![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-300x200.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
MultiChoice, the leading pay TV service provider in Nigeria, recently held its annual Media Showcase which happened virtually for the first time.
The MultiChoice Media Showcase took place on Wednesday, 9th September 2020 and was organized to further amplify the company’s promise to continue telling stories that resonate with their viewers, while unveiling some of their new offerings as well as plans for the year.
The Chief Executive Officer of MultiChoice Nigeria, Mr. John Ugbe said: “Putting our valued customers in the forefront has always been our goal at MultiChoice Nigeria. We have continued to invest in the Nigerian economy by creating quality and entertaining content for Africa by Africans, and the Media Showcase provides an opportunity to celebrate these investments.”
The MultiChoice Nigeria Media Showcase happened virtually, given the COVID-19 pandemic, and journalists were taken on a journey through the past, present and future of the company’s investments in local content.
It was also an opportunity to showcase the company’s advancements in technology, innovation and customer experience as seen on DStv and GOtv.
During the Media Showcase, updates were provided on new programming such as two new Africa Magic shows ‘Enakhe’ and Riona ‘Fighting Fate’, as well as a new reality show, ‘Shoot Your Shot’.
The company also spoke about other investments such as the N3.5 Billion that went into the production of the fifth season of BBNaija and supporting the growth of the film industry through the MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF).
MTF inspires and nurtures talented young people to work in local creative industries, thus generating a pipeline of local content. Additionally, Masterclasses were launched to address the increased interest of industry professionals in learning specialized aspects of film making.
“We’ve been at the forefront of creating and exporting Nigeria’s entertainment, providing a platform for the country’s talent to be showcased across the continent. The MultiChoice Talent Factory is a testament to that investment and the crop of academy graduates have been equipped to take on the industry,” added Mr. Ugbe.
In addition to investments, MultiChoice Nigeria also mentioned their newly revamped M-Net Movies and SuperSport channels, which offers DStv and GOtv customers easier access to preferred content, more choices and better value.
DStv and GOtv viewers also get to witness top American leagues such as the English Football League (EFL), Major League Soccer (MLS), Scottish Premier Football League (SPFL) and Dutch Eredivisie on ESPN which is available to DStv and GOtv Max customers, while DStv customers get to watch NBA on ESPN 2.
Other products and innovations have been created to make the lives of MultiChoice customers easier, such as a new service launched by Showmax to the DStv subscribers called Showmax pro. All active DStv Premium customers will at no extra cost be rewarded with Showmax subscriptions.
The pay TV company also delved into the MyDStv and MyGOtv Self-Service apps, which enable customers take control of their DStv and GOtv accounts from the comfort of their homes, as well as choose the Auto-Renewal payment option which allows them to pay and renew their subscription automatically each month.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
