House of Representatives Communications Committee Chairman Oyetunde Ojo has urged the people of Ekiti State not to be deceived by “the aberrant populist attitude” of a former governor of the state.

Ojo spoke with reporters in Aramoko-Ekiti while inspecting ongoing work on a 20-bed ward he donated to the Aramoko General Hospital.

The lawmaker representing Ekiti West/Efon/Ijero Federal Constituency said it was “a confused strategy of governance” for a governor to distribute money to people on the streets.

He said: “How many would receive such money and how much has been budgeted for such a happy-go-lucky attitude, where someone suddenly stops his car at a market place and begins to eat roasted plantain with the traders?

“While a governor can do that occasionally if occasion demands, as Governor Kayode Fayemi has been doing, this does not equate real governance through which development can be brought to the people.

“In the case of the former governor, this was all he spent three years doing, leaving the actual governance of the state to the demons. This is why today, the former governor has been going in and out of court to answer questions on an amount of money he mismanaged, which would have been enough to make many lives meaningful today.

“Our people now know and see what it takes to govern a state well. The opposition should not believe that Fayemi will be voted out because he does not dole out money on the streets.

“Fayemi’s achievements speak for him and will speak for him when the time comes. With the way he has executed his eight-point agenda, I see no credible alternative to him among the contestants.”

The legislator said Fayemi, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), “remains the best among contestants for the June 21 governorship election because of his unpretentious and blunt attitude to governance.

The post No credible alternative to Fayemi, says Rep appeared first on The Nation.

There were mixed reactions yesterday on the proposed merger of three aviation agencies– Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET)–into the Federal Civil Aviation Authority (FCAA).

Scores of aviation workers discussed the fate of their jobs, if the government implements the merger.

The workers were scared that should the merger hold, they would lose their jobs.

An industry player, who spoke in confidence, said the proposed merger was at variance with Article 8365 of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

The article stipulates that the aeronautical agencies should function and exist independently.

The operator noted that at a time global aviation was going digital, Nigeria returned to the Stone Age.

He said industry players were still studying the technicality of the issue to know the position to take on the matter.

It was learnt that some stakeholders might contact ICAO President, a Nigerian, to prevail on the Federal Government to reverse the proposal.

Aviation sector unions held an emergency meeting on the effect of the proposed merger.

But some airline operators said it was a welcome development because the affected agencies were within the same purview in developed world.

A former Airport Commandant at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Group Captain John Ojikutu, said whoever advised the government to merge NAMA and NIMET with NCAA did not understand the reality in the sector.

The advisers, he told reporters, probably forgot to include the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) in taking the nation back to the era of self-regulatory.

Ojikutu said: “(Steve) Oronsaye must have been wrongly briefed by some egg heads. How do you merge operators of the industry with the regulator? This merge completes what (former Aviation Minister, Ms Stella) Oduah started: bringing the industry under the jackboot of the government. Must the government drive the policy, regulate and operate the industry? We must be in a world of our own and out of the Earth planet.

“We should get the private operators to invest more in the industry or commercialise government operators, such as FAAN and NAMA, as recommended in the Privatisation and Commercialisation Act of 2000. The government, instead, is appropriating the industry to itself alone.”

The General Secretary of the Nigerian Aviation Professional Association (NAPA) Comrade Abdul Rasaq Siedu said the decision was shocking because a similar step in the past was unsuccessful.

He said: “It didn’t work by the former minister, Air Marshal Nsika Eduok (retd). It was practised and it failed. Secondly, the recommendation of Steve Oronsaye cannot work in our aviation industry because Nigeria’s aviation is not for Nigeria alone. Aviation is global and it is regulated by international bodies, such as ICAO, IATA and others. If they do that, Nigeria will lose Category One.”

Captain Dele Ore, President of the Aviation Round Table, a think tank group in the industry, said: “What the government is planning to do is wrong. It will take us back to the 1995 era. And whether we like it or not, I give them two years, they will return back again.”

“You don’t merge a regulatory body with a service provider. NAMA and NIMET are service providers; you cannot merge them with NCAA, which is a regulatory body, this is at variance from international laws laid them by ICAO and other relevant international bodies.

“Who are the experts who did the report. Did they even give consideration to international convention and international best practices? Those are the questions one would love to ask. And whatever they do may be a big slap to our faces.”

He said the decision should be jettison otherwise they will be disgraced.

Also Ekanem Ekanem, the Chairman, Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSAN), the issue is not a question of merging NCAA, it ought to have being an autonomous body since NAMA provides the equipment to make the airspace safe.

“Merging both agencies will make their administration very cumbersome. What the industry need is to optimise the operations of the agencies.”

He said “Nigeria is an emerging economy, we should be allow to grow at our own space.

Aviation is not where you carry out experiment because it is a global industry.”

Ekanem reiterated it will give Nigeria the impression that things are not done here with seriousness. Government should rather invest in modern equipment and put in technically sound personnel in both agencies and also strengthen the regulations to make the more effective.”

Other affirmed that If government is trying to save cost, it should not be at the expense of the operators and flying passengers.

They maintained that the Federal Government would never mean it because they are going to resist it.

“we will not allow Cat One to be toy with, NCAA autonomy has an act that establish it, NAMA has it own that establish it, FAAN has it own that establish it now has all these been cancelled.”

Meanwhile, Aviation unions and stakeholders are strategizing to ensure that the recently announced merger by the Steve Oronsaye committee will not be implemented in the aviation sector.

The committee in its recommendation proposed the merger of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority NCAA, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency NAMA and Nigerian Meteorological Agency NIMET to be known as Federal Civil Aviation Authority FCAA.

In a swift reaction, the aviation unions and stakeholders have described it as unrealistic adding that it will be senseless to merge service provider and a regulator in the aviation sector.

They declared that all over the world there was no where merger existed except for some small countries stressing that meteorological service in the country does not cover only aviation but agriculture, industry among others.

According to them, over 55 county’s navigational providers were on their own saying that the government had ulterior motives.

They urged the government to looking into the unemployment situation in the country adding that the merger will lead to loss of jobs in the aviation sector.

According to them, the country was yet to know her fate on the recent FAA re-assessment of the country’s aviation category one status adding that the country was going back to the dark old days of five airports.

They said those who recommended this to the President did not mean well for the country as President Goodluck has used the aviation sector to boost his achievements.

The government on Monday said it accepted the recommendation to scrap some agencies, it was contained in a Government White Paper by the Presidential Committee on the Restructuring and Rationalisation of Government Parastatals, Commissions and Agencies.

The Steve Oronsaye committee advised the government to merge the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, (NAMA), the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, (NCAA) and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, (NIMET) into a single regulatory body.

The new agency is be known as the Federal Civil Aviation Authority, FCAA with their respective enabling laws to be amended accordingly to reflect the new name.

The post Mixed reactions trail proposed merger of aviation agencies appeared first on The Nation.

Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court, Abuja has fixed May 20 for judgment in the suit by suspended Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.

The judge picked the date yesterday after a six-hour legal battle by lawyers to parties in the case. Proceedings began at 11.30 am and ended around 5.30pm.

The court took arguments on both the defendants’ preliminary objection and the substantive case.

Sanusi is challenging his suspension by President Goodluck Jonathan. Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) are co defendants.

Plaintiff’s lawyer, Kola Awodein (SAN) argued that the President lacked the powers to unilaterally suspend the CBN Governor despite his alleged offence.

He argued that the President’s exercise of the executive powers provided in the Constitution was subject to the Act of the National Assembly.

He contended that in this case, the President was expected to exercise his power to remove the CBN governor in accordance with the provision of the CBN Act.

“There is contention that there is no power to suspend the CBN governor under the CBN Act. The ACT in section 7(4) has provided when somebody can act in the place of the CBN governor,” he said.

Awodein argued that the since there is no provision for the suspension of the CBN governor in the CBN Act implies that the President has no powers to suspend the governor.

He further argued that the express mention of one thing is the exclusion of the other, to support his position that the non-reference to suspension in the Act implies that it is not allowed.

“If it was the intention of the law to give the President the power to suspend, it would have expressly provided that,” he said, stressing that the CBN Act has effectively prohibited the President from suspending the governor of the CBN.

He argued that under Section 1(3) of the CBN Act, the bank is made an independent body with the intention of making the bank operationally independent, so that there will not be interference of any sort in its operations, except as permitted under the Act.

Awodein contended even if the President was to exercise control over the bank, which include the suspension of its governor, such must be done with the support of 2/3 majority of the Senate.

He urged the court to hold that his client has made out a proper case for the court to void his suspension.

Responding to the defendants’ objection to the suit, Awodein argued that the defendants misconstrued the plaintiff’s suit.

He contended that the suit simply seeks the court application of its interpretative powers to interprete the provision of the CBN Act vis a vis the action of the President.

Awodein argued that the defendants were in error when argued that the case was employment related and should be struck out.

He argued that as against the position of the defendants, the plaintiff. Is not an employee of the President to have qualified that case as a dispute between an employee and an employer. He said his client is an employee of the CBN,

He urged the court to dismiss the defendants’ objections.

Defence lawyers – Fabian Ajogwu (SAN), Mike Ozekhome (SAN) and Solomon Umoh (SAN) had while arguing the preliminary objections, urged the court to strike out the suit because it was employment related.

They argued the by virtue of Section 254(1)(c) of the Constitution, the Federal High Court lacked the jurisdictional powers to hear the case.

The defence lawyer further argued that the plaintiff’s claims were caught by the exclusivity confered on the National Industrial Court by 4ection 254(1)(a) of the Constitution.

On the main suit, they argued that the suspension of the plaintiff by the President was within his powers. They contended that the CBN was an agency of the Executive arm of the Federal Government, whose powers as contained in Section 5 of the Constitution is vested in the President.

They contended that the plaintiff is a public officer and an employee of the Federal Government by virtue of his appointment, was not immune to the control of the President.

They argued that the President, in suspending Sanusi did not terminate his employment, but merely asked him to step aside to enable the Financial Regulatory Council (FRC) a statutory body, perform it’s it’s role of investigating allegations of procedural and financial breaches raised against him.

The defence lawyers noted that the suspension was intended to enable an unbiased investigation of allegations that Sanusi awarded contract of about N163billion, amounting to 63 per cent in excess of the CBN’s authorised share capital.

They urged the court to hold that the President acted within his powers and dismiss the suit.

Before the commencement of proceedings, the judge denied insinuations that he was under pressure from the defendants in his handling of the case.

There had been rumours that in view of the last victory recorded by Sanusi before a Federal High Court in Lagos, the judge in Abuja was being put under pressure to determine the case in the Abuja FHC against Sanusi

Justice Kolawole yesterday dismissed the insinuations, insisting that he was not under pressure from any of the defendants in the suit.

The judge said he would gladly yield the case to be returned to the Chief Judge for reassignment to another judge if parties in the case were doubting his integrity.

“Is it by the President, or the AGF, or the IG? Is it the Federal Government that is pressurising Justice Kolawole to do a case against a party?

“I am saying this to give the plaintiff the opportunity to go to another court. I have spent several years on the bench and I can tell you that nobody pressurises me – nobody is pressurising Justice Kolawole on this matter.

“I said I will mention this not to create sensation but for anybody who is not comfortable to go to another place.

“If I am being pressurized, it is by my own conscience. None of the parties should be under the impression that I am being pressurized by the Federal Government.”

“Anybody who does not have confidence in Justice Kolawole in this case should go back to the Chief Judge (of the FHC).

“This kind of thing is highly demoralising. You do your best for your country and yet all this kind of things keeps coming up. Must every judge be corrupt?” the judge said.

He noted that if he was unfair to all in the manner he was handling the case, he would not have adopted an accelerated approach by choosing to hear the preliminary objections and the originating summons simultaneously.

In their separate reactions to the judge’s comments, lawyers in the case assured the judge of confidence in him. They said they had never and would not question his integrity and ability to dispense justice to the case.

Sanusi’s lawyer, Kola Awodein, SAN, said he was ready to go ahead with the case before Justice Kolawole.

The post Sanusi gets May 20 verdict date in suspension suit appeared first on The Nation.

A small plane crashed while taking off in Indonesia’s Papua Province on Wednesday, killing two people and injuring five, a church group that operated the aircraft reported.

An official at the local Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Sakul said that the plane was on a charity mission when it went down at an airstrip in the town of Sentani.

Sakul, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, said the fatalities were the U.S. pilot and a passenger.

Report says that jungle-clad Papua relies on air transport because accidents are very common.

The post Light plane crashes in eastern Indonesia, kills 2 appeared first on The Nation.

The proposed Abia State first carnival which was scheduled to hold last December and was called off because of response to public reservation is to hold in April this year and is to be known as Abia Easter Carnival/Cantata from April 21 to 22.

This was contained in a press release signed by the Chairman of the Central Planning Committee and the Chief of Staff to the governor, Cosmos Ndukwe.

The statement reads in part: “Determined to basically showcase huge tourism and investment potential of the state, the Abia State government has approved a two-day Easter Carnival/Cantata scheduled for Umuahia between 21 to 22 April to make up for the rescheduled December 2013 carnival and have an event that would be instituted as an annual one.

The event, which is designed to attract local and foreign arts, will predominantly be a blend of Abia’s rich cultural heritage and contemporary arts.

However, the state government wishes to further propagate the mortgage of elegance in simplicity, as the carnival in its mind eye would further promote rich moral values o the state.

The cantata, the second and final leg of the two-day event, would be “a harvest o praises to the Almighty God to herald his salvation for mankind and appreciate His grace that had sustained the government and people of Abia in many remarkable ways”.

The post Abia carnival holds in Easter period appeared first on The Nation.

Southern Sun Ikoyi Hotel is putting together a special package for Easter tagged “Let Us Spoil You”. The hotel said the package is part of its efforts to make sure leisure seekers have a wonderful experience during the Easter.

Nestled in the heart of Lagos’ bustling metropolis, Southern Sun Ikoyi Hotel said it intends to create a haven of instant calm even to the most flustered guest this holiday season. With its ongoing Easter special offer, guests will enjoy a complimentary breakfast for two, early check-in and late check-out privileges alongside the usual Southern Sun Ikoyi Hotel comfort and hospitality all at a hugely discounted rate.

Famed for its fine dining, guests can look forward to a wide variety of culinary delights in the hotel’s impressive restaurant offering buffet breakfast, lunches, dinners, light meals and in particular this holiday season, welcoming guests to enjoy its special Easter Sunday Brunch. Dining at the Southern Sun Ikoyi Hotel is an experience that will indeed make your taste buds run and leave you feeling truly loved.

Offering the last word in luxurious serenity, the Southern Sun Ikoyi Hotel boasts of 195 beautifully furnished rooms and suites that guarantee utmost peace and privacy in addition to a well-equipped centre for fitness.

The post Southern Sun Ikoyi Hotel woos guests appeared first on The Nation.

AS we approach rainy season, it is time to get ready for the wet weather ahead. How healthy one’s skin is is the first step towards an excellent supple body. But how you maintain your skin will determine how healthy it can go this cold period. It is very necessary that you take special care of your skin during this season in order for it to look radiant and beautiful despite the heavy down pour. So, you need to take extra measures to protect your skin against harsh weather because the rainy season brings about other potential problems for the skin. Colder weather does not mean your skin is not in danger of drying up. In fact, the skin tends to get dry easily during colder weather.

To keep your skin healthy and protect it against the cold, you must make sure it is supple and full of moisture to avoid cracking and dryness. Here are some tips to keep you pretty when it is raining cats and dogs:

•Wash your face with plain water; avoid using soap because too much soap can dry up your skin and steal its natural oils.

•Petroleum jelly is good for this season; it will seal in moisture.

•For your skin to retain its glow throughout this cold period, you need to look for a body cream that contains some vital vitamins.

•Also, body creams that contain avocado oil and sunflower oil will make the skin glow and warm.

•Drink plenty of water. Water will detoxify the blood streams and aid the free flow of blood. Drinking at least seven to eight glasses of water every day helps purify the body from within and helps us flush all the harmful bacteria out. Avoid too much intake of soda and other alcoholic drinks since these can lessen our youthful look.

•Eat a lot of fresh fruits; fresh fruits and vegetable plus a good healthy diet can make skin healthy at the same time help us achieve a balanced weight.

•After you wash your hands, use hand cream to seal in moisture.

•African shear butter (ori) is also good for this period, and if you are the type that cannot do without a particular body cream, you can rub ori after you apply your body cream.

According to Bose Akintoye of Lady B11 Beauty Salon, “light make-up made with waterproof foundation powder, waterproof mascara, waterproof lipsticks, waterproof liners and waterproof shimmer is more advisable. And wear water-based moisturizers during the rainy season to keep away oily skin, acne and water loss due to perspiration”.

The post Rain skin care appeared first on The Nation.

Lagosians home and abroad will once again converge on the waterfront pier on Oyinkan Abayomi Drive, Ikoyi, Lagos on Easter Sunday, April 20 for the 5th edition of the Lagos Water Regatta 2014, a fun-filled water-based cultural sporting and recreational activity put together to showcase the aquatic splendour of the state.

Sticking to its yearly theme: Lagos: Splash the Excitement, in the celebration of the Lagos aquatic splendour, Lagos Water Regatta is a cultural festival of indigenous communities for the sustainable development of the tourism potential of the state.

According to a statement by the organisers, signed by its Chairman, Engr. Olusegun Jawando, the Lagos Water Regatta is an annual water-based cultural sporting and recreational activity put together to showcase what the various coastal communities have to offer in terms of water sport, cultural beauty and aquatic splendour.

The event, planned to coincide with the Easter, is meant to energize the tranquil nature of the Lagos Island waterfront during the festival and transform it into meeting point of colour, excitement and beauty.

According to the Chairman, Lagos Water Regatta is part of the activities lined up to celebrate the 2014 edition of the Lagos Black Heritage Festival. “The regatta is a private sector led initiative with support from other corporate bodies and the state government to promote the tourism potential of the state,” said Engr. Jawando.

He said: “The Regatta will consist of large fishing boats, ferries, barges and other marine vessels adorned with colours and decorations depicting the social, cultural, traditional folklores and occupational aspects of the Lagos people.

“There will be a parade of floats and canoes with traditional, cultural and social troupes from 20 communities of the five divisions that make up the state.”

Engr. Jawando added that boats branded by sponsoring corporate organisations and jet skis from members of the Aquamarine Boat Club would participate in water racing and perform stunts to the delight of fun seekers.

He then called on private organizations to support the good initiative of the Lagos State Government by sponsoring boat branding and exhibitions to showcase their brand to the millions of people home and abroad.

Mr. Jawando said prizes would be presented to winners in boat racing, swimming contest and colourful boat presentation.

He said, “In terms of security, adequate provision has been made with the navy, police and ambulance boats. We are going to have participation from LASWA, All Boat Clubs in Lagos, Boat & Ferry operators in Lagos and representatives of riverside communities in Lagos.

“We are expecting over 50,000 fun seekers to visit the Regatta Village on Oyinkan Abayomi Drive in Ikoyi, Lagos”.

The post Lagos Water Regatta for Easter Sunday appeared first on The Nation.

COLOSSAL, colourful cocktail rings are everywhere at parties, on the red carpet and for casual wear. The cocktail ring is the ultimate accessory that brings out the glamour and shine in your outfit and draws attention to your hands, whether you are wearing a colourful whimsical dress or a little black dress [LBD], with so many rings to choose from, ranging from the bold and crazily crafted to the bling-bling.

A simple, yet elegant cocktail ring is basically defined as oversized rock design with precious or semiprecious coloured stones.

For you to make a gallant statement with your cocktail ring, it has to be chunky {bold], sexy and at the same time stylish. This is the ultimate cocktail ring golden rule.

Believe it, the big rock is a solid way to highlight your individual style. You can never go wrong with one. Get as many as possible, different rocks with different colours; you can wear a different one for each day, depending on your attire.

They are the classic and timeless finger piece.

The post Timeless finger PIECE appeared first on The Nation.

It was an opportunity for guests and others present to take a walk back in time and witness how the people of Lagos celebrated their fore-bearers in times past. As the people of Ikate, a community in Lagos Central celebrated the elegy festival last weekend, culture, tradition and ancient knowledge were on parade for all to see.

Ikate, a community situated on the Lekki-Ajah axis of the state in general, and the reigning Elegushi royal family, in particular, holds the Elegba Festival in high esteem. Expectedly, the community spares nothing to make the annual event a memorable one.

The week-long festival is often marked by the sons and daughters of the community from far and near. It is dedicated to Elegba or Esu Elegba which is regarded among the Yoruba as the deity that makes things happen, whether good or bad.

The festival train kicked off at the Elegba shrine, a mini-stadium called Agbo Elegba where elaborate sacrifices were performed to appease the deities. Painted in glittering white colour, residents say the Agbo Elegba has been with the people of Ikate from time immemorial.

The long train of guests, priests and other participants which left the Elegushi Royal Palace for the Agbo Elegba to officially declare open this year’s festival was led by the Elegushi of Ikateland, Oba Saheed Ademola Elegushi.

While Oba Elegushi and the Odofin of Ikateland, Chief Kehinde Hassan Elegushi, who is the coordinator of the festival, wore the ceremonial white clothes as required by tradition, all other sons and daughters of the community present at the event left the upper parts of their bodies bare during the festival. The men came out with loin clothes around their waists, while the women tied theirs up to the chest.

The oba was accompanied by visiting traditional rulers from far and near as well as many white cap chiefs from within and outside Ikate on the trek from his palace to the Agbo Elegba.

Hardly had the oba and his guests being seated when the traditional breaking of kolanuts started. According to Ikate chiefs who spoke to The Nation, Ikunlepabi, as the rites were referred to, are very crucial aspects of the ceremony. The people believe the outcome of the breaking of kolanuts determines whether the deities are pleased with the people or not.

Chief among the items offered to the deities was kolanut. Lobes of kolanuts were broken and presented to the deities in sacrifice before being brought to the king by a group of young men carrying a huge and flat calabash dish. These young men acted as intermediates between a diviner, performed all the rites in the inner chambers of the shrine, and the king and his people who sat outside waiting patiently to hear from the deities.

Before the close of proceedings, the young men made about a dozen shuttle between the oba seated at the open arena and the diviner concealed in his chamber. Soon, the big gong was beaten to declare the rites completed and successful. At the sound of the ancient gong, the oba and his people burst into songs as they danced in jubilation.

The rites over, the elated king and his council rose and retired to another inner chamber on the premises to wait for the masquerades that came much later to celebrate with the people.

Speaking to The Nation afterwards, the Elegushi appealed to the state government to help the community in promoting the festival. According to him, selling the festival globally should be part of the government’s contribution to publicise the rich culture of the state.

He explained further that Elegba festival is a revered festival in the old days. He added that its essence is to offer prayers for the area, the state and the nation.

The Chairman of the Eti Osa Local Government Area, Chief Olanrewaju Elegushi, who doubles as the Aro of Ikateland, said the significance of the festival which brought all the descendants of Olofin together, is to show love and unity for the progress of the community.

He added that aside Olofin descendants, other people also joined in the celebration, warning that politics should be separated from tradition so as not to discourage people from promoting their culture and tradition.

“Many people don’t want to come out to embrace their culture. There is a big difference between tradition and religion. I am a Muslim, but when it comes to tradition, I display my culture. They are really different things entirely,” he said.

Explaining the place of Elegba festival in the life of indigenous Lagos communities, Odofin Hassan said all the major traditional communities in Lagos and environs celebrate with each other all year round. “The Elegba festival is celebrated to usher in a new year and to ensure peace in the community,” he added.

The post Remembering old Lagos at Elegba Festival appeared first on The Nation.

Celebrity hair-stylist and owner of Bobby Signatures, Bob Eke, is bubbling with excitement at the moment. Fondly called Bobby by friends, the handsome dude suffered a mild stroke two years ago and was treated in one of the best hospitals in India. But all that is now history. The good news is that he is back and better.

Celeb Watch gathered that Bobby has now resolved to end his more than 40-year-old bachelor status. It is an open secret that all through the period he was down, Bobby never had any serious relationship with the opposite sex. While his single status has provoked all manner of insinuations, his friends insist that he is only taking his time to search for a ‘Miss Right’ who has been elusive all the while. But the latest gist is that he is ready to say ‘yes, I do’ anytime soon.

The post Is marriage on the card for Bobby Eke? appeared first on The Nation.

One thing that you will notice about Ronke Sokefun, the estranged wife of Gbenga Sokefun, these days is that she hardly appears in public without smiles on her face. Many are of the opinion that the former Oando topshot came about this new mood ever since she got an appointment as the Commissioner for Agriculture in Ogun State.

Her new office, according to sources, has afforded the dark and lovely lady to have a sense of fulfillment, particularly being able to serve her state of origin. Ronke Sokefun appears unperturbed about her single state, as she exudes joy and peace of mind, which is a luxury that another shot at marriage may deprive her.

The post Ronke Sokefun on the rebound appeared first on The Nation.

The whirlwind that threatened to sweep away Mobola Akinjide from the social space, following her crashed marriage, has surely calmed down. In its place now is serenity and gaiety. The famous society lady has found love again, and is now married to Adedapo Ayoola, a former businessman turned pastor. Mobola is the first daughter of second republic Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Richard Akinjide, and the elder sister of Jumoke Akinjide, the Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.

Mobola, who used to lead an active social lifestyle, suddenly withdrew into her cocoon and became a born again Christian. At a point, she delved into the business of importation of palm oil from Malaysia. She is now a full partner in the law firm of Akinjide and Co.

The post Happy moment for Mobola Akinjide appeared first on The Nation.

If you believe that former Ekiti State governor and PDP gubernatorial candidate in the forthcoming governorship election in the state, Ayo Fayose, has made peace with his erstwhile deputy, Abiodun Olujimi, you’ll believe anything. The duo are allegedly bracing up for another round of their head-long collision, putting paid to talks that the seeming silence between the duo has finally ended their protracted ill-feelings towards each other.

Since Fayose got the PDP ticket, many thought they will bury the hatchet and start working together again. But as things stand, there is no end in sight to the battle between them.

It will be recalled that while the reign of Ayodele Fayose as governor of Ekiti State lasted, Biodun Olujimi was one of the powerful pillars that upheld the government. She lived the life of a powerful politician, not tolerating any opposition when matters involved Fayose. She was blindly loyal to her boss. But the romance started experiencing fits of hiccups when Fayose was dislodged from the Government House in 2007.

With Fayose out of government, some of his aides had to also find where the pasture is greener, or at least where it would remain green. The crack between the former allies began to appear when former Governor Segun Oni appointed Biodun as Commissioner for Works.

The post Fayose’s, Biodun Olujimi’s feud enters second phase? appeared first on The Nation.

•Senator puts death toll at 217

The Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination was held without any security breach across all centres in Yobe State yesterday, 24 hours after another round of attacks in neighbouring Borno State by members of the Islamist sect, Boko Haram.

One target of the attacks was a secondary school in Dikwa where seven teachers and some students were killed.

Similar attacks took place in Kala-Balge towns and near Dalwa, according to Senator Ahmed Zanna, who represents the area in the National Assembly.

No fewer than 19 people are feared dead in the attacks, but the senator put the death toll at 217.

He said the 217 were killed in six villages.

Of this number 60 were killed in Kala-Balge and 150 in three other villages.

Yesterday’s JAMB exam however took place in major towns in Yobe like Damaturu, Gashua, Potiskum, and Geidam.

Security was tight as the examination got underway with candidates screened by security personnel before being allowed into the exam hall.

Some centres in the state were collapsed to accommodate candidates from particularly volatile areas.

A candidate, Hafsat Abdullahi, said that though she attends school in Maiduguri her father registered her in Yobe for fear of Boko Haram.

Another candidate, Musa Mohammadu said that he was “just happy that Allah has seen us through”.

No official of JAMB was ready to speak with the press as many of them that were approached turned down the reporter’s request.

It was gathered that insurgents stormed the Dikwa school in the early hours of Thursday, killing six teachers and two security guards.

They also abducted an unspecified number of women, residents said.

A witness, Modu Kakarimi, who fled Dikwa to Maiduguri, the state capital, said he and some others ran away to safety when they heard sound of gunshots.

“Our fear was heightened when we saw the boarding school (college) in flames. We later gathered that they have killed eight there. We fled together with our women and children,” Kakarimi said.

Senator Ahmed Zanna confirmed the Dikwa killing to journalists but he said he could not provide full details.

“There was a siege on one of the schools in the town just after midnight… They also razed the school library and escaped into the night through the bushes,” he said.

A group of insurgents also attacked Kala-Balge town, killing three people and setting many houses ablaze, some local officials said on condition of anonymity.

On Friday, suspected Islamists blocked Maiduguri-Biu highway near Dalwa village and shot dead eight passengers, a passer-by Mustapha Ali, said.

Ali, who passed through Dalwa on his way to Maiduguri said the insurgents stormed the highway in broad daylight.

There was no immediate confirmation of the attacks by security agencies but a top security officer, who demanded anonymity, confirmed them.

“There were various attacks in the state …It is sad,” he said.

Violence in the Northeast has already killed some 1,500 people this year.

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•Four serving governors favoured

The plot to dump Vice President Namadi Sambo as running mate to President Goodluck Jonathan ahead of next year’s election is far from being over, according to indications last night.

The fresh plot is the brainchild of some political heavyweights from the North who believe that for the PDP to make the desired impact in that part of the country in the election, it must have a presidential running mate that is widely acceptable and politically savvy across the region.

Sambo, in their view, is too far removed from the realities of the politics of the region and therefore incapable of either addressing the issues or galvanising support for Jonathan ahead of the 2015 election.

Although the president is yet to publicly announce his intention to seek re-election, political watchers believe that his political machinery is already in place as he meets with different political interests across the nation on a regular basis.

A reliable source said in Abuja that the decision to drop Sambo was reached at a high level meeting and that Jonathan’s body language on the proposals must have influenced the decision of two of the PDP governors, who are at loggerheads with the President, to drop the idea of joining the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).

Accordingly, four governors were pencilled down to replace Sambo.

These are Aliyu Babangida of Niger State, Sule Lamido of Jigawa State, Isa Yuguda of Bauchi and Ibrahim Shema of Katsina.

Some of the governors had, in the past, dissociated themselves from the alleged plot to replace Sambo who was the governor of Kaduna before he was picked by Jonathan as vice president after the death of President Umaru Yar’Adua.

The source said the political heavyweights behind the plot include some retired but influential Army generals from the region, emirs and an ex-president who is pushing for Lamido.

The source said: “Don’t be deceived by the denials and counter-denials. Would you have expected them to publicly accept the plot? What I know is that these persons have been meeting and Sambo might as well be on his last tour of duty as vice president unless something drastically changes the run of event.

“I can tell you that the strategic choice by Aliyu and Lamido to remain with the PDP was due to the promise extracted by some political heavyweights in the party to make one of them, preferably Lamido who is considered to be highly disciplined and with impressive political savvy in the North, to be nominated as vice president after Sambo has failed to command the kind of respect expected of anyone in that position in the North.”

Asked if the president would not be inflicting a grave injustice on his loyal deputy should he accept the suggestion, the source said the reality is that the president would have to analyse the options before him and take a decision that would positively affect his future.

“First, it was understood that the failure to bring the Boko Haram menace to an end or even try to talk to its leadership to stop the carnage and come to the roundtable for a peace talk was due to the fact that most persons in the North still do not recognise Sambo as a Northern leader. They see him as a businessman who knows little or nothing about the politics of his domain.

“What if I told you that Shema is also scheming to be vice president in spite of his repeated denials and there is a belief that former President Ibrahim Babangida might not support Babangida Aliyu as vice president due to some reasons?”

It was gathered that the political heavyweights rooting for a Lamido vice presidential ticket have been holding talks with Jonathan and may soon reach an agreement that would seriously endanger the political fortunes of Sambo in 2015.

The source said former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s sudden silence on the Jonathan presidency might not be unconnected with how far the political discourse has gone.

It is believed that Lamido should be able to garner support to match whatever threat the Buhari or APC strategy in the North might engender.

However, it was learnt that Sambo is not taking the matter lying low as he was said to have been meeting with some of the northern governors excluding those interested in his seat, in order to garner support for his candidacy.

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President of the Senate, David Mark, yesterday condemned the bombing that left scores of citizens dead. He urged the perpetrators to rethink “because this is a needless war,” adding that “It is hard to believe that this is happening to us. No matter the anger or grievances in anybody’s mind, this war on defenceless citizens is uncalled for. This is inhuman and unarguably ungodly.” In a statement, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Senate President, Kola Ologbondiyan, noted that Mark who was already at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, enroute Ibadan, Oyo State, made a  u-turn in honor  of the victims on hearing of the sordid incident. It was gathered that Mark was on his way to attend the birthday of the Olubadan of Ibadan Oba Samuel Odulana  Odugade I  on his 100 years and receive a Chieftaincy from the revered monarch. The President of the Senate sympathised with the victims and reminded Nigerians of the need to be their brothers’ keeper at all times. He also called on security operatives to collaborate with others, even as he counseled them to be more proactive in order to end the menace.

Also, the Senate decried the latest bomb blast, describing it as callous and wicked. Its spokesman, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, said the bomb blast, which claimed scores of lives, is one incident by the evil minds that should prick Nigeria’s collective consciousness. The Senate, he said, is worried at the dimension the orgy of terrorists attacks and its devilish activities is assuming. Abaribe said: “The Senate bleeds also on the very harrowing fact that innocent lives of Nigerians, whose only sin is to go out to look for their daily bread, would be so slaughtered in this manner. The Senate is still bemoaning the unending massacre of our people in some states in the Northeast, the latest being the killings in Borno state on Sunday and now this one,” he said.

The Senate also called on the security agencies to step up their game and be more proactive. He said: “The blame game should be over, the security agencies must step up their game and be more proactive. The country is indeed bleeding of the blood of her innocent ones who are daily being cut down by the evil minds. The Senate therefore consoles with the families of the dead and wishes the wounded quick recovery, while also urging Nigerians to remain steadfast as the Government intensifies effort to tackle the ugly menace.”

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The Deputy Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Ikare branch, Ondo State, simply called Felix (31), has been allegedly stabbed to death by a woman suspected to be his girl friend, Fasilat.

Sources said the late Felix took Fasilat to a guest house, where they had a disagreement.

It was learnt that Felix phoned a friend and informed him that he was having problems with Fasilat.

He was said to have told his friend to meet him at a hospital close to the guest house.

When the friend got to the hospital, he met Felix dead.

It was learnt that the deceased was stabbed with a broken bottle and had bite marks on his body.

Police spokesman Wole Ogodo said he had not been properly briefed on the incident.

A source at the Ikare Police Division said Fasilat had been arrested and appeared to have been under the influence of drugs.

It was learnt that Fasilat claimed the late Felix wanted to rape her.

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Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, defended yesterday Osun State Government’s education policy.

The literary icon said many aspects of the Rauf Aregbesola administration’s reform in education would engender balanced view of life for the children.

The renowned writer spoke yesterday in Osogbo, the state capital, at the opening of a three-day colloquium, titled: Fundamental Imperatives of Cohabitation: Faith and Secularism.

Soyinka, who is the Chairman of the Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding, Osogbo, advised that rather than criticise the governor’s education policy, it should be adopted by other states.

The globally acknowledged writer noted that children, at their level, should not be made to believe that they were superior to one another.

He said avoiding such a mindset would enable the children to learn well in a class-free environment.

Soyinka said if Nigerians agreed that children should not be distinguished by affluence, it was fundamentally wrong to differentiate them by their religions.

The literary icon said it was wise that Aregbesola thought about this, in line with the philosophy of giving to the children a level-playing field to learn and exhibit their God given talents.

He said: “I have heard some arguments based on the fact that the school uniform will reduce the children’s sense of individualism. I asked: who says this is what these children need at this tender age? I think they will be able to decide that when they grow up.

“What they need now is an atmosphere where they can learn without distraction, not a situation where children of the rich will come to school in designer dress while some will be struggling to get the fairly used cloth. It is good to go through this uniform together. With this, all children are on the same level.

“The uniform thing will stem the tide of inequality among school children. It is a philosophy that should be adopted throughout the country.”

The literary icon called for the introduction of subjects that would cover comparative religion in public schools so that children could understand the practice and philosophy of each religion.

Aregbesola said the views that would be expressed at the colloquium would be those inspired by structured thinking.

The governor said the thoughts to be shared – beginning from the maiden edition of the colloquium – would contribute to the ethical, spiritual, economic, political and social restructuring of the Nigerian soul.

He said: “Any faith, whose adherents are encouraged to maim and slaughter those who do not belong to it, cannot, in the true sense, be classified as faith. It is not good for any society. Any faith that exhorts otherwise should not be acceptable to any person.

“It is in this regard that the murderous activities of the renegade sect, Boko Haram, must be totally condemned. Those who feed their hideous viper of death do not in any way represent and serve the cause of Islam.”

Aregbesola said Osun was on the path of religious tolerance, which its people and the Yoruba nation are known for.

He said: “Since we assumed office, our administration has been more committed to the deepening of this practice through equal, non-discriminating relationship with the various faith groups in the state.

“There is freedom for all religious groups to operate and fulfil the demands of their faith. Therefore, those who accuse us of either having Islamisation agenda or favours one faith above the others do so either out of ignorance or mischief, or both.”

The colloquium was attended by top political office holders and civil servants, traditional rulers, market women and youth groups.

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The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the police confirmed yesterday that 71 people died in the Nyanya bomb blast; 124 were injured.

Inspector-General of Police M.D. Abubakar said security agencies were stepping up measures to uncover the planners of the crime and avoid a reoccurrence.

Abubakar urged Nigerians and the international community to remain calm and vigilant.

The release of the official figures was contained in separate statements by the two agencies.

A statement by the Senior Information Officer of NEMA, Mr. Sani Datti, said: “The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other response agencies have carried out the herculean task of evacuating dead bodies as well as injured victims of the early morning blasts at the Nyanya Motor Park to various hospitals in Abuja and the environs.

“Further to the evacuation and to ensure adequate care for the injured, the Director-General Mohammed Sani Sidi has visited some of the hospitals with directive that adequate and free medical treatments should be provided for all the victims.

“Meanwhile, the agency, in collaboration with other response agencies, has provided this detail of the casualty in various hospitals.”

Police Force Public Relations Officer CSP Frank Mba said: “In a swift reaction to the Monday morning, 14th April, 2014 blast at a motor park in Nyanya, a suburb of about 30 kilometres from the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP MD Abubakar has visited the scene of the explosion where he assessed the extent of damage and the impact on the surrounding environment.

“He urged the citizens and the international community to remain calm and vigilant as the police and other security agencies are stepping up measures to uncover the authors of the crime and avoid a reoccurrence of this unfortunate incident.

“The IGP further noted that security agents have relentlessly worked round the clock with significant success to stave off such attacks on the Federal Capital and the entire country at large.

“He therefore reassured Nigerians and foreign nationals that security agencies will do anything possible to further strengthen the security within and beyond Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Consequently, the IGP has placed police operatives on red alert.

“He has equally ordered the police to intensify surveillance on all vulnerable targets within Abuja.

“Meanwhile, the police, supported by other law enforcement agencies, have commenced a full-scale investigation into the incident with the deployment of the Police Anti-Bomb Squad and other detectives to the scene with the view to solving the crime.

“Regrettably, seventy-one (71) persons have been confirmed dead while one hundred and twenty-four (124) persons sustained various degrees of injuries.

“While commiserating with the families of the victims of the blast, the IGP called on the members of the public to go about their normal businesses without fear and to cooperate with the police by providing useful information in order to ensure that the perpetrators of this dastardly act are brought to book.”

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