One of the floors of Unity Bank Plc headquarters in Lagos was engulfed in flames on Monday.
The fire which started early hours of this morning has been brought under control by the fire service. The source of the fire remains unknown.
In a statement, the bank said: “We regret to inform the public that there was a fire incident on one of the floors of our Head Office building early this morning.
The cause of the fire incident is yet to be ascertained but the fire service has intervened and has brought the situation under control. While the extent of damage is being assessed, we are happy to note that there was no casualty or loss of life as a result of the incident. From current observations, however, the Banking Hall and other strategic business areas were not affected”.
Continuing the bank said: “We are grateful to all the Agencies and volunteers that supported in bringing the incident under control. Further developments regarding the incident will be communicated as it unfolds”.
Kenyan Government on Monday confirmed that seven pupils were killed and 57 others injured after a classroom at a primary school in Nairobi collapsed.
Colonel Cyrus Oguna, a government spokesman said at a press conference that the classroom, at the Precious Talent Academy in Nairobi’s western suburb of Dagoretti, collapsed at 7.30 am (0430 GMT).
A community leader said the first casualties were evacuated to a nearby Catholic clinic by motorbike, because ambulances took an hour and a half to arrive.
The Red Cross announced on its Twitter account that it had set up information and tracing desk and would be offering psychosocial support services.
Distraught parents and members of the public railed at the school’s administration for what they termed the poor structural quality of the collapsed building.
Unknown gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted a Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) chieftain Ben Akile on zaki biam on Katsina-Ala road in Benue North-East senatorial district, Benue state.
Ben Akile was on his way from Zakibiam to Katsina-Ala town for PDP zonal meeting with Senator Gabriel Suswam.
The meeting was to discuss and find a way out of the present insecurity situation in the zone.
An eye witness Paul unande told The Nation that the victim, his aide and some PDP members were travelling to Katsina-Ala in a vehicle belonging to the State PDP Legal Adviser, Barr. Tela Mue when gunmen waylaid them on the way .
He said they shot at them from the bush, robbed them of cash and other valuable before taking Ben Akile to an unknown destination.
At press time, the gunmen were yet to contact the family of the victim.
The Nigerian Army on Sunday says it has dismissed three soldiers arrested among a kidnapping gang in the outskirts of Maiduguri.
Maj.-Gen. Olusegun Adeniyi, the Theater Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, disclosed this while handing over the dismissed soldiers to the police in Maiduguri.
Adeniyi disclosed that the soldiers were arrested with 22 other suspects by a joint patrol team in the early hours of Sunday at a building in the outskirts of Maiduguri.
He said that the soldiers were initially deployed to the Operation Lafiya Dole, but engaged in nefarious activities such as kidnapping, armed robbery, killings and cultism.
Adeniyi added that the erring soldiers were dismissed in accordance with the military procedures, warning that the army would not condone criminals in its fold.
“The three soldiers were caught among the evil group, there was further resistance and attempt to escape, so we tied them up with ropes because handcuffs were not available.
“In addition; we could not put violent men that do these kinds of crimes into a police van to take to the station, there will be breakout on the road and we know what would happen.
“We have to restrain them thoroughly with ropes before we take them and handover to the police.
“The Acting GOC, 7 Division, Brig.-Gen. AK Ibrahim, has conducted military procedures. We do not keep armed robbers, kidnappers and cultists in the army, they had been dismissed.
“We gathered here to witness their handover to the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) for civic action, they are dismissed, and they are no longer soldiers of the Nigerian Army.
“Our code of conduct is strict and high, no evil soldier will be allowed to serve in the army,” Adeniyi said.
The commander called on the people to be vigilante and report suspicious persons, movement and activities to security agencies
Meanwhile, the Borno Commissioner of Police, Mr Mohhamed Aliyu, said the command had arrested 25 suspects at Bagani Hotel in Abuja Sharaton Area of the metropolis.
Aliyu said the suspects belong to a cult group called Neo Black Movement (NBM), adding that they were arrested wearing black dresses at about 2:00 a.m., while conducting their imitation activities.
He disclosed that preliminary investigations indicated that most of the suspects were students of the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID), Ramat Polytechnic, Maiduguri, a medical doctor, a banker and three dismissed soldiers.
Aliyu added that one of the suspects fired shot in the air and run when the patrol team stormed the hideout.
He said the suspects had been terrorizing residents of Maiduguri and its environs and were involved in robbing filling stations.
The commissioner revealed that the command had recovered calabashes, a 25-litre keg containing reasonable quantity of red substance suspected to be human blood and charms.
Other items recovered include 20 school identification cards, four ATM cards, phones, six SIM packs, one live 7.62mm ammunition and some gun powder, among others.
The Nigerian Army says the Operation Positive Identification (OPPI) in the North East has started yielding positive results with the arrest of five key terrorists suppliers and fighters.
The Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Operation Lafiya Dole (OPLD), Col. Ado Isa, disclosed this on Monday.
Isa said that the troops of OPLD had intensified searching for and arresting of all suspected criminal elements that were currently roaming parts of the North East.
He said that the Theatre Command had enjoined members of the public to always carry valid means of identification such as National Identification Card when moving or passing through Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States.
Isa said the operation was based on credible information that some of the fleeing criminals were hibernating in some towns and villages of Borno and Yobe States in particular and North East in general.
“Troops are directed to strictly check legitimate means of identification such as National Identification Card, Voters Registration Card, Drivers’ License and International Passports or other valid official identification before allowing such persons passage.
“Consequently, the operation is seriously ongoing across the region and five key terrorists logistics suppliers and fighters have so far been apprehended.
“Members of the public are requested to cooperate with the troops by moving along with valid identification cards and present same to the troops in the efforts to rid the North East zone of criminals fleeing for safety,” he said.
Recent tides in the Nigerian polity indexed some hypersensitivity against criticism and dissent – in the present circumstance, as much by supporters of the power elite as by members of the elite themselves cutting across partisan diversity of the political spectrum.
Last week, Seun Onigbinde, a co-founder of civil society group, BudgIT, ducked out of his recent enlistment as Technical Adviser to Budget and National Planning Minister of State Clem Agba, in the face of intense lashback by supporters of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) who held him damnable for hitherto being a critic of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
Onigbinde’s organisation is reputed for serially exposing duplicities in national budgets – to be sure, not just that of the federal government but also the state governments. But he, in particular, is also accused of taking criticisms of Mr. Buhari quite personal, having previously posted acerbic comments about the president on his social media platforms.
Ordinarily, we should consider it an indication of broadmindedness on the minister’s part (and by extension, that of the Buhari government) that Onigbinde got invited to serve. Dispassion would show it was a unique challenge for the activist to come walk his talk, so that the country might benefit from the fiscal transparency skills and insights that undergirded his organisation’s past exposes on governments’ budgetary documents. Among other cautious observers, ace campaigner and technocrat, Oby Ezekwesili, openly pointed out to Onigbinde that it was a test, which located him on a historic perch to prove his mettle.
But supporters of government thought differently as they rose in fierce rebuff of the activist’s enlistment for national service. Some saw egregious double standard in his past criticisms and his new acceptance to serve in a government that he had been critical of. Others wagered higher, describing Onigbinde as a foreign agent being embedded in government and alleging that the civil society group he co-founded was funded by a local organisation fronting for the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Perhaps the crudest blowback was from cheerleading Buhari Media Organisation (BMO), which said Onigbinde’s appointment was a travesty that desecrated the integrity of the Buhari administration.
In flinging the job amidst that storm, Onigbinde said media reports about the appointment had “created a complex narrative” likely to engender an atmosphere of mistrust in his performance of the role. He explained: “My sincere interest is to see a Nigeria that grows and optimises resources for the benefits of all Nigerians. My loyalty to the good cause of our nation, Nigeria, compelled me to accept the call to provide technical skills, and this experience has more than strengthened it.”
Onigbinde isn’t the only person forced out of call to national service because of their critical posture in the past towards the government or suspicion of diluted loyalty, if at all, towards the ruling party. In June, reputed columnist Festus Adedayo got the boot soon after he was appointed Special Adviser on Media and Publicity by Senate President Ahmed Lawan. Even though the legislature is an independent arm of government, the Senate helmsman backed down on Adedayo’s appointment within a week of handing him the job following a furore by Buharists who dug up past writings of the journalist that were critical of the present administration and the ruling party. The apparent logic being peddled by the supporters is: you can’t have pissed in a well and turn round to come drink from that same well. And really, there may be some sense to make of that logic at least on the face of it.
But if you thought aversion to criticism is a syndrome peculiar to supporters of the ruling party, you need look at Cross River State where retributive stakes are even far higher: a journalist has been held in detention since late August for taking issues with Governor Ben Ayade of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Agba Jalingo, publisher of online CrossRiverWatch, was arrested in Lagos by the police on August 22 and dragged down to Calabar where he’s been under lock allegedly at the state governor’s behest.
Before his arrest, Jalingo had been having brushes with the Ayade administration over his journalism that was critical of the state government. The last straw was a July 17 story in which he alleged diversion of N500million meant for the establishment of Cross River State Micro-Finance Bank. Following his arrest and detention, the journalist filed a suit for enforcement of his fundamental rights. But while that case awaits court hearing, the police have slammed Jalingo with a counter suit. And rather than charge him with the standard felony of libel, they have put up a four-count charge of treasonable felony, terrorism, cultism and disturbance of public peace against the journalist. It is apparently the severity of the charges that explains his being held without bail. Jalingo is also accused of working in cahoots with #RevolutionNow campaigner, Omoyele Sowore, who himself has been kept in detention since August 3 by the Department of State Security (DSS).
The seeming counter-productivity of open dissent in our clime was theatrically highlighted recently by maverick artiste and convener of ‘OurMumuDonDo’ Movement, Charles Oputa better known as Charly Boy, when he said he was cutting out of street protests as a mode of venting displeasure over nationhood challenges because that option had proven ineffective to impact the power elite at all levels. Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Charly Boy argued that successive political leaderships in Nigeria have been insensitive to the plights of ordinary citizens and were unfazed by protests to hold them accountable. Lamenting that in almost six decades of Nigeria’s independence, citizens were yet to experience “freedom from bad leadership,” he added: “I have spent over 40 years of my life leading protests for a better society, and I can tell you that street protests will not change our leaders.”
The 68-year-old self styled ‘president of frustrated Nigerians’ recalled personal discomfiture he had suffered for dissent: “My father (the late Justice Chukwudifu Oputa) always told me back then that whenever I see injustice, I should fight it because it may come to affect me someday, and that is my motivation for fighting injustice over these years. On several occasions, I have been tortured by the Nigerian police and the military for standing up to authorities to ask questions. However, on some occasions I have been regarded as their friend, depending on the sensibility of those in power. I am not a professional protester, so now I have decided to use other means to hold leaders accountable,’’ he said.
Are dissenters or critics essentially enemies of the prevailing orders they take on? The respective experience of Onigbinde and Jalingo, among the others, suggests they are so regarded by some, if not all in the power elite and their supporters. Besides, there is a pervasive notion across partisan divide that only members of a political party or its cheerleaders qualify to participate in a government formed by that party. Thus ‘governments of national unity,’ as they are often called, have become sheer anachronism.
But by keeping critics , dissenters or opponents at bay, we lose so much that synergy of our rich diversity could offer. Also, not only is this tendency at odds with provisions of our national code, it is the bane of our development as a nation. Chapter II, Section 14(2)(c) of the Nigerian 1999 Constitution provides that “participation by the people in their government shall be ensured in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution.” And such provisions include Chapter IV, Section 39 (1) stipulating that “every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, including freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas without interference.”
The power elite and their supporters must learn to rise above cronyism and parochialism of vision by allowing the best available hands to participate in the drive for national development.
Please join me on kayodeidowu.blogspot.be for conversation.
The first step on the journey of wellness is a balance in our diet which is achievable by evaluating and taking advantage of readily available and affordable nutrient fillers. Experts have recommended the regular consumption of fruits as a key ingredient to providing important nutrients for overall health and wellness. Achieving the recommended goals of five fruit portion per day can be challenging and become hindered by availability, convenience, and affordability.
This is what makes fruit juice a smart choice since it is a delicious and nutritious way to consume a range of exciting variants of whole fruits every day. 100% fruit juice has no added sugar, but contains only the naturally occurring sugars found in the fruit from which the juice is squeezed. When included as part of your healthy diet, 100% fruit juice can help meet recommended daily goals for fruit intake because it is a nutrient-dense drink that provides vitamins, minerals (folic acid, thiamine and magnesium) and beneficial plant nutrients like polyphenols. It is also vital to educate yourself on facts that will help you select a healthy product made from real fruit and not some concocted chemicals mixture.
The first place to start is to go with time tested and trusted brands and whilst also paying attention to the nutrition facts on the label. Be careful to check that ‘100% fruit juice’ is clearly written on the packaging. In the Nigeria market, one well-known 100% fruit juice time tested and trusted brand is Chivita 100%. It is recommended for its supreme quality, purity and taste. In order to get real value for your money, always ensure that your fruit juice contains no preservatives or artificial colours.
According to a nutritionist with Healthyliving International, Folakemi Adeyemi, consuming 100% fruit juices with no added sugar can reduce calories associated with added sugar without compromising quality nutrition. “Globally, products with added sugars have come under severe scrutiny because they are believed to provide what is mostly referred to as empty calories without adding nutritional benefits. The natural sugar in fruit juices come with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidant. They are a convenient way to reach your daily fruit intake recommendations,” she stated.
Fruit is a must-have for an everyday balanced diet, and 100% fruit juice is a convenient way to enjoy a portion of fruit when one fails to eat enough whole fruit and vegetables for healthy living. So, whether your favourite fruit is out of season or not readily available, you can reach out for convenience and healthy choice of your favourite fruit in 100% fruit juice.
A 30-year old man, Godstime Ogechi, who specialises in robbing prostitutes in Ugbiyoko, Egor local government area, has been arrested by men of the Edo State Police Command.
Ogechi is a one-man gang that uses a rod-like gun to rob call girls on the pretext of paying them to spend the night with him.
When he takes them to a dark street, he would bring out the rod and the girls thinking that it is a gun would give him their phones and money including the one he paid them.
Luck ran out on him when one of his victims ran away when they got to a dark street at Ugbiyoko area and when Ogechi went back to collect the money he paid her for the night, some girls recognised him which led to his arrest.
Speaking to newsmen when he was paraded at the police headquarters, Ogechi said he has lost count of the number of girls he has robbed.
According to him, “I don’t have any gang. I operate along Ekenwan road. I pick street girls at night and rob them. I will chat with them and tell them I want to take them for day break. When we get to a dark corner, I will bring out this thing like a gun and threaten them.
“They will give me their phones. I cannot remember the number of girls I have robbed. I was caught when one of the girls ran away after I have paid her. I went back to the spot I picked her from and demanded for my money, where she raised alarm.”
There are so many celebrities in the Nigerian movie industry who are still not married at 40 years and above.
While some deliberately choose not to tie the knot, others have tried and failed.
Although not married, these women are doing greatly in the entertainment industry.
Here is our list of eight female celebrities who are unmarried at 40 and above
Eniola Badmus (42-yr-old)
Eniola Badmus
Eniola Badmus who turned 42 on Saturday, September 7, 2019 was born in Lagos Nigeria . She had her basic and secondary school education in Ijebu Ode, Ogun state.
She proceeded to the University of Ibadan where she studied Theatre Arts and then Lagos State University where she graduated with an M.Sc degree in Economics
This single actress came into limelight in 2008 after she featured in the film Jenifa, a very successful seasonal show whose main character is played by another popular Nollywood actress Funke Akindele.
Rita Dominic (44-yr-old)
Rita Dominic
Rita Dominic is an award-winning actress who was born on July 12th, 1975.
44-year-old Dominic, was born in a royal family of Nwaturuocha, and was the youngest of four children.
She graduated from the University of Port Harcourt, where she studied Theatre Arts.
Her first movie “A Time to Kill” came out in 1998, and since then Rita Dominic has acted in more than 100 Nollywood productions.
She co-stars with all the most popular Nollywood actors, like Ramsey Nouah, Stephanie Okereke, Mike Ezuruonye, Ini Edo, Richard Mofe-Damijo, Olu Jacobs, and many others.
There were a lot of reports and photos of Rita Dominic getting married.
However, a majority of the photos which the media use as evidence are simply photos from movies , where Rita Dominic plays a bride.
In real life, she is still single. The actress confessed that she wants her future husband to love her for who she is and not because she is famous, and revealed that she would never marry someone because of his riches either.
Kate Henshaw is one of the most popular and talented actresses in Nollywood.
She was born in Cross River State and the oldest of four children. After completing her primary and secondary school in Lagos and Calabar, she spent one year at the University of Calabar reading remedial studies, and then majored in Medical Microbiology at the School of Medical Lab Science, LUTH (Lagos University Teaching Hospital) in Lagos. Henshaw worked at the Bauchi State General hospital. In 1993 Henshaw auditioned for the lead role in the movie When the Sun Sets and was handed the role. This was her first appearance in a major Nollywood movie.
However, not much has been said about her relationships, she was once married to Rod Nattal back in 2000 and the two split. She’s been unmarried ever since then.
Eucharia Anunobi (54-yr-old)
Eucharia Anunobi
Popular Nollywood actress Eucharia Anunobi is a movie producer and pastor.
She was born on May 25th, 1965. Currently, Eucharia is 54 years old. Her birthplace is Owerri, Imo State.
Anunobi has a degree in Mass Communication from the Institute of Management Technology in Enugu.
She further got another education in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka where she studied the English Language.
Her first prominent role was in the series “Glamour Girls” in 1994. Acting turned out to be the occupation of her life, and she starred in more than 90 other movies, which include her most famous productions “Abuja Connection”, and “Letters to a Stranger”. Now, she serves as a pastor at the church in Egbeda.
Anunobi is not in a relationship. She got married to her first husband, Charles Ekwu, in 2000, but they divorced in 2006. Unfortunately, in August 2017, Anunobi’s son passed away at 15.
Genevieve Nnaji (40-yr-old)
Ace actor, producer and movie director Genevieve Nnaji was born in May 3, 1979.
In 2005, She won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role in making her the first actor to win the award.
Nnaji was born in Mbaise, Imo State, Nigeria, and grew up in Lagos. She is the fourth of eight children, she was raised in a middle-class family; her father worked as an engineer and her mother as a nursery school teacher. She attended Methodist Girls College (Yaba, Lagos), before transferring to the University of Lagos, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in creative arts. While at the university, she began auditioning for acting jobs in Nollywood.
However, recently, a picture of herself and Lynxxx surfaced online which has sparked loads of questions and guesses, Genevieve does not really disclose her personal life to the media often.
She has a daughter, Theodora Chimebuka Nnaji, whom she gave birth to when she was 17 years old.
Bimbo Akintola (49-yr-old)
Bimbo Akintola
Bimbo Akintola was born on May 5th, 1970 in Ibadan, Oyo State. She dreamed about acting from the young age and successfully completed the Theater Arts program at the University of Ibadan.
The debut movie of Bimbo Akintola was “OWO BLOW”, where she starred together with Femi Adebayo. This movie came out in 1995. Her next big work was “Out of Bounds.”
Critics and fans highly praise the talent of Bimbo Akintola, and she has been awarded multiple times for her ability to portray any character on the screen.
Despite her career successes, Bimbo Akintola was never married, and she did not have any children.
She is strongly against the social stereotype that every successful woman should have a man by her side.
She sees nothing wrong being single and encourages women who want to have biological children to have them regardless of their marital status, as she believes that single mothers can successfully raise their children if they are emotionally and financially stable.
Bukky Wright (52-yr-old)
Bukky Wright
Bukky was born on the 31 March 1967 to a Christian father and Muslim mother in Abeokuta.
She attended the University of Lagos, earning a bachelor’s degree in Economics.
She began her acting career in 1996. She has featured in several Nollywood movies of Yoruba and English languages, including Wale Adenuga’s Television series Super story. Besides acting, she runs a Fashion house and Clothing line, B Collections and a beauty spa, B Wright.
Bukky’s marital life has been a subject of controversy.
Bukky Wright’s first husbands was Gboyega Amu, the marriage brought them, two children. But for some reason, the union was broken, and the actress started a relationship with Rotimi Makinde.
After few years Bukky Wright reportedly began dating famous journalist Femi Davies. The relationship ended after a year, and she moved on.
Bolaji Saheed, a music promoter, reportedly became the fourth husband of the actress, the marriage also ended. After that, she met her fifth husband, US-based Adewale Onitiri, this marriage recently crashed.
Faithia Williams (50-yr-old)
Faithia williams
Faithia Williams popularly known as Faithia Balogun was born on February 5, 1969
She was born in Ikeja in February 1969. Her ancestry is from Okpara, Delta State.
She attended Maryland Primary School and Maryland Comprehensive Secondary School in Lagos state, where she obtained the West African School Certificate before she proceeded to Kwara State Polytechnic where she received a diploma certificate.
She has starred, produced and directed several Nigerian films over the years. In 2008, she won the Africa movie Academy Award for the Most Outstanding Actress Indigenous and her movie Iranse Aje won the best indigenous film of the year.
She was formerly married to veteran nollywood actor, Saheed Balogun.
Their marriage hit rock bottom few and she has remained unmarried ever since.
35 year-old Aderinsola Odebunmi is calling on well-meaning Nigerians to help in getting a sum of 5 Million for hip replacement and plastic surgery from her buttocks down to her legs.
Narrating how it all started, Aderinsola who has a sickle cell trait otherwise known as sickler said “It all started when I had swollen legs and I was diagnosed of having sickle cell anaemia when I was a year and a half. Ever since, it has been one crisis or the other. It got worst in 2005 when I had another crisis and it’s more or less as if I’m lifeless, 3 days after I discovered I couldn’t see again as you can see i can no longer see.
“So due to the blood tonic that was given to me then, I lost my sight for a whole year. That was in 2005. The sores and wounds on my leg now it was discovered was as a result of complications of those having sickle cell trait, I’ve been to several hospitals but no cure, rather it’s getting worse Though I was introduced to a doctor but unfortunately the doctor is no longer in the country.
“Then he said the wounds in my body was as a result of some sorts in my blood stream and that I have a swollen vein that was withdrawing pores and ever since some doctors couldn’t diagnose what is exactly wrong. They are just prescribing medicine to treat the wounds. But as you can see it is just getting worse No foundation has raised any fund for me, but my family has been of help, they been assisting in getting money to care for me this far especially my mother. But these family members also have their own family to cater for, the treatment is so overwhelming they they couldn’t find it any longer.
Presently I couldn’t do anything again on my own. This is my 5th year of pains and unending grief, she lamented and she want Nigerians to come to her aid. Speaking with Aderinsola’s mum, who is a retiree, Mrs. Comfort Odebunmi she said “I gave birth to her 35 years ago and when I got married to my husband I never knew anything about SS or AS until when she was a year and a half when she developed swollen legs and I took her to the hospital that was when I got to know that she has sickle cell trait.
“I and her father have been managing the crisis ever since but unfortunately the father died 23 years ago (weeps) and I was left alone to bear the burden. We have spent 4months in Ogun State University Teaching Hospital (OSUTH) after which she lost her sight and she couldn’t walk and when the doctors couldn’t do anything again we were discharged from the hospital. Aderinsola is my last born but she has suffered a lot because she was a sickler, I’ve tried traditional medicine as well all to no avail.
I’ve spent all that I have and today I have nothing I’m appealing to well-meaning Nigerians to support us She need a sum of N6 Million to undergo hip replacement’. Mrs Odebunmi is urging intending couple to go the blood test and know their blood group before they get married ‘and if they have sickle cell trait in their blood I advice them not to get married’, she warned.
