The Editorials

Op-ed by Emmanuel Ojeifo Today the Nigerian Army posted a message on its official Twitter handle notifying the public about the postponement of the “Ground Breaking Ceremony of the Nigerian Army University Biu earlier scheduled for Tuesday 30 October 2018.”  It was my first time to learn that the army even had a plan of establishing a university. When I tried to Google it up, I read from the webpage of NAN that the army secured approval for the establishment of its own university in March this year. The approval was given at a meeting of the Federal Executive Council chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo following the recommendation of the Ministry of Education. In a briefing after the approval, Mallam Adamu Adamu the education minister stated that the newly approved university “will be the hub for developing a Nigerian Military Industrial Complex.” In the NAN report, it was also stated that the Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Tukur Buratai had approached NUC in June 2017 to

Oredola Adeola | The Lagos State Chapter of the Buhari Osinbajo Mandate Group ( BOMG) has unveiled plans to mobilise support of people of the South West, South-East as well as Northerners who are resident in Lagos for the reelection of the Buhari/Osinbajo, in the 2019 general elections. The group made this known at a press conference held at the Lagos State Civil Service Club, Ikeja, Lagos State on Thursday. Engr. Yomi Oyedeko, Lagos State Coordinator of BOMG, Chief Anselm Njoku, APC South-East Forum leader, Sheik Abubakar Mohammed, representative of Lagos State Arewa Group  Speaking on behalf of the group, Engr. Yomi Oyedeko, BOMG Lagos State Coordinator, disclosed that the group is positioned to galvanise votes in 2019 for the reelection of President Buhari and Vice-President Osinbajo through its existing structures in 20 Local Government, 37 LCDAs  and 245 wards within the state. He revealed that President Buhari and Osinbajo are two social/political reformers, who ha

Oredola Adeola |  Wizkid and Tiwa Savage have set the gossips mill running with public display of affection in the music video, 'Fever’ where Tiwa Savage, who acted as a Video Vixen starring as Wizkid's lover. The video was directed by Meji Alabi, and produced by Blaq Jerzee and Northbois. The show of affection showcased in the Fever video, whatever  the intention has got the social media buzzing thereby was with doing the PR stunt for the music video.

The Nigerian Government has developed policy aimed at limiting the number of children that a mother could raise in the country. Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, Minister of Finance made this known while responding to questions during a session at the 24th Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja on Tuesday. According to her the one if the strategies is to engage traditional rulers and other leaders across the country as means of educating the citizens especially women. She added that the move was aimed at addressing one of the “ great challenges” in the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan( ERGP) of the Federal Government. Recall that the Federal Government in April launched the ERGP, as a policy framework of the Ministry of Budget and National Planning. containing  60 critical initiatives expected to bail the country out of recession and spur growth and prosperity. Some of the initiatives included stabilizing macro-economic, energy infrastructure and driving industrialization. The Finance Minster

Oredola Adeola | The Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has denied rumour of his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) to All Progressive Congress (APC). He made this known in a statement released via his official Facebook page, noting that he is presently out of the country on a pre-scheduled engagement. The media space had been awash with speculated reports that Ekweremadu was planning to defect from the PDP to the APC for allegedly losing the Vice- Presidential ticket of the party to a former Governor of Anambra State , Mr Peter Obi. In the statement Senator Ekweremadu said, "In the past 24 hours, I have been inundated with calls from friends and political associates seeking clarification on the rumours of my departure from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which has dominated the media. " Let it be known that my path in politics is in the hands of the Almighty God, who has indeed been very faithful and gracious to me. I’m very gr

Oredola Adeola | The Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, has approved the return of Private Sector Partnership, PSP operators in waste management. He also ordered the reinstatement of door-to-door evacuation of wastes in the state. This was contained in a statement credited to Mr. Tunji Bello, Secretary to the State Government, while addressing PSP operators at the meeting held at LAWMA Office, Ijora on Tuesday. According to him, the Governor has instructed that the operators should go back to their various areas of operation and restore door-to-door evacuation of waste. Recall that the Lagos State House of Assembly, had on Thursday, Oct 18, 2018, ordered the PSP operators to resume refuse collection and disposal with immediate effect. The Speaker of the Lagos Assembly, Mr. Mudashiru Obasa, who gave the directive, on behalf of the 39 lawmakers during plenary, argued that Visionscape can no longer meet the yearnings of the state in the area of refuse collection. Mr

Oredola Adeola| President Muhammadu Buhari and his Republic of Benin counterpart, Patrice Talon, on Tuesday performed the official commissioning and hand-over of the new Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Border Posts at Seme-Krake and Neope-Akanu in Badagry. The SÈMÈ-KRAKÉ infrastructure development commenced in 2011. The modern enabling facilities was built on approximately 17 hectares of land within the border. It strategically lies on the Lagos-Cotonou-Lome-Accra-Abidjan corridor, which accounts for about 70 percent of the entire transit traffic in the sub-region. The corridor is also part of the Trans-African Highway network. The post is the flagship project in ECOWAS as it is a major regional public assets. It is one of the busiest boundary lines not only in West Africa but the whole continent, daily recording huge movement of persons, goods and services. In his address during the inauguration President Buhari congratulated the people of Nigeria an

Vice-President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, has blamed both religious and political leaders for shielding corrupt public servants. He disclosed this while speaking at 24th Nigerian Economic Summit plenary on corruption and rule of law, in Abuja Monday. During the plenary session, Ngaire Woods, the founding Dean of Blavatnik School of Government at Oxford University, who moderated the session, had asked Osinbajo to tell the summit who calls him when he wants to sack someone corrupt. Yemi Osinbajo and Ngaire Woods at Nigerian Economic Summit  According to him, whenever he wants to sack a public official who has been found to be corrupt, he gets many calls from religious and political leaders not to do so. The VP further added that the Nigerian elites most often get in the way of ridding the public service of corrupt executives. He said, "I would like to refer to the Nigerian elite, and it’s probably not fair to be that broad, but practically, every segment, because people who

By Tope Fasua, Abuja I watched as Udo Udoma unconvincingly presented the 2019 budget recently and his attempts at a sleight of hand. He actually tried to confuse the people of Nigeria. The 2019 budget is an alarming budget of hopelessness. And the Nigerian people should keenly focus on what government is trying NOT to say.  Udoma claimed that they are reducing the deficit in the 2019, when in fact, from the Fiscal Paper earlier submitted, the deficit in the 2019 budget increased substantially from N1.9Trillion in 2018 to N2.59Trillion in 2019. Also, debt servicing went up from 30% of the budget to 36%. I had picked issues with why they should drop the budget level to N8.9Trillion, but they further dropped the budget to N8.6Trillion. Such audacity. Such disregard for the well-being of the people! The 2019 budget is therefore being drawn to satisfy just a few things: *Finance the upcoming elections (INEC budget alone is N831Billion) *Keeping foreign lenders happy (debt

The Supreme Court has set aside the ruling of the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Division, which vacated a stay order made by a Rivers High Court against the conduct of All Progressives Congress(APC) congresses in the state. By this ruling of the apex court, the May 19 to 21 congress of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has been nullified. Transport Minister , Rotimi Ameachi reacts to Supreme Court's ruling It would be recalled that following an ex-parte application by aggrieved members of the APC, led by Abdullahi Umar, a high court in the state instructed the party members to suspend plans for the conduct of its local government congress on May 12, pending the determination of the substantive application alleging the marginalisation of some of its members. Instead of complying with the court order, the APC- faction group led by the currently recognised Chairman of the party in Rivers, Ojukaye Amachree, an ally of transport minister, Rotimi Amaechi

The Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC) and United Labour Congress (ULC) have promised to embark on a nationwide, indefinite strike from Tuesday, November 6, 2018, should the government decline on the workers' demands.  Ayuba Wabba, NLC President and and Joe Ajaero made this disclosure in a press statement released on Sunday. Recall that the unions had on 26 September, 2018, embarked on a nationwide strike to compel the tripartite committee to complete its assignment on the new minimum wage. The industrial strike was suspended after the committee reconvened to address the issue. The renewed threat by the labour unions is coming following the Federal Government’s insistence that it will only increase the minimum wage from the current N18,000 to N24,000, claiming no amount was agreed with the labour leaders at a meeting of a tripartite committee also involving the private sector. The labour unions, had initially demanded N50,000 mimimum wage and later agreed to N30,000 during th

President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday received in audience Governor Ibikunle Amosun, traditional leaders and elders from Ogun State in State House to discuss crisis rocking APC in the state. President Buhari with L-R: HRM Oba Oludotun Aremu Gbadebo Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland and Chairman, Ogun State Council of Obas, Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, Senator Iyabo Anisulowo Former Minister of State for Education and HRM Oba Kehinde Olugbenle Olu of Ilaro and Paramount Ruler of Yewaland as he receives in audience Governor and Leaders from Ogun State in State House on 21st Oct 2018  Recall that Senator Amosun got his senatorial ticket for Ogun Central, while his preferred governorship candidate, Mr. Adekunle Akinlade, lost out to Prince Dapo Abiodun. The party’s appeals committee later threw out Akinlade’s petition against Abiodun’s nomination. President Muhammadu Buhari has promised to finally look into the protracted governorship primaries in Ogun Stat

…vows to fix all potholes in few weeks Oredola Adeola| Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State has expressed determination about effort of his administration to aggressively repair and rehabilitate all the major roads across the Lagos metropolis. He made this known through a statement released on Sunday by Mr. Ade Akinsanya, Lagos State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure. According to the statement, although most roads across the state had been fixed in the last few weeks, the Government would nonetheless scale up efforts to ensure that all dilapidated sections of roads across the State were rehabilitated to bring comfort to residents and motorists. He disclosed that roads in strategic areas across the State including Ikorodu, Itokin, Lekki, Ojota, Lawanson Road, Ogunlana Drive, Abraham Adesanya, among others have been fixed with motorists and commuters experiencing less travel time by driving smoothly on the roads. He said, “Massive road rehabilitation across t

Oredola Adeola | The national members of the Kannywood entertainment industry have guaranteed at least five million votes for President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 presidential election through their fan base. Boss Mustapha , Secretary to the Government of the Federation made this known while giving a remark at the dinner organised by the Presidency for the entertainers on Thursday evening the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Speaking during the dinner, President Buhari vowed to end the scourge of Boko Haram sect soon. He cautioned that it is totally wrong for any believer in God to kill innocent people either in the Mosque,a Church or the market place. He said, “ You can’t be shouting Allahu Akbar (Allah is Great), Allahu Akbar, and killing innocent citizens and destroying properties all in the name of God. It is either you don’t know what you are saying or you don’t even believe in the existence of God Almighty. God has nothing to do with injustice. So, now we are confro

Oredola Adeola | The Ooni of Ife His Imperial Majesty, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II has officially and traditionally taken a new queen. The new Queen, now Her Majesty, Olori Moronke Naomi Silekunola Ogunwusi is the new Yeyeluwa Oodua. This was confirmed by Yera Moses Olafare, Chief Press Secretary to the Ooni of Ife. According to him, the wedding rite was performed on Thursday October 19,2018 amidst wide jubilation in the palace of Ooni. Earlier, the Ooni personally unveiled this detail of his new found love via his verified Instagram handle @ooniadimulaife some few minutes ago , he said, “I waited patiently upon the almighty the king of kings, he eventually did it in the midst of many trials. “The arsenal you can apply on this highly revered throne with many rules and regulations in the midst of undiluted traditions, heritage and culture is the “fear of God in You”, which is the beginning of wisdom on this throne of Oduduwa. You are welcome home my beautifu

 Op-ed by Deji Gbotosho The entire world is now connected through technology and diplomacy. The remotest countries have equal access to global opportunities than ever for their growth and development. As part of the developing world, Nigeria, also, can access the multiplicity of diplomatic instruments provided by the several global institutions and alliances we are subscribed to. We hear of bilateral relationships, United Nations, the Commonwealth, UNHCR, IBRD, IMF, ICJ, Technical Aids Corp, Interpol, FIFA, UNESCO, UNICEF, ADB, WHO, FAO, IATA, etc. The list is juicy and endless. These are not just names, they are institutionalised alliances designed for rapid growth and development in agriculture, health, security, sports, education, technology, aviation, etc. Any country, without sanctions, has the full right to be part of any of these unifications and is expected to play the politics therein for the overall benefit of its citizenry. Nigeria has important alliances with m

… plans to establish tourism, hospitality school for higher education in Uganda Atwiine Allen, Uganda | American rapper and Grammy-winning pop act, who is currently on tour of African continent with his family and team, has hinted about his plan to establish a tourism and hospitality school for higher education in Uganda. He made this known during his courtesy visit to the office of  Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni. In a tweet, via @KagutaMuseveni, President Museveni said, "I welcome American entertainment stars Kanye West and @KimKardashian to Uganda. I held fruitful discussions with the duo on how to promote Uganda's tourism and the arts. I thank Kanye for the gift of white sneakers. Enjoy your time in Uganda. It is the true Pearl of Africa." Kanye West's wife Kim Kardashian presented sneakers to Ugandan President during their visit to Uganda West arrived Uganda’s  Entebbe International Airport on Friday Oct. 12 with his wife Kim Kardashian West

... as students shut down academic activities Oredola Adeola | The management of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, (LAUTECH) Ogbomoso, Oyo State has increased tuition fees of students of the institution from N120,00 for indigenes of Oyo and Osun states to N200,000, while non- Indigenes are expected to pay N250,000 from N150,000 paid during the 2017/2018 academic session. The students of the institution had initially paid N63,500 for indigenes and N72,500 for non-indigenes before it was first increase to N120,000 and N150,00 for indigenes and non-indigenes respectively. In a statement released on Monday, October 15, 2018, by Mr. J.A Agboola, Registrar of the institution, the management asked all indigenes of the Owner-States (Oyo and Osun) to pay N200, 000.00 (Two hundred thousand Naira) per session, while non-indigenes are to pay N250, 000.00 (Two hundred thousand Naira) per session. The statement further revealed that the new regime of tuition fees will take ef

Mr. Ayo Fayose, former Ekiti State Governor had just arrived the office of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission ( EFCC) in Abuja in company of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State,  Femi Fani Kayode and Mr. Mike Ozekhome(SAN). Wearing a black t-shirt with the inscription “EFCC, I’m here” while carrying a bag filled with his clothes. Recall that the EFCC had in 2005 filed the N1.3bn fraud case against Fayose, which led to his impeachment from office in 2006. Speaking to newsmen at the premises of  the EFCC, Fayose said: “I am here in line with my promise that I will be here on the 16th of October, and like I said to EFCC, they should await my arrival. “This morning, they have been to my house which I think its unnecessary.” According to Governor Nyesom Wike said, “He( Fayose) wrote to the EFCC that he will submit himself on the 16th of October. “So let Nigerians know that he came by himself to EFCC without anybody harassing him, so that’s why I brought him here.”

In response to the International Monetary Fund, IMF, propositions on judicious use of the nation’s external reserves to build buffers against the shock of rising interest rates in the monetary policy normalisation regime of the United States, the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has insisted that it will maintain exchange rate stability than building the buffers. Nigeria’s external reserves has declined by $4.2 billion since July 5th, 2018 due to increased dollar sales by the CBN to forestall naira depreciation due to increased dollar demand from foreign portfolio investors exiting the country’s financial markets in response to the rising interest rate in the U.S.A. and other advanced economies. Mr. Godwin Emefiele, CBN Governor, defence of the CBN’s policy preference at a joint press briefing of the Nigerian delegation to the World Bank/IMF 2018 meeting which ended on Sunday, October 14, 2018, in Bali, Indonesia, revealed that maintaining exchange rate stability is more importa

Oredola Adeola| The Federal Government through its ongoing privatisation programme has put Ajaokuta Steel Company up for sale. This was confirmed by Godwin Emefiele, Central Bank of Nigeria, Governor while briefing the Nigerian delegation at the end of the International Monetary Fund/ World Bank Group meetings in Bali, Indonesia on Sunday. The CBN Governor disclosed that the privatisation programme is coordinated by the National Council on Privatisation, while the Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) will be conducting a total review of the process of privatisation and payment for the steel industry to pave way for investors. He further stated that some of the country’s assets have been up for sale, under the ongoing privatisation programme, with the aim of raising more funds to finance the 2018 deficit-based budget.  Recall that work commenced on the steel plant in 1979 and over $10 billion is estimated to have been spent on it so far. A recent audit report revealed that a r

A Nigerian Igbo boy,  Nonso Muojeke (14) who attends Tullamore College in Ireland with his brother Viktor Muojeke and his mother Chidiebere Muojeke who were to be deported from Ireland have been allowed to remain in the country after his classmates mounted a campaign against his deportation. The teenager moved to Ireland with his mother and older brother after his father died in 2007. The family reportedly fled Nigeria because of the ill-treatment Mr. Muojeke’s mother had faced. However, their application for asylum was declined in 2009 and they were served with a deportation order. Mr. Muojeke’s mother continued to engage with the State through solicitors but the family’s application for humanitarian leave to remain in 2017 was refused. They were granted leave to remain in Ireland and their deportation document was revoked, after his fellow students and teachers had staged up an unthinkable campaign before the deportation. This was achieved by a 21,000 signature-strong