FEATURES
Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, has been thrown into mourning following the death of a 52-year-old lecturer at the Faculty of Education, Dr Ayo Ojediran.
Naija News learnt that the deceased slumped and died in his office last week Thursday.
The Public Relations Officer of the University, Mr Abiodun Olarewaju, said the death of the lecturer was an unpalatable incident and devastating to students and colleagues of Ojediran.
One of the close friends of the deceased, Ayodeji Obisesan, in a post via Facebook, described Ojediran’s death as a great loss.
He wrote: “Dr Ayo Ojediran, a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Education at OAU, slumped and died in his office today.
“Such a nice and humble man to the core. Always willing to help. My namesake, for sure.
“May God grant us, your students, friends, colleagues, associates, and family members, the fortitude to bear this great loss. May your soul rest in perfect peace, Dr. Ojediran Isaac Ayodele.”
Some of his students also lamented the death of the lecturer and prayed to God to give his family the fortitude to bear the loss.
The industrial action embarked upon by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) at the Federal Capital Territory High Court branch, has stalled the arraignment of the former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele.
Naija News understands that JUSUN directed its members to join the industrial action by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
NLC and TUC had declared the strike over an assault on NLC President Joe Ajaero in Imo State on November 1, 2023.
Justice Olukayode Adeniyi had last week granted Emefiele bail.
He ordered that he should be released immediately to his lawyers, who are charged with the responsibility of producing him in court for his arraignment today (Wednesday) or on any other day.
The travails of the former CBN Governor started when President Bola Tinubu suspended him as the apex bank chief on June 9, 2023.
A day after, the Department of State Services (DSS) confirmed that the embattled and suspended CBN Governor was in its custody.
After several legal fireworks by Emefiele’s counsel challenging his prolonged detention by the DSS, the secret police bowed to pressure on July 13, 2023, and announced that the suspended apex bank chief had been charged to court.
Emefiele was brought to a Lagos court by DSS operatives in a Hilux vehicle on Tuesday, July 25, 2023.
Appearing before Justice Oweibo, Emefiele, 61, pleaded “not guilty” to the two counts of illegal possession of firearm and ammunition filed against him by the Federal Government.
The DSS in August withdrew its charges against Emefiele.
The secret police freed the embattled ex-bank chief on October 26, just as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) detained him the same day.
The EFCC had failed to produce Emefiele in court last Monday, but bowed to the court’s order and produced the former CBN chief court last Wednesday for the hearing of his bail application.
The judge granted Emefiele bail last week, and was expected to be in court today to take his plea.
Former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Muhammad Sanusi II, has said the apex bank’s lending to the federal government under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari through Ways and Means triggered inflationary pressure in Nigeria and weakened the value of the Naira.
The CBN’s loan to the federal government hit N22.7 trillion, an amount the CBN said had been securitised not to dampen its balance sheet. Ways and Means is a way in which the federal government raises funds by borrowing from the CBN.
The 14th Emir of Kano also said the central bank had embarked on aggressive monetary tightening through various liquidity control instruments, including open market operations, Open Buy Back (OBB) and high T-bills rates, an indication that the bank was sticking to its core mandate of financial systems stability and inflation control.
“I am optimistic, especially in the short term. We’ve had eight years of rapid expansion of the central bank’s balance sheet through ways and means. And that has fueled inflation and weakened the currency. And that is the fact,” Sanusi II said yesterday at MTN Capital Markets Day, an event organised by MTN Group to provide updates and insights to the financial community, including investors, analysts, and stakeholders.
Current governor of the CBN Olayemi Cardoso had said the bank would return to its primary role of price stability.
Acknowledging that the central bank can use different instruments to mop up excess money in circulation, Sanusi said it needs to do it in a manner that minimizes the cost to both the central bank and the government’s balance sheet, and that’s why it has to rely a little more on non-conventional instruments.
“If you look at OMO Bills and OBB rates in the last few weeks, I can see that the central bank has started a process of aggressive tightening. OBB rates are beginning to approach what they should be. And I think that’s what the market needs to look at; that the central bank is taking this role of tightening money and fighting inflation as a primary focus,” he stated at the event.
He urged the audience to show understanding with the fact that those new monetary policies take time to manifest.
“For the short term, I don’t think we have a problem. I think the central bank is doing the right thing – tightening money, clearing the backlog, trying to fund the market, and I think we will have stability.”
Earlier, CBN’s director in charge of the research department, Dr Omolara Duke, who represented Cardoso at the event said: “The Ways and Means will no longer be more than five percent, going forward. The period for the government to access Ways and Means is over.”
She also disclosed that the central bank is looking at how to drive down the cost of remittances to increase the inflow and move them away from the informal sector into the formal.
[Leadership]
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) says the old N200, N500, and N1,000 notes are to remain legal tender indefinitely.
While new currency notes were introduced last year with the old ones set to cease as legal tender, the apex bank on Tuesday extended “the legal tender status deadline of the old design of N200, N500 and N1,000 denominations, ad infinitum”.
It explained that the move is in line with international best practices and “to forestall a repeat of earlier experiences.
“Thus, all banknotes issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), in accordance with Section 20(5) of the CBN Act 2007, will continue to remain legal tender, ad infinitum, even beyond the initial December 31, 2023, deadline. The Central Bank of Nigeria is working with the relevant authorities to vacate the subsisting court ruling on the same subject.”
In a statement, the bank’s Director of Corporate Communications Isa AbdulMumin said CBN will continue to issue and accept all denominations of the bank notes, old and redesigned, to and from deposit money banks (DMBs).
[NaijaTimes]
Gov Dauda Lawal of Zamfara state has declared a state of emergency on education in the state while suspending licences for private educators within its jurisdiction.
The state government attributed the decision to years of deterioration in the education sector.
Governor Lawal who made the announcement during a state-wide broadcast on Tuesday, November 14, said;
“The neglected education system in Zamfara affects all levels, from primary to tertiary institutions, with poor learning environments and personnel.
“To maintain a minimum level of quality in education delivery, the government has suspended the licences of private education providers in the state.
“This will ensure that private schools meet the required standards for providing quality education.”
A man identified as Oladimeji Hassan has been arrested by the Lagos State Police Command after he was caught with a locally made gun and 25 live cartridges.
Policemen attached to the Ojodu Division of the command apprehended the suspect at the Berger area of the state on Tuesday, November 14, 2023.
The command in a statement posted on its official X account said investigation is ongoing.
“Oladimeji Hassan, a 27-year-old male, was arrested at Berger earlier today by Ojodu Division officers. Following a search, he was found in possession of a locally made gun and 25 live cartridges. The investigation is currently underway,” the statement read.
Apostle Christoper Mudavarima, the General Overseer of the Zimbabwean church, Living Waters Ministries, has been accused of deceit, exploiting vulnerable women particularly single mothers by promising them marriage within his church community.
The controversy came to light when incriminating evidence, including pictures and chat transcripts, surfaced in a church WhatsApp group.
One unidentified victim exposed Mudavarima’s alleged pattern of proposing marriage to numerous women within the church, soliciting financial contributions under the guise of Apostle Vutabwashe’s endorsement.
Reacting to the allegation made by 12 women, the cleric admitted having an affair with three different women.
Speaking to H-Metro, he said;
“What they are saying are all lies, but I double-crossed three different women so they teamed up to fabricate these stories. It’s Maggie who opened my phone and found out that I was dating Candy and Claris.”
Speaking on the matter, one victim, who chose to remain anonymous, voiced her distress: “This man is a womaniser, he has been proposing to different women in church.”
Apostle Christopher Mudawarima reportedly has a track record of being involved in controversies stemming from questionable actions, and this recent incident isn’t an isolated one.
In April 2022, Mudawarima was convicted of defrauding a job seeker of US$183 by falsely promising to secure a job for them at a mining company.
According to the Masvingo Mirror, Mudawarima received a sentence of 48 months, with 18 months suspended on the condition that he reimburse the complainant, and an additional 3 months suspended contingent upon good behavior.
Court proceedings revealed that the accused had a previous six-month suspended jail term from another case, which was reactivated. Consequently, he faces an effective 30-month prison term. The reason behind his absence from state custody remains unclear.
Nigeria’s Afrobeats superstar Rema has appreciated his fans for coming to watch him perform at his “Ravage Uprising” 02 Arena show in London on Tuesday.
Recall Rema shut down the 20,000 capacity 02 Arena stadium with his concert that saw some Nigerian celebrities and thousands of fans traveling to London to watch the Afrobeats sensation perform.
Rema opened his act with a dazzling entrance of him regaled in a mask and black ensemble, straddling a stationary horse, and performing his latest hit, “DND.”
The ‘Calm Down’ crooner then eased into a melodic performance of “Iron Man” with a thrilling spectacle of Indian dance choreographers on either side of him.
Rema then progressed to perform his hits like “Dirty”, “Ginger Me”, “Addicted”, “Why”, “Dimension”, “Soundgasm”, “Fame”, “HOV”, “Trouble Maker”, “Lady”, “Don’t Leave”, “Dumebi”, “Bounce” and “Charm”, all from his growing catalogue of songs.
Meanwhile, one of the highlights of the night was when Rema ushered in his fellow Mavin Records colleagues, Ayra Starr, Crayon, and Magixx, for the performance of “Won Da Mo.”
During the show, Rema appreciated his fans for coming out to watch him perform regardless of the show holding on a work day.
He said, ”I want to say a big thank you for each and every one of you coming here tonight. London, I want to say you have a big place in my heart, I am very grateful for you all coming on a work day to see Rema regardless. I am grateful, it’s not easy to spend your hard-earned money to get my ticket. Thank you so much for standing beside me. I am truly grateful.”
Rema joined other award-winning Nigerian artistes like Wizkid, Davido, Burna Boy, and Asake to have sold-out the arena.
[Vanguard]
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that repatriating the remains of Chibuikem Emmanuel, the Nigerian medical student murdered in the Philippines on October 23, 2023, by purportedly Chinese nationals, will incur a cost of N35 million.
This information was shared on the social networking platform X by Michael Ojuola, a friend of Emmanuel.
Ojuola had posted on X that the victim was “brutally murdered” by a group of Chinese.
“They tied his hands up, covered and tied his mouth and beat him blue-black until he gave up the ghost,” he wrote.
On Tuesday, the Director Consular, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Enya Francis, said the ministry was in close contact with the Embassy in the Philippines and was on top of the situation.
According to a statement by the spokesperson for Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Francis spoke during an investigative hearing on the matter by the Senate.
“Ikem’s corpse is yet to be buried as it will cost between N31m and N35m to repatriate and bury the corpse in Nigeria as against N10m to N15m to cremate it in the Philippines,” Francis was quoted to have said.
He emphasized that the daily cost of holding the corpse at the funeral home was accumulating at N30,000, underscoring the urgency to expedite the investigation and take necessary measures.
Blessing Essien, Emmanuel’s elder sister, highlighted his status as the family’s only son, expressing the family’s desire to honor Igbo tradition by bringing his body back to Nigeria for a fitting burial. She appealed to the Federal Government, specifically through the Senate committees, for assistance in repatriating the remains.
Chairman of NiDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, informed the Senate Joint Committees on Diaspora and Inter-Governmental Affairs and Foreign Affairs that Emmanuel’s employer in the Philippines, along with five others, had been charged with murder.
Updating the committee led by Senator Victor Umeh, she reported the Nigerian embassy’s actions, including notifying the Department of Foreign Affairs in the Philippines and involving the Inspector General of the Philippines National Police. Dabiri-Erewa explained that the police had concluded evidence gathering, presenting the case to the Mandaue City Prosecuting Department, which opted for murder charges.
Veteran Nigerian singer, Salawa Abeni has unveiled the comptroller and commandant of the Customs Training College, Rasheed Adahunse, as her third husband on his birthday.
Naija News reports that Adahunse held his birthday and retirement party in Lagos over the weekend at the Eko Club.
The famous Nigerian Waka singer took to her Instagram page to share a video of herself performing at the event and wrote, “Congratulations on your retirement and birthday celebration, comptroller Rasheed Agbolade Adahunse.”
During her speech at the event, the 62-year-old singer described Adahunse as her dearest husband of four years.
The Waka Queen said she had not chosen wrongly, adding that love conquers all.
“I don’t have much words to utter, let me thank God. I will just say a bit about Alhaji Abdulrasheed Agbolade, my dearest husband.
“You are retired but not tired, I pray that as God joined us together as husband and wife four years ago, you will live long and have abundance.
“I saw you then as a complete ‘English’ man, you saw me as a musician. But love conquered all. I have not chosen wrongly. From today, call me Abeni Idunu Ishola,” She added.
Recall that Salawa Abeni was first married to Lateef Adepoju, the owner of Leader Records, which she was signed on to. Their union lasted till 1986, when the Waka musician left the record label, and they had two children together.
After her union with Adepoju ended, Salawa got married to Kollington Ayinla, who was also a musician. She joined his record label and stayed with him till 1994. They also had kids together.
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After Hilda Baci broke the Guinness World Record for the longest cooking marathon in June, another Nigerian woman, Helen Williams, achieved a new record for the longest handmade wig.
Announcing the feat on its official X handle, the Guinness World Record detailed that Helen achieved the feat for the longest handmade wig, which stretches an incredible 351.28 metres.
“Helen Williams from Lagos, Nigeria, has achieved a new record for the longest handmade wig which stretches an incredible 351.28 metres (1,152 ft 5 in),” a tweet by Guinness World Record read.
Naija News recalls that Hilda was officially declared the holder of the longest cooking marathon Guinness World Record in June. Over her four days in the kitchen, the 26-year-old Nigerian chef cooked over 100 pots of food from Thursday, May 11, to Monday, May 15.
Hilda was, however, dethroned as the record holder of the longest cooking marathon record by an Irish restaurant owner, Alan Fisher, last week.
It was gathered that Fisher broke the longest cooking marathon for an individual after cooking in a time of 119 hours 57 minutes.
His feat was more than 24 hours longer than the previous record set by Baci.
Fisher, a chef who operates his restaurant in Japan also claimed the longest baking marathon for an individual, with a time of 47 hours 21 minutes.
Media
Yusuf Halilu, judge of a federal capital territory high court in Maitama, has revoked the bail granted to Geoffrey Akindele, one of the defendants, standing trial with Ahmed Idris, former accountant-general of the federation.
In May 2022, Idris was arrested in Kano after he failed to respond to invitations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to answer questions over the allegation of a N80 billion fraud.
He was later suspended in July 2022 and arraigned on a 14-count charge alongside Akindele, Mohammed Kudu Usman, and a firm — Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange Limited.
The defendants were granted bail in liberal terms.
At the resumed trial on Tuesday, Akindele, who was the technical assistant to Idris, was not in court.
Despite pleas by S.E. Adino, Akindele’s counsel, that his client was on the way to court, the judge insisted on revoking the second defendant’s bail.
The judge said when a court grants a defendant bail, such person must reciprocate the gesture by coming for trial.
He added that, Akindele had clearly not shown good character and conduct by his refusal to attend court.
“The second defendant had abuse the terms of his bail,” the judge held.
Consequently, Halilu revoked the second defendant’s bail and ordered the FCT commissioner of police and the EFCC to arrest Akindele and produce him in court in the next adjourned date.
He then adjourned the case to February 1, 2024 for hearing.
Although, Idris and the other defendants were present, counsels to the former attorney-general and counsel to the company were not in court.
Earlier, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, EFCC counsel, had informed the court that he received a letter from counsel to Idris but did not receive any from the counsel for Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange Limited.
Atolagbe said despite the fact that there were competent lawyers in the office of Idris’ lawyer, none of them announced appearance for the former accountant-general of the federation.
“This is not fair on the prosecution. It is definitely a ploy to delay trial,” Atolagbe said.
A final-year student of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Oladokun Ayomide, has been arrested by the Ogun State Police Command for allegedly poisoning his girlfriend, Ugbokwe Mmasichukwu, and another lady, Odumosu Semilore.
The police said the suspect administered a poison believed to be an admixture of brownie cakes, alcohol, and an unknown harmful substance after inviting his girlfriend to his residence in the Surulere community in the Camp area of the city on Friday.
PUNCH Metro gathered that while leaving for the suspect’s residence, Mmasichukwu told her schoolmate, Semilore, to accompany her to her boyfriend’s place at Surulere community, Camp, Abeokuta.
Serving them the substance suspected to be poisonous, our correspondent learnt that the victims were rushed to the hospital when they lost consciousness immediately after they ate the harmful cake.
Although the reason behind the suspect’s action remained unknown as of the time this report was filed, the police told our correspondent that a preliminary investigation revealed that Ayomide was suspected to have an intention to harm the victims.
The Chief Security Officer of the Federal College of Education, Osiele Abeokuta, Olusola Ajibola, who led the arrest of the suspect, told the police that Mmasichukwu and Semilore were students of the institution, while Ayomide was a final-year student of FUNAAB.
Contacted, the Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, told our correspondent that the victims were responding to treatment, adding that further investigation was going on to unravel the circumstances behind the incident.
“The victims were believed to have been fed brownie cake, and they immediately lost consciousness after eating it and were taken to the Osiele Medical Centre for treatment.
“A foil paper pack used for the brownie cake was found when our officers visited the crime scene. The suspect was handed over to the police division by the Chief Security Officer of the school,” Odutola stated on Tuesday.
The Lagos State Police Command on Tuesday arraigned a 31-year-old man, Frank Obodom, for alleged theft of a phone worth N720,000 in Alaba International Market, in the Ojo area of the state.
The defendant was arraigned before Magistrate L.Y. Balogun sitting before a Yaba Magistrate Court on one count bordering on phone theft.
He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The prosecutor, Chekwube Okeh, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on October 18, 2023, around 9.42 am at the Alaba market, Ojo, Lagos State.
She stated that Obodom entered a store belonging to Vigis International Limited at the Alaba market pretending to buy a phone case and while the attendant was sourcing for the ones to show to him, he took a Samsung Phone Model A03s.
Okeh also revealed that the defendant was captured by the Closed-Circuit Television cameras in the store and immediately the market task force officials were alerted and he was arrested.
The defendant, a graduate of quantity surveying from a polytechnic in Lagos State, when asked why he committed the offence claimed that he stole the phone because of his house rent that was due and he did not have enough money to pay.
He claimed that it was the first time he was indulging in such a crime.
According to Okey, the offence contravened Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The charge read in part, “That you, Frank Obodom, on October 18, 2023 around 9 am at Ojo Alaba Market Ojo, Lagos State, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did steal one Samsung Phone Model A03s, four other Samsung phones, all valued at N720, 000, property of Vigis International Limited and thereby, committed an offence punishable under Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Following his pea, the magistrate, Mrs Balogun, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N300,000, with one responsible surety in like sum.
She, however, adjourned the case until December 12, 2023, for a hearing.