The Church of England has committed to returning two Benin Bronzes to Nigeria, according to a report by UK-based Evening Standard.
The bronze statues were gifted to the Archbishop of Canterbury by the former governor of the defunct Bendel State, Ambrose Alli, and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) in 1982.
Lambeth Palace said in a statement that the two bronze busts will be donated to Digital Benin, an international project to digitally network the globally dispersed works of art from the former Kingdom of Benin plundered by British troops in 1897.
“We are currently in discussions with the Edo Museum of West African Art (EMOWAA), via the Legacy Restoration Trust, to arrange this,” the statement read.
The busts are expected to eventually make their way back to Edo State through the Digital Benin project set to launch in 2022.
The announcement follows the recent decision of the University of Aberdeen to return to Nigeria a Benin bronze sculpture stolen over a century ago.
The bronze sculpture depicting an Oba of Benin was acquired by the university in 1957, decades after it was looted.
The university said the theft of the sculpture was one of the most notorious examples of the pillaging of cultural treasures associated with 19th century European colonial expansion.
There have been calls over recent years to have African artifacts transported abroad via colonial exploitation or illegal looting returned to the continent, but success has been rare
The Nigeria Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) on Thursday inaugurated the first Electric Vehicle Charging Station in Nigeria, in Sokoto State.
NADDC noted that the pilot project, inaugurated at the Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto (UDUS), was also in collaboration with the institution.
In his address, Director-General of NADDC, Mr Jelani Aliyu, said that the project was part of the Federal Government’s commitment to the best Nigeria desired by all.
Aliyu further said that the NADDC was partnering with three universities in the country that included UDUS, the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), with the hope of advancing research in renewable energy.
The D-G said that it was an opportunity for the institutions to utilise the very best in research to enable them to come up with more advanced technologies in the automotive industry.
The WHO AFRO says more efforts are needed to scale up COVID-19 vaccination in the African Region as many African countries have barely moved beyond the starting line.
According to it, less than two per cent of the world’s 690 million COVID-19 vaccine doses administered to date globally have been in Africa with limited stocks and supply bottlenecks putting the vaccines out of reach of many people in the region.
Dr Matshidiso Moeti, Regional Director, World Health Organisation Regional Office for Africa (WHO AFRO), spoke during a virtual press conference on Thursday facilitated by APO Group.
The meeting noted that most African countries received vaccines only five weeks ago and in small quantities.
However the efficacy of the vaccines have been thrown in doubt by growing dissent over the risks involved in taking the vaccines especilly by scientists and health professionals.
Many frontline workers have refused to take the vaccines as blood clot side effects attributed to the atrazenica vaccines are being investigated.
MTN Nigeria has lauded its subscribers for the patience over the recent restriction of airtime vending on unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) and banking app channels by banks, saying talks to resolve the impasse is still ongoing.
A statement yesterday by the telecom giant said following the intervention of the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, the Nigeria Communication Commission and the Central Bank of Nigeria, since April 6, 2021, MTN has been participating in a series of meetings to align on longer term pricing structures.
MTN thanked its customers for their patience, and “express our regret at the inconvenience imposed on them while banking channels were offline. In order to further expand the range of channels available to customers, MTN has activated a number of new channel partnerships with fintech partners and these will remain in place, significantly expanding the channels available to our customers and increasing our sales and distribution network.
It said the new channel partners include Sparkle, Konga Pay, Barter By Flutter Wave, Jumia Pay, OPay, Kuda, Carbon, BillsnPay, MTN On Demand, MTN Xtratime airtime loans (*606#), myMTN Web and Momo agent *223#. MTN stated that it will provide a further market update once the discussions with banks have been concluded.
It also thanked the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, the Nigeria Communication Commission and the Central Bank of Nigeria for their rapid intervention and said it looks forward to a mutually acceptable solution that empowers all ecosystem participants.
Kylian Mbappe scored twice as Paris St-Germain produced a superb away performance to beat title holders Bayern Munich in a thrilling Champions League quarter-final first leg.
This was a meeting between last year’s finalists and they both contributed in a hugely entertaining game that in itself would have been worthy of being the final of the competition.
Mbappe took just three minutes to make his mark as he was fed by Neymar and the striker thumped a drive through Manuel Neuer’s legs.
Marquinhos doubled the lead for the French champions midway through the first half with a neat finish from a great ball by Neymar before ex-PSG striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting headed home to halve the deficit.
Chelsea bounced back from a testing few days to earn a commanding first-leg quarter-final away win over Porto in the Champions League.
Mason Mount’s clever turn and finish in the first half helped bring some welcome relief to Blues manager Thomas Tuchel after his side’s heavy defeat to West Brom on Saturday, which was followed by a training ground incident between team-mates Kepa Arrizabalaga and Antonio Rudiger.
Ben Chilwell added a late second after a mistake by Corona, moments after substitute Christian Pulisic had hit the bar.
Having conceded five goals against West Brom, Chelsea produced a dogged defensive performance to earn a seventh clean sheet in nine European games this season.
Skipper Cesar Azpilicueta’s vital block denied Corona before Edouard Mendy kept out Pepe’s header.
With both legs of this tie in Spain at Sevilla’s Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium because of coronavirus travel restrictions between Portugal and the UK, this was Porto’s ‘home’ game, meaning Chelsea’s two away goals put them in pole position before next Tuesday’s second leg.
Lexie Alford was 21 by the time she had reached every corner of the globe. Now at just 22, she uses her online platforms and persona – aptly, ‘Lexie Limitless’ – to inspire budding travellers via Instagram, YouTube and her websi
Firstly – have you managed to travel much in the past year or so?
Here’s her interview:
It’s pretty crazy, I was at Carnaval in Brazil the day before the first registered case there (in early March). So I came back to the US and we were straight into full lockdown.
But yes, during lockdown I did manage to travel for work. I went to Turkey to do a two-week road trip for my YouTube, and another two week road trip in Iraqi-Kurdistan.
Did you set out with the intention of becoming the youngest person to reach every country in the world?
It was more of a natural evolution. I started travelling when I was really young because my mum has a travel agency, a business she started when she was just 19. Growing up she would always pull me out of school and take me exploring with her, which was really cool.
This lifestyle meant that by the time I was 18 I had travelled to around 70 countries already. I had graduated early from high school, and got my associates degree by 18.
But one of my biggest dreams, from being 12 years old, was that I wanted to experience what it was like to live for one year of my life with no school and no work. So I saved up, a crazy amount, so I could take this gap year and travel the world.
I wanted to see as much as I could, and learn as much as I could. It was during that gap year that it dawned on me: how many countries are there? I was only 18, I knew I had some time to do it. So I Googled the youngest person to travel to every country, and James Asquith’s Guinness World Record came up.
When I saw that, I knew I would regret it for the rest of my life if I didn’t at least try.
A lot of people want nothing more than to travel, but financial and time restraints can get in the way. You’ve already said you had set that one year aside – but how did you pay for it?
My project was entirely self-funded. I was working for a really young age, and for my mum’s travel agency. I was really lucky because I was not only earning money, but I was learning so much about travel – specifically how I could do it on a shoestring budget.
I managed to stretch out those savings for a year and a half. And during that time I picked up my camera, started doing blogs, and learnt about social media. I was starting to meet people from the industry and built up a network. I slowly started getting more of a client-base that I was writing content for, and that’s really what launched my business that I run today.
It’s important to bear in mind that when you’re climbing a really big mountain, if you look right to the top you’re going to be discouraged and overwhelmed. But if you just take one step at a time, it’s a lot easier to get to the top.
Do you have a favourite place that you visited? And why?
I have a list, I have a top five. But this is like having to choose a favourite child. The places are my favourites for different reasons. I love Indonesia because of the diving. I’m a diver and the underwater world there is fascinating.
Venezuela, because of its natural beauty, and the kindness of the people. Pakistan was the most hospitable place and people I visited. It has an incredible mountain landscape as well.
Egypt for the history – its preservation is incredible. You can still see the paint and smoke on the walls inside the Great Pyramids. And Iceland. It’s just such a unique island, the most unique place in the world.
Is there anywhere you wouldn’t go back to?
I’m always weary when I talk about favourite places and least favourite places because it’s so subjective. I don’t there’s anywhere I wouldn’t go back to – never say never.
But my travel experience now is very different to three years ago. It’s less about counting countries, and more about seeking out these unique experiences, so it really depends on whether the opportunity is there.
One thing I know is that any travel experience is all about the people. They make or break the journey. It’s the people who make experiences last in your mind forever.
There’s still a lot of stigma around women travelling alone, especially from a safety perspective. But you did much of this journey alone, and so young. Was it ever something that worried you?
I travelled to around 50 or so countries by myself. So that was maybe seven or eight months on my own.
Just as a side note, I truly think it’s something every person, man and woman, should experience at some point in their life: solo travel. It teaches you how to be independent and navigate this crazy world alone. But it also makes you truly appreciate the time you get to spend with people, when you’re back home, or with your family and friends.
Taking the first step into solo travel doesn’t have to be huge. You don’t have to go to a completely different culture, with a completely different language, and try to figure it out. A neighbouring city, a closer country. Just somewhere that you can be with yourself and your thoughts.
You can ease into these things slowly and start learning how to navigate the world. But it teaches us how to be grateful: for the people we have in our lives, the experiences we have in our lives.
What’s the one piece of advice you would give to someone looking to pursue their dreams?
A piece of advice I’ve been given and carried with me for years is to never take no for an answer. Anyone who doubts your ideas, who doesn’t want something to work out in your favour, being rejected. It’s up to you to persevere.
Hello there, so I’m trying so hard to not make this post sound like a warning. I want it to be more like an eye-opener, showing you how you may have been sleeping on the benefits of wearing your sunscreen daily and how it is going to save your skin.
The truth is, this post is both a warning and a call to action because the fact remains that most people are not aware of how important sunscreen really is. How it works and why is it so important to wear sunscreen even if it’s cloudy or raining.
Sunscreen is one of the skincare products that are essential for every person regardless of age or gender. You must protect your skin from the harmful UV rays of the sun.
The beauty industry does not stress enough the importance of wearing sunscreen daily, so most people are still a little confused about how sunscreen works, what SPF means, what kind of sunscreen is best for them and how often they should apply it.
So let’s get into some basic knowledge first. I mentioned how you must protect your skin from harmful UV rays of the sun, so here are some explanations on what UV rays are.
UVB: UVBs are these short high energy wavelengths that actually hit upon the most surface level of the skin which is the dermis. When your dermis is irritated, you get redness which appears to be sunburn. This is what causes ageing, freckles, and hyperpigmentation.
UVA: UVAs penetrate even further into your skin than UVB rays and affects the DNA (cellular levels of your skin). So when your skin is irritated by UVA rays, it causes wrinkling of the skin, and also makes your skin look darker and saggy.Â
So in summary, UVA has a more long term damaging effect on your skin. Since you can’t help being exposed to these harmful rays, you can however protect your skin by applying Sunscreen whether chemical or physical.
Chemical sunscreens are those that contain chemicals. For example, Oxybenzone. Physical sunscreen contains natural ingredients like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Both have been fortified to protect the skin from sunburn and hyper pigmentation.
Now you may ask: When should I apply sunscreen?
It should be applied 15 to 20 minutes before you step out. Whether it’s a rainy or a cloudy day, you must not skip sunscreen.
You may also want to know what sunscreen is right for your skin:
A broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects your skin from UVA and UVB rays and has SPF 30 or higher is considered the best for your skin.
So here are 5 ways Sunscreen would save you:
1. Protect your skin from UV rays
When you apply sunscreen, it makes a layer over your skin that protects your skin from the UV rays. The UVA and the UVB rays penetrate through the three layers of your skin: epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis. These rays can cause sunburn, wrinkles, dark spots, and pigmentations. Applying sunscreen will protect your skin from sun damage.
2. Decrease the risk of skin cancer
Overexposure to sunlight can increase the risk of skin cancer. The ultraviolet radiation from the sun, when it penetrates through your skin layers affects the skin cells and can cause skin cancer.
Studies have shown that a person with a fair skin tone is more likely to get skin cancer than a person with a dark skin tone because of the less melanin in the fair skin which protects the skin from sun damage. Applying sunscreen can reduce the risk of skin cancer.
3. Prevent the increase in melanin production in your skin
When you don’t apply sunscreen, the UV rays directly hit the deeper layer of your skin and activates the melanocytes. The melanocytes then produce melanin to protect your skin. The increase in melanin makes your skin tone dark and cause freckles and dark spots on your skin.
4. Prevent uneven skin tone
Exposure to the sun can cause discoloration and dark spots on your skin. It also causes tanning, clogged pores, and dark patches. Sunscreen prevents your skin from hyper pigmentation and prevents uneven skin tone.
5. Prevents premature sign of aging
The UVA rays penetrate deeply into the hypodermis that causes premature signs of ageing. It causes fine lines, wrinkles, dullness, and other ageing signs. Applying sunscreen provides a layer over your skin that protects your skin from UVA rays and slows down the signs of ageing on your skin.
Other simple ways to protect your skin include:
Less exposure to sunlight protects your skin from sun damage. Wearing a cloth that covers your body to prevent exposure to sunlight and using a shawl, hat and umbrella to cover your face and skin when exposed to the sun prevents skin tanning and sunburn.
In essence, you must not step out without wearing sunscreen. Always wear sunscreen no matter how the weather is. You can protect your skin from sunburn and the risk of skin cancer by following this simple rule.
Applying sunscreen is a must in your skincare routine and if you won’t protect your skin, you might as well not spend money buying other skincare products.
University students in Wales are unlikely to have summer graduation ceremonies for a second year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Aberystwyth is the latest university to postpone its ceremonies because of uncertainty about when large-scale events can go ahead.
The National Union of Students in Wales said it was “upsetting for students”.
But a spokesperson for Universities Wales said the decision had “not been taken lightly” by universities.
No graduation ceremonies were able to take place in Wales last year and many universities had also hoped to hold delayed ceremonies for 2020 students this summer.
Last month Cardiff University and Cardiff Metropolitan University said they hoped their ceremonies could be moved to next year, while Swansea University said it would look to reschedule when “safe and appropriate”.
Zimbabwe School Examinations Council has cancelled the June 2021 public examinations for both O and A-Levels following disruptions caused by Covid-19 and the resulting lockdown with those scheduled to sit in June now joining the large majority who are being prepared to sit in November.
The decision to suspend the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council June examinations arose from the delays in sitting for the public examinations at the end of last year and the alterations of the standard calendar for education this year caused by schools having to be closed for the first two and half months of this year to combat the second wave of infection.
Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa told news men after the cabinet meeting that logistics will be put in place to ensure candidates scheduled to sit for their examinations in June will do so together with other students in November.
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