Opinion: Nigeria- A Fulfilment of What?

If you are scared of the truth, turning back at this point may be the best thing to do. In reality, the truth is a bastard while the Lie has a father.

Growing up many years ago, I remember my home lesson teacher's assignment. The home lesson itself was a punishment, much more the assignment. This home lesson came not because I was "unbrilliant" but because I was practically stubborn
This day, my aunt had me write in my lesson note:
"Write an essay on the topic: Nigeria, an empty giant of Africa."

 

This was a strong and wide topic for a boy of ten years- I was about rounding off my primary school education. Obviously, I barely knew about life in my family, much more Nigeria save for the fact that things have changed in comparison to now- living conditions and standards.

Till today, that topic rings a bell. I choose to remember that there was anomie in the Nigerian state back then. Now, it's worse.

At a point, I felt nothing could be done to change things. This was not because of pessimism- I've always been optimistic as relates to Nigeria.

Now, thanks to change. I see something making that proposition in my lesson note invalid, thanks to the present administration. However, I believe that her campaign slogan was too wide... Change is nice, change is wanted but change is gradual...

Shout out to PMN. He is a wise man, going after the principle of "tell them what they want to hear."
However, I choose to utter: "Cursed be anyone who lies to the masses in the want of Votes"
and
"Cursed be anyone who for the taste of pottage, sells his birthright"

This piece is coming at this point in time because everywhere near me, an election would take place- My Faculty, my department, my University, my state and Nigeria as a whole. Let Nigerians make open their stand, don't be gullible, yet be wise.

In the words of my Father:
"Go to the ants, consider their ways and be wise".

"This piece seeks to address salient issues as concerns politics. However, any resemblance in the nominal is not purposeful."

FG Declares May 2, 3 Public Holidays for Workers’ Day, Sallah

The Federal Government of Nigeria has officially declared Monday 2nd and Tuesday 3rd May 2022 as Public Holidays to mark this year's Workers' Day and EIdul-Fitr Celebrations.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Interior, Dr Shuaib Belgore disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday night in Abuja.

He said the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government.

The statement congratulated workers across the country on this year's celebration.

"Ogbeni Aregbesola commended workers for their hard work, diligence and sacrifice, noting that their efforts are largely responsible for the greatness of the country and the respect Nigeria now commands in the comity of nations.

"Labour is the very essence of humanity. We are alive because we work and only the dead is incapable of working" , the statement added.

The minister enjoined workers to imbibe the culture of productivity, saying "the end of work is productivity. It is productivity that leads to the satisfactory provision of goods and services and wealth creation. It is, therefore, the path to national and individual prosperity".

He urged workers to raise the bar of their trade-in line with the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration's drive to rev up the vehicle of governance and make all Nigerians derive maximum benefit from the nation.

"The Minister also congratulates all Muslims for the successful completion of the holy month of Ramadan.

Ogbeni Aregbesola calls on all Muslims to imbibe and practice the virtues of kindness, love, tolerance, peace, self-denial, sacrifice and good neighbourliness, as exemplified by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon Him).

"The self-restraint, self-denial, sacrifice and deep spiritual consciousness that accompanied the fasting period should not end but be maintained and improved upon, in order to be a better person and true worshipper", the minister advised all Muslims.

Alongside, the minister expressed confidence that the security challenges in some parts of the country will soon be a thing of the past, noting that the government is putting determined efforts and all necessary measures in place for Nigerians to enjoy unfettered peace all around.

He assured Nigerians that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is fully committed to the security of life and property of every citizen and foreigners alike.

New Man Movement Opens Portal for Gospel Writing Contest Submissions

In an official release which was published in the early hours of Tuesday, 24th January, 2022, on the New Man Movement's website, the gospel organisation announced that it is set to host its annual Gospel Writing Contest.

The New Man Gospel Writing Contest is a yearly project organised by the New Man Movement. According to the release, the writing contest evolved to recognise the efforts and excellence of Christian writers and creatives, show them to the world and ultimately preach the gospel of Christ through creative writing.

 

 

In our chat with Mr. Nelson Vincent Ayomitunde, he explained that the 2023 edition of the New Man Gospel Writing Contest is a strategic assignment in line with the ministry's vision to birth new men by bringing them to Christ. 

 

To participate in the New Man Writing Contest 2023, kindly follow the instructions below.

Theme

The theme of the New Man Gospel Writing Contest 2023 is "Unashamed of the Gospel" (Romans 1:16). All entries must be creatively written in line with the general theme. However, your entries can be in form of:

• Prose/Short Story (maximum of 5000 words)
  
• Poetry (minimum of 30 lines)
  
• Drama (maximum of 5000 words)
• Essay/Article Writing (maximum of 2000 words)
  

These four make up the categories of this writing contest and our top winners will be selected from each of these categories. 

Eligibility

Every Christian and true believer in Christ is eligible to participate in the New Man Gospel Writing Contest. All participants must be creative in expression of thoughts, ideas and grammar as our judges will look out for these qualities in your entries. Each participant is also entitled to submit a maximum of two entries ONLY. These entries can be in any of the aforementioned categories

Submission Guidelines

All entries must be properly typed in Microsoft Word ONLY. Any submission in an other formats will not be considered. We receive a handful of entries each year and we advise that you follow these guidelines to ensure that your submission is valid. To submit your entry into the New Man Gospel Writing Contest 2023, simply visit our submissions portal here to upload your entry.

Submission Deadline

Entries into the New Man writing contest opens from 31st January, 2023 and runs through till 13th March, 2023. All entries must be submitted on or before 11:59pm on March 13th, 2023. There will be no extension of this deadline.

Entry Judgement and Voting

The entries will be judged by our competent team of judges which will be announced before the close of submissions. There will also be a voting stage where our readers, friends and family members of the participants are allowed to vote their winning entries. The judgement phase takes a total of 70 points while the voting stage takes 30 points. As such, both phases are important for winning this contest.

Prizes

The total prize value to be won this year is #200,000 ($500). This prize value includes:

• Cash prizes worth #20,000 for each category
  
• Book and Website Publishing packages
• Brand Souvenirs
• Gift Items from Sponsors
  
• Certificate of participation for all entries and much more.

Partners and Sponsors

Our official partners and sponsors range from individual to corporates, brands and organisations. For our 2023 media partners, we are particularly grateful to DailyReport NG All About Christ.Net, NELOC News, Campus Verve and Chriative Minds Royal Concepts among diverse blogs and media platforms for offering to publish details about the writing contest on their websites.

 

Winners will be recognised at a special award giving programme to be announced upon completion of the writing contest.

For sponsorship and further enquiries about the New Man Writing Contest, you can send us a message through our contact page or directly chat with a representative by clicking here

 

 

Just In: Pope Benedict XVI dies at 95

Former pope Benedict XVI has died at the age of 95, the Vatican announced Saturday, almost a decade after he became the first pontiff to resign in six centuries.“With sorrow, I inform you that the Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI, passed away today at 9:34 in the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican,” Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said in a statement.

The German pope emeritus, whose birth name was Joseph Ratzinger, had been living a quiet life in a former convent inside the Vatican grounds since his shock decision to step down in February 2013.

His health had been declining for a long time, but the Vatican revealed on Wednesday that his situation had worsened, while his successor Pope Francis called for Catholics worldwide to pray for him.

His death brings to an end an unprecedented situation in which two “men in white” — Benedict and Francis — had co-existed within the walls of the tiny city state.

While there is no rulebook for former popes, Benedict’s funeral is expected to be at the Vatican, presided over by Francis.

In 2005 the body of John Paul II, the last pope to die, lay in state before a funeral mass in St Peter’s Square attended by one million people, including heads of state.

Football Legend, Pele Dies at 82

Pele, the Brazil football legend and three-time World Cup winner, has died at the age of 82.He passed away on Thursday. His daughter, Kely Nascimento, confirmed the news on Instagram, writing: "Everything we are is thanks to you. We love you infinitely. Rest in peace."

Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as Pele is widely considered to be football's first global superstar. Pele had been treated for colon cancer, following surgery to remove a tumour in September 2021, and had required regular medical treatment.

After being admitted back into hospital at the end of November to re-evaluate his cancer treatment, he was diagnosed with a respiratory infection before subsequently being moved to palliative care when his body became unresponsive to chemotherapy, Mirror reports.

Doctors and nurses at the Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo duly made him as comfortable as possible, while his wife, Marcia Aoki, remained by his bedside.

Pele made his international debut at the age of 16 and announced himself to a global audience in 1958, when, still only 17, he scored six goals in four games as Brazil won the World Cup for the first time. He scored twice in a 5-2 final win over Sweden in Stockholm.

He won the World Cup on two more occasions, in 1962 and 1970, when the Brazillian team produced arguably the greatest final performance in the competition's history, defeating Italy 4-1 at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico. Pele won the Golden Ball for the tournament's best player.

During the tournament, ex-Manchester City boss Malcolm Allison, working as a TV summariser, asked: "How do you spell Pele?" Counterpart Pat Crerand responded: "Easy: G.O.D."

His 1970 teammate Tostao remarked: "Pele was the greatest – he was simply flawless. And off the pitch he is always smiling and upbeat. You never see him bad-tempered. He loves being Pele.” Sir Bobby Charlton, part of the England side beaten 1-0 in the group stage of that tournament by Brazil, remarked later in life: “I sometimes feel as though football was invented for this magical player.”

Officially, Pele scored 757 goals in 831 games during a glittering career from 1957 to 1977, although his long-time club Santos claim his tally was closer to 1,000.

Ondomind

Wonderland Amusement Park shut down After A Child Was Electrocuted On Christmas Day

Lagos State Govt has sealed & suspended activities at the Kiddies section of Wonderland Lagos - an event venue which was meant to deliver a holiday experience of fun & excitement on Monday 26th Dec. 2022 after a guest was electrocuted at the event venue. Director General of the Lagos State Safety Commission, Mr Lanre Mojola in a joint inspection with the Lagos State Task Force team stated that this intervention has become imperative

to prevent further exposure of attendees particularly kids at the venue to prevent accidents that can lead to injuires and fatalities.

Mr. Lanre Mojola further disclosed that the event venue owner - Mr Ezekiel Adamu had refused to implement safety measures prescribed by the Commission

despite several meetings at the onset of the project following an initial safety inspection exercise carried out on the venue to deliberate on safety infractions observed within the facility.

He further stated that It has however become urgent and pertinent to shut down the facility until all infractions are corrected to prevent users from further exposure to risk especially children and to also ensure that other lined up event are safe for Lagos residents.

The Director General stated that no individual or institution is bigger than the State and it will continually ensure the safety of Lagosians as they go about enjoying the festive season.

He further sounded a note of warning to facilities in Lagos that are not in compliance with the State Safety guidelines on events and urged residents to socialise responsibly.

Ondomind 

Man abscond from marriage ceremony over incessant demands

Drama as bridegroom walks out of engagement ceremony in Imo State due to extortion.He paid N1,500,000 to cater for food, tents, chairs and a public address system.

He was also made to set aside N100,000 as the bride price that the two families had agreed on.

Biobelemoye David was asked to add N50,000 to the bride price because he had already impregnated the girl.

He was slapped with a N10,000 fine for making a detour to the wrong path and ending up in a different homestead other than the girl's.

He was also asked to pay N15,000 to appease the elders who had become tired of waiting for his arrival.

Drama however ensued when twelve girls covered in loose robes from head to toe were paraded before Biobelemoye David and he was asked to guess who his fiancée was.

He pointed at the wrong woman and that led to yet another fine of N15,000.

The decisive moment specifically was when the elders demanded for a refund of the total sum of N850,000 that had been paid as the girl's school fees and upkeep since she started primary school!

Fuming with anger which he tried his best to hide, Biobelemoye David excused himself to visit a nearby latrine and disappeared!

He switched off his phone and was last seen at a bus heading to Bayelsa State from Imo.

Ondomind

Just In: Wike Seals Off Atiku Campaign Office

Governor Nyesom Wike has closed the Rivers State Atiku/Okowa campaign headquarters as part of his new offensive against the Atiku Abubakar presidential campaign.The office, which is in Port Harcourt’s GRA axis, was shut down for causing loud political activities in residential neighborhoods without the state government’s consent.

Based on Executive Orders 21 and 22, Mr. Wike closed off the campaign office.

The Rivers branch of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Council had submitted a written request for permission to conduct political activities on the property.

Before the venue was sealed on Friday, the application had gone unanswered for months.

The seal on the office was deemed anti-democratic and a breach of free speech by the state’s PCC’s media team.

“The public is hereby informed that the sealed premises had no bill board or poster, since the approval had not been given, yet it was sealed off, a sign that the delay in the approval is premeditated and computed to cause this sort of unlawfulness.

“We condemn this act because it rubs off on our fundamental right to free expression of interest. Furthermore, this egregious move by the Rivers State Government, seen in the prism of politics, tends to militarise our democracy and renders our dear state politically recessive when juxtaposed with other states in the country,” the media team said in a statement.

It also advised the state’s party leaders to file a lawsuit in accordance with the constitution’s requirements.

“We urge our dear leaders in the state to challenge this illegality in a court of competent jurisdiction so that friction can disappear from our political space.

“The right to campaign for preferred candidate is enshrined in the Constitution of Nigeria, which is the grand norm from which every other law derives its power.

“Thus, every clash between the Constitution and any other made law should be resolved in favour of the Constitution. The Rivers State Government, we dare say, is subject to the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as Amended).

“It is our duty to remind Gov. Wike and his co-travelers that they, like everyone else, are subject to the Laws of Nigeria.

“Meanwhile we charge the Rivers State PDP PCC, our dear leaders, to see to it that this unlawful disruption of campaign activities does not rattle their cage. They must continue to function as they always had prior to the existence of the Secretariat.

“Tyranny will expire in our state. If the Nazi Regime could die in Germany, then this facsimile of such will die even much faster to the glory of God and liberty of Rivers State,” 

it added.

Ondomind 

Gunmen attack community, set monarch, Deputy Speaker’s houses ablaze

Gunmen went on rampage in Orsumoghu community in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State, setting ablaze houses belonging to the State House of Assembly Deputy Speaker, Pascal Agbodike.The attackers also reportedly set ablaze the house of the traditional ruler of the community and that of the President General of the community, Nze Denis Muomaife.

The incident was made known during a meeting of stakeholders in Anambra South Senatorial Zone with the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Recall that Anambra South Zone had previously been marked as a redspot of insecurity in the state.

Following the persistent and frequent attacks in the Zone, INEC at the stakeholders’ meeting solicited collaboration to ensure that elections in the zone are held peacefully.

Speaking during the meeting, the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Queen Elizabeth Agwu, asked the stakeholders whether elections would be held in those communities because of their current volatility.

In his response, Muomaife, who said his house was burnt down by gunmen two weeks ago, said the community had set up a peace and reconciliation committee to make sure that such issues were tackled in time to ensure that elections can be held in the area.

The REC, Agwu, therefore emphasized that it was about time youths in Anambra State took possession of their lands, noting that insecurity in Igboland (South East) was caused by the indigenes and not imported persons.

“We must hold 2023 elections; it must be credible and the votes must count. This is the time for the youth to rise up in different communities to protect their people.

“We have prepared for the election with materials and men. What we need from communities is to collect their Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs. Non-sensitive materials have been distributed already.

“Anything that will make [the] election not successful in Anambra South should be resisted; anyone caught doing abnormal things during the election will not be alive to tell the story.

“I’m relying on the Presidents-General in all the communities and traditional rulers to secure their areas during the election. Let us avoid suppressing ourselves,” she said.

Speaking further, Agwu said that the corporate existence of Nigeria depends on the 2023 general elections.

She noted that “This nation is seriously depleted today and that’s why we’re talking about unity. Voter education concerns and affects everyone in this country. There are so many ways it affects us, but the problem we have here is our penchant for pursuing money.”

Ondomind 

Fuel Subsidy will be remove, No Matter How Long You Protest, Tinubu Tells Nigerians

Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has said his government will remove fuel subsidy if he is elected president in 2023.Tinubu stated this while speaking at a business luncheon with business owners titled "Business Forward" on Thursday in Lagos.

The former Lagos governor said no matter how long people protest, he will remove fuel subsidy.

In a statement issued by his Media Office and signed by Mr. Tunde Rahman, the APC presidential candidate said Nigeria would no longer subsidise fuel consumption in neighbouring countries.

He said, “How can we be subsidising fuel consumption of Cameroon, of Niger, of Benin Republic. No matter how long you protest, we are going to remove subsidy,” he said.

He, however, said his government will allow the private sector to thrive and be open to collaborating with players in the sector.

“My government will collaborate with the private sector to bring about massive infrastructure renewal that enhances economic opportunities, lower business costs and overheads while producing jobs that spur further growth and development through increased consumer demand. This is the virtuous economic cycle we seek to create,” he said.

He also promised to improve security in the country, saying several measures will be implemented if he is elected as president including increasing the number of military and non-military personnel.

“I am committed to securing Nigerians from violence and the fear of such violence. Terror, kidnapping and banditry have no place in the society I envision. Upon entering office, we will move to implement several measures,” he said.

Ondomind

Ibadan-based comedian, Peteru Comedy, is dead

The entertainment industry has been thrown into mourning as Ibadan-based comedian, Tobi Owomoyela Nifemi aka Peteru Comedy, has died.

The skit maker who is known for his Yoruba take on Big Brother Naija is said to have passed away on Wednesday, December 21. The cause of his death is yet to be made public.

However, his colleagues have taken to social media to mourn his untimely demise. He only buried his father in November this year. He is said to be the only son in a family of seven.

Ondomind

Photostory: Argentina’s Central Bank Considers Putting Messi’s Photo On Currency

Argentina’s Central Bank is reportedly considering putting Lionel Messi's image on their 1000 peso banknote.According to Daily Mail on Thursday, an Argentina newspaper, El Financiero, claimed that the Central Bank of the Republic of Argentina is eager to commemorate the national team's historic win in Qatar and has been working on ideas before the win over France on Sunday.Messi led Argentina to defeat France to win the 2022 FIFA World Cup for the first time since 1986.

Ondomind

Photostory: Temokun Chambers host annual get together, unveiled law school students support scheme, roll out scholarship for students

2022 Chambers' End of Year!

Annual Law School Students Support scheme was unveiled by Tope Temokun Chambers at the 2022 End of Year Get-Together which held in the chambers' Akure office this 21st of December 2022.

The Chambers shall pay annually full tuition fees for two indigent students, one of whom must be from Ikale, which comprises two local governments of Okitipupa and Irele and the second beneficiary could be from any local government in Ondo state.

The event kick-started with a lecture "Who is a good lawyer?", delivered by Barrister Oju Kekemeke in which he postulated that a brilliant lawyer without character cannot be called a good lawyer. He emphasised integrity and observance of ethical conducts for lawyers.

The chambers rewarded excellence, with monetary prizes and this year 2022 most hardworking staff award went to the Akure office secretary of Tope Temokun Chambers, Miss Onyiye onyekachi Gift, with cash reward of one hundred thousand naira, while over all best lawyer award went to Barrister Fidelis Dennis , with monetary reward of five hundred thousand naira by cheque while additional five hundred thousand naira was in scholarship for masters in law in 2023, making one million naira.Copies of the chambers' founder's human rights handbook "Rights of Nigerians in Civil Rule and the Police" were also distributed freely for those in attendance. In this way we end the year strong in Tope Temokun Chambers and in high spirit for more navigations and exploits in 2023.

He added

Ondomind

Second Niger bridge users will pay toll - FG

The federal government on Wednesday, December 21, announced that those using the recently opened Second Niger Bridge will pay toll.Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola (SAN) said the road will remain open till January 1 for inward travelers, and for those on outward journey from January 2 to 15.

The bridge will be shut after Jan 15. Fashola said in an interview on Channels TV;

“Infrastructure is one of the instruments for economic growth and tackling multidimensional poverty.

“The purpose of the second Niger Bridge is to bring relief to Nigerians who traverse from east to west or west to east.

“Especially during the end of the year, we know that it is a logistics nightmare moving goods and services and people.

“The bridge itself is finished. The road linking it to the Obusi end on the Anambra side is finished, except for the interchange which is at different levels of completion. The road linking it to the Asaba side is the one that we could not finish.

“We know that it is a festive period; the ports are busy, sea and airports. The roads will also be busy. As part of the ember month plan, we decided to open it up and provide a choice for people (to either use the old bridge or the new one). We expect that it will relieve the inconvenience at this time of the year.

“We did the same thing on Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

“There is still work to be done there, but we think that it can get better if we remove the construction barriers so that it is a proper thorough fair.

“We did the same thing in Abuja-Kano. On Abuja-Kano, which is 365 km, we have only five obstructions, and they are for safety.

“The current opening (on the second Niger bridge) for motorists is for those going to the East and will end on the 1st of January. It is currently a one-way crossing.

“On January 2nd, we will reverse what we have done and allow people to use it from January 3rd, that is, for those going back from the East to West.

“On the 15th of January, we will shut it down again so that we can finish the 4 km access road that we are trying to build and also complete the interchanges.

“Inevitably, the bridge will be tolled.

Ondomind

CBN increases weekly ATM withdrawal limits from 100k to 500k

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has announced an upward review of its cash withdrawal limits directive.The apex bank announced in a circular issued Wednesday, Dec. 21, that individuals can now withdraw N500,000 cash weekly and corporate entities can now withdraw up to N5 million cash across all channels including Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) and Point Of Sale (PoS) terminals.

The circular was signed by its Director of Banking Supervision, Haruna Mustafa.

The directive becomes effective from January 9, 2023.

Recall that on December 6, 2022, the CBN ordered Deposit Money Banks (DMOs) and other financial institutions to ensure that weekly over-the-counter (OTC) cash withdrawals by individuals and corporate entities do not exceed N100,000 and N500,000, respectively.This sparked outrage from Nigerians and the National Assembly and CBN adjusted the directive.

Ondomind

Returnee Accuses Airport Staff Of Theft, Damaging Luggage

A Twitter user simply identified as Rashiid has accused officials at the Abuja airport of theft and damaging his luggage.

Rashiid, who said he was returning to the country after four years, shared a photo of his damaged luggage on his Twitter handle on Tuesday.

“This was how Nigeria airport staff welcomed me home after four years, stole my Givenchy perfume, other perfumes, bags etc. 'Asin' I even bought this traveling bag for almost 400 euros," he tweeted.

Speaking to our correspondent, he revealed that the incident happened at the Abuja airport on Monday after his flight landed at about 8:00 p.m. He added that he didn’t realise that his items were missing until he got home.

He said the picture of his luggage was taken immediately he took it from the conveyor belt.

“I didn’t make any complaints because I thought maybe the bag got damaged. It was when I got home I knew the things that actually got missing. Even at the airport there is no way I could have known what exactly was missing and we landed at night, so I took that picture immediately I took my bag from the conveyor belt."

Ondomind

IGP hosts Journalists, crime reporters in Abuja, urges balanced reportage and Patriotism

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, psc(+), NPM, NEAPS, fdc, CFR, in the evening of Tuesday 20th December, 2022, hosted journalists and crime reporters cutting across all sections of the media including print, electronic and social media covering the Police beat, to a banquet at the Nigeria Police Officers' Mess, Garki, Abuja to show appreciation for balanced reportage and further cement the synergy between the NPF and the media.The IGP appreciated the reporters for their dedication to ensuring that members of the Nigerian society receive timely updates on matters relating to the Force even as he urges them to enthrone balanced reportage and patriotism in the discharge of their duties. He similarly charged them to eschew sentiments and unprofessionalism while conducting their business.

The IGP felicitates with the media and entire Nigerian populace on the Christmas season, while wishing them a prosperous new year 2023 in advance. He assured of improved working relationship in the coming year, and noted that his administration is committed to press freedom and issue-based engagements which has been the fostering force behind the fruitful interrelation enjoyed in 2022. 

Ondomind f

Photostory: Sanwo-Olu Inaugurates Blue Line Rail In Lagos

The governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Wednesday, inaugurated the Blue Line Rail in the state.According to his aide, Jubril Gawat, the first phase of the infrastructure works for the rail project (Marina to Mile 2) has been completed and is being inaugurated on Wednesday (today).The blue line is one of seven Lagos metro rail lines, spanning from Marina to Okokomaiko.

Ondomind

Ooni hosts Christmas party, roll out scholarship for 50 students

Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, on Tuesday awarded scholarships to 50 students selected from those that participated in the Christmas party he hosted for children in his palace.While receiving the children drawn from primary and secondary schools, as well as schools for persons with Special Needs at his Ile Oodua Palace in Ile-Ife, Oba Ogunwusi urged the kids to adopt good mentors from the society.

Speaking through his queen, Olori Temitope Adesegun-Ogunwusi, who doubles as CEO of the Ooni’s NGO; Hopes Alive Initiatives, the monarch urged the children to remain focused on their education, imbibe the spirit of hard work and look up to good people with impeccably virtuous character as role models.

A statement by Moses Olafare, the spokesperson to the royal father, quoting Ogunwusi obtained in Osogbo further read, “While you listen to music, watch movies and socialize, pick from what is good only. Do not imbibe bad habits because such is capable of destroying you and your purpose in life.

“Kabiyesi cannot wait to hear and celebrate your success stories in the nearest future, so he is urging you to be right and do right at all times.

“To our daddies and mummies here present, we need to train these children to have the fear of God. When a child fears God, they will be diligent, hardworking, obedient to their parents and every other people that they come in contact with.”

The statement further said the 50 beneficiaries of the scholarship were selected after cultural and academic presentations by the children.

Ondomind

Bullion Van Politicians after CBN –Atiku

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar has said that ambitious politicians that run activities with bullion vans are the ones after the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele.Recall that the media space has been awashed by report on how plans has been hatched to frame Emefiele on allegation of financial terrorism.

The Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign Organization has said that it has carefully reviewed the onslaught on the CBN Governor and called for restrain, given the sensitivity of his position to the nation’s economy.

 “This is especially on the backdrop of apprehensions that inordinately ambitious politicians that run activities with bullion vans and raw cash are out to destroy the nation’s financial institutions, particularly, the CBN, for their selfish political interests,” the campaign said.

The Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign Organization, in a statement by its spokesperson, Ologbondiyan said, “it is instructive to caution that the stability of the CBN as Nigeria’s apex financial institution is critical to the economic and social health of our nation and must not fall prey to corrupt politicians who are out to annex and control our national patrimony as well as resources for their personal ambitions.

“Nigerians know the politicians who are desperate for political office as their ‘turn,’ who see our nation and her citizens as an estate for sale, and who believe that their vacuity, many gaffes, manifest incompetence, incapacity for leadership and allegations of smelly past can be perfumed through the dispensing of corruptly acquired cash.

“It is therefore important that those who are after the CBN and her Governor should be careful not to discredit the institution in the process as the consequential effect of such will be disastrous on our already ailing economy.

“Our Campaign counsels such politicians to rather market their programmes to Nigerians

Ondomind