Category: Features/Articles/Opinion

Oil Prices Hit 5-Month High After Israel’s Strikes On Iran

Ganiyu Amodu

Oil prices increased more than 7% on Friday, June 13, 2025, trading near multi-month highs after Israel launched widescale strikes against Iran. Brent crude futures jumped $5.1, or around 7.4%, to $74.46 a barrel by 0843 GMT after hitting an intraday high of $78.50, the highest since January 27. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was up $5.1, or 7.5%, at $73.15 a barrel after hitting a high of $77.62, its highest level since January 21. Friday’s gains were the largest intraday moves for both contracts since 2022, after Russia’s invasion…

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Fela’s ‘Zombie’ Inducted Into Grammy Hall of Fame

Ganiyu Amodu

Legendary Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo-Kuti has made history as the first Nigerian artist to have an album inducted into the prestigious Grammy Hall of Fame. His groundbreaking 1976 record Zombie has been selected for the 2025 class of inductees, nearly three decades after his death. The Recording Academy, which organizes the Grammy Awards, announced the induction as part of its annual celebration of recordings that are at least 25 years old and possess “lasting qualitative or historical significance.” Zombie, known for its fearless critique of Nigeria’s military regime at the…

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EFCC Arraigns Sun Trust Bank MD, ED For Alleged $12m Fraud

Ganiyu Amodu

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday, June 13, 2025, arraigned two senior executives of SunTrust Bank—Halima Buba, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, and Innocent Mbagwu, Executive Director and Chief Compliance Officer—on charges of money laundering totaling $12 million. The arraignment took place before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja. The defendants face a six-count charge bordering on illegal cash transactions and conspiracy, in violation of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. According to the EFCC, Buba and Mbagwu allegedly facilitated…

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US Senator, Rep Shot Inside Their Homes

Ganiyu Amodu

A wave of violence swept through Minnesota in the early hours of Saturday as two sitting United States lawmakers — Senator John Hoffman and Representative Melissa Hortman — were shot alongside their spouses inside their homes in what authorities are describing as targeted overnight assaults. The attack, which occurred in the suburban cities of Champlin and Brooklyn Park, has rattled the American political space and prompted an immediate multi-agency manhunt. Law enforcement sources revealed that the suspected gunman impersonated a police officer to gain access to the properties before opening…

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Iran Retaliates, Fires Dozens Of Missiles At Tel Aviv

Ganiyu Amodu

Hours after dozens of Israeli airstrikes struck various parts of Iran, the Iranian government retaliated by launching missiles into Israel, most targeting the capital, Tel Aviv. The Israeli military confirmed on Friday that it had detected dozens of missiles and intercepted many of them. Air raid sirens sounded across Israel, with the BBC reporting plumes of smoke across Tel Aviv. Iran first launched about 100 drones, possibly to test Israeli defences, before firing about 100 ballistic missiles. Although many of the missiles were intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome defence, and…

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X-Raying The NCDMB Champions Of Nigerian Content Awards 2025

Ganiyu Amodu

In May 2025, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), in partnership with Sweetcrude Limited, hosted the inaugural Champions of Nigerian Content Awards. The landmark event took place at the NCDMB Conference Hall in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, on the side-lines of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Opportunity Fair (NOGOF) 2025. It marked a significant milestone in recognizing and rewarding individuals and organizations that have driven local content development in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector. This article looks at the gains, impact, and future implications of this prestigious awards ceremony,…

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Ghana Bans Use Of Honorary Doctorate, Professorship Titles In Public

Abibat Babalola

The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has issued a directive banning individuals from publicly using honorary doctorate or professorship titles, warning that violators will face public exposure and possible legal action. In an official statement, the commission emphasised that the practice is damaging the integrity of the country’s academic system. It condemned the use of such titles as “unethical and misleading,” adding that it is undermining the value of legitimate academic qualifications in Ghana. It further explained that the “rampant and fraudulent” display of honorary titles is eroding the significance…

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Presidency Apologises For Mistakenly Naming Fasoranti, Madunagu In Posthumous Honours List

Abibat Babalola

The Presidency has issued a formal apology after wrongly listing two living Nigerian icons, Pa Reuben Fasoranti and Dr. Edwin Madunagu, under the Posthumous Honours category during President Bola Tinubu’s Democracy Day speech at the National Assembly. The mix-up, which drew swift public attention and confusion, occurred during the President’s televised address on Thursday, in which he honoured dozens of pro-democracy activists and national figures for their roles in Nigeria’s return to democratic governance. In a statement released hours later by Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy,…

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Israel Attacks Iran, Hits Nuclear Program In Unprecedented Strikes

ADEOLA YUSUF

‘We’ve Launched Operation Rising Lion,’ ‘Israel Will Face Severe Punishment’ – What Israeli President Netanyahu And Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said as experts fear full scale war loading     Israeli security source says top military leaders and nuclear scientists were targeted in opening strikes Israel struck at the heart of Iran’s nuclear, missile and military complex early Friday, in an unprecedented attack that reportedly killed two of Iran’s top military commanders and plunges the wider Middle East into dangerous new territory. The strikes on Iran’s nuclear program…

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Dembele, Yamal Leads 2025 Ballon d’Or Race + FULL LIST

Ganiyu Amodu

France Football has confirmed that the complete list of nominees for the 2025 men’s and women’s Ballon d’Or will be unveiled on August 7, sparking anticipation for football’s most prestigious individual award. The announcement will set off weeks of intense speculation and debate, culminating in the awards ceremony at the iconic Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris on September 22. This edition of the Ballon d’Or will maintain the same structure as in recent years, with equal focus on men’s and women’s football. In addition to the Ballon d’Or major awards,…

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