The Biography Of Yinka Ayefele [Age, Life Profile & Net Worth]

Yinka Ayefele, OON, is a Nigerian, gospel singer, songwriter and music producer.

Ayefele was born in Ekiti State southwestern Nigeria and hails from Ipoti, a city in Ekiti State southwestern Nigeria. He had attended Our Saviours Anglican Primary School in Ipoti-Ekiti for his primary and secondary education before he later proceeded to Ondo State College of Arts and Science in Ikare Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria.

Ayefele worked briefly as journalist and broadcaster at the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Ibadan, where he also produced jingles and musical works on radio. He began his music career in 1997 after he was involved in an automobile accident which damaged his spinal cord and confined him to a wheelchair. While in the hospital after spending about 9 months, his friend, Kola Olawuyi visited and advised him to put some songs together. This suggestion resulted in the release of his debut album titled, Bitter Experience in 1998 which brought him into limelight.

The release of Bitter experience was followed by the release of Sweet Experience. Other albums released by the gospel musician are Something Else, Divine Intervention and Life after death, released in honor of Gbenga Adeboye a Nigerian radio presenter, musician and comedian. The title Bitter Experience reflected his ordeal and Sweet Experience was the sweetness after a “Bitter Experience”.

He had received over 200 awards.

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Spanish PM warns Le Pen victory would be ‘a disaster’ (Read full details)

French National Front (FN) leader Marine Le Pen / AFP PHOTO / Roberto Pfeil

Spain’s conservative prime minister warned Thursday that an election win by French far-right presidential hopeful Marine Le Pen or Germany’s anti-immigration party AfD would be “a disaster” that would “destroy Europe”.

“I don’t even want to think about it, that would be a disaster, it would simply mean the destruction of Europe,” Mariano Rajoy said during an interview with radio Onda Cero when asked about the possibility of Le Pen or the AfD winning power.

“Mrs Le Pen has announced plans for a referendum. She wants (France) to leave Europe, as if Europe were the source of all misfortunes. I would like it if she visited the rest of the world,” he added.

The National Front presidential candidate has promised if elected in May to dump the euro and organise a Brexit-style referendum on France’s membership in the European Union.

“This is not going to happen. I am convinced that things will turn out alright in Germany and I am absolutely convinced there won’t be a problem in France,” said Rajoy, before adding he hopes conservative nominee Francois Fillon will win the French election.

“It is essential for the future of Europe that the elections in Germany and France go well,” he said.

France’s presidential election will be held on April 23 and May 7. While most opinion polls predict Le Pen will make it to the election’s second round in May, they see her losing that run-off.

In Germany the AfD’s anti-immigrant, eurosceptic rhetoric has won support among voters worried about the influx of more than a million migrants in the past two years.

With polls putting it on 12-15 percent, the party is tipped to win seats in the federal parliament for the first time in September’s national election.

Spanish PM warns Le Pen victory would be ‘a disaster’

New Gambian president set to return Thursday (Read full details)

Gambian president Adama Barrow

President Adama Barrow is set to return to The Gambia on Thursday after his predecessor Yahya Jammeh finally quit power under threat of a military intervention, west African political sources said.

A source close to the Senegalese presidency and a diplomatic source in The Gambia’s capital Banjul on Wednesday confirmed the announcement made on a Facebook page linked to the new president that Barrow is due to arrive on Thursday at 4:00 pm (1600 GMT).

Barrow won December’s election, but for weeks Jammeh refused to step down, setting off a crisis that saw the new president take his oath of office in neighbouring Senegal last week.

Jammeh went into exile in Equatorial Guinea at the weekend, under threat of a regional military intervention.

Barrow, who has been in Senegal since January 15, had put off his return to The Gambia until his safety could be guaranteed by thousands of soldiers from five African nations currently deployed in the tiny nation, but unease had been growing over his prolonged absence.

New Gambian president set to return Thursday

Trial of ex-NIMASA boss, Jauro, fixed for Jan. 24 (Read full details)

Haruna Baba Jauro

A Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday fixed Jan. 24 for continuation of the trial of a former Acting Director-General of NIMASA, Haruna Jauro, who is facing a N304.1 million fraud charge.

Jauro, who assumed leadership of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), is charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alongside Dauda Bawa and Thlumbau Enterprises Ltd on 19 counts bordering on fraud.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the defendants, who were arraigned on April 12, 2016, had pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The court admitted them to a bail in the sum of N5 million each with two sureties each in like sum.

NAN also reports that the case which was scheduled for continuation of trial was stalled on Friday as the court could not sit.

Justice Mojisola Olatoregun was said to be away on an official assignment, while the trial was rescheduled for Jan. 24.

Jauro took over as DG of NIMASA from Patrick Apkobolokemi, who is also being prosecuted alongside others over alleged multi-billion naira fraud.

The EFCC alleged that Jauro and others had conspired to defraud NIMASA of N304.1 million between January 2014 and September 2015.

The anti-graft agency also alleged that the accused converted the amount to their private use, an offence which contravenes the provisions of Section 15(1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012.

Trial of ex-NIMASA boss, Jauro, fixed for Jan. 24

Lost his trophy, lost his edge – is Djokovic era over? (Read full details)

Novak Djokovic / AFP PHOTO / Roberto SCHMIDT

Former coach Boris Becker claimed Novak Djokovic has lost his aura of invincibility and his era of dominance is over after his seismic early exit at the Australian Open.

The tennis world was abuzz over six-time champion Djokovic’s stunning five-set loss to the 117th-ranked Uzbek Denis Istomin, his earliest exit from a major since Wimbledon 2008.

The 12-time Grand Slam champion’s latest calamity comes on the back of a troublesome second half of last season where he lost his world number one ranking to Andy Murray and relinquished his Wimbledon and US Open titles.

After winning the French Open in June for the first time, Djokovic held all four Grand Slam singles titles, but he has not won a major since.

Becker, who split with Djokovic at the end of last year after three years as his coach, says the door is now open to the next generation as the Serb nears his 30th birthday.

“I’m really shocked that Novak Djokovic lost,” said Becker, who is part of Eurosport’s live coverage of the Australian Open.

“I thought he was playing much too defensive and never really took the initiative and never really fought for it.”

Becker, a six-time Grand Slam champion and twice winner of the Australian Open, said Djokovic’s fall offers his younger rivals the incentive to push on.

“It’s a big door open now,” Becker told the New York Times in Melbourne. “We talked about the next gen for a long time, and now is the time for these 19-, 20-, 21-year-olds to go through the door.

“When the top dog is struggling a bit -— and no disrespect to Andy Murray, but Novak was the top dog -— the way was blocked. But now it’s a shift.”

– ‘Take my bags and go’ –
Becker said Djokovic was missing his trademark intensity and will to win in Thursday’s match, and wasn’t “mentally going crazy” as he used to.

Australia’s former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash was adamant that Djokovic’s time as a dominant force was over.

“His defeat just shows that Novak has absolutely lost his edge, there’s no doubt about that,” Cash told the BBC.

“I’d love to see him competing, to be a true number two fighting for that number one spot, but at this rate I don’t think we will see that.”

Djokovic, who faced the media moments after coming off the Rod Laver Arena court where he has won six finals, agreed that his opponents now know he is beatable.

“Sure. They wouldn’t be playing against me or any other opponent or any other tournament, for that matter, if they don’t believe that they can win,” he said. “They go out and they try their best.”

Asked what he would take from the defeat, he said: “Take my bags and I go home.”

Rafael Nadal, a 14-time Grand Slam champion and the 2009 Australian Open winner, and one of those who can capitalise on Djokovic’s early departure from the draw, said he saw nothing significant about his great rival’s loss.

“What Novak did here is just amazing. Six victories, six titles. For a lot of years he has been in the semi-finals, finals and winning here,” Nadal said after reaching the third round.

“This is probably an accident, that’s all,” added the Spaniard. “He’s playing well. Everybody has the chance to lose when you go on court.”

Lost his trophy, lost his edge – is Djokovic era over?

Venus takes out Chinese, hungry for more (Read full details)

Venus Williams of the US hits a return against Duan Ying-Ying of China during their women's singles third round match on day five of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 20, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / GREG WOOD /

Venus Williams ended Chinese hopes at the Australian Open on Friday, swatting aside Duan Yingying to make the fourth round for a 10th time — and said she was still hungry for more.

The 13th seed was in a different league, spanking Duan 6-1, 6-0 on Margaret Court Arena and showing no signs of the elbow injury that forced her out of the doubles with sister Serena.

She will next play German qualifier Mona Barthel, who beat Australian hope Ashleigh Barty.

If she comes through that encounter, a potential quarter-final with fellow veteran Svetlana Kuznetsova looms.

“Oh, yay! It’s good. It’s never enough,” said Williams on still making her mark at Grand Slams.

“I’ve been in the fourth round before. I’ve tasted it before and it’s always a great feeling because it means, hey, I have an opportunity for the quarter-finals. That’s what I’m going to go for.”

The American, the oldest player in the women’s draw and playing her 17th Australian Open, said tennis had given her “a beautiful life”. But she isn’t finished yet.

“Whatever happens, I’m looking forward to executing my game,” she said of her next match.

“That’s all that matters at this point, is to continue to elevate myself. As the rounds continue, I need to raise my level. This is my primary focus, and nothing else.”

Remarkably Duan, ranked 87, admitted ahead of the match that she’d never seen Williams play, and would be relying heavily on her coach’s guidance.

This is despite the seven-time Grand Slam winner being one of the game’s most prominent players over the past two decades.

She paid dearly against Williams who remains a force, making the fourth round or better at three of the four Grand Slams last year.

Williams, 36, exploited Duan’s weak serve and apparent nerves, racing to a quick break in the opening set, with no way back for the Chinese star. She won a consolation game but that was as good as it got.

Duan, normally an aggressive and powerful player, was never able to get into her groove as Williams dictated the points, pushing her around the court.

Williams didn’t give an inch, breaking Duan first service game in the second set and romping to an easy victory.

Despite the loss, it was an encouraging tournament for China’s number five, who reached a Grand Slam third round for the first time and was her country’s last player standing.

“This is her first time in the third round. It’s a lot of pressure,” Williams said.

“Having the opportunity to play this third round, play against a player of my experience, is going to be a huge stepping stone for her. She’s got talent. It’s perfect for women’s tennis.”

Venus takes out Chinese, hungry for more

Payet car damaged, sent to ‘Coventry’ by team-mates (Read full details)

West Ham United's French midfielder Dimitri Payet / AFP PHOTO / GLYN KIRK /

French international Dimitri Payet’s refusal to play for West Ham has led to his car being vandalised according to English tabloid ‘The Daily Mail’ on Friday.

The 29-year-old — who along with his wife Ludivine are keen to return to the south of France and are demanding he be allowed to join former club Marseille — has also been effectively closed out by his team-mates who have deleted him from the team’s WhatsApp group.

He has also been barred from team-bonding sessions and dinners effectively being sent to ‘Coventry’ — the English term for shutting someone out and refusing to engage with them.

“The team are all part of a WhatsApp group and they were all messaging each other to arrange going for dinner at the start of this week,” club insider ExWHUEmployee told The Sun.

“Then one of the players said, ‘Actually, thinking about it Dimi, we don’t want you to come’.”

Payet’s car was apparently damaged outside his home with the perpetrator hurling a brick through the window.

Last Saturday after Hammers manager Slaven Bilic revealed Payet wouldn’t play for the team a steward had to guard the photograph of him outside the Hammers stadium.

Fans at the match with Crystal Palace also changed the words to the laudatory chant they used to greet him with inserting more colourful and abusive language — West Ham made light of his absence with one of their best performances of a troubled season strolling to a 3-0 win.

Payet — who has been sent to train with the Under-23 squad — joined West Ham from Marseille for £10 million ($12 million) in 2015 and signed a £125,000 per-week five-year contract last February.

West Ham are believed to have turned down offers for Payet — who had a sensational first season, scoring 12 goals and supplying 12 assists — of £19million and another one of £20million.

According to British media Marseille are prepared to make a third bid, this time for £25million which even though co-owner David Sullivan said last Saturday he wouldn’t allow him to leave might persuade the club to free themselves of a troublesome influence.

Payet car damaged, sent to ‘Coventry’ by team-mates