Author: Khadijah Olowode

(Published in The PUNCH, on Friday, December 15, 2023) The newborn arrives the world knuckled up. In his clenched right fist is fate. In the left is destiny. Little wonder life is a struggle between fate and destiny. Fate is one-way; destiny is itinerant. Fate slams shut like a coffin, sealed, airtight, with a finality; destiny is open like a shelf containing storybooks portraying bad and good characters. In the Greek classic tragedy, ‘Oedipus Rex’, which Ola Rotimi robes in African culture, to produce ‘The gods are not to blame’, youthful Odewale, by his strength and magical powers, goes on…

The national headquarters of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has shown their readiness to collaborate with The Drum Online Media Incorporation, the organizers of the annual Pan-Afrika Drum Festival In Canada, to organize the 2024 edition of Pan-Afrika Drum Festival, slated for 27 and 28 June, 2024 in Mississauga and Toronto, Canada. This was contained in a press statement made available to the media by the Convener of the global and prestigious cultural festival, Prince Segun Akanni. Akanni said, some months ago, a letter of partnership has been sent to Dr. Chris Isiguzo, President, Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) seeking…

Former Governor of Osun State, Chief Bisi Akande, has attributed the peaceful conduct of the November 11 governorship election in Kogi State to the acceptability of the party’s candidate, Usman Ododo, among the people. The chieftain of the All Progressives Congress said this while receiving the Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, CON, and the Governor-elect, Ododo, at his Abuja residence on Thursday, 14 December, 2023. Baba Akande commended Governor Yahaya Bello for overseeing the election, widely adjudged peaceful, and urged the governor-elect to stay true to his promises and commitment to the vehicle that conveyed him into office. Governor…

United Kingdom has appointed Mrs Gill Lever OBE as the British Deputy High Commissioner (DHC) in Abuja, Nigeria. She takes over from Ms Gill Atkinson who recently concluded four years as Deputy High Commissioner in Abuja. According to a statement on Thursday, 14 December, 2023, from the British High Commissioner, Gill Lever is an experienced career diplomat who has worked in different parts of the world including Romania, India and Japan, and prior to becoming the British Deputy High Commissioner (DHC) in Abuja had served as the UK Deputy Head of Mission to Juba, South Sudan from 2022 – 2023.…

The ECOWAS Court of Justice has declared it lacks jurisdiction and dismissed all the requests made by one Richard Ugbah, a Nigerian who asked the Court to order his transfer from the United States, where he is serving a 12-year imprisonment for wire fraud, in order to complete the remainder of his sentence in his home country. In the suit No: ECW/CCJ/ APP/ 18/21, filed in the Court, the Applicant, Richard Ugbah, who was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment having been found guilty of wire fraud by a US Court on 14/2/2017 asked the ECOWAS Court to order for his…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said that the efforts of his administration to transform Nigeria’s economy are yielding results with the support of the National Assembly led by Senate President Godswill Akpabio and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas. Speaking at a colloquium to mark the 61st birthday of the Senate President, on Thursday, 14 December, 2023, in Abuja, President Tinubu said the challenges facing the country will be jointly assessed by the executive and legislature with a view to evolving implementable solutions for the good of Nigerians. “Having Senate President Akpabio, and the Speaker…

The Federal Government has sacked all directors of civil aviation agencies in the country following the sacking of the chief executive officers of the same organisations. The Federal Government also directed all the affected directors to hand over to the most senior officer in their various directorates with immediate effect. The statement was signed by a spokesperson for Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation, Odutayo Oluseyi. The affected agencies are: the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigeria Metrological Agency (NiMET), Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Nigeria Safety and Investigation Bureau (NSIB). The government…

The newly appointed Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe has assumed office and held his first official meeting with the Directors and management of the Board. Ogbe was appointed on Thursday, 14 December, 2023, by President Bola Tinubu, replacing Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote, who had served for seven and half years in office. At a meeting on Thursday, 14 December, 2023, at the NCDMB’s Abuja Liaison Office, the new Executive Secretary received a high-level briefing on the Board’s projects and initiatives from the Directors and senior management. In his remarks, the…

The Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arrested twin brothers, Adio Taiwo Hassan and Adio Kehinde Hussein alongside five others for alleged internet fraudulent activities. They were arrested on Thursday, December 7, 2023 at Apete and Apata areas of Ibadan, Oyo State, following surveillance and actionable intelligence on their suspected involvement in internet- related offences. The five other suspects are: Jeremiah Gabi, Dennis Gomina, Adepoju Noah Ibukun, Olabode Samson Opeyemi and Adewumi Adeboye Ayomide. In the same vein, the Oyo State Police Command handed over three suspected internet fraudsters to the Ibadan Zonal Command…

The Oyo State Commissioner of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Mr Williams Akin-Funmilayo, has stated that the planned Housing Estate Project, Baywood Estate, will not consume the Agodi Botanical Gardens. The Commissioner, who noted that some residents of the state have confused the site of the planned estate to include Agodi Botanical Gardens, clarified that while the garden sits on 9.11 hectares of land, the large expanse of 46.3 hectares of forest behind the Gardens is to be converted to Baywood Housing Estate. Akin-Funmilayo stated this while conducting newsmen round the Agodi Botanical Gardens and the planned site of the…

Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Thursday, 14 December, 2023, laid before the parliament a N296.4bn fiscal plan for year 2024, with the capital expenditure guzzling a whopping 61% of the proposed spending and recurrents keeping the balance of 39%. The budget is 15.5% higher than the budget of the outgoing year, and has an opening balance of N25bn, according to the Governor, who heralded his speech with “profound gratitude” to God, appreciation to the people of Kwara and his party, APC, for another win at the last general elections, and acknowledgement of the supportive role of the legislators. Deputy…

Against the backdrop of his administration’s determination to expand the economy of Oyo State through solid mineral development, Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has called on traditional rulers in Oke-Ogun to collaborate with the government in its effort to protect the mining communities. The Governor stated this on Thursday, 14 December, 2023, during the coronation and presentation of staff of office to the 30th Aseyin of Iseyinland, His Royal Majesty, Oba Sefiu Olawale Oyebola, Adeyeri III, Ajirotutu I, held at the Iseyin District Grammar School, Iseyin. Governor Makinde, who stressed that the current regime in mining within the state must…

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has received the trophy of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) ahead of the opening of the tournament in Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, next year. The trophy, arriving from Morocco, touched down in Lagos on Thursday, 14 December, 2023. The trophy was presented to Sanwo-Olu by Visa team led by Vice President and Head of West Africa Cluster, Andrew Uaboi. Visa is the official digital payment provider approved by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). Receiving the trophy at the State House in Marina, Sanwo-Olu said the symbolic gesture reinforced the importance the nation attached…

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Thursday, 14 December, 2023, said his administration will provide health palliatives for the residents by subsidising drugs to improve their well-being. He said the health palliatives, which will soon be rolled out by his administration will cushion the effects of high prices of drugs as a result of the economic challenges in the country. Governor Sanwo-Olu made the promise on Thursday, 14 December, 2023, at this year’s Community Day celebration with the theme, “Community Engagement, a veritable tool for infrastructural development in rural communities,” held at the Police College in Ikeja, Lagos. Speaking…

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Thursday, 14 December, 2023, unveiled new Leonard AW 109 Level 5 Simulator acquired by Caverton Helicopters in Lagos, reports thegazellenews.com. The epoch-making event took place on at Calverton Helicopters’ Aviation Training Centre located at the Muritala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja. According to the management of the company, the new acquisition was part of its efforts to expand its aviation training facilities to meet with international standard. Important personalities who witnessed the Governor performing the unveiling of the Simulator were: Chairman, Caverton Offshore Support Group, Mr. Aderemi Makanjuola; his wife, Yoyinsola; Sanwo-olu’s Deputy, Dr. Kadir Obafemi…

Nigerian music star, Azeez Fashola, popularly known as Naira Marley, has threatened to sue Nollywood actress, Iyabo Ojo for spreading false and defamatory information against him on the internet. Thus, the Marlian singer is demanding a public apology from Iyabo Ojo. The apology must be published on her Instagram page, and a national newspaper while all the malicious publication against him should be retracted, all within seven days. The Marlian Records boss stated that failure to do the aforementioned, he will seek redress in court with a demand for N500 million from the actress as damages for the malicious publication.…

Nigeria’s development partners are worried that there are no estimates in the 2024 Budget of the Federal Government for the Safe Schools Initiative established by the FG and a host of international stakeholders in 2014, Empowered Newswire reports. The Initiative arose against the backdrop of a series of terror attacks on schools and abduction of pupils in 2014 in Nigeria causing the former British Prime Minister, Mr. Gordon Brown as UN Special Envoy on Global Education and then Finance Minister Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to float the Initiative which then drew widespread global endorsement. The Safe Schools Initiative then became concerted…

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has constituted an Evaluation Committee for the establishment of a Naval Base in the state. Speaking while receiving the Naval team from the Naval Headquarters in his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, Governor Abiodun noted with delight the zeal exhibited by the Chief of Naval Staff in setting up the team, saying the establishment of a Naval Base would help to further secure the state. “A few weeks ago, I held a meeting with the new Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command and in that meeting, I shared a vision of Ogun State Multi-modal Transportation…

Hungry people in West and Central Africa including Nigeria may reach a staggering 49.5 million people between June and August 2024, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has raised the alarm. The WFP in a statement on Tuesday, 12 December, 2023, said that despite considerable efforts by governments and partners, food insecurity continues to worsen in West and Central Africa with the number of hungry people set to reach a staggering 49.5 million people between June and August 2024 – a four percent increase compared to 2023, according to a regional food security analysis which was released same day.…

The Sacked Oba Onibeju of Ibeju-lekki, Oba Waliu Rasaki Olasunkanmi, a.k.a. Rasaq Oluwo. An Igbosere High Court of lagos State, has restrained the the Onibeju of Ibeju-lekki, Lagos State, Oba Waliu Rasaki Olasunkanmi, aka Rasaq Oluwo, from parading himself as the monarch of the Ibejuland. Justice K. O. Dawodu, restrained the Oba from calling or parading himself as the Onibeju of IbejuLand, on Tuesday, 12 December, 2023, while granting an order of mandatory injunction brought against him by Prince Adewale Adeyemi Abdul Rauf Oniwonlu, in a suit numbered LD/9297GCMW/2022. Others listed as first to 10 respondents in the suit were:…