3 down, one more to go. That's the current situation at ThisDay, where the workers had stopped working temporarily over unpaid salaries said to for about 4 months. After downing tools for a couple of days and subsequent negotiation between the management and the staff union, a middle point was reached today. The staffers were paid 3 months out of the said 4 months that was owed them.
So both sides have reached a compromise and work has started back at the newspaper company in earnest. So all we fans of our Sunday-Sunday tonic on lifestyle, ThisDay Style & Glitterati will get our weekly dose from this upcoming Sunday. It's a big hurray!!!
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| JOSEPH SAMPSON EDGAR |
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| PRINCE NDUKA OBAIGBENA |
Today I write with righteous anger. The yabis I received from my last
article on Saka and Etisalat almost made my wife consider leaving me. As
I no want be widower na, I decide to retire.
But like a bolt, the news emanating from ThisDay Newspapers, brought me
out of my self imposed exile. I first got the news from a BB broadcast
so I immediately called one of my friends and he confirmed that they had
not been paid for six months. Haba uncle Nduka!!!.
Six months, without pay. That is wicked especially if you consider the
fact that this uncle is strutting on the world stage doing things he has
no business doing and wasting money in the process. Arise Magazine,
colossal waste of time, ThisDay Awards for Teachers and I even hear he
is setting up a 24 hour news channel to rival CNN all at the expense of
his hardworking and talented staff.
If he lived like his business was suffering, one would understand. But I
hear he still lives like a Lord on borrowed money, flies private jets
and drinks only the best of drinks. I am sorry to say, but I have no
respect for such people.
I had tried to market him once, the way he brushed me off the phone you
would think I had scabies. So this is my pay back. Oga pay your people.
Maybe if you weren't owing them, I won't be kicking you like this. You
brought this upon yourself.
As a young visionary, uncle used to be the kind of person I wanted to
be. The beautiful Bow-ties, the courage, the mystic all made me put him
up there as one of my greatest mentors. But as I grew in my career and
started hearing things and reading much about him, he started dropping
on my scale and today, he is on the floor.
How do you expect people to feed their families, meet up other
responsibilities and still do their jobs diligently all on no pay for
six months?. Na real wa.
I am taking this very personal because the title is my favourite title
hosting some of the most talented writers and journalist I have come to
admire. People like Segun Adeniyi, whose prose gives me feelings better
than what I get from sex, Lanre Alfred, a fine gentleman, Azuka
Ogujuiba, a passionate professional, Goddy Egene and a host of others.
No wonder I have been getting my favourite Style pullout on Sundays
repeated. At times you get the previous week's edition secretly put in
the current edition. When I called the Editor to ask, instead of her to
tell me say, no money to pay printer, she start to blame vendor for
Maryland.
Uncle, please forget the New York City models, we are tired of seeing
Bill Clinton, and we could not careless for another Leadership Awards,
just pay people their salaries.
Please do not vex o, I cannot withstand your power, should you try to
fight me o. I am not Gani or Keyamo, I am just a poor Akwa Ibom man wey
him papa don die, so don't fight me o, just pay people dem entitlement.
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| SENATOR IBIKUNLE AMOSUN |
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| BILL CLINTON |
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| PRINCE NDUKA OBAIGBENA |
We had announced before that all things being equal that this year's ThisDay award was set to have taken place on Valentine's day(Thursday, February 14, 2013) at the Eko Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos). But alas the award didn't happen on the said day due to many factors.
Now we have been able to get the date for the award proper, according to our findings the ThisDay award 2013, where teachers and those in the education sector are being recognised and rewarded for all their hard-work of many years is set for a venue, yet to be announced in Abeokuta, Ogun State. The venue according to what we hear, would only be announced to the specially invited guests.
The special guest of honour for the 18th edition of the ThisDay award is none other than the 42nd President of the United States of America, Mr. William 'Bill' Clinton, who would be making his third appearance as a special guest of ThisDay.
This particular edition of the prestigious award is 'celebrating the best and brightest teachers'. It is in recognition of the critical role they play in human capital development, socio-cultural and economic advancement of Nigeria. Over the months ThisDay readers had sent in nominations of their favourite teachers numbering a total of 750.
A shortlist of those to be awarded would be provided by a distinguished panel headed by former director at the World Bank, Mrs Oby Ezelwesili and the panel includes the likes of Mr. Fola Adeola, former MD/CEO of Gtbank & Mallam Haruna Adamu, a veteran journalist.
We hear that several factors made for the choice of the ancient town of Abeokuta, Ogun State. A town where many distinguished Nigerians hail from. Apart from the fact that the current Governor of the state, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, is said to be taking giant strides in transforming the education sector in his domain, there are several historical factors that tilted the choice Abeokuta way.
The 1st secondary school in Nigeria, Abeokuta Grammar School, was established in 1908 in Abeokuta. The town is also known for many other 1sts.
- 1st Bible to come to Nigeria, was received in Abeokuta.
- 1st Church in Nigeria, was established in Ake, Abeokuta.
- 1st Newspaper in Nigeria, was established in Abeokuta.
- 1st Nobel laureate for Africa, Professor Wole Soyinka is from Abeokuta.
- 1st Chief Justice of the Federation, Sir Adetokunbo Ademola, was from Abeokuta.
- 1st Nigerian Lawyer- Sir Alexander Akintola Sapara Williams, was from Abeokuta.
- 1st Permanent Secretary & Head of Service in Nigeria- Chief Simon Adebo.
- 1st Woman to drive a car in the Country-Mrs Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti was from Abeokuta.
So come Tuesday, February 26, 2013, Abeokuta, Ogun State would agog as top digniatries converge for the ThisDay award 2013.
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| PRINCE NDUKA OBAIGBENA |
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| HELEN JENNINGS |
We have been inundated by calls and sent anonymous comments bordering on the fact that a year after many so called home based(local) models did the last Arise Fashion Week 2012, they are yet to receive the payment for their jobs. The models are especially angry that the annual show might not be happening in Nigeria this year, so they might not have the opportunity to make their grievances known. Also they are saying is it possible for the shows organisers to owe models abroad?
It got a bit bothersome, when those calling or sending comments began to think we were in league with the organisers to hide the fact that they have not being paid. The fact that we didn't or haven't talked about it, is because we never knew about it or could not have imagined that the organisers would have refused to pay the models(male & female) for jobs they had contracted them to do. Now from the little snippets we have gotten, the models seem to be ready for a showdown anytime soon. Many of the models have made up their minds that unless they are paid from henceforth, they wouldn't do any subsequent shows ever again. They are now saying that if they had known it would turn out like this, they would have walked away like some of their colleagues did last year just before the show began.
So over to you organisers, what seems to have affected the delay in payment to these models for a whole year? And if someone was mandated to do the payment, what has happened to the money and even the person? Is it in your plans/budget to ever pay these models?
These questions need urgent responses and we are waiting to hear from you. Also can the models come out openly to make their demands?
GLOBAL LAUNCH OF ARISE NEWS
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| PRINCE NDUKA OBAIGBENA |
After two days of test broadcasting, a 24-hour international TV news
operation set to rival existing giants in the global market will ‘soft
launch’ today, February 4, 2013, broadcasting from its main News Centres
in London, New York, Johannesburg and Lagos.
ARISE NEWS, will have a strong African footprint and serve undeserved
communities in the USA and other parts of the world, supported by a
further eight bureaux around the globe stretching from Beijing to Rio de
Janeiro.
A sister channel, ARISE 360, which will be entertainment-based with
fashion, music sport and pay per view films, will start broadcasting
toward the end of this year.
MORE AFTER THE BREAK. PLS CLICK ON READ MORE
