ONE WORD

by Kingsley Omonobi Abuja—Indications have emerged that hundreds of officers and soldiers of Nigerian Army and other services who have served the mandatory 35 years in service or attained 60 years of age have been served letters of retirement by the services. Army Towards this end, it was gathered that many officers from the ranks of Major to one and two-star Generals have been told to proceed on terminal leave pending their date of disengagement. The duration of the terminal leave varies from three months in some instance to six months. Sources knowledgeable about the development said those involved include officers who either joined the military as Non-Commissioned Officers and later got commissioned as officers and officers who entered the Army, for instance, from Nigerian Military School, NMS. It was furthered gathered that the distribution of the letters on the part of the Army  by the office of the Military Secretary, Army, has unsettled many officers, having r...

By Owei Lakemfa WHEN I was an undergraduate in the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, one of our teachers (not lecturer) was the famous Ugandan writer, Okot P’Bitek, author of best sellers like ‘Song of Lawino’ and ‘Song Of A Prisoner.’ We had two Nuns in the class and quite often, P’Bitek who came to class, singing, would stop in front of one of the Nuns and ask rhetorically: “Sister, your mother gave birth to you and you say you don’t want to give birth?”  The class would roar and he would move on to the front of the class, still singing. Behind this P’Bitek mind game are issues of culture, nature and beliefs. These issues were once more brought to the fore this Tuesday when Pope Francis lamented that Nuns have been and are being sexually abused by Catholic priests and bishops, and that some are being held as sex slaves by otherwise celibate priests. He revealed that “Pope Benedict had the courage to dissolve a female congregation which was at a certain level, because...

In a few days, Nigeria- Africa’s biggest democracy will again queue to pick new leaders; but the candidates in the presidential race have not gone beyond political rhetoric. Rhetoric is about persuasion. In politics, persuasion is either achieved by using rational, empirical arguments or appeals to emotions or tightly held beliefs. In their scripted speeches and conversations, the candidates have ignored the most potent tool in nation rebuilding- information and communications technology (ICT). Despite the excitement in the air, most Nigerians are dissatisfied with current economic conditions and not impressed with the country’s democracy. As a country, Nigeria is unparalleled in her diversity – cultural, religious, social, and economical as well as political. One glue that binds all of these together is transparency in governance. This can only be made possible by an ICT driven government. Unfortunately, either by ignorance or deliberate actions, the key actors have larg...

Photo credit: Absolute Wellness Center A new research, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, finds that sleep deprivation increases sensitivity to pain by numbing the brain’s painkilling response. The effects of sleep deprivation on the brain are numerous, from inducing an inebriation-like state of cognitive impairment to hindering our ability to learn and form new memories. New research highlights another neurological effect of insufficient sleep: heightened sensitivity to pain. A lack of sleep impairs the brain’s natural mechanisms for relieving pain, finds the new study, which draws attention to potential links between the public health crises of sleep deprivation, chronic pain, and prescription opioid addiction. Matthew Walker, a professor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of California in Berkeley carried out the study, together with doctoral candidate Adam Krause. Walker and Krause induced pain in 24 healthy, young study participants by applying ...

CBN building The National Collateral Register (NCR), registered about 628 financial institutions, including 551 Micro Finance Banks (MFBs), and 21 Deposit Money Banks (DMBs), as at December 31, 2018. Also, registered collateral rose to 58,843 with 39,786 financing statements valued at N1.23 trillion, while 16,500 searches have been conducted on the NCR portal within the same period. NCR is an online, centralised and publicly available database that allows financial service providers to register movable assets such as vehicles, jewellery, farm equipment and machinery after accepting such assets as collateral for loans. The initiative, established under the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN’s) mandate on sustainable economic inclusive growth and financial inclusion, in collaboration with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), enables banks to lend to individuals, micro entrepreneurs and Small and Medium scale businesses. It is also aimed at enhancing financial inclusion in N...

Leah Sharibu Speaking  during the presentation of Mr. Onyekachi Nwaulo as the Lay President of the Methodist Diocese of Onitsha, at St Andrews Cathedral Awada, Idemili North Local Government Area, Bishop of the Diocese, Rt. Rev. Livinus   Onuagha and Dame Etiaba said the Federal Government seemed to have forgotten the school girl. Sharibu is one of the 111 girls of Government Girls Science and Technical College who were allegedly kidnapped from their hostel in Dapchi, Yobe State on February 19, 2018. She has not yet been released by her captors 354 days after her kidnap. Her Muslim colleagues have been released but she is still being held by the Boko Haram insurgents. While Bishop Onuagha accused the Federal Government of inaction over the release of Miss Sharibu, Dame Etiaba urged Christians not to allow her  die in detention by the Boko Harm insurgents because she represents the existence of Christianity in Nigeria. “The Federal Government is playing p...

I watched the story of Inikpi as executed by Segun Arinze and others while preparing for a wedding in my hotel room and it brought tears to my eyes. Segun Arinze spoke my language (Igala) so well and I was proud to be an Igala. What was moving was for me to see Inikpi submit herself to be sacrificed readily when the gods chose her to do so to forestall a looming danger. Equally depressing was that other slaves had to be buried alive with her. This is no news right? We do not question anything in Nigeria, the people in the days of yore as well as now. What came to mind over and over again when Segun Arinze asked the priest to ask the gods for a second time was that, suppose the priest was begrudging the Attah and needed to use Inikpi to settle accounts with the Attah? How anyone could have known bothered me all day. Oh! Those innocent slaves went into the gibbets like lambs to the slaughter to be buried alive, resigned to fate, they never complained. These were other people’s childre...

The National Examination Council (NECO) has released the results of the 2018 November/December Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) recording 12,084 malpractice cases. The Acting Registrar, Abubakar Mohammed Gana while announcing the release of the result at NECO headquarters in Minna said there is an upward trend of candidates involvement in various examination malpractice offences in 2018 when compared to 2017. Top among the malpractice cases include aiding and abetting, seeking and receiving help from non-candidates where 6,034 cases were recorded and impersonation where 1,735 cases were recorded. Mathematics with 1,967 and English language with 1,756 recorded the highest number of malpractice cases. The Acting Registrar said that the increase in candidates’ involvement in various examination malpractice offences reflects the desperation by candidates to cut corners. “This also shows the determination by the Council to apprehend the culprits, in line with our z...

The National Examination Council (NECO) has released the 2018 November/December Senior School Certificate Examination ,SSCE, with a 62.48%  candidates scoring at least five credits and above in both English Language and Mathematics. This was made known by the Acting Registrar of NECO, Abubakar Gana, in a statement on Friday. According to him, while 44,497 candidates got either distinction or credit in English Language, 47,151 candidates got either distinction or credit in Mathematics. He said 47,031 candidates got five credits and above, irrespective of English Language and Mathematics. more details later source:https://samueljackson12.blogspot.com/2019/02/breaking-neco-releases-2018-ssce-results.html

Cossy Ojiakor In the late 90s, the musical career of a former bus conductor, Abass Akande Obesere flourished like a tree planted by the riverside. He promoted vulgarity, semi-nudity and promiscuity with his Fuji music. His quest to satisfy his millions of fans mostly in the Southwestern part of Nigeria prompted him to team up with Cossy Ojiakor to produce the visuals of his song - ‘Apple Juice’. Nigerians were stunned to see the Anambra State native in a scantily-clad outfit flaunting her humongous mammary glands while she wore the smiles of a notorious porn star on her face. Most media houses distanced themselves from the Apple Juice video clip for obvious reasons. Cossy looked like a misguided orphan who was missing proper parentage and upbringing. Cossy's boobs constituted a rare phenomenon those days compared to now that cosmetic surgeries are now widespread. Many suggested the boobs were grown with fertilizers while some men even joked about a vulcanizer helping he...

Spread the love It has become the norm as opposed to the exception. It is the sight of parked trailers on flyover bridges in Lagos state. These parked trailers typically line up along the stretch of a massive 12.4km of expressway – from Onipanu to the ports in Apapa. Several bridges along the way are not spared of their presence and enormous weights. The bridges affected include Ojuelegba, Abati, Stadium, Ijora, Iganmu, Eko, Carter and Jibowu bridges. These parked articulated vehicles are also the cause of the chaotic traffic flow on and around these bridges. Because of these parked trailers, journeys that ought to take a few minutes last for hours. However, Lagosians woke up this morning to meet these bridges totally devoid of parked articulated vehicles. Indeed, the nuisances created by these trucks have been relocated from these bridges. A school of thought speculates that the relocation is because of the APC Presidential campaigns coming up tomorrow in ...

update by Channels TV The Independent National Electoral Commissioner (INEC), has extended collection of Permanent Voter Cards to Monday, February 11, 2019. Chairman of the commission, Professor Mahmoud Yakubu, made the announcement on Friday, during a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners. With the general elections just about a week from now, the Commission had announced that the deadline for the collection of PVCs will end today, Friday. The decision to extend the date was, however, reached after the RECs gave situation reports on the collection of PVCs in their respective states. Details later… source:https://samueljackson12.blogspot.com/2019/02/inec-extends-deadline-for-pvc-collection.html

Gucci has been forced to pull the balaclava sweater from its physical and online stores after they were accused of being racist by making a sweater that resembles blackface. The $890 black turtleneck stretches up to cover the wearer's nose and includes a round, red-lined cut-out for the mouth. African Americans on social media were greatly offended by the jumper and saw the garment as racist and insensitive. Gucci wrote in a statement released on Twitter: Gucci deeply apologizes for the offense caused by the wool balaclava jumper. We can confirm that the item has been immediately removed from our online store and all physical stores. Wr consider diversity to be a fundamental value to be fully upheld, respected, and at the forefront of every decision we make. We are fully committed to increasing diversity throughout our organization and turning this incident into a powerful learning moment for the Gucci team and beyond. Social media users were far f...

The National chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Adams Oshiomhole has prayed for God to give Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) only 45,000 votes in the coming election. The presidential election holds on February 16th, with the two major candidates being incumbent President, Muhammadu Buhari of the APC and Atiku Abubakar of the PDP. The prayer by the former Edo state, was rendered in Yola, Adamawa State, during his party’s presidential campaign rally. Oshiomhole, while speaking in Adamawa, Atiku’s home state, said the former vice president never did anything for his people but for himself and as such, deserves votes from only those be claims to have empowered. “You will ask him, as a big man, he has a lot of projects between 1999 and 2007. We have our list… he did a lot for himself,” he said. “Between this period, he now has American University in Yola. He now has American University Club. He has Adama Beverages...

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has revealed why it endorsed the candidature of President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as its consensus candidate. The party in a statement in Abuja on Thursday, said the decision was part of its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting. The statement, signed by the party’s Director of Media and Publicity, Yemi Akinbode, made available to NAN said the party also suspended its National Publicity Secretary, Alfa Muhammad. “The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has resolved to adopt President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as candidates of our party for the 2019 presidential election. “Members of the SDP are enjoined to vote for President Buhari at the presidential level only,” he said. Akinbode stated that the party was not going into merger with the APC but explained the party’s decision was due to its inability to presen...

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has dismissed reports that it endorsed the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, ahead of the forthcoming presidential election. Reports had it that Abubakar was endorsed by the leadership of ASUU in Ogun State during a meeting with one of the former Vice President’s campaign Directors, Gbenga Daniel. However, a statement by the Ogun State branch of ASUU dismissed the report, which they described as an attempt by the PDP to drag the union into partisan politics. The statement signed by leaders of the Ogun State-based universities including the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ijagun, and the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye said they were not part of the meeting endorsing Abubakar. They, however, stated that members were free to associate with whichever political party they may decide to choose, but should not do so...

Barcelona president, Josep Maria Bartomeu, has admitted that the club’s recent transfer activity, has been with the retirement of Lionel Messi in mind. The Spanish champions agreed a £65million deal to sign 21-year-old Ajax midfielder Frenkie De Jong last month, as well as teenage defender Jean-Clair Todibo. Brazilian duo Arthur (22) and Malcom (21) were also signed in the summer. Bartomeu says their additions is to prepare the squad for the day that Messi decides to leave. Speaking to journalist Guillem Balague on BBC Radio Five Live’s Football Daily Podcast, he said: “I know one day Lionel will say he’s retiring. “We have to prepare the club for the future. “We are bringing great young players to the team because we need to continue this era of success. That’s our responsibility. “My mandate will be finished in two seasons. So I need to leave the club in a great position and tell the new president ‘that’s our legacy’.” Source:https://samueljackson12.blogspot.com/20...

Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Thursday suspended its nationwide strike after three months. ASUU National President, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi, announced this at a press conference in Abuja, the nation’s capital. The union suspended the industrial action following its latest meeting with representatives of the Federal Government led by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Nigige. Read the full statement issued by the ASUU President below; ACADEMIC STAFF UNION OF UNIVERSITIES (ASUU), NATIONAL SECRETARIAT. TEXT OF A PRESS CONFERENCE BY THE ACADEMIC STAFF UNION OF UNIVERSITIES (ASUU), THURSDAY, 7TH FEBRUARY, 2019, AT NIGERIA LABOUR CONGRESS HEADQUARTERS, PASCAL BAFYAU HOUSE, ABUJA Protocol Friends and compatriots of the Press, On Sunday, 4th November, 2018, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) resumed its strike action which was conditionally suspended on 14th September, 2017. The action of 2017 was suspended following the signi...

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru &  Joseph Erunke ABUJA—-ACADEMIC Staff Union of Universities (ASUU)has suspended the three month old strike after signing all agreements with the Federal Government. ASUU and FG in meeting Breaking: NANS storms FG, ASUU meeting venue, demands end to strike The agreement was reached through at the end of the conciliatory meeting held at the instance of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige and his Education counterpart, Malam Adamu Adamu. The parties brokered the truce few hours after a team of Students from National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) threatened showdown against the leadership of ASUU who attended the negotiation. Ngige, who read the agreement signed by both parties, expressed optimism that the strike would be suspended. He said, “This is going to be a conclusive meeting and conciliatory meeting between Federal Government and ASUU. “This dispute culminated into a strike that started on the 5th o...

A group, under the auspices of Joint Action Committee of Northern Youth Associations, JACON, have condemned in strong terms the recent threat to international community, election observers by Governor Nasir El-Rufai. JACON group said the governor to throw the state and country into another round of bloodletting. The Kaduna State Governor had on Tuesday warned that those who intervene in the forthcoming general elections will “go back in body bags”. Reacting, the association called on Nigerians to remain steadfast and not be perturbed by the comment made by El Rufai. Murtala Abubakar, convener of JACON, in a statement said, “The recent outburst and threat to the international community, especially election observers by Kaduna State Governor, Nasiru Ahmad el-Rufai is not surprising. What is surprising is extending it outside the shore of Kaduna and Nigeria, targeting the international community who are interested in fair, transparent, credible and peaceful elections in Nigeri...

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has directed its members in all chapters to hold a referendum on suspension of the ongoing strike in the nation’s polytechnics. Mr Usman Dutse, ASUP National President, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos that the referendum would hold between this week and next week. He said that the referendum was to assess the Federal Government’s efforts at ending the lingering strike in polytechnics. “The union had received some proof and documents as requested from the Federal Government to back up its claim of payment of N16.4 billion as salary shortfalls. “Although the union has not received all documents, it has resolved and directed all chapters to hold referendum between now and next week, as that will decide the next line of action. “They have given us some of the documents, proof but not all. We are going to the ministry now to pursue somethings. “After the referendum, the National Executive Council will ...