Author: Chief Editor

Serena Williams won the rematch Friday, dominating Naomi Osaka 6-3, 6-4 to ensure the Japanese star won’t leave Toronto with a title to go with her number one world ranking. Williams fired 12 aces and didn’t face a break point as she beat Osaka for the first time in three meetings — avenging her shock loss in last year’s controversial US Open final in which the American star was docked a point and a game after losing her temper when warned about coaching. There was no such drama in Toronto, where Williams broke Osaka for a 5-3 lead in the…

BY DELE MOMODU Fellow Nigerians, let me take you back to the year 1998, the 7th day of the month of July to be precise. Chief Moshood Abiola had just been pronounced dead, just like that, and everything, and everywhere, was topsy-turvy. We were numb beyond words. A new leader had taken power the month before, after the sudden death of the maximum ruler, General Sani Abacha. How can two antagonists die in similar fashion, one month apart, we wondered, ponderously. Anyway, as with everything Nigerian, life soon moved on, without much ado. A few irate students, led by Omoyele…

Justice Chuka Obiozor of the Federal High court yesterday granted bail to ex-chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Maurice Iwu to the tune of N1 billion with two sureties in like sum. While delivering his ruling on the bail application, Justice Obiozor said: “Bail is hereby granted to the defendant to the tune of N1billion with two sureties in like sum. “The first surety shall be resident in Lagos State and shall transmit his land use as evidence of ownership of property in Lagos State and furnish the court with evidence of payment of tax from three…

The immediate past governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, yesterday, cleared the air over a statement attributed to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alleging that it had frozen some accounts containing about N9.9 billion linked to him. Ambode in a statement released on his behalf by his media aide, Habib Aruna, said no account of his contained N9.9 billion let alone being frozen by the EFCC. He stated that he was joyful for the opportunity to have served Lagos State diligently, stressing that he served the state with utmost dedication and integrity. The former governor said while…

What’s the story? Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has defended the Reds’ transfer strategy this summer, with the German claiming that the big teams of the past have mostly depended on stability rather than making big changes to their squad. In case you didn’t know… After spending big in the summer of 2018, Liverpool had a quite summer transfer window this term. The Merseyside giants were reluctant to add much depth to their already strong squad, with the club making very little additions as compared to their competitors in both England and Europe. Liverpool signed youngsters Sepp van den Berg and Harvey Elliott from…

Marco Silva was pleased with Everton’s late swoop for Alex Iwobi after confirming his side missed out on Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha. Everton announced the arrival of Iwobi from Arsenal on deadline day in a deal thought to be worth up to £40million. The Nigeria international was widely thought to be a back-up option, as the Merseyside club were heavily linked with Zaha in the latter stages of the window and reportedly had offers knocked back by Palace. But on the eve of Everton’s trip to Selhurst Park for their opening Premier League match of the season, manager Silva…

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer expects Alexis Sanchez to stay at Manchester United and grasp the “opportunity” created by Romelu Lukaku’s departure. Lukaku left for Serie A side Inter in a deadline day move understood to be worth €80million (£73m). United did not replace the striker, increasing the expectation for goals on Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and teenager Mason Greenwood. Help could come from Sanchez if the Chile forward finds the form that has eluded since him swapping Arsenal for Old Trafford in January 2018. The 30-year-old has scored three goals in 33 Premier League appearances for United and requires further time…

New Manchester United signing Harry Maguire and the recently injured Paul Pogba are set to start Sunday’s Premier League opener against Chelsea, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has confirmed. Maguire joined United on Monday for a reported £80million from Leicester City following a drawn-out transfer saga. His signing was made all the more necessary by a serious knee injury suffered by Eric Bailly at the end of July, ruling him out for up to five months. Meanwhile, Pogba’s future has remained somewhat uncertain throughout the close season, with speculation suggesting he missed Saturday’s friendly against AC Milan in an attempt to…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday arraigned the former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Maurice Iwu, before the Federal High Court in Lagos on an alleged N1.23 billion fraud. In the four-count charge, the EFCC alleged that Iwu committed the offense in the build-up to the 2015 general elections in which President Muhammadu Buhari defeated the then incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan. According to the anti-graft agency, Iwu, between December 2014 and March 27, 2015, “aided the concealment of N1.23 billion in the account of Bioresources Institute of Nigeria Limited with number 1018603119, domiciled in…

Ayo Olukotun If the practice of democracy is viewed as an extended conversation involving citizens and government on the one hand, and between competing non-governmental stakeholders on the other, then there is a wide room for all manner of expressions including revolutions launched on laptops and public address systems. A relaxed approach on the part of government to the challenge of public square demonstrations by placard-carrying youths, in the name of revolution, would have allowed it to take off, employing responsible force to keep it peaceful, and within the ambit of the law. You cannot have a revolution without a…