₦airaland Forum

Verydarkman

Verydarkman (Michael Vincent Otse) was born on March 8, 1996 in Lagos, Nigeria. He is a 27 years old young Nigerian man who rose to fame on social media for activism when he first called out a popular skin care brand Jenny'sglow.

Martins Vincent Otse popularly known as verydarkblackman is a popular social media activist who came to limelight by calling out a popular beauty and skin care brand Jenny'sglow and even became more popular for demanding justice for Mohbad.


Rufai Oseni

Rufai Oseni is a renowned Nigerian journalist, TV host and presenter at Arise TV who believes in innovation, capacity, and development.

He was born in his hometown of Odogbolu, Ogun State, Nigeria on April 8, 1980. He is 43 years old. He is a graduate of Lagos Business School and Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta.


Ekene Umenwa

Ekene Umenwa is a popular Nigerian Nollywood actress, celebrity with good heart, she is known as Angel Palazzo in her comedy skits, she has futured in many of Nigerian nollywood movies, home movies, comedy movie, action movies, romantic movies, Epic village movies and also religious movies, she is a lover of God and fun to be with.


Funke Kuti

Funke Kuti is a Nigerian actress, producer, and entrepreneur. She was born on April 24, 1977, in Lagos, Nigeria. She is the daughter of the famous Nigerian musician and activist, Fela Kuti. Funke Kuti is known for her roles in movies such as "The Return of Jenifa," "Jenifa," and "Omo Ghetto." She has won several awards for her acting, including the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.

As part of Africa Magic’s 20th-anniversary customer reward initiatives, MultiChoice has announced that customers on the GOtv Supa package will be able to access content on GOtv Supa+ for a period of one month, starting from November 1.

This was announced by the Executive Head of Marketing, MultiChoice West Africa, Tope Oshunkeye, in a statement made available to Saturday Beats.

Oshunkeye said, “As part of our Africa Magic 20th anniversary celebration, we are thrilled to involve our GOtv customers in this memorable occasion. GOtv Supa+ represents our premium package, offering customers exclusive access to top-notch content, including live Premier League matches, La Liga matches, Serie A matches, and other exciting sports events on SuperSport Select 3.

“Also, the premium Africa Magic Showcase channel is now available on the Supa+ package, allowing GOtv Supa customers to enjoy the best of Africa Magic’s original series like Slum King, Love and Light, Chronicles, Refuge, and Masquerades of Aniedo throughout November.”

In addition, customers will be able to access movies on Universal Studio and kids’ content on the Disney channel.

MultiChoice had earlier announced the opening of the Africa Magic Showcase channel to DStv Compact and GOtv Supa+ subscribers for two months, which started on October 1.

Africa Magic Showcase is exclusive to customers on the DStv Compact Plus, DStv Premium, and DStv Prestige. GOtv customers on Max and Jolli can enjoy the Supa+ bonanza by upgrading to GOtv Supa.

Baba Ijebu

Simply dial *755#, Click on 2 Main Menu and send. You will be re-directed to the *755# Main menu.

The Main menu shows a full list of options to choose from when playing Baba Ijebu on AIRTEL. *755# has 4 games: NAP2, NAP3, PERM2, PERM 3 and Sports betting. For more information on each game, Dial *755#, enter the number 9, you will be given further information on the different games:

When you enter 5 and hit send, a dialogue box will pop up on your screen
Select 1 and send to place your bet

Select your preferred stake amount
For example, if you want to stake N50, Type 1 and Send

Confirm your selection, If you are ok with your bet
Type 1 and Send
If not type 2 and send.

A confirmatory message will pop up on your screen and a Bet reference will be sent to you via sms.

After the daily draws, you can check Baba Ijebu result via USSD by dialing the quick code *755#.


Golden Chance Lotto

To Play Golden Chance Lotto Games, you will have to select one or more numbers from 1-90, depending on the Nap type.

Permutations allows you to select up to 20 numbers and if you can match 2 or more numbers (depending on the Nap type), then you have won.

1. Select a game from the available games
2. Select Bet type, e.g. perm 2
3. Decide how you wish to play, Auto Pick (computer selects numbers for you at random) or Manual Pick (you select your preferred numbers from 1-90)
4. Enter amount (minimum N5, maximum N10,000)
5. Click Play

With these simple steps, you have successfully placed a bet on Golden Chance Lotto.

To check Golden Chance Lotto Result, you can download the Golden Chance Lotto mobile app to get results notification immediately.

Create a WhatsApp Channel to share updates and information with your current followers and connect with new ones.

Use your channel to share things like: Text, Images, Videos, Stickers, and Links.

While some features might feel familiar to WhatsApp chats, channel updates are a one-way broadcast rather than a conversation.

Followers can’t reply directly to updates or send messages to channel admins. Instead they can show their interest in a channel’s content by adding emoji reactions to channel updates or voting on polls.

Updates are sent from your channel, which is in a separate part of the app away from chats and calls. Followers won’t see your WhatsApp profile name, picture, or your phone number.

People can find your WhatsApp channel several ways:

External link: Share a link to your channel on other websites or apps. Your channel and updates will be viewable in WhatsApp.

In-app sharing: Followers can share channels they like with their WhatsApp contacts.

Browsing in the app: WhatsApp users can search for channels or find them by browsing the directory.

Through USSD Code

To subscribe to DStv, you can use the USSD code by dialing *389*9*smartcard number# on your phone. Select DStv from the menu that will appear on your screen. Then, select your preferred package; DStv Yanga, Padi, Confam, Compact, Compact Plus or Premium. After selecting your preferred package, you can make your payments.

Online

To subscribe to any DStv, you can do it online. Just log in to the DStv website. Sign up. On the menu bar, Press the Pay link and Pay Now button. Then enter the requested personal details. Select your preferred package and make payments with any payment method you like from the option.

Through DStv App

Log in to the DStv app. Select your DStv package. And then make your payment.

Through ATM

Just visit an ATM stand, Insert your ATM card, and enter your 4-digit PIN. Choose Pay Bills from the options. Choose your account type, and the option "DStv" will show on the screen. Choose your DStv bouquet, insert your Smart card number, and click Accept.

MTN Data Plans

Through MyGOtv App

Log in to the GOtv app. Select your preferred GOtv package; Gotv Jolli, Gotv Jinja, GOtv Max, or GOtv Supa.

If you want to watch the English Premier League or the UEFA Champions League, subscribe to the latest GOtv Supa+. These packages have different prices. Just choose the one you want and then make your payment.

Through USSD Code

This method is used in case you are not using an Android, Apple, or iOS device. For a quick subscription route for GOtv, just dial *288# on your call keypad, then send.

Through a Customer Care Representative

To subscribe to GOtv, you can contact your customer care representative by dialing 634 which is the toll-free number. Send your IUC number and the GOtv customer representative will subscribe for you.

Through Bank App

If you are using a bank App, check your menu; GOtv subscription service is also available on bank apps regardless of the bank name. You will get it at utility bills, choose your package, and pay using your IUC number.

Through QuickTeller

GOtv customers can also subscribe to their television by using the QuickTeller web link. Just log in to www.quickteller.com/got, choose your preferred GOtv package, supply your decoder information, and pay.

The adoption of the Fifth Generation (5G) network is fast expanding as MTN disclosed that it has activated over 700 sites across 13 cities since its launch in August 2021.

Connected cities, according to MTN, include Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano, Owerri, Ibadan, Maiduguri, Abeokuta, Ife, Warri, Enugu, Ife and Ifo. Speaking with journalists, yesterday, on the journey so far, MTN Nigeria’s Chief Technical Officer, Mohammed Rufai, said Nigerians are currently enjoying the benefits of 5G.

Rufai justified that Nigeria was ready for the technology, saying the capacity has always been there in terms of the availability of the spectrum, fibre infrastructure, market and technical know-how. He disclosed that 5G would not only complement the country’s broadband target of 70 per cent penetration by 2025 but also ensure that telecoms services expand to remote areas.

With the country’s broadband penetration at 48 per cent, where some 92 million people are enjoying it, Rufai said MTN has covered about 92 per cent of Nigeria.

While some countries, including South Africa, are planning to shut down 2G and 3G networks, Rufai said that is not in the plan for now in the case of Nigeria. He stressed that the focus is to provide network facilities for all categories of subscribers.

“The fact that we are going to 5G does not mean we should not cater to the needs of the subscribers on the other technology. We must also consider those who need the lower technologies. The fact is even that 3G network can be used for other services in the future.


“For us in Nigeria, shutting down those technologies is not in the plan now. MTN Nigeria would take into account what subscribers need. We shall not leave anyone behind, even as we encourage people to move to higher technology. Of course, we know that a time would come when people on some of those networks will reduce, then we can take appropriate decisions on them,” he stated.

On deepening 5G adoption, Rufai, who admitted that devices, especially mobile, for the technology, are still not much in the market, while smartphones prices are highly exorbitant, said customers can still enjoy the benefits of the technology through fixed wireless infrastructure, saying there are 5G routers that people can get and connect to WiFi.

He disclosed that some Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) are currently working with MTN on 5G devices.

While admitting that it has not been that easy on the issue of Right of Way (RoW), especially for fibre expansion into states, the MTN CTO however, commended the efforts of the Federal Government, saying more states are opening up and seeing the economic benefits of such move.

“I think challenges around RoW are being addressed. Fibre deployment is key to ensuring 5G expands across the country,” he stated.

The Samsung Galaxy A54 was finally dethroned, the Redmi Note 12 topping the trending chart this month. Behind it we see the newly announced Infinix GT 10 Pro, which clearly impressed you guys. The Galaxy A54 is still close behind in third, so we would advise against writing this one off.

The Redmi 12 and Redmi 12 5G follow in the next two positions, with the Galaxy S23 Ultra rounding up the top six.

Another new phone, the Poco M6 Pro, is in seventh it's debut on Saturday coming too late for it to climb further up the ranks.

Redmi Note 12 Pro comes in eight, while the Note 30 Pro in ninth makes it two Infinix phones in the top 10.

Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max completes the top 10 this week, leaving both new Samsung foldables - the Fold5 and Flip5 - out. Realme C53 and Galaxy A34 also miss out this time around.

Things to consider before you buy any phone
Ways to speed up your slow and lagging android phone

MultiChoice, Africa’s leading pay-TV service provider has announced the introduction of a new package, GOtv Supa+, to the lineup of existing packages on GOtv.

This exciting new package brings an unparalleled level of entertainment to subscribers, offering an extensive array of over 70 channels and exclusive content.

With GOtv Supa+, viewers gain access to a wide selection of top-tier content making it the ultimate choice for viewers who seek high-quality entertainment. This impressive lineup includes sports, entertainment,lifestyle and kiddies channels.

Speaking on the offer, Executive Head of Marketing, MultiChoice West Africa, Tope Oshunkeye, expressed his enthusiasm, stating: “We are thrilled to introduce GOtv Supa + to our valued customers. We aim to elevate the television viewing experience to new heights and MultiChoice remains dedicated to offering top-notch entertainment and sports content that cater to the varying interests of our diverse audience.”

The new package will include some of the most in-demand channels on DStv namely Super Sports English Premier League, Super Sports Select 3, Studio Universal, Disney Channel, Universal TV among others. These channels will complement exciting sports, entertainment and kids content already available on GOtv Supa, Max, Jolli, Smallie and Jinja.

GOtv Supa+ is already available for subscription for a sum of N10,500. Subscribers can easily upgrade using the self service options, *288# or the MyGOtv app.

Source: Guardian Nigeria

Earlier this year, around May, Multichoice Nigeria increased their subscription rates for subscribers in Nigeria.

With the fresh rates hike, DStv Premium subscribers now pay N24,500, while Compact Plus bouquet customers will pay N16,600 monthly.

The current price for subscription on the DStv Compact bouquet is N10,500, while for the Confam package, it's N6,200.

Those on DStv Yanga and DStv Padi packages are now paying N3,500 and N2,500 respectively.

On the GOtv service, subscribers on GOtv Supa package will now pay N6,400, while those on GOtv Max will pay N4,850.

GOtv Jolli package now cost N3,300, while for GOtv Jinja, the price is N2,250, and GOtv Smallie is N1,100.

While the rest of the world is celebrating the adoption of 5G smartphones, some might find the question weighing heavily on Africa due to its slow growth.

According to several scholars and business leaders, Africa may still have some way to go before it adopts 5G due to a number of issues, mainly infrastructural and economic development. More than 1.3 billion people live in Africa, and the majority of its markets have populations of 5 million or more.

According to the African Development Bank (AfDB), the pandemic drove approximately 30 million Africans into extreme poverty in 2021, and the Russia-Ukraine conflict will push an additional 3.9 million into poverty by 2023.

Currently, 4G networks cover 76% of the continent's population, although connections to these networks average barely 25% of all connections, compared to 60% internationally. The focus of operators in Africa in the near future will be on boosting 4G uptake, as 4G adoption is still underway and there is a huge underutilized 4G capacity.

Other industry leaders argue that, despite potential difficulties, 5G has the ability to considerably boost the economic strength of African countries. Although it is evident that 5G adoption on the continent is still in its early stages, some nations, including South Africa and Nigeria, have started conducting tests and deploying 5G networks.

The IDC states that shipments of 5G devices rose by 26.9% in Q2 2022, and their market share is expanding as key companies add more 5G products to their portfolios.

How strong will the signal be for 5G smartphones in the future?

After a strong start, experts foresee a strong growth momentum for 5G adoption in high-growing markets in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2023. The magnitude of the coverage gap is frequently related to the revenue possibility for mobile operators working with satellite firms. This suggests that Africa has the highest potential for increasing revenue.

Africa is rich in renewable resources because it is the continent with the most unconnected people (130 million, or 15% of the adult population). However, due to currency devaluation, operators in this region are also among the most financially strapped and subject to increasing equipment prices. The aforementioned concerns could slow down the growth of satellite partnerships.

With Ericsson pledging to promote a world where Africa will have access to the newest technology, the future of 5G Smartphones in Africa seems bright. Additionally, the Mobile Economy research asserts that Sub-Saharan Africa will be the first region to experience 5G rollout and that 5G SA holds the possibility of providing a variety of services in Africa. Qualcomm also intends to promote 5G as a feature in widely available smartphones.

All things considered, in the global race to be 5G-compatible, Africa will definitely be on the line to connect.

Source: benjamindada.com

To turn the Apple logo on the back of your iPhone into a secret button when you double tap or triple tap it, follow the steps below:

1. Open Settings on your iPhone
2. Tap on Accessibility
3. Tap on Touch
4. Tap on Back Tap at the bottom
5. Tap on Double Tap
6. Select the shortcut you want to happen when you double tap the Apple logo
7. Tap on Back Tap at the top of your screen
8. Tap on Triple Tap
9. Select the shortcut you want to happen when you triple tap the Apple logo.

Once you have setup Back Tap, using the feature is very easy. You just double tap or triple tap the back of your iPhone around where the Apple logo is. It works even when you have a case on in our experience, though we haven't tried it with all cases of course.

You don't need to push the logo, just double or triple tap the logo with your finger and the shortcut you have selected for that action will happen straight away, whether a call or a screenshot.

Note: If you have a case on, you may just need to make a note where the Apple logo is on your device. For the iPhone 11, 12 models, iPhone 13 models and iPhone 14 models, it is in the middle of the rear for example, while on the iPhone XR, it is above the middle in the top third. Back Tap should work when you tap anywhere on the back of your iPhone though.


Source: Pocket-lint

While announcing a new rate on its DStv packages and GOtv subscription, effective May 1, 2023, MultiChoice Nigeria also offered customers the opportunity to keep paying their old rates instead of the new ones.

The offer comes with economic benefits for customers as it grants them unhindered access to all channels on their current package while paying the old rates.

Here is all you need to know about the offer

The offer is called: “Price Lock.” The offer is to cushion the economic effect of the price increase on customers. It also allows customers to keep enjoying content on DStv and GOtv while paying the old rate.

Why Price Lock?

MultiChoice acknowledges the economic impact the new rates will have on customers. Price lock was aimed at cushioning the effect by giving options that allow customers to save some money while they continue to enjoy the premium entertainment content.

How to Enjoy Price Lock

You can enjoy all the benefits of price lock if you renew your subscriptions before the due date, every month. Since the new rates take effect on May 1, you can lock in the old rate of your package by renewing your subscription before the date. The price lock offer is exclusive of hardware, accessories and Xtraview + PVR access fee.

For How long?

You can enjoy the price lock for 12 months if you continue to renew your subscription monthly before it expires.

Advance Payment

For annual subscribers, you are also allowed to lock your old price by renewing your subscription before your upcoming due date to retain the old price.

Without Price Lock

Customers who do not key into the price lock offer will start paying the new rates starting May 1, 2023. Under the new price, DStv Premium subscribers pay N24,500, while DStv Compact Plus customers will pay N16,600 monthly.

Subscribers on DStv Compact will pay N10,500, with those on DStv Confam set to pay N6,200.

Those on DStv Yanga and DStv Padi would pay N3,500 and N2,500 respectively.

On the GOtv service, subscribers on GOtv Supa will now pay N6,400, while those on GOtv Max will pay N4,850.

GOtv Jolli subscribers are due to start paying N3,300, GOtv Jinja subscribers will pay N2,250, and GOtv Smallie subscribers will pay N1,100.

Don’t miss out on the price lock offer.

Download the MyDStv or MyGOtv app to subscribe, upgrade or set up Auto-Renewal and activate the price lock feature to ensure you continue to pay the old subscription rate.

You can also dial *288# to recharge.


Source: TheEagleOnline

Baba Ijebu result for today and yesterday. More results coming from today:

PREMIER ROYAL
2023-04-28
Winning Numbers: 55, 22, 18, 67, 84

PREMIER FAIRCHANCE
2023-04-27
Winning Numbers: 22, 78, 43, 88, 37

PREMIER DIAMOND
2023-04-27
Winning Numbers: 81, 78, 85, 76, 17

PREMIER FORTUNE
2023-04-27
Winning Numbers: 07, 57, 36, 61, 18

PREMIER BINGO
2023-04-27
Winning Numbers: 35, 30, 07, 45, 63

PREMIER INTERNATIONAL
2023-04-27
Winning Numbers: 29, 77, 48, 28, 78.

Source: babaijebu.ng

Golden Chance Lotto result for yesterday and today. More results coming from today:

GOLDENVOGUEFRI
28/04/2023, 08:15 AM
Winning Numbers: 14, 47, 50, 38, 7
Machine Numbers: 87, 88, 54, 71, 1


GOLDEN TANGO
27/04/2023, 09:15 PM
Winning Numbers: 61,54, 56, 68, 88
Machine Numbers: 37, 34, 6, 76, 83

GOLDEN IGWE2
27/04/2023, 07:55 PM
Winning Numbers: 5, 6, 63, 51, 9
Winning Numbers: 1, 30, 36, 19, 3

GOLDEN FORTUNE
27/04/2023, 07:50 PM
Winning Numbers: 7, 57, 36, 61, 18

GOLDEN SUCCESS
27/04/2023, 05:15 PM
Winning Numbers: 81, 65, 42, 18, 2
Machine Numbers: 78, 17, 39, 22, 30

GOLDEN WAZOBIA
27/04/2023, 02:15 PM
Winning Numbers: 8, 87, 34, 3, 11
Machine Numbers: 68, 18, 39, 60, 51

GOLDEN MORNING DEW
27/04/2023, 11:15 AM
Winning Numbers: 58, 36, 70, 46, 22
Machine Numbers: 15, 3, 59, 66, 79

GOLDENVOGUETHU
27/04/2023, 08:15 AM
Winning Numbers: 44, 23, 84, 74, 51
Machine Numbers: 42, 46, 4, 31, 28.

Source: goldenchancelotto.com

This is one of the best messages from Apostle Joshua Selman on financial breakthrough and prosperity.

His message:

"The absence of strategic relationships is the major reason for the poverty of many. I submit to you if I am to draw a pie chart and represent all these points this one will take over 65 percent.

This is one of the reason why people are poor. Listen, there are three things if you don't have you will remain perpetually poor number one; "value", if you don't have value have "relationships", if you don't have relationships have "character", if you don't have these three things you have signed a contract with poverty forever.

If you lack value, you lack strategic relationships, you lack character then you have forget about the blessing of the Lord being made manifest in your life.

The absence of strategic relationships in John chapter 5 from verse 1 to 7.

Let's look at verse 7 for emphasis, the man at Bethesda, Jesus asked the man how come you have been so long here, do you want to be made whole, and the man said I have no man that is my issue not I have no strength, at least among all the important folks I seem to be better than others but the man who will give me the leverage and his one year or One Day translated to 38 years of stagnation because there was no man, he did not say I have no skill he did not say I have no strength he most likely was better than somebody.

Do you know what it means for one day to become 38 years and the simple reason is I have no man, there was a crippled man who's had relationships and they came to Jesus's Crusade insisting that the man will be healed and when they found out that there was a crowd they said, listen, we are not going back with this our friend, he may not have the power to reach out to Jesus he may not have the energy to shout have mercy on me, but he
had relationships.

In other words, we would discuss with the owner of this venue later on
but as far as this man is concerned not for our sake they uncovered the roof the Bible says and Jesus called it faith not carelessness not wickedness he called it faith.

That means relationships can
enhance your faith strategic relationships. I submit to you
ladies and gentlemen, this is where
unbelievers cheat believers hands down, because we have not learned the value and the excellency of strategic relationship.

The average believer will not pay attention to invest in quality destiny defining relationships, you know
why because we feel that we are immuned with factors and systems of advantage like favor, the Holy
Spirit and sometimes you hear us brag and say I don't need any man.

if you are saying that to describe the sovereign power of God you are right, but if you are saying that to mean that on Earth here you do not need anybody, go and think again that God had to send an angel to come and carefully discuss with a woman to make her womb available for Jesus to arrive.

Look at all the men that played strategic roles in his life from Simeon the prophet, Anna the
prophetess, Simon of Cyrene, Joseph of Arimathea, the owner of the donkey that he he carried for triumphant entry.

How could Jesus do without men? as far as he was upon the Earth, he
needed man. As God he may not need man but as a man he needed man. Let me remind you again that I have taught you that all blessings come from God through men to men.

please say it after me, “all
blessings come from God through men to men”, if God says yes and on earth men say no, your yes will remain in the realm of the spirit. I guarantee you, there are people today who may not have as much value when you look at the level of the financial blessing in their lives.

It looks unfair because realizing that
they may not have so much value they turn to relationships and they Master the art of bringing strategic
relationships.

There is a difference between strategic and parasitic relationships. I'm talking about strategic relationships, Hallelujah.


Respectfully speaking, there are men and women of God today, they are business people, very easy things cannot be done, you want to register a company and there is no lawyer that believes in you who can say I love you so much, you just bring what is needed.

Relationships are not gifts there are investments. Waiting for people to just like you for nothing is a waste of time, you've heard me say it here.".....

The new increases come barely six months with MultiChoice having increased all its GOtv packages just last year in September.

MultiChoice has increased its subscription for both GOtv and DStv packages by between 7 and 9 percent.

Details indicate that some packages have been increased by as much as Shs20,000 and Shs10,000, while the lowest increase, which also applies to low grade packages, was Shs1,000.

The new rates, MultiChoice indicated will take effect on April 1, 2023.

In September, MultiChoice announced an increment in all its GOtv packages. However, subscribers will have to pay more with the announcement of latest increases.

For instance, GOtv Supa, which has been going for Shs58,000 per month has been increased by Shs7,000 to Shs65,000 effective April.

Mr Rinaldi Jamugisa, the Multichoice public relations and communications manager, yesterday told journalists that the changes in prices were “very carefully reviewed and evaluated”.

“Due to the rise of costs in doing business, we need to adjust the prices of our packages. We endeavour to keep prices as low as possible while ensuring that our customers continue to enjoy unparalleled access to entertainment,” he said, noting that delivering contented both from local and the international perspective is costly.

“Take for instance, the cost of a satellites in terms of running and maintaining them, the equipment used [and] even content acquisition itself. We need to remain consistent with the services we offer from the point of variety to keep the quality and value,” he said.

It was not immediately clear how other pay TV services providers have reacted to economic pressures that have been exacerbated by the impact of Covid-19, inflation and a slowdown in economic activity.

Pay TV subscriptions are determined by a number of factors, among which include movements in foreign exchange, especially the dollar, which is the main medium of exchange for buying different programmes.

Penetration of TV sets has been consistently increasing during the last three years, to reach around 20 percent of households by 2021.

Pay TV has progressively overtaken free reception over the past 10 years, driven by the direct-to-home satellite and digital terrestrial television.

The Times cited data from Travis Brown, a software developer in Berlin, who found over 137,000 accounts with Twitter Blue subscriptions between November 10 and 15 using a computer program. The program downloaded data including user's following lists, screen time, the date they joined Twitter, and verification status.

Brown found that the typical Twitter Blue subscriber had around 560 followers but some had over a million including Mika Salamanca, a YouTube creator with 3.9 million Twitter followers; Arabic news site, Alwatan News with 2.7 million followers, and several adult film performers.

Many Twitter Blue subscribers were far-right influencers like Kenosha shooter Kyle Rittenhouse, Libs of TikTok, and Catturd2.

Brown's data showed that thousands of subscribers were linked to around 5,000 far-right Twitter accounts that had been flagged for pushing extremist ideas and some were also listed by Cornell University for posting conspiracy theories about election fraud.

Twitter and Travis Brown did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the data outside normal working hours.

Musk's Twitter Blue subscription rollout has been marked by chaos the past month. The $7.99 subscription feature was initially launched on November 5th, a day after Musk laid off 50% of the company's roughly 8,000 employees.

Upon its rollout a number of trolls abused the blue checkmark and impersonated high-profile figures like George W. Bush, Tony Blair, and O.J. Simpson. Companies like Volkswagen, Audi, Pfizer and more were spooked by this and paused advertising on the platform. As a result Musk then revoked the paid verification system on November 6.

The chaos continued with Musk making the feature available again on November 11, before revoking it on the same day. Musk later said that he planned to relaunch Blue Verified on November 29.

On Monday, Musk said the Twitter Blue relaunch is on hold till the platform can resolve impersonation issues with "high confidence."

The Twitter Blue subscription is probably a great monetization strategy for Elon Musk.

Business Insider

For all its limitations—and there are many—Twitter is the closest thing the world has to a transnational public sphere.

During the week that Elon Musk took control of Twitter, Egyptian activists and their allies were campaigning for the release Alaa abd el Fattah, one of the national icons of the Arab Spring. Every Egyptian regime in el Fattah’s lifetime has imprisoned the 40-year-old blogger for offenses related to his protests. The latest charge, under Gen. Abdel Fattah el Sisi, was perhaps the most spurious; he was accused of “spreading fake news” for sharing a Facebook post about torture. He has now been in jail for most of the past 10 years.

Earlier this year, el Fattah went on hunger strike, consuming only 100 calories a day, and on November 7, as the COP27 environmental conference began in Egypt, he started to decline water, too. He’s demanding his release and that the government improve conditions in Egyptian prisons. His sisters, themselves formidable activists, mobilized the hashtag #FreeAlaa to draw international attention to his plight, but the signal seems to have gotten lost in the noise of Musk’s puerile, erratic behavior as Twitter’s new owner.

The confluence of events is revealing of social media’s broader arc over the past 15 years. What started as a space for banalities quickly evolved into a space for connection and political organizing. The Arab Spring was not the only social movement to use sharing platforms to raise international awareness of their cause. Movements like #BlackLivesMatter in the United States, #BringBackOurGirls in Nigeria, and #MyDressMyChoice in Kenya used Twitter to bring their local messages to the world. In Kenya and Senegal, groups used Twitter to crowdsource parallel vote tallying and independent election monitoring, improving election outcomes. But while the future of the platform has always been precarious—its growth long ago outpaced its owners’ understanding of how it should function—Musk represents a new, urgent threat to the company.

As soon as Musk took over, he fired the human rights team, the Accra-based division of the Africa office, the entire India team, and the engineers who oversaw making the site more accessible to people with disabilities. By this weekend, Musk had also reportedly laid off 4,400 of the 5,500 contractors overseeing content moderation on the site. As el Fattah, a figurehead for the idea that social media can hold otherwise unresponsive governments accountable, battles for our attention, the owner of the platforms where many of us learned of el Fattah is banning people who hurt his feelings and threatening to sue anyone who criticizes him.

It is a duel for two possible futures for Twitter. For all its limitations—and there are many—Twitter is the closest that the world has to a transnational public sphere. Partly, this is a function of the site’s structure, which is public first and private second. Unlike other social networking sites, users must opt out of the public stream instead of opting in, and a 2017 Pew Center study found that 48 percent of Twitter users mostly follow people they don’t know, compared to only 3 percent on Facebook. The app encourages people to connect with new people rather than engage with people they already know.

This roughly sorts Twitter users into two categories—broadcasters and viewers. Thus in 2021, the Pew Center found that the most active 25 percent of users by volume produced 97 percent of all tweets from US adults. Twitter remains largely unattractive to the viewers, those who do not want to constantly broadcast themselves, which perhaps explains why the site has struggled to grow its user base. Viewers might find the constant stream of information overwhelming or feel that the opportunity cost of participating is too high, thereby limiting their presence on the site. Some viewers remain satisfied with anonymously retweeting others or passively consuming content on the site, but many more users prefer other sites.

But this also makes it the preferred medium for politicians, diplomats, journalists, movement leaders, and people for whom broadcasting their views is part of their job or their personal preference. Twitter makes it possible for these groups to find each other and exchange information. Marginalized groups shut out of legacy media can use Twitter to cultivate and engage audiences. With Twitter, we can build audiences and broadcast to a world where, as Arundhati Roy put it in her 2004 City of Sydney Peace Prize Lecture, we are otherwise “the deliberately silenced, or the preferably unheard.”

Nothing about Musk’s behavior over the past week indicates that he understands any of this. His choices suggest that he is deliberately uninterested in Twitter’s social value, especially outside the United States. The debate over verification underscores this. Musk’s grasp of what people use verification for is US-centric, indeed Silicon Valley–centric. There are about 400,000 verified Twitter accounts in the world. In the United States, which seems to be the sum of Musk’s view of the world, these may include many celebrities or politicians. In the rest of the world, however, many of the most important verified users are government leaders, diplomats, and journalists on the front lines of complex political situations in the world and for whom the risk of imitation and the proposed $8 a month cost is high.

Independent journalists across Asia, Africa, and Latin America depend on that blue tick to do reporting that would not otherwise be published possible. Many are writing in contexts of censorship and intimidation, particularly of independent media. For instance, Mada Masr, an independent digital platform in Egypt whose editors have routinely faced arrest and detention, is not only able to consistently publish details of el Fattah’s arrests in Egypt but to do so for audiences outside Egypt. Imitation can undermine the credibility of such independent outlets, tarnish their reputations, and make it difficult for their work to surface in international networks.

Musk’s antagonizing and berating verified users is misguided enough, but turning off the features that make the site worthwhile for “the broadcasters” without introducing a suitable alternative is short-sighted and risky. That blue tick helps people and organizations like Rana Ayyub (India, 1.5 million followers), Rukshana Media (Afghanistan, 12.4K followers), Boniface Mwangi (Kenya, 1.8 million followers), and Farida Bemba Nabourema (Togo, 36K followers) show international audiences what they are doing without their having to navigate the censorship in their respective domestic media markets. Twitter under Musk has offered (then rescinded, then offered again) institutions the “official” tag as a substitute, but it’s not clear if independent journalists and activists in the Global South will qualify or how.

This tension has always been Twitter’s central problem: the divergence between Twitter Inc. and Twitter the online forum. The site is important in a way that cannot easily be quantified in financial terms and which means little in the Silicon Valley model of technological development in which investors incessantly attend to the conjoined twins of infinite growth and profitability. Twitter Inc. has never turned a profit—even as its social value has grown. Twitter Inc.’s customers are advertisers and its obligations are to shareholders, but users experience Twitter as a digital public square sustained by our civic obligations to one another. “Who will build and foot the financial and the social bill for Twitter as a public good?” remains one of the most vexing questions in platform governance today.

There’s a growing chance that Twitter Inc. will not survive Musk. That in and of itself is no great tragedy. Social media is a highly iterative space, and new things are already waiting in the wings. But there is a greater lesson here for the broadcasters who are using platforms to advance calls for social change. For us in the “rest of the world,” the people who run these platforms do not understand the role they play in our political lives. In my 2018 book, Digital Democracy, Analogue Politics, I detail how social movements in Kenya harnessed Twitter to foster social change and transformation that would not otherwise have been possible.

In that book, I also remind activists that social media can and should be used to advance causes, but that the platforms we have today are private corporations beholden to the whims of those who own them. That lesson is more urgent than ever as we watch Twitter implode thanks to the petty parochialisms of its new owner, while a person whose work made his platform worthwhile for so many of us fights for his life and freedom.

The Nation

Tottenham Hotspur are set to take their summer spending past €100 million in the summer transfer window, with the signing of Middlesbrough full-back Djed Spence on a five-year deal.......

Learn More
https://sportingreel.com.ng/transfer-news/djed-spence-joins-tottenham-on-a-five-year-deal-until-2027/?amp