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A former of Governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke, on Friday, condemned the purchase of a presidential jet and yacht when Nigerians are hungry.
According to Duke, it is a failure of leadership for President Bola Tinubu to make this purchases, when Nigerians are going through economic crisis.
Duke stated this while speaking on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, a socio-political programme aired on Channels Television.
Duke said, “There is no glamour in saying your people are going through hard times. It’s a failure of your leadership. If I’m the head of a family, I want my family to have everything. I don’t want life to be difficult for them.
“If life is difficult then I feel I’ve failed to provide for them or do the things I ought to have done. I’d ask him (Tinubu) to see the Nigerian nation as his family. What is good for his family is good for the nation.
“Buying a new aircraft or yacht or living large is a failure. You can’t have kids who are hungry and you are living lavishly, going to parties and wearing the biggest agbada.”
Duke said the recent #EndBadGovernance nationwide protests by hungry Nigerians showed that the President has not been a good father to Nigerians.
The former governor said, “A protest is like your kids coming to tell you that ‘Daddy, I am not happy with you. You have failed to do this and do that for me’.
“I’d ask him (Tinubu) to rethink a number of things that are going on and test his policies. The policy of floating the currency was a mistake because it wasn’t thought through.
“The largest pressure on the Nigerian currency is the importation of fuel, and the way it is being done, it is fuelled by corruption. So, we are paying the price for it.”
Duke tasked the President to hold security agencies responsible, reform the judiciary, and address the economy with local indigenous solutions, far from those of the Bretton Woods system.
A former presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (PDP), Adewole Adebayo, has slammed President Bola Tinubu for his economic policy choices.
Adewole Adebayo accused President Tinubu of living large while he asked citizens to endure the economic hardship caused by his administration’s policies.
In an interview with Arise TV, on Thursday, Adebayo explained that Nigerians should not be made to choose to have the basic necessities of life because of the government’s economic policies.
He emphasized that the act of blaming former President Muhammadu Buhari‘s administration for the current hardship in the country was unfounded.
“Permit me, with due respect, to disagree with those who say that President Tinubu is not responsible for any problems inherited from Buhari’s administration. I would rather take the word of President Tinubu himself, who said that he will continue where President Buhari stopped.
“So whatever any other person, any other apologist, is saying is not as important as what the president himself said as a matter of presidential policy, that he is going to continue where President Buhari stopped. And he was influential in President Buhari’s government. He was influential in the policy. He now has inherited it. And they are carrying on the same baton. So let us rest that once and for all,” he said.
Speaking on Tinubu’s appeal to Nigerians for patience, he continued, “The issue of belt-tightening in an economy is not a problem at all. Belt tightening is required. But what the APC government has done, especially President Tinubu, is tightening the belt around the neck of the people. If you are tightening the belt around the waist, well, that could be a waist trainer, and it can tell you how to consume less. But you cannot tighten the belt around the neck of the people, in which case they will not be able to breathe.
“The things that are growing up for the poor are things which are not discretionary. In finance, and in public finance especially, there’s something we call discretionary spending. Discretionary spendings are spendings that you decide whether to spend or not.
“So for a family, in the microeconomics of a family, whether to have food is not discretionary. You have to have food. Whether to have energy, basic energy to live in the modern world; electricity, to power your light, to power your cooking, and all of that; there’s nothing discretionary there. Even though one of the ministers was of the view that maybe these things are discretionary. Maybe you should even off electricity when you go to work, but he’s still keeping his job.
“The other thing you need to know is that educating your children is not discretionary. When you catch a malaria fever or some other typhoid, or whatever, a headache, whatever is the tropical disease that people tend to have, it is not discretionary whether you should go to dispensary, or a pharmacy, or a hospital to take care of yourself.
“So these things that are not discretionary, like when you get a job, you need to travel to your job. You need electricity, you need power, you need energy, you need petrol, or diesel to locomote to work. If you are a trader, you need to carry your goods. None of these things is discretionary.
“That is where they are tightening the belts. That’s why it is almost unconstitutional the way they are running the government. Now when it comes to economic choices, the things that the government is spending money on are things which are discretionary.
“So if a person is being told to be discretionary regarding how much food he consumes, how he educates his children, whether he goes to the hospital, or just pray over his headache; if you are asking a person to do that, then you are purchasing aircraft, purchasing other things which might be necessary for you to use. There is more discretion in that one.
The former SDP presidential candidate stated that President Tinubu is not governing Nigerians. He accused him of committing economic injustice against Nigerians.
“There is more discretionary window in whether you purchase another presidential jet or not, than if somebody who has two children is going to buy a loaf of bread for them or not.
“So that is where the economic injustice is there. But my major disagreement with the government is that they are not governing. The government is not governing at all. They are occupying powerful positions, but they are not doing the job of those positions,” Adebayo added.
Nigeria bid farewell to one of its most beloved cultural icons, Onyeka Onwenu, fondly known as the “Elegant Stallion,” as she was laid to rest on Friday.
The legendary musician, actress, broadcaster, politician, and activist passed away on July 30, 2024, at the age of 72.
Onwenu died at Reddington Hospital, Ikeja, after collapsing at an event in honor of Dr. Stella Okoli, the Managing Director of Emzor Pharmaceuticals.
The news of her passing sent shockwaves through Nigeria and beyond, as tributes poured in from all corners of the globe.
The funeral service took place at the Fountain of Life Church in Ilupeju, Lagos, attended by a host of dignitaries, celebrities, and admirers.
Following the service, Onyeka Onwenu was laid to rest in a private burial at a vault in Ikoyi, Lagos.
Among those who attended the solemn ceremony were Peter Obi, former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, and Alex Otti, the Governor of Abia State, who both paid their respects to the late icon.
She was not only a trailblazing musician with numerous hits to her name but also a broadcaster, actress, and a vocal advocate for women’s rights and social justice.
Her contributions to the arts and her fearless activism have left an indelible mark on the nation.
Onyeka Onwenu is survived by her two sons, who, along with countless fans and admirers, mourn the loss of a remarkable woman whose legacy will continue to inspire future generations.
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Dele Momodu Slams FG For Insisting Nigerians Below 18 years Can't Gain Admission - Spotlights Girl Who Bagged Ph.D At 17
AFOLABI
Nigerian journalist and politician, Dele Momodu has given his opinion about the controversial age requirement to gain admission into tertiary institutions in the country.
On August 26, President Bola Tinubu’s administration mandated that only individuals aged 18 and above could take the National Examination Council Nigeria (NECO) and West African Examination Council (WAEC) exams.
This angered some people who questioned what students who typically graduate from secondary school at the age of 15/16 should do with their time while waiting to be old enough for the university entrance exams.
Dele Momodu has now weighed in.
The Ovation Magazine publisher highlighted the story of Dr Dorothy Jean Tillman, who, at only 17, became the youngest person to earn a doctoral degree in integrated behavioural health from Arizona State University's College of Health Solutions.
"And Federal Government via Ministry of Education is saying Nigeria children should wait till 18 years before they write WAEC, NECO and JAMB," Momodu pointed out on Instagram.
Tony Elumelu has opened up on why he stepped down as CEO of the United Bank for Africa (UBA).
Recall that Elumelu is the chairman of Heirs Holdings Group.
He revealed that the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) policy, which limits the tenure of bank CEOs to ten years, was a key factor in his decision.
Speaking at the 14th-anniversary celebration of Heirs Holdings in Lagos, Elumelu shared how this regulatory shift sparked a transformative journey that led to the establishment and growth of Heirs Holdings, now a global conglomerate with investments in diverse sectors across 24 countries.
Elumelu recounted how, in 2010, he was compelled to step down as CEO of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) due to a Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) policy that imposed a maximum tenure of 10 years for bank CEOs.
“What could have been a setback became the beginning of something extraordinary – an opportunity that was truly transformative,” Elumelu remarked, emphasising that the policy shift, rather than dampening his ambitions, opened new doors for him. “When one door closes, many others open.”
This policy, which required him to relinquish his role at UBA, spurred the founding of Heirs Holdings, a conglomerate now operating in 24 countries and spanning sectors such as power, energy, financial services, hospitality, real estate, healthcare, and technology.
Reflecting on the group’s achievements, Elumelu noted, “Today marks a significant milestone, as we celebrate 14 years of excellence at Heirs Holdings Group.”
Elumelu used the occasion to share broader lessons on leadership and resilience. He urged aspiring entrepreneurs to view challenges as opportunities for growth.
“When faced with adversity, do not give up. When challenged, bounce back. Persevere, be resilient, and transform your fear into hope, your hope into ambition, and your ambition into action,” he advised.
HAVANA, Cuba, Aug 23 (ACN) Wole Soyinka, Nigerian writer and Nobel Prize in Literature, received today at Casa de las Americas the Haydee Santamaria Medal, awarded by Miguel Diaz-Canel, first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic, on behalf of Cuba and at the proposal of the Minister of Culture.
As reported by the Presidency on X, Jorge Fornet, director of the Center for Literary Research of Casa de las Americas, in his remarks of praise, said that awarding Soyinka the medal that bears the name of that extraordinary woman is an act of justice that honors us.
After the ceremony, Diaz-Canel held a meeting with Soyinka, where he thanked her for his visit in such a complex moment for Cuba.
It is the visit of a brother who has always been fighting for the most just causes, the president noted.
The Haydee Santamaria Medal is conferred to national and foreign citizens and groups who, over the years, have shared the main objectives of the Casa: the enrichment, defense and integration of the genuine cultures of our region and the entire South.
This event also celebrates Wole Soyinka's 90th birthday and the 60th anniversary of his first visit to Cuba, where he has returned on several occasions.
The Nobel Laureate in Literature, who during the tribute had stated that “Cuba is also my home”, referred during the meeting to the strong ties that unite the island and Africa.
The House of Representatives has committed to addressing the issues that prevent Nigerian tertiary institutions from accessing the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) allocations.
During a recent visit to Kaduna State, the House Committee on TETFund and Other Services revealed that over N500 billion in TETFund intervention funds are still unused at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) by institutions across the country. Hon. Mariam Odinaka Onuoha, Chairman of the Committee, led the delegation to Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, and revealed that three state-owned institutions in Kaduna alone have over N1.3 billion in untapped TETFund resources.
“One of our primary responsibilities is to oversee tertiary interventions and ensure accountability for all funds allocated to bridge infrastructure gaps and enhance teaching and learning,” Onuoha said. “We also oversee the TETFund agency, a role we began in May. During this oversight, we found over N500 billion sitting unused at the CBN, allocated but not yet accessed by the beneficiary institutions.”
She added, “Despite various excuses for the accumulation of these funds, we are determined to facilitate their release to the institutions without further delay. We are investigating the problems faced by these institutions and seeking solutions to ensure that the funds serve their intended academic purposes.”
Onuoha also highlighted specific unutilised amounts: N547 million for Kaduna State University, N724 million for Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, and N30 million for the College of Education, Gidan Waya, totaling N1.302 billion.
Kaduna deputy governor, Dr. Hadiza Balarabe expressed gratitude for the Committee’s visit and encouraged institutional heads to openly communicate their challenges.
A legal practitioner, Olusegun Agunloye, was on Thursday arraigned before a Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Akure, the state capital, over allegations of forgery.
The lawyer was accused of presenting a fake testamentary instrument also known as the Will of one late Benjamin Ejelonu to the court probate registry in Akure.
The 49-year-old defendant was arraigned before the court by the police on two counts of conspiracy and forgery.
The police prosecutor, Nelson Akintimehin, informed the court that the defendant committed the offence on September 7, 2023, at about 10:30 am, at the probate registry, High Court in Akure
Akintimehin alleged that the defendant conspired with a sister of the deceased, one Aminat Bakare, who is currently facing trial in charge number MAK/372C/2024 in the same court, to forge the Will of the deceased and lodged it at the Probate Registry of the state High Court in Akure with the intent to defraud one Oluwamodupe Ejelonu.
According to the prosecutor, the offence committed contravened Sections 516 and 467(2)(f) of the Criminal Code Law of Ondo State, 2006.
However, the defendant pleaded not guilty to both charges.
The prosecutor asked the court to adjourn the case to enable him to assemble his witnesses and consolidate the two charges before the court.
However, the defence counsel, Kehinde Osadugbe, urged the court to grant his client bail on self-recognisance as a practising lawyer, claiming that the alleged offence was committed in the course of the defendant performing his legal duty as a lawyer.
But the prosecutor argued that the defendant was a flight risk if granted bail and that he had previously abused the administrative bail granted to him at the police station on self-recognisance.
Magistrate Kolawole Aro granted the defendant bail in the sum of N2m with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case until September 2024 for hearing and the consolidation of the cases. The defendant, who could not perfect his bail conditions, was subsequently remanded at the police station.
Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, has condemned the “hate speech” from Amaka Patience Sunnberger, a Nigerian woman based in Canada.
In a viral TikTok clip, Sunnberger could be seemingly heard threatening to kill Nigerians from certain ethnic groups.
She also purportedly encouraged her audience to poison the food of persons from certain tribes.
The clip sparked outrage amid calls for her to face the consequences.
On Wednesday, the house of representatives committee on diaspora matters asked the Canadian government to prosecute Sunnberger for “hate speech”.
In a post on his X page, Obi, a former governor of Anambra, said Nigerians must “unite and focus on addressing our shared challenges, rather than allowing tribalism and hate to tear us apart”.
The former governor said tribal or religious bigotry cannot spur the country towards the path of positive development.
“I utterly condemn the reported hateful statement and actions attributed to a Nigerian woman living in Canada against other Nigerians of diverse origins. Such divisive comments or behaviour have no place in our society,” he said.
“As Nigerians, we should unite and focus on addressing our shared challenges, rather than allowing tribalism and hate to tear us apart. I have consistently stood against the polarisation of our country along tribal, religious or political lines.
“We, as Nigerians, must live together in peace and love, and ensure that we enthrone leaders based on integrity, competence, consistency, capacity, character and compassion, so as to overcome our present challenges and move the country forward in the right direction.
“Let us focus on what truly matters: building a prosperous, united, and equitable Nigeria for all. We must reject tribalism and religious division, and embrace our shared humanity, working together towards a new Nigeria that is POssible!”
A Ghana-based Nigerian, Liberty Isaac, has urged the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to fish out some policemen who allegedly extorted N3m from him at gunpoint on Monday.
Isaac, who hails from Nguru Nworie autonomous community in Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State, made the appeal while speaking with journalists in Owerri, the state capital on Friday.
He said the policemen accosted him and two of his friends on Monday at Udi axis in Bayelsa State and forced him at gunpoint to transfer N3m to them after manhandling him and threatening to shoot him.
Disclosing that he was in the country to attend a friend’s traditional marriage ceremony in Bayelsa State, Isaac stated that the policemen forced him to unlock his phone and on seeing a credit bank alert of N10m, they started beating him and threatened to kill him if he failed to transfer N6m to them.
He said, “I’m based in Ghana. I have not been to Nigeria for six years now. I came to Nigeria to attend a friend’s traditional wedding in Bayelsa State.
“After attending the traditional wedding, we were driving back to Imo State and around Udi axis, some policemen flagged us down. We stopped and they asked me to unlock my phone. I asked them why and they said I must open my phone. I reminded them that the Inspector General of Police asked Nigerians not to allow policemen on the road to access their phones. Immediately I said that, they started beating me.
He continued, “They handcuffed me and drove us away and continued beating me. They threatened to kill me if I refused to open it. I asked them to take me to a police station, but they refused.”
Isaac added that immediately they accessed his phone, they went to his messages log and saw a N10 million bank alert.
He continued, “Immediately they saw the alert, they shouted ‘na dem.’
“At that point, the beating increased. They said that if I didn’t give them N6m, they would kill all of us. Out of fear, I started negotiating with them and at end of the day, I transferred N3m to them in two bank accounts they provided and drove with us and stopped us at Ahoda in Rivers State and drove back.
“I have printed my account statements from my banks and these are the account details they provided to which I transferred the money.”
Isaac said he had consulted a lawyer who had written to the Police Public Relations Officer in Bayelsa State.
“All I need is my money to be returned to me and for the Inspector General of Police to fish out the policemen who are giving the Nigeria Police Force a bad image. I believe with these account details they can be fished out.
“I want justice. I want my money returned to me because it is for my project. I want justice. Let the policemen who did this to me be identified so that other Nigerians won’t become their victims.
“I don’t know if it is a crime for somebody to come back to his country. I don’t do any illicit business. I am a law-abiding citizen of this country. I want justice. Let the Inspector General of Police fish them out because they said they are from the IG Squad,” he added.
When contacted, the Bayelsa State PPRO, Musa Muhammed, said that he was unaware of the development.
He said, “I am not aware and I am yet to receive any petition to that effect. You can tell the victim to come and see me, so that we know what to do about his case.”
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A resident of Ushafa Community in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has been shot dead.
The man was killed when bandits invaded his residence on Thursday night.
A police source confirmed the incident, but did not go into details.
The invaders were said to have kidnapped the deceased’s wife and children.
Ushafa is one of the communities that have come under attacks in the ongoing widespread insecurity in Nigeria.
SP Josephine Adeh, Police Public Relations Officer in FCT, could not be reached for comments as her phone line rang out repeatedly at the time of filing this report.
The development comes after SBM Intelligence, an Africa-focused market/security intel gathering consulting firm, said Nigerians paid N1.048 billion as ransom to kidnappers between July 2023 and June 2024.
In a report, titled ‘Grim Reaping’, the firm said FCT has the highest ransom demands in the country, with Lagos and Kaduna closely trailing.
It highlighted the complex security situation and the rise in kidnapping for ransom in Nigeria.
According to the report, though abductors demanded N11 billion as ransom within the period, only N1.048bn was paid.
The report also blamed the rising kidnapping for ransom on economic stagnation, noting that kidnappers increasingly target a broader range of people, starting with high ransom demands that are eventually lowered to what families or social organisations can afford.
The Department of State Services (DSS) has obtained a Federal High Court order in Abuja to freeze 20 bank accounts associated with suspected female terrorist Aisha Abdulkarim.
The accounts, domiciled in eight different banks, are to remain frozen for a period of 60 days to enable the secret police to carry out forensic investigations into the alleged acts of terrorism by the bank account operator.
Justice Peter Lifu issued the order for the freezing of the accounts following an ex-parte application brought and argued before him by the DSS.
Also linked with the alleged acts of terrorism are Yehusa Idris and Abdullahi Babayo Umar, who have been taken into custody by the security agency following their arrest in different locations.
The DSS’s ex-parte application was argued by its lawyer, Yunus Ishaku Umar, who informed Justice Lifu that the freezing order was needed by the DSS to enable its investigators to have unhindered access to the eight banks where the accounts are domiciled.
A copy of the ex-parte application, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1036/2024, was sighted by our correspondent during the proceedings.
The banks where the accounts are domiciled are Opay Digital Services Limited, Access Bank, United Bank for Africa, Guaranty Trust Bank, Union Bank of Nigeria, Moniepoint Microfinance Bank, First Bank of Nigeria, and First City Monument Bank.
A breakdown of the accounts showed that five are domiciled at Access Bank and Moniepoint each, four at Opay, two at UBA, while GTB, First Bank, Union Bank, and FCMB have one each domiciled in their care.
Although the DSS requested 90 days to embargo the accounts, Justice Lifu only granted 60 days, with a charge to the security agency to be diligent and fast-track its investigation.
The judge held that the law presumes the suspected terrorists innocent for now and, as such, must not be subjected to unnecessary hardships through the account embargo under the guise of whatever investigation.
Laments frustration of its N3,500/ bag policy
The Chairman of BUA Cement, AbdulSamad Rabiu, yesterday, said cement dealers frustrated his company’s plan to sell cement at N3,500 per bag last year.
Speaking at the 8th Annual General Meeting of the company in Abuja, Rabiu also said that while his company sold over a million tons of cement to dealers at N3, 500, per bag, with the intention that they would pass the benefits to end-users, the dealers sold a bag of cement to consumers at between N7000 and N8,000.
He said the company had to abandon the policy as its intervention was not to subsidise dealers.
According to him, BUA Cement could not stop the dealers whom he said made huge profits from the high margin because the company had no control over prices in the open market.
He added that the Naira devaluation last year and the fuel subsidy removal also played roles in making the policy unsustainable.
Rabiu stated: “So, a lot of the dealers took advantage of that policy. Rather than pass the low prices to the customers, they were selling at even double the price we sold to them.
“Some were selling at N7, 000 and 8 000 per bag. They made a lot of money with the very high margin. I think we had sold more than a million tons at N3,500 before we realised what the dealers were doing.
“And then, because of the issues that Nigeria faced at the time about devaluation of the Naira last year and the removal of fuel subsidy, we could not continue that policy.
“We wanted that price to stay at that level but dealers refused. So, we could not sustain that simply because we did not want to be in a situation where we are subsidizing dealers.
“I’m referring to the point when the foreign exchange rate moved from about N600 to maybe N1,800 to the US Dollar. So, it became even more challenging and more difficult for us to actually sustain that price policy.”
He said, however, that the company had continued to work towards making sure that prices did not escalate at levels of the percentage increase of the Naira devaluation.
His words, “If you see the exchange rate then, and the exchange rate today, you will see that cement is actually cheaper today than what it was last year, the reason being that if the dollar was up the costs go up by same margin and the price of cement should actually be, maybe, N10,000 Naira per bag.
The price of cement, if you take the N4,000 that it was in the beginning of last year, at 4,000 and today’s N6,000, it’s only 50% increase.
“So, we directly pushed to ensure that the price of cement is not getting higher than what it is today.
“But then again, you have areas where everything is dollar-dominated. Energy is the biggest cost. And our energy today is denominated in dollars. We buy gas to power our plants mainly. And gas is priced in dollars.”
The chairman revealed that one of BUA’s plants’ monthly invoice is about N15 billion or maybe N16 billion monthly. It used to be N3 or N4 billion. That is just one example.”
According to the financial report presented by the Board of the company, the company recorded a strong revenue growth of 27.4% rising to N460 billion against 2022 figure of N361 billion, resulting from its increasing market share.
However, with the devaluation of the Naira in June 2023, and its continued depreciation, as well as growing inflation, the Company experienced increasing price pressures which affected production costs, and consequently increasing the total cost by 39.5% to N276 billion as against 2022 figure of N197.9 billion.
Within this period under review, a net foreign exchange loss of N70 billion was recorded, with N52.5 billion attributed to finance costs.
Despite these challenges, the Company reported a net profit after tax of N69.5 billion and declared a N2 dividend per share.
American actor, John Cena has once again opened up about his decision not to have children.
In a recent interview, the 47-year-old actor was asked by host Shannon Sharpe whether he still did not want kids.
He explained, “I’m 47. I don’t have them.”
Sharpe then questioned if Cena had ever considered the possibility of having children, perhaps even a “little Johnny” or “Joanna.”
“That’s great, and that’s usually what everyone says. And I gotta tell you, it’s not the easiest out there because a lot of why we’re here is to reproduce” he said.
Cena went on to elaborate on his decision explaining that while he is curious about life, he is aware of the significant commitment that parenting requires.
He said, “I have a certain curiosity about life, and I also know the investment that it takes. And my biggest fear is, as someone who’s driven, many times stubborn, and selfish, I try to approach the world with kindness and curiosity, but I don’t think I’m personally ready, nor will I ever be, to invest the time it needs to be a great parent because I want to live life for all it is. And I still have a lot to do. And I still want to do a lot.”
Cena further emphasized that, despite potential criticism, he is at peace with his choice. He acknowledged that it’s a difficult subject to discuss, as it often invites judgment, stating, “It’s human nature. We’re all judgmental.”
“I’d like to believe that I operate under the construct that everyone’s okay living their life… This is not a knee-jerk reaction. I’ve thought long and hard about this, even as my youngest age… like 15, 16, I remember thinking about it”, he added.
[OpinionNigeria]