Celebrities
“What sort of change is the President talking about?” – Cardinal Okogie to Buhari
Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Anthony Cardinal Olubunmi Okogie, yesterday released a statement criticizing the Buhari-led government. In the statement which was signed by the Director of Social Communications of the Diocese, Monsignor Gabriel Osu, Cardinal Okogie criticized Buhari for failing to heed court injunctions that granted both Dasuki and Pro-Biafra group leader, Nnamdi Kanu, bail. The respected religious leader asked what sort of “Change” is the President talking about when such acts of judicial disobedience is now the order of the day.
According to Okogie, the belief of many Nigerians is that the government is turning the nation into a police state comprising of the President, the EFCC and the DSS. He alleged that governors, who arm-twisted Okonjo-Iweala into signing reserves held by Central Bank, are today ministers in the All Progressives Congress (APC) government.
Read excerpt from the statement below:
“He (Buhari) must retool, refocus and aggressively face the social, economic (fiscal and monetary) problems we have head-on, without letting the anti-corruption drive look like a political distraction. A snail-paced and disordered methodology in governance, his apparent disdain for judicial authorities and decisions, a lost today and found tomorrow 2016 Budget debacle, and a rather rudderless and confused Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) with an unclear monetary policy strategy (inevitably increasing the economic uncertainties being faced by Nigerians), have set alarm bells ringing in my mind and in the minds of many discerning Nigerians. Indeed, his perceived discordant relationship with the leadership of the Legislature has many naysayers chuckling and remarking that President Buhari’s government is heading into his comfort zone, a one man show. A lot of Nigerians are beginning to feel that Buhari is fast transforming this nation into a police state where the president, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Department of State Security (DSS) rule the day. What they say is given lurid headlines in the media, and it seems to all that some of the defendants cum accused persons are being tried in the press with information conveniently slipping into the hands of the press, presumably from the security agencies, even before such people have been charged to court. The pro-Biafran activist, Nnamdi Kanu and the erstwhile NSA, Sambo Dasuki, were granted bail by the courts but such bails were disregarded by the security agents under Buhari’s watch. Unfortunately, democracy is difficult and this government must realise that democracy pervasively coloured with impunity, arbitrariness and highhandedness, cannot be used to fight and correct the financial impunity and reckless abandon of the previous administration, even if it is more difficult to do so; the rule of law must be obeyed and be the order of the day. If Buhari wants to leave a creditable legacy come 2019, he should retool the bureaucracy. For instance, the roof of the Central Bank is leaking water. Governors, who arm-twisted Okonjo-Iweala into signing out our reserves held by Central Bank, are today ministers in the All Progressives Congress (APC) government. We are still talking about change and corruption when old things refuse to pass away! These political gimmicks can only carry away gullible or naive Nigerians. President Buhari should beam his flashlight on policies and programmes that will lift up the masses. Existing industries are almost dead and they call for urgent revitalisation. The budget ought to aid solutions to the mass unemployment, rural-urban migration, skewedness in the distribution of income, abject rural poverty and industrialisation of rural economy. The 774 local government capitals should be linked to their state capitals. Even the mindboggling infrastructure deficits can take the entire tenure to address. The weakness in the bureaucracy has not been addressed. The problem the APC government is trying to solve is bound to re-occur because it is treatment of effect rather than the cause,” he said, adding that causative factors are being totally ignored or glossed-over while institutional weakness pervades the Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs), offices of the Accountant-General, Auditor-General and the Central Bank. Our Change must change something. How could we continue to talk of change in a static system? How could we be talking of change when the same crew are governors, ministers, senators, and members of the House of Representatives? This is a cyclical devolution of power to the same people who are never out of power! What sort of change is the President talking about? When will the youth take over when even a governor does not take a bow and go? When shall we plan for the replacement of delinquent leadership? This is what constitutes change. Change is not changing from Jonathan to Buhari. Change is behavioural and pervades all levels of society including the family, the church, the mosque, schools, market women and business men. When we talk of change, we talk of positive-salutary, healthy growth and development oriented change that cuts across the entire gamut of the society. What sort of change is this that ignores the glaring unequal distribution of national income? It is absurd that the same government that is unable to pay N18,000 per month to the lowest grade of labour can afford to pay N1.8 million per month to anyone in the economy. Why must tax payers’ money be used to feed Mr. President and his family? Why must the tax payers’ money be used to buy brand new exotic vehicles for the legislature, judges, ministers and governors when they are heavily paid? Why don’t they use loan finance or mortgage finance to buy their cars and houses? This is also a form of looting and it is the cause of grounding the economy and calling in an IMF spin-doctor all the time. Precisely two years ago this same President Buhari rejected off-hand this use of a spin doctor to heal the ailing economy. He preferred the use of counter-trade and inward looking policies like cutting down costs and flamboyant exotic life styles. Today, I am not so sure we have the same Buhari. I do hope he has not changed all the colours of the rainbow. The ruling elites are living a luxurious lifestyle while the masses are in abject poverty and yet we are all Nigerians. Enough of this change-conundrum”.
Celebrities
Wizkid shades Ladipoe for comments on Afro beats dying in Nigeria, drags Don Jazzy
Wizkid has been on a row recently, and from shading Davido, he has moved on to Ladipoe and Don Jazzy.
Ladipoe had earlier made a tweet, where he insinuated that Afro beats artists were going through a phase where their careers were falling off.
A concerned netizen drew Wizkid’s attention to Ladipoe’s tweet, and his response was shocking to say the least.
In response to Ladipoe’s tweet, Wizkid said he had nothing to say to someone that was signed to an influencer.
Celebrities
“Beg me like this if you want new song” – Wizkid tells his fans as he reignites beef with Davido
Award-winning Afrobeat singer, Wizkid seems to be starting the week with violence as he reignites his beef with colleague and rival, Davido.
The singer while engaging with his fans, took swipe at Davido with a viral video of him begging a lady. Captioning the video, Wizkid told his fans to beg him like Davido was begging the lady, if they want him to release new song.
The singer further revealed that everyday, he ask something to say but decides to keep quiet because his mouth isn’t good. He however made it known that he wishes everybody luck.
“Beg me like this. Send video.
Y’all need it.
I wish everybody luck.
Everyday I get things to say but my mouth no good.
That’s a bully, let’s leave him for now.
Una really want me on my 50cent shit. Lol hmmm”.
Celebrities
Tupac’s estate to sue Drake for using AI voice of late rapper in diss track
The estate of Tupac Shakur, the late US rapper, is taking legal action against Drake following the release of the Canadian singer’s diss track ‘Taylor Made Freestyle’.
On April 19, Drake released ‘Taylor Made Freestyle’ on streaming services.
The track stirred outrage with its alleged use of AI-generated vocals imitating Tupac Shakur and Snoop Dogg — apparently to taunt Kendrick Lamar and Taylor Swift.
According to a cease-and-desist letter obtained by Billboard, Tupac’s estate, represented by lawyer Howard King, expressed disappointment over the “unauthorised use” of Tupac’s voice and likeness.
The letter calls it a “flagrant violation” of Tupac’s publicity rights and a “blatant abuse” of his legacy.
King demanded that Drake remove the song from all platforms within 24 hours, threatening “all legal remedies” if he failed to comply.
“The Estate is deeply dismayed and disappointed by your unauthorised use of Tupac’s voice and personality,” the letter reads.
“Not only is the record a flagrant violation of Tupac’s publicity and the estate’s legal rights, it is also a blatant abuse of the legacy of one of the greatest hip-hop artists of all time. The Estate would never have given its approval for this use.”
Drake’s management has yet to respond publicly.
It remains to be seen if Snoop Dogg, whose voice was also seemingly imitated, will take similar legal action.
Tupac was fatally shot while leaving a boxing match in 1996.
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