The Editorials

  Oredola Adeola The historically significant 9th - 11th century Igbo-Ukwu collections of bronzes in National Museum Lagos, have been selected to receive Bank of America’s $40,000 grant for 2022 Art Conservation Project. This was released in a statement obtained by Surprise Africa on Thursday, by the Nigerian National Commission for Museums and Monuments.   According to the statement the National Museum Lagos was selected as a beneficiary of the Bank of America Arts Conservation Project 2022 out of about 19 major global art conservation projects to be selected.   Surprise Africa gathered that the funding from the grant will be used to restore 350 Igbo-Ukwu bronze objects, historically inimitable, they come from a culture that may be the earliest known example of bronze casting in the region.  Our correspondent gathered that the grant was the first ever funding received for the conservation of the Igbo-Ukwu bronzes. The National Museum Lagos is one of 19 significant art restoration proj

Oredola Adeola The 2022 edition of the just concluded Big Brother Naija “Level Up” failed to level up to expectation, this is because the number of voters fell below the votes that the ‘Shine ya Eye’ Season 6, 2021 edition recorded. John Ugbe, Chief Executive Officer,  MultiChoice Nigeria, disclosed this during the prize presentation to the winner of the “Level Up” edition, Josephine Otabor, popularly known as Phyna, on Tuesday in Lagos. The Editorials' analysis showed that Season 7 received over 1bn votes during the programme compared with a total of 1.3 billion votes garnered in the previous season. This represented a 23.08% decrease in the number of votes cast by fans for their favourite housemates.     The organisers however noted that hosting the show in 2022, cost a whooping N4.7billion compared with about N4.3 billion spent during the Season 6 edition.  The BBNaija season 4 “Pepper Dem” edition held in 2019, recorded 240 million votes, while the Season 5 “Lockdown” edition h

  By Chukwudi Iwuchukwu   To those who do not understand why I called the wife of the new king of England, King Charles, “Side Chick”, let me share their beautiful love story.   The course of true love never runs smooth, and that was certainly the case for the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall. It took years for the British public to accept Camilla as Charles’ new girlfriend and then wife in 2005, following the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. But over the decades, fans have warmed to the Duchess and credit her with supporting the future king and becoming his rock.     As Charles and Camilla celebrated their 17th wedding anniversary last weekend, let’s take a look at their enduring love story, which started in the seventies…   A chance meeting at a polo match in 1970 marked the beginning of Camilla Shand’s relationship with Prince Charles. The two – both aged 23 – began dating, but their romance cooled when the future King was called away on naval duties overseas. He didn’t

     The Lagos State Chairman and Governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Professor Ifagbemi Awamaridi, has commenced the registration and integration of new members and support groups into the party’s database, which according to him is an attempt to solidify the party structure in the state, after a failed attempt by Kayode Salako-led faction of the party, to hijack the party structure from him.     The Lagos State Labour Party Chairman,  in a statement on Saturday at a town hall meeting with the state working committee of the party held at Avid Empire, Alagbado, Lagos, urged all party members and the support groups of Peter Obi, the party’s Presidential candidate, to validate their membership in their units, wards and local government across Lagos state.   He also charged prospective members and lovers of the party to take advantage of the membership registration window to join the party in rescuing the state and country from misrule of the ruling party.   Awamaridi noted t

  Oredola Adeola The Nigerian Government and Lagos State Government have both agreed to finalise preparations to successfully host the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Global Conference on Tourism, Culture and the Creative Industries, scheduled to hold at the National Theatre, Lagos, between November 14 and 16, 2022. This was made known on Thursday, when the Conference’s Planning Committee and Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture, paid a courtesy visit to the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu. The Committee used the occasion to congratulate the Lagos state government for being the host of the global conference. This according to the UNWTO team was because of the state’s premier role in tourism, culture and the creative. Surprise Africa gathered that the Thursday meeting was aimed at soliciting the support of the Lagos State Government towards the successful hosting of the conference, According to Alhaji Mohammed , while Nigeria is the host co

 Saudi Arabia on Friday announced a decision to open its air space to all air carriers. The country’s General Authority of Civil Aviation tweeted that the decision meets Saudi Arabia’s dedication to fulfilling its obligations under the Chicago Convention of 1944. The Convention stipulates non-discrimination between civil aircrafts used in international air navigation. The decision consolidates the Kingdom’s position as a global hub connecting three continents and enhancing international air connectivity. Earlier, Israeli caretaker Prime Minister Yair Lapid applauded the Saudi Arabian decision on its decision to open the airspace. “This is the first step. We will continue to work with due caution, for the Israeli economy, its security and for the citizens of Israel,” Lapid said in a statement released by his office. Israeli airlines previously could not travel over Saudi airspace due to a ban, making flights to regions like Asia costlier and longer. The announcement comes on the same da