Fisherman found dead in Bayelsa, son missing

A local fisherman identified simply as Pewo has been found dead at the shores of Brass Island, Brass Local Government Area, Bayelsa State.

The fisherman said to be 43 reportedly went fishing on Sunday evening but failed to return while his son, who accompanied him was said to be missing.

The deceased, who hails from Ogbokiri, was suspected to have drowned alongside his son following rising tide and high current at the ocean.

The boy, who was identified as Erogbanyon Pewo, was one of the six children of the deceased.

Confirming the incident, Youth Leader of Sangana fish town, Akassa clan, Kune Johnbull, said the incident followed a heavy storm that affected structures and properties in the communities.

He said: “It even affected our roofs and caused serious roughness in the sea. During this period of June/July the sea is usually very rough and there’s no other option because fishing is the only source of our livelihood.

“This folks must go fishing. Some persons despite the rough sea still paddle their canoe tactically so that they can feed their families. While some try their luck by the river bank.

“The last case we recorded was some years back when two of my friends who went fishing were missing and after some days they were found but we were able to revive them.

“This particular case is so pathetic because we haven’t even seen the young boy.

“After several attempts by several persons to search for the two missing persons, it was just the man we saw”.

It was gathered that the business owners, crayfish and dry fish vendors were all in a mourning mood on Thursday when the floating remains of the deceased were recovered and buried in the community.

Buhari orders Army, Navy, others to source uniforms locally

Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr Godwin Emefiele has met with Service Chiefs and Heads of Paramilitary agencies to enforce Executive Order 003 mandating all Ministries Departments and Agencies to source their textile needs locally.

Speaking at the meeting on Thursday Emefiele said the apex bank now enjoys President Muhammadu Buhari’s support in its efforts to revive the Cotton, Textiles and Garment (CTG) sector.

According to Emefiele, “we have the mandate of Mr. President to ensure that all uniformed services and theatre wears in hospitals and medical facilities be sourced locally from the Nigerian CTG sector. ”

To see that the Presidential Order is enforced, he said “the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) has been notified to enforce compliance among MDAs.”

“Our model in achieving this presidential directive is to facilitate long term contracts (five years or more) with our textile and garment factories to produce uniforms for our armed forces and uniform services using local fabrics and textile materials. We are not naive of the fact that the nature of your jobs will warrant special quality and security around the production of your wares. My team will work with your nominees toward ensuring requisite quality and security associated with your uniforms. Your nominees will also join our team to inspect the various textiles and garment factories to ensure their readiness to be engaged on long term contracts to forestall breaches,” he said.

He added that the CBN will “work out payment terms that fit budget releases for uniforms for various organisations.”

Emefiele noted that the priority placed on the CTG sector was hinged on the belief that “it has the capacity to transform Nigeria’s rural economy and revive the textile and garment industries by creating over two million jobs, improve internal revenue across three tiers of government, and reduce $4 billion import bill incurred annually on textile and apparel.”

He said the CTG sector “has the potential to safeguard and earn foreign exchange and ultimately accelerate industrial development by making Nigeria a global player in the textile and apparel sectors.”

According to Emefiele, “we analysed the huge potentials that exists in the sector, identified the challenges militating against the sector’s contribution to Nigeria’s growth and development and presented quick wins for reviving the sector. Crucial to this resolve is the call for patriotism and the need to support local manufacturers of textile through patronage by MDAs as entrenched in Executive Order 003.”

He then announced that “Mr. President has directed full compliance with this Order as it will help in addressing the pressure on our foreign reserves through demands for forex for the importation of textile and clothing materials.”

Emefiele said “based on the CBN’s interactions with stakeholders, it was revealed that MDAs have not made any significant order for uniforms or clothing materials from Nigerian textile manufacturers and garment companies.

He said the governments’ efforts at resuscitating the textile industry would not be actualized if they are not supported through local patronage among other incentives.

With regards to the primary source of CTG cotton, Emefiele said the CBN has “put in place necessary mechanisms to ensure use of high yielding varieties that will produce top quality fabrics and those that can compete in the international market.

“We have also observed that our textile factories are carrying huge quantities of unsold stock while our garment factories are idle due to lack of local patronage. We are optimistic that with your support, this trend can be reversed.”

Stop Tampering With Local Government Funds, AAC Tells Governor Sanwo-olu

The Lagos State Chapter of the African Action Congress has told Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos State, to stop taking from funds belonging to the local governments in the state.

It was disclosed that one month after the National Finance Intelligence Unit (NFIU) guidelines barring state governments from accessing local governments' funds, Sanwo-olu reportedly deducted over N370 million from a council's allocation for June 2019.

An NFIU source told SaharaReporters that the Sanwo-Olu approached it for a concession but the NFIU did not grant it a waiver to access funds meant for the local governments.

Reacting to the development, Kunle Wizeman Ajayi, Acting State Chairman of AAC bemoaned the action by the governor, asserting that the All Progressives Congress deliberately continue to rig the local government elections in the state to continue to illegally access the fund and cover their deeds. 

He said, “Lagos AAC calls Governor Sanwo-Olu to return the N370 million immediately. We also call on the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), National Union of Teachers (NUT) and other worker's unions to rise up and defend the LGs from the bloody teeths of the gluttony. This is the character of the APC government since 1999."

Ajayi urged Governor Sanwo-Olu to stop tampering with local government funds, “as they are not ATMs for him and his greedy party". 

He added, "This is wicked, illegal, and a colossal theft of the people's common wealth. Lagos AAC will henceforth mobilize our LG branches to start engaging the LGs over this legendary fraud by APC. Everyday's for the thief, one day's for the owner.”

FG shares N208bn to tertiary institutions [See breakdown]

The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has disbursed N208 billion as total allocation for 2019 tertiary institutions’ fund.

Prof. Suleiman Bogoro, the Executive Secretary, TETFund, made this known at the annual meeting of TETFund beneficiary institutions on Thursday in Abuja, NAN reports.

Bogoro said that universities got N826, 684, 392.00, polytechnics got the sum of N566, 701, 842. 00 and Colleges of Education received N542, 226, 346.00 each.

He said that 18 institutions drawn from six geopolitical zones in the country were to receive special high impact interventions.

Bogoro also explained that the 18 institutions that were critically selected in line with the provided guidelines, received N5 billion for the intervention.

He said that six universities would receive N3 billion each, six polytechnics N1 billion each and N1 billion each would go to six Colleges of Education.

TETFund boss said that the Fund had ensured that the beneficiary institutions, who are recipients of the education tax utilise them judiciously.

According to him, the agency is monitoring projects and programmes approved for them by Board of Trustees.

”The Fund had undergone some internal restructuring and realignment for better and efficient service delivery,” he said.

Bogoro said a total of 55 Colleges of Education have benefited from micro teaching laboratory, construction and furnishing.

TETFund boss added that the sum of N19, 977, 522, 916.59 had successfully been disbursed between January and June 2019 for physical infrastructure and library interventions.

He pointed out that the issue of stranded scholars abroad, which caused the nation and the fund embarrassment had been revisited promptly.

Bogoro, however, said that appropriate steps have been undertaken by the Fund to eliminate the lapses that led to the situation.

Meanwhile, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC) commended TETFund in the role played in ensuring the development of the country, especially as it concerns physical infrastructure in tertiary institutions.

Rasheed, however, said that the rising number of tertiary institutions was a challenge, which reduces interventions to the institutions.

He added that in 2019, the country has the largest number of intervention of the institution as more institutions were created.

According to him, Nigeria needs more universities, polytechnics and Colleges of Education but TETFund also needs to be protected so that the volume of intervention can be protected.

”The rising number of institutions is a challenge. Nigeria needs more institutions of tertiary education to provide more access to quality education.

”However, TETFund is also worry that with many institutions, the value of its intervention is minimised,” he said.

Rasheed, therefore, called on administrators of the various institutions to efficiently and successfully administer the funds while also urging them to be proactive in the processing of the fund.

He also called on Chief Executives of the institutions to engage other officials in their various institutions on utilisation of the fund.

It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari approved N161 billion for varsities, others as 2018 Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) intervention budget for 2019 intervention activities in accordance with the provisions of TETFund Act 2011.

Each public university in Nigeria got an allocation of N785,832,700; Polytechnic gets N536,703,502; and College of Education will get N510,084,900.

Fayemi Inaugurates Committees to Fight Gender-based Molestations

The Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has declared that his administration will maintain zero tolerance to all forms of gender molestations in the state.

“Gender-based violence has become pandemic in the country to the extent that one out of every five women must have been raped or abused. We must all work together to fight this.

“We just learnt that a woman was violently molested at Iludun Ekiti in Ilejemeje Local Government. I have asked the police to investigate whoever was responsible and bring the culprit to book”.

Fayemi said he considered the child rights law as an appropriate legal framework that can protect and safeguard the younger population.

Governor Fayemi also appealed to parents to properly utilise the free education policy of hid government, by not allowing their children to be on the streets during school hours. He said: “Today in Ekiti, education is free up to secondary level and there is no reason why any child should be on the streets hawking or loitering about instead of being in school. Under this government, education is compulsory, it is no longer fun.”

He said his government will deal decisively with those who have penchant for child rights violation to save the future of this state.

Fayemi spoke in Ado Ekiti on Wednesday while inaugurating the resuscitated Gender Based Violence Management Committee and the State Child’s Right’ Implementation Committee.

The committees, which are chaired by the First Lady, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, have the Commissioners for Women Affairs, Mrs Moji Fafure, Justice, Mr. Wale Fapohunda, Commissioner for Health, Dr Moji Yayaya Kolade and others, as members.

Governor Fayemi said that the committees were constituted to assist his administration to protect the rights of the women and the common men.

He noted that the committees, which were in operation during his first term in office, between 2011 and 2014, were abandoned after his exit by the immediate past government.

“Laws are made by the State to protect its people and once it is removed from the statute, then it is no longer functional. It should not start and end with a government.

In her response, Mrs Fayemi advised members of the committees to take the task of ridding the state of violators very seriously. She said: “With the phasing out of these committees under the last government,we are going to start our duties from the scratch. It is our hope that you with all the stakeholders will join hands with us to fight this scourge.

“We must take cognisnce of the fact that those being violated are Ekiti citizens and we have to protect them from all these molestations,” she said.

AFCON 2019: ‘They slaughter our people in South Africa, we tore off their pants in Cairo’ – Fani-Kayode mocks Bafana Bafana

Femi Fani-Kayode, former Minister of Aviation, has commended the Super Eagles of Nigeria for defeating their South African counterparts in the ongoing African Cup of Nations, AFCON.

He said the victory of the Super Eagles against the Bafana Bafana of South Africa has given Nigerians “hope, strength and a reason to live again.”

In a series of tweets, Fani-Kayode wrote: “At last, something to be proud of again! MIGHTY Nigeria floors South Africa! Our boys did it! Chukwueze and Ekong did it!

“They slaughter our people in SA but we tore off their @BafanaBafana pants in Cairo! Well done boys! Proud of our @NGSuperEagles! #SuperEagles

#BafanaBafana

“Thanks for showing the world who and what we are and what we can do when we stand TOGETHER as ONE! Thanks for making us PROUD of being Nigerian again!

“And now that we have screwed SA, on to the semi-finals and finals boys and bring that cup back home!#SuperEagles @NGSuperEagles

“If anyone knows this young man called Chukwueze pl tell him that his performance in Egypt last night has inspired a nation of 200million people and given us hope,strength and a reason to live again.

“You were simply magnificent!Nigeria is proud of you! @NGSuperEagles #SuperEagles.”

The Purported Raid On Senator Akpabio's Business Premises:Mischief Taken Too Far

The attention of His Excellency, Senator Godswill Akpabio has been drawn to a sensational report circulating in the social media about a purported raid by the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) of a business premises owned by Senator Akpabio over alleged diversion of generators and hospital equipment. The report is totally unfounded as Senator Senator Akpabio does not own any business premises.

The facts of the matter is that some operatives of the ICPC led by one Mr Tiku and the Border Community Development Agency led by Engr. Susan have been in communication with the contractor handling the contract for the supply of hospital equipment to Cottage Hospital,  Ukana, Essien Udim Local Government Area, a project initiated by Senator Godswill Akpabio.

On July 9, 2019 the said officials of the ICPC and Border Community Development Agency informed an aide of Senator Akpabio that they were tracking constituency projects and would be glad to be shown to projects which Senator Akpabio has executed, a request that was received with great enthusiasm by the aide of Senator Akpabio.

Among the projects visited by the team included a fully built and completed Skills Acquisition Centre in Ikot Ekpene and the Recreation Centre at the Federal Polytechnic, Ukana. They were also shown the medical equipment and generators which were kept in a warehouse which shares the same fence with the hospital.

The officials were very impressed with the execution of the projects and praised Senator Akpabio for the faithful execution of the projects even when the full contract sums were yet to be paid. They promised to make recommendations to appropriate agency for the payment of the outstanding contract sums.

The said ICPC and Border Community Development Agency officials also visited the Cottage Hospital, Ukana where the Medical Superintendent, Dr Mary Paulinus Udoh acknowledged receipt of the medical equipment. The Medical Superintendent before the officials praised Senator Akpabio for his interventions in the hospital including the donation of a dialysis machine and all the parties agreed that the generators should be formally handed over to the hospital on July 10, 2019 by 10 am.

Senator Godswill Akpabio can hardly be faulted in the execution of constituency projects. He has initiated and completed 88 constituency projects cutting across Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District and even extending the projects to the other two Senatorial Districts in Akwa Ibom State with projects in Udung Uko and Ibiono in Eket and Uyo Senatorial Districts respectively. This is unprecedented. Even though most of the projects have not been fully paid for, most of them have been completed and put to use by benefiting communities.

The officials of the Border Community Development Agency created the impression that after the verification and tracking of the projects, they would make recommendations to appropriate agencies for the payment of outstanding balance of the contract sums to the contractors.

It therefore smacks of mischief taken too far that while the contractor as agreed by the Hospital Management was making arrangements for forklift to carry the heavy duty generators and formally hand them over to the Hospital Management,  some political jobbers went to town about a purported raid and diversion of the same equipment duly acknowledged by the Management of the hospital.

We therefore urge the general public to discountenance this malicious report as fictitious, baseless and unfounded. Senator Godswill Akpabio remains committed to the welfare of the good people of Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District whom he had given effective representation as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Anietie Ekong

Special Assistant on Media to

Senator Godswill Akpabio

July 10, 2019.

AISHA BUHARI CALLS ON IGP TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST COZA SENIOR PASTOR

First Lady of Nigeria, Aisha Buhari has called on the Inspector General of the Police, Mohammed Adamu, to take action against the senior pastor of Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA), Biodun Fatoyinbo, over the rape allegations leveled against him by Busola Dakolo, wife of singer, Timi Dakolo.

Aisha Buhari made the call in a tweet on Wednesday, July 10.

While calling for more involvement in the matter, the first lady also urged on other concerned authorities investigate the matter.

“#IGofPolice #EveryoneGetInvolved #SayNoToRape,” she wrote on Twitter.

Her comments comes a day after the First Lady of Ekiti State, Mrs. Bisi Fayemi, shared her near-rape experience in the light of the case involving Busola Dakolo.

The wife of the Ekiti state governor who opened up in an article shared online said she is appalled by the number of women who have come out to shame and condemn the wife of the singer for daring to open up about her bitter experience.

She is also of the opinion that the culture of shaming rape victims and forcing them to silence their pain by parents, family members, guardians, and close friends must stop in Nigeria.

She commended Busola and her husband Timi for their bravery.

Senate President Lawan, Fayemi Felicitate With Okowa At 60

The President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan has felicitated with Delta State Governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa on his 60th birthday, saying that Nigerians should be committed to the affairs of the country.

Speaking with newsmen yesterday in Asaba, Delta State where Governor Okowa celebrated his birthday with people with disability, Senator Lawan stated that Nigerians should serve the country with the passion with which the governor handles the affairs that concerns the nation.

“Governor Okowa is very patriotic, purposeful, dedicated and committed to issues that affect the country,” he said, disclosing, “I served with him in the Senate and I can tell you that he is always committed to the job he is assigned to do.”

While congratulating the governor for clocking 60 years, the Senate President who was accompanied on the felicitation visit by the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, Dr Kayode Fayemi stated, “Governor Okowa is a man who believes in the country despite our different political divide.”

Governor Fayemi on behalf of the Governors of the country, congratulated Governor Okowa, stating, “we members of the Nigerian Governors Forum are proud of you (Governor Okowa), you are a committed patriot and a bridge builder.”

Governor Okowa who was beaming with smile through-out the visit by the Senate President and Dr Fayemi, thanked Nigerians for identifying with him as he celebrates his birthday, stating, “your presence have added a lot of colour to the occasion.”

He used the event to call for consensus building in the country, saying, “it is time to ensure that there is consensus building to make everybody to come to the table and discuss how to take Nigeria to greater heights.”

“At this point in time in our history, good working relationship between the Chairman of the National Assembly and Chairman of the Governors’ Forum is good for our country,” Governor Okowa said.

Ekiti eyes Nigeria’s art, culture hub status

Director-General, Ekiti State Council for Arts and Culture, Wale Ojo-Lanre, has reiterated Governor Kayode Fayemi’s determination and vision to make the state the arts and culture hub of Nigeria

Ojo-Lanre stated that Governor Fayemi and his wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, are conscious of the importance of arts, promotion of cultural heritage and value re-orientation through development and promotion of pristine culture and tradition.

He spoke while receiving a delegation of the Theatre Arts and Motion Pictures Producers Association of Nigeria, (TAMPPAN), Oyo State chapter, led by Chief Rose Odika at his office in Ado Ekiti.

According to him, ‘’It is in that view that the governor deemed  it fit to establish Ekiti State  Council for Arts and Culture with the mandate to rejuvenate, promote and develop arts and the cultural sector for empowerment and economic development of the state .’

Ojo-Lanre disclosed that ‘at the council level, we have embarked on series of sensitisation programmes, participated in cultural events and we are also working on training of younger ones in the creative industry in order to make them  vessels of rebranding and promoting our culture.’

He added that the council is open to ideas from corporate bodies, individuals and organisations in moving the state forward through arts and culture.

“Our door is widely opened to welcome people with ideas and our template is large enough to accommodate, nourish and enhance packages from that can add value of note to the arts and cultural vision of Dr John Kayode Fayemi,’’he said.

Chief Odika praised Dr Fayemi for appointing Wale Ojo Lanre, who she described as a  ‘super cultural and tourism enthusiast’ as Director-General and expressed  optimism about the performance of the D-G.

She said her visit was to intimate the state of her plan to collaborate with Ekiti State Council for Arts and Culture in empowering the youth through intensive training in acting, cinematography, catering, pedicure and manicure among others.

Chief Odika who said the programme is part of activities lined up to mark her 30th anniversary in the movie industry adding that participants  would feature in the shooting and acting of a movie.   She said that Ekiti is a state specially created by God for creative exploits and “we are here to explore these creative blessings for human development” .

Anambra gets new Police commissioner

John Abang has assumed office as the 28th Commissioner of Police in Anambra State Police Command.

Mr Abang took over from Mustapha Danduara, now redeployed to Rivers Police Command as its Commissioner of Police.

The command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Haruna Mohammed, a superintendent of police, made the disclosure in a statement signed on Wednesday in Awka, the state capital.

Mr Abang, a native of Ogoja in Cross River State, joined the Nigeria Police Force in 1988.

Mr Abang, who was born on February 29, 1962, holds a Bachelor Degree in International Studies and Post Graduate Diploma in Criminal Justice Administration from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and UNILAG respectively.

The new CP, according to the statement, joined the Nigeria Police Force as a Cadet ASP on March 15, 1988 and had since then occupied various positions in the Nigeria Police Force.

He had served as the Divisional Beat/Patrol Officer, Divisional Admin Officer and Divisional Traffic Officer at Ikom Division in Cross River State between 1989 and 1990.

The PPRO further said that the new Anambra CP was Commandant Mobile Training College, Gwoza between 2004 and 2007, and Squadron Commander MOPOL 6 PMF Maiduguri, 2007.

The new Police Commissioner also served as Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations Department in Borno State and Anambra State Commands between 2008 and 2009.

He later served as Commissioner of Police, Operations Department, Osun State Police Command, and Commissioner of Police Akwa Ibom State Police Command.

Until his posting to Anambra, Mr Abang was Commissioner of Police in charge of Research and Development in the Department of Research and Planning, Force Headquarters, Abuja.

The statement reeled out several professional courses, seminars and workshops attended both within and outside Nigeria by the new CP.

BREAKING NEWS: Again, Shiites Hold Massive Protest In Abuja, Say They Are Ready To Die

Scores of Shiites on Wednesday in Abuja made good their threat as they embarked on another protest, vowing to die for the cause of their religion.

The protesters marched from the National Human Rights Commission at Maitama through Transcorp Hilton to Gana Street chanting anti-government songs to call for the release of their spiritual leader, Ibraheem El-Zakzaky.

The mob, however, defied the presence of the armed security agents who are patrolling the city in search of the group. 

The leader of the protesters, Abdullahi Musa, said the level of lead poison in the blood of  El-Zakzaky as detected by the doctors was 201.7 milligrams which is abnormal and thereby posed a serious threat to his life. 

"His life is in danger and there is no reason for us to go back and sit down at home. The oppressors always brutalise, oppress and instill fears in the mind of the people.  We are ready to die in this cause and we have said it that we must come and they should get ready. If they like they should come and kill us," Musa stated.

He denied allegations that members of the movement shot two policemen and vandalised 50 vehicles at the National Assembly complex. 

He explained that policemen in mufti should be held responsible for the destruction.

"We have been protesting. Even yesterday the protest took more than two hours peacefully before the police attacked the protesters.  So we will never surrender and we will not stop what we are doing. This is our constitutional rights. It is the right of Sheik El-zakzaky to go for medical treatment and the court has granted him freedom and they should allow him to go,"  Musa noted.

FACTS ABOUT LEAD POISON

* Lead Poison: Lead is a cumulative toxicant that affects multiple body systems.

* It enters our bodies from many sources including defective glazes (pottery), drinking water, contaminated soil, airborne particulate, leaded gasoline, paint and several other sources.

* Symptoms of lead poisoning are stomach pains, constipation, diarrhea, aggressiveness, anxiousness, hyperactivity, muscle pain, weakness, weight loss, learning disabilities, convulsions and eventual death with chronic lead poisoning.

Nigerian Army: Monarch Commends Buratai For Exemplary Leadership

Olowu of Kuta, His Royal Highness, Oba Hammed Adekunle Makama, has commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai for exemplary leadership as displayed by the recent promotion of army officers who have shown courage and gusto in the discharge of their services to the fatherland.

Oba Makama stated this in a statement issued by his media office over the promotion of Major General Lamidi Adeosun, the Chief of Training and Operations at the Army Headquarters who has been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General and Brigadier-General AB Biu, General Officer Commanding 7 Division and Sector 2 Operation LAFIYA DOLE, Maiduguri as Major General.

Also , promoted  to the rank of Captain is Lieutenant AJ Danjibrin of 211 Demonstration Battalion, Bauchi.

He, however,maintained that  the promotion has further confirmed his assertion about the neutrality of the Nigerian Army and that Nigerians can now see what he has been saying that Nigerian Army under Buratai knows no south, nor north or east, but United Nigeria, while attesting to Adeosun gallantry and core professionalism he said the chief of Army staff will never be disappointed.

“ This is unprecedented in the history of the country for a chief of army staff to recommend his subordinate for an accelerated promotion to be on the same rank with him.

“ I want to commend Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai for his rare courage and exemplary leadership. This will also boost the morale of the officers and men to put in their best in the defense of their fatherland, as their gallantry is acknowledged “. He said.

Continuing, Oba Makama said the officers should also remain focus and show leadership to justify their elevation to their new ranks.

The revered monarch however urged the Nigerian Army to justify the confidence reposed in them by Nigerians and end the insurgency in line with the directive of Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Buratai.

“I will kill a rapist at the spot if I see one” – 9ice

Veteran Nigerian music artiste, 9ice has waded in on the issue of ‘rape’ which is currently one of the most discussed topic both offline and also on social media.

Comparing rape to stealing in an interview with Goldmyne, the singer vowed to kill a rapist on the spot in any encounter as he also opted for jungle justice to be meted out to them.

He also added that there are prostitutes one can have sex with, even if a romantic-relationship is not forthcoming.

He said,

“No to rapists oooh. Ladies are plenty naa. Don’t you have mouth to “toast” a lady? Are you mad? If I see a rapist I will kill him. .

It shall not be well with rapists, they wont prosper. Even if you cannot toast them, with N5k, N10k, N20k, you can get prostitutes. They are plenty in Ikeja. Rapist should be killed. .

They should be burnt alive. Rape is worse than stealing because rape victims may not be psychologically balanced again for the rest of their lives, hence the need to kill rapists.”

Tinubu speaks on Ondo APC crisis; tells Gov Akeredolu, aggrieved members what to do

With cracks within the fold of the Ondo State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, posing imminent danger for the party’s chances in the 2020 governorship election in the state, National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has urged the various aggrieved and warring groups to sheath their swords.

The former Lagos State Governor made the plea on Tuesday’s evening in Akure, the Ondo State capital, after a peace meeting which was brokered by the APC leadership in the South-West.

Tinubu, who was accompanied to the state by the former Osun State Governor, Bisi Akande who was also the former APC interim National Chairman, stressed that political crisis is not strange to party politics but it must be resolve in the overall interest of the party and the benefits of all members.

While emphasising that the 2020 governorship election is crucial for the party’s victory, he enjoined the aggrieved leaders and members to close ranks and work towards the common goal of winning the election for the party.

Tinubu, who spoke at the Dome, Alagbaka, Akure, shortly after a closed door meeting with APC stalwarts in Ijapo area of the state capital, said that, “We are leaving one thing behind. The charity that must begin at home.

“We want to win the next election in Ondo State and every other elections. The solution is in your hands. We want to thank you for your commitment to the party.

“We apply conflict resolution mechanism which is part of politics to resolve any other problem and smoothen the edges.

“The next move is unity; talking together, consulting one another and working together for the interests of our party and in particular Ondo state.”

Also on the entourage of Tinubu, who was received at the Akure Airport by Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu and his Ekiti State counterpart, Kayode Fayemi, were the former governors of Ogun and Ekiti states, Segun Osoba and Niyi Adebayo, alongside other chieftains of the party in the South-West.

Prominent Ondo APC leaders at the meeting were: Ondo State Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi, state Chairman of the party, Ade Adetimehin, former chairman, Isaac Kekemeke, Olusola Oke, APC Board of Trustees, BoT member, Alhaji Ali Olanusi, Segun Abraham among others.

Speaking with newsmen on what was discussed at the meeting, Chief Bisi Akande, former governor of Osun state, said the APC leaders had resolved to mend the broken fences in APC in Ondo state and they have been instructed to work together.

“We talked how we shall win next election resoundingly. You see all our leaders coming out together laughing and happy. We have our leaders in Ondo and we have told them to go and do their job and bring our party together as one.

“We shall also keep encouraging our leaders in Ondo state to do what we have agreed to which is unity at all level,” Akande said.

The former Chairman of the party in the state, Hon. Isaacs Kekemeke, expressed satisfaction, saying all aggrieved members have agreed to sit down and find solution to the party’s problem in the state.

“We have agreed that we will work together and we have agreed to find a domestic solution to address our domestic problem.

“So in a short while we will be putting ourselves together and proffer domestic solution to our domestic problem as motivated and encouraged by our National leader.

“We have all agreed that we have offended ourselves and that the better thing to do is to forgive ourselves and make comprise the way forward and thee most important thing is to build a platform and move the party forward.”

On his part, Chief Olusola Oke said the “leadership of the party in the South-West met with us to foster peace and unity and we have resolved on some fundamentals.

“We will meet again to pursue the fundamentals and when we finally resolve, we will brief them.”

We recalls that the Ondo State APC have been enmeshed in series of crisis which started immediately after the party’s governorship primary which saw to the emergence of various factions of the party after some of the aspirants faulted the outcome of the primary.

Also the last general elections further polarized the already divided ranks within the party after accusations of imposition of candidates by the national leadership of the party and counter-accusations of alleged anti-party activities of the governor and the state exco of the party.

Governor Dapo Abiodun Names Key Advisers

As the Ogun State government settles down to work, Governor Dapo Abiodun has approved the appointment of seven senior aides.

The new appointees are;

Chief Economic Adviser - Dapo Okubadejo;
Senior Special Adviser on Political Affairs - Hon, Tunji Egbetokun;
Special Adviser on Information - Modele Sarafa-Yusuf;
Special Adviser, Government House - Hon. Babatunde Olaotan;
Special Adviser on Job Creation and Youth Empowerment - Mr Lekan Olude;
Special Adviser on Housing – Jamiu Akande Omoniyi; and
Senior Special Assistant on New Media - SF Emmanuel Ojo.

The Chief Economic Adviser, Dapo Okubadejo is a Partner & Africa Head of Deal Advisory & Private Equity at KPMG. He is an expert on Corporate Finance, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Project Finance, Investments, Private Equity and business transformation. With about 28 years of professional experience, he has acted as Corporate Financial Adviser to many foreign and local investors in Nigeria and across Africa.

Dapo started his professional career in Arthur Andersen in 1992 and spent over a decade where he rose to the position of Senior Manager and consulted for more than 40 companies in oil & gas, consumer goods and financial services on many projects in Assurance, Business Strategy & Planning, Financial Restructuring and Business Transformation.

In 2006, Dapo was promoted to the KPMG partnership as an Equity Partner and rose to become the Head of Deal Advisory & Private Equity for West Africa and Africa in 2009 and 2012 respectively. He was elected to the KPMG Nigeria Policy Board in 2017.

Dapo is a recognized expert on Africa business and investments landscape and has been invited as a resource person, faculty, panelist and moderator at many international conferences, seminars and fora such as the World Economic Forum, Harvard Business School Africa forum, London Business School Africa, among others. He has written many articles on investment opportunities in Nigeria and Africa, Doing business in Africa and Private Equity in Nigeria and has delivered many lectures on corporate finance, business valuations, IPO and private equity.

Dapo and his team have won many international awards and recognition, the latest of which is the 2018 Global Financial Advisor award by the Private Equity Africa organization for the second consecutive year.

Dapo Okubadejo holds a 2nd Class Upper Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture from Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria in 1990 & as a UK FCO Chevening Scholar, holds a Master of Finance degree in International Finance with Distinction from the University of Glasgow, UK in 2003. He is a Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA) from the National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts, USA. He qualified as an Associate Chartered Accountant (ACA) of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria in 1996 and became a Fellow (FCA) in 2006. He is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria. He is an alumnus of the Global Executive Leadership program of INSEAD, France as well as the Lagos Business School, Gordon Institute of Business Studies (GIBS) South Africa, London Business School UK and Harvard Business School USA, where he attended several leadership and management development courses.

The Senior Special Adviser on Political Affairs, Hon. Tunji Egbetokun was Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly between 2008 and 2011. He had also served in the capacity of Senior Special Adviser, Political and Intergovernmental Affairs between 2011 and 2014. Before then, he was Secretary to the Obafemi Owode Local Government.

The new Special Adviser on Information, Modele Sarafa-Yusuf, is an award-winning media practitioner with a cumulative 32 years of experience in journalism and Marketing Communications. She has varied experience contributing to, and leading, corporate marketing and internal communications. Sarafa-Yusuf is a respected leader of sponsorships and public relations departments and a Concept developer and coordinator of marketing campaigns which effectively reinforce and build brand image.

The first woman sportscaster in Africa, and a 1996 Nigerian Media Merit Award winner, she has been described as one of the best sportscasters that Nigeria ever produced.

In 16 years of journalism with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Modele was not only a sports broadcaster, she was also a columnist for magazines, a guest writer for newspapers, a script writer for television shows and a producer of documentaries and programmes for radio and television: in fields as diverse as business, culinary, current affairs, crime, and education.

Between 2007 and 2011, she was Globacom’s Head of Sponsorships (West Africa), at which time she led a team of very talented people on projects such as the Glo CAF Awards, The Lagos International Half Marathon, The Glo Premier League in Nigeria and Ghana, and the first-in-Africa relationship with Manchester United FC among others.

Before then, she was Marketing Communications /Sponsorship Manager with Globacom at the inception of the company in 2003.

Between 2012 and 2013, Modele was Director of Marketing at the prestigious American University of Nigeria, and upon retirement, she returned to her first love: the world of journalism. She currently produces and anchors arguably Nigeria’s highest rated TV personality interview program: "View From the Top". She also works as an Independent Communications Consultant for several organizations.

Modele has a Bachelor's degree in English from the University of Ife and a Master's degree in Public Administration from the University of Lagos.

Award winning entrepreneur and technocrat with expertise in building and backing enduring companies across African, Olalekan Adeniyi Olude, the new Special Adviser on Job Creation and Youth Empowerment started his career as a Technology Analyst with Goldman Sachs, arguably the largest investment bank in the world. He holds an OND in Electrical Engineering at the Federal Polytechnic Ilaro, a BSc in Computer Science and Engineering. Olude is an alumnus of Lagos Business School and the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. His forte is building pan-African businesses and his strength lies in maximizing outcomes for people. Until his appointment, Olude was co-founder and Executive Director at Rovedana Limited, a business process outsourcing company that provides employment to more than 2000 Nigerians across different industries and specializations by upscaling them and placing them into employment with over 100 companies. He was also a co-founder of Jobberman Limited, the leading job site in sub-Saharan Africa and was a founding partner of the African Talents Company in South Africa – a pan African Executive Recruitment Company with offices in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and Tanzania.

The new Special Adviser on Housing is 50-year-old Jamiu Akande Omoniyi. He is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (FCA). He started his working career with Berger Paints Nigeria PLC in 1994 where he rose to become Credit Controller. He was Regional Director (North) Abbey Mortgage PLC. In April 2009, he resigned to float his business conglomerate C2Q Holding. The Estate development arm of his company has delivered homes to 5,000 Nigerian families in Abuja and Lagos.    

Hon (Otunba) Babatunde Olaotan, the Special Adviser (Government House) was born September 13, 1972, in Ilaro Ogun State.  He obtained a 1997 Ordinary National Diploma (OND) in Accounting at Federal Polytechnic Ilaro and Higher National Diploma (HND) from the same institution in 1999. After a brief stint at First Bank of Nigeria, he was appointed by the Yewa South Local Government as Supervisor for Agriculture. In 2004, Babatunde Olaotan was in Manchester College of Professional studies, where he studied computer and information technology. He started his working career with NWSG Company in the United Kingdom (UK) before relocating to the United States of America in 2007, where he studied Nursing at Camtech International College Newark Delaware USA. He also worked at Cadia Rehabilitation Wilinton and Regal Height Nursing Home.

He became the Personal Assistant on Political matters to the Senator Olamilekan Solomon Adeola (Yayi) in August 2015.

HBO is also the Personal Assistant to the new Executive Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dr Dapo Abiodun. He was the Deputy Director, Contacts and Mobilization for Dapo Abiodun Campaign Organization. He served as the Chairman Transport committee for Prince Dapo Abiodun Pre- Inauguration activities.

Emmanuel Adediran Ojo is a New Media expert with specialties in New Media Analytics and Digital Marketing. His extensive experience spans over nine (9) years. He hails from Imeko, in Imeko Afon Local Government area of Ogun state. A seasoned professional in the development and deployment of strategic media engagement, Emmanuel Ojo has extensive knowledge of new media trends, tools and analytics platforms and he often deploy same in strategic communication, monitoring, reporting and digital analysis. igital and social media landscape. This unique skill facilitates his significant ability in tracking, monitoring, and analyzing public and personal reputation in a unique form. In his career so far, he has worked with different online groups. He is a resourceful and savvy online specialist who is not only able to oversee various social media channels, but is also able to contribute to its daily content offering and audience conversion.

Ojo was the Head of New Media department at Infostrategy Limited He was also part of the media intervention team for National Identity Management Commission's, (NIMC) public sensitization on National Identity Number (NIN) project in 2013/2014.

He is a thoroughbred perception manager with proven skills in Public and Political Communication especially in the Ogun state political terrain. He once served as a member of PDP Presidential Online Media team in 2015.

Ojo holds a Higher National Diploma in Business Administration and Management Studies from the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta. He also bagged a Second Class Upper division Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) degree in Business Management from Crescent University, Abeokuta. He has attended various Business development and New Media Marketing Trainings and Work Shops across the country and beyond.

Emmanuel Ojo is a recipient of 17 Awards of recognition from various social and professional bodies. In 2013, he was invited into the Junior Chamber International, Nigeria Noble House as a JCIN Ambassador.

Until his appointment, he was the Assistant Media Director for Dapo Abiodun Campaign Organization - DACO and also served as the Secretary, Media and Publicity Sub Committee for the governorship inauguration ceremony.