The West African Examinations Council, WAEC, has released the results of the first-ever Computer-Based West African Senior School Certificate Examination (CB-WASSCE) for private candidates, 2024 – first series.

The examination took place between Wednesday, January 31, and Saturday, February 17, 2024.

A total of 8,139 candidates sat the examination at 140 CBT centres nationwide.

According to the examination body, a total of 2,519 candidates, amounting to 30.95 per cent of the 8,139 candidates who sat the examination at 140 CBT centres across the country, obtained credits and above in a minimum of five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.

WAEC noted that 3,424 candidates representing 42.07 per cent obtained credit and above in a minimum of five subjects (with or without English Language and/or Mathematics).

The entry figure (8,362) of the examination which was conducted between Wednesday, 31 January and Saturday, 17 February, showed a 4.30 per cent decrease in candidature when compared with the 2023 entry figure of 8,738.

Announcing the results in a statement signed by the Acting Head of the Public Affairs Unit, Moyosola Adesina, the Head of Nigeria’s Office of WAEC, Amos Dangut, said 3,862, amounting to 47.45 per cent of the total number of candidates that sat the examination were male, while 4,277, amounting to 52.55 per cent of the candidates were female.

Amongst the candidates that sat the examination, the statement noted that 21 were with varying degrees of special needs. Nine were visually challenged, two had impaired hearing and two were albinos, WAEC said.

The examination body also noted that a total of 459 examiners participated in the coordination and marking exercise.

The examination body further noted that the results of 65 candidates, representing 0.80 per cent of the total number of candidates that sat the examination, are being withheld for various reported cases of examination malpractice.

It, however, admitted that the CBT examination method for WASSCE “drastically reduced examination malpractices”, when compared to reported cases of 413 candidates (4.95 per cent) recorded for WASSCE for private candidates in the 2023-first series.

“These reported cases are being investigated and reports of the investigations will be presented to the appropriate committee of the Council for consideration,” it noted.

“Thereafter, the committee’s decisions will be communicated directly to the affected candidates.”

WAEC had in November 2023 announced that it had concluded plans to conduct its WASSCE for private candidates using the computer-based model, which was met with criticism from Nigerians.

Germany has introduced a new regulation to allow international students with student visas to work 9 months prior to their studies.

The country recently announced this second segment of its revamped skilled worker law, following the initial enactment in November 2023. 

The government aims to attract skilled workers from various industries and is doing so through its international student visa route by relaxing regulations.

According to the new regulation, non-EU citizens can apply for the visa for study applications, allowing a stay of up to nine months while preparing a university application. During this period, applicants can undertake language courses, gather necessary documents, and acclimate to the country.

Crucially, prospective students from developing countries can now work up to 20 hours per week during these nine months to support themselves financially. 

These changes benefit international students, including those who are yet to commence their careers, stand to benefit from the new regulations.

The new regulations facilitate the integration of work and study in Germany at all stages of higher education, even before admission. 

Similar to university applicants, third-country nationals interested in apprenticeships in Germany can now work while searching for opportunities. 

They are permitted to stay for nine months, provided they possess B1-level German proficiency and are below 35 years of age. During this period, they can engage in part-time work and continue working for 20 hours per week alongside their training once they secure an apprenticeship.

Under the new regulations, international students in Germany can now work more hours to support themselves financially.  The permitted time has been extended from 120 to 140 full days in any calendar year, equivalent to 20 hours per week, or 280 half days per calendar year.

Graduates of German universities are now allowed an 18-month stay post-graduation for job hunting, with the option to apply for permanent residence after two years of employment.

As these rules remain unchanged, graduates seeking a career change now have an alternative visa pathway through the EU Blue Card or German Skilled Worker Visa.

Also, applicants with a degree or vocational qualification recognized by Germany can apply if they have two years of relevant work experience, even if it’s not in the same field or industry as their qualification.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, has issued a new order to agencies under his ministry.

He announced a temporary suspension of any public-funded foreign travels by agencies and officials affiliated with the Ministry.

This is in adherence to President Bola Tinubu’s instruction to halt publicly-funded overseas trips by ministers and government officials.

Keyamo instructed all agencies and personnel within the ministry to cease all authorized foreign travels starting from the 21st of March 2024.

This was contained in an official document dated March 21, 2024, and signed by Dr Emmanuel C. Meribole, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Aviation on behalf of the Honourable Minister.

The statement reads, “I am directed to inform you to suspend all foreign trips approved by the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development for all Officers in the Ministry and Agencies under Aviation with effect from 21st March 2024. This is in furtherance of a Presidential directive to suspend public-funded trips by government officials at all levels.

“Any Officer who intends to go on any public funded International trip must seek and obtain Presidential approval at least 2 weeks prior to embarking on such trips which must be deemed absolutely necessary.

“All previously given approvals by the Honourable Minister is hereby put on hold from today 21st March 2024. Please, direct all your DFAs not to process any flight tickets and estacodes for now. Please, this is for strict compliance.”

A bride has sparked reactions online after a video of her remixing her wedding vows surfaced.

The lady was on the altar with her husband as the priest officiating the wedding read out the vows for her to repeat after him.

Instead of the usual “For better or worse”, “For richer or poorer”, “In sickness and in health” and “Till death do us part”, she recited it as “For better for better”,

This has caused quite an uproar as some internet users believe her declaration was wrong while others disagree, claiming it is okay.

See reactions to the bride’s video;

bishy.opeyemi stated: “This is the best way to say your marriage Vows, there’s power in the tongue, you confess what you want.”

ejiro_arure claimed: “I knew she meant well when she said “till death do us part at old age”. May God bless and keep them.”

oppyjay_alaga said: “You people want her to marry an elderly and still be saying “…in poverty” ????. Person wey she use escape poverty oo”

michael._ added: “That’s actually a problem and not being woke or whatever she thinks. You think say the people wey arrange those words no get sense ni?”

Watch Video Below;

Amid ongoing rancour between the Labour Party and the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), a former spokesman of the defunct Atiku-Okowa Presidential Campaign Council, Daniel Bwala, has alleged that Peter Obi is planning to dump the party to join forces with former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai in the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

In a post on his official X account on Friday, Bwala made this allegation and tied the latest development to the ongoing dispute in the Labour Party.

Naija News had earlier reported that the Labour Party had been at odds with the country’s labour union over calls for the removal of the party’s national chairman, Julius Abure.

However, speaking on the rancour, Bwala suggested that Obi will join forces with El-Rufai in the SDP as the Labour Party intensifies efforts to kick out the Abure-led national leadership of the Labour Party.

He wrote, “BREAKING-Peter Obi @PeterObi allegedly planning to unite with El-rufai @elrufai in Social Democratic Party as Nigerian Labour Congress set to take ownership and custody of their political party, the @NgLabour . Recall that there was a judgment of court that states that Nigeria Labour Congress owns Labour Party. NLC is now prepared to take custody of that party. Twist and turns in the coming days. But all that will not give sleepless night to @officialABAT who himself has his magic wands to wield.”

The Federal Government has disclosed its plan to incorporate the Almajiri system into the national school feeding program.

This disclosure was made by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Home-Grown School Feeding, Dr. Yetunde Adeniji, during a courtesy call to the Jigawa State Governor.

She clarified that her visit was to brief the Governor on the Federal Government’s plans to expand the national school feeding program to Almajiri schools.

She highlighted that Tinubu is passionate about ensuring adequate feeding for schoolchildren across the nation.

In response, Governor Umar Namadi expressed gratitude to the Senior Special Assistant for the visit and extended his thanks to President Tinubu for agreeing to sustain the program.

He further remarked that the school feeding initiative has been successful and beneficial in Jigawa State, assuring all the necessary support for the success of the program.

Governor Namadi stated, “In Jigawa, we know the benefit of the program, and we are eager to see it coming back.”

Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep Benjamin Okezie Kalu, highlighted the parliament’s decision to amend the Access to Higher Education Act 2023 to provide equal opportunities for every Nigerian child to obtain a University education regardless of economic circumstances.

Kalu emphasized the importance of addressing challenges in accessing quality education, citing initiatives such as the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (Tetfund) and ongoing efforts to amend the Act.

He underscored the significance of inclusivity and equity in higher education, advocating for the prioritization of skills acquisition over certificates and emphasizing the role of technology in addressing societal challenges.

Kalu urged collaboration between academia, government, and industry to drive progress and prosperity.

Reno Omokri, a sociopolitical analyst, on Friday suggested that President Bola Tinubu should have probed former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Omokri said Tinubu’s administration should not make the immediate past governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele, the only scapegoat.

Posting on X, the public affairs analyst described Buhari’s administration as the worst, while former President Goodluck Jonathan’s government was one of the best in Nigeria’s history.

Omokri said while Jonathan was able to defeat Boko Haram, the insurgents had a field day during Buhari’s administration.

According to Omokri: “The Jonathan administration was one of the best governments in Nigeria’s history because it was a conscience-driven administration, not an ego-led one. Buhari was undoubtedly the worst President we had. And facts prove it.

“When Dr. Jonathan handed power to Buhari, Boko Haram has been defeated. The 2015 election was held in every Local Government and every ward in Nigeria. But after eight years of Buhari, Nigeria experienced a total breakdown of security.

“Nowhere in Northern Nigeria was safe under Buhari. Nowhere. The very people who thought Buhari was coming to rescue them watched as he abandoned them to bandits, killer herders, kidnappers and terrorists. You can imagine over 400 terrorists escaping from Kuje prison. Bandits invading the Nigerian Defence Academy in Kaduna and killing senior officers. Terrorists layer stole an anti-aircraft missile and, wiped out the 157 Task Force in Metele and killing over 200 officers and men.

“And then, after running our military, Buhsri ruined our economy. Jonathan handed over an economy that was the largest in Africa, with a GDP of $540 billion. After eight wasteful years in office, Buhari wiped out $100 billion from our economy and handed over a GDP of $440.8 billion to Tinubu. In less than a year, Tinubu has grown it to $477 billion. Buhari impoverished Nigeria, while he and his Tunde Sabiu Yusuf led cabal became wealthy. People who were struggling before 2015.

“I am reminding Nigerians of this because we have a notoriously short memory. Very soon, people will start eulogising and whitewashing Buhari and trying to blame his mess on the current administration. If not that APC cannot try APC, it would have been good for Tinubu to probe Buhari and give him the Zuma treatment. It is not Emefiele that should be made a scapegoat because he is a minority. Where are the members of Buhari’s cabal who used him?”

Nollywood actor and lawyer, Kenneth Okonkwo, has hit out at the administration of President Bola Tinubu again.

Speaking with Channels Television’s host Seun Okinbaloye in a recent interview, Okonkwo claimed that anarchy is looming in the country.

He warned Tinubu that Nigeria is not Lagos and criticized the president’s decision to allow his children to stand before Ministers in the Order of Protocols during his visit to Qatar earlier this month.

Okonkwo also accused Tinubu of nepotism and claimed the nine months of his government is worse than his predecessor, Muhammadu Tinubu.

He said: “Anarchy looms in Nigeria. Nigeria isn’t Lagos where you sit down and decree things, and you expect it to work that way.

“You don’t compare gold with carrots.

“I thought Buhari’s regime was going to be the worst, but the nine months of this present government has surpassed it.

“Do you know what it means when you place your children in order of protocols before the Ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria? What do you call that? You allowed someone to come into Aso Rock, sitting on the Coat of Arms to call our military men thieves.

“This government in terms of appointment is just concentrating not even on South West but on the Lagos axis of his Jagabanic proteges”.

Kanye West has reportedly been summoned to spend time with his wife Bianca Censori's father in Australia over her near-naked outfits and controversial relationship with the rapper.

This comes after it was recently reported that Bianca's father Leo was keen to confront his son-in-law,  who married the Aussie designer in December 2022 just one month after finalizing his divorce from ex-wife Kim Kardashian.

Now, Leo has reportedly requested that Kanye fly out to meet him in Australia after his wife voiced fears about his 'intimidating' demeanor when she visited earlier this month

'Kanye has been invited to go to Australia and Bianca is hesitant to allow this to happen because she knows how her father will react,' a source exclusively told DailyMail. 

'Her dad still plans to have a sit down with Kanye, and Leo will not be intimidated by Kanye's power or control. No one is expecting this to be all rainbows and family portraits.' 

The demand comes after Bianca's mother Alexandra flew to the US with the intention of 'saving' her child, but seemingly failed to get through to the pair.

'Bianca’s father was not necessarily pleased with his wife's visit to see their daughter because he feels like she enabled Bianca to continue doing what she is doing,' the insider continued. 

'Yes, Bianca dressed provocatively while her mother was there, but it was nothing in comparison to some of the outfits she has worn prior to and since the visit.' 

Since her mother departed, Bianca has made headlines with her flesh-flashing fashion choices.

Earlier this week she exposed her bare butt cheeks in a metallic silver micro miniskirt and thong which she teamed with a triangle bikini top.

Another explicit outfit saw her dressed in see-through, neon green tights, which she paired with a skimpy beige tube top. 

The outfit became even more X-rated when her husband proceeded to pull her tights down in order to reveal the top of her bottom.  

Bianca's father is said to have been disappointed by Alexandra's inability to help her daughter see through Kanye's influence, with the source adding: 'Alexandra wanted to do this alone and her dad was under the impression that she was going to speak to her about how she is presenting herself. 

'She was so caught up in the attention and fame of it all that she became slightly intimidated by Kanye’s influence.'

Earlier this month Alexandra reportedly flew out 'to see for herself' whether her daughter is in of her control of her life. 

'Bianca's mom had to see for herself after Bianca told her family she has this under control,' a source told DailyMail.com. 'This has been a wonderful opportunity for Alexandra to get to spend time with Bianca and assess the situation for herself.'  

The insider continued: 'Alexandra was lowkey believing she would come to save her daughter. But this is not the case. Kanye has started to turn things around since the release of Vultures in the sense that he is not going off on as many unhinged rants. 

'He also knows how to sweet talk a mom. This has been really a good experience, and everyone is so relieved to see her with Alexandra.'

Alexandra's visit came days after sources told DailyMail that Bianca had insisted to loved ones that she is not being coerced by her husband like many have feared.

'Bianca has talked to her family and she has told her friends the same thing since she was last back home, namely that she knows what she is doing and she has this under control,' they said.

The people of Igbomotoru Community in Southern Ijaw local government area of Bayelsa State, whose troops of the Nigeria army had invaded early in the week, have stated that they had previously warned appropriate authorities about the activities of the militant gang in the area.

Military men had on Sunday invaded the Community, burnt down houses and killed about 11 persons while searching for the primary suspect linked to the killing of 17 soldiers in Okuama Community in Delta state.

Paramount Ruler of Igbomotoru Communities, HRH Ayibaikie Ofongo, told newsmen in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital on Friday that because of his stance against the criminality of the militant gang and leader, he was banished from the community for about three years, while the hoodlums took control of the community untill they allegedly involved in the killing of soldiers at Okuama Community in Delta state.

Ofongo, a retired army officer, said having served the nation in the armed forces all through his life and now the traditional ruler of the community, he couldn’t have kept quiet while the group of militants perpetrated criminalities in his domain, adding it was the beginning of his problems in the community.

He also commended the military operations in Igbomotoru Communities, saying so far, the military are after the fleeing militant leader and his boys, and the houses burnt are where they hide.

He said: “My Community, Igbomotoru, for some times now, have had some internal problems and there is a group that went and brought militants to the community to dissolve the ruling class in the community, and at the same time leading to vandalizing national assets of oil companies in our area for their own good, which I opposed, that if we have any problem with the oil companies, we should apply the normal system of Communication to the oil companies and to government so that they can look at those issues, but this advise did not go through with the group.

“And since that time, there has been problems, based on the differences we had, for almost three years running, I was not allowed to visit my own community, my life was threatened and I have to escape from the community. I only get to the community when I have an incident of death of my relations, that has been the trend of the problem till the present issue of killing soldiers at Okuama Community in Delta State.

“Where I’m hiding, I got telephone calls from both the home and some other relations and friends on what happened at Igbomotoru and what I was told was that a group of Army people came into the Community, particularly on Igbomotoru ll, Igbomotoru is in both side of the river Sangana. So when I had this issue, I enquired from sources I should believe, so they told me there was an Army invasion of the community, I was told a militant from Igbomotoru by the name Endurance Amagbain went to Delta and some military officers who were there to make peace were shot death, that was why military invaded our community last Sunday.

“The Army troops that came, they know where the person they wanted was and they went there, and some miscreants who are members of the militant gang came out and wanted to know what was happening in their usual militant way, and there was opening of fire from the Army, and some of them were killed. So, it was only members of the militant gang that were killed, not the natives.

“I have previously written several petitions to both the presidency, the state government and the security agencies about the activities of this militant gang, and we attended meetings with the governor, we also had time with the oil companies representatives, because when they started, the started with the oil companies and then rolled back to me that I have been deposed and all that, so all those activities were reported to the government, and so many meetings were held by the government and oil companies to resolve that but the people continue to do what they think it’s good for them, until we reach this state. It was my opposition to this militant group that made them forced me out of the community on self-exile.

“As a Paramount Ruler and somebody who has served in the Nigerian Army and retired, I most always report any act of lawlessness to the authorities, if not, that means I am involved.

“Army operation at Igbomotoru Community is just after the fleeing militant gang at Igbomotoru ll, where their leader resides and be committing all these criminal issues, infact they have not crossed to Igbomotoru 1, but because of fear, people have deserted the entire community.

“You see the military has done well, what happened to the military, even during my time as a soldier, you cannot go and tempt the lion and you will think he will sit down and begin to look at you, when you provoke him to that level of killing, the militant gang went to Delta to kill army personnel and the army came to kill them because they too know how to kill, they don’t move from house to house in Igbomotoru to kill everybody.

“I am not against government taking any action in respect to what has happened, because lives have been lost. It was only houses where the prime suspect in the killing of soldiers stayed that were burnt not Innocent People’s houses. That is why I appeal to the federal government to establish army formation at Igbomotoru Community, it will help checkmate the criminality.

“So, I urge the army to continue to be civil as they are hunting for their suspected killers of soldiers because the Community is ready to assist them to ensure that all suspects involved in the dastardly act are apprehended,” he said.