₦airaland Forum

The former Special Adviser to former president Muhammadu Buhari, Femi Adesina, is set to return to his job at The Sun Newspaper but this time as the Executive Vice Chairman starting September 1.

Adesina confirmed the new job in an interview with a media outlet, The Crest.

Prior to his appointment into the immediate past administration as the spokesperson of the president, Adesina was the Editor-in-Chief of The Sun newspaper.

Speaking in the interview with The Crest, Adesina said, “I came from The Sun newspaper. I was the MD/Editor-in-Chief. And when I wanted to leave, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu said ‘Don’t resign. You may get to the government and you don’t like it. You can always come back. Or, you may get to the government and stay eight years; you can always come back. I’m going to make you the Executive Vice Chairman of the company.’ Not only did he say it, he issued me the letter. Yes, I have the letter.”

The Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Media Centre says the president’s statement that petrol subsidy had stopped was not a new development but a restatement of the federal government’s intention to end subsidy by June.

On Monday, in his inaugural speech, President Bola Tinubu said the petrol subsidy regime was over.

“On fuel subsidy, unfortunately, the budget before I assumed office is that no provision is there for fuel subsidy. So, fuel subsidy is gone,” the president had said.

Following Tinubu’s comments, huge queues resurfaced at filling stations in some parts of Nigeria — a situation the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) blamed on panic buying.

However, in a statement on Tuesday, the media team said the rush to purchase petrol “is needless” as the president only spoke based on already existing plans.

The team added that the removal of the subsidy will not happen soon.

“The public is advised to note that President Bola Tinubu’s declaration that “subsidy is gone” is neither a new development nor an action of his new administration,” the statement reads.

“He was merely communicating the status quo, considering that the previous administration’s budget for fuel subsidy was planned and approved to last for only the first half of the year.

“Effectively, this means that by the end of June, the federal government will be without funds to continue the subsidy regime, translating to its termination. The panic-buying that has ensued as a result of the communication is needless; it will not take immediate effect.

“Furthermore, President Tinubu was clear about his plans to re-channel the funds previously devoted to the payment of subsidies into better investments that will cushion the effects of the removal on the general public, especially the poor.

“This includes, but is not limited to investments in public infrastructure, education, healthcare, and jobs that will materially improve the lives of millions of Nigerians and increase their earning potential.”

President-elect, Bola Tinubu's official portriat has been unveiled.

This is as he gets set to be sworn-in as the President today, Monday.

This was announced on Monday by one of Tinubu’s aides, Bayo Onanuga.

Onanuga while revealing Tinubu’s official portrait via his verified Twitter handle said that he shall be known and called President Bola Ahmed Tinubu henceforth.

He wrote, “From today 29 May 2023, he shall be known and called President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The glory belongs To Almighty God, the God of all possibilities. And also to us the Nigerian people. Here is the official portrait of Nigeria’s 16th President.”

A magistrate’s court in Akure, Ondo State has remanded a 14-year-old boy, Marvelous Asefon for stabbing his neighbour to death over a girlfriend-related issue.

The remand order was issued in connection to the alleged killing of his 17-year-old neighbour, Sunday Ogele.

According to reports, the defendant was apprehended by the state police command in April for killing the deceased with a pair of scissors during a dispute over a girlfriend in Oka Akoko, which is the administrative center of Akoko South-West Local Government Area.

The charge read, “That you, Marvelous Asefon, on Sunday, April 20, 2023, at 8pm in Kanmu, Oka-Akoko in the Ondo State Magisterial District, did kill one Sunday Ogele, 17, by stabbing him with a pair of scissors in his rib, which led to his death.”

The defendant was subsequently charged with one count of murder. The prosecution argued that the offence violated sections 319 (1) and 316 of the Criminal Code, Cap. 37, Vol. 2, Laws of Ondo State, 2016.

The court did not take the defendant’s plea.

During the proceedings, the prosecutor, Matins Olowofeso, submitted an application requesting the defendant’s remand in a custodial center until advice is received from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions.

The magistrate, Folashade Aduroja, granted the prosecutor’s request and ordered the remand of the defendant. The case was adjourned until June 11 for further hearings.

A Nigerian man identified as Ugochukwu Okpani has reportedly passed on hours before he was scheduled to travel to the United Kingdom to begin his Master’s programme.

Friends broke the sad news on Facebook and revealed that he died on Friday, May 19.


The late Ugochukwu was said to have secured a scholarship to do an MSc in International Relations at a university in UK and his departure date was May 19.

His last Facebook post was on Thursday night, when he informed his followers that he will be traveling abroad to further his studies.

“It’s a wrap, Blessed be God Forever 22:00 Hrs 2go In Omnia Paratus. Put my name on that wall. MSc mode fully activated. #International_Relations” he wrote.

One Ugwu Obinna Oti. wrote; “It’s seems to be like a dream. Last month Okpani Ugochukwu chatted me up to tell me about his admission in Wolverhampton university for Masters studies on scholarship and I rejoiced with him with hope of a reunion here in UK. And yesterday he made a post of his travellings but slept and never woke up.

Xtopher is one of the objective and rational guys in Afikpo who have always stood for the truth and Justice, we did many social and community development work together and he has never been found wanting in any but Death why? Someone should please wake him up from sleep, we are not done yet, this one is too painful to process. Farewell Comrade. Life is indeed fleeting.”

Another friend, Ugochukwu Nwankwo wrote; “WHAT A PAINFUL NEWS: Ugochukwu Okpani, was supposed to travel to UK today to further his studies.

He celebrated on his wall and his friends congratulated him. He slept and did not wake up. No sickness, no complain whatsoever! From Congratulations To RIP, in less than 24 hours…. Uwa enweghi Isi

The Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has approved 37 new private universities.

The approval was announced at an extraordinary Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa.

FEC entertained about 40 memoranda from various ministries, departments and agencies, including the approval for the establishment of 37 private universities.

According to the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, one of the institutions approved is an online university.

He said the newly approved universities have surged the number of private universities in the country to 72.

Although he did not disclose the names of the universities, he revealed that online university would be the first of its kind in the country, and owned by a woman from Bauchi State.

The expectation is that it will cater for the likes of northern Muslim women who feel reluctant or are restrained from attending physical campus education.

Asked by journalists if the additional universities are really expedient given the funding challenges of existing ones, Adamu explained that these ones are all private, with enough funds to run them and they should not be denied the opportunity to exist.

Besides, he said Nigeria actually needs more universities as the available ones are not adequate to take up all those aspiring for higher education.

Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, reaffirmed the seriousness of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to ensure that the proposed national airliner, Nigeria Air, works before the 29th of this month when it will be leaving office.

“Yes, we are on course, we’re on course, and by the grace of God before President Buhari leaves office, it will fly. We are on course, we are on course and before May 29, it will fly”, Sirika said.

A police constabulary and vigilantes in Akwukwu-Igbo, Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State, have been accused of brutalising their cousin, Uchenna Nmakwe, over N250,000.

The suspects brutalised the victim at a family meeting and went away with the N250,000 bride price brought to them by their in-law.

Narrating his ordeal on Thursday to City Round, Uchenna alleged that his cousins used a cutlass and a hammer to beat him up over the money.

He said, “Our in-law said they don’t want a ceremony for the marriage which was held on May 7, 2023. The N250,000 they brought was paid into our elder’s brother account, so we could not share it that day.”

“I was brutally attacked around 6pm in my grandfather’s house by my own cousins, Anthony Nmakwe, Ezindu Nmakwe, and Chinedu Nmakwe.


“They mercilessly assaulted me using a cutlass, hammer, and a pump-action gun. They used the hammer to hit my father’s mouth.

“Anthony is the vigilante chairman of Akwukwu-Igbo; Chinedu is a constabulary with the police, and Ezeidu serves as a vigilante within the Akwukwu-Igbo community. The police have refused to arrest them.”

A human rights activist, Mr Victor Ojei, petitioned the state Commissioner of Police over the incident, accusing the suspects of attempted murder and abuse of office.

In the petition, Ojei urged the police to bring the suspects to book.

The petition noted that the incident was not an isolated case as a previous marriage in the family also led to Anthony allegedly biting Uchenna on his back.

Anthony, who spoke to our correspondent on the phone, said the injuries on Uchenna were a result of the fight over the “N250,000 marriage fee”.

He noted that “bamboo was used to hit him for insulting his elder brother at the meeting.”

The state police spokesman, DSP Bright Edafe, confirmed the incident, adding that the case had been transferred to the police headquarters.

He said, “We have not arrested the suspects; the Area Command, Asaba, arrested his brothers and could not keep them, so they were released. But the case has been transferred to the headquarters.”