₦airaland Forum

See what Mynd44 said

Dear Mynd44,

I don't know why you do this and what I have done to offend you personally but you have taken down two of my threads that have not even violated any rule on nairaland.

The latest is the thread on Peter Obi, which you call fake news without even investigating:

https://www.nairaland.com/4795548/no-more-first-class-tickets

You said Peter Obi does not have a Twitter account. That is false, he has just opened one and there are many eminent people following him.

I also invite eminent nairalanders to look at the evidences attached

Vice Presidential candidate of the People's Democratic Party(PDP) and former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi has said that there would no longer be first class flight tickets for government officials if Atiku Abubakar is elected as president.

According to him, as Vice president, he will work with the potential president, Atiku Abubakar to put an end to first class tickets for government officials.

"As Vice president, we will put an end to first class tickets for govt officials, end medical treatment abroad for them and help Alhaji @atiku to reduce cost of governance by 50% in our first year. We did it in Anambra. We will replicate it in Abuja"

There have been complaints about Nigerian government officials over wastage and mismanagement of funds.

https://twitter.com/Peter__Obi/status/1052567329907908608

The Vice president, Yemi Osinbajo has arrived in Kaduna State for the 20th MSME clinic and also to assess the impact of the TraderMoni scheme.

The TraderMoni scheme issues soft loans of N10,000 to small scale traders.

Osinbajo's media aide, Laolu Akande announced earlier via a statement available on Twitter:

"VP Osinbajo arrives Kaduna to launch the 20th-State edition of the Msmes clinics and also assess the progress of the N10,000 collateral & interest free Trader Moni in the State"

Osinbajo was received at the Kaduna airport by the Governor, Nasir El-Rufai.

The Kaduna State government announced:

"Governor Nasir Ahmad @elrufai has just received Vice Preaident, @ProfOsinbajo in Kaduna this morning, for the the National Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) Clinic - Kaduna Edition."

http://www.todaysecho.com/osinbajo-in-kaduna-for-tradermoni/

With the results of its gubernatorial primary election in Lagos State, the All Progressives Congress(APC) has claimed that it has over 1 million members in the state, Today’s Echo can confirm.

The results presented by the party chairman, Tunde Balogun , on Tuesday night indicate that Sanwo – Olu polled 970 ,851 votes to defeat incumbent Governor Akinwunmi Ambode with 72 , 901 votes .

After adding from the two aspirants total votes in the primary will amount to 1, 043, 752

The resultant consequence of the direct primary conducted is that the party can now boast of having over 1 million members in Lagos, which means it can easily score above that in the forthcoming 2019 election

In 2015, Ambode of APC polled a total of 811,994 votes to beat Agbaje of PDP, who had 659,788 votes.

It is pertinent to note that APC won the 2015 governorship election in Lagos State with a number of votes less than that of Sanwo Olu alone in this primary.
http://www.todaysecho.com/guber-primary-indicates-apc-has-over-1-million-members-in-lagos-state/

The National Working Committee’s panel of the All Progressives Congress conducting the governorship primary election in Lagos State on Tuesday has warned that, contrary to some claims in certain quarters, voting has yet to commence.

The committee said it had been in a crucial meeting with key stakeholders, after which the primary poll would officially commence.



The chairman of the panel, Mr. Clement Ebri, in a telephone conversation with our correspondent, said the panel had been in a crucial meeting with the chairman of the APC in Lagos, agents of the two contenders in the primary election – Governor Akinwumi Ambode and Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu — and other stakeholders.

He explained that the essence of the meeting was to clear some grey areas and agree on the guidelines for the primary elections, as directed by the national leadership of the party.

When alerted about the viral videos of the primary election purportedly ongoing, with Sanwo-Olu allegedly leading the poll, Ebri said the primary election had yet to begin as of the time of filing this report.

He said, “The primary election hasn’t started. We are in a meeting with the party chairman in Lagos and the agents of the two contenders in the primary election.

“There are grey areas to be ironed out. We want to organise a free, fair and transparent primary election and that is why this meeting is very crucial.

“It is after we have settled the grey areas and address all the stakeholders’ concerns that we will send people out from here to conduct the primary.”

Ebri said any election purportedly carried out in any ward in the state earlier today is null and void, as the stakeholders had yet to agree on important guidelines for the primary.
https://punchng.com/lagos-apc-primaries-weve-not-started-voting-nwc-chair-warns/

1. Team Africa
2. Team PL
3. Match about to start

1. Venue of the match; the Hive, home of Barnet FC
2. CEO of Petrolex, Segun Adebutu
3. Kanu Nwankwo with officials of the match

Kau heart foundation has teamed up with oil company Petrolex, which is owned by Baba Ijebu's son, Segun Adebutu for this charity match aimed at raising money for kids with heart conditions.

The game which was concluded a few minutes ago hasd Premier League Masters XI take on the African Masters in a bid to raise funds to build a new cardiac center in Nigeria which can take care of kids with heart conditions.

Some of the stars in the charity game include Thiery Henry, Robert Pires, Teddy Sheringham, Sol Campbell, Darren Anderton, Emile Heskey, William Gallas, Emmanuel Eboue, and Michael Essien, to name a few.

The game ended 9-4 in favour of the PL team

Forbes Media international has named billionaire oil tycoon and founder of the Aiteo group Benedict Peters; Africa’s Oil and Gas Leader of the Year

Benedict Peters, who is currently the CEO and Executive Vice President of Aiteo, Nigeria's largest indigenous oil company, received the award at the  Forbes Best of Africa Gala which held at Forbes Headquarters, New York City on September 27, 2018.

The Forbes Best of Africa Gala is an annual event that gathers Africa’s leading decision makers in business, governance, industry and society. It is aimed at promoting Africa’s business, trade, tourism, oil and industry to global leaders who trust the Forbes brand for credible business and economic information.

According to a statement from Aiteo's head of corporate communications, Ndiana Matthew, the award is an acknowledgement of Peters’ significant contribution to oil and gas development in Africa by visionary leadership, distinguished service and transformational realignment of a sector dominated by International Oil Companies.

"The Forbes Award also recognized Mr. Peters’ commitment to bettering the lives of people and societies across Africa by philanthropic engagement", Mathew added.


On presenting the award Mike Perlis, CEO and Vice-Chairman of Forbes Media said, “recipients are singled out for their work in bringing prosperity to all 55 countries of the African continent”.

According to the Editor, Emerging Markets for Forbes, Paul H. Trustfull, “Peters’ ascendancy in Africa’s Oil and Gas sector has been exemplary as well as revolutionary. His company, Aiteo, has thrived for about two decades – going from a downstream start-up to becoming a leading integrated energy conglomerate with strategic investments in hydrocarbon (or commodities) exploration and production.”

"Peters reinvented himself in times of great personal challenge. He resurrected his identity and reputation while battling injustice. He proves that inspirational leadership in a difficult industry is possible.” Trustfull added.

Dedicating the coveted award to all Aiteo employees worldwide, Benedict Peters said “The acknowledgement by Forbes as Oil and Gas Leader of 2018 is inspiring. It means a lot to me and the entire Aiteo Group. I am delighted that the International community recognises our contribution towards Africa’s self-sufficiency in energy and our aspiration to become a reference point for indigenous capacity in oil and gas.

"This award motivates us to broaden our vision for the continent, despite all odds, and accelerate her economic transformation. We believe that Africa has what it takes to lead the world and we will continue to push the frontiers of development through our investments in people and technology. The success of our Oil and Gas Upstream subsidiary proves that the future we envision in Africa rests to a large extent in the hands of Africans.”

Mr Peters ventured into the oil and gas sector as an entrepreneur in 1999 and initially traded mainly in the downstream sector. Aiteo is currently the highest producing indigenous oil E & P company in Nigeria.

In 2015, Benedict Peters consolidated Aiteo’s asset portfolio with a $3 billion acquisition of
sub-Saharan Africa’s largest onshore block (OML 29). Subsequently, Aiteo optimised the asset’s yield from 17,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd) to almost 70,000 bopd within the year of the asset’s acquisition. The largest indigenous energy provider currently peaks production at around 100,000 bopd, doubling its initial asset value to $6 billion within three years. The company plans to invest another $4.3 billion acquiring additional offshore assets with a projected total output of 250,000 bopd in the short to medium term.

Beyond oil, the Aiteo Group has investments in mining, agriculture, infrastructure development, electricity generation and distribution, with a fast-growing retail distribution network. It is focused on serving the needs of communities across the continent by leveraging a unique combination of a strategic asset base, technology, innovation, and some of the best technical and business minds across the industries it operates in. The group has been expanding rapidly, to extend its operations to different countries across Africa and beyond with emerging international presence in the DRC, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Zambia, Zimbabwe as well as offices in Geneva and Paris.

Peters is passionate about youth empowerment and has donated generously to support football on the African continent. His company, Aiteo sponsors the Nigerian Football Federation, CAF Awards, Aiteo Cup (the Federation’s foremost tournament in Nigeria) and a football team in his company’s host community. He has also assisted thousands of internally displaced persons in northern Nigeria while supporting clean water sanitation initiatives in
Africa, in partnership with Face Africa, improving the lives of over 25,000 people in rural Liberia. Peters addresses social and environmental issues in the agricultural sector through the Joseph Agro Foundation, set up in July 2014 to tackle chronic unemployment and water shortage.

In recognition of his groundbreaking contribution to development, Peters was one of four
recipients of the Marquee Award for Global Business Excellence at the Africa-US Leadership Awards in 2014. In the same year, he received the "Leadership CEO of the Year” award. In 2015, Peters was conferred with the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Awards in the Economic Empowerment” category. And was listed as one of the ‘50 Most Influential Nigerians in 2017’ by BusinessDay.

More recently, he has been recognized as the ‘Oil and Gas Man of the Year’ at the prestigious 2018 Guardian Awards.

From: http://www.todaysecho.com/nigerian-billionaire-benedict-peters-is-africas-oil-and-gas-leader-forbes/

To commemorate breast cancer awareness month, Serena Williams has recorded her version of ‘I Touch Myself’, a song by The Divinyls.

In the video, the tennis star is bare-chested but covers her breasts with her hands while singing her rendition of the 1990 hit.

“This Breast Cancer Awareness Month I’ve recorded a version of The Divinyls global hit “I Touch Myself” to remind women to self-check regularly,” Williams wrote on Instagram.

“Yes, this put me out of my comfort zone, but I wanted to do it because it’s an issue that affects all women of all colors, all around the world. Early detection is key – it saves so many lives. I just hope this helps to remind women of that.

“The music video is part of the I Touch Myself Project which was created in honor of celebrated diva, Chrissy Amphlett, who passed away from breast cancer, and who gave us her hit song to remind women to put their health first. The project is proudly supported by @BerleiAus for Breast Cancer Network Australia.”

You can watch the video here: http://www.todaysecho.com/serena-williams-goes-nude-to-raise-awareness-for-breast-cancervideo/

HigherEd:
You saw this yet you brought it here. Are you normal at all?

Sorry but I am a journalist. My job is to expose things, not to cover them up

Music critic and Pulse editor, Osagie Alonge, aka Osagz has alleged threats to his life and taken down a controversial podcast he made about Wizkid and some other artistes.

Today's Echo has received the statement Osagz made after deleting the podcast, saying his life and that of his friends are threatened by alleged Wizkid fans.

Below are some of the things he said According to reports,

"Osagz said Wizzy swindles all his managers, collects advance for shows which he doesn’t eventually turn up. He has fallen out with his day1’s and is constantly on drugs. Osagz also claims Wizkid tried to Blackball #Davido and is the reason #WandeCoal didn't make David’s first album."

He calls wizkid ‘insecure’ and claims he way over 27-year old, that his previous management flipped his age to make him more attractive to young people.

He also spoke about new kid on the block, Teni who is fast becoming a fan's favourite. Osagz said Teni should stick to writing music instead of singing because she doesn’t have the looks.

He called Sunday Are Wizkid's manager an "old timer who cant keep up with the pace"

"were you molested as a kid, wizkid? We know all about the Abuja women you were fucking"

This and many more, Osagz said in the podcast that he has now deleted.

http://www.todaysecho.com/music-critic-osagz-removes-controversial-podcast-dissing-wizkid/

Music critic and Pulse editor, Osagie Alonge, aka Osagz has alleged threats to his life and taken down a controversial podcast he made about Wizkid and some other artistes.

Today's Echo has received the statement Osagz made after deleting the podcast, saying his life and that of his friends are threatened by alleged Wizkid fans.

Below are some of the things he said According to reports,

"Osagz said Wizzy swindles all his managers, collects advance for shows which he doesn’t eventually turn up. He has fallen out with his day1’s and is constantly on drugs. Osagz also claims Wizkid tried to Blackball #Davido and is the reason #WandeCoal didn't make David’s first album."

He calls wizkid ‘insecure’ and claims he way over 27-year old, that his previous management flipped his age to make him more attractive to young people.

He also spoke about new kid on the block, Teni who is fast becoming a fan's favourite. Osagz said Teni should stick to writing music instead of singing because she doesn’t have the looks.

He called Sunday Are Wizkid's manager an "old timer who cant keep up with the pace"

"were you molested as a kid, wizkid? We know all about the Abuja women you were fucking"

This and many more, Osagz said in the podcast that he has now deleted.

http://www.todaysecho.com/music-critic-osagz-removes-controversial-podcast-dissing-wizkid/

See the evidence; The school photo album with Adeleke as a student

he Covenant University’s Alumni Association has issued an official statement on the school’s recent sex scandal.
This follows the reported resignation of the Registrar of Covenant University, Dr Olumuyiwa Oludayo after details emerged that he had made sexual advances to female students.

In the statement, obtained by Today’s Echo, the Alumni condemns every act of sexual harassment and supports the exit of the embattled registrar.

See full statement below:

COVENANT UNIVERSITY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION·SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2018
On behalf of the Covenant University Alumni Association, we bring you greetings and trust that you are sound in health and mind.
The series of events in the past few days have created a boisterous conversation within our community. While we cannot speak for the University, because it has its own defined process and procedure for responding to public commentaries or inquiries, we can clearly state our position on the situation at hand for the purpose of clarity, and to form a guided opinion for members of our amiable Association.
The Association does not propagate personal opinions, neither does it use the collection of it to determine its course of action. You are all subscribed to a solid community, led by responsible persons who must remain accountable for every word it puts out on your behalf. This warrants the utmost care and consideration when addressing matters of such sensitivity, particularly one that speaks to the reputation of the Association and our Alma Mater. This is why we must consult widely and deeply to ensure that any position we take is first to our best interest, then the interest of the University.
In this light, we hereby categorically state that the Covenant University Alumni Association condemns every act of sexual abuse, sexual harassment, or sexual exploitation, whether covertly or overtly acted and stated. We believe in the vision of Covenant University and its core values. These values have helped to shape the new generation of leaders we have all become in our various places of assignment. We therefore totally abhor any sexual expression that aims to manipulate and place an unhealthy demand on any student currently undergoing studies at Covenant, or any visiting or resident Alumnus in the University.
Beyond the condemnation of such abhorrent behaviour, our Association is thoroughly committed to eliminating such pernicious personalities from the Covenant Community. We believe all staff of the University hold such positions in trust, and that they will deliver such duty with the highest form of rectitude and sound judgment. We will fight for the total purge of such morally corrupting and vision eroding elements for our Alma Mater. This is our definitive position going forward, and we will be partnering with the University to ensure that we deliver on this and help Covenant preserve its raison d’être.
In the light of this, we plead with every member of this great Alumni Association to kindly moderate our public commentaries, particularly such statements that empower mockery from the grossly ignorant persons who trudge social media. Vulgarity and the spewing of bile comments by members of this Association will only call into question our character as individuals, and then question the “house” we all come from. The moral of this approach is that when expelling thieves from your house, you do not demolish it with the instruments available to you, else you will be exposed to the elements and find no rest.
Covenant University is barely 16 years old and is still laying its foundations as a Global Citadel of Learning. However, see what it has achieved in a short period through an undying commitment to providing a departure from the traditional approaches to education. Perfection is far from her and is only a progressive journey when we join forces to power the established vision and the delivery of it. Make no mistake, a globally acclaimed University is a globally acclaimed certificate in your hands.
The Alumni Executives are available for private conversations where there are major concerns arising from the focal issue here. We do not, by any means, take lightly the opportunity to serve the Association, and we remain committed to delivering a community that works. Great things do take time to build, and we are building with the utmost care. The next few weeks will reveal the amount of labour input that has gone into strengthening this community.
We greatly appreciate every member of this Association that has expressed much concern over the many challenges the University is evolving through. You all deserve the deepest respect. Let us work together and leave such an undeniable mark in the rocks of time, and may our children call us blessed.
This statement is meant for circulation only to Alumni Members and will not be published anywhere else other than this group. Kindly help ensure that we keep it this way. Thank you.

There are three packs of pizza up for grabs right now as the Good Citizen Show holds live games on its social media channels

The contest is running currently on Twitter and Instagram, it requires people to provide answers and garner as many likes as possible to emerge winner of the contest. Winners of today’s contest will be announced on the radio show at 6pm on Friday.


Social media handle - @GoodCitizenNg. It is the same across all platforms.

An Australian cartoonist has defended his depiction of Serena Williams at the US Open, after the image went viral and was criticised as racist and sexist, according to the BBC.

Mark Knight's newspaper cartoon showed Williams jumping above a broken racquet next to a baby's dummy. Critics said it used racist stereotypes.

The cartoonist denied it was racist, saying he had intended to depict only the tennis player's "poor behaviour".

Some also said Knight had "whitewashed" Japanese player Naomi Osaka.

Williams sparked controversy during her loss to Osaka, whose father is Haitian and mother Japanese, when she accused the umpire of sexism and being a "thief".

Knight's drawing was published in Australia's most-read newspaper, the Herald Sun on Monday, and referenced Williams's outburst and showed the umpire asking Osaka: "Can you just let her win?"

It has been strongly defended by Knight and the newspaper's editor, Damon Johnston, who denied the cartoon is racist or sexist.

"It rightly mocks poor behaviour by a tennis legend... Mark has the full support of everyone," he said in a tweet.

Critics, including author JK Rowling, compared the cartoon of Williams to past racist caricatures of African-American people.

"Well done on reducing one of the greatest sportswomen alive to racist and sexist tropes and turning a second great sportswoman into a faceless prop."

Another critic said:

"You couldn’t be more racist if you tried - and you reeeeeaaally tried. Using those classic sambo tropes- enlarged lips, overexaggerated body parts to depict Serena as hyper masculine- next time just use an old ad from the 1800s- no one would notice the difference in your racism"

Others on social media pointed out that Osaka, who is mixed race, had been drawn as a white woman with blonde hair.

The National Association of Black Journalists in the US denounced the cartoon as "repugnant on many levels".

"[It] not only exudes racist, sexist caricatures of both women, but Williams' depiction is unnecessarily sambo-like," it said in a statement.

The 1899 children's book, The Story of Little Black Sambo, featured derogatory racial depictions - such as characters with thick red lips.

Knight said he had "no knowledge of those cartoons or that period", saying on Tuesday that "the world has just gone crazy".

"The cartoon was just about Serena on the day having a tantrum. That's basically it," he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Knight also rejected a suggestion that he would not draw a similar image of a man. As evidence, he tweeted his recent cartoon of tennis player Nick Kyrgios.

By 12:15 GMT on Tuesday, both his Twitter and Facebook accounts had been shut down.

http://www.todaysecho.com/man-who-drew-serena-williams-cartoon-accused-of-racism/

An Australian cartoonist has defended his depiction of Serena Williams at the US Open, after the image went viral and was criticised as racist and sexist, according to the BBC.

Mark Knight's newspaper cartoon showed Williams jumping above a broken racquet next to a baby's dummy. Critics said it used racist stereotypes.

The cartoonist denied it was racist, saying he had intended to depict only the tennis player's "poor behaviour".

Some also said Knight had "whitewashed" Japanese player Naomi Osaka.

Williams sparked controversy during her loss to Osaka, whose father is Haitian and mother Japanese, when she accused the umpire of sexism and being a "thief".

Knight's drawing was published in Australia's most-read newspaper, the Herald Sun on Monday, and referenced Williams's outburst and showed the umpire asking Osaka: "Can you just let her win?"

It has been strongly defended by Knight and the newspaper's editor, Damon Johnston, who denied the cartoon is racist or sexist.

"It rightly mocks poor behaviour by a tennis legend... Mark has the full support of everyone," he said in a tweet.

Critics, including author JK Rowling, compared the cartoon of Williams to past racist caricatures of African-American people.

"Well done on reducing one of the greatest sportswomen alive to racist and sexist tropes and turning a second great sportswoman into a faceless prop."

Another critic said:

"You couldn’t be more racist if you tried - and you reeeeeaaally tried. Using those classic sambo tropes- enlarged lips, overexaggerated body parts to depict Serena as hyper masculine- next time just use an old ad from the 1800s- no one would notice the difference in your racism"

Others on social media pointed out that Osaka, who is mixed race, had been drawn as a white woman with blonde hair.

The National Association of Black Journalists in the US denounced the cartoon as "repugnant on many levels".

"[It] not only exudes racist, sexist caricatures of both women, but Williams' depiction is unnecessarily sambo-like," it said in a statement.

The 1899 children's book, The Story of Little Black Sambo, featured derogatory racial depictions - such as characters with thick red lips.

Knight said he had "no knowledge of those cartoons or that period", saying on Tuesday that "the world has just gone crazy".

"The cartoon was just about Serena on the day having a tantrum. That's basically it," he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Knight also rejected a suggestion that he would not draw a similar image of a man. As evidence, he tweeted his recent cartoon of tennis player Nick Kyrgios.

By 12:15 GMT on Tuesday, both his Twitter and Facebook accounts had been shut down.

You can see the cartoon here: http://www.todaysecho.com/man-who-drew-serena-williams-cartoon-accused-of-racism/

6. The Eternal Fraternal Order of the Legion Consortium(KKK)

AKA: Klansmen Confraternity
Greeting: Ave Sirs, Dedy na debt
Colours: Not available

This is a more recent group but spreading really fast and also violent, especially in the South-South. It is modelled after the white-supremacist secret organization in the United States known as Khu Klux Klan(KKK). Members worship a god called Ogor, represented with a skull. Members call themselves KKK, Klansmen, EFOLK, Ave, etc.

Popular sayings: The affairs of a klansman before any other thing in life, What concerns a klansman concerns all klansmen, Status of other cult members are not considered or relevant, Oath of secrecy abide to all members, Peaceful man in a deadly mood, disagree to agree

5. The National Association of Airlords

AKA: Supreme Eiye Confraternity
Greeting: Haber krier
Colours: Blue

This is a very common cult group in the Southwest and also one of the most violent. It was formed at the University of Ibadan in 1963, also affiliated to the Eiye Secret Society, which exists in the western part of Nigeria. The date, August 8(8- is sacred to members as their anniversary. Members call themselves Birds, Airlords, Fliers, Airforce
Popular sayings: Secrecy, Autocracy, Discipline, Brotherhood, No Friend No Foe

4. The Norsemen Club of Nigeria

AKA: Supreme Vikings confraternity
Greeting: Aro mate
Colours: Red, black

This is a very dominant cult group in the South East and South-South. It was founded in the University of Port Harcourt in 1982 by 3 young men with codenames; Rising angel, Eric De Red, and Troppence. They have another arm in the secondary schools called Junior Vikings(JVC). The fraternity is modelled after the historical Viking tribe in the Scandanavia and adopted some practices of the Nazi German government of Adolf Hitler. Members call themselves Germans, Baggers, Kings, Executioners, Adventurers

Popular sayings: Blood on the high sea, Singing songs of Hojas, Never to hang a leg, Even in the face of death.

3. The Neo-Black Movement of Africa
AKA:
Greeting: Aye Axemen! Dodorima
Colours: Black, white, yellow

This is one of the most violent and deadly cult groups today. It is modelled after the neo-black movement in South-Africa which was formed to fight for the liberation of the black man against Apartheid. It was formed at the University of Benin in 1976. Its symbol is an axe cutting through a chain binding the two hands. Members call themselves Aiye, Axemen, Seven (7) or Amigos. They use the number 7 and usually celebrate their anniversary on July 7(7-7)

Popular sayings: The Blackman will be freed with an axe, No f*ck ups, Forgiveness is a sin, Don’t betray your brother in the hood, Obey before complain or Abeyance, He who price must pay.

2. Buccaneers Association of Nigeria (BAN)

AKA: Sealords
Greeting: Awumen
Colours: Yellow and white

BAN was created by Bolaji Crew who was expelled from the Pyrates Confraternity and the group is built after the Pyrates structure. Members call themselves Lords, Bucketmen, Fineboys, Alora.

Popular sayings: No Price No Pay, No brothers in the wood, No laughing on board, Blood for blood, Let the devil that lead you guide you.

By Dede Falana, Today's Echo

Fraternities or Cults as they are known in Nigeria, are secret societies usually made up of young people sworn to an oath of secrecy and cooperation. They communicate via secret languages and use secret symbols. They mobilize themselves to support a member’s cause or protect him when in danger. Consequently, they are usually involved in committing various acts of violence and are often the target of violence from other cult groups.

The fraternities originated in the Tertiary institutions but have spread into the streets. They initially started as secret groups promoting specific causes or ideologies but later became corrupted and served as tools for politicians and other powerful people. Today, campuses and communities live in fear of cult groups. They commit crime and get away with it. Cultists have been known to carry out deadly attacks that have left indelible marks on the memories of Nigerians. These include:

An attack carried out by suspected members of the confraternity on the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ife in the early hours of Saturday, July 10, 1999 led to the death of 21-year old 400-Level Law student and the then Secretary-General of the Students Union, George Iwilade, fondly called Afrika. Four other students were killed. They were shot dead in Blocks 5 and 8 of Awolowo Hall of the university.
In June 2012, clashes between the and Klansmen Confraternities left four people dead at the Cross River University of Technology(CRUTECH) and the University of Calabar(UniCal)
In June 2014, at least 15 people were killed in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State during clashes between the Vikings and Klansmen Confraternities
On January 15, 2016, two members of a cult group murdered a 21-year-old man in cold blood because he refused to buy them drinks
On March 14, 2016, three students of Abia State University were beheaded by suspected members of a cult group
In December 2016, seven people were killed in Otukpo, Benue State during clashes between unknown cult groups
In June 2017, clashes between rival cult groups believed to be and Eiye Confraternities led to the death of three people in Akure, Ondo State
The above and several more notable incidences have earned the confraternities a dreaded reputation and yet they continue to exist and in some areas members even flaunt their associations in public with pride. Often times, they are arrested and then released under questionable circumstances to return and terrorise the streets once more.

Owing to the growing menace of these cult groups, it is now pertinent to unmask them for the public so that you can identify the, stay away from them, and report them to authorities if possible. Below are the details of the top fraternities in Nigeria:

1. The National Association of Seadogs
AKA: Pyrates Confraternity
Greeting: Ahoy Seadog!
Colour: Red
This is the first fraternity to be formed in Nigeria. It was founded by Nobel laureate Prof Wole Soyinka and some other students at the University of Ibadan in 1952 to fight against injustice. It is modelled after the Skulls and Bones Fraternity in the United States. Pyrates is usually not called a cult group because it has strict guidelines for members and sets high academic barriers for becoming a member. The elitist practices of the Pyrates led to the formation of other confraternities that evolved to become a menace to the society.

Popular sayings: Odas is Odas, No Friend, No Foe (NFNF), Absolute No Lagging (ANL)

As part of its ongoing divestment, Shell  has reportedly initiated negotiations with local oil producers for selling two of its Nigerian oil licences in the Niger Delta, collectively worth $2 billion.

However, Today's Echo has gathered that  Shell is already in talks with business Tycoon and former CEO of the United Bank for Africa, Tony Elumelu on the deal.

According to a July 21, 2018 report on Bloomberg, the Anglo-Dutch oil major is discussing selling Oil Mining Licenses (OML) 11 and 17 to Heirs Holdings Ltd., a company run by Nigerian tycoon Tony Elumelu, the people said.

Included in the sale are infrastructure assets such as a natural gas-fired power plant that would be managed by Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc, another company run by Elumelu.

Recall that due to the secrecy with which Shell has gone about this deal, Today's Echo had on July 24, 2018,  published a report asking if Shell’s Opaque Asset Divestment is  Another Malabu in the Making?

The SPDC is known to have sold a couple of prized assets in the Niger Delta in the last decade as it moves to divest its operations and move offshore. Besides Shell, other IOCs like ConocoPhilips, Agip, Total, and BG have sold assets that have been purchased by local companies leading to the rise of indigenous Exploration and Production giants like Aiteo, Eroton, Newcross, Oando, Seplat, etc. “The bidding process alone has allowed these companies to develop significant technical competences and operational maturity”, a source with the Ministry of Petroleum Resources of Nigeria says.

It is however, puzzling to curious observers that Shell has not subjected this particular transaction to the open competitive bidding like their previous asset disposal. This is worrisome to industry players and experts because part of a competitive bid is major technical assessments. Emphasizing on the importance of technical adeptness of a company buying such important national asset, a senior staff of NNPC who prefers anonymity explained: “a competitive bidding round has always been our approved mode of divestment as it is not just about the commerciality. The public is often carried away by only the figures, but the technical bid is even far more important as the ability to sustain the asset is predicated on the technical competence of the bidder. As it stands, only Shell is about to win here as it will pocket the $2 billion and walk away clean from an asset that has only months to expire, leaving Nigeria to grapple with whether the asset is subsequently viable or not.”

Although Tony Elumelu is a seasoned business man and reputable entrepreneur, he is also the chairman of Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc (Transcorp), a diversified conglomerate that purchased some Federal Government assets under controversial circumstances during the regime of President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Bloomberg reports indicate that “discussions between Shell and Elumelu have been advanced at times and run into hurdles at others as he is yet to secure financing, the people said. No deal has been reached and the talks could still fall apart.”

A recent analysis by Today’s Echo from a report by international media outlet, CNN indicates that Nigeria is Africa’s fourth largest destination for Chinese Foreign Direct Investment(FDI).

Chinese involvement in African economies has grown over the couple of years as the Chinese economy itself continues to grow.

In the aftermath of the 2018 Forum on China-Africa Conference, the CNN reported that China is giving $60 billion in aid to Africa, the same amount that was given in 2015. Chinese investment in 2015 has been analysed and broken down according to countries in Africa.

According to CNN, South Africa has the highest Chinese FDI at $4.72 billion while Congo DRC is second at $3.24 billion. Algeria is third at $2.53 billion while Nigeria comes third at $2.38 billion.

China has now passed France, India and the United States as Africa’s largest trading partner. But total trade between China and Africa slowed from $220 billion in 2014 to $170 billion in 2017, according to the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, prompting concerns that relations might be cooling.

Janet Eom, a researcher at CARI, says this decline is mostly due to falling commodity prices. Given China’s recent trade war with the United States, Eom said that Beijing’s commercial relationships with African nations are likely to become “much more important.”
In July, Xi visited Senegal, Mauritius Rwanda, and South Africa — an itinerary that almost took him to the four corners of Sub-Saharan Africa — showing that China still prioritizes diplomatic trips to the continent.

Private business delegations have arrived “in droves” at this year’s FOCAC, said Stevens, and are pushing China to narrow their country’s trade deficits with Beijing. “Chinese exporters are finding very fertile soil in Africa,” he said. “But when increased domestic demand is met by Chinese imports rather than increased capacity at home, it’s not palatable from an African perspective.”
Chinese companies will also be expected to invest $10 billion in Africa in the next three years, according to Monday’s announcement.

Following the suspension of David Bejide, the Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank(GTB) in Liberia for assaulting a staff, a former employee who served under him at First City Monumental Bank has revealed shocking details about him to Today's Echo.

David Bejide was suspended as MD Liberia by the Central Bank of Liberia(CBL) yesterday after he had beaten up an employee under him. A video of the encounter surfaced of Facebook showing his victim, Edward Freeman bleeding profusely from the lips. The video has since sparked outrage across West Africa leading GTB to release an official statement on the issue, stating that David Bejide has been suspended indefinitely while the bank has launched an investigation into the matter.


Today's Echo has however, found out from a reliable source that this was not the first time the embattled GTB Liberia boss would be assaulting employees under him. According to our source who claims he had worked under him at FCMB, David Bejide has anger issues.

"I used to work under David Bejide when he was in FCMB. He came from GTB and went back to GTB. He was known for his anger issues. Bejide had assaulted several employees physically and emotionally and many people were scared of him. Sometimes you could hear him yelling from upstairs."

According to news sources, David Bejide has been arrested and will be subsequently taken to court for prosecution due to the severity of the wounds he inflicted on Edward Freeman, the assaulted employee who was on active duty.

In the meantime, CBL has appointed Amazu Nwachukwu, GTB Liberia's Chief Operating Officer, as Acting MD until the investigation is concluded.

The Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing has declared the damaged Iddo bridge in Lagos fit for use, saying it is okay structurally and that the broken parts of the bridge do not threaten its users in any way.

The Ministry announced its inspection of the bridge through a series of statements available on Twitter after some news outlets had raised alarm over some damaged portions of it.

"#FMPWH wishes to assure the good people of Lagos that Experts from the Ministry have examined the damaged part of Iddo Overhead Bridge (not Carter Bridge as mentioned in social media posts)."

According to the Ministry, the Director, Highways, Bridges and Designs in Works, Mr Adetokunbo Sogbesan, said that the Iddo Bridge is structurally okay and safe for use. Some tests had been conducted and the bridge is structurally okay and safe for use. The vehicles carrying excess load beyond the headwall of the bridge had knocked off outer slabs meant to beautify the bridge. The beams of the bridge had hollows which were covered by slabs but vehicles carrying loads beyond their headroom pulled off some outer covering of the bridge.

Ministry therefore said:

"there is no cause for alarm as the cracks caused by constant abuse of the Bridge has not affected its structural integrity and will be fixed in due course . The hollows are spaces. The structurally stability of the bridge both longitudinal and diagonal beams are structurally okay but for aesthetics measures the beams were covered with reinforced walls. It is the walls that are broken."

http://www.todaysecho.com/iddo-bridge-is-structurally-okay-and-safe-for-use-ministry-of-works/