The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • I will return to Bayero University as lecturer, says Ex- Education Minister

    Professor Ruqqayatu Ahmed Rufai who was relieved of her appointment  as Education Minister along with eight other Ministers by President Goodluck Jonathan has indicated her intention to return to Bayero University, Kano where she was formerly a lecturer.
    While handing over to the Minister of State for Education, Barrister Nyesom Wike who is presently the acting Minister of Education, the former Minister  expressed gratitude to President Jonathan for allowing her to serve in his cabinet also promised to always support the President.Professor Rufai who spent three years in the office introduced Four Year Strategic Plan for the development of education sector.

    She also masterminded the introduction of Integrated Quranic Education for the Almajiri as well as construction of model Integrated Quranic schools for the Almajiri.

    The federal government also established 12 federal universities in 12 states that were hitherto without federal universities.

    Her words: ” I want to use this medium to thank Allah for giving me the opportunity to serve in the Federal Ministry of Education for a period of well over three years, let me also thank Mr. President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan who I must say I enjoyed working with, he has a listening eye, he loves education, he has been supportive.

    “There was no time I can say that I was with the president that I regretted working with him, I will forever pray for him and his chamber and all the team for the growth and development of this nation. But most importantly, let me also thank the minister of state for education for the time we spent together that has been in my character to always carry everybody along because I know one day this day is coming and if it doesn’t come we may die.

    “So we are favoured that we are even seeing today and I have to thank my Honourable Minister for the working relationship these two years that we have been together, of course there may be time the pressure of the office may be really much, there are times that we may not be happy with each other but over all we enjoyed working with each other.

    “I am going to take over my office in Bayero University Kano, its very important for you to know that I have been a commissioner for three years before coming here, I am just on secondment from my university and I have been here through God’s grace and it is my Governor, Sule Lamido who nominated me to be here, so I thank him  for that opportunity, but now that I have this scenario am going back to report in office as a professor of curriculum Studies in Bayero University.

    “Let me hand over but I know that taking over will make you to do more, here in the ministry, we need to update our data to 2012 or at least 2011 so this is the process in the Ministry, it is a two year plan, so this will be your time to continue to do it.We are also in the process of finishing the mid term report for this year in terms of having about three year mandate, so by the time that one is done by the end of next year, you can see the end of your plan and this is a very good initiative that we all started together with you.”

    Wike after much emotion said: “Since I met you, we have been working very closely, when you work with somebody that you are very close to and the person is no longer their, you must feel bad“We want to thank you for the leadership and support that you have shown to this ministry and the motherly support that you have shown to everyone and I can assure you that some of us will keep the relationship because we do not know, where we will meet.

    “This came to me as a shock, although I knew that we cannot be here forever but I always assumed that one of us will simply go to another ministry but not to end up the way it did but God known’s best.

    “So I urge you directors and everyone to continue to work like you did when she was here to move the education family ahead because if we do not, it will also affect that where she is going to.”

  • ‘Obasanjo’s accusations against Atiku not true’

    “Obasanjo’s statements are not true”

    Media Adviser to Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Garba Shehu has faulted  corruption charges  by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in an EFCC magazine “Zero Tolerance” that  the former Vice President risked jail if he travels  to the United States.

     “The former President is wrong. It is widely known that Atiku didn’t enter government broke. He declared his assets at the commencement of his Vice Presidency and did so at the end of his term as required by the constitution, which is a sacred document to Atiku,” Garba Shehu said in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday.

     According to him, “Atiku, who is currently returning from China after leading a private economic trade mission at the invitation of the Chinese government, travels often and has a well-documented record of building industries and putting thousands of Nigerians to work. And this record, quite frankly, has been thoroughly investigated.”

     While reiterating that Atiku has no case against him by any arm of the law in any country in the world, including the United States, Shehu observed that “President Obasanjo’s repeated ‘jokes’ about Turaki not being able to go to America have become cliché, tiresome and not true.”

     The Media Adviser recalled that in 2006, former President Obasanjo sent his National Security Adviser (NSA) to stop Atiku from travelling to the US, saying that the Vice President risked arrest on arrival.  He said that Turaki spurned that advice, left Nigeria to land at the Andrews Air Force Base, the official airport of the US government, to receive the best reception ever on a visit to America.

    “So, we are used to those taunts,” he said.

    He noted that when the former Vice President left office shortly before late Musa Yar’Adua was inaugurated as President, Atiku spent three month in the US, adding that if they (US authorities) wanted him for anything, they would have met him.

    “It is time to start dealing in facts. Specifically, the fact that Atiku’s visa to visit the United States has been recently renewed.

    “Another fact is Atiku is one of the most investigated politicians in Nigerian history. And every investigation, whether politically motivated here at home or by the FBI abroad, has yielded the same result every time: not guilty.

     

    “If Atiku is guilty of anything, it is crushing persistent attempts at re-writing our constitution.

     

    “Atiku has chosen the path of optimism and hope. Moving forward, he will continue working to fuel Nigeria’s economy through investment and job creation, while also passionately and persistently defending our young democracy,” Shehu said.

  • Kaduna Cabinet dissolved

    After about nine months as the governor of Kaduna state, Governor Mukthar Ramalan Yero Wednesday  announced the dissolution of the state Executive Council.
    The dissolution of the state cabinet has been long awaited by residents of the state some of whom have dsaid that the present cabinet was incapable of helping the governor deliver on the promises of the government.
    In a statement made available to The Nation, the Director General to the governor on Media and Publicity, Ahmed Maiyaki said that the Commissioners are to hand over the affairs of their ministries to the respective Permanent Secretaries.
    The statement read “at the end of the 25th Executive Council Meeting, the Executive Governor of Kaduna State Dr Mukhtar Ramalan Yero announced the immediate dissolution of the State Executive Council.
    “Gov Yero thanked the outgoing members of the council for their valuable contributions to the state and wished them success in their future endeavors.
    “By this, all Commissioners have been directed to handover the affairs of their respective ministries to their permanent secretaries by Friday, 13th September, 2013”.

  • FG bans issuance of new Insurance licence

    …suspends further budgetary allocation to NAICOM
     
     The federal government has ordered the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) not to issue new insurance licences to investors.
    Instead, any investor desiring to own an insurance company in Nigeria is free to acquire some of the distressed insurance companies recapitalize them and start running the company.
    This order was handed down Tuesday  by the Minister of state for Finance Dr. Yerima Lawan Ngama  at the inauguration of the board of NAICOM in Abuja.
    Ngama lamented that there were many distressed insurance companies littering the field across the country, such distressed insurance companies he said should be taken over.
    He urged local and foreign investors “to buy two or three of these distressed insurance companies, merge them together, recapitalize them and run the companies.”

     

  • 90 Nigerians deported from Tunisia

    About 90 Nigerians deported from Tunisia on Tuesday arrived the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

    According to the South West Zonal Coordinator of NEMA, Mr. Iyiola Akande, the deportees arrived Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos  in Nouvel Air Airbus 320-214 with registration number 177Y at 12:32 am

    They were earlier scheduled to arrive 3:05 pm on Monday.

    The South West Zonal Coordinator said that the repatriation was facilitated by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) with the support of Tunisian government.

    The returnees were received by various agencies such as Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) that checked their identities to ascertain their nationalities, NAPTIP, Police and other stakeholders.

    The returnees he said consisted of two infants of five months and fourteen months old, 12 teenagers, which also has 13 young women and 61 young men.

    He disclosed that 71 of them came from Edo state, eight from Delta State; three are from Imo and Lagos State while Kano and Plateau has two and one among the returnees respectively.

    One of the deportees Success Smart, a 15 year of teenage girl claimed that she travelled out of the Nigeria two years ago through the tedious Libyan route.

    On why she did not return with the earlier batch during Libyan repatriation exercise, she said she was learning a trade to become of hairdresser and that her parents refused to sign agreement with her master as an apprentice while she was in Nigeria.

    She, however, regretted travelling out of the country and urged other Nigerian youths against seeking greener any pasture abroad.

    The deportees said that there is no crisis in Tunisia but that there is no country place like home.

    Akande disclosed that officials of National Agency for Protection and Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) have taking over the case the cases of the teenagers for reorientation and rehabilitation actions.

    According to NEMA, transport allowances were given to everyone of them to facilitate their journeys to their respective destinations and that the agency took the deportees out of the airport at about 2:15 to their various departure points.

  • Olu of Warri reverses anti-tradition edict

     The Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse II on Tuesday afternoon recanted the controversial edict that changed his title and renounced some part of the tradition and culture of the people
    The monarch changed the titled ‎’Ogiame’ because of its alleged fetish connotation and relationship with Umalokun (god of the sea).
    The edict, signed ‎on Wednesday, September 4, prompted 4-day protest by Itsekiri groups, women and youth leaders.
    The cheery news was broken to the protesters this afternoon by Chief Lori Ogbebor, who led Warri traditional chiefs to a meeting with the monarch.
    Shortly afterwards, the monarch emerged from his inner chambers, prompting a loud shout of joy from the crowd that had encamped in front of the palace in the last four days.
    Chant of ‘Ogiame’ rent the air‎, prompting the customary recognition and acceptance from the monarch.
  • Mikel has been top class – Keshi

    Mikel has been top class – Keshi

    Super Eagles Coach, Stephen Keshi, has heaped praise on Mikel Obi, saying the Chelsea midfielder has been at his best under him.

    “Mikel has been excellent for Nigeria playing under me,” MTNFootball.com quoted Keshi as saying to a close confidant after Nigeria beat Malawi at the weekend to advance to the final playoffs for the 2014 World Cup.

    “He has really impressed me and has never let me down.”

    Mikel was voted the Most Valuable Player against Malawi as he imposed himself in the midfield alongside Lazio youngster Ogenyi Onazi.

    He also impressed at the recent FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil and played a key role as Nigeria won a third Africa Cup of Nations in Johannesburg, South Africa, in February.

    He has played a more attacking position from midfield than the defensive role he plays for Chelsea that he is now being touted as a future Eagles captain.

    Interestingly, Mikel had first seemed to be heading on a collision course with Keshi when he first took charge of the Eagles in November 2011.

    The star midfielder, who for long was accused of lacking enough commitment for the national team, stayed away from the friendlies against Botswana and Zambia due to injury and it was not until several months later that he finally played for the Eagles under Keshi.

    And Keshi’s praise now come at a time when there are insinuations that the Chelsea star feigned a calf injury after the Malawi match so as to be excused from Tuesday’s friendly against Burkina Faso in Kaduna.

     

  • Northern governors extol Etsu Nupe’s leadership qualities

    The Northern States Governors Forum on Wednesday described the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, as a man of peace.

    This is contained in a statement issued in Minna and signed by Danladi Ndayebo, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Babangida Aliyu, the Chairman of the forum.

    The forum said the Etsu Nupe’s 10 years on the throne had brought tremendous progress and development to the Nupe Kingdom.

    The northern governors described the monarch as a rare patriot, who had ensured religious tolerance and unity amongst the people.

    “It is worthy of note that Etsu Yahaya is a man of peace and a rare patriot, an accomplished Army General and consummate administrator

    “The monarch has been playing a leading role in ensuring peace, unity and tolerance amongst the diverse tendencies that co-habit his domain and even beyond, ” the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the governors as saying in the statement.

    The governors noted that since Abubakar’s coronation in 2003, violence, whether sectarian or otherwise had been a rare occurrence in the kingdom.

    “The Etsu Nupe has been building bridges across ethnic, religious and socio-cultural divides, helping to bring together his people, irrespective of their political differences.”

    They prayed to Allah to grant him good health, courage and many more years of selfless service to Nigeria and humanity

     

  • Four convicted for Delhi gang rape

    Four men have been found guilty of the fatal gang rape of a medical student in the Indian capital Delhi last December.

    The 23-year-old woman was brutally assaulted on a bus and died two weeks later.

    Her death led to days of huge protests across India in a wave of unprecedented anger.

    BBC says the case forced the introduction of tough new laws to punish sexual offences. The four men are expected to be sentenced on Wednesday.

    Mukesh Singh, Vinay Sharma, Akshay Thakur and Pawan Gupta denied charges including rape and murder.

    They could face the death penalty over the attack on the physiotherapy student.

    Dozens of reporters as well as protesters calling for harsh sentencing gathered outside the court to await the verdict.

    “Hang Them! Hang Them! Hang Them!” the demonstrators chanted soon after the verdict was passed down.

    “I convict all of the accused. They have been found guilty of gang rape, unnatural offences, destruction of evidence… and for committing the murder of the helpless victim,” Judge Yogesh Khanna pronounced, the AFP news agency reported.

    Arguments ahead of sentencing will begin on Wednesday morning, he said.

     

  • World Cup playoffs biggest test for Eagles – Ameobi

    World Cup playoffs biggest test for Eagles – Ameobi

    Newcastle United striker, Shola Ameobi, has said next month’s final 2014 World Cup playoffs will be a big test for Nigeria.

    The African champions qualified for the 10-team qualifying series to be played on knockout basis in October and November after defeating Malawi 2-0 at the weekend.

    MTNFootball.com reports that the top five rated teams in Africa in Thursday’s FIFA rankings will be seeded for the draw, which will be staged in Cairo, Egypt, on Monday afternoon.

    “The big test for us will be in the playoffs and we have to show how far we have come here,” said Ameobi, who made his debut as a late substitute on Saturday.

    The striker is delighted that he is now a full Nigerian international after he represented England at various age-group levels.

    “It’s a joy to play at the world stage. The coach and the lads have been very welcoming,” he said.

    Ameobi said he hopes his English Premier League side finish the new season at the top half of the table after flirting with relegation last term.

    “Last season was a gruelling season and this wore on our thin squad, but we hope to finish in the top half of the table this campaign. We did that two years ago and there is no reason why we should not do that again,” he said.

    His personal target with The Magpies this season is to get more game time and score more goals.

    “I want to play more games, give everything I have got and score as many goals as possible,” declared the experienced striker, who is in line to start against Burkina Faso in Tuesday’s friendly in Kaduna.