Author: Soffiyyah Olamide

By Abimbola Ogunnaike Chess-in-Slums Founder, Tunde Onakoya, who recently surpassed the world record for the longest-ever chess marathon, clocking an impressive 60 hours, has returned to Nigeria. He landed in the country on Wednesday, 24 April, 2024, He was received with a heartwarming welcome and reception, complete with singing and dancing at the airport. Onakoya broke the record of Norwegian players, Hallvard Haug Flatebø and Sjur Ferkingstad, who played for 56-hour, 9-minute in 2018. The new record holder said he attempted to raise funds and awareness for providing educational opportunities to underprivileged children across Africa.

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Kebbi State Governor, Dr Nasir Idris, has approved the sum of N309.584 million, to be allocated towards the payment of foreign scholarships for students from the state studying in India and Egypt. The state Commissioner of Higher Education, Alhaji Isah Abubakar-Tunga, announced this while briefing newsmen on the development in his office in Birnin Kebbi on Tuesday, 23 April, 2024. Giving the breakdown, the Commissioner said, “The sum of N228,150,148:00 is for 63 students studying in India, while N81,433,893:80 is for 23 students studying in Egypt. “The remaining 50 foreign students shall have their expenses settled…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike Following the escalating economic hardship in the country, President Bola Tinubu has approved the take-off of the N100 billion Consumer Credit Scheme for Nigerians. Ajuri Ngelale, the President’s spokesperson, who disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday, 24 April, 2024 stated that interested Nigerians are expected to visit the portal of Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation before May 15, 2024. “Consumer credit serves as the lifeblood of modern economies, enabling citizens to enhance their quality of life by accessing goods and services upfront, paying responsibly over time. It facilitates crucial purchases, such as homes, vehicles, education, and…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike Barely 24 hours after the Rivers state Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, redeployed the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Zaccaeus Adangor to the Ministry of Special Duties (Governor’s Office) in a minor cabinet reshuffle on Tuesday, 23 April, 2024, Adangor has immediately resigned from the State Executive Council. Recall that Fubara, in a letter issued on Tuesday, 23 April, 2024 by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Tammy Danagogo, redeployed Adangor alongside the state Commissioner for Finance, Isaac Kamalu, who himself was moved to the Ministry of Employment Generation and Economic Empowerment. Adangor and Kamalu, as…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Umar Ganduje, has said that the ruling party would provide solutions to the challenges facing the country. Ganduje stated this during the APC grand finale campaign and presentation of party flags to the 11 local councils chairmanship candidates, on Wednesday, 24 April, 2024 in Gombe. Recall that the Gombe State Independent Electoral Commission (GOSIEC) had fixed April 27, for LG polls in the state. Ganduje, who presented APC flags to the candidates, said the party under President Bola Tinubu was doing a lot to tackle the challenges of…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike Following his redeployment to the Employment Generation and Economic Empowerment Ministry by the Rivers State Governor Governor Simi Fubara, the state Commissioner of Finance, Isaac Kamalu has resigned from the State executive Council. Kamalu, who served as commissioner for Budget and Economics under former Nyesom Wike this on Tuesday, 23 April, 2024, in a letter to Governor Fubura and the Secretary to the Government, Tammy Danagogo. He accused Fubara of lying about the internally generated revenue of Rivers State. “In view of the above, I find it difficult to accept the redeployment; I do not accept it. I…

The Oyo State Signage and Advertisement Agency (OYSAA) has clamped down on third party agents and other advertising practitioners for refusal to pay advert bills to the State government coffers. The Director-General, Oyo State Signage and Advertisement Agency (OYSAA), Mr. Oludolapo Eso-Ajanaku said this on Wednesday, 24 April, 2024, after leading an enforcement exercise within Ibadan metropolis. Mr. Oludolapo Eso-Ajanaku stated that the Oyo State government is being owed over N650 million in revenue default from these advertising practitioners over the period in view. Oludolapo said the decisive action was as a result of an extensive debt profile that has…

She stands tall among her peers, particularly in the manufacturing sector. Chief (Mrs.) Folashade Okoya, MON, is a gold fish that has no hiding place. She is a woman of grace, intelligence and diligence which have given her the courage and determination to dominate a sector hitherto reserved for men. Smart, beautiful and intelligent, the Bewaji of Lagos has proved that she’s a worthy symbolism of the expression: brain and beauty with the way she had positively turned around the fortunes of Eleganza Industries Limited since the mantle of leadership of the company fell on her as the Managing Director…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike A former Governor of Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha, has resigned his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) In his resignation letter addressed to the PDP chairman in Mbutu Ward, Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area of the state, Ihedioha cited a misalignment between his personal beliefs and the current trajectory of the main opposition party. The former Governor expressed his dedication to the advancement of democracy and good governance in the country despite his decision to step away from PDP. According to Ihedioha, having been a member of the party since its inception in 1998, he has…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike Some youths in Kogi State on Tuesday,23 April, 2024 protested against plans by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), to arrest former Governor Yahaya Bello over alleged N80.2 billion fraud. The youths, who gathered in their numbers, barricaded the popular Lokoja-Abuja road which caused gridlock on the highway. They protested under the auspices of the Coalition of Civil Society for Democracy, and Africa Youths Coalition for Justice, accusing the anti-graft agency of witch-hunting and victimizing the former Governor. Some youths in Kogi State on Tuesday, 23 April, 2024 protested against plans by the Economic and Financial…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Federal High Court in Abuja presided over by Justice Emeka Nwite has ordered that the charges on alleged N80 billion fraud filed by the Federal Government against former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Adoza Bello, be served through his lawyer, Abdulwahab Mohammed. The Judge issued the order on Tuesday, 23 April, 2024 while delivering a ruling in an application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for substituted service on Bello. Lead counsel to the anti-graft agency, Kemi Pinheiro, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, argued the application. Although Bello’s lawyer Abdulwahab Mohammed initially declined to…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike Former Governor of Kogi, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, on Tuesday, 23 April, 2024 prayed a Federal High Court, Abuja presided over by Justice Emeka Nwite to vacate the arrest warrant order issued to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against him on April 17. Bello, through his lawyer Adeola Adedipe, SAN, made the application following an order by Justice Nwite, directing the EFCC to effect the service of the charge and proof of evidence on the ex-governor’s lead counsel, Abdulwahab Mohammed, SAN Recall that Justice Nwite had, earlier, ordered the EFCC’s lawyer, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, to serve Mohammed, the…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike Palpable tension enveloped in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, on Tuesday, 23 April, 2024 over alleged shooting of a student by a yet to be identified security agent. The incident, it was gathered occurred at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Ogbomoso. It was gathered that a security agent allegedly gunned down the student and injured two others on Tuesday, 23 April, 2024. The incident, it was gathered occurred when the security agent was invited to settle a misunderstanding between two people in the school. While attempting to settle the matter, the officer reportedly shot sporadically into the air…

The Ogun State Agro-Cargo International Airport will begin scheduled and non-scheduled flights in the next few weeks; Governor Dapo Abiodun made this known on Tuesday, 23 April, 2024. Abiodun, was speaking at the 13th Gateway International Trade Fair breakfast meeting with chief executive officers, captains of industry, entrepreneurs, investors and stakeholders alike, held at the Mitros Residences, GRA, Abeokuta, Ogun State. The governor noted that the approval process to get the airport running has reached an advanced stage, with the approval expected in few days’ time. He also disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the Special Agro Processing…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike Barely two weeks after it crashed the price of diesel to N1,000, Dangote Petroleum Refinery has again announced a further reduction in the prices of both diesel and aviation fuel to N940, N980 per litre respectively. The price change of N940 is applicable to customers buying five million litres and above from the refinery, while the price of N970 is for customers buying one million litres and above. Head of Communications at Dangote Group, Anthony Chiejina, who confirmed the new price, noted it is in line with its effort to reduce the economic hardship in Nigeria. “I can…

The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi SAN, has lauded the management, staff and students of Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) on the high spate of cheerful developmental and academic progressions being recorded in recent times. Fagbemi gave the applaud at a courtesy visit he paid to the management; stating that the college is an institution of high esteem that cannot be shoved aside anywhere in the world. The two terms former Chairman, Governing Council of the first citadel of learning in Nigeria and now Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Forum of All Progressives Congress State Chairmen on Tuesday,23 April, 2024, passed a Vote of Confidence on the National Chairman of the party, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje. The delegation of 37 state party chairmen gave the endorsement during a solidarity visit to the secretariat of the party in Abuja to pledge their allegiance to the embattled national chairman. Addressing the gathering, the acting Chairman of the Forum and Lagos APC Chairman, Cornelius Ojelabi, said they were solidly behind Ganduje and would defend him against external aggression. “We are here to let you know that you remain the…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike Former Director-General of the defunct Peter Obi Presidential Campaign Organization, Dr Doyin Okupe, has finally opened up saying his trial and conviction in 2022 were politically motivated. Recall that Okupe was on 19 December 2023 convicted by the Federal High Court in Abuja after being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for money laundering to the tune of N700 million. The court jailed him for two years with an option of fine. Speaking on Arise TV on Tuesday, 23 April, 2024, Okupe clarified that he was never convicted of corruption as being insinuated in some…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, over an ongoing N8,069,176,864.00 money laundering probe. The indicted former Minister of Aviation arrived at the Federal Capital Territory Command of the EFCC at Wuse about 1:00 pm on Tuesday, 23 April, 2024. Following his arrival at the command, Sirika is currently meeting with EFCC investigators to answer questions on alleged fraudulent contracts awarded by him to a company known as Engirios Nigeria Limited, owned by his younger sibling, Abubakar Sirika. Impeccable anti-graft sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, because…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Katsina State Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has announced the official nomination fees for aspirants vying for the position of local government chairman and councillors in the forthcoming elections. The State Deputy Chairman of the APC, Alhaji Bala Abu Musawa, who made this disvclosure during a press briefing held at the Katsina Government House Banquet Hall, confirmed that the nomination fee for the local government chairmanship position has been set at N5 million. Also while addressing reporters after a meeting involving the working committee, state executives, as well as chairpersons and secretaries of…