₦airaland Forum

OpenLife Nigeria reports that the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 presidential election, Peter Obi, has lambasted President Bola Tinubu for allocating more funds for the purchase of Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) for about 400 lawmakers than the total amount allocated to the primary healthcare in the 2023 budget.

Obi, who had in his World Press Conference a few days ago announced that he and his political party are now fully in opposition, said that it was a waste of public resources to spend N60 billion on luxurious SUVs for the lawmakers while primary healthcare in the country had collapsed, leading Nigeria to surpassing India in infant mortality.

The former Anambra State governor said that one-third of the amount allocated for the SUVs, with proper negotiation, would have given them to get locally manufactured SUV vehicles from Innoson Motors, PAN or any local auto assembly plant, to help boost Nigeria’s economy and create and retain jobs.

Obi further stated that while he was the governor, the Anambra State Government ordered for two bullet proof SUV vehicles for him but he cancelled the order and used the money to negotiate a concessionary pricing with Peugeot Automobiles to supply his government with 60 406 vehicles which were enough for all his cabinet members including his and his deputy.

He said, “The recent expenditure of N60 billion for the purchase of SUV vehicles for about 400 legislators is a continuation of the troubling trend in our nation today.

“We have continued to abandon the critical areas of development measurement while expending scarce resources on needless luxury and creating comforts for those elected to serve the people.

“Our primary healthcare, which is the foundation of health, a critical development index measure, has collapsed, leading to our surpassing India, a country 7 times our population, in infant mortality, a very saddening situation.

“To allocate such a huge amount, which is more than what we allocated to our primary health care, is nothing but troubling.

“One third of that amount, with proper negotiation, would have given them locally manufactured SUV vehicles from Innoson Motors, PAN or any local auto assembly plant, to help boost our economy and create and retain jobs.

“Upon my being sworn in as the then Governor of Anambra State, I observed that our State High Court Judges, State Government Permanent Secretaries and newly appointed State Commissioners had no vehicles.

“The Anambra State Government had then ordered for two bullet proof SUV vehicles for my use. I cancelled the order and used the same money to negotiate a concessionary pricing with Peugeot Automobiles to supply us with Sixty 406 vehicles which were enough for all the cabinet members including myself and my deputy governor.

“We used the vehicles for our first tenure and were able to commence the work of doing more in the areas of health, education and lifting people out of poverty.

“Nobody would contemplate this kind of expenditure under my administration. I urge all involved to depart from this path of wastage of public resources.

“A more prudent and transparent Nigeria is possible.”

OpenLife Nigeria reports that aviation unions in Nigeria on Wednesday directed their workers to withdraw services to all public and private Owerri flights (both inwards and outwards) with effect from midnight.
The unions said the strike is indefinite until otherwise directed by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC).
The unions are the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), and the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE).
The directive by the aviation unions was in compliance with the joint session National Executive Council (NEC) session of the NLC and the TUC on Tuesday.
NLC President, Joe Ajaero was attacked in Owerri, the Imo State capital, last Wednesday just before a planned protest in the state to press the state government to heed the demands of the workers in the state.
The NLC and the TUC had since ordered shutdown of essential services in Imo as protest for the attack on Ajaero and declared a nationwide strike effective November 14, 2023.
In a strike notice to aviation workers on Wednesday, the five bodies ordered their members to withdraw services to all inwards and outwards Owerri flights.
The strike notice was co-signed by NUATE General Secretary, Ocheme Aba; ATSSSAN Deputy General Secretary, Frances Akinjole; ANAP Secretary General, AbdulRasaq Saidu; NAAPE Deputy General Secretary, Umoh Ofonime; and AUPCTRE General Secretary, Sikiru Waheed.
“In addition, the person of Hope Uzodimma, the Governor of Imo State is hereby declared persona non grata at all airports in Nigeria until he purges himself of bestial tendencies. Our unions will make further efforts through our international affiliations to blacklist Hope Uzodimma worldwide.” The notice partly read.
“Furthermore, all aviation workers in Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri are hereby directed to stay at home, also with effect from midnight today (08/11/2023) as directed by NLC and TUC.
“By this notice, the airports’ managements, airlines operating into and out of Owerri, intending airport passengers into and out of Owerri, and the general public are hereby advised about this situation so as to be forewarned

OpenLife Nigeria reports that European Union deforestation rules have sent shivers into the spins of Cambodia's over 30,000 small farmers to major exporters in Thailand and Malaysia in Southeast Asia.

The European Union rules which are aimed at stopping deforestation have organically threatened widespread disruption for Southeast Asia's rubber sector.
This is coming as the EU's deforestation regulation (EUDR) aims to ban imports of seven commodities -- cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rubber, soy and wood items -- if they come from land that was deforested after December 31, 2020.
Companies dealing in such imports will have to provide "conclusive and verifiable information" mapping their supply chains, including geolocation data for where products were grown, to ensure products are compliant. Compliance will become mandatory in December 2024 for larger companies and in June 2025 for smaller ones.
The concern for Southeast Asia, critics say, is that these requirements will disproportionately hurt small farmers while failing to adequately address rubber's role in deforestation.
Jean-Christophe Diepart, a geo-agronomist based in Cambodia, said there will be "profound implications" for the country's farmers.
"The risk is that basically the smallholders will be dropped because there are too many requirements and it's too much effort to monitor and trace the rubber they will produce," Depart said. That would just leave "large corporations who have the resources to comply."
Similar concerns are growing in Malaysia. The country joined Indonesia to negotiate with the EU over the deforestation rules, as the two are concerned about the impact on their palm oil industries. But Malaysia's $2 billion rubber export industry also stands to be affected.
The country ships about 17% of its rubber products to the EU, its biggest market after the U.S. Some 93% of the land planted with rubber in the country is controlled by smallholder farmers, according to the Malaysian Rubber Board.
In March, Malaysia's rubber farmers joined with palm oil growers to file a petition to the EU protesting the "unilateral and unrealistic" demands stipulated in the EUDR, saying the rules will exclude smallholders from the European market and worsen rural poverty.
Thailand, the world's biggest rubber producer and exporter, is attempting to get out ahead of the new rules. Regulators there have set up a national platform to help the country's more than 5 million farmers meet the impending traceability requirements.
Nakorn Tangavirapat, an official with the Rubber Authority of Thailand, said the system will collate information on all actors in the supply chain and about 95% of industry players had already registered.
"This platform includes everything to help buyers trace how and where the rubber products were produced, ranging from traders to factories, processors through to rubber farms, with transaction information," Nakorn said.
As the region braces for the EUDR to come into effect, perhaps Cambodia best exemplifies the complexity of crafting and enforcing such trade rules -- an irony considering the country ships little if any rubber to Europe.
The majority of its natural rubber goes to Vietnam, mostly in an unprocessed form known as coagulum. This largely informal trade is facilitated by middlemen who often pay cash on the spot and keep the price above that offered by local processing factories in Cambodia.
Discrepancies in the countries' records hint at the scale of this trade. Cambodia reported it sent $289 million worth of rubber to Vietnam in 2021, but Vietnam recorded importing $1.5 billion worth of Cambodian rubber, according to the U.N. Comtrade database.
This arrangement leaves Cambodia's local processors with a shortage of fresh latex to process into higher-value items, causing "substantial" economic losses in terms of value added and job creation, according to Diepart.
For Vietnam, a major rubber exporter to the EU, it presents a major compliance problem, according to research by Forest Trends. Once in Vietnam, rubber from Cambodia, as well as Laos, is mixed in with local rubber, making traceability "almost impossible," according to the group.
To clean up their own supply chain, Vietnamese traders with links to Europe will likely have to reduce imports from Cambodia, said Phuc Xuan To, a senior policy analyst at Forest Trends.
Due diligence required by the EUDR includes a risk assessment with 14 criteria, including the prevalence of deforestation in the country, the impact on Indigenous communities, the presence of corruption and the level of law enforcement.
"In theory the [Cambodian] government could provide traders with information, but in reality, can you get it? There's no way," Phuc said.
Diepart raised a similar point, saying that with remote sensing his group identified 1.1 million hectares of rubber within a study area of 5.5 million hectares where the government puts the rubber total at around 445,000 hectares.
"Even the very basic information about how many hectares of rubber there is in Cambodia is not accurate at all," he said. "Starting from this ... vague basis, how can the traceability of the entire value chain be made?"
Cambodia's Ministry of Agriculture did not return a request for comment before publication.
EU policymakers, Phuc added, appear not to have considered smallholders trading across borders in cash in places like Cambodia and Laos when crafting their rules.
"Cross-border trade has not been factored into EUDR," he said. "With countries importing timber or rubber or coffee from other countries and then exporting to Europe, cross-border trade is very important to take into account, but I don't think the EU is thinking about that yet. It's another level of complexity."
Another criticism of the EUDR is that it comes too late to undo the environmental damage caused by the rubber boom, which ended with a price crash a decade ago.
In Cambodia, Diepart said, rubber was the major driver of deforestation until around 2012 or 2013. Now, he said, the main driver is cashews. Rubber plantations that cleared forest before December 2020 would not be barred under the EUDR as long as their business complies with local laws.
Perhaps the most pressing concerns for producers across the region, large and small, is who will pay for the added cost of compliance.
Men Sopheak, head of the association for rubber development of Cambodia, who runs a 13,000-hectare plantation, said producers are already under huge financial strain as production costs rise but rubber prices stagnate due to a glut caused by rubber trees that were planted before the boom coming on line.
"The rubber industry is not expanding anymore," he said. "Due to the low price, they convert from rubber to other crops that are more profitable and less labor-intensive."
Sopheak said he was hopeful, however, that tougher sustainability requirements would become an impetus to boost local processing and manufacturing of rubber products. Cambodia has two car tire factories and three more planned. Sopheak said the manufacturers currently import rubber but the association is working to promote local products.
Producers in Thailand are also grappling with increased costs as sustainability becomes a more of a concern for buyers and a legal requirement in more jurisdictions.
Thai Rubber Latex Group Chairman Vorathep Wongsasuthikul said building a system to allow customers to trace their products' provenance would push production costs up by 10%.
Veerasith Sinchareonkul, managing director and executive director of Sri Trang Agro-Industry, said the industry will have to work with authorities to adapt.
"We think this trend is unlikely to happen only in Europe, but it will be a new sustainable trend that will be adopted around the world eventually, and that's why we need to develop ourselves to match this megatrend," Veerasith said.
Outside headline, contents Nikkei

OpenLife Nigeria reports that the southern part of Kaduna State which has become the epicentre of deadly violence, most of it inflicted by herdsmen on farming communities, came up for a review Tuesday morning.
Speaking on Arise TV, Major General Zamani Lekwot, retd , said the crises that have bedevilled southern Kaduna especially in recent past were principally fuelled by Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, immediate past governor of the State.
According to the retired General, “Mallam Nasir El-Rufai planted the seed of discord in Kaduna State. There was peace in southern kaduna until Mallam Nasir El Rufai came as a governor of the State in 2015. He used the bandits to win election in 2015. He left the state more divided on ethnic and tribal lines. Since he left, peace is gradually returning to Southern Kaduna and Kaduna State in general, the general stated.
It would be recalled that there have been issues of land disputes, kidnappings and killings over the years, with the community leaders pointing accusing fingers against one another, leading to the escalation of violence in recent times in Atyap chiefdom in Zango Kataf Local Government Area of the state.
Significantly, on 15 May 1992 violence erupted between the mainly Moslem Hausa and mainly Christian Atyap communities of the Zangon-Kataf Local Government Area in Kaduna State over trading and land ownership rights, with many deaths. A tribunal set up by the Babangida government sentenced Lekwot and 16 others to death for alleged complicity in the killings, sentences eventually reduced to a short gaol sentence. It was said that his sentence was due to his feud with Babangida. He was assisted in his prolonged battle to avoid execution by Barrister , Colonel Yohanna A. Madaki. By December 1995, Lekwot had received a state pardon.

OpenLife Nigeria reports that in a bid to safeguard their fundamental human rights and secure their liberty from the Police custody, the duo of Abdulazeez Adeshina Fashola a. k.a Naira Marley and Samson Balogun Eletu a.k.a Sam Larry have dragged commissioner of Police Lagos State before a Lagos state high Court,
Joined as co-respondents in the suits are,Waheed Ayilara, Deputy Commissioner of Police
Homicide section Panti Yaba Lagos,and His worship Adeola Olatunbosun,Chief Magistrate court 1 Yaba,Lagos
The two applicants,apart from urging the court to order thier immediate release,are also demanding for N20millon each as damages.

In a separate affidavits sworn to by Fashola Babatunde Moshood,Naira Marley's junior brother and Lukmon Kazeem Bodunrin a relation of Sam Larry in support of the the two separate suits, filed before the court by their lawyer Barrister Olalekan Ojo SAN the deponents averred that the Applicants are unable to personally depose to this affidavit by reason of their detention in the custody of the Police at the Homicide Section of the Lagos State Police Command, Panti, Yaba, Lagos by the order granted by Yaba Chief Chief Magistrate court.
When they paid a visit to them at the detention on 26th of October, 2023 the applicants told them and they verily believed them as follows.
That their travails started on the 3rd and 4th day of October, 2023 respectively when they were arrested by the Police on alleged connection of the Applicants to the death of one Ilerioluwa Aloba aka Mohbad.
On the 4th day of October, 2023 the Commissioner of Police sought for an order in the Magistrate Court, holden at Yaba to remand them for 30 days.
Chief Magistrate Adeola Olatunbosun granted the Police application to remand them for only 21 days in the custody of the Police.
The 21 days remand order granted by the Chief Magistrate Olatunbosun had since lapsed on the 26th day of October, 2023 and the order has not been renewed.
Consequently the Applicants continued arrest, detention and restriction of their right to liberty and freedom of movement have infringed on their fundamental rights as citizens of Nigeria.
They have not been indicted in anyway whatsoever in the death of the said Ilerioluwa Aloba a.k.a Mohbad.

That the Applicants has all along cooperated with the Police in the course of their investigation by submitting themselves to the Police and undertake not to interfere with the ongoing investigation, if any, till conclusion of same.
The Applicant undertake not to attempt to influence, interfere with and or intimidate any witness(es), and/or interfere with investigation of the case, if same has not been concluded.
The Applicants further undertake not to undermine or jeopardize the objectives or purpose or the functioning of the criminal justice administration including the bail system.
Consequently It is in the interest of justice to grant the Applicants reliefs as prayed.

That the refusal by the Honourable Court to grant the Applicants reliefs as prayed will cause exceptional hardship to the Applicants.
Consequently, they are seeking the following orders from the court:

A declaration that the continued detention of the Applicants by the Police at the Homicide Section of the Lagos State Police Command,
Panti, Yaba, Lagos State from the 26th day of October, 2023 when the order for the remand was granted by the Chief Magistrate Adeola Olatunbosun at the Magistrate Court, holden at Yaba on the 4th day of October, 2023 had since lapsed and or expired thereby constituting a violation of the Applicants constitutional right to personal liberty and human dignity as guaranteed by Section 34 (1)(a)(b), 35, 41 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and Article 4, 5 and 6 of the African Charter on Human and People's Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, (CAP A9) LFN 2004.

An order of the Honourable Court releasing the Applicants forthwith.

The sum of N20,000,000 (Twenty Million naira) each as damages for the breach of the Applicants fundamental rights to personal liberty and dignity of human person, as contained in Section 34 (1)(a)(b), 35, 41 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and Article 4, 5 and 6 of the African Charter on Human and People's Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, (CAP A9) LFN 2004.
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

OpenLife Nigeria reports that 44-year-old Ekiti State University Lecturer, Dr Adenike Olubiyi who is the wife of the suspended Chief Medical Director, CMD, of Ekiti State Specialist Hospital, Ikere-Ekiti, Dr Olaolu Olubiyi narrates her tribulations in marriage as earlier published in Vanguard
Early times of the marriage
We got married in 2006 and July made it 17 years. We met in 1997. In the early times of marriage, there were ups and downs. There were cases of violence then but the major issue was the women palaver.
Whenever I realised that he has started and I mentioned it, he got temperamental about it, which would result in me taking my eyes off it. The bad temper has always been there but whenever he showed it, I used to keep quiet. From the outset, the marriage has been troubled.
Husband and his employee
Before that day, there had been issues. It involved one of the staff members in his private clinic whose employment I facilitated when the clinic needed someone. Like other staff members, she lived in the hospital’s premises. When I got to know about their affairs, I called his attention to it, but he said something else.
He said whatever relationship existed between them was based on work. He also said the lady had someone with whom she was in a relationship, but the person was based abroad. When I also got to know that the lady was pregnant, I called him and asked, but he wasn’t straightforward with his answers.
Nevertheless, I tried to manage the situation until I was being threatened and told to do certain things for the lady, which got me depressed.
In January this year, I informed the International Federation of Women Lawyers, FIDA, because there was domestic violence against me. However, I later withdrew the case due to the fact that I was trying to see how things will not affect him and his career.
Later in the year, the situation got out of hand, especially when he told me to play with the lady and ensure I do things for her. The situation affected me and the children (three boys of 14-year-old, 12-year-old and the youngest, eight). They all became emotionally unstable. Witnessing the violence inflicted on me really affected the children. It was at that time that I realised that my life was being threatened and I decided to leave with the children. Consequently, I filed for separation. Later, we agreed to settle out of court because I thought that things would get better.
Opposition from her family and kids
Even though my siblings didn’t support it (settlement) nor did my parents, I went back because I didn’t want to be stigmatized and I also thought I would be able to cope with him. In October last year, I went back against all odds. The children weren’t happy about it and didn’t support my going back.
But, as children, they had no choice. We continued like that, managing the situation. Recently, there were issues of violence, especially threats that he would kill me. In fact, one incident happened where it was the first child who saved me. It was after that incident that I said, with the way the situation was unraveling, it would be better to find an escape route for myself, so that it wouldn’t result in my death.
On if the matter was being blown out of proportion
Nobody is blowing the issue out of proportion. The day the last incident happened, I was narrowly saved from death. It was a stranger in the compound who called the police that came to my rescue and took me out of the house.
When I was taken out, I was taken to the police station, but when they saw the condition of my health, I was rushed to a private clinic where I was stabilised. During the incident, he squeezed my neck and till now, I use a collar to guide the neck because of the fracture. The incident happened on September 14. When they wanted to discharge me a week after (the following Saturday), they said I would use the collar the next week and be on bed rest for six weeks. I am still using the collar to date.
Fighting back
I never hit him with my head. Anybody will know that it can never be true. How will hitting your head on somebody’s chest make your head break? Anyone that knows our stature knows that it is not true.
Because of this issue, I have reduced drastically. Many people who knew me before do not know me anymore because of the physical changes.
What transpired on September 14
I was at home that day to pick my things and leave, but as I entered the house, he also entered. However, when I went to the house, I was with a stranger (female) whom he didn’t know. It was the lady that later told me that when he came, he locked the gate before coming inside to meet me. When he met me, the first thing he did was to drag my head and hit the floor. He started hitting me after that. He hit me until he began dragging me by the hair to the sitting room. In fact, those that must have looked at me closely when the incident happened must have noticed that part of my hair was removed. It was because of the pull. He pulled me by the hair and pinned my neck down.
He released me after I called his attention to the stranger in the compound as he wanted to go and meet the stranger. But before leaving, he locked me inside. When he left, I saw my phone that he had seized and started calling everyone that I could call. Also, before we entered the house, I had given the lady the phone number of the police to call them should any trouble arise.
Letting the cat out of the bag
I am the kind of person who endures a situation. Many people in the workplace didn’t know what was wrong with me. They were all concerned thinking I had health issues. When they asked me what was wrong, I told them that I was dieting.
I don’t discuss my family issues with people. Even my relatives usually say that I am too secretive because I don’t tell them things. Yes, there were times that I got injured in the process but I still managed myself. It is not everybody that you tell things. Like I told someone, an African woman will want to see how best she can manage issues. I was too considerate. He would use derogatory words against me.
Naturally, I try to study people and design a coping mechanism. I was also running away from stigmatization. It was when I noticed that the thing was becoming life-threatening that I said the best thing for me was to leave. Sincerely, I just wanted to escape quietly with my kids and I was able to take them out successfully. However, I couldn’t take some of my things and, as a lecturer, there are some things that are very important.
Students’ scripts are very important. I thought I would use the opportunity to take my load or whatever I could take, and think of how to quietly file for a divorce.
Staying in the marriage
Even when my family was against my coming back, I was like as long as I could create a coping mechanism, I could live with him. That was until recently when it became life-threatening and I said to myself ‘someone who was saying it and exhibiting it means he was working on it’. It was until then that I realised that it was better I found a way to escape instead of dying like a chicken. Thank God I didn’t finally die like a chicken because I was almost gone.
Threats to my life
He would tell me that if he killed me, he would get away with it. Saying I know he is a doctor. At the initial phase, I would say I cannot die because the covenant I made with my God is that I will see my children until the fourth generation. When I saw that it was being demonstrated physically, I thought that if I die, God will blame me because he gave me many opportunities to leave.
Did he try to reach out to you while you were in hospital?
When I was in the hospital bed, he called, but I blocked the line because I know he has manipulative acts.
Situation affecting the children
For the mental health of the children, up till now, I am still of the opinion that they will need a therapist.
I don’t want those children to be a danger to society because of what they’ve passed through. You know children are made by what they see and hear. Many of the things he did to me were witnessed by the children. The one before this, it was the oldest child who saved me, and that was what got me concerned that these children are going back to school, who would save me if such arises? Is it the youngest child at home?
Family intervention
No family is resolving anything because he has no contact with any member of my family. Will my family say I should go and die? When it wasn’t as life-threatening as this, they were so afraid because of some displays in their presence. There has been a display in my family’s presence, particularly in my brother’s house. My mum was there when it happened. In fact, it would have been in the presence of my dad, but he left out of annoyance because he said he was rude to him. God has decided to give me a second life to live and I am appreciating him everyday for it.

OpenLife Nigeria reports that the Police Service Commission has approved the promotion of 5718 senior Police Officers comprising both General duty and specialists cadres of the Force.

The Commission approved the promotion of twelve Commissioners of Police to the next rank of Assistant Inspectors General of Police, AIG; Nineteen Deputy Commissioners of Police, DCPs to the substantive rank of Commissioners and twenty one Assistant Commissioners of Police, ACPs to the next rank of Deputy Commissioners. Thirty three Chief Superintendents of Police, CSPs were also elevated to Assistant Commissioners.

The Commission further approved the promotion of 265 Superintendents of Police to Chief Superintendents; fifty nine Deputy Superintendents to Superintendents and 4750 Assistant Superintendents and another 146 Assistant Superintendents omitted during the May 2022 promotion exercise elevated to Deputy Superintendents.

For the Specialists cadre, the Commission approved the promotion of two Assistant Commissioners of Police; one from Airwing and the other Forensic to the next rank of Deputy Commissioners; 47 CSPs comprising 23 Medical Doctors and 24 Veterinary Doctors were promoted to the rank of Assistant Commissioners of Police.

One hundred and Ninety Superintendents of Police from the Computer Info- Tech Unit; another eight from Works; one workshop; twelve transport; two forensic; two handwriting; one ballistcs; one religion and one Veterinary Doctor were also promoted.

Forty seven Specialists of Assistant Superintendents of Police rank and of different Units were promoted to Deputy Superintendents.

The PSC Chairman charged the newly promoted Officers to embrace a new policing culture that is hinged on people friendly approach that respects the fundamental rights of the citizens and warned that they should desist from involving themselves in civil matters or trumping up false allegations against the public "as such conduct will not make them win the hearts and minds of the people which will deprive them of credible information from public spirited individuals when dealing with internal security issues.

Dr. Arase commended the Inspector General of Police for collaborating with the Commission in ensuring that for the first time in a very long while, the promotions have permeated all the departments of the Force. " This singular act I hope will motivate the workforce to give back their best in ensuring that issues of crimes and criminality are properly dealt with". He reminded them that they should remember that benefits and burden go together adding that the good gesture of promoting them to the next rank should be a motivation that will ignite the indomitable fighting spirit " which the Police have been known for throughout the years".

According to the PSC Chairman, while the Commission pushes for an improved welfare for the Officers, they should reciprocate by conducting themselves within established laws and rules guiding the Police Force.

Dr. Arase noted that as they go about their policing duties, the Commission wishes them God's protection at all times " and let them be reassured that their interests will be paramount to the Commission ".

The twelve Commissioners of Police promoted to Assistant Inspectors General of Police are, Ogundele Joshua Ayodeji, CP Niger State; CP Patrick Ogon Edung, CP Courses Police Academy Wudil Kano; CP Badru Banji Lawal; Deputy Commandant, Police Academy Kano; CP Bartholomew Nnamdi Onyeka; CP Benue State; CP Suleiman Yusuf; CP Taraba State; CP Idowu Owohunwa; CP Lagos State and CP Rhoda Adetutu Olofu; CP PAP Western Ports Lagos.

Others are CP Godwin N. Aghaulor; CMDT Police College Kaduna; CP Effiom Emmanuel Ekot CP Jigawa State; CP Stanley Kanayo-Chukwu Ude; CP Intelligence and Investigation, Interpol Abuja; CP Longe Kehinde Patrick; CP Osun State and CP Ndu Anene, CP Admin Research and Planning Force Headquarters.

The 19 newly promoted Commissioners of Police are; DCP Shehu Kabir Abubakar; DCP Lawal Babatunde Ayodeji; DCP Shelleng Umaru Yusuf; DCP Emmanuel Agene; DCP Alonyenu Francis Iduh; DCP Vungmoh S. Kwaimo; DCP Danjuma Aboki; DCP Jude Maduekwujolachi Azuka; DCP Dan-Sabo Idi; DCP Ibitoye Rufus Olajide and DCP Adamu Ngojin Isa.

Others are DCP Usman Hayatu; DCP Christopher Ado Emmanuel; DCP Nwanosike Wodi Okocha; DCP Johnson Oluwole Adenola; DCP Olanrewaju Olawale Ishola; DCP Joseph Eribo; DCP Miller Gajere Dantawaye and DCP Henry Ifeanyi Uche.

The newly promoted Deputy
Commissioners include; Ime Udo Udofia, Isyaku Sharu; Benjamin Awor Abang; Mohammed Jika Abubakar; Mohammed Sanusi Ahmed; Dauda Iliya Ayuba; Moses Gana; Ikechukwu Emmanuel Nwosu; Promise Chinedu Udeh and Okey Nwabufo.

The new Assistant Commissioners are Jacob Nneji Egede; Godwin Chike Oti; Chike Jude Ibe; Daniel Okon Akpan and Michael Chukwu Mbatam amongst others.
ACP Inuwa Muhammed (Airwing) and ACP Agbo Usman were promoted to Deputy Commissioners while CSP Okunbo Ruth Onyinmeare; Victor Efobi Iwuamadi; Adenuga Adeday Salami and Isibhakhomen Blessing Ijiomah (medical Doctors) were some of the specialists promoted to the rank of Assistant Commissioners .
SPs Tina Amadi; Egbede Moses; Danjuma Dantani; Benjamin Kurya;
Hussaine Abdullahi; Mba Nnamdi Bartholomew; John Chima Ayah; Sanusi Danlami; Asinim Butswat, Police Public Relations Officer Bayelsa state; Command; Dieke Nneka Josephine; Mohammed Iya Musa; Idris Mohammed Gumel and Ernest Abia were some of the Superintendents promoted to Chief Superintendents of Police. DSP Isah Abubakar was promoted to the next rank of Superintendent while ASP Kingsley Ani and Shehu Salisu were promoted to Deputy Superintendents amongst several others.

The Commissioners of Police and Deputies appeared before the Commission for promotion interview a condition precedent for their promotions.

OpenLife Nigeria reports that Mr. Peter Obi, the Presidential candidate of Labour Party, LP, in the February 25 general elections, has advised Bola Ahmed Tinubu on what to do in the face of current certificate controversies from the school. His speech is reproduced below



Having followed the prolonged identity crisis that recently played out in the American Court System and the controversy surrounding the authenticity of the Chicago State University credentials of Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu, I must confess that I am distressed as a Nigerian

In addition to the barrage of media frenzy that the matter has triggered at home and abroad, I have had the unwholesome burden of responding to embarrassing questions about Nigeria’s overall credibility as a nation to privileged audiences & individuals both at home and abroad in different parts of the world where I have traveled lately

To outsiders, the entire CSU matter as well as Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s many lingering identity question marks has further worsened Nigeria’s less-than-glorious image internationally. Uninformed outsiders now see every other Nigerian as a potential fraudster, certain forger, or identity thief. The controversy is unnecessary just as the implicit global embarrassment could have been avoided

In my opinion, Chief Bola Tinubu should have saved the nation and himself from this protracted embarrassment & undue anxiety. Even this late in the day, however, he still owes the nation and the world a simple debt of obligation that only he can discharge. I call on him to immediately & personally mount the rostrum of his present high office to perform a simple task once and for all time. He should re-introduce himself to the nation he governs and to the world for the avoidance of further doubt. He should let the world know his name, nationality his place of birth, his parentage, the primary and secondary schools he attended with dates as well as the actual universities he attended and certificates obtained. He should indicate clearly where & when he did his National Youth Service. In addition, if at any time he has had a change of name, he should clearly state so and the circumstances. That, in itself, is no crime. This simple task should take no more than a few minutes. It requires no affidavits, prolonged court processes, spokespersons, agents, or surrogates. This task is one that only Chief Bola Tinubu himself through a direct personal statement can perform. He must perform this task urgently in order to lay to rest, once and for the last time, the many lingering doubts & valid speculations about his true identity

A leader can’t outsource a clear unambiguous personal statement about his identity to political surrogates, social spokespersons, lawyers, or any other persons no matter how highly placed. A matter of the personal identity of a leader is too sensitive and central to the functions of the office he currently occupies to be tried with, outsourced, or disguised under the cloak of officialdom. It is also about integrity, morality, values & the rule of law that denies the character of the Nation and its people. In his present capacity as a leader of a nation of over 200M Nigerians, his true identity is a matter of grave national and international interest

The people deserve to know for a certainty the true identity of their leader and this overrides whatever rights he may have to personal privacy. In addition, the international community deserves to know the true identity of the person with whom they will engage in Nigeria. Having stood for an election to the elevated public office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria , Chief Bola Tinubu has implicitly undertaken to cede the rights of a private citizen in favour of a life of open disclosure of his true identity, and other circumstances that may be of public interest.His personal integrity demands no less. The legitimacy of the office he currently occupies demands that much and even more. Respect for the integrity & esteem of the Nigerian nation within the community of nations makes it even more incumbent & compulsory

It’s time to do the right thing

OpenLife Nigeria reports that a major secret about Reverend Chris Okotie, founder of HouseHold of God Fellowship, has been let out by Mr. Femi Adesina who was Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari between 2015 and 2023


In eight years of serving as Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari, I saw humanity in different dimensions: the good, the bad and the ugly. Some people were after us morning, noon and night. Implacable.

We were at the mercy of supposedly Christian preachers who were full of bile, malice and malediction.
They cursed, saw evil visions, gave prophecies which never came to pass, and whipped up hatred from the pulpit against their country’s leadership.
They were akin to Alexander the coppersmith, who Paul the Apostle said “did me much evil.” (2 Timothy 4:14). And like Paul further prayed, “the Lord reward him according to his deeds.”

At a particularly turbulent period during the administration, when my name was everywhere, and the Wailing Wailers and coppersmiths of this world were deliberately twisting and turning whatever I said upside down, calling me all sorts of names for faithfully serving the President, my phone rang. Who was at the other end? Rev. Chris Okotie, Senior Pastor, Household of God Church, Ikeja, Lagos.

I’d known the cleric for a number of years. He had been particularly gracious to a Christian ministry I belonged to, and was also among those upholding me in prayers in my national assignment.

So, on that day, he called me up. “Brother Femi,” (that’s how he usually calls me, and I believe there’s no greater honor in Christendom than to be called Brother or Sister, no matter other titles we parade). “I’m calling to encourage you at a time like this. Please stay loyal to the President. He needs you at a time like this. If everybody betrays him, you must not. You are serving a government you chose to serve, so stay steadfast. Don’t mind the nonsense that some people are saying. We live in a very complex country.”

I thanked Reverend Okotie profusely, promising that I would remain with President Buhari all the way. He said God would help me, and went off the line.

That was a Christian preacher who chose to be Christlike, when many others were excoriating the Christians in the Buhari government, saying we were serving a Muslim fanatic and jihadist. “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

There’s a chapter in my forthcoming memoir titled ‘Buhari and a part of the Church.’ There, you will get to read what some preachers did to us, and how they spewed hatred from the pulpit. So very unlike Jesus Christ. Pity!

‘Working With Buhari: Reflections of a Special Adviser, Media and Publicity’ is in print. Sooner than later, you will get to read it, by the grace of God.

OpenLife Nigeria reports that Pope Francis has made his strongest statement, which is an indirect response to Pastor Chris Oyakhilome of Christ Embassy Church who has preached against the reality of climate change.
Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, 59, founder of Christ Embassy, has, on a broadcast, Titled ‘Your Loveworld Specials with Pastor Chris,’ said that the global climate change campaign, which is a call to action for business leaders, cities and people around the world to change energy habits in order to stop global warming, is a hoax being pushed by liberals with climate lockdown on the horizon.
“I told you,’’ Pastor Chris said in a clip played in the programme, “climate change is a hoax, a deception, from A to Z.”
He continued: “The unrepentant perpetrators want us to believe they are trying to save the planet. They are not trying to save anything, but the plan is to recolonise the world,” the popular Nigeria clergy stated.
Reacting on Wednesday, the Pope leveled heavy criticism at climate change deniers and delayers, amongst which is Pastor Chris Oyakhilome of Nigeria.
“Despite all attempts to deny, conceal, gloss over or relativize the issue, the signs of climate change are here and increasingly evident. No one can ignore the fact that in recent years we have witnessed extreme weather phenomena, frequent periods of unusual heat, drought and other cries of protest,” Pope Francis wrote.

Continuing, the Pope pinned the accelerating climate crisis blame on big industries and world leaders in a blistering statement on Wednesday.
He also called Western lifestyles as “irresponsible.”
“Our responses have not been adequate, while the world in which we live is collapsing and may be nearing the breaking point,” the pontiff wrote in a 7,000 word encyclical called Laudate Deum (“Praise God”).
“Some effects of the climate crisis are already irreversible, at least for several hundred years, such as the increase in the global temperature of the oceans, their acidification and the decrease of oxygen,” he wrote.
He noted that climate change will likely only get worse and ignoring it will heighten “the probability of extreme phenomena that are increasingly frequent and intense,” he wrote.
The pope’s statement is a follow-up to his 2015 encyclical letter Laudato Si (“Praised Be To You”), which was the first ever ponitifcal writing completely dedicated to ecological issues, which have been a cornerstone of his papacy.
The Pope’s position on climate change comes ahead of the UN COP28 climate conference, which starts at the end of November in Dubai, where countries will undergo “global stocktake” to assess how quickly they are progressing towards climate goals.

OpenLife Nigeria reports that the West African Examinations Council, WAEC, has initiated the 76th meeting of the Nigeria Examinations Committee to deliberate on cases of malpractice and irregularities arising from the 2023 West African Senior School Certificate Examination for school candidates.
The body disclosed this on Tuesday via its official X handle.
Earlier on Monday, WAEC appointed Dr. Amos Josiah Dangut as the Head of the Nigeria National Office, The PUNCH reports.
“The 76th Meeting of the Nigeria Examinations Committee (NEC) to consider & decide on the malpractice/irregularity cases arising from the conduct of WASSCE for School Candidates, 2023 begins today.”
In August, the examination body initially released the 2023 WASSCE results, but the outcomes of 262,803 candidates were put on hold due to instances of examination malpractice.
However, the body has assured candidates that information about their results will be communicated after the NEC meeting concludes its deliberations.
“The 76th Meeting of the Nigeria Examinations Committee (NEC) to consider & decide on the malpractice/irregularity cases arising from the conduct of WASSCE for School Candidates, 2023 begins today,” the post read.

What We Lost At The Supreme Court Fire Out Break Monday Morning---Spokesman
OpenLife Nigeria reports that the Supreme Court of Nigeria has offered explanations on what they lost to the Monday morning fire incident at the Abuja office.
OpenLife reports that a section of the Supreme Court complex in the Three Arms Zone, Abuja, had been gutted by fire on Monday morning.
OpenLife gathered earlier that three offices, including that of Justice Mohammed Saulawa, were touched by the fire.
The fire, however ,has been put off by the Court’s Fire Service Department.
Reacting on a live programme on Arise TV, the spokesperson of the Supreme Court , Festus Akande confirmed that fire outbreak occurred at the headquarters of the Supreme Court Monday morning.
He stated that contrary to earlier reports to the effect that three offices were affected, the fire only affected one office.
He explained that due to the fire fighting equipment on ground, the fire was put out as quickly as possible.
Festus Akande added that no life was lost. He however disclosed that the library was affected and books were burnt.
He stressed that Supreme Court is well equipped with fire fighting equipment.
Akande disclosed that the fire out break may be due to electrical fault saying that thorough investigation will be carried out.
Normal situation has been restored, he said.

OpenLife Nigeria reports that the newly sworn in Minister of Works, Engineer Dave Umahi has been accused of creating chaos in the demand and supply curve of the cement industry through unworkable policies by the association of cement manufacturers of Nigeria.
In a statement jointly signed by the National Chairman, Prince David Iweta and National Secretary Chief Reagan Ufomba, on Sunday, the association commended the works Minister’s position on cement-made roads but warned of dire consequences, if the supply end is not addressed properly.
The Association warned that the ongoing plan of the federal government to introduce concrete roads will raise the price of cement to N9, 000 per bag from the current price of N5, 000.
It called on the current administration to permanently address the perennial cement price hike problem by facilitating larger participation in the cement industry, noting that Nigerians have no business buying cement for more than N5, 600 per bag.
As a solution, the cement producers urged the government to lay more emphasis on road design that allows both cement technology and asphalt pavement to run concurrently and provide ample time for a smooth transition that allows contractors to invest in commensurate and requisite equipment and retooling.
The statement read, “Our findings from various parts of the country show that cement sells for as high as N6000 per bag in the rainy season. Our prediction is that it will sell for over N9,000 per bag in the dry season, especially with the pronouncement of the Honourable Minister of Works on cement technology and the marching order on housing by Mr President if the government does not take proactive steps.
“While we commend the Honourable Minister’s position on cement-made roads, we warn of the dire consequences if the supply end is not properly addressed. In fact, it would amount to dereliction of duty not to intervene. And the time is now. To do otherwise is to continue in a worsening pipe dream that prices would suddenly drop on this essential input that will continue to drain the purse of Nigerians, render them homeless, encourage chaos between demand and supply, and worsen the infrastructure deficit it sets out to cure, and lead to an unprecedented price hike.
“We also call on the Honourable Minister of Works to lay more emphasis on the design criteria of roads that allow both cement technology and Asphalt pavement to run concurrently, in turn, will provide ample time for a smooth transition that allows contractors to invest in commensurate and requisite equipment and retooling. We must also as a nation regulate static and dynamic load traffic by introducing weighbridges at access points on our highways. Working in sync with contractors, and allied Ministries of Trade and Investment, Transport, Environment and Finance on realistic policy on cement is most desirable at this critical time.”
The association further requested the government to conclude the backward integration policy of the late Yar’adua administration that was already bringing availability and affordability of cement in the country.
It added, “There has been so much comment on cement and cement pricing of late. What our nation needs is cement that is available and affordable. And this cannot be achieved by mere wishes, faulty policies and programmes, without breaking the chain of monopoly and favouritisms. Nigerians are tired of waiting for a downturn in the price of cement and for decent and affordable housing.
“We call on the Tinubu government to permanently solve this perennial cement price hike problem by expanding participation in the sector with companies who have verifiable evidence of local investment, including greenfield licenses and quarrying. As a matter of fact, we call on the government to more specifically conclude the backward integration policy of the late Yar’adua administration which was already bearing availability and affordability fruits.
“As patriots, it is our view that the government reintroduces backward integration policy and the conclusion of old ones. Consequently, the government cannot be seen to approbate and reprobate by deregulating issues of petroleum products and foreign exchange on one hand and regulating on pricing of cement, essential goods and services on another. There is a need for policy harmonisation and convergence between fiscal and monetary policies.
“Finally, we call on the government to urgently intervene in the foreign exchange market, intervene in restructuring bad loans of manufacturers, and review palliative modules. The cry for elusive FDI will be drastically reduced if all manufacturing concerns are revived. The government must be decisive in the kind of economic policies it intends to foist on the people,” the statement concluded.

OpenLife Nigeria reproduces a piece by Oladipo Oluwole, a retired Ogun State civil service director in which he exposes the history of Yoruba traditional rulers’ molestations and the corresponding consequences arising from unadulterated traditional powers


History, has a unique way of repeating itself, thereby, lending a historic credence to the ongoing hullabaloo, over former president Olusegun Obasanjo’s controversial order by fiat, on some Yoruba Obas to stand up, at the Oyo state road inauguration, in Iseyin town, recently.

History, has it that, the then Oyo District Council Chairman, Chief Bode Thomas, in a similar way to Chief Obasanjo recent outburst, (coincidentally, within the same Oyo district), equally shouted at the then Alaafin of Oyo town, Oba Adeniran Adeyemi 11, the father of the last Alaafin Lamidi Adeyemi 111, for not standing up for him, on his arrival for a council meeting, at Oyo, in November 22, 1953.

Thereafter, Oba Adeyemi 11 was reported to have mystically ordered him to continue barking like a dog, and Bode Thomas, eventually barked to death, days after!

The real question, now, is- " se agbara, bi tii Alaafin Adeniran Adeyemi 11, ko si mo ni" ?- " Is there no more such a traditional commanding power, like that of Alaafin Adeniran Adeyemi 11, again ?

The answer is in the Yoruba wise saying- " eniti, o so ile baba e nu...o so apo iya ko"- the moment one loses one culture and traditions, as a freeborn, ...under whatever guise...be it modernity, religion, politics, greediness,....one has lost the essentials. One will, therefore, occasionally suffer....elsewhere....as an ostracized outcast, and like the prodigal son....in the hands of the 'miscreants',....outside....having lost his ancestral home....as metaphorically explained in the above Yoruba wise saying- 'eniti, o so ile baba e nu....'.

Examples abound of powerful Yoruba leaders....that have been cut down in their prime by the 'world'... having been so deceived/brainwashed to abandon their cherished culture.

Traditional stool is not an arena for charlatans or politico-religious bigotry- but for those who are inherently and naturally endowed to uphold the tenets/rituals involved, and are equally genuinely interested in following/fulfilling divine traditional practices/norms of abstaining from certain unguarded habits, outbursts, conducts, and unholy public/nocturnal social interactions. by becoming the adherents of truth, justice, fairness, divinity, holiness, utmost culture of dignity, glamour, and candour!

Traditionally, Yoruba Obas are forbidden to see dead human bodies or corpses....but, nowadays, Obas' dead bodies/corpses, are being exposed to the non initiated, by laying them on bare floors for their subjects to see, before the religious interment....what an abomination with the dire consequences ?

Religion and politics divide homes and nations- making once bossom friends become sworn enemies....but culture and traditions are unifying....which many modern day Yoruba Obas have distanced themselves from- as the custodians....but eventually turned their palaces into the divisive arena of politics and religion, instead of the natural unifying centers for all their subjects.


Oladipo Oluwole can be reached via 21@gmail.com 08033598528.

OpenLife Nigeria reports that the Labour Party has described a statement credited to Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, as a product of groupthink syndrome.
The party also noted that Soyinka’s statement fell short of what was expected of a statesman of his calibre.
This was contained in a statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Obiora Ifoh, in Abuja, late on Thursday.
He said, “The Labour Party took note of the statement that emanated from the Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka who as an institution we have the utmost respect for. He is a Nigerian whose accomplishments in the literary world is without doubt intimidating.
“However, we beg to disagree with his prognosis and personal opinion on the performance of our party during the 2023 general elections.
“ The facts are before the courts and out of respect for our judiciary, we will reserve our comments until the Supreme Court makes a final pronouncement.
“We understand that the literary giant is human and thus susceptible to emotions and probably said what he said based on information made available to him by those who share the ‘Emilokan sentiment’.
“In Yoruba, ‘Gbajue’ refers to fraudulent activities like age, name or certificate forgery, 419 or narcotics trafficking, all of which are issues in the 2023 elections but not on the Labour Party’s part.
“’Gbajue’ in Yoruba also literally means ‘slap him/her in the face.’ Have all Nigerians not been slapped sufficiently in the face? Thanks to this man of letters for bringing this out albeit, advertently.
“ It’s rather interesting that the erudite Prof. Soyinka who owned up to having an electoral “monitoring unit” conveniently glossed over INEC’s legerdemain leading to substantial non compliance and erosion of constitutional dictates, just as he conveniently glossed over the INEC’s advanced ‘gbajue’ of 25 February that has surreptitiously installed the King of ‘gbajue’ in Aso Rock.
“It is most befudling as well as disconcerting that a detribalized and activist Soyinka would succumb to the groupthink syndrome that subscribes to State Capture by those belonging to the criminal fringe by any means, based on primordial considerations.”
The party further said, “We really appreciate him for at least giving some credits to Labour Party and its Presidential candidate for breaking the monopoly of power hitherto held by the two other parties.
“We also noted his admission of his willingness to be part of a demonstration which would be based on the banner of truth.
“However , we are aware that Soyinka resides in Lagos state and he was in Nigeria in February 25 when elections held in Nigeria.
“He watched probably with a glee when a certain individual in Lagos warned non-indigenes to vote a particular political party or risk being deported to their place of birth, and he never condemned it.
“He was there were ballot boxes were snatched by thugs in a polling booth right in front of his house, he didn’t condemned it.
“We are still looking for where he came out to condemn the unprovoked attacks on our supporters in Lagos by members of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, during the last elections.
“The whole world followed the 2023 general election in Nigeria and there was a global condemnation of not only the outcome of the election but also the process, particularly, the ‘glitching’ incidence that occured only during the transmission of presidential result to IREV.
“As someone who is known to demonstrate based on truth, we didn’t hear as much as a whisper from Kongi reminding INEC that stand by its word.
“He also watched when Labour Party provided evidences of several defaced result sheets permitted and uploaded to the IREV by INEC particularly in places where Labour Party won, again the great Soyinka was astonishingly mute.
“We will not allege selective amnesia as the reason for Soyinka’s wrong prognosis but we would have expected him to be a statesman which we thought he was by remaining on the side of caution and not exhibiting the dual character of someone who may be blinded by some chauvinistic tendencies.
“We would rather keep our impression about his recent dual personality with us. We want to also let him know that building a New Nigeria is a dream whose time has come and Nigerian youths will not relent until such a dream is realized.”

OpenLife Nigeria has reliably gathered that President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared that the late Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi will be honoured with a Special Official Funeral, Category 1, at Ulundi, KwaZulu-Natal.

Prince Mangosuthu passed away in the early hours of Saturday, 09 September 2023, at the recently celebrated age of 95.

The Prince of KwaPhindangene served as Traditional Prime Minister to the Zulu Monarch and Nation and was the Founder and President Emeritus of the Inkatha Freedom Party.

He also served as the first Minister of Home Affairs of the democratic South Africa.

As preparations unfold for memorial events, President Ramaphosa reiterates his deep condolences to the Royal Household as well as the friends, colleagues - including Members of Parliament - and associates nationally and internationally of the late leader.

The State, Official and Provincial Official Funeral Policy of government accords Special Official Funerals, Category 1, to persons of extraordinary credentials specifically designated by the President of the Republic of South Africa.

The Prince’s funeral will entail elements of military honours.

The President has directed that flags be flown at half-mast at flag stations around the country from today, Tuesday, 12 September 2023, until the evening of the day on which the funeral will take place.

OpenLife Nigeria reports that arising from the umitigated poverty unleashed on Nigerians through government harsh policies, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has initiated a two-day warning strike, resulting in a crowd gathering outside the Apapa port as its staff were denied entry.
The NLC’s decision to commence strike comes after it declined a meeting with the Federal Government due to escalating hardships and suffering across the country caused by the removal of fuel subsidies.
On Friday, the NLC issued a notice for a two-day warning strike to protest the widespread suffering and impoverishment experienced across the country, while also threatening a complete and indefinite shutdown of the economy within 14 working days or 21 days after the warning strike if the government did not take steps to address the hardships experienced nationwide.
An agitated seaport staff member expressed frustration with the federal government’s negligence towards the suffering of Nigerians. He believes that the two-day strike won’t be sufficient and suggested a complete shutdown.
Other workers at the Apapa seaport stated their ignorance of the warning strike. An anonymous individual said, “the media were not being factual with the information they sent to the public.
At first, I heard of the strike, and later, I heard it wouldn’t hold.
You know NLC is always not stable with their actions compared to the days of Adams Oshiomole when he was the President of the Union.
But now, we no longer believe their statements; that’s why many of us were not aware of the warning strike.”
By afternoon on Tuesday, the Apapa seaport gates were all locked, leaving many stranded.
In the midst of these developments, the Mile 2 road in Lagos experienced a standstill as vehicles refused to transport commuters, leading to disruptions in some offices in the Apapa area.

National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, Speaks On Rising Crimes


OpenLife Nigeria reports that the National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, has raised alarm over the unmitigated crimes in Nigeria.
The former Economic and Financial Crimes Commission boss said the country is still losing 400,000 barrels of crude oil daily to local and international thieves despite efforts to end the menace.
He lamented that the rising state of theft is worrisome despite efforts put in place by government.

Ribadu confirmed this when he led a presidential delegation to inspect oil and gas facilities at Owaza in Abia and Odogwa in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers on Saturday.
He said the activities of oil thieves and pipeline vandals had impacted negatively on the nation’s economy and were partly responsible for the rising cost of living in the country.
“It’s unfortunate that few individuals would steal our common resources, and in the process cause unbelievable loss to both the nation, communities and the people.
“Nigeria has the capacity to produce 2 million barrels of crude daily, but we are currently producing less than 1.6 million barrels due to theft and vandalism of pipelines.
“So, we are talking about 400,000 barrels of crude oil going to waste with few criminals and economic saboteurs not even getting much out of it,” he said.
Ribadu said the operators of artisanal refineries collect a small quantity of crude oil when they broke the pipelines while larger volumes of oil were spilled on the environment.
“The value of 400,000 barrels of oil today is about 4 million dollars, and every day, we lose this amount because of this irresponsible behaviour.
“If you multiply 4 million dollars by 365 days (one year), you will see that it is a lot of money running into billions of dollars.
“Currently, the country is in desperate need of money as the Naira is continuously losing its value because we earn less money.
“If we earn more money, it will not only help strengthen our currency but reflect in everything, including cost of living in the country,” he added.
The NSA said that the President Bola Tinubu administration was concerned about the development and was already taking actionable steps to address the matter.
He said huge investments made by the government in building infrastructures for the common good of all were being destroyed by few individuals, and in the process, destroying the environment.
Ribadu called for a united front to tackle oil theft and end decades of attacks on the nation’s oil and gas infrastructures.
“We are working hard with the security forces and those employed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited to secure our facilities and end this madness called oil theft,” he said.
On the presidential delegation with the NSA were the Minister of Defence, Baduru Abubakar, and Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa.
Others included the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar; Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, and Minister of State (Oil), Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lokpobiri.
The Minister of State (Gas), Petroleum Resources, Ekperipe Ekpo, and senior management officials of the NNPCL as well as other top security personnel were part of the team.

OpenLife Nigeria reports that a chieftain of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olabode George, has queried the statement credited to former Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike.
A statement was credited to have been made by Wike to the effect that he sought the permission of some leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP, before accepting the ministerial offer from President Bola Tinubu.
Wike who responded to the criticisms at his first press briefing as a minister explained that before accepting the ministerial appointment, he wrote letters to Acting National Chairman of PDP, Umar Damagun, incumbent governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara and Minority Leaders in the Senate and House of Representatives, seeking their permission to accept the offer.
He said all the leaders of the PDP which he sought their permission responded by granting him the permission to accept the ministerial offer.
But reacting on Thursday afternoon on Arise TV, Bode Goerge, 77 who became a Commodore in the Nigerian navy and was appointed Military Governor of Ondo State between 1988 and 1990, said he was not aware of the written permission of Nyesom Wike.
He requested a proof of evidence of the written permission and approval from the PDP hierarchy from Nyesom Wike.
“If he said he wrote a letter, did they ask him to go ahead? I don’t know anything about permission, ” the former PDP deputy national chairman, South, stated, stressing further that proof of evidence is important in such matter.

OpenLife Nigeria reports that 89 years Yakubu Gowon, Nigeria’s 3rd military head of State and civil war hero has, for the first time, revealed what he achieved with Edwin Clark who was the spokesperson of his government.
Gowon who joined the Nigerian Army in 1954 and received his commission as a Second Lieutenant on 19 October 1955 spoke on Thursday at the public presentation of “Brutally Frank,” an autobiography of elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark.
Major-General Yakubu Gowon (retd), under whose administration Chief Clark served as the federal commissioner for information and foreign affairs, said he never had any form of argument with the author.

Gowon said: “I can assure you I’ve never had any difficulty or argument with him. It was most amicable and respectfully given. However, considering a strong personality, there were of course times that he would vehemently disagree with his colleagues, commissioners and military officers and worked hard to convince them of why his own position is better than theirs.
“He was helpful not only in explaining government policies and programmes in the efforts to rebuild our unity in the country. I also find him useful in our vision of building a common identity within the West African subregion.”
The former Head of State noted that “Brutally Frank” is a good chronicle of the events that happened under his administration.
Gowon added: “I, therefore, found his personality and partnership skills assets in visiting various West African countries to canvass the need for us to have a common regional body which today is known as ECOWAS. Of course, our Ministry of Foreign Affairs certainly did a very good job along with his efforts.
“So this book, ‘Brutally Frank,’ therefore, is a very useful chronicle of what transpired in Nigeria during his lifetime of service. I am hopeful that the younger generations would be better informed on the experiences, which has brought the country to what it is today,” he stated.

Born on October 19, 1934, Gowon presided over a controversial Nigerian Civil War and delivered the famous "no victor, no vanquished" speech at the war's end to promote healing and reconciliation. The Nigerian Civil War is listed as one of the deadliest in modern history, with some accusing Gowon of crimes against humanity and genocide.
Gowon maintains that he committed no wrongdoing during the war and that his leadership saved the country.
An Anglican Christian from a minority Ngas family of Northern Nigeria, Gowon is a Nigerian nationalist, and a believer in the unity and oneness of Nigeria. Gowon's rise to power followed the July 1966 counter-coup and cemented military rule in Nigeria.
Consequently, Gowon served for the longest continuous period as head of state of Nigeria, ruling for almost nine years until his overthrow in the coup d'état of 1975 by Brigadier Murtala Mohammed.

OpenLife Nigeria has reliably gathered that the Federal Government will on Thursday arraign the suspended Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele and his associates for N6.9 billion procurement fraud at the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama, Abuja.
The case is for arraignment and mention.
Emefiele will be arraigned alongside a female CBN employee, Sa’adatu Yaro and her company, April1616 Investment Limited on 20 charges of procurement fraud, conspiracy and conferring corrupt advantages on his associates.
Emefiele, who had been in detention since he was suspended from office on June 9 by President Bola Tinubu, was accused of conferring corrupt advantages on Yaro, a director in April 1616 Investment Ltd.
The offence is contrary to section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.
If convicted, Emefiele may be sentenced to five years imprisonment without an option of a fine.
The section read, “Any public officer who uses his office or position to gratify or confer any corrupt or unfair advantage upon himself or any relation or associate of the public officer or any other public officer shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction be liable to imprisonment for five years without an option of fine.’’
In the charges signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Federal Ministry of Justice, Mohammed Abubakar; Deputy Director, Public Prosecution, Mrs N Jones-Nebo and eight other ministry officials, the three accused persons were alleged to have bought a fleet of over 98 exotic vehicles and armoured buses valued at about N6.9bn.
Some of the vehicles bought between 2018 and 2020 included 84 Toyota Hilux vehicles, 10 armoured Mercedes Benz buses, three Toyota Landcruisers and one Toyota Avalon car.
Corrupt advantage
Count one read, “That you, Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, male, adult, sometime in 2018 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did use your position as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria to confer a corrupt advantage on Sa’adatu Ramallan Yaro, a staff member of the Central Bank of Nigeria by awarding a contract for the supply of 37 (Nos.) Toyota Hilux Vehicles at the cost of N854,700,000 only to April 1616 Investment Ltd, a company in which she is a director and thereby committed an offence.
“Statement of the offence: Conferring corrupt advantage contrary to section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.’’
The Federal Government further accused Emefiele of conspiracy to confer corrupt advantage on the second defendant contrary to sections 26 (c) and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000 and punishable under Section 19 of the same Act.
“That you, Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, male, adult, Sa’adatu Ramallan Yaro, female, adult, and April 1616 Investment Ltd, sometime in 2019 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did conspire amongst yourselves to use the office of Mr. Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria to confer a corrupt advantage on Sa’adatu Ramallan Yaro, a staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria by awarding a contract for the supply of 1 (No.) Toyota Landcruiser V8 at the cost of N73,800,000 only to April 1616 Investment Ltd., ‘’ the charge stated.
Emefiele was said to have also conferred a corrupt advantage on Yaro by awarding a contract for the supply of one Toyota Avalon at the cost of N99.9m to her company, April1616 Investment Ltd., in 2019.
The suspended governor was also accused of awarding a contract for the supply of another Toyota Landcruiser V8 for N77.050m to the third defendant in 2018.
Emefiele’s associate
The ex-CBN governor was said to have conspired with Yaro to confer corrupt advantages on the CBN staffer by awarding to her a contract for the supply of two Toyota Hilux Shell specification vehicles at the cost of N44.2m sometime in 2020.
Emefiele was further alleged to have awarded another contract to Yaro and her firm for the purchase of one Toyota Landcruiser VXR valued at N96m in 2020.
Yaro was similarly accused of fraudulent acquisition of property for getting a contract from the CBN for the supply of 47 Toyota Hilux vehicles at the cost of N1,085, 700,000 and thereby committed a punishable offence.
Count 10 read, “That you, Sa’adatu Rammala Yaro, female, adult, sometime in 2018 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court while being employed at the CBN knowingly held directly a private interest as director in April1616 Investment Ltd., in a contract awarded to the said company, for the supply of 47 Toyota Hilux vehicles at the cost of N1,085, 700,000 and thereby committed an offence.’’
Count 11, “That you, Sa’adatu Rammala Yaro, female, adult, sometime in 2018 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court while being employed at the CBN knowingly held directly a private interest as director in April1616 Investment Ltd., in a contract awarded to the said company, emanating from the CBN where you are employed, for the supply of 10 Mercedes Benz armoured buses at the cost of N2,222, 500,00 and thereby committed an offence.’’
Witnesses against Emefiele
Listed as witnesses against the defendants were the CBN Director of Procurement, Stanley Alvan; CBN Head of Procurement, Mike Agboro, Tahir Jafar, David Usman and “any other witnesses to be supplied later in the additional proof of evidence.’’
Meanwhile, a Federal High Court in Lagos has fixed the ruling on the application to withdraw the illegal possession of firearms charges against Emefiele for Thursday.
Justice Nicholas Oweibo fixed the date after listening to the arguments of the DPP, Abubakar and Emefiele’s counsel, Joseph Daudu SAN.
At the last adjourned date, the matter was slated for a hearing of pending applications seeking to stay the execution of the bail and application compelling the complainant to obey the court orders.
But when the matter came up on Tuesday, the DPP made an oral application to the court to withdraw the charges against Emefiele.
He stated that the application was informed by emerging facts and circumstances that required further investigations and urged the court to grant the application.
Abubakar said the application was pursuant to sections 174 (1) (c) (2) and 108 (2) (4).
But the defence counsel disagreed with the prosecution’s oral application, arguing that because the government was in disobedience of the court’s order granting Emefiele bail, its application should not be taken.
He said, “There is no application before the court, there is no doubt and I am not disputing the facts that the state can withdraw any charge before the court against any person.”
Daudu further said that in the past the argument was that there was no Attorney General of the Federation who could handle the case.
He cited section 174 (3) of the Constitution that the AGF has power that can be devolved to any of its officials.
The senior lawyer stated, “We have an application that the AGF has flouted the court order which says the respondent/ defendant should be remanded at the Nigeria Correctional Service but they are not obeying the order.
“The court granted order of substituted service to be published in three national dailies and after they brought an application of stay of execution of the bail and we say unless they obey, that order section 174 (1) can only be by nolle prosequi (I do not want to prosecute).
“It must be in writing, I have never heard of the withdrawal of a case without a nolle prosequi; for the interest of justice we need to prevent abuse of legal processes.’’
“Every application they brought against any citizen of this country under section 174 is nolle prosequi; the government cannot come before the court orally for that. It’s to be by nolle prosequi. At this point in time, there is no application before the court.
“I urge the court to reject the application and order the learned DPP to go on with today’s business,” he maintained.
While responding to the defence argument, Abubakar submitted that nolle prosequi was different from withdrawal and cited section 108 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.
The judge had on July 25 admitted Emefiele to N20m bail on two-count charge of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition and ordered his remand at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre, pending when he is able to perfect his bail conditions.
But the Department of State Security operatives rearrested the embattled bank chief after fighting off NCoS officials on the court’s premises.

OpenLife Nigeria has reliably gathered that there are strong indications that pump price of petrol is expected to record another round of increases, the third within 10 weeks as oil marketers hint that the landing cost of petrol has risen month-on-month, MoM, by 37.4 per cent to N632.17 per litre in July 2023, from N460 per litre in June 2023.
The landing cost excludes other additional costs which includes deport related charges, transportation logistics and marketers’ margin, which would combine to bring delivery at filling stations at nearly N700/litre.
Sources around oil marketers said that the landing cost for August is expected to rise further as the factors that propelled the rise in July figures have worsened as at last week.
Giving further insight, they said foreign exchange has been a major concern where scarcity has persisted while exchange rate has also continued to deteriorate.
As at last weekend Naira had depreciated by about 6.5 percent in the official market and 25 percent in the parallel market since the last pump price raise.
The marketers also noted that cost of fuel import is rising in response to the recent rises in price of crude oil in the international market.
A transactional analysis of a major operator has showed that marketers were paying N604.14 per litre as total direct cost.
A breakdown shows product cost per liter at N578.46, freight (Lome-Lagos) at N10.37, port charges at N7.37, NMDPRA levy of N4.47, storage cost at N2.58, Marine insurance cost at N0.47, fendering cost at N0.36 and ”others” at N0.05 as well as a finance cost amounting to N28.04.
Specifically, the transactional analysis put the landing cost of 28,000 metric tons of imported petrol at over $25 million, including total product cost, total direct cost, total finance cost, capable of generating more than N22 billion as sales revenue, indicating a loss of over N1.6 billion.
As a result of this development, the marketers said it would be unprofitable to import at current pump price, while the government has not guaranteed a free float of pump prices.
Consequently, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, has remained the only importer aside the minor private importation recorded last month.
The situation appears worsening as Nigeria’s crude oil output is now declining threatening the capacity to import refined products.
In its August 2023 Monthly Oil Market Report, MOMR, the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, noted the dwindling output of many nations, adding that Nigeria’s oil production dropped on a year-on-year, YoY, basis by 6.5 per cent to 1.26 million barrels per day, bpd in July 2023, from 1.2 million bpd recorded in the corresponding period of 2022.
It also noted that on a month-on-month, MoM basis, the nation’s output dropped by 3.0 per cent to 1.26 million bpd in July 2023, from 1.3 million bpd in June 2023.

Commenting, the National Operations Controller, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, Mike Osatuyi, said: “It is good because the high crude oil prices mean additional revenue to the federal government. The revenue would likely be used to fund projects and programmes because the government is no more involved in the payment of fuel subsidy.”
He, however, added: “But Nigerians will have to pay more for fuel, which prices have been deregulated. The prices are currently high, but we are optimistic that the prices will fall as a result of competition in future.”

Speaking, the Managing Director of a major operator, who pleaded anonymity, said the instability and volatility being experienced now in the downstream sector have discouraged, not only importation, but also massive investment expected of a deregulated market.
He urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the management of the nation’s foreign exchange in order to rescue deregulation and the nation’s downstream sector from confusion, stagnation and eventual collapse.
He stated: “We have gotten to a point where President Bola Tinubu’s intervention is inevitable. Even if we have the resources to import, we cannot be very sure at what price the product would be sold. So, it is better to hold on and see the way things would unfold in the coming months.”
However, checks showed that the situation could worsen, putting pressure on local and international dealers to adjust prices as Argus, a United Kingdom-based market intelligence, stated: “Nigerian crude values have seen an upward trend over the past few weeks, which could be attributed to steady demand from Europe.”
“Indeed, high crude prices and continuous depreciation of the Naira pose as deterrents to the effectiveness of the deregulation and active participation by more marketers.
“However, as long as Nigeria still has to import gasoline, European oil traders will still look to cover that supply. The volumes, of course, may be less to Nigeria and more direct to other parts of West Africa because of less smuggling, but the prices will still be high.
“We at Argus encourage, as we have been, that importers look more into the pricing terms from their suppliers. For transparency in the supply chain, fairness and more; the pricing benchmark for gasoline should be Argus’ Eurobob.”

OpenLife Nigeria has reliably gathered that the leadership crises which have engulfed the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW appear unabated.
This is coming on the heel of fresh disagreement at the leadership level in which the Vice President of the union, Alhaji Tajudeen Agbede, is sending warnings to the President Alhaji Tajudeen Ibikunle Baruwa, to desist from his unethical ways
Specifically, Agbede has warned the outgoing president of the union, Alhaji Tajudeen Ibikunle Baruwa, to desist from raising a false alarm over the internal affairs of the organisation.
Agbede stated this while reacting to a newspaper report credited to Baruwa that some people were planning to cause chaos at the Abuja national headquarters of the union.
He explained that Baruwa’s action clearly showed he was jittery as the end of his administration had come, adding that Baruwa was trying to provoke trouble by raising the false alarm.
“From the press statement he issued, it shows that he (Baruwa) is jittery; and the fear of losing his seat is already disturbing him. Nobody is planning any protest.
We shall use all legal means to remove him from office. No amount of false alarm can save him from being removed.
“We share joint tickets, and our tenures will expire by August 28, 2023, and he has to go.
In 2019, he was our candidate from the southwest. But now, we have rejected him.
He is gone. It is unfortunate that most of the people who supported him (Baruwa) in 2019 to become president have been forced to join the parks and garages management committee due to his highhandedness and selfish interest.”
The National Union of Road Transport Workers is an independent Nigerian trade union that serves the interests of transport workers in the road transport sector, by calling for collective obtaining and pushing for social stability for all workers in the transport sector as defined in its constitution.
The union, which was founded in 1978, has almost 2 million members, the majority of which are informal workers made up of taxi, bus and truck drivers usually.

OpenLife Nigeria reports that the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) has commended the Republic of Ghana for abolishing the death penalty for all crimes except high treason.
On 25 July 2023, the Ghanaian Parliament passed two private members’ bills, the Criminal Offence (Amendment) Bill 2022 and the Armed Forces (Amendment) Bill 2022 (the Bills), amending the Criminal Offences Act 1960 and the Armed Forces Act 1962 to effectively end capital punishment.

IBAHRI Co-Chair and Immediate Past Secretary General of the Swedish Bar Association, Anne Ramberg Dr Jur hc, commented: ‘The IBAHRI congratulates the Ghanaian Parliament for taking this historic step to affirm their commitment to human rights and the sanctity of human life.
In particular, we applaud Mr Francis-Xavier Sosu, Member of Parliament for Madina and human rights lawyer, for bringing the Bills before the Parliament.
The IBAHRI also recognises and commends all entities, organisations and individuals who worked tirelessly to support the abolition process. We encourage President Nana Akufo-Addo to sign the Bills into law without delay.’

Ghana has not carried out an execution since 1993. However, the death penalty was retained as a mandatory sentence for certain crimes, requiring the Ghanaian courts to continue to sentence people to death, including seven people in 2022. Reports indicate that currently there are 170 men and 6 women on death row in Ghana.

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions has reiterated that the ‘death row phenomenon’ – the emotional distress suffered by persons on death row – can, depending on the circumstances, including the length of time spent in such a situation, constitute torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

IBAHRI Co-Chair Mark Stephens CBE stated: ‘The IBAHRI is delighted that Ghana has joined the worldwide movement towards the complete abolition of what is the unmistakable violation of a person’s right to life.
A state-sanctioned killing still results in a premature death and is as cruel as whatever crime for which the defendant is being punished, and sadly, in cases where a person may later be exonerated the execution cannot be reversed.
We encourage the government to consolidate its commitment to abolition by amending Ghana’s Constitution to abolish the death penalty for high treason and ratifying the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).’

To the limited extent that the death penalty is permitted under international law, Article 6(2) of the ICCPR requires that it be reserved for ‘the most serious crimes’.
In its General comment No 36 (2018), the UN Human Rights Committee has held that this term must be read restrictively, relating only to crimes of extreme gravity involving intentional killing.
Acts that do not result directly and intentionally in death, such as those of a political nature, cannot serve as the basis for the death penalty. Accordingly, the IBAHRI encourages Ghana to abolish the death penalty for high treason in conformity with their obligations under international law.

OpenLife Nigeria reports that Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, while facing his own election before the end of 2025,on Wednesday, announced his separation from wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau.

However, what has generated concerns is the likely or unlikely effect of the separation on the election.
But in the event of over-politicized separation, most analysts estimate that Canada has, to its credit, a history of leaving such private matters alone but with certain exceptions.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, 51, and his wife Sophie, 48, who announced their split on Instagram have been married since 2005 and share three children.
The separation was announced in matching posts written in both English and French. The PM’s office also released a statement to confirm they had reached a legal agreement and reveal that the pair will remain amicable, holidaying together soon with their three kids.
“Sophie Gregoire Trudeau has already moved out of the family home to another residence in Ottawa,” the spokesman added.
“They have worked to ensure that all legal and ethical steps with regards to their decision to separate have been taken, and will continue to do so moving forward.”
According to Canada’s Globe and Mail, the pair will share custody of their three children.
Trudeau will remain at Rideau Cottage with the children, but Sophie has already moved to a different property in Ottawa.

While this is on going, Meta is making good a threat on news blackout.

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has officially started to restrict access to Canadian news outlets on its feeds in Canada.

The move is a response to the Online News Act, a federal law requiring tech giants who link to Canadian news to pay domestic publishers. Google is threatening to do the same.

The legislation is similar to an Australian law – the News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code – passed in 2021.

Facebook blocked news in Australia at the time but restored access after the government amended the code.

Ottawa’s Liberal government has denounced the move to block access to Canadian news on Facebook and Instagram.

Newly appointed Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge, who took over the file from former minister Pablo Rodriguez in last week’s Cabinet shuffle, called the move “irresponsible.”

The government has vowed to stay the course. Meta and Google have promised the same.

In early July, US Senator Amy Klobuchar came out swinging in favor of Canada, urging Trudeau’s government to persevere in its struggle with the platforms.

Born on December 25, 1971, Justin Trudeau is Canada’s 23rd Prime Minister and the proud father of Xavier, Ella-Grace, and Hadrien.
His vision of Canada is a country where everyone has a real and fair chance to succeed. His experiences as a teacher, father, leader, and advocate for youth have shaped his dedication to Canadians.
The oldest of three boys, Justin grew up with the profound influence of his father, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, and his mother, Margaret Trudeau. He graduated from McGill University with a Bachelor of Arts in 1994.
He went on to complete the University of British Columbia’s education program, and spent several years teaching in Vancouver.
Justin entered politics to make change that would better serve all Canadians. In 2007, he built a grassroots campaign to win the Liberal Party nomination in the Montréal riding of Papineau.
He was elected in 2008, and re-elected in 2011, 2015, 2019, and 2021.
Justin was elected Leader of the Liberal Party in April 2013. On October 19, 2015, he led his party to victory, winning a majority government. On October 21, 2019, he led the Liberal Party to re-election, earning a second mandate.
On September 20, 2021, Justin once again led the party to re-election, earning a third mandate to govern from Canadians.
As Prime Minister, Justin leads a government that works hard to continue moving Canada forward.
His team is focused on fighting climate change, creating good middle-class jobs, making life more affordable, keeping Canada’s communities safe, and moving forward on reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.

OpenLife Nigeria reports that early January, 2023, the unending tussle for the stool of the Obong of Calabar reverberated in Abuja as a five-man panel of the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal filed by former Minister of Finance, Etubom Anthony Ani, against Etubom Ekpo Okon on the traditional stool of the Obong of Calabar and the traditional ruler of the Efik kingdom.
The judgement delivered by Justice Amina Augie was dismissed on the grounds that the appeal lacked merit.
Ani had approached a lower court challenging Etubom Okon Abasi and others in their capacity as members of Etubom’s Traditional council for allegedly distorting the screening process of the western Calabar when Abasi Otu was the chairman of the council.
Justice Obojor Ogah of the High Court of Cross River State removed Abasi Otu who was the chairman of the committee for selection of candidates for the stool of Obong of Calabar, as candidate elect, on the grounds that it is contrary to natural justice, equity and good conscience, thereby upholding Etubom Anthony’s emergence as Obong of Calabar elect.
Not satisfied with the decision, Abasi Otu appealed the decision of the lower court at the Calabar division of the Court of Appeal.
While delivering judgement in the appeal in June 2013, the then Justice Garba Lawal, now a justice of the Supreme Court, set aside the selection process that produced Ani on the grounds that he was not traditionally eligible to vote and be voted for at the time.
The judge held that Etubom Abasi Otu was traditionally qualified at the time of the selection process, but also set aside his proclamation as Obong.
The judge therefore ordered that the Etuboms conclave of the palace of the Obong of Calabar conduct another selection process in a strict compliance with the rules of natural justice.
Etubom Anthony Ani approached the Supreme Court, challenging the decision of the Calabar division of the Court of Appeal.
In a unanimous decision, the apex court upheld the decision of the lower court and dismissed the suit for lacking in merit.

But on Tuesday, August 1, Etubom Anthony Ani, and contestant to the Obong of Calabar throne, restated his claim to the Obong of Calabar stool by declaring that he is the Obong of Calabar and nobody can stop it.
Etubom Ani, who spoke when the Ikot Offiong Royal House paid him a solidarity visit, noted that he was selected by the remaining seven Etuboms alive, who carried out the process for selection of Obong to succeed Nta Elijah Henshaw, who died in 2008 and in accordance with the directives of the Supreme Court, which ordered that the feuding parties laying claim to the stool should return to the drawing board to select another Obong.
“After the Supreme Court asked us to return to the drawing board, the Etubom Traditional Rulers Council headed by Etubom Efiok sent a message to Edidem Ekpo Otu to present himself for another selection process but he did not show up and the Etuboms went ahead to select me as the Obong-elect and nobody can stop my being crowned Obong of Calabar.”
He said four out of the seven Etuboms in the Traditional Rulers Council selected him and by virtue of that election, he has been made Obong of Calabar and he would be crowned soon.
Also speaking, Ntufam Asuquo Eyoma, former Nigerian Ambassador to Uganda, said the solidarity visit to the Obong-elect was to show support and after that the Obong-elect in turn would pay royal visits to all the royal houses leading to his crowning.
“Etubom Ani is a true son of Efik and qualified to sit on that stool because both his parents are Efik unlike the other person, whose mother is Efik while his father is not and by that status can never sit on Efik stool as Obong.”
He said Etubom Ani would on Friday meet with the traditional rulers council in Cross River State in readiness for his crowning.
Historically, the Obong of Calabar is the traditional ruler and custodian of the culture of the Efik people in Cross River State, Nigeria in Western Africa.
The Obong is referred to as a natural ruler.
This is because the kingdom predates the Nigerian state and the King signed sovereign treaties with other world powers.
So powerful is the kingdom held that Obong of Calabar, at a time, was bestowed with the additional title of defender of the Christian faith by a British monarch owing to the Obong's documented efforts in helping the spread of Christianity in his domain.
The current but disputed Obong of Calabar , Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu V, is the 78th monarch of the Efik people and has held the title since 2008.
List of Obongs
• Eyamba V (1834-1847)
• Archibong I (1849-1852)
• Edem-Odo Edem Ekpo (1854-1858)
• Orok Edem-Odo (1880-1896)
• Bassey Eyo Ephraim Adam III (1882-1886)
• Adam Ephraim Adam I (1901-1906)
• Boco Ene Nkpang Cobham (1989-2001)
• Nta Elijah Henshaw (2001-2008)
• Ekpo Okon Abasi-Otu V (2008-till date)

OpenLife Nigeria has reliably gathered that governor Ahmadu Fintiri has imposed a 24-hour curfew on Adamawa State.
This is after the vandalisation of the government property by hoodlums who broke into warehouses to cart away COVID-19 palliatives.
Fintiri, in his statewide broadcast, said the government took the action as a precaution, following the activities of “some misguided elements” who have broken into warehouses looting COVID-19 palliatives.
Earlier on Sunday, there were reports about the looting of a government-owned warehouse at Kwana-waya by angry residents, who later broke into the Central stores located at Barkin Kogi and looted food items.
The governor said, “Reports of people dying in the stampede have been received and we cannot afford to allow anyone to lose his or her life.
“We must also avoid a scenario where the security agents will be blamed if any person loses his/her life while being prevented from looting and destroying Government property.
Adamawa is one of the states in the North-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria. It is bordered by Borno to the northwest, Gombe to the west, and Taraba to the southwest, while its eastern border forms part of the national border with Cameroon.
The State takes its name from the historic emirate of Adamawa, with the emirate's old capital of Yola, serving as the capital city of Adamawa state.
It is one of the most heterogeneous in Nigeria, with over 100 indigenous ethnic groups.
The State was formed in 1991, when the former Gongola state was divided into Adamawa and Taraba states.
Since it was carved out of the old Gongola State in 1991 by the General Ibrahim Badamsi Babangida military regime, Adamawa State has had 10 men, both military and civilian, controlling the levers of power, who played crucial roles in transforming the state into what it is today.
Of the 36 states in Nigeria, Adamawa state is the eighth largest in area, but the thirteenth least populous with an estimated population of about 4.25 million as of 2016.
Geographically, the state is mainly composed of the highlands of mountains (the Atlantika, Mandara, and the Shebshi ranges) and the Adamawa Plateau, crossed by valleys and rivers, most notably the Benue and Gongola rivers.

OpenLife Nigeria reports that Nigerian rapper and one of the most influential artists in Africa, Olamide Gbenga Adedeji, popularly known in the entertainment circle as Olamide, has given insights into what to expect in his next album bill for launch in August.

Clearly, the YNBL boss, is looking forward to the August 9 release date of his latest album.
However, the singer has advised his fans not to expect a normal album from him as he insisted that some of them may find the ‘Unruly’ album and videos explicit and lewd.
The singer, who shared track-list of his new body of work on Friday, told Per Second News in an exclusive short interaction that the album could raise dust as the contents may sound offensive to some people who may be expecting something different.
The album, which is Olamide’s 11th studio work features Rema, Fireboy DML, Asake, BNXN and Ckay, among other music artistes, is one of the anticipated music projects in the music industry despite Kizz Daniel and Adekunle Gold dropping albums on Friday.

Speaking with R, Olamide described his album as mixture of the good and the bad, adding that those who love Olamide will embrace the project and run up the number while those who expect something different may be surprised as well.
He noted that he took his time to work on the album and the title being unruly should tell people that it is not the regular album that preaches to everyone.
“It is an album that only the unruly can appreciate and vibe to. I am looking forward to the album dominating the social media and music platforms in its first week of release.”

Born on March 15, 1989 in Bariga, Lagos State, Olamide Gbenga Adedeji is the second of Pa Adedeji's three children with Ronke Osisanya Adedeji, his second wife. TemmyGold and Eniola Olamilekan (also known as DJ Enimoney) are Olamide's two siblings.
Olamide started his career when he released the debut single, "Eni Duro," in 2010. In the same year, he performed at The Hip Hop World Awards. He studied mass communication at Tai Solarin University but dropped out due to financial problems.
Adedeji , also known as Olamide Baddo, is married to Adebukunmi Aisha Suleiman.They have two boys together, Batifeori Maximilliano Adedeji and Tunrepin Myles Adedeji.
Olamide allegedly had a love child with Maria Okanrende, who at the time worked at The Beat 99.9 FM.

The songwriter and record executive has been instrumental to the launching of the careers of several Afrobeats music stars.
He records in Yoruba and English. In 2011, he released his debut studio album Rapsodi while signed to Coded Tunes.
YBNL, his follow-up album, was released under his label imprint "Yahoo Boy No Laptop," aka YBNL Nation.
The album was supported by the singles "First of All," "Voice of the Street," "Stupid Love," and "Ilefo Illuminati."
On 7 November 2013, Olamide released his third studio album Baddest Guy Ever Liveth. The album's singles include "Durosoke" and "Yemi My Lover." On 17 July 2013, Olamide became the first Nigerian to sign an endorsement deal with Cîroc.
Baddo has over 453 million streams on Spotify and his most stream song on the platform is “Infinity” with Omah Lay but the singer said he wants to increase the numbers this time with the project as he continues to entertain music lovers across Africa.

Why Tinubu Did Not Assign Portfolios To Ministerial Nominees---Senator Ita Enang

OpenLife Nigeria reports that the absence of portfolios assigned to the ministerial nominees submitted by Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the Senate for screening during the week generated hot debates and controversies.
Most public affairs analysts frowned at the list the Presidency submitted to the Senate for screening on the grounds of absence of portfolios assigned to each nominee.
They pointed out that the screening would be difficult for Senators who would not be able to ask the requisite questions on the basis of the knowledge and experience of each nominee in relationship of the Ministry the nominee would manage as a Minister.
Clarifying the controversy Saturday morning on Arise TV, Senator Ita Enang, 61, and former Senior Special Assistant, SSA, to former President Muhammadu Buhari on National Assembly Matters (Senate) from 27 August 2015 to 29 May 2019, said there was nothing wrong in sending a list of nominees to the Senate without portfolios.
He stated that it is normal and indeed, that has been the tradition.
Senator Ita Enang emphasized that it is also not against the constitution.
According to Enang who was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1985 at the Nigerian Law School, Lagos after graduating from the Law Faculty, University of Calabar in 1984, “It is not the practice and the constitution does not say so,” he explained.
Further , Enang, who represented Itu and Ibiono Ibom Federal Constituency of Akwa Ibom State in the House of Representatives from 1999 to 201 and elected Senator for the Akwa Ibom North East Senatorial District (Uyo) from 2011 to 2015, clarified that the wisdom behind not attaching portfolios to ministerial nominees arises from the likelihood of cabinet reshuffle which is an integral part of presidential administration.
He noted that ministers are nominated by the President for ministerial positions and that any nominated ministerial must possess the basic academic knowledge to function in any ministry and produce excellent results.
He argued that the Senate could screen and assess a particular nominee on the basis of his knowledge in education and the person would be assigned the education portfolio.
However, should the need arise for the President to reshuffle the cabinet and the education minister needs to manage Agriculture ministry , will the President go back to the Senate for re screening? He asked rhetorically.
Also, Senator Ita Enang who attended the Presbyterian Teachers Training College, Ididep, Akwa Ibom State between 1974 and 1979 asked “Assuming the Senate members are on recess at the time the need for rescreening comes up? What would happen? Do you then go back to the Senate or the President will have to be waiting? Nominees are screened and they can be assigned to any Ministry,” he stated.
It would be recalled that President Bola Tinubu nominated 28 persons as ministers.
The list was contained in a letter read by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, at the plenary on Thursday.
The ministerial list was submitted to the Senate by the president’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, at about 1:19 p.m.
The submission of ministerial nominees was in line with the constitutional provision stipulating that the president has from the date he is sworn in, a 60-day window to appoint ministers.
According to the ministerial list read by the senate president, the nominees are:

●Abubakar Momoh – Edo State

●Ahmad Dangiwa – Katsina
●Hanatu Musawa -Kastina
●Uche Nnaji -Enugu
●Betta Edu -Cross River
●Doris Uzoka -Imo
●David Umahi -Ebonyi
●Nyesom Wike – Rivers
●Mohamed Badaru -Jigawa
●Nasir El-Rufai -Kaduna
●Ekperikpe Ekpo – Akwa Ibom
●Nkiru Onyejiocha – Abia
●Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo – Ondo
●Stella Okotete – Delta
●Uju Ohaneye -Anambra
●Bello Mohammed Goronyo – Sokoto
●Dele Alake -Ekiti
●Lateef Fagbemi -Kwara
●Mohammed Idris – Niger
●Olawale Edun -Ogun
●Adebayo Adelabu – Oyo
●Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim -Nasarawa
●Ali Pate -Bauchi
●Joseph Utsev -Benue
●Abubakar Kyari -Borno
●John Enoh – Cross River
●Sani Abubakar Danladi -Taraba

The Senate President however referred the president’s request to the committee of a whole for consideration.

OpenLife Nigeria reports that the Bank of Japan unexpectedly tweaked its monetary policy framework on Friday, providing more flexible bandwidth for government bond yields to fluctuate.
The nine-member board's decision - an 8-1 majority vote -- will allow 10-year Japanese government bond yields to rise above the current cap of 0.5%.
While it maintained its policy of guiding yields 50 basis points above or below 0%, it added new wording in a statement, saying "it will conduct yield curve control with greater flexibility, regarding the upper and lower bounds of the range as references, not as rigid limits, in its market operations."
"The Bank will offer to purchase 10-year JGBs at 1.0 percent every business day through fixed rate operations, unless it is highly likely that no bids will be submitted," the statement said.
The market turned volatile after the announcement, as it digests the impact of the policy tweak. Japanese yen rose to 138.64 per dollar, only then to fall to 141.07. The Nikkei Stock Average extended its loss during the afternoon session, falling over 700 yen.
Long-term interest rates rose sharply in the bond market Friday morning ahead of the BOJ's policy announcement, with the 10-year yield crossing the BOJ's ceiling of 0.5% for the first time in more than four months.
Unlimited bond purchase operations will continue to be held every day to keep the yields from moving outside the range. The BOJ also has other measures in place to control the yield curve, including curbs on JGB short-selling and long-term fund supply designed to encourage JGB purchases.
The move comes as inflation in Japan has become more embedded than the BOJ previously expected. The central bank projected that the core consumer price index, which excludes fresh food, will increase 2.5% during the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024, from a year earlier. The projection in its previous forecast was 1.8%.
Japan's core CPI hit 3.3% in June, the 15th straight month above the 2% inflation target, accelerating from 3.2% in the previous month. The BOJ, however, projected a 1.9% rate of inflation for fiscal 2024.
A survey has showed that 73% of market economists expected there would be no change to the BOJ's policy framework at this meeting.
The BOJ's accommodative policy sharply contrasts with the global trend. The U.S. Federal Reserve once again raised policy rates by 25 basis points on Wednesday, marking its 11th rate hike in its last 12 meetings. The European Central Bank on Thursday raised its benchmark rate back to a record high of 3.75%.
The BOJ's low interest rate policy has made the yen a relatively unattractive investment and vulnerable to selling. The yen hit its weakest level of 145 against the greenback this year on June 30.

Simon Ekpa Compounds Enugu Governor’s Headache
OpenLife Nigeria reports that Finland-based Pro-Biafra agitator, Simon Ekpa, is adding severe headache to the already traumatized governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah.
Peter Mbah who was sworn in as the 4th governor of Enugu State since the rebirth of democratic practices in 1999 has been enmeshed in a National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, certificate forgery scandal, which has left him less focus on administration.

While that is on going, Ekpa has written to the European Union and the United States of America over alleged human rights abuses carried out by Governor Mbah.
Three people were killed on Wednesday when traders took to the streets to protest the sealing of their shops by the state government for not opening for business on Monday.
Ekpa, in a letter written to the international community afterwards however demanded a visa ban on Mbah for violating the citizens’ fundamental human rights.
He added that the Enugu State government confiscated and arrested people in the state without recourse to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The letter read, “We wish to bring to your notice the gross violation and fundamental human rights abuses of the people of Enugu State, Biafra (in Southeast Nigeria) by Peter Mbah, the governor of Enugu State.
“Peter Mbah is confiscating and locking up people’s businesses and means of sustenance without recourse to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or any chatter, treaty or convention known anywhere in the civilized world, thereby denying the people of Enugu State the right to personal property and free enterprise.
“We request that you impose a visa ban on Governor Peter Mbah and add him to the list of terrorists and haters of freedom and democracy in Nigeria.”

OpenLife Nigeria reports that a popular native doctor based in his home town, Oba in Idemili North local government area of Anambra State was kidnapped on Sunday night in one of his hotels in the town.
The native doctor, known as Akwa Okuko tiwara aki ( an egg that breaks palm nut), was believed to possess power of disappearance, but could not disappear when the kidnappers came for him.
His two personal aides were said to have been killed in the vicinity of the hotel before the kidnappers effortlessly took him away.
Regarded as one of the strongest native doctors in Anambra State, it was a surprise that he was kidnapped with so much ease in his hotel, Triple P Hotel, which is one of the three hotels he built in Oba.
The Anambra State police command has confirmed his kidnap as the state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga said the incident happened around 11:30pm last night.
The state Commissioner of Police, Aderemi Adeoye has already ordered operatives to go after his abductors and ensure his release.
A source said: “Akwa Okuko Tiwara aki has been Kidnapped. Two of his security men were shot dead.
“The ease of his abduction has put a question mark on his rumoured strength,” said the source.
In the meantime, many people have been trouping to his house in Oba to find out if truly he was kidnapped in view of the enormous powers he was believed to possess.
The kidnappers have also not made any contact with his family in terms of ransom to be paid.