Author: Abimbola Ogunnaike

By Iysa Ade Bello Most pre-eminent is our profound thanks to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for deeming us suitable for what I reckon as historic assignment. It is historic because here we are to do harmonious collaboration to conscientiously provide leadership for the citadel of learning established to shape the future of our beloved youngsters. I personally feel humbled and honored to chair this inaugural meeting of the newly constituted council of the esteemed university. It is a pivotal moment for us to commence collective charting of the course of this institution into a future of excellence, relevance, and global…

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has urged religious leaders to ensure peaceful co-existence among the adherents of different religions in the state. The Governor gave the admonition on Sunday, 25 August, 2024, during the turbaning and installation ceremony of the new Chief Imam of Ijebu-Igbo, Ijebu North Local Government Area of the state, Sheikh Quasim Badejo, at the playground of the Orimolusi of Ijebu-Igbo palace. Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tokunbo Talabi, Governor Abiodun assured that his administration was poised to work with religious stakeholders towards promoting peace and tranquility, as well as consolidating the…

Separatist militants launched deadly attacks across southwestern Pakistan on Monday, 26 August, 2024 killing at least 39 people in a series of “coordinated” assaults, primarily targeting ethnic Punjabis. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), the most active militant separatist group in the province, claimed responsibility for the attacks in a statement released to AFP. One of the deadliest incidents occurred on a highway in Balochistan province, where militants stopped vehicles and shot 23 people dead, marking one of the worst shootings in the region in recent years. Shahid Rind, a spokesman for the Balochistan provincial government, confirmed the coordinated nature of…

A former England Manager, Sven-Goran Eriksson, is dead. Eriksson’s family confirmed his death on Monday, 26 August, 2024 in a terse statement. “Sven-Goran Eriksson has passed away,” the statement read. “After a long illness, SGE died during the morning at home surrounded by family.” The 76-year-old had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. At the beginning of 2024, the Swede revealed he only had a year to live “at best”. During his career, Eriksson managed top European clubs like Benfica, Roma, Fiorentina, Sampdoria and Lazio.

 A 45-year-old man, Aramide Tito, was on Monday, 26 August, 2024 docked in a Badagry Chief Magistrates’ Court  presided over Mr A J Aina,  for allegedly starving and assaulting his 11-year-old stepson.The defendant, whose address was not given, is charged with indecent deal, assault and attempted murder. He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge. The prosecutor, ASP Clément Okuoimose, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on 17 August 17, 2024 at about 11.00.p.m, at Oke Ogbe Area, Atura, Badagry, Lagos. Okuoimose alleged that the defendant unlawfully beat up and starved his son’s stepson for three days. “The defendant…

 Operatives of the Osun State Amotekun Corps  have arrested a 35 year-old man over alleged defilement of a 10 –year- old girl, thegazellenews.com reports. It was gathered that Ibrahim allegedly defiled the girl, whose name has been withheld, in Agba, Boripe Local Government Area of Osun State. Ibrahim was arrested after the girl’s mother lodged a complaint at the Amotekun Boripe Command. The Osun State Amotekun Corps Commander, CSP Isaac Omoyele (rtd), confirmed the arrest in a statement issued to newsmen on Monday, 26 August, 2024. Omoyele, who revealed that Ibrahim allegedly lured the girl into his residence, where he forcefully had carnal…

Famous New Zealander-Nigerian mixed martial artist Israel Adesanya has claimed that the majority of Lagos women are “runs girls” (local parlance for call girls). According to Adesanya, they like showing off but their lifestyles are being financed by proceeds of prostitutes. The former UFC Welterweight Champion, who stated this in a video message shared via his X handle on Monday, 26 August, 2024, urged them to be nice and friendly instead of showing off. Speaking in a mixture of English and Yoruba, Adesanya said, “Lagos women love showing off. Most of you are runs girls, kobo kobo, ashewo. “You keep posing…

Popular Nigerian music star , Habeebs Okikiola, popularly known as Portable will on the 11th of September 2023, be the guest musician at the coming Ogun Festival in Ondo city in Ondo State. Portable, who will be entertaining the people of the city at White Rock hotel, has promised to give the expected audience a dose of his electrifying performance that has kept him relevant in the Nigeria music industry. It is well known that Ogun Festival has always been a grand event, that draws indigenes and foreigners alike to the city. The excitement of the celebration is what prompted…

MTN Nigeria, in partnership with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) through its local partner Nigeria Conservation Foundation (NCF), has announced the kick-off of the Nigeria PachiPanda Challenge. This initiative is part of the Africa PachiPanda Challenge, designed to stimulate and champion innovative solutions that address urgent environmental challenges across the continent. According to a statement from MTN Nigeria on Monday, 26 August, 2024, “The Nigeria PachiPanda Challenge is an open call to young visionaries (aged 16 – 35) and youth-led SMEs to conceptualise and develop pioneering solutions to environmental challenges specific to Nigeria. Participants can either be individuals…

The Commissioner for Finance in Borno State, Ahmed Ali Ahmed has been found dead in his room. Although details of the incident are still sketchy, Daily Trust reports that the Commissioner was found dead after his door was forcefully opened on the morning of Monday, 26 August, 2024. According to locals, the deceased exceeded the time he usually comes out in the morning, fueling suspicion that something was wrong. This led to the door of his room being forced open and the lifeless body of the Commissioner was discovered.

As Senator Solomon Adeola (APC, Ogun West) continues to deliver more road constructions and rehabilitation across his senatorial district and beyond, key constituents have continued to shower praises on him for his numerous project facilitations across critical sectors. Hitherto, the senator facilitated the construction 13 road projects of various length ranging from 2- 5 kilometers with culverts which were part of his delivery in one year as senator representing Ogun West senatorial district with several others ongoing at various stages of completion. Among the now completed and nearing completion road projects of the senator in Ogun West that is generating…

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, at the weekend, visited the family of the late Ogun State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Barrister Olaniyi Ijalaye, who died in Abuja last week. Abiodun, who spoke at the Ibadan family house of the Ijalayes, described the deceased as a forthright, honest, humble, dependable, and dedicated man who served his country meritoriously while alive. The Governor said he and members of his cabinet received the news of Barrister Ijalaye’s demise with rude shock, noting, however, that he lived an impactful life worthy of emulation. “Barrister Niyi was posted to Ogun State as the State…

From Chuks Collins, Awka Governor Chukwuma Soludo cannot be a happy man presently. The Anambra-born rumbustious globally acknowledged erudite Professor of Economics is right now troubled from virtually every conceivable side. And it will be self delusional to admit otherwise. Because apart from Alor, the home community of HE Senator Chris Ngige, himself a former Governor of the State, a former Senator in the 7th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the immediate past Minister of Labour/Employment, there are crises in more than 100 communities of the State’s 179 communities. It’s very disturbing to note that these were…

From Chuks Collins, Awka A former governorship aspirant in Anambra State, Chief Rommy Okoli has called on all leaders and duty bearers to be more responsible and responsive to their offices. Stating this at a press briefing to mark his birthday in Awka, Chief Okoli noted that the level of hunger and starvation in Nigeria at the moment is worrisome. He said it was more heartbreaking to see most of the leaders and their families enjoying themselves with an unprecedented level of insensitivity, and immoral show of opulence. Okoli who is often called ”the Messenger” noted that with effective management…

On behalf of every Nigerian Girl and woman, I celebrate the newly sworn-in Acting Chief Judge of the Federation, Hon Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun. In these times where many youth feel they do not have worthy role models, you are an example that depicts the power of education, hard work, and consistency that is being laid out for all to see. Your swearing-in exemplifies that each girl and woman can aspire to get to the pinnacle of their chosen career, but with dedication, hard work, and integrity. I celebrate you and pray that your tenure will be marked by continued success,…

The Crude Oil Refiners Association of Nigeria has called on the Nigerian National Petroleum Company(NNPC) and the federal government to sell the Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna refineries and used the proceeds to build and support modular refineries that can help the country address its energy crisis CORAN Publicity Secretary, Eche Idoko made this call in a recent statement. Idoko, who said the $1.5 billion spent on the rehabilitation of Port Harcourt Refinery has not yielded positive, added that ten additional modular refineries together with Dangote Refinery would end the importation of fuel into Nigeria. According to him, Nigeria has 15…

Nigeria’s electricity distribution companies collectively generated about N3.95 trillion in revenue between 2019 and the first quarter of 2024. This was disclosed through NBS data curled from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission. Further analysis showed an upward trajectory in revenue generation over the past five years. A breakdown of the revenue collection indicated that the power distributors made N482.6 billion in 2019, N526.8 billion in 2020, N761.2bn in 2021, N828.1bn in 2022, N1.07bn in 2023, and N291.6 billion in the first quarter of 2024. Analysts with the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry, NESI attributed this consistent growth in revenue to several…

The Federation Accounts Allocation Committee revenue shared to federal, state and local governments increased by over 344 percent to about N8.5 trillion in the last seven months of 2024 compared to about N1.912 trillion shared in the corresponding period last year. This is according to FAAC distributed revenue data from January 2024 to July. The distributed revenue in the period under review was drawn from Statutory Revenue, Value Added Tax (VAT), Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL), and Exchange Difference. The revenue was distributed according to 52.68 percent to the federal government, 26.72 percent to states, and 20.60 percent to local…

The wrangling in the United Methodist Church, Nigeria, has again taken a a new twist dimension as a Zimbabwean bishop of the church, Eben K. Nhiwatiwa, was reported to have been arrested by the officials of the Nigerian immigration service in Taraba State. Nhiwatiwa who was in Nigeria to meet with the members of the church in order to kick start the process of electing a new bishop of the church in Nigeria after the resignation of the former bishop, John Wesley Yohanna, was reported to have been arrested in Yola, Adamawa State and whisked to the Abuja headquarters of…

Gunmen on the night of Friday, 23 August, 2024 invaded Gurzan Kurama community in Kauru Local Government area of Kaduna State abducted the District Head of the community and six other members . The Southern Kaduna Peoples’ Union (SOKAPU) has condemned the abduction, describing the incident as unfortunate, alarming and worrisome. A statement issued by the Forum’s Public Relations Officer, Josiah Yusuf Abraks gave the names of those abducted as Yakubu Jadi (District Head), Iliya Yakubu, Nehemiah Tanko, Thomas Tanko, Yakubu Jadi’s daughter and the Catholic Catechist of the community. “SOKAPU is calling on security agencies and relevant authorities to…