NEWS

Abuja-Kaduna Train Service Recorded N5 million Income in 2Weeks

Published

8 years ago

August 14, 2016

The Abuja-Kaduna train service recorded N5 million income within the first two weeks of operation, Mr Fidet Ikhiria, Acting Managing Director of Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), has said.

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Ikhiria made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) while travelling on the train from Abuja to Kaduna on Saturday.

The Managing Director of NAN, Mr Bayo Onanuga and the Editor-in-Chief, NAN, Mr Ado Lawal, were also on board.

NAN recalls that President Muhammadu Buhari recently inaugurated the 1.46 billion dollars Abuja-Kaduna train service was inaugurated on July 26 by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Ikhiria said that he did not have record of the daily income of the service.

“In the first week of operation, we made N2.2 million; in the second week, we made N2.9 million.

“This is the third week of operation; the last week report showed that we had almost 5,000 passengers in six days.

”We have capacity for 320 passengers per trip; for now, the maximum we can carry per trip is 320.

”So, for a day, the maximum number of passengers we can have is 1000,” he said.

Ikhiria said that fencing of the tracks would commence before the end of August.

He acknowledged that there were some operational lapses on the route, and said that the management was working toward addressing them.

He said that some of the staff had yet to get used to the seat numbering as it was different from what was obtainable in the previous trains.

According to the managing director, the coaches are overwhelmed by the number of people coming on board.

“Some passengers with economy class tickets are coming to sit on the first class coach because the economy class is filled up.

”We are going to do more enlightenment on this at the station and communities levels.”

On the speed of the train, he said that the parameter for speed was not coach but track which, according to him, was designed according to specification.

He said the train moved at 90 kilometres per hour from the initial 70 kilometres per hour but would get to 150 kilometres per hour in due course.

“The slow speed of the train is to avoid accidents as people living close to the tracks have yet to get used to the movement of train,’’ he explained.

Okhiria said that efforts were being made to beef up security at the stations and on board the train.

“By next week, our scanners will be in place; I am also discussing with Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to deploy more men.

“We have armed policemen on board and some security personnel without uniform,” he said

He added that efforts were also being made to install internet facilities in the train.

In an interview, the Managing Director of NAN, Mr Bayo Onanuga, who was on board the train, lauded the service and said that Nigerians were beginning to enjoy train services the way they did in the 60s and the 70s.

Onanuga, who was in company with the Editor-in-Chief of NAN, Mr Lawal Ado, however, said that NRC needed to do more work to improve on the train services.

”Apparently, NRC underestimated the interest of our people in boarding train.

”They need to acquire more trains; they need to increase the capacity and increase the frequency of movement.

source: www.leadership.ng

MUSIC

Oxlade Earns First RIAA Certification With His Global Smash Hit

Published

3 days ago

October 11, 2024

Reporter

Oxlade earns first RIAA certification with "Kulosa" | fab.ng

Nigerian music sensation Oxlade made a global impact with his 2022 hit single “Kulosa”. The track quickly went viral and catapulted him to international stardom. Two years after its release, “Kulosa” has officially been certified gold in the United States, having achieved 500,000 units in sales.

The track, one of the most successful performances ever on Colors Studio, enjoyed commercial success. It amassed over 400 million streams on Spotify and racked up over 187 million views across two music videos on YouTube.

“Kulosa” particularly resonated in the United States. It spent several months on the Billboard Afrobeats Chart, peaking at No. 5.

This certification marks a significant milestone for Oxlade. This is because “Kulosa” became his first song to receive an RIAA plaque. The track has also earned certifications in several countries. These countries include France, Canada, the United Kingdom, Nigeria, Spain, Portugal, and Switzerland.

“Kulosa” is one of the standout tracks from Oxlade’s debut album, “Oxlade From Africa”, which features collaborations with Nigerian music heavyweights Wande Coal and Flavour, Ugandan musician and politician Bobi Wine, Congolese star Fally Ipupa, and Jamaican artist Popcaan.

Initially, Oxlade has secured his place among RIAA-certified Nigerian artists. Additionally, this achievement aligns him with other successful Afrobeats musicians. Meanwhile, CKay’s “Love Nwantiti” continues to dominate with its impressive 7X platinum status.

Furthermore, this hit single steadily advances toward becoming Afrobeats’ first Diamond-certified track. Consequently, Oxlade’s certification contributes to the growing global recognition of Nigerian music.

Finally, his success reinforces the significant impact Afrobeats artists are making in the international music industry.

AFRICAN

Biennale College Cinema Announces Kenyan-Nigerian Project For Next Edition

Published

4 days ago

October 11, 2024

Reporter

1 Woman 1 Bra: Kenyan-Nigerian project | fab.ng

Biennale College Cinema in Venice has announced the Kenyan-Nigerian project, “1 Woman 1 Bra“. The director-producer duo, Vincho Nchogu and Josh Olaoluwa worked on the project. It is the only African project selected for the 13th edition of the festival. This marks a significant achievement for African cinema on the global stage.

“1 Woman 1 Bra” is among 12 projects chosen for the 2024/25 Biennale College Cinema.

These projects were unveiled during the 81st Venice International Film Festival. The teams, consisting of a director and a producer, will participate in an initial 10-day workshop in Venice. This workshop will take place from October 8 to 17, 2024.

Nchogu, the Kenyan director, and Olaoluwa, the Nigerian producer, will present their first feature film project at the workshop. Afterwards, four of the 12 projects will be selected to receive up to 200,000 Euros in production funding.

Furthermore, these four films will premiere at the 82nd Venice Film Festival in 2025. This opportunity is another milestone for Nchogu and Olaoluwa. Consequently, they have previously participated in the Red Sea Lodge and Torino Film Lab.

The Biennale College Cinema is an advanced training lab that opens doors for filmmakers worldwide. It provides a platform for emerging voices in cinema and offers valuable resources to bring creative visions to life.

Nine of the twelve projects were selected from the Biennale College Cinema – International competition. Meanwhile, the remaining three came from the Biennale College Cinema – Italy competition.

In addition to “1 Woman 1 Bra”, other notable projects include “Agnus Dei” by Massimiliano Camaiti, a second-time feature director, and producer Giovanna Nicolai. Another selected project, “Badland”, comes from first-time feature director Mounir Derbal and producer Lorenzo Fiuzzi. “Becoming Human” by director Polen Ly and producer Daniel Mattes also made the list.

Further selections include “Last Time, Again” by Chinese director Di Zhang and Canadian producer Beryl Liu, “Orange Peel” by Italian director Anita Rivaroli and producer Marco Mingolla, and “Saving The Day” by Turkish director Serhat Karaaslan and French producer Laura Dahout.

Indian director Nidhi Saxena and producer Vimukthi Jayasundara’s “Secret Of A Mountain Serpent” was also selected, along with “Summer 1999” by Vietnamese director Hang Luong Nguyen and producer Dinh Le Minh Trinh.

Other featured projects include “The Booking” by American director Gabriella Moses and producer Sarah Wharton, “The Family” by Ukrainian director Hanna Jalali and Iranian producer Moeinoddin Jalali, and “Vanishing Bones” by French director Simon Rieth and producer Inès Daïen Dasi.

Check out more updates here.

ENTERTAINMENT

Burna Boy Responds To Allegations Of Impregnating A Lady

Published

4 days ago

October 10, 2024

Reporter

Burna Boy responds to allegations of impregnating a lady | fab.ng

Controversy erupts as Burna Boy, the Grammy-winning Nigerian music star, confronts serious allegations from a woman named Stella. The accuser boldly claims that the globally renowned artist, whose real name is Damini Ogulu, abandoned her after she became pregnant with his child.

Stella’s detailed account came through a recent interview where she paints a picture of a three-year romantic relationship with the “City Boys” hitmaker. She describes how their relationship progressed to the point of pregnancy, emphasizing Burna Boy’s initial commitment to support their unborn child. According to her narrative, the singer’s attitude dramatically shifted, leading to his complete withdrawal from the situation.

The woman’s story takes an even darker turn as she recounts a series of unfortunate events. She describes a harrowing break-in at her residence, though she doesn’t directly attribute it to the singer. The accumulated stress from these circumstances, she claims, ultimately resulted in a devastating miscarriage of their unborn child.

Burna Boy responded to these allegations swiftly and unequivocally.

The African Giant, known for his unapologetic demeanour, categorically dismisses Stella’s claims. In stark contrast to her portrayal of their relationship, he characterizes her as a sex worker, specifically stating that he paid her 20,000 naira for her services.

The Grammy winner further discredits her by revealing that she belongs to a group of individuals who have previously made unfounded claims about his potency.

“Meanwhile this na of the first people wey call me impotent o. And Na 20k be her money that year normally of which I give am o. Abeg enter this comment section if you know this girl that year and confirm if I dey lie say na N20k be her money,” he wrote in a now-deleted post on his X page.

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