Author: Soffiyyah Olamide

In a bid to foster inclusivity and mitigate the impact of economic challenges in his council area, the Chairman of Odiołowo-Ojuwoye Local Council Development Area, Hon. Rasaq Olusola Ajala, on Thursday, 28 March, 2024, initiated distribution of palliatives to the Christian community within the council area. During the event, Hon. Ajala emphasized the importance of religious tolerance and urged the community to transcend political and tribal affiliations in their interactions. He reiterated the LCDA tradition of providing support to both Muslim and Christian communities during significant religious festivities. However, he highlighted the pressing need to address the prevailing economic challenges…

The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has commenced the Monitoring, and Evaluation, M&E, of beneficiaries of its Foreign Post Graduate Scholarship programme to appraise the academic progress and welfare of the scholars in the United Kingdom. Speaking at a meeting with the NDDC scholars at the Coventry University in UK, the NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, stressed the need to verify and assess the performance and wellbeing of the students. The NDDC team, led by Dr Ogbuku included the Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Alabo Boma Iyaye; the Executive Director, Corporate Services, Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde; the director, Education Health…

Twelve years ago, I wrote this about you, today my thoughts about you remained the same but strengthened as you remained consistent and truly yourself. Asiwaju, Akanbi, Olodo de, Omo Abibatu: A phenomenon, an enigma, a moment, a period and indeed a generation. A measure of a time. To me also a mentor who is most often right. Even when wrong, you are justifiably right. To your generation, an Obafemi Awolowo reincarnate, to my generation a Mahatma Gandhi lookup and to the younger generation a combination of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jnr. expectation. To many you are yourself,…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike Omowunmi, widow of the late Nigerian singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba, known as Mohbad, has cried out to the public over what she described as constant threats to kill her and Liam, the baby she had with the late singer. Omowunmi also urged the musician’s father, Joseph Aloba, to get a court order for the Deoxyribonucleic Acid Identification (DNA) test of her son Liam. Recall that Aloba had called on the Nigeria Police to summon Omomunmi to provide insights into the death of his son and also demanded a test to ascertain the paternity of his grandson. However, in…

By Debo Adesina The times are tough. It is therefore just appropriate that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has shunned all forms of celebration of his 72nd birthday. He has great dreams. And a proverb says a man who wants his dream to come true does not sleep. That is a proverb Asiwaju has lived all his life and is living even more, now! That is one man who, literally, never sleeps! The least we can do as Nigerians is to join hands with him by staying awake to our duties and responsibilities as citizens. An appropriate birthday gift we can…

Members of the highest political decision making body in Lagos State, the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC) met with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday, 28 March, 2024, thegazellenews.com can exclusively reports. This medium learnt exclusively that members were led to the meeting by the GAC Chairman, Prince Tajudeen Oluyole Olusi. Sources from the meeting told thegazellenews.com that the members first broke their fast with the President after which they retired for a meeting behind closed door devoid of the usual media report attached to such breaking of fast programme. Our correspondent learnt that virtually all members of GAC were in attendance except those on…

By Tunde Rahman Today is President Bola Tinubu’s 72nd birthday. Instead of rolling out the drums to celebrate the day, the President directed there should be no celebration of any kind, including placing newspaper, radio or television advertorials in his honour. He urged anyone wishing to do such for him to donate the money to charity organisations. The decision was taken in deference to the present challenging times. It is a mark of good leadership for a leader worthy of that name to have compassion for the people, identify with them and demonstrate he shares in their pain. Showing empathy…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike A British-Zimbabwean cleric, Pastor Uebert Angel Mudzanire, has announced an online course where he would teach people how to perform miracles. The cleric, headquartered in the United Kingdom, is charging £999 for the course, an equivalent of N1.7 million. The announcement was made in a post via his Facebook account, The cleric urged people to register with £999, adding that slots for his class are filling up fast. He wrote with a flier attached, “Register now and learn how to perform signs, miracles and wonders, online, directly from prophet Uebert Angel. Places are filling fast.” The online…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Kogi State House of Assembly has confirmed 11 new appointees of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo. The lawmakers confirmed the new appointees during plenary on Thursday, 28 March, 2024. Those confirmed are Christopher Ayo Olubunmi, Executive Chairman, Kogi State Christian Pilgrims Commission; Steven Joseph, Permanent Member I; Barnabas Oyibo, Permanent Member II; and Himmikaye Joe-Dare Babajide, Permanent Member III. The Assembly also approved the appointment of Sheikh Luqman Imam Abdullahi, as Executive Chairman, Kogi State Hajj Commission; Hon. Sarikiv Abdullahi Abdulkadir, Permanent Member I; Mohammed Yahaya Abubilat, Permanent Member II; and Haruna Dauda Okuku, Permanent Member III.…

The Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC on Monday, 25 March, 2024 arraigned Sufiyanu Yahaya and Mudassir Rabiu Idris before Justice Ibrahim Musa Karaye of the Kano State High Court on one- count separate charges bordering on misappropriation of funds to the tune of N20.500 million. While Yahaya allegedly misappropriated a sum of N11.500 million belonging to a petitioner meant for the supply of rice, Idris allegedly misappropriated the sum of N9 million belonging to a petitioner meant for the purchase of 360 pieces of solar panels. The charge against Yahaya reads: ‘’That you Safiyanu Yahaya sometime in September 2022…

The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu has advocated for a renewed commitment, especially at the state level, to the fight against Tuberculosis in Nigeria. She spoke during her investiture as the Global and National Stop TB Champion at the State House, Abuja. Senator Tinubu applauded the role of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in raising awareness which has led to a significant improvement in finding and treatment of the disease. “Let me acknowledge the efforts of all stakeholders at the national, regional, and global levels towards addressing the TB epidemic, following the adoption of the…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike Numerical strength of the Labour Party in the Enugu State House of Assembly suffered a major blow as six members of the party defected to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state. The lawmakers attributed their defections to the “existence of irreconcilable division, an ongoing crisis within the Labour Party at the national level, and across all the state chapters”. The defected lawmakers are: Ejike Eze, Igbo-Eze North 1; Johnson Ugwu, Enugu North; Princess Ugwu, Enugu South Rural; Pius Ezeugwu, Nsukka West; Amuka Williams, Igbo-Etiti East; and Osita Eze Oji River. Their defection was announced…

“With an estimated reserve of 42 billion barrels of Bitumen and the second largest deposit in the world, Nigeria has no business importing Bitumen, we should be a major net exporter to the rest of the world and we have no choice but to make this a reality” The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, with those words, charged 18 winners of the first round of Bitumen blocks bidding process to roll up their sleeves and work hard to develop Nigeria’s Bitumen deposits. Speaking during a meeting with the concessionaires, Alake urged them to live up to expectations…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The detained Binance executive, Tigran Gambaryan, has accused the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and the Economic Financial Crimes Commission of violating his fundamental human rights. Gambaryan, in an originating motion marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/356/24 before an Abuja High Court presided over by Justice Inyang Ekwo, on Thursday, 28 March, 2024, sought a declaration that his detention and seizure of his international travel passport, contravened Section 35 (1) and (4) of 1999 Constitution. He urged the court to order the NSA and the EFCC to release him from their custody and return his international travel passport with immediate effect. Gambaryan also…

A High Court in Enugu has ruled in favour of Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the widow of Biafra leader Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, in a lawsuit brought by Chief Debe Odumegwu Ojukwu. Chief Debe Odumegwu Ojukwu had claimed to be the first son of the late Dim Ojukwu and sought to be declared as such by the court. He also sought to prevent Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu from interfering with the administration of the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu’s estate and declared that the late Ojukwu died without a will. Furthermore, he claimed entitlement to the late Ojukwu’s estate. The court’s decision comes after…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The abducted Editor of FirstNews Newspaper, Segun Olatunji, on Thursday, 28 March, 2024, recounted his ordeal at the hands of the military personnel who abducted him from his Lagos home and flew him to Abuja blindfolded as well as spent three days in cell with hands tied. Military authorities had earlier on Thursday, 28 March, 2024 yielded to pressure and released Olatunji, who was abducted from his home in Lagos State on Friday, 15 March, 2024. The PUNCH confirmed that he was released to some media stakeholders, including Yomi Odunuga of The Nation newspaper and Iyobosa Uwugiaren…

Dear President Tinubu Let me start this open letter with commendation on your continuing laudable efforts towards revitalizing the Nigerian economy. Your Excellency, there is no gainsaying the facts that your administration’s commitment to agricultural development, infrastructure revitalization, and economic diversification is truly commendable. The recent increase in funding for agriculture and agricultural loans and grants is a testament to your dedication to empowering Nigerian farmers and stimulating economic growth. As a deaf farmer myself, I am heartened by your efforts and believe that inclusive policies and initiatives will further enhance the impact of these measures, fostering a more equitable…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Federal Inland Revenue Service has said that the Federal Government is targeting a Value Added Tax of N5 trillion in 2024 while also putting mechanisms in place to close identified tax gaps. It also said that the FG was ready to align with the Economic Community of West Africa State’s directive on tax reform. The Chairman of the FIRS, Zacch Adedeji, made this disclosure at a press conference organised by the Support Programme for Tax Transactions in West Africa, a programme supported by the European Union and ECOWAS in Abuja on Thursday, 28 March, 2024. The…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disowned the Labour Party (LP) National Convention held on Wednesday, 27 March, 2024 in Nnewi, Anambra. The Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi, made this disclosure during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday, 28 March, 2024. Oyekanmi said the conduct of the convention was not monitored by INEC, declining to state further why it was not monitored. Recall that the LP had on Tuesday, 26 March, 2024 shifted the convention from Umuahia to Nnewi. Speaking on the change in venue,…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, has promised free education to the freed 137 school children of the LEA Primary School and Government Secondary School. Sani added that the school and the Kuriga community would be renovated, all under the Uba Sani Foundation. The Governor stated this while he addressed the children at the Government House, Kaduna, before their departure to Kuriga on Thursday, 28 March, 2024. Sani said that after the release of the children, the state government employed the services of psychologists who took them “through a lot of sessions with doctors and nurses, counselling and…