Social media giant, Facebook on Thursday announced that it has changed its corporate name to Meta.
The Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, in the announcement disclosed that the development is part of a major rebranding.
The platform further stated that the change does not apply to its individual platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, but the parent company that owns them.
This is coming after series of reports about Facebook, based on documents leaked by Frances Haugen, an ex-employee.
Haugen had accused the company of putting “profits over safety”.
Lawmakers in the Plateau State House of Assembly nearly exchanged punches on Thursday morning during the Impeachment of the speaker, Hon. Abok Ayuba Nuhu.
POLITICS NIGERIA gathered that 16 out of the 24 lawmakers voted in favour of the impeachment.
The plot of Abok’s removal began about a week ago as the speaker and the state governor, Simon Lalong have been at loggerheads. Their quarrel began after an attack in Yelwan Zagam, the community of Jos North, where people were killed.
Reliable source reveal that the speaker started criticising the governor openly. However, on Thursday morning, house of assembly members converged at the chamber of the house to begin the process.
Once the matter was tabled, rancour immediately broke out as the lawmakers began to exchange words. Some lawmakers under the PDP, loyal to the speaker grabbed the mace to prevent the impeachment process.
A struggle ensued as APC lawmakers(Majority) also grabbed the legislative instrument and returned it to its position.The impeachment went on as planned.
The entire house of assembly complex was surrounded by Security Operatives.
Ex Akwa Ibom South Senator, Nelson Effiong, who was kidnapped on the 5th of September,2021 as at 9pm, at the newly opened Highbrow club along Oron road in Uyo, the state capital, is yet to be released by his abductors.
This is the second time, the lawmaker has being abducted, having earlier been taken hostage in 2009, 2 years after leaving the office as Akwa-Ibom third speaker of the State House of Assembly in 2007.
The former APC lawmaker, has from time accused Nigerians of exaggerating insecurities under the President Buhari Era.
Effiong has now spent 50 days under the roof of his abductors who demands the sum of N200 million as ransome to free the Ex lawmaker.
Ronald Koeman has been sacked as coach of Barcelona, the club announced on Wednesday, after defeat by Rayo Vallecano left the club ninth in La Liga.
Barca have won only two of their last seven league games under Koeman, a run that included losing to Real Madrid in Sunday’s Clasico at Camp Nou.
A poor start to the season has raised the possibility of the team failing to qualify for next season’s Champions League, which would have enormous consequences for the club’s already-dire financial situation.
Barcelona’s former midfielder Xavi Hernandez, who is currently in charge of Qatari club Al Sadd, and River Plate coach Marcel Gallardo are reportedly among those under consideration to take over.
A club statement released after midnight in Spain on Wednesday read: “FC Barcelona has dismissed Ronald Koeman as coach of the first team tonight.
“The president of the club, Joan Laporta, has informed him after the defeat against Rayo Vallecano. Ronald Koeman will say goodbye to the squad this Thursday at the Ciudad Deportiva.
“The FC Barcelona wants to thank him for his services and wishes him good luck in his career.”
The E-Naira speed wallet has disappeared from the Google Play Store barely 48 hours after its launch, The PUNCH has observed.
However, our correspondent learnt that the eNaira merchant wallet, which is designed for businesses, is still running and has over 10,000 downloads on the Google Play Store made available to Android users.
Checks on the Apple App Store showed that the eNaira speed wallet was still active but had been upgraded.
To access the eNaira, users have to download the ‘speed wallet’, which allows them to conduct transactions with speed and ease. It is a digital storage that holds the eNaira and is held and managed on a distributed ledger.
Before it disappeared, the speed wallet had a rating of 2.0 from 2, 150 reviews as of Tuesday evening with many complaining of glitches.
Angry youths have stormed the residence of a suspected informant for bandits and beat him to death in Kaduna State.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, state Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, said the youths inflicted severe injure on the victim, Abdullahi Mohammed Gobirawa before he died.
The commissioner added that the mob also killed the victim’s wife and son, before burning their home.
Aruwan said the youths killed Gobirawa’s family over their suspected collaboration with bandits, especially in relation to recent kidnappings in the area.
He said on receiving the reports, Governor Nasir El-Rufai expressed his sadness and deep worry at the violent actions of the citizens, and strongly condemned the extra-judicial killings.
Aruwan stressed that lawful means alone should be adopted in confronting suspicions of criminality, as the destructive practice of self-help would only result in greater harm.
He said the state government had directed security agencies to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident, and urged citizens to maintain order.
The commissioner cautioned against stereotyping of any sort and appealed for consistent recourse to the constituted agencies as investigations into the incident are in progress.
The Former Emir of Kano state, Sanusi Lamido has stated that President Muhammadu Buhari is meant to be impeached for paying millions of dollars on fuel subsidies without appropriation.
He disclosed that this is contained in Nigeria’s Constitution.He stated this while speaking virtually as a panelist on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the just concluded Nigerian Economic Summit held in Abuja.
In his words: “Every year, the government spends millions upon millions of dollars on fuel subsidies without appropriation. Under the constitution, this is enough ground to impeach the President. But nobody is holding them to account. The National Assembly is not holding them to account,” he said.
The former CBN Governor continued: “Those in government must understand that there are times that you have to make some decisions not because they are popular but because they are right. We have to decide to run a developmental state and not a rental state; not a populist state.”
“We are pursuing a populist policy: we want to have cheap fuel, cheap electricity, a strong Naira. That is populism. At the end of the day, what price are we paying by taking money out of education in order to subsidise petroleum products?”.
“This money coming from petrol belongs to the federation account, and the federal government doesn’t have the constitutional right to pay subsidy on behalf of the federation. So it is a fundamental constitutional issue because this is money that should go to the federal, states and local governments. Yet money that belongs to the federation is carried out as federal government expenditure. So, there are so many complex issues, legal and economic issues. We need to stop these issues” he said.
As the feud between Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun State and his predecessor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the Minister of Interior festers, there are reports that their political godfather, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has thrown his weight behind the governor, raising anxiety in the state’s political cycle.
The fight between Oyetola and Aregbesola over the control of the APC structure in the state has divided members of the party into two camps. Aregbesola’s camp is known as The Osun Progressive (TOP) while the mainstream faction belongs to Oyetola tagged IleriOluwa, the governor’s campaign slogan.
The chairman of the party in the state, Prince Adegboyega Famodun and many prominent party leaders, state and federal legislators, and political office holders are with Oyetola. Majority of those that served in Aregbesola’s government have remained loyal to him and belong to the TOP camp.
The recently concluded ward, local government and state congresses of the party further exposed the depth of the crisis. The minister’s camp has gone to court to challenge the congresses.
Until recently, most people believe that Aregbesola was the determiner of most decisions taken by Tinubu over the years. Tinubu was Aregbesola’s godfather and boss.
Aregbesola served under Tinubu as commissioner for Works in Lagos for eight years and had huge influence in Lagos politics even when he was governor in Osun.
However, Aregbesola’s influence in Lagos politics eventually dwindled when he became minister of Interior after his tenure in Osun.
Oyetola, who served as Chief of Staff under Aregbesola for eight years, is Tinubu’s relative. Some leading politicians in Osun who spoke on condition of anonymity said Tinubu was not happy that Aregbesola did not work for Oyetola’s victory in the 2018 governorship election in Osun and was equally unhappy with Aregbesola’s political moves in Abuja.
APC members in the IleriOluwa and TOP acknowledged that Tinubu is supporting Oyetola in the crisis between the governor and Aregbesola. Those that spoke with our correspondent pleaded anonymity.
One of the leaders of TOP said; “Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is supporting Oyetola against Aregbesola. It is expected. It’s normal for him to support his brother. They want to cut Aregbesola’s wings because of Oyetola. We don’t know Aregbesola’s offence.
“Asiwaju Bola Tinubu should play the role of a leader rather than supporting his brother against the minister.”
But a member of the IleriOluwa group said Aregbesola’s issue with Tinubu was not because of Oyetola.
He said “Oyetola was not the reason for the demobilisation of Aregbesola’s structure in Lagos politics. It’s because of his political moves in Abuja to contest for the presidency. It’s not as if Tinubu is supporting Oyetola against Aregbesola.
The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Ismail Omipidan, declined comment on the issue.
Political observers in the state posit that APC might find it very difficult to win the forthcoming governorship election in the state unless the crisis is resolved and both camps work together.
When contacted, the media aide to Tinubu, Mr. Tunde Rahman, said Asiwaju was committed to amicably resolving the issue between Oyetola and Aregbesola.
He said the matter of 2022 governorship election or the second term of Governor Oyetola is not yet on the table.
“Whatever it is that you say is happening between Governor Oyetola and his predecessor, minister of Interior Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, will be resolved amicably. That’s the resolve of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and what he is totally committed to at present.
“The matter of 2022 or second term of Governor Oyetola will take care of itself when the time comes. Of course, if you ask me, does Governor Oyetola deserve a second term? I would say of course; absolutely.
“I think Governor Oyetola has demonstrated that he is qualified for a second term by his performance thus far, by the competence and character that he has brought unto the job,” he said.
The Lagos International Festival of Animation, LIFANIMA has received the endorsement of the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism and Culture. The State further pledged the collaboration of its agency, The Lagos State Films and Video Censors Board. This was conveyed in a letter signed by the Executive Secretary of the Board, Mrs Bukola Agbaminoja. According to her, the endorsement is based on the festival’s strategic intent to:
• To promote the rapid development of the Animation industry in Nigeria and across Africa
• To improve the movie industry through increased inclusion of animation content
• To provide a platform for the promotion of local animators and development of the quality of animation
• To expose animators to the latest technologies in animation hardware and software
In its 5th year, LIFANIMA has been working for the promotion and development of the Animation Industry in Lagos State, Nigeria and across Africa.
The submissions for the 5th edition of the Lagos International Festival of Animation, LIFANIMA closed on the 30th of September 2021 with 1,105 entries from more than 100 countries, including 17 African countries. The festival has also introduced a new category for submissions, the STOP MOTION ANIMATION CATEGORY. Prior to now, the festival had four categories, namely 2D ANIMATION SHORT, 3D ANIMATION SHORT, ANIMATION COMMERCIAL and VISUAL EFFECTS.
For the current year, the festival received the highest number of entries in the 2D ANIMATION category, which recorded 676 entries, while the newly introduced category, STOP MOTION ANIMATION pulled 240 entries.
“Last year we had to do a virtual festival due to the pandemic but this year we are excited at the possibility of having an onsite festival. We are also happy at the rapid growth of LIFANIMA into what is today one of the top two animation film festivals in Africa. We are even more excited at what this means for the African film industry. LIFANIMA is bringing African animators together and we are poised to see greater collaboration that will culminate in the successful production of proudly African animation features that tell the African story” Says Muyiwa Kayode, Festival Director, who is also the creator and Executive Producer of the multiple award-winning animation series Turtle Taido.
LIFANIMA is scheduled to hold on November 11th and 12th at Freedom Park, Lagos.
LIFANIMA has the objectives to promote the rapid development of the animation industry in Nigeria and across Africa; to improve the movie industry through increased inclusion of animation content; to provide a platform for the promotion of local animators and development of the quality of animation and to expose animators to the latest technologies in animation hardware and software.
The Animation specific film festival was founded by Muyiwa Kayode in 2017 to promote the Animation genre and support its practitioners in the continent. Over the years, it has seen a steady increase in submission of films across the categories of 2D, 3D animation, animation commercials and visual effects. The 2019 edition received over 400 films from more than 70 countries in the continent and Diaspora while last year, more than 900 entries were submitted for the festival.
The festival will feature Screening of Selected Works, Award Presentation, Networking and Entertainment, and will attract Animators; local and foreign, Film makers, Investors, Financial Institutions, Advertising agencies, Musical Video Producers, Media Practitioners, Digital Marketing professionals, Government agencies, Information Technology companies/manufacturers and the public.
