Jose Peseiro will be replaced as Nigeria's head coach by former international Finidi George. After the Portuguese left the Super Eagles following Nigeria's loss to Ivory Coast in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations final in February, the 53-year-old was given temporary leadership of the team. George, who is also the club team's coach, supervised two friendlies last month. His team defeated Ghana 2-1 before falling to Mali 2-0. Following the approval of a suggestion from its technical and development committee, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) officially announced its appointment on Monday. 

George, a former winger for Ajax and Real Betis, assisted Peseiro for 20 months and is anticipated to stay in command of Enyimba till the end of the current campaign. Under his leadership, the team won the Nigerian championship last year. George was a member of the 'Golden Generation' that won the Nations Cup in 1994, the year the Super Eagles made their debut in the USA at the Fifa World Cup. George scored six goals in 62 international appearances for Nigeria. He will be under pressure to provide wins quickly because Nigeria's next two games in June are two potentially important World Cup qualifiers that will also take place in North America in 2026. 

After drawing their opening two games in Group C, the three-time continental winners Super Eagles need to get their season back on track. The game against Benin on neutral ground and the match at home against South Africa have been designated as "must-win encounters" by the NFF. George is said to have defeated Emmanuel Amuneke, a former teammate of the Super Eagles, and Domenec Torrent, a Spaniard who served as Pep Guardiola's coach and analyst at Manchester City, in the race for one of the most prominent positions in African football. The duration of his contract has not been disclosed by the NFF. 

George, one of the greatest wingers in Nigerian history, had a dazzling career both at the club and international levels. After joining Ajax in 1993, he won three league titles with them. In 1995, he also won the Intercontinental Cup, Uefa Champions League, and Uefa Super Cup with the Dutch powerhouses. Spells with Betis, where he finished second in the Copa del Rey in 1997, Mallorca, and Ipswich Town in England came next. However, he also achieved many things with the Super Eagles after making his international debut in 1991 against Burkina Faso.

George scored the goal that qualified Nigeria for the 1994 World Cup and later assisted in setting up the first goal ever scored by his nation in the final match against Bulgaria. He was also a member of the team that competed in the French competition in 1998. George was a member of the teams that placed second in 2000, won bronze in 1992, and took home the Nations Cup championship in 1994 as Nigeria defeated Zambia 2-1.

 After taking over at Enyimba, the most successful club in Nigeria, in 2021, he helped the team win the league two years later, giving them their first championship in four years. Super Eagles anticipate a fresh look under George Finidi George's selection by the NFF is not shocking, even if Emmanuel Amuneke was a strong contender to succeed Jose Peseiro and a favorite of the supporters. 

Despite uneven results, the new coach passed the exam in the recent friendlies against West African rivals Ghana and Mali. Now, George has to live up to some lofty expectations. The 2026 World Cup qualifiers are the first event to be played, and they are much more significant since that the Super Eagles were not selected for the previous finals in Qatar. George's job will be to assemble a side that can win a fourth Nations Cup championship, surpassing this year's second-place result in Ivory Coast. 

Known for being a dynamic winger during his playing career, he is anticipated to introduce a fresh approach to the game by managing the quality group he has at his disposal and developing players in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL). George will keep juggling his responsibilities as head coach of the national team and the reigning NPFL winners Enyimba, who are now second in the standings with six games left. 

Meanwhile, Super Eagles supporters will argue about the NFF's continued disregard for Amuneke. With players like Victor Osimhen and Samuel Chukwueze, who are now essential members of the senior side, the 1994 African Player of the Year led Nigeria to victory in the Under-17 World Cup in 2015. The former forward for Barcelona also helped Tanzania earn a spot in the 2019 Nations Cup. 

A recent French story has highlighted Neymar's difficult time at PSG, including his arguments with teammates and his alleged loss of Kylian Mbappe's respect. Neymar ended his tenure at the Parc des Princes last summer after six years with the French powerhouses, having secured a lucrative transfer to Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia. Some have said that the 32-year-old Brazilian international fell short of expectations during his time at PSG, and a shocking new article from L'Equipe has exposed the reasons why.

 The report claims that several alarming occurrences contributed to Neymar's final exit from the team. They talked to PSG employees and former players, who said that "at the end of his adventure, he sometimes showed up drunk at training."

Neymar dealt with similar accusations back in 2022, following a French journalist's remark that the Brazilian 'hardly trains anymore, he arrives in a sad state, nearly intoxicated.' The insider also revealed an alleged altercation between Neymar and one of the assistant coaches that occurred during Christophe Galtier's tenure with the team during training.

Neymar struck youth player Ismael Gharbi shortly after during the training, according to a witness, and then delivered a "blow to the head." They declared: "While he was on the ground, Neymar grabbed him and struck him in the head with a brush." All were taken aback. Ultimately, he wasn't all that pleasant. The publication further stated that Neymar was the driving force behind a brawl involving Sergio Ramos, Achraf Hakimi, and Lionel Messi on the training field.

According to the source, Messi and Hakimi fought before the Brazilian stood up to console his former Barcelona teammate. This was reported to L'Equipe. Ramos is reported to have calmed things down fast by telling Neymar, "If you get up, I'll come." The insider continued by describing how Neymar's connection with Kylian Mbappe, which was supposed to propel PSG to the top of the European league, finally soured. "Kylian liked Neymar at first, but after working with him every day, he lost the respect he had for him," a PSG staff member stated.

On the other hand, Neymar and Lionel Messi expressed displeasure upon realizing that the club had given Kylian the vehicle keys. Messi would say hello to you despite his introversion. "Not the Neymar. You got the feeling that he didn't think you were worthy. He declined to speak. It's unfortunate since he appears like a kind and giving person in private. He was never warm or friendly to me. He didn't try to speak French, even though he comprehended it.

Despite having the drive to play for his country, the Brazilian was 'fed up' with local football, according to the same source. Social media fans were startled to see Neymar on video playing online poker during his daughter's celebration earlier this week. The Al-Hilal celebrity and his former partner Bruna Biancardi brought their daughter Mavie into the world last year, and they just celebrated her six-month birthday.

"I have developed an intense love for the game since I started playing during the 2014 World Cup."I play aggressively when I play poker. My favorite hands are Jack-Five and a pair of tens, which I named after my shirt number. Poker and football have similarities in the ways you read your opponent and your play to decide when to attack. "I used to play it a lot while with Barcelona, and we play often at PSG," the player said. Neymar has not yet responded to the L'Equipe claims.

After purchasing a sizable share in FC Como's women's squad, Eniola Aluko became the first African American woman to own a club in Italy,  Aluko was born in Lagos, Nigeria, in 1987, but when she was still a baby, her parents relocated to England. Eventually, she became a naturalized English citizen, rejected Nigeria, and began playing for the women's team. The 37-year-old was a winger for Charlton Athletic, Birmingham City, Chelsea, Atlanta Beat, and Juventus, among other teams. In addition, she made 102 appearances for the Three Lionesses, which helped them win silver in the 2009 Euros and bronze in the World Cup of 2015.

After ending her football career in 2020, Aluko engaged in several other pursuits. Before quitting her jobs last year, the former England Lioness held the roles of sporting director at Angel City and director of women's football at Aston Villa. Recently, she has also worked as a pundit. According to a recent update on her X page, Aluko joined Mercury 13, a $100 million ownership group that purchased the majority of FC Como, to become the first African woman to own a team in Italy.

Como Women just had its founding in 2020, and its stadium can hold 3,700 people. They presently compete in the Italian Serie A's top division. Sone Aluko, a former Super Eagles footballer, has a sister named Eniola Aluko.

After the organization revealed reward money to gold medalists at the greatest sporting event of the year, Nigerian Olympians Chioma Ajunwa and Enefiok Udo-Obong feel the World Athletics has made a great stride and is headed in the right direction, according to PUNCH Sports Extra. The two former sprinters added that they hoped other international sports organizations would follow World Athletics' lead and that the action would improve competitiveness in the athletics competitions in Paris.

There will be 48 athletics competitions in Paris, and the gold medal winners in relay races will split the prize money. World Athletics said on Wednesday that the international governing body has made available a total prize fund of $2.4 million for the Olympics in Paris this summer. The gold medallists would get $50,000 (N62 million).

It was also mentioned that this would also apply to the silver and bronze medal winners at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. "It's a great step for them to announce that there will be rewards for gold medallists but I would have loved them to give a token to other athletes who make the podium," said Ajunwa, the first-ever gold medallist from Nigeria in an interview with PUNCH Sports Extra.

The first time this happens, so Udo-Obong says, "It's a good move. It should be encouraged, but I also hope that international federations emulate the World Athletics by supporting their athletes at the Olympics."Professionals now compete in the Olympics, so gone are the days when people said it was all about amateurism. It makes sense for players to receive certain incentives because the TV money is also there. Lord Coe, president of World Athletics, described the choice as a "pivotal moment."

Coe stated, "We are committed to empowering the athletes and acknowledging the critical role they play in the success of any Olympic Games. The introduction of prize money for Olympic gold medallists is a pivotal moment for World Athletics and the sport of athletics as a whole." "I believe it is important we start somewhere and ensure some of the revenues generated by our athletes at the Olympic Games are directly returned to those who make the Games the global spectacle, even though it is impossible to put a marketable value on winning an Olympic medal or on the commitment and focus it takes even to represent your country at an Olympic Games."

The Lagos–Calabar Coastal Road Atiku erred once more – President Atiku Abubakar has been under fire from the Presidency, which claims that in his most recent public remarks about the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the former vice president showed a lack of comprehension. In a statement released on Sunday, Atiku, the opposition PDP's nominee for president in the general elections of 2023, attacked the Bola Tinubu-led government over the road project. Despite raising worries about the expense of the 700km road project, Paul Ibe, his media advisor, signed a statement on his behalf pointing out that the project lacked transparency. The message also inquired about the project's anticipated completion date.

In response to the statement, the Presidency noted that Atiku had failed to distinguish between the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Rail and the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway in his fruitless search for weaknesses in President Tinubu's administration. Bayo Onanuga is President Tinubu's special adviser on information and strategy.

In the statement made public on Monday, Mr. Onanuga stated that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway has received a great deal of praise for the significant economic impact it will have and for changing the game in terms of raising Nigerians' standard of living, particularly in the nine coastal states where it will pass. Significantly, the route will greatly strengthen the economies of agriculture and tourism.

Mr. Onanuga asserts that the administrations of former Presidents Muhammadu Buhari and Goodluck Jonathan never gave contracts for the construction of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway to any company at any revised or variable amount, despite the assertions made in Atiku's endorsed press release. Therefore, the cost comparison issue is avoided. Lagos-Calabar Coastal Rail was the winner of the contract. The rail was intended to be a component of the national rail network using standard gauge.

For $11.17 billion, the contract was given on August 4, 2021, by the Federal Executive Council, which was chaired by Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, the former vice president. The six-year deal was supposed to be finished. The endeavor was not successful. The coastal train project between Lagos and Calabar has long been planned. The fact that it failed to take off during the 16 years the PDP-led administration was in power was further evidence of its incompetence. There are two different projects: the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Rail and the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway. Regretfully, the former Vice President's understanding of the two programs is unclear.

President Tinubu deserves appreciation for his audacity in taking on this revolutionary endeavor rather than being demonized, as Atiku Abubakar tried in vain to do. Ad banner 728x90_2 by Dangote (1) We are aware that, despite his late age, Atiku Abubakar will stop at nothing to fulfill his unwavering dream of becoming president of Nigeria. But we don't anticipate a former Nigerian vice president to carry on sowing seeds of discord and engaging in polarizing politics as he ages. Ignorant of the significant influence that the Coastal route would have on the movement of goods into and out of industrial zones, Atiku questioned the decision to begin construction on the route from Lagos rather than Calabar.

We don't know what the former vice president is trying to accomplish with this claim. Is it not common knowledge that a trip of a thousand miles starts with a single step? Whatever the project's starting point—Lagos, Calabar, Warri, Sapele—any patriotic Nigerian should be pleased that this significant undertaking, which has been in the works for several decades, is now moving forward. As a leader and patriot, President Tinubu will keep advancing national development by advancing infrastructure throughout the nation. We urge former Vice President Atiku to fulfill his obligations as an assumed statesman and to stop wasting time on activities that don't further the cause of nation-building.

If the Acting National Chairman Umar Ililya Damagum does not step down right now, no less than sixty members of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in the House of Representatives have vowed to quit the organization.

Among other things, they demanded that he be replaced right away by a member of the North Central by the party's constitution.  The members charged Damagum with giving the All Progressives Congress (APC) control over the PDP's leadership structure.

Ikenga observed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would not be in office now if he had not been steadfast in his opposition throughout the years.  They stated that before totally ruining the celebration, Damagun needed to leave. The MPs threatened to quit the PDP and join other political parties if their demands were not granted.

10 lessons from Great at Work

1.         Give the rest to others and concentrate on your abilities. Determine your key talents and concentrate on your strongest areas of expertise. Give more difficult or seasoned people responsibility for different duties.

2.         Say no to commitments that don't align with your priorities. Refusing demands is acceptable, even if they are made by your supervisor or clients. Prioritize your work and focus on the tasks that are most important to you and your team.

3.         Take breaks throughout the day. Get up and move around every 20-30 minutes to avoid burnout and stay focused. Take longer breaks for lunch and at the end of the day to recharge and come back refreshed.

4.         Get rid of all the distractions in your office. Go to a quiet workspace, turn off your phone, and shut down your email. You'll be able to concentrate better and produce more as a result.

5.         Establish reasonable objectives for your group and yourself. Avoid trying to take on too much at once as this will only lead to disappointment. Divide complicated activities into smaller, more doable segments.

6.         Make use of modern technologies. A plethora of tools and resources are at your disposal to facilitate more productive work. When feasible, automate chores and learn how to make the most of these technologies.

7.         Use delegation well. Be explicit about your expectations when assigning jobs, and make sure you give the required assistance. Make sure the jobs are being completed on time by checking in frequently and giving comments.

8.         Establish rapport with your coworkers. Having positive working connections with your coworkers can increase productivity and enjoyment at work. Try to establish a connection with your coworkers by getting to know them.

9.         Look after your own needs. Eat well, get enough sleep, and work out frequently. Taking care of yourself will make you more effective and productive at work.

10.       Honor your accomplishments. Spend some time appreciating all of your successes, no matter how tiny. This will support your motivation and goal-focused persistence. You may realize your full potential and learn how to work smarter—rather than harder—by paying attention to these teachings.

Trump attempts to take away the co-founders of Truth Social, his social media platform, by suing them. The lawsuit, filed on March 24 in a Florida state court, claimed that two of Trump's "The Apprentice" competitors, Andy Litinsky and Wes Moss, had neglected to promptly find a merger partner and establish an appropriate governance structure for Trump Media & Technology Group Corp. Donald Trump, the former president of the United States, is suing the co-founders of Truth Social, his social networking platform, claiming that their early mismanagement should have resulted in the loss of their shares in the now-public firm.

The lawsuit, filed on March 24 in a Florida state court, claimed that two of Trump's "The Apprentice" competitors, Andy Litinsky and Wes Moss, had neglected to promptly find a merger partner and establish an appropriate governance structure for Trump Media & Technology Group Corp. It wasn't until a Bloomberg article on Tuesday that the complaint received attention. Litinsky and Moss, who earlier sued Trump in Delaware Chancery Court, alleging the former president attempted to dilute their shares, appear to be pushing back against Trump, according to the Washington Times.

At least on paper, Trump's wealth increased by billions of dollars as a result of Truth Social's merger and newly listed shares. The stock has fluctuated since it dropped more than 20% on Monday due to news of poor Truth Social income. Under lockup rules in the current purchase, Trump is unable to sell his stock in the firm for six months, but he may use the windfall to settle future legal bills.

Following the merging of Trump Media & Technology Group, the parent business of the Truth Social platform, and a shell firm called Digital World Acquisition Corp. in late March, Trump filed the lawsuit. After protracted delays at the center of Trump's lawsuit against partners in Truth Social—the platform the three founded after Trump was barred from major social media for his statements on the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol—the merger was successful.

As Forbes reveals the cryptocurrency heavyweights, Changpeng Zhao, the founder and former CEO of the exchange Binance, has been named the wealthiest person in the industry for the third consecutive year. Zhao, sometimes referred to as CZ, is now the 50th wealthiest person in the world with an estimated net worth of $33 billion, up from $10.5 billion the previous year. Forbes revealed that CZ, who is now the highest cryptocurrency gainer in terms of dollars since last year, gained most of his wealth via his controlling share in Binance, which continues to be the industry's largest global trading venue by volume, despite pleading guilty to U.S. money laundering charges in November.

Now that the formal crypto winter is over, the market has seen a notable upturn in value. The leading cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, has had an amazing rise, more than tripling in value in the last year. It peaked around $73,000 in March, the month when exchange-traded funds backed by bitcoin became permitted in the United States. The combined value of all active cryptocurrencies has increased by 170%, adding around $1.6 trillion to the market value in the same time frame, according to statistics from CoinGecko. Due to this increase in value, a brand-new class of billionaires called "crypto billionaires" has emerged.

At least 17 people have made it to the Forbes 2024 World's Billionaires list as a result of their cryptocurrency-related investments and business endeavors. These cryptocurrency billionaires claim a combined net worth of $93 billion, which is made up of their estimated holdings of private assets as well as publicly traded stocks. Compared to the nine cryptocurrency billionaires identified last year, whose combined fortune more than doubled from $37 billion, this is a considerable gain. The creator and former CEO of Binance, Changpeng Zhao, continues to be the richest person in cryptocurrency for the third year in a row. Zhao's net worth has soared to an estimated $33 billion, up from $10.5 billion the year before, while facing legal problems, including admitting guilt to US money laundering accusations in November.

His ownership of the majority of Binance, the biggest cryptocurrency exchange in the world based on trade volume, accounts for most of his income. The CEOs of MicroStrategy Michael Saylor and Coinbase Brian Armstrong are two more prominent winners. Saylor's estimated net worth increased to $4.4 billion from $760 million the year before as a result of MicroStrategy's significant bitcoin investments.

Armstrong's net worth has also increased significantly, from $2.2 billion to an estimated $11.2 billion, thanks to Coinbase's shares' remarkable performance, which has seen them more than triple in value over the last 12 months. Furthermore, newcomers like Giancarlo Devasini, Paolo Ardoino, Jean-Louis van der Velde, and Stuart Hoegner—all well-known shareholders of Tether, a contentious but extremely successful stablecoin issuer—are welcomed to Forbes' annual billionaires ranking. Along with well-known names like the Winklevoss twins, well-known venture capitalist Tim Draper, and Ripple co-founder Jed McCaleb, the list also highlights the increasing power and riches in the cryptocurrency space.

These are 2024's top 10 cryptocurrency millionaires 1. Changpeng Zhao's net worth is $33 billion (compared to $10.5 billion) and comes from Binance. His connection with Binance, the top cryptocurrency trading site, is the main source of his fortune. Zhao agreed to pay $200 million in fines as part of a settlement last year while facing legal challenges, including federal money laundering accusations brought by the Department of Justice and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

He also consented to resign as CEO of Binance, and after entering a guilty plea, he would not be allowed to work for the firm for three years. His wealth is still very much the same despite these losses. Zhao's estimated ownership share in Binance, based on company records and conversations with former staff members, is roughly 90% and is valued at $32.5 billion. With the largest trading volume worldwide, Binance is still the market leader in cryptocurrency exchanges. According to Forbes' calculations, Binance made over $9 billion in sales in the previous year.

Forbes used the price-to-sales multiple of publicly listed competitor Coinbase to calculate Binance's market worth. It then made additional adjustments for things like Binance's concentrated ownership, possible legal problems, and key-man risks related to Zhao's exit.

2.         Armstrong, Brian $11.2 billion in net worth (compared to $2.2 billion). Origin of riches: With an 18% investment in the firm, Coinbase Armstrong—who co-founded the company with Fred Ehrsam in 2013—has the highest individual ownership. With a market valuation of about $60 billion, the Bitcoin exchange's stock has risen by 50% so far this year and more than treble over the previous year. Armstrong has used an automatic 10b5-1 trading strategy to conduct transactions of Coinbase shares worth more than $170 million since November. Giancarlo Devasini, the third $9.2 billion is the net worth (down from $4 billion in July). Origin of riches: The Chief Financial Officer and biggest individual stakeholder of Tether, the biggest stablecoin issuer in the cryptocurrency space, is probably Tether Devasini. Stablecoins are a kind of cryptocurrency that is used as a means of exchange and are correlated with the value of the US dollar or other stable assets.

The business made $6.2 billion in earnings last year, mostly from increased interest rates on clients' collateral, with over 100 billion Tether tokens in circulation. Devasini is said to possess around 47% of Tether; Forbes valued the company using the average price-to-earnings ratio of several publicly traded mid-tier banks and asset managers.

4.        Saylor, Michael Net worth: $760 million compared to $4.4 billion. Money sources: Bitcoin, MicroStrategy Based on percentage increase, Saylor is the crypto millionaire with the highest gain within this year's group. In comparison to the previous year, the shares of MicroStrategy, the software company he established in the 1990s and recently turned into a Bitcoin investment platform, had increased by around 500%. Based on information provided by its Chief Financial Officer, the company now has almost 193,000 bitcoins, making it the largest corporate bitcoin holder in the world. Saylor's bitcoin holdings are also significant. He revealed in 2021 that he has 17,732 bitcoins, which he purchased at an average of $9,882 apiece.

He also announced at the beginning of the year that he was selling off around $200 million worth of MicroStrategy shares, which he is now doing.

5.         Ardoino Paolo $3.9 billion net worth as of July, up from $1.8 billion. The source of wealth is Tether Arduino is presently the CEO of Tether, serving as the company's spokesperson and purportedly owning 20% of the business. He first became a part of the Tether ecosystem in 2014 when he joined Bitfinex, an allied company, where he worked as a senior software developer. As a computer programmer, Arduino had valuable experience in startup environments during his previous employment.

6.         Van der Velde, Jean-Louis ($3.9 billion net worth as of July, up from $1.8 billion) Riches source: Tether Van der Velde, who once served as Tether's CEO, now serves as a symbolic leader in charge of managing Tether's vital connections with banks and government agencies. It is said that he owns about twenty percent of the business. When Van der Velde left the Netherlands in 1985 to pursue higher study in Taiwan, his adventure officially began. After completing his studies, he was instrumental in co-founding many IT and technology firms in Asia before joining Tether. He is currently a resident of Hong Kong.

7.         Larsen Chris's Net wealth increased to $3.2 billion from $2.2 billion. Wealth source: XRP and Ripple. Larsen was instrumental in the founding of Ripple in 2012, which sought to simplify international payments by employing the cryptocurrency XRP.

Even though Larsen stepped down as Ripple's CEO at the end of 2016, he remains still the company's executive chairman. According to current secondary market statistics that Forbes obtained, Larsen owns an 18% ownership share in Ripple, which is estimated by investors to be worth $3.8 billion. According to Forbes estimates, he also has a sizable reserve of XRP totaling more than 2.8 billion tokens, as well as close to $1 billion in cash and assets, most of which come from earlier XRP transactions.

8.         Fred Ehrsam Net wealth increased to $3.2 billion from $930 million. Riches from Coinbase and Paradigm Ehrsam and Brian Armstrong collaborated to launch Coinbase, a cryptocurrency exchange, in 2012. Ehrsam continues to control around 5% of the company's equity and holds a position on the board after leaving his operational role in 2017.

After working at Coinbase, Ehrsam co-founded Paradigm in 2018, a cryptocurrency investment company that currently manages more than $8 billion in assets.

9.         Roszak Matthew's Net wealth increased to $3.1 billion from $1.1 billion. Money source: Ethereum, Bitcoin Since he was an early follower of Bitcoin investing in 2010, Roszak's financial portfolio has mostly benefited from his earliest cryptocurrency ventures. His fortune is the result of his well-timed purchases in a variety of digital assets, including Ethereum and Binance's native coin, BNB. Furthermore, Bloq, a blockchain firm that specializes in investing in other cryptocurrency projects and offering consulting services for blockchain projects, is actively managed by Roszak. Coinbase has returned to profitability even though its revenue for the previous year was only $2.9 billion, down from $3.1 billion in 2022 and $7.8 billion in 2021—the last major spike in bitcoin prices. Coinbase produced a net income of $100 million in its most recent fiscal year while declaring a $2.6 billion financial loss in 2022.

10.       Jed McCaleb $2.9 billion is the net worth (vs. $2.4 billion) | XRP sales are the source of riches McCaleb was a trailblazer in the early days of cryptocurrencies and had a big impact on the development of the sector. In 2010, he established Mt. Gox, the first Bitcoin exchange, which was a turning point in the history of the industry. Even though he only sold the exchange a year later, his contributions helped to shape the development of trading in digital currencies.

Then, in 2012, McCaleb co-founded Ripple, although he left the firm soon after because of conflicts with his fellow founders. The majority of the 9 billion XRP coins he received as a co-founder of Ripple were sold, and this is how he made most of his money. In 2022, McCaleb brought a halt to his sales of XRP, thereby ending his association with the cryptocurrency. Further establishing McCaleb's clout in the blockchain arena was his 2014 founding of Stellar, a direct rival to Ripple. At the moment, he actively supports and promotes Vast, a space exploration firm, using his time and money.

The governing All Progressives Congress (APC) will use a direct primary to hold the shadow gubernatorial election in Ondo State on April 20. Before the primary, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) received a letter to this effect signed by Sen. Ajibola Basiru, the National Secretary, and Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the National Chairman.

Over the phone yesterday night in Abuja, our reporter was informed by Nze Chidi Duru, the Deputy National Organising Secretary, of the election's mode of conduct. When asked what kind of voting process the party will adopt for its Ondo State primary on April 20, the former member of the House of Representatives responded:

The Ondo State gubernatorial shadow poll is being conducted under the direct primary election process. "The party has chosen to use a direct election mode for the Ondo State shadow poll, as per the decision communicated in a letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) signed by the National Chairman and the National Secretary."

Two female candidates are running for Ondo State's APC governorship ticket. Through the selling of nomination and expression of interest forms, the party has received N720 million.

In anticipation of the April 20 governorship primary poll, which will choose the APC standard-bearer for the November 2024 Ondo State governorship election, sixteen candidates have selected their forms before yesterday's sale closing. The party received the money from two female candidates who paid N10 million each for the expression of interest form and 14 male candidates who selected the forms for N50 million apiece. Women and people with disabilities are excluded from paying the N40 million nomination form fee.

Commencing on March 27, the drill concluded yesterday. The current governor, Lucky Ayiedatiwa, and fifteen other people selected the expression of interest and nomination papers to run in the party's shadow election later this month, according to checks made at the Directorate of Organization for the party. The country learned that all but two of the candidates were men. The female candidates are Mrs. Funke Omogoroye Folakemi Judith and Funmilayo Mary Whaeed Adekojo, both are engineers.

Olusoji Adewale Ehinlanwo, Hon. Okunjimi Odimayo John, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, and Duerimini Isaacs Kekemeke, the APC National Vice Chairman (Southwest), are among the individuals who acquired the forms. The others are Morayo Lebi, a lawyer; Garvey Oladiran Iyanjan; Prof. Francis Adebayo Faduyile; Ifeoluwa Olusola Oyedele, an engineer (male); Chief Olusola Alexander Oke (SAN); Adewale Okumuyiwa Akinterinwa; and Olugbenga Omogbemi Edema. The candidates have until tomorrow to submit their completed application to the Organization Directorate. In advance of the local government congress, the 18 local governments are now revalidating their membership registrations.