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Etisalat-Sponsored Nigerian Idol 4 Concludes Search in Calabar

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(L-r): Dede Mabiaku, Nneka and Darey Art-Alade, Nigerian Idol Season 4 Judges with Idiare Atimomo, manager, Youth Segment Etisalat Nigeria, during the Calabar auditions of Nigerian Idol season 4 sponsored by Etisalat which held at Monty Suites, Calabar recently.
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Following the success of auditions in Benin and Port-Harcourt, it was the turn of Calabar, the third city in the series of auditions for exceptional music talents, to be a part of the Etisalat-sponsored music reality show, Nigerian Idol.

Youths in the culture-rich state of Cross River and its environs on Saturday the 8th of February made their way to Monty Suites in Calabar with the hope of getting the Judges’ approval for the next round of the competition.

The city presented a number of surprises as each of the audition contestants put in their best performance.

Enitan Denloye, director, Brands and Communications, Etisalat Nigeria, applauded the gusto with which the youths in the region came out for the auditions, saying that it is a testament to the abundance of talent in the country and the determination to showcase these talents.

“Etisalat is proud to present an international music platform that celebrates passion and nurtures talents in Nigeria. This season promises to be bigger and better, and already we have witnessed that at every audition location we have had so far.” Denloye said.

Nineteen-year-old Dodeye Mbang was a bundle of nerves when it was her turn to meet the trio of Darey Art-Alade, Nneka and Dede Mabiaku, this Season’s Judges.

Nonetheless, the petite 300-Level student of Zoology and Environmental Biology, at the University of Calabar gave quite an impressive rendition of the popular Whitney Houston track “Greatest Love of All”, earning her three ‘yesses’ from the Judges.

The Calabar auditions also turned out to be a place for second chances. This was the case for Paul Enoma, a graduate of Mathematics from the University of Benin, who got a ‘No’ from the Judges during the Benin auditions.

He came to Calabar having taken learning from his previous audition to secure a spot in the next round of the competition. Enoma finally got the ‘yes’ he craved for.

It would be recalled that Yeka Onka, Nigerian Idol season 1 winner had a similar experience after she auditioned in Enugu, Calabar and finally Lagos where she got a ‘Yes’. The singer, who performs with her all-female band team and currently working on her album, was on hand to motivate the crowd during the auditions.

The next round of auditions will hold, for the first time, in Makurdi at the Smileview Hotel Extension on the 15th of February and finally in Lagos on the 22nd and 23rd of February at Dream Studios, Omole, Lagos.

 In just 5 years of operations, Etisalat Nigeria has become a major industry player with a growing subscriber base of over 17 million in a highly competitive market.

Its portfolio of voice and data-centric products include – easy starter, easycliq, easybusiness, easyblaze and easyflex; all tailor-made to meet the needs of its customers.

Etisalat Nigeria is one of the 15 operations of the Etisalat Group that spans across Africa, Middle East and Asia serving over 140 million subscribers; and it is committed to delivering innovative and quality services to its growing subscribers.


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EFCC Arik Case: Witness Testifies on Receiver Manager Nominee’s Role in NG Eagle Shareholding

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The 4th prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of former AMCON Managing Director, Ahmed Kuru, on Monday continued to give the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, ‘fresh insight’ into how the structure and equity of NG Eagle Airlines was set up.
EFCC Arik Case: Witness Testifies on Receiver Manager Nominee’s Role in NG Eagle Shareholding

EFCC Arik

In his testimony, Kaltungo testified that this arrangement entails the Receiver Manager’s nominee having a shareholding arrangement of NG Eagle of “one unit within a billion-share structure,” as part of the findings that emerged during the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s investigation.
The development surfaced as EFCC Investigative Officer, Bawa Usman Kaltungo, continued his examination-in-chief led by prosecution counsel, Dr. Wahab Shittu, SAN. Kaltungo told the court that the financial trail uncovered by investigators showed how funds allegedly belonging to Arik Air Limited were unaccounted for while NG Eagle was being established.
Kaltungo also, in the course of his testimony, sought to mislead the Court to believe that the 1st Defendant sold NG Eagle shares solely and unilaterally as a Receiver holding majority shares in NG Eagle, when in fact he is just a nominee with a single unit of share, as AMCON, the corporation that appointed him, holds majority shares in NG Eagle.
Even though his testimonies were made with the support of a few documents admitted in evidence, Kaltungo still was not able to establish a nexus of any act of omission on the part of the accused persons to establish fraud or crime in the management of Arik’s loan.
Kuru is standing trial alongside Kamilu Alaba Omokide, Captain Roy Ilegbodu, Union Bank Plc, and Super Bravo Limited before Justice Mojisola Dada. According to the witness, the statement of Arik’s former Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Jonathan Sani, detailed how the defendants allegedly moved N4.5 billion from Arik to fund NG Eagle, an airline he said was controlled by the defendants. He further testified that Omokide and Ilegbodu allegedly worked with Kuru to funnel a total of N4.9 billion from Arik’s coffers to manage and fund operations of the new airline.
Kaltungo added that beyond the cash transfers, Arik staff were also moved to NG Eagle even though the new airline was set up while Kuru was still AMCON MD, and Omokide served as AMCON’s Receiver Manager. He said salary payments and operational expenses for the newly formed NG Eagle were borne by Arik Air Limited.
During proceedings, the court admitted a CTC of an ex parte order, which the prosecution termed as the only document authorizing the appointment of the RM over Arik and marked the same as P17, along with other exhibits—P18, P25, P26, P44, and P45—including. photographs and videos in a flash drive containing footage of alleged vandalised aircraft were played in court, but the Prosecution again failed to establish a nexus as to whether those aircraft indeed belonged to Arik.
Meanwhile, counsel for the second and third defendants applied for the release of their clients’ passports for renewal and medical purposes. Justice Dada granted the requests on the condition that the documents be returned to the court registry no later than January 2, 2026.
The matter was thereafter adjourned to February 25 and 26, 2026, for continuation of the trial and Examination-in-Chief of PW4

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NIPR Postpones Maiden PRICE Awards to January 25, 2026

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Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has announced the postponement of its maiden annual Public Relations, Reputation, Ideas, Concepts and Excellence (PRICE) Awards and Prizes to January 25, 2026.

NIPR Postpones Maiden PRICE Awards to January 25, 2026

NIPR

The event, earlier scheduled for December 7, 2025, was deferred to accommodate stakeholders whose observance of Christmas festivities had commenced earlier than expected.

Chairman of the Organising Committee, Mr. Israel Opayemi, urged stakeholders to note the new date and prepare to participate in the ceremony.

He said the awards would motivate professionals, practitioners and scholars, while enhancing Nigeria’s global competitiveness in the public relations ecosystem and strengthening brand equity for all stakeholders.

Opayemi reaffirmed the Committee’s commitment to delivering a best-in-class award administration and ceremony, describing the PRICE Awards as a credible and enduring platform to identify, celebrate and elevate outstanding individuals, campaigns and organisations shaping the public relations landscape across sectors.

The development of the PRICE Awards peaked in September 2025 when the NIPR President and Chairman, Council, Dr. Ike Neliaku, inaugurated a 12-man committee to organise the maiden edition. The inauguration followed the Council’s adoption of the report of a technical team tasked with establishing the awards.


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Netflix Seals $82.7bn Deal to Acquire Warner Bros., HBO Max

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Netflix has announced a landmark agreement to acquire Warner Bros. and HBO Max in a transaction valued at $82.7 billion, a move analysts say will reshape the global entertainment industry.

Netflix Seals $82.7bn Deal to Acquire Warner Bros., HBO Max

Netflix

The deal, which includes Warner Bros.’ film and television studios, HBO, HBO Max, and Warner Bros. Games, was unanimously approved by the boards of both companies. Under the terms, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) shareholders will receive $23.25 in cash and $4.50 in Netflix shares for each WBD share.

Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos described the acquisition as “a defining moment” for the streaming giant, noting that the company intends to maintain Warner Bros.’ current operations while expanding its production capacity.

“By combining Warner Bros.’ incredible library of shows and movies with Netflix’s culture-defining titles, we can give audiences more of what they love and help define the next century of storytelling,” Sarandos said.

The transaction is expected to close within 12 to 18 months, following the planned spin-off of WBD’s TV networks division, Discovery Global, in 2026. Netflix projects annual cost savings of $2–3 billion by the third year after completion and expects the deal to be accretive to earnings per share by year two.

Industry groups, including the Directors Guild of America and Cinema United, have raised concerns about the impact on movie theaters, while regulators are expected to scrutinize the deal over antitrust issues. Netflix has pledged to continue supporting theatrical releases, with Warner Bros.’ cinema commitments running through 2029.

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav hailed the agreement, saying it “combines two of the greatest storytelling companies in the world to bring to even more people the entertainment they love.”

Observers note that the acquisition comes 15 years after former Time Warner chief Jeff Bewkes dismissed Netflix as “the Albanian army,” underscoring the dramatic shift in the entertainment landscape.


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