A 27-year-old carpenter, Lucky Philemon, who claims to be one of the protesters allegedly shot when soldiers dispersed protesters at Lekki tollgate on the evening of 20 October has appeared before the Lagos State Judicial panel.
The 27-year -old native of Kaduna State had submitted a petition against the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Police Force to the panel.
However, his case could not be heard as army officers invited by the panel over his petition were not present.
Philemon’s lead counsel, Wole Bamgbala, told the panel that the petitioner was part of the peaceful #EndSARS protesters at Lekki toll gate.
But he added that as a result of gunshot injury he sustained when soldiers were used to disperse the protesters, his left leg was amputated.
Chinedu Nwota another counsel to the petitioner, told journalists that Philemon was lucky to be alive.
He said after Philemon was shot, he fainted and woke up one hour after.
The lawyer added that Philemon was subsequently taken to Reddington hospital, Lekki, where his left leg was amputated by soldiers.
The lawyer said Philemon was admitted at the hospital on October 20 and discharged on November 23.
The lawyer added that Lagos State government footed his hospital bill.
The legal practitioner said Philemon wants financial support from the government and an artificial leg to enable him move around.
Justice Doris Okuwobi adjourned hearing of the petition to 8th January 2021.
Nigerian artistes Wizkid and Tems have made former US President Barack Obama’s list of ‘Favourite Music of 2020’.
In listing his favourite songs for this year, Obama is continuing an annual tradition.
In 2019, Grammy nominee Burna Boy and Mavin Records’ star Rema made the list with “Anybody” and “Iron man” respectively.
But the former Commander in Chief’s Nigerian pick for 2020 is Essence, a single from Wizkid’s “Made In Lagos” album in which he features Tems.
According to Obama’s list, the former president has a diversified taste, listening to music from various genres, such as pop, R&B, hip-hop, música urban and country music.
The list which was shared on Twitter, according to Obama is complied with “valuable consultation from our family music guru, Sasha” who seems to have a considerable influence on her famous father’s music choices.
See the full list of Barack Obama’s favorite music of 2020 below:
SAVAGE REMIX – Megan Thee Stallion ft. Beyoncé
LOVE IS THE KING – Jeff Tweedy
FRANCHISE- Travis Scott ft. Young Thug g M.I.A.
NADA- Lido Pimienta f. Li Saumet
CAN’T DO MUCH- Waxahatchee
THE BIGGER PICTURE- Lil Baby
GHOSTS- Bruce Springsteen
LEVITATING- Dua Lipa ft. DaBaby
THE CLIMB BACK – J. cole
REPEAT- J Hus ft. Koffee
DAMAGE- H.E.R.
GOODBYE JIMMY REED- Bob Dylan
SUMMER 2020- Jhené Aiko
BRAVE- Ruston Kelly
UWRONGO (EDIT)- Prince Kaybee, Shimza, Black Motion, and Ami Faku
BETTER DISTRACTIONS – Faye Webster
LEMONADE- Internet Money ft. Don Toliver, Gunna, and NAV
A former Big Brother Naija contestant and social media influencer, Natasha Akide, popularly known as Tacha, would not forget her disqualification from the reality TV show in a hurry.
Recounting the sad experience on her YouTube channel, Tacha stated that though it was a low moment for her, God elevated her.
She said, “On September 27, 2019, I was disqualified from Big Brother Naija. That was a very low moment for me, having almost got to the finals and being dropped. Getting disqualified was one of the low moments of my life. I felt down.
There were times I would be all by myself and start crying that I almost got to the last day of the show. It really shook me and a lot of people. But, I got elevated somehow, and I still don’t know how that happened.
There is a stigma behind getting disqualified but I am still doing well a year later. I consider that to be a huge elevation. Some people have gone through such moments in their lives and still have not been able to get back on their feet. For me, it was a different ball game.
Tacha also stated that a year after her disqualification, things started getting tough for her again. She added, “Few people in my circle started acting awkward. Things just started getting hard from around that same time this year and I could not understand why. Things were getting harder and the people in my circle were acting in a certain way.
“Who would have thought this little girl from a rural area in Port Harcourt could be the one that many people look up to? I am a living testimony that God is good.”
Davido, through his manager, Asa Asika, refuted claims that he snubbed Cynthia Morgan.
Davido’s response became necessary after Cynthia Morgan turned Madrina accused him of ignoring her calls and messages despite asking her to reach out to him earlier in the year.
“Cynthia Morgan call me,” he wrote, adding in another post that “Tell Cynthia l got an anthem for her… I’ll record my verse now.”
Davido dropped the tweets in May after Cynthia had provoked controversies on social media baring lurid details of her feud with Jude Okoye, CEO of Northside Entertainment, her former label.
However, Cynthia in a recent interview said: “After the interview that I had with Sandra, I did see a tweet where David said ‘Cynthia call Me’ and I did call David but he didn’t take his calls. Sent messages on WhatsApp but he didn’t reply them.”
The gifted dancehall artiste who unfollowed days later added that “It’s just a long story actually…but l don’t know. Even the record he sent, I made a demo verse of the record and it’s been like three months we’ve not heard anything from David.”
Cynthia Morgan’s manager, Muyiwa Babalola also stated that “She (Cynthia) personally reached out to David, as requested, by putting a phone call through, no one picked up the call. She also followed up with a message on WhatsApp, still no response.
“She had wanted to meet with David so they could both deliberate on the type of music that would be perfect for both parties; she was game for whatever they both eventually decided was best. She was hoping they would meet, talk and allow a synergy that could birth an organic content.
“But then again, after several attempts to reach Davido directly, she thought it was better she just did a demo verse first, which she did and had it sent across to the Davido camp. It’s over three months now, we are yet to hear anything from Davido directly or any of his representatives.”
However, Davido’s manager, Asa Asika, in an interview with Punch stated that Cynthia Morgan was lying against Davido and chasing ‘clout’.
Asika acknowledged that both singers had a song that was meant to be on Davido’s recent album, A Better Time, but it was dropped because it was ‘not good enough’
“I don’t have time for such people. She knows that is not the truth. She knows she is lying and that is a lie. All these people are looking for clout; she is looking for who she would use to shine again. She is not serious because she knows that is not what the case is.
He continued, “I know that David sent her a song that she recorded. So, how did David send her the song if they did not communicate? It is one of the songs that we didn’t use for the album. She recorded her verse and sent it back to us. The song was recorded some months ago.”
Asika further revealed why the song was dropped by Davido, saying, “She is notorious for talking nonsense, so, let her talk if she wants. The song that she recorded with David, how did she get the song? Is it abracadabra? We probably will not push out the song after all she has said.
“I actually do not like her verse. That is actually one of the reasons why we have not used the song. I personally do not like the song and I told David that I did not like it.”
Nigeria reported six new COVID-19 related deaths on Saturday, taking the death toll to 1,218.
The NCDC also reported 920 new cases of COVID-19, more than the 850 posted on Friday and far from the existing record of 1,145 cases.
The new figure has taken the overall cases to 77,933.
According to data released by NCDC, Lagos accounted for 308 cases, a third of the new cases announced.
The upsurge in the COVID-cases in Nigeria’s commercial capital has justified the restrictions announced Friday by Governor Sanwo-Olu.
The governor has also contracted the virus and is undergoing treatment.
Abuja posted the second highest figure of 207, after Lagos.
Kaduna was next in line with 179 cases.
According to the data, the active cases are now 8,931, while the discharged people are 67,784.
“Our discharges today include 115 community recoveries in Kaduna State and 104 community recoveries in Lagos State managed in line with guidelines”, the NCDC stated.
The Lagos State Safety Commission has sealed off the multi-billion naira Cubana nightclub house in the government reservation area, of Ikeja, and other facilities for non-compliance to the State Government COVID-19 protocols.
According to Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Governor of Lagos State on New Media, Gawat Jubril who revealed this on social media, people disobeying the COVID-19 protocols were also ordered out of the premises by the security agencies.
A fire outbreak at the Zamfara State College of Education, Maru, has razed a female hostel in the school, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) has learnt.
Registrar of the college, Dr. Abdullahi Haruna told NAN in Gusau on Saturday, that the fire incident occurred last Thursday, while one of the students was cooking food over a kerosene stove.
He said that a block of female hostels comprising 20 rooms was completely destroyed by the fire.
“Students’ items comprising clothes, documents, bedding materials and other valuable items, worth millions of naira, were also lost to the fire.
“We thank God that no loss of lives or casualties were recorded, the school management has provided relief materials to the students,” the Registrar explained.
He appealed to the students to remain calm and consider the incident as act of God, while calling on governments at all levels to assist the students that were affected by the fire incident.
The registrar dismissed the suggestion that some unknown gunmen were responsible for setting the hostel on fire, describing the information as the work of mischief makers that should be disregarded by the public.
Jupiter and Saturn, the two largest planets in the solar system, will appear side by side in the sky Monday night for the first time in almost 800 years.
The titanic planets “will appear just a tenth of a degree apart,” which is equivalent to the thickness of a dime, according to NASA.
NASA added that sky watchers could get a glimpse of the two planets and their moons through binoculars or a small telescope.
The event, called the “Great Conjuncture” will occur on the winter solstice, the longest night of the year.
The last time Jupiter and Saturn had such a close pairing was in July 1623.
Nigerian actor, Sam Ajibola Spiff stunned his fans as he releases pre-wedding photos.
Samuel Ajibola and his wife Sandra Adanna held their traditional wedding held on January 6 in Awka, Anambra state. They are now set for the last lap of their wedding ceremony.
The Comic actor better known as Spiff, took to Instagram to share pre-wedding photos of himself and his bride-to-be and congratulatory messages are already pouring in.
A Texas hospital is under fire after eagle-eyed viewers claimed the Covid vaccine healthcare workers received on TV appeared to be fake.
Camera crews were invited to the University Medical Center of El Paso to capture five of its front-line workers get the coveted coronavirus vaccine.
Videos on social media showing paramedic Ricardo Martinez getting the supposed shot raised concerns among skeptical viewers who noticed that the syringe was already pushed down.
“Clearly that syringe was EMPTY and the plunger was already down. Where’s the bandaid? Yeah, nice try! We are not fooled!” Facebook user Barbara Siira wrote.
“Syringe is empty, the guy didn’t push the syringe at all, bad acting,” viewer Aaron Isaac Hernandez wrote.
“Just for show. I’m definitely not taking this now,” wrote another Facebook user.
After the press conference, Martinez said he was proud he got vaccinated.
“At least I feel like I could do my job with ease,” he said, according to FOX14.
UMC admitted one of its workers didn’t receive the entire vaccine and that a second shot was administered to erase any doubt.
Nollywood actor Demola Olatunji celebrates wife Oluwabukola Awoyemi, aka Arugba as she clocks a new age today.
Damola Olatunji (De-Emperor) took to his instagram page to celebrate his wife.
Damola shared a happy family photo and wrote:
“Someone is +1 today and we can’t just keep quiet. Despite the fact that we respect your decision to keep it low this year, looking back at how loving, caring, and wonderful you are. We want you to know that you are worth been celebrated every day, every hour.
“ANIKE OLUWABUKOLA OREOFE ELEYINJUEGE ADUMAADAN EYINFUNJOWO IBADIARAN MAMA IBEJI .
From TAIWO, KEHINDE AND DAMOLA, WE LOVE YOU AND YOU ARE THE BEST. happy birthday OYAM.”
The forum of next of kin/widows to late retired primary School teachers in Akwa Ibom State, on Friday, staged a peaceful protest over the delay in the payment of their entitlements, which according to them amounted to over N5.2billion.
The protesters comprising mainly widows and children of deceased retired primary school teachers said the gratuities and the 7.5% contributory pensions of their deceased fathers/husbands which have been bequeathed onto them by virtue of being the next of kin, has remained unpaid over five years of getting clearance and undergoing various screenings.
The protesters displayed various placards with inscriptions such as: “empty promises are too much, pay entitlements of widows/next of kin of late primary school teachers, don’t take from widows etc.”
Addressing the Press, the Vice Chairman of the group, Godwin Usoh alleged that since the inception of the current administration, no primary school teacher in the State, both the living and the dead had been paid gratuity despite their efforts.
Usoh recalled that in September 2020, some government officials had approached them and pleaded with them not to embark on protest, that their entitlements would be paid in 3weeks, but government failed to keep to that promise till date.
According to him, “We are here today on a peaceful protest to the government house on the non payment of gratuity of our late parents and we have been on this struggle since 2015.
“We have been pleading that government should be sympathetic to the feelings of widows and orphans.
“I remember when the state government received the first tranche of the Paris Club Fund, we were told that part of that money would be used to settle next of kin, but that was not done, this indicates that government is not sincere.
“Sometime in 2016, some of us were even arrested here while on a peaceful protest. We were charged to court and after one year we were acquitted and released. But we are determined to continue this struggle until government listened to us. Today, we will sleep and dine with government here. If death comes, we will die here honourably in front of this government house gate.”
Also speaking, the Secretary, Mr. Benjamin Benson lamented that despite the intervention of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Akwa Ibom State Council, the current administration refused to address their demand.
His words, “Since 2015 when governor Udom Emmanuel became the governor of Akwa Ibom State no retired primary School teacher living or dead has been paid gratuity. What the living retirees receive is monthly pension.
“We were screened in 2018 after several other screenings. We had expected that after the 2018 screening the money would have been paid but that didn’t happen”
Similarly, Mr. Bassey Okon, state Chairman of Action Alliance Party Akwa Ibom State said it was painful that his mother who retired as a Primary School teacher since 2007, died in 2009, without receiving her gratuity.
He stressed, “It is a painful thing for someone to work for government for 35years without receiving his or her gratuity while alive. And we have done screening concerning this next of kin matter for about 26 times, yet nothing has been done. It is sad.”
The Academic Board of Kogi State Polytechnic has expelled 34 students for exam misconduct, cultism and certificate forgery.
This was contained in a statement issued by Head, Public Relations and Protocol Unit of the institution, Uredo Omale.
At a meeting held on Thursday, the management considered reports of various committees and approved the expulsion of the 34 students. The expelled students were from different schools and departments of the institution.
The board also approved the graduation of 959 students from various schools and departments as recommended by the result verification committee.
Some of the expelled students were part of the “Examination Magic Centre” syndicate, recently uncovered by the Institution at the Sarkin Noma area in Lokoja metropolis.
According to the report, the ‘magic centre’ was organized by one Ibrahim Ayatu, a HND II student of the Department of Accountancy and one Ayeni Clement, an ex student of the Polytechnic.
The Board approved that Ayatu be expelled from the institution, while Ayeni remains banned from entering the Polytechnic until further notice. Similarly, one Ekele Hassan, HND I Industrial Design (Graphics) who is also a staff of the Polytechnic was expelled for being caught with an already answered booklet.
In addition, Alih Kemalu and Isah Habib from the Department of Public Administration were expelled for their involvement in cultism while Nda Zubairu, a HND II student of the Department of Science Laboratory Technology was also expelled for forgery of National Diploma (ND) Statement of Result from the Federal Polytechnic Idah which he used to secure HND admission into the Kogi State Polytechnic.
Emmanuel Oluwaseun Ojo, a HND II student of the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources Engineering was also expelled for being in possession of dangerous weapons, which he attempted to use against his fellow student.
Dancehall star Cynthia Morgan in an interview with Hip TV has called out Davido for ignoring her after he publicly sent out a note asking her to call him.
Though she said he recorded a verse and sent to her, she did same and sent back to him and afterwards, he has ignored her on all platforms.
Recall Cynthia Morgan had said she was bankrupt and launched a GoFundMe project for her musical comeback. During that period, Davido in a tweet, asked Cynthia Morgan to call him as many speculated that Davido might help her get back in to the music industry.
The rapper apologizes to Rihanna after backing Chris Brown's actions in 2009 assault against the pop star
Eminem and Rihanna, 32, have been longtime collaborators through the years, even jointly landing the No. 1 spot on the Billboard rap singles chart in 2010 for their smash hit, "Love the Way You Lie." The dynamic duo are also one-time tour mates, after successfully completing their 2014 Monster tour.
But in 2019, a previously unreleased verse by Eminem was leaked, in which he was heard saying, "Of course I side with Chris Brown / I'd beat a bitch down too," Entertainment Weekly reports. (Brown pleaded guilty to felony assault and was sentenced to five years probation and community service following the 2009 altercation with then-girlfriend Rihanna.)
Eminem's sentiments were shocking to many fans, as the pair had previously teamed up on several incredibly popular music projects and were considered friends. At the time, Eminem's rep Dennis Dennehy said in a statement, per EW, "After Eminem recorded it, he scrapped it and rewrote it."
This time around, Eminem acknowledges his past behavior on "Zeus." He rhymes about the controversial line: "Long as I re-promise to be honest / And wholeheartedly, [I give to] apologies, Rihanna / For that song that leaked / I'm sorry, Ri / It wasn't meant to cause you grief / Regardless, it was wrong of me."
Kate Ferdinand has welcomed her first child with husband Rio.
The former TOWIE star, 29, gave birth to a baby boy on Friday, just days before Christmas, after initially sharing their baby news in June earlier this year.
New mother Kate is said to have given birth to their baby son on Friday 18 December, a source told Ok! Online.
Rio and Kate are already father and stepmother to children Lorenz, 13, Tate, 11, and Tia, nine, from his marriage to his late wife Rebecca Ellison.
Kate Ferdinand gives birth to first child with husband Rio Ferdinand
The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, Friday expressed confidence that Nigeria would soon start manufacturing vaccines, with the upgrading of existing laboratories across the country.
She disclosed that achieving the ISO 9001 in June 2019, which is the world’s most recognised Quality Management System (QMS) standard, places the country in good standing to strive to get to maturity level three, which enables the country manufacture its own vaccines.
Adeyeye also noted that the Agency is leveraging technology to trace vaccines, especially when the covid-19 vaccines arrives the country. She explained that this will enable it track and trace vaccines received, to ensure that they are safe and monitored for adverse reactions on patients.
Speaking during the NAFDAC’s Staff Recognition Award Ceremony for 2019 and 2020, where serving and retired staff were awarded for excellence and dedication, Prof. Adeyeye said, “NAFDAC is a leading national regulator in Africa. The Agency is driven by international standards and best practices.
“Our new normal started three years ago when we started quality management system that now makes us to focus more on the customers, the image of the organisation in order to ensure that we are a standard operating procedure-driven organisation. This led us to achieving ISO 9001 in 2019 June. We moved on to the global benchmarking where we adopted international best practices and we are still adopting international best practices.
“With regards to the establishment of the World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) global benchmarking and adoption of international best practices, we want to get to maturity level three so that Nigeria can manufacture her own vaccines, and we are all working on this every day.
“We are upgrading the agency’s laboratories to international standards using equipment that are compliant to ISO 17025. NAFDAC laboratories are changing very rapidly with improvements in new equipment and supplies.
“Our four laboratories that were accredited before I came have received re-accreditation. We have also gotten a new lab – the Yaba Biologies and Vaccines Lab accredited for the first time. And our two other labs will be accredited very soon.”
South Africa’s Basic Education Minister, Angie Motshega disclosed that almost 1,500 teachers died of the novel coronavirus.
An estimate of 1,493 teachers succumbed to the virus this year.
The minister said the 2020 academic year was most challenging due to the disruption caused by the pandemic.
“At this point, I also want to acknowledge the fact that during those difficult times, we lost almost 1,493 teachers. We lost a number of our workers. We lost a number of district officials, circuit officials,” she told a news briefing.
”In spite of this, the 2021 academic year would start on Jan. 25 with teachers and pupils returning to the classroom on Jan. 27.
She said a three-year recovery plan would be implemented to deal with 2020’s disruptions.
“The unintended learning losses occurred due to extended closure of schools. Remember some of the learners only came in September,” Motshega said.
Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, has apologised for saying only 10 students were abducted from Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State.
Shehu had told the BBC Hausa Service that only 10 boys were with the bandits while the Katsina State Governor, Aminu Masari, said 333 students were abducted when gunmen on motorcycles attacked the school last Friday.
The abduction of the students took place some hours after the President arrived in Daura, Katsina for a week-long private visit.
Masari, however, announced on Thursday that 344 schoolboys were released by the bandits in Zamfara State, a number slightly higher than his initial statistic.
While Nigerians delight in the news of the released schoolboys, the presidential aide has, however, come under fire for allegedly trivialising the number of abducted students.
But Shehu, who said he was misled by persons who should know better, apologised to all Nigerians over his comment.
He tweeted, “I apologise for the incorrect communication citing that only 10 students were kidnapped at the science school, Kankara.
“This communication of numbers was provided by persons that should ideally know. These numbers were seen to conflict with what was available at that time.
“Please understand that this communication was in no way done to downplay the seriousness of the situation.
“Please accept my sincere apologies on this matter as we continue to move our great Nation Nigeria forward. Thank you.”
