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
THE Deji of Akure Kingdom, Oba Aladelusi Ogunlade Aladetoyinbo, weekend, pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari to consider sons and daughters of his kingdom for key cabinet positions in his government.
Oba Aladetoyinbo made the plea while playing host to President Buhari, All Progressives Congress, APC leaders and other top government functionaries, who paid him a courtesy visit in Akure.
The Oba expressed concerns over the exclusion of sons and daughters of Akure from key federal cabinet positions since the exit of Chief Olu Falae from the federal cabinet in the late 80s. He said: "Akure kingdom has highly qualified and professionally sound sons and daughters, who have made indelible marks in various aspects of life."
President Muhammadu Buhari and Deji of Akure, Oba Ogunlade Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi, being entertained by members of the Akure South Cultural Troupe during Ondo State APC Grand Finale campaign for the forthcoming gubernatorial poll in Akure. Photo by Abayomi ADESHIDA 19/11/2016
Oba Aladetoyinbo identified some prominent and accomplished sons of the kingdom such as Tunji Ariyomo, an engineer and former United Kingdom Coordinator of the Nigerian Institution of Civil Engineers, who was also an APC governorship aspirant; Hon. Sunday Abegunde, a former member of the House of Representatives and Niyi Adegbonmire, a lawyer who was also an aspirant.
The monarch said: "When none of your sons and daughters are part of decision-making in Abuja, you are somewhat cut off and this will definitely affect development. If you are screened out of the federal in terms of participation, you become local."
Responding, President Buhari apologised for the oversight and agreed with the monarch that he truly should thank the people of Akure for their vast votes at the presidential elections and that it is in order to appoint their qualified people to be part of the government.
KPMG, a global network of professional firms providing Audit, Tax and Advisory services has tasked stakeholders to take advantage of increasing penetration of mobile phones to drive innovative delivery of financial services to the country's population.
L-R: Ladi Asuni, Senior Manager, Technology Advisory; Boye Ademola, Partner & Head, Financial Services Technology; Ayo Othihiwa–, Partner & Head, Financial Services Sector; Bisi Lamikanra, Partner & Head, Advisory Services; Olumide Olayinka, Partner & Head, Risk Consulting; Nike Oyewolu,– Head, Sales and Markets; Odalo Aimufia, Senior Manager, Technology Advisory all of KPMG at the Press Conference on the upcoming KPMG FinTech Summit held in Lagos
Speaking in Lagos ahead of FinTech Summit tagged, "The FinTech Disruption– Understanding the Value Proposition", bid to hold on 22 November 2016, in Lagos, KPMG, Partner & Head, Financial Services Technology, Boye Ademola, said that in contrast to the poor level of financial inclusion, mobile phone penetration is currently over 83 percent with about 150 million active phone lines with increasing access to affordable data services.
"The increasing penetration of mobile phones in comparison with the relatively low level of financial inclusion is the gap that presents a huge opportunity to utilize technology to drive innovative delivery of financial services to the country's population.
"The emergence of FinTechs in Nigeria can be attributed to a surge in e-commerce, smartphone penetration and strong affinity for technology adoption within the teeming youth population. We are seeing an emergence of FinTech players especially in the areas of payments, lending and crowd funding solutions. More recently, we have also seen some growing interest in insurance and blockchain."
On the upcoming event, Ademola said that KPMG Global FinTech Co-lead, Warren Mead will be addressing the topic, “How FinTechs Create Value for Financial Service Institutions”.
"The Summit will attract a variety of stakeholders includingFinTech companies, incubators, accelerators, banks, insurance companies, other financial service institutions, regulators, government, private equity and venture capital firms with interest in the Nigerian FinTech space. It will also feature KPMG and industry thought leaders sharing insights as well as demo sessions by hand-picked local and international FinTechs. Focus areas for the summit are next generation payments, lending and financing, financial inclusion, wealth management & personal finance, insurance, blockchain, and cyber security,” he added.
By Levinus Nwabughiogu ABUJA-President Muhammadu Buhari has commiserated with the Indian Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi over the Sunday train disaster that killed more than 100 passengers near Pukhrayan.
The President, who received the news of the train derailment and heavy loss of lives, expressed great sorrow and profound shock over the unfortunate incident.
He also commiserated with the families of the victims.
According to President Buhari, "the loss of human life on whatever scale, and anywhere, is bad enough," adding that “the world becomes united in sorrow during such moments because our common humanity makes us a family.”
President Buhari said that the government and the people of Nigeria felt and shared the pains and the anguish of the families of the victims and all Indians.
He prayed God to “comfort the grieving Asian nation.”
As the December 7 presidential election in Ghana draws near, Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has counselled the people of Ghana to be mindful of making the same mistake made by Nigerians in the 2015 presidential election by voting for change, which has brought hunger, sufferings and economic recession to the country, such that even the entire West African sub-region is being affected.
He said "by buying into the All Progressives Congress (APC) message of change, Nigerians are now facing a kind of hunger and suffering never experienced in the country in the last 30 years and Ghanaians must not fall into that kind of trap."
Fayose
Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, said in a statement issued in Ado-Ekiti on Sunday that Governor Ayodele Fayose made this call while playing host to some men of God from Ghana on Saturday.
The governor said; "Ghanaians should not succumb to the deceit of the opposition party that are calling for a change of government. Rather, they should return the incumbent President, John Mahama, who has no doubt done creditably well to deserve a re-election.
"Ghanaians should know that the change in Nigeria brought hunger, suffering, disregard for the rule of law as well as arrest and detention of Nigerians without trial and be mindful of those preaching change to them.
"Most importantly, the situation in Ghana at present is similar to that of Nigeria. Like President Mohammadu Buhari, opposition party, New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo has contested the presidency two times. This is the third time he is contesting. He is also 74 year-old.
"In Nigeria, change is synonymous with economic recession that is even getting to the level of depression. Even majority of those who brought the change are now regretting it.
"Therefore, tell your people in Ghana that Nigerians are already regretting the change they made last year, which has plunged the country into serious economic hardship.
Tell them to learn from Nigerians and reject those preaching message of change to them. They should hold on to the government that they have now and beware of a change that will take their country to economic recession."
Founder of Synagogue Church of All Nations, SCOAN, Prophet T.B. Joshua, has further clarified on his controversial prophesy regarding who would win last November 8 Presidential election in the US.
In a latest video on his church’s Facebook page, TB Joshua Ministries, Joshua explained that following his prophesy before the election, some concerned Americans went into deep prayers and fastings, which prompted God to hearken to their voice, thereby reversing Hillary Clinton’s win.
At the forum organised by members of the Nigerian community in China to address the thriving illicit trade on drugs and its effects on not just China-Nigeria bilateral relationships, but also on Nigerians living and doing various businesses in China, the President, Good Governance Initiative (GGI) Mr. Festus Mbisiogu, while intimating forum on BBC World Service Poll declared that 85 per cent of Nigerians believe that China exerts a positive influence on the social and economic development in Nigeria.
He said that China and Nigeria as closest allies and partners, are not deserving of any bad image which the growing malaise of drug trafficking can rob on both nations integrity.
In this online interview, Festus who also disclosed that in as much as Nigerians transactions in Guangdong Province alone in China is recorded to a cash return of over $5,000,000 Million Dollars a day, Nigerians continue suffering the worst form of stereotyping in every aspect in China and many other host countries abroad in addition to being placed on various diplomatic restrictions. Excerpt.
How would you describe China-Nigeria bi-lateral relations so far? Both countries are committed to realising a long lasting bi-lateral relationship and as the Nigeria-China cooperation continues to grow, there are over 50 Chinese official development finance projects identified in Nigeria which cuts across rail, power and telecommunications projects within the last 10 years.
But the underlying fact which Nigerians in China has failed to grasp is that Nigerian immigrants in China should have been the direct recipients of these benefits of trade development and mutual cooperation. China looks up to Nigeria as a model of trade and economic development in Africa to boost its cooperation with Africa. At present there over 2,000 registered Chinese businesses and companies in Nigeria alone and China seeks for avenues of mutual person to person cooperation between its Nationals, its business owners and Nigerian citizens.
Why are Nigerians placed on various diplomatic restrictions in China? Today because of the involvement of some Nigerian citizens in illicit drugs and drugs trafficking in China and outside, we cannot truly say that the consummate benefits of this relationship are robbing off on all of us.
Rather we are being profiled on daily basis and denied some privileges which ordinarily should come with our residing in this country. It is knowledge in the public domain that because of this involvement in drugs, by some miscreants, all of us are paying a heavy price for it. Like our people say, when one finger is dipped in the red oil it will automatically affect all the other fingers even when they do not want to be robbed with oil.
However due to our abusive tendencies to law and order we are on a daily basis denied these benefits and are instead placed on various diplomatic restrictions. Would you say it is partly the reason Nigerians are denied resident permit and or visa extension? In Guangdong Province, Nigerians are no longer giving resident permit. There is also no visa extension. Nigerians who are married and residing in China are not given resident permit. That is why many of us do not have our families here with us. Our citizens who come here to study cannot get resident permit and are not allowed to work unlike the citizens of other countries.
There is no doubt that illicit drugs and trafficking undermine state authority and the rule of law by fuelling corruption, compromising elections, and hurting the legitimate economy and significant impact on the livelihoods and quality of life of citizens, most particularly the poor, our women and children including all of us here, because one way or the other, we are involved. What can the Nigerian authority in China do in this regard? I plead with the Nigeria embassy and the Consulate General authority in China to find every means to look into the affairs of the many Nigerian citizens present here. The Community gathering known as "Nigerian Union" is vey paramount.
We are a communal people and China recognizes the impact of our community gatherings, as it aids control and management of the numerous Nigerian immigrants resident or transacting businesses across China. Our embassy authority should help in creating a platform of legality in the leadership of the Nigerian Community.
This I believe will aid all our efforts in harnessing the activities of many Nigerian citizens who are here in China for different purposes. Although, the embassy may not be able to follow activities of every Nigerian, a legal platform of the Nigeria Union in countries of abode can combat some of the excesses of a few robbing us the immense benefits of our cooperation with host countries. What advice do you have for fellow Diaspora Nigerians? We should all rise and say No to drugs because drugs and crime undermine development by eroding social and human capital. The direct impacts of victimization, discrimination, image problem as well as fear of crime impede the socio-economic development of all.
It also leads to restriction of movements as already highlighted by the position of Chinese authorities on some of us here in China. It also impedes access to possible employment and educational opportunities, and it discourages the accumulation of assets. Nigerian citizens used to be the most favourite of China's selection of Africans to partner with in business and other mutual relationship but these unlawful behaviors robbed the average Nigerian immigrant and businessmen in China that privilege. The negative effects of illicit drug trafficking and unlawful behaviors goes beyond the shores of China, I can't remember any former drug dealer who is at peace with the proceeds made from drug trafficking whether for himself, children and family therefore why should you continue to plot your own ruin in life. We all must rise to say No to drugs.
Nigerians must rise to say No to drugs. Let me emphasize here that religion has become a part of our cultural values, and since it plays a major influence on how we value life, I urge religious leaders to help discourage the temptation rather encourage true blessings of God when we work hard, pray and trust God.
As much as we are foreigners in China and have come here with the sole intent to succeed and take wealth home, the issue of clash of interest and partisan politics among Nigerian citizens whom I believe all has genuine intentions in helping to organize their fellow brothers and sisters should not be viewed in the negative but to be encouraged to take a formal approach with due respect to the laws of the land.
Diego Costa scored his 10th goal of the season as Chelsea won 1-0 at Middlesbrough to record a sixth consecutive victory and take over at the Premier League summit.
Costa struck for the third straight game with half-time approaching as Antonio Conte’s side underlined their title credentials by posting a sixth clean sheet in a row.
It took them a point clear of Liverpool and Manchester City, and three ahead of fourth-place Arsenal.
Only the woodwork prevented Chelsea from winning by a more handsome margin as Pedro Rodriguez hit the bar midway through the second half, during which Middlesbrough were forced to hang on for long spells.
Aitor Karanka’s side retained hope while the deficit remained at a single goal, but the gulf in class between the sides was clear and it leaves Boro one point above the relegation zone in their first season back in the Premier League following promotion.
Costa rewarded Chelsea’s dominance as the Spaniard put the visitors — unchanged for the fifth consecutive league game — ahead four minutes before the end of a tight first half.
Chelsea’s Brazilian-born Spanish striker Diego Costa (R) and Chelsea’s Spanish defender Cesar Azpilicueta applaud the fans following the English Premier League football match between Middlesbrough and Cheslea at Riverside Stadium in Middlesbrough, northeast England on November 20, 2016. Chelsea won the match 1-0. AFP
It stemmed from a disputed corner, as Middlesbrough claimed debutant full-back Fabio da Silva had not touched the ball as it ran out of play.
Eden Hazard’s in-swinging set-piece looped into the air as Calum Chambers and Gaston Ramirez challenged Marcos Alonso at the near post.
Despite the hosts having numbers back to defend Costa reacted first to volley the loose ball home from inside the six-yard box, taking him to double figures for the campaign.
Middlesbrough goalkeeper Victor Valdes was partially at fault for failing to come off his line.
– Fingertip save –
His indecision was in stark contrast to earlier in the half when the former Barcelona man produced a stunning fingertip save to deflect a first-time Pedro shot over the bar.
It was one of few clear-cut chances before the interval as Boro were largely successful in their attempts to negate the threat of Conte’s side by packing midfield and looking to counter-attack.
The out-of-touch Alvaro Negredo wasted their two main openings, first firing across the face of goal and then heading wide from Antonio Barragan’s deep cross.
Ramirez shot over early in the second half after Negredo’s dummy created space on the edge of the box for the Uruguay international, but it was a rare threat from the hosts.
Boro have forced draws against Arsenal and Pep Guardiola’s City this season, but after falling behind they rarely looked like troubling Chelsea’s three-man back line.
Having not conceded a league goal since September 24 — almost 10 hours of football — Chelsea are on their best defensive run for six years.
Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois preserved their latest shut-out late on when he parried a powerful Negredo volley as the hosts belatedly pushed bodies forward.
The majority of chances arrived at the other end.
Alonso almost doubled the visitors’ advantage within seconds of kick-off in the second half, the Spaniard forcing a fine low save from Valdes after Hazard helped on Victor Moses’s cross.
The second goal failed to materialise, but Chelsea closed out their latest victory with relative ease to secure another valuable three points towards their growing title challenge
New Delhi, – At least 120 people have died so far and many injured in several carriages of an Indian train derailed in northern Uttar Pradesh, the nation's most populous state, in the early hours of Sunday, senior railway officials said.
Indian rescue workers search for survivors in the wreckage of a train that derailed near Pukhrayan in Kanpur district on November 20, 2016. A passenger train derailed in northern India on November 20, killing at least 120 travellers most of whom were sleeping when the fatal accident occurred, police said. Rescue workers rushed to the scene near Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh state where the Patna-Indore express train derailed in the early hours of the morning. / AFP PHOTO Indian rescue workers search for survivors in the wreckage of a train that derailed near Pukhrayan in Kanpur district on November 20, 2016. Emergency workers raced November 20 to find any more survivors in the mangled wreckage of an Indian train that derailed overnight, killing at least1 210 people, in the worst disaster to hit the country’s ageing rail network in recent years. / AFP PHOTO EDITORS NOTE: Graphic content / Indian rescue personnel stand near a body in the wreckage of a train that derailed near Pukhrayan in Kanpur district on November 20, 2016. Emergency workers raced November 20 to find any more survivors in the mangled wreckage of an Indian train that derailed overnight, killing at least 120 people, in the worst disaster to hit the country’s ageing rail network in recent years. / AFP PHOTO Indian rescue workers search for survivors in the wreckage of a train that derailed near Pukhrayan in Kanpur district on November 20, 2016. A passenger train derailed in northern India on November 20, killing at least 120 travellers most of whom were sleeping when the fatal accident occurred, police said. Rescue workers rushed to the scene near Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh state where the Patna-Indore express train derailed in the early hours of the morning. / AFP PHOTO Indian rescue workers search for survivors in the wreckage of a train that derailed near Pukhrayan in Kanpur district on November 20, 2016. A passenger train derailed in northern India on November 20, killing at least 120 travellers most of whom were sleeping when the fatal accident occurred, police said. Rescue workers rushed to the scene near Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh state where the Patna-Indore express train derailed in the early hours of the morning. / AFP PHOTO /
LAGOS—THE former governor of Edo State, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, has been accused of treating the Esan people as a conquered nation, the deposing of the Onojie of Uromi, Zaiki Aidenojie II, being the recent manifestation of such mindset.
Oshiomhole
These were the sentiments of an Edo leader, the Esogban of Ubiaja, Chief Omochiere Aisagbonhi, who told newsmen in Lagos, weekend, that Oshiomhole's parting gift to Esanland was an attack on culture, which Governor Godwin Obaseki must immediately reverse to prevent the collapse of traditional institution.
According to Aisagbonhi, the Gbobamoyegun of Ikeja, "I am not in support of anybody, including a monarch, assaulting any one. If the Uromi monarch is accused of such, there are laws. This is why I say this act is politically-motivated and if Governor Godwin Obaseki does not reverse it, the system will fight back."
He added that in Esan, a monarch's stool is neither appointive nor rotational, but hereditary, based on the principle of primogeniture, "which is why it is a threat to our traditional institution. And any Esan man that did not walk out of the meeting where this decision was taken is a bastard."
The real estate mogul said Esan was totally marginalised by Oshiomhole, except for the few who keep mute because of personal gains, adding that "docility on the part of Nigerians is why a handful of political leaders have taken over 180,000,000 people for a ride for too long."
To bring the people closer, the Oyo State Government says it will begin quarterly town hall meetings with members of the public to convey its plans, policies, efforts and actions, and get feedback.
Alhaji Olalekan Alli, the Secretary to the State Government, disclosed the plan in a statement made available to newsmen on Sunday in Ibadan.
Alli said that the new policy, which would entail regular dialogue, was adopted to address the various challenges in the state.
The SSG said that the state governor would hold a formal town hall meeting with members of the public and the media once in a quarter.
"The government is optimistic that the new measure will bring the people closer to the government.
"It will also serve as a veritable platform to obtain first hand feedbacks to smoothen the relationship between the government and the governed," he said.
Gov Ajimobi
Alli said that all local government chairmen and heads of local government administration had also been directed to follow suit.
He said that they would engage the citizenry in town hall meetings on quarterly basis.
Alli said that such regular conversation with the people would forestall misinformation, misunderstanding and mischief capable of heating up the polity.
"As a matter of policy, there will be public engagements with focus on issues such as security of lives and property, social and infrastructural services, including health, water supply, roads, energy, education and the environment.
"The discourse will also centre on the economy/finance, including internally generated revenue, salaries and pension of workers as well as the welfare of the citizenry.
"All heads of ministries, departments and agencies, including commissioners and permanent secretaries have been directed to hold monthly briefing and interactive session with their respective members of staff," he said.
The SSG enjoined all stakeholders to take advantage of the process by making meaningful contributions that would assist the government to undertake life-enhancing programmes for the citizenry.
Abuja – No fewer than 500 women from various parts of the world will converge on Abuja on Tuesday for the 1st Women International Networking Conference (WIN).
The two-day conference is designed to empower women with the necessary skills to achieve maximum success both for themselves and the organisations they work for, among others.
The conference is being organised by WIN Conference Switzerland, in partnership with Human Resource Working Partners (HURWORPS), Nigeria, an NGO.
HURWORPS said in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday, that the goal of the conference is to "inspire noble values and develop integrated leaders.''
"At WIN, we wholeheartedly believe that change must happen in a paradigm, where feminine values such as compassion, win-win approaches to negotiate, empathy, caring and sharing are protagonist roles.
"Moreover, our programme is carefully designed to inform participants of the realities faced by leaders working in different business markets, sectors and countries in relation to themselves.''
According to HURWORPS, the conference is in line with the Federal Government's Sustainable Development Goal for Women being implemented by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs.
The conference is being sponsored by world reputable companies and women's network worldwide, the NGO said.
Emergency workers raced to find any more survivors in the mangled wreckage of an Indian train that derailed Sunday, killing at least 120 people, in the worst disaster to hit the country’s ageing rail network in recent years.
Shocked passengers recalled being jolted out of their early morning slumber by a violent thud as 14 carriages leapt from the tracks in a remote area near Kanpur city in Uttar Pradesh state.
Indian rescue workers search for survivors in the wreckage of a train that derailed near Pukhrayan in Kanpur district on November 20, 2016. A passenger train derailed in northern India on November 20, killing at least 63 travellers most of whom were sleeping when the fatal accident occurred, police said. Rescue workers rushed to the scene near Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh state where the Patna-Indore express train derailed in the early hours of the morning. / AFP PHOTO
Survivors also told of their desperate search for loved-ones on the train, which was carrying at least one wedding party with the marriage season in India in full swing.
“My 12-year-old daughter is missing, I have been looking for her for hours,” a survivor told AFP at the accident site, breaking into uncontrollable sobs.
“My wife has received serious head injuries and I have lost all my belongings. I am feeling so helpless, my whole world has turned upside down.”
Hundreds of army and police have been deployed at the scene, where rescue workers used metal cutters to slice through severely mangled coaches to try to get to survivors.
Disaster response teams also set up special lights to ensure rescue work was not hampered in the night.
“We have been able to pull out 24 people so far, out of which five were found to be alive,” said Brigadier A. Chhibbar, who is leading the army’s rescue operations.
“We will carry on day and night, till there is any inkling of even a single person being pulled alive.”
Police said 120 people had been killed and at least 200 others were undergoing treatment in nearby hospitals, which were placed on high alert after the early morning disaster.
“The death toll has reached 120. At least 200 others are injured,” Zaki Ahmad, police inspector general of Kanpur zone, told AFP.
The accident was the worst since 2010 when a passenger train crashed into a freight train in the eastern state of West Bengal, killing 146 and injuring over 200.
Authorities have launched an official investigation into the accident, which junior railways minister Manoj Sinha said may have been caused by damage to the tracks.
– ‘Shaken to core’ –
India’s railway network, one of the world’s largest, is still the main form of long-distance travel in the vast country, but it is poorly funded and deadly accidents occur relatively frequently.
A 2012 government report said almost 15,000 people were killed every year on India’s railways, describing the deaths as an annual “massacre”.
Nitika Trivedi, a student who boarded the train with her family, said images of the victims’ bodies would long haunt her.
“I had never seen anything like this in my life before. I am shaken to the core,” she said.
Anxious relatives thronged the station in Indore in central India where the train originated, many clutching pictures of their loved-ones.
Railway officials said special trains and buses had been deployed for stranded travellers.
“We are also trying to clear the tracks and complete the restoration work as quickly as possible,” Vijay Kumar, a spokesman for north-central railways, told AFP.
Local media reports said the train was packed with families, some of them travelling home for weddings.
Bride-to-be Ruby Gupta, who survived the accident with a fractured arm, was desperately searching for her father.
“I have been looking everywhere for him,” she told the Press Trust of India.
EDITORS NOTE: Graphic content / Indian rescue personnel stand near a body in the wreckage of a train that derailed near Pukhrayan in Kanpur district on November 20, 2016. Emergency workers raced November 20 to find any more survivors in the mangled wreckage of an Indian train that derailed overnight, killing at least 116 people, in the worst disaster to hit the country’s ageing rail network in recent years. / AFP PHOTO
In 2014 an express train ploughed into a stationary freight train, also in Uttar Pradesh, killing 26 people.
And last year 27 people died when two trains derailed in Madhya Pradesh state during heavy rain.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has pledged to invest $137 billion over five years to modernise the crumbling railways, making them safer, faster and more efficient.
On Sunday Modi tweeted that he was “anguished beyond words” by the loss of life in the latest accident.
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted sunny and hazy weather conditions over the central states of the country on Monday.
NiMet made the prediction in the Weather Outlook by its Central Forecast Office in Abuja on Sunday.
It said that the central states would have day and night time temperatures of 35 to 36 degrees Celsius and 21 to 23 degrees Celsius respectively.
The agency predicted that the southern states would experience cloudy morning to partly cloudy conditions over the inland cities with anticipated cloudiness over the coastal cities during the forecast period.
It also predicted isolated thunderstorms during afternoon and evening hours with day and night temperature of 32 to 34 and 20 to 24 degrees Celsius respectively.
According to NiMet, northern states will experience dust haze conditions with day and night temperature of 34 to 38 degrees Celsius and 15 to 22 degrees Celsius respectively.
"Northern cities will be under the influence of dust haze, central parts will experience sunny and hazy conditions, while the southern cities will continue to experience isolated thunderstorms," NiMet predicted.
Abuja – The Nigerian Air Force (NAF), says it has destroyed another set of illegal oil barges in Rivers.
Group Capt. Ayodele Famuyiwa, NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, said the barges were filled with stolen oil.
According to Famuyiwa two of the latest barges filled with stolen oil were set ablaze by NAF helicopters on armed patrol around Okoromabie in the South-East of Port Harcourt Refinery.
Famuyiwa explained that the third barge, surrounded by canoes carrying drums, was sited at Onne, while individuals around the barge and canoes fled.
He explained further that the barge and drums did not explode, indicating the possibility of being empty. "The latest operations like the previous ones are clear pointers to the fact that it is no longer profitable to steal crude oil in Nigeria," Famuyiwa said.
NAF, had in the past one month, destroyed a number of illegal refineries and oil barges in Rivers.
Rev. Paul Ojoh, the Resident Pastor, Shepherd House Assembly International, Jos has said that pornography and masturbation could affect the brain and impede productivity.
"Those twin evils could hurt the brain and impede productivity because of the cumulative negative effects of addiction to them," he stated on Sunday in Jos, during a sermon at the Youth Conference of the Church.
In the sermon titled: 'Dealing with Forces of Addiction', he noted that a high percentage of youths suffer addiction mostly to pornography and masturbation.
" Research has shown that more than 50 per cent of youths are addicted to pornography, while 60 to 90 per cent of adolescent boys and 40 per cent of adolescent girls are addicted to masturbation.
" These addictions are sins against nature; the right hemisphere of the brain functions in facilitating creativity and inventions and a portion of the brain called 'cingulate codex, is responsible for moral and ethical decisions.
" So, when you feed your brain with masturbation and pornographic materials, it impedes your productivity and affects the efficiency of your brain which is designed to perform the task of creativity and invention,'' he explained.
Ojoh said that the remedy to such addictions was acknowledging that addicts could not fight the battle of emancipation alone, and therefore required divine intervention to see them through.
" Addicts of masturbation must admit that they cannot overcome their battles alone. They must accept that it is only possible with the divine intervention of God.
"It is important you avoid anything that triggers such addictions; these are things that you see and read that pollute your mind towards it like movies, magazines and places
" You must renew your mind and feed it with the word of God to fight addictive materials that have occupied the space of your mind.
"Addicts should also seek counsel from people of integrity, who will counsel them and monitor them through their recovery process,'' he said.
He said that addictions could also enslave a man, put him in bondage and regulate the lifestyle of the affected person or persons, which could subjugate potentialities.
The clergy, who defined addiction as a repeated habit which becomes a lifestyle, mentioned other negative addictions to include the internet, food, sex, alcohol, amongst others.
The youth conference featured comedies, drama plays and special renditions from the Choir.
As former President Goodluck Jonathan, Sunday, clocked 59, cross section of Nigerians took to the social media to felicitate with him, launching the hashtag- #HappyBirthdayGEJ on the microblogging site, Twitter.
See how they wished Jonathan a happy birthday today (November 20, 2016).
By Emma Amaize WARRI- EX-MILITANT leader, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, Sunday, distanced himself from an alleged plan by some militants to attack oil facilities in the Niger Delta region on grounds that the Federal Government declined to drop the criminal charges against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
His media consultant, Mr. Paul Bebenimibo, in a statement, said: "The attention of my client, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, has been drawn to an online publication by faceless person or persons that militants have vowed to attack more oil facilities over Tompolo if Federal Government of Nigeria refused to drop the criminal charges against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)."
He said: "High Chief Ekpemupolo (Tompolo) unequivocally dissociates himself from this threat as he did not send anyone to attack oil facilities in the Niger Delta region because of his case with the EFCC. Tompolo has consistently denied involvement in the resurgence and bombing of oil facilities in the Niger Delta region."
Bebenimibo asserted: "This online publication is coming two days after one Michael Johnny accused Tompolo on a Channels Television programme, "State of the Nation" of being behind the bombing of oil facilities in the Niger Delta region. Tompolo watched the programme with great disbelief as Michael Johnny accused him of being the brain behind the bombings of oil facilities."
He stated that that one of the suspects in the custody of security agencies had since confessed the person(s) that hired them to bomb oil facilities, adding that it was ridiculous for Johnny to cruelly accused him of being behind bombing of oil facilities when he knew it was a lie.
"Tompolo has instructed his lawyers to sue Michael Johnny for malicious damage," the statement added.
Bebenimibo asserted: "Tompolo has said in many occasions that he will not resort to violence and bombing of oil facilities because of his case with the EFCC. Tompolo sued the EFCC for illegally placing non-debit order in his company accounts in Warri before he was hurriedly dragged to court by the EFCC in Lagos."
He added: "And after a year, the court has refused to hear his case for frivolous excuses. And he has vowed to patiently pursue his case, rather than resort to violence and bombing of oil facilities which is greatly affecting our economy."
"Finally, we wish to warn that no one should use Tompolo's name to seek relevance in the present administration as such moves will be resisted by any legitimate means," he said.
By Imanuel Jannah ABUJA – Award-winning singer and songwriter, Harrison Tare Okiri popularly called Harrysong has exited Five Star Music record label.
In an interview he granted the media during the weekend, the Reggae Blues crooner revealed that his decision not to renew the contract with Five Star Music, after it expired, was based on his being unappreciated enough by the label.Harrysong
"What bothers me is not the work, what bothers me is the appreciation…. You are helping someone that knows nothing and he's telling you that he's helping you. You write a song and the person is telling you that 'it's when I sing your song that you blow, if I don't sing your song you don't blow'," he said.
Harrysong has floated his own record label called "Alterplate."
A visit to his instagram handle also confirms the move as nothing whatsoever on his profile still references Five Star Music anymore having replaced all such information with Alterplate.
Meanwhile, a large number of his followers on social media have congratulated him and have also described the development as a decisive move that would advance his music career in the right direction.
ABUJA-Finally, the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has kicked off the process of engaging 500,000 unemployed graduates of different tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
The programmes which would commence December 1, 2016 was in line with the 2015 election campaign promises of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC to providing jobs for the teeming youth in the country.President Muhammadu Buhari
The fulfillment is however coming precisely one year and 7 months after the administration came on stream.
The project had had several slips which elicited doubts in many Nigerians about its reality.
This persisted until the Office of the Vice President where the project domiciled announced that it was factored into the 2016 National Budget signed into law by President Buhari on May 6, 2016.
To this end, a statement from the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s office on Sunday stated that “all is now set for the deployment of 200,000 unemployed graduates selected in the first batch of the Buhari administration’s plan to hire half a million Nigerians.”
Seemingly excited by the development, the office stated that the names of the selected 200,000 had been sent to state governments and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT who would deploy them to their specific programme assignments in various communities.
The names would also be published this week on the N-Power internet portal, while the participants would start receiving SMS messages informing them of their selection as from today.
The federal government therefore congratulated the successful candidates.
Four goals from super-striker Asisat Oshoala has set the right tone for the defence of the African Women Cup of Nations title.
Oshoala scored her first in the 40th minute in-between goals by Fransisca Ordega and Uchechi Sunday before following it up with a hat-trick in the 63rd, 68th and 77th minutes respectively.
Super Falcons in Cameroon
The Super Falcons went into the half-time break with a two goals advantage being courtesy of great team play and the pace of now top goal scorer of the competition Asisat Oshoala.
Nigeria now sits pretty at the top of Group B with a plus six goals advantage.
