Davido’s account hits N171m yet funds still trickling in (DailyTrust)
Davido has continued to receive money from friends and colleagues, day after he publicly asked people to donate to his account.
Davido had asked those whose lives he had touched through his music to donate N1 million each so as to raise N100 million needed to clear his Rolls Royce from the port.
The singer hit the target within six hours but money has continued to flow into his account.
A while ago, the money had reached N171 million, N71 million excess of the amount he requested for.
While some praised and applauded him, other criticised him and even suggested that the singer donate the money to a “better cause”.
Taking to her Instagram page, Nigerian Rapper and Dancehall singer, Cynthia Morgan, said Davido’s boys are ungrateful if the singer had to come online to ask for money. Read more
Driver docked for allegedly damaging N15m trailer (Vanguard)
A 47-year-old driver, Friday Omiko, who allegedly damaged and abandoned his employer’s trailer worth N15 million, on Thursday appeared before an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court.
Emiko, whose residential address was not provided, is facing a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy and willful damage.
He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The prosecutor, ASP Akeem Raji, alleged that the defendant willfully damaged the trailer with Reg. No. SMK208XW.
He said that the trailer belonged to GPC Energy Logistics. Read more
Support Lagos gas explosion victims, Reps urge NEMA (Punch)
The House of Representatives has urged the National Emergency Management Authority to provide relief for victims of the recent gas explosion in the Ladipo Auto Spare Parts Market in the Mushin area of Lagos State.
The House specifically urged NEMA and other agencies “meant to handle emergencies to immediately provide material support for victims of gas explosion in Mushin.”
The lawmaker representing Mushin 2 Federal Constituency in Lagos State at the House, Yusuf Ayinla, had moved a motion of urgent public importance at the plenary on Thursday, which was unanimously adopted by the House.
The motion was titled, ‘NEED to Urge the National Emergency Management Authority and Other Sister Agencies Meant to Handle Material Support for Victims of Gas Explosion in Mushin.’ Read more
Emirates extends suspension of direct flight from Nigeria (Guardian)
Emirates Airline has extended the suspension of its flights from Nigeria to the United Arab Emirates to November.
The latest extension came after the airline said it would resume flights from Africa’s biggest economy on November 11.
“Customers who have been to or connected through Nigeria in the last 14 days will not be permitted on any Emirates flights bound for Dubai,” Emirates said in a statement on Wednesday.
Nigerians travelling to Dubai have resorted to using other West African airports, a move which puts pressure on their finances as they have to stay in those countries for at least 14 days before flying to UAE. Read more
I’m delighted I didn’t take sides during P-Square’s rift – Rudeboy’s wife, Anita (Punch)
Anita Okoye, wife of Paul Okoye of the now-defunct music group, P-square, on Thursday said she was delighted that she didn’t take sides during the group’s rift.
This comes a day after the popular singing duo, Peter and Paul, were seen in a viral video embracing after years of beef that made their band, P-Square, split.
To the disappointment of their fans, the brothers did not give a clear reason for their ‘beef’, which led to the disbandment of their group five years ago.
Fans, nonetheless, suspected the brothers’ reconciliation when some days ago, Paul’s wife, Anita, took to her Instagram page to share a video that showed Peter enjoying quality time with his twin brother’s children in the United States as they went shopping. Read more
Unpaid Arrears: FCT Teachers Turn Students Back Home (DailyTrust)
Academic activities at both public primary and secondary schools in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have been paralysed as pupils and students were turned back home by the striking teachers who are protesting the non-payment of their promotion arrears.
Daily Trust had reported that the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) had at the end of its emergency meeting on Wednesday, threatened to embark on a five-day warning strike over the non-payment of their members’ promotion arrears by the six area councils’ chairmen and the FCT administration.
Our reporter, who went around somewhere schools in Abaji, Kwali, Gwagwalada and Kuje area councils, observed that both primary school pupils and secondary school students were turned back at the school gate by teachers.
A visit to LEA Primary School Naharati and GSS in Abaji, Kwali and Gwagwalada, as well as Kuje, students and pupils, were seen returning home while classrooms have remained under lock key. Read more
Seyi Tinubu to Davido: do free concert for fans (Nation)
Seyi Tinubu, son of National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has reacted after singer Davido raked over N150m million in less than 24 hours after sharing his account details on social media.
Seeing the massive success of the pop star’s crowd-funding, Tinubu urged Davido to host a free concert for his fans.
Seyi Tinubu, an entrepreneur was among the notable personalities that partook in the Davido’s initial N100million challenge, which he later upped to N200 million after they exceeded the former in few hours of activation. Read more
Illela: Death Toll Hits 43, As Tambuwal Condoles Residents (Tribune)
Sokoto State Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, on Wednesday, led members of the state executive and security councils, as well as other top government officials on a condolence visit to the people of Illela, a border town about 97 kilometres from the state capital.
Recall that armed marauders had attacked the town and some villages near it in the wee hours Monday, at first instance killing 13 people. However, at the time of the Governor’s visit Wednesday afternoon, the toll had risen to 43.
A statement signed by the special adviser on media and publicity to the governor, Muhammad Bello, said the district head in one of the five villages of Kamalo, Munwadata, Sarwa, Runji and Masada that were attacked during the midnight raid, was wounded.
Bello said that Governor Tambuwal during the visit to Illela town told his audience that: “We’re here, on behalf of the government and good people of our dear state, to extend our heartfelt condolences on this unfortunate incident which claimed the lives of many of our citizens. Read more
Buying transformers, poles, others not responsibility of electricity consumers, says FCCPC (Punch)
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has declared that it is not the responsibility of electricity consumers/customers or communities to buy, replace or repair transformers, poles, cables and related items used in power supply.
The disclosure was made on Wednesday in Benin, the Edo State capital by FCCPC’s Executive Commissioner, Operations, Dr. Adamu Abdullahi, in his remarks at the opening of the commission’s four-day electricity consumers’ complaints’ resolution platform, which was sponsored by MacArthur Foundation and attended by many consumers.
Abdullahi stated that there were many issues in electricity consumption in Nigeria while condemning disconnection of consumers’ lines without notice, outrageous/crazy bills, non-supply of paid-for meters and disregard for regulations, among other complaints by electricity consumers in the country.
He said, “The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), an independent regulatory body, has the authority to regulate the electric power industry in the country, while FCCPC is to protect consumers throughout Nigeria. Read more
Travis Scott and Astroworld organisers sued for $750m (BBC)
More than 125 people who were caught up in the deadly Astroworld music festival crush have sued rapper Travis Scott and other organisers for $750m (£556m).
The family of Axel Acosta, 21, one of the 10 victims, are among those bringing the legal case in the US.
It claims Scott and guest star Drake kept performing despite accounts of “lifeless bodies being passed through the crowd in full view of the stage”.
Scott has said he was not aware of the tragedy until coming off stage. Read more
Another European country imposes Covid lockdown for unvaccinated (RT)
Slovakia has become the latest European country to implement lockdown restrictions on people who haven’t had the Covid vaccine, as it seeks to prevent a resurgence in infections and hospital admissions over the winter.
Slovakian Prime Minister Eduard Heger announced the new measures in a press conference on Thursday, declaring a “lockdown for the unvaccinated” after the country reported a record number of new cases.
The new restrictions in Slovakia, which come into effect on Monday, will require people to have been vaccinated or have recovered from Covid in the past six months to enter restaurants, non-essential shops, or public events.
In the past few days, the European nation has seen record numbers of new infections, including over 8,000 on Tuesday, with hospitals running out of space to treat Covid patients. Read more
Taylor Swift vs. Whitney Houston beef divides Twitter: ‘You’re delusional’ (NYPost)
Apparently there is Bad Blood brewing between Taylor Swift and Whitney Houston fanatics — and it’s not right, but it’s OK.
Curses and epithets are being tossed around on Twitter between the ferocious fan camps of the 31-year old “Cardigan” crooner and the late “I Will Always Love You” chanteuse. And the digitally dueling sides both insist that their preferred musical powerhouse is more talented than the other.
“Whitney Houston is better than Taylor Swift by a long shot. This shouldn’t even be a question,” a die-hard devotee of the six-time Grammy winning singer said. “…Taylor’s talent is in her song writing abilities,” a Swift stan stated in part. “From the music to the lyrics, she is a complete artist.”
The debate over which diva reigned the most supreme sparked after a clip of Barstool Sports staffers Brandon Walker, Eric “Barstool Nate” Nathan and Kelly Keegs squabbling over the matter went viral this week. Read more
Inside Ableton, the music software company everyone wants to buy (Billboard)
Gerhard Behles, a founder of the music-production software company Ableton, had a polite answer to the venture capital power players on the Zoom: No.
It was July 2020, and Behles and another Ableton executive were on the call with an unlikely group of potential investors: Diplo, the DJ-producer; Scooter Braun, the entrepreneur who manages Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande, among others; and Joshua Kushner, brother of Jared, husband of model Karlie Kloss and head of Thrive Capital.
At one point, as Diplo recalls, one of the investors asked the two men from Ableton, “What do you guys think about us being part of you?” They proposed an investment that Diplo said would have been a “significant payday” for Ableton, which sells software that changed the way recordings are produced, then how DJs performed, and finally the sound of pop.
Behles didn’t budge. “We don’t have any investments in our company,” he replied. Read more
Bosnia needs urgent action to prevent secession: Analysts (AlJazeera)
Aggressive diplomatic action and the preparation of defence are urgently needed to address secession threats by Bosnia’s Serb President Milorad Dodik, analysts say.
Dodik, the Serb member of Bosnia’s tripartite presidency, fuelled the country’s biggest political and security crisis in 26 years with his October announcement that the Republika Srpska entity will withdraw from key state institutions – including the armed forces – and set up Serb-only bodies in its place, in violation of the Dayton peace agreement.
The US-brokered Dayton accords signed in December 1995 in Paris officially ended the war in Bosnia, but they split the country into two administrative entities: the Serb-run entity Republika Srpska and the Bosniak-Croat dominated Federation entity.
Dodik has for years threatened that Republika Srpska would secede and join Serbia, but his latest bid to form a separate Serb army has particularly alarmed the public. Read more
Adele shares ‘astounding’ low-key performance of new track “To Be Loved” (Metro)
Adele has posted a low-key performance of her new track To Be Loved from her forthcoming album 30.
Ahead of the album’s launch this Friday, the 33-year-old singer took to social media where she shared a video that saw her casually belting out the song as she sat on the sofa.
After the six-minute ballad was over, Adele said of her rendition: ‘There were a couple notes, but…’
She then flashed a cheeky smile at the camera and stopped recording.
Of course, the clip has already broken the internet with many applauding Adele’s breath-taking vocals. Read more
How Bob Dylan talked his way into his first recording session 60 years ago (NYPost)
It was 1961 in New York City, and a 20-year-old named Bob Dylan was recording his first album.
“What I remember is this scruffy little kid sounding like he was 80 years old. And I was astonished,” Billy James, a young publicist for Columbia Records at the time, told The Post. He was working at the label’s Midtown Manhattan office when he got called to the upstairs studio to see the new guy. “I’d never seen or heard a performer like that before.”
He may have sounded 80 years old then, but now Dylan is actually 80, and hitting the Beacon Theatre Nov. 19 exactly six decades since he began recording his debut album.
To get there, the stars had to align for this kid from Minnesota — born Robert Zimmerman — who first arrived in New York in January of 1961. Read more
NFF wants me to quit as Super Eagles coach -Rohr (Punch)
Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr has revealed that he is still in charge of the team contrary to reports that he has been sacked by the Nigerian Football Federation, The PUNCH reports.
The Franco-German, however, admitted that the NFF wanted him to quit the team after the Super Eagles lacklustre display in Tuesday’s 1-1 draw against Cape Verde in their final Group C World Cup qualifier in Lagos.
The three-time African champions, finished top of Group C with 13 points to qualify for the World Cup playoffs next March but there were widespread calls for the sack of the coach, after another colourless outing by the Eagles, who have struggled against lesser opposition in recent times.
Several online platforms (not The PUNCH) had reported on Thursday (today) that the 68-year-old coach had been relieved of his job in the wake of the Super Eagles performance against Cape Verde. Read more
Flight carrying Afghan girl footballers lands in UK (BBC)
A group of Afghan girl footballers have flown into the UK, the culmination of an extraordinary rescue effort that began after the Taliban seized power.
The costly operation brought together an unlikely cast of characters, from Muslim sports-people to spies, philanthropists, and a Hasidic rabbi.
The girls – aged between 13 and 19 – arrived from Pakistan overnight.
Their flight was chartered by a Jewish aid organisation and was paid for by the US star, Kim Kardashian-West. Read more
Chelsea star Edouard Mendy blasts media for using his picture on Benjamin Mendy stories (Metro)
Edouard Mendy has hit out at media companies who used a picture of him in stories about Manchester City defender Benjamin Mendy.
City’s Mendy was charged with two additional counts of rape on Tuesday, after already being charged with four counts of rape and one count of sexual assault.
The left-back now faces six counts of rape and one of sexual assault which relate to four complainants over the age of 16.
The France international is currently being held on remand at HMP Altcourse, Liverpool and will face trial next year. Read more
Barcelona set 100m euros release clause for 38-year-old Dani Alves (Punch)
Following Dani Alves’ return to Barcelona, the club has placed over 100 million euros as his release clause, according to Daily Star.
On Saturday, the club announced the return of the legend, who left in 2016 after spending eight seasons with the Spanish giants.
Alves’ return follows that of club legend and his former teammate, Xavi Hernandez after some Barcelona stars left the club due to its financial crisis – including Lionel Messi.
While Xavi returns as the club’s manager, Alves is set to return to the pitch with the other players as one of the lowest-paid professional footballers in Europe.
Daily Star reports that the 38-year-old would be paid 1 euro per week for his services to the club. Read more
Knicks send Miles McBride to G League to get playing time (NYPost)
Knicks rookie point guard Miles McBride headed to the G-League to get some action, as the Westchester club opened its home schedule Wednesday versus the Long Island Nets in Bridgeport, Conn., Westchester’s temporary home.
McBride, selected 36th in this year’s draft, has barely played for the Knicks, making four garbage-time appearances.
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau pushed for the drafting of McBride but can’t find any minutes for him, and said Wednesday he’ll play multiple games there but still come back for practices.
“I love him, I love him,’’ Thibodeau said before the Knicks’ 104-98 loss to the lowly Magic. “I think it’s important for him to be with us, but every opportunity we get where we can have him play some, we want to try to take advantage of that as well. But he’s got a great future, great kid, hard worker. And when you come into this league, it’s all about — you’ve got to learn first. And that’s what he’s doing.’’ Read more
Somerset reprimand Jack Brooks over historical tweets (BBC)
Somerset County Cricket Club have “reprimanded” Jack Brooks over historical tweets he sent which contained racist language.
The club investigated two tweets, sent in 2012 when the now 37-year-old played for Northamptonshire, as well as calling Cheteshwar Pujara ‘Steve’ when they were both at Yorkshire.
Brooks has “unreservedly” apologised.
In a statement, Somerset said he was “embarrassed and devastated that his comments offended people”.
“He has acknowledged that, whilst they were made nearly a decade ago when he was less mature, the content of the posts was wrong and not in accordance with his personal values,” the statement added. Read more
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer angry at Manchester United board as he refuses to step down (Metro)
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is refusing to step down at Old Trafford and he’s ‘frustrated’ that he’s not been given more credit for the job he’s done at Manchester United.
The Norwegian is expected to be in charge for Saturday’s trip to Watford, despite humiliating defeats to Manchester City and Liverpool in recent weeks.
United sit sixth in the league table, nine points adrift of leaders Chelsea. Their form has seen Solskjaer lose the support of large swathes of the dressing room, with senior players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes said to be particularly angry.
Rio Ferdinand suggested Solskjaer should resign following the defeat to Pep Guardiola’s men, saying it’s time for the ‘baton to be handed over’. Read more
