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3 Athletes That Got Major Deals In 2021 The advent of Coronavirus in 2020 affected the world in previously unthought ways, and the world of sports was not left behind. The pandemic shook the world of sports and affected a lot of things, but the authorities found creative ways to ensure that teeming fans enjoyed their favourite sports from the comfort of their homes as the world tries to return to normalcy.

2021 has seen more sports stars attract more sponsorships as brands look to leverage on their popularity to reach and target even more fans, as sports tries to return to full-scale. There have been endorsement deals that have shocked the world of sports, as relevant stakeholders try to strike a balance between brands trying to recover from losses accrued due to Covid, and trying to make profits in a rapidly-emerging post-Covid era.

Emma Raducanu

19-year-old British sensation, Emma Raducanu stunned the world when she won the US Open, becoming the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam in the Open Era. Overnight, she became the most recognizable name in women’s tennis.
She has become a celebrity almost in an instant and has earned a raft of endorsements, most notably Tiffany Jewelries and Co, Dior, and Nike. She has also signed endorsements with Brtish Airways as well as Evian, a water company.

It is believed that Raducanu has earned around $6.5m in endorsements alone this year.

LeBron James
Basketball star, LeBron James shocked the entire sporting world back in January when he announced his partnership with PepsiCo. The LA Lakers star had been associated with Coca-Cola for about 17 years before ending his partnership back in September 2020.
The multi-year endorsement deal will see James, often regarded as one of the greatest in the history of the sport, be the face of the launch of the new Mtn Dew Rise Energy Drink, and look to expand his work off the court. PepsiCo in recent years has vowed to increase black representation at the company and committed around $400 million over five years to support black businesses and communities, a cause that James is passionate about, in his personal capacity.

The details of the deal have not been revealed, but it is believed to be quite substantial, continuing James’ reputation as one of the most marketable athletes in the world, as Forbes reported that he earned around $60 million in endorsements in 2020 alone.

Simone Biles
Multiple and Olympic medallist, Simone Biles left Nike earlier this year after six years to sign with Gap Inc. The most decorated gymnast ever signed a deal with the apparel company’s athletic unit and will release a signature line of performance apparel under the agreement.
Speaking after the endorsement deal, Biles told the Wall Street Journal that, “I felt like it wasn’t just about my achievements, it’s what I stood for and how they were going to help me use my voice and also be a voice for females and kids. I feel like they also support me, not just as an athlete, but just as an individual outside of the gym and the change that I want to create, which is so refreshing”.

The details of the deal have not been shared, but Biles is one of the most marketable athletes in the world, raking in an estimated $5m in endorsements, according to Forbes.
Biles, 24, has won a combined total of 32 medals in both the Olympics and World Championships, making her one of the most decorated athletes of all time.

Charles Hoskinson, founder of IOHK, the foundation behind Cardano has stated that he will “build a financial operating system” in Q2 2022 that will give Africans access to DeFi services such as loans.
He disclosed this while Speaking on Cardano’s plan for the year 2022 and achievements of the past via a live Christmas broadcast on Youtube.
Hoskinson reflected on the growth of Cardano and the entire crypto industry. He mentioned the non-fungible token (NFT) revolution, the Decentralized Finance (DeFi) boom, and how hackers are targeting DeFi projects, leading to a loss of over $10.5 billion in 2021 alone.

He stated that two million assets have been issued on Cardano, most of it being NFTs. He added that more than 127 projects are currently writing code to build decentralized applications (dApps) on the network, with about 20 to 30 in the pipeline to launch within the next three months.
He stated that Cardano’s goal has always included Africa, and the project plans to increase its influence in the continent next year.

Due to the fact that many African countries still lack financial inclusion, Hoskinson announced that the Cardano Foundation plans to “build a financial operating system” in Q2 2022 that will provide Africans with DeFi services.
He said, “My goal for the second half of 2022 is to figure out how to put all the pieces together to get an end-to-end microfinance transaction on Cardano.

“So that a real person in Kenya or somewhere with a blockchain-based identity and credit score, stablecoin on the other side, Cardano is the settlement rail. Peer-to-peer, person-to-person, click a button, loan goes to them. They pay it back, (and it) goes to the other side.”
With emphasis on Africa, the Cardano Foundation is working to modernize and bring balance and equality to the world.

Cardano signed a partnership agreement with Tanzania earlier this year to provide residents with social, digital identity, and financial empowerment.
IOHK joined with the European Business University of Luxemburg in August to expand educational opportunities for students in African countries.

Cardano’s founder reiterated the project’s long-term ambition, noting that the project now has all of the required technology and resources to achieve those goals.

President Joe Biden and wife Jill Biden on Sunday expressed their condolences over the death of South African anti-apartheid campaigner, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, saying his legacy would “echo throughout the ages.”

“On this morning after Christmas, we are heartbroken to learn of the passing of a true servant of God and of the people, Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa,” Bidens said in a statement on Sunday.
The Bidens said they were fortunate enough to spend some time with him over the past years, including their visit to him during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

“We felt his warmth and joy when we visited him during the 2010 World Cup that celebrated the diversity and beauty of his beloved nation.
“And just a few months ago, we joined the world in celebrating his 90th birthday and reflecting on the power of his message of justice, equality, truth, and reconciliation as we confront racism and extremism in our time today.”

The Bidens also added Tutu used his own personal background “to create a better, freer, and more equal world.”
“Born to a school teacher and a laundress and into poverty and entrenched racial segregation, Desmond Tutu followed his spiritual calling to create a better, freer, and more equal world.

“His legacy transcends borders and will echo throughout the ages.’’
“On behalf of the Biden family, we send our deepest condolences to his wife, Leah, and their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren,” they added.

“And on behalf of the people of the US, we send our deepest condolences to the people of South Africa, who are mourning the loss of one of their most important founding fathers.”

Similarly, Former U.S. President Barack Obama described Desmond Tutu as “a mentor, friend, and moral compass”.
A contemporary of Nelson Mandela, Tutu was one of the driving forces behind the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa.
Obama said: “Archbishop Tutu was grounded in the struggle for liberation and justice in his own country, but also concerned with injustice everywhere.

“He never lost his impish sense of humor and willingness to find humanity in his adversaries, and Michelle and I will miss him dearly.’’
Tutu, a Nobel Peace Prize award recipient and one of the main voices of the anti-apartheid movement, died on Sunday at the age of 90.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned Nigerians to desist from using performance-enhancing substances known as aphrodisiacs to impress their partner, stressing that consumption of such substances could lead to stroke or sudden death.

NAFDAC Director-General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, gave the admonition on Sunday in her Christmas and New Year goodwill message to Nigerians, where she decried the preponderance of performance-enhancing drugs otherwise known as “manpower” in the local parlance, in the Nigerian market.

According to Professor Adeyeye, most of the performance-enhancing drugs are not registered with NAFDAC and are smuggled into the country.
“If they were registered, the producers and peddlers alike would not be doing what they are doing in the supermarkets, social media platforms, and on the streets,” she said.
Professor Adeyeye stressed that many men have died using performance-enhancing drugs and their relatives would blame their death on some imaginary witches in the village.

She described as false, the claim by the producers of such products that they have no side effects, noting that a majority of the products do not go through the approval process of the agency.
The NAFDAC boss warned that the agency would not relent in going after the peddlers of such dangerous drugs until they were brought to book for violating the regulations.

“Many people are ignorant of the possible damage that misuse of aphrodisiacs or use of unregistered drugs could cause,” Prof Adeyeye explained, adding that there were manufacturing, quality guidelines, and mandated regulations that control the production, importation, exportation, advertisement, and the use of such products.

According to her, unbridled use of aphrodisiacs has a lot of implications in the entire body system and the use of the products can potentially affect the blood pressure of the body.

She stressed that “when you have a disproportionate flow of blood to a particular part of the body and lasting longer than normal, they tend to disrupt the normal flow of the circulatory system’’.
Prof Adeyeye further warned that aphrodisiacs could also interact with other drugs in the system, explaining that the liver is responsible for the breakdown of drugs while the byproduct of all waste goes down through the kidneys.

“When these things are used, especially with some herbal medicines that don’t have dosage and professional prescription, it can lead to internal organ damage.
“It can hurt the liver and the kidneys, leading to an untimely death,” she warned.

She urged Nigerians to in the spirit of Christmas and New Year festivities, eat and drink right to avoid health complications after the annual events.

The unending damages of coronavirus seem unabated as 54-year-old Simon Bolton of Zetland FM passed away three days after he was rushed to James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough having tested positive from the virus.

His demise was confirmed by his wife Mrs Joanne Bolton. Bolton was well-known by people. “He had a good job on him, he could talk for England; Being a radio presenter was what he wanted to do.”

Simon was said to have suffered many health challenges such as having his leg amputated that forced him to produce his radio programme from his home in Redcar. Amongst the programmes, he presented during his lifetime at the station are the Monday Sports Show, Weekend Breakfast and the Friday Rock Show.

Until his death he was regarded as the voice of Radio Revivals, which Joanne described as “his passion”, adding: “It was the stuff that never got played and that’s what he preferred.”

Over 29,000 people were evacuated throughout Malaysia Sunday as the country faces some of its worst floodings in years.
The tropical Southeast Asian nation often sees stormy monsoon seasons at the end of the year, with seasonal flooding regularly causing mass evacuations.

Heavy downpours since Friday have caused rivers to overflow, submerging many urban areas and cutting off major roads, stranding thousands of motorists.
More than 29,000 flood victims in eight states and territories were recorded on an official government website, with over 13,000 of them in the central state of Pahang.

Nearly 10,000 people fled their homes in the country’s richest state of Selangor — which surrounds the capital Kuala Lumpur — with Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob expressing surprise at the strong flooding there.

“The amount of rain that fell in Selangor yesterday, what fell in one day would usually fall in one month,” he told a Sunday press conference.
The premier also promised swift aid to flood victims as well as an initial allocation of 100 million ringgit ($23.7million) to repair damaged houses and infrastructure.

While rainy weather has slowed nationwide, a government website showed water exceeding dangerous levels in six central and northeastern states Sunday afternoon.

The International Monetary Fund said on Thursday that it will extend its flexible access to emergency funding for an additional 18 months to help nations severely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The IMF’s executive board agreed on Monday to “temporary increases to the cumulative access limits under its emergency financing instruments” through June 2023, the Washington-based crisis lender said in a statement.
In April 2020, as the world faced the first wave of coronavirus infections and deaths, the IMF eased access to such aid, including raising the level of funding that countries could obtain.

The programs have already been extended twice, in September 2020 and again last March.
The board also agreed that “all other access limits” which had been temporarily increased will be reduced to their pre-pandemic levels beginning January 1, 2022, as scheduled.

“This decision reflects the expected and ongoing gradual shift to upper-credit-tranche quality arrangements from emergency financing triggered by the urgent, pandemic-related balance of payment needs,” the IMF said.
It also stressed that the decision ensures “continued access” by member countries to the IMF’s emergency financing should the urgent balance of payment issues arise.

The tools include the Rapid Credit Facility, an interest-free program available to low-income nations, and the Rapid Financing Instrument, which is available to all Fund members.

The grants can be disbursed very quickly, to help member states implement policies to address emergencies.
On Monday the IMF said it had approved the fifth and final round of debt relief under a program meant to help the world’s poorest nations weather Covid.

I Am Returning To Evangelism- Ooni’s Ex-Wife

Less than 24 hours after parting ways with the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, the former wife, Naomi Silekunola, has disclosed that she would be returning to full-time evangelism, to complete the task God handed over to her.

Silekunola, who described the period after her divorce to the monarch as a new season, added that the period would be dedicated solely to participate in God’s activities across the country.
The former queen, meanwhile, appealed to her supporters and other stakeholders particularly custodians of the Yoruba culture to embrace peace with the understanding that the marriage led to the birth of her first child.

She stated these through a statement released on her official social media handle on Thursday shortly after dropping her title as the wife of the Yoruba monarch in the country.
According to her, (It) is God’s way of saying I know about it all. In situations like this, there will be aggrieved persons. I, at this moment, appeal to all parties involved to allow the peace of God with the consciousness that there is a lovely little boy between us.

“I thank all of my prayer partners and loved ones. I remain committed to all of my projects, charity work, and ministry. In this new season, I shall be focusing on God only”,
It would be recalled that the 28-year-old announced that she has decided to leave the monarch after efforts to ensure that the marriage work proved abortive even after she delivered a son for the traditional ruler.
She alleged that the public posture of the monarch was different from his true self which had become a major issue since her decision to become Ooni’s wife three years ago.

After dropping the status of the monarch’s wife, Silekunola stressed that she has embraced the status of “Queen of the people and mother of my adorable Prince”.

A Georgia man walked out of prison Monday after spending 23 years behind bars for a murder he was exonerated of.
Devonia Inman, 43, was sentenced to life without parole for a 1998 murder and robbery of a Taco Bell manager in southern Georgia. There was no physical evidence tying him to the killing, and three of the four witnesses in his trial later recounted their testimony, according to the Georgia Innocence Project, which championed his case.

DNA testing later proved that convicted killer Hercules Brown’s DNA was on a ski mask left in the victim’s car, and a judge concluded last month that prosecutors withheld evidence and Inman was entitled to a new trial, according to the advocacy group. State officials did not appeal the ruling, and the local DA reportedly dismissed all charges and set the falsely convicted man free.

“I spent 23 years behind bars for something I didn’t do,” Inman reportedly said after leaving the Augusta State Medical Prison. “It took a really long time to fix, even though it was so clear I wasn’t guilty. I’m glad I get to finally go home, and I’m grateful to everyone who helped make that possible.”
Donna Brown, who was not related to the new incarcerated suspect, was shot dead in the parking lot of her restaurant. The killer made off with $1,700 in cash receipts and her car, which was later found with the critical piece of evidence in it, advocates said.

 “The hard part for the legal team ended on Monday,” Jess Cino, a law professor at Georgia State University who guided a student investigation into the case, told People Magazine.
“For Devonia, the hard part began Monday. Devonia lost 23 years of his life and he is going to have to start completely over, get to know his family, grieve those he lost while incarcerated, and adjust to a brand new life. He went to prison in 1998. Life in 2021 is very different.”

Inman’s road to freedom was slow and rocky despite “significant evidence supporting Devonia’s innocence and direct urging by leading justices of Georgia’s Supreme Court,” Georgia Innocence Project Executive Director Clare Gilbert said.
“It would be easy to say that justice was done in this case, but justice was very much delayed,” Cino told the magazine. “We’ve had the DNA results for 10 years, but courts kept slamming the door.”

2021 Big Brother Naija winner, Hazel Onou is popularly known as Whitemoney has been made an honorary member of the Liberian Senate.
This was made known during his visit to the West African country.
The 29-year-old businessman was also assigned an official car by the Liberian government.

Speaking during the conferment ceremony, a government official said that the BBN winner would be called during voting on important issues to ask for his contribution.
He also pinned an official brooch on Whitemoney and said “If any member of the Senate sees you, they’ll know you’re a member of the Liberian Senate.”