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Students groan as AE-FUNAI hikes hostel fee from N70,000 to N300,000

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SOME medical students of Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Abakaliki, Ebonyi (AE-FUNAI) have decried the recent hike in accommodation fee by the school management.

In a memo issued August 2 by the university to announce the new fee, the total school fees for medical students came to N513,500, while accommodation fees sky-rocketed from N70,000 to N300,000.

By September 2021, 400 level medical students of the university are expected to have commenced their clinical studies at the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki.

More importantly, the concerned students are expected to be resident at the teaching hospital which is about 25 kilometers from the university campus at Ikwo. However, the medical students’ hostel at the teaching hospital is still under construction and expected to be completed next year. Thus, the university has two options: one is to suspend the clinical training till the students’ hostel is completed. The second is to devise another means of accommodation for the students

The university, to ensure students’ academic activities are not suspended, negotiated with a private estate owner to rent his fully furnished building, with 150 KVA stand-by power generating set for uninterrupted power supply, located about 200 meters from the hospital, as hostel for the student, Vanguard gathered.

Students react

One of the student leaders who did not want to be mentioned, urged the management to look into the matter, especially with the impact of COVID-19 pandemic.

He said: “Well, this issue at hand is a critical one that needs critical reasoning and understanding. The university management over the years is doing their best to ensure that the students get the best in virtually everything.  Meanwhile, the students of AE-FUNAI College of Medicine never expected the sudden increase in fees, but the school management has said that it was for the good of the students and we, the students unanimously are not against the tireless efforts of the university management. Our stance is that the school management should have a rethink considering the economic situation of the country. Also, not everyone in the department can afford the payment; all we ask for is a level playing ground and affordable fees for everyone.”

Student Union reacts

The President of AE-FUNAI Students Union, Ikechukwu Agbo, threw his weight behind the management. He said: “This is a welcome development. The medicine and surgery programme in AE-FUNAI is licensed and it takes a lot of efforts for the management to have achieved that feat.

Just  like other institutions that take years for them to achieve such feat, it is worthy to note that ours is exceptional as the management through its efforts, was able to achieve timely accreditation.Quite alright that the economic situation of the country is difficult, but this is an exceptional course that requires a lot and all hands must be on deck to ensure that the university meets up with the prerequisites for accreditation of its clinical programme.

Hence, this decision by the management is in the best interest of the students and should be embraced by all.”

Meanwhile, the Public Relations Officer of AE-FUNAI, Elom Iyke Ubochi, has urged the students to be patient with the management as the decision was made in their interest. “This interim measure, which will cost each student N300,000, will ensure that their academic activities are not put on hold.It  will also help in sustaining   the accreditation of their programme by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, who are expected to come for another round of accreditation exercise by February 2022. “

It is also important to note that the hostel fees the students are paying are not even enough to offset the total cost of renting the building as the students are only 38 in number. Management will augment the shortfall.”

Vanguard gathered that a meeting has been scheduled to hold between the school management, parents and other stakeholders over the matter.

Culled from the Vanguard News Nigeria

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Entertainment

Stephcynie’s “No Lie”: A Soulful Anthem Redefining Love

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With a feature on Billboard.com and placements on Netflix television, Stephcynie is an artist poised to enchant listeners once again with her latest single, “No Lie.” With its chill, romantic sound, and Stephcynie’s sultry vocals, “No Lie” is a soulful anthem that redefines love.
Stephcynie Shares Soulful New Single ”No Lie” Featuring S-Wrap | Stereofox  Music Blog
The song’s lyrics delve into the joy and security of being with someone who allows you to be fully yourself. Picture the harmonies of H.E.R and Snoh Alegra blending seamlessly with the seductive delivery of Jill Scott and SIR – that’s the addictive vibe you’ll experience. Stephcynie’s genre-melding style incorporates jazz phrasing with her smoky voice, showcasing her vocal versatility and offering a refreshing musical perspective. She’s an empowering songwriter, skilled at transforming life’s challenges into motivating musical narratives.
At a BPM of 134, “No Lie” sets the perfect mood for celebrating the beauty of true connection. Produced by the talented Daniel Sauls (known for his work with Lauren Daigle) and featuring word hip hop artist S-Wrap, the song is a testament to Stephcynie’s ability to seamlessly blend classic influences into a modern, genre-defying musical hybrid.
Stephcynie’s resiliency, determination, and undeniable talent have cemented her status as an in-demand vocalist with a solid foundation in the music scene. From her Billboard features to collaborations with industry heavyweights like Eric Church and Christopher Cross, Stephcynie consistently pushes boundaries and exceeds expectations.
No Lie” marks the beginning of Stephcynie’s journey to greatness. With her commanding stage presence and resilient artistry, she’s destined to inspire the next wave of musicians.

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Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.

In the suit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, Emilio Garcia said that after a night out in 2022 in Ibiza, Spain, he was in an SUV with the hip-hop star when she began having sex with another woman right next to him. He was unable to get out of the moving car, and would have been in the middle of nowhere in a foreign country even if he was able. Garcia was “embarrassed, mortified and offended throughout the whole ordeal,” according to the lawsuit.

Alex Spiro, Megan’s lawyer, said she would fight the lawsuit in court.

“This is an employment claim for money — with no sexual harassment claim filed and with salacious accusations to attempt to embarrass her,” Spiro said.

The next day Megan told Garcia never to discuss what he saw and berated and fat-shamed him, the lawsuit said. The complaint also said Garcia, who had already considered quitting because he was overworked and underpaid in a hostile work environment aggravated by Megan’s possessiveness and abusiveness, was misclassified as an independent contractor but treated as an exclusive employee.

Garcia raised those issues in the conversation with Megan, and was fired the following day after four years of working for her, the suit said. He has since filed a job discrimination complaint with the California Civil Rights Department.

The lawsuit, first reported by NBC News, names as defendants Megan, whose legal name is Megan Pete; her companies Megan Thee Stallion Entertainment and Hot Girl Touring; and her label, Roc Nation. A defense response has yet to be filed. There was no immediate response to an email seeking comment from a representative of Roc Nation.

Garcia is seeking financial damages to be determined at trial, alleging he has suffered severely both emotionally and physically because of his treatment on the job, the firing and having to witness the scene in the SUV.

Megan, 29, was previously involved in major legal drama — and underwent a torrent of online abuse — as the victim of a shooting by rapper Tory Lanez, who a jury found fired at her feet on a street in the Hollywood Hills in 2020. She testified at the trial where jurors convicted Lanez of three felonies and a judge sentenced him to 10 years in prison.

Already a major rising artist at the time of the shooting, Megan has since become one of hip-hop’s biggest stars. She won a Grammy for best new artist in 2021, and she had No. 1 singles with “Savage,” featuring Beyoncé, and as a guest on Cardi B’s “WAP.”

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Body of O.J. Simpson to be cremated this week; brain will not be studied for CTE

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April 15 (UPI) — The body of O.J. Simpson, who died last week at the age of 76, is to be cremated, a lawyer representing the ex-football superstar’s estate said, adding his brain will not be donated for research.

Malcolm LaVergne, Simpson’s longtime attorney and executor, told the New York Post that his client’s body is to be cremated Tuesday in Las Vegas.

He said Simpson’s family also gave a “hard no” to scientists seeking to examine the former running back’s brain for chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which is better known as CTE.

CTE is a rare and little understood brain disorder that is likely caused by repeated blows to the head. According to the Mayo Clinic, CTE results in the death of nerve cells in the brain and the only way to definitively diagnose it is with an autopsy of the organ after death.

Memory and thinking problems, confusion, personality changes and erratic behavior, including aggression, depression and suicidal ideation, are among CTE’s symptoms, the Alzheimer’s Association said.

The disease has been found in those who play contact sports, including football and hockey.

LaVergne confirmed to NBC News on Sunday that at least one person has called seeking Simpson’s brain.

“His entire body, including his brain, will be cremated,” he said.

Simpson died Wednesday following a battle with cancer.

Known by the nickname “The Juice,” Simpson was a NFL superstar during the 1970s, which made him a household name that propelled him into film and television during the next decade.

But his stardom would come crashing down in the mid-1990s when he was accused of killing his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman.

His high-profile trial lasted months, but ended with his acquittal.

In 2008, he was found guilty on a dozen charges, including kidnapping and armed robbery, and was paroled in 2017 after serving nine years of his 33-year sentence.

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