9javariety

Governor Ben Ayade has sacked four Commissioners in his cabinet and five Special Advisers. The sack is contained in a statement by Ayade’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Christian Ita, on Monday in Calabar. The sacked are Mr Asu Okang, who was the Commissioner for Information and Mr Donatus Etim who headed the Ministry of Climate Change.  Others are Mrs Rita Ayim, who was the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Mr Mike Usibe who was the Commissioner for New Cities Dvelopment. The affected special advisers are; Mr Leo Inyambe, who was the Special Adviser on Security, Mr John Etim, Oil Palm Development and Mr Orok Duke, Special Adviser on Callywood, Mr Victor Okon and Mr Agbiji Mbeh-Agbiji. ‘Consequently, they are hereby directed to return government properties and vehicles in their care with immediate effect to the Chief of Staff to the governor. ”The governor thanked them for their services to the state and wishes them well in their future endeavours,” he stated...

  The Northern Governors’ Forum has described the assassination of former Special Adviser to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan on Political Matters, Ahmed Gulak, as most unfortunate and totally condemnable. In a statement on Monday, Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Plateau State, Simon Bako Lalong, while reacting to the killing, described it as a criminal act that must be condemned in totality. Lalong said, “The killing of Gulak must be seen as a criminal act and treated as such, warning against insinuations and politicisation that could lead to further violence.” He said the report by the police that it has identified and engaged the suspected killers of the late politician should further be consolidated to enable security agencies to forestall future occurrences. Meanwhile, the Northern Governors Forum has also expressed disgust over yet another abduction of innocent citizens across three local government areas of Niger State including students and teachers of an Islamiy...

The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has denied that any of its officers shot Mr Omoyele Sowore on Monday. The spokesperson for the command, Mariam Yusuf, in a statement on Monday said contrary to the report, police operatives deployed in the scene professionally restored calm at the protest venue. The statement titled ‘Police restores calm at the Unity Fountain’ reads, “The FCT Command wishes to debunk the viral message in some sections of the social media purporting that ‘Omoyele Sowore was shot by a female Assistant Commissioner of Police’ at the Unity Fountain. “Contrary to the speculation, police operatives professionally restored calm at the Unity Fountain following attempts by a group of protesters to incite a public disturbance. “The protesters, who went on the rampage, were resisted by police operatives in order to prevent them from causing a breakdown of the law and order. There is no record of such an incident as of the time of this release. “The command enjo...

The Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA) have arrested 10 online drug traffickers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). This is contained in a statement by NDLEA Director Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi in Abuja. Babafemi said the arrest followed fresh raids in the nation’s capital, adding that a young lady and her boyfriend as well as eight others were apprehended, and assorted drugs recovered from them. He said that the first suspect, a 28-year-old, sold her illicit substances through an Instagram account; Ese’sOvenSecret. This he said was with some pieces of brownies ordered online by NDLEA’s undercover agents, on May 21 and delivered by herself and her boyfriend in a Mercedes Benz car. According to him, a follow-up operation at her residence led to the seizure of 400 grams of Arizona weed, which she uses in baking the brownies. “Further investigation led to the arrest of one Iyama Patrick, with 450g of Arizona weed. A day earlier, a motorc...

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board on Monday said it had traced a large number of individuals seeking an extension to the UTME registration deadline to fraudsters who are hell-bent on subverting and bypassing the decision of the Federal Government to make the National Identification Number a requirement for JAMB registration. It said further extension of the registration period was not feasible. The Board, however, said only candidates with genuine proofs of failed efforts will be allowed new extension dates. The Board’s position was contained in a statement titled ‘Issues surrounding the 2021 UTME/DE registration.’ Recall that the board had on May 15, 2021, in response to the pressure from the public, announced a two-week extension of the registration period of the 2021 UTME/DE exercise from Saturday 15th to Saturday 29th, May 2021. However, the statement disclosed that the number of registrants fell drastically until towards the new closing date. The statement read ...

About six persons were injured while traders and motorists scampered for safety after a substance suspected to be dynamite exploded at the popular Mile 3 Park in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Monday. Residents of the area said they heard a loud sound at about 6.20am when traders were bringing in their goods and others opening for business. The explosion occurred at the dry fish section of the park. In the confusion that ensued, two persons were severely injured, while scores, mostly women, suffered various degrees of injuries. The injured have been rushed to a nearby hospital. It could not be immediately ascertained what could have led to the explosion or those behind it. Our correspondent who visited the area reports that the stretch of shops and businesses on both sides of the streets leading to the market was closed. When contacted, the spokesman of the state Police Command, Nnamdi Omoni asked our correspondent to send a text message, but he was yet to respond to it at the...

Former Kaduna State lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani has called on Northerners to desist from avenging the murder of Ahmed Gulak who was killed on Sunday in Owerri, Imo State capital. Gulak, an aide to former President, Goodluck Jonathan was murdered by gunmen while on his way to catch his flight at the Sam Mbakwe Airport. The former Kaduna senator in a statement on Monday said the murder of Gulak was an attempt to cause an inter-tribal conflict.  He noted that for the Indigenous People of Biafra to have disassociated themselves from the murder, it shows it is pure criminal action. Sani pleaded with Arewa youths that to avoid a major conflict with the Igbo by not revenging Gulak’s death. “The cold blood murder of Ahmed Gulak in Owerri stands unreservedly condemned, the statement read. “The murder has all the elements of some forces trying to trigger an inter-ethnic war between Northerners and the Igbo. “We must resist that plot. The statement by IPOB dissociating themselves f...

The Enugu State Police Command on Monday said it has launched a manhunt for the killers of former Enugu State High Court Judge, Justice Stanley Nnaji. Justice Nnaji was reportedly killed by gunmen suspected to be assassins on Sunday evening. A statement by the Enugu State Police Command, however, could not identify the victim as a former Judge. The statement was titled, ‘Murder of an unidentified man: CP orders full-scale manhunt of assailants, says they must be fished out and brought to book’. It read, “The Commissioner of Police, Enugu State Command, CP Mohammed Aliyu, has ordered the launch of a full-scale manhunt for yet-to-be-identified armed assailants, alleged to have trailed and shot dead an unidentified man driving in a Mercedes Benz Jeep, which they carted away, along Ebeano Tunnel, Enugu, on Sunday, 30/05/2021 at about 1700hrs. “The victim, whose true identity is yet to be known, was rushed to the hospital, where he was confirmed dead by doctors on duty and deposited...

Commercial activities came to a standstill on Monday in Owerri as residents deserted the Imo State capital in compliance with the sit-at-home order issued by the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra led by Nnamdi Kanu. IPOB, through its Director of Media and Publicity, Emma Powerful, had said human and vehicular movement would be restricted across the South-East on Monday to mark the 54th anniversary of Biafra. As a result, it said all markets, parks, schools, airports and others would be shut down. The state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, and the police had also asked the people to ignore the separatist group’s sit-at-home order. It was gathered that commercial banks, schools, shops, malls, were all shut in Owerri on Monday morning. Also, commercial and private vehicles deserted the roads in the state capital for fear of being shot by IPOB operatives. Efforts to get the reaction of the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Bala Elkana, p...

  Popular activist, Omoyele Sowore has just been shot at by the police in Abuja on Monday. NigerianEye gathered that Sowore was shot at the Unity Fountain while he was trying to gain entrance into the place. Sowore was said to have been speaking with a detachment of police officers stationed at the public facility when a police man shot at the crowd. Protesters had converged on the fountain at 8:30am. But the police allegedly denied them entry into the place. Sowore has been having a brush with law enforcement agents since 2020 when he was arrested and detained for months by the Department of State Services (DSS). He had called for a nationwide protest but was arrested on the eve of the demonstration in August 2020. NE is awaiting a response from the FCT police command on the shooting incident.

Zinedine Zidane resigned as Real Madrid manager because he felt the Spanish club no longer had any confidence in him, he wrote in an open letter on Monday. “I’m leaving because I feel the club no longer has the faith in me I need, and doesn’t offer me the support to build something in the medium or long term,” the Frenchman wrote in the letter published in the sports daily AS. “I am a born winner and I was here to win trophies, but beyond this there are human beings, emotions, life and I have the feeling that these things have not been valued, that it has not been understood that this is also how the dynamic of a great club is maintained,” he said. “But everything I built on a daily basis, what I brought to the relationship with the players… has been forgotten.” “I’m leaving, but I’m not jumping ship and I’m not tired of coaching,” he said. Real had a disappointing season, having been beaten to the La Liga title by Atletico Madrid. It is the second time that Zidane has resigne...

Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger is at present not in Nigeria as bandits increasingly turned his state into a playground. The bandits latest acts were the attacks on several communities in Tegina, Wushishi and Batati. The bandits capped their reign of impunity with the kidnapping of over 200 students of Tegina Islamiyya school on Sunday.  But in a shock disclosure, the chief press secretary to Governor Bello said the governor had left the country before the recent attacks on “a security mission”. “The Gov who had left the country to explore all possibilities of strengthening the state’s security architecture before the incident happened, is expected back soon. “He has, however, given directives to the security operatives and state govt officials to do all they can towards ensuring the safe return of the abducted Tegina Islamiyya children and others”. Bandits on Sunday not only kidnapped the students of Salihu Tanko Islamic School in Tegina, they also kidnapped some pa...

Former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose has attacked President Muhammadu Buhari again, describing him as a national mishap. Fayose spoke on Sunday following wanton insecurity across the country. According to the former governor, there is nothing wrong with Nigeria as a country and Nigerians as a people. He stated that Buhari is the Jonah in the country’s boat causing turbulence across the nation. Fayose lamented that insecurity in Nigeria was one too many that painfully, Nigerians would have to endure till 2023. In his words: “Nothing is wrong with Nigeria as a country and Nigerians as a people. Buhari is the national mishap and the Jonah in our boat. “This insecurity is one too many and painfully, Nigerians will have to endure till 2023. I pray God keeps us till then.”

Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka has offered a cryptic response to French Open organisers who slammed a $15,000 fine on her for boycotting the press. In a tweet on Sunday night, the world No.2 wrote: “anger is a lack of understanding. change makes people uncomfortable”. She did not indicate whether she will stick to the boycott on Thursday 2 June, after her second round match with Aliaksandra Sasnovich. Naomi had announced before the French Open started on Sunday that she will skip the usual press conference for the sake of her mental health. She said the press does not care about the mental health of players. “I’m just not going to subject myself to people who doubt me.” She kept to her vow on Sunday after beating Romanian opponent Patricia Maria Tig, in two sets. But the French Open authorities, said she had violated the rule, fined her $15,000 and also threatened more sanctions, including disqualification from the tournament and other Grand Slams.

The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has debunked reports that masked members killed Ahmed Gulak, a former aide to Dr Goodluck Jonathan. Gulak was assassinated by gunmen whilst on his way to Sam Mbakwe Airport in Owerri, Imo State, yesterday. Shortly after the news broke, Bala Elkana, the spokesman of Imo Police Command said investigations revealed that armed men of the Eastern Security Network (ESN) perpetuated the act. However, IPOB has distanced itself from Gulak’s death, stating that it is not a terrorist group and assassination of politicians is not part of its agenda.  A statement by IPOB’s spokesman, Emma Powerful reads: “The attention of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) ably led by our great leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has been drawn to the untenable allegation by the security agencies that IPOB was responsible for the assassination of former presidential aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Ahmed Gulak on his way to Sam Mbakwe Airport Owerri Imo State. “We, ...

Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has suspended Mali’s membership in response to last week’s coup by Colonel Assimi Goita. It also insisted the military junta must stick to the February 2022 deadline for a return to democracy. The decisions were taken on Sunday by leaders of the 15-member economic bloc at an emergency summit held in Accra, the Ghanaian capital. But the group did not announce new sanctions against the military regime. The meeting was called to agree a response to the Malian military’s ouster of a president and prime minister for the second time in nine months. Mali’s neighbours and international powers fear the latest revolt will jeopardise a commitment to hold a presidential election next February, and undermine a regional fight against Islamist militants. In a communique after the summit, ECOWAS said Mali’s membership in the bloc was suspended with immediate effect. However it did not announce sanctions like those it imposed after the coup l...

Dr. (Mrs.) Oni Salawu Aderike, the abducted wife of the Oyo state All Progressive Party (APC) Youth leader, Mogaji Isiak Aareokuta has been released. Recall that she was kidnapped last week by unknown gunmen at the Aromolaran area of Ibadan, Oyo state. According to reports, she was driving home after closing from work around 10 pm when she was accosted and whisked away in a Nissan Micra car. Sources revealed that the abducted Oyo APC chieftain was released hours ago on Monday, May 31 2021. Information regarding if any ransom was paid for her release or not was not available at the time of compiling this report.

  Most Revd. Alexander Ibezim, Archbishop Ecclesiastical Province of the Niger and Anglican Bishop of Awka Diocese, has called on Nigerians to embrace peace to foster love and unity in the country. Ibezim made this call on Sunday during the first session of Sixth Synod of Diocese of Aguata, Anglican Communion, at St John Divine Oko, Aguata Local Government Area. Ibezim said the church was duty-bound to pray for the peace of the country, work toward the sustenance of peace, progress and the unity of the nation through its moral messages. He urged the faithful to pray without ceasing, to attract God’s mercy to save the nation from the ugly trend of insecurity and economic hardship.  “The principles of discipleship must be practised in this period of uncertainty. “I urged everyone to amend his ways, especially in this perilous time,” he said. Earlier, Rt Revd. Samuel Ezeofor, Bishop, Anglican Diocese of Aguata, urged the faithful to be transformed and engage in only act...

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, says the naira in its best possible health against the dollar. He spoke while featuring on Channels Television’s ‘Sunday Politics’ programme. It was gathered that the Central Bank of Nigeria last week officially made the NAFEX Investor & Exporter forex window rate of N410.25 as its official exchange rate to the dollar. It confirmed this new official rate on its website after it had removed N379/$ earlier in May. The naira was N197 to 1$ in 2015 when Shehu’s principal, Muhammadu Buhari, took over as Nigeria’s president. Responding to a question on the naira-dollar rate in 2015 and in 2021, Shehu said, “I think the economists are more competent to talk about this but the naira is in the best possible health that it can be given the circumstance we are in.” When asked to respond to criticisms that the Buhari government lacks the capacity to manage the economy, the presidential aide said, “If you ask...

Fulani herdsmen hitherto grazing in the South Eastern part of Nigeria, have reportedly fled the zone and are now settling in some communities in Ogbadibo, Okpokwu, Ado and other Local Government Areas of Benue State. The invasion may not be unconnected to the current unrest in the Southeast birthed by the activities of the Eastern Security Network, ESN which was established by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB to stop the activities of herdsmen in the region. The recent resolve by the Southern Governors who banned open grazing in the region may have also triggered the sudden relocation to neighbouring communities. The communities in the aforementioned Local Government Areas are neighbouring villages to some parts of Enugu and Ebonyi States. Ogbadibo and parts of Okpokwu are bordered by Udenu Local Government of Enugu State while parts of Ado, particularly the Agila community is bordered by Ebele village, Ngbo in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. Our corresponde...

  Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has explained how his successor as governor of Rivers State in 2023 will emerge. Wike spoke at a special thanksgiving church service in commemoration of the second anniversary of the second tenure of his administration at St Paul’s Cathedral, Diobu, Port Harcourt on Sunday. The Governor pledged that he will not impose a successor on the people of the state.   But Wike also vowed to resist any cabal within and outside Rivers State planning to foist a successor on the people of the State come 2023. Rather, he said leaders and stakeholders in Rivers at the appropriate time, will sit down to look at the ‘pros and cons’ and then collectively decide who his successor will be. The governor, who declared that he has not anointed anyone to succeed him in office, therefore urged church leaders in Rivers State to pray for a rancour free transition in Rivers ahead of 2023. Wike, who described the remaining two years of his administrat...

  Suspected Fulani herdsmen on Sunday attacked some Ebonyi communities, killing at least 30 persons. This is just as 12 people were reportedly killed in attack on several communities in Ado LGA of Benue State by people suspected to be herdsmen. In Ebonyi State, it was gathered that the gunmen attacked Odoke, Ndiobasi and Obakotara communities in the Ebonyi Local Government Area. Sources in the area said the gunmen arrived at the communities around 3am on Sunday. The communities share boundary with the Ado LGA of Benue State, which has been having land dispute with the Ngbo clan in the Ohaukwu LGA of Ebonyi State. A resident of the area, Uchenna Okpokwu said the invaders came with guns and machetes. He said, “People that were skilled in Ndiobasi are up to 30 according to the video clips on the incident. Odoke and Obapta are very far and nobody has been able to enter the two villages. Another resident of the area, Onyibe Jeremiah, lamented that no action was taken to ...

  Security operatives on Sunday raided a church on Owerri Road, Enugu State, and marched suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra away. In a video monitored by NigerianEye the security operatives, especially policemen, held guns while members of the church marched out one after the other. The church members were seen raising their hands and searched as they were being led away by gun-wielding security operatives. “The Nigeria police and military have just stormed a church on Owerri Road, Enugu State, molesting over 50 men, both old and young while matching them to an unknown destination. “We are bringing this to the attention of the world. The lives of these men should not be wasted for no crime committed. They were only at a place of worship today being Sunday the 30th of May 2021 and no arms were found with them,” a source told SaharaReporters. However, the police said 54 persons were brought to Headquarters for questioning for “gathering unlawfully” at ...

  Chelsea’s Edouard Mendy will become first African goalkeeper to win a Champions League title, in its current form, if Chelsea beat Manchester City in tonight’s final. According to records, Zimbabwe’s Bruce Grobbelaar won the titles during the European Cup era in 1984 with Liverpool. As far back as 37 years ago, Zimbabwe goalkeeper Grobbelaar became the first African player to feature in a European Cup final, with the Liverpool stopper influential as the Reds defeated AS Roma on penalties in 1984. He was almost a two-time winner, only for Liverpool to fall short against Juventus in the 1985 final. Mendy’s Senegal countryman Tony Sylva, understudy to Flavio Roma in the AS Monaco team that were defeated by Jose Mourinho’s FC Porto in the 2005 final, was the next African keeper who came closest to the title. For Sylva, the presence of role models — pioneering Cameroon goalkeepers Joseph-Antoine Bell and Thomas N’Kono — was a key reason why he believed that a career in Europe...

Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike says no financial bank will be allowed to frustrate or delay delivery time of any development projects of his administration in the state. The governor was reacting to complaints that some financial banks that receive money and handle various payment schedules for his administration often fail to release agreed contract sum to contractors. Speaking at the flag-off ceremony for the construction of Aluu -Omagwa Road on Saturday, Wike said the state government will not hesitate to terminate any contract it has with such financial banks. “Part of the problems we have is the banks. When you give contractors money, the banks will make sure that they delay release of the money. “The next time any of our contractors complain about their funds not being released to them, that will be the day we will terminate any relationship we have with them. “No bank will hold us to ransom. We cannot continue to work like this. Nobody will frustrate our wo...

A Tiv community in Benue State north-central Nigeria, Shikaan Mbagene Kpav has decried the silence of the federal government and security agencies over the attack and killing of innocent people by herders in the state. Residents of Shikaan Mbagene Kpav told newsmen on Saturday that they were worried over the attack on their community in the early hours of Thursday. The community says 36 persons were killed by the herders and they did not receive any sympathy from the Buhari led government. A spokesman of the community, Mr. Andrew Tom said 36 people, including students of the College of Education in Katsina-Ala. He said “The incident stirred a lot of reactions on social media. But this government is not sensitive to the plight of its citizens. While others are being treated well a majority of the sections of this country are neglected. “The Fulanis are carrying AK 47 rifles and moving freely and unchallenged by our security operatives but when they catch other peope who carry su...

Economic and social activities have been paralysed in Imo over the Sit-At-Home order by Nnamdi Kanu’s Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). The sit-at-home, to commemorate Biafra Remembrance Day, is scheduled for 30 and 31 May, but people are already staying at home for fear of possible attacks. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that residents of the state deserted markets and streets of the state capital for safety. The statement issued by Kanu said the day was set aside in remembrance of over 5 million Biafrans who died during the 1967-1970 civil war in Nigeria. NAN reports that people also kept away from the Government House axis with businesses around it under lock and key, while a combined team of security agents were seen patrolling the streets of the state capital. The Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Abutu Yaro had earlier issued a statement, assuring residents of adequate security and urged the people to ignore the threat. But only the presence of the mili...

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has said that his squad is ready to give their all in their Champions League final against Manchester City on Saturday. “I have full trust that everybody wants it,” he said. “It’s about hunger, and always at the highest level in sport, in comes down to the question of how badly you want it. I felt we were very concentrated, very focused and very disciplined in the build-up this week. “I feel we have a genuine confidence, which is very nice to have and which is a very nice feeling to bring to a final.” The German coach also confirmed that goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and midfielder N’Golo Kante are both in contention to start the match after recovering from injuries. Kante picked up a hamstring injury in the 2-1 win over Leicester and missed the final day defeat to Aston Villa, in which Mendy was forced off at half-time following a collision with the post which left him with a rib injury. It left Chelsea fans sweating over whether they would be ready in...

President Muhammadu Buhari has received the second dose of the AstraZeneca/Oxford COVID-19 Vaccine. This happened on Saturday, May 29, 2021, at the State House In Abuja as stated on the official Twitter account of the Presidency. “President @MBuhari receives the second dose of the AstraZeneca/Oxford #COVID19 Vaccine, at the State House, on May 29, 2021. #AsoVillaToday #YesToCovid19Vaccine,” the tweet read. Buhari had in March received the first dose of the vaccine which was administered to him by his personal physician, Dr. Suhayb Sanusi. See photos of the President receiving the second dose below;

Former Roma and Inter Milan boss Luciano Spalletti was on Saturday named Napoli’s new coach. “Welcome Luciano, together we will do a great job,” the Serie A club’s president Aurelio De Laurentiis posted on Twitter. He succeeds Gennaro Gattuso, who left after failing to qualify Napoli for the Champions League. The southerners finished fifth, one point behind fourth-placed Juventus, after a 1-1 draw at home against Hellas Verona last weekend. A win would have guaranteed a top four finish, but Napoli missed out on the Champions League for a second straight season. Spalletti, 62, returns to the dugout for the first time since leaving Inter in 2019 after securing Champions League football for the Milan side in his two seasons at the San Siro. He won two Italian Cups and a SuperCup with Roma, and two Russian league titles and a cup win in his time at Zenit Saint-Petersburg. Gattuso was appointed Fiorentina coach on Tuesday, less than 48 hours after announcing he was leaving Napoli....

Media personality, Denrele Edun, has been in the public glare for a while and is not a stranger to many. Edun, who will clock 40 in two weeks, told Saturday Beats that his mother wanted him to get married so eagerly that she bought him diamond rings to propose to a lady. He said, “I am not interested in the institution called marriage. I can say this because I am in control of my decisions. I set my principles, follow my guiding philosophies and do only what I want to do. I have not been lucky with love. I give out a lot of love but I do not get the same measure back. It is very hard to find people who genuinely reciprocate the kind of love I give. “I know people will question my sexuality because we live in a society where people are constantly under pressure and different forms of discrimination. Recently, I saw a story claiming that I was in a relationship with a male artiste but I don’t react to such claims anymore. I just want to be myself. I will not get married and still be...

The 2021 BET Awards nominations have been announced with Grammy-winning Nigerian stars, Wizkid and Burna Boy making the list. Both superstars were nominated in the best international act category. They were nominated alongside Aya Nakamura and Youssoupha (France); Diamond Platnumz (Tanzanian); Emicida (Brazil); Headie One and the duo Yung T and Bugsey (UK). Following last year’s groundbreaking virtual awards show, the BET Awards returns this year with a live show audience. The event will take place at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles on June 23. The awards celebrate the brightest stars across music, television, film, sports, and philanthropy. The International Act category has honoured African artists who have done Africa proud and become recognisable worldwide for their talent. Among past winners were Nigeria’s 2face and D’banj in 2011, Wizkid in 2017, Ghana’s Sarkodie and Stonebwoy in 2012 and 2015 respectively and South Africa’s Black Coffee in 2016.  Burna Boy wo...