PENGASSAN to Chevron: Respect workers’ demands

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) on Thursday urged the management of Chevron Nigeria Limited to respect the demands of its Nigerian workers.

PENGASSAN’s President, Mr. Ndukaku Ohaeri,  told journalists in Lagos that it was important for the management of the oil giants to “respectfully reconsider the protesting workers’ demands”. 

Ohaeri said: “Nigeria is a sovereign country, and we have our laws and rules and people who come in to do business, much as we support them, it is also incumbent on them to follow our laws and respect our traditions as well.

“The management needs to retrace its steps. When you do the right thing, you can now talk and people will listen to you.” 

Describing the workers’ situation at Chevron as very unfortunate, the PENGASSAN chief said the association was working at resolving the disagreement between the oil company and its Nigerian workers with other stakeholders. 

He urged the protesting workers to resume their duties as soon as the issues were resolved with the management of Chevron. 

“We will resolve it. “However, the management of Chevron must know that much as we will help them and do the best we can to ensure that their business is done, we will not accept anything that is a kind of disrespect to us,”  Ohaeri added. (NAN)

Tinubu visits Buhari at Presidential Villa

 

The national leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday visited President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

A post on Government of Nigeria Twitter handle- @NigeriaGov, said Tinubu met with Buhari at the “State House, Abuja”.

There was no detail regarding the purpose for the meeting.

However, the meeting is coming on the heels of the call on President Buhari to influence who will succeed him in 2023.

The pastor of the Latter Rain Assembly, Tunde Bakare had made the call days after he visited Buhari at the Presidential Villa.

Bakare and Tinubu, who are from South-West, are believed to be among Nigerians preparing to succeed Buhari in 2023.

Meanwhile, after the meeting with Buhari, Tinubu told State House correspondents that Nigerians should at the moment desist from debating which zone of the country should produce the next president.

According to him, such debate would affect the pace of Buhari’s governance as well as distract the government from providing people-oriented services like roads, and other development agenda of the administration.

Today's Celebrity Birthday - Blue Ivy Carter

Blue Ivy Carter

FAMILY MEMBER

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

January 7, 2012

BIRTHPLACE

New York City, NY

AGE

8 years old

About

Famous first child of superstars Beyonce and Jay-Z. Her parents tried to trademark her name in order to start a merchandise line.

Before Fame

Her imminent birth was announced at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards.

Trivia

Jay-Z dedicated his song "Glory" to her two days after her birth.

Family Life

Her parents gave birth to a pair of twins named Rumi and Sir in June 2017. 

Associated With

Her mother, Beyonce Knowles, gave birth to her at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York.

Today's Celebrity Birthday - Nicolas Cage (MOVIE ACTOR)

Nicolas Cage

MOVIE ACTOR

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

January 7, 1964

BIRTHPLACE

Long Beach, CA

AGE

56 years old

About

Longtime actor who won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1995 for his role in Leaving Las Vegas. He has also starred in such films as Gone in 60 Seconds, The Rock, National Treasure, Adaptation and Kick-Ass.  

Before Fame

He sold popcorn at a Los Angeles theater after dropping out of high school at age seventeen. He attended UCLA's School of Theater, Film, and Television. 

Trivia

He briefly appears in the 1982 film Fast Times at Ridgemont High, working at a burger shop, but he has no dialogue in the movie. He provided the voice for Grug in the movie The Croods. 

Family Life

His uncle is director Francis Ford Coppola. His brothers are Marc and Christopher Coppola. He was married to Patricia Arquette from 1995 to 2001 and Lisa Marie Presley from 2002 to 2004, and he married Alice Kim in 2004. He has sons named Weston and Kal-El. 

Associated With

In one of his early prominent roles, he plays Smokey in the Francis Ford Coppola film Rumble Fish, which stars Matt Dillon.

Dozens Killed in Stampede at Iranian General’s Funeral

At least 35 people have been killed in a stampede that erupted in the Iranian city of Kerman at the funeral procession for a top commander killed in an air attack by the United States, Iran’s state television said.

Another 48 people were wounded in Tuesday’s stampede, according to local media reports.

Hundreds of thousands of people had gathered in Kerman for the burial of Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s elite Quds Force, who was assassinated on Friday near the international airport of Iraq’s capital, Baghdad.

Initial videos posted online showed people lying lifeless on a road, others shouting and trying to help them.

Pirhossein Koulivand, the head of Iran’s emergency medical services, earlier spoke by telephone to state television and confirmed the stampede took place.

“Unfortunately as a result of the stampede, some of our compatriots have been injured and some have been killed during the funeral processions,” he said.

A procession in Tehran a day earlier drew huge crowds packing both main thoroughfares and side streets. It saw Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei weep openly as he led funeral prayers in front of the Tehran University.

Tuesday’s funeral comes after days of processions that started in the streets of Ahvaz in southwestern Iran, followed by Mashhad in the northwest, the capital Tehran and the holy city of Qom.

Al Jazeera’s Assed Beig, reporting from Tehran, said many who were unable to attend the previous gatherings had made their way to the final procession in Kerman that will end with the burial of Soleimani’s remains.

“People are travelling in narrow spaces, going in one direction to that specific graveyard – and that could be one of the reasons as to why a stampede has happened,” Beig said. (Al Jazeera)

Real reason Soleimani’s burial was postponed

The burial of a top Iranian commander killed in a U.S. drone strike on Friday has been postponed.

It was postponed on Tuesday due to a stampede in his hometown, the semi-official ISNA news agency reports.

The report did not say how long the delay to burying Gen. Qassem Soleimani would last.

A report earlier said 35 people were killed in the stampede in his hometown of Kerman, NAN reports.

Dozens of people were killed in a stampede as huge crowds of mourners gathered for the funeral of a slain military commander in the southeastern Iranian city of Kerman on Tuesday, forcing his burial to be postponed.

Tens of thousands of people had poured onto the streets of Kerman to pay tribute to Soleimani, who was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Iraq on Friday.

Soleimani’s body had been taken to Iraqi and other Iranian cities before arriving in his hometown Kerman for burial, prompting mass outpourings of grief nationwide as the coffin was carried through streets.

In other developments on Tuesday, a senior Iranian official said that Tehran was considering 13 scenarios to avenge his killing.

CBN: How to Apply For the AGSMEIS Loan 2020/2021 without Collateral

Apply for N10 million CBN AGSMEIS 5% Loan Today. The Agric-Businesses/Small and Medium Enterprise Investment Scheme (AGSMEIS) is an initiative of the Central Bank of Nigeria. CBN AGSMEIS Loan 2020 application is currently ongoing.

With the CBN AGSMEIS Loan, you can access up to N10M at 5% per year from the Agric, Small and medium enterprise scheme (AGSMEIS), an initiative from Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN); this is without collateral.

What is Agric-Businesses/Small and Medium Enterprise Investment Scheme (AGSMEIS)?

AGSMEIS is an initiative of the Bankers’ Committee in a bid to support and complement the Federal Governments’ efforts at promoting Agri-businesses/Small and Medium Enterprises as a vehicle for sustainable economic development and employment generation.

AGSMEIS is a voluntary initiative of the Bankers’ Committee approved at its 331st meeting held on 9th February, 2017. The Scheme requires all banks in Nigeria to set aside 5% of their profit after tax (PAT) annually.

The initiative is to support the Federal Government’s efforts and policy measures for the promotion of Agricultural Businesses, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) as vehicles for sustainable economic development and employment generation.

Objectives of the Agric, Small and Medium Enterprise Scheme (AGSMEIS).

The objectives of the Scheme include :

• To ensure Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)have access to finance
• To generate much-needed employment opportunities in Nigeria
• To develop agricultural value chain and ensure sustainable agricultural practices.
• To boost the managerial capacity of Agri-Business/SMEs as pipelines of growing enterprises that can become huge corporate organizations.

CBN AGSMEIS Loan Activities

The activities covered by the Central Bank of Nigeria Agric, Small and Medium Enterprise Scheme, AGSMEIS Loan include;

• Businesses across the agricultural value chain covering inputs supply, production, storage, processing, logistics and marketing. Micro Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the real sector including manufacturing, mining and petrochemicals.
• MSMEs in the service sector including information and communication technology (ICT) and the creative industry. Other activities may be determined by the Bankers’ Committee from time to time.

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CBN AGSMEIS Loan Eligibility.

1. information Communication Technology (ICT)
2. Telecommunication
3. Media & Publish
4. Creative & Art Industries
5. Fashion, Design
6. Beauty
7. Apparels & Textile
8. Arts & Entertainment
9. Industrial & Manufacturing
10. Agriculture Allied Processing
11. Automobiles
12. Hospitality
13. Catering & Event Management
14. Restaurants etc.
15. Education
16. Health
17. Mining.

CBN AGSMEIS Loan Conditions

Now to access AGSMEIS loan, there are some conditions that must be met. They are;

1. Interested applicant must have been trained by an Entrepreneur Development Institute (EDI)
2. Interested applicant will apply for loan via an EDI
3. The applications will then be sent to CBN for processing
4. Applicants will be called for an interview regarding his/her business.
5. Those qualified will be contacted and given the loan.
6. Fill clearly the new form with all the details required , sign and get them authenticated by EDC – http://www.edcsouthwest.org/

Note: Maximum loan is 10million; Interest rate is 5% per annum; Tenor is 7years and Moratorium is 18 months.

Requirements for CBN Loan Approval of Application and Disbursement of Funds

The following are the Requirements necessary either during application or before final approval of the CBN loan application and final disbursement of funds to an applicant.

1. Registered business with CAC
2. Evidence of tax payments
3. BVN
4. Letter of Introduction
5. Letter of Guaranty
6. Certification by an Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI)
7. Passport photo of you and guarantor
8. Valid ID card

Who Can Write Letter of Introduction for CBN AGSMEIS Loan?

1. Your Pastor
2. Chief Imam
3. LGA Chairman
4. CDA Chairman
5. Village Head
6. Senior Civil Servants Level 14 above
7. MD of Blue Chip Companies
8. Your friend or spouse can write the guaranty letter.

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Important Notice: Please note that applicants who submitted last year and was sent a link to provide further details before the last requirements came out do not need to re-submit again.

AGSMEIS Loan Interest Rate

Five percent (5%) for the first five(5) years. If you obtain One Million Naira (N1,000,000), you will pay back One Million Fifty Thousand Naira (N1,050,000) throughout the duration of the loan.

How to Apply For CBN AGSMEIS Loan Form 2020 Without Collateral.

Step 1: Get Trained

• Attend a one week compulsory training at a CBN certified Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI). You can check the list of CBN EDC Centres in Nigeria.

Step 2: Apply For Loan

• The Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI) guides and assists you in getting all necessary documents required to secure the loan. Download the agsmeis loan application form pdf.

Note: You can get the current application form from the CBN EDC that trained you.

Step 3: Receive Funds

• Loans are paid into the account of beneficiaries. Unqualified candidates are given feedback.

Step 4: Get Business Support Services

• The Entrepreneurship Development Institute assists you to implement business plan and provide business support services commercially.

Step 5: Make Sales

• Sell products and services to pay back loan and make profit.

Step 6: Repay Loan

• Run your business, keep proper records, monitor sales and expenses to maximize profit and pay back the loan.

List of CBN Approved Entrepreneurial Development Centers (EDC) in Nigeria.

The CBN EDC Centres in Nigeria provide physical structures, training materials, equipments, human resources and other facilities that would assure internationally competitive, effective and sustainable services capable of meeting the needs of MSMEs in the country. This is to encourage private entrepreneurship, self-employment, job creations, income growth, poverty eradication and economic development.

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The CBN Entrepreneurship Development Centres (CBN EDCs) which target those with at least secondary education has the following specific objectives:

• To develop entrepreneurship spirit amongst Nigerians and provide insight into the tools, techniques and framework for managing all functional areas of business enterprise, including production, marketing, personnel and finance.
• To develop skills of would-be-entrepreneurs to successfully start, expand, diversify and manage business enterprises as well as link them with financial institutions for startup capital, especially the microfinance banks.
• To generate employment opportunities for Nigerians in pursuance of the provisions of the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy [NEEDS] and recently vision 2020.
• To raise a new class of entrepreneurs/owners, who can compete globally and succeed in managing MSMEs and provide the bridge for future industrialization of the country.

List of CBN EDC Centres in Nigeria.

Below is the list of CBN EDC Centres in Nigeria and their addresses:

CBN-EDC, Ibadan (South West)
Website: www.edcsouthwest.org
Address: Old SDSTC (Oyo Oodua Skill Acquisition Centre Premises),
Samonda, along Sango-UI Road,
Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.

CBN-EDC, PortHarcourt (South South)
Website: www.ssedc.org
30 Trans-Woji road, Grace plaza, by Slaughter Bridge Woji Town,
Port Harcourt, Rivers State

CBN-EDC, Maiduguri (North East)
website : edcnortheast.com.ng
Address: Old Informatics Institute, Njimtillo, Kano Road,
Maiduguri, Borno State

CBN-EDC, Kano (North West)
Address: Murtala Muhammed Library Complex,
Kano, Kano State

CBN-EDC, Makurdi (North Central)
Off Jonah Jang Crescent,
Near Federal Secretariat,
Makurdi, Benue State.

CBN-EDC, Minna (North Central)
Address: Minna Innovation Institute,
Behind Niger State Sharia Commission,
Justice Ndajiwo Drive,
Minna, Niger State.

CBN-EDC, Enugu (South East)
Address: Ebenezer Villa Suite
8, Ogenyi Close, Off Cornerstone Avenue
Off Nike Lake Resort Road,
Enugu, Enugu State.

Centre for Entrepreneurial Development
website : www.cedl.org
36, Murtala Mohammed International
Airport Road, Lagos.

You can get more contact addresses of Entrepreneurship development centres in Nigeria

US vs Iran: Philippines President to evacuate Filipinos

The Philippines is preparing to evacuate thousands of Filipinos working in the Middle East as regional tensions rise following the killing of a top Iranian commander by the U.S.

President Rodrigo Duterte’s spokesman Salvador Panelo on Tuesday said this in Manila.

About 2.3 million people from the Philippines are working in the Middle East as domestic helpers, construction workers, engineers, and nurses.

Duterte has ordered the armed forces to prepare air and naval assets for the evacuation of Filipinos in Iraq, Iran, and nearby Arab countries, Panelo said.

Duterte told reporters he sent a special envoy to Tehran and Baghdad to get assurances that Filipinos would be provided safe passage in case of evacuation as he is deeply worried about the prospect of a ‘Protracted war’

“We have so many Filipinos working mainly in the Middle East. I am nervous. Iran seems to be hell-bent on retaliation, which I think, will come,” Duterte said in a speech on Monday.

There are close to 7,000 Filipinos working and living in Iraq and more than 1,000 in Iran, according to government data.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, who heads a newly created committee to prepare the evacuation, said the government is readying aircraft to ferry Filipinos in Iraq and Iran who wish to come home or be evacuated to safer areas.

“We can send transportation to fetch them,” Lorenza said, adding that hiring a cruise ship was among the things the government was considering to safely evacuate those who would wish to be repatriated.

Trending Photos - Obasanjo enters farm, harvests yam in Ogun state

A new photo of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, has stormed the media. The photo which came out on Monday has been trending because of the image therein. It displayed Obasanjo as a farmer.

The 82 year-old Ex-president had a knicker, T-shirt and a cap on his head, digging the ground to harvest yam at his homestead ‘Ibogun Olaogun village’ near Ifo, Ogun State. Supported by those with him Obasanjo was able to dig up yams and other farm produce. 

Youths should embrace Agriculture – Buhari Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari had in one of his statements admonished Nigerian youths to embrace agriculture, noting that it is a sector of the economy proving to be the bedrock of the nation’s new economy. 

His words, “Agriculture is the future. We realised, rather belatedly that we ought to have been investing in agriculture. We are now aiming at food security because of our large population. “Our youths, the ones who have gone to school and even those that have not, should go to the farm, to earn respect for themselves.



“Agriculture is providing jobs for millions of our citizens and we are doing well towards the attainment of food security and jobs. 

“The media may not appreciate the work we are doing but we will shock them by the success we are recording.” However, having seen the attitude of some Nigerian youths, Buhari criticized them, saying they were only hustling to get on the gravy train. 

The president while speaking during a panel discussion at the Commonwealth Business Forum in Westminster in London last two years (2018), described many Nigerian youths as lazy and not ready to work.

 Obasanjo, Dangote, others for “Why I Am Alive” Nigerians could not take his statement as many fiercely criticised him, saying he failed to convey the reality of Nigerian youth’s exploits.

Gas explosion averted as fire engulfs facility in Warri

A gas explosion has been reportedly averted as fire engulfed a hydrocarbon facility operated by Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited (HEOSL), in Egbokodo community of Warri South council area of Delta state.

The Nation learnt that the fire incident occurred at about 1pm Monday; covering about 200 feet land mass of the hydrocarbon line linking the Warri River Manifold.

However, the timely intervention of fire fighters from the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC), Nigeria Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), as well as HEOSL, saved the situation.

According to reports, the inferno was caused by fireworks thrown on a bush path that cuts across the hydrocarbon line.

Two unidentified children returning from school were alleged to have thrown the substance that triggered the flames.

Vice chairman of the Egbokodo Community Trust, Mr. Sunny Atiwa, noted that the fire would have claimed lives and properties, if not for the quick response of the fire service men.

Another community source who spoke on condition of anonymity disclosed that the said line had been initially tampered, attributing the swift raging fire to the activities of oil bunkering in the area.

Meanwhile the chairman of Warri South council area, Dr. Michael Tidi, has reiterated his call for extreme caution during the harmattan season while inspecting the scene of the near disaster.

He was represented by his vice, Chief Divine Iniovasa.

The general manager, community relations of HEOSL in the state, declined commenting on the matter but referred this reporter to the Corporate Communications Department in Lagos.

When reached for comments, a member of the HEOSL corporate communications team in Lagos, claimed not to be aware of the development.

“I have not heard about it. I’m just leaving the office and no information came to that effect. I will need to call the guys in Warri to ask them,” he said, adding that our correspondent call back Tuesday for response.

Chevron has evacuated all of its American oil workers from Iraq After Airstrike

Chevron has evacuated all of its American oil workers from Iraq following last week’s US airstrike in Baghdad, the San Ramon-based oil giant announced.

Chevron, America’s No. 2 oil company, said in a statement Monday that as a “precautionary measure” its expatriate employees and contractors have left the Kurdistan Region in northern Iraq “for the time being.” Chevron does not have oil workers elsewhere in Iraq.

“The safety of our people and facilities is Chevron’s top priority globally,” a Chevron spokeswoman told CNN Business.

Local staff are overseeing Chevron’s ongoing operations in the Kurdistan Region, the company said.

The Chevron evacuation comes after the Iraqi oil ministry said Friday that “a number of” Americans working in southern Iraq were leaving the country after the United States urged its citizens to immediately depart due to soaring tensions. Iranian military leader Qasem Soleimani was killed in a US airstrike in Baghdad late last week.

“A number” of Americans working in southern Iraq began leaving the country after the United States urged its citizens to depart immediately because of heightened tension in Iraq and the region, the Iraqi oil ministry said Friday.

Other foreign workers were not departing and oil fields across the country were operating normally, the Iraqi oil ministry had said.

Oil prices moved higher Monday as investors reacted to the risk that the death of Soleimani could prompt retaliation by Iran, including attacks on US assets in the region.

Exxon Mobil, a major US oil company, has operations in southern Iraq. Britain’s BP and Anglo-Dutch company Royal Dutch Shell also work in the region.

In a statement Friday, Exxon said it was “closely monitoring the situation” and that it “has programs and measures in place to provide security to protect its people, operations and facilities.”

Other oil companies, including BP and Shell, declined to comment on their operations.

Exxon is the lead contractor in a project to redevelop the West Qurna I oil field in southern Iraq. Indonesian, Chinese and Iraqi companies are also involved in the project, according to Exxon’s website. Exxon said in its statement that production at West Qurna I was continuing normally. A Shell affiliate exited the project in 2018.

Exxon also has a presence in Baghdad and the Kurdistan region of Iraq, according to its website.

BP has operations in the giant Rumaila oil field in southern Iraq, in partnership with Chinese and Iraqi companies. BP estimates that the field has around 17 billion barrels of recoverable oil.

Iraqi oil production has recovered strongly in recent years, hitting 4.7 million barrels per day in late 2019, according to the International Energy Agency.

I’ve been paid severance allowance – Bukola Saraki

The immediate past Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki has confirmed the payment of his severance allowance.

Saraki’s aide, Yusuph Olaniyonu confirmed this on Twitter on Monday.

He tweeted, “This is to confirm that Ex-SP, Bukola Saraki has been paid his severance allowance.”

He also revealed that Saraki was paid the sum of N3,752,727.00, adding that the former Senate President was working to see that his aides are paid.

Olaniyonu further confirmed Saraki’s earlier promise to share the money between the families of the three victims of the insurgency in the North East zone being perpetrated by Boko Haram and the children of late Senators in need of financial assistance.

Olaniyonu added, “He got a total of N3,752,727.00. He has been working to ensure that his aides get theirs.

“And as you know, he had promised, to donate whatever the money is to three families that were announced.”

Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila and the Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA), Mohammed Sani-Omolori, were recently asked to resolve the payment of severance allowances of legislative aides of the 8th National Assembly (NASS).

A similar problem is brewing as legislative aides of the 9th NASS under the aegis of Progressives Aides Caucus recently petitioned Lawan over unpaid allowances.

Deadly fires are threatening Australia's way of life

Deadly blazes have torn through huge swaths of Australia's east and south for months now, in the most brutal fire season seen there in years. Across the country, 23 people have been killed and about 6 million hectares (23,000 square miles) of bushland -- around the same size as Croatia -- have burned out.

The devastation and persistent clouds of toxic smoke hanging over major towns and cities are begging the question, can Australia's way of life go on?

The environmental situation won't change quickly, but in the dog-eat-dog world of Australian politics, the country's leadership is something that could change overnight. Climate and energy policies can make or break a leader.

Morrison could be in trouble over the fire crisis. He was forced to return from a family holiday when the Australian media questioned why he was vacationing in Hawaii as so much of the country burned. He took weeks to declare a state of emergency, releasing a highly controversial religious discrimination bill at a news conference instead, while journalists fired tough questions at him over a lack of funding for volunteer firefighters.

Morrison -- once a climate change skeptic who literally sang praises to a lump of coal in the Australian parliament -- should be worried about what people think of him in towns like Cobargo. The constituency has swung between the Liberal party and its center-left Labor rival several times since the 1940s and is one of Australia's most reliable bellwether seats.

Most Australians want tougher action on climate change, according to the Australian Institute's Climate of the Nation survey. Some 81% of Australians are concerned that global warming will result in more droughts and flooding, while 64% think Australia should have a national target for net zero emissions by 2050.

Iran: Reconsider travelling to Nigeria, US warns citizens

Following the Friday killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in a drone airstrike, the United States has cautioned Americans to reconsider travelling to or across Nigeria.

The US Embassy in Nigeria, in a statement on its website, admonished American citizens to review their personal security measures, be prudent and keep a low profile.

Stating that it had no specific security threat information, the mission advised US nationals in Nigeria to stay alert in public places, including schools, hospitals, government facilities, places of worship, tourist locations, and transportation hubs.

The security advisory, which was dated January 3, 2020, also asked them to review and alter travel routes and times to reduce time and place predictability.

It read, “Due to recent world events, U.S. citizens should review their personal security measures. While we have no specific threat information, it is prudent to remind ourselves of the following personal security actions to follow on a regular basis.

“Actions to take: Be aware of your surroundings; keep a low profile; avoid crowds and demonstrations; exercise caution when walking or driving at night; carry proper identification; review your personal security plans and monitor local media for updates.”

Today's Celebrity Birthday - Rowan Atkinson

Rowan Atkinson

MOVIE ACTOR

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

January 6, 1955

BIRTHPLACE

Consett, England

AGE

65 years old

About

Comedian, actor, and screenwriter who was listed as one of the fifty funniest actors in British comedy by The Observer. His Mr. Bean character gained him a large following in England and the United States. In 1983, he appeared in the James Bond film Never Say Never Again.

Before Fame

His childhood influences included Charlie Chaplin and Peter Sellers. He earned a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Oxford. 

Trivia

He voiced the character Zazu in the 1994 Disney classic The Lion King.  

Family Life

He was married to makeup artist Sunetra Sastry from 1990 to 2015. Actor Stephen Fry was the best man at his wedding. He has a son named Benjamin and a daughter named Lily. 

Associated With

He starred in the 2001 comedy film Rat Race with Whoopi Goldberg.