Everybody loves playing games, and many of the world’s most popular can trace their ancestry back through hundreds, or even thousands of years of history. These games are so often familiar that we tend to take them for granted. Nowhere is this more apparent than when it comes to their names.
Below we’re going to uncover the often surprising history behind the names of two of our most beloved and enduring games.
Blackjack Nowadays, blackjack is widely considered to be the most popular casino game in the world. It descends from a family of card games known variously as Twenty-Ones—a name which refers to the highest potential value of a winning hand that can be awarded. Vingt-Un, Ventiuno and even Pontoon are all names that translate to, or are associated with this number value. That makes the name of the most popular member of this family, Blackjack, all the more intriguing for breaking with the format.
Interestingly, there are competing stories as to where the name comes from. The most popular is that it came from a promotion that used to run in the early 20th century gaming parlours. It was supposed that a player drawing an Ace of spades alongside one of the black-suited jacks—the Jack of clubs or spades—would be awarded a ten-to-one payout. This was called a 'blackjack'.
While there’s no smoke without fire, and it’s likely that such a convention took hold as blackjack grew in popularity, recent historical research puts the origin of the name further back into the gold rush era of North American expansion (1848–1880).
Vingt-un was a popular game among gold miners and prospectors in the American west at this time, and historian Thierry Depaulis notes that the name 'blackjack' likely came from them. Gold is known to appear in mineral deposits of zincblende, which we know today as sphalerite. Its dark color earned it the nickname of 'blackjack', and its discovery was a sure sign that gold was nearby. As such, finding 'blackjack' was akin to hitting the jackpot.
From this, it’s easy to see how the name likely transferred over to the winning hand of this popular card game. Nowadays, a new generation of tech-savvy gamers prefer to play online variants of this classic title on reputable platforms. Little do they realize that, in so doing, they’re walking in the footsteps of the people of this moment in history.
Chess Few games are as long-lived, or have travelled as far and wide as chess. The traditional game of grand strategy took on its current form in the courts and kingdoms of Mediaeval feudal europe, but there are many elements of the modern game that speak to its deep ancestry.
Chess started life in the ancient Indian kingdom of the Gupta empire (275–467 CE), where it was known as Chaturanga—Sanskrit for 'four-limbs'. The four limbs in question refer to the traditional divisions of the Indian army of this time into war elephants, chariots, infantry and cavalry.
Today, we retain these pieces and refer to them as bishops, rooks, pawns and knights. Unsurprisingly, elephants, common in other parts of the globe, were in short supply in Europe, and the piece’s stylized tusks came to resemble the conical hats worn by bishops over time.
Rooks, which took on the appearance of castles in the modern game, can trace their name to an intermediate phase in Chess’ journey. The game moved along the silk road that carried trade, inventions and news between east and west for thousands of years. Chess became very popular in Sassanid Persia, and it is from this period that we find many of the modern terms we associate with the game, including its current name.
Rook comes from the old Persian 'Rukh', meaning chariot. Likewise, it is from the Persian name for King, Shah, that we get the name Chess. Interestingly, the German name for the game, Schach, retains a greater similarity with the original Persian. It was in the courts of Persia that the game also acquired its enigmatic phrase, 'check mate'. This is thought to be a corruption of the Persian phrase, 'the king is dead' — Shah Mat.
Elon Musk the founder, CEO and chief engineer of SpaceX; angel investor, CEO and product architect of Tesla, Inc.; owner and CEO of Twitter, Inc.; founder of the Boring Company; co-founder of Neuralink and OpenAI; and president of the philanthropic Musk Foundation, has lost the number one spot as the richest man on earth, according to Forbes magazine.
The magazine reports that Musk has been dethroned as the richest man in the world by Bernard Arnault & family. Moreso, the Chief Executive Officer of Amazon, Jeff Bezos ranks number three on the list of wealthiest people in the world.
The French luxury goods tycoon tops the World’s Billionaires list for the first time on the back of a banner year at LVMH, which owns Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior and Tiffany & Co., among others. Revenue, profit and LVMH shares all sit at record highs, helping add $53 billion to Arnault’s fortune over the past 12 months, the biggest gain of any billionaire. Wealthier than ever, Arnault is now planning for succession: In July, he proposed a reorganization of his holding company, Agache, which holds the bulk of his LVMH stock, to give equal stakes to his five children.
Elon Musk Net worth: $180 Billion | Source of Wealth: Tesla, SpaceX | Age: 51 | Citizenship: U.S. Musk has mostly tweeted himself out of the top spot on the ranks, with Tesla stock down nearly 50% since he announced his $44 billion takeover of Twitter last April, far outpacing the tech-heavy Nasdaq’s 18% drop. Investors have bemoaned the $23 billion of Tesla shares he sold to finance the acquisition. SpaceX, meanwhile, keeps soaring, with the company valued at nearly $140 billion in a tender offer that closed in early 2023—up from the $127 billion at which investors valued it last May. Still, Musk is worth $39 billion less than a year ago.
Jeff Bezos Net worth: $114 Billion | Source of Wealth: Amazon | Age: 59 | Citizenship: U.S. Since stepping down as Amazon CEO in 2021, Bezos has flown to space via his company Blue Origin, made waves with a near-complete $500 million superyacht and stepped up his philanthropy through support for groups such as Bezos Academy free preschools and grants from his Bezos Earth Fund. His fortune isn’t faring as well: He’s $57 billion poorer than a year ago—the biggest loss of any billionaire—thanks to a 38% decline in Amazon stock.
Larry Ellison Net worth: $107 Billion | Source of Wealth: Oracle | Age: 78 | Citizenship: U.S. The Oracle chairman and former CEO rose four spots amid a tough year for tech, as Oracle shares increased 10% on solid earnings and a focus on security. Ellison bought one of Florida’s most expensive homes for $173 million last summer, adding to his portfolio of glitzy real estate, including the Hawaiian island of Lanai, where he lives. He stepped down from Tesla’s board in August after four years.
Warren Buffett Net worth: $106 Billion | Source of Wealth: Berkshire Hathaway | Age: 92 | Citizenship: U.S. Buffett has spent the past three years on a spending spree, pumping some $90 billion of Berkshire Hathaway’s cash into stocks, share buybacks and the $11.5 billion acquisition of insurance firm Alleghany Corp., which closed in October. In late March the Oracle of Omaha, a veteran of market crises, reportedly advised the Biden administration on bank runs and discussed possible investments in regional banks.
Bill Gates Net worth: $104 Billion | Source of Wealth: Microsoft | Age: 67 | Citizenship: U.S. Gates stepped down from the board of Microsoft in 2020 but still spends 10% of his time working with teams at the software firm–including those at OpenAI, which Microsoft has backed. “This is every bit as important as the PC, as the internet,” Gates told Forbes in February, referring to generative artificial intelligence tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Meanwhile, he and his former wife, Melinda French Gates, are boosting spending by the Gates Foundation, which they co-chair and plan to wind down within 25 years.
Michael Bloomberg Net worth: $94.5 Billion | Source of Wealth: Bloomberg LP | Age: 81 | Citizenship: U.S. Despite his donations of another $1.7 billion to charity over the past year, the Bloomberg LP cofounder’s fortune still climbed, as estimated revenue at his financial terminal and media business reached $13.3 billion in 2022, up from $12.5 billion in 2021. Bloomberg, a longtime supporter of Israel, waded into Israeli politics in a New York Times opinion piece in March, criticizing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plans to weaken the country’s judiciary.
Carlos Slim Helú & family Net worth: $93 Billion | Source of Wealth: Telecom | Age: 83 | Citizenship: Mexico The New York–listed shares of the telecom tycoon’s pan–Latin American mobile phone firm, América Móvil, rose 14% in the past year, helping to lift Slim’s fortune by nearly $12 billion and place him among the world’s ten richest people for the first time since 2019. In February, he listed his historic Manhattan mansion–located across from the Metropolitan Museum of Art— for $80 million, almost twice what he paid for it in 2010.
Mukesh Ambani Net worth: $83.4 Billion | Source of Wealth: Diversified| Age: 65 | Citizenship: India Ambani regained his spot as Asia’s richest person as Gautam Adani (No. 24) tumbled. Last year, Ambani’s oil-to-telecom behemoth Reliance Industries became the first Indian company to surpass $100 billion in revenue. He sidestepped speculation about succession by giving his children key roles last year: Older son Akash is chairman of telecom arm Jio Infocomm; daughter Isha is head of the retail business; and son Anant works in Reliance’s new energy ventures.
Steve Ballmer Net worth: $80.7 Billion | Source of Wealth: Microsoft | Age: 67 | Citizenship: U.S. Ballmer’s L.A. Clippers–the sixth-most valuable NBA team–are flying high.He’s building them a privately funded $2 billion arena, slated for completion in 2024. The former Microsoft CEO’s fortune is down $10 billion in the past year, primarily due to the slump in Microsoft shares.
Françoise Bettencourt Meyers & family Net worth: $80.5 Billion | Source of Wealth: L’Oréal | Age: 69 | Citizenship: France The L’Oréal heiress has kept her title of the world’s richest woman for the third year in a row, thanks to a 12% rise in the cosmetics giant’s stock in the last 12 months. Besides pledging $230 million for Notre-Dame Cathedral’s reconstruction, she has hired a managing director for her investment firm, Téthys Invest, where she backs projects including French private hospital operator Elsan.
Larry Page Net worth: $79.2 Billion | Source of Wealth: Google | Age: 50 | Citizenship: U.S. Three years after the Google cofounder stepped away from day-to-day operations, Page and cofounder Sergey Brin (No. 14) attended strategy meetings in late 2022 amid the generative-AI arms race spurred by ChatGPT. Page has also stopped selling his stock: After unloading more than $2.5 billion (pretax) between May 2021 and April 2022, he has not sold a share since.
Amancio Ortega Net worth: $77.3 Billion | Source of Wealth: Zara | Age: 87 | Citizenship: Spain His Inditex fashion retail empire—best known in the U.S. for the Zara chain—has been on a tear. Its stock rose 39% in the past 12 months, buoyed by brisk sales; revenue in the year through January 31, 2023, climbed 18% to nearly $35 billion. That boosted Ortega’s fortune by nearly $18 billion since last year. His daughter Marta Ortega was named Inditex’s chair in April 2022.
Sergey Brin Net worth: $76 Billion | Source of Wealth: Google | Age: 49 | Citizenship: U.S. Like his co-founder Larry Page (No. 12), he stopped what the two men called their “daily nagging” at Google in 2019. But is Brin back? A code request filed in January appears to be his first in years, and he has reportedly submitted code changes to Google’s AI chatbot. Brin sold more than $2.5 billion worth of Alphabet shares between May 2021 and April 2022, but has only gifted stock since. He has donated a total of $1.1 billion to Parkinson’s disease research.
Zhong Shanshan Net worth: $68 Billion | Source of Wealth: Beverages, pharmaceuticals | Age: 68 | Citizenship: China China’s bottled water king remains the country’s richest person for the third year in a row. Gains by Zhong-led beverage producer Nongfu Spring offset a decline in shares of his Covid test supplier Beijing Wantai Biological Pharmacy after the country eased pandemic restrictions at the end of last year.
Mark Zuckerberg Net worth: $64.4 Billion | Source of Wealth: Facebook | Age: 38 | Citizenship: U.S. Unlike many big tech founders, Zuckerberg remains at the CEO helm. It hasn’t been easy, especially amid AI competition and tech layoffs, including 21,000 job cuts at his Meta Platforms since November. Meanwhile, the charitable Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, which aims to create tools to help cure or manage all diseases, announced a new Chicago Biohub in March.
Charles Koch Net worth: $59 Billion | Source of Wealth: Koch Industries | Age: 87 | Citizenship: U.S.
Julia Koch & family Net worth: $59 Billion | Source of Wealth: Koch Industries | Age: 60 | Citizenship: U.S.
Change is underway at $125 billion (2022 sales) Wichita, Kansas, conglomerate Koch Industries, which announced a restructuring of certain subsidiaries in March 2022. Charles Koch recently announced that his chief operating officer will join him as co-CEO after 55 years alone in the role. Julia Koch, the widow of Charles’ brother David (d. 2019), was elected as a trustee of New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art in January.
Jim Walton Net worth: $58.8 Billion | Source of Wealth: Walmart | Age: 74 | Citizenship: U.S.
Rob Walton Net worth: $57.6 Billion | Source of Wealth: Walmart | Age: 78 | Citizenship: U.S.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has declared a Port Harcourt, Rivers state based popular prophetess and founder of Christ Power Adoration Ministries, Faith Ugochi and a celebrity couple, Igho Ubiribo and Danielle Simba Allen, wanted for recruiting teenage girls into drug trafficking while they serve as the arrowheads of an international syndicate operating from Los Angeles, USA.
Director, Media & Advocacy of NDLEA, Femi Babafemi disclosed this in a Sunday statement.
Babafemi said the lid was blown off the cartel when NDLEA operatives at the NAHCO import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos intercepted a consignment of 32.70 kilograms of Loud, a strong variant of cannabis concealed in cartons of used wears on Wednesday 16th November 2022.
He said a freight agent, Ukoh Ifeanyi Oguguo, was immediately arrested while further investigations led to the arrest of four more suspects: Chikodi Favour; Obiyom Shalom Chiamaka; Nnochiri Chidinma Promise and Edward Omatseye (aka Montana).
“The 15-year-old Favour was the first salesgirl to be arrested at a fuel station in Ajah area of Lagos.
“She thereafter led the operatives to a duplex accommodation around Ikate area of Lekki, which was later discovered to be a rented apartment by the criminal group purposely for four young girls that the syndicate uses for marketing and distribution of illicit drugs.
“Another girl, Shalom who is a fresh graduate of Agricultural Science from Rivers State University of Science and Technology was picked from the house alongside Favour.
“During their preliminary interviews, it was learnt that the syndicate rented another building used as drugs warehouse inside Richmond Estate, Lekki.
“By the time operatives located the house, it was discovered that other members of the syndicate had broken into the store and carted away bags of illicit substances.
“However, some illicit drugs paraphernalia including sealing machine, bloating machine and packaging bags were recovered from the warehouse.
“A follow-up operation led to the arrest of Edward Omatseye at his residence around Lekki area.
“Edward confessed during interview to be working for Igho and his wife, Danielle, who are identified as the overall heads of the criminal group.
“Investigation was able to establish that Favour and Shalom were recruited as salesgirls in the illicit drug trade by Prophetess Faith Ugochi of Christ Power Adoration Ministries, using her church platform to recruit teenage girls brought to her for help, on behalf of the celebrity couple: Igho Ubiribo (aka Tiny) and Danielle Simba Allen (aka Dani), who are the owners of the business, while Edward Omatseye (aka Montana) coordinates the illicit drug trade activities for them in Nigeria, with Nnochiri Chidinma Promise as representative of Ben Cargo Ltd, a freight company responsible for the shipment of illicit consignments into the country.
“While Nnochiri Chidinma Promise and Edward Omatseye (aka Montana) have already been charged to court and are currently facing trial at the Federal High Court, Lagos alongside Ben Cargo Ltd, a freight company which had been linked to two previous drug seizures and also involved in the current case, several attempts to get Prophetess Faith Ugochi, Igho Ubiribo and Danielle Simba Allen submit themselves for questioning have proved abortive.
“A letter of invitation sent to Prophetess Faith Ugochi of Christ Adoration Ministries, No. 27 Anozie Street, Mile 2, Diobu, Port Harcourt, Rivers State on 28th November 2022 was received and acknowledged by her mother, with whom she runs the Church. The letter was followed with a reminder on 9th January, 2023 after a long wait.
“In the same vein, letters of invitation were also extended to Igho Ubiribo and Danielle Simba Allen.
“A reminder was also sent when the couple didn’t show any readiness to respond to the first invitation.
“While Prophetess Ugochi fled her home and went into hiding but continued her prophetic ministration on Facebook, the duo of Igho and Danielle initially sent a legal representation to ask for another time to honour the invitation; they have since gone incommunicado.
“Curiously, they hurriedly moved all funds traced to their company Lasgidi Backwood Ltd where all proceeds from the sales of illicit drugs were deposited into a private account of one Victor Imagoro.
“The agency has since blocked the sum of Eighty Million Naira (N80,000,000) traced to the account and obtained a court order to seize all properties including a fuel station linked to the suspects in Lagos and Port Harcourt,” the statement read in part.
The NDLEA spokesman added that the agency has further sought and obtained an order of the Federal High Court Lagos to declare wanted the celebrity couple: Ubiribo Igho and Danielle Allen, as the arrowheads of the illicit trade as well as Prophetess Faith Ugochi, who recruits teenage girls as sales representatives for the duo.
“Meanwhile, the Agency in collaboration with other stakeholders including the Customs Service on Friday 31st March conducted a joint examination of two containers marked TRHU 4758549 and TRHU 6936803 where One Hundred and Forty-Three Million Eight Hundred Thousand (143,800,000 tablets) pills of Tramadol 225mg were discovered in 720 cartons weighing 10.3tons (10,386kgs). The opioid pills, which were mixed with cartons of sweet were imported from India. The interception followed credible intelligence and cooperation of sister agencies.
“In the same vein, officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigations, DOGI, have intercepted at a courier firm a cargo of 1.5kg cocaine concealed in a carton declared to contain hair cream, shampoo, hair rollers and burners, going to London, UK.
“In Kaduna, operatives on Monday 27th March raided Dan Wata village, Soba LGA where they arrested one Abdurrashid Musa, 33, with 142.8kg cannabis while the principal suspect, Ibro Danwata is still at large, while another suspect, Shamsu Abdullahi (aka Waja), 35, was also arrested the previous day during a follow up operation at Rigasa Kaduna, after he had abandoned 80,000 tablets of Diazepam weighing 13.4kg and escaped arrest earlier.
“No less than 63 bags of cannabis sativa weighing 600kg stored in a house at Okpe village in Akoko-Edo LGA were recovered on Friday 31st March when operatives raided the area, while a raid of a warehouse owned by one Shehi Mallam at tomatoes market, Dei Dei Abuja same day led to the seizure of 80 sacks of cannabis sativa weighing 842.4 kilograms. In Cross River, 12,000 pills of Tramadol 225mg were seized from a female passenger, Talatu Sale Adamu, 46, when NDLEA officers intercepted the commercial bus she was travelling in along Ogoja/ Katsina-Ala road on Monday 27th March.
“While a suspect, Abraham Alaigwu was arrested at Slaughter, Trans/Amadi area of Port Harcourt, Rivers state with 91.7kg of cannabis on Thursday 30th March, 228kg of same substance was seized from Ayodele Osuya, 35, in a Toyota Camry car around Quarter Guard area of Akure, Ondo state.
“While commending the officers and men of MMIA for a painstaking investigation of Prophetess Faith Ugochi and the celebrity couple, Igho Ubiribo and Danielle Simba Allen along with other members of their cartel, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) assured that no effort will be spared to ensure the fleeing suspects are brought to face the consequences of their action. He also expressed his gratitude to operatives of Apapa, DOGI, Edo, Cross River, Rivers, Kaduna, FCT and Ondo Commands of the Agency for their resilience, professionalism and excellent synergy with other security agencies in their areas of responsibility. He charged them and their colleagues across the country to continue to raise the bar in their daily attainments,” the statement further read.
Oyedepo, while indirectly referring to the alleged leaked phone conversation between him and Obi, said he never spoke to any group of people on behalf of any politician.
The General Overseer of Living Faith Church Worldwide, Bishop David Oyedepo has reacted to an alleged leaked audio between him and the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi on the eve of the presidential poll, discussing the mobilisation of Christians in Kwara and South-West states to vote for him (Obi).
The clergyman said on Sunday that he never campaigned for any politician or spoken on their behalf in the build-up to the 2023 general elections in the country.
Oyedepo, while indirectly referring to the alleged leaked phone conversation between him and Obi, said he never spoke to any group of people on behalf of any politician.
He added that all political parties sought his prayers and advice before the election and he availed them.
He claimed that nobody had ever told him what to say in this world.
Oyedepo stressed, “I have never campaigned for anybody or spoken on anybody’s behalf and I will not do that till I go to heaven.
“There is no (political) party in this country that didn’t come to me for prayers and advice.
“I advised them, some, they didn’t take. Those who chose to take it saw results; those who said no are still going about it.
“If you still come again, I will still tell you, it doesn’t change,” he maintained.
One of Nigeria's most beautiful firewoman has set out warning to all her admirers to cease calling her office because she is on the verge of losing her job.
Nigerian firefighter, Dooshima Dennis, has appealed to her admirers to stop calling the fire service emergency room to request for her phone number.
This comes after she became the toast of Nigerian Twitter after she posted photos of herself with a fire extinguisher and educated car owners on the importance of owning one on Wednesday, March 22,
“You can buy a car worth millions but can’t afford to buy your self a portable car extinguisher right? What do you do when your car is on fire God forbid abi!! You just may help to save a life or property with a extinguisher, and that life could be yours”
The tweet sparked a ton of reactions from men who were enchanted by her beauty, and they didn’t hesitate to express their interest in her.
Appararently, some went as far as calling the emergency hotline to request for her phone number.
In light of this, Dooshima Dennis took to Twitter on Monday, March 27, to ask her admirers to stop calling the emergency room because they are putting her in trouble.
“Stop calling the fire service emergency room to request for my number please. You guys are putting me in trouble here pls I’m begging.” she tweeted.
Social media has recently become an essential part of our lives. It connects us with people and information from across the globe. Nigeria is the highest in Africa, with more than 109 million internet users as of January 2022.
But beyond social media's entertainment and socializing aspects, it also plays a critical role in fostering a more informed society through reading. This article will explore the ways social media helps in promoting reading and the impact of reading on society.
Easier Access to Different Types of Texts and Information Social media promotes reading by providing easier access to different types of texts. You can access articles, blogs, e-books, and other reading materials on social media. Furthermore, platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn use algorithms to suggest the most relevant content to users. This can lead to more targeted and personalized reading experiences. For example, Twitter will always show trending topics in Nigeria and the number of retweets. This will encourage users to engage with the trend.
Additionally, social media allows easy sharing and content discussion, increasing engagement. According to a recent article on the PIA blog, book influencers and trending book clubs are helping to boost book reading interest and access through social media. The Influencers read the book, offer a personalized review, and encourage others to read it.
Increased Engagement with Content
People love to share exciting experiences with friends. An experience like learning new skills, vacations, movies, etc. They often share these experiences via social media platforms, such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, for their friends to engage. And as you share, like, and comment, the algorithm will continue to suggest similar content for you. As a result, you will get to connect with more individuals. This social interaction can encourage more people to read and form a community for book lovers.
This engagement is not limited to fun alone but to other areas like political engagement. Nigerians use social media to follow political news and events. Some use it to hold the government accountable. An example is the #EndSARS movement, which started on social media and mobilized thousands of young Nigerians to protest police brutality and demand police reforms.
Improved Literacy Outcomes With constant exposure to different types of books and write-ups online, Nigerians can develop a broader vocabulary and more vital reading skills. In turn, this can lead to better comprehension and excellent writing skills. A Research published in PJIM&L Journal about the effect of social media on reading habits revealed that 42.9% of respondents used social media to share world or surrounding information of general nature.
In comparison, 36.7% of respondents used social media to share and exchange academic information. People sharing and exchanging information leads to the cross-fertilization of ideas and knowledge. Hence, educators use social media platforms to promote reading and writing skills.
Empowering the Public Through Reading Over time, social media has become a tool for empowering the public through various means. This is made possible by giving them access to knowledge and information they may not have had before. Reading educational texts gives people the knowledge and skills required to become informed citizens. With social media, people can access enough information.
Users can follow individuals and organizations they have an interest. This helps them stay knowledgeable about critical environmental issues and events. They engage in discussions with others who share their interests or concerns. An article on DiVA Portal elaborates that social media facilitate the mobilization of other individuals for social, environmental, or political issues.
What's More? The power of reading has been magnified through the use of social media. And it is not surprising that its influence has been felt far and wide. Reading teaches us more knowledge, which will transform our communities and us.
The growth of the internet and social media use in African countries such as Nigeria can be a learning opportunity based on lessons learned from regulations in America and the UK. The government needs to seriously consider how it regulates online content and access. Regulations should aim to strike a fine balance between protecting people and allowing them their freedom. There are lessons to be learned from other countries, with recent news from the USA an example of what not to do.
What is the Recent Legislation in the USA?
What is the Recent Legislation in the USA?
The USA has made the news recently for its approach to cracking down on underage internet users accessing adult content. According to PIA’s blog piece, Louisiana was the first state to bring in legislation that requires users of adult sites to log on with their identification cards. 11 other states followed suit and started trying to bring in their own regulations. This is labeled a bad move for the USA, as it will bring about serious questions over how much control governments should have over the policing of the internet. Experts have noted how similar measures have been introduced in other countries and have failed each time. The current estimated internet penetration rate in Nigeria is 55.4 percent according to DataReportal. There’s no doubt that the growth has brought about many benefits for the people here, and it has expanded economic opportunities. Nigeria can learn from America in that it would be wise to seek other solutions when it comes to regulating online content. For instance, instead of relying on identification to police websites, Nigeria could consider a more targeted and nuanced approach that balances the need for safety and freedom of expression.
Nigeria Has Stirred Up Debates Already As internet usage has been rising in Nigeria, the government has tried to regulate usage in various ways. Some have caused controversy. Such as when Twitter was suspended between June 2021 and January 2022. The Guardian reported how this all stemmed from the social media site deleting a tweet from the Nigerian president.
It's clear that the government here needs to remember that people need freedom online, and this comes in the form of being able to access what they want. Still, it is necessary to regulate the internet in some ways, especially to protect vulnerable populations.
One possible approach that Nigeria could follow is to prioritize education and awareness programs that promote safe and responsible online behavior. This could include initiatives to increase media literacy, teach digital citizenship skills, and promote responsible online engagement.
Another idea could be to promote the development of user-friendly and effective parental controls and filters that empower parents to monitor and limit their children's online activities. Internet users will still have their freedom but have a better chance of staying safe online.
Nigeria should learn from the controversy surrounding online regulation in other countries and should take a balanced approach of online safety and innovation. It’s important to ensure internet users have freedom with the added bonus of avoiding harmful or dangerous content.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige has said medical doctors in Nigeria are trained for next to nothing, as they are made to pay an average of N48,000 per section as fees in public tertiary institutions.
Ngige said that was not the case in Europe and America where most of them run to for greener pastures, where they pay between €80,000 euros or dollars above per section to acquire the same kind of education.
The Labour Minister said this while featuring at the State House briefings coordinated by the Presidential Media Team on Tuesday, in Abuja.
He accused the medical professionals leaving the country to work abroad of ingratitude, stating that a good number of them lack a sense of commitment to nation-building.
He said their counterparts in Europe and America access loans to get trained as medical personnel and some keep paying back such loans even after graduation.
Ngige, however, said it was not just a bag of misfortune for the country, as some of the so-called Nigerians going abroad end up coming back home to establish quality healthcare hospitals in Lagos and Abuja, which other citizens now access.
Responding to a question on why it is always difficult for the government to nip public sector workers’ crisis in the bud before it snowballs into a strike, Ngige said his ministry has been able to conciliate about 4000 labour disputes successfully.
He said more often than not, nobody hears about the interventions and that the ministry has been quite proactive contrary to opinions held by many Nigerians.
A former Chief of General Staff, General Oladipo Diya is dead
Diya, a former military governor of Ogun State, was aged 78.
Announcing the news of his death on behalf of the family was Prince Oyesinmilola Diya.
He said in a, statement that the late military leader died in the early hours of Sunday. “On behalf of the entire Diya family home and abroad; We announce the passing on to Glory of our dear Husband, Father, Grandfather, brother, Lt- General Donaldson Oladipo Oyeyinka Diya (Rtd) GCON, LLB, BL, PSC, FSS, mni.
“Our dear Daddy passed onto glory in the early hours of 26th March 2023.
“Please keep us in your prayers as we mourn his demise in this period. Further announcements will be made public in due course,” the statement said.
Late Diya served as the Chief of General Staff under the late military Head of State General Sani Abacha. But he was accused of planning a coup against his principal and subsequently jailed.
Finland has once again been named the world’s happiest country for the sixth year in a row, according to an annual UN-sponsored index. Despite the Russian invasion, acts of kindness in Ukraine have increased, with the country’s ranking improving from 98 to 92 this year.
However, its overall score decreased slightly from 5.084 to 5.071. The report’s editor, Professor Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, noted an “extraordinary rise in fellow feeling” in Ukraine, despite the suffering caused by the invasion.
The report also found that Nordic countries dominated the top spots, with Denmark in second place followed by Iceland. Israel took fourth place, rising five spots from last year. While the same countries typically top the list each year, the authors noted that Baltic countries are rising rapidly towards Western European levels.
The report assigns a happiness score based on people’s own assessment of their happiness, as well as economic and social data, considering six key factors: social support, income, health, freedom, generosity, and absence of corruption.
Governor Sanwo Olu has been all over Lagos lately with his gubernatorial campaign for a return into office come next Saturday. In his latest leg of campaign, the governor was spotted at the church gates shaking hands and greeting congregants after church service, a move that has never been know to be associated with the political class in Nigeria. Video of his latest stunt is below:
Late Igwe John Ejikeme Nebeolisa, it would be recalled, used to be one of the most popular multi-millionaires of the 1990s from the East.
He was known to be a close buddy of Victor Okafor aka "Ezego" which translates as the king of money in Igbo language. John Nebeolisa during prime was everything a Nigerian man wished to be in life, expensive cars like the limousine, Porsche, Peugeot Chasis, he moved with bodyguards and in convoy, whatever it is that was in trend back in the 1990s name it John Nebeolisa aka Joneb had it all.
Joneb had businesses all over the eastern region, and so many landed properties in Lagos and overseas. His businesses spanned from hotels, travel agencies and other controversial setups.
He made so much money then from his controversial businesses and also spent it as if it was going out of fashion. The late king of high life music, Oliver de Coque sang his praises to high heavens in his albums.
At some point he dedicated an attire album to the owner of the once popular Joneb Holiday Inn in Awkuzu.
Amid all these wealth and power, Joneb still wasn't satisfied with all he has achieved as a multi-millionaire in his forties.
The controversial businessman Joneb wanted more power and fame to the extent he went toe to toe with age long tradition of Igbo land, specifically that of Anambra State and declared his intention of becoming the King of Awkuzu, a town in Oyi local government area in Anambra State.
After the death of King Aganama the fourth, the throne was forcefully taken by the Late King John Nnebeolisa.
Most of the elders of the town, dignitaries and the Igwe in council thought the multi-millionaire was bluffing until he stormed their houses one by one with bags full of naira notes that anyone opposing his ambition has ever seen in their entire generation.
Joneb was so rich that he practically bought his way into the throne. He bought every single person that had a tiny reason to object to his ambition, name your price and see it doubled in your face.
It was through Joneb that I knew kingship can be bought and everything on earth has its price.
When the price was paid for his ascencion to the throne of Awkuzu, Joneb along with all his aides on his side was crowned Igwe Ibilibe Ogada and Arusi Awkuzu which translates as (The biggest the town has ever seen and the Oracle of the whole kingdom of Awkuzu)
Joneb occupied the throne of Awkuzu for 10 years before dying in his home in Lagos while watching Tv with his family.
The family he left behind after his death was a young one and they weren't mentally or physically prepared to continue his legacy as the Arusi Awkuzu, so eventually the family he forcefully took the throne from later ended up with their birth right.
Nigerian footballer, Victor Osimhen has been named the best foreign athlete in Italy (for all sports). The recognition came after the striker helped his team to the top of the Italian league. The award was bestowed on Victor Osimhen by Stampa Estera - which is the association in charge of the athletic activities in Italy. Congrats to the superstar
A yoruba girl who recently relocated from Nigeria to London can be seen arguing with her mum over her choice of outfit in the house. The girl was recording the conversation on her live video from Tiktok which has generated many controversies owing to this.
Emmanuella approached her husband while the camera lights were flashing to plant a kiss on his lips but Kwam 1 turned her down.
There are mixed reactions trailing a video of Fuji singer, Kwam 1, rejecting a kiss from his wife, Emmanuella after she threw him a surprise party on his 66th birthday.
The birthday of the singer on the 4th of March 2023 captured a highlight involving a public display of affection between the singer and his wife which went south.
Emmanuella approached her husband while the camera lights were flashing to plant a kiss on his lips but Kwam 1 turned her down.
The scene, however, stirred mixed reactions from netizens who considered it embarrassing while others opined that Kwam 1 didn’t want a lipstick stain.
The US ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, has admitted the presidential election conducted on February 25 didn’t meet the expectations of Nigerians.
Leonard, in an op-ed, “The Elections of February 25,” noted that many citizens are not happy with the results of the polls.
She, however, acknowledged that others are celebrating victories they believe were hard-fought and well-earned.
Leonard has now called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to promptly address the challenges ahead of the March 11 gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections.
“The people of Nigeria demonstrated their dedication to democracy on February 25, but there are many angry and frustrated Nigerians as well as many who are celebrating victories they believe were hard-fought and well-earned,” the statement reads in part.
Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, was declared the winner.
But Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Peter Obi of the Labour Party, LP, are heading to court.
Leonard added: “In the coming days, it will be important for the future of this country that Nigerians not let their differences divide them, and that the legally established process for resolving challenges to the election be allowed to take its course.”
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