Month: April 2021

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Oscars 2021: Full list of winners

On Sunday, April 25, the 93rd edition of the Oscars ceremony celebrating the excellence of creatives in television and films in the last year took place. The annual movie award ceremony was broadcasted from two locations in Los Angeles: The Dolby Theatre and Union Station.
 There was no anchor to officiate the event; this is the third consecutive year that Oscars will be without an anchor, following Kevin Hart’s homophobic comments a couple of years ago. 

David Fincher’s Netflix film Mank led the nominations with 10 in total, while The Father, Judas And The Black Messiah, Minari, Nomadland, South Of Metal, and The Trial Of The Chicago 7 all followed with six nods apiece.

The big winner on the night was Nomadland, which won three prizes in Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress for Frances McDormand.

Six films managed two awards, with The Father, Mank, Sound of Metal, Soul, Judas and the Black Messiah all managing a pair of prizes.

Frances McDormand won her third best actress Oscar for her role in “Nomadland” and Anthony Hopkins notched his second-best actor win for “The Father.”

See the full list of Oscar 2021 Award winners below.

Best Picture

“Nomadland” — Winner

Best Director

Chloé Zhao, “Nomadland” — Winner

Actress in a Leading Role

Frances McDormand, “Nomadland” — Winner

Actor in a Leading Role

Anthony Hopkins, “The Father” — Winner

Actress in a Supporting Role

Yuh-jung Youn, “Minari” — Winner

Actor in a Supporting Role

Daniel Kaluuya, “Judas and the Black Messiah” — Winner

Original Song

“Fight For You” from “Judas and the Black Messiah” — Winner

Animated Feature Film

“Soul” — Winner

Makeup and Hairstyling

“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” — Winner

Visual Effects

“Tenet” — Winner

Cinematography

“Mank” — Winner

Film Editing

“Sound of Metal” — Winner

Production Design

“Mank” — Winner

Sound

“Sound of Metal” — Winner

International Feature Film

Denmark, “Another Round” — Winner

Documentary Short Subject

“Colette” — Winner

Documentary Feature

“My Octopus Teacher” — Winner

Live Action Short Film

“Two Distant Strangers” — Winner

Animated Short Film

“If Anything Happens I Love You” — Winner

Original Screenplay

Emerald Fennell, “Promising Young Woman” — Winner

Adapted Screenplay

Christopher Hampton and Florian Zeller, “The Father” — Winner

Original Score

“Soul” — Winner

Costume Design

“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” — Winner

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Uzodinma’s house set on fire by suspected hoodlums

The residence of the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, has been set on fire by unknown gunmen on Saturday, April 24.

1st News reports that the gunmen invaded Uzodinma’s residence in Omuma, Oru East Local Government Area on Saturday morning.

The gunmen reportedly killed two security personnel on duty.

It was gathered that vehicles parked at the compound and part of the building were also affected by the fire ignited by the attackers.

Confirming the incident, Declan Emelumba, the State’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, said: “It is true, but the information is not still clear.”

“It’s not true that several security men lost their lives. About two security men on duty at the governor’s house were killed. NSCDC personnel were among the security men who lost their lives during the attack,” he said.

Meanwhile, Uzodinma, had accused politicians of funding banditry to run down the present administration.

Uzodinma made this allegation on Friday, April 23, while briefing reporters shortly after a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The governor who condemned the recent attacks by armed bandits on communities, especially in the northern part of the country, challenged the security agencies to urgently reveal the names of their sponsors.

He also condemned the call for secession, stressing that criminals; particularly in Imo were a combination of individuals within and outside the state.

“What people are doing is to sponsor crisis to the extent that those funding banditry are politicians; and I challenge and call on the security agencies to make their names available to the press because what they want to do is to distract a government that is focused,” the governor said.

According to the governor, it was necessary for Nigerians to offer more support for the Federal Government to weed out sponsors of crisis and enemies of progress in the country.

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AKA, SA rapper reacts to demise of fiancee

A couple of weeks ago, Nelli Tembe, the fiancee of South African rapper, AKA fell off the 10th floor of Pepperclub hotel in Cape Town.

For the first time since her demise, AKA real name Keirnan Forbes has paid tribute to her.

The music star released a press statement via his Instagram page on Friday, April 23, 2021.

According to the rapper, every day of her death feels like a mountain to climb.

“I miss Anele, and I am heartbroken at the unfulfilled life we had planned together. Her tragic loss has taken a toll on me emotionally and psychologically,” part of the statement read.

“Insinuations and Innuendos made on my personhood have made it even more difficult to process and the strain our families have taken is unspeakable which is why at this time, I choose to retreat to honour my journey, praying that the moment of stillness may bring me closer to some sanity.”

Nelli Tembe was laid to rest on Friday, April 16.

Witnesses at the scene described hearing shouting and a ‘loud doof’ sound and said they had heard a man calling security and crying.

“Paramedics on the scene have said a female had allegedly jumped from the 10th floor of that building. When paramedics arrived on the scene, she had sustained polytraumatic injuries,” Netcare 911 spokesperson Shawn Herbst said.

AKA and Tembe got engaged two months ago.

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NLC commences five-day protest over Kaduna Govt’s decision to sack workers

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has stated that it will withdraw services from both public and private organisations in Kaduna State for five days to protest the mass sack of workers by the state government.

The NLC President, Mr Ayuba Wabba made this known while addressing newsmen on Thursday, April 22, in Abuja.

Wabba was speaking at at end of the Central Working Committee (CWC) of the NLC.

The Labour leader said the decision to withdraw the services of workers for five days in the state would become total; especially if the state government failed to do the needful.

He said the CWC condemned the decision of Gov. Nasir El-Rufai to sack close to 4, 000 workers; many of whom were mostly from 23 local government areas in the state.

“The CWC has decided and also recommended to the National Executive Council that labour will withdraw all services from either public or private. When I say all services, it means all services for all sectors of the economy for five days in the first instance.

“And where there is no remorse. It is going to be a total action because we believe that El-Rufai is not alone in this action. We believe that there is neo-liberal forces and some governments are also part of it.

“This action is going to be total and unconditional. Therefore, all unions will be issuing statements and directives to their members to take this directive seriously and that the action will go ahead,” he said.

Wabba said that the action was taken as a last resort. He noted that this was due to all the communications that were written on the issue to the state government; adding that these were yet to receive any attention.

He said the CWC, therefore, thought that workers should not be allowed to die in silence; as thousands of workers who had been sacked were yet to be paid in line with the provisions of the law.

“More worrisome is the policy targeted at workers that have spent more than 30 years in service. In fact, the policy said that once you are up to 50 years in service; you will be disengaged and be sent off like a slave or at worse like a dog, without any entitlement.

“Secondly, the letter which we have seen, indicated that their entitlement will be paid in due course and that is the same letter that was issued to those teachers that were disengaged a year ago and therefore we look at this as very serious.

”In fact, it is something every Nigerian must condemn. That is why Nigerians must back labour on this action that labour has proposed against the Kaduna state governor, ” he said.

Wabba noted that the governor violated all the known laws that regulate labour and industrial relation in Nigeria with some sort of disdain while carrying out his decision to sack the workers.

The NLC president said the CWC condemned the insecurity in the country, in particular Kaduna state, saying that the mass sack would therefore compound the security situation.

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SSANU Urges President Buhari To Caution NUC Scribe To Stay Off Uni Jos VC Selection

Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) University of Jos chapter has appealed to the visitor of the university, President Muhammadu Buhari, to warn the Executive Secretary, National University Commission (NUC) Prof. Abubakar Abdulrasheed, to stay clear of the selection process of a new vice chancellor of the institution.


The association accused NUC executive secretary of planning to truncate the selection process of the next vice chancellor of the University of Jos.
SSANU Secretary, Comrade Muplang Simon Kangpe, made the appeal in a press release issued in Jos, Plateau State at the permanent site of the university on Monday.


“The Visitor to the University should as a matter of urgency call the attention of Professor Abubakar Abdulrasheed the Executive Secretary NUC to desist from interfering with the activities of the University Governing Council who were appointed to oversee the activities of the University on behalf of the Visitor,” the statement said.


It also warned further that “it must be noted therefore, that any deviation from the above mentioned would have the Executive Secretary NUC held responsible for any breach of peace in the University,” it stressed.
Similarly, SSANU appealed to the Minister of Education, Prof. Adamu Adamu, to immediately direct the conclusion of the selection process for the emergence of a new Vice Chancellor which is selected for this Wednesday till Friday.


The association frowned at the invitation of the governing council by the NUC executive secretary to appear before him within the same days earlier meant to select a new vice chancellor.
“To our greatest dismay, the entire selection process was ordered to be suspended and invitation was extended to all Council Members to appear before the almighty Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC) unfailingly Wednesday the 22nd day of April 2021. This, we strongly feel is orchestrated to truncate the laid down statutory processes duly followed before the invitation,” it maintained.


It however, sued for peace saying, “we call on all members of the of the University community to remain calm but resolute that due process must be followed as the only alternative for peaceful transition.”


Records indicate that 18 professors both within and outside the University of Jos are jostling to occupy the office of the Vice Chancellor.
It will be recalled that the five year single term tenure of office of the Vice Chancellor, University of Jos, Prof Sabestine Maimako, will officially end in June, 2021, hence the need to select his successor two months before the end of his tenure, so that a vacuum won’t be created.

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Dicekid – Spotlight (Prod by Padrebeats)

Nigerian very own remarkable talented super amazing artiste, the exceptional vibrant super star DiceKid decides to thrill the music airwaves with yet another hit single in a making, tagged “Spotlight” an amazing piece of tune for you and yours to vibe with produced by the incredible Padrebeats.

Listen, Download & Enjoy…

DOWNLOAD MP3: Dicekid – Spotlight

Click to Know more about Dicekid

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Mentally challenged woman stabs 14-yr-old boy to death

A mentally challenged woman has allegedly stabbed a 14-year-old boy to death.

The incident occurred in Bayelsa.

1st News gathered that the mentally challenged woman went on a rampage in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa state capital on Tuesday, April 20, stabbing a 14-year-old boy, Joseph Thomas; to death along Genesis Street, off Okaka road. According to reports, the woman, believed to be an indigene of Enugu State, was popularly known to be a Christian woman; who preaches the gospel in the early hours of the morning along Okaka road.

Residents said on Tuesday morning, she arrived in the area with her Bible.

However, she began to display strange behaviours while flaunting a dagger she had on her.

She was said to have chased everyone that came close to her until she reached the deceased boy’s house; where she forced her way in. Thereafter, she dragged him to the road where she stabbed him three times until he died.

The grandmother of the deceased, identified only as Modlyn, said her grandson was in the house when he was accosted and allegedly killed by the woman.

“I went to buy something.

”I was still at the place when someone told me that a madwoman was looking for me and wanted to kill me.

”As a matter of fact, I wondered why a madwoman would be looking for me.

”I ran into my neighbour’s house to seek refuge.

”While at the neighbour’s house, I heard a noise from neighbours that she had stabbed my grandson to death.”

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Bayelsa Police Command, Asinim Butswat; said the police authorities have the woman in custody; adding that they have arranged for extra security at the hospital where she is being treated to stop any plan to kill her on the hospital bed in retaliation for the killing of the boy.