Can you correctly predict the outcome of Manchester United’s crunch encounter with Liverpool at Old Trafford on Sunday?

If so, The Herald Football Octopus competition is your best bet to win a reward for your passion.

Correctly predict the outcomes of the eight highlighted football games below and smile home with N50,000 this weekend.

NOTE: Predictions end by 12:30 pm WAT on Saturday, April 6, and only predictions made on the herald.ng post are valid.

Click to predict: https://www.herald.ng/football-predict-win-n50000-this-weekend-2/

Many of you have reached out and raised questions regarding why I would support the creation of another commission, so I owe a public response. It is first an absolute honor to hear from many of you; it means that like me, you care about our Nation, and that in itself is laudable and heartwarming.

The Almajiri and Out of school Children Commission is obviously a unique one and understandably raises questions; but the importance today cannot be underestimated.

Nigeria today has roughly 20 million out of school children, most of whom are Almajiri; and if we as a country do nothing about it our future as a country is scary at best. Regardless of where they come from, ethnicity, religion, or socio economic class, when our girls are not educated, by 18-25, most resort to selling their bodies for survival. When our boys are not educated, most resort to some form of violent crime for survival. We talk about insecurity today, imagine 20million more adults with no respectable means of livelihood. This does not even begin to describe what is possible if we do not educate all our children but I will tell you for free, the future will not be bright.

The problem we have with a basic and enabling education today is that a vast majority of our out-of-school children (vis-à-vis, the Almajiri and Almajira) have unique needs that cannot not be easily absorbed by an already overstretched, and fragile educational system. We have waited for years and there has been no solution. To this end, we must come together to strategize and find unconventional ways to educate all our. The commission is one hopeful path forward.

What you see with the Almajiri and Out of School Children Commission is a group of local leaders with similar concerns coming together to ask for change in an area that continues to be underserved. It’s local people seeking national attention for a national problem that they have been unable to solve in their localities.

I am a public servant actively trying to fill the unfortunate gaps in our educational system because I understand the horror that could be if we do not educate all our children and this is why I’ve chosen to advocate change where needed, bring warring factions together, and fight tooth and nail using all available resources to ensure that no Nigerian child is left behind.

This being said, am not oblivious to the issues that plague Nigerian commissions, but that in itself is why people like me (or maybe you and I) with a heart for all our children must build bridges, get involved, speak for what should be, against what shouldn’t be, and ensure that none of our children is forgotten in this journey to reach a basic education for all.

My hope is that through the commission, one day soon, we have the right sustainable systems and processes in place to ensure that no Nigerian child is left behind when it comes to a basic and enabling education.

I hope this helps to answer at least some of your questions and shed some perspective. We cannot reach the destination when we have not started the journey. The passing of the bill and appointment of leaders is a noteworthy step and I will continue to advocate the cause of all Nigerian children regardless of where they come from, ethnicity, religion, or socioeconomic class.

Feel free to check out some of our other work at www.aderonkefoundation.org

I sincerely hope that in some way or form, my fellow Nigerians will join me in the fight to provide a necessary and befitting education to all our children.

In service and with humble respect,

Dr. Aderonke Kujore
Founder, Aderonke Foundation
Consultant & Advocate for Educating All Nigerian Children
Aderonke00@gmail.com
www.aderonkefoundation.org

Link: https://www.herald.ng/my-fellow-nigerians-on-the-matter-of-the-almajiri-and-out-of-school-children-commission/

A new hotel in Surulere, Lagos is seeking the services of the following full-time staff. Vacancies are valid for two weeks from the date of this publication. Send your CV with the position applied for as a WhatsApp message to 08021185448:

1. Receptionist (2)
Job Descriptions
o Greet all guests in a friendly manner and assist them with check-in and check-out
o Maintain positive and cheerful attitude while responding to all guest enquiries
o Answer and forward phone calls
o Manage guest bookings and reservations
o Keep a tidy and orderly workspace
o Assist with administrative and clerical tasks as needed.
Requirements
o 2+ years experience working as a hotel receptionist or guest services role in a hotel
o Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and other necessary computer programs
o Solid written and verbal communication skills
o Fluency in English
o Ability to maintain a positive, friendly attitude even under high pressure
o Excellent organisational and multitasking skills
o Professional attitude and appearance.



2. ⁠Waitress (2)
Job Descriptions
o Greet guests upon arrival and leading them to their tables.
o Present menus to guests and explaining menu items, specials, and Drinks.
o Take food and beverage orders accurately and promptly.
o Serve food and beverages to guests in a timely and efficient manner.
o Clear tables and reset them for the next service.
o Handle guest payments, processing transactions accurately, and returning change promptly.
o Maintain cleanliness and hygiene standards in the dining area and adhering to all food safety regulations.
o Assisting with opening and closing shifts, including setup, cleaning, and restocking.

Requirements
o Previous experience in a similar role, preferably in a hotel or restaurant.
o Strong communication, interpersonal and customer service skills and the ability to remain calm and professional under pressure.
o Knowledge of food and beverage items and familiarity with menu items.
o Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.
o Physical stamina to stand and walk for extended periods and lift heavy trays if required.
o Applicants MUST reside in Surulere or environs



3. ⁠Barman (1)
Job Descriptions
o Prepare and serve liquor, mixed drinks, wine, beer, and non-alcoholic drinks as ordered.
o Ensure that fruit and other garnishes are prepared ahead of the opening of the bar.
o Maintain the bar and keeps it clean and organised.
Requirements
o Minimum of SSCE
o 1 year experience as barman
o Applicants MUST reside in Surulere or environs



4. ⁠Chef (1)
Job Descriptions
o Prepare delicious meals for guests.
o Study recipes, set up menus, gather all necessary ingredients and prepare high-quality dishes.
o Delegate tasks to kitchen staff to ensure meals are prepared in a timely manner.
o Set up the kitchen with cooking utensils and equipment, like knives, pans and kitchen scales
o Inform wait staff about daily specials
o Ensure appealing plate presentation
o Supervise cooks and assist as needed
o Slightly modify recipes to meet customers’ needs and requests (e.g. reduce salt, remove dairy)
o Monitor food stock and place orders
o Check freshness of food and discard out-of-date items
o Experiment with recipes and suggest new ingredients
o Ensure compliance with all health and safety regulations within the kitchen area.
Requirements
o Candidates should possess relevant qualifications with 2 – 5 years relevant work experience as a Chef.
o Hands-on experience with various kitchen equipment (e.g. grillers and pasta makers)
o Advanced knowledge of culinary, baking and pastry techniques
o Ability to remain calm and undertake various tasks
o Excellent time management abilities
o Up-to-date knowledge of cooking techniques and recipes
o Familiarity with sanitation regulations
o Culinary School Diploma is an advantage
o Applicants residing in Surulere or environs preferred



5. ⁠Cleaners (2)
Job Descriptions
o Ensure proper cleaning of the environment and the rooms
o Attend to any other cleaning duty assigned
Requirements
o Possess a FSLC / SSCE qualification with 1-year experience
o Applicants MUST reside in Surulere or environs



6. ⁠Salesgirl for a Mini Mart (1)
Job Descriptions
o Greet visitors, answer phone calls, attend to customer needs, queries, and provide an overall welcoming environment.
o Serve customers by escorting them to racks and counters, help them select store products, provide pricing information, offer suggestive selling and sharing product knowledge
o Document sales by issuing invoice/receipts, ensure payment for all products bought (POS, Bank Transfer or Cash as applicable) and update customer contact records
o Assists with inventory, including receiving and stocking merchandise
o Be aware of the safety and security of the store
o Close as many deals and transactions as possible in the store
o Perform any other duties as assigned by the Management
Requirements
o SSCE / NCE / OND only.
o Must be willing to work Monday to Friday and alternating on Saturdays.
o Female, 1 year of store/face-to-face sales experience is a MUST.
o Ability to work independently, punctual, dependable and trustworthy
o Excellent Customer Service, fluent in English Language and can think outside the box
o Must have a friendly and engaging personalities and be a high performer
o Being persuasive enough to be able to convince customers and energetic.
o Applicants MUST reside in Surulere or its environs.



7. ⁠Laundry man (1)
Job Descriptions
o Washing of the bedspread, duvet and other clothing materials
o Operating washing machine
Requirements
o Interested candidates should possess an FSLC qualification with 1 year work experience
o Applicants MUST reside in Surulere or environs



8. ⁠Manager
Job Responsibilities
o Drive achievement of hotel revenue, profitability and guest satisfaction goals
o Lead the management team in overseeing all hotel operations and departments (front office, housekeeping, food & beverage, sales & marketing, engineering, security, etc.)
o Analyze reports on hotel performance metrics and take action to improve KPIs
o Prepare budgets and approve expenditures for hotel departments
o Build and nurture relationships with hotel guests to drive repeat visits
o Ensure compliance with company policies, brand standards and safety regulations
Requirements
o Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality or Hotel Management (preferred)
o 5+ years of progressive hotel management experience
o Knowledge of revenue management principles and strategies
o Strong leadership, communication and organization skills
o Comfortable with technology and hotel management software
o Experience with budgeting and financial planning

Link:
https://newstip.ng/2024/03/18/vacancy-manager-chef-waitress-barman-others-wanted-in-new-lagos-hotel/

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says its operatives have arrested a 20-year-old hair stylist, Josephine Odunu, and a 30-year-old dispatch rider, Edesemi Ikporo, for selling and distributing illicit drug-laced chin-chin to school students and at social parties in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state.

Director, Media & Advocacy of NDLEA, Femi Babafemi disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, March 17.

“NDLEA officers on patrol around Opolo area of Yenagoa had on Sunday 10th March 2024 intercepted the motorcycle dispatch rider, Edesemi and recovered 200grams of chin-chin produced with cannabis sativa, which he was on a mission to deliver to a buyer.

“A swift follow up operation led to the arrest of the hairdresser, Josephine, who distributes the drugged chin-chin from the salon where she works in Kpansia area of Yenagoa.

“A search of the salon also led to the recovery of 3.00kilograms bringing the total weight of the illicit substance seized from the duo to 3.2kg,” the statement read in part.

Babafemi disclosed that investigations revealed that they distributed the chin-chin often laced with cannabis and tramadol to students and at birthday parties.

“While Edesemi handles the delivery to buyers, Josephine is a major distributor to a wanted suspect who produces the drugged chin-chin,” he added.

Link: https://herald.ng/hair-stylist-dispatch-rider-arrested-for-selling-drug-laced-chin-chin-to-students-parties/

It is another exciting weekend in the world of football as Europe’s top clubs trade tackles.

As usual, The Herald Football Octopus competition is back to reward passion.

Predict the outcome of these eight games and stand a chance to claim N50,000.

Click on the link below to make free prediction on the website:

https://www.herald.ng/football-predict-win-n50000-this-weekend/

How come the body of this story has nothing to do with this headline. This is serious BS.

When the Rivers State Government recently revealed that its predecessor expended a whooping N82m to host erudite Professor Wole Soyinka to a three-hour dinner, little did it know that it was splashing a collage of literary flowers on the ongoing corruption battles in the country.

The association of the dubious expenditure with the Nobel Laureate, succeeded in sparking off a literary war. Without suspecting that the finding in Rivers government could be a clever way to showcase the ongoing investigation over the arms fund bazaar, Kongi hurried for a regal entrée with an armada of sarcasm and satire.

But as the altercation between Rivers State Government and the Soyinka continued over the rationale and credibility of the offshore birthday entertainment of the acclaim literary giant, the sound of 80 and 82 was somehow serving a higher purpose of strengthening the Dasukigate as a new destination in national entertainment. The former administration in Rivers must have taken iberties as the custodian of Book capital of the commonwealth to fete Soyinka at 80 with N82m. (Government money which was in government house was used to fund government business!).

Whether the New Year revelation is a corollary to the arms fund probe or not, is debatable. But Soyinka alluded to that possibility, not only by choosing “Those who flounder in the sewage of corruption” as the title of his essay in replying his indirect accusers, but as a connoisseur of literary brew, he also sarcastically alluded to the folly of a guest questioning the source of money for which he was being entertained: “I do however fully support the Wikeleaks call for multi-directional probes. I recommend further that he involve the services of INTERPOL to guarantee its extension to all international organisations and governments to whom I owe uncountable events of recognition – including birthday luncheons, dinners, cultural receptions and events of real, fictitious, or simply opportunistic flavoring – to which I have submitted myself.”

Kongi had cleverly avoided the issue in the huge attempt to preserve his good name. But what he seemed to gloss over was the duplicity of a government that preaches anti-corruption spending such humongous amount of tax-payers’ money to celebrate a literary citizen’s 80 years on earth. Soyinka has, both in theory and practice, never approved ostentatious display of opulence. Unless the sum of N82m covers other little expenditures like endowing a chair or award, the statement of account deserves a red ink of question mark.

However, the important point Nigerians should note in the exchange between Wike and Soyinka over the use of N82m for a three-hour bash, is the suggestion that the country is being distracted from genuine governance and development. For this, the Nobel Laureate was spot-on when he said: “The descent to this present level of abominable distractions makes one truly despair…”

The grand distraction seems to be the one taking place in the nation’s capital, Abuja; where the economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), is investigating the immediate past administration of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan. From the arrests, disclosures, confessions and inferences on the $2.1b arms scandal, one is tempted to conclude that the anti-graft agency is merely rehashing a stale manifesto of the military.

Nigerians abhor corruption. That is why the issue of corruption has always been the low-hanging fruit of virtually all military regimes, to gain immediate traction after taking over political power. President Buhari used it in 1984 and he has not forgotten how well it had worked for him. He is trying it again in 2016 with the current inquest into the $2.1b arms fund. Politicians are now divided, without seeing the underlying danger in the current distraction called anti-corruption fight. Dispassionate observers know that the best approach to fighting corruption is through institutions. When you target individuals you achieve spontaneous adulation but the enabling culture that makes corruption to fester remains. For instance, nothing is happening to the banks, police and judiciary, neither has anything been done to make government, especially at the centre less attractive.

Though the EFCC seems to be biting more than it can chew, the $2.1bn arms deal investigation would succeed in splashing sewage on some politically exposed persons, but there are serious doubts that convictions would be secured based on the Wike-Soyinka moral. For if Dasuki is guilty of misapplication of funds, records show that he did not convert the fund to his personal use. Even without justifying the misapplication of the arms fund, it is obvious that there was an approving authority. And from the look of things, that approving authority may after all be the target of the whole circumbendibus.

If that indeed is the long term objective of the EFCC frenzy, the presidency should have saved Nigerians the distraction and invite Dr. Jonathan to explain his actions while in office. By not setting that dangerous precedent, the federal government aims to name and shame the pillars of the immediate past administration and create the impression that civilians are always corrupt in public office and that only the military produces impeccable leaders.

But reading the Soyinka narrative on Wikeleaks, it becomes obvious that the much EFCC could get from the motley crowd of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains it has so far arrested, interrogated and incarcerated albeit extra legally, is to use them as prosecution witness against Colonel Sambo Dasuki!

“It was not, and remains not my business to probe into the catering and logistical implications of the hundreds of institutions and governments all over the world to whom I acknowledge an immense debt of unsolicited recognition over the years,” Soyinka had asserted. Contemporaneously, should PDP chieftains who were engaged in mobilizing support for their party and candidate to investigate the subhead, from which the funds needed for the logistics, was being sourced?

Again Soyinka was apt in his deductions that “those who are neck deep in the sewage of corruption ensure that they splatter sewage in all possible and improbable directions.” The other time a similar coinage was used was when some elements in the All Progressives Congress (APC) wanted to stain the reputation of former Lagos governor, Babatunde Fashola. He found that when you fight with those in the mud, you get dirty. Or, when you fight with a pig, you remain soiled while the pig departs happy. Beyond the search for the $2.1b, which awakens the memory to the missing N2.8b during Buhari’s tenure as Petroleum Minister, ultimately the real politicians shall emerge bruised to leave only one man intact.

And so, going forward, politicians should henceforth learn to be circumspect in the performance of their duties. No matter how good the foundation may be, military regimes are no longer fashionable. Politicians should learn from the ongoing national discussion just as voters should lessen their expectations for handouts and freebies from politicians.

Campaign funding has remained a sore point in democratic elections all over the world. The ongoing economic tribulations should inspire the lawmakers to make the electoral system less expensive. Even President Buhari knows that the access of incumbents to free income made it quite hard for him to win elections until some state governors looked in his direction. What Wikeleaks seems to advertise is the fact that when it comes to campaign funding, all politicians have sinned and come short of the glory of perfect election. They enjoy the backing of incumbents! The difference between a military and civilian politician is that while one can feign poverty and remain parsimonious, the other is usually moved by humanity to show empathy through generosity.

Apart from former Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa, only Chief Raymond Dokpesi, has been able to see the ongoing motions in anti-corruption battle in the right context of military versus civilian contest for political power. Speaking when some youth paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja, Dokpesi said: “I must hasten to assure you that there is nothing like the much flaunted $2.1 billion arms gate; the competent courts of our land would sooner or later prove this coinage aimed at decimating the leadership and membership of our great party to be nothing but a hoax. It (arms scandal) does not exist. It’s a figment of the imagination of the present government. It’s about the persecution of Sambo Dasuki, Tony Anenih, Olisa Metuh and others. We will be made proud when we start our defence in court.”

The media mogul remarked that “the events of 1984/85, are by all stretch of comparison similar to the unfolding events of today.” And pinpointing the present distractions in the context of military/civilian struggle for political power, he added: “During the infamous tenure elongation agenda, we dared to speak up, but speak up we did. We have always been on the part of human rights, citizen participation in the democratic process, transparency and accountability…We will support any policy of government that seeks to promote the ideals of good governance. But we should also not be cowed to speak up where we disagree.”

Civilian politicians may have made a fatal political misadventure by admitting the military into power through the backdoor in the 2015 election because it is debatable whether former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso or even Sam Nda-Isaiah, would not have beaten Dr. Jonathan unless the massive votes garnered by APC were less than described. What would be the greatest undoing is if they provide the military with another opportunity to urge “Arise Compatriots”.

For this, Dokpesi’s observations that the ruling APC (was) attempting to impede the nation’s journey to political maturity through the manipulation of the federal system to serve purely partisan interests, presents a warning that commends serious contemplation.

The Board of Zenith Bank Plc has announced the re-appointment Dame (Dr) Adaora Umeoji, OON as the Deputy Managing Director (DMD) of the bank.

This was announced in a notice filed with the Nigerian Exchange today.

The notice read: “Zenith Bank Plc “The Bank” hereby informs its shareholders, NGX and the investing public that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has given its ‘No Objection’ to the re-engagement of Dame (Dr) Adaora Umeoji as Deputy Managing Director (DMD) of the bank. The re-engagement is effective August 2, 2023.

Link: https://www.herald.ng/just-in-zenith-bank-re-appoints-dame-adaora-umeoji-as-deputy-managing-director/

A date is an appointment to meet up with someone, usually with the aim of exploring a romantic relationship.

Millions of men and women go on dates everyday, and many end up as romantic partners, become platonic friends, or just never see each other again.

Kamilla, a Men’s Dating Coach who boasts of over 200,000 social media followers and 20,000+ email subscribers, said that more than 33 percent of women go on dates just for the food.

“I just read a study how a third of women only go on dates with men because of the free food,” Kamilla tweeted via her verified Twitter handle: @thedatingboss.

“If a woman is wasting her and anyone’s time for a free meal, she’s pathetic. She needs to get a life,” she added.

She also advised men on steps to take to avoid being a victim of such women.

“Screen women better. Is she gainfully employed or a bum? Ask what she does for a living,” Kamilla said.

According to the dating coach, any woman aggressively showing off her goods and assets on a dating app is most likely seeking to build her social media following, find a guy to use for meals and vacations, or both.

“If you’re dating for a relationship,” she said, “Make sure the women you’re interacting with via dating apps or social media are also looking for the same thing.

“If they’re just “dating around”, it’s possible she just wants a night out at your expense.

“If your objective is to have a fling, this might not be a bad thing. Even though she’s out to get a free date night out of you, maybe …you’re looking good, your game is on point, and the drinks are flowing that particular night. Who knows where it can lead.”

She added, “For guys seeking a relationship, see where her headspace is at. If she just got out of a relationship and hints that she’s not ready for any commitment, she could just be looking to go out for the hell of it.

“Also, determine if you have any commonalities. If you are complete opposites and downright disagree on a bunch of things, why does she want to go out with you at that point? Probably to kill time and try out that new restaurant you invited her to.”

Giving her ‘honest’ advice, Kamilla said, “Go out with everyone. You never know who you’ll meet or what kind of chemistry you’ll have until you spend a few hours with each other.

“If spending $100 is going to really affect you, don’t date. Get your money up until you get to the level where going on a few pointless dates once in a while isn’t the end of the world for you.”

Link: https://www.herald.ng/33-of-women-go-on-dates-for-the-free-food-female-dating-coach-reveals/

English actor, Patrick Stewart has riled netizens by calling Argentina national football team captain, Lionel Messi “a God”.

Stewart, 82, shared an undated photo of himself and Messi on Facebook on Wednesday.

He captioned it, “The time I met a God… Congratulations to Leo Messi and Argentina on their marvelous play”.

Stewart posted the controversial comment hours after 35-year-old Messi, scored a goal and provided an assist to help Argentina thrash Croatia and reach the final of the ongoing 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

However, many internet users did not take kindly to Stewart’s equation of Messi to “God”.

Taking to the comment section of the post, they chided the octogenarian, saying he failed to respect God.

Ana Perković wrote, “I used to like you…”


Paula Rackley wrote, “You just called him, a regular man, a god. That was not very smart.”

Kato Morris Hindiya wrote, “May God forgive us for equating human beings to him.”

Imran Khan wrote, “Perfect example of polytheism. What kind of faith Makes people call any one or thing a God. He is the greatest footballer and looks like ratatouille. What’s makes him a God”

Muhammad Zaman Nihon wrote, “He is just a human with special ability in the game of football! Nothing more.”

Alexandre Noiseux wrote, “The guy kicks a ball better than everyone. Still far from a God IMHO.”

Blas Servin wrote, “He is not a god, he is a human being with extraordinary abilities in the sport of soccer.”

Markus Haemmer wrote, “You set the level “god” very low… he is just a human as you and I. Just has given talent and trained it.”

Link: https://www.herald.ng/actor-patrick-stewart-mocked-for-calling-lionel-messi-god/

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested one of two brothers who serve as major sources of illicit drug supplies in South East and South South parts of the country, Onyeaghalachi Stephen Nwagwugwu, after nine years of being on his trail.

Director, Media and Advocacy of NDLEA, Femi Babafemi disclosed this in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday.

The NDLEA spokesman said that the elder brother, Eze Kaleb Stephen, who is also wanted, narrowly escaped during the overnight operation carried out simultaneously in their two locations: Umuahia and Ntigha Okpuola community in Isiala Ngwa North LGA, Abia state.

“Investigations show the two notorious brothers began a career in the illicit drug business since the late 90s when they started as pocket dealers before they later established smoking joints/bunks in their community, Ntigha Okpuola and subsequently grew to become barons; owning hotels, houses in choice areas of Abia, Rivers and Imo State, with exotic cars in their homes,” the statement read in part.

The NDLEA spokesman said that the agency had been on their trail since 2013 when they organised a mob attack on some of its operatives who attempted to apprehend them during a raid.

“At least, one of the officers attacked then is still bedridden till date. The two drug lords equally own armed militia guarding their houses and drug stores, where they deal in assorted illicit substances like Cocaine, Heroin, Methamphetamine (Mpuru-miri), Loud/Arizona and all sorts.

Click to see photos: https://www.herald.ng/ndlea-arrests-wanted-noicyhl-luxury-hotel-owner-after-nine-years-of-pursuit/

In this piece, the presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi explains the nitty-gritty of his plan to take Nigeria from a consumption to a production country if elected into office in 2023…

This is our envisaged path from consumption to production for Nigeria.

We have a three-tracked plan aimed at achieving Goal 12 of the SDG, namely ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns.

First, our focus will be on agriculture and production-centered growth for food security and export, with more emphasis on exporting finished products instead of commodities and raw materials. This relates mainly food and textiles. Nigeria has over 84 million hectares of arable land. And barely 40% of our arable land is cultivated today. Nigeria’s arable land is her new oil and gold.

Second, pursuant to Goal 9 of the SDGs our administration will from its inception, continue to encourage investment in infrastructure – energy, transport, irrigation, and telecoms—to grow these and other sectors.

We are eager to quickly close the infrastructure gap between now and 2030. We will expand the frontiers of financial inclusion to ensure that SMEs have greater access to credit to grow.

We will work with financial institutions to improve their ability to identify credit worthy borrowers; and support inventory financing, which will help to unlock finance for SMEs dealing with high account receivables.

We will enforce the legal framework protecting foreign investors and their indigenous partners. This is the only way to tamper monopoly and capital flight.

Third, as a nation, Nigeria must look beyond oil. We therefore, intend to leapfrog Nigeria from oil to the Fourth Industrial Revolution by expanding physical infrastructure through market-driven reforms that will unleash growth-enabling entrepreneurship and market-creating innovations. To ensure sustainability and resilience, we will stop borrowing for consumption. All loans must be invested in regenerative projects. We shall pursue a drastic reduction in cost of governance and corruption; improve ease of doing business to attract Foreign Direct Investment to jumpstart industrialization and when borrowing is unavoidable, it will be strictly for production.

It is also imperative that henceforth, we should strive to operate within available resources and strive for a balanced national budget as cost saving measures.

Whatever oil we still have will be refined domestically. These measures along with ending the leakages including the subsidy regime and improving our tax regime should do the magic of moving Nigeria from consumption to production.

Link: https://www.herald.ng/breaking-down-the-concept-of-consumption-to-production-by-peter-obi/

The presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, says his APC counterpart, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has no justification to tell anyone to “go home and rest” when such is the advice he ought to give to himself.

He said that with the series of disgraceful allegations of narcotic trafficking, forgery, perjury, identity crisis and certificate scam in the public space against Tinubu, he has no integrity left to hold office as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Atiku described Tinubu as the “drained, disconnected, blundering and day-dreaming aspirant who has shown a scandalous lack of energy, capacity and presence of mind to stand the rigours of a Presidential campaign, let alone the demands of the office of Mr President.”

The PDP candidate said this in a statement signed by Spokesperson, Atiku/Okowa Campaign Organisation, Kola Ologbondiyan on Saturday.

The Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign Organisation was reacting to a comment by Tinubu at Saturday’s mega rally of the APC presidential campaign held at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos on Saturday.

The Herald reported that Tinubu advised Nigerians not to entrust the PDP with Nigeria’s commonwealth again because of the alleged destruction the party wrought on the country.

The former Lagos state governor, who spoke partly in Yoruba, took a swipe at the presidential candidate of PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, describing him a veteran aspirant who should go home and rest.

“Atiku contested in SDP, he contested in PDP; he contested in ACN when we rescued him from Obasanjo. Now he is contesting again in PDP. He should go home and rest,” Tinubu said, adding that Nigerians should never allow the PDP candidate and his party near the country’s commonwealth.

“Atiku has been running. Use your PVC to vote him and his party out. Use your votes to retire him permanently this time. We must never again allow the rapacious and visionless gang of Peoples Destroying People to come near our commonwealth again. They were in government for 16 years, they didn’t remember Badagry Expressway, they didn’t remember East-West Road, they didnt remember 2nd Niger Bridge,” Tinubu said.

In its reaction, the Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign Organisation said it was “laughable that Tinubu, who cannot comprehend current political dynamics or articulate any meaningful conversation within the demands of the contemporary Nigeria, is asking others to go home and rest when such is an advice he ought to give to himself.”

“Nigerians are in agreement that if there is any Presidential Candidate that must go home and rest as demanded by Asiwaju Tinubu, it is Tinubu himself who has been reported as requiring support to stand, whose speeches are grossly incoherent and who has become the butt of weird jokes among Nigerians for his many blunders.

“Moreover, Asiwaju Tinubu cannot face Nigerians and the International Community having forfeited a whopping sum of $460,000 to the United States of America. The least an individual with such record should do is to go home and rest because Nigerians will not have such a person as President.

“Is it not pathetic that Tinubu that needed to forcefully lock all markets in the entire Lagos State to get a motley of crew to attend a rancorous rally is contemplating winning a Presidential election in Nigeria?

“Our Campaign counsels Asiwaju Tinubu to accept the reality that an overwhelming majority of Nigerians have already reached a consensus on electing the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, giving his energy, competence, capacity, will power and understanding of the issues troubling our nation as well as his readiness to provide the solutions.

“Nigerians already know that Asiwaju Tinubu is full of frustration and jealousy for Atiku, but resorting to insults instead of activating any forms of issue-based campaign will not help him,” the campaign organisation said.

Link: https://www.herald.ng/atiku-replies-tinubu-over-go-home-and-rest-comment/

The Director, New Media, APC Presidential Campaign Council, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, has said that supporters of the party’s presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, were prepared to do anything to ensure his victory in 2023.

He said that getting Tinubu elected was a righteous and noble cause.

Fani-Kayode stated this in an article titled, ‘A Word For The Batified’, published on Wednesday.

“We must stand with and support our leader regardless of the vicious taunting and relentless aggression that he has been subjected to by his detractors and in spite of the heat of the battle.

“We must clarify issues and respond to every attempt to misrepresent, malign and discredit him.

“We must expose the falsehood and evil intentions of his adversaries in the knowledge that he is the only one out of all the contenders that can bring peace, prosperity and unity to our country.

“We must take nothing for granted.

“No matter what price we are paying or suffering we have been subjected to as a consequence of our choice of candidate we must not be deterred, we must count it all as joy and we must keep moving forward because our cause is noble, just and righteous…

“BAT will be the next President of Nigeria.

“God wills it and the zeal of the Lord shall cause it to come to pass.

“Our nation shall rise up to where she belongs and we shall build on the foundation that has been established over the last 62 years.

“It is for this noble cause that, despite the challenges, threats, insults and constraints from within and without, we continue to stand and fight.

“The labour of our heroes past shall NEVER be in vain.


“For the future of our beautiful children and our beloved country we will do and take anything to see to it that Asiwaju wins,” Fani-Kayode said.

The former Minister of Aviation urged Tinubu’s supporters not to ” underestimate our enemies or the level they are prepared to descend to”.

“The struggle is hard and the sacrifices are many.

“We have been subjected to all sorts of insults, lies, betrayals and persecution by those that hate us, hate our principal and that do not wish either well.

“Such is their hate that it borders on insanity: they even target our children, spouses and family members.

“These are the sort of things that have NEVER happened before in the history of our country and in the history of our politics but they are happy to cross that line.

“Yet regardless of their desperation, malice, mendacities, deceit and intrigues remember this: the wind blows in our favour.

“PDP and Atiku cannot stop us.

“Labour and Obi cannot stop us.

“NNPP and Kwankwaso cannot stop us.

“Only WE can stop us and that must NEVER be allowed to happen,” Fani-Kayode said.

Read more: https://www.herald.ng/2023-well-do-anything-to-ensure-tinubu-wins-fani-kayode/

The Director of New Media, APC Presidential Campaign Council, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, has said that he was misled into attacking the presidential candidate of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, in the past.

Fani-Kayode was in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before defecting to APC in September 2021.

While in the PDP, he had a reputation for criticising Tinubu, sometimes very harshly.

In January 2020, he said the former Lagos governor was “far dumber” than he thought for calling on South West governors to hold private discussions with the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami SAN over Amotekun.

In an October 2020 article, he called Tinubu “Asiwaju of blood“.

Writing about Tinubu’s response to the Lekki Toll Gate shootings of October 20, 2020, Fani-Kayode noted, “You are heartless, you are cold-blooded, you are wicked, you lack empathy for the suffering and you are a sociopath. Your spell may work on others but it does not work on me.

“I see you for what you are: pure evil. You are the darkness that seeks the darkness. The monster that betrayed his own people and put a tyrant and blood-sucking demon in power just to further his own fading ambition and feed his psychotic obsession for power.”

However, in an article published this weekend, the former Minister of Aviation said that he attacked Tinubu in the past because of disinformation peddled about the APC flagbearer over the years.

Read Also: Goodluck Jonathan: Quintessential African statesman at 65 – By Ikechukwu Eze


He said that those like him who vilified Tinubu did so having “bought the lie that he was indeed involved in the drug business 30 years ago simply because of the salacious and false assertion and baseless allegation of seized “drug” funds.

“Sadly we only read the headlines and did not read the full story.

“We refused to look behind the veil, dig deep and do our own research but instead we relied on the research and misinformation of others.

“Simply put, we were fooled and unjustifiably blinded with rage.

“We accused Tinubu of being involved in the drug business simply because we were not fully aware of all the facts of the case and neither did we care to dig deep and find out.

“Thankfully we have now done that, we know better and we collectivity owe him an apology for assuming the worst and believing the lie.”

Link: https://www.herald.ng/i-was-misled-fani-kayode-reveals-reason-for-attacking-tinubu-in-the-past/

On October 12, 2022, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Guarantee Trust Holding Company (GTCO), Dr Segun Agbaje joined a long list of members of the Nigerian political and economic elite that have shown a disconnect from the stark realities facing the masses and members of the rapidly dwindling middle class in Nigeria.

Speaking with journalists after delivering the 2022 Redeemer’s University Convocation lecture titled, “Digital Innovation Leadership: Opportunities for National Reset and Employment Generation”, at the University auditorium, Ede, Osun state on that day, Agbaje said that Nigerians had no justifiable reason to flee the country as opportunities for success abound here in Nigeria.

“There are opportunities everywhere in Nigeria, I have been here for 32 years, I built my career I think these opportunities still exist and just like I said in my talk if you’re a Nigerian then you are an African I don’t think there is better place to build a future then here where you have over 200 million people, who are your people, who you don’t have to over prove yourself to, you don’t have to deal with some of the issues you’ll have to deal with in abroad.

“I still think for hard-working people this is where the opportunities are, I don’t think youths should be leaving this country. Look at the University, it is a seed for the future, opportunities abound everywhere,” Vanguard quoted Agbaje, who is a billionaire, to have said.

Truth be told, Agbaje is not alone in this warped thinking that the average Nigerian, who has a reputation for being longsuffering and sanguine, endured excruciating and sometimes humiliating visa application processes, saved up millions, and left their families and friends behind to journey to a faraway land on a whim.

Former Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun expressed a similar sentiment in a viral interview granted to BBC Yoruba around the same time as Agbaje’s comment.

He called the developed nations granting visas to Nigerians seeking greener pastures abroad “wicked”.

“The visa that they (countries) were not issuing before, is what they are deliberately issuing to them now. They will give to their wives. All their (visa applicants’) children, they will ask them to bring them over. You will see that those countries issuing the residence permits, I see it as being deliberately wicked to u,” Amosun had said.

Amosun was governor for eight years, between 2011 and 2019. Before then, he was a senator between 2003 and 2007. Since 2019, he has returned to the senate, and could be there for a very long time since there is no term limit for members of the National Assembly.

As a member of a political class benefitting from a dysfunctional Nigeria, Amosun’s rant is understandable although inexcusable. But Agbaje’s comment cuts deeper for so many reasons.

Agbaje presides over the holding company that owns GTBank, arguably Nigeria’s most famous bank among the Nigerian masses. There is hardly a branch of GTBank that is not teeming with customers every weekday.

One needs no soothsayer to know that the bank’s workers would be subjected to a higher level of stress than their counterparts in other banks as a result of the high volume of customers faced daily.

But like their counterparts in other Nigerian banks, GTBank workers earn multiple times less than their colleagues in developed nations of the world.

For a bank that pays less than N200,000 for an entry level position, which is a beggarly $285 at N700/$1 unofficial exchange rate, GTBank’s boss really ought not be schooling anyone who decides to leave Nigeria for good.

No wonder Florence Obi, a senior Nigerian bank executive, quit her job and relocated to the United Kingdom, where she is now a cleaner – sorry, health care assistant.

Even if the job is beneath her status, as many social media commentators opined when her story went viral two months ago, at least she is assured of decent pay that is commensurate with effort put in, a working society, and a safe environment without constant fear of being kidnapped by bandits or killed by armed herdsmen.

Agbaje lives and works in the posh and secure Victoria Island/Ikoyi axis of Lagos State and owns a fleet of luxury cars estimated to be no less than $1 million in value, including a Mercedes Benz Maybach S560 valued at $200,000 (approximately N140 million at N700/$1).

Read more: https://www.businesstimesng.com/japa-nigerian-elites-disconnect-from-reality-the-segun-agbaje-example/

See link to video:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdGso4fGIRw

The Deputy Managing Director of Zenith Bank, Dame (Dr) Adaora Umeoji, has built and donated a world-class building for the use of the Immaculate Conception Parish in Dobi, Abuja.

The commissioning/dedication of the new parish building to the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja took place recently.

Speaking at the commissioning, Dame Umeoji said, “I’m here to hand over the keys of this new edifice for the continuous spread of the word of God.

“We pray that this will be able to do more and encourage others to do more for the diocese and for the men of God.”

The Herald learnt that Umeoji was moved to build and donate the new church building after the temporary edifice used for worship at the church was destroyed by a windstorm on May 17, 2018.

She was said to have been approached to support a new building project for the parish.

It was learnt that she looked at the building plan and remarked that the proposed structure was not befitting of God, requesting that a more sophisticated architectural drawing be designed.

Dame Umeoji’s desire to assist the parish to build a new and more befitting church building was an offering to God for the healing of her beloved mother, Chief (Lady) Ngozi Umeoji, it was further learnt.

However, her mother’s eventual passing on to glory did not make her renege on her promise to help build a new structure for the people of God to worship.

She said that she felt that God wanted her mother to now live through the church.

“I dedicate this church to the blessed memory of my late mother, who encouraged me so much to get this fulfilled,” Dame Umeoji added.

Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, His Grace Ignatius Kaigama accepted the donation on behalf of the church.

Read more: https://www.herald.ng/zenith-bank-dmd-dame-adaora-umeoji-donates-world-class-building-to-catholic-church-in-abuja/

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has uncovered plans by some unscrupulous elements to introduce a lethal synthetic opioid, Fentanyl, which is 100 times stronger than Tramadol into the Nigerian market, warning that the illicitly manufactured drug is capable of causing mass casualty among the youth population being targeted by the cartels.

Director, Media & Advocacy of NDLEA, Femi Babafemi disclosed this in a Tuesday statement in Abuja

According to the anti-narcotics agency, every step must be taken to ensure that the drug said to be currently responsible for over 70% overdose deaths as well as a major contributor to fatal and nonfatal overdoses in the US is not allowed to circulate in Nigeria because of its lethality and the current drug abuse prevalence of 14.4% in the country.

“We are not unaware of desperate efforts by some drug cartels to introduce to the Nigerian market, Fentanyl, which according to the CDC, is 80 times as potent as morphine and 100 times more potent than heroin.

“This, they plan to do either in liquid or powder form and/or with misleading labels to target our youth population.


“This they may also mix with other prescription drugs. The illegally manufactured fentanyl in its liquid form can come in nasal sprays, eye drops, or small candies.

“As a result, parents and other stakeholders are advised to be vigilant, alert and warn their young ones against attempting experimenting with this illicit substance. Symptoms for fentanyl exposure and/or overdose include pinpoint pupils, falling asleep or losing consciousness, slow and shallow breathing, choking or gurgling sounds, limp body, and pale, blue, or cold skin,” the NDLEA’s statement read in part.

The agency assured the public that all necessary assets have been deployed to monitor the cartels involved in this latest threat to public health with a view to frustrating their criminal plot and make them face the wrath of the law.

Read more: https://www.herald.ng/fentanyl-ndlea-raises-alarm-over-plot-to-introduce-deadly-synthetic-opioid-to-nigerian-market/

Veteran Nollywood actor, Yemi Ayebo aka Yemi My Lover says Nigerian ladies of these days like money too much and are not ready to stay with any man that does not have it.

He said this while speaking on his reason for marrying late.

The actor said that he did not intentionally choose to marry when he was almost 40 but finances played a major role.

Asked if being rich was part of the conditions for a man to be ready for marriage, Yemi My Lover answered in the affirmative.

“Very important. Ladies these days are not ready to stay with a man that does not have money. They like money too much and if you don’t have sufficient money, they won’t stay with you,” he told The Punch.

Asked how much a man should have before considering marriage, Yemi My Lover said, “As a man, the first step is to get an apartment in a conducive environment.

“A man cannot get married while still living with his parents or friends. He should have an apartment, either rented or built.

“He should also have a good job that will be fetching him money. Women usually believe that all their responsibilities are on you as the man and they will make financial demands from you and the moment you can’t meet up with the demands, you start having problems in your relationship. If they demand just N1,000 recharge card from you and you can’t afford it, the issue of double dating will start because they will start giving attention to other men.

“Once a man has a good job and money, huge money, even if he drives the woman away, she will not go. Even if the man is the ugliest guy on earth, as long as he has money, women will be running after him. If you don’t have money, forget about it.”

Read more: https://www.herald.ng/yemi-my-lover-ladies-these-days-arent-ready-to-stay-with-a-poor-man/

A Dei-Dei Grade I Area Court in Abuja on Monday sentenced a 32-year-old cleaner, Peter Calistus, to eight months imprisonment for stealing a laptop bag.

Calistus, who resides in Gwarinpa village, Abuja pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal trespass and theft and begged the court for leniency.

The Judge, Mr Sulyman Ola, however, gave the convict an option of N40,000 fine and warned him to desist from committing crimes.

Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Mr Chinedu Ogada told the court that the complainant Ohanatu Sandra of Brick city Estate, Kubwa, reported the matter at the Gwarinpa Police Station on Aug. 3.

Ogada said that at about 2:20 p.m the convict criminally trespassed into the complainant’s office where she works as a lab scientist and stole her laptop bag containing four laptops valued N280,000, ring valued N 80,000 and N300, 000 cash.

https://www.herald.ng/abuja-court-jails-cleaner-for-stealing-laptop-bag/

Former presidential candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Alhaji Ganiyu Galadima, says Nigeria will be hugely transformed under an Asiwaju Bola Tinubu presidency.

Galadima stated this on Tuesday during a public sensitisation organised by the Tinubu Triumphant Forum (TTF) in Ilorin, Kwara State on Tuesday.

He said that the group’s objective was to mobilise people at the grassroots to vote for the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

According to him, “there will be a huge transformation of the country and improvement in the various sectors critical to national development” if Tinubu wins the 2023 election.

Coordinator of TTF in Diaspora, Abdulhameed Sambo, urged members to go to their various local government areas and mobilise the people at the grassroots for APC to win the 2023 elections.

He said the sensitisation programme of the group involved advocacy visits to political leaders and influential individuals within and outside the state.

He urged members to also keep their voter cards jealously to enable them to vote for Tinubu at the 2023 election.

Read more: https://www.herald.ng/2023-therell-be-a-huge-transformation-of-the-country-if-tinubu-wins-galadima/

An aviation sector stakeholder, Mr. Bankole Bernard, suggested in Ikeja on Sunday that 18 unviable airports in the country should be turned into shopping malls to generate revenue.

He said that only four airports, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Abuja and Kano, out of 22 airports in the country are viable.

The operations of the other 18 airports had been unviable over the years, he added.

Bernard, Group Managing Director of a holding company in the aviation sector was speaking on the sideline of the 26th annual conference of the League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents.

According to him, efforts to enhance the operations of Owerri Airport, another international aerodrome to operate from sunrise to sunset had proved abortive over the years.

He urged the federal and state governments to consider the construction of shopping malls and other facilities that would attract more commercial activities to the unviable airports.

He emphasised that aviation operates using international standards and appealed to governments at all levels to take a cue from other countries which ensured commercial viability of their airports by thinking outside the box.

“What are the possible solutions to consider given the numerous challenges we are faced with in the industry? We can start with the modernisation of airport terminals with shopping malls.

“This will contribute to the commercial viability of the airports and other necessary infrastructures like the internet and constant power supply to support businesses.

“We must begin to think of an alternative power supply like renewable energy to keep the airports functional and reduce the cost of operation in the long run."

Read more: https://www.herald.ng/only-4-of-22-airports-are-viable-turn-others-to-shopping-malls-aviation-expert-tells-fg/

A Chief Magistrates’ Court in Iyaganku, Ibadan, on Monday, ordered the remand of two Fidelity Bank staff and four others at the Abolongo correctional facility, over alleged foiled planned bank robbery.

The Chief Magistrate, Mr Emmanuel Idowu who did not take the plea of the defendants due to lack of jurisdiction, ordered their remand at Abolongo correctional facility, Oyo Town.

Idowu said they would be remanded, pending the advice of the Oyo State Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP).

He adjourned the matter till Sept. 29, for mention.

The defendants of undisclosed addresses were charged on five counts bordering on conspiracy and armed robbery.

The defendants are: Mayowa Kehinde, 29; Abass Aderoju, 41; Akeem Adeniyi, 37; Abass Azeez, 42; Ridwan Eniola, 33; and Mistura Akinrinade, a female, 33.

The six defendants were alleged to have planned an attack on the Fidelity Bank branch in Mokola, Ibadan.

Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Insp. Iyabo Oladoyin, told the court that the defendants conspired to rob the bank.

Oladoyin said, “the defendants were nabbed at their Agara Odo-Ona hideout along Akala Expressway, Ibadan, on Monday, June 13, at about 9: 00 p.m.”

He alleged that they were concluding plans to carry out robbery attack on another new generation bank within the metropolis.

“The defendants conspired to rob the house of Adegboyega Owoeye with intent to dispossess him of N60 million at gun point.

“They conspired to rob one Emmanuel Ayoola at his house with intent to dispossess him of N34 million at gun point and also rob Mr Mukaila Oseni of N28 million in his resident.

“They also conspired to strike at the house of Mujidat Suleiman ‘f’ with intent to dispossess her of N20 million at gun point,” said Oladoyin.

She said the offence contravened Section 6 (b) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act Cap RII, Vol. 14 Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004.

Read more: https://www.herald.ng/2-bank-staff-4-others-remanded-for-planning-bank-robbery/

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Tuesday tasked the National Population Commission (NPC) to conduct accurate, credible and acceptable data, in the forthcoming 2023 census, saying that it would assist the country in planning and formulating policies.

Obasanjo made the call during a courtesy visit by the Executive Chairman of NPC who came alongside with the country representive from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Nigeria, and other officials of the commission at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta.

According to him, if a credible and accurate census is achieved by the NPC, it will help the nation in planning better and formulate policies that will aid the development of the country.

He, however, recalled the last census conducted in 2006 during his administration, to be first in history to be conducted without conflicts, acrimony and contention.

He stressed that Nigeria had failed to make adequate use of the results of census previously conducted in country.

“We are running away from making use of our census, the same way we are running from religion and ethnicity.

“The census should lead to real demarcation of constituencies which we have run away from since 2006

“Census figures that we do not use for planning, for real demarcation and all that is not serving a useful purpose; it is a waste of money; I believe we should get this right, so that we will be able to know where we are today.

I don’t know how long we will keep running away from census, and we keep deceiving and lying to ourselves, by running away from the truth we must face and deal with it,” he said.

Read more: https://www.herald.ng/census-we-keep-deceiving-ourselves-obasanjo/

Mavin Records label boss, Don Jazzy has lost his mother.

The popular music producer and philanthropist took to social media on Friday evening to make the announcement.

Don Jazzy, who was born Michael Collins Ajereh, said that his mother’s demise occurred on Friday morning.

He described her as his supporter and backbone, saying he was beyond devastated by her death.

“I lost my sweet mother this morning. The matriarch of our family. My supporter and backbone @indianpicolo.

“I am beyond devastated. I have never felt pain like this in my life but I am consoled by the good life she lived. She was loved by everyone that ever met her.

“She was so strong till the last minute for us even while she battled with cancer.

“I have never typed a more difficult caption in my life. Please pray for our Mums soul to Rest In Peace and for strength for my dad, my siblings, her grandchildren and our entire family to bear this loss,” Don Jazzy wrote.

Read more: https://www.herald.ng/just-in-im-beyond-devastated-don-jazzy-announces-mums-death/

Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti has terminated the appointment of his political aides with effect from July 31.

The termination is contained in a memo signed by Mr Foluso Daramola, the Secretary to the State Government on Sunday in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti.

“The governor approve that the services of all Senior Special Assistants, Special Assistants, Technical Assistants and Executives Assistants will end on July 31 to enable the State Government process all outstanding allowances of the affected officials more so that the Government is winding up.

“The termination is pursuant to the Ekiti state transition law,” Daramola said in the memo.

He said that the action was also to ensure payment of entitlements of the political office holders and their terminal benefits.

“The action will pave way for the state government to process all outstanding allowances to the affected officials.

“This is to ensure smooth transition from the incumbent administration to the new government.

The memo reads in part: “A Transition Committee was constituted to among others, evolve strategies for a smooth transition from the incumbent to the incoming government.

“One of the duties of the committee, in line with Ekiti State Transition Law, is to ensure the payment of entitlements of political office holders including their terminal benefits”.

Fayemi’s tenure expires on October 15.

The Governor-elect of Ekiti, Biodun Oyebanji, candidate of the All Progressives Congress APC, was declared winner of the governorship election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on June 19.

Oyebanji polled a total of 187, 057 votes to win the election and was declared winner by Prof. Oyebode Adebowale, the INEC returning officer, having certified the requirements of the law.

He defeated his closest contender and former governor of Ekiti, Segun Oni of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate, who scored 82, 211, to come second.

At the end of collation of total votes, Oyebanji won his opponents in 15 of the 16 local government areas of the state, an unarguably 94 per cent of the state by majority, while Kolawole of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP won in only one local government, which is Efon Alaye Local Government Area.

Read more: https://www.herald.ng/fayemi-terminates-appointment-of-all-political-aides/

NNPC Ltd. is not recruiting.

Its management made the declaration in a statement issued in Abuja by the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr Garbadeen Muhammad,

Muhammad stated that any information suggesting that NNPC Ltd. was recruiting was false and should be disregarded.

“The general public should please take note that NNPC Ltd. is not recruiting.

“Whenever the company intends to recruit, announcement will be made using our official website – (www.nnpcgroup.com); verified Twitter handle (@nnpcgroup); verified Facebook page (@nnpcgroup) and other credible media channels,’’ he stated.

Read more: https://www.herald.ng/nnpc-ltd-is-not-recruiting-management/

There are subtle signs that give away a mentally-unstable spouse-to-be, a member of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Ms Chinyere Obasi, has said.

The lawyer revealed the signs in a statement released to the media in Lagos on Saturday.

She described domestic violence as being a direct antagonist of a sane society, with the major problem stemming from the family unit.

Obasi, therefore, urged intending couples to ensure that they are familiar with the psychological make up of their prospective spouses, before marriage.

“We have been inundated with endless stories of spouse brutalisation often leading to death, as well as stories of child and maid molestation and brutalisation.

“Without prejudice to the other forms mentioned, brutalisation of the female spouse is mostly rampant in our society.

“It is common knowledge that the family unit is the cradle of society, being the very foundation upon which the pillars of societal advancements are built.

“Hence, there is a high tendency that a brutalised child or one who witnessed same on a parent, maid or sibling would naturally continue the cycle in his or her own home, thus, further destroying the society,” she said



According to Obasi, recurring incidences of domestic violence in society, now calls for intending couples to look into the mental disposition of their proposed partners before marriage.

“It may be cliché, but it remains very valid that intending couples should look very deep into the mental disposition of the person they intend to marry.

“There are always signs of violence in a violent person, no matter how concealed.

“It requires a high level of sensitivity to detect same; hence intending spouses should be deliberate in observing the tendencies of their spouses,” she said.

According to her, it is also important to watch how an intending partner treats the people around them because even where they try to conceal same, it will naturally manifest in others.

Read more: https://www.herald.ng/how-to-spot-mentally-unstable-spouse-to-be-female-lawyer/