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
By Dirisu Yakubu ABUJA – The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP as taken a swipe at the Information and Culture Minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed for fingering opposition parties as the mastermind of hate speeches currently threatening the unity of the Nigerian State.
In a press statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary, National Caretaker Committee of the PDP, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, the party expressed shock at the Minister’s outburst even as it described the statement as another lie from Alhaji Mohammed.
“The Leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is taken aback over the recent vituperation by the Honourable Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed in which he accused opposition in the Country as being responsible for hate speeches, disinformation and fake news. How convenient! This is another lie from Lai Mohamned!!
“Mr. Minister is invited to review his past speeches/statements as Spokesman of opposition ACN/APC and then he will agree with us that the APC leaders/members are the architects and sustainers of hate speeches in our dear Country, Nigeria,” the PDP scribe wrote in a statement.
Adeyeye further said the Minister ought not to forget easily that in the past, he similarly took on the ruling party while he was in the camp of the opposition.
“In case Lai Mohammed has forgotten, let us remind him and his Parties, the ACN & APC that in their desperate quest to grab power by all means, organized and carried out series of campaigns of calumny as opposition designed to mislead the public, discredit the person and Office of past PDP led administrations especially, that of the immediate past President, Dr. Goodluck E. Jonathan, GCFR in order to cause disaffection amongst Nigerians against his government.
“Alhaji Lai Mohammed as the Spokesman of ACN at a press conference in April 2013 raised a false alarm alleging that the Federal government of Nigeria under President Jonathan had awarded an oil pipeline protection contract to serve as a smokescreen in funding activities that would create chaos in the South-West region. Of course, it turned out that no such contract was ever awarded by the Jonathan Administration.
“Still in April 2013, the ACN Spokesman now Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed mischievously alleged that President Jonathan had issued a Presidential Directive targeted at witch-hunting the Former Governor of Lagos State and Leader of the ACN , Bola Tinubu in order to stop the Merger of the Party with other political parties. This also turned out to be a hoax,” the statement continued.
The PDP also added that apart from the Minister, other prominent members of the APC also made speeches capable of causing disharmony in the land prior to the 2015 polls.
” Also before the 2015 General Elections, the Chairman of APC, Chief John Oyegun in November 2014, vowed to form a parallel government if the elections were rigged. His statement was later re-echoed by the Presidential Campaign Director-General of the APC, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, and now Minister for Transport,” the statement noted, adding that “talk about distractions, intimidation, harassments and hate speeches defines the APC leaders and members.
“Let us not forget the Infamous inflammatory statements by General Muhammadu Buhari that caused wide spread violence and killings of Nigerians in the 2011 General Elections. The General repeated almost the same statement on the 14th of May 2012 in Kaduna State when some CPC members from Niger State paid him a visit.
He was quoted to have incited his supporters saying "…if what happened in 2011 should again happen in 2015, by the grace of God, the dog and the baboon would all be soaked in blood.'' Till date, President Muhammadu Buhari has neither refuted the statement nor offer any explanation for it. What could be more hateful than such a call for pogrom or mass murder of innocent Nigerians?
The list of such hateful and inciting speeches by the APC leaders and especially their erstwhile spokesman is endless. It was a period of one lie, one day. All in the desperate bid to grab power at all cost. Now that they have the power,they don’t know what to do with it,” wrote Adeyeye lamentably.
“Lai Mohammed and indeed any of the APC leaders for that matter are not in the position to teach any lessons on appropriate public speeches. They should first apologize to Nigerians for their serial lies, inciting and hate speeches with which our people were deceived into believing that they had something to offer. They should then undergo the serious ritual of self purgation without which there will be a constant relapse into their goebbellian tactics as we continue to witness. It is so ironic that those who haul mud at people do not ever want sand thrown at them. If you are not ready to take the heat you better leave the kitchen,” it stated.
The PDP further said the Minister was merely trying to compensate for the failure of government to deliver on promises made, urging Nigerians not to be deceived.
“Lai Mohammed’s statement must be seen for what it is: a desperate attempt to divert attention from his government’s woeful failures. When this government first assumed office we were inundated with daily sermons of how terribly the PDP had destroyed the Economy. Now that it appears that cliche is well worn out they must find so called hate speeches by the Opposition to blame for their woes.
“Our advice to the APC Government is that it should concentrate on doing the business of the people and to endeavour to speak the truth always. Lies can take you thus far but in the end it cannot be an alternative to the truth,” wrote Adeyeye.
Adebayo Faleti, the renowned Yoruba novelist, actor, broadcast Journalist, is dead.
Faleti passed on today at the ripe age of 86.
He died at the University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan, a city in which he had spent most of his life.
He is survived by three wives including Mrs. Moteniola and Olubunmi, his current wife and has about 15 children.
Pa Faleti was a Yoruba translator, TV exponent and a pioneer staff of the first television station in Africa, Western Nigeria Television, WNTV.
Adebayo Faleti: passes on at 86
He was responsible for translating Nigeria's anthem from English to Yoruba.
He also translated speeches made by the Military President of Nigeria, Ibrahim Babangida and Chief Ernest Shonekan, Head of National Interim Government of Nigeria, from English to Yoruba.
Faleti published a dictionary containing the formal or official use of Yoruba names. He received many awards, both locally and internationally, including the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger, OON, the Festival of Arts award with Eda Ko L'aropin and the Afro-Hollywood Award for Outstanding Performance in Arts.
Faleti, the first son of his father, late Joseph Faleti and the only child of his mother, Ayinke, was born in Agbo-Oye.
He was from a humble background. His primary education was put on hold because his father was so poor to send him to school.
In 1949, he founded a theatre group called Oyo Youth Operatic Society. After working for some time, he went back to school and completed his primary school education and in 1966, he gained admission to the University of Dakar in Senegal where he later obtained a Certificate of proficiency in French Language and Civilization.
Two years later, he graduated from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, with an honours degree in English. In 1971, he attended the Radio Netherlands Training Centre in Hilversum, the Netherlands, and received a certificate in Television Production.
The deceased is survived by three wives including Mrs. Moteniola and Olubunmi, his current wife and has about 15 children.
Pa Faleti was a pioneer staff of the first television station in Africa, Western Nigeria Television, WNTV.
The British Government has said that it is ready to invest in pipeline infrastructure, renewable energy, gas and power in the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry.
The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Paul Arkwright, said this while receiving the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs, of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr Ndu Ughamadu, in Abuja on Sunday.
Arkwright said that the government of Britain had genuine investment interest in the downstream, midstream and upstream sectors of the nation's oil and gas sector.
He said that the British Department for International Trade was ready to liaise with the Federal Government to invest in the country.
The High Commissioner also urged the Federal Government and the NNPC to organise a road show in London to create awareness on the possible investment opportunities available in the Nigerian oil and gas sector.
According to him, so many British investors have funds which they are willing to invest in the country.
He, however, said that the process of obtaining Nigerian visa in the United Kingdom was cumbersome with three different levels of visa procurement fees and Nigeria's postal order system.
Ughamadu, on behalf of the Group Managing Director of the Corporation, Dr Maikanti Baru, condoled with the British government over the recent terror attacks in the United Kingdom.
He commended the High Commissioner for the Commission's promptness in issuing visas to officials of the NNPC.
He said that the corporation would sustain the cordial relations with the UK.
A Lagos based economist and politician Prof. Pat Utomi has said that the immediate past Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan's legacy is a sad reflection of the awful chapter of the state history, while reacting to the comment of former governor, urging him (Utomi) to consider actualizing his political ambition by contesting for councillorship position so as to get basic facts on issues affecting governance in the state.
Utomi made this known in a statement yesterday in Asaba.
Pat Utomi
According to Utomi , I agree with the former Governor that our conversations of today should focus more on the future than the past, we must recognize that the damage done to Delta State by the mismanagement of its finances and resources still plagues the state as we speak.
'' My comments on optimal debt-to-revenue ratios is verifiable and those who have the ability to do the math are all over the place. It was a comment made to draw attention to and prevent the worsening of a problem that is still on-going; because in spite of the bailout funds from the Federal Government, and the huge windfall from the Paris loan refunds which now stands at over N24billion, the Delta State House of Assembly (DTHA) has approved over N18 billion as loans for the Okowa administration this year alone.
'' Deltans need to be aware and decry this type of heavy debt burden, especially as there are no commensurate development projects or programmes on ground to justify it and to aid repayment in future. Gov. Okowa was right to raise an alarm about the over N600 billion debt that he claimed to have inherited. He has however proceeded to increase this debt burden by over N60 billion of his own. This is only further mortgaging Delta state and the future of our children.
He said that Deltans will prefer that Uduaghan gives account for the IPP project he abandoned in Oghara that gulped over N20 billion under his administration with nothing to show seven years after, while noting that a good Councillor would have done much better for the people than Uduaghan did as Governor.
"There is extreme misuse of the opportunities available to Delta State" he added
…Security agencies already working to fish out those sponsoring Nnamdi Kanu and Biafra agitation – Al-Mustapha
The Prelate of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, Samuel Uche, on Sunday, prayed that the agitation for a sovereign state of Biafra will crumble in 2019.
Uche also said that selfish politicians are the ones sponsoring the Biafra agitation so that they will use such to gain political power and position especially in 2019.
The Prelate said this during a Thanksgiving service in Ibekwe, Ikot Abasi Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
Prelate of Methodist church, Samuel Uche
He however warned that any politician who sponsors others to kill people in order to occupy certain positions will not enjoy that office.
According to him, "All these campaigns that the Igbo must leave a section of the country or that Biafra must be, they are all sponsored by politicians who are looking for political power.
"Any politician who sponsor people to kill others so that they can enter political office, they will never enjoy that office.
"I pray that Biafra and all those agitations will crumble in 2019.
"I am not PDP, APC or APGA. I am for every Nigerian.
"Nigerians will reject bad leaders in 2019."
This is even as Former Chief Security Officer to the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha has said that those spending heavily on Nnamdi Kanu will be exposed soon.
According to him, "Any call to divide Nigeria is unacceptable. I have been playing a role to ensure a united Nigeria. I have been criss-crossing the North and the South-East, and to all parties concerned, soliciting for peace."
"I was recently in Owerri to sign a peace accord with some associations and the North. My understanding is that certain people are investing in these problems to promote themselves, but very soon the government would realize it."
"If Arewa youths had addressed IPOB as a group or their leader Nnamdi Kanu as an individual, it would have been a fair- deal, but asking millions of Igbo that reside in the North to quit is not acceptable by law and the provisions of our Constitution."
"We have spoken to the Northern Leaders Forum as well as Ralph Uwazuruike because Nnamdi Kanu was his boy, he brought him up to be in the Radio House in London."
"The people creating tension in Nigeria are behind Kanu. What he is doing may not necessarily be to create tension but those behind him are investing in the tension to divide us as a nation. But our security agencies are doing a lot to identity them. All I am after is the creation of a platform that is sincere and that caters for indigent Nigerians."
No fewer than 10 people died in an accident on the Ife-Ibadan express way on Sunday, newsmen report.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Osun, DSP Folashade Odoro, confirmed the incident in a statement in Osogbo.
Odoro said six females and four males lost their lives in the accident which occurred at 12 pm.
She also said that two males sustained serious injuries, adding that they were receiving treatment at Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital (OAUTHC), Ile-Ife,
Odoro said the accident involved a Toyota Hiace bus marked MUS 702 XZ and a Iveco Tanker with number plate YNF 327 XA.
The spokesperson said the bus was coming from Ore in Ondo State and heading to Ibadan before it rammed into a tanker attempting to make a U-turn on the expressway.
The tanker was said to be conveying petrol and the collision resulted in an explosion.
Odoro said that the corpses had been deposited at the morgue of OAUTHC for autopsy while efforts were ongoing to remove the vehicles from the scene of the accident.
The police spokesperson, who identified the bus driver as Najimu Akanni, added that the name of the tanker driver had yet to be ascertained.
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) on Sunday called on Nigerians to pray for the quick recovery of President Muhammadu Buhari instead of wishing him dead.
NANS President, Mr. Chinonso Obasi, in a statement in Abuja, said his conversation with the presidency on July 22 showed that Buhari was recuperating fast and would be back soon.
He said it was unfair to politicise the president's health.
"My telephone conversation with the presidency yesterday from London has given more hope that President Buhari will soon be back, alive and able to return to his presidential seat.
"In the course of conversation, I realised that Nigerians need more love to survive the machinations of the ungodly and ill-wishers.
"This is the time Nigerians have to be more patriotic than political as issues of national interest should be more paramount.
Buhari
"PMB is our father and deserves our goodwill and solidarity, if by any reason we're not comfortable with his absence due to medical vacation, let every Nigerian observe due process in their agitation.''
He said the president's health should be considered as a national frailty that would be overcome.
The NANS president appealed to all Nigerians and particularly those in positions of trust to be objective in carrying out any obligation assigned to them in national interest.
NANS President, Chinonso Obasi
According to him, individual players and stakeholders in the polity should thread with caution as the progress, unity and peace of our dear nation is non-negotiable.
Obasi said the demands of Nigerian Students were unveiled on July 19 at the commemoration his one year in office as the National President of NANS.
"We do hope the Government of PMB will find the mini compendium, our 'irreducible minimum' demand in the education sector most useful in addressing the ills in the sector for a functional education system in Nigeria.
"With our overwhelming membership strength of over 40.1million Nigerian students, ordinarily, we should be the highest agitators but we have chosen to be diplomatic, civil and patriotic.
"As our nation struggles through these trying times, we wish to send this as a signal to those disrupting the peace of Nigeria to remember that there is no other nation we have other than Nigeria -our fatherland,'' Obasi said in the statement.
The Federal Government says it will establish a Presidential Council for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to provide high-level policy guidance, leadership and direction for the realisation of SDG targets.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, Mrs Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, made this known at the ongoing United Nations High-Level Political Forum in New York, US.
A statement by her Media Assistant, Mr Desmond Utomwen, in Abuja on Sunday, said that the presidential aide presented Nigeria's Voluntary National Review on the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals at the forum.
Orelope-Adefulire said that the process for the establishment of the president council had been put in place.
She added that two standing committees on SDGs had been established in the Senate and the House of Representatives to enhance the legislative and oversight roles of the parliament in the scheme.
Orelope-Adefulire told the forum that Nigeria remained undeterred in making the required progress in achieving the laudable goals of SDGs.
She that the country would attain the height in spite of the challenges of an already ebbing recession, largely degraded crisis in the North-East, and resolution of militancy in the Niger Delta.
She revealed that some of Federal Government's ongoing pro-poor and pro-development interventions had made impacts in the fight against poverty, citing Social Investment Scheme targeted at the extremely poor and vulnerable among the interventions.
Others, according to the president's aide, are Home Grown School Feeding Programme for public school children, Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme for unemployed youths and Women Economic Empowerment programme.
She also listed the N-Power programme for job creation for the youths and the Conditional Grant Transfer Scheme as part of the Federal Government's efforts to ameliorate the condition of its citizenry.
"I wish to reaffirm that Nigeria has clearly defined her path to the 2030 Agenda.
"We count on the strong patriotism and goodwill of the citizenry, the commitment of the stakeholders as well as the support from the global fraternity of nations to ensure that no Nigerian is left behind,'' she said.
Orelope-Adefulire said Nigeria had increased awareness on global goals and put in place mechanisms for identifying and targeting the poor through a "National Social Register'' to ensure that "no one is left behind."
She called on Global North to fulfill its commitment on Official Development Assistance in line with Addis-Ababa Action Agenda to complement Nigeria's effort at expanding its revenue base.
The UN High-Level Political Forum offers an opportunity for knowledge exchange and sharing of best practices in the implementation of the new global development agenda among countries.
Photos allegedly shows many members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, at a police station in Rivers where they claimed they secured the release of three of their members who were arrested on Saturday by the police while they were returning from a venue where their leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu had visited earlier.
IPOB members storm Rivers police station, demand release of 3 arrested membersIPOB members storm Rivers police station, demand release of 3 arrested members
Lagos State, the former capital of Nigeria and commercial nerve centre of the country proudly displays multifaceted qualities and realities that distinguish her from other states in Nigeria. As a distinct political entity, Lagos boasts of unique landmarks from mainland to Island. What are the socio-cultural and political monuments that distinguish her; which areas of Lagos are they located and many other features? These are what the duo of Akeem Lasisi and Kabir Alabi Garba, both seasoned arts and culture journalists, captured in their new book titled Phenomenal Lagos: 50 Iconic Places in the Centre of Excellence.
The colourful and well packaged 120-page book documents landmarks of cultural, tourist and economic values in beautiful essays, photographs and poems on the selected iconic places. Though culture and tourism were the main focus, the selections cut across the political, historical and business landscapes in Lagos.
The book is segmented into nine chapters with the epilogue for easy understanding. In Chapter one, the authors examine the water bodies in Lagos, the Lagos lagoon and Atlantic ocean, its features and the things that made her the city of Aquatic Splendour.
Chapter two, tagged monuments provides an overview of 11 historical monuments that make Lagos unique, starting with the Idejo Statue, The three wise men that represent the white cap chiefs of Lagos, the National theatre, National Museum, first storey building in Lagos, Lord Lugard House, Awolowo museum, Rungbo forest and other iconic places in Lagos.
A list of ten recreation outposts that adorn the length and breadth of Lagos like the Eko Hotels, Akodo tourist centre, Whispering Palms, Freedom Park, Bar Beach, Museum centre, Tinubu square, Afrika shrine and other were captured in chapter three. Chapter four focuses on the infrastructure, where about eight striking structures that speak loud of the city were highlighted. They include, the Eko Atlantic city, Ayinke house, TBS, BRT deport, Third Mainland bridge, Murtala Mohammed International Airport, City hall etc.
Chapter five takes a look at some of the heritage sites like Eyo (Adannu Orisa Play), Iga Idunganram and Point of no Return and its importance to Lagos.
The great institutions and trade, commerce and others were discussed in chapters six and seven. Some of the institutions include UNILAG, Lagos house, Lagos high court, Idumota, Oshodi, Stock Exchange and others, while Epe fish market, Lagos ports, Computer village and many others make up the trade and commerce.
In chapter eight, the authors offered readers a glimpse of the history of a section of some popular areas in Lagos apart from the 50 iconic places: Mushin, Agege and Ogba amongst others. How some of the towns got their names and their meaning.
The places cover the five administrative divisions: Ikeja, Badagry, Ikorodu, Lagos Island and Epe (IBILE).
Finally, chapter nine tagged back of the book, shows four iconic places that every visitor in Lagos will like to visit. They include, Opebi/Allen area in Lagos, the location and its features. The Brazilian quarters, a legacy of the thousands of freed slaves that returned to Nigeria in the 19th century. The Ijede Warm Spring, one of the tourist attractions in Lagos, located in Ijede community in Ikorodu area of Lagos and finally, readers were introduced to wonders of the Omooba Yemisi Shyllon Arts Foundation, OYASAF beautiful garden in Maryland, home of over 6000 paintings, sculptors, drawings and installations owned by the founder, art collector and patron, Prince Yemisi Shyllon.
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted cloudy conditions over the Central States on Monday morning with prospects of scatter rain shower over Abuja, Ilorin, Minna and Bida.
NiMet's Weather Outlook issued by its Central Forecast Office (CFO), on Sunday in Abuja, also predicted thunderstorms over Makurdi, Lafia, Mambilla Plateau, Jalingo, Jos, Kaduna, Zaria and Abuja later in the day.
It added that the region would also experience day and night temperatures in the range of 22 to 30 and 15 to 23 degrees Celsius respectively.
The agency predicted that Southern states would experience morning rains over Ibadan, Abeokuta, Lagos, Akure, Enugu, Owerri, Onitsha, Calabar, Uyo, Portharcourt and Eket.
It also predicted localised thunderstorms over the inland areas of Osogbo, Akure, Ado Ekiti, Obudu, Awka, Onitsha, Benin, Enugu and Abakaliki in the afternoon and evening.
NiMet added that the coastal states were expected to have extended isolated rain during the period with day and night temperatures of 25 to 31 and 19 to 24 degrees Celsius respectively.
According to NiMet, northern states will experience cloudy morning with thunderstorms over Kano, Gusau, Katsina, Yelwa and Sokoto in the Afternoon and evening.
"The region will have day and night temperatures of 30 to 35 and 22 to 24 degrees Celsius respectively.
"The presence of moisture at lower levels is expected to enhance formation of weather activities across the whole country in the next 24 hours," NiMet also predicted.
Hundreds of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, members, Saturday, allegedly stormed a police station in Rivers state to demand the release of three of their members who were allegedly arrested by the police on Saturday while they were returning home after going to welcome their overall leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who visited the state earlier, said one of the members.
Some of the members who took to their Facebook pages to announce the development claimed their members were arrested along Oil pipeline road and taken to the Obigbo police station in Rivers.
IPOB members storm Rivers police station, demand release of 3 arrested members
"Yesterday IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu stormed Obigbo Rivers state. After he left, police arrested 3 IPOB members as they were going home along Oil pipeline road. This called for a massive protest that yesterday as IPOB members stormed police station and demanded for their release or they will sleep in front of the police station." "After long wait in front of the gate by IPOB members, The DPO came out and said that they were arrested because they put road blocks along the road. He released them afterwards. WE ARE 1 BIG & HAPPY FAMILY IPOB!," he wrote.
The Leader of the House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila on Sunday shed more light on why the house was opposed to the merging of Christian Religious Knowledge and Islamic Religious Studies in school curriculum.
Gbajabiamila (APC-Surulere I) told principals of public schools and parents in his constituency in Lagos that such a merger lacked basis in the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
He said at a Town Hall meeting with the principals and parents that merging the two subjects infringed on the students' right to choice.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Gbajabiamila also on the occasion distributed 500 free West African Senior School Certificate (WASSCE) forms to indigent students across the 23 schools in the area.
He said the Constitution guaranteed the right of all citizens to freedom of religion and choice, adding that merging the two religious subjects and making it compulsory for students was unfair.
According to him, religion is a very sensitive issue in the country which needs to be handled carefully at all times.
"The House of Representatives has taken a position against the merging of CRK/IRS because it is not supported by the constitution.
"The Constitution, as a matter of fact, guarantees the freedom of everyone to choose and practise the religion of one's choice.
"So, we think students should be given the freedom to choose to take either IRK/CRK based on his or her religious conviction or interest.So it should be optional.
"Also, students should be allowed to take either of the two subjects irrespective of their religion if they are interested," he said.
Gbajabiamila said the distribution of 500 WASSCE forms to students was part of his electoral promise to impact on his constituents.
The lawmaker said education was strategic to the human capital development as well as the development of the nation, hence the distribution of the forms.
According to him, the distribution of the forms to indigent students is to solve the problem of affordability and encourage them to focus on their education.
The lawmaker said the distribution of 501 e-tablets to students in the first quarter of the year was one of the education interventions in the area.
He said that he had also facilitated the renovation of schools as well as building of new blocks of classrooms.
The House Leader said he had also given scholarships to students and provided ICT tools in schools to promote educational development.
He said he was passionate about education and had concluded arrangements to give more support in the area.
"I am passionate about education and I will continue to support education in my constituency.
"Apart from what we have done so far, we have earmarked N8 million for the purchase of JAMB forms for about 500 students.
"Very soon, that will be done and much more will follow, "he said.
Gbajabiamila said he would make out time to visit schools in the area and interact and teach students.
The lawmaker said the objective was to have a feel of the learning environment in order to know how he could intervene.
He commended the principals and teachers for the job they were doing to improve the lives of children put in their care.
Gbajabiamila appealed to parents to continue to support their children and wards in their educational careers so that they could excel.
He, however, decried rampant street fights involving some students of some schools in the area, describing the attitude as worrisome.
The lawmaker urged parents to warn their wards against the act, as the government could not afford any threat to peace in the area.
In his contribution, a member of the Lagos State of Assembly, Mr Desmond Elliot, commended Gbajabiamila for his passion for education.
He said it took a politician who could look into the future to give a quantum of education support.
"I have never seen a politician who has given so much back to the people since my over 40 years on earth.
"He has a view of the future with his support for education. Surulere is proud to have him as a representative, "he said.
Responding, a parent, Alhaja Wosilat Abiola, described the house leader's gesture as "impactful".
She said the forms would touch the lives of the beneficiaries as it would help them to build their personal careers.
The date was July 17 to 18, 2017, and venue was the Convention Centre of Eko Hotels & Suites, Lagos, Nigeria. The event was Creative Nigeria Summit and the theme was Financing the Film, Television and Music Industries.
•Cross section of participants at the summit
Although film and television dominated the Creative Nigeria Summit, music, which has always been the king of the Creative Arts, proved to be the shining bride of the two-day conference. There was testimony galore about the success of Nigerian music, nationally, continentally, and internationally.
Nigerian-born, US-educated Alex Okosi, Executive VP & Managing Director, Viacom International Media Networks Africa, who was responsible for developing and launching MTV Africa (MTV Base) in 2005, which showcases the best of African music and entertainment, testified that "Our (Nigerian) music is all over the world. There is no nook and cranny of Africa you go now that you won't hear Nigerian music. The world is looking at Nigerians as corrupt people, but our musicians are making us superstars," okosi said.
Another testimony for the success of Nigerian music came from Dr. Armstrong Idachaba of the office of the D-G, National Broadcasting Corporation, who said that "Over 80 percent of music content on Nigeria media now is Nigerian."
Although Idachaba claimed that the success of Nigerian pop-music was due to the enforcement of the 60-40 percent local content quota code of NBC for broadcasting media, a 2006 research on "African versus Western Music on Lagos radio" at Lagos State University by Osa Amadi and another by Professor Anthony Olorunnisola of Pennsylvania State University and Osa Amadi in 2007, found that presenters and producers of music programs in Lagos did not obey the NBC's 60-40 percent local content quota code in music programming.
So the revolution that occurred in the Nigerian pop-music after the 2006 and 2007 study by the two media scholars certainly had nothing to do with the grossly flouted NBC local content quota code. There have to be other explanations for the explosion of the Nigerian pop-music.
Also lending his voice to the testimony, Tony Okoroji, Chairman of the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), agreed that "Nigerian music is allover Africa." He said 80 percent of music in Accra, for instance, is Nigerian music, but unfortunately, they are pirated copies.
Fighting piracy, Okoroji said, is government's responsibility. He argued that stronger legislation and technology can help deal with piracy. "If it is Nigeria's stolen oil that is being sold allover Africa, would Nigerian government fold its hands and watch?" Okoroji questioned.
Stakeholders agreed that works of Nigerian musicians are all over the world now, but the musicians are not making commensurate money. They commended telecommunication companies for providing lacking distribution channels for Nigerian music, but at the same time rebuked them for taking an exorbitant 90 percent of the proceeds, leaving a paltry 10 percent for the artist and the industry.
At that point, filled with emotion, the Honourable Minister of Information and Culture, keynote speaker and organizer of the summit, stood up and said: in the olden days when we go to farm and stepped on thorns, we limped and hopped to our father who always helped us to remove the thorn from our feet. Now, you are my children. Whenever you step on thorns in the process of doing this work, come to me, the minister said and received a resounding applause.
Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, has said that he wished he learnt carpentry while he was growing up.
Osinbajo said this while advising school children on how to conduct themselves during holidays, especially long ones. He advised them to endeavour to, at least, learn a skill because it will help them much later in life.
The Acting President who made the statement during a chat with newsmen on the sideline of the birthday thanksgiving service of Pastor Salami Ololade in Lagos on Sunday also assured parents and guardians of kidnapped Lagos School students not to lose hope on the return of their wards.
Recall that on May 25, six secondary school boys were abducted by unknown gunmen, this is even as four students and six staff of the same school were also kidnapped in October 2016.
Osinbajo
According to him, "because it is a long holiday, it is a great time to do something new. Those who like to learn a skill, whatever skill that may be, I wish that when I was growing up, I learned even carpentry.''
He said school children on holiday can learn something new that would impact their lives and those of their communities in new fields of technology.
Stating the Federal Government's resolve to seeing that the kidnapped school children are freed, the Acting President said, "it is a very traumatic experience for the parents, there should be no doubt at all about the commitment of government.''
He urged parents and guardians of the kidnapped Lagos School boys not to lose hope on the return of their wards.
This is even as he assured that the Federal Government in collaboration with state authorities are working tirelessly to ensure their safe return.
According to Osinbajo, " I don't know how many times the governor has spoken to me about this and the police Inspector General, the Commissioner of Police, the DSS and even the Armed Forces.''
"I am sure these children will return as quickly as possible, so we look forward to their return.''
Acting President Osinbajo had earlier attended the anniversary service of the Trinity House, Lagos before joining Pastor Salami Ololade for his 60th birthday thanksgiving service.
*****As DELSU Graduates 8,491 Delta State Governor, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has urged tertiary institutions in the country to utilise alternative sources of funding to bridge the funding gaps confronting them.
Speaking yesterday at the 11th Convocation ceremony of the Delta State University, Abraka held at the institution's indoor sports complex, Governor Okowa said that tertiary institutions should seek and mobilize substantial additional resources aside from the subsidies they receive from government to meet their funding needs.
From Left: Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa; Commissioner for Higher Education, Engr. Jude Sinebe and the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, of the State University, Prof Sam Oyovbaire during, the 11th Convocation ceremony of the University, Abraka, Delta State.
"This administration is mindful of the funding gaps in our tertiary institutions. Despite the challenging economic environment, we have ensured prompt payment of staff salaries and worked hard to provide basic infrastructure. But as in anywhere else in the world, adequate funding is possible when the university is able to mobilize substantial additional resources aside from the subsidies they receive from government.", he said, stressing "It is what enables universities to build first class facilities and attract and retain the best talent in academics. This is the challenge before our tertiary institutions."
"There is need to have well-structured and professionally run fund raising offices with the capacity to diversify the funding sources, especially through robust endowment funds and alumni funding stream.", he added.
While commending the Governing Council, Management and Staff of the University for their commitment to build a reputable institution, the governor assured them of government's support to transform the university into an elite institution that places a premium on excellence in teaching and learning.
He congratulated the graduands for successfully completing their programmes and urged all stakeholders including the students to maintain an atmosphere of peace, honest dialogue, mutual cooperation and respect for constituted authorities in our tertiary institutions.
Dr. Okowa directed that the overall best graduating student, Joshua Erubami be given immediate employment as a graduate assistant in the institution and be encouraged to pursue his doctorate degree in the school.
The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Delta State University, Professor Sam Oyovbaire said Council has recorded remarkable achievements in the area of staff and student discipline, prudence in handling revenue and expenditure as well as protection of properties.
For his part, the Vice Chancellor Delta State University Professor Victor Peretomode disclosed that a total of eight thousand, four hundred and ninety-one [8,491] students graduated in the 2015/2016 academic session with thirty-one students having first class.
The ceremony featured the award of honorary doctorate degrees to the Ohworode of Olomu Kingdom, Ovie Richard Ogbon, the Asagba of Asaba, Obi Chike Edozien and the universally acclaimed master artist, Dr. Bruce Onobrakpaye.
*****Advises Utomi To Contest For Councillorship Position
IMMEDIATE past Governor of Delta State, Dr Emnanuel Uduaghan has advised those who are aspiring for political offices not to be blinded by their political ambitions as to resort to peddling falsehood against government but rather should concentrate on facts and issues.
Dr. Uduaghan who spoke yesterday in Asaba, at a stakeholders meeting of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), Delta State said that "every man has a right to aspire to any political office in the country but such person must not tell lies about government to achieve his aspiration. Tell the people what you can do for them, do not spread lies"
He debunked the wide allegations of financial mismanagement aginst the state government by Prof. Pat Utomi, and urged him not sacrifice the truth on the altar of political expediencies.
Dr. Uduaghan urged the Lagos based Economist to consider actualizing his political ambition by contesting for Councillorship position so as to get basic facts on issues affecting governance in the state.
According to the former Governor, his experience with Prof. Utomi has distinguished him as someone with bogus ideas but, does not have the frame of mind for execution.
He disclosed that as the Governor of Delta State, his administration made Prof. Utomi chairman and member of several committees as opportunities for the Lagos-based lecturer to contribute to the development of the state but, “if Prof. Utomi attends any of the meetings, he will not spend more than five minutes.”
‘He bragged about his reach internationally, how he was going to bring international investors and we had to partner with him to organize a business forum outside the country with Nigerians in Diaspora for us to get the investors but, he did not spend 5 minutes before he left us, no investor came to the state through him.”
“You people should ask Prof, where is the Silicon Valley? He took us to his home town, Ibusa for the foundation laying ceremony of Silicon Valley, till date, there is nothing to show that the project has commenced; he has contested for the Presidency, he now wants to be the Governor but, I think he should start from his Ward, he should contest for Councillor,” Dr Uduaghan advised, amidst applause from the excited members of the PDP.
“It is not good to condemn what the incumbent Governor is doing because of your ambition, rather, you should bring out your programmes and sell to the people,” Dr Uduaghan said, stating, “Governor Okowa has done excellently well and we should join hands with him to develop the state”
The former Governor advised members of the PDP to remain united and urged those in elective or appointive positions to empower Deltans through the spread of democratic dividends.
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa at the occasion, urged members of the PDP to open their doors to any Nigerian wishing to join the party including members of the All Progressive Congress (APC), while the Chairman of the party in the state, Barr. Kingsley Esiso said the meeting was necessary for members to be abreast with happenings in the party.
The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has says that Nigeria and six other ECOWAS countries will use the $5.8 million Safety Laboratory Equipment belonging to the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) in Abuja.
Mr Caj Frostel from ICAO who is also the Commissioner for Banjul Accord Accident Investigation Agency (BAGAIA), disclosed this while speaking with newsmen on Sunday in Lagos.
According to him, the BAGAIA member states that would make use of the facility are: the Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Cape Verde and Sierra Leone.
Frostel said the revitalised equipment would help boost safety not only in the sub-region, but Africa in general.
He said that apart from those countries, other countries on the continent could also make use of the facility, which he described as" a world class equipment".
Frostel said: "Much of what we did during the week was that we needed to establish that the equipment works. We have a BAGAIA interest that the AIB facility in Abuja becomes the centre of excellence in reading out flight recorders for all the seven countries.
"With BAGAIA, we have the ambition to cover the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as well as countries in Central and Southern Africa.
"There is no other flight-recorder-read-out facility elsewhere in the sub-region as you have in Abuja.
"Central and Southern African countries are potentially international customers that we hope to bring in. In the future, we will arrange familiarisation training on how this equipment can be used in other countries.
"The Commissioner of AIB, Mr Akin Olateru, has foresight and initiative. He recently took over AIB and he quickly thought that the Abuja facility should get going. He has the energy and capacity to make it happen."
Also contributing , Mr Michael Toft, a director in the accident investigation agency in Singapore, stated that the equipment was now in the right shape to download and analyse information from black boxes in case of an accident.
He explained that the same equipment is used in Singapore for data analysis, stressing that AIB's engineers had been trained on how to handle the equipment for optimal usage.
"When I got here, I discovered that there were lots of commonality in equipment hardware and software. So, the first task in hand was to make an assessment of the laboratory, it was running fine with a nice accommodation.
"It has a good number of equipment and can read a large number of common flight recorder types that are installed on aircraft.
"The laboratory capability is equal if not better than that of Singapore. In terms of training, everything was nicely arranged and I completed my work quickly.
"I trained their investigators on how to manage the equipment, how to read out the data and how to decide the data. I am happy that I was given the opportunity to participate," Toft said.
Acting President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has urged parents and guardians of the kidnapped Lagos School boys not to lose hope on the return of their wards.
This is even as he assured that the Federal Government in collaboration with state authorities are working tirelessly to ensure their safe return.
On May 25, six secondary school boys of the school were abducted by unknown gunmen, this is even as four students and six staff of the same school were also kidnapped in October 2016.
In a chat with newsmen on the sideline of the birthday thanksgiving service of Pastor Salami Ololade in Lagos on Sunday, the Acting President said though "it is a very traumatic experience for the parents, there should be no doubt at all about the commitment of government.''
According to Osinbajo, " I don't know how many times the governor has spoken to me about this and the police Inspector General, the Commissioner of Police, the DSS and even the Armed Forces.''
"I am sure these children will return as quickly as possible, so we look forward to their return.''
On the conduct of school children on holiday, Prof. Osinbajo "advised children who are on holidays to learn something new''.
He said: "because it is a long holiday, it is a great time to do something new. Those who like to learn a skill, whatever skill that may be, I wish that when I was growing up, I learned even carpentry.''
He said school children on holiday can learn something new that would impact their lives and those of their communities in new fields of technology.
Acting President Osinbajo had earlier attended the anniversary service of the Trinity House, Lagos before joining Pastor Salami Ololade for his 60th birthday thanksgiving service.
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
By Sam Eyoboka NIGERIAN Christians yesterday welcomed the news of the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, directing the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council to make the Christian Religious Knowledge and the Islamic Religious Knowledge distinctive subjects in the basic education curriculum.
Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo, the Minister of Education Adamu Adamu
The Christians who had been at daggers drawn with the Federal Government over the controversial merger of the two subjects to be known as Religion and National Values without the input of stakeholders from the Christian community, yesterday described the new development as a temporary victory. They however submitted that a lot still needs to be done
According to the National President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Rev. Samson Olasupo Ayokunle, who spoke through his media aide, Mr. Bayo Oladejo, "beyond the separation of the two subjects now, there is still need for Government to call for the input of CAN and JNI to rub minds on such sensitive issues like religion. There is a need for Government to organise a workshop, so that all the stakeholders could make their contribution to arrive at a consensus. We have some text books that are currently in use but bear no relevance to the development of the nation because they are garbage materials to say the least.
"Government has taken the first step but there's need for them to go the whole hug to review the entire curriclum and the things they teach our children. We should get scholars to brainstorm with stakeholders on some of our textbooks," he noted.
According to the CAN president, the other thing the Federal Government must address is that, of all the 19 states in the North, more than 15 of them have no CRK teachers. "Even if we agree that CRK should stand on its own, who will teach the CRK when state governments refuse to recruit teachers that can handle the subject?
"In Niger State, for instance, during the Babangida Aliyu administration, there were no CRK teachers and CAN in the state recruited teachers and submitted the list to the state governor, but he told the CAN leadership that he had no money to pay them.
"The same thing is happening in Sokoto, Kebbi, Jigawa, Borno, Bauchi where CRK is not allowed in their schools because there are no teachers to teach the subject. So, in addition to what has been done, the Federal Government should take an additional step to make the states to employ teachers for this subject," he prayed.
Ayokunle further argued that since the basic education derives its funding from the centre, the Federal Government should direct the states in the North to recruit CRK teachers and in the same vein direct the states in the South to recruit IRK teachers to balance the equation.
He commended the Federal Government for reacting swiftly to their demand saying "it shows that we have a listening government. Religion is a very sensitive matter which is personal to every individual. Every right thinking Nigerian who read the new curriculum knows that it represented a death trap for the country. It's absurd if at the age of four or five years you are asking a child how to masturbate; you can't call that a religious curriculum. Or you are teaching a primary school boy or girl, if you want to change your religion, your parents have no right to stop you. You can't tell me that that is a good curriculum".
The CAN Secretary-General, Rev. Musa Asake, in his own reaction, also expressed happiness, saying: "We are so thankful to the Federal Government that has given a listening ear to the cry of the people and have taken an action to that which was going to destroy our togetherness.
"We thank God and the Federal Government. We pray that they will continue to have the wisdom to lead us and when controversial and difficult issues like this come up that are capable of dividing us, they will be able to take actions as they have done".
The President of Nigerian Christian Graduates Forum, Prof. Charles Adeyinka Adisa who last week made a presentation to the Senate president on the vexed issue, also thanked God, adding that it was not yet uhuru as the battle was still very much ahead.
"We still have so many areas we need to cover. We have scheduled a meeting with the National Universities Commission, NUC, for Tuesday over the compulsory Arabic language for students studying certain courses and the issue of state governments that will not employ teachers for Christian Religious Studies.
"That's another area we want to bring before the National Assembly. So there is still a lot of grounds to cover but we are grateful to God that they have done what we have been agitating for in the last one year," Prof. Adisa added.
In a telephone interview, the National President of PFN, Rev. Felix Omobude expressed gratitude to God insisting that PFN would not stop until all its demands are fully met.
"The point that PFN made on the issue was that we want to see a complete reversal of the entire Programme back to what it used to be. We are not opposed to the Federal Government introducing national values, what we are saying is that Christian Religious Knowledge should stand on its own and that remains our stand.
"I commend the National Assembly for the efforts it has made and I will want to see their resolution being actualised," he pleaded.
According to the PFN helmsman, the world is a dynamic place which is subject to changes and if Government feels there is need for them to make more input and add some other things that will add value to our education curriculum, "they should invite all important stakeholders so we can all rub minds. Nigeria belongs to all of us. We are of the view that if we return to staus quo, the issue of NUC and the imposition of compulsory Arabic Studies would have been taken care of," he stressed.
Delta State governor Ifeanyi Okowa has offered Mr Joshua Erubami, the best graduating student of Delta State University for the 2015/2016 academic session with an automatic employment as a reward for hardwork and dignity.
Gov Okowa with Delsu best graduating student, Joshua Erubami
Erubami who graduated from the department of Mass Communication was also the President of the Faculty of Social Science Students Association (SOSSA) during his time and graduated with a CGPA of 4.85
Currently serving the nation in Ekiti State under the NYSC Scheme, Erubami will resume as a Graduate Assistant at Delta State University when he completes his service year.
There is much to learn from politicians. How to cuddle, relate in brotherly terms admits party affiliations. Politicians no doubt love when they should love, be in despair when one of them is. They share in each others pain and joy. An example is the condolence visit paid by APC big wigs in Anambra state to the governor of Anambra state, Chief Willie Mmaduabruochukwu Obiano, Akpokuedike of Aguleri at the funeral ceremony of his late mother.
He was visited by the minister of labour and employment, Mr. Chris Ngige, Onwa, Sen. Andy Ubah and other APC chieftains in the state. Coming 18th November 2017, Sen. Andy Ubah might be contesting the governorship election under APC with Dr. Willie Obiano coming from APGA platform . Admits their political differences they still love themselves as brothers.
What say you on this?
Governor Obiano, Sen. Ngige and Sen Andy UbahAnambra APC Chieftains
Sen. Ngige, Andy Ubah, others on condolence visit to Gov. ObianoA condolence step from Andy Ubah, othersCondolence visit to the governor of Anambra state by APC chieftainsAPC chieftains visits APGA governor in Anambra stateSen. Andy Ubah holds Sen. Ngige on a political discussion while going to condole Gov. Obiano
By Simon Ebegbulem FEMALE lawmakers across the 36 State House of Assemblies under the aegis Conference of Female Parliamentarians, CONFEPA, have condemned the decision of some political leaders and Ulamas in Kano state to drop two female nominees for Local Government Area chairpersons. The two women were said to have been rejected based on religious sentiments a claim the groups said were untenable.
Funeral for the elder statesman, Late Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Sule (Dan Masanin Kano), in Kano yesterday
Addressing newsmen in Benin City yesterday, Chairperson of CONFEPA who also is the Deputy Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly, Mrs Elizabeth Ativie assisted by the Secretary, Princess Titlayo Akerele from Ekiti State House of Assembly and Hon Shola Ogbemudaibo from Delta State House of Assembly, said the decision to drop the women, Arch. Binta Fatima Yahaya and Hasiya Ismail Mukhtar negates constitutional and global charters as it amounts to discrimination against women.
They added that it was a plot to "undermine and subvert the rights of women in Kano State.
She said, "we wish to state clearly that the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which is the supreme law of our land guarantees freedom for all, including women to aspire and occupy political positions.
"The reason given by the Kano State political leaders and the Ulamas is that women in Islam do not lead. But this is not verifiable as some other Muslim dominated countries across the world have had female heads of state, Prime Ministers and Presidents.
"Examples of these countries include Pakistan with Benazir Bhutto who was Prime Minister for many years, Bangladesh, Turkey, Senegal, Mali, Northern Cyprus, who all had female Prime Ministers, while Indonesia had Magawati Sukarnopturi as President, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan and Mauritius all have had female Presidents and these countries are Muslim dominated while in Nigeria, We have had Queen Amina of Zaria who led men to war".
While commending Governor Abdulahi Ganduje for nominating the women, she urged the Kano State House of Assembly to screen the women nominees without further delay.
She also called on the Minister of Women Affairs to intervene on the issue. "It should be told that God made them male and female and none was inferior to the other. They were created to work together and complement each other for the benefit of the World"
Wilfried Zaha has accused Manchester United and Liverpool fans of 'calling him a black monkey' on Instagram.
Wilfred Zaha
The Crystal Palace winger, who spent a single unsuccessful season at Old Trafford between 2013 and 2014, claims he has been subjected to racial slurs and spoke out publicly with a message to his followers on Saturday.
"If Man United and Liverpool fans feel better by calling me a black monkey in my messages .. feel free to carry on if it makes your day better," he wrote.
Zaha didn't go into any more detail and did not choose to identify any of the accused.
The post came after the 24-year-old played for Palace against West Brom in the Premier League Asia Trophy, a game in which manager Frank de Boer claimed the Baggies were targeting Zaha for rough treatment and accused them of deliberately trying to injure his player.
Super Eagles midfielder, Uche Agbo has not given up on playing in the Premier League despite joining Belgian side Standard Liege on a three-year deal from Watford.
Agbo
Agbo joined Udinese in 2013 but spent the last three seasons on loan at Granada in Spain, prior to joining Watford on a five-year deal last year.
"I'm very happy to join an ambitious club in Belgium, but when my time is right playing in the Premier League will come," Agbo told BBC Sport.
"My focus right now is to settle at Standard Liege and give my all, by the power of God I will be there [in England] very soon. "There is no disappointment or whatsoever, sometimes God takes us on a different road to get to our desired destination."
The 21-year-old played 53 times for Granada's B team, before breaking into their first team in 2016 and he made 31 appearances in Spain's La Liga last season.,
Barcelona's board are all but resigned to losing Neymar in the biggest transfer in football history after club president Josep Bartomeu appeared to fail in a belated attempt to change the player's mind.
Neymar
Sources who witnessed the head-to-head meeting between Neymar and Barcelona's president Josep Bartomeu at the club's summer training base in New Jersey on Friday say it did not go well for Bartomeu, who departed looking less than happy with what he had been told by Neymar.
Spain's Diario AS said the meeting lasted 15 minutes and when the president left he barely acknowledged those waiting for news of how the summit had gone.
The club's president now accepts that only a stunning change of heart from Neymar can prevent his departure and Barcelona's priority is to try to take control of a situation that has caught them by surprise this summer.
The club have grown used to Neymar's complaints about not being comfortable at the club almost since he arrived in 2013 but most gripes have been seen as a push for a pay increase. Last season the player flirted with various clubs including Paris Saint-Germain but he was ultimately appeased and ended up signing a new contract until 2021 with a buy-out clause that rose to €222miliion (£196m) on July 1 of this year.
The only other potential obstacle to the deal of the century happening is that PSG have trouble making that payment to the player so he can deposit his buy-out clause with the league. One option is that they pay the fee in various stages directly to Barcelona instead of registering it with the league as buy-out regulations in Spain stipulate.
This would help them around the FFP regulations but Barcelona are unlikely to be in any way cooperative as they see their second most important asset pack his bags for Paris just a month ahead of the new season.
And Barca's new manager Ernesto Valverde, who is preparing his side for the friendly clash with Juventus, has insisted talk of his departure is simply 'rumours.'
"Neymar is with us and we absolutely want him to stay here, the rest is just rumours,' the Barca manager told a press conference.
As part of the efforts to increase egg consumption in Nigeria to 300 per person annually, Funtuna Foods and Bottling Company has introduced 'coloured hard boiled eggs' into the market.
The company said the product was targeted at children and families.
The Executive Director of Funtuna Foods and Bottling Company, Mrs. Tolulola Olumide, who spoke at the company's production plant located in Ogere, Ogun State, said the egg was inspired by what was witnessed during an international food exhibition.
Olumide expressed concern over the per-capita egg consumption in Nigeria which she observed was lower than the global average. Nigerians on average, according to her, consume less than 80 eggs per person annually while China, Mexico and the United States consume over 300 eggs per person annually, and in South-Africa, each person consumes 180 eggs per year. This, she said, highlights the opportunities for growth and expansion for the egg industry in Nigeria.
She said it was wrong to restrict egg consumption to festive seasons or the World Egg Day celebrated every first week of October.
THE Bishop of Akure Diocese of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Simeon Oluwole Borokini, says the panacea for hate speech and calls for secession is the implementation of the Report of the 2014 National Conference.
Borokini spoke during the second session of the twelfth synod of the church held in Itaogbolu, Ondo State. The theme of the synod was,"Do not compromise your faith".
Borokini advised:" The Federal Government should look into the 2014 National Conference Report. From what we read about the Report, the matter of restructuring was one of the things discussed.
"I will like the Federal Government to look into it. It seems that everybody is clamouring for it especially our brothers and sisters in certain parts of this country who feel they have been cheated, and their rights are not given to them."
Speaking on calls for secession, Borokini said: "One of the reasons for the clamour for secession is restructuring. If this matter of restructuring is looked into, the problem of secession would subside.
"But I don't support secession. "There are many challenges we are facing right now. Security and economic problems are there. We can't entertain secession calls at this time. Let us see how we can improve our economy."
Lamenting the high rate of crime, he said: "The Federal Government should take our economy seriously because if jobs are provided for the youths, definitely, they would not engage in vice".
By Vincent Ujumadu ANAMBRA State chapter of pan Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohaneze Ndigbo has said that instead of calling for a sovereign state of Biafra, the proponents of the current agitation should use their pro-Biafra stand as a platform to demand a better life for Ndigbo.
Speaking in an interview in Awka, President of Ohaneze in the state, Chief Damian Okeke said the pro-Biafra agitators should be made to realize that Igbo leaders would not support any agitation that would lead to war.
Consequently, he advised that they tread softly while expressing their anger over the happenings in Nigeria.
Okeke said it would be foolhardy to expect Igbo people to abandon their investment in other parts of the country.
In addition, he said anybody who witnessed the Biafra War, like he did, would not want to experience another war.
Nonetheless, he said the fear of war would not stop the Igbo from speaking against oppression.
He said: "Anyone who is marginalized will always feel bad, but that will not make those marginalized to commit suicide.
"That is why we cannot completely condemn the youths for what they are doing. If not for what they are doing, we will not be discussing with the people of Niger Delta today. Because of what they are doing, we have a better understanding with the people of the South West today. Today, the Hausa nation, the Yoruba nation, and the Igbo nation are finding a common solution to Nigeria's problems.
We cannot exist in isolation
"For the first time since the end of the civil war, the governors of the states in the former Eastern Region are meeting to ensure a better Nigeria. Even those in the National Assembly are meeting, just as the people of the Middle Belt have indicated their interest to discuss with our people.
"We have to admit that there is a problem in Nigeria and it is only when we acknowledge this that we will begin to find a solution. That is why we need to always speak with one voice because that is the only way we can achieve our goal.
"The truth may be bitter, but the fact is that we cannot exist in isolation. I cannot stay here and order our people to abandon their investments in other parts of Nigeria and come home immediately. That will not be the solution.
"What we advocate is that the rule of law must be obeyed and justice and equity ensured for peaceful co-existence in Nigeria. We agree that peace will reign in Nigeria if the right things are done.
Meaning of Biafra
"As far as I am concerned, we are using Biafra to ask Nigeria to do the needful because that is the vehicle we should use to get our rights. What is happening to us today has gone beyond marginalization. We should work together to get what will benefit the Igbo and the important thing is to get what belongs to us in Nigeria.
"I recall when Ohaneze once asked the late Ikemba Nnewi, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, what was really the meaning of Biafra and his answer was that it is like a fully loaded trailer descending the Milikin Hill in Enugu and nobody knows where it would land. What we have in mind are equity and justice. If we get our rights in Nigeria, what else are we fighting for?
"Ohaneze Ndigbo had severally made it clear that members of IPOB and MASSOB are our children. We are all working towards the betterment of Igbo nation.
"I want to say that the leadership of Ohaneze, the governors of the South East states and many other Igbo elders are jointly on top of the situation of the quit notice to Ndigbo by the Arewa youths."
A new barrack has emerged from the ashes of the old Akim Barrack of the 13 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Calabar, following the 36 flats residential accommodation intervention with which the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Yusuf Tukur Buratai, has transformed the place. The project was initiated by the Commander of the 13 Brigade, Brig Gen Bulama Biu.
Buratai
It is naturally the expectation of any person that soldiers, who are crucial to the territorial integrity of the nation would be provided with benefiting accommodation to enable them concentrate wholeheartedly on national defence. A befitting accommodation was not the case for the residents of Akim Barrack until the emergence of the current leadership.
Akim Barracks, which were the look of a slum, has turned to an environment so gladdening to the hearts of the occupants.
The 36-flat project was commissioned by Buratai.
In his address during the commissioning ceremony, Buratai commended Biu, for working tirelessly to see that the project was realised and promised to accord priority to troops' welfare.
In realisation of his vision "to have a professionally responsive Nigerian Army in the discharge of its constitutional roles", the Army chief promised robust medical care for soldiers and their families even as stated that, last year, he directed the downward review of education cost in all Army schools.
According to a statement by Assistant Director Public Relations, 13 Brigade, Nigerian Army Calabar, Captain KO Owolabi,
"The COAS pointed out that while kitting and accommodation would continue to receive attention of his Army administration, the fight against terrorism and other criminal activities will remain top priority."
Biu, in his welcome address, thanked Buratai for providing funds for the project and described the Army chief as "a great military leader whose passion for troops' welfare is unprecedented."
Commander revealed that over 200 soldiers and families had for a long time lived in dilapidated buildings.
The governor of Cross River State, Prof Ben Ayade, also in his address at the occasion, commended the efforts of the COAS and Biu for providing enabling environment for their troops.
Ayade also commended the Nigerian Army for the dogged fight against terrorism and other criminality across the country and promised to build one block accommodation for the Brigade.
Meanwhile, in appreciation of the newly built 36 flats, officers and soldiers of the Akim Barrack organized a Jumat Service and Church Service in honour of Buratai.
The officers and soldiers were thankful to God and the COAS for the kind gesture.
By Festus Ahon ASABA – PARTS of Asaba, the Delta State capital, were Saturday submerged, following a heavy down pour which lasted for over six hours and caused gridlock on the Okpanam road. Asaba flood Delta Broadcadting Station, DBS, Asaba, wes submerged by the flood. Okpanam road, DBS Road, SSS road, West end were heavily flooded, cutting off the Asaba shopping mall. Our correspondent reports that the drainage being constructed on the Okpanam road was overwhelmed by the flood.
The flood which led to the collapse of parts of the fence of the State Broadcasting Station, DBS, also cut off the State Police headquarters and Okpanam village from the Asaba metropolis.
Sunday Vanguard reports that commercial activities suffered setbacks as many businesses, including supermarkets and stores were forced to close shops.
Meanwhile, the State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Patrick Ukah expressed worry about the development, adding that the State Government was working out modalities to tackle the problem of perennial flooding in the State capital and other parts of the State.
Ukah in a statement signed by his Media Assistant, Mr. Sam Ijeh said government was concerned about the safety of all those living in the state, enjoining residents to avoid areas with high current of flood for their safety.
Noting that the state government feels the pains and inconveniences suffered by residents in terms of damage or loss of property, he assured that all contractors recently awarded drainage and flood control projects would be mobilised to site as soon as the dry season sets in.
Abuja – Sen. Aisha Alhassan, Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, on Saturday said the Chibok girls were ready for academic session in September and pleaded with abductors to release the remaining girls.
Alhassan disclosed this during a lunch with the released Chibok girls and their parents in Abuja.
"They will be examined academically and placed appropriately, the ones that are qualified to enter into the university will be allowed to. "The American University, Yola had indicated interest in supporting 21 of the Chibok girls.
"We are also meeting with the university to support the remaining girls so that they all can be in one place," she said.
Alhassan said that the escaped 14 Chibok girls, who were released three years ago were given scholarships by the American University of Nigeria, Yola.
She said that the girls were properly examined academically, adding that they started a foundation courses for them.
The minister, however, pleaded for the release of the remaining Chibok girls and others in captivity, adding that the abductors should dialogue with government.
Mr Reginald Briggs, the Assistant Vice President of America University, Yola, said the girls were initially traumatised but had made significant progress.
"We have 24 of the Chibok girls with us, we try to keep their academic levels up by assessing them emotionally, psychologically, academically and we found out that they are at different academic levels.
"They have foundation in English, Mathematics and General Knowledge and gradually we moved them to advanced stage.
"They are studying difference courses such as journalism, computer science, accounting and law," he said.
Briggs said that the university was working toward supporting the 82 Chibok girls to be enrolled into the university.
The Chairman of the Chibok Girls' Parents, Mr Yakubu Nkeki said that parents of the girls were happy meeting their children and appreciated the efforts of the government.
Mrs Catherine Udida, the Head of the Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism, Office of the National Security Adviser, said that the Chibok girls were fit psychological as they had gone through various tests.
She said that the girls were fully integrated, adding that initially they were shy but they now have confidence and ready to face the world.
One of the Chibok girls, Miss Rhoda Peter appreciated the efforts of government and well-meaning Nigerians who had supported them.
Another Chibok girl, Miss Hauwa Ntakai, who said she wants to be a medical doctor, also appreciated the government for helping her to achieve her dream. (NAN)
Abuja – The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has congratulated the former Governor of Adamawa State, Mr Bala Ngilari on his victory at the Appeal Court.
The PDP congratulated Ngilari in a statement issued by Mr Dayo Adeyeye, National Publicity Secretary, PDP National Caretaker Committee, on Saturday in Abuja. Ngilari
On Wednesday, the Court of Appeal in Yola, discharged and acquitted Ngilari of corruption charges levelled against him.
Ngilari was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), for misconduct in the award of contract for the purchase of 25 Toyota Hilux truck and misappropriation of over N160 million.
Adeyeye said the victory had once again affirmed PDP's earlier position that the anti-corruption war was a vendetta targeted at former leaders and members of the party and other perceived enemies of the government.
He said that Ngilari was one among many other innocent PDP members and other Nigerians, wrongly accused of corruption that had been vindicated in recent times.
"These innocent men and women have been harassed, intimidated and subjected to harrowing legal prosecution simply to score cheap political points and cow the opposition into silence."
He said that Elder Godsday Orubebe, the former Minister for Niger Delta Affairs and PDP agent in the 2015 Presidential Election was wrongly accused of fraud to the tune of N1.97 billion.
"He was later discharged and acquitted by Justice Olukayode Adeniyi of the FCT High Court on April 4, 2017."
Adeyeye also recalled the arrest and detention of some Justices of the Supreme Court by the Department of State Security (DSS), on account of various allegations of bribery and corruption.
He said that some of the Judges till date had not been charged to court for the alleged offences.
"Justice Adeniyi Ademola, his wife Omobola and Mr Joe Agi, (SAN), were all discharged and acquitted by another FCT High Court on April 5, 2017."
Adeyeye called on the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, to release the report of Presidential Investigative Committee that was set up in April.
The committee, headed by Osinbajo, was set up to investigate the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr David Lawal; and the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, Amb. Ayo Oke.
Adeyeye urged members and supporters of the PDP nationwide to remain steadfast as the party work to regain power. (NAN)
The early morning downfall on Saturday no doubt restricted peoples movement from performing and tending to their various business activities. However, reports reaching us states that the early morning rainfall reduced the turn up of voters at various polling units in Lagos council election. Itire, Surulere was one of the places flood visited as their major roads were taken over by flood.
Chelsea forward Pedro was taken to hospital with a possible concussion after colliding with Arsenal’s goalkeeper during the Blues’ 3-0 preseason win over their London rivals in Beijing on Saturday.
Chelsea Champions of England
The 29-year-old Spaniard was left reeling on the ground with a bloodied face inside the first half hour of the game after Colombian keeper David Ospina flew into him while clearing a long-ball with two fists.
After receiving medical attention on the pitch for several minutes, Pedro got up and walked off with blood in his nose, lips and right ear.
“For sure (he) should be okay but I think he had a concussion,” Chelsea manager Antonio Conte told reporters after a Michy Batshuayi double sparked his side to an easy victory.
“For this reason our doctor preferred to bring him to the hospital and to check him in the right way,” the Italian added.
“It’s a pity because in this period now it’s not good to have this type of injury, but should be okay and I’m very happy for this.”
Conte said he did not know whether Pedro would have to spend the night in hospital, but if the Spaniard is better on Sunday he will travel with the team to Singapore to continue the preseason.
The injury scare overshadowed a brilliant performance by Belgian forward Batshuayi before a crowd of 55,618 at the Bird’s Nest in the Chinese capital.
– ‘Media imagination’ – The victory gave the Blues some measure of revenge against their London rivals after Arsenal stunned Chelsea 2-1 in the FA Cup final in May to deny the Premier League champions the double.
Batshuayi shone as Chelsea prepare to be joined by Spanish striker Alvaro Morata, who could make his debut against Bayern Munich in Singapore on Tuesday following his reported 80-million-euro ($92.2 million) transfer from Real Madrid.
Batshuayi scored the second of his two goals five minutes into the second half, latching onto a pass from Marco Alonso to fire a curling shot past Ospina from just outside of the area.
Arsenal’s own star signing, former Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette, had a low-key game.
French international Olivier Giroud entered the game in the second half and provided some spark but his early shots were saved or wide.
Willian opened the scoring in the 40th minute, beating Ospina with a low drive.
Two minutes later, Premier League player of the year N’Golo Kante fed Batshuayi, who beat Ospina again with a left-footed shot from the edge of the box.
After the game, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger brushed aside a question about rumours that Chile forward Alexis Sanchez could move to Paris St-Germain, saying: “It’s only media imagination”
The All Progressive Congress (APC) has won both the Chairmanship and Councillorship elections in Ward A6 polling Unit 033 located in Ogunmodede College, Papa Epe where the State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode voted this morning.
Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode cast his vote at unity 10, wold A6, Ogunmodede juniors college in Epe
At the end of counting of the votes cast, the results showed that the APC polled a total of 299 votes for the Chairmanship election as against one polled by the Labour Party and zero vote polled respectively by the Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) and Accord Party.
For the Councillorship election in the unit, the APC polled a total of 293 votes as against One polled by Labour Party and zero polled by PDP.
In the second polling unit in the ward, APC polled 298 votes for the Chairmanship election as against zero vote polled by the PDP and Labour.
Also in the councillorship election, APC polled 300 votes while the PDP, Labour and Accord Party all polled zero vote.
By Monsuru Olowoopejo Tragedy struck in Meran, Abule Egba axis of Agbado-Oke Local Council Development Area, LCDA, Lagos State Saturday after bungalow building under construction collapsed killing a two-year-old girl and her 30-year-old mother.
The two-year-old was identified as Bisoye while the mother whose body was also recovered from the rubble was identified by relatives as Basirat.
However, fortune smiled on a five-year-old girl, who was rescued from the rubble by Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, and other rescue agencies, after been trapped was identified as Moyin.
It was gathered that the building sighted at No 7 Saidu Okeleji Street, Alaro Street collapsed due downpour experienced across the state.
Sources said that the building caved in at about 11:10 am when it could no longer withstand the downpour any longer.
Residents argued that the downpour started at about 4:30 am across the state and was yet to subside at the time of filling in this report.
Confirming the number of causalities, General Manager of LASEMA, Adesina Tiamiyu, hinted that the bodies have been handed over to deposited at the State Environmental Monitoring Health Monitoring Unit SEHMU while the injured was immediately transferred to General Hospital Ikeja where she can receive adequate treatment.
According to the Tiamiyu, "Investigation conducted by the Agency at scene of the incident revealed that an existing uncompleted bungalow under construction with sands and concrete block seen on the deck suddenly caved in with three people trapped under the rubbles.
"But proper investigation would be conducted on the incident by the appropriate Agencies, he however advised owners and developers of buildings in the State to adhere to building codes and physical planning laws of the State so as to advert unnecessary loss of lives," he added.
