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Court refuses to dismiss order stopping NBC from imposing fines on broadcast stations

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The federal high court in Abuja has dismissed the motion filed by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) seeking to set aside the verdict restraining the agency from imposing fines on broadcast stations.

James Omotosho, the presiding judge, on Thursday, dismissed the grounds presented by NBC.

On March 1, 2019, NBC sanctioned 45 broadcast stations over alleged ethical infractions during the general election.

Is’haq Kawu, then director-general of the commission, said the affected media houses were fined N500,000 each for flouting the provisions of the Nigerian broadcasting code.

Among the sanctioned stations were Channels Television, TVC, AIT, and NTA.

Displeased with the fines, the Media Rights Agenda (MRA), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), sued NBC.

The organisation said the action of the commission violated the right to a fair hearing under section 36 of the 1999 constitution (as amended) and article 7 of the African charter on human and peoples rights (ratification and enforcement) Act.

MRA had asked the court to declare the fines unconstitutional and null.

On May 10, a federal high court in Abuja ruled that NBC does not have the power to impose penalties on broadcast stations.

In July, NBC asked the court to dismiss the order, arguing that the high court reached its decision in “ignorance of relevant facts”.

Babatunde Ogala, NBC counsel, had told the court that MRA has “two unappealed, subsisting and binding decisions of the federal high court on the same issues and parties”.

Ogala added that the media group brought a fresh suit before the court, instead of appealing previous rulings.

NBC accused MRA of trying to set the court on a collision course with other courts, adding that the commission was not served with the processes leading to the verdict.

However, the media rights group disagreed with the arguments of the commission.

THURSDAY PROCEEDINGS

In his judgment, Omotosho ruled that available evidence showed that the commission was served but failed to appear before the court.

The judge said NBC failed to present facts that the suit filed by the media group was an abuse of the court process.

“A party challenging the jurisdiction of the court must do that timeously,” the judge was quoted as saying by NAN.

“These are facts the respondent (NBC) ought to have brought before the court but did not avail itself of this opportunity.

“It is a futile attempt to get the court to set aside this judgment. The respondent should bear the consequences of its own indolence.

“In the final analysis, it is an afterthought and belated. The application to set aside the judgment is hereby refused.”

Celebrities

Eniola Badmus assumes office as aide to speaker Abbas

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Eniola Badmus, the Nigerian actress, has officially assumed duty as the aide to Tajudeen Abbas, the speaker of the house of representatives.

In May, the actress confirmed her appointment as the special assistant on social events and public hearings to Abbas.

In a post via Instagram on Thursday, Badmus shared photos of herself and Abbas at a meeting.

The film star disclosed that the meeting was with Godswill Akpabio, the senate president, at the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) in Abuja.

“This week @speakerabbas and President of the Senate Godswill Akpabio at the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), inaugurated the governing council of the institution, earlier this week in Abuja,” she wrote.

“NILDS, as the research and academic arm of the National Assembly, is a pillar of knowledge, a capacity-building powerhouse, and a think tank dedicated to advancing our legislative processes.

“NILDS’s mandate was to provide technical and analytical support as well as comprehensive, reliable legislative research to legislators, their aides, committees, and the bureaucracy of the legislative in Nigeria and beyond.

“Over the years, the Institute has significantly contributed to strengthening legislative institutions through its rigorous research, legislative support services, training program, and policy analysis.”

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Chris Brown, Yella Beezy sued for $50m over assault

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Chris Brown and Yella Beezy, the US artistes, are being sued by four men who claimed they were violently attacked and left hospitalised after a concert in Texas on July 20.

According to TMZ, Brown’s entourage lieutenant Sinko Ceej and Live Nation are also facing the lawsuit filed by the alleged victims.

The suit was filed in Houston on Monday by Larry Parker, Joseph Lewis, Charles Bush, and Damarcus Powell.

The plaintiffs are seeking $50 million in damages for alleged monetary losses, pain and suffering, disfigurement, mental anguish, and past, present, and future medical expenses.

They accused the defendants of “throwing chairs at them and repeatedly kicking, stomping, and beating them”.

The plaintiffs said they attended Brown’s ‘11:11 Tour’ at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth. After the show ended, they claimed that they were invited and escorted backstage along with 40 women to Brown’s VIP area.

The lawsuit claimed that Brown entered the area after 30 minutes but the alleged victims were tired of waiting and proceeded to leave.

Before leaving, Bush said he approached the singer to shake his hand and congratulate him on a good show.

The lawsuit said before Bush, Parker, Lewis, and Powell could leave, someone from Brown’s entourage said: “Man, you don’t remember you two were beefing?” The singer then allegedly told his crew to attack Bush.

The plaintiffs alleged that they were assaulted in a hallway by almost ten members of Brown’s entourage.

According to the suit, Brown and his crew allegedly punched Parker in the face and chest, kicked him in the head for over 10 minutes, and stomped him, causing him severe bodily injury.

Powell and Bush were said to have been punched in the shoulder and chest by the singer and his entourage.

Lawsuit documents said Bush, Powell, Lewis, and Parker all received severe injuries to their heads, necks, shoulders, and backs and are still receiving medical treatment.

In addition to the $50 million in damages, the plaintiffs have also filed restraining orders against Brown, Beezy, and Sinko Ceej to “preserve evidence”.

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Brain Jotter meets ‘Gwo Gwo Gwo Ngwo’ singer Mike Ejeagha

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Brain Jotter, the Nigerian skit maker, has finally met with Mike ‘Gentleman’ Ejeagha, the ace highlife singer.

‘Ka Esi Le Onye Isi Oche’, a song by Ejeagha, started to gain widespread popularity earlier this month after Jotter adopted the soundtrack for his hilarious dance moves.

The dance moves involve two or more people facing opposite directions and walking towards each other. They then meet at a point where they do the funny leg dance before one starts chasing after the other while a part of the chorus “Gwo Gwo Gwo Ngwo” is played in the background.

The song has also been recreated over 20,000 times on TikTok with many Nigerians, including celebrities, joining the challenge.

On Sunday, the skit maker sought to meet with the highlife legend, adding that he wanted to gift him the sum of N2 million.

But in an Instagram post on Monday, Jotter shared a photo he took with Ejeagha while expressing joy in finally meeting him.

“So happy I did this. Story coming soon,” he wrote.

Ejeagha is considered one of the pioneers of the highlife genre in Nigeria and was influential in the evolution of music in the Igbo language for over 6 decades.

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Bodex F. Hungbo, SPMIIM is a multiple award-winning Nigerian Digital Media Practitioner, Digital Strategist, PR consultant, Brand and Event Expert, Tv Presenter, Tier-A Blogger/Influencer, and a top cobbler in Nigeria.

She has widespread experiences across different professions and skills, which includes experiences in; Marketing, Media, Broadcasting, Brand and Event Management, Administration and Management with prior stints at MTN, NAPIMS-NNPC, GLOBAL FLEET OIL AND GAS, LTV, Silverbird and a host of others

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