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2022 International Chefs Day: Nestlé Professional Promotes Wellbeing
Nestlé Professional celebrated International Chefs Day 2022 at the new Lagos State Culinary Academy, Ikeja, with students from public and private secondary schools across Lagos.
The event included training on the importance of healthy eating and lifestyles in line with this year’s International Chef’s Day theme: “GROWING A HEALTHY FUTURE’’.
“The wellbeing of their children is the fundamental goal for parents and caregivers. It is also an indicator of societal development. We are therefore committed to working with stakeholders to enhance the wellbeing of generations to come through nutrition education as well as continuous provision of high-quality nutritious food and beverages. Today’s event is a platform for continuous engagement to encourage children to be creative with food,” said Funmi Osineye, Business Manager, Nestlé Professional.
Funmi acknowledged the Association of Professional Chefs Nigeria for consistently partnering with Nestlé to achieve the company’s global objective of helping 50 million children live healthier lives by 2030.
“We want to thank the Association of Professional Chefs Nigeria for partnering with us through the years. We are also grateful to the administrators of the Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board for their collaboration to celebrate Chef’s Day 2022. We are delighted to witness the sincere interest in skilling up young people in Lagos State for gainful employment in the hospitality sector,” she added.
According to Paul Okon, National President, Association of Professional Chefs Nigeria, “It has been a great pleasure engaging, educating, and enlightening children on healthy eating as we believe this is the foundation for a healthy future.
We sincerely appreciate the role Nestlé Professional has played over the years, promoting Nigeria’s Food Tourism, supporting capacity development of Chefs, and empowering the next generation of Chefs”.
In her comments, Moronke Azeez, Executive Secretary, Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB) said, “We are delighted to be working with Nestlé on this laudable initiative which has been very impactful and a great learning exercise for the children. The event is fully aligned with the objective for the recent establishment of the Lagos Culinary Academy aimed at producing professionals for the hospitality and food service industry while equipping students for entrepreneurship and self-employment”.
The event was commemorated via a fun-filled educative workshop and practical sessions coordinated by the chefs with a hands-on approach for the children, creating recipes out of fresh food items including vegetables, fruits and preparing healthy dishes during the cooking sessions.
The beneficiaries of the training came from Public and Private Secondary schools in Lagos, and the Lagos State Technical College. Other participants included Chefs from the Lagos State Chapter of the Association of Professional Chefs Nigeria.
Speaking on her experience, Hope Shulamite an SS2 student of Ilupeju Senior Grammar School, said, “I am happy that I was chosen to be part of this event. I particularly enjoyed creating the recipes and cooking with the chefs and members of my group. I will definitely try out the recipe again at home and in school with my friends during our home economics practical. On behalf of all the students here today, I want to thank the organizers for giving us this wonderful learning opportunity”.
Nestlé and the Association of Professional Chefs Nigeria have been partners since 2014, making value adding contributions in the foodservice industry, and helping to bring nutrition, health, and wellness education to present and future chefs.
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Equatorial Guinea’s Randy Official Denies Sex Tapes, Claims They’re AI Generated
Baltasar Ebang Engonga, a top government official in Equatorial Guinea, has finally spoken regarding the sex scandal involving hundreds of private recordings with high-profile individuals in the country.
The country’s Director General, National Financial Investigation Agency in Equatorial Guinea, Baltasar Engonga, was arrested for allegedly recording over 400 sex tapes of the wives of notable people in the country.
The scandal emerged in the course of a fraud investigation against the 54-year-old Economist, which resulted in the search of his house and office on impromptu notice by ANIF officials who came across several CDs that later revealed his sexcapades with different married women.
The leaked recordings said to have been consensually filmed, have sparked widespread public outrage and intense scrutiny of the government’s top anti-corruption official.
However, responding to the allegations, Engonga via the microblogging platform, X on Tuesday, denied the authenticity of the videos, attributing the scandal to what he described as the work of “enemies” intent on tarnishing his reputation.
The 54-year-old official also refuted reports connecting one of the supposed victims to a recent suicide, labeling them as untrue.
The scandal has shaken Equatorial Guinea’s political landscape and raised questions about privacy and misconduct among top officials.
Engonga, who was taken into custody following the revelation, continues to deny any involvement as authorities proceed with their investigation.
“I want to tell the People of Equatorial Guinea that those videos are AI edited. My enemies are trying so hard to bring me down
“Ignore the rumours about someone’s death linked to the leaked videos. They’re unfounded,” he said.
Engonga said he has only one wife and six children, adding that she is his hero.
“I only have one wife and my 6 children. They keep me going. We are a happy family. They are my everything.
“If anything ever happens, you are strong enough to guide our children through anything. I trust you completely. You are not just my wife, but my hero,” he added.
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US Polls: Tinubu, UK PM Starmer Congratulate Trump
President Bola Tinubu has extended his heartfelt congratulations to President Donald Trump on his re-election as the 47th President of the United States of America.
A statement by Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy), Bayo Onanuga on Wednesday, said President Tinubu looks forward to strengthening the relations between Nigeria and the United States amid the complex challenges and opportunities of the contemporary world.
Donald Trump claimed victory on Wednesday and pledged to “heal” the country as results put him on the verge of beating Kamala Harris in a stunning White House comeback.
President Tinubu said: “Together, we can foster economic cooperation, promote peace, and address global challenges that affect our citizens.”
According to President Tinubu, Trump’s victory reflects the trust and confidence the American people have placed in his leadership. He congratulates them on their commitment to democracy.
President Tinubu believes that, given President Trump’s experience as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021, his return to the White House as the 47th president will usher in an era of earnest, beneficial, and reciprocal economic and development partnerships between Africa and the United States.
Acknowledging the United States’ influence, power, and position in determining the trend and course of global events, the Nigerian leader trusts that President Trump will bring the world closer to peace and prosperity.
Meanwhile, the British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, has congratulated Donald Trump on his “historic election victory”, adding that the UK-US special relationship would “continue to prosper”.
“As the closest of allies, we stand shoulder to shoulder in defence of our shared values of freedom, democracy and enterprise. From growth and security to innovation and tech, I know that the UK-US special relationship will continue to prosper on both sides of the Atlantic for years to come,” he said.
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NASU, SSANU Suspend Strike for Four Weeks
The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) have announced suspension for a month, of the ongoing nationwide indefinite strike over withheld salaries.
The unions, in a joint statement on Sunday, said the suspension of the indefinite strike will take effect on Tuesday, November 5, 2024.
The statement was signed by Prince Peters Adeyemi, General Secretary of NASU and Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim, National President of SSANU.
The strike was commenced on the Monday, October 28, 2024 as a result of what the unions called “government’s insensitivity to the plights of our members in respect of our legitimate demands.”
The statement read: “The National leadership of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of NASU and SSANU acknowledges and commends our members in the Universities and Inter-University Centres for their unwavering resolve, unrelenting determination and steadfast support for the ongoing strike action.
“You will recall that the ongoing strike action foisted on us commenced on the Monday, 28th October, 2024 as a result of government’s insensitivity to the plights of our members in respect of our legitimate demands
“During this industrial struggle, we have had several extensive and exhaustive deliberations with the officials of the Federal Government of Nigeria including the new Minister of Education, the Minister of Finance, the outgoing Minister of State for Education, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, the Accountant-General of the Federation and the leadership of the Department of State Services
“These high-level engagements culminated into extracting an irrevocable commitment from the Federal government that the 2 months of the 4 months withheld salaries would be paid in staggered form. One month by the end of October, 2024 (which has largely been done), then the second month to be paid by the end of November, 2024.
“Arising from the above and in view of the level of commitment exhibited by the new minister and the leadership of the Department of State Services, the leadership of JAC, after several contacts and other patriotic considerations, hereby directs that the ongoing indefinite strike be suspended for one- month effective Tuesday, 5th November, 2024.
“Branch leaders of both NASU and SSANU are hereby directed to convene a joint Congress in their respective campuses on Monday, 4th November, 2024 and intimate members of these development and urge them to resume work on Tuesday, 5th November, 2024.
“We wish to also reiterate that discussions on the remaining 2 months, the N50 billion Earned Allowances, Arrears of 25/35 per cent and the Wage Award have been revisited and are undergoing deliberations.
“Thank you for your usual understanding and cooperation in this regard; we appreciate your total commitment and resoluteness during this struggle.”