Daybreak, Politics, Entertainment, Sport

Author: Alpha Maidawa

Beats inspired me to sing “Boom”, says America born Nigerian artist, Cynthia Proper
America born Nigerian Musician, Osazuwa Cynthia with stage name Cynthia Proper, said her new song ” Boom” which she co-song with singer Wande Coal was born out of inspiration from the beats form musical instruments.
Cynthia told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday that “Boom” was basically a result of what she felt at the time she composed the song.
She added that the title of her new song, “Boom” was a fall out of the rhythm from the beat, adding that she grabbed the inspiration to name the album “Boom”.
Proper who is currently doing her doctorate degree in pharmacy at Long Island University Brooklyn New York said the Nigeria music industry was challenging, adding however that it was imperative to believe in the ability of one to succeed as a musician.
The pharmacists turned musician said as a Nigerian female artist, the Nigeria music industry could be favourable once the will was there, resolute and hardworking.
She said she had to collaborate with Wande Coal because he was a perfect introduction to the music industry as a Nigerian in Nigeria, stressing that he remained a legend in the music industry.
Proper said she ensured that the video for “Boom” which was directed by Lenx was not too explicit and sensual.
She added that there was need to consider the sensitive nature of the country and take into cognisance her culture and way of life of the people.
The fast-rising rapper said she had always love Nigeria and its diverse culture, stressing that she enjoyed everything about her Edo culture despite being an American citizen.
When asked what genre of music would she classify her music, she disclosed that she could be versatile in different kinds of music and was not limited to a particular genre.
She added that Nigeria music was growing and the energy must be sustained to help the industry.
“The music industry is going to be very interesting for me, everybody is hustling, Nigeria music is cool and I am working hard to make a name for myself, music is my passion and I am going all out for it, ” she said.
Cynthia however said if she was not into music, she would be an entrepreneur and an healthcare advocate to help the health care delivery system in Nigeria.
On COVID-19 pandemic, the musician urged Nigerians to adhere strictly to instruction by maintaining social distancing, adding that they should endeavour to stay away from anyone coughing or exhibiting the symptoms.
“Nigerians don’t know spacing, everybody mixes with each other, this is the time to keep distance,” the musician urged.
She decried the effect of COVID-19 on the entertainment industry, stressing that shows had been put on hold and no money made and musicians could not be outside for any concert.
Proper started recording professionally in 2016, she released her first visual a remix to OT Genaisis Push it in 2017.
In the one-minute freestyle video done in her friends’ basement she made it clear she was here to stay and not here to play.
She has since been steadying in dropping music on various streaming sites; Cynthia is signed to 2 Proper Production. (NAN)
April 2, 2020
COVID-19: Nigeria private sector coalition raises N15.3bn so far
The Nigeria Private Sector Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) has so far realised about N15.325 billion as contributions to tackle coronavirus in the country.
This was made known in a document released to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) by Mr Isaac Okorafor, Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) Director, Corporate Communications Department in Abuja on Wednesday.
The document showed that the money raised as at April 1, had CBN and Aliko Dangote as the highest contributors of two billion naira each.
It also revealed that Abdul Samad Rabiu (BUA Sugar Refinery), Segun Agbaje (GTB), Tony Elumelu (UBA), Oba Otudeko (First Bank), Jim Ovia (Zenith Bank), Herbert Wigwe (Access Bank) and Femi Otedola of Amperion Power Distribution donated one billion naira each to the relief fund.
It also disclosed that Deji Adeleke of Pacific Holding Ltd made N500 million donation.
According to the document, Union Bank Plc, Sterling Bank Plc, Standard Chartered Bank, Stanbic IBTC, Citi Bank Nigeria Ltd, FCMB, Fidelity Bank, ECOBank, African Steel Mills donated N250 million each and Multichoice Nigeria Limited contributed N200 million
The coalition said other contributors who gave N100 million are FSDH Merchant Bank, FBN Merchant Bank, Rand Merchant Bank, Coronation Merchant Bank, Sun Trust Bank, Providus Bank, Wema Bank, Unity Bank, Heritage Bank, Nova Merchant Bank, Polaris Bank, and Keystone Bank.
It stated that Globus Bank, Titan Trust Bank, Takagro Chemicals Ltd donated N50 million each, while Ahmadu Mahmoud gave N20 million and Handy Capital Ltd donated five million naira.
It noted that the coalition was full of appreciation to the good spirited and generous individuals and corporate bodies for hearkening to the clarion call championed by the CBN and the private sector.
It, however, urged more Nigerians and corporate bodies to key into the coalition with a view to supporting the fight against the pandemic, stressing that Nigeria could overcome the scourge with all hands on deck. (NAN)
April 2, 2020
BoI records N39.33bn profit in 2019, raises $1.11 bn to boost operations
The Bank of Industry (BoI) says it recorded a profit before tax of N39.33 billion for the financial year ended Dec. 31, 2019.
The bank said the profit represented a growth of 7.2 per cent when compared with ₦36.66 billion achieved in the corresponding period of 2018.
The Managing Director of BoI, Mr Olukayode Pitan, in a statement on Wednesday in Lagos, said that the performance reflects a strong balance sheet and sustained business growth in line with both regulatory requirements and global best practices.
“It also indicates a strong alignment with the strategic objectives of the Federal Government, especially in the areas of industrial growth and job creation.
“The group’s total equity as at year ended 2019 was ₦293.09 billion showing a 13.4 per cent increase over 2018 position of ₦258.24 billion,” he said.
Pitan said that the increase in profitability was as a result of improvement in the bank’s loan book, as well as the efficient management of the group’s assets and liabilities.
According to him, in spite of the slow start in the first quarter of the year due to the 2019 general elections, loans and advances grew by 16.7 per cent from ₦634.11 billion in 2018 to ₦740.03 billion in 2019.
He said that Interest Income and Interest Expense increased by 20 per cent and 54 per cent on a year-on-year basis respectively, due to increase in loan book as well as the impact of borrowings.
Besides, Pitan said that BoI in the year under review disbursed ₦234 billion to 10,145 enterprises across the country, thus reduced the country’s unemployment rate, as it created one million direct and indirect jobs.
Pitan noted that disbursement to the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) segment increased from ₦33.9 billion in 2018 to ₦53 billion in 2019, representing a 56.3 per cent year-on-year growth.
He said that the bank also consolidated its role as the managing partner of one of Federal Government’s Social Investment Programmes, Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP).
According to him, ₦8.2 billion was disbursed to beneficiaries in 2019, bringing the total disbursed fund since inception of the programme to ₦36.9 billion, to 2.3 million beneficiaries nationwide.
“In light of this outstanding performance, GEEP was recognised by the Desmond Tutu Fellowship for its role in driving financial inclusion.
“The programme also won the African Development Bank’s African Bankers’ Award as the most impactful Financial Inclusion programme in Africa,” he said.
Pitan added that during the year, the bank initiated discussions with its international strategic partners towards raising funds to boost its operations, noting that the transaction was concluded in March 2020.
According to him, €1 billion (approximately $1.11 billion) was raised through a Syndicated Guaranteed Senior Loan Facility from 24 international financial institutions.
Pitan said that the success of the transaction would enable BoI to catalyse domestic production, job creation, enhance local industry competitiveness, and attract domestic and foreign investments.
He added that the fund would integrate local industries into domestic, regional and global value chains, grow export earnings and positively impact the overall economic development of the country. (NAN)
April 2, 2020
CBN says contributions to its COVID-19 relief fund hit N15bn
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Wednesday said that monetary contributions to its relief fund under the auspices of Private Sector Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) stood at N15 Billion.
CBN Director of Corporate Communications, Isaac Okorafor, said in a statement in Lagos that the donations were from 37 donors, including individuals, banks and other corporate bodies.
“A breakdown of the contributions showed that CBN and Aliko Dangote donated N2billion each.
“Abdul Samad Rabiu (Bua Sugar Refinery), Segun Agbaje (GTB); Tony Elumelu (UBA); Oba Otudeko (First Bank); Jim Ovia (Zenith Bank); Herbert Wigwe (Access Bank) and Femi Otedola of Amperion Power Distribution donated N1 Billion each to the relief fund.
“Pacific Holding Ltd, Union Bank Plc, Sterling Bank Plc, Standard Chartered Bank, Stanbic IBTC, Citi Bank Nigeria Ltd, FCMB, Fidelity Bank, ECOBank, African Steel Mills and Multichoice Nigeria Limited also made donations.
” Similarly, FSDH Merchant Bank, FBN Merchant Bank, Rand Merchant Bank, Coronation Merchant Bank, Sun Trust Bank, Providus Bank, Wema Bank, Unity Bank, Heritage Bank, Nova Merchant Bank, Polaris Bank and Keystone Bank donated.
“Others are Globus Bank, Titan Trust Bank, Takagro Chemicals Ltd, Ahmadu Mahmoud and Handy Capital Ltd make up the list of those that have sofar made contributions to the Private Sector Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) Relief Fund domiciled at the CBN,” he said.
Okorafor said that the coalition appreciated the list of good spirited individuals and corporate bodies for hearkening to the clarion call championed by the CBN and the private sector.
He called on more Nigerians and corporate bodies to key into the coalition with a view to supporting the fight against the pandemic.
According to him, Nigeria can overcome the scourge when all hands are on deck.(NAN)
April 2, 2020
Woods, Mickelson to play coronavirus relief golf match with American football stars
Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson will play a coronavirus relief golf match next month with Super Bowl-winning quarter-backs Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, according to a report on Wednesday.
The report, which sourced an unnamed person familiar with the negotiations, said the charity match would be held at an undisclosed location without fans.
It is being organised by the PGA Tour and AT&T’s WarnerMedia.
The negotiations are still being finalised but the match pitting 15-times major champion Woods and Manning against five-times major winner Mickelson and Brady could be aired on live TV.
The report said further that the match is unlikely to be featured on pay-per-view.
“Discussions along these lines have been ongoing for quite some time, but nothing has been approved by the tour,” the PGA Tour said in a statement.
A match-up featuring two of the most famous golfers of their era and two of the all-time greatest NFL quarter-backs would be a rare sports event during the coronavirus pandemic.
Already, the pandemic has brought the sports world to a halt.
The event will feature a small production crew to film it and each individual will obey the social-distancing recommendations to stay six-feet apart, the report said.
Mickelson was asked recently on Twitter about the chances of a round of golf against Woods being live streamed in the near future, and the American replied: “Working on it”.
When another fan tweeted to Mickelson asking him not to “tease”, the 49-year-old responded: “I don’t tease. I’m kinda a sure thing”.
Woods, 44, last competed in mid-February and then withdrew from a number of tournaments with a back injury.
That was before the PGA Tour decided to cancel a slew of events because of the coronavirus.
Mickelson finished third in the Pebble Beach Pro-Am in early February and missed the cut in his next two starts.
Woods and Mickelson played against each other in a winner-takes-all nine million dollars matchplay exhibition in November 2018 that was golf’s first venture into pay-per-view.
That event was hyped like a Las Vegas prize fight but proved more of a pillow fight with both golfers in jovial mood.
They were playing for a purse that was put up by sponsors and went to a charity of Mickelson’s choice.
Brady recently joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after 20 years with the New England Patriots during which he won an NFL-record six Super Bowl titles.
Manning, who played for the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos, retired in 2016 as the NFL’s all-time leader in passing touchdowns and yards.
He is the only five-times winner of the league’s Most Valuable Player award.(Reuters/NAN)
April 2, 2020
PSA world ranking frozen
The Professional Squash Association (PSA) has announced that the World Rankings have been frozen during the ongoing suspension of the season tour due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
An official website reports that both the PSA World Tour and PSA Challenger Tour are currently suspended until the end of April and these frozen rankings will stay in place until the tour resumes.
The rankings are frozen as of March 16 to take into account the fact that there were three tournaments taking place over the weekend the announcement was made to suspend the tour.
The frozen rankings mean that points accrued from the 2019 edition of tournaments postponed or cancelled due to the suspension of the tour – for example the Grasshopper Cup and El Gouna International will remain on players rankings as the 2020 edition of those events cannot take place at present.
An expiry date for these points will be finalised when the tour resumes.
The same will apply for tournaments later in the year if the suspension of the tour is extended. (NAN)
April 2, 2020
Philippines orders masks to be worn outside amid lockdown
The Philippine government on Thursday ordered those allowed out to wear face masks on the country’s main island while it is under a month-long lockdown to halt the spread of the coronavirus.
The island of Luzon, home to more than half of the Philippines’ population of an estimated 100 million, has been on lockdown since March 16. The government said authorities were still determining if the restrictions will be lifted or expanded.
“Let me repeat – if you need to go out of your house, you need to wear a mask,” government official Karlo Nograles said.
The covering can be improvised rather than a medical mask, but must cover the mouth and nose, Nograles added.
“Reusable or do-it-yourself masks, face shields, handkerchiefs or such other protective equipment” that lessened the transmission of Covid-19 were all acceptable, he said.
The order was a shift from the health department’s earlier advisory that only people who are sick and those working on the frontline to battle the virus needed to wear masks, with the aim of ensuring that there would be an adequate supply for those who require it most.
Nograles added that local governments units may “impose such penalties as may be appropriate” for those who violate the rule.
On Wednesday, President Rodrigo Duterte said he would order the police and the military to shoot dead anyone who “creates trouble” during the lockdown, as complaints about the slow delivery of food packs and cash assistance triggered public outrage and protests.
The number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in the Philippines stood at 2,311 on Wednesday, including 96 deaths. There have been 50 patients who have recovered from the disease, the health department said.
April 2, 2020
Wimbledon 2020 cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic
The 2020 Wimbledon tennis championships have been cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic, the All England Club announced on Wednesday.
It is the first time the London championships, due to take place between June 29 and July 12, have been called off since World War II.
“This is a decision that we have not taken lightly, and we have done so with the highest regard for public health and the wellbeing of all those who come together to make Wimbledon happen,” said All England Club (AELTC) chairman Ian Hewitt.
“Following thorough and extensive consideration of all scenarios, we believe that it is a measure of this global crisis that it is ultimately the right decision to cancel this year’s Championships, and instead concentrate on how we can use the breadth of Wimbledon’s resources to help those in our local communities and beyond.”
The All England Club added in its statement that it has already donated medical equipment and offered its facilities to Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) to try to help ease the strain on their workforces.
Wimbledon’s cancellation means the entire grass court season has been abandoned with no tennis to be played until at least July 13.
The historic grass grand slam joins a list of major event casualties including Euro 2020 and the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics, which have all now moved to 2021.
AELTC chief executive Richard Lewis said: “We strongly believe it is not only in the best interests of society at this time but also provides certainty to our colleagues in international tennis given the impact on the grass court events in the UK and in Europe and the broader tennis calendar.”
The French Open, usually held at the end of May and start of June, was postponed until a new slot of September 20-October 4 and there has also been discussion about pushing back the US Open from its start date in late August.
There was no real option to reschedule Wimbledon this year though. Next year’s championships will take place between June 28 and July 11.
The British government strictly advises against large mass gatherings to try to slow the growth of coronavirus cases, so the decision to cancel was inevitable.
Media reports said that the All England Club has taken up an insurance policy to compensate all ticket holders, broadcasters and sponsors in a package worth up to 200 million pounds (247.8 million dollars).
Wimbledon great Roger Federer responded to news of the cancellation with a tweet which simply read: “Devastated.”
Six-time grand slam winner Boris Becker showed understanding for the cancellation. “After all tournaments had been canceled by June, those responsible had to make this decision,” he told Eurosport late Wednesday.
“If you live here in London, you hear a lot of horror stories about the virus. So I can understand that you have to bow to this pressure,” the 52-year-old said. (dpa)
April 2, 2020
NATO ministers to discuss Covid-19 response, warn against aggression
NATO foreign ministers are due on Thursday to discuss their countries’ response to the global coronavirus pandemic, while stressing that the defence alliance remains ready to defend itself against any threat.
“Our primary objective is to ensure that this health crisis does not become a security crisis,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday.
The ministers will replace their regular talks with a videoconference, meeting for the first time in such a format due to restrictions on travel and physical interaction to contain the spread of the virus.
They are due to assess ways of coordinating response efforts more closely. NATO has already helped deliver emergency supplies to its worst-hit members, such as Italy and Spain, while national armed forces are supporting domestic measures to combat the crisis.
At the same time, allies are concerned that NATO’s adversaries could exploit the situation and conduct hostile activities at a time when they are focused primarily on combating the potentially lethal disease.
The alliance is working to prevent the spread of disinformation around Covid-19, with many pointing the finger at Russia and China.
“This is not the time for blame and it’s not the time to try to divide our publics either,” US ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison said on Wednesday.
The ministers are expected to reiterate NATO’s resolve and readiness to respond to any acts of aggression.
They are also due to take decisions relating to NATO’s activities in Iraq and focus on developments in Afghanistan, while welcoming their 30th ally, North Macedonia, which joined the Western alliance last week. (dpa)
April 2, 2020
Israel’s health minister tests positive for coronavirus
Israeli Health Minister Yaakov Litzman and his wife Chava have tested positive for coronavirus, a statement from his office said on Thursday.
Litzman and his wife both “feel good, receive the appropriate care and will stay in home quarantine and under supervision in accordance with Health Ministry instructions,” the statement said.
The German-born rabbi, who emigrated to Israel 20 years after the Holocaust and lives in Jerusalem, is 71 years old and of the ultra-Orthodox Ashkenazi United Torah Judaism (UTJ) party.
Coronavirus has spread much more quickly in ultra-Orthodox areas compared to secular parts of Israel.
Authorities had been concerned that members of the ultra-Orthodox community were slow to implement a government-ordered lockdown.
The majority of Israel’s ultra-Orthodox Jews, who number over 1 million of the country’s population of 9 million, have now begun to abide by the lockdown. (dpa)
April 2, 2020