A Nigerian newspaper and Online version of the Vanguard, a daily publication in Nigeria covering Niger delta, general national news, politics, business, energy, sports, entertainment, fashion,lifestyle human interest stories, etc
Leicester’s Claudio Ranieri and Wales boss Chris Coleman are on a FIFA shortlist for coach of the year against the managers of Europe’s major club and international sides.
Fernando Santos, who guided Portugal to their upset victory over France in the Euro 2016 final, also makes the 10-man list released ahead of the start of voting on Friday.
Ranieri, Coleman and Santos could not have expected at the start of the year to be taking on super-coaches such as Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola, Barcelona’s Luis Enrique or Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp for the best coach gong.Ranieri
But their feats in making Leicester the English champions, taking Wales to the Euro semi-finals and Portugal to their first Euro triumph have made the trio outstanding candidates.
France coach Didier Deschamps, Tottenham Hotspur’s Mauricio Pochettino, Atletico Madrid’s Diego Simeone and Real Madrid’s Champions League winner Zinedine Zidane make up the list.
Initial voting will end on November 22 with 50 percent of the decision based on a public poll and 50 percent on captains and coaches of national teams.
A final three will be announced on December 2 and FIFA will unveil the winner on January 9.
Russian arch-rivals Spartak and CSKA were each fined nearly $8,000 on Wednesday over fan violence that halted their Moscow derby at the weekend and shone another damning spotlight on the World Cup host.
The latest crowd trouble to tarnish Russian football erupted on Saturday when Spartak and CSKA supporters clashed at Spartak’s Otkrytie Arena, a 2018 World Cup venue, forcing the referee to stop the match for five minutes in the second half.
Police said that 70 people were detained after flares were thrown in the stands, while riot police waded in as rival supporters tried to scale metal fencing to confront one another.
Artur Grigoryants, head of the Russian Football Union’s disciplinary board, said the bulk of the fines — 500,000 rubles for Spartak and 490,000 rubles for CSKA — was linked to fans’ use of flares and other pyrotechnics, Russian news agencies reported.
Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich has said he was “ashamed” by the violence, Russian news agencies reported.
Russian authorities have called for measures to curb crowd trouble as the country prepares to host the World Cup.
In July President Vladimir Putin approved a law that tightens security controls at stadiums and will see the interior ministry publish online a blacklist of supporters banned from matches.
Russian supporters were widely blamed for outbreaks of violence that tarnished Euro 2016 in France, notably in Marseille, where they clashed with England fans.
South Africa’s anti-corruption watchdog Wednesday called for prosecutors to investigate alleged criminal activity as it released a report into President Jacob Zuma that fuelled further calls for him to resign.
Zuma, whose presidency has been engulfed by multiple scandals, had fought to block the release of the Public Protector’s report, but his lawyers made a surprise U-turn and dropped their legal appeal.
The report was released hours later, further undermining Zuma after a series of court rulings that have tarnished his time in office and the ruling ANC party that led the fight to end apartheid rule.Jacob Zuma
The investigation probed accusations that Zuma allowed the Guptas, a wealthy Indian business family, to have undue influence over government, including letting them choose some cabinet ministers.
Among findings in the 355-page report — titled “State of Capture” and illustrated on its front page with a hand strung with puppet wires — was telephone evidence that David van Rooyen visited the Johannesburg neighbourhood where the Guptas live on the day before he was appointed finance minister.
Van Rooyen, a little-known Zuma loyalist, was removed as finance minister only four days after his appointment — but not before it had triggered a market plunge, investor panic and political outrage.
The Public Protector said it “brings to the notice of the National Prosecuting Authority… those matters identified in this report where it appears crimes have been committed”.
It raised several allegations that Zuma had broken the Executive Members’ Ethics Act in his relationship with the Guptas and by failing “to select and appoint ministers lawfully”.
– Protest marches –
The report was published as thousands of people took to the streets of the administrative capital Pretoria to demand that Zuma resign.
Police fired rubber bullets and water cannon to disperse supporters of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party who tried to storm Zuma’s office in the city.
Former public protector Thuli Madonsela concluded her report into the influence of the Gupta family last month, shortly before the expiry of her seven-year term.
“Today is a historic day… Jacob Zuma must be held accountable,” Mmusi Maimane, leader of the main opposition Democratic Alliance party, told reporters.
The president, 74, has survived a string of damaging controversies, but faces increasing criticism as the economy stalls and after ANC suffered unprecedented losses in local polls.
Some factions of the ANC, former anti-apartheid activists, trade unions and business leaders have all recently called for Zuma to stand down before his term ends in 2019.
“I spent the whole night here,” Dominic Khulube, 30, an unemployed man from Tembisa, a township outside Johannesburg, told AFP after a vigil by the leftist EFF in Pretoria.
“Zuma must step down and the Guptas must leave the country.”
The marches were originally planned to show support for Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, who had been due in court Wednesday on separate graft charges that many analysts see as an attempt by Zuma loyalists to oust him.
But prosecutors dropped the charges on Monday.
– ‘Explosive, damaging information’ –
“The report contains a lot of explosive, damaging information about the president,” Mcebisi Ndletyana, politics professor at Johannesburg University, told AFP.
“The calls for him to step down after this damaging evidence will grow louder, and there will be a very big fight within the ANC.”
The Gupta family — brothers Ajay, Atul and Rajesh — built an empire in mining, transportation, technology and media after arriving in South Africa from India in the early 1990s.
In 2014, the Public Protector found Zuma had “unduly benefited” from the refurbishment of his Nkandla rural home.
Zuma fought the case until being berated by the Constitutional Court and ordered to pay back public money spent on upgrades including a chicken coop and a swimming pool.
Zuma is also fighting a court order that could reinstate almost 800 corruption charges against him over a multi-billion dollar arms deal in the 1990s.
The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Wednesday, said it welcomed the statement attributed to President Muhammadu Buhari, declaring that any Nigerian is free to leave the country if they have another one, but says no to the conditions he gave for such exit.
Members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB
IPOB in a statement entitled, "IPOB welcomes Muhammadu Buhari's declaration on the impending disintegration of Nigeria, but says no to conditions" signed by its spokespersons Mr. Emma Nmezu, a lawyer and Dr. Clifford Iroanya, said that it was delighted with the comment of Mr. President who seems to have bowed to international pressure to consider the inevitable disintegration of Nigeria.
IPOB statement read: "We the IPOB are delighted with the comments attributed to retired Major-General Muhammadu Buhari, who seems to have bowed to international pressure to consider the inevitable disintegration of Nigeria, though with conditions we find inconsistent with common sense and logic."
"According to Buhari, "any Nigerian is free to leave the country if they have another one."
Buhari also stated that "If anybody has a country to go to, let him go, we will stay here and salvage our country."
“It is crystal clear that Buhari has seen the futility of fighting against a determined people who are bent on restoring their God-given nation which was unjustly robbed them by slave merchants later turned colonialists.
"From all indications, Buhari must have consulted with his colonial backers and religious hardliners in Saudi Arabia who perhaps have taken the time to school him on the sanctity of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, UNDRIP, the inviolability and irreducibility of the rights of Indigenous People to self-determination.
"However, we observed that hidden in the statements of Buhari are two evil agendas, first evil agenda is that Buhari made this statement in a meeting he had with Biafrans from the riverine or southern part of Biafra which the Hausa-Fulani oligarchy nicknamed South-South or Niger-Delta.
"The underlying objective in Buhari's statement is to create the impression that the South-South is not part of Biafraland, hence the upland areas of Biafra, Igbo can leave Nigeria while the riverine areas Ibibio, Efik, Izon, Itshekiri, Urhobo, Isoko will remain part of Nigeria.
“The plan is to trap the riverine areas of Biafraland in Nigeria to enable Buhari and his Hausa-Fulani oligarchy continue the shameless exploitation and stealing of Biafra's natural resources which they have always used and will continue to use to develop the Arewa region of Nigeria.
"The only surprise is that Buhari and his handlers did not include the rich Orient oil fields of Anambra River Basin, the high yield Shell operated Egbema oil fields in Imo State, the abundant gas reserves at Ohaji also in Imo State and the Shell operated Ukwa deep oil well in Abia State in their so-called South-South/Niger Delta."
According to IPOB, "successive governments of Nigeria have continued to deceive the gullible public that the reason we IPOB are agitating for Biafra is because of oil in the Niger Delta region, without making obvious the fact that oil was first found in commercial quantity in Imo State before Oloibiri in Bayelsa State.
"Sadly many people are still ignorant of the fact that active oil and gas extraction is happening today in Anambra, Imo, Abia and Igbo parts of Rivers State. It is pertinent we make clear to all and sundry that while oil may motivate the Arewa North to seek One Nigeria because they cannot live without it, due to obvious reasons and nature, in Biafraland and in the new Biafra we shall place 100% emphasis on human capital development not on natural occurring minerals.
"For a country to pin the hopes of its entire economic policy and well being on a finite natural resource is indicative of the level of intellectual backwardness of the self arrogating “elites” that run the economy of the colonial creation known as Nigeria. We the Indigenous People of Biafra believe that the greatest natural resource a people can be endowed with is their brain not what is under the ground.
"We must stress for purposes of sound knowledge that there is no known geographical cardinal point in any geography text book or academic literature or any part of this world called "South-South" except in Nigeria.
"This unique un-academic introduction of a new cardinal point called "South-South" was created by the Hausa-Fulani oligarchy to serve their divide and rule interests. With this dichotomy they intend to continue to own virtually all the oil blocks in Biafraland including those at Anambra, Imo, Abia and Igbo parts of Rivers State.
"But the same Hausa-Fulani natural born rulers of Nigeria refused to create corresponding cardinal points of "North-North" and "West-West." Sensible people must ask themselves why this is the case.
"The Hausa-Fulani ruling class carefully created this unique cardinal point of "South-South" to drive an everlasting wedge between the upland and riverine areas of Biafraland. Furthermore, the "South-South" is not contained in any part of the Constitution of Nigeria nor is it any of the Acts of Parliament or Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
"The second evil agenda is that by making such statements before these respected leaders from the riverine area of Biafraland, he is creating the false impression that he has obtained the consent of the people of Southern Biafra to build the Nigeria of his dreams, and in so doing is giving a misleading signal that Biafrans from the riverine areas have bought into his deceptive and foundationally disastrous "One Nigeria" project.
"By gathering a few Biafrans from the riverine areas and saying that "those who don't want to be part of Nigeria should leave," Buhari hopes to convince the world that those Biafrans he was addressing at Aso Rock believe in the "oneness" of the British colony Nigeria he is assiduously pursuing.
"We the IPOB at this point would wish to categorically inform Mr. President that since we already have our blessed nation Biafra created by the Most High God not man; we do not need the temporary country created by a white man Luggard for his amusement and economic exploitation.
"We wish to further inform Mr. President that IPOB do not desire to regress from the status of a nation state to that of a country artificially created by the British with divergent and irreconcilable value systems. Even today nations that make up Britain like Scotland and Wales are agitating as we Biafrans are, to establish their own nation state outside Britain, so why should Nigeria that is created by a white British man be immune to similar demands being made by Biafrans.”
An Educationist, Mrs Cornelia Okwori, has criticised the current trend of admitting immature students into higher institutions.
She was reacting to the observation that some children between 15 years and 16 years were being admitted into universities.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja, Okwori, a secondary school teacher, said that no child less than 17 years should be into university.
According to her, school curriculums are planned based on the age of children.
"If your age doesn't agree with a particular class, it will be a huge challenge.
"When students are not matured enough for a particular class or old enough for university, they become overwhelmed by the activities.
"Coping with academics becomes a challenge for them and it affects the general development of the society.
"Even when they graduate at tender ages and get a job, they tend to behave like children and cannot shoulder responsibilities given to them.
"They find it very difficult to reason and take decisions on their own in work places."
Okwori stressed that parents should seek advice from educational professionals with regards to the right age of a child in a particular class before enrolling their wards.
She noted that the curriculum for secondary school students was currently overloaded with 15 subjects in JSS1.
She added that some of the subjects introduced recently such as entrepreneurship, do not have teachers who are well grounded to teach it.
"The education sector has a problem because of curriculum overload. The number of subjects has been increased and they are not taught in details.
"For example, when I started teaching biology, I compared it to what I learnt and realised that the recent syllabus was skeletal."
She urged policy makers to always conduct a pilot study before implementing any new policy, particularly in the education sector.
She added that Nigeria was not ready for some of the policies such as making Biology an optional subject for senior secondary classes.
She, however, commended the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, for the re-introduction of history subject to the school curriculum.
Two Special Assistants to Gov. Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo state on Wednesday resigned their appointments and defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that those who resigned are Mrs Aderonke Morolayo, Special Assistant on Political Matters and Mr Victor Ojo, Special Assistant on Mobilisation.
In her letter of resignation dated Nov. 2, 2016 and addressed to the governor, Morolayo said, "this is to formally inform Your Excellency of my resignation from the government of Ondo State due to circumstances beyond my control.
"Your Excellency, let me also use this medium to thank and appreciate you for counting me worthy to serve the good people of Ondo state in this capacity.''
She, however, informed the governor that his decision to have his successor from the Central Senatorial District, where he hailed from, would make Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to lose the Nov. 26 governorship poll.
Morolayo and Ojo on Wednesday formally declared their membership of the APC.
A statement by the APC's Publicity Secretary in the state, Mr Abayomi Adesanya, said the two politicians were received into the party by the deputy governorship candidate in the forthcoming election, Mr Agboola Ajayi.
The statement said that the two new members had pledged to work for the success of APC in the election.
It stated that Ajayi assured the defectors of equal opportunities and urged them to work assiduously for the party's victory and progress in the state.
ABUJA – THE House of Representatives Wednesday renewed the efforts to stop the joint account between states and local government areas which is currently in the Nigerian Constitution.
The House also have started the process of ensuring local government autonomy which the State Houses of Assembly voted against during the 7th Assembly.Yakubu Dogara
This renewed efforts to strengthen the local government administration was made known during the debate on the bill which seeks to amend Section 162 of the 1999 Constitution and ensure financial autonomy of Local Government Councils.
Leading the debate on the matter,the sponsor of the bill Nkiruka Onyejeocha explained that the proposed amendment when passed into law will foster the autonomy, transparency and accountability of local government administration in the country.
She said, “The practices of true federalism is lacking in Nigeria, especially at the local government level. Some state governments deprive their local governments of principal source of their revenues.
“Unless more stable internal source of revenue are exploited, and state-local government joint account abolished, the objective of strengthening local governments in terms of its relationship with state and federal governments will remain a mirage.”
She decried the state of deprivation and under-development of Local Government Councils across the country, adding that the spirit behind the bill was to make the councils in the country to have financial autonomy through which all funds from the Federation Account shall be paid directly.
The lawmaker further stated that the dsbursement of the fund shall be effected through a Bye-law passed by the Local Government Legislative Council, and that “with this joint account in place, many state governments starve local governments of funds, especially funds accruing from the federation account.”
Onyejeocha said the bill will also help to guarantee employment to local government councils and enable the Local Government Councils to perform their constitutional duties.
While ruling on the debate, the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara who presided over the plenary referred the bill to the Special Adhoc Committee on Constitution Review, chaired by Deputy Speaker Yussuff Lasun, for further legislative action.
Recall that the 7th Assembly had passed the bill to grant financial autonomy to local government areas, but the State Houses of Assembly through the influence of their various state governors voted against it.
Some notable leaders in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday described the action of the Acting National Publicity Secretary of the Party, Comrade Timi Frank as harmful to the country's democracy.
APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and Acting National Publicity Secretary Comrade Timi Frank
They also appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to take steps to protect the country's democracy by stopping Frank and his sponsors from destroying the ruling party.
The leaders in a statement issued after their meeting in Abuja described the APC as democratic in organizational practice and goals.
In a statement signed by the Chairman of APC United Front, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa, the leaders praised the National Chairman of the Party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun for taking into consideration the shapes of opinion of the different party leaders, supporters and well-wishers concerning the party's growth and progress.
"APC is not in trouble. Chief John Odigie-Oyegun is not APC's problem. He is a man of facts, not given over to wild speculation or sensationalism. His moral reputation is a great asset to the party," they said.
The leaders also commended the national chairman for playing according to the rules and policies of the party.
The leaders said controlling the party ahead of 2019 election cannot happen through political blackmail and intimidation
They chided Frank for not respecting the national chairman of the party, urging him and his sponsors to stop factionalizing the party and focus on party programs and policy statements.
“People like Frank are very inexperienced politicians without focus," Musa said.
The leaders who also praised Oyegun for promoting democratic values and adhering to basic elements of internal democracy, urged him not to succumb to any intimidation from anybody.
The eastern part of Nigeria, largely dominated by people from the Igbo tribe, is a unique place to visit or live in. Aside from serene environs stretched over the area and the generally low cost of living, there is a profound exhibition of culture and deep respect for customs and tradition; and this affects how the locals interact and relate with others around the country and world at large.
Basically, people living in the eastern area are far more emotionally reserved than their counterparts in the Western or Northern parts of the country and some visitors find this disconcerting. The truth, however, is that they can actually be both affectionate and demonstrative when it comes to showing affection, though, they may not show it in the way that is expected. To help visitors looking to understand the lifestyle of these people, Jumia Travel reveals 5 unique ways people in eastern Nigeria show affection.
Hail with praise names and titles
A very common way people in the eastern parts of Nigeria, especially Aba and Owerri, show affection is by hailing the person with fancy titles and praise phrases. Some of the popular appellations include Chief, Oga, odum, Eze e.t.c. They also use phrases that tend to exalt the person being referred to, such as "onye Isi" meaning "the man man", "Nwoke ukwu" meaning "Big guy".
Brag about the person
Another way they show affection is by bragging to others about the person or about something the person did or is going to do. Usually, when they start to brag, they first make sure the person is within earshot, so the person knows they are favored or loved. Parents usually do this a lot with their kids rather than just hug them or share such emotional words as "I love you" and more.
Symbolic/significant gifts
Giving gifts is a common way people from around the world show affections, but people from the eastern parts of Nigeria take this a step further when they want to channel affection. From unexpected surprises to gifts of farm animals and food, they gift abundantly in the bid to show affection .This is also why Nigerian women prefer to marry Igbo men who genuinely care about them.
They share what they have
The Igbos are generally considered to be tight-fisted and selfish. The key stereotype is that they love money and would amass as much wealth as they can without offering same opportunities to others. While this has not be proven and is largely regarded to be false, there actually is an atom of truth to it. Igbos would actually only share their food and possessions if they like a person and want to show affection.
Exhibit domineering behaviors
This may seem conflicting, but people from the eastern parts of the country usually demonstrate their love by being more controlling of the person's behavior or activity. This is why the parents tend to be very strict with their children and the people seem to be meddlers.
BENIN CITY-THE Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC) has admonished Vice Chancellors of Universities to begin to see endowment funds as a serious matter so as to be able to fund their activities under the prevailing economic recession.
Unilag
"Our Vice Chancellors must begin to see fund raising and mobilization as an integral part of their jobs in response to the realities of today", says the Executive Secretary of the NUC, Prof. Abubakar Adamu.
Speaking at a lecture titled, "Nigerian Universities, Thinking Outside the Box to Embrace Innovative and Positive Change", in Honour of University of Benin (UNIBEN) staff, who were appointed as Heads of Federal and State Government Parastatals in the country, Adamu stressed the need for universities to seek for alternative means of funding in order not to ground the universities.
According to him, "the critical thinking skills which universities are expected to instigate in their students constitute a critical component of the arsenal required if the Nigeria Universities system is to live up to expectations in leading the way in our quest for innovation and positive change.
"Each academic programme in a university must pay attention to and incorporate within its curriculum; the commercial and industrial needs and focus of its discipline. Everybody must be creative and innovative and this will help in funding the universities and make it more self-sustaining.”
Earlier, Vice Chancellor of UNIBEN, Prof. Faraday Orumwense noted that the university is a resource-based institution, noting that about 17 staff have been appointed into high level positions between 2015 and 2016.
According to him, "we are proud today to say that some of our staff have been appointed as Ministers, Vice Chancellors, Registrar, Bursar, Provost, Rector and Permanent Secretaries in Federal government ministries".
ABUJA- FORMER Chief Whip of the Senate and Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Rowland Owie said Wednesday, that if the party must get out of the present quagmire, it has become imperative for all the governors elected on the platform of the party who have held grip of the PDP to stay away and face governance.
Sheriff-Makarfi
According to him, in the past, especially in the Second Republic, governors in the Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN, brought their annual budgets for vetting and approval by the party state executive before being forwarded to the State House Assembly for consideration, just as he said that the present day governors treat party Executive members as house helps.
In a statement made available to Vanguard, Senator Owie stressed that the Chairman, Caretaker Committee of the party, Senator Ahmed Makarfi and former Acting National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff should both drop pride, ego and embrace peace for the interest of the party and for the logjam to be addressed.
According t him, as part of moves to nip in the bud, the lingering crisis in the PDP, leaders should henceforth stop making public statements in support of or against any of the factional groups.
Senator Owie said, “I urge dignified Leaders of our party the PDP to stop making public statements in support or against any of the two factions. The major cause of the present problem we have in the party, is impunity.
“In the Second Republic our governors in the UPN brought their annual budgets for vetting and approval by the party state executive before being forwarded to the State House Assembly for consideration. The UPN National Assembly members from the respective States were automatic members of the state exco of the party. Now most our governors after being elected treat the party executive members as house helps.
“In most cases, party exco managements are shifted to the government houses. A shame. To get headway in the reconciliation of this conflict in our PDP, our governors should please stay aside and face governance. Let our few respected leaders who are founding fathers go into the matter. I urge Sen. Sherif and Markafi to close rank now.
” I urge Sen. Sheriff and Markafi to close rank now. They should know that everything here on earth, is “Vanity upon vanity” They should please respect and listen now to the voice of reason.
“In this present dispensation, most members of the state excos of parties, see copies of their state budgets after they have been presented to the Assembly. How can there be harmony in such situation. Also some of us party leaders, become Palace Jesters around the governors because of hunger and slave DNA. Whether the governor is doing well or not, we continue to hail him. His Excellency, Lateef Jakande, former governor of Lagos state can testify to what the relationship was between party leaders and elected officials and now when some of the governors have become like Pharaoh.
“Finally, I forsee a situation of danger for the PDP if this disagreement persists into the new year 2017. Everybody should remove the “COAT OF PRIDE” and get peace while at the same time, ensuring in the process too, that the “marketers of impunity masquerading as Leaders are not allowed to show their faces any longer.”
Following the just concluded coronation of the 39th Oba of Benin, Jumia Travel sat down with Prince Omoregbe Erediauwa of Benin – brother to the new king and CEO of Hexagon Networks – who was actively involved in the coronation planning to talk about the impact of the newly enthroned king, Oba Ewaure II on travel and tourism in the state.
Omoregbe Erediauwa,
Tell us about yourself and your passions
My name is Omoregbe Erediauwa, I am Owner|CEO Hexagon Network Limited, a company that is into Hospitality and Tourism. I like watching movies, listening to music and playing a bit of golf.Omoregbe Erediauwa,
What fuels your passion for tourism?
I believe my background has played a major role. I belong to the Benin Royal Family and as such, I grew up in the midst of exquisite art and a very deep culture. As you may be aware, the Benin royal family has been known for its arts and culture for over a thousand years. It was evident in the display of this art and culture in the immediate past coronation ceremony of the present Oba of Benin Oba Ewuare II.
You currently own one of the most popular clubs in Benin, a hotel, and an art gallery, what is the vision behind these establishments?
Well, like I said, growing up, hospitality and tourism were second nature. So, in my University days, I decided to start something with a friend. We started a bar and restaurant called Woodpecker; it was my first business venture sometime in '93 – '94. I had to shut it down after a year and a half, as I had to travel to complete my Master's degree. After my Masters, I decided to come back home and start something bigger and better than my last effort. That, basically, was how Hexagon Network Limited was born. The network serves as an umbrella company for The Hexagon: the entertainment outfit, Crowne Art Gallery, Crowne Hotels e.t.c.
What hopes do you have for tourism in Benin and Nigeria as a whole in the future?
I have very high hopes because this was one major thing our new Oba, Oba Ewuare II, talked about in his speech in the presence of the President ably represented by his Vice and Africa's richest man, and both of them nodded in compliance when he told them that he will need their support in these regards. Also, the 'Trust' founded by the Oba – The Benin Royal Dynasty Trust – is also a vehicle that I believe will also help to drive tourism to its greatest height in Edo state and also in Nigeria. Finally, we have two sons from Edo State who are members of The National Assembly chairing the committee on Arts and culture, who I also believe will do their possible best to support us and also the country.
Your brother, formerly crown Prince Eheneden Erediauwa, was crowned the new Oba of Benin at the just concluded coronation, what is the significance of the event to Benin and Africa as a whole?
The coronation has reassured us of our culture and tradition. The event has been celebrated the same way for about or over a thousand years, so reading about it, hearing about it and finally being able to participate in it, draws you closer and makes you appreciate where you are from as a Benin person and an African.
How do you foresee his reign?
In his coronation speech, Oba Ewuare II stated that he would be the embodiment and the expression of culture, aspirations and history of our people and I strongly believe him. Also, he picked the name of another great king Oba Ewuare 1 (1440-1473), one of the greatest Obas of Benin Kingdom, and that is a hint on what we should expect to see during his reign.
What are the changes you look forward to seeing in this new reign?
Certainly, I look forward to witnessing a higher regard and respect for the palace and the royal institution as a whole from around the world. Also, increased recognition for Benin art and culture.
Why should anyone visit Benin City?
It is glaring. Benin is the home of art and culture, anyone who sincerely appreciates life in itself is bound to have a memorable time in Benin
The House of Representatives has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to deploy the Army to Ossissa community in Delta to dislodge herdsmen and forestall disturbances in the area.
The call was sequel to a unanimous adoption of a motion on Urgent Matters of Public Importance by Rep. Ossai Ossai (Delta-PDP) in Abuja on Wednesday.
In the motion, Osssai said that the herdsmen had laid siege on the community since Oct. 22, 2016.
According to him, the latest attack which occurred between 3p.m. and 6p.m. of Tuesday had scores of the indigenes injured and some killed, while property worth hundreds of millions of naira were destroyed.
He said the protracted and coordinated nature of the attacks involved use of sophisticated weapons against defenceless locals.
The lawmaker said that in the last nine days, there had been indiscriminate shooting of people, kidnapping of children, raping of women, looting of property and burning of houses by the herdsmen.
He recalled that within the last three years, similar attacks had occurred in Ogume, Onicha-Ukwuani and Obinomba, among other communities, in the Ndokwa/Ukwuani Federal Constituency of the state.
He said it was disturbing that the Federal Government was yet to contain the terror of herdsmen or identify and prosecute their sponsors in order to avoid anarchy in the country.
In his remarks, the Speaker of the House, Mr Yakubu Dogara, urged the Inspector-General of Police to urgently secure and maintain peace in Ossissa community.
He mandated the Committees on Legislative Compliance and Public Safety and National Security to ensure prompt implementation of the House's resolutions and report back within two weeks.
Gov. lbikunle Amosun of Ogun State on Wednesday urged tertiary institutions in the country to embrace research, in order to solve the nation's challenges.
Amosu gave the advice while speaking at the 35th Annual Conference of the Nigeria Society of Biochemistry And Molecular Biology (NSBMB), held at Covenant University, Ota, Ogun.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the conference has as its theme: "Catalysing National Development through Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.''
It was co-sponsored by the university and the society.
Amosu, who was represented by Mrs Module Mujota, Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, explained that in most civilised economies, government and private sector decisions and policies were often times, products of empirical, evidence-based research.
He added that the hallmark of our tertiary institutions, research centres and accredited researchers, was therefore the ability to solve the nation's problems.
"Our universities must take the driver's position by focusing on strategic research and planning, as they paraded the best brains and assets,'' the governor said.
Amosun, however, urged governments at all levels and private concerns to continuously and creatively fund research, which by nature required persistence, patience, focus and commitment to innovation and exactitude.
He said that theme of conference was mostly apt at this crucial time when we need diverse solutions to our monumental challenges.
Amosun said that the rich mixed-grill of professionals and eggheads at the conference was an indication that the intellectual intercourse and the results of this convergence would positively run-on state and national development.
Also speaking, Dr Gloria Elemi, Director-General (DG), Federal Institute of Industrial Research, (FIIRO) Oshodi, urged the Federal Government to invest more in science and technology, to accelerate national development.
Elemi identified poor funding and corruption as major obstacle hindering research in the nation's institutions.
"There is no way the nation can achieve meaningful national development without massive investment in research in our tertiary institutions,'' she said.
Elemi also said that research carried out in the universities should be translated to technology that would be useful in the nation's industrial sector.
She said that lack of research in our universities made the Federal Government to spend over $12 billion annually on human vaccines.
The DG, however, urged the Federal Government to put in place system and policies where our technology could be sold abroad and generate foreign earnings for the country.
A bill to grant financial autonomy to local government councils in the country, on Wednesday in Abuja, scaled through the second reading in the House of Representatives.
The bill sponsored by Rep. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha (PDP-Abia) seeks to alter section 162 of the 1999 constitution.
Section 162 provides for the State Joint Local Government Account, into which all revenues accruing to the local governments from the federal and state governments are paid.
In her debate, however, Onyejeocha argued that unless the joint account was abolished, the objective of strengthening local government as a tier of government would be unattainable.
She said that local governments lacked the needed financial autonomy necessary for effective management of financial resources due to them from the federation account.
According to her, the bill if passed into law will strengthen the operation of the councils because state governments have `capitalised' on the joint account to exploit councils and starve them of fund.
Onyejeocha stressed the need to abolish the state-local government joint account, saying that it would foster the autonomy, transparency and accountability of local government administration in the country.
"The practice of true federalism is lacking in Nigeria, especially at the local government level.
"Some state governments deprive their local governments of principal source of their revenues.
"Unless more stable internal source of revenue are exploited, and state-local government joint account abolished, the objective of strengthening local governments relationship with state and federal governments will remain a mirage,'' Onyejeocha said.
She said the amendment bill proposed for each local government to maintain a special account to be called "Local Government Council Allocation Account", where all funds accruing to every council shall be paid into.
"The amendment also stipulates that disbursement shall not be made from the account except by a bye-law passed by the Local Government Legislative Council,'' she added.
Speaker, House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara, subsequently referred the bill to the Special Committee on Constitution Review for further legislative action.
The Association of Foreign Airlines' Representatives in Nigeria (AFARN), on Wednesday warned the Federal government that more of its member airlines operating in the country could close shops if the current exchange rate which is not favourable to them persists. It also said its members had yet to benefit from the concession granted to them to access foreign exchange at the inter-bank foreign exchange market.
The AFARN President, Mr Kingsley Nwokoma, told newsmen in Lagos that the present exchange rate was seriously affecting their operations.
The forex concession was granted to the airlines by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) following the intervention of the Minister of State for Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika.
Sirika had assured the airline operators that their difficulty in sourcing foreign exchange for their operations would ease as a result of the move.
However, Nwokoma said the dollar scarcity problem was still persisting, warning that more foreign airlines could close shop if the issue was not resolved as soon as possible.
He, therefore, appealed to the Federal Government to hasten the ease of providing foreign exchange to the local and foreign airlines.
Nwokoma also said the AFARN was prepared to collaborate with stakeholders in the country to enhance the sustainable safety standards and policies in the aviation sector.
"There is need for stakeholders to collaborate in view of recent security developments in the world, in order to maintain safer skies.
"Aviation is a sector that everybody should come together to grow, and we will all be proud of it.
"There are so many units that make up the industry and collaboration is key to moving the industry forward. We want performance but we must drive safety with it,'' he added.
Operatives of the EFCC have arrested Ibanga Ime Akpabio, cousin to the former Akwa Ibom Governor, Godswill Akpabio for his involvement in a N10, 000,000.00(Ten Million Naira) oil scam.
In a statement by the commission made available to newsmen on Wednesday, it said Ibanga was arrested in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. "Ibanga Akpabio’s arrest was occasioned by an allegation that he collected a sum of N10,000,000.00 from a potential investor in petroleum products."
Ibanga
"Specifically, he reportedly approached the investor to invest the money as equity in the purchase of petroleum product directly from a floating station belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC."
"He allegedly assured the inventor that he had secured all necessary approvals for the running of the business. He allegedly collected the money through a Diamond Account being operated by Fastej Enterprises and neither neither kept faith with the business arrangements with the investor nor returned his money to him. He is urgently undergoing interrogation in the Port Harcourt’s Zonal office of the EFCC."
Ibanga Akpabio, who is the current deputy chairman of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom state
It equally made public a telephone conversation that got Ibanga into EFCC’s net. Listen:
Former Super Eagles Coach, Christian Chukwu, on Wednesday urged fans of relegated Heartland FC of Owerri to rally round to lift the club to regain promotion to Nigeria's top flight football.
Chukwu, a former interim coach of the club, speaking in Enugu said the relegation from the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) after the 2015/2016 season was disheartening.
Heartland finished the season on the 18th position on the log with 43 points after 36 matches.
He said the club had not been relegated since 1976 when it was admitted to the NPFL, adding that something must have been fundamentally wrong for "a striving and notable club to go down this way''.
"I have been in Heartland and I know the players are hardworking and determined in their pursuit.
"However, it is disheartening to see a club that has continued to do well all seasons and even represented Nigeria in many continental tournaments to be relegated,'' he said.
Chukwu urged well-wishers of the club to rally round to bring it back to its feet.
"I am also appealing to the Imo State Government to intervene and pull back the club to the NPFL,'' he said.
Reacting, Chidi Offor-Okenwa, Chairman of Enugu State Football Association said the relegation was so sudden that many people did not notice the club's slide to the lower league on time.
"However, the people of the South-East have a consolation in Rangers International FC that won the NPFL after 32 years of waiting,'' he said.
Heartland is one of the clubs, just like Rangers, that has never been relegated throughout its stay in the NPFL.
It has won the NPFL four times and Nigeria Federation (FA) Cup three times.
The club, which was founded in 1976, had represented the country severally at the continental level.
A 35-year-old apprentice, Nzubechukwu Mbamara, who allegedly stole his employer's N3 million cash, was on Wednesday docked at an Igbosere Magistrates' Court, Lagos.
Mbamara, who resides at No. 18, Omo-Odofin St., Festac, Lagos, pleaded not guilty to one-count charge of stealing.
The prosecutor, ASP Eshiet Eshiet, said that Mbamara, committed the alleged offence between January and October at the Trade fair, Ojo, Lagos.
"Mbamara collected the said sum from a customer who bought goods from the shop where he was staying with his employer.
"He, however, ran to Nnewi, Anambra, where the Police apprehended him,'' Eshiet said.
The prosecutor said that the offence contravened Section 285 (1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
The Magistrate, Mr W. B. Balogun, granted the accused bail in the sum of N500, 000 with two sureties in like sum.
He said that one of the sureties must be a relation of the accused.
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