In a Pulse exclusive, Femi Jacobs revealed that he has signed a deal with First Media to host the upcoming TV show Jacobs’ Barbershop. On the one hand, the title of the show feels ostensibly named after Jacobs, who seems to be excited about this new project. Male-centric chat shows aren’t strange in our television landscape. EbonyLife TV’s Men’s Corner and Adeolu Adefarasin’s The Talk Shop come to mind. But Jacob’s eponymous show employs the environment of a barbershop as a backdrop. And if you ever been to the barbers’, you would know it can be a churning flux of conversations, especially amongst men.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Jacobs’ Barbershop Tv show premiers with Femi Jacobs & his barbershop crew in a first of its kind television format(drama reality) Enjoy some of the lovely picture from our amazing crew and guest on yesterday premier #barbandgist #jacobsbarbershop #barbersgist #jacobthebarber #realitytvshow Features @femijacobs @realyomifabiyi @susanfestus @drange001 @iam_quadriibrahim @dedealozie @officialplaybee @emmicks_ @bomacomedian @mzanwuri @tikwatura

A post shared by Jacobs Barbershop Show (@jacobsbarbershopshow) on Nov 30, 2018 at 12:39pm PST

“I accepted the part of this because it was very unique. When I heard the format, I have never seen something like that before, it aligns with my aspiration and except you don’t have a conscience or care about what is going on in the country, you would wish you could speak and ask the leader the real questions,” Jacobs said. “So the format is done in such a way that anybody that comes, we assume that person is my friend visiting my barbershop and once they come in, I start the questioning. This is aside the regular drama and banters with my staff at the barbershop. The show is recorded every other week so that the content and discourse remains fresh and relevant to the people and audience at large.”

Jacobs’ Barbershop brims with the potential of mirroring everyday Nigerian issues, slathered with banter of course. We will let you know when the first episode is released.

Read » Femi Jacobs to host new TV chat show ‘Jacobs’ Barbershop’ on YNaija

These are the stories that drove the conversation today:

The Federal Government has ordered that no payment of any form of salaries and allowances should be made to members of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on strike in Federal and Inter-Varsity Centres.

As contained in a memo issued by S.B. Ramon-Yusuf, a Director at the National Universities Commission (NUC) to Universities and Inter-Varsity Centres, the no-work-no-pay rule is in view of the current industrial action by the union.

“Consequently, I am to direct vice-chancellors to apply the “No-work-no-pay” rule. ” All Vice-Chancellors and Directors of Centers should note that the salaries to staff on strike from whatever source of funds shall be viewed as violation of extant rules and directive of the Federal Government of Nigeria,” the memo read.

Ahead of the 2019 presidential election, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday appointed Senator Dino Melaye and seven others as spokespersons for its Presidential Campaign Council.

According to a statement by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, announcing the names of handlers of operational directorates and spokespersons for its campaign, the other spokespersons for the campaign listed include Buba Galadima, Akin Osuntokun, Osita Chidoka, Nnenna Ukeje, Segun Sowunmi, Kazeem Afegbua, and Umar Sanni.

The council also named a former Cross River governor, Senator Liyel Imoke, as Deputy Director General in charge of Operations, while former Presidential aspirant, Taminu Turaki, was named as Deputy Director General for Administration, as well as Contact and Mobilisation headed by the party’s National Organising Secretary, Colonel Austin Akobundu; and Communication and Strategy headed by Bolaji Abdullahi.

The governorship candidate of the PDP in Lagos, Jimi Agbaje, has petitioned the state Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, over publicity materials for his campaign vandalised and removed by unknown persons in the state.

Police spokesperson, CSP Chike Oti, who confirmed the petition, said the CP has directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Panti, Yaba, to set up a monitoring team comprising the command’s Riders Unit, to daily monitor and arrest anybody seen vandalising or defacing campaign posters or boards.

“Constrained by limited manpower, there is no way the command could post policemen to cover all  campaign posters in the state but the much it can do, is to adopt the Aberdeen System in protecting campaign adverts and to solicit the cooperation of all and sundry in ensuring the maintenance of law and order,” he added.

The Nigerian Army says it has identified some persons who released false death toll on Metele attack, stressing that the perpetrators through these acts are covertly supporting terrorists and their activities in Nigeria with a long-term objective.

Stating that it was pressing legal action against them, Army Spokesman, Brigadier General Sani Usman added that the Nigerian Army is aware they plan to use insecurity to scuttle and subvert the democratic process in the country and also create an erroneous impression of the Nigerian Army through inaccurate and false publication of casualty figures on the unfortunate attacks on some of its locations in the North East.

“This is a deliberate attempt to demoralise the Nigerian Army which would have devastating consequences on the troops’ will to discharge their constitutional duties especially in the fight against terrorism and insurgency, thus affecting national security,” a part of the statement said.

And stories from around the world:

Iran’s navy on Saturday launched a domestically made destroyer, which state media said has radar-evading stealth properties, as tensions rise with arch-enemy, the United States. (Reuters)

A minister has resigned saying a row over involvement in the EU’s Galileo satellite-navigation system shows the U.K. will be “hammered” in negotiations over a Brexit deal.

Science and universities minister Sam Gyimah quit after Mrs May said the U.K. was pulling out of Galileo. (BBC)

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent 11 messages to his closest adviser, who reportedly oversaw the operatives who killed journalist Jamal Khashoggi, in the hours before and after the journalist’s murder on October 2, according to a Wall Street Journal report. (Al Jazeera)

Anti-establishment leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador will be sworn in as Mexico’s next president on Saturday – a dramatic change in direction for a country fed up with corruption, poverty and crime. (AFP)

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said on Saturday his country had stepped up security at vital infrastructure sites such as nuclear power stations and Black Sea ports in the face of what he called a Russian test of the world order. (Reuters)

Read » The Late 5: U.S. government replies FG on alleged plans to endorse Atiku; Henceforth, No work, no pay – FG tells ASUU | Other top stories on YNaija

Nigeria’s female national football team, the Super Falcons have won the African Women Cup of Nations (AWCON) for the ninth time.

Nigeria had the chance to take the lead in the 75th minute after winger Francisca Ordega was fouled in the box by Bayana Bayana goalkeeper, Kaylin Swart. Striker Asisat Oshoala stepped up to take the resultant penalty, which she sent wide.

The game went into extra time as neither team scored a goal in regulation time. Both teams battled hard for the victory but goalscoring chances were few and far in between.

The game went into penalty shootouts for the first time in the competition’s history with Nigeria winning 4-3 after Falcons goalkeeper, Tochukwu Oluehi saved South Africa’s final spot kick.

Nigeria won the first five editions (1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006) in the competition before they were dislodged in the semi-finals by hosts, Equatorial Guinea in their sixth attempt (2008), who went on to defeat South Africa 2-1 in the finals.

The Falcons won the last two editions – 2014 and 2016 – defeating Cameroon on both occasions in the final.

Read » BREAKING: Super Falcons win AWCON championship for the 9th time on YNaija

Every day on the Nigerian Internet, there are people who keep our eyes glued to our phone screens as we read their rants, opinions, perspectives on political and social issues, etc. Sometimes, they are just downright ridiculous. We make it our job to take down the names of these noisemakers.

Here’s our list from today:

1. Shehu Sani

Oh yea plebeian,collect thy belated cowries coined as ‘trader Moni’;thou shalt use it with wisely and prayerfully;But thou shalt not part with thy PVC and thou shalt not accept any invitation to flyth the Broomstick at night.

— Senator Shehu Sani (@ShehuSani) December 1, 2018

Bros, commend or condemn, pick a side. Stop talking from the side of your mouth with your pseudo-parables.

2. Chinyere

When women stop using oppressive and derogatory words on other women to make themselves seem more valuable, that’s when we’ll move forward

— Chinny aka Sadé (@Chinyeree__) December 1, 2018

3. Ayisha Osori

Horrible. Rape is a crime against anyone who has survived it.

What stories like this tell us is that the danger is within. the perpetrators of child abuse are typically close family & friends. We teach ‘stranger danger’ to children but we need to teach ‘friend danger’ too https://t.co/W2HKTVIdMj

— Ayisha Osori (@Naijavote) December 1, 2018

4. Miss Tee

I can say 2018 was a year of many challenges, recession and famine, being single and broke, heartbreak and tears, losing friends and relationships, SARS and dem boys, disappearance of penises and panties etc I hope the lessons we learnt stay with us to guide us through 2019 .

— Miss Tee (@aphrodi_tees) December 1, 2018

5. Wole

The person who came up with the Buhari x Jubril from Sudan theory is the grandchild of the person who came up with the India 99 – Nigeria 1 theory.

— Wᴏʟᴇ́ (@Kingwole) December 1, 2018

Where is the lie?

6. Adekunle Gold

Almost like there’s no greatness without Standing for something.

— AG (@adekunleGOLD) December 1, 2018

7. Biyi

The downfall of Blackberry Messenger (BBM) has disconnected many relationships and friendships

— Biyi The Plug (@Baddman20) December 1, 2018

Read » Today’s Noisemakers: Adekunle Gold, Shehu Sani, Wole’s comment on Buhari’s Sudan clone, others on YNaija

Nigeria currently has the highest rate of new HIV infection in Africa, after South Africa and Uganda. UNAIDS reported that there are 200,000 newly infected people in Nigeria annually – 46,000 of these are young women and 33,900 are young men.

The 4Youth By Youth (4YBY) Group, a team of Nigerian researchers led by the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research and scientists at the Saint Louis University, New York University and University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill backed by the United States National Institute of Health (NIH), Eunice Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development identified the adoption of HIV self-testing as an additional way to create demand for HIV testing, increase knowledge of HIV status, while reducing the accelerated spread of HIV/AIDS among young people in Nigeria. HIV testing in the privacy of one’s home will help to address issues of access and the stigma known with the disease.

This led the team to coordinate an HIV Self-Testing Contest on social media for a month, in a bid to crowdsource ideas. From the pool of 903 contestants, three young Nigerians were rewarded at the World AIDS Day HIV self-testing awareness event that held at Police Training College, Ikeja, Lagos on December 1st 2018. Free condoms were given out, while oral and confirmatory blood-based HIV tests were administered to over 300 attendees by medical practitioners at the event. Over 1000 young Nigerians got a chance to enter a raffle draw and win lots of exciting prizes.

For those that may have a reluctance or a reason why they may not want to go to the doctor and to seek a check, self-testing gives them these following benefits;

Freedom
In the past, the only way to get tested for HIV was to go to a doctor’s office, hospital, or community health centre. Self-testing gives additional freedom as well as accessibility, convenience and confidentiality.

Awareness
Self-testing has the potential to expand the number of persons aware of their HIV status. Its potential to reach those who may not otherwise test may enable the country to achieve a situation where 90% of Nigerians living with HIV may know their status.

Frequency of testing
It’s been suggest that self-testing may increase uptake and frequency of testing among individuals such as young people, who are often missed by available services.

Linkage to care
Knowing one’s status will help to decide on a proper course of action. With HIV no longer viewed as a death sentence, self-testing may facilitate linkage and treatment for individuals who test positive, while providing appropriate prevention for those who test negative.

Empowerment
Self-testing allows people to test on their own without having to go to the clinics or health facilities. It empowers people by normalising screening for HIV while giving individuals more rights and control over their own health.

As the global communities commit to increasing knowledge of HIV status, Nigeria must keep up the use of self-testing as an additional HIV testing approach.

Read » World AIDS Day: 5 ways Nigerian youth can benefit from HIV self-testing on YNaija

These are the stories you should be monitoring today:

The Super Falcons of Nigeria late Saturday won the 2018 edition of the Africa Women Cup of Nations (AWCON) after defeating the Bayana Bayana of South Africa 4-3 (penalty shoot–out) in an epic battle that saw both teams end 120–minutes goalless at the Accra Sports Stadium.

Having previously beaten the the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroun in the Semi Finals to become the first African team to qualify for the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France, the Nigerian side holds the record of being the only team to have won the AWCON title 9 out of 11 times, the competition has been staged.

Imo Governor, Rochas Okorocha, on Saturday suspended the state’s Accountant-General, Stella Udogwu, and also ordered the arrest of the branch managers of Ecobank and Access Bank in the state over the non-payment of the November salary of local government workers.

Expressing disappointment that his directive that the October and November salaries of workers in the state be paid at the same time in October was not carried out, until he learnt same at the 40th anniversary ceremony of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in Owerri on Friday, the governor noted that somebody must take responsibility for it and will be dealt with according to law, while directing that the November and December salaries of workers be paid on Monday.

“This is a criminal act aimed at disgracing this government; what they do is that they take the money and put in the bank and collect the interest.” “Your salary must be released and your December Salary shall be paid immediately. All the interests from the salary kept in the bank must be collected and shared to the Local Government workers who are the owners of the money,” the governor said.

The Police in Sokoto has denied claims that a suspected terror group had taken control of a local government in the state, as it said information available to it based on intelligence report, revealed that the situation was misreported, calling on people living in the areas to remain calm and go about their normal businesses.

Speaking to journalists on Saturday, Public Relations Officer of the command, Cordelia Nwawe, said the police have determined that the people seen in Sokoto were “Malian herders,” who reside in a forest in Niger Republic, sharing border with Gudu and Tangaza local government areas of the state, adding that they occasionally enter the villages in the said local governments to procure food and other essentials and retire back to the forest.

“The herdsmen are annual visitors to the nearby forest bordering the two local governments with their cattle and always stayed in the forest in Niger Republic. “Even though the number of their cattle increased exponentially this year to about 3,000 from the usual figures of less than 1000, it was discovered that they are not known to be violent,” she added.

Some religious leaders in Oyo have kicked against security levies imposed on churches and mosques by the state government, announced during a security summit held on Tuesday describing it as “unrealistic.”

As reported by The Gyardian, the Founder and Spiritual Head of Shafaudeen in Islam, Professor Sabit Ariyo Olagoke, described the levy as “ ill-timed, exploitative and ungodly,” while the state Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Benjamin Akanmu urged government to let the levies be minimal.

According to the Section 11(4) of the Security Trust Fund Law 2017 of the state, Churches and Mosques, will pay between N20,000 and N60,000 yearly, depending on the size of the religious centre, manufacturing companies would also pay between N80,000 and N100,000 depending on their sizes while agricultural companies would pay N50,000.

The Police in Delta, Saturday, paraded four suspects who are members of a 4-man ‘Yahoo Plus’ ritual gang in connection with the killing of a 300 level student of Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, Elozino Joshualia Ogege.

As reported by Daily Trust, The victim fell into their hands after one of the suspects, a security guard in the university campus, identified only as Onos, offered to assist her to secure an accommodation.

“We took her to a bush where we first plucked out one of her eyes while she was still alive. She was even crying and begging us to forgive her and let her go, but we plucked the other eye, removed her breast and heart before she died,” one of the gang members said.

Read » The Big 5: Police reacts to reports of new terror group in Sokoto; Super Falcons set new AWCON record after epic battle in Accra | Other top stories on YNaija

The Central Working Committee (CWC) of The Future Awards Africa (TFAA) has announced the nominees for the 13th edition of Africa’s biggest youth awards set to hold on 16 December, 2018 at the Balmoral Centre, Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos.

With 20 award categories this year, the CWC unveiled one hundred (100) nominees which include artistes, Davido and Simi; footballer, Ahmed Musa; actor, Adesua Etomi; social media influencer and comedienne, Maraji; entrepreneur, Chidi Ajaere, scientist, Dr Mahmoud Maina; Taekwondo expert, Thursdaline Peter and many more – representing a new class of innovators, philanthropists, activists, entertainers, technocrats and creators promoting the shared values of creativity, social good, and innovation while making impact in entertainment, professional service, agriculture, business and sports.

“Inducting these new set of performers into Nigeria’s New Tribe has been nothing short of inspiring as they have dutifully chosen the path of impact to their community, nation and the continent,” said Bukonla Adebakin, Chief Operating Officer of The Future Project. “We are reminded of how important it is to acknowledge the work of young Nigerians who have ignored limitations around them and excelling in their chosen fields.”

Visit awards.thefutureafrica.com to see the full nominees profiles. There is a one-week window to send all inquiries and clarifications on the list and profiles to info@thefutureafrica.com or call +234-802-222-6712.

Follow @tfaafrica on Twitter and Instagram to keep up with the latest news on the awards. The official hashtags for 2018 is#TFAA2018 and #NigeriasNewTribe. The Future Awards Africa 2018‎ is presented by The Future Project, Guaranty Trust Bank, and H20h.

See the full list below:

 The Future Awards Africa Prize for Acting

1. Zainab Balogun (29)]
2. Maryam Booth (24)
3. Bisola Aiyeola (32)
4. Adesua Etomi (31)
5. Alex Ekubo (32)

The Future Awards Africa Prize for Advocacy

1. Charles Odii (30)
2. Hauwa Ojeifo (26)
3. Samira Sanusi (30)
4. Gospel Martins (30)
5. Uche Kenneth (31)

The Future Awards Africa Prize for Agriculture

1. Abdulfatah Sadiq (31)
2. Abubakar Sadiq Falalu (28)
3. Jesse Osiobe (31)
4. Oluwafemi Aliu (25)
5. Ayodele Sipasi Olalekan (31)

The Future Awards Africa Prize for Business

1. Ladipo Lawani (30)
2. Sunkanmi Ola (26)
3. Chidi Ajaere (31)
4. Ronke Bamisedun (31)
5. Mohammed Jammal (31)

The Future Awards Africa Prize for Comedy

1. Samuel ‘Broda Shaggi’ Perry (25)
2. Gloria ‘Maraji’ Oloruntobi (21)
3. Mark Angel (27)
4. Lasisi Elenu (27)
5. Adeyela ‘Omo Ibadan’ Adebola (23)

The Future Awards Africa Prize for Creativity

1. Ken Nwadiogbu (24)
2. Kingsley Ayogu (23)
3. Ayobola Kekere-Ekun (25)
4. Haneefa Adam (27)
5. Uche Ugo (31)

The Future Awards Africa Prize for Fashion

1. Tosin ‘Style-Infidel’ Ogundadegbe (30)
2. Ozinna Anumudu (26)
3. Papa ‘Maxivive’ Oyeyemi (26)
4. ‘Emmy Kasbit’ Emmanuel Okoro (28)
5. Amy Akudo ‘Shekudo’ Iheakanwa (29)

The Future Awards Africa Prize for Journalism

1. Hannah Ojo (30)
2. Linus Unah (26)
3. Kemi Busari (29)
4. Festus Iyorah (25)
5. Taiwo Adebulu (29)

The Future Awards Africa Prize for Music

1. Damini ‘Burna Boy’ Ogulu (27)
2. Simisola Bolatito Ogunleye (30)
3. Niniola Apata (31)
4. Folarin Falz Falana (28)
5. Adekunle Gold (30)
6. Adewale ‘Mayorkun’ Mayowa Emmanuel (24)

The Future Awards Africa Prize for New Media

1. Nkechi (Ink) Eze (29)
2. Hope Obeten (30)
3. Fisayo Fosudo (22)
4. John Obidi (32)
5. Chidi Okereke (30)

The Future Awards Africa Prize for On Air Personality (Radio)

1. Awazi Angbalaga (24)
2. Sophia Anidugbe (28)
3. Cassandra George (24)
4. Foluwake ‘Folu Storms’ Ogunkeye (31)
5. Paul McPetros (24)

The Future Awards Africa Prize for On-Air Personality (TV)

1. Tomike Alayande (23)
2. Idia Aisien (27)
3. Olive Emodi (29)
4. Victor Mathias (31)
5. Osasu Igbinedion (26)

The Future Awards Africa Prize for Photography

1. Tope ‘Horpload’ Adenola (29)
2. Emmanuel Oyeleke (30)
3. Damilola Onafuwa (27)
4. Chidi ‘Lex Ash’ Ashimole (27)
5. Fati Abubakar (32)

The Future Awards Africa Prize for Technology

1. John Oke (24)
2. Adegoke Olubusi (25); Tito Ovia (25); and Dimeji Sofowora, (26)
3. Odunayo Eweniyi (25), Joshua Chibueze (25), Somtochukwu Ifezue (27)
4. Obi Omile Jr. (27)
5. Uchechukwu Emmanuel (25), Esumeh Aaron (25), Godwin Nwangele (24), Udeh Isaac Nnaemeka (26), and Kingsley Okereke (28)

The Future Awards Africa Prize for Sports

1. Tobi Amusan (21)
2. Evelyn Akator (23)
3. Ahmed Musa (26)
4. Thursdaline Peters (31)
5. Ndidi Wilfred (21)

The Future Awards Africa Prize for Screen Producer

1. Nadine Ibrahim (24)
2. Faraday Okoro (31)
3. Michael Psalmist Akinrogunde (23)
4. Adelapo ‘Lowladee’ Adeleke (28)
5. Noni Salma (32)

The Future Awards Africa Prize & University of Sussex for Education

1. Lubem Mtile, (29)
2. Wole Adedoyin (32)
3. Brenda McWilson (25)
4. Itodo Anthony (31)
5. Gideon Olanrewaju (25)

The Future Awards Africa Prize for Professional Service

1. Uche Okafor (30)
2. Chinwe Egwim (31)
3. Catherine Kemi Onabanjo (31)
4. Mavi Mudiaga-Erhueh (28)
5. Temi Marcella Awogboro (31)

The Future Awards Africa Prize for Public Service

1. Dami Ajayi (32)
2. Ebenezer Wikina (26)
3. Betta Edu (31)
4. Rukayat Mope Azeez-Lawal (31)
5. Daniel Philemon Saredau (30)

Read » #NigeriasNewTribe: Davido, Ahmed Musa, Adesua Etomi, Chinwe Egwin, Samson Itodo, others make The Future Awards Africa 2018 nominees list on YNaija

President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday in Poland reacted to reports that he was cloned when he was ill and away from the country.

According to a video posted on Twitter, Sunday by his Personal Assistant on New Media, Bashir Ahmad, the President addressed the issue while responding to a question on the matter during a meeting with the Nigerian community in Poland.

“It is the real me, I assure you,” he said.

He equally added that he would turn 76 soon and would remain strong as he has always been.

For months, speculations have been rife (especially on social media) that the President was cloned and substituted with a certain man from Sudan named ‘Jubril,’ following his return from London on August 19, 2017 where he spent 103 days treating an undisclosed ailment.

President Buhari is in Poland to participate in the 24th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), also known as COP24 and will join 29 Heads of Government for the ceremonial opening of the conference which is expected to take place on Monday.

"It is the real me, I assure you" | President @MBuhari addresses the rumours that he's a clone – a certain "Jubril from Sudan". pic.twitter.com/YPG0aHDPmA

— Y! Online (@YNaija) December 2, 2018

Read » ‘It is the real me, I assure you’ – President Buhari addresses rumour of being cloned on YNaija

These are the stories that drove the conversation today:

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) says it will on Monday kick off its campaign ahead of the February 16,2019 Presidential election in the ancient city of Sokoto, North-West Nigeria, with a commitment to focus on issues of governance.

According to the Director, Media and Publicity of the Presidential Campaign Council,  Kola Ologbondiyan, the campaign will engage the electorate on fundamental challenges affecting the nation as spelt out in the policy document of the party’s Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

The All Progressives Congress (APC ) has described as amusing, the latest utterances of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman, Uche Secondus calling on the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Yakubu Mahmoud and the Inspector General of Police, Idris Ibrahim to resign on account of the PDP’s baseless suspicions ahead of the 2019 General Elections.

National Publicity Secretary of the party,  Lanre Issa-Onilu who disclosed this in a statement in Abuja, said that it had become apparent that the PDP in a bid to hide their inadequacies and undesirability as elections approaches has chosen to populate the public space with unfounded allegations, while asking relevant government agencies to monitor the activities of the party whose recent utterances it (the APC) says are a red flag.

“This latest outburst is yet another reminder of how the PDP government serially abused state institutions in the pursuit of selfish political and economic interests. PDP is now being haunted by its sordid past and the ruinous party is now scampering from its own shadow,” the statement added.

The Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has deployed 2,000 more police personnel to the North East to fight Boko Haram terrorists under the Operation Lafiya Dole of the Nigerian Army.

As contained in a statement released on Sunday in Abuja by Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, the deployment of the police personnel consistent with Section 4 of the Police Act and Regulations, was purely for military duties and in addition to the officers already in Borno State, noting that the recently deployed security operatives comprise personnel of the Police Mobile Force (PMF) and Counter Terrorism Units (CTU), as well as those of the Force and the Sniffer Dog Sections.

“The deployment is also to support the strength of the military to defeat the Boko Haram insurgency,” he added.

Similarly, the Nigerian Army on Sunday challenged its Special Forces to prove that they have better training and tactics than terrorists by making a difference in the ongoing counter-terrorism operations in the North East.

Addressing the Armed Forces Special Forces and Army Strike Group deployed in the North-East on Sunday, Chief of Army of Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, who gave the charge warned the troops against exhibiting cowardice, stressing that the terrorists must no longer be allowed the freedom to move about and commit heinous crime and escape.

“We are better trained, better equipped. We know tactics better than them and what is remaining for us is to dominate everywhere and dominate our areas of responsibilities. We must dominate the whole of the North-East,’’ he added.

Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association (DAPPMA) and the Independent Petroleum Products Importers (IPPIs) have given the federal government a seven-day ultimatum to settle outstanding debts totalling N800 billion, failing which depots would cease operation across the country.

Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday, Patrick Etim, Legal Adviser to IPPI, said that banks have taken over investments and assets of oil marketers over unpaid debts, adding that “the only way to salvage the situation is for government to pay the oil marketers the outstanding debts through cash option instead of promissory note being proposed.

Executive Secretary of DAPPMA, Olufemi Adewole, who also confirmed the seven-day ultimatum notice, said that the oil marketers on November 28 served the ultimatum letter on the Debt Management Office (DMO), Minister of Finance, Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum Downstream, Department of State Services (DSS) and Minister of State, Petroleum Resources.

Read » The Late 5: Oil marketers give FG 7-day ultimatum over N800bn debt; PDP to commence Presidential campaign in Sokoto | Other top stories on YNaija

These are the stories you should be monitoring today:

President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday said the “ignorant rumors” that he was dead and the occupant of his seat is a clone (a certain Jibrin from Sudan) are not surprising, noting that while he was on medical vacation last year a lot of people hoped he was dead.

The President who addressed the widespread speculation about him being cloned for the first time, was responding to a question from a Nigerian who wanted to know if he was the real Buhari, at a town hall meeting with the Nigerian Community in Krakow, Poland.

“Poor Osinbajo, even he had to deal with the rumours — Some people reached out to him to consider them to be his Vice President because they assumed I was dead. That embarrassed him a lot; we discussed it when he visited me while I was convalescing,” he added.

Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra on Sunday, dismissed reports that he was supporting the 2019 presidential bids of President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), describing such stories as “wishful thinking.”

“Governor Obiano is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the All Progressive Grand Alliance. He is also the APGA National Leader. These positions place heavy responsibilities on his shoulders. Therefore, any talk about him endorsing the presidential candidate of another party, let alone joining another party, is wishful thinking,” the statement added.

The Nigerian Army says it is yet to get $1 billion approved by the National Economic Council (NEC) in 2017, to be withdrawn from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) to fight insurgency and other security challenges in the country.

Army Spokesman, Sani Usman, who disclosed this over the weekend at a programme on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), said the money is still being processed, adding however that the arms and ammunition  procured over the last two to three years is being used judiciously by the armed forces.

“People should understand also that this is a democratic system in which procurement and of course funding of defense related issues takes such a long time,” he said.

Ogunyemi said, “It is not a big issue really. We are not losing sleep over such a directive. This has been a recurring threat since the military era. We are making sacrifices for our children and for our children’s children. This struggle, for us, is not about bread and butter. If they want to sack us, we encourage them to go ahead and they will have the consequences,” he added.

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo has criticised the position of the National Working Committee (NWC) of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), that aggrieved members should not seek redress in court else they face disciplinary measures, describing it as “totally flawed,” while advising the NWC to seek proper legal advice on the subject before taking actions that would further muddle the waters.

Akeredolu, who stated this on Sunday in Akure, said that the position of the President, an acknowledged veteran in court disputation (who has expressed support for the aggrieved members to go to court if they so wish) cannot be faulted, adding that in most cases, the court will be obligated to inquire into whether or not there was opportunity for exploring the domestic fora for settlement in accordance with the Party constitution.

“What our NWC members are canvassing against the President’s position is anarchy; an invitation to infringe on the constitutional rights of our members in a democracy by using the provision of the Party constitution in issue as a sword. “This will certainly not stand the test of time,” he added.

And stories from around the world:

Israeli police on Sunday said they had found enough evidence for bribery and fraud charges to be brought against Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife in a third corruption case against the Israeli prime minister. (Reuters)

The UK faces a “constitutional crisis” if Theresa May does not publish the full legal advice on her Brexit deal on Monday, Labour has warned.

The PM says the advice is confidential. but some MPs think ministers do not want to admit it says the UK could be indefinitely tied to EU customs rules. (BBC)

French President Emmanuel Macron has ordered his prime minister to hold talks with political leaders and “yellow vest” demonstrators to end nationwide protests after rioters turned central Paris into a battle zone. (Al Jazeera)

Donald Trump wants North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to know that he likes him and will fulfill his wishes, South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in said on Sunday, a day after meeting the U.S. president at an economic summit in Argentina. (Reuters)

China has agreed to scale back tariffs on imported US cars, President Donald Trump said Sunday, one day after agreeing with Xi Jinping to a ceasefire in the trade war between the world’s top two economies. (France 24)

Read » The Big 5: Rumours about me being cloned are not surprising – Buhari, Obiano denies supporting Buhari and Atiku for Presidency | Other top stories on YNaija

Here’s everything you missed in entertainment over the weekend and others that unravelled while you slept – and are still buzzing today.

Chief Daddy premieres in Lagos

The grand premiere for EbonyLife Films’ highly anticipated film ‘Chief Daddy‘ held on November 2, at the Oriental Hotels, VI.

The theme for the night was ‘Opulently Nigerian’ and spotted at the premiere are some of the cast and crew of the film such as Kate Henshaw, Ini Edo, Dakore Egbuson-Akande, some other celebrities like Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, Omoni Oboli, and so many other dignitaries.

Still the premiere of #ChiefDaddyMovie pic.twitter.com/7S4QBZaRkQ

— Y! Online (@YNaija) December 2, 2018

More photos from the grand premiere of #ChiefDaddyMovie pic.twitter.com/1KLj78Y3CX

— Y! Online (@YNaija) December 2, 2018

Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra do their traditional Hindu Wedding

Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra took part in a traditional Hindu wedding ceremony at the Taj Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur in the actress’ native India on Sunday.

This comes a day after they exchanged vows there and officially became husband and wife at a Christian wedding.

Ariana Grande’s ‘Thank U, Next’ video breaks YouTube record for most views in 24 hours

The video dropped on Friday and set the record in just under 22 hours.

As of Saturday at 9:35 a.m. PT, “Thank U, Next” had 46 million views, pushing it past the previous record holder, K-pop supergroup BTS, which got 45.9 million views for their “Idol” music video in the first 24 hours in August. – and by noon PT Saturday, “Thank U, Next” had notched a record 50.3 million views.

In addition, according to YouTube, “Thank U, Next” set the record for the most-viewed video that used YouTube’s Premiere scheduling feature with 829,000 viewers watching simultaneously at its peak. Grande fans sent over 516,000 chat messages during the video debut, also a record for YouTube Premieres. The initial traffic spike caused a delay in comments posting to the video, according to YouTube.

Drake resolves lawsuit over extortion, fraud, and defamation

Drake sued Layla Lace in September for making false pregnancy and rape allegations against him in 2017.

Drake has now resolved all legal issues with Lace, TMZ reports and Drake’s lawyer Larry Stein confirmed this in a statement to:

“The filing made by Drake against Layla Lace has been resolved, with Layla avoiding going to trial by agreeing to a stipulated judgment which prohibits her from repeating past statements she made against Drake. Drake and his team are satisfied with this outcome and while Drake appreciates the support he has received, he asks that his fans and the media allow both parties to move on with their lives.”

Read » Entertainment Roundup: Ariana Grande’s ‘Thank U, Next’ breaks YouTube records; #ChiefDaddyMovie premieres in Lagos | Other top stories on YNaija

The 10th edition of the Best of Nollywood Awards (BON) will hold this Sunday, and things have been shaping since the nomination list was released last month, with Tope Oshin’s queer young-adult movie We Don’t Live Here Anymore leading with eleven nominations. That’s incredible. We also know that comedian Helen Paul and veteran actor Keppy Ekpeyong Bassey have been paired to helm proceedings of the awards, which will take place in Oyo and will have sitting governor, Governor Abiola Ajimobi as the chief host.

In a recent announcement, this year’s BON awards will honour carefully chosen figures to be recipients for its Special Recognition Awards – Jason Njoku, Kene Mkparu, and Abdullahi Abdulrasaq. Njoku is the CEO of Iroko Partners, the company that heaved streaming service Iroko TV into existence and was once regarded as the Netflix of Africa. Njoku will take credit for pioneering efforts at developing a digitised distribution model for local movie content in Nigeria. Mkparu is the co-founder of FilmOne Distribution, the independent distributor of filmed entertainment and providing top-end film release services.

The company has been involved in the distribution of major Nollywood movies like The Wedding Party, King of Boys, and the upcoming star-driven movie Chief Daddy. On Sunday, he will be honoured as one of the brilliant minds awakening cinema culture in Nigeria. Abdulrasaq is the CEO of Corporate Pictures, and former president of the Yoruba Video Film Producers and Marketing Association of Nigeria. He will be recognised for his contribution in  raising the standards for the distribution and consumption of Nigerian movies made in Yoruba.

Read » BON Awards 2018: Jason Njoku, Kene Mkparu, Abdullahi Abdulrasaq to receive special recognition award on YNaija

Niyi Akinmolayan is in the news again, but not for a movie. His company Anthill Production, one of Nigeria’s top-tier outfit responsible for creating documentaries, movies, TV commercials and animated films, has launched Anthill Business.

Anthill Business is a web application designed for potential users to create personalised videos at a reasonable financial budget. “The platform has easy navigation and users do not need to possess major experience in video productions to access the web application,” Akinmolayan said. “We want everyone to know that they can create video content by themselves, at very affordable rates, rather than consistently bring ripped off by advertisers.”

With Niyi Akinmolayan’s Anthill Business, customers can spend 10% – 25% of the original price. “A product or service that an average will quote a cost of N200,000 for; the Anthill Business calculator will quote it between N20,000-N50,000 for a better service,” Akinmolayan said further.

Anthill Business also provides its users with the opportunity of making money. This works by signing up for the affiliate marketing programme and getting a unique code to share with friends and, in return, get 5% in cash off every video made using the given code. Akinmolayan was in the news recently for his plan to shell out N120 million in making the animated movie Frogeck, a project purported as Nigeria’s first full-length movie.

Read » Niyi Akinmolayan launches Anthill Business on YNaija

The fun city of Jos is gearing up for yet another magical experience as 2Baba and friends return to the entertainment hub for Jos Chillin’ Mega Fiesta, Power of 1 edition. Already confirmed for throwdown besides 2Baba are DJ Jimmy Jatt, Osama and Falz the Bahd Guy as co-headliners.

Others are home grown stars including Lyrical Dr Smith, Classiq, Blakah, Mad Dragon All Stars and Lucky Stars Band among others. The event is billed for January 5, 2019 at the familiar and ever bubbly Mees Palace, Rayfield, Jos.

This edition of the event is coming complete with the inspiring theme ” Power of 1″ which has already garnered mad buzz and left its mark in the Lagos area.

The social movement campaign is driven through concerts, road shows and a movie of the same title directed by Izu Ojukwu starring Ramsey Nouah, Alex Ekubo, Annie Idibia, Jibola Dabo, Jide Kosoko, Racheal Oniga, Michelle Dede, Padita Agu and many more. It will be available in cinemas nationwide from the 7th of December 2018.

‘Power of 1’ is proudly supported by Arik Air, the 2Baba Foundation, One Voice Nigeria, Enough is Enough, and Vote Not Fight.

For those who have experienced it before, Jos Chllin’ offers another opportunity to spend quality time with family and friends while for the first timers, they are about to discover the new lifestyle of J-Town. Jos Chillin’ #PowerOf1 edition promises superior entertainment value and pleasant surprises.

Read » 2Baba, DJ Jimmy Jatt & Falz confirmed for Jos Chillin’ Mega Fiesta on YNaija

Connected Development (CODE), a non-governmental organisation with a mission to empower marginalised communities in Africa through tracking of government spending at the grassroots has completed its mega town hall meeting in Ondo. CODE through its Follow The Money campaign in September 2018, started the monitoring of the execution of State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) projects in the state worth N7.6 billion (2013-2017 funds) with Owo local government as its flagship local government.

The town hall meeting which was organised by CODE is to serve as a feedback mechanism from the beneficiaries of these projects and an avenue for interaction between the state government ably represented by SUBEB, the contractors and the community members across all societal strata. The town hall meeting which held at St. Peters CAC primary school, one of the benefiting schools of the SUBEB special intervention projects was attended by community members, representative of SUBEB and other stakeholders.

RELATED: CODE commends World Bank’s $611m intervention for BESDA in Nigeria

The community leaders led by Oba Oluwabamise of Ilale Ikeji of Owo Local Government took turns to shower encomium on CODE for its intervention by monitoring the successful execution of these projects in their communities. They also requested for more government intervention in other parts of their communities that are yet to be attended to.

A SUBEB Director in the state, who identified herself as Mrs. Lawal, said “Follow The Money is a laudable intervention which has made monitoring of SUBEB projects easier in the state as government cannot be everywhere at the same time but CODE has taken up this responsibility not only to monitor these projects that serve no benefit to them but to ensure accountability.”

She stressed further that Ondo is a state with an eye for perfection and won’t hesitate to sanction erring contractors. Other speakers at the meeting also commended CODE and requested for more government presence. While responding to their demands for more government presence, Mrs. Lawal says government will do more to support communities that are yet to benefit from SUBEB.

RELATED: BudgIT, CODE, others lead online Campaign for amendment of UBE Act

Nwachukwu Ani, CODE Assistant Project officer enjoined the communities to take ownership of these projects as an end user and prevent it from vandalisation. He said protection of these items from vandalisation apart from expanding the lifespan of the projects will also help to aid educational development in the communities. The town hall meeting also had in attendance, Adesina Tosin Nathaniel, Lagos Chapter Lead, Follow The Money and Gbenga Ajongbolo, Ondo Chapter Lead.

CODE established by Hamzat Lawal is currently operating in Nigeria, Gambia and Kenya.

Read » Stakeholders commend CODE as its hold ‘Follow The Money’ town hall meeting in Ondo on YNaija

Nigeria’s pioneer event planner and founder, Zapphaire Events, Funke Bucknor-Obruthe, has announced the launch of the maiden edition of The Event Xperience Africa (TEXA) to be held from 15 – 17 January, 2019.

Tagged ‘Be More… Do More… Inspiring New Frontiers,’ the conference is designed to bring together seasoned and new event professionals across the continent, taking participants on an exciting, informative, insightful and unusual experience, engaging them on trade secrets, curated sessions, emerging innovations and trends in the industry.

According to the convener, Funke Bucknor-Obruthe: “For over a decade, I have groomed several young people into becoming successful event entrepreneurs, many of whom have become industry giants themselves. It brings me so much joy and fulfils my life-long dream of empowering others. For me, it has always been about enabling the environment, building an ecosystem, peering an industry, impacting lives and laying a legacy.

“That is why after many years of prodding, requests and pushing, we have finally launched The Event Xperience Africa Conference – a three-day experience that will break down all you ever thought you knew, and re-mould you into a charged entrepreneur for higher success in the event space. We want to groom more people, help those who have started scale, support superstars who have their eyes on global excellence and standards, and drive them to learn and share from one another. We want to inspire one another, sharing the ropes on how to climb the ladder of success,” she added.

TEXA is targeted at Event Planners, Event Designers, Concert and Show Producers, Bakers/Caterers, Audio Visual Experts (Lighting, Cinematographers, Photographers, and more), Entertainment Specialists (Musicians/Bands, Dancers), Wardrobe and Beauty Experts, and other industry service providers. It is also targeted at corporate stakeholders such as brand and corporate communications managers as well as experiential marketing companies.

To register, please visit www.texafrica.com

Read » Zapphaire Events set to launch ‘The Event Xperience Africa’ in January on YNaija

A spokesperson for a presidential campaign has to have certain qualities: healthy, likeable, articulate.

For a country as diverse and politically complex as Nigeria, the three are only basic starting points. A national outlook is necessary, as well as an understanding of what it takes to (and not) push sensitive ethnoreligious buttons. And where the individual is to be responsible for selling an opposition party, the requirement that he or she be a “character” is non-negotiable.

Senator Dino Melaye has been appointed one of the prime faces of PDP’s campaign to get Atiku Abubakar elected Nigeria’s president in 2019. He is in the team headed by Senate President Bukola Saraki as the campaign’s director-general. Other members include the former Corps Marshall Osita Chidoka, Nnena Ukeje who represents Bende federal constituency of Abia and Kazeem Afegbua, author of the Ibrahim B. Babangida letter to Buhari in February.

Chidoka has a growing reputation for his abilities as a skilled communicator and factual policy analyst. You know what you’ll get from him: innovative thinking and arguments based on evidence. He provides necessary historical context and future consequences for his propositions. Ms Ukeje has been a steady head for the PDP in the House of Representatives. When a legislator from Jigawa argued against the Gender Bill by saying he wouldn’t want the female members of his constituency to be as enlightened as one of his colleagues, his reference was Ukeje. And Afegbua is a veteran in public relations; you don’t write letters for IBB if you are some scrap.

And then, Senator Dino Melaye.

He is a one-term member of the Senate, returning more than four years after his first term in the House of Representatives was cut short due to a suspension. Rising to national relevance from the corruption allegations of the short-lived House leadership of Patricia Etteh and Dimeji Bankole, he fashioned himself as an anti-corruption crusader, evangelist and pro-democracy activist. But the reality of public perception of him is skewed so far and removed from those dignified labels.

At 44, Dino Melaye is the youngest Senator in the 8th Assembly. He is also one of the most vocal loyalists of the Senate President, standing vociferously by Saraki through the periods of his trials at the Code of Conduct Tribunal. Melaye has had problems of his own, from the accusation about not graduating from Ahmadu Bello University to the attempted (but failed) recall initiated by the Kogi governor, Yahaya Bello. He survived both storms, celebrating each with a public show, unabashedly.

That sense of not being able to be shamed makes Melaye a “character”.

That is why his followers on social media eagerly await and acclaim his posts. Whether he is showing off cars and designer accessories, or declaring morning “prophesies”, Melaye catches attention. Mention of him means something has happened and people want to be in the know. He is also not bad in communication, meaning he can be listened to even by those who may be embarrassed by his general eccentricity.

And love or loathe him, he has an ability many Nigerians do not: bilingualism. In political circles, the ability to flow in conversations with people of different groups eases acceptance. It may be overshadowed by his quirks but being able to speak in Hausa and Yoruba is a capacity even many of his detractors would want to have. His is a brand built on Alarinjo, agreed, but there is some substance too.

Melaye began this year by throwing a Captain-Jack-Sparrow-themed birthday party and set off an internet sensation with his a je kun iya mixtape. It remains to be seen whether he tones down on ‘Dino, the artist’ with his new responsibility (his 45th birthday is less than 30 days away). But don’t count on him not leveraging these talents or even amplifying them; they may be the reason for his being on the team, using his “crazy” to rile and distract the opposition.

He seems healthy, except still in pain from his James-Bond escape from the Police. He is liked by many and articulate. Chidoka and the others may be more highbrow and eclectic, but a good sandwich has to have something to make a bite crunchy. Yea, Melaye is the onion for the Atiku presidential campaign team. Get ready to cry and laugh.

Op–ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija

Read » Opinion: Dino Melaye is the right man for Atiku’s campaign on YNaija

As part of his visit to Nigeria with Guinness, Rio Ferdinand attended a session at the Guinness Flavour Rooms which are taking place at the Maradiva Events Centre until 1^st December.

The Guinness Flavour Rooms are a multi-sensory area, where people are able to explore the many dimensions of flavours in Guinness and understand why it is different from the rest – why it is a beer Made of More.

Visitors to the Flavour Rooms will fully immerse all their senses in the Refreshing; the Bold; the Bittersweet and the Rich as they make the way through the rooms in this first-of-its-kind immersive experience here in Nigeria. Vibrant and exciting, the Guinness Flavour Rooms will showcase the unique characteristics of this iconic beer and help consumers understand why they should expect more from their beer.

Rio Ferdinand was welcomed at the Flavour Rooms by Guinness’ four new Brand Ambassadors, who secured their role during the recent More Than a Job campaign. They took him around each room to experience the different characters of Guinness – from the chilled out Refreshing room to showcase the refreshing flavour of Guinness, to the Bold, impactful room, which is just like the bold, brave character of the beer.  Following his visit, Ferdinand was treated to an exclusive performance by Olamide where he was joined by Basketmouth and Mai Atafo.

Before he left, he met with and presented cheques for 1m Naira to three winners from the consumer promotion that is currently running across the country.

Guinness is an iconic beer that has the darkest liquid, but the brightest flavours.  A beer with unparalleled taste, layers of flavour, colour, character and vibrancy.  A beer that has lived in the hearts and minds of millions in Africa and across the world for over 250 years but has always had the authenticity, boldness and vision to do things differently. Guinness is not just any beer, it strives to set itself apart from the rest as a beer that is Made of More; more character, more flavour.

The Guinness Flavour Rooms took place between  29^th November and 1^st December at the Maradiva Events Centre, Twin Waters Plaza, Okunde bluewater zone, off Remi Oluwode road, Water corporation road, Lagos.

To keep up to date with all the latest news about Rio’s visit to Lagos and The Guinness Flavour Rooms, make sure you follow Guinness Nigeria on social media:

• Twitter: @GuinnessNGR
• Instagram: guinnessngr
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/GuinnessNigeria

Read » Rio Ferdinand’s extraordinary night at Guinness Flavour Rooms on YNaija

With over 72,000 deaths per annum and over 100,000 new cases annually, Nigeria remains one of the countries with a high rate of cancerous diseases in the world.

Cancer, which is caused by a generic growth of abnormal cells beyond their usual boundaries, has the capacity to spread across the body while it also damages some vital organs in the body. Here in Nigeria, cancer has remained a killer disease as a result of several factors which includes late detection as a result of wrong diagnosis, an absence of necessary and affordable equipment for victims and low level of awareness among the populace.

Realising this and the long-term effects of uncontrolled cancer spread in the country, Zenera Consulting, a foremost consulting firm in the country chose not to roll out the drums in celebration of her fifth anniversary but rather chose to address the scourge of cancer through what it tagged the HOPE BEATS CANCER walk. The walk which took place on Saturday, December 1, 2018, started from Inspiration FM Lagos office and terminated at the Muri Okunola Park. The walk which had hundreds of Lagosians in attendance including the Senior Pastor, Elevation Christian Centre, Godman Akinlabi and notable celebrities was important to create awareness about the disease, to give hope to the victims and a bid to encourage Nigerians to promote a healthy lifestyle.

Attendees participated in various forms of exercises – a constant key in the fight against cancer. The founder of Zenera, Meka Olowola, said the company chose to mark its anniversary with the cancer awareness after realising the huge number of people that are battling the disease to preach hope for survival and to orientate the non-victims about the disease and the necessary preventive measures.

The Hope Beats Cancer walk also had in attendance staffs of Lakeshore Cancer Clinic who were on hand to sensitise all attendees. As much as Zenera has passed a strong message through the HOPE BEATS CANCER walk, it is important government redouble its effort in equipping our hospitals with the right equipment to encourage early detection of this deadly disease.

Nigeria can beat cancer through adequate investment in the health sector.

Read » Zenera celebrates fifth anniversary with cancer awareness walk on YNaija

Judging from a few career mishaps it has become apparent that entertainers keep away from political issues, as discussions and opinions on agendas and issues of the state are of a very sensitive nature.

Many find it heart-breaking when a beloved figure shares opinions on political views that strongly differs from theirs, and one would think that the status of the said individual would make the masses more tolerant of their views, but on the contrary, it is that very factor that enrages people. Many believe that celebrities have the ability to influence opinions and that ability should be channelled into positive movements rather than promoting propaganda.

While here in Nigeria we seem more worried about the basic infrastructure problems our incompetent government has failed to provide, in a more progressive world, issues concerning abortion, immigration, and gender pronouns take the forefront.

Knowing this, many big-name celebrities choose to be quiet on certain issues, except of course for the man who has boldly proclaimed himself to be a god, Kanye West.

It’s no secret that West, is a Donald Trump guy, regardless of the fact that hatred for Trump is predominant among the black-American community, owing to his strong views on people of colour. This presents some complications, as West is regarded as a powerful voice for the black American community, yet doesn’t share the same opinion on Trump as many blacks do. Kanye has managed to put many of his fans in a predicament, where they either choose to tolerate his political views because of the love they have for the artiste or boycott him. Judging from the success of his last album, the dedication and loyalty of Kanye’s fans remain unquestioned.

Fans or not, a lot of Black-Americans, still seem perplexed at Kanye’s actions, especially after his visit to the White House where he stated, “I love this guy,” Obviously referring to Trump. Or when he said that “slavery is a choice.” Amongst the people that ‘allegedly’ cannot put up with Kanye’s newfound political interest, is his close friend Shawn Carter aka, Jay-Z.

Earlier this year it was rumoured that Carter and his wife Beyoncé had severed ties with the West’s, partly owing to his support for Trump.

On a recent Meek Mill track, What’s Free featuring Rick Ross and Jay-Z sampled from a 1997 track, What’s Beef by popular 90’s rapper, Christopher Wallace aka Notorious B.I.G., Carter dropped a line:

“No red hat, don’t Michael and Prince me and Ye/ They separate you when you got Michael and Prince’s DNA/ I ain’t one of these house n—– you bought/ My house like a resort, my house bigger than yours/ My spou – c’mon, man.”

This line came across as a subtle shot at Kanye, whilst also referring to the red Make America Great Again (MAGA) fez cap and the insult trading between Prince and MJ, back in the ’90s.

However, it is unclear who the “You” in the line “I ain’t one of these house n—– you bought/ My house like a resort, my house bigger than yours/ My spou – c’mon, man,” is referring to. Meek stated that the “You” could be referring to Kanye, then again, it could be referring to Trump.

Jay-Z took to Twitter to address the line, claiming that he was trying to say, “don’t pit me against my brother, despite our differences (red hat).”

The line clearly meant don’t pit me against my brothers no matter what our differences are (red hat) now go pick up Meek album . Drake and Meek on there together .

— Mr. Carter (@S_C_) November 30, 2018

Kanye, did well to downplay the ordeal, replying to the tweet, “Throne 2?” which is referring to Kanye and Jay-Z’s 2011 joint album “Watch the Throne.”

Throne 2

— ye (@kanyewest) November 30, 2018

It is also interesting to note that this is Jay-Z’s first tweet in over a year. There’s every possibility that Carter was forced to address the issue due to its severity via his Twitter account.

Read » Jay-Z puts an end to rumours about his beef with Kanye west on YNaija