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How the piper who woke the Queen up every morning played her to sleep as she’s laid to rest

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Following the end of the seven decades of the Queen’s reign, the British public came to know many things about her: her corgis, her hats, her wave.

But, as the nation gathered for her funeral on Monday, they witnessed a lesser-known fixture of the Queen’s life: her piper.

For most of her reign, the Queen was roused by the sound of bagpipes played beneath her window — at all her residences around the country. The Piper to the Sovereign for decades acted as a personal alarm clock, playing for 15 minutes each morning, as well as on state occasions.

But on Monday, the piper had a different role. The music that signaled the start of the Queen’s mornings signaled the end of her funeral, as he played one final lament, “A Salute to the Royal Fendersmith,” while her coffin was lowered into the Royal Vault beneath St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.

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The piper played from the doorway between the chapel and the Dean’s Cloister. While doing so, he started to walk slowly toward the Deanery so that the music within the chapel gradually faded. It was a moment full of symbolism, reflecting a similar ending to Prince Philip’s funeral last year.

Before the committal service in Windsor, the piper brought the state funeral service in Westminster Abbey to an end with a lament, “Sleep, Dearie, Sleep.”

The role of Piper to the Sovereign dates back to the reign of Queen Victoria. During a visit to the Scottish Highlands, she and her husband, Prince Albert, became enamored of the sound. Since the role was created in 1843, there have been 17 chief pipers.

On Monday, the music was played by Pipe Major Paul Burns, of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, who took up the role last year.

Among the thousands of tributes paid to the Queen this week, one of the most moving came from Scott Methven, who served as the Queen’s piper between 2015 and 2019. In an interview with the BBC, Methven said he was “devastated” to learn of the Queen’s death, and recalled the many moments of kindness she showed during his four years of service.

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Methven lost his parents and his wife within eight months, while serving as Queen’s piper. Speaking to the BBC, Methven recalled “standing with the Queen,” who said, “If you’re not here in the morning and you don’t play the bagpipes, then I know you’re away. Don’t wait to ask anyone, just go home if your family need you because it’s family first.

“You know, Pipes,” the Queen continued, “if anyone has a problem with that, you tell them that I said it was OK to go.”

 

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FAAN shuts KFC at Lagos airport over alleged discrimination against Gbenga Daniel’s son

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The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) says it has shut down Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), an international fast food restaurant chain, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, over discrimination against a passenger.

 

On March 27, Debola Daniel, son of Gbenga Daniel, former governor of Ogun state, had posted on his official X page about his experience at KFC, MMIA branch.

 

According to Daniel, the restaurant had stopped him and his family from entering, stating that “no wheelchairs were allowed”.

 

“Just as we were about to sit, the lady at the till – who was apparently the manager – called out loudly, ‘No Wheelchairs Allowed’,” he posted.

 

“She refused to listen to reason and stood her ground that at kfcnigeria Murtala Muhammed branch, wheelchairs and wheelchair users of all shapes and sizes were not permitted in the premises and we should leave immediately.

 

“I have never been the type of person to make a fuss or complain about my disability.”

 

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Reacting to the development in a statement on Thursday, Obiageli Orah, director, public affairs and consumer protection at FAAN, said the authority had investigated the matter and made their decision.

 

 

Orah added that the shutdown will take effect from today, March 28.

 

“In line with Lagos State law on people with special needs, Part C, section 55 of General Provisions n Discrimination which states that, ‘A person shall not deprive another person of access to any place, vehicle or facility that members of the public are entitled to enter or use on the basis of the disability of that person’,” FAAN said.

 

“The management of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has closed the KFC facility at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos with effect from March 28, 2024.

 

“This is as a result of a social media report by a Passenger with Reduced Mobility (PRM), alleging discriminatory treatment he received at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

 

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The MD/CE of FAAN, Mrs Olubunmi, Kuku intervened swiftly by deploying a management team comprising the Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection,  Mrs Obiageli Orah, the Regional  Manager  South West, Mr Sunday Ayodele, Ag. General Manager Public Affairs, Mrs Ijeoma Nwosu-Igbo and the International Terminal Manager, Mr Kerri, to investigate the allegation. 

 

“It is based on the findings of the team that FAAN  has shut down the KFC facility at the MMA, where the incident occurred.”

 

Orah said the authority has instructed KFC management to tender an unreserved apology, in writing, to the affected PRM and a policy statement of non-discrimination be written and pasted conspicuously at the door post of their facility at MMIA before it resumes operation.

 

The authority also apologised to Daniel and assured all airport users that they will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that the rights of every passenger are not infringed upon.

 

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JUST IN: Detained Binance’s executive drags Ribadu, EFCC to court

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Tigran Gambaryan, Binance’s head of financial crime compliance, has sued Nuhu Ribadu, the national security adviser (NSA) and the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), alleging violation of his fundamental rights.

 

According to reports on February 28, Gambaryan was detained, alongside Nadeem Anjarwalla, Binance’s regional manager for Africa, by the Nigerian authorities after honouring the invitation of the office of the national security adviser (ONSA) and EFCC to discuss issues relating to the company’s operation in Nigeria.

 

Gambaryan and Anjarwalla’s passports were seized by ONSA.

 

However, on March 25, Anjarwalla escaped from custody and fled Nigeria with a smuggled passport.

 

Before escaping custody, on March 12, Anjarwalla was reported to have fallen illwhile in detention.

 

According to reports on Thursday, Gambaryan, in the originating motion dated and filed March 18 by his lawyer, Olujoke Aliyu, from Aluko and Oyebode Law Firm, sought five reliefs before Justice Inyang Ekwo.

 

Also, Anjarwalla filed a separate right enforcement suit before Ekwo.

 

Gambaryan and Anjarwalla, in the suits marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/356/24 and FHC/ABJ/CS/355/24, had sued the ONSA and EFCC as 1st and 2nd respondents.

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The duo sought the same relief.

 

Gambaryan, a US citizen, in his application, sought a declaration that his detention and seizure of his international travel passport contravened Section 35 (1) and (4) of the 1999 Constitution (As Amended).

 

He said the act amounted to a violation of his fundamental right to personal liberty as guaranteed by the constitution.

 

The Binance executive also sought an order directing the respondents to release him from their custody and return his international travel passport with immediate effect.

 

Gambaryan equally sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents and agents from further detaining him in relation to any investigation into or demands from Binance.

 

Also, he sought an order for the respondents to issue a public apology to him, and also prayed for the cost of the action on a full indemnity basis.

 

In a statement in support of the suit, Gambaryan said he is an American citizen who visited Nigeria on February 26, along with his colleague to honour the invitation of the ONSA and EFCC to discuss issues relating to Binance in Nigeria.

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Giving an 11-ground argument as to why his application should be granted, Gambaryan said he and his colleague, Anjarwalla, dutifully attended the meeting.

 

Gambaryan said after the meeting, they were detained by the respondents and had remained in detention since then, adding that he did not commit any offence during the meeting, nor was he informed in writing of any offence he committed in Nigeria at any other time.

 

“The only reason for his detention is because the government is requesting information from Binance and making demands on the company,” he said,

 

Gambaryan also said he was not a member of the board of directors of Binance.

 

ANJARWALLA’S SUIT WITHDRAWN

When the two suits were called on Thursday, Tonye Krukrubo, appeared for Anjarwalla and Gambaryan.

 

Krukrubo told the court that though the respondents were served two days ago, they were not represented in court.

 

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The lawyer, however, drew the attention of the court to their notice of withdrawal of legal representation for Anjarwalla filed on March 26, without giving details of why they were withdrawing their legal representation.

 

Also, upon resumed hearing in Gambaryan’s suit, Krukrubo said though the processes had been served on ONSA and EFCC, they were still within time to respond.

 

He, therefore, sought an adjourned date, saying the respondents’ time to file their applications would expire next week Thursday.

 

In his judgement, Ekwo said having withdrawn their legal representation, “it means that the applicant has no legal representation and requires that the matter be adjourned for the applicant to seek legal representation and for the respondents to be given an opportunity to come to court”.

 

The judge adjourned the matter until April 8 for further mention.

 

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EKEDC recalls Tinuade Sanda as CEO, says she was erroneously removed

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The Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) Plc says the directive terminating the appointment of Tinuade Sanda from her role as managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO) has been nullified.

 

Babor Egregor, EKEDC’s chairman, legal and regulatory committee, board of directors, made the clarification in a statement on March 27.

 

According to EKEDC, this follows subsequent clarification issued by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) dated March 27.

 

The DisCo added that an earlier directive by the regulator on March 21 “was misunderstood and unilaterally acted upon by the Chairman of the Board without recourse to the Board or the appropriate committees of the Board saddled with the responsibility for such oversight”.

 

“The legal fulcrum and basis for the purported recall of the seconded staff has been vitiated and now non-existent since the basis of the recall of the seconded staff was the initial misinterpretation of the previous NERC resolution/orders,” the company said.

 

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However, EKEDC said the “express recall and termination of the contract of employment of staffers/employees whose actions led to a loss of revenue to EKEDP. The staff in question, Wola Joseph-Condotti, Sheri Adegbenro and Aik Alenkhe, had been subjected to Disciplinary Committee proceedings – the outcome of which has been contested by some Board members.”

 

The aforementioned staff, according to the company, were accused of fraud and negligent actions through ghost workers and exited staff, which occasioned financial losses to Eko DisCo.

 

STAFF FACING DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE WILL NOT RESUME

EKEDC said aside from the employees facing a disciplinary committee, all seconded management staff of WPG Limited whose recalls were done in “error” are mandated to return to their respective positions.

 

“As a responsible corporate entity, EKEDP shall be providing full co-operation with the appropriate law enforcement agencies including the Nigerian Police, the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the leadership of the Nigerian Body of Benchers and relevant members of the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee for further actions on the alleged fraud perpetuated by the afore-mentioned persons,” the company said.

 

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“We once again thank our Regulator, NERC, for providing this clarification, the NESI stakeholders, and the public for their kind concerns, as well as the employees of EKEDP and WPG Limited for their patience through all of this.”

 

Meanwhile, EKEDC said the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) also serves as a federal government representative on the EKEDC board of directors.

 

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