Hi learned friends, it’s another week and we’re back with a round-up of the important and interesting events that went down this week. You know the drill already. Lean back and enjoy!

First off, the list is the newly appointed Chairman of the glorified Body of Benchers. Earlier in the week on Thursday, the Body of Benchers swore in her51^st chair, Justice Mary Peter-Odili. The former Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria was confirmed as the Chairperson of the Body along with the newly appointed Vice Chairman, Adegboyega Awomolo, a life bencher.

The outgoing Chairman, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, called for the unity of the profession in his valedictory speech and also recounted his achievements and challenges faced as the Chairman of the Body of Benchers. A proper SAN of culture right there!

Taxpayers, you’ll be most especially glad to hear this particular news. The Tax Controller, Enugu Medium and Small Tax Office of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Mrs. Stella Obiora, represented by the Executive Chairman of the agency, Mr. Muhammed Nami, stated that the organization generated N10.4 trillion in 2022. He also stated some other important things such as the agency’s focus on building and strengthening human capacity and the introduction of the Tax ProMax solution (we’ll pretend this does not sound familiar). The Tax ProMax is in-house e-service solution that allows taxpayers to register, file their returns, and make payments seamlessly.

Next, the Director-General, Nigeria Copyright Commission (NCC), Dr John Asein speaking in Abuja on Tuesday at the Capacity Building for Young Lawyers, stated that the new Copyright Act,2022 will particularly help tackle online abuses of intellectual works. He further stated that the new law will empower the commission to reboot the nation’s copyright system to meet international standards. Notably however, the new act permits the commission to enforce the new laws in the digital environment.

IP students, take note and brace up. Not to scare you, but your lecturer is probably cooking something spicy for you by now.

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) earlier in the week approved a whopping sum of N24.20 billion for the provision of free internet in airports, higher institutions, and markets across Nigeria. It should be said that the council approved N17.4 billion in 2022 for a related project across similar locations. According to Isa Patanmi, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, this is the second phase of the project. We can only hope that the latter shall be greater than the former in this case as we cannot say for a fact that we saw and made use of N17.4 billion spent on free internet last year.

The Lagos State Government announced on Wednesday that the bus far prices will return to their 100% rates from April 1, 2023. Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu had earlier reduced the fare on state-owned buses by 50% in February. This was done to cushion the effect of the fuel and currency crisis according to His Excellency. This announcement comes after the just-concluded governorship elections where the incumbent was declared winner by INEC.

Hmm, Asake didn’t miss when he said that line in ‘Organize’. We now know who the song was for all along!

Next, the Katsina state governor-elect, Umaru Dikko Radda, has indicated that he would not want to be addressed with the title, ‘His Excellency’ while in office. He said he’ll rather prefer to be addressed as Mr. Governor or simply by his name till he leaves office. This is partly commendable and may be fully commendable come 2027.

Two Chinese nationals were sentenced to three years imprisonment for corruption by the Court of Appeal, Sokoto division. Having been discharged and acquitted of a 3-count charge bordering on conspiracy, money laundering and attempted bribery, the foreign convicts didn’t meet same luck at the Court of Appeal. Justice Abubakar Mahmud Talba, who delivered judgment at the C.A held that the respondents tried to frustrate the appeal through maneuverings. In his words, “…the judgment is like a fiction by the trial judge who created doubts in his mind while discharging his responsibilities”.

Hopefully, the three years is enough to make them retrace their steps and think of better ways to make their country proud.

A certain Mr. Sunday Enejo begged a Customary Court in Abuja not to grant his wife divorce until she swears before ‘Aniku’ (a village deity) that she was not having an extramarital affair. This begs the question; wetin Musa no go see for gate?

Lastly on this week’s round-up, following the expiration of the 72-hour ultimatum given to popular singer, Habeeb Okikiola, commonly called Portable, to turn himself in, the Ogun State police command has arrested the singer for refusing to honor the invitation. This came after two videos surfaced on the internet showing the artiste rough-handling and raining curses on some men of the force. The artiste had claimed in one of the videos that police came to his bar to arrest staff members for no reason.

Do have a blissful week ahead!

And give this a like if you enjoyed reading it!!

‍