The Senator representing Ogun East senatorial district, Gbenga Daniel, has said the myriad of problems Nigeria is grappling with today are caused by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the administration of former president, Muhammadu Buhari.

He said Tinubu can’t speak on these challenges, especially the hunger and hardship ravaging the nation, because his political party is the one responsible for the country’s woes.

He said he wished President Bola Tinubu could tell Nigerians about the already failed economy that was bequeathed to him and what he’s doing and has done to salvage the situation.

Speaking during his tour of Ijebu Ode Local Government Area of Ogun state on Monday, the senator appealed to Nigerians to be patient and preserve, expressing confidence that this administration would turn things around.

Daniel, who admitted hardship in the country, hinted that the menace was caused by the past government but hoped for better days.

“Our president Bola Ahmed Tinubu has done a lot. I wish he could talk now but he can’t talk because this is the same party he stood for, so he can’t, but from what I know we just have to praise his courage. We know things are very difficult but we need to encourage Mr President, we urge our people to be patient, by the special grace of God everything will be alright.”

Veteran singer, Eedris Abdulkareem has said 21 years after he released his controversial song, ‘Jaga Jaga’ which satirised the poor living condition in Nigeria, the country is still in ruins.

He lamented that things are getting worse, stressing that the exchange rate of the Dollar is going to N2,000.

He bemoaned the hardship in the country while featuring as guest in a recent episode of The Honest Bunch Podcast co-hosted by actor Chinedu Ani Emmanuel, aka Nedu, Deity Cole, and Husband Material.

Abdulkareem said, “Nigeria still Jaga Jaga 21 years later. Hunger everywhere, people are dying. How will people survive when Dollar is N1600? Goodluck Jonathan left it N198. [Muhammadu] Buhari took it to N300, [Bola] Tinubu skyrocketed it to N1600.

“Dollar is going to N2000. So how do you want common people to survive in this country? Even the Yorubas they were shouting ‘Emilokan’, they are the ones dying of hunger now.”

Video:

Nigerian singer, Flavour, has issued a public advisory regarding people using his name and photos to defraud unsuspecting victims.

He disclosed via his official X account that fraudsters are still impersonating him online and noted that he will never ask fans for money.

The ‘Nwa Baby’ crooner said anybody who has come in contact with such impersonators should report them to the appropriate authorities.

Flavour wrote;

“Scammers are still in the business of impersonating me online. Please be aware that I will NEVER ask fans for money or any personal information.

If you’re contacted by someone claiming to be me, DO NOT engage with them and please report the account to the appropriate authorities.”

In a similar post in 2023, a scammer impersonating popular actor, IK Ogbonna was arrested and charged to court after defrauding unsuspecting victims.

Also actor Frederick Leonard reacted to the arrest of a scammer who impersonated him and scammed a woman of N104m.

The imposter identified as Kelvin Aisosa Orhue was arrested by the EFCC and arraigned before the FCT High Court in Kuje.

Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has declared his administration’s dedication to establishing tuition-free schools across the three senatorial zones, with a focus on providing skills currently lacking in the state.

Prince Okey Kanu, the Commissioner for Information and Culture, revealed this after the state executive council meeting in Umuahia on Monday.

The one-year residential program will encompass skills like solar power assembly, POP designing, painting, masonry, tiling, and more. Graduates of the program will receive financial empowerment to kickstart their businesses, aligning with the government’s emphasis on self-sufficiency.

Kanu also announced the suspension of the monthly sanitation exercise due to the commissioning of a geometric power plant on February 24, urging residents to clean their immediate surroundings on that day.

Furthermore, the information boss also disclosed that the government has banned “One way traffic” across the state, warning that driving against traffic would now be considered a serious offense, aligning with efforts to enhance road safety and discourage reckless driving practices.

“A special task force would be established to enforce traffic regulations and crackdown on traffic violations in the state

“This is in keeping with the culture of doing things right as being preached by this government.

“We don’t like people who engage in unwholesome acts, people who revel in impunity and drive against traffic causing accidents and all kinds of confusion on the roads.

“Going forward, driving against traffic will be a very serious offence in the state, and like I informed you not too long ago, some special taskforce is being set up.

“It’s a one-stop task force that will handle every form of enforcement in the state.

“So in the days and weeks ahead, those of us who are in the habit of driving against traffic should be prepared to face the full wrath of the law,” the Commissioner noted.

A video captures a friendly exchange between media personality, Nedu and business mogul, Pascal Chibuike Okechukwu alias Cubana Chief Priest.

In the video, Cubana Chief Priest is seen holding a tortoise while Nedu knelt in front of him.

Cubana Chief Priest could be heard asking Nedu if he could live in the same house with the deity (what he described as Odejimjim) and Nedu who was overly eager to do anything to make money replied with a resounding yes.

After several verbal exchanges, Cubana Chief Priest asked Nedu to entertain Odejimjim, by dancing for the tortoise

Nedu went on to twerk for the acclaimed deity, and at a point tried to pull off his trousers to show his loyalty which left Cubana Chief Priest amused.

Sharing the video, Nedu wrote:

“I can live with it ooo….”

Reacting to the clip, netizens left suggestive comments as they envisaged more to the skit.

One official_vycon wrote: “Like play like play, men dey share secrets say na skit.”

gbengaadeyinka1stgcon wrote: “I go marry odejimjim sef but na if he no vomit the money him go know say tortoise peppersoup Dey sweet me to chop.”

louisalimi wrote: “You might just think it’s all cruise look deeply.”

uefa_elshaddai wrote: “????????????????????, now tell me how tinubu go believe say we de suffer for this country.”

nonsii07 wrote: “No bejoke be this oooo….. If you know you know.”

hassanmessi40 wrote: “I have been thinking how this man makes his Money ????????.”

Watch the video below:

Some days ago, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), sealed up some supermarkets in Abuja. One of their reasons for doing that is that the stores did not attach the prices of the items displayed on the shelves which is in breach of the law. 

Section 115 of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection (FCCP) Act has mandated vendors (both offline and online vendors) to attach the price of any item they display or advertise for sale. 

Here are the full provisions of Section 115 of the FCCP Act; 

“115(1) An undertaking shall not display any goods or services for sale without adequately displaying to the consumer a price of those goods or services.

(2) For the purposes of this subsection, a price is adequately displayed to a consumer if, in relation to any, particular goods or services, a written indication of the price, expressed in the currency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is annexed or affixed to, written, printed, stamped or located upon, or otherwise applied to the goods or services or to any band, tickle covering the label, package, reel, shell or other thing used in connection with the goods or services, or on which the goods or services are mounted for display or exposed for sale, or published in relation to the goods or services in a catalogue, brochure, newspaper, a circular or similar publication available to the consumer

or to the public generally.

(3) An undertaking shall not require a consumer to pay a price for any goods or services higher than the displayed price for those goods or services, or if more than one price is concurrently displayed is higher than the lower or lowest of the prices so displayed. 

By implication of this s. 115 of the FCCP Act, posting an item for sale without affixing the price is an offence and asking interested buyers to dm you for the price as online vendors usually do is an offence as well. You are expected to charge in Niara so far your patrons or customers are residents in Nigeria or your business is conducted within the territorial jurisdiction of Nigeria. If your price tag is in any other currency other than the Niara, you have run a breach of subsection 2 of this section 115. 

The intention of this law and the reason for the establishment of the consumer protection agency is for the protection of the final consumers; to ensure that consumers are not exploited by greedy sellers who can Jack up their prices at any time and charge exorbitant prices. The agency is to ensure that dealers and sellers charge consumers a market fair price for the items, any price charged for an item which is above what is considered to be the fair price of the item is extortion and it is illegal. 

Sellers are therefore expected to charge customers the prices that were attached to the item, once a seller charges a customer a price different from the displayed price, it becomes an offense. If there is a change in price, it is expected of the seller to quickly update the price change to avoid running a breach of the law.

Stan Alieke is an Abuja based legal practitioner. 

The 2024 edition of the iREPRESENT International Documentary Film Festival will hold March 21^st – 24^th at its primary home, Lagos. The prime project of the Foundation for Promotion of Documentary Film Festival in Africa (FPDFA), the leading platform for documentary film promotion in Nigeria and West Africa, will also be hosted in virtual format.

Founded in 2010, the iREP Festival has the founding generic theme Africa in Self-Conversation, which encourages cross-exchanges of ideas and developmental aspirations among the diverse peoples of Africa and the global black family.

iREP 2024, the 14^th edition of the annual ritual, will feature conversations, screenings, workshops, networking sessions, and other related activities.

Over 45 films are expected to be screened at the two venues hosting the festival this year vis: Freedom Park, 1 Hospital Road, Lagos Island, and Alliance Francaise, Mike Adenuga Centre, Ikoyi. The films – short are long features -- have been drawn from largely Nigerian filmmakers and their counterparts from 25 countries in four continents, who submitted their entries via Filmfreeway. However, there are alsosome specially curated films selected for the festival, some of which have made the round of international festival circuits and have won awards around the world.

Theme

The 2024 edition’s theme, RIGHTING THE FUTURE, is deliberately chosen to instigate conversation between the present and the future of the continent, as well as encourage deeper dialogue between the young people and their elders. The provocative theme is set in the context of happenings in this season of political anomalies and leadership failures in many countries of the continent.

The SOYINKA Edition

IREP 2024 is designated as “The SOYIKA edition” to commemorate the 90^th birthday anniversary of the distinguished global cultural icon, poet, playwright, essayist, polemicist and Africa’s first Nobel laureate for literature, Professor Oluwole Akinwande Soyinka. He embodies the virtues of the quintessential ‘citizen activist’ with the clarity of vision and passion for the betterment of our collective humanity needed to hold power accountable to the people. Over the past six decades and more, he has consistently deployed his intellectual acumen and personal resources to defend human values and the fundamentality of the freedom of the individual to resist oppression. He is renowned for having also displayed a high degree of patriotic zeal to clamour for good governance and participatory democracy by citizens of the country, even at grave risks to his personal comfort and career. For his tenacious hold to his convictions, he has sometimes run into problems with consecutive state authorities and certain sections of the society. But he remains steadfast in his self-imposed battles to always right the wrongs he perceives in his social, cultural and political environments. These are the values and virtues, iREP hopes to spotlight and celebrate at the 2024 festival with the intention to assure members of the social milleu that they can hold on to their beliefs and convictions without being herded by the mob.

The Soyinka section will cover two days of the festival and will be staged at the Alliance Francaise, Mike Adenuga Centre, the day one keynote on RIGHTING the FUTURE: Soyinka & His Engagements will be delivered Prof Manthia Diawara, writer, filmmaker, cultural theorist, scholar, art historian, and distinguished Professor of Comparative Literature and Film at the New York University. He is the writer and director of “Negritude: A Dialogue between Wole Soyinka and Leopold Senghor.” The second day keynote on the humanistic ideals of Soyinka as reflected in his works will be delivered by Professor Awam Amkpa, Dean of Arts and Humanities, & Vice Provost at the New York University, NYUAD, and Global Network Professor of Drama, Social and Cultural Analysis, NYU New York. Each keynote will be followed by a panel discussion and screenings of films related to Soyinka’s career.

About iREP:

The iREP International Documentary Film Festival serves as an educational and cultural platform, harnessing the influence of film and related industries to encourage public engagement in the developments of their sociocultural and political environments. The overarching objective of the iREP aims to raise awareness about the documentary format's potential to deepen and share social and cultural education, while also fostering participatory democracy in our societies.

Femi Odugbemi, fta

Executive Director, iREP

+234 803 425 1963

NIGERIA’S foreign exchange and inflation have combined to push the prices of prepaid meters year-on-year, YoY by 80 percent to N147, 610.43 (Single phase) in February 2024, from N81, 975 in the corresponding period of 2023. Similarly, the price of the double phase meter also surged YoY by 80 per cent to N259, 002.43 in February 2024, from N143, 836.10 in the corresponding period of 2023.

This is even as the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, AEDC, has issued a notice of disconnection of power supply to the Presidential Villa, also referred to as Aso Rock and Federal Government’s Ministries, Department and Agencies over a N47 billion their indebtedness.

Manufacturers, suppliers stop importation

However, checks by Vanguard, weekend, indicated Meter Service Providers (MSP) and Meter Asset Providers (MAP) have not been able to produce or import to replenish depleted stocks. It indicated that many customers, who paid for meters have not been supplied and installed, thus increasing the population of those under estimated billing in Nigeria. In apparent response to the situation, the federal government has liberalised the metering market, meaning that the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, would no longer peg or fix meter prices in Nigeria.

Rather, prices of meters would be determined by market forces, including foreign exchange and inflation, targeted at ensuring that commercial stocks are produced, supplied and installed for consumers.

NERC working on modalities

A source in the Federal Ministry of Power, who confirmed the Liberalization of Metering Services, weekend, said: “NERC is currently working on the modalities, targeted at efficient operations.

This involves removing price controls while maintaining regulatory guidelines to safeguard consumer interests and ensure fair competition. By eliminating metering price control, a competitive meter market can be fostered, attracting private sector investments, stimulating innovation, and creating job opportunities.”

According to him, the measure was proposed by the MSP and MAP and endorsed by NERC, after proper consideration, adding that before now, the meter manufacturers had called for the upward review of meter prices to reflect current forex and inflation rates within seven days to prevent market shutdown.

He said: “The manufacturers also called for establishment of a joint committee comprising NERC, Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency, NEMSA, Electricity Distribution Companies, DisCos and MSP and MAP to review recommendations and develop robust framework for a transition to a liberalized metering services market within 30 days.”

He also noted that the transitioning to a liberalized metering services market provides a sustainable pathway for Nigeria’s Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) to serve customers efficiently while achieving financial viability. According to him, “By eliminating metering price control, the selling price would be determined by input costs and market dynamics. This shift creates incentives for a competitive meter market, attracting much-needed private sector investments into the sector.

“Moreover, it alleviates the burden on Distribution Companies’ (DisCos) balance sheets, stimulates innovation, and fosters local manufacturing, thereby generating employment opportunities. “The objectives of Liberalization of Metering Services with Light Regulation aim at eliminating estimated billing by accelerating meter deployment in the NESI. Support a coordinated metering strategy to enhance collections and reduce Aggregate Technical, Commercial, and Collection (ATC&C) losses swiftly.

“Minimize the financial impact on DisCos’ balance sheets while advancing the goals of accelerated meter deployment, improved collections, and reduced ATC&C losses. Ensure price transparency and cost reflectivity, while ensuring a reasonable rate of return for metering service providers. Stimulate innovation and foster fair competition in metering services provision within NESI.” He noted that the transition to a liberalized metering services market in NESI represents a strategic policy initiative, stressing that it offers a viable and sustainable pathway to achieving stated objectives while addressing the needs of industry stakeholders and customers.

The source explained that the Liberalisation aims at eradicating the uncertainty and financial burden associated with estimated billing, providing them with transparent and fair billing practices while fostering trust and confidence in the electricity supply system, ultimately enhancing customer satisfaction. He said the liberalized market will also promote efficiency and innovation in metering technologies and services, capable of leading to the development of tailored solutions that meet the diverse needs of consumers and utilities alike, driving overall sector performance and reliability.

The source said the liberalized market creates opportunities for local businesses to thrive, particularly in the manufacturing, assembly, and ongoing management of meters while supporting economic growth and job creation, contributing to broader socioeconomic development objectives. However, the Chairman/CEO of NERC, Chairman/CEO, Sanusi Garba, could not be reached for comments, yesterday. But the Ministry of Power source said, “I can confirm that NERC is currently working on the details of the liberalisation before making it public.

Nigerian music icon Eedris Abdulkareem explains how he set the pace for the success of current Nigerian superstars Burna Boy, Wizkid, Davido, and others.

The veteran Nigerian singer discussed his impact on the music industry and emphasized the importance of recognizing his contributions to the growth of Nigerian artistes.

Eedris Abdulkareem claims to have led the movement that resulted in the global recognition that Burna Boy, Wizkid, Davido, and other Nigerian artists enjoy today.

He claimed that his protest against the mistreatment of Nigerian artistes by show promoters in 2004, when he clashed with American rapper 50Cent and his G-Unit bandmates in Nigeria, is the reason Nigerian artistes are now appreciated around the world.

In the most recent episode of The Honest Bunch Podcast, Eedris abdulkareem admitted that his rebellion had an impact on his career, but also stated that it was a beautiful sacrifice that brought the existence of Nigerian artistes Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Davido.

He said:

“You heard someone like Burna Boy said nobody helped him in Nigeria. Would you have been a star without some people starting the revolution? That is a stupid talk. You wouldn’t have been where you are if we didn’t make this industry what it is; if we didn’t fight for it. Unfortunately, most of them don’t appreciate it. And I don’t give a dime.

“It [fighting for Nigerian music industry] affected my career but it was a beautiful sacrifice that gave birth to Davido, Boy, Wizkid, and everybody today. For me, what’s more important is that I have done what God asked me to do and our music is now allover the world. I have opened the road for them. It’s their responsibility to appreciate the fight. And if them don’t, I don’t give a dime.”