GRID COLLAPSE AFTER 421 DAYS OF STABILITY; RESTORATION IS AT ADVANCED STAGES
The Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, hereby notes that grid restoration nationwide is in progress and has reached advanced stages with power supply now available in the West, North Central, South, East, and a large portion of the Northern parts of the country.
The power supply restoration is sequel to the total grid collapse, which occurred at 12.35 am, this morning, causing outage nationwide, after over 421 days of consistent grid stability.
In the course of the grid restoration, the process initially suffered a setback; this does not amount to another collapse. In the course of any grid restoration process, challenges may be encountered. This happened today while the grid restoration was in progress, but it was promptly addressed.
It would be recalled that the last total system collapse recorded was on 20th July 2022, from then to the 13th of September, 2023, ( 421 days), the system had been stable in spite of the challenges posed by zero spinning reserve and lack of adequate System
Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) essential to a strong and stable grid, among others
TCN had been able to maintain 421 days of grid stability because it developed and deployed in-house stop gap measures and tools that it has continued to use to manage the nations grid, ensuring its stability.
Meanwhile, the collapse which occurred after a fire incident on Kanji/Jebba 330kV line 2 is being investigated, with the view to forestalling future occurrence and invariably further strengthen the grid.
The incident notwithstanding, TCN is determined to continue to do its best to ensure grid stability.
Ndidi Mbah GM, Public Affairs 14/9/23
Credit: TCNNIGERIA @TCN_NIGERIA
Dear Valued Customer,
Kindly be informed that power supply has been restored from the grid.
Nigerian man climbs radio mast with football on head to set record
After Tonye Solomon walked 60 km (37 mi) with a football on his head from Amassoma to Yenagoa in Bayelsa State, Nigeria, many of his compatriots doubted the authenticity of his story.
So, to prove them wrong, Tonye decided to demonstrate his skills by setting a Guinness World Records title for the most steps climbed on a ladder while balancing a football on the head.
He successfully achieved the dizzying feat last month by climbing 150 steps to the top of a 250-foot (76-metre) tall radio mast while expertly keeping control of the ball atop his head.
Tonye says he wanted to set this record to challenge himself and “inspire others to do great things.”
He spent two months training for it, using all his free time to practise until he was confident that he would not fail.
During the record attempt, Tonye was seemingly unfazed by the steep ascent, taking just 12 and a half minutes to complete the climb.
“I was astonished because it's never been done by anyone before,” said Fish Jombo, a radio presenter who was part of the large crowd which gathered to watch the record attempt.
After climbing all 150 steps, Tonye threw the ball down and celebrated with a fist pump.
“It wasn't easy,” he said. “I thank the Nigerian Civil Defense Bayelsa State Command for allowing me use their facility for this.”
Tonye is part of the Chukwuebuka Freestyle Academy – run by Chukwuebuka Ezugha – which has produced several record-breaking talents such as Kid Eche, Vincent Okezie, Victor Richard Kipo and Confidence Kipo.
The Central Bank of Nigeria would like to bring to your attention that the attached message currently circulating on social media is false and should be disregarded.
Featuring a strong and lightweight titanium design with new contoured edges, a new Action button, powerful camera upgrades, and A17 Pro for next-level performance and mobile gaming
Apple today debuted iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, designed with aerospace-grade titanium that’s strong yet lightweight to deliver Apple’s lightest Pro models ever.
The new design also features contoured edges and a customizable Action button, allowing users to personalize their iPhone experience. Powerful camera upgrades enable the equivalent of seven pro lenses with incredible image quality, including a more advanced 48MP Main camera system that now supports the new super-high-resolution 24MP default, the next generation of portraits with Focus and Depth Control, improvements to Night mode and Smart HDR, and an all-new 5x Telephoto camera exclusively on iPhone 15 Pro Max. A17 Pro unlocks next-level gaming experiences and pro performance.
The new USB‑C connector is supercharged with USB 3 speeds — up to 20x faster than USB 2 — and together with new video formats, enables powerful pro workflows that were not possible before.1 And with the addition of Roadside Assistance via satellite, the iPhone 15 Pro lineup builds on Apple’s innovative satellite infrastructure to connect users to help if they have car trouble while off the grid. iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will be available in four stunning new finishes, including black titanium, white titanium, blue titanium, and natural titanium. Pre-orders begin Friday, September 15, with availability beginning Friday, September 22. “This is the most pro lineup we have ever created, with a state-of-the-art titanium design, the best iPhone camera system yet that enables game-changing new workflows, and the A17 Pro chip, which ushers in a new chapter of performance and games never before seen on iPhone,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max represent the best of Apple design and industry-first innovations to help enrich the everyday experiences of our users, while enabling them to unleash their creativity.”
A Stunning, Lightweight, and Durable Design
Available in 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch display sizes,2 iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max feature a strong and lightweight titanium design — a first for iPhone. This premium alloy — the same used in spacecraft — has one of the highest strength-to-weight ratios of any metal, making this Apple’s lightest Pro lineup ever. Both models feature a new refined brush texture, contoured edges, and the thinnest borders on iPhone. The Pro lineup is built to last, combining the strength of titanium with the toughest back glass in a smartphone and the industry-leading Ceramic Shield on the front. Using an industry-first thermo-mechanical process, the titanium bands encase a new substructure made from 100 percent recycled aluminum, bonding these two metals with incredible strength through solid-state diffusion. The aluminum frame helps with thermal dissipation and allows the back glass to be easily replaced. This new design highlights the Super Retina XDR display with Always-On and ProMotion technologies for an exceptional viewing experience.
The all-new Action button replaces the single-function switch used to toggle between ring and silent, offering additional options so users can choose between quickly accessing the camera or flashlight; activating Voice Memos, Focus modes, Translate,3 and accessibility features like Magnifier; or using Shortcuts for more options. A press-and-hold gesture with fine-tuned haptic feedback and visual cues in the Dynamic Island ensure the new button launches the intended action.
A17 Pro: A New Generation of Apple Silicon for iPhone
Bringing pro performance and capabilities, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are powered by A17 Pro, the industry’s first 3-nanometer chip. Continuing Apple’s leadership in smartphone silicon, A17 Pro brings improvements to the entire chip, including the biggest GPU redesign in Apple’s history. The new CPU is up to 10 percent faster with microarchitectural and design improvements, and the Neural Engine is now up to 2x faster, powering features like autocorrect and Personal Voice in iOS 17. The pro-class GPU is up to 20 percent faster and unlocks entirely new experiences, featuring a new 6-core design that increases peak performance and energy efficiency. Now with hardware-accelerated ray tracing — which is 4x faster than software-based ray tracing — iPhone 15 Pro offers smoother graphics, as well as more immersive AR applications and gaming experiences. iPhone 15 Pro brings true-to-life gaming to the palm of users’ hands with console titles never before seen on a smartphone, like Resident Evil Village, Resident Evil 4, Death Stranding, and Assassin’s Creed Mirage.4
A17 Pro includes a dedicated AV1 decoder, enabling more efficient, high-quality video experiences for streaming services. Additionally, a new USB controller enables USB 3 speeds on iPhone for the first time, now supporting much higher transfer speeds and video output up to 4K at 60 fps HDR.
A Powerful Pro Camera System for More Creative Control
Through a deep integration of hardware and software, the advanced camera systems on iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max both pack the equivalent of seven pro lenses — all enabled by A17 Pro. With the power of computational photography, the 48MP Main camera, built exclusively for the Pro lineup, gives users even more flexibility with a new 24MP super-high-resolution default, offering incredible image quality at a practical file size ideal for storing and sharing. The Main camera allows users to switch between three popular focal lengths — 24 mm, 28 mm, and 35 mm — and even choose one as a new default. In addition to 48MP ProRAW, the Main camera also supports 48MP HEIF images with 4x more resolution. iPhone 15 Pro features an expansive 3x Telephoto camera, and iPhone 15 Pro Max provides the longest optical zoom ever on iPhone: 5x at 120 mm. Great for close-ups, wildlife photos, and catching the action from further distances, the new Telephoto camera on iPhone 15 Pro Max has an innovative tetraprism design with a combined optical image stabilization and autofocus 3D sensor-shift module, Apple’s most advanced stabilization system yet.
Next-generation portraits on iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max feature sharper detail, more vivid colors, and better low-light performance. For the first time, users can take portraits without having to switch to Portrait mode. When there’s a person, dog, or cat in the frame, or when a user taps to focus, iPhone automatically captures depth information, so users can turn photos into stunning portraits later in the Photos app on iPhone, iPad, or Mac. For greater creative control, users can also adjust the focus point after the photo has been taken.
Additional features that benefit all cameras on iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max include:
Night mode gets better with sharper details and more vivid colors, now powered by the Photonic Engine, including Night mode portraits, enabled by the LiDAR scanner. New Smart HDR captures subjects and the background with more true-to-life renderings of skin tones, while ensuring photos have brighter highlights, richer midtones, and deeper shadows when viewed in the Photos app. This advanced HDR rendering is also available to third-party apps, so images can look even better when shared online. The best quality video in a smartphone is upgraded thanks to A17 Pro, with improvements in low-light video and Action mode.
The preferred smartphone for creative pros and filmmakers gets even better with new pro workflows. Users can now get up to 20x faster transfer speeds with an optional USB 3 cable. iPhone and third-party solutions like Capture One also help photographers create a pro studio, allowing them to shoot and instantly transfer 48MP ProRAW images from iPhone to Mac. ProRes video can be recorded directly to external storage, enabling higher recording options up to 4K at 60 fps, and greater flexibility on set when using iPhone as the main camera. iPhone 15 Pro also introduces a new option for Log encoding and is the first smartphone in the world to support ACES, the Academy Color Encoding System, a global standard for color workflows.
Pricing and Availability
iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will be available in black titanium, white titanium, blue titanium, and natural titanium finishes. iPhone 15 Pro remains at the same starting price of $999 (U.S.) or $41.62 (U.S.) per month, available in 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage capacities. iPhone 15 Pro Max starts at $1,199 (U.S.) or $49.95 (U.S.) per month, available in 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage capacities.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR), arrives Abuja after a week long working visit to New Delhi in India for G20 Summit and the United Arab Emirates for Diplomatic Intervention.
A huge leap forward for iPhone with a gorgeous new design featuring a durable, color-infused back glass and new contoured edge; the Dynamic Island; a 48MP Main camera with 2x Telephoto; and USB‑C
Apple today announced iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, featuring an industry-first color-infused back glass with a stunning, textured matte finish, and a new contoured edge on the aluminum enclosure.
Both models feature the Dynamic Island, and an advanced camera system designed to help users take fantastic photos of everyday moments in their lives. A powerful 48MP Main camera enables super-high-resolution photos and a new 2x Telephoto option to give users a total of three optical zoom levels — like having a third camera.
The iPhone 15 lineup also introduces the next generation of portraits, making it easier to capture portraits with great detail and low-light performance. Building on Apple’s innovative satellite infrastructure, Roadside Assistance via satellite can connect users to AAA if they have car trouble while off the grid. With A16 Bionic for powerful, proven performance; a USB‑C connector; Precision Finding for Find My friends; and industry-leading durability features, iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus represent a huge leap forward.
iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will be available in five stunning new colors: pink, yellow, green, blue, and black. Pre-orders begin Friday, September 15, with availability beginning Friday, September 22.
“iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus represent a huge leap forward with exciting camera innovations that inspire creativity, the intuitive Dynamic Island, and features like Roadside Assistance via satellite that make a real difference in users’ lives,” said Kaiann Drance, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide iPhone Product Marketing. “We’re also pushing the power of computational photography to new levels this year with a 48MP Main camera featuring a new 24MP default for super-high-resolution photos, a new 2x Telephoto option, and next-generation portraits.”
A Beautiful and Durable Design with an Advanced Display
Available in 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch display sizes,1 iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus feature the Dynamic Island, an innovative way to interact with important alerts and Live Activities. The elegant experience fluidly expands and adapts so users can see the next direction in Maps; easily control music; and, with third-party app integrations, get real-time updates on food delivery, ride sharing, sports scores, travel plans, and more. The Super Retina XDR display is great for watching content, streaming Apple Fitness+ workouts, and playing games. Peak HDR brightness now reaches up to 1600 nits so HDR photos and videos look better than ever. And when it is sunny, peak outdoor brightness reaches up to 2000 nits — twice as bright as the previous generation.
Both models feature a sophisticated new look that’s built to last. For the first time in a smartphone, color is infused throughout the back glass, creating five beautiful colors. The back glass is strengthened with an optimized dual-ion exchange process before being polished with nanocrystalline particles and etched to create a luxurious, textured matte finish. A new contoured edge on the aerospace-grade aluminum enclosure feels even nicer in users’ hands, and the Ceramic Shield front cover continues to be tougher than any other smartphone glass. With a water- and dust-resistant design2 and industry-leading durability features, iPhone lasts and holds its value longer than any other smartphone. Plus, the internal design provides powerful sustained performance, while improving ease and affordability of repairs.
A Powerful Camera to Capture Every Moment in Super-High Resolution
The advanced camera system on iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus helps users capture everyday moments and cherished memories. A 48MP Main camera shoots sharp photos and videos while capturing fine details, with a quad-pixel sensor and 100 percent Focus Pixels for fast autofocus. Using the power of computational photography, the Main camera gives users a new 24MP super-high-resolution default, offering incredible image quality at a practical file size ideal for storing and sharing. By intelligently integrating hardware and software, an additional 2x Telephoto option gives users three optical-quality zoom levels — 0.5x, 1x, 2x — for the first time on an iPhone dual-camera system.
Next-generation portraits on iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus feature sharper detail, more vivid colors, and improved low-light performance. For the first time, users can take portraits without having to switch to Portrait mode. When there’s a person, dog, or cat in the frame, or when a user taps to focus, iPhone automatically captures depth information, so users can turn photos into stunning portraits later in the Photos app on iPhone, iPad, or Mac. For greater creative control, users can also adjust the focus point after the photo has been taken. Shooting at night gets better with improvements to Night mode, including sharper details and more vivid colors. When lighting is bright or uneven, new Smart HDR captures subjects and the background with more true-to-life renderings of skin tones, while ensuring photos have brighter highlights, richer midtones, and deeper shadows when viewed in the Photos app. This advanced HDR rendering is also available to third-party apps, so images can look even better when shared online. These improvements benefit the 48MP Main camera, Ultra Wide camera, and TrueDepth front camera.
A16 Bionic: Proven, Powerful Performance
The fast and efficient A16 Bionic chip brings proven performance to iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, powering the Dynamic Island, computational photography capabilities, and more. With two high-performance cores that use 20 percent less power and four high-efficiency cores, the 6-core CPU is faster than the previous generation and easily handles intensive tasks while delivering extraordinary battery life. The 5-core GPU has 50 percent more memory bandwidth for smooth graphics when streaming videos and playing games. A new 16-core Neural Engine is capable of nearly 17 trillion operations per second, enabling even faster machine learning computations for features like Live Voicemail transcriptions in iOS 17 and third-party app experiences — all while protecting critical privacy and security features using the Secure Enclave.
Expanded Safety Capabilities for Peace of Mind
The iPhone 15 lineup offers critical safety capabilities to provide assistance when it matters most, including Crash Detection3 and Emergency SOS via satellite.4 Currently available in 14 countries and regions on three continents, Emergency SOS via satellite has made a significant impact in users’ lives. This groundbreaking safety service will come to Spain and Switzerland later this month. Building on this innovative satellite infrastructure, iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus introduce Roadside Assistance via satellite. Beginning in the U.S., when a user has car trouble and cellular and Wi-Fi coverage are not available, they can now connect to AAA, the country’s largest roadside assistance provider.5 An intuitive interface, including a short questionnaire to capture important details, will transmit the information via satellite so AAA can message with the user directly and dispatch help to their exact location. Access to Roadside Assistance via satellite will be included for free for two years. Service is covered according to AAA membership, but is also available separately for nonmembers.
Powerful Connection Capabilities
The iPhone 15 lineup offers convenient new ways to charge, find friends in busy places, and stay connected while traveling. Both models use a USB‑C connector, a universally accepted standard for charging and transferring data, allowing the same cable to charge iPhone, Mac, iPad, and the updated AirPods Pro (2nd generation). Users can also charge AirPods or Apple Watch directly from iPhone with the USB‑C connector.7 Both models support MagSafe and future Qi2 chargers for wireless charging.
Both models feature the second-generation Ultra Wideband chip, enabling two iPhone devices with this chip to connect at three times the range as before. This opens up a new way to use Precision Finding for Find My friends, so iPhone 15 users can share their location and find each other, even in crowds. Precision Finding is built with the same privacy protections that users have come to trust in Find My.8
iPhone 15 models continue to deliver a high-quality, superfast 5G experience9 and improved audio quality on phone calls, including those made on FaceTime or third-party apps. Sound quality gets even better when users select Voice Isolation to come through loud and clear, even if they are somewhere noisy. iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus have eSIM, a more convenient and secure alternative to a physical SIM card, with support from more than 295 carriers. When traveling the world, users can stay connected through affordable international roaming plans from their existing carrier, or purchase prepaid eSIM plans in over 50 countries and regions, including Australia, Italy, Thailand, and more.
Featuring iOS 17
iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus feature iOS 17,10 making iPhone even more personal and intuitive with new capabilities: The Phone app gets major updates with Contact Posters, which allows users to customize how they appear to their contacts, and Live Voicemail, which leverages the power of A16 Bionic to see real-time on-device transcription as someone leaves a voicemail. Users can even pick up the call while the caller is leaving their message.
Messages gets a new stickers experience, more powerful search, transcription of audio messages, and Check In, which allows users to automatically notify friends and family when they have made it to their destination safely. NameDrop gives users a new way to use AirDrop to more easily share contact information by simply bringing two iPhone devices together. The same gesture can be used to AirDrop content and more.
StandBy gives users a customizable full-screen experience with glanceable information designed to be viewed from a distance when iPhone is on its side and charging. With support for Live Activities, Siri, incoming calls, and larger notifications, StandBy is perfect for a nightstand, kitchen counter, or desk. iOS 17 delivers many more updates, including Journal,11 a new app that helps iPhone users reflect and practice gratitude through journaling; improvements to autocorrect and Dictation; greater protection for Private Browsing in Safari; password and passkey sharing with iCloud Keychain; pet recognition in Photos; and much more.
Better for the Environment
iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are designed with the environment in mind. As Apple continues to work toward its 2030 goal of making every product carbon neutral — from design to manufacturing to customer use — the company is prioritizing clean electricity across the entire supply chain and designing products with recycled and other low-carbon materials. iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus now use even more recycled content, with 100 percent recycled cobalt in the battery and 100 percent recycled copper in the main logic board, copper wire in the Taptic Engine, and copper foil in the inductive charger in MagSafe — all firsts for iPhone. Both models also include 75 percent recycled aluminum in the enclosure, 100 percent recycled rare earth elements in all magnets, and 100 percent recycled gold in the USB‑C connector as well as the gold plating and tin soldering in multiple printed circuit boards. The iPhone 15 lineup meets Apple’s high standards for energy efficiency and is free of mercury, PVC, and beryllium. Over 99 percent of the packaging is fiber-based, bringing Apple closer to its goal of completely removing plastic from its packaging by 2025. To further reduce impact on the planet, Apple will no longer use leather in any new Apple products, including iPhone accessories. Apple is introducing a new FineWoven Case with MagSafe and FineWoven Wallet with MagSafe, made from a durable and elegant microtwill with a soft, suedelike feel. The material is made from 68 percent post-consumer recycled content and has significantly lower carbon emissions compared to leather.
Pricing and Availability
iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will be available in pink, yellow, green, blue, and black in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage capacities, starting at $799 (U.S.) or $33.29 (U.S.) per month, and $899 (U.S.) or $37.45 (U.S.) per month, respectively.12
The Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has confirmed the clearance of almost 60,000 passport backlogs within four working days.
This is in response to the directives given to the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) last week Thursday by the minister, to clear all pending passport applications.
Alao Babatunde, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Minister, quoted Tunji-Ojo as disclosing this on Tuesday in Abuja while receiving the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, on a courtesy call.
According to him, the visitation was informed by her ministry’s need to collaborate with the interior ministry to drastically reduce human trafficking and other related challenges.
“We are not just working on humanitarian endeavours as human trafficking, our NIS must help us change the story, completely. “When we came on board, the passport crisis was an embarrassment. And, we said: it cannot continue.
“As of this morning, I can tell you that about 60,000 passport backlogs have been cleared, specifically 59,906.
“On Wednesday, September 6, 2023, when I gave the 2-week ultimatum, we had over 200,000 backlogs.
“We have recorded progress, and I maintain my word, that those backlogs must be cleared.
“So, you can be assured that our ministry is ready to work with you on any solution we consider thoughtful and progressive like the ones you have shared.
“We may only have to expand it to include the welfare of inmates in our correctional homes as they are Nigerians as well.
“Let’s see how they can benefit from your welfare packages. Of course, there is a lot we can achieve together, ” Tunji-Ojo was quoted as saying.
The Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy, has been caught on tape threatening to jail a female law student of the University of Calabar (UNICAL) who accused the suspended dean of the law faculty, Prof. Cyril Ndifon, of sexual harassment.
Some students, predominantly female students of the UNICAL law faculty in August protested in the school, accusing Ndifon of constantly harassing them sexually.
Following the protest, the school authority suspended Ndifon and subsequently constituted a panel of investigation to hear from both Ndifon and his alleged victims on the issue.
SaharaReporters gathered some victims – current and past students – and other witnesses already testified before the panel but Ndifon is scheduled to give his own testimony this week.
However, SaharaReporters was informed that rather than prepare and present his case, Ndifon has been exploring other means to get himself off the hook, including getting the support of the women affairs minister to intimidate the victims and prevent the panel from doing its job.
Some of the victims have complained about the minister calling to intimidate them into not testifying before the panel or changing their stories in favour of Ndifon.
SaharaReporters learnt that Kennedy accused the victims of working with some interested parties in the school including its vice-chancellor to unfairly remove Ndifon from the school.
Kennedy has taken over the case, reportedly saying it is under her jurisdiction. It was learnt that she had been calling and threatening the victims, claiming that the students had denied being raped or sexually harassed and that they were being used.
In a leaked audio conversation that she had with one of the female law students who have accused Ndifon of sexual harassment, the minister is heard saying, "At least you save my number, so soon you will come and visit me, right?" to which the student said, "If my VC approves."
The minister quickly interrupted her and shouted, "What do you mean by if your VC approves?" But the student in a frightened voice said, "I don't know na; okay, I will come and visit."
Continuing the conversation, the minister said, "My dear, I want you to understand something, the day I spoke to you, I told you I recorded it. If your VC makes you go and lie against somebody, you will go to jail. Trust me, I personally will put you in jail.
"I want you to be very careful because your future is at stake. You can't join anybody and maltreat a fellow human being. I won't equally want you to be maltreated.
“The day I spoke with you, I recorded what we spoke and you told me the whole truth, and if your VC, because I contacted your VC, I don't know what her plans are, I don't want to quote anybody. I don't equally want to condemn or judge anybody.
"But I want you to be very careful because this thing is going to bring fire. So, be very-very careful. If I were you, as you have already said to me nobody raped you, nobody did sexual harassment, keep off from this case because if she makes you go there, she is recording whatever you people are saying in that panel and if she records you and I bring my own, you got contradicted.
“And this man has gone to court, my ministry will join them and make sure you go to jail so that you will be an example to others.
"So, I want you to be very-very careful. This one you are telling me if your VC permits you, there is nothing she can do for you. She is not the one paying your school fees. So, save your future by standing on the truth at all times.
"Save my number. When you have time to visit me, I will find a way to empower you people so that your lives will be easier for you but keep away from things that will…, I am a minister, I'm above her (the VC) by position, you know that.
"So, don't go and do anything that will put you into a very big trouble that will scandalise you in the whole world because this matter has gone far and beyond. I won't play what you people said to me except you people try to deny it. I have to conceal it as something you told me in confidence but I'm warning you to keep off from lying against anybody."
It was gathered that an alumnus of the university and a lecturer in the faculty of law in the school, identified as Prof. Okom told the panel investigating the allegations against Ndifon, that the suspended professor of law, was her project supervisor in 2008 when she graduated from the faculty and that "if all his victims were to come out to testify, it would take more than a month to hear their testimonies."
Okom reportedly said, "During my time at the university, I heard many of my classmates talk about how Ndifon sexually harassed them. In fact, there was one of my classmates that dropped out of the faculty because of the randy behaviour of Ndifon."
When SaharaReporters contacted the minister, Kennedy, over the leaked phone conversation with one of the victims, she said it was a wrong number, even though TrueCaller showed the name associated with the number as Uju Kennedy.
Recently, the minister told CITY LAWYER that no fewer than 10 persons had called to threaten her over the sexual harassment scandal.
She said the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, had ordered a thorough investigation into the allegations, adding that she had also assigned her Special Adviser on Women Affairs to follow through on the matter.
According to Kennedy, she has been “scandalized” due to her commitment to get to the root of the matter.
She said her quest to get to the root of the matter was being misconstrued.
She was quoted by CITY LAWYER as saying, “How can I want the man to go free if he has committed such hideous crime? I only want the truth to prevail, especially after hearing from the three girls that the VC sent me their numbers.
“I equally sent an official memo to acknowledge the extra one week the VC said they would (need to) round up the investigation and told her to please go on and send the report to me, Minister of Education and to the SA to First Lady on Women.
“I can never as a mother support evil on innocent children, and will take drastic action if the man is found guilty. Let the truth prevail and let justice be done to put an end to this menace.”
CNN — More than 2,000 people in Libya are feared dead in severe flooding, according to a Libyan leader, as Storm Daniel swept through the eastern part of the country.
The head of Libya’s eastern parliament-backed government, Osama Hamad, announced the death toll on Monday, according to a report from state news organization Libyan News Agency.
“Osama Hamad said in press statements that residential neighborhoods disappeared after the torrents swept them into the sea along with thousands of their residents, and the situation is catastrophic and unprecedented in Libya,” LANA reported.
CNN has not been able to independently verify the number of deaths, and Hamad did not give a source for the number of dead and missing.
Footage shared on social media shows submerged cars, collapsed buildings and torrents of water rushing through streets.
Hamad called on medical personnel and medical assistants to go to the badly affected city of Derna in eastern Libya to provide assistance immediately.
Phone lines were down in Derna and pictures shared by the Red Crescent showed severely flooded streets.
The Red Crescent in Benghazi said on Monday they estimate 150 to 250 people are dead in the city of Derna, according to Reuters. Hospitals in the eastern city of Bayda were evacuated after severe flooding from rainfall caused by a heavy storm, videos shared by the Medical Center of Bayda on Facebook showed.
This rain is the result of the remnants of a very strong low-pressure system, which was officially named Storm Daniel by the national meteorological services in southeastern Europe.
The storm brought catastrophic flooding to Greece last week before moving into the Mediterranean and developed into a tropical-like cyclone known as a medicane. These systems can bring dangerous conditions to the Mediterranean Sea and coastal countries, similar to tropical storms and hurricanes in the Atlantic or typhoons in the Pacific.
The remains of the storm are affecting northern Libya and will slowly head east toward northern Egypt. Rainfall for the next two days could reach 50mm – this region averages less than 10mm across the whole of September.
“The United Nations in Libya is closely following the emergency caused by severe weather conditions in the eastern region of the country,” said the United Nations Support Mission in Libya in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter).
On 28 January 2022, N5.6m was paid to Chillayah Nigeria Limited for the Supply of School Mattress to Kanta Unity College Argungu, Argungu LGA, Kebbi.
When we visited the school, we found no new mattresses available, and the principal, Alhaji Mustapha Adamu said he was transferred to the school in March 2023 and has no knowledge of the project.
However, the former principal, Mr Yakubu Hassan confirmed receipt of 100 pieces of mattress supplied to the school in 2022. Currently, the students of Kanta college sleep on mats and bare bed springs.
We call @icpcnigeria to investigate the former principal, Mr Yakubu Hassan and ensure he provides the beds that were supplied.
We also call on @ubecnigeria, the implementing agency to look into this project and ensure the mattresses are brought back to Kanta College.
Dear Gov. @NasiridrisKG, @KBStGovt, @NigEducation the overall state of the school hostel is deplorable and not fit for living.
Kindly, treat this project as urgent and facilitate the complete renovation and furnishing of this school.
We watched 19-year-old Coco Gauff and 36-year-old Novak Djokovic make history at this year’s US Open Women and Men’s Championships. Coco’s rise has been slow but steady, whilst Djokovic has remained tenacious. They both represent hard work, focus and determination.
Their wins reminded us that with hard work and a clear focus, Nigeria can achieve its full potential as we compete on the world stage. For us in Oyo State, our administration will continue to put in the work required to ensure that this happens.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, on Monday in Abu Dhabi, have finalized a historic agreement, which has resulted in the immediate cessation of the visa ban placed on Nigerian travellers.
Furthermore, by this historic agreement, both Etihad Airlines and Emirates Airlines are to immediately resume flight schedules into and out of Nigeria, without any further delay.
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As negotiated between the two Heads of State, this immediate restoration of flight activity, through these two airlines and between the two countries, does not involve any immediate payment by the Nigerian government.
In recognition of President Tinubu’s economic development diplomacy drive and proposals today presented by President Tinubu to his counterpart, an agreed framework has been established, which will involve several billions of U.S. dollars worth of new investments into the Nigerian economy across multiple sectors, including defence, agriculture and others, by the investment arms of the Government of the United Arab Emirates.
Additionally, President Tinubu is pleased to have successfully negotiated a joint, new foreign exchange liquidity programme between the two Governments, which will be announced in detail in the coming weeks.
The President wishes to commend the UAE President, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, for his unalloyed friendship and his determined effort to join hands with him to fully normalize and reset to excellence, the standard of relations between the two important countries.
Backed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Flutterwave has launched Swap, an attempt to digitise the Nigerian foreign exchange (FX) market, in partnership with Wema Bank, the 10th biggest Nigerian bank by assets, and Kadavra BDC.
Flutterwave has launched Swap, a new product that will digitise the process of getting foreign exchange for Nigerians with the backing of the CBN. The fintech is leveraging a partnership with Wema Bank, a commercial bank, and Kadavra BDC, a bureau de change (BDC), to provide liquidity and foreign exchange for the product.
Mr Folashodun Shonubi, the acting governor of the CBN, told reporters at a press conference last week that Swap could solve two major problems facing Nigeria’s foreign exchange market: the lack of collaboration between institutions and the dependence on cash.
“No new licenses were issued, and we believe (Swap) will help moderate the rates for the BDCs and at the same time differentiate BDCs from black market transactions,” Shonubi said. Flutterwave will leverage its International Money Transfer Operator license from the CBN to bring in the foreign currency, Kadavra will use its BDC license to sell it, and Wema Bank will support the entire process.
Shonubi added that BDCs that refuse to go digital would be phased out of the system as the CBN tries to make the FX market cashless.
“This helps us to differentiate between what is a regulated market, which is a BDC, as opposed to the ones which the central bank does not regulate.” He shared that the apex bank would monitor all transactions on Swap and unregulated foreign transactions would stop “because of what we’re doing here today.”
The launch of Swap comes a week after the CBN acting governor said the apex bank would clear all FX backlogs within two weeks. While previous attempts to clear the backlog, such as a publicised $3billion AFREXIM loan, have not yielded any results, CBN is keeping its new plans to clear years’ worth of FX backlog close to its chest. A failure to clear these backlogs will keep significant demand flowing to the parallel market and limit the CBN’s ability to offer price stability.
“We understand the FX access challenges individuals and businesses face. Swap is our answer to those pain points, providing a seamless and efficient platform for currency exchange,” said Olugbenga Agboola, the CEO and co-founder of Flutterwave.
Swap is only available on Flutterwave’s web app and for registered Nigerian users. Users can only access dollars, euros, and pounds with the product. Flutterwave will also issue cards from October for Nigerians who require swift access to Personal Travel Allowance (PTA) and Business Travel Allowance (BTA).
Users must pass multiple identity verification phases and submit documentation online before accessing Swap. They would have to submit their bank verification number, a selfie, the reason they want to get FX, and documentation to support their reason. After submitting all the required information, users can input the account numbers they want the money deposited into and get it instantly. Swap will also be available via API for banks.
Muyiwa Asagba, Managing Director, Digital Commerce & Merchant Acquiring at Interswitch, said, "We are proud to align with Google Pay, as it exemplifies our commitment to delivering cutting-edge payment solutions that facilitate seamless transactions for businesses and their customers. By integrating Google Pay into our Payment Gateway, we are empowering businesses to harness the potential of a global customer base while ensuring secure and reliable payments."
11/09/2023
Starting today, Interswitch, Africa’s leading integrated payments and digital commerce company, will support Google Pay on its Interswitch Payment Gateway (IPG) platform. This initiative enables businesses and individuals in Nigeria to benefit from the simplicity and security of contactless payments and digital storage, aligning with the global trend towards more streamlined transactions.
Merchants can now store payment details within Google Wallet. This integration facilitates a smoother checkout process on the Interswitch platform, heightening the user experience. Additionally, the collaboration enables the acceptance of international cards on the Interswitch Payment Gateway, positioning businesses to seamlessly cater to a broader international clientele.
Utilizing Google Pay on the Interswitch platform ensures safer transactions fortified by advanced security measures. This includes industry-standard tokenization where transactions utilize a virtual card number, adding an extra layer of protection against potential fraud. And in cases of misplaced devices, users can quickly safeguard their information using the "Find my device" function.
Muyiwa Asagba, Managing Director, Digital Commerce & Merchant Acquiring at Interswitch, said, "We are proud to align with Google Pay, as it exemplifies our commitment to delivering cutting-edge payment solutions that facilitate seamless transactions for businesses and their customers. By integrating Google Pay into our Payment Gateway, we are empowering businesses to harness the potential of a global customer base while ensuring secure and reliable payments."
“Google Pay provides a fast, easy, and safe way for users in more than 70 countries and territories to pay with their Android phone or Wear OS device,” said Jenny Cheng, Vice President and General Manager, Google Wallet. “Users can simply add their debit and credit cards to the Google Wallet app and feel confident that their financial information is safe and secure when they’re making a purchase or catching a train.”
As a technology-centric company, Interswitch continues to align with brands that hold shared values to drive the evolution of payments across Africa and beyond. The integration with Google Pay is a pivotal step towards transforming the online payment landscape, enabling businesses and consumers to thrive in an interconnected digital world.
Businesses and consumers eager to experience the benefits of Google Pay on the Interswitch Payment Gateway can sign up on the Interswitch platform today.
In a historic moment for Nigerian beauty pageants, Ugochi Mitchel Ihezue, the former Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN) 2017 hailing from Imo State, was crowned Miss Universe Nigeria 2023. This remarkable achievement has etched her name in the annals of Nigerian pageantry as the first woman to claim both prestigious beauty titles.
Ihezue faced stiff competition, triumphing over 36 other talented contestants to secure the coveted Miss Universe crown. The event took place at the opulent Convention Center of Eko Hotels and Suites in Lagos on Sunday, September 10th.
During the ceremony, Miss Nasarawa earned the Miss Photogenic award, Miss Taraba dazzled in the Best Traditional Costume category, and Miss Borno claimed the Miss Amity award.
Beyond the glitz and glamour, Ihezue advocates for women to break free from societal constraints to embrace limitless possibilities. Her commitment to this cause led her to undertake a rigorous MBA program at the prestigious Lagos Business School, equipping her with the knowledge and skills needed to champion women’s empowerment.
As the reigning Miss Universe Nigeria, Ihezue is set to represent her country on the global stage at the Miss Universe 2023 competition scheduled to take place in El Salvador on November 18th, 2023.
In 2023, Silverbird Productions breathed new life into Miss Universe Nigeria, differentiating it from MBGN. Guy Murray-Bruce, brother of the renowned Nigerian politician Ben Murray-Bruce, revealed that MUN has embraced a fresh format, emphasizing inclusivity regardless of marital status, body type, skin shade, height, or weight, thus distinguishing it from its Westernised predecessor.
Ugochi Mitchel Ihezue’s double crowning inspires women nationwide, demonstrating that beauty and intellect are a powerful combination capable of breaking barriers and forging paths to success.
My Dearest Wife, I most sincerely congratulate you on your birthday anniversary today. You remain the best partner and the best mother to our dear children. Your passionate contributions to the vision of a New Nigeria remain admirable, and your sacrifices for a better Nigeria are very encouraging. You traversed every part of our dear nation during our rigorous campaign period, preaching the gospel of the New Nigeria. I celebrate you today as always.
May God Almighty, who has been with you all these years grant you many more healthy and happy years, and continue to bless you always.
Nollywood star, Moyo Lawal ignores trending sex tape
Netizens are having a feast on what appears to be s3lex video clips of top Nollywood actress, Moyo Lawal, with an unknown man.
However, going by her activities on Instagram an hour or two after the clips were released, the actress seems unconcerned, as she continues to post items totally unrelated to the development.
Her last post about an hour ago is on her role in a movie titled ‘Chameleon’, which attracted over six thousand comments within an hour of being posted.
Expectedly, most of the comments centred on the sex tape instead of the movie.
In the comments section, some made light of the sex tape, while others reached out to the actress in solidarity.
Mimi Orjiekwe, Nina Ivy, Bobrisky, Moet Abebe and a host of others sent words of encouragement and support to the actress, with emojis and kind words.
Moyo didn’t exactly reply anyone but her post before that probably has something to say of her state of mind.
Moyo Lawal wrote: “The only magic I still believe in is love.
“And if you are to ask me, after all I have been through, how can I still believe in love, it is because I know that in love and dreams there are no impossibilities.”
But that was some six hours ago; probably before the video clips went viral.
It was in 2018 that Adaora (surname withheld) was admitted to study English and Literary Studies at the Akwa Ibom State University, Ikot Akpandem, Akwa Ibom State. She had earlier sat the United Tertiary Matriculation Examinations three times to study at the University of Uyo, Uyo, without success, before she decided to go to AKSU.
Just three months after school resumption, a part-time lecturer started harassing her.
The first day he saw her, she said he spanked her buttocks, as she walked passed him in a busy hallway. He apologised, saying it was a mistake.
Again in class, she said he came close and sat on the same desk with her while lecturing, giving her seductive gestures.
“He was not a small boy. This man should be in his 50s. He made life a living hell for me at AKSU,” she added.
According to Adaora, when he eventually made his first attempt to speak to her, he asked to see her in his office.
Although it was a shared office, she noted that the other lecturer was out on a Sabbatical leave at another university.
“Immediately I walked in, he stood up, locked the door, and began to push his body against mine. I was scared. I was around 20 years old then. I was confused. I saw this man as a father.
“I ran towards the door to open it because the key was still at the lock but he laughed and told me to come back. He said he was only playing with me. That was the beginning of my problems,” she added.
She said she spoke to a senior colleague, who told her the man was fond of doing such to ladies, warning her to beware.
When the first semester results were released that year, she failed his course.
She was sure she wrote something convincing that would earn her a pass grade, so she wrote to the school’s exams board for a re-mark. She even claimed to have paid some money to another lecturer to ‘facilitate’ it.
But, an approval came in the second week of the second semester. Her scripts were re-marked and she was awarded a ‘D’ grade. Still not convinced, she said she spoke to a female lecturer who told her to get evidence if she wanted to make a complaint.
Her time eventually came in Year Three, when the man, now a full-time lecturer with the department, took another course and made her a group leader in one of the assignment groups.
She claimed he sent her erotic messages, threatening that she would not graduate if she did not ‘surrender’.
Adaora said she went back to the female lecturer, who told her there was still nothing she could do despite showing all the messages.
She also got information about two other ladies, one of whom was already married with two kids, whom the man allegedly harassed the previous year and they filed a petition to the school.
“Till today, that petition did not see the light of the day. I wrote about four other follow-ups. The other ladies even petitioned the gender unit of the university, but nothing was done.
“I am married now with a daughter, and I am even scared to let my daughter stay alone with a neighbour because I don’t know what these men are capable of. If a man that old can look at a 20-year-old virgin girl then and say he wanted to have me, I wonder who is safe from their fangs,” she said.
When our correspondent called the number said to be attached to the Directorate of Information, Public Relations and Protocol of AKSU, the line rang out. Text messages sent to the phone line were also not responded to as of press time.
Endangered
With each passing day, female students are becoming more endangered in institutions of higher learning.
On Wednesday, The PUNCH reported how a female undergraduate student (name withheld) accused a lecturer at the University of Lagos, Akoka, simply identified as Dr Kadiri, of rape.
The student said the incident occurred when she visited the lecturer in the office to sort out issues about her results.
A non-governmental organisation, Inclusive Social Welfare and Empowerment Foundation, where the victim reported the case, said rather than the lecturer attending to the undergraduate’s result issues, he allegedly raped her on August 16, 2023.
Our correspondent gathered that InclusiveSWEF reported the case to the Gender Unit of the state police command and through the OC Gender, the state CP, Idowu Owohunwa, issued a warrant of arrest for the lecturer through the High Court and involved the Vice Chancellor of the university.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident, saying, “He is to appear in court in the coming days.”
Reacting, the spokesperson for UNILAG, Adejoke Alaga-Ibraheem, told PUNCH Metro that the university was aware of an investigation involving an employee of the university.
She said, “The UNILAG management, on August 28, received a letter from the Nigeria Police Force, inviting an employee of the university for questioning. The employee was immediately informed of the development and advised to comply.
“On August 29, the employee complied. While we are not yet privy to the full details of the incident that led to the arrest of the employee; we are fully aware that the investigation is ongoing and we are cooperating with security agencies to ensure that the matter is resolved in the interest of justice.”
Weeks before this, students of the University of Calabar, Cross Rivers State, lamented how a professor and former dean of the Faculty of Law allegedly sexually harassed them.
Protesting the harassment, the students demonstrated with placards and urged the university’s management to intervene.
The dean has been suspended by the varsity’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Florence Obi, and replaced with a female lecturer.
All principal officers of the faculty, who were men before, were replaced with females.
The authorities at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, also officially removed lecturers indicted of sexual harassment from their various official positions at the institution.
This was disclosed in a press statement issued by Dr Emmanuel Ojukwu, the Special Adviser on Public Relations and Special Duties to the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Charles Esimone.
Although in the statement, Ojukwu did not mention the names of the indicted officials, he said there was an ongoing investigation concerning alleged sexual harassment by some lecturers, while insisting that there was no protest at the institution.
“Unfortunately, the students who alleged sexual harassment were not forthcoming to testify before the investigation panel.
“However, the vice chancellor additionally summoned the affected departments to a meeting where he expressed the university’s displeasure and warned lecturers and staff to desist from all actions that would bring the name of the university to disrepute.
“He warned that the university management would severely punish erring staff, especially those who are molesting or sexually harassing our students,” part of the statement read.
In 2018, the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, was said to have dismissed a professor, Richard Akindele, for alleged sexual offenses.
His former student, Monica (surname withheld), accused him of demanding five sex sessions to pass her.
She recorded their conversations, the audio of which shocked the nation. An Osogbo High Court later sentenced Akindele to a two-year jail term.
In 2018, an Associate Professor of Economics at the Lagos State University, Ojo, was entrapped with the help of an NGO, after he allegedly demanded sexual favours from a female student.
Fellow students also caught an accounting lecturer at the Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, literally pants down as he attempted to harass a female student.
Studies conducted under the auspices of the United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organisation revealed in a 2019 report that sexual harassment of female students results in outcomes ranging from shame, loss of self-esteem, unwanted pregnancies, poor academic performance and, in some extreme cases, suicide.
The report said sexual harassment experienced at university could lead to psychological, emotional and physical harm, as well as negatively impacting victims’ studies.
“In one study, of those students who had experienced sexual violence, 27 per cent contemplated suicide or self-harm, 15 per cent developed an eating disorder and 15 per cent abused alcohol or drugs. Fifty per cent experienced a negative impact on their academic performance and 11 per cent indicated that the progress of their studies was delayed,” the report noted.
Dons, CSO proffer solutions
A professor of law and former Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Prof. Joy Ezeilo (SAN), said all tertiary institutions must have a sexual abuse and harassment policy that handles sexual harassment and proffers sanctions within the university setting.
She also noted that there must not be any sexual relationship between lecturers and students.
“If there are any relationships, there must be a policy of full disclosure. Once there is a full disclosure, that lecturer would have nothing to do with the grading or marking of the scripts of the student in question.
“But because of the kind of fiduciary relationship and the position a lecturer assumes, which is often that which is high and of trust, that position can easily be used to hamper the vulnerability of students. So, the problem is the lack of appropriate sanctions.
“There must be a policy with legal backing treating sexual harassment in schools. Assault is prohibited under the criminal law, but society must have a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual harassment,” she said.
Sighting what happened with the Spanish football coach, Jorge Vilda, who was sacked by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, Ezeilo, who was a United Nations Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons in Africa and former Commissioner for Gender and Social Development, Enugu State, said, “The Western system did not need the footballer in question to petition. All she said was that the kiss was not consensual and everyone saw that kissing her on the lips, even though in the mood of celebration, was inappropriate.
“She said she felt vulnerable and everybody rallied around her. FIFA did not need to sanction the chairman of the Spanish Football Association no matter how powerful the position is in the scheme of things.
“But if that same situation had happened in Nigeria, many people would say it was just an ‘ordinary’ kiss.”
According to her, society has reinforced impunity and stereotypes that women are sex objects or bonanza for people who come into contact with them, especially within the academic institution.
Also, a Professor of English and Vice-Chancellor, Ahman Pategi University, Patigi, Kwara State, Mahfouz Adedimeji, said sexual harassment in varsities had become a big social issue in Nigeria.
In an interview with Saturday PUNCH on Thursday, he said, “It is not only in universities. We find it (sexual harrasment) even in secondary schools, religious places, and social media.
“It is a reflection of what the society has become. Society is so filled with sexually provocative messages. I believe that the social media and the entertainment industry are contributing to it. Nothing is seen as successful today until the female body is objectified.
“We have realised that people appear to be under a lot of social pressure. We are not ready for that conversation. Even when universities take the steps to give a dress code, we are still going to find some people say that their rights are being infringed upon.
“That is why I said the issue of sexual violence in Nigeria has reached an alarming stage, and until everyone in Nigeria considers it a social problem that we all have to sit down to address, we are going to be waiting to witness another calamity.
“It was Calabar, Cross River some time ago. It is Lagos today. It may be another university tomorrow. We do not regulate what goes out in terms of music, videos, skits, and the like. However, this does not justify the recurrence of the issue.
“I would suggest that the family, which is the smallest unit of society, train girls who would be modest and decent in their outlook on life. Also, girls must not be timid to speak up in cases of sexual harassment.”
He noted that the laws had to be stiffer for perpetrators of sexual crimes, as, according to him, most of them feel they could go scot-free after committing the crimes.
Also commenting, a professor of Sociology at the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Ifeanacho Ikechukwu, said handling sexual harassment was an intricate issue.
He said, “One cannot objectively discuss the matter without looking at both sides of the argument. We know that what we now see as modernisation has turned into something else.
“It is unfortunate that some of these cases of harassment are found among lecturers who are professors and highly-placed academics who should know better. By the time one makes a calculation, as a reasonable person, factoring in the shame accusations of sexual harassment bring to one’s family, society, university and career, one would decide to stay off and far away from sexual abuse.
“Sexual harassment negates humanness. It is blackmail. It shows that the perpetrators lack something as a person. It may be that these lecturers in question are suffering from some kind of personality disorder or inferiority complex. As a professor or doctor, one should begin to look back and advise younger colleagues on how to steer clear of sexual harassment.
“There are a lot of health implications that may come out of these sexual abuse cases. How can a lecturer who has put in close to 27 years in the service of a university and has risen to the rank of a professor lose themselves because of sex?
“In cases when these things happen, I am sure the accused would begin to regret.”
He added that lecturers were like parents to their students, noting that they should serve as role models and not predators.
Also commenting, the Chief Executive Officer, Bible Society of Nigeria, Pastor Samuel Sanusi, noted that any society that neglects God and morality would always have issues like sexual harassment.
“The fact that someone is a lecturer does not automatically make that person God-fearing or moral. Anyone who does not fear God can do anything. The only solution to any challenge is doing the will of God.
“God abhors sexual harassment. It should not be found in schools. Some of these lecturers engaged in these acts claim to believe in God but they do not act like they know God at all.
“God urges us to love our neigbours as ourselves. These lecturers would not want their daughters to be molested by their teachers. Why do it to other people’s children?
“These lecturers would need a total surrendering to God and seek spiritual counsel,” he said.
An Islamic scholar, Adulhakeem Alaran, said the Holy Quran frowns at all forms of sexual harassment.
“When I hear cases of lecturers, especially of Muslim faith, harassing their students, it breaks my heart because it shows that they were yet to understand the teaching of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
“The laws punishing sexual offenders must be stiffer and victims must not be shamed,” he added.
Omaa Motors, an indigenous Car Manufacturing Company owned by Mr. Chinedu Oguegbu, will be doing their ground breaking ceremony tomorrow at Ụmụnya, Anambra State. They have been around for a while in Anambra, IgboUkwu to be precise, but this will be a bigger plant and will major on CNG and Electric(na to dey carry charger upandan) powered vehicles. (The plant will also convert Petrol and Diesel powered engines to CNG) Kudos to @CCSoludo and @markokoyeII of @ANSIPPA for the Anambra Investment Summit idea. PEPT or not, the future is Anambra.
I'm delighted to announce that a deal has been reached between the Ministry of Solid Minerals and the Australian Minister for Mines and Petroleum, Energy, Corrective Services, and Industrial Relations, Hon. Bill Johnston.
The deal involves sending Nigerian mining professionals to Western Australia to study modern mining technology and practices for free.
Australia has a wealth of knowledge and skills in developing its modern mining industry.
Through this initiative, Nigerian miners will benefit from training, study trips, and exchanges of mineral professionals as Nigeria aims to transform the sector.
I'm personally delighted about this collaboration as it will lead to attracting FDI, forming a solid mineral corporation, and enabling the sector to compete globally.
It's an exciting time for Nigerian mining professionals, and we can't wait to see the impact of this new knowledge and skill transfer on the sector.
TROOPS RESCUE KIDNAPPED VICTIMS, RECOVER OPERATIONAL MOTORCYCLES IN ZAMFARA, KEBBI, KASTINA AND SOKOTO
The Troops of the Joint Task Force Northwest Operation HADARIN DAJI (OPHD) have continued to intensify operations against the marauding bandits, rescued several kidnapped victims and captured equipment in the Northwest region of Zamfara, Kebbi, Katsina and Sokoto states respectively.
Recently, acting on actionable intelligence report on 5th August, 2023 on massing up of armed bandits at Gidan Jaja of Zurmi LGA in Zamfara state, troops of the OPHD deployed at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Zurmi immediately mobilized for a fighting patrol to the general area in order to dislodge the Bandits, during which contact was made with the criminals, but due to troops' superior fire power forced the bandits to flee in disarray with possible gunshots wounds. After the encounter, 11 Operational Motorcycles were captured from the fleeing Bandits.
Similarly, Troops deployed at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Anka in Zamfara state rescued 4 kidnapped victims at the early hours (4am) of 5th August, 2023. This was achieved following credible intelligence from locals that several persons were kidnapped at Gangamai village in Gwashi District of Bukkuyum LGA of Zamfara state.
The troops immediately mobilized for a rescue mission to the village and made contact with the bandits. Due to troops' tactical abilities and fire superiority forced the bandits to flee and abandon their captives.
Also troops of FOB Bini while on patrol rescued 2 kidnapped victims who were abandoned by marauding bandits and fled on sighting troops.
Meanwhile, all the rescued victims were successfully reunited with their families.
On Sunday, September 3, 2023, the 16th Headies Award took place in Atlanta Georgia for the second consecutive year.
Since its inception in 2006, the Headies has played a prominent role in the documentation of the strides recorded in the Nigerian music industry through its award which has now become the biggest prize in Nigerian music.
On the night, Mavin star, Rema was the biggest winner, going home with three gongs. His Nigerian music renaissance speech was also the highlight of the event.
Other big winners were Asake with two gongs including the coveted Next Rated Award; Burna Boy picked up the Afrobeat Single of the Year and the Best R&B Song.
Here is the full winners list.
BEST RAP SINGLE
‘Declan Rice’ by ODUMODUBLVCK
BEST MALE VOCAL PERFORMANCE
‘Kpe Paso’ by Wande Coal
BEST ALTERNATIVE SONG
‘Tinko Tinko’ by Obong Jayar
BEST VIDEO DIRECTOR
‘Calm Down’ by Director K (Rema)
BEST RAP ALBUM
‘Young Preacher‘ by Blaqbonez
LYRICIST ON THE ROLL
‘Flytalk Only’ by Payper Corleone
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
‘Abracadabra’by Rexxie
BEST MALE ARTIST
Rema
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
ODUMODUBLVCK
BEST INSPIRATIONAL SONG
‘Eze Ebube’ by Neon Adejo
AFROBEATS SINGLE OF THE YEAR
‘Last Last’ by Burna Boy
SPECIAL RECOGNITION’
Sound Sultan
DIGITAL ARTIST OF THE YEAR
‘Calm Down’ by Rema
BEST STREET HIP-HOP ARTISTE
‘Chance (Na Ham)’ by Seyi Vibez
NEXT-RATED
Asake
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
‘Mr. Money With The Vibe’ by Asake
BEST COLLABORATION
‘Who’s Your Guy Remix’ by Spyro, Tiwa Savage
AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
Rema (Nigeria)
BEST WEST AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
Black Sherif (Ghana)
BEST R&B Album
‘The Brother’s Keeper’ by Chike
INTERNATIONAL ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
Selena Gomez
BEST RECORDING OF THE YEAR
‘Soweto’ by Victony, Tempoe
BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE (FEMALE)
In Between by Waje
BEST CENTRAL AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
Libianca (Cameroon)
HEADIES VIEWERS’ CHOICE
‘Soweto’ by Victony
BEST EAST AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
Diamond Platinumz (Tanzania)
BEST NORTH AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
El Grande Toto (Morocco)
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
‘Loyal’ by Simi Kosoko, Goodsfavour Chidozie, Kosoko Adekunle, Marcel Akunwata
Politics › Collapsed National Grid: Restoration At Advanced Stages - TCN by nlfpmod(mod): 3:40pm On Sep 14, 2023
