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Baba Wande revives the essence of ‘Ti Oluwa Ni Ile

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Renowned actor Kareem Adepoju, widely known as Baba Wande, expresses his joy at being part of the reimagining of the iconic Yoruba movie, ‘Ti Oluwa Ni Ile,’ now revitalized on stage in the new production titled ‘Asiyanbi: Ti Oluwa Nile.’ Originally authored by Baba Wande, ‘Ti Oluwa Ni Ile’ evolved into a three-part film under the skilled direction of cinematographer Tunde Kelani.

Baba Wande, the creator of the story, commends the producers for their innovative approach to this historical project.

Despite owning the narrative, he appreciates the opportunity to contribute and fully supports the play’s revival by the international cultural organization, Aroogba Groove.

The executive producer, Dotun Taylor, undertook the project to preserve the essence and cultural significance of the original movies while injecting a fresh perspective for the stage adaptation.

Directed by Ropo Ewenla and written by Shola Balogun, the play boasts a stellar cast including Aisha Lawal, Baba Kamo, Dele Omo Woli, Mummy G.O, Baba Alariya, Ozain, Iya Mufu, Layi Wasabi, Yaw, Lekan Kingkong, and Jude Chukwuka.

 

Spotify achieves a milestone with over 600m monthly users

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On Tuesday, Spotify, the music streaming giant, proudly declared that it surpassed 600 million monthly users by the end of 2023, anticipating a profitable first quarter of 2024.

 

Daniel Ek, the CEO, expressed enthusiasm, stating that Spotify had a robust quarter, capping off a phenomenal year marked by remarkable growth.

As of the conclusion of 2023, the platform boasted 602 million monthly active users, reflecting a substantial 23% increase compared to the previous year.

Additionally, paying subscribers, a pivotal source of revenue, experienced a 15% surge, reaching 236 million.

Despite an operating loss of 446 million euros in 2023, the company showed improvement from the 659 million euros loss in 2022.

Notably, Spotify, a dominant force in the online music market, has yet to achieve a full-year net profit, occasionally achieving quarterly profits.

In an effort to reduce costs, Spotify announced a staff reduction of approximately 17% in December 2023, following earlier cuts in January and June of the same year.

 

The company, listed on the New York Stock Exchange, responded to market trends by raising prices for premium subscribers in July, aligning with similar moves by competitors like Apple and Amazon.

Spotify’s strategic investments in market expansion and exclusive content, such as podcasts, have contributed to its sustained growth.

Recently renewing a deal with Joe Rogan for his chart-topping podcast, the company projects reaching 618 million monthly active users and achieving an operating profit of 180 million euros in the first quarter of 2024.

Tinubu has officially endorsed the revised Electricity Act bill, making it law

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President Bola Tinubu has officially endorsed the Electricity Act (Amendment) Bill, 2024, into law, as disclosed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, in a statement released on Friday titled ‘President Tinubu assents to Electricity Act (amendment) bill.’

The comprehensive legislation, passed by the House of Representatives on July 27, 2023, and the Senate on November 14, 2023, addresses crucial issues such as the development and environmental concerns of host communities.

Notably, it allocates five percent of the actual annual operating expenditures of power generating companies from the preceding year for the development of their respective host communities, a significant step in fostering community development.

Spearheaded by Babajimi Benson, who represents Ikorodu Federal Constituency of Lagos State, the bill also outlines a meticulous process for the management and administration of the allocated funds.

Specifically, a reputable Trustee/Manager will be jointly appointed by the respective power generation companies (GENCO) and their host communities to oversee infrastructure development in the designated areas.

 

Shettima promises government incentives for AFCON finalists following the Super Eagles’ triumph

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Vice President Kashim Shettima, in a meeting with the Super Eagles following their victorious match against South Africa’s Bafana Bafana, assured the team of rewards from the Federal Government, acknowledging their dedication and commitment.

The promise was made in the dressing room after their hard-fought semi-final victory, with the VP joined by Governors Dapo Abiodun and Duoye Diri, Minister for Youths Dr. Jamila Ibrahim, oil mogul Wale Tinubu, FIFA Council member Amaju Pinnick, and NFF President Ibrahim Musa Gusau.

The Super Eagles advancing to the AFCON final after a 4-2 penalty victory over Bafana Bafana, highlighting Nigeria’s record for the highest number of AFCON semi-final appearances at 15.

 

Tinubu, Obi, and other dignitaries applaud the outstanding performance of the Eagles

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President Bola Tinubu extended his congratulations to the Super Eagles for advancing to the Africa Cup of Nations final in Ivory Coast with a 4-2 penalty win against South Africa.

William Troost-Ekong’s penalty and a subsequent VAR decision leading to South Africa’s equalizing penalty marked a thrilling encounter at the Stade de la Paix.

Tinubu praised the team on Twitter, expressing pride in being Nigerian and encouraging them to succeed in the final.

Other notable figures, including Peter Obi, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah, and Minister for Sports Senator John Enoh, also celebrated the team’s victory and wished them success in the upcoming final.

AFCON: Nwabali expresses fulfillment as dream becomes reality

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Following Nigeria’s exhilarating triumph over South Africa in the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals, Super Eagles goalkeeper Nwabali Stanley was swept away by emotion.

Expressing his joy on Instagram, Nwabali declared, “This is a game I’m destined to play.

A night etched in memory!!! I savored every moment!! Brick by brick, dreams are turning into reality.”

The in-form goalkeeper showcased his skills by making crucial saves, including two penalties during the shoot-out.

Despite eliminating Bafana Bafana, Nwabali emphasized his enduring love for South Africa, stating, “No love lost at all. I still love South Africa as much as their fans love me.”

In only his sixth appearance for the Super Eagles in the tournament, the 27-year-old’s late save following a dangerous free-kick forced the game into extra time against a formidable South African side, fulfilling a dream.

“I’m Nwabali Stanley Bobo, and I cherish this team with all my heart. Safe hands,” he credited his teammates.

Prior to the game, Siviwe Mpengesi, Chairman of Chippa United, expressed support for Nwabali, recognizing his international acclaim.

Nwabali revealed his admiration for Manuel Neuer, sharing, “I love watching my role model, even before my game, even in the dressing room.”

Returning from injury, Nwabali equaled a 44-year record by keeping a clean sheet in Nigeria’s quarter-finals win over Angola.

His consecutive clean sheets surpassed historical milestones, marking the first time an Eagles goalkeeper achieved such a feat in a major tournament in 44 years.

After defeating Angola and South Africa, the Super Eagles aim for their fourth AFCON title.

Their journey mirrors the glory of 1980, 1994, and 2013, with this being their first final since their 2013 triumph.

Praises shower upon Nwabali for his outstanding performance in the shootout

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Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali received accolades from Nigerians once again during the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.

His outstanding performance, including saving two crucial penalties in a shootout against South Africa, propelled Nigeria to the tournament final for the first time since 2013.

Despite conceding a penalty during regulation time, Nwabali’s commanding display earned him the Man of the Match award.

Captain William Troost-Ekong contributed to the victory by converting a penalty, and fans expressed their gratitude for Nwabali’s pivotal saves, hailing him as the deserving No. 1 goalkeeper for the Super Eagles.

With four clean sheets and numerous impressive saves, Nwabali is poised to claim the title of the tournament’s best shot stopper.

QNET refutes any connection to the immigration scandal

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QNET, a wellness company, categorically denies any association with individuals claiming to be its independent representatives, recently apprehended.

These individuals, lacking valid travel documents from Cameroon and Cote d’Ivoire, were arrested by the Nigerian Police Force, Ogun State Command, and subsequently deported by the Nigerian Immigration Service.

In a released statement, QNET emphasizes that it has no connection to the reported incidents, clarifying that the NIS, Benue Command, separately deported 18 Cameroonian irregular immigrants in Makurdi, Benue state, on another occasion.

Expressing deep concern over the allegations of fraudulent activities and illegal migration, the company firmly distances itself from any illicit practices.

QNET pledges cooperation with authorities to hold the perpetrators accountable, while also conducting internal investigations and committing to take disciplinary action against any Independent Representative implicated in these matters.

The Federal Government has provided training to 3,000 farmers across 12 states

The Agriculture For Food and Jobs Creation Programme, part of the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Scheme under the Federal Ministry of Budget and National Planning, has successfully trained and empowered 3,000 vulnerable farmers across 12 states in the South-West and South-South regions.

The initiative, led by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, provided farm inputs such as knapsack sprayers, organic fertilizers, herbicides, maize and rice seeds, as well as other essentials like day-old chicks for poultry farmers and feeds for fish farmers.

The ultimate goal is to lift these farmers out of poverty by improving productivity through modern agricultural technologies.

 

Resource persons from federal universities imparted knowledge on good agricultural practices to equip the farmers for successful commercial ventures.

 

Professor Tajudeen Bameke emphasized the importance of adding value to products for increased profitability.

The volume of cashless transactions surges to N611 trillion, according to NIBSS

The Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System revealed that cashless transactions in 2023 surged to N611.06tn, marking a remarkable 54.55% year-on-year growth from N395.38tn in 2022.

 

NIBSS Instant Payments, established in 2011, serves as the nation’s real-time inter-bank payment solution, witnessing an unprecedented rise in electronic channels usage by 75.96%, totaling 11.05 billion transactions in 2023 compared to 6.28 billion in the previous year.

The data further highlighted that instant payments reached N600.36tn, with Point of Sales transactions hitting N10.7tn and being relied upon 1.38 billion times.

 

This surge reflects an increasing acceptance of cashless payments among Nigerians.

 

Notably, December saw the highest transaction value of N71.9tn, emphasizing a festive season peak.

In March 2023, amid cash scarcity, e-payment volumes reached an all-time high of 1.1 billion, although the value was surpassed by December transactions.

 

The overall transactions processed by NIBSS soared to 9.7 billion in 2023 from 5.1 billion in 2022, marking a 90% year-on-year increase.

Examining monthly values, January and February recorded N38.9tn and N36.8tn, respectively.

 

March witnessed a notable spike to N48.3tn, driven by the prevailing cash scarcity.

 

The data suggests a consistent rise in electronic transactions throughout the year, showcasing the growing reliance on digital payment methods in Nigeria.