A chieftain of the Labour Party (LP), Kenneth Okonkwo has hinted on plans to return to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Okonkwo, who served as presidential campaign spokesperson for the party in the 2023 election, he is not impressed by recent developments in the party.

The Nollywood actor, who joined the Labour Party after dumping the APC in 2022, described it as “a secret society led by a group of clowns”.

He added that the party lacks the integrity to take advantage of the internal crisis in other parties.

In a recent interview on Symfoni, Okonkwo said he will not rule out rejoining another party if the LP continues on a “trajectory where they cannot even hold an acceptable national convention”.

“Any party that is not visibly committed to the welfare of Nigerians will most likely not see me there. I don’t rule out going back to anything because change is constant,” he said.

“My own labour party is not impressing me. Assuming they continue on this trajectory where they cannot even hold an acceptable national convention, then you’d tell me I’d be there?

“I was a spokesperson at the presidential level and I did not know that the Labour Party was having a convention. When I saw it on social media, I thought it was fake. They were rejected in Umuahia because it was a leprous convention.

“Those people are clowns. It is the greatest joke I have ever seen in a political party and then you want to position yourself as a party of integrity. You cannot give what you don’t have.

“Aburi and his cohorts, their tenure is over. Let Aburi and his cohorts get behind me. They are workers of iniquity. I don’t rate them. That executive is in charge of the secret society. They should be apprehended.”

A Federal High Court in Kano on Thursday has set aside all steps taken by Kano state government to repeal the Kano Emirates Council Law.

In his ruling on Thursday, Justice Abdullahi Muhammad Liman ordered parties to maintain status quo.”

By implications, Bayero, 4 other Emirs dethroned by the emirate law are back to the throne.

Details soon.

Super Eagles of Nigeria dropped again in the latest FIFA world ranking that was released on Thursday, June 20, 2024.

The ranking which was posted on FIFA’s website saw the Eagles drop from 30th to 38th in the world and fifth in Africa.

Ahead of the Eagles in Africa are Morocco (1st), Senegal (2nd), Egypt (3rd) and AFCON champions Cote d’Ivoire (4th).

The Eagles’ drop could be attributed to their poor outings on matchday 3 and 4, in Group C of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against South Africa and Benin Republic.

After a 1-1 draw against South Africa inside the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, the Eagles lost 2-1 to Cheetahs of Benin Republic in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

While South Africa maintained 59th spot in the ranking, Gernot Rohr-led Benin Republic move to 91.

With four games played in the qualifiers, the three-time AFCON champions are in fifth place on three points.

They will be back in the World Cup qualifying campaign in March 2025 against Rwanda and Zimbabwe who are in 131st and 129th positions respectively in the latest ranking.

Meanwhile, the top three, however, remain unshakeable. Argentina (1st) retain their place at the summit, with France (2nd) and Belgium (3rd) hot on their heels.

But there is movement behind them, as Brazil (4th, up 1) and England (5th, down 1) swap places.

Meanwhile, Portugal (6th), the Netherlands (7th) and Spain (8th) consolidate their spots in the top ten, whilst Croatia (9th, up 1) overtake Italy (10th, down 1), who nonetheless hold onto a place among the leading pack.

The next FIFA world ranking will be published on 18 July, 2024

Victor Osimhen, Nigeria’s most celebrated striker, recently vented his frustrations on social media towards Super Eagles coach Finidi George.

Osimhen reacted to an online publication suggesting that Finidi questioned his commitment to playing for Nigeria and refused to beg him to join the Super Eagles Super Eagles.

This incident followed Finidi’s resignation after disappointing results against South Africa and Benin, and the Nigerian Football Federation’s (NFF) decision to hire a foreign Technical Adviser.

Finidi, who was dealing with his own professional challenges, took some time to refute the report.

By the time he did, Osimhen had already made his grievance public. The situation has since sparked a week of chaos, dividing public opinion.

Some support Osimhen for defending his reputation, while others believe he disrespected a Nigerian legend and should apologize publicly, with some even calling for his ban from the national team.

Does Osimhen have a ‘bad boy’ reputation?

Amidst this turmoil, there have been revelations that suggest that Osimhen has a history of picking up fights.

According to OwnGoalNigeria, Osimhen’s recent outburst was not his first disciplinary issue with the national team, alleging past conflicts with teammates and coaches.

As per the report, Osimhen had fights with Leon Balogun in 2019 and Francis Uzoho, suggesting a pattern of poor behaviour.

The report also quoted former teammate John Ogu, who mentioned these incidents and described Osimhen as a “combustive player” who often reacts without thinking.

This portrayal has fueled speculation and criticism, with some arguing that Osimhen is a negative influence on the team.

Fact-Check from Soccernet.ng

Soccernet.ng can confirm that while there were indeed training ground squabbles between Osimhen and Balogun, as well as Uzoho, these were typical of the intensity seen in football training sessions globally.

Such incidents are common and are usually resolved quickly, without lingering animosity.

Regarding claims of Osimhen being a negative influence, it is essential to highlight his fierce competitiveness and commitment.

Osimhen’s drive to win sometimes leads to high-intensity interactions with teammates and coaches.

Last season, he had a couple of disputes with Napoli teammates and coach Luciano Spalletti, yet they all knew all he did was for the good of the team. Osimhen’s goals would later power Napoli to their first Scudetto title in over 30 years.

The Edo State Working Committee of the People Democratic Party on Wednesday expelled a former deputy governor of the state, Philip Shaibu, for alleged anti-party activities.

The PDP SWC also expelled the South-South Vice Chairman, Dan Orbih, while it also upheld the expulsion of a former member of the House of Representatives, Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, by Ward 2, Oredo Local Government.

The decisions were taken on Wednesday at the PDP SWC meeting in Benin.

Present at the meeting were the Chairman of the Edo PDP, Tony Aziegbemi, and seven other members of the SWC, including Tony Anenih Jr., who joined the meeting virtually.

Aziegbemi said that the trio was expelled for anti-party activities, noting that they had shown that they were no longer in the party and there was no need to keep them in the PDP.

He said that the party would not be affected by their expulsion in the September 21 governorship election in the state, adding the party was well positioned to win at the poll.

The Edo PDP chairman said, “Dan Orbih was expelled because he has been asking members of the PDP to join the opposition party. He also took an appointment as the governing council member of a third-tier institution without recourse to the party before accepting the appointment.

“Shaibu donated about 15 vehicles to the All Progressives Congress and has also been abusing and disrespectful to the leaders of the party in the state. Someone who does these things cannot be termed a true party man.

“Also, Ogbeide-Ihama donated his building on Sakponba Road to the APC for campaign purposes. The building currently bears the billboard of the APC candidate and his running mate.

“The party is working with other stakeholders to ensure that the party wins the election in September.”

The SWC’s decision came days after Shaibu openly declared he would be working for the APC to win the September 21 governorship election while labelling the PDP governorship candidate, Asue Ighodalo, an outsider and a product of godfatherism.

Orbih, on his own, leads the Edo PDP Legacy Group, which had vowed to stop Governor Godwin Obaseki from influencing or installing a successor.

The expulsion of Ogbeide-Ihama by the SWC, however, generated an uproar as the PDP leadership in the Oredo Local Government Area of the state faulted the ex-federal lawmaker’s expulsion.

They declared the suspension null and void and urged the group behind the act not to cause confusion in the local government. 

The chairman of the PDP in the local government, Oduwa Igbinosun, after an emergency meeting in Benin on Wednesday, stated that the local government exco attention was drawn to a purported expulsion of Ogbeide-Ihama by a faceless group led by one Lawrence Aguebor, which according to him prompted the exco to set the record straight.

He explained that the said Lawrence was an ex-official of the ward, and lacked the authority to suspend or expel anyone.

Igbinosun added that the National Working Committee of the party had extended the tenure of all elected excos and made ratification for them to act as a caretaker committee.

Similarly, the executives of the PDD ward 2, in Oredo local government disowned the purported suspension and expulsion of the two-term federal lawmaker.

Secretary of the ward, Mr. Jesuobo Obadigie, who stated this on behalf of the executives, said no such action was carried out.

Flanked by the 12 members of the ward exco, Osayande said: “Honourable Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama remains not just a member, but a prominent and formidable leader of the party, and continues to enjoy the total support of the members in Ward 2.

“It is expected that anyone who loves the party should at this point be focused on actions that will unite the party ahead of the September governorship election.

Nearly two-thirds of Nigerian professionals and three-quarters of Ghanaian professionals are willing to work abroad, a new report by Boston Consulting Group and The Network has shown.

The report, Decoding Global Talent 2024, surveyed over 150,000 workers in 188 countries and found that younger professionals and those from fast-growing populations were more likely to seek opportunities abroad.

English-speaking countries with strong economies, such as Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, were the top destinations, with London and New York ranking among the most desirable cities.

The report stated that Nigeria ranked 67th and Ghana 72nd in terms of attractiveness to global workers, while Abuja and Lagos ranked 63rd and 103rd, respectively, in terms of desired cities.

“The world’s most important economies are facing a major challenge: the great shortage of people. This looming gap in the global labour market is primarily due to declining birth rates and mismatches between job supply and demand,” said the CEO of Stepstone Group, Sebastian Dettmers.

“Labour migration represents a prime opportunity to bridge this gap. We must adapt our job markets to be more versatile, enabling workers to move to where they are most needed and where they can find the best positions for their skills and aspirations.”

The top 10 countries Nigerians prefer to work abroad for are Canada, the UK, the USA, Australia, Germany, the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, and France.

This marks a slight change from the survey done in 2020 that found that people from Nigeria were looking for work in the Netherlands (8th position in 2020), New Zealand (9th position in 2020), and Ireland (10th position in 2020).

Ghanaians’ top 10 countries for work opportunities are Canada, the USA, the UK, Australia, Germany, the UAE, Finland, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Belgium.

The Principal at BCG, Adwoa Banful, stated, “West Africa continues to offer attractive job opportunities for local professionals and for others from the rest of the continent and overseas, who are seeking to advance their careers.

“There are some clear reasons why people are choosing to relocate to Nigeria and Ghana, most notably the quality of job opportunities, and the region’s welcoming culture and family-centric environment.”

According to the report, global talent moves abroad primarily for professional progress, with those willing to do so citing financial and economic reasons (64 per cent of global, 60 per cent of Nigerian, and 69 per cent of Ghanaian respondents).

Also, career considerations such as work experience (56 per cent of global, 69 per cent of Nigerian, and 73 per cent of Ghanaian respondents), better overall life quality (55 per cent of global, 51 per cent of Nigerian and 57 per cent of Ghanaian respondents), and a concrete job offer (54 per cent of global, 51 per cent of Nigerian and 50 per cent of Ghanaian respondents) were their top reasons for doing so.

Nigerian respondents also highlighted better educational and training opportunities (64 per cent versus 37 per cent of global respondents) and more interesting or challenging work (63 per cent versus 48 per cent of global respondents) as top reasons to relocate.

The same goes for Ghanaian respondents who would relocate because of better educational and training opportunities (70 per cent ) and more interesting or challenging work (68 per cent).

“For global respondents who listed a specific reason for choosing a particular country, the quality of job opportunities was the top decisive factor (65 per cent), with quality of life and climate ranking second (54 per cent).

“Other country-specific characteristics, such as opportunities for citizenship (18 per cent) and health care (15 per cent) also play a role but are secondary factors,” the report highlighted.

Reasons to relocate to Nigeria that were highlighted by respondents include the quality of job opportunities (52 per cent of respondents), a family-friendly environment (40 per cent), and a welcoming culture and inclusiveness (34 per cent).

Reasons for choosing Ghana include quality of job opportunities (48 per cent of respondents), a welcoming culture and inclusiveness (40 per cent), and safety, stability and security (38 per cent).

“The biggest reasons highlighted by Nigerian and Ghanaian respondents, who are not willing to move overseas are the inability to bring family members or a life partner with them when they relocate (43 per cent and 50 per cent respectively) and the cost of relocation (39 per cent and 36 per cent respectively),” Banful stated.

Co-managing Director at The Network, Sacha Knorr said, “People don’t associate countries with certain generally attributed advantages and choose them on that basis.

In a bid to purge the civil service of fraudulent activities, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, HOCSF, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan, has revealed a crackdown on ghost workers based abroad but receiving salaries in Nigeria.

She noted that the verification exercises of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) helped to expose some of the fraudulent activities being perpetuated by certain individuals in the service.

The Head of Civil Service of the Federation (HoCSF) revealed that numerous civil servants who were found to be involved in fraudulent activities were forced to resign from their positions after failing to participate in the physical verification process, which exposed their deceit.

She added that civil servants who are outside the country without official permission and still on the payroll will be sacked after the ongoing verification is completed.

This was as she also disclosed that 1618 civil servants with fake employment letters were also caught and dismissed.

Yemi-Esan revealed this during a media parley with media executives on Wednesday in Abuja, as part of activities to mark 2024 Civil Service Week.

The theme for 2024 celebration is ‘Educate an African Fit for the 21st Century: Building Resilient Education Systems for Increased Access to Inclusive, Lifelong, Quality and Relevant Learning in Africa’.

She said: “There are efforts to tackle Nigerians who have relocated abroad doing news jobs, but are still under the payroll of the civil service.

“The Federal Government is going hard on them, as many of them are voluntarily resigning after the physical verifications.

“Recently, there was a circular that went out to all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) that they should do a physical headcount in their MDAs. 

“That means, everybody on the nominal roll, that is receiving salaries, should appear physically and the names of those who did not show up for the exercise should be forwarded.

“In the circular, I cautioned that Permanent Secretaries and CEOs that give wrong information will be held liable if anything is discovered outside of the information that was given.”

She alleged that certain high-ranking officials, who were responsible for providing her office with information, were complicit in the fraud and deliberately withheld details to conceal the vacancies, thereby perpetuating the scam.

“It is a Nigerian thing. We are running hard against the culture that tolerates it. Outsiders don’t know the bashing we get every day trying to do the right thing.

“I expect that once the verification report comes anybody that is not in the country automatically loses his job.

“What we discovered in the last month of that verification is that most of them are now resigning their appointment which is a good development,” Yemi-Ean said.

Yemi-Esan, who is set to retire on August 14, as announced by the director of communication, Mohammed Ahmed, during the parley, has been spearheading the purge to restore integrity and transparency in the civil service.

She vowed to continue the clampdown, ensuring that only legitimate civil servants receive their rightful compensation.

Yemi-Esan noted that so far, 69,308 civil servants who participated in the compulsory verification exercise have been fully integrated into the IPPIS after their verifications.

Sometime in November 2019 Emmanuel Oluwasayomi Ahmadu, a graduate of Mass Communications University of Benin was carrying out his One-year National Youth Service Corps assignment in Kwara state, granted audience to the state Correspondent, Demola Akinyemi, in Vanguard office Ilorin on how he sat for WAEC/GCE examinations for seventeen times all because he didn’t want to cut corners, before he secured admission into the University of Benin, in Edo state. It was widely published in our Online back then, precisely on December,1,2019.

Emmanuel’s story is a testament to resilience and determination, akin to Dr. Ben Carson’s. He first gained international attention in 2018 when he won the International Award for Student Brand of the Year in West Africa while an undergraduate at the University of Benin (UNIBEN).

Emmanuel who graduated in Mass Communication from the University of Benin in 2018, received recognition from the Vice-Chancellor as an extraordinary student whose achievements were archived in the university’s main library to inspire hope in others.

He was also recognized as the Most Innovative Student in Nigeria, Media Personality of the Year, and received several other prestigious awards for his impactful initiatives and media influence.

Shortly after his service year, fortune smiled on Emmanuel as his family raised funds for him from Church, Cooperatives and loans from banks with which he proceeded to study in USA.
The Global Changemaker, Emmanuel popularly known as ‘Mr. Voiceover,’ in a chat with Vanguard Correspondent said he was admitted into Cleveland State University in the USA in 2021 for graduate studies in School Counseling, even though he still work with the professors there.

“But I needed to transfer to Cuyahoga Community College to get the basic background into Human Services and get closer access to community resources and programs about the field I’m equipping myself for.” he added .

He also said that on June 4,2024 he was honored with an academic honorary Doctorate Degree in International Affairs (DIA) from Global Seminary University, New York, USA stressing that,”This recognition, in collaboration with GEPEA University, Portugal, acknowledges my distinguished contributions to the promotion of peace and sustainable mental wellness and hope globally.

“Additionally,I have been honored as a Professional Doctoral Fellow by The Across Global Institute of Foreign Languages (AGIFL) for my impactful use of English as a foreign language to create positive changes across the world.My remarkable journey from overcoming significant educational and personal challenges to making significant global impacts in mental health advocacy and suicide prevention has earned me these prestigious honors.”he said.

His contributions to mental health awareness, suicide prevention, and curbing social misconduct among adolescents and youths across nations have been profound. 

Emmanuel’s innovative approaches and advocacy efforts according to him,have reached over 10 million young people globally through various school mental awareness programs, media engagements, and interviews with prominent media outlets such as Vanguard Newspapers, BBC News (Pidgin), ITV, Galaxy TV,and Arise TV News, among others.

In the USA, Emmanuel has made significant strides. As a Student Government President and Vice President of the Joint Student Council Board across five campuses of Cuyahoga Community College, Cleveland, his administration brought hope and connected students to essential resources, including mental health support.

He stated that his impact earned him numerous awards, including “Distinguished Student Leader with a Big Heart” from the College and “Outstanding Mental Health Advocate of the Year” by the Active Minds Organization.

Currently, Emmanuel said he serves the Federal Government as a Peer Reviewer and Judge with the United States Federal Department of Education for the School-Based Mental Health Services (SBMH) and Mental Health Services Professional Demonstration (MHSP) grant programs.
His role highlights his expertise and commitment to advancing mental health services across all educational institutions to impacts young people in America.

Emmanuel’s further involvement with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) in Ohio State demonstrates his dedication to this cause.

He actively contributes to three AFSP State Board committees: the Walk Committee, the Advocacy Committee, and the Education Committee. His efforts have significantly advanced suicide prevention initiatives and mental health education, earning him numerous awards, including Advocate of the Year in Ohio State at the Annual Mental Health First Aid Summit in 2023.

Reflecting on these honor, Emmanuel stated, “Receiving these honorary Doctorate Honors is not just a recognition of my past efforts but a catalyst for future impact. It reinforces my commitment to mental health advocacy and suicide prevention, and I am inspired to collaborate with young champions and survivors to create a supportive environment for all to rise.”

Emmanuel’s research proposal and paper presentation through the Cleveland Humanities Collaborative partnered with Case Western Reserve University, USA, on “Fostering Mental Health Awareness and Preventing Social Misconducts among Adolescents and Youths- using a multifaceted approach,” emphasizes the critical importance of mental health awareness and innovative approaches to prevent adolescent and youth suicide.

His initiatives, such as the R.I.S.E Global Voices Organization, aim to address these issues by promoting resilience, inclusion, self-care, and empowerment among adolescents and youth.

His vision includes launching a social networking platform to connect young champions/survivors of different traumatic experiences across the world, training and supporting them to help others struggling in silence.

Futhermore, part of his vision for the future includes launching collaborative projects with local and international human services agencies, leveraging his role and recognition to foster global partnerships aimed at tackling mental health challenges. His dedication to this cause and his innovative approaches continue to inspire hope and resilience in young people worldwide.

—- 16 victims duped, we get fake dollars from Lagos

A 53-year-old electrician turned fraudster, Temidayo Olagundoye, has confessed that he went into crime because he was duped.

Olagundoye, who is the leader of a counterfeit currency syndicate, was paraded alongside 47 suspected criminals by the Ondo state security outfit, codenamed, Amotekun, in Akure, the state capital.

In an interview, the suspect said that his gang had defrauded 16 victims.

According to him ” I have been involved in one-chance operation and defrauding people for over three years. Our route is along the Ondo/Akure/Osogbo/Ife highway.

“After some unsuspecting passengers might have boarded our vehicles, I will ask one of my gang members what is inside the bag with him, and he will respond that it is dollars with a charm on it.

“We do get the fake dollars from Lagos. About 16 people have fallen into our trick, with N260,000 being our highest catch.

“The charm we put on the fake dollar is not real; it was just to deceive our victims.

“I used to be an electrician, but I was duped in Abuja. After I was duped, I decided to also dupe people.”

The state commander of Amotekun, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, while narrating how the suspected one-chance taxi operators were apprehended, said “there is this syndicate that specialises in what is called ‘One-Chance’ in local parlance.

” Unsuspecting commuters will board their vehicles, get midway, rob them, dispose of their valuables, and make away with them.

“So, we were able to put some of our men in one of the vehicles, and as we talk today, out of the ten vehicles they use, we were able to retrieve three, and the kingpin of the criminal activities has been arrested and is here on parade.

“They have an herbalist who deceives them by telling customers of theirs that they can produce dollars for them, but you can see that they are counterfeit dollars.

“So, they collected naira from them in exchange for counterfeit dollars. So, we were able to break their cartel, and you can see the pots and charms they use in hypnotising their customers.

“So, all they need to tell the victims is to go home and bring all their valuables for these counterfeit dollars.”

Adeleye said that the suspect and other already profiled would soon be charged to court for prosecution.

France captain, Kylian Mbappe, on Wednesday, returned to light training with a bandage covering his broken nose.

Mbappe suffered the injury during their Euro 2024 opening game against Austria.

Hours before his first public appearance after the incident, the forward wrote on Instagram: “Without risks, there are no victories”.

It is understood that the Real Madrid-bound player underwent more tests on the nose injury.

Mbappé showed up for a late-afternoon practice session 30 minutes after his teammates came out.

The 25-year-old was initially seen running with the ball alone, with a trainer, and later speaking to France coach Didier Deschamps, before taking part in a shooting drill with other players.