Daybreak, Politics, Entertainment, Sport

Author: Alpha Maidawa

Venice Film Festival will go ahead in September – Veneto governor
The Venice Film Festival will go ahead as scheduled at the beginning of September.
Luca Zaia, Governor of the region around the Italian city made this known on Sunday as the spread of the coronavirus in the country slows.
Organised by the Biennale di Venezia Company, Venice is the world’s longest running film festival.
In January it announced that Cate Blanchett would preside over its 77th edition.
Due to the lockdown imposed on the film industry across the world to limit the spread of the virus, the festival will probably be attended by fewer productions, Zaia, who is also a Board Member of the Biennale di Venezia said.
The Cannes Film Festival, the world’s largest, was forced to postpone its latest edition in May due to the virus epidemic.
Italy plans to lift all travel curbs from June 3 and travellers from European Union countries will be able to enter without going into quarantine.
The country recorded 119 new deaths from the COVID-19 epidemic on Saturday, bringing the death toll in Italy from the outbreak to 32,735, the third highest total in the world after the U.S. and Britain. (Reuters/NAN)
May 25, 2020
DJs calls for more recognition in the entertainment industry
The Professional Disc Jockeys Association of Nigeria (PDJAN) on Friday called for more recognition in the entertainment industry.
Mr Onyenegecha Isaac (Dj MarSs), media officer of the association told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the association contributes more to the entertainment industry than the current accolades .
He said that being a Disc Jockey goes beyond playing a music as there are other technicalities which gives more live to a music and the gathering which it’s being played.
“We are the heart of entertainment industry, without Deejays, no form of entertainment will make sense just that we are behind the scene like the cameramen.
“Without the deejays, no artist song will make sense or meaning to you in a dance floor, we deejays manipulate the songs artistically because deejaying is an art.
“Playing a song originally the way it’s being sang, may be very boring.
“The deejays plays a song with his own professional touches or discretion to suit the mood at every point in time as the event progresses.
“We effect the songs making it more interesting, we pitch the songs to its best dance able tempo for our guests to enjoy. You can never get the best of a song at its normal recorded tempo at an event,” he said.
Isaac added that Deejays also make input in songs production and help in marketing a list and upcoming artistes by strategically imposing their songs on the listeners’ ears.
“A Deejay knows a good song, tells most artist where to improve on and how to go about their career sometimes.
“The Deejays promote artistes’ songs via association and constant playing till it becomes an anthem to everyone. Consciously or unconsciously, you start liking and singing along.
“Deejays support upcoming artist along in most events to showcase their talent pending when their break through comes.” he added.
Isaac said that the association would be signing artistes towards the end of the year while some would be linked with record labels. (NAN)
May 25, 2020
Lawyers laud Buhari for signing Executive Order on legislature, judiciary financial autonomy
Human Rights Campaigner, Mr Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa,SAN, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari, for signing the Executive Order, granting financial autonomy to the Judiciary and Legislature.
Adegboruwa lauded the new order, describing same as a step in the right direction and urged total compliance with all its provisions by states.
The President Buhari, on Friday, signed into law, an Executive Order to grant financial autonomy to the legislature and judiciary for states.
The Attorney-General of the Federation , Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN, had in a statement in Abuja, said that the Executive Order No. 10 of 2020, made it mandatory for all states to include allocations of both the legislature and the judiciary in their Appropriation Laws.
According to the AGF, a Presidential Implementation Committee was being constituted to fashion out strategies and modalities for the implementation of financial autonomy for state Legislature and Judiciary in compliance with section 121(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as Amended).
Reacting to the new order, Adegboruwa told NAN in Lagos that the president’s bold initiative to grant financial autonomy to other tiers of government through the executive order to enforce the fourth Alteration of the constitution was highly commendable.
“It takes courage and selflessness for the head of the executive to grant autonomy to other arms of government. For the judiciary, it is considered that most cases in the courts are to check the excesses of the executive arm, being the organ of government responsible for the implementation of policies,” he said.
Adegboruwa, consequently, harped on a need to ensure full compliance with the rule of law through complete obedience to all orders and decisions of the courts.
He also called for a directive to all government parastatals, to ensure compliance with all orders, judgments and decisions of courts.
“I urge the President to grant total autonomy to the judiciary by signing another executive order to all parastatals, agencies and departments of government to implement section 287 of the 1999 Constitution by complying with all orders, judgments and decisions of the courts.
“I urge state governors to cooperate with the president for the full implementation of this executive order in all parts of the federation,” he said
Another Lagos based constitutional lawyer, Mr Spurgeon Ataene also lauded the executive order of the president and called for its sustenance.
“I commend the executive arm for this giant stride which has long been awaited; while I support this step, I will urge fellow Nigerians to be more awake to their fiscal responsibilities in the area of acting as watchdogs to know how their resources are spent.
” Every allocation accruing directly from the federation account should be published alongside the expenditure.
“There should be a committee set up and must include all stakeholders from the different constituencies to oversee how their money is spent, with appropriate sanctions meted on defaulters,” he said (NAN)
May 23, 2020
Burna Boy shades Davido, insinuates his father’s money paved the way for him
Grammy nominated singer and self acclaimed African Giant, Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, popularly known as Burna Boy has come for popular and highly celebrated singer, David Adeleke aka Davido.
This is coming after Davido announced that his album will be released in July.
Slamming him, Burna Boy took to his snapchat account and wrote;
Kemi Filani News recalls that, Davido earlier took to his social media pages to post a photo with Wizkid and tagged it; “The 2 greatest of all time !
No ” . Could this have been what triggered Burna Boy?
Burna Boy and Davido are now currently trending on Twitter Naija and people have been reacting to the shade which they say is for Davido.
May 23, 2020
Thank God Burna Boy did not win Grammys’ – Iyabo Ojo’s daughter, Priscillia says
Popular Nollywood actress, Iyabo Ojo’s daughter, Priscilla Ajoke Ojo has reacted to Burna Boys loss at the Grammys. According to 19-year-old Priscilla, she thanks God that Burna Boy did not win Grammy Awards. This is coming after Burna Boy shaded Davido by insinuating that his father’s money paved the way for him.
Priscilla who is a die hard fan of Davido did not find what Burna Boy said funny at all. She decided to react to Burna Boy’s claim on twitter.
She wrote “I just want to thank God Burna boy didn’t win Grammy Award. I said what I said!”
Recall that in the early days of 2020, Burna Boy had the country buzzing after he was nominated for the Grammy Awards in the World Best Music Album category. He eventually lost to Beninese singer-songwriter, Angelique Kidjo and for this reason that Priscilla is grateful to God after his recent shady saga with her favourite singer.
May 23, 2020
Actor, Seun Jimoh, welcomes baby in America (Photos)
Fast rising Nollywood actor, Seun Jimoh has announced the birth of his new born baby in the United States of America.
Sharing a picture of the new born on Instagram, Seun Jimoh wrote ” On this day of our God, Dolabomi is born. We give thanks”
The actor who happens to be one of the finest in the industry, also shared beautiful pictures of his wife’s pregnancy photo-shoot. He wrote “God is real, God is great. He always shows up! The journey was filled with grace and mercy. When the world was saying there is a casting down we kept experiencing a lifting up. We give thanks”
May 23, 2020
American rapper, Future, tweets it’s a huge mistake to treat an ugly girl well
American rapper, Future has warned fellow men to stay away from getting into a relationship with ugly girls.
The rapper with many baby mamas stated that it is a huge mistake to treat an ugly girl well in a relationship.
According to him, they are always in imaginary relationships.
“Leave them ugly girls alone. Don’t get high and treat an ugly girl pretty. HUGE MISTAKE. Ugly girls be in imaginary relationships”, he tweeted.
See reactions below.
khennybaba: They are also made by God… I don’t go with this one
omalishan: Coming from father Abraham that doesn’t choose the kinda woman he should get pregnant
May 22, 2020
Half of Facebook employees to work remotely in 10 years – Zuckerberg
Facebook’s founder and chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg, says he expects the coronavirus pandemic will have a long-lasting impact on working practices.
Zuckerberg expects that in ten years, about half of the social network company’s employees will be working remotely, he said in an interview with technology news site The Verge.
He emphasised that the 50 per cent figure was his estimate and not an official announcement.
According to a survey of Facebook employees, one in five expressed strong support for working from home permanently, while a further 20 per cent expressed “some interest”.
However, 40 per cent said this would not be practical due to the nature of their jobs.
Zuckerberg expects that in the future, more employees will hired to work from home from the beginning of their contracts.
Other major tech firms, including Twitter, had previously announced their employees could continue to work from home even after social distancing restrictions brought in during the pandemic eased.
Prior to the pandemic, the focus of big U.S. tech companies had been to have all employees working together at huge headquarters, some including Facebook, offering employees bonuses to live nearby.
Facebook had expanded its Menlo Park headquarters with a huge hangar-style campus built by star architect Frank Gehry. (dpa/NAN)
May 22, 2020
PTF warns Nigerians against large purchase of hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19
The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 has warned Nigerians against buying hydroxychloroquine in large quantities to treat COVID-19, saying the drug had not been certified for use.
The Chairman of the PTF and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, said this at the PTF COVID-19 daily press briefing on Thursday in Abuja.
He said through the surveillance system set up by the PTF, it had received reports that Nigerians had been purchasing hydroxychloroquine in large quantities to treat the virus.
“We wish to reiterate that this drug has not being certified for use in treating COVID-19 in Nigeria by the relevant health and pharmaceutical authorities.
“Self-medication of any kind is fraught with the danger of increasing risks of avoidable casualties. We therefore strongly warn against self-medication,” he said.
According to him, “if you are sick, please seek medical advice and if you are confirmed positive, kindly self-isolate in an approved facility, the COVID-19 is highly infectious and dangerous.”
Although the World Health Organisation and other health experts have repeatedly warned that no drug has been approved for treating COVID-19 yet, statements by public officials including President Donald Trump of the U.S. and Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State may have encouraged the mass purchase of chloroquine and its derivative, hydroxychloroquine, by Nigerians.
Mr Trump has repeatedly encouraged the use of the drug and said even he was using it. Mr Mohammed also said he had approved the use of the drug for COVID-19 patients in the state.
May 22, 2020
Finance Minister, Zainab Ahmed, says Nigeria will go into recession
An assessment by the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics indicates that Nigeria’s economy will go into a recession at an average of -4.4 per cent, the finance minister, Zainab Ahmed, has said.
Ms Ahmed spoke while addressing journalists after the National Economic Council meeting on Thursday.
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has made an assessment. So, it is the NBS assessment that Nigeria will go into a recession measuring at an average of -4.4%.
“But with the work that the Economic Accessibility Committee is doing bringing stimulus packages, we believe that we can reduce the impact of that recession.
“And if we applied all that have been proposed and we are able to implement it we may end up with a recession that is -0.4 per cent. In any case, we will go into recession but what we are trying to do is to make sure that it is shallow so that we will quickly come out of it come 2021,” Mrs Ahmed said.
A country’s economy goes into recession when its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) reduces for two consecutive quarters.
Nigeria’s GDP figure for the first quarter of 2020 is yet to be released.
Mrs Ahmed’s statement suggests Nigeria’s GDP would reduce for the first quarter of 2020 and reduce further for the second quarter, indicating an official recession.
Nigeria is one of the countries hardest hit by the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
A large part of its budget is funded by oil revenue which makes up over 90 per cent of its export. The sharp drop in oil prices globally has meant reduced income for the West African country.
Nigeria also closed a large part of her economy to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. All its airports are still closed except for essential flights while businesses are only partially reopened.
Mrs Ahmed also spoke on why Nigeria was gradually re-opening its economy despite a daily increase in coronavirus cases.
“This is a very difficult time because the challenges we have now are double. There is health challenge, there is an economic challenge. Even as we are addressing the current health challenge, we still have to look at how we can support the economy so that the economy does not fall into a depression,” she said.
“We have to feed the people and you can only feed the people if people go out and farm. We are a very large population, we don’t want to take the risk and we don’t have enough fund to cushion the effect,” she said.
May 22, 2020