Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, has urged Nigerians to bear with the CBN amid the ongoing Naira note scarcity.
The presidential candidate made this known in a statement via Twitter as the unrest for the new Naira note in Nigeria increases.
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According to Peter Obi, currency redesign always comes with stiff adjustments globally and the benefits in the long term are worth it.
He further advised the CBN and the Federal Government of Nigeria to make conscious efforts to ease the struggles of her citizens.
The currency redesign is not peculiar to Nigeria. It is an exercise that comes with some inconvenience and pain but it has significant longterm economic and social benefits. Even though there are improvements that can be made,
Tems, a well-known Nigerian Afrobeat singer, has been spotted with veteran international acts Jay Z and Beyonce ahead of the 2023 Grammy Awards.
TemsBeyonce
The 65th annual awards show will be held at the Crypto.com Arena (formerly the Staples Center) on February 6, 2023, and to be hosted by Trevor Noah.
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Tems was nominated for four Grammy Awards in 2023. Tems met and chatted with the power couple, Jay Z and Beyonce, at the Roc Nation Brunch in Los Angeles prior to the event.
DJ Khaled, Offset, Kelly Rowland, Lil Kim, Chloe, Halle, and more were spotted at the private bash.
Seyi Makinde, the governor of Oyo State, has announced the deployment of free Omituntun transport buses to alleviate the state’s people’s suffering from the twin crises of the naira and fuel scarcity that have befallen Nigerians in recent weeks.
Governor Seyi Makinde
Governor Seyi Makinde, who announced this in a statewide broadcast aired on the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS), said that the state government was ready to do whatever it can to alleviate the suffering of the masses.
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The governor, who frowned at the resort to violent protests by some residents of Ibadan earlier on Friday, said that while citizens are free to express their feelings peacefully, the government would not condone any resort to violence.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Taiwo Adisa, indicated that the governor also put all the security agencies operating in the state on high alert to avert any breakdown of law and order.
The statement also quoted the governor as urging the people to ensure they use their Permanent Voters Cards to usher in a responsible government in the forthcoming general election, adding that resorting to violence breeds other problems.
According to him, the Omituntun Mass Transit Buses would be deployed to more routes within the state for free, in order to ameliorate the suffering of the people.
The governor also said that the state was also working with Chairmen of local governments to provide immediate palliatives for the vulnerable people in order to alleviate the hardships that the twin scarcity of naira and fuel have brought upon them.
He urged all law-abiding citizens and residents of the state to go about their lawful activities peacefully.
The governor said: “My Dear Good People of Oyo State. I am addressing you today because of the prevailing conditions in our state and country that have led to protests and riots, especially in Ibadan.
“First, let me say that I understand the need for these protests. When citizens get pushed to the wall, there is only so much that they can take. “The continuous fuel scarcity and the scarcity of the naira have led to slow economic activities. I must repeat, I understand, and I feel your pain.
“I have always maintained that peaceful protests are fine. When things are not going how we want them to go, we have a right and even a responsibility to protest.
“Let me also state that while we are protesting, we must remember how easily a peaceful protest can turn violent and lead to the loss of lives and property.
The violence that erupted in parts of Ibadan today (Friday) is condemnable and will not be tolerated.
“In response to this, I have suspended all campaign activities forthwith. I have also met with the heads of security agencies in Oyo State to restore calm and maintain the peace in our dear state.
“Violence cannot and will not solve our problems, it only creates new ones. We have another opportunity in a few weeks to move this country in a new direction. Use your PVC, not violence.
“We must not allow elements within us who have other motives to take advantage of peaceful protests to perpetrate evil or push their agendas.
“I urge all law-abiding citizens and residents of the state to go about their lawful activities. All our security agencies are on high alert and so, peaceful residents of the state have no cause to fear.
“As a palliative measure, I have directed that the Omituntun Mass Transit Buses should be deployed to more routes within the state for free. “We are also working with Local Government Chairmen to see what immediate palliatives we can make available to the most vulnerable amongst us to alleviate the hardships that the twin scarcity of fuel and the naira have brought upon our people.
“Once again, we have another opportunity to put an end to oppressive systems and that is through the ballot. For now, I urge everyone to remain calm as we are doing our best to mitigate the hardships.”
The National Executive Council of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) plans to meet soon to discuss President Muhammadu Buhari’s government’s refusal to pay their members’ eight-month salary arrears.
ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, confirmed the development to the PUNCH on Saturday, February 4, 2023.
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He, however, explained that the date for the meeting has not been decided by the National Executive Council of the union.
“We (NEC) had met before now and reached resolutions but will meet again to decide on the next step to take, and when we do so, we will let the public know.
“But what I can assure you is that we will meet very soon, and take a decision on this issue of withheld salaries. The FG must pay up these debts. It is our right.
“We have given the government some time to see if there will be any improvement, but they have done nothing. We are collating reports from our members and will take action,” he said.
While lamenting the situation, he said lecturers in Nigerian universities were going through hard times.
“Our members are passing through difficult times while they are doing the same work the FG said they did not do and were not going to be paid for.
“We are doing all these in the interest of the country but this will not be forever. We will certainly meet very soon and take a proper decision at that meeting,” he added.
He said there was no headway on the discussions between the lecturers and the Federal Government, noting that the legal battle between them would continue in February.
Also speaking on the withheld salaries of lecturers, the ASUU Chairman, University of Lagos branch, Dr Dele Ashiru, said he was shocked that the Federal Government had yet to shift ground on the matter.
He also noted that the morale of lecturers at his university had become “very low.”
He said, “As I speak to you now, nothing has changed. Unfortunately, the Federal Government is still adamant. The morale of our members has become so low.
“If the people with the responsibility to develop human capacity for Nigeria, Africa and the world are treated this way, it then shows the premium that those who are governing us place on education.
“It is also not to worry because they cannot give what they don’t have. If we have leaders who are anti-intellectual, they cannot have respect for intellectualism nor honour those who engage in that trade. What is certain is that ASUU will continue to struggle until all monies owed its members are paid.”
Mercy Eke, a well-known reality star, prays for Nigeria and its people as she prays against a wardream she had.
Mercy Eke
The BBNaija “Pepper Dem” winner took to her Twitter page to fire some serious prayers against any possibility of war during or after the presidential elections.
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Mercy who appear to have had a dream about war breaking out in the country prayed against it.
She prayed for a peaceful election and a peaceful transfer of power and covered the Nigerian populace with further words of prayer.
Isreal DMW, the superstar Afrobeat singer’s logistic manager, has announced the release date of Davido’s upcoming album.
davidoIsrael DMW
It should be noted that Davido has remained away from social media since his performance at the FIFA 2022 World Cup closing ceremony. He did, however, tease a return date before logging out.
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In a recent development, Isreal DMW took to his Instagram page in a now-deleted post to announce the date the singer’s album would roll out.
“We outside again by March 31st. Our new album, flex my soul track, it’s a real BANGER SHIIT,” he wrote.
Internet users were outraged after seeing a video of alleged bank officials hiding new currencies behind piles of old ones.
In the video which surfaced online, officials could be seen instructing a young man at a bank vault being asked to bring down stacks of old naira notes.
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As the video depicts, the new naira notes had evidently been hidden behind the old ones.
The officials could be heard in the video telling the man to load up their machines with the new naira notes.
Gabonese footballer, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was seen in Milan, Italy, on Friday night as he was seemingly in no mood to stay in London for the Premier League match between Chelsea and Fulham after finding out he was kicked out of the Blues’ Champions League squad.
Aubameyang
Earlier in the day, it was discovered that his name was omitted from Chelsea’s Champions League squad for their upcoming last-16 tie against Borussia Dortmund.
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Chelsea’s coach, Graham Potter added January signings Enzo Fernandez, Mykhailo Mudryk, and Joao Felix to the team, while new arrivals Benoit Badiashile, David Datro Fofana, and Noni Madueke didn’t make the cut.
While Aubameyang’s Chelsea teammates played against Fulham in a match that ended 0-0, he was spotted in Milan with his family, going by an image his brother posted to Instagram.
It is also unlikely that the 33-year-old footballer will get back in the team for their next fixture against West Ham on February 11.
Chelsea will return to European action on February 15 when they travel to Germany to face Borussia Dortmund. The London team finished top of Group E with 13 points, ahead of AC Milan, Red Bull Salzburg, and Dinamo Zagreb.
Edwin Kibet Koech of Kenya has won the 8th edition of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon.
Kibet beat about 300 marathoners on Saturday morning, February 4, 2023, to win the 42km with a time of 2:14:14secs.
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He will be claiming the grand prize of N23 million ($50,000).
Dekeba Shefa of Ethiopia and Kenya’s Bernard Sang finished second and third respectively, and will go home with $40,000 and $30,000 respectively.
Alemenseh Guta of Ethiopia was the first woman to cross the finish line, followed in second place by Kebene Urisa and Kenya’s Naomi Maiyo in third place.
The winners of both the men and women’s races qualified for marathon event at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
Felicia Adetutu finished 10th in the women’s race and became the first Nigerian woman to cross the finish line.
She earned $2000 and N3 million respectively for both finishes.
The 42km race began at the National Stadium in Surulere and ended at the Eko Atlantic City in Victoria Island.
The annual event was recently upgraded by the world athletics body to a gold label; less than eight years after its maiden edition.
Geleta Ulfata of Ethiopia won the 2022 event while Emmaneul Naibei and David Barmasai won the 5th and 6th editions of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon respectively.
