Author: The Nation

A civil society group, World Institute for Peace(WIP) has urged Governor Ademola Adeleke to reinstate three suspended Osun monarchs and to stop playing politics with Yoruba tradition.

Adeleke had recently slammed suspension on three monarchs- Akirun of Ikirun, Owa of Igbajo, and Aree of Iree appointed by his predecessor, ex-Governor Adegboyega Oyetola at the twilight of his administration in 2022 alleging that the installation of the monarchs did not follow due process.

In a statement issued on Friday, WIP’s  Executive Director, Lamina Omotoyosi described  Adeleke’s action as a misplacement of duty stressing that it is the role of the judiciary to nullify the installation process of a king.

The statement read in part: “There are several cases of kingship tussle in court before Adeleke was sworn-in as governor including that of his hometown, Timi of Ede who celebrated 15 years on the throne, Ataoja of Osogbo. No past governor in the state has ever dethroned or suspended a king due to the installation process. Adeleke should learn from history and let the judiciary decide.

“The governor ought to appeal to the aggrieved parties in the affected communities to allow court processes and beef up security apparatus in the areas and give warning to anyone who may want to cause trouble. Adeleke displayed executive power in the manner that his action can only be described as a sentiment.”

He added: “Adeleke should simply know that those kings were installed within the context of the constitutional right of the former governor. He should stop playing politics with Yoruba tradition. The governor should allow for the reinstating of the monarchs concerned. Be it as it may, it’s highly ridiculous for the government of Osun State, the cradle of Yoruba land, to interface with the construct of its traditional rulers.”

Barrister Olumide Braithwaite, son to late elder statesman and former presidential candidate and founder of the Nigeria Advance Party (NAP), has urged Nigerians to brace up to the hardship brought about by the removal of petroleum subsidy, believing that in due course the situation will amend and Nigeria will again flourish.

Barr Braithwaite, who served as a spokesperson of the APC Tinubu/Shettima Grassroots Independent Campaign Council (ICC), noted that

the country has suffered seriously as a result of corruption in the oil sector and previous administration had not been able to give Nigerians their satisfaction as producer of crude oil.

Speaking in an interview in Makurdi, Braithwaite urged Nigerians to be a little more patient and realistic in their expectations, considering where the country is coming from.

According to him, power and energy problems needed to be prioritised, noting that once the challenge of power and energy is resolved, the economy will excel.

He said if power and energy are given priority attention, the country’s healthy sector will benefit, manufacturing industries will benefit, schools, hospitals, small and medium scale enterprise, and the cottage industries will all benefit to increase productivity and output.

By : Ayomide Otitoju

Leading innovative and sustainable building solutions company, Lafarge Africa Plc, has launched the Concrete Ideas Policy Blueprint, an analysis of insights and ideas discussed by stakeholders in the construction, infrastructure and housing industries during the first five editions of the thought-leadership series.

The Policy Blueprint was written by Dr. Ayo Teriba, leading Nigerian economist and CEO of Economic Associates. The Concrete Ideas leadership series was created by the leading building solutions company to serve as a veritable platform for deliberation on issues, policies, and developments shaping Nigeria’s construction, infrastructure, and housing sectors.

Through Concrete Ideas, Lafarge Africa has over two years assembled thought leaders from the public and private sectors to deliberate on policies to promote investment and best practices in the construction and allied sectors.  The platform has generated dissected global best practices, while showcasing the best ideas in transforming them into solutions that could sustainably solve housing, infrastructure, and environmental challenges in Nigeria and other African economies.

Speaking at the launch of the blueprint in Lagos recently, Khaled El Dokani, Country CEO, Lafarge Africa Plc, said: “We are grateful to all the experts and industry leaders who have actively participated and led critical policy deliberations during the last five editions of Concrete Ideas. With their inputs, we have been able to create this succinct and coherent Policy Blueprint. I hope that governments at all levels and the industry find this very useful.”

The Head of Corporate Communications, Lafarge Africa Plc, GinikanwaFrank-Durugbor said: ‘With each edition of concrete ideas, it is evident that conversation on critical and topical issues across the construction value chains, require public-private partnerships and the voice and contributions of the people to solve them…’

Present at the launch event were the Management and Staff of Lafarge Africa Plc, Dr. Ayo Teriba, CEO of Economic Associates, Arc. Enyi Ben-Eboh, President of the Nigerian Institute of Architects, and Bldr. Kunle Awobodu, a former President of the Nigerian Institute of Builders.

The new policy blueprint arrives as the building solutions company’s Concrete Ideas Series enters its 6th edition. The event which is scheduled to take place at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos on 19th of June 2023 will have two plenary sessions; The Business of Clean Energy:  Opportunities for Industries and SMEs and Promoting Circular Economy through Sustainable Waste Management Practice.

The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) has said that for Nigeria and Africa as a whole to attain the desired development, attention must be paid to education, health and nutrition of children.

It said it was against that backdrop that UNICEF, with the support of other partners, launched the Nigeria Learning Passport to expand access to quality learning for children in Nigeria, adding that 280,000 learners, teachers, parents and young people across Nigeria have so far benefited from the passport.

The UNICEF Country Representative in Nigeria, Ms Cristian Munduate, stated this while addressing newsmen as part of this year’s celebration of the Day of African Child held at LEA Sheik Abubakar Gumi Primary School Kaduna.

Ms Munduate stated that children in Africa need opportunities to acquire sound education, good health and nutrition in their early years.

She explained that after the children acquire education, they can take roles in their adolescent life by having opportunities to learn skills that could help them go through adult wood.

According to her, the best way to celebrate the Day of the African Child is with education. “Once the child reaches five years survival, health and nutrition are in place, the best investment that we can do is education”

“If we want a prosperous nation, prosperous Nigeria and prosperous Africa, we have to put children first, because it is where everything starts for the good and not for the bad.”

She however congratulated the children of Kaduna State and indeed every Nigerian child on the occasion of this year’s Day of the Africa Child.

According to her, this year, the theme is apt, because it focuses attention on an important aspect of the right that children – like adults – should have, to wit, access to the digital platforms and skills.

Ms Munduate who was taken on tour of the LEA primary school and saw children accessing learning through the Nigeria Learning Passport digital platform, described it as apt in the learning process for the children.

The Federal High Court in Awka has vacated its sack order on Police Inspector-General Usman Alkali Baba.

The court upheld the right of Alkali to fair hearing as enshrined in Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution, which was not guaranteed by the plaintiff, Okechukwu Nwafor, in his application.

It said it was convinced by the depositions of the court bailiff that the IGP was not served the originating summons.

Justice Fatun Riman reversed the court’s earlier judgment, following an application by IGP’s counsel, Abdullahi Abdulhakeem Ago.

The Court had in its first order of May 19, 2023, declared Alkali Baba an illegal occupant of the office of the IGP, adding that his continued stay in office was against the clear provisions of the Police Act, 2020.

However, the IGP approached  the court to set aside the judgment because the subject matter had been determined by another Federal High Court presided over by Justice J.K. Omotosho in suit FHC/ABJ/CS/31/2023.

The police chief also alleged that the court should quash its judgment due to non-service of the originating processes on him.

The court upheld the arguments of the Inspector-General of Police in a 17-page ruling on June 15, 2023.

Justice Riman said a court can reverse its judgment where there was a fundamental error.

The judge said: “The law is settled that any Court of record, including the Supreme Court has the inherent jurisdiction to set aside its own Judgment given in any proceeding in which there must have been a fundamental defect, such as one which goes to the issue of jurisdiction and competence of the Court

“Such a judgment is a nullity. A person affected by it, is therefore, entitled ex-debito justicae to have it set aside. The court can set it aside suo motu and the person affected may apply by motion and not necessarily by way of Appeal.”

A judgment or order which is a nullity owing to failure to comply with an essential provision such as service of process can be set aside by the court which gave it or made the order…

 “I find merit in this application. Accordingly, the judgment of this court delivered on 19th day of May 2023 is hereby set aside for non- service of the originating processes on the 2nd Defendant (the Inspector-General of Police). This is the ruling of this court.”

Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has called on members of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) to support the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his quest to make Nigeria a better place for all.

The Governor made the call on Friday in his remarks while flagging off the Nigerian Guild of Editors National Biennial Convention 2023 in Owerri, the Imo State capital.

The convention effectively brought to an end the tenure of the Mustapha Isa-led NGE executive to usher in a new one.

Governor Uzodimma reminded the editors that they are partners in progress with the government; hence they must professionally play their constitutional role in the interest of the society.

The Governor commended the Mr Isa-led executive and members of the Guild for their efforts so far in ensuring that the good stories about Nigeria are brought to public domain without compromising their professional ethics, reminding them, however, that the country is making steady progress in her democratic journey since the return of democracy in 1999 despite obvious hiccups.

He also lauded the choice of the theme for the Convention: Post 2023 election: Promoting Professionalism for Enhancement of Democracy and Good Governance.

He said: “Your theme for this conference, “Post – 2023 Election: Promoting professionalism for enhancement of Democracy and Good Governance” is rather apt, given the divergent opinions that trailed the conduct of the recently concluded general elections, and how the media reported the fall outs. As the saying goes, opinions are free, but facts remain sacred. Without pre-empting the guest lecturer in his interrogation of the topic, let me state that I am of the opinion that the traditional media discharged their duties creditably during the 2023 elections.”

He welcomed the editors to Imo State, particularly for their choice of Owerri for the Convention and thanked the NGE president profoundly for his kind words and observations about his person and Imo State.

Governor Uzodinma also welcomed the Guest lecturer, Dr Chido Nwakanma of the Pan Atlantic University, Lagos and commended the media practitioners for finding the state worthy of hosting them twice in less than one year.

Taking time to highlight some of the achievements of his administration, the Governor said: “Apart from the prompt payment of salaries and pensions, my administration has religiously pursued our prosperity agenda encapsulated in Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Recovery. After your annual conference last year, our dear former President, His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, was here to commission our flagship dual carriageways that connect the State capital to the major cities of Orlu and Okigwe.

We have also completed the MCC -Uratta -Toronto road while the Owerri – Mbaise – Obowo – Umuahia road and Orlu – Mgbee – Akokwa – Uga road are nearing completion. These are among the more than 100 standard roads built by this administration within a space of 40 months. This is in addition to equally significant progress recorded in various other sectors like education, health, industry, youth empowerment and social services, which my administration identified as priorities.”