The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Relations to get DANA Air crash victims’ items

    About 13 months after 153 passengers and crew died on board DANA Air McDonnell Douglas 83 aircraft,  the  Accident Investigation Bureau ( AIB), is now ready to  release  some items belonging to the victims of the crash to their relations.

    The belongings were recovered from the wreckage of the ill-fated aircraft, which crashed into residential buildings in Iju/ Ishaga area of Lagos.

    According to statement by the AIB, signed by its Head of Public Affairs, Mr Tunji Oketunbi, relations of the victims of the crash are advised to visit the bureau’s office at the Murtala Muhammed  International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos for identification and collection of the items.

    Oketunbi said a belongings recovered from the crash site include : bags, jewelries laptops, phones, cash and identity cards that were badly affected by fire and the impact of the crash.

    The statement reads:” Accident Investigation Bureau will be releasing some items belonging to the victims of the DANA Air crash, which occurred in Iju Ishaga, on the outskirts of Lagos June 3, 2012 to the relations.

    “The affected relations are advised to visit the Lagos office of the bureau at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja for identification and collection of the items.

    “The Bureau wishes to announce that the contacts for the victims’ families obtained from Dana Air have been contacted to facilitate the exercise.

    “AIB has since been investigating the cause of the crash even as a detailed report will be issued as soon as possible.

    “The release of the items would not affect the ongoing investigation.   A lot of belongings recovered from the crash site including bags, jewelries, laptops, phones, cash and identity cards were badly affected by fire and the impact of the crash. There are also some items with unidentified owners.”

  • My father was jailed for refusing to let me attend school – Atiku

    Late father of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar was jailed for refusing to let him attend school in his hometown of Jada, Adamawa State.

    The former Vice President recalled the incident on Sunday  in remarks at  the conferment of an honorary doctorate degree on him by the Geneva School of Diplomacy and International Relations, Switzerland.

    “When my father was put in jail by local authorities because he needed my assistance with herding the livestock, it seemed like a harsh punishment.”

    “Were he to be alive to witness this day (Sunday ) and the last 30 or so years of my life I am sure that he would exclaim “wow! Education pays after all, ” Atiku stated.

    The founder of the American University of Nigeria (AUN), Yola recalled that as a young lad growing up in his rustic village of Jada, he had dreams, but that it was education that made his dreams come true. 

    According to him, “education is what brought me in contact with members of the United States of America’s Peace Corps when I was still a little boy; a contact and interaction that would have profound impact on my life, especially my love for education and service.”

    While underscoring the imperative of education to personal growth and development, the former Vice President said it gave him the friends he made across Nigeria as he attended high school and university; gave him a job in the Nigerian civil service; and provided him with opportunities to meet and form more life-long friendships from across the world. 

    Atiku  attributed the modest achievements he has made in business and politics and the contributions in improving the lives of others to education.

    He stressed that education is what has informed his determination to give back to society, especially through education.

    He noted that the centrality of  education in the improvement of the human condition is one reason why public policy must seek to always improve the quality of and access to public education everywhere in the world, especially in developing countries like Nigeria.

    He advised parents not to choose career options for their children but allow them to discover their innate potentials by charting their own preferred discipline.

    “A young friend of mine, who heads the human resources department of an organization in Nigeria, called me up one night about seven months ago and said he came across an application for employment by one of my children and wondered whether I consented to my child applying to work in that organization. 

    “I asked why he needed to clear that with me first and he said he thought that I would prefer that my child works in one of my establishments.  I then told him that I do not choose careers for my children.  I owe them good education; I support them to acquire good education.  What they do thereafter is up to them as adults,” Atiku said. 

    Others who received honorary doctorate degrees from the same institution are His Excellency (Dr.) Oguz Demiralp, Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey and His Excellency (Dr.) Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Director General of the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) and Honorary Dean of the Geneva School of Diplomacy.

  • NUPENG begins warning strike Monday

    The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) said it would begin a three-day warning strike on Monday.

    This is contained in a statement signed by NUPENG’s General-Secretary, Mr. Isaac Aberare, on Sunday in Lagos.

    The statement said the workers were going on strike over alleged unfair labour practices by some major oil companies in the country.

    “The strike is also to protest the refusal of NARTO to implement the signed collective bargaining agreement with the petroleum tanker drivers.

    “We are also unhappy over the bad state of roads across the nation, ‘’ the News Agency of Nigeria quoted NUPENG as saying in the statement.

    The statement said that all efforts by the Federal Ministry of Labour to intervene in the issue three weeks ago had failed.

    It said the oil multinationals had failed to implement the agreement reached during a peace meeting brokered by the Minister of Labour, Chief Emeka Wogu.

    The statement alleged that the union’s call for a stakeholders meeting in the oil and gas sector to address the situation had also been ignored.

    It directed all members of NUPENG at the various depots to stop loading petroleum products for the next three days.

    Members in all the branches in the country must also follow suit,’’ the statement added.

     

  • Ex-Super Eagles star Oliha is dead

    Ex-Super Eagles star Oliha is dead

    Former Super Eagles midfielder, Thompson Oliha is dead.

    He died on Sunday morning and his remains had been deposited at the mortuary.

    Reports said the former Flying Eagles midfielder complained of malaria and was taken to an undisclosed hospital in Ilorin, Kwara State, where he gave up the ghost.

    Oliha was a key member of Nigeria’s 1994 African Nations Cup winning squad in Tunisia.

    He also played in the 1994 World Cup in United States with the Super Eagles.

    He was a second half substitute in Nigeria’s round of 16 clash with Italy at the tournament, a match Super Eagles lost 2-1 to exit the competition.

    Until his death, Oliha was one of the coaches at the Kwara State Football Academy in Ilorin.

     

  • God will work wonders in Nigeria – Kumuyi

    God will work wonders in Nigeria – Kumuyi

    The General Superintendent of Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor William Kumuyi , on Sunday urged Africans to believe in God and be united in love so as to overcome the seemingly failure in the country.

    He said because all nations serve one God, we should have one goal, vision and direction just like the apostles of the early church who were not divided, but stayed true to each other in faith.

    Kunmuyi spoke during the Church two-day special mid-year celebration service held at its Conference Centre on Kilometre 42, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Ogun State.

    The theme of the service is: “When Mountains Move.”

    “We are not alone. God’s power resides in us as we all belong to God as members of His body that cannot be broken. God is faithful in his promise of making us priests and king in his kingdom. We are working together with Him as the tree and humans as the branches,” he said.

     

  • Bayelsa police defy court order on suspect

    The police in Bayelsa State had ignored the order of a Federal High Court directing them to either arraign a suspect in their custody, Mr. Nenghi Ikiba, or release him unconditionally.

    Ikiba, a presidential aspirant in the forthcoming elections of the Ijaw National Congress (IYC) has been in police custody since June 19.

    The aspirant who is described as a political prisoner by his lawyer, Mr. Ayei Okpa, is allegedly held by the police for refusing to step down from the race to pave way for a government candidate.

    But the court had on June 24 derided the police for overstepping their bounds while ruling on a motion exparte brought before it by Okpa.

    The court presided over by Justice Lambo Akanbi ordered the police to either arraign the suspect within 48 hours or release him unconditionally.

    Akanbi in a copy of the ruling obtained by our correspondent on Sunday said:

    “An order is hereby made directing the respondents to arraign the applicant before any court of competent jurisdiction for any offence the respondents believe the applicant may have committed within 48 hours, that is on or before Thursday the 27th day of June 2013.

    “If the applicant is not arraigned before any court for prosecution, he shall be released on bail unconditionally by the respondents.

    “The respondents shall caution themselves of the consequences of disobeying the tenor of the order of the court.”

    The respondents are the Commissioner of Police, Assistant Commissioner of Police, SCID, IPO Goodway, Col. Kenebai and the government of Bayelsa State.

    But our correspondent observed that despite the clarity of the order, the police had refused to abide by it.

    All efforts by Okpa and supporters of Ikiba including a former senator to prevail on the police to obey the court’s directive have proved abortive.

     

  • Police confirm abduction of corps members in Rivers

    The Rivers Police Command on Saturday in Port Harcourt confirmed the abduction of three members of the National Youth Service Corps serving with Abua/Odual local government council of the state.

    Mrs. Angela Agabe, the command’s Public Relations Officer, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that two male and one female youth corps members were abducted.

    She said they were seized by armed men in the early hours of Saturday.

    Agabe, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said the motive behind the kidnapping was however still unknown.

    The police PRO said the command’s anti-kidnapping unit, had since commenced a search for the missing corps members.

    “Reports received by the command indicate that the corps members went to Ogomokon jetty, near the council headquarters, where three armed men abducted them early on Saturday.

    “So far, no group has claimed responsibility and no ransom has been demanded. The police had commenced investigation into the incident.

    “As we speak, our anti-kidnapping unit is on top of the situation. The unit had already commenced work to free the corps members,’’ she said.

     

  • UNIOSUN, three others get N500m Canadian grants

    UNIOSUN, three others get N500m Canadian grants

    Four institutions, including Osun State University (UNIOSUN) have benefited from about N500 million ($2.9 million) grants awarded by Canadian agencies on production of vegetables.

    The International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) under the Canadian International Food Security Research Fund (CIFSRF) are jointly funding the research project on promoting and growing under-utilized indigenous vegetables in Nigeria.

    A team comprising the four institutions in Nigeria and Canada will carry out research on “sustainable production and utilization of under-utilized Nigerian vegetables to enhance rural food security.”

    According to UNIOSUN Vice Chancellor, Prof. Adekunle Bashiru Okesina, at the signing of Memoradum of Understanding (MoU) with two Canadian universities, in Osogbo, the team is made up of scientists from two Nigerian universities (Osun State University, Osogbo and Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife); and two Canadian Universities (University of Manitoba and Cape Breton University).

    According to him, the principal investigators of the four scientific teams are – Professors Clement Adebooye, Wole Akinremi, Duro Oyedele, and Thomas Bouman.

    The Vice Chancellor said: “The project is being implemented in four states of southwest Nigeria (Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti). Some of the salient results obtained so far on the project include some 4,600 vegetables producers, marketers and consumers were interviewed across 72 communities in the four selected states (Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti).

    “Results showed that 70 percent of the producers are women, and 80 percent of the processors and marketers are women. The baseline survey identified 18 indigenous leaf vegetables that were eaten across the different ecologies in southwest Nigeria.”

     

  • Suntai celebrates 52nd birthday in U.S hospital

    Suntai celebrates 52nd birthday in U.S hospital

    Ailing Taraba State Governor, Danbaba Danfulani Suntai, would on Sunday celebrate his 52nd birthday in the Sea View Hospital Rehabilitation Centre and Home, New York, United States where he is recuperating.

    Following his tremendous recovery, Suntai had wanted to come back earlier to celebrate the milestone in his home state, but the doctors advised he should wait until he gets “complete recovery,” it was learnt.

    He has been receiving physiotherapy/treatment in the U.S upon leaving the German hospital in Hannover in March.

    Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam, who visited Suntai in New York and returned at the weekend, said Suntai received him well, and spoke on phone with President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice President Namadi Sambo.

    Taraba Acting Governor, Alhaji Garba Umar, said the hand of God is sheltering his boss.

    “We have seen the hand of God at work in your life”, Suntai’s deputy, now Acting Governor Alhaji  Umar said in his goodwill message on his boss’ 52nd birthday on Sunday.

    Umar, 67, said: “on this day, we once again have the opportunity to celebrate the grace, love, blessings, mercy, and kindness of Almighty God upon our leader, mentor, friend, brother and boss, His Excellency Danbaba Danfulani Suntai, CON, as he clocks 52 years.

    “Though you are marking the event in far away United States of America, where you are recovering from the injuries you sustained in the air mishap of October 25 last year, we join you in appreciating God for what He is doing in your life.

    “We do so with an abiding faith in the Creator, that He would bless you (Suntai) with many more years of active and meritorious service to our state, the nation and humanity. We wish you a happy birthday anniversary and many returns.”

    Senator representing Taraba ,South Hon. Emmanuel Bwacha, who also visited Suntai in New York and returned at the weekend, told The Nation that the governor’s 52nd birthday celebration both at home and abroad would be more of thanks giving and praises to the Lord.

    Bwacha said: “This is his biggest testimony for the governor. His state (Taraba) and the country are joining him to thank God for his merciful wonders in his life.”

    “2007, 2012 and 2013 are seen as Suntai’s “most miraculous years.”

     

     

  • Okani dreams WYC trophy

    Okani dreams WYC trophy

    Flying Eagles Goalkeeper, Samuel Okani, has declared Nigeria is capable of winning the U-20 World Cup in Turkey after reaching the round of 16, MTNFootball.com reports.

    The 19-year-old Enyimba goalkeeper was excited to have kept a clean sheet against Korea Republic in a last group match on Thursday.

    “After winning today (Thursday), we could be contenders for the trophy,” said Okani.

    “I’m really happy we’ve made the next round, and I kept a second clean sheet in a row.”

    He appeared bewildered by the attention focused on him, remaining true to his innate modesty and even appearing a little timid. He had no reason to be, because although he is the shortest goalkeeper at the tournament, he has laid down impressive credentials so far.

    “I’ve always played in goal, and right from the start I only ever wanted to play between the sticks, even as a little boy,” he told FIFA.com

    He is motivated by the desire to emulate his biggest idol.

    “I’m amazed by Iker Casillas,” he freely admitted.

    Obuh regards Okani as one of the cornerstones of his team, the kind of player he rates as irreplaceable.

    “Chukwunenye is a terrific lad and he was top class again today,” the Nigerian coach said to FIFA.com, “My players look up to him.”

    The 53-year-old almost certainly didn’t realise the delicious irony in his choice of phrase.

    “What makes him special is his extraordinary leaping ability, and his skill and composure with the ball at his feet.”