The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Makinde’s victory God-ordained, says Bishop Wale Oke

    Bishop Wale Oke, the President and founder, Sword of the Spirit Ministries, Ibadan, says the victory of Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State at the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal is a further testimony of God’s ordination of his election.

    Oke, in a congratulatory message made available to the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) on Tuesday in Ibadan, said Makinde’s victory was a true reflection of the peoples’ wish in the state.

    NAN recalls that the three-member tribunal led by Justice Muhammed Sirajo had on Monday dismissed the petition filed by Chief Adebayo Adelabu, his All Progressives Congress opponent in the election, for lack of merit.

    Read Also: Makinde: my victory triumph of truth over falsehood 

    Oke urged the governor to use every day of his administration in serving the people of the state and God.

    “I congratulate the governor on the victory. This should serve as the needed tonic and impetus through which the state and its people could further be lifted to lofty heights by Makinde and his team.

    “This passage and phase are not just by mere coincidence. God has so appointed you, Gov. Makinde, to fulfill His purpose of bringing succor to the state and its people at this point in time.

    “The by-product of this should be enduring. It’s a special grace. You have started well and we pray you berth successfully,” he said.

    Oke called for continuos prayers and support for the Makinde-led administration in the state, urging the people to always be law-abiding so as to ensure development of the state as envisioned by its founding fathers.(NAN)

  • Just in: Humiliations, attacks have been my lot in APC, says Abe

    The representative of Rivers Southeast Senatorial District in the 7th and 8th Senate, Magnus Abe, has lamented that miseries, humiliations and attacks have been his lot in the All Progressives Congress (APC), which he said he and others put their lives on the line to birth in Rivers State

    He also disclosed that he was facing oppression at the hands of the friend (name not disclosed), for whose sake he wept on the floor of the Senate, but apparently referring to Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, a former Rivers governor, who is the leader of APC in the state and South-south zone, during his first ministerial screening.

    The senator, in a statement on his Facebook wall, said: “I have chosen not to be bitter towards anyone and not to teach bitterness to anyone. I know that if I teach people that Mr. A is the source of every failure and poverty, I will absolve myself and those I teach of all responsibility for whatever challenges and the difficulties that they are going through, then I can be a super leader, because I have provided a convenient scapegoat and I can absolve myself from scrutiny responsibility.

    “Whether it is the South African leaders telling their people that it is the fault of foreign nationals that they are poor or white people in the United States saying Mexicans and immigrants are coming to steal their country, the end result is always the same: bitterness, violence, misery, failure and more poverty.

    “In my world, bitterness towards anyone is a sign of failure. It means you admit that the other person has the power to make your life. No one has that power over my life.

    Read Also: ‘Abe must be expelled from APC’

    “Rather than tell my supporters of all the miseries, humiliations and attacks that have been my lot in the APC, the party that we put our lives on the line to birth in Rivers State, rather than tell them about the oppression I am facing at the hands of the friend for whose sake I wept on the floor of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I tell them that their life is their responsibility and that no man can alter their destinies. It is our responsibility to identify what we want, where we need to be and how we can get there. I tell them to come and let us move mountains, if need be.

    “We will enjoy our journey, as challenging as it may be and we will not just travel hopefully, but we will get there. I do not know your destination, but I know that the ultimate objective of bitterness is violence. No amount of violence can help you, if you do not know where you are going.”

    Abe, a former Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG), when Amaechi was governor, also recalled how a friend sent him a quote by Robert Louis Stevenson, stating that life is not a matter of holding good cards, but of playing a poor hand well.

    He said: “No matter what anyone else may have done, we must start any honest and meaningful evaluation with ourselves. What did I do, what have I done and most importantly, what can I do better?

    “Examining yourself honestly is not an automatic admission of failure; it is rather an opportunity to improve. Money is important, but leaders should not be judged only by how much money they can give.”

    He also stated that he believe that inspiring people and motivating them to reach within themselves and not to focus on anyone else would give them the will to examine themselves and their leadership in the areas in which action or inaction could be reviewed and improved.

    He noted that such model of leadership was difficult, tasking and could not provide leaders with docile followers, who would do whatever the leaders asked them to do, but would provide them with committed associates, who would understand exactly what was at stake.

    Abe said: “They (the followers) cannot blame you (the leader) or blame anyone else, because they understand exactly where they are going, why it is important to go there and they know it is their responsibility to get there.

    “Leadership which emphasises individual responsibility is tedious and painful, but ultimately it stands a chance of achieving what bitterness and scapegoating others will never achieve.

    “It can actually help move the society in the direction of unity, peace, progress and prosperity. We must all realise our fallibility and the fact that no matter how good we may be, we can be better and no matter how well we have done, we can still do better.”

  • Concerned LASU professors back dismissal of 3 ASUU officials

    Some concerned professors at the  Lagos State University (LASU) has said that the recent dismissal of three executive of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) was not a case of victimisation.

    At a news briefing on Tuesday in Lagos, the concerned LASU professors described the dismissal as normal or routine process which should not be blown out of proportion.

    Prof. Martins Anetekhai, Chairman, LASU Policy Advisory and Conflict Resolution Committee, said that dismissal of staff was a normal process the institution undergo regularly to sanitise the system.

    “The pronunciation of dismissal does not make it the end, they are free to appeal to the governing council or go to court.

    “I made a lot of efforts by visiting them to resolve the issues and that they should know that a union leader is not above the law.

    Read Also: We were framed up, dismissed ASUU-LASU members say

    “This dismissal is an in-house issue and we are trying to make sure everything works out perfectly,” he said.

    Anetekhai, however, advised ASUU-LASU executives to sit up, saying that it was unfortunate that things degenerated to such level.

    “Our current administration is a very rare breed of truth and sacrifice, so I appeal to media organisations to always support positivity about LASU,” he said.

    Also speaking, Dean of Management Sciences, Prof. Babatunde Yusuf, said that the university’s rules and condition of service clearly stipulate dismissal as the punishment for unlawful possession of documents.

    Yusuf said that other staff also benefitted from the allegation of backdated promotion raised against the Vice -Chancellor.

    “The union leaders are not meant for people who wish to be permanent in the position because we have about 800 academic staff who are also members of the union.

    “ASUU is not grounded in LASU which means others members can take the leadership role and staff should know that LASU comes first before ASUU,” he said.

    Also, Prof. Sola Fosudo said that nobody was victimised, explaining that anyone found guilty of any misconduct would be dismissed.

    “The decision of the dismissal was reached by more than a body , as it started with investigative panel, joint committee of heads and council before the governing council made its final decision.

    “My promotion was also backdated to 2015, likewise some of the staff promotions too,” he said.

    Mr Oladele Olawale, President, LASU Students’ Union, said that the university law was binding on both students and staff of the institution.

    “A community where there is no law, there is no offense, but when there is a law and an offense is committed, then the law must take its course.

    “We are only talking about the dismissal, but no one is talking about the promotion,” he said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that LASU Governing Council had at its 122nd meeting on Thursday promoted 31 academic staff, 346 non-academic staff .

    The Council also approved the dismissal of eight academic staff and three non-academic staff over issues bothering on absconment  from duty, certificate falsification, theft of confidential document, sale of marks, among others.

    (NAN)

  • Alausa gets Baale-elect

    The Odewale ruling house of Alausa in Ikeja local government has announced Alhaji Muftau Beedmos as the Baale-elect of Alausa town.

    Alhaji Muftau Beedmos was announced the baale-elect after a crucial meeting for the selection of a new baale by the Odewale ruling house.

    Read Also: New Olowo, Ogunoye installed

    In a statement forwarded to the Ministry of local Government and community affairs, the Odewale ruling house agreed unanimously to the selection of Alhaji Muftau Beedmos as the rightful person to occupy the baaleship stool which has long been vacant and unoccupied.

    The ruling house however stressed that it would keep the public abreast of the development and other formal rites.

  • Industrial Court President lauds Obaseki on investment in judiciary

    President of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Babatunde Adejumo, has lauded the commitment of the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration towards ensuring that the judicial arm of government is given the necessary support to function effectively.

    Justice Adejumo gave the commendation on Tuesday in Benin City, during the commissioning of the Benin Division of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, constructed by the Edo State Government.

    According to him, the establishment and commissioning of the Industrial Court in Edo State will promote industrial harmony in the state as well as provide succour for lawyers who used to travel to Akure to attend to cases from Edo State.

    Adejumo noted that the court will also encourage social development of the state through the promotion of peace and progress, and in the country at large.

    “The facility is great and the building is good. This is the product of cooperation and I thank the governor for this,” he said.

    Read Also: ‘Obaseki has mismanaged Edo Assembly crisis’

    The Industrial Court President explained that the Court was established in 1976 and his coming on board 16 years ago, led to its spread in Nigeria as Edo State is the 28th state where the court has been established.

    In his response, Governor Obaseki said: “This is the first in the series where we will be handing over properties to the Judiciary as we have several of them undergoing construction in the state.”

    The governor thanked the President of the National Industrial Court for honouring the state with his presence at the commissioning ceremony, assuring that his administration has already provided an accommodation for Hon. Justice Abiola Adewemimo, who will be the first resident Judge of the National Industrial Court in Benin City.

    He said: “We are investing in our Judiciary as we have started the first in the series of accommodation for Judges in the state and we will not discriminate as we will ensure a comfortable accommodation for them. Our plan next year is to develop an estate for Judges in the GRA area of Edo State.

    “This is just a temporary Court as the Court will be relocated to a permanent site within the next three years. We have secured the property and we have actually completed a design for the permanent structure.

    “As a government, we want to ensure we have the full complement of the Judiciary in the state and we are doing everything to provide what is required to make the Judiciary function effectively and efficiently in Edo State.

    “We are going to be emphasising and strengthening our Magistracy, investing in our High Court and are pleased that we have successfully been able to attract the Industrial Court to Edo State as we work to relocate the Court of Appeal to a more auspicious premises and hope if possible to have a Supreme Court in Edo State.”

    Obaseki noted that the aspiration of his administration is to be the industrial hub of Nigeria as the state is working hard to ensure that before the end of the year the state government will commence the construction of 1,000 hectares of Industrial Park in the state, adding that it will be the bastion for attracting companies and organisations to the state.

    The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Yinka Omorogbe, said the construction of the Court in Edo State has provided one instance of the positive attitude of Governor Obaseki towards all matters pertaining to the administration of justice and to the rule of law in the state.

    The Chief Judge of Edo State, Justice Esohe Ikponmwen, who expressed delight at the achievement, said it is a great development for the state.

    She thanked the Governor for the achievement and expressed confidence that the Court will contribute to industrial harmony in the state.

    The Chairman of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Edo State branch, Prince (Barr.) Collins Benson Ogiegbaen, expressed the gratitude of the Bar of Edo and Delta states to the Governor of Edo State, Mr Godwin Obaseki for realising the dreams of most lawyers in both states who were exposed to kidnapping and hardship on the Akure Road, as it was one of the most dangerous roads in Nigeria. “The entire Bar in Edo and Delta State are grateful to the exemplary leadership style of Governor of Edo State,” he said.

  • Dickson to PDP leaders: stop issuing unauthorized statements

    Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has warned leaders of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) against unauthorized use of his name as Chairman of the party’s Governors Forum to issue statements.

    The governor in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Fidelis Soriwei, condemned in strong terms unacceptable conduct of using his name without seeking his clarifications and consent to make comments on national issues.

    Dickson said that while he was reputed for making comments on sensitive national issues, it was odd and criminal for any person or group of persons to make attributions to him in statements he did not authorize.

    While warning persons behind the deplorable act to desist forthwith, he stressed that it was the conventional standard for him to be consulted on all statements to avoid misrepresentation.

    Read Also: Bayelsa guber: I’m not a stooge — PDP candidate

    The governor directed that every statement from the forum must be personally authorized by him.

    He said: “It has come to my attention that some members of the People’s Democratic Party are using my name to issue statements without seeking my consent and approval especially on issues involving the PDP Governors Forum.

    “Everyone knows that I am capable of taking positions on national issues. Cowards should not hide under my name and that of the forum to make statements. I have always made statements on issues that I am passionate about without any fear.

    “I condemn in very strong terms any tendency to willfully use my name to issue statement without my consent. It is reprehensible, condemnable and must stop forthwith.

    “Henceforth all statements emanating from the PDP Governors Forum must be authorized personally by me.”

  • #BBNaija: Khafi Kareem the ‘controversial’ constable and self-acclaimed ‘celibate’

    Prior to Big Brother Naija 2019 ‘Pepper Dem’ edition, ‘Khafi Kareem’, was just a regular UK policewoman with dreams and aspirations to make it big in her own way.

    Interestingly, for the first time in the history of the competition, Khafi Kareem was one of the twenty-one Big Brother Naija 2019 housemates. She however got evicted from the reality show on Sunday, September 15.

    Khafi is a native of Ekiti, Nigeria, but she lives in London. Khafi who is aged 29 years old, is also a Police Officer in London.

    Her exit is coming after spending a total of 77 days and eleven weeks in the house thus bringing an end to her journey in the race for the mouth-watering cash prize of N30 million and other rewards bringing the total prize N60 million.

    Upon her entry into the house, she had Nigerians talking on Twitter especially with her status as a constable with the Metropolitan police UK.

    A quick look at her lifestyle especially during the house sojourn reveals that she’s a lady full of energy and positive vibes. She’s of the opinion that ‘you can reach anything as long as you believe in yourself’. She likes public speaking, dancing and singing.

    Khafi dislikes people who also try to control her or block her self-expression.

    While in the house, Khafi won the Innoson vehicle valued at N3.85 million during a challenge, she also won 220,000 Scanfrost TV during the ‘Scanforst challenge’, Arla cooking challenge, a co-winner of the Indomie N1million challenge, a co-winner of the TravelBeta challenge under team Lagos that won N1million prize.

    Read Also: Inside the ‘risky’ life of Bobrisky

    Recently, she dominated the news, both local and international, for allegedly breaching the rules and regulations at her workplace.

    It was reported that the she might face disciplinary actions from her employers, MET Police for partaking in BBNaija.

    A report published by several UK news outlets noted that she was refused permission to appear on the show by her superiors.

    However, the reality star’s management said the reports were not only derogatory but sensational.

    The management claimed that the UK Sun failed to inquire or get her side of the story before publishing the article.

    One of the highlights of Big Brother Naija 2019 has been the relationship between Khafi and Gedoni.

    Gedoni and Khafi did not only cross the line but they did rub it in the faces of other housemates, night after night.

    Ekpata Gedoni is a fashion entrepreneur from Cross River.

    In the post-eviction interview, Khafi said she bonded with Gedoni in the first week because they were both up for eviction.

    She told Ebuka that she believes he loves her as much she loves him, adding that she was a forlorn lover when he was evicted.

    In what appeared to be a controversy, Gedoni and Khafi were first captured in a sex act in the house on Saturday, July 20, then again on Tuesday, July 23, and again on Monday, July 29.

    Khafi revealed to Gedoni that she abstained from sex for eight years, after she converted from Islam to Christianity.

    Khafi has however maintained that she did not have sex with Gedoni. She reiterated that she is still celibate and did not have sex on the show.

    On his part, Gedoni has repeatedly said that they did not have sex and the rumours were unfounded.

    When asked to address the sex rumours, Gedoni told show host, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu that he was unhappy that the rumour went viral and felt terrible about it.

    He added, “I think I will allow Khafi to ask whether we had sex or not. There were intense moments but sex, no.”

    He detailed the moment he felt sparks for the bubbly Khafi and stated that his feelings for her were real.

    However, Gedoni Ekpata has reassured fans that his relationship with his love interest/co-star, Khafi Kareem is beyond the show.

    Gedoni said that he would be open to date his co-star, Khafi after the ongoing Big Brother Naija season four ends.

    So perhaps, while we might have assumed — whether because of their few on-screen bedtime moments or their romantic displays — that Gedoni and Khafi had sex number of times, they are both responsible for their private affairs or their public display of love.

  • LADOL’s Lack of Commitment to Nigerian Economy

    Despite being the greatest beneficiary of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act of 2010, Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics (LADOL) has not made serious investment to develop local facilities and manpower for the benefit of the Nigerian economy.

    NOGICD Act makes it mandatory for foreign companies that win contracts in the industry to sub-contract  certain scopes of the works to Nigerian companies to boost the country’s economy.

    For instance, Saipem, a subsidiary of Italian oil giant, Eni, secured an engineering, procurement, commissioning and installation (EPCI) contract, worth about $3 billion, from Total Upstream Nigeria for the subsea development of the Egina oilfield.

    Some of the works were sub-contracted to indigenous companies.

    American oil services firm, FMC Technologies also awarded part of the Egina project to local companies.

    Truly Nigerian companies that worked as sub- contractors in these projects used the proceeds to develop their fabrication facilities to world standards so as to attract future projects and create job opportunities for Nigerians.

    Out of the many companies that participated in the Egina project in the name of local companies, LADOL was the greatest beneficiary.

    Apart from hosting the fabrication and integration yard in the LADOL Free Zone where the Egina Floating Production Storage Offloading (FPSO) unit was fabricated and integrated locally, LADOL also hosted the FPSO itself, which is the largest FPSO in the fleet of Total Group worldwide.

    By hosting the fabrication and integration yard in the free zone where the fabrication and integration works were carried out, LADOL also enjoyed significant revenues from the Egina project.

    When the FPSO arrived at the LADOL Free Zone in Lagos from South Korea, LADOL attracted the official visit of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

    The company made promises of future investments in the free zone before the vice president and also enjoyed major headlines in the media.

    Unfortunately, unlike the truly Nigerian companies that invested heavily in the development of their yards for future projects, LADOL cannot boast of employing more Nigerians since the FPSO sailed away.

    Rather, it devoted its resources to fight foreign companies that invested in the free zone, thereby hurting Nigerian economy.

    No wonder recent media reported have questioned its indigenous status.

    While Aveon Offshore, Doman Long Engineering, Nestoil, Niger Dock and other truly Nigerian companies that worked on the Egina project have re-invested their proceeds to create opportunities for the employment of Nigerian youths, LADOL can’t boast of such investments.

    Perhaps, the revenues the company generated from the project were repatriated to its foreign owners as being speculated by the industry stakeholders.

    LADOL was also privileged to be among the companies that used indigenous status to access the federal government’s Nigerian Content Intervention Fund but how the fund was utilised is known to only LADOL and its foreign promoters.

    Sadly, the company has refused to use the privileges it has enjoyed under the Nigerian Content Act to help create job opportunities for Nigerians by partnering foreign companies in a win-win situation.

    Indeed, only a foreign company like LADOL can make huge revenues from its operation in a local environment and refuse to give back to such local environment to boost the country’s economy.

    Instead, LADOL has been taking steps that will throw more Nigerians into the labour market by chasing away foreign companies and damaging Nigeria’s economy.

    While local companies are building alliances with foreign companies and investing heavily to take advantage of future opportunities, LADOL’s hostile attitude is chasing away foreign investors.

    Without foreign companies coming into Nigeria to help transfer technology and develop local capacity, it will be difficult for Nigerians to grow the capacity and skills to execute complex and challenging projects.

    Until the Nigerian government and its agencies take practical steps to identify the real and truly Nigerian companies, the country’s economy will continue to experience challenges.

    • Alabi, a local content advocate, writes from Warri, Delta State

  • #ProtectPHGirls: Nigerians react over ‘Serial killer’ prowling in Port Harcourt

    The rising case of alleged murder of women by serial killers in Port-Harcourt has sparked up condemnations with Nigerians calling for the protection of girls and women in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State.

    On Monday, Twitter users expressed outrage and displeasure over the unfortunate killings through hashtags created – #ProtectPHGirls and #PHCSerialKiller with many condemning the lackadaisical attitude of the police towards the issue.

    The death of a girl in a hotel located at Obo Road, Omoku, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State last week was just one out of the series of killings of women in Port Harcourt hotels in recent time.

    Serial killing of women in PH

    According to reports, the victims are usually found strangled and gagged with a white handkerchief.

    Over the weekend, several women groups took to the streets of Port Harcourt to sensitise residents on alleged serial killers on the prowl in the city.

    The convener, Nengi Ibifuro Jumbo, Port Harcourt Significant Girls (PHSG) said “There is a serial killer on the loose in Rivers State. We want to go out and return home without fear.

    READ ALSO: Suspected serial killer arrested in Ogun

    “We acknowledge the police for what they are doing; but we urge them to do more so that the killer is arrested, tried and made to face the full weight of the law”, she said.

    Meanwhile, the Rivers State Police Command has advised young women to shun prostitution.

    The Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Administration, Chuks Enwonwu, while addressing protesters said, “In as much as societal values are disintegrating, we must go back to try to educate them (women) and discourage them from going into prostitution because that is how they fall victim to these crimes.”

  • Nigeria partners with Niger, Chad on rehabilitation of Lake Chad Basin

    Nigeria, Niger and Chad are working on a joint trans-border agro ecosystem project aimed at the restoration of livelihoods and rehabilitation of the Lake Chad Basin.

    Director-General, National Agency for the Great Green Wall Dr. Bukar Hassan stated this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) after an international conference on desertification yesterday in New Delhi, India.

    NAN reports that the 14th Conference of Parties (CoP 14) to UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) was held at India Expo Centre and Mart from September 2 to September 13.

    He said since environmental issues did not recognise national boundaries, the partnership would help to rehabilitate agricultural system, restore degraded land and livelihoods of people in Lake Chad basin.

    According to him, the project includes promotion of agroforestry and livestock development in the three participating countries bordering the Lake Chad Basin.

    Read Also: MNJTF launches attacks on terrorists in Lake Chad

    The Director General said Lake Chad, which was located in a very dry area, had lost about 90 per cent of its water over the years, thus making farming unattractive in the basin.

    “Today, agriculture is no longer practiced in the Nigerian side of the Lake Chad Basin.

    “So, our responsibility as an agency of Nigerian government is to make sure that we regain what we lost in terms of water (which has created huge unemployment among the people) and empower the people to be able to get back their land which was lost due to the disappearance of lake.

    “We will also make sure that the boundary of the lake is afforested to stabilise the basin.

    “The Lake Chad basin was one of the worst degraded areas in the world with attendant humanitarian crisis.

    “That’s why our president is keen on seeing that the basin is rehabilitated because the insurgency affecting the three participating countries is all linked to environmental degradation.

    “That’s why we are developing a project that will help in rehabilitating the Chad basin,” Hassan said.

    He said President Muhammadu Buhari had already given his agency marching orders to intensify afforestation specifically in the country’s five northern border states of Sokoto, Jigawa Yobe, Borno and Katsina.

    He said land degradation and desertification resulting in loss of livelihoods had led to forced migration of young people from the north to the southern parts of the country.

    “There was mass movement because the means of livelihoods are no longer there; otherwise people will not just board an articulated vehicles from Jigawa to Lagos in search of a means of livelihood.

    “So, we’re trying to provide capacity for these people to get them adapted to the arid environments they found themselves and also do some economic activities, so that they can stay put where they were, take care of their families like everyone else,” Hassan said.