The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Lagos, Netherlands partner to check coastal erosion

    Lagos, Netherlands partner to check coastal erosion

    Lagos State has applauded the readiness of the Kingdom of Netherlands to partner it to check the erosion ravaging its coastal areas.

    The Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Ekundayo Alebiosu, at the weekend, hosted a trade delegation from the Netherlands, led by the Consular-General, Michel Deleen. The delegation said it was ready to invest in Makoko, Okunde, Okun Ajah, and other Lagos coastal areas.

    According to Alebiosu, coastal erosion can lead to loss of land and property, as well as endanger lives. He noted that Netherlands has been dealing with the challenge for a long time, given that the land is below sea level.

    The Dutch have however embraced numerous modern techniques to keep water at bay, he noted. Alebiosu added that the partnership would assist the government in checking the surging erosion in Okunde, Lekki, Okun Ajah areas.

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    The commissioner also assured the Dutch delegation that his team is working on a masterplan, an improvement on the current Waterfront Masterplan, which would accommodate concerns of all stakeholders, and also help investors know the areas to key into.

    Deleen said the delegation was there to see ways of partnering the Lagos State government towards checking coastal erosion, especially around Makoko and the Atlantic Ocean.

    He expressed concerns about the sea surge causing environmental crisis, and enquired about the state policy on waterfront and coastal areas, to see how they can key into the plan, as well as partner on the Great Wall of Lagos project. He, therefore, proposed a PPP model, with which Lagos and the Netherlands can work to check the erosion ravaging the coastal areas.

  • Badagry to host over 20,000 tourists at Christmas

    Badagry to host over 20,000 tourists at Christmas

    Over 20,000 tourists are expected from December 23 to 26 in Badagry, Lagos State, as it showcases its rich cultural heritage, tourism potentials and history, in the Christmas-in-Badagry (CiB) celebration.

    The event is in collaboration with the Ministries Tourism, Art and Culture, as well as Home Affairs.

    Project Manager of the CiB, Olufemi Iroko, said the event is focused on community engagement and giving back to the society.

    He added: “The CiB stands as a testament to the rich historical warmth that envelops this town, and this year’s celebration promises to be an extraordinary blend of tradition, heritage, and joy.

    “This year marks the 181st anniversary of that historic Christmas celebration, and the CiB event is poised to make it an unforgettable experience for residents and visitors alike.

    With the ongoing Hamas-Israel war, Christian pilgrimage has been put to a halt. However, Badagry is positioned to be the destination for Nigerian Christian Pilgrimage.

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    Despite the challenges and trials that have tested our resolve, we have persevered, standing firm in our commitment to fostering unity, compassion among all.

    “From December 23 to 26, we will be reminded of the enduring spirit of joy and goodwill that continues to unite us a community and a nation.

    “The festivities will kick off with the largest Santa walk and lightening of our 40ft tall Christmas tree. Other activities include beach Soccer, carnival parade, bonfire delight, performance by our talented Badagry metropolitan choir and other gospel artistes, retelling of the nativity story through captivating drama and recitations that will transport you to the Bethlehem of old. Christian leaders and speakers will also share their insights into the significance of the incarnation of the Redeemer, spreading hope and love. There will also be a special shepherd’s inn for children, and cultural exhibitions.

    “But beyond the entertainment, Christmas in Badagry is about community engagement and giving back. The event will feature various outreach programs and charity initiatives, reflecting the spirit of compassion and solidarity that has defined Badagry throughout its history.”

  • Church marks centenary anniversary

    Church marks centenary anniversary

    Activities marking the 100 years of St Paul’s Anglican Church, Ile-Ife, Osun State, begins tomorrow with a visit to the Correctional Centre in Ile-Ife.

    It will be followed on Wednesday by a three-day evangelical revival across the city and a novelty match at the prestigious Oduduwa College.

    The grand finale will feature awards to the families of the past three kings of Ile-Ife- Ooni Ademiluyi Ajagun (1910-1930); Ooni Adesoji Aderemi (1930-1980) and Ooni Okunade Sijuwade (1980-2015), at the church on November 19.

    Chairman of the Centenary Anniversary Committee and former Ambassador to Cuba, Senator Segun Bamigbetan Baju, said the monarchs will be honoured for their contributions to the growth of the cathedral.

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    While Ajagun donated the land on which the church was built in 1923, Aderemi adopted the church for royal state functions. His successor, Sijuwade, maintained the protocol.

    Senator Baju recalled how the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo also adopted the church for the thanksgiving service of the installation of his wife, the late Chief Mrs. Dideolu Awolowo, as the Yeyeoba of Ife.

    Narrating how the original building in 1923 was expanded twice in 1927 and 1972, Baju recalled that the late Bishop Timothy Olufosoye, who blessed the new church in 1972, declared that it had the largest auditorium among the Anglican churches in Nigeria.

  • Insecurity: Tinubu promises support for traditional rulers

    Insecurity: Tinubu promises support for traditional rulers

    • President eulogises Osemawe on 17th year coronation anniversary

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has promised to support traditional rulers to ensure peace and security in their domains.

    The President, who expressed support for constitutional role for traditional rulers, said the National Assembly was in the best position to work on this to make it a law.

    President Tinubu spoke at the weekend in Ondo town during the 70th birthday celebration of Oba Victor Kiladejo, the Osemawe of Ondo Kingdom, at the Diocese of Ondo (Anglican Communion) Cathedral Church of St. Stephen.

    The President, who was represented by Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, said the past 17 years of Oba Koladejo in the saddle have been peaceful.

    He praised the Ondo monarch for the giant strides the town has recorded in infrastructural and human capital development during his reign.

    President Tinubu urged everyone to keep supporting the traditional ruler to ensure continued peace and security in the kingdom.

    He said the Federal Government was not unmindful of the support Oba Kiladejo had lent to agencies, institutions, and government officials within his domain over the years.

    The President lauded the commitment to extending the frontiers of development engagements in the traditional ruler’s domain as well as his subjects at home and abroad in the past years.

    President Tinubu recalled almost two decades ago when the monarch pulled out of his successful private medical practice in Lagos.

    “You pulled out to mount the throne of your forefathers, as the Osemawe and paramount ruler of the Ondo Kingdom.

    “It is evident that 17 years on, your Imperial Majesty has filled that expansive office admirably, thus proving that the kingmakers of Ondo, obviously operating under divine inspiration, did not make a mistake in unanimously choosing you as the Osemawe in 2006.

    “Today, no one needs to go too far to encounter the evidence of your impactful reign over the Ondo Ekimogun people. They are visible all over the community and touch practically all aspects of human endeavours.

    “On a personal note, let me, once again, express my appreciation to you for the two letters of congratulations you so graciously sent to me upon my victory at the February 25 polls, and later, my subsequent inauguration as President.

    “I pray that the years ahead turn out to be much more remarkable for you, your immediate family, and the good people of Ondo Kingdom, whom you have led so admirably these past 17 years. May your reign continue to be fruitful and prosperous.

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    “All I can wish is that this should continue and probably get better under the leadership of Kabiyesi as he continues to lead us in the right direction,” he said.

    Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu said the Ondo monarch’s counsel to his administration had been found invaluable and development-focused.

    “It is our earnest prayer that your Majesty will continue to enjoy good health and divine wisdom in providing the much needed leadership for Ondo Kingdom and Ondo State in general.”

    “It is my great pleasure to join other numerous Nigerians in wishing Your Majesty many more years of fruitful service to mankind,” he said.

  • Osoba, Amuka, Obaigbena, 300 others for 19th editors’ conference 

    Osoba, Amuka, Obaigbena, 300 others for 19th editors’ conference 

    • Tinubu opens event tomorrow
    • Eno is guest of honour 

    All is set for the 19th All Nigeria Editors’ Conference, which will begin tomorrow in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.

    Vanguard Publisher Sam Amuka; former Ogun State governor, Aremo Segun Osoba; Chairman/Editor-in-Chief of ThisDay and Arise News Channel, Prince Nduka Obaigbena; and 300 editors are expected to arrive tomorrow for the annual conference.

    Governor Umo Eno will be the guest of honour at the event.          

    In a statement by the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) President, Eze Anaba, and the General Secretary, Dr. Iyobosa Uwugiaren, the professional body of editors in Nigeria said the conference would be declared open by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, while Osoba and Amuka will be the Father of the Day, and Chairman of the conference.

    The NGE said it had invited masters of economy and technocrats from global and local institutions to interrogate the economic situation in Nigeria, amidst several concerns over monetary/fiscal policy, missing gaps, and the role of the media executives/editors in resolving the challenges

    The NGE said the annual conference will also witness the launch of its Media Trust Fund, with a theme: Stimulating Economic Growth, Technological Advancement: Role of the Media.

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    “With few days to our annual conference in Uyo, Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State, and many corporate organisations, like Nigeria Deposit insurance Corporation (NDIC), Nigeria Customs Service (NSC), and United Bank for African, have rallied support for the conference.

    “Other organisations that have also rallied support for the conference include the Delta State government, Nigerian Port Authority (NPA), Zenith Bank, Access Bank, Dangote Group of Industires and many others that have also indicated interests to be part of the conference.

    “We are excited by the huge support that is coming in from many stakeholders in our economy. It is an endorsement of the conceived aim and objective of the conference: to rally all the stakeholders in starting a robust conversation aimed at resolving the nation’s current economic challenges,” the NGE added.

    The conference, which will also examine the Nigerian media sustainability and the existential threat by the Big Tech, as well as what the media ecosystem needs to do to arrest it, the statement said, is planned to remind editors and media executives that economic actors need accurate, credible and timely information to allocate resources judiciously.

  • World Orphans’ Day: Yayi, Bamidele donate N24m

    World Orphans’ Day: Yayi, Bamidele donate N24m

    As the world celebrates World Orphans’ Day today (November 13), two senators – Chairman of Senate Committee on Appropriations, Solomon Adeola, popularly called Yayi (APC, Ogun West) and Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele – have donated N24 million to 13 orphanage homes in Abuja and Nassarawa State for their upkeep. 

    Senator Adeola’s wife, Mrs. Temitope Adeola, made the donation through her non-government organization (NG), CHADASH, dedicated to widows and orphans.

    The two All Progressives Party (APC) senators donated N12 million each to the orphanages.

    Bamidele made an additional donation of N5 million to CHADASH and other senators made various pledges to the NGO. 

    The benefiting orphanages include Gifted and Talented Orphanage, Facado Orphanage, Cherry Field Orphanage, Christ Bethel Orphanage, Dynasty Orphanage, and JKS Orphanage.

    Others are: Shining Star Orphanage, Queen Esther Orphanage, Maratha Care Children Home, Osaze Orphanage, Desired Orphanage, Purity Rose Orphanage and Gifted and Talented Home in Nasarawa State. 

    Adeola, who described himself as an orphan, having lost both parents, said there are many challenges and difficulties confronting orphans in the society.

    The Ogun west senator noted that like himself, orphans usually do not have biological parents to stand up for them when it matters. 

    “I want to encourage all of us to be our brother’s keeper in assisting orphans to properly fit into the society. I recall that even in the political field, I suffered discrimination as an orphan as some disputed my state of origin for political vindictiveness. My parents were not there to assert my indigeneship of Ogun State.

    “I am sure the children before us are all Nigerians with various needs. Nothing must stop us from making them useful and productive members of the society,” he said. 

    Expressing doubt about the official estimated figure of 17 million orphans in Nigeria, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations said the number would be in the region of 50 million nationwide.

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    A statement by his Media Adviser, Chief Kayode Odunaro, said Senator Adeola promised to always participate in any effort – whether at government or private level – to address the challenges that orphans face in the society. 

    Speaking as the guest of honour of the event, which started with a keep fit and awareness kilometre walk around Maitama, Abuja, Bamidele noted that with the number of orphans in Nigeria outnumbering the population of many countries in Africa and elsewhere, there should be proper government policies to address the needs of the orphans, besides private efforts by humanitarian and charitable individuals and organisations. 

    He hailed Senator Adeola and his wife for always giving back to the society in various ways.

    The Senate Leader described Senator Adeola as a giver, even among his colleagues in the National Assembly, being the “go to” man when anyone is in need. 

    In her welcome address at the event, tagged: “Caring for the Uncared For,” Mrs. Adeola, who was the first to celebrate the World Orphans Day in Nigeria with her NGO, said CHADASH focused its attention mainly on widows and orphans.

    She said beyond giving funds and materials to orphans, individuals also need to donate/volunteer services and skills for orphans to improve their chances of competing in the society. 

  • Putin ally threatens to destroy NATO countries with nuclear weapons

    Putin ally threatens to destroy NATO countries with nuclear weapons

    A prominent Russian TV host and noted propagandist for Russian President Vladimir Putin, Vladimir Solovyov, has opined that Russia would deploy nuclear weapons “right away” in the event of escalating conflict with members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).

    Russian threats of a potential nuclear conflict with the West have escalated over the course of the country’s invasion of Ukraine, which began in late February 2022. Numerous Kremlin officials, military leaders, and media propagandists have suggested that nuclear weapons could be deployed against Western nations—such as the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany—that continue to provide aid to Ukraine, though experts differ on how serious these threats actually are.

    Earlier this year, Putin temporarily suspended his country’s participation in the joint New START Treaty with the U.S., and in March announced that Moscow would build tactical nuclear weapon storage facilities in Belarus, a country run by close Putin ally, Alexander Lukashenko.

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    Yesterday, a Russian media watchdog account, The Kremlin Yap, took to X, the platform previously known as Twitter, to share a recent clip of Solovyov reacting to recent statements from NATO leadership.

    In particular, he mentioned a comment from Peter Nielsen, the commander of NATO forces in Lithuania, who suggested that Kaliningrad would be blockaded in the event of a broader Russia-NATO conflict. Kaliningrad is a key Russian port city on the Baltic Sea, notably situated in the Kaliningrad Oblast, a territory separate from the rest of Russia and enclosed by Lithuania and Poland.

    “Does he think that they will encircle us in a blockade, and we will sit and count our bullets?” Solovyov said, as translated by The Kremlin Yap. “Doesn’t he realise that we’re going to strike with nuclear weapons right away? It is beyond comprehension…We’re going to say goodbye to all these countries. ‘What happened here? I don’t know. You can’t make sense out of the embers.’”

    He continued: “NATO guys, are you really cretins? Do you honestly think that we, with all our gigantic stockpile of strategic and tactical nuclear weapons, will listen to (those opposed to the use of nuclear weapons), who always say, ‘No, stop it’? We won’t even ask them.”

    Article 5 of the NATO agreement states that member nations will view an attack on one of them as an attack on all and provide the necessary military aid in response. An attack by Russia against one of these members, therefore, could lead to a much broader international conflict.

  • EU joins calls for ‘immediate pauses’ in hostilities in Gaza

    EU joins calls for ‘immediate pauses’ in hostilities in Gaza

    The European Union (EU) has joined calls for “immediate pauses” in hostilities and establishment of humanitarian corridors in Gaza.

    “The EU is gravely concerned about the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza,” the bloc said in a statement, adding it “joins calls for immediate pauses in hostilities and the establishment of humanitarian corridors, including through increased capacity at border crossings and through a dedicated maritime route, so that humanitarian aid can safely reach the population of Gaza.”

    It called for “continued, rapid, safe and unhindered” humanitarian access and aid to reach those in need through any necessary means.?

    It also reiterated its call on Hamas for the “immediate and unconditional” release of all hostages.

     Regarding the attacks against hospitals in Gaza, the statement said: “The EU emphasizes that international humanitarian law stipulates that hospitals, medical supplies and civilians inside hospitals must be protected.”

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    It also said that most urgent medical supplies should be delivered to hospitals and that patients who require urgent medical care need to be evacuated safely.

    “In this context, we urge Israel to exercise maximum restraint to ensure the protection of civilians,” the bloc said.

    Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip — including hospitals, residences, and houses of worship — since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas on Oct. 7.

    The number of deaths in the ongoing Israeli military attacks on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7 has surpassed the grim figure of 11,100, including more than 8,000 children and women, the government media office in Gaza said.

  • Over 100,000 take to the Paris streets to protest anti-semitism

    Over 100,000 take to the Paris streets to protest anti-semitism

    More than 100,000 people marched in Paris yesterday to protest against rising anti-semitism in the wake of Israel’s ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza.

    Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, representatives of several parties on the left as well as far-right leader Marie Le Pen attended yesterday’s march in the French capital amid tight security.

    President Emmanuel Macron did not attend, but expressed his support for the protest and called on citizens to rise up against “the unbearable resurgence of unbridled anti-semitism.”

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    However, the leader of the far-left France Unbowed party, Jean-Luc Melenchon, stayed away from the march, saying last week on X, formerly Twitter, that the march would be a meeting of “friends of unconditional support for the massacre” in Gaza.

    Paris authorities deployed 3,000 police troops along the route of the protest called by the leaders of the Senate and parliament’s lower house, the National Assembly, amid an alarming increase in anti-Jewish acts in France since the start of Israel’s war against Hamas after its Oct. 7 surprise attack on Israel.

    France has the largest Jewish population in Europe, but given its own World War II collaboration with the Nazis, antisemitic acts today open old scars.

  • Five U.S. troops killed in helicopter crash in Mediterranean Sea

    Five U.S. troops killed in helicopter crash in Mediterranean Sea

    Five United States troops are dead after an American military helicopter crashed in the eastern Mediterranean Sea on Friday evening, U.S. officials confirmed yesterday.

    The crew was conducting a “routine air refueling mission” during a training sortie when their aircraft suffered a mishap, U.S. European Command said in an emailed statement. All aboard were killed.

    The command first announced the accident on Saturday but declined to say what type of aircraft was involved.

    Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed the downed asset was a helicopter in a statement yesterday. The Pentagon has not specified to which branch of the armed forces the aircraft belonged.

    “While we continue to gather more information about this deadly crash, it is another stark reminder that the brave men and women who defend our great nation put their lives on the line each and every day to keep our country safe,” Austin said. “They represent the best of America. We will remember their service and their sacrifice.”

    The mishap prompted an “immediate” rescue effort that included nearby U.S. military aircraft and ships, European Command said.

    The command did not provide further details about where in the region the plane went down.

    However, the U.S. issued a flight notice early Saturday noting a “search-and-rescue operation in progress” in the span of sea between Cyprus and Lebanon.

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    Flight tracker @EISNspotter posted Saturday on X, formerly known as Twitter, that air traffic control in Cyprus had called in military support around midnight Saturday for a helicopter that crash-landed about 30 nautical miles from the island’s southern coast.

    Planespotters on social media flagged multiple Navy P-8 Poseidon maritime surveillance planes patrolling the water south of Cyprus on Saturday, as well as an Air Force C-17 Globemaster III — often used for aeromedical evacuations — departing the area.

    It’s unclear whether the aircraft was training as part of routine operations in Europe, or if it was over the Mediterranean Sea as part of a deterrent force that has arrived in the region in recent weeks.

    The Pentagon has rushed thousands of American troops to the Middle East as war unfolds between U.S. ally Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas, which controls the neighboring Gaza Strip.

    Among those forces are two Navy carrier strike groups stationed in the eastern Mediterranean, U.S. surveillance aircraft gathering intelligence off of the Israeli coast and others spread around the region.

    The military is investigating the cause of the mishap. It will not release the names of the deceased until 24 hours after their families have been notified, in accordance with Pentagon policy.

     “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the fallen,” European Command said.