₦airaland Forum

Jeff Bezos, the billionaire founder of Amazon, will step down as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). This is according to the tech company.

Bezos, who will remain executive chair from the third quarter of this year (2021), will hand the reins to Andy Jassy, chief executive of Amazon Web Services, the company’s fast-growing cloud computing business.
https://newsrand.com/2021/02/03/jeff-bezos-shrewdly-steps-down-as-amazon-ceo-heres-why/

Nollywood actors live unpredictable lives with long hours on set, irregular schedules, and no way of knowing what their next gig will be.

Should they find success in their course of career, they can have big paychecks and the fulfillment of doing what they love. Movie lovers may think of that as the ultimate goal, but the 10 stars that would be mentioned in this content, have stopped acting for one reason or the other.

https://newsrand.com/2021/02/02/8-nollywood-stars-who-no-longer-act/

The Federal Government has threatened to suspend flight operations from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and The Netherlands due to the new COVID-19 protocols introduced by both countries for incoming travelers.

The Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Mr. Musa Nuhu, disclosed this at the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 media briefing on Monday in Abuja.
https://newsrand.com/2021/02/02/covid-19-protocol-fg-may-suspend-uae-netherlands-flights/

Residents of Maiduguri and environs have been thrown into lingering blackout following the destruction of one of the towers supplying electricity to the city from the national grid.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the blackout, which has lasted for one week, has grounded many businesses that are relying on power.

https://newsrand.com/2021/02/01/blackout-hits-maiduguri-as-insurgents-destroyed-electricity-tower/

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has revealed that he knew his successor, Umaru Yar’Adua, was sick before he picked him.

In a virtual interview with academic and historian Toyin Falola, where he denied allegations that he deliberately put up weak candidates for selfish interests, Obasanjo said he took the decision because medical advice showed that Yar’Adua, who had a kidney transplant, was fit to act as President.
https://newsrand.com/2021/02/01/obasanjo-i-knew-yaradua-was-sick-before-picking-him-as-my-successor/

Last week, President Muhammadu Buhari, in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, recommended to the National Assembly for confirmation/ratification some senior and war-tested officers – Major General Lucky Irabor, Major General Ibrahim Attahiru, Rear Admiral Auwal Gambo, and AVM Isyaka Amao – for appointment as service chiefs.

In effect, he had accepted the resignation of the former service chiefs – Major General Abayomi Olonisakin, Major General Tukur Buratai, Rear Admiral Ibok-Efe Ibas, Air Vice Marshal Sadique Abubakar – who had stayed on at the posts well beyond the statutory tradition at the pleasure of their boss.

https://newsrand.com/2021/02/01/on-the-newly-appointed-service-chiefs-by-hope-eghagha/

The presidency has warned Nigerians to wear their masks in order to avert a fresh COVID-19 lockdown.

In a statement addressed to the Nigerian citizenry, Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, said the Presidency was worried by reports of non-compliance with the regulations that make mask-wearing and observation of social distancing in the public, mandatory.

https://newsrand.com/2021/02/01/presidency-to-nigerians-wear-your-masks-or-risk-fresh-covid-19-lockdown/

The military has taken over power in a coup in Myanmar, a Southeast Asian country.

Following the detention of civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other senior government officials in a series of early morning raids on Monday, February 1, 2021, the military also declared a state of emergency.

https://newsrand.com/2021/02/01/military-takes-over-government-in-myanmar/

The Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, on Thursday, reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to resuscitate and ensure functional airstrips all over the country.

The Director, Public Affairs, in the ministry, Mr. James Odaudu, quoted Sirika, in a statement, as saying that the airstrips would help combat insecurity and boost commercial activities.
https://newsrand.com/2021/01/29/fg-to-resuscitate-airstrips-to-tackle-insecurity-sirika/

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) has advised evicted herdsmen in Oyo State to head to court for redress.

While maintaining that popular Yoruba rights activist, Sunday Igboho, had no right to issue a vacation notice to herders in the Ibarapa Local Government Area of Oyo State, Falana explained that it is within the right of everyone in the country, including the herders to live legally in any parts of the country.
https://newsrand.com/2021/01/28/falana-advises-evicted-herdsmen-in-oyo-to-head-to-court/

The CBN says it has disbursed N554.61 billion to 2, 849,490 farmers to boost food security under its Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP) beginning from 2015.

In a communique issued in Abuja on Wednesday, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, the CBN Governor said that out of the amount, N61.02 billion was disbursed to 353,370 dry season farmers.
https://newsrand.com/2021/01/27/cbn-disburses-n554bn-to-2m-farmers-to-boost-food-security/

The Federal Government on Tuesday inaugurated 20,000 Extended Special Public Works (SPW) Programme in Lagos State.

The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, made this known in Lagos during the inauguration of the Extended SPW Programme of the 774,000 jobs in the country.
https://newsrand.com/2021/01/27/fg-inaugurates-20000-extended-public-works-in-lagos/

In commemoration of the 2021 International Day of Education, Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC, a member of Standard Bank Group, reaffirmed its commitment to providing support and ensuring accessible education to the Nigerian child.

The United Nations (UN) proclaimed 24 January as the International Day of Education, in recognition of the impact of education in bringing sustainable development across the world. The 2021 International Day of Education is themed: “Recover and Revitalise Education for the COVID-19 Generation.”
https://newsrand.com/2021/01/25/stanbic-ibtc-reiterates-commitment-to-the-growth-of-education-in-nigeria/

Executive Director, Sahara Group, Temitope Shonubi has said the energy conglomerate’s impressive growth trajectory since 1996 has been driven by knowledge, business integrity, humility, diverse people and robust global network.

“These past 25 years, knowledge has been the empowering tool for Sahara, business integrity our greatest asset, humility our utmost ethos, diverse people and network our greatest value,” he asserted while unveiling Sahara’s 25th anniversary logo and the Group’s plan for the future.
https://newsrand.com/2021/01/25/sahara-group-celebrates-25-years-of-global-expansion-operational-efficiency/

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of fueling ethnic crisis with herdsmen unleashing mayhem across Southwest states in the country.

Newsrand had reported the eviction notice given to the herdsmen in Ondo and Oyo states, a development that triggered a caution from the presidency.

https://newsrand.com/2021/01/25/buhari-is-fueling-ethnic-crisis-with-herdsmen-falana/

The Supreme Court has for the second time, refused the request by Alhaji Ali Abacha, a brother to the late Head of State, Sani Abacha, to unfreeze accounts traced to him and relatives of the late Abacha in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Jersey, Liechtenstein, and Luxembourg.

In a unanimous judgment on Friday, a five-man panel of the court, led by Justice Sylvester Ngwuta held that Ali Abacha’s case was statute-barred, as at when it commenced in April 2004, at the Federal High Court in Kaduna.
https://newsrand.com/2021/01/23/supreme-court-dismisses-appeal-to-unfreeze-late-abacha-accounts/

American credit rating agency, Fitch has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to stop taking loans from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), to run the country.

In a statement made available to members of the public, Fitch said the constant running to the apex bank to get funds “could raise risks to macroeconomic stability.”
https://newsrand.com/2021/01/22/fitch-ratings-to-buhari-stop-borrowing-money-from-cbn/

Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State on Tuesday said any malaria-like symptoms should be considered as COVID-19 infection until proven otherwise.

Sanwo-Olu said this while addressing Lagos State Government House correspondents on the management of the second wave of COVID-19, at Lagos House, Ikeja.
https://newsrand.com/2021/01/20/regard-malaria-like-symptoms-as-covid-19-until-disproved-sanwo-olu/

In spite of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 official warning on the second wave of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Nigeria, the level of compliance to safety and prevention guidelines is still very low among the populace.

These are the findings of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Tuesday.
https://newsrand.com/2021/01/20/lagos-residents-compliance-with-covid-19-safety-guidelines-still-low/

The Ministry of Finance has released N10 billion to support domestic vaccine production to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, made the disclosure at the Presidential Task Force (PTF) COVID-19 briefing on Monday in Abuja.

[url][https://newsrand.com/2021/01/19/covid-19-fg-releases-n10bn-for-domestic-vaccines-production//url]

Dr Wale Adegbite, former Chairman, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Ogun chapter, has called on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to provide more foreign exchange to the manufacturing sector, to boost economic activities.

Adegbite, who gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Monday, in Ota, Ogun, said the advice had become necessary to enable the manufacturing sector compete with its counterparts at the global level.

https://newsrand.com/2021/01/18/ex-man-chairman-counsels-cbn-on-provision-of-forex-to-manufacturers/

In exactly three days from now, Donald John Trump will fade into the grey silhouette of America’s presidential history. He may stage a delusionary grand exit and stride out through the front door of the White House.

More appropriately, he could choose instead to sneak out through the back exit under cover of darkness. Either way, Mr. Trump is about to walk into the anonymity of powerlessness. Perhaps, the tattered ego of an amateur tyrant had no better exit rehearsal than the serial infamy of the last four years of American history.
https://newsrand.com/2021/01/18/the-trump-aftermath-by-chidi-amuta/

The Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Mr Clem Agba, has advocated for the inclusion of compulsory community service in secondary and tertiary education curricula in the country, to encourage a culture of volunteerism.

Agba, who stated this in Benin, at the 5th and 6th Graduation and 6th Matriculation ceremonies, respectively, as well as the 9th-anniversary ceremony of the Centre for Edo Delta Development Initiative (CEDDI), argued that inclusion of such service in school curricula would encourage charitable and volunteer work.

https://newsrand.com/2021/01/18/minister-advocates-compulsory-community-service-in-school-curricula/

Moses Keffi, a 38-year-old ex-banker, has revealed that he was wrongly arrested by the police for robbery.

Keffi who was arrested on the Osu/Ile-Ife Expressway for armed robbery said he was invited by a friend, simply identified as Ibadan, to Osun State to buy a car, when he was nabbed.

https://newsrand.com/2021/01/18/how-the-police-wrongly-arrested-me-suspected-robber/

Business magnate, Aliko Dangote has been receiving praises from engineers, traditional rulers, and other Nigerians, for starting and completing Nigeria’s longest rigid pavement.

The 43KM Obajana-Kabba road in Kogi State constructed by Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), a Nigerian multinational industrial conglomerate, founded by the billionaire, has been described as the country’s most strategic highway.
https://newsrand.com/2021/01/18/dangote-lauded-for-completing-nigerias-longest-concrete-road/

National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) plans to use traceability with GS1 Technology to monitor COVID-19 vaccine distribution, using Global Trade Item Number (GTIN), the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, says.

Adeyeye told newsmen at a virtual media briefing on Friday that the goal of using GS1 Technology was to prevent fake vaccines from infiltrating the supply chain and to ensure there was no diversion.

https://newsrand.com/2021/01/16/nafdac-to-use-gs1-technology-to-prevent-fake-covid-19-vaccines/

The Executive Chairman, Plateau State Internal Revenue Service (PSIRS), Mr. Dashe Arlat, has said that the Service would soon embark on an ”explosive” revenue drive, to increase the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR)

Arlat said at a press briefing in Jos, on Wednesday, that the service had adopted a strategy, tagged Explosive Revenue Drive (ERED- 2021), that would entail massive taxpayer registration, agent registration, improved record-keeping, and data management.

https://newsrand.com/2021/01/14/plateau-strategises-on-vigorous-revenue-drive-to-increase-igr-alart/

Some travelers at the Rigasa Railway Station in Kaduna, on Wednesday, commended the Federal Government for the introduction of e-ticketing for the Kaduna-Abuja train service.

The Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) commenced the e-ticketing operation on Wednesday to improve service delivery and curtail ticket racketeering.

https://newsrand.com/2021/01/14/passengers-commend-introduction-of-e-ticketing-for-kaduna-abuja-rail/

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP), has threatened to protest the kidnap of James Finwe, a lecturer at the Ken Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic in Bori, in the Khana Local Government Area of Rivers.

James was kidnapped at his residence at Igwurtali, Ikwerre Local Government Area of the State in the early hours of Tuesday, January 12, 2021.

https://newsrand.com/2021/01/13/asup-threatens-to-protest-as-gunmen-kidnap-lecturer/

Africa has been called a lot of things – Dark Continent, the savage, the Continent of Safaris, the third world, the emerging market Continent, and more recently Sh**hole, but it is hardly called the Continent of Youths. It is not a secret that the youths are the future of the African continent.

They are already emerging and will be the next thought leaders, creators, and innovators that will help galvanize the African continent to greater heights. According to the United Nations in 2015,

https://newsrand.com/2021/01/13/how-africas-youths-contribute-to-the-african-society/