I don’t normally do personal tweets, but today is an exception! It has been one of the happiest days of my life - my 70th birthday! So much outpouring of love from everywhere!! I want to thank all WTO Ambassadors, WTO staff, friends and family! I’ve never received so many bouquets of flowers from all over the world, as I have today! Along with good wishes and prayers. I consider myself blessed to have a loving husband, family, friends and well wishers! All Glory and Thanks to God!
Behold! The one million naira Sallah ram waiting for buyer in Kaduna
One of the greatest attraction in this year’s eid kabir (layya) celebration in Kaduna state is a ram that is selling for cool one million naira .
When the Tribune online visited the ram market in Waffroad (Muhammadu Buhari way) at the central Kaduna metropolis,the owner Simply identified as Adamu from Dorayi in Kano state said the price of the ram is one million naira.
“This ram you are seeing is one million naira", he told Tribune online.
The news of this ram attracted prospective buyers who rush to have a glimpse of the ram.
In an interview with Adamu, he told the Tribune online that the economic situation in the country contributed in no small measure to the rising cost of the rams in the market.
He said, last year he sold something like that for N500,000 to N600,000, saying, we just brought few rams to the market because the cost of transporting has trippled compared to last year (2023).
“Every thing just jumped up at once. The cost of feeding the ram is extremely expensive. The cost of looking after it’s health,transportation etc. So this contributed to the current pricing.
However, he said people have been pricing it for N700,000,N 800,000 but he said he’s only ready to sell for N950,000 .
In an interview with a prospect customer, Alh Shehu Abubakar, he said he priced it for N800,000, but the owner according to him declined the offer.
When asked why would him spend a huge amount for layya,he said he is also going to sell it.
“i’m willing to buy it at that amount N800,000. if he’s willing to sell for me, he insisted.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (born 13 June 1954) is a Nigerian-born economist and international development expert. She sits on the Boards of Standard Chartered Bank, Twitter, Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), and the African Risk Capacity (ARC).
Previously, Okonjo-Iweala spent a 25-year career at the World Bank as a development economist, scaling the ranks to the Number 2 position of Managing Director, Operations (2007-2011). She also served two terms as Finance Minister of Nigeria (2003-2006, 2011-2015) under the leadership of President Olusegun Obasanjo and President Goodluck Jonathan respectively.
Education and personal life
Okonjo-Iweala was born in Ogwashi-Ukwu, Delta State, Nigeria where her father Professor Chukwuka Okonjo is the Eze (King) from the Obahai Royal Family of Ogwashi-Ukwu.
Okonjo-Iweala was educated at Queen's School, Enugu, St. Anne's School, Molete, Ibadan, and the International School Ibadan. She arrived in the US in 1973 as a teenager to study at Harvard University, graduating magna cum laude with an AB in Economics in 1976. In 1981, she earned her Ph.D in regional economics and development from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with a thesis titled Credit policy, rural financial markets, and Nigeria's agricultural development. She received an International Fellowship from the American Association of University Women (AAUW), that supported her doctoral studies.
She is married to Dr. Ikemba Iweala, a neurosurgeon. They have four children - one daughter, Onyinye Iweala (AB, MD, PhD, Harvard) and three sons, Uzodinma Iweala (AB, Harvard, MD, Columbia), Okechukwu Iweala (AB, Harvard) and Uchechi Iweala (AB, MD, MBA, Harvard).
Abdulsalami Abubakar (born June 13, 1942) is a Nigerian statesman and retired Nigerian Army general who served as the de facto President of Nigeria from 1998 to 1999. He was also Chief of Defence Staff between 1993 and 1998. He succeeded General Sani Abacha upon his death.
During his leadership, Nigeria adopted a modified version of the 1979 constitution, which provided for multiparty elections. He transferred power to president-elect Olusegun Obasanjo on 29 May 1999. He is the current Chairman of the National Peace Committee.
Abubakar from the Hausa ethnic group was born on 13 June 1942 to his father Abubakar Jibrin and his mother Fatikande Mohammed, in Minna, Niger State, Nigeria.
From 1950 to 1956 he attended Minna Native Authority Primary school. From 1957 to 1962, he had his secondary school education at Government College, Bida, Niger State. From January to October 1963 he studied at Kaduna Technical College.
Presidency
Nigeria had been ruled by military leaders since Muhammadu Buhari seized power from Shehu Shagari in a 1983 coup. Although democratic elections had been held in 1993, they were annulled by General Ibrahim Babangida. Reported to have had an initial reluctance to accepting the position, Abubakar was sworn in as president on 9 June 1998 after the unexpected death of Abacha. He declared a weeklong period of national mourning.
A few days after assuming office, Abubakar promised to hold elections within a year and transfer power to an elected president. He established the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), appointing former Supreme Court Justice Ephraim Akpata as chairman. The INEC held a series of elections first for Local Government Areas in December 1998, then for State Assemblies and Governors, National Assemblies and finally for the President on 27 February 1999. Although efforts were made to ensure that the elections were free and fair, there were widespread irregularities that drew criticism from foreign observers.
Transfer of power
Surprising some critics of the country's military, in May 1999 General Abubakar, handed over power to the newly elected civilian president, Olusegun Obasanjo and retired from the army.
Transforming Nigeria: The Platform Returns with a Special Edition This Democracy Day
This Democracy Day, The Platform, Nigeria’s foremost thought-leadership conference returns with an edition to discuss the connection between democracy and the free market economy. This sounds like stuff for economists, but in simple terms, Democracy means people have the power to choose their leaders and make decisions together, while a free market economy means businesses can operate freely with little government interference, allowing competition and consumer choice.
Come June 12th, The Platform will hold its 36th edition in Lagos. This is a globally-anticipated event where you’ll get to learn from accomplished political and business leaders.
This edition is tagged: Democracy and the Free Market Economy. It will be an avenue of idea exchange for forward-thinking Nigerians.
The Speakers
This edition brings a mix of speakers with a track record in governance, business, media, non-profit, and more.
● Gov. Charles Chukwuma Soludo: With a strong background in economics and governance, he’ll share his insights on the subject.
● Yakubu Dogara (Former Speaker House of Rep): He brings deep knowledge of the political landscape and its impact on economic prosperity.
● Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN): As a senior advocate and former governor, he’ll offer unique perspectives on infrastructure development and legal frameworks for a thriving market.
● Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah: Known for his advocacy and social commentary, he’ll provide valuable insights into socio-political matters.
● Olusegun Adeniyi, Kola Oyeneyin, Titi Oshodi, and Oluseun Onigbinde: These experts in media, policy, entrepreneurship, and technology will add their diverse experiences to the discussion.
Event Details: Date: June 12th, 2024
Time: 9 am prompt
Venue: Lagos, Nigeria. Due to the sensitive office holders that will be present, the venue will only be disclosed to those who register.
Streaming on: YouTube, ChannelsTV, Covenant Radio, Instagram, Mixlr, Facebook, and Twitter
Why This Event Matters Now
More than ever, this conference is timely. It provides an avenue to discuss ideas that foster business, career, and personal growth among Nigerians. If you want to lead Nigeria’s transformation, this is the place to be on Democracy Day.
I have directed our security agencies to go after the assailants responsible for the spate of attacks on our citizens in Dustin-Ma and Kankara LGAs of Katsina State and ensure they are brought to justice.
Sex Scandal rocks Nigeria's foreign affairs ministry as more than 4 Female employees accuse Permanent Secretary, Amb. Ibrahim Lamuwa Over 'Serial Sexual Harassment', forcefully grabbing breasts, coercion and predatory acts. Staff protests to Minister @YusufTuggar, @officialABAT
We extend our apologies for falling short of the expected minimum service level of 20 hours on the Band A feeders below, for 9th and 10th of June, 2024.
We regret any inconvenience this may have caused you.
In a landmark deal set to reshape Nigeria’s beverage market, Tolaram has agreed to acquire Diageo’s 58.02% shareholding in Guinness Nigeria Plc.
Guinness made this announcement via a press release on the NGX.
This announcement is the latest in a string of major multinational organizations exiting the country citing tough economic challenges.
The transaction, expected to close in fiscal 2025 pending regulatory approvals, will also see Tolaram enter into long-term licensing and royalty agreements to continue producing the iconic Guinness brand alongside Diageo’s ready-to-drink and mainstream spirits locally.
Guinness has a market capitalization of N110.7 billion based on its current share price of N50.5 per share suggesting the deal could top over N64 billion.
Highlights of the deal
Diageo, while selling its controlling stake, will maintain ownership of the Guinness brand, ensuring its legacy continues under the stewardship of Tolaram.
According to the company, this move aligns with Diageo’s strategic vision to retain brand influence while leveraging Tolaram’s extensive distribution and manufacturing capabilities.
With over fifty years in Africa, Tolaram is one of the continent’s foremost consumer packaged goods companies. It has a history of successful joint ventures with leading multinational corporations, reinforcing its position as a trusted partner in the African market.
The acquisition also marks a significant expansion of Tolaram’s footprint in Nigeria, promising enhanced innovation and value delivery to customers and shareholders.
What they are saying
Omobola Johnson, Board Chair of Guinness Nigeria, hailed the deal as a pivotal moment for the company.
“This partnership brings together Tolaram’s deep expertise in manufacturing and distribution with Diageo’s exceptional brand-building and innovation capabilities. It positions Guinness Nigeria for robust growth in this dynamic market,” she said.
Adebayo Alli, Managing Director and CEO of Guinness Nigeria echoed these sentiments, expressing enthusiasm for the collaboration. “This announcement marks an exciting chapter for Guinness Nigeria. Tolaram’s alignment with our values and commitment to sustainability and enduring business success bodes well for our future,” Alli stated.
Haresh Aswani, Managing Director of Tolaram Africa, expressed his excitement about the strategic acquisition. “Welcoming Guinness Nigeria, a company with such a rich legacy and strong consumer loyalty, into our ecosystem is thrilling. This move will expand our significant footprint in the Nigerian market and leverage our combined strengths to foster innovation,” Aswani noted.
Why this deal? The announcement comes at a challenging time for Guinness Nigeria. The company recently reported a loss after tax of N61.7 billion for the nine months ending March 31, 2024, a stark contrast to the N5.9 billion profit in the same period the previous year.
Despite a 28% year-on-year revenue growth to N220.3 billion, significant foreign exchange losses, totaling N83 billion, and a pre-tax loss of N60.5 billion have severely impacted the company’s financial health.
The financial strain has wiped out Guinness Nigeria’s retained earnings, pushing the company into a negative equity of N4.7 billion.
The interest expenses on loans and borrowings surged by 490% year-on-year to N5.6 billion, compounding the fiscal challenges. Despite these setbacks, Guinness Nigeria remains optimistic about its future.
The company is focusing on innovation and operational excellence to navigate the financial turbulence and is confident in its resilience and strategic vision for long-term sustainability and shareholder value.
Following the acquisition, Guinness Nigeria will continue to be listed on the Nigerian Exchange Ltd.
However, Tolaram also intends to launch a mandatory takeover offer, complying with local law requirements, which will provide existing shareholders an opportunity to exit or participate in the company’s restructured future.
Industry watchers will see this strategic partnership between Tolaram and Diageo as a significant development in the Nigerian beverage industry, combining robust local expertise with global brand leadership to drive future growth and innovation.
It could also assuage government officials who will worry about yet another major exit of a multinational.
Economic Context and Market Trends
Diageo’s decision to exit its controlling stake in Guinness Nigeria follows a broader trend observed among multinational corporations operating in Nigeria. In recent years, several major multinational organizations (MNOs) have exited the Nigerian market amidst challenging economic conditions.
Nairametrics recently reported exits by Kimberly-Clark and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), with both companies citing economic challenges as primary reasons for their departure.
However, Diageo’s strategy differs markedly from its peers. Instead of a complete withdrawal, Diageo has opted to pass control to Tolaram, a company with a substantial presence and deep understanding of the Nigerian market.
This approach ensures continuity and leverages Tolaram’s established local expertise to navigate the complex economic landscape.
Guinness Nigeria is currently valued at N110 billion, and with the company’s share price at N50.5, the acquisition of Diageo’s 58.02% stake will cost Tolaram at least N64 billion.
This substantial investment underscores Tolaram’s commitment to the Nigerian market and its confidence in the long-term prospects of Guinness Nigeria.
As Tolaram integrates Guinness Nigeria into its portfolio, industry watchers will closely monitor how this strategic move influences the beverage sector and the broader economic environment in Nigeria.
Oladapo Daniel Oyebanjo (born 9 June 1980), better known by his stage name D'banj, is a Nigerian musician, singer, songwriter, rapper, entrepreneur and television personality. He has won several music awards, including the awards for Best African Act at the MTV Europe Music Awards 2007, Artist of the Year at the MTV Africa Music Awards 2009, Best International Act: Africa at the 2011 BET Awards, and Best-selling African Artist at the 2014 World Music Awards, Evolution award at the 2015 MTV Africa Music awards.
Oyebanjo adopted the stage name D'banj, a combination of his first name, Dapo, and his surname, Oyebanjo. D'banj is best known internationally for his 2012 summer hit "Oliver Twist", an uptempo dance fusion of Afrobeats and electronic dance music that topped the African charts in 2011 and was a top 10 hit in the UK singles chart in 2012 reaching No. 2 on the UK R&B chart. He said the year 2021 would be marked in Grand styles and he would release his album tittled "Ikebe" before the end of the first quarter.
D'banj, also known as the Kokomaster or Bangalee, was born on 9 June 1980 in Zaria, the northern part of Nigeria to a military officer who commanded an artillery regiment and a devout church dignitary businesswoman who hailed from Shagamu in Ogun State. Dbanj has twins as siblings.
A few things to know about the chess prodigy Deborah Quickpen:
1. Coming from a humble background in Bayelsa, her parents struggled to pay her school tuition, and she almost dropped out due to financial difficulties.
2. She started playing chess at the age of 3 after being discovered by my good friend and Nigeria’s current national champion, @BKigigha, who has coached her ever since.
3. In 2018, she represented Bayelsa state at the National Sports Festival, becoming the youngest athlete to ever participate in the festival's history.
4. She won three gold medals at the National Youth Games, making history as the youngest person to win 18 out of 18 games.
5. Deborah won the Under-10 African Youth Chess Championship in Accra, Ghana, becoming the youngest Nigerian female player to be conferred the Woman Candidate Master title.
6. At the age of 10, she was appointed Youth Ambassador for Sports by Bayelsa State Governor Sen Douye Didi.
7. In 2023, at the age of 11, she became Nigeria’s female national champion, a record that might take decades to break.
8. She is the highest-ranked under-12 female chess player in Africa and the third in the world.
9. Currently in JSS3, she maintains a stellar academic performance, earning double promotions in primary school.
10. Next month, she will represent Nigeria at the FIDE World Cup in Georgia.
With the right financial support and visibility, Deborah could very well become West Africa’s first chess grandmaster. She’s young,driven and hardworking.
I’m immensely proud of Deborah and honored to play her in a match on June 11th in preparation for her first World Cup appearance in Georgia.
On June 11, 2024, I will be playing a three-hour Chess match against Nigeria’s number one chess prodigy-12 year old Women’s candidate master Deborah Quickpen. She will be representing Nigeria at the FIDE chess World Cup in Georgia next month.
I have faced many tough opponents but this will undoubtedly be my hardest match yet. I can categorically say that she is the future of chess in Nigeria!
Canada is now giving caregivers permanent residency (PR) status on arrival!🥳
Are you a skilled and experienced caregiver? Do you dream of living and working in Canada? Do you want to contribute to a growing need?
We've got some exciting updates for you!
Canada has just announced new Caregiver pilot programs that offer direct permanent residency status on arrival.
The new pilot programs are expected to launch by the end of fall 2024 or early 2025, replacing the existing Home Child Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot which are set to expire in June 2024.
A major change is that caregivers who qualify will be granted permanent resident status upon arrival in Canada. This eliminates the need to first get a work permit, work in Canada for a period, and then apply for PR. It streamlines the process and gets you on the path to citizenship much quicker.
Eligibility Criteria for Caregivers: To qualify for the new pilot programs, caregivers must: ✅Achieve a minimum of level 4 based on the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) ✅Hold the equivalent of a Canadian high school diploma ✅Have recent and relevant work experience ✅Receive an offer for a full-time home care job While the IRCC has yet to clarify the specific work experience requirements under the new pilot programs, more details will be announced closer to the full launch.
As part of the 2024–2026 Immigration Levels Plan, Canada will admit over 15,000 caregivers as permanent residents. Will you be one of them?
Through this pathway, you'll be able to work legally, contribute to the community, and potentially sponsor family members for immigration in the future.
My advice is that you start planning and preparing ahead if you're looking to take advantage of these exciting new pilot programs before it becomes saturated.
What are your thoughts on this new development? Do you need help planning and preparing? Let us know in the comments!
[1st Day of May, 2024] Commencement In exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 5 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), Section 38 of the Value Added Tax Act, Cap,V1, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 (as amended), and all other powers enabling me in that behalf, I, Bola Ahmed Tibubu, President, Federal Republic of Nigeria make the following Order -
1. As from the commencement of this Order, the following measures and reliefs shall apply:
2. The import duty and other tariffs on the following items are hereby suspended for a period of six months:
(a) staple food items; (b) raw materials and other direct inputs used for manufacturing; (c) inputs for agriculture production including fertilisers, seedlings, and chemicals (d) pharmaceutical products (e) poultry feeds, flour and grains
3. Authorise millers to import paddy rice at zero duty and Value Added Tax for a period of 6 months in the first instance in order to improve local supply and capacity utilisation of rice millers.
4. Value Added Tax, where applicable, is hereby suspended on the following items for the rest of the year 2024:
(a) basic food items and semi-processed staple food items such as noodles and pasta; (b) raw material inputs for the manufacturing of food items, electricity and public transportation; (c) agricultural inputs and produce, and (d) pharmaceutical products.
FG to suspend import duties on staple food items, drugs, others for six months to ease inflation – Report
President Tinubu must keep his campaign promise on Nigerian Crypto Industry President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The Federal Government is considering a six-month suspension of import duties on staple food items, drugs, and other essential items as a measure to curb inflation, according to a report seen by Nairametrics.
This is contained in a document sent to President Bola Tinubu for review and approval.
The document also includes plans to waive levies on fertilizers, poultry feed, flour, and grains.
Bloomberg reported that President Tinubu is yet to sign the document for implementation.
The Inflation Reduction and Price Stability Order, as outlined in the document, will mandate the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of Nigeria to devise a plan for offering low-interest loans to the agriculture, pharmaceutical, and manufacturing sectors.
“This productive deployment will ultimately improve outputs and reduce inflation,” the document said.
The president is also likely to suspend value-added tax (VAT) on automotive gas oil, some basic food items and semi-processed staple food items such as noodles and pasta, raw-material inputs for the manufacture of food items, electricity and public transportation, as well as agricultural inputs and produce and pharmaceutical products for the rest of the year.
Importation of Paddy Rice Nairametrics had earlier reported that the federal government in its Accelerated Stabilization and Advancement Plan (ASAP) report submitted by Finance Minister, Wale Edun, is considering the importation of paddy rice into the country as well as maize.
The ASAP report recommended an executive order on the importation of paddy rice to millers to stem the growing tide of food inflation across the country.
The document also recommends the following:
Import duty & VAT suspension on specified items
Importation of paddy rice by millers Import duty exchange rate peg Meanwhile, the proposed plan by the federal government conflicts with earlier statements by President Tinubu on food imports earlier this year.
The President in an address to State Chairpersons of his All Progressive Congress (APC) had stated that his administration will not continue food imports hoping to turn the present challenge into an opportunity for the future.
What you should know In Nigeria, a food crisis looms large, challenging the nation’s stability. Food prices have surged, with food inflation reaching 40.5%.
Among the hardest-hit commodities is rice, a dietary staple. In the past year alone, rice prices have skyrocketed by 169%, reaching nearly N90,000 per bag in March and April. This sharp increase in food costs is placing immense strain on households across the country, exacerbating an already fragile economy.
It’s estimated that around 31 million Nigerians may face severe food shortages by August this year.
The repercussions of this crisis extend far beyond economic concerns, impacting health, education, and overall societal well-being.
The Nigeria Police Force’s Intelligence Response Team (NPF-IRT) has invited Emmanuel Agbo, a reporter with Premium Times, over a story that he is still working on.
Agbo’s ongoing story relates to disputed plum land located in Guzape, Abuja, involving Homadil Realty Limited, a property developer, and a family in the city.
To get the company’s reaction to the story, Agbo, according to the media outlet, contacted Bilkisu Aliyu, the company’s chief executive officer (CEO), and she responded to the allegations against her.
Surprisingly, the police sent a formal invitation to the reporter through Premium Times without providing adequate context about the petition reportedly being investigated.
Premium Times said Ezemba Ezekiel, a police officer attached to the Intelligence Response Team under the office of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, had previously contacted Agbo informally. But at the request of Agbo for a formal invitation, Ezekiel sent a letter dated May 31 on Monday.
Commenting on its readiness to aid police investigations, Premium Times asked to be furnished with adequate information on the alleged petition in order to prepare ahead of June 5, when the reporter is expected to honour appear at the NPF-IRT office.
“We have received a letter from you to our reporter, Agbo Emmanuel, in which you invited him to appear before you on 05/06/2024 at your office at ‘IRT Complex, Old Abbatoir by Guzape Junction, Abuja’. We received the letter today, 03-06-2024, although it is dated 31-05-2024,” Idris Akinbajo, the Managing Editor of Premium Times, wrote in a letter delivered to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, IRT, on Monday.
“We, Premium Times, are an online newspaper dedicated to using investigative journalism to hold power accountable and deepen democracy as enshrined in Section 22 of the Nigerian Constitution.
“We are thus always ready to assist law enforcement agencies in the course of their professional duties. We ask that you provide more details of the petition to enable our reporter, Mr. Agbo, to make adequate preparations and bring along relevant materials when he appears in your office.”
Since Kayode Egbetokun became the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), there has been an increasing trend of police attacks on journalists carrying out their legitimate responsibilities.
In May, Daniel Ojukwu, an FIJ reporter, was abducted by the police and denied access to his family and employer for days. He was later flown to Abuja after spending days in Lagos custody. Ojukwu was only released after intense local and international media pressure.
Before Ojukwu’s release, it was revealed that the police had abducted him based an investigation published in November 2023 showing how the office of Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, the special assistant to the president on the sustainable development goals (SDGs), presided over a fraudulent construction contract awarded to a restaurant in clear violation of procurement regulations.
Weeks before Ojukwu’s abduction, the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) had invited Bukky Shonibare, the chairman of FIJ’s Board of Trustees, over an undisclosed petition allegedly written against FIJ and ‘Fisayo Soyombo.
Although the author and content of the said petition were not revealed, FIJ strongly believes it was connected to a series of investigations done by Soyombo, FIJ’s founder and editor-in-chief, detailing the activities of Ibrahim Egungbohun, known as IBD Dende, as a large-scale smuggler in the southwestern part of Nigeria.
The investigations also exposed the highest echelon of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) as the smuggler’s collaborators at the detriment of the rank and file of the border management authorities, ultimately sabotaging the economic and security conditions of the country.
Dayo Aiyetan, the Executive Director of the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), and Nurudeen Akewushola, reporting for the same platform, were also recently detained for nine hours after honouring a police invitation.
Their invitation was also in connection with a report showing how Solomon Arase, a former IGP, perpetrated corruption and abuse of office while leading the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
ChatGPT had seemingly recovered from what OpenAI described as a "major outage" earlier today, which hit millions of users of worldwide. But now it seems the chatbot has run into issues again, with OpenAI again stating that it's "unavailable for some users".
Reports of today's ChatGPT issues first started at around 2.30am ET / 7.30am BDT / 4.30pm AEST on June 4. OpenAI acknowledged that there was a big issue, with the company's status page reporting for several hours that its AI sidekick was unavailable.
OpenAI then pushed out a fix at around 7.30am ET / 12.30pm BST / 4.30pm AEST, with the service's status returning to a healthier "all systems operational". But it seems the fix hasn't completely done the job, with many users on social media complaining that they can't access the service – and OpenAI confirming that there again issues.
OpenAI hasn't yet commented on exactly what's causing ChatGPT's biggest outage of 2024.
The social media was yesterday awash with reports of the suspension of the Senior Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, City of David Parish, Region 20, Idowu Iluyomade, but Vanguard gathered that he was only transferred to another parish.
Although the reports had insinuated Pastor Iluyomade was suspended for three months, a source said he was only transferred to another parish, Throne of Grace, Ebute Metta, Lagos, which serves as headquarters of the mission.
The source within the church, said Iluyomade’s transfer was officially announced and confirmed Sunday, June 2, 2024, during the monthly thanksgiving service held across all RCCG parishes.
According to the source, his new role is at the RCCG Region 1, Ebute Metta, where he will serve as the Pastor-in-Charge of elders.
Pastor Iluyomade was said to have expressed dissatisfaction that he had yet to reach the retirement age of 70.
Another source also revealed that the Pastor in-charge of RCCG Resurrection Parish of Region 11, Pastor Charles Kpandei, was asked to replace Iluyomade at the City of David Parish.
The source told Vanguard that the two pastors were due for transfer, after serving for eight years in the two parishes respectively.
He said: “It is normal to have a change in leadership. Most RCCG pastors go on transfer. The church transfers pastors around and both Pastors Iluyomade and Kanpdei were due for transfers.
“Both of them have done more than eight years as regional pastors and were actually transferred. RCCG pastors can even been transferred abroad. It has nothing to do with any event or politics. They were both due for transfers.”
Efforts to reach Iluyomade for comments yesterday proved abortive.
Recall that the City of David Parish had been enmeshed in controversies, following the 60th birthday bash of wife of Pastor Iluyodae, Siju, barely nine days after one of the major financiers of the parish and late chief executive officer of Access Holdings, Herbert Wigwe, died in a helicopter crash, alonside his wife, Doreen, and son Chizzy, in the United States.
The development was said to have drawn the ire of the General Overseer of RCCG, Enoch Adeboye.
The Bearded Dr Sina has explained how the disconnection of power by NLC is affecting healthcare delivery in Nigeria:
Let me give you an update of what is going on in Hospitals now due to the NLC shutting light and the strike
I got to work this morning.
First, The Electronic Medical Record was shut down which means we didn't have access to patients and what was done and cannot do anything.
Pharmacies and Laboratory cannot function because they run on light which means patients cannot get their medications and get there. So we can't really say what's going on in the blood.
Patients that had stroke, infection of the chest and many Organ infection cannot get scans
Xrays, CT scans , Abdominopelvic Uss cannot function again because they run on light
Pending reports and patients that need urgent Radiology scans cannot get it. Their life hanging and Doctors not being sure of what exactly is going.
Many elective surgeries canceled. I doubt there is a chance for emergency surgery.
As All personnels aren't entirely available. No Light to power to the machines in theaters
Let me mention. Accident and Emergency was in stark darkness like when God hovered around the Earth.
Dialysis center can't function since it needs light.
People that have kidney problems and need urgent dialysis cannot have it. Those on the waiting list who came from home to get their sessions cannot get it
They'd have to go home and look for alternatives.
I can't comment on the Paediatrics but I'd wonder Don't incubators need light for the premature babies?
What is going to happen to those that need emergency procedures.
Imagine the amount of people that will die
Oh to mention, the food and dietetics department won't be supplying food to patients since they are also part of the strike.
The wards will get empty, patients have been told what's going on. They are sad.. they are crying
But our hands are tied. What can we do?
It is so sad that the government is quite insensitive to the plight of people.
See the ricochet effect of a day's strike, see how heavy the health sector is hit.
See how many innocent Nigerians will suffer and die. Typing this with a heavy heart.
The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) has suspended Pastor Idowu Iluyomade, the Senior Pastor of the City of David parish of the church.
Iluyomade, who is also the head of the Apapa Family of the RCCG, was reportedly suspended over the weekend, a source confided in The Nation.
Iluyomade was said to have been suspended for three months by the Governing Council of the church. A panel has also been set up to investigate some of the allegations against him and the parish.
A top pastor in the church said the decision to suspend Iluyomade was a response to the public outcry against the extravagant birthday party of his wife shortly after the death of former CEO of Access Bank, Herbert Wigwe.
Iluyomade has since been replaced by Pastor Charles Kpandei of RCCG Resurrection Parish of Region 11 of the church.
The Nation learnt that Kpandei resumed at the City of David on Sunday, June 2 and was given a cold welcome.
The sources said: “Those in the City of David had been expecting Pastor Kpandei. Some top RCCG officials had to meet with some top people in the parish and confided in them that Pastor Idowu would have to be removed from the parish.
“They needed to get the confidence of these top people because of the great influence of Pastor Iluyomade in the parish. The RCCG was not sure of the outcome of its move, so it had to be discreet. He may not be returned to the parish after the suspension.
“We have just three months to the convention. It may be a way of taking him away from the place permanently. He has spent many years in that parish. He needed to be moved.
“It was not Pastor Adeboye that suspended him. The governing council decided to suspend him. I think it’s a decision in the right direction. Though some believe it is coming late. They needed to investigate some of the things people were saying against him and the church.”
Fondly called PID, Pastor Iluyomade has been in the eyes of the storm following the 60th birthday of his wife, Siji Iluyomade.
Many people believed the birthday which was celebrated just about a week after the unfortunate death of Wigwe in a helicopter crash in the US was in bad taste.
Wigwe had been of immense blessing to the church before his transition. But the birthday party suggested the church had no emotional attachment to him.
A Nigerian social media user, Michael Taiwo, claims he found weevils inside the Golden Morn he bought for his kids.
So, I brought Nestle’s Golden Morn from Nigeria. I just opened it now to feed my kids and guess what, it has weevils! Like, lots of them. I’ve never seen insects inside a sealed cereal package before so this is quite shocking to me.
I tried to play it down to my kids, I told them it’s “protein” that we ate beans with insects in them growing up, they would have none of that. They kept shouting “bugs! bugs! There are bugs in the Golden Morn!”
We buy Golden Morn on Amazon here and I’ve never seen bugs in them. I’m still shocked. How can weevils make it into a processed food? What is the quality control like at Nestle Nigeria? Who is the regulatory body that supposed to be checking these things? Nafdac?
I’m completely disappointed. It will take a long time to restore my kids’ trust in a bagged cereal from Nigeria now.
It’s not expired, going by the date and yes, it is tightly sealed.
We perfected the bail of Chioma Okoli yesterday, and also successfully secured her release from the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Suleja, Niger State where she was remanded on Tuesday after her arraignment at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
She has since reunited with her family and is recuperating and will be seeking proper medical care.
Chioma is grateful to Nigerians who have supported her materially and otherwise.
This case further demonstrates that there are people of conscience and goodwill who would not hesitate to commit their energies, resources and voices in pursuit of the course of justice and in defence of the oppressed.
Some people have helped Chioma in ways that are simply profound and humbling; we are eternally gratefully to everyone of them.
Nigerian travelers aboard an Air France flight from Paris to Abuja experienced an unforeseen delay in Chad.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, in a post shared on his social media handle on Saturday, June 1.
The caption reads: "It has come to my attention that some Nigerians on an Air France flight from Paris to Abuja are presently stranded in Chad, from where the flight earlier dropped some passengers.
"I have immediately directed the Consumer Protection Department of the NCAA to swing into action and engage Air France. We shall inform everyone of the outcome soon.”
Keyamo also urged Air France to "immediately issue a statement on the fate of those Nigerians."
In the video, about seven individuals were seen lamenting the situation, with one of them describing it as a "mess."
Politics › Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Celebrates Her 70th Birthday With Her Husband (Photos) by nlfpmod(mod): 6:57pm On Jun 13, 2024
