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Bitfinex Leos Africa Organizes First Bitcoin Pizza Day

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Bitfinex Bitcoin Pizza Day

By Adedapo Adesanya

Bitcoin Pizza Day, celebrated annually on May 22, marks an important milestone in the history of cryptocurrency,  bringing Bitcoin enthusiasts worldwide together annually to celebrate this iconic moment.

To join in this, the Bitfinex African Community @BFXLeosAfrika, an African community that supports the Bitfinex exchange brand and works to lead a community with similar interests, came together to celebrate this historic event at Secret Garden, Abuja, Nigeria.

Back in 2010, when Bitcoin was still in its infancy, Laszlo Hanyecz, a Florida-based programmer, made a groundbreaking purchase. He spent a staggering 10,000 Bitcoins to buy two pizzas from Papa John’s, setting a precedent for Bitcoin’s value as a medium of exchange. Little did he know that this transaction would become an integral part of Bitcoin’s legacy and inspire future generations of crypto enthusiasts.

This year’s celebration marks the 13th anniversary of an extraordinary event that changed the way we think about the world’s first digital currency and the crypto enthusiasts came together to remember this milestone; the festivity showcases the amazing journey of Bitcoin and its impact on the global financial world.

At the Bitfinex African Community event, the atmosphere was filled with excitement as speakers and attendees shared stories and insights about cryptocurrencies and how the Bitfinex exchange has enhanced their lives.

The event was graced by Faith Okafor Mbah, who shared more insights into the Bitcoin Pizza Day story and also her journey in the crypto space. She further spoke about promoting financial inclusion with crypto using Bitfinex as a case study.

On her part, the representative host of the Bitfinex African Community, Kerry Ngozi, spoke about Tether as a tool for financial inclusion and financial freedom.

She also explained that as the demand for decentralized and accessible financial solutions continues to grow, Tether has positioned itself as a key player in facilitating seamless transactions and empowering individuals to take control of their financial lives.

Despite the challenges and volatility that cryptocurrencies have faced, the celebration serves as a testament to the resilience and enduring appeal of the decentralized revolution.

Other highlights of the event were organized games in which prizes like Tether (USDt), souvenirs, and pizza boxes were won by the participants.

Bitfinex remains one of the leading and oldest trading platforms in the world. Bitfinex’s strategy provides unparalleled support, tools, and innovation for professional traders and liquidity providers worldwide.

The company also provides adequate support for those that are new in the crypto space by providing a weekly educational issue, The Bitfinex Alpha, put together by professional market analysts, that would help make better financial decisions.

Bitfinex also provides support to users through local communities all over the world and engages in various charity programs.

During the current bear market, Bitfinex has been one of the only exchanges that are keeping up with new token listings, community events, and regular giveaways.

Adedapo Adesanya is a journalist, polymath, and connoisseur of everything art. When he is not writing, he has his nose buried in one of the many books or articles he has bookmarked or simply listening to good music with a bottle of beer or wine. He supports the greatest club in the world, Manchester United F.C.

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SERAP Demands Missing $2.1bn, N3.1trn Subsidy Payments Probe

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SERAP

By Adedapo Adesanya

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to probe the allegations that $2.1 billion and N3.1 trillion in public funds of oil revenues and budgeted as fuel subsidy payments are missing and unaccounted for between 2016 and 2019, as documented by the Auditor-General of the Federation.

SERAP, in the first letter to the new president, charged him to “name and shame anyone suspected to be responsible for the alleged widespread and systemic corruption in the use of oil revenues and the management of public funds budgeted as fuel subsidy and to ensure their effective prosecution as well as the full recovery of any proceeds of crime.”

SERAP also asked him “to promptly, thoroughly, independently, transparently and effectively probe all fuel subsidy paid by successive governments since the return of democracy in 1999, and to use any recovered proceeds of crime as palliatives to address the impact of any subsidy removal on poor Nigerians.”

In the letter dated June 3, 2023, and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “There is a legitimate public interest in ensuring justice and accountability for these serious allegations,” noting that “There will be no economic growth or sustainability without accountability for these human rights crimes.”

SERAP said: “Your government should urgently act to follow due process of law in any policy to remove fuel subsidy, ensure that suspected perpetrators of these crimes against Nigerians are brought to justice, and full recovery of any missing public funds.”

SERAP also said, “Arbitrarily removing fuel subsidy without addressing outstanding accountability issues in the alleged mismanagement of oil revenues and fuel subsidy payments would amount to punishing poverty and further impoverishing the poor while letting high-profile officials and non-state actors get away with their crimes,” adding that, “Any removal of fuel subsidy should not be used as a ploy to keep the poor in poverty while those who allegedly stole oil revenues and fuel subsidy payments keep their ill-gotten wealth.”

SERAP informed Mr Tinubu that, “Under Section 16(1) of the Constitution, your government has a responsibility to ‘secure the maximum welfare, freedom and happiness of every citizen on the basis of social justice and equality of status and opportunity.’ Section 16(2) further provides that, ‘the material resources of the nation are harnessed and distributed as best as possible to serve the common good.’

“The UN Convention against Corruption and the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption, to which Nigeria is a state party, obligate your government to effectively prevent and investigate the plundering of the country’s wealth and natural resources and hold public officials and non-state actors to account for any violations.

“Specifically, article 26 of the UN Convention requires your government to ensure ‘effective, proportionate and dissuasive sanctions’ including criminal and non-criminal sanctions, in cases of grand corruption.

“Article 26 complements the more general requirement of article 30, paragraph 1, that sanctions must take into account the gravity of the corruption allegations.”

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Governor Akeredolu Not Dead–Ondo Commissioner

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Governor Akeredolu Not Dead--Ondo Commissioner

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

The Ondo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mrs Bamidele Ademola-Olateju, has refuted reports that Governor Rotimi Akeredolu has died.

In a statement on Saturday, the Commissioner described the news as fake, though confirming that Mr Akeredolu was truly indisposed.

She said despite the Governor’s state of health, he has been discharging his constitutional duties and has also been delegating some of his functions to others who are competent to discharge them.

She advised members of the public, particularly citizens of the southwest state, to disregard the rumours of the Governor’s death.

“We have been inundated with calls and messages concerning the state of health of the Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu. We had chosen to ignore this wicked fabrication until it appeared that certain persons sought to draw political mileage from the disinformation.

“Though the Governor has been indisposed, he has been attending to state matters and delegating functions to functionaries of the government when necessary.

“We enjoin the members of the public to ignore the rumour. Aketi is very much alive,” Mrs Ademola-Olateju said in the statement.

Meanwhile, the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Governor, Mr Richard Olatunde, has released a short video showing Mr Akeredolu watching the FA Cup final played at Wembley Stadium in England between Manchester United and Manchester City on Saturday.

The Governor watched the football game won by the blue side of the city on a large television screen.

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FCFA Tasks Nigeria to Adopt Sweden’s Tobacco Harm Reduction Model

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World Vape Day Tobacco Harm Reduction

By Dipo Olowookere

Nigeria has been advised to adopt the model used by Sweden to achieve Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR), which helped the European nation to reduce smoking rates, thereby promoting a healthier future.

Sweden is moving closer to becoming a smoke-free society, as over the past 15 years, smoking rates have plummeted from 15 per cent to 5.6 per cent, making it the lowest rate in Europe.

This has also put the country 17 years ahead of the European Union’s target, affirming the effectiveness of the Swedish way of making reduced risks alternative products to smoking widely accessible, acceptable and affordable.

Nigeria can also achieve this feat if necessary steps are taken to work toward this, the Foundation for Consumer Freedom Advancement (FCFA) submitted.

While joining others to celebrate World Vape Day 2023 on May 30, the group said it was fully behind the fight to combat smoking charging African leaders to adopt the Swedish model to save millions of lives across the continent to transform public health outcomes and reduce the staggering toll of tobacco-related diseases.

Nigeria continues to face the devastating consequences of smoking-related diseases. The World Health Organisation, in 2022, reported that nearly 30,000 lives were lost in Nigeria due to this.

According to the Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction, 4.1 per cent of the adult population in Nigeria are current smokers, representing approximately 4.5 million individuals.

The Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction reports that while 7.9 per cent of men in Nigeria are current smokers, only 0.3 per cent of women smoke.

These figures underscore the urgent need for the Nigerian government to prioritize THR and learn from the Swedish model, FCFA said, attributing the success of adopting a smokeless oral tobacco product called Snus and promoting diverse alternatives to traditional cigarettes.

The organisation Sweden offered a range of reduced-risk alternatives such as e-cigarettes or vaping products and nicotine pouches, noting that these alternatives are made readily available in convenience stores, supermarkets, and tobacco stores, simplifying the transition process for smokers.

FCFA has called on the Nigerian government to prioritise Tobacco Harm Reduction, stating that through education, regulation and provision of safer alternatives, Nigeria can empower its citizens to make informed choices and transition from traditional combustible tobacco products.

The group promised to partner with “stakeholders in Nigeria to promote Tobacco Harm Reduction initiatives and work towards a smoke-free future.”

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