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.
For the first time in 12 months, Nigeria has recorded positive foreign investment flow as foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) appeared to be showing renewed interests in Nigerian securities, implying that more foreign portfolio investments came into the country than outflows.
The FPIs report indicated a positive net foreign portfolio investment of about 20.5 per cent. The report also showed 10.6 per cent increase in total foreign portfolio transactions with FPIs outpacing domestic transactions at the Nigerian equities market for the second consecutive month.
The FPIs report, coordinated by the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), included transactions from nearly all custodians and capital market operators and it is widely regarded as a credible measure of foreign portfolio investment (FPI) trend. The report uses two key indicators-inflow and outflow, to gauge foreign investors’ mood and participation in the stock market as a barometer for the economy.
Foreign portfolio outflow includes sales transactions or liquidation of equity portfolio investments through the stock market while inflow includes purchase transactions on the NSE. Segmental analysis delineates the proportion of foreign to local participation, institutional to retail investors as well as the momentum of activities among others.
Foreign portfolio inflows 23.04 per cent from N28.98 billion in July 2019 to N34.92 billion in August 2019 while foreign portfolio outflow improved from N29.40 billion to N28.98 billion during the same period, representing a 20.5 per cent or N5.94 billion net FPIs in August compared with a deficit of N1.02 billion or 3.6 per cent in July. The last positive FPI flow was in August 2018. Total foreign transactions thus increased from N57.78 billion in July to N63.90 billion in August.
The report showed that while Nigerian domestic investors- both retail and institutional, tended to sell more shares than buy during the period, foreign investors stepped up buy orders and slowed down on sell orders.
Managing Director, APT Securities & Funds Limited Kasimu Garba Kurfi said most foreign investors understand and play better in the Nigerian investment market noting that clearer macroeconomic direction, upbeat crude oil pricing and reduced political risks usually influence foreign investments.
He, however, added that sell pressure on domestic investors might not be unconcerned with demand to raise funds to meet financing needs in preparation for resumption of schools. With a trading cycle of four days, most investors find their shares handy in the event of immediate cash requirement.
Chief Dealer, Globalview Capital Limited, Mr. Aruna Kebira, noted that stability and sustainability could influence foreign portfolio direction.
Chief Executive Officer, Sofunix Investment and Communications, Mr. Sola Oni, said strong fundamentals and undervaluation of Nigerian equities have made them attractive to investors noting that clearer economic and political directions have further reduced Nigerian macro risks and made Nigerian securities more attractive.
FPIs had outpaced Nigerian domestic investments in the equities market in 2018, after two-year domination by Nigerian domestic investors. However, FPIs had for most months tended towards outflows. Further analysis showed that for the past 12 years, foreign portfolio investors and Nigerian domestic investors had split the domination of transactions at the Nigerian market equally.
A year-to-date cumulative assessment also showed that total foreign transactions had reduced from N906.86 billion in first eight months of 2018 to N594.46 billion in first eight months of this year. FPI trend meanwhile was in line with the reduction in total transactions in the Nigerian equities market, which dropped from N1.88 trillion in eight-month period ended August 2018 to N1.32 billion in 2019. Nigerian domestic transactions had also reduced from N728.51 billion by August, last year to N970.31 billion last month.
THE World Bank at the weekend, warned that slow global growth and sluggish investment in Nigeria and other developing countries would most likely increase poverty and frustrate its goal for poverty alleviation.
World Bank Group President David Malpass, who gave the warning at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, Washington, DC, United States, said the distributional impact of slower global growth and frozen capital will add to inequality, undercutting the bank’s mission of shared prosperity and rising median incomes.
He said the world was already facing slowdown in growth, slowdown in investment, and frozen capital.
Malpass said the global slowdown is apparent, adding that in June, the World Bank Group’s Global Economic Prospects (GEP) report lowered estimate for this year’s real global growth to 2.6 per cent.
“Given recent developments, I expect actual growth to fall short of that. In nominal terms, dollar gross domestic product (GDP) growth looks set to slow to less than three per cent in 2019, a big letdown from six per cent growth in 2017 and 2018. World dollar GDP reached $84.7 trillion in 2018, of which the U.S. was $20.6 trillion, China $13.6 trillion, the combined five biggest European Union (EU) economies (Germany, the UK, France, Italy and Spain) $13.1 trillion and Japan $5 trillion.
“The slowdown in global growth is broad based, including slowing growth in China, substantial downturns in Argentina, India, and Mexico, and disappointments in much of the developing world. Some parts of Europe are in recession or close to falling into recession. Germany and the United Kingdom have experienced a quarter of recession, and Italy and Sweden have seen several quarters of stagnation,” he said.
The World Bank chief said global investment growth decelerated after the global financial crisis from an average of about six per cent between 1992-2007 to about four per cent between 2010 and 2018.
It said in emerging market and developing economies, average investment growth slowed from about 10per cent per year during 1992-2007 to below six per cent during 2010-2018. Excluding China, average investment growth in other emerging market and developing economies was only about four per cent between 2010-2018 period.
Malpass said at the same time, over $15 trillion of bonds have zero or negative yields, with some new issues carrying negative yields over the long term. This frozen capital implies slower future growth. In economic theory, yields should be related to the cost of capital and anticipated return on investment. Low or negative bond yields mean that many pools of capital are accepting the market’s premise of very low or even negative returns for years, even decades.
“Lack of debt transparency and unsustainable debt loads are problems in a number of countries, especially in Africa. The lack of clean water, dependable electricity and access to roads, basic health care and education still plagues many of our clients.
“For many emerging markets, the availability of global capital puts added emphasis on reforms that strengthen capital markets and attract capital from their diaspora, who are often the most eager to invest when improvements occur and the most aware of meaningful progress,” Malpass said.
IF it is true that there is a strong connection between cleanliness and efficiency, then it is obvious that the filth, waste and decrepitude of Phase II of the Federal Secretariat in Abuja are clear reflections of the ineffectiveness for which the Nigerian civil service is notorious.
Phase II is the epicentre of the Federal Civil Service. It houses the offices of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, the ministries of information and culture, science and technology, special duties and intergovernmental affairs, and the housing sector of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing. It also accommodates the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, and the Bureau of Public Service Reforms.
Tragically, the poor state of the complex stands in stark contrast to its critical importance to policy formulation and national development. Its gleaming exterior conceals a sorry tale of non-functioning lifts, clogged drainage systems and foul toilets, all testifying to a virtually non-existent maintenance culture, which contradicts any claims to efficiency.
Lifts, essential in an 11-storey complex, are either non-functioning or restricted. This compels workers and visitors to resort to the stairs, despite the obvious challenges it poses. Toilets are similarly unavailable; most are locked up and few meet the sanitary standards expected of any workplace, to say nothing of the headquarters of the Federal Civil Service.
In July 2018, the Federal Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with a construction firm for the renovation of the ground floor and car parks in Block A of Phase II. One thousand office spaces and 800 parking spaces were to be created in a pilot project that was to set the template for a more extensive programme of rehabilitation. The project was due for completion in January this year, but the present dilapidation of the complex clearly shows that its objectives have not been met.
If Phase II of the Federal Secretariat in the country’s national capital is so poorly maintained, the condition of the various federal secretariat buildings across the country which are farther away from the seat of power do not bear thinking about.
The implications for the nation are obvious. A Federal Civil Service that cannot keep its own toilets clean is unlikely to be the driver of national growth that it is supposed to spearhead. A Federal Secretariat whose lifts are non-functional cannot superintend the upliftment of society that is its prime directive. Ministries, agencies and departments that are unable to ensure a conducive working environment for themselves clearly lack the capacity to create it in their areas of responsibility.
Any attempt to reform the Federal Civil Service must start from the proper maintenance of its buildings. The 2018 National Budget appropriated N239,016,098 for the rehabilitation of Phase II of the Federal Secretariat Complex. An additional N76,970,237 was budgeted for the retrofitting of buildings in the housing sector of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, and three other federal secretariats. Another N34,636,606 was also set aside for the rehabilitation of fire prevention and fighting systems in the Federal Secretariat Complex.
Exactly how were these funds spent? Who oversaw the various projects and signed them off? If there were any discrepancies, why were they not thoroughly dealt with? A closer monitoring of the maintenance budget for the Federal Secretariat Complex is vital to ensuring that it is used for what it is meant for.
The reporting system in the Federal Civil Service also needs to be overhauled. Apart from the various laid-down procedures for handling complaints as specified in the Civil Service Handbook, the secretariat has several units of the Service Compact With All Nigerians (SERVICOM) agency. What have they done about the complaints they must have received about non-functioning and dilapidated facilities in the Federal Secretariat Complex?
A nation cannot transcend the limitations of its civil service. If Nigeria’s development process is to truly take off, it must start by ensuring that its civil servants are able to work in a conducive environment.
The Vice-Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr Peter Obi, has advised Nigerian universities to look inwards for the development of their various schools. Obi said this during a visit to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.
Sharing managerial experiences with some principal officers of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, led by the Vice Chancellor, Prof Charles Igwe, and that of Awka, led by Prof Charles Esimone, Obi emphasised the need to work with dedicated men who understand that leadership is about service and embracing values that would encourage scholarship.
Speaking further, Obi, by way of advice, challenged the leadership of institutions like the universities to study other successful universities worldwide, such as Harvard in the USA and Oxford in the UK, for factors that made for their successes and apply the same to their various institutions.
He said universities in Nigeria should seek alternative means of increasing their finances. “Alumni support and research are examples,” Obi said while quoting statistics to show that some universities in America and Europe, through effective alumni networking have billions in investment. “Frontline schools like Nsukka and Lagos can actually pioneer such efforts by diligently studying how the West does it”, Obi submitted.
Obi contended that such effective use of alumni associations would stem what he called the “uninspiring dependence on moneybags to build structures and be given honorary degrees as if it has cash value.”
Responding both vice chancellors thanked Obi for the visit and for his priceless advice which stemmed from his practical experiential pedigree.
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.
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.
