The presiding Bishop of the Living Faith Church, popularly known as Winners Chapel, worldwide, Bishop David Oyedepo, has said he will not be contesting for the presidency in the 2023 elections.
Oyedepo said vying to be Nigeria’s president is a demotion to him, adding that he’s called for a global impact.
He said this during a leadership summit transmitted worldwide.
According to him, although he believes in Nigeria, it’s too late for him to contest the highest political position in the nation.
Oyedepo said, “I believe in Nigeria and that’s why I am still here, and still praying for Nigeria. But I consider it a demotion if I am invited to become the president of Nigeria. I am called for a global impact. I saw this in 1984. Even the devil knows that you can’t be genuinely sold-out to serving God, and not stand out in life.”
A number of pastors have come out to obtain presidential nomination forms in a bid to become the country’s number one citizen – notable among them are Pastor Tunde Bakare, and current Vice-President, Yemi Osinbajo who is a pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
They have shown the world that Nigeria is a hub of the creative industry – Lai Mohammed.
The Federal Government acknowledged the contribution of Wizkid, Burna Boy, Davido, and Tiwa Savage, to cultural tourism, while declaring that the country is safe to host the first Global Conference on Cultural Tourism and Creative Industry scheduled for November 14 to 17 in Lagos.
The Minister of Information and Culture,Lai Mohammed, said this when he featured on a phone-in programme of the Radio Nigeria monitored by newsmen in Abuja.
Newsmen report that Nigeria was given the hosting right for the maiden global event by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) at a meeting held at the organisation’s headquarters in Madrid Spain on April 19.
“The Wiz Kid of this world, the Burna Boy, Davido and Tiwa Savage have really shown the world that Nigeria is a hub of the creative industry", he said. Mohammed said the insinuation in certain quarters that participants and tourists would not attend the conference because of stories of killings and kidnappings in the country are erroneous.
“The security challenges Nigeria is facing did not start today and I must say the Federal Government is rising very stoutly to it.
“We cannot say just because we have insecurity challenge, other sectors of the economy should not be developed.
“The entire world is aware of the challenges we are facing, yet we were singled out for the hosting of the very first global conference and that speaks volumes.
“That is why Nigerians should get out the negativity and look at the positive aspect of it,’’ he said. The minister said that insecurity is a global challenge and countries with worse situations than Nigeria were developing their tourism potential.
“During our meeting in Spain, there was no issue raised on insecurity in Nigeria as a barrier.
“That is why Nigerians should get out the negativity and look at the positive aspect of it,’’ he said. The minister said that insecurity is a global challenge and countries with worse situations than Nigeria were developing their tourism potential.
“Britain for instance, for more than 40 years, was in the grip of the IRA and that did not prevent the country from hosting global events.
“I recalled that even before the call for a peace process in June 1997, Britain bided for the world cup 1996 which, though they lost.
“During our meeting in Spain, there was no issue raised on insecurity in Nigeria as a barrier.
“On the contrary, the UNWTO was even expanding the scope of the conference and they did not make a mistake in choosing Nigeria to host the maiden conference,’’ he said.
Johnny Depp’s United States defamation trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard started on April 16. The trial is supposed to last six weeks and, just like a movie, is already full of twists, turns, suspense and drama.
In 2012, Depp, who acted as Jack Sparrow in the famous movie, Pirates of the Carribean and started dating actress Heard. In 2014 they were engaged, and in 2015 were married. But by 2016, Heard filed for divorce stating irreconcilable differences. Soon after, Heard filed an order of protection saying Depp emotionally, verbally and physically abused her. Heard wrote an op-ed for “The Washington Post” speaking out against violence against women and the price they pay for speaking up against men. Depp claims these allegations led to Depp being dropped by Disney from the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise and axed from Warner Brothers’ “Fantastic Beasts” franchise.
The Trial Goes On
After 13 days of testimony, attorneys for Johnny Depp rested their case in their defamation trial against Amber Heard on Tuesday.
Depp is suing Heard, his ex-wife, alleging that a 2018 op-ed she penned defamed him and caused him to lose work in Hollywood.
Jurors have heard from more than two dozen witnesses called by Depp's attorneys, including Depp himself. Many testified about explosive fights between the two.
Minutes after Depp's legal team rested its case, Heard's attorneys presented a motion to strike the entire case, arguing that Depp did not prove his defamation case. The motion to strike is a common tactic and asked the judge to make a summary judgment.
Judge Penny Azcarate partially denied the motion based on two arguments but said she would continue to consider one other argument if the evidence is presented relating to it when Heard's team presents its case.
Heard's legal team began presenting its case on Tuesday with testimony from psychologist Dawn Hughes.
Who is Johnny Depp?
John Christopher Depp II was born on June 9, 1963. He is an American actor, producer, and musician. He is the recipient of multiple accolades, including a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award, in addition to nominations for three Academy Awards and two British Academy Film Awards.
Over the last decade, Afrobeat has blossomed from a continental staple into a global sound, with artists such as Nicki Minaj, Beyonce and even Ed Sheeran incorporating the genre into their music and cosigning the culture. The genre reached a new peak withBurna Boy’s concert at New York’s Madison Square Garden on Thursday, which certified him as the first Nigerian artist to headline a concert at the legendary arena.
The show opened with a small welcoming speech by legendary rapper Busta Rhymes, who thanked the crowd — which was overwhelmingly West African — for their rich culture and warm embrace when he visited Nigeria. He spoke of Burna Boy’s connection to New York and why the show was more than just a standard concert, but rather an indicator of a new era in music. With elaborate lighting and an array of dancers, Burna Boy was joined by his band The Outsiders, along with longtime collaborator, Senegalese singer, Youssou N’Dour. They performed “Level Up”, from the 2020 album “Twice as Tall,” as the African drums resounded into every corner of the arena.The crowd got wilder as Burna went deeper into the set, shouting the lyrics and even throwing several bras at him onstage — which he did not discourage, asking for more after the first landed onstage.
Later in the show, Burna Boy, born Damini Ogulu, announced his forthcoming sixth studio album “Love, Damini,” due on his birthday, July 2, to screams from the audience. He then transitioned into a new song from the album, which samples Toni Braxton’s “He Wasn’t Man Enough for Me.”
As his 2019 smash “On the Low” began, many fans left their seats and began dancing in the aisles. At various points throughout night, small mosh pits bubbled in general admission, showing a polite balance of carefree emotion and respect for others’ personal space.
While Nigeria is renowned for its influential musicians and cultural leaders, it has also faced decades of inequality and police brutality. That was highlighted as Burna performed “Collateral Damage,” which speaks of the economic and social struggles many Nigerians face. The song had a resurgence during the 2020 #EndSARS movement, which aimed to disband a controversial police unit targeting young Nigerians and immigrants. As he sang “My people suffer, well well/ Police dey slap here, well well/ Hungry dey wire dem, well well,” images of police abuse were projected behind him.
That statement made, the concert returned to a celebratory vibe, as Burna ripped his shirt off and smashed a guitar before sprinting around the stage. After a brief pause, the lights dimmed and he began his signature hit and final song of the night, “Ye,” from his breakthrough album “Outside.” As the song wound down, Burna thanked the audience for staying with him through the years and promised much more to come. https://variety.com/2022/music/reviews/burna-boy-madison-square-garden-concert-review-1235254974/
The “10-year-old” girl at the centre of the sex video scandal that trailed the trip of some students of Chrisland Schools, Lagos to Dubai, UAE, has taken to the social media to apologise for her actions.
Several accounts scrutinising the true age of the victim affirm that she”s a minor but suggest that she’s older than 10 years.
The girl, whose identity cannot be disclosed because she is a minor, posted on her Like App: “I made a mistake, now I’m living with the consequences. I regret it, I really do. And I’m sorry.”
She told her followers that she would be off the social media radar for some time for her to recover fully from the mess the development has generated.
Recall that the social media trended with the sex video last week, a development that led the Lagos State Government to shut down all the campuses of the school.
Parents, teachers and the management of the school were also invited for questioning by a panel set up by the state government.
The campuses of Chrisland Schools were ordered to reopen on Monday by the government two days ago.
Reno Omokri, a former media aide to Former President Goodluck Jonathan has debunked reports that his former boss would soon declare to run for the 2023 presidential elections.
There have been several reports earlier that Jonathan, whose poster surfaced in some parts of the country recently, would soon join the presidential race.
The former president had while addressing his supporters who protested at his Abuja residence asking him to declare, said he “can’t tell” whether to run yet, asking them to be on the lookout.
Meanwhile, a post by Reno Omokri on his official Facebook page on Sunday urged Nigerians to a comment by the Arise TV’s “The Morning Show” presenter, Reuben Abati that Jonathan would soon declare.
However, According to Reno, the former Nigerian leader has not made such a statement, saying it was the imagination of the journalist.
He said, “Disregard the news credited to Reuben Abati that former President Jonathan will soon declare. He never made any statement like that. At best, it is a figment of the imagination of that journalist #FakeNews!”
Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos State governor, has directed the State Ministry of Education to re-open all Chrisland Schools shut across the state.
This was contained in a press statement issued by the Lagos State Commissioner of Education, Mrs Folasade Adefisayo, early on Saturday morning. The state government had shut down all Chrisland Schools in Lagos State on April 18, 2022.
Some pupils from the elite private school located in Victoria Garden City embarked on a trip to Dubai to participate in the World School Games between March 10 and 13, 2022 when an immoral act happened.
Following the incident, the school authorities suspended a female student indefinitely, stating that she was “a major actor” in an “immoral act”.The government said the school’s Parent Teachers Association would be working on scheduled psychosocial support for the students involved in the immoral act.
The statement read, “The Lagos State Ministry of Education has directed that all Chrisland Schools shut for alleged misconduct of some students in Dubai be reopened from Monday, April 25th, 2022.“The directive follows a review of the ongoing administrative investigation into the incident. Besides, it is to ensure that students are not denied access to learning when the new term begins on Monday 25th April 2022.
“The State Government shut the schools for the safety of students and the staff and to ensure unhindered investigation of the incident.“The Ministry of Education and other relevant agencies of the State, in conjunction with the school’s Parent Teachers Association, will be working on scheduled psychosocial support for the students.
“An extensive assessment of the school’s procedure, especially on external trips and excursions, is being made to identify safety gaps and prevent such incidents.
“Besides, the Ministry will launch the reviewed guidelines/protocols governing private and public schools across the state within the next one month.”
