Former President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday at Gbaramatu Kingdom, Delta State, said it is unsafe to talk about events and situation of things in Nigeria.

The reluctance of the former president to speak on national issues raises concern about his standing with the incumbent administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, which has accused many of his ministers, aides and party men of barefaced corruption during his six years of governance.

Against Buhari’s sustained onslaught, the expectation is for Jonathan to offer some explanation to dispel the heavy charge of corruption against him and his government. But the ex-President in pleading his constraints, said so much by saying nothing.

Gbaramatu, the hometown of ex-militant leader Government Ekpemupolo, also known as Tompolo, has been under military siege. Tompolo, whose late father was the Pere of Gbaramatu Kingdom, has been accused of short-changing the Federal Government in a contract he signed with the Jonathan administration. The military had invaded the community for at least three times in the last one year.
Jonathan who was special guest of honour at the presentation of staff of office to the 26th Pere of Gbaramatu Kingdom, HRM Oboro Gbaraun II Aketekpe, Agadagba, said the country is passing through serious challenges and that making comments now about it is not the best thing to do.

He said Gbaramatu has been so associated with violence and militancy that most people would not believe that such a ceremony would be held peacefully in the kingdom. Jonathan said Nigeria is a country of resilient people and that the challenges facing the country would soon be over.

The former President lauded the Pere of Gbaramatu and urged the monarch to use his traditional stool to enthrone peace in the kingdom.

http://guardian.ng/news/its-risky-to-talk-about-nigeria-now-says-jonathan/

The Rivers Government has declared a three-day fasting to seek God’s intervention for peace and order in the state, ahead of the Dec. 10 rerun elections

Mr Austin Tam-George, the state Commission for Information, stated this in a statement he issued on Monday in Port Harcourt.

According to the commissioner, the fasting will span between Wednesday, Dec. 7 and Friday, Dec. 9.

He said that Gov. Nyesom Wike pleaded with residents and churches in the state to actively participate in the spiritual exercise.
“The fasting will involve churches and residents of the state; the essence is to seek God’s divine intervention in the election.

“We know that when we seek the face of God, He will cause our state to have a peaceful rerun election and no principality or power can stand Him.’’

He enjoined Rivers people to engage in acts capable of promoting peace during the election.

http://latestnews.com.ng/governor-wike-declares-fasting-river-re-run-elections/

N16.7 billion, withdrawn by the office of the Secretary to the Plateau State Government (SSG), under Gov Jonah Jang’s administration, is missing.

A Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up to probe activities of Jang’s eight years as governor, made the allegation on Tuesday in Jos. It said the money remains unaccounted for.

The commission announced the said discovery while examining witnesses with respect to a memo against Sen. Jonah Jang and the Office of the Secretary to the State Government.

The chairman of the commission, Justice Stephen Adah, while analysing the contents of the memo, observed that the sum of N16.7 billion was allegedly withdrawn by one Yusuf Pam, a former cashier, attached to the office of the SSG, during the period under review.

Mr Kelvin Bamshak, former Director, Finance and Supply, Office of the SSG, while standing as a witness, told the commission that it was a “classified expenditure”.

Bamshak said that the purpose for the withdrawal, and how it was expended, was only known by Jang.

He also revealed that N100 million was released as running cost to `Operation Rainbow’, a security outfit established by Jang, to complement the police and the Special Task Force, in addressing lingering security issues.

Pam, who made the withdrawals, while taking his turn on the witness box, corroborated Bamshak’s testimony, adding that the N16.7 billion which he withdrew, was based on “executive directive from the former governor”.

He told the commission that he was given security backup to withdraw the cash, and disclosed that each withdrawal was “usually a maximum of N150 million, which is always delivered to the governor”.

The commission also observed that another N5 million was withdrawn via the Automated Teller Machine in 2010, and revealed that the money could not be traced to anyone as no beneficiary was identified.

The chairman thereafter adjourned further hearing on the memo to Nov. 23

http://latestnews.com.ng/n16-7b-disappears-plateau-state/

With the one week nationwide ASUU strike expected to end today, lecturers are threatening to go on an indefinite strike if the government do not meet their demands.

Dr. Ifeanyi Abada, the Chairman of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka Chapter of the Academic staff Union of Universities, made this known on Tuesday in Nsukka, Enugu State.

“ASUU was left with no option than to proceed on the one-week warning strike; failure to meet our demands, we will go on an indefinite strike, Abada told the News Agency of
Nigeria.

He said that the chapter complied fully with the warning strike directive.

“The National Executive Committee made efforts to resolve this issue with the government but government remained unyielding.

“The strike compliance in UNN is total, no lectures, no examinations, no departmental and faculty meetings, as members will not participate.

“UNN chapter will not renege on the directive of the national body until government addresses all the issues raised.

“Our monitoring team is moving round; any lecturer found teaching will be sanctioned accordingly,’’ he said.

According to Abada, among the demands of ASUU is that universities be exempted from the Treasury Single Account policy.

He noted that ASUU was also demanding Federal Government implementation of an agreement it entered into with ASUU in 2009.

Meanwhile, academic activities are still paralysed in the university as a result of the warning strike.(NAN)

http://latestnews.com.ng/report-ASUU-may-go-indefinite-strike/

Nigerian-born, American singer, Jidenna believes the time has come for Nigeria music to rule the world.

Speaking to CNN, Jidenna says it is now Africa's moment to dominate the world and confident, Nigeria will spearhead this process.

"I think it's Nigeria's moment, it's Africa's moment," he told CNN. "I think Nigeria is a spearhead because Nigerians seem to be charged full of character so people are eating it up all across the world."

"You've seen Alicia Keys and Swizz Beats and Drake, Chris Brown, Party Next Door...listening to Afrobeats as well."

The Grammy award nominee further discussed his reasons for promoting African culture, using Nigerian-pidgin in his newest album 'Long Live The Chief'.

"I wanted to see [if] in the US, I can get a song on the radio that actually has pidgin in it? And I did it," Jidenna said.

"That's the beautiful thing... [my album] you can dance and shoki to it, in the larger context my album blends the different worlds that I've lived in."

When asked if he was planning to work with local artistes, Jidenna revealed his love for Wizkid and Flavour.

"I've already been in the studio with Wizkid, I have plans to be in the studio with everyone I consider a bridge builder, the Davido's, the Tiwa Savage's," he said.

"I love Flavour's music, my fellow Igbo brother. So I would love to connect with everybody."

http://latestnews.com.ng/nigeria-will-lead-world-music-jidenna/

I hope they can get Singapore not to do it but it is also shameful what Nigerians do even though they know the risks.

Singapore must immediately halt the execution of Chijioke Stephen Obioha, a Nigerian national on death row for possession of drugs, Amnesty International said today.

On Wednesday, Chijioke Stephen Obioha’s family was informed that his appeal for clemency has been rejected. He is set to be executed on Friday 18 November 2016.

“The Singapore government still has time to halt the execution of Chijioke Stephen Obioha. We are dismayed that clemency has not been granted in his case but remain hopeful that they won’t carry out this cruel and irreversible punishment against a person sentenced to the mandatory death penalty for a crime that should not even be punished by death,” said Rafendi Djamin, Amnesty International’s Director for Southeast Asia and the Pacific.

“The death penalty is never the solution. It will not rid Singapore of drugs. By executing people for drug-related offences, which do not meet the threshold of most serious crimes, Singapore is violating international law. Most of the world has turned its back on this ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment. It is about time that Singapore does the same, starting by restoring a moratorium on all executions as a first step towards abolition of this punishment.”

Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all circumstances, regardless of the method of execution or the crime for which it is imposed, and believes that there is no credible evidence that the death penalty has a unique deterrent effect.

http://latestnews.com.ng/halt-execution-chijioke-stephen-obioha-amnesty-interntional-warns-singapore/

The Senate on Tuesday pledged to engage relevant stakeholders to avert the warning strike being planned by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

ASUU had on Monday announced plans to embark on a one-week warning strike over the inability of government to implement agreements reached with it since 2009.

The move by the Senate to intervene in the matter followed a motion moved by Sen. Jibrin Barau (APC-Kano North) under matters of urgent national importance.

The President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, urged the chamber to intervene and ensure that the eight -year- agreement was fully implemented.

“We must find a way of seeing to the implementation and we will look into the matter quickly.

“We will also get the relevant parties to quickly come to the table so that we can find a way of moving forward and report back to us,” he said.

While reading the motion, Sen. Jibrin Barau, who is Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TetFund, urged government to implement all agreements.

He also urged government to as well carry out certain actions that were necessary for the wellbeing of the development of Nigerian public universities.

The lawmaker, however, commended ASUU for choosing the path of dialogue rather than confrontation as a means of resolving all the outstanding issues between it and the Federal Government.

In his contribution, Sen. Danjuma Goje (APC-Gombe Central) noted that the history of strike in the country was a recurring decimal.

“It is a disturbing issue to parents and students. There is need to nip it in the bud. We should not allow it to escalate,” Goje said.

Goje said the motion was apt and and called on the senate to engage the leadership of ASUU in order to suspend its planned warning strike.

The Majority Leader, Sen. Mohammed Ndume, described the senate as a stabilising agent and called for the immediate intervention of the senate leadership in the matter.

http://latestnews.com.ng/ASUU-strike-senate-engage-stakeholders/

A total of 61 graduates will be awarded First Class degrees at the forthcoming 42nd convocation of the University of Benin, UNIBEN, according to its Vice Chancellor, Faraday Orumwense.

Addressing journalists in Benin on Tuesday, the UNIBEN vice-chancellor said 12,808 candidates would be awarded various diplomas and degrees during the ceremony holding from November 23 to 26.

According to him, 154 graduates would bag doctorate degrees, 2,531 master’s degrees, 233 post-graduate diplomas, 9, 281 undergraduate degrees, 95 undergraduate diplomas and 514 unclassified.


Mr. Orumwense said the ceremony would also feature the conferment of honorary degrees of Doctor of Science as well as Professor Emeritus to deserving Nigerians.

The vice-chancellor said the Convocation Lecture will be delivered by the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola.

He said that 15 newly-completed projects will be inaugurated while the institution’s Hall of Fame will be dedicated to Godwin Oshodin for his exceptional leadership qualities and creativity.

http://latestnews.com.ng/61-uniben-graduates-awarded-first-class-degrees/

Istanbul police detained two suspects of Nigerian origin who were trying to smuggle drugs in condoms that they later swallowed in Istanbul’s Atatürk International Airport on Friday.

Two passengers aged 22 and 27 were detained in the airport upon suspicion of smuggling drugs. They were admitted to the Haseki Training and Research Hospital for a detailed medical examination as the police failed to find enough evidence.

Medical examinations revealed that they had together swallowed 115 condoms full of heroin and cocaine. One of the smugglers had swallowed 700 grams of heroin, while the other had swallowed 1.3 kilograms of liquid cocaine.

The suspects were arrested and later sent to prison pending trial after testifying at court.

Earlier this year on June 23, police had detained a drug dealer in a clown costume at a park in Istanbul’s Fatih district. Police officer Eyüp Şahin said police teams caught the dealer while he was selling drugs thanks to the efforts of the security general directorate’s “Mobile Park Police” project.

Meanwhile, drugs worth 25 million Turkish Liras were seized in an operation in Istanbul on Oct. 7, with police confiscating 1.1 tons of the chemically modified cannabis-based drug “skunk.” The raid on the basement of a building in Istanbul’s Bayrampaşa district marked the largest single amount of skunk ever confiscated in Turkey, according to police

http://latestnews.com.ng/turkey-police-detain-nigerian-drug-smugglers-who-swallowed-115-condoms

The Federal government says it is facilitating the procurement of additional 40 large-scale rice mills to achieve self-sufficiency in rice production by 2018.

Chief Audu Ogbeh, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, disclosed this in Abuja on Thursday at a workshop themed “Big Boost for Agro Diversification and Export.’’

Ogbeh said that the Integrated Rice Mills (IRMs) of the Ministry had increased the rice milling capacity in the country.

He said that the Ministry’s new goal was to attain self-sufficiency in food production and annually export 10 million metric tonnes of food to ECOWAS region and beyond by 2019. According to the minister, the country’s food import bill has further declined from N1.1 trillion in 2009 to N684 billion in 2013.

“Nigeria has huge agricultural potentials with 11 million hectares of arable land but only cultivates 40 per cent; 263 billion cubic metres of water with two of the largest rivers in Africa.

“We have a cheap labour force to support agriculture intensification. We grow our food, feed ourselves and create local and international markets for our farmers and also unlock our enormous potentials in agriculture.

“We can achieve the economic diversification goal of government and surmount the present economic recession.

“I hope with the help of the Pentair, Good Rain, Dayu irrigation, Zhong Zhou Poultry, Jinan and our local companies, we will diversify and get out of recession in no time,’’ Ogbeh said.

Don Ekesiobi, Managing Director, Eurobase Nigeria Limited, the workshop organiser, said his company and the Ministry of Agriculture brought to Nigeria six world leading agro companies for partnership.

Ekesiobi said that the companies would introduce and showcase for adoption, technologies to turn around neglected agro value chain of the country in six months.

Source: http://guardian.ng/news/fg-to-procure-40-rice-mills-for-self-sufficiency/?

Immigration authorities in New Zealand on Thursday reported a dramatic increase in the number of Americans enquiring about moving to the country, following Donald Trump’s win in the US presidential election.

Immigration New Zealand (INZ) said its website had received 56,300 visits from people in the United States in the 24 hours up to 9am (2000 GMT Wednesday), almost 25 times the usual daily average of 2,300 visits.

“In the same 24-hour period the New Zealand Now website – which contains information about living, working, studying and investing in New Zealand – received 70,500 visits from the United States compared to a usual daily average of 1500 visits,” a spokesperson said.

In the year to June, 1,288 Americans were granted residency in New Zealand. Another 8,876 were granted work visas and 2,997 were issued with student visas.

US media reported Wednesday that Canada’s immigration website had crashed due to a high number of visits, which was thought to be linked to people wanting to emigrate north from the US.

http://latestnews.com.ng/americans-consider-relocating-to-new-zealand-after-trumps-win

Top Nigerian blogger, Linda Ikeji’s launch of a social network, Linda Ikeji Social was top on Google search this week, an official of Google in Lagos said on Thursday.

Mr Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Google’s Communications and Public Affairs Manager, Anglophone West Africa, made the disclosure in a statement in Lagos, saying that the search was between Nov. 2 and Nov. 9.

Google Trends, launched in May, 2006, allowed one to see how popular search terms and demography had been over time on Google.

“Google search trend this week moved between the tension-filled U.S. elections to Linda Ikeji social, the newly launched social networking site of famous gossip blogger.

“The awoof buying spree on Jumia online store along with some other exciting news also got people’s attention online,” Kola-Ogunlade said.

“Ikeji goes Social” this week witnessed the announcement of the latest competition to Facebook in Nigeria, the Google manager said.

“Top Nigerian blogger, Ikeji launched her new social network and hit 50, 000 sign-ups on the first day.

“Linda, who runs a blog that is widely known as a top gossip site, says she plans to pay users to gain more followers on the site,” he said.

According to Kola-Ogunlade, with a few hours remaining to the Nov. 8 elections, search for updates on the blood pumping US elections shot up on Google.

“Internet users wanted to know things like the latest forecasts, what time winners would be announced, and even the newest gaffes from either of the two contestants, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.

“Up until the day of elections, citizens wanted to know who was likely to become the US President,” he said.

The Google manager said that folks went into frenzy search on Google when the ‘Awoof’ buying on Jumia Black Friday sales dates was announced by the online retail giant Jumia Nigeria.

He said that they offered buyers amazing discounts on the Website for quality products ranging from electronics, beauty and more.

“Jumia announced that this year’s Black Friday will start on Nov. 14 and end on the 25th and customers who spend 10,000 and above will win mouth-watering prizes,” he said.

Kola-Ogunlade said other sites visited included “Stop the rumour: Kogi’s helmsman is alive.’

He said that to calm the rumour, which went around over the weekend on the demise of Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, the state government sent out a statement refuting the death.

He said that the Director General, Media and Publicity, Mr Kingsley Fanwo, disclosed that the governor was on a two-week break outside the country approved by the state House of Assembly.

The public affairs manager said that in some other reports, the governor was said to be in Germany for an eye surgery.

“Several people went scampering for news on Kwara Poly all over the internet to know if indeed the polytechnic had increased its school fees, Kola-Ogunlade said.

He said that the Rector of Kwara State Polytechnic rebutted the rumour, saying people should stop listening to rumours that started on the social media.

http://latestnews.com.ng/linda-ikeji-social-tops-google-search-terms-in-nigeria

Court fixes Nov. 17 for ruling on bail
The Federal Government yesterday re-arraigned the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu and three others in Abuja. They appeared before a third judge, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court on an 11-count charge bordering on treasonable felony, illegal possession of firearms as well as terrorism.

Nyako was the third judge to hear Kanu’s case as he had earlier accused two others: Justices Adeniyi Ademola and John Tsoho, of bias.

http://m.guardian.ng/news/government-re-arraigns-Igbos-nnamdi-kanu-three-others/

Nigeria’s population reached 182 million this year with more than half of its people under 30 years of age, putting a severe strain on a nation suffering from a slowing economy and declining revenue to provide enough schools and health facilities.

The latest estimate is based on the population of 140 million recorded in the last census a decade ago, using an annual growth rate of 3.5 percent weighed against other variables such as a rising life expectancy and a declining infant mortality rate, Ghaji Bello, director general of the National Population Commission, said in an interview Monday in the capital, Abuja.

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, is witnessing a growing youth bulge, with those under 14 years accounting for more than 40 percent of its citizens, he said. This is happening at a time when the International Monetary Fund has forecast the West African nation;s the gross domestic product will shrink 1.7 percent this year, the first full-year contraction in more than two decades.

“The implication is that they’re assets, they’re are the future of your country, but they are also liabilities,” Bello said. “We need to know how to plan for their transition from youths to the next category. It has implications for education, health and security, particularly in our environment where you have a lot of unemployment.”

Census Delayed

Plans to hold a census this year were delayed by the election of a new government last year and the plunge in state revenue due to low prices for crude, the country’s main export, and slashed output caused by militant attacks in the southern oil region, according to Bello.

“We’re hopeful the government will soon make a statement for the next exercise,” he said.

To ensure an accurate figure when it does take place, the commission plans to obtain the biometric data of citizens counted to curtail the temptation to inflate numbers by states and municipalities in a bid to attract more social benefits and services based on larger numbers.

During the last census, the northern state of Kano registered a higher population figure than Lagos in the south, which includes the commercial capital that’s a major destination of urban migration in the country.

“It’s our mandate to produce figures that are accurate and credible,” Bello said. “If we do that successfully, we’ll be able to lay to rest some of these issues.”

Source: http://latestnews.com.ng/nigerian-population-hits-182-million-with-widening-youth-bulge-bloomberg

I disagree with Dr. Abati’s article in The Guardian of 14 October 2016 titled: “The spiritual side of Aso Villa”. Abati’s spiritual tonic about Aso Rock villa’s redemption, the seat of power in Abuja, Nigeria should be taken with a pinch of salt. Abati’s exposition about the Aso Rock demon or witchcraft is complete balderdash. Nigeria, nay Africa, will remain in perpetual darkness and retrogression if we refuse to grow up and get out of our self-induced bondage of religion.

Every time Nigerians go spiritual in politics or social nuance, it makes us a laughing stock in the eyes of the civilized world. Most Nigerians are very religious but pretentiously ungodly in all ramifications. Providence has given us the robust platform to be one of the greatest countries on earth, but we daily squander the opportunity. We should leave God alone to rest on His majestic oars. We aren’t his only holy creatures!

Nigerians should wake up from their 19th century slumber to meet the rest of the world in this 21st century of progressive imagination and
seriousness. I bet you. Abati’s sanctimonious stance will be noxious to his contemporaries in other civilized world. So, my former Muse should shut the f**k up!!!


The greatest damage a man can do to himself is to throw away integrity for short-term rewards; fantasize with the immediacies of everyday living, and dwell on other worldly mundane things. If a man refuses to take heed of opportunists, or have an eye open with fake people around him, those who are celebrating him today may be his worst enemies tomorrow. Dr. Abati, our once epitome of intellectual sagacity has now become a ping pong on the
touchscreens of the Nigerian print and social media users.
Abati is a master sartirist and a prolific writer. He has carved a niche for himself in the academia and became the editorial darling of the media, but the homo sapien’s gene in him prevented him from predicting his own future in order to create it, or maintain his integrity. He made irrevocable the mistake of his lifetime to have dined with the devil with a short spoon. It is unfathomable to note how Abati manages to balance his current life without a regurgitation of his immediate past.

Every time I think of Abati, my journalistic instinct, intellectual quest and inquisitiveness go to Dr. Ebenezer Babatope of Nigeria’s defunct second republic politics. Babatope was one of the Apostles of Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo. He was a monumental betrayal of Awo’s legacy in the dark days of Ibrahim Babangida and Ogbeni Sanni Abacha. The mind is a terrible thing to waste.

Man is the architect of his own fortune and misfortune. Ebenezer Babatope is a by-product of his gross political miscalculation and self-interest, his legacy of Awo’s glorious days has been cast into the dustbin of history. He now belongs to the comity of looters. Just like Babatope, Abati was used and dumped by the state. The option left for him was to join a
lootocratic party, and then struggle with his past and present for a future with uncertainty.

Despite the various admonitions to quit governments that were destined for failure, they bluntly refused to quit. Now, they’re having a forced date with history. We must all beware of the burden of history.

Dr. Abati was the conscience of the nation and the voice of the impoverished millions of the strayed youths in the country. Before he compromised his intellectual integrity, every inquisitor in Nigeria always looked forward to purchasing the edition of The Guardian on Sundays for his articles. His rich articles were intellectual tonics for insatiable minds like us. He was a literary engineer who mesmerized us in the construction of sentences with unique words.

This writer unrepentantly empathize with Dr. Abati’s present conundrum and his clouded future. History seems not to be on his side. Since his debut after the inglorious tenure in the administration of ineffectual president
Goodluck Jonathan, his efforts at coming back to win his admirers has been an unmitigated failure. His attempts at revamping his glorious past has been abysmal failure. Those of us who are infatuated with Abati’s intellectual acuity are reluctant and unrepentant to detach ourselves from his academic prowess. The more his antecedents nauseate us, the more we look back, and feel attracted to his literary gymnastics, or get subsumed in his presentations and scholarship.

My humble advice to Dr. Abati is to come to term with the existential reality of life. He should come out of his oiled ego and apologise to all his admirers; he should be humble and remorseful in his demeanor to fully atone for his “sins” and come back to us. Some of us are very forgiving of those with remorseful minds, who by commission or omission have transgressed against the will of the people. To some, no amount of professorial writings or exposition can sway them to him unless he honestly admit his mistakes in order to move on. Abati’s preachment after he has benefitted from habitation of what I call ‘ the forest of demons’ is not only insulting but ludicrous.

Consequently, we should always preserve our values. Our values are our principles, standards and qualities, those values shape our lives and define who we are as individuals. Our actions at any given time reflect those values. The true measure of a real man is when he is faced with the most difficult choice of his life. As an individual and a stakeholder in the project of Nigeria, or elsewhere, I dread the judgments of history in decision-making. Man must be careful to look back and avoid the pitfalls of the past; the present, in order to secure a well deserved future. Abati’s pitfall is a big Lesson for those who are subsumed in vanity and political opportunism.
Yahaya Balogun, Arizona, USA.

Source: http://guardian.ng/opinion/a-lesson-from-abatis-travails/

After ten years at the Stamford Bridge, Super Eagles team captain, John Obi Mikel, has been told to look somewhere else for his club career.

Mikel, 29, a former Lyn Oslo starlet has been on the books of the London team since 2006.But Chelsea Manager Antonio Conte confirmed yesterday that the holding midfielder has not yet been offered a new deal.

“In every squad, there are players who arrive at the end of their contract and then together the club will take a decision,” Conte told reporters yesterday afternoon. “The most important thing is that Mikel is working very well. I am pleased with his work rate.”


Signs that Mikel might be declared surplus to requirement at the Stamford Bridge appeared on the wall long ago, as he was not considered good enough for a single appearance for the club since September despite being fit.
According to www.Allnigeriasoccer.com, some clubs based in France, Turkey, Italy, United States and China are monitoring the situation of Mikel and will swoop for him if he leaves Chelsea.

Mikel had said recently that he is making plans for life after final year of his contract at Stamford Bridge.The Nigerian, who has made more than 350 appearances in all competitions since joining Chelsea from Lyn Oslo in June 2006, told Goal he will talk to interested clubs in January if he is not offered an extension.

Mikel is the club’s longest-serving player behind John Terry and has won every major club trophy at Stamford Bridge.Under interim manager Guus Hiddink last season, Mikel a regular starter at Chelsea, regaining a level of prominence before falling back down the pecking order following the arrivals of coach Antonio Conte.

Source: http://guardian.ng/sport/no-new-contract-for-mikel-says-conte/

The Lagos State University (LASU), has directed successful candidates in the first round of its 2016/2017 admission screening to pay non-refundable acceptance fee of N10,000. ‎

This is contained in the varsity’s bulletin obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Lagos on Friday. ‎

It said the candidates were expected to report for clearance ‎from Nov. 7 and proceed with ‎the payment of the fee. ‎ ‎ The university directed the candidates to visit the LASU E-payment website to access guidelines for the approved procedure for the payment of the fee.


According to the bulletin, successful candidates are expected to appear before the Faculty, School and College clearance team‎ with evidence of payment, and original and photocopies of credentials, among others.

Source: http://guardian.ng/features/new-students-to-pay-n10000-acceptance-fee-at-lasu/

​Emirates Airlines has officially shut down its operations in Abuja, Nigeria.

The airline had announced that it would suspend its four flights per week from Abuja to Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), with effect from yesterday.

“The decision was made after a review of the airline’s operations to ensure the best utilisation of its aircraft fleet for its overall business objectives. The airline continues to serve Nigeria with a daily flight to and from Lagos,” the airline said in a statement.

Minister of State for Aviation Senator Hadi Sirika had last week met with Regional Manager, West Africa of Emirates, Manoj Nair, where he urged foreign airlines to rescind the decision to scale down operations in Nigeria.

The Emirates representative told the minister that the airline’s inability to access foreign exchange for its operations, high cost of aviation fuel and the state of the Abuja Airport runway were some of the factors responsible for its decision to cut operations.

Source: http://latestnews.com.ng/emirates-airlines-shuts-down-operations-in-abuja

The seventh prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of former National Publicity Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh, has explained how the N400 million transferred to the latter was allegedly expended.

Mr. Richard Ihediwa told the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, that out of the amount said to have been given to Metuh, N21 million was spent to acquire media intervention centre, where journalistic and advocacy works were carried out.

According to him, the money was paid through the account of Chief Tony Anenih, and that though the property located in Asokoro area of Abuja did not belong to the latter, he, however, assisted the team in securing it.


“The amount covered the cost of hiring the structure, pool vehicles as well as security gadgets at the centre.”
The witness said members of staff of the centre were converted to work for the team.

The witness, led in evidence by the counsel to the first defendant, Chief Emeka Etiaba (SAN), also told Justice Okon Abang’s court that there were groups co-ordinated by government functionaries, including the late Oronto Douglas and Malam Abbah Dabo, for the same advocacy.

While he was not very certain about how much money was released to the late Douglas, he said the sum of N25 million was however given to Dabo in line with alleged directives of former President Goodluck Jonathan as mobilisation for advocacy groups they co-ordinated.

Narrating the circumstances leading to the alleged transfer of the said N400 million to Metuh, Ihediwa said, among others: “When it came to the turn of our team to make presentation before the former President and other top government functionaries in a meeting conveyed by him, the lead consultant, Yomi Badejo, was called upon and he reviewed the issues raised by the former President regarding the worries of the government over tension in the polity across the country.

“At that time, there was tension in the six geo-political zones of the country. In the South-South, there was problem of agitations for resource control and militancy issues.

“In the South-East, there were issues of kidnapping, and a section of the citizenry was also agitating for self-determination.

“In the South-West, there was an issue of demand for the implementation of the National conference reports. Some leaders from the region were already agitating for self-determination for the region.

“In the North, there was problem of insurgency in the North-East and that of religious crises in other parts of the region. On the whole, the stability of the nation was at stake. There were also perceptions in some sections of the country that the problem was because of certain things the government did or did not do at that time.

“So, the lead consultant reviewed these issues and went ahead to state the strategies the team was presenting as solution. It was an elaborate presentation.

“It showed that intervention in terms of advocacy and assuring the citizens on the fact that government was doing a lot to protect lives and property was urgently needed.”

According to him, at the end of the presentation, those at the meeting reached a consensus that Metuh’s team was in the best position to handle the intervention.

The trial was adjourned till November 15 and 16 .

Source: http://guardian.ng/news/how-metuh-disbursed-n400m-for-media-project/

igerian author and Nobel Prize laureate Wole Soyinka has said he will destroy his green card, a permanent residence permit for the US, if Republican Party’s candidate in the November 8 US presidential election, Donald Trump, is elected.

“The moment they announce his [Trump’s] victory, I will cut my green card myself and start packing up,” said Soyinka in a video of a conversation with students at Oxford University in the UK.


Soyinka said he feared Donald Trump would ask all green-card holders to reapply to come back into the US.
Trump’s rival Hillary Clinton also painted a grim picture of a Trump presidency on Thursday, warning undecided voters as the ever tighter White House race entered its final five-day stretch.

“Imagine it is January 20, 2017, and imagine that it is Donald Trump standing in front of the Capitol,” Clinton told a 15,000-strong crowd in Tempe, triggering a chorus of boos for her Republican opponent.

“Imagine that he is taking the oath of office and then imagine that he is in the Oval Office making the decisions that affect your lives and your future,” she said.

Source - http://guardian.ng/news/i-will-tear-my-green-card-if-donald-trump-wins-soyinka-says/

You do have a point

Chief Justice Mahmud Mohammed has indicted the Federal Government and state governors for the existence of corrupt judges.

Mohammed’s indictment of the executive was contained in a letter sent to Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).

According to him: “The failure on the part of the executive arm of government to act upon recommendations by the National Judicial Council (NJC) cannot be blamed upon the NJC.”


The letter with reference No.CJN/Gen/MISC/A37/Vol.XXI/8 and signed by the Senior Special Assistant, H. S. Sa’eed, to the CJN, was in response to SERAP’s request to Mohammed to “take over from the Department of State Services (DSS) the cases of all the seven judges and refer them to anti-corruption agencies for conclusion of investigation and prompt prosecution.”
The CJN added: “Certainly, you will agree with me that where there are clear constitutional provisions relating to the power of any individual, institution or arm of government, then it cannot deviate nor exceed such powers as this will be unlawful.

“While restating the willingness of the NJC to act upon any petition as well as commitment of the Nigerian judiciary to the fight against corruption, his Lordship opines that any significant involvement in the fight against corruption will be upon a similar commitment of the prosecutorial agencies to actively prosecute their cases expeditiously when information about same is received.

“It is necessary to restate that the NJC is a creation of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) being established under Section 153 with its mandate clearly set out in Para 21, Part One of the Third Schedule to the Constitution. This provision clearly stipulates at Para 21(b) and (d) that the Council may only ‘recommend’ to the President and the governors the removal from office of judicial officers and to exercise disciplinary control over such judicial officers, which in effect is the extent of its power to discipline. Hence, the Council cannot, suo moto dismiss any judicial officer.”

Source: http://guardian.ng/news/blame-fg-governors-for-corrupt-judges-says-cjn/

I have in the last few months been travelling from Lagos to my hometown of Achina in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State at a high frequency for reasons which need not be stated here. I have been going by road because the road is today much better and safer than, say, this time last year. Another reason is to have a firsthand experience with a view to reporting to the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, who always solicits for such frank reports with a view to taking appropriate action.

Whereas the Onitsha-Asaba-Benin-Ore sections of the Lagos to Onitsha Highway have in the last few years been generally good, the Lagos-Sagamu-Ore sections are in a mess. One is glad to report that tremendous reconstruction work is currently taking place in the worst of all the failed sections. Reynold Construction Company (RCC) has divided the Lagos-Sagamu-Ore sections into four parts and is working on them simultaneously in a rather frenetic manner, even in the rains.
In a fashion reminiscent of the mass attack style, RCC is reconstructing what remains of the Ondo State section of the highway, the Ijebu Ode part, the Sagamu end as well as the Lagos-Ibadan expressway. When I was driving from Anambra State to Lagos two days ago, I had to stop briefly at the Ijebu Ode site because what is going on there looks more like new construction rather than rehabilitation. Rev Sister Christy Okonkwo, an impressed Catholic nun who is from Nnewi in Anambra State and works with the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus Congregation at Epe in Lagos State, remarked after watching the massive deployment of equipment, machines and human resources: “There is still hope for Nigeria”.


Until now, such massive reconstruction which always resulted in the closure of at least one side of the highway invariably led to traffic gridlock. Reverend Sister Christy narrated how she and her colleagues spent three hours on one spot while going for the funeral of a colleague’s relative. Like the rest of her colleagues, she consequently developed a phobia for travelling by road to the Southeast and South-south from Lagos. But this time traffic is directed professionally not just by the RCC workers and Federal Road Safety Commission officials but also by teams of police and army personnel whose presence has injected discipline and order in the heads of commercial motorists, especially those of minibuses whose irresponsible driving exacerbates traffic gridlock.
What is more, the conspicuous presence of soldiers in particular has driven away armed robbers and kidnappers from the highway. Capitalising on the failed portions which naturally forced motorists to stop, kidnappers on one occasion shot an Igbo priest with the Warri Catholic Diocese in the hand and took away a young boy with him; on another occasion, they abducted nuns of the St. Louis Congregation in Ondo State who were travelling on a bus and hid them in a thick forest for a whole 10 days. Today all this criminal nonsense has become history.


While driving through Benin, we noticed there were two awfully failed sections of this extraordinarily busy highway. One is directly opposite the NIPCO filling station on the Benin-Agbor section of the road while the other is on the Benin Bypass. Mr. Fashola was contacted on his personal phone, and he quickly began to ask questions about the exact locations, extent of failures and the impact on traffic. It was evident that the officials of the Federal Ministry of Works and the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) had yet to report the failed parts to him. When he was satisfied with details of the failed portions, he promised to immediately get in touch with the contractor to assess the rehabilitation and revert to him. Talk of responsive leadership. Talk of working with passion and commitment.

One thing about Fashola is that he executes every assignment as though his life depended on it. He is, to a considerable extent, the face of what the Catholic Church has in recent decades popularised as the common good. He is also a considerable representation of the concept of servant leadership. A few weeks ago when it was brought to his knowledge that the Asaba end of the Lagos-Onitsha Expressway had collapsed, he immediately directed Julius Berger which was working on another project in the neighbourhood to move to the site of the failed part. Work is going on there right now. This work is going on in the rainy season which interestingly has always been given as a reason by governments in Nigeria for suspending infrastructure work. But Fashola is a different kind of fish, as we have seen right from his days as the Lagos State governor.


One has not in the last few months been travelling to other parts of the country, but one understands that road reconstruction is taking place all over the federation everywhere there is a provision in the budget for it. Even the most awfully failed part of the Okija-Ihiala-Uli-Egbu-Oguta-Ahoada linking Anambra, Imo and Rivers states which is not captured in this year’s budget is being rehabilitated because it is considered a national emergency.

It has to be noted that RCC, Julius Berger and Integrated Services Ltd are among several companies which moved to sites before the release of the first quarter of this year’s budget. They went to work without the payment of mobilisation fees in these economically hard times because of their trust in the integrity of the minister. As management experts have long noted, integrity or character is a most invaluable asset in business transactions whether in the private or public sector. In other words, as more releases are made, both the scope and intensity of road work by the Federal Government will escalate.

Fashola assumed duties as the Minister of Power, Works and Housing only last November, that is, less than a year now. Before he could settle in office, take stock of things, make his own projections and then mobilise funds, critics had gone to town, with some wondering if he could run this enlarged ministry successfully. If Fashola could excel as the Lagos State governor in a way which earned him great praise and awards from the greatest global media and think tanks, he should be expected to continue on the trajectory of high service delivery. Now that work is going on even in the rainy season on federal roads, why have even the media been shy to report it? Well, if the media fail to report these developments, frequent road users like us who feel and experience the massive work daily cannot deny the evidence of our eyes.

Source: http://guardian.ng/opinion/fashola-at-work-why-is-no-one-talking/

Nigeria most prolific polygamist has spoken out to dismiss rumours of his death and assure people that he is very much alive and looking to bring more women into his life.

Mohammed Bello Abubakar, who rose to fame in 2008, for his ever expanding brood, which includes over 100 wives and 185 children told Nigeria’s Vanguard newspaper: “My dear, I am very much alive, hale and hearty.”

The Muslim cleric, believed to be in his early nineties, was rumoured to have passed away after battling a disease, but he spoke to Nigerian press to dismiss the stories.

He said: “The rumour is baseless and can best be described as the work of my detractors because they envy what God has done and what He is still doing for me.

http://www.latestnews.com.ng/2016/10/20/nigerian-man-97-wives-alive/

The gifts were given in small contributions by several persons some of whom she cannot even now recall over this period of 15 years sometimes in as small a gift as N250,000 Naira.

She really has friends, lots of them.

Patience Jonathan, wife of former Nigerian President has explained in graphic details how she accumulated in 15 years $15million in several bank accounts linked to her by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The explanation was given in court papers filed by a group that has sued Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) on her behalf. SERAP had filed a suit in court to compel the attorney-general of the Federation to take a legal action against Mrs. Jonathan.

Union of Niger Delta Youth Organisation for Equity, Justice and Good Governance suing for themselves and on behalf of Mrs Dame Patience Jonathan filed a suit number FHC/L/CS/1349/2016 before a Federal High Court in Lagos, alleging “campaign of calumny by SERAP against her.

“The funds in question were legitimate gifts from her friends and well-wishers over the last 15 years which she had been saving in order to utilize to upgrade family businesses and concerns which had been somewhat dormant by reason of the long period of her husband service as a public officer in Nigeria.

“The gifts were given in small contributions by several persons some of whom she cannot even now recall over this period of 15 years sometimes in as small a gift as N250,000 Naira. In order to preserve the value of these funds which she did not require for any purpose at the time she changed them into foreign exchange and kept them as cash for a long period in her home safe in Port Harcourt and Abuja.

http://www.latestnews.com.ng/2016/10/20/made-15m-patience-jonathan-replies/

The affected commissioners are Mr Folorunsho Folarin-Coker who was the commissioner for tourism and culture, Dr Mustapha Akinkunmi of the ministry of finance and commissioner for transportation, Dr Ekundayo Mobereola.

Lagos State governor, Akinwunmi Ambode has sacked three commissioners from his cabinet exactly one year after they were sworn in.

No reason was given for their sack.

The affected commissioners are Mr Folorunsho Folarin-Coker who was the commissioner for tourism and culture, Dr Mustapha Akinkunmi of the ministry of finance and commissioner for transportation, Dr Ekundayo Mobereola.

http://guardian.ng/news/metro/ambode-sacks-three-commissioners/