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Wale Obadeyi Book To Be Unveiled On Sunday

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Olawale Babajide Obadeyi, popularly known as Wally Jay, was an artiste, writer, compere extraordinaire and social commentator. Sadly, he passed on to eternity in the early hours of Saturday, 30th June 2018. If Obadeyi was alive today, he would have celebrated his 57th birthday on 28th September 2019. But as the Yoruba would say, tí iná bá kú, á f’eérú bo’jú; tí ọ̀gẹ̀dẹ̀ bá kú, a f’ọmọ rẹ̀ rọ́pò (when a fire is finally extinguished, it replaces itself with ash; when the plantain withers, it replaces itself with its sapling). So it is with Obadeyi: when he suddenly and unexpectedly passed away on that fateful morning, he left behind a wife, three wonderful children and a number of uncompleted artistic projects. One of such projects is his book of proverbs, Tongues of the Forecourt: A Collection of Yoruba Proverbs and Aphorisms.
It is thus to forever keep Obadeyi in our hearts and to ensure that his idea of a book of proverbs sees the light of day, that a committee of friends have come together to posthumously publish and host on 28 September the formal release and presentation of Tongues of the Forecourt: A Collection of Yoruba Proverbs and Aphorisms. This date coincides with Wally Jay’s second posthumous birthday.
Uniquely translated by Obadeyi, the book comprises a careful selection of 250 Yoruba proverbs, epigrams, saws and aphorisms that have been subdivided into five themes as edited by Leke Akinrowo. “As one turns every page of Tongues of the Forecourt, one will always remember that there once lived Olawale Obadeyi, a vivacious and innovative poet, storyteller and dramatist who mastered his mother tongue, Yoruba, and his second language, English, with astounding profundity,” writes Professor Gbemisola Adeoti of the English Department of Obafemi Awolowo University, in his Foreword to the book.
“Quite certainly,” Adeoti concludes, “the book will be an immense asset to scholars of African cultural studies, Yoruba folklore, oral literature and language. It will also be of assistance to the practitioners of Nigerian home video film tradition in Yoruba language, especially the script writers and sub-title writers, who often find translation of Yoruba proverbs into English a kind of hard nut to crack. Contemporary writers and general readers will also find in it, a wide window into the ancient and modern world view of the Yoruba people as well as the essence of their complex existence.”
Please join family, friends and associates to celebrate Obadeyi’s second posthumous birthday and the formal release and presentation of his book, Tongues of the Forecourt: A Collection of Yoruba Proverbs and Aphorisms.
Special Guest of Honour: Mr Steve Ayorinde, former Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Culture.
Chief Launcher: Mr. Jide Somefun, CEO, Banksome Group.
Special Appearance: Norbert Young, Segun Arinze, Hafeez Oyetoro, Yinka Davies, Tunji Sotimirin, Yinka Akanbi, Onos and many more.
Venue: Arts Gallery, Kong’s Harvest, Freedom Park, Broad Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Date: 28 September, 2019.
Time: 4:30p.m to 7:30p.m.
For enquiries and interviews, please contact Bisi Adigun 08178672200 or Leke Akinrowo 08034880516.

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IBEDC records 1,459 energy theft cases in January, February

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The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company said it has recorded 1,459 cases of energy theft by its subscribers between January and February 2024.

This was disclosed in a press statement signed by the firm’s Chief Key Accounts Officer, Mr. Johnson Tinuoye, on Tuesday.

IBEDC added that it is actively pursuing investigations and legal actions against individuals and businesses involved in the theft in collaboration with the Federal Government Special Investigation and Prosecution Task Force on Electricity Offences.

Identifying the cases, IBEDC said they included various offences such as meter bypass and illegal meter tampering, which resulted in significant financial losses amounting to hundreds of millions of naira for the company.

The statement read, “We want to send a clear message to our customers that energy theft will not be tolerated. Our collaboration with the Federal Government Special Investigation and Prosecution Task Force on Electricity Offences underscores our commitment to ensuring a fair and just electricity distribution system.

“Energy theft not only undermines the integrity of our operations but also deprives IBEDC of the revenue necessary to provide quality services to our customers.”

Tinuoye emphasised that under the Electricity Act, energy theft is now recognised as a criminal offense, carrying severe penalties including imprisonment stressing, “In the Osun region, two individuals were apprehended for stealing energy through meter bypass and illegal connections. Their cases have been formally charged in court for prosecution.”

IBEDC further urged customers to refrain from engaging in any form of energy theft, emphasising that the consequences can be severe, as there is no room for negotiation with the SIPTEO Task Force team, which is actively patrolling and investigating instances of energy theft for prosecution.

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Copyright Breach: NCC Drags MTN, Others To Court Over Musician’s Works

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The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has filed criminal charges against MTN Nigeria Communications Ltd. and four others over alleged copyright infringement.

The charge with number FHC/ABJ/CR/111/2024 filed in the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court was obtained by journalists on Monday.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the four other defendants in the case include the chief executive officer of MTN Nigeria, Karl Toriola; Nkeakam Abhulimen, Fun Mobile Ltd.; and Yahaya Maibe.

In the three-count charge, NCC alleged that the defendants, between 2010 and 2017, “offered for sale, sold and traded for business’’, infringed the musical works of an artiste, Maleke Idowu Moye, without his consent and authorisation.

The commission alleged that the defendants used musical works and sound recordings of Mr Maleke with subsisting copyright as caller ringback tunes without the authorisation of the artiste.

The musician’s musical works and sound recordings allegedly infringed upon included 911, Minimini-wanawana, Stop Racism, Ewole, 911 instrumental, Radio, Low Waist, and No Bother.

The defendants were also alleged to have distributed the musical works to their subscribers without authorisation, thereby infringing on the rights of the artiste.

In the third count, the defendants were alleged to have in their possession, other than for their private or domestic use, the artiste’s musical works and sound recordings.

According to NCC, the alleged offences are contrary to and punishable under section 20 (2) (a) (b) and (c) of the Copyright Act, Cap. C28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

The case has yet to be assigned to any judge, and no date has been fixed for the mention.

Meanwhile, no official statement has been released by any of the defendants as at the time of filing this report, while all efforts to get reactions from MTN by New Telegraph proved abortive.

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LASG, LCC ANNOUNCE REOPENING OF LEKKI CONSERVATION CENTRE AFTER REPAIRS

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Following the completion of extensive routine maintenance works on the Lekki Conservation Centre (LCC), the Lagos State Government and the Management of the Centre have announced that the Walkway will be reopened for public use with effect from Friday, 29th March 2024.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr. Idris Aregbe confirmed this on Friday during a visit to the Centre in Lekki alongside some officials of the Ministry.

Aregbe said that he was happy to see that all repairs and renovations on the facility, including the Walkway, have been completed and would be accessible for tourism during the Easter celebration.

The Special Adviser appreciated Lagosians and tourists across the world for their patience during the thorough maintenance works carried out at the Centre in Lekki.

The Director-General of the Centre, Prof Mathew Onoja also appreciated the State Government for its intervention following the viral video, which first circulated in December as well as the swift response and efforts towards making the repairs and renovations seamless.

He noted that the Centre being a major tourism asset in Lagos State has played host to tourists from all over the world as it offers a serene environment for nature tourism and also boasts of the longest canopy walkway in Africa.

Recall that the facility has been undergoing routine maintenance since January following apprehensions arising from the damaged section of the Canopy Walkway, which had been repaired before the viral video was posted on social media platforms.

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