June 30, 2024
[GIST] Oyakhilome, Oke-Osanyitolu, others speak on Christ Embassy church building fire
GIST Latest news Today newsThe Believers LoveWorld Incorporated, also known as Christ Embassy, in Oregun area of Ikeja, Lagos, last week, caught fire in the early hours of Sunday when the President of Believers LoveWorld Incorporated, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome and members of the church were worshipping God at the church’s campground in Ogun State.
Although, journalists were not allowed into the church premises to ascertain the extent of damage, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Lagos State Fire Services, Nigeria Police Force, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Neighbourhood Watch and the Nigerian Red Cross Society, among others were seen earnestly working to put out the inferno.
Meanwhile, the founder of the church, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, has said that the burnt building is a sign of good things to come. He stated this, during a church service held at the headquarters in Ogun State.
He said: “It is the house of God. Alright, it is been burnt down, we will clear out the place, build a better one; a more beautiful one and let the devil link his wounds.”
Fielding questions from newsmen at the scene of the fire outbreak, the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr. Oluwafemi Damilola Oke-Osanyitolu appealed to the public to desist from any information that is not emanating from reliable sources, saying that LASEMA and other government agencies under the watch of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu are capable of handling emergency situations in the state.
He explained that though the fire was massive, no casualty was recorded. He denied the allegation that the responders were not allowed access to the church premises when the fire outbreak started in the morning at 7:00a.m.
Oke-Osanyitolu said: “Emergency disaster is everyone’s responsibility, and not just the state government or the agencies. You can see that all the key stakeholders are working together. For instance, NEMA, LASEMA, Lagos State Fire Service have put a lot of things in place and the most important thing is that our people need to key in. Look at it, we are fighting fire in this place and people are misinforming the good people of Lagos State. We want the good people of Lagos State to desist from spreading wrong information. We have put a lot of things in place, we have fire hydrants, among others.
“From what I have seen the church has basic fire fighting equipment, and the men were trained to fight any fire incident. The church has fire hydrant and one way or the other, we worked as a team with them, and that is one of the reasons that despite the fact that the fire was massive, it did not spread to other buildings in the area. There was no mortality and so, we are on top of the game. The church cooperated with us and we worked as a team. We looked at things holistically and that is why we were able to have a success story in managing the emergency disaster.”
On if the state would sanction people who do not comply with government rules, he said: “We will get to that enforcement later. However, we are not shy from enforcement, but it has to be gradual. We have started conducting advocacy, sensitising people and trying to enlighten our people. I am sure our people are going to do the needful.”
Head of Research and Rescue Unit of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Lagos Territorial Office, Ibitayo Adenike, confirming that the incident started in the morning hours of Sunday, said: “Although the fire started early in the morning, the exact time was not certain because we started receiving calls at about 7:00a.m. We came and since then we have been working together. The cause of the fire is not yet known, but all the responders are working together and the fire is now under control. To the best of my knowledge no worshipper was in the building and there was no casualty.”
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June 29, 2024
[GIST] At FUSE Festival, Peekok arts stages Jagunlabi
GIST Latest news Today newsTwelve years after its first appearance at the Rose Theatre, Kingston, UK, the play, Jagunlabi, was staged again to educate global youths and help them to understand their purpose in life. The show aimed to inspire and awaken the giant within young people.
This time, Peekok Youth Arts Initiatives staged the drama at the Arthur Cotterell Theatre (ACT), Kingston Upon Thames, London, on Friday, June 28, 2024.
According to the initiatives visioner/ founder, Oyetunji Olu- Akinloye, “Jagunlabi will headline as the opening main show of the FUSE International Festival, UK.” He explained, “Jagunlabi (we birthed a warrior) is a full-fledged drama performance with many themes primarily focused on human purpose.
“In Africa, every child is born with specific and unique purpose. A child’s name often motivates what the future or destiny of the child is beloved to be. Jagunlabi performance will unravel that mystery.”
The play highlights themes of courage, selflessness, determination, eradication of social ills, violence against children and women, and significantly, bravery.
FUSE International Festival, Olu-Akinloye, observed, is the ideal platform to share and celebrate creative and talented artists from across UK, Nigeria and around the globe.
The FUSE Festival replaced the International Youth Arts Festival (IYAF), which has taken place every summer since 2009. Over 80 events across film, music, theatre, visual arts take place over the 10 days of the Festival, which is curated and presented by the Charity Creative Youth, UK.
Jagunlabi is expected to open the FUSE International Festival and further assist to strengthen the different artforms: dance, music, visual art and film show, between the age group 5- 30.
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[GIST] Full List: 10 Most Streamed Albums on Spotify
GIST Latest news Today newsGone are the days when we used to meticulously organise our CD collection or hunt down the perfect vinyl record to add to our stash. Now, streaming services like Spotify have ushered in a new era of music consumption. An era that is defined by convenience and unlimited access.
With just a few taps, one can explore an infinite library of music. This streaming era, with its explosion in accessibility, has fundamentally changed how we listen to music.
In this article, we shall explore the ten most streamed albums on Spotify. The data in this article are from Kworb, a website that analyses music data from around the world.
Prepare to be surprised by the number of streams some of these albums have. Figures that would have been unimaginable in the pre-streaming era.
1. Un Verano Sin Ti – Bad Bunny
Streams: 16,830,553,201
Released on May 6, 2022, Un Verano Sin Ti is Bad Bunny’s fifth studio album and his second album to reach number one on the Billboard 200. The album is a mix of Latin trap and reggaeton, with influences from merengue, bachata, and other Latin music genres.
READ ALSO: Full List – Forbes names 50 most influential rappers of all time
2. ÷ – Ed Sheeran
Streams: 14,940,750,898
“÷” (pronounced “divide”) is Ed Sheeran’s third studio album and his second album to reach number one in the United States and the United Kingdom. The album features a mix of pop, folk, and hip-hop songs. It also features Sheeran’s signature emotional lyrics.
Additionally, Shape of You, the album’s lead single, became the best-selling song of 2017 worldwide and has been streamed over 3 billion times on Spotify.
3. Starboy – The Weeknd
Streams: 14,404,308,362
Starboy is The Weeknd’s third studio album. It features a mix of R&B, pop, and hip-hop songs, with The Weeknd’s signature dark and atmospheric sound.
The album’s title track, Starboy, has over 2 billion times on Spotify. Interestingly, The Weeknd is now Spotify’s most listened-to artiste with 106.2 million monthly listeners.
4. Hollywood’s Bleeding – Post Malone
Streams: 12,845,501,217
A true country album, Hollywood’s Bleeding explores the genres of hip-hop, pop, and country in its songs. Additionally, the album’s lead single, Sunflower, is in the animated film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. It currently has over 3 billion streams on Spotify.
5. SOUR – Olivia Rodrigo
Streams: 12,615,174,669
Released when Olivia was just 18 years old, SOUR was released as her debut studio album. The album quickly climbed the charts and reached number one on the Billboard 200. The album is a mix of pop, alternative, and punk songs.
Furthermore, Drivers License, the album’s lead single, was a massive hit. It sold over twenty one million copies all over the world.
6. After Hours – The Weeknd
Streams: 12,530,549,140
Another honourable The Weeknd mention, After Hours is his fourth studio album. Considered a dark and gory album, The Weeknd explores themes of addiction, isolation, and heartbreak in it coupled with the tough times that come with fame.
In addition, the album’s lead single, Blinding Lights, is The Weeknd’s biggest hit till today. The song alone has over four billion streams on Spotify.
7. Dua Lipa – Dua Lipa
Streams: 12,457,258,221
Dua Lipa is Dua Lipa’s self-titled debut studio album. It is disco, dance-pop, and electropop album. And it peaked at number three on the UK Albums Chart, with the title song, New Rules reaching number one on the prestigious chart.
8. Future Nostalgia – Dua Lipa
Streams: 12,435,138,445
Another record-breaking album from Dua Lipa, Future Nostalgia is a futuristic pop album. It has nostalgic elements that take one back to 80s pop music, an ode to the album’s name. Don’t Start Now, the album’s lead single, has well over two billion streams.
9. Papercuts – Linkin Park
Streams: 11,923,019,421
Linkin Park released Papercuts, their eighth studio album and the first since the death of lead singer Chester Bennington in 2017, on July 22, 2022. Essentially, the album has elements of alternative rock and nu-metal songs.
The album’s lead single, Lost in the Echo, was released in 2012 and was originally intended to be on the band’s previous album, The Hunting Party.
10. beerbongs & bentleys – Post Malone
Streams: 11,834,719,755
Post Malone’s second album on this list, beerbongs and bentleys is a widely commercially successful album. It debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200. Impressingly, it sold 461,000 units in its first week.
Rockstar, the album’s lead single featuring 21 Savage, was a massive hit.
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June 28, 2024
[GIST] Nigerian students urged to build resilience, prioritise risk management
GIST Latest news Today newsThe post Nigerian students urged to build resilience, prioritise risk management appeared first on Guardian Nigeria News.
June 27, 2024
[GIST] NDLEA seeks partnership with Customs, others to curb drug trafficking, abuse
GIST Latest news Today newsThe National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has called for partnership with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and other relevant stakeholders to fight drug trafficking and abuse in the country.
The Apapa Commander of NDLEA, Mr Noah Ndutong, made the call yesterday in Apapa during the grand finale of the 2024 International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
Ndutong said strengthening collaboration is important, especially as smugglers utilise the seaports to bring in hard drugs under false declaration of consignments.
Recall that the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, last week, said ongoing collaborative efforts between the NCS and the NDLEA yielded positive results. This came in the interception, within one month, of illicit drugs worth over N4.1 billion imported from Canada and India, at Tin Can Island Port.
According to Ndutong, the theme of this year’s Day, ‘The evidence is clear, invest in prevention’, calls for increased collaboration to tackle the menace.
He said with joint efforts from other stakeholders and sister agencies, the work of NDLEA would be easier.
The NDLEA boss warned that the chances of coming overcoming drug abuse are slim; hence Nigerians should invest more in prevention.
He vowed that the agency would drive drug dealers out of business, adding that hard drugs are a major contributor to crimes and criminality in the country.
Speaking earlier, the Apapa Area Commander of the NCS, Babatunde Olomu, noted that drug abuse hinders national development.
He assured that the command was on same page with NDLEA and other stakeholders in the fight against drug abuse in the country, which had been evident in massive seizures at the ports.
He said drug abuse fuels insecurity and urged all agencies and stakeholders to fight the menace. He also called for all hands to be on deck to achieve total elimination of the menace.
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[GIST] Gains in 35 stocks lift market capitalisation by N95 billion
GIST Latest news Today newsThe domestic equities market reversed losses to reopen upbeat, yesterday, as market capitalisation appreciated by N95 billion, buoyed by gains in Unilever Nigeria Plc and 34 others.
At the close of transactions, the all-share index (ASI) gained 167.84 points, representing a gain of 0.17 per cent to close at 99,385.44 points.
Also, market capitalisation rose by N95 billion to close at N56.221 trillion.
The upturn was driven by price depreciation in large and medium capitalised stocks amongst which are Unilever Nigeria, Oando, FBN Holdings (FBNH), CWG and Dangote Sugar Refinery.
On what will shape the market in the next trading session, analysts at Vetiva Dealings and Brokerage said: “Investors have taken a ‘wait-and-see’ approach to the market, as bargain-hunting sentiment dictates activity throughout this week. We expect to see a similar session in the market tomorrow, as investors continue to favor fundamentally sound names.”
As measured by market breadth, market sentiment was positive, as 35 stocks gained relative to 13 losers. FTN Cocoa Processors, Oando and CWG emerged the highest price gainer of 10 per cent each to close at N1.54 kobo, N13.75 kobo and 60 kobo, respectively.
C & I Leasing followed with a gain of 9.33 per cent to close at N3.28 kobo, while Veritas Kapital Assurance advanced by 9.09 per cent to close at 96 kobo.
On the other side, Secure Electronic Technology led others on the losers’ chart with 10 per cent to close at 54 kobo. Cornerstone Insurance followed with a decline of 8.64 per cent to close at N2.01, kobo while Royal Exchange shed 7.58 per cent to close at 61 kobo.
Tantalizer lost 4.17 per cent to close at 46 kobo, while Universal Insurance depreciated by 2.78 per cent to close at 35 kobo.
The total volume of trades dipped by 23.6 per cent to 276.364 million units, valued at N4.120 billion, and exchanged in 7,597 deals.
Transactions in the shares of Access Holdings led the activity with 45.336 million shares worth N859.399 million. AIICO Insurance followed with account of 23.955 million shares valued at N22.906 million, while Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO) traded 13.850 million shares valued at N608.119 million.
Fidelity Bank traded 13.231 million shares worth N133.746 million, while Skyway Aviation Handling Company traded 12.000 million shares worth N244.804 million.
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