FEATURES

FEATURES

Aliko Dangote has been ranked as the world’s sixth richest person in the manufacturing industry.

Dangote whose net worth is put at $14.3 billion is the founder of Dangote Cement, the leading cement producer in Africa, in which owns about 85 percent stake, as well as Dangote Fertilizer and Refinery, the world’s largest single-train refinery.

The ranking was carried out by Insidermonkey.com, an American firm that uses a hybrid evaluation system to track insider transactions and other market anomalies, and educate investors about the intricacies of investing.

Dangote is the only African among the top 25 billionaires ranked.


The world’s richest billionaire in the manufacturing industry is Reinhold Wuerth with a net worth of $35.3 billion.

Wuerth joined his father’s wholesale screw business in 1949 and retired from the firm in 1994.

The second ranked billionaire in manufacturing is He Xiangjian, worth $26.1 billion.

Xiangjian created one of the world’s leading appliance makers, Midea Group Co. Ltd. In 2012, he stepped down from Midea Group operations.

Michael Hartono was ranked the third richest person in manufacturing, with a net worth of $23.1 billion.

Hartono and his family made a huge fortune from the tobacco business and are still one of the biggest clove cigarette makers in Indonesia. He also has investment in the Bank of Central Asia (BCA).

Takemitsu Takizaki was named the world’s fourth richest billionaire in manufacturing with a net worth of $20.7 billion.

Takizaki founded Keyence Corporation, a company that manufactures sensors and electronic components for factory automation systems.


The fifth richest billionaire, according to the rankings, is James Ratcliffe worth $16.2 billion

Ratcliffe is the founder, chairman, and majority owner of the chemical powerhouse, Ineos Group.

Gospel artiste, Moses Bliss on Sunday, met with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

This was made known by Bliss on his Facebook page.

Sharing photos from the meeting he wrote, “The joy of meeting and singing for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle the Duke & Duchess of Sussex #sussexroyal today on their inaugural visit to Nigeria and hear Meghan express her appreciation for my music is a moment I will forever cherish.

“Thank you #thedelborough for having me.
Thank you sir #stanleyuzochukwu for the opportunity to be a part of the Royals visit to Nigeria I’m grateful.”

 

Prince Harry, who was accompanied by his wife, Meghan, is on a three-day visit to Nigeria to promote the Invictus Games, which he founded in 2014. The couple had a stopover in Lagos on Sunday.

The Invictus Games are aimed at raising funds and supporting serving members of the military as well as veterans to overcome their physical and mental illnesses, which would help them to develop a sense of belonging and increased self-esteem.

 

[Punch]
Last modified on Monday, 13 May 2024 02:31

A former Commissioner for Works in Rivers State, George-Kelly Alabo, has stated that the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, would have been “a level 14 officer in the civil service” if not for his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who helped him to rise.

Alabo resigned from the cabinet of Fubara in March before he became the Director-General of the Border Communities Development Agency.

Speaking on his resignation in a video shared by Channels Television, Alabo declared his loyalty to Wike, saying he couldn’t be seen as a betrayer.

“My loyalty lies irreversibly with Nyesom Wike.

 

“ Let me tell you something, we must not forget those who helped us to climb. The governor, for instance, would have been a level 14 civil servant in the Ministry of Finance if not for Wike who made him a DFA, Permanent Secretary, Accountant General, and governor,” he said.

On his disagreement with the governor, the former commissioner said he couldn’t have taken sides with Fubara because he did not fulfil his side of the peace agreement initiated by President Bola Tinubu.

“Part of the resolution was that the budget should be represented to the House of Assembly. So, there is no appropriation. How are you spending? That’s probably why I couldn’t side with him,” he stated.

 

Fubara and his godfather, Wike, have been at loggerheads since some lawmakers loyal to the Federal Capital Minister moved to impeach the governor.

Speaking on Saturday, the minister apologised to the people of the state, saying he made a mistake that would be corrected at the appropriate time.

He, however, did not disclose the nature of the mistake.

“I want to say this clearly: in life, we make mistakes. I have made a mistake. I own it up, and I say God forgive me. I have said all of you forgive me. But we will correct it at the appropriate time,” he said.

Last modified on Monday, 13 May 2024 02:39

Some hunters have found a baby reportedly buried alive in Buruku Local Government Area of Benue State.

The incident, according to a resident of the local government who simply identified himself as Terna happened in the Ashav Kusuv community.

Terna said that hunters found her and brought her alive from the forest where she was buried alive.

“Some hunters on Saturday found a baby girl and said that they found her buried alive in a forest. The baby is currently being taken care of at Ashav Kusuv community,” he said.

Chairman of the local government, Iorkyaan Agber who spoke to our correspondent on the phone on Sunday confirmed the report and stated that the baby was found in a forest by some hunters.

“Some hunters indeed found a baby in the forest but we are investigating to know who went and dropped a baby in the forest and the reason for doing that,” he said.

Efforts to get the reaction of the Benue Police Spokesperson, Catherine Anene, were not successful as her phone rang out.

Last modified on Monday, 13 May 2024 02:38

BBNaija star and media personality, Natacha Anita Akide, popularly known as Tacha, has revealed the cost of her outfit to the 10th edition of Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards, AMVCA, held om Saturday. 

The radio host in an interview with content creator, Timi Agbaje disclosed that her dress cost $100,000 (about 140 million naira).

 

Agbaje asked, “Last year you wore a $20,000-outfit to the AMVCA. How much did this outfit cost?”

 

Tacha replied, “It’s $100,000 or nothing, bro.”

The reality TV star and social media influencer graced the red carpet in a mesmerizing all-white dress, intricately adorned with shimmering stones. The dress featured a striking floating bust design on her shoulders, adding a touch of sophistication to her attire.

Complementing her outfit, Tacha wore a flowing cape that billowed behind her with every step, exuding grace and poise. To complete her ensemble, she carried a matching handbag, perfectly accentuating the ensemble’s seamless blend of style and glamour.

Last modified on Monday, 13 May 2024 02:38

A mother of five, Ramat Mercy Mba, has been convicted by a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Gwagwalada, Abuja, of forging the signature of the late Abba Kyari, former Chief of Staff to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari.
Justice Ibrahim Mohammad postponed the convict’s sentencing until May 16th, 2024, but ordered her to remain in the Suleja Correctional Centre.

In June 2022, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) charged Mba with five counts of cheating, fraud, and forgery.

The charges violate Section 13 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 200 and Sections 320 (b) and 366 of the Penal Code Cap 89 laws of Northern Nigeria.

One of the counts read: “THAT you RAMAT MERCY MBA (F) sometimes in the month of October, 2019 or thereabout at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did fraudulently induce one Mr. Ismail Adewole Oladipupo, an unsuspecting job seeker and collected the sum of Seven Hundred Thousand Naira only N700,000.00 from him which sum was paid into your private account under the guise of securing employment for him at the National Space Research and Development Agency. (NASDRA), AND you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 320(b) and punishable under Section 322 of the Penal Code Cap 89 Laws of Northern Nigeria.”

During the trial, the Prosecutor of the ICPC, Hamza Sani, presented evidence before the court revealing how the convict fraudulently deceived her victims by falsely claiming to secure employment for them in government agencies such as the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS), National Space Research Development Agency (NASRDA), and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

The documentary evidence presented further proved that the convict had fraudulently forged a letterhead paper and signature of the Office of the Chief of Staff to the former President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, Abba Kyari.

The letter was a request to the ICPC Chairman to recruit three individuals.

However, the late Chief of Staff distanced himself and his office from authorising the letter in a written correspondence that was also tendered in court as an exhibit.

In his judgment, Justice Ibrahim Muhammad convicted the mother of five on counts 1, 2, 3, and 5 for cheating and forgery.

She was discharged on count 4, which deals with a felony.

Last modified on Monday, 13 May 2024 02:37

The Catholic Bishop of Yola, Stephen Mamza, has lamented the growing number of churches in the country set up as commercial ventures to make money for the owner(s).


The cleric lamented that many people are going into ministry and setting up churches just to make money and live in affluence.

Speaking on Sunday at St Augustine’s Catholic Church, Bekaji, Yola, where he presided over a Mass to mark this year’s World Communications Sunday of the Catholic Church, Bishop Mamza said many people just want to become general overseers and own private jets.

In his words, “Even the holy spirit will find it difficult to count the churches in Yola. Churches are set up today just for business.”

Bishop Mamza recalled a particular experience when the general overseer of a particular church asked him to buy his church because the church was not yielding financial fruits.

“A general overseer approached me to buy his church. He said things were not moving well for him, and he knew of a place where things would work and where he wanted to go,” he said.

Speaking on the theme for the day, the catholic bishop emphasized the need to strengthen human communication with all the necessary empathy that it possesses even as human beings pursue technology.

Last modified on Monday, 13 May 2024 02:37

Officers of the Nigeria Customs Service, Western Marine Command, have intercepted 12,500 litres of Premium Motor Spirit known is petrol worth N8,750,000 along the Isalu Creek Badagry Waterway en route to Benin Republic.

According to a statement and pictures shared on X.com by the NCS on Sunday, the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Paul Bamisaiye, revealed this at the command’s headquarters on Friday.

The statement partly read, “At about 2330hrs on Wednesday, 8 May 2024, while on joint patrol based on credible intelligence, we received the movement of two boats laden with what was suspected to be petroleum products concealed in sacks. Upon receipt of the information, the team moved into Isalu Creeks Badagry Waterway.

“The Customs Area Controller stated that careful examination of the seizure at the Command Headquarters revealed ‘177 sacks and 61 kegs of 25 Litres Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) containing 12,500 Liters with a total Duty Paid Value standing at N8,750,000.”

Bamisaiye was reported to have warned smugglers to desist from their acts or risk arrest, stating that the action of the smugglers contravenes Sections 245 and 254 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.

He was quoted as saying, “There’s a strong warning to the economic importance of this kind of seizure at a time of fuel scarcity cannot be over-emphasised.

“People are suffering due to artificial scarcity, but they are busy smuggling these products outside the country to make money. It’s either they stop this act, or we continue to arrest them. We have zero tolerance for this act.”


Similarly, PUNCH Online reported on Saturday that the Adamawa/Taraba Area Command of the NCS said it intercepted 12,435 litres of PMS worth N10.8 million being illegally exported to Cameroon.

Last modified on Monday, 13 May 2024 02:36

Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, on Saturday opened up on her Nigerian origin, referring to the African giant as “My country”.

Meghan, who came into the country with Prince Harry on Friday, thanked Nigerians for welcoming her and Harry to “my country,” sharing that a DNA test recently revealed that she is “43 per cent Nigerian.”

DAILY POST gathered that Meghan spoke at a programme organised by women in leadership, co-hosted by the Head of the World Trade Organization, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.

According to Daily Mail, Duchess, who arrived at the summit almost an hour late, told the audience: “I want to start by saying thank you very much for just how gracious you’ve all been in welcoming my husband and I to this country … my country.”

She revealed that she discovered her Nigerian heritage via a genealogy test, saying the first thing she did after the result was “call my mum, because I wanted to know if she had any awareness of it.”

She noted that her visit to the country has given her a better understanding of being a Nigerian

She said, “Never in a million years would I understand it as much as I do now. And what has been echoed so much in the past day is, ‘Oh, we are not so surprised when we found out you are Nigerian”.

Last modified on Monday, 13 May 2024 02:43

The Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry, has recounted his observation at the Nigeria Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna State.

Recall that the Duke visited the hospital on Friday as part of his itineraries to engage with the nation’s wounded and injured military personnel and their families.

Naija News reports that Prince Harry, while giving his remarks at a reception organised by the Defence Headquarters in Abuja on Saturday, said the morale of the 50 wounded and injured service personnel was low.

According to him, the injuries of the wounded soldiers are defining their current lives, notwithstanding he met a few service personnel that had smiles on their faces.

He said, “I will tell you a story from yesterday when I visited the Kaduna Hospital. I met with approximately 50 wounded and injured service personnel.

“50 of them were lying down in the hospital on their bed, and I am sure anyone wouldn’t mind me saying that morale was low.

“I can see it in their faces and I can see it in their eyes — That as far as they were concerned, their injuries were now defining their lives.

“Now, there were two that were a little different. They had smiles on their faces. One of them was doing push ups on his bed, and I was intrigued, and I remembered them because I saw them in Germany.

“What it reminded me of is the power of seeing what is possible post-injury. These individuals witnessed it themselves and they came back to have new operations.

“They knew their lives were not going to be defined by the injuries of the past, and that is what this is all about. That is what this new centre that you are building is going to be all about as well.”

Last modified on Monday, 13 May 2024 02:43