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On Monday, Nigerians are demanding a total reversal of electricity tariff cut - the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission’s reduction of the tariff payable by Band A customers from N225/kWh to N206.8/kWh. Organised labour, the Nigerian Bar Association and the House of Representatives, have also rejected the hike in tariff payable by about 1.9 million consumers. Subsidy on electricity was withdrawn completely from the tariff of consumers in the Band A category, which constitutes about 15 per cent of the total 12.82 million power consumers across the country. The Federal Government said it would save N1.5tn, as a result of the tariff hike, adding that Band A customers would enjoy up to 20 hours of power supply daily. The government took the decision which became effective on April 3, 2024. Organised labour has however issued a two-week ultimatum demanding the reversal of the tariff hike. The House of Representatives has called on the NERC to suspend forthwith the implementation of t

On a light note, President, Omega Fire Ministries Worldwide, Apostle Johnson Suleman in a viral video said that you can never understand a woman.                      Apostle Johnson Suleman Guys is this true?  Watch the video below. Hope you had a good laugh. 😄 

The Federal Government through the Central Bank of Nigeria has raised the exchange rate for cargo clearance from N952/$ to N1.356 per dollar and the new rate has been reflected on the portal of the Nigeria Customs Service. A few weeks ago the rate was increased from N783/$ to N952/$. In November, the exchange rate for cargo clearance was raised from N757 per dollar to N783 per dollar, representing a 3.4 per cent increase, and was later raised from N783/$ to N952/$ in December.

A law has been passed by the Anambra State House of Assembly on Thursday which bans the public display of caskets for fabrication and sale in the state.          The Anambra State Governor, Charles Soludo By this law, all mortuary attendants are to report to the Ministry of Health on any corpse that has stayed beyond one month from the date it was deposited. The State seeks to control burial and funeral activities in the state. It cautioned that any person who violates the conditions will be fined N100,000 or six months imprisonment or both. Also, the new law warned against blocking roads and streets during burial ceremonies. It advised that this can only be done with permission from the appropriate Local Government Authority. further stipulated that all burial and funeral ceremonies of indigenous deceased persons in the state shall be registered with the town union of the deceased. Reacting, the state governor, Chukwuma Soludo, in a terse message on Friday commended the assembly for t

The former  Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has a very outspoken brother and this time, Isaac Fayose, the brother to the former Governor is calling on President Bola Tinubu to auction dollars of politicians or any Nigerian seen storing huge amount of the dollars. He also advised that domiciliary accounts  should not be above $1,000 to tackle naira free fall against dollar. Isaac Fayose. He made the following comment ; “President Tinubu, you have to be wicked. Don’t laugh”, said Mr Fayose in a viral video on social media on Thursday.  “If you want dollar to come down just come on TV and tell all of who have domiciliary account that if you see more than 1,000 in private account you will seize or auction it and replace with naira.”

Universal Music Group will no longer allow its music on TikTok following the Wednesday expiration of a licensing deal between the two companies. The takedown of UMG-related music began overnight.  Universal Music Group is literally the largest record label ... in the history of the music industry,” said Andrew Mall, an associate professor of music at Northeastern University. An “uncountable number of tracks and sounds” would be impacted on TikTok, he added, significantly limiting options for creators." The expiration of licensing between UMG and TikTok arrived after the two companies were unable to reach a new agreement — and soon shared heated exchanges. In a Tuesday letter addressed to artists and songwriters, UMG said that it had been pressing TikTok on three issues: “appropriate compensation for our artists and songwriters, protecting human artists from the harmful effects of AI, and online safety for TikTok’s users.” UMG said that TikTok proposed paying its artists and songwr

On Thursday, the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, convicted an actress, Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin, of spraying and stepping on new Naira notes at a friend’s wedding in Lagos.                       Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin was sentenced by Chukwujekwu Aneke, the trial judge at the court proceeding, to six months’ imprisonment but with an option of N300,000 fine. A statement by Dele Oyewale, the Head, Media & Publicity of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the prosecuting agency. A video clip of Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin spraying new Naira notes at a wedding in Lekki, Lagos State, on 28 January 2023 went viral on social media platforms. Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin was arrested on 1 February 2023. Her performance was at a period that there was a severe scarcity of Naira notes following the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s withdrawal of old 200, 500 and 1000 Naira notes from circulation and replacement of the affected currency notes with newly designed ver

Do you know that the shoes won by the Wizard of Oz was once stolen?                   Shoes Worn by Wizard of Oz, Iconic Yes, it was stolen in by a man named Terry Jon Martin. It was taken not by permission of course, from a museum in 2005.  The ruby slippers shoes, the iconic shoes worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz.                        Cast from the Wizard of Oz The iconic film was released the same year that World War II broke out, in 1939.  It is the earliest major Technicolor pictures, the film was a big-budget feat, and one that won two Oscars and catapulted Judy Garland into the limelight.  Don't feel sad, you will get to see the shoes again because it has been recovered.  Hurray! Yes! Finally recovered by investigators in 2018. Terry Jon Martin, the man who stole the shoes was sentenced to time served and one year of probation after he pleaded guilty to stealing the iconic shoes worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz.  The reformed thief come out of retirement to

Bureau De Change operators have announced shut down of operations in Abuja as a result of unavailability of the dollars,  The Chairman of the association, Abdullahi Dauran, made the announcement on Wednesday. The chairman of the Association of Bureau De Change Abuja chapter, issued the directive to stop sales as the exchange rates in both the official and parallel markets have become unfavourable. Dauran attributed the closure to online business transactions and cryptocurrency. Echoblog spoke to Jamilu a BDC owner who also confirmed the news. The closure of business would take effect from Thursday, February 1, 2024. On Tuesday naira closed at an all-time low of N1,482 against the United States dollar on the official window. It stayed stable at N1,450/$ at the parallel market.

The Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions, is summoning the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Olayemi Cardoso, to appear before it on Tuesday next week.          The CBN Governor - Olayemi Michael Cardoso The naira plummeted to N1,520 to a US dollar on Wednesday, prompting the Committee, chaired by Senator Adetokunbo Abiru (APC Lagos East), to summon the CBN governor, to proffer a way out of the free fall of naira in the forex market. The Senate held the meeting behind closed doors,  Abiru, thereafter addressed journalists, he said the state of the economy, especially the inflation index, was of great concern to the lawmakers. He highlighted that, “We have held a meeting this afternoon essentially to focus on the direction of the Nigerian economy. “We are all living witnesses of what is going on. Underlining the major issue of the economy is the way the inflation index has been and of course, it is a major concern to us. “We have deliberated among o

Five pupils and four member of staff of the Apostolic Faith Group of Schools, were abducted by gunmen who waylaid their school bus conveying 25 pupils home after school hours, in the Emure community in Ekiti State. The kidnappers have demanded N100m ransom for the release of the nine victims who were taken away. The principal of the secondary section of the school, Boje Olanireti, has confirmed the demand for ransom by the kidnappers who abducted victims. Throwing more light on how the incident occurred, Olanireti explained that the kidnapping occurred about a five-minute drive from the school. She said, “Immediately the school closed at 3pm, and by the time we gathered all the children, it was already 3:30pm. It was that time that they moved. So, the incident happened between 3:30pm and 4pm. The school is in a suburb of Emure village, so they were going back home in Eporo. The incident occurred just about a five-minute drive from the school to Eporo. “When the gunmen attacked, the peo

The Federal Government through the Ministry of Health (FMOH) has announced the elimination of River blindness in Plateau and Nasarawa states while marking the 2024 World Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) Day.                      Dr.  Muhammad Ali Pate Speaking during a news conference to mark the 2024 World NTDs Day in Abuja on Tuesday. With this year’s theme being “Unite, Act, Eliminate NTDs.” The minister, Dr Muhammad Ali Pate, emphasized the global impact of NTDs, affecting 1.6 billion people, predominantly in developing nations.  Prof. Muhammad Pate, represented by Dr. Chukwuma Anyaike, the Director of Public Health, under the ministry, announced that Nigeria has achieved commendable progress in the prevention, treatment, and elimination of NTDs. He disclosed that; "However, it is gladdening to note that substantial progress has been made over the last decade, as evidenced by some major achievements highlighted. “Another achievement is the weaning of 29 million people off iv

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has released US$500 million to various sectors of the economy.                Olayemi Cardoso, The Governor of CBN Mrs. Hakama Sidi Ali, the Acting Director of the Corporate Communications Department at the CBN, stated this in Abuja on Monday, Janaury 29. She assured Nigerians that the Management of the CBN was dedicated to settling all legitimate forex arrears within a short time frame via addressing the backlog of verified foreign exchange (forex) transactions. She, therefore, encouraged all participants in the market to play by the rules. While emphasizing that transparency in the market would enable the fair determination of exchange rates and, by extension, guarantee stability for businesses and individuals alike. She reiterated the assurances of the Governor, Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, highlighting that the Apex Bank had begun implementing a comprehensive strategy to improve liquidity in the Nigerian foreign exchange markets in the short, medium, and l

A study from Sweden which has found that a blood test can detect the earliest stages of Alzheimer's disease, reports the BBC, while expansiating on it's report that;                   Image Credit: Scientific American   The Times says it could have "huge implications" for routinely screening the over-50s for their risk of the disease. The test - the paper reports - can detect the "proteins" which can cause Alzheimer's which build up in the brain for 10 to 15 years before symptoms start to show, and allowed researchers to assess how "likely" someone was to develop the disease. According to the Daily Express, the brand new diagnostic tool has been praised by experts as it may "ultimately bring us closer towards a cure for dementia". The Daily Telegraph takes the view the "simple and cheap method" can measure how likely people are to develop the illness up to 15 years before they show symptoms, citing research from the study.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is now rocked by a major crisis as yesterday, three member-countries-Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, have announced their withdrawal from the body, this comes into effect after lengthy disagreement and rejection of military rule in West Africa by ECOWAS. However, the 49-year old ECOWAS claimed that it was yet to get notification about the withdrawal announced by governments of the three countries. The three Sahel nations said in a joint statement on state televisions that they had made a “sovereign decision” to leave ECOWAS “without delay”. The juntas said they have “decided in complete sovereignty on the immediate withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from the ECOWAS,” alleging that the bloc has “moved away from the ideals of its founding fathers and pan-Africanism” after nearly 50 years of its establishment. The statement added: “Furthermore, ECOWAS, under the influence of foreign powers, betraying its founding principles, has

The minister of information and national orientation, Mohammed Idris said that the relocation of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) headquarters and certain departments of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to Lagos are not politically motivated.  Mohammed Idris Malagi The decision had drawn criticism and support, with Ali Ndume, chief whip of the senate, saying it would have political consequences, but Muhammadu Sanusi, former CBN governor, said it was a sensible move. In a statement on Sunday, Idris said the allegations were “unfounded”, noting the relocation is a practical step to improve the operational competence and reduce the cost of operation. He said the relocation was not to marginalise any section of the country. "It is not true that the relocation to Lagos of the headquarters of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), and of certain departments of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), are political moves aimed at marginalizing a section of the count

Two months after making history as America's first Somali-American elected mayor by voters, 27-year-old Nadia Mohamed is sworn in as mayor. Nadia Mohammed  She was sworn in at the city council of St. Louis Park in the US state of Minnesota. Ms Mohamed secured 58% of the vote to win last November's mayoral poll. Nadia Mohammed is the youngest and the first Muslim and black elected mayor in the city, whose family moved to Minnesota from Kenya's Kakuma refugee camp when she was 10, after fleeing war in Somalia. Her family migrated to Kenya after the civil war in Somalia, and she lived in the Kakuma refugee camp until she was about 10. "Well, my identity is one part of my story, right? I am proud of everything that I am, but I don't want that to be the only story. I don't want that to [be] where people stop their conversation," Ms Mohamed told Minneapolis-based KARE TV station after her election. She has listed public safety and affordable housing as some of t

When the world's last reigning Queen announced her surprise abdication on live TV, history was also made in a country far, far away.                       Queen Margrethe II of Denmark "I will hand over the throne to my son Crown Prince Frederik," Margrethe II of Denmark said in her new year address. Her decision to make way for "the next generation" of Danish royals has sent ripples around the world. Queen Margrethe took over the throne in 1972 following the death of King Frederik IX. For most of her reign, Queen Margrethe has remained a popular figure in Denmark, and many expected her to keep the throne until death. The longest-serving monarch in the nation's history, she is known for her brightly-coloured clothing, love of archaeology and chain smoking. But it has also delivered the first ever Australian-born Queen Consort - Frederik's wife Princess Mary. Crown Prince Frederik and Queen Consort Princess Mary As millions of Danes bid farewell to the on

Big Brother Naija reality show star, Pere Egbi, has explained that he doesn’t own a car because it isn’t an investment. Pere Egbi He berated those who squander their money on exotic cars, stressing that landed properties and businesses are assets but not cars. Speaking in the latest episode of the Spill With Phyna podcast, Pere said,  “Car no be investment. A house is an asset, a business is an asset. Using all your savings to buy cars is unnecessary. Right now, I don’t own a car. I used to drive a brand new lexus LS570 but I sold it because I needed to put the money into my film. It’s an investment. At the end of the day, I made more that from the film.” What do you think of Pere's mindset on acquiring cars? 

Oscar Pistorius, known as the "Blade Runner" for his carbon-fiber prosthetic legs, will be released from prison on Friday after receiving parole. Oscar Pistorius He became eligible for parole in March 2023 after serving half of his 13-year, five-month sentence for murder. This comes, nearly 11 years since the tragic death of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. Oscar Pistorius and  his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. Pistorius would complete the remainder of his sentence in the country's community corrections system, states the South Africa's Department of Correctional Services (DCS). He was granted parole on Nov. 24, to take effect on Jan. 5.

Nollywood actor, Yul Edochie, has urged his first wife, May Yul-Edochie, to desist from manipulating public opinion on social media to foster resentment towards him and evoke sympathy for herself. Yul Edochie was upset because of a post made by his estranged wife May Yul-Edochie, in which she said 2023 was her worst year.  May had on Monday said in part, “Dear 2023, you were pregnant on the very first day of Jan unknown to anyone what you would deliver. “You dealt with me in the most catastrophic ways…. Too many adversities/misfortunes and the worst of it, you stole my own flesh and blood, leaving me in the most devastating, miserable, and confused state that I could never have imagined.  "I lost all hope and nearly gave up, I had too many questions eating me all up but I kept hearing that voice echoing, ‘Who am I to question God?'” Yul called her out Instagram, the actor however replied her post by accusing his first wife of undergoing breast enlargement surgery and a tummy t

On Monday, the United Kingdom via it's Home Office, announced that it had commenced the implementation of its policy stopping overseas students, Nigerian students and other foreigners from bringing family members as dependants through the study visa route. They made this known on X platform (formerly called Twitter). The statement revealed; “We are fully committed to seeing a decisive cut in migration. From today, new overseas students will no longer be able to bring family members to the UK. Postgraduate research or government-funded scholarships students will be exempt,” the Home Office said. We are fully committed to seeing a decisive cut in migration. From today, new overseas students will no longer be able to bring family members to the UK. Postgraduate research or government-funded scholarships students will be exempt,” the Home Office said. This is as the UK government aims to bring down immigration into the country which stands at about one million. Under the new rule, to p

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has pledged to implement policies that will bolster the development of the territory.                           Nyesom Wike The pledge was made in his New Year message on Monday, by Mr Wike. The minister said the development plans for the territory in the new year will encompasses several key areas. While listing the areas to include infrastructure development, economic empowerment, social welfare, sustainability development, community engagement and security. The blue print is be taken from the successes recorded in 2023 under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, the Renewed Hope Agenda.