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Babachir Lawal, others diverted PINE funds – UNDP, UHRC

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The United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, has accused the Presidential Initiative on the North East, PINE, of complicity in the illegal diversion of funds donated to help Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, in the country.

The draft report, which UNDP issued in collaboration with the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, on Tuesday, revealed that out of N8.352billion released to PINE in 2016, a total sum of N6.326bn was spent, leaving a balance of N2.026bn.

It however decried that PINE which depleted the funds, “paid less attention to the critical needs of IDPs in the areas of housing, food, education and healthcare, but rather used the bulk of the resources on contracts that were found to have immensely benefitted some public officials including the now-suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal”.

According to the report which UNDP and NHRC made available to newsmen in Abuja, “Public procurement rules and extant federal financial guidelines were breached in the award of the contracts.

“Prima facie cases of conflict of interest were established and companies were fully paid as at a time they had not finished the assigned jobs, whilst kickbacks were made by some companies to others where public officials had clear interest.

“Again, out of 249 trucks carrying 10,000 metric tonnes of Maize released by the Federal Government for the benefit of the IDPs in the six states of the North East, 65 trucks were diverted and did not reach their intended destination.

“They were later recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission after the Senate Committee report was made public.

“But this is a development against the background of the mounting hunger and food crisis in the IDP camps”.

“The findings was that governments did not use the maximum of available resources to protect the rights and welfare of the IDPs. The resources provided at the federal and state levels were paltry.

“In Gombe State, even the little provided in the state budget was not released and cash backed. Most of the IDPs lived in host communities with little access to official humanitarian support, putting additional strain on the already stretched communual health, education and social services.

“The camps were struggling to accommodate the increasing number of displaced people, who found themselves subject to unhealthy living conditions. Many children were malnourished, as adequate provisions were not made to feed them”.

MOVIES

Queen Lateefah Earns N333.7 Million, Ascends To Nollywood’s Top Box Office Rankings

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'Queen Lateefah' earns ₦333.7 million | fab.ng

First and foremost, Wumi Toriola’s film ‘Queen Lateefah‘ has achieved remarkable success, surpassing ₦300 million at the box office and securing its position among Nollywood’s top-performing films.

Subsequently, the film joins other blockbuster successes such as ‘Ajosepo’ (₦257.2 million) and ‘Ajakaju’ (₦252.8 million). Moreover, ‘Queen Lateefah’ now stands as the seventh highest-grossing Nollywood movie to date.

Additionally, it holds the distinction of achieving the highest earnings for a non-December release, a period typically known for peak box office performance.

Throughout its theatrical run, the film has consistently broken records. Initially, it garnered ₦57 million in its opening weekend.

Furthermore, within just three weeks of its premiere, the film exceeded the ₦200 million milestone. By mid-October, consequently, the box office receipts had accumulated to ₦216 million.

Queen Lateefah' grosses enters Nollywood's top box office rankings | Pulse  Nigeria

Under the distribution of Cinemax and the direction of Adeoluwa Owu, the film presents a compelling narrative. Specifically, it follows Lateefah Adeleke, a 30-year-old businesswoman who portrays herself as a world traveller with high social status.

However, her encounter with Jide Rhodes, a 35-year-old businessman, eventually exposes her carefully constructed facade.

In contrast to her claims, Lateefah emerges from a background of extreme poverty as the only child of an illiterate mother.

Finally, the film features a stellar ensemble cast including Kunle Remi, Femi Adebayo, Nancy Isime, Bimbo Manuel, Elvina Ibru, Enioluwa, and Gbugbemi Ejeye.

As a result of these combined elements – compelling storyline, strong performances, and strategic release timing – ‘Queen Lateefah’ continues to demonstrate the growing commercial potential of Nollywood productions.

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FOREIGN

Bruno Mars Breaks All-Time Spotify Monthly Listener Record For The Second Time

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Bruno Mars Breaks Spotify Monthly Listener Record | fab.ng

Bruno Mars now commands 130 million monthly Spotify listeners, shattering the platform’s previous record.

The Grammy winner achieved this milestone following the release of his recent collaborations: ‘Die With A Smile‘ featuring Lady Gaga and his appearance on Rose’s track ‘APT’.

These new singles mark Mars’ first musical releases since his collaboration with Anderson Paak on their Grammy Album of the Year-winning project ‘An Evening With The Silk Sonic’ in 2021.

The stellar performance of these tracks has propelled him past The Weeknd’s previous record of 120 million monthly listeners.

The Weeknd had previously made history as the first artist to attract 100 million monthly listeners on Spotify. The Canadian superstar then broke his own record by reaching an impressive 120 million listeners.

As of November 13, 2024, Bruno Mars leads the Top 20 highest Spotify monthly listeners, demonstrating his enduring appeal and growing global fanbase.

His achievement reflects both the success of his recent releases and his consistent ability to connect with audiences worldwide.

The record-breaking numbers showcase the expanding reach of streaming platforms and Mars’ commanding presence in the digital music landscape.

Top 20 highest Spotify monthly listeners as of November 13, 2024.

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MUSIC

Burna Boy Makes Spotify History With Record-Breaking Albums

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Burna Boy Spotify history with record-breaking albums | fab.ng

Burna Boy has achieved another milestone by becoming the first Nigerian artist with two albums exceeding 1 billion Spotify streams. His album ‘African Giant‘ recently crossed the 1 billion stream mark, joining ‘Love, Damini‘ which commands 1.3 billion streams.

The release of ‘African Giant’ in 2019 followed Burna Boy’s global breakthrough, sparked by his viral hit single ‘YE’ from his 2018 album ‘Outside’. The album cemented Burna Boy’s position as Africa’s musical ambassador on the world stage.

‘African Giant’ produced several standout hits, with ‘On The Low’ and ‘Gbona’ earning platinum certifications in France. The album showcases other powerful tracks including ‘Anybody’, ‘Dangote’, ‘Omo’, ‘Killin Dem’ featuring Zlatan, and ‘Gum Body’ featuring Jorja Smith.

On Spotify, ‘On The Low’ leads the album’s streaming numbers with 304 million plays. ‘Gbona’ follows with 185 million streams, while ‘Anybody’ has accumulated 90 million streams.

‘Love, Damini’ stands as Burna Boy’s most commercially successful album to date. The breakout hit ‘Last Last’ dominates with 451 million Spotify streams, while ‘For Your Hand’, the collaboration between Burna Boy and Ed Sheeran, has gathered 289 million streams.

These streaming achievements strengthen Burna Boy’s position as Nigeria’s and Africa’s leading musical export. He continues to break new ground for African music on the global stage, setting records and expanding the reach of the continent’s sound worldwide.

The artist’s success demonstrates the growing global appeal of African music, with Burna Boy leading the charge in bringing Nigerian and African sounds to international audiences. His achievements pave the way for future African artists to reach similar heights on global streaming platforms.

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