The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Court dismisses suit against Tukur, others

    Court dismisses suit against Tukur, others

    A Lagos High Court, Ikeja, on Thursday dismissed a suit filed by Alhaji Kawu Baraje-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP against Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, for lack of jurisdiction.

    The Judge, Justice Oludotun Adefope-Okojie, held that the Lagos State High Court had no power to assume jurisdiction over a matter which originated outside its territory.

    Adefope-Okojie said the applicants had averred in their affidavit that the cause of action was the Special Convention of the PDP held on August 30 in Abuja.

    She said they also averred that the PDP had its registered office in Abuja and that none of the defendants was resident in Lagos.

    The judge held that the argument by the applicants’ counsel that the court could effect its judgment against the defendants was not relevant at this stage.

    “I hold that with the defendants not resident in Lagos and the subject matter originating in Abuja, the High Court of Lagos State has no power to assume jurisdiction over this suit.

    “I accordingly make an order striking out the suit,’’ the News Agency of Nigeria quoted justice Adefope-Okojie as saying on Thursday.

    NAN recalled that Baraje, Dr. Sam Jaja and Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, filed the suit on September 1.

    They urged the court to restrain Tukur, Uche Secondus, Deputy National Chairman; Kema Chikwe, Women Leader; and Olisa Metuh, National Publicity Secretary; from parading themselves as PDP National Executive Committee members.

    The Counsel to the defendants, Mr. Joe Kyari-Gadzama (SAN) and Mr. Emeka Etiaba, had on September 18 asked the court to strike out the suit for want of jurisdiction.

    They argued that the writs of summons was not endorsed and did not comply with the mandatory requirements of Section 97 of the Sheriff and Civil Process Act.

    However, the applicants’ Counsel, Mr. Robert Emukpaeruo, had urged the court to dismiss the defendant’s preliminary objection and assume jurisdiction.

     

  • Libyan PM released

    Libyan Prime Minister, Ali Zeidan, was released on Thursday several hours after being seized from a Tripoli hotel by former rebel militiamen, the foreign minister said.

    “He has been freed but we have no details so far on the circumstances of his release,” Mohammed Abdelaziz told AFP.

    Government spokesman Mohamed Kaabar told the state LANA news agency that the premier had been “freed, not released”, without saying how.

    He said Zeidan was “in good health” but did not elaborate on what he meant by his not being released.

    Moments before news broke of Zeidan’s release, Deputy Prime Minister Al-Seddik Abdelkarim had vowed that the government would not give into the demands of the perpetrators of a “criminal act.”

    “The government will not give in to blackmail by anyone,” he said.

    The pre-dawn seizure of Zeidan came five days after United States commandos embarrassed and angered Libya’s government by capturing senior Al-Qaeda suspect Abu Anas al-Libi off the streets of Tripoli and took him away on a warship.

    A source in the premier’s office said Zeidan had been taken by gunmen from Tripoli’s Corinthia Hotel, where he resides. A hotel employee confirmed a pre-dawn raid by “a large number of armed men.”

    The cabinet met in emergency session earlier in the morning.

     

  • Brazil 2014 ticket our motivation – Ameobi

    Brazil 2014 ticket our motivation – Ameobi

    Nigeria striker Shola Ameobi has said that the pride of putting on the green and white jersey in Addis Ababa would fire up the players to victory in Sunday’s first leg play-off 2014 World Cup qualifier.

    Ameobi, who made his competitive debut in September’s game against Malawi, confessed that it took him long to finally get the opportunity to play for his fatherland, and he considers it a rare privilege and would risk anything to ensure the Super Eagles emerge victorious against the Walya Antelopes if he is fielded by coach Stephen Keshi.

    While reacting to President Goodluck Jonathan’s approval of funds to ferry 200 supporters of the team to Ethiopia, Ameobi said they will repay Nigerians’ faith by getting victory against Ethiopia.

    “We don’t need any extra motivation whatsoever to beat Ethiopia. Every player in this squad knows the importance of being at the World Cup and I think that is the motivation we need to do our country proud,” Goal.com quoted Ameobi as saying to reporters in Abuja on Wednesday.

    “Everybody has tipped us to win the game but we must remember that the Ethiopians are not pushovers. They topped their group like we topped ours and they want to be at the World Cup like we want. But we would go there and give our best for our country to ensure that the result is favourable.”

    Ameobi has also dismissed speculations regarding his fitness ahead of this showdown. “I worked really hard to ensure that I’m fit for this game and I can tell you that I’m fully fit for the encounter. I am happy to be here,” he said.

     

  • Libyan PM detained by militia

    Libyan PM detained by militia

    Libyan Prime Minister, Ali Zeidan, has been seized from his hotel in the capital, Tripoli by a former rebel militia loosely allied to the government.

    The group said it arrested Mr. Zeidan following a prosecutor’s warrant, but the government has denied this.

    An official said he was being held at an interior ministry anti-crime department and being “treated well.”

    There has been anger in Libya over a United States commando raid on Saturday which seized senior al-Qaeda suspect Anas al-Liby.

    BBC reports that many saw the raid as a breach of Libyan sovereignty amid growing pressure on the government to explain if it was involved.

    On Monday, Libya demanded an explanation from the U.S ambassador over the arrest of Mr. Liby, who is wanted in the U.S over the 1998 bombings of U.S embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.

    A number of militia groups operate in Libya – they are nominally attached to government ministries but often act independently and, reports say, often have the upper hand over police and army forces.

     

  • Six students arraigned over secret society membership

    The Ekiti State Police Command on Wednesday arraigned six boys in an Ado-Ekiti Magistrates’ Court for belonging to a secret cult, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

    The Police prosecutor, Cpl. Olasunkanmi Bamikole, said the accused were – Awotile Yemi (18), Ogundana Adesina (18), Jamiu Seun (18), Ogunleye Olumide (18), Daramola Damilola (19), and Omolayo Sunday (18).

    He told the court that the accused were apprehended on September 30 at Agbanka Farm, Ilasa-Ekiti, Ikole Local Government Area of the state.

    Bamikole said the accused presented and conducted themselves as members of a proscribed society.

    He said their offence contravened Section 64 of the Criminal Code, Cap C 16, Laws of Ekiti State. 2012.

    However, their counsel, Mr. Taju Ahmed, urged the court to grant bail to his clients, pledging that they would not jump bail.

    The Magistrate, Patricia Taiwo, granted bail to the accused in the sum of N20, 000, with two sureties each in like sum.

    She ruled that the sureties must be their parents and later adjourned the case to November 20 for further hearing.

     

  • Extreme rules

    I met a graduate of a private university at an event I attended last Saturday who took interest in my being a journalist because of a project he is working on. Aside the project, we discussed generally about the education system and he came across as an intelligent, calm and respectful young man.

    He is advocating a change in the way our tertiary institutions are run. Beyond accrediting courses, he wants the National Universities Commission (NUC) to set standards about the kind of rules universities are allowed to set. Though I told him I did not think that was possible, his complaints about some rules got me thinking. For instance, he cannot comprehend why in an era when ICT is the in-thing, a university – not the one he attended – would insist that students do not own phones.

    He also had a grouse against rules at his alma mater as well. He told me a story of how one girl was expelled for getting drunk even though she had completed her final examinations and submitted her project. The only reason he said she returned to the campus was to pack some personal effects – and she was expelled. She was one of many who were expelled for – can we say – peculiar reasons.

    Was it enough for the university to expel her when she was as good as gone because she was drunk? I do not in any way support her getting drunk. It not only portrayed her level of indiscipline but her disregard for constituted authority for the fact that she could not stay away from the campus when she was under the influence of alcohol. However, I do not think it was enough reason to expel her. Given the huge investments by her parents to keep her in the school, additional to the fact that she was on her way out of the school, I think counseling would have worked better. Like the woman Jesus saved from being stoned because of adultery, she would likely have remembered how her many sins were forgiven should the tempter return.

    The girl’s story reminded me of another that I heard of sometime ago – about a boy was suspended for one session for a spurious reason I cannot now remember. After serving the time, the boy refused to return to that university or any at all – no matter the persuasion from his parents. On the contrary, he decided to focus on his love for music.

    Private universities that strictly regulate the lives of their students might defend their rules as a means of producing the kinds of graduates they desire. They may claim that those who fall by the way side are in the minority and their fate should serve as lessons to others. However, they could also handle issues of rules differently to achieve a high level of compliance that issue from an understanding of why the rules are instituted rather than from fear of getting caught. If compliance is done because of fear, it is not usually sincere and many students would always do something – take risks – to beat the rules. However, if it is out of an understanding of the institution’s goals, they are more likely to buy into the vision and cooperate in achieving it.

    To achieve sincere compliance, institutions can involve students in reviewing rules. Learning of their views about the rules, and getting input from them on why institutions think certain rules are necessary would make students more obliged to keep them. This, I think, is better by far.

     

  • Caleb VC gets second tenure

    Caleb VC gets second tenure

    Caleb University, Imota, Lagos State, has renewed the appointment of Prof Ayodeji Olukoju as the Vice-Chancellor.

    The renewal, which takes effect from October 18, was made by the university’s Board of Trustees on the recommendation of the Governing Council.

    A professor of History and Strategic Studies and a regular Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL), Olukoju, who was the Dean, Faculty of Arts, University of Lagos, (UNILAG) between 2005 and 2009, was first appointed as the Vice-Chancellor of Caleb University on October 18, 2010 for an initial three-year tenure.

    Born on June 9, 1959 and married with four children, Olukoju had taught at the university level for 29 years at the Ogun State University, Ago-Iwoye (now Olabisi Onabanjo University) between 1984 and 1987 and in UNILAG from 1987 till 2010 when he was appointed Vice-Chancellor.

    He graduated from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka with a B.A first class honours his in June 1980 and obtained Master’s and Ph.D at the University of Ibadan in1982 and 1991.

    Olukoju, a scholar, researcher, administrator and consultant, was appointed professor of History on October 1, 1998 at UNILAG.

    Acknowledged as Nigeria’s pioneer maritime economic historian, he was elected in June 2008 into the influential executive committee of the International Maritime Economic History Association, as the first African to serve in that capacity.

    Olukoju has over 120 scholarly publications, including authored and co-edited books, chapters in books and articles in high-impact academic journals on diverse aspects of the Nigerian society and the wider world. His article in African Affairs (2004) was advertised by the journal as a model for its prospective contributors.

     

  • CORRECTION: www.nigeriapropertycentre.com

    CORRECTION

    On September 18, 2013, we published on our website a press statement by the Lagos State government accusing a property website  www.nigeriapropertycentre.com of providing false information purportedly from government and requesting  payment to a certain bank account on the Home Ownership Mortgage Scheme (Lagos HOMS).

    We have since confirmed that the accusations are not true.

    We regret the error.

    Editor

  • Omoni Oboli eulogises Deji Falae on his birthday

    Omoni Oboli eulogises Deji Falae on his birthday

    Top flight Nollywood actress yesterday took to her twitter handle to mourn one of the victims of the ill-fated flight of Thursday,October 3, Deji Falae who would have added a year October 9.
    It was in the indeed a heartfelt message that caught the attention of other sympathizers who couldn’t hold back the urge to reply with comments, consoling the actress as well as families of the deceased.

    Omoni in her message said, “Death took you Deji, a few days to your birthday. God knows best. Father you are worthy of our praise.

    Happy Birthday! RIP! Forever in our hearts. In another tweet the actress said, “Happy birthday Deji, you would have been a year older today. We remember you dear friend. RIP!
    No sooner had the actress dropped those lines, than she started receiving replies to her tweets. One of them reads, “It’s really sad but I believe God has a reason…May the family and friends be comforted in Jesus Name”Dear friend. RIP.  You would have been a year older today.

  • Solomon Lar is dead

    Solomon Lar is dead

    Former Plateau Governor, Chief Solomon Lar, is dead.

    His death, according to the News Agency of Nigeria  was confirmed by the state governor, Jonah Jang.

    He reportedly died in a United States hospital on Wednesday.

    He was aged 80.

    The pioneer national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party had been battling an undisclosed ailment for some months before he was flown to U.S for treatment.

    President Goodluck Jonathan received the news of Chief Lar’s  death with sadness and feeling of immense national loss.

    Jonathan, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, extended condolences to the Lar Family, Governor Jonah Jang, the people of Plateau State, the people of the Middle Belt and all others for whom Chief Solomon was a much beloved, charismatic and inspirational political leader.

    He mourned the passage of a truly great leader whose eventful and highly successful political career predated Nigeria’s independence, having started with his election as a Councilor in the Langtang Native Authority in January 1959 and continued with his election to the Federal Parliament in December, 1959.

    Jonathan urged the people to take solace in the knowledge that Chief Lar lived a long and most fulfilled life, and that his immense contributions to communal, state and national development have assured him of a place amongst the eternal heroes of the Nigerian nation.

    The PDP expressed deep sadness over Lar’s death describing it as a huge loss to the nation.

    The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh in a statement said the death of the politician has left a big vacuum not only in the party but in Plateau State and the nation at large.

    The party described Lar as a quintessential politician and patriot who sacrificed the greater part of his life for the entrenchment of true democracy and an egalitarian Nigeria where all are free.

    “Our hearts reach out to the government and people of Plateau State, the millions of PDP family nationwide, but most importantly to his loved ones and immediate family.

    “Chief Solomon Lar will be remembered for his insistence on the emancipation of the masses and his white handkerchief. That is why he was fondly called “The Emancipator”.

    The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has described the death of former Plateau State Governor as a national loss.

    In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Malam Imam Imam, the Speaker  said he received with immense sadness and a feeling of great national loss, the news of the death of the elder statesman .

    According to Tambuwal, “Lar will always be remembered as a man of integrity whose forthrightness and wisdom stood him out among his peers.”

    He said the late former Plateau Governor lived a fulfilled life full of accomplishments and notable contributions to national unity.