Must Watch: Black Poetry By Stan Aneto

We walk through a desert of time, with our fists, necks and ankles shackled by acquired values, alien to us. We believe in a lie that our complexion, cultures, languages and many more aren't good enough. So, we struggle to become who we are not. Sadly, we are still not accepted and may never be. Black Poetry calls us to give up the struggle and accept with ease, who we are. An identity of true originality is a much needed tool for liberation. Stan Aneto collaborates with gifted Swahili boys of Tanzania (Triss Emmanuel and Dj Domz) in a journey of music and spoken words to revamp the necessity of Black consciousness. 

Models were costumed by the world famous Modela.

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Why Jonathan Should Start Preparing To Vacate Aso Rock

Late Tuesday morning, at about 11:46, the National Chairman of the New Peoples Democratic Party, nPDP, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, formally announced the merger of the party with the All Progressives Congress (APC). The merger was contained in a communiqué which Alhaji Baraje read to journalists at the end of a meeting between the leadership of New PDP and that of the APC held at the Kano Governor’s Lodge in Abuja. 

The communiqué signed by Bisi Akande the APC National Chairman and Kawu Abubakar Baraje the National Chairman of NPDP reads, “A meeting of the leadership of All Progressives Congress, APC, and the new PDP met this morning at the residence of the Kano State Governor, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, in Abuja and after exhaustive deliberations the two parties agreed to merge in order to rescue our fledgling democracy and the nation” 

Amaechi Asks Okonjo-Iweala Questions Over the Missing Billion

How much exactly has Nigeria earned from its oil sales in 2013?

The last appears not to have been heard on the claim that part of the money in the Excess Crude Account (ECA) is missing as Governor Rotimi Amaechi of River State, on Saturday faulted the Minister of Finance, Dr (Mrs) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on the matter.

In a point by point response to the minister, who is Coordinating the Economy for President Goodluck Jonathan, on her claim that the $5billion allegedly missing from the ECA had been shared to the three tiers of government to make up for the revenue shortfalls during the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee process while part of it also went for SURE-P payments and the balance for subsidy payments to oil marketers, Governor Amaechi said that is not the true position of things...

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35 senators have no Bills in two years to show for over N13b in earnings

By Amuda Lackren

Despite receiving more than N13 billion in salaries, allowances and benefits that clearly positions members of the Nigerian Senate as the world’s best paid lawmakers, at least 35 serving senators have not listed a single Bill in their name since taking office in 2011, an investigation by The Nigerian Voice has shown.

Between 2011 and June 2013, each senator drew about N400 million in salaries, allowances, and self-allocated bonuses, according to details of lawmakers’ allowances, as well as listed earnings for federal lawmakers stipulated by the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).

The Senate chamber in the National Assembly. The National Assembly is seen in some quarters as a huge drain to the nation’s finances.

For the 35 members, the sum for two years totals N13.2 billion, and N41 billion for all 109 members.

But while a majority of the lawmakers have made fair efforts at delivering in their primary law making duties, sponsoring at least one Bill between June 2011 and June 2013, 35 of them have posted not one.

In that duration, 74 senators, an impressive figure relative to past years, sponsored and followed through with a minimum of at least one legislation apiece. A few presented more than a dozen Bills, with the Senate Majority Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba(PDP, Cross River), sponsoring the highest number, 25.

Other Senators, each with a minimum of 10 Bills are Ben Ayade (PDP Cross Rivers state) – 18 Bills; Ita Enang, (PDP Akwa Ibom) – 13 Bills; Dominic Obende, (ACN Edo) – 12 Bills; Smart Adeyemi, (PDP Kogi) – 11 Bills; and Ifeanyi Okowa, (PDP Delta) – 11 Bills.

At the bottom of the ranking are two states – Zamfara and Borno – with none of their Senators presenting a single Bill in two years.

Senator Yerima, who is at the centre of the Child’s Rights Act controversy has not presented a Bill since he became a Senator.

The figures, provided by the Senate’s Business and Rules committee, which catalogues each member’s legislative activities from Bills, motions to petitions, appear a fresh justification for Nigerians’ perennial concern about how much their representatives at the National Assembly actually deliver to justify their huge annual earnings.

Each Senator, according to RMAFC, is entitled to N8.2 million annually or N683,000 monthly as salaries. This salaries are exclusive of allowances such as estacodes, cars and furniture.

But the comprehensive compensation runs far higher into several millions per quarter of a year, as the legislators also approve what they call “running cost” to themselves. For “running cost”, each senator currently draws N45 million quarterly – about N180 million annually, in addition to the “meagre” salary.

Lawmakers, weary of the public’s outrage over their pay, are often quick to cite the few hundreds of thousands monthly as nothing exceptional or deserving of the aggressive attention they receive.

But despite the huge pay, quite little has been delivered on legislation since 2011, according to the Business and Rules committee.

In all, 342 Bills have been presented to the Senate within the period; many of them, however,  are non-member Bills sent either by the executive, for example, budget bills; or forwarded by the House of Representatives for concurrence.

Of that number, only 28 bills have been fully passed by the Senate. Again, out of that of number, 20 are executive-sponsored. So, effectively, senators have only delivered fully on eight bills after drawing over N41 billion in earnings since 2011.

Senate President, David Mark, has not sponsored a Bill in the last two years.

The eight bills comprise of two each from Ndoma-Egba, and the deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, (Enugu State); and one apiece from Chris Anyanwu (Imo State); Paulinus Igwe (Imo State); Uche Chukwumerije (Abia State); and Dahiru Kuta, (Niger State).

The Business and Rules Committee chair, Ita Enang, said the apparently low output notwithstanding, the Senate recorded “tremendous achievements” with landmark bills in its first half of two years.

Some of the “landmark” Bills are Occupational Safety and Health Bill (Anyanwu); Court of Appeal amendment Bill (Ndoma-Egba); Act Authentication amendment Act (Igwe); Retirement Age of Staff of Polytechnics and Colleges of Education (Chukwumerije), Hyperdec Act amendment Bill (Kuta); Federal High Court Bill (Ekweremadu); Prisons repeal and re-enactment Act (Ndoma-Egba), and State of the Nation Address Bill (Ekweremadu).

The two relatively important Bills passed by the Senate and which could be considered landmark – Terrorism and Money Laundering amendment acts – are executive sponsored.

The lawmakers argue that besides Bills, the Senate has also delivered on other functions including motions and resolutions on pressing national issues, confirmation of appointments, as well as oversight duties on the other arms of government.

Those without Bills in two years, as analysed by The Nigerian Telegraph, based on figures from the Senate committee on Business and Rules are:

State and senator

      ADAMAWA

1.      Bindo Jibrilla (PDP)

      ANAMBRA

2.      Chris Ngige (APC)
3.      John Okechukwuemeka (PDP)

      BAUCHI

4.       Abdul Ahmed Ningi (PDP)5.       Babayo Garba Gamawa (PDP)

      BENUE

6.      David Mark (PDP
)7.      George Akume (APC)

      BORNO

8.      Ahmed Zanna (PDP)
9.      Maina Maaji Lawan (APC)

10.    Mohammed Ali Ndume (PDP)



      EBONYI

11.   Christopher Nwankwo (PDP)
12.   Sonni Ogbuoji (PDP)

      GOMBE

13.  Mohammed Danjuma Goje (PDP)

      JIGAWA

14.    Abdulaziz Usman (PDP)

      KADUNA

15.  Ahmed Makarfi
16.  Mohammed Saleh (APC)

      KANO

17.  Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya (APC)

    KASTINA

18.  Abubakar Sadiq Yar’Adua (APC)

     KEBBI

19.  Mohammed Magoro (PDP)

  NASARAWA

20.  Yusuf Musa Nagogo (APC)21.  Suleiman Asonya Adokwe (PDP)

   OGUN

22.  Olugbenga Onaolapo Obadara (APC)

   ONDO

23.  Robert Ajayi Boroffice (APC)24.  Boluwaji Kunlere (LP)

    OSUN

25.  Olusola Adeyeye (APC)

     OYO

26.  Hosea Ayoola Agbola (PDP)

    RIVERS

27.  Magnus Ngei Abe (PDP)

     SOKOTO

28.  Ahmed Muhammad Maccido (PDP)

 .  TARABA

29.  Aisha Jummai (PDP)
30.  Abubakar Umar Tutare (PDP)

  YOBE

31.  Bukar Ibrahim (APC)
32.  Alkali Abdulkadir Jajere (APC)

  ZAMFARA

33.  Ahmad Sani Yerima (APC)
34.  Kabir Garba Marafa (APC)35.  Sahabi Alhaji Yaú (PDP)

OYO GOVT. ORDERS 20, 000 YES-O CADETS TO RE-APPLY

All the 20,000 cadets of the Youth Empowerment Scheme of Oyo State (YES-O) have been directed by the state government to re-apply for the scheme, with immediate effect.

This was contained in a statement issued in Ibadan on Thursday by the Chairman of Oyo State Agency for Youth Development, Mr. Gbenga Olayemi.

Olayemi, in the statement, said the directive for the cadets to re-apply was borne out of the need for the state government’s drive and quest to re-invigorate the scheme for optimum performance.

It would be recalled that the YES-O scheme was inaugurated by the state governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi on December 1, 2011, with a total of 20,000 youths offered employment.

Although the scheme was aimed at serving as a stop-gap for most of the unemployed youths, a number of them have since been given permanent employment by the state government in various ministries, agencies and parastatals.

Specifically, agencies such as the Oyo State Road Transport Management Authority (OYRTMA), Vehicle Inspection Office, Board for Technical and Vocational Education (BOTAVED), Oyo State Fire Service, Oyo State Signage and Advertisement Agency OYSAA), College of Agriculture, Igbo-Ora as well as the Auditor-General’s Office, the Ministries of Health and the Oyo State Finance Company have absorbed some cadets.

Besides, some of them have also been made to undergo three-month specialized training in different vocations such as Auto-tronics, tie and dye, tiling and interlocking, food processing and graphic arts with the Industrial Training Fund while others have been trained in Agro-allied business by the Federal Ministry of Youth Development under the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Governor Ajimobi had, however, at various times, expressed displeasure at the conduct of some YES-O cadets, saying that his office had been inundated with the report of harassment and extortion of members of the public by the cadets.

He also said that he was aware of the clandestine acts by the opposition in infiltrating the scheme with a view to making use of some officials in dealing with innocent members of the public so as to discredit the scheme.

``I have received several reports of how some of you have been beating people and carting away the traders’ wares. Let me emphasize here that YES-O was not set up to wage war on members of the public. We will not condone thuggery, harassment and extortion,’’ the governor had told the cadets.

Olayemi directed all the cadets, who are to be demobilized immediately, to re-apply from their respective ward/local government, adding that criteria for fresh recruitment would include educational qualifications and physical fitness, among others.

MEN PLEASE STAY AWAY FROM US-NURSING MOTHERS

Men have been advised to stay away from their wives’ br**sts while the latter are chest feeding their children. It is necessary to avoid causing wounds on the br**sts and exposing the children to infection.

Professor Angela Oyo Ita, the Cross River State Commissioner for Health during the 2013 chest Feeding Week at Akpabuyo local Government Area of the state on Tuesday, stated that men, who share their wives’ br**sts while they are chest feeding could inflict wound on the br**sts and if the woman is HIV positive, the infection could transfer to the child.

Professor Oyo Ita, represented by the Director Nutrition of the Ministry of Health, Mrs Regina Adie, urged women to practice exclusive chest feeding as chest milk contains 80% of water and 20% of minerals needed for the child’s growth and for keeping the baby healthy and strong.
She said myths that a child that is exclusively fed on chest milk for six months would at some point die out of thirst is not true because beast milk contains enough water to keep the child happy and satisfied.

“Some time ago, we came here and had a meeting with the men and called on them to support their wives to carry out exclusive chest feeding for their children and the men said no because the children would die from the thirst for water, but that is not true”.

What is more, according to her words, during the chest feeding mother-child relationships become stronger and closer.

Mrs Rosemary Effiong, the Chairman of Akpabuyo Local Government Area, represented by the Secretary of Council, Mr Edem Okon, added the council would continue providing the required support for mothers by means of financial empowerment to enable them feed well to chest feed their children.

ANOTHER AIR CRASH AVERTED IN LAGOS

A Lagos bound Arik Air flight was aborted on Wednesday night in Abuja when the aircraft allegedly developed technical issues and refused to start.

The flight, which was to transport passenger from the local wing of the Abuja airport to the domestic wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos, was scheduled for 7pm but was delayed till about 8pm.

According to one of the intending travelers, Dominic, who spoke to Channels Television, “the passengers had checked in and were about boarding the aircraft when some people noticed the pilot was having issues in his seat.

“After a few minutes, a member of the Arik team announced to us in front of the airplane that there was a technical issue” and so they would have to wait for another aircraft from Lagos, to ferry them to their destination.

“So we had to wait another 1 hour and a few minutes for the arrival of another plane.”

Following the series of air mishaps and accidents which have occurred in the Nigerian airspace, including the Akure bound Associated Airline plane which crashed on October 3rd but not before giving the pilot warning signals, some passengers gave Airk Air kudos for not “managing the airplane” on Wednesday night.

The passengers finally arrived in Lagos at about 12 midnight on another aircraft.

COMMUNAL CLASH: OSUN DECLARES CURFEW IN WARRING COMMUNITIES

 Written by Afolabi Ismail, Marble

Osun State Government has imposed a dusk to dawn curfew on Oba Oke and Oba Ile communities in Olorunda Local Government Area of  the state over a renewed land dispute between indigenes of the two neighbouring communities on Sunday evening.

"The curfew  would hold from 6:pm to 6:am everyday." The Secretary to the state Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti noted while announcing the curfew on a special broadcast on the state broadcasting corporation.

The two warring communities of Oba-Ile and Oba-Oke in Olorunda Local Government Area of the state engaged themselves in a bloody clash over ownership of a disputed land located between the two neghbouring towns.

It was gathered that the state Police command and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) prevented the clash between the two towns from further escalation.

At least two persons were seriously injured during the clash, while the palace of the Oloba of Oba-Oke, Oba Dahunsi Iyiola was razed by the irate youths of Oba-Ile who invaded his palace on Sunday evening after Oro traditional festival.

AJIMOBI STRESSES MILITARY-MEDIA PARTNERSHIP OVER BOKO HARAM

Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has stressed the need for the military and the media to partner over the insurgency ravaging some parts of the country.

According to him, the relationship would make nationalism to be the major consideration in reporting of the insurgency which is ravaging some states in the Northern part of the country.

The governor spoke at an interactive session on Civil Society Organizations-Military Relations in Nigeria with the theme: ``Consolidating Civil-Military Relations for Improved National Security’’ held at the 2 Mechanized Division of the Nigerian Army, Ibadan on Monday.

Ajimobi, who expressed concern over what he called unfavorable and unpleasant media opinions and news reporting which he said had affected military morale and operations, said that a partnership between the two would change this tone of reporting.

Consequently, he stressed the urgent need for a definition of the relationship between the military and the media as a sub-set of the civil public.

According to him, the relationship between the military and the media has become necessary, as it will lead to training media practitioners on constructive and nationalistic news reporting. 

``The media stands to play a very great role in the process of dialogue between the military and civil society on civil-military relations. Since the advent of these insurgents, there is no doubt that some unfavorable and unpleasant media opinions and news reporting have affected military morale and even operations.

``That is why the relationship between the military and the media will lead to training media practitioners on constructive and nationalistic news reporting.

``Apart from the fact that knowledge of the precarious nature of the insurgency would shape media reportage of the bloodletting from a national perspective, rather than a sensational one, dialoguing with the media would make its practitioners see security issues from their proper perspective, rather than the usual journalistic quest for bad stories that are good stories.

``This will effectively tame influences of judgment on the insurgency which are most times driven by ethnicity, religion, inaccuracy and plain mischief,’’ he said.

While acknowledging the strategic role being played by the media in the formation of opinions by the people on national and international issues, the governor said the media thus needed to be brought into the nature of the challenges posed to the territorial integrity of the nation by the rampaging insurgents who had made bloodletting their pastime. 

Governor Ajimobi noted that the Nigerian nation was facing dire security challenges at the moment, stressing that the onslaught of Boko Haram insurgents in some parts of the North had posed a serious threat to the survival and continuous existence of the nation.

``The Nigerian military has so far successfully contained and repelled the advancement of this needless insurgency but at very great cost to its officers and men.

``Being a recent development in Nigerian civil/military relations, the two civil/military publics must take into consideration these challenges, as well as the roles expected to be played by both parties in this most recent national threat,’’ he said.

Governor Ajimobi recalled that during the long years of military rule, the relationship between the civil and military publics was mutually hostile and full of suspicion against each other.

``While the military saw the civilian public as responsible for the decay of the Nigerian nation, as epitomized by the hard knock it always gives the civil elite in its take-over speeches, the latter held the military responsible for the ills that have plagued the nation and held her backwards in her decades of existence.

``The refrain in discourses of long military rule was that if the military had allowed the civilians to tumble and fumble on the way of democratic governance, Nigeria would have been closer to the democratic Eldorado sought by the nation. The mutual antagonism and no-love-lost relationship between the two was therefore expected.

This, he said, was worsened by the fact that the civil public had little or no knowledge about the military institution or even security matters.

He, however, added that the civil rule of the last 14 years had redrawn the map of that relationship, adding ``it is daily occurring to the two publics that they need each other to move the nation forward and engender peace in the nation’’.

Governor Ajimobi also said that his administration had been partnering with the military towards ensuring peace and order in Oyo State, assuring that his government would continue on the path of good governance.

The Chief of Civil-Military Affairs, Major-Gen. Bola Koleoso reiterated the commitment of the military towards the harmonious relationship between the Nigerian army and the public in order to make the country a safer place for Nigerians and foreigners alike to live in and do legitimate businesses.

The Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika described the interactive session as unique as it would provide a veritable platform for the military to interface with Nigerians to foster better understanding and help the Nigerian army to fulfill its constitutional role.

HOW CRISIS BROKE OUT WITHIN OBA-ILE AND OBA-OKE IN OSUN

The harmonious coexistence between Oba-Oke and Oba-Ile, two neighboring towns in Olorunda Local Government Area of Osun State, headed for the rocks of Sunday, October 20, 2013.

Hell was let lose ax residents of the two agrarian communities were engaged themselves in a free-for-all which ensued following an alleged argument that broke out between some youths in the communities.

  

It was gathered that some residents of Oba-Ile were returning from their annual Obedu festival and while basking in the euphoria of the festival, they were said to have passed through the popular roundabout in Oba-Oke.

Daily further learnt that the said jubilating youths suddenly stopped at the roundabout with a effigy which depict the god of Obedu festival, dancing round the said effigy.

This did not go well with the youths of Oba-Oke who immediately sent a message to those from Oba-Ile to stop. Besides, they were told to have gone beyond their boundary adding that they should move out of the town for the sake of peace.

Crisis however, broke out upon the refusal of Oba-Ile youths to yield to the call of Oba-Oke youths, instead, they were said to have continued with the festival.

Meanwhile, during the chaos, the palace of Oloba of Oba-Oke was burnt alongside some other houses.

The house which hitherto played host to the Customary Court of the town was also razed by angry mob while cars, shops, motorcycles were also razed.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, CP Dorothy Gimba has deployed men of Osun State Police Command to the two sleepy towns with a promise to get over the matter.       

HERBALISTS BACK STUDENT ON ASUU

Students have called on the Academic Staff Union of Universities not to betray them in the on-going strike. They said they would not like a situation when the strike would be called off without achieving anything.
This came as herbalists in Oyo State pledged their support for ASUU.
According to the President of the herbalists in the state, Dr. Arunoyemi Asanlaye, “we are in support of ASUU on the on-going strike”.
The students in large number at a town hall meeting, tagged, Save Public Education Campaign, which was organised by ASUU, UI chapter at the Trenchard Hall, University of Ibadan Monday showed their displeasure at the seeming docility and indifference of the Nigeria Labour Congress calling on the labour union to embark on solidarity strike to force government to respond to ASUU demands.
Dr. Olusegun Ajiboye, Chairman, ASUU UI chapter, said the union would use any method to actualize their demands clarified that the struggle was not about the salaries of lecturers but the funding of education in the country.
Ajiboye said, “We are using so many methods. We cannot tell you when to move to Bodija Market. That is part of our strategies.
Instead of begging ASUU, the government should declare a state of emergency in the education sector”.
Responding to the call by the students, Mr. Bashir Olanrewaju, NLC Chairman in Oyo State, said, “By Wednesday, we will come out with a more proactive stance on the strike. Though, students have called on us to go on strike, we will not go on strike now. We will only mediate. If an affiliate has a problem, joining it in strike will collapse the whole system.
We have never been docile about the incident”.
Prof. Remi Raji, lecturer at the Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan, said, ”Government should look at the NEEDS Assessment report. It is almost a year now that the 169 recommendations had been made and nothing has been done.
Salary of lecturers is just one of the nine demands of ASUU”.

ADEYEYE HAILS JONATHAN OVER EKITI AIRPORT PROJECT, BERATES FAYEMI

Afenifere Chieftain and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Ekiti State, Prince Dayo Adeyeye has
hailed President Goodluck Jonathan's commitment to development of Ekiti State, saying; "Mr President's assurance on the Federal Government commitment to the take-off of the State's airport project is heart-warming."

Adeyeye, however berated the State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi over his inconsistency on the airport project, describing his open complaints on the project during President Jonathan's visit to Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD) last Saturday as hypocritical and self-serving.

In a statement issued in Ado-Ekiti today, by the Director General of Prince Adedayo Adeyeye Movement (PAAM), Hon. Bisi Kolawole, the governorship aspirant said; "Ekiti people will forever be grateful to the president for given them a Federal University and an airport, a military brigade headquarters, among other developmental projects."

The statement read; "Mr President should be commended for making it clear last Saturday that the airport project, initiated during the immediate past PDP government in the State has not been abandoned.

"It is however funny that the same Fayemi, who had said in the past that the airport was not necessary, describing it as a white elephant project was the one complaining publicly about the non take-off of the project.

"Isn't it also funny that Fayemi could now mount the rostrum to complain that the non take-off of the airport project was slowing down the pace of economic activities in the state?

"It is on record that on September 1, 2009, it was published in the papers that the defunct Action Congress (AC) in Ekiti State said the proposed airport was a white elephant project. The statement was issued by Yemi Adaramodu, who is now Fayemi's Chief of Staff.

"On August 16, 2011, Fayemi was reported in the newspapers to have said that airport project was not his priority.

"On August 20, 2011, a group, the Ekiti Justice Group (EJG) wrote an open letter to Governor Fayemi, begging him to show interest in the airport project but he ignored the plea then.

"The question now is that, why did the governor chose a open forum like ABUAD's Convocation ceremony to raise the issue of non take-off of the airport project that he said was not his priority in the past, and even ignored plea by eminent Ekiti indigenes?

"The answer is simple. Fayemi is a hypocrite and an attention seeker, who will always want to gain cheap political points, but on this airport project, he went over the bar.

"We are therefore grateful to Mr President for listening to the pleas of well-meaning Ekiti indigenes like Chief Afe Babalola and agreeing to see to the final take-off of the airport project, which we believe will be of immense benefits to the State and its people."

PRESIDENT JONATHAN PROMISES REASONABLY STABLE POWER SUPPLY BY MID 2014

President Goodluck Jonathan on Saturday promised reasonably stable power supply in the country by the middle of 2014.

The President made this promise while inaugurating the Phase II 500mw Omotosho National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) Plant in Ondo State.

He added that the Federal Government was targeting 4,700mw from 10 NIPPs which he said would be completed before the end of the first quarter of 2014.

According to him, the 10 NIPP projects will be handed over to the private sector next year after completion and inauguration.

He expressed optimism that the private sector, which had invested $3 billion into the nation’s power sector, would do what it did in the banking and the telecommunication sectors.

Jonathan implored workers of defunct PHCN, who had yet to receive their entitlements and severance package, to be patient, adding that they would be paid soon.

The President enjoined them not to go on strike or do anything that could affect the government’s effort at ensuring reasonable efficiency in the power sector.

Prior to his speech, Jonathan directed that a minute’s silence be observed in honour of the late Gov. Olusegun Agagu of Ondo State, during whose tenure as Minister of Power the project started.

Gov. Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo state commended the President for his commitment to the improvement of the power sector.

He said the State Government had also embarked on the building of 30mw NIPP at Omotosho area of the state.

The governor said the project was embarked upon pursuant to the government's commitment to industrial development of the state

He added that the President would be invited soon for the commissioning of the project.

Mimiko told the President that the Omotossho power plant would have the desired impact only when the necessary transmission was done.

He stated that the transmission infrastructure needed to be built in three areas of the state.

Earlier, Minister of Power, Prof Chinedu Nebo, directed that 32kva transmission lines be installed from Omotosho through Ore to Ondo and Akure.

Nebo said the transmission line, when completed, would relieve the Osogbo-Akure transmission line currently serving the state.

He said the NIPP was contributing 1,600mw into the national grid.

The minister said the formal handover of the defunct PHCN facilities to the investors would be done in the next two weeks. (NAN)

ALAAFIN, OTHER MONARCHS PAY HOMAGE TO AJIMOBI, HAIL HIS PERFORMANCE

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola, Adeyemi III has commended Governor Abiola Ajimobi for his unprecedented achievements, particularly in the areas of education, health, security as well as construction and rehabilitation of roads in the state.

He gave the commendation when he led some traditional rulers and high chiefs to pay Sallah homage to the governor in his office in Ibadan on Friday.

The traditional ruler observed that violence and brigandage had drastically reduced in the state through the enforcement of the law by the Ajimobi administration, thus bringing relief to the people who had been living in fear and trepidation in the past.

He also noted with satisfaction the rare vigour with which Governor Ajimobi had been pursuing his administration’s transformation and repositioning agenda, pointing out that all the nooks and crannies of the state had continued to feel the impact of the government.

Oba Adeyemi solicited the cooperation of the people of the state for the Ajimobi administration, urging members of the opposition to desist from destructive criticism of 

``a performing government’’ in the interest of the state.

Responding, Governor Ajimobi assured the people of the state that his administration would continue to execute projects with direct impact on their lives.

According to him, the essence of governance is to make life worth living for the masses by meeting their needs and aspirations, which, he said, his administration had continued to vigorously pursue.

The governor said that his administration would continue to entertain constructive criticisms from the opposition in order to help his government to improve on its performance.

He commended the Alaafin and other traditional rulers in the state for their cooperation and support, saying this had enabled his administration to record monumental achievements in the last two years.

``Oyo is one of the most difficult states to govern, but with the help of God, the support of the people and the cooperation of the traditional rulers, we have been able to achieve this feat and move the state forward,’’ Governor Ajimobi said.

The royal fathers later offered special prayers for Governor Ajimobi and his government.

ADEYEYE CALLS FOR INVESTIGATION OF APC CHAIRMAN'S CLAIM THAT PDP PLOT TO DISRUPT PRESIDENT JONATHAN SATURDAY'S VISIT TO EKITI

Afenifere Chieftain and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Ekiti State, Prince Dayo Adeyeye has called on the Police and the State Security Service (SSS) in Ekiti State to investigate claim by the All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman, Mr Jide Awe that the PDP was planing to cause chaos during President Goodluck Jonathan’s visit to the state on Saturday.

Adeyeye, who said he was miffed that up till now, Jide Awe had not been questioned four days after he made the allegation said it was only in Nigeria that people just wake up and make spurious allegations concerning the national security and security agents will not do anything.

President Jonathan will be visiting Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD) on Saturday to commission the state-of-art College of Engineering of the school and to witness the maiden convocation ceremony of the private university.

The acting state Chairman of APC, Chief Jide Awe, during a press conference in Ado Ekiti, on Monday, had alleged that there was a plan by the PDP to unleash terror on the state during the president’s visit in order to indict the APC.

In a statement signed by the Direction General of Prince Adedayo Adeyeye Movement (PAAM), the governorship aspirant, described President Jonathan's planned visit to Ekiti to attend ABUAD's first convocation ceremony as a mark of honour for Ekiti State, and one of its icons, Chief Afe Babalola.

While congratulating Chief Afe Babalola on the first convocation of ABUAD, Adeyeye said it was a continuation of the APC government's contempt for Chief Afe Babalola that the spurious allegation was made so as to dissuade the president from attending the programme.

"This is the fourth day that Jide Awe, a man that is standing trial for alleged murder of Ayo Murphy Jeje and 76 year old Madam Juliana Adewunmi addressed the press and alleged that we in the PDP in Ekiti State were planning to unleash terror on the state during the president’s visit in order to indict the APC.

"He (Jide Awe) went further to alleged that the PDP in the Ekiti State planned to heat up the polity for possible declaration of a state of emergency by the Federal Government.

"In other countries of the world, whoever made allegations like these would have been questioned by Security Agencies and made to shed more lights on the allegations.

"However, here in Nigeria, it appears that people are at liberty to accuse others of planning to attack the number citizen in the country. If not, Jide Awe would have by now be made to substantiate his allegations by providing proofs.

"It is therefore not too late for the police and other security agencies in the State to live up to their responsibilities by investigating allegations made by the APC chairman so as to unravel the veracity of the claims," Adeyeye said.

2FACE IDIBIA COVERS HALA MAGAZINE SUMMER EDITION

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WE ARE SUFFERING-UNIOSUN STUDENTS IN UKRAINE CRIES OUT

Some medical students of the defunct Medical Department of Osun State University, most importantly those sponsored by the State government are not finding it easy at VN Karazin National University, Ukraine, Eastern Europe.

This follows the failure of the Osun State governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola to pay up their school charges. It was gathered that the State Government and the authority of the University are currently on war path consequent upon breach of agreement by Mr. Aregbesola.

It was reliably gathered that despite the letter of apology which was said to have been written to the management of the foremost university in Ukraine by the State government, Aregbesola’s sponsored students are now left with no option, than not to attend classes. 

Some of the students who spoke with our correspondent in Ukraine lamented the state government failure to meet up with the agreement earlier made with the University. 

According to them, governor Aregbesola has subjected the students to unwarranted disgrace and embarrassed the whole State owing to his refusal to pay up the institution’s charges. 

“Presently, the students are stranded; we are not enjoying the full educational services” 

It was learnt however that Mr. Aregbesola has sent a letter to the management of the institution. The letter which content were not made public as at the time of filling this report was said to have been brought by one of his aides, Mr. Remi Omowaye.

Omowaye however, used his visit to the institution to campaign for Mr. Aregbesola’s second term. 

TheNews Daily gathered that Mr. Remi Omowaye who came with some set of journalists from the State owned media outfit, who accompanied him to the student’s hostel.  They asked the students to declare their endorsement for Mr. Aregbesola’s second term bid.

“Instead of him, Mr. Governor, to pay up our fees, he sent one of his aides to us, Mr. Remi Omowaye to come and campaign for Mr. Aregbesola’s second term in office while he hasn’t work successfully on this first term”

“Omowaye came here and started telling us rubbish; they are playing politics with everything. He came with journalists and camera telling us to declare our supports for Aregbesola and that we have endorsed him for the second term in office at the detriment of our lives”, the students said.        

OSUN SPEAKER DEFEND NEW AREGBESOLA'S POLICY ON EDUCATION

The Speaker of Osun State House of Assembly, Najeem Salaam, has defended the state government’s decision to merge and re-classify the state’s public schools. 

He said this in Ejigbo when he paid a courtesy call on the Elejigbo of Ejigbo, Oba Omowonuola Oyesosin. Mr Salaam appealed to the people of the state to support the government in efforts to actualize the goals of the policy.

He also appealed to religious leaders in the state to refrain from politicizing the schools’ merger and reclassification.

“This is a new government’s policy aimed at improving the standard of education; I think we need to give the government the opportunity to experiment this new idea.”

The speaker said that the government was only trying to use its meagre resources to improve the standard of education. In his remarks, Oba Oyesosin urged the people of the state to cooperate with government in efforts to implement the new policy.

He said that the policy was to improve the standard of education and not to relegate any religious organisation. The Osun Government introduced the schools’ merger and reclassification programme, which grouped the public schools into three categories.

The first category is the elementary school for pupils with ages between six and nine years; the second is the medium school for students with ages between 10 and 14 years, while students within the 15 to 17 age bracket are to attend the high school.

 

IN CELEBRATION OF FELA KUTI’S 75TH BIRTHDAY! THE WORLD’S BIGGEST STARS PAY HOMAGE

Were he still alive yesterday, 15 October, would have been Fela Kuti’s 75th birthday. To this day the legacy of the Afrobeat originator lives on across the globe with his ever-relevant, forthright political views and powerful music.

Fittingly, yesterday also saw the release of the final tranche of Fela re-issue albums (‘Teacher Don’t Teach Me Nonsense’, ‘Original Suffer Head / ITT’, ‘Live In Amsterdam’, Army Arrangement’, ‘Beasts Of No Nation / ODOO’, ‘Underground System’) as well as the ‘Red Hot + Fela’ compilation which features interpretations of Fela tunes by a raft of top drawer artists including Angelique Kidjo, ?uestlove (The Roots), M1 (Dead Prez), Spoek Mathambo, tUnE-yArDs, Nneka, Kronos Quartet, Tony Allen, Baloji, Chance The Rapper, My Morning Jacket and others. All profits of from this album go towards HIV/AIDS education and relief worldwide.

To honour Fela, worldwide Felabration events are taking place including a week-long Felabration festival in Lagos organised by the Kuti family at the New Afrika Shrine, 13 Felabration concerts across the US, one in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, and one in London (full details to be announced soon).

A number of celebrity vlogs have also been collected which show artists and other personalities, including Paul McCartney, Brian Eno and George Clinton, known to hold Fela in high esteem, saluting the Nigerian icon and talking about their favourite Fela song. These will be released in batches throughout this week via the official Fela You Tube channel.