TIMITALKS

Monday, 10 April 2023

Peter Obi's Message To Obidients Over Attacks They Experience

My Obidients, a very happy Holy Month of Easter and Ramadan to you all. As we celebrate the Easter and look forward to a joyous Eid El Fitr, we pray for God Almighty's guidance, protection and blessings as we face and pass through litany of challenges in our dear country, Nigeria- flawed electoral processes, insecurity, weak institutions, multidimensional poverty, unemployment, inflation, lack of justice, fairness, equity, opportunities and many more.

As we reflect on these challenges and look forward to a New Nigeria that is POssible, Datti and I are painfully mindful that for the mere reason of being OBIdient, most of you have suffered vituperations, physical attacks, loss of rights and privileges, hateful trolls, indignities and vexatious fighting words, even from some of those we long regarded as civic leaders and conscience of our nation.

Please bear such attacks as the sacrifices that we are all required to make in order to create a New Nigeria, where justice, equity, fairness, love and prosperity shall reign.

Be assured that Datti and I are with you, and that the ongoing unfortunate orchestrated efforts to demarket and delegitimize the OBIdient Movement will fail.

We are fully structured and have remained focused and steadfast in addressing the ills in our nation; while underpinning the supremacy of our Constitution and imperatives of the rule of law. Do not relent; and do not be lured into unnecessary conflicts.

Be assured that in the fullness of time, our mission to rescue Nigeria from those engaged in State Capture will come to fruition.

We are also using all lawful and peaceful means allowed under our laws and constitution to reclaim our mandate to create a New Nigeria that is POssible.

Therefore, in all your actions and inactions, I continue to implore you to be law abiding, respectful and peaceful.

In all you do, always remember those immortal words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jnr, that "The true measure of a man is not how he behaves in moments of comfort and convenience, but how he stands at times of controversy and challenges". A New Nigeria is Indeed POssible.

God bless you all, and bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria. -PO

https://twitter.com/PeterObi/status/1645346774343720960?t=GGbxWknKxrdJnof_FWbtXA&s=19

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Gunmen Kill Daniel Nwunuji (UBA Staff) In Taraba

Gunmen Suspected to be bandits have killed a staff member of UBA, Daniel Nwunuji, in Taraba State.

It Was Gathered By NaijaCover that the gunmen invaded his residence in Mbiya in Takum Local Government Area of the state on Saturday and shot him dead.

Details of the attack are Still Sketchy at the time of filing this NaijaCover Report.

The Deceased was laid to rest on Sunday, April 9.

Meanwhile, friends, colleagues and family members have taken to Facebook to mourn him.

See Photos And Reactions As Obtained By NaijaCover Below:

Source: NAIJA COVER BLOG

Gangs Of Lagos: Ratings And Review

The movie was directed by foremost writer and director, Jade Osiberu (Quentin Tarantino's role model), and stars the likes of emerging Action Hero, Tobi Bakre, the sultry Bimbo Ademoye, femme extraordinaire, Adesua Etomi-Wellington and soft boy singer, Chike Osebuka.

Without further ado, let us go into the tale of Isale Eko and its many factions. Shout out to the criminals in Nigerian politics who make these recent stories possible, without you dirty, slimy cretins, where would we find inspiration to write truly repulsive characters?

Movie Title: Gangs of Lagos

Cast:
Tobi Bakre
Adesua Etomi-Wellington
Chike Osebuka
Tayo Faniran
Olarotimi Fakunle
Bimbo Ademoye
Chioma Chukwuka

Director: Jade Osiberu

Screenplay: Jade Osiberu, Kayode Jegede

Run Time: 2 Hrs.

Plot:

We see life on the streets of Isale Who through the eyes of 3 friends navigating their destinies in the murky streets.

Review:

Okay okay, now, let's go into this movie and why it deserves all the accolades. First off, let's get into the storyline, basically, viewers go through a timeline of when the trio of Obalola (Bakre), Gift/Ebun (Etomi-Wellington) and Ify (Osebuka), were kids, and how they were mini terrors, until fate brought them to the street king at the time, the Eleniyan, Ninalowo (Faniran), who took them in and had great plans for them, until life happened and those plans just didn't come to light. They are transferred to a new Eleniyan, Kazeem (Fakunle), who doesn't quite share the vision of Nino in their lives.

As earlier said, I thank the usual political criminals in Nigeria, whose lives inspire these stories, because you can basically pin an actual person to some of the key characters. Despite this movie being shot in 2021, it almost feels like watching a premonition of what took place in 2023 and the sentiments that abound....but not to digress, or ruin a good story for those who have not watched it, let me move on to the performances.

See, una see Tobo G, make una leave this Action Hero work for am. If you loved Tobi in Brotherhood, you'll love him as much in Gangs of Lagos, he was so good as Obalola, he embodied the character, he portrayed the right emotions, his words were scathing when they needed to be and heavy when they needed to be, he was one of a number of stars, so, let me continue to the others. Rotimi Fakunle, if I see that man anywhere, I go dobale for am, because he was just the type of bad guy you hate. No fruity speeches, no charm, just straight up demon child from the abyss. He gave so much life to the character of Kazeem, not so much that you ended up wishing him well, but you'd just really hate his guts. Adesua Etomi-Wellington also pulled off another wonderful performance as Gift, when you consider she played that role 5 months after giving birth, you really have to cut cap for her. I'd seen a few people comparing her to some light skinned actress some weeks back and they dared to say Adesua couldn't act, but I hope they keep their opinions to themselves after seeing her performance, the scene where she was required to be emotional was so powerful....I've watched Gangs of Lagos twice and both times I cried in those scenes, and Adesua's performance was 30% responsible for the tears.

Tayo Faniran's performance as Nino was also a joy to watch, to be honest, the last time I saw Tayo in a movie I was convinced he had lost his way to the set, because his performance was awful to say the least, so, I was a bit wary of what he would bring to this movie. I was pleasantly surprised to see him hold his own in such a powerful lineup, I'm happy he got this opportunity (he's another one of my BB babies, so, I celebrate his wins). I do hope working on that set has helped him realise his strengths and how best to utilise them in his career.

Now, let us go to the Angela Bassett of the case, Chioma Chukwuka, whose monologue in the Church scene is possibly the most powerful thing you'll see in a Nigerian movie in a while. Chioma came prepared to show us why she has spent over two decades in Nollywood, and she did not disappoint. Not many can pull off the monologue she did in that movie, and I do hope someone has dusted up a plaque with her name on it, because we will be expecting nothing less for something so powerful.

Chike my love, my first born, was so likeable in that movie. I have to admit, there are people I have some bias for in the industry, because I've followed their journeys from when they first started bustling to where they are now, and I appreciate the growth. Chike is one of such people (Tobi too), so, I was hyped to see him on the movie poster and he did not disappoint as Ify/Pana, the fun-loving, happy-go-lucky member of the trio.

Make I no spend too much time on the cast, let's move on to other things that made the movie worth watching. There is nothing I enjoy more than the use of indigenous language in our movies and GOL went all out, it was so important that the language of the streets of Isale Eko be used in telling the story, and the writing fully did that. Another thing I appreciated, it may not have been so major, but the use of the Eyo masquerades in that movie, the symbolism attached to their purpose, was so thrilling. Everytime they showed up, I was giddy with excitement. Shout out to the writers for that brilliant input.

Cinematography was topnotch as usual, once again, it was greatly applied in the scene with Chioma's monologue. The musical scores were also nice, I really enjoyed the song from Pana at the club, it's a bop. Hopefully, there are plans to give us a full track from that.

Now, let's get to some of the issues noticed, because while this could have easily been a 10/10 production, there are certain heavy gaffes that couldn't be overlooked, chief of which is the subtitling, why was everything "in Yoruba", even when it clearly wasn't? Whoever was responsible for subtitling no try at all, the first fighting scene was also not giving what they were going for, something was just amiss, and then there was a scene in the end where the camera caught one of the crew members, and it wasn't edited out.

Miss Jade did the business with Gangs of Lagos, I don't know if I prefer it to Brotherhood, but she has clearly marked her name up there as someone who is ready to tackle Crime Drama in our movies instead of the usual comedy or romance that has littered the industry. I wish her and everyone involved in the movie even more inspiration to shoot unexplored stories.

Verdict: Definitely worth watching. Massive replay value.

Rating: 8.5/10

If you've watched the movie, tell us what you think about it. Did it have you in your feelings? Whose performance was your favourite? And what would you rate it?

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Rita Daniels Rallies Support For Lauretta Onochie, Decries Attacks

Gender Advocate, Rita Daniels Rallies Support For Lauretta Onochie, Decries Attacks

The leader of Ohanaeze Ndigbo (women wing) Chief Mrs. Rita Daniels Chukwuji says she is in solidarity with the Board Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Lauretta Onochie saying she has demonstrated capacity to pilot the affairs of the commission.

Speaking with correspondents in Abuja on Wednesday, Chief Mrs. Daniels said Onochie is a sad example of how women have been subjected to unwarranted attacks in the country just for being females, calling on Nigerians to have a re-orientation of the mind.

She said the series of disenchantment that greeted the nomination of Onochie as NDDC chairman because of her closeness to President Muhammadu Buhari as his aide was needless and resonates how women have been limited by the system from giving their best in efforts to serve the country.

"As someone with the interest of women, I stand in solidarity with Chief Lauretta Onochie, the Board Chairman of NDDC and all women who have faced society-induced attacks because of their gender.

"Her recent political persecution, including her suspension from her party which has now been reversed is a clear indication that gender-based attacks are very common in Nigeria and must be dealt with.

"In a short while, the once comatose NDDC is now gaining a new life, fulfilling the aims and objectives for which it was created. Kudos to the first female chairman ever.

"I appeal to women across the country to support theirs and shun antagonistic gestures that will reverse the gains being made to have more women representation in government", she said.

She further described Onochie as a grassroots mobilizer who has attracted the love and support of Anioma women through several philanthropic and humanitarian projects she had embarked upon.

She also called on other women across the country to demonstrate solidarity with Onochie and all other women facing persecution because of their gender.

The women of Anioma are also drumming support for their daughter while applauding her for consistency and impact in the government of President Muhammadu Buhari.

https://www.statepress.ng/2023/04/gender-advocate-rita-daniels-rallies.html

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Terdoo Bendega: Man Records Sexual Intercourse With Ladies, Sells Nudes

Blackmailer records sexual intercourse with ladies, sells nudes

Blackmailer

A man identified simply as Bendega has been accused of using his mobile phone, laptop and camera to snap pictures and record videos of him and his female lovers engaging in sexual intercourse without their consent.

PUNCH Metro gathered that Bendega, after perpetrating the crime, was also accused of selling his lovers’ nude videos and pictures and blackmailing them into silence whenever they got to know about his illicit action.

While most of Bendega’s ex-lovers were afraid to speak up on the issue due to stigmatisation, some of the victims shared audio conversations and screenshots of the chats when Bendega threatened them on WhatsApp with our correspondent.

One of the victims, who gave her name only as Mokogwu, while demanding justice, said she decided to speak on the matter to prevent other unsuspecting ladies from becoming victims.

She said Bendega was fond of manipulating women only to have sex with him and use a mode of operation she described as an “open blank system” to record the sexual activity or take pictures of his unclad lovers.

She said, “I had an affair with Bendega from October 2020 to September 2021. I met him when he was house hunting; we went through the process together, and I lived with him on and off till our love affair ended.

“I just knew something was up and checked his laptop which he borrowed me for a course and I found out that he was distributing and selling my nudes, and also had folders of several women he had non-consensually filmed, neatly filed and labelled on his laptop.

“He harassed and stalked me for months after I left him; he sent explicit pictures and videos of myself I never knew existed to try to shut me up.”

Another victim, while sharing her experience on social media, explained that Bendega told her he was using nude pictures and sex videos to cure his addiction to pornography and masturbation.

She wrote, “I found out that he had a collection of nudes. Each folder had a name tag. He said it was his addiction and that he was working on getting better. He made it seems like he needed my help and support and he deleted them to show me that he was trying to be better.

“I never sent any of my nudes before and I found it weird when he asked for them. But he said he enjoyed it and that he preferred I sent them to him rather than him asking. I would try to take it and send it but I would often forget. The first time we had sex, he started to record us.

“He casually placed the laptop on the chair in the hotel room and stepped out. I noticed the red light on the laptop and I closed it. He downplayed it when I confronted him after he came back to the room. I saw on the laptop that he had another recording of another girl he had had sex with.”

However, attempts by our correspondent to get a reaction from Bendega proved abortive as his mobile number had been switched off.

Also, a text message sent to the number had yet to be responded to as of the time of filing this report.

Reacting to the development, the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Agency, in a post using its Twitter handle, @lagosdsva, said the agency had contacted one of the victims, adding that efforts were on to address the case.

When contacted, the agency’s Executive Secretary, Titilayo Vivour-Adeniyi, who confirmed the case to PUNCH Metro, said the matter had already been presented to the police and would go public once the investigation commenced.

“We are working with the police. The case has already been presented to the police station. We are in touch with one of the survivors. Once investigation commences, we will do well to inform the public about it,” she said.

When contacted, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Ben Hundeyin, asked our correspondent to send a text message.
However, he was yet to respond to the text message our correspondent sent to his mobile phone as of the time for filing this report.

UK Stops Recruiting Healthcare Workers From Nigeria, 53 Others (Full List)

The United Kingdom has placed Nigeria and 53 other countries on the red list of countries that should not be actively targeted for recruitment by health and social care employers.

The announcement was contained in the revised code of practice for the international recruitment of health and social care personnel in England.

It is recommended that employers, recruitment organisations, agencies, collaborations, and contracting bodies check the red country list for updates before any recruitment drive.

It defined active international recruitment in the code as the process by which UK health and social care employers (including local authorities), contracting bodies, recruitment organisations, agencies, collaborations, and sub-contractors target individuals to market UK employment opportunities, with the intention of recruiting to a role in the UK health or social care sector. It includes both physical or virtual targeting, and whether or not these actions lead to substantive employment.

The code of practice applies to the appointment of all international health and social care personnel in the UK, including all permanent, temporary, and locum staff in clinical and non-clinical settings.

This includes but is not limited to allied health professionals, care workers, dentists, doctors, healthcare scientists, medical staff, midwives, nursing staff, residential and domiciliary care workers, social workers, and support staff.

Recall that in 2021, the UK suspended the recruitment of healthcare workers from Nigeria and 46 other countries, noting that the increasing scale of health and social care worker migration from low and lower-middle-income countries threatens the achievement of their nation’s health and social care goals.

The WHO on March 8, 2023, listed Nigeria and other 54 countries as facing the most pressing health workforce challenges related to universal health coverage.

The PUNCH reports that there are currently 11,055 Nigerian-trained doctors in the UK, based on statistics obtained from the UK General Medical Council, the government body that maintains the official register of medical practitioners.

Nigeria has the third highest number of foreign doctors working in the UK after India, and Pakistan.

The UK, however, in its revised code of practice said the health and social care organisations in England do not actively recruit from those countries the WHO recognises as having the most pressing health and care workforce-related challenges unless there is a government-to-government agreement to support managed recruitment activities.

The countries placed on the red list of ‘No active recruitment’ in alphabetical order are Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kiribati, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lesotho, Liberia.

Other countries are Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Federated States of Micronesia, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Samoa, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, United Republic of Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Republic of Yemen, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.