NEWS

SSANU, NAAT begin indefinite strike

Published

7 years ago

December 4, 2017

Normal life and academic activities in Nigeria’s universities will be disrupted by workers’ industrial action from today.The three non-academic staff unions have declared a trade dispute over failure of government to keep to the terms of its own agreement with the workers.

The industrial action is coming at a time teachers, under the aegis of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), have returned to the classroom after a series of disputes with the Federal Government over previously agreed welfare packages and funding.

Non-teaching staff are now raising the same issues. President of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Mr. Samson Igwoke, who also chairs the Joint Action Committee of the three unions — comprising SSANU, the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) — said in Abuja yesterday that the strike would begin in all Federal Government-owned universities today (Monday).

Igwoke explained that government had not shown seriousness in addressing the same issues that forced the workers to call an industrial action on September11, 2017.

Chief among the complaints lodged by the workers were government’s failure to implement the December 5, 2016 judgment of the National Industrial Court on university staff schools, payment of arrears of earned allowances, arrears of salary shortfalls and funding.

The unions said there were discrepancies in allocation of funds, a gap that was “pointedly” brought to the attention of government but had not been acknowledged by the Ministry of Education.

“For the first time in the history of fund allocations to federal universities, the ministry of Education allocated funds to both the universities and their unions.” Igwoke alleged. He said, “there is disquiet among non-academic unions” regarding the parameters used in arriving at the sharing formula.

For example the unions wondered how the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) got N328 million, while the University of Ibadan was given N105 million (less than one third of FUTA’s).There is even more disquiet on the fate of the University of Lagos which was allocated N23 million.

“The questions that the unions are asking are: Is the staff strength of non-teaching staff in FUTA bigger than that of UI? Or is it that FUTA has 15 times the number of non-teaching staff in University of Lagos?”

The Federal Government had approved N23 billion for payment of arrears of earned allowances of teaching and non-teaching staff in federal universities. It was then agreed that the trade unions under JAC would update the templates already given to the Implementation Monitoring Committee (IMC) and submit them to the Federal Ministry of Education by Thursday September 21, 2017.

The workers also explained that, two months after a memorandum of settlement was signed, the situation that necessitated the strike in September remained unchanged.In declaring the strike, the unions said: “Having considered the sorry situation we find ourselves vis-a-vis the brazen injustice being meted out to us and the refusal of Government to respect the contents of the Memorandum of Terms of Settlements reached with our Unions on the September 20, 2017, we are constrained to inform you that effective 12.00 midnight of Sunday 3rd December 2017, the Joint Action Committee of NAAT, NASU and SSANU shall be resuming its earlier suspended strike.

“The strike action shall be comprehensive and total. There shall be no provision of services, either on skeletal or ad hoc basis. This strike, like others before it, is not our making or desire. No responsible union goes on strike without considering its implications on the system. However, we find ourselves in a sorry plight where strike appears to be the only option.”

The unions had, in announcing the suspension of their previous industrial action on September 21, 2017, given a one-month moratorium within which the Federal Government should address their concerns or they would return to the trenches.

The three unions subsequently resumed work on Monday, September 25, 2017.Monday’s return to the path of war will halt academic work in universities as long as the industrial action lasts, especially as all academic records and home-keeping activities for teachers and students would be kept on hold.

MUSIC

Ayra Starr Opens For Coldplay In Sold-Out Stadium Concerts

Published

13 hours ago

November 5, 2024

Reporter

Ayra Starr opens for Coldplay in sold-out stadium concerts | fab.ng

Grammy-nominated singer Ayra Starr is achieving new heights in her career as she joins the legendary band Coldplay on their Australian tour.

Currently, the Music of the Spheres 2024 World Tour has Coldplay headlining 11 dates across Australia and New Zealand.

First, Ayra Starr joins Zimbabwean singer Shone and Australian X Factor contestant Emmanuel Kelly as opening acts for the multi-award-winning group. Consequently, this opportunity allows her to perform in front of large international audiences.

Moreover, at their Coldplay concert at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium, Ayra Starr energetically entertains thousands of fans. Specifically, she performs her hit single “Rush” and additionally thrills the audience with popular tracks from her sophomore album, ‘The Year I Turned 21’.

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Her engaging stage presence and unique sound made an impression on Coldplay’s fans. Further marking yet another success for the Nigerian star, she continues to expand her global influence.

Adding to her impressive achievements, Ayra Starr features on Coldplay’s latest album, ‘Moon Music’. She collaborates with the band on the track “Good Feeling.”

This collaboration is particularly historic, as she becomes only the fourth woman to feature on a Coldplay track. Interestingly, she follows the likes of Rihanna, Beyoncé, and Selena Gomez, in the band’s nearly 30-year history.

Ayra Starr has enjoyed an exceptional 2024, which began with a historic Grammy nomination. Furthermore, this makes her the first Nigerian female lead artist to earn this recognition.

Her album, ‘The Year I Turned 21’, continued to build her commercial success with standout guest appearances from Nigerian stars Asake and Seyi Vibez, American R&B artists Giveon and Coco Jones, and Brazilian sensation Anitta.

Each collaboration has contributed to her global appeal, further establishing her as one of Africa’s top music exports.

Recently, Ayra Starr received nominations for the 2024 MTV EMAs in two categories—Best New Artist and Best Afrobeats.

As her global presence grows, she is set to represent Africa proudly at the awards show on November 10 in Manchester. This would mark another milestone in her remarkable journey.

MOVIES

Showmax To Screen “Princess On A Hill” At AFRIFF 2024

Published

16 hours ago

November 5, 2024

Reporter

Princess on a Hill to screen at AFRIFF 2024 | fab.ng

In celebration of African storytelling, Showmax announces that its upcoming Nigerian Original drama, Princess on a Hill, will screen at the 13th edition of the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) on Thursday, November 7, 2024.

Furthermore, the TV series brings a captivating story of ambition and corporate power struggles to the festival on its screening date.

Additionally, MultiChoice, Showmax’s parent company, will host a panel session titled “Crafting Local Content for Global Success,” which explores how African narratives can reach global audiences.

In this limited series, co-creators Abiola Sobo and Tolu Ajayi tell the story of Zara (Onyinye Odokoro), a young executive who enters a high-stakes corporate environment after winning a reality show.

Subsequently, she faces off against the fierce CEO, Moyosore Lawson (Bimbo Manuel). As a result, Zara must adapt to her new reality in the complex and cutthroat world of high-stakes business, where power struggles and ruthless competition dominate.

Moreover, the series showcases the complexities of power and ambition while demonstrating Showmax’s commitment to authentic African storytelling.

Meanwhile, MultiChoice will present an exclusive session at this year’s festival, focusing on “Crafting Local Content for Global Success.”

During this session, key industry players and stakeholders will lead discussions on Thursday morning, November 7, 2024. First, they will highlight local content’s importance in global entertainment.

Then, they will explore strategies to produce TV content that connects with diverse global audiences.

Above all, MultiChoice and Showmax actively support AFRIFF’s mission to elevate African filmmakers and create a global platform for African stories.

Finally, viewers can watch Princess on a Hill when it premieres on Showmax on Thursday, November 7, 2024.

Are you interested in staying updated? You can discover more exciting movie updates by visiting our website.

NEWS

Bobrisky Released On Bail After Denying 15 Million Naira Bribery Allegations

Published

2 days ago

November 4, 2024

Reporter

Bobrisky granted bail after denying N15m bribery allegation | fab.ng

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) recently granted bail to Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, following his detention.

On Thursday night, Bobrisky was apprehended and removed from a KLM flight bound for Amsterdam at Lagos’s Murtala Muhammed International Airport while attempting to travel to London.

Subsequently, Bobrisky took to social media to inform his followers about his arrest, claiming to have sustained injuries during the incident.

He posted, “Nigerians, help me, EFCC just arrested me. I’m badly injured.”

After his arrest, officials transported him to the EFCC headquarters in Abuja for questioning over alleged bribery claims involving the commission.

The allegations arose when social media critic Martins Otse, known as VeryDarkMan, released a voice note reportedly featuring Bobrisky’s voice. In the recording, Bobrisky allegedly claimed he had bribed EFCC officials with N15 million to drop money laundering charges.

However, late on Friday, November 1, authorities processed Bobrisky’s bail, and he regained his freedom shortly after. EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale confirmed the release on Saturday but declined to provide additional information.

A source close to the case disclosed that Bobrisky denied all bribery allegations in his official statement. He also challenged the voice note’s authenticity, urging the individual who shared it to prove the claims.

According to the source, Bobrisky asserted that no EFCC official had solicited money from him and insisted he had not offered any bribe.

Through this statement, Bobrisky maintained his innocence, asserting that the bribery accusations were baseless. Meanwhile, the EFCC has yet to comment further on the case. This leaves questions about the voice note’s origins and the nature of the allegations still unresolved.