In 2013, Nelson Mandela described Chinua Achebe as the writer who brought the prison walls down.
He said: "There was a writer named Chinua Achebe, who in the company of his books, I felt the prison walls at Robben Island fell down."


Nigerian novelist Chinua Achebe, the revered “father of modern African literature’, has died aged 82, his family said on Friday.
Best known internationally for his novel “Things Fall Apart”, which depicts the collision between British rule and traditional Igbo culture in his native southeast Nigeria, Achebe was also a strong critic of graft and misrule in his country.
“One of the great literary voices of his time, he was also a beloved husband, father, uncle and grandfather, whose wisdom and courage are an inspiration to all who knew him,” his family said in a statement.
Local media reported that he died in a hospital in Boston, Massachusetts.
He had lived and worked as a professor in the United States in recent years, most recently at Brown University in Rhode Island. A 1990 car accident left him in a wheelchair and limited his travel.
A statement from the Mandela Foundation in South Africa said he passed away Thursday and quoted Nelson Mandela as referring to him as a writer “in whose company the prison walls fell down.”
“The world has lost one of its finest writers and Africa has lost a literary gem,” said Mike Udah, spokesman for Nigeria’s Anambra state, where Achebe was born.
Apart from criticising misrule in Nigeria, Achebe also strongly backed his native Biafra, which declared independence from the republic in 1967, sparking a civil war that killed around one million people and only ended in 1970.
The conflict was the subject of a long-awaited memoir he published last year, titled “There Was A Country: A Personal History of Biafra.”
In 2011, Achebe rejected a Nigerian government offer to honour him with one of the nation’s highest awards — at least the second time he had done so.

South African writer and Nobel laureate Nadine Gordimer called Achebe the “father of modern African literature” in 2007, when she was among the judges to award him the Man Booker International prize for fiction.






https://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/03/achebe-writer-in-whose-company-the-prison-walls-fell-down-mandela/

‌


Men of the Ebonyi State Police Command and the COVID-19 Taskforce in Afikpo North Local Government Area of the state have arrested over 50 irate youths and impounded 37 motorcycles.

The youths were arrested while protesting against the state government ban on commercial motorcycle operations and the curfew imposed against alleged illegal entry into the state through the boundaries, on Monday.

Briefing journalist in his office at Afikpo North Local Government Area Secretariat, the council Chairman, Mr Ogbonnaya Enyim, said that the youths, mostly okada operators, numbering over 100, had on Monday, stormed the popular Eke market to protest the ban on commercial motorcycle operation and the curfew imposed by the state government.

He said he ordered the arrest of the youths following security reports that they were armed with dangerous weapons and were eager to disrupt the peace of the area.

[READ ALSO] Lockdown: Report fraud in FG’s cash transfer, ICPC tells Nigerians

Enyim said, “Shortly after they were arrested and their motorcycle impounded, the youths went back and organized themselves again and came in their numbers with more dangerous weapons.

“I had to immediately alert the security agencies in the local government and they came with their Hilux Van and made more arrest. The irate youths were taken to the station and were detained to serve as a deterrent to others who might want to disobey the state government directive.

“What the state government is doing is for the safety and wellbeing of the generality of the state. There have been cases of the virus in Enugu which is our neighbouring state and the state Governor is working round the clock to ensure that the virus does not spread to the state.

We are currently compiling the list of okada operators and the poor in the council area for them to benefit from the State and Federal Government palliatives. It is expected that by next week the list must have been completed and submitted and I know that quite soon, they would receive the palliatives.”

https://punchng.com/covid-19-ebonyi-nabs-50-protesting-youths-impounds-37-motorcycles/?fbclid=IwAR2Zyl78T-3Aq-TWM_NjTu0qbffQ5aIdnmuJVHLK-hMpYD1UQs4Gh1TQtDc

No fewer than five villages were reportedly sacked in Ondo State on Sunday following an alleged invasion by some Fulani herdsmen.

The affected communities are Adejubu, Adewole, Olotin, Olondan and Jojo, all in the Akure North Local Government Area of the state.

According to a source, the herdsmen allegedly invaded the villages on reprisal as the residents of the affected communities had chased them away from grazing on their farmlands.

The source said, “The Fulani herdsmen usually destroy the farms of the villagers whenever their cows are grazing. So, last week, the herdsmen came again to graze and the villagers chased them away.

“On Sunday night, the herdsmen came in large numbers and burnt down houses in the villages. The residents of the villages had to run away for their lives or risk being killed.”

The source added that there was no life lost in the attack, but many buildings were allegedly destroyed by the herdsmen.

The head of one of the communities, Mr Adegoroye Oro, expressed displeasure at the activities of Fulani herders in the area, saying the indigenes had lost their farm crops to the herdsmen, who usually invade their farmlands in the night and allow their cows to graze on the crops.

It was gathered that men of the state police command and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps had been deployed in the area to forestall a further breakdown of law and order.


When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr Tee-Leo Ikoro, said he had not been briefed about the incident.

“I am not aware of the incident; I will have to contact the DPO of the division and I will get back to you as soon as I get a brief from the area,” Ikoro told our correspondent.

However, he had yet to get back to our correspondent as of the time of filing this report despite several calls to his mobile telephone.

His counterpart in the state command of the NSCDC, Mr Ayodeji Olufemi, however, said the corps’ personnel could not find any burnt house in the villages.

“When we got the information about the attack, our men moved there immediately but the report they brought was that there were no traces of burnt buildings and also the residents, who raised the alarm and the alleged Fulani herdsmen were not found in the villages,” he stated.



https://punchng.com/residents-flee-as-herdsmen-allegedly-sack-ondo-community/?fbclid=IwAR1FI0m6JbcYE_blLLcxBRElD0DyRUuxpnI12KbLIzGIzyVvd20YCbOi5Tk

COVID-19: Oyo, Osun, Ekiti get 1,800 bags of rice each from FG, Ondo gets 600 bags
The Federal Government on Monday donated 6,000 bags of rice to Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo states as palliatives against the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the people.
Mrs Helen Ngozi, the Area Controller, Oyo and Osun command, delivered the 6,000 bags of rice on behalf of the Nigeria Customs Service to the representatives of the four states at the service’s zonal headquarters in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
Ngozi said the gesture was in fulfilment of the promise by the management of the customs to send palliatives to states to cushion the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the people.
“Each of the four states with the exception of Ondo will receive 1,800 bags of parboiled rice, while Ondo will get 600 bags.,”
She said Ondo State would get the remaining shortfall of 1,200 bags from Lagos office of the customs.
She said all the 6,000 bags of rice were good for consumption, saying the customs would never mix expired rice with good ones.
The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reported that Mrs Olaide Lasisi, the state coordinator, Oyo State Operation Coordinating Unit (SOCU), received the bags of rice for onward handling over to representatives of the four states.

https://tribuneonlineng.com/covid-19-oyo-osun-ekiti-get-1800-bags-of-rice-each-from-fg-ondo-gets-600-bags/

By Simeon Nwakaudu
This morning, a colleague sent a link of the backpage commentary by one Idowu Akinlotan in Sunday Nation of April 19, 2020 wherein he rained invective on the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike for defending the interest of Rivers State in relation to the fight against coronavirus.
Like I have said in the past, we are not averse to criticism, but it must be done with decorous language, premised on respect for all parts of the country and their right to self protection.
Newspapers are platforms for people to canvass their standpoint, but it must never be allowed to degenerate to a springboard for unchecked insults and name-calling.
Writing under the title: “Gov Wike takes hysteria to bewildering level” , Exxon Mobil’s attack dog barked out irresponsible propaganda to justify his pay. To him and his sponsors, the Rivers State Government should stand and watch their state ravaged by careless movements by so-called oil workers.
What is hysteria? According to the online dictionary, hysteria means: “exaggerated or uncontrollable emotion or excitement, loss of control , loss of reason” etc.
This is what the editorial team of Sunday Nation placed on their backpage. The only justification for this gutter yellow journalism is because Governor Wike is involved. Otherwise, which Newspaper will allow its backpage belittled in order to score cheap political points.
We are discussing a matter of life and death and some folks think it starts and ends with serving the economic needs of their paymasters.
If Rivers State is infected uncontrollably, over 6million Nigerians will be risk. The so-called oil platforms will not be immune from such total collapse of the state’s health security system.
All through the paid backpage commentary in Sunday Nation, they attempted to deride the efforts of Governor Wike. To pour scorn and promote the idea that they can misbehave within the Rivers Territory while observing the right health protocols in Lagos and Abuja.
There are two major incidents, Carveton Helicopters and Exxon Mobil. In the two cases, the Rivers State Government acted within the extant laws and in defence of the lives of Rivers people. Nobody has proved otherwise. Outside throwing around motor-park insults, they say practically nothing about the substance of the matter.
As they defended infractions in Rivers State, these paid columnists fail to look at the extent laws in relation to the safety of all States of the Federation. They prefer to close their eyes to the fact that the infractions are deliberate.
Following the interventions and pleas by well-meaning Nigerians, the Rivers State Government released the 22 Staff of Exxon Mobil who violated the Executive Order restricting movement to and from Rivers State. In their press statement acknowledging their release, PENGASSAN admitted inadvertently that the extant laws were flouted. This is because they clearly demanded the adjustment of the National Health Protocols to suit them and their activities. Nobody seeks the amendment of a law, if it is what he/she wants.
The Press Statement of 19TH April, 2020 by PENGASSAN on Paragraph 6 implied without equivocation that Governor Wike and the Rivers State Government acted in the interest of Rivers people and within the ambit of the law.
This is paragraph 6 of that press statement:
“6. We also call on the Federal Ministry of Health and Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to immediately adjust its COVID-19 testing protocol to include all offshore-going workers. This will prevent possible incidence of COVD-19 on oil installations with its grave consequences and eliminate need for 14-day self-isolation before travelling offshore with its attendant huge cost implications on organizations and psychological effect on workers.”
The Almighty PENGASSAN officials want the new regulations to discard isolation and quarantine in relation to oil workers. Still in the same paragraph, they want the oil facilities to be protected from COVID-19. Once the basic ingredient of the Protocol is adjusted, it endangers the oil facilities. There are no two ways.
But, this paragraph indicates that the 22 Exxon Mobil Staff knew the requirements of the extant law and only moved for a yet to be ascertained reason.
Idowu Akinlotan uses the backpage of Sunday Nation to descend into the arena without considering all sides of the story, aside his struggle to justify the money given to him. Even the groups they set out to defend have agreed that they were wrong and are now asking that the Federal Ministry of Health and NCDC bend the rule on their behalf and put the rest of the country at risk.
It is disheartening that the propaganda merchants have hijacked key newspaper pages to throw unjustified lies in the name of criticisms. They deliberately set out to create two worlds. One in Lagos where the State Government is right to arrest and prosecute offenders and the second in Rivers State where many Newspapers take up machetes to hound the Rivers State Government for implementing an extant law. They cite no other reason, aside the fact that they derive financial benefits by insulting Governor Wike for upholding the law.
The fight to check the spread of coronavirus is a matter of life and death. The rules should be implemented for the good of everyone. If rules are implemented on the basis of professional status, in the long run, coronavirus will escalate.
The other day, they were paid to defend erring pilots and today, they have collected gratification to defend oil workers. Now the oil workers are saying that the laws should be amended to place them above the extant regulations. If they are above extant regulations, can they be immune from contracting or spreading coronavirus because they are members of PENGASSAN?
The reality of the successes recorded by the proactive measures initiated and executed by Governor Wike have been acknowledged and applauded by Rivers people and other objective minds.
The Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) ,Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu captures the outstanding leadership role of Governor Wike in the fight against coronavirus. He spoke on Sunday during a meeting with officials of Rivers State Government.
He said: “This is a working visit. I want to thank you for your firm, strong, committed and personally led response to COVID-19 in Rivers State. Rivers is one of the most important gate-ways into the country. One of the most important economies in the country . So, Rivers is important , not only to you but to the entire country. We are happy with the way you managed you first two cases
“We thank you very much for your leadership and we need your leadership to continue in order for us to continue doing our work nationally.
“I want to really congratulate you on how the two cases in Rivers State have been managed. I understand the second case was discharged yesterday . Excellent work is being done in Rivers and really an example for the rest of the country.”
The testimony of the Director General of the NCDC says it all. The sponsored attack-dogs only consider the monetary benefits and disregard the sanctity of human lives. What a shame.

https://scannewsnigeria.com/featured-post/idowu-akinlotan-taking-yellow-journalism-to-an-irresponsible-low/?fbclid=IwAR1Z_rqQOW4r06Z9q3Nfr_oFkvQJLhMZFPrzWofz_T81I2hYEm04_OHyI98

Immediate-past senator representing Rivers South-East district in the National Assembly, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, has advised Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, to explore back lines of communication to settle political scores with the Federal Government of Nigeria instead of being confrontational.

This is as two chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chris Finebone and Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, have described the Wike-led administration in Rivers State as leprous, with a vow not to serve the government.

Abe, who spoke in a statement made available to LEADERSHIP in Port Harcourt, said now is not the time to settle issues of supremacy between elected and unelected functionaries of government.

He said: “I want to use this opportunity to publicly appeal to the Rivers State government to immediately seek and secure back channel lines of communication, and resolve any outstanding issues with the federal government through dialogue.

“Wisdom is not weakness, it is one thing to have a political dispute with an individual whose attitude and conduct a lot of people may not approve of, but it is a different matter for sub national entity like Rivers state to challenge the sovereignty of Nigeria at this time when we should all be working together to combat an unseen but deadly enemy.
“I had earlier stated my determination not to be party to any action that will politicize our ability to confront the corona virus pandemic as a people and I maintain that position.”

Meanwhile, two APC chieftains, Chris Finebone and Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, have said they will never accept anything under the Wike-led administration in the state.

The duo, in a statement signed by Finebone, said: “However, I feel sad that the governor climbed down from the high office of governor to engage in name-calling and insult.

“The governor did not need to have taken it personal with me and Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze by referring to Chief Eze as that ‘Ibo boy’. In Africa, respect is given to age and I am sure that Chief Eze is years older than the governor.

“In any case, I and Chief Eze never, directly or indirectly under any circumstances, canvassed, solicited or ever will accept anything under the leprous Wike government or his party in Rivers State.”

https://leadership.ng/2020/04/19/abe-to-wike-stop-being-confrontational-with-fg/?fbclid=IwAR0XdbVtyxP15CleFQnlLzLLGxUgzX3L0-hX588j7O4Q0HQw1okzyjUd1Ig


Lalasticlala

More like perfected script

https://www.nairaland.com/5799460/two-neighbours-bloody-fight-enugu

The link above was a case of two men reported to be fighting in Enugu State. Infact it was the same all place.

Now Tunde ednut reported the news and said it happened in NNEWI, ANAMBRA STATE and the two men died in the process.

Please what do Tunde ednut gain on to spreading fake information and twisting new. Us it to gain wider audience or blackmail a state. What is his action for distorting the report. Moreover the men in question are not dead.
Cc
AnambraIstson

A political pressure group the Amaechi Vanguard, AV, has berated Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike over alleged derogatory remarks on the person of Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, the Minister of Transportation.

The group was apparently reacting to the statement credited to Governor Wike at a media briefing in Port Harcourt to the extent that someone from a political party whose candidate cannot participate in elections in the state shouldn’t comment on how the state is being governed.

The National Chairman of Amaechi Vanguard, Mr. Haruna Bature, recalled in a statement issued Saturday in Abuja that Governor Wike has never emerged winner through a free and fair election since 2015 governorship elections in be state.

Bature alleged that while Wike rode to power through the instrument of Federal might in 2015, he also used the Neighborhood Watch to hijack power in 2019.


According to him, “I am convinced that all those who either were present at the Governor. Wike’s Media briefing on April 17, 2020 or watched it on Television or even those who listened on radio, the governor and utterances before the world have sufficiently provided eloquent response to his briefing.

“Therefore, it will be a waste of adjectives to try to quantify the briefing and the governor’s performance. The world saw and heard him.

Moreover, Wike in his remarks described SDP as the only opposition party in Rivers State which won a seat in the House of Assembly.

Also, he said how can someone from a party who cannot produce a single candidate just within the party to stand for an election come out to talk about how to run a state?

“I want to remind us of what I think the whole world knows that the 2015 election was stolen by the Federal might in favour of Wike, who has even tried to undermine the sitting governor.

“During 2019 election political, it was on record how thugs recruited by state called Neighborhood watch which many Innocent people were killed and stole the mandate of the good people of Rvers’ people. So, which election the Governor Wike waa bragging that he won?

“We all know that there are some APC members sponsored by the governor in the state. I want to made it clearly to Wike that President Buhari and Rotimi Amaechi are protected by God Almighty as no evils shall triumph over them.

“I want to use this opportunity to call on the corporate organizations that the Governor threatened with reprisal action if they did not donate to the state COVID-19 fund to tell him to learn from Lagos State.

“Lagos State Government didn’t threaten the Federal Government and corporate organizations to support her in the outbreak of the coronavirus, COVID-19 , pandemic in the state.

“They have started something before the Federal Government, corporate organizations and individuals started making their donations to support it in the right against the spread of the disease

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/04/group-berates-wike-over-statement-against-amaechi/?fbclid=IwAR1jvJQy9LPZ-mFcgevfXpzR4XnL8fqQ1ba8B4TgfWZ96DhQZwvYQ25CcXk

So Facebook added Covid-19 as Menu on their page.

EXCLUSIVE: Over 100 Chevron Employees Suspected Of Having Coronavirus Secretly Quarantined In Delta Hotel



More than 100 employees of oil giant, Chevron Nigeria Limited, suspected of having Coronavirus, are currently being secretly quarantined at Cyprian Hotels and Suites in Warri, Delta State, raising fears among residents of the area, SaharaReporters can confirm.

The hotel is situated along Nigerian Ports Authority Expressway by Ekpan Bridge, a popular section of the city, and is owned by Chief Cyprian Onephrojire, a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police.

The Chevron employees are said to have recently returned from leave and vacation abroad.

The hotel management’s decision to accommodate the oil workers based on existing relationship with Chevron is in violation of the directives of the Delta State Government, which stipulates that all suspected COVID-19 patients must be quarantined in a state-owned medical facility.

A resident of the area, who expressed grave concern, told SaharaReporters on Wednesday that they now lived in fear of contracting the virus as a result of the presence of the oil workers suspected of having Coronavirus being quarantined at the hotel.

“Is it proper in this era for a company to assemble its staff returning from vacation without detailed travel history and quarantine them in a hotel in a populated neighbourhood instead of isolating them in their various homes or hospitals provided by the state government?

“The hotel management wants to endanger the lives of its workers and residents around because of the money Chevron will pay them. We are worried about this situation,” the resident, who asked not to be named, said.
SaharaReporters gathered that the hotel workers were forced to resume duties as a result of the arrival of the Chevron employees at the facility.

Some of the hotel staff told our correspondent that they have not been provided with protective gears and or guaranteed any special allowance for risking their lives to look after the oil workers, who may have been infected already.

The hotel staff also disclosed that they were threatened to be fired if they failed to comply with the instructions of the management to work.

When contacted over the issue, owner of the hotel, Onephrojire, denied the claims.

Findings by SaharaReporters however, revealed that some senior staff of Chevron are also currently being secretly quarantined at Prodeco Guest House and Bon Hotel – both situated along NPA Expressway in Warri.

Sources around the hotel told our correspondent that the retired AIG was breaking the law because his son, Roland Onephrojire, is a high-ranking police officer currently in charge of the security of Nigeria’s Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege.

General Manager Policy, Government and Public Affairs of Chevron, Mr Esimaje Brikinn, could not be reached for comments as at the time of this report.

Special Assistant on Media Affairs to Delta State Governor, Norbert Chiazor, when contacted by our correspondent, said the development was against government's directive, adding that suspected COVID-19 patients must be quarantined at designated state hospitals and not in a hotel.

He said, “We are setting machineries in motion immediately to verify this story. Government's directive is that all suspected cases are reported to the state authorities.”

On Tuesday night, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control announced that there were 373 confirmed cases of Coronavirus in the country and 11 recorded deaths.

Delta has three confirmed cases and one death from the virus at the moment.


http://saharareporters.com/2020/04/15/exclusive-over-100-chevron-employees-suspected-having-coronavirus-secretly-quarantined


Lalasticlala

Ngozi Ezeonu's Ex - Husband Assuses Her Of Marrying Off Her Daughter Without His Consent.

Ngozi Ezeonu's name made the headlines today after her ex-husband accused her of marrying off their daughter, Ogechukwu Edwina Ezeonu, and without his consent.
Ogechukwu Edwina Ezeonu wedded last Sunday, 15th February 2020 in a glamorous traditional ceremony in Asaba Delta State.
Ngozi's ex husband, Denis Ikpelue was notable missing at such an important event.
Breaking his silence, he revealed that Ngozi Ezeonu married off their daughter without his consent.
He noted that in Igbo land a woman, cannot marry off another woman, so as long as he is concerned, his daughter is not married.
I'm the real son of the soil in In Igbo land and I am knowledgeable enough to some extent concerning Igbo marriage tradition in Anambra State.
In the whole of Anambra state where I belong, a woman does not and has no legitimate right whatsoever to give out a fellow woman's hand in marriage. It is a abomination and taboo.
As such, Ngozi Denis Ikpelue has no legitimate right and authority to give out Ogechukwu Edwina Ezeonu's hands in marriage. As long as I and the entire family of Ezeonu and his kindred are concerned, Ogechukwu Edwina is not married.
Ogechukwu Edwina Ezeonu is yet to marry. What happened at Asaba Delta State on the 15th of February 2020 was the usual Nollywood home movie film shooting
As at time I lived with Ngozi Denis Ikpelue, I have three children a daughter and two boys.
Concerning my relationship with Ngozi Denis Ikpelue, it is no speculation that the marriage relationship packed up long time ago, sometime in the year 2013,' He said.
The divorce case took place in the High Court of Lagos state, in the Ikeja Judicial division. Suit on ID/429/HD/2013.
And by the second day of January 2015, a legal dissolution of the marriage was given by the court and Ngozi Denis Ikpelue ceased to be married to me Mr Edwin Ezeonu.
She has been deceiving the whole world by saying that she is still married to me,' he added
Meanwhile, Ngozi Ezeonu is yet to comment

https://www.herald.ng/ngozi-ezeonus-ex-husband-accuses-her-of-marrying-off-their-daughter-without-his-approval/


https://www.legit.ng/1305125-ngozi-ezeonus-husband-reportedly-accuses-marrying-daughter-him.html

A fire has engulfed the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, office in Orlu, Imo state.
Vanguard gathered in Owerri, that the incident which happened on Sunday night, for now, has been linked to indiscriminate bush burning.
However, the Public Relations Officer, PRO, INEC, Emmanulla Opara, confirmed this to Vanguard, adding that the source of the inferno has not been known to INEC.

Opara said: “Yes, there was a fire incident it happened on Sunday, but we don’t have extent of damages because I have not been there.”
Also, Vanguard called the Head of Fire service in Imo state, Mr. Japhate Okereofor, confirmed it and said that “It happened very late in the night and that he has only one driver at Orlu fire service station.”

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/02/fire-guts-inec-office-in-imo/

The member of the House of Representatives from Obokun /Oriade Federal Constituency of Osun State , Mr Oluwole Oke, has sponsored a bill seeking to establish a North -West Development Commission .
The North -West comprises Jigawa , Kaduna , Kano, Kastina, Kebbi , Sokoto and Zamfara states .
In the bill sponsored by Oke for the North -West , a copy of which our correspondent obtained on Sunday night , the lawmaker proposed that the board of the commission should have a chairman , a managing director and chief executive officer, and three executive directors , one from each member state not represented by the chairman or the MD and the representative of the North- West .
On funding of the commission , the bill read , “ There shall be paid and credited to the fund established under Subsection 1 of this Section in each financial year , an allocation of 13 per cent of revenue generation from the solid minerals explored and produced within the North- West zone.
“ A sum equivalent to three per cent of the annual Value Added Tax collection as first line charge, to accrue to the commission for a period of 10 years , notwithstanding the provisions of any other law and 0 . 005 per cent of the profit after tax of companies resident within the North- West zone of the federation .
“ Such money as may be granted , lent to or deposited with the commission by the federal or state government , or any other body or institution whether local or foreign .
“ Money raised for the purposes of the commission by way of gifts , loans , grants -in - aid , testamentary disposition or otherwise .
“ Proceeds from all other assets that may accrue to the commission ; proceeds from all other assets that may accrue to then commission ; and fees charged by the commission. ”
The bill also listed the functions of the proposed commission to include , “ formulate policies and guidelines for the intervention in the development of the North- West zone .
“ Cause the North- West zone to be surveyed in order to ascertain the pertinent need for the socio -economic development of the zone and the survey shall include requirements for the construction of the critical economic infrastructure in the zone, including roads , railways , bridges , ports, research institutions, housing estates , airports , primary, secondary and tertiary institutions, research institutes and hospitals/ health care institutions.”

https://m.punchng.com/south-west-rep-seeks-devt-commission-for-nwest/?fbclid=IwAR1LCehRH1b1zd3z9W9K8mcDlMex9zhgPxVkYGPm3KfjU6rq5mNP24XrdCI

The Catholic Bishops Conference of Owerri Ecclesiastical Province, weekend, rose from their first plenary meeting for the year in Owerri, condemning what they called “manipulative predictions” and warning against unfounded rumours.
The position of the bishops was made public in a pastoral statement, captioned “Trusting in God in these trying times,” signed by the President and Secretary of Conference, Archbishop Anthony Obinna, and Most Rev. Augustine Ukwuoma, respectively and made available to Vanguard in Owerri.
“In these trying times of uncertainty, confusion, anxiety, and tension in Nigeria and Imo State, in particular, we, the Bishops of the Province, deeply feel the concerns, questions and frustrations that agitate the minds of our people,” the clerics said.
While recalling that they fervently prayed for credible and peaceful general election in the country, the bishops, however, expressed regret that the painful reverberations of a good number of those elections have not died down in Imo State and other states.

“The recent judgment of the Supreme Court of Nigeria on the last gubernatorial election in the state, has continued to elicit varied reactions from different segments of the state and even beyond,” the Catholic Bishops said.
The statement further read: “As people of faith, who put their trust in God’s providence, even in the most difficult circumstances of life, we urge our people not to take laws into their lives; to be law-abiding; not to make inflammatory statements and spread unfounded rumours that could create more bad blood, and not to allow our state to be divided along the lines that will only be damaging to our corporate unity as a people.”
The Catholic Bishops maintained that the issues in question are about equity, the civic rights of the people to elect their leaders, as well as good governance, which guarantees their rights, freedom and welfare,” stressing that “we are one people, and we must work together for the growth and progress of our state.”
They warned pastors of souls to “guard against the abuse of the most holy sacrament of the Eucharist, against the abuse of the altar, and against the abuse of the pulpit and the church, for predictions that can endanger the faith of the people, especially in the so-called Adoration centre.”
The Catholic Bishops equally expressed alarm at the present level of insecurity in parts of Imo and Abia states.

“In some of our communities, armed gangs and cult groups are engaging in intimidation and disruption of community life and destruction of properties.
“The violence, brutality, and callousness with which people are abducted, maimed, and even killed, have assumed a frightening dimension.
“Many have been forced out of their ancestral homes and reduced to the status of Internally Displaced Persons.
“We call on relevant government agencies and community leaders, as well as ordinary citizens to feel concerned and take actions against this unfortunate state of insecurity.
“We challenge the government, no matter the party affiliation, to recognize and work for the security of the citizens of our states and lands.”

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/01/ihedioha-vs-uzodinma-catholic-bishops-condemn-manipulative-predictions-rumours/

God bless you sir
Fp

Igbo Amaka

The Minister of Labour and Employment , Dr Chris Ngige , tells
TONY OKAFOR that the Igbo should produce the president of the country in 2023 based on principle of justice and equity . He also says he has been approached to return to the Government House in Anambra State as the governor


What stage is the 2 nd Niger Bridge now ?



Work is ongoing on the 2 nd Niger Bridge. The contractor gave an undertaking to deliver the project before 2022 which is the appointed date , I believe him because they’ re working day and night . Apart from the little hiccups occasioned by demands for compensation, they’ re on schedule. The job is about 45 per cent complete and the fund for the construction is available. That is the good news for the people of the South -East . The cost of the bridge from the exit route of Delta and the South - East ; South - South is about N 336 bn, and the money is available unlike the Obasanjo /Jonathan arrangement when they were trying to look for Private Public Partnership.
But now we ’ re building the bridge as one of the flagship projects of the Federal Government which are - Lagos /Ibadan , East - West Road, 2 nd Niger Bridge, Abuja - Kaduna - Kano, and Mambilla . Work has started on all these projects because money is guaranteed. The 2 nd Niger Bridge which concerns me and the people of the South- South, South- West, and North - Central is on course . It’ s a very strategic bridge that links the North , South - East , South- South and the South - West. It’ s a very cheery news because, during the time of The People Democratic Party , I opposed it on the floor of the Senate and I had a very serious altercation with the then Deputy Senate President , Senator Ike Ekweremadu , and the Ministry of Finance and then Secretary to the Government of the Federation , Senator Anyim Pius . I blasted them that they’ ve not treated us well.


Is the 2 nd Niger bridge is going to be toll -free ?


It is toll - free for now. When we are going to toll, we ’ ll toll all the federal roads and bridges altogether. So , it’ s not a question of tolling the bridge to recoup our money. No , we ’ re going to recoup all; because I ’ m one of those who believe that federal roads in Nigeria should be tolled.
A lot of roads they call federal roads , I don ’ t believe they are federal roads . The federal roads are the ones we call trunk A roads , that is the roads that lead to state capitals. The state government should face other roads in their domain and build them like we did when I was the governor in Anambra .
Why I ’ m going into all these details is because the people of the South- East always feel they’ re being marginalised . When you ask them, they said they are not being appointed as SGF , Ngige is not made Minister of Works, Housing or Power , Health . But under the PDP administration , South -East people had ministers of power , aviation . They didn ’ t get all the appointments in the world , even the ones they gave them from that portfolios were abused. We also had the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of Economy, Dr Ngozi Okonjo- Iwealla , representing Abia .
I ’ m appealing to South easterners , my brothers that criticisms that are not constructive will not lead us to anywhere . Constructive criticisms are welcome by this government , this administration is not averse to such . When you criticize us , give us an alternative , your view , the solution to what you are suggesting and it will be done . It has been done many times by this government . The point I ’ m making is that the South- East is getting its fair deal, forget about appointments, people like big appointment , for ego sake – my brother is Chief of Defence Staff , what are you defending ? For me, our people should play our politics well . This is the time for us to reengineer and join other Nigeria in believing that this country is ours and become more patriotic about it, and giving honour and accolades to who it is due and appreciate government or whoever that have done justice to you . We ’ ve got our fair share in the areas of infrastructure. I don ’ t want to delve into the area of flood and erosion control where the president ensured that the South - East gets more than other zones because it is believed and that it’ s true that our soil is prone to gully erosion . So , the President recognises that and gives us a priority . You look at our roads they ’ re being done . The journey of five hours will now take you one and a half hours . Dangerous areas like Umunya and others have been done . These are projects undertaken in four years . But the PDP government that stayed 16 years didn ’ t do them


There are claims in some quarters that you are coming back to Anambra State as governor and from there you will vie for the presidency in 2023 . How true is that ?


Who ’ s telling you that story? It ’ s not correct . I ’ ve not discussed the presidency with anybody . The president just assumed office for his 2 nd term in May 2019 . He should be allowed to do some work. I know the government I ’ m serving , that anyone talking about the presidency should talk about it rightfully. By May this year , it will be one year . So I ’ ve not discussed the presidency with anybody . I ’ m facing my work as minister . But I do know that if the South - East is interested in being the president of Nigeria , they should identify with the ruling party , which is APC which Mr President is the leader , the flag bearer and captain .
For him , he ’ s facing his work. For those who want to politick , it is too early. But if you want to , go ahead , God bless you , but you ’ re on your own . I keep telling the Igbo that they have to join the train that is moving on smoothly . For them to make an appreciable mark , that they should be ready to be counted; they must start with Anambra , because it’ s the next election. Anambra State is the only state that will conduct an election in the South - East before the next general election. Igbo must believe in one Nigeria and one sure way of doing that is by voting massively for the APC in 2021 in the Anambra election knowing full well that the ruling party in the state , APGA , has performed abysmally and therefore no grounds to ask the people to give them another mandate . The people gave them mandate in 2012 for Peter Obi to do a second term and after that , he brought a successor, Willie Obiano . But the people of the state are now looking at those periods and comparing it with 33 months I held sway as governor. These people’ s 12 years plus have not even got to the level of development I had in two years and nine months under my leadership as governor of Anambra State .
About coming back as governor, you ’ re right because people have been approaching me to have a look at contesting. They are saying if you are not interested in coming to rejig the place, give us somebody whom you think you have mentored or you can vouch for or guarantee that you can play this game and administer the state with the template you left . Give us that template that guarantees prompt payment of salaries . They said I was nonpartisan when I was here . I was a neutral religious person because I believe religion is in the mind depending on how you practise yours . I have work I ’ m doing for now . This is not the right time to talk about politics . I have a serious assignment given to me by Mr President who genuinely loves Nigerians and wants us to live some indelible footprints .
But is the search going on ?
Yes , but I will search for a good person . They have said to me, if you don ’ t consider us as making sense to come and run , please don ’ t forsake us . Search and give us a credible person who will be industrious and adopt the same template you adopted . I , in turn, I ’ m telling them that they need to come into APC before making all the demands. You don ’ t stay outside the pitch to score goals. It’ s not possible , it’ s important they come in . But saying I want to secede , I ’ m a separatist , we want IPOB , if you continue with that , other Nigerians will be afraid of you because they will believe if they give you that power , you will use it to secede. Igbo must show to other Nigerians that they are our brothers. Once they do that , they will be surprised that others will say let us go to the South - East and pick a president of Igbo extraction. If not for anything else, I know of some northerners and westerners who say that whenever South- East is given the slot , they will lay permanently the ghost of the Nigeria civil war ; it would have been buried for life. All the acrimony , bitterness , suspicion would have been buried once and for all and I believe that .


https://punchng.com/ive-been-approached-to-return-as-anambra-gov-ngige/
Lalasticlala

Yoruba Created Amotekun Mainly To Fight Fulani Herdsmen & It Will Lead to War - Alhaji Tsav -

Social critic and former Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Alh Abubakar Tsav (rtd.) has said that the creation of more security outfits across the country will amount to proliferation of arms and may one day lead to war.

While reacting to the controversy generated by the newly launched southwestern security outfit code-named Operation Amotekun, the retired police boss said if it was allowed, it would further worsen the insecurity situation in the country.



Alhaji Abubakar Tsav warned that Amotekun will result to further insecurity which may lead to civil war in the future.
He was a former Commissioner of Police in Lagos State.

“It is a dangerous thing to do. The establishment of Amotekun is mainly to fight Fulani herdsmen. This is wrong. Some of these herdsmen are Nigerians and also require state protection.

Tsav posited further that it is wrong for anyone to compare Amotekun with Hisbah and JTF explaining that Hisbah is to enforce Sharia law while JTF is to help the military in the fight against insurgency.


“To create Amotekun to fight herdsmen is wrong and an encouragement to further insecurity which may lead to civil war in the future. Our politicians may use them to access power especially in the present craze for political power by desperate politicians.”
He said the only credible step to take in order to improve the security situation in the country is for the Federal Government to increase the numerical strength of the police in the country.
He listed some of the ways to improve the police force as training and retraining of its personnel, re-equipment of the force with sufficient working equipment and good welfare package.
He also advised the courts to cooperate with President Muhammadu Buhari to send all corrupt politicians to jail in order to make elective positions less attractive, saying, “that is the only option to discourage thieves from seeking lucrative political offices.”

https://dailytimetv.com/south-west-created-amotekun-mainly-to-fight-fulani-herdsmen-tsav/

The line in our National Anthem “The Labour of Our Heroes Past Shall Never Be in Vain” apparently does not refer to “our’ heroes such as Sardauna, Tafawa Balewa, Maimalari and others who were callously murdered on January 15, 1966. The day has effectively been ‘buried’ inside ‘Armed Forces Remembrance Day’, noble though such a…


https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/sardauna-jan-15-we-shall-never-forget.html?fbclid=IwAR2IF2EO6cqv4zMaWXQMczfRJqFn1dp8sFppI9ujKX1iLNcCvXR2N0FHov8

Amotekun: South-West govs’ intentions good but unconstitutional, Police affairs minister

The Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Maigari Dingyadi, says the intentions of South-West governors for establishing Amotekun are good but the constitution bestowed the responsibility of national security on the Federal Government.

NAN quoted Dingyadi as speaking during an interview with newsmen in Sokoto.

The minister, who said the police were doing well in tackling the menace of kidnapping in all forms, enjoined Nigerians to support them in order to ensure maximum success in that regard.

Commenting on the South-West security outfit codenamed "Operation Amotekun”, Dingyadi said, "The intentions of the Southwest governors are good. However, some people have expressed fears about the regional security force.

”Security is an exclusive responsibility of the Federal Government being supported at times by state governments and other organisations.

”If Operation Amotekun differs from the support being rendered by state governments to the Federal Government on security matters, then it is unconstitutional,” Dingyadi stated.

He said that the border closure by the Federal Government had yielded results.

Dingyadi further stated that the police would perform efficiently if the military personnel were withdrawn from areas affected by insurgency, saying that managing internal security was their primary responsibility.

https://punchng.com/amotekun-south-west-govs-intentions-good-but-unconstitutional-says-minister/?fbclid=IwAR2JVAN5wLPJxBu-43-Ew0InTtLFNGTuM87yjQTwKQBCvLfu1uZ_sTx_Nms

Ahead of the next year’s Governorship election in Anambra State, the State Chairman of the All Progressive Congress APC, Chief Basil Ejidike, has declared that only God can stop his party from taking over in the state.
His declaration came, following the Supreme Court judgement which gave Senator Hope Uzodinma of APC victory over Hon Emeka Ihedioha of the People’s Democratic Party PDP.
Ejidike,who just returned to Anambra from the swearing in ceremony of Uzodinma in Owerri, told The Nation at the weekend that nothing would stop the party from winning the 2021 polls
The Acting Chairman, who was with the National chairman of APC in Owerri during the event, was quite upbeat about the chances of his party in 2021, which he described as bright.
According to him, “ You know that I had just arrived from Imo State where I had gone to felicitate with our brother members in Imo State over the emergence of Senator Hope Uzodinma as Governor of the State”
“My joy surely knows no bounds as the victory is a victory for the Progressives and a sign that APC is fast becoming accepted as a party in the SouthEast region”
“Matter of fact as we awaited the arrival of Governor Uzodinma, the National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomole who had arrived a few minutes earlier on sighting me was saying “ Congratulations, you are no longer an orphan”


“ For which, I in turn declared before members of the National Working Commitee and the crowd that after Imo, Anambra would be the next State to join the party’s fold come 2021. “
“Let me state that with the poor performance of APGA, which is the ruling party in the state and the performance of the APC in terms of infrastructural development all over the country, especially, in the SouthEast.
He said the APC stood the best chance of winning the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra.
“As party chairman I am assiduously working with all our stakeholders to ensure that we have a united front before the primaries as well as the polls respectively”
Ejidike, further told The Nation that APC had carried it’s sensitization exercise to the markets, Schools, Churches and the Academia in the state.
Not only that, according to him, the party had engaged other Stakeholders both in the party, the state workforce, farmers and indeed businessmen.
The Idea, Ejidike said, was to feel the pulse of these groups and chart a manifesto that would be all encompassing as well as easy to deliver.

https://thenationonlineng.net/anambra-2021-only-god-can-stop-apc/?fbclid=IwAR1KK-X2rrLcyYuXPS9LClI_hIAlcu3R2Gv34PlXoxffIFrD0xbBPx1v5pE


Lalasticlala Mynd44

Uzodinma suspends all contracts awarded in Imo, dissolves parastatals

Governor Hope Uzodinma has ordered the suspension of all contracts awarded before his resumption of office.
According to the governor, this is in view of nefarious activities of “some government functionaries entering into contract agreements on behalf of the government without reference to the newly-sworn in governor.”
According to a press statement by the principal secretary to the governor, T.U. C Nwokonkwo, it stated that “particular note has been taken of some parastatals where the contract letters and agreements are being backdated.”
“Therefore Governor Hope Uzodinma has directed the suspension of all award of contracts in the state public service except with due authorisation from the office of the governor.”

The statement added that “the government has also suspended all contracts already awarded for which mobilisation fees have not been paid , bearing in mind that the post-no-debit order imposed by the state government on all accounts operated by ministries, departments and agencies still subsists.”
The state government, however, warned the public to beware in their own interest.
Also, the new government has approved the dissolution of all parastatals and agencies in Imo State.
According to the principal secretary to the governor, “by this directive, all board chairmen and members are by the notice directed to handover all government documents and properties to the chief executive or most senior public servants in the respective parastatals and agencies where the chief executive is not a public servant.”
The governor’s scribe, however, warned that all handing over formalities should be completed before the close of work on Friday 17, January.

Leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has announced his plan to attend the burial of his parents slated for February 14, 2020.
Kanu who spoke through IPOB spokesperson, Emma Powerful said the burial would follow the normal burial preparation, according to the custom of the land.
He however refused to disclose the security arrangements put in place for the burial in view of its sensitivity.
He said, “The burial of our leader’s parents burial will be 14th of February 2020.
“We are not going to disclose our security arrangements because they are much enemies who wish to destroy or destabilize every effort made for the successful burial of the father and mother of our leader
“IPOB is on ground and nothing will change our resolve to protect the environment.”


Kanu stressed the resolve of the group to maintain peaceful approach to their struggle for the actualization of Biafra republic.
“We are peaceful and will maintain it to last point. But nobody should try IPOB,” he insisted.
The IPOB leader lost his father Eze Israel Kanu, four months after his mother, Ugoeze Sally Kanu, also died.
Eze Kanu was the traditional ruler of Afara Ukwu Umuahia community till his death.

https://thenationonlineng.net/breaking-kanu-to-storm-parents-burial-february-14/?fbclid=IwAR3oe2R_aAfz2aWEKfQpXfK0p4hRZIB_smKeq7-mYIq7OchkC4b-HQhAfFY

FG taking fresh decision over Amotekun as wide protests trail Malami’s declaration


Presidency sources disclosed that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo may mediate in the disagreement between the FG and southwest states on the region's Amotekun security outfit
- The vice president may consider various angles to resolving the crises trailing the establishment of Amotekun
- One of such considerations is securing a resolution to give legal backing to the security outfit to operate a community policing system
- The sources say if the crisis is resolved, it means Amotekun would have a smooth operation complementing other security agencies
The federal government may take a fresh stand on 'Operation Amotekun', the southwest's security outfit launched in Ibadan, Oyo state recently,
Legit.ng has learned.
Leading the mediation that is being considered between the federal government and the southwest governors is Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, it was learned in the afternoon of Thursday, January 16.
One of the considerations being made is how to ensure that the outfit commences operation and run smooth operations without a clash of interest with other security agencies in the country.


Part of the resolutions, according to one of the sources, has to do with establishing a legal framework upon which the Amotekun was formed as well as its importance at what the southwest believe is a critical period.
The legal backing, one of the sources said, is for Amotekun to be transformed into a community policing policy of the federal government which the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) is making efforts to implement.
The source, who noted the importance of the resolution by the governors to adopt a strategy for the protection of lives and properties in the zone, expressed hope that at the end, a favourable resolution would be reached.
"The vice president supports this move by the southwest governors," the source said. "Remember he has always being in support of the creation of state police."
"I can tell you that he is working on an arrangement that would help resolve the issue and the governors and government reaching a common ground that would not only give a nod to Amotekun but also strengthen it."

https://www.legit.ng/amp/1293621-amotekun-osinbajo-mediate-fg-southwest-governors---sources.html?fbclid=IwAR3tNqirDtE8peIoyrwojnUZNc7wo3_v97NnEQ2A0nbv0gGFqKA0iQ1rVX4

Tingereereeti as lyrics
Choirs of heaven.

A Nigerian man has taken to social media to cry out after getting duped by a phone seller
- The man identified as Bassey Imoh revealed that he got an iPhone 11 worth almost N300k, for N17k in Uyo
- The phone, however, had a rather weird welcome and goodbye display on its screen unlike other Apple phones
While everybody loves a good deal, it appears there are some who are just suckers for getting products are ridiculously priced rates. The iPhone 11 which is currently almost N300k, is currently the rave of the moment and it appears everyone wants to own it.
Twitter user, Bassey Imoh, was one of those and was probably excited when he got a deal on the phone. According to his post, he got the iPhone for N17,000. However, when he got home, he discovered that the phone greets him “ Welcome” and “ Bye-Bye ” when he switches the phone on and off respectively.

He wrote: "Iphone 11 wey ah just buy yesterday for plaza, Uyo..if i ON am e go tell me welcome two minutes later e go off by em self come tell me bye bye join.. abeg people wey get Iphone11 na so de phone dey behave?? Because my 17,000 naira no fit go like that oooo "

https://www.legit.ng/1289135-man-cries-reveals-happened-brand-iphone-11-bought-n17k.html?fbclid=IwAR3oEsXLSDElxn3jvEtDDzx2cbuO1vWHCoOQAhXTJdvRgOW-x8_t2K6h3NY