The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigerians

  • Dentist urges Nigerians to clean their mouths after meals

    A dentist, Mr Broderick Ijehon, has advised Nigerians to wash their mouths after taking their meals.

    Ijehon, who is Head of Dental Department, Dutse General Hospital, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse on Tuesday.

    He said that brushing after taking breakfast helps to remove food particles left in the mouth after eating.

    The dentist added that such food particles, if left in the mouth, make bacteria to produce acid which could destroy the teeth over time.

    He explained that acid production occurs within seconds of bacteria contact with food particles left in the mouth after meals.

    Ijehon further stressed the need for people to brush twice each day in order to fight against acid attacks and generally increase the oral health among them.

    He noted that tooth decay occurs when micro-organisms in the mouth act on remnant food substances to produce acid which in turn attack the teeth, thereby causing its decay.

    The don, therefore, stressed the need for brushing twice each day using tooth paste that contains fluoride in it for as it makes teeth strong.

    “People should try to make it a practice to brush their teeth twice daily after breakfast and the last thing at night before going to bed.

    “This way, food particles in between the teeth will be removed completely.

    “People should also consult dentist at least twice a year, that is every six months for proper examination and advice concerning their oral health,” he said.

  • Experts, cleric urge FG to address economic challenges

    Health experts and a cleric have called on the Federal Government to take urgent steps to address the current economic challenges in the country, to check the rate of suicide among Nigerians.

    They spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Tuesday while reacting to the increasing cases of suicide in the country.

    The World Health Organisation reports that every 40 seconds, one person commits suicide somewhere in the world, which tallies to 800,000 suicides annually.

    The experts noted that in the last few months in Nigeria, cases of suicide that came to public knowledge had increased and stressed the need for increased government attention in reducing the problem.

    Dr Stephen Oluwaniyi, a Consultant Psychiatrist at the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, identified poverty, high debt, deprivations, unemployment, job stress and insecurity as related to the current economic challenges in Nigeria.

    Oluwaniyi said that the recession was affecting the mental health of some Nigerians, adding that it had also triggered high cases of depression, attempted suicide and other forms of mental illnesses.

    He, however, advised members of the public not to be silent about their emotional and psychological problems but seek help from mental health experts.

    A Clinical Psychologist, Mr Nathaniel Ayodeji of the Mental Health Foundation, said that suicide had a lot of underlying factors such as feelings of pain, loss, depression, broken relationships and hopelessness.

    Ayodeji said that although suicide was regarded as a despicable act in the nation’s culture, many people had been forced into the act as a result of frustration, economic pressures and sense of hopelessness.

    ”This social problem is a threat to the future of our country and the government needs to act immediately by fixing the economy before the situation goes out of control, ” Ayodeji said.

    Rev. Fr. Albert Ebosele of the Holy Family Catholic Church, Sokoto state, called on parents, families, relations, neighbours to watch out and observe others.

    This he said was necessary to prevent sudden behavioural changes that might lead to suicide.

    ”The government, family, institution and individuals can save the situation. We should observe our environment and be watchful of people living around us.

    ”The government and orientation agencies should develop orientation campaigns and counseling in schools, markets, workplace, to advocate change and impart on peoples’ behaviour.

    ”People should look up to God and seek His help instead of ending their lives,’’ he said.

    Also, Dr Bolanle Ajayi, a Psychiatrist at the Federal Neuro- Psychiatrist Hospital, Yaba, advised Nigerians to adopt proper income planning and management of their emotions.

    The precautionary measures he said became necessary to prevent the high rate of mental illness which could be dur to the current economic recession in the country.

    “No doubt about it, there is economic recession going on in our country and a lot of people are being affected.

    `Even in our wards now, we see a lot of people coming down with depressive illness, suicide, depression, deliberate self-harm and by the time we look at the primary cause of these illnesses, it is actually this ongoing recession.

    “Some people are psychologically affected, socially affected and emotionally affected.

    ”Some people have the ability to bring it out and get over it while some of us do not have such abilities.

    “However, the general advice to the public in this economic recession is that, you do your beat, whatever you earn, you have to plan.

    “ The era of I spend the money when the money comes is gone.

    ‘’The era we are now is, when the money comes you sit down on a round table in your house and do a proper plan on your money.

    ‘’This is because you don’t know when another one will come in.

    “As individuals, we have to try and manage our emotions; we have to shift a bit. That means that I have to row with the economic recession so as not to affect my own emotional and mental state.

    “We don’t want more people breaking down with psychiatric illness because of recession, ” Ajayi said.

    One of the recent cases of suicide in Nigeria is that of one Dr Allwell Orji,who on Sunday,jumped into the Lagoon in Lagos

  • 400 Nigerians in jail in South Africa, says Dambazau

    400 Nigerians in jail in South Africa, says Dambazau

    Interior Minister retired Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau on Friday said 400 Nigerians are saving jail terms for various offences in South Africa.

    Dambazau made the disclosure at joint news conference in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the visit of Nigerian delegation to South Africa.

    Dambazau and his Foreign Affairs counterpart, Geoffrey Onyeama had on Monday led a delegation to South Africa over the incessant xenophobic attacks on Nigerians living in that country.

    He said he had a meeting with his counterpart, the Home Affairs Minister in South Africa and discussed general issues particularly on migration.

    The minister said they also discussed Nigerians involved in some criminal activities.

    “These are in the minority because equally we have Nigerian professionals who are contributing positively to development of the economy of South Africa.

    “However, that is not to say that they should fold their arms and not to do something about somebody involved in criminality.

    “But in doing that, we emphasised that due processe of the law should be taken in terms of the assumption of innocence, being proven guilty and in terms of fair hearing.

    “I understand that there are about 400 Nigerians who are in their prison for various offences”, he said.

    The minister said their offences included prostitution and drug, among others.

    He said the offenders would finish their jail terms in South Africa because there was no prisoner exchange arrangement between Nigeria and South Africa as it were with some other countries.

    He, however, said that efforts would be made to ensure that such arrangement was put in place in due course.

    Dambazau said he also emphasised that due process of the law should be taken in dealing with suspected criminals.

    “When we met with the Nigerian community, we also emphasised that those who are involved in criminal behaviour should not be allowed to spoil the good names of themselves and Nigeria.

    “So they have that moral responsibility to report where necessary”, he said.

    The minister said that the issue of passport challenge was also tabled at the meeting with the Nigerian community with a promise that it would be resolved.

    “There were complaints that the passport machines were old and from our record we understand that they were supplied in 2007

    “I then promised them that arrangement must be made to ensure that all passport machines are changed to modern ones.

    “We are going to streamline the issuance of passport”, he said. (NAN)

  • Arise O Nigerians, take your country back: A story of two patriots

    One day soon, Nigerians will meet these people-hating kaffirs who think only of themselves.

    Nigerians are no longer ready to take prisoners; ravaging hunger has seen to that and before long, I can see them properly holding looters accountable either through the legal system or by direct, physical combats , if the courts would not change their complicit ways – no thanks to some identifiable senior lawyers who you see happiest defending looters, all smiles in newspaper photographs after they would have bludgeoned judges into granting long adjournments to persons who, in China, would not even have the luxury of a trial. Nigerians are still wondering whether the jailing of former Adamawa State governor, Bala Ngilari, was a dress rehearsal or a mere token to frustrated Nigerians. They have profaned the temple of justice enough you don’t know what to make of the Ngilari comeuppance.

    I had the distinct pleasure of meeting with Mr. Adedayo Kolade, 84, this past week; a very distraught, super Nigerian patriot, whose pain is so huge you can cut it with a knife. He is so sad about what has become of Nigeria, he now believes he has what can be described as a ‘heart agony’, a yet undiscovered medical condition. His story shortly, with copious quotes from his dirge of an article, written as far back as October, 2016 on what corruption is doing to Nigeria. So miffed is he that he is not averse to suggesting that Nigerian constitution should be suspended for four years and President Muhammadu Buhari be given all the powers he would require to save Nigeria from the ravages of  a corruption that has become so systemic it is comparable only to the drug epidemic President Rodrigo Duterte is handling with unprecedented savagery in the Philippines. Consider this excessive, if you like, but so compulsively nauseating has what Steve Osuji of this paper recently poignantly described as ‘an acute and chronic systemic corruption’ become in her ‘compressed economy’ that nothing should be considered over the board. Though this is somewhat impracticable, it is the feeling you get after listening to the soul-twitching video recording by Dr Sota Omogui, one of the co-authors of our National Anthem; an anthem whose tenets are now being completely stood on its head.

    If that doesn’t get you yet, then this trending Whats app chat. And, concerning it, should our legislators feel perjured, they should, tomorrow morning, through their respective spokespersons, address a press conference at which they will bare it all to Nigerians, and unlike Senator Ndume, none of their members would ever again be punished for having the guts to want to know the details of their, for now, shadowy budgets. I have re-named it CHANGE CAN START WITH THE NASS:

    “Here’s a thought-provoking suggestion to the government of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    A senator earns N36 Million monthly.

    If this is divided into two, he gets N18 million and the balance N18 m can be used to employ 200 Nigerians who will earn N90,000 per month

    200 persons multiplied by 109 senators = 21800 employees.

    This means that 200 Nigerians can live comfortably on half of a senator’s

    monthly pay.

    A House of Reps member earns N25 Million per month

    If this is divided into two, he collects N12.5 Million per month. The balance of  N12.5 million will employ 135 Nigerians who will earn N92,500 per month..  135 Nigerians multiplied by 360 members in the house = 48600 employees.

    135 Nigerians can comfortably live on half of a monthly income of just one rep.

    This government can employ 70,400 Nigerians who will earn N90,000 and N92,500 from this simple reduction in the salaries and allowances of our less than busy legislators.”

    But then, there are more surprises from our ‘servants turned masters’ as just to ensure that the miliki continues, as a result of poor Nigerian masses paying more for an already overly expensive kerosine and other petroleum products, the senate in its wisdom, and speaking through Marafa Kabir Garba, Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), now wants the removal of subsidy and a total deregulation of fuel price.

    One day soon, Nigerians will meet these people-hating kaffirs who think only of themselves. With the ravaging economic recession, which has seen some Nigerians commit suicide, what minutest sacrifice have these people made to show that they empathise with the people?

    All days for the thief, indeed!

    Back to Mr. Kolade whose article you read with your lacrimal artery almost surrendering to tears (for Nigeria) which he actually once did.

    “OH NIGERIA,” he wrote, “a land blessed with milk and honey but has been turned into ANGUISH and HEART BREAK for her citizens! An English colleague of mine, who knows my disposition towards Britain concerning the predicament of this nation, asked me one night in August, 2013: ‘Dayo, as things are in your country today, is the British still the problem?’ I cried till I slept off that night because it was such a dispiriting question. The number one problem is corruption, a pungent recalcitrancy which President Buhari is fighting tooth and nail. But corruption is aggressively fighting back, using very senior lawyers and the courts; lawyers who, in other jurisdictions are the bulwark of society. Or isn’t it a shame that individuals who should be languishing in jail houses are shamelessly gallivanting about being celebrated by the people, the very victims of their malfeasance, by royalty and even the church. It is such a shame,” he concluded.

    Dr Omogui’s a pathetic rendering of the Nigerian condition. Brother to the amazing ex- FIRS boss, Mrs  Ifueko Omogui-Okauru, the U. S based medical practictioner was, at youth, highly bullish about Nigeria and showed that by co-authoring the Nigerian national anthem. The leitmotif for his story is the gruesome loss of his mother, Mrs Grace Omogui, a lawyer and life-time public servant, who fell, in Benin city, to the ferocious hot lead of some god-forsaken armed robbers who trailed her from a bank. The pity of the story is that at the very time mama needed a country she  served  ever faithfully, both as Vice Principal of a Federal Government College and in the Lagos state judiciary, Nigeria, with its decrepit and archaic infrastructure, failed her miserably. Omogui dwelt extensively on the first line of the Nigerian anthem he co-authored which is: ‘Arise O Compatriots, Nigeria’s call obey’, which he regrets no longer means anything to Nigerians. The country, he says, is totally broken, more like Somalia, a war-torn country, with nobody being held accountable for anything whatever. He bemoans the total lack of pipe borne water which, in the 60’s, was everywhere on Benin streets at a time you won’t find a single bore hole. Then, he says, there were functioning institutions of higher learning, land telephone lines that worked, hospitals with running water, whereas today, even in the intensive care units of teaching hospitals, water has become a luxury. There was, also an airline that was the pride of a nation. But, he laments, returning after a 30 sojourn in the United States of America, he meets a country which has become a shadow of its self; all gone down the drain.

    No thanks to corruption and impunity.

    A country where customers are trailed from the bank and attacked, even fatally, with anybody being held accountable. One in which Fire Services have neither diesel nor water and so cannot put out the minutest fire outbreak. Politicians, he says, amass huge amounts of money illegally, and yet, nobody is in jail.  His is a description of Nigeria, as it actually is, by a proven patriot.

    And so, I ask: where do we, as a country and people, go from here?

    The only man we all know in our hearts as having a record of unimpeachable public service record as: a former state governor, former Head of State, former head of an oil agency and  our serving President; a man who, in spite of  having been all these, has no hilltop mansion, no Presidential library, no petrol/gas station, not to talk of an oil block, yet we continue to demonise him,  with not a few sully Nigerians wishing he would just drop dead. As I have always said, it is those who want President  Buhari dead  who will replace him in the morgue. Together with him, patriotic Nigerians will arise, and save this largest agglomeration of Blacks, the world over.

    Itsee.

  • 3.67m Nigerians lose jobs in one year, says NBS

    3.67m Nigerians lose jobs in one year, says NBS

    The harsh economic situation facing the country may have forced about 3.67 million Nigerians into the employment market between October 2015 and last September, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has said.

    According to the Bureau’s analysis of the unemployment in the country, the number of unemployed Nigerians rose from 7.51 million in the beginning of October 2015 to 11.19 million at the end of last September.

    The report for the fourth quarter of last year, which is still being prepared by the NBS, is due for release on March 29.

    The report stated that while the number of those employed rose from 55.21 million in the beginning of the fourth quarter of 2015 to 69.47 million as of the end of last September, the labour force population rose from 75.94 million to 80.66 million.

    A breakdown of the 3.67 million unemployed Nigerians showed that about 522,000 people became jobless within the fourth quarter of 2015; while 1.44 million people joined the labour force in the first quarter of 2016.

    For the second and third quarters of 2016, further analysis of the report showed that about 1.16 million and 550,000 people entered the market.

    The report explained that unemployment rate was highest for persons in the labour force between 15-24 and 25-34.

    For instance, it said the unemployment rate was highest for those within the age group of 15 to 24, rising from 17.8 per cent in the beginning of the fourth quarter of 2015 to 25 per cent as of the end of last September.

    For the 25-34 age group, the unemployment rate, according to the report, increased from 10.8 per cent to 15 per cent as of the end of last September, adding that unemployment and underemployment were higher for women in the third quarter of last year.

    It said while 15.9 per cent of women in the labour force were unemployed as at the end of the third quarter of last year, a further 22.9 per cent of women in the labour force were underemployed during the period.

    On the other hand, the report said 12 per cent of males were unemployed in the third quarter of last year, while a further 16.7 per cent of males in the labour force were underemployed during the same period.

    “Given that the nature of rural jobs is largely menial and unskilled, such as in agriculture, unemployment is more of a concern in urban areas where more skilled labour is required.

    “The unemployment rate in the urban areas was 18.3 per cent compared to 11.8 per cent in the rural areas, as the preference is more for formal white-collar jobs, which are located mostly in urban centres,” the report said.

    On the unemployment rate in the country, Institute of Productivity and Business Innovation Management President, Mr. Remi Dairo, said the harsh operating environment might have been responsible for the development.

    He said: “The huge number of unemployment is a reflection of the economic realities as only few businesses are growing and employing while many others are shedding jobs.

    “The lack of productive skills in both the private and public sectors is one of the major reasons for the country’s underdevelopment and there is need for a comprehensive education policy that would help to address the skill gaps in the country.

    “To close the gaps in skills between the programmes of educational institutions and the requirements in the industry, the government needs to restructure the educational system to meet the present and future needs of the country.”

  • Nigerians with valid visa free to travel to U.S., says Embassy

    Nigerians with valid visa free to travel to U.S., says Embassy

    The United States Embassy in Abuja said yesterday there was no reason for Nigerians with valid visas to postpone or cancel their travel to the United States.

    The Embassy said this in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday.

    It explained that “Nigeria is not named in the Executive Order on Immigration issued on March 6.

    “And there is no prohibition against Nigerian lawful permanent residents or persons with a valid visa or other U.S. Government authorisation from entering the U.S”.

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, on Monday advised Nigerians to reconsider their travelling plan to the U.S.

    Dabiri-Erewa said Nigerians with no compelling or urgent reason to travel to the U.S. should postpone their travel plans until the new administration’s policy on immigration became clearer.

    She said her office, in the last few weeks received a few cases of Nigerians with valid multiple-entry U.S. visas being denied entry and sent back home.

    The special adviser said no reasons were given for the decision by the U.S. immigration authorities.

    However, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, Foreign Affairs minister’s reaction on Tuesday while fielding questions from reporters in Abuja, corroborated the embassy’s claim.

    Onyeama said no Nigerian with full valid entry visa had been denied entry to the U.S., adding that Nigerians are free to travel to U.S. as the country was not on the ban list.

    The minister said he was constantly in touch with the Nigerian ambassador to the U.S. and the U.S. ambassador to Nigeria, adding that there is no report on Nigerians being denied entry into the U.S.

    “I can tell you to ignore any call or advice to reconsider travelling to the U.S. because there is no basis for that.

    “We have absolutely no report whatsoever from the U.S. that people are being turned back from the U.S. or any of our consulate or any Nigerian that any of our people are being turned back,” he said.

    The U.S. Mission to Nigeria earlier in February assured Nigerians the executive order on immigration would not affect Nigerians, noting that visa applicants will continue to get two-year multiple entry visas as before.

    The mission clarified that the order would not affect the validity of visas held by Nigerians because its visa policy to Nigeria had not changed.

    The U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Stuart Symington, and the U.S. Consular Chief, Meghan Moore, had explained in Abuja on Feb. 3 that the U.S. visa policy was based on reciprocity.

    They promised that Nigerians would not be discriminated against.

    The U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Jan. 27, barring people from seven mainly Muslim-majority countries from travelling to the U.S. for 90 days.

    It also stopped all refugees for 120 days and Syrian refugees permanently.

  • Nigerians free to travel to U.S., says Fed Govt

    Nigerians free to travel to U.S., says Fed Govt

    No Nigerian with full valid entry visa has been denied entry into the United States (U.S.) contrary to reports, according to Minister of Foreign Affairs Geoffrey Onyeama
    Onyeama said Nigerians were free to travel to the U.S. as the country was not on the list of six banned mainly-Muslim countries.
    The banned countries are Iran, Somalia, Libya, Syria, Sudan and Yemen. Iraq was removed from the list in the revised Executive Order issued by President Donald Trump.
    The minister said he was constantly in touch with the Nigerian Ambassador to the U.S. and the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, adding that there was no report on Nigerians being denied entry into the U.S.
    The minister spoke against the background of the advisory issued on behalf of the government by Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on Foreign Affairs Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa on Monday that Nigerians without any important thing to do in the United States should not ravel there because some Nigerians had been inexplicably sent back home from the airport.
    But yesterday, Onyema said: “On the issue of Nigerians being turned back from the U.S., this is not the case.
    “I am in touch with the U. S. Embassy and the Ambassador said no, there was nothing of such nature.
    “I can tell you to ignore any call or advice to reconsider travelling to the U.S. because there is no basis for that.
    “We have absolutely no report whatsoever from the U.S. that people are being turned back from the U.S. or any of our consulate or any Nigerian that any of our people are being turned back,” he said.
    According to him, if government was speaking on any external relations, it would be heard from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Presidency as any other source is not from the government.
    He said Nigeria had embassies in almost 114 countries across the world and the ministry relied on their reports.
    “The U.S. Government has been reaching out to Nigeria.
    “The U.S. president took all the trouble to call our president and to offer the hand of cooperation to see how he was doing.
    “And, to congratulate him on the efforts he is being making and expressing the respect that he had for him, his leadership and his government,” he said.
    According to him, the U.S Secretary of State called to echo exactly the same thing and our cooperation with them is exemplary.
    “Nigeria is on no list and Nigerians are on no list ban by the U.S. Government and it is always business as usual and very good business with the U.S. Government.
    “Anything you hear in respect of the U.S. is incorrect, so any one that has valid document to go to the U.S. or any other country should please proceed to do so,” he said.
    The minister also reiterated that no Nigerian was killed in the recent xenophobic attacks against Nigerians living in South Africa.
    “ I want to say that no Nigerian was killed at the last xenophobic attacks in South Africa, wherever the information is coming from it is not true.
    “We have the high commissioner and we have the consular there and the report of people being killed is not correct,” he said.
    He said the Federal Government was having discussion with the South African Authority at the highest level to ensure that the issue did not repeat itself.
    Onyeama said the discussion was also to ensure the protection of foreigners living in South Africa.
    But a pressure group, the Nigerian Coalition for Quality Governance, said the minister was misleading the Federal Government with his denial.
    The group’s national coordinator, Gbenga Omoniya, said it was wrong for Onyeama to dismiss the travel advisory issued by Mrs Dabiri-Erewa.
    Omoniya said the Federal Government could not afford to close its eyes to maltreatment meted out to genuine Nigerian travellers in the U.S. despite exclusion of Nigeria from the travel ban.
    Rather than engaging in denial, Omoniya advised the minister to wake up to his responsibility by creating functional communication mechanism to track cases of victims affected by the U.S. immigration measures.
    Omoniya said: “We advise Mr. Onyeama to confirm cases of Nigerians affected, but which have not been reported to the Ministry of Foreign Affair rather than engage in spurious denials that have no basis in facts, we enjoin that the minister to collaborate with the relevant agencies of the government in making sure that Nigerians are treated with dignity and respect wherever they may be. Trump is putting America first. Onyeama should put Nigerians first, too.”

  • ‘Three million Nigerians lost N18b to MMM’

    ‘Three million Nigerians lost N18b to MMM’

    The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has said three million Nigerians lost N18 billion in the Ponzi scheme, popularly called Mavrodi Mundial Movement (MMM).

    Its Managing Director Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim attributed the figure to social media while speaking yesterday at the NDIC day at the 38th Kaduna International Trade Fair.

    Ibrahim, who was represented by his Deputy Director, Corporate Affairs, Hadi Suleiman, lamented that despite repeated warnings by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the corporation, Nigerians still patronised MMM.

    He emphasised that virtual currencies, such as Bitcoin, Ripples, Monero, Litecoin, Dogecoin and Onecoin for Internet-based transactions are not authorised by the CBN due to the risks involved.

    He warned that any person or groups of persons, who invest in the Ponzi scheme did so at their own risk.

    “The Ponzi scheme is the phenomenon of illegal fund managers, popularly called ‘Wonder Banks’, which have continued to defraud unsuspecting members of the public of their hard earned money. This phenomenon has been a source of concern because despite our repeated warnings over the years, some members of the public have continued to fall victims of their fraudulent practices.

    “We would like to reiterate the fact that these fund managers are illegal as they are neither licenced by the CBN to take deposits from members of the public nor are those who patronise them covered by the NDIC deposit insurance scheme.

    “I want to also draw the attention of some cooperative societies, which often go beyond their primary mandate by accepting contributions from members as cooperative societies are only recognised to mobilise savings from their members.”

    Advising the public on the dangers of keeping large sums of money at home or in market shops, he said there are 978 licences microfinance banks nationwide of which seven are spread across Kaduna State.

    He noted that with the advent of the cashless policy and the subsequent licensing of mobile money operators (MMOs) by the CBN, the corporation has extended deposit insurance cover to the subscribers of MMOs to the maximum limit of N500,000 per subscriber per bank through its Pass-Through Deposit Insurance Framework.

  • ‘Nigerians in South Africa tired of bad governance at home’

    A South Africa-based Nigerian don, Prof. Chris Isike, on Thursday urged the Senate delegation to South Africa to help promote  good governance  to discourage  Nigerians from travelling abroad.

    Isike, a professor of African politics at the  University of Zululand, Kwazulu Natal Province, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on phone from Mpangeni, South Africa,  that good governance would encourage Nigerians to earn a living in their own country.

    The senate delegation’s  proposed visit  to South Africa is coming on the heels of the recent xenophobic  attacks against Nigerians and other nationals in that country.

    Isike  said sending the  Sen. Ike Ekweremadu`s led delegation to that country was in order as  it would give Nigerians  a sense of belonging.

    “ The delegation must assure Nigerians here in South Africa  that when it  gets  back home, it will strive to promote good governance.

    “ A lot of people have left the country because they are tired of  bad governance and corruption.

    “  Many Nigerians have no business being here. But when they return home, they should see democracy at work with its attendant benefits,” he said.

    Isike, who is also the Chairman of Mpangeni Ward chapter of Nigeria Union, said that with improved electricity supply, small businesses would grow.

    “ This development, I assure you will make many Nigerians return and start small businesses,” he said.

    The don urged the delegation to ensure that  the South African government acknowledged  that a  larger percentage of Nigerians in that country were doing well and contributing positively to the economy.

    He said  this  was important in order  to correct the impression being created in the media that Nigerians were largely involved in crime.

    Isike also said the delegation must  give Nigerians in South Africa  an assurance of government`s backing and protection.(NAN)

  • Nigerians urged to be instruments of positive change

    The Prelate and Supreme Head of the Motailatu Church Cherubim and Seraphim Worldwide (MCCSW), Elder Israel Akinadewo, has urged Christians to be instruments of positive change in the country.

    In a statement by his Special Adviser on Ecumenism and interfaith, Apostle Emmanuel Olawuyi, to mark the start of the Lenten season, Akinadewo admonished Christians to use the period to reposition themselves towards biblical and spiritual dispositions.

    He said: “Let us move away from self-righteousness, self-justification and self-glorification, but daily be humble to buttress the undeniable fact that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

    “Christians should remember that without the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we will still be in spiritual bondage, hence the need to live in accordance with biblical injunctions.

    “Let us eschew love, abhor hatred and maintain good relationship with everyone we meet.

    “Even in the face of intense adversity, Jesus Christ still loved His accusers.

    “Therefore, we must emulate this attitude during the Lenten season and thereafter,” Akinadewo stressed.