₦airaland Forum

Largely regarded as the first in the line of “ember” months, September ushers in the last quarter of the year. Despite the heavy downpours and waterlogged thoroughfares, we at Jumia Travel are super excited to welcome the month as it not only heralds a chain of festivals, shows and celebrations as well as offer a prime opportunity to pack up and plan a getaway, but it is also the perfect time to opt for a life-changing experience.



There is way too much pressure in January to make resolutions and stick to them or engage in life-changing activities; so, why not try in September? Gird your loins, here are 5 life-changing things you should definitely try to do all through this September.

Laugh for five minutes every morning

This may seem utterly ridiculous scheduling time for laughter every morning for 30 days; however, it certainly yields a life changing experience. Not only do you stand to gain immense physiological and psychological benefits, researchers believe that laughter just might be the best medicine, helping you not only shed off depression but burn calories, too. Research shows that 10-15 minutes of laughter actually burns 50 calories. Basically, laughing for just a couple of minutes every day could be a serious game-changer for your everyday mood and total physique.

Read a book a week

Reading has a significant number of benefits. From mental stimulation to stress reduction, vocabulary expansion improved focus and concentration as well as analytical skills; reading regularly at least one book per week for the whole of September would certainly change your life. Rather than focus on tweets, Facebook updates, and Instagram, go to Jumia.com right now and order 4 books. A book can expedite a major change in how you work, live or love.

Write and keep a journal

A majority of people get put off by the idea of journaling, but in reality, it is one of the most effective ways to know yourself and fill your inner well with self-love and self-knowledge. Not only will journaling help you keep track of how you progress in within the month, it instills in you a level of positivity, which if you can adopt and maintain for the rest of your life, you can acquire true happiness.

Go to a new place every day

Ensuring you visit and explore a new place every day for the 30 days in September seems far-fetched and even daunting, but it can be achieved. You really do not have to go as far as another state, city or even just another street. You can go to places as simple and random as a toilet in a different department/floor. The entire experience transforms you, instilling confidence and rekindling your adventure spirit.

Explore Your Spirituality

No matter your age, sex or race, you are bound to have a level of interest in spirituality. Spirituality is not just a tool to help us rise above the common challenges of life. It is also a means to realize our potential as human beings. Spend the whole of September asking yourself tough questions and listening every day for the answers. The specific answers to the questions you find yourself asking are not important as the question. The question makes you think deeper and sees life differently.

THE Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has withdrawn the list of recommended candidates for admission earlier sent to tertiary institutions.








The examination body said this was to ensure that the University Senate performs its statutory responsibility of conducting the selection of candidates and refer it to JAMB for confirmation in line with the admission criteria of merit, catchment and educationally disadvantaged states as  directed by the Minister of Education, Alhaji Adamu Adamu, at the policy committee meeting.


JAMB in a statement on Sunday said the earlier list was sent to help fast track the process of admission so as to allow other tiers of institutions also conduct their admission.


The statement, signed by Dr. Fabian Benjamin, added: “Candidates should not panic because this is part of the process of the 2016 admission exercise. JAMB regrets any  inconvenience this decision would have caused the tertiary institutions


“The Board regrets any  inconvenience it’s proactive step would have caused the tertiary institutions.”

http://.com/jamb-withdraws-2016-admission-list/

THE Rivers State chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, said the party’s attention has been drawn to a statement by the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike that “despite the propaganda being sponsored by the opposition, Rivers State is safe for investments and development.”


 








The governor was reported to have made the statement while speaking to the leadership of the Nigerian Guild of Editors Saturday.


He was quoted to have said: “It is important for everyone to know that Rivers State is safe and is witnessing massive development. In the next two months, we are hosting many national events. We have already hosted several national events in the last two months."


 


The APC in a statement signed by its spokesman, Senibo Chris Finebone “believed that that statement by the governor is poles apart from reality on the ground. Therefore, we would like the governor to make public just 5 of the new investments that have flowed into Rivers State since he became governor May 29, 2015. We have not asked for 10, we are asking him to name 5 new investments that have been established in Rivers State."


 


The statement reads: “The APC takes exception to serial dishonest and misleading narratives relentlessly pushed into public space by the top echelon of the Rivers State Government. This may have been fashionable in the dark ages but definitely disgusting in the 21st Century.


 


“The truth remains that the PDP government in Rivers State must take responsibility for the present security basket case across the State and do the needful to stamp out insecurity just like the previous state government led by Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi fought the scourge to a standstill up to May, 2015.


 


“It is pertinent to inform the governor that external investors whether foreign or Nigerian have faster, wider and more honest reach when it comes to gathering security information of various locations of interest to them. It will amount to self-ridicule to tell them something different from what they have better knowledge about.


 


“Again, the governor must discard the outdated idea that using millions of Rivers taxpayers’ money to buy and host all manner of events in Rivers State will automatically depict Rivers State as the Eldorado and ultimate peace haven sought for by all. It is not true! The only thing that will transform Rivers State into an investor’s paradise is the conceptualisation and implementation of an altruistic security plan anchored on zero-tolerance for criminality as espoused by the last Amaechi administration in the State.”

A Former Aviation Minister, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, has warned that Nigeria will disintegrate if President Muhammadu Buhari uses military might to tackle the Niger Delta insurgency.



Fani-Kayode said this in a post he shared on his Facebook wall on Saturday.

He wrote, “On 29th July 2016, CNN reported that “the Nigerian government is preparing troops for a crackdown in the Niger Delta if peace talks fail”.

 ”This is sad and ominous. As United States Senator Ted Cruz once said, “The light of truth is stronger than the terror of darkness.”

”It follows that the biggest mistake that the Buhari administration can possibly make is to attempt to ‘crack down’ on the Niger Delta and kill innocent civilians.

“If this ever happens, for whatever reason, it will set off a chain of events that will lead to the end of Nigeria as we know it. Nigeria will disintegrate before Buhari’s very eyes if any more innocent blood is shed and if the towns, creeks and villages of the oil-producing states are shelled and reduced to rubble.”

THE Appropriation Committee of the House of Representatives has said its secretariat is intact, contrary to earlier reports that it had been shut down by security operatives.








It denied allegation that its staff were threatened on the orders of Yakubu Dogara, speaker of the house.


The Committee in a letter made available to newsmen and signed by Abel Ochigbo, the Clerk said nothing of such happened.


The letter read, “Our attention has been drawn to the report alleging shutdown, seizure and packaging/relocation of the committee system and records/documents of the committee on appropriation including harassment of committee staff, ”


“I write to confirm that the committee secretariat is intact and has not been threatened in anyway. All records are also intact and safe – both hardware and software. In addition, our archival setup is properly kept in order.


“Furthermore, no staff in the secretariat of the committee has been subjected to any form of threat, intimidation or harassment form any quarter whatsoever.


“Any such reports along the lines of the above allegation should therefore be totalling disregarded”


Jibrin had alleged that the appropriation committee’s secretariat was shut down and its documents were confiscated by the speaker.


He had earlier in the day posted in his twitter handle that his office had been sealed up by security operatives in order to secure some documents and other materials that may be
required for substantiating the allegation of padding of the 2016 budget by the Speaker and others.

lalasticlala

THE Ogun Police Command has rescued   another child, 10-year-old Promise Udeh, found chained in a house at Saraki, Adigbe area of Abeokuta, Ogun State.








She was rescued on Thursday around 7.30 pm when neighbours living close to the building where she was chained alerted the police.


She was rescued barely a week after the police and operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps rescued a nine-year-old boy, Korede Taiwo, chained by his father, Francis, for over a month for stealing.


The father and his step-mother, Kehinde, would soon appear in court.



The acting Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said Promise was chained by her aunt, Chiamaka Okafor, who accused her of stealing N4,000.


She was said to have been chained for two days (Wednesday and Thursday) before she was rescued.


Oyeyemi said Chiamaka is currently on the run but her husband, Sunday Okafor has been arrested.


Narrating how the police found the child, the police spokesperson said, “We had an information that the girl was chained to a burglarproof window at an uncompleted building at Adigbe area and this led our men to the scene.


“The girl told us that it was her aunty who chained her on the allegation that she stole a sum of N4,000. The woman is now on the run, while her husband, who is an accomplice, has been arrested and he is helping us in our investigation.”


Chiamaka, however, escaped arrest on Friday around 4pm, when the Divisional Police Officer of Adigbe led a team of policemen and journalists to the home of the Okafors, tucked in the inner part of the area.


On sighting the police team, she allegedly fled through the backdoor, leaving behind her four children including a baby of about six months.


One of them, Godwin said,”our mummy has gone to buy baby food.”


A frantic search for her in the neighbourhood did not yield any positive result. However, three of the Okafors’ relatives and a tenant who occupied the boys quarters in the house, were arrested.


The tenant, Segun Poviesi, who’s a Beninese, said the landlady (Chiamaka) was still in the house, barely few minutes before the arrival of the police team.


He said, “She was still around about two minutes before you arrived here. I could hear splash of water from the bathroom of the main building. But I did not know how she escaped.”


But his fiancee, Omotoyosi Odu, confirmed that Chiamaka, who is the landlady, indeed chained Promise, adding that she was starved for the two days before she was rescued. She told the policemen that the victim was first chained to burglarproof iron in the Okafors’ kitchen, before she was later transferred to a room in the uncompleted part of the boys quarters.


She said, “At a point, when the girl was chained to the window in the kitchen, she was crying out to me that ‘I should please give her food.’ Other neighbours too heared her cry.


“Then the landlord had left home for their shop at Pansheke Market. Later, the girl was moved to the boys’ quarters and chained again. Some of us tried to intervene but she warned us to steer clear, because it was none of our business.”


It could not be established whether Promise is a relation of the Okafors or a housemaid.


Meanwhile, Oyeyemi, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, said the new state Commissioner of Police, has ordered the arrest of the fleeing suspect,Chiamaka, who allegedly chained the victim.


He said, “The Commissioner of Police, IIiyasu Ahmed, has ordered a manhunt for the fleeing woman in order to bring her to justice, so as to serve as deterrent to others.


“The commissioner of police is not happy with the situation barely a week after one Korede Taiwo was equally rescued from similar situation.


“The matter is under investigation and the police is after Chiamaka Okafor. As soon as we complete the investigation, they will be charged to court.”


Promise has been moved to the welfare home, Stella Obasanjo Children’s Home, Ibara GRA, Abeokuta.

THE umbrella body of Ijaw youths, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Worldwide, on Thursday, told President Muhammadu Buhari that members of the militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) were within his government.

Lalasticlala, mynd44

THE youth wing of the apex Igbo socio- cultural organisation, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has urged the Federal Government to immortalise the late Head of State, General Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyironsi who was brutally murdered in the July 29, 1966 counter coup.








The Ohanaeze Youth Council ( OYC) in a press statement issued yesterday by its National President, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, regretted that 50 years after, the Federal Government is yet to immortalise Aguiyironsi who staked his life to unite Nigeria.


OYC said that the Federal Government should name the nation's seat of power, Aso Rock after the late Head of State in recognition of his invaluable sacrifices for the unity of Nigeria.


OYC also said that  Gen. Theophilus Danjuma ( ret.), and others allegedly behind the assassination  of the late Head of State should tender an unconditional apology to Ndigbo and Aguiyironsi's family over the dastardly act.


The youth group regretted that while the masterminds of the heinous act are still moving around and parading themselves as statesmen, while the members of Aguiyironsi family "have continued to wallow in pains and poverty."


OYC also enjoined the Federal and various State Governments to give attention to the welfare of the family to assuage their pains.

Lalasticlala, mynd44

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has  felicitated with Reverend Father Ejike Mbaka, Director of Adoration Ministry, on the 21st anniversary of his ordination to priesthood in the Catholic Church which comes up Friday.








Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity) said in a statement “The President extends his best wishes to Fr. Mbaka’s family, congregation and well-wishers as they celebrate this special occasion with him in his continued devotion to the well being of others as a father, wise counselor, teacher and guardian.


The President commends Fr. Mbaka’s steadfast devotion to his vocation and ministry amply demonstrated in his love and service for his people, nation and God.


Also, Adesina said Buhari prayed  “that God Almighty, who has given the cleric the strength to devote his entire life to service in the Vineyard , will continually bless and prosper his ministry.”

FORMER National publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh has denied knowledge of a injunction filed before a Federal High Court in Abuja.








Speaking on Wednesday Metuh throuugh his special assistant Richard Ihediwa said he is not aware of any attempt by the Ali Modu-Sheriff led group to stop the forthcoming national convention.


“My principal is not even aware of any suit to stop the convention,” Ihediwa said.


The Modu-Sheriff’s faction of the PDP will today, July 28, appear before Justice Okon Abang over an application for an interlocutory injunction to stop the party’s national convention on August 17.


The plantif in the application said the suit against the party and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was filed on behalf of the executive and the national working committee of the PDP – a list which included the former national publicity secretary.


Parties in the suit are the national chairman Ali Modu-Sheriff; the national secretary Wale Oladapo; deputy national youth leader Dennis Alonge-Niyi; deputy national legal adviser Alhaji Bashir Maidugu; deputy national women leader Hanatu Ulam; deputy national auditor Lawa Dutsima Anchi; deputy national organizing secretary Okey Nnadozie; and the former national publicity secretary Olisa Metuh.


The Modu-Sheriff group had prayed the court to make an order mandating the Ahmed Makarfi led group from conducting election for the party’s executive positions in a national convention as announced by the caretaker committee. Since its botched national convention in Port Harcourt, Rivers state,the PDP has been enmeshed in series of crisis for a national executives of the party.


At the proposed national convention in Port Harcourt, the party governors sacked Modu-Sheriff as the national chairman and appointed Makarfi as it acting chairman of a caretaker committee.


However, since the incident the two factions having refused to sheath their sword have managed to get different court orders stopping each group from executing its moves.

A former chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin, has struck again, this time with new revelations about how Speaker Yakubu Dogara allegedly perpetrated a massive shakedown of administrators of government agencies and multinational firms operating in the country.








Mr. Jibrin raised the allegations on Monday evening, as tension intensified in the House of Representatives over the unfolding budget padding scandal.


The revelations, which are the latest in a series of similar ones from Mr. Jibrin in recent days, marked strong indications that the fallout from the budget padding scandal may be far from over.


Mr. Jibrin took the scandal and his battle against Mr. Dogara to the media after the Speaker announced his departure in a statement on the floor of the House on allegations that the Kano State lawmaker serially betrayed the trust reposed in him by the House leadership and his colleagues.


But Mr. Jibrin repeatedly denied that he committed treachery or that he was fired, saying he had earlier informed the Speaker of his intention to step down.


Mr. Jibrin said Mr. Dogara had repeatedly victimised him for being an independent voice in the lower chamber, saying he would work to ensure that the Speaker either resigns or is disgraced from office.


To achieve his aim, Mr. Jibrin said he would reveal to Nigerians all the corrupt practices involving Mr. Dogara, which he said were well documented.


In the latest attacks, Mr. Jibrin said the fraudulent tendencies of Mr. Dogara and some other House principal officers had become so pervasive that President Buhari would not hesitate to isolate and investigate them if he were to be briefed about them.



“Speaker Yakubu Dogara and his senior cabal namely Deputy Speaker Lasun, Whip Doguwa and Minority leader Ogor have promoted corruption so badly in the House that if President Muhammadu Buhari with his disdain for corruption and corrupt people has the slightest idea, he will ban the quartet permanently from the Villa before they eventually allow for proper and unbiased investigation by the House,” Mr. Jibrin said.


Mr. Jibrin detailed how Mr. Dogara and others allegedly diverted funds meant for legislative functions to service their guest houses and official apartments, saying the Speaker was once engaged in an open brawl with a lawmaker over the matter.


“Mr. Speaker and Deputy Speaker Yusuf Lasun diverted millions of naira all in the name of paying for guest houses and official residence,” the lawmaker said.


“The issue became so messy that the Deputy Speaker openly accused Hon Herma Hembe of short changing them of millions of naira in the deal to the shock of many Hon Members.”


Also revealed about Mr. Dogara were details of how he allegedly blackmailed government agencies and multinational companies into succumbing to his demands for financial and material gratification, in a clear case of conflict of interest, Mr. Jibrin said.


“Speaker Yakubu Dogara frequently abuses his office amounting to conflict of interest by soliciting for inappropriate favours from agencies and Multinational companies. He forced an agency to grant loans and a construction company blackmailed to do some work at his Asokoro ‘plot’.”


Mr. Jibrin said Mr. Dogara devised a means of shaving funds from lawmakers’ salaries into his pocket on the premise of putting a mortgage system in place for members.


Mr. Jibrin said, Mr. Dogara “runs the financial management of the House like a cult aided and abated by the Chairman House services Hon. Babanlle Ila. It is no longer news that all over the House, Hon Members are aware of the monumental fraud perpetrated by Speaker Yakubu Dogara in this regard.”


Mr. Ila’s mention in today’s allegations marked the first time Mr. Jibrin would introduce another lawmaker to the controversy that was not in the initial quartet.


“We are even told that this is a child’s play compared to the mess and allegations of money laundering he left behind as Chairman, House Services in both the 6th and 7th Assembly. The EFCC should have something to start working with in respect to his tenure as Chairman House Services if they properly dust their files,” Mr. Jibrin said.


Mr. Jibrin also revealed another first in his statement today, a call for lawmakers to commence thorough investigation into the allegations against the Speaker and others.


“I am therefore once again calling on honourable colleagues and well meaning Nigerians to prevail on Speaker Yakubu Dogara and his three other cohorts to put the interest of country first and allow the House to conduct a thorough investigation into the allegations on them.”


This is the first time Mr. Jibrin would support a House investigation.


He used his previous statements to prevail on Mr. Dogara to allow EFCC and other relevant agencies conduct detailed investigations of all allegations arising from the budget padding scandal.
Civil society groups have also called for thorough investigation.



In a separate interviews on Sunday, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, Transition Monitoring Group, and the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, said only a thorough inquiry into the alleged sharp practices would unravel the circumstances under which they were perpetrated.


Despite growing demand from Nigerians for his explanation, Mr. Dogara has maintained silence, saying he would rather allow the House to deal with the matter as an institution instead of engaging in political mudslinging with Mr. Jibrin.

POLICEMEN attached to the Sapele Police Station, Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State, have reportedly arrested a 54-year old man,  Mr. John Onose, for allegedly defiling a seven-year-old girl.



[img]http://.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/speaker-aide-arrested.jpeg[/img]

The accused, MR ONOSE Arrested



Saharareporters reports that Onose, on Tuesday, allegedly lured the victim, a KG2 pupil, to a bush close to his home at Fovie Street, Sapele, and raped her.


A source familiar with the incident said the victim's mother, Onome Ojakovo, was not aware until the next day when her daughter started complaining of severe pains.


When confronted by Mrs. Ojakovo, Onose, a former councillor, and member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), threatened to deal with her should she make the incident public.


Onose in the report was said to be an aide to the Delta House of Assembly Speaker, Monday Igbuya.


Following the report, the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, Mr. Henry Ebireri has again disowned Mr. John Olose.


A statement in Asaba on Monday by Henry Ebireri made available to MEZIE TIMES, advised the public to disregard the news story by Sahara Reporters.


“I have stated the true position as to the status of Mr. John Olose concerning the office of the speaker. Perhaps, Sahara Reporters will be kind enough to give us the designation of Olose in the office of the speaker”.


“Is Sahara Reporters telling us that the criminal action of a 54 year old man should be imputed on the Right Honourable Speaker because he is representing Sapele State Constituency in the Delta State House of Assembly? That will be standing the law on its apex. Is Sahara Reporters saying that the speaker is liable for the criminal action perpetuated 200 miles away from Delta State House of Assembly in the comfort of Olose’s abode without the incline of the person of the speaker? Is that what Sahara Reporters has reduced the ethics of journalism to?


 


Ebireri praised Igbuya for providing political leadership and strategic direction to the House as well as exercising impartiality at all times in pursuance of his duties, stating that Sahara Reporters has deliberately and repeatedly misinformed the public concerning issues affecting the Delta State House of Assembly and the person of the speaker.


 


Restating the position of the Office of the Speaker, Ebireri said “Mr. John Olose is a committed member of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He is not a political aide to the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly. The political aides of the Rt. Hon Speaker are highly responsible people. The Office of the Speaker is staffed by professionals”


 


Continuing, the statement said “Mr. John Olose is a proud member of APC. Let's not listen to propaganda. Let's think of development and move Delta State forward. The Delta State House of Assembly presided by Right Honourable Monday Igbuya will continue to look after the interests of the people, make laws that will improve their lives, discuss and debate government policy and other political issues, consult with the people, help people in their constituencies, approve the budgets of government departments, as presented to the House by the Governor, make sure that the work that government promised to do is being done and check that public money is being spent wisely.”

THE fleeing pastor who chained his 9-year-old son for weeks, Francis Taiwo has been arrested.








The Ogun State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, who confirmed the arrest said the suspect was napped on Sunday, with the assistance of his church members.


The suspect had been on the run since police and officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, burst into his church on Friday to rescue the victim, Korede.


The victim’s stepmother had earlier been arrested by the police who announced that the malnourished boy will be handed to the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare for further rehabilitation.


Mr. Adejobi said Mr. Taiwo, a pastor at the Key of Joy Celestial Church, Ajibawo, Atan-Ota town‎ of Ogun State, will be charged to court as soon as investigations are completed.