Nollywood New Yam Festival and Awards. The gist is that pretty Tonto don the clothes she worn on her traditional wedding day to her estranged husband Oladunni Olakunle Churchill in Port Harcourt in August 2015. Tonto Dikeh wears her traditional marriage outfit for her chieftaincy ceremony LYONSWORDnoticed that Tonto showed up at her chieftaincy conferment ceremony in the full traditional marriage outfit but rather than tie the gold c...

- A Nigerian man has allegedly bought a G-Wagon for a South African man - The expensive SUV was bought to apologise for impregnating the South African man's wife - Meanwhile, the pregnant woman's husband says she has forgiven his wife after accepting the gift A Nigerian man based in South Africa has allegedly bought a G-Wagon for a South African man as a token to apologise for impregnating his wife. A South-African news website, quoted John as saying that the husband of his pregnant girlfriend immediately forgave him on receiving the car. “I know what I did is wrong but I feel better he has accepted my gift. He accepted that his wife, my girlfriend, is pregnant and will soon give birth to my son. He was angry at first but when I presented the car to him his anger vanished,” John was quoted to have said. A source close to the family who claimed knowledge of the relationship says she was disappointed the husband accepted the Mercedes-Benz from the Nigerian national...

TECNO Mobile, Africa’s leading mobile phone maker, today unveiled its latest device, the PHANTOM 8 at Four Points by Sheraton, Victoria Island, Lagos in the presence of several notable dignitaries, key opinion leaders and stakeholders in the mobile technology industry. This followed the Global launch of the brand’s flagship at the Jumeira Beach Hotel in Dubai over the weekend. The Mobile tech giant has also partnered with SLOT Systems to deliver extra value to all its customers. Since the inception of the PHANTOM, the series has increasingly transformed in all ramifications and the PHANTOM 8 is not excluded in this innovation and technological advancement. Poles apart from its forerunners, the PHANTOM 8 debuts with high-end features which includes an amazing camera and a beautiful design that offers a swift and an unrivaled mobile experience. L-R: Eric Wang, Marketing Manager - Tecno Mobile Nigeria; Jesse Oguntimehin, Deputy Marketing Manager, Digital - Tecno Mobile Nigeria; ...

- Former military head of state, Yakubu Gowon, speaks on what caused the Biafran civil war in 1967 - According to him, the lies told by Ojukwu after the Aburi accord led to Biafra civil war - The former head of state said secession was never part of the resolutions that was agreed on Nigeria's former military Head of State, Yakubu Gowon (rtd) has revealed that the lies told by the late warlord, Odumegu Ojukwu after the Aburi accord led to Biafra civil war, between 1967 and 1970. LYONSWORD gathered that Gowon while speaking on AIT’s programme “People, Politics and Power,” on Tuesday, October 24, said the federal government went to Aburi unprepared, following a disagreement which broke out between the Supreme Military Council (SMC) and the eastern region, led by Ojukwu. The former military head of state said the decision to go to Aburi was borne out of the desire to win back the trust and confidence of Nigerians, adding that secession was never part of the resolutions they...

- Singapore, though small, now has the most powerful passport in the world - The report just released shows that Nigeria is seriously lagging behind on the list - The United States of America dropped and the report links it to the emergence of Donald Trump as its president Among countries of the world, Nigeria has one of the poorest passports and can only visit 44 countries either without visa as they can have such issued to the traveller upon arrival. This is however not so for other countries in Africa as reported in a Passport Index study revealed on Wednesday, October 25, 2017, by the Canada-based global consultancy Arton Capital. The report showed that Djibouti and Congo can visit 45 countries visa-free. The report showed other countries as follows: Algeria (46); Liberia, Angola, Equatorial Guinea, and Burundi and Cameroon (47) are African countries with a stronger passport than Nigeria. Some African countries and the power of their passports. Also, Central Af...

As seen in viral photos, a woman was spotted climbing the school fence of her child in Anambra state over monkeypox rumours. The pictures of this woman were shared on Facebook by Blossom Martins on Wednesday, October 11. Martins claimed that this woman climbed the fence when she heard that soldiers were injecting pupils with monkeypox. Martins posted saying: “Picture of mother climbing the fence of school in order to forcefully collect her child from the school after it was alleged that soldiers were injecting pupils with Monkeypox virus earlier today in Nnewi.” Mother seen climbing the school fence in Anambra See the pictures below: LYONSWORD earlier reported that the national coordinator of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Chikwe Ihekweazu, on Monday, October 9, announced that the monkeypox outbreak may have spread to seven states in Nigeria.

On Wednesday, October 11, the Ondo state police command arrested some armed robbers who have been terrorising the state in recent times. One of the suspects, Chukwuma Okoro, confessed that he joined the gang so that he could pay his wife’s bride price. Okoro was arrested with three other members of the gang. According to Punch, the other suspects were identified as Thomas Onofuapo, Chukwudi Oruma and Ezenwa Raphael. The suspects The Ondo state police public relations officer (PPRO), Femi Joseph, while parading the suspects disclosed that Okoro was arrested by angry mob when allegedly attacked a young lady who was taking about N500,000 cash to the bank. Joseph further revealed that a pistol and five live carriages were found on Okoro during his arrest. He said: “Okoro attacked a sales girl who was going to the bank to deposit a sum N500,000. As he was struggling to collect the money from her, the girl raised the alarm that attracted passers-by who arrested him.” Okoro...

- Kinsmen of the leader of the outlawed IPOB group, Nnamdi Kanu, are demanding compensation from the federal government for damage done to their community when soldiers invaded, during their Operation Python Dance exercise - The residents of Kanu’s Isiama Afaraukwu Ibeku community accused the army of carrying out an undemocratic activity which they said led to the deaths of several persons, and large scale destruction of property - Kanu’s kinsmen urged the government to urgently address the anomalies that are the root cause of all the agitations, instead of using force to crack down on the agitators - They also advised the agitators to carry out their activities within the ambits of the law, and refrain from hate speech The federal government has been asked by kinsmen of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), to pay compensation over damage done to their properties when troops of the Nigerian army invaded their community, New Telegraph report...

- A United State of America-based human rights group called Rapid Response Fact-Finding Mission (RRFFM) has asked President Buhari to withdraw Nigerian army from southeast - RRFFM said the army should desist from continuing attacks on the already destroyed home of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) - The group also said Buhari's government should allow the trial of Kanu, the IPOB leader, to continue under the established framework of the legal system instead of using military force A United State of America based human rights group known as Rapid Response Fact-Finding Mission on Monday, October 9, asked President Muhammadu Buhari to withdraw troops from the southeast zone of the country. LYONSWORD gathered this in a statement signed and released by Emmanuel Ogebe, the special counsel justice for Jos Project, a US/Nigeria law group in Washington DC. I The statement read: ''The president of Nigeria should stand down the troops in t...

- Buhari describes Nigeria win over Zambia as very sweet and a good 57th Independence Day gift to Nigeria - The president commended the Super Eagles for becoming the first African country to qualify for Russia 2018 World Cup - Nigeria have qualified for their sixth World Cup after beating Zambia 1-0 in Uyo President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated the Super Eagles on their victory over the Chipolopolo of Zambia on Saturday, October 7, at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, Akwa Ibom state. In a statement made available by Femi Adesina, the special Adviser to the president on Media and Publicity, Buhari described the hard-earned victory as “very sweet, soothing and a 57th Independence Anniversary gift to the nation." He applauded the nation’s senior men’s football team for the feat of making Nigeria the first African country to qualify for Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup tournament, with a match left to play. Buhari congratulates victorious Super Eagles ...

The Nigerian Senate has called on the federal government to make the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) conducted by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) the only avenue for people to get admission into university. Punch reports that the lawmakers during plenary on Wednesday, October 4, called for the scrapping of the post UTME otherwise known as post-JAMB. The lawmakers argued that the post-JAMB tests had failed to remedy the problems associated with JAMB. The debate was initiated following a motion by Senator Umaru Kurfi - entitled: The need to revisit the regulatory conflict between Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, universities in offering admission in Nigeria. Kurfi said: “The Senate is aware that the laudable objectives of JAMB began to suffer progressive denudation shortly after its inception, as some universities admitted students outside the list sent by JAMB, rejecting candidates with admission letters from JAMB on the...

- Reuters wrote about the agitation for Biafra and Nnamdi Kanu's disappearance - The international media said his death could affect the country's stability - Kanu's brother claimed he has been killed by the army An international media, Reuters, has written about the disappearance of the leader of the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu saying it could destabilise the country. Kanu has been missing since an alleged raid on his house by the army during the Operation Crocodile Smile and Reuters said this could ignite unrest that could affect the country. Kingsley Kanu who is the brother of the IPOB leader said he was with him the day soldiers invaded their compound. He said: “They were shooting everything they saw,” he said, pointing to bullet holes in walls and windows. “They came here just to kill everybody,” Reuters said its cameraman and reporter “saw six corpses with bullet wounds in a morgue.” Malte Liewerscheidt of global risk consultanc...

Lionel Messi has finally gotten married to Antonella Roccuzzo - The lovebirds officially tied the knots at a luxury hotel in Sante Fe, Argentina - Present and former Barcelona stars were present at the wedding The first photos have emerged of Lionel Messi and his bride Antonella Roccuzzo after they both tied the knot. The Barcelona star married his childhood sweetheart the luxurious City Center hotel complex in Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina. Lionel Messi and his wife Antonella READ ALSO:  four things to know about Lionel Messi's new bride  The Barcelona star could not hide his joy at his wedding Former Barcelona stars Carles Puyol, Samuel Eto'o were present likewise Argentina stars like Gonzalo Higuain and Sergio Aguero. Puyol and Fabregas arrive for the wedding Ronaldinho was absent for the union while Luis Enrique was not invited. Samuel Eto' and Sergio Aguero were present at the wedding Messi met Roccuzzo when they were just 13 years o...

- Lionel Messi officially tied the knot to his childhood friend Antonella Roccuzzo - The newly wedded couple have reportedly been dating for almost ten years now - LYONSWORD takes a look at the four things you do not know about Lionel Messi's bride Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi officially tied the knot to his childhood friend Antonella Roccuzzo on Friday, June 30, 2017, at their hometown in Rosario, Argentina. The couple have reportedly been dating for almost ten years now as they made their union official by sharing their vows. READ ALSO:  How to know an African gay man  LYONSWORD takes a look at the four things you do not know about Lionel Messi's bride Antonella Roccuzzo. Messi and his wife Antonella Roccuzzo. 1. She is a mother of two children  Messi's new wife is a mother of his two children. The pair have two sons namely Thiago and Mateo.   2. Antonella is 'beauty with brains'  While Antonella makes money as a model, she was reportedly...