Today's Headlines: I’m anxious to make Nigerians smile again, Betta Edu declares,BRICS Summit: Shettima departs Abuja for Johannesburg
I’m anxious to make Nigerians smile again, Betta Edu declares
Photo credit: Vanguard paper
Newly appointed Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alletion, Dr Betta Edu assumed office on Monday,hours after being sworn in among others by President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa.
The minister was received by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry,Dr Nasir Sani Gwarzo,heads of the ministry’s agencies and parastatal among others.
Addressing staff of the ministry,Dr Edu declared that she was anxious to put smiles on the faces of Nigerians by fulfilling her mandate in the ministry.
She said under her administration in the ministry,there will be no playing games,biting corners and calling figures and data left, right and centre without Nigerians feeling the impact of the money released.
According to her,the nation’s poverty rate which claims that 136 million Nigerians were poor,was unacceptable to President Tinubu, adding that the president was out to arrest the situation.
To this end,he appealed to staff of the ministry for their full cooperation so she can achieve her mandate as assigned to her by the president.
Edu,whose assumption of office coincided with the 4th anniversary of creation of the ministry, noted that any failure in education,health or any other sector will all end up as humanitarian crisis in the system,hence their support.
BRICS Summit: Shettima departs Abuja for Johannesburg
Photo credit: Vanguard paper
Vice President Kashim Shettima, has departed Abuja for Johannesburg to attend the 15th BRICS Summit.
The Vice President is expected to represent President Bola Tinubu at the bloc summit Heads of State and Government in Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa.
The Director, Information, Office of the Vice President, Olusola Abiola made this known in a statement on Thursday.
Shettima will be joining other business and political leaders across the world at the Summit scheduled from August 22 to 24.
World leaders expected to attend the Summit include South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, President Xi Jinping of China, Brazil’s President Luiz Lula da Silva, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Other prominent personalities invited to the summit include the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the chairperson of the African Union Commission, and the President of the New Development Bank.
The summit is expected to deliberate on issues of trade and investment facilitation, sustainable development, innovation, and global governance reform.
It will also continue its outreach to leaders from Africa and the global South as it focuses on global geopolitics, trade, and infrastructure development.
The BRICS is a bloc of emerging and developing world economies including Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
FULL LIST: Davido, Burna Boy, Wizkid lead maiden Trace Awards nominations
Photo credit: Vanguard paper
Afrobeats superstars Davido, Burna Boy, Wizkid and Tiwa Savage are among the notable music stars nominated for the 2023 Trace Awards.
On Monday, music media company Trace revealed the nominees for the inaugural Trace Awards set to take place at BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda, on 21 October 2023.
The live event and global TV spectacular will celebrate the creativity, talent and influence of African and Afro-inspired music and culture, and is set to be broadcast live to some 500 million people in 190 countries.
Among those vying for the awards are artistes, music producers, DJs, writers, composers, directors, and record labels.
Leading the nominees are West African artists, particularly Nigerian musicians, who dominate the Afrobeats scene with more than 40 nominations in total – including multiple nomination categories for Burna Boy, Ayra Starr, Davido, WizKid, Tiwa Savage, Yemi Alade, Fireboy DML and Rema.
Davido and Burna Boy bagged four nominations each in categories such as ‘Best Male’, ‘Song of the Year’, ‘Best Live’, ‘Best Collaboration’, ‘Best Artist’, and ‘Album of the Year’.
The music stars were followed by Asake, Wizkid, Tiwa Savage, Ayra Starr, Yemi Alade, and Fireboy DML, who grabbed three nominations each, while Rema and Kizz Daniel earned two nods each.
Other notable Nigerians on the list include Odumodublvck, Oxlade, The Compozers, Moses Bliss, DJ Spinall, Olamide, BNXN, Show Dem Camp, and Nissi.
Thierry Henry to coach France at 2024 Olympics – Source
Photo credit: Vanguard paper
France legend, Thierry Henry was on Monday named as coach of France’s Under-21s and will be in charge of the team competing at next year’s Olympics in Paris, said a source close to the negotiations.
The 46-year-old former Arsenal and France striker replaces Sylvain Ripoll and returns to management after leaving his role as Belgium assistant following last year’s World Cup.
Henry, who won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 with France, has struggled to hit the same heights in coaching that he reached as a player.
He lasted barely three months as Monaco coach in the 2018-19 season and stepped down at MLS club Montreal Impact in February 2021 after just over a year at the helm.
He has also worked previously with Arsenal’s youth teams and twice served on the Belgium coaching staff, helping the country finish third at the 2018 World Cup.
Henry, scorer of 51 goals in 123 games for France, has been working as a TV consultant in recent times.
The former Arsenal forward could have a team built around Kylian Mbappe at the Olympics, with the France captain making no secret of his desire to play at the tournament, which is largely reserved for players aged 23 or younger.
Henry’s first match as France Under-21 coach is a friendly against Denmark in Nancy on September 7, four days before his team’s opening Euro 2025 qualifier away to Slovenia.
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