ASUU calls off 9-month strike
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) called off its 9-month old strike on Wednesday effective from Thursday, December 23, 2020, after realizing that the poor economic situation of the country would weigh down on government’s ability to meet its demands. Some of the union’s demands included upgrading of university facilities, Earned Academic Allowances and other financial necessities. Meanwhile, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) faulted the strike as yielding no positive outcomes in the end.
Army, police tussle over rescue of Katsina students, reunited parents jubilate
The military and police gave contradictory account of the number of students from Government Science Secondary School (GSSS) in Kantakara, Katsina who were rescued from the Boko Haram abduction and how the operations were undertaken. Although the police authorities pegged the number at 84, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) said 39. However, both agreed that the incident took place in Mahuta village, Dandume Local Government Area. This onslaught came barely two days after kidnappers released 343 students of Government Secondary School in Kankara who they held for six days. Meanwhile, hundreds of parents wept openly on 18 December 2020 when they reunited with their children who had been freed from the kidnap of the terrorist gunmen.
COVID Christmas looms as states worldwide take precautions over fear of more deadly second wave
Italy, Belgium, Austria, Netherlands, many other bar flights from the UK. Within the 72 hours of Thursday and Saturday (December 17-19 2020), 2,875 people reportedly tested positive and 18 deaths were recorded in Nigeria. Ebonyi state has restricted worship hours to 2 hours while in Kaduna it is 1 hour. Lagos, Kaduna and Imo states requested civil servants to henceforth work from home. Even the Christmas carol at the Aso Rock Villa was held virtually over the weekend. As such, the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 has advised Nigerian states to close all bars, restaurants, night clubs and event centres as well as restrict all weddings, conferences, seminars, sports, office parties and concerts to at most 50 persons over the next 5 weeks.
Nigerian elected public officer, Will Jawando rocks agbada to inauguration
Will Jawando of Nigerian descent who was recently elected into the Montgomery County Council in the United States, has proudly portrayed his culture to the world in his agbada attire during his swearing-in ceremony. The young politician is a Nigerian attorney born to a Nigerian father and an American mother from Kansas. In a video shared on Twitter by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Will explained that “by wearing this agbada, this traditional West African clothing in a public setting to take the public oath of office, it’s part of a bigger and public dialogue that I think is needed if we are to understand and respect our differences and move forward”.
9-year old Ryan Kaji tops Forbes highest-paid YouTube star list with $30 million in 2020
Ryan Kaji from Texas, United States is a 9-year old you reviewer who earned $30 million from YouTube this year alone, making him the highest-paid YouTuber. This is asides $200 million earned from branded products. The estimates are based on pre-tax earnings from June 1, 2019, to June 1, 2020, and do not account for agent, manager and lawyer fees. Ryan started making YouTube videos in March 2015 and now has around 41.7 million subscribers. A huge volume of his fortune is from licensing deals on over 5,000 Ryan’s World products from action figures and home decor to walkie talkies and masks. According to Forbes, Ryan is ‘famous for so-called unboxing videos, in which he takes toys out of their packages and reviews them”.
Ultimatum to link NINs to SIM-cards leaves Nigerians crowded at NIMC centres, shunning COVID-19 rules
Recall, the initial 2-weeks deadline that the Nigerian government gave for everyone to link their NIN to their SIM-cards or risk their numbers getting blocked. Well, that has now been extended by three (3) weeks for subscribers with NIN from 30th December 2020 to 19th January 2021; and six (6) weeks extension for subscribers without NIN from 30th December 2020 to 9th February 2021. Also, the USSD option which previously cost N20 is now free. The codes to retrieve NIN status is *346# while to submit NIN for verification and linking on Airtel is *121#, MTN is *785#, Etisalat is *785#. Meanwhile, this decision has leftThis was done for a healthier Telecommunications sector and to bridge loopholes in the nation’s security system given the rising criminal and terrorist activities.
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DJ Switch is relentless in her fight for a better Nigeria as she holds an interview with TIME
It is no longer news that the singer and Disc Jockey DJ Switch left the country due to threats on her life after her Instagram live video which showed the Lekki Toll Gate shooting on 20th October 2020. Since then, she has lent her voice through interviews (including one with CNN), videos and tweets despite claims from the government of spreading false stories to chase clout and mislead others. According to TIME, DJ Switch will be speaking at a virtual event hosted by Amnesty to follow up the International Criminal Court’s 19th Assembly of States Parties. “Very soon, we will be presenting our cases in courts that matter, in courts that have the power to bring justice to powerful people. That is where my focus is”, she said.
