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Operators of domestic and commercial wastes in Lagos State are already in court to stop the government from displacing them or replacing them with new operators through the guise of reform.
In a suit filed on their behalf at a Lagos High Court by Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, the PSP operators, urged the court to urgently uphold and protect their existing rights and benefits so that the government will not appoint new operators to replace them.
Listed as defendants in the suit are the Lagos State Government, the Attorney-General of Lagos State, Commissioner for the Environment, the proposed foreign operators and their local agents–namely Visionscape Group, Visionscape Santiation Solutions Limited, and ABC Sanitation Solutions Limited.
"If the government's resolutions are implemented to the letter, the regime of refuse heaps may soon return to the state," Adegboruwa, a human rights lawyer said.
In their 77 paragraph affidavit deposed to by Olabode Coker, the Chairman of the Association of Waste Managers, the operators stated that they had helped Lagos State to rid the state of refuse spanning several years of investments in human and material resources, which had also involved professional trainings and education.
The association, comprising over 350 PSP operators, asked the court to restrain any foreign operator, and their local agents, from taking over the collection, disposal and management of domestic solid waste in all areas of Lagos State.
"The operators claimed that Lagos State had encouraged them in the past to improve their operations through acquisition of modern trucks, for which many of them obtained loans from banks with huge interest rates and the consideration was to be using the resources generated from the waste operations to service the said loans, and they have built offices in various parts of Lagos State for the smooth administration of their operations," Adegboruwa maintained.
They also claimed to have been operating at a loss because of the refusal of Lagos State Government to enact a legislation that will facilitate the enforcement of collection of dues.
The PSP had contended in the suit that the location and dilapidated state of the dumpsites make the operations of waste disposal burdensome as trucks have to wait for hours in order to discharge waste, leading to congestion and the bad roads leading to the dumpsites have caused refuse trucks to break down very often, with huge costs of maintenance.
Meantime, the Lagos State Waste Management Authority, LAWMA, has said that waste generation within the state has increased to over 420, 000 monthly, representing 14, 000 metric tons daily.
Chairman of LAWMA, Olumuyiwa Adejokun and General Manager, Mr. Segun Adeniji, disclosed this recently, at the opening session of a 3-day training workshop for officials of the agency, themed: "Reformed Waste Management in Lagos State: The role of LAWMA," held at Lekki, Eti-Osa Local Government Area of the state.
The governor's directive, Adejokun, stressed was part of the planned reform to make the agency more efficient and effective saying, "Government does not have the huge funds required to manage waste in the state, this is why the governor has decided to embark on waste management reform."
He explained that the reform would see LAWMA being excluded from waste collection and concentrate on regulatory role of waste collection in the state.
The U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Stuart Symington, on Friday said America would not discriminate against any Nigerian on the basis of religion or on the new visa regime.
President Trump recently signed an executive order that banned citizens from seven countries from travelling into the U.S. for 90 days.
The countries are Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
The restrictions were part of wide-ranging immigration controls that also suspended refugee arrivals.
At a press conference in Abuja on President Donald Trump's executive order and its effects on Nigeria, the ambassador dispelled the rumour of reducing U.S. visa policy for Nigeria to one year.
Symington said that the two-year visa for Nigeria was still valid.
"The new order now is for the U.S. government to cross-check as many that are coming into the U.S. before issuing visas.
"We will not discriminate on the basis of religion in issuing visas to Nigerians. The two-year visa is still valid contrary to reports we have heard in the media.
"Nigeria's leadership role is crucial in the world and Nigeria cannot be blacklisted. The importance of Nigeria in the world is legal," he said.
The envoy explained that Nigerians, particularly its Muslim community, would not be discriminated against by the order.
He said that the aim of the executive order was not to be used as a weapon to deliberately deny anyone visa into the U.S.
The ambassador explained that the executive order was designed to put in place a new and effective system.
He said that the new system would ensure that people, who genuinely wanted to visit, live or work in the U.S., could do so and stop any that posed a threat from entering into the country.
On the issue of the U.S. closing its doors against countries that were in crisis and refugees, Symington said that his country was not shutting its doors but putting in place measures to ensure safety for all.
"We recognise that we are a nation of immigrants and a nation constantly seeking to bring diverse people together.
"Our goal is to have in place a process that works. For everyone that applies for a visa, we should be able to find out the persons background as to where he has been before.
"The idea is to ensure that when we open the door to our house, people are going in to do good deeds, not to do harm," he said.
The Head of Consular Affairs, U.S. Embassy, Abuja, Mr Megan Moore also gave assurance that the executive order would not affect the validity of visas issued to Nigerians, saying that the only thing that had changed "is the renewal period''.
The Consular Chief said that though the U.S. visa policy was based on reciprocity, Nigerians would not be discriminated against.
"It is important to note that there is not going to be any changes for Nigerians who have a valid U.S. visa.
"The U.S. Government issues multiple-entry two-year visa to Nigerians. The rumour that we are planning to change that to one year is not true.
"The main difference for Nigerians will be; you can use the DHL Drop box renewal programme if your visa has expired within 12 months.
"But if it expired more than 12 months ago, then you will need to schedule an appointment for interview.
"Our goal is to ensure that Nigerians are able to travel to U. S. so that they continue to participate in the fabrics of our lives," Moore said.
Waste management in Lagos State is currently facing a tougher time following the planned introduction of major reform into the sector by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.
Lagos state government is making moves to rescue the state from the inefficiency of the Private Sector Participation, PSP, operators through the launch of 'Cleaner Lagos Initiative'.
Lagos waste generation which was between 9,000 to 10,000 metric tons of waste per day has recently, risen to between 13,000 to 14,000 per day.
Commissioner for the Environment in the state, Dr. Samuel Adejare, while announcing the development, said besides creating the enabling environment for the private sector to harness international best practices, the Cleaner Lagos Initiative is likewise concerned with addressing the existing challenges in solid waste management in the state.
Under the proposed reform, government will carry out a re-certification of all the 350 PSP operators, re-license them and audit the state of their compactors.
Government will also transform the existing Transfer Loading Station (TLS) and introduce about 25 Material Revolving Facility (MRF) where wastes will be sorted, 600 new compactor vehicles will be acquired, and waste dumpsites will be closed and replaced with engineered sanitary landfill sites.
The reform will include; Establishment of five new power stations – one in each division in the state, which will be built to generate power from wastes, and closure of the Olusosun at Ojota, Kosofe Local Government area, and Solus, Igando, old Alimosho LGA, dumpsites next year.
Supermodel Karlie Kloss, WNBA All-Star Candace Parker and Fitness Influencer Hannah Bronfman Prove Creativity is the Difference Maker in the New Film Series Portland, Ore., February 1, 2017
Adidas has unveiled a global campaign underlining the brand's aggressive pursuit for creativity to push the boundaries of sport.
The new campaign, titled "Unleash Your Creativity," is told through a female athlete's lens and stars supermodel Karlie Kloss, fitness influencer Hannah Bronfman, fitness instructor and bestselling author Robin Arzon, WNBA All-Star Candace Parker and USWNT soccer star Becky Sauerbrunn, among others.
"Like this campaign, creativity enables me to accomplish more and follow my passions. It is inspiring to work alongside this incredible group of women and help each other achieve our personal goals,” said Karlie Kloss.
Adidas creative challenge
"Unleash Your Creativity" builds upon the brand's belief that hard work only gets you so far. The campaign includes a multi-athlete TV spot and short film series that brings to life authentic stories of 15 female athletes around the globe who use creativity to defy conventions, reinvent routine, create their own path and inspire others to make a difference in sport.
Karlie Kloss' film highlights how she uses her imagination to make a difference in the world while Candace Parker shows how she uses creativity to shape her style of play and elevate her game. Dancer and fitness influencer Ally Love inspires women to unleash their own creativity daily from her motivational spin classes to charging up an arena as host of the Brooklyn Nets.
Ruqsana Begum is a British and European Kick-Boxing champion who blazed a trail for Muslim women to access sport. Running coach Jessie Zapo found a way to open her sport to a new generation of runners.
Adidas creative challenge
USWNT Captain Becky Sauerbrunn uses her creativity in soccer to challenge her opponents on the field and win championships. "Hard work is a given. We believe that athletes who tap into their creativity have a powerful edge," said Lia Stierwalt, Senior Director of Global Brand Communications at Adidas.
"This new film series continues the 'Here to Create' conversation that we began in 2016 reinforcing the brand's point of view that engaging an athlete's imagination to unleash their creativity will take them further than their mind or body ever could."
"Unleash Your Creativity" debuted online today and will air globally in more than 20 countries during key moments including the Super Bowl LI Pre-Game Show, NBA All-Star Game, and The Academy Awards.
Follow the "Here to Create" conversation via #heretocreate on @adidas Twitter, Instagram and Facebook channels and view all films in the series via www.youtube.com/adidas, www.adidas.com/heretocreate.
About Adidas
Adidas is a global designer and developer of athletic and lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories with the mission to be the best sports brand in the world.
As an innovation and design leader, Adidas engineers the best in high-performance products to make athletes better, faster and stronger and creates a range of classic and fresh lifestyle and high-fashion lines. Visit adidas.com for more information.
A UK charity foundation, The Foyer Federation, has appointed a Nigerian, Tokunbo Ajasa-Oluwa as its Chief Executive Officer.
Tokunbo who was formerly the Head of Innovation at Bauer Academy, was placed with the responsibility of developing new programming opportunities and building strong senior client relationships. Prior to being the Head of Innovation at Bauer Academy, Tokunbo was Founder and Managing Director of Catch 22 Magazine CIC, a social enterprise saddled with the duty of training young diverse media talent to become multimedia communicators and content providers, and He was also Head of GoThinkBig, a national award winning social action initiative. The young man has a lot of achievements tied to his name.
Tokunbo Ajasa
Andrew Croft, chair of The Foyer Federation said, "…Tokunbo has the confidence, enthusiasm and drive to build on The Foyer Federation's recent achievements and our current business strategy…"
"Its clear that Tokunbo brings a commitment to innovation and a passion for developing transformative opportunities for young people across the Foyer network and beyond."
On his appointment, Tokunbo commented on how excited he is about joining The Foyer Federation because it is a charity that has innovation at its heart, challenges the status quo and side steps negative stereotypes that young people face every day.
He will join The Foyer Federation officially this February 2017.
The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), says it has mobilised no fewer than 15,000 Nigerian youths to welcome President Muhammadu Buhari at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja, from vacation.
The President proceeded on a 10-day vacation in London on Jan. 23 and is expected to return to Nigeria on Feb. 6, 2017.
Malam Gambo Jagindi, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President of NYCN, Murtala Gamji, made the disclosure in a statement made available to newsmen on Friday in Abuja.
Jagindi said that time had come for Nigerian youths, who are the future leaders of the country to show love, solidarity and support for the President, who is their current leader.
" The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has concluded arrangements to mobilise not less than 15,000 of its members to be at Abuja airport on Feb. 6, to welcome President Buhari from vacation.
"It is on record that integrity, discipline and honesty are gradually returning to our public life unlike in the past when impunity was the order of the day,'' the spokesman said.
He berated those spreading rumours of death about the President.
He said: "we all know that they do not have the interest of our country at heart and are only wishing to carry on with the looting of our treasury in the absence of our president.''
Jagindi said that Buhari's assignment for Nigeria was not yet over, adding that only God could determine who lived or died.
He commended the president's efforts to rid the country of what he termed, "undesirable elements'' who did not mean well for Nigeria and Nigerians.
He urged Buhari to continue with the good work as the youths of Nigeria were solidly behind him.
He noted that in spite of the "corrupt mafias'' working to undermine the anti-corruption war, Nigerian youths under NYCN would continue to support Buhari's laudable programmes.
Six Australian archbishops will be questioned by the country's powerful royal commission as part of an investigation into widespread sexual abuse of children in Catholic churches and institutions, the commission announced on Friday.
The public hearing will begin in Sydney on Monday as part of the four-year-long inquiry into the handling of abuse cases, some as old as 70 years.
The hearing seeks to find out what churches are doing now to protect children.
Six of Australia's seven archbishops will appear in the three-week-long hearing.
One of them has already been charged with concealing information about child sexual abuse by a paedophile priest in 1971.
He has pleaded not guilty.
Bishops and leaders of other church orders, like Christian Brothers, Jesuits, as well as education officials and experts, will also give evidence at the hearing.
The commission will also release statistics on child sexual abuse by the clergy, the first such data to be released, including details of the complaints, and how or if they were dealt with.
Some of the Catholic leaders are so wary about the fallout they have issued messages warning parishioners about the inquiry.
Archbishop of Brisbane Mark Coleridge, one of those being questioned, said in a video message to be played in more than 200 diocese on Saturday that there would be "grim moments and some shocks."
"We have to shift the culture and that's a far more difficult thing to do," he said.
"It will reveal a horrific picture of the extent of the claims of abuse by priests and brothers whose responsibility was to protect and care for children," Francis Sullivan, the chief executive of the Truth Justice and Healing Council, said in an email statement.
"It is absolutely important this information is made public.
"It is part of being transparent and ensuring the complete story is told."
Little children acting the role of the father and mother is a very common game, especially where you have a couple of them growing up together in same vicinity. The older kids play the role of parents while the younger ones play the role of the children. They all try to re-enact as much as possible, what they observe in their different family settings.
While the 'father' goes to work, the 'mother' often stays back at home to take care of the house chores as well as prepare meals for the 'family'. The meal, mainly made of sand is served on pieces of paper for plates and everyone touches the sand to their chins to eat. What happens after this depends on what time of day is being acted out and what kind of environment the play is being staged, secluded or open.
Usually, the house consists of two main rooms. They may be virtual or real, again, depending on the environment. The real rooms are usually divided with the wrappers of someone's mother as curtains. The 'children' sleep on one side of the divide while the 'parents' sleep on the other.
Now, what takes place in 'father' and 'mother's room depend largely on the intelligence, exposure or awareness and smartness of the two actors. Many young people experienced their first kisses and more behind these curtains.
While visiting a dear close friend at her home, a couple of years ago, we were forced to sit on the terrace to gist and play catch up, because the PHCN had decided to do what it knows best to do. Her last child, a four year old boy also had a visitor, a little girl from their compound who had come over to play.
As we discussed, we could hear their voices and laughter from where we were until everything became quiet suddenly. Perhaps acting on instinct or just motherly intuition, my friend asked for permission to go and check on them. Then, I heard her calling out to me frantically to come and see something. I rushed in to find the two children standing just feet apart from each other, both with funny looks on their faces.
"What happened", I asked my friend. "Can't you see what is happening here" she said, pointing to the children and winking downwards to the direction she wanted me to look at. I quickly scrutinized the scene and concluded that something bad had been interrupted here. My friend began laughing very hard, pointing to her son's now extremely shrunken penis and the little girl who clutched on to her knickers in her hand as if her life depended on it.
As my friend kept asking her son what happened and who took off his shorts, he just kept looking straight while pointing his forefinger at the girl. Initially, I did not quite understand what was happening but when it finally clicked, I did not understand why my friend was laughing and praising her four year old son for being such a fast Houdini. I found nothing funny about it.
One major mistake parents of the boy child make is to erroneously believe in the alpha male syndrome. Such parents believe that they have no problems since their boys can never get pregnant from their sexual escapades, neither will they be frowned at or socially stigmatized as loose and bad boys. So when incidents such as this happens, they take a stand-offish posture, leaving the girl and her parents to take the fall, just as my friend was doing.
My Miss-do-good attitude took over and I just had to let my friend see things from another perspective. A little girl already engaging in the "Cowgirl position" with her male friend could not have conjured this all by herself. She must have either seen her parents having sex or someone else had been teaching her these moves secretly.
This meant that she was either being abused or exposed to such by an adult. My second position was that, should an adult be involved in this unfortunate incident, then the poor girl might have been exposed to STDs, including HIV/AIDS. In that case too, her son was also in serious danger, I told my friend. "God forbid", she cried, "it is not my portion".
But it can be, I insisted, so it was important that the little girl's parents be informed so that they could conduct a thorough investigation. If this problem was not seriously addressed, there is no telling what could become of the girl as she grows older. By the time I was done, we were heading to the little girl's flat. What we uncovered at the end of the day, is a story for another day.
While the girl child may remain the endangered specie all of her lifetime, the boy child will remain the sound board for whatever falls out of any unwholesome alliance between the sexes. And then, the beat goes on. That is why sex education for young people is compulsory, rather than necessary. Both sexes must be well grounded if we intend to do a good job for both society and humanity.
When Lizzy returned from a business trip to Abuja and was informed that her seven year old niece who was spending the holidays with them had been caught under the sheets with her five year old son, she almost whipped him into a pulp. She said, "I can't remember for how long or how many times I whipped him with the belt as I had lost control of myself.
My house help and younger sister had to hold me and retrieved the belt. As I was whipping him, I was crying at the same time. I was afraid that a little mistake could ruin his life and ultimately ours too. I did not touch my niece at all. I simply called her mother, who is my sister to come and remove her from my house before I killed her. I was alarmed when our mother tried to play the matter off lightly, insisting it was just a game and that most children engage in it.
She insisted it was nothing to be scared about and that I was taking things too seriously". On investigation, they discovered that a teenage boy in their compound had been abusing her and giving her money, biscuits and sweets for her cooperation. My sister wanted to call in the Police but my mother again prevailed on her, arguing that she will only bring herself to ridicule in the neighbourhood. That was how the matter died, but it was how the issue of anyone spending their holidays in my house also died", she told me during a conversation.
Sex education that works starts early, before young people reach puberty, and before they have developed established patterns of behaviour. The precise age at which information should be provided depends on the physical, emotional and intellectual development of the young people as well as their level of understanding. What is covered and also how, depends on who is providing the sex education, when they are providing it, and in what context, as well as what the individual young person wants to know or needs to know about.
It is important for sex education to begin at a young age and also that it is sustained. Despite recent increased awareness, many parents still find it difficult or think it is inappropriate to discuss sex with their children. I have seen parents who prevent their children from watching even kissing scenes on the Television rather than take time to explain what it means to them and why they are not to engage in any forms of sexual intimacy with the opposite sex.
We often forget that these children have access to the television and many other media channels when our backs are turned. Giving young people basic information from an early age provides the foundation on which more complex knowledge is built up over time. For example, when they are very young, such as in the case above, children can be informed about how people grow and change over time, and how babies become children and then adults, and this provides the basis on which they understand more detailed information about puberty provided in the pre-teenage years.
They can also when they are young, be provided with information about viruses and germs that attack the body. This provides the basis for talking to them later about infections that can be caught through sexual contact.
Indeed, many are against the teaching of sex education to young people. They are concerned that providing information about sex and sexuality arouses curiosity and can lead to sexual experimentation. However, in a review of 48 studies of comprehensive sex and STD/HIV education programmes in some selected US schools, there was found to be strong evidence that such programmes really did not increase sexual activity. Rather, some of them reduced sexual activity, or increased rates of condom use or other contraceptives, or both. It is important to remember that young people can store up information provided at any time, for a time when they need it later on.
So, when must we start? This is a question often asked by many parents I interact with. Sometimes it can be difficult for adults to know when to raise issues, but the important thing is to maintain an open relationship with children which provides them with opportunities to ask questions when they have them. Parents and caregivers can also be proactive and engage young people in discussions about sex, sexuality and relationships.
Naturally, many parents and their children feel embarrassed to talk about some aspects of sex and sexuality. Viewing sex education as an on-going conversation about values, attitudes and issues as well as providing facts can be helpful. The best basis to proceed is a sound relationship in which a young person feels able to ask a question or raise an issue if they feel they need to.
Research has shown that in counties like The Netherlands, where families regard it as an important responsibility to talk openly with children about sex and sexuality, this contributes to greater cultural openness about sex, sexuality and improved sexual health among young people.
The role of many parents and caregivers as sex educators changes as young people get older and are provided with more opportunities to receive formal sex education through schools and community settings. However, it does not get any less important. Because sex education in school tends to take place in small time-blocks and can't always address issues relevant to young people at a particular time, parents can therefore fulfill a particularly important role in providing information and opportunities to discuss things as they arise.
A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Youth Health and Social Reforms (YOHESOR), has called for the introduction of improved anti-corruption content and life building skills in the nation's school's curriculum.
The group's National Coordinator, Dr. Ijeoma Arodiogbu in a statement in Abuja said that YOHESOR is collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Education and other stakeholders on anti-corruption campaign in schools through The Value Project.
He said the programme would be hinged on Picture Code, Curriculum Enrichment and Peer Education to drive home the anti-corruption message among students.
According to Arodiogbu "though the picture code may not cover all facets of corrupt practices and habits but it would try to capture the very relevant ones that are quite common among students and adults in the school environment and public office respectively were captured."
He noted that the advocacy on curriculum enrichment is concerned with enhancing the basic and secondary education sectors to impact highest level of morals and ethics in students to bring the desired social and economic re-engineering.
"The YOHESOR-NGO is advocating for curriculum enrichment with adapted life building skills and anti-corruption education content and subject matter that will ensure skills on the learners," parts of the statement read.
In view of this, Arodiogbu said the NGO said it has reached out to the Nigerian Educational Research Development Council (NERDC) and initiated the dialogue for curriculum enrichment towards the anti-corruption education campaign.
On the concept of peer education, Arodiogbu said through the Value Project, selected individuals would be trained as peer educators who will in turn serve as anti-corruption champions that would influence their immediate communities, adding that the NGO would collaborate with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) to implement the strategy.
"The implementation of the Peer Education strategy will be anchored on partnership with UBEC, and possibly the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) where the need arises for integration of corps members in the training and mentoring of students peer educators at school level," he added.
Recall that the Value project is one of the three programmes that the Federal Ministry of Education is collaborating with NGOs, traditional institutions and other stakeholders to inculcate moral and ethical norms and standards among students.
The other two projects include the Case project aimed at the creation of enabling environment for productive and purposeful learning in tertiary institutions, and the professionalization of teaching, that will enhance value, quality, career progression among teachers.
Lagos – The Naira on Friday depreciated further to N500 to a dollar at the parallel market after it had remained stable for nearly three weeks, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
The Pound Sterling and the Euro traded at N616 and N530 respectively at the open market. The Nigerian currency, however, remained stable at the Bureau De Change (BDC) segment of the market exchanging at N399 to a dollar, while the Pound Sterling and the Euro closed at N617 and N527, respectively.
The Naira also remained stable at the interbank window exchanging at N305.25 to a dollar. Traders at the market said that the scarcity of the greenback was far from being over.
In spite of the weekly sale of forex to BDCs by the apex bank, the Naira could not resist the temptation to fall.
University of Lagos Alumni Association will on Sunday raise N150 million scholarship fund for indigent but brilliant students of the institution who are having challenge of continuing their education at the university.
Lagos State branch chairman of the association Dr Lukumon Adelaide who announced this during a briefing held at UNILAG, stated that the Lagos branch has began a week-long activities which will be climaxed with a general meeting and a get-together of all Alumni members resident in Lagos this Sunday. He said: “The governor of Lagos state, Akinwunmi Ambode, an Alumnus of Unilag, together with notable commissioners who are also Alumni are expected to grace the occasion.”
Speaking to journalists, Dr Adeoti, an Associate Professor from the Department of Geosciences, Unilag said the association would commence with 20 students first, who would be eligible to N150,000 per session regardless of their programmes, and all through theirstay in the university.
Adeoti said the project which is in collaboration with the university's authority, would see the amount take care of tuition, accommodation, feeding and other expenses while pointing out the Association will liaise with the Heads of Department and the Students' affairs Department in the selection of the students and disbursement of the fund..
He explained that the association prioritises the academic success of indigent students to enable them concentrate, and complete their studies. He acknowledged how painful it is to some brilliant students end up not fulfilling their desire to get education because of financial inabilities.
Further Adeoti said the association would extend hand of collaborations with individuals and corporate bodies in this drive and appealed to individuals and corporate bodies to participate in this laudable humanitarian gesture.
The week has been packed with activities for the Lagos state Branch of Unilag Alumni week, A walk show and health lecture on 'Executive stress management" was held on the 2nd of February, Jumaa't prayer was held yesterday Friday while today is sports day to test members fitness.
Tomorrow Sunday 5th of February 2017 marks the end of the Alumni week with an Award of Excellence which will be given to distinguished members and friends of the Alumni. Adeoti said the award session would see the Lagos State Governor AkinwunmiAmbode lead other friends of the institution who have 'contributed significantly' to the development of the university, education and the country at large
Abeokuta – Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has described those peddling the rumuored death of President Muhammadu Buhari as wicked, callous and treacherous.Obasanjo
Obasanjo stated this in a release issued by his Media Aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, in Abeokuta on Friday, adding that instead of embarking on such “worrisome” wishes, they should rather engage in marathon prayers from him.
He said, what the President need “are our prayers and best wishes, which will ginger his morale to come back more stronger and better.”
Obasanjo who cautioned against politicization of every situation in the country, recalled that he has also been a victim of such rumoured death while in office as the President, declaring, “no normal human being will wish an elderly person dead irrespective of their differences.
“If you don’t like him, wait for another election, not going about to say he is dead. No matter his health situation, we should pray for him to recover quick and come back more stronger and better. For anyone wishing him dead, such person or group of persons are callous, wicked and treacherous.
“I was also rumoured to have died almost 12 times. I don’t know what they derive from doing so, but, they should seek for forgiveness.
“Even if we know that the President is sick, he is in a better position to know what to say or what to do and not wishing him dead. We should just stop politicizing everything, especially with the elderly in the country.”
A section of the social media had claimed that President Buhari had died in London, UK following his illness last week.
The President who had travelled to London on a 10-day vacation is expected back in the country next week.
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, says the country is under siege of disinformation and fake news that can bring the country on her knees if not checked.
The minister stated this on Friday in Abuja when he paid a working visit to the headquarters of DAAR Communication Plc, owners of African Independent Television (AIT) and Raypower FM.
Mohammed said that the dangerous trend of disinformation and fake news championed by social media and which the traditional media are "unfortunately feeding on, could tear the fabric of society, if not checked.
"There was a time when the spoken and the written words were not challenged or questioned, but today it is not so.
Lai Mohammed
"About 50 per cent of what we read in the social media is not true but unfortunately even when it is not credible, it goes viral and people believe the fake stories.
"My greatest problem and worry is with the traditional media, which are latching on the same fake news and disinformation.
"I am worried because it affects the credibility of the media itself and once the media is no longer believed by the people, then it has serious consequences on the society,'' he said.
The minister recalled the recent disinformation on President Muhammadu Buhari who is on vacation but fabricated news on his death and health went viral.
"What happened last week is quite worrisome as Mr President left for vacation.
"Within 12 hours of leaving the country, news that he has died went viral, later it changed to that he was critically ill.
"This actually heated the polity and even the rebuttal of the spokespersons to the President and myself, did little to dampen the rumour,'' he said.
He appealed to traditional media not to join force with the purveyors of fake news but ensure that the unity and security of the country become paramount consideration when weighing what news to send out.
The Executive Chairman of DAAR Communication, Raymond Dokpesi Jnr. said the issue raised by the minister was very pertinent to media and journalism generally.
"The emergence of fake news driven primarily by social media is indeed a global phenomenon,
"It behoves on us the traditional media to reaffirm our commitment to the highest ethic and standard of journalism, to investigate and fact-check stories before we go to press."
He said AIT and Raypower, over the years have been absolutely committed to the highest standard of journalism.
Dokpesi said they had been looking forward to the minister's visit.
"You are our own minister. After the whole cycle of electioneering, there must be the need to build bridges and move from political mood to governance mood,'' he said..
Speaking in same vein, the company's Group Managing Director, Tony Akiotu, said DAAR Communication shared the passion for the survival of the Nigerian project.
A Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday sentenced three drug traffickers to five years imprisonment each for drug trafficking. The convicts are: Bukola Adeoye, 24; Muyideen Ipumafayi, 35; and Alani Babaraji, 30.
They were arraigned by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on three separate charges of one count each bordering on drug trafficking. Adeoye was first arraigned on March 6, 2013, before Justice John Tsoho and had pleaded not guilty to the charges, while trial had commenced.
Tsoho was transferred from the Lagos division of the court, while, Justice Mojisola Olatoregun, assumed sitting as the new trial judge. On Feb. 1, this year Adeoye opted to change her plea from not guilty to guilty. She was re-arraigned and remanded in custody while the court adjourned for review of the facts.
The prosecutor said she was arrested at Ejigbo in Lagos with about 12.15 kg of cannabis sativa which she trafficked. Ipumafayi was arrested on Dec. 7, 2016 along the Lagos Ibadan expressway, for transporting about 10.4 kg of hemp. He was arraigned on Jan. 26, this year and pleaded guilty to the charges while the court adjourned for review of the facts.
Babaraji was arrested on Nov. 29, 2016 in an uncompleted building at Ijegun area of Lagos for dealing in 1.1kg of Cannabis. He was arraigned on Jan. 26 this year and had also pleaded guilty, while the court adjourned for review of the facts.
At the resumed hearing of the case on Friday, the prosecutor, Mr Jeremiah Aernan reviewed the facts and tendered several evidences before the court to establish his case against the convicts.
He tendered statement made by the convicts, a request for scientific aid form, as well as bulk of exhibits which were all admitted by the court. Delivering her judgment, Justice Olatoregun found the convicts guilty of the offences as charged.
She accordingly, sentenced Adeola, Ipumafayi and Babaraji to a term of five years imprisonment each on the offences, saying the sentence would run from the date of judgment. The judge however, gave the convicts an option to pay N5 million fine in lieu of sentence.
Over 1,500 members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Radda town, Charanchi Local Government Area of Katsina State, on Friday defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The defectors moved to the PDP with their leader, Alhaji Mustapha Radda, APC youth mobilisation officer in the state from 2010 to 2016.
Receiving the defectors, the PDP state chairman, Alhaji Salisu Majigiri, said the party had constituted reception committee to receive defectors to the party.
APC-PDP
"The committee is mandated to receive all the people who defected to our party from other parties.
"We shall treat all those who defected to our party equally without any form of discrimination.
"Just this week, we received Alhaji Umar Tata APGA governorship candidate in the 2015 election to our party together with his supporters.
"We are ready to provide level playing ground to old and new members during future elections and there will be no imposition of candidates this time around," Majigiri said.
In his remarks, Radda, the leader of the defectors, said he decided to dump the APC for the PDP to rescue his people from alleged maltreatment.
"We have done a lot for the APC, but today my people especially the youths that I mobilised have nothing to show for it.
"We did not benefit from the APC poverty alleviation programme meant to rescue women and youths from poverty; we have presented several requests to those that matter but we were rejected,'' Radda said.
Also speaking, Tata the former APGA governorship candidate said the defectors were prepared for the restructuring of the PDP for effective service delivery.
He said that the leadership of the PDP had promised to assist the youths with capital to establish their business.
President Donald Trump said Friday that the United States must “get smart” after a machete-wielding man attacked security forces at the Louvre museum in Paris while yelling “Allahu akbar” (“God is greatest”).US President Donald Trump
Trump said the attacker was a “radical Islamic terrorist,” using a term he has used previously to describe such attackers.
“A new radical Islamic terrorist has just attacked in Louvre Museum in Paris. Tourists were locked down. France on edge again. GET SMART U.S.,” Trump wrote on Twitter.
In a briefing earlier this week, a senior US administration official defended the temporary US travel ban on refugees and other travelers from seven predominantly Muslim countries by saying America was trying to avoid the security situation in France and other European countries.
“The reality, though, is that the situation that exists today in parts of France, in parts of Germany, in Belgium, et cetera, is not a situation we want replicated inside the United States,” the official said, warning against a “large and permanent domestic terror threat.”
“We don’t want a situation where, 20 to 30 years from now, it’s just like a given thing that on a fairly regular basis there is domestic terror strikes, stores are shut up or that airports have explosive devices planted, or people are mowed down in the street by cars and automobiles and things of that nature,” the official added.
Police held hundreds of tourists in secure areas of the renowned museum in central Paris after the assailant was shot five times around 10:00 am (0900 GMT) in a public area inside the Louvre complex.
The attacker is in a serious condition, while one soldier received a “minor” head wound and has been taken to hospital, security forces said.
Two backpacks carried by the assailant were checked by bomb disposal specialists at the scene and were found not to contain explosives.
The incident sparked fresh jitters in a country still reeling from a string of terror attacks over the last two years and under a state of emergency since November 2015.
Despite the current economic decline in Nigeria, famed Nollywood actress and movie producer, Maryam Charles said the entertainment industry is not in any way feeling the heat of economic recession.
The beautiful screen goddess who is gearing up for the premiere of her recent movie, 'Madam Caitlyn' told the press if the federal government can focus on the entertainment industry, the sector may be used as a vehicle to drive Nigeria out of the economic tension the country is experiencing.
According to Maryam, "based on available facts, the entertainment industry isn't affected by recession. The entertainment contributed immensely into the economy in 2016, and expected to gross N16bn in 2017.
Maryam Charles
Nollywood is the biggest movie industry in Africa, in terms of value and amount of movies produced per year, we are also the second largest film industry in the world in number of annual film productions estimated to be worth over $800 Million, now tell me is there any sign of economic recession here?
Obviously, the industry that is not affected by recession, can also be a vehicle that will drive Nigeria out of the economic recession if the government decides to tap into it and utilize all opportunities very well."
She, however, concurred that entertainers are affected by the economic challenges. "As entertainers, I can say, we are feeling the heat of recession to some extent, but, we are all coping and we are optimistic that before the end of 2017 our economy will shine again."
'Madam Caitlyn' starring Maryam Charles, Rachel Oniga, Moyo Lawal, Deyemi Okanlawon, Bolanle Ninolowo and more is expected to premiere in February 2017.
Social media have led to “strange practices” such as the use of “fingertips instead of minds” to think, a Saudi religious leader said Friday in the Islamic kingdom where online platforms are used widely.
“The nature of social media has given rise to strange practices contradicting morals, customs and norms,” Sheikh Saud al-Shiraim said during weekly prayers at Mecca’s Grand Mosque, the official Saudi Press Agency reported.
“People are using their fingertips to think instead of their minds and tongues,” he said, adding that the ease of online communication has detracted from the “grandeur and importance” of the spoken word.
“This has removed a lot of the reservations or barriers of the spoken word that would normally not be uttered in front of people,” he said.
Saudi Arabia is founded on ultra-conservative Wahhabi thought but more than half of its citizens are under 25, spending much of their time on social media platforms such as Twitter, away from official strictures and traditions of the Muslim kingdom.
The country bans alcohol, public cinemas and theatres, and men and women not from the same family are segregated in public.
But there are pressures for social change.
As part of wide-ranging social and economic reforms to diversify the country’s oil-dependent economy, a new entertainment authority has begun to slowly introduce foreign shows, music and other events seen by limited audiences.
Saudi Arabia’s highest-ranking cleric, Grand Mufti Abdulaziz al-Sheikh, warned in early January of the “depravity” of cinemas and music concerts, saying they corrupted morals.
French police raided a building in central Paris on Friday as part of the probe into a thwarted attack by a machete-wielding man at the Louvre, a source in the inquiry said.
Investigators entered a building near the Champs-Elysees avenue, the source said, after the assault in which the attacker was shot and wounded by a soldier patrolling outside the museum.
A French soldier patrolling at the Louvre museum shot and seriously injured a machete-wielding attacker on Friday, thrusting security and the terror threat back into the limelight three months before elections.
Police held hundreds of tourists in secure areas of the renowned tourist attraction after the assailant was shot five times around 10:00 am (0900 GMT) in a public area near one of the museum’s entrances.
The knifeman, who yelled “Allahu Akbar” (“God is greatest”), is in a serious condition. One soldier received a “minor” head wound and has been taken to hospital, security forces said.
Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said the incident, which will heap more misery on the city’s struggling tourism sector, was “terrorist in nature.”
It sparked fresh jitters and anger in a country still reeling from a string of terror attacks over the last two years and under a state of emergency since November 2015.
The economy, immigration and security are major issues for voters ahead of presidential and parliamentary elections which had been forecast to confirm the country’s shift right after five years of Socialist rule.
President Donald Trump tweeted that a “new radical Islamic terrorist has just attacked in Louvre Museum in Paris. Tourists were locked down. France on edge again. GET SMART US.”
– ‘Sad and shocking’ –
Witnesses described scenes of panic as shoppers, sightseers and workers fled the Louvre complex following the incident.
“We heard gunshots. We didn’t know what it was about. Then we evacuated the employees and we left,” a man who works in a nearby restaurant told AFP, asking not to be named.
A woman colleague said: “We saw death coming for us, with everything that’s happening at the moment. We were very, very scared.”
The lucrative Paris tourism industry has been a major casualty of the terror attacks, with visitors cancelling or shortening their stays.
Thousands of troops have been deployed to guard the capital, with groups of soldiers carrying automatic rifles a regular sight inside the Louvre and around its sculpture-filled gardens.
Security forces simulated an attack there in early December to rehearse for such an emergency.
“It’s so sad and shocking… we can’t let them win, it’s horrible,” British tourist Gillian Simms, who was visiting Paris with her daughters, told AFP on Friday.
Jessie McCaw, a 18-year-old from the US state of Montana, said that she had been evacuated but she appeared unfazed.
“I’m not worried because the police seem prepared in France, which is reassuring,” she said.
The huge former royal palace in the heart of the city is home to the Mona Lisa and other legendary artworks as well as shops and restaurants.
City police chief Michel Cadot told reporters that a man whose behaviour was “suspicious” had also been arrested following the attack.
– String of attacks –
The series of terror attacks in France began in January 2015 when jihadist gunmen rampaged through the Charlie Hebdo satirical newspaper and a Jewish supermarket, leaving 17 people dead in three days of bloodshed.
Ten months later, gunmen and suicide bombers from the Islamic State jihadist group attacked bars, restaurants, a concert hall and the national stadium in Paris on November 13, 2015, killing 130 people.
And last July, a Tunisian extremist rammed a lorry through crowds celebrating Bastille Day in Nice on France’s south coast, crushing 86 people to death.
In between, there have been other murders and security scares inspired by the violence of the Islamic State group, sometimes involving unstable assailants with mental health problems.
Security has been one of the themes of campaigning ahead of the presidential election in April and May, followed by a parliamentary election in June.
Rightwing candidate Francois Fillon, whose hardline on immigration and Islam had helped make him the presidential favourite, has been ensnared in a damaging parliamentary expenses scandal in the last week.
Anti-immigrant far-right leader Marine Le Pen is hoping for a boost from the furore and Trump’s election, while 39-year-old centrist independent Emmanuel Macron is also climbing in the polls.
Friday’s incident came on the very day that Paris was submitting its formal bid dossier to host the 2024 Summer Olympics.
The Louvre was already suffering from a fall in visitor numbers after the series of attacks in France.
Over the last two years, numbers have fallen by about two million, imperilling its claim to be the most visited museum in the world.
Last year, there was a 15-percent slump in visitors compared to 2015, to around 7.3 million.
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